72 



THE IRRIGATION AGE 



It is called "The Great Secretary of State 

 Interview," and describes with graphic 

 realism an incident in the career of a 

 young reporter. 



MCCLURE'S. 



The recent threats of a new outburst of 

 Vesuvius give timeliness to an article by 

 H. J. W. Dam on the "Mystery of Vesuvi- 

 us," appearing in the November number 

 of McClure^s Magazine. Mr. Dam and 

 the artist C. K. Linson made a recent 

 exploration of the volcano, for McClure's: 

 and the article embraces much new in- 

 formation thus gained. It will be illus- 

 trated from special drawings made by Mr. 

 Linson on the spot. 



From the Canadian Department of the 

 Interior we received the report on "Irri- 

 gation i and Irrigation Surveys" for the 

 year ending June, 1897. In addition to 

 the report proper, are numerous maps and 

 surveys showing not only present irriga- 

 tion systems, but proposed reservoir sites, 

 etc. The plates used in the report are 

 especially fine. 



A neat little pamphlet has been received 

 from the United States Department of Ag- 

 riculture, dealing with the very important 

 subject of good roads for the country. 

 "Must the Farmer Pay for Good Roads?" 

 is the title: it is written by Otto Dorner, 

 Milwaukee, Wis., chairman National, Com- 

 mittee for Highway Improvement League 

 of American Wheelmen, and was pub- 

 lished by the League, but adopted by the 

 Department of Agriculture as circular No. 

 31. When we consider that in many farm- 

 ing districts the roads are so poor as to be 

 practically impassible for vehicles during 

 certain parts of the year, we 'will realize at 

 once the necessity of agitating the matter 

 of state aid in building roads. 



Into this little pamphlet or booklet of 

 forty-four pages, the size of page being only 

 3ix6 inches, is crowded a great deal of in- 

 structive reading, together with over thirty 

 illustrations. The different heads under 

 which the subject is treated are "Aims of 

 the League of American Wheelmen State 

 Aid- Cities Shtuld Help; What Ntw Jer- 

 sey Fanners Think of State Aid;The Cost of 

 Hauling Crops; Beads and Read Machin- 

 tiy: Building Macadtm Reads; Railway 



Tracks on Highways: Importance of Wide 

 Tires; and Good Words from Good Men," 

 being the opinions of such well-known men 

 as Sec'y Wilson, ex-President Harrison. J. 

 M. Rusk and others on the improvements 

 of roads and highways. This book is a 

 practical treatise on a most important sub- 

 ject and should be in the hands of every 

 progressive farmer. The contrast of the 

 road before and after being improved is 

 shown by means of good illustrations. The 

 L. A. W. deserves much credit for its work 

 in this direction. 



One of the things that come to our desk 

 this month which is deserving of mention 

 is the catalogue of the Lidgerwood Manu- 

 facturing Co., manufacturers of hoisting 

 engines. It is certainly a work of art and 

 in arrangement, typography, paper and 

 press work is something of which the pub- 

 lisher, as well 8 the Lidgerwood Company 

 may well feel proud. 



The Spokesman- Review, of Spokane, 

 Wash., came out the last week of Septem- 

 ber with a supplement consisting of twenty 

 extra pages, and an illustrated cover 

 printed in colors. This was devoted to 

 facts, figures and views of Spokane aid 

 is a credit to the Review as well as a wel- 

 come visitor to the subscribers. 



The first issue of the Vinemont *eics 

 (Vinemont, Ala.) has been received. This 

 neat little sheet made its initial bow to 

 the public Sept. 30 and it evidently in- 

 tends booming Vinemont for all there is in 

 it. The Southern section of the country 

 has been comparatively unknown and un- 

 appreciated as a location for prospective 

 settlers, but owing to the efforts of several 

 men, among them Joseph Barron, of Chi- 

 cago, the tide of colonization has turned to 

 Cullman County. 



