1903 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
793 
Events of the Week. 
DOMESTIC.—Manufacturers of vegetable and fruit 
carriers, after a two weeks’ session at Laurel, Del., 
October 28, formed a combine to control the industry 
throughout the country. Thousands of acres of gum 
timber land have been purchased, and railways through 
North Carolina and Virginia will be built. One million 
dollars has been paid, and the stock, which will not be 
listed, will be greatly Increased. Laurel will be its 
headquarters. Harvey Marvil, nephew of the late Gov¬ 
ernor Marvil, the pioneer basket manufacturer, is to be 
president; A. W. Robinson, of Sharptown, Md., general 
manager, and W. B. Valllant, Chestertown, secretary 
and treasurer. .... Fire at Kingsbridge, in the 
northern part of New York City October 28, destroyed a 
number of stores and dwellings, and some public build¬ 
ings; loss $200,000.Fire in the Girard Avenue 
Theater, Philadelphia, Pa., October 28, caused damage 
amounting to $80,000. ... A train wreck at Dean 
Lake, Mo., October 29, killed Mrs. Booth-Tucker of the 
Salvation Army, and injured 27 others. Eimma Moss 
Booth-Tucker was the second daughter of William 
Booth, founder of the Salvation Army, and the joint 
head with her husband of the Army here. She was born 
at Gateshead, England, in 18G0. While still in her teens 
she engaged in Salvation Army work, and had charge 
of several hundred girls. She married Frederick St. 
(Jeorge de Latour Tucker in 1887. Previous to joining 
the Salvation Army in 1881 he had been assistant com¬ 
missioner of the Punjaub in India. After marriage he 
assumed the name Booth-Tucker, and the couple took 
charge of the Army’s work in India. In 1896 they came 
to the United States. The Booth-Tuckers were sent here 
to replace Ballington Booth, who had been in charge 
for several years. A split in the Army followed, and 
Ballington Booth organized the Volunteers of America. 
He has never become reconciled to the parent organiza¬ 
tion. Consul Booth-Tucker was regarded by. Salvation¬ 
ists as the central figure of the movement in the United 
States. She had a remarkable capacity for work, and, 
besides doing a great amount of writing and speaking, 
took a deep interest in colony work. She leaves six 
.small children, ranging in age from 13 years to five 
months, and one adopted child.Fire which 
started near a grain elevator in Philadelphia, Pa.. Octo¬ 
ber 30, caused the death of one person. Injuries to a 
dozen others, and a loss of $200,000.For the 
.second time within two months Samuel J. Parks, walk¬ 
ing delegate of Housesmiths’ and Bridgemen’s Union, 
Local No. 2, was convicted of the crime of extortion in 
the New York Court of General Sessions October 30. It 
took the jury just 12 minutes, during which time they 
took two ballots, to agree on the guilt of Parks in ex¬ 
torting $500 from the Tiffany Studios, a firm of con¬ 
tractors, under threat of keeping them from continuing 
work on buildings last January. It was shown at the 
trial that Parks had obtained $500 from the Tiffany firm 
as an “initiation fee” last January, when the House- 
smiths’ and Bridgemen’s Union men were on strike on 
three of the Tiffany contracts in this city. Parks 
claimed that this money was a fine levied by his labor 
union. I.ater the fact developed that Parks had been 
disloyal to his union, inasmuch as he permitted the 
Tiffany firm to employ non-union men on certain jobs 
after having received the $500. This accusation was not 
denied by the defendant or his counsel during the trial, 
but the latter contended that Parks had given the money 
to the treasurer of his organization, and that the entire 
transaction was a business deal which, instead of being 
a crime, afforded considerable business advantages to 
the firm which paid the money.Fifteen per- 
.s(ins were killed and about 20 others injured by a head- 
on collision on the “Big Four” Railroad at Indianapolis, 
Ind., October 31. Eight of the dead were football players 
belonging to the Purdue University team. Many of the 
bodies were so mangled that they could be identified 
only by letters and other papers in the clothing. The 
cause of the accident has not been explained. The en¬ 
gineers of both trains say they had the right of way 
and were proceeding without knowledge that another 
train was on the track. There is a sharp curve where 
the wreck occurred and many freight cars were stand¬ 
ing on the side tracks, obscuring the view. 
Coney Island, N. Y., was swept by a fire November 1 
which in a few hours destroyed property to the value 
of about $1,000,000, made 500 people homeless and entirely 
wiped out the dives, cheap shows, restaurants, dance 
halls and various other characteristic Coney Island 
resorts which lined the Bowery for about nine blocks 
and extended as far south as the surf line of the sea. 
The region destroyed was practically the same as that 
which was burned in 1896, except that this time the area 
left in ashes is much larger than it was at the former 
fire. One person was killed and 14 injured. The fire is 
believed to be of incendiary origin, and several arrests 
have been made.The extensive printing estab¬ 
lishment of Avil Bros., Philadelphia, Pa., was burned 
November 1, causing a loss of $600,000. About 40 mules 
in an adjoining stable were released by the fire and 
roamed through the streets. Some were caught with 
great difficulty.November 1 fire in an over¬ 
crowded tenement on Eleventh Avenue, New York, 
killed 21 men, three women and one baby. Most of them 
were killed by smoke, and the damage to the building 
was small, but the firemen say it was one of the most 
hori’ifying blazes they have ever battled with. The 
house sheltered 150 persons in 20 small apartments. Most 
of the families took boarders, some of them keeping a 
double number in day and night shifts.Fresh 
milk and cream for breakfast will hereafter be a luxury 
in Chicago, for the milk wagon drivers’ new Winter 
schedule went into effect November 2. This schedule 
prohibits the delivery of milk and cream before 8 
o’clock in the morning between November 1, 1903, and 
April 1, 1904, except on Sundays and holidays. The milk 
and dairy companies are satisfied with the arrangement- 
in fact, it is part of the agreement between the union 
and the milk dealers, as the late delivery of milk in cold 
weather means a saving of about 25 per cent in the 
number of bottles broken by frost.The election 
in New York City November 3 resulted in a sweeping 
victory for Ta.mm.'iny, McClellan being elected for Mayor 
by a majority of 62,000. The canal amendment obtained 
a laxge majority. The up-State elections were lai’gely 
Republican. Ohio and Pennsylvania were Republican; 
Iowa and Kentucky Democratic. In Salt Lake, Utah, 
the Mormon ticket was overwhelmingly successful. 'The 
issues were clearly defined. The Republicans, led' by 
Senator Thomas J. Kearns, backed tne gentile ticket, 
while the Mormon Church supported the Democratic 
ticket, which was headed by a high Mormon. Every 
bishop and elder in the Mormon Church hustled at the 
polls. 
ADMINISTRATION.—The first public development in 
the gigantic land frauds on the Pacific coast, which 
have been secretly under investigation since last Jan¬ 
uary and involve prominent citizens and department of¬ 
ficers, appeared October 27, when the Secretary of the 
Interior suspended from office Asa B. Thomson, receiver 
of the United States Land Office at La Grande, Ore. 
Thomson was indicted by^ the . Federal Grand Jury in 
Oregon October 26 for solicfting bribes. Secretary Hitch¬ 
cock announced that Thomson had been suspended and 
that by this action the office of La Grande had been 
practically closed, all business entering it being merely 
filed for future consideration. It is understood that the 
indictment of Thomson is only the beginning of a series 
of prosecutions that the Interior Department, through 
the Information obtained by its investigators, is now 
ready to push forward. 
FARM AND GARDEN.— T. Ei Orr, of Beaver, Pa., 
has been appointed chief of the poultry d^artment of 
the St. Louis Exposition. The poultry exhibit will be 
from October 24 to November 6, 1904. 
A bill has been prepared in northern Iowa and will 
be urged upon the next legislature providing that rail¬ 
road companies shall be required to give farmers eleva¬ 
tor room on their rights of way whenever demanded. 
This is a movement on the part of the farmers to head 
off the Grain Dealers’ Association of the State, which 
they think now rather monopolizes the elevator business. 
The farmers do not try to compel the railroads to deal 
with scoop-shovel dealers, who load cars from wagons 
Instead of elevators, but they do demand the right to 
build elevators alongside the railroad tracks in whatever 
communities they desire. This has already been accom¬ 
plished by the farmers along a great many lines of rail¬ 
way in northern and western Iowa. 
The annual meeting of the American Apple Growers’ 
Association will be held at the Lindell Hotel, St. Louis, 
Mo., November 17-18. 
The Iowa State College, Ames, offers in its Department 
of Animal Husbandry a farmers’ short course in live 
stock judging January 4-16, 1904. A school in corn judging 
will be conducted at the same time in the Department 
of Agronomy. 
The programme has been issued for the annual meet¬ 
ing of the New York State Dairymen’s Association at 
Ogdensburg, N. Y., December 8-10. 
THE POTATO CROP. 
Whaf Dealers Have to Say. 
Up to the present time the receipts have shown more 
or less rot. and there are very few lots that show good 
keeping quality. Michigan has a large crop, but so far 
as we can find out the condition is about the same all 
over the State. Present price is 55 cents per bushel. 
Detroit. Mich. AnrRED rush & sons. 
Prom what we have heard the crop will not be large 
enough to prevent any rise in prices later on. We have 
heard that Michigan potatoes are badly affected by rot, 
so we think there will be a shortage on the later pota¬ 
toes, and prices might advance. We have not heard of 
any foreign potatoes being Imported as yet. 
Chicago, Ill. M. BAKER & cx». 
Early in the season we received many complaints in 
regard to dry rot, but there has been but very little 
trouble from this source during the past few weeks. 
The trade is quite active in this line. Considering the 
general crop reports we doubt very much if there will 
be anv material advance over shrinkage and cost of 
holding. THE kelly co. 
Cleveland, Ohio. 
Our potato crop is good, and I can see no reason why 
prices should advance. Some localities show rot, but I 
do not think that will have any effect on prices, as the 
crop in general is large. Foreign potatoes we do not 
handle in our section, only when our native potatoes are 
scarce and high. We get some from Canada, but they 
do not cut any figure, as the quality is not good enough. 
Buffalo. N. Y. ROGERS’ commission house. 
In Maine. New Hampshire and Vermont they have the 
best crop they have had for years, and we do not see 
any chance now for any great advance in prices more 
than we always get when cold weather sets in. From 
what we hear, there are some western States that are 
not up to the average. There have been no foreign pota¬ 
toes shipped to our market as yet, and we cannot see 
any chance for them, f. putnam a co. 
Boston, Mass. 
At present our potato market here is firm on fancy 
white stock from 60 to 65 cents. The general complaint 
here is a great deal of dry rot, and if it continues the price 
will be lower, as the quality will be so much poorer, but 
we anticipate on our market being from 60 to 70 cents 
for No. 1 stock. There have been no foreign potatoes as 
yet on pur market, and hardly think the present prices 
would justify them to export to this country. 
Cincinnati, Ohio. s. a. oerrard a co. 
We believe that there is a very large crop of potatoes 
this year, both in the West and in our State. We do not 
look for any rise in price; we rather look for a decline. 
We know that Michigan has more potatoes than last 
year; Wisconsin and Minnesota also have large crops, 
fully as large as last year, if not more, New York 
State has a very large crop, while last year our State 
crop was' light. Potatoes showed considerable decay 
early in the season, but we believe from now on there 
will not be any trouble in that direction. Our prediction 
is that potatoes will not rule high during the coming 
Winter. f. brennisen a son. 
Buffalo. N. Y. 
In my opinion the crop is large enough to prevent any 
extreme prices, but will probably do better than at pres¬ 
ent by five to 10 cents per bushel, as every farmer and 
dealer is a bull on potatoes at present. There have been 
no foreign potatoes imported as yet; they will follow 
later if prices touch $2 per barrel. The shortage on 
potatoes seems to be in the Northwest, which is too far 
away for Winter shipments. I think the big surplus in 
New England will about offset the shortage in the North¬ 
west. Our present market is well stocked up, and prices 
55 to 60 cents. I think the crop report for New England 
is not large enough by a great deal. 
B. & M. R. R. Potato Yards. marshall baldrigb. 
The outlook in the State of New York is for a liberal 
crop of potatoes; the stock is free from any rot or dis¬ 
ease and promises to be of good quality. We see no 
reason for any immediate change for the better in 
prices, as Maine has also a large crop. As for foreign, 
there have been some few shipments as an experiment 
thus far this season which have not been satisfactory, 
neither as to quality or price that they would have to 
obtain on this side. In consequence, shippers have re¬ 
ceived no encouragement, and from present indications 
we do not believe that we shall need any, especially as 
Europe will want some of this surplus at better prices 
than we could afford to pay in New York. It is our per¬ 
sonal opinion that we have enough potatoes to supply 
all our needs on this side of the Atlantic. 
New York. j. h. bahrenburq bro. a oo. 
Our information would indicate to us that Maine and 
New York have heavy potato crops, and Michigan has a 
crop slightly larger than last year; Minnesota and Wis¬ 
consin had good prospects for a crop, but excessive rains 
hurt them so that there is a lighter yield in those two 
States than last year. There has also been considerable 
trouble about rot. We should say there will be not to 
exceed 50 to 70 per cent of the potatoes shipped out of 
these two States as compared with the shipment of last 
year. Colorado, apparently, has a very heavy crop. 
Iowa very considerably less than last year. Take the 
country as a whole, there are probably less potatoes to 
be marketed than last year, but not any considerable 
quantity less, so that while prices should rule as a 
whole, higher than last year, they should not be very 
much higher. The high points this year should be in 
the Central States. l. starks co. 
Chicago. 
The potato crop in the immediate vicinity of Milwau¬ 
kee is almost a total failure. Naturally we buy potatoes 
here from the farmers at all the nearby stations sur¬ 
rounding Milwaukee, and ship them to other markets, 
but this season the conditions are reversed, and we are 
buying in other markets to supply our home trade. Most 
of the potatoes coming in here now are from central 
Wisconsin and Michigan points. At the beginning of 
the season the outlook was that there were no potatoes 
in this part of the country that would keep, but as the 
season a4vanced the stock seemed to come in in much 
better shape than was expected, and present indications 
are that we will have a pretty fair percentage of good¬ 
keeping potatoes in the State. There seem to be a good 
many localities in the State, especially in the southern 
and eastern parts, where the potato crop is a failure, 
but a little farther north in the larger potato-producing 
sections of Wisconsin there is about an average crop, 
and the rot in that section will not amount to as much 
as was first reported. In fact, it is now stated that the 
loss from rot will be nominal. Our market here now is 
from 55 to 60 cents for good stock, sacked, on track. 
Milwaukee, Wis. r. t. thomas a co. 
THE OUTLOOK FOR HAY PRICES. 
Views of the Buyers. 
We regard the present outlook as tending to higher 
prices. Farmers are slow to sell good hay at prices now 
prevailing. Supply of good hay is limited. We know 
nothing of Alfalfa hay. g. w. Kennedy. 
Shelbyville, Ind. 
There is no Alfalfa hay sold on this market. We have 
an occasional inquiry for it, but never urgent; the dairy 
trade throughout this territory appear to be perfectly 
satisfied with clover or clover and Timothy mixed hay. 
We do not anticipate any material advance in the price 
of hay during the coming year, as we are strongly of 
the opinion that we are going to see a lower range of 
values generally, not so much In farm products as in 
other commodities. daniel m’caffrey’s sons co. 
Pittsburg, Pa. 
The hay crop throughout all hay-producing States is 
very good, and we shall not be troubled this season with 
any shortage; as to the prices,- we do not look for any 
higher than those prevailing at the present time. It is 
difficult to say what the outlook is for prices in the 
future, as same is made wholly by supply and demand, 
but there is no prospect of their reaching the high figures 
obtained on the last crop. Alfalfa hay is not used in 
this market, and is rarely seen East, and therefore 
there is no market quotation on same. 
New York. h. dusenbery a co. 
Up to the present time the hay trade has been rather 
unsatisfactory on the whole, as prices have been too 
high in the country ^o yield satisfactory returns to the 
shipper. Farmers have been very firm in their ideas, 
and are still, and it remains an open question as to 
which side will have to give in. It seems to us that 
with the crop of hay we have all over the country values 
are full high, but we think the farmers will not be 
anxious sellers till they get their farm work out of the 
way and have a little leisure on their hands. Very little 
Alfalfa is grown in Michigan, and we do not think it is 
handled to any extent on the Detroit market. 
Detroit, Mich. ferrin brothers company. 
We look for lower prices on all grades of hay. Our. 
shippers all tell the same story, that as soon as they 
get done with their fruit and produce they will ship hay, 
and that will mean lower prices. It is estimated that 
there are 3,000,000 tons more hay this year than any year 
before for the last 10, so we cannot look for any better 
prices. In regard to Alfalfa, wp hnvo used quite a little 
here in New England, but the freight is from $10 to $11 
per ton from the Alfalfa-growing sections, and add the 
cost of the pressing and the cost of the Alfalfa to the 
freight it will bar it from this market. There are some 
dairies that think a great deal of it here if it did not 
cost so much. tucker, sanborn a co. 
Boston, Mass. 
From our observation we would say that the outlook 
for prices for hay will not vary very much from those 
now ruling. We think the crop of hay, taking the coun¬ 
try over, is a very good one. Michigan has certainly a 
very large crop as well as the farther western States 
like Illinois, Missouri and Kansas. The crop east of the 
Allegheny Mountains, from where we draw considerable 
of opr supplies, is very much better than last year; con¬ 
sequently that will have some tendency to prevent very 
high prices. Our market here to-day does not exceed 
$]d.50 for No. 1 'rimothy hay and $14 for No. 1 mixed hay. 
We doubt if these prices will change very much. Alfalfa 
hay is not quoted in our market. e. l. Rogers a co 
Philadelphia, Pa. 
We see no evidence of the market advancing materl- 
ally, although there has been a better disposition to buy 
than has been manifest during the past two months. As 
to the quantity of hay in the country, we judge from 
our travels that there is amply enough to meet all re¬ 
quirements at prices that are reasonable, and unless 
there is a lack of cars there can be no good reason for 
prices to advance. From information obtained within 
the last few days, however, we are Inclined to think 
that the car situation will again have considerable in- 
fiuence on the price at different times during this season, 
and some sections are already claiming that the scarcity 
of cars is worse than at any time last year. Alfalfa Is 
never quoted in our market, consequently we know noth¬ 
ing about the price as compared with clover. 
Newark, N. J. j. c. smith a Wallace company. 
from Hudson to Europe have reached a very low figure, 
in some instances 50 cents per barrel. This dropping off 
was foretold in my September note. Shipments from 
this place to cross the Atlantic have now fallen to less 
than 400 barrels per day. Apple exporters and forwarders 
continue to Inform us that “the foreign apple market is 
good.” J Y. p 
Hudson, N. Y. j- x. r. 
The cold has set in early; hundreds of barrels of apples 
are in the orchards; the reason being scarcity of labor 
and barrels. A great many are using boxes for first 
quality with success. r b 
Ontario. 
Ihe cabbage crop is very light; one-fourth crop com¬ 
pared with last year. j m s 
Tully. N. Y. 
Cabbage Is a very short crop in this section. Only 
about 50 per cent of the usual acreage was planted, and 
only 30 per cent of what little was planted will make 
good salable heads. We have had an uixusually cold 
snap the past week that has checked the growth of very 
late crop.s, and earlier plantings are rotting quite badly. 
While the market seems to be well supplied at present 
the chances are good Winter stock will be very scarce 
and high. a o m 
Elmira. N. Y. 
