1902 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
74i 
Events of the Week. 
DOMESTIC.—Alton F. Clark, Conrad Lutz, Louis Con¬ 
rad and W. M. Bingham, constituting the Correspond¬ 
ence Institute of America, were arrested at Scranton, 
Pa., October 15, at the instance of Post Office Inspector 
Hugh Gorman, charged with a fraudulent use of the 
mails. They were taken before United States Commis¬ 
sioner Searle and held in $1,000 bail each for a further 
hearing. The Correspondence Institute of America must 
not be confounded with the International Correspond¬ 
ence Schools of Scranton, which is a reputable institute 
of the highest standing. The allegation of Inspector 
Gorman is that the Clark concern advertised to do ser¬ 
vice for its patrons that it was impossible for it to per¬ 
form. The Correspondence Institute of America was a 
heavy advertiser. It spent thousands of dollars in in¬ 
forming the people through the leading newspapers what 
it proposed to do, and it advertised to give instruction 
by mail in journalism, electricity, stenography, art illus¬ 
trating and advertising writing. The books of the insti¬ 
tute show that the firm netted about $90,000 during the 
two years that it has been opei’ating. It had about 6,000 
patrons and it spent $100 a day in postage. The mails 
were flooded with letters to and from the firm. The in¬ 
struction that was given the patrons was comparatively 
worthless, it is alleged. According to the inspector the 
methods of securing patrons were interesting. They 
would offer tuition free and send the instruments that 
were needed in following the course that the student 
would select. The application that the student signed 
for the instruments needed for the course was so worded 
that it enabled the institute to demand immediately of 
each student $15 as tuition fee. In nearly every case 
this was paid. Then the instruction papers were sent 
to the students. Under the contracts made by the in¬ 
stitute with its patrons it is required to give personal 
instruction to each student. This was never done, it is 
alleged, all instruction being by printed circulars. The 
allegation is made that there are no instructors at the 
institute at all now and that the office force consists of 
25 clerks, nearly all of whom are stenographers. 
The findings in the inquest in the Pittsfield accident, in 
which William Craig, President Roosevelt’s bodyguard 
was killed, are to the effect that “the unlawful acts” of 
the motorman and conductor contributed to the death of 
Craig.Two burglars w’ere killed and two 
wounded, one probably fatally, by a 76-year-old man, 
whose house they wei-e robbing near Rochester, O., Oc¬ 
tober 15.With an authorized capital of $1,000,000, 
which it is said soon is to be raised to $500,000,000, the 
articles of incorporation of the United States Packing 
Company were filed at Trenton, N. J., October 17. This 
is understood to be the official title of the big Beef Trust. 
Next to the United States Steel Corporation, to which 
the new charter shows a strong resemblance, It will 
stand as the biggest corporatioxx in the world in point of 
capitalization, while the powers which the charter con¬ 
fers are almost unlimited. It is said that among the 
companies included in the combination are Swift & Co., 
the Armours, the Cudahy Company and Schwartschild & 
Sulsberger, of New York. J. W. Cudahy is expected to 
be the head of the concern and Kuhn, Loeb & Co. are 
said to be financing the deal, backed by John D. Rocke¬ 
feller. The actual value of the plants combined is $70,- 
000,000. Its charter empowers it to “buy, sell, breed and 
deal in cattle, sheep, poultry, game, fish and all kinds 
of live stock.” By another clause of the charter it is 
authorized to “build, purchase or establish mai’kets and 
butcher shops, and deal in all kinds of meat, poultry, 
game and fish and other things incident to the meat and 
poultry or fish trade.” In plain language, the new com¬ 
bine may establish butcher shops, and practically gro¬ 
cery stores, in every city, town and village in the coun¬ 
try. It can also buy any such business already estab¬ 
lished. It will sell butter, eggs and cheese.Fire 
in a great department store at Albany, N. Y., October 
18, killed two persons and caused a property loss of $500,- 
000.C. A. Blackwell, the well-known fruit 
grower of Vineland, N. J., died suddenly from heart dis¬ 
ease October 14, aged 81 years. Mr. Blackwell’s grand¬ 
father was the owner of Blackwell’s Island, in the East 
River, now the site of the prison and almshouse of New 
York City. 
LABOR.—The pei'sonncl of the Ai'bitration Commission 
is as follows: Brigadier General John M. Wilson was born 
in the District of Columbia October 8, 1837. Graduated 
from West Point in 1S60 he entered the artillery as brevet 
lieutenant. In 1862 he was transferred to the Engineer 
Corps, in which he became a captain Mai’ch 3, 1863; major, 
June 3, 1S67; lieutenant colonel March 17, 1884, and colonel 
Mai’ch 27, 1885. For gallantry in action in the Civil War 
he was breveted colonel of volunteers. After the war 
he had charge of engineering work on rivers and har¬ 
bors, canals, the building of the army medical museum 
and library, completion of Washington Monument and 
other important undertakings. For awhile he was Su¬ 
perintendent of the United States Military Academy. He 
received the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws from 
Columbia University in 1890. Right Rev. John Lancaster 
Spalding, Bishop of Peoria, is eminent among the pre¬ 
lates of the Roman Catholic Church in America for 
scholarly attainments and literary accomplishments. He 
is 62 years old. Boi'n in Lebanon, Ky., he was educated 
at St. Mary’s College, Emmitsburg, Md., at the Univer¬ 
sity of Louvain, Belgium and at Rome. He become 
Chancellor of the Diocese of Louisville in 1871. From 
1S72 to 1S77 he was stationed in New York City, and in 
1877 became Bishop of Peoi’ia. He has published essays, 
reviews, lectui’es and discourses, and other works on a 
variety of subjects, as well as a book of poems. George 
Gray, Judge of the United States Circuit Court, to which 
position he was appointed by President McKinley in 1899, 
was born in New Castle, Del., May 4, 1S40. In 1879 he was 
appointed Attorney General of Delaware, and in 18S5 suc¬ 
ceeded Thomas F. Bayard in the United States Senate, 
in which he served two terms. He was a member of the 
commission which concluded the Paris treaty which end¬ 
ed the Spanish War and of the Joint High Commission 
created to adjust the pending difference with Canada. 
In October, 1900, he was appointed one of the representa¬ 
tives of the United States on the International Arbiti’a- 
tion Commission. Thomas H. Watkins, of Scranton, Pa., 
appointed as a man practically acquainted with the min¬ 
ing and selling of coal, was until recently a coal oper¬ 
ator. He was a member of the firm of Simpson & Wat¬ 
kins, which operated several mines in the vicinity of 
Scranton, but a few years ago sold its interests to the 
Temple Iron Company. Since parting with his anthracite 
properties Mr. Watkins has become engaged in soft coal 
mining and other enterprises. He is the possessor of 
millions, all acquired in hard coal production within the 
last decade. Mr. Watkins was born in Pittston, but has 
lived in Scranton for more than 20 years. E. E. Clark, 
Chief of the Order of Railway Conductors, and for some 
years Chairman of the Railway Employees Federation, 
will represent organized labor on the commission. He 
was appointed as one who has given thought and study 
to social questions. Mr. Clark about six years ago 
served on a Board of Arbitration in a dispute between 
railway firemen and the Grand Ti’unk Railway. His 
wisdom and impartiality in that arbitration won him 
high praise and the confidence of both the workmen and 
their employers. Edward Wheeler Parker is the author 
ot the annual reports on the production of coal in the 
United States, the production of coke in the United 
States and the production of salt in the United States and 
other chapters in the annual volume of the United States 
Geological Survey, of which he is the statistician. He 
was also expert special agent of the twelfth United States 
census. Mr. Parker is 42 years old. He was educated at 
City College, Baltimore. Carroll D. Wright, Labor Com¬ 
missioner, is recorder of the commission.The 
United Mine Workers met in Wilkesbarre October 20. A 
strong party in the convention protested against going 
back to work unless the striking men are guaranteed 
their old positions, insisting that non-union men who 
took their places be discharged. It seems likely that en¬ 
gineers and firemen, who struck to help the miners will 
be the chief sufferers. October 21 the convention voted 
unanimously for arbitration, and the men were ordered 
to begin work October 23. 
SHALL WE DIVIDE OUR SHIPMENTS 
Or Send All Produce to One Firm ? 
“If you have had any experience in shipping produce 
to the commission men in our large cities will you give 
us your opinion about the following matter: Is it always 
best to place the entire shipment, even when large, with 
one firm? Is it a good plan to divide the shipment be¬ 
tween several, seeking to distribute iix various sections 
and with different traders? A commission man always 
says, ‘Send all to me,’ but we understand, of course, that 
that is his side. Some shippers argue that there is no 
rivalry and no check on cheating and carelessness when 
one firm does it all. It is also claimed that when we ship 
to one man entirely the sales are made to a limited 
trade which may be overdone.” 
A Voice from Texas. 
Being a small grower of several different crops I cer¬ 
tainly think it best in my case to stick to one commis¬ 
sion man in each town. I have something on the mai’ket 
nearly all the year, and by packing it honestly the retail 
trade will soon learn to look for my name on the package, 
and if I ship to one man they will soon learn to go to 
him to get it. I begin to ship strawberries about April 5; 
peaches about May 25; tomatoes about June 5; also have 
apples, pears, plums and quinces. Some of these last 
until December and then sometimes I have sweet pota¬ 
toes to ship in January, so you see I am pretty steady 
at it, and I think that one man or house is better than 
two, always provided he is a good one, and never gets it 
into his head that he holds my business as a vested 
right. In a glut I would much rather take the chances 
on my stuff where there is a regular call for it than with 
a commission man (be he ever so competent and honest} 
who is not well enough acquainted with it to push a sale 
with his good customers. This is a vital question, and I 
hope to hear both sides of it well discussed. c. f. r. 
Swan, Texas. 
The Proportion of Honest Commission Men. 
Is it always best to place the entii’e crop with one 
commission firm, or divide among several? The prices 
ruling for any day are known or ought to be to the ship¬ 
per, and are governed by variety, condition, quality and 
quantity on the market. Perishable fruits must neces¬ 
sarily be sold the day of arrival; as the wholesale market 
opens about midnight the time goods are on sale also 
governs price. The earlier the better. It often happens 
that one market is better than another, and in these days 
of telegraphs and telephones if the shipper is not posted 
he is unsuited for his business; he must know where to 
ship. My experience has been that it is better as a rule 
to send the entire crop to one firm, leather than several, 
because they not only become acquainted with your goods 
but are really partners in the business, selling the goods 
at best prices obtainable, for their own profit and retain¬ 
ing your trade. I also conclude from my experience that 
the pi’oportion of honest commission men and honest 
shippers does not differ. david baird. 
New Jersey. 
A Plan from Georgia. 
We are in favor of shipping to the nearest market that 
will be likely to give satisfactory prices, but must always 
take into consideration the movement from competing 
sections. Always select the mai’ket that will recognize 
your varieties and packing as standard, and where some 
other section has not too great odds in freight I’ates and 
schedules. Stay by the house that gives you fair treat¬ 
ment and whose advices are reliable, but have other re- 
ixorts from the market if possible. With heavy ship¬ 
ments of goods that must be handled quickly we like to 
select two houses, but mark the goods so that the buyer 
will not know they are from the same shipper and insist 
on cut prices. We prefer to sell on track at home, as 
the business is going that way, and so many receivers 
will give a cut price on consigned goods to hold a buyer 
whose main order is filled from their own stock. How¬ 
ever, as it is necessary to consign often, we would give 
the firm preference that makes a specialty of such goods 
as we are shipping, and never divide to more than two 
houses in same city. A shipper should have a personal 
acquaintance with his agents and mai’ket if possible, and 
even at considerable expense keep in touch with the 
situation. J - B - L> 
Cohutta, Ga. 
Divide Shipments at First. 
I should prefer to divide my shipment in small lots, and 
ship to two or three commission men in one place until 
I find a good man, and stick to the best one. Have as 
many shipping points as you can, and if you are a large 
shipper, use the telegraph wire often, so as to get the 
best shipping points; the best are where fruit is scarce. 
Put the fruit up so it will sell itself. Every shipper ought 
to know when to ship his fruit so it will reach the market 
in perfect condition, and have his name on every basket. 
Be sure to find a commission merchant who wants your 
trade to help build up his own, and by sending first-class 
fruit you are sure of good prices, and the commission 
merchant will get good customers. d. b. 
Medina, N. Y. 
An Ohio Man's Plan. 
My plan is, just before the ripening of the fruit, to 
correspond with several commission men, in large cities, 
not too distant,- concerning future crop, giving number of 
acres, condition of crop and probable daily shipment, and 
ask them daily quotations. Then when shipping time 
comes, send a few bushels as samples to those quoting 
best prices; use telephone and telegraph freely, and keep 
posted as to outcome of each shipment, and give those 
who do the best for me all they can use. I prefer sending 
all to one man as long as he will or can do well for me, 
but if I find he is overreaching himself, send part to 
some one else, but never let go of a fairly good market, 
until I am sure I have found a much better one. 
Marion, Ohio. _ w. r. l. 
CROP PROSPECTS. 
Our experience with the mechanical fruit graders is 
very satisfactory; would not be without one for peaches; 
it does not injure fruit when picked in proper condition 
for shipping. *As to apple crop, here in this locality we 
consider it 75 per cent of full crop. Prices offered about 
$1 per barrel, exclusive of barrel for all salable fruit. 
Cedarcliff, N. Y. c. G. velie & son. 
The price of apples varies; the Greenings are nearly all 
going to the drier. The fungus ruined the Greenings for 
keeping; but very few are put in cold storage. Evapora¬ 
tors are paying from 25 to 35 cexxts per 100 pounds. Bar¬ 
reled apples, when free from fungus, are bringing $1.50 
to $2 per barrel. Not over 20 per cent of the apples grown 
this year are barreled. w. r. f. 
Rushville, N. Y, 
We are closing one of the most peculiar seasons that I 
ever knew. As to hay there were hundreds of acres of 
meadows in Tioga County that were not cut at all, as 
there was nothing but weeds, and a great deal that was 
cut spoiled or partly so on account of bad weather. It 
was so wet that the cox’n was not half tilled, and so cold 
that it could not grow; consequently silos are from half 
to two-thirds full. A full silo is the exception, not the 
rule. What follows as a necessity to the dairy interest 
is that cows are thin and fresh ones are being 'disposed 
of, as it is folly to try to make milk at a profit on poor 
hay and high-priced mill feeds. I think there will be 
one-third shrinkage in milk this Winter. j. w. R. 
Smithboro, N. Y. 
The outlook that has been maintained for one-half of 
an average crop of potatoes, in this section, is giving 
way to a more serious condition. So far as we have been 
able to learn, and we have been in 11 towns, the most 
conservative place the yield at not more than 60 bushels 
per acre on an average. The conditions have never been 
so appalling to the farmer so far as crops go as at pres¬ 
ent. Take away the oat crop, which was good, and we 
have practically nothing. This is a section of country 
that depends mostly upon the potato and hay crop for 
its resources. Of late, beans have been l’aised to some 
extent, but the recent wet weather is proving as dis¬ 
astrous to these as to the hay ci’op earlier in the sea¬ 
son. Beans are selling at $2.50 and potatoes at 40 cents, 
with the outlook good for some advance on the former 
and more on the latter. iiiler brothers. 
Prattsburgh, N. Y. 
BUSINESS BITS. 
George D. Hammond & Co., 34-36 Little 12th St., New 
York, are commission receivers of all kinds of country 
produce. 
Those having butter, eggs, pork, poulti-y, game or 
calves for sale should write E. B. Woodward, 302 Green¬ 
wich St., New York. 
A satisfactory stable, barn or shed may be built at 
low cost with Neponset roofing, the original red rope 
roofing and siding. It comes in convenient rolls, is easily 
applied, inexpensive and lasting. Send to F. W. Bird & 
Son, East Walpole, Mass., for free samples, prices, and 
a valuable book on “Building Economy.” 
An Osgood scale is a valuable investment for any 
farmer. It has large white beam box; double or com¬ 
pound brass beam; forged iron and steel-lined loops; ad¬ 
justable bearings, protected from the wet and dust. Write 
the Osgood Scale Co., 103 Central St., Binghamton, N. 
Y., for description of the many advantages they offer. 
We desire to call our readers’ attention to the free trial 
offer made in another column by the Stx-atton Mfg. Co., 
Erie, Pa., on the Dandy bone cutter. This standard ma¬ 
chine has beeix before the public for nine years, and 
many of our subscribers have used it with perfect satis¬ 
faction; such as have not now have the opportunity of 
trying one for 15 days before they pay for it. 
Lyon & Healy have the distinction of being the largest 
music house in the woi’ld. Their instruments are guar¬ 
anteed perfect in every particular. Send for their illus¬ 
trated catalogue and you will learn something about 
quality of instruments and how to judge it. Address 
Lyon & Healy, Department G., 19 E. Adams St., Chicago. 
