1902 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
773 
Events of the Week. 
DOMESTIC.—During the last 26 years mere have been 
lost from the fishing fleet of Gloucester, Mass., 370 ves¬ 
sels, valued at $2,042,205, on which there was an insur¬ 
ance of $1,552,835. The number of lives lost during that 
period was 2,257. There were 70 men drowned in the 
fisheries who left this year—as far as known—17 widows 
and 39 children. This is somewhat below the average of 
the past 30 years, due in large measure to a change in 
t T pursuits of the business and the marked reduction 
o the Georges fleet from more than 200 sail to about 20, 
in which branch the greater part of the fatalities oc¬ 
curred. The modern vessels are of a more seaworthy 
model, finer equipped, and in every way better adapted 
to withstand the onslaught of the deep. Of the 70 men 
lost from Gloucester 47 were natives of Nova Scotia and 
only two were Americans.At Niagara Falls, 
N. Y., October 31, a gang of men working in a sewer 
were overcome by gas, and four were killed by it. . . . 
The beef packers, after effecting their merger, it is said, 
will try to combine the stockyards of the country. The 
combined capital of these trusts will be about $600,000,000. 
.... During an election celebration in Madison 
Square, New York, November 4, a premature explosion 
of fireworks caused the death of 13 persons, and injuries 
to 70 more. The explosion occurred on the east side of 
the Square, and so dense was the crowd that the 75,000 
persons collected on the Broadway side knew nothing 
of it. Some of those killed were literally blown to pieces, 
t'he damage being done by mortars loaded with bombs. 
.... The result of the November elections shows Re¬ 
publican gains in most States. Odell was reelected 
Governor of New York by a plurality over 9,000, con¬ 
sisting of the rural vote; Greater New York gave Coler, 
his Democratic opponent, a plurality of 121,000. The New 
York Legislature, however, remains Republican. In 
Nebraska the Republican nominee for Governor was 
badly cut in some sections by a Prohibition campaign 
against him, and the Democratic candidate was elected. 
Alabama, Mississippi, Texas, Arkansas and North Caro¬ 
lina were solidly Democratic. Wyoming went Republi¬ 
can, and Utah showed Republican gains. In Ohio there 
was a gain in the Republican vote, and also in Minne¬ 
sota. Colorado is Republican, also South Dakota, and 
t’he Republicans gained in Indiana and Pennsylvania. 
It now appears that the Republicans will carry Congress 
easily. The New England States were Republican, also 
Michigan and Illinois. In Iowa the Republican majority 
was less than last year.J. M. Hutchings, who 
discovered the Yosemite Valley and opened it for tour¬ 
ists, has been killed by his team going over the grade 
while he was on his way into the famous valley. Mr. 
Hutchings was nearly 90 years old, and had until re¬ 
cently spent every Winter in t'he Yosemite. 
The law passed at the last session of the Louisiana 
State Legislature requiring that wire screens be placed 
in street cars to separate negroes from whites went into 
effect in New Orleans November 3. It was found im¬ 
possible to enforce the regulation during the early morn¬ 
ing hours, when workmen were going to their places of 
employment, and cars were filled to the last inch of 
standing room, whites in many instances leaving no 
room at all for negroes. In other cars they were mixed 
up together, but later in the day the law was strictly en¬ 
forced. It does not appear that the regulation will prove 
practicable, and it will probably be discarded. 
LABOR.—The Anthracite Coal Commission decided, 
October 31, that if any award is made affecting existing 
rates of wages, such award shall take effect November 
1> 1902.The home of a non-union miner at 
Pittston, Pa., was dynamited November 3.H. 
John Kintzer, a Reading (Pa.) policeman, and prominent 
in Democratic politics, was sentenced, November 3, to 
the Eastern Penitentiary for 18 months for the fatal 
shooting of George Tipton, a negro strike breaker. 
GENERAL FOREIGN NEWS.—The whole Arctic coast 
is suffering from a scourge of measles, and the natives 
are dying in large numbers. There seems no way of 
stopping the spread of the disease.The seaport 
of Ocos, Mexico, situated on the Pacific coast of the 
State of Chiapas, has almost completely disappeared 
into the sea. At one time Ocos was one of the principal 
ports of Mexico. It is on a beautiful harbor. An iron 
wharf and a splendid custom house and other public 
buildings were constructed. The bottom of the sea and 
harbor and that part of the coast have been sinking 
since t'he severe earthquake shocks of last April, and 
the wharf, Government building and nearly all the busi¬ 
ness part of the town are now under water. 
The entire coffee zone of Guatemala has been destroyed 
by flames and smoke from the volcano of Santa Maria. 
Eruptions threaten the destruction of every living thing 
within reach of the fumes and fire that pour from the 
burning mountain. Consul-General McNally reports that 
the eruption of t'he volcano at Santa Maria, adjoining 
Quezaltenango, continues; that the city is covered with 
six inches of volcanic matter; rich coffee plantations on 
the coast side buried under seven feet of sand and ashes 
from the volcano, and that detonations from the erup¬ 
tion were heard in the capital. There have been frequent 
earthquake shocks, and another eruption is reported in 
the Department of Tombador. 
FARM AND GARDEN.-W. IL Fitch, of Cranmoor, 
secretary of the Wisconsin Cranberry Growers’ Associa¬ 
tion, says the crop, while reasonably satisfactory, falls 
far short of the estimate made at the annual meeting 
in August, the proportion being about one-half the esti¬ 
mate. This is due to blight caused by the cool nights 
and hot days of the latter part of August, which also 
served to ripen prematurely many berries. 
’The twenty-ninth annual meeting of the Horticultural 
Society of Southern Illinois will be held at Anna, Ill., 
November 25-26. The Illinois State Horticultural Society 
will meet at Champaign December 17-19; the Horticul¬ 
tural Society of Northern Illinois at Sterling December 
2-3. 
The National Apple Growers’ Congress meets at St. 
Louis, Mo., November 18-19. 
The Arkansas State Horticultural Society will meet' at 
Green Forest, Ark., in January, 1903. 
The Missouri State Horticultural Society will meet at 
Springfield, Mo., December 2-4. 
The Peninsula Horticultural Society will hold its an¬ 
nual meeting at I .wark, Del., January 15-16, 1903. 
The Maryland State Horticultural Society will hold its 
annual meeting at Baltimore December 18-19. 
W. C. Greene, of New York City, and three other 
Americans have purchased a solid tract of land, situated 
in the State of Sonora in Northern Mexico, embracing 
7,500,000 acres. This land is now being enclosed with a 
four-strand wire fence, and is to be made the largest 
cattle ranch in the world. This tract of land is 125 miles 
long and 100 miles wide. More than <,000 miles of barbed 
wire will be required to fence it. :t is estimated that 
this vast ranch property will affora pasturage for atiout 
50,000 head of cattle in its present raw condition. The 
usual western ranch will furnish grass for about 36 head 
of cattle to a section. This number is to be greatly in¬ 
creased on this Mexican ranc'h by means of forage crops. 
It is proposed to establish an immense irrigation system 
on this land and to give much attention to farming. 
Partial list of institutes to be held in New York State 
the coming Winter is as follows; Woodville, November 
10-11; Plessis, November 12-13; Lisbon Centre, November 
14-15; Nicholville, November 17-18; South Bethlehem, No¬ 
vember 17-18; Freehold, November 17-18; Fort Covington, 
November 19-20; Westerlo, November 19; Greenville 
Centre, November 19; Preston Hollow, November 20; 
South Westerlo, November 20; Brushton, November 21- 
22; Breakabecn, November 21-22; Durham, November 21; 
Chateaugay, November 24-25; Jefferson, November 28-29; 
Ellenburg Centre, November 26; Mooers, November 28-29; 
Grand Gorge, November 28-29; Chazy, December 1-2; Hal- 
cottsville, December 1-2; Clarence Centre, December 1-2; 
Willsboro, December 3-4; Lexington, December 3-4; Col¬ 
lins Centre, December 3-4; Lewis, December 5-6; Little 
Valley, December 5-6; Crown Point, December 8-9; Pana¬ 
ma, December 8; Ticonderoga, December 10-11; Putnam, 
December 11; Fort Ann, December 12-13; Franklinville, 
December 12-13; Clymer, December 12-13; South Argyle, 
December 15-16; W r arsaw, December 15-16; Easton, De¬ 
cember 17-18; Rochester (State Breeders), 17-18; Arcade, 
December 19-20. 
CROP PROSPECTS. 
Potato crop is light; many acres drowned out and 
worthless, and a good many are showing rot considerably. 
Crop of apples heavy, but very few good ones, most of 
them showing fungus spots which decay after being in 
barrel a few weeks. Good stock will no doubt bring 
gooa prices later. m. o. baker. 
Toledo, C. 
Our wheat crop was fine; average 30 bushels per acre 
for the whole neighborhood. Oats a large crop; 50 bush¬ 
els average. Corn is very fine. We have had three weeks 
of dry windy weather which has matured the crop well, 
and it looks like 45 bushels. Apples a full crop. I should 
think the farmers of your State could buy their corn di¬ 
rect from the western elevators in car lots and save 10 or 
15 cents per bag in middlemen’s profits. Good corn is 
selling here at 35 cents per bushel. The freight should 
not be over 10 cents per bushel. g. g. p. 
Medora, Ill. 
Corn is a failure, silage not more than half a crop; 
oats good, potatoes poor and small. Some farmers are 
buying for their family use. Hay is a medium crop. 
Stock, young, dry or Spring milkers, are plentiful with 
very little demand. A good many high-grade Fall milk¬ 
ers have been shipped away at large price; not much 
enthusiasm in the milk business, and a short supply of 
early Winter milk is certain. The cabbage plant setting 
machine has produced many cabbages, and on account 
of the poor market prospects they are being fed to cows. 
Hubbardsville, N. Y. e. l. h. 
This section is receiving an unwelcome amount of 
rain, and farmers are somewhat handicapped in their 
Fall work. Potatoes are nearly all dug, and late ones 
are not yielding heavily. Corn, by hundreds of acres, 
remains unhusked. Fall plowing is being done. Many 
farmers are still sowing wheat. Rye not all in yet. 
"Wheat is selling at 70 to 72 cents, varying up and down. 
Apples are being picked, but the quality is so poor prices 
range low. Many farmers who have good stock are bar¬ 
reling and putting in cold storage. The bean crop in 
Kent County was fairly good, and fancy prices follow. 
Never have eggs broug’ht such good prices as this sea¬ 
son; 20 cents now with quick sales. The following prices 
rule on farm produce: Potatoes, 40 to 45 cents; beans, 
$2 to $2.25; onions, 60 cents; carrots, 25 to 30 cents; squash, 
1 to PA cents a pound; apples, 25 to 50 cents; hay, Tim¬ 
othy, $8 and $9; straw, $5 and $6; oats, 35 cents; rye, 45 
cents; buckwheat, 50 cents' corn (shelled), 65 cents; 
poultry, seven to eight cents; live turkeys, 10 to 11 cents; 
pork, eight, nine and 9 1 /* cents. w. s. s. 
Grand Rapids, Mich. 
WILL FEED PRICES BE LOWER? 
I look for slightly lower prices on wheat, corn, oats 
and feeds in the immediate future, but for the next four 
months I do not anticipate either much of an advance 
or a decline. I think all cereals and products will rule 
rather quiet this Winter, with light fluctuations. 
Chicago. e. w. wagner. 
It will depend upon the weather as to being favorable 
or unfavorable in drying the corn. If favorable lower 
prices will occur on grain, hay and feed. If unfavorable 
there may be very little change in prices. Watch the 
weather and your guess will be equally as good as active 
dealers in grain, hay and feed. j. c. HOUCK & son. 
Pittsburg, Pa. 
The only thing that we can say with reference to feed 
west and southwest of the Illinois and Indiana State 
line, is that the quality of the corn never was better, 
except possibly a little that is damaged by frost in 
northern Iowa and also in Nebraska. There never was 
a time in the history of this country when feed of all 
kinds was as plentiful as it s to-day—corn, oats, hay, 
fodder and Fall and Winter pastures. Our opinion is 
that prices will be very much lower, but of course this 
is only a guess. The above statement as to the supply 
Is correct, and you can guess as well as we as to the 
price. BEALL GRAIN CO. 
Kansas City, Mo. 
It seems to us that it will be almost impossible to get 
a line on the feed market until the corn movement is 
more general. From all indications the movement of 
corn this year is going to or ought to be very large. 
Owing to the extremely fine weather there is very little 
feed being purchased by eastern buyers, and as a matter 
of fact they have been out of the market for a long 
time, consequently their stocks are very low. We hardly 
expect to see any activity in the feed market until good 
cold weather sets in. It appears to us that just as soon 
as these eastern buyers come into the market, we will 
seo a stiff advance in prices of feed. 
Milwaukee, Wis. franice grain co. 
In our opinion all kinds of feed are going to rule at 
fairly good prices during the season. At present bran is 
selling on this market at $13 to $14.50, which we consider 
is high enough. Wheat may rule possibly five cents 
higher. Corn is going to be a heavy yield and better than 
was first anticipated. Past month has been very favor¬ 
able for corn and like many other seasons the first re¬ 
ports are usually a little exaggerated. At prices hay is 
selling for to-day it should be very satisfactory to the 
producer, choice Timothy bringing $13, No. 1 $12 to $12.50, 
with ready sale on this market; No. 1 to choice western 
prairie $11.50 to $12.50, and prices very firm; choice tangled 
rye straw $8 to $9, medium $6.50 to $7.50; oat or wheat 
straw $5 to $G. t. d. randall & co. 
Chicago, Ill. 
SHALL WE DIVIDE SHIPMENTS ? 
A Virginia Man's Experience. 
I think it is sometimes best to divide large consignments 
of produce when shipping to commission merchants, but 
can give no definite rule as to when this should be done. 
Apples are the most important crop that I have sold on 
commission. My practice has been to ship chiefly in small 
lots, and mostly to one or two firms. This gives the 
buyer at the other end of the line a chance to get ac¬ 
quainted with the quality of my fruit and method of 
packing, and come back and call for more, while I still 
have some to send. My experience with commission men 
has been as satisfactory as with any other class of busi¬ 
ness men that I have had dealings with; still, I would 
not think it good policy to let any firm feel that they 
were sure of my continued patronage, unless they con¬ 
tinued to show that they deserved it by doing the best in 
their power for me. I always endeavor to keep posted 
as to the condition of the market, and often compare 
notes with my neighbors in the shipping season, in addi¬ 
tion to reading carefully all the reports I can secure. I 
have often known inexperienced shippers to complain 
very bitterly against the firm they had shipped to when 
no one but themselves was to blame. a. r, l. 
Barboursville, Va. 
A Few Short Stories. 
I would ship to the man who has the trade if I knew 
who he was. Some will sell promptly and return quickly; 
others will dally along. I think I would send all to one 
man if he did the right thing. f. h. g. 
Plolley, N. Y. 
We often divide a shipment, especially when handling 
the more perishable fruits, but not to men in the same 
city. We consider one good man in a city enough so long 
as he appears to be doing the square thing. Customers 
will thus become acquainted with your fruit and manner 
of packing, and if worthy will soon be inquiring for more. 
Seneca Co., N. Y. w. a. Bassett. 
I have sold my early apples, quinces, pears, etc., to 
commission men for many years. I think it better for 
me to do so than to sell to buyers who load cars at my 
station. Not so with Winter apples, however. I have 
seldom shipped to more than the value of $100 in a year 
or more than a wagonload in a day. I think it better to 
deal with the same house every year. They remember 
me as an old customer, and value my trade more than 
anyone could if I were to divide my small business. 
Shelburne Falls, Mass. g. b. c. 
My experience in shipping fruit and produce to com¬ 
mission men is for a grower to have a perfect under¬ 
standing with some good reliable commission man (for 
there are lots of them) stating how you are going to 
grade and pack your fruit so that when he opens a barrel 
or crate, and it is first class, he can guarantee the pack¬ 
age to be the same; the other grade the same way. Then 
give your entire shipment each time, as your mark will 
soon sell your goods. Keep him posted on what crops of 
fruit or berries you have coming on, so that he can ad¬ 
vise you when to ship or hold for a few days, according 
to the state of the market. I also think if your com¬ 
mission man believes you have confidence in him to give 
him your entire shipments he will endeavor to hold your 
trade, so that the other, fellow will not get it. i. s. p. 
Stuyvesant, N. Y. 
BUSINESS BITS. 
Shippers of furs, poultry, dressed calves, or ginseng 
should write to Wm. IL Cohen & Co., 229 Washington 
Street, New York. 
Our Husband Mfg. Co., Lyndon, Vt., is sending out a 
little booklet about its calf feeder that will interest dairy¬ 
men who wish to teach young calves to drink. 
When horses acquire strains or lameness as the result 
of steady work Gombault’s Caustic Balsam will be of 
great service. After it is applied it needs no care or 
attention, and is desirable for use while the horses are 
turned out. 
We are in receipt of a handsomely illustrated catalogue 
of well machinery by the American Well Works, Aurora, 
Ill. The machinery, including engines, employed in this 
line of work, is shown up clearly in the illustrations, and 
those interested in the work will find the book useful. It 
will be sent free on application. 
A constant and reliable water supply is important to 
every farmer and stockman, and one of the best means of 
insuring this is by the use of a RIder-Ericsson hot air 
pump, which can be run by gas, oil or solid fuel. With 
gas or liquid fuel it may be left for many hours without 
attention. Address the Rlder-Erlcsson Engine Company 
at New York, Chicago, Boston or Philadelphia for spe¬ 
cial information. 
