1898 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
857 
Events of the Week. 
Domestic.—-The main steam pipe on the Mal¬ 
lory Line steamer Alamo broke as she lay at her 
New York pier, on December 3, killing six per¬ 
sons. The steam pipe was a new one, which had 
been inspected and pronounced safe by Govern¬ 
ment inspectors only three days before. . . 
December 4, during a gale blowing 80 miles an 
hour, which did much damage in and around 
New York, fire broke out in the down-town store 
of Rogers, Peet <fe Co., Broadway and Warren 
Street. This store was totally destroyed, and the 
fire extended to tte 16-story Home Life Insurance 
Building, adjoining. The fire first appeared on 
the twelfth floor, and extended upward to the 
tower, 256 feet above the street. The fire was 
prevented from extending below the eighth floor, 
but the eight upper floors are gutted. Great 
efforts were needed to save the adjacent Postal 
Telegraph Building. The Chief of the Fire De¬ 
partment says that it is impossible to fight fire 
at a greater elevation than 150 feet, and thinks 
these great skyscrapers should be prohibited. 
The loss is estimated at $600,000. . . The gale 
prevailing December 4 caused much damage to 
shipping, incoming vessels suffering severely. 
Seaside resorts near New York were badly dam¬ 
aged, and there was much loss by the storm in¬ 
land. . . Congress has been asked to instruct 
the Secretary of the Treasury to conduct an in¬ 
quiry into the loss of the steamer Portland, to de¬ 
termine whether due care was exercised, and to 
make inquiry regarding the life preservers and 
lifeboats. . . United States Senator Kenney, of 
Delaware, has been placed on trial for the second 
time, on the charge of conspiracy connected with 
the misappropriation of funds from the First 
National Bank of Dover, Del. . . The ice ma¬ 
chine on the hospital ship Bay State, lying at 
a Brooklyn wharf, exploded December 6, killing 
one man and seriously injuring another, while 12 
others were overcome by ammonia fumes. 
A submarine mine exploded in Boston Harbor 
December 6, killing four men. The mine was 
being removed when it exploded. Three of the 
victims were blown into fragments, the fourth 
killed by the concussion. . . New Jersey 
clergymen protest against the seating of Repre¬ 
sentative-elect Brigham H. Roberts of Utah,he be¬ 
ing a polygamist. . . At West Superior, Wis., 
December 7, three men were buried under a pile 
of burning coal, in consequence of the collapse 
of a dock; a fourth victim was dug out alive. . . 
Investigations are being made by the Internal 
Revenue Department concerning the payment of 
stamp taxes on recorded documents. It is said 
that millions of dollars have been withheld. The 
non-payment of the stamp tax does not invali¬ 
date the documents, but they must be recorded 
again. . . Forty-five survivors from the 
wrecked cattleship Londonian arrived at Balti¬ 
more. The Londonian foundered at sea Novem¬ 
ber 25; 25 men were lost, and a cargo valued at 
$300,000, including 650 cattle. 
Congress.—The last session of the Fifty-fifth 
Congress convened December 5. After listening 
to the reading of the President’s message, both 
houses adjourned. The message did not outline 
any colonial policy. The need for our possession 
of the Nicaragua Canal was urged, a regular 
army of 100,000 was advised, and a review of the 
late war was given. It was suggested that, when 
treasury notes, payable in gold, are redeemed, 
they should be held and paid out only in ex¬ 
change for gold. The work of the Red Cross was 
commended. Relations with foreign countries 
were reviewed, including the serious questions 
now pending between this country and Turkey, 
and Austria’s demand for indemnity for the lives 
of Austrian subjects killed in the Lattimer riots. 
An aggressive policy towards China was urged. 
The general tenor of the message was conserva¬ 
tive. . . On December 6, Senator Vest intro¬ 
duced a resolution declaring that, under its con¬ 
stitution, the United States could not acquire 
territory with the idea of holding it permanently 
as a colony. 
War Investigation.—The Investigation Com¬ 
mission is seriously considering the question of 
going to Cuba and Porto Rico, to question officers 
who cannot come to America, and to make an in¬ 
spection of the ground at Siboney and Baiquiri 
. . . Col. Moore testified regarding the exces¬ 
sive charges of the Plant Transportation system 
at Tampa. One bill alone he reduced $22,450. The 
Plant charge for carrying water was one cent a 
gallon, which he reduced to one-half cent. A 
charge of 10 cents wharfage per man was made, 
which, after protest by Col. Moore, was elimin¬ 
ated. . . Doctors testified December 5 to the 
inefficiency of male nurses at Montauk, and to 
the excellence of women nurses. The deficiency 
of transportation was again described. 
The Navy.—The Court of Inquiry, appointed to 
investigate the abandonment of the Maria Teresa 
during the storm of October 29, reported Decem¬ 
ber 6 that there was no fault or negligence on the 
part of any naval officer. . . The cruiser 
Raleigh, of Admiral Dewey’s fleet, has been 
ordered home for a general overhauling. . . 
Lieut. Hobson has been ordered to Hongkong. 
He is to supervise wrecking operations at Manila. 
Cuba.—A prominent planter in the San Luis 
district was assassinated by unknown persons, 
also the First Sergeant of the Eighth Illinois 
Volunteers, a negro. One United States soldier 
has been arrested for complicity in the San Luis 
riot, and these various disorders are being in¬ 
vestigated. . . Commissioner Porter does not 
favor sweeping reductions in the Cuban tariff, 
fearing that this would result in revenue de¬ 
ficiency. Much money is needed for improve¬ 
ments. . . Serious complaints are made of 
lawlessness at Santa Cruz del Sur, which is un¬ 
der the so-called Cuban Government. Cattle and 
other stock are stolen, and petitioners feel that 
their lives are not safe. Grave accusations are 
made against delegates to the Cuban Assembly. 
Santa Cruz is not in the province of Santiago, 
and Gen. Wood has no jurisdiction there. . . 
Three heavy earthquake shocks were felt all 
along the Santiago coast December 7. 
THE DEPARTMENT OF AGR/CUL TURE 
SECRETARY WILSON’S REPORT. 
Secretary of Agriculture Wilson has issued his 
report for the year ending June 30, 1898. This in¬ 
cludes reports from all the various departments 
and bureaus, all of which seem to have made a 
very satisfactory growth and development dur¬ 
ing the past year. It would be impossible, of 
course, to give anything like a complete sum¬ 
mary of this long report here. Some of the more 
interesting features, however, may be stated as 
follows: 
Dairy Products Abroad.—The Secretary says 
that it is not commercially profitable to send but¬ 
ter to Europe at the present time. He thinks 
there is a better home demand for dairy products. 
He has found that no line of steamers sailing 
direct to French ports, could furnish refrigerator 
space. American farmers are selling cheap 
grains and mill foods to European dairymen, 
who make the butter which competes with ours 
abroad. It is probable that a la>-ge trade in 
dairy products can be worked up in China and 
Japan. Butter for these countries must be 
shipped in airtight packages, and trial ship¬ 
ments are to be made. The Secretary wants the 
Government 'inspection of meat products to in¬ 
clude butter, cheese and condensed milk for ex¬ 
port. He says that the Government may succeed 
in establishing a high reputation for American 
butter in foreign markets. This, however, might 
be destroyed by those who, trading on this repu¬ 
tation, flood the same markets with butter of low 
grade. Our excellent foreign cheese trade was 
ruined by the amount of low-grade and counter¬ 
feit cheese which was exported without being 
marked. The dairy products of Denmark and 
Canada, which compete with ours in England, 
bear the inspection certificate guarantee of qual¬ 
ity, from their governments. Our butter and 
cheese must bear the Government print in order 
to compete fairly. 
Education and Investigation.—The Secretary 
is heartily in favor of teaching the elements of 
agriculture in the common school. He speaks of 
the plan in New York State, where Cornell Uni¬ 
versity spends $25,000 a year in introducing 
nature teaching. In Indiana, Purdue University 
has undertaken a similar work. The Secretary 
says that the greatest advantage will be to over¬ 
come the conservatism of local school boards and 
to get competent teachers. No thoughtful man, 
however, can deny the great value to be obtained 
from this work. George Washington, by his 
will, left property to be devoted to university 
education in the District of Columbia. Secretary 
Wilson would open the scientific divisions of the 
Department of Agriculture so that the students 
of agricultural colleges can take a post-graduate 
course there. 
Investigations have already begun to deter, 
mine the agricultural resources of the new 
islands taken from Spain. It is proposed to study 
the resources of these islands, not only as to their 
ability to produce food or fiber, but as to the dan. 
gers which threaten American farming from 
plant diseases or insect pests, which might be 
introduced into this country. 
The Weather Bureau, among other duties, has 
begun the collection of statistics of loss to farm 
property, including live stock in the fields, by 
lightning, the object being to find out the fre¬ 
quency of lightning stroke, and the amount of 
property annually destroyed by it. 
Animal Imlustry.—The Bureau of Animal In¬ 
dustry carried on an immense amount of work 
during the year. Next year, the Department 
hopes to inspect live horses and horse carcasses 
sold for food in this country, or for consumption 
abroad. It is stated that two horse-slaughter¬ 
houses have been established, one in Oregon and 
one at Brighton, Mass. In August, out of 721 
horses that were inspected, 88 were condemned. 
Live horses for export are also to be inspected, 
so that the character of American horses sent to 
Europe will be high-class and satisfactory. Ex¬ 
periments with hog cholera have been conducted, 
and the Bureau now believes it has a serum for 
inoculating hogs, which will largely prevent the 
disease. This serum is supplied by the Govern¬ 
ment at minimum cost. Secretary Wilson thinks 
that its manufacture should be continued under 
Government control so that its value should not 
be diverted to private profit. 
Seeds and Roads.—A special agent of the De¬ 
partment has visited portions of Russia and 
Siberia, and collected a large number of seeds of 
vegetables, fruits, grains, and oil-producing 
plants, for use in this country 
Considerable work has been done in building 
good roads. An object-lesson road was built at 
the Rhode Island Agricultural College, the de¬ 
sign being to show how such roads ought to be 
built. Near Cleveland, O., a section of 500 feet 
of steel track has been laid on a street in a sub¬ 
urb where traffic is heavy. A sample steel road, 
510 feet long, was also laid at the Omaha Exposi¬ 
tion. It is thought that this steel-track road will 
be useful in localities where stone is expensive. 
Experiments in grass culture are being con¬ 
ducted. The effort is to obtain better knowledge, 
not only of our own grasses, but to bring seeds 
and plants from abroad, and give them careful 
testing. 
Experiment Stations.—Regarding the experi¬ 
ment stations, the Secretary states that these 
stations are doing better work than ever before. 
He says that, in order to make these stations 
what they ought to be, they must be organized 
on a permanent basis, and their plans of work 
must be carefully made and carried out by thor¬ 
oughly trained experts. We are very glad that 
the Secretary makes the following statement in 
regard to these stations: 
“ Political considerations should have no place 
in the choice and retention of station officers, 
college duties should not be allowed to encroach 
on the time set apart for original investigation, 
and the compilation of old information should 
always be made secondary to the acquirement 
of new knowledge. Our farmers are worthy of 
the best that science and expert skill can win 
for them out of the realm of facts and principles 
which Nature will reveal to the diligent student 
of her mysteries. To divert from their highest 
and best uses any of the funds which the people 
have freely given to bring the aid of science to 
agriculture, is most reprehensible. The stations 
which are held in the highest honor alike by 
scientists and farmers, are those in which there 
has been most original and thorough work.” 
Minor Matters.—The Secretary discusses the 
investigations regarding irrigation, and shows 
the great need of water in agricultural opera¬ 
tions. Last year he called attention to the fact 
that this country imports annually, at least 
$8,000,000 worth of minor agricultural products, 
nearly all of which should be grown in this coun¬ 
try. Among other crops may be named chicory. 
He says that, in the fiscal year 1896, 16,317,888 
pounds of chicory were imported ; in 1897,17,329,170 
pounds, while in 1898, this immense quantity 
dropped to only 315,707. Chicory farms have been 
established in Michigan, Nebraska and other 
States. Ginseng root is another crop that might 
well be produced in this country, the chances 
being that the foreign demand can be increased. 
This brief statement, of course, gives only a 
partial account of the work carried out or con¬ 
templated by the Department. Last year, the 
Department disbursed $2,245,334.08, the settlement 
of this account requiring the issuance of 25,593 
checks. Secretary Wilson says that the work of 
the year indicates that the Department is con¬ 
stantly becoming more popular with the farmers, 
and more useful to the nation at large. Certainly 
no one can study this interesting report without 
being impressed with the fact that it was a wise 
move to raise the old Bureau of Agriculture to 
the dignity of a full Government department. 
a baby, he finally realizes that he is a sick 
tnan. Very frequently he has been a sick 
man for years, but has recklessly refused 
to recognize nature’s warnings. Severe 
illness is something that does not strike a 
man like a flash of lightning. It creeps 
upon him bjr degrees, and at every step 
warns him with a new danger signal. 
When a man feels “out of sorts” or 
“knocked out,” or whatever he may call it, 
he is a sick man. It is time to take warn¬ 
ing. Headaches, droWsiness, loss of sleep 
at night, loss of appetite, nervousness, bad 
taste in the mouth in the morning, and 
frightful dreams—all these are warnings of 
encroaching illness. Dr. Pierce’s Golden 
Medical Discovery creates appetite, cures 
dyspepsia^ stimulates the liver, purifies the 
blood, quickens the circulation and tones 
the nerves. It makes rich, red, tissue¬ 
building blood. It builds firm flesh, but 
does not make corpulent people more cor¬ 
pulent. Unlike cod liver oil, it does not 
make flabby flesh. On the contrary, it 
tears down and excretes the unhealthy tis¬ 
sues that constitute corpulency, and. re¬ 
places them with the firm, muscular tissues 
of good health. It cures 98 per cent of 
all cases of consumption. All bronchial, 
throat and kindred ailments, as lingering 
coughs, spitting of blood and weak lungs 
are cured by it. Thousands have testified 
to its merits. At all medicine stores. 
It is a dealer’s business to give you 
what you ask for ; not to tell you what 
you want. 
Dr. Pierce’s Pleasant Pellets cure con¬ 
stipation. Constipation is the cause of 
many diseases. Cure the cause and you 
cure the disease. One “ Pellet ” is a 
gentle laxative, and two a mild cathar¬ 
tic. Druggists sell them, and nothing is 
“just as good.” 
Have you ever used a 
porous plaster? 
Perhaps you have and it hasn’t 
benefited you—or perhaps it 
has spread on your skin and 
stuck to your underclothing 
and made itself generally nasty. 
All cock’s 
Porous piasters 
never do this, but the imita¬ 
tions generally do. 
Insist upon having Allcock’s 
and you will get the best and 
original and the one on the 
reputation of which the others 
trade. 
Don’t be fooled. Allcock’s 
always give satisfaction and 
none of the imitations do. 
o 
RAISE THE CALVES 
o 
on Blatchford’s Calf Meal, the 
perfect Milk Substitute, and sell the milk. 
“Have Sirring Calves as Dig as Cows.” 
J. H. Cooley, Now Woodstock, N. Y^_ 
Ask your Feed Dealer for it. 
J. W. BARWELL, Waukegan, III. 
J. id 
O 
N. I. 
o 
The“Open Door Policy” 
in politics we may not fully understand, but 
in the fence bus!ne*M we “turn in” wherever 
thero’s a “gap.” How is your neighborhood? 
PAGE 1V0VKN WIRE FENCE CO.^ADIUAN, MICH. 
[ADAM 
THE FENCE MAN 
MmkM Worn Wlr« 
F*no« that "Stands 
Up,” Cannot Sag. 
1 Got his IBM catalogue. It 
I tells all about The Best 
t Farm Fence Made. 
Ly 
W< J. ADAM, Joliet, 
t° $15 MACHINE 
to weare your own fence of 
Celled Hard Steel 
Bprlac Wire, 
32 inches high, at 
25 Cts. per Rod. 
• 30 buys wire for IOO 
rod fence. Agents 
WantefLCatalogaa Fr«*. 
CittTIH 
Wire FenceHach.Co. 
Ro-fJ vvt.Nierltnar.Ow 
Machine $10 
TO BUILD THE STRONGEST 
AND BEST WIRE FENCE. 
% 16 to 24 Cents per Rod. 
No farm rights, royalties or 
eJa patent stays to buy. AGENTS 
CJ WANTED. Write for circular. 
The Bowen Cable Stay Fence Co. 
NORWALK. OHIO, U.S.A. 
9 CORDS IN 10 HOURS 
SAWS DOWS 
TURKS. 
ST 0N8M1N, with the FOLDING SAWING MACHINE. It saws 
o™” trees. Folds like a pocketknife. Saws any kind of 
timber on any kind of ground. One man can saw J10KB 
« Wlt “ than 2 men in any other way, and do it 
EASIER. H6.000 in use. Send for FRKK illustrated cata¬ 
logue showing latest IMPUOVKJIKNTS and testimonials 
gom thousands. First order secures agency. Address 
FOLDING SAWING MACHINE CO.. 
64. S Clinton Street, U 8(5, Chicago, 111. 
■■Ml* I Li for our CATALOGUE. 
CHATHAM SCHOOL OF TELKG itAl’H V AND 
RAILROAD BUSINESS COLLEGE, Chatham, N. Y. 
W ANTED—Position as Farm Manager by a thor¬ 
ough practical up-to-date American farmer, who 
is used to all the cares and management of a grain 
and dairy farm, and can give good results. Refer¬ 
ences. past and present employers. Address, stating 
full requirements, D. H., Roseraont, Pa. 
\A/ANTFn~ To rent with the privilege of buying, 
II nil I LU a farm of from 40 to 100 acres, wood 
lot and running water preferred. Address 
O. L. HAVEN, 49 State Street, Ansonia, Conn. 
Somehow and somewhere, among the muscles and joints, 
and aches of RHEUMATISM S“ p 
S&SST. JACOBS OIL?""” 
IT PENETRATES, SEARCHES, DRIVES OUT 
DEWEY’S 
uri uau 
vj IV 
lieu. 
$2.50 How to Cure Diseases 
without Medicine; power 
— — - - — - —-of pure water. Address 
SANITARY STILL CO., 17 H. St. Atlanta.Ga. 
