1004 
TIIE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
147 
EVENTS OF THE WEEK. 
DOMESTIC C. W. Thompson, who. the postal authori¬ 
ties say, has operated a mail order business under 15 dif¬ 
ferent names, was arrested at Chicago February 5 on the 
charge of misusing the mails. Women in all parts of the 
country, who believed they would be paid $30 for copying 
loti letters, are, according to the postal officials, victims 
of Thompson’s scheme. He was arraigned before Com¬ 
missioner Humphrey, and held in $1,000 bonds for a hear¬ 
ing of the case February 15. ‘’Thompson's latest scheme 
was oh the endless chain plan,” said Inspector Stuart of 
Chicago. “After a woman would write to him and express 
her willingness to copy letters at 30 cents each, he would 
cause her to send 50 cents for membership in the bureau. 
Instead of allowing her to go to work, he would then re¬ 
quire her to get a friend’to send 50 cents for membership, 
and would promise to give 30 cents for each member thus 
secured.” Some of the titles used by Thompson in carry¬ 
ing on the scheme were: Women’s Cooperative Club, 
Women’s Industrial Bureau, Amazon Advertising Agency, 
Occidental Wholesale Company and the Occidental Com¬ 
mercial Agency. . . . For the first time in half a cen¬ 
tury Geneva, N. Y., was visited February 7 by a flood, 
which inundated all of the lower part of the town, doing 
$50,000 worth of damage and endangered 200 lives. The 
flood was occasioned by a thunderstorm, which caused 
the ice to rush out of Cattle Creek, which has run peace¬ 
fully through the heart of the city since it was swollen 
by the breaking of a dam 40 years ago. . . . Four men 
are dead and three were wounded as the result of a clash 
February 7 between union miners at Coal Creek, Tenn.. 
and guards employed by the Coal 'reek Coal Company 
to escort the non-union men in its employ to and from 
the mines and from the trains and keep union men from 
attempting to “unionize” them. Forty non-union miners 
at the same place February 8 were fired upon and fled 
for their lives. Gov. J. B. Frazier, who was asked for 
military aid. has ordered six companies at Maryville, 
Knoxville. Harriman and Morristown to wait orders and 
equipments for 200 men shipped from Nashville. Guards 
B. J. Reeder, James Bolton and Calvin Burton, who did 
the first shooting, were taken to Clinton for trial, but 
as feeling was strong against them, the hearing was 
postponed. George Camp, manager of the coal company's 
business, is under bonds charged with complicity in the 
killing. ... A great fire, probably the greatest since 
the Chicago disaster of 1871, started in the business sec¬ 
tion of Baltimore, Md., about 11 in the morning, Sunday, 
February 7. An area equal to 140 acres or more was 
burned. Fully 2,000 buildings were destroyed. The loss 
is estimated at $100,000,000. The entire business district 
was destroyed. Some of the finest buildings in Baltimore 
were burned Several were dynamited to prevent spread 
of the flames. Tn half an hour after the fire started there 
were a dozen big warehouses in the wholesale dry goods 
and notions district burning fiercely. The entire city fire 
department was called out., but was utterly powerless to 
check the flames, which were spread by high southerly 
winds, and by noon there were savage fires in at least 30 
big warehouses, and the fire was steadily eating its way 
into successive blocks. The Mayor, at the request of 
citizens, asked the Secretary of War to send engineers to 
superintend the use of dynamite in checking the course 
of the flames, and a company of sappers was forwarded. 
A proclamation by the Governor declaring a 10 days’ legal 
holiday affords merchants time to arrange for the trans¬ 
action of business. It also suspends the operation of 
drinking saloons. No residences were destroyed. Fire¬ 
men from Philadelphia, New York, Washington and 
Maryland, Pennsylvania and Delaware cities did excel¬ 
lent work, assisting the local department. They and the 
militia were brought to the city by special trains. So far 
as known only three lives were lost, though many per¬ 
sons were injured. Two of the dead were firemen and the 
other the faithful watchman in the First National Bank, 
who refused to leave his post until he knew the bank’s 
books were safe. lie was burned to death at his post. As 
more than a dozen banks and trust companies have been 
put out of business the financial situation is critical. The 
fact that so many merchants have been wiped out, how¬ 
ever, and tlm additional fact that most of their cash was 
in the banks and trust companies, has led to the opinion 
that failures will follow in the wake of the fire. It was 
estimated by employers, some of whom the fire has prac¬ 
tically ruined, that the number of persons thrown out of 
work in the fire-swept area will reach almost 50,000. That 
includes all classes of workmen and a large proportion of 
women. 
FRUIT AT THE POUGHKEEPSIE MEETING. 
The eastern meeting of the New York State Fruit 
Growers’ Association held at Poughkeepsie must be re¬ 
garded as very successful. A large number of the most 
progressive culturists of eastern New York and many 
from considerable distances gathered, attracted by an 
interesting programme, and a very complete exhibition 
of apples and orchard machinery and appliances. The 
apple show was unusually large, and there was brisk 
competition for the liberal prizes offered. The New 
York Agricultural Experiment Station at Geneva made 
a fine educational exhibit wholly occupying one long 
table with perhaps 150 plates of Fall and Winter apples 
and several kinds of pears and quinces, all of high char¬ 
acter. The competitive exhibits came from some of the 
best Hudson River growers and from western New York 
sources, and showed such general excellence that it was 
thought to be superior to any Winter fruit exhibition 
held heretofore. The interest centered on a sweepstakes 
exhibit for the best 10 varieties of apples, commercial 
value especially considered, which was sharply competed 
for, and the $25 first prize was won by Cross & Uhl, of 
Poughkeepsie. There were many plates of beautiful 
apples shown by J. H. Salisbury & Son, Phelps; Geo. H. 
Knickerbocker, Pine Plains; Chas. H. Deuel & Son, Ban- 
gall; Jas. R. Clark. Milton; H. D. Lewis, Annandale; W. 
S. Teator, Upper Red Hook; G. W. Burhans, Arlington; 
Townsend Cole, Lagrangeville, and many others. A 
plate of Esopus Spitzenburg shown by Mr. Knicker¬ 
bocker was generally thought to be the most beautiful 
single plate of apples in the entire exhibition. Mr. 
Knickerbocker also showed some specimens of a new 
apple locally known as Bristol, of which he has a few 
trees, and which he believes is native to his locality. It 
is a large, red Winter variety of exceptional color and 
beauty, of fine quality and firmness, such as must com¬ 
mend it to the attention of horticulturists. Several boxes 
of apples were exhibited showing different varieties and 
different styles of packing. The most beautiful package 
was a bushel box of Esopus Spitzenburgs from the or¬ 
chards of J. W. Salisbury & Sons, of Ontario County, 
which surpassed in color and perfection any similar 
package of the famed Oregon Spitzenburgs the writer 
ever saw, but which could not win a first premium be¬ 
cause of having been packed too tightly, some apples 
showing slight bruises. They were not wrapped. Sev¬ 
eral other boxes of Hudson Valley Newtown Pippins, 
Northern Spy and Baldwins, all wrapped in tissue paper, 
were so pretty as to contradict the most emphatic as¬ 
sertions of several New York commission merchants to 
the writer not a great while ago that “no New York 
State apples are fit to go in boxes.” Messrs. Cross & 
Uhl won first premium on box of Newtowns. The lesson 
to be drawn is that New York State does grow fancy 
apples, and when our orchardists have gained the prop¬ 
er experience in making up attractive packages our 
fruit must reach a place never before attained in the 
markets of the world. F. E. Dawley secured the fine 
Spitzenburgs of Mr. Salisbury to be used at the meet¬ 
ing of the New York State Grange at Cortland for dec¬ 
orative purposes. There was a good line of spraying ma¬ 
chinery, of ladders and barrel caps and cushions and 
wrapping paper, all of instructive value to growers. 
The meeting was held in Kirchner Hall, which, while 
very commodious, is not well adapted to the purposes 
of a convention of this sort; the noise emanating from 
the confusion at the fruit and machinery exhibits at 
back end of hall was not only annoying to the speakers, 
but rendered it a. difficult matter for listeners to hear 
what was said. It is to be hoped that better arrange¬ 
ments will be made at future meetings. To Mr. T. E. 
Cross, of Poughkeepsie, much credit must be given, as 
he worked like a beaver for the success of the fruit ex¬ 
hibition. Also to the public-spirited citizens of Pough¬ 
keepsie who contributed so liberally to the prize money. 
A fact worth noting here is that the judging of fruit 
has been placed on a scientific basis. The standards are 
much higher than formerly and exhibitors are learning 
more and more each year, and not only bringing better 
apples to the fairs but are growing more of them. Thus 
the educational feature asserts itself and the societies 
which are encouraging these competitions are doing for 
Ihe country vast good in the way of stimulating the 
production of better and better fruit. w. s. t. 
PROSPECTS FOR PEACHES. 
We are 70 miles southwest of Cleveland; mercury reach¬ 
ed 14 below; in the valleys on both sides it went to 26 and 
30 below. Peach buds examined at our place show 75 per 
cent good. t,. p. 
Stark Co., O. 
At this early date the peach buds on the plateau lands 
of Kentucky are in fine condition, and promise a great 
crop for the coming Summer. Other fruits are all in 
good shape J. A. m’k, 
Kingsville, Ky. 
We have had it 15 to 20 below zero the past few days, 
and everything is a glare of ice from a rain a week ago 
(January 26). Some trees with leaves on (like young 
White oaks) are bent with tops clear to the ground, and 
the crust on the snow will hold up a man and is so icy 
that it is hard getting around over hillsides and rough 
ground. It is a paradise for coasters. w. s. s. 
Elmoville, Ill. 
The thermometer dropped to 26 degrees below zero, 
which seems to be low enough to kill the trees, although 
they were in fine condition and perfectly dormant. Sev¬ 
eral varieties of Japan plums are also killed as badly 
as are peaches. Thirty-two years ago this Winter the 
thermometer went to 30 below, since which 17 degrees 
below is the lowest I remember. c. w. m. 
Plymouth Co., Mass. 
The peach buds are all right here yet. The tempera¬ 
ture has been down to two above zero once, and that is 
the lowest we have had this Winter, but it has been cold 
enough all the time to keep the buds dormant'. We have 
had very little snow and no sleighing at all. The ground 
is bare now and it was seven above this morning (Febru¬ 
ary 3). We have had little mud, as there has been so 
little rain and snow. u. t. c. 
Lawrence Co., O. 
A dispatch to the Chicago Record-Herald says: “The 
large fruit growers of South Haven, Mich., say the out¬ 
look is tbe best for 2) years for an immense crop of 
peaches and other fruits, and expect it will exceed that 
of 1896, when this section alone produced over 1,000,000 
bushels of peaches. T. A. Farrand of the sub-experiment 
station of the State Agricultural College at this place 
says: ‘This will be the heaviest crop of fruit in the his¬ 
tory of the fruit belt, especially peaches. I have exam¬ 
ined several orchards and find trees filled with live buds. 
The wood of the trees had ample time to ripen last Fall, 
and the gradual coming of the cold weather has inured 
the fruit buds so that it will take even colder weather 
than that of the Spring of 1899, when the temperature fell 
to 28 and 30 below zero, which killed peaches in every lo¬ 
cality excepting South Haven, to hurt the crop.’ ” 
LAND BARGAINS 
in the Heart of Old Ohio. 
Look at these: 
101 AefBS ofwen level, productive Boil. 4 miles 
from Mary.ville, on good road. Substantial two- 
story frame house. Hams, shrds, corn cribs,etc. Prior t.WOO. 
For 30 Davs R,ch c,lrn f * rm . 818»cres, 2 miles from town 
; on a good road. Nearly all drained. Orchard. 
Two story frame house. Barn, sheds, ate. for f 14,1><J0. 
<523 000 for m * rr ° B<ock f *" n ' *' U fertile and level. 
v 1 Two-storv frame house. 1 0 rooms, tonant house, 6 rooms* 
, Three largo barns. Well watered. Near Marysville. 
Write for ontalope describing those and other bargains In 
the state where farming pays. Write today. 
Bell Bros. & Stevenson, Department F, Marysville, Ohio. 
No Blizzards in Georgia 
No long, cold winters. Farmers live there in comfort. Coal is 
cheap, climate mild, the open air life an inspiration. GEORGIA 
LAND grows, wheat, corn, oats, hay, as well as cotton. AU 
stock thrive at least cost. Pasture ten months of the year. Climate 
beautiful, neither toe cold nor too hot. Water good and abundant. 
Land at low prices now. It’s foolish to freeze when comfort is so 
easily secured in Georgia. Write us for facts, free. 
GREATER GEORGIA ASSOCIATION, 
Atlanta, Georgia. 
50,000 AMERICANS 
Were welcomed to 
during past Year 
They are settled and settling 
on the Grain and Grazing 
Lands there, and are healthy 
prosperous and satisfied. 
Sir Wilfred Laurier, speaking 
of Canada, recently said: “A 
new star has risen upon the 
horizon, and it is toward it that 
every immigrant who leaves 
tbe land of his ancestors to 
come and seek a home for 
himself now turns his gaze”— 
There is 
Room for Millions. 
FItKK Homeateadi to every 
head of a. family. School*, 
Churches, Railways, Mar¬ 
ket*. Climate—everything to 
he desired. 
For a descriptive Atlas and 
other information, apply to 
Superintendent Immigration, 
Ottawa, Canada: or authorized 
Canadian Government Agent— 
CLARK’S 
CROPS 
W. D. SCOTT, Supt. of Immigration, 
. Ottawa, Can. 
TOOLS FOR 
LARGE HAY 
Clark’s Reversible Bush 
Plow and Harrow. 
Cuts a track 5 ft. wide, 1 
ft deep. Connects the 
sub-soil water. It Is an 
excellent machine for 
covering In sugar cane. 
Strength guaranteed. 
Can plow a newly cut 
forest, stump, bush or bog land, leaves the land true, 
Oteeui for any crop. 
Clark’s Dbl. Action 
Cutaway Harrow. 
Moves 15,000 tons of 
Earth In a Day. 
Clark’s Rev. Sulky Disk Plow. 
Made single or double. One 
or two furrows, five to ten 
inches deep. 14 inches wide. 
For two or four horses. Light 
draft. No side draft. No 
similar plow made. 
CLARK’S ROOT CUTTER. 
TWO SIZES. Cuts 1 or 2 
bushels per mlnate, for fowl 
or beast. Gouge cutters, 
never choke or clog. 
PRICE,.$7 to 815 
Send tor Circulars 
J PUT A WAY Uarrow Co. 
E ^Higganum, * Cf. U. S. A. 
J.W.ALEXANDER 
PRESIDENT 
J.H.HYDE 
VICE PRESIDENT 
HENRY B HYDE 
lOUNDER. 
ONLY A 
FEW FLAKES 
at a time — but what an 
accumulation all together. 
Only a few dollars at a time 
invested in an Endowment 
Policy in the Equitable — but 
what an accumulation for 
your maturer years. 
And while the money is ac¬ 
cumulating for vou your 
family is protected. 
Vacancies foe men of character to act as rej)ne f se f ntatives 
Apply to GAGE E TARBELL,2nd Vice President 
For full information HU out this coupon, or write 
THE EQUITABLE LIFE ASSURANCE SOCIETY 
of the United States 
120 Broadway, New York Dept No. 125 
Please send me Information regarding an Endowment 
for $.If Issued at.years of age. 
Name. 
Address. 
