1005. 
T1IH RURAL NEW-YORKER 
8i3 
Events of the Week. 
DOMESTIC.- Four persons won- killed and i!0 Injured by 
a head on collision between two Hock Island trains near 
Fairlield, Iowa, October ltd. Both trains had clearing orders, 
and the accident Is believed to have been caused by a den¬ 
im teller's error. . . . The entire force of working officials 
of the Hazel Klrko mine, four miles from Monongnhela, Pa., 
tu re killed in an explosion In the mine October 1*0. hive 
men were killed out light and the sixth died on reaching 
the bottom of the shaft and sending up the alarm. Two 
weeks ago there was an explosion in the same mine and 
two lives were lost. Since that time the mine bad been 
dosed in order to smother the lire, penned to one part of the 
mine by brattices, li was thought the mine was ready to 
open and Manager llornlcket called on his lire bosses. Ids 
mine foreman and his machine boss to go into the mine 
with him lo put it in order. Early In the morning Andrew 
Under managed to reach the bottom of the shaft anil give 
an alarm, lie was dead by the time the cage reached the 
bottom and the odor of gas and fire damp told the fate of 
the others. Rescuing parties were formed and about noon 
they reached the live bodies, which lay close together. 
Manager llornlcket was one of the expert mining men of 
lht‘ country and was wealthy, lie had been part owner of 
the Hazel Klrko mine and shared in the sale profits, which 
were $1,000,000. . . . That $0,.' 100,000 has thus far 
been stolen from the taxpayers of Philadelphia by the con¬ 
tracting combine which has been building the city nitration 
plant and the two boulevards Is the conclusion that lias been 
readied by Major Cassius E. Gillette, Corps of Engineers, 
I idled Stares Army and John Donald MucKennnn, experts 
employed by Mayor Weaver to investigate the contracts and 
the work done. Major Gillette investigated the jobliery In 
the Savannah harbor improvements and procured Hu* evi¬ 
dence on which former ('apt. Olierlln M. Carter was con¬ 
victed and against which Green and Gaynor must shortly 
stand trial. John Donald MucLennan is an experienced 
engineer who recently completed the construction of the 
Government nitration plant at Washington. John W. Hall, 
former chief of the bureau of filtration, is now awaiting 
trial on charges of forgery, etc., in connection with the 
lilt rat ion contracts. The contracting combine which Is 
accused of this thievery is constituted. In tin* main, of 
Israel W. Durham, Republican boss of Philadelphia, and 
co-boss with United Stales Senator Penrose of the State of 
Pennsylvania and Stale Senator James P. Mc.Nichol. These 
two men, with I >. ,1. McNIchol. a brother of Hu* Stale 
Senator, compose the contracting llrm of Daniel J. McNIchol. 
Evidence bn ight out at Hill's preliminary hen lug showed 
that in this firm I». ,1. McNIchol owns a one twelfth interest, 
the other eleven twelfths being divided equally between 
Durham and James P. McNIchol. . . . The Ualiforiila 
Express No. I. the fastest regular train on the Santa I<Y* 
system, was ditched in a cut a mile east of Kansas City, 
Mo., October .'lb. Twelve dead and ‘Jo injured persons were 
taken out of the wreck. The accident happened a few yards 
west of where the Santa I'Y* crosses Hock ('reek. A deep 
cut with solid 11 in. ‘stone shies extending higher than the 
lops of tin* cars begins close to the bridge. The engine 
struck a loose rail, but Stayed on the track. The mall 
car jumped to the right, struck the side of Hie bluff, and 
the cars behind plowed through it and piled up against 
the high slone bank on the left. The great natural wall of 
rough stone against which the cars were thrown tore the 
side oil’ the day coaches, and passengers, ground against 
the wall, were killed or seriously Injured. . . .. Stale 
Senator T. .1. Emmons, convicted of receiving a bribe to 
iiilluence building and loan association legislation, was sen 
tenci'd at San Francisco. Cal., October ID, to live years In 
Sail Quentin prison. This Is the third of the California 
Stale legislators who have been sent to prison for accepting 
bribes.October ‘Jb the breaking of a big three 
foot water main in Chicago, III., drowned two men In a 
tunnel, and caused the death of a woman whose home was 
wrecked by the Hood. The total loss to property is estimated 
at $ I no, oi 10. The Hood swept Into basements in tin* entire 
district between LaSalle, Clark. Sixteenth and Twentieth 
streets, driving out scores of families and ruining the stocks 
of many small merchants and larger concerns. For more 
than seven hours the torrent gushed forth, turning the 
break Into a ge.vser with a crater 50 feet wide. From Its 
boiling month Issued a current that tore gullies .’to feet 
wide across the elevated tracks of the Lake Shore and Mlchl 
gun Southern Railroad. Tracks collapsed and freight cars 
tumbled Into the mud and debris. The water seeped far 
below the basements of buildings, undermining their founda 
lions, s'o that it is expected that many of them will be 
condemned. 
THE REEF PACKERS. A subpoena as a witness In the 
“Reef Trust” trial on November 'JO was served October J7 
on Charles G. Dawes, ex Controller of the Currency. Mr. 
Dawes has opposed in speeches the course of the Government 
in prosecuting the packers. Ills public expressions are said 
to have led to the Issuance of a subpoena so that what he 
knows concerning the packers may be stated under oath. 
Ills speech to the bankers al Lincoln, Neb., on October 24, 
especially attracted attention. 
ADMINISTRATION. President Roosevelt Is determined 
to dii all that lie can to make the uniform of a soldier or 
sallor of the United States respected and to assure the 
weaver all the consideration which would be given a 
civilian. Cases have been reported frequently of admittance 
to theatres and public places being denied sailors simply 
because they were garbed in a National uniform. The 
President believes the uniform should lie respected every 
where and taken as a badge of honor. The Navy Depart 
ment lias endeavored to uphold this view, for Secretary 
Ronaparte dismissed an employee of the Norfolk Navy Yard 
for refusing to lease rooms to a machinist’s mate merely 
because the mate wore the uniform of a petty officer of the 
navy. Owing to rowdyism on the part of some sailors the 
whole service has been placed a I a disadvantage. The 
soldiers of tin* army have also suffered to some extent. 
PANAMA CANAL. The funds of the Isthmian Canal 
Commission are running low and October '28 there remained 
only about $1,000,000 of the $10,000,000 appropriated by 
Congress In June, lOO'J. It Is the Intention of Secretary 
Taft and (lie commission to make every effort to procure 
an emergency appropriation from Congress Immediately after 
that body meets In December. Al I lie rate the money Is 
being expended now the commission will have absolutely no 
funds on January I. and many bills for large amounts will 
fall due early in 100(1, It has not been decided Just how 
much Congress will be asked to appropriate. One of tin* 
principal reasons for Secretary Taft's visit to the Isthmus 
Is to ascertain for himself Just what has been done and 
how the money has been spent. With facts and figures tie 
will return to Washington well forlllled for what may he 
a contest to get money, and a large amount of It. from 
Congress In a very short space of time. It Is essential that 
the emergency appropriation be made before Congress ail 
jnurns for the Christians holidays, or the working force of 
the canal will have to go without pay until Congress does act. 
INSURANCE AFFAIRS. Prosecuting Attorney II. M. 
I lagelberger, of Akron. Ohio, began two actions In quo 
warranto in the Circuit Court October 28, asking that the 
Mutual Life Insurance Company be ousted from doing 
business in Ohio. The petitions also ask that trustees or 
receivers be appointed to take charge of all of the funds of 
the two companies In this Stale. In each petition there 
are thirty three questions which the companies are requested 
to answer. It Is alleged in both netltlons that the companies 
have In tin* past live years misused their franchises; tintt 
In their annual statements to the Insurance Commissioner 
they have failed to disclose a large amount which was con 
trlbuted to Cornelius l’.llss. the amount of which Is said to 
ie* In excess of $100,000: that the companies paid out under 
the guise of fees $25(1,000 to lobbyists to Influence the 
legislation in that State and other States, and that the funds 
of Hu* policyholders In Hint State are being wrongfully ex¬ 
pended and squandered for criminal and fraudulent purposes 
It is further alleged that over $501,000 was paid out t*> 
dummy officers of both companies which was not included 
in the statement:- tiled by the companies with the Insurance 
Commissioner of Ohio, and Hint statements tiled by 
both companies were fraudulent and In direct violation of 
tin* provisions of the licenses held by the companies in Hull 
State. 
RUSSIA. -October 30 Emperor Nicholas Issued a procla¬ 
mation giving tin* country constitutional government. Thus 
disappears the last absolute monarchy among civilized 
•copies, and thus popular liberty wins lls culminating victory 
n Hu* history of mankind. The concession comes mi 
willingly. It is, in fact, the last desperate effort to save 
the crown Itself for the Romanoff dynasty. Whether It will 
suffice in the present supreme crisis of national rebellion 
cannot yet lie said. All ordinary political liberties and gen¬ 
uine representative government by a national legislature are 
granted. A constitution Itself Is not formulated, but the 
power to draft one Is delegated to a (luma to be elected by 
Hu* suffrage of all classes. This should restore peace 
throughout the empire. The only danger is that popular 
passion is so iiillnmcd and the perception of tin* complete 
paralysis of the Government so widespread that the masses 
may rush into grave excesses and demand the complete 
sweeping away of tin* existing regime throughout the empire. 
Finland is also In open revolt, citizens met October .'!l and 
resolved lo demand the cessation of Russian oppression, the 
resignations of the Governor and Senators and the formation 
ot a national assembly, to which all classes will have the 
right of election. 
FARM AND GARDEN. The Missouri Stall* Horticultural 
Society will hold Its forty-eighth annual meeting at Kansas 
City December 28-110: secretary L. A. Goodman, 4,000 War 
wick Rlvd., Kansas City, Mo. 
The annual meeting of the Western New York I (nr 11 
cultural Society will lie held at Rochester, N. Y.. January 
24-25, 1000. _ 
AGRICULTURAL CONDITIONS IN CENTRAL 
ONTARIO, CANADA. 
The writer's acquaintance with this part of Ontario I’rov 
mce began over Id years ago. and an absence of tin* last. 
20 years enables me to see differences very plainly. The 
lirst thing which certainly will pass, and which Is nearly 
gone now, Is Hu* primeval forest. The first settlers were* 
slow in being convinced of tin* need of trees and also of 
planting in places where shelter was needed, but many did 
It and tin* results, In both comfort and beauty, have much 
(bore than justified expectations. Maples planted In the 
Fall of IM74 are now 12 Inches thick in the trunk, and In 
the foliage part 25 feet wide and Ho feet high. This is 
encouraging data from .'11 years. While pines planted lo 
years ago are large, shady trees and having grown up alone 
are destined to be useful for generations to come, ornamental 
• lues, larches and spruces have grown even quicker, ivr 
nips the most useful and attractive conifer for small growth 
and thick hedges, is the While cedar. All through this part 
of the country these hedges are thick, healthy and luxuriant. 
An important change is the kind of barns and other out 
buildings. As much as $.'1,000 will be spent on a barn : it 
will be titled with rack lifters, a windmill or ram to supply 
water, large storage tank for perhaps ttins' days' supply, 
and there may be also individual tanks to each stall. I saw 
one house In which were hot and cold water, bath, etc. The 
water was pumped fully (too yards, and the pipes lain 
through tin* bed of a river. This plant had been In almost 
perfect operation during It! years, and the plumber's bill 
was nearly nothing. All the up-to-date implements are 
being used. The steam thrasher feeds Itself, cuts and blows 
the straw on to the slack, sucks the dust out of the barn 
and juts the grain Into the bin, thus reducing the number of 
men reeded at a thrashing from four to six. This Is a 
(treat suvjng, for It Is almost Impossible lo gel either male 
or female* help here now. I was at two homes where there 
had been three sons; a I least one was needed a I home, tail 
they were all off to start homes In the Northwest. In the 
house there are also modern helps. The cream separator, 
tin* pork hog and the cheese factory sharp have seriously 
injured cheese-making. In the village where I am writing 
there Is a creamery with a weekly capacity In Mav June 
and July of 4,000 pounds of butter. There are,' near 
Itrantford In Canada, many farmers’ homes, lit, heated and 
provided with natural gas enough to do all the cooking 
I tried to get surplus data on either side, for or against 
the silo, but, while* those* who have and like them would not 
do without one, others will not have one. The most sidi 
slanllal objection appears lo be that the danger or frost on 
the* corn requires the alio to be* tilled when farmers are busy 
both finishing wheat seeding and thrashing. Filling the slfo 
Is done by neighbors helping each other. "Canada Mall” 
Is framed and put up in most of the liars in Grenter New 
York : but the Dingley tariff practically shuts out Canadian 
barley. Tills has proved a great blessing to Ontario farmers. 
One* farmer said lie ge*ts SO cents per bushel for his barley 
when fed to hogs. One* man said he* puts ground oats and 
barley Into the trough, then pours In milk, warm from the 
separator. He* told me he* took seven hogs to market, live 
months old, weight 100 pounds each, price* six cents per 
pound live* weight. This man keeps three brood sows which 
raise generally two litters per year, and about eight In each 
litter, or 50 pigs on an average, lie milks nine cows most 
of the* year. 
The manner of getting ls*ef stoe*k is quite changed. Some 
raise the calves till they are yearlings, or a little older; 
then others buy them and finish them for market. I saw 
one herd of 30 cows kept for raising calves, and each would 
raise three calves during her milking period. Two different 
farmers told me that they fed fully 1,500 bushels of grain 
on a hundred acres, nearly every year, 1>ut they sometimes 
need to buy a few bushels of oats one or two hundred 
bushels. Wheat (Winter)* Is still raised he*re, and ranges 
from 20 to 30 bushels per acre*. Due piece about two 
acres of new land produced. In 11)04, (JO bushels per acre, 
but this was considered the largest yield ever known In this 
district. Oats, barley and peas go from 30 to to and even 
00 bushels per acre. One farmer lias a sample of Tartar 
King oats ID/, feet high. An average crop of yellow turnips 
Is 000 bushels, but as many as 1,000 bushels are often 
grown on an acre. These are being loaded on the cars now 
at nine cents per bushel. Freight and duty lo New York 
City, nearly 40 cents per bushel. Good Spv and Spltzen 
berg apples are being sold here for $1.25 per barrel. Apples 
shipped In boxes have been heard of here, but not tried. 
The apples are picked by the fnrmers, then culled and 
packed by the buyer. I saw one Spy tree two feet thick In 
the trunk and 50 feel wide In the top. It yielded 15 barrels 
of apples and a bushel of small fruit. Hie* same tree pro 
eluced 12 barrels two years ago; but apples are such a low 
price for good stock that orchards are being chopped down. 
An Inside help is Hie* older sauce factory. Now a farmer 
can take away ills apples in Hie morning and bring home the 
warm sauce in the afternoon cost of making, three cents 
per gnllon of elder. The lhlcke*ning apples must be taken 
along peeled and cored. Sauce so made will kee*p two yi*ars 
In crocks. 
There is a great change in the preparation of the ground 
for Winter wheat. Formerly there was a good deal of 
Summer fallowing: now sod Is plowed down, the* top worked 
line by disk-harrowing and rolling, then finer harrowing, 
drilling In and harrowing after the drill. Here we* line! the 
disk harrow, hay loader and tedder and manure spreader. 
Turnips are taken up by lirst topping with the hoe. then 
carefully cross-harrowed. Yellow turnips are the only ve*g 
(•tables raised here for market, and apples the only fruit 
The* staples are* beef, pork, wheat and such dairy products 
as cream or butter. I'oultry has not yet been attempted 
seriously. 
The* last thing of which I wish to speak Is stock raising. 
Near where I am writing there Is a Holstein herd, a 
Short horn herd headed by a $1,000 Imported bull and 
a farm which produces Southdown and Hampshire sheep. 
The prizes from the St. I.ouls Exposition amounted to $1,4(>0 
to tills sheep Industry. I have visited at least 20 farmers' 
homes extending over a territory 25 miles long, and every 
one had an up-to-date agricultural paper, and many of the 
older readers got their lirst lessons In that line of study 
from “Moore’s Rural New-Yorker.” The tluest potatoes that 
I have tasted here, and as good ah I ever lasted for dryness 
and other qualities, were Carman No. 3, so, in some re 
speeds, I was not far from home On October 1 I I picked a 
tine bunch of wild red raspberries growing beside a stump 
fence. Near this place my farmer friend pointed to a hut In 
a beech grove and said : “There Is where ihe beef ring 
does Rs killing." A number of farmers clubbed together and 
buy or supply a beef animal each month, have it killed, 
dressed and weighed out to the different members. Most of 
them have Ice or a cold cellar and thus have fresh beef at 
cost. Without attempting to debate the subject. I am con¬ 
vinced that the best means of lighting the food trusts of the 
United Stales would be to reduce the tariff on Ontario 
produce. It would Increase the price to the Canadians, 
reduce the price lo Americans and would make very little 
difference* lo the farmers in the Stales, and certainly pro 
deice more cordial International feeling. It is now’ quite 
certain that the Canadians can live Ix'tter without, us than 
we* can without them. Here* food and money are plentiful 
and cheap; labor Is scarce anel dear. Plenty of farmers 
here have lo pay a man $25 per month and board and $20 
per month the* year round. “Quaker oats" and all such 
kinds of food are now made on this side of the line. Cana 
dian tarills have* compelled Americans lo come over and 
build so that they can manufacture here. Canadians are- 
Very plainly being 1 unkeolied, hut American capital Is. 
being Cnnadlanized. Let us hope this will be a means of 
producing “peace and good will amongst men." The teach¬ 
ing and experimental work and also farmers institutes keep> 
the* farmers’ 1’amille‘s here well posted and continually in 
t crested in this kind of calling. Tills is done by the* 
Ontario Agricultural College. oh.hekvhu. 
FIRE INSURANCE AND LIGHTNING RODS. 
Barn Fires and Lightning 
K. <1. Know, president of the Home Insurance Co., makes 1 
the* following statement about lire in farm barns; 
"We have for some lime been investigating the* matter 
of barn lessees and examined into upwards of 800 cases where 
the* cause of lire was known. Out of tin* number consider¬ 
ably over half of the* losses were caused by lightning anel 
something less than a quarter were charged to incendiarism, 
I he remainder of the* causes constituting proportionately 
a very small fraction of the* entire number. Taking up at 
Hu* present time the main factor alluded to lightning It 
appears evident that a d<>vlre> that will minimize the* electric 
.hazard is worth seeking. If the barn losses might la* re- 
•luced by one half tin* class would, at rates obtainable, come 
pretty near being preferred Instead of prohibited, as Is 
the case with some companies, perhaps many, at the present 
time. 
"Tim proposition, of course, brings the* lightning rod Into 
(•tie's mind. To many of us It brings the* thought of an old- 
fashioned humbug, and we are not In this article going to try 
to controvert that lde*a, but we* are disposed very strongly 
to epiery whether, with the greatly Increased knowledge of 
electricity that now exists. It might not be possible to pro¬ 
duce* a lightning rod of approved make and arrangement 
that, if generally employed, would lessen the number of barn 
losses, and we believe Hull If Interested underwriters would 
give* their experience, their theories and their suggestions, 
hints and plans might he presented tlial would he of value 
In nuiking this iiiipnrtnntgrlaxs show a very much better loss 
ratio,” 
The* statistics given by President Know are as follows: 
Cause 
Lightning... 
Incendiary. . 
Sparks from portable engine* . 
Tramps. 
Spontaneous combustion . 
Overturned lantern. 
Child and matches . 
Not stated . 
Sparks from locomotive* . 
Roys. 
Unknown. 
Oil stove.’ . | 
Defective title* ... 
Cigarettes. 
Firecrackers. 
1'aper balloon . 
Electric wires . 
Lantern explosion . 
Burning load drawn In,. 
Creosote (spontaneous combustion) 
Dryer and turpentine ... 
Forest lire .. 
Windmill (hot box) .. 
Sparrows carrying matches for nest, 
Incubator . 
Brooder., ’ ’ 
Smoking (pipe) . 
Automobile. 
Thrasher (hot box) . 
Careless employee ... 
Burning brush .... 
Number 
. . . 343 
... 131 
. . . 25 
. . . 18 
. .. 11) 
. .. 15 
. . . 13 
I) 
8 
7 
3 
3 
3 
8 
8 
2 
o 
2 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
t 
1 
l 
* 
1 
t 
1 
1 
Total 
(122 
BUSINESS BITS. 
Dt n readers are all familiar with the Page Woven Wire 
•eneo Company. Adrian. Mich., and undoubtedly know that 
they claim lo use* a bott**r quality of wire a basic, ope*n- 
hearth spring steed wire, having double the tensile* strength 
of common fence wire of the* same size, and not only a 
stronger, hut also a springier wire; a wire that makes good 
springs. This wire Is known ns Page Wire. The Page Fence 
( (iiipuny have* Just issued a souvenir edition of t lie I r house 
organ, the Page Fence Age. which gives a detailed. Illus 
traleel description of their process for manufacturing Page- 
Wire* and tells why it is stronger and springier. Every fence 
buyer should get a copy. It is free. Drop them a postal 
card asking for "A Trip Through Our Mills." 
As the days grow shorter and the evenings longer, the 
lighting epiestion comes up again. Living, as most of our 
readers do. beyond the* smoke line of the cities, gas and 
electricity are* out ol the* epiestion. The* farmer must choose 
be* I ween kerosene, gasoline and acetylene for light. We know 
our readers will be glad to hear of a kerosene lamp Hint 
combines practically all the* best features of the* gas and 
electric light and yet gives that soft, restful quality of 
light feu* which kerosene oil is so Justly famous. This lamp, 
which is made by the Angle Mfg. Co.. 78 SO Murray Ktreed. 
New 1 ork, Involves an entirely new principle of burning 
common kerosene which does away completely with the 
smoke, odor and bother of the old stvle lamp.' We would 
certainly advise.* readers to communicate at once with 
the Angle* Mfg. Co., 78-80 Murray Street, New York City. 
.Titmu: Is no greater ti-mptallnn to adulterate In any line 
of manufactured goods than In the article of rubber.’ Tin* 
supply in tropical regions is rapidly decreasing. The con 
seepiemce Is high prices, which induce most manufacturers 
to mix In substitutes which will give them for manufacture 
"rubber" at a much less cost but of greatly inferior qualify. 
There Is one manufacturer of rubber boots and shoes taking 
a different course, the Banner Rubber Company of St. Louis. 
Mo. Readers are familiar with their Buckskin Brand of 
rubber boots and shoes from seeing it regularly advertised in 
our columns. Bueksklu boots and shoes are jo be had gen 
(•rally of dealers Anyone not Hading them should corre¬ 
spond direct with the manufacturers. They have a neat 
book which they mall lo all writing them for It, and which 
gives further particulars in regard to their making. 
W mi the* return of tin* Shooting Season, there* Is one 
question many a father will have to face: "Papa, may 1 have 
a gun tills year?" One father will sav "Yes": another 
"Wall till you’re ten": mini her. “Walt till you’re twelve"; 
another, perhaps, fourteen. There are countless men to-dav 
who begin to shoot about as soon as they hail strength 
enough to raise a gun to their shoulders. Almost without 
exception such are men of quick decision, action and nssnr 
mice. The gun has a great deal to do with fostering these 
three qualities, and we say begin It early. The J. Stevens 
Arms and Tool Company. 2(11) High street, Chicopee Falls, 
Mass., Is conducting a very laudable campaign in Introdue* 
lug a light, practical rifle* to our young Inels all over the 
country. We recommend nost heartily to everyone* their 
book, lost issued, on the ride and shotgun, with the* most 
Interesting Information on the care and selection of lire 
arms, ammunition, tin get shooting and kindred subjects 
The book has 1 to page's and is sent free to anyone sending 
four cents to cover postage*. 
