1905. 
86 ^ 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
Events of the Week. 
DOMESTIC.—A fraud order against Maxwell II. Byrd and 
“M. II. Byrd, manager." of the Globe Detective and Infor¬ 
mation Bureau. No. 00 Wall Street. Manhattan, was issued 
by the I’ost Oflice Department November 14. Efforts to locate 
Byrd have been unavailing since the Department issued an 
order on November 4 calling upon him to show cause why 
the fraud order should not be issued. Byrd purchased names 
and addresses from letter brokers, the postal inspectors dis¬ 
covered, and sent to individuals in many States a letter 
declaring that the information bureau had “just received 
important documents which lead us to believe that you may 
be the lawful heir to a very large sum of money now being 
held in trust by one of the largest banks In the world.” 
lie expressed his willingness, for a fee of $2. to furnish 
“documents signed and sworn to. giving full particulars 
regarding the money referred to, the name and address of 
the bank, the court where the case is awaiting disposition, 
the name and address of the law firm, and how you should 
instruct your lawyers to proceed with your case to have 
it settled at the earliest possible moment.” The letter de¬ 
clares that the bureau had agents everywhere, and that the 
“system covers all part3 of the civilized world.” What was 
sent to persons who answered the letter was a copy of 
“Dougal’s Register of Next of Kin, Heirs at Law and Cases 
of Unclaimed Money Advertisements,” published by a London 
bookseller. 
INSURANCE AFFAIRS.—.Tames llazen Hyde, as a witness 
before the Armstrong Investigating Committee November 14 
practically accused ex-Gov. Benjamin B. Odell, of New York, 
of blackmailing the Mercantile Trust Company out of 
$75,000, as a settlement of a suit brought by him to recover 
losses he made In an investment in the bonds of the United 
States Shipbuilding Company. Mr. Hyde proved to be the 
most important witness yet examined by this Legislative 
Committee. He charged that E. II. Hardman told him the 
Mercantile Trust Company, which was owned by the Equit¬ 
able Life, had better settle Odell’s suit. There was the 
possibility of a bill being put through the Legislature repeal¬ 
ing the Mercantile's charter. As a result. Bainbridge Colby, 
counsel for the Mercantile, advised its officers to pay Odell 
$75,000. Odeli, who was then Governor of the State, took 
the money, but did not turn over to the Trust Company 
tiie Shipbuilding Ironds on which he based his suit. He 
sold these securities and retained the proceeds. On March 
31, 1904, tiie late Senator Ambler, one of Odell’s friends, 
introduced a bill which, if it had gone through, would have 
annulled the charter of the Mercantile Trust Company. The 
$75,000 was paid to Odell in the Fall of the same year. E. 
II. Hardman and Henry C. Frick tried to form a conspiracy 
to remove him as a factor in tiie Equitable so that they 
i could get possession of the society and its $400,000,000 of 
assets. Mr. ITyde testified that Frick's first move in this 
,direction was an effort to have him appointed an Ambassador 
by President Roosevelt. Hardman. Jacob II. Schiff and 
.Senator Iiepew did all they could, he said, to further this 
tplan. He was attracted by the idea, and after they had 
unade all the preliminary moves he went to Washington 
sand saw the President at the White House. The Ambassa¬ 
dorship he sought was not given him. Hardman and Frick, 
while pretending to he his friends in his light witli James 
W. Alexander, knifed him in the back and did everything 
possible to depreciate the value of his stockholdings in the 
Equitable Life, and then made an offer to his lawyers to 
buy his stock control of the society. Mr. Hyde also testified 
that the Equitable's yellow-dog fund, maintained in the 
Mercantile Trust Company as a loan, and known as the 
James W. Alexander No. '3 account, was used for three pur¬ 
poses, namely, to settle suits, the purchase of Equitable 
stock and for political contributions. When this loan was 
liquidated, last July. Hyde paid out of his private funds 
$212,000. The accusations of blackmail were absolutely 
denied by Odell, when the ex-Governor became a witness. 
The following were tiie most important points brought 
out at the investigation November 21 : First.—That Sen¬ 
ator Thomas C. Platt had for many years collected funds 
from insurance companies for State elections. Second.— 
That tiie Equitable contribution had been $10,000 annually; 
that of the Mutual $10,000, occasionally, and that the New 
York Life apparently made no contribution. Third.—That 
these sums were paid by Senator Platt to the chairman, 
secretary or treasurer of the Republican State Committee. 
Fourth.—That the Senator understood that in return for 
these contrib it ions lie should, through his influence with 
the State committee, see that no hostile legislation was en¬ 
acted. Fifth.—That he had never been asked to intervene 
(to stop anv such hostile legislation. Sixth.—That Senator 
jDepew's “friend up the river” mentioned previously was 
\W. S. Manning, of Albany, who has collected “hush money” 
from the Mutual and Equitable for many years for not 
"being hostile" to these companies. Seventh.—That the 
Equitable carried on its payroll a former Tammany president 
of the Board of Aldermen and Acting Mayor, who obtained 
the reduction of the real estate assessments of officers of 
the Equitable. 
FARM AND GARDEN.—Following is a list of the special 
bee-keepers’ institutes to be held this Winter in New York 
State: Amsterdam. December 11; Syracuse, December 12; 
Watertown, December 13; Fulton, December 14; Auburn, 
December 15; Romulus, December It!; Geneva, December 
18- 19. The institute assigned to Orchard Park December 
11-12, has been changed to East Aurora, and Pavilion, 
December 1-2, should be Pavilion Centre. 
The annual distribution of vegetable and flower seeds by 
the Department of Agriculture will begin on December 1, 
and before planting time it: is expected that the whole 
amount, aggregating 38,000,000 packages, will be in the 
hands of the people in all sections of the country. For 
several years Congress has appropriated $290,000 for this 
purpose, but a portion of the amount is used for foreign 
experiments and other kindred matters. The bulk of the 
thirty-eight million packages is subject to the order of 
Senators and Representatives for distribution among their 
constituents, the Secretary of Agriculture reserving one-fifth 
of the entire amount to supply the statistical crop corre¬ 
spondents, tiie Weather Bureau, and for other purposes. Tiie 
country has been divided into six sections, with* especial 
regard to climate and soils and the seeds will he sent only 
to those localities to which their propagation and growth 
are believed to be especially adapted. In addition to vege¬ 
table and flower seeds the Department sends out quantities 
of cotton, forage, and field seeds to localities to which they 
are best suited, and from which it is thought, good results 
may be obtained. 
The tenth annual Chicago show of the National Fanciers’ 
and Breeders' Association will he held January 22-27. 190(i. 
Premium lists with classifications, rules, list of judges and 
all necessary information to exhibitors will be issued about 
December 15, 1905. The mailing list includes 20,000 names, 
and it is the purpose to send to all interested. All desir¬ 
ing information should write to Fred L. Kimraey, Secretary, 
Room 500, 325 Dearborn Street.. Chicago. III. 
The New York State Breeders' Association has issued an 
interesting programme for its meeting at Syracuse December 
19- 21. The Ayrshire Breeders, Central Guernsey Breeders, 
Cheshire Swine Breeders. Ilolstein-Frlesian Breeders and 
New York State Sheep Breeders will meet at the same time 
and place. _ 
NEW YORK’S BEET SUGAR FACTORY . 
There is only one manufactory of beet sugar in this State, 
and its location is in Lyons, Wayne County. To go from Au¬ 
burn to Lyons by carriage, it is better to pass over the 
Montezuma marshes. These marshes cover about 15.000 
acres, and are the expanded outlet of Cayuga, Seneca, Keuka 
and Canandaigua lakes. Immense deposits of calcareous shells 
are found here from which the best cement in the world is 
obtained. Ou easily accessible portions of these marshes 
there are cut annually, an average of about 200 tons—when 
dried—of flags or cat-tails, the harvesting of which con¬ 
stitutes a large and remunerative industry. Hundreds of 
thousands of dollars have been expended by this State in 
an effort to drain these marshes, and all. as yet, of no 
practical effect. "Great expectations” are in order now how¬ 
ever, as tiie "Barge Canal"—if ever completed—will have 
a depth in this marsh, according to the present plan, of 
about four feet, so that a very considerable and important 
drainage may be secured. 
The Lyons* Beet Sugar Refining Co., for tiie season of 
1905, has had about 5.000 acres devoted to the growth of 
sugar beets. The average yield per acre is of greatly vary¬ 
ing amounts according to quality of soil, culture and 
weather conditions, but it may l>e safe to say, while the 
variation is from 12 to 22 tons per acre, a fair average 
will be about 14 tons. The number of tons consumed in tne 
making of sugar in a day at Lyons, is about 450, but under 
a pressure of orders, 530 tons of beets have been used in 
24 hours. The average amount of sugar from one ton of 
beets, is 200 pounds* and tiie average daily amount of sugar 
manufactured at Lyons is 100,000 pounds in 24 working 
hours, granulated. The beets are not injured for sugar 
by being frozen, and yet alternate freezing and thawing 
is seriously detrimental. The acreage devoted to sugar 
beets in central New York is regularly increasing at the 
average rate of 20 per cent a year. Aside from the sugar, 
the remaining pulp is an item of considerable value as food 
for cattle, and especially so for milch cows, as the result 
is an improvement in the flavor of the butter and in its 
color. The demand for this pulp is continually increasing, 
its market extending to-day from Lake Erie to the Hudson 
Valley, and its excellence as food for tiie dairy has .already 
been so thoroughly tested as to bring out a testimonial 
from the United States Agricultural Department. There 
are about 50 beet sugar manufactories now in the United 
States, the greater increase being in California. c. f. n. 
Auburn, N. Y. __ 
FRUIT GROWING IN WEST VIRGINIA. 
The recent meeting of tiie West Virginia Horticultural 
Society at Martinsburg was in some respects a notable one. 
There was a good programme made up of short, practical 
papers, with plenty of discussion. One day was given to 
a long drive over the famous “Apple Fie Ridge," with 
demonstrations of spraying and a talk on the San Jose 
scale in the open air. A dinner, consisting, among other 
things of 200 apple pies, was served, and every feature of 
the day was delightful. A gavel made of wood taken from 
the original Grimes Golden apple tree was presented to the 
Society. The show of apples was remarkable for color 
and quality. A stranger going to such a meeting comes 
away greatly impressed witli the possibilities of this sec¬ 
tion for fruit production. Along the hills, down through 
the State, such varieties as Grimes Golden and York Im¬ 
perial grow to perfection and the heavy crop years come 
when, as is the case now, prices are high. 
It is astounding to see how few northern people there are 
who really know anything about West Virginia. In a gen¬ 
eral way many understand that great quantities of coal and 
metal are taken from the State, but few realize what these 
hills have to offer to home-seekers. Tiie novels of Craddock 
and others have given a sinister reputation to the ridges 
running down from Pennsylvania to Tennessee. This repu¬ 
tation is entirely unjust to the kind-hearted and prosper¬ 
ous people who are quietly making the hills famous as fruit 
producers. 'Hie fact is that few parts of the South offer 
better opportunities for certain classes of home-seekers than 
this section of Virginia and West Virginia. Here a north¬ 
ern farmer can grow much the same crops he does at tiie 
North on cleaner land and under some conditions that are 
more favorable. The West Virginia people are too modest 
in pushing the claims of their State. 
BUSINESS BITS. 
Do you have cold feet when driving? No one knows the 
full pleasure of Winter driving until he has used a modern 
foot warmer in a sleigh or buggy. They keep you warm 
and comfortable for a whole day at a cost of less than two 
cents for fuel. It seems to us that one of these warmers 
is worth more than its cost for a single ride on a cold day. 
The Standard Stamping Co.. Marysville. <).. manufacture the 
best one we have seen, and guarantee "money back” if not 
in every way satisfactory. To know all about it write them 
to-day. 
One of the greatest conveniences that can lie put in a 
barn is a feed and litter carrier, such as is manufactured 
by tiie Louden Machinery Company, Fairfield. Iowa. It 
saves a world of wheeling, carrying, etc. It can be run 
from mangers to granary or silo, from stables to manure 
pile, in fact, any place where there is anything that needs 
to be regularly carried out or in. It is not an expensive 
arrangement, and almost any feeder will more than get his 
money back in convenience in a single year. Write to 
them" for particulars, if interested. 
Ox account of numerous complaints that inferior imita¬ 
tions have been sold as Iluberoid Roofing the Standard 
Paint Co. desire to inform the public that they are the 
only manufacturers of “Ruberoid,” which is a registered 
trade mark: that they manufacture no other brand, and 
that any and all imitations of name or combination of ma¬ 
terials are an infringement. The registered trade mark 
“Ruberoid" is stamped on every four feet of the genuine, 
and all purchasers desiring the Standard Faint Co. product 
should look for the earmarks before buying. 
A smooth, even pull is less wearing on wagon, horse and 
harness than a lighter load over rough, frozen roads. A 
load of loose hay is less racking than tiie same weight of 
stone. The well-known Harvey bolster spring is the most 
practical device ever produced for tiie purpose of convert¬ 
ing a lumber wagon into a comfortable and safe vehicle. 
Over the rough roads of Winter they easily save their cost 
in a short time in the saving to wagon, horse, harness and 
load, not to mention the comfort to the driver. We would 
suggest that every farmer who is not already supplied write 
tiie makers, Harvey Spring Co., 108 South Murray Avenue, 
Racine Junction, Wis„ for full particulars and prices. 
“To ride, to shoot, and to speak the truth” was all our 
forefathers thought necessary to teach a boy—if he could do 
these three tilings, tiie rest would take care of itself. 
Nowadays boys ride something besides horses, shoot 
something besides arrows, and, let us hope, learn something 
of geography, arithmetic and spelling, as well as speak 
the truth. . , . , 
But it is just as true to-day as ever it was, that the hoy 
who rides, shoots, and speaks the truth, is apt to be a pretty 
manly sort of fellow, who knows how to look after lnmscll 
and will make hi* way in the world. 
Give your boy a “Stevens” and you give him a good 
start towards confidence and self-reliance, which is at the 
bottom of all accomplishments. 
Our 140-Page Catalogue FREE 
It tells all about the famous Stevens shotguns, 
rifles and pistols, how to select them, how 
to test them, how to care for them. Send 
four cents in stamps to cover postage. _ 
If your dealer can’t supply you with 
Stevens Firearms, order from us direct. 1 
Sent prepaid on receipt of list price. 
J, STEVEN* ARMS & TOOL CO. 
200 high St. 
Chicopee Falls, Mass., U.S.A, 
BOYS’ RIFLES 
Stevens-Maynird Jr. $3 
Crack Shot . • • $4 
Little Krag - • - J5 
Favorite, No. 17 • $6 
k 
Jj 
A Never Failing Water Supply, 
with absolute safety, at small cost may be had by using the 
Improved Rider Hot Air Pumping Engine and 
Improved Ericsson Hot Air Pumping Engine. 
• Built by us for more than 30 years and sold in every country In the world Exclu¬ 
sively intended for pumping water. May be run by any ignorant boy or woman 
Ho well built that their durability Is yet to be determined, engines which were sold 
SU years ago being still in active service. 
Bend stamp for “ C4 ’ Catalogue to nearest office 
RIDER-ERICSSON ENGINE CO., 
35 Wurreu 8t., New York. *** !39 Fmukllii 8t., Bolton 
40 Dearborn St., Chicago. SIM Craig St Weal Moutre.l,I*.9- 
40 North 1th St., Philadelphia. ** Sydney, N. S. W. 
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many years, 
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have proved con- 
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duction of big yields of full¬ 
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Let us send you our practical books telling of these and 
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Address, QERMAN KAL! WORKS. 93 Nassau St.. New York. 
7/larft 
If you are going into the woods or mountains after big game you 
will need a rifle that you can trust your life to and that won't fail you. 
The simplicity and strength of 772ew/i/t high power rifles and the 
certainty with which they work makes them the choice of big game 
hunters of wide experience. Take a tf /f/rr /jn repeating rifle with 
you and be sure of your safety and sure of your game. 
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Black powder loads are used where less power is required. 
Ou r "Experience Book ” Is full of big game stories which you will enjoy. 
Free, with 130-page Catalogue, for3 stamps postage. 
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157 Willow Street New Haven, Conn. 
