1906. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
339 
EVENTS OF THE WEEK. 
DOMESTIC.—The Aiken bill providing for a saloon tax of 
$1,000 in Ohio was passed by the Ohio State Senate March 
27 by a vote of 2.3 to 13. The bill has now passed both 
hotises and goes to the Governor. The liquor tax is now 
$300 a year, and the increase to $1,000 will drive thousands 
of saloons in the State out of business. It is expected that 
at least half of the saloons will be forced to close when the 
new law goes into effect. . . . The big steamboat Ply¬ 
mouth of the Fall River Line, while undergoing repairs at 
Newport, It. I., was burned to the water’s edge March 27. 
One man lost his life. The Plymouth was valued at about 
$1,000,000. She was built 16 years ago, but was still one 
of the best boats of the line, and was known as the “Queen 
of the Sound.” She was 352 feet over all, 50 feet beam and 
10 feet deep. Her gross tonnage was 3,370. ... A 
big gas tank was burned at Hoboken. N. ,T., March 28; loss 
$50,000. . . . Attorney-General Sturtevant contemplates 
bringing suit against the Standard Oil Company to annul its 
charter to do business in Wisconsin. The basis of the action 
will be the allegation that the company is a trust and oper¬ 
ates in violation of the anti-trust law of the State. 
The floods in the Southwest have caused railroad wash-outs 
in the Nevada Desert, between Las Vegas and Caliente, 
amounting to $1,000,000. . . . Trial of the Chicago pack¬ 
ing companies under indictment for entering into a con¬ 
spiracy in restraint of trade is set for September 10. . . . 
Municipal operation of street railways was repudiated by the 
people of Chicago in the city election held April 3 in which 
the proposition was submitted to a referendum vote under 
the provisions of the Mueller law. The vote on the propo¬ 
sition, “Shall the city of Chicago proceed to operate street 
railways?” was: For the proposition, 120,911. Against, 
110,260. As the Mueller law requires that the proposition 
regarding municipal operation of street railways shall be ap¬ 
proved by not less than 60 per cent of those voting on the 
question, the proposed municipal operation of street railways 
in Chicago was rejected by this vote, which lacked 17,791 
votes of the requisite 60 per cent. Rut by a majority of 
3,339 the people decided that the city may “construct, ac¬ 
quire, purchase, own and maintain street, railways” in the 
language of the ordinance which was submitted to the citi¬ 
zens for action. The issue of $75,000,000 of street car cer¬ 
tificates, as authorized under the Mueller law, was approved 
by the vote, which indorsed the municipal ownership ordi¬ 
nance passed by the City Council on January 18 last. Only 
a majority vote was required under the law to give effect to 
this proposition, and it was therefore carried. The high 
license ordinance is assured by the city council. 
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.—The Congress inves¬ 
tigation of the Department of Agriculture was set in motion 
March 27. It was begun in a conference between Represen¬ 
tative Littlefield of Maine, chairman ; Representative Davis 
of Minnesota and Representative Samuel of Pennsylvania, 
members of the House Committee on Expenditures in the 
Agricultural Department, on the one hand and Secretary 
Wilson, Assistant Secretary Ilays and other officials of the 
Department on the other. The House investigators spent 
about three hours at the Department. At the request of 
Chairman Littlefield, Secretary Wilson will at once forward 
to the House committee a statement giving in detail full in¬ 
formation relative to expenditures. This will be followed 
by hearings before the committee, at which Secretary Wilson 
and other employees of the Department will be asked to 
appear. 
THE COAL STRIKE.—March 29 the anthracite scale com¬ 
mittee, in session at Indianapolis, Ind., which has been 
formulating a proposition to submit to the coal operators, 
formally determined to order all the anthracite miners to 
quit work on April 2, and the order was sent out from 
headquarters immediately. The chief concern now of Mit¬ 
chell and his supporters in the organization is about finan¬ 
ces. On December 1 there was $389,000 in the national 
treasury and about $12,000 a month has been added to that 
sum from assessment and taxes, but the meeting of the 
convention has been a heavy drain upon the fund and there 
is on hand now only about $300,000. As soon as a strike is 
ordered there is an indigent class among the miners who will 
expect to be provided for, and if the strike should be pro¬ 
tracted the number would be added to every day. There 
will be no income from the bituminous fields should the 
Pennsylvania bituminous miners not be allowed to work and 
very little from them if they should continue in the mines. 
'Pile stock of coal in Indiana is not large and the chances are 
that it would be soon exhausted in the absence of more pro¬ 
duction. Manufacturers in the larger cities rarely store a 
great amount of coal and the supply on hand at the mines 
Is estimated to last not more than 30 days if domestic con¬ 
sumption should prove to be large in the month of April. 
At all of the mines there is considerable steam coal, but the 
best estimates do not place it at. more than a 60 days’ supply. 
An organization in some respects similar to the Citizens’ 
Alliance, which was organized in the strike of 1902 to pre¬ 
serve order in the anthracite region, is being projected by 
leading business men at Tamaqua, Pa. The main object of 
the organization will be to take steps to preserve the busi¬ 
ness interests of the region by giving it immunity so far 
as possible from the effects of the constantly recurring 
strike agitation. Since 1900, it is contended, the fear of a 
strike has been a wet blanket on the material prosperity 
of the region. But little work has been done in the matter 
of municipal improvement or industrial advancement. Man¬ 
ufacturing concerns are chary of locating in the anthracite 
region, for they know not at what time a strike will deprive 
them of fuel. The fact that the population of the anthracite 
region is constantly increasing should make it a good field 
for real estate investment but men with capital will not 
erect houses and lease them when they have no assurance 
that they will be able to collect their rents regularly. In 
the past three years hundreds of business men have disposed 
of their holdings in the anthracite region towns and left for 
new fields. 
FARM AND GARDEN.—The Missouri State Horticul¬ 
tural Society will hold its Summer meeting at Moberly, Mo., 
June 12-14. 
An agricultural show will be held in Lagos, West Africa, 
in November, 1906, under the auspices) of the Lagos Govern¬ 
ment. Lagos is the most important center on the West 
African coast. It is bounded on the southwest, by the Brit¬ 
ish Protectorate of Southern Nigeria, with which it is allied, 
and the population of the Lagos Colony and its sister pro¬ 
tectorate may be stated approximately at seven millions. 
For the guidance of prospective exhibitors it should be noted 
that in this part of West Africa there are at present no 
draught animals working on the plantations and farms. 
The principal crops are palm oil and kernels, rubber, cot¬ 
ton, corn, cocoa, coffee, mahogany and shea butter, which is 
a butter-like product made from the kernels of the shea-tree. 
OBITUARY.—A. Chase Thompson, head of the Standard 
Butter Company, Owego, N. Y., died February 22. Mr. 
Thompson was born at Jacksonville, Tompkins county, N. Y., 
in 1844, on the farm of his father, William Thompson. He 
received his education at the village school and the Syracuse 
high school. After a number of years in the dry goods 
business Mr. Thompson and Mr. Truman began butter-making 
in 1887. 'IYiis partnership existed until March, 1897, when 
Mr. Truman withdrew and Mr. Thompson organized the 
Standard Butter Company, of which he was the head until 
his death. The company has had 28 branch creameries in 
Tioga and adjoining counties and rented 12 others. The 
creamery is one of the largest in the world. Mr. Thompson 
was also a member of the Thompson Butter Company, operat¬ 
ing creameries in Michigan and Minnesota. Mr. Thompson 
was in 1895 elected president of the New York State Dairy¬ 
men's Association. He was treasurer of the Tioga County 
Agricultural Society in 1878 and 1879. 
CROP PROSPECTS . 
Southern California Is having fine rains this Winter, 
and the prospect never was better at this time of year, for 
good crops. The live oaks never looked better. They always 
look nice, but they enjoy the rain, and have such a clean 
bright green now. Grain and grass promise a big harvest. 
A large growth of Alfalfa is ready for the mower, but no 
weather now to cure it, if cut. Much of the soil on the hill¬ 
sides has been washed and gullied from the heavy rains. 
The land for beans and corn requires much tillage, as it will 
soon get hard and weedy if not stirred soon after rain. A 
large acreage will be planted with Lima beans. Fruit and 
walnut trees are starting more promptly than last year. 
Lemons have been paying well for almost a year; oranges a 
fair price; in fact all farm and orchard products are selling 
well. Real estate is on the move upward and many im¬ 
provements are being made In country and cities. o. N. c. 
Carpinteria, Cal. 
MORE ABOUT THE MIDDLE SOUTH.—On page 254 A. 
II. B. asks about the possibilities of the Middle South, ma¬ 
laria, native labor, etc. This Is the extreme northeast corner 
of the Southwest. Clay Co., Ark., is two-thirds river bottom 
land and one-third hills. The hills are a part of Crowley's 
Ridge, a volcanic or seismic formation extending from Cape 
Girardeau, Mo., to Helena, Ark. In the low lands mosqui¬ 
toes and malaria are common, not near so bad on the hills. 
No negroes—less than a dozen in the county. Native labor 
not very good, but wages are very low, $10 to $15 per month 
with board. Land from $5 to $30 per acre, according to 
nearness to railroad, quality and amount of so-called im¬ 
provements; 225 miles from St. Louis and 445 from Chicago 
by rail. I have been here 14 years, and am satisfied to 
stay; own my own farm and don’t want either to buy or 
sell. A good fruit and trucking country, but the business 
is not yet developed; will be soon. w. s. 
I’iggott, Ark. 
MICHIGAN GROWERS COMBINE.—The amalgamation of 
the fruit growers of the Michigan fruit belt is the latest move : 
the movement has been well advanced. Delegates have been 
selected from each shipping point whose duties are to or¬ 
ganize in their several sections. There will later on meet 
and lay plans to improve the marketing conditions by hav¬ 
ing one central officer who will keep each locality 
informed as to the movement of the crop to the 
several markets from day to day. The western Michi¬ 
gan growers of fruit also want to organize to protect 
themselves against the so-called shark commission men, who 
send buyers into the territory and cut prices. The growers 
have for some time realized that they are victims because 
they do not keep in touch with the prevailing outside mar¬ 
kets by daily reports. No trust is anticipated to boost 
trices, the idea only being to get fair treatment. The out- 
ook for a largo crop of peaches in this immediate vicinity 
is not encouraging, in fact the reverse. Early varieties of 
peached are badly injured. It is too early to tell the result 
of the apple crop, but the outlook is more encouraging. 
Spraying has commenced. But few 1905 apples are in the 
market and the price soars higher each week. There are 
thousands of bushels of potatoes in the hands of the stor¬ 
age people and farmers, and to expect anything like the 
realization in prices of 75 cents or better is out of the 
question. Prices to-day are weak at 50 cents. q. 
Grand Rapids, Mich. 
SUCCESS MANURE SPREADER 
There are not so many new features, but lots 
of valuable old ones. 
You know the Success is the spreader that 
literally grew. Not the kind thatsome “genius" 
made in a day. Nearly 30 years developing. 
Its principles and its making are right be¬ 
cause they have been proven to be right. 
That can’t bo said or all spreaders. 
Take strength, for an example. 
We are not guessing at necessities when we 
put a larger axle in the Success than is found in 
any other spreader. We know from experience. 
So with the frame. We make it of second 
growth white ash. 
Not every builder appreciates the wracking 
and jolting that a spreader frame has to stand. 
We do. So we make it of just as toughmateri- 
al and just as substantial as is possible. 
And so on all the way through. 
KEMP ©. BURPEE MFG. CO., 
We've demonstrated that the beater drive 
chain absolutely must be direct working to 
avoid breakage. Note the steel pin chain. 
The harpoon teeth on end of beater are a val¬ 
uable feature. They cut the straw and keep 
beater ends clean. 
Whatever feature you find on the Success, be 
sure that it is a necessary feature. Here are a 
few: 
—Solid steel brace from axle onds to beater ends. 
—Force feed of bottom—locked going up or down hill. 
—Adjustable pulverizer—make line or coarse as 
wanted. 
—Superior change of feed device, etc.,etc. 
These are not mere talking points. The Success is 
aspreuder of essentials. You can appreciate every one 
of them if you've ever had experience with spreaders. 
The thing to dots to know them all or to know as 
much about them all as possible before you buy. 
Our spreader book tells the story truthfully. It’s 
yours for the asking, free. 
Box 38. SYRACUSE. N. Y. 
The Carey Roof cannot catch fire from falling- sparks, blow off, 
rust, rot, melt or develop leaks. It defies the elements. Once on, 
your roofing troubles end. leasts as long- as the roof-boards hold. 
CAREY’S -S ROOFING 
is the oldest and best composition roofing for NEW buildings. You or your farm hand 
may easily apply it over your LEAKY shingle or hole-pierced metal roof. 
l have covered old shingles with it, making a perfect roof"—J, It. JUNQBLUTH, Arlington Farm, Neb, 
Carey’si Roofing is composed of an always flexlblo asphalt body of cement, with a heavy 
woolen felt foundation and strong burlap, firmly Imbedded into the upper surface—all com¬ 
pressed Into compact and practically Indestructible sheets. Tho Carey Patent Lap protects from 
sun-rays and rust, the nails driven in to stag, Insuring a permanent, waterproof, smooth union. 
to farmers at manufacturers’ prices from warehouses conveniently located all 
Sdww o United States and Canada, insuring lowest freight rates. Write to-day for 
r KLE faample of Carey Roofing and interesting booklet. 
THE PHILIP CAREY MFG. CO., Sole Manufacturers, 
General Offices and F actories: 42 Wayne Avenue, Cincinnati, O. 
THE MAYFLOWER 
MANURE SPREADER 
EASY TO OPERATE 
The construction is so simple and durable that It never gives 
any trouble. The driver eompletely controls the feed from hla 
seat without stopping the machine. Wrought steel wheels 
with wide tires. Can be turned In its own length. 
EASY TO LOAD 
The wagon Is built very low and can bo loaded ipiloUj and 
easily. 
EASY TO BUY 
The enormoui saving In time and labor, its superiority over 
others, make it an Investment that pays for Itself In a short 
Tho price Is so reaso-nble that you can hardly afford 
be without It. Booklet free upon request, describing the 
Mayflower Manure Spreader and giving prices. 
c0 ^ ( j o 
CORTLAND 1HPLBHKNT i 
Cortland, R. Y. 
There is 
No Other 
KEMR 
FNo man In 
tho Manure 
Spreader 
Business has 
any rightful claim 
V to tho name "Kemp” 
excepting our Mr. 
Joseph 8. Kemp, tho 
first man to contruct a 
successful manure spread¬ 
er. Since 1875 to this very 
day every manure spreader 
no matter what name, has been 
built on the mechanical princi¬ 
ples which Mr. Kemp studied out 
and made practical. Consequently 
Mr. Kemp has Incorporated every 
notable Improvement in his latest re¬ 
markable money-savor 
J.S.KEMP 
FATHER 
OF ALL 
MANURE 
SPREADERS 
EMP’S 
20TH CENTURY 
SPREADER 
^We cannot tell you about this great ma¬ 
chine here but urge you to send Immedt. 
otelyforour free, illustrated catalog. It’s 
full of pictures and extended explana¬ 
tions proving that this machine will 
surprise you in cutting your labof 
bill in half, in increasing tne fertility 
of your land and in making youf 
crops heavier and more salable. 
TO-DAY’S the day to write fof 
this free, money-making book. 
No.A-7. 
L The J. S. KEMP 
MANUFACTURING CO. 
Newark Valley, N. Y. 
Waterloo, Iowa. 
