1906. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
379 
EVENTS OF THE WEEK. 
DOMESTIC.—One of the sailors taken from the steamship 
Burrsfield in quarantine at Reedy Island, near Philadelphia, 
died April 11 from what is thought to be bubonic plague. 
This makes the third death which has occurred on the Burrs* 
field since (he vessel sailed from Bombay, India. 
The Wholesale Grocers' Association of Ohio was ousted 
from its charter April 11 by the Circuit Court of Franklin 
County for violation of the Ohio anti-trust laws. The judg¬ 
ment of ouster was rendered on a motion from the Attorney 
General for a decision on the pleadings alone. The answer 
of the company had admitted sufficient acts, in the opinion 
of the court, to show violation of the anti-trust act. John 
E. Sater and Gilbert H. Stewart, attorneys, were appointed 
as trustees to wind up the affairs of the company. It was 
charged in the petition of the State that the Grocers’ Asso¬ 
ciation was formed to regulate prices and to restrain trade. 
Most of the wholesale grocers in Ohio, it is said, are members 
of the organization. . . . April 17 the coal operators 
flatly refused all the propositions made by the miners. The 
operators feel that they are under no pledge to refrain from 
attempting to resume work, as the suspension is to all intents 
and purposes looked on as a strike. Preparations are being 
made by the operators for strike emergencies and the starting 
up of the washeries is the entering wedge in breaking the 
deadlock. ... A verdict of guilty as charged in the in¬ 
dictment was returned in the Greene and Gaynor case at 
Savannah, Ga., April 12. Benjamin D. Greene and John F. 
Gaynor were indicted in Savannah. Ga.. in 1809 for embez¬ 
zlement and conspiracy to defraud the Fnited States Gov¬ 
ernment in connection with contracts for harbor improve¬ 
ments at Savannah. The same charges were made against 
f'apt. Oberlin M. Carter, IT. S. A., Engineers, and he was 
convicted, dismissed from the army and imprisoned at Fort 
Leavenworth for five years. Greene and Gaynor were ar¬ 
rested in New York and resisted removal to Savannah until 
a final decision was rendered against them. Then they tied 
to Canada, each forfeiting $40,000 bail. They were found 
in Canada and action to extradite them was progressing when 
they moved from Montreal to Quebec, thus changing the jur¬ 
isdiction. Detectives kidnapped them and took them to 
Montreal in a tug in 1902, after an exciting chase on the 
river. The men were put in jail but were released on a 
writ. Greene and Gaynor fought extradition in every possi¬ 
ble manner, and the Cnited States had to appeal to the 
Privy Council of England in the fight to get possession of 
them. The decision which finally compelled the fugitives 
to return and face trial was rendered in Septeml>er of last 
year. The men were sentenced to serve four years in the 
Federal prison at Atlanta. Ga., and to pay each a fine of 
$575,794.90. the amount they are charged with having em¬ 
bezzled. T'pon one indictment tlie sentence was of two years, 
and upon each of the other indictments four years, but the 
court directed that the sentences might all be served con¬ 
currently. which reduced the term to four years, with the 
allowance of three months off of each year for good behavior. 
The fine need not be paid, if. on completing the sentence, the 
prisoners make affidavit that they are not possessed of 
more than $20. In lieu of paying the fine they then may 
serve 30 days longer. . . . The New York State Senate 
Committee on Public Health has reported favorably the 
Stevcns-Wainwright bill providing that patented medicines 
containing alcohol or narcotics shall be labeled showing their 
ingredients. It has been amended by providing that the 
stock of patent medicines which druggists now have on 
hand may be sold up to July 1. 1908, providing that each 
package is marked to distinguish it from goods bought after 
the lull takes effect. The bill has also been amended by 
eliminating the provision that an analysis by the State 
Chemist of a patent medicine shall be presumptive evidence 
against druggists in criminal prosecutions. There is a 
strong lobby pressing the passage of the bill, which has been 
at work all Winter, but it is not believed it can get through 
the Legislature. . . . April 13 an explosion of smoke¬ 
less powder in the forward turret of the battleship Kear- 
sarge, killed five seamen and Lieut. .T. M. Hudgins, and in¬ 
jured Lieut. J. W. Graeme, who died later. The Kearsarge 
was near Guantanamo. Cuba, at the time. . . . The 
Trade Union Bank of Chicago, where 71 unions and their 
members will be asked to deposit their funds, is to be opened 
May 15 with a capital of $500,000. This bank has been 
chartered under the laws of Arizona, so that the shares 
could be put upon the market at $5.50 each. Under the 
Illinois law shares must be $100 each. . . . The West¬ 
chester County. New York, Grand Jury, which completed its 
session April 16, found two indictments, each for man¬ 
slaughter in the second degree, against the chauffeur, John 
Johnston, and John C. Rodgers, ,Tr., the owner of the auto¬ 
mobile which ran down and killed Mrs. Betty Kuchler and 
her sister. Miss Stein, while the aged women were returning 
from church at New Rochelle on Sunday, April 1. Each 
offense is punishable by a maximum sentence of 20 years in 
prison. .Johnston is under $10,000 ball and his employer 
was arrested on a bench warrant and compelled to give 
bond for an equal sum. It is said that the Grand Jury 
indicted young Rogers because he and the party of women 
with him ran away after the accident, and left the women 
dying in the street. It is said the Kuchler family will 
bring a civil action against Mr. Rodgers for $100,000 dam¬ 
ages. . . . Three men were killed and a dozen wounded 
at Wlndber, Pa., April 16, as the result of a riot among 
miners. . . . The United States Supreme Court April 
16, by a bench divided five to four, held that divorces ob¬ 
tained in States which do not have jurisdiction over both 
parties to the marriage are not enforceable outside the 
State granting the divorce, under the clause of the Consti¬ 
tution providing that each State shall give full faith and 
credit to the decrees of another State. The effect of the 
decision, therefore, is that a divorce like those obtained in 
South Dakota, by the acquisition of temporary residence for 
that purpose, is valid in the State in which the couple re¬ 
sided only so long as its legality is not attacked. It fol¬ 
lows, therefore, that a divorce in order to be beyond attack 
must be obtained in the State of which both parties are res¬ 
idents. . . . April 18 San Francisco was visited by an 
earthquake which caused appalling loss of life and property. 
Seismic shocks are of common occurrence in California, but 
not since 1872 has there heen one in that State accompanied 
by loss of life. In that year, on March 26 and 27. there 
was a most severe earthquake in the Inyo valley. The rec¬ 
ords state that several small towns were destroyed and 
about thirty lives lost. The quake extended to San Fran¬ 
cisco. where the walls of several fine public buildings were 
cracked and damage was done to the Lick House, a famous 
and historic San Francisco hotel. Prior to that, in 1852, the 
only earthquake of note in the State was one which took 
place in 1852 and destroyed one of the ancient and pic¬ 
turesque missions of the Franciscan Fathers in southern 
California. There was also a severe shock at San Francisco 
on October 14. 1891. 
NEW JERSEY AUTOMOBILE LAW.—The Frelingbuysen 
automobile bill, with its many amendments, is- now before 
Governor Stokes of New Jersey for signature, it having been 
finally passed April 13 by the Senate. As it now stands the 
bill nullifies all existing auto licenses on July 1, and requires 
renewals at the rate of $1 per year for cars of 30-horse 
power or less and $2 per year for cars of higher power. In¬ 
censes will not be granted to persons less than 16 years old. 
Drunkenness in an automobile, racing, and the use of a car 
without the consent of the owner are all forbidden. Reg¬ 
istration numbers must be kept clean and displayed con¬ 
spicuously fore and aft: speed must be limited to five miles 
per hour‘in towns and 20 miles in open country: stops must 
be made when requested by drivers of other vehicles, and 
armored tires are barred from all improved roads. Heavy 
penalties are provided for all violations. An Automobile 
department is created, with the Assistant Secretary of State 
as chief commissioner. He is to have one inspector and 
seven deputies, who may make arrests without warrants 
even for refusal or inability to display licenses at command. 
The chiefs of the department are to be paid $1,500 per year 
and the deputies $3 per day. After deducting department 
expenses, the license money is to be used for road repairs. 
The L'Hommedieu measure, which imposes a tax upon auto¬ 
mobiles, was passed by the New York Senate April 13 by 
a large majority. It imposes an annual tax of $1 on each 
automobile, with an additional dollar for each 500 pounds 
or fraction thereof in machines weighing more than 500 
pounds. 
FARM AND GARDEN.—The College of Agriculture of 
Cornell University has decided to establish a traveling Sum¬ 
mer school of agriculture, which will make an extensive tour 
of the South, Middle West and Southwest, extending over a 
period of about eight weeks. The date of the opening of this 
school has not yet been definitely decided, but it will occur, 
probably sometime between June 25 and July 9. Invitations 
to visit' farms, plantations, ranches, or other places of inter¬ 
est to agricultural students may be addressed to Thomas F. 
Hunt, Cornell University, Ithaca, N. Y. 
The annual meeting of the American Guernsey Cattle Club 
will be held at the Fifth Avenue Hotel, New York. May 16, 
at 10:30 A. M. The secretary of the association is William 
II. Caldwell, Peterboro, N. II. 
Two thousand thrasher men from Missouri, Kansas, Okla¬ 
homa and Indian Territory opened their fifth annual con¬ 
vention at Wichita. Kan.. April 11. Resolutions were adopt¬ 
ed demanding that thrashing machines be given the same 
rights on public highways as vehicles; that a lien law be 
passed which will insure the collection of thrashing bills; 
that laws be enacted requiring counties and municipalities to 
build bridges strong enough to carry thrashing machines 
without the necessity of planking. Stone bridges were 
deemed the best by speakers. It was decided to send ad¬ 
dresses to members of the State and territorial legislatures, 
embracing the resolutions adopted and urging the repre¬ 
sentatives to pass the measures suggested. 
CIVIL SERVICE EXAMINATIONS.—The United States 
Civil Service Commission announces an examination on Ma.v 
16, 1906, to secure eligibies from which to make certifica¬ 
tion to fill a vacancy in the position of herdbook assistant, 
at $1,200 per annum, in the Bureau of Animal Industry, De¬ 
partment of Agriculture, and vacancies as_ they may occur 
in that Department requiring similar qualifications; on May 
18, 1906. to secure eligibies from which to make certifica¬ 
tion to fill vacancies as they may occur in the position of 
forest supervisor in the Department of Agriculture; on May 
23, 1906, to secure eligibies from which to make certifica¬ 
tion to fill a vacancy in the position of poultry assistant, at 
at $1,200 per annum, in the Bureau of Animal Industry, De¬ 
partment of Agriculture, and vacancies as they may occur 
in that Department requiring similar qualifications. There 
are also a number of vacancies in the position of forest 
ranger, in the Forest Service of the Department of Agricul¬ 
ture, for which examinations are provided. Apply for fur¬ 
ther information to the U. S. Civil Service Commission. 
Washington, D. C. _ 
PROPOSED CHANGES IN HIGHWAY LAW. 
A bill in the Legislature amends Section 53 of the Fuller- 
Plank Highway Law, so that, under the money system, the 
State will pay 50 per cent of the entire cost of maintenance 
and improvement of highways in towns of less than $1,000,- 
000 valuation. To January, 1905, tne Iligble-Armstrong 
roads cost the State $3,173,265 for 704 miles of road— 
over $4,500 per mile for the State’s half of cost. To the 
same date. State aid to the money system towns cost only 
$1,407,835.27 for 36,100 miles of road. In 1905 the State 
iaid to the money system towns, under the Fuller-Plank 
aw, $484,045.62. Of this amount 144 towns with a valu¬ 
ation of $1,000,000 or over received $266,093 for 14,421 
miles of road—nearly $19 per mile. The 270 poorer towns 
for their 21,167 miles received $217,753—a fraction over 
$10 per mile. Less than one-third of the money appropri¬ 
ated by the State to January, 1905, went to the money sys¬ 
tem roads. The amendment will remove this inequality and 
give ta the poorer towns under the money system the same 
percentage of State aid that the richer towns now receive 
under the Iligbie-Armstrong law. The State Engineer’s De¬ 
partment reports a marked improvement in the highways 
under the money system : and wherever the system has been 
adopted the noticeable improvement has frequently resulted 
in adjoining towns falling in line by abandoning the labor 
system. To do this the towns have taxed themselves to the 
utmost reasonable limit, and in 1905 the State’s 50 per cent, 
of the amount raised by the towns (33 1-3 per cent of en¬ 
tire cost) amounted to only $10 per mile in the towns of 
less than $1,000,000 valuation, against the thousands per 
mile spent in the richer towns. As the poorer towns have 
made a decided improvement: in their highways with the 
limited resources available—an average of $30 per mile, in¬ 
clusive of State aid—the charge of incompetency or waste 
of funds is unfounded and unjust. The proposed amendment 
is not a new departure in State aid or policy, but rather a 
removal of the injustice of giving to the richer towns a 
greater percentage of help than to the poorer towns. Under 
the ITigbie-Armstrong law, and also under the bonding act, 
the State shares equally with the localities in cost of roads 
without limit as to amount. Surely as great a percentage of 
aid should be given to the poorer towns, where the condi¬ 
tions are so hard and the help so much needed. The amend¬ 
ment will simply put the poorer towns on an equal basis 
with the richer and more prosperous towns as to percentage 
of State aid. 
CROP PROSPECTS. 
I have been cutting open some of my peach buds, and 
find most of them all right. Apple buds almost never 
get winter-killed. i’lum and cherry I have not examined. 
In cutting off the black knot on plum I cut off most of 
the buds also. With the cherry trees it makes little dif¬ 
ference to me whether the buds are killed by frost or the 
cherries eaten by robins. Between those evils I get no cher¬ 
ries. M. M. 
Medway, Mass. 
The present prospect is for a very large crop of fruit in 
Delaware. All peach trees of bearing age are extremely 
full of live, strong, healthy fruit buds, and with few ex¬ 
ceptions the orchards are well tilled and in fine condition. 
We had a large crop of apples last year, and it is probable 
the crop will be smaller this year. Other tree fruits and 
all small fruits are in good condition. Wheat is looking 
well. Farm work is behind, as the weather has been very 
unfavorable. A large proportion of the orchardists are 
spraying. we si. icy webb. 
Delaware. 
I visited my mountain orchard in Perry County, Pa., 
yesterday (April 4) and found that there, as well as in 
my home orchard on the bank of the Susquehannah above 
Harrisburg, the fruit trees seem to have passed the Winter 
without injury to the fruit buds. The young, vigorous 
trees have a full set of strong, plump buds ; old trees that 
have passed their prime (especially peach) show very few 
good buds, but I should say from present indications we 
should have a full ctop of peaches, pears, plums, apples 
and grapes. Gabriel hiester. 
Dauphin Co., Pa. 
I find fruit buds are not seriously hurt except a few 
varieties of plums; the Wlckson. Apple and Satsuma are 
partially killed, but I think enough left for a crop. I never 
had so good a prospect for peaches, plums and Ivieffer 
pears; if season continues to be favorable it will tax the 
boys and me to the utmost to gather them. I have nearly done 
spraying; we find we have not got one scale, where we had 
a thousand last Spring. Lime, sulphur and salt does great 
work for me; the cost of my material, ready to apply, is one 
cent per gallon, not including labor. WM. H. skillman. 
New Jersey. 
^ With the first rain or h " ^ enter 
"’ales its great growth f" ° ^ dew - Grass 
.? 10 m,cW| e of May - f od( i ^ midd,e of April 
J f JUy to the nfidSe 0 f C r ^ ^ m;d ' 
"ler fertilizers for these Scptember ' The 
3 ^ge amount of chemica^T CTOpS ’ lining 
‘° dlss °lve them than , Th, req "’ re kss 
or "ude fertilizer. Fo manur <h inert o- uano 
cr °P in times of drouth" T^T ‘ he »re a 
faculty of arriving on time ? 3Ve the happy 
dehght of the milk produced ^ are the 
/ U y and August, when the W3nts fodder in 
bare. the Prunes are apt to be 
Send for Illustrated Cat 1 
B 11 CataJ ogue to-day. 
jOWKEfi X B w TI ^°0«PANV 
FOUR CENTS MORE 
FOR NO. 1 CREAM 
THAN FOR NO. 2 
The creameries of the country have become so convinced of the increased 
value of thick cream over thin cream that many of them are paying a premium 
on cream containing 30 per cent or more butter fat over that containing under 
30 per cent. 
One of the largest buyers of cream in the West, the Hanford Produce Co., 
of Sioux City, Iowa, issued in January the following statement to its cream shippers. 
“We are going to offer a premium of 4 cents per pound butterfat 
for wh at we term No. t cream. 
FIRST GRADE cream shall consist of all hand separator cream 
which is delivered at least twice a week in winter and three times per 
week in summer, this cream to be delivered reasonably sweet and testing 30 per 
cent or more. 
SECOND GRADE cream shall consist of all hand separator cream 
delivered in good condition not less than once a week or testing less than 
30 per cent.** 
Under these conditions creamery patrons should buy only the cream sepa¬ 
rator that can skim a heavy cream. The 
UNITED STATES CREAM SEPARATOR 
can skim a heavier cream than any other and do it without clogging. The 
U. S. has the record of skimming a cream testing 65 per cent. And remem¬ 
ber also that the U. S. holds the World’s Record for clean skimming. 
It gets the most cream and will deliver as heavy a cream as you want. 
Write for copy of our fine, new, 1906 separator catalogue. It tells why 
the U. S. can skim the lirst grade cream ; how it made the World's Record 
for clean skimming and many other things you should know before you put any 
money into a cream separator. Write for a copy today—do it now while you 
think of it. Ask for catalogue No. 400 and we'll send it quick. 
VERMONT FARM MACHINE CO., 
Bellows Falls, Vt. 
We probably have a selling agent in your vicinity, and if so, will give you hia 
Dame when we send you the catalogue. It is his business to show you a U. S. Separator 
if you want to tee one. 437 
