1160 
PUBLISHER’S DESK 
Having been a subscriber to your paper 
for several years, I have noted the effective 
way in which you collect claims against 
express companies and such concerns for 
goods lost or damaged in transit. 1 am in 
need of your assistance. On April 1, 1911, I 
sent a watch by the Adams Express Co. 
from Angola, N. Y., to Brooklyn, N. Y. 
The watch was lost. The company re¬ 
fuses to live up to their contract and pay 
the value of the watch. It was two years 
old. and one owned by my father, who 
died in 1910. I was sending it to a 
nephew as an heirloom. It cost $30 and 
that was the value I placed on it, but the 
company claims since it had been used it 
was second-hand and offer me 50 per cent 
of the value. I have refused to accept it. 
What can you do for me? l. f. a. 
New York. 
We were finally able to get $25 al¬ 
lowed on this claim. The money value 
is not the only consideration in cases 
of this kind. The sentimental value of 
the watch cannot be replaced; but there 
was no good reason why prompt settle¬ 
ment should not have been made for the 
money value of it. 
I have to-day received from the New 
York, New Haven & Hartford Kailroad 
Company $20 in full, in settlement of fire 
claim. As this was secured through your 
efforts we are greatly indebted to you and 
will gladly pay whatever we owe you for 
your time and trouble. It is good to know 
that there is some one whom this corpora¬ 
tion cannot bluff. Thank you her.miy. 
Massachusetts. F. c. a. 
We have found the fire claim agents 
of this road neglectful and artibrary re¬ 
garding fire claims made by farmers 
along its line whose property has been 
injured. We have reason to believe, 
however, that the real officials of the 
road are disposed to treat property 
owners along their lines fairly, and 
when the officials have an opportunity 
to pass upon the merits of such claims 
they are usually credited. We want to 
assure the subscriber that he owes us 
nothing for our little service in his be¬ 
half. It is a pleasure for The R. N.-Y 
to use its good offices in the interests of 
right and justice, without any thought 
of remuneration either directly or in¬ 
directly. 
The C. W. Stuart Co. of Newark, N. Y., 
sent out agents last Summer, 1911, to sell 
roses especially. As we live some distance 
from the express office we were tempted 
by their offer to deliver the roses the next 
Spring, and to replace any that should 
die. They also guaranteed them to come 
true to name. I ordered 14 roses, and they 
were delivered two weeks later than they 
should have been. When I set them out 
1 found four were already dead. When 
the roses bloomed only one came true to 
name. The one marked La France was a 
Hermosa, the one labeled Gruss an Teplitiz 
was a Baby Rambler, the one labeled the 
Lyon was a pink rose unknown to me. and 
so on through the whole list. I wrote 
them and they wrote me that their agent 
would soon come through and that I could 
have them all replaced, but months passed 
and he did not come, so I wrote them 
again and again, but it is now too late to 
set roses and he has not appeared, and I 
think will not, in this neighborhood, be¬ 
cause others to whom he sold are in¬ 
dignant over the things they ordered not 
coming as promised. I offered to pay for 
the roses that were good if they would 
return the money for those which were 
worthless and the four that were dead, 
but they would do nothing. It is a lesson 
to me to only deal with firms of which I 
know something. In July I sent to Dreer 
for six potted roses and soon had them 
in the ground. They were full of buds 
and have bloomed ever since, all true to 
name and description, having some of the 
finest roses I have ever seen| It would 
be doing a great favor to the whole com¬ 
munity to expose transactions of this kind. 
New York. m. j. 
We have taken the above complaint 
up with C. W. Stuart & Co., and the 
only satisfaction we are able to get 
is that the agent will attend to the case 
when he is again in that section, but we 
are unable to obtain any statement as 
to when the agent may be expected to 
visit that locality. The experience of 
this subscriber further illustrates the 
wisdom of sending your order direct 
to some responsible house when in need 
of trees and plants. 
A year ago an agent traveling for the 
United Trading Co. of Worcester, Mass., 
came to this town selling stamps at 10 
cents each. We took a book and were 
supposed to have whatever article we se¬ 
lected, and the contract stated we would 
be entitled to delivery of the premium se¬ 
lected when one-half of the book was filled. 
When our book was half filled the company 
changed hands and the Home Furniture Co. 
took it over, and they still collected on 
the same agreement. We finally half filled 
our book and gave the order for our pre¬ 
mium. The agent called a few times after 
this with several excuses, but we did not 
get the article selected. We have written 
them but get no response er»n the agent 
has not been here for some time. We know 
of several who have filled the book ($15.60) 
and received nothing for it. We are poor 
people and cannot afford to lose money like 
that. I should be thankful if you could 
find out something about the firm and 
advise us. V. w. H. 
New Hampshire. 
We could not do anything for this 
subscriber. The Home Furniture Co. 
write the contract is not completed, the 
book being only half full, and goods 
THE RURAL, NEW-YORKER 
November 9, 
will be sent when this is done; that the 
cost of sending the agent to their town 
was more than the amount he collected. 
This is not in accordance with the un¬ 
derstanding given the customers, and 
certainly justifies the advice to refrain 
from entering into like contracts with 
this and other companies. Our atten¬ 
tion has been called to several firms 
working on these lines. 
I saw the advertisement of the Carnegie 
College, Rogers, O., in “Popular Mechanics” 
for March, and answered it. They offered 
me a scholarship free, but stated 1 must 
pay $5 upon entering. I am interested in 
electric engineering course. This is by 
correspondence. I would like your opinion 
as to the wisdom of sending the money. 
New York. H. D. 
All we know about this concern is 
what we got from this literature. We 
note first that the name is likely to mis¬ 
lead. It is safe to say that Mr. Andrew 
Carnegie has nothing to do with it. 
The free scholarship is an evident fake. 
First they want $5. So it is not free. 
Again, they no doubt expect to sell 
books and blanks which they will re¬ 
quire students to use, and they must 
figure on these profits to make up for 
any time they devote to the work. They 
are not in this business for fun 
or philanthropy. Wherever we have 
run down the work of these corre¬ 
spondence schools we have found that 
the student can get about the same 
thing out of text-books for a fraction 
of the cost of the so-called lesson. 
Electric engineering is a popular work 
just now, but to study it right you 
ought to have some practical experience. 
If you can get in touch with a practical 
engineer, and the books recommended 
by him, you Avill have little use of a 
correspondence course. Some of these 
courses no doubt furnish condensed in¬ 
formation, but it is necessarily theo¬ 
retic and bewildering without actual 
contact with the material. We would 
not recommend taking any chances 
where indications of deception were 
found. 
The “Hind-Sights” articles on Wall 
Street and its methods are too late to 
help me. In the last months of 1909 John 
J. Bunte sent me a letter stating that he 
was with a Wall Street pool, and he could 
invest my money to good advantage, and 
that he would send reports and dividends 
every month. On January 1, 1910, I sent 
him $100. Now I hear nothing from him. 
He does not answer my letters any more. 
When I was in New York 1 went to see 
him. I was told he was out, but I think 
he was in. As he is a Mason and well 
spoken of, I trusted him. I hate to think 
he means to trick me out of $100. Will 
you see about it? I cannot afford to lose 
$100. I have his receipt. H. N. G. 
New York. 
We have never become so used to 
cases of this kind that we can read of 
them without a feeling of pity for the 
confiding victim, and a sense of loath¬ 
ing and resentment for the rascal who 
gets his savings. The confidence and 
gullibility of these victims is pitiable in 
its simplicity. This woman cannot yet 
believe that her Wall Street corre¬ 
spondent meant to trick her. He told 
her he was forming a pool. That is, 
that he took her money and the money 
of other people and gambled with it in 
Wall Street, and he was to send her 
the profits of the gamble. If he actually 
put the money in Wall Street and won 
the bet, some one else had to lose, and 
we have never yet known a gambler 
to give up any of his spoil. The “Dis¬ 
cretionary Pool” has been worked for 
some years. James B. Kellogg origi¬ 
nated it, Miller, of 520 per cent, fame 
worked it to the limit. Jared Flagg, 
who is now writing books to denounce 
the Post Office inspectors who caused 
his arrest and indictment, is alleged to 
have promised and paid one per cent 
a week. Kellogg and Miller spent terms 
in the penitentiary. Pool operators do 
not invest in Wall Street. They know 
better. They pay dividends back out 
of the money sent in, to induce more 
remittances. They can pay back one 
per cent, a week for nearly two years; 
and few of these alleged Wall Street 
pools run so long as that. 
Will we see about it? We would 
gladly, if we could do any good. But 
we might as well try to restore the 
plunder of the renowned pirate Captain 
Kidd. These chaps do not spend their 
time collecting money to return it again. 
They get it to keep, and they keep it. 
Thieves are always well spoken of by 
their fellow conspirators, and frequently 
these associates pass as very respectable 
members of society. 
“I hope you liked the pie, Henry,” 
ventured a young wife, casting an anx¬ 
ious glance at her husband soon after 
dinner. “I bestowed great pains on the 
crust.” “I thought you did, my dear,” 
he said, K for I’ve got the pains now.”— 
Melbourne Leader. 
r GALVANIZED ROOFING 
1 
Corrugated A AO] Per Sq 
or Ad Del. Your Station 
V Crimp ” In 20c. Zone 
Ask for new Price List 99. 
[ 
I 
GRIFFIN LUMBER CO. 
i 
THE BALDWIN LAMP 
Projects a 14-candle power light 
150 feet. Burns Acetylene gas. 
Weight, 6 oz.; height, 814 in. No. 
oil, flootor glass. Absolutely safe and simple. 
Fifty hours’ light costs 25c. Ideal for Night 
Fishing, Trapping , Hunting, Driving, or for 
working about the farm or machinery. Write 
today for Free Catalogue, 
joky snmoivs co. 
150 Leonard 8treet New York City 
For a limited time, 
we will give abso¬ 
lutely free a can of 
Riemer’s Shoe Life 
with every pair of 
Riemer’s Wood Sole Shoes or Boot* 
It’s a perfect dressing for Riemer’s or any 
other work shoes, boots or harness. 
Riemer’s Wood Sole Shoes should be worn 
by every farmer. They arc light, durable, sanitary, 
| water-proof and far superior to leather or metal soled 
shoes. A trial will convince you. If not 
at dealer’s send us his name and $2.50 
for Shoes or $3.75 for Boots. We pay ex¬ 
cess charges. Money back if not satis¬ 
fied. Illustrated booklet free. 
H. Riemer Shoe Co. 
2911 Vliet Street 
Milwaukee, Wie. 
When you write advertisers mention Thh 
R. N.-Y. and you’ll get a quick reply and a 
“square deal.” See guarantee editorial page. 
PATENTED 
GATE 
HE 
WITH “ 
A 
NOT ONLY LIGHTENS THE DAY'S 
LABOR BUT LIFTS A LOAD OF 
WORRY-YOU KNOW YOUR ANIMALS 
ARE SAFE BEHIND THE 
PEERLESS SELF-RAISING GATE 
The extra heavy frames of high carbon 
steel tubing, nearly two inches in diameter; 
the all No. 9 wire filling of Peerless Fencing 
makes it the most efficient gate. 
Add the Self-Raising feature and the Gal¬ 
vanized finish and you have extra value. 
A double latch no animal can work; a 
barb wire top no animal will ride. 
Sold by big implement men, or shipped 
direct where we have no dealer. 
Peerless Wire Fence Co. 
215 Mich. St., ADRIAN 
Have “a roof that’s proof” 
Proof against rain, snow, 
sun, wind, heat, cold, 
sparks, alkalis, acids — 
everything that harms or¬ 
dinary roofs. Get the 
roofing made of Nature’s 
perfect weather-proofer— 
Trinidad Lake asphalt con¬ 
tains natural oils that keep 
Genasco “alive” and defensive. 
Manufactured asphalts won’t 
do that—they dry out; and 
roofings made of them crack 
and leak. Real economy 
prompts you to get Genasco. 
Mineral or smooth surface. Comes ready 
and easy for you to lay. Ask 
your dealer for Genasco. 
Writeusfor samples and the 
Good Roof Guide Book—free. 
The Kant-leak Kleet, for 
smooth-surface roofings, 
makes seams tight without 
cement, and prevents nail- 
leaks. 
The Barber Asphalt Paving Company 
Largest producers of asphalt, and largest 
manufacturers of ready roofing in the world. 
Philadelphia 
New York San Francisco 
Chicago 
J 
Stretch the Right Fence 
in theRight Place 
4" 
Bar stock with a Stock Fence ; bar hogs with a 
Hog Fence; bar chickens with a Chicken Fence; 
etc. Only fencing designed Jor a particular 
purpose will assure full efficiency, greatest 
economy and complete satisfaction. 
4" 
/s' 
t = = 
is made in a large variety of styles, sizes and 
weights, and perfectly meets every requirement 
of FIELD, FARM, RANCH, LAWN, CHICK¬ 
EN, POULTRY and RABBIT YARD and 
GARDEN. When buying your fencing, be 
sure to select proper styles, and you will realize 
longest and best fence-service at lowest cost. 
The Present Day “Pittsburgh Perfect” Fence 
made of our special formula Basic 
Open Hearth Wire, thoroughly and 
heavily galvanized with pure zinc, 
and wires electrically welded at 
every contact point, producing the 
only dependable joint, impossible 
to slip or separate. 
Has Proven to be the Strongest and Most Durable 
Pittsburgh Perfect ” Fences are sold by dealers every¬ 
where. See them when in need of fencing; or write 
direct for full information and new catalogue showing 
all styles and sizes. 
PITTSBURGH STEEL CO. 
PITTSBURGH, PA. 
Makers of “Pittsburgh Perfect” Brands of Barbed Wire; Bright, 
Annealed and Galvanized Wire; Hard Spring Coil Wire; Twisted 
Cable Wire; Fence Staples ; Poultry Netting Staples ; Standard Wire 
Nails; Galvanized Wire Nails; Large Head Roofing Nails; “ D: " 
burgh Perfect ” Fencing. 
6 
4'i 
