Demaoralif alan
BY P. GRAY MEEK.
Ink Slings.
—The fellow who shook his winter flan-
nels too soon has been shaking with the
cold most of the time since.
--NEELY, RATHBONE and the other rob-
bers of the Cuban postal system started in
promptly to teach the untutored Cubans
the tricks of the Republican idea of taking
care of No. 1 at all times.
—Though the Boers are daily being
chased closer to Pretoria they seem to still
understand how to set a trap and the
blundering English can’t understand how
to keep out of them.
— Since ALBERT EDWARD has been ad-
vised by his physicians to give up the use
of tobacco the chappies will probably be
able to pay a little to their tailors, from
the saving in cigawette money.
— The sad message that came to Belle-
fonte from the Philippines on Wednesday
is only one of thousands that have come
since this war of conquest began, yet it
brings the unholy cost of it nearer home to
us than any of the others have done.
— With the cholera in India, the bubonic
plague in San Francisco, McKINLEY in the
White House and QUAY in the soup the
world is rounding out the nineteenth cen-
tury with a variety of troubles heretofore
unequaled.
—You needn’t tell us that Senator CLARK
wasn’t mad when the real Governor of
Montana came home and appointed anoth-
er man to the seat he resigned in the Sen-
ate. We know something about red-headed
people. We used tobe that way ourselves.
—The highest tribunal in these United
States, the Supreme court, has ruled that
Mr. TAYLOR can’t be the Governor of
Kentucky. Now let the law abiding citi-
zens of that State show that he can’t con-
done and pardon murder either, as he did
the assassins of Governor GOEBEL.
—It was no wonder that the sailors on
the Battleship ‘‘Texas’’ have been having
bacchanalian sport lately. They drank the
alcohol out of the shellac that was given
them for the decks, after it had been color-
ed with ‘‘venetian red.” With such a
concoction stowed away under their blouses
it wasn’t any wonder that the blue jackets
should be painting things red aboard the
‘Texas.’
—Now Secretary HAMILTON wants the
farmers of the State to bolster up tbeir con-
fidence in him, merely because he says he
is going to give the pure food and dairy
business his personal supervision. But the
farmers are likely to conclude that JOHN
has been wrapped in oleo paper so long
that he won’t be able to detect the. smell
of bad butter, if it should be exuded from
an ARMOR or SWIFT tub.
—Between the support of the liquo
dealers and the Methodists President Mc-
KINLEY evidently thought the former
worth most in his next presidential cam-
paign and that is probably the reason he
endorsed the army canteen bill, which
makes bar keepers out of some soldiers and
drunkards out of many of them. It is cer-
tainly the reason that the general Con-
ference of the Methodist church in Chicago
was so barsh in its criticism of the Presi-
dent.
—J AMES FITZHARRIS, alias ‘‘Skin the
Goat,”’ and JOSEPH MULLET, two Irish-
men recently liberated from life imprison-
ment for Phenix Park murders, are com-
ing to this country with the expectation of
having a collection taken up for them.
They left Queenstown on Sunday. Such
acquisitions to our population are not of a
very desirable kind and the authorities
ought to make Mr. JONES ‘‘Skin the Goat’’
and his pal skin out of here about as soon
as they land.
—Just what Mr. ALFRED AUSTIN, the
bum poet laureate of England, meant by
saying, in his poem on the relief of Mafe-
king, that the foe retired with his ‘‘rear
split,’’ people not up to military language
will have their own fun in discovering.
According to our idea of it HARRY
BARNE’S most juvenile effort makes Aus-
TIN’s jingle sound like the rattle of an
oriental tom-tom up against the soft tinkle
of a distant cow bell.
—The Turks’ talk about blowing our
vessels clear out of the water, if we go over
there to make a demonstration, has about
as much sense in it as some of the Spanish
ante-war talk had. If Secretary LoNG
were to send a few of our best boats over
there the ‘‘Sick man of Europe’’ would
soon be the sorriest sight the world ever
laid eyes on. The Sultan will find that
lickin’ into Greece and trying to carve the
American Eagle are very different proposi-
tions.
—There has been a great falling off in
the steamship bookings from this side for
the Paris Exposition. In fact the slump
has been so great that officials of the vari-
ous trans-Atlantic lines have caused an in-
vestigation to be made. The result has
been to the credit of the Americans, that
they do not have enough interest in Paris
and her exhibit to go over there to be rob-
bed by cxtortionate hotel keepers and
amusement fakirs.
—The Methodist general Conference has
at last wakened up to the fact that the
women are entitled to some recognition
and henceforth the poor sisters, who have
to hold festivals when their parsons need a
new pair of trousers and work their fingers
to the bone to pay off all the bills before
his departure for Conference, will be per-
mitted to occupy a back seat and join in
the singing at the general Conference once
in a while.
Demacrtic
2G
TRO
J
atcha
STATE RIGHTS AND FEDERAL UNION.
BELLEFONTE, PA., MAY 25. 1900.
NO. 21.
Is Bellefonte to Lose Her Most Promis-
ing Manufacturing Industry ?
It is no longer a mere rumor to be nois-
ed abroad on the streets or rolled about the
tongues of those who have time to discuss
the business affairs of others, buta stern
reality that confronts Bellefonte in the pos-
sibility of remaining the home of the manu-
facturing department of the Standard Scale
and Supply Co., Lim.
In January, 1892, the nucleus of this
business that now pays $50,000 annually
into Bellefonte's stores, and other channels
of trade, was laid in a little building near
the Valentine iron furnace. Seven men
were then employed and the first steps
were ones of great hazard and speculation.
So carefully, however, was the infant in-
dustry looked after by the young and am-
bitious men who fostered it that it grew
healthy and vigorous. As the product of
the little plant was shipped to various
points of the globe and held its own well
in the field, so full of aggressive and long
established competition, it became its own
advertisement and was successfully pushed
until the resources of the plant were over-
taxed. To relieve this additions were made
and the force of workmen was increased.
This building up process went on all
through the panicky times of 94 to ’98,
never a day was lost at the works, nor was
a pay behind time being disbursed, until
to-day the buildings are bulging out with
men and machinery and the company can-
not secure another foot of ground to build
further extensions on.
The Standard scale is past the experi-
mental stage. It is one of the established
commodities of the world. The product of
the Bellefonte plant can be found in the
Philippines, all over continental Europe,
Asia, Japan, the British Isles, Australia,
Africa, Cuba, Mexico and the United
States. The scale, itself, has been such a
satisfactory advertisement that the firm is
utterly at its wits end to build the produc-
tion up to the consumption.
With this condition confronting them
the members of the company have decided
to erect anew plant. $50,000 have been
appropriated for such a purpose and on
June 1st—not a day later—the location of
what will be the permanent home of the
Standard Scale and Supply Co. Limited
manufactory will be settled. Will it be
Bellefonte ?
A number of other towns have made
overtures to secure this industry. Some of
them have advantages that Bellefonte can-
not offer, but when all are carefully weigh-
ed by conservative men our exceptional
conservations to a high moral condition,
efficiency and degree of contentment among
workmen should have its effect upon the
decision of the men who are taking this
most important step in the history of the
Standard. If the new plant is located here
Bellefonte will share in its future prosperity.
As stated ahove itis paying out $50,000
annually in wages; every cent of which is
brought into the town from other quarters
of the world. What might be the pay-roll
of such an enterprise af the end of another
eight years?
The possibilities of the Standard are un-
limited. At St. Johnsbury, Vt., the Fair-
banks Scale Co. has a plant valued at $2,-
000,000, and the most rapid period of the
Fairbank’s growth might be likened to a
snail's pace in comparison with that of the
industry now located here.
The question is up to the people of Belle-
fonte.
‘We have no authority for saying that any
sort of an inducement will keep the Stand-
ard Co. located here, but we have hopes
that the best counsels of Bellefonte’s busi-
ness men will be against leaving it go
without making an effort to that end.
At a meeting of the directors in Pitts-
burg during the fore part of the week the
motion was put to locate the new site
at a point in Ohio, where exceptional
inducements are offered. The motion
was not put to a vote, out of respect to the
wishes of the gentlemen from this place
who are interested in the business. They
ask nothing at our hands, but insisted that
it would be an injustice to move the plant
from Bellefonte without at least apprising
her people of the conditions under which
such a removal will be made.
The facts are public property now.
What is Bellefonte going to do about it?
The time is short, there are no days of
grace and if we are to build for the future,
be the home of an industry that has not
lost a day in eight years, employs and en-
courages only the most sober and reliable
types of high priced mechanics, is at pres-
ent an annual profit to the business people
and property holders of the town of at
least $10,000 and has a business that is
growing to magnificent proportions we
must act at once.
Don’t lament after it is gone, because
something might have been done to retain
it. Let us do what we can to retain it.
Let us show the Standard people that
Bellefonte appreciates them to-day and
needs them for the future. Let the re-
sponse to this business extremity be
prompt and enthusiastic.
An Opportunity to Halt Ring Rule.
Whatever else may be the desire or pur-
pose of the honest citizens of the State, at
the coming election, on other political
questions, it is clearly their duty to wrest
the control of the next Legislature from
the grasp of the state ring. Over and
above all other issues or results this is
most important to Pennsylvanians.
Important, because we need a new reg-
istration law.
Because we need election statutes that
will secure honest elections and a correct
return of the same.
Because we need an equalization of tax-
ation.
Because our public charities and state
asylums need attention that is now de-
nied them, and money of which they are
now robbed.
Because the opportunities for official
stealing should be lessened and aid to the
public schools enlarged.
Because we sbould have different and
more creditable representation in the
United States Senate.
To secure either one of these objects, if
all cannot be attained, is worth more to
the honor of the State and the welfare of
her citizens than all the political victories
that can he won through partisan preju-
dice or political devotion. There is nota
man in the Commonwealth, whose neck is
not chafed with the collar of the boss,
be he Democrat, Republican, Prohibition-
ist, or whatever he may call himself, who
will not admit these facts. Neither is
there any one so poorly informed as to
public sentiment, as to believe a united
effort on the part of honest citizens of all
parties to accomplish such purposes would
fail, if properly started and honestly car-
ried on.
Why then is there not a general move-
ment—an organized effort—looking to this
end? This section of the State is,
and we believe other sections are also, ripe
for any movement that will promise the
overthrow of hoss rule and ring rottenness.
Every legislative district adjoining this
county—Clearfield, Cambria, Blair, Hunt-
ingdon, Mifflin and Union—that are
counted on to.send tools of the state ring
as Members to the House of Representa-
tives,can be carried for reform,if the proper
efforts are made in time. And it is so
with two-thirds of the other country dis-
tricts.
But they won’t be if left to drift as they
are drifting, and no attempt is made to
agree upon a basis of action until the time
for placing tickets in the field is upon us.
The most important part of a campaign is
getting started in time and in starting
right. It is the duty of those who com-
pose the committees recognized as the or-
ganization of the party—the state and
county committees—to see that this is
done.
Will these bodies waken up to this work
and give the people the hope of overthrow-
ing the ring that has robbed and disgraced
Pennsylvania for years; or will they content
themselves with official places without per-
forming the duties expected of them, and
thus allow the opportunities now present-
ed to pass without effort to take advant-
age of them.
The people see the public drift and will
hold to strict accountability those who
fail in this hour of great promise of relief
from ring rule.
New York’s Democratic Year.
This is not a moon-sign imagination, a
goose-bone prophesy, a ground-hog pre-
diction or a superstition of any kind. It
is simply a statement of figures and facts
that Democrats can take such encourage-
ment out of as they see proper, and Repub-
licans cry-down as they please. All the
same the facts given are a part of the polit-
ical history of the country, and are neither
to be denied nor doubted.
For thirty-six years New York has never
voted at two successive presidential elec-
tions for the same party. It has changed
its support of party candidates as regularly
as presidential elections come around.
Beginning with 1864, it cast its electoral
vote for A. LINCOLN, the Republican nom-
inee; in 1868 it changed and voted for the
Democratic candidate, HORATIO SEYMORE;
in 1872, it went back to Republicanism
and voted for GRANT; in 1876, it gave its
solid support to the Democrats for TILDEN;
in 1880, it was again for the Republicans
and voted for GARFIELD; in 1884, it was in
the Democratic column again and its vote
made CLEVELAND'S success certain; in
1888, it turned up for HARRISON; in 1892,
it was back again with the Democrats for
CLEVELAND, and in 1896, its electoral
vote helped swell the majority for MecKIN-
LEY. Thus, in thirty-six years, it has
never voted for the same political party
twice in succession, when Presidents were
to be elected.
On these facts Democrats can build such
hopes as they are disposed to. Out of
them, certainly; Republicans will get but
little consolation or encouragement.
Under all precedents this is New York's
Democratic year. And New York’s Dem-
ocratic year means the triumphant elec-
Yon of the Democratic candidate for Presi-
ent.
A Ring Nomination.
It now looks very much as if Mr.
QUAY’S state committee would have its
first job of nominating candidates in select-
ing a Congressman for the Republicans of
the 25th District. The fellows who want a
place on the ticket have been fighting over
who is to have it for the past year, and
their conferees have been meeting, and
balloting, and adjourning, for weeks, with
the result that they are further apart now
than when they first met. The contest is
a bitter one and likely to grow bitterer as
it grows older, for the district is largely
Republican and the desire to pluck the
political plumb great.
That a henchman of the state ring is
sure to be the candidate chosen goes with-
out saying, for if the aspirants of that
faction find it impossible to secure a nom-
ination from the conferees they need only
continue the dead lock and Mr. QUAY’S
committee will take the matter in hand
and determine it. For this the new Re-
publican rule provides and it was to give
Mr. QuAy and his followers the choice of
candidates that this rule was adopted. In
this case, and in all others of the kind, the
fellow who will prove the most subser-
vient to the will of the boss is sure to suc-
ceed.
Citizen, the Opera House and the Police.
The open letter which ‘‘Citizen’’ ad-
dressed to Burgess BLANCHARD on Mon-
day was all right, so far as suggesting the
severe punishment of the thoughtless rascal
who cried fire and almost caused a panic
in the opera house, last Thursday night,
was concerned, but it was all wrong in in-
sisting that it is the duty of the Burgess to
police the opera house at all. It is a pri-
vate amusement enterprise for which Mr.
GARMAN pays a license tax and has abso-
lute jurisdiction over it, so long as he con-
forms to the law. He holds out induce-
ments in the way of theatrical attractions
to direct the public to his house and it is
his duty to see that they are properly pro-
tected when once there. If the manage-
ment fails to see that its patrons are com-
fortable and secure from the leers of com-
anew drunks, or the panic exciting cries of
roistering youngsters, then such patrons are
fools if they return to the place. They
have no one to blame but themselves for
such predicaments as they found them-
selves in last Thursday night.
We have no desire to criticise anyone
unjustly in this connection and, therefore,
state that probably manager GARMAN felt
himself exempt from responsibility be-
cause he had his house rented and the
entertainment was not being given un-
der his direction. However this may be
it seems to us that the good name of his
house and the patronage of the public
ought to -make the matter of good
order one never beyond his most careful
personal supervision.
“‘Citizen’s’’ foolish idea that the Burgess
should have ordered all the police to the
opera house last night will lead some of
his friends to believe that he had some-
thing doing in the outskirts that he didn’t
want officers to interrupt.
——We notice that the published pro-
gram for the next meeting of the State
Board of Agriculture, which will be held
in Lock Haven, June 6th, 8th, contains
the following :
“Pure Food Laws and their Enforcement,”
Major Levi Wells, Harrisburg.”
Under the light of recently discovered
circumstances the deduction is logical that
what Maj. WELLS doesn’t know about
the enforcement of the pare food laws will
fill a book. It will, necessarily, be inter-
esting to find out what he pretends to
know. But what's all this about, any-
how? Maj. WELLS has been fired as chief
of the department of pure food and he will
hardly have the impudence to appear at
the Lock Haven meeting to talk on such a
subject.
——The Ministerial Association of Belle-
fonte has passed resolutions condemnatory
of the practice of holding funerals on Sun-
day, except in cases of extreme necessity.
At the last meeting, on the 23rdult.,the As-
sociation passed resolutions against the
practice because it interferes with regular
church services and often assumes the ap-
pearance of ‘ ‘sabbath desecration by turning
the holy day into one of feasting and irrev-
erance.”’’
Nittany valley farmers are at their
wits end in the effort to stop the tree des-
truction by caterpillars. The worm is un-
precedented in numbers down there and it
is thought the long dry spell has had much
to do with it. Many fruit trees are entire-
ly denuded of their foliage.
——Many fruit trees in Centre county
seem to be entirely covered with the nests
of the tent caterpillar. It seems strange
that tree owners do not take steps to stop
the spread of this destructive worm. Some
orchards near town seem to be almost white
with their tents.
A Sensible Republican Paper’s View of
the Kentucky Situation.
From the Pittsburg Dispatch.
_ The decision of the Supreme court refus-
ing the petition of Governor Taylor, of
Kentucky, for relief against his political
rivals does not decide that Goebel and
Beckham were honestly elected. It simply
holds what everyone knew before, that
every state constitution provides the final
tribunal for the determination of state
contests, and those final tribunals in Ken-
tucky having given their decision in favor
of Beckham, the United States courts can-
not interfere.
It is, of course, a deplorable condition of
party spirit, that a decision should he made
which appeared to overset the vote of the
majority. There are other things that are
deplorable. Itis an even more amazing
exhibition that party spirit should produce
the assassination of Goebel, and lead the
acting Governor and Republican claimant
to issue a'sheaf of pardons to everyone ac-
cused of connection with the deed. Of the
same grade of partisan injustice as the Ken-
tucky decision is the unseating by Congress
of Democratic Members with thousands of
majority to their credit. With regard to
such legal decisions the only way is to ac-
cept them when fully made, and appeal to
a public sentiment which, rightly aroused,
will make absolute injustice impossible.
Governor Taylor now has no course left
but to yield possession of the Kentucky
state government to the Democrats, as hie
might wisely have done some time ago.
That done there should be a union of Demo-
crats and Republicans alike, to secure the
honest and unprejudiced trial of those ac-
cused of the assassination of Goebel, and
the full punishment of whoever is proved
to be guilty.
Our Poorly Paid and Overworked
Officials ?
From the North American. -
The Republican officials on the hill as
Harrishurg are very much overworked.
During the past six months Governor
Stone, receiving a salary of $10,000, was
present 97 days and absent 53.
Secretary of the Commonwealth Gries,
receiving in salary and fees $22,500, was
present 53 days and absent 67.
Attorney General Elkins, receiving in
salary and fees $12,000, was present 60
and absent 60.
Secretary of Internal Affairs Latta, re-
ceiving salary and fees $5,200, was present
38 and absent 112.
Adjutant General Stewart, receiving in
salary and fees $4,600, was present 77 and
absent 73.
Superintendent of Public Buildings and
Grounds Eyre, receiving in salary and fees
30.000, was present 37 days and absent
pe
Banking Commissioner Powers, receiv-
ing in salary and fees $6,000, was present
36 days and absent 113.
Insurance Commissioner Israel W. Dur-
ham, receiving in salary and fees $15,000,
was present 3 days and absent 147.
When a conscientious Republican reads
this record and considers how faithful and
attentive to duty these Republican offlcials
are, it will probably make him feel proud
that he is a Republican. ,
England’s Grim Spectre in India.
From the Philadelphia Record,
The following report from the British
Commissioner at Kherwara to the Central
authorities at Calcutta, written with re-
gard to the regulations governing official
communications, by its very terseness and
directness brings the situation in India
more vividly before the mind’s eye than
could long columns of eloquent descrip.
tion :
Kherwara—
Crops—Practically nil.
Water—Hardly any.
Cattle—All dead.
Fodder—Nil.
People—Thriftless class, dead. People with
small means, at the end of their resources and
either on relief works or dying.
Crime—Abnormal.
In the rubric headed ‘‘remarks,’’ the
Commissioner adds :
I have tried desperately to keep the Kherwara
Bazar open to all, but as I have only 6000 rupees,
lent me by the Merwer at Darbar, with which to
Pires grain. I have miserably failed, and
hundreds come to me daily for permission to buy
and have to be refused.
This is merely one of thousands of simi-
lar reports from administrative officers at
the head of provinces and other subdivisions
of India, containing a population of 50,000-
000 human beings. Imagine that the re-
port from Kherwara should be true of every
city, village and hamlet of the United
States east of the Mississippi and that the
same should also be ravaged by cholera
and plague, and one would gain an insight
into the awful extent of the famine and the
suffering and misery in India!
A Protectorate to Rob.
From the York Dispatch.
While the Cubans were fighting for their
liberties one of the most frequently re-
peated charges against Spain was that the
officers she sent out to govern the colonies
farmed and stole the revenues so that though
they left Spain poor they returned rich.
These charges were accompanied in most
instances with circumstantial evidence
sufficient to substantiate them and they
filled the American people with indignation
and disgust. We promised ourselves that
when the islands were once under our care
these things should cease. But they did
not as is proven inthe Neely case where
$100,000 is known to have been stolen from
the postal funds and there is a strong proba-
bility that the stealings amounted to a
great deal more.
President McKinley is, of course, not
responsible for the dishonesty of officials
sent to Cuba, but he is largely responsible
for the adoption of the form of government
which made such gigantic thefts possible
and that form seems to be as potent in
prompting Americans to betray their trusts
as it was in the case of the Spaniards. The
Cuban postal frauds should prove a lesson
to the law-makers of this country and
prompt them to drop the imperialistic
idea, with its system of alien office hold-
ers, before they have gone too far. If it
should have this effect the $100,000 theft
will prove a veritable blessing in disguise.
Spawls from the Keystone.
—David Louder, of Fermanagh township.
Juniata county, while at work with stone
masons at Duncannon last week fell from a
derrick and fractured two ribs.
—On Tuesday of last week while Isaiah
Graham, of Long Hollow, Mifilin county
was engaged in hauling telephone poles from
Jack’s mountain, one of his horses kicked
him on the left arm, breaking the bone
about halfway between the elbow and
shoulder.
—Reports from Portage are to the effect
that Samuel Smith, the man who went to
Johnstown while in the early stages of small
pox, has developed a very serious case of the
disease at the house where he is isolated
near Puritan. Dr. Kress, representing the
Cambria county poor board, is looking after
the patient.
—Mrs. John Bingston, of South Renovo,
was severely injured Friday afternoon by an
attack made upon her by a ferocious cow.
The animal plunged at her like a mad bull,
knocking her down with her horns and In-
juring her so severely that a physician had
to be called. The lady also suffered consid-
erably from the fright received.
—Officials of the Buffalo, Rochester and
Pittsburg railroad Friday announced that
DuBois had been decided upon for the leca-
tion of immense new locomotive shops of the
road. The buildings, together with the nec-
essary sidings, will cover twenty acres. About
1,000 men will be employed.
—Dr. C. E. Belcher, formerly of Munson,
has invented an Automobile attachment,
which can be applied to any common wagon,
thus transforming a buggy, road wagon, de-
livery wagon, surrey, hack, or other vehicle
to a horseless carriage or automobile. It will
be manufactured and sold in Clearfield.
—Two mad dogs have for two days been
biting cattle between Fairfield Centre and
Huntersville, Lycoming county. An armed
posse of farmers mounted on horseback have
been in an exciting chase after the dogs.
They came upon the animals at Rabbit’s Hol-
low and killed them. The number of cattle
bitten cannot be estimated.
—Mahaffey, Clearfield county has a schcol
board that is very ‘‘weighty.”” All the six
members of that board are heavy men, their
combined weight being 1314 pounds. They
lay claim to being the heaviest board in the
State. Their names are: D. E. Williams,
secretary; H. B. Mosser, Fred Albert, Dr.
Ash D. Bennett, president; E. E. Clary,
Emery Mahaffey.
—By a vote of 112 to 56 the convention of
the Central Pennsylvania diocese of the
Episcopal church at Scranton decided to
divide the diocese. This action creates the
northern diocese comprising the counties of
Potter, Tioga, Bradford, Susquehanna,
Wayne, Pike, Monroe, Luzerne, Wyoming,
Lackawanna, Columbia, Montour, Union,
Centre, Clinton, Lycoming, Sullivan and
Northumberland.
—Seven hundred and fifty weavers in the
John N. Stears & Co. silk mill struck at noon
Friday at Williamsport, their grievances be-
ing what they call systematic reduction of
wages. The wages paid are four and one
half cents a yard for luxor, satin and taffeta,
and they demand that it be increased one
cent a yard on all material. The weavers of
taffeta were granted their demands, but re-
fused to go to work until the others receive
what they ask.
—The shingle mill of G. B. Merrill & Bro.
on Dent’s Run, Clinton county, was burned
to the ground about 1 o'clock Wednesday
morning. The origin of the fire is unknown.
The mill had been running on Tuesday. A
bucket brigade was organized, but the fire
had gained such headway when discovered
that it could. not be extinguished. The loss
is from $1,500 to $2,000, partly insured.
—While driving toward Madera Sunday,
John B. McGrath, Esq., of Houtzdale, and
his wife and young son, were thrown from
their carriage and all seriously injured. The
wheels of the carriage ran over the edge of
an embankment, turning it over with the
occupants underneath. Squire McGrath was
hurt internally and had two ribs broken.
His wife was even worse hurt, three ribs and
her wrist being broken. The child got a
broken leg. All are in a serious condition,
but itis thought their injuries will not result
fatally,
—The Blossburg Oil company, in the new
Tioga county field, beats the record for gush-
ers. Their well No 5, Billings lease, was
drilled in Friday and astonished the oil ex-
perts by developing another gusher fully as
large as the one struck two weeks ago. Over
1,000 barrels of oil have been put into the
storage tanks within ten hours. This makes
three gusher on one lease and breaks all pre-
vious oil records. There is no doubt about
a large new oil field having been discovered,
and the busy scenes of Bradford of a few
years ago will be repeated in Gaines. Bless-
burg No. 4, which was the second gusher,and
started off at twenty four barrels, is produec-
ing better than two hundred barrels a day.
The Wellsboro Gas company’s well, on lot 12
was driled on Saturday, and is good for about
twenty barrels per day.
—Chief Clerk Conklin, of the state forestry
commission, says the unusual number of for-
est fires raging throughout Pennsylvania
this spring is the result of the general lack of
customary spring rains and the consequent
dryness of the undergrowth of the forests.
The growth of leaves on the trees have been
very backward and the conditions have been
favorable to spread the forest fires. There
are no steps that cau be taken by the forestry
commission inthe direction of fighting the
fires except through the fire wardens of the
various townships and the county commission-
ers, who are vested under the law with the
responsibility of preventing the spread of the
destructive flames.
—The Philadelphia and Reading railway
company has purchased seventeen acres from
the Follmer estate and from Showers and
Hoffman adjoining their lines, in West Mil-
ton. It is said to be the intention of the road
to erect on this land a round house capable of
stalling twenty locomotives. They will also
remove their car repair shops from
Catawissa to West Milton. It will re-
quire nearly all the land they have secured
for the buildings and trackage. This will be
good news to the people of Milton and West
| Milton and will stimulate business in both
this town and the one across the river, It
will be a serious blow to Catawissa, which
has depended almost entirely upon the Read-
ing for its support.
wl,