Ink Slings. —With the Democrats, also, itis now merely a matter of second choice. —Don’s worry these hot days. It ouly adds to your fever and, after all, does no good. —It is not reported that Uncle Gasso- WAY Davis expects to have to dodge the lariat as Denver. —Talking shout ‘my policies’ ecandi- date TAFT says they must be upheld—just ae if they were his own. ~The barvest fields of Centre county are waiting for the fellows who are com- plaining about baring no work. ~The death of GROVER CLEVELAND leaves WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN a8 probably the greatest American living. —1Its all very nice for Mr. KNOX to bear the ice things said about him by the Re- publican leaders, but the other fellow bas the nomination. —Mr. NAGINEY is an undertaker, all right enoogh, but undertaking to ran that automobile of his is an nodertaking that he doesn’t very successfully undertake. —These hot days are just the ones to make you fully appreciate how cool you will be at the vext great Centre county Lair, and it is going to be greater than ever. —The stern of the new giant English battleship *'Dreadnaught’’ is said to be not as satisfactory as desired. From this it would appear that the much talked of sea fighter might some day come to dread, at least, her own bebind. : —In a single half-hour before eight o'clock Monday morning we dug up no less than six aspirants for the Bellefonte postofiice,s0 you see Congressman WALKER and President BRYAN are beginning to have their troubles already. —Aboat the only real sigus of ‘‘hom- ming industries’’ that the prosperity mak- ing Republican papers are trying to make you believe you see just now are to be beard in the rattle of the type machines that are setting up the huncombe. —There are thirty-one applications for divorce in the Daupbin county courts, which looks very much as if shirty-ove more maidens would really bave been bappier in the end bad they bad to siog ‘“Waiting at the Church’’ some years ago. —The sympathy of the entire community will go out to EDMUND HAYES, our newest and most interesting farmer. He was overcome hy the heat while making hay on Wednesday. EDMUND oaght to be wise enough to see the moral-—don’s make bay. —The efforts of the village postmaster and the two other satellites of machine Republicanism to start a TAFT demonstra. tion at the electric theatre a few evenings ago met with about as much success as SiLas GREEN once bad with his famous flying machine. — When TAFT was a judge on the United States Supreme court benob he granted the first injunction that was ever known agaivst organized labor. Organized labor may be gnick to forgive and forget and it may wot, hut its chance to show its posi- | tion will come in November. —J. FRANELIN—ADAMS, an Eoglish astronomer has started to count the stars and hiv undertaking is heralded as “‘a prodigious task.” Perhaps it is because we know some who bave grown old aud bald-headed counting the stars from the front seats in our opera houses, ~The bank that went up at Dover, Kentucky, on Monday, must have been a sort of children’s toy affair. It was capi- talized av $7,500, and bad $7,000 in de- posits. It BILLY MONTGOMERY had been its cashier he would eure have had to have a line of pecniations on the outside. —The gillie who jumped into the surf at Atlantic City on Monday to save a maiden’s rubber ball nearly drowned for his foolishness, besides ruining his new spring suit. Now if it bad been a maiden’s rubber neck or a maiden’s rubber hose it might have been worth the while to take such a chance. —*Big BILL" TAFT is the way be is to be greeted now that he wants to make it free and easy among the boys. But such a soubriquaet isn’t going to win votes, because ® the very hoys that that appeals to are the hoys who know that ‘Big BILL" was the first Judge of any court to grant an injanc- tion restricting the rights of the common people. —About the straugest freak of human patare is displayed in the man who will sit for hours in the sun along the banks of a stream waiting for the slow nibble of a sucker and then cuss his way right down to the doors of hades if the sermon of his pastor is five minutes longer than he thinke it should be when he gos to church the following Sunday morning. ~The death of the Hon, GROVER CLEVE- LAND removes the lass of the former Presi. dents of the United States. His name will remain among the greatest of the great men who have ocoupied the highest post within the gift of the American people and his later life a daily reminder of the grave dignity with which be regarded the honor that the people had conferred upon him. GROVER CLEVELAND'S life as an ex- President was as nearly ideal as the most ~ exacting desires of a dignified people could require. He bas gone but the impress be has made on the American character will make for good through all ages to come. STATE RIGHTS AND FEDERAL UNION. The Republican Platform. Mr. WiLLiaM JENNINGS BRYAN cites seven points in the Chicago platform which align the party ae against, rather than with, RoosevELT. The proposal to give publicity to campaign subscriptions and disbursements was defeated in the conven- tion by a vote of 880 to 94, though the President bas been advocating it for six years. The proposition to make a physical examination of and put a just valuation on tarlroads was defeated in the convention by a vote of 917 to 66, though itis one of the President's pet measures. The in. junction plank of the platform is wade of meaningless platitudes while the President demanded adequate and effective legisla tion. The platform made no reference to income or inheritance taxation though the President has been demanding both for years. The danger of predatory wealth and the desirability of electing United States Senators by popular vote were not adverted to by the convention and they are RoosgVELT hobbies. These points against the Republican platform are both timely and relevant. We are not in accord with all the socalled ROOSEVELT policies. The industrial pa- ralysis and commercial stagnation in which the country is now eogulled afford over- whelming arguments against some, if not most, of them. But the interests of justice and the progress of civilization require that certain abuses be checked and publio- ity of campaign subscriptions and dis- bursements is essential to that result. The restraint of the power of the courts in the matter of is«uing injunctions is equally important. Secretary TAFT, while sittiog on the bench of the United States court, first introduced this evil into our jarispro- dence and now that it is proposed to eleot him President the subject becomes one of paramount importance. Therefore both of these subjects ought to have received Jarave consideration and ample elucidation by the convention. The income tax question is equally important. Of course Mr. BRYAN might have gone much farther and added largely to the number of defects of the Republican plat. form and as the campaign progresses be probably will. It is true that the seven points will be regarded by thougbtfal men as the most important. Bat it is worth while to notice that throughout the plat. form 18 an insult to the intelligence of American citizenship. The impudent ciaim that the Republican party rather than the benignity of Providence is responsible for the bountiful crops and ocossequent pros- perity of recent years may be too absard for Mr. BRYAN to notice but the mendac- ity expressed in the statement jthas the Democratic party is oommisted to government ownership of ratiroad: ongbt | tu he rebnked hy every adherent of that ! political faith. It plainly shows that purpose of the convention was not to assert principles and declare policies hat was to fool the people. Sach insincerity is simply intolerable. Fight Over the Plunder. The Republicans are baving trouble over the selection of a campaign manager. There are, or at least there were, several aspirants for she distinction and the com- petition bas developed considerable asper- ity. Division of she spoils always was a difficult problem among buccaneers, and it is not surprising that there is a good deal of feeling in this matter of parceling out the prizes of the recent battle between the Republican factions. Each claimant probably overestimates his owa services and undervalues those of she other fellow. For example, FRANK HITCHCOCK $hinks he was the ‘‘whole thing,”’ while ARTHUR VoRrys is cpnfident that he had the fight won before Hircuscock ‘‘butted in.” Both want the office. It is only just to HITCHCOCK to say that to a rank outsider he appears to have all the best of the “‘argunment.”’ It i tine that Vorys bad been plodding along in the vld fashioned way picking upa delegate here and there and coustautly addiog to she TAFT total. Bat he was maching a lot of blunders at that and some of them were damaging. Fiuvally be allowed bis publicity bureau to publish a statement that TAFT was entirely independent of ROOSEVELT and that brought on a erisis. ‘‘RoosYy’’ wouldn't stand for such nonsense and HITCHCOCK was invited to take command and given au implied promise that he should continue in control to the end of the campaign. That promise onght to he folfilled ooless the ancient principle of ‘‘hooor among thieves'' is to he abandoned. However during the closing hours of the Chicago convention the reactionaries got themselves together and threw the Roose- VELT bowlers out through the ceiling, figuratively speaking, and they object to HITCHCOCK a8 an intruder. TAFT frankly admite his obligation and declares his prel- erence [ur the Massachusetts prodigy buf his brother who ‘‘pays the freight” is afraid and the result is that HITCHCOCK bas declined ina huff and the matter of choice has been postponed until July 1, in BELLEFONTE, P order thas the differences may be reconcil ed or adjosted in some other way. Mean: time it is expected that RoosevELT will be called in to settle the dispute though the *‘old guard’ is scawling ominonsly. Secretary Taft's Character. Most of the complimentary expressions which have been uttered with respect to Witniam H. Tarr, the Republican nominee for President may be accepted as accurate. He is a fairly good man and weighs in the neighborhood of 300 pounds. His ancestry is all right and his personal character good. He is amiable, well edu- | cated and capable in so far as his public services have taxed his capabilities. Bot he is not a great man, measured by any standard. He is no more a reformer than Governor PENNYPACKER. No orime, or fraud, or vice has stained his personal repu- tation, but that can he said with equal accuracy of our eccentric ex Governor. Both have freely acquiesced in the official inigoities abont them, however, and neith- er is what is called aa aggressive reformer. President ROOSEVELT has been somewhat fulsome in his praise of TAFT but RoOsE- VELT is iuclined to be effusive. Three years ago in writing of ELIHU Roor the President said he was not only the ablest man in the public life of this country at that time, hut he wav abler than any wan who bas been in the public life of any country at any time within thirty years. On the announcement of TAFI'S nomina- tion, the other day, ROOSEVELT paid the same tribate to him and appointing his successor to the office of Secretary of War, he substantially asserted that the distino- tion belongs to Mr. WRIGHT. Under the circnmstances, therefore, his testimony is worthless. He simply expresses sudden impulses in a careless way and his voice expresses sound without significance. No doubt President ROOSEVELT believes that Secretary RooT has deteriorated men- tally since bis eulogy of that gentleman three or four years ago and that TAFT'S merits bave expanded. At the time the estimate was given to the public both gentlemen were basking io the sunshine of administration favor. But since that Root bas “‘balked”” on some of the Presi. dential caprices and TAFT bas ‘‘gove | along’ unconcernedly and nncomplaining- ly. The big bodied and good natured Secretary of War wouldn’s take the trouble to dispute or even protest against any sug- gestion or act of the President, however atrocions. It is easier to acquiesce and more profitable becaus2 that temperamental peculiarity rather than fitness for the office got him the supp ort of ROOSEVELT for the nomination. The Resignation of Mr. Williams, The resignation of Joux Saanr Wik. L1AMS of the leadership of the mivoority in Congress, will be a positive loss to the party though the announcement of it =o far in advance will minimize the evil. Mr. WILLIAMS i2 not only capable but he is courageons. Daring the last session she conducted, from start to finish, a most masterly campaign in the interest of the people, against overwhelming odds. He is alert, adroit and industrious and all these ynalities are essential to successful leader- ship. while they are rarely found in combi- nation. But the greatest element ol strength in Mr. WILLIAMS is bis obvious integrity aod sincerity. He bad she confi. dence of his own party and the respeot of his antagonists. Those forces are most potent. The Democrats in the present Congress have an inestimable advantage in the character and ability of the membership of that political complexion. There are a dozen among them who are gualified for leadership, not equipped, probably, as well as Mr. WILLIAMS, but capable of develop- ment to that high staudard. During the recent session with little more than one: third of the aggregate membership, they kept the majority in a constant state of terror and astually forced such legislation as made for the fulfillment of the policies claimed by the President as his own. The employers’ liability bill, the child labor bill and she other measures of merit were passed by the majority ander the compell- ing spur of the minority. The resignation of the leadership by Mr. WILLIAMS at this time will give the mi. nority ample time to select from the several amply fit for the office the one who is best equipped and the experience of the service daring the short session will qualify him for the more important daties of the Speakership in the altogether probable event that the party will be in control in the next Congress. At the close of the next session Mr. WiILLiams will retire from the House to enter the Senate, to which he has already been elected, two years later. During the intervening period he will travel abroad and rest at home and whether in one avoocation or the other he will bave with him, as the just reward of fidelity to duty, the love and esteem of the people of the United States. A., JUNE 26, 1908. Pesnsyivania in the Next Congress. There ie nothing in present political con- ditions to discourage the hope that the Democrats of Penneylvania may gain two or three seats in the next Congress. The result of the Chicago convention has not inspired the Republicans of the State. If EK NOX bad been nominated there would bave been something like enthusiasm io the campaign for his election, though bungry stomachs are not incentives to enthusiasm. But under orders from Washington Tart was chosen and the enervating influence was snbsequently augmented by the nomi- pation of Representative SHERMAN, the result of the dispair of the delegates. In the present Congress there are seven districts which ougiit to be carried again. It is trae that the Fourteenth and Fifteenth districts are normally Republican bat the present Democratic Representatives for them, George W. Kipp and WILLIAM B. WILSON, have been so efficient and faith- fal that their re-election can hardly be doubted. Mr. Kipp proved both industri. ous and capable and Mr. WILSON was as efficient as if be bad been in the service for years. Mr. ROTHEMEL in the Thirteenth district and JouN G. McCHENRY of the Sixteenth are certain to be re-elected. In fact Mr. MCHENRY achieved so much for his constituents that they ought to keep him in the seat as long as he is willing to sit. He is not only capable but faithful and zealous. Mr. BRODHEAD of the Twenty sixth and Mr LENAHAN of the Eleventh district de- clined renominations but splendid candi- dates have heen named as their successors. A MITCHELL PALMER, of Stroudsburg, and Jory C. HADDOCK, of Luzerne county,are the type of men who make the public life of the country creditable,and they are both certain of success. THOMAS D. NICHOLS of the Tenth districs, like his colleagues pamed, has earned his re-election. He di- rected hie energies mainly toward legisla- tion in the interest of labor and performed most of bis work in committee, but he was a tower of strength to every righteous cause and a most efficient Representative on the floor in every crisis. Mr. NICHOLS bas served his constituents well and ought to be rewarded. The Twentieth district ought to be as safely Democratic as the Thirteenth, For two terms this rock-ribbed region of Dem- ocracy has been represented in Congress by D. F. LAFEAN who is essentially a rep- resentative of the trusts. The Twelfth distriot is equally miserpersented in! bav- ing a Republican Congressman and the Twenty-third district ooght to send a Democrat to the House. The majority of the voters in all those localities are oppos- ed to the policies of she Republican ma- chine as expressed in the legislation of recent years and their voices shonld be on the other side as they will ne in the vext Congress. Republican Party Responsible. No panic that has ever distarhed the indastrial life of this country has heen like this one, a prominent business man was heard to remark, the other day. Other panics were preceded by industrial paraly- sis, orop failure or calamity of some sort. Thie one, however, came in the midst of plenty and in a season of abundance. The soil was generous in its yield and in- dustry was reaping a liberal barvest every- where. [It differs from others in another respect, he added. The hardships of other such events have heen mitigated by lower- ed prices. Bat in this case while industry continues in a state of paralysis the prices of all the necessaries of life continue to in- inorease. The reasons for these differences are obvioas. In the first place this panic is the result of artificial rather than natural causes. Daring the recent session of Con- gress a committee representing the Ameri can manufacturers visited Washington to urge a reduction of she tariff tax rates. In an address before the Speaker of the House and the committee on Ways and Means, the president of that association, Mr. VAN CLEAVE, stated that the consumers of this country were being robbed to the extent of one million dollars a day by ex- oess ive charges for necessary produots, as a result of too high tariff schedules. That money, he added, went into the treasuries of the trusts. This burdensone tax upon industry created the fund which was perverted by trust maguates for speculative uses and the present high prices of necessities are the consequence of paying interest and divi dends on watered bonds and stocks which are the evil results of the impoverishment of the people by excessive taxation. The remedy is in a complete and radical change in the policies of the government and such change can only be achieved by defeating the party responsible for the condition. The Republican party bad absolute control of every department of the government daring the last twelve years. That party is responsible for the evil and should be rebuked. Un-Democratic and Un-Repablican. From the Lancaster Intelligencer, The administration candidate and plat- form baving been adopted by the Chicago ratifying convention with bardly she dot- ting of an i, is referred tothe jeople for their action ; which will not be in ratifica- tion of it. As we view the prospect, there is no chance for the tickes’s success. There is attractive in the candidate or pl whisy NH) be all she burthen responsibility for the past government of the country ; that is a heavy baurthen, withous the crushing we‘ght of the busi. ness lassitude that is its achievement. Hard times arealways (atal to a party, coming in the year of a presidential eleo- a or en A . ent t upon ness would probably bave availed in some de- gree to relieve them of the barthen of the financial troubles that have fallen upon the conutry through corporation misman- agement, but that cannot help the candi- date he bas put upon the Republican party so pilot it in the turmoil of the billows that he bas been so helpful in raising upon the business sea. Tue Jeopie are invited by the result of the icago convention to consider the effect of the absolute power centralized in a Republican president over the Republi- can party, through control of the federal patronage and of the vote. of the negro states. The two great states of New York and Pennsylvania had each a candidate for the presidential nomination, but neither received support outside their states, though both were very worthy of votes. There was room for bat the candidate of the presidens, because of his command of the votes of the other states through the deft exercise of the federal power in his hands. It is not a pleasant contemplation, and should serve to turn away the votes of reflecting people from a candidate and platform prepared and established in #0 un- democratic and un-republican fashion. The Democratic party, whatever may charged against it bas never subjected it- sell to the charge of the control of ite con- ventions by presidential power. It bas made itself conspicucus for its freedom from such control, and bas been even eriticised for its refusal to follow presiden- tial motion, notably in its abandonment of Cleveland. Those who fear the encroachment of federal power are couvepicuonsly invited to its support, and these are an increasing multitude in view of the great strikes of this power under the wielding of Roose. velt, who bas shown the danger of it to all the world. There are those whom the ex- ample has attracted and who disregard the danger of it in the contemplation of what they deem its promised glory. The lines are likely to be sharply drawn in the com- ing election hetween the federalist and democrat in the doctrines whioh will be declared in the party platform and demon- strated in the party record, and it will be to Democratic advantage with the intelli- gent voter. Another Trust Busted. From the Philadelphia Record. This trust-bnsting administration has won another victory ove: a combination in restraint of trade, but it will amount to no more in the long run than ita great victory over the Northern Securities Company. The decision in thar celebrated case affect- ed one form of pooling interest. If the Grea! Northern had bought the Northern Pacific, which is the nenal form of railroad combination, it would bave escaped. Tbere was nothing in the decision to pre- vent the same set of men fsom owning con- trolling interests in the two companies, and the policy of “community of interests’ has heen applied repeatedly since the Rone Secnrities Company was dissolv- Several years ago the Administration secured the dissolution of the General Pa- per Companv, which was merely a sellin agency, but the companies that constitn it have operated in concert ever since. It has now won a victory over the Fibre and Manila Association which isa glaringly unlawful combination of twenty-four con- cerns making wrapping paper. Less than two years ago they formed an association, redanced production from 64,000 to 50,000 tons a quarter, and raised prices $16a ton. They were indicted, pleaded guilty and were fined $2000 each. i a Tmt por ior is of very little importance, ose are so few of them. If one company had been formed to buy the swenty-four mills, giving ite own securities in exchange for theirs, it would probably have heen peifeot- iy safe. Forty-nine combinations out of every fifty have been formed in that way and the Steel Trass, the Sugar Trust, the Leather Trust, the Rubber Trust, the Typewriter Trust, the Photographic Trust hundreds of other combinations, are a tly as sale as an ordinary partner- ap Jia the on Teu law oan reach ng but a few very exceptional associa- tions of manufacturers who retain their own individuality it ie of no particular im- portance one way or the other. As long as such combinations as the International Paper Company and the Writing Paper Trust are lawful it is of no consequence that the General Compeny and the Fibre and Manila Pool are outlawed. S————— ——J. F. Meyer, the veteran watch- maker and jeweler of Madisonburg, who has passed his three score and ten mark, did a walkiog stunt this week that would bardly be attempted by a young man, es- pecially in as bot weather as we bave bad this week. Having occasion to go to Wil- linmsport to replenish his stock of jewelry eto., he decided to walk part of the way at least and #0 on Monday morning he lef Madisonburg on foot and walked through the Narrows into Nittany valley where he spens the night at the Judge Allison farm near Cedar Hill, and on Tuesday continued bis walk to Look Haven where be took the train for the Lumber city. spawlis from the Keystone. —The best quality of new bay sells at $12 per ton in the eastern part of the state, which is less than it has been for a number of years. —Sunday was the longest day of the year and it was also the hottest of the year in Philadelphia where the official thermometer registered 90 degrees. —On Monday there were thirty-one applica- tions for divorce filed in the Dauphin county court. This was a record breaker, and hard times and idleness are said to be responsible. ~William P. Lowry, who has just com- pleted a directory of Indiana,gives the popu- lation of the town at 7,000. The population in 1900 was 4,142, and by 1910 it is expected to double this. —Edgar Sheffer's portable saw mill, near Winburne, was destroyed by fire on Satur. day morning, together with some lumber, ete. The mill will be replaced, as Mr. Shef- fer has at that place considerable timber yet to be cut. —Harry Williams, better known as “Rabbit,” appeared in court in Washington, before Judge J. F. Taylor, on Monday, for the one hundred and fourth time. He was charged with being a habitual tramp and was sentenced to the county prison for sixty days. —With orders coming in and plenty of others booked for the future, the Columbia Plute Glass company’s plant at Blairsville has been running along on double turn for some time. In a week or two the manv- facture of ware will be instituted at the plant. ~—0On Monday afternoon, in Centre town- ship, Greene county, while there was a clear sky, excepting a small cloud, there was a sudden crash of thunder and a flock of sheep in a field on the farm of Hiram Eby was tumbled about and five were killed by the lightning. —Buffalo, Rochester, and Pittsburg loco- motive works and car shops at DuBois open- ed at full blast Monday morning and the majority of the men at DuBois were back on the job, although quite a number were out of town. The locomotive works are run- ning nine hours per day and the car shops st ten hours, ~The postoffice authorities have given warpiug to all newspapers that the law governing the publishing of winners in raffles and other schemes of chance will be strictly enforced from now on. This includes raflles of all descriptions and nothing con- cerning anything with which chance is con- be | nected can be lawfully published by any paper. —Benjamin B. McCloskey, agent of the Pennsylvania railroad at Hyner, Clinton county, claims to bave solved practical aerial navigation, having taken several successful flights. The machine is said to be very simple and motion power is furnished by a Lombard chemical engine of ten horsepower which weighs less than forty-five pounds. Mr. McCloskey has spent over fifteen years in experiments of this kind. ~Christian K. Sober, of Lewisburg, owner of the Paragon chestnut farm in Irish valley, Northumberland county, has already ac- cepted an order for a carload of chestnuts of this year's crop to he shipped to Seattle, Wash. He has also grafted 15,000 seedlings, which will be handled for sale through a New York state nursery firm. He expects the Paragon chestnut to become as widely distributed in a few years as the native variety. —Death within two weeks wiped out the entire family of Perry Witherite, the New York Central station agent at Curry Run, Clearfield county. About one month ago typhoid fever broke out in the family. The first to die, on June 4th, was a little daugh- ter. On June 10th the father died ; Friday night an infant child was taken and on Monday of last week the mother died. The aged parents of Mr, Witherite are now con=- fined in the Clearficld hospital in a critical condition. —The Tioga county commissioners have received word from the authorities of the Danville State hospital for the insane that one of the patients from Tioga county had died. The unfortunate man was William Williams, a native of Wales, but at the time of his misfortune a resident of Bloss town. ship. It wasin 1874 that he was taken to the Danville hospital. He died at the age of 61 years, after having spent 34 years at the Danville institution, four years more than half his life. —In order to hold its charter, granted two years ago, the Pittsburg and Northeastern railroad company has latd what is supposed to be the shortest railroad in the State, in Loyalhanna township, Indiana county. The road, which is enclosed with a wire fence, consists of twelve ties and four rails, It is reported thatthe Pittsburg and Northeastern railroad will be built in the next two years, and the northern portion from Clearfield to Plumville is expected to be far enough ad- vanced by fall to allow cars to run. —During a thunderstorm about noon on Sunday a tree on the farm of the state re- formatory at Huntingdon was struck by lightning and a bull and three cows that had taken shelter under it were killed. All were fine bred animals and had been bought only recently at a cost of $280. During the same storm a barn on the Oliver Garrett farm, near Fink's bridge, was also struck and com. pletely destroyed by fire, with all the con- tents. Three horses, three calves and a number of pigs perished in the flames. Mil- ton Cornelius, the occupant of the farm, and his family were all away from home, attend. ing church at the time. —A hailstorm of unusual severity passed over a portion of Derry township, West- moreland county, on Thursday afternoon of last week. Many of the hail stones were as large aus hen eggs and most of them as large as walnuts, They fell in a steady patter for nearly thirty minutes, covering the ground, stripping the trees of their fruit and leaves, beating the grain into the soil breaking the windows wherever there was an exposure, and causng a panic among the stock at pasture] in the fields. The ground was covered with the hail to the depth of several! inches and at the sides of buildings or in ditches along sloping ground the depth was half a foot or more.