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TWELVE PAGES
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by THU DISPATCH TOMORROW.
Its patrons will secure the Largest
and the Newsiest Newspaper in the
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FORTY-FIFTH TEAR.
THE mm DEBTS
v A Talk About Mortgages, and
" ' Several Reasons for Their
? Increase of Late.
NOT A SIGN OF UNTHRIFT.
On the Contrary, They Are Very Fre
quently an Evidence of Sur
plus Capital and
OP IMPROVEMENTS UNDERTAKEN.
Agricultural Profits Somewhat Seduced,
Owing to Inability to Compete
With the Great West.
BUT THEEE'S XO GENEEAL DEPRESSION,
VjAnd Many Thrifty Tillers of tie Soil Hake- a
s Good Living, Bare Money and
i, Are Well Content.
OLD-PASHIOJiED TEESCS SIODEEN EC0503II
The Dispatch commissioner presents in
his letter to-day some very interesting talks
with farmers and county officers on the sub
ject of debts and mortgages. Some of the
tillers of the soil complain that it is hard to
compete with the "West, while others say
they are able to make a comfortable living
without covering their property over with
mortgages.
rFEOM OUB ErECIAL COMMISSIONER.
The Pittsbukg Dispatch
1
127. S
COUI.TIIY KOAD EXTEDITCOS
RICEVILLE, PA., April
Jest as we are leaving Crawford county I
want to sum up the agricultural situation
as I have found it in the counties of the
western tier.
One day last week The Dispatch printed
a communication from "H," on the alleged
agricultural depression. In it occurred this
paragraph:
If farmers would live as they did in the good
old days there would be no "agricultural de
pression." Bat neither they nor the rest of us
axe content to live in that way. Think of it,
you who arc 50 to 60 years of ace. How did
your father and mother live? How did you
live when a boy T 1 could make this article about
a mile long on this very topic, but what good
would it do? You would only grunt and turn
on your heel and say "do you suppose I am
goiogtolive as my father did? People don't
lira that irsy now and I ain not coing to. I'll
die first." Very well, you will not die, but you
will assist In keeping up the "agricultural de
pression." Cnnses of Farmers' Debts.
Before this expedition left Pittsburg a
lady, cow the wife of a wealthy business
man, but who in her girlhood had been the
daughter in a secluded tarm house, said to
me: "You will find that farmers live ex
travagantly in these days. You will find
carpets upon their floors, pianos in their
parlors, their sons and daughters attending
city schools and colleges instead of the old
time country academies. All these things
have put them in debt."
In all honesty, would either "H." or the
lady wish to see the farmers of the "United
Estates go back to the primitive customs and
rude lives of GO years ago? Does not a car
pet on the fanner's floor indicate advanced
civilization? Do cot pianos and paintincs
show more refined tastes? Is not the desire
lor education at city schools and colleges a
proof of that higher grade of intelligence
that they used to say was eo much needed
in rural life? Has not the farmers' family
a right to all these things? Then, why
should he not have the money for them?
Where Blame should Rest.
II there is only money enough outside of
the cities to support the fanner as he lived
60 years aco, and if the farmer must go
deeply in debt to live just a little bit more
comfortable than his grandfather did yes,
and if the farmer, longing to rear his chil
dren in the ways of modern civilization,
does mortgage his farm for that purpose
surely the blame should not be upon him
for doing it The blame should rest with
those economic conditions which prevent
the farmer from having money.
"What are they? "Well, A. S. Mawhin
ney, a farmer of Sugar Creek township, in
"Venango county, said to me the other day:
"Five years ajo I bought cattle in the fall
at 3 cents per pound; fed and cared for them
through the winter, and in IVbruary sold
them for from 5 to 5 cents per pound.
Now, I could buy cattle in the fall for 2
cents per pound, must bear the expense of
feeding them, and yet in April I cannot get
3 cents per pound for them.
No I'll III la I.lvo Stock.
"So I don't raise cattle any more. It is
profitless. The vast quantities of dressed
beef shipped here from the "West is responsi
ble for this fall of prices. If the "Western
people would only send East their beef
alive, even then we could hope to compete
with them, but this thing of having it all
slaughtered and ready drested for lower
prices than we can feed the cows, has para
lyzed the business. No, I can't sell the hay
that I used to feed the cows, because, again,
Western bay, through the very low railroad
freight rates, is brought into competition
with us."
Mac. Lupher, a neighboring farmer in
Canal township, stopped shearing sheep in
his barnyard long enough to say to me:
"We have not enough protection in cattle
raising. There are more cattle imported by
'the.United States than exported.
Kaoclced Out by Western Beef.
- "I was once a large cattle raiser, but the
Western beet business completely knocked
me out. There is a good tariff on sheep, so
ins you see I have bought some blooded
"merinos and am trying to raise wool."
The eastern section of Crawford county
'ivrts once a celebrated region for fine cattle.
"But," says Alonzo Wheeler, -of Cooley
4 twtlfar.A 'If tio Juil!.il t -small .a.
, jJtions. There is no money in cattle any
more. The Western cattle spoiled the busi
ness. Most of the farmers in my neighbor
hood are selling their hay. I think they
are making a mistake. I would still try to
put it into cattle raising if I was one of
them. I believe a reaction is coming.
Forty years ago I drove steers to Cambridge
and sold them for $10, and yet higher price3
ruled afterward. They will again. De
pression comes in waves, and the West
cannot always depress the Eastern farms."
Agricultural Over-Production.
Robert Trotter is the same typical Irish
farmer of Moon township, Beaver county,
whom I have already mentioned as being
our host over night once. "Western beef
has hurt us much," he said, "but it is not
all to blame. All products have been re
duced in value too by this huce over-production
in both West and East Forty-five
years ago I remember seeing flour bought at
Canton, O., for $3 per barrel, transported
by Conestoga wagons east of the mountains
and sold in Philadelphia and Jersey City
at 510 and $11 per barrel. Besides all this
farm labor costs so much these days that it
swells our expenses.
"I well remember when the market price
of a bushel of wheat was accepted as the
day wages of a laborer on a farm. That
r-SfT i rrfu u
n m P n tfffl I (111
Pffil
Built by Oil Money.
would never work cow-a-days. There are
too many mills and factories in Western
Pennsylvania coaxing our men away from
us at better wages for the meanest kind of
mill labor.
Wages Sixty Years Ago.
"I came to this country nearly CO years
ago with only a pack on my back. A
farmer offered me work and said he would
pay me in grain. I replied by asking of
what use grain would be to me when I had
no place to put it He said I could take it
to the store and trade it for clothes, and that
he would grind it lor the storekeeper to helD
me along. But finally he agreed to emDloy
me at the rate of 8 per month, none of the
money to be paid me lor one year, but nec
essary clothing to be furnished me on ac
count as I needed it."
"How long did you work for him?" I
asked.
"Just one year and four days," replied
Mr. Trotter.
"Exactly three days after you got your
salary," we laughed.
"Then farmers have even deserted their
calling to accept better paying work in iron
mills these days," continued the old gentle
man. Farms Wlibont Tenants.
"lean point from my window here to
four farms that ara going begging for
lessees or purchasers. Their value has de
preciated. Land is lower to-day in rural
regions of Western Pennsylvania, I venture,
than it was 20 years ago. Oh, yes, I have
something laid by for a rainy day. But the
reason is, I have four big boys of my own at
home here to help me, and even they some
times have wanted to go to the cities to get
better paying work."
Yefjwith the general admission that there
is not much profit in farming these days as
5, 10 and 20 years ago, I have cot yet found
any farmers in the western tier of counties
who are willing to call it a "general agricul
tural depression." Nor will they admit
that mortgages are increasing on farming
property. "We may not be making profits,"
they say, "and we may be only living from
hand to mouth, or we may find it hard work
to purchase some of the luxuries of life, yet it
is untrue to say that our debts are increas
ing. In many counties we may not be dimin
ishing them very rapidly, but certainly we
are cot adding to them."
No Increase of Monetises.
The Kecorder of Beaver county, W. H.
Bricker, says that to his certain official
knowledge there has been no noticeable in
crease of mortgages in the last six years in
that county. The farmers of Beaver are of
a careful, conservative class, and with more
&?'
Churning by Dog Power.
or less sheep raising you will find most of
them backed by tnug bank accounts.
On the official dockets of the Butler
county Commissioners I counted the num
ber of mortgages filed, iu like periods, be
fore and since 188G. TJp to a month and a
halt ago these dockets showed 519 mort
gages filed before 1886 and 997 since then.
County Commissioner John Humphreys
did not believe this increase in the number
of mortirazes meant an increase in the total
indebtedness of farmers. Bather, he
thought, it meant a consolidation of debts.
The development of petroleum in Butler
county has thrown a large amount of
money into the town of Butler ready for
loaning.
It's So Easy to Borrow.
People want mortgages. Therefore, a
farmer, finding it so easy to borrow money
in Butler, says to himself: "I owe John
Smith $100, Jacob Kroutz another hundred,
and several other parties smaller sums.
Why not borrow $500,and pay them all off? It
is more convenient to owe one person than
half a dozen." So he secures a $500 mort
gage. Yet his indebtedness, is the same.
Commissioner Humphreys had also found
that people are now preferring mortgages to
judgments. He confessed, however, that
with Western grain, Western hay and
Western beef, Butler county farmers, as
well as others, were forced to renew mort
gages from time to time.
"Land at $10 an acre in the West can
grow so much more corn, and hay, and feed
so many more cattle than our higher-priced
land that the farmer here has much to con
tend with," he concluded.
Not an Indication of Debt.
The Recorder of Lawrence county, J. T.
Gleason, said to me: "Any increase of
mortgages here (and it is trivial would
rather indicate conveyances than growing
debts, The great increase in farm mort
gages that you read about is in the far West
S'"""""
and the far Eist Western Pennsylvania I
think you will find to be the happy medium.
Lawrence county farmers are nearly all
well-to-do. They have, in very many in
stances, retired from actual tilling of the
soil and turned their attention to the fancy
lines of agriculture, such as raising fine
poultry, fine hogs, blooded sheep, blooded
cattle and horses. Holstein cattle are a
favorite in our barnyards.
"All this condition of things indicates
surplus of farmers' money in banKs not in
debts. We have a good home market for
tarm produce on account of the manufactur
ing towns in Lawrence county. Thus,
where we can't ship grain or hay in compe
tition,with the Western shippers, manufac
turing interests fnrnish our farmers witha
home market at full values. Farmers in
Lawrence county are well organized for ag
ricultural education, too."
Erldence of Improvement.
The Ttecorder of Mercer county, J. H.
Chandler, said: "I have filed 46 mortgages
this month, several more than were filed in
April of a year ago, but how many of these
were on farms I do not know without inves
tigating. March was also unusually large.
However, the number of mortgages does not
indicate increased indebtedness by any
means. If they do in some instances it also
shows how property is becoming improved.
For instance, this morning a mortgage was
filed by a young farmer for this reason: His
father had died, dividing the original farm
among his sous. Only one house existed
there. This particular sou I speak of wants
to erect a residence on his part of the farm,
so he morteacred it. iust as the building and
loan associations in your large cities en
courage people to do. In this way many
mortgages are accounted lor.
"Mercer county farmers are not running
in debt Our fine horses are still famous,
prices arc as high as ever for our products,
and Sharon and other manufacturing com
munities here still prefer to deal with home
producers. Why, see here in March my
records show that 26 mortgages were satis
fied by the farmers and 27 new ones filed.
That was only a gain of one."
The Increnso Accounted For.
H. A. Gamble, clerk to the County Com
missioners of Mercer, said that money is
now loaaed on mortgages rather than judg
ments, which accounts for any increase that
may occur. Between 1876 and 1879 about
700 judgments were filed every term iu the
Protbonotary's office. Now they will not
average more than 300 or 400 every term.
Exactly the same answers as above were
made me atthe offices of the Recorders of
"Venango and Crawtord counties. In Craw
ford county, along the road from Franklin
to Meadville, there is a class of farmers who
piled away snug fortunes in the time of the
pioneer oil excitement by hauling petro
leum in wagons from famous Oil Creek, in
Venango county, to Linesville, Crawford
county, where it was shipped West by rail
road. On this solid financial basis their farms
have been brought since then to high per
fection, and although Rouseville,Petroleum
Center and Pithole are no more, their for
tunes still remain, and they do not seem to
be bothered by economic evils. The barn
illustrated in this article is from a photo
graph. You can tell "an oil money barn"
the moment you see it in Crawford or Ve
nango counties. It has a substantial look
all about it.
An Old-Style Farm House.
One farm house we stopped at on our
journey among the woods of Butler county
was typical of the 60-year-ago period which
"H" suggests should be resurrected. The
kitchen where we ate our meals was in the
basement The rafters above were bare and
barn-like iu their roughness. They were
hung with paper bags containing herbs,
dried meats, etc. The great open fireplace
still burned cord wood. The mantel, ceil
ing and walls were black from its smoke.
Our feet grew cold on the uncovered but
white-s'crubbed flooring boards. A spin
ning wheel in one corner and an ancient
churn in the other suggested a repugnance
to labor-saving machinery. None of the
rooms upstairs had carpet The plastering
in the walls, where it was broken, was
patched with cheap picture prints filled
with age-stained representations of men and
women dressed in the style of 40 years ago.
We all saw that kind of pictures when we
were children.
Yes, this quaint old ramshackle of a hab
itation looks picturesque. It would make
an ornament for a New England fair in
town, but are there many who really could
enjoy living in that way now?
Modest, bnt Comfortable.
We stopped another time over night at a
modern farm house in Mercer county per
haps it only could be modern with the help
of a mortgage, I don't know. Bag carpet,
cheap, but ot pretty pattern and warm in
texture, covered the floors of dining room
and kitchen. On the parlor and spare bed
room were the economical ingrain carpets.
Weekly newspapers and cheap editions of
standard novels filled tables and a bookcase.
Cnromos not paintings ornamented the
walls, in the parlor was a cottage organ
not an upright grand. I saw extravagance
nowhere, but taste I saw on all hands a
taste to live within means and yet have a
beautiful and comfortable home.
The sitting loom was almost a conserva
tory with its boxes and pots of oxalis, wan
dering jew and trailing ivy. Outside the
yellow croenses already made the yard look
like summer.
Evidences of Thrift.
The churning was done by '"Tom," the
big New foundland dog, and every where I
saw much go-ahead spirit, intelligent ideas
and yet withal a sensible estimate of the
wortn of money that I found I was asking
myself, "and why shouldn't they have brus
sels for ingrain camets, paintincs instead of
chromos, a piano instead of an organ why
shouldn't they? Why can't they have them?
Why are they so poor when city capitalists
with no more money, invested in many in
stances easily earn larger interest? Whv?"
"And so you Crawford county people
want to send your fellow townsman to the
Governor's mansion?" I remarked pleas
antly to a farmer's boy about 23 years of
age as he took charge of our team in a barn
yard at noon, not far from Meadville.
In Wofal Ignorance.
"'Deed if I know," he answered slowly
after looking at me wonderingly fully
two minutes.
"Dclamater, you know Senator Dela
matcr, of Meadville?" I continued, taken'
back somewhat
"Never heard of him," gulped the boy as
he passed within the horses' manger.
Whose fault was it? Delamater's or the
boy's education at one of those 'old-time
country academies which you may still find
here and there among the valleys of
Western Pennsylvania?
L. E. Stofiel.
FOUR MILLION W0ETH OP BONDS
Sold for tbe Purpose of Building a Branch
Road to Clarion.
israelii. TELEOBAM TO TUB DISPATCn.1
DuBois, April 27. A circular has been
issued informing the stockholders of the
Buffalo, Eochester and Pittsburg Bailway
Company that Adrien Iselm, Sr., has sod
51,000,000 worth of the stock he owned, and
that he no longer controls the company.
The conditions of the sale are that $1,250,000
are to be placed in the hands of a trustee
for the purpose of building a road from
Howard Junction to Claiion Junction, by
which tbe Rochester and Pittsburg Coal and
Iron Company obligates itself for 100 years
to ship all of its product over the new
branch; also a contract with the Bell, Lewis
and Yates Company to a like deal, for five
years, to ship not less than 500,000 tons annually-
The railroad has $1,250,000 reserved for
building the line from Howard to Clarion
Junction, beside $750,000 of general mort
gage on hand for future wants,
PITTSBURG, MONDAY, APRIL 28. 1890.
A CAPITOL SENSATION
Alleged . Tampering With the Mail
Matter of the Congressmen.
POSTMASTER ",YHEAT IS CHARGED
With All Manner of Irregularities br a
Number of Employes,
SEEIOUS ACCUSATIONS AGAINST A SON.
Sealed letters Addressed to Mcmtera Said to be
Opened Erery Day.
The employes of the postofiice of the
House of Beprcsentatives have formulated
charges against Postmaster Wheat. The
House will be asked to investigate at once.
A son of the postmaster is accused of open
ing letters addressed to Congressmen, with
the knowledge of his father. Many other
allegations are made.
ISrECIAL TELEGKA1I TO TUB DISPATCH. I
Washington, April 27. Some serious
charges are preferred against Mr. James L.
Wheat, Postmaster of the House of Repre
sentatives, and a resolution will be intro
duced in the House in a day or two calling
for an investigation of the office. Tbe
charges are brought by Mr. C. J. McCord
and the other crqployes in the postofiice.
Mr. McCord, is the son of Congressman
McCord, of Wisconsin,. Tbe formal
charges against Mr. Wheat, which are
signed by five of the House employes be
sides Mr. McCord, are as follows:
We, the undersigned employes of the House
of Representatives postofiice. make tbe follow
ing charges: That J. L. Wheat, Postmaster of
the House of Representatives' Fostofflce, has
been guilty of gross irregularities in conduct
ing tho business of the said office, to wit: His
son, Walter B. Wheat, is receivinj the pay of
two positions, while it is impossible for one
man to do the work connected with thoe two
positions, and in consequenco tbe work falls
upon some other employe or employes in the
omce. Circulars and other publications ad
dressed to members, ex-members and employes
bave been thrown into the waste-paper baskets.
Every day Wbeat's son has been
GUILTY OF OPENING
at least one sealed and postage paid letter ad
dressed to a member, and J. L. Wheat was
aware of the fact within an hour after it was
done. He has compelled, through fear of dis
missal, the route men to tbe number of three
each week to do work entirely foreign to their
regular work, viz: One in the postofiice to
work which his son should do, and two to qo
document room work, which should not be
done by any employe of the postofiice. We be
lieve that J. L. Wheat receives pay from the
document room for this work.
We further charge that he has shamefully
imposed upon us in many ways; that he Is sub
ject to violent outbursts of temper.is arrogant,
mean, tyrannical, despotic, overbearing and
insulting; that, in our judgment, he is entirely
unfitted in every way lor tbe position he occu
pies, lacking dignity, executive ability and a
proper sense of j ustice. In conclusion, we wish
to say that the employes of the House of Rep
resentatives postofflco are poor men,
and have stood these Impositions simply
because tbey could not afford to lose their po
sitions, about half of them being married men.
Most ot us resigned good paying positions,
which we cannot return, to accept a position in
the House ot Representatives postoffice. Wo
urgently ask that an investigation be made at
once Into the official conduct ot J. L. Wheat,
Postmaster, House of Representatives.
MORE SPECIFIC CHARGES.
To The Dispatch correspondent Mr.
MeCord said this evening relative to tbe
charges: "I've been employed in the House
Postoffice since December, and during that
time I've seen enough of the Postmaster to
convince anyone that he is not only unqual
ified lor the position by reason of a lack af
executive ability, but he is not straightfor
ward and is guilty of acts that makes his
removal imperative for the honor of the Re
publicans in the House, who elected him.
The Postmaster is entitled, I understand, to
the proceeds derived by the sale of waste
piper that accumulates in the office. Now
Wheat has an eye to business and he sees to
it that every scrap of paper is collected and
sold.
"The investigation will disclose the fact
that newspapers, periodicals and circulars,
etc., that have been mailed them are thrown
into the waste basket One day wheat
came to me and laid : 'McCord, all the paper
that comes for members who are out of the
city, ex-members and members who are
dead you need not distribute, but tear the
wrappers off them and throw the papers
into the waste basket' I supposed it was
all right, and every day I threw away a
dozen papers.
ANT AMOUNT OF IT.
"The other men had the same instructions,
so you can imagine how many papers were
thus thrown away. There is a lot ot mail
received every day, which we call 'crank
stuff.' Now, although the postage is paid
and it should be delivered to the members.
Wheat orders that it be thrown into tbe
waste basket, and it goes to increase the
revenue he receives from the sale of waste
paper. The wrappers are always, as a rule,
torn off. He has that done to make it ap
pear as though the members had thrown it
aside.
"Walter R. Wheat, the son of the Post
master, is employed in the Postoffice.
Wheat, Sr., went to Congressman Caswell
and asked that he recommend Walter for
appointment, which Mr. Caswell did, and
Walter was appointed at once. The force
of the office is 20, including the Postmaster,
but only 19 are working. The twentieth
man, W. E. Bradley, who has been borne on
the rolls for the past month or more, has not
put in appearance, but he draws the monev
just tbe same. Walter Wheat has been
doing the work supposed to be done by
Bradley, and half the latter's salary goes to
Walter. A letter addressed to Hon. W. H.
H. Cowles, was not long ago broken open by
Walter. His father saw the opened letter
in Mr. Cowles' box, and on inquiry he was
informed that his son had opened the letter,
whereupon he lectured Walter.
OTHER INTEBESTING ALLEGATIONS.
"I heard Walter acknowledge to his father
that he tore the letter open, but I dou't
know that he gave any excuse lor doing it.
About five weeks ago two mail sacks and a
half, containing a copy for each member of
the advance sheet of a book entitled 'Mone
tary Scitnce' was received at the office. On
the cover of the pamphlet was the following
inscription: 'Advance Sheets Interesting
to the Pan-American and United States
Congress.' These pamphlets were enclosed
in a large envelope, not sealed, addressed to
the members. The pamphlets have never
been taken from tbe racks, and the other
day when one of the employes called the
Postmaster's attention to the racks and said
the pamphlets ought to be distributed,
Wheat replied that he didn't intend dis
tributing them."
Mr. McCord said an investigation will
disclose many interesting facts, of which
the-otlier employes are better posted than he
was. He said the investigation will also
show Wheat imposed upon the Grand Army
and the Republican caucus by leading mem
bers to believe that he had lost an arm in
battle fighting for the Union, when the facts
are he lost his arm celebrating a political
victory come years after the war.
Conch's Dlurderer Caught.
Oklahoma City, April 27. J. C.
Adams, the murderer of Captain Couch, the
late noted Oklahoma "Boomer," was brought
here to-day. He will have a preliminary
examination to-morrow. A strong force of
United States troops escorted him from the
station to the guard house to prevent mob
violence. He is strongly guarded.
OAPPELLEirS BEVENGE.
Ho Charges That Governor Campbell
Helped to Defeat tho Ohio Demo
cratic Ticket Three Years Abo
How He Old It.
tSrXCIAI, TELEQtAM TO TUB DISPATCH.
Columbus, April 27. The arbitrary re
moval of W. S. Cappeller, Commissioner
of Railroads and Telegraphs, without
the formality of a hearing, is creat
ing a great deal ot comment and
has been the ground work of a
number of charges which are made against
Governor Campbell. In the discharge of
Cappeller and the appointment of J. A.
Norton it is insisted that he did it for the
purpose of boosting his car coupler and
p'atcnt heating apparatus on railroads, and
also to secure a corrupt campaicn fund for
two years hence, which is usually collected
through this office. The office of Railway
Commissioner pava 2,000, and Norton re
signs the office of County Auditor, wbich
pays 51, 000, in order to accept.
Dnring the Gubernatorial campaign three
years ago, when T. E. Powell was the can
didate on the Democratic ticket and Cap
peller was chairman of the Republican State
Committee, Campbell and Cappeller were
close friends, and it has been privately
charged many times that Campbell did all
he could to defeat the Democratic candidate.
The following talk was had with Cappeller
this evening:
"You have been summarily removed for
dereliction of duty, etc., Mr. Cappeller?"
"Yes, and I hardly expected that Mr. Camp
bell would cut the guillotine string himself. I
had supposed that tho remembrance of our'
former association would have restrained
him."
"To what association do you refer!"
"Well, I let slip ihe word association. It may
not call for that friendly word, bnt our inter
ests wero identical during the Powell cam
paicn, and we worked harmonionsly together."
"Please explain."
"Pete Schwab and Congressman Campbell
wanted to run General Powell 1.000 behind his
ticket in Butler connty, and I helped them to.
no it, or rawer tney atsisiea me in electing
Foraker, so far as that county was concerned,
at least"
".Are you understood as stating that Governor
Campbell deliberately plotted to run tbe head
of the Democratic State ticket. General Thomas
K. Powell. 1,000 votes behind his ticket in
Butler county?"
"I hope you will always report as accurately.
Tbe programme was to defeat the Democratic
candidate for Governor and run him 600 votes
behind his ticket in Butler county. This ex
actly suited me as Chairman of the Republican
State Central Committee.and between Schwab,
Campbell and myself by arrangement wo de
livered the goods."
AN INSANE CLOCK
Has a Collar nnd Elbow Wrestling Match
With n Coal Hod.
rSPECIAL TELEGEAJl TO THE DISPATCH
Meecee, April 27. This community is
greatly excited over the story of a haunted
house near Jackson Center, about five miles
northeast of this place, and hundreds of peo
ple visited the spot yesterday and to-day.
Jesse Harrison, owner of the farm, died
about two months ago, leaving his wife, son
and two daughters living in the house.
About a week ago strange noises were heard
about the house, sometimes sounding as if
someone would walk downstairs, when the
sounds would cease and no one appear. On
Wednesday evening the supper table started
off without any apparent cause, and didn't
stop till it reached the corner of the room.
Miss Roberts, Mr. Shannon and Mrs.
Harrison left the room for a few minutes,
and on returning found the clock, vases and
everything on the mantel piled on the floor
and all the furniture upset Shannon put
the clock back and on turning around a mo
ment after found it again on the floor. The
coal in a hod behind the stove flew around
promiscuously without any 'visible cause.
Stones without number have been thrown
into the house and against the house and
barn, and all watching has failed to dis
cover the thrower.
Mrs. Runkle, a neighbor, who hooted at
the manifestations at first, now fully be
lieves that Harrison is back in the spirit,
while James and John McEIra, brothers of
Mrs. Harrison, have been present three or
four days watching events, but claim to be
entirelv at a loss to account for the strange
proceedings.
TVIND0M WILL CALL A HALT.
Tbe Administration Alarmed by tbe Larco
Importations of Contract Lnbor.
rfPICIAI. TELEGBAM TO THB DISPATCH. 1
New York, April 27. Word has been
received that Secretary Windom, if not ex
actly alarmed, is certainly agitated over the
importation of contract labor immigrants.
There is scarcely a labor organization
in the country which has not complained
that this administration is altogether too
loose in the methods by which the importa
tion of foreign contract labor has been con
trolled at New York City. These labor
unions have made it a question of politics
with the administration. Tbey protest that
there must be enough men appointed to pro
tect their interests or they will make it
warm for the Harrison administration.
Secretary Windom has issued orders that
vigilance must be exercised in scanning
the cargoes of steerage passengers who arrive
at this port every day an the week. From
this hour the federal official who does
not attend to this matter strictly will have
a hot time with the Secretary. Mr. Windom
himself is expected here almost any day to
give his personal supervision to carrying
out these instructions. From all that can
be learned, Harrison is alarmed at the free
importation of contract labor, and Secretary
Windom will be doubly vigilant because of
instructions from the White House.
POLITICS IX PAIETTE.
Thlntrf as Yet Arc n Little mixed The
Lending Candidates.
IBFECIAL TELEGBAM TO THE DIHPATCII.1
Uniontown, April 27. The contests for
the various party nominations for the county
tickets ate becoming exceedingly warm up
here, especially for County Treasurer on the
Democratic side, and for Register and Re
corder on the Republican side. The fight
for the nomination for County Treasurer is
not well defined, and is between Silas R.
Provins, of German township, and R. L.
Miller, of Springfield township.
John B. Miller, the present incumbent, is
again a Republican candidate for the nomi
nation of Register and Rcorder, but his op
ponent, L. E. Angell, ot New Haven, has
the lead by long odds so far, and will in all
probability be tbe Republican nominee.
Mr. Miller was elected on the one term ba
sis, and although he has made a good offi
cial, his party thinks he should step down
and out.
The Gubernatorial contest is fought very
shy of by both parties, both parties believ
ing it is not good policy to force their can
didate to the front for fear of trouble this
fall. But there Is a strong undercurrent at
work, and there may be trouble yet
DEATH IN THb MINE.
Ono Klllod and Three Fntnlly Injured In a
Michigan Sbnll.
Mabquette, April 27. Tamarack shaft t
No. 3, near the Red Jacket mine, was de
stroyed by fire this morning. John Will
iams, a pump man, the only one at the foot
of the shaft at the time, was burned to
death. In attempting to rescue Williams,
John Rowe was suffocated and John
Thomas so Badly burned that his recovery
is very doubtful.
Thomas was rescued by the bravery of
John Fentrost, who descended after him
into the burning shaft and also brought the
body of Rowe to the surface. Williams'
body was not recovered until 3 o'clock this
afternoon. The origin of the fire is a mys
tery and incendiarism is feared.
HAED COAL ROMANCE.
A Wealthy Owner of Anthracite Prop
erty Weds a Poor Girl to
PKEPAEE FOR THE RAMI DAI
When He May Be Obliged to Earn His
LiTing by Hard Work.
THE FAMILI OBJECT TEKI DECIDEDLY.
His Uncle Blacks an Eye, and Insanity Proceedings
are Instituted.
McDonald Shoemaker, of Wilkesbarre,
has just married a poor girl, after breaking
an engagement with an heiress. He is
wealthy, but afraid of reverses, and wants a
wife who will be of assistance in poverty.
The family is an aristocratic one, and the
protests against the match are very .vigorous.
rsrECIAI. TELEOBAM TO THE DISPATCH. !
Wilkesbabke, April 27. Tbe Shoe
maker family is one ot the oldest and
wealthiest in the anthracite coal region.
Their income from coal royalties alone
reaches 5250,000 a year. One of the
family is Mr. McDonald Shoemaker. He is
about 30 years old. His income from coal
royalties is about $20,000 a year. Six
months ago it was given out that he was
about to wed a daughter of a rich and aris
tocratic citizen residing on River street
His family viewed the match favorably,
and saw in an early marriage a new career
for the young man. All at once young
Shoemaker said he would not marry a girl
that was raised in the lap of luxury. He
had a terrible dread that he would one day
become poor and then his wife would be no
help to him.
A KOMANTIC DETERMINA1ION.
He proposed to marry a poor girl, who, in
the hour of adversity, if such an
hour came, could assist him in earning
his daily bread. Annie Lannon was
the girl he proposed to marry.
She was formerly employed as a house
keeper. When the Shoemaker relatives
heard of his intention they became highly
indignant, and the Court was petitioned to
appoint a commission to examine into the
young man's sanity, and the request was
granted.
The action of the relatives made Shoe
maker more determined than ever to marry
the girl of his choice. One day last week
he and the Lannon girl took a train for El
mira, where they were quietly married. On
Saturdav Shoemaker returned with his
bride. His purpose was to install the latter
in his mother's home ou Union street.
Shoemaker's uncle, John Harrower, was
in waiting. As soon as the bridal couple
put in an appearance Harrower took the
baggage, fired it into the street, and, when
Shoemaker attempted to enter the house the
uncle knocked him down, blackened his
eyes and kicked him into the gutter. Shoe
maker at once went before Mayor Sutton
and had his uncle arrested.
CAUSED GEEAT EXCITEMENT.
There is great excitement in aristocratic
circles over the affair. Uncle Harrower
says Mr. Shoemaker can degrade himself,
but not the Shoemaker family. The wife
will not be admitted to the family circle un
der any circumstance1!. The Dispatch
correspondent interviewed young Shoe
maker this evening. His left eye is still,
black and swollen from the beating.be re
ceived at the hands of his uncle. He said :
I don't see why the public or mv family
shonldbeso much interested in my a'fTairs. I
am 32 years old and able to take care ot myself.
I married tbe woman of my choice, and that is
all tbere is about it She is a good woman, re
gardless of what the gossips say. My ancle
wanted me to marry some lady of fashion and
means. Well, now, I know all about
such women. I was bom with a
silver spoon In my month myself,
and I tell you if tbe spoon is once withdrawn
the patient is helpless. That is tbe reason I
married my present wife. You know money
has wings, and I don't know how long I may be
as wealthy as I am at present. If misfortune,
comes I want to have a woman who can help
me to row against the tide. Tbe daughters of
our rich men are no help to a man who must
struggle for a living.
THE TEXAN FLOODS.
Tbo Aspect of Affairs is Growlne Daily
Worse on tbe Trinity River.
Dallas, April 27. The most destructive
flood ever known in the history of North
Texas is now passing through the Trinity.
The great rain ou Friday raised every
tributary of it fir out of their banks.
Yesterday and last night it rose rapidly and
at 10 o'clock this morning passed the highest
water mark in CO years. Iu front of this
city it is two miles wide, extending to the
foot of Flander's Height west and to Oak
Cliff south of the city. On the north all
residences from a 100 yards beyond Cochran
street are submerged, some to the second
floor and others to the attic.
Trains on all the railroads, the Pacific,
the Missouri Pacific, the Santa Fe and the
Greenville, were not running west, north or
south of the city to-day. Washouts are
reported all along their lines, but the worst
are immediately around the city.
News from the surrounding country is
bad. Small bridges have been destroyed by
the deluge. Indeed few are left. The de
struction of crops will amount to little or
nothing, for as soon as the water goes down
they will grow again. The storm of Friday
will be a memorable one. It extended
from the Indian Territory to the
Gulf and from Marshall to
Abilene. There was not a stream,
however small or great, that was not raised
high above its high water mark. At many
points thers were hurricanes of wind andone
genuine cyclone. Many houses were blown
down, but so far not a single life has been
reported lost. To-day a norther is blowing
and fires are quite a ifortable. To-morrow
we look for several feet additional water in
the Trinity, and, thank God, It goes into the
Gulf direct and not down upon unfortunate
Louisiana.
HUNGARIANS IN A ROW.
One of Tbem Narrowly Escnpes Being
Killed by Ills Fellows.
ISPECIAI. TELEGRAM TO TUE DISPATCH.
Bellefonte, April 27. What was near
ly another murder occurred here this after
noon. A few Hungarians, living in the
house ot the Bellefonte Furnace Company,
got to quarreling, when two or three jumped
on one of them and began to ptmish him
frightfully.
One of those hammering him drew a knife
and saying, "Let's kill him," started after
tbe fellow. The victim struggled, broke
away and ran, and notified the police offi
cers." He-was battered up pretty well, but
was not dangerously hurt He was locked
up to save him from his companions.
NEGLECTING TUE SOLDIER
Kesented by a Political Organization In
Erlo County.
rurECTAL TELEGRAM TO TUB DISPATCU.l
Ebie, April 27. There is a movement on
foot in Erie City and county to form a politi
cal party designed' to control nominations
and elections to offices in this county. The
canvas shows 2,000 in Erie connty.
The removal of Corporal Tanner first led
to the dissatisfaction among the soldier
element, and then Governor Beaver's ad
ministration in Pennsylvania and failure to
recognize old soldiers has had something to
do with the movement The organizers are
working secretly and are taking in the sons
of soldiers,
THE END OF THE WORLD.
Terrified Residents of Baltimore Thought
That tbe Time Ilnd Come Hall
Stones as Big ns Baseballs
A Severe felorra.
rrrzciAi. tki.eoham to the dispatch.:
Baltimore, April 27. A hailstorm
struck this city this afternoon, which,
though lasting only 15 minutes, did more
damage in that time than has any similar
visitation in many years. It came without
the slightest warning, the hour just prior to
the down pour being' pleasant, while the
sun was shining brightly. The air
suddenly grew black as midnight, and
the storm burst in all its fnry. With the
rain that fell in blinding sheets came hail
stones like baseballs, which plowed
through space like a shell, and striking an
obstruction, split into pieces, the fragments
flying in every direction. While the storm
lasted there was no cessation in this terrible
bombardment
Such hurrying for shelter was never seen
before. The streets, as usual on Sunday, '
were filled before the storm broke, but
within two minutes not a human form was
to be seen excecting on the street cars and
then only the drivers, the passengers being
huddled within and many crouching under
tbe seats. In the quarters inhabited by the
colored people the scene was at once comic
and dramatic. Many believed that the
world was coming to an end and leaving
their houses they dashed into the streets and
with their heads exposed to the elements
begged for mercy. "Salvation come at last,"
"de Good Master is here," "mercy, on us
sinners," and similar expressions rent the
air.
The damn ere to property, especially glass
ware, was immense. Scarcely a house in
the city with a western exposure escaped
having windows broken, and in many of
the cheaper buildings the roofs were split
wide open and the rain poured through,
destroying carpets and furniture. The
singular spectacle is presented throughout
the city to-night of paper coverings,
blankets, rags, etc., answering the purpose
of window panes. During the height of
the storm the fire bells sounded an alarm,
but the horses, shaking in every limb, re
fused to budge until forced. '
A SISTER'S CDRSE
Upon Her Death Bed lias Driven a Youns
Woman lo Insanity She Attempts
to Commit Suicide bv Hang
ing In a Prison Cell.
ISPECIAI. TELEGBAM TO THE DISPATCH!.:
New Y'OEK, April 27. Minnie W. Lewis,
who was locked up in the police station late
on Saturday night on a charge of insanity,
was fonnd unconscious in her cell at mid
night. She had tried lo commit suicide by
tying a handkerchief so tightly about her
throat that it nearly cut through the skin.
She was taken to the Harlem Hospital. She
is the young wife of Captain W. H. Lewis,
and her aunt said to-day that she had
manifested symptoms of insanity for only a
few days. Her sister died two months ago.
The aunt said that the sisters had never got
along well together, and that when the
vounger one, Florence Henshaw, wa3 on her
death bed they had words.
"You will die a horrible death," were
Florence's last words, so her sister says.
"This idea of a curse seems to have dis
turbed Minnie's mind," said her aunt
"She has an idea that somebody is going to
kill both herself and her friends. I was to
be killed, too, and she wanted me to go the
police station with her and surrender our
selves for protection. She hid her hus
band's razor under her pillow one night, but
he discovered it before she got a chance
to use it On Saturday .the got
up nt'G A. M. and went to make a visit and
to do some shopping. She had not re
turned at 6 P. M. and her husband went
after her. She would not return with him,
but sent him home, saving she would take
her own time. She did not come and we
heard at midnight that she was locked up.
She had lucid intervals and she was all
right when she left in the morning."
It was said at the hospital that she would
be over the effects of the attempted strangu
lation by to-morrow and she will be taken
to court She was very well behaved and
seemed anxious to get out. At times she
seemed perfectly sane, bnt she was laboring
under strong mental excitement. She is 23
years old.
SHATTEEED Bf A BALL OF FIEE.
A Mysterious Electrical Appearance Which
Was Not Like Ordinary Lightning.
rttrXCIAI. TELEGBAM TO THE DISPATCH.!
Long Branch, N. J., April 27. Dur
ing this afternoon's storm the 55-foot flag
staff' about 50 feet away from the life-saving
station on Sandy Hook, was struck by a
ball of fire as large as a barrel head. The
topmast and main span were shattered from
top to bottom. Surfman Joseph Riddle sat
at a window and saw the ball shoot from
tbe eastern skv, preceded by a bright white
light which illuminated tbe vicinity of the
station. Riddle noticed a black streak run
down the topmast, and the shell of fire
struck the mast with a report like that ot a
cannon.
It did not linger as balls of electric light
sometimes do, but disappeared like a flash
of lightning. No thunder or lightning bad
been heard or seen be'oreorafterward.and this
did not resemble lightning. Captain Jack
Edward3 and his crew were dumfounded.
The former believes it was a meteor, but it
left no trace. Two surfmen say tbey have
seen such fire nails at sea but never here
about The flagstaff was so thoroughly
shattered that it was easily pulled over by
means of the halyards.
GATE HIMSELF DP.
A Postoffice Clerk Goes A Tray From Home
to bo Arrested.
Trenton, April 27. United States Com
missioner Rowe was called upon at his
hotel here at a late hour last night by Cas
par Soer, chief clerk in the money order de
partment of the Newark postoffice. who
came to surrender himself as a defaulter in
the sum of about $5,000. Soer said he was
ashamed to deliver himself to the authori
ties in Newark, where he has a wife and
child, and where he has many friends who
hold him in esteem. His peculations date
back only to August last
JACE THE RIPPER'S RIVAL.
Ills Victims Turn TJp by Installments, bnt He
Remains Hidden.
Leavenworth, April 27. The missing
leg of the mutilated body of Mrs. Mittman,
who was murdered a month ago, was found
in the river to-day near the Planters Hotel.
The police are still hunting for Charles A.
Benson, the sun posed murderer.
The investigation of bis career shows that
he is an exile from Germany, whence he
escaped to America several years ago. He
was charged with blowing up his sister's
house and killing two of her children.
Some Against McKlnler's nill.
1SFECIAL TELEOBAM TO TUB DISPATCJ.1
Washington, April. 27. The corre
spondents of the New York Press have
made a canvass of the Republican Congress
men, finding that only 141 out of 169 will
vote for tbe McKinley tariff bill. The
number of bolters Is more than sufficient to
defeat the measure.
Born to Bad Luck.
New York. April 27. Pullman Canton
Fisher, aged 21 months, who was born in a
Pullman car near Canton, O., npset a cup
of boiling tea npou his head to-day and
died from his Injuries.
THREE CENTS
NT HOURS A DE
bJ
T7 ''a.
VT Local Employers and1
lo 'es on the May-
W Move
v$
FORFEWErf .JURS0FT0IL.
Great Diversity of Opinion as to Ite
Practicability.
SOME THINK THE IDEA TOO NEW,
While Others Sea Great Advantages in Its
Adoption.
EIGHTI-SIX CITIES TO TRY FOE IT
The views of a number of employers and
workingmen on the move to be made in
many places, Thursday, for an eight-hour
working day, have been collected. They
show a great diversity of opinion as to the
practicability of the propoposed shortening
of the laborers' hours of toil. No concerted
move is to be made in Pittsbnrg.
The eyes of the nation, or at least that
portion of it that takes any interest in trade
movement, are turned toward next Thurs
day, May 1. Upon that day there will be a
general movement in no less than 86 cities
of the United States for shorter hours, and
in 23 of the leading cities, exclusive of
Pittsburg, demands will be made that eight
hours shall constitute a day's work. The
Government has set the example, which the
workers of one of the country's greatest in
dustries are now endeavoring to follor.
Gcing on the principle that by the adoption
of an eight-honr working day employment
will be furnished to thousands of idle men,
the carpenters are taking up the fight with
the determination of winning, if it can be
done. They have quietly organized under
the jurisdiction of the American Federation
of Labor. The industrial conditions in the
various cities have been fully considered,
and stamping grounds have been selected
where it was thought victories would be
easiest.
It was at the St Louis Convention in
ISSSthat the American Federation of Labor,
then representing a membership of 500,000,
decided upon the date for the inaugura
tion of the movement This decision was
ratified by tbe Boston Convention last De
cember, and the work of agitation began.
Tbe Plan of Campaign.
An executive council was selected, and
after a consultation the United Brotherhood
of Carpenters and Joiners of America was
chosen as the trade to make the first de
mand. Alter this the United Mine Work
ers are to take the step, and so on until the
movement embraces the entile industrial
field.
Literature was circulated and mass meet
ings were beld all over the country for the
purpose of educatinc the public mind on
the importance of tin question. Capitalists
and employers of fatror, however, did not
regard the move with favor, but no great
effort was made to calm agitation or to pre
vent a suspension of business at the ap
pointed time.
The working hours in all departments of
the industrial field may be said to range
from 8 to 18. That this great gap can be
closed with one step, the Federation seems
to regard as practical. Manufacturers and
others argue that the object could have been
atta ined with less effort and fewer disas
trous effects on business by asking for a re
duction of half an hour each year, until the
desired point be reached.
However, the move ha3 been made. The
generals have giyen the command, and the
battle has begun.
The following are the cities iu which a re
duction of hours was demanded April 1:
Lvnn, Mass.;Des Moines, la.; Uniontown,
Pa.jNyack, N. Y.; Nevada, Mo.; Tiffin,
O.: Buckhannon, W. "Va.. and Rochester.
Pa. On April 7 Chicago demanded a strict
enforcement of the eight-hour rule and 40
cents per hour. On April 15 Indianapolis
asked for 35 cents per hour lor eight hours.
Battle Gronnds for Thursday.
The cities in which demands for eight
hours will be made on May 1 are: Detroit,
Boston. Winona, Minn.; Crawfordsville,
Ind.; Portland. Ore.; San Francisco, Cal.;
Oakland, Cal.; Louisville, Ky.;KnoxviIIe,
Tenn.; Worcester. Mass.; Jeannette, Pa.;
Seattle, Wash.; Whatcom, Wash.; East St
Louis, III.; New Albany, Ind.; Springfield,
III.; New York City, Almeda,. Cal.; San
Jose, Cal.; Omaha, Neb.; Duluth, Minn.;
Dorchester, Pa., and Bridgeport, O.
The nine-hour day will be inaugurated in
Bayonne, N. J.; Toronto, O.; Lafayette,
Ind.; Youngstown, O.; Elmira, N. Y.;
Binghamton, N. Y.; Fort Wayne, Ind.;
Lancaster, Pa.; Salem, Mass.; Pougbkeep
sie, N. Y.; New Haven, Pa.; Rochester. N.
Y.; Olean, N. Y.; Colorado Springs, Col.;
Lincoln, Neb.; Washington, Pa.; Lowell.
Mass.; Ottawa, Canada; Asheville, N. C;
Portland, Me.; Atlantic City, N. J., Au
burn, N. Y.; Punxsntawney, Pa.; New
Rochelle, N. Y.; St Joseph, Mo.; New
Cumberland, W. Va.; Taunton, Mass.; Salt
Lake City; Kearney. Neb.; Cleveland, O.;
Yonkers, N. Y".; Vicksbursr, Miss, (with
eight hours Saturdays); Schenectady, N.
Y.; St John, New Brunswick; Montreal,
Canada; Leominster, Mass.; ScottdalePa.;
Winnepeg, Manitoba; Syracuse, N. Y.;
Buffalo, N. Y. (mill men), and Bradford,
Pa.
The nnlons in Wheelingand Philadelphia
ask for an advance of 20 per cent
STUDYINGTHE MATTER.
LOCAL EMPLOYERS QUIETLY AWAIT
ING EVENTS.
Its Importance Not Forgotten, Though No
Local Move Is Being Binds An Eye Open
to tbe Future Some Think: It Can't bo
Done.
A number of leading manufacturers and
employer? of labor were interviewed by
Dispatch reporters. While there is no
particular local importance attached to the
movement, all manifest an interest in it,
and evidently feel that sooner or later it
will be a foremost question in Pittsburg,
The majority are alive to the importance of
the question, and are studying it from every
standpoint
The manufacturers spoken to were a unit
on one point They seem to regard the
eight-hour rule as an impractical scheme,
and various reasons are given, including a
lower rate of wages and an increased cost of
living. Most of them would be willing
that the men work eight hours a day if the
pay be regulated accordingly, but thev
would not concede to the proposition if ft
carries with it the old rate of wages.
Census Supervisor George T. Oliver ex
pressed some new ideas on the subject He
said: "If tbe movement becomes general,
and an eight-hour day is established. I do
not see how it is going to benefit the work
ing classes to any great extent As I un
derstand it, men now working nine hours a
day only want to work: eight, but will not
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