A Chapter of Life's Little Oddities STRANCE STORIES CARNEREO FROM DIVERSE SOURCES. A Boat en Wliwli, THE queerest ship that ever nailed Is n yacht ou wheels, n (trnceful lnndgolug clipper, that glides over the pathless stretches of nun-blistered plain, nod carries her plucky nnvlgators to nucl from their sold mine in the desert Solitary gold hunters who have seen her -white sails silhouetted against the bleak brown background tn their aim less wanderings, have brought to the outer world strange nnd ludicrous tales of phantom ship that sped by them like a bird on the wing. The spectacle of a trinvbullt craft such as ordinarily belongs to the sea. skimming over that barren expanse where not a drop of water ever falls might well alarm less superstitious persons. This vehicle was built by Charles S. and Cnrl II. Hoyt, brothers, of Cleveluud, Ohio, eight months ago, and has been constantly In use since, run ning thousands of miles. Her owners have n gold mine In the butte near the station of Rosamond, on the west ern border of the desert, nnd owln to the lnck of a suitable site they estab lished their camp nine miles away. Ba tween this place nnd the mine Is a re markable dry lake. Its surface Is a hard ns concrete, nnd swept ns stuootli as a tennis court by the sands forever driven over it by the fierce wind null ing down through the Teliacbepi Pass. While trudging wearily over this level tract, before a gale that almost blew TACRTIXO ON THE OCEAT DESERT. them off their feet, one of the Iloyti suggested that if they had a wugon with sails they might make the trip easier and quicker. This Mea was fol lowed out and with surprising suc cess. Speed Is the astonishing quality of the craft, nnd almost beyond belief. Time and again she has sailed fifty miles an hour on the dry lake In favor able winds. On the open desert she has been speeded up considerably, nnd once Is said to have made a straignt run of forty miles in eighty minutes. She answers her helm perfectly and sails about as "close" to the wind us the ordinary water craft of her size. A fast ride on "Desert Queen," amid surroundings more desolate than the lonely sea Itself, Is a thrilling nnd ex citing experience. You go dodging be tween the dots ot greasewood and cacti as you leave the camp for the solitude when the wind rises. These are familiar ccencs. nnd nt first you notice tbem. Then the wind grows stronger and the pace Bladder. You tic a string to your hat aud anchor it to your suspender; your handker chief Is whipped away from jour neck and goes sailing and writhing up end away away out of sight almost before you realize that It Is gene. The wiud here is different from any that ever blew in any other part of tbe world. The "Queen" la fairly tlyiug now. and but a little sail Is up. The air is tilled with sand aud pebbles as large as buckshot, and they pelt you hard; all around towering spirals of dust small t-ud of the spiral down go spriugiug across the plain, whirling up sand to feed the terrible storm that Is sweeping from the Sltrra Mndre Mountains to Death Valley. Wilder becomes the speed, and you hang ou frantically with both bunds aud find it hard to catch your breath. The man at the helm and the man hauling In canvas nre too busy to see ycu gasp and shiver, but nt last the sails are nil lowered, aud the wonderful voyage is elided. But then it has not begua to blow yet on the Mojave Desert! Thirty minutes later you could not stand anywhere on the ground over which you have passed without a post to Ulug to.' Scientific American. Trained Birds bare Cotton. ft haj been left for a plain, unodu catcd Western rancher, assisted by his wife, to make a discovery worfli mil lions to the people of the Southern Str.tes, where scientists have failed after yenrs of study ond many, costly experiments. This Texas farmer has come to the rescue of the cotrou planter witli an effectual remedy against boll worms. Boll means "sharpshooters" and nil other Insects that prey upon aud destroy growing cotton. G. Ti. Boswell has Just demonstrated t3 the distressed ranchers in the vi cinity of Falrlund, Texas, that he has found a way to protect their cotton from the pests that have been destroy. 1ng the crops for several years. He does not call his method a discovery, since, he says, ho has only used and trained and directed Nature's own forces agulnst one of the most Insatiate and destructive enemies that the South era farmer bus ever encountered. ; Boswell aud his young wife own a small ranch near Presidio, ou the Rio Uraude. Mr. Boswell and bis wife are 'accompanied by marly 2000 small birds of two varieties. About 1500 are white-winged sparrows, native of jW'estern Texas and New Mexico. The remainder of the flock is composed of Mexican cunarlcs. About 800 or 1000 of the birds were turned loose npon a field, of cotton of twenty acres. The Held was full of boll worusa. A flood of white wings descended cuiong the dying cotton, the birds till ing the air with thlrpj of battle. When a fly arose there .va a glitter of white feathers, followed by a chirp of tri umph as the bird seized and ground the niothei of a million of bull wjrus between Its sharp mandibles. Mr. Boswell aud his wif. walked about through the cotton patch, each currying a largo pan containing a liquid of rich fragrance, which Is on,j of the secrets of their business. The public bus not been made acquainted with the Ingredients of this sweet smelllug mixture. The birda are fond ot it, and they flew to the pans every Hew minutes. i J : -r .fter the birds had worked for n lit tle more than an hout Mrs. Boswell returned to cntnp and turned the re mainder of the flock loose upon the plantation. It took nearly three hours for the flock of birds to accomplish their work, nnd they seemed to kuow when their task was finished. After hopping about on the fence for a few moments they began to fly bark to the cam p. where they held high carnival In the trees. Many of them went Into n great cage, where they composed themselves, as If seeking rest. Others, apparently the younger birds, sought either to ease or win favors from their mistress. A flock followed her from place to place, as she moved About the camp, often perching upon her head and shoulders. The Let- Thet Listen. The comtuon lobster furnishes one of the best possible Illustrations of a curious principle that finds expression in the organization of animals whose body, like its own, is composed of a succession of segments with Jointed a p. pendages. The principle in question Is that the paired appendages of the different seg ments though all constructed upon the same plan, may become so modified iu form ns to be adapted to the discharge of the most diverse functions. One of the strnugest aud most unex pected of the uses to which we could Imagine a leg as being put is that of nu oii.iu of hearing. Vet such seems to be one at least of the fuuctiou cf the forelegs iu the cricket and some other allied insects. On the outer side of the tibia a small oval space may be seen iu which the strong armature which covers the rest of the body is reduced to a thiu nnd membraneous condition, making thus a sort of. wiudow or drumhead. Commuaic.itiutf with this, inside the leg. are the ends of a nerve, and It cau hardly be doubted therefore that the whole apparatus constitutes an auditory oraau, so that If these legs were amputated the insect would be come deaf. When oue remembers that crickets Incessant chirrup being a most shrill .ire anions the noisiest" of insects, their aud peuetrntiug sound, It cannot be considered strange that distinct or gaus of hearing should also le pres ent; the sound producer implies the sound receiver; the two functions are complementary; hut still It Is remark able that the foreleg should have been selected as the most suitable site for this important sense. Ttie Power of the Flood. This striking photograph, reproduced from the Straud Magazine, shows a length of rail which w:is wrenched by floods from the permanent way ou the railway in the Rockies, near Crape creek. Col., nud twisted around twe tree j ia th? CLtrr.oruiucry tucuj-.r ShjWQ. A Hugo Top. One of the greatest novelties to At tract the wonder-loving visitors tj the Louisiana Purchase Exposition will he a huge top 400 feet high. It will resemble la appearance the old-fashioned "peg top," familiar to every boy. The entire "top" will be built of steel. In the centre there will be a stationary shaft up and down which tiie elevators will run. Each tiojr will revolve around the shaft, alternately lu opposite directions. All the sides will be opei- to the air, so that a view of flip eutire exposition grounds will be possible. The total floor space, accord lug to the figures, will be 140,000 square feet, of which 100.000 will go to siib-coucessions. It la expected that this novelty will prove a greater at traction than tho l-'errls wh:el ct Cul case ...,; .Vj..? CecmcJ Drowujtl, Eat LivoJ. Oac of tiie most remarkable caoes or the resuscitation of an uppareutly drowned pet-nun has lust been rer arted to the life saving service from the sta tion ou llerrord lulot, Acgleser., N. J. A three-yea; -old boy named franle Holuie.i w.-.j U; ped t'rcu a. boat 1.1 a squall. The other u.nbers cf t m party wero unable tj save the Lor. uud Ln n n.. luully under watei for iweuty-nve nta utes before he was tnkou tut by the life saviug crew. He was uppurently ucad wt:;i brought to shore, but the crew end two Ullt-sea wlm h:innonel t ha n-i bund went to work upon liiin. In for tynve minutes be gasped, uud In oue hour aud a half after work was com menced be breathed fully. In four hours be became fully conscious. ' Sewed Vp the Ueart, Do Rossi, a Venetiun gondolier, the hero of oue of the boldest a'ld as was first believed, most successful opera tions kuown In the nnuala of BlirirAr la dead, suys a Roue gpeclul lu t U j Paris nlesseuger. De Rossi was stabbed in the of a quarrel with a fellow gondolier, aua tne Knire actually pierced the heart. An however, De Rossi was atill living when he reached the hospital, De Velo. the surgeon reenlveil in at. touipt to sew up the heart. This he did successfully, ana tue sick uiaa bade fair to recover, till a relapse occurred. An autoosv is to 1 htbl but titu doctors declare that death was in n way due to the operation, but to in. fectioo produced by the knife will) which Da Rossi was stabbed. vTS: -ski . sketch of "bob white" t BIRD WHICH BRINGS GREAT WEALTH INTO THE SOUTH. fhe Pertrlilee. or Quell. Makes Her Nesl ttenaath Rom Bueh or Grass Cluster The Young Run as Snon as Hatched A Clear, Ringing Whistle. Trofessor T. Gilbert Pearson, of Greensboro, author of "Stories of Bird Life," contributed to the Atlantic Edit rational Journal the following sketch of the partridge or quail (collnns vlr glnianus), sometimes called the "Bob j White." Says Mr. Pearson: This bird probably brings more . wealth Into the Southern States than does any vthcr one species of the feathered trllie. They are such uni versal favorites among sportsmen that thousands of men journey to the South each winter to shoot them. In travel, in the building of clubhouses, In the employment of numbers of trainers aud guides, hundreds of thou sands of dollars are annually put Into circulation. Besides this, the hunters usually pny the land-owners for the privilege of gunning on their prem ises. It is a universal custom over large areas of the South for the sports- meu regularly to pay the taxes on the land for the sole privilege of shooting en It. In Guilford County. North Car olina, over $7000 was paid In taxes the tracts of this character. More than twice this sum was paid by the sports men to trainers, wardens aud cooks, i Whatever maj be said against this system by lovers of birds, there are some things which can of a surety be said In Its favor. The sportsmen who pay for the privilege of bunting, em ploy wardens to keep away the hetero geneous throng of local gunners, many ot whom are pot hunters, and some even who frequently spend their time , in shooting "for fun" every niocklug bird. spnrrow, thrush or woodpecker j which may happen to appear. Sports men hunt only during a small period of the year, and their killing, as a rule, ; does not cause any extensive losses to ! the birds. In winter, when severe ' weather renders difficult the task ! which the birds have of obtaining their food, it is the custom of the sportsmen to have the snow scraped away at dif ferent places about the fields nud bush els of peas, wheat nnd cracked corn j put out for them. The partridges soon j learn these places, nnd come here reg ularly for the food so kindly spread . for them. Nor are they the only birds which profit by this generosity. - Many ! other grain nnd seed eating birds en- Joy these opportunities and gather at these wonderful spots of plenty. Quan tities of the little feathered people are thus tided over periods of temporary famine. It Is a matter of common ob servation that in sections where this taxpaying system has leon put Into practice the number of partridges are cn the increase. The partridge makes her nest on the ground beneath some bush or grass cluster, nnd there deposits her handful of pure white eggs, the beauty of which Is soon marred by the stains from the dead grass blades on which they rest. The number of eggs laid In a nest va ries from twelve to twenty. The youug are able to run almost as soon us hatched. Oue of the most interest ing experiences of our fields In summer is to discover a family of bob-whites, the young of which are as yet unable to fly. The parents nt once fain lame-li-'ss, and, with cries of distress, flut ter along the earth before the Intruder, adroitly seeking to draw him from the vicinity. Ia many regions two broods of young nre reared iu a season. These families usually unite after the second brood appears. Sometimes two pairs of partridges will combine their fami lies, aud all feed for a time together. I have seen as many as sixty of these bird3 together In the woods, and have observed three sizes of youug accom panied by old birds. The food of the partridge In summer consists of many kinds of grasshop pers, moths, bugs aud other Insects, to gether with any grain which may be picked up about the fields. In winter the birds frequent swamps aud creek bottoms to gather berries from the bushes, and venture Into the fields on excursions for weed seeds nnd such grains of wheat and corn as may have been left on the ground at harvest. The partridge Is a cheerful bird. His clear, ringing whistle iu spring time, which he produce In culling, to his mat1, is oue of the most characteristic notes of our meadow laud. Ia the au tumn and winter be seldom whistles, except when giving the "scatter call" with a view of reassembling the disu nited family after some sudden fright. These birds are easily trupped, and vast numbers of them are captured thus each year nnd sold in the local markets for food. If not unduly per secuted these little heu-llke birds may survive the destructive influences of civilization long after many other forms of feathered life have eeaffd to eVtlst. For, although they ure shot and trapped so universally by man. they have also been relieved of many of their liuturnl enemies by the same cause, and the broad nVlds of grala a.Tird them food and cover which the u-iclearej vildncss coi.ld never fur nish. lie IVas un Immune. A sallow-faced, fevered-looking man of tulrty-flvo called at the orhce of a Brooklyn hospital aud asked to be ac cepted as a patient. "What is your occupation?" asked ha doctor, after cxainl.iln the patient. "I am an Immune." "Immune from what?" "from yellow fever. I am employed bj a firm doing business in Porto Rico. My employer prefers people who are la no danger of catching the diseuse. He Is afraid of getting It himself, so he tcok me on because I nu safe." "But you are suffering from yellow fever, my frleud." "I kjuow," answered the fevered im mune. "Can't you call the disease by some Latin name? My boss is the big gest crunk you ever saw. If be finds out the nature of my illness he'll dis charge me." New York Co:uiaurclul Advertiser. Assume Prosperity, look prosperous nnd the world will take you nt your own valuation New i'orlc Pies. CURIOUS FACTS la ancient Egypt guests nt a great house were anointed with perfumed oil by the servants of the establishment aa a murk ot respect. Husband .n Lunenburg, Prussia, must be home at 11 o'clock nt night, or pny a line of about $2.50, hnlf of which goes to the complainant, who Is usually the wife. Ceylon Is the home of the largest spider lu the world. This web-splo. ulng monster lives In the most moun tainous districts ot that rugged island, and places his net, measuring from Ave to ten feet !n diameter, across the chasms nud fissures In rocks. The exhibition of cinematograph pic tures showing the operation recently performed ou the Hindu twins, Rucllca nud Doodicn, has aroused a storm of disgust in Vienna. The pictures show nil the horrors of the dissecting room, and the dreadful contortions of the limbs when under the knife. Dr. Schroeder, the German entomol ogist, tells of a striking case ot aut In telligence. He placed some sticky fly paper in front of nu anthill, where the ants would have to pass over it. They did not fall Into the trap, how ever, but brought grass, sand, etc., nnd strewed them on the sticky surface, thus making a bridge over which they could puss. Iu some of the central and south western provinces of Russia the peas ants observe n curious custom nt the beginning of the summer. All the in habitants of each village collect nil the eatables available, each household con. tribtiting something, aud the good things thus obtained are carried out iuto the fields and burled In a deep pit. It appears that this Is a ceremony which baj been observed for many cen turies, and was originally meant to coucilitnte the god under the earth who controlled the growth ot the crops: TheWeatlier Man's Perquisites. "I have Just served sixteen sub poenas on Uncle Sam's wenther man." said a process server at the County Court House the other day. "and hand ed him sixteen half dollars to legalize the command that he appear to give evidence in that many cases, aud six tten dollars to enforce the direction that ho bring the weather records along. "Do you know, .he is much In de mand ns a witness? There nre hun dreds of cases, especially In the acci dent aud negligence actions In the City Court, iu which It is necessary to prove what was the state of the weather at the time of the accident, cud obviously the man to give that information to the Jury Is the observer of the local weather station, for he has the records made at the time to show indisputably whether it was raining or whether the sun was shining. "Sometimes, this duty keeps the weather man on the Jump. I have known him to give testimony in six or eight cases In a day nud to earn witness fees far in excess of his salary. I presume these fees are his perquisites and I kuow that the lump sum iu a year is a handsome amount." New York Times. The Truck Dog, ITe was n dirty, scrawny dog, but lie maintained the digulty of his standing, or running, lu fact, in dogdom. He might have been white nt oue time, with his black spots defined sharply, but circumstances evidently had com pelled au existence that In recent years had not permitted a bath other than that provided by falling rain, and the indications were that he had not taken advantage of opportunities in that re spect frequently. He was trotting along under a truck I hat crossed Fulton street at n busy hour of the day. He glanced neither to the right nor to the left, but kept his gaze on the heels of the horses in front. If he had been a coach dog he would have been under the axle of the front wheels, but, being a truck dog, ho was under the war axle. Whether he had been trained to trot there ns a pro tector of the tall end of the truck from the exasperating urchins of the street, or had of his own volition dropped back to a rear position as a concession to the difference between a coach dog and a truck doa, the chron icler knoweth not. At any rate, he knew his duty, and ho was doing it. New York Times. A Peer's Serenity. Mr. W. I.. Jacksou, M. P., who now becoukn) a peer, is remarkable for a slow, measured utterance nnd nu lm pertubable serenity. When he was Chief Secretary for Ireland he bullied the pertinacity of Nationalist members at question time by repeating, In reply to supplementary questions, the an swer which he lind Just read to the question ou the paper. Thus: "The hou. member cannot have noticed the tin tu re of my reply to the hou. membet for . My answer wus ," aud then he would read it aguin. Occasion: ally Mr. Jacksou would get as far as a fourth or a fifth repetition, and would carefully state, to the general amuse ment, the number that he bud reached. Ail this was done with a perfect free I'.om from Impatience and a masterly deliberation that were fully appre ciated by a laughter-loving House. Loudon News. The Cold Sptll or 179S, Cold and wet us that year has bceu up to the present it lugs far behlud the severity of 1705. In a little book pub lished In 1814, from a meteorological Journal kept at Edmonton, It Is record ed tbiit on June 13, 1705, the night was so severe that numbers of sheep which had beeu shorn perished through the cold, sixteen dying near Reading, many more near Weymouth, while on Salis bury Plalu the loss was very great, On Juue 18 tho accounts were much mors serious; at Broad Chalk, nearly 200 perished, and at Steeple Langford, the greater part of which suffered from a great hailstorm. At Windsor, on the 19th, it suowed for about three-quar ters of an houi between 2 and 3 o'clock In the morning, aud 100 sheep died In Windsor Forest. At Edmoiit jii. on the name date, 2.-!0 Indies of rain fell with Iu tho twenty-four hours. London Chronicle. . New York City. Each season brings lome Dew and attractive style of kl nono dressing sacque which differs lllghtly from Us predecessors, and Is LlDtRS' NEGLIGEE TOILET. welcomed by women who delight In ;ool, comfortable garments. The tllus tratlou shows a charming Japanese incque made of violet China silk with purple satin rlbbous and plain white Ilk trimmings. It Is simply adjusted with shoulder and under-arm seams, and fits well on the shoulders, but is very loose around the hips. The front Is cut low and quare, a full vest of white silk falling gracefully from a band of ribbon at the lower edge of the decolletuge. A broad sailor collar completes the neck and Is a pleasing addition. The sleeves are shaped with inside seams July, fit the upper arms aud flare in ivlde bells at the wrists. Bands of road and narrow ribbon are cffectlve !y applied on collar, sleeves and vest. The petticoat Is made with five gores, fltted smoothly around the waist and iver the hips without darts. The ful ness at the centre back Is arranged lu in underlying pleat at each side cf the closing. These pleats are flatly pressed lud present a very plain appearance, but add to the flare at the bottom. FANCY WAIST AND The petticoat Is made with an InvlsU ble belt of circular shaping. Tbe low er edges ot the gores ure cut lu poluts l nd Uuished separately with a baud ot tace outlining tne points. Tbe flounce of lace Is gathered and adjusted on the skirt, flaring stylishly at the floor. Beautiful uuderskirts are made of white taffeta or wash silk with lace or embroidered silk flounces. Some have two flounces of tbe same' depth applied on oue upper. To make the kimono In the medium size will require two aud three-quarter yurda of tweuty-seveu-luch muteriil, with one yard of contrasting material for collar and vest. To make the petticoat In the medium size will require Ave yurds of thlrty-six-luc'b materiul. '' A btyllill Costume. The costume Illustrated lu the large drawing Is made of white muslin Ugured with large pink und yellow roses. It Is mounted on a pale pluk satin lining and trimmed with white inuusseliue de sole uud luce. The waist is made over a glove-fitted, fcathcrboued foundation tbut closes In the centre front. The buck fits smooth V across the Bhoulders and is drawn down closely to the belt, where the ful ness is arranged iu amall pleats. The full vest Is permanently attached to the right lining aud closes Invisibly on the left. It Is gathered at the neck, 'which Is cut slightly low aud finished with a band of lace. A soft drapery of chiffon is arranged around the neck and along tbe sides of the vest, fasten ing uuder a narrow baud. Tbe edges of tbe full fronts below this trimming are finished with luce. The belt la made of rose pink panne and fastens tn front with a fancy buckle. The sleeves are shaped with Inside oeams only, have comfortable fulness on the shoulders and are gath ered at the lower edge, where they are adjusted on narrow elbow ' bunds. Plestlngs ot moussellne form a duluty Jlulsb. The seven gores In tbe skirt are well proportioned and fit smoothly around the waist The closing la made Invist bly at the centre back under two In verted pleats that are flatly pressed t present a perfectly plain appearance. A deep circular flounce Is applied in pointed outline, flaring stylishly at the lower edge, but the deep flounce may be. finished to form Its lower portion If preferred. The flounces are of chiffon, edged with lnce. Bands of lace that finish the upper flounce cross at the points and provide an attractive finish. To make the waist In the medium she will require oue nnd one-quartet yards of forty-four-lnch mnterlnl, with five-eighth yards of contrastlug mate rial for vest nnd trimming. To make the skirt lu the medium size will require seven yards of forty-four Inch material. The Newest Combs. The newest combs to confine the hair are made of the purest flawless ivory, and are shown among the latest Purls novelties. A duluty design In gold is lightly sprinkled with Jewels, and rests upon a band, broad or narrow, showing above the prongs of the combs, and the little slides that keep In place short, straylug hair above the nape of the neck are ornamented lu like manner. Many classic bands for confining tbe hair nre shown, aud, worn with many of the Grecian robes and statuesque draperies, nre exceedingly artistic. But nothing Is more lovely in hair orna meiits than the Jeweled Ivory combs lu blond or golden balr. Just as amber Is for the bruuette. A Favorite Combination. Among the favorite combinations are black nnd white and green and white, both ot which nre effective. In tbe new foulards these combinations are noticeable, white grounds with black spots, and, again, white grounds with green foliage designs. The latter are prettiest trimmed with black guipure edglug, a flounce of net or one ot white or ecru guipure. A Novelty In Fans. Quite a novelty In fans is a beauti ful one lu ostrich feathers; it is Egyp tian In shape, mounted on tortoise SEVEN GORED SKIUT. shell, aud when shaken opens out like a leaf. For Very Warm Weathar. Elbow sleeves are a new feature Id shirt waists for very warm weather, and add au airy, cool appearance to the plainest kind of a blouse. Iu the waist Illustrated pale yellow organdie Is trimmed with ecru lace. The back Is drawn smoothly across the shoulders, and dlspluys tine gathers at the waist. The fronts arc full at the neck, aud blouse stylishly over the nurrow belt. They close Invisibly be neath the centre box pleut that Is cov ered with lace. A transparent lace collar complete the neck and fasteus in tbe centre SHIRT WAIST WITH ELBOW BLMVBS. back. The sleeves are full putts that are gathered on the edges and com pleted with flaring pointed cuffs. A bund of bluck velvet ribbon conceal tbe seam, und ties in a small bow at the back. To make tho waist for n miss four teen yenrs will require one and oue half yards ot thlrty-slx-bucb material. COMMERCIAL REVIEW. OcDtrsI Trade Conditions. New York, Aug. I. Bradstreet't to' morrow will say: Trade U quiet, while attention is con-, centrated on crop and industrial deveW' opments. Generally lower pricei for farm products point to the former being largely favorable. Though weather con ditions of late have been more favorable, effects of earlier backward weather have not been effaced or repaired. Ai for the fall and winter outlook, however, the best i predicted. In industrial af fairs the outlook is certainly satisfac tory. The iron and steel situation is still largely a strong one, but isolated examples of weakness are in sight. The railway situation is one of the best in years, and the outlook as to tonnage is a flattering one, marred only by the prospect of car shortages later on, re-, during or curtailing industrial opera-. tions. Fiscal year earning returns are exceptionally good, and it is probable that taken as a whole the railway tarn-' ingt for the half year will exceed 1901. Cotton has weakened quite steadily on reports of good growing crop condi tion, though rain and flood damage re ports from Texas helped to steady prices on some days. Dry goods trade reports are quiet. Some improvement is noted at Eastern markets, but the fall jobbing trade proves to be later than usual in arriving. Some weakness in sheetings and other cottons is noted in wholesale circles. Hardware is active, especially for building. The igoi record of building" will be surpassed this year. Lumber is stronger and higher at the West and is recovering from summer dullness at the East. Receipts, and shipments are far ahead of last year at all points. Wheat including flour exports for tha week ending July 31 aggregate 3-883.384 bushels, against ,1,oSo,oX; last week and 6.663.391 in this week last year. Wheat exports since July 1 aggregate 18,153,840 bushels, against 26,201.038 last season. Corn exports aggregate 28.405 bushels, against 79,6 1 1 last week and 563,604 last year. For the fiscal year corn exports are 487,810, against 7,727.647 last season. Business failures for the week ending July 31 number 168 as against 178 last week, 160 in this, week last year, 173 in t9oo, 156 in 1899 and 189 in i8y8. LATEST QUOTATIONS. Flour Spring cleur, $3 lOafl-IO; beat Patent, f4.50; choice Family, f3.75. Wheat New Yor)i No. 2. 77Ko; Philadelphia No 2, 73a73H c; Baltimore No 2, 7;)Wo. Corn New York No. 2, 64c; Phila. delphiu No. 2. 6inGW; Baltimore No. C80. Oats New York No. 2, 64c; Philai ilelphla No. 2, 05c; Baltimore No 2, 64o. Hay No. 1 timothy, 19.00nl9.50 No. 2 timotbv. 18.00ald.OO; No. 3 tim othy Il7.00ai7.50 Green Fruits and Vegetables. Beets, Native, per bunch lo. Blackberries, Eastern Shore, per quart, OhOc. Cab bageNative per 100 $1.00b3.00; Vakefiold, per 100, tj.00u8.00. Cantaloupes Horulu, per crate OOci $1.00. Cucumbers Charleston, per bas ket 12u20c; do North Carolina, 12a20 Eggplants, Native, per basket 55ati0o Iiuckelberries, per quart (ja7o. Let ture, Native, per bushel box 40u&0a Ouions, New, per busket 80u90o. Peaches, Florida, per enrrier fl.00al.50 Piueapples, Florida, per crate, $1.75 2.50. String beuus, pur bushel, green, 25u30c; wax, 30a40o Tomatoes, Poto mac, per six-buBkHt currier, fuuoy, 35 a40o do, fair to good 20u25o. Potatoes, Norfolk, per brl. No 1, 1 OOnl 25; do, seconds, 75ca$l 00; do, culls, 50u75c; do, North Carolina, per brl, No 1, $1 OOul 25. Butter, Bepurntor, 2iu23c; GathereJ oroam, 21u2o; prints, 1-lb 25a2Cc; Hulls, 2-lb, 25u2ti; luiry pts. Md., Pa., Va., 23u24c. Eggs, Fresh-laid eggs, per dozen, lHul7o Cheese, Large, 60-lb, lOalOo; me dium, 36-lb, 10,Stnl0x; piouioe, 22-lb lOjtfalOWo. Live Poultry, H8ns, 12Xal3o; old roosters, euch 25o30c; spring chickens, 12al3Xo, young stags, 12ul2Ho. Uuoka 13al4e. Hides, Heavy steers, association and salters, late kill, GO-lbs and up, close se lection, UKal-.'.c; cows uud light steers 9u9Ho. Provisions and Hog Products. Bulk cleur rib sides, 12H'c; bulk shoulders, 10,Vc; bulk bellies, 13c; bulk ham butts, 10c; bacon cleur rib sides, 13o; bacon shoulders, 113c; sugar-cured breusts, llo; sugar-cured shoulders, llo; sugar-cured California bams, HHo; hums cauvased or uuennvased, 13 lbs. and over, HHc; refined lard tierces, brls aud 50 lb oau, gross, HHc; retiued lard, ' second-hand tubs, llho; reft nod lard, hulf-burrels and new tubs, llo. Live Stock. Cbicago, Cattle, Mostly 10al5o lower, good to prime steers 8 00a8 25; medium 94 7Su7 70; stookers uud feeders f 2 50 a5 25; cows, $1 50a5 50; heifers f 60a 6 50; Texas-ted steers $4 75a5 75. Hogs, Mixed and butohers 17 05u7 90; good to ohoioe, heavy 7 75u7 95; Sheep, sheep and lambs slow to lower; good to ohoioe whethers f,.) 75a4 25; Western sheep 2 50u3 75. r East Liberty, Cattle styady; cboloa $7 50u7 80; prime 7 00a7 25. Hogs, prime heavy (8 05u8 10, mediums 98 00; heavy Yorkers 97 95u8 IX). Sheep steady, Beat wethers 94 15u4 30 culls and com mon 91 80a2 00; choice lambs 95 25a5 GO. LABOR AND INDUSTRY There is a ureat demand Cor skilled laborers of all kinds at Ogden, Utah. Union furnacemen at Culberson, Ohio, have received a 10 per cent advance. Wages Of Northumberland (Eng.) miners have been further reduced .1 .va per cent under the regulations of tha conciliation board. Definite steps toward organizing tha railroad employees of Louisville, Ky., into a branch of the United Brother hood of Railway Employees have been taken, . Unskilled laborers are very scarce at Cincinnati, Ohio. The wages have gone un from $1.35 to $J a day. and even to $2.25. The city is paying $1.75 a day of eight hours and many jobs nave gone begging. Farmers in Ontario, Canada, find it difficult to obtain help, even though $1.75 a day and board is offered. Crops will suffer in consequence of scarcity of farm laborers. ' Stonemasons at Burton-on-Trent came out on strike recently for an ad vance in wages from 8 t-a pence to 9 i-a pence an hour and for modification in the working rules. At Winnipeg the Manitoba Depart nicnt of Agriculture tias ascertained from the crop correspondent! through out the province that there will ibe a large number of men required this year for the harvest. t
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers