urn.
VOLUME 7.
McCONNELLSKUKG, PA., APRIL 11, 19()(.
NUMUEH 2?)
TRIP THROUGH CALIFORNIA
A Description of Lake Tahoc, Which is
Said to be One of the Most Beautiful
Mountain Lakes in the World.
(iRAND SCENERY OF SIERRA NEVADA
(Continued from lust wcrk )
We gave up ou r sleeper at Rock
lin, where we stopped over night.
This village lies at the base of the
foothills and operates valuable
granite quarries, but has few at
tractions or accommodations.
From Rockiin to Sacramento,
about twenty miles, is a stretch
of the prettiest farm country we
have seen in California. It is
gonily rolling, and resembles
some pai'ts of the Cumberland
valley, or southeast Pennsylvania.
These were theoncefamrus wheat
fields of California now much
exhausted, but more wise'y culti
vated. With no summer nor fall
rains the roads and everything
else get dusty and grimy. But
there is very little wind to dis
turb the dust or to temper the
mid day summer heat, reaching
the 1-0 degrees in the shade at
times.' The enervating summer
limit of this great valley of the
Sacramento and San Joaquin riv
ers, is its greatest objection,
i.side from the necessity of irri
gating in the greater part of it.
The valley is four hundred miles
long by forty wide, and except a
narrow gap at San Francisco, it
is completely enclosed by the
Sierra Nevada mountains on the
cast, and the Coast Range on the
vost. The ocean breezes rush
through the opening in the Coast
mountains at San Francisco, to
aud from the great superheated
inhnd plain like the respiration
oC some giant creature. This
supplies to San Francisco and vi
cinity the ozone and oxygen for a
strenuous life, for those who have
sound throat and lungs; but the
air carries too much molsturo for
weak Jungs or throat. These
breezes upon entering through
this portai into the great valley,
fan out, northward up the Sacra
mento, and southward up the San
Joaquin rivers; but their modify
ing influences are soou lost in the
heated interior. Many of the val
ley people seen the coast during
the hottest weather; others go to
the mountains. Any climate one
may desire can bo found within a
short distance; and when we con
sider the 'range of products in
fruits, cereals and vegetables,
with its timber and miuerals in
the mountains, it is surely des
tiued to become a great country.
Mruntains and deserts take up
much of California, but it is a
large state. Have you ever stop
ped to think how largo? It is
not altogether lack of knowledge,
but often lack of application of
our knowledge thatleaves us with
out more accurate ideas and men
tal pictures of a place. Few peo
ple realize that California is larg
er than all of New England to
gether, with New York, New Jer
sey and Ohio, and has a range of
over seven hundred miles of lati
tude, with an altitude from 203
foet below to nearly 15000 feet
above sea level. It has two sea
sons, wet, corresponding to win
t)r, and the summer season in
which therS is no rainfall, except
1 cal thunder storms in the his:h
mountains. No lightning, cy
clones, tornados, snows nor ice
disturb the people of California,
unless you seek them up on the
mountains, where all of them are
found on a grand scale. Annual
rainfall varies gradually from
about ten inches in the south to
4li inches in t he north, aud 100 or
more on the mountain tops, where
much of it is preserved la snow
until late in the summer, supply,
ing water for the atreams and ir
rigating ditches.
I will endeavor to tell yon In
another letter of this particular
part of California, as It impresses
me. We are all weH. We trust
Mr. Peck has fully recovered from
the grippe, and extend our best
wishes to ail friends and readers
of the ' News."
O li, Cline,
LongHt-ash, Cflif.
CAMPAIGN EXPENSES.
For What Purposes a Candidate May
Spend Money.
There are many inquiries as to
what are legitimate election ex
penses under the corrupt practices
act passed at the recent extra ses
sion ot the legislature. The act
defines them as foltows :
1. For printing aud traveling
expenses and personal expenses
incident thereto, stationery, ad
vertising, postage, expressage,
freight, telegraph, telephone and
other public messenger ervice.
2. For dissemination of infor
mation to the public.
3. For political meetings, de
monstrations and conventions,
and for the pay and transporta
tion of speakers.
4. Fo.r the rent, maintenance
and furnishing of offices.
5. For the payment of, clerks,
typewriters, stenographers, jan
itors and messengers actually
employed..
0. For the employment of
watchers rt primary meeting aud
elections to the number allowed
by law.
7. For the transportation of
voters to and from the polls.
8. For legal expenses, bona
fide, iucurred in connection with
any nomination or election.
There are the authorized ex
penditures, candidates or treas
urers of political comrnittiees are
forbitideu to pay, give or lend, or
agree to pay, give or leud either
directly or indirectly any money
or other valuable things tor auy
nomination or election expeuses
whatever, save as declared in
these eight exceptions. Consid
erable latitude is allowed as may
bo seen. Alt the expenditures
permitted are perfectly legiti
mate, however. There are some
things that both candidates and
political committees must do, and
there is no purpose in the law to
interfere with anything that may
bo proper to promote the inter
ests of a candidate or party. The
purpose is to prevent the corrupt
use of money in politics, to pre
vent the purchase of support
through bribery, either with mon
ey or other valuable thing, such,
for instance, as the promise of a
future office, ifrput in more def
inite form the principles of acts
which have been in existence for
many years.
The new law provides for an ac
counting by which the candidates
and the treasurer of the party
committee must state under oath
just how much money has oeen
expended and give the details of
such expenditure. In fact the
statement must bo item'zed, and
the law states very clearly what
are legitimate expenses. Further
more: every expense account in
curred by a candidate for a State
office must be filed with the Sec
retary of the Commonwealth, and
candidates for other offices must
file with the Clerk of the Court of
Quarter Sessions.
Chief Clerk Thorn has now in
course of preparation blanks to
be sent to all candidates for State
office, including Senators and
Members of the House of Rep
resentatives, , and they must all
file their accounts which will bo
open to public inspection. These
blanks will be forwarded to can
didates from the department,
Harrisburg, and those for couuty
offices must be supplied by the
County Commissioners.
Qoodbye, and Welcome Home.
Rev. J. V Adams and family
will leave for their pew home at
Newport, Pa., on Thursday morn
ing. It is with much regret that
wo part with those good people;
after a pleasant three years stay
wilh us.
Rev, Grimes, the uewly appoint
ed pistor, will reach here in time
to preach on Sunday next. We
bespeak for bim a warm welcome.
Ernest Greathead and sisters,
Misses Carrie, Fannie and Elsie
arrived home during Friday and
Saturday, in answer to a sum
mons to the death bed of their
lather, George W, Greathead.
CHARLES W. DEAVER'S LETTER.
Description of the Country from St. Paul
to North Battleford, Canada.
Df.au Editor 1 will drop you
a few lines for your paper, giving
your readers a brief description
of my trip up in the Canadian
northwest. 1 started from Car
roll county, III., on Tuesday morn
ing March 27th, over the C. B. Q.
road to St. Paul, arriving there at
12:30 from Savaima, 111. I came
up along the east side of the Miss
issippi river; the river on one side
and the bluffs on the other made
the scenery beautiful.
1 was in St. Paul from noon till
5:15 p. m., and then took the Great
Northern Road from there , to
Winnapeg, a distance of 458-miles.
1 traveled the most of this dis
tance after night and cannot ttll
you much about the country. I
crossed the line into Canada just
before daylight, the sun shone
bright and warm, which made the
level prairie look beautiful. Ar
rived at Winnipeg about eight
o'clock Wednesday morning, but
was only there long enough to get
oil one train into another, h rom
Winnapeg I came across the level
prairie over the Cauadian North
ern railroad to Canora, EJask., a
distance of 203 miles northwest
of Winnapeg, here I stopped for
two days. Canora is a little town
of about 200 population, with a
grain elevator that handled about
700,000 bushels of grain last year.
This elevator was just built the
latter part of last summer.
They raise wheat at Canora
which yeildt: from 40 to 50 bushels
per acre aud oats yeild from 75 to
100 bushels per acre, thev also
raise ilax, barley, potatoes and
vegetables.
I like the country about the vi
cinity of Cauora very much. It
is practically a new country town
boiug less than four years old.
There is yet homestead land to be
had. About 45 miles north of
Cauora there is some very rich
fertile land and some that is not
so good. The country from Win
napeg is partly covered with scrub
brush, aud ia places there are lots
of poplar timber groves.
The American and Canadian
people around Canora are very
friendly and sociable, and like to
see the Americans comein. While
right closo around the town is
mostly settled with Foreigners
called Galacians with here and
there a Duke Boor settlement. I
left Cauora Friday night at 12
o'clock for North Battletord, a
distance of 270 miles, on the same
railroad. This railroad has just
been built, the end of it here aud
onto Edmondtou was just com
pleted last summer.
The country from Canora to
Battleford is mostly rolling prai
rie, in places quite a few stones,
i arrived at Battleford about 5
o'clock p. m., Saturday.
North Battleford is a town
which has been built in the past
ten months. It now has a popu
lation of about 900, with four
large hotels, two banks, and lots
ot new buildings going up. Old
Battlelord is just across the Sas
katchewan river, distance of about
two miles. I was going to cross
to-day, t-ut thought it a little too
dangerous to ci os& on the ice, as
there is no bridge across the
river.
The climate up here is fine and
warm. Farmers were in the
fields sowing grain betwoen Ca
nora and Battleford.
There are homesteads to be had
out hero from 40 to 50 miles from
the town along the line of the
survey of the Grand Trunk rail
road. 1 don't know muo i about
the soil hero as i have not been
out iu the couutry yet, but from
the appearance it is noii as good
as it is at Cauora. There seems
to be more alkali in the soil here
and quite a lot of sand, and the
climate seems to be drier, while
at Canora the soil is black loam
f om 1 J to 2 feet deep with clay
sub soil and more moisture.
Well, 1 guess this is about
enough for one letter, so I will
closo.
Char. W. Deavek.
HARVEST OF DEATH.
Brief Sketch of Those Who Have An
swered Their Final Summons
Recently.
0. W. GREATHEAD AND J. COOPER.
GKOROK W. (IRKATHKAI).
The death of Mr. George W.
Greathead which, after a long ill
ness, occurred at his home on
Third street, ci Monday morn
ing, was uot altogether unexpect
ed. For a week before his deUh
his strength was perceptible
weaker and much of the tune he
was in a semi conscious condi
tion. Mr. Greathead was the son of
Thomas and Frauces LI. Great
head, and was b rn iu McCou
nellsburg, July 21, 1830. He was
married to Miss Clara M. Ster
rett, February 23, 1800. To them
were horn five children all of
whom are liviug except Edgar
Nead, who died in childhood.
Three daughters, Carrie S., Fan
uie U., and Elsie S., are employed
as teachers, the two former in
the public schools of Johnstown,
and the latter at New Kensington,
Pa. One son Ernest D., is em
ployed in New York, and did not
reach home until after the death
of his father.
In 1851) he built the tannery on
Third street, and was associated
in business with his brother Al
fred for many years. On account
of failing health ho was obliged
to givn up business about six
years age, since then he has bueu
a sufferer from valvular disease
of the heart, and a conlirmodinva
hd. He was a member of the M.
E. church, a devoted aud faithful
husband, and a father who at all
times took much pride in the pro
fessional work and success of his
childreu. A fine sense of humor
allied with a great fund of infor
mation made him a cheerful aud
profitable companion. Our warm
est sympathy is extended to the
bereaved family. Funeral on
Wednesday afternoon at Union
cemetery.
Jonathan Coopf.r.
Mr. Jonathan Cooper, aged 70
years, died suddenly of heart
trouble, at the home of Mr. Ben
jamin Trnax, near Needmore,
March 2i)th. Mr. Cooper was a
member of the Christian church,
for about 02 years. He was mar
ried five times; all his wives are
dead. The funeral kok place on
Saturday 31st, at Pleasant Grove
Christian church; sermon by Ucv.
A. G. B. l owers, using the text
chosen by Mr. Cooper himself,
found in I Samuel, 14th chapter,
last clause of 3d verse: "And the
people kno v not that Jonathan
was gone."
He was laid to rest in tho Pleas
ant Grove cemetery.
MISS NANCY M'NKRLINO.
Miss Nancy McNerling, near
Dublin Mills, died April 3d, aged
about 55 years. She was stricken
down very suddenly, only being
sick a few days. She had been
going about the house uutil a day
before the vital spark had lied,
only her brother and a near neigh
bor were prosent. She was con
scious until the last, although she
did not seem to know that death
was so near. At 12 o'clock she
noticed the striko of the clock,
aud in just five minutes more, her
spirit tied to the God who gave it
She had been a consistent mem
ber of tho Church of God for a
number of years, aud we believe,
died triumphant. Those left to
mourn, are two brothers and two
sisters, namely : Henry, who liv
ed for many years with his do
parted sister; George, of Maple
ton, Pa.; Mrs. Cooper, of Ayr
township, and another sister, al
Williamsburg, I 'a.
Mss McNerling was a daugh
ter ot John McNerling, who died
about 40 years ago. lie had lo
cated on Kidoliug Hill Creek, near
Huntingdon county. Tho house
still stands aud hs been the home
for" his posterity ever siuco.
Naucy and Henry here lived to
gether. Although not possess-
FIFTY YEARS WEDDED.
Mr. and Airs. Samuel Jackson McCauslin
Celebrate Golden Wedding.
Tho Philadelphia Press of last
Wednesday gives tho p ctures of
Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Jackson
McCauslin, and publishes an ac
count of the celebration of their
fiftieth wedding anniversary, on
Tuesday evening, at the home of
thou- daughter, Mrs. I). S. W.
Dolaplaine, Jr., 315 Soutu 51st
street.
The Press says that "standing
beneath a floral bower, Mr. Mc
CausJ.n and his wife, assisted by
two of their daughters, Mrs. Dol
aplaine aud Mrs. Josephine Kirk
Patrick, received the guests,
about fifty in number.
"Husband aud wife, who still
enjoy remarkable health for per
sons of their age, are both mem
bers of old Pennsylvania families.
They have seven children and
eight grandchildren. He was
horn March 27, 1820 at Bedford,
and was the son of Samuel Mc
Causlin, a veteran of the War of
1812, and a grandson of Samuel
McCauslin, who fou-.ht in tho war
of the Revolution. His wife was
the daughter of Anthony Shoe
maker, of McConuellsburg. .Sup
per followed the reception."
Normal School.
The undersigned will teach a
term of school in the High School
Building at McCounellsburg.
Length of term, eight weeks, be
ginning Monday, May 7th, at 1:30
p.m. Special attention to those
preparing to teach. No addition
al charges will be made for high
er branches, as, Latin, Geometry,
private lessons in Shorthand, etc.
Em kry Thomas,
Don Morton,
Removal of George F. Mcllott.
Without saying, "By your
leave." Mr. Geo. F. Mellott, wife
and several members of tbMr nu
merous family "folded their tents
like the Arabs, and quietly slip
ped away" to their new posses
sion, a line farm near Lemaster's
station. It is a little early for
swarming, but George is in the
habit of taking Time by the lore
lock, and gives tho r.maindor of
his family, two sons and two
daughters, the home farm "to
have and to hold. " This is a rare
opportunity Jor these young peo
ple, but we predict lor them
in tho future, great success, ag
riculturally and financially.
Summer Normal.
Our school at Harrison villa will
begin April 30, 1900, at 1:30 p. m.,
and will continue weeks. Tui
tion $5,00. Boarding very reas
onable. Arrangements have been
made for schoolroom and board
ing facilities sufficient for all who
may wish to attend. Write me
for other information.
Very respectfully
3t. H. M. Griffith
ing much of this world's goods,
yet were happy aud contented iu
their little home.
The funeral was conducted by
Rev. M. G. Holtzman, of the U.
B. church (the pastor being ab
sent), taking for his text the 27th
chapter and latter part of tho 12th
verse of Isaiah : "Ye shall bo
gathered one by one," after
which her remains were interred
in the Jittlo cemetery at Cherry
G rovo.
B.
Mrs. E, J. Maddkn.
The suddon aud unexpected
death of Mrs. E. J. Madden, at
her home in Huntingdon county,
on Sunday afternoon, April 1st,
was a shock to the vhole com
munity. Up until Wednesday
preceding, she was in her usual
health. All that possibly could
be done to save her life was done,
hut to no avail. She leaves a hus
band, four children, an aged fa
ther, a step-mother, one half sis
ter, two half brothers, and a host
of friends. Tho my mpathy of the
entu e corn in unity is extended to
the bereaved family. She, was a
member of tho Now School Bap
tist church
POPULATING THE GREAT PLAINS.
Government to Pump the Arkansas Under
flow. Letter from Guy E. Mitchell.
The very mention of home build
I ing in western Kansas and Ne
I braska will call up painful recol
lections to day in more than one
household in New England. The
disastrous attempt of years back
to inhabit and .fann these semi
desert prairies lends much inter
est to the first government irri
gation works to be located in the
Great Plain region the Garden
City project. Contracts will be
let in May aud the work willdoubt
less be completed in time for ir
nigatiou in the spring of 1S107.
Unusual interest attaches to
this project not alone because it
is the first which involves pump
ing from underground sources
but because it is believed that its
successful operation will usher
iu a new era for tho Great Plains.
The importance of this project is
more fully realized when it is re
membered that the division of the
United States known as the Great
Plains comprises 700,000 square
miles or over one-quarter of the
total area of the whole country.
Over a vast portion of this region
the settlers are few and far apart.
It is the "short-grass" country
and is to-day furnishing forage
and grazing for great herds and
flocks. West of the 100th meridi
an the climate belongs to the
semi-arid region and general
farming without irrigation is not
successful except in years of un
usual and timely rainfall. The
history of this section has been
marked by a number of disas
trous failures, most of which re
'suited from a lack of knowledge
oi. the climatic oscillation aud
from a fever of specultion in
western mortgages.
During a cycle of wet years
agriculture was extended far
across the plains, the movement
being greatly facilitated by com
panies formed to place loans and
take mortgages on real estate.
The East was tho treasury from
which the funds were drawn.
During the continuance of sever
al years of ample rainlall the pro
tits of these loan agencies were
great and prudence was thrown
to the winds. A series of dry
years and the consequent failure
of crops forced the settlers to
abandon their farms and whole
countries were practically depop
ulated. To-day here and there
on the plains and deserted sod
house or the more substantial
dwelling are framed against a
level landscape, lonesome remind
ers of the pioneers' failure. Oc
casionally the remains of dozens
structures mark the site ot what
was once a prosperous town or
county seat, but what is now only
the haunt of the coyote or the
gaunt gray wolf. Mortgages were
foreclosed and the makers of
loans became burdened with large
areas ot land practically valueless.
Attempts were made to construct
irrigation works to insure crops
but the results as a rule were not
successful and the stockholders,
lost their investment.
Some of the pioneers tenacious
ly hung on to their homes and
when the ditches failed, they sunk
wells and irrigated small tracts
from windmills. Theyiolda from
these small ditches were phenom
enal and sufficed to tide many of
the farmers over the years of
drought. Farms of 10 and 20
acres in gardens and orchards
and irrigated from wells now
support whole families iu com
fort. Systematic irrigation of
this kind not only embraces in
tensive cultivation, small farms
and orchards, but it increases
and specializes production, call
ing into play the educated brain
and the trained band and massing
the cultivators into highly organ
ized communities.
The well in Kansas has been a
most potent factor in establishing
auumber of the best communi
ties in the State. These facta are
recited to explain why the Garden
City project is attracting a public
interest greater than would fol
Iqw the construction of a project
ABOUT PEOPLE YOU KNOW
Snapshots at Their Comings add Goings
Here for a Vacation, or Away
for a Restful Outing.
NAMES OF VISITORS AND VISITED
Mrs. S. B. Woollet made a hur
ry trip to and from Chambers
burg on Friday.
Merchant Caleb Barton of Hus
tontown, spent Monday at the
County Seat on business.
James Barnett, of Waterfall,
was a pleasant and profitable call
er at the New9 office last Thurs
day. Miss Alice F. Keepers, who had
been spending the winter at the
h.ime of her sistir, Mrs. L. E.
Harris, of this pla.-e, has return
ed to her home at Hustontown.
Mr. and Mrs. Wilson Nace and
daughter Helen, came up from
Carlisle on Saturday. Mr. Nace
returned on Monday. Mrs. Nace
and Helen will remain for some
time.
Mr. J. H. Baldwin, ot Burnt
Cabins, spent a few hours at the
County Seat last Thursday, aud
came in and gave us a dollar for
a year subscription ou the News.
Mrs. S. F. Stiver and daughter
May, and Walter Ptck, of Bed
ford, spent a couple of days with
Mrs. Stiver's brother. Editor B.
W. Peck, whe is ill with typhoid
fever.
Mrs, Chas. Reisner, and sou
Charles, Jr., who spent part of
the winter iu this place, returned
to their home in Saulsbury, N.
C, last week. During her stay
here, Mrs. Reisner made many
friends, who were loth to see her
leave our town.
of this kind in other sections of
the West. The water for this
project must be recovered from
the underflow waters of the Ar
kansas Valley, which lie in gravel
deposits existing below the bed
of the river. The plans of the
Government provide for the sink
ing of several hundred wells from
which the water will be pumped
and discharged into a collecting
conduit. These wells will be
scattered along a line nearly five
miles long. The p )wer is gener
ated at a single central plant situ
ated on the railroad, and ia then
distributed by electricity to the
wells.
Applications for water under
this project have been made by
the owners of more than 12,000
acres of land to be benefitted and
the community is vey enthusias
tic concerning the future success
of irrigation in the Arkansas Val
ley. One private pumping plant
erected three years ago in this
neighborhood at a cost of more
than $8,000, supplied water to
1,000 acres in wheat. Tho first
crop harvested was sold for more
than the original costof tne pump
ing plant.
The Garden City country has
long been famous as an alfalfa
center, and the location seems to
be especially well adapted to tho
maturing of the seed crop of al
falfa which has always paid well
there. Garden City alfalfa seed
brings a high price all over the
irrigated west.
A sugar factory ia now being
constructed at this point, and a
considerable acreage has been
promised to the factory which
will be planted in sugar beets as
soon as the project is completed.
The important bearing, which
the success of the project has up
on the future of millions of acres
of the Great Plains is thoroughly
appreciated by the landowners..
Vast areas are still the property
of the railroads and they are giv.
ing careful attention to the sub
ject. With the development of
numberless pumpiugplants aloug
the broad valleys of the Plains'
streams and the extension of suc
cessful dry farming over areas
on higher levels the Great Plains
region will become the homo of
thousands of prosperous farmers,