Jflcmtow / j||§||i 3Vm*ri&ut
VOL. 54—NO. 34
DR. IRVING H. JENNINGS,
Office Bourn
A. M- to 22 .1/. 10i Mill St.,
IP. M.to 4P. .1/. Danville, Pa,
p SHULTZ, M.
425 MILL ST., DANVILLE, PA.
Diseases of the Stomach and Intestines
A Specialty
ITEMS CONDENSED.
Margaret Keller, of Malthy, near
Wilkes-Barre,aged 4 months, was peck
ed on the oheek a few days ago. Blood
poisoning developed and she is now at
the point of death.
The Medico-Chirurgieal hospital of
Philadelphia and] the Presbyterian
board of foreign missions are each be
queathed fti,soo in the will of Miss
Anna Van Reed, of Reading.
Andrew and Ella Reid, of Roscoe,
Washington county, have entered suit
against Roscoe borough for JI7OO dam
ages for injuries alleged to have been
sustained by Ella Reid in a fall caus
ed by a defective sidewalk.
John C. Bornder, residing near
Womelsdorf, Berks county, raised a
radish of the icicle variety twenty-six
inches loug,fifteen and one-half inches
in circusference and three and one
fourth pounds in weight.
The drought conditions in the anth
racite regions are daily becoming more
serious and many families in Schuyl
kill county are compelled to carry
their water needed for cooking and
drinking purposes, long distauces.
A few days ago John A. Emenheis
er, of Careyville, York county, was
bitten on the hand by a copperhead
suake. He quickly wrapped his hand
kerchief tightly around his wrist to
retard circulation, hurried home and
drank milk andwhskey freely and is
now out of danger.
Last week the new state capitol at
Harrisburg was thronged by more
visitors than at any time since the
opening of the building.
The brewers in Schuylkill county
complain that the water restriction iu
different towns does not give them
time to fill their vats aud tanks and
In consequence, if the dry spell con
tinue, there will be a beer famine as
well as a water famine.
Judge Bechtel, of the S chuylkill
county court, carried out his threat
made a few days ago by ousting all
the members of the Pine Grove school
board beeause they were deadlocked
over the election of teachers and the
adoption of a school curriculum. This
action was taken on the petition of
fifty-one citizens of the district.
The roll of pupils in the Pittsburg
public schools will be about t'>,ooomore
this year than it was last year.
Samuel O'Tool of McKeesport, after
being rescued twice, rushed a third
time into the Youghiogheny river on j
Saturday and succeeded in drowning ,
himself.
The Homestead works of the Oar- j
negie Steel company Btarted on Sun- i
day night on the best running schedule ■
they had this year. The sixty open !
hearth furnaces were all started.
Samuel B. Price, a farm hand of
near Mahanoy City, who has been an
invalid for two years,on Sunday drank
two bottles of horse liniment and a
bottle of peppermint but has survived
the dose.
The Philadelphia aud Reading Coal
& Iron company has decided to erect
a plant in the Schuylkill valley, for
treating mine timbers and railroad
ties with creosote aud zinc chloride to
preserve the wood.
Mi's. Gertrude Mehler died at Sharon
on Saturday night aged B'.* years. De- '
ceased had beeu blind for three months
but a few hours before her death she
recovered her sight and was able to
recognize all her children who were
at her bedside.
At Ellwood, Lawrence county, on
Saturday night a boy tossed aside tiie
stump of a lighted cigarette which set
fire to 1300 worth of fireworks that
had been pre3ared for an Italian cele
bration. No one was injured.
While Edward Lang was trying to j
land a twenty three inch bass on Sat
urday at Springmont, Montgomery
county,along the Perkiomen creek, he
was pulled into the water and had to
use a dip net iu order to capture the
big fish.
A big suburban trolley car on the
new Hanover l;'ae iu York county on j
Saturday criwfled into a milk wagon j
knocking pieces seriously injur
nc »i*enriver, John Chronister and
inflicting injuries on his 7-year-old
son that will prove fatal.
While chopping grain in the barn of
George M. Sohuler in Richmond town
ship, Berks county,on Saturday sparks
from an overheated shaft of the mach
inery 6et fire to the barn and it was
burned with Dearly all its contents
oausing a loss of $5,000.
11 "C0IP1I1E"
. MINI
The remotest possibility that com-
I plications may arise to iiolil up or
i cause delay in the building of the sol
diers' mouumeut seeins to be now re
" ; moved. Our readers will be gratified
' to learn that ttiere has been a general
• 1 reversal of opinion a 9 to the intent of
i the act of assembly of April 3, 1903,
which provides that "on the petition
of at least fifty citizens to the court of
■ quarter sessions for the erection or
I completion of a monument in memory
of the soldiers and Bailors of the late
war it shall be the duty of said court
to lay said petition before the grand
jury, and. if approved by two succes
sive grand juries, and said court the
county commissioners shall be auth
orized to erect or complete any monu
ment now partly completed,and main
tain at the county seat a suitable
' monument in memory of the soldiers
j and sailors of the late war of the re
bellion. "
It will be recalled that some six
weeks ago considerable controversy
| was set on foot by the appearance of a
! newspaper article, iu which it was set ;
fortli that the county commissioners
did not believe that they were em
powered to pay the money—five thou
sand dollars—recommeuded by two
successive grand juries over to the sol
diers' monument committee, but that j
; it devolved upon them to "erect" the i
monument themselves out of the mo- j
ney donated by the county augmented
by such funds as the soldiers' tnouu- I
ment committee already had in its J
possession. The soldiers' monument
! committee, it will be recalled, had al- j
ready gone on with the work and had
not only constructed the foundation
| of the monument, but had awarded the [
contract for the memorial to the Van j
Amringe Granite company, of Boston, i
It was pretty plain that the monument
] could not be erected without 'the five j
thousand dollars due from the county, !
so that the situation was one in which
grave complications were apt to arise, j
, Under the act of April 3,1903. which
authorizes the commissioners to "er
ect" or "complete" any monument on
the recommendation of two successive 1
grand juries the soldiers' monument
committee held that the county com
missioners could very consistently pay
1 the five thousand dollars over to the i
committee. They took the view that i
the monument was already begun; the !
foundation was completed and the |
memorial Itself was contracted for; J
nothing therefore, was left for tho j
county commissioners but to "com- j
plete" the monument. This, they held,
would, of course, imply a recognition
of the contract already awarded to the j
Van Amringe Granite company, as ■
well as a payment of the money donat- 1
ed by the county over into the hands
of the soldiers' monument committee. ,
This view, it seems, was later ad
opted by the county commissioners,
themselves. Tho petition of fifty citiz- I
ens presented to the court asking for j
the erection or completion of a sol- !
diers' monument, which was succes- j
sively approved by the grand juries of |
January and February terms of court,
respectively, on Saturday was approv- i
ed by Judge Evans and returned to ;
the prothonotary with instructions j
that the proceedings be certified to i
the county commissioners.
It is now up to the county coinmis- I
sioners. The latter officials made their
intention perfectly clear to a repre
sentative of this paper Saturday. They
have been instructed by the court to
pay the five thousand dollars over to
the soldiers' mouumeut committee and
they will comply without any more
controversy. Tiie only question in- ;
volved at present is whether the mo
ney shall be paid over now, while the I
work is in progress,or later, when the
monument is completed. The county i
commissioners take the latter view of
the matter.
WELL KNOWN ;
COUPLE HARRIED «
1
Dr. Hied Nebinger, of the state ; 1
hospital medical staff and Miss Ava I -
Grier Geariiart, daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. M. Grier Geariiart, were quietly
married in New York City on Wednes- j
day .August ">th. The announcements !
of the event were sent out Monday j i
and caused a pleasant surprise among i
their many friends. j ,
Both the bride and groom are well |
known and highly esteemed by a wide j \
circle of friends and acquaintances in i
this city. ]
For Jury Duty.
Among the petit jurors drawn for
the next term of the Northumberland .
county court, which opens at Sun- j
bury on September 28, are : John F. j '
Eckert, and D. H. Shultz. of Hush I '
township; W. G. Wilson, J. E. Hum
mer and Harvey Dietrick.of Gearhart
township. ; Charles Snyder,of Snyder- '
town.
____ I
The opportunity to do a Kindly deed i
should never be neglected. i
DANVILLE- iPA., THURSDAY. AUGUST 20, 1908
CONINT
OF 01 FISH
j A unique consignment of fish arriv
; ed in this city Monday morning and
was deposited in the north Branch of
the Susquehanna.
The fish, which were shipped from
the government hatchery at Indian
apolis, lud., are known as the large
mouthed black bass. Their habitat is
the Mississippi river and so far as
can be ascertained they are the first of
their species that have ever been plac
ed in the north branch for breeding
purposes.
The consignment consisted of some
four hundred fish contained in four
large cans What is especially remark
able about the fish is their size. The
fish fry received from the hatcheries
are usually much below the average
minnow iu size, the most of them be
ing infinitesimally small.
When those who received the fish
opened the cans yesterday their sur
prise can easily be imagined. Instead
of the usual small fry they beheld fish
varying in length from four to eight
inches, big well developed fellows,
nearly large enough to take with the
hook aud line. The explanation lies
iu the fact that the full-grown jwide
mouthed black bass is a monster,often
weighing twenty pounds or upward.
The fish shipped, although seemingly
large, are relatively only minnows in
size.
I The consignment followed applica
tions made by J. B. Cleaver, W. L.
| McClure, and Robert Y. Gearhart.
; The fish were shipped to ,T. B. Cleav
er, who received them from the agent
!at the 10:19 D. L. &W. train Mon
day morning. The fish Monday were
placed in the river. They multiply
rapidly and by n6xt year not a few of
the larger ones will no doubt be taken
with the hook and line.
ROLLING DEP'TS.
RESUME OPERATIONS
The rolling department of the Struc
tural Tubing works started up Monday
night after a shut down of several
weeks, during which a new bed plate
was installed under the engine aud
other repairs were made. The finishing
department of the works continued in
operation while tiie rolling mill was
idle The whole plant started up this
morning with prospects of running for
some time.
THE BRAKE BEAM PLANT.
The rolling department of the Penn
sylvania Brake Beam plant also start
ed up Monday. Altogether there was
an air of increased activity iu the up
per end of town that suggested the
morejprosperous times of last year and
formerly when a shut-down was the
exception, The brake beam company
will probably continue rolling during
the eutire week.
PATIENTS ASSIST
IN KILLING RATS
Workmen employed at the hospital
for the insane uncovered a nest of six
ty-five rats the other day. A great
slaughter followed and not a rat escap
ed to tell the tale.
Jere Knarr, the plasterer, just now
employed on some work at the hospit
al, tells the story. They were remov
ing a porch from the rear of the build
ing preparatory to laying a concrete
walk when they uncovered the nest of
rats.
i'or a few moments there was intense
excitement. There were only four men
employed and naturally a good many
of the rats would have escaped had it
not been for the fact that a number of
patients were in the yard.
At the first glimpse of the rats the
patients entered fully into the spirit
of the thing and .joined the workmen
in an onslaught on the rodents.
The later ran for their lives,scattering
over the entire yard, but not one of
them escaped. For awhile the pati
ents forgot their fancied troubles and
had the best bind of a time killing
rats.
SHETLAND PONY
IS A MIDGET
E. S. Fornwald, U. S. express agent
in this city, yesterday received from
the Homestead farm of Randall broth
ers, at Durand, Illinois, a thorough
bred Shetland pony, that is possibly
the most diminutive animal of its kind
ever seen in this oity. The little fel
low weighs but 275 pounds and stands
38 inches high. He came all the way
from Illinois in a crate by express.
Mr Fornwald's pony, which he
bought for his daughter Ruth, is an
aristocrat among his kind. His sire is
Black Crow, an Imported Shetland
pony, and he has a family tree that
would make most of our ancestor wor
shipers envious. His name is "Mon
key. " He is perfectly docile, and as
bright as he is kind. Before leaving
the Homestead farm he had been taught
many interesting tricks.
CiNRIOKEI
AT 1 DEADLOCK
| Frank Erdman, P. J. Clennan and
(Jasper Tharp,commissioners of North
umberland county, arrived at South
Danville on the 10:17 train Tuesday
J forenoon to rueet the Moutour county
| board in joint session for the purpose
]of taking action on the extending of
the wingwall of the river bridge on
| the South side.
There was no joint meeting how
ever. A little preliminary conversation
revealed that the two boards are wide
ly at variance over the building of tho
retaining wall on the north side of
the river and the whole affair remains
at a deadlock, which does uot promise
| to be broken very soon.
] The commissioners of Northumber
land county were met at the station
by Messrs. Leighow and Sechler of the
j Montour county board accompanied
I by Edward S. Gearhart, Esq..attorney
for the county. The party iiumediate
j ly proceeded to the bridge approach
on the south 6ide to see what addi
tion to the wingwalls are needed,
j While looking over the ground the
Northumberland county board propos
ed that joint action be taken at once
| relating to the wing walls on the
j south side approach, authorizing the
j erection of the same.
The Moutour county board made it
plain that it would assist ou the south
side improvement only on condition
that the Northumberland county board
j would jointly assist in building the
I retaining wall along the plot owned
iby the two counties just west of the
j approach to the bridge on the north
| side. The Northumberland county
board unqualifiedly opposed doing any- j
| thing ou the Danville side Jof the riv- j
j er. The Montour county board was I
just as resolute and positively retused
| to assist in building the wingwalls on !
| the south side until the long deferred
building oi the retaining wall ou the
; Danville side is taken up. So,here the
| matter rests. Under the oircuuistauces J
■ there was no i'otmal session and the j
| Northumberland county commission- j
j erti on the 12:10 passenger train re
turned to Suubury.
ONE EFFECT OF
THE OUARANTINE
A well known farmer of Cooper town- j
ship, who was in this city Tuesday !
states that if conditions in his section
are a criterion then rabbits will be
unusually plentiful in Montour coun
ty this fall. The young rabbits may
be seen at almost anytime and place, '
bobbing up when least expected. Pre- \
vions years for as loug a time back as
he can remember there was nothing i
like as many rabbits seen as at pres- I
ent
The farmer quoted attributes the
relative abundance of rabbits as well
as their fearlessness to the quarantine j
against dogs, which is generally in ;
force in this county, He says few peo
ple are aware of the depredations I
which, except in times of quarantine, j
are committed by dogs within a radius :
of several miles of Danville.
Last year at this time when dogs !
owned in Danville unmuzzled were
permitted to roam about at will, they !
might have been seen daily tracking '
game in Cooper township as well as in j
territory nearer Danville. During the j
summer the young rabbits in this way
were killed off in large numbers and
when the season opened there were
comparatively few cotton tails to be
obtained by the sportsmen.
It is said to be difficult to realize '[
the relief that the farmers experience i
by reason of tho quarantine on dogs,
which animals heretofore went prowl
ing over tho country, causiug annoy
ance in different ways. The preval- j
ence of rabies has been general during
the past summer, so that the quaran- |
tine against dogs lias been just as ef
fectual in other localities as in Mon
tour county. Therefore, since one of
the effects of the quarantine in a gen
eral way is to protect the rabbits the
latter, over the entire extent of the
country, should prove very plentiful (
nest fall,
FRAUD CHARGES^
HAVE FAILED
Contrary to expectations the hear
ing in the campaign expense account
of Elisha Ringrose, Republican can- j
didate for Columbia Co. Com'r., was
devoid of sensations. The iJiO which j
he was accused of giving Rev. W. E.
Harmanfor campaign purposes,dwind
led to 15, which Mr. Ringrose donated
toward the purchase of a new organ
for the church.
The much-talked of check for |2OO
was one drawn to the order of ex-
Judge J. U. Kurtz, as a contribution
to the Republican county campaign
fund, but about which Mr. Ringrose
changed hie mind and it was never
cashed.
Men who give their uncompensated
time to the oity deserve the thanks of
the people.
11 OF 1
"oifljras"
| It would be difficult to drop into the
j studio of W. B. Rhodes, West Market
| street, without finding there some
{ rare aud Interesting object beyond tiie
i attractive personality of the busy art
! ist himself.
Just now among the pictures under
| his brush for restoration is a very old
j painting, the "Madonna and Child,"
, which is undoubtedly the work of one
of the old masters. Very indistinct in
one corner of the rare old painting is
| the date 1679.
The Madonna came to Mr. Rhodes
insured for SSOOO. It was entrusted to
him by a family of prominence living
in New York, for whom lie has com
pleted his 9th portrait.
The painting is not large in size,
but is one that was evidently intended
for a chapel. It represents the child
Christ seated on the Madonna's lap
| reverently placing a ring on the hand
| of a kneeling female figure. The pict
ure is particularly beautiful in its
j composition and arrangement of drap
ery. It excels in drawing and color
and bears the exquisite tone that only
age can impart. It is undoubtedly oue
of the most interesting paintings that
ever came to Mr. Rhodes' studio.
At present the artist is working on
a full length, life size portrait for
Mrs. Eunice M. Lock wood of Crystal
Springs, Miss. The portrait is that of
a beautiful boy,son of Mrs Lockwood,
who departed this life recently. The
portrait, which is approaching com
pletion, attests to Mr. Rhodes' skill |
and genius as an artist. Seldom has j
anyone looked upon a painting more J
lifelike aud real or one whose face
held the eye with a more subtle fasci- I
nation.
Mr. Rhodes is also working on a ;
portrait of the late Lemuel E. Wells, j
of New York, whose death occurred ;
last April. Mr. Wells was well known
in Danville. He was a warm personal
friend of Mr. Rhodes.
The artist is also working on two ■
portraits of the colonial period. Mr.
Rhodes' talents are recognized wher- I
ever he is known and work comes in
to his studio from all parts of the
United States.
Among his southern subjects is a !
painting, which Mr. Rhodes considers j
the best effort of his life. Mere de
scription conveys no adequate idea of
its charm anil perfection. It repre
sents an old negro mammy seated in
contemplation before her hearth. Curl- !
ed up at her feet is her faithful dog.
Tne painting seems so life-like and
over all there is an air of such deep
repose that one instinctively forgets
that he is looking at an artist's por
traiture and seems to see before him a <
picture of real life and emotion.
COMMITTEE OF
FORTY ORGANIZES
The committee of forty, ten of whom
were appointed from each of the four
fire companies of this city, and which j
will have charge of the Six-County j
Firemen's convention in Dauville next
June, met at the Continental hose '
house Saturday evening for orgauiza
tion.
William Shultz, chief of the Dan
ville fire department, was elected presi
dent of ttie committee. Alfred Mellin
and Thomas G. Vincent were chosen
secretaries, and Wesley Hollobaugh,
treasurer.
A linance committee was chosen to
be composed of the following: Theo
dore Baker, Thomas G. Vincent, David
Evans, George Kocher, H. E. Trum
bower, Edward Graham, Jaiues Gib
son, A. C. Amesbury, William Kafeer,
Fred Vincent, James Freeze and Wil
liam McVey.
REV. GRIMES'"
LEAVE EXTENDED
Rev. John Couley Grimes, pastor of
St. Peter's M. E. church, [Riverside,
is meeting with a great measure of
success in his tent work in New York
City, and has been granted an exten
sion to his leave of absence so that he
may continue in the metropolis until
September Ist.
The following telegram, which was
received several days ago by an officer
of St. Peter's testifies to the esteem in
which Rev. Grimes is held in New
York :
J. H. Shannon :—ln view of the
efficient work of Rev. Grimes in tent
work we very much desire his services
for the remainder of August. He will
arrange pulpit supplies for twenty
third and thirtieth. In view of the
great need we trust you will give a
hearty yes."
Arthur J. Smith.
The officers of the church gave their
consent to the request in the telegram
Eighty per cent of the ooal mines
along the Monongahela river are shut
down and thousands of mines are idle
as a result ofjthe low water,as practic
ally all the coal of that district is
shipped by water.
FAB' PICNIC
AIM'S
The fourth annual Tri-County Farm
ers' picnic drew to DeWitt's park yes
terday the biggeßt crowd in the his
tory of the place. Those in charge of
the affair estimated the crowd present
as numbering between six and seven
thousand. Mr. 11. L. DoWitt, manag
er of the park, said that he was cer
tain there had never beeu more people
in his park on any big day in its his
tory.
The gate keepers registered 3500 paid
admissions, but many heads of fami
lies paid but one or two admissions
i for a whole wagon load. They thought
j it was safe to estimate that nearly
two people went into the park for ev
ery admission paid.
Certain it was that the farmers were
there iu large numbers. Many town
people, too, attended, hundreds of peo
ple going to the big outing from Dan
ville and nearby towns, but the farm
ers predominated. It was their day
and they took advantage of the glor
ious weather to tarn out in force.
From Paxinos to Exohauge, from
Klinesgrove to Grovauia, they came
from every hillside and valley,iu bug
gies,spring wagons and big farm wag
ons, on horse back and on foot, tlu
patriarchs, the middle aged, the boys
aud their sweethearts and the kiddies
—aud everybody, old and young, had
a great big, free and easy, frolicsome
good time.
LIKE A COUNTY FAIR.
Iu the park from after noon it was a
jam; and with all the amusements go
ing iu full swing it resembled nothing
more closely than a big day at a coun
ty fair. Iu addition to the merry-go- ,
round, there were the Mechancsville
and the Paxinos bands, and numerous
booths, where souvenirs, etc..were on
sale. Dancing in the pavilion attract
ed many.
In the afternoon the races were pull
ed off according to schedule. Purdy
Arter was first in the potato race for
boys under 16. John Thomas won the
potato race for boys over 16. Sam
Quinn won the bag race for boys under
12, and Wm. Deeter took first in the
bag race for boys over 12. The lantern
race was won by Geo. A. Steffen.
HAD POCKET PICKED.
Jacob Shultz, one of the picnic com- j
mitteemen is a loser to the amount of |
#30.00. In the afternoon he had oc- !
rasion to pay out some money and
when lie reached for his pocket book,
that useful accessory had disappeared.
He says that he does not believe he
could have lost it and that his pocket )
must have beeu picked. Mr. Shultz's
experience was the only one of that
kiud that was heard of during the
day.
' As was natural there were a num
ber of near accidents to add to the
general excitement, but nothing of a
serious nature happened to tuar the
pleasure of the occasiou.
DISPENSARY WILL
BE REHOVED
As if to show that there will be no
retreat in the war against [tuberculos
is in Montour county the work will be
established on a secure and permanent
basis by removing the dispensary now
in the otlice of Dr. Stock, the county
medical inspector, to a separate and
well appointed building leased by
the State department of health for
that{t>urpose.
Thomas H. A. Stites, chief medical
inspector of the Pennsylvania tuber
culosis dispensaries, was in this city
on Monday looking over the ground to
see how ho could improve the facilit
; ies for fighting consumption. It was
brought home to him that Dr. Stock
as chief of the local dispensary, labors
under considerable disadvantage ow
ing to cramped quarters incidental to
crowding the dispensary in his otfice
devoted to geueral practice.
As an outcomo of I)r. Stites, visit
the westorn side of J. B. Gearhart's
building, corner of Bloom and Walnut
streets, formerly occupied by a store,
has been leased by the State depart
ment of health and will be used for a
tuberculosis dispensary.
The interior will be entirely remod
eled and will be made to contain two
apartments instead of one. As soon as
the lease has been executed carpenters
will be put to work fitting up the
building. In a very short time it will
be occupied by Dr. Stock as a tuber
culosis dispensary.
While here Dr. Stites quoted some
statistics relating to tuberculosis in
Montour county, which makes it clear
that the crusade against the dreaded
aud insidious disease lias not been tak
en up any too soon. The returns for
the year before last, he said, show
that of 115 deaths that occurred in the
borough of Danville 16 were caused by
tuberculosis. This is over 13 per cent
—the highest rate found of any town 1
in Pennsylvania with a population of
8000 or over. Pittsburg lias the lowest
rate—two per cent. In the state the '
average per cent, relating to tuber
culosis is 10,
ESTABLISHED IN 1855
AN ADVANCE
IN HEAL ESTATE
j The valae of real estate has increas
ed ten per cent in those sections *of
| Montour and Northumberland coun-
I ties that have the benefit of the rural
free delivery system. This important
fact lias been established by an in
vestigation set on foot by Postmaster
W. L. Gouger in response to a com
munication from the fourth postmast
er general asking for data as to real
estate values, the condition of the
roads, etc.
Some months ago P. V. DeGraw,
assistant postmaster, attract
ed the attention of the county
by the issue of a department order
making the continuance of the free
delivery service contingent upon the
condition of the roads traversed by
the established routes. The postmast
ers at rural delivery offices were in
structed to report on the condition of
the roads in their vicinity, blanks be
ing furnisiied them for that purpose.
In filling out the blanks at the local
postoffioe the matter, as related to the
roads, was up to the rural carriers, who
were required to closely inspect and
report on all the highways traversed
by them in delivering the mail. In
filling out the blanks it was necessary
to state not only whether the roads
were good or bad,but also whether the
roads were macadam, sand, gravel or
dirt roads. No unreasonable exactions
are made. The department does not
iusist that the roads used by the rural
letter carriers shall be macadamized
or that large sums shall be spent upon
their maintenance. Its requirements
are merely that they shall be kept
reasonably smooth, that there shall be
no deep ruts or washouts and
boggy places shall be drained and grad
ed. In reporting on the condition of
the roads the postmasters were to note
particularly, whether any fell below
the above requirements; if so, a full
description of the defective highway,
its exact location, etc.,were to be em
bodied in the report to the depart
ment.
It is gratifying to note that Post
master Uouger's report in the main
was favorable and that,if tiie mainten
ance of the free delivery system is
contingent upon the condition of the
roads, then there is no question but
that the system connected with the
local post office will continue indefin
itely. Only one road on all the routes
was found to fall below the require
ments and on this highway all neces
sary repairs are assured, if they have
not already been made.
In order to properly estimate the in
crease of value the postmaster was ob
liged togo to a great deal of trouble.
He took nothing for granted. He
had personal interviews with farmers
as well as with real estate dealers who
liny and sell farm land. The conclus
ion was unavoidable that properties
along any of the routes have increased
10 per cent iu value since the free de
livery system was established.
WHEAT OVER
RUNS IN WEIGHT
The many favorable reports concern
ing the wheat crop that were received
about harvest time just now are being
most conclusively verified on the
south side where new wheat is being
bought up aud shipped by the whole
sale.
It is true the wheat crop is not more
than one fourth threshed. Yet Thomas
Elmes and H. E. Bohner, dealers, yes
terday,on the south side finished load
ing their third oar of new wheat, all
of which was purchased in that im
mediate vicinity. A short time ago
they shipped three car loads ol new
wheat from Paxinos and a coirespcnd
ing quantity from Roaring Creek
Mr. Elmes states that the w heat crop
is exceptionally good. The grains are
plump and well developed, the sequ
ence being that wheat this year over
runs in weight considerably.
The latter was illustrated in an ex
perience at the south side yesterday.
Spencer Vastine delivered 100 bushels
of wheat to the dealers, which had
beeu carefully mea-ured. each half
bushel being stroked. On being weigh
ed, however, before it was loaded on
the car the wheat was found to con
tain 10ti bushles. Had the wheat mere
ly held out in weight it might still
have been considered a fairly good
yield.
Up to the present Elmes and Bohner
have been paying ninety cents per
bushel for new wheat,which, they say
is equivalent to one dollar per bushel
next spring, as allowance has to be
made for shrinkage of wheat, which
may result in a falling off of S to 7
bushels in a hundred.
Mr. Elmes stated yesterday that in
view of present conditions, he does
not think dollar wheat is likely to be
a reality even next spring. An enorm
ous crop is reported in the west to say
nothing of the big crop produced at
home.