EARLY ACCIDENTS ON THE ERIE RR. Ed. Harold Mott's Reminiscences Death of Last Survivor of First Erie Disaster Testing Car Wheels with a Hammer 0. W. Dimmick as an Inventor. The following article from the pen of Kd. II. Mott, probably the best posted nuui HviiiR as to the historical haps and mishaps of the Krio Railroad, will be read with interest : The death of Kx-Shcriff C. W. Dim mick recalls the fact that he was the last survivor of the llrst railroad disas ter of note that es'er occurred in this country. It was on the New York & Krio Railroad, now the Krio Railroad, July 24, IS 111, when the road was less than five years old and was still running four-wheeled ears and eabless locomo tives without "cowcatchers." The car wheels were east with spokes instead of polid center.-'. This llrst s-rious raihoad accident oc curred nt Seaman's Undue, near Mon toe, Orange count v, N. Y. A broken whe'-l on one of the can d. railed the train as it was passing over the bridge. The bridge broke down. One car fell into the creek, a distance of llfteen feet. Other cars were jammed together in the manner that originated the term of "tel escoping" of cars in collision. Three persons were killed instantly. Three subsequently died of their injuries. Twenty others were seriously hurt, some of them crippled for life. The train contained two cars of stu dents from a Middletown private school, and friends and relatives who were ac companying the school on an excursion to the Klysian 1'ields, a famous pleasure resort of that day, now a busy part of Hobokcn. Mr. Dimmick, then a lad, was a pupil of that school, and one of the excursionists. He was among the injured. The dead and wounded were all excursionists, and members of lead ing families of the locality and of New York city. Among the latter, wounded, was young Ogden Hoffman, son of Og den Hoffman, the famous New York lawyer of that day. This being the first bad accident on any of our railroads it became notable throughout this country and abroad. Krom it grow tho first damage suit against a railroad to recover for injuries sus tained in an accident to a train, and in the trial of that suit originated a prac tice in railroading that became univer sal on railroads the world over. The suit was brought by Thomas V. Oliver, of BloomingburgSullivan Co., N. Y. He was among the badly injured in the accident. His contention was that the accident had been caused by a cracked wheel on one of the cars, and the pos sibility of the company's ability to have become aware of the Haw so that the unsafe wheel could and should have been replaced by a sound one, which the comp iny denied, was established by the evidence of two car wheels produced in court by Oliver's counsel. One of these wheels was a sound one. The other was cracked to correspond with the cracked wheel that caused thu wreck, there being no denial of the Haw in that wheel, as it was an exhibit in evidence. The wheels in court were subjected to tho smart tapping of a hammer. The damaged one gave forth a dead, Hat sound, the undamaged one a clear, ringing sound. The testimony of these novel witnesses for the claimant was ac cepted as indisputable proof that the companv could have known of the flaw in its car wheel by proper inspection, which the court ruled it was the com pany s duty to provide. Oliver was awarded a judgment of ftl'tOOO, and from that testimony of tho car wheels came the custom of testing car wheels by tap ping them with a hammer by an inspec tor appointed for that purpose, at cor tain stations during a train's trip over a railroad, a custom that became univer sal, and is still maintained on many railroads. That accident also led to the abandonment of the Ross Winan's cast iron spoked car wheel, and the intro duction of the pattern of wheel now in use. Other damage suits followed the Oliver suit, and the Erie's first accident to a passenger train cost the company over $100,000. Sheriff Dimmick was the inventor of a device to be used in the making of mac reme lace, wheu that old art was re vived in this country by a big linen thread manufacturing concern some years ago, a device that changed the method of making tho lace from a cum bcrsome and tedious ono to one that made it a light and speedy task that popularized it so that macrcme lace making became a household craze all over the country, as well as a profitable commercial industry. Mrs. Dimmick, who was a daughter of the late Judge Itodney S. Church, of Brooklyn, was one of tho first ladies who took up the pastime of macreme lace making. Hade from linen thread, a large heavy cushion, filled with sand, was used for holding the pins and pegs necessary to the tying of the lace, as had been tho method among tho lace makers of Franco for a hundred years and more. Sheriff Dimmick, noticing tho difficulty and labor with which this cushion was handled, devised a light table or frame, so arranged that it mechanically held the pegs, and made their manipulation by the lace maker so simple and easy that a child could in a short time be come adept in lace making. The linen thread manufacturing con cern appropriated tho idea, patented it, and through it built up a demand for its thread, which was the only kind used in the making of macreme lace, that en riched it greatly during the years the lace was in demand and tho making of it as a household art continued to be the fad. The Dimmick device banished tho century old cumbersome cushion from use by the lace makers in France, nnd wherever the lace is made to-day it is utilized. Sheriff Dimmick got no profit from his invention. "Chance" Dimmick was the first one in l'ike county to have a horse "clipped." This was in 1851), and the operation was then an entirely new thing, lie had a sorrel mare on which the experiment was tried, and the sleek, youthful, Im proved appearance it gave her was more than a nine days' wonder. The novel operation, perlormcd bv an expert who had been clipping horses in Orange Co., kept Milford busy watching it until it was done. Some exciting variation was given to it by the mare kicking Joe lloagland, one of the irrepressible small boys of .Milford llfty years ago, and who had ventured on a too close inspection of the process of clipping. The kick disabled Joe's leg and laid him up for some days, but no one thought much of that, for Joe was always getting a leg or something broken, his favorite method being falling out of somebody's cherry tree. GRANGE. WKKKIjY l'HHSS NKWS liETTEH. YOUNG WITHDRAWS STATE MONEYS Auditor General Young's Opinion on Support (if Criminal Insane. Auditor General Robert K. Young has issued instructions to all the traveling auditors of his department that they shall not in the future allow any pay ments by the State to counties for the support of the criminal insane. This ruling is based upon a careful examina tion of the acts of assembly relating to the subject, Auditor General Young be ing convinced that the State is not lia able for any portion of the maintenance of criminal insane, although it is un questionably liable for a share of the maintenance of the indigent insane. Under the present laws the State pays $1 50 per week per capita for the main tenance of Indigent insane in county asylums, indigent insane being those patients who are without means of sup port of their own and who cannot be upported by their families. For the in digent insane in State asylums, the coun- from which tho patient comes pays $1 "5 per week per capita for mainte nance and the State pays an additional sum not to exceed $-J 50 per week per capita. As a rule, this maximum of $2 50 ia not reached. Up to the present time it has been the custom for the State to contribute to the support of criminal insane, as it docs to the support of indigent insane, but Au ditor General Young now takes the po. sition that under the act of May S, 1883, U'ampiuet. laws, .o. the htate is not liable for any portion of the support of criminal insane, even though such criminals be actually indigent. The rule that Auditor General Young has just put into force will save the State a considerable sum of money, if the position bo proved to be sound When the new State hospital for the criminal insane at Farview, this county, is completed, the State will be liable for the maintenance of patients there, as it is for indigent insane, this being specially provided by sections ten and eleven of the act of May 11, 1905, providing for the erection of that hospital. Anv test of the new ruling will have to come from counties that may feel ag grieved at the order. Auditor General Young says that the rule stands and that no allowances for criminal insane will be made on the part of the State, unless the authorities of some county take the matter to court and the decision is against the commonwealth. Should decision bo rendered against the State in a lower court, it is probable that the result would be an appeal to the superior or supreme court. Cartoons as renames Cartoons have always been a great Irritation to politicians and crooks. Tweed said ho didn't caro what the newspapers said about him; the peo-; pie who voted under his orders dldn t read them; but the cartoons hurt him, for everybody saw them, and the pe,ople who couldn't read under stood them. All persons In tho Tweed class will mo remember that Tweed was arrested in Spain be cause ho was recognized by a man who bad never seen any picture of him except those wonderful por traits that Tom Nast used to draw. On Timely Topics of Plant Tests Protection Against Moths How to Kill the Coddling Moth. Any of the readers of this pa per desiring information in regard to the enemies and diseases of fruit trees, or other plants of the garden and farm, should write at once to Prof. H. A. Surface, State Zoologist, Harrisburg, Pa., who tnlces pleasure In answering ques tions on such matters. TO PREVENT DAMAGE FROM MOTH. A- :i preventive of moths In cases ontalnliii? elrjthlnc;, there is nothing like making the cases in which they are packed so tight that the moth can not enter to lay her eggs, from which eggs tho larvae come. Naph thaline balls are better than cam phor, but If the garments are wrap ped In newspapers and put into a protected case and this sealed with Htrlps of paper over the cracks at every possible point of ontry. to keep out tho moths, there will bo no danger of the moths developing. Camphor or naphthaline halls can be used In tho packages also, hut these alone will not prevent tho oc currence of the moths, nor destroy the moth larvae after they have en tered. The chief point in protect ing fabrics from destruction by moths Is to keep them In a vessel where the little winged moth can not enter to lay its eggs. An aid to this Is the use of some substance like the balls above mentioned, which act as a repellant. After the clothing Is attacked destroy the pests nt once by fumigating with blsullld or carbon. The State Zoo logist of Pennsylvania recommends one pound of this liquid to each 100 cubic feet of space, either sprinkled on cloth or poured into shallow ves sels placed on it. TO KILL THE CODDLING MOTH. Prof. H. A. Surface, the State Zool ogist, prefers arsenate of lead to Paris green for adding to the Bor deaux mixture, to be used in killing fruit and foliage eating insects. Concerning the use of arsenate of lead, he says that it is an arsenical poison which takes the place of Par Is green or London purple. It Is gen erally prepared in paste form, com ing in vessels, containing enough wa ter to cover it. The proper way to use It is to stir It Into a thin paste with a slight quantity of water, us ing a paddle so that It can be ground against the sides of the vessel con taining It, making a paste and thus breaking the lumps. After a uni form paste is made, with the lumps all crushed, more water can be add ed and this then should be stirred, poured and strained into the spray tank. It can then be used the same as Paris green, Doing partly sus pended and partly 'dissolved in the water, it sticks better than Paris green, as It sticks like liouse paint, and thus would not be washed ofr by ordinary rains, nor blown off readily by the wind. One pound in fifty gallons will do the work per-1 reciiy. The arsenate of lead will not In jure chickens by sprinkling grass under trees sprayed with It, as they will not eat enough grass with it to bo injured. Of course, If any ani mals or fowls should drink water that is strongly impregnated by the poison they would doubtless be injur ed or killed. Also, the possibility of Injuring cattle is very slight indeed. If or chards should have a considerable quantity of long grass when spraying is done, and should be sprayed in such a way that this grass is thoroughly covered with arsenical poison, and the cattle be permitted to eat it before rains wash it, there might be danger of injury; other wise, not. POST OFFICE CLERKS' ANNUAL CONVENTION Eighth Yearly Meeting ut. Harris burg lSuslness Meetings to ho Followed by (iriuid Ban quet. Final preparations have been made by the committee of arrangements of the Harrisburg Branch, No. .89, United National Association of Postofllce Clerks , for the entertainment of the eighth nn nunl convention of the Pennsylvania State Association, which will convene in that city on May 17th, and continue in session until Friday next. The guests will include postjfllce clerks of prominence from all parls of Pennsylvania, among them being State Secretary Fred. T. Hicks, of Krio, and State Treasurer George L. R-der, of Williamsport. Matters of importance to all postolllce clerks will be discussed and very interesting addresses will bo made by department olllcials and others. Frank T. Rogers, president of the na tional association, whose name is hon ored by every postollieo clerk for his un swerving lldelity to their cause, will also address the convention. This convention will elect a delegate t')t represent the State association in the national convention, which will meet in Atlantic City in September. The convention will take a recess at 4 o'clock anil the delegates will proceed to the State Capitol, where they will be given a reception by Governor Stuart. Sun day afternoon they will be shown Greater Harrisburg by autos. On Sun day evening in the parlors of the Metro politan Hotel the entertainment will be in the form of a sacred concert given by the Imperial Mandolin Club. This will be followed by a luncheon. After the sessions of the convention on Monday the delegates and guests will assemble with the members of the Harrisburg branch in the parlors of the Metropoli tan, where a reception will be held from 7 to S, and will proceed from there to the banquet room in the Italian garden, which will be prettily decorated for the occasion. Samuel V. Fleming, assistant post master, will be the toastmaster. Among those expected to be present and some of whom will respond to toasts are : Senator Boies Penrose, Governor Edwin S. Stuart, President Judge George Kun kel, Judge S. J. M. McCarrell, Frank T. Rogers, national president Postolllce Clerks' Association ; W. F. Gibbons, secretary national association and Hon. E. M. Norris, salary and allowance di vision, Washington, D. C. It Wouldn't Toy. A great smoker banded his cigar case to his right-hand neighbor. "Thank you, but 1 don't moke," said the man. He therefore handed It to tho man on the left, who mado the name re ply. Whereupon his wife nudged him and said; "Why don't you band it to the raptaln?" "No. thank vnn ho amnlrca." CITIZEN'S 5 MILE IIACE. In Hopes tliat every athlete will read the following suggestions, they are herein printed for their guid ance. First, before competing, or oven entering upon the course of train ing necessary to compete In this event safely, each athlete Is ad vised to have his heart examined. Second, not only should the athlete have his arms and body covered In his practice, but he should likewise wear a loose fitting .pair of long woolen trousers, and ho should have his feet well protected, by strong soles, from tho pebbles and hard road, and thus avoid bruises. Tobacco and liquor should be avoided, as no man can get in his best condition nnd partake of these things; especially is this true of the young athlete who has not formed the habit of depending upon these stimulants. The training should bo started with long walks at a rapid gait with frequent jogs, and the distance of the jog should be gradually in creased until by the 15 of May every contestant can safely jog at about two-thirds his best speed the full courso of , five miles without great Inconvenience. Ho should ue es pecially sure to cover up warmly af ter his work, and after his heart and lungs have resumed their nor mal rhythm, and his temperature has become normal, to bo rubbed down In a warm room, free from draughts, after which he should rest in bed warmly covered up for at least an hour. POINTS IN THE NEWAUTO LAW The salient poit.ts of th? new auto mobile law which has been signed by Governor Stuart, and which is approved by motorists in general, are as follows : Entire new svstem of regulation of automobiling inaugurated. Registration fee made $5 for cars of less than 20 horse-power; $10 for cars of more than 20 horse-power, and $15 for cars of 50 horse-power and over. Fixes the maximum speed limit in open country at a mile in two and a half minutes, and in built-up sections at a mile in live minutes. Requires non-residents of the State to designate representatives upon whom process can be served. Requires drivers of automobiles under 18 years of age to have a special license. Requires all drivers of automobiles to take oath upon application for license and to display tho drivers' tag conspicuously. Limits effectiveness of license till De cember 31 of the year of issue. Provides a line of from $100 to $300, and imprisonment of not more than a year for intoxicated drivers. Provides fine of not nioro than $100 and not more than 0119 year's imprison ment for operating automobile without owner's consent. Provides that danger signals shall be displayed on all dangerous highways. All local speed regulations are abol ished except in parks. Restricts the power of- communities to regulate speed rates lower than specified by this act. Authorizes arrest without warrants of violators of the law. Allows the acceptance of personal property as bail. Provides that fines for violating the speed limits go into municipal treasuries and all other fines into the State Treasury. Swadeshi. In the sense in which Sir William Harcourt remarked, "We are all so cialists now," it may be said that Anglo-Indians are believers In Swa deshi. While all reasonablo Anglo Indiana deprecate the sense Voce agi tation and the unsound economics of the extremist advocates of Swadeshi principles, they are all anxious to assist that natural development of indigenous Industries and the crea tion of now ones upon which the fu ture prosperity of tho country so largely depends. American Disregard of Wealth. The American people are., on the whole and by average, lees sordid in their pursuit of wealth and especial ly so in tho relative Importance which they ascribe to wealth, than tr" othor oaonlo on oirth 11 1 iiBii ! misl ' ALCoilOL 3 PGR C IIn'tP IK ' ANfegelabteftepaMonferAs- raffia H slrallalingihcRjoifaiKlRei'ula- PlrTO lingQteStomachsnniBmdsof ls J ProraolcsDigestioiiCtotful- pv I ncssandIfest.ContalnsidtiOT 'PSS'i Opiuni.Morphinc rtorMiucral. f I N(2C0TIC f I'M 1 " BmkiiScti- KWH JMHIcMs- I jMfJO! stwtSecd IwlS'S 1 WHfevfr ( nffHiiii! ham Seed- I tlW'lw mtajmiTltmi I m mm mm HP lili CASTORIA For Infanta and Children. The Kind You Have Always Bought Aperfcct Remedy for Consllpa Hnn . Sour SrnnincIi.Dlarrhon Vorras,Convulstons.rcvcrish- I ncssandLoss OF sleep. , RicSinuIe Signature of NEW YORK. J favrriTTi 1 jnaiaM steunrantced unterttooJ Exact Copy of Wrapper. Bears the v Signature $ For In Use Over Thirty Years TORIA THC OCHTAUH OOMMHT, NIWTORR OCT. WantedSu miner Board. Ily thousands nt Hrooklyn people. Can you tiikc a few ? If so. list your liouse in the liltOOKLYX DAILY EAULE l'REE INFORMATION HURKAU. for which purpose 11 printed blank will lie sent. The service of the Inform ation liureau costs you: nothing. Tlie Brooklyn Eau'le is the best adver tising medium In the world. It carries more resort advertisements than 11115 New York paper. It stands PRE-EMI-NHXTLYat the head. An advertisement in the Eagle costs little, hut brines large results, because the EA(iLE INFORMATION ISITREAU is constantly helping the advertisers. Write for listing blank and Advertising Rate Card, Address INFORMATION BUREAU, BROOKLYN DAILY EAGLE, Brooklyn, N. Y. Mention the papar in which you see tills advertisement. Still Take the Lead ! Over 'Zl.WH lbs. of Plows and Repairs received in March. THIS OUT SHOWS THE No. 56 SIDE HILL. We also have No. 7, a size smaller. -ft 1 ft1' iiSSfSslftrSjiir rr ' Mm. vex The No. 40 is the popular Klat Land Plow. We also keep in (stock tho No. E. 19. 20 and Srt Iron Ileum. Nearly 'J.OUO sold in Wayne county. The following Sub-Agents keep stock of Plows and Repairs on hand : .1. E. Tllfany. Pleasant Mount ; W. R. Shatter. Varden. Pa.; S. Woodmansee. I.akeOomo: II. N. Earley, Etiulnunk ; A.J. Abrahams, tlalilee; HrankU llrwn Ho iiileys: O. W. Shaffer. (Iconretown : Seth Itortree, Merlins s U. K kellum. Ledgedale ; V. E. Corey (ireentowu. and Watts's Honesdule and Ilawley stores. The Oliver Sulky Plow Cannot be Beat ! Syftores GRAHAM WATTS Hawley Stores Sash. Doors. Illinds. Front Hash Doors. Sewer ripe mid huilders' Hardwure of EVERY Description. AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENTS: l5SSf -SlJ,vfta. 5ftK lug Machines. Iron. Gravel nnil Tarred Jtooung. jiaro wire, woven i-cnce ire. ruuury Netting. Lime and Cement. PLUMBING in ail its branches. Estimates given ou short notice for HOT AIR and STEAM HEAT. BICYCLES and Sundries. Telephone Announcement This company is preparing to do extensive construction vork in the Honesdale Exchange District which will greatly improve the service and enlarge the system Patronize the Independent Telephone Company which reduced telephone rates, anddo not contract for any other service without conferring with our Contract Department Tel. No. 300. CONSOLIDATED TELEPHONE CO. of PENNSYLVANIA. Foster Building.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers