Newspaper Page Text
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VOL. 37 NO. 16
PRICES OF FARM
LAND INCREASE
Jump 65 Per Cent in Five Years,
According to Estimates of
Secretary Meredith.
FACTOR IN FARM OWNERSHIP
While Reflection of Upward Move
ment of Commodity Prices, It ln-v
dicates Increasing Scarcity of
Farm Land.
Washington.During the last five
years the selling price of farm land
and improvements in the United States
Increased 65 per cent, according to es
timates made by the secretary of agri
culture in his annual report to the
President. Between March, 1919, and
March, 1920, the increase was 21.1.
Although the,data for the 1920 cen
sus are not yet available, it seems
probable, the secretary said, that
while the average price of farm land
and Improvements per acre increased
only 20 per cent during the 40 years
from 1860 to 1900 the price in 1920
is two and one-half times that of 1910
and five times that of 20 years ago.
"The price of farm lands is one of
the important factors in the problem
of farm ownership," said the secre
tary. "It is estimated that between
March, 1919, and March, 1920, the in
crease in the selling price of farm
land and improvements was 21.1 per
cent. In the last five years the in
crease has been 65 per cent.
Net Return Less.
"In some sections the net return on
the purchase price of farm lands is
considerably lessthan the ordinary
rate of return on first mortgages and
similar investments. The rental rate
of cash leases, also, is frequently less
than half the rate of return on mort
gages. Studies made by the depart
ment indicate that, in certain regions,
the recent advance in the price of
land has still further aggravated this
condition. Such a situation is unfor
tunate, for it Increases the difficulties
of a tenant who is seeking to become
an owner.
"While the increase In land prices
is, to some extent, a reflection of the
general upward movement in the level
of commodity prices, it must be re
garded, in part, as an indication of
the increasing scarcity of land avail
able for agricultural use.
"War conditions stimulated an ex
pansion of the area devoted to crops,
estimated at 10.1 per cent from 1914
to 191S, or an Increase of 3.4 per cent
in the per capita acreage. This was
effected by utilizing pasture land for
crop production and by bringing into
use other uncultivated areas. The ex
pansion was particularly marked in the
case of small grains. Since the armis
tice there has been a reduction in
crop acreage. From 1919 to 1920
there was a decline of 5.4 per cent in
the acreage of 20 principal crops. Ap
parently the reduction has been
brought about by returning the land
to pastures and by discontinuing the
use of the low-grade areas which were
temporarily utilized.
What the War Did.
"These changes should be instruc
tive to those who would reduce the
prices of farm products by bringing
Into use large areas of new land. It
is clear that if prices had been ex
traordinarily remunerative to the
farmer compared with the returns on
capital and labor in industry, we
would not witness this reduction of
the acreage In cultivation, but, on the
contrary, a continued enlargement of
it. While the war conditions tem
porarily increased the net cash income
of the farmer and stimulated a tem
porary expansion of the crop area,
this was due in large measure to the
response of the farmers to the in
sistent call for more food, particularly
wheat and rye, the principal bread
grains. It Is of no small significance
that the contraction in acreage has
been most extreme in the case of
these crops, estimated at 31.5 per cent
for winter wheat, 16.5 per cent for
spring wheat, and 22.6 per cent for
rye." SEEKS TO ENTER U.S. ON RAFT
Austrian Stowaway Forced, However,
to Call Help In New*
York Harbor.
New York.After bobbing around
aimlessly in the harbor on a raft for
several hours in the dark, Wasic
Ernst, an eighteen-year-old stowaway
from Austria, decided to abandon his
novel method of eluding. Ellis island
officials and called dejectedly for Kelp.
While thawing out by a radiator, he
told a tugboat captain, who found him
after much searching, he had been In
formed that the way of stowaways-.en
tering America was hard and, conse
quently, when his ship entered the
harbor he threw the raft overboard,
jumped on it and hoped to be washed
ashore. He was taken to Ellis island
for deportation.
Children Unshod in-Big Shoe Town.
Brockton, Mass.This city produces
shoes for world-wide distribution and
makes more of some kinds than any
other city, but Charles Pi Brooks, at
tendance officer of the school board,
reported that many of Its children are
unshod. There are at least fifty chil
dren in^ the city who cannot go to
schoo^ because they, lack shoes, lie
said, and some of them have not been
to school In weeks.
3
HAS 9-EGG BREAKFAST
"A Square Meal at Last," Says
English Adventurer.
Makes Three Months' Canoe Trip In
Far North of Canada and
Alaska.
Winnipeg, Man.Hugh Kindersley,
twenty-one years old, son of Sir Rob
ert Kindersley, governor of the Hud
eon Bay company, has returned from
a three months' canoe trip, through
the Far North of Canada and Alaska.
With Capt Tom O'Kelly, a veteran
of the company's service, as his guide
and only companion, he set out from
Athabasca, Landing in., i jjJSSot'^ri,.*
canoe. He traveled by Athabasca
river, Athabasca lake, Slave river,
Great Slave lake and the "Mackenzie
river to within 90 miles of the Arctic
ocean, visiting the old Hudson bay
fur posts on his way. At Fort Gocd
Hope he crdssed the Arctic circle and
was then in the region of the midnight
sun and continuous daylight. As he
says, he "saw no stars from early in
June until August 7."
Beyond Fort McPherson and Arctic
Red river he ascended Rat river, "a
narrow torrent of rushing glacier wa
ter that drops as much in 60 miles as
the Yukon In 2,000," crossed the
Rocky mountains and, with supplies
completely exhausted, reached Fort
Yukon August 13.
"A square meal at last," wrote the
young Englishman in his diary.
"Never before have I eaten nine eggs
for breakfast, not to mention ham,
bread, jam, cake, coffee and whap-
slng."
From Fort Yukon he went up the
Yukon past Dawson and White Horse,
through the old Klondike gold fields
and took steamer at Skagway for Van
couver. The two adventurers camped
out constantly and the young scion of
the house of, Kindersley became an
expert camp cook.
"While fighting our way up Rat
river," he said, "mosquitoes swarmed
about in dense clouds. If I removed
my gauntlets, my hands were Instant
ly hidden with the insects. Stumbling
through the tundra, I lost my mos
quito-bar helmet and' soon my face
was covered with the blood of crushed
mosquitoes. But I enjoyed every min
ute of it."
ONTARIO BUYS UP RAILWAYS
Canadian Province to Pay $32,734,000
for Public Utilities in and
Around Toronto.
Toronto, Ont.A deal, subject only
to ratification by the Ontario govern
ment, was completed whereby the
province will purchase virtually all of
the MacKenzie power interests in and
around this city for $32,834,000.
Property concerned comprises, In
addition to various suburban railways
and power plants, the Electric Devel
opment company at Niagara Falls,
Ont, with its transmission line to
Toronto.
The deal marks the close* of two
years' negotiations between Sir Wil
liam MacKenzie and Sir Adam Beck.
It means that, with the exception of
the Dominion Power company at Ham
ilton, all the larger hydro concerns in
the province are publicly owned.
Breaks Glass to Get
Kiss Finds Girl Wax
Philadelphia.Louis Katraly
came down from Coatesville,
Pa., to see the city sights. He
was passing a department store
when he saw the beautiful fig
ure of a girl in one of the win
dows, casting an alluring smile
in his direction. He beckoned
to her to come out and join him,
but she did not move and kept
right on smiling. Louis decided
to pursue her. He smashed the
window and grabbed the figure
around the waist. He was about
to kiss the wax lips with the
frozen smile when a policeman
grabbed him.
FINDS $1,100 ON TRASH PILE
Stolen War Savings Stamps Were
Hidden in Old Valise in
Guthrie, Okla.
Guthrie, Okla.Six weeks ago W. F.
Davis of this city found an old valise
under a house he was moving and
threw it on a trash pile in the yard.
It laid there until he started to haul
the trash away and on close examina
tion found $1,100 in War Savings
Stamps under a false bottom. Inquiry
developed the fact that the valise was
ionce stolen from In front of a local
hotel last spring and belonged to Da
vid Secko, a traveling man from Enid.
The stamps were all registered in his
name.
Nineteen His Fateful Number.
\i Madisonville,Ky."Nineteen" sure
ly played a tragic role in the last days
of Roscoe Ashley, buried at Grapevine.
He enlisted September 19, 1917, was
wounded September 19,1918, died No-
vember'19 of the same year and bis
body arrived in the United States
November 19,1920. e-\i -M
y^ What Little Brother Bagged. $*~
MadisonvUle, Ky.Roy Oakley, aged
fifteen, will live, though 71 shot bad to
be picked from bis body by a surgeon..
He and his little brother, Tommy,
went rabbit hunting. Tommy shot Boy
ilnstead of the bunny.
:&&&.-- '.*3f
wmmmsagBBsmZi
OPEN SHRINETO
DEAD EMPEROR
Strange Ceremony in Japan, In
cluding Vaudeville, Marks
Twp Days of Worship.
BUILDING COST $10,000,000
Impressive Manifestations of Loyalty
Featured the Solemn Shinto Cere-
moniesVoices Silent Dur
ina Worship.
t^^**SaiiS.
Tokyo.After six years' labor and
an expenditure estimated at $10,000,-
000, the national shrine to the. late
Emperor Mutsuhito was opened re
cently with" solemn Shinto ceremonies,
and amid impressive manifestations
of loyalty. For three days the popu
lace of Tokyo celebrated the occasion.
Every street was decorated with bunt
ing, and from the humblest door lan
terns were displayed at night.
The municipality gave a flower show
and open-air performances and the
atrical performances in Hibiya park,
but for the most part the festivities
were co-operatively organized by the
citizens in different wards. At hun
dreds of central points stages had
been erected, where vandeville shows
were given and there were fireworks
both night and day.
Thousands From Country.
Over 250,000 persons from the coun
try districts visited the city during
the festival.
The. ^shrine is a typical Shinto build
ing of'plain wood, and of the simplest
possible construction. The opening
ceremony was attended by oyer 2,000
persons and officials, and lasted about
three hours The central feature was
the delivery to Prince Ichijo, warder
of the shrine, of the name tablets of
the late emperor, and their, installa
tion in the inner sanctuary.
Prince Kujo, a relative of the em
peror, delivered a commemorative ora
tion to which Prince Ichijo replied.
The shrine was thereafter opened to
the public and at least 500,000 people
worshiped before it during the re
mainder of the day.
The scene where these multitudes
of people were paying their respects
to tiie memory of the dead emperor
was impressive. The main entrance
to the shrine is by means of a new
and very broad road about two miles
in length. Along this road all the day
and evening two great strings of peo
ple poured, one going to the shrine,
the other returning.
The whole of this roadway was
brilliantly lighted and decorated with
flags and ornamental lanterns. But
once the torli at the entrance to the
shrine had been passed a great change
came over the scene. The modern
world was left behind, the gold and
red ornamentation ceased 'and the rest
of the way was made under the shade
of gigaflttc pine trees, which might
have been part of the virgin forests
of old Japan.
Pilgrims were admitted in groups of
about 200. Their journey ended in a
small paved courtyard inclosed with a
low wall. The shrine, a low, severely
plain building, was opposite the gate
way, and by the dim light of two large
paper lanterns about a dozen white
robed priests were seen moving slow
ly back and forth within the doorway.
They were sweeping up the coins that
rained continually on the steps of the
shrine.
Voices Are Silent.
Not a sound could be heard except
the light hand-clapping of the wor
shipers calling On the enshrined spirit
of the emperor. No human voice was
heard. There was not even en audible
prayer in complete silence the multi
tude paid their respects to the spirit
of Meiji and passed on.
On the two following days the
shrine was again visited by hundreds
of thousands, and the proceedings
were enlightened by wrestling and oth
er public entertainments near the
shrine. The crown prince, on behalf
of the emperor, worshiped at the
shrine on the second day..
It is intended to associate the young
men of Japan especially with the
Meiji shrine. A huge stadium will be
built in the grounds of the 'shrine,
and it is expected that the principal
athletic events of Japan will be con
tested there in the future.
BONES OF PILGRIMS MOVED
Taken From Canopy Over Plymouth
Rock, Which Is Being Reset
to Shore Level.
Plymouth, Mass.The bones of
some of the Pilgrim fathers were ex
posed for a time when the box in
which they have been kept was taken
from the canopy over Plymouth rock,
where it had rested since 1880.
The. records do not identify the
bodies, but the two relatively welt
preserved skulls and other bones
found In the casket are reputed to be
those of members of the colony who
died during the-ordeal of the first win
ter.
The canopy is to be removed and
the rock reset under conditions that
will bring it again to shore level.
Heart in the Right Place.
Anderson, Ind.Firemen hoisted a
40-loot ladder to rescue a pigeon sus
pended over a high ledge of St. Mary's
church. .The pigeon, was entangled In
twine. ^Worne^ in, the, crowd ^rhich
-Kwatcbeathe rescue applauded.
SI*
ST. PAUL AKB MINNEAPOLIS. WDSX* SATURDAY APEIL 16 l21
CASH AND LOVE GONE
ft.
Once Wealthy Man Brings Action
Agajnst Girl Wife.
i
Aged Husband Demands jan Account.
Ing for $50,000 Turned Over to
Wife and Relatives,
Atlantic City.Penniless- and sixty
five years old, William Pi Blf fle, once
a wealthy resident of Uniontown, Pa.,
appeared before vice chancellor Learn
ing here in an action he has brought
against his nineteen-year-old wife and
her uncle aqd aunt, M&f and Mrs.
Frank Mathews, formerly of New
York, but for the past*iyear residents
of this city. He suesj & Compel the
laTtet^t^glVefi'u^o^pig for $50,-
000 which he turned over to them.
Riffle testified that two years ago
Mrs. Mathews showed him the pic
ture of her niece, then seventeen,
when he went to her hotel on South
Illinois avenue, in search of health.
He said that he became enamoured
of the girl 'and Mrs. Mathews brought
her to the hotel. They became en
gaged after he had promised to give
her $10,000. Shortly afterward they
were married. He testified that he
gave Mr. and Mrs. Mathews nearly
$50,000, with the understanding that
the money was to be invested in real
estate.
After his money was gone, he
charged, his wife sola the furniture
he had bought for their home despite
his protest. She then gave him $16
of the proceeds to go to his home, he
added, and even tried, he swore, to
take that away from him before he
left
The defense sought* to show that
the money had paid for $6,000 worth
of clothes for the young wife, an
automobile, diamonds and jewelry.
Riffle admitted the money lasted only
six months. Then, he charged, the
Mathews sent him home to Union
town to raise more funds, but he had
been unsuccessful.
He declared that he was forced to
leave his wife in March of this year.
COURT 0. K.'S HAIR PULLING
Wife Justified in "Remonstrating"
With Rival, Massachusetts,^
Judge Rules.
Lynn, Mass.A hair-pulling match
between a wife and another woman
who is found with the husband is per
fectly In order from the spouse's view
point, according towthe ruling, of As
sociate Justice Edward B. O'Brien of
the District court here.
He was called upon to render a de
cision, at the trial of Mrs. Lillian
Miner, a divorcee, charged with as
sault with a revolver upon Mrs. Cath
erine Curtis, the wife of a Boston po
liceman. Although it was charged
that Mrs. Curtis made the first move
in the hostilities, the justice said:
"I think the wife is Justified in re
monstrating, even to the extent of
pulling hair, and if such a case came
before me for trial I should rule in
favor of the aggrieved wife."
Love of Music Traps
Robber of Poor Box
Philadelphia.It was his love
for music which led to the ar
rest of Jacob Katz, twenty-four
years old. Katz entered the
Emanuel Lutheran church here
shortly after midnight and
found the poor box which he
emptied of Its contents, $3.
Then he found the new organ.
Katz had musical talent and he
ran his fingers over the keys.
Then he became so absorbed in
the instrument that he forgot
where he was, pulled out the
diaphone and thundered away.
The strains awakened the pas
tor, Rev. Rudolph Nleder, who
lives next door, and he called
the.police.
ROBBER OFFERS VICTIM $10
"You Need It Worse Than I," He Says
to Holdup on Finding Man
Penniless.
Steubenville, O.Daniel Cable, a
pottery worker reported tohe police
here that a robber, who had held him
up while he was on his way home in
a suburb, offered to give him $10 after
the highwayman discovered that he
was penniless.
Cable said that the robber leaped
upon, overpowered him, and then went i
monejv Cable^said, the highwayman
accept the money.
-*E Laborer Gets $150,000.
Anaconda, Mont.From a laborer's
task at the Washoe smelter to the
possession of $150,000 was the realiza
tion here recently of Claude Sheuma
ker, who received a telegram from an
Eastern broker advising him that he
had realized this fortune on the sale
of oil stock. Sheumaker immediately
drew bis earnings, purchased a rail
road ticket and started Bast. Sheu
maker conceived the Idea of buying oil
stock while In the army. While serv
ing overseas with the'Twenty-third di
vision be was wounded. His original
Investment was $300 of back army pay.
He intends purchasing a ranch IBn Ore* ^i/?
uii^jH tHuui ^s^
gon, he said. ..r jg&*&*& ^r,
1\*. ,fc
FOR PREVENTION
OF BLINDNESS
Wonderful Progress Made by the
National Committee in That
Direction.
WORK IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Conservation of Vision Classes Grow
ing in Number as Educators Ois
cover It Is Practicable to Open
Classes in Small Cities. i
New York.More than 4,000 sup
porters of the work of the National
Committee for the Prevention of
Blindness were reported at the sixth
annual meeting in this city. This re
port shows a remarkable increase
from the 65 charter.members in 1915.
The work for the last year showed
much progress for the conservation
of vision in the public schools and col
leges.
The report continues:
"Conservation of vision classes in
the public schools are growing in
number as educators have discovered,
through the efforts of our committee,
that it is practicable to open such
classes even in cities smaller than
the largest The present census of
such classes is 62, of which 12 have
been established within the last year.
So far as known, the classes which
now support such classes include Illi
nois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minne
sota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania
and Washington. There is no more
hopeful part of our work than this,
and we are proud to have contributed
a considerable part to the establish-.
ment of these classes. s^
Blindness in Children.
"The chief cause of blindness
among children is due to ophthalmia
noeonatorum. The percentage this
year is 22.5 per cent as compared
with 15.7 per eent for last year of
those who have newly entered the
residential schools. This disease is
an inflammation of the eye usually
contracted by newly born children.
The percentage is even higher in the
public classes. We have reason to re
gret this unfortunate relapse. This is
the first year but one that has not
shown a considerable decrease, but we
are quite sure that our figures are
more accurate than in the years.gone
by, and possibly some of this Increase
is due to the greater accuracy of our
reports. We must faithfully and per-'*
sistently pursue our fight against
babies' sore eyes and continue to re
duce the number of children who need
not have been blind.
"Trachoma's victims (one of the
most dreaded of contagious eye dis
eases) have been discovered in sev
eral states where it was not suspect
ed this scourge could be prevalent.
Not less than nine states have during
this year initiated or renewed their
fight against the spread of trachoma.
In Illinois, particularly, there has
been a marshaling of the forces for
systematic operation in the stamp
ing out of this disease. In all cases
it has been the function of this com
mittee to serve as a helpful agency in
this work.
Caused by Wood Alcohol.
"Wood alcohol poisoning still causes
much blindness through drinking this
substance masquerading aS a familiar
stimulant. This condition was not a
surprise to us, and we had issued a
warning which was used throughout
the United States. Much activity re
sulted because of the newspaper ac
counts of the dreadful situation, and
considerable work has been done by
them toward eliminating this cause of
heedless blindness."
H. F/J. Porter of the Society for
Electrical Development delivered the
annual address. The subject of Mr.
Porter's address was "Through Life's
/Windows." He showed the great de
pendence of man on healthy and well-"
cared for eyes, which iie compared to
a pair of motion picture cameras. "In-
deed, the motion picture .camera is
made In imitation of the eye," he con
tinued. "The better the condition of
the lens and the better the illumina
tion of the object the better the re
suit of the photographer's effort. Just
with the more perfect instrument,
me eye an
i
se
tbat
wha
through ^hls pockets. Finding BO'^J,,^
&
behooves every one to
ey are kept in good cont- dition ands freees from eyestrai due
improper lighting. As It takes a long
er time to take a good picture in poor
light than in good light, so it takes
longer to obtain a good conception of
hefore
wh
reached into his.own pocket, pulled MOT ughtiag"
out a roll of bills and offered to give
him $10, saying: "Here, toother, you
need it worse than I do.?
Cable said ire was too surprised to
^th poor eyesight
lign
EmployeP S
provid
wise
agams accidents from
Return Hero Medal.
Connellsville, Pa.While a negro
woman held up Mrs. Annabelle Gemas
fdong the West Penn street car line,
dear the Gemas home, two negroes
searched her, took her pocketbook,
Containing about $30, but returning a
goid service medal which the wom
an's husband, the late George Gemas,
had been awarded for service in the
Spanish-American war. The trio halt
ed Mrs. Gemas with the request,
"Please give us your money, lady."
1
pullets had disappeared.
'lP^
0
Something Funny, All Right.
THtonville, O.There was some
thing funny about the chicken dinner
served Mayor Charles Beswick. He
was guest at honor at a stag party
where the chicken "was served in lib-
/v -~*-,i..
i,Ame 15
IT
Berwic foun., that his choicA
INCREASE OF ALIENS
Net Growth in Immigrant Popu
lation for. Year 193,514.
Total of 633,371 Sought Entrance to
United States in Last Fiscal
Y*ar.
Washington.Establishment of ma
chinery overseas in co-operation with
foreign governments through which
aliens before breaking up their homes
may determine whether they will be
admitted to the United States and leg
islative consideration of the proposals
of the second industrial conference are
outstanding recommendations in the
annual report of Secretary of Labor
Wilson.
The report shows that 633,371 aliens
arrived in this country during the last
fiscal year, as compared with 237,021
the year before. Of the total arrivals,
11,795 were excluded at the ports
where they sought to enter. Of those
arriving 430,001 are classed as immi
grant aliens and 195,575 as nonimmi
grant aliens. Departures of aliens to
taled 428,062, including 288,315 immi
grant aliens and 139,747 nonimmigrant
aliens, making the net increase in the
immigrant population for the year
193,514. 7
Japanese admitted number 16,174, as
compared with 14,904 the year before.
The total number of Japanese depart
ing is placed at 15,653, making, the re
port says, the indicated increase in
Japanese population, 521. Of those ad
mitted, 9,193 were males and 6,981 fe
males.
Besides the immigrants turned
back at the port of arrival, 2,762 were
ordered deported during the year on
departmental warrants, as compared
with 3,068 the year before. Of those
deported, 469 were classed as anar
chists and criminals. In addition, 591
others are awaiting deportation.
During the year 519,003 aliens took
the initial or final steps toward citi
zenship.
Mr. Wilson urges legislative action
to carry out the recommendations of
the second industrial conference, pro
posing joint organizations of manage
ment and employees for prevention of
industrial disputes and a comprehen
sive plan for adjusting such disputes
when they occur.
DIGGERS TURN UP TREASURE
Sewer Workers Find Collection
Rings and Watches in a Bos
ton Slime Pit.
of
Boston.A sewer gang quit work at
noon the other day with a valuable
treasure trove. In the slime of an
old pit near the Quincy house they
had found three gold rings, coins,
watches and other valuables.
Hotel employees suggested that the
hotel had a claim on the articles, as
the property probably of guests of by
gone days. The police suspected that
they were part of the loot of thieves.
But when the men showed coins dat
ing^ back to 1787, stamped with a pine
tree on one side and "Massachusetts"
on the other, they insisted that the
statute of limitations made the prop
erty theirs.
With the ancient coins they found
beer checks, which the foreman of the
gang said he intended to keep with
a "pine tree shilling," as a souvenir
of the past. The foreman estimated
that the deposit of mud in which the
valuables were found had not been dis
turbed in 75 years.
It's No Fault of Mint
If You're Shy of Coin i
Washington.The mints es
tablished a record in coinage
during the last fiscal year, ac
cording to the annual report of
Director Ray Baker made pub
lic. A.total of 809,500,000 coins
were execute^, which, Mr. Baker
declares, is a world's' record.
The figures show an increase of
446 per cent over 1915.
Public demand for smaller
coins, particularly pennies, is re
flected in the report, which dis
closes that more than 512,500,-
000 coins in the record output
were\l-cent pieces.
KING SPLITS ROYAL ESTATE
Spanish Monarch to Parcel Out 2,500
Acres of Land in Small
Farm Plots.
Madrid. Instructions have been
given by King Alfonso for the forma
tion of an agricultural syndicate, the
object of which will be the parceling
out of the king's royal estate at El
Pardo, nine miles west of this city,
for cultivation under the auspices of
the Catholic Agrarian federation.
The property contains nearly 2,500
acres and will be divided Into small
plots/
A plan has been devised which will
permit laborers to acquire the land
allotted to them.
fjThe Yellow Ostrich Feather." -:r.
r^Booneville, Ky.Nancy and Cyn
thia Hale, aged fourteen and fifteen,
respectively, who cook and wash, and
sew for six little motherless brothers
and sisters, have made a quilt which
they have christened "The Yellow Osv
trich Feather." Neighbors thought so
much of it that it was sent to Louis
ville to be sold for the benefit of wom
is.
en of the mom
rm
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Zt
2.40 PER TEAR
V00D00ISM IS
FAITH OF HAITI
Admiral Knapp, Investigating
Conditions, Tells Shocking
Tales of Practices.'
KILL HUMANS, DRINK BLOOD
Native. Is Strongly Superstitious,
Fears Evil Eye and Stands, in
Great Awe of Voodoo Priests
and Priestesses.
Washington, D. C.That 95 per cent
of the natives of Haiti believe in the
African jungle faith of voodooism
which requires the sacrifice of humaii
beings and the. drinking of human
blood is declared by Rear Admiral H.
S. Knapp in his report to the secre
tary of the navy on investigation of
Haitian conditions.
Admiral Knapp cites a shocking
case of the trial of a voodoo priest,
who is reported to have killed 13 chil
dren, whose blood was drunk and flesh
eaten by persons present at the rites.
"Voodooism is prevalent," says the
admiral's report, "and the further one
goes from the coast into the interior
the more openly is voodooism prac
ticed. Voodooism is essentially snake
worship, and in its extreme rites it
requires the sacrifice of human beings
and the drinking of their blood and the
eating of their flesh.
Orgies at Sacrifices.
"The human sacrifice is called the
'hornless goat minor sacrifices of
goats are made. These religious cele
brations, if the word 'religious' can
be applied to such affairs, end in dis
graceful orgies of debauchery. It is
very difficult, of course, to determine
just how extensively the beliefs are
held, but some Haitians themselves
have asserted that probably 95 per
cent of the total population believes
in voodooism to a greater or less ex
tent.
"Of course, the contrary is strongly
held by apologists for the Haitian
character. It seems certain, however,
that whether it be the effect of voo
dooism or not, the average Haitian is
strongly superstitioussuperstitious
with the superstitions of the jungle.
He is afraid of the evil eye, or, as it
is called here, the 'ouanga,' and stands
In great awe of the voodoo priests and
priestesses. It is also believed the
educated classes are not free from
much of this superstition, even where
they deny belief in or the existence of
voodooism.
Voodoo Followers Feared.
"Haitian oflSclals high in place will
not take action against persons ac
cused of voodooism, whether because
of their own belief in it or because of
fear born of their own knowledge of
the extent to which voodooism is prev
alent among the population or of in
curring enmities. A voodoo priest has
been lately tried and sentenced, and
the proceedings of the military com
mission are now in Washington await
ing action.
"This man is said to have killed, at
one time or another, 13 children,
whose blood was drunk and whose
flesh was eaten by persons present at
the rites. The practice of similar voo
doo rites is confidently believed by
those most familiar with the situation
in Haiti to be not unusual In the re
mote places, although it is very diffi
cult to obtain any positive evidence in
corroboration." OLD WOMAN MAKES QUILT
Makes One for Her Grandson
Contains 5,760 Pieces of
Patches.
That
Medford, Wis.Mrs. Jackson Moon
of Perkinstown has just completed a
quilt consisting of 5,760 pieces for her
grandson, William Woods of Wausau.
The pieces were collected from
friends and neighbors. Work on the
quilt began last April. Two weeks of
continuous sewing made Mrs. Moon's
fingers so sore that she was com
pelled to abandon the work for a time,
resting her fingers by spinning for a
neighbor.
Mrs. Moon, although seventy years
old, does her own housework, enter
tains much company, helps with the
milking, churns three times a week,
markets her butter, and no sick rela
tive or friend can find a better nurse
than she.
In the past twelve years this indus
trious lady has pieced 13 quilts each
made up of thousands of pieces, all
sewed by hand, for Mrs. Moon does
not like to sew on a machine.
Baby Ostrich Scrappy.
Vancouver, Canada.Jonathan, the
first ostrich chick hatched in Canada,
is progressing under the care of Zoo
Manager F. Green in Stanley. park.
It was at first believed that the rare
and valuable bird would not live, and
it was taken from its parents and
placed in the Green home. Appear
ance of weakness proved deceptive,
for Jonathan quickly whipped the
house cat and won a decision over the
family spaniel.
A Boom Soon Punctured.
Washington Courthouse, O.This
city and farmers in the neighborhood
of Point creek had the "thrttl of oil"
when It wa* reported all over the sur
face of the creek. It was learned lat
er, that it was part of 8,000 gallons
which had escaped from a wrecked
railroad car.
4 HOT S
8
**$&
