Springfield weekly Republican. [volume], March 05, 1914, Page 15, Image 15

About Springfield weekly Republican. [volume] (Springfield, Mass.) 1851-1946

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COUNTY LEAGUE DATA
LOCATING YOUR ORCHARD
GREAT CARE SHOULD BE USED
Details About Selection of Apples for
Planting — Uses for Blighted.
Chestnut Trees—Miscel
laneous Facts.
It is important to select the right loca
tion of orchards. Fruit men and others
in Hampden county who contemplate plant
ing fruit trees on quite a large scale this
spring have been considering where they
should locate the orchards. Fifty years
ago. when orchards were first set, people
felt. that trees should be placed along
stone walls, up in dry pasture corners or
alongside of large stones in open fields
or in any other waste land. In other
words they felt that land which was of
no value for anything else was suitable
for planting orchards. At present, with
the returns which orchards properly cared
for are giving, people have changed their
idea relative to orchard land and feel that
the best land is none too good for the
planting of fruit trees. The first thing to
consider in choosing a location for this
purpose is the market which he will cater
to,’whether it is a special market desir
ing special varieties or whether it is a
long distance market, such as Boston. New
York. Philadelphia, or even Liverpool. Cer
tain varieties do their best on certain types
of soil, and it is well to sound the mar
ket,, choose the varieties which the mar
ket desires. and then choose soil upon
which the varieties will arrive at their
greatest perfection.
Most orchardists desire soil which is
rather gravelly, for they claim it seems to
hold moisture better. The question of sub
soil is also important, and it should be
of gravelly make-up. This means that the
roots will have very little trouble in pene
trating in all directions, and rather deep
if they should have occasion to, and good
water drainage is also assured, Above all
things, a clay hardpan subsoil should be
.avoided, ..because it is not practical to
dynamite this subsoil in order to get it
into proper condition for the planting of
fruit trees. Dynamiting is an expensive
process. It is much better to get hold of
n location where the soil is rich in fer
tility- and humus. It is. of course, possible
to remedy these defects, but it is expen
sive uphill work, and on most farms there
are desirable locations which can be had
which are fairly fertile and have some
humus. It is also well to observe wheth
er the soil is sour because the acidity
must be remedied before many trees are
planted. This means a slight expense, but
is not prohibitive or a cause why certain
locations should not be chosen.
The question of necessary water drain
age is one which should be considered, as
trees will not do well when their roots are
in wet land. Such conditions would rarely
be found on gravelly land having gravelly
subsoil. Drainage is quite important when
selecting location of fruit orchard, espe
cially when peach trees arc to be planted.
aS often a good elevation or slope will
save an orchard from severe spring frosts,
fold air is heavier than warm, and set
tles to lower levels, making a change of
several degrees in the temperature. In
Massachusetts, most any slope w-ill do for
apples except the, west, and that is all
right except that it is inclined to get the
strong westerly winds in the fall, thus
blowing off many apples just before they
are ready to be harvested. Of course,
t! is can often be counteracted by wind
breaks. If some natural wind-break such
as hill forest or hedge row is not. present,
an artificial hedge should be planted. A
.wind-break composed of pines and maples
alternating in a row is very effective.
These trees do not harbor insects or dis
eases which may be injurious to the ad
joining fruit. Some of the reasons why
w-ind-breaks are so helpful are as follows:
First. They break the prevailing winds,
thus lessening the cold and the evapora
tion of water from the trees, as well as
having a tendency to hold the leaves and
snow where they fall instead of allowing
them to blow away.
Second. They lessen the wind in the
early spring, when One desires to spray
hut often is prevented by the strong winds
blowing the fine spray mist in all but the
desired direction, which generally includes
the sprayer's face and hands.
Third. Wind-breaks often save hundreds
of dollars to fruit growers during the se
vere windstorms which are likely to oc
cur at picking time or just before and
shake off hundreds of barrels of apples,
preventing them from ever becoming No
1 fruit. Good wind-breaks will help pre
vent a great deal of damage as well as
have a tendency to prevent the heavily
laden limbs from breaking during these
storms. Wind-breaks may be injurious if
planted so near the orchard as to use
moisture which ordinarily would be used
by the trees, or if the wind-break is of
such a nature as to harbor insects of
fungus. troubles.
One in considering the location for an
orchard should think of the nearness of
water supply because of the great need of
water for spraying. Sometimes it is pos
sible to pipe water to different sections of
the orchard. Most apple men at the pres
ent time have the source of water at such
a distance that they spend as much time
going after the water as they do in the
actual spraying. Any spring, brook, or
other source of water supply which hap
pens to be near the proposed orchard lo
cation is a valuable asset. Freedom from
stones, stumps and Other hindrances should
be considered, as it costs many dollars to
remove these, and they should be removed
because of the necessity of orchard culti
vation. and the constant traveling through
the orchard when spraying, hauling fruit,
etc. The distance from the packing shed
should also be thought of when choosing
the location. If it is a great distance
from the present packing shed, one should
plan to build a local shed in the new loca
tion to save time. The majority of tha
farmers in Hampden county are very near
large centers of population and. of course,
it is not wise to get orchards too far from
homes ilnless one plans to live in the or
chard during the season when the crop is
ripening.
The Selection ot Apple Varieties.
Farmers are now looking through
nursery catalogs with the idea of setting
out stock for the coming spring planting.
The question of proper varieties faces
them, also the question of what kind of
stock to use. If one is selecting varieties
for home use, of course a succession of
varieties is desirable and there are many
good kinds on the market which will give
a succession. The yellow transparent is
undoubtedly the earliest and the one which
should be planted in every home orchard
as well us in commercial ones. The tree
comes into bearing in three or four years
and bears annually. It also bears heavy
crops each year, and should be thinned.
They do not need to bo thinned, however,
until Within three weeks of the harvest
season when by so doing the apples have
arrived at. such a size that they make very
good green-apple pie. The ripe fruit are
rather soft and do not stand shipping:
this means that they should be picked just
before they mature and, if shipped, should
be placed in small packages of two or
four quarts, such as wire bale baskets.
The trees are upright growers and can
be planted in blocks near together or
about 25 or 30 feet apart,
The sweet bough is a variety which is
being tried out on several orchards .on *
commercial scale. Probably this should
not be grown in a home orchard. If one
desires to have some fruit of this kind
he can easily graft it on some early-bear
ing variety. The Bed Astraehan is the
logical apple to follow the yellow trans
parent. It is well known and always sells
for a good price if it is of good quality.
It has a tendency to decay on the tree
and fall before ripening, and often it does
not color properly. The variety does not
bear heavily every year, but has a ten
dency to bear biennially. It is rather un
certain for commercial planting.
The Duchess of Oldenburg should be
planted in home orchards as well as com
mercial orchards. It comes into bearing
early and bears heavily every year. It
comes on the market when there is very
little other fruit to be bought, which
moans that it finds a ready sale at a
good figure. Probably no other variety
has been neglected more in the past and
deserves more planting at the present time.
It is not a very good apple for dessert
purposes, but is for culinary use. The
Gravenstein grows at its best in the hills
in Hampden county, and should be plant
ed in home orchards as well as commercial
orchards. It is a fine commercial apple,
both for dessert and culinary purposes, and
is making growers a great deal of profit.
There is danger of Nova Scotia growers
competing strongly against Massachusetts
growers, because they are getting a little
better color, although not so good size.
The Wealthy apple is very good, but
probably has been planted too much. It
would be a good idea for commercial
growers to go rather easy on this kind.
It comes on the market during the peach
season when people seem to ask for
peaches rather than apples, and the va
riety does not bring the money which it
deserves. The tree, however, comes into
bearing early, and bears annually heavy
crops which need severe thinning. It is
susceptible to cedar apple rust more than
most other varieties. It cannot be put in
storage as it does not hold up very well
and there is no need of storing it be
cause it is closely followed by the Mac
kintosh Red, which is much superior in all
ways to the Wealthy.. The Mackintosh
Red should be planted extensively in home
and commercial orchards in the western
part of the state. This is susceptible to
the scab and gives the growers in the
eastern part of the state a hard, tedious
fight. Very few of the eastern growers
have been able to get the best of this
apple scab. Conditions there are such that
they will not be able to compete with
M estern Massachusetts growers in a few
years. Therefore, the Mackintosh Red is
a very desirable variety for Hampden
county. There is not an-apple which is
better flavored or of higher quality than
the Mackintosh in its season.
The Fall Pippin is rather uncertain at
the present time-one which commercial
growers think very well of. In Massachu
setts it does not seem to be a variety
which warrants extensive planting, al
though it may be good for home orchards.
The Pewaukee. Walter Pease, King and
many other varieties are being raised very
successfully in certain sections of Mas
sachusetts. but for several reasons should
not be planted on a commercial scale and
probably ought not to be planted in small
home orchards to any large extent. The
Baldwin, of course, has its place in the
orchards in Hampden county, and should
be planted as much in the future as it has
been. The Rhode Island Greening should
also be planted more in the future than
it is being at present. People are begin
ning to realize the worth of this variety
and are willing to pay nearly as much for
greenings as for Baldwins, as evidenced
by market quotations the last two or
three years. The Ben Davis and Russett
should not be planted in Hampden county
either in home or commercial orchards.
The Northern Spy is the best quality ap
ple which is known during the winter
season, and undoubtedly stiould be plant
ed, although it is rather uncertain as it
often does not come into bearing when it
should. Apples often are poor and
gnarly.
The Wagner is one which should be
grown on a small and large scale also.
It is a new variety which has proved its
worth and is being put out niore each
successive year. It comes into bearing
early and bears annually heavy crops.
Many people cannot tell the difference
between this and the Baldwin. It is a
little flatter and perhaps a. little better
for box packing than the Baldwin. Of
course many growers will want to plant
varieties such as the Jilliflower, Hubbard
ston and other kinds of this nature which
they are especially fond of. One should,
however. be careful not to plant too many
kinds. If a few trees of the varieties just
mentioned are planted the home orchard
will undoubtedly have a succession of ap
ples from early summer to late winter
and many to sell. For commercial work
it is advisable to combine a number of
varieties to five or six unless one is espe
cially near the Springfield or other good
market, when it is of course desirable to
have a succession of apples to keep labor
employed at all times through the pick
ing season. The Springfield market is an
especially good one for summer and fall
varieties and men who have these varieties
at present are making more money
than from the winter varieties.
WYANDOTTES' HIGH AVERAGE.
Leading; in Storrs Content* tor Produe
tion Per Hen.
The production for the 16th week of the
third international egg-laying contest at
Storrs, Ct., shows a drop of 140 eggs, due
without doubt to the fact that the ex
treme weather was too much for the birds,
especially the Leghorns. The total yield
for the week was 1925 eggs. The best
pen for the week was a pen of white
Wyandottes owned by Tom Barron of
Catforth, Eng. They laid 44 eggs. A
close second was a pen of single comb
Rhode Island Rods owned by Dr John A.
Fritchey of Harrisburg, Pa. This pen
laid 43 eggs. Third for the week was a
pen of single comb Rhode Island Reds
owned by Dearborn & Sharpe of Blairs
town, N. J. This pen laid 42 eggs. A pen
of single comb white Leghorns owned by
Glenview poultry farm of Rockville, Ct.,
laid 39 eggs.
The best individual to date is a white
Wyandotte owned by Tom Barron of Cat
forth, Eng. Her score is now 82 eggs.
In looking over the average production per
lieu, it is found that the white Wyandottes
are far ahead of the other breeds, and
have an average of 41 eggs each. The
single comb Rhode Island Reds are second
with an average of 21 eggs. The rose
comb Rhode Island Reds are third with
20.5 eggs. The averages are as follows:-
Average.
Single comb white Leghorns 19.6
Barred Plymouth Rocks U.S
Buff Wyandottes •••15.8
Columbian Wyandottes 15.8
Single, comb buff Leghorns 14.6
White Plymouth Rocks 14.4
Buff Plymouth Rocks 13.8
Buff Orpingtons... ■■■■■■■ •■■•■ ••• • • -13.3
The average per bird for the entire flock
is 19.3 eggs.
The leading pens as they stand at the
end of the 16th week are as follows:—
Tom Barron ot Catforth, Eng., white
Wyandottes. 817; Francis F. Lincoln of Mt
Cannel Ct., single comb white Leghorns,
484: Neale Bros of Appouaug. R. 1., white
Wyandottes. 4+o; Merrythought farm of Co
lumbia, Ct., white Wyandottes, 424; hr John
A Fritchey of Harrisburg. Pa., single conib
Rhode Island Rede. 411; Cecil Guernsey of
East Cobleskill, N. Y., single couth white
Legborus, 398! Jules F. Francals of West
Hampton. L. 1., barred Plymouth Rocks. 347;
Dearborn & Sharpe of Blairstown. N. J.,
single comb Rhode Island Reds, 344; pine
crest orchards of Groton, Mass., single comb
Rhode Island Reds. 318: Tom Barron of Cat
forth, Eng., single comb white Leghorns,
304; Glenview poultry farm of KockvlUs. Ct.,
rose comb Rhode Island Reds, 200; D. J,
THE SPRINGFIELD WEEKLY REPUBLICAN: THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 1914.
Kyan & Son of Bridgeport, Ct., white Wyan
dottes, 280.
USING BLIGHTED CHESTNUT.
Merchantability of the Wood In
Killed Tree* Dlaensaed by an Ei
pert.
(By J. C. Nellis. Forest pxaminer. U. 8. for
est service. Washington, D. C.l
A chestnut tree killed by the blight or
bark disease is killed by the girdling of
the trunk and the disease does not injure
the wood. Unsound or rotten wood is not
caused by the disease but by saprot, heart
rot or insect, which attack chestnut trees
killed in any way. After the death of a
tree there are changes which follow the
drying out of timber, such as checking and
the attainment of the stiffness and brittle
ness of seasoned wood. Since the disease
does not injure the wood the question of
utilizing blight-killed timber is only the
question of utilizing dead timber. Strength
tests which have been made upon chestnut
killed by the blight have show n that sound
wood from dead trees is fully as strong as
wood from green trees. Therefore, if
chestnut poles, ties, and other products
are sound at the time of inspection they
should, not be rejected because they come
from trees infected or killed by the blight.
The presence of disease lesions or cankers
on a pole, tie or post is not sufficient rea
son for rejecting such material.
The sapwood of chestnut generally re
mains sound for about two years after
death, while the heart wood is usually
sound for a number of years thereafter.
Pole®, hewn ties and round posts may be
cut from trees that are not saprotted. al
though it would be best to cut trees in
tended for poles before they die. since a
dead tree is brittle on account of season
ing and may break in felling. Saprotted
trees may be sawed into lumber, dimen
sion, ties, switch timbers, .slack Staves and
Leading, shingles, and the like or cut for
cordwood. However, in all cases dead tim
ber should be cut as soon as possible, since
it loses value continuously because of de
cay, checking and insect work.
Farmers’ Week at Massachusetts Agri
cultural College From 16th to SOth.
One of the great anniial events of agri
cultural interest in this commonwealth
is the farmers’ week at Massachusetts
agricultural college. This year it is to
be held March 16-20. The program cov
ers the complete range of farming in
terests in this state and is of practical
nature with the best authorities discuss
ing their various subjects. This meet
ing offers the farmers of the state an
opportunity to get together with the most
successful farmers as well as attend con
ferences and lectures to get practical ideas
and obtain inspiration from men who are
successful and progressive farmers. It
also offers a great opportunity in a social
way.
ELLIOTT MAKES STATEMENT.
Chairman of New Haven Road Tell*
of Government’s Attitude at Ex
ecutive Committee Meeting—Reduc
tion* to Be Made in Train Sched
ule.
At a special meeting at New York Tues
day of the executive committee of the
New York, New Haven and Hartford
railroad. Chairman Howard Elliott sub
mitted a detailed statement relative to the
government’s attitude toward the New Ha
ven system in connection with the separa
tion of the Boston and Maine road. Mr
Elliott declined to discuss the matter for
publication, but said he hoped to arrive at
a satisfactory understanding with the de
partment of justice as to the time to be
allowed the New Haven for disposing of
its interests in the Boston and Maine.
: Pursuant) to its policy off retrenchment,
the New Haven road contemplates making
a number of reductions in its passenger
schedules, effective the 15th, it was made
known. The proposed changes will not af
fect any important trains between New
York and Boston. A meeting of the New
Haven directors will be held on Friday,
bv which time it is hoped to have further
word from Washington with regard to the
general plans of dissolution.
Mr Elliott sounded a note of pro
test last week at North Attleboro
in discussing the tailroad situation in New
England. Speaking at a dinner of the
board of trade, he said: “Further med
dling, legislative or otherwise, with the
affairs of the New England lines and con
tinued adverse criticism by newspapers
and individuals will so seriously affect the
industries of New England, and conse
quently the industries of the country, that
no one can predict the result.” To show
what, he affirmed, was the result of ad
verse criticism of the New Haven, he said
that in the first seven weeks of this year
the gross earnings of the New Haven had
suffered a decrease of $670,000 in com
parison with those of the same period last
year.
New B. and M. Headquarter*.
Headquarters of the southern division
of the Boston and Maine railroad will
be transferred from Boston to Concord,
N. H., and that of the Fitchburg divi
sion will be moved from Boston to Green
field. In making the announcement Thurs
day James D. Tyter, general superin
tendent of the road, said the change on
the southern division will be effective
March 1. The Fitchburg division trans
fer will not be made until later.
Hampden’* Railroad’* Position.
The hearings at Boston Thursday on the
petition of the Boston and Maine and
the Hampden railroads for an approval of
an operating agreement was postponed by
the public service commission, pending
action on the agreement by a majority of
the stock of the former company. Chair
man Macleod intimated that the commis
sion desired to. hear first from the pro
posed board of Boston and Maine trus
tees. “The plan of the Hampden company
is to sell the road outright to the Boston
and Maine, and not lease it."
New Haven Make* New Low Record.
The lowest price at which the stock
of the New York, New Haven and Hart
ford railroad ever sold was reached at
New York Tuesday. After the appear
ance of the January report showing a de
crease in operating income of $352,000,
the quotation dropped a point, tq 65%). Last
December, when the dividend was passed,
the stock declined to 6*r'% but last month
it rose to 78. In the seven months of
New Haven's fiscal year which have
elapsed, the operating income has de
creased $3,498,000.
NO DATE FOR MELLEN CASE.
Judge Joseph P. Tuttle in the criminal
superior court at Bridgeport, Ct., Tues
day overruled the motion on the plea to
the jurisdiction and the motion to vacate
the warrant for the arrest of Charles S
Mellen, former president of the New
Haven road. Mr Mellen is charged with
manslaughter in connection with the West
port wreck on October 3. 1912. The mo
tion was argued last week. The effect
of the discussion is to leave the case on
the trial list with no date set for calling
it before a jury. The court's decision says
that records show the accused was ar
rested on a warrant issued by the superior
court on April 15, 1913, upon an original
information presented by the state attorney
and without any previous arrest or in
quest by a lower tribunal.
A group of English capitalists is or
ganising a large cattle farming concern
in western Siberia, with n view to export
ing its product* to England.
BERKSHIRE BANKERS DINE
HEAR CHARLES A. CONANT SPEAK
Apw York Lan Describe* Working ot
Currency Law.
The annual meeting and banquet of the
Berkshire bankers' assoceciation was held
at the Wendell hotel in Pittsfield at
6.30 o'clock Monday evening, 70 being
in attendance. After a fine dinner the
nominating committee reported and the
following were elected: Executive commit
tee, Charles E. Hibbard, Charles H. Wil
son, George H. Southard; secretary and
treasurer, Edward L. Murphy of Lee. The
executive committee will choose the pres
ident. Toastmaster Frank W. Dutton then
introduced the speaker of the evening,
Charles A. Conant of New York, who
spoke on “The effect of the new currency
law on the country farmer.”
The danger of inflation under the new
banking law was declared to be remote,
by Mr Conant. It was pointed out that
the federal reserve banks would probably
not be organized and ready for business
for five or six months, and that they
would not be able to issue circulating notes
until they were called upon to surrender
deposits or to rediscount commercial pa
pei. Their position at first would be ex
ceptionally strong, because their assets
would consist entirely of cash or credits
convertible into cash, paid in by member
banks as subscriptions to their capital
stock, as legal reserves under the new
law, or as government deposits Only
gradually in any case would these large
cash resources, amounting probably to
$600,000,000, be used as the basis of
credit. The legal requirement, that a re
serve should be held against federal re
serve notes of not less than 40 per cent
in gold, Mr Conant declared should be
treated by the federal reserve board as a
minimum requirement, and the effort
should be made to maintain the reserve
in times of easy money at approximately
60 per cent in order to have a margin for
meeting periods of pressure.
Regret was expressed that the circu
lation of the federal reserve banks was
not made homogeneous, instead of permit
ting a part of it to be based upon United
States bonds as nnder the old national
banking law. The speaker did not be
lieve, however, that the authority given
to the federal reserve banks to issue notes
upon bonds would be employed on any
considerable scale, because the $25,000,000
per annum in bonds which the federal re
serve banks were authorized to purchase
would probably be converted to a consid
erable extent into 3 per cent bonds not
available for circulation or into one-year
treasury notes, which would form one
of the most liquid assets of the new sys
tem. Especially would this be the case
if it was decided that notes issued upon
bonds were subject to the same tax as
the present issues of national banks,
which the speaker believed to be the
proper interpretation of the law. Only
by degrees, therefore, could federal re
serve notes be put in circulation by means
of rediscounts, and it lay with the federal
reserve board to frame rules carefuliy re
stricting the character of such discounts
to conservative commercial transactions
of the highest class, and for the direc
tors of the several federal reserve banks
to carry out these rules.
One of the fundamental duties of the
managers of the new system would be to
substitute federal reserve notes for gold
and lawful money now in circulation so
far as their legitimate business and the
operations of the treasury permitted, in
order to accumulate in the federal reserve
banks a fund of gold which would be as
impressive as the sums of more than
$600,000,000 each held by the state bank
of Russia and the bank of France.
STEEL SUIT NEARS END.
Federal Lawyer Ta ken Step* to Bring
Long-Drawn-Oat Ca*e to Conclusion.
A step toward bringing to a conclu
sion the government suit to dissolve the
United States steel corporation was taken
at Philadelphia Tuesday, when the fed
eral district court was asked to fix a date
to hear argument in the case. The mo
tion was made by Henry E. Colton, spe
cial assistant to the attorney-general, who
asked the judges to fix any time after
September 15. John G. Johnson of Phil
adelphia. counsel for the steel corporation,
agreed to the motion. The court will an
nounce the date later.
The suit was instituted at Trenton. N.
J., on October 26, 1911, and the taking
of testimony was begun in New York in
May, 1912. Hearings were held in many
parts of the eastern half of the United
States. The government closed its case
about a year ago and most of the time
since has been taken up by the defense,
which rested its case in New Y'ork on
February 20. Each side reserved the right
to introduce additional evidence and it is
expected that both sides will conclude
before the summer months.
While the suit was filed in the United
States district court in Trenton, because
the steel corporation has a New Jersey
charter, the final arguments will be heard
in Philadephia before Judges Gray, Buf
fington and McPherson.
OXFORD LINEN MILLS NAMED.
Linen Thread Cannot Be Made From
Flax Straw Prosecution Saya in
Case Against Oxford Linen Mill*.
A secret process by which the defendants
maintained that they could make linen
thread from flax straw at a fraction of
the present cost of manufacture figured in
the government's charges against seven
men placed on trial at New York Tues
day for conspiracy through the mails to
defraud investors in the stock of the Ox
ford linen mills. The government declares
that the process was worthless, but the
defendants nevertheless obtained $1,200,-
000 from persons who purchased the se
curities in many parts of the country.
The defendants are George H. Middle
brook. Frank W. Schumaker, Harry H.
Platt, Samuel E. Finley, Elwin A. Barron,
Wilbur M. Stone, Benjamin C. Mudge and
the Sterling debenture corporation, through
which the stock was marketed. The Ox
ford linen mills is a $2,000,000 corpora
tion located qt North Brookfield. Mudge
was named as the discoverer of the alleged
secret process. Frank E. Winchell, a for
mer president of the Oxford linen mills,
also indicted, pleaded guilty a few weeks
ago and may take the stand against bis
former associates.
After the jury bad been selected. As
sistant District Attorney Spence in the
opening argument declared the government
would show that the Mudge process was
worthless and that after the sale of the
stock the Oxford linen mills abandoned it
nnd began making linen from foreign flax
in the old way.
To Transfer Western Union Stoek.
Plans by which the American telephone
and telegraph cempany will dispose of its
$29,000,000 of Western Union telegraph
stock through Kubn. lx>eb & Co of New
Y'ork, acting as underwriters, have been
approved by the department of justice, and
according to inf. rmation at Washington,
the stock will be transferred within a short
time. The underwriters will dispose of the
Western Union stock to parties other than
the American telephone and telegraph com
pany, so that the separation of the two
concerns shal' meet the ideas of Attorney-
General Mcßeynolds.
W ALSH CALLS SPECIAL KLECTION.
Uov Walsh issued n precept at Boston
last week for a special election on April
7 in the 12th congressional district to till
the vacancy caused by the resignation of
Mayor James M. Curley. The primaries
will be held on March 24.
MACNAUGHTON ON STAND
ASSAILS WESTERN FEDERATION
General Manager of Calumet and
Hecla Prove* Interesting Witne««
at Consresslonal Hearing.
James MacNaughton, general manager .
of the Calumet and Heeia mining company
and its subsidiaries, denounced the west
ern federation of miners and its princi- ■
pies at Houghton, Mich., Tuesday, before ,
the congressional committee investigating
i the copper strike, and declared he would
permit no one to arbitrate between hia .
loyal employes and the striking unionist.-.
Chairman Taylor asked MacNaughton if
it was his position that the companies
would not let the governor of Michigan
or the president of the United States, or
any other high-minded person, attempt to
settle the trouble.
“I personally will not agree, Mac-
Naughton said, "to allow any person to
arbitrate a question between 4700 em
ployes who are faithful and loyal, and 240
employes who are on strike. As to con
ditions they would impose on the men now
at work, I think it would be outrageous
and unjustifiable.” MacNaughton said his
attitude did not indicate lack of confidence
in the officials named, but “I know this
is my pocketbook and I am not going to
allow you or others to arbitrate to decide
whose pocketbook it is.”
Congressman Casey inquired if the sur
render of membership in the socialist party
was a condition of re-employment. Mac-
Naughton said it was not, as he was
"something of a socialist himself.” al
though not a militant one. MacNaughton
was vigorously cross-examinbd by O. N.
Hilton, of counsel for the federation.
"So you think alien agitators have been
dispensing a gospel of hate in this com
munity,” began Hilton.
“Yes.”
"Do you think you have been dispens
ing one of love?”
“Not necessarily, but I have preached
against the doctrines of the federation
"Mr Rees said in his opening statement
that alien organizers of the federation had
resorted to intimidation and violence to
gain a foothold there because ‘the picking
was good.’ Do you indorse that?”
Director* Are Bostonian*.
Hilton then established by questions that
the directors of the Calumet and Hecla,
except MacNaughton. live near or in Bos
ton.
“They are aliens, too?" he asked.
“Yes.”
“The picking has been pretty good for
them, too, hasn’t it?”
Objection to this question was sustained.
Hilton asked the witness if he thought
conditions under which a man worked 19
months without receiving a cent were
ideal. MacNaughton said the man must
have liked it or he would have left. He
said the companies withheld a man's pay
only on garnishment or assignment of sal
ard. In his direct testimony MacNaughton
said 4700 of the company's old men were
back at work and only 240 actually were
on strike. He declared the Waddell-Ma
hon and Asher guards had been imported
at the instance of Sheriff Cruse, who
claimed they were needed to preserve order.
"As long as I am general manager of the
Calumet and Hecla company no striker
will be taken back to work unless he gives
up his membership in the western federa
tion of miners." declared MacNaughton.
“The western federation and its members
as such have tried in every way possible
to put the mining companies out of busi
ness. They stopped our business, they in
terfered with nonunion men going to work
and caused riots. There are a great many
strikers who wouldn't be taken back under
any conditions.”
The witness quoted figures to prove that
the company did not profit by renting
houses to employes, and then explained the
pension system of the company. The
company, said the witness, discharged a
mine captain who was proved to have sold
jobs. MacNaughton outlined to the com
mittee the welfare work, being done by
the Calumet and Hecla for its employes
and their dependents and told of the sys
tem of the free fuel distribution among
the poor.
The witness denied that the mortality
from accidents was greater in these mines
than elsewhere, and quoted figures to show
that the percentage of deaths was less
than in the Montana and Arizona districts.
Questioned on hours of labor. MacNaugh
ton declared it was impracticable to work
three-hour shifts owing to the time re
quired to send men and supplies up and
down. He did not think men employed by
Ids company ever had been required to
work actually more than eight hours a
day. Under the new system they go down
and come up partly on the company's
time, partly on their own. The witness
said the company was not interested in
any store, and the men were free to trade
wherever they wished.
Member* of the Wester* Federation
Held in Mnrder Mystery Case.
In connection with the Painesdale mur
der mystery, which is said to have been
one of the developments of the copper
miners' strike at Houghton. Mich., five
members of the western federation of
miners were arrested there Saturday. The
arrests were made after an alleged con
fession by John Huhta, former secretary
of the South Range local of the federa
tion. Nick Verbanac. an organizer for
the federation. Hjalmer Jallonen. Isaac
Juttinen. Joseph Juttinen and Huhta are
prisoners in the Houghton Jail, charged
with the murder of Thomas Dally. Arthur
Jane and Harry Jane, nonunion mine
workers, at Painesdale on December 7.
They are held without bond for hearing
on Thursday.
NEW DELAY IN THAW CASE.
Final briefs for the state of New Y'ork
in the extradition of Harry K. Thaw
were to have been filed at Concord. N.
H. Tuesday, according to the order of
Judge Edgar Aldrich of the federal court,
but it was announced that William T.
Jerome, representing the New York at
torney-general, had been granted five addi
tional days at his request. The docu
ment will be filed probably next Monday.
MONEY AND BUSINESS.
A SLOW MONTH IN TRADE
February was rather a slow business
month in some respects, with its severe
weather and its tendency toward reac
tion in business activities at home and
abroad. The stock market closed the
week, however, by marking tip prices on
signs of lessened tension in the Mexican
situation and easier financial conditions
in Paris. The losses scored in securi
ties earlier in the week were made good
in the trading of the last 2% days. Money
in this country remains cheap, notwith
standing continued gold exports to Paris,
and Saturday's New York bank state
ment showed a surplus larger than last
year's of the same date by $21,000,000,
although the surplus dwreased by $7,-
860.000 during the week on account of
a loan expansion of nearly $20,000,000.
There were rumors in midweek of ini
landing failures in Paris by houses which
were overloaded with securities of a
doubtful character and this fact combined
with the Mexican situation to produce a
chill that, was widely felt The bank
of England maintains its low discount
rate, however, and the latest reports
: re that the monthly settlements in Paris I
furnish no ground for apprehension.
The actual influence of the Mexican j
crisis upon the markets has not been
large, judging by the movement of prices
of speculative securities since the killing
of the British subject Benton. So long
as the United States gets into no seri
ous difficulties with European powers, the ;
markets will probably remain compara
tively indifferent. There are those who
even hold that intervention itself would
be a favorable development, from the
financial viewpoint, inasmuch as it would
end present uncertainties as to the safety
of investments in Mexico and the security
of foreigners still residing there. Inter
vention would mean the safeguarding of
even- foreign interest in the country; and,
as for the cost of pacification, it is ar
gued that the United States is rich and
strong enough to pay the bills no matter
how long the process. Such considera
tions must account for the comparative
apathy with which the stock market has
regarded the. complications resulting from
the killing of Benton and also the Amer
ican citizen Vergara. Had these inci
dents involved dangerous friction with a
European power, the response of the mar
ket must have been decidedly different.
That the great impetus of January
was to a degree lost in February has
been the cause of disappointment, but
the real test of the meaning of the Jan
uary rise, as a forecast, must come later.
Trade statistics lately published have re
flected mainly the conditions that pre
vailed late in 1913. January imports and
exports, which showed a decline in the
country's foreign trade, were of that
character, and the same can be said of
railroad earnings. January railroad earn
ings on a number of large systems were
not uniformly disappointing, however.
Rock Island makes the best exhibit of
all, its gross showing an increase of
$176,638 and its net $513,853. Illinois
Central also reports increases in boti
items—of $105,015 and $162,407. respec
tively. On most roads efforts have been
made to decrease operating expenses, the
Pennsylvania railroad having taken off
lately a number of passenger trains in
the effort to make the ends meet. For
the calendar year 1913 the Pennsylvania
system’s gross revenue increased 6TB per
cent over 1912 and was the largest in
its history, but total operating expenses
increased 8.96 per cent. This is the old
story of expanding freight and passenger
business and declining net income, which
presents the serious problem now before
the interstate commerce commission.
The whole question of a spring boom in
industry seems to depend upon develop
ments in iron and steel, judging by the
scrutiny to which that trade is subjected.
Idle freight cars have again decreased, ac
cording to the last fortnightly report and
the steel industry as a whole is admitted
to be running at about 75 per cent of ca
pacity-all of which shows a genuine im
provement since New-year’s. But in the
past two weeks new orders have fallen
off, notwithstanding the low prices. One
reason for this undoubtedly is that the
manufacturers are unwilling, a s in former
times, to accept orders for long-extended de
liveries at present low rates. The question,
however, becomes important whether the
buying movement since New-year's has re
flected merely a sort of "hand-to-mouth”
stocking up of depleted supplies or an in
crease of actual consumption. In Pitts
burg. according to reports, steel trade ex
perts insist that more than a mere re
plenishment of depleted supplies is in evi
dence, and they confidently anticipate a
fresh buying movement with the coming of
spring. Railroad buying, it is believed,
must begin soon, in spite of the present
holding off by the roads, which normally
use 30 to 35 per cent of the steel output of
the American mills. Within a fortnight
a dozen roads have financed their require
ments for improvements and repairs. The
Southern Pacific will spend some $25,000,-
000 and the Great Northern $19,000,000
right away.
Bank clearings last week (five days only)
were 13.9 per cent below the previous
week and 23.9 per cent below 1913, when
there was a full six-day week of business.
The shifting of Washington's birthday
from Saturday to Monday in the past two
years makes this comparison of little value.
In February, also. New York stock sales
amounted to 6,274.195 shares, against 10.-
538.573 in January, and 6,379.250 in Feb
ruary, 1913. Bond sales in February were
$74,128,000, against 588.758.000 in Jan
uary. and $45.7, 7 .000 in February, 1913.
The bond market in February is thus seen
to have held up much better than the mar
ket for shares, compared with the pre
vious month and the same month of 1913.
TUESDAY’S MARKETS.
At New Y'ork.
Net
Sale*. High Low. Close, ch's
400 Adams Express 10) 100 100 +5
400 Alaska Gold M 22 21% 22 — %
7,400 Amal Copper 74 73% 73%— %
100 Am Beet Sugar 22% 22% 22%— %
1,975 Am Can 29% 29% 29%— %
JOO do pref 92% 92% 92%- %
400 Am Car & Fdry 50% 50% 50% — %
400 Am Cotton OH 45 44% 44%— %
200 do pret 98 96 '.at
2,200 Am Ice Sec 30% 30 30 — %
too Am Locomo 34% 34% 34%— %
300 Am Smelting 65% 67% 67%+ %
200 do pref 102% 101% 102%+l
100 Am Snuff 165 165 165 —1
600 Am Tel & Tel 120% 120 120%
100 Am Tobacco 248% 248% 248%- %
100 do pr new 105% 105% 105%+ %
200 Am Woolen pr 75% 75% 75%— %
400 Anaconda 35% 35% 35%— %
500 Atchison Ue's 96% 96%— %
400 do pref 101% 101 101 — %
900 Bald LOCO 49% 48 49 -i-l
200 do pref I*W% 106% 106%+ %
700 Bait & Ohio 91% 91% 91%-%
1400 Beth Steel 38% 35% 38%
200 do pret .9% 79% 79%+ %
2.330 Brooklyn R T 95% 92% 93 + %
IO) Butterick Co 28 28 28
700 Cal Petrol 27 26% 26%— %
200 do pref 63 64 64
6,600 Canada Paciflc 209% 208% 208%—1*.
600 Cent Leather 31% 31 SIU— %
20' do pref 101 101 101 +1
900 Ches * Ohio 63% 63 63%— %
200 Chic Gt West 12% 12% 12%- %
420 do pref 30% 29% 29%- %
142 Chic &N W 134% 134% 134%+1%
800 Chino Con Cop 42 41% 41%_ i_
100 Col Fuel & Iron 32 32 32
100 Col A South 24 24 24 — %
200 Consol Gas 134 134 134 — %
200 Corn Products 11% 11% 11%
100 Deere pr 96 96 96 +1
100 Del Lack * W 395 396 395
1.700 Dist Securities 20 19% 19%+%
2.260 Erie 29% 29 29 — %
416 Gen Electric 147% 147 147
2.000 Gen Motors 74% 73 73 —1
1.280 do pret 93% 93 93%+ %
700 Goodrich B F 23% 22% 23%+ %
600 Gt North pr 127% 127 127%
737 Gt N Ore Sub 36 35% 36 —1
2,800 Guggen Expl 54% 53 54 +1
300 Inter Met pr 80% 59% 59%- %
200 Int Har of N J 105% 105% 105%
100 Int Har Cor 104% 104% 104%— %
100 Int Paper pr 36 36 36
230 Kan City So 25% 25 25%- %
200 Kresge Co 99 99 !>9 —3
200 Io pref 105 104% 105 + %
1,700 Lehigh Valley 150 149% I+9%+ %
100 Ltg & Myers 227% 227% 227%+4%
100 Loose Whes 32% 32% 32%—1%
+OO Lorlllard. P. 172 170 172 +2
200 Manhattan El 131 130% 130%- %
100 Mer Mar pr 10% 10% 10%+ %
600 Mex I'eti-ol 66% 66 68%+ %
100 do pret SO SO so — %
400 Miami Copper 22% 22% 22%
100 MoK&T 18 18 18
1 400 do pret 54% 53% 54 —l%
I 400 Mo Pacific 25 24% 25 +%
1 100 Nat Biscuit 131% 131% 181%-!%
220 do prof 123% 12S 123%-1%
20i> Nev C Copper 18 13% 16 + %
4.000 N Y Central 90% 89% 89%
8.200 NYN H& H 67 65% 65%- %
420 Norf A West 102% 102% 102%
1.555 North Padlk 112% 111% 112%
100 Pacific Mall 24 24 24 - %
I LS - *’ Penn R R 111% 111% 111%
100 People sG & C 122 122 ‘ 122
■ 300 Fitts Coal 21% 20% 20%—%
I too do pret 90% 90% 'JO%— %
100 Pull Pal Car 15+% 154% IM% %
+OO Ry St I Spring 29 25% 25%—1%
j TOo Ray Con Cop 20% 20 ' 20 — %
I 10.500 Reading 165% 164% 105 + %
KXi do 2d pret :>O 90 90
100 Rep tr & Steel 25 25 25
600 Kock Island 5% V 4 s*+ %
500 do pref 8% 8% B%+ C
200 Rntnely 13% 1»% 13%— S ’
VO SeabM Atw 54% 53% 54%— %
100 St L&SE 24 pr 7% 7% 7%— %
2HOO South Paclfi.- 94 S«% »3%+ %
UO Southern Ry 25% 25% 25%-+- %
100 Studebaker 23% 23% 23%— 4
200 do pref 80% 80 80%
TOO Tenn Copper 35% .35 35%
5.00<l Texas Co 149% 148 I+B%+ %
'OO Third Avenue 44 +3% +3%
100 In Bag Ap pr 31 31 31
7.650 Union Paciflc IJ»% 158% 158%— %
260 do prof 84 84 84 + %
980 C S Express 72 70% 71
1.400 f S Rubber 60% 59% 5»%+ %
900 dolstnref 101% 101% 101%
13,900 C 8 Steel 64% 64% 64%— %
900 <lo prof 110% 110% 110%- %
1,600 Utah Copper 54% '+ 54%- £
100 Wabash 2% 2% 2%
I<O West Maryland 31% 31% 31%— %
400 Wolls-Fargo 89% 87% 80%+4% fl
250 West Un Te] 63% 63% 63%- %
100 Wostinghonse 71 71 71 + %
Total sales 123.032 shares, against. 9810 t»
Monday 134.530 a week ago and 272 377 a
year ago From January 1 to date 16.678.280.
against 15,6+1.377 a year ago.
+lncrease. —Deerease. tEx-diridend.
local provision market.
MEATS.
Bacon 10830 Suet 10
Sliced baeon 20@35| Sausage* (pkg)
Lard 14620 22^76,320533
p nrk- Franktorta IS
Fresh 18@31 Bologna 18
Salt toats Hams sliced 25085
Roast 18(323 Tripe S&2
Chop* 18Q2»L - honeycomb MOB
Lamb— Tongue 25®ia
legs 15«: O Mutton—
Hindquarters 16®25 Forequarters 10®5
Forequarters 12518 Legs 18@2O
Chops 30@40: Calf’s Hv*r 35
Beet— Veal-
Round 20830 Steak 40350
Rump 35640 Cutlet BMM
Porterhouse +s®so Roast 25<®»
Chuck 14118 Chops 3043.5
Hamburg 15825 Forequarters I+l2o
Roast 25®28§30 Fowl 20325
Short 28832 Chicken 3aK»
Corned dm 8@22 Philadelphia do 32®3S
Corned pressed Western broil.
30833 ers 25®M
Smoked ."<< +> Native broilers 2^35
Dried 45 Squabs (pair) 1.26
Liver 10Q12 Pigeons -pair) 50
Ham* 17@25i Capon* 351+C
Smoked shoulder* Turkey* 2013-7
14017 Spring dueks 25130
GROCERIES.
Butter- ; Vinegar (gal) 20®40
Tub (now) 30839 j Sugar—
Creamery 366 +1 Granulated (IS to
ButtertM 17@28 22) LOO
Chee*e- I Brown (17) 1.00
New 20 Cut loat (1» 1.00
Old 24 Powdered G2l 1.00
Bvias 38 Molasses (gab P. R. AS
Edam (each) Maple sirup (gal) LSO
1.00@1.25‘ Eggs (dozen) (local)
Sage 30 40@4fl
Roquefort 48 Western 30085
Pickles (qt) 200501
GRAIN AND FLOUR.
Wheat- I Corn—
No 1 white (owt). West (cwt) 1.55®1«
2.W02.20 Northern (bn) 1.09
Bran (cwt; 1.5501.60 Hay (baled) (ton)
Middlings (cwt) 23025
16001.65 Straw (cwt) 1.10
Rye (baled) (cwt) 1.10 Linseed oil meal 2.35
Mixed feed (cwt> Cottonseed meal
1.5001.80 LSOOJ.BS
Gluten (cwt) 1.6501.70 Flour—
Rye (lb) 3@4 st Louis 6.0006.25
Cornmeal (cwt) Haxall 5.7506.75
1.550160; Graham 5.75
Oats (bn) (new) 53055 Entire wheat (ft) 4
VEGETABLES AND FRUIT.
Brussels sprouts 20 Cabbage (lb) 4
French endive lib) 35 Egg plant (each)
Romain 10 15030
Chicory 10 Lettuce 8010
Hubbard squash (lb) 6 Celery i bunch) 19025
Beets (qt) 5 Cauliflowers 25^5
Carrots (lb) 5 Oranges—California
Turnips (pk> 25030 (dozen) 25050
Tomatoes db) 15035 Onions (qt) 5010
Sweet potatoes (lb) 6 Green peppers (eacn) 5
Cucumber* 15020 Bananas 20025
Greeu string beans Red bananas 30050
(qt) 15025 Figs 20®25
Wsx beans 20025 Date* (lb) 12014
Pineapples 15025 Mixed nuts 15022
do (doa) 2.0003 00 Bermuda onions (lb) 10
Potatoes (pk) 30 Bermuda potatoes
Psrslev rbunehl 50101 (qt* 15
Banking and Financial
A. W. NASON & CO
INVESTMENT SECURITIES
318 Main Street, Springfield.
Tax-Exempt Securities
Public Service Corporatioos
Managed by the Stone & Webster
Management Association
To Yield Irom to 6*%
(Free of Tax in Massachusetts)
Correspondents of
STONE & WEBSTER
BOSTON
SPRINGFIELD
FIRE AND MARINE
INSURANCE COMPANY
CASH CAPITAL. $2,500,000.00
A. W. DAMON, President.
CHAS. E. GALACAR, Vice-Pres’t,
W. J. MACKAY'. Secretary.
PRIOLEAU ELLIS, Ass’t. Sec’y.
E. H. HILDRETH. Ass’t. Sec’v.
GEO. G. BULKLEY, Ass’t. Sec’y.
F. H. WILLIAMS, Treasurer.
Springfield Agents:
Oppenheimer & field, 14 fort St.
Educational
o—» —» ——v» v— - «...o
I THE WOLCOTT SCHOOL :
Capitol Hill, Denver. Colorado
ACCREDITED WITH EASTERN COV
LEGES FOR GIRLS. FINS MUSIC
ADVANTAGES. GYMNASIUM. DANC
ING. OUTDOOR SPORTS.
o——«
Special Notices
OLD ’BOOKS AND AUTO
GRAPH LETTERS BOUGHT
Early American books, newspapers, pam
phlets and letters particularly wanted. In
writing state author's name, title or book,
date aud place of printing, binding and con
dition.
H. M IVES, Wflllamstown. Mas*.
New Publications
MARRIAGE AS THE SUPREME SCHOOL
■ OF LIFE, by Junies Jardine Smith. Ideals
for the formation of new marriages, and help
for the reorganization of existing ones, it
fits marriage Into the existing educational
system Price sl.lO postpaid. Send a Z cent
stamp for the free EPITOME OF THE
SPIRITUAL MESSAGE OF LITERATURE,
bv Dr Kenneth Sylvan Guthrie.
MODERN INTERPRETATIONS PRESS.
P. O Box 92. Medford. Mass
Educational
LIBRARY SCHOOL OF THE
NEW YORK PUBLIC
LIBRARY
Entrance examinations June 9. One-year
course for certificate. Two-year course for
diploma. Send to M. W. PLUMMER. Prin
cipal, 176 Fifth Avenue, for UescrlnUvn cir
cular.
15