Decorah public opinion., November 04, 1896, Image 2

About Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928

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DECORAII PUBLIC OPINION.
AKBSS A UREEX, Publisher*.
DECORAH, - - - IOWi.
THE NEWS IN IOWA
Hansen's radical headache cure cures
nervous diseases etc.,caused by excesses
An old man named Ed W’iatt was run
over by a hose cart at Ottumwa and
will probably die.
J. Roshek, a stone-mason, was run
over by a wagon at Dubuque and sus
tained injuries which resulted in his
death.
The postoffice at Otlio burned a few
nights ago and S2OO in cash went up in
the dames. The cause of the fire is
not known.
Patrick Creehy, a well known citizen
rf Burlington, had his head terribly
gashed in a street car wreck and is
now in a serious condition.
Carl Westfall, a prominent German
farmer living two miles north of Ken
wood, committed suicide by hanging.
No cause is known for the act.
E. F. Sperrv of Knoxville has just
picked some dune apples from the
trees in his yard. This is the second
crop off of those trees this season.
Judge Wade, of lowa City, sentenced
Uriah and Jehu Trimble, convicted of
assault upon two small girls near Lone
Tree, to thirteen years in the peniten
tiary at hard labor.
Highland Park College, Dos Moines,
has just published “A Little Book,’’
elegantly illustrated, containing a
splendid write-up of that noted school
It is mailed tree upon request.
William Harris, who killed George
Frank, of New York city, in l)es
Moines on the night of September 7,
was incarcerated in the state peniten
tiary a few days ago. llis sentence is
twent}’-five years.
John McFlinn and a steamer deck
hand, named Cohen, were stabbed in a
row with two colored chicken pickers
at Burliugton. Both men were
seriously injured. The negroes were
placed under SI,OOO bonds to appear
for trial.
Fire broke out in Golfs liveryf barn
at Weldon, completely destroying it
and McCullough's restaurant and
barber shop adjoining. The movable
property of both buildings was saved,
but the buildings were totally
destroyed. The total loss is 81,800 to
82,000, with about 81.000 insurance. **
The outer door of the safe at Macy
Bros.’ bank fit I/ynnville was blown
open a few nights ago. The vault
door was not wrecked. It is thought
the noise of the explosion scared the
burglars away. The door was blown
into fragments. The safe and contents
were insured. There is iH> clue to the
burglars: 1
Receiver Brnff, of the Bank of
Atlantic has tiled his official statement
of the bank, showing assets of 8194,000
and liabilities of 8-05,000. Whitney's
property will enable the receiver to
pay all claims and depositors in full,
but it will take some time to collect in
the bills Receivable and to dispose of
the real estate.
Janitor Erhardt, of the Jennings
Street school at Sioux City, arrested
Ed Black and Marguerite Wilson re
cently for “sparking” on the school
house steps. Their trial was set for
hearing but at the last moment Er
hardt dismissed his «case. Black and
Miss Wilson will probably sue for
false imprisonment.
Men fixing the gas pipes in the base
ment of the First M. E. Church at
Burlington left a leak which caused
an explosion, creating a fire that did
810,000 damage to the building, which
was one of the finest churches in lowa.
Ample insurance covers the loss.
Great damage was done to the fine
decorations by water and smoke.
Alonzo Arnold, of Marshalltown,
dropped dead on the street from heart
disease, after eating a hearty supper,
llis wife and four children survive
him. lie had lived in .Marshall county
some twenty-five years and was a har
ness maker by trade and inventor of
a number of harness appliances that
he has realized suite a fortune from.
Fred Mucle, a German farmer, 28
years old, suicided at Sheffield. Ho
and his brother rent a farm together.
He had been missing for several hours,
when search was made and he was
found in the granary, where lie had
hanged himself. He was an inoffensive
young man. but some years ago was
confined in the Mt. Pleasant asylum
for a term of months.
Joseph Guittard and li. C. Davis have
begun suit in the district court of
Polk county to recover from J. It.
Jones 311,000, the former for 31.000
and the latter for SIO,OOO, alleging
that they were losers in that sum
through trading with Mr. ; Jones in a
real estate deal involving 1,800 acres
of land in Louisiana and certain l)cs
Moines property. The men claim that
not being acquainted with Ues Moines
property, they entered into the trade
under a false understanding of the
matter. They allege that Jones rep
resented to them that the Des Moines
lots which he traded to them w» re
improved, whereas they are not. They
ask to recover 814,000.
In attempting to stop a runaway
team with a loud of grain, J. W. White,
living south of Laurens, wus knocked
down and run over, and bad Ids right
leg broken above the knee. lie lives
in Dover township.
G. B. Foos, who was beating his way
to his home in Macon City, Mo., and
while attempting to board a west
bound Chicago & Northwestern freight
at Marshalltown, missed liis footing
and fell under the cars. One foot was
badly crushed.
A dispatch from Des Moines says:
Diphtheria and scarlet fever are un
usually prevalent this fall, and the
state board of health has received
news of many out breaks in different
parts of the state. There is an
epidemic of diphtheria at Creston and
one in Highland township, Guthrie
county, but in the other infected
parts of the state the disease is well
under control and there seems to be
no danger of an epidemic.
The president has appointed Imo
Yowell postmaster at Sidney. She is
the daughter of Postmaster Yowell,
against whom charges of embezzlement
were made a month ago. The depart
ment made an investigation, and the
inspectors' report stated that the post
master disappeared immediately on
the inspectors’ arrival, and that
Yowell’s sureties had made good the
deficit. The Yowells are said to belong
to a prominent family in lowa.
A Sioux City dispatch says: Lack of
patronage may force out of business
the fifty odd saloons in this *eity. At
its next session the council will be
petitioned to remit for six months the
$25 per month licence due from each
saloon. The county license is fixed by
statute, but that due the city may be
removed at the council's discretion.
Many dealers have already closed and
the others say they will also close if
the desired relief is refused.
The supreme court has decided that
the railroad companies cannot be com
pelled to construct underground pas
sages for stock when they have pro
vided suitable causeways, which, al
though inconvenient because gates have
to he opened, still serve the purposes
which come within the bounds of ordi
nary usage. The case was brought as
a test of the right of the railroad com
missioners to order the construction
of the underground passageways.
As the Mason City train was leaving
Clarion for the south a few days ago
and while it was in motion, James
Meab tried to help Mrs. Willard Mason
on the front end of the first passenger
coach. She missed her footing and
fell between the curs, Mr. Meab also
falliug. One of his limbs fell across
the rails, but he quickly pulled it in.
and as they lay on the ties the train
went on, both cars passing over them.
They were assisted to their feet and
found to be uninjured.
Rubie Young, the five-year-old
daughter of John Young, of Newton,
had a narrow escape from death by
fire. The child was playing on a spot
where there had been a tire, supposing
that no fire was there then, but before
the little one was aware its clothing
was ablaze. It became frightened and
befcran to scream, which attracted the
'mother and two older girls. Lizzie and
Lillie, and the mother tried to put the
flames out with her hands, and all
three were severely burned, the j
mother's hands being in a frightful i
state. It is feared the little one will j
not recover, although some hopes are J
entertained.
A runaway occurred in Muscatine
that may result in the death of Wm.
Biasing. The horse he was driving
became frightened at an electric light
and soon got beyond control. When
the horse reached the corner and at
tempted to turn, the speed was so
great that the vehicle tipped. Biasing
was thrown against a telephone pole
and struck his head, which rendered
him unconscious and apparently dead.
Paul Gasklus, the other occupant of
the buggy, succeeded in retaining his
position and was not seriously injured.
A hasty examination revealed Mr.
Biasing suffering from a terrible
bruise on the head, -with further evi
dences of a fracture at the base of the
occipital bone. He was taken home
where he now lies in a precarious con
dition, with the »chances of recovery,
according to the doctor's judgement,
two to one against lnm.
The grand jury of lowa county has
returned an indictmentagainst William
Grey, of Buffalo, N. Y., for embezzle
ment, ami lie lias l*een placed under
SI,OOO bonds to appear for trial at the
next term of court. Grey was in the
employ of Raiulul & Co., commission
horse buyers of Buffalo, N. Y. Last
spring lie appeared at Williamsburg,
purchased several car loads and
shipped them to tho firm. Then he
went to Preston, in Jackson county,
returning in a short time with 00
in cash in his possession. When the
train arrived at the water tank near
that place he got off the train, when
lie claims lie was knocked down by
someone striking him on top of the
head. When lie recovered conscious
ness he claims to have found tliat he
had been robbed of the money and his
watch. The company sent a detective
to Williamsburg, who. after an inves
tigation, had Grey arrested for embez
zlement. He maintains he is innocent
of the charge.
Willie Becker fell three stories down
an elevator shaft at Sioux City and
sprained liis ankle. He tried to catch
the elevate’ as it was passing the
third floor, and fell to the bottom, but
escaped miraculously.
The diphtheria epidemic at Creston
is subsiding. Four deaths have
occurred since the disease made its
appearance. As a ureeaution. the
school board dismissed several rooms
where pupils had been uttemiing and
are now suffering with the disease.
The physicians think tliut with proper
observance of the quarantine laws the
disease can be checked.
NEWS OFJHE WEEK
At Taxis recently a band of Mace
donian insurgents defeated a detach
ment of Turkish troops after a long
engagement, ‘tin which ninety of the
Turks were killed and eight were cap
tured.
Two passenger trains on the St.
Louis & San Francisco railroad, going
in opposite directions, collided nearly
opposite Windsor station, about thir
teen miles from St. Louis, instantly
killing eight persons and injuring
twenty-one.
The two huge grain elevators be
longing to the Chicago «fc Pacific
Elevator Company at Chicago were
destroyed by fire, together with their
contents. A number of smaller build
ings were burned as well, and the
total loss will be $1,000,000.
Li Hung Chang has been appointed
minister of foreign affairs for China.
At the same time the imperial edict or
dered him punished *for presuming to
enter the precincts of the ruins of the
summer palace while visiting the dow
ager empress.
The Right Rev. Frederick Temple,
bishop of London, has been appointed
archbishop of Canterbury and primate
of all England, in succession to the
late Dr. Benson.
Advices from Cuba confirm a report
that Maceo has crossed the troclm and
joined the rebel forces in Havana
province.
Charles F. Crisp, ex-speaker of the
house of representatives died at Atlan
ta. Ga.. on the 23rd. Mr. Crisp's death,
while apparently thus sudden, was
not unexpected by the physicians who
attended him. lie has been declining
for several years.
Admiral Navarro, president of the
naval force at Havana, has served a
notice on forty-one filibusters, includ
ing the crew and passengers of the
Competitor, and they must answer to
the charge of conspiracy and rebellion
against the government
Four masked men held up a Chicago
<fc Alton express train near Independ
ence. Mo. The express messenger got
an idea that the train was being held
up and. opening the safe, be took out
the money packages and threw them
into a chicken coop. All that the rob
bers secured was a few packages of
jewelry and $25 which was in the mes
senger’s vest pocket.
Topeka dispatch: By a decision ren
dered by the judges of the supreme
court, Thomas E. Watson is not per
mitted to withdraw his name from the
populist state ticket. The matter
came up in the supreme court on a
writ of mandamus against Secretary
of State Edwards, who had, in com
pliance with the formal demand filed
by Mr. Watson, announced his inten
tion of omitting Mr. Watson's name
from the head of the regular populist
ticket.
FOR THE HOLY LAND.
American Cut holies Are to Make a Pil
grimage.
New York, Oct. 27. —A number of
American Catholics are being organized
into a pilgrimage to the Holy Land on
the plan of the American national pil
grimage to Rome and Lourdes during
the last three years. The great success
attending these pilgrimages suggested
the organization of one and
the Holy Land. A number of the
American hierarchy and the clergy
have given the scheme a hearty ap
proval. As now arranged, it is expect
ed to have 100 pilgrims embark on the
North German Lloyd steamer Werra,
leaving New York Jan. 16.
EKi>e«'t« a Civil War.
Washington, Oct. 27.—The resigna
tion of Second Lieutenant Joseph R.
Binns. Second Infantry, has been ac
cepted, to take effect immediately. This
officer tendered his resignation in a
long letter setting out his belief that a
collision between the people and the
United States array will follow the elec
tion, in which case, he wrote, he could
not conscientiously serve against the
former.
Tfrw ArrhbUhop of Canterbury.
London, Oct. 27.—The Right-Rev.
Frederick Temple, bishop of London,
has been appointed archbishop of Can
terbury and primate of all England, in
succession to the late Dr. Benson.
Chlwjo noartl of Trails
Chicago, Oct. 26. —The following ta
ble shows the range of quotations on
the beard of trade today:
j Closing
artki.es. High. Low. !
,Oet. 26 Oct. 24
Wheat—Oct... f * .67% f .67**
December... .71 *s .69*4! .70** .69%
May .75>i .71 I .75 .74%
Com—Oct I 23
Dcceudrer... .25 ,24v*i .24** .24 6 *
May 284* .2S* 4 .28**
Oats-Oct , 173*
December..., .IS 4 *) .18* .18'., .18%
May .21« i .21** .81*1 .21W
Fork- Dec....; 7.10 7.05 7.05 l 6.97‘*
January.... 7.05 7.87!* 7,92*.; 7.87*i
May 8.82‘a
I.ard—Dec 4.88)* 4.27** 4.82’* 4.85 '
January... 4.55 1.50 4.52;* 4.47**
May i 4.72*** 4.70
Sh'tr’bs—Dee 3.65
January ! 8.02** 3.87,'* 3.00 8.873 V
May I 4.10
Another Collective Note.
Constantinople, Oct. 27. Reports
from all parts of Turkey point to the
complete dislocation of the administra
tive machine and an absence of all
justice and public security. The en
voys have sent a collective note to the
•porte of the strongest character in
view ot the critical situation.
factory Shut Down.
Springfield, Mass., Oct. 26.—The rub
ber factory of Sauldlng & Porter at
Chicopee Falls has shut down indefin
itely.
BIG ORAIN BINS BURN.
Elevator* of Chlrago am l racifle Com
pany Destroyed !»y Fire.
Chicago, Oct. 28. —One million four
hundred thousand bushels of grain
were destroyed, two immense eleva
tors burned, four firemen hurt and all
the property near Division street and
the river placed in Imminent peril yes
terday afternoon by a big lire start
ing In the two elevators of the Chicago
and Pacific Company on Goose Island
at 11:45 o’clock. The district around
the burning buildings war. filled with
lumber and coal, while the great Ar
mour elevator and the Immense malt
house of Hale & Curtis were but a few
rods distant. It was only by the most
arduous and praiseworthy work of the
fire department that the blaze was
kept from spreading to the inflamma
ble lumber and wooden structures near
by.
Never since the big fire of 1871 has
so much grain been consumed at one
time, and rarely has a fire in the day
time furnished a grander spectacle. The
entire lose is in the neighborhood o 1
$1,400,000, which is nearly covered by
insurance. The company will at onci
begin preparations to rebuild the ele
vators.
FORGOT THE RULES.
Conductor ami Engineer Blamed for th*
St. F.ouis Collision.
St. Louis, Mo., Oct. 28. —Indications
are that there will be no more fatali
ties as the result of Sunday's collision
on the St. Louis and San Francisco
railroad, near this city. All the in
jured, so far as known, are recovering,
and will be about in a few days.
H. F. Clark, trainmaster of the road,
has this to say of the accident: “We
have nothing to conceal, and I know
it will all come out in the end, so I feci
safe in saying that the blame for the
accident lies entirely with our con
ductor and engineer on the excursion
train, George Atwood and Joe Dryden
Neither train had orders, nor were or
ders necessary. Both were simply run
ning according to the rules of the road
and under the direction of the time
table. A violation of the rules in ig
noring facts which are palpable to tin
conductor and engineer of the excur
sion train was the cause of the col
lision.’’
Treat Carlisle with Courtesy.
Owensboro, Ky., Oct. 28. —Secretary
Carlisle arrived here from Louisville
Sunday night. He was met at the de
pot by a delegation of fifty persons.
Monday he spoke in Sam Jones’ tab
ernacle. The silver people were very
much in evidence, but Mr. Carlisle was
treated most courteously. They were so
anxious that Mr. Carlisle should have
nothing but the most courteous treat
ment and several silver men were
swern In as special policemen to pro
tect him from indignities should any
be offered. Chairman Jones, of tic
national democratic committee, tele
graphed to silver leaders here to use
every’ means to see that Mr. Carlisle
was not insulted in any manner what
ever.
Palnior anil Buckner In lowa.
Sioux City, lowa, Oct. 28.—Gens.
Palmer and Buckner, the gold standard
democratic candidates for president
and vice president, were given an ova
tion by citizens generally Monday.
The party arrived in the city in the
morning from Minneapolis at 5:40. At
10 o'clock a reception committee, com
posed of old soldiers and ladies, went
to the depot and escorted the party to
the Mondamin hotel, where a reeption
was held. At 1 o’clock in the afternoon
the speechmaking at the Grand opera
house began. Both generals were lib
erally applauded by their hearers.
From here the party went to Council
Bluffs,
Shortage of Freight Pars Exliitl
Omaha, Neb., Oct. 28.—This is the
last week of the reduced rates in West
ern territory, and there Is a general
hustle of shippers and merchants to
avail themselves of the low rates. The
result is that the different roads are
short of cars, and it looks as though it
would be Impossible to fill the orders.
The drop in wheat has lessened the
shipment of the wheat, but the rush of
corn East continues. It is believed by
the freight men that the close of this
week will see the end of the rush and
then things will settle down into their
normal condition.
Silver Party Ruled Out.
Jefferson City, Mo., Oct. 28.—Th«.
supremec ourt, sitting en banc, decid
ed that the silver party’s ticket could
not be printed on the official ballot.
The decision was not written out, but
It is understood that the petition filed
is considered irregular, it having been
alleged that fully 200 of the signers
had participated In other conventions.
The silver party ticket was made up
of the democratic presidential electors
and the republican state ticket. It was
opposed in the courts by the demo
cratic state central committee.
Shop** C'lotte for u Fctv Uaj».
Altoona, Pa., Oct. 22. —A notice nao
been posted at tho Pennsylvania rail
road shops stuting that in order to re
duce expenses it would be necessary
to close the shops uutil next Monday.
The order affectß 6,000 employes.
Manitoba'* Wheat Yield.
Winnipeg, Man., Oct. 24.—The gov
ernment has revised its estimate of the
wheat yield of Manitoba, reducing the
amount to something less than 15,000,-
000 bushels. The acreage under wheat
was a little short of 1,000,000 acres.
This does not Include wheat of the
northwest territories.
Wuh Not the Fttinoun Fatter.
Akron, Ohio, Oct. 26.—The Dr. Tan
ner who was killed in the Whitmer
Robinson company fire is not Dr. S. H.
Tanner of the famous fasts. The name
Is simply a nickname.
TROUBLE MUST COME:
EMPIRE OF TURKEY READY FOR
AN OUTBREAK.
The Sultan 1* Still Evasive with the
I’oncn Protest Against Arming
MugßulninnH Replied to in a Round
about Fashion.
Constantinople, Oct. 25, via Sofia,
Bulgaria, Oct. 26. —The report that
trouble of a serious nature is brewing
here has so often been sent out that
any fresh announcement to that effect
is looked upon as having little or no
foundation in fact. But, in spite of
this, it is but right to state once nioro
everything points to further and
more serious trouble preparing on all
sides throughout the Turkish empire.
The ball was set rolling Wednesday
last w hen the sultan signed two irades,
which were issued the next day, levy
ing a poll tax of 5 piastres per head on
all Mussulmans and increasing the
taxes on-sheep, public works and educa
tion by 1 to 1V& per cent, the funds so
raised to be devoted to military pur
poses. This caused the representatives
of the powers to send a collective note
to the porte couched in the strongest
language, calling attention to the dan
ger that the arming of the Mussulmans
was certain to create and pointing out
generally the critical situation of af
fairs in the Turkish empire. But large
purchases o farms have already been
made and the danger increases hourly.
The porte sent a repl yto the collec
tive note of the ambassadors. As usual,
however, it was an evasive answer, and
in substance simply stated that tho
money derived from the additional
taxes was only intended to complete the
armament of the niustahfuz or lands
trum, the third and last class of the
Turkish army reserves, and to
strengthen the armament of the other
land forces of the sultan, w hich consist
of the Nizam, or regular army, and its
active reserve, the redif, or landwehr.
Conscripts in Turkey serve six years
in the liizam, four with the colors and
two in the reserve; they then serve
eight years in the r edif, four in the
first elasc and four in the second. Then
they complete their twenty years’ ser
vice by serving six years in the mus
talifuz.
The action of the Turkish govern
ment in completing the armament of
the mustahfus indicates that tho em
pire is facing which may ne
cessitate calling forth all the military
forces at its disposal and it also Indi
cates that the situation is the gravest
since the Russo-Turkish war. Under
these circumstances it is but natural
that considerable uneasiness prevails.
Of course there is always in view the
probability, at least, that the sultan,
by these movements, is simply seeking
to distract the attention of bis subjects
from the actual state of affairs brought
abotu by his mal-administration, and
that seeing that the powers are really
earnest and that an understanding be
between Russia, France and Great
Britain means decisive action, he is by
these armaments practically threaten
ing a wholesale massacre of the Chris
tians, and announcing that Turkey will
recist to the utmost any attempt at
armed coercion.
Happily there is one feature of the
crisis which has a soothing influence
upon Abdul Hamid. This is the finan
cial situation. It is about as bad as it
possibly can be. All negotiations upon
the part of the Turkish government for
a temporary loan have failed and the
condition of the treasury is one of ut
ter helplessness. On top of this the
price of bread has risen 40 per cent and
bids fair to rise still higher as the price
of wheat goes up. This has decidedly
aggravated the prevailing distress and
Its consequent discontent. The police
continue making arrests and it ic un
derstood that many more bombs have
been found. In Armenia the greatest
apprehension exists. The echoes of
the recent massacre in the city of Egiu
are just reaching here, in spite of the
efforts made by the porte to suppress
everything but the 'ifHcial news.
Drcibund May End Next May.
London, Oct. 28.—The Rome corre
spondent of the Times reports that he
is authoritatively informed that the
term for the denunciation of the Drei
bund ends in May, 1897, nnd not, as
formerly reported, in 1896. The treaty
was renewed in 1892 for twelve years,
with power to denounce it in the fifth
year. The treaty, if it should be de
nounced, terminates in 1898.
Tschigorin Benin Cbarouaclc.
Buda-Pesth, Oct. 28.—The eecona
game of the chess match between
Tschigorin and Charousek resulted in
a victory for the former after twenty
nine moves. The Russian opened the
game with a two knights defense, be
ing selected by the second player.
Present score: Tschigorin, 2; Charou
6ek, 0.
Receiver Appointed,
Valparaiso, lnd., Oct. 28. —Judge
Gillott appointed Charles Gogan re
ceiver to take charge of the propertied
of the Cosmo Buttermilk Soap com
pany at this place, owned by J. J.
Burns and B. Williams of Chicago, on
petition of B. M. Hutchinson hnd U. R.
Culbert of Michigan City.
mareus A. Sioltli Not Removed.
Washington, Oct. 24.—Attorney Gen
eral Harmon, when seen in regard to
the reported removal of Marcus A.
Smith, assistant t nited States attor
ney for Arizona and the free silver
candidate for congressional delegate,
said he had not taken such action. He
had been notified, he said, by the dis
trict attorney of Mr. Smith’s candidacy,
and with tho notification came a re
quest for tho appointment of another
man. Mr. Harmon said he had writ
ten to Arizona for further information
and lie would base his action on the
response to hie emeries
TEXAS MISREPRESENTED.
An Atlanta Doctor Who Told a Flah
Story About the Drought.
Tyler, Smith County, Tex., Oct. 6. —
,To The News.)—The Atlanta Journal
of September 30 last contained an In
terview with a certain doctor of that
city on the condition of Texas, her
crops and people, that demands a re
ply from some person with more infor
mation than the doctor. The large
headlines to the article are “The Wolf
In Texas.’’ “An Atlanta Man From the
Lone Star State Describes the Dread
Prospects of Poverty.” “Doctor In
terviewed.” He tells how the fearful
drought “burned the earth up and de
stroyed the ground’s fertility.”
I The Atlanta doctor is unknown to
me and perhaps to Texas people. If he
was better known maybe this reply
would bo needless. But assume that he
did travel in Texas and that he did
see the worst drought in parts of this
Btate since the year 1851, still the
statements are far from being correct.
In his extended tour through the West
he tells a sorrowful tale of the condi
tion of the crops of the West, and es
pecially in the state of Texas. The
dootor relates only one exception to
bad crops, “and that is from Helena,
Ark., up to Southern Mississippi.” And
there the land will make “from half
a bale to a bale of cotton to the acre
and from thirty-five to seventy-five
bushels of wheat to the acre.” This
must be an enchanted land, a marvel
ous paradise for the farmer “From
Helena, Ark., to Southern Mississippi.”
Kansas, Nebraska and the Dakotas are
far away from the real wheat coun
try and do a little business in com
parison with the doctor’s golden grain
land “from Helena, Ark., up to South
ern Mississippi.”
The doctor says no rain fell In Tex
as since May 1, and in some sections
no rain since April bo the day of his
interview, September 30, 1896. Suppose
the weather reports were drawn on
tlfcb doctor and they showed rainfalls
since April of tw r o inches, four inches
and as high as seven inches at one
dropping in large areas of Texas. The
picture drawn by the doctor is a “sor
rowful tale” of woe and distress, such
as w’ould choke off every man who
dreamed of cheap lands and a com
fortable home in Texas. Listen to his
mournful weepings for the miserable
people of this state: “Much cotton that
was planted has never come up. There
has not been enough moisture to gen
erate tue seed.” He proceeds: “Corn
is almost a total failure this year;”
that the “little half-grown stalks that
have dried up in the summer sun rus
tle mournfully in the wind that sweeps
across the barren waste.” The Georgia
doctor when interviewed must have
been in a sad state of mind.
These statements were published as
If they were based on facts in a re
putable journal in the largest city In
the great state of Georgia as coming
from an “Atlanta man.” Now, what
do the people of Texas think of such
statements? What do the people of
Georgia think of them? And what do
the people “from Helena, Ark., up to
Southern Mississippi” think of them?
The best test of such assertions, per
haps, is the price that the staple pro
ductions of Texas bring in an open
market. At the city of Tyler, about
the geographical center of Eastern Tex
as, where the Cotton Belt Railroad
crosses the International & Great
Northern Railroad, is in the midst of
the draught-stricken area, and I will
submit the prices at retail here to-day
of some of the leading staple produc
tions of this section of the state, viz.:
Cotton, best grades, 7 cents; corn in
shuck, 40 cents; hay, best quality, $lO
per ton; dry salt bacon and clear sides,
5 cents and 6 cents; corn fed pork on
foot, 3 cents; prime beef, 1% cents;
flour, per barrel, $4 to $5; October
peaches, 60c per bushel; fall apples,
large, 75 cents to $1 per bushel. These
prices could not exist if these articles
had not been made here. The fact is
that Texas has an abundance of feed
for man and beast, notwithstanding a
severe drought for Texas occurred this
past season. This state will still mako
more cotton than any other state in
the Union. No one can safely estimate
the cotton crop yet, as the Helds are
green, and the plant is loaded in many
parts of the state with growing bolls
that with late frost will mature into
good cotton.
I give one example of a farmer in
Smith county this year. I sold him fif
ty acres of land, unimproved, in 1895
for $250. He moved on it in 1896,
cleared twenty-six acres and fenced it,
built a three-room house and out
houses and cultivated eighteen acres
cotton and eight acres corn, all with
his own labor. Yesterday he reported
he had five bales of cotton picked and
that he would likely get two more and
had 250 bushels of corn. Or at the
price above now ruling, if he makes
six bales of cotton he will have for
his crop $3lO cash, and in this “dread
ful year” pay for his home and have
S6O left. If a one-horse farmer can buy
a home in the woods and pay for It In
one year in such a severe drought,
what may he not do in all the life
time of good years? Texas Is the best
poor man’s country, all things consid
ered, on this account, and those who
seek a good country and a comfortable
home should not be driven from their
purpose by the “sorrowful tale” of the
sensationalist. Respectfully,
W. S. HERNDON.
(Dallas News, Oct. 9, 1896.)
Col. W. S. Herndon, ex-member of
Congress from Texas, is probably as
well equipped for giving accurate in
formation concerning Texas as any of
her citizens.
We ore also Informed that present
indications point to a heavy top crop
owing to the average high temperature
in September, and seasonable and
abundant rains, and experts estimate
the Texas cotton crop at 2,500,000 bales.