Auction of the vast nillhar , ? establishments
.thai weigh so heavily upon many peoples in
ilii ! of peace was communicated to this
.Government with an earnest Invitation to bo
Tenr-'seiiti-d In the conference which It I"
contemplated to iiflsembie with a view to
discussing the menus of accomplishing so
desirable n result. Ills Majesty was at once
Informed of the cordial .sympathy of this
Government with ths principle Involved in
his cale l proposal and of the readiness of
.the Uuil.-d States to take part in the confer-
onco.
The claims of owners of American pealing
TVepsuls for Kcizuiv by Itusslan cruisers In
'Behrlng ' Sea an * being pressed lo a setlle-
'inent.
The recommcndalicn made In my special
-nicssr.go of April 27 last is renewed , that ap
propriation In- made to reimburse the master
am1 owner.of Uie Russian bark Hans for
svr gfnl arrest of the master and detention
of iif vc cl in February , 1898 , by ollicers of
the United Slates District Court for the
n District of Mississippi.
lately upon the outbreak of the
war with Spain the Swiss Government , ful-
fllllng th < - high m'ssion it has deservedly as-
-suini'd n the patron of the International
Red fri' s , proposed to the United States
-and Spain tiiar they should severally recog
nize and carry into execution , as a modus
Vivendi , during the continuation of hostili
ties the additional articles proposed by the
Inlcrnntiotin ! conference of Geneva , Oct. 20 ,
18GS , extending the effects of the existing
Red Cross convention of 1804 to the conduct
of navjil war. The Swiss proposal was
promptly and cordially accepted by us awl
Simultaneously by Spain.
The newly accredited envoy of the Unite * .
Stales to the Ottoman Porte carries Instruc
tions looking to the disposal of matters In
controvMsy with Turkey for a number of
years. He is especially charged to press for
a just st'ltlenu-nt of our claims for Indemnity
'by reason f Ihe destruction of the property
< of American missionaries resident In that
fcounlry during the Armenian troubles of
1895 , a. ; well us for the recognition of older
claims of equal justness.
The arbitral tribunal appointed under the
treaty of February , 181)7 , between Great
Britain aud Venezuela , to determine the
boundary line between the latter and the
colony of Urltish Guiana , Is to convene nt
Paris during the present month. It Is a
source of much gratification to this Govern
ment to see the friendly resort to arbitra
tion applied to the settlement of this con
troversy.
It urea n of American Republics
. I have th" sat is faction of being able testate
state tha ! the IJurcau of American Repub
Y lics , fronted in 1SDO as the organ for promoting
meting commercial Intercourse and fraternal
relations among the countries of the West
ern Hemisphere , lias become a more cflicient
Instrument of t'io ' wise purposes of Its
founders , and i.s receiving the cordial sup
port of the contributing members of the
/itcrnational union which are actually rep
resented in its beard of management.
During She last year the Important work
Of collecting Information of practical bene
fit to American industries rn-l t.ade throng' '
the agency of the diplomatic and consu.
officers has been steadily advanced , and m
order ( < > lay ? ei. data before the public
with the least delny the practice was begun
in January. ISiiS. of Issuing the commercial
reports trom day to day , as they are re
ceived by the Department of State.
We desire , in common with most clvlli/.ed
nations , to reduce to the lowest possible
point the damage .sustained In time of war
by peaceable trade and commerce. This
purpose can probably be best accomplished
by an International agreement to regard all
privaic pn.-perly at se.i as exempt from cap
ture or destruction by the forces of bellig
erent power * .
Condition of tlic Treasury.
The Secretary of the Treasury reports
that the receipts of the Government from
vail snurces during the fiscal year ended June
HO. lS ! i . including $81.731,223 received from
sale of Pa ilk- railroads , amounted to $405-
82l.3. : ; ami expenditures to $443.308,582.
There was collected from customs $149,373,062
and from internal revenue $170,900,0-11. Our
dutiable Imports amounted to $324,733,479 ,
a deM--i.M' - f . < 5S,130G')0 ) over the preceding
year , and importations free of duty amount
ed to $2 : 1.41I.173. a decrease from the pre-
cedMig . ear of $ ! ) fi.324.0GS. Internal revenue
receipts exceeded those of the preceding
year by S2l.2l2.cGS. The total collected on
distilled spirits was $92,340.91) ) ! ) , on manu
factured tobacco $30,230.522 and on fer
ment -d liquors 39,313,421. We exported
merehidi.S" during the vear amounting to
f ! . : > : : ! .4 SJ.u. : : : : an Increase of $1SO,4SS,774
over the preceding yeai.
On the 1st of December , 1S9S , the amount
of money of all kinds in circulation or not
Included in treasury holdings , was $1S3G-
S79. . VM. an increase for the year of $103-
79i.i(5. ! ( Kbtimating our population at 73-
1S)4.U < ; < at tlie time mentioned the per capita
circulation \vas $23.09.
The provisions made for strengthening the
re.s-nircvs of the treasury in connection with
the war have given Increased confidence in
the purpose and power of the Government to
maintain the present standard , and has es-
tablishnil mon- firmly than ever the national
credit at home and abroad. A marked evi
dence of this is found in the Inflow of gold
to the treasury.
I renew > . much of my recommendation
of December. 1S97 , as follows :
That when any of the United States
notes are presented for redemption in gold
nnd are redeemed in gold , such notes shall
be ! : ept and sot apart aud only paid out in
exchange fer gold. This is an obvious duty.
It the holder of the United States note pre
fers the sold and gets It from the Govern
ment , he should not receive back from the
Government a United States note without
paying srold in exchange for it. The reason
for this Is made all the jnnre apparent when
the Government issues an interest-bearing
debt t > provide gold for the redemption of
United states notes a nou-lnterest-bearlug
debt. Surely it should not pay them out
ngaiu except on demand and for gold. If
they are put out in any other way they may
return ngaiu. to be followed by another bond
Issue to redeem them another interest-be.- !
ing debt , to redeem a non-Interest-bearlug
dc' r. " _
In my judgment the present condition of
the treasury amply Justifies the immediate
enactment of the legislation recommended
one year ago , under which a portion of the
gold holdings should be placed in a trust
fund from \\hich greenbacks should be re
deemed upon presentation , but when once
redeemed "hould not thereafter be paid out
except for gold.
It i.s not 10 be Inferred that other legisla
tion rein tins to our currency is not required :
on the contrary , there is an obvious demand
for It. The Importance of adequate provis
ion which will Ins-ire to our future a money
standard ivlated as our money standard now
and to that of our commercial rivals Is gen
erally recognized. The companion proposition
'
tion 'that our domestic paper currency shall
be kept safe and yet be so related to the
ue ds of our Industries and internal com
merce as to be adequate and responsive to
such needs is a proposition scarcely less im
portant.
Prompt Adoption of 3Fsiritime Policy.
The annexation of Hawaii and the
chtinged relations of the United States to
Cuba , Porto Kico and the Philippines , re
sulting from the war. compel the prompt
adoption of a maritime policy by the United
States. There should 1 established regu
lar and frequent steamship communication ,
encouraged by the United f rates , under the
American Hag. with thes newly acquired
Islands.
Prevention of Yellow Fever.
In my last annual message I recommended
M
, Unit Congress authorize the appointment of
r a commission for the purpose of making sys
tematic investigations with reference to the
cause and prevention of yellow fever. It Is
1113- earnest desire that these problems may
"
be" considered by competent experts and
that everything may be done which the
must recent advances In sanitary science
can offer for the protection of the health of
nur soldiers in Cuba aud Porto UIco and of
ou citi7..Mis who are exposed to the dangers
Df infection from t'.ie importation of yellow
'eer. .
Increase of Army liccommcndcd.
The Importance of legislation.for the per-
tiuiTient Increase of the army is manifest ,
* : : ! the recommendation of the Secretary of
War for that purpose has my unqualified ap
proval. There- can be no question that at
this time and probably for some time in the
future 100.0IM ) men will be none too many to
meet the necessities of the situation. It Is
my purpose to muster out the entire vol
unteer army as soon as the Congress shaH
provide for the Increase of the regular es
tablishment.
| In my last annual message I stated.The
i Union Pacific Railway , main line , was fcold
under the decree of the United States Court
{ for the District of Nebraska the 1st and 2d
of November of Mils year. The amount due
I the Government consisted of the principal of
; the subsidy bonds , § 27,230,512. and the ac-
j crticd interest thereon , ? 31,211.511.07. mak
ing the total indebtedness ? 38,44S,223.75.
The bid at the sale covered the first mort
gage lien and the entire mortgage claim of
the Government , principal and interest. "
Tills left the Kansas PacKie case uncon-
cluded. 15y a decree of the court In that
case an tipet price for the property was
fixed at a .sum which would yield to the
Government only 92,5')0,000 upon its lien.
I5y a somewhat complicated transaction the
Government secured an advance of $3,803-
000 over and above the sum which the court
had fixed as tlie upst-t price , and which the
reorganization committee had declared was
the maximum which they would pay for the
property.
Department of Justice Building.
I deem it my duly to call to the attention
of Congress the condition of the present
buildings occupied by the Department of
Justice. The building now occupied by it Is
pronounced unsafe and unsuited for the use
to which it is put. A proper regard for the
safety , comfort and convenience of the ofii-
cers and employes would Justify the ex
penditure of a liberal sum of money In the
erection of a new building. In this connec
tion I may likewise refer to the inadequate
accommodations provided for the Supreme
Court in the Capitol.
Growth of the Poatal Service.
The postal service of the country advances
with extraordinary growth. Within twenty
years both the revenues and the expendi
tures of the Postolncc Department have
multiplied threefold. In the last ten years
they have nearly doubled. Our postal busi
ness grows much more rapidly than our pop
ulation. It now involves an expenditure of
$100,000,000 a year , numbers 73,000 post-
ofllces , and enrolls 200,000 employes. The
war with Spain laid new and exceptional
labors on the Postoflice Department. The
mustering of the military and naval forces
of the United States required special mail
arrangements for every camp and every
campaign. This necessarily was met by the
prompt detail and dispatch of experienced
men from the established force , and by di
recting all the instrumentalities of the rail
way mall and postoflice service so far as
necessary to this new need.
Under the same authority , when our forces
moved upon Cuba , Porto Kico and the Phil
ippines , they were attended and followed
by the postal service.
Iiiercasiiic the Navy.
The following recommendations of the
Secretary of the Navy relative to the in
crease of the navy have my earnest ap
proval.
1. Three sea-going , sheathed and coppered
battleships of about 13rOD tons trial dis
placement , carrying the heaviest armor and
most powerful ordnance for vessels of their
class , and to have the highest practicable
peed and great radius of action. Estimated
st , exclusive of armor and armament , ? 3-
000,000 each.
2. Three sheathed and coppered armored
cruisers of about 12,000 tons trial displace
ment , carrying the heaviest armor and most
powerful ordnance for vessels of their class.
and to have the highest practicable speed
and great radius of action. Estimated cost ,
exclusive or armor and armament , $4,000,000
each.
3. Three sheathed and coppered protected
cruisers of about 0,000 tons trial displace
ment ; to have the highest practicable speed
and great radius of action , and to carry the
most powerful ordnance suitable for ves
sels of tlu'ir class. Es hunted cost , exclu
sive of armor and armament , $2,130,000 each.
4. . Six sheathed and coppered cruisers of
about 2,500 tons trial displacement ; to have
the highest speed compatible with good
criusing qualities , great radius of action and
to carry the most powerful ordnance suited
to vessels of their class. Estimated cost ,
exclusive of armament , § 1,141,000 each.
Additions to the Pension List.
There were on the pension rolls June 30 ,
1898 , 993,714 names , an increase of- nearly
18,000 over the number on the rolls the same
dny of the preceding year. The amount ap
propriated by the act of Dec. 22 , 1890 , for
the payment of pensions for the fiscal year
1S9S was ? 140,000,000. Eight million sev
enty thousand eight hundred and seventy-
two dollars and forty-six cents was appro
priated by the act of March 31 , 1S9S , to
cover deficiencies in army pensions and re-
pnyments in the sum of $12,020.33 , making
a total of $14Sl'S2 892.79 available for the
payment of pensions during the fiscal year
1S9S. The amount disbursed from that sum
was 5144,031,879.80 , leaving a balance of
83,431,012.99 unexpended Juue 30 , 1898 ,
which was covered into the treasury.
The total receipts of the patent oflice dur
ing the last year were § 1,233,948.44. The
expenditures were § 1,081,633.79 , leaving a
surplus of ? 172,314.G3.
Government I/ancls Disposed Of.
The public lands disposed of by the Gov
ernment during the year reached 8,433,890.92
acres , an increase of 014,780.20 acres over
the previous year. The total receipts from
public lands during the fiscal year amounted
to $2,277,995.18. an increase of § 190,003.90
over the preceding year.
The special attention of the Congress Is
called to that part of the report of the Sec
retary of the Interior in relation to the five
civilized tribes. It is noteworthy that the
general condition of the Indians shows
marked progress. But one outbreak of a se
rious character occurred during the year ,
and that among the Chippewa Indians of
Minnesota , which happily has been sup
pressed.
Da\vc9 Commission Report.
While it has not yet been practicable to en
force all the provisions of the act of Juue 28 ,
1S9S , "for the protection of the people of
the Indian Territory and for other pur
poses. " it is having a salutary effect upon
the nations composing the live tribes. I
cannot too strongly Indorse the recommen
dation of the commission and of the Sec
retary of the Interior for the necessity of
providing for the education of the 30,000
white children resident in the Indian Terri
tory.
Department of Agriculture.
The Department of Agriculture has been
active in the last year. Explorers have
been sent to many of the countries of the
Eastern and Western Hemispheres for seeds
and plants that may be useful to the United
States and with the further view of opening
up markets for our surplus products. The
forestry division of the department is giving
special attention to the treeless regions of
our country and is introducing species spe
cially adapted to semi-arid regions. Forest
fires , which seriously Interfere with produc
tion , especially in Irrigated regions , are be
ing studied that the losses from this cause
may be avoided. The department is inquir
ing into the use and abuse of water In many
States of the West and collecting Informa
tion regarding the laws of the States , the
decisions of the courts and the customs of
the people in this regard , so that uniformity
maj' be secured. Experiment stations are
becoming more effective every year. The
annual appropriation of § 720,000 by Con
gress Is supplemented by § 400,000 from the
State : , . Nation-wide experiments have been
conducted to ascertain the suitableness as to
soil and climate and States for growing su
gar beets. The number of sugar factories
has been doubled in the last two years and
the ability of the United States lo produce
Its own sugar from this source has been
clearly demonstrated.
Centennial.
In the year 1900 will occur the centennial
anniversary of the founding of the city of
Washington for the permanent capital of
the Government of the United States. A
movement lately inaugurated by the citizens
to have the anniversary celebrated with tit
ling ceremonies , including , perhaps , the
establishment of a handsome permanent
memorial to mark so historical an occasion
and to give It more than local recognition.
has met with general favor on the part of
the public. I recommend to the Congress
the granting of an appropriation for this
purpose and the appointment of a commit
tee from Its respective bodies.
The alien contract law is shown by ex
perience to need some "amendment ; c meas
ure providing better protection for seamen
is proposed ; the rightful application of the
eight-hour law for the benefit of labor and
of the principle of arbitration are suggested
for consideration , and I commend these sub
jects to the careful attentlou of the Con
gress. WILLIAM M'KIXLEY.
Executive Mansion , Dec. 3 , 1S9S.
THE FARM AND HOME
MATTERS OF INTERESTTO FARMER -
ER AND HOUSEWIFE.
Wheat Is Kin r How to Destroy Grain
"Weevil Small Farms Arc an Advan
tage-Set Out Frnit Trees ii the
Sprinjj.
H
You may toll of your .armored cruisers ,
And your great ships of the line ;
And swift or slow may steamers go
Across the billowy brine.
Like thunder may the cannon boom
To greet their Hags unfurled ,
And for an hour they have the power
To rule the frightened world.
From ocean to ocean shore
Lie lines of gleaming steel.
And night and day , we hear alway
The ring of rushing Avheel ;
Though buffalo have left the plain ,
And Indian tents are furled ,
Nor steam nor hand at wealth's command
Can rule the busy world.
But where the hillside rises fair
In terraces of green ,
And on the plain , where wind and rain
Sweep fields of golden sheen ,
Where sturdy yellow stalks arise ,
With bannered heads unfurled ,
Here you may greet the great King
Wheat ,
The ruler of the world.
Oh , hills may shake and vales resound
Beneath the flying car ,
And driven by steam and winds a-beam
Our ships ride fast and far ;
Cities may crumble 'neath the guns
Which guard our flag unfurled ;
Yet all shall greet at last King Wheat ,
For hunger rules the world.
Youth's Companion.
The Grain Weevil. .
While there arc several species of
grain wevils , the same remedy will defer
for all. As these insects penetrate all
through the entire bulk of grain , it is
necessary to apply some substance that
is equally penetrating in its nature.
This is found in carbon bisulphide ,
which may be had at any drug store.
The vapor of this substance is very
poisonous , and will destroy all insect
life with which it comes in contact.
This material is also very explosive
when brought in contact with fire.
Keeping these two points in mind , it
may be handled with perfect safety. In
applying the material it is well to keep
in mind the fact that it very volatile ,
and quickly passes into vapor , .which
diffuses itself throughout the entire
mass of grain , and as the vapor is heav
ier than air it will have a tendency to
settle. But in order to insure perfect
results it is best to introduce the ma-
rial well down toward the middle of
the mass of grain by means of a gas
pipe with a screen over the lower end ,
which will prevent the grain filling the
pipe , and through which the poison
may be poured. The pipe is then with
drawn.
One pound of the bisulphide is suf
ficient for fifty bushels of grain. One
application will be sufficient unless the
grain is to be kept over winter , when n.
second application may be necessary.
The material does no harm to the grain
in any way. as the poisonous fumes all
pass away as soon as brought in con
tact with the air outside. Indiana Ex
periment Station.
An Advantage in Small Farms.
I have noticed that in the townships
\vhere the farms are small in area the
people are happier and the children
better bred. Smaller farms increase
the density of the population. This
gives them better school facilities. The
children feel the encouragement of
numbers and are excited to greater ef
forts by the competition. Besides , their
parents can afford to hire a better
teacher and build for their use a better
schoolhouse. Then , too , in a thickly
settled region the roads are kept in bet
ter condition , for the land is of greater
value and stand taxing to improve the
highways. The people are brought
close together and have more of social
advantages. And social advantages
are a great thing. Give a farmer's wife
suitable company in the way of good
neighbors and she Avill forget half of
her troubles in talking with ) : er neigh
bors. I believe there would be fewer
disheartened women if they could have
some chance to enjoj" social life. I pity
the women on the big farms , each a
mile square , where the nearest neigh
bor is a mile away , and perhaps incon-
genial. When neighbors are so few and
so far away one can not choose one's
company as one would if the farms
were smaller and neighbors plentiful.
Mrs. J. S. , in Farmers' Review.
When to Fet Out Fruit Trees.
All things considered , we believe one
of the best plans of management with
fruit trees is to purchase them in the
fall in good season , heel them in care
fully and then set them out in the
spring. One of the principal objections
to spring planting is that in a majority
of cases the trees cannot be shipped
from the nursery as early as is desir
able for setting out. By securing them
in the fall and heeling in , they are on
hand ready for transplanting at the
first opportunity. During the winter
the ground may be plowed , and if neces
sary manured , stakes may be set where
the trees are to be planted , so that
when the soil is in condition for work
the planting may be pushed along as
rapidly as possible. On the majorlty
of farms work is always pressing in
the spring , and it is an item to. make all
preparations possible in advance.
Trees heeled in will be growing
fibrous roots through the winter , and
in this respect at least will be. all the
better for the work. In heeling in care
should be taken to dig the trench wide
enough to admit of all the roots with
out bending or twisting and deep
enough so that when covered well the
roots will be safe from freezing. Bet
ter lay them in a slantmjy position
rather than to stand them uj straight.
See that the soil is fined and worked In
thoroughly among the roots. Thtr is
essential , as allowing the roots to be
come dry , is certain death to the trees.
Good drainage should be provided , as it
is veiy detrimental to the health of the
trees to allow water to stand around
the roots.
The tree should be secured sufficient
ly early so as to be heeled in properly
before freezing weather sets in. N. T.
Shepherd , in Farmer's Voice.
"Wooden Plows.
*
One of the last of the wooden plow
which preceded those with iron points
is now exhibited with pardonable pride
by a veteran farmer in Ashby , Mass.
It was made by a Frenchman , who was
one of the earliest settlers of that town.
The plow is in an excellent state of
preservation , though it shows that it
has done service in plowing. All the
parts of this old plow are wood , and
wooden pegs rather than iron bolts are
used in joining them together. It is
pretty evident that such a plow must
be used carefully , and would be ill
adapted to any except level ground free
from stones. Even the iron-pointed
plow has been superseded by steel , or
at least iron with steel surfaces , so as
to be harder and less liable to clog in
damp soil. If this old plow is preserv
ed , it is likely to prove a greater curi
osity than it is now , as there are prob
ably few of them remaining. Ex
change.
Harvesting Paranips.
The parsnip is usually grown on very
rich ground , and when much manure
has been used it often has a rank taste
when gathered early. It is much bet
ter to let the parsnips stay In the
ground until the soil around it has
fro/en once or twice. It may be gath
ered after the first thaw and housed ,
when it will be found that the rank
flavor from the manure has passed
away , and the parsnip will be tender
and sweet. Some people leave the
parsnip in the ground all winter. It
does not hurt it to freeze while in the
ground , provided it is thawed in con
tact with the soil. The greater danger
in leaving parsnips out all winter is
that they will be forgotten in spring
until the warm weather has started the
shoots for seed bearing. Then the pars
nip becomes poisonous. But if dug as
soon in spring as the ground is thawed ,
the parsnip wrill be better than if dug
in the fall and wintered in a cellar.-
American Cultivator.
Peach Tree Borers ,
Dig away the earth around the
peach trees to the depth of one foot
and look carefully for borers. Then
swab the trunk a foot below and above
ground with thick whitewash , return
ing the soil to the tree and banking up
six inches or a foot above the level of
the ground , leaving the tree in that con
dition until next spring. As the moth
lays her eggs near the level of the
ground , she will begin where the earth
is banked up , and when the embank
ment is removed the work of destroy
ing the borers will be easier. White
wash may be beneficially used on all
parts of the tree.
Seed Corn.
It is a somewhat common practice
to discard the tips and butts of the ears
when shelling the seed for planting ,
but the practice is of doubtful benefit.
A number of experiment stations in
both the North and South have made
repeated tests of the productiveness of
seed from different parts of the ear ,
but these tests have shown no marked
or constant differences in yield , even
when the selections have been repeated
through several generations.
Remedy for Cabbage "Worms.
One of the cheapest , best and safest
remedies suggested to prevent the rav
ages of cabbage worms is to dissolve
one ot.nce of kainit in a pint of water
and sprinkle over the plants. This is
at rhe rate of one pound of kainit to a
gallon of water , and It is said to be a
remedy for cabbage maggots , green fly
and plant lice.
Farm Notes.
After the first frost cut down the tops
of asparagus and burn thorn on the btd.
after which spread manure , about . * > or
4 inches deep , on the bed and allow it to
remain all winter.
When foods are fed on the farm and
sold in some other form the valuable
elements of fertility are retained at
home , and as long as this is done the
farm may be cultivated to its highest
limit of capacity , and becomes more
valuable every ye ; r.
A gill of crude carbolic acid ( which is
much cheaper than the refined article )
made into an emulsion with half a pint
of strong soapsuds and a quart of cold
water then added , will be sufficient for
moistening a bushel of sawdust , which
may be sprinkled in the stalls as a dis
infectant.
Inexperienced persons who undertake
the management of bees will find much
to learn before they can succeed. The
winter care is important , for the bees
must not be kept too warm , and if ex
posed they may perish. A special house
should be provided , which should be
kept at a uniform temperature.
Long articles have been written on
the importance of feeding liberally , but
farmers are progressive and are dis
posed to go to extremes. It may be
safely claimed that at the present day
most farmers overfeed instead of cur
tailing the supply , which accounts
largely for milk fever in cows , weak
litters of pigs and diseases of the bow
els.
There is a right way to use blankets
for horses. If the stable is warm the
best covering for a horse is a sheet
made of coarse unbleached muslin to
protect from dust , but when standing
outside , where there is no protection
from winds , a horse blanket should be
used , removing it and substituting the
sheet after the animal reaches the
stable.
Dividing the
In the States in which a system of
State aid has been inaugurated the ur
ban resident bears his share of the ex
pense of improving and maintaining
the highways instead of leaving them ,
as heretofore , to be cared for by the
rural population , says the L. A. W.
Bulletin. Under the old theory that the
maintenance and care of the roads
should depend wholly on the districts
through which thej' passed great injus
tice was done many persons whose in
terest in the roads was less than that
of others who bore no expense. To re
move this injustice and provide an
equable system is the purpose of Stare
aid.
Speaking on this subject recently ,
General Stone said that the farmers of
Maine own one-fifth of the property of
the State , and that one-fifth of the
property has paid the entire expense
of building and maintaining the roads
of the State , which are just as neces
sary to the people who live in towns
and the people 'of other occupations
than farming as they are to the farm
er. Concerning New York , he said that
there the farmers own only one-four
teenth of the property of the State , and
that every farmer has been making
roads for thirteen other men to travel
on , and he is getting tired of doing it.
He is now about to stop it , and he finds
the people of the cities and large
towns , the manufacturing people and
the commercial people , ready to bear
their share of the expense of improv
ing the country roads. The only draw
back is that the farmers themselves
have been afraid to let any change be
made in the road laws of the country ,
for they have imagined that the people
of the cities deign to impose heavier
burdens on them instead of being ready
to help them carry existing ones.
By degrees all classes ot the people
will begin to better understand each
other on the subject and will get closer
together. It was not strange at first
that country people should be suspi
cious of city people who took the trou
ble to tell them how much they would
be benefited by better roads. It was
natural for them to think that such
philanthropy was not wholly disinter
ested , but as it become daily more
evident that all classes , trades and oc
cupations will reap the advantages re
sulting from improving the highways ,
that the ultimate burden will not be
Increased , and that all are ready to
share it , the movement will acquire an
impetus that will insure its future suc
cess.
Old Roman Roads.
An authority on road construction
Bays that the Ilomaus made their main
roads to last forever. They were com
posed of silicious and calcareous ma
terials , and were far superior to the
highest type of modern work. The
large roads averaged four to four and
three-quarters metres , the smaller ones
three to three and one-half metres. In
mountain regions the road was nar
rowed down to a single carriageway ,
one and three-quarters metres. The
sidewalks were large near the cities ,
but reduced to six-tenths of a metre in
the outer districts. They were built
of cut stone , at least on the border. At
every twelve paces mounting stones
were placed , and at every one thousand
paces milestones. Some of the best
roads were paved Avith marble. The
minor or secondary roads were not so
carefully made , though of "a solidity
with Avhich few modern roods can com
pare. A ditch was dug to the solid
earth , which was tamped , rolled or
staked ; then on a floor of sand ten or
fifteen centimetres thick a layer of
mortar was spread. This formed the
basis of the four courses which consti
tuted the road. The first was a cour.se
of several layers of fiat stones , bound
tby hard cement or clay. This layer
was usually thirty centimetres thick ,
ind twice that in bad lands. On this
: -ame a concrete of pebbles , stones and
brok- ' ! bricks , strongly rammed with
iron-si. athed rammers. The ordinary
thicki ss of this layer was twenty-five
cent ! : : cres. In the absence of mortar ,
loam was used. Superimposed on this
was a layer of thirty to fifty centi
metres of gravel or coarse sand care
fully rolled. The top layer , or crust ,
was convex , and ran to a thichness of
twenty to thirty centhlietres or more.
It was made differently , according to
the materials at hand. It was either
paved with cut stone or laid with peb
ble and granite or nu-talcd.
Growing Gold.
f
It is generally supposed that rhe nug
gets which are found in the river grav
els of Klondike and other auriferous re
gions have been brought down by the
rivers direct from the reefs in which
the gold originally lay.
Many practical miners and scientific
men , however , have long been of opin
ion that rhis cannot be the case , for no
masses of gold of so large a size are
ever found in the reefs themselves.
They believe , on the other hand , that
the nuggets have grown where they are
now found , just as a crystal of salt
will grow in strong brine ; but with so
insoluble a substance as gold it was
difficult to understand how such growth
could take place. Experiments carried
out in Australia have shown that de
caying vegetable matter will cause the
deposition of gold from solutions of
gold salts , but these salts are not
known to occur in reefs.
The mystery is now solved. A Sla
vonic chemist named ZzSgniody has
just shown that gold itself can exist in
a soluble form. By acting on a slightly
alkaline solution of a gold salt
formaldehyde and .submitting the pi'od-f
uct to dialysis he has succeeded In ob
taining gold in. a colloidal condition , in
which state it is soluble in water and
may be precipitated by the addition of
common salt. It is probable that some
of the gold in quart/ reefs exists in tbis
condition. It is washed out by the rain ,
carried away in solution by the rivers ,
and deposited in the river gravels wher
ever there is anything containing salt
to cause Its precipitation. In the course
of ages a large nugget may in this way
be formed. London Mail.
THE FAMILY BIBLE.
It Is Out of Date and There Arc
Many of Them Pold Now.
The family Bible , which at one tima
played such an important part in most
families , and Avas almost as Important
a part of the wedding as the ceremony ,
is now very much out of date. It is old-
fashioned , and wherever it Is seen as
a window ornament , standing on a
table where it is in plain sight of all
passers-by , it may be taken for granted
that the family which belongs to that
house and Bible hasn't the least bit ol
style , says a Brooklyn woman in the
New York Times.
The exodus of the Bible does not re
flect , as some people might think , upon
the morals and manners of the city or
the religious tendencies of the Individ *
mis. It denotes rather an era of com
mon sense for which this generation
is noted in many ways. If there is auj-
tliing more useless than the big parlor
table Bible it would be hard to find.
It is large , unwieldy and difficult to
use. It is too large and heavy to hold
In the lap , and reading from a big book
on a table is neither comfortable nor
convenient.
In the American Bible Society rooms ,
where an enormous number of Bibles
are disposed of in the course of a year ,
the fact Is borne out that large family
Bibles are not in demand as they have
been. There have been 20 per cent , less
sold on an average during the last ten
years , they say , than before , and those
that have been bought have been taken
by the grandmothers , old aunties , and
occasionally the mothers , who feel that
they cannot let the young people begin
life without the big Bible.
But instead of the big family Bible
there is a smaller tize which has taken
its place and which is really useful.
This is a good-sized book , bound In
dark Turkey morocco , and with refer
ences and maps. It has large , plain
type ( small pica ) , is not too large to
hold , and Is a serviceable book. It costs
§ 5.25 and really merits the appellation
of family Bible rather than the other
which has its place in the company
room.
Women are the chief purchasers of
all Bibles sold , and at the Bible Society
rooms they form perhaps two-thirds of
the purchasers.
Artificial Eyes.
The Lancet publishes some curious
facts with regard to the number of
false eyes which are turned out annual
ly by different factories in Germany
and France. The number of these or
namental appendages made in the Ger
man empire is sqid to amount to the
enormous total of 2,000,000 yearly ; and ,
at the same time , one French factory ,
out of many , makes 300,000 in the same
period. But we must not jump to the
conclusion that these figures Indicate
in any way the number of human be
ings who have been deprived of the
sight of one eye , for the artificial eyes
include those used by wax-figure mak
ers , by taxidermists , and even by the
doll manufacturers. It is noteworthy
that the totally blind never wear false
eyes. The person who has been de
prived of the sight of one eye sees his
disfigurement whenever he looks into
a glass , and his esthetic sense or , per
haps , his vanity leads him to make
good the deficiency in the best way ho
can. In the case of the wholly blind
such feelings die out , or are submerged
in the immensity of their loss. Cham
ber.Journal. .
Train
The lighting of railroad trains with
electricity generated by the friction of
the car axles when the train is in mo
tion and by some of this same electrici
ty , stored , when the train is at rest ,
will , of course , do away with the resort
to the black bottle while the train is in
a tunnel as well as with the osculatory
performances of bridal couples , which ,
from time immemorial , have been a fea
ture of railroad travel , for though the
light may sometimes fail as it does on
the trolley < -ar when Oie trolley leaves
the wire , not even the oldest patron of
the road acquainted with all the tun
nels can tell just when it will be flashed
on again , making all sorts of inconve
nient revelations. riiiladelphia Times.
Memory ofLHotel Clerks.
The memory of a hotel clerk is culti
vated along peculiar lines. Hundreds
of names and faces have to be accurate
ly memorized , and he must be able at
a minute's notice to tell the number of
the room in which any of the hotel vis
itors is quartered. If asked the num
ber of the room occupied by John
Smith , a good clerk can , without hesi
tation , put his hand in the proper pigeonhole
eon-hole and ox tract the key. Accord
ing to the Now York World , the curious
part of the operation is that he cafi
rarely make it work backward. If ask
ed who is in a given room .he almost in
variably has to consult his books before
responding.
We have an idea that when a partic
ularly wicked man goes to hell , he
will have nothing in the way of fruit
to eat except pawpaws , and nothing in
the way of meat except "possum.
The coming woman sometimes has
her troubles.with the going man abo'ut
11 p. m.
Base-ball is the one business in
which an ocnsional strike is necessary.
