Commercial operations
CMcap , show more activity in re
I sponse to the colder weath
er and urgent needs in manufactures
and construction. Difficulty in getting
necessary material is more evident in
eome lines , but the most disturbing
drawback is inadequate railroad facili
ties for the prompt forwarding of com
modities. Consumption of raw and fin
ished materials is on a basis which
quickly absorbs available supplies , and
it is not surprising that the trend of
cost is upward , advances being estab
lished this week which are notable in
pig iron , light rails , plates and the mi
nor metals , particularly copper.
A further rise in cotton affects the
market for textiles , the leading grains
Slave declined and provisions and live
stock have turned dearer ; all apparent
ly having a natural momentum , the in
dications reflecting very slight specula
tive influences.
The distribution of general nierchan-
dise maintains unprecedented volume.
Freezing temperature immediately stimulated
<
ulated active buying of heavy-weight
apparel , footwear , household and other
necessaries.
The creation of new wealtli fore
shadowed by the government crop re
port this week , and the practical as
surance of ample bread supplies , add
ed to the confidence which pervades
business circles , and it Is now seen
that there is more disposition to enter
into commitments involving great out-
Jays of money. New building plans ex
ceed in value those of a year ago , fac
tory extensions will provide much work ,
and the construction of a new pas
senger station to cost $20,000,000 in
the near future is an inducement to
others to make an early start upon
accessary extension of terminals. Iron
.and steel activities exhibit no diminu
tion , and the new work included an
increasing number of orders for rails ,
pig iron , cars and steamships. Re
ceipts of .iron ore are running ahead
of those at this time last year , but the
gain in surplus stocks is yet small.
Failures reported in the Chicago dis
trict numbered 22 , against 25 last week
and 23 a year ago. Dun's Review of
Trade.
Cold weather has great
Hey York ly stimulated many lines
of retaU trade hitherto in
clined to lag , notable in this respect be
ing heavy-weight clothing , shoes , and
rubber footwear , and induced some re-
border business with jobbers , who are
still busy on regular trade. The coal
trade also shows improvement and
fiome advance in prices , but here car
congestion , especially at the West , is a
&ar to fullest activity.
The railways seem to keep finding in
creased difficulty in handling the traf
fic offering , and fears of future great
congestion are expressed.
The price situation as a whole is one
-of great strength , Oct 1 prices being
at a record level. For the week the
features in speculative circles have been
the slowness of dealiags in grain at
small net changes in price , and the
sharp fluctuations of cotton , due to
contradictory advices as to frost dam
age. The strength of the metal mar
kets deserves mention.
Jobbing trade , though of a between
seasons character , is very large for the
season. Especial activity is noted here
In wholesale circles in cotton fabrics ,
whick tend upward on stronger raw
.material prices. Spring trade is receiv
ing increased attention and good or
ders are already noted. Bradstreet's
Commercial Report
Chioigo Cattle , common to prime ,
$4.00 to $7.25 ; hogs , prime heavy , $4.00
to $ G.SO ; sheep , fair to choice , $3.00
to $5.40 ; wheat No. 2 , 71c to 72c ; corn ,
No. 2 , 44c to 45c ; oats standard , 32c to
-SSc ; rye , No. 2 , G4c to 65c ; hay timothy
thy , $10.00 to $15.50 ; prairie , $0.00 to
: $14-00 ; butter , choice creamery , ISc to
25c ; eggs , fresh , 22c to 25c ; potatoes ,
56c to 50c.
Indianapolis Cattle , shipping , $3.00
to ? 6.35 ; hogs , choice heavy , $4.00 to
456.70 ; slieep , common to prime , $2.50 to
35.00 ; wheat , No. 2 , 71c to 73c ; corn ,
No. 2 white , 47c to 4Sc ; oats , No. 2
white , 33c to 35c.
St. Louis Cattle , $4.50 to $0.50 ;
fee s , $4.00 to $ G.GO ; slieep , $4.00 to
oTsO ; wheat , No. 2 , 75c to 7Gc ; corn ,
No. 2 , 44c to 45e ; oats , No. 2 , 32c to
S4c ; rye , No. 2 , 59c to GOc.
Cincinnati Cattle , $4.00 to $5.50 ;
frogSt $4.00 to $6.77 ; sheep , $2.00 to
475 ; wheat , No. 2 , 75c to 7Gc ; corn ,
- Xo 2 mixed , 4Sc to 49c ; oats , No. 2
mixed , 34 to 3Gc ; rye , No. 2 , G6c to
< 5Sc.
Buffalo Cattle , choice shipping steers ,
44.06 to $6.00 ; hogs , fair to choice , $4.00
to $0.90 ; sheep , common to good mixed ,
.SJ.OO to $5.35 ; lambs , fair to choice , .
So.QQ to $8.40. ,
New York Cattle , $4.00 to $6.25 ;
lie s , $4.00 to $0.75 ; sheep , $3.00 to ' | {
. $5.50 ; wheat , No. 2 red , 77c to 79c ;
corn , No. 2 , 53c to 54c ; oats , natural
-white , 3Sc to 40c ; butter , creamery , 20c 1
to 27c ; eggs , western , 22c to 25c. ' I
Toledo Wheat , No. 2 mixed , 74o to , .
76c ; corn , No. 2 mixed , 47c to 48c ;
oats' , No. 2 mixed , 34c to 3Gc ; rye , Nr
2. 62c to\64 < ! ; clover seed , prime , $8.17.
Dear Editor : It is with the great
est modesty and diffidence that I
write you an account of that brilliant
and magnificent charge which I led
at Missionary Ridge.
I have waited over forty-five years
for history to lay before an admiring
world a true account of the important
affair , yet she remains as dumb as an
oyster on the subject , and the great
task devolves on me of enlightening
the world upon the question , and
handing down to posterity one of the
most brilliant episodes that ever oc
curred in the annals of war. Ah , as
distinctly as if it had been yesterday ,
do I remember that beautiful Novem
ber evening ; the sun shining with such
gorgeous splendor , the sky so high and
blue , the faintest tinge of Indian sum
mer mantling the distant peaks of
Point Lookout and the surrounding
hills and mountains ; while away ou
the right , about Tunnel Hill , since
morning there had been a continual
boom of cannon and rattle of musketry.
I lay on the ridge a short distance to
the right of Bragg's headquarters
watching those long lines of blue , per-
baps a mile distant , taking tbeir posii ! i
tkms for a desperate charge ; while the j
many pieces of artillery scattered along '
the top of the ridge were novr keeping
up a pretty constant roar. About three
o'clock the Yankee lines emerged from
the woods on the opposite side of the
valley. "They are coming ! They are
coming I" uttered almost eveiy man in
a low distinct voice , speaking appar
ently to himself , instead of address
ing some one else. Every piece of ar
tillery along that ridge now became a
living volcano , discharging missiles of
death with the greatest rapidity.
With what fascination I watched those
lines of blue advance , extending as
far up and down the valley as the posi
tion which I occupied would allow the
range of vision to extend. Occasion
ally gaps were made in those lines , but
on , on they came they crossed our
old breastworks in the valley. I heard
the gunners call for the canister shot
Oh ! how I pitied those blue devils !
I knew many of them would never go
back across that valley , nor come to
the top of that ridge. At length they
reached the base of the ridge on which
we were lying.
Our artillery ceased firing , the hill
being too steep. Our infantry were or
dered to rise and fire. Although we
had -but one slender line of battle along
that portion of the ridge , yet those
blue coats never came to the top , nor
l > atC way up , while we stayed there ;
but in a very short time by the time
I could load and fire twelve shots , they
were going back through that valley in
the wildest confusion. I saw a Yankee
general riding a white horse trying to
rally his scattered troops at our old
breastworks in the valley. I raised
the sights of my gun to four hundred
yards and fired four shots at him , but
I missed , I suppose , every time. Yanks
Informed after that "Fighting Joe
Hooker" was the man who rode the
white horse and rallied the flying Fed
erals at the old breastworks in the
valley , but their information might
have been incorrect
This was the first battle I ever wit
nessed. I felt elated , I felt jubilant ,
I felt ecstatic. I felt I could have
charged right up to the mouths of a
hundred pieces of artillery and captur
ed every gun. I continued to feel this
way as long as my side did all the
shooting and the other side did all the '
getting hurt About this time General
Bragg and staff came galloping along.
Cheer after cheer went up. I was
thinking about asking him for twelve
or fourteen men with which to go over
and capture Chattanooga and bring
back the commander of the Yankee
army a prisoner , when we were ordered
to the right at a double-quick , leaving
no Infantry whatever along that portion
tion of the line. It seemed such an
easy matter to repulse and drive bad „
in confusion those heavy lines of in
fantry that were hurled against us ,
that the most distant idea had not en
tered my mind that the ridge had been
carried anywhere.
As I was double-quicking I heard
something saying : "Whee , whee , whee !
Zip , zip , zip ! " and , looking up , heavens I
what did it all mean , anyhow ? On a
rise or ridge , twenty rods ahead , run
ning back toward our rear , were hun
dreds of Yankee. I could hardly be
lieve my eyes , but the awful reality
thrust itself upon me , for the bullets
were flying as thick as hail , and men
were falling on every side. The artil
lery ceased thundering along the ridge ;
Borne one said : "The Yanks are com
ing up the hill again ! " No infantry
there this time to drive them back. I
saw the artillerymen leaving their
guns. In a few moments the enemy
would be in possession of our artil-
lery. We were trying to change posi
tion so as to face those who had first
carried the ridge. Our men were fall-
Ing fast , the little regiment was becoming -
coming confused , and in a moment we
would be assailed in rear and flank as
well as In front
All was apparently lost.
P supreme moments 1&e tW , When
overwhelming catastrophe Is
and , unexpectedly bursting over our
heads , common minds become confused
and give up everything as lost Great
minds grasp the situation , and witb
the rapidity of thought evolve success
out of disaster. Such was the case on
this occasion. In a moment , In tha
twinkling of an eye , I was seized with
an irrepressible desire to lead one ;
grand charge to the rear 'bade '
across Chickamauga river. I know
there are some would-be critics who
would style that movement a demoral
ized i stampede. Shame on such critics.
Know they not that thousands of brara
men are living to-day , both North and
South , who saved their lives by just
such charges as I led that memorable
November evening ? But nothing of the
kind was ever conceived and put In
execution with greater rapidity than
that brilliant charge. No need of say
ing : "Veterans and victors , follow
me ! " I had only to start and they
followed without telling. Down the
hill we went , belter skelter , pell-mell ,
heels-winding , totally oblivious as to
what became of the Confederacy. We
had no sooner crossed the first little
ridge toward Chickamauga river than
some skulking aides , with drawn pis
tols , ordered us to halt and form. They
might as well have ordered the Niagara
to halt and form. I felt that my repu
tation as a leader was at stake and
I was not to be thwarted ; moreover ,
the great desire which had taken pos
session of my mind which permeated
every fiber of my being , was to put
Chickamauga river between me and the
horde of howling Yankees. We halted
not , but kept on and on , up hill and
down , through woods and over fallen
trees ; we deviated neither to right
nor left we had a purpose in view ,
which was bound to be carried out
Shortly after dark I reached the pontoon
teen bridge across the Chickamauga ,
without gun or cartridge box , without
knapsack or hat. I crossed ov er In ,
triumph I was safe. What became
of the Yankees that night I never knew ,
in fact , I didn't consider that I was
under any obligation to look after their
welfare. I had lost all the pity that
1 felt for them two or three hours be
fore 1113' feelings were hurt on ac
count of their actions to us that even
ing. and if they wanted to come tum
bling down through those woods in the
dark and fall In the river and get
drowned , I wasn't going to care a cent
Corporal Flyun , Jr. , in American
Tribune.
It r < > of "Tlirillingr Deed.
Bloomington. The capture of two
Federal generals at one lime dur
ing the civil war is the remarkable rec
ord made by Captain Jesse McNeil ] ,
i.ow a resident of Champaign County ,
Hi. , but who commanded a baad of
twenty Confederate rangers during the
great conflict of the ' 60s. Captain Me-
Neill's father organized the baud , but
he fell in battle , and the son , who had.
been a lieutenant was advanced to
captain. lie did not disappoint his
superiors or his own men by lack of
courage or daring. He is mentioned in
the memoirs of General Phil Sheridan ,
and reference Is made to what can be
classed as one of the most remarkable
and unique incidents of the war in the
capture of the two generals.
General Sheridan was greatly annoyed -
noyed by the work of these rangers ,
and was successful In capturing Cap :
tain Gilmore and a number of his men
of one band , due to a clever ruse.
Twenty Federal soldiers were disguised
in Confederate uniforms and scnt toward -
ward Gilmore's camp , apparently free
ing from a band of 300 Federal cav
alry. Gilmore welcomed the pursued ,
but was immediately made a prisoner
and escorted back to the Union lines ,
the return being supported by * he
squadron of cavalry. The capture was
irritating to the Confederates , and
Captain McNeill determined to execute
a bold coup in return.
At the head of his command of twen
ty he made his way to the Union lines
and captured General Crook and Gen
eral Kelly , lioth prominent command. J i
ers in the Army of the Cumberland. At. i
that period Cumberland , Md. , was thor
oughly invested with Federal troops ,
and no danger to any one was antici
pated. The surprise , therefore , was
complete , and before the startled negro
watchman was able to give the alarm
the band was far away.
After a hot chase down the valley
the captors got safely away and stop
ped at a hotel for refreshments and ,
to change horses. At that hotel Gen
eral I Crook met the Innkeeper's daugh- ,
ter. It was a case of love at first sight , :
and a few months later , when hostiil- '
ties were ended , he went back and (
claimed her for his bride. General
Crook afterward became famous as an
Indian fighter. He often referred to
his chagrin concerning his capture , but
always added that it was. after all ,
the happiest incident of the war , as it
brought to him a wife whom he idol
ized. She yet survives , although he is
dead. Chicago Record-Herald.
Worlli Heading.
Carrots are good for those having a
tendency to gout.
The juice of grapes is laxative , but
the skin and seeds are likely to cause
constipation.
Better to limp upon the right way
than to ride upon the wrong. From
the German.
Sir John Herschell estimates that the
very largest comets , with tails often
millions of miles in length , do not
weigh more than a few ounces.
Almost half of all railway travel in
Germany is third-class. More passen
gers use fourth-class than second , and
less than one in twenty rides first- ,
class.
j
'
j
1428 Siege of Orleans begun.
1642 First commencement held at Har
vard college.
1702 Battle of Vigo.
1760 City of Berlin taken by combined
Russian and Austrian forces.
1777 Kingston , N. Y. , burned by the
British.
i
1781 Americans attacked Yorktown.
1707 Battle of Camperdown.
1800 Attempted assassination of Bona
parte.
1806 Battle of Saalfeld , Saxony ; Prus
sians defeated by French.
1815 Napoleon Bonaparte landed at St
Helena to begin his exile.
1822 Brazil proclaimed independence.
1831 Anderson , an English vocalist
driven from the stage of the Park
theater , New York , for disrespectful
remarks concerning the United
States.
1848 Martial law proclaimed in Cape
Town.
1861 Confederate steamer Theodore es
caped from Charleston , S. C. , with
Mason and Slidell on board.
1862 Confederate cavalry under Gen.
Stuart entered Chambersburg , Pa.
1863 Wheeler's famous Confederate cav
alry met with defeat at Farmington ,
Tenn.
1868 Beginning of Cuban struggle for
independence.
1871 President Grant summoned Ku-
Klux-Klan of South Carolina to dis
band _ The great Chicago fire con
tinued to rage and destroy.
1872 William H. Seward , American
statesman , died - Archbishop Bai
ley installed as Primate of the Cath
olic church in the United States.
1873 Ex-Senator Pomeroy shot by ex-
Congressman Conway in Washington.
1881 Arrest of Charles Stewart Par-
nell.
1SS4 Adoption of tlie Meridian of
Greenwich _ Parliament building in
Quebec wrecked by dynamite.
1893 Dean Richmond foundered in Lake
Erie ; 18 lives lost
1894 Wiju captured by the Japanese.
1898 Emperor of Germany started on
trip to the Holy Land - Powers re
fused to permit Turkey to maintain
garrisons in Crete.
1899 Transvaal war began - Public re
ception in Boston in honor of Ad
miral Dewey.
1902 President Roosevelt appointed a
commission to settle anthracite coal
strike.
1904 Frederick Augustus III. ascended
the throne of Saxony - United
States battleship Georgia launched
at Bath.
1905 President Roosevelt conferred with
leaders in college athletics with a
view to improving standards. . . .Sir
Henry Irving died.
A Self-Govcrninj ? School.
An experiment in pupil self-govern
ment has been in progress in a village
school in Macon county , Mo. In the main
room , where the older pupils assemble ,
the self-governing class gathered about
the table and elected its own officers , and
the principal used a phonograph to dic
tate problems , so that the pupils should
be relieved entirely of the supervision of
tie teacher. As the machine was set in
motion the pupils copied the problems and
discussed or worked out the answers ,
which were then tabulated by the teacher
and turned over to the principal. Not
one pupil was returned to the regular
classes from failure to keep up with the
studies. This year the experiment is to
be extended to a number of otlier districts.
Yorlc Hotel for Boys.
Under the management of Miss Marj ,
Laidlaw Proudfoot , niece of the late Mrs.
Laidlaw , who devoted much money to the
helping of poor boys , the first real hotel
for homeless boys lias just been opened
at 355 West Twenty-seventh street , New
York City. At the outset there were
eight patrons , self-supporting office boya
or messengers , and for the remaining six
vacancies many applications were on file.
The establishment is not to be regarded
as a charity. Each boy pays according to
his means , and this entitles him to a room
of his own. The public , however , is in
vited to contribute toward the expense
fund and larger quarters will probably be
secured.
An ElevenYearOld Freshman.
Norbert Weiner , at the age of 11 , has
entered the freshman class of Tuft col
lege , and is said to be the youngest col
legian "in the country. He is the son of .
Leo Weiner , assistant professor of Sla L-
vonic languages at Harvard. The boy
knew liow to read at 3 and was reading
Darwin and Huxley at 8.
Medical Inspection for Students.
According to the School Journal it is
estmated that the expense of operating
the new inspection law in Massachusetts
public schools is about $25 per 1,000 in
habitants , in the larger cities , but that
in smaller places where "the doctor comes
only when sent for the expense is Sll
per 1,000. The law authorized the school
board of each city or town to appoint
a school physician or physicians , and that
the sight and hearing shall be tested an
nually by the teachers. The expense Is to
be borne by a local appropriation.
COLDEST OCTOBER IN YEARS.
Aliddlc "West Saltern from Prema
ture AVlutcr Weather.
Wednesday was the coldest Octobei
day known in Chicago for many years
the mercury reaching a minimum of 3C
degrees , a drop of 13 degrees from the
registration of Tuesday ; which was it
self cold enough to suit most people.
Besides , there'were snow flurries , the
earliest the Chicago weather buro-iu
ever recorded. The high temperature
mark of Wednesday for the entire
country was Los Angeles , Cal. , where
the registration was 78 degrees. Low
temperatures were genera : throughout
the United States.
Snow to the depth of two Inches fell
In Cleveland , while heavy snow storms
were reported from Paiiursville , Ohio ,
and Biuefield , W. Va. South Bend , Ind. ,
reported four inches of snow , a verit
able winter storm and th snowfall was
heavy and general all over northern
Indiana , in come places attaining al
most the proportions of a blizzard.
Michigan City recorded two and a half
Inches , and the oldest inhabitant said
he had never known such October
weather since 1842. Pittsburg experi
enced the earliest snow storm since
18SO , and many Western Pennsylvania
towns reported such a heavy snowfall
that the snow plows had to be called
into requisition.
A remarkable feature of the .heavy
fall of snow in many localities is there
has not yet been a trace of frost. Ap
ples are on the trees and corn is un-
husked , the farmers having been
caught napping. The sudden advent of
cold weather has seriously interfered
with traffic on the lakes. The railroads
are also hampered and grain is not
moving from the Northwest as rapidly
is it should.
Prof. Dent ch Defends Jevrs.
Prof. Gotthard Deutsch of the Hebrew
union college of Cincinnati makes answer
in the New York Hebrew Standard to the
charge recently made by Prof. Goldwin
Smith , that the persecutions of the Jew
have not been prompted by religious fa
naticism , but because the Jews "are a
parasitic race. " Prof. Deutsch says that ,
even if the occupations of the Jews were
exclusively those of an intermediary , that
would not make them a parasitic race ,
but he denies that the Jew is exclusively
a middleman , referring to the hundreds
of thousands of sweatshops and tailor-
sliop workers. He tells how the Jew was
excluded from manual trades and prohib
ited from holding lands , but to-day , all
over Russia , Jewish workers are found
in the mills and tanneries. He denies
that tribal spirit prevents the Jews from
assimilating with other nationalities , and
concludes that "snobbery , bigotry and
that mental inertia , which is responsible
for the survival of many antiquated ideas ,
account for the hostility to the Jews. "
In response to a letter sent to the State
Minnesota railway and warehouse com
mission by Gov. Johnson , the commission
sent notices to all railroads operating in
the State directing them to show cause
why rates on coal 'and farm products
should not be reduced.
The Ohio Attorney General rendered
an opinion to the State railway commis
sion to the effect that railways have no
right to charge the usual ten-cent excess
fare when cash fare is tendered , even
where the company refunds upon presen
tation of the conductor's receipt.
A new convenience far women travelers
on sleeping cars has been introduced on
the Northern Pacific railway. It consists
of a large 'bag made of tough paper , with
strings at the top for closin ? it. Into this
receptacle the traveler may put her hat ,
gloves , veils , light jackets and similar ar
ticles of apparel which are not in use in
the car. Then the 'bag is hung up out oi
the way and its contents are kept free
from dust and cinders throughout the trip.
On and after Oct. 1 the Pennsylvania
lines west of Pittsburg will charge only
2 cents a mile within the State of Ohio.
Travelers from that State , upon crossing
the line , will be charged with a higher
rate , and tickets from points out of Ohio
will be figured at the 2-cent rate only at
the Ohio line. The Baltimore and Ohio
and the Western Maryland announce that
they will issue 1,000-mile transferable
tickets for $20 , good for any number of
persons.
The persistent public demand for lower
fares on steam railroads that has prevail
ed foe several years has at last been ac
ceded to by the management of the Eric
Railroad Company , -and commencing Nov.
1 , the maximum rate per mile will be two
and one-half cents. The action of the
Erie in thus voluntarily reducing its
fares is a commendable one. The asser
tion here may not be amiss that passen
ger fares in this country , accommodations
considered , are already cheaper than in
any other country in the world. Italy
has perhaps the cheapest steam railroad
fares of any of the foreign countries. The
State of New York has an average per
square mile population of 133 , Pennsylva
nia 137 , whereas in Ohio , where a two-
cent rate law has recently been enacted ,
the average per square mile population is
only 93 , compared with Italy's legal rate
of 3.47 cents and an average per square
mile population of 293.
The Great Northern Railway Company
was convicted in the United States Courr
for the western district of Wisconsin at
La Crosse , of violation of the statute re
quiring safety appliances on cars.
The Goulds have decided to reduce the
time for completing their new Western
Pacific line from Salt Lake City to San
Francisco , so that it will be in operation
by Jan. 1 , 1909 , with through passenger
and freight trains from San Francisco
to Baltimore. Wovk is now in progress
in Nevada and California , and .forty-seven
miles of track has been laid west of Salt
Lake City.
The Isthmian Canal Commission nas
decided to call for bids to build the
Panama Canal by contract. The suc
cessful bidder will be required to take
over all the work of construction , in
cluding any contracts that may have
been made for the employment of Chi
nese labor. Tlie commission's principal
reason for ttis chanjjo of plan is the
labor problem , as it is believed that the
private contractor will be less 'hamper
ed by government red tape in solving
It Nevertheless the commissioners in-
ist that the government will not relin
quish tlie responsibility for tlie con
struction work. The contract will be
made with one Individual or corpora
tion , which , however , may be composed
of several subcontractors , each of
whom will be expert IH some particular
branch of the work. The companies bid
ding must have a capitalization oC
*
$5,000,000 over all debts and incum-
brancos , and the successful bidder must
furnish a bond of $3,000,000. The com
pensation to the contractor will be on
the percentage plan , and to the lowest
bidder the contract will be awarded ,
the total cost of the job being estimated
by a board of engineers , two of whom
will be appointed bythe bidder and
three by the government. The.compe
tition is not limited to American bid
ders. Chairman Shonts says that " it
would take many years for the govern
ment to get an adequate force of com
petent engineers and experts , because
these men are norr controlled by the
leading contractors of the United
States. Consequently it is a short cut
to utilize the trained forces of the best
construction companies.
_
* *
*
The lemon postcard is the latest.
Hundreds of thousands of the cards
Gearing the picture of a wrinkled old
lemon have been sold already. The
picture postcard craze is now at its
worst. The summer's crop is in. From
every quarter of the civilized globe
they have been flying all summer in
Bullions. The business has grown to
staggering proportions. New York is
Che seat of the trade , and dealers estimate -
mate that one person in every eight
ouys a picture postal every day. There
are 80,000 stores in the United States
handling them at present where three
j-ears ago there were not a hundred. It
las frequently been remarked during ;
recent years that the art and practice
of letter writing have passed away ,
and the picture postal has helped on
: his tendency. People write less than
they ever did , and yet they keep their
friends at home posted as to their
itinerary during a long trip better than
they ever did before. The picture postal
tells a story. That is why it is so pop
ular.
_ _ _
f
An interesting bulletin recently is
sued by the Department of Agriculture
is designed to show how the cost of
producing a crop may be accurately
recorded. The report is based upon ex
periments made iu Minnesota , Avhere a
arge number of farmers co-operated by
making daily record of evecy cent spent
for implements , seeds , materials , labor ,
etc. Thus the figures represent tha
work of practical , everyday farmers in
the act of producing crops for profit
Taking barley as an example , the cost
of production is itemized under the
heads seed value , cleaning seed , plow
ing , dragging , seeding , cutting , twine ,
shocking , stacking and threshing , de
preciation of machinery and land rent
al. The figures represent the averagJ
of all farms in the group , the final
figure being the cost per acre. The bul
letin shows how these statistics may
aid in preparing for a system of crop
rotation.
" '
- - -
B- >
The Commissioner of Internal Rev
enue has issued regulations controlling-
the manufacture of denatured alcohol
and its uses , pursuant to an act of Congress -
gross which goes into effect June 1 ,
1907. The Commissioner says there
will be two classes of alcohol , first , that
which is completely denatured , which
will pass into general use and be pur
chased without limitation , as against
private consumers ; and , secondly , spe
cially denatured alcohol , in which the
material demanded by the needs oC
manufacturing interests will be regard
ed. Denatured alcohol will supplant a
large consumption of wood f.lcohol , and
the price , it is believed , will not be
more than 25 cents per gallon. The de
naturing process will have to be accom
plished on the premises where the distilling -
tilling is done , in specially designated
bonded warehouses.
. *
Acting Secretary .Newberry of the
navy has approved the verdict of ac
quittal in the case of Capt Comly and
Lieut Pressy , who were tried on
charges growing out of the collision be
tween their ships , the Alabama and the
Illinois.
_ *
After a conference with Secretary of
Interior Hancock , Monday , President
Roosevelt decided that there should be
no further delay in the withdrawal
from settlement of all public lands
classed as coal lands. By early action ,
he hopes to prevent speculators and
monopolistic corporations from getting
further hold upon the nation's coal
supply.
Petroleum Is the fuel of all locomotives * -
motives in Asia.