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THE NEBRASKA LEGISLATURE
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A Synopsis of Proceedings in Both Branches of
the Twenty-Eighth GenereJ
Assembly.
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HOUSE.
In the house on the 12th Hunter of
Webster offered a motion that the speak
er appoint a sifting committee of seven
members to whom ail bills on general file
should be submitted and that all bills
reported to the bouse by this committee
should have precedence in committee of
the whole in the order reported, except
appropriation and revenue bills. The
motion was tabled. Nelson of Douglas
moved to have S. F. 11 engrossed for
third reading:. The bill was placed on gen
eral file. On motion of Kelson of Doug
las H. R. 330. "the Omaha charter bill,
was ordered engrossed for the third read
ing and Its amendments printed. The
committee on accounts and expenditures
reported than on Investigation it found
three custodians of the supply room, W.
H. Clark and J. Ht Jallison. appointed
by the secretary of state, with the con
currence of the house, and Homer Gage,
appointed by Speaker Mockett. The com
mittee reported that It found need for
but one custodian, and recommend that
Clark and Jallison be dispensed with. The
report was adopted and therefore these
two employes cut off the pay roll. The
remainder of the day was taken up ia
consideration of the revenue bill.
H. R. 374. the salaries appropriation
bill, was placed on the general file
of the house on the 16th. with amend
ments appropriating $3,600 for a dep
uty clerk of the supreme court; $5,400
for three assistants at a salary of
$900; $1,800 for an assistant state li
brarian; raising the salary of the stew
ard at the Lincoln insane asylum from
$1,200 to $1,500; raising the salary of
the head nurse at the Lincoln home
for the friendless from $300 to $600;
raising the salary of the teacher of the
industrial home at Milford from $300
to $600. H. R. 225. by Ferrar, and H.
R. 214, by Christy, both "pure food
bills." were reported to the general file
by the committee on agriculture. A
number of senate files were then read
for the second time, after which the
house took a recess until 7:30. At the
night session the house considered the
revenue bill in committee of the whole.
An amendment by Kennedy of Doug
las was adopted, providing that where
railroads fail to make returns to the
state board the board shall proceed
to ascertain the value from the best
information obtainable, and to such
value add 50 per cent as a penalty.
Many amendments were adopted to
make the bill correspond throughout
to the change in the date of assess
ment from February 1 to April 1. Good
ot Nemaha offered an amendment
striking out the proviso exempting
from taxation live stock under thre
months old. The motion was adopted,
after considerable discussion, by a ris
ing vote of 41 to 28.
Immediately upon convening, the house
on the 13th resumed consideration of the
revenue bill. Rouse of Hall was the first
speaker. He drew attention to the great
debt of Nebraska by saying that "we. as
a people, are prosperous, but we, as a
state, are not prosperous, and it is be
cause of deficient revenue laws." He
urged the Imperative necessity of a reve
nue measure that would meet the de
mands of the hour." Morsman of Doug
las attacked the Loomis and Caldwell
amendments, if enacted, they would de
prive Nebraska of a vital portion of rail
read valuation belonging to it. He plead
ed for the revenue bill, maintaining that
this bill would subject these corporations
to fair taxation. Ten Kyck of Douglas
attacked the revenue bill as being one
sided in favor of the railroads. He said
It was a fair law for the farmers and
ought to be made such for the railroads.
He said the railroads were threatening
to raise freight rates and in the face of
this he said it was time for the republi
cans of Nebraska to get together and do
something for the state. He said it was
time they stood square-toed and flat
fcoted on the Caldwell amendment.
Lcomis of Dodge, the fusion floor leader,
concluded the debate in a most forcible
speech for the Caldwell amendment. He
regretted that this debate had sunk to
the low level of partisanship. He wanted
the problem fought out along strictly
business lines. He refused to consider
the proposition as a party matter, not
withstanding the contrary efforts of
Tnompson, Sears. Swcezy. Douglas.
Mockett and Spurlock to make it such.
He made the most prolonged argument
on cither side and was the leading
rreech for the Caldwell amendment. The
Caldwell amendment was defeated by a
standing vote of 5S to 36. The Thompson
amendment was adopted by a vote of
51 to 36. The Loomis amendment to sec
tion S7 was carried, changing the time
of assessing to April 13, instead of Feb
ruary, and making other changes. Jun
kin's amendment to list and tax box and
Brain cars was adopted.
Consideration of H. R. 70 the Ramse
elevator bill was taken up in committee
of the whole on the 17th. The bill re
quires railroads to furnish equal facilities
to all elevators, including sidetracks,
cars, switch connections, terminal hand
ling and interchange. The amendment of
fered by the railroad committee, to which
the bill was referred, cut out the provi
sions for terminal handling and inter
change, and required elevators to which
It should c applicable to cost at least
t3.000. Robbins of Gage oL'ered a substi
tute to the amendment, which left the
bill unchanged save for a proviso fixing
the cost of the elevator at not less than
$2,000. The Robbins substitute amendment
was adopted by a rising vote of St to 2,
and the bill was then recommended for
passage as amended. The following bill
were read for the third time and passed:
Rcmedlng minor defects in charters gov
erning cities of from 5.O0O to 23.C00 popula
tion. Ayes. S7: nays. 0. To authorise
corporations, associations and sDcisties to
transact upon the assessment plan, the
business of accident or slcknes-. or ac
cident and slckress insurareo and to j
a funeral benefit net xccod!nrr $:x. To
define the nature and scone of the Ne
braska state library, the Unlver&ity of
Nebraska library and the Nebraska state
historical society liabrary and to regu
late the purchase of books by them.
Makes state library exclusively one of
law books and public documents; the
state historical library exclusively one of
United States and Nebraska history, and
the University library one of general ref
erence. Provides for the transfer of books
from one to another of these libraries In
conformity with this classification. Re
pealing proviso in law governing schools
"In metropolitan cities which forbids the
school board to expend more than $200 ex
cept in accordance with the terms of a
written contract. Appropriating $761 for
the relief of General Victor Vifquain.
Providing that appeals to the supreme
court. Including petitions in error, shall
go up on appeal procedure, thereby se-
- curing uniformity in appeals. To prevent
the spread of contagious and infectious
diseases and providing for a state health
Inspector by the state board of health
at a salary of $1,800. Carries an appropri
ation of. $10,000. ,
As soon as the house convened on the
1Mb the revenue measure was considered.
Xflkesell of Dixon offered an amendment
to tbe personal property schedule, so as
to exempt live stock under six months
U frost taxation. This led to an
amendment by Bears of Burt to strike
at the whole schedule and leave the
list of this property to the state board
of equalization. Many members urged
that the schedule be left intact, contend
ing that It would be better than letting
a few men make the schedule. The
Sears amendment was adopted by a vote
of 56 to 34. Jones of Otoe offered an
amendment to change debits to non-In
terest bearing "open accounts." to be de
ducted from the aggregate. Nelson then
amended Hogrefe's amendment to make
it all bona fide debts. Hogrefe accepted
this amendment and withdrew his. The
Hogrefe amendment as changed by Nel
son was then defeated. Rouse of Hall at
11 o'clock moved that the committee
arise and report the revenue bill for pas
sage. At this time Burgess of Lancas
ter sprung the anticipated amendment to
let the street railways, gas, water works
and electric companies in under section
76, having their gross earnings taxed as
franchise, as in the case of the tele
phone, telegraph, express and pipe line
companies. The proposition was defeat
ed, 66 to 23. The report of the commit
tee of the whole that the revenue bill
be recommended for passage-as amended
was. on motion of McAllister, adopted
at 2:35 p. m. As the amendments must
first be printed, the bill probably cannot
ccme to a third reading this week. The
house passed H. R. 271, the Riggs bill,
reorganizing the South Omaha school
board. H. R. 210, by McCIay of Lancas
ter, a Lincoln city tax bill to allow Lin
coln to buy the postofllce building for
a city hall. II. R. 31. by Koetter of
Douglas, to increase rate of Interest on
state warrants from 4 to 5 per cent and
reducing rate of Interest on county, city,
township, precinct and school district
lands from 6 to 4 per cent.
Senate.
In the senate on the 16th the follow
ing bills were passed: Providing for
the destruction of prairie dogs. Pro
viding that all warrants issued by
proper authority of any county, city,
township or school district shall draw
interest, and providing the rate. Pro
viding that the balance of funds in the
hands of the Nebraska Relief associa
tion shall be paid into the state treas
ury and that Rev. Ludden shall be re
imbursed for postage and stationery
expense. Providing for registration of
voters. The registration shall be held
at the office of the city clerk and shall
begin on the first Monday of the
month preceding each and every elec
tion, except school district elections,
and shall end on the Saturday next
preceding said election. The board
shall also be in session on election day.
The order of business of the report
of standing committee was returned
to and the following reports were
made: H. R. 235. which was indefinite
ly postponed Saturday, was recalled
from the house. This bill increases
the amount of indebtedness to be voted
by school districts. H. R. 7, providing
how railroads may condemn property
in order to get the right of way. Gen
eral file. S. F. 295, providing for the
open season of fish. Placed on gen
eral file. S. F. 290, providing for the
open season for certain game, was
indefinitely postponed. The senate
went into committee of the whole, with
Howell of Douglas in the chair, and
made the following disposition of bills:
S. F. 201. placing constitutional amend
ments at head of official ballot. Or
dered engrossed. S. F. 223, providing
for certificates of satisfaction in case
of foreclosure of tax liens. Ordered
engrossed. S. F. 200 and H. R. 112
were indefinitely postponed. The for
mer is an act repealing the law relat
ing to the destruction of weeds in the
public highways. H . R. 112 is the
county commissioners' bridge bill. Tt
provides that the board shall have
greater power and shall not be com
pelled to furnish specifications upon
which bids are made. A similar bill
has already passed the senate.
In the senate on the 17th the following
bills were passed: S. F. 301. providing for
fees to be paid the treasurer for work
done by land commissioner. S.- F. 16, pro
viding that compilers of abstracts file
bond and providing a penalty for viola
tion. S. F. 203. providing for certificate of
satisfaction In case of foreclosures. S. F.
151. granting right of way for construction
of electric roads. S. F. 113. providing for
the appointment of a state surveyor by
the land commissioner. S. F. 133. provid
ing for the election of a tax commissioner
in cities of from 10.000 to 23.000. H. R. 123.
the Northewestern security bill, supposed
to be in the interest of the railroad
merger, was Indefinitely postponed. S. F.
291. authorizing corporations to act as re
ceivcrs, etc: general file. H. R. 113. pro
viding for filing Indictment or informa
tion against corporations: general file. S.
F. 292, amending the constitution to pro
vide for biennial elections; general file
On motion of Wall of Sherman this res.
olution was unanimously adopted: Re
solved. That the senate of the state of
Nebraska hereby desiring to commemor
ate this the ltTh day of March. A. D.
1903. do hereby commend that policy ot
the present king of Great Eritain. which
has for its purpose the relief of the peas
ant class of Ireland, and we do hereby
tender to the Irish people, wherever they
are to be found, our most profound con
gratulations on the seeming' bright pros
pects of the immediate dawning of a gold
en era In the history of these unfortunate
but noble people.
The following bills were passed in the
senate on the ISth: S. F. 2"U. providing
for placing constitutional amendments at
the head of the ticket. H. R. 132. provid
ing that the Lincoln school board shall
consist of five members. The senate went
into committee of the whole with Day
of Nuckolls In the chair, with H. R. 236.
the Gilbert primary election bill, a spe
cial order. The committee recommended
it for rassag. Star.CIng committees re-
rtel as follows: S. F. K. mechanics'
, lier law: indefinitely nostnoned. S. F.
2SS. providing for the qualification of
teachers: Indefinitely postponed. 8. F.
202. providing that before school levy is
voted boards must make an itemized es
timate of expenses; general file. S. F.
CCS, providing that when a conviction is
secured against a licensed seller of liquor
one-fourth of the money shall be paid
to the complaining witneses; indefinitely
postponed. S. F. 213, providing for regis
tration books and a form of registration,
was passed. The senate went into com
mittee of the whole and made the fol
lowing disposition of bills: H. R. 152,
provdlng that the school board of Lin
coln shall be composed of five members:
recommended for third reading and later
passed. H. R. 132. providing the Ne
braska experimental station fund be turn
ed Into the university fund: recommend
ed for third reading and later passed. H.
H. 202. providing for purchase of books
for library of State Normal school out of
fees of matriculation; recommended for
third reading and passed. S. F. 131. pro
viding that sellers of liquors under li
cense shall fine a $3,000 bond; ordered en
grossed. ills That Have Become Laws.
The following is the list of bills
that have been approved by Gover
nor Mickey:
H. R. No. 22. by Wilson Appropri
ating $85,000 for salaries of members
and employes. j( the. legislature.
ff. tt. No. 87. by Gilbert Providing
that the city election In Omaha shall
take place the first Tuesday In May
and every three years thereafter.
H. R, No. 67. by Gilbert Requiring
the city council of Omaha to acquire
title to the Omaha water works plant.
H. R. No. CO. by Wilson Appropria
ting $28,000 for Incidental expenses of
the legislature.
H. R. No. 32, by Koetter Making
the free text book law applying to
Omaha.
H. R. No. 42. by Burgess To per
mit the school board of Lincoln to
pay more than $720 a year salary to
a secretary.
H. R. No. 279, by Good Transfer
ring $10,000 from the maintenance
fund of the Norfolk asylum to the
Lincoln hospital for the Insane.
H. R. 106. by Kittell Repealing
tbe law for a bounty on wolf scalps.
H. R. 48, by Koetter For the pay
ment of a bounty on wolf scalps.
H. R. 114. by Gregg Regulating
the printing and distribution of the
state superintendent's annual report.
H. R. 16, by Buffalo To permit
townships to buy and maintain ceme
tery grounds.
H. R. 40. by Thompson Providing
that land leases for a longer period
than one year from the making there
of shall be void unless in writing.
H. R. 8, by Perry Regulating ad
mission to the bar.
H. R. 18, by Douglas Providing a
seal for county treasurers to be at
tached to tax deeds and certificates.
H. R. 119, by Gregg Making It
thi duty of county superintendents to
notify school districts when reports
are due.
S. F. 10. by Marshall To legalize
heating and lighting bonds heretofore
voted by villages; for the relief of
the city of Syracuse.
S. F. 35, by Fries Permitting nor
mal schools having an investment of
$50,000 to issue teachers' certificates
upon approval of the state superin
tendent. S. F. 3. by Sheldon Giving county
boards added powers as boards of
quarantine, with jurisdiction outside
of incorporated towns.
S. F. 34, by Sheldon Asking con
gress to establish the true military
status of the First Nebraska militia
by declaring it to be a volunteer regi
ment. S. F. No. 29, by Warner Was ve
oed by the governor on account of
its form. He presented a bill to rem
edy the defect. The bill authorizes
the commissioner of public lands and
buildings to charge certain fees for
recording and filing papers. The ti
tle states that the fees shall be paid
to the land commissioners. The su
preme court has held that no state
officer except the state treasurer has
a right to receive money for fees.
HAIL INSURANCE.
The legislature will probably take ac
tion at this session on the matter of
giving legal protection to policy holders
in hail insurance companies. During the
past two or three years there has been
not a little complaint from parties who
have been policy holders in hail insur
ance companies and whose losses have
not been paid. The need for such In
surance is recognized and the business
of insuring farmers against loss from
hail storms is considered, .f properly
conducted, just as legitimate as fire
Insurance. There are some companies
which have paid their losses in full'
and promptly. Unfortunately there have
also been wild cat companies which
have absorbed all the premiums In the
payment of officers" salaries. To remove
the stigma from the honest companies
and to shut out wild cat organizations,
is the object of the bill which has been
introduced in the house and recommend
ed for passage by the committee. The
1)111 provides that 50 per cent of all the
income from policy holders shall be set
aside for the payment of losses. It
also provides that a bond of $30,000 must
be deposited with the state auditor con-y
ditioned upon the faithful .accounting of
the funds of such company.
Pure Food Bill Agreed To.
The pure food bills will be reported
to the house at the earliest opportu
nity for passage with a few amend
ments. The bills provided for a re
peal of the law providing for a sys-,
tern of fees and permits to sell cer
tain goods in the state. This provi
sion made the board almost seIf-sup-;
porting. Under the proposed bill,
these sections were to be repealed
and the law left as it was drafted in
other particulars.
Before the committee acted on the
measure a delegation of wholesale
grocers and manufacturers of Lincoln
were given a hearing. They strongly
obpected to the measure on the
ground that it worked a hardship on
the home manufacturer. It would
permit the outside manufacturers
who make adulterated goods toman
ufacture them still and sell them in
the state, while the home manufac
turer would not have the privilege of
manufacturing even unless he sold
all his goods outside of Nebraska.'
This argument was strongly urged'
against the rigorous provision of the
measure.
Time is Passing.
In a few days the legislators will
be wishing they had been more ac
tive early in the session. Friday,
March 13, was the forty-sixth day. In
the fourteen remaining days all the
appropriation bills must be consider
ed and other measures that are de
sired must be rushed through unless
a long time is spent here without
pay. It is quite a task, especial!? as
the aprpopriations loom up with mon
umental height before the meml'ers.
With the new revenue law in pros
pect the? will fcsl more free, bow
ever, in ps-ir.q tr-?" bills. The
state nora-1 rcl-ocl 1 ill is at the head
of the general fie ready for an early
resurrection. With it is the bill ap
propriating nioney for a new chapel
at the state normal at Peru. The
bill appropriating $100,000 for new
buildings at the state farm under the
Sears resolution, though favorably
acted upon in committee of the whole
in the house, may not be read and
put on passage till the revenue bill
is disposed of.
TWO NEW LAWS.
Governor Mickey approved two bills on
the ISth. neither of which Is of any pub
lic interest. The' first Is H. R. 61. by
Douglas, designed to give justices of the
peace jurisdiction In cases where persons
are charged with carrying concealed
weapons. This Is done by striking out
the words "or both" in the penalty clause
and leaving It optional with the justice
to fine or imprison the offender.
The other bill which received the gov
ernor's approval is H. R. 76. by Perry
of Furnas. It also is a curative bill,
changing in a slight degree the last
clause of section 1019 of the civil code
relating to bonds for a stay of execution.
The wording is changed to read "which
undertaking shall be signed by the sure
ty and a copy of such undertaking be
entered on the docket of the justice."
The Champion Milch Cow.
Utica, N. Y., has recently won dis
tinction through a Holstein-Friesian
cow, Sadie by name which.or perhaps
such a cow as Sadie ought to be re
ferred to as "who" Is a resident of
that place. Sadie has broken the
world's thirty-day record for milk giv
ing and butter producing. In the thir
ty days during which Sadie was put to
the test she produced a fraction over
2,754 iounds of milk, from which was
extracted 123 pounds. 8 ounces of
butter. In other words, the milk that
Sadie gave during the thirty days'
contest would have been sufficient to
drown her had it been tanked and
she thrown In. while her month's sup
ply of butter, if packed in the ordinary
bricks, would have served to make
around her a wall so high that she
could hardly have jumped over it-
Poem by Stonewall Jackson.
The Richmond Times Is authority
Tor the statement that this poem was
written by Stonewall Jackson while he
was serving with the army in the
Mexican war:
The tattoo beats the lights are gone.
The camp around in slumber lies;
The night with solemn pace moves oa.
The shadows thicken o'er the skies;
But sleep my .weary eyes hath flows
And sad. uneasy thoughts arise.
I think of thee. oh. dearest one.
Whose love my early life hath blest
Of thee and him our baby son
Who slumbers on thy gentle breast.
God of the tender, frail, and lone.
Oh, guard tho tender sleeper's rest.
And hover gently, hover near
To her. whose watchful eye Is wet
To mother, wife the doubly dear.
In whose young heart have freshly met
Two streams of love so deep and clear.
And cheer her drooping spirits yet.
Whatever fate those forms may how.
Loved with a passion almost wild-
By day by night in joy or woe
By fears oppressed, or hopes beguiled.
From every danger, every foe,
O God, protect my wife and child!
Now. while she kneels before thy throne.
Oh. tach her. ruler of the skies.
That, while by thy behest alone.
Earth's mightiest powers fall or rise.
No tear is wept to thee unknown.
No hair is lost, no sparrow dies!
That thou can'st stay the ruthless hands
Of dark disease, and soothe its pain;
That only by thy stern commands
The battle's lost, the soldier's slain
That from th. distant sea or land
Thou bring'st the wanderer home again.
And when upon her pillow lone
Her tear-wet cheek is sadly prest
May happier visions beam upon
The brightening current of her breast.
No frowning look nor angry tone
Disturbs tho Sabbath of her rest.
Prominent Veteran Dead.
Rear Admiral Lewis W. Robinson,
U. S. N., retired, died at his home in
Philadelphia of typhoid pneumonia af
ter an illness of two days. He was 63
years old and a native of New Jersey.
He served throughout the war of the
rebellion in the west gulf blockading
squadron. He passed through the
various grades in his branch of the
service, reaching that of chief engi
neer, with the rank of lieutenant com-
The Late Rear Admiral Robinson.
Bander, in August, 1893, and being
promoted to the rank of commander in
March, 1895, and that of captain in
June, 1898. His last active service
was at Morris Heights, N. Y., as In
spector of torpedo boat machinery.
Sept. 21, 1901, he was placed on the
retired list, with the rank of rear ad
miral. Duty of G. A. R. Members.
The commander-in-chief of the G. A.
fi. has directed attention to the neces
sity of the newly installed officers in
the several posts taking up vigorously
and systematically the work of re
cruiting. The number of soldiers and
sailors not yet members of the organ
ization, but who are eligible for mem
bership, is far in excess of the mem
bership of our order. If proper ef
forts are put forth thousands of these
comrades can be induced to unite and
aid in the work that must of necessity
be done by the Grand Army of the
Republic in caring for the needy and
deserving veterans and the widow3
and orphans of deceased comrades.
With fruitful fields for recrr.Stinj:.
losses in membership indicate lack ol'
effort. If the Gn.nd Army is to be
forceful and helpful, it must continue
strong and active.
The commander-in-chief also has di
rected especial attention to the neces
sity of the organization at large as
sisting the comrades of the Southern
departments in the work of Memorial
day in their several localities. Upon
them devolves the duty of paying
proper tribute to the soldier dead of
the nation who are buried in the vari
ous national cemeteries throughout
t!:o Southland. The membership of
the Southern departments is not
large, but fte comrades are devoted
and enthusiastic, and will see to It
that every grave of a Union soldier
or sailor receives on Memorial day its
tribute of flag and flowers; but they
must have aid, and contributions are
therefore earnestly solicited from
posts and comrades. Flags must be
given, and to that end department
commanders will, in their respective
departments, direct attention to the
matter and urge prompt and liberal
contributions. Remittances should be
made direct to John W. Schall, Adju
tant General, Independence Hall, Phil
adelphia, who will duly acknowledge
the same to donors, make proper rec
ord and transmit amount to the quar
termaster general, wno will make de
tailed statement to the national en
campment. Every post can give some
thing, and the comrades in more fa
vored localities should be willing to
aid those who, even though less fa
vored by helpful surroundings, will
ingly perform the sacred duty of re
membering in tribute the brave sol
diers "who rest where they wearied
and sleep where they fell."
The Fighting at Allatoona.
"That reminds me," said Capt
Stone, "of an experience I had, not
long ago. down in Georgia. I Was
making the rounds of our old battle
fields and left the train at Allatoona
to look over the fighting ground at Al
latoona Pass, where Gen. Corse 'held
the fort.' The station agent eyed me
a minute; and, noticing my Grand
Army button, came to me, introduced
himself as Capt. McDaniels of the
Confederate service, and said he
would be glad to show me over the
scene of what he regarded as the hot
test and sharpest battle of the war, if
not in all history- It was in truth a
fierce fight, and no one 'can under-!
stand why it was so until he looks
over the ground and remembers that
in this pass the very flower of the
two armies met in a fierce straggle.
In which neither meant to yield.
"Curiously enough. McDaniels' rec
ollections of the fight centered oa two
V mSm
scenes. One was the horror caused
by the explosion of a shell in an Iowa
regiment The shell struck in a mass
of men crowding to the front in de
fensive line and killed twenty-eight
men. The other was the hearing of
a Union officer who received his death
wound in front of McDaniels' com
pany. The latter saw the wounded
officer straggle to his feet, stagger to
a little house near, carry out a chair,
by which he supported himself In
standing position with one hand while
with the other he waved his sword
and encouraged his men.
"His men stood, although the rebels
pushed them at every point. McDan
iels watched the Union officer until
another ball struck him and he doub
led forward over the back of the
chair, dead. Even then the men stood
and the fight went on all along the
line. This illustrated the spirit of the
1,944 men, who, in beating oft one of
Hood's strong divisions, lost 707 of
their number, and who 'held the fort.
The captain who fell across tbe chair
had the same spirit as the general in
command, who, sorely wounded, sig
naled to Sherman that he would hold
bis position. He knew and his men
know that the holding of Allatoona
pass meant the saving of 1,500,000 ra
tions stored there and the mainten
ance of Sherman's line of communica
tions." Chicago Inter Ocean.
Pension Claim a Thriller.
A strange story is related in the
case of Mrs. Leander Merchand of
Steubenville, O., whose claim has just
been secured. The facts form a
weirdly mysterious tale.
Merchand, her husband, was born
in Florida, his father being a white
man and his mother an Indian. His
mother died when he was young and a
trader took him to South Carolina and
sold him. He had straight Indian hair
and complexion, but that made no
difference.
Five years later he was sold to a
Mississippi planter, but escaped, and
later joined a Confederate regiment
and was captured, and then he enlist
ed in the 102 Ohio volunteer infantry.
He was captured by the Confeder
ates, and after imprisonment in
Cohaba prison was exchanged and
sent north on the ill-fated Sultan,
which blew up, more than 1,300 sol
diers losing their lives.
When the boat blew up he landed
insensible on a raft of driftwood, and
was rescued and taken on an island
below Arkansas City. He was badly
injured and scalded. He recovered
and drifted west, where he met the
present Mrs. Merchand, who taught
him to read and write.
He wrote the facts about his life
in a prayer book, which was used to
establish the claim. Later In life he
became a harmless lunatic, and wan
dered into a swamp and was drowned.
The widow will use the money in buy
ing a plantation in the southwest.
The Fence-Rail Habit.
"The fence-rail habit," said the ser
geant, "grew on a man. There was io
more exhilarating work than breaking
up a seasoned cedar rail. A man who
did it once wanted to do it again, and
after doing it again he could split a
cedar rail into coarse or fine splinters
by the way he struck it on the hard
ground or a log. I had a comrade
who had a record of breaking up 500
rails, and he reasoned that over 5,000,
000 cedar, walnut and oak rails in the
South were burned by soldiers, and
that this wholesale destruction gave
as much impetus to the barbed wire
business as the settling up of the
prairie states.
"He located after the war in Ne
braska, but got so lonesome with no
fence rails in sight that he returned
to Ohio, and moved from there when
the people began to replace the old
rail fences with beard and wire fences.
A year ago he came to Chicago and I
took him out to Fort Sheridan, and in
cidentally called his attention to the
fine grade of the wire fence inclosing
the rceervat!on. He was furious, and
said if (lie rovernment really wanted
first-cl is-, experienced soldiers it
ought to build at every fort and camp
".a ol I-fashioncd rail fence, and let the
Ioys steal and burn the rails, as a re
ward for close attention to duty.
Still Is In Rebellion.
"I did not surrender," said E. F.
Bosyc on being examined for member
ship in the R. A. Smith camp of Con
federate veterans at Macon, Ga. This
reply called for an explanation, be
cause it is customary for a candidate
for membership, to tell where he en
listed and how he was dismissed from
the Confederate service before he can
become a member of a camp. Mr.
Bosye explained that he was one of
the 2,000 men of tbe Western army
who decided that they would go to
Mexico with their commander. Gen.
Shelby, rather than submit to the hu
miliation of a surrender. The com
mand marched over the line, where
they disbanded and came home. The
detachment thought they might get
shelter from the Mexicans and estab-'
lish a new Confederacy, but the bull
fighters were too much in awe of the
United States. It is estimated that
there are only about fifty or sixty of
the Shelby command left. Mr. Bosye
belonged to company H, Fifth Mis
souri. Atlanta (Go.) Journal.
Didn't Know His Own Son.
During the battle of Antietam, one
of the bloodiest in the civil war, there
had been a sharp engagement of ar
tillery and the Confederate battery
from Rockbridge, Va.,- was standing
waiting orders when Gen. Lee rode
by and stopped a moment. A dirty
faced driver about 17 said to him:
"General, are you going to put us
in again?"
Think of such a question from such
a source to the general of the army,
especially when that general's name
was Lee.
"Yes, my boy." the stately officer
kindly answered. "I nave to put you
in again. But what is your name?
Your face seems familiar, somehow."
"I don't wonder you didn't know me,
sir," laughed the lad. "I'm so dirty.
But I'm Bob."
It was the general's youngest son,
whom he had thought safe in the Vir
ginia Military institute. "God bless
you, my son; do your duty," and the
general rode on.
Gen. Osterhaus Hale and Hearty.
That grand old hero, Gen. P. J. Os
terhaus of the Army of the Tennessee,
and who at times commanded the Sev
enteenth corps, is still alive, residing
in Bonn. Germany, strong and happy,
in his 81st year. He is highly respect
ed by the people, and the commander
of the garrison has issued orders that
officers and soldiers must stand at at
tention and salute when he passes
The Value of Capons and Capenlzing.
Wm. G. Unitt, in an address to
Nebraska poultry raisers, said: A
Capon bears the same relation to
cockers! that s steer doe to a boll;
It Is a castrated rooster. But a capon
is more quiet, lays on much flesh and
fat and remains tender for months.
They will weigh from 60 to 75 per cent
more than s rooster of the same sge
and in many Eastern markets will
bring from 20 to 30c per pound. The
comb snd wattles do not grow sfter
the operation if done before they be
come very prominent, but in some
cases it is the practice to cut them off.
The feathers of the neck and saddle
grow very long and glossy. A capon
does not care for the hens, nor crow,
nor fight, bat will make the finest of
mothers for chickens. If in the opera
tion you do not succeed in removing
all of the testicle, it will in coarse of
time develop into a very large size
and will be found to contain water.
Such a bird is known as a slip. F.
L. Washburn, In the Oregon Bulletin.
No. 31, says: "A slip gains flesh and
fat and better flesh than a rooster.
But in three or four months sfter the
operation, the comb and wattles grow,
the bird develops a crow and chases
the hens worse than a cockerel. And
I would advise a person to kill such
birds if he has any, as they are a
great bother upon a poultry farm.
In some cases they bring as much
money as a capon of the same weight
But if a person is careful in doing
the operation there will be no slips
to put upon the market It has been
asked by several, is the operation
cruel? It Is no more cruel than per
forming the same kind of an opera
tion upon pigs, colts, and calves. It
does not take long to perform the
operation and the bird will begin to
eat directly after being released from
the canonizing board. I would advise
a person to operate upon a few dead
ones first so as to become familiar
with the appearance and position of
tbe testicles. A person can use any
of the large breeds and secure some
very nice capons. The birds that you
wish to canonize should be fasted 24
to 36 hours before the operation. And
should be fed very light the first day
or two after the operation.
Mottled Javas.
The Javas. though not as popular
as some of the other breeds, are yet in
every way worthy of more attention
than they are receiving. They are a
practical and good-sized fowl, differ
ing from Plymouth Rock chiefly in
form and symmetry. There are three
varieties of Javas. the Black. Mottled
and White. We illustrate a Mottled
Java hen on this page. The plumage
of the Mettled Javas Is broken black
and white in wings, tail and feathers,
and the balance of the plumage is
evenly mixed with black cud white.
Feeding Winter Chicks.
Relative to the feeding of incubator
chicks hatched in the winter, a report
of the Rhode Island station says:
Many people have asked, on seeing
the healthy growing, well feathered
young chicks, what food we were us
ing. Tbe winter's experience, in which
a variety of grains were used, indi
cates that it is not so much what the
food is as how the food is supplied
provided there are plenty of starchy,
albuminous, and green matters. In
nature small seeds, insects and grass
furnish food for chickens. These are
most abundant in the spring and sum
mer months, and it is at this time that
the chickens thrive. To secure the
best results foods simulating both the
composition and the mechanical char
acter of these should be supplied. For
instance, in the summer the tips of
grasses are young and tender and
easily broken by the chickens. For
green stuff to be easily assimilable
some plant should be supplied which
may also be easily broken. We have
found hanging a head of lettuce in the
brooder by a string to exactly furnish
the desired want, and be greedily even
crazily eaten by the chickens.
A Doubtful Method.
At a farmers' institute a speaker
said: "Ventilation is a subject of
much discussion and experimentation;
but no ventilator has ever been in
vented that will change with the
weather, as is necessary in ventilat
ing a hen house. So, as the attendant
must do it, the simplest way will be
found the best, and this is to depend
entirely upon the windows. On all
nleasant days in the winter, when
jowls are confined, the windows are
opened sufficiently to give tbe fowls
nearly as much sunlight and fresh air
as they would get out of doors. At
night the windows are closed, and the
fowls do not suffer for fresh air until
morning."
We very much doubt the soundness
of this advice. Open windows and
doors on some days are fruitful
sources of colds and catarrhal trou
bles. It Is far better to adopt a scien
tific method of ventilation and depend
on it whenever the poultry house has
to be tightly closed.
Guernsey Breeders' Association.
The Guernsey breeders of the
United States held a meeting in Mad
ison, Wisconsin, recently, and elected
the following officers: President,
Chas. Solveson, Nashotah. Wiscon
sin; vice president. J. W. Perkins.
Kansas City, Missouri; second vice
president, F. W. Kimball, Austin,
Minnesota; third vice president, John
C. Chalmers, Ann Arbor, Michigan;
secretary-treasurer, Chas. L. Hill.
Rosendale, Wisconsin; additional
members of the executive committee,
W. Nichols, Trempeleau. Wisconsin;
M. D. Cunningham, Kansasville, Wis
consin. It is announced that Mr. Rockefeller 1
has given $1,000,000 to his Institute-,
for medical research. The present
plans for the institute call for the im
mediate erection of a laboratory in
New York city for investigation in all
departments of medical research.
The "shank" of a fowl is the lower
aai scaly Joint of the leg.
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Points en Peach Orcharding.
H. L. Doaa: t-each trees la oar
locality (Jacksonville. Illinois), ssaks
a stronger growth than they do la
Georgia and make larger trees, the
soil being stronger. I go taroaga tho
peach country in that state every
winter and notice the difference The
methods of pruning peach trees are
the occasion of much discussion
amongst growers. The difference of
opinion turn chiefly about three prac
tices: Short trunks with rapidly as
cending branches, high trunks with
more horizontal branches, and short
ening in or heading back the an
nual growth. Each system has dis
tinct merits for particular cases. The
nature and fertility of the soil are
often the denominating factors in
these opposing methods; a system ot
pruning which suits the slow growth
and hard wood of sandy soil may aot
be adapted to the rapid growth and
heavier top of trees on stronger soil.
We plant one year old trees topping
back from 18 inches to 2 feet, getting
our trees headed low. The first six
weeks after growth begins the trees
should be gone over frequently to rub
off all sprouts that are not needed.
Four or five are left to form the main
branches; these should be evenly dis
tributed. Three or four feet of new
growth for each branch the first year
is considered fair. The first pruning
occurs the following winter, catting
back from one-half to a third of the
previous year's growth. The low
trunk permits a more open top and
this is an advantage as the fruit col
ors up better. One reason for head
ing back Is the necessity of checking
tbe growth and keeping the tree
within bounds when it is growing in
strong soil. Heading in the branches
tends io make a thick topped tree. The
best growers give attention to cut
ting out the unprofitable wood from
the center of the trees. The pruning
may be made a thinning process.
There is a very general neglect in
thinning fruit It should be a rale
that no two peaches should stand
closer on the same branch than' Ave
inches. The fruit from well thinned
trees usually sells for twice as much
as that from overloaded trees and the
vior of the tree is conserved at the
same time. There are two rules to
observe in thinning: First removal
of Injured or inferior fruits, second,
allow no two fruits to stand closer
together than the distance which has
been decided upon. The time to thin
is when the peaches are three-eighths
of an inch In diameter; at this size
they are likely to remain on the tree,
the May drop being over. This meth
od of pruning and thinning prevents
the trees from breaking.
Michigan Peach Belt
From Farmers' Review: In the
February 11 number of the Farmers'
Review I notice that we are misin
formed in regard to the width of
what is called the Michigan peach
belt You say that it is confined to
a strip about 10 miles wide; adjoin
ink lake Michigan and to sandy and
sandy loam soils. Now that may be
the case in certain parts of the fruit
belt, running as it does from St Jo
seph in the south to Grand Traverse
in the north; but here in the Grand
river valley successful peach culture
is carried on for thirty or more miles
back from the lake. Neither is it
confined to sandy soils; as we have
thousands of acres of peach orchards
on clay and clay loam soils producing
as fine peaches as can be grown in
tbe state. To give your readers some
idea of the truth of this statement I
will say that our beautiful city of
Grand Rapids is situated about twenty-five
miles from the lake, and peach
es are drawn to that market from one
to twenty miles in nearly every di
rection; and as high as 1,500 loads
of peaches have been counted through
tbe market gates before 7 a. m. In
one day, to say nothing of the hun
dreds of loads that were drawn to
the freight houses and commission
houses during the day; besides car
loads and carloads that were shipped
from the many stations outside of the
city. The prospects are fair for the
coming crop up to this time. Febru
ary 16, as we have had no zero
weather at this point until last night
when the thermometer registered 5
below. Wells Parish, Ottawa County,
Michigan.
News From the Stations and Colleges.
Prof. A. T. Wiancko, instructor of
agriculture in the University of Ne
braska, has resigned, and will go to
the Indiana Experiment Station.
Professor R. S. Mackintosh, assist
ant horticulturist of the Minnesota
station, has been elected professor of
horticulture in the Alabama Agricul
tural College.
Cornell University is about to lose
Its old professor of chemistry, G. C.
Caldwell, who will retire with a pen
sion. He has been professor of chem
istry there since 1868.
The Arizona Agricultural College is
to have as professor of Animal Hus
bandry T. F. McConnell, who has been
engaged in the same department of the
Wisconsin Agricultural College.
Prof. H. A. Huston, for many years
director of the Indiana Experiment
Station, has resigned to take a posi
tion with the German Kali Works. He
is to have charge of their St. Louis
office.
Prof. John W. Gilmore has become
agriculturist at tho Cornell Experi
ment Station. He has just returned
from the Philippine Islands, where he
had been engaged in agricultural work.
He taught agrictuiture in China for
two years.
Prof. Kenyon L. Butterfield has been
elected president of the Rhode Island
Agricultural College. He was for
merly superintendent of Michigan
Farmers' Institutes, and has been more
recently an instructor in the Univer
sity of Michigan.
Wisconsin Jersey Breeders Meet
From the Farmers' Review: The an
njal meeting of the Wisconsin Jersey
Breeders' Association was held at the
Palmer House. Fond du Lac, Feb. 12.
The following officers were duly
elected for the ensuing year. Presi
dent, Hon. E. R. Hicks. Oshkosh;
secretary. F. H. Scribner. Rosendale;
treasurer, S. L. Emery, Albion; board
of directors, Mrs. Adda F. Howie, Elm
Grove; H. C. Taylor. Orfordville, and
R. C. Green, Albion. Voted to have
the annual meeting of this association
convene hereafter at the time and
place of the State Dairymen's Asso
ciation which will be the second weel;
in February- Items of Interest were
discussed relative to the interests of
Jersey cattle, making a very profit
able meeting. F. H. Scribner. Sec.
A Grasshopper Problem.
The Minnesota experiment statlo?
has made a report of the Insect in
vasions of that state daring the past
year. Among those Invasions was that
of the grasshoppers, which are looked
for every year. The farmers has
learned that one of the most trouble
some varieties of locusts, the White
Mountain Locust (M. Atlantic), are
quite local in their habits and can Ik
kept under control by plowing under.
The only drawback to this process la
the presence of infested land owned
by non-residents, which restocks the
land of the farmers that have plowed.
Complaint has frequently been made
to the state authorities regarding tbfc
condition, and In a number of cases
where the land was badly infested the
state has paid for having the land
plowed. This is a task too large to be
generally undertaken by the state,
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FIQ. 1. NOT IVT BUT GRASS
HOPPERS. and the farmers in different localities
in Minnesota are asking for a law
compelling non-residents to plow their
land when infested with locusts.
In our first illustration in this arti
cle we show a store in the Hill River
District infested with young grass
hoppers on a rainy day. This will
give some idea of their abundance In
that locality. The state entomologist,
after a visit to this region, reported:
"It was however in the Hill River
district, near Lindsay P. O.. that farm
ers suffered the most. Here a tract
extending one-half mile east and west
and two miles north and south was
swept almost bare of vegetation.
Young flax, grass, wheat, barley and
oats were mowed down, and at tho
date of my visit, Jane 26. the farmers
were complaining bitterly of a 300
acre piece of stubble which had been
allowed to lie fallow for two years or
more and was very evidently the
breeding ground of the pest In places
I found tbe ground brown with young
hoppers not yet ready to fly, and the
area referred to presented a scene of
desolation not easily forgotten. Tbe
young hoppers were working south,
and on each succeeding visit I found
their limit to be further south. Farm
ers in the neighborhood worked hero
ically in the fight against the unwel
come visitation, and about 800 gal
lons of oil were distributed by the
entomologist. This oil was judicious
ly used, but the numbers of the in-'
sects were legion, and, though the
hopper-dozers were run back and forth
over the grain all day and day after
day and bushels of oily corpses .
dumped upon the road, the pests ap
peared to be almost as numerous aft
er treatment as before."
Among the natural enemies of the
grasshoppers are the birds. In our
second illustration we show English
sparrows eating grasshoppers In the
streets of Crookston, Minnesota. This
is one good point in favor of the En-
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FIG. 2. SPARROWS FEEDING
ON
GRASSHOPPERS,
glish sparrow, which is not generally
considered a friend to the farmer.
The most effective remedy is the
fall plowing of stubble, or the early
plowing of the same in the spring,
before May 10. But in the infested
areas all the farmers must co-operate.
If one farmer plows and his neighbor
does not. the work of the first is
thrown away. Young hoppers, while
very small, before they are largo
enough to avoid the plow, may be
plowed under. It is advisable in this
case to begin at the edge of the field
and plow towards the center.
Meeting of Ayrshire Breeders.
The 28th annual meeting of the
Ayrshire Breeders Association was
lcld at the Fifth Avenue Hotel, New
York, January 29, 1903, with about
fifty members and visitors present.
The officers elected were: Geo. H.
Yeaton, Dover, N. H., president; Oba
iiah Brown. Providence. R. I.. Thom
s Turnbuii. Jr., Casanova, Va.;
Charles C. Doe, South Newbury, Vt;
E. J. Fletcher, Greenfield, N. H.; vice
presidents; C. M. Winslow, Brandon,
Vt., secretary; N. S. Winsor, Green
ville. R. I., treasurer; J. F. Converse.
VoodvilIe, R. I., J. Andrew Casterline,
Dover, N. J., executive committee for
three years. The report of the treas
urer showed about $3,000 in treasury.
The report of the secretary showed
i removal by death of six members
ind twenty-four new members added.
it was voted to continue the Honv
Dairy test for the next year wltt "
he same premiums.
Food for the Plum Curculio.
Prof. F. M. Webster: The plum
curculio no longer confines itself to
the wild plum, though it does return.
if possible, to the woodlands there,
to pass the winter among the fallen
leaves; but the plum orchard of the
horticulturist offers a better feeding,
ground, with larger and more attrac
tive varieties than the wild plums of
the woodlands. The insect is ena
bled to breed more unrestrained, and
a greater supply of food Is offered it
than was possible under the old ex
isting conditions. The Inroads or
birds upon its numbers in tbe prime
val woods are now greatly reduced,
ami the few trees that happen to be
Icca-.ed in an occasional chicken park,
are the only ones where there is much
of the old time trouble from feathered
enemies. If there are not plums'
enough, it can get along with the ear
Iy peach and some of the apples, la
which to breed and feed.
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