The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1883-04-20


West and the dynamite scare. The story Is
that two weeks ago Zell Hoover, who Is
well-known In p0lice-circles here, called
upon the British Minister, rand told him his
%af % M b. @ Ssxn % sic% said
Hoover, there are In this city quite large
and respectable number of Irish dynamiters
and they are now fixing, II they have not
already planted, dynamite around your
house. | know whereof , speak, du thlp =.
very much pleased il you would assist me
in finding out all about the matter" said
Mr. West. 1T will cost money 10 do it,"
8 id Hoover. "How much" "Five hum
dred dollars. will have to employ some
and he paid money then and there. Hoover
left, and employed two of the ex-detectives
to assist him I'm finding the dynamiters who
were preparing to blow the representative
of Great Britain out of existence. The EN-
Two ex-detectiyes,- however, armed with a
letter from Major Morgan, called on Mr..
West and learned that he had paid to Hooy-
or quite sum OF money for his services In
preventing his residence being blown TO
kingdom come by the dynamiters. The ex-
gulled, that there was no truth in the story,
and that Hoover had been playing similar
Swindling tricks on people In this city Tor
years. Mr.. West inquired what he could 90
with Hoover. He found that he could prob
ably have him arrested and taken before
Judge Smell, but it would be very hard to
convict him OF any offense. West concluded
to let the matter drop and his money go.
IF Hoover had been smart" said an eX.
detective tonight, 'he could have played
West for thousands instead OF hundreds"
OF INTEREST TO WHEAT GROWERS.
In recent report to the State Depart
ment Consul General Mattson, Of Calcutta,
"A at A
ton of Indian with American wheat In
European markets. He arrives at the fol-
lowing conclusions: That India can pro-
duce an average quality of wheat at as
low cost to the producer as can the most
favored locality in the United States; that
she can supply the European market with
about AZ, 900, 900 bushels annually, and pos
sesseS facilities for increasing the supply
to an almost unlimited extent, owing to the
great elasticity of home consumption, and
to thevast amount OF land awaiting cult
walton; that In quality, cheapness OF trans
portation, facilities for handling. safety
against damage during transit, and stabil-
ity of money exchange, theAmerican wheat
especially that from the Northwest, has
such advantages, that there need be no SER
ious apprehension on account OF Indian
competition at legitimate prices; but that
in order to maintain this advantage it is abb
solutely necessary that America should
keep pace with India in efforts to reduce
and maintain freights at the lowest possible
minimum. On the other hand it Is an in
disputable fact that Indian wheat has al
ready become, and will continue TO be, o
very important factor in tho grain market
of Europe, and check against high prices,
brought about either by speculation or any
other unnecessary or artificial means; ana
finally, that upon this basis of fair, aver
age crop throughout the world, the Ameri-
can farmer will have to prepare himself to
reduce the cost of production to the lowest
minimum, and to be content with small
profits, or else wheat-growlng in India will
be stimulated to such an extent that subse-
quent competition may become extremely
formidable.
THE WINTER GRAIN CROP.
The department Of agriculture reports the
condition of the winter grain crop on April
over its entire breadth. In Michigan and
other northern territory wheat was still
covered with snow. In the Ohio valley the
winter protection had been partial for the
term, locally varying from three. to ten
weeks, after which the loss from freezing
was quite general. The average deprecia-
ton is greater in the upper part of the Ohio
valley and in Kansas than elsewhere. East
of the Alleghenies the condition Is good in
lower ATTITUDES. 1t is not up to an average
in any part of the south. The average for
the crop is 80. Last April 1t was 1O4; In
1881, 85. The most observing reporters have
examined the roots, and in many cases
found them healthy, while the plants are
brown. There is good reason for believing
that the real condition of wheat is, there
fore less unpromising than it seems. The
averages of condition in states OF large pro-
duction are -
New York. .... 101 Michigan. ....... .9a
PENNSYLVANIA. .... % Illinois. ..........S SO
Ohio. .........7 20 Missouri. ......SS
Kentucky. so Kansas. ..........7 &c
Indiana. ........... Is California. $500. 81
The average of winter wheat varies little
from last years breadth. The returns IN
dictate an increase of per cent. Illinois
returns 2 per cent. increase; Ohio, Michi-
| gan, Indiana, and Missouri per cent. de-
crease; California 10 per cent. increase and
| n slight decrease appears in the gulf states.
| The returns of the quantity OF seed used
per acre indicate tendency to thin seed
| ing. Ten years ago about six pecks pei
acre were used; now less than five and q
half in the winter wheat region. The in
creaslng use of the drill admits OF this econ.
omy. The acreage of winter rye is 80 pei
| cent. of last years breadth; average condi-
! ton, 81.
| Returns received by the department of ag'
riculture from the spring-wheat region show
| that seeding was in progress on April i, bul
not anywhere finished. In Dakota and
parts of Minnesota it has hardly cOmmenc.
| ed, large areas being still covered will
snow. The department therefore does no,
attempt to anticipate the probable yield OF
spring wheat
- . -
/ GcNr RAl MARX t,r'S