davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The advocate., 1889-09-14
The Senatorial Committee at KAnaas
CAty.

ctnAtOr NebL ~ cnhfmhhs hppOlheu
10 investigate tho dressed beef com
bine has concluded It's sitting at Kan
sas City, and the testimony taken is
given to the public. ex-governor
Click Of Atchison was the first witness
called. He testified that ''he had
been in the cattle raising business for
thirty years, during which time tho
prices Of cattle had depreciated 30 or
40 per cent. The causo Of this the
witness said twas tho establishment
in Kansas City Of a great packing
interest, which had developed first q
great competition among tho sellers
ofcattle and afterwards q combination
among tho packers which was 40
powerful that It's members would buy
cattle at their own prices"
"Iaye you any direct knowledge Of
the workings OF the combinationT
asked Senator Vest
Eyes, Lhaye shipped cattle to Kan
sas City and have placed them on
the market at the market
price. The packers protested that
the price was too high and assured
me that il / did not want TO sell at
their price I could re-ship my cattle
and send them to Chicago. / did
that several times and found each
time that the Armour-Moris- s-Swift
combination controlled that end ofthe
route too, J. was forced in the end to
sell ut their prices The witness
testifying further, asserted that the
effect Of the depreciation in the prices
OF cattle had been 10 drive many Of
Tho cutie raisers Of Kansas out Of the
business.
The packers also controlled rates
on the railroads TO IN extent md the
packers Of Kansas City had almost
ruined the butchers business Of Atchi-
son and would have done so entirely
had not tho city council passed and
enforced an ordinance requiring the
inspection Of beof on tho hoof. Before
that ordinance went into effect the
packer could buy his cattle in Atch-
ison, ship thom to Kansas City, work
them into dressed beef, reship the lat
ter product to Atchison aud sell it
cheaper than the local butchers could
sell their dressed beef slaughtered at
homo. The inspection ordinance,
however, had remedied this stnto Of
affairs,
Chas. burst, a butcher Of Atchison
was the next witness, He oorroborat-
cd the testimony Of ex-Goyernor Click
concerning the depreciation ip the
prices Of cattle, Asked il he had
como in direct contact with the COM
bination Of which MIR. Click had spok-
en- he related following experiences;
81 came to Kansas City one day to
buy sheep. IaslSed Che owner in the
pens the price ofhis stock. He quoted
q figure. Hooked further after taking
an option on his sheep Whom re-
turned the sheep had boon sold and at
The advocate., 1889-09-14

Plumb.
"Thatimpression exists" +" responded
the witness
IL was then noon anda recess was
taken until 28O o'clock p. m.
John j. Roe, a stock feeder Of Sa-
line county Mo. testified that the
prices Of cattle had doprociatod fully
S3 or $4 per hundred within tho past
four or five years,
"What has caused this depreciation
in yaluesT asked Senator Vest,
"a lack Of competition asserted
the witness
"Whoro doyou sell tho most Of your
cattlop "In Chicago"
"What is tho reason Of tho lack Of
competition horoY
81 believe it Is due to combna-
tion between u select few Of the pack
ers, who determine the prices TO be
paid for cattle. tits not as il used to
be. Before this combination was
formed tho competition was nice
and healthy
"Eell us your experience in the
Chicago market"
~ took q train load Of cattle TO Chi
cago this summer, / put them on
tho market early in the morning. /
got one bid IL was too low; wouldn't
soil at that figure. \ waited all day |
/ got no more bids and was forced to
sell in the evening at price lower by |
Is cents per hundred weight than /
had been offered in the morning"
Michael Lynch, Of Saline county |
Mo, had been in tho stock feeding |
business for seventeen years. He tes-
tilted that now the prices OF cattle |
were 80 low that he could not sell |
them but for little moro than prices
paid for them to the raiser In fact
this year he had not sold thom at q
sufficient advance over the purchase |
price TO pay for the corn he had fed
them.
In reply to The question as to what
caused this great depreciation in price
he attributed it I'll TO the combination
of the packers. i'm relating his export"
ence on the Chicago market he stated
that two men came to him at thasame |
time and made bids exactly alikc. He
didn't knowby whom they were en-
ployod but was told that they were a.
gents of the "big four
'Did you make an effort to gotmore
bidsP asked senator Plumb
"Yes, but no bidders could be found |
We had to sell our cutie to the men
who had made the first bid at their
own price or ship our cattle home
'No, you couldnot store them very
we'll" interrupted Senator Vest,
j. Mathew Sp0an, also of Saline
county had had an experience very
much like that OF Linch He could not
find but one bidder on the Chicago
market
Sames H. Banks was in the custom
Of selling his cattle on the Chicago
market. He could find no competi-
ton there.
"Who controls the price Of cattle
therop asked Senator Vest
"The big four was the invariable
reply.
''How doyou lnowp
Il do not know Of my own personal
knowledge but that is what my com
mission man told me in confidence"
NNVhN ,yog haQO
The advocate., 1889-09-14

ket. Ha knew that Armour, Swift and
others Ind formed u combination to
control the price Of cattle He told
how ho he'd been used by them. They
had wlnoi him not to buy too many
cgttlo Hc had not needed the warn.
. ing and tho noxt bunch OF cattlo hn
| had bought he had been forced to sell
MT u loss OF $500, The combine wnt-
cd TO know II he had had enough IIe
told thom that he thought be had
Since thon ho had douabusincas on q
| small FcGle aaa had not been inter-
iorcd with by the packcrs.
a. j. Morris, Of the firm Of Morrig
| Butts 70 Co.,, was next sworn. His tcs-
timony wa5 given very reluctantly
and his answers were given only after
docp and long consideration Several
times Senator Vest was obliged To
pua on thatlumb screws 10 call forth
any response TO some Of bis questions.
Ho assorted that the dressed boofbus-
mess was going TO the dogs quite az
fast as tho cattle business There w0s
too much competition i'm IL, None Of
the pao'ursWaro making money
Senator Nos6 coutrodjttod thisstate
mont with " clipping iroma Chicago
paper, in which the reporter showed
that the profit on each hoad OF cattle
handled Bye packU uottod him
profit of&l2. Mr. Morris snocrod ut
| the statement There Yves nothing
| Like thatumount OF profit in the pack
| ing business now. The reporter did
| not know wAa5he was talking about
We're losing money said Mr Nor
rs
"What mqkos you stoy in tAo buai-
ness thon' asked Mr.. Vest.
pride and the hope Of botlor times
"Aro not taa packers attempting to
drive the sIaughtcring butchers outof
the basiues,| inquired Mr. Plumb.
The wItuosB replied reluctantly but
was at lest forced to admit that his
customers hal received threatening
letters from ono Of the packers in the
combine. The witness had road the
iclacrs, buthe did not have them with
him at the tine The witness' lirEl
was not in the combination. They had
received threatening letters but they
did not frightou them at ALL The
wmcss hud personal knowledge ofa
combination between Armour, Swift,
Morris and Hammond, by which the
territory east Of the Mississippi was
divided between them in such q man.
nor that neitherwould encroach upon
thotouitory OF the others. The prices
Of tho dressed meats were fixed he
thought by the individual firms each
in bus own territory
Sept. 10.
David Rankin, Of Atchison county
who Ind dealt in cattle for forty years
was the first witness, His testimony
went TO show that the prices Of cattle
in Chicago were influenced to an ex-
tent by the lack of competition.
"Is chat the only influence TINT has
tended to lower the prices paid for
cattle for the last ten years| asked
Senator FarwelL
"Over production has had q great
deal to do withit," respondedthe wit
ness.
Which has the greater influence on
values; lack Of competition or over
supply?' asked The senator.
"0ver-supplB by long odds"
S. b. Armour was then called. He
said as aprefa3e to his testimony that
he desired to assure the committee OF
his profound respect, but to inform
them at the same time that he should
The advocate., 1889-09-14

than he had got for the poor cattle
earlier in tho day, and TO one OF th'
original bidders Mt that.
j. Richard Thomas Of Saline county
rehearsed his experience on the Chi
cago market There WIS time wher
he could got several bids from inde
pendent buyers. Now IL was different
OF late years he had never been offer
cd but one price FOR his cattle unlcs.
the latter offer was considerable lower
than the first, The last time he had
sold cattle in Chicago no had loa
money ON them. There was no com.
petition. His commission man told
him twas because four packers there
controlled the price and he believed
him.
"Thore were a good many buyers
on the Kansas City market, 'contuu.
od the witness, "but they were afraid
almost Of ther lives. They had boon
Threatened by the big concerns md
were practically controlled by them.
These latter had eyon asked them 10
sign n petition TO the managers Of tho
stock yards asking the lattor to cx-
clude the scalpers from tho market,
and most Of them had signed IL. They
were afraid that If they did not they
would lose all their business.
IL consider the packers action
shameful" continued tho witness
"ond / hopoyou will get TO tho bot
tom Of the matter"
"Wo will if the subpmnaes Of the
committee can command the attend
anco Of those Interested tho chair
man assured him, adding in an under
tone "If they will tell the truth md
the whole OF it,"
Abiel Leonard OF Saline county was
the next witness. Howas certain thaa
tho price Of cattle had deprecated
by tho combination Of four packers in
Chicago.
"Why don't you take your cattle to
somo other mnrkotp asked Senator
Plumb.
"What's the use Chicago controls
tho market anyway" The witness
complained that the caitlo industry
must die very soon if botter prices
cannot be obtained.
"How about the rNilroads~ asked
Senator Coke, "are thoy in the com
bine toop
ooh they naturally favor tho pock-
ers. So long as the dressed beef bus
mess prospers they get two haula, one
on the live cattle going tomarkct and
one in the distribution Of the finished
product. The freight charges show
that tho railroads favor the packers.
The charges on dressed meats are
much lower than on live cattle. To be
sure tho higher charges on the latter
come out Of the packers pockets in
the end, but you mustremembor chat
he gets the cattle athis own prices and
that he more than makes up the dir
ference. The price Of beef to the
continued the witness,
was as high as ever He had paid rs
cents for two pounds Of beef as long
rs he could remember"
"The packers have hold of both
ends Of the string then" suggested
Mr.. Vest. Yes and they are pulling
hem so tight that they are choking
ihe cattle industry to death"
Senator Plumb wanted to know i'll
over freight charges would help the
matter any.
The witness thought not. What the
,attle men wanted was regular rates,
something they could depend upon
when making their purchases Of cat
Il. 4 -. .......,,.... r.. ~. i. ..,,,.1-.L
Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-08-01
Death to the MusquitO and House.FIy.

Mr.. Robert H. Lamborn, of New
York, is attempting to inaugurate q
campaign against the musquitO and the
house-fiy by embarLing extensively in
the cultivation Of the dragon-fiy. 81
have observed" says Mr.. Lamborn,
"dragon-flies gathering in scores around
my camp in Minnesota to feed on the
mosquitoes. / recently saw a dragon
fly that had devoured over thirty house
flies still vo-acious for more. Ento-
mologists have observed the Larvae of
the dragon-hy swallowing undeveloped
mosquitoes in large numbers" III q
sufficient number of this musquito or
house-f1y hawk" can be supplied, it is
Mr.. Lamborn's opinion that the hawks
particular prey can be exterminated
and thus can not only the danger from
tuberculosis and opnthalmia by being
carried by house-flies be averted but
the summer evenings of the thin-skin-
ned man made delightful. To further
develop this plan of campaign, Mr..
Lamborn has offered prices amounting
to $500 for the three best essays based
on original observations on the destruc-
ton of mosquitoes and other insects,
and he has formulated rules to govern
the writers, as follows:
l. Observations and experiments
upon various insects that destroy mus
quitoes and house flies, stating the
method of and capacity of destruction.
2. Observations and experiments to
determine the best dragon flies to be
artificially multiplied for the two above
named objects-probably species of
aeschna, libellula, or diplax.
8. Give detailed statements of the
habits and life history of the species
chosen, based on original and careful
experiments and observations.
4. Suggest plan for breeding the
insect in large numbers, with a sketch
ofapparatus and estimated cost of pro-
ducing them per thousand.
5. Formulate plan for using the
insects in the larvae, pupa,, or perfect
state for the destruction of mosquitoes
and flies (a) in houses, (b) in cities, (c)
in neighborhoods.
The essays must be read by Decem-
ber l, 1889, and must be addressed to
J. H. Winser, at the American Museum
of natural history, New York.
After they are read, the prices won, a
plan of campaign adopted. the dragon
fly is borne, and after he has ompleted
his work on what is he then to feed?
The musquito and the fly gone, a hum
CRY dragon fly will stare US in the face.
Will he then attack for his particular
mutton that mutton on which the mus
quito and the house fly fed? Will the
old story of the storks, which came by
request to rule over the frogs, be re-
peated? Have we struggled along these
few millions Of years against the Shiny
house fly and the sharp-billed musquito
to at last be swallowed up by dragon?
Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-08-01
FIappInr Of a FIr.. Wing.

The slow tapping of butterfly's wing
produces no sound, writes Sir John Lub-
book in his book, but when the move
ments are rapid a noise is produced
which increases in shrillness with the
number of vibrations. Thus the house
hy,which produces the sound F, vibrates
its wings 21,12O times a minute, or 1856
times a second; and the bee, which makes
the sound of A, as many as 20. 400 times,
or 44O times in a second. On the con-
trary, tired bee huns on E, and there
fore, according to theory, vibrates its
wings only $50 times in a second. Marcy
has succeeded in confirming these num-
bers graphically. He fixed a fly so that
the tip of the wing just touched cylin-
der which was moved by clockwork.
Each stroke Of the wing caused a mark,
of course very slight, but still quite per-
ceptible, and he thus showed that there
were actually $50 strokes in second,
agreeing almost exactly with the num-
Der inferred from the note produced
Boston Herald.
Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-08-01
RIsKED LIFE AND WON.
Terrible Conflict With Flames.


RUTHvEN, Ont, July 2S.-William
H. Marvin yesterday risked his life to
obtain q reward af 81 900 and won, but
he would not go through similar ex-
perience for all the money In the world.
The Ruthven gas well was set on fire,
il is supposed, by some dlsgruntled la
borer. The cap over the pipe was so
fixed that the escaping gas rushed
out directly toward the ground and
made approach all but impossible. and
the roar could be heard three miles
away. The owners offered to give ST.
900 to any one who would stop the flow.
Marvin made himself suit of abestos,
intending to go right up to the well
through the fame and cut the cap off
with chisel. The first attempt was o
failure.
Marvin wore heavy cowhide boots
covered with wet cloths, but before he
got to the fame the cloths had burned
away and his boots were smoking. For
his next trial he covered his boots with
asbestos. His coat of asbestos was fash
ioued like cone and had holes through
which his arms were thrust. His Srms
were covered with several thicknesses
of wet cloth and asbestos. His contri-
vance for cutting the pipe consisted OF
a long chisel fastened at right angles to
an iron staff. He slid the cone along
the ground, guiding his steps by glass
set In the front. His assistant was
robed like himself and carried long
staff on which was fastened a farrier's
hammer. The crowd saw him creep up
and rest the edge of the chisel against
the pipe Just below the can.
The assistant hit the chisel squarely
but lightly several times. The cone in
the ring of fire wayered, and the cry
ssHe,s burned to death" went up on all
hands. Marvin came out, but he was
as nearly roasted as q man could be
alive. It took him two hours to recover
from his weakness and then he determ-
ined to try it again. He fixed up anoth-
er chisel, saying that he would succeed
or perish. Again the hammer and
chisel were brought into play, and all
at once the roar changed to shrill
whistle and the cap was blown 100 feet
upward. Marvin was taken out badly
scorched, but not hurt otherwise.
The thing was success and Marvin
had earned his 81 900. To-day he put
contrivance on the pipe to shut off the
flow ofgas, and this afternoon for the
first time in nearly three weeks Ruth
ven is quiet from the deafening roar.
The company estimate that over 1885,
00O, 600 feet of gas has been consumed.
Marvin's lips are so swollen that he can
not open them without forcing some-
thing between them, and his eyebrows
and whiskers are entirely gone. The
ground about the we'll is so hot that no
one can walk on it, and it will be three
or four days before it cools off. Mar
WINS successful attempts is the first ofits
kind on record.
Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-08-01
The Theatrical Manager.

There is no more assiduous public poser than
the theatrical manager. Two centuries ago
his craft began to feel the public pulse. No
one knows better than he the importance Of
keeping his star continuously before the pub
lie. "Life" has clever cartoon, in which an
actress is disturbed in her boudoir by the
entrance Of a footman who announces a
caller. 'If it is the Prince of Wales" says
the footlight autocrat, "pm not at home. "
Its soap manufacturer" responds the
lackey. "Show him in" Is the gracious behest.
Devices to attract the public eye are endless,
but in no instance is the supremacy of the
newspaper as an advertising medium omit
ted.-Exchange.
Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-08-01
EIGHT KILLED.
A Terrible Storm Strikes the Out
skirts of Chicago,
Dem0lishing a House that was Full
of People.

CHICAGO, July 29.-DuriDg the severe
wind and rain storm which prevailed
here for several hours last night, an un-
occupied three story brick building at
the corner of Oakley avenue and Twen-
ty-first street was blown over onto an
adjoining cottage, completely crushing
the latter instantly killing eight and Sc
riously iDjuring three of its occupants.
Two families lived in the cottage, the
front part being occupied by Cornelius
Ferdinands, q blacksmith, with his
wife and four children, and the rear by
Charles Buck, laborer, his wife and
three children. The wrecked cottage
caught fire from the overturned stoves
il it, but the flames were soon extin-
euished and the work of rescue begun.
Charles Buck, who lived in the rear,
was found pinned down by heavy tim
bers. He was terribly injured about
the head, face and chest, but may re-
cover. His wife was found dead, crush
ed beyond recognition. Gustave, his
Oldest son, aged 13, was fastened under
a heavy beam. He was taken to the
hospital, but cannot survive his injur-
les. Anna Buck, aged eight, and Al
bert, aged six, were crushed to death.
G. Ferdinands was found crushed to
death in his doorway. His wifewas ly-
ing near him, with their two-year-old
babe, Cora, clasped in her arms. The
mother was dead, but the child was
srescued alive and taken to the county
hospital, where 1T died at midnight.
Linda Ferdinands, aged 10, was found
struggling and screaming. She had at
tempted to escape through rear door,
and was crushed about the chest and
both legs. She may recover. Geneva
Ferdinands, aged 1S, and Gertrude, aged
s. were no.. found up to midnight, al
though means and faint cries for help
were audible from the ruins.
Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-08-01

bosses, ringters and professional poll
ticians aside, and once more assume
control Of their own party and their
own affairs. By cutting Foraker from
the head Of the ticket, however, we
shall at this time put an end to packed
settle the third term busi-
ness in Ohio and teach our governors
and their subordinates that public Of
flee Is not private perquisite.
John BEATTY"
Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-08-01

A wise aud frugal government which
shall restrain men from iDjuring one
another-shall leave them otherwise
free to regulate their own pursuits of
industry and improyement-and shall
not take from the mouth OF labor the
bread 1t has earned. This is the sum Of
good vernment.-ThOmas Jefferson.
Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-08-01
Short Political Story.

Andrew Carnegie,
Pittsburg millionaire,
Gave million to campaign fund,
That the poor laborers in his mills,
Might have good If not higher wages
under the
Beneficient influence of a high Re-
publican trust tariff.
SEQUEL.
Strike,
Mills shut down; Fog
5000 men out of employment;
Carnegie riding over England in
tally.ho,
While his head masters here are no-
titled MOTTO re.instate the strikers un-
less NJ a ss M
they agree to accept the IL per cent.
reduction that Carnegie demanded
from across the water.
This is but one of the daily sequels to
the falsehoods told by the Republican
party last fall to catch votes. Lima
Democrat.
Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-08-01

"Can you shoot revolver" she asked
in a whisper OF the girl next to her on the
car.
"Yes; but don't you never, never tell
anybody"
''Why?"
you know Annie Blank? Well, she
learned to shoot q revolver and it got
out, and after that she didn't have one
Irritation month. I'm not going to tell
anybody until after I'm married. DE
troit Free Press.
Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-08-01

English SPAWN Liniment removes all hard,
soft, or calloused Jumps and blemishes from
horses. Blood SPAWN, curbs, splints, sweeney,
ring bone, stiles, sprains, all swollen throats,
gist, Napoleon, o. nov 30-1y
Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-08-01
REBUKING A ROBBER.
GEN. BEATTY GIVES SOME MORE
WHOLESOME ADVICE To
VOTERS.

He CounseIs Republicans. TO Scratch
the Head Of the Ticket and Sit Down
on the Professional Politicians
Whose High Priest Is Foraker-The
Salary Grab-The truth About the
Governors So Called Economics.
Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-08-01

James G. Blaine, jr., who has become
a fireman on the Maine Central rail-
road, has tried various kinds of manual
labor without winning much success.
Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-08-01

The Importance of purifying the blood can
not be overestimated, for without pure
blood you cannot enjoy good health.
At this season nearly every one needs a
good medicine to purify, vitalize, and enrich
the blood, and Hoods Sarsaparilla is worthy
your confidence. 1t is peculiar in that it
strengthens and builds up the system, creates
an appetite, and tones the digestion, while
it eradicates disease. Give it trial.
Hoods Sarsaparilla is sold by all druggists.
Prepared by c. I. Hood s. Co., Lowell, Mass.
100 Doses One Dollar
Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-08-01

Miss Flora Hard, of Medina county,
O, As actively doomed for county treas
,Mref. 4 ggtF,4tsst Il N&&F8 IN ~
Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-08-01

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