Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1889-09-06
scYrHE.srone INSPECTOR.
4 Curious Rhode Island >snfce which Has
Fallen Into Dfsuse.

faHen into
One OF the quaintest old Offices il
this quaint little State. the Office .
State Scythe-stone Inspector, has bee
practically abolished this summer
after dragging through many years O
precarious existence With its disap
pearanee an ancient industry succumb.
TO Improvement
Smithield rs a happy-go-lucsy com
munity in the northern part OF Thu
State. the principal characteristic o
which are two Lodges OF peculiar hn.
gravel stone. Thither. from the tim.
when the memory OF man runneth moi
to the contrary, the farmers through.
out the country have resorted after
the spring planting TO gather crop oi
the stone scales from the cliffs for use
rs scythe-stones for the June moving.
Toward the close OF the last century
these visitations OF the farmers became
large annual picnics. when qgohaug
bakes. seythe stones. and merriment
fourishcd-
About the year 1900 the demand for
these stones became so great thei-
fame having been we'll spread over
New England, that some OF the Yankee
residents of Smithtield devised ma
chinery to turn them out square and
handsome. The Industry prospered.
and The cloud OF inactivity which hung
Over smithheld began TO lift. heralding
better days for her people. with money
juggling In both pockets. For many
years thereafter the seythe-stone in
dnstry was one OF the main business
From small beginnings the trade in
scythe stones grew attractive. and
finally the producers began 10 cheat.
They tried 20 saw two stones out OF
the same material that they had for
n.srly used ia making Que, and grind
Ing monopoly began to be felt. The
farmers grosled. seythe manufacture
ers protested spd at length there was
grand, determined kick made before
the General Assembly at It's June seq
sion in Providence In June. 1926. The
kick resulted in the passage OF an act
creating the offies OF scythe stone In
specsor, and regulating the inspection
OF all soythe stones made at Smith
neld,
Heavy fines were provided Tor those
who Insisted upon cheating in scytho
stones and for those who even at
tempted 10 evade the inspection law.
The Inspector was 10 be- paid by foes.
Tho event nearly approached an epoch
In the smallest State in the Union.
John j, Paine. OF Smithhed. was APP
pointed Inspector
From the outset the Inspector found
the duties Of his place beset with DIM
cultics. The whetstone men were
down upon the idea OF having such AN
officer put oeer them. and they fought
IL with persistence. so when Mr..
Paine was called To inspect few OF
Jonathan Skinen's product the inspec-
tisn raised a lively kind OF muss
This was in 1881. II was the first time
the Inspector had attempted 10 in
spect, ard the manufacturers had been
running tho business with high
hand. They were making money All
that they asked was 10 be- lot alone
MIR. Paine insisted upon inspecting,
and finally matters became so
lively that the Assembly was
invoked. That august body
aeceded to the scythe-stone mems do
mands and removed Mr. Paine, ap.
pointing n successor. Successors were
appointed % this successor as time ran
on. but the office was always an I'M
popular one and It's incumbent usually
stayed away religiously from the whet-
stone paen. wrestling with the problem
only In private In the meantime
smlthheld's banner industry went on.
and tons OF seythe stones OF all sorts
of Illegal lengths and styles were
thrown upon the market
Some OF the latest inspectors were
Wellington Aidrich. who held the Office
from 1889 10 1869 without doing any
thing rash. and the late Charles T..
Chickering, who added the office to
several he already held. The most
sacccsstul acythe-stone Inspector was
always the otiicial who didn't inspect.
Now the scylhe business has gone to
the dogs, Lawn mowers aud moving
machines have knockod out the whet-
stone industry Of Westfleld. The Of
fee OF seytheestone inspector has be-
come an empty honor An attempt
was uiade By the Republicans at New
port this season 10 put a candidate
in the tield. bat he took day on and
looked over the books aud touciu ded
not 10 throw mp his plodding. every
day life FOR u collag-and-elbow tussle
with fame lie peremptorily refused
TO lake thc job, and now. Il there's
good mali who wants II there is no
doubt that either party will accomAno-
dado him with the title. Watch Hin
OR. H. Cor. \. Y sun
The Secret OF His influence.