The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1889-12-24
sCYTHE-SToNE INSPECTOR.
A Curious Rhode Island Office Which Has
Fallen Into DiSu<e.

SCYTHE-STONE INSPECTOR.
A Curious Rhode Island Office which Has
FaIlenInto DisuSe.
One of the quaintest old offices in
this quaint little State the office OF
State Scythc-stone Inspector, has been
practically abolished this summer.
after dragging through many years OF
precarious existence With its disap-
pearance an ancient industry succumbs
TO Improvement.
Smithiield is happy-go-lucky COM
munity in the northern part of this
State. the principal characteristic of
which are two lodges of peculiar fine
gravel stone. Thither, from the time
when the memory OF man runneth not
to the contrary, the farmers through
out the country have resOrted after
the spring planting to gather crop of
the stone scales from the cliffs for use
as scythe-stones for the June moving.
Toward the close of the last century
these visitations of the farmers became
large annual picnics, when quohaug
bakes. scythe stones. and merriment
fourished.
About the yelr 1900 the demand for
these stones became so great, their
fame having been well spread over
New England, that some of the Yankee
residents of Smithfield devised ma
chinery to turn them out square and
handsome. The industry prospered,
and the cloud of inactivity which hung
over Smithfield began to lift. hera!ding
better days for her people. with money
jingling in both pockets. For many
years thereafter the scythe-stone in
dustry was one of the main business
enterprises in that section of the State.
From small beginnings the trade in
scythe stones grew attractive. and
finally the producers began to heat.
They tried to saw two stones ont OF
the same material that they had for
merly used in making one. and grind
ing monopoly began to be felt. The
farmers growled. scythe manufacture
ers protested. and at length there was
a grand, determined kick made before
the General Assembly at its June ses-
sion in Providence in June. 1926. The
kick resulted in the passage of an act
creating the Office of Scythe-stone In
spector. and regulating the inspection
OF all scythe stones made ut Smith
field.
Heavy fines were provided for those
who insisted upon cheating in scythe
stones and for those who even at
tempted TO evade the inspection law.
The Inspector was to be paid by fees.
The event nearly approached an epoch
in the smallest State in the Union.
John j. Paine, of Smithfield. was ap-
pointed Inspector.
From the outset the Inspector found
the duties Of his place beset with diff
culties. The milestone men were
down upon :he ide;l oi having such an
officer put over them, and they fought
ii with persistence. So when Mr..
Paine was called TO inspect a few of
Jonathan S,linen's product the inspec-
ton raised "A lively kind OF a muss.
This was in 1881. 1t was the first time
the Inspector had attempted to in
spect. and the manufacturers had been
running the business with a high
hand. They were making money. All
that they asked was to be let alone.
Mr.. Paine insisted upon inspecting.
and finally matters became so
lively that the Assembly was
invoked. That august body
accedcd to the scythe-stOne mems de-
mands and removed Mr.. Paine. APP
pointing a successor. Successors were
appointed to this successor as time ran
on. but the office was always an I'M
popular one. and its incumbent usually
stayed away religiously from the whet-
stone men. wrestling with the problem
only in private. Ia the meantime
banner industry went on,
and tons OF scythe stones OF all sorts
of illegal lengths and styles were
upon the market.
Some of the latest inspectors were
!" tOH tCll, W OlilCc
from 1859 TO 1869 without doing any
thing rash, and the late Charles Z.
who added the Office to
several he aheady held. The most
successful scythe-stone Inspector was
always the official who didn't inspect.
Now the scythe business has gene to
the dogs. Lawn mowers and moving
have knocked out the whet-
stone industry of Westfield. The Of
flee of scythe-stOne inspector has be-
come an empty honor. An attempt
was made by the Republicans at New
port this season to put a candidate
in the field. but he took a day off and
looked over the books and conclu ded
not to throw up his plodding. every
day life for a cOllar-and-elbow tussle
with fame He peremptOrily refused