The Opelousas courier., 1889-08-03
SCYTHE-STONE INSPECTOR.

ouried.-Chicago Times.
-
sCYTHE-STONE INSPECTOR.
"A curious Rhode Island Office Which Has
Fallen Into Disuse.
ohe OF the quaintest old offices in
1hls quaint little State, the Office OF
State Scythe-stone Inspector, has been
practically abolished this summer.
alter dragging through many years OF
p~recarlous existence. With it's disap-
pearance an ancient industry succumbs
to Improvement.
omlthtield is a happy-go-lucky COM
munlty IN the northern part of this
otaee' the principal characteristic of
winch are two lodges of a peculiar fine
gravel stone. Thither, from the time
"hen the memory of mar runneth not
10 the contrary, the farmers through
u the country have resorted after
the spring planting to gather a crop OF
Inc stone scales from the cliffs for Use
as scythe-stones for the June moving.
Toward the close of the last century
these v%lsltations of the farmers became
large annual picnics, when quohaug
oakes, scythe stones, and merriment
f1ourished.
About the year 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
chlnery to turn them out square and
handsome. The industry prospered,
n the cloud of inactivity which hung
over Smithfeld began to lift, heralding
better days for her people, with money
Jlngllng in both pockets. For many
years thereafter the scythe-stone in
dustry was N 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 cheat.
They tried to saw two stones out 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 g S
slon 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 at 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 vas to be paid by fees.
The event nearly approached an epoch
in the smallest State in the Unl6HHE.'
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 we're
down upon the idea of having such an
officer put over them, and they fought
it with persistence. So when Mr.
Paine was called to inspect a few of
Jonathan Skinen'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 vas to be let alone.
Mr.. Paine insisted upon inspecting.
and finally matters became so
lively that the Assembly was
invoked. That august body
acceded to the seythe-stone mems de-
mands and removed ME.Haine, APP
pointing a %ccess Successors we're
appointed to this successor as time al
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. In the meantime
Smithfeld's banner industry went on,
and tons of scythe stones of all sorts
of illegal lengths and styles we're
thrown upon the market.
Some of the latest inspectors were
Wellington Aldrich, who held the Office
from 1859 to 1869 without doing any
thing rash, and the late Charles E.
Chickering, who added the Office to
several he already held. The most
successful s~cythe-stone Inspector was
always the official who didn't inspect.
Now the scythe business has gone to
the dogs. Lawn mowers and mUwing
machines have knocked out the whet-
stone industry of Westfeld. The Of
fee of scythe-stone inspector has be-
come an empty honor Ar&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 concluded
not to throw up his plodding, every
day life for a collar-and-elbow tussle
with fame. He peremptorily refused
to take the job. and now, if there's a
GOOD man who wants 1t there is no
doubt that either party will aceommo-
dade him with the title.-Watch Hill
'R. LYC Cor. N. Y. Sun.
The Boat Raised Itself.
Speaking of remarkable incidents, /