The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-04-28
AROUND THE CORRIDORS.

"The peculiar shiftless business habits Of the
the two Wistar brothers, the Philadelphia bach
elor millionalres, who recently died. and whose
estate is now in litigation. was sirlkingly Illus
trated by what / saw on recent visit that
made TO their large farm near Frankfort, Pa"
said o. L. Flower of Columbus, Ohio, yesterday.
at is naturally magnificent piece OF property.
but everything about the place Is In chaotic
state, and has been for dozen years or more.
so l am informed. / noticed over thirty Shet-
land ponies In the barnyard with the cows and
calves reyeling in rye straw up TO their knees,
and eating corn and rye, which was fedst0 them
In lieu Of oats. Inside the great old barn, with
its quaint, unfinished gables, were dozen or
more sleek, well-fed herses, whose only outing
was as far as the waer-trough for a drink.
Around the barn an acre of ground was strewn
with dressed stone which was Intended TO fln-
ish the great struc ure, but which had lain un.
touched for years. Thousands of cedar fence
rails and tens OF thousands Of feet OF lumber
were rotting in piles about the place. 1t was
rule of the WiStar brothers never TO sell any
thing from the farm. This scene of desolation
amid plenty impressed me the more because it
was the second instance OF the kind which had
come under my observation. Some years ago
there lived near UTbana Ohio, an old farmer
named Insiine. he was quite wealthy and
owned one OF the largest and best farms IN one
of the most fertile valleys of the State. AL
though man OF bri eht mind and good business
habits, generally speaking, he became DOS
sess of a Naturalization which almost bank
rupted him before lie died. He thought that
great famine was coming upon the country, and
about the time The war closed he began TO s. ore
away be grain and other crops raised upon his
place. The years rolled around, but Instne
never sold bushel of wheat or ton Of hay I'M
less ii was necessary TO pay portion of his
current expenses, and his farm beanie dotted
over with great stacks OF these products, which
were added 10 with each succeeding season.
His friends aud members OF his family remon-
strated with him, but In vain; he successfully
resisted an attempt 10 prove him insane, and
followed the bent of his inclination until death
removed him. When his heirs opened the great
bins of corn and stacks of wheat and hay 1t was
found that The ravages OF time and the elements
had rendered hem valueess. throughout that
portion Of the Stare for miles around the farm
mentioned was known as 'Instne's Folly and
many people visited the place daily simply TO
view the monumental evidences Of decay"
J. Briggs, former official on the Southern
Pacific Atlantic system who has been a resi-
dent of Brazil for several years, is in the city.
He says that railroad interests in that Republic
are al slandstil so far as improvements are
concerned. A the fall of the empire he saws
there were seve nty-two lines of railways there.
with an aggregate capital OF S54. 600, 600 and
about 5000 miles under construction and in
operation. Since that lime, however nothing
has been done IN the way OF railway improve
menf, the people having been too busily en-.
gagged In either celebrating the birth OF the
republic or in fighting for or against 1T. BraziPs
central and most important railway, Mr.. Briggs
says. is called the National, and starts from
the city of Rio de Janeiro, crosses the Lena do
Mar through numerous tunnels aud cuts. and
then divides into two branches, one trayersipg
Mlnas-Guacs and the other entering Sac Paulo
WDefe IL connects with a line from the capital
OF the latter State. Railway construction has
found It's most rapid development In the State
OF Sac Paulo and MIR. Briggs SAYS that The
traffic there has proved most profitable TO the
lines. The expenses OF the National railway,
which Is owned and operated by the General
Government, he says have never been more than
90 per cent OF its earnings while the expenses
OF The railroad from Santos 10 Jundiaby in Sac
Paulo State, which is owned by an English
company average 81 per cent. The Paulista
railway. which Is Drolongation Of the last
named and runs through The heart OF the Sac
rauIo Gomez districts, belongs to a syndicate OF
wealthy BraZlians and makes an annual return
OF ABOUT 8 per cent on its capital of S11 ,00o,-
ooo. The Mozyana railroad In the same State,
"hlch connects with the preceding and Is de-
signed to penetrate TO the interior, has about
800 miles already In operation. The first and
only steam railway in existence and operation
IN the Amazon Valley is the Braganca, and It's
history presents rather discouraging financial
showing according TO Mr.. Briggs statement.
This is caused by the fact that 1t is as yet no
where near completion and the part already
constructed is being run at an actual loss for
the purpose of developing agricultural and
other enterprises along its route.
The people OF Dakota, or at least some OF
the people, have not yet lost faith in the powers
OF Rainmaker Jewell" said Mr.. I. jackson OF
Sioux Falls, that State, yesterday. II under
stand that the counties OF Brown and SPHINX
have recently closed contract with bim for
series of tests during the coming summer
months, and that Marshall County Is also pre-
pared 10 enter into similar agreement.
jew II agrees SO 1t is said, for the sum OF $3.50
to reveal his methods OF operation 10 TWO relia-
BILE men from each Of these counties, and guar