The St. Johns herald., 1896-07-04
STORIES OF THE DAY.
A Great Rabbit Drive Recently Held Near
 Fresno. Cal.

The great rabbit drive which was sC
 elaborately planned was carried into
 successful execution near Fresno recent
 ly, with the result that thousands od
 rabbits met their fate from the merci
 less clubs of farmers and townspeople.
 Estimates as to the number killed vary,
 ranging from 10, 900 to 25, 000 It was
 impossible to count them, and the best
 estimate is no better than a guess. But
 the slaughter surpassed anything of the
 kind ever seen there before.
 Ten thousand people took part-foot'
 men, horsemen, wheelmen and vehicles
 of all sorts. When the line was formed
 ready for advance, it was in huge
 crescent, one horn near McMullan sta
 tion and the other near Caruthers, on
 the west side of the railroad. The line of people was 24 miles long, Itwas aft CT 10 o'clock when W. F. Rowell signal ed general advance, and the line moved forward across orchards, fields, vineyards, and finally emerged on the open plains. The best of order was maintained. The marshals galloped along the line giving instructions. To- ward noon the north and south wings began to fold inward to the center, and when within three miles of the corral the line of men had contracted till 1t was less than three miles long.
 All this time the rabbits had been driven forward, constantly increasing in numbers At first they had not shown much concern, but when they began to be crowded they grew excited. Several coyotes were started. Some were shot and others died later. Some whelps were caught alive. Many rattlesnakes were killed When the rabbits had been driven into comparatively small space, they covered the ground and soon grew excited and tried to escape by rushing through the lines. Then the slaughter began A solid line of men dropped on their knees and clubbed the rabbits
 From this point to the corral men ad vanced on their knees, leaving the ground heaped with the dead behind them. Fully 10000 were thus killed, and the others were forced into the cor ral, where they rushed to and fro, fran tic with fear They trampled and smoth- cred one another to death by thousands. A coyote that entered the corral was actually trampled to death by the rab- bits. Fifteen minutes with clubs finish ed the work.
 Many good judges place the total killed at 30, 900. Farmers hauled wag- on loads away to feed hogs. The best of order prevailed Only one person re- fused to obey orders He was beaten and driven off the grounds by the crowd. The drive was the best managed, the largest and most satisfactory ever held in the county.-San Francisco Chronicle.
 How Speaker Reed Counted 8 Quorum.
 It is not known to out of 100 states men in congress how Speaker Reed came to count quorum ill the Fifty-first con- gress. It is known to still less that the only man in the speakers confidence on the subject was Joe Cannon, chairman of the committee on appropriations ill the present congress.
 MT. Reed conceived his purpose to count quorum as the only alternative of maintaining his authority ill the hoxse and the position of the Republic ans at very early stage of the session. His only confdant was Cannon. He and the speaker were closeted on the proposi- tion for several days. Everything was and every chance was care fully weighed. Reed knew that he was taking a desperate responsibility, and that nothing was sure as to what the position of the Republicans would be- The fact that without consulting his party associates he determined upon his first conceived purpose is an illustration of his fearlessness. Cannon, after long session, approved the programme and promised to stand by the speaker, but kept his counsel. Itwas to be a surprise alike to the Republicans and the Dem ocrats. There was to be no council of war of the leaders, with prospects of friction and division, but coup d'etat pure and simple. If it succeeded, it would prove great thing in parliament tary history; if it failed, everything was lost. Iu short, the plan was to risk ev- on the hazard of die.
 What occurred when the speaker counted quorum ill the contested cleo tion case then pending is known to every 1 reader. The Republicans were panic l stricken. They thought Reed had gone daft. In the supreme moment of the up | roar and confusion which ensued Repre- | 1@o@ ,ofK lican member, rushed up to the speakers | desk and in the greatest excitement said:
 "Reed, what in heavens name are you doing?"
 Reed smiled coldly and told him he | was counting those as present who re- fused to vote. Anderson was dumfound- ed for moment Then he said:
 "It's the riskiest piece of business 1 ever saw; but, if you havemade up your mind to do it, by the gods I'll stand by youW
 In discussing the matter with friend afterward the speaker said that the words of Anderson convinced him that the Republicans would support | him in his position. He was right. There was quick rally among his party associates, and in short time the po- itical lines were tautly drawn on the question of sustaining the speaker, and ne won.-Washington Post.
 His Heart Huns.
 Edward Lewis, who says he is Pol sh Hebrew and a Russian ex-convict, arrived ill Wabash, Ind, recently. Lew is is afflicted with hypertrophy of the nnnrt He n,rnc nva1ni1ncd lNu In, .O1.i,n