The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1897-11-12
HAMPTON'S REPORT.
The Commissioner of Railroads
Notes Improved Earnings.
TO LOOK INTO NEAT INSPECTION.
A Special Agent Sent from Washington to
Kansas City to Investigate Charges
Governments Forestry WOrk-The
Iee-Bound Whaling Fleet.

WASHINGTON. Nov. 1O.-Gen. Wade
Hampton, who has just been succeed
ed by Gen. Longstreet as commits
sioner of railroads, has submitted to
the interior department his report for
the past fiscal year. He says that the
year marked the low water mark of
railway construction. During the
year "a companies, with AL miles of
road. passed into the hands of the
courts, and So others previously placed
in receiverships were sold at foreclo-
sure. A steady improvement in rail-
road earnings during the first six
months of the current year is
noted, an improvement particularly
apparent in the bond-aided Pacific
railroads The outlook in the west
generally for the present year, is re-
ported very encouraging. Gen. Hamp-
ton, though disclaiming any attempt to
criticise the course of the government
in the Union Pacific matter, says he
has always believed that a settlement
more advantageous to the COVE rnment
could be obtained if all the companies,
particularly the Union and Central
Pacific. could be negotiated with at
the same time through commission
TO be appointed by the president, and
possibly all in the same way. than by
settling at different times and on a
different basis. Government owner
ship or operating under government
supervision. he say 5. would be not only
a doubtful. but a dangerous expert
ment. which probably would result
disastrously to the government
To LOOK INTO MEAT INSPECTION.
WAsHINGToN. Nov. lot was
learned Yesterday that the department
of agriculture will shortly dispatch a
special agent to Kansas City to inves-
tigate charges against the meat in
spection force. Complaints similar to
those issuing from Kansas City have
recently been coming from Buffalo, \.
Y. and DR.. Salmon, chief of the
bureau of animal industry. it is under
stood. is now there making personal
inspection. There is some hesitation
on the part of the government officials
to give out the nature of the charges.
They are. however. of a very grave
character. as evidenced by the fiat
footed statement that a special agent
will be sent to Kansas Citv to make an
investigation.
GOVERNMENT FORESTRY WORK
WASHINGTON. Nov. lob. E. Fer
now, chief of division of forestry of
the agricultural department, in his an
nual report to Secretary Wilson. says
the principal experiment made during
the year were in tree planting on the
plains and Investigations in timber,
physics and biology. In tree planting.
five additional experiments stations
were authorized-at Caluge Station.
Tex; Saltwater, Ok: Logan. Utah.
CroOkstOn. Mimi, and Grand Rapids,
Mich. The total area now in perma
nent plantations at all experimental
stations i over 50 acres. Prof. Fernow
says many of the most important tim
berS are still unknown as to their
quality. and especially Pacific coast
timbers. which soon will have TO be
used by the eastern wood consumers.
when the home supply begins to wane.
The government. the report says.
should furnish relia bic information to
check the waste of our timbers, the
only hope of lengthening our supplies
of homegrown forest materials being
in a more conservative and economical
use. Among the recommendations is
one for $4,000 to defray the expenses
of timber Investigations.
THE ICE-BOUND WHALING FLEET.
WASHINGTON. Nov. 1O.-The cabinet
gave considerable attention yesterday
to the ice-bound Behring sea whale
fleet Two plans have been decided
upon, one to send the Bear from Sc
attic, which cannot be got ready for
two weeks. and another to send the
Thrasher, a whaling vessel now in San
Francisco The Thrasher can be pro-
visiOned at once and sent immediately
on her mission.