The Louisiana populist., 1898-01-21


ing it to be sound policy to have its
employees interested in it's business.
The recent annual report of the Presi-
dent shows that at the end of the last
fiscal year 800 officers and employees,
exclusive of the directors, had become
owners of about 1000 shares of stock
representing a par value of 100000.
OF the number Of shares, 1924 are par
TALLY paid for, according to the plan
outlined by the company. The
amount paid on these shares is 1874,
an average of $3274 per share. The
officials of the road say that this policy
has already resulted in much good to
all concerned and gives promise Of
greater benefit in the future.
Dempsey Waggy, farmer of Madi-
son county, Ind, has raised corn this
year from seeds which, he says, were
taken out of mound-builders' tomb
in Arkansas, estimated to be 1000
years old. The stalks of the corn are
from ten to twelve feet in height, ac-
cording to correspondent of the Chi
cago Record, and are somewhat on the
order of tree, being as thick at the
ground as mans wrist. Three feet
from the ground they shoot out three
long, palmlike leaves. The leaves are
heavy and very solid, resembling a
cactus leaf Some of them are five
feet long from tip to tip. These are
the only leaves on the stalk. About
two feet further up are the ears OF
corn. Many stalks bear six ears, and
none has fewer than four ears. At
this rate it is figured that the average
yield to the acre would be about 25o
bushels. Above the ears the stalk
continues three or four feet. and is
topped with an elaborate tassel. The
husks surrounding the ears are heavy,
and as the corn natures they break
and curl back, revealing firm, yellow
grained ear. The grains are solid and
are exceptionally good for feeding.
Hat-pins are not generally consid-
cred just the proper thing as diet for
growing children, and most parents
would object to their use in this way.
Lena Stripe, New York 3-year-old,
got hold of one over five inches long,
and stuck the head in her mouth. The
pin slipped and went down her throat,
with the point sticking upward. The
child Immediately told her mother
what had occurred and was hurried
off to hospital There the X-rays
were turned upon her, and the pin
was seen in the stomach, standing up
right with the point only little dis
tance from the heart The surgeons
did not dare leave the pin as it was.
as slight change in it's position would
cause it to pierce the child's heart.
The little one was Immediately placed
under the influence of ether, therefore.
and an incision made in the stomach.
The head Of the pin was grasped by
the surgeon and carefully drawn from
its dangerous position. The incision
was then treated in the usual manner
and sewed up, and in a short time the
child will be around again as we'll as
ever.
The United States has no particular
rank among nations as a producer of
precious stones, and yet within it's
limits nearly all the varieties have
been found. A recent report from the
Geological Survey makes mention of
the presence of sapphires, beryls, opals,
turquoise, rubies, agate, topaz, gar
nets, amethysts, moonstones, and even
diamonds, the latter being found in
small quantities and of small size in
Wisconsin and Montana, but in nearly
every case being known as f'off color"
stones. Montana also furnishes the
sapphires, and, although they are
small, many of them are as fine in
color as the best Ceylonese gems. The
great majority of them, however, are
light blue, blue-green, green, and pink,
all Of great delicacy and brilliancy, but
not OF the deep shades of blue and red
that are in demand for fine jewelry.
Cowee Valley in North Carolina fur
nishes rubies, and those engaged in de-
veloping the district believe they have
found a veritable ruby-bearing deposit
similar to that of Burmah. Crystals
of beryl of gem value have been found
at Topsham in Maine, the agates come
from Wyoming, the amethysts from
the Black Hills of South Dakota, and
the garnets from Tulare County in
California. There is mention also in
the geological report of several semi
precious or ornamental stones, among
them tourmaline, found at Haddam
Neck, Conn; rose quartz from New
York, chrysolite in North Carolina,
wardite (named in honor of Prof.
Ward, of Rochester) in Utah, and
score or so of others as obscure as
their names.