Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-03-10
FARMERS INSTITUTE.

/ The Farmers Institute for the Eighth
Virginia congressional district met at
the Opera House in this city at 1870
, o'clock this morning.
This meeting was under the super
vision of the managing committee OF
the State Bosri of Agriculture, Maj.
o. E. Hine, Col. A. S. Buford and Hon.
Thos. Whitehead. The local commit
tee who assisted these gentlemen was
composed of Messrs. J. w. Roberts,
chairman: NJ. B. Harlow, Egbert
Thompson, John W. May and Court
land Lukens.
A committee Of the Business Mems
League which had been appointed to en-
terrain the members of the institute in
this city, satisfactorily performed their
duties.
The session was called to order by
Major Hine, who invited the chairmen
of the various committees to take seats
upon the platform.
On the platform were Mayor Simp
son, City Treasurer Harlow, City Engi
neer Dunn and Mr. VIM. II. May, Of
this city; Messrs. W. h. Snowden, A.
Il. Lindsay, of Portsmouth and others.
Rev. ]. T. Williams, of the NJ. E.
Church South, asked the Divine Ruler
Of the Universe to look with favor up
on the proceedings of the institute.
Major Hine was elected permanent
chairman and Mr.. Charles Pidgeon
secretary.
Miss Blanche Rockford sang solo,
her sister, Miss Edith Rockford, accom-
panyiog her on the piano.
Mr.. George l.. Simpson, Mayor of
Alexandria, delivered an address to
the delegates in which he warmly well
coined them to the city and hoped their
visit might be productive of much good
Major Hine, in response to May o
| Simpson, made on extensive address
upon the matters accomplished by the
State Board of Agriculture and tending
to show the advantages of the meetings
of the Farmers Institutes in the various
Congressional districts.
Mr.. VIM. H. May, representing the
Business Mems League, addressed the
members OF the institute in somewhat
amusing speech, occupying five min
utes, which brought forth considerable
applause.
Capt. VIM. H. Snowden, of Arcturus,
read q retrospective article dating from
his birth, in 1924, down to the present
time. He alluded to modern inventions
and the advancement in husbandry in
recent years.
City Engineer Dunn followed Mr..
SnoWden in an address on good roads,
setting forth the advantage Of such
roads in any community. His address
Was an excellent one and gave much
practical information on the subject OF
roads.
Mr. Adam Martin, of Fairfax, follow,
ed City Engineer Dunn in explanation
of the construction Of good roads, his
particular point being that packed
broken stone had been proven to be
the best after ages of experience. He,
however, predicted that the future
country road would be constructed of
iron rails, with stone foundation, on
the same principal of our railroad con-
struction.
Chairman Hlne stated that an ex.
pertinent in that direction had recently
been made by Gen. Stone. of the U. S.
army, and proven entirely satisfactory.
Such road, he stated, could be con-
slructed for about $500 per mile.
Mr.. E. f. Mason followed on the
same subject.
Mr.. Wright, OF Fairfax, thought G.
inch tires on heavily loaded wagons
would help to preserve the roads, but
Engineer Dunn found from ex-
parience that wide tires helped the road
in dry weather, while in wet weather
they had proven Injurious.
City Treasurer Harlow paid high
tribute to Engineer Dunn and said he
had accomplished more toward secur-
ing good roads in this city during his
short incumbency OF office than had
been done in the whole of
his (Mr. Harlow's) lifetime. Mr.. Har-
low suggested that General Stone
experiment on the Mt. Vernon boule.
ward when it should be his pleasure to
begin. and the chairman in reply stated
that he had been informed by the Gen
eral that he would only be too willing
to experiment thereon if he could get
an appropriation.
Mr.. Harlow wanted General Stone TO
assist us in getting q just claim for
$4,000 through Congress for money
advanced in 1890 to build the first pub
lie buildings in Washington, and which
had been reported favorably by many
committees, and if we could succeed in
securing that claim, he had no doubt
the money necessary to experiment Oh
would be forthcoming without further
trouble.
The institute then adjourned until 2
o'clock.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
When the afternoon session was call
ed to order Col. ]. H. Bigger, Assistant
Secretary OF Agriculture, was intro
duced and that gentleman proceeded to
show to his hearers the Importance of
the farmer over the gold and silver
miner, and he stated that over &c per
cent. of the products of the country
during the year 1897 depended upon
the farmer The gentleman, in his own
peculiar style, called the attention of
his hearers to the fact that the mer-
chant and physician could be more east
ly dispensed with than the farmer, and
advised them, irrespective of party af-
fliations, to get together and do some
thing to help themselves. The gentle
man spoke particularly upon the