Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-01-19


vile, Brunswick and Bowdoinham;
also an evening meeting at the State
Fair, Lewiston, and State Dairy Meet
ing at Portland. In addition to these
meetings three evening meetings have
| inss.
The average cost of these institutes
including evening meetings held in
connection with them, is $22.74. The
average cost of the testing meetings
1855. Cost of the Dairy Meeting
$76664.
PROSECUTIONS FOR THE H.
LEGAL SALE OF OLEOMARGA-
RINE.
| On January 9th we received a let
ter from Mr.. Geo. H. Whitaker OF
Boston, acting executive officer of the
Massachusetts Dairy Bureau. inform
ing US that eight ten pound tubs OF
oleomargarine had recently gone
through that city, marked for Lewis
ton. Maine. Deeming it a matter of
great importance to the dairy inter-
ests of our State, we Immediately en-
ployed a detective and were able, at a
later date, to secure two indictments in
Franklin county. One OF the parties
indicted Immediately plead guilty and
paid the fine and costs. The other
party filed a demurrer to the indict-
| ment, and the matter Is now pending
| in the law court. 1t is the judgment
| of the county attorney. however, that
| this action was simply for the purpose
| of obtaining delay and that the fine
will ultimately be paid.
| The expense Of these prosecutions
| amounted to $3.50, for detective work.
and under our law. which gives one
third of the fine to the complainant,
| we are entitled to recover $685. from
the two indictments. Half of this, or
| the amount of the indictment to which
the party plead guilty, has been paid.
The other will be paid as soon as the
matter is, finally adjusted.
CORRESPONDENCE.
| The correspondence of the office is
| continually increasing, many people
| writing for information on various
| matters; and it is our purpose to ans
wer all of these letters of whatever
nature at the earliest possible oppor-
! tunity. A copy of all letters written
has been kept. and they are fully in
| dexed. This correspondence. of course,
| is entirely exclusive of that.in connec-
| ton with the bulletins, which of itself
calls for the stamping, filling and di-
| recting of about 5000 envelopes each
| month.
AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES.
The year has been one of more than
average prosperity for the most of our
agricultural societies. The weather. as
rule. was favorable, and the in
/ creased interest which manifested it,
self in 1897 was fully maintained dur
| ing the fair season of 1898. There ap-
pears to be genuine desire on the
part of the officers of our societies TO
fully comply with the State law re-
garding gambling and games Of
chance. AS far as ] was able to learn
from personal observation and from
other people, l believe that the county
| fairs of 1898 We're particularly clean in
every respect. OF course Objectionable
features will occasionally work them
selves into fairs, no matter how vigil
| liant the officers may be, but no inten-
| tional violation of the law has come
| to my notice during the past year. /
wish to again repeat that those Socie
| ties which stick the most closely to the
real intent of an agricultural society.
| are, as rule. the most successful.
| believe it is we'll for the members of
| this Board to keep as closely in touch
| with the agricultural societies of
their counties as they possibly can.
| and am inclined to the opinion that
| more time might be spent by them to
good advantage in inspecting the fairs
and the general management of the
| societies.
i append a summary of the business
of the societies.
Number of horses and colts eX-
| hbited NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. ! $3.50
Number of neat cattle exhibited, $3.50
| Number of sheep exhibited. ....... 1852
Number of swine exhibited. ...... $50
Number of poultry (coops) ex-
hibited ASA
| ANALYSIS OF AWARDS.
Total amount of premiums
and gratuities paid. $17,257.71
Amount of trotting purses. 19,714.75
Amount OF entry fees SfOr
trotting purses ............. 7,S1S.19
| Actual cost of trOtting
purses ................... 1885, Sc
Per cent of premiums and gratui-
ties to total awards. .............. 46
Per cent of entry fees. 50
Per cent of stipend ................ 3S-3
Per cent of increase in awardS..... GA
| Number of societies receiving sti-
| penu to
| Decrease from 1897. Observation-Disclosures.
| THE PRESS.
The Board is still under great obliga-
tons to the press for extended notices
of ourmeetings. for general cooperation
in our work and for free copies of pa
pers. The Maine Farmer, Turf. Farm
and Home. Bangor Weekly CONNER
cial, Lewiston Journal Country Cen
tleman, Hoards Dairyman, New Eng
land Farmer, New England Home
stead, Mirror and Farmer, and the
American Creamery Produce Review,
as well as several local papers. come
regularly to the Office and are Kept on
file for reference.