Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1899-12-22
BIsEVITIES.

DREvITIEs.
Des Moines dispatch: The State
Horticultural Society elected the fol-
lowing officers: President, c. F. Gard
ner, Usage; vice-president, NJ. J. Wragg'
Waulsee; secretary, Wesley Greene
Davenport; treasurer, w. NJ. BON
berger, Harlan, directors, c. j. Blodg'
EFT, Mt. Pleasant; Abner Bransom,
New Sharon; N. X. Fluke, Davenport;
A. J.. Plummer, Ivy; Il. p. Speer, Cedar
Falls; p. F. Kline, Storm Lake; Eugene
Secor, Forest City.
The 3-year-old child OF c. S. Argo'
of Chamberlain, $. D., was fatally
burned a few days ago in Sioux City.
The child had evidently been playing
with matches in a room al lone, and
when her little sister came in, attract
ed by the screams of the baby, found
her wrapped in flames. Aid came at
once, but it was too late, as the chill Is
body was frightfully burned. Even in
it's mouth were great blis.ers. Her
father is prominent attorney at
Chamberlain.
The Novak ase is ended, so far
as the publ. is interested in it, for the
supreme court has overruled the petit
tion of Novalz's attorneys for rehear-
ing in the case. This means that
Frank A. Novalk, made famous by the
fire in the little village Of Walford
three years ago and his famous flight
to the Klondike regions, will have to
serve out the remainder of his life sem
tence for the killing of Edward MUIR
ray, unless the chief executive OF Iowa
may sooner or later see fit to look upon
him with clemency.
Jack Shields, arraigned at Council
Bluffs recently for forgery in the
district court, owes his liberty to his
ignorance of the different kinds of
revenue stamps. 1t appeared in the
trial that he had put a proprietary
stamp on a forged check, which he
passed. Judge Green held that mas
much as the check bore proprietary
and not a documentary stamp, it could
not be the subject of forgery and hav-
ing no legal efficacy, could not have
been passed as a forged instrument.
He accordingly dismissed the case and
ordered the jury discharged. The case
will be passed up to the supreme court.
At the state horticultural society
convention at Des Moines recently the
San Jose scale came up for considera-
ton. The last legislature passed a
law providing a method OF protecting
Iowa orchards against the ravages OF
this pest, but the members of the
society fear that still more is neres-
sary. They believe the danger to Iowa
orchards is serious, and that the state
law cannot fully meet the demands of
the occasion. For example, the state
cannot exercise any control over plants
and seeds sent by mail, and yet in
these there is serious danger The re-
suit was the adoption Of resolutions
calling on congress for protection.
The scale has not done any serious
damage in Iowa thus far, at least none
has been reported. But its ravages
have been discovered in other states of
the Mississippi valley and Iowa is
threatened.
Des Moines dispatch: The state
geologist is in receipt Of a report that
the Allamakee county iron ore, Of
which two train loads were shipped to
Milwaukee for smelling. proves much
richer than expected. The percentage
of phosphate is SO small it can be used
for Bessemer steel, which was not ex-
pccted. 1t ran from so to IS per cent
pure iron, and is light, easily reduced
ore. Capitalists have been buying
options on mineral rights on consider
able areas Of the iron bearing land.
The amount Of the mineral is said by
the state gcologist to be almost unlim-
tied. A large part of Allamakee coun-
ty is underlaid with it from 60 to 100
feet thick. It is now proposed to erect
furnaces next year near Waukon and
reduce the iron there instead OF ship
ping it. Capitalists are investigating
and endeavoring to buy mineral rights
enough to support the plant.
Gov. Shaw and Adjt. Gen. Byers
have gone to Washington, D. C., where
they will arrange for the proper dis
posal of the Iowa war claims. The
government owes the state about S4O,-
900 on account OF the Spanish war.
Governor Shaw said that his plan was
to induce congress to pass law gen
eral in its terms providing for all
claims on account OF the recent war
which may be endorsed by the govern
ors of the different states. This will
include all the states, and it is thought
that such a general measure will re-
ceive the unanimous support of the
Congress has been pass
ing laws authorizing the war depart
nent to pay war claims for specific
TENS which have been named in the
Icts. The department., Of course, has
promptly interpreted the act as closely
S possible and paid nothing that it
idnt have to. The general law will
e the proper thing in this case.