The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-04-04
AT The STATE CAPITAL
Des Moines. April .. Il

Ihe secretary OF the state board of
health indicate the small pox cpi.
demic is serious at Mason City. Seven
persons have died recently of the
disease. This is the largest number
OF deaths to be reported from any
one point in the state since the cut
break last fall. The number Of
deaths In Iowa, however, is larger
than generally supposed. Seventy.
five persons are estimated to have
died from small poX in Iowa since
last October. Two deaths have Just
been reported from Atlantic. An
other death was reported from Thur
man. In the meantime, the number
of cases reported daily to the board
of health continues large.
Justice iris has notified every pro-
prletor OF every establishment in
which slot machines are worked that
the operation of such machine is
gambling, and unless stopped at once
ne Will issue warrants for arrests
according to the statute prohibiting
gambling. This notification has re
suited IN the closing of every machine
in West Des Moines.
A general canning plant will prob
ably be established in Des Moines in
the next few weeks with a plant at
tached for the manufacture of cans
and boxes and capacity for putting
up a couple of million cans of vege-
tables and fruits each year. 1t will
probably be located on the Rock
Island tracks between this city and
Valley Junction.
The city council has directed the
purchase of Tracy Home for small
pox and contagious disease hospital
The hospital costs $4,000.
William Mcmillan of Des Moines
has loaned to the state historical col
lection large number of rare guns.
running from blunderbuss of the
fifteenth century down to modern
rifles. A relic in the shape of an oak,
ten inches thick and four feet long,
in which are imbedded three grape
shot, solid shot six inches in diane
ter and innumerable pieces of shells.
is in the collection. This came from
Chickamauga. The iron is ingrown
in the wood, evidently having been
impotent to kill the tree. A soldiers
button, in which is a minnie ball inn
bedded by it's force like the setting of
a ring, accompanies the collection.
The board of control has received
the report from the warden of the
state penitentiary at Anamosa giving
the information which had been asked
regarding the valuation of the state
property there and statement of
losses which had been sustained by
fire. The report shows the state has
suffered a loss of $4,000 in the last
five years. In 1896 fire occurred in
what was then the dining hall at the
penitentiary. Fire protection was in
adequate and the loss on the build
ing was $4,000 and on personal prop
erty $4,000. The valuation of the
buildings will be estimated at later
date.
provements will be mad? ' III the Tefftes
and towns of Iowa during the com.
ing season. Nearly three million alone
represents the assured outlay in
forty of the leading centers of the
state, the figures being based upon
statistics gathered through numerous
Iowa correspondents. The exact
amount, figured in round numbers,
that will be expended in the forty
cities and towns referred to is $3.50
ooO. The improvements contemplated.
many of which are now in process or
have just been completed, embrace a
large variety. Many of the cities and
towns are erecting new public build
1ngs, including churches and school
houses in many instances, some are
Improving the business portions of
the towns, while nearly all are being
honey-combed with new and modern
residences.
Secretary Wesley Greene of the
State Horticultural society has re-
ceived and tabulated reports from
twenty counties in various parts of
the state, on the condition of the
fruit trees. These show the trees in
good condition. The circular sent
out asked for reports on the present
condition of fruit trees and s'the in
dication of an average condition in
which 100 represents the normal con-
dition." The tabnlated returns thus
far make the following showing:
Apples, IS; pears, Sc. Plums-
American, 81; European, so; Japan,
-; cherries, So; peaches. 80; grapes,
uncovered, SO. Raspberries-red rs;
black; "a; blackberries, So; strawber-
vies, "a. 'This. showing is very good,
considering all the conditions" said
Mr.. Greene. ''There has been some
little injury to cherries, the trees
starting to grow last fall because of
the long warm weather. There has
been good deal of damage to black
and red raspberries, many of the
canes having been killed. Peach buds
are promising. The prospects for a
large fruit crop are not quite as
good as last year, the trees not be-
ing set so full of buds as they were
a year ago. However, there is an
ample number of buds for good
crop and it does not necessarily fol-
low that the thickest set of buds will
be followed by the most fruit.
think the reports thus far in show
pretty accurately the conditions,
though there may be slight changes
when the reports are in from all the
Dietrich viii Hold His Job.
Lincoln, Neb., March Ex-senator
elect Dietrich announced definitely
last night that he would not resign
as governor until late in the fall,
not until after election, bar
ring, OF course, an extra session of
congress. which he did not regard as
probable. Governor Dietrich justified
this action by saying he had out
lined plan of state administration
which he was anxious to put in effect,