Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-09-02

4
He describes the stump land in these
states as "desolation and wider
ness" but announces his intention Oh
setting his experts 10
work to determine the varieties OF
grains, grasses and legumes best
adapted to the conversion of these
lands into productive farms.
The problem is unlike any hereto
fore presented for the reason that
both soil and climatic conditions are
dissimilar to those prevailing in other
sections of the country. The secre-
tary believes that they more nearly
approximate the conditions governing
Danish agriculture than any other
portion of this country. The annual
rainfall is twenty-five inches while
dense fogs which float inland from the
great lakes add to the humidity avail
able for plant growth. The soil is
strong in vegetable food and is large
1y permeated with iron, which renders
the clays a deep red. The secretary
will detail scientists from the depart
ment to examine the soil and will
probably send others to Denmak and
Norway to make observations of agrl-
culture under similar physical condi-
lions. At the present time large num-
bers of Finlanders and Scandinavians
are settling in the district referred to
which the secretary estimates is equal
in area to the state of New York.
mi. oil nj Of
American settlers to teach the princi-
pies of self-government to their neigh
bors.
Secretary Wilson will also take up
the question of re-forestation. Not,
however, to the large degree that
might be wished further down the
mississippi valley where great in
dustries depend on the log supply. He
will see that re-forestation is inaugur-
ated on a great enough scale to final
ly provide fuel. fencing, lumber, etc.
for the settlers of that region. He
predicts that this region will become
a great stock and dairy center, and
that the land will yield handsome re-
turns when devoted to the culture of
sugar beets. He says that in time the
beet sugar produced from this section
alone will equal the present output OF
the entire country, and that the resi-
due or beet pulp. will be fed to large
herds of dairy cattle.
According to report received at the
state department, the great Klondike
rush has seen its finish and the pres
ent outlook is rather gloomy. A COM
mittee of Canadian business men re-
Gently sent a representative to that
country to make a thorough examina-
ton of the prospects of the Yukon
territory The total yield of gold last
year was but $24,000,000. The produc-
ton for the coming year, according to
the government estimates, will not
exceed $14,OO0,O00 a falling off of
nearly one-balf. No new discoveries
have been made for over a year, al
though since 1897 thousands of pros
pectors have been exploring every
nook and corner of the mountains. AT
Dawson there are ten applicants for
every job and yet boat load after boat
load of men continue to arrive, the
transportation companies keeping UP
the allusion that Dawson is the needy
mans paradise.
| There is man in the agricultural
| department, who is credited with hav
| ing the best memory in Washington
He is cashier at the dispensing office
and has to settle with 1000 people ev
ask the name after the
of H.
| ploye at the window. He knows
every name and face in the depart
ment and has rarely been known tc
be at a loss to recognize any of the
large corps of employees. He not only
must remember the name and face but
also recollect to which pay roll to re
! fer.
The repeal of the Spanish war reve
nue. taxes has caused falling off o.
nearly 100000 for one month at the
treasury department. The report fol-
the month of July, the first month at
| ter the taxes were repealed shows tn
collections for that month to have
been $22 ,236,359 against $29,S43,S96 70
the same month of last year, de
crease of $7,107,537 The collection
from the different sources were as fol
lows: Spirits, $11,636,197, increase
s1,401,764 Tobacco, $3,428,S87, dc
| crease. S3,724,0OO. Oleomargarine
s144,S46, decrease, $261,156 Misce
laneous, $951,926, decrease, $4,4S5,4 2E
| Robert Armstrong, private secretar
| to Secretary Shaw will spend mex
month in Europe, his wife acompan.
ing him. Mr.. Armstrong is a forme
Iowa newspaper man, and by far on
of the "livest' men in the officis
family, being a typical Iowa produc
He has been away from the stat
about seven years being the Chicag
Record-Herald's special New Yor
correspondent when Mr. Shaw offere
him the present position.
Washington, d. c., Aug. 80.
The recent so-called maneuvers b.
tween the three slow boats under tn
command of Colonel Pillsbury and til
large, well equipped and rapid fleet {
Admiral Higginson is ridiculed in pr
vate by officers of the navy on duty
Washington. None of them are willin