Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1903-04-24

ter, due in part to the fact that the
new gymnasium which will soon be
erected on the campus of the normal
school will command so oauch atten-
ton from the students.
Had a Good Time.
The Iowa Press association members
who journeyed to Texas returned to the
state delighted with their trip through
the southwest, although they found
the country like sponge in bath
tub. While gone the following officers
were elected: President, C. NJ. Junkin,
OF Fairfield; vice president, w. I.
Branagan, Emmetsburg; secretary, o.
d. Hull, Leon; treasurer, G. L. Caswell,
Denlson; corresponding secretary, F.
z. Conway, Des Moines. The editors
helped the trainmen put out fire on
the NJ. X. & T. railroad and enjoyed
the novelty of a Gospel car attached
to their special while leaving Texas.
Give Statistics.
The Young Mems Christian associa-
ton of Des Moines has compiled
statistics of the attendance at the
saloons and places of amusement in
this city and at the churches and has
referred the statistics to the Minis
terial association. The association
voted to suppress the information,
but it has leaked out. During a
weeks time the Y. NJ. C. A. counted
366,S79 men entering the saloons of
the city and other places of amuse-
ment, while during the same period
but 1906 attended church services
and other religious gatherings. How
ever, the churches and other insti-
tutions were open only four hours
week while the other places were
open 90 hours week.
Will he on Duty.
A large part of the national guard
| of the state will be on duty dur
ing President Roosevelt's jo"""ey
through the state April % and 30.
Two companies will be ordered to
Oskaloosa when the president reaches
that city, two or three companies
will be on duty here, and an entire
regiment may be ordered to Keokul.
The adjutant general is in receipt OF
many petitions from the guardsmen
asking for assignments. The guards
men of Des Moines will give dress
military ball in Des Moines the even
ing of the day that the president
will be here. This will be in honor
of the colonies, lieutenant colonies
and majors of the four Iowa regi-
ments and of the governors staff.
Add More Money.
The board of trustees of the State
Agricultural college has decided to
add $4,000 to the $225,O0O already ap-
propriated for the erection of the
new main building on the institution
campus. This was due to the fact
that it was found impossible to make
sufficient reductions in the plans al
ready decided on to bring the cost
within the requisite $225,oO0, so that
it was voted by the trustees to make
the appropriation 100000. This will
leave only about 100000 of the pro-
ceeds of the five years of special
building levy beginning this year to
be appropriated for building pur-
poses during .thenext five years.
Raise. Price OF Coal.
Coal operators have announced
that the recent advance to the min
ers according to the settlement
reached at the scale conference held
in Des Moines prior to April 1 will
require them to advance the price
of coal to consumers to $3.50 ton.
Three years ago soft coal was $3.50 to
the consumers. Last year it went up
to three dollars on account of the
scarcity, the miners gaining none of
the advance. The advance of fifty
cents from that price is about twice
as much advance in the price of the
product as was granted to the miner
who mines the coal.
Fruit Prospect Good.
Prof. H. C. Price, of the State
Agricultural college, says that the
prospect of the fruit crop of the
state this year is excellent, the trees
are well filled with buds and the
sole danger is in late frost. He is
now engaged in the experiment of
spraying the orchard of C. 81. Dyer,
covering 70 acres, in Mills county.
Mills county orchards have never
been sprayed extensively and the
experiment is being watched closely
by horticulturists everywhere.
Teachers Wages.
The subject of teachers wages was
the one which occupied the most of
the attention of the county superin-
tendents at their recent conferences
| in the four corners of the state. While
it was the opinion that wages are be-
ing advanced the opinion also was ex-
pressed that the average is much too
low. Many defects in the compulsory
education law were discussed at the
conferences and an effort will be made
to secure suitable amendments to the
measure in the next legislature.
Loss of Farmers.
1t is estimated that the Iowa farm
ers lost on account of smut in small
grains the past year $20,00O,O00. In
Wisconsin the loss was but ST., O00, 900.
It is the theory of the agricultural de-
partment at the state college at Ames
that the loss may be reduced one-half
nv nrOper treatment EYneriments, a ra