Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-05
| NEVER SO=PR0SPEROUs
srn4roa-rrrc31 nsonnAnr ON
CONDITIONS IN KENTUCKY.
New Industries d6nstantIy Arising
Breeding Of Horses and cattle-Ef-
feet Of Railway Extension.

Kentucky never Hlpyed so great de-
gree of prosperity as she does this year OF
our Lord. 1908" safu Senator-eiect James
B. McCreary at the New Willard to Star
reporter. New industries are continually
springing up, the latest being the discov-
cry Of oil in the counties Of Knox, Wayne.
Cumberland and EstH. In the last named
county are some very fine natural gas
wells. The oil industry promises to be one
Of great profit to those engaged In it. and
land within the new oil belt Is being held
at fabulous figures.
LAS regards natural gas wells, I do not
think, people nowadays are so enthusiastic
as they were once over their discovery.
Electric light plants are being established
in nearly every small town, and the cost of
ly that, as between sthe two. net no Is of
lighting, the electric light has the prefer
ence. Star readers are doubtless already
aware that Kentucky furnishes great
deal Of bMuminOus COAL Of the finest quail
ity, but I do not believe that they are
aware that the state possesses the largest
area Of the bituminous product of any state
in the Union. The statement is official,
and when some years ago I stated the fact
to the late Samuel J. Randall he expressed
great surprise. II
Horses and Cattle.
mo state in the Union has greater d.
versifed interests than Kentucky, and she
has long led other states in the production
Of fine horses, cattle, hogs and sheep. The
Kentucky mule Is superior to the mules
bred In other states because their dams
are better bred The early pioneers brought
with them from Virginia their horse kind,
mainly thoroughbreds, and ms lead of
breeding down as Virginia virtually did in
the years that followed Kentucky breeders
| o0pfjnna11v ed I'd hv finn y, the
best stations and mares that could be pur-
chased in England, France and other coun-
tries. The same system was followed In
regard to the Improvement Of other ami
mails. The result Is that Kentucky now is
the greatest market III the world for blood
ed stock Of all kinds, and the revenue
therefrom exceeds that derived from crops.
A Disastrous Importation.
"a few years ago Mr.. Keene Richards.
prominent and wealthy citizen of the state,
conceived the idea, that, inasmuch as the
several Arabians imported into England
two or three centuries ago had so greatly
improved the native stock, especially the
running horse, that a. fresh infusion OF the
same blood would produce equal II not
better results. So Mr.. Richards went to
Arabia and selected several stations and
mares, and at a cost OF many thousands Of
dollars brought them ITO this country. The
blood Of the desert horse was blended with
that Of the immortal Lexington. Bonnie
Scotland. Glencoe, Ten Brock and other
great race horses,7sndarace horse sires.
The experiment proved such dismal fail
ure that Mr.. RicKards was financially
ruined and driven ihteoan untimely grave.
THE experiment Ahat cost Mr.. Richards
so dearly Is Of tbeia utmost Importance
from breeders Standpoint for 1t proved
to mathematical demonstration that,
whatever may have Been the result in the
past history Of the Thoroughbred horse,
the blood of the Aratfan is no longer Of
sufficient potency toSaraprove the modern
thoroughbred; not. fnniffd you. because the
desert horse Is le5s5 parely bred than he
was centuries ago. bat because the modern
thoroughbred. by careful breeding has be-
come a fixed type, Fepr6duces himself with
reasonable regularity, and IN the matter of
speed. endurance. courage and size is by
far the superior horse. s a
Effect Of Railway Extension.
TN the upbuhdiag ii KeRtueky railroads
are doing their shafe~ ,fThe iron horse is
forcing his way Into the most remote re-
gions of the state, and the places he cannot
reach the telephone reaches. These con-
comitants OF civilization, in conjunction
with the rural free delivery SYSTEM. are
bringing light into the hitherto benighted
sections of the state, and soon feuds be-
tween clans and families will be matter Of
tradition. The mountaineer of Kentucky
Is what the mountaineer has been in all
chimes from time immemorial. He Is the
product Of environment. Change the latter
| and his savage nature will cease to exist.
Politically speaking, Kentucky Is taking
much-needed rest in order that the people
OF the state may grid their loins for the
great political struggle that is Inevitable
at the polls in 1904. It is too early to name
candidates. and 1t would be prematu re to
define issues. It is wise policy to cross
bridges when you reach Them