Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1903-12-01
in this state, there are more than 900.


according to the same authority.
No Danger of Smallpox.
Secretary Kennedy, of the state beard
Of control, says that there b no danger
of widespread smallpox this yer IN
Iowa. There have been about 80 cASas
at Arlington, it has been reported 70 tAo
board, but the disease appeared II Q
mild form and is disappearing. eineo
cases have been reported from Wadsna
and Epworth, and these three are the
only points in the entire state which
have reported the presence OF the dis
ease The conditions are quite different
from those of two years ago, when nearly
every community in Iowa had more or
less of the disease.
The Drainage Laws.
The members of the faculty of the
Iowa Agricultural college have issued
call for drainage convention to be
held in Ames. January and 6, and 1t is
expected that several hundred farmers
and landowners will be in attendance
The Iowa drainage laws are said to be
quite inadequate and extremely unsatis-
factory to great majority Of the farm
ers of this state. Not long since, the
faculty sent out letters to about 5000
leading stock raisers and farmers ask
ing them to answer certain questions
regarding drainage in Iowa. Great num-
bers of responses were received, and in
nearly every case the writer expresses
the hope that the drainage laws of Iowa
would be amended. And 1t is due in .
great measure to these answers that
Prof. Curtiss and his associates have
issued the call for a convention, that
the needs of the state may be discussed.
and bills prepared that will properly
place the subject before the members Of
the next general assembly Of this state.
To Award Prizes.
Forty-two prizes will be awarded at
the coming meeting of the state depart
ment of agriculture to the best mature
corn exhibited. Two prizes in each Of
seven classes in the three districts Of
the state have been provided. The
judging will take place at nine a. M,
December 8, at the state house in this
city and will be in charge of Prof Hold
en-, of Ames college. All exhibits must
be in place, however, before December
8. Mature corn will contest. This Is
| raised from seed furnished by the state
agricultural college and the result will
| determine the extent to which the par
| ticular brand Of cultivation put on It
by growers has to do with the product.
| Airship Prize.
W.. F. Brinton, of Washington, Ia,
has announced his intention to try for
the 100000 airship prize at the st.
Louis exposition. He has been working
since 1899, and though he has as YET
failed to launch his ship successfully, Ii
still confident. He is now engaged on q
new model and expects to have it per-
fected by spring. He believes he has q
principle for lifting the airship, which is
a scientific innovation, as 1t does away
with the balloon part Of the machine
The appearance of the propelling appa-
ratus Of the Brinton and Santos Dumont
airships is quite similar.
Remarkable situation.
The new directory Of the state SUPER.
intendent shows but 80 new county sun.
erintendents in Iowa. This is regarded
as remarkable situation, as usually
more than half Of these officers change
every two years. The number Of NO
men In this Office in Iowa has been re-.
duced by three, there now being l8. J
.. Hagler, OF Ida county, has served a,
superintendent five terms, being the
longest tenure among all OF these of.
f1cerS. Five superintenden+s hovar.r
have served four terms each.
LEON BROWN.
CATHFDRAT.S on FPANcR