Free press., 1906-03-31
KANSAS COMMENT

OF the peach buds in this part of the
state are dead and 95 per cent OF the
apricot buds were killed by the re-
cent cold weather. Apples are still
unhurt.
Smallpox in Wichita. - Over forty
cases of smallpox had been reported
to the board of health. The small
pOx scOurge started here about five
weeks ago, but has only become ser
ious in the past week. No deaths
from the disease have been reported
so far and the most stringent quaran-
tine regulations are being enforced TO
prevent its further spread.
Mushroom caVe.-William Imboden,
an Elwood man, has a mushroom
farm, or rather cave. where he will
raise muchrooms for the market. TIE
cave is 1Ox5O feet and is dark. 1t
contains : stove to furnish the neces-
sary warmth and beds for the fungi
are arranged alongside the walls. The
spawn or seed was bought in England
and he has another shipment coming
from France.
81 Apiece for Horses. - The police
department of Wichita has began
crusade against traffic in worthless
animals. The crusade was started by
the arrest of Warren Mulicke. who at
admitted that within the past six
months he had bought and sold 150
head CT horses and mules. The ami
mails were what are known a can
ners." Mulicke paid 81 apiece for
many of the animals he handled.
Better Seed, Better Corn.-Kansas
farmers who get good seed corn this
spring will make the biggest profit
on their investment they ever made.
AS Barney Sheridan says, 'Kansans
now grow too much stalk and too lit
tie corn. Iowa raises an average of
eight bushels of corn more to the acre
than Kansas. yet our tate is better
adapted to growing corn than Iowa.
Iowa began planting the best seed ten
years ago"
Explosion Gave Alarm. - At Null
berry a fire entirely destroyed the
Commercial hotel and contents. The
loss is $4,000. The fire was caused
by stove explosion in the dining
room. The inmates were not awaken
ed until lot Of loaCed gun shells n
the drawer of a dresser in the dining
room were exploded by the heat. The
guests had Larely t.Te to get out with
their lives. The hotel was owned by
Paul Graft and was he only one in
town.
Would Raise Assessments. = ]. c..
Rupenthal, county attorney of Russell
county, has written a long letter to
the state board of equalization. urg-
ing it to assess all property for state
taxes on its true value, as the law
provides. He shows the inequalities
now practiced by the various counties
and says the only thin to do is for
the state board to take the bit in it's
teeth and lift the assessment to its
full value. The safe board will likely
follow the cid plan until the legisla-
ture gives the state a new tax law
Burton Carworks Sold.-The Ameri-
can Warehou. Company has pIr-
chased the Burton Car Works from
J. II. Bartlett, one of the old directors
of the company. and the site and
buildings arc to be remodeled and
used by that company for warehouse
purposes. Two OF the buildings will
not be used by the company. but will
be occupied by factory. The other
three buildings will be fitted up for
the company. giving Wichita the To-
cation OF the largest broomcorn ware
house in the United States.
"Roushness" Running Short. -
Farmers in Western counties are be-
spring. as rough feed Is running short
1t is reported from Russell county
that some farmers have begun to feed
straw. as the supply of other rough
ness" has been exhausted. The Sc
we're weather of the past week hSs
been the hardest of the year on cat
tie.
Vital Statistics Compulsory. - DR..
s. J. Crumbine, secretary of the state
board of health. is sending out notices
20 the county commissioners in each
county of the state calling their at
tention to the law which forbids them
from paying the salaries of assessors
until the assessors furnish vital
statistics of their districts This
means the record OF BIRTH marriages
deaths and so on.
Set Fire to Cc!I.-George Burkhart
a demented Russian, set fire to his
padded cell in the county Jail at To
pella. and for a time things looked
serious. He was removed before the
flames reached him. and the fire was
put out With but little less.
The Baseball Season Opens. =
The approach of spring brings ou;
the announcement of the opening OF
the baseball season. which is gladly
received by all lovers of this game
The St Paul American Association
will play at Exposition Park. Wichita
on Saturday and Sunday. March 81
and April l.
Hcrse Sit His Ear Off,. f. Ber.
ger, member of the Topeka fire de-
partment. lost his ear While walk,
Ing alongside OF one the fire horses
Nbr, ~