The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-11-05
A Half Century's Growth.


celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of
the Joint debate between Abraham
Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas in the
campaign of 1858. There were present
on this occasion so persons who heard
the original discussion. The white lime
stone bowlder on which the inscrip-
ton relating to the event is carved, is
a fitting expression of the desire OF
the people to preserve the local MS
tory and traditions as one of the most
valuable heritages they can give 10
their descendants.
When, in the middle of September,
1858, these two giants of statesman
ship answered each other on the pral-
ries of Illinois, the United states mad
less than 10000, 900 inhabitants 1t now
has probably no less than SS,ooVooo peg PEG
pie an increase of nearly threefold.
The total circulation of money then
was S40e, 600, 900, against $3.o77, 600 600
now Then the savings banks or the
country had SOS. 4SS, 600, against about
s., 500. 600, 900 in 1908. There were then
no national banks in existence, but the
deposits in state banks were s259,00o, GOO,
compared with about IL times as much
in state banks for the current year.
There were then less than zoOO,oo0
farms in the whole country, compared
with 6.250,00o now. The amount OF COZ
country will this year grow probably
NOT less than 13, 500, 000.-Wall Street
Journal.
Good Times on the Farm.
.Hard times?" echoed a travelling
piano salesman, who had just re.
turned to the city from a successiui
yania and the southern tier of coun-
ties in New York state; why the
New York and Pennsylvania farmers
don't know that there has been
panic, except what they have read IN
the newspapers. The farmers OF
WAYNE Wa Pike, Monroe, and Sus-
ouehanna counties, Pennsylvania, and
of Orange, Sullivan, Delaware and
Broome counties, New York, have
never had a more prosperous year.
They have got big prices for every
thing they have had to sell; the sum
mer boarders (Which mean a whole
lot to many of them) have been
plentiful: the harvests and fruit crops
are heavy and they haven't KICK on
earth. Why. in one little hamlet or
about 400 people in Wayne county
sold twelve pianos
the kind you pump with your feet and
the piano does the rest. you know.
That doesn't look very much like
hard times out in the country. does
it ?"-New York Press
Two Deaths Due to Gossip.
thoughtless neighbors and friends is
said to have fastened the deaths of
Mrs. Rose Howe and her husband,
lanes Howe, who died within four
days of each other of heart disease.
The couple lived at 7 Grinnell avenue,
Corona. For some time Mr.. Howe
had been troubled with heart failure.
and well-intentioned neighbors. it is
said. called on Mrs. Howe and in
creased her fears and anxiety by
dwelling at length upon her husbands
malady. despite the fact that ,physi-
clans reported that Mr.. Howe. who was
6S years old, was on the road to re-
covery.
Mrs. Howe was in excellent health.
but the gossip of the neighbors wore
upon her to such an extent that
Thursday of last week she was sud
denly stricken with heart failure and
died.
The news of his wife's death was
kept from Mr.. Howe until Monday,
when 1t was thought that he was
strong enough to stand the shock.
Within q few minutes after hearing
the news he clasped his hands over his
heart and dfed.-New York Times.