Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-02
Crop and Water Conditions
Serious as Result of Drought.
BOY JUMPS TO HIS DEATH
Caught Stealing Ride and Threat.
ened With Arrest.
TYPHOID FEVER EPIDEMIC
Physicians in Jefferson County Kept
Busy Answering Calls-Har-
vesting Apple Crop.
Special Correspondence of The star.

Special Correspondence OF The Star.
WINCHESTER. Va, October l. 1910
The drought which has prevailed In all
sections of the Virginia valley now Tor
many weeks has become very serious
matter to people living in small towns
and the country districts. and. although
there have been several showers during
the past week in some localities, the rain
fall has not been sufficient.
In some sections practically all the fall
crops will be very short, while others are
complete failures. many farmers are al
ready buying feed for their cattle. where
as it is usually customary to use pastures
until late in November. A number of
towns in Shenandoah and Rockingham
counties are feeling the effects or the
long drought Many industries in Martins
burg and vicinity which depend upon
electricity from Potomac river plants for
motive power have been shut down Tor
nearly a week. the river being so low
that electricity cannot be generated. ihe
water supply In Winchester. however.
gives no indication of falling the CITY
getting its supply in abundance from two
of the largest springs in the state.
Raid on Illicit Still.
John d. Ruffner. a resident OF Page
county, who is known far ana "loe ds d
man who never showed the white feather.
was taken completely by surprise 'his
week by internal revenue agents, who
visited his farm very Unexpectedly ana
found an Illicit distillery in full operation.
puffner had no time to offer explana-
tions and after the officers destroyed
rest.
Detected by conductor rlolnS Oh q
Norfolk and Western railway freight
train in Rockingham county Without pa'
ing and threatened with arrest at the
-. s,ot;on paul Sampsell, aged seven
.aan vears. and son of Rev. W. II. Samp-
cell q United Brethren Church mliis.e 81
If E,,lSton. va, leaped from the tram nan
a mile from the Elkton statloIi, anu, IT,
ing against a fence, sustained HJu.
from which he died several hours IateI.
tn youth was born at Berkeley springs
and leaves his father and rour DIo.heis'
one of whom. Asbury Sampsell, lives IN
Washington. . no.
coirad Intelligence of the death OF Col.
LANES Van Deventer. which occurred re-
Gently in Knoxville, Tenn, where ne mao
lived since retiring from raliroau con
structfon work in the west. he was ap
captain
the army during the civil war. ana was
stationed most of the time In Washing
ton with the subsistence department. ne
was one of the guard OF honor az the
bier of the martyred President.
The life of DR.. James w. McSherry,
prominent physician Of Martinsburg. was
saved the other day when a bystander
rushed out and grabbed his horse, which
was running off and IN the directlon OF
an approaching train on the Baltimore
and Ohio railroad.
Physicians Are Kept Busy.
All the physicians Of Charles Town,
Shepherdstown and other sections Of JET
ferson county have been kept busy for
some time past responding to calls from
typhoid fever patients. There is more
fever now in that county than ever
known before. and every effort Is being
made by the health authorities to stamp
it, out.
Mrs. Bridget Custy, eighty years old.
completed a few days ago her fortieth
year as keeper of the first tollgate on the
Wildwood pike, near winchester she Is
always on the job. and 1t is said she has
never been beaten out or TOLL py any
one, day or night.
An unusually large number OF witnesses
were summoned yesterday and today to
appear before the grand jury OF the cir
be convened by Judge Harrison Monday,
and it is reported that several big SEN
sations will be sprung by officers OF the
Anti-Saloon League concerning aHegeo
violations OF the local option laws In
the county Some witnesses who had
heard rumors are said to have made prep
arations to leave the state, but were over
taken by the sheriff, who succeeded in
serving the summons.
Lewis Willis Machir, young merchant
of Strasburg. who gained great deal OF
notoriety several months ago when a
story was printed to the effect that he
had served as best man at more weddings
In the Virginia valley than any other
man in the state for the past decade, Is
to be the star of his own love drama in
st. Paurs Lutheran Church at that place.
when he leads Miss Mary Turner McIn-
turf. member Of a prominent family. to
the altar. Mr.. Machir was beaten to the
altar. however. by his younger sister.
Miss Bessie Machir. whose marriage to
Harry Ellis. Southern railway con-
ductor. took place a few days ago at
Edinburg. Va, the ceremony being per-
formed at the home of James Painter
by Rev. William Melville Of the South
ern Methodist Church. The bride and
groom. who left for Washington and Nor
folk on their wedding trip. expect to re-
turn i'm time to attend the Machin- McIn-
turf nuptials next week.
Harvesting Apple Crop.
Owners OF the large commercial apple
orchards of Frederick county are now
harvesting the fall and winter crops. and
1t is a common sight to see a traction en-
CINE coming up to the railroad ware
houses hauling an entire carload OF ap-
piles on large wagons fastened together.
This method of hauling the apples from
the orchards, adopted here several years
ago, Is now being put into practice In
other sections OF the state.
notwithstanding many farms In some
of the larger counties Of the upper Vir-
ginia valley section are reported to have
sold during the past year for upwards
OF $3.50 and $500 an acre, there has been
little increase In the commissioners as
sessments. The valuation, as a rule, Is
said TO be at least 40 per cent less their
real value. On the other hand, the as
sessments in some of the poorer counties
show an increase of from 90 to As per
cent. II is likely the matter will be in
yestigated.
Local officers are looking for a crowd
Of young men who placed a scarecrow In
the middle OF the Winchester and Mar
tinsburg pike a few nights ago, which
resulted in a horse becoming frightened
and running off. A woman who was
driving the team was rescued by some
people driving from the opposite diyec-
ton.
Waving a preliminary hearing, r. H.
Tanev Norfolk and Western railway en-
gineer. and Mrs Ida Dean. both OF Page
county, have been held for the grand
jury charged with infanticide.