Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-08
VALLEY Of VIRGINIA
Apple Crop of High Quality,
But Prices Are Low.
GROWERS DISLIKE TO SELL
Allege That Buyers Have Entered
Into a Combination.
BLACKBIRDS LEAVE HOME
Ten Thousand of Them, Which Had
Roasted in Winchester Cemetery,
Have Disappeared.

Special Correspondence Of The Star.
WINCHESTER, Va, October Z, 1911.
The annual apple harvest is now in
progress in the lower Shenandoah valley,
and In all the large commercial orchards,
which are to be seen In every direction,
are expert pickers and packers. The
quality of the fruit this year in the
vicinity Of Winchester is exceptionally
fine. and the size is just right for market
purposes. but the growers are not realiz-
ing as much for their fruit as they antic-
ipated two months ago.
Many of the buyers have formed what
appears to be combine to control prices,
and they have steadfastly refused to
break an alleged agreement made among
themselves. The buyers claim they paid
too much for apples during the past few
years, and that 1t Is necessary for them
to get on their feet again. Several
months ago the Ballston Storage and
Refrigerator Company Of Ballston
Springs. n. Y, signed contract to take
about 200 barrels of No. 1 apples from
James L. Robinson. one of the most ex-
tensive growers of the Virginia valley,
at 50 a barrel on the cars, and this week
the company forfeited a deposit Of $500
rather than take the apples at the price
named. Many growers refuse to sell at
they will pay storage charges rather than
let their fruit go at bargain-counter fig
ures.
Highway Scouts Coming.
The automobile scouts representing the
Washington Highway Associa-
ton, who were named for the purpose Of
trying out route and educating the peo-
pie Of the Virginia counties up to what
will be required of them in the building
of stone highway between Washington
and the Tennessee line. reached Win
chester this evening over the Valley pike
from Staunton, and expect to arrive in
Washington tomorrow.
The officials of the association are
travelling In four large cars. Charles P.
Light of Martinsburg, w. Va, who Is
associated with the American Associa-
ton Of Highway Improvement, is acting
as pilot.
Mrs. Williams. wife OF Rev. ]. T. Will
liams of Berryville. has been reelected
sionary Society of the Baltimore Confer
ence, Methodist Episcopal Church South,
which was in session this week in Staun-
ton. With few exceptions all other OFF,
GERS We're elected for another year.
Rev. j. C.. s. Myers, pastor Of the
United Brethren Church at Reliance.
county, defended and won a suit
n the Staunton circuit court this week
which had been filed against MIN by ). |
=. Shaver, who sought to recover 500 |
claimed to have been due him as a COM |
mission on a real estate deal.
His Eyesight Gone.
Alexander Waddell May. clerk of the
Virginia supreme court of appeals at
who shot himself through the
yes this week in an alleged attempt to
commit suicide. will recover. say the sur
,eons, but he will never see again. as
both optics were taken out few days
lfter the mans rash act. May is said to
rave been drinking liquor lately. and 1t
8 the belief In Stauntop that he became
respondent. He has declined to discuss
he affair with any one.
About 10000 blackbirds which for a
ong time had their night quarters in the
ops of trees in the Winchester national
cemetery have suddenly disappeared. and
Supt. E. j. Lewis is wondering what has
become of them, although he hopes the
birds will not return. as they had become
4 nuisance BY shutdown the trees were
usually so full of blackbirds that many |
Of the limbs were weighted down. Early |
this week they left and have not been
seen since.
n F Ryrd president of the Valley |