The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1912-06-07

monthly report to the Smithsonian
Institute, Washington, d. c. In
connection with this Mr.. Day fur
nished monthly reports of the
weather to the Department of Agri-
culture, Washington; signal service
of the United States Army and the
State Weather bureau ever since ii
was esta Jlished. Mr.. Day said he
helped organize the State Weather
Bureau and that his report was the
first to have been filed on record.
In addition to these reports Mr.. Day
kept statistical and fruit reports. He
told a Citizen representative that he
tested upwards of 100 different
kinds of apples, many of the CRAFTS
coming from distant places. He
states that the worlds celebrated
kinds of apples are worthless here.
In connection with the weather re-
ports which he kept for the govern
ment, Mr.. Day said he was COM
PEELED to furnish a report of the
temperature of wells and springs.
For all this work, all these years Mr..
Day claims that he never received
cent from the Government. He told
us that this helped keep him poor.
That he only receives a pension of
SIS per month for service done in
the army, which allows only two
meals and light lunch every day.
Mr.. Day has now reached that age
in life, being in his 18th year,
where he cannot work and is almost
dependent upon his pension for a
livelihood. He owns a small farm
in Dyberry township and says that
the total crops last year just barely
paid the taxes and that the best crop
10 pnf nf o.
and rocks being the only crop which
he is sure of every year.
1t seems a pity that Uncle Sam,
with his millions of dollars in the
United States Treasury, would ex-
pect a man to furnish valuable re-
ports OF the weather over half a
century without compensation. We
understand that the matter has
been presented before Congressman
William d. B. Ainey of this district
with a view of receiving some re-
muneration for Mr.. Days services,
either in the form OF pension or
money. The Citizen will help Mr.
Day in presenting the matter before
the proper authorities and will aid
him in every possible way.
Mr.. Day has spent a number of
the years Of his life studying nature
He is the first one to find the early
spring flower and spy the robin and
bluebird He is the discoverer of
the disease for eXterminating the
tent caterpillar, which works havoc
to trees. He has successfully dem
onstrated the discovery to State Zoo
logist Surface to the extent that
the latter has promised to do some
thing in a financial way toward de-
stroying the tent caterpillar.
The subject of our sketch de-
votes a good share of his time, or
has within the last year, In graft
ing and pruning trees.
He was one of the first to dis
cover the San Jose scale upon the
apple and other trees in Wayne
county possesses good knowledge of
fruits and contributes largely to
farm journals.
Mr.. Day was born in Elizabeth
town, y. j., August 10, 1888, and
with his parents moved to Dyberry
where Theodore has since resided.
Mr.. Day attended the old univer-
sity at Bethany, afterwards teach
ing school at Clinton and Oregon
townships, Wayne county. When
this country called for volunteers al
the beginning or the war, Mr.. Day
was oRe of the first to enlist, join
ing Company C, Sixth Pennsylvania
Reserves, under Captain John S
Wright. Owing to poor water and
exposure Mr.. Day was compelled to
leave the ranks. After serving as
commissary for half a year he was
honorably discharged May 10, 1862
Mr.. Day is well versed on all
topics and is a very interesting con.
versationist, is a constant reader
and a man of rare intelligence.