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r .. i'V \ VETERANS ON MARCH 10,009 Union Soldiers Parade Streets cf Washington. . IT WAS AN INSPIRING SPECTACLE j To See the R;giments of Battle-Scar- 1 -* ?-'Jl Iln Cnr thp dm njl I reu sviuicrs uuiv w. .... ? Marc a Down Pennsylvania Avenue Washington. Special.?For more, than six hours the people in Wash . ingtcn hummed the chorus of the old civil war songs. "Tramp. Tramp, the Boys are Marching." and for an equal time the veterans constituting the Grand Army of the Republic made good the claim. The parade was the climax of the thirty-sixth encampment of their order. The occasion was in every way worthy of the Grand Army. Beginning at a few minutes past 10 o'clock, when the head cf the column moved from its station at the capital. It was almost 5 o'clock when the last squad in the line passed the place of disbandment west of the White House. None of the soldiers were marching any great part cf the time, for the entire line of march did not exceed two and one half miles in length, but those who composed the rear detachments were on their feet practically all day. much of the time being consumed in waiting to take their places in the line. The ronte of the parade was down historic Pennsylvania avenue, alone; which many of them marched as rav; recruits in going to the war in 1861 and 1S62 and many others as tried veterans on the occasion of the grand review after the close of the - war hi 1SS5. More than five hours' time was con> sumed by the procession in passing the reviewing stand in front of the? White House. There were at least 25,060 men in line and the estimate of Commander-in-Chief Torrance ran as high as 30,000 men. The parade was reviewed by Commander-in-Chief Torrance. who was assisted by the members of the President's cabinet and by Adjutant General Fowler, of the G. A. Rs. Secretary Hay stood immediately on the right of the commander-in-Chief. while Secretaries Root. Moody, Wilson and Hitchcock and Postmaster General Payne occupied scats In their rear. Occupying seats well to the front were many veterans nf thf> civil war. including General O. O. Hcward, General Edward Mc- | Cook. General Daniel E. Sickles. Gen- ! eral Currinerton. General J. Warren ; Keifer and General Allen. Standing in I the midst of these distinguished exsoldiers was the ex-Confederate lieutenant general Longstreet. He was escorted to the front together with General Sickles and when the two appeared side by side they were greeted with harty cheers. It was said to be ; -the first time that an ex-Confederate .or* officer had appeared in a Grand Army reviewing stand. Scattered here and and once in a while a girl appeared la many they were accompanied by as the daughter of the regiment. There was one female band, composed of ladies hailing from Waterloo, Ind.. all of whom wore long maroon colored dresses. They played a patriotic air as they passed the reviewing stand and were duly cheered, v Indeed, whenever ladies occupied a place in the line they were applauded, notwithstanding their presence was forbidden by general orders. In many Instances the departments representing States carried banners or badges or other devices intended v to attract attention to especial State characteristics or prodnctions. The Georgia men wore open cotton bolls In their hats and the Alabamanians the same insignia In their coat lapels, while the Minnesota men held aloft a broad placard announclag that to be the "Bread and butter State." 8outh Dakota's sons carried long sticks tearing on the point long ears of yellow corn. The Florldlans carried palms. :he Louisianans cotton and sugar cane and the Vermonters ferns. Every Kansan In the parade, and there were several hundred of them, carried nmhi-ella nainted on the Outside to represent & huge sunflower. This probably was the most unique display made by any State, though it was oaly little more so than that of Iowa, whose members each carried a big ear of native corn as a canteen. Texas carried high in the air a lone silver star set between a pair of immense Texas steer horns. The Oklahoma contingent, as usual, pressed the claims of that Territory to admission Into the Union of States. One of the Michiganders held up a big gray rooster, but he was too subdued to crow as he passed the grand stand, though he was vehemently urged to do so. Bryan Post, of Trenton. N. J., carried a hornets' nest (vacated) and a placard held aloof announcing that "there are still left some of the spring chickens of 1861." The Maryland division was preceded by 40 tightlyfurled and badly-worn battle flags. A number of colored men marched la the columns from the Southern States, including Kentucky, Maryland. Georgia and the District of Columbia. In many thsv were accompanied by their own bands and they were generally received with cheers as they passed along. In some instances the departments were reyreaeiiieu uj um/ a uuicu ?i a score of veterans. Arizona had the smallest representation of any State or Territory in line. There were only three men in her column, but they marched bravely along abreast, having their banner borne in advance by a colored man. the "color-bearer," as one of the three announced. Changing to Wood Burners. Wilmington, Special.?The force in the Coast Line machine shops at Florence is working overtime in order to fatch hip with the excess of work, which is largely in converting coalturning locomotives into wood-burners. Ths scarcity of coa! is really becoming an itepa with the railroads. It is said that the Coast Line has recently found it necessary to confiscate coal I in transit to Richmond to keep its trains in operation. B*! , r-i*- * ' * . PRESIDENT REVIEWS VETERANSAlthough Suffering, flr. Roosevelt Sees the Parade of Q. A. R. Washington, Special. ? President Roosevelt Wednesday reviewed th# Grand Army parade in his carriage. Ho was carried down stairs from his room on the second floor of the temporary White House in an invalid's chair ana j amid the cheers of a large crowd, was ! placed in the carriage, in which there j was a board to support his injured leg. ; He was accompanied by Secretary \ Cortelvou and Colonel Bingham, his j military aide. His carriage was guarded by a platoon of mounted police, j under command of Major Silvester. As the carriage appeared on the avenue, | tue rit*biuvai at mc i stand for a moment until the marshal! j of the parade and Rawlin's Post, of ! Minneapolis, the right of the line, had ; passed and then drove down the ave- j nue to the peace monument, at the ; foot of the capitol. The veterans faced ' the carriage as the President drove by I and saluted him. He v.as continuously j cheered by the crowds as he drove j atong. Dess than 35 minutes were con- j sumed in the journey. During its progress the President found that the ; id 10 rest his limb was uncomfort- j able and it was discarded. When the ; "White House was reached the Presi- ! t.t-ut did not alight. Instead Secretary | Corteylou and Colonel Bingham got | out, and much to the surprise and de- j i:ght of the visiting crowds, Mrs. Roosevelt emerged, entered the carriage and was driven rapidly away with the J President. The drive took the Presi- ' dent and Mrs. Roosevelt jthrough the j northwest section of the city. President and Mrs. Roosevelt re- j turned to the White Hsuse about 1:30. J having been gone an hour and a half. I They had driven through Rock Creek ' and Zoological Parks, but kept clear of ! the crowds. Several thousand people i waiting outside the White House cheer- ; ed their return. The President's ride , down Pennsylvania avenue, along the j line of march of the parade, was an I ovation for him and a source of great j pleasure to the thousands of people packed in the streets and stands. Tho ! delightful weauer eased the minds of his physicians as to the propriety of the President leaving the room in which he has been confined since his , M/vittMw T?/Hnnnn/\1in I_T A woo in I 1CIU1 u H um luumuajA/uo. nc nao iu excellent spirits and looking forward I to the ride with intense pleasure. In front of the temporary White. House for half a square each way twenty deep 5.COO or 6,000 people greet- | ed the President's appearance with j cheers of welcome. The President responded to these cheers by raising his hat and bowing and smiling. When he was lifted into the carriage the President steadied himself on his right leg ! and hopped to the further side, adjust- ' ing his Injured leg to the board which , had been put in by his attendants. | Secretary Cortelyou joined him on his left and Colonel Theodore Bingham, in full uniform, occupied the seat in; 'front Mrs. Roosevelt watched the President's departure from the window and as the President drove away he saluted her by raising his hat. As the party swept into the broad j avenue a tremendous cheer went up j and the sidewalks and stands were white with fluttering handkerchiefs. The President acknowledged the demonstration by lifting his hat and bowing right and left The Journey down the avenue was made to the right of the oncoming column of veterans. the demonstration swelling in volume as they proceeded. The return journey from the peace monument was made on the other side of the avenue *? WTHon fViA Air. I at a uiuie iapm pate. ?* v.. . riage drew up in front of the Jackson Place residence, the horses were flecked with foam. Negro Arrested for Forgery. Laurens, S. C., Special?Wednesday afternoon a negro calling himself Joe Mack presented at the People's Loan and Savings Bank a check payable to himself or bearer and purporting to be signed by a leading planter for $137. The bank officers instantly suspected the fraudulence of the signature and detained the man until Investigation could be made. After some time the negro became alarmed and suddenly darted away, leaping through a window, breaking the sash. A cry was raised and in a few moments the man was captured by several young men who were in the chase. The negro, whose name was ascertained to be Wilis Henderson, is in jail. He declares that he is not the man who was in the bank but the officers of the latter identified him positively. ?1 $150,000 Lost by Beaumont Fire. Beaumont, Tex., Special.?The fire in the oil field was extinguished early Wednesday morning. The damage was confined to an era comprising about! two acres and the losses consist of 75 del-ricks, 50 pumping plants and half a j dozen small oil tanks which wore used j for settling. The loss is placed at $150,- I 000. Thomas Rowley, the man burned' while trying to save a derrick, is still I alive ,but cannot recover. White For Ambassador. Washington. Special?The Presiident has decided to appoint Henry White, secretary of the United States embassy at London, as ambassador to Rome. The appointment probably will not be made until next spring and Ambassador Meyer will remain at his post until then. John B. Jackson, who has been secretary of the embassy at Berlin since 1894, also is slated for an important diplomatic appointment. His promotion is to be based upon the same reason as will inspire that of Mr. White, namely, a desire to extend into the diplomatic service the principle of promotion based on merit. Need Cars Badly. Roanoke. Va.. Special.?A statement was made at the offices of the Norfolk & Western Railway Company, that the road is badly in need of more locomotives and that the road would buy or hire 50 engines if they were available. The result of the endeavors ?o far to get motive power has taken the form of one engine hired from the Atlantic Coast Line. The strenuous demands of a freight traffic far exceeding any such occasion in the history of the road has brought about this state of affairs. t TALK WAS RED HOT. Governor Odell Gives Coal Operators a Well Deserved Roast. NEW YORK EXECUTIVE HITS HARD. He Tells Hr. Baer That The Owners of the nines Have Not Acted With Fairness to the Public. New York, Special.?"What do you mean by politicians? I want you and all tne other operators to understond that I am the Governor of New York, the chosen representative of 7,000,000 of people, and that I am here in this matter solely in that capacity and to relieve if possible an intolerable situation. And what is more, I intend to use every power at my command to do it." Governor Odell made this statement to President Baer, of the Reading Railroad, in the presence of United States Senators Piatt, of New Yom, and Quay and Penrose, of Pennsylvania. It was the culmination of a rather heated interview In the office of Senator Piatt and the result of the first meeting between Governor Odell and President Baer, Mr. Baer was not in the best of humor when, accompanied by E. B. Thomas, chairman of the board of directors of the Erie Railroad, he entered Senator Piatt's otfice. The conference was begun by a statement made by Senator Penrose that the situation was becoming so serious that some solution must be found at once. He suggested that operators should incline to some concessions to ward a settlement. "If you mean oy that," said President Baer, "that we are to recognize the existence of a labor union, I tell you right now that the operators will consider no such proposition." Governor Odell was on his feet in an instant. Holding a half burnt cigar in his htuiii and white with excitement, he said: "Are we to understand that no kind of conciliatory proposition will receive consideration at the hands of the operators?" "I did not say that," answered Mr. Baer, "but I do say, and I reiterate it, that we will not accept political advice or allow the interference of politicians in this, our affair." Then it was that Governor Odell made the statement attributed to him at the beginning of tnis article. President Baer, evidently appreciating that he had gone too far, bowed to Governor Cdell and said: "Governor, I beg your pardon. No personal afTront was intended and we will listen to any suggestion you may have to mako; but again I repeat that we must refuse to recognize the union as represented by Mr. Mitchell." "I believe," said the Governor, "that your position from a public view is absolutely untenable. If coal operators, railroad men and other business men can combine for mutual proflt and protection, there is no reason why laboring men should not" '"What Is the proposition?" asked Mr. Baer. coldly. "Just tills," said Governor Odell, "I am sure that the labor organization, of which Mr. Mitchell is head, desires him to be fair with the general public. If the operators will consent to give the mAn Moa /.An tf o t An (nhroOCh T TV til LLtC&l lit C tVTUlo c* IV/u luvivnog, a n?u personally present it to the miners and 1 believe they will accept it. It is a fair proposition. "Does this mean, Governor Odell, that we arc to recognize the miners' union?" Mr. Baer asked. "It certainly does," answered Governor Odell, quickly, "and there is no reason why you should not." Mr. Baer and Mr. Thomas rose to go, Mr. Thomas remarking that the matter would be presented to the other operators and that an early answer would be forthcoming. Mr. Baer said: "We are to meet a committee of the Manufacturers' Association on Tuesday and we may have an answer then." The conference broke up, Mr. Baer and Mr. Thomas withdrawing. S?iiators Piatt, Penrose and Quay talked overj^he matter for a short time and then they, too. separated, the two Pennsylvanians announcing that they would go back to Harrisburg and discuss the situation with Governor Stone. Killed By Explosion. Anderson, S. C., Special.?As a result of the premature explosion of a dynamite charge at Pourtman Shoale. nine miles west of this place, Friday morning, James White, of Norwich, " * - V? r* nnarrv tru T\& I uonn., iureuiau ui mv <|umi; n?a, was instantly killed, and three negroes injured, one fatally. White was an employe of a construction company of Palmer, Mass. Farmers' Congress Adjourns. Macon, Ga., Special.?The Farmers' National Congress held its fourth and last session Friday. It was the most Important day of the conference. A persistent attempt was made to luduce the congress to reconsider its action of 1901 and endorse the ship subsidy bill.The delegates from the West re-enforced by those from the South, sustained the adverse report of the committee on resolutions and the resolution of endorsement was laid on the table by an overwhelming majority. Reciprocity, where it will enlarge markets for farm products, was approved. Sunday Coal Trains. Durham, N. C.. Special.?Major W. A. Guthrie left for the western pare of the State to consult Governor Ayeock ar.d obtain, if possible, his sanction fos Sunday coal trains to be run in North Carolina, lie is acting under instructions from the lege! department of the Norfolk ? Western read. The suit ob jeet is said to he relief for commcnluo' : :nl bns.ncss inteitsls now suifeiir^ cr acjcunt of the coal famlae. % 1 WILL SETTLE STRIKE. Report That Coal Operators Will Open Mines Soon. $ A Monday morning special from Scranton. Pa., says: This is the beginning of a week which it is generally believed will put i to a test the claim of the operators that thoy will be enabled to start up their collieries, if given protection, and "\ the counter claim of the United Mine Workers' organization as expressed in Wednesday's resolutions that the strikers will not return to work without smri !a?ic ouon thnnffh thf* PTltirP military of the United States should be sent here to protect them. With a determination to prove their claim, the operators have been during the past week making a supreme effort to secure men. That they have succeeded to some extent is evidenced by announcements made with some positiveness that various collieries will resume operations in the course of a few days. The Delaware & Hudson Company will make a start at the Bellevim. The Green Ridge Coal Company ? will open up its Gre. ^ --idge colleries, probably Tuesday or Wedntsd3}\ but assuredly, some day this week. Other companies say they are figuring on a resumption at certain collieries, but declined to give the location. Claim is t.lso made on the operators' side that the forces at collieries already working are to be largely increased during the week. The United Mine Workers' leaders continue to assert that the military can do nothing towards inducing men to return to work* and that ail the men who could be induced to go back to work without concessions are already back. Strike disorder is now almost wholly wanting. During the past two days the soldiers have had nothing to do further than their regular patrol duty, not a single call having come to any of the three regiments in this country to deal with disorder or threatened disorder. C7llCwi VUI vJH mv w vi, | New Orleans, Special?The street , car strike, inaugurated by the dis- ; ( satisfied employes of the New Orleans ? Railway Company, was settled here j 1 Sunday night, the Car Men's Union j \ unanimously accepting the Governor's j ultimatum on a secret ballot. The ( basis of settlement is that the men will go back to work Monday morning at 20 cents and 10 hours, with a mini- ( mum of seven and a half hours a day. no discrimination to be made against any of the men under charges and so * many to be taken back as are needed ] for the operation of the company's ' line. There is widespread rejoicing in ' the city over the settlement of the strike, which began Sunday morning 1 two weeks ago and has been the most i effective tie-up ever attempted in this ( city. Not a single passenger has been . carried on a car since it began and not a passenger car has gotten more ' than five blocks from a barn. The 1 credit for settlement is largely due to < W. S. Parkerson. who took up the | cause of the strikers yesterday morn- t ing and labored indefatlgably all night and all day, convincing them that they 1 could hope for nothing better and that they could not prevail against the : t maccn/i here United States ! 1 Senator Foster. Governor Heard and Mayor Capdeville were al! instrumental in some degree in bringing about the final result. An Agreement Readier. Birmingham. Ala., Special.?At a conference between the committee of district No. 20. United Mine Workers of America, and President J. C. Mason, of the Sloss Sheffield Steel and Irofc Company, with reference to ihe collection of assessments for the anthracite strikers from among the miners of that company, an amicable agreement was reached, both sides refuse to give out the details. May Ask For Federal Troops. Washington, Special.?The operators will make another determined effort to start up additional collieries next Monday and in case the militia cannot furnish the necessary protection for the men who want to go to work, and their families, a number of local operators will petition the Governor as to the advisability of catling on the President for Federal troops. Action of Belgian Miners. Charleroi, Belgium, Special?The na- J tional committee of the great Belgian n coal fields met Sunday and passed res- C olutions in favor of demanding an in- * crease of 15 per cent, in the wages of ^ coal miners, the object of the demand 0 being to create a reversion in favor of ? the striking coal miners in France and to prevent the supplying of Belgian c coal to France. " Railroad Reported Sold. Southern Pines, Special?It is report- ? ed here that E. W. Shedd, representing 0 Boston capitalists, has succeeded in 15 purchasing the Aberdeen & Rockfish n Railroad, which runs from Aberdeen to within a few miles of Fayetteyllle, and ^ which will form a portion of the ^ through line from Concord to Fayette- * ville, and known as the Moore County * & Western Railroad. In spite of the p fact that the Aberdeen & Rockfish ri Railway is doing a good business, it is * regarded as likely that the sale has n been made, and that important developments will be made public soon. * pun Boats Ordered Out. London, By Cable.?In a dispatch ' from Hamburg, the correspondent of A the Daily Mail says that on account of b the murder in Venezuela of Admiral t( -Russell, a German subject, and mana- ? ger of the Venezuela Plantation Com- bi pany, the German government has or- G dered the cruisers Vineta, Panther and 61 Gazelle to go to Venezuela. A dispatch t< received from Willemstadt yesterday, b said the Vineta already had arrived at j tl La Guiara. ? o i ' TROOPSORDEREDOUT strike Situation Grows More and More Critical ; i 'ENNSYLVAMA TROOPS ON DUTY. : rhc Soldiers Are Ordered to See to it That Every Person Who Uesires to Work Shall Be Protected. Harrisburg, Pa., Special.?General iraers placing the entire National luard of Pennsylvania on duty in the ilrike region were issued Tuesday rom division headquarters, which lave been established at the Commonwealth Hotel, in charge of Colonel iV:n. J. Elliott, assistant adjutant gen>ra.l of the Guard, who will remain iD , fsrrisburg until tbe troops are re:allad. The orders designate the loca ion of the three brigades and all of the i State troops will be in the field by Thursday. No effort is being made to jet the troops on duty within any spe- ! lial time limit, it being the desire of h? general officers to allow the solliers to arrange their private matters >efore going into the field. General Vliller .will be commander of the dirtsion. The formal order of General filler disposing of the National Guard n the various counties affected by the itrike says: "The division is hereby ordered on luty in the counties of Luzerne, Carx>n, Schuykill, Lackawanna, Su3quetanr.a, Northumberland and Columbia, .0 see that all men who desire to work ind their families have ample protecion, protect all trains and other propirty from unlawful interefence with ill persons engaging in acts of violence ?nd intimidation and hold them under |u#rd until their release will not enJanger the public peace; see that hreats, intimidations, assaults and all icts of violence cease at once, the pubic neace and Kood order will be pre served upon all occasions, and that no nterference whatsoever will be permitted with officers and men in the discharge of their duties." Mitchell Sees flanufacturers. BufTalo, N. Y., Special.?The confer?nce between the committee appointed >y the National Manufacturers' Associition and President Mitchell and his ieutenants held at the Iroquois Hotel ruesday afternoon did not result in ?ny definite plan being agreed upon for :ne partial resumption of work in the inthracite coal fields, but the members ?f the manufacturers' committee stated chat they were greatly pleased with the progress made. The fact that commulication was established with the opirators by long-distance telephone and ia appointment made to meet a comuittee representing them in Philadelphia is looked upon as significant. Mr. Mitchell positively declined to liscuss the request made by President Itoosevelt that Mitchell use his influsnce to induce the miners to reoume work with a promise of the appoiatnent of a commission to Investigate he miners' grievances. It was learned 'rom a reliable source, however, that Hr. Mitchell does not regard the propleition favorably and that he will dedine to ask the miners to resume work mder the conditions stipulated. When he conference adjourned the following iffioial statement was given out: "The committee of the National Aetoclation of Manufacturers has listenid to the present strike difficulty as offered by a special eommittee of the Jnited Mine Works, at the head of rhich was Mr. John Mitchell. The Naional Association of Manufacturers' ommittee has learned what it could >f the eonditiap and now goes to Pbilidelphia for the purpose of meeting a iommittee of mine operators with the ; dea of getting their side of the difIculty The National Association of i fanufacturers' committee carries no i iroposition from the mine workers ani las no other mission than the dealM < o speedily tiring about a settlement of he dispute." Engineer Roughly Handled. Shamokin, Pa., Special.?While ohn Colson, of Mahoning City, a i on-unionist engineer at the Reading lompany's Henry Clay shaft, was ralking to the collery he was atacked by a mob, one of whom hit him n head with a brick, while others j lubbed him into a state of insensi- ! ility. He was rescued from death by oal and iron police dispersing the , 10b. Refuse to Talk. New York, Special.?None of the r\ol nnopofnr. nroeent fit- tho mooting f the Temple Iron Company made a tatoment of what was done at the ( leeting. President Baer went from 1 ie conference to J. P. Morgan and i iter took a train for Philadelphia. A rominent dealer speaking of the 1 resent scarcity of soft coal said the I residents of the coal roads have 1 romised to relieve the situation by l ushing coal here. Domestic sizes of < nthracite were selling at $25 a ton ; ftail. Soft coal, wholesale at $8.75 a ; in, was selling at $10 to family and < t $9 to steam trade. Ordered to Investigate. New York, Special.?It was learned uesday that United States District ttorney Burnett has been Instructed y the Attorney General in Washingin to investigate the working of the i oal trust in his district, that of the authern half of New York State, eneral Burnett declined, however, to tate the nature of the investigation ) be made by him, or when it would e commenced. Further than to state lat such an Investigation had beer rdered, he would not talk. [ * \ OUR WONDEl^^^^^ Production of the Farms This Year Breaks All Records. The cointry's grain yield this year i will not only break all previous records, but it also bids fair to establish a figure that it will be difficult for any future year to equal. The various crops have now reached a stage where they are practically safe from the vagaries of the weather, and where the reports of acreage and conditions may be accepted as accurately indicating the actual harvest. The corn crop will, of course, surpass all others in its volume and value. The most conservative esti? - iJ o 4A3i nnn. mate places ine yiem ac i.u-^vDi.vuv bushels, or practically 1,000.000,000bushels larger than last year. The first year in which the corn cropreached a total of 1,000,000.000 bushels was 1870. In only six of the 32 years since than has the actual corn harvest been in excess of 2,000,000.000bushels. The present corn crop will surpass all of these record-breakingyears by something like a quarter of a billion bushels. So much attention has been given to the enormous com crop that the great yield of other cereals has been largely overlooked. Only one crop will show a yield smaller than that of last year. The wheat crop is estimated at 610.611.000 bushels, as against 748,<60.000 bushels harvested last year. The wheat crop of 1901, howevSi. was a record-breaker. The crop this year is largely in excess of the average yield. The estimate of 610,611.000 bushels compares with 522,230.000bushels in 1900, 547,304,000 bushels in 1899. 530,149,000 bushels in 1S96. The indications are that the other important cereal crops?oats, rye, barley and buckwheat?will all be in excess of last year's figures. The estimated yield of oats is 686,277,000 bushels. as compared with 736,809.000 bushels in 1901; the estimated yield of rye is 31.846,000 bushels, as against 30.345,000 bushels in 1901; in barley the estimate la 120.720.000 bushels, asagainst .109,933,000 bushels last year; while in buckwheat it is 13.376,000bushels, as against 15,125.000 bushels in 1901. When the figures for ail six of these crops are added together a most Impressive total is shown. The total es-* r tlmated yield for the six is no less than 4.141,911,000 bushels. The highest total ever shown before was 3, o7-,(iiu.uuu ousneis. It is difficult to overestimate, as a prominent financier stated a few days ago, what these enormous crops mean as a.Tecting the prosperity of this country. They are the most solid of the foundations beneath the superstructure of prosperity that the United States is now enjoying. Every channel of trade will receive its share of the enormous increase in purchasing power that has been added to this country through these immense crops. Government C<-op Report Washington, Special.?The monthly report of the statistician of the Department of Agriculture 3hows the avarage condition of corn on October 1 to have been 79.6 as compared with 52.1 a year ago. The preliminary estimate of the average yield of wheat is 14.4 bushels. The preliminary estimate of the average yield of corn per acre is 34.5 bushels as compared with 25.1 bushels a year ago. The preliminary estimate per acre of rye is 17.0 bushels as compared with 15.5 a year ago. The average condition of buckwheat is 85 compared with 86.7 last year. The improvement amounts to 4 points in Kentucky, 5 in Virginia. In tobacco, as compared with their respective 10 year average North Carolina is 7 and Virgina 9, and Ohio 2 points above, lennesse a pomis oeiuw. The average condition of potatoes on October 1 was 81.5, against 54 a year ago. As to the condition of sweet potatoes, Tennessee reports 1 point and South Carolina and Virginia 5 points above their respective 10-year averages. While Georgia reports 3 points, Texas 4, New Jersey 6, Florida 7, Louisiana 11, Mississippi 15 and Alabama 19 points below such average. All of the important sugar cane producing States except Texas, report conditions below their respective 10year averages. This reduction amounts to 2 points in Georgia, 6 in South Carolina-. 17 in Florida, 15 in Mississippi, and 15 in Alabama, while Texas is 2 points above such average. As to the condition of rice, Texas reports 11 points above and South Carolina, North Carolina 9 point sand Looisiana 2 points below their respective averages for the last 10 years, while the condition in Georgia is the same as such average. As to the condition of apples North Carolina reports S points, Illinois 9, Missouria 10, Pennsylvania 11, Maine 11, New York 15, Iowa 16, and Michigan 27 points above and Ohio 2. Inliana 3, Virginia 9, Tennessee 11, Kentucky 19 and Kansas 21 points below the mean of their averages for tbe last 7 years. Trust of Wholesale Grocers. St. Louis, Special.?The Inter-State Grocery, .of St. Louis will say that a combine, to include ?very wholesaler of groceries in the United States, is in the course of formation. That paper gives the following outline of the plan: "It Is proposed to take over the business of the entire line of wholesale grocers in the United States. One great corporai! mill nrlll Vtinr L1UU will uc iui uitu, m iiiv.u win uujr Dutright the business and good will of ill the firms. A central office for the iceommodation of the officers of the :ompsny will be maintained, probably n New York. Discards Invalid Chair. Washington, Special.?President and Mrs. Roosevelt went out for a drive in .n open landau. For the first time since lis illness, the President reached his arria.?e unassisted. Instead of being tarried down stairs in an invalid chair, :e came down upon crutches. He defended the steps in front of the bouse vithout assistance and crossed to the arriage. A large crowd in front of the lonse applauded as he took his seat he carriage. He acknowledged the meeting by raising hia hak I