Chemical Gases
to Kill Pests
* - ----------------------------------------------------
Chemical W arfare Service Co­
operates With Agricultural and
Interior Departments.
WAR ON RODENTAND INSECT
Permanent Artillery Against the Boll
Weevil and Other Pests Hoped for
—Research Work Since the War
Has Been Fruitful.
Washington.—The War department
has recently asked the secretary of
agriculture and the secretary of the
Interior to co-operate with the
chemical warfare service of the army
In devising peace-time gases to com­
bat the boll weevil and other civic
and Industrial pests. It Is the belief
of the army that so many new chemical
gases and other chemical products
have been developed as a result of re­
search work since the war that at
last the government Is In a position
to extend the hope that it may be able
not only to exterminate the rodents that
Infest the disease breeding quarters of
cities, but be able as well to cope
with and destroy the rodents and in­
sects that destroy the agricultural
crops.
The developments of war must be
the Implements of peace, according to
Brigadier General Amos A. Fries,
chief of chemical warfare of the army.
Accordingly, the chemical warfare ser­
vice has begun a campaign to develop
gases that will attack and exterminate
not only the rats that Infest sewers,
but the bugs and worms that eat up
the leaves and fruits of various agri­
cultural products.
Blackbirds a P est
At present, the army Is working on
a request from Representative Philip
D.
Swing,
of
Imperial
Valley,
California, In the hope of finding some­
thing that will exterminate the black­
bird pest In that community.
Congressman Swing was a recent
visitor nt the Edgewood Arsenal, at
Edgewood, Marylnnd, where the
chemical warfnre gas research Is be­
ing carried on. lie had already asked
the government to devise some preven­
tive against the blackbirds, lie com­
plained that the blackbirds bred In
millions in the delta of the Colorado
river, Just below the Grand Canyon,
and caine over in raid-summer to dev­
astate the kafilr corn fields sowed by
the farmers of the famous Imperial
Valley.
As a result of Ills visit he was as­
sured that the Chemical Warfare
Service could devise n poison that
would kill some of the birds and drive
off the others. lie was told, however,
that to use It the fanners would have
to content themselves with using their
products for food and fodder alone, as
the chemicals would destroy the re­
seeding value of the fruit. In re­
sponse, tlie congressman pointed out
that as things stand the farmers get
neither food nor seed. Mr. Swing was
assured that the government would
undertake a new series of experiments
to attempt to develop sometlilng that
would both protect the grain and Its
re-seeding qualities.
The effectiveness of chemical war­
fare ugalnst rodents had already been
proven. The army recently sent a
group of experts to Cuba with chemi­
cals and Instruments for destroying
rats nnd other vermin. The result
of tlielr efforts Is reported to have
been most satisfactory.
Come From Coal Tar.
Many of the chemicals used by the
government’s synthetic chemists In
tanking up the formulas for wiping out
these nuisances come from basic pro­
ducts developed from coal tar. It Is
because of the Importance of this
product In chemical warfare that the
government is Inclined to encourage
the new American dyes Industry which
has grown up In this country since the
war. Trior to the war, practically all
of the aniline dyes were German made
products. The German research chem­
ists had the. secret formulas nec­
essary to develop such products and
there was no Industry In the United
States able to cope with them equally.
In addition to the Importance of the
dye Industry to the first by-products
that go to make up both belligerent
and peace-time chemical warfare, the
government Is greatly dependent upon
the personnel of the dye factories and
other such Industries for Its war-time
personnel. In w’ar time as well as
in peace It Is a question not only of
getting chemists who can master such
problems of composition but also of
getting trained labor that can handle
the great manufacturing processes.
It has been an experience of the
government, as well us o f commercial
Industries, that. In chemical work
trained labor can save what are some
times dangerous losses of material
and, In nddltlon, can make practical
suggestions to the chemists that
they never before had thought of.
The present plans of the War de­
partment are to get from the Depart­
ment of Agriculture nnd the Depart­
ment of the Interior such suggestions
as they may care to make on the peace­
time work to be done against rodents
nnd pests and then turn the wur-tlme
forces of the array to work against
them.
Both the Agriculture nnd
Interior departments are working on
the new problems and efforts are be­
ing made to get from the farmers of
the country and from the heads of
city governments suggestions as to the
best problems against which to use
the new chemical developments.
Wife Starts Distillery,
Husband Asks Divorce.
Toppenish.—Charges that his
wife “opened op a distillery” are
Included In the cross complaint
filed today by W. B. Gunnoe In
answer to the suit for divorce
Instituted by his wife, Bessie
Gunnoe.
Gunnoe, who Is deputy coun­
ty game warden and was former­
ly connected with the govern­
ment force fighting predatory
animals, says that he dutifully
brought home his pay check
right along and was assured by
his wife that she used his earn­
ings to pay the household bills.
In reality, he asserts, she
spent the money In riotous liv­
ing with one R. N. Brown. Gun­
noe alleges that his wife bade
him good-by In December, 1919,
and that for two weeks there­
after lived with Brown, return­
ing to Toppenish to "open a dis­
tillery.”
JUDGE PADDLES 4 TRUANTS
Takes Off Shoe In Court and Applies
It With Vigor In Historic
Way.
$300,000 U. S. GRANT ASKED
Evil Can Be Overcome by Removing
Currants and Gooseberries From
Nearby Areas— 15 States En­
gaged in Battle.
Washington.—Blister rust has been
doing such damuge to the white pine
forests of the country that concerted
action is being taken to overcome the
evil by the United States forest serv­
ice and the United States burenu of
plant Industry, the forest departments
of 15 states, the New York Association
of State Foresters and the conserva­
tion commission.
Millions of dollars worth of the
white pine timber will be Injured and
great areas of the white pine forests
killed unless prompt work Is done In
carrying out the method that has
proved effective In the eradication of
the white pine blister rust, says the
conservation commission. In a bulletin
Issued from Albany.
The white pine Is recognized as the
most valuable timber tree of the east­
ern United States. The white pine
blister rust which attacks It wns
brought from Europe. It Is said this
"Infectious disease’’ can be controlled
and eventually eradicated by the re-
Hays Inspecting a New Mail Truck
The finest motor transport service In the world. Is the goal set by Poet-
master General Hays for the motor service of the poetoffice department Mr.
Hays Is shown Inspecting one of the 3.000 government-owned trucks received
from the War department. In the center of the group Is Ralph II. Matthles-
son of New York, who hns l»<en appointed special assistant to Mr. Hays for
the purpose of reorganising the service.
A troop train filled with Spanish soldiers. Is shown leaving Madrid for Santander, there to take ship for Me-
■llla and fight against the Moors.
Trawler Sails
to Find Riches
* ------------------------- ----------------------------
Kansas City.—Judge E. E. Porter­
field, presiding over the Juvenile court,
moment the steamer listed on her side
stopped a session of that court, re­ Crew of Twenty Hopes to Sal­ and wallowed In the heavy swell.
moved one of his low shoes and
vage $2,000,000 From Wreck
The Admiral Farragut of the Amer­
spanked four Juvenile delinquents with
ican
Mall Steamship line had rammed
of Steamer.
It.
her amidships, shearing a hole in her
The four boys, In court for truancy
side big enough for a tugboat to enter,
from school, told the Judge they
and now the two ships lay locked In a
would not go to school and asked him
deadly embrace.
to send them to the McCune home,
Wireless Calls for Help.
the county home for youthful offenders.
The Merida’s wireless set was
The Judge sent out for a suitable stick, U ser Merida Rammed Amidships by smashed, a id she lay helpless and
the Admiral Farragut Off the Vir­
but none could be found. He then
mute, but the Farragut backed away
used his shoe.
ginia Capes—Treasure Went
In the fog and began to lower away
“Wbat about school now?” he asked
Down With Vessel, but No
boats. Although the Farragut had a
when he had replaced the shoe.
Lives Lost
long ragged hole In her bow, her bulk­
The four agreed to return to school.
heads held and she was able to send
F ifteen men on the dead m an's chest. out wireless calls for assistance while
To ho ho and a b ottle ot rum.
her boats were being lowered to take
Drink and the devil had done for the
off the passengers o f the sinking
rest.
Merida. Captain Robertson spoke
To ho ho and a b ottle of rum.
words of encouragement to the pas­
New York.—But there was no roar­ sengers, who ran about the decks
ing crew of drunken buccaneers on overcome with fright, and only half
board the steam trawler Ripple as clad. But the captain’s calm voice re­
Captain Carmichael, a serious, stocky stored order, and lifeboats were low­
man with steady eyes and a black mus­ ered In drtll-llke fashion, while he su­
tache, climbed the short ladder to the perintended the launching and told
moval of currants and gooseberries trawler’s wee bridge and bawled, "Cast them the Meridn would not sink for
from all areas within 200 yards of off!” Deck hands unlooped the lines several hours.
white pine forests. A federal appro­ from the ancient bollards on Pier 3,
The accident took place not long
priation of $300,000 Is sought for dem­ North river, the propeller wash swirled after the famous Republlc-Florlda dis­
onstrating methods of control to pine ! under the sturdy little ship’s counter, aster, and Captain Robertson and
owners. In co-operation with the states, and with a lusty cheer from the crew Chief Officer George W. Nordstrom
and for strictly enforcing the federal the dingy looking hulk steamed down were anxious to get the passengers off
quarantine prohibiting shipments of the river and out to sea.
as promptly as possible without loss
blister rust host plants.
The treasure-hunting cruise was un­ of life. All hands were In the boats
Flftsen States Represented.
In 22 minutes save the captain and
der way.
The Association of State Foresters
Had Robert Louis Stevenson stood chief officer. In the hurry of the oc;
having made a three-day tour of In­ on the wharf and watched this Twen­ caslon, the purser, who alone had the
spection In Essex and Warren coun­ tieth century Hlspanola puff down­ combination of the ship's safe, had
ties, studying white pine blister rust stream and fade away In the harbor left the ship, and when the Merida
Infections, a meeting was called at mists, he would no doubt have gone did not sink so rnpldly as expected.
which were present representatives of straightaway to his desk and woven Captain Robertson and Mr. Nordstrom
the forest departments of California, from the fact, instead of fancy, a tale made every effort to break into the
Oregon, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Ohio, of treasure trove as gripping as safe with axes. But the heavy doors
New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, “Treasure Island.” At first glance the of the strongbox glanced off the
New Hampshire, Maine, Massachu­ facts might seem less romantic to a blows of ax and sledge, and the two
setts, Connecticut, New Jersey, Mnry- staid observer, but IL L. S. would find officers finally left the ship with empty
lnnd and Delaware; also of the United characters among the Ripple’s crew of hands at 5:20 o'clock.
Twenty-five
States forest service and United States more than twenty, as fascinating as minutes later there was a last gurgle
bureau of plant Industry.
Long John Silver, the Doctor, the and whirl as the rammed ship nosed
The conservation committee’s work Squire, Jim Hawkins and Billy Bones. under and pitched to the bottom In
the last four years In connection with To be sure, the Ripple had no pirati­ 210 feet of water.
white pine blister rust was carefully , cal parrot to scream, “Pieces of eight,
The passengers were picked up by
Investigated.
pieces of eight 1” but, none the less, the Farragut, herself near sinking, and
Under the guidance of Clifford R. there will be quiet conversations In later transferred to the Old Dominion
Pettis, superintendent of state forests, the fo’c’sle of the clink of Mexican liner. Hamilton, which brought them
nnd William G. Howard, anslstnnt su­ gold and the heavy clink of silver bul­ into New York with only the clothes
perintendent, the extensive forests of lion, and although there Is no wallet- on their backs.
white pine In Essex county were ex- ! worn chart of Treasure Island with
Captain Robertson has since died
nmlned to note the Infections of the Its three red crosses and Skeleton nnd Captain Nordstrom, who was first
blister rust, nnd Its distribution from Island and Spy Glass hill, yet there officer of the treasure ship. Is now the
pine trees to currant nnd gooseberry are those on board who saw the $2,000,- only man who accurately knows the
bushes, and back to the pine; and the 000 treasure burled.
position of the Merida, where she lies
disastrous effect of these Infections.
with holds bulging with rich bullion.
Buried Ten Years Ago.
There was found every gradation be­
Rockefeller Falls at Salvage.
This
treasure
was
burled
ten
long
tween trees wholly killed and recent
An
attempt was made In 1816 to sal­
years
ago,
and
not
by
blowing,
swear­
Infection, Including partly killed trees.
vage the valuables, but the expedition
In some of the cases damage wns re­ ing, cutlass-bearing pirates, but the
which was said to have been backed
ported as almost equivalent to a forest ocean Itself, and the Ripple's treasure
by Percy Rockefeller nnd James A.
Island
Is
one
that
would
not
scratch
fire.
the hull of the deepest ship, for It lies Stillman, ex-president of the National
Resolution Adopted.
City bank, was unsuccessful, partly
The resolution adopted by the asso­ 35 fathoms under the surface of the
ciation, which will be sent to congress, sea. 55 miles east and one-half north on account of heavy weather and
partly because the navigators did not
the United States Department of Agri­ of Cape Charles.
have the correct position of the treas­
The
story
of
the
“burying”
of
this
culture and to state officials, says;
“The association strongly urges that treasure Is not a long one, and not so ure ship.
A short time ago a syndicate was
a federal appropriation of $300,000 be dreadful as It might have been, for
formed to search for the treasure, and
made for demonstrating methods of not a single life was lost.
May 12, 1911, the Ward liner Merida, It is this syndicate which fitted out
control to pine owners In co-operation
with the states, and for strict enforce­ a crack 19-knot twin-screw steamer the Ripple which sailed recently. This
ment of the federal quarantine prohib­ hound from Havana via Vera Crus for expedition has the co-operation of
iting shipments of blister rust host New York, was lurching through the Captain Nordstrom, and, with expert
dark 50 or 60 miles off the Virginia divers and a new type of diving suit
plants.
capes.
She carried 300 passengers, 21 recently Invented which is said to
"It Is recommended that states with
firs leased pine Interests take Immedi­ tout of bar silver, kegs of gold coin, make possible work at depths never
ate steps to bring the danger from this vsluable Jewelry, and a rich cargo of
disease to public attention through copper and lead from the Mexican
It was whispered about on
suitable publications and other means mines.
and to appropriate adequate funds for board that $2,000.000 would hardly buy j Pistols Used in
;
the shining stuff packed deep in the
the control of the disease."
>
Duel
for
Baby
;
The association also adopted resolu­ holds.
—
Î
It was an ugly night, pitch dark, •
tions advocating the passage of a bill
»
Geneva.—A revolver duel for !
before congress making an appropria­ made mora opaque by a thick fog « the possession of a baby daugh- J
tion of $150,000 for the control of the that rolled In toward the capes and * ter has taken place at Bregenz. !
pine hark beetle on government-owned wrapped everything In a clammy ! on Lake Constance, between the J
lands In Oregon and California, and blanket. Eight bells—midnight—had * father and mother, a wealthy «
favoring the retention of the foreat clang-clanged over the ship some time « couple, named Keller, divorced J
service In the Department of Agricul­ l>efora, reaching the ears of the watch J a few months ago at the demand »
officer on the bridge in muffled tones,
ture.
‘
and he struck his hands together t of the husband.
J
It Is charged that the young »
smartly
and
peered
Into
the
black
Good Year for Groundhogs.
The quartermaster stepped # and pretty wife, aided by her J
Reading. Pa.—Thia la a great year ahead.
through
the
darkness to the bell lan­ J chauffeur, who waa the cause of *
for groundhogs. In ordinary years
• the divorce, entered the Keller *
many baby groundhogs are drowned yard to give It a single stroke, for
t villa at midnight and revolver *
when heavy summer rains flood the the dim clock In the wheelhouse stood » In hand, demanded the child. !
at
12:30
In
the
morning.
But
the
gong
holes In the hillsides. There have
i Several shots were exchanged J
been no such rains since the 1921 crop never sounded, for at that moment
J and the husband fell, wounded a
of groundhogs arrived, and the little came a rending crash that pitched offi­ ! In both arms.
»
fellows In Berks county all promise cer and man to the deck and brought
J
The mother took the baby a
Captain
Robertson
running
to
the
to reach maturity. Mother ground­
a from its bed. carried It to the J
hogs with large families In tow are bridge.
a
The Merida staggered, the engine J automobile and disappeared.
reported to be emerging from the bur­
telegraph clanged "Stop,” and the next
—
.„» .J
rows to feast In the clover fields.
Fighting Pine
Blister
«------:- Rust
-----
Imported “ Infectious Disease”
Has Caused Much Damage
Throughout Country.
Spanish Troops Starting for the Moroccan War
WAS BURIED TEN YEARS AGO
leached before, expects to be success­
ful.
The Ripple was chartered and fitted
out at Pier 3. Under command of
Captain Carmichael she also car­
ries Captains Nordstrom and M. Ruy-
grok, both experienced “deep sea”
officers, these latter being the wreck­
ing masters who will have charge of
the salvage operations. The trawler
carries wireless and a crew of 25, In­
cluding three divers, one of whom Is
Frank Crllly, who was chief diver In
the salvage work of raising the United
States naval submarine E-4, which
sank off Waikiki beach, Honolulu, In
300 feet of water. Ctllly has worked
at greater depths than any other
diver has ever done, and with the
Merida lying In 35 fathoms, and with
her position known, he expects the sal­
vage expedition to be successful.
The men behind the treasure hunt­
ing cruise of the Ripple, while they
have faith enough In the practicability
of the expedition to lend It their
backing, do not regard success as a
foregone conclusion. They look upon
It as a chance, but one well worth
taking, since If so well-equipped and
managed an expedition falls It will
prove once for all that the rich bul­
lion of the Merida Is beyond all re­
covery.
Expedition Kept Secret
Because they regard It as a chance
expedition, they have so far kept their
intentions secret.
Among the men who are backing the
expedition are said to be Converse F.
West of 47 Beaver street and L. F.
Gotham of 15 Park row, who are
reported to have taken up the ex­
pedition as a personal and private ven­
ture.
The trawler Ripple, although per­
haps lacking the piratical air that a
good treasure hunting ship Should pos­
sess, makes up In stoutness of appear­
ance what she lacks In adventurous
mien. She was built In 1910 at Fort
River, Mass., for A. Elder & Co,, at
Boston, and at the outbreak of the
war was taken over by the navy for
use as a mine sweeper. She measures
a trifle over 114 feet In length and
has a beam of 22 feet 5 inches and a
draft of 11 feet 6 inches. Her decks
are littered with salvage gear. On
the starboard side forward Is lashed
a specially built air compressor and
large reserve tank to supply air to
the divers, and on the port side she
carries a 28-foot motor boat to be
used as an auxiliary.
Among the crew Is Tommy Jonkers,
protagonist In William McFee's “Cas­
uals of the Sea,” and Tommy Is
tricked out In the uniform of second
mate, an old Job to him.
But despite Tommy’s high place In
literature he Is as uncommunicative
as the Sphinx concerning the cruise
of the Ripple. He meets all questions
with a blank smile. "What’s that
gear for, Tommy?”
Tommy smiles
grimly. “What time does the Ripple
sail, Tommy?” Not a word In reply.
And then In a sudden burst of com­
passion Tommy says: "Ask Captain
Carmichael.
I don’t know a thing
about IL Ask him.” As a news source
Tommy is a notorious failure.
Although at the time of the sinking
of the Merida the treasure In her
holds was reported to be worth $2.000,-
000, Mr. West said that this valuation
was In Mexican dollars, and that In
fact the actual value at present was
probably less.
Florida to P-oduca Silk.
S t Augustine, Fla.—Florida soon
will be producing raw silk on an ex­
tensive scale, the result of experiments
conducted here during the last four
years by Dr. Thomas Deramphlllls,
who also had studied silk conditions In
Raly and Asia. Doctor DePamphllils
asserts Florida has many advantages
He has on his place now 2.000.000 silk
trays, which are expected soon to be
producing 10.000 pounds of raw silk
every 40 days.
Youth Fined for Painting Dog.
Denver, Col.—Jack Conger, eighteen
years old was fined $10 and costs af­
ter he had been found guilty of apply­
ing a coat of paint to a dog. Conger,
witnesses said, waa painting a fence
at No. 1165 East Twelfth avenue, when
a fox terrier approached him. Conger
seized the dog, applied a coat of yel­
low paint to him and released him.
Only Bulgarian Healthy May Wad.
Pofls. Bulgaria.—The draft of a
public health law, placed before parlia­
ment by the Bulgarian government, re­
quires that all persons desiring to m ar
ry shall produce a doctor’s certificate
showing their state of health.