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| Topeka State Mental Hospital. |
Cortland Evening Standard, Friday, May 8, 1903.
WATER CURE IN KANSAS.
Refractory Patients Subjected to the Torture.
Topeka, Kan., May 8.—It has been customary to administer the "water cure" to refractory patients at the Topeka asylum for the insane, according to the testimony of Miss Knox of Topeka, given before the legislative investigation committee.
Miss Knox said the "water cure" frequently was administered while she was an attendant at the asylum. She was employed there during Governor Stanley's first term. The head attendant of the ward in which she worked was Miss Houston, who left the institution when she married. It was by the orders of Miss Houston, according to the testimony of Miss Knox, that the "water cure" was administered.
"How was the water cure administered to the patients?" inquired M. S. Jenks of the committee.
"When a patient refused to obey the orders given by Miss Houston," said Miss Knox, "the attendants were ordered by her to throw a sheet over the patient's head and draw her to the floor. While the attendants held the patient Miss Houston poured water out of a pan into the patient's face. The water was poured until the patient agreed to obey orders."
"Was this done very often?" asked Mr. Jenks.
"Yes," was the reply. "It occurred very often in the time Miss Houston was attendant, which was the first year I was there."
"Did the patients struggle to get away?" asked the attorney.
"Of course," answered Miss Knox, "but there were always enough people around to hold them."
ITALIANS WONT WORK.
Agreement of Federation Committee and Contractors Repudiated.
New York, May 8.—Sweeping aside the pleading of Chevalier Branchi, Italian consul general, Port Warden James E. March and officials of the Central Federation of Labor, 15,000 striking Italian laborers voted almost unanimously not to return to work in the city subway until they are assured of $2 for eight hours work.
This means that no arbitration agreement entered into by the committee of federation and subway contractors Tuesday is repudiated. Not a stroke of work will be done in the subway today as was promised by the committee, and another handicap is enforced against the already crippled building operations of the city.
Immediately after the meeting the police were called to suppress a demonstration at 118th street and Second avenue.
Only one thing remains to be done according to sub-contractors. As soon as the formal reply of the union is received they will seek non-union labor wherever it can be found. This means, according to some authorities, other Italian laborers who would be willing to accept $1.87 1/2 for 10 hours work, or $1.50 for eight hours work, negroes from the South and even from the West Indies.
It was thought the subway men would accept the arbitration idea and Herman Robinson, organizer of the Rockmen and Excavators' union, had so stated. In this he was backed up by Vito Pacelli, leader of the Italians. According to them, the votes in the various unions had shown this tendency. But at the meetings the men simply ran away from all control.
The arbitration agreement bound 4,000 subway laborers, and of course did not include 11,000 other men who have left the various private and public enterprises of the city.
TO TERRORIZE MINERS.
Gun that Fires 1,200 Shots a Minute Tested in West Virginia.
Raleigh, W. Va., May 8.—The Gatling gun which has been mounted on a tower forty feet high on a mountain overlooking the mines of the Raleigh Coal company and commanding all approaches to the mines, was tested today. The gun shoots 1,200 times a minute and for twenty-five minutes sent forth a stream of fire into the dense forest on the opposite mountain. After the firing had ceased, the mountain looked as though a cyclone had struck it, the underbrush being entirely cut away and large trees literally riddled with half pound balls.
While this was intended as the test of the mechanism of the gun, it was also for the purpose of striking terror to the 400 minors encamped upon the adjoining hills.
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| Bagdad Railroad. |
PAGE FOUR—EDITORIAL.
The Bagdad Railroad.
Despite the fact that the British government has announced its intention not to participate with Germany in the building of the Bagdad railroad, it is improbable that the scheme will be abandoned, and Great Britain can hardly afford to have it carried into effect without her participation. Doubtless better terms will be offered by Germany and the British government will probably change its mind.
The opening of this great highway of oriental commerce would undoubtedly produce International complications of a peculiarly interesting character and might bring about an entirely new alignment of the European powers interested in the project. The self-interests of Russia are against the building of this line, while German, French and British interests in Asia would be greatly benefited by it, and hence western Europe is drifting into the same united opposition to the Muscovite empire which existed half a century ago, at the time of the Crimean war. The Bagdad road would conflict with Russia's cherished plan of pushing two lines of its own down through Persia and from some point on the Black sea, both to the Persian gulf. These would give the Russian railway system direct entrance on the Persian gulf and the Indian ocean over routes closed to western Europe.
On the other hand, Germany wishes Asia Minor opened by railroads where now German capital is heavily involved in railroads which are unprofitable because they are not through lines. France wishes to continue its control of Syria, its traditional sphere of influence. England desires to keep its supremacy in the Persian gulf.
The Bagdad railroad going the length of Asia Minor and down the Euphrates to the Persian gulf, with a line connecting with Damascus, where a French railroad ends, gives all these various interests their opportunity while it shuts out Russia.
It will be rather interesting to watch the political complications which follow development of European commerce in Asia even though the United States may have no especial concern over the project.
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| Attorney Rowland Davis. |
LOCAL PERSONALS.
Arthur Saunders went to New York this morning.
Rowland L. Davis went to Ithaca this morning.
Chief of Police Irving Barnes spent the day in Syracuse.
Claude Anthony left this morning for a short visit at his home in Hanover, Penn.
Superintendent of Public Works Becker made a business trip to Syracuse today.
Miss Jennie Bush of Dryden is visiting her friend Miss Ada Wright of Cleveland-st., Cortland.
Rev. E. P. Brigham of Conklin Center is visiting his brother Rev. Geo. H. Brigham, 8 Charles-st., Cortland.
Wm. H. Lee, the eminent baritone of New York City, will sing in the Presbyterian church Sunday morning.
Mrs. Willis H. Peters, who has been visiting her cousin Mrs. G. J. Mager, has returned to her home in Norwalk, O.
Richard Gleason and Daniel Grant left yesterday afternoon for Princeton, where they are for a few days to be the guests of the football management.
Dr. L. S. Ingalls and Dr. L. T. White attended the Sixth district dental convention at Binghamton yesterday, the former as a member of the association, the latter as a visitor.
Miss Grace Todd, who is to speak in the First M. E. church on Sunday morning next, arrived today and will be entertained in the home of Mrs. Geo. W. Edgcomb while in the city. Miss Todd makes an address in McGraw tonight.
Mrs. E. F. Gensheimer, son Julian, and daughter Pauline went to Auburn this morning to spend a few days and Mr. Gensheimer will join them Saturday. On Sunday occurs the golden wedding anniversary of Mrs. Gensheimer's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Kosters, and the event is to be fittingly observed.
Mrs. Charles Erway returned from New York City on Wednesday accompanied by her daughter Miss Mary Erway, who is a teacher in the largest grammar school there. Miss Erway's New York physician ordered her to take an immediate rest, as her nerves are in a critical condition, caused from over work. She hopes to be able to return to her school duties by the first of June.
MISS IDA C. BEAUDRY
General agent for the Magoris Home Treatment Co., left Cortland Monday for her work. Syracuse will be her headquarters for the present. Persons wishing to obtain the Magoris goods will find a complete line at Mrs. H. H. Pomeroy's, 14 West Court-st., Cortland.
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| Prof. William M. Booth, Science Department, Cortland Normal School. |
TEST OF CITY WATER.
Remarkably Fine Record as Compared With Other Water.
Prof. W. M. Booth has sent to the board of health the following letter in regard to a recent analysis of the Cortland city water which shows a marvelous record for purity as compared with water from the sealed Groton-ave. well which has been so prominently before the public eye in recent weeks and which was tested at the same time:
Cortland, N. Y., May 7, 1903.
Dr. E. M. Santee, Cortland, N. Y.
My dear doctor—April 30 at 7 a. m. I sowed cultures with Groton-ave. and with Cortland city water. The medium used was nutrient gelatin ( plus 15, i. e., 15 degrees of acidity). The Miquel flasks were allowed to stand at the temperature of the room until last evening, the 6th, at 7:30 o'clock. Upon counting I was able unaided by the microscope to count 300 colonies in the flask containing one cubic centimeter of Groton-ave. water, one colony in one flask containing Cortland city water and none in the second flask containing Cortland city water. Several (20) of the colonies of the Groton-ave. well water are undoubtedly of sewage origin. I have no proof of typhoid colonies.
Very respectfully,
William M. Booth.
How the Test Was Made.
In making the tests conical flasks are used four inches in diameter at the base and with removable globular tops. The nutrient gelatin is prepared as follows: one pound of lean meat macerated twenty-four hours with distilled water. The product is strained into a water bath boiler, and peptone, salt and the best grade of gelatin added in order to make the conditions most favorable for the growth of bacteria found in the water. The liquid solution is made acid. The solution is then sterilized at intervals of twenty-four hours. The instruments used for transferring the water are also sterilized in a similar manner, along with cotton to plug the top of the Miquel flask. One cubic centimeter of suspected water is then transferred to the flask, thus sowing the cultures.
It will be noted that in the test made and referred to in Prof. Booth's letter the flasks were kept in the ordinary temperature of the room, and it will be remembered that last week the temperature was low and not well adapted to the numerous growth of cultures. If the temperature of the room bad approximated 71 degrees Fahrenheit a much larger number of cultures would have developed if the germs had been present in the water to develop.
Cultures May be Typhoid.
It is also noted that Prof. Booth says he has no evidence of typhoid colonies in the water. There are three forms of germs that proceed from sewage and are often found in water, and they are so much alike in their appearance that experts have found it impossible to distinguish between them. The germs discovered in the water by Prof. Booth are of this kind. They may be the typhoid fever germs or they may be either of the other two varieties. Consequently, Prof. Booth says he has no evidence that they are typhoid fever germs. But probably no one would like to drink that water to make the test and see by the results in himself whether or not they were typhoid germs.
BREVITIES.
—Dillon Bros. will hold a reception in Red men's hall tonight.
—The Normal track team will go to Ithaca tonight and will meet the track team of Ithaca High school tomorrow morning.
—Mrs. George P. Hollenbeck entertained a small company of ladies at a thimble bee and tea yesterday afternoon at her home, 10 Church-st.
—Today is ''Arbor Day," and a beautiful day it is too. Appropriate exercises have been held in all of the schools, along with tree planting in some instances.
—The Iron Trade Review for April 30 contains an article upon the new open-hearth plant and the rod mill of Wickwire Brothers in Cortland, together with ten large size pictures of exterior and interior.
—The bowling contest which was to have occurred tonight at J. F. Dowd's alley between the A. O. U. W. teams of Cortland and Syracuse has been postponed until some date yet to be agreed upon next week, on account of the inability of the Syracuse team to come tonight.
—The new display advertisements today are: The First National Bank, Banking, etc., page 5; Parmiter & Southwick, Electrical supplies, page 6; N. J. Peck, Furniture, page 5; M. A. Case, Dry goods, page 6; McKinney & Doubleday, Hammocks, porch shades, etc., page 5.
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