Items of Interest October 21, 1905 Issue

Items of Interest

A petition signed by fifteen hundred summer guests at the White Mountains and asking that a special session of the State Legislature be called to consider "the best methods of preventing the impending devastation of the forests on the Presidential Range," has been sent to Governor John McLane of New Hampshire. The petition says in part: "It seems to your petitioners that this noble range should be kept as a State park and a monument to New Hampshire's foresight and liberality. side from the importance of the forests to the water supply of this and other New England States, and aside from the pleasure which their beauty gives to those that visit them, they are important to the State itself in many ways, among which not the least is the annual revenue they bring its citizens by attracting summer visitors. This revenue is put in jeopardy by the destruction of the forests—and that without any adequate compensation from the mere sale of lumber. In view of the alarming rapidity with which the cutting has proceeded in the last two years, and is now proceeding, we believe that any action to be effectual should be immediate."

President Roosevelt has directed, or will direct, that proceedings be commenced to put an end to the bridge monopoly at St. Louis by action against the fourteen railroad companies which own the system. The old Eads bridge became the property of the Terminal Company. The monopoly was so offensive that the business men of St. Louis built the Merchants' bridge, with a proviso for perpetual competition. Now the Terminal Company has acquired the Merchants' bridge and the only ferry, and the company levies a tribute of twenty-five cents for each passenger over either bridge and a heavy toll for each car. Under the charter the Merchants' bridge may be taken over by the Government.

President Roosevelt recently called together for a conference at the White House a number of the prominent athletic directors and coaches of college sports for the purpose of considering and advocating measures that will eliminate professionalism, money-making, and brutality in college games. His slogan is "clean sport." the President has suggested the adoption of drastic rules in an intercollegiate code, under which any college team guilty of brutality or unsportsmanlike conduct shall be excluded from participating in contests with other colleges.

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