and excitement of the people may be imagined, when, within four days after the second interment, six cases of smallpox had developed in the town. The outbreak of the disease was reported to the State Board of Health, which at once acted in conjunction with the local board to prevent the spread of the malady. The State Board of Health of Ohio was invited to cooperate, and responded promptly. The disease had been brought to Mason City by Roseberry from Pomeroy, Ohio, just opposite Mason City, where at first it had been taken for a bad form of chickenpox. A strict quarantine was established on both sides of the Ohio. Mason City was completely isolated. Inspection stations were established at a number of points in Ohio, and at Parkersburg, Ravenswood, Hartford City, West Columbia, and Point Pleasant, West Virginia. A strict guard was maintained. The epidemic developed rapidly among those who had been exposed. The whole number of cases in Mason City was fifty-seven, of whom six died. Eight other cases were reported outside of the city. Twenty-four houses were infected, but the contagion did not extend to a single new place after the establishment of quarantine. There were not wanting people to complain of the hardships of the quarantine, and to censure the health officers; but the State Board of Health sanctioned every act. The wisdom of the great power lodged in the boards of health was justified in the rapidity with which the authorities arrested the progress of this dread disease.

10. Decennial Progress (1880-1890). In the interval from 1880 to 1890 the population of the State increased from 618,443 to 762,794; railroad mileage increased to 1700 miles; value of live stock twenty-six per cent; value of nine chief farm products twenty-nine per cent; value of mineral wealth one hundred and fourteen per cent. The State was fourth among coal producing States in the Union; second in the production of coke; third in the production of petroleum; and the product of the forests yielded more wealth annually than the mines.

11. Election of 1892.-The election of 1892 resulted in the choice of William A. MacCorkle, the Democratic candidate for Governor, by a vote of 84,585 to 80,663 for the Republican candidate, Thomas E. Davis. The entire Democratic ticket was elected by practically the same vote: Isaac V. Johnson, Auditor; J. M. Rowan, Treasurer; Virgil A. Lewis, State Superintendent of Free Schools; and Thomas S. Riley, Attorney General.

CHAPTER XX.

MACCORKLE'S ADMINISTRATION (1893-1897).

1. Inauguration of State Officers.-Governor MacCorkle on the fourth day of March, 1893, took the oath of office and entered upon the duties of his office. The other executive officers also qualified and entered upon the discharge of their duties. The usual formalities of inauguration were observed.

2. Policy of Governor MacCorkle.-The new executive was a young man wide awake to the needs of the State, and the range of subjects to which he called the attention of the Legislature is extensive. Among the more important ones are the following: taxation by the Board of Public Works, in a manner similar to the taxation of railroads, of the business or franchise of telegraph, telephone, and express companies, doing an interstate business; taxation of sleeping cars; taxation of rolling stock leased by railroads which escapes taxation by reason of the legal title being in a non-resident trustee; the creation of the office of Commissioner of Insurance, and a general revision of the insurance laws; inspection and regulation of building and loan associations; laws providing for the appointment of fish and game wardens, and for the protection of game and the culture of fish in our streams; a reform school for girls; compulsory attendance of children at the public schools; county school-book boards; liberal appropriations to meet the needs of growing institutions; the disfranchisement of any voter convicted of selling his vote, and making him ineligible to hold any office.

3. Management of Public Institutions.-The first Legislature that met during this administration had a Republican

majority. The Legislature passed acts in a number of instances reorganizing the boards of state institutions, and requiring the Governor to make his appointments so as to give to each political party representation on these boards. In his message of 1897, Governor MacCorkle says: "The question of non-partisan boards has been thoroughly solved in this State. The system has been found to work even beyond the most sanguine expectations of its promoters. has never been a division on party lines

there The Gov

ernor gave a great deal of personal attention to the administration of the affairs of institutions. Not a charge of fraud or scandal was heard. The laudable aim was to secure to the State the full benefit of every dollar expended, and to secure a strictly pure and unselfish service from officials and employes, without regard to personal or political connections. The Governor cordially entered into the spirit of reorganization brought forward by his Republican Legislature, and carried out the reforms so as to give to the institutions the greatest degree of efficiency free from the influence of politics.

4. Riot at Eagle.-On the 28 of February, 1893, a conflict took place at Eagle, in Fayette County, between some striking miners and the Wyant Coal and Coke Campany, in which one man was killed and several injured. The sheriff asked for troops. A battalion was sent to his assistance. The trouble continued for same time during which a number of persons were injured; a bridge was burned; threats of the destruction of private property were indulged in; and some attempts are reported to have been made to carry out these "The presence of the troops," says the Governor, "prevented further hostilities," and the sheriff was enabled to arrest the disturbers and convey them to jail to be dealt with by the courts.

5. The Military in Marshall County.-Early in June, 1894, the sheriff of Marshall County, as well as a number of prominent citizens, telegraphed the Governor that there was a riot