davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-05-02
PHOTOGRAPHiNG STARS

| A Plausible Scheme to Secure q Picture OF
the Entire Heavens.
A combined effort is now being made
to secure a representation of the entire
surface of the heavens by photography.
A congress met in Paris. under the
presidency of Admiral Mouchez, con-
sisting of astronomers from all parts
| of the world, and the conditions under
which this stupendous survey of the
| universe was to be undertaken were
then decided on. The operations are
| divided among a number of observa-
| tories situated over the world, and
each of them undertakes to photograph
on plates of a uniform size q certain
region of the heavens.
The work has been entered upon
with the heartiest enthusiasm, and ere
many years have elapsed we may an
ticipate being in possession of what
will practically be a photograph of
tn entire heavens. This great piece
of work will provide us with the
means of making a reasonably COM
plete inventory of the entire contents
of that small portion of the universe
which lies within the reach of our in
struments. That all the stars which
can be exhibited on long exposed plates
shall ever be completely catalogued is
task as much beyond our power to
obtain as it would be to obtain de-
scriptive list of the several pebbles on
sea beach or of the several leaves in
an ample forest.
The more modest scheme has, how
ever, been suggested of taking the two
million brightest stars and forming a
complete catalogue of them, in which
their brightness and their absolute po-
sitions in the Heavens shall be given
with all attainable precision. Even
this is a sufficiently magnificent under
taking, but it is within the practical
limits of scientific enterprise, and
it ought to be dOne-it must
be done. Not alone is it our mani
fest duty to obtain a comprehensive
survey of that universe around us, but
there are many other special astro-
nomical problems that will be largely
forwarded by its accomplishment.
There are some problems indeed which
must remain unsolved SO long as this
task remains.
10 mention only a single one of the
questions for which the great survey is
imperatively demanded, may refer to
the interstellar motion of our solar
system. 1t is well known that our sun,
accompanied by the whole system of
planets, is at present bound on a voy-
age through space. Astronomy pre-
sents no grander problem than the dis
covery of the circumstances of this
voyage Whence has our system come,
whittier is it bound, and with what
speed? We can never learn such par
ticulars as these without the informa-
ton that the great survey would give
us.-Sir Robert Hall, in Macmillan's
Magazine
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-05-02

An old on1ce-seeker saDs that the.
surest appointment in politics is dis
appointments
The man who never changes his
opinion Is one who never enlarges his
information.
The lighter the Individual the
easier to float In the social swim
Washington Critic.
1t does not take an imaginary evil
long to become real one.-Philadel-
phia Call
The man who is suspicious lives
In constant state of unhappiness- 1t
would be better for his peace of mind
70 De TOO trustful than too guarded.
we are all dissatisfied. The diff
ference Is that some of us sit down in
the squalor of our dissatisfaction,
while others make ladder of it
Once Week.
The result of self-examination ON
the part OF some people is abundant
satisfaction; with others, it is so de.
pressing as to almost bring despaiS
Both are wholly wrong.-United Pres.
byterian.
less hand, has torn out half the Raves
from the book of human life to light
the fires of passion, from day to day,
that man begins to see that the leaves
which remain are few in humber -
Longfellow.
-Affectation naturally ',counterfeits
those excelences which are placed at
the greatest distance from possibility
of attainment, because, knowing our
own defects, we eagerly endeavor to
supply them with artificial excellence.
johnson.
A smooth sea never made a skill
full mariner. neither do uninterrupted
prosperity and success qualify for USE
fulness and happiness. The storms of
adversely, like those of the ocean,
rouse the faculties, and excite the in
vention, prudence, skill and fortitude
of the voyager.
IT'S pitiful the things by which we
are rich or poor-a matter of coins,
coats and carpets. little more or less
stone, or wood, or paint, the fashion
of a cloak or hat; like the luck of
naked Indians, of whom one is proud
in the possession of glass bead or a
red feather, and the rest miserable in
the want of it-Emerson.
1t is always bad sign as to ones
real character when the more you
know of him the less you think of him.
The fact shows that he seemed to have
excelences which disappear on a more
intimate acquaintance, and has faults
and defects that did not appear upon a
limited and partial acquaintance One
regrets in this way to change and re-
call good opinion which he had of
another.-Independ
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-05-02
ORIGIN OF ELEPHANTS.

A Race of Mammals That First Appeared
in the Miocene Period.
The origin of the great proboscidian
race in general, and of the mammoth
and elephant group in particular, like
the early history of Jeames de la
Pluche, is ''wrOp in obscurity." All
we can say about them with any conf
dence is that they form a comparative
ly late order of mammals, whose
earliest recognizable representative in
geological time is the monstrous dino
therium. an aquatic animal with a long
trunk. and with two immense curved
tusks. projecting downward paradox
ically from his lower instead of his up
per jaw. The dinotherium makes his
first appearance upon this or any
other stage in the Miocene pc
Rod; but as he couldn't, of
course, have appeared there
Qike Aphrodite and Topsy} without
any parents, and as he was then al
ready a fairly specialized and highly
developed animal, we must take it for
granted that his earlier ancestry,
though ancient and respectable in its
own time, had long passed away, leav-
ing not a wreck behind, SO far as yet
known. in the matter of tangible geo.
logical vouchers. These unknown an
iestors. in all probability. gave birth
during their earlier sand more plastic
stage-for species. like Individuals,
are most readily nodded IN their green
youth-tO three main family branches.
The senior branch produced the di-
notherium. vast brute, who, finding
the world too full to hold him about
the close of the tertiary period. de-
missed suddenly without issue, leav-
ing the honors of the family in sub
sequent ages to the junior MEM
bers- The second branch pro-
duced the mastodons, huge Great
ures of elephantine outline and ma
jestic tread. most of them with tusks
IN the upper and lower jaws, though
the under pair were always the small
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-05-02
: THE SEAS MOVEMENTS.

The Causes of the Shifting To and Fro OF
the Tides.
No movement of the sea is more i'm
portant than the regular rise and fall.
once in about twenty-four hours, which
| we know as the tide. The movement
| is due to the difference between the at
fractions exerted by the moon and sun
| upon the solid earth and those exerted
upon the oceanic envelope. Attrac-
ton. as shown by Newton. varies not
only directly as the mass. but also in
versely as the square of the distance;
| thus. at an equal distance, one body
| will exert double the attraction of an
other of half the mass; but if the dis
lance of one body be twice that of the
| other. and their masses equal, the at
traction of the more distant will be but
quarter of that of the nearer. So
the immense mass of the sun exerts, in
spite of its greater distance, far
greater attraction upon the earth as q
whole than the moon.
The difference, however, between
the suns attraction upon the solid
earth and its attraction upon the
| ocean is. ON account of its distance,
but small fraction of it's total at
traction; whilst that between the
moons attraction upon the solid earth
and its attraction upon the ocean, ow-
ing to its comparatively small distance
of two hundred and forty thousand
miles, is a very considerable fraction
of its total action. So that whilst the
earth's attraction causes the moon to
travel round it once a month, the re-
ciprOcal attraction of the moon is
mainly effectual in causing the tides.
the SUMS action being only about one
third as great. The waters of the
open ocean have tendency to rise up
in a heap on the side nearest the moon,
because they are pulled more strongly
than is the solid globe, and, being
liquid. yield to the attraction. Stimuli
taneously similar heaping up occurs
at the antipodes of this point-on the
side, that is, farthest from the moon
because the solid is, as it were, pulled
away from the water there.
Two great tidal waves are thus orig
mated; and, as the earth's movement
in its orbit, coupled with it's daily ro-
tatiOn, makes the moon occupy the
same relative position every twenty
five hOurs-Or, more exactly, every
tWenty-four hours and fifty minutes
high tide at any place occurs twice in
every such period of time -Cassells
Educator.
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-05-02
RAILROAD GAUGES.

The Width of Tracks in the Different
Countries of the World.
Herr Claus gives in Glaser's Annual
the following particulars of the history
and development of railroad gauges of
the world: after a battle of the
gauges, feet inches, 4 feet 81 inches.
5 feet and feet, it was agreed in En-
gland. about 1913, that a uniform
gauge of feet 81 inches should be
used on all new roads. except those al
ready served by the Z foot gauge. The
first German road, from Nuremberg to
Furth, was built with 4 foot 81
inch gauge. which is now used
by all the principal roads of
Germany. France started her
roads with a width between rail
centers of 4 feet IL inches, which has
led to some slight variations of gauges
according to rail width. The later
roads have been built with a gauge of
feet 81 inches. Holland began with
foot inch gauge. but has now al
tered all its roads to feet 81 inches.
The railroad congress at Vern, in May,
1886, adopted the following resolution,
which is to apply to Germany, Aus
tria-Hungary, France, Italy and Switz-
erland:
1.-The gauge of railroads measured
between the inner edges of the rail
heads shall. for roads built or altered
effect, not be less than feet 50 inches
On straight lines nor more than feet
feet 81 inches on curves"
In Russia the first road opened in
1888, from St Petersburg to Zarskoe-
Selo, about sixteen miles, had a g.
foot gauge When the second road
was made in 1912. from St. Petersburg
to Moscow, the Gar fixed the Russian
gauge at feet, which increase over
the English gauge was thought desira-
BILE for locomotive purposes
In Asia, of the British Indian roads,
with a collective length of 1850
miles. about z, 45O miles have a gauge
of feet 81 inches. the remainder be-
ing divided among six gauges from 2
feet to feet.
In America, from the comparatively
small mileage of United States roads
with 3-foot guage, practically the
whole of the United States and Cana
dian railroads are of 4 foot 81 inch to
4 foot 9 inch guage. In Mexico, in
1884. 2.O83 miles were foot 81 inch
and 934 foot gauge. In Brazil, at
the end of 1884, there were $50 miles
of S foot 8 inch guage, and A. 164 miles
of various guages between feet and 4
feet.7 inches. over 8. 700 miles being 1
meter. or feet 81 inches. SO that this
may be considered the standard gauge
of Brazil
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-05-02
THE AGE OF SPECIALISM.

A Tendency Which Is Becoming Moro
Pronounced Every Day.
Here is an old story in point, illus
trating conditions: A certain man, a
sort of scientist after his fashion,
found an insect which in his crude
way he could at once determine to be a
beetle. But he wished to know just
what kind of beetle that particular
one happened to be, Or, in other words.
to find out its name. So, like a good
and patriotic citizen, he referred it to
specialist-just as a sensible miner
with broken leg would call in the
service of surgeon. He went to a
friend and said:
Here is beetle. Now, you are an
entomologist; please tell me what that
is"
''Oh, no. said the referee. 81 am
not an entomologist."
Mot an entomologist? Why, I
thought that was your line.''
mo; I only wish 1 were," he said,
sadly.
''Well. what are you? What do you
call a beetle sharp-a coleopterist?''
NO." said he, modestly, and with
deprecatory air, mo. I'm not a
coleopterist If you insist upon know
ing, l might claim (now Frightening
up) to be scarabaist; that is, you
know, altogether different from being
a regular coleopterist.
1t is not so long ago that single
great mind, like that of Humboldt,
could take in at a single comprehensive
glance almost the sum of human knowl-
edge. There can be no Hum boldt now.
Engineering and Mining Journal.
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-05-02

est The third branch produced the
true elephants, including both our
modern Indian and African species. as
we'll as the mammoth himself, and
many other extinct congeners. All
the elephants proper have but one
solitary pair of tusks, and that pair is
quite correctly located in the upper
jaw instead of the under one. Thus is
Evolution justified of all her children.
The true elephants made their first ap.
pearance. as far as known, in the
Pliocene period-that is, the epoch
preceding the Great Ice Age They
blossomed out at once into an alarming
number of species. Maya
zine
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-05-02
THE KENTUCKY WAY.

How Love Finds Words Among the Ma
tives of the Blue-GraSs State.
had been asleep in my seat in the
passenger-coach as the train was roll
ing through Kentucky, and was aroused
by a couple taking the seat in front of
me. 1 did not raise my head. but made
out that he was a young fellow of
twenty-five, or Whereabouts, and she
was a young girl of eighteen or twenty.
Reckon he's asleep?" queried the
girl, referring to me.
I'm shore of it," he replied, after
taking look at the back of my head.
There was an interval of silence, cut
on the bias and warranted first color,
and then he queried:
Glad We come, Mary?"
.'Sorter, Bill"
yves friends. hain't we?'
Shore"
81 never did keer fur no other gal"
''Shoo! Now you is funning me"
''Shore as 1 live, Mary. I wouldn't
marry no girl in our hull section, no
how"
'.HonestP''
True as cucumbers. Pap likes We,
Mary"
''Glad ont"
'.And mann likes ye."
''Glad ont"
land pap was a-saying to me that If
1 got mar'd Icould bring my wife right
home"
''Your pap is good"
''But can't git mar'd. Mary"
"'Deed, but why not?'
"'Cause nobody loves me-
''Shoo! Reckon somebody does"
mo they don't If they did they'd
show it."
There was another interval of silence,
bordered with forget-me-nots and Or
namented with orange blossoms, and
during this minute 1 think he seized
her unresisting hand. I think she was
ready to be seized He probably
squeezed it as he said:
$50 you reckon somebody does?"
Yep"
''Then why don't they say 500"
''Waitin', mebbe."
wv aitin' fur what?"
ITO be aked to say So"
He vas trembling with excitement.
and be could not control his voice az he
said:
IF they loved me they'd squeeze INV
hand. wouldn't they?"
Reckon they would
(Squeeze- Hello, Cen
tralD
"And-and. Mary. if they'd marry
me they'd squeeze agin, wouldn't
they?" .
Shore they would"
(oqueeze-whoop-call up the par
sonD
Then he leaned over and kissed her,
ana Cupid danced a hornpipe up and
down the aisle.-N. Y. Sun.
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-05-02
Increase of the worlds N.v;...

According to a recent estimate, the
number OF war vessels launched last
year by the naval powers of the world
was 60, while more than 100 were
building when it closed. England led
with 10 vessels launched and % build
Ing France launched 9 and laid down
To- Russia launched 2 and began 10.
germany put vessel into the water
ana ordered or laid down 4 ItaIv
launched 10 and laid down 1s. Austria
launched no vessel, but laid down or
oroered D China added vessels to her
navy and ordered or laid down more.
Japan ordered and launched s, the
United States launched and laaa
down 6.
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-05-02
A New Relationship.

Mr.. Gutehardt. to little Ethel. nine
years old-Who was the gentleman
who patted you on the head?
Ethel-That was my father-in-law.
Mr.. Observation-Disclosures? A little girl
like you have father-in-law? You
must be mistaken.
Ethel-Well. he used to be my regu.
lar father. but mamma got a divorce
from him.-Detroit Free Press.
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-05-02
The Mail Service in I775.

When Benjamin Franklin was ap-
pointed Postmaster General of the Col
onies in 1775 he went down to the Office
in Philadelphia, hung his coat ON a
peg behind the only door of the one
room which constituted the depart
ment, and went to work. He procured
small book of fifty-three pages, in
which he opened an account with each
postmaster for the forty odd post
Offices in the thirteen colonies, and
kept it himself. Unlike the present
Postmaster-General, the old Pennsyl-
vapian was not bothered to appoint
assistants, and as for clerks, he did not
have any. At odd times, and when he
was feeling lonesome because some
of the neighbors did not come in to
bore him to appoint John Smith post
master at Juniperville, Franklin would
go down to the city post-offce and as
sists to make up the mail, which left
by stage coach every week. In glass
case in the Post-office Department the
curiosity seeker can see the old leath-
ern bound book in which Franklin kept
the accounts of the Government. The
transactions for three years-from 1776
to 1878, inclusive-are included in its
ffty-three pages, and the mail trans
actions seem to have cut but an in
significant figure. You can also see
the record of the uncalled for or mis-
directed letters that were returned for
the eleven years from 1777 to 1888.
The book covers forty-fOur pages, and
during that time S65 letters were re-
ceived. The number of letters re-
turned to the Dead Letter Office daily
now averages IL. 600. = Washington
Post
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-05-02

Blind boys in the Pittsburgh pa
asylum are being taught to ride on the
bicycle. Under the leadership of the
superintendent, a bicycling class has
been formed, and the members recent
ly took an outing trip of ten miles on
their Cycles
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-05-02

-Boarder (craclking an egg
.sWell, I declared" Waiter (exc ite1
ly9-.sWhat is itr' Boarder-.'Why
this egg has double yelk. Waiter
..Pooh! that's nothin' gen'Pman's yis,
tidday had a chicking!"
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-05-02

New Hampshire farming property
is not very valuable nowadays. A farm
of fifty acres, in Springfield. with a de-
cent house and barn in good repair.
with meadow land that cuts enough
hay for two COWS and a horse, and with
a good wool lot, was lately sold for
ESQ
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-05-02

Death in high social places has
changed the most elaborate of plans.
Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1889-06-17

LANCASTER, PA, June II, 1889.
Rich ChaIrmcn.

The New York World objects 10 Cal
Win &. Brice, as chairman of the national
Democratic committee, because he is a
man of wealth and railroads. II is not
. crime to have money and railroads /;
and II seems 10 be very important that a
national chairman should have money
and plenty Of IL 50 that the bills may
he paid without putting him into bank
riptcy. Mr.. Brice is understood to have
been called upon for very heavy pay
ments out Of his private purse, after the
campaign was over and the victory lost.
OF course, like purpose is answered
by having Wanamakcr purse bearer
at hand but such fellows are not TO I've
picked up by every chairman. IT the
New York World will undertake to ac-
cept this function, it will be in order for
poor man to apply for the chairman
ship but the pecuniary responsibilities
OF the place arc too great to warrant any
one in rushing into II who has not u
million or two behind him 10 provide
against emergencies.
Some Of these days there may he no
use for money in politics, but until then
IL Is quite out of place To speak oi wealth.
~ an objection to a political chairman.
There is very particular reason for Sc
lecting such chairmen in the fact that
they are the only ones who apply for IT..
The place Is one of arduous labor and
great responsibility and IL Is only rich
men who delight TO take such unpaid
positions unless 1t be professional poll
ticians who expect to he paid for their
services with office and they can hardly
he held to be better qualitythan rich men.
There seems to be current idea that
the possession of riches IL condemnn-
ton the impression il founded perhaps
OH the story of the rich man aud the
camel and the eye of the needle but
about everyone is nevertheless putting
forth his best foot to get riches which
may I've deemed an illustration of the
natural depravity of the human soul.
Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1889-06-17
BrOSjus In EUlry.

Congressman Brosus ~ suffering early
for the sins Of his greatness. To be
burned i'm efiigy before he takes his seat
In Congress is TO I've in particularly hard
luck and that II should happen TO Bro
sius, as mild hammered congressman
ms ever cut throat or scuttlcd a ship is
very sad. Such foretaste of the Joys of
congressional life must he discouragine
to the aspiring statesman, whom II life
time of political service has not hardened
and polished. Congressman Brosius,
being yet in the callow political
state, will be likely to think,
before he gets along very FAR in
his race, as many have thought who
have gone before him, that the life of u
congressman is not all that It is cracked
up to he. The disposition of the offices,
which is held to I've one of its chief de-
lights, sufiices to put most congressman
In purgatory; and brorther Brosius
is likely to have heightened stay
IN that state, before he gets through
with the county postoiiices, de-
spite his wealth of sounding words and
breadth of eloquent smile There Is
noknown way oiescaping condemnation
by a disappointed aspiraut; andlas high
authority is reported To have lately de.
clared country postotlicc to be store
house of dynamite, what may the un-
happy Brosius expect to he left of him
self after going through hundred more
or less OF the same.