Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-22
THE TOPICAL TALKER.
The Consul to Genevn-Lnrceny by the
Wind-Odds and Ends.

|
The Consul to Geneva-Lnrceny by the
Wind-Odds and Ends.
| ROLAND j. HEMMIcK, whose appointment
| as Consul to Geneva has just been given out
| is in Europe at the present time, probably in
| Switzerland. He sailed for Europe couple
of weeks or more ago with his family. Probably
no one but his most intimate friends and the
members of his family had the remotest idea
| that Mr.. Hemmick had any ambition to serve
| his country in diplomacy. He returned from
long sojourn in Europe last fall and took his
wife and family to Washington, where his
brother-in-law, Colonel Bayne, entertained him
for some time.
Then he began to tell his friends that he in
tended settling down for year or two in
Switzerland. But he didn't hint at the Con-
sulate which by that time he knew he was to
have. In fact the news of his appointment was
a complete surprise to the majority of his
friends in this country,
w.
Mr.. HEMMICK is well fitted in every way to
conserve the interests of the United States
which come to focus at Geneva. He is a
ready and agreeable talker, and his courteous
bearing is natural to him. For the benefit of the
fair tourists who may find it necessary to in.
quire the price of live chamois or some other
equally important information of the Consul at
Geneva it may be added that Mr.. Hemmick is
bearded, good-looking man. in the prime of
life who dresses WELL and has a pleasant fash
ion of smiling frequently.
Mr.. Hemmick Is business man of practical
experience; and has powers of observation that
may be of use to the State Department he is
certain to be success as an entertainer, not
only on his own merits, but his wifes. She is the
daughter of the late Mr. Smith, who was Mr..
Hostetter's partner. and is very wealthy.
Altogether Pittsburg can hardly congratu-
late Mr.. Hemmick and herself at the same
time on being SO well represented In the beau
tiful Swiss city by the lake.
s.*'
THE high wind was responsible for an anus
ing incident on the easr-bound accommodation
train on the Fort Wayne Railroad about noon
yesterday
The train had left Glendale station minute
or SO, and the veteran conductor, whom all
travellers on the road know as Andy, was col
lecting the tickets of those who had boarded
the train at the last stop. The conductor was
offered cash fare by a big colored man, and
as the former tore of the receipt for the same
the wind whisked it out of his hand and then
out Of the window.
Andy pulled the cord, stopped the train, and
had it backed a hundred yards or 80. Then
brakemen and passengers helped the conductor
in his search for the errant receipt. 1t was
found in few seconds. The whole searching
party boarded the train and brief but excit-
ing episode was ended. Hardly soul in the
cars knew what had happened till it was all
over, hence the excitement
If the conductor had not found his receipt
he would have had to pay in the highest fare
on his rum viz: forty cents
So
WE are told by those who ought to know that
the rivers are clear of Johnstown wreckage.
But the everyday un-expert citizen who
crosses the Sixth street bridge can see large
piles of drift weeks old still hugging the piers
of several bridges.
Some of the men who have cleaned other
parts of the Allegheny SO efficiently should at
tend to the wreckage at points between the
two cities.
AMONG the items in the Curious Condensa-
tion column on this page was one yesterday In
which it was said: The real red poppy" has
recently been found to have the valuable
power of binding with its roots the soil in
which 1t grows in such a manner that it will
prove most valuable in supporting embank-
ments. Already several engineers have under
taken the sowing of railway embankments
with poppies.
The discovery of this use for the common red
poppy of the English harvest fields is not very
new. English railroads have used it SO for
several years. On the London and North
western Railroad, between Liverpool and Lon
don remember the blazing popples make the
embankments glorious for miles in summer.
Last year the poppies were about the only
cheerful sights saw in the run to London.
The foods had made many landscapes dismal,
and there was q monotony of green hills and
valleys