davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1891-12-18
SCHOOL TAX LEVY.
The System Strongly Opposed by
State Superintendent Brvan.


State Superintendent of Public In
struction R. B. Bryan is much opposed
to the present system of flevying school
taxes, and of appraising school lands,
and is preparing statistics by which
he hopes to show their evil effects.
In the school tax levy he claims
great injustice to the children in GER
tain counties by reason of the marked
difference per capita derived under
the present system. For instance, in
one County tile levy is such that but
$3.50 is realized for each child of
school age, while in the adjoining
county the amount is SIS. This in
justice, he claims, is due to the law
making it discretionary with the
County Commissioners to fix the
levy.
His idea is to have the State fix the
levy for the maintenance of all school,,
create separate fund for the purpose
and apportion an equal amount per
capita to all children throughout the
State.
The appraisement of school lands
by the County Commissioners he
looks upon as a useless expense. Up
to the present time the amount ex-
pended in appraisement of school
lands has reached $4,000. By the
present method the Commissioners
who receive So per day, go in a body
taking generally cook, surveyor and
camping outfit, and appraise all the
school land in the country. In some
instances it is not appraised above 81
or $3 per acre; but they appraise it
anyhow, just for the sake of doing it.
"The foolish part of this action"
said Mr.. Bryan, ais just here: The
law does not permit but one-fourth of
the school land in a county to be sold,
prior to the year 1895; neither does it
permit the purchase price to be less
than $40 per acre. What, then, is the
sense in appraising any school land
until an application for purchase has
been filed? Further, the increased
value of land four years hence will oc-
casion a second appraisement and du-
plicate expense. The law in this re-
spect should certainly be modified d?
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1891-12-18

The Tariii Reform Club ol New yorl
has been collecting information al,
home and sbrosd upon the suhi.e, 81
home and foreign prices oi American
manufactures. and I. Alexander iin
suist Of Cornell University is aiding In
compiling and colia,ins.
AZ Ear ss the statements have come
to hand, u appears that many sarie.
ties Of American manufactures are sold
To foreigners much cheaper than they
are sold ior home use. The kinds Of
goods 81 solj. ne far ss 49, are a,
present advised. are ~ iuliows All
kinds Of agricultural implements aud
farm tools. mechanics tools. black
smith tools. ktschsn hollow war;. laun.
dry implements. builders tools, flhsf
ware. scales. platform and o,hes~lse.
locks, traps. nails, spikes aud ,seks.
screws. plated ware AZ indicating
prices. the Wholesale prices II the
wheel hoe culiisa,or aud plow" iof
home usc are sci At sl aud lhey are
sold to aud iur Foreigners al retail Al
$50 The tariff protection accorded
,o those articles by ,he late tariff.
vafi.,i from on. and oneieurth cents
per pound on li,chen hollow ware to
a. ,sef cent on most ~ the either ~
,i,lss and the Mckinley ,sfin in.
creased the duty on ihoss articles from
20 ,o 80 peE cent, since the enact
msni oi the Mckinley tariff the rfirss
Of those gos-ls IA Americans iuF h"ms
us. have i,sen advanced ifun ~ io 90
pei cent. while ,hs pFices ,o i"seiEn.
ers have no, Leen advanced 81 ell ;
Truly. a. the pscslslen, ~ the rsnas,l'
sanls Agricultural wofls sass the
fact is tha, ouf protective la~s sfe g
mons,fous swlndis uppn The aHficulin'
raj community y"--asd be misht ha's
..,,ls.i ,o muse than n0UsliHsh ~ ,is
soo,l people ot ,l'e 'nl'ed states Il
such a state II affair. 81 eon'inne' and
A 90. Hos hong. - ls'fi, hoe lpnnf
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1891-12-18
The Humps Of Camsls.
st. Louis Republic.

The humps Of camels arc mere
Jumps of fat, and not provided for In
the framework Of the skeleton. when
the animal is in good condition the
humps are full and plump. On long
journey where food 10 scarce, the
humps are entirely absorbed, the skin
covering them hanging over the flank
like an empty box.
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1891-12-18
Curious Shell-Fish Found in japan.

ST. Louis Republic.
One OF the most singular looking
creatures that ever walked the earth
or "swam the waters under the earth" !"
is the world-famous man-faced crab OF
Japan.
Its body is hardly an inch in length,
yet the head is fitted with face which
is the perfect counterpart of that of a
Chinese coolie; veritable missing
link, with eyes, nose and mouth all
clearly defined.
The curious and uncanny creature,
besides the great likeness it bears to a
human being in the matter of facial
features, is provided with two legs
which seem to grow from the top of its
head and hang down over the sides of
its face.
Besides these legs two "feelers,"
each about an inch in length, grow
from the "chin" of the animal, looking
for all the world like colonels forked
beard. These man-faced crabs fairly
swarm in the inland seas of Japan.
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1891-12-18

The greatest cotton blockade ever
known is now existing at places along
the Little Rock & Fort Smith Rail-
road. The road is a feeder of the
Missouri Pacific. The company can
not furnish cars for transportation of
cotton, and in consequence thousands
of bales have accumulated. The con-
dition has existed since the cotton
season opened, producers and buyers
find it impossible to ship the staple to
market.
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1891-12-18

THE full name of the late Emperor
Dom Pedro, was Joao Carlos Leopoldo
Salvador Bibiano Francisco Xaqier da
Paulo Leocadio Mignel Gabriel Raferl
Gonzaga, or Pedro II.
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1891-12-18

THE slip now expected at the Corn.
wall mill is to take 100000 feet of
lumber to London at so cents per
l. 600, the lowest price yet made for
freights to n European port.
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1891-12-18

The ,hifd annual report on United
States railway statistics. issued by the
Interstate commerce commission, says
Ia part Railway mileage In United
states. June 10th. iT9,sTDO5 miles /:
increased during the year. 6.O3O GO /.
total mileage including tracks. etc.
200 ,lsO On miles Number IT railway
corporations. l.7y7 for,y companies
operate i75i per cent of the total
mileage. Total gfu.s income Of rail
ways, sL0ji .k77.a1a. seventy four
companies receive NJ per cent. 81 this
amouat Total number oi locomo.
,iyes. n.g1s la.Tps passcng er and IT,.
itO freight Number Of cars. i.iGl.-
l3H. oi which sG.bli are passenger
Total number oi men employed. TAO.
Abl Total capitalization Of railway
property. sekDi. .ts3. 400. Total pas.
ssnrefs carried du'ina the year. ig2..
io $50 Total TONS oi frciEht trans
pof,ei G1diii.0iT Number Of per
suns Allied in accidents during the
year. d.asO. injured. 2o.Oal
WV lhrE RosK - igrussiniH-
A iufist makes lhe assertion that a
blue fuss 10 among the imisossibilities
bat Shile an explanation ~ this curi.
OTIS fact may he equally lmros.ihic. he
fails b. mention very interesting Law
whlrh governs the coloring oi all
fiowrfs 4 Lnuwlrige oi thi. law
would sav. many flower gfo-sfs
houfs ~ unasailing and foolish hope.
The lsw IL simpl, this The three
ooloFs fr'l hlus anil ycilus never all
appsai Ia lhe same speciss oi flower.
snf too mas ssist. bat never the
third Thu, ~ have a.. fe,l aud sci.
ln~ fuses. tui no blue fe1 and blue
ssflsenss. bat ~ yello~ yelluw and
hluo ~ lhe various member. ~ the
VIOLA family tss psns,cs. ior instance }
hui ~ frd rel and yell"w gladioli
be-, nu tlue, snd sa un
fsrsnisnsts a. tho Illinois sSpsfi
msnt station shuw that the beet fer.
ulise' snosa tis land un ~hich wheat
y fsissi 's ordinary hafnyafi manure
u 10 estimated that the elevated
railroads, bridges. sad icffics oi New
f"Ts aud nF,ollyn carry bi0nDo 00
passengers lsf year.
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1891-12-18
r...,,sa ~ ss,lemsi s.as ssesh

n has been can,sn'ied That "~'uF ."
d.lrcls IN the revenue lac l'sss'l ~
the Issl.is,afe. sh'fs. II national
...l .,oeL could MT he tasei The
20, iced statute. oi the cnI'ed states
,,,oh,la, the ,ssa,lon ~ capital s''- !
,,t .s,,opal hanks 80 sash, ha, au'h"'
lac. ,hs ,asa,loa u shs'shol''sf' io'
the smoun, u their shares TIE ~
sting revenue -, u ,hs state ~"
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1891-12-18

Work on the Yakima irrigation
ditch will be stopped until spring.
Seventeen miles are completed ready
for water.
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1891-12-18

1HE Koslyn coal mines are now run
ming full force and are behind in
filling orders.
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1891-12-18

SEArTTE's new public library now has
5000 volumes,
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1891-12-18

FsrsHisssts a, tho Illinois sHperi
msnt station shuw that the beet fer.
ulise' snosa inf land un ~hich wheat
i tsisni 's ordinary l,afnyafd manure
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1891-12-18

" 10 estimated that the elevated
railroads, b'lsig,s. sad icffios u New
foFs sad nsoollyn carry $4,000 oo
pssssaKsIs l'sf year.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-11-21
An Extraordinary Scene.

A very curious spectacle was to be
seen on the outskirts of Gainesville last
week, SAYS jacksonville Fla. letter to
the Atlanta Constitution. Alachua lake,
sheet of water from ten to fifteen miles
in length and covering some forty thous-
and acres of land, is no more On it's
banks were lying thousands Of dead fish;
dead alligators Aoated CHASTITY in pools Of
black water, and the atmosphere was
heavy with noxious gases. Men and boys
were there in throngs, crowding around
the pools left by the receding waters,
and with hoes and rakes dragging to
shore hundreds of fish which had sought
their depths for refuge. The waters wero
fairly alive with their struggles for ex-
istence.
Except for small stream known as
Paynes creek, flowing from Newnan's
lake into the Sink. the two main basins
Of the Sink and few stagnant pools, no
water is now to BE- seen where few years
ago steamers were blowing their way.
t This is the second time since 1928 that
similar occurrence has taken place. At
that time, the earliest year in which
there is any record of that part Of the
country, the bed of the lake was large
prairie, Payne's prairie, having i'll it
body Of water called the Sink anda small
creek In 1868 heavy rains filled up
the prairie, but the water disappeared
after a short time and the prairie was
again dry land. In 1873, after series
Of heavy rains, the Sink oyerflowed and
the creek swellcd to the dimensions Of
lake. During several years the waters
increased until larger lake was formed,
and for fully fifteen years sufficient depth
of water stood over the prairie to allow
of the plying to and fro of small steam
ers. During the last two years, however
the waters have been gradually lowering,
and about three weeks ago they com
menced going down with surprising rapid
itv, the lake falling about eight feet ID
ten days, until now nothing is left OF
Alachua lake but the memory OF it. The
Sink is considered the cause Of this
change. There is evidently IN under.
ground passage connected with 1t, and
for some reason not understood this UNI
foreground passage has been acting as
drain until all the water in the lake had
been drawn of.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-11-21
Skillful Engineering.

The engineers and workmen in the
Manchester Ship Canal, England, had
lively time recently when the Mersey
swept away 800 feet Of a great embank-
ment that diverted the water at the mouth
Of the Shropshire Union Canal. Ten
million tons Of earth and masonry were
swept away in moment, and it became
necessary to repair the damage between
tides. The engineers had eight hours at
their disposal and set an army OF men to
work upon the construction Of new en-
bankment Of rock and clay. Railroads
were laid, as if by magic, and locomo-
tives dashed through the advancing
waters with hundreds Of truck loads of
stones, refuse and gravel at the risk of
extinguishing their fires. Up to the last
moment it was doubtful whether the
water or human skill and energy would
win the victory, but at last, when the
men were almost exhausted, the baffied
tide began to recede and the embankment
triumphed. 1t was made doubly secure
before the water could get back again
[Picayune.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-11-21

A queer sort of revolution in labor cir
Giles is reported by the San Francisco
Chronicle from Southern California. In
times past great dependence has been
placed during the fruit-drying season
upon the help Of the Indians. Whole
families, including parents and children,
have been accustomed to aid in prepar-
ing the fruit for drying. This season
the growers in one of the prominent
fruit centers determined to employ none
but white help, but the apricots ripened
so rapidly that they could not be han.
died, and the Indians, who had asked
for work and had been refused, were ap
Piled to for assistance. They were back
ward in complying, and better wages
were rendered Even this did not satisfy
them, and at last they refused point
blank To 90 70 work. In other words
thsy boycotted the white employers and
seemed toenjoy the situation thoroughly.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-11-21
Origin Of New Species.

1t has been suggested in some sclen-
tifc quarters, that the necessities of va
rious creatures to employ different means
to exercise their functions may have an
important influence eventually in modi-
fying the structure Of the creature itself,
and thus induce variation leading to new
species in time. In the Old World the
English sparrow builds in holes in old
ruins, in wheat or hay stacks, or any
where but in trees. When introduced
to America, where no such opportunities
are afforded, it makes its nests in trees.
Not having been accustomed to building
in such places, the nests are Of the rudest
possible character, and compare as
would the pottery Of the ancient Ameri-
can Indian with the beautiful ware Of
our Trenton potteries, with the artistic
nests of other birds No doubt with ex-
perience these nests will improve in
character, and possibly the birds them
selves will vary from the foreign type,
when that time comes. "A number OF
creatures show wonderful powers of adap-
tation to suit circumstances. Thus in
Boston Harbor the sea urchin, during
the process Of spawning, has habit of
covering itself with seaweed which is
packed down tightly above it as if to
avoid observation. In Tampa Bay,
Professor Wilcox has observed that the
sea urchin, having the same desire to
avoid observation at that time are also
covered-but not with seaweed. Empty
shells abound on that coast, and this
creature uses thu shells for this purpose.
Habits, once acquired, become in a
measure hereditary changing only when
dire necessity compels-and with the
forced change of habit some modification
Of structural character is not impossible.
New York Independent.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-11-21

A genuine Chinese monument is likely
to be raised in Chicago. Her Chinese
residents are making up a fund with a
view to importing such a shaft if the
duty is not too high. The intention is
to set it up in cemetery that is favor
ite burial spot of the Chinese. The
Chicago Herald explains that a Chinese
monument is long, low structure made
of peculiar grayish clay and painted in
red and blue with pictures and other
strange devices. In the top is an oven,
and under it a fireplace, and it is the Gus
tom of the Celestials to assemble at the
monument on holidays to roast pigs and
prepare other delicacies for the feast.
After the celebration they leave the rem.
nants of the food to be eaten by the
dead.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-11-21

Lower California, an immense territory
of 26, 100 square miles, contains only 81, :
600 inhabitants, of which perhaps 1000
are foreign. As yet, state the american
Agricuturist, it has no telegraphs or
cables, and sometimes it is an entire
month without receiving news fiom the
outside world. This territory has long
been noted for the variety of dyes which
it produces, such as crchilla weed, etc.,
but the tovote tree bark, recently discov-
cred, has come into great demand, and
several large shiploads have been ex-
ported to Europe. As yet there seems
to be little demand for the article in the
United States, although it IS cheaper
than orchilla and other dyes, producing
il Its natural state a dark red color,
which is quite indelible. 1t is now col
lected and sold in the market of La Paz
at 81 to 81. so per 100 pounds, and the
supply seems te be enormous.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-11-21

The Boston Cuztigator observes with
pleasure that there is a considerable de.
mand in Germany for American dried or
evaporated apples and other dried fruits.
ssBut the authorities are extremely par
ticular, and seize every pretext for re-
fusing it admission. In a recent con-
Segment very small amount of zinc
was found in quantity Of evaporated
apples, and the whole lot was condemned
as poisonous. It is worth while taking
care to humor these notions, as the ex-
port trade is what regulates the value of
our fruit crop whenever it is large one,
as it promises to be this year"
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-11-21
A Large Garden.

Cathay claims the largest garden in
the world, as well as the largest in pop.
ulation. It is called the "Garden Of
China" and has an area around and
about Shanghai Of $4,000 square miles,
or as large as the States Of New York
and Pennsylvania combiped. 1t is all
meadow land, raised but few feet above
the river, and having lakes, ponds and
canals. The land is under the highest
tilth, three crops year being harvested
therefrom. All this land is spared for
this immense garden, yet the population
is so dense that the tourist sees such
numbers of blue bloused men and women
going about that he fancies each day
must be public holiday Detroit Free
Press.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-11-21
PATCHWORK FARMING.
The Italian Agricultural a Poor
Snecimen Of Land User.

Everything is cultivated in patches in
Italy, though with less skill and thor
oughness and system than in France in
localities where the same practice OBJ
tains. Corn and wheat and grass and
some sorts Of vegetables are raised in
alternate squares or paralellograms in a
space less than an American farmer
would require for an ordinary potato
patch. Preparatory to planting the land
is turned by one OF those antlquated
plows that scarcely do more than scratch
tho surface. Planting is by hand, as it
was in Roman times, and the harrow,
dragged over the soil by single horse,
wobbles and capers about as though its
purpose was to get over the clods with as
little injury to them as possible. Inc
clumsy, heavy-bladed scythe is used in
moving, and women take part in this as
in every other form Of agricultural labor.
Indeed, women are the best of Italian
laborers, meek drudges, who 60 about
their tasks with as much apparent uncon-
sciousness of any other mission or am
bition as the brown-eyed oxen that lurch
along the country roads dragging the
, well-laden van, says traveller.
As the ancient scythe is used for reap
ing, so is the archaic rake used for gath
ering the fallen grain for binding into
sheaves. Tho threshing is as primitive
as all the other steps toward the profit
in the harvest. The sheaves are torn
apart and scattered over a level, hard
ened square Of ground out of doors, and
the grain is beaten out by fails in the
hands of men, women and children, is
trodden out by tramping, or is crushed
out Of the ears by the broad wheels
of stout wooden cart drawn about over
the straw by horse, or an OK, or an ass.
In this primitive fashion is the agriculture
of the country, so essential to the we'll
! being of the masses, conducted. Though
| the earth under benignant sun needs
but to be scratched to laugh out a har-
vest, the prosperity Of an agricultural
nation demands a little fuller and more
faithful reckoning with the Mother
| Earth.
The Italian masses are shiftless, in
dolent, happy people content with little,
working in slow, restful sort OF way,
and feeling that they perform their whole
duty if they make perceptible differ
ence in things in the course OF ten or
twelve hours. One is reminded by their
deliberate, unhurried manner Of Charles
Dudley Warmers cobbler, who declined
to mend shoe when he had ascertained
that there WIS enough money i'll the
house to meet the DAYS needs.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-11-21

The Boston Transcript has discovered
a writer who questions the oft-made as
sumption that we are Anglosaxons or
are a nation Of Anglo-saxon origin. He
enters into a calculation to show that
less than one third of the inhabitants of
the United States are of Anglo Saxon
origin, that is, about eighteen millions.
The rest are Teutonic, Celtic and Afri-
can chiefly, with an infusion of Gauls
and slavs, a mixture, in fact, of all the
tribes and races of the rest of the world.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-11-21

ness she rose from her sofa to draw back
the curtains and look if be were there be-
low the window. And when she had seen
him, always immovably seated on his
bench, she returned to her couch with q
smile on her lips.
She died one morning about 6 O'Clock.
AS I left the hotel he came to me, his
face distorted; he had already heard
the news.
ri should like to see her for q second
in your presence" he said.
| took his hand and re-entered the
house.
When he was by the bedside Of the
dead he took her hand and kissed ia
long, long kiss. Then he fed like a
madman.-[The Strand Magazine.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-11-21

| once knew woman, one Of my pa
tients, now dead, to whom the most ex-
traordinary thing in the world happened,
and the most mysterious and touching.
She was Russian, Countess Marie
Baranow, very great lady, Of exquisite
beauty. You know how beautiful the
Russians are, or, at least, how beautiful
they seem to us-with their delicate
noses, their sensitive mouths, their eyes
so close together, Of an indeinable color,
blue gray, and their cold, rather hard
charm. They have something wicked
and seductive, naughty and melting, ten
der and severe, utterly charming to a
Erenchman. At bottom, perhaps, it is
only the difference Of race and blood that
makes US see much in them.
Her doctor had during many years
known that she was threatened by dis
ease Of the chest, and endeavored to per-
suade her to come to France for the win
ter, but she obstinately refused to quit
St. Petersburg. At last, in the autumn
Of last year, the doctor compelled her to
Raw NACALUuC.
She was alone in her compartment Of
the train, her servants occupying an
other. She leaned against the window a
little sadly, watching the country and
the villages as she whirled past, feeling
very isolated, very lonely in life.
At each station her footman, Ivan,
came to see il his mistress had every
thing she desired. He was an old ser
want, blindly devoted, ready to obey any
order she might give him.
Night fell, the train rolled ON at full
speed. She could not sleep, she was
totally unnerved. Suddenly the idea oc-
CURED to her Of counting the money
given to her at the last moment in French
gold. She opened her little bag and
emptied on to her lap the glistenine
stream Of metal.
But, Of sudden, breath Of cold ali
caught her cheek. She lifted her head
in surprise. The door opened. Tbs
Countess Marie, in dismay, threw shaw
over the money spread out in her lap ane
waited. A moment afterwards q mar
appeared, bareheaded, wounded in ont
hand, painting, and in evening dress.
He reclosed the door, sat down ant
looked Ut his nsighbor with gitterins