The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1891-09-03
WITH A GIANTS STRENGTH.
A New Haven Hotter Porter Who
Makes Nothing of Seeming
lnnpossibilities

The proprietor of a blacksmith
shop on Commerce street was one of
the most surprised men in New Ha-
ven day or two ago. Mr.. futile,
father of the proprietor of the Ar
lington House, in Meadow street,
and young man stopped at the
shop to have the tire of the carriage
in which they were riding repaired.
While the work was i'll progress the
young man, with the curiosity that
overcomes the stranger in black
smiths shop, inspected the various
iron rods, pokers, &c.
"Why don't you have good, sub,
stantial material for your business?"
inquired he after a while. "This
rod of iron," he continued, picking
up one and examining it, els rotten .
"What are you talking about" re-
joined the blacksmith.
"I'll bet you | can bend that with
my teeth" retorted the young man.
~ would like to see you or any
other man bend it with your teeth, y
said the blacksmith in a contempt
uous tone.
"You just watch me do it," re-
sponded the young man, lifting the
iron rod to his mouth. The rod was
about five feet long, three quarters
of an inch thick, and had every ap-
pearance of being absolutely free of
defects. In fact, it was as perfect as
any rod of the kind. The young
man put the rod in his mouth.
There were two or three movements
of the teeth. jaws and chest as he
concentrated all the powers of the
upper muscles on the rod of iron,
and then a moments tremendous
pressure, during which he pulled
down on the ends of the bar of iron
with his hands, while his teeth
closed like wise on the rod.
When he took the rod from his
mouth there was bend in the CEN
ter of it about like the curve on some
of the balls pitched by Jack Homer.
No more astonished man stood in
shoe leather in New Haven that
moment than the blacksmith He
was speeches. for a few minutes.
The first to break the silence was the
stranger.
"Now what do you think Of your
rod of iron and its perfect condi-
tion?" he asked Of the annoyed man.
"Let me see that poker you use in
the forge. 1t strikes me that poker
is not just what it seems to be. See
here, boss, I'll bet l can bend that
poker by striking it across my fore
arm"
We blacksmith had ceased to
!, fellows statements. AS a
~ 9ggo4t 2sp, fact he was becoming
aIarme1l fest the stranger should take
notion to bend all the bars and
pokers in the shop. But just to see
what kind of success he would have
with the long poker, the blacksmith
told him to go ahead and test it on
his forearm. The stranged peeled
off his coat, barred his arm, and then
welded the poker in the air, bring
ing it down with great force on his
forearm. Instead of the poker bend
ing as the rod, it broke in two.
This strange young man is por-
ter at the Arlington House. His
name is Oscar E. Skiff, and he is ~
years of age. He is about Eve feet
seven inches in height and Weighs
155 pounds. One of the OF mary
schemes he INDUCES in to amuse the
guest who has just reached the no.
tel is to grab the guests big trunk
cit makes little difference how large
or how heavy it isl and rush up
stairs with it on his back.
If the room to which the trunk is
destined happens to be on the top
floor, four or five stories high. Skiff
mounts those several flights of stairs
with about as much ease as the hotel
clerk welcomes a fresh guest. There
were several gentlemen in the hotel
office few days ago talking about
the muscular capability of mankind
generally. The clerk Of the hotel
weighs about 185 pounds. At his
side was seated guest who weighed
ITO. Skiff put one hand under the
clerk and the other under the guest
and lifted both off the floor SO that
his arms, with a man in the palm OF
each hand, were straight out from
the shoulder. With SIS pounds thus
held up, Skiff told boy weighing
all of eighty pounds to climb upon
his knees and remain there to further
test his strength. The lad obliged,
making in all 435 pounds that Skiff
was holding up.
Last night, in the presence of sew
eral individuals, Skiff went through
number of his wonderful feats,
such as bending on his bare arm a
rod of iron nearly an inch in thick