Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-06-23
CHE ENDS OF CREATION
Two Towns of the Extreme North anr
South of Our Globe

South of Our Globe
Cincinnati Commercial Gazette. Do
you know the names of the two towns that
respectively are the northermost and most
southerly in the world? They are Ham
merfest, Norway, and Pdnta Arenas. chilli.
! The former is the capital OF Finland. the
extensive province or annex of NORWAY.
which forms the extreme northern portion
OF Continental Europe, and is situated be-
tween the Arctic sea and Russian Lapland.
Finland has an area of Is, 306 square miles,
includes Norwegian Lapland and comprises
numerous islands. on the northermost of
which is North Cape IL has important
fisheries which give employment to the
IS 600.
Hammerfest is the Q aul-oe Whale ISL
and), OF which it is the chief port, ana is
sixty miles southwest of North Cape. It's
houses are of wood, and are painted on the
outside. Communication between its quar-
tiers is kept up by boats. Its harbor is
defended by fort.
Although situated in latitude 20 deg. 40
min. sec. north, tue summer heat at
times is oppressive, and even throughout
the winter the temperature is mild enough
for fishing to be carried on. The sun stays
two months above its horizon. The town
exports stockfsh, whale, seal and fish oil.
skins, walrus hides, teeth, copper and
| feathers.
It's population is about 2,100. In its
trade Norwegian, English, German ana
Russian vessels are engaged Thirty
small vessels are sent out early in the
spring to Spitzbergen to take part in the
! fisheries and walrus hunting. Train and
| Nc
merfest. Sailed fish is the principal ex-
port.
On Funginass, or Birds Cape, which
protects the harbor on the north, stands a
column with an inscription in Morse and
Latin, stating that the town was the des-
tination OF the expedition for the measure
ment of the arc of meridian It was alsc
the place chosen by Capt, Sabine for the
scene Of mis- pendulum EXP eriments
Punta Arenas is Spanish for Sandy Point
It is situated upon level plain in the
CHILEAN colony of Magellanes, and on the
east coast of the Brunswick PENN sula.
Back of the town snow capped mountains
rise to the height of one thousand feet.
It's houses are almost all one story, and
built irregularly. Just outside the settle
ment are fields Of moss and low hills whose
|
point, on the other side Of the Straits of
Magellan, is the island of Terre del Fuego,
the Land Of Fire, SO styled by Magelhaens.
its Portuguese discoverer, because of the
I great number of fires which he noticed
upon it the first night he approached its
shores.
PuntA Arenas was founded in 1843 as a
penal settlement, and has ever since been
known only as such to those who have
read or heard of it. It's unenviable 1epu-
tation lead TO its decline in population
until the European steamship lines adopt
the route through the straight TO the west
coast OF South America.
Then the town was used as d station of
call and supply, and in 1868 Chill sent out
800 immigrants, with governor, to take
possession Of it. The immigrants brought
along with them wood for building pur-
poses, and supplies to last until the land
granted them had been cleared and Guilt
vated
Then the sending of the convicts there
was stopped The military guard was
withdrawn during the war with Peru, and
the prisoners who consented to join the
army got ticlst of leave. From 1863 to
| 1888 the popul IN of the island increased
from 200 to o.
The soil is I'd, coal mines abound,
and gold and are found. The coal
mines are wor ~ company, which
defence of the position, and yet,
nevertheless, maintain themselves against
/ the world.
The quiet force Of this latter class
often prevails where the more offensive
tactics of their aggressive brethren fails
becaQs it, arouses opposition. The mar
tyrs of the world who have established
creeds or promoted reforms have been con-
tent to have commanded attention by their
GOODNESS and self confidence. Nearly all
people act as sheep following a bell
wether. Oaly small proportion think
| for themselves and become leaders of mep.
Tnose who have opinions and aspire to
leadership should cultivate the graces of
leadership. A party organized with great
care by men of discretion, careful to hu-
NOR the prejudices Of the members. though
carrying the principles braveIy may be
stampeded in day by the lnconsiderate
| utterances of positive man with the same
| ends In veiw who has not learned to hri-
| die his tongue and Is ready at all times to
give expression to his radical veiws. Pos
itiveness must be united with discretion
| If 1t is to be real force. Obstinacy, as
IIOn pOSiGtN6u6SS, may U6
considered the fruit of ignorence. 1t is
not always easy to draw the line of dis
| tinction but 1t may be traced by consider
ing wheather the fixed opinion is or is not
| founded upon reason. The positive man
may be in error. but he has knowledge of
some kind and judgemen to support his
VIEWS. The obstinate man has nothing
stronger than prejudice. He thinks this
or that becsus be thinks it, and that set
ties it. 1t is an injustice to the
positive man to consider or
| treat him us obstinate merely because one
disagrees with his veiws He is worth
talking TO because he is, ON the one hand
open to conviction, though not easily con
| vlnced OF his errer and on the other may
be convincing. And even though
argument should fail and leave both
controversiallsts of the same opinion, each
will De strengthened by the necessity of
making defense. 1t is a good thing to
associate with people. whose opinions
accord with ones own; such intercourse
adds positive strength to. ones belief
But it is also good thing to meet an
opponent for the defense of ones belief
adds to its strength or divelops its weak
ness. The man who looks at only one
side of question is never as strong in his
faith as ne who is obliged to combat OPP
posing veiws.
TROUBLE IN TIE SCHOOLS.
The Catholic Church Criticised aud Two
Men Lose Their Jobs Thereby.