The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-07-28
FAR OFF LIBERIA,
The Little Republics Exhibit at the
Worlds Fair.
BOTH UNIQUE AND INTERESTING.
Development OF Weaving Industries
oaa now Line-ProgFess of tho Ma
tives-ootton Fabrtcs-A Prosper
Ous and FlOpFiships COlony-Rapld
Advance In Conee Culture,
AarvR. RsOui IN Inter ocsqN

Advance In Conee Culture,
AarvH, hpui IN Inter 0csaN
One Of the most unique exhibits in
the agricultural building is that from
Liberia, the little Republic near the
equator on the west coast OF Africa,
II 10 In the southwest corner, near
the entrance. and may BIO easily found
by the collection of skins displayed
against the walls. In the assortment
may be seen the beautiful brown and
black spotted hide Of the leopard, that
of the African cat, deer, and monkey
Of many species.
The commissioner whom / found on
duty Is a man OF great intelligence, in'
terssted in the work he has undertaken,
and eloquent upon the resources OF his
country. His name 10 Alfred b. King,
He was born Ia the URited States, but
at the age Of 2 years emiGrated to the
African colony, where he was educated
hVu VI WUlCH uo 10 INV u plouhAloNt
citizen. "How long were you occupied
In making your colIection3" asked.
"We began in juno, 1852, and it was
completed in December, II was fret
shipped TO Liverpool, thence to, New
York, and from there to Chicago"
what arc the chief exports OF your
countryY He ran over the list with q
readiness that indicated q thorough
knowledge OF the subject
"Cofee-that is the leading product
cocoa, ginger, palm oil, palm kernels.
India rubber, dye woods, hard woods Of
several kinds, arroWroot and ivory.
We are here to compete with the world
in our coffee exhibit This Is all coffee"
pointing to u heap OF pleshoFic bags
-"and there are the samples in those
iara."
THE coFFEE PRODUCT.
Theae were many sacks henped one
upon another down the center Of the
space, andthe jars were ranged in rows
upon tho shelves. The grains were
large, and were both light aud dark, and
Judged from appearance were OF oxcel'
lent quality.
1--WE have it in all stugea," said the
commissioner, rim tho berry, 10 the all
ver, and cieaned and cured, ready for
the market"
"In the silver" meant that the coat
ing of tho bean after the pulp OF the
fruit has been removed, which is done
by crushing, still adheres to it-like the
reddish covering of the peanut within
the shell. This is the last process be-
fore curing. Last year the yield in Lii
IBERIA amounted to 1900. 900 pounds.
A native hut was shown me, aud II
greatly rssemhled similar dwellings as
they are constructed throughout tho
South Sea Islands. The sides were
made OF grass woven like fine mars and
it was heavily matched. A pdssage ran
through the center, with apartments
on either side, and there was q door in
the front and rear, permitting free cir
culation Of air. What appeared to BIO a
tangte of straw lay In q heap on tho
roof. what is that2" / asked. 1t was
taken down and handed 10 me for
closer examination, and proved to be
the nest Of some African bird. ut is o
triple nest" said the commissioner.
there were three compartments-each
o deep pouch over a foot in length, the
compartments where the brood was
reared being entirely separate, al
though tho three nests were stoutly
woven together. Here the friendly
mothers sat in close proximity upon
their eggs and reared their broods, each
doubtless knowing In what particular
department OF the queer nest lor own
hedglings we're housed.
WovEN or FINE GLASS.
"Here is another kind" and Mr..
Shaw took 1t down from a shelf where
it had been stored away. 1t was fully a
yard long, also woven Of fine grass, the
mesh like beautiful lace. 1t was shaped
like u ~meerschaum, with the bowl up,
and in the upper and larger end the
eggs were laid. II did not seem posi-.
BILE that so beautiful a thing could have
been woven with beak and claws.
"lhe male builds this nest; the TO-
male Just sits by and looks op." the
commissioner explained. 1t was tue
nest Of the weaver bird.
A big black, irregular.shaped mass
was India rubber in the crude state, as
IL IL shipped to the market.
A number Of wooden vessels wore
sparingly carved and we're very light,
both in weight and color, They were
colanders in which tho rice is poured
after 1t has been cooked. Rice, on the
west coast Of Africa, is dried In the
ground aud not on cloth or mats as 1t is
elsewhere in tho rice-raising regions.
In this way a good deal Of gravel gots
mixed with IL.
Shaking the colander gently the peb.
bles settle to the bottom. and the rico,
froe from grit, is thaH ready to be served.
Two small wooden stools had conclave
seats and four short legs. Ono was
very low aud the other probably a foot
IN height.
"You know tho natives ait OH tho
ground always" said Mr.. Shaw, land
no one but q poraon OF authority and
importance evor occupies u stool. A
man Of lower rank takes tho smaller,
while the higher one is reserved for
chiefs OF more exalted rank"
WAR IMPLEMENTS.
There was q forbidding collection OF
spears, with crude decorations Of hair
and silk, A knife with a keen blade,
curved like u sickle, had boon used for
behoading refractory subjects. Among
the swords l noticed that many we're
notched with small notches In the blade
close to the handle.
THAT shows tho number oil people
killed with H." said tho commissioner.
'Tho notches run all the way from llVo
10 forty. EveFy tlme there is a ifesh
victim O fresh notch 10 cut"