Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1893-05-26
A QUEER CITY.
Where the streets Are Narrow Tunnels
. Between Lofty Walls.

Lofty Walls.
What do you think Of q great bust
ness thoroughfare that is only from six
to nine feet wider" inquired a we'll
known traveller. Il spent last winter
travelling through North Africa, and in
the course Of my pilgrimage paid a visit
to Fec, n Of the chief cities o: Mo-
rocco. Viewed from q distance Fec 10
a dream Of beauty; at short range the
illusion vanishes. One long street runs
the entire length Of the town and is
paved with cobble stones. 1t is the
widest thoroughfare in the city, and it's
width never exceeds ten feet. In some
places 1t IL not half that broad. Along
this street are the shops-narrow little
dens. In which the merchants sit cross
legged, with their wares about them,
and smoke villainous tobacco. Many
Of the other streets are SO narrow that
1t Is difficult for two portly people to
pass. l rode down one Of them on q
donkey for a considerable distance and
found 1t terminated abruptly by a stone
wall. To turn my animal around was
impossible, and l was compelled to
back him out. While doing 30 1 was
accorded full possession Of the street.
Owing to the height Of the houses, many
OF which are three stories, and the prac-
tice Of covering the street on a level
with the first story with reed roofs or
vines, the rays OF the sun seldom reach
the streets, and they appear much like
narrow, vile-smelling% tunnels. Fee was
and learning. 1t was once the capital
OF the Mohammedan States OF Western
Africa, and the Moors considered it the
finest city in the world. It is filed with
the tombs Of holy men, and is still held
In extreme veneration by the Moslem
inhabitants Of Africa. 1t has been de-
clining in commercial Importance for
some centuries, and now possesses little
trade and but about 0.0O0 inhabitants. "
As Strong as Samson.
Oscar F. Whitman, Of Lewiston, Me-,
is endowed with strength in his hands
which almost surpasses belief. Some
Of his feats are truly marvellous. One
day recently a COW fell on the ice. and
after sprawling about In an effort to get
up. lay helpless. Four able-bodied men
placed q plank under the animal and
tried to pry her to her feet, but they
could not succeed In raising her more
than q few inches. Whitman came
along. on his way home from work, and
BraSplnR the AT q plance, No
held his arms out at full length for an
instant and then firmly placed his hands
under the COW. The laugh OF the by
ISLANDERS at Whitman's action was
turned to surprise when, without any
apparent effort, he lifted the animal
two feet higher than a standing posi-
ton and let her down gently until her
feet were firmly on the ground. So
that the curiosity Of the crowd might
be a~ppeased, the COW Was led to the
city scales and weighed. and she tipped
the beam at 700 pounds. Whitman also
is able to lift large, heavy men without
apparently any effort. Although he does
not believe In spiritualism, he Is conf
dent that he has some strange power
which starts from his shoulders and ex-
tends to his finger tips, apparently
through the bones, which he says feel Ia
i'm as though they were hollow.