The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1893-07-29
scarlet fever are said never 70 % found


through all the waterways, and ON the
Me-Kohg river ID q place called tho
city Of Twenty Thousand Palms. ~
The Palmyra, betel, cocoanut and sttap
are the common varieties The betel
furnishes the nut which these orientels
eat with lime, cera leaf and tobaccos
The Siamese cocoanuts are large and
meaty and are marketed to some 81.
tent in America. All sorts OF tropical
fruits grow In abundance. Siam u
rich in spices, cotton, sugar, rice, 6sh,
ivory, gutta percha and in almost every
variety Of vegetables. There is also .
liberal supply of coal and petroleum.
bangkok, the capital, has popula-
ton of 100000. 1t is built for about
six miles on both sides of the Msnam
river, some twenty miles from itc,
mouth. The downward current Of the !
river is very strong, but the rising Ades
force the water back into the creeks
and canals that intersect each
other in this city, which has been lilks,
ened to Venice, as it depends more ON
its waterways than upon its streets for
travel and transportation. The river
is navigable to the city for ships Of $50
tons, but there is bar at its mouth,
which al low tide has but six feet OF
water and at no time more than four
teen feet.
The city is striking In appearance ON
account Of its great extent and Its float
light wood, thatched with palm leaves
OF them are occupied as shops, and
shopping in Bangkok is done 81 boat
even more than in Venice. Walls AZ!
teen feet high and twelve feet thick
surround the city proper, making cir
cumference OF about four and one-hAlf
miles. The wall is pierced by sixteen
large gates and defended by sixteen
octagonal forts, two stories high, and
having two or three tiers of port holes
As means of double security
to royalty the palace is surrounded by
strong walls and frowning forts inside
those of the city. The armory and
mint are both within the palace wallA
1t is estimated that the palace walls in.
close 100000 persons, thus leaving
some 100000 outside. If the city were
besieged itwould be impossible for this
great multitude to find shelter within
the walls. Bangkok having been made
the capital in 1882, the centennial Of
that event was celebrated in 1882 with
q very imposing exposition, lasting 100
days.
Prebat Somdet-Para Paramend Maha
Chulalangkorn Kato Klow Chow-yu-Hua
is the name and title OF the king Of
Siam. He was born September 2l,'
1858, under the sacred umbrella In the
royal palace His father, King Maha
Mongkut, had harem which included
35 royal mothers, who bore him s4
children. Chulalangkorn, having the
highest rank, was made king on
the night of his fathers DEATH,
cial meeting of the Sanabodee,
old kings body was embalmed and left
Chulalangkorn was crowned and as
cended the throne November IL, 1868.
1t is necessary, however, according to
the law of Siam, that every officer Of
the government should at some time
have been priest, and when one en-
ters the priesthood he must renounco
all social and political honors. Ac-
cordingly in 1873 the king renounced
his title and was priest for twentyt
one days, after which he was agains
crowned king. One OF his first acts as
king was to abolish the law requiring
the abject prostration of oil persons in
the royal presence, and his course gem
orally has been in the direction Of more
freedom and greater enlightenment.
He has visited Singapore, batavia and
Calcutta, and had arranged to visit
Europe and America in 1880,
but the drowning OF the queen
prevented him. He has always exhib-
tied the kindliest feeling toward this
country, and took especial pains to ex-
press his regret at the death of presi-
dent Garfield. Mary Lovina C,ort, who
has lived many years in Slam, and from
whose book on Siam s.iany Of these
facts are gathered. aaid: ",The king OF
Siam must be rauked among the most
humane nr.i liberal OF heather mon
archs, a.sI his government is Of the
mildest form. His father proclaimed
religious liberty throughout Siam, and
the king himself is the only one In
Siam today bound to be Buddhist
He has proved himself kind friend to
the missionaries and manifests his
good will and respect for them in num-
berless ways. During the cholera In
1881 he had dispensaries opened all
over Bangkok and free medicines were
distributed to the poor, distressed pop
ulace. After the terrible earthquake
in Java and among the islands south OF
Singapore the king contributed 100 csta
ties Of silver (over 10000 to the relief
of the homeless sufferers and the queen
gave so catties more"