davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-03-22
JOHN JACOB AsroR's PNEUMATIC ROAD
CLEANER IN OPERATION


or bicyclist Later he invented n patent
bicycle brake shoe.
So much for the inventions of John
Jacob Astor fourth. But he has even
more in his mind than the three de-
scribed. also learned, during our ex-
tended conversation, that since his first
cousin, William Waldorf Astor, the au-
thor of the novels valentine" and
"SforZa," seems likely to cxpat riate
himself in England, where he is now
baslsing in the smiles of British royalty
and aristocracy, it would result in his
John Jacob's) endeavoring to worth
lily represent the Astors in the Empire
city, he being the only adult male NOM
Der of the family residing here. also
discovered that the fourth John Jacob
proposed, as far as possible, to act as
the champion of his disinhcrited uncle,
Henry Astor, who married most cs-
Unable lady, Miss Malvina Dinehart,
and who did not receive what should
have been his-the third share of the
Astor millions-through the hostility of
his brother John Jacob Astor third
There was much more in relation to
alleged Astor skeletons in the Aston
cNoseO eidI WIS SHOWN TO DC ABSOLUTELY
fallacious. And also discovered that
although John Jacob Astor fourth, being
the great-grandson of John jacob Astor
first, was one of the richest men in
America, yet he recognized that it had
happened so through no consent of his
own, and that he proposed to make him
self as useful as possible to his fellow
American citizens through whatever
special gifts and birthrights might be
his, and foremost of which, although he
was too modest and 'unassuming TO ac.
knowledge it, was the inventive genius
of John jacob Astor fourth,
Cor \tnr
The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-03-22

height where It is cooled to the point
Of condensation, when clouds begin to
form ut the top of the ascending cur
rent, and the process continues until
the condensation is SO great MS to form
rain.
"The object Of my invention" Mr..
Aston went on to explain, sis to secure
this result by artificial means and with
out the mingling of the ascending coll
umn with the surrounding atmosphere
until it reaches the prescribed height;
and to this end my invention consists IN
means for transferring the moist. warm
atmosphere from the earth's surface to
the upper and cooler atmosphere thus
producing the initial action necessary
to the production of II rainstorm In
carrying out my invention do not limit
or confine myself to any special form
or apparatus, but employ any ma
chinery capable of setting in motion
large volumes of air, and l arrange a
conduit for conveying the air to tile up
per atmosphere in any convenient and
desirable way, the details of carrying
out the invention being controlled to a
large extent by the natural advantages
of the locality in which the apparatus
is placed.
I'm the present case'-here the
young plutocrat called attention to his
sketch given abovc-"I have shown an
air tower erected upon an eminence,
such as cliff or mountain, and
place in the valley blower of large Gu
pacitv, which communicates with the
air tower by means of an mir trunk of
suitable size, and I drive the blower
with any convenient power. In the
present case have represented an en-
CINE house which incloses the blower
and an engine for driving the same. In
lieu of such an arrangement may pro-
vide tower of sufficient height to con-
vcy the air directly from the lower to
the higher level, and may arrange the
blower and the driving mechanism in
the base of the tower, or mny arrange
the blower upon the cminencc and ex-
tend the suction pipe to the lower level,
and connect the discharge pipe of the
blower into the air tower. The capaci-
ty of the apparatus need not be greater
than is required to produce the initial
disturbance or the nucleus of the storm,
as, when the precipitation of rain be-
gins, the storm will increase from nat
ural causes. To augment the amount
of moisture in the air trunk direct the
exhaust pipe of the blower engine into
the trunk, thereby surcharging the air
in the trunk with the exhaust steam of
the engine"
Mr.. Astor's pneumatic road cleaning
machine that will be exhibited at the
Chicago Columbian exposition has been
in practical operation for some time ut
his cOuntry rpSiflpncc IN 4 bn I'm lie of tho
Hudson at Rhinebecle, and where he is
also engaged in breeding haclineys, or
in less horscy parlaucc-carriage
horses.
When Mr.. Astor, after leaving
Harvard university, resided in the
Orient his principal occupation was
making pedestrian tours through
Turkey and Greece, with Athens ms his
headquarters. Upon his return to
America he became an ardent wheeler
The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-03-22
Another Man, Lees.

At the capitol in Baton Rouge is q
portrait of Zachary Taylor with which,
is connected an amusing Renaissance.
While Gen. Howard, the author of Tay.
lor's recent Life" was looking at the
picture, an old resident said to him:
'Why, sir, that's Zachary Taylor's
head and shoulders with another mans
legs!"
"Iiow is that, my friend?"
ooh. the old gentleman would not sit
as model. When he little thought
what was being done the artist sketched
his head and body, but as the general
declared he could not afford the time
for further operations. the painter was
obliged to finish with another man"
The result is said to be fairly good
]: is a wcil-cxecuted picture, though
the face is neither So firm nor 80 s.rong
as elat OF other portraits, and tie 81.
ure Is that OF man somewhat tale,
than The general. Youth Cora2anion
The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-03-22
FUTURE MILLIoNAIREs.
Tho Tip Receivers of Gotham and n
Messengers Soft Snap.

Tho Tip Receivers of Gotham and n
Messengers soft Snap.
"The extent to which tipping pre-
walls, as a concomitant to the eating
and drinking business, becomes more
apparent every day. The waiter in n
restaurant who does not receive his Gus
tomary largess now feels distinctly
maltrcatcd. He displays his rage at the
implied insult when he places the finger
glass before you by an indignant flap of
his napkin at certain unwary crumbs
No wonder that some of these rcstau-
rant bondholders are buying lots over
in Jersey and betting big money on the
races. Even the cmbeZzlers have got
no such pull. These men are the future
millionaircs of Gotham. these silent
croupiers at Dcmonico's. And yet how
unfairly arc things distributed: in this
city. Elevator boys, rs a class, arc
rarely tipped, and yet their service is
much more onerous, their eyes and
hands becoming severely affected there
by. Musing over these things coming
down in an elevator the other day, be-
came attracted by the conversation of
two messenger boys near by" SAYS {.
writer in the New York Recorder.
"'That's mighty fine gentleman,
that Mr.. Jackson said one. He's Just
'looloo!''
'"IIe is. hey9 came the response.
Why so, Tim? Does he give you pen
ny for cigarette now and thcn?'
"'Does he? a penny, hey? What
you talllin' about? Why, he gives me
n dollar an a half every time take a
note to his girl! She lives in a big fiat
uptown an when git there she always
gives me fifty cents. too-an' an orange.
So, you see, amt out much! She's a
mighty nice lady, with great big dia-
monds in her cars!'
The other boy whistled express
lively.
"Wcll, You have got soft snap.
said he. Two dollars every trip, clear
profit Then he added, astutely:
'Bctchcr life she's some other fellows
wife, that girl'
For cold Thaclscrayan cynicism com
mend me to the New York messenger
boy!'
The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-03-22
Old s:a,..tics Ab.u. Thunder.

Thundcrstorms are more frequent in
Java than III any other part of the
world, there being an average of OF days
in each year upon which they occu..
Next to Java comes Sumatra, which
never has less than Sc thunder days"
per year. Then comes lIinloos.an with
So, Bornco with 81, the African gold
coast with -, and the region around
Rio dc Janciro, Brazil, with 81. The
European list is headed By Italy, with
IS thunder days out Of $50, on an aver.
age. Austria. has o3; Baden, Wurtem.
burg and hungary each average %;
Silcsia, bavaria and belgium have ii;
Holland and Saxony, is; France, Aus
tria and South Russia, lG: Great Britain
and Switzerland. only I. At Cairo,
Egypt and in North Russia and in Swc-
den and Norway he average is only i
per year T. f.niand and East TurlSc.
stan thundrlS;orns are wholly un.
illown
The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-03-22
NATIVE sENEvoLENce.
a Travellers Queer Experience with Him
doc AicrcIants.

~ ArtNcicrHb queer experience with Him
doc Merchants.
Genuine politcness is always the out
come of kind heart, and travellers
usually appreciate any thoughtful at
tention from their fellow-passenger
but the author of 1.-Two Years in Il
Jungle" once found it rather difficult to
receive courtesy from companion on
railroad journey.
In the compartment with me were
three old IIindoo merchants, gray
bearded, dignifcd and respectable, who
evidently were natives OF the better
sort.
Breakfast time came. We were still
many hot ard dusty miles from IL re-
frcshmcnt station, and from the depth.
of some Of their bundles the old gentle
men, who had evidently travelled
before, evolved :. supply of cooked food
1t consisted simply of a large bowl OF
dial, like stiff p2G-soup, and pile of
"chapathcs," enall, lcathcry, un-
leavcncd pancakes made of flour.
With my Usual Indifference to the
wants of ny inner man, had neg
lectcd To provide myself with a lunch
con; and while ] was thinking Of the
nice breakfast | should have in two or
three hours, one Of the old gentlemen
suddenly thrust his fingers into tho
bowl of cooked "dar'-they had no
spoons, forks or lirives--scoopcd up u
generous handful, plastcrcd it over II
little pile Of ''chapathes," and, with a
benevolent beam over his spcctacles.
handed it to me.
was completely taken ubacli for a.,
instant, for The oil gcntleman's hands
were as gfiinN q possible: but accept.
cd tue food Win my politcSt bow, un,
ate 1t with every Appearance of gr;sti-
tudc
Ixonll hava eaten j; bad 1t been tn
times - d:r!y q it wps The act was
a. friendly a. "nY man 'cnld perfoyn.
anA was pleased wi;n ~ pure charity
and bcncyGlcnec, ii not with Tie food
The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-03-22

far more interest to him than his pala-
tial country home of Ferncliff at Rhine
beck on the Hudson and the whole Of
the blooded horses that he has raised
at his stock farm there. His patent inn
proved bicycle brake is of greater inn
portance ito him mentally than all the
pleasure he can get out of his steam
yacht Nourmahal or out of his member
ship in the riding, racquet and tennis,
country, Tuxedo, New York Yacht and
Vaudeville clubs combined. And his
method Of inducing yain Is a much
greater delight to him than almost
even the addition of millions upon mil
lions of dollars and hundreds Of other
houses to those that he has inherited
from his great-grandfather grandfather
and father included.
Perhaps young John Jacob Astor may
change in this particular as he grows
older, but ut the present timc-hc is
now in his twenty-ninth vear-there is
no question of his burning enthusiasm
), for natural philosophy and mechanics.
ILr.y talk with him at his residence,
874 Fifth avenue, after strengthening
out his six feet three inches of anatomy
and commanding my attention with a
winning glance from his large blue
eyes, HE said:
Although my road cleaner and hi
cycle brake are inventions of which l
am very proud, I am fur more interest
ed in my rain inducing method. Let
me explain in my own way what it is
by the aid of this perspective view, IL
Illustrating the application of my i'm
proved method"
Here Mr.. Astor handed the writer
the accompanying drawing made by
himself, and which he afterward loaned
for this interview Then he proceeded
with the following descriptions:
"Thc volume of given weight of air
depends upon the pressure to which it
is subjected. The smaller the pressure
the greater will be it's volume. The
pressure of the atmosphere at the
earth's surface is about fourteen and
three-quarter pounds per square inch.
This pressure diminishes with the alti-
tude. When mass of air is trans
fcrred from the lower to the upper at.
mosphere it expands by virtue of the
diminution of the pressure and becomes
cooler. The rate at which this cooling
takes place is about one degree for
every one hundred and eighty-threc feet
of ascent, If the air be dry, and some
what less than one degree for the same
distance if the air be moist. Clouds are
generally produced by the rising of the
heated moist air from the carth's sur
The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-03-22
SHE PREEMPTEo HEARTS.
Tho Pale-Tnced Boston schooima.am Also
Took Up Homestead Clnim.

Nhe faic-taceu Boston Schoolma'am Also
Took Up n Homestead Claim.
"The pluckiest man / ever saw was n
woman" said one of n crowd of story
tellers, according to the st. Louis Globe.
Democrat. "With the first big rush to
Dakota came n pale-faced young Boston
schoolmarm, who looked as though she
had one dainty foot in the grave and
The other lowering on the verge. She
took up claim, and the boys saw that
she got the finest piece of land in the
county. Then we set to work and built
her house Every mothers son of us
proposed to her before we got the roof
on. She was just the sweetest little
blossom that ever set fire to the mascu-
line pulse, and she had way of speak
ing to every man that led him to believe
that he was all the world and part of
Coney Island to her.
after we got the house built she got
up Il little supper for us-scvcn great.
rough bears, all of us clear gone
Well, sir, after she'd fed us, and made
much of us, and thanked us in her
sweet way for her cozy little home, she
told us that she was already engaged
to Il poor devil of law student back in
way thro' college. We all felt pretty
blue, but we sworc we'd look out for
her until her dude won his spurs, and
we did. We broke land for her, planted
and harvested her crops, and she repaid
MS by gathering us about her evenings
and reading to us and singing old home
songs that seemed to us holier anthems
than ever rolled through the marble
aisles of Il grand cathedral.
For two years she lived there alone,
experimenting her farm and improving
it, and when one day the stage brought
pale-faccd young attorney to Big
Bow he found n plump, rosy-cheei1cd
Dakota girl and homestead worth
three thousand dollars waiting to re-
ceive him. He is now the leading
lawyer and one of the wealthiest men
of the state, and he owes it all TO his
wife. Every man for two hundred
miles around is in love with that
woman, and would crawl on his hands
and knees through briar patch to
serve her,
The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-03-22

TIE contracting business formerly
conducted undor the firm name OF Sims
& SkinRer will after this date be done
by Sio.s 81 Dyer
The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-03-22
Sketchsd Jy HimstlC.

face and the expansion and cooling OF
'snch air in the cooler upper atmos-
iphere, thus cffccting the condensation
lof the moisture and it's precipitation in
the form of rain. When the air begins
ito be warmed by the sun the lower
istratum of the atmosphere is warmed
more rapidly than the higher strata, the
heat being absorbed by the ground and
given out to the air Immediately in con-
tact with it. When thus warmed the
anir below begins to ascend, at the same
time expanding, and the cooler air
lnbove dcsccnds. In nature as the air
lrises 1t is gradually cooled by expan-
ision, so that it soon reaches the tenn.
lperature and volume of the surrounding
mir, but by continuous action of this
Kind the ascending colsmn reaches
higher and higher until il arrives at a
The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-03-22
JOHN JACOB ASTOR.
"a Glover Inventor and a Credit to
His Famous Family.
Description OF His Invcntions-a Many Use-
fut Contrivanccs tho Product OF His
Gcaius-His Wonderful Systoln
for Producing Rain.
lcopYRIGHr. 1893. /

There have been four John Jacob AS
tors who have demanded the attention
of Americans either on account of their
wealth, their philanthropy or other cir
rumstances of an unusual character.
John Jacob Astor fourth, the great
grandson of the first of the name, is not
only noticeable as the inheritor of tens
OF millions of the Astor accumulations,
but for another reason, which he re-
Yealcd to the writer of this article a
few days ago, and which Is that he
Dives. moves and has his being in discov-
cry and invention. A pneumatic road
cleaning machine that he has invented
and which will be one of the features
of the Chicago worlds fair where it
will be seen in practical operation, is of
The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-03-22

ARE you satisfied with your laundr7 !?
II OF take it to ]. f. Earp's CONNECTION
airy s,orc, No. 1865 Jcffcrson street,
agent for the Radtord Steam Lsrudry.
The very best of work guaranteed.
The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-03-22

THE ROANOKE TRANSFER
kinds OF hauling. They keep good
wagons, good teams and respon-
eible drivers. Prompt attention,
OMcee, Freight depot and Jefferson
street, south. Telephone, 119.
oct1.1-yr
The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-03-22
SPECIAL NOTICES.
Advertisements in this column viii vopay
porugnIs

NEW CONCERN.-E. w. SYKES
~ has opened first-olass carriage
shop next to his grocery store, be.
tween Patterson avenue and Rorer
avenue, on Ninth street s.w., where he
is prepared at all times to do any and
all kinds of repairing, manufacture
buggies and all kinds OF wagons at
short notice. L. w. Sykes Ia fret.
class carriage maker, No. 308, $40, 812
Ninth street, telephone 20S. / 81 limo
The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-03-22

EREDERICK ]. AMWEa, O. E.,M.
Am. Soc. U. e. d Engr's Club OF
Philadeiphis;engineer, contractor and
builder, Com mercial Bank Building,
Roanoke, We. apr22-ti
The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-03-22
GOETZ's BULLETIN.

We have again accepted the agency
for the celebrated LADIES TEN.
DER FEET SHOES" Will cell
them again under the same guarantee
and az low &c ever.
Goods damaged by flood will be sold
at great sacrifice. Come and look at
them, there may be a pair to 1t you.
'GOETz'S,
No. 1o1 Salem avenue, Cor. Henry.
d166m.
The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-08-02
YoU CAV SEE n:

3etuop4On0 OF LIT.
Pierce's Pleasant
Pellets but you
can't feel It after
It's taken. And
yet It does you
moro good than
'any OF the huge,
old-fa ed
pills. with their
gripping and vio-
lence. These uuY
The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-08-02

r. r. Rr oomeliy, OF Tacoma. 10 registered at
the Northern.
c. H. Eldridre. of Detroit. Mich. 10 . CUES. at
the Arlington.
n J. Wells. of Port Angeles, 10 registered at
the Occidental.
T. e Werner. OF Lowell. 10 among the arrival.
a. the Arlington.
F. D. kelsey. of juneau. Alaska. 10 stopping
At the Occidental
{. X. Burns and daughter. of SPOKANE. are
guests at The Rainier
Nj and Mrs f. J. Hall. OF Tseom. ara .,o,.
pinx at the Arlington.
r. r. Donahoc. OF Eas, Clallam. rsv,.,.,.a
Yesterday at the Grand.
u. Z. Barnes and " Herrick OF Portland. ara
stopping ~ Tire Rather
3. W. founs. the Mount Vernon lumhsrmap
10 registered ., the DiIIer
pr. r. r Ross. Of Webster City. In. n IN the
city. saess OF the Grand
Mr.. j. J. Gilbert Of Olympia n AMONG tia
arrivals al the Occidental.
t T. ieavenworth. Of Olympia, and his con
Are stopping at the Northern
FRANK fa'rar. Of Gsena. came to town yester-
cay and IL . Snest of the D.ller.
IL. Bsackman. the snoaamisA nt,iuan. n in
TIE city. guest OF the Occidental
y. r. AeFaddsn cane over from o,vmn,.
J. e. RA,enan and r. r. Bsason. of Gan Fran.
cisco. registered yesterday at the Rainier.
Joseph irving. manager OF the Monte Cris,o
hotel a. Everest, 10 guest OF the Northern.
Neil Macarthur. OF 3. Paul, is visiting TIA
sound country and TO registered at the Grand
s'eosse Myths. of Milan. Italy, 10 q tourist
wao ~&s IN TIE eisy for . short time yesterday
III. /. Burseis, OF Port Townsend. cana "a
tie city yesterday aad 10 registered II the
Grand.
Thomas 5 Beals. 81. eashier OF the Island
taGnty eaaS. OF Coapey..is, 10 Q Kusss OF TIA
Arlington
Miss la wollassrs. OF Berlin. II q euess q, the
sortn<Fn. on her way 70 Wait frisns,s In San
tfa2e1sco.
T. W. NA.Ile. OF Portland. assis.an. srr<-in.
teaaeHi % TIA railway Haals service 10 . gnss, q,
tae Occidental
9srass 1sshes. Samuel Caches, Hlss Ev.
oseass AID IA srsle.s. Of L. CoHaes, sxs On
The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-08-02
THE CHINESE NAVY.

china has six armored vessels and
tsenty-six unarmored vessels. built in
british and German dock yards. Two OF
!tsr armorciads are of !. 400 tons displace.
fscn,. being heayie than our Maine and
texas. and have a speed of fifteen knots
besides steel protective decks, they have
saser-iine belts of i;'s inches OF compound
asnor, and the main battery OF each in.
81 AIDES four i2-inch Krupp guns. protected
ey an armored breastwork, and two
smaller Krurps. while each also carries
eleven Hotchkiss cannon and tubes for
sorrcioes.
China has ship yard at Foochow on the
Min river originally established by a
French officer in the service Of China
rocks. machine shops and rolling mill.
have been added. and i, is busy scene of
construction. At that point was built the
asmorei coast defence vessel Ping Yuen of
about 700 tons and >, 400 horse power.
'hc is only about rs fas, as our Mian.ono-
I'oh, but has . wster-,ine belt Of eigh,
inches and txo-inch protective deck
Sae has iot4-ineh krupp gun at the
COWS. in q 5-inch hreas:work, two s-inch
guns amidsh,ps. eight small rapid-sire
guns and four torpedo tubes. Her factory
also builds steel b-eech loading rides from
,ngcts furnished and agh-iurned in Eng
and
The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-08-02

The frantic talk Of the fat money con.
vention at Chicago is worthy oil GOV.
Waite. OF Colorado. and enough To make
Jerry Simpson. Senator PETER aud Gov.
lseweiiing. of Kansas, turn green with
envy. To illustrase: What can be more
senselcss tn q man of any intelligence.
eosioned upon reading. than the asser~
ton that "ihe closing of the minis OF In
dis. q death blow ~ free coinage IN
Easope. and the demand of Wall street
for the repeal Of the Sherman bill were but
parts Of u great conspiracy aeaias, the sill
YER republics ri the Western hctnl.nhere ~
The historical truth Is that the
eisilissd countries ot the world have
Within che last twenty-five years success
ssyeiy declared that by reason of the enor-
,ooas quantity produced and the vioI.nt
ase,us'son in its value. silver is no. II, Ia
ssgve as measure oi the value Of all ether
things. and the drift Of tho Commercial
world has h~en steadily toward a gold
standard. Now this is financial far.
ard 10 describe 10 IS . collision between
Europe and Wall street 10 a. absurd a, i,
SVsso ~ w os$SftcS t29 Gozffe fatt move
ment for ireland ~ the resals Of . con.
srirsey between Gladstone and the Re.
rahtican party.
The preference for gold over silver began
- early - lsi6 vhen England legally
adopted the soid standard; che haa de-
menssisea silver: that IL. STOPPED eoinin 9
Il for private persons ia i.9A Ensland
LEGALITY adopted the gold standard in Isle
3er she reason. a. stated in the act Of PAR
lament. that great inconysnlenee has
efss~n from beth those precious metals be-
Ing concurreniiy the standard measure Of
value and sauivalen, for property" With
the angle exception OF England. all Ea-
rope forty years ago had the silver stand.
ard. silver coins constituting the rres:
hask OF the money Of ae,aal transactions
Today not q Mat in Europe Is open 60 The
coinage ct faa debt paying silver
coins. Twenty years age enc ounce Of
gold exchanged in the markets os the
" rid for Green snd one-aslf ounces OF
SILVER. today one ounce Of god wi! bay