davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-03-18

Camp" picture, which will be for many a
year 10 come notable illustration of one
picturesque incident in Western life.
Tavernier, Keith. Hill, Fisher, Miss Nc
CoTmick, ana the rest who confne their
studies to local SUBJECT have all attracted
attention toward California and them
selves, and so there il good encouragem
for the ambitious Young painter who selects
for his vocation the production OF pictures
that can be found between the Sierras and
the Gnlden Gate.
Carlos HIttel has determined that such
a line shall be his to follnw. No doubt this
selection was Influenced by his fathers
histories and other literary work, as il
NAV be pre-umed that the early home in
fuences If this favored young artist tended
to develop an apprr citation for the dramatic
side of pioneer history as we'll as for the
picturesQueness of life in California be-
fore people came West on railroads and
settled down in homes of refinement and
culture.
Next tc his talent Mr.. Hittell started out
with one assuring quality-enthusiasm-
which he brings into his work with a love
for the Western subjects. He studied for
eight years in Europe after going long
way into the TudIments of art in this eli v,
and in the meantime be has familiar ized
himself with Western literature. The feel
ing for California was born in him, so
there is sure TO be sentiment in all he
does. and this, by the way. showed itself in
conversation.
"Nah's BEARS" said he with a sugges-
ton of regret in his voice. Nothing like
them. A bear is clumsy and difficult to
paint. anyhow, but he gave his poetic sug-
gestiveness. Take his bear on the rail-
road track. for instance. That is his. Such
a beautiful idea-you see it. of course, on
the Overland. Well, I'd rather he the
author of that than of any other Califor-
MAN picture"
Mr.. Hiitell studied here in his younger
days, and after begging 10 be gwen his
way, although intended for a lnwyer. he
became an artist lie went to Paris and
there studied under Bouguereau and Fer
rer in the Julian School. After a time he
passed on 10 Munich for the purpose of
availing himself If the German me,hod
He had the advantage of studying under
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-03-18
BANK NOTE ENGRAVING.
1t Takes Two Months to Draw and
Finish a Portrait.
St. Nicholas.

ST. Nlch0iaS
Ii you will look at the pictures upon
81 bill you will see tina. the portrait of
Martha Washington or of Stanton is COM
posed altogether of curved or straight
llnes-the only kind of engraving that is
allowed &c be done in the bureau-be-
cause. unless ii is done in this manner,
and unless the lines are cut very deep, the
engravings cannot be used. NV, this
portrait was engraved in a piece of steel
by the use of a very sharp little Instru-
ment known as graver. Every little
scratch on the steel plate will, in printing,
show black line, 50 you Will see how very
careful the engraver has to be that he
shall not make any false scratches, and
that the lines shall be just so long and just
so broad. Now. steel engraving is the di-
rect opposite of wood engraving The
scratches and cuts made on wooden
block will BE- white in the print. and it is
0nlv the uncut portions of The block that
print black. while on the steel the un-
scratched portion leaves The paper white.
When design has been cut Gu a steel
plate and ii is ready o b. printed the ink
is put on The plate ur block and all the cuts
and scratches became fiji ed it'll ink. Then
the INK is carefully rubbed off the surface
so that none remains except what is in
he lines. When piece of dampened pa
ser is placed on the plate and subjected 10
very heavy pressure II sinks into he lines,
and when it is iakeD off it draws the ink
out with it, and thus the picture is printed
OH the paper.
Ii takes an engraver about six weeks or
Two months to complete one portrait, and
he man who eDgraves the portrait never
does any other kind of engraving. Each
engraver does only certainipor tiun of The
work Oh nOte-no one is permitted TO en-
grave an entire note. so that tesdes the
D0rtrait-engraverS there are some who do
nothing but engrave the figure, The seal,
the lettering, the border, etc. In this way
II would be impossible for an engraver to
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-03-18

ing in collections of this kind are some or
most of the POstma- ters' stamps, valued
from S. $500 each; the Brent scarlet ct
1863 worth SIS; the 3 cent, , cent and 80
cent of 1866, with grill covering entire
back of sjamr. catalogued respectively
SIT 80, $50 and SIS; he carrier STAMP of
1S49, 1851 and 1852. worth from So TO 500
eacH; he 90-cent Justice tfficial. wnrth
SIC so; he 81. So, $40 and $50 S'a'e Off
cal, valued respectively $40, 500, $40 and
Few make any serious effort TO complete
the series of local stamps, as OF many
varieties not many were used and con-
s quently they were very rare and for
most collectors u ohtalnable, as the few
known to be in existence are in the pos
session of collectors who cannot be
tempted To part with them. These re-
marks hold good also of many Of the other
stamps previously specified and also Of
quite a number OF the revenue amps.
The only wav that such stamps change
hands ls through the death OF their owner
or when, through the vicIssitudes of for
tune, their proud owner is forced to place
them on the market. Neither If these
events, however. occur. with sufficient fire.
quency to make il pOss BILE Tor ahy one
person 30 ever possess complete collec-
ton Of the stamps, yet there are many
hundreds " no are hopefully ana persist
emily striving TO accomplish this task.
In the list of revenues that ara ex-
tremelv rare ara the $500 of the second
issue. catalogued at 800; the So % of the
same issue, worth S225; the proprietary
stamp. listed at S35; the Brown 81 Dur
ling match stamp, held at $50; the jock d
WIldner match stamp. worth $50; the j. j.
Mackin 81 Co. match stamn, $50; the
wrapper stamp of V. r. Powell, $50 ;
M0rehead's neurodyne medicine stamp,
$50, aud the edcine stamp of James
Swain, worl h SO.
While here are not great many OF the
Confederate locals, most of them are too
scarce to reach even a small portion of
those who make specially of collecting
them.
So important has this particular branch
Of Dhlatelv become that suecial cata-
logues of the stamps of the United States
have been issued, and there Is even q So
ciety organized for the purpose of study
ing and exchanging views regarding the
prolific issues of this country
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-03-18

Gently he came back To town. and now his
first effort Is exhibited in the California
room of the Midwinter Fair Fine Arts
building. This picture is a buffalo's head.
which bears comparison with many others
around it in point of drawing. character
and color. The head is well mounted and
stands out boldly from the canvas. Indeed
more than one visitor to the gallery has
criticized it favOrably. At first glance
upon pictures on exhibition some of them
Will catch the eve, and this head usually
does, which is significant.
The second picture is now more than
half finished. although a considerable
amount of work has yet TO be done upon II.
The subject is an old trarper sitting on a
rock raising his fie to shoot. His thumb
Is on he hammer In the act of cooking ii,
his face, friuged with flowing white hair
and whiskers. expresses caution, eagerneSS
aud anticipation, while the eyes are fixed
firmly on an unsuspecting bear.
The model was an old man who spent
many years hunting in she mountains and
who appears In the picture in buckskins
and typical costume. Even his death
dealing weapon is If Anticipated pattern.
As all Mr.. Hitteli's pictures will be of
this character he has gathered together a
great variety of costumes and weapons.
His studio tables are Uttered with trappers'
caps, buckskins. knives and weapons,
miners belongings, stamped leather re-
vnlver cases, some daggers, pistols and
odd rifle and powder horns and Indian
dresses. Hanging from the wall is an old
pistol pouch now utilized as brush holder
Among other things is one of Buffalo
BilPs hats which Cody gave to the artist
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-03-18

made the sound they had heard. Some of
the water was cooled, but proved unfit to
drink.
Both men we're interested in the dis
coVery OF the not spring and the next day
made care full examination of the locality.
NOR out of curiosity than anything else.
The entrance to cave was soon found
ana both crawled N cautiously. 1t was
quite dark, hut they could tell when they
reached large cavern and stood up. A
match was struck and both men nearly
Tell over as result of the shock they re-
ceived when they saw what was around
them.
1t looked at first rs if the cave was filled
with live people, but as the match burned
brighter they could see that the objects
were not composed of flesh ana blood
With proper light it was found that there
were seven forms In the cave. One wss
standing against the wall and the others
were in sitting pastures around. I'll were
resting against the walls of the cave or
bent over. 1t was most uncanny sight,
anu the men had been in the cave for
some time before they cnuId make up
their minds to touch the figures. They
were not perfect in every particular, but
there could be no doubt but that they
were human beings. The lower extremi-
ties seemed to spread out and berome part
of the floor and the faces were indstinct.
They were COMPOSED of very hard, white
told from stone. 1t was possible, so per-
fectly proportiOned we're the figures. to tell
which were men and which women. A
very all one, undoubtedly child, was
crowded down in corner.
Mr.. Traver and his com panion attempted
to move one of the forms, but could not
nudge it any more than the solid rock.
Even had they been able to do so they
could not have taken it out on account of
the smaliness of the opening. Mr.. Trayer
made sketch III the figures in the cave.
that Is reproduced in this article.
Mr.. Traver's opinion is that the figures
offer three explanations. The first Is that
they we're carved from the solid rock hun
dreds of years ago, which is very unlikely.
The second is that they are petrifisd, hut
this is not 60 explanation, because the
figures are in such natural posi ions. The
third expiration is very likely right 1t
is that Ihr figures are the members of one
family that w re put in the cave for burial,
and when the flesh became desiccated some
fluid heavy in solid substance ran over
them from the roof of the cave and COW
cred them with the white coating that
looks like stone.
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-03-18
A STRANGE FIND.
Seven Human Figures in
a Cavern.
A MYSTERY OF THE SIERRA.
They Were Apparently Composed of
Stone and Perfect in
Proportion.

E. c. Traver. civil engineer and miner,
has just returned to the city from long
"trip in the vicinity of Death Valley, and
reports making remarkable discovery on
Mount Darwin. The discovery is won
derful one, and when thoroughly invest-
gated will III doubtedly prove great find
for science. Traver knows that he has
found cave full of human figures. APP
parently composed of stone. but is ignorant
of their true origin. This may never be
determined exactly, but whatever is known
must come from scientific men.
Mr.. Traver has been in the vicinity of
Mount Darwin on several previous occa-
siOns, and had been told of the existence
of the cave by Indians, but was unable to
induce any of them TO 60 with him to the
spot. Mount Darwin is an isolated peak
of the Sierra Nevada range, about ten
miles south of Owens Lake and thirty
miles west of the Mills that border Death
Valley. Between the two is a plateau of
stones and desert. The sides Of Mount
Darwin are very rugged and wild. blu the
CANYONS are filled with stones thai are
quite heavy in wire gold. 1t was while
hunting for these stones that Mr.. Traver
aud companion named Clark made their
remarkable discovery. They have named
the place the Gave of Death"
1t was about the middle of February.
and for sever al days they had been work
ing in canyon on the south side OF the
ountain, and were fairly suecessful; so
much so in act that they kept working up
until they were long distance from a
spring. One of them, consequently, had
TO be ON the road nearly all the time car
rying water, which was very necessary
because the days were intensely hot.
As this was not desirable, short trips
were made into the guiches each evening
in The hope that water could be found
nearer TO their work. Ii was while so en-
gagged That the Gave of Death" was dis
covered.
Suddenly coming around the base of
cliff, strange Kissing sound was heard.
Both men were frightened for moment,
and then they looked carefully about to
see whence the noise came. As they pro-
ceeded, The sound of ripplIng water be-
came aud BILE aud a peculiar odor filed the
air.
1t was when nearly half mile from
where they first heard the sound that they
saw column of steam rising in the air
and boiling water coming from cleft In
the rocks. The steam came out with great
force aud struck a point of rock, which
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-03-18
A Woman Skipper.

The incursion of women into various
fields goes IN aDace. and the world has naw
become accustomed to the idea OF fem
mime doctors, lawyers, dentists, golf
players and lecturers. The only new thing
that woman has done of late is the apnli
cation of the wife of a prominent New
Yorker few days ago to Membership in
the New York Yacht Club on the grounds
that she was skipper III her own Yacht,
plays the cook and cabin boy. spliced the
main brace without asking permission
from any human beng OH board, and paid
her own crew with her own money She
had sailed the yacht from New Rochelle 10
BuZzards Bay. understood navigation,
wore yachting cap on Broadway, and
claimed that she had as good right to be
member of the yacht club as any other
tar who had been admitted. Ii is an evil
Gence of the extraordinary sway which
woman has obtained at this END of the cent
lry that the application of this lady, who
Is In every hing except sex entirely deSir-
abies threw the club into panic from
which IL has not yet recovered.
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-03-18
STYLE IN JEWELRY.
The Latest Notions in Gems, Gold
and Silver.

The Latest Notions in Gems, Gold
and Silver.
The jewelers. Review gives the follow
ing as the latest ideas in fashioned gold
and silver:
Od-fashioned hour-gasses just at pres
ept are mounted IS til silver deposit,
A useful desk accessory is a com bina-
ton rul Der eraser and bristle brush
mounted in chased silver.
The use of uDicnrns. lions and other
animals in the makeup of fancy jpweled
pieces or family crests is ve:y marked.
An acorn whose kernel is formed of a
large pearl set in shell of tinted gold is a
beautiful new design in scarf-pins.
Lorgnettes 10 chased silver are being
made in large quantles, and are appa-
ren,iy gaining in popularity over carved
tortoise.
Bohemian garnets are widely in demand
as ring setting. They show up to the
hes. advantage when used to form the
petals Of flowers.
Taper candleslicks in chased silver the
holder for the candle and the pedestal
being formed of two broken eggshells. are
Easter appearances.
severely simple and tasteful umbrella
handle in silver is formed of two branches
of hsZle twisted from the bnugh and max
ing a circular bow.
fOO chalns WIN either large or small
links executed alternately in silver. and
gold. with large charms mounted with
carved onyx and cameo are again bound-
ing into favor.
An appropriate Easter novelty is Gala
lily vase for cut flowers, executed in silver.
The Hover proper is the rrce ptacle, the
twisted stalk forming the pedestal
fashionable craze for the antiouated
IS sun RAMPANT Various pieces OF jew
cry 10 meet TINS lad are being produced
after The sixteenth and nineteenth CEN
Jury designs.
little slab OF gold carved to represent
an artists palette, the colors being SYM
bollzed by setting OF emerads and sap
phires, makes an attractive scarf-pin.
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-03-18

will be a picture representing the pleasur-
able phase of life in early days, a concep-
ton with an historical foundation. The
rancheros are dashing wildly along the
plains on horseback, intoxicated with wine
and hilarity and expressive of abandon
and COM lete recklessness.
sketch in black erayon similar to this
one IS the artists idea of Ben Wright's
dash to the rescue Of emigrants in North
ern California whose train was surrounded
by indians. The subject would call out
the best efforts of such painters as Fred
Remington, for it Is intensely dramatic
and Will require much study in the draw
ing.
Mr.. Hittel has finished the Illustration
OF book for his father which tells the
Story OF Grizzly" Adams. the old show
man who went around California with pet
bears and menagerie in piOnee times.
For this work he has spent year or more
in different parts of the State. Old pack
saddles, Mexican or SPANISH Californian
dress and riding accoutermeuts were
sketched and painted. Cabins aud places
with history have been nut on canvas,
and the result S q valuable collection of
sketches and studies for future efforts in
painting Californian subj cts.
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-03-18

in Munich. The sombrero has an extrav-
agant hrim and is labeled inside. "the boss
rawedgp." Wherever there were historic
weapons, accOu erments or costumes the
artist sketched them for reference.
From time 10 time he has made charcoal
sketches for future pictures of incidents
and scenes in early California life. These
he calls memoranda taken when the idea
suggested itself. or when he read or heard
of some striking subject for painting. As
the thoughts mature he introduces new
touches which strengthen the sketches
aud develops character with detail. His
portfolios contain nearly hundred sub
jects which will become pictures as soon
as he can complete them. They are all
romantic or dramatic, though some pre-
sent the pathetic side. When in Munich
more than once he had his feelings aroused
by the sneers of German students al duel
ling in America.
"They fight duel in America with a
black and white ball." said young Ger
man. The man who draws the black
ball has to kill himself"
II drew this SKETCH" said Mr.. Hittell,
ito show them what a duel was like in
America. and don't you know they never
laughed al me again."
The cravon sketch shows two despera-
DIES kneeling in the snow, fighting and
slashing with knives, while their compan-
ions stand around encouraging them. The
duel is said ID have taken place between
two teamsters who used TO pilot emf
grants across the plains. IRA tlrsnake
Ike" was chosen referee. The desperate
fellows fired three shots each at each
other, and then came together with knives
They hacked themselves to death in the
presence Of other teamsiers many of
whom sickened at the spectacle of blood
ana passion. The group of spectators are
dressed in buckskiDs with REVIEWERS and
knives at their belts, and the wild mount
ain scene adds to the weird strength of the
tragic incident
Another typical sketch is ''One Shot
More" depicting q desperate character of
the mining days hall reclining on the floor
of his burning cabin. He is mOrtally
wounded, and feels the eud approaching,
but there is one shot more in his revolver,
and he takes aim to kill one of his pur-
suers outside. The picture. from this
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-03-18

express compan les. and Confederate issues,
local and general.
That the field for the United States
ordinary individual can be readily realiZ d
when it is known that nc must gather
within his album no less than 300 distinct
varieties, not 10 mention minor ones and
shades, that have been issued up to the
first of this year.
In former years a general collection that
embraced this number of varieties was
considered in the first rank, but with The
recent rand increase no one who has less
than 10000 varieties in his general col &C.
ton is considered 10 have anything to boast
of.
The thirteen classes OF United States,
aggregatlng 22O0 varieties, are divided
thus: Pnstmasters' Stamps II, general is
sue 152. delivery stamps 30, special deliv-
erv 8, newspaper 29, postage due 10. en-
velope exclusive of offi la 303 official
Qncluding envelopes) 154, postal cards 10,
telegraph 122, locals 579 revenue 665, Con-
federate ga.
As the issuance of postage stamps in
this country dates back about fifty years
his gives the United States yearly aver
age of fOrty-four new stamps.
Despite the comparatively few stamps TO
the rPdlt of this country il is not known
that any collector has The entire mum Der
of varieties, T. ough there quite number
OF wealthy and influential individuals all
over he country, from New York 20 San
Francisco. engaged in the task Of securing
9 complete collection of United States
stamps.
Among the stamps that are usually miss
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-03-18

make a complete engraving for his own
use If he were dishonest enough to do such
thing.
Besides this manual work some of the
engraving is done by machinery, as for
example the background of the portraits
aid Uf the borders, and the shading of the
letters-this being done by what is known
as the ruling-machiDP. which can rule sew
eral hundred perfectly straight line
within an inch. The intricate scroll and
lace-like work around the figures on tn
face and back of the note is done by a
wonderful machine known as the geo.
metric lathe. This machine consists of a
large number OF wheels of all sizes and in
all sorts OF arrangements. together with q
complicated mech nism of eccentrics and
rods, all of which is incc mprehens to
any one but an expert machinist.
BY proper adjustment of its parts the
delicate diamond point that moves about
Gvrr the face of the steel is made to work
out a perfect and artistic pattern with
greater accuracy and much more speed
than could be done by hand, and hence
this delicate and intricate part of the
engraving is one Of the greatest obstacles
with which the cOunterfeiter has to con-
tend, for he finds it next TO Impossible 10
initiate it correctly.
Fortunately for Uncle Sam, the geo.
metric lathe is very complicated and
very eXpens We machine, and the counter
feltar is generally poor man; and even
if he did manage to lay up money enough
to buy The lathe it is hardly likely he
would live long enough to learn how TO use
it properly; for there are only four men
in the world who understand how to
operate it.
Indeed, the man who now has charge of
the geome ric lathe in the Bureau of En-
craving and Printing is the only one in The
United States at the present time who
knows how to manage H. and if ANYTHING
should happen to him it might tangle mat
ters up for a while in this important
branch of our Uncle Sans big Govern
ment.