davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1896-07-18
A b NDONED BABIES
Shocking State of Affais Developed in Judge
Millers Court.
Timely Remarks of the Judge Find
Responsive Echoes From the
Prosecuting Attorney.

Judge Miller says there will soon be a
deficit in the United States treasury II the
number of abandoned babies to be cared
does not soon show O material decrease.
There were three colored infants in court
this morning upon applications to have
them turned over to the board. One Of
them, who had been named Christopher
Columbus Banes, Is an illegitimate child.
The mother of this child died in the HON.
eopatchic Hospital soon after the birth of
the infant and the father. who is said TO
be doctor, has never offered to contribute
to the childs support. There was nothing
for the court to do but turn the child over
to the board, which was done.
When this case had been disposed OF two
colored children. aged respe ;tively two
months and two years, children Of Eugene
Scott. were brought in on similar appli-
cation. 1t was stated that Scott. who
works for Col. Bird of the army, had de-
serted his wife and child and gone to Nor
folk. The mother. who was in court, is
soon to undergo an operation, and for this
reason she cannot take care Of her chill
dren.
She's an honest woman" said Agent
Parkman. and he also said he thought she
would take care of the children when she
recovers.
The court granted the request and turned
them over to the board until September
In doing SO the Judge said he thought 1t
was about time that some Of the men who
abandon their wives and children were be-
ing punished. and the prosecuting attorney,
Mr.. Jeffords, said he would do what he
could in the matter Of furnishing some of
these offenders.
Evening star., 1896-07-18
SECRETED HOARDS,
They Are Often Found In Breaking
Up Old Ships.

Ihey Are OftCn FOUND In Breaking
Up Old Ships.
From Casselrs Journal.
The utilization of apparent waste Is well
exemplided in the breaking ur of ships of
various kinds, for every nail and every
chip put aside for sale, but in the case
of vessels of considerable tonnage. and es-
pecially of very old craft. finds both curious
and valuable are by no means rare. To give
a recent instance. an old wooden vessel
that was broken up near Greenwich only
few months back revealed a very curious
sight when some old planking in the fore
castle had been torn down. Here, nailed
up, were the two mummified hands of a
negro, and in the palm of each hand, and
hands, were two counterfeit silver dollars.
The hands had been hacked off roughly. A
year or two ago the breaking up Of an old
schooner near Sheerness brought 10 light
beneath the inner skin of the hull quite
an elaborate armament Of a very old fash
icned kind, and friend of the writer's Sc
cured. from among the rnany weapons in
cluded, a splendidly made bell-mouthed
fint-lock musket, the stock being marked
with a representation Of arm and leg fet-
tors, and the name Philip Steyne, Boston,
Lincolnshire" The most curious part of
this find was set of books-a privateer's
books, evidently-showing the capture of
various French vessels. Tied up in canvas
bag. 100 guineas in gold were found a year
or two back, during the breaking up of all
old vessel plying between Birkenhead and
New Brighton. With the money were
found, too. a most curious and unique set
of foreign playing cards. some loaded dice
these were found in the false bottom of a
wooden bunk.
Evening star., 1896-07-18

From the Army and Navy Journal.
The 13.h United States Infantry sta
toned at Fort Niagara, ". Y. have made
porting the monthly remittance to pay the
&C C'nmand from Lewiston to the post. For
years it has been customary for the off,
Gals in Washington to forward the neces-
sery amount to pay the troops to Lewiston.
e small village on the New York Central
railroad. about seven miles from Niagara
Falls and similar distance from Fort
Niagara. At this point 1t was met by a
detail from the post and transported to
headquarters in a large covered wagon
having six seats. and in which the escort
rode But the advent of the bicycle and it's
growing popularity have wrought a change
Wien, IN army circles, Is most notable A
rev days ago when the remittance arrived
at Lewiston 1t was met at the station by
Lieut. NJ. Mcfarland and an escort of six
men, consisting of Sergt. George Cool of
Company H; Privates Ranch Moon Rose
Gcoscr OF Company G. and Suiter OF Com.
psny H. They Travelled by bicycle and
were armed with Colts 3S-caliber reyoly-
ers, securing the moI.ey package which
was placed on Lieut.. McFarland.s wheel
end they started on the return to the fort
The trip was made in about thirty-fiye
minutes. and all were delighted with the
new service. The read from Lewiston to
Fort Niagara runs along one of the most
beautiful portions of the Niagara river
IL Is wooded at points and the possibility
OF eSceping to Canada by crossing the
stream might tempt some bold highwayman
10 attempt hold-up of the bicycle party
out they would ind that the revolvers OF
that they know how to use them effective
Evening star., 1896-07-18
The Circular Saw.

cIom iHe lnVei
The circular saw has come into such
general use that Il is accepted as one of
the Indispensable mechanical Instruments
and few ever give a thought to the in
ventor In tracing the history of saws
back to the origin, Mr.. C. A. Dunham
finds that the circular saw was invented
in America about the year ITO by a comb
maker of the name of Hartshorn.
He found the old-fashioned method of
using common handsaw to saw out the
horn between the teeth of the comb rather
slow. He therefore took a common copper
penny. known locally as a "Bungtown
copper" filed 1t down somewhat thinner
drilled a hole through its center squared
the hole and cut the teeth in its outer
edge. He then placed 1t upon a mandrel
and put 1t in his lathe. On that he sawed
out his combs.
The new saw worked SO well that he cut
up his handsaw and converted that also
Into circular saws for making combs. He
lived and died in Mansfield, Conn, where
the wooden nutmegs come from" He was
also the inventor of the screw and lin
auger. He never took out any patents
claiming that IL he had done anything thai
was OF beneft to his fellow men they were
H~acsIne to 1t.
Evening star., 1896-07-18
AMERICAN CARS IN ENGLAND.
OUR IdeRs In Construction and Con-
venience Are Adopted.

Our Ideas in Construction and Com
venience Are Adopted.
Mr.. W. M. Acworth. in letter to the
Railroad Gazette. dated London, says:
Steadily. and of late by no means slowly,
our passenger rolling stock IL being Ameri-
canized. week or two back the Great
Western. which has the longest mileage
of any line in this country. introduced Its
first dining car. this time on the route be-
tween London and South Wales. Dining
cars to the west of England are to follow
in a few weeks The Great Northern has
just completed a pair Of first and third
class dining saloons for the London-Leeds
service. each mounted en- six-wheel bogte
trucks and connected by Gould vestibules
and automatic couplers The first-class car
Is about sixty-twO feet and the third-class
nearly sixty-six feet in length, with
width CT nine feet and height of thirteen
feet four and quarter inches-dimensions
which would have been thought quite i'm
possible here only very few years back.
The Northeastern has just brought out
new train fer Its local service, which is
mounted on boyle trucks throughout. and
1t Is understood that this company will in
future build boyle stock only for its ordi-
nary work. Jointly with the Great North
ern and the North British the same COM
pany is responsible for two new trains for
the east coast service to Scotland, which
will apparently be more like the great
American trains than anything we have
hitherto seen in England. Eight coaches.
each on twelve whe els with a total length
of $50 feet. with Gould vestibules and au-
tomato couplers throughout. will have a
total weight Of about 270 tons and seating
accommodate for 300 passengers. The
hulk of the train will be on the compart-
n-ent system. with corridors at the side.
but one third-class carriage will be some
what of the nature Of American day
car. for 1t will be divided only into three
#
sixteen and fifteen passengers, and the
passage will be right down the center. At
tendarts on the train will supply tea. cof-
fee and other light refreshments. 1t should
eastern train last mentioned. is to be fitted
with the 'Quick-acting' Westinghouse
brake. here adopted for the first time in
actual working in England"
Evening star., 1896-07-18
New Words.
From the New Orleans Times Democrat.

From the New Orleans Times Democrat
1t Is matter Of surprise that the uni
versatility Of the bicycle has not produced
an extensive vernacular. As a matter of
TACT. the slang expressions In general use
are but few. Bike Is simply an abomIn-
able abbreviation of bicycle Cyclist is q
legitimate word. that is shorter than wheel
man or wheelwoman. In France the latter
Is called ''bicyclienne." In faraway New
Zealand the awful word ''cyclodonna" has
been coined as a substitute for wheelwo-
man. In many western towns the fair
rider Is called a 'bloomer." without regard
10 her costume. The word "scorcher," as
indicating speedy cyclist, is fairly in
grated upon the language. In Chicago
however. the "scorcher' is called a 'scoot."
The technicalities of the machine have led
to attempts on the part of young men to
coin expressions. Your tire is punctured''
indicates that the story you are telling
lacks the probable element of truth Rack-
less statements are called '.coasting"
very ancient yarn is not a chestnut" but
a century" A young couple sharing a
mutual fondness are riding tandem.'' A
man leading a fast life is .geared too high" :"
An old fogy is referred to as a nigh
wheel. A chaperon is known as pace
maker A cheap bicycle is called a gas
pipe machine. A professional race is a
pro"
Evening star., 1896-07-18
Two Wise Geese and the PIGS,

FROM the Youths Companion.
A gentleman living In eastern Georgia
owned a pair of geese and some haIf-grown
pigs, both of which resorted to a small
plum th!cket on the hillside to pick I'D the
feilen fruit.
A small branch of one of the trees was
broken ard bent down to the ground, and
the gees> had somehow discovered that by
catching the end of the branch in their
bills and shaking the tree by means of 1t
they could bring down the plums
Inc pigs seeing what Mas going on. soon
found ii to their III terest to follow the
geese to the plum thicket
The geese would shake the tree and the
sound of a grateful shower of fruit would
be heard. but before they could eat the
pIuIns the pigs would have greedily gath
eled UP most Of them. Greatly exasperat-
ed' ana with good reason. one Of the geese
Would seize pig by tie ear. while the
other marched on the ether side of him
screaming and scolding. In this way. beat
ing poor piggy with their wings at every
step they would escort him to the ton of
TIE hill and there let Elm CO.
Then they would return to shake the tree
again. with d similar result.
Evening star., 1896-07-18
A NOVEL EXPERIMENT.
The Result Of Firing a Cannon Under
Water.
From Invention.

From Invention.
The most curious experiment ever made
with a piece Of ordnance was at Ports
mouth, England. A stage was erected in
the harbor within the tide mark: on this
an Armstrong gun OF the 1lo-pound pat
tern was mounted. The gun was then
loaded and carefully aimed at a target-all
this. Of course, during the time of low tide.
A few hours later. when the gun and the
target were both covered with water to a
depth of six feet, the gun was fired by
means Of electricity. We said aimed al a
target" but the facts are that there were
two targets, but only one was erected for
tEis special experiment the other being the
hill of an old vessel, the Griper. which lay
directly behind the target ard In range OF
the ball. The target itself was placed only
twenty five feet from the muzzle of the
gun. 1t was composed of oak beams and
planks, and was twenty-one inches thick
In order to make the old Griper invulner-
able sheet OF boiler plates three inches;
thick was riveted to the water-logged hull
In direct range with the course the ball
was expected to take if not detected by the
water. On all of these-the oaken target
the boiler plates and the old vessel hull
the effect of the shot from the submerged
gun was really startling. The wooden tar
get was pierced through and through, the
boiler-iron target was broken into pieces
and driven into its backing" the hall
passing right on through both sides of the
vessel. making a huge hole, through which
the water poured in torrents. Taken alto
sether, the experiment was entire sue
cess. demonstrating, as il did, the feasibili-
ty of placing submerged guns in harbors in
time of war and doing great damage TO the
such points for the purpose of shelins
cities.
Evening star., 1896-07-18
The Decay of st. Helena.

FROM the African Critic.
Napoleon effectually prevented St. Helena
from ever sinking into obscurity. Never
theless. for some years past the island has
been getting deeper and deeper into finan-
cial straits. while the popula alton has cen
steadily diminishing. St. Helena is only
some 1000 miles distant from Capetown.
and yet the island is comparatively un-
known to South African coionists az the
outward and homeward steamers to and
from CapetOWn only call there once in three
weeks and make d very brief stopnage
And yet this historic island is we'll worthy
of visit. not only from it's association
with the great Corsican. but also because
1t possesses. probably, the finest climate
in the world. A constant southeasteriy
trade wind straight from the pole. blows
over the island and sweeps away those
germs of disease which lie latent In less
favored spots. AS consequence, the lon
geVity of the Inhabitants is probably much
greater than in any other portion of the
globe. In spite of all this and the prox-
unity Of the island to the cape, hardly a SOL
itary Africander finds his way there from
one years end to the other
So much in reference to St Helena as a
health resort. Now let me briefly refer to
a matter that Is of more vital Importance.
The strategical advantages of the island
nave been fully recognized by both naval
and military experts. and the royal COM
mission which was presided over by the
late Lord Carnarvon recommended that ii
should be strongly fortified and constituted
an important naval and coaliny station for
the vessels OF the squadron within the cape
command. These recommendations nave
however. not been carried into effect Ger
ta1nly something was done to improve the
fortifcations ten or twelve years ago, but
the guns are now of an obsolete type. and
the diminutive garrison maintained In the
island Is utterly ina 1euuate to defend it
Moreover. though St. Helena is supposed
TO be naval coaling station, the admiralty
maintained no coal supply there the coal
Tor the ships on the cape and west coast
OF Africa stations being kept at Ascension,
which does not possess evan solitary gun.
but is cirder help upon which ,rany
thousands are annually wasted.
The defenSelesS condition of st. Helena
Is matter that intimately concerns the
south African colonies. and should engage
their attention. The island is utterly un-
able to help itself. The opening of the
Suez canal ruined its prosperity, and ever
since 1t has been drifting nearer and nearer
to bankruptcy. The greater portion of its
adult male population mas migrated to the
cape. and the whole revenue of the island
is now only some $1,000. There are only
half dozen officials. and the governor fills
innumerable other offices. including that OF
chief land only justice. 1t is deplorable
that Great Britain should allow one Of its
possessions to sink into such a condition
OF decrepitude, and especially an island
which. lying in the direct route to the cape,
must ever be Of considerable Importance.
Evening star., 1896-07-18
THE SUPPLY OF CAMPHOR.
Scientists Wonder Where the Drug
VIII Come From I'm Future.

Scientists Wonder Where the Drug
VIII Come From in Future.
From the Druggist.
Scientists are already wondering where
the world will get its future supply Of
camphor. Large quantities Of the drug are
consumed in the manufacture Of celluloid
which is now largely used as a substitute
for tortoise shell. ivory and horn. This has
increased the demand and raised the price
Camphor Is produced by several trees
which differ materially in their habits,
while other trees closely related to them
do not produce the drug. Nearly all that
is used in Europe or America is exported
from China and Japan. A species Of tree
in Borneo produces camphor Of a very high
order. which sells for eighty times the
price Of the common article. It. is nearly
all used in China. where 1t Is esteemed as
an incense.
One species Of smokeless powder requires
camphor lii its formation, but 1t has never
been used In sufficiently great quantities to
affect the market price. The trees from
which camphor Ia produced grow slowly
Man Is their greatest enemy. and unless
efforts are made to protect the trees now
living and others are planted. future gen.
eratiors will have little camphor.
Evening star., 1896-07-18
CRIMINALS AMONG INSECTS.
Almost Every Form of WrOngdoing
Prevalent Among Them.

Almost Every Form of Wrongdoing
Prevalent Among Them.
From the Pittsburg Dispatch
Almost every form and variety of human
crime is common with insects. Cases of
theft are noticed among bees. Buchner. in
his "Phys'c Life of Animals" speaks of the
thievish bees which. Ia. order to save them
selves the trouble of working, attack we'll
stocked hives in masses, kill the sentinels
and the inhabitants, rob the hives and
carry or the provisions. After repeated
enterprises Of this description they acquire
taste for robbery and violsnce; they 1e-
cruit whole companies, which get rlore
and more numerous. and finally they form
regular colonies Of brigand bees.
But 1t Is still more curious fact that
these brigand bees can be produced arti-
hclaliy by giving working bees mixture
or money and brandy to drink. The bees
soon take delight in this beverage, which
has the same disastrous effect upon them
as upon men-they become i'll disposed and
irritable. and lose all desire to work, and
finally, when they begin to feel hungry
they attack and -Dlunder the well supplied
hives.
There Is one variety in bees-the Sphe-
codes-which lives exclusively upon plum
DER. They may thus be said to be en- ex-
ample OF innate and organic criminali.y
among Insects. and they represent what
Prof. Lombroso calls the born criminals
that Is. individuals who are led to crime
ny tnelr own organic constitution.
Evening star., 1896-07-18
Three Silent Sisters.

From the New Orleans Times-Democrat.
There Is in Tennessee family of three
sisters which presents some of the most
startling peculiarities Imaginable" said
gentleman from the state in question, who
is stopping at one Of the New Orleans hotels
The three sisters. all Of whom are old
maids. live together on a farm, their sole
means of subsistence. and work early and
late to earn a livelihood. Two of them
work In the field. while the third does all
the cooking and other housework. There Is
but one period of the year when any men,
Der of the trio has anything to say to any
other member. All during the winter, spring
and summer they go about their business
with the seal of silence on their lips When
fall comes and the crop Is harvested they
break the silence. and then only to quarrel
like demons over a division Of the proceeds
When each has succeeded in getting all that
she thinks possible. silence reigns again un-
til the next harvest time The sisters have
made name for themselves They are
known far and near the deaf and dumb
uipists.' although this title is scarcely ap-
propriate.
Evening star., 1896-07-18
Fire Icnefncs Moved by Trolley.


/ have an idea for preventing fires get
ting headway in the down town districts
l would use the electric road. Build
switches to the engine houses from the
nearest line of electric road, and have one
or two cars and have an engine and hose
cart on the car at all times when in engine
houses. When called, put on the horses
and start The whole south side is so trav-
ersed by crosstown lines that any engine
may get to the court house in d remarkably
short time. The team will be fresh, and L
see no reason why there cannot be engines
enough massed in time to put out any fire
before 1t gains dangerous proportions. L
would have danger signal drop or slide
out from every pole on the line, ringing a
bell. SO that teams would be out of the
way. and the company's cars could leave
the track at the nearest crossing, which is
every few squares
The city gave the companies the use of
the streets; let them give the city the use
of the tracks. If 1 have a horse and wagon
and meet an engine. and the firemen want
my horse, they take IL. Why not do the
same with tracks? This is merely the plaR
in the rough ii can be arranged so as &
be feasible and practical in short TINA
Evening star., 1896-07-18
WOrslswOrth-And q Comment,

rrom tue Lazy D fictOrml.
The other day it was my good fortune to
lunch in the company of several poets of
fame and repute. There was present at this
delectable and memorable banquet one of
the most charming and witty American
women that the world has known The
poets were recording various good stories
and one OF them related a tale he had heard
of the poet WordsworthOy one who had
known him intimately. 1t seems that this
bard was in the habit OF writing at night
and in the early morning, and that he used
TO rouse his wife and exclaim, about 4
o'clock, Maria. get Up! l have thought OF
good word.' Whereupon his obedient
helpmeet arose. and recorded 1t upon paper.
About an hour after a new Inspiration would
seize upon the poet. and he would call out,
Maria. get up! I've thought of a better
word! We listened to this story with ad-
miration. but the bright-eyed American re-
marked, with wave Of the red rose In her
hand, We'll. II he'd been my husband. /
should have said: Wordsworth. get uni
I've thought Of bad word!"
Evening star., 1896-07-18
Patriotic Order of Indian Fighters

From the New York Advertiser.
The west has caught the craze for found
ing patriotic societies. Not being content
with the large assortment Of organizations
already founded to select from, a company
Of westerners have gone OF on their own
hook" and founded a new society for war
veterans and their descendants. Quite nat
urally. this new society is based on the In
dian fights. The name will be THE Pa
triotic Order Of the Indian Wars of the
United States.' The new organization has
just been formed at Lake Forest, ILL., and
any one tracing descent from a pioneer
who ever shot a redskin or who was
scalped by one Of the natives is eligible for
membership. l read in Philadelphia paper
that chapter Of the new society will
shortly be formed In that city The Pa
triotic Order Of the Indian Wars of the
United States may apply to the west, but
the Indian wars in the eastern states we're
Of ancient date and. believe, are included
in the scope of the Society of Colonial
Wars. When will the movement stop? 1t
is evidently the ambition of every Amer
ican. of ancient or modern lineage, to be a
member of patriotic society, and IL
their descent does not entitle them to mem
bership in an existing society. organiza-
tions must necessarily be founded to ac-
commodate them.