davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-02-24

THE GREAT ICE BARRIER OF VICTORIA LAND.
sighted. Still onward they steamed
for two days, entering waters which
had never before been plowed by keel,
and on Jan. 20 they reached latitude "A
degrees. Here the practical captain de-
cided to turn north again. He was look
ing for whales, and as none had been
sighted, he could see no profit in going
forward. 1t mattered little to him that
before them was a solitude which man
had never explored and which might
never be reached again. He wanted
whales. Just little more than one de-
gree to the south lay the south magn etic
pole, according to Borchgrevink' s calcu-
lations. He might easily have continued
until the shore of the continent was
reached, pushed on over the land if pos
sible, and made his voyage one of the
most famous since the days of Colum-
bus.
But mol Whale oil was what he was
after and not fame. So he turned back.
The feeling of disappointment in the
breast of the humble scientist before the
mast may be imagined.
Back they went to Cape Adair, days
sail to the north. There the captain was
persuaded to make landing. Borchgre-
wink was the first man Of those in the
two boats to set his foot on the mysteri-
GUS continent. In his enthusiasm to gain
this distinction he jumped into the icy
water up to his waist and waded ashore.
He made a hasty investigation of the
shore and gathered a few specimens OF
rock and found some hchens similar to
those on Possession island. Then the
Antarctic steamed home through the ice
pack and escaped before the southern
polar winter set in and caught her in its
icy grasp.
Professor Borchgrevink intends to
have his party landed on the mainland
near Coleman island. From there he
will start with three Norwegian com
panions and traverse on snowshoes and
sledges the distance of 100 miles inter
vening between the camp and the pole
What manner of country this is he will
try to discover. He is almost sure that
it is a continent. He does not know that
it is not inhabited The Eskimos live IN
a more severe climate. He thinks he has
seen a trace of land animals, and he will
try to find them.
Will he find the pole?
If he finds it, will he live to return?
He is confident of doing both. Thou
sands of scientists and millions of intel
HCent people who do not claim more
than a, speaking acquaintance with sci
ence will await the result OF this expe-
ditioR with expectant eagerness.
CYRUS SYLVESTER
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-02-24

reported TO have seen so many OF the
aow almost extinct and very valuable
fright whales. Professor Borchgrevink
at once applied for passage on the steam
or, but was c1rtly informed that no sci
entIfic or other passengers were desired.
Nothing daunted, the hardy Norseman
offered to ship as a common sailor and
was accepted. He signed articles to go
as seal shooter and took his quarters
in the forecastle with the rest of the
crew. In all his accounts of his voyage
Borchgrevink has said little or nothing
about the hardships which he endured,
but it is known that the captain was I'M
friendly to him from the start, perhaps
on account of the friendly and respect
full feeling the crew showed to him.
The vessel in which he sailed was the
Antarctic, an antiquated steamer, which
had been patched up for the trip. She
was far superior, however, to the sailing
vessels Erebus and Terror, which Ross
nsed. The start was made on Sept. 20,
but owing to an accident which caused
some delay it was Dec. z before he
sighted, from his station in the crow g
NEST, the edge of the ice pack, the ad-
vance guard that tells of the existence
of the great icc barrier that surrounds
Victoria Land. For IS days the ship
struggled in the pack, lodging icebergs
and threading her way through narrow
channels that opened and closed as if the
ice had been pieces of colored glass in a
vast kaleidoscope. Christmas night was
passed and the new year came in with
the rays of the midnight sun shining
down upon them. At last, Oh Jan. ii,
they found clear water, and two days
later, having steamed steadily south
ward, the forbidding coast line Of Vic
toria Land, on which human foot had
never been set, was sighted. Cape Adair
was reached, from whence land could be
seen stretching to the south and west as
far as the eye could reach. 1t rose from
dark, bare rocks into peaks of perpetual
snow and leo IL, 900 feot above the sea.
Most Of these peaks wero of volcanic
formation, if not all of them, and some
had been in recent eruption. These were
the smoking mountains which Ross told
about.
On Jan. 10 they reschcd Possession
island, where Ross made his only land
ing in the antarctic regions. Borchgre-
wink and some of the crew landed, and
the young scientist told them that they
were the second party to set foot on that
island for half century. He made
quite an extended exploration of the is
land and scaled one of the highest
peaks. Here he made one Of the most
important discoveries that have enriched
antarctic lore.
"Quite unexpectedly, he says, SCI
found vegetation on The rocks about 80
feet above the sea level. Vegetation
never was discovered i'll such southerly
ATTITUDES before. 1t is cellular cryptog-
amous plant-a lichen. "
Professor Borchgrevink does not say
that most men would have passed by
this insignificant growth without a
thought. as Sir James Ross probably
did. He saw in it an evidence Of con-
tinent.
On Jan. 90 the vessel again steamed
southwark, and Coleman island was
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-02-24

THERE are men, and newspapers even
In New York who are beginning to take
= sensible view of the silver question, as
she following extract from an editorial
article in the New York Daily Financial
News will prove;
Some of our friends here advised US
Shat the silver issue has been settled by
the vote in the lower house of congress,
The hanging of John Brown settled the
onti-slavery movement in the minds of
some few people at that time. 1t was
also claimed when the abolitionists were
driven out of the cities, beaten and rot
ten egged, that their cause WAS killed
The silver movement is more important
than that great issue. It is not dead; it
does not even languish; the people are
awakening and will soon bs heard from.
The present bad times are due entirely
to anti-silver legislation and will endure
become gradually worse and worse, until
the popular, erroneous Impressions are
changed and silver rsmonetized
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-02-24
CONEY ISLAND DRY.
Narrowing Scenes When the EarIy
Risers Found the Liquor Frozen.

Narrowing Scenes When the Early
RiserS Found the Liquor Frozen.
CoNEY ISLAND, Feb. 24.-The condi-
ton of affairs here is worse than the
condition of Johnstowu after the flood,
worse than Homestead after the riots,
worse than Brooklyn during the trolley
strike Without whisky, without beer,
without rum of any kind. the inhAbi-
tants are going around with parched
throsts.
Every drop of whisky on Coney Island
frozs when the thermometer went to
below zero.
Every drop of beer on Coney Island
froze when the thermometer went to
below zero.
Every drop of brandy on Coney Island
froze when the Thermometer went to
below zero.
Every drop of soft stuff on Coney Is.
land froze when the thermometer went
to below zero.
Everything froze up but the pumps.
Any body who knows Coney Island will
understand the enormity of the calamity.
1t was o'clock in the morning when the
condition of affairs was discovered The
early risers got around for their snifters,
and the barteuders innocently put out
the bottles and the glasses. The early
riseTs tipped the bottles, but not drop
came from them.
''Frozen. by thunderw shrieked the
early risers. Heaven help us!"
This wasn't in one barroom, but in
all. Messages were sent from one place
to another but there was relief nowhere.
The citizens held a meeting on the
beach at s o'clock in the morning, when
the thermometer was lowest a com.
mittee was sent to Brooklyn for relief,
Whether that committee got there
or not is a mystery. Not a man of it
has returned.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-02-24

cate their lack OF Information Dy leaving
a blank space about the southern extrem
ity OF the globe.
If it is true that Nansen has actually
solved the mystery of the north, the
chief ambition of future explorers will
be directed toward the southern pole
Much of our arctic mapmaking has been
done within the last half century, while
during the last "A years little or nothing
has been added to our knowledge of that
mysterious region below the antarctic
circle. Since Sir James Ross returned in
1862 from his daring dash into the south
polar seas and reported that he had dis
covered what he thought was a CONT
nent and which he named Victoria Land,
there has been lots of specializing done,
but no investigating, at least none under
scientific control.
The old geOgraphers accepted the the
ory that there must be great continent
there because land on that section Of the
globe was needed to preserve the proper
lions and keep the spheroid upright.
Their successors could not accept this as
a true theory and, lacking any definite
evidence of the existence OF such a con-
tinent and weary of waiting for explor-
ers to supply the deficiency, finally
scratched off the lines of the vague con-
tinent from their maps. It remains to
be seen whether or not they will be able
to definitely replace Antarctica within
the next few years.
There is one man living today who
has set foot on what he believes was
this mysterious mainland of the frozen
south and is confident that within a
year he will have penetrated to the very
pole itself. This is Q. Egerberg Korch
grevink, the hardy Norseman who last
summer startled the scientific wor41 by
a modest announcement of where he
had been and what he had seen beyond
the antarctic ice barrier. He made his
statement before the international geo.
graphical congress in London, and his
simple story was received with almost
unprecedented enthusiasm. He was
hailed as the hero Of the antarctics, and
plans for Immediately following up his
discoveries were at once formed.
Mr.. Borchgrevink is now lecturing in
this country, but next September he is
to start at the head of a party of scien-
lists for the unknown regions around
the south pole. An English commercial
company has offered to fit out the expe-
ditiOn and take the explorer and his
party to Victoria Land. They are % go
in a good sized steamship, and will
carry with them "a ton steamer and a
naphtha or steam launch for the use of
the scientists. The steamship will load
with whale and seal oil and skins, or
with guano if nothing more valuable
can be secured. The explorers Will be
landed and left to the mercy of an ant-
arctic winter while the ship goes back
to Melbourne, to return year later.
Professor Borchgrevink is physically
an ideal explorer. He is stockily built,
bronze faced man of only 81 years. He
was burn in Christiania of English and
Norwegian parents. AS young man he
made one trip before the mast on a sail
ing vessel, and left the sea with reluc-
lance to finish his education at various
European universities. Later he went
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-02-24

IN R. G. Dun s. Cos. last weekly re-
view of trade it is remarked that:
''Prices of commodities as a whole are
now at the lowest average ever known. ="
This ought to be encouraging to those
who believe that the lower prices go the
more prosperous the people become.
Those who have been asserting that there
never was a time when a dollar would
buy SO much, must be pleased that their
claim has been substsntiated by so high
an authority. If they would now tell
the millions who are out of employment
how to get the dollar, everything would
be lovely
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-02-24

IT is asserted that "sound money! Re-
publicans will vote for Curtis and Brod-
erick. OF course they will There will
be no candidate in either the First or
Fourth district holding sound money
views. 1t would not matter though, if
they didn't. There are SO few sound
money" Republicans in this part of the
state that their votes would not change
the result, wherever given "Sound
money" always means gold money as
everybody now understands.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-02-24

EVEN the British recognize the fact
that we are making fools of ourselves in
endeavoring to adhere to the gold stand
ard, and the London Financial News does
not hesitate to point out that fact, which
it does as follows:
There is plain moral in the remark
that if the United States would venture
to cut herself adrift from Europe and
take outright to silver she would have
all America and Asia at her back, and
would command the markets of both
continents. The barrier of gold would
be more fatal than any barrier of Gus
tom house. The bond of silver would be
stronger than any bond of free trade.
There can be no doubt about il, that if
basis tomorrow British trade would be
ruined before the year was out. Every
American would be protected, not only at
home, but at every other market OF
course the United States would have to
suffer to q certain extent through having
to pay her obiig ations abroad in gold, but
the loss on exchange under this head
would be a mere drop in the bucket
compared with the profits to be reaped
from the markets of South America and
Asia, to say nothing of Europe. The
marvel is that the United States have not
long ago seized the opportunity. 1t has
been a piece OF luck that it has never
occurred to the Americans to scoop us out
of the worlds markets by going a sill
yer basis. and it might serve US right, if,
irritated by the conte m Dtuous apathy of
our government to the gravity of the
silver problem, the Americans retaliate
by freezing out gold. 1t could easily be
q
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-02-24

THE Atlanta Constitution presents
the following sensible bit of advice to
its party; when the word Democratic
occurs substitute Republican, and the
suggestions are equally applicable:
Let the Democratic convention make
square-out and an unmistakable dec
laration in favor of the free coinage of
silver, or an unmistakable declaration in
favor of the single gold standard. The
voters of the country are bound TO make
clean cut issue between these two an
tagOnistic doctrines this year, whether
the political tricksters or the agents of
the money power desire it or not. They
will submit to no lodging or hedging on
the part of the agencies of the money
power. They may as well put as bold
front on the matter as the honest voters
of the country are preparing to do. The
day of deception is passed. The Demo
cratic voters will tolerate no straddles or
declarations that are basted together in
the middle and have the head of an ape
and the tail of 'possum. If the agents
of the money power control the con-
ventiOn let them make the most of
their opportunity-the last one they will
have in several generations-and declare
for the single gold standard and the policy
of currency contraction it represents. If
the genuine Democrats have control of
the convention let them make the most of
their authority and declare for the free
coinage of silver. In either case the peo-
pie will know what to do, and they will
have far more respect for the men who
boldly commit the convention to the
policy of the single gold standard than
for the men who treacherously invent
declaration that means nothing whatever.
If the agents of the money power pro-
pose to control the convention in the in
terests of the element they represent, it
will be far better for them and for their
cause if they go about it boldly and hon
aSflU
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-02-24

to Australia, where he joined the sur
ICY department, and attracted atten-
ton by scaling Mount Lindsay, a pre-
cipitous peak in Queensland, feat
which had never before been accom-
plishe6.
He was teacher of modern languages
and science when he heard that a whal-
ing steamer was to start from Melbourne
for the antarctic seas and was to try to
find the locality where Sir James Ross
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-02-24
THE SOUTHERN POLE.
Explorers Now Turn Their Attention
to the AntarctiCS.
BORCHGREYINK'S DISCOVERIES IN

Southern Seas and His Plans for aFu-
ture Expedition.
There is a vast section of this planet
about which we know almost nothing.
It lies around the south magnetic pole.
The north pole has long been the goal OF
adventurous explorers who have trav-
ersed much of the frozen wastes which
surround it, and now it is rumored that
Nausen has reached the pole and is re-
turning with definite information con-
eerring it. At any rate, our maps Of the
arctic regions give us q good idea of the
proportion of land and water there.
When they reach the antarctic circle,
LowsVsr, the geographers stop and indi-
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-02-24

For almost the frst time in its history,
the voice of a minister of the gospel has
been allowed to be heard in Leaven-
worth. The pastor of the First Presby-
terrain church has been permitted to
humbly express his opinion that a pub
lie library would be a good thing for the
town. 1t is a great wonder that he is
not yelled down by the "-heimers" and
''occhios" and other Leavenworth 'Amer-
icans," or pelted with beer bottles.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-02-24

The petition of the Atchison man who
wants to be let out of the penitentiary
March 1 instead of April 10, so that he
may put in a crop is worthy of consider
alton. 1t is not likely that the 40 days
difference will improve the mans charac-
ter greatly and they might result in his
committing another crime.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-02-24

THE bonds issued under the Cleveland
administration will have cost the people
OF Kansas more than 100000 before
they are paid. Suppose the state legis-
lature should pass a law making gift
of such a sum of money to few rich
men. What a howl would go mp. Yet
that is what the president has done for
rs without the formality of vote.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-02-24

IF the present financial policy of the
government shall be continued much
longer it will not be surprising to hear
of the Organization of a Coxey army in
New York city. The PopuIist state con-
veution of Massachusetts-the very CEN
ter of intelligence, learning and conser-
vatism-was held last week aud was at
tended by 800 people.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-02-24
A Modern Instance

"What is your Occupationf" asked the
plaintiffs attorney.
''LocksInith, - answered the breach Of
promise defendant.
at looks to me-, - said the judge, las if
love had the laugh on you, as usual. -
Cincinnati Enquirer.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-02-24

ACCORDING to dispatches from Wash
fngton, even Mr.. Cleveland has become
convinced that the currency question is
the paramount issue before the country.
If congress sdjourns without action he
threatens to call an extra session. In
that case congress would be forced to do
something in order to get home and look
after campaign matters
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-02-24

at
WILL CURFEW RING.
New York Children May Have to Re-
tire at O'clock.

NEW YORK, Feb. 24.-The latest par
oxysm in the series of reform commissions
from which this effete and progressive
metropolis of the Atlantic seaboard is
now suffering is a measure to compel all
the children of New York city under 16
years of age to go to bed upon the ring
ing of a curfew bell.
An ordinance designed to bring about
this extraordinary state of affairs has al
ready been prepared for the considera-
ton of the New York board of aldermen
and a bill to procure the same ends is
now being framed for early presentation
to the legislature at Albany.
After the bill is passed and signed by
the governor the police will have to ar
rest any child found on the streets after
the hour of s p. N. in winter and p. m.
in summer, and each offender will be
punished, the penalty ranging from a
fine of So to six months imprisonment.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-02-24
NEW VERSION OF THE PARABLE
Southern Preacher Rehearses the Ad-
ventures of the ProdIga1 Son.

ventures of the ProdIea1 Son.
From the Louisville Times: When
Judge Sterling B. Toney was down
South he Went-or, rather, he says he
went-to a service at a little country
church. Here the preacher, a simple
old countryman, arose to deliver a SER
mon on the subject of the prodigaI son.
81 am going to take this text, my breth-
rem, because it is just as applicable
now as it was in the old days gone
by. Here to-day, as of yore, the prod
igal, anxious to see the world and en-
joy himself, goes to his old father, who
has loved him for many, many years,
and asks him that he be given his por-
ton that he has been saving for many,
many years. And the old father, who
has loved him for many, many years,
gives him his portion, and he goes away
and spends it in riotous living. He has
2 'Delmonico's at Six time of it, my
brethren, and that prodigal was glad
enough to eat with the swine he herd
cd. Then the prodiga1 repents, as
many of US are apt to do on an empty
stomach, and he went back to the old
home, where he had lived for many,
many years. And he saw the blue
smoke curling out of the chimney, as
it had done for many, many years, and
his old father, who had loved him for
many, many years. And he fell upon
his fathers shoulder and wept to be
taken back to his heart. Then the
father loved him again, as he had done
for many, many years, and went out
and killed the fatted calf that had been
on the old farm for many, many years."
Here the judge was so convulsed at
the probable toughness and antiquity
of that calf that had been on the farm
for many, many years. that he argued
judiciously with himself whether, after
all, the old mans forgiveness and meth
cd of showing it were as devoid Of
humor as we have always thought it
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-02-24

GERMANY has announced tina. she will
have nothing to do with a proposition
for bimetalism until England reopsns
the Indian minis. So much for the ever
talked of international bimetallic con-
faranca
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-02-24

J. B. DYKES of LebRhon is announced
as a candidate for state auditor on the
Populist ticket, but he is probably bluff
fng again.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-02-24

The Leland machine seems to be in
excellent working order and is grinding
out delegates at a rapid rate,
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-02-24

THE Negroes in the south are still
following the delusive jack O. lantern of
40 acres of land aud a mule aud are emil
grating to Liberia.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-02-24
A Definition.

"Papa, what is embonpoint?''
"WeIl, Bobby, when 1 have it, I'm fat;
whom your mother has it, she is only q
tribe stout. "-Chicago Record.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-02-24

NEGROES are reported as starving in
Mexico on 80 cents a day wages. but
there are people in this country who re-
ceive no wages at all, thanks to the gold
standard
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-02-24

CHICAGO. Feb 24-For Kansas: Fair
tonight and Tuesday; variable winds.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-02-24

The finest in the west. Come and try it
]. W. PHILLIPS, 612 W. Eighth ave-