davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-12-10
Windmiiis in New York.

The landscape within view of the
roof Of ten-story downtown Office
building in this city is not of a kind to
conjure up thoughts of the rural dis
tricts, but anyone who cares to look
about him from such an airy perch can
find within his range of vision several
windmills of the variety in use all over
Long Island and up in Westchester
County.
buildings and are used to pump water
from the Croton mains into tanks
placed either on the roof or in the attic
story. They do the work as well as
steam pumps, and 1t costs practically
nothing to run them. All of the mills
are so arranged that when the tank is
full lever falls which locks the
mechanism and prevents further
pumping.
There is scarcely day in the year.
not even excepting the sultry days Of
midsummer, when there Is not suf-
ficient breeze abroad to keep one Of
these mills in operation. They are so
nicely balanced that very little wind
sets them agoing. Nearly all Of the
mills are made in the West, but there
are several New England manufac-
turers who construct mills on patent
lines. These are much affected by New
York business men, who take pride
in the proper equipment Of their coun-
try places.-New York Mail and Elk
press
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-12-10
AN ACCOMPLISHED CAT.

In San Francisco there is cat that
washes windows. 1t belon IS to one of
the Chinese companies of that city. tits
a cat of Chinese breed, and those who
own il claim that it belongs to the same
family as the cats in the temples of the
Emperor of china. The cat is a mixture
of Maltese and tortoise-shell, and said to
be very beautiful. 1t has a Chinese name
which the newspapers claim cannot be
rendered into En- ylish, so those of its
friends who talk English have to call it
Tom for short. Toms Chinese friends
declare that he is so clean that he would
not lie down until he has busted off the
place where he is to lie. 1t is claimed
that Tom will take rag and dip it in
pan OF water, and wash the glass of the
window in front of which he is going to
lie down and then rub it dry, and that he
has never been known to lie down i'm
front OF the glass without first washing it.
Naturalists say that cats are the cleanest
animals in the world that they abhor
dirt. Sometimes we see cats in the street
which have been turned out of their
homes by the people who have gone away
for the summer and these poor cats do
not look very clean, but it is not their
fault for how can a poor homeless cat
have any opportunity OF washing herself?
and pretty soon she gets so weak from
hunger that she cannot wash herself, and
by and by she doesn' care. So when you
sec poor dirty cat on the street try to
remember that it is not her nature to be
dirty, but she has had no chance to be
clean, and feel sorry for her.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-12-10
THE EFFECTS OF DANGER.
With Some Men It Brighteis the Intellect
While Others Are Stupefied.

The power of rapid action differs
enormously in different individuals.
more especially in sudden danger. With
some men imminent peril seems to
brighten the intellect, quicken the
power of decision, and increase the
obedience Of hand or limb to eye and
ear. In others, the sharp shock of
sudden danger rciaXes the will power,
stupefies rather than stimulates, and
changes capable and energetic man
into n monument of incapac!ty and
surprise.
In the Red Sea, one burning hot
morning, / was reading quietly on the
taffrail of an outbound j.. and o. boat.
One of the smart young cavalry Otii-
GERS on the way out 20 join his regiment
was playing with Il little girl of s!S.
She was running away from him,
shouting with merriment, and, heed
less of consequences so long as she es-
capped from her pursuer. The sloping
bulwark surrounding the taffral Is not
two feet high, but railing of iron
stanchiOns, with two horizontal chains
forms protection against ordinary
danger. Little Sunbeam, as she was
called. rushed past me, laughing loudly,
leaped through the lower chain Of the
stanchion railing, and was the boiling
wake of the steamer before anyone
could apprehend danger. l rose sud
denly as l saw the child gain the bull
wark, and two curious things hap
pened.
A form rushed past me and before
the child had struck the water the
young cavalry sub had flung himself
over the railing and was in the air.
The two bodies struck the water within
a second of each other, and when both
rose they We're not three yards apart.
The nearest life buoy that hung on the
bulwark waS thrown overheard so
quickly by the quartermaster that it
hoated not thirty yards from where
the two bodies were floating, and the
order to stop the ship was given with
in four seconds of the occurrence, the
whole scene being observed by the Off
Ger on watch; and the rapidity with
which he stopped the ship and gave or
ders for the boat to be lowered was
happily rewarded by rescue.-Cas-
sells Magazine.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-12-10
American HardWoods in Europe.

The demand for American hard
woods in Europe is growing, and oak
leads the foreign shipments, although
tulip, poplar, ash, gum and black wal
nut. whenever q good quality can be
secured, are in some demand. Euro
pcan consumers like the quality of
American oak, and since it is known
to be plentiful here, it will probably be
in increasing demand. Cottonwood
has been shipped to Germany in con-
siderable quantities, where cheap wood
is required for furniture and other
uses. Much of this lumber Is forward
ell from New Orleans, and since n
great part of the oak, ash, poplar, cot
tonwood and other timbers demanded
by the foreign market is I'm the South
ern States, is not improbable that lum-
Der for foreign markets will be largely
shipped in future from Gulf ports. In
speaking Of this matter The North
western Lumberman says that the Eu-
ropean market requires lumber cut of
exact thickness and of acurate length,
trimmed so as to have the butts square
and true. Space for piling in the yards
of the Old World is an object, so that
random, uneven lengths are objection
able, and, since the foreign buyer in
sists that he shall have just what he
bargains for, quality should be strictly
attended to.-Garden and Forest.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-12-10
The YOUNG FOLKS.



Through the mystical realm Of Youthlant
The dreamors. wondering. go;
Fair are the skies above them,
Fairer the earth below.
Gay Is the summer sunlight
Flashing from leaf and rill.
And the beautiful glamor OF Youthland
IL over them still.
Oh! Wide is that land and joyous;
What wealth OF glorious bloom
Brighten Its every vista.
Scatters each hint OF gloom.
Music. and Joy and beauty.
Hope. that can feel no chilli
For toe beautiful glamor OF Youthland
Is over il still.
Out from that wonderful country
Went never a mortal yet
But bore in his heart the sadness
OF a mournful sweet regret.
Well II its dreams 20 with him,
Guiding his heart and will,
And the beautiful glamor of Youthland
BE over him STILL
Such are the friends never failing.
The lovers that never grow old.
Tho darby the clouds may gather,
And the day grow late and cold.
Near to the heavenly country,
Their eyes with its radiance fill,
And the beautiful glamor OF Youthland
Is over them STILL
-Abbie Elizabeth Snow.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-12-10
How Eagles are Captured.

Eagles are captured by expert noun
taineers, who spy upon the parent bird
building her nest, and wait for the
breeding season. After a due time they
scale the mountains, and, well armed
for the inevitable fight with the parent
birds, go to these mountain eyries.
Oftentimes four men are required to
let one of them down steep precipice
OF cliff, while two of them, dead shots
with n rife, shoot and kill the old
birds upon their first approach, for it
fares i'll with the daring robber who
attempts to secure the young birds
with none to protect but himself. In
this way are many of the old birds
killed for the taXidermists or for feath-
ers, while the eaglets are borne away
and Gagged for good sale. An eagle
captured at first is an embarrassing
prisoner. Frequently they utter coarse
cries. sullen and savage, breathing
heavily and fiercely all the while. Their
eyes dart fire and their low brows and
fiat foreheads are contorted into hate
full expressions. They will dart fierce
~ at the bars of their iron cages, and,
finding themselves unable to reach
their hated captors. draw themselves
up and utter terrific plants and
whines. They are always restless while
in captivity, due, of course, to their ma
lures. Rarely an eagle is captured in
huge trap baited with Il small lamb.
Attempts have been made, too, in the
Tennessee mountains, to capture them
in nets, but this is impracticable, or
them when young by visiting their
nests
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-12-10
A BURNING COAL MINE.
Millions of Tons Being Consumed in
PENNSYLVANIA.

In Mercer County, Pennsylvania, the
center of the bituminous coal district.
there is subterranean fire that has
been burning continually for twenty
five years. The spot is marked by the
parched soil and jets of smoke issuing
from crevices in the earth. Fire shoots
out of the openings at intervals max
ing a striking picture. A stranger un-
acquainted with the locality, would,
nine chances out Of ten, think he had
discovered volcano. The subterran-
can fire is caused by the burning of
thousands of tons Of coal, and by test it
has been proven that the fire will not
be extinguished until the entire vein of
coal is exhausted.
Twenty-Five years ago, when West
ern Pennsylvania was flooded with
coal spectators, this vein was located.
The coal was Of fine quality and the
vein was claimed to be the richest in
the district.
A shaft was sunk and operations be-
gan. Thousands of tons of coal were
mined, and the operators realized a
small fortune every day from their in
vestment. At the time the coal dis
tricts were in the zenith of prosperity,
bands of tramps infested the small
mining towns. They existed mainly on
the hospitality Of the generous far
mers. Late i'm the summer of 1871 the
mine suspended operations for about a
month, SO that necessary repairs could
be made. During the month the il.ne
was idle band of tramps encamped in
the shaft. One morning flames and
volumes Of smoke We're discovered is
suing from the mouth of the mine, and
the pumps were set to work to extin-
guish the flames. For weeks water was
kept continually pouring in the mine,
but it only seemed to add fuel to the
flames. The effort to quench the fire
was finally given up MS n useless job
The interior of the mine to this day is
n roaring and seething mass of fame
The fire is supposed to have been the
work OF the tramps, for they could not
be found after the fire was discovered.
In the neighborhood of three hundred
acres of land I'm the vicinity of the
burning mine has been rendered prac-
tically useless for cultivation. The soil
is parched and dry and vegetation can
not thrive on II.
Possibly millions of tons of coal have
been consumed, together with ma
chinery and coal cars. At night when
the flames shoot out of the assures in
the earth. the country is illuminated
for miles around.-New York Mall and
Express
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-12-10
WINGED SEEDS.

The usual way for seeds to be carried
is by the wind Sometimes they are so
small and light as to be easily waited by
the breezes. This is the case with the
seed of the moccasin-howers and meadow
pinks, and the other beautiful plants OF
our woods and boys called orchids. And
the tiny bodies, like atoms OF dust,
termed spores" that answer to seed in
ferns and moses aud toadstools, arc
borne away by the lightest breath of air.
But most seeds are themselves too heavy
for this. So they are offtimes provided
with thin, broad wings that carry them
before the wind as a sail carrie; boat.
The pairs of keys that hang in clusters
from the maple-trees in spring are such
winged fruits. When ripe they float
slowly to the ground, or il high wind is
blowing, they are carried farther from
the tree. The ash has thick bunche, of
winged fruits much like these but single.
The elm has a thin. papery border all
around its small seeds, which makes them
quite conspicuous as they hang on the
branchlets before the leaves have come
out.
Numbers of plants have about the seeds
delicate hairs or bristles that take the
place of wings. A danlelion .'clock," or
head Of thistle-down, is bunch of
seeds, each with circle of fine bristles
on the summit When the seeds are ripe,
along comes a breeze, and puff away 60
the seeds, hanging from their tufts of
bristles. as the basket hangs from a
balloon. The punches Of long silky hairs
that come from bursting pod OF milk.
weed and fill the air around, have each
their precious cargo in the shape OF a
small. brown seed. The seeds that ripen
in heads on the ccmatis, after the hand
some purple fower-!eaves have fallen,
have long feathered tails. like slender
bird plumes, that do the same work that
is given to the silk OF mllkweed. The
section" around the seeds of the willows
at the riverside and Of the poplars alon 2
city streets serves the same useful pur-
pose. Cotton itself Is only bunch OF
fine white hair around the seed. Age,
before men thought of spinning it, and
weaving it into CLOTH 1t was making itself
useful to the cotton-plant by helping to
scatter its seeds.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-12-10

He was taught several tricks, such -
boxing, jogging an empty barrel with his
paws and dancing to the tune Of fiddle.
As he grew older he had moro liberty, the
only restraint put upon him being small
wooden chair TO which he was chained.
Pete would go ell over the post carry
ing the chair in his paws. and when he
found comfortable nook or shady corner
there he would sit for hours until his
fancy moved him to 20 somewhere else.
Petes reputation as q trustworthy bear,
however, was spoiled one day when he
was caught red handed In an attempt to
escape. He was found far up the canon,
held by the chain and remnants of the
chair. which had become entangled In the
knotty problems OF bunch Of guarled
oak.
When his former comrades. as usual.
Familiarity approached him, the hitherto
gentle animal Knocked the first conner
about ten feet with a sturdy blow. the re-
suit OF the excellent boxing lessons given
him, and he would have served the others
in like manner had they come within
reach. Pete was carried back In dis
grace, and chained to a stake in the rear
of the company street All attemps at
reconciliation failed. and the men were mt
loss to understand the change in the
animals disposition. until one night the
reason was discovered by accident Pete
had midnight visitor.
A soldier returning pretty late one
evening almost ran into the arms of
second bear who was apparently holding
an earnest conversation with the prisoner.
The stranger was large customer, and
upon being discovered Immediately
turned and fled up the canon.
The next night watch was set, and
sure enough back came the same in
truder, apparently on a visit to Pete.
This was kept up for some time. the
larger animal never failing to call at the
usual hour; but it was noticed that these
midnight visits had very bad influence
upon Pete. So it was decided to set a
trap to catch the larger bear, and this
falling the brute was to be shot.
The trap didn't work, but three or four
rifles did. and then the truth was made
apparent that the lar ger animal was in all
probability the mother of Pete. She had
evidently been trying to persuade her
cub to come away with her. for Pete was
not ten months old at the time, and she
paid her life as the forfeit of her faithful
affection.
Pete afterward grew so savage and
kill him also; but his glossy black hide
is still preserved, and aaorns one of the
walls OF the company room.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-12-10
A Discovery Of Perpetual Motion.

At Freeport, III, a new industry Is to
be started. On a quarter section Of
land an enterprislng Kansas farmer
will establish 1000 black cats and g.
600 rats, on which to feed the cats, es
timating that the cats will increase
$4,000 in two years, their skins being
worth 81 each. The rats will multiply
five times as fast as the cats and will
be used to feed the latter, while the
skinned cats. win furnish food for the
rats. Thus has perpetual motion been
discovered at dasf-
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-12-10
A New Leg.

A European experi1nenter has pro-
duced an artificial leg. 1t as nearly re-
sembles a human member as any that
can be devised.
This artificial leg Is n curious contri-
vance of hinges, screws and elastic
bands. Extending downward from
about what in the human leg Is the
ankle, to a point midway between the
heel and the instep, are two steel rods,
placed one In front Of the other.
One rests on a sort of roller hinge,
and allows the foot to give or bend
with each step. The other serves the
purpose of bringing the foot back into
place after the step is taken.
Any lateral movement of these rods
is prevented by the sides of the slot
through which they move. A screw
and a nut at the top of the rod also
prevent the rod from turning, and thus
give trouble in walking An artificial
heel tendon is placed within the foot,
behind the ankle joint, and extends
loosely through hole In the leg, where
it connects with nut Mt about mid
way up the limb.--New York Journal
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-12-10


The bicycle for military use is now an
assured success. 1t has just been given
a test by United States troops In the
far West that shows beyond peradven-
ture that, however problematical may
be its advantages In actual battle, 1t Ii
already of vast practical utility In var
ious other purposes Of military neces-
sity.
This test was made by detachment
of eight men from the Twenty-ffth In
fantry at Fort Missoula, and was under
the command Of Lieutenant Moss. The
men chosen were ordinary riders, and
the bicycles were the regular output
Of one OF the big standard concerns OF
the East. The test was to be a thous-
and miles over common mountain
roads, with the riders equipped for such
exigencies as might befall them in a
scouting or messenger run through q
hostile country.
Besides 100 pounds of rations, the
party carried complete roungh camp
ing outflt-blankets, rifles, thirty rounds
of ammunition to each man, extra tires
and all the paraphernalia of forced
march. The average WEIGHT OF the
wheels packed was seventy-seven and
half pounds. The weight Of wheel
and rider ranged from 2T2 to 2O2
pounds each.
From Fort Missoula the party
wheeled to Fort Harrison and Helena
on bad mountainous roads and against
strong head winds. Nevertheless the
whole distance Of 1872 miles, including
the crossing of the main range, was
done in twenty-five hours of actual
work, or ut an average rate OF six
miles an hour.
From Helena they wheeled TO the
National Park, every portion Of which
they visited. Then they ran down the
upper Yellowstone Valley, and turning
up Trail Greek Pass, crossed the Bridg-
er range into the Gallatin Valley, and
wheeled to Bozeman through mud and
storm.
From BOZeman q run Of seventy-twO
miles to Townsend was made in one
day. There the party was ordered
home for special duty.
The result Of the march was sur
prise even to the strongest supporters
of the bicycle. Lieutenant Moss re-
ported that both soldiers and wheels
had stood the journey remarkably well.
The test was made as thoroughly as
possible and under all conditions; they
had ridden in all kinds of weather,
through mud, sand and dust, crossing
mountain ranges and fording streams
New York Herald.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-12-10
A Hinged Concrete Bridge.

A hinged concrete bridge has been
constructed across the Danube river,
connecting the village of Inzigkofen
with its railway station on the opposite
side of the stream. The bridge is a
novelty. 1t was designed and built
under the supervision of Max Lieb-
brand, n well known German engineer.
The traffic between the two points to
be connected being very small the APP
Precipitation had been put at the lowest
possible limit, and it was necessary
to observe the greatest economy in de-
signing the structure. The condition Of
the river and river bed was not suitable
for the use of intermediate piers, but
the presence Of solid rock on the right
bank of the river and hard gravel on
the left favored the adoption of an
arch.
AS there We're no stone quarries In
the vicinity while factory producing
most excellent cement was located
within n short distance ii was decided
to build the arch or concrete. Compare
tive estimates showed this to be a
cheaper construction than either Mon
Ter arch or one Of iron alone, or Of ce-
ment blocks. An important feature of
the design is the placing of open cast
iron links or joints at the crown and
at the abutments. The arch hinged in
this manner Is statically determinate,
and may be nationally and economically
computed; moreover, any danger
through settlement after the false worl;
has been removed is eliminated, as are
also any secondary strains due to
changes in temperature or to varia-
tons in the vertical loading, to which
the arch can freely accommodate itself.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-12-10

are made In Paris. At the beginning
OF the century the value of the medals
turned out from the Paris minis was
only 100000 francs, or about $4,000.
Last year this amount had been in
creased more than five times, and this
year over 100000 francs worth Of
medals have already appeared. OF
last years product. the largest number,
as well as the greatest value, were the
silver ones, of which there were 49,
ITO, while there were only 1852 Of the
aristocratic gold ones, "A disproportion
that should fill the followers Of Bryan
with joy. To be sure, their value was
half that of their more numerous
rivals, but, then, so many more people
We're made happy by the latter. This
increase in the circulation of medals Is
due In the main to the immense In
crease Of late years In international
and local expositions. With a worlds
fair almost every summer, and with
side shows all the year round, 1t Is no
wonder that the minters In Paris are
kept busy. When the climax is reached
at the end of the century with the ex-
position in Paris herself, there will
probably be bear movement in the
medal market.
On the subject OF Education In the
Trades" The Inland Printer for NOvem-
Der calls attention to the thoroughness
of German training, in contradistinc-
tion to the technical training given in
the trades in England and America.
On technical schools I'm America 1t
says: 1--WE have number of technical
schools, which are chiefly supported by
private enterprise, but the good work
they are doing is not encouraging as
ii should be. nor Is the vast Importance
of their plan appreciated by workmen
generally. For pioneer work in tech
meal education the technical club
movement is the rendiest means at
hand, and the effort originating among
workmen themselves Is assured Of
more favor from them than IL II was
the creature of the manufacturers or
others whose capital is invested in the
arts and manufactures. Nevertheless.
the development and extension of tech
nical clubs throughout the arts and
crafts will require the aid of employers
as well as the countenance and good
will Of the employed, and when the
fruits Of the trade club have been
tasted, the establishment of trade
schools, or other plans OF trade educa
ton. will be no longer the subjects OF
suspicion and jealousy, as they are
very largely at present"