davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1896-02-24
Silk Made from Wood.

Silk is about 20 be added to the list
OF things made from wood. A French
man named Chardonnier first tried the
experiment some years ago at Besancon,
in France, and set up an elaborate plant
in that town for the manufacture of
silk, or. rather. an imitation of it, from
wood fiber. Some fine specimens were
made and exhibited. But it was found
that the wood silk could not be woven in
large pieces, and the works were finally
abandoned.
Further experiments and discoveries
have recently been made, however, and
a company has been formed, which has
taken the old Chardonnier plant. It is
said they will be able to manufacture
product which will closely resemble
silk from wood alone, which will be
much cheaper than the real article, and
which can be woven in large-sized pieces.
The process Of making is said to be SINH
lar to that of manufacturing paper from
wood. The wood is first ground into a
pulp, steamed and chemically prepared.
The method Of weaving the pulp is the
secret from which the inventors hope
to reap fortune-New York World.
Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1896-02-24
Electric Power Transmission.

In perhaps the first high-voltage, long
distance transmission plant installed in
the United States, the single phase alter
mating current was still adhered to. This
plant was erected at San Antonio, Cal,
to transmit to Pomona the power fur
nished by the water of the San Antonio
river, which are drawn through a canal,
1920 feet long, and q length of steel pipe
of 1000 feet, led down the mountain
slope to the power house, there to give
1900 horsepower from head OF 800
feet.
The electrical plant consisted of one
120 X. w. single-phase generator to
which has since been added another unit
of similar capacity The current, gen
Grated at 1000 volts, is raised in trans
formers to 10000 volts and is carried on
bare wires 1891 miles to Pomona,
and 1884 miles to San Bernardino. 1t
is delivered at $500 volts to the former
town and at about 5000 to the latter, and
is reduced at the substations to 1000
volts before being distributed to the in,
dividual conyerters. It is said that the
two lines wer once connected In series,
making a continuous circuit of over
eighty-fve miles, and 100 FL. z. We're
transmitted successfully. Information
regarding the efficinecy obtained has,
however, not been Forthcoming. Gas
SINS NaCaZiDp
Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1896-02-24
IRRIGATION Problem in the West.

Frederick III. Newell chief of the new
Informed division of photography OF the
geological survey, in his report on the
work of the division states. III regard
to irrigation in the Western states. that
the area of the public land now open to
settlement in the West is 9S0,331 square
miles, or one-third the whole area of
it is more or less utilized by cattle-oWn-
per cent is classed as arid or semi-arid,
it's future value depending mainly on
the question Of water for irrigation.
The present rate of disposal OF these
lands. 1.59 per cent. per annun. II main
tanned would transfer them entirely to
private hands in siXtythree years, but
their actual disposition will depend upon
the solution Of irrigation problems, both
engineering and legal. The engineering
question seems to be to prevent the riv-
ers rising in the mountains from disap-
bearing in the sands Of the plains as they
now do usually soon after passing
through the canyons of the foothills,
while the legal problem involves the
formation of general interstate law Civ
ing equal rights to all. The general
rule now is that priority of use carries
with it the first right to continued utiliza-
ton, the person first taking out a certain
amount of water from q stream being en-
titled forever to that quantity regardless
Of his neighbors; the second conner hav-
ing a like right. provided he does not
infringe upon the first conner, and SO
on. The different customs of different
states and counties bordering on the
same stream have added to the difficult
ties of the question. Engineering Rec
Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1896-02-24

vide anything but bread and butter sand
witches, or watever abomination goes I'M
der the head of light refreshments isn't
going to have any men at her parties.
We don't care a cent whether her ice
cream and candle shades match or not.
We are tired of harmonious starvation,
no matter what the color or shade. [ tell
you what [ would do if I were a girl =
he went on in an insinuating voice.
WHAT" they asked in chorus.
why, I'd go in for good meat and
bread and something to drink that was
worth while. None of your dinky made
up things. | don't believe women like
such things either. Anyway, after this
if you girls want men at your parties
you've got to give them something to eat.
We are done foraging on yiolets and
American beauty roses. The fat has
gone forth
Il don't believe a word of it" said the
debutante, with a smile.
You'll seev' said Cholly.-New Or,
leans Picayune.
Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1896-02-24
Sacrificing His Relations.

The Omaha representative in Congress
tells a good story pertaining TO the
speech Of Senator Thurston on the Mon
roe doctrine in which he offered, like
Artemus Ward, to sacrifice all Of his
relations in the defense of his country.
He says that Senator Thurston's father
in-law was accosted on the street in
that city the other day by an old friend,
who remarked that he had not seen him
for long time and inquired if he had
been i'll.
mo- was the reply, 81 have not been
i'll, but I have been lying low. Ny SON
in-law. in his speeches in the Senate has
offered all his own relations on the altar
of his country, and [ have been expect
ing that he would offer his wife's rela-
tons next. So l thought it we'll to keep
out of sight for q time"
Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1896-02-24
The Craze for Delft.

The little jimcracks that go with every
rich woman's personal outfit make big
holes in her income or allowance. Just
to keep a desk and dressing table COM
nlete in every elaborate detail and al
WAYS decked out in the latest novelties
would require the entire salary of the
average business man. The list OF
requisite appurtenances is endless, and
the price Of each individual one is very
great.
Each holiday season brings It's novel
ties, and the principal change is in the
material used. Celluloid is utterly passe.
Old ivory has lost it's prestige, and even
etsterlng silver" is thing of the past,
since it has found its way to bargain
counters. For fashion is nothing it not
exclusive. and an article to please must
be difficult to obtain as well as beautiful.
Dresden china has had a great run,
and deshs and dresser were fitted up to
match the dainty white china painted
either in pale forget-me-nots, viOlets or
pansies, or. when the sets were made
to order, in wild flowers or yellow
daffodils.
But lovely as Dresden was, matching,
as it did, boudoir and bedroom, society
will have none of it at this season.
Delft is the rage this year and all the
old-time fayorites. regardless of cost,
must make way for this beautiful old
fashioned ware, with it's windmills and
meadows in the clear blue and white,
making yeritable picture gallery in
themselves. Delft is expensive at any
time, and especially so now that it bears
the stamp Of fashions approval.
1t is astonishing the number of arti-
cles that are necessary for a perfectly
appointed desk and dressing table. First,
for the desk, the pen handles and pen
Gil holders are of Delft. So are the long,
and paper weight. The huge plotting
pad is held in place at the corners by
triangular bits of quaint blue and white
ware, and the ink eraser and paper cut
ter both are finished with Delft handles.
The timepiece on the shelf over the desk
is a tiny clock set in & long, Slim Delft
windmill, and near by picture of a
round-faced, long-waisted Dutch lady.
after the Rembrandt style, is framed in
q medallion of twisted blue and white.
The seasons calendars are framed III the
same quaint fashion, and a rare. old
Delft PLAQUE does service as a card re-
sewer.
The dressing table, seen through the
blue and white japanese draperies that
curtain off the dressing room from the
boudoir j, also tricked out in the same
nniquf color scheme. The table itself is
Of wb. te enamel, with draperies of white
gauzf which must be frequently re-
Newf.l and Topped and knotted with
Delet blue ribbon. The table spread is
Of fife linen, embroidered in silk to
I.dtch the ribbon. and the entire set of
toilet articles, brushes-wllich must be
round and without handles handglass,
manicure tray, candlesticks. pin trays,
bonbon saucers. hairpin holder and pow
der dish. are one and all in the blue and
white china that is this season priced
above the choicest Of Seyres.-New York
World.
Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1896-02-24
A Vegetable Spider.

DR.. Welwitsch, who has recently eX-
plored the country about Cape Negro, in
Africa, tells of a curious tree called the
spider tree. It grows on windy plains,
it's stem attaining a diameter of four
feet, although it does not exceed one foot
in height. It puts out two leaves, each
six or eight feet in length, and these are
split by the whiting of the wind into a
number Of stiff, narrow ribbons, bearing
no little RESEMBLANCE to the legs of
gigantic spider. The resemblance be-
comes startling when strong breeze
puts the leg-like leaves into rapid motion,
and the negroes shiveringly eXclaim that
the great spider is struggling to get
Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1896-02-24
Great Guns in a Theater.


There was more noise in the American
theater yesterday afternoon than has
been made in that home of melodrama
at any three performances since it's
building.
The Maxim gun used in the battle
scene of ''Burmah'' was tried, with
blank cartridges, against a Gatling gun
from the factory of the makers.
A crowd of spectators occupied invita-
ton seats in the orchestra, listened to
the staccato din. watched the tongue of
fame that hung on the muzzle of the
guns. and then shuddered st the thought
of what the nations of the present day
could do to each others citizens should
trouble reach the fighting point
The workings of the guns were first
explained by a man who read typeWrit-
ten statistics. He told how the gases
generated by the first shot from the
Maxim gun compelled the next cart
ridge in a belt, into place, and how that
process was continued until the end of
the belt was reached. Then he explained
the Calling arm, which carries eighty
deadly missiles in a magazine that can
be replaced in second.
Then the Maxim gun went at it. In
eight seconds 1913 shots were fired Per-
haps there would have been more, but
for a little hitch on the part of the men
in charge The Gatling gun, with a
man at the crank and another to put in
an extra magazine, belched out 100
flashes in eight seconds.-NeW York
Times.
Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1896-02-24
Cnrious caves Discovered.

Large subterranean caves have been
discovered, says the Petit Journal of
Paris, two miles from the Queroy rail
way station, at a place known as the
Chaumes. The discovery was due to
scratching at. a small opening in the
ground The caves consist of several
chambers covered with stalactites and
stalagmites. In one of these was found
a human skull and several fragments of
pottery. In another were a, set of stones
which. when struck, gave forth all the
notes of the gamut, and in third was
a block of stone in the form of a bap
tiSmal font
Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1896-02-24
Two strong Men Of Maine.

Simeon Roderick of Bddeford can lay
claim to being one of the strong men OF
that city. Thursday. Ill the presence Of
eight men. at the Saco freight depot
he lifted a barrel of pork weighing $50
mounds and put it on his shoulder 4
little while later he was asked to do the
act. and he repeated it easily. Roderick
is considered one OF the strongest men
ut work in the York corporation, and
he can lift two ordinary men.
Kid Boulanger of Biddeford, who is
20 years old, has made a record for
heavy lifting that has not been equaled
in York county for his weight. He
has q barrel half filled with water, which
he lifts with his teeth. He has also a
10O-Dound dumbbell that he plays with
rs if it weighed only ten pounds.-Lew-
iston (Me.) Journal.
Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1896-02-24

1t is related that Dean Stanley once
went to an inn in a country village and,
after ordering a pot of ale, sat down on
a bench beside an old sailor: The dean
soon cot into conversation with the man
and presently asked him if he could say
the points of the compass. The sailor
could do so. ''Now," said the dean,
"can you say them backward"' This
also the sailor was able to do. After q
pause the latter asked the dean whether
he could say the Lords prayer Dean
Stanley repeated the prayer as desired.
Nov, then" said the sailor, lean you
repeat it backwards" The dean made
the attempt, closing his eyes the better
to concentrate his thoughts on his task.
At length he finished. Yes" said the
sailor, that's all very well, but haven't
you heard that we must watch as well
as pray?' The rogue had drank the
cleric's beer while the latter was en-
gagged in saying the Lords prayer back
ward Westminster Gazette.
Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1896-02-24
A Rich woman's Beginning.

A rich woman of Boston, says a writ
er, began life as a girl, down in Maine
by collecting tripe, which was so plenti-
full and so despised that it was thrown
away. She discovered it's value rs a
food in cities and, began the work Of col
lecting quantities Of it and hiring children
to clean and prepare it for market. In
this way she created an actual industry
which grew to large proportions and
which she left to others when she had
made money enough to risk coming to
the metropolis. where other investments
made her worth half million dollars.
Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1896-02-24

In Austria Hungary is found the great
est divergence in the matter of costume.
The garb of the Hungarian peasant is so
fetching that the wealthy ladies copy it
when on their estates. 1t consists Of a
short puffy skirt of crimson and yellow,
a small sleeveless velvet bodice imprison,
embroidered in contrasting colors, and an
artisticalIy knotted head scarf from un,
der which escapes a thick braid of hair
entwined with colored ribbons.
In the plains of Provence and in the
Normandy lands the wealthy cling to
their little lace cap, the intrinsic value Of
which is sometimes inestimably made,
as they are of rare point lace fastened
down with quantity chased golden pins,
heirlooms in families.-New York Re
cOrder,
Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1896-02-24
Pay Interest.

Where He Would Come Hiram,
said Mrs. Corntossei. WALL was the
thoughtful reply, 'fur man that amt
got no bigger chunks of capital ter in
vest than l happen ter have, | dunno
ez Ia be better off ter put my money
inter guv 'ment securities" Il wasn't
tbinkin' about the mOney-makin' part
of It, I wanted yer to come forward
in yer humble way an buy 'em ez an
act of patriotism wall Mandy, if
that is whit bothers We. ye needn't wor-
ny 30 more When it comes ter the
patriotism part I'll be right on hand.
III help pay the interest on EN-. >
XXTo shin Cfon Star
Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1896-02-24
TOOTH IN HER LUNG.
Mrs. Pierson's Three Months of Sickness
Accounted For.


Mrs. Patrick Pierson, who lives at
Elizabeth n. j., went on Saturday, Oc-
toDer 26 last. to a dentist to have a
tooth extracted She took laughing
gas. When she recovered her senses
she felt a choking sensation, but at that
time she ascribed it to the effects of the
gas. A few minutes later her breathing
became affected much as though she had
been suffering with asthma.
Her condition became worse ON Sun
day and on Monday she was so i'll that
a physician, DR.. Mack, was called. He
pronounced the disease to be pneumonia,
and treated Mrs. Pierson for it. Then
the pneumonia symptoms disappeared
and symptoms of pleurisy developed.
These were followed by other peculiar
symptoms. and the doctor became puz-
Zled. He seemed to be able to stop
every disease that seemed to devlop, but
he failed to cure the patient after six
weeks OF varying treatment. DIR. Mack
became convinced that some unusual
affection had attacked Mrs. Persons
lung. as she coughed almost necessarily,
and he had her removed to the hospital.
A consultation of physicians of the staff
was held. and it was decided that the
only method of treatment for a case of
this mysterious kind was to open the
lung cavity. 1t was decided at the
same consultation that Mrs Pierson was
too weak to stand a surgical operation.
Mr.. Pierson was told, he says, that his
wife was incurable.
One day she had an extremely severe
fit of coughing. In the midst of it she
said she felt something coming up in
her throat. Finally she coughed up
something The something was hard,
encysted and two prong-like projections
from it attracted the attention of her
husband. who discovered that they were
the roots of a tooth. 1t was, in fact,
the wisdom tooth of Mrs. Pierson. which
the dentist had extracted while she was
unconscious and which he must have al
lowed her to draw into her windpipe.
Since she coughed it up she has rapidly
improved.
The physicians were astonished when
they learned of the cause of her illness.
The explanation given as to why the tooth
OF the roots Was curved at the n end o
the shape of J and had becomed hooked
in the membrane of the lung.
Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1896-02-24
A VICIOUS STEER.
Hills Horse and Hunts for a Man Like
Bird Dog.

Bird Dog.
An exchange in the northeast part of
Wyoming gives the following account
of a furious mad steer: John Craigo,
4 ranchman living near Redwater, lost
q good saddle horse by an attack by a
vicious steer. Craigo and companion
were driving several head of cattle over
from Hay creek, and were having con-
siderable trouble with them. When in
the breaks between Hay creek and Red
water one of the steers became enraged
at Craigo, thrusting his horns into the
side of the saddle horse, and pitching
the horse and rider several feet The
horse was thrown down, and Craigo, ex-
Treating himself, slipped into little
brush patch near by and concealed him.
self. The steer continued to gore the
PROSTATE horse for a few minutes and
then started for the brush patch after
the man. AS the animal got within q
few feet of Craigo the horse, which
was terribly injured struggled to his
feet and gave a cry when the steer
charged him again. At this Craigo ran
several yards further down the rayine
and concealed himself again. The steer
soon killed the horse and went back to
the brush patch, hunting it over thor
oughly as would a bird dog, in search
of the man, finally abandoning the search
and wandering off over the HILL The
companion was off some distance trying
to manage the rest of the cattle. and was
not aware of Craigo's position until aft
er the danger"
Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1896-02-24
Costly Pate ut.

One of the Paige typesetting machine
patents, recently issued, breaks the rec
ord in the history of the patent business
for the great bulk and complexity of the
patent itself and the intricacy of the
machine it covers. 1t is said that over a
a million dollars was expended on the
ma chine before the construction of the
first one was completed. 1t has no less
than $4,000 separate parts, and does
the setting, justifying and distributing
of type in a way which would be salts
factory were it not for the cost and
compleXity of the machine. In the de-
velopment of this invention Mark Twain
is reported to have invested nearly $780,
O00
The first application fled for a patent
on it contained 204 sheets of drawings,
having over 1000 separate views. Dur
ing the eight years the case was pending
in the office, before allowance. the num-
Der of sheets was reduced to 1853. When
it is remembered that the majority of
patents have only a single sheet of
drawings, and that to require as many
as ten sheets is an exception, the magni-
tude of the invention can be understood.
The fees charged by the patent Office
are uniform for all cases, no matter how
complex or how simple-$15 on filing
the case and $50 additional Oh allow
ance of the patent.
When this case was filed it was turned
over to an examiner who received
salary of $500, and he spent six weeks
in studying the case before being able to
take the first action. The entire speclfl-
cation was twice rewritten, each time by
a different attorney. How much this
cost the inventor is not known, but it is
safe to say that the patent office lost
heavily 1t is estimated that it con-
sumed about $1,000 worth of the time
of the various patent Office officials be-
fore maturing into a patent, and when
issued the usual rule had to be followed
of preparing copies for, sale at the regu-
lation price.
The large number of sheets of draw
ings had to be photo-lithographed and
the entire body of the specifications and
claims set UP in type, costing for the
first edition, as estimated by the ordi-
nary rules. a few cents over Sc a copy.
These copies We're sold to the public
at the usual price until the first edition
was exhausted, when the patent office
stopped the issue. A great many PEG.
pie ordered copies Of this patent out of
clIriOsity-Scientifc American
Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1896-02-24
Speed of Trolley Cars.

Judge Cullen of the Supreme court,
has decided that the common council
of Brooklyn, n. Y, is not unreasonable
in restricting the speed of trolley cars
in that city to eight miles an hour but
in regard to the ordinance restricting the
speed to six miles an hour in all territory
lying within one mile and half from
the city hall Judge Cullen thinks that
while the council has the right I'M
der the circumstances to thus restrict it,
it would be better to simply designate
the more crowded street rather than to
draw an arbitrary division line as has
been done.
Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1896-02-24
just Turned Around.

The Gaylord Herald wound Up COM
pliment to young school ma'am with a
good word about "the reputation for
teaching she bears The next day the
school ma'am met the editor and chased
him down the street with a blue UNI
brella and every jump in the road she
screamed that she had never taught a
she-bear in all her life-Kansas Breeze.
':You are the only doctor who advises
me to stay at home. All the others say
I ought to go to a winter resort" 81
suppose they have all the patients they
want '-Fliegende Blaetter