davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Francisco call., 1897-03-28

New Jersey, in fshnet factory. Amt it
grand ?"
Miss Grey rises to the occasion and pro-
nounces it very grand indeed. The girl
has singular face-very white, with
light luminous eyes. and pale mouth
with even teeth. Most OF the women have
neglected teeth, and not few have but
one or two discolored fangs, like old hags.
She faunts her superiority and waves in
the faces of her envious companions that
stay in America, the accounts of which
they listen to as they would listen to the
descriptions of heaven to which they
might possibly aspire.
''The men. / tell you strife, they are
gentlemen. / think Englishmen are just
pigs, don't you?"
Miss Grey, with sudden blush, hesi-
tatingly murmurs that she had met few
who seemed rather pleasant.
s'HoI'' replied her tormentor; ''and
English girls is worse. Now, when the
men says to me to do this or to do that
says where comes from the men helps
themselves"
Ibid you celebrite last Monday?"
monday ?" repeated Miss Grey.
"Washington's birthday; did, sang
My Country, 'Tis O. Thee and "Ail
Coiumblap A lydy I know. she can ply
the piano. she ply by hear. I sang 'em
good. I'm goin' back in June. Hi
wouldn't sty in London, not for good
deal. I'm wi-tress here, I am. and I
The San Francisco call., 1897-03-28
Successful Railroad Without Car

in charge to the beginning OF the two-mile
fume that leads from the end of the first
section Of the road to what is called the
chute pond, small body OF water located
about half mile from the mill where the
logs are turned into lumber
In order that the logs may slip easily
along the road bed the plank nailed to the
ties is kept thoroughly creased, except at
sharp grades, where the momentum of
the logs is sufficient to cause them to
slide easily. As the road is located on
mountainside, where the declivities are
often so great as to make straight descent
of the line impossible, for the reason that
if that were tried the logs would slide
forward upon the engine, the road has
been constructed largely upon the plan of
that by which the tourist ascends Pixies
Peak in. Colorado. The curves are in
many instances so abrupt that to the un-
initiated it seems as If the logs must slide
over the rails to the ground, but disaster
of this sort is avoided by the logs being
chained together as previously described.
Fastening them in this style gives the
mber train that same general solidity
which the vestibue imparts to the mod
ern train of passenger cars.
The roadbed, or rather its foundation,
Is not Of course like that of the great lines
over which passenger and freight cars
roll, but although roughly constructed, it
has surprising strength. While as stated
The San Francisco call., 1897-03-28
his Bird Stood Twelve Feet High

HkR. E. c. STIRLING, F. R. s., an
IH{ nounces that he discovered, during
Y visit to Australia, from which he
mas just returned, the remains of an ex-
tinct bird which in life measured twelve
feet in height. The bird, as DR.. Stirling
describes it, is unknown to history. In
some respects it resembles the elephant
footed moa, and in others the emu of the
present day. 1t differs from all in so
great degree, however, as to prove 1t to
have been class by itself Large guam
titles of the remains were discovered,
showing that centuries ago this great
feathered creation was common sight on
the Australian plains
The place of discovery is called Lake
CALEDONIA, and is located in South Aus
tralia. If it has at any time been visited
by other than the natives DR.. Stirling
found no trace of the fact. Lake Gala
Donna is one of those basins which are
dignified with the name of lake. but only
become such during those tremendous
downpours of water which transform the
seeming Australian desert into the YER
dure-clad plain. When DR.. Stirling visited
it it was really hard clay saltpan, COW
cred with glittering crystals of gypsum
and salt. It is salt that preserved the
bones. Salt accomplishes this, although
it renders the bones exceedingly brittle.
The San Francisco call., 1897-03-28

is railroad in Oregon over
XIX which passes an enormous traffic,
JAgC although the line does not possess
single car. 1t is located upon one OF the
highest elevations of the west slope of the
Cascade Mountains, in the heart of what
has been until comparatively recent date
an almost inaccessible region. Its length
Is fv miles, ana it circles and twists in
that distance until it resembles the trail of
a mann moth serpent. It represents the
most difficult achievement of the lumber
men of the Webfoot State.
The only feature of the road except the
inc itself that resembles the ordinary
narrow-gauge railroad is the eighteen-ton
Baldwin locomotive which forms the
power that pulls the freight. This freight
consists of logs which will average OF
size equal to that of the engine boiler.
These logs are formed from the trees
which are felled by the red-shirted lum-
bermen in the employ of the Bridal Veil
Lumber Company. After being cut the
logs are rolled to the nearest point on the
railroad. They are then arranged in a
line, huge staples driven in each end. sec
tions of heavy chain attached to the sta
pies, forming a train of logs. The FORE
most of these logs Is then chained to the
engine, which hauls it and its companions
upon the roadbed of the line.
The railroad is narrow gauge, three feet.
1t is constructed on the same principle
The San Francisco call., 1897-03-28

then, instead of being moved with diff
Guilty to within reaching distance" of the
locomotive, are placed in the chute and
down they go to the bottom into the pond
Once in the water. detail of men fasten
the logs together, just as described in out
lining the makeup OF train. A stout
incline runs from the water up to the
railroad track. The train OF logs is poled
elong until the foremost lies at the foot of
this incline. A chain is then fastened to
the logs, the other end thereof being
attached to the engine. The loco
motive pulls and the legs, confined
within a high curved channel,
are brought up on to the track and start
on their journey to the mill. This is the
process adopted at the upper pond. The
accompanying illustration denotes the
method in use at the pond which lies at
the end of the first section of the railroad.
The journey of the logs to the two-mile
hume is uneventful. When the f1ume is
reached the engine is detached from the
log train, and the logs, from which all
chains are removed, are diverted into
the mouth of the fume. Once started it
takes log but small fraction of
time to make its way to the lower pond.
Here the process of forming tbs big
tree trunks into trains is repeated in
the same fashion as at the upper pond.
The process of getting them on the track,
however, is much easier. At this point
The San Francisco call., 1897-03-28

gown, with a pretty bonnet and French
slippers that would certainly not fail to
impress the Whitechapel mind. She had
implored me to accompany her, and the
invitation being seconded by the patron
ess of the evening we found ourselves at
the appointed time on the top of an
omnibus headed for the East End
Miss Grey was quite silent. In imagina-
ton she saw herself carrying a beacon
of light into the darkness; the benighted
souls, touched by the rhythm and poetry
CT motion, spellbound by the grace and
delicate beauty of her movements, would
find themselves uplifted to an ideal worth
aspiring to. She saw them, in her minds
eye, open-mouthed with astonishment
and delight. watching her as she swayed
before them teaching them their steps.
The omnibus ratified on; the streets
around the theaters and music halls pre-
sented the usual crowded. rushing, splen-
did spectacle. The electric light at the
entrances brought into sudden promi-
nence the occupants of carriages, flashing
like brilliant birds, in plumage of every
color and degree of elegance. across the
darkness. There is no point where gayety
ends and sobriety begins; a gradual
change in the countenance of the crowds,
a gradual narrowing of the already suffi-
ciently narrow streets; instead of the
cries of coachmen and infuriated omnibus
drivers, the calls of one more or less ex-
hilarated seeker after pleasure to a COM
The San Francisco call., 1897-03-28

It is really remarkable with what quick
ness these heavv-looking. sullen women
and girls grasp and initiate the move
ment OF the new dance. An immense
girl, who is shaped like hippopotamus,
leads the column. Her great feathers flap
into the faces of her partners.
"Oime the gentleman. Oh amp she as
serts, smiling like the abovs-named ami
NAL, from ear to ear.
The much to be deprecated shyness
finally gives way to gayety that is hardly
less disconcerting. The building trembles
under the pounding stamps of the barn
dance. Miss Grey enjoys great popular
ity; she is handed about like q sweetmeat;
some OF the women Dance with great
solemnity, holding each other as in wise
and revolving with rigid bodies, like
wooden soldiers: others whiri each other
giddily, f1inging their arms like wind
mills. throwing ont their feet like horses,
and making noise enough for a whole
regiment OF cavalry. Gradually their
faces lose their expression of petrifed
hostility; the pallor that was their dis
tinguishing characteristic has given way
to flames Of color on sunken cheeks; the
fringes, for which no factory girl is too
poor or too busy, wave in unwonted
luxuriance. Hats are thrown aside, the
tall girl alone retains hers, which is a
wonder in the way of millinery, with its
vari-colored wings and bouquets.
A new arrival enters with q walk that
The San Francisco call., 1897-03-28

sary to make up perfect specimen of the
bird was secured.
The study of the skeleton, as it has been
prepared and placed together in this city,
reveals facts of singular interest. For in
stance, the tibia and femur are almost ex-
actly the same in both size and proportion
as those Of the moa. traces of which have
been found in Connecticut in the United
States. Then there is Jump of centuries
to the present day, for the sternum or
breastbone resembles that of the emu as
it exists now. The leg bones are like those
of the elephant bird which science knows
as the Diornis elephantopus. The neck
and head must have resembled in life
those of an ostrich of tremendous proper
tions.
Careful study of the remains in detail
showed that the bird was without wins gs,
and therefore is likely to have possessed
many of the habits of the ostrich. Per-
haps no better idea of the size of the bird
can be obtained than from the measure
ment of its skull, which is foot inches.
1t is probable this bird lived in marshy
places and fed on herbage. Still, it was
also apparent that the toes were small and
weak. which has caused some of the pa
leontologists to doubt the marshy ground
feature of DR.. Strings explanation.
However that may be, it is apparent that
the bird was a dweller of the plains, and
that at least in the vicinity of the marshes
it must have found the food which pre-
served its life
The footprints of birds are peculiar and
mora readily distinguishable than those
of most other animals. Birds tread on
their toes only. These are articulated to
a single metatarsal bone at right angles
to it and they diverge more from each
other than in other animals. 1t is, there
fore, the formation of the foot of the Aus
tralisn bird which the paleontologists
have studied more closely, and though
they have found the resem blance stated
it is IN no instance sufficient to permit of
it being placed in the same classification
as any other specimen of prehistoric bird
so far discovered, with the possible ex-
ception of the bird that made the foot
print on the Connecticut sandstone.
While. of course, DR.. Strings announce
The San Francisco call., 1897-03-28

friendliness that is almost pathetic, but
they stare at her in dumb antagonism, or
answer her in monosyllables.
Our lady patroness, who has had long
experience, goes after few practical ques-
tions straight 10 the piano. "Music," we
discover. .'hath charms to soothe the saw
age breast"
.Girls," the lady patroness remarks as
she opens her roll Of music, .this young
lady, Miss Grey. has been kind enough to
come down here with me tonight to
teach you some new steps. She comes
from America and will show you a new
dance called The Washington Post" I"
This statement is received with some in
terest. Miss Grey smiles, like the sun,
upon all alike. Some new arrivals press
in along the walls and their advent pro-
claims a sudden relapse into shyness, with
more shoves and kicks and whispers
Miss Grey explains the steps and in
vites the smallest girl to try it. She of
the black ringets looks about for means
to escape but is pushed forward, with
some suppressed ieering. Miss Grey
drags her about by sheer force, the girl
The San Francisco call., 1897-03-28

i-citable crea lures, who could be so easily
swayed; who. one moment, were flinging
| themselves about in dance full Of care
|, less noise and abandon, and the next were
standing still and fierce, with wild eyes
and little EXPLANATIONS of rage, that she
could not comprehend, but that were di-
rected apparently straight at her.
The lady patroness broke into the
silence with an enlivening waltz and the
hippopotamus approached Miss Grey,
/ of Comedy. Gave " a swing?" she de-
manded with great politeness.
After q moment, however, the tall one
stopped with disgust.
What are you dancin'? That amt
a waltz; that's shot tteesche." Then
she asked: "Shall I learn you how we
waltz?"
/ Miss Grey humbly consented. She
confided TO me afterward that each
girl had after a few moments become not
her pupil, as she had fondly expected, but
her preceptress; that their knowledge OF
all dances was fearfully and wonderfully
deep.
watched Miss Grey in her encounter
with her new friend. 1t could not be
called dance or a walk. The hippopota-
mus moved like stone-crusher, jerking
path for herself down the room. Every
now and then she swung her partner, who
appeared to fling herself violently into her
| arms; her feet would fly up from under
| her, her hair waved back. and her hair
pins curved through the air like flight of
swallows.
| As she passed, the lemonade glasses rat
tied and her skirt swept the dried biscuits
that stood on plate on chair all
about the room. This disaster brought
termination to the enjoy ment of the even
ing. 1t was discovered to be late and the
| janitor OF the building and a skeleton
woman who scrubbed floors appeared at
the door. The giIls surrounded US with
eager faces, quite unlocked now to our
glances, laughing, shouting, like bolster
! Gus and grateful children.
| Most of them had put their long day in
the manufacture of artificial flowers and in
the tailoring establishments, but they
were as full OF energy and as ready for fur
| ther frolic as schoolboys just dismissed for
the day.
! Little Miss Grey, however, was quite
| limp and exhausted. As the girls thun-
dered down the stairs she drew long
breath of relief. Her am bition to bring
| light into the dark lives OF the working
girls had been temporarily completely
extinguished. The hlppopotamus only
had fingered, and now shook her violently
| by the hand. 1--WE had dance, we had
| 1t was 'ot job it was. You come along
next time and I'll learn you the
shotteesche %
| Miss Grey smiled family, on the verge of
tears, and / hastily put out the light In
another moment we were on the street,
along which IN groups the girls were walk
ing, wrangling, laughing loudly.
Miss Grey is no longer an advocate OF
active philanthropy. VAN DYKE BROWN.
The San Francisco call., 1897-03-28

The reservoir located back of and be-
meath the saddle is secured to the frame
of the wheel by suitable braces of which
the casing forms a part. So far as the
electric battery Is concerned, it is the in
ventor's idea that it will be easier to place
1t on top of the supply tank.
Now as to the operation of the machine.
The stopcock of the pipe leading from the
tank is turned on sufficiently to allow a
small stream OF the fuel to flow into the
vaporizer. Owing to the small inlet being
partially closed the fuel flows very slowly,
diffuses itself over the surface OF, the
spherical distributor and then vaporizes
within the chamb Der formed by the upper
hollow portion of the vaporizer. Then
the bicycle is started, the rider pedaling
in the ordinary fashion until the neces-
sary rotary motion is impaired to the
sprocket wheel and thence to the cylinder
and pinion. This imparts continuous
movement to the piston contained within
the first cylinder. and the piston moves
back and forth, alternately taking in a
supply of vapor and discharging the same.
Just as soon as the inward stroke of the
piston is completed and the supply OF
second cylinder an electrical contact re-
suits. This causes the reproduction Of a
spark within the second cylinder explod-
ing the vapor.
The expansive force thus obtained Is ex-
erted upon the driving cylinder through
the medium of one OF the pockets. This
pocket is then exhausted through the pipe
and thence through the openings in the
pipe back into the vaporizer. The hot air
in transit from the pocket OF the cylinder
mixes with the supply OF cold air which is
drawn ia through the open top of the
pipe. This mixture of hot and cold air as
sists in the vaporization of the fuel that
has flowed into the vaporizer from the
tank and thus a continuous supply OF
vapor for the first cylinder is maintained.
This makes it plain to be seen that by the
means described continuous rotary mo-
ton Is supplied to the cylinder and thence
to the wheel OF the bicycle. In this way an
even and. if desired, terrific speed can be
maintained until the supply of vaporiza-
BILE material is exhausted or the machine
is stopped by the rider. The cyclist can
stop at his discretion. and in just the
same way as if there was no motor at
tachment to his wheel.
A study of the accompanying illustra-
tion will show plainly that while on the
face OF it the invention may seem some
what complex, in reality it is simple.
The inventor claims that no knowledge
Of mechanics is required to operate the
motor cycle, and that his efforts have
been constantly directed in the limo Of
simplicity.
The San Francisco call., 1897-03-28
THE ELECTRIC MOTOR BIKE.

the Australian bird. Several other spe-
cies of these extinct tridactyle wingless
birds have been discovered within the last
few years, but they have been very appar-
emily of the same class as the specimens
which the museums already contained.
There is any amount of speculation in
scientific circles over DR.. Strings dis
covery. Theories have been formed, but
that is as far as any one has gone as yet.
DR.. Stirling himself says that he DIES not
know to what class the bird belongs.
That seems to be the exact truth so far
as every booy else is concerned.
The San Francisco call., 1897-03-28
The Electric
Motor Bike

F.S]LECTRICITY may now drive the
~ been patented by Sumter B. Battey
of New York, which makes the unusual
combination ofthe electric spark and either
naphtha, petroleum or gasoline. The union
of the two elements is accomplished by
placing battery on top of the tank con-
tanning whatever fluid may be preferred of
the three mentioned. The former il con-
nected by the necessary wires with the
motive apparatus so that the electricity
may cause the necessary explosion which
produces an impelllng force whenever it
is desired.
Battery and supply tank are located
back of and Just under the saddle OF the
bicycle. The bicycle is supplied with the
usual chain and sprocket wheels, one OF
the latter being attached to the pedal
spindle, and the second sprocket wheel to
the axle of tho bicycle at one side OF the
rear traction wheel. At the end Of the
shaft opposite the sprocket wheel is
attached a pinion adapted to gear with
the driving pinion. This is iournaled to
stud that forms part of the casing that
surrounds the revolvable cylinder, secured
to the shaft of the rear wheel. It ID in
this cylinder that the pockets are located
in the outer section-which receive a
charge of vapor that causes the wheel to
revolve.
Attached to the stud is crank arm and
pivoted to the outer end of this is . con-
Meeting ROD which connects with the pis-
ton rod OF a piston that moves within the
first cylinder, which is attached by braces
to second cylinder. Now it is absolutely
necessary that beth of the cylinders shall
be of size that will enable them to hold
practically the same mum Der of cubic feet
of gas or vapor. Connecting these two
cylinders at point near their outer ends
is q channel in the form OF q tube.
The San Francisco call., 1897-03-28

This channel is supplied with valves
which automatically open to exhaust the
vapor from one cylinder and to close it
when the other is taking in supply.
Communicating with the first cylinder at
point about opposite the outlet tube is
an inlet tube that leads into one side OF
vaporizer. This vaporizer communicates
with supply pipe leading to the tank
located back Of the saddles, andthe&supply
OF whatever the tank contains to the
vaporizer is regulated by stopcock at
tached to the supply pipe.
The San Francisco call., 1897-03-28

kicks. One of them. with pasty COM
plexion and long Hapsburg chin, breaks
away from them and greets US with nervous
clammy, loose fingers. The others eye US
in a paroxysm of fierce shyness. Little
Miss Grey, with brave face and fear in
her heart goes boldly and sits down close
to young creature with delicate face,
black ringlets and enormous gold circles
in her ears. She speaks to them with a
The San Francisco call., 1897-03-28

panion at distance. Instead of the cleo
trio lights OF theaters, the far more fire.
quent and cheerful glare of the public
house.
Instead of the elaborate simplicity of
the women in the carriages at the en-
frances to the theaters, sleek heads with
nodding plumes and a sparkle of dia-
monds, ehave plumes, too, cock-feathers,
bold and aggressive, in hats and bonnets
of crushed magnifcence, and a fringe,
The San Francisco call., 1897-03-28

the track runs in such way that logs and
road are almost side by side, so the engine
has but little difficulty in transferring the
freight from the water to the roadbed.
Now the logs are beginning the corclu-
sion of their journey. for from the lower
pond the line OF the road runs without
break to the mill. where the logs are
turned over to the sawyerh
The San Francisco call., 1897-03-28

distinguishes her; il is short, brisk, light.
She is dressed with neatness and some
taste, and her fringe is com paratively
small. She is greeted with general delight,
and is almost thrown at Miss Grey in
mistaken enthusiasm, as being an Ameri-
can also.
II bin three years in America" she be-
gins, with great good humor and appar-
emily no difidence whatever. That's
country, amt it? l bin three years in
The San Francisco call., 1897-03-28

don't stand from 7 till 10 every day, no
don'tl''
The fine sarcasm Of this was not lost
upon her audience; the girls had crowded
close to her, and their heated faces pressed
around, the cir was very close. Miss Grey
looked into the excit ed eyes about her;
the problem was even more interesting
than she had expected, but it was little
unpleasanty startling to come into such
close contact with those impulsive and ex-
The San Francisco call., 1897-03-28

raj ian specimen. In this the framework
of the leg is the most massive of any in
the class of birds. The toe bones almost
rival those of the elephant. Evidence has
been secured by scientists that this bird
afforded food to the natives of New Zea-
land during the period just before it be-
came extinct. Possibly this is also true Of
The San Francisco call., 1897-03-28

ment is SO recent as to prevent anything
like an extended investigation being
made thus far, scientists have taken the
matter up and are striving to find place
for the bird from Australia.
There is only one prehistoric bird known
to history which has something of the
same appearance as this unknown Aus
The San Francisco call., 1897-03-28

the logs are rolled from the point at which
they are cut to the most convenient place
on the railroad in many instances, the
chute is called into play at what is known
as the upper pond. This pond is to be
found near the starting point OF the line.
and to it from various sections of the
mountainside where trees are being
felled fumes or chutes are run. The logs