davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1897-02-05
Uneducated Mathematical PrOdigies.

Ch0uucdUeu Mathematical Odl les.
Zerah Colburn, born in Vermont in
1904, at the age of six was a mathema-
tical prodigy, though he was without
even ordinary intelligence in other di-
rections, and was a degenerate, with
supernumerary digits on both hands
and feet. Tom Fuller, a Virginia
lightning calculator" of the last cen
tnry, was an illiterate native African of
prodigious power of calculation. Asked
how many seconds in a year and a half,
he responded in two minutes, At, 304 900;
how many seconds a man had lived
who was 70 years II days and II hours
old, he answered in a minute and a half,
2,210, 500, 800. Dase, an otherwise ex-
tremely dull-witted German, was a
mathematical genius" who, for ex-
ample, multiplied correctly in fifty-fouy
seconds 1882, 1853 by 93,758, 479.
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1897-02-05
Even Garbage Yields a Profit.

There are now ffty-fve towns and
cities in England which destroy their
garbage and solid refuse by burning,
using an average of about ten furnaces
each for that purpose. The combus-
ton of the material is used for tho
generation of steam, by which the
streets are electrically Illuminated,
thus reducing their municipal expenses
by this means.
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1897-02-05
TREE-TOP FISHERY.
Place from Which to Fish on

L lC6SanE race from "nlCn TO FISH on
a Midsummer Day.
John, John!" shouted the rosy lit
tie wife of my host in central Florida,
from the h%oneysuckle porch. John,
II you're going to have fish for supper
it's time to go up the tree relates
the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Well, now, I've fished for all sorts
OF flsh and in some odd places, but
n far | never climbed into a tree
to get them, but I didn't ask any fool
lsh questions. John simply replied
over his shoulder, "All right!' and we
continued our walk through the FROST
Dlackened orange trees, which were just
beginning to recover those that were
awe at all, from the havoc of the pre-
ceding winter.
we passed beyond the plantation and
through the cool shadows of a ham
MOCK, where cypress and palmetto.
trees were matted together and a wind
ing creek was bridged with a single
log. Somewhere along the path John
picked up his rod and a can OF bait.
men we came out upon the edge OF the
bayou. Laze alligators f1oated at a lit
Tie Instance or stuck their noses out
from their mud beds in the rushes,
ana having satisfied themselves that
nelther John nor the stranger had a
gun they went on DOING serenely. A
heron Mapped away and rested himself
IN a convenient tree. A moccasin
snake rolled from a dry log into the
water. None Of these incidents dis
turbed my friend, who led the way Sc
renely to the foot of a big tree over
hanging the still waters of the bayou.
Up this tree we walked by a regular
series of board steps, and at the top
we crept upon a well-fastened plat
form, thoroughly shaded by the thick
arapery of moss pendant from the
framework branches; and, thus en-
sconced, John proceeded to business,
n IN half an hour we had the finny
"hereWlthal for a delicious supper.
John enjoyed and l suppose still en-
joys a practical monopoly of fishing
IN that lake, for no one Whereabouts
owns a boat, and, anyhow, the alliga-
TORS don't approve Of boats, the shores
are TOO sedgy and water too shallow
Tor casting, and Fishing trees are not
FOUND in any considerable number
whereabouts. So I borrowed Johns
primitive tackle and thus earned the
right to boast that 1 had fished, among
other methods piscatorial, from a tree:
TOP.
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1897-02-05
African Diet.

African diet varies as much as do
the people, and such tribes as roasted
spiders, caterpillars, ants stewed in
butter, ostrich eggs, baked elephants
trunk and feet, puma, fat sleeps
tails, stewed puppies, and odd articles
not generally regarded Is food, are
consumed.
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1897-02-05
John Browns Daughter in Want.

Mrs. Annie Brown Adams, last sur
viving child of John Brown, is living
in direst want in northern California,
Contributions for her relief are asked.
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1897-02-05
salzer Seed Co. Ahead,

So enormous has been the demand FOG
Salzer's seeds in Texas that the John A.
Salzer Seed Co., La Gesse, Wis, sent out
seed potatoes, grasses and clover, seed
rorn, oats, ETC., to be distributed among its
southern customers.
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1897-02-05

Every engaged girl imogines that she
carries locked in her heart a secret IN,
keeping love forever young.
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1897-02-05
A PAIR OF DREAMS.

T IS a strange
story; but perhaps
the less strange be-
cause there is not a
thread of fiction in
the entire fabric. l
am thus positive,
because I am Mar
cia Clomas and
telling only what
happened to N.Y.
self.
Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1897-03-11

the Saxon way of forcing things. mo,
the boy Is quite right. 1t is another
case where YOU must not try to be
smarter than nature. The llama is the
stubbornest brute alive; a mule Is va
cillating compared to him. II you put
pound too much on his load he will
lie down: and you might beat him to
death, or build fire beside him. but
he would not get up. Nobody but a
Peruvian Indian can do anything with
a Peruvian camel and Ramon has just
shown us the proper tactics. Hurt the
animal and he only grows more sullen !;
but the pebbles merely tease him until
he can bear 1t no longer. And really
he repays patience when he behaves
we'll. for he Is the only animal that can
work effectively at these terrific alti-
tudes, where horses and mules are
practically useless. But adelante (for-
wardD." the professor concluded.
Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1897-03-11
Adventure with . Bengal Tiger.

From Bengal comes an amusing. al
though exciting tale of two young
army officers who tried to capture
tiger. Having gorged itself on COW,
the animal was asleep when these two
men caught sight of 1t. They might
have shot it, but 1t occurred to them
that there would be as much honor
and lot of money in taking it alive.
So they made nooses In two long ropes,
and after some manoeuvering from q
rock above, managed to lasso the neck
and one leg of the tiger. The beast. Of
course awoke, and for time regarded
the ropes indifferently: but when he
attempted to walk away, and found
himself restrained. his rage knew no
bounds He gave two or three great
jumps, and the ropes snapped like
strings. and then he started for his
would-be captors, and would have
caught them had not he become en-
tangled in the ropes. While he was
jumping around they poured bullets
into him, and finally hit a vital spot
So they got him after all. but not in
the way they intended.
Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1897-03-11
REGARDING PAssENcEps
Decision of the Illinois Rai,,,..
Warehouse Commissiop.-

Warehouse Commissions,
In the matter of the commun;c,.,
Of the secretary of the state grana.
Illinois dated Jan. l, 1887, embodv;SeQ
resolution of that body adopted =. ~
December meeting. 1896, asking ~
board of railroad and warehouse .o ~
missioners to reduce the passsnaa
rate from three go cents to two ~
cents per mile, the commission 10
the opinion that to do so at this ~
would be unwise and unwarranted aas
would be unjust to the railroad ir,a.
est of the state. While some ~ ~.
great trunk lines in Illinois might =
able to stand such a reduction, vet ~.
smaller roads. and those which a
almost wholly local business ass
which are now and have been for n.
last two years struggling for exin.
ence, would be most seriously affected
by it.
Such action on our part would sim
ply increase the heavy burdens unds,
which they are staggering now. liz
a well-known fact to those who har.
taken the trouble to investigate M
amount of passenger business Gone h,
the railroads in Illinois during the na,t
two years that there has been a lars.
decrease in the number of passenper,
carried. This is due in our Judgment
not to the amount charged for such
service but to the general depression
in all lines Of business. the low price,
Of farm products and the unsettled
financial conditions which have had
their effect on the passenger as well
as the freight business.
And it is also fact, as shown b. IN.
sworn reports of the railroads of I'M.
nois that the capital invested in such
property has not paid even a fair in.
terest to the stakeholder. This ques.
ton was before us when we revised
the freight schedule in 1895, and the
whole question was thoroughly con.
sidered. We did not think then and
neither do we feel now that in Justice
to both the public and the railroads.
| because each should stand on the same
equality before the law, this reduction
| should be made at this time. II the
| country was prosperous our conclu.
sions might be different.
The statistics in our Office show that
for the past three years, 1894, 1895 and
1896, the average amount charged by
the railroads per passenger mile is a
fraction above two cents, although the
maximum allowed them was thres
cents.
For the reasons above stated we d
not feel that this reduction should b
made at this time. We are also asked
to recommend this reduction to tn.
legislature. In view Of our conclusion
we do not feel that it would be con
sistent for us to do so; however, tn
legislature has the power to regulat
tho maximum rate which can
charged for passenger service and W
leave the matter to their wisdom.
(Signed) w. S. CANrRELL,
Chairman.
THOS. GAHAN.
Attest: J. w. YANTIS, Secretary
Jan. -, 1897.
Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1897-03-11
EVOLUTION OF THE UMBRELLA
From tho Old-Time Whaiebone SP'e"~0'
tn the Bow Channel steel.

From tho Old-Time Whaiebone spre"o0S
to the Bow Channel steel
Forty years or so ago umbrellas were
~, ado WIN s.retchers or bows OF Whale-
bone. These bows were rather yum.
in themselves, and they were apt 10 se'
a little permanent bend from long use
So that they bulged when the ui-i 9"a
was rolled up: making the pis' p"eey
umbrella, familiar to middle-ageo anu
older people, and occasionally sun
seen, though on the stage oltehei 'n"
in real life. With the introuuc''oA y.
petroleum oil into general use as I'll
Illuminating oil, and the consequ0n.
very general Abandonment OF the uoo
whale oil came the decline OF the "na'-
ing industry. Fewer and fewer Vesseis
went after whales, because theie va
less and less demand for the OIL. W
course, the supply of whalebone ue-
creased with the supply OF Oil, pu| .ne
price did not, nor did the oeA"
There are still some uses lot WHICH
whalebone is considered most desiia-
BILE, and with constant demand anu ue
creasing supply the price OF whaiepons
steadily advanced, as 1t has coh'inuou
to do. Whalebone soon became too
costly to permit Of its further use io'
umbrella stretchers. At first slehuef'
round, tempered steel rod. Win these
slenderer bows the umbrella coula pe
more snugly rolled and the OLD Dassy
umbrella began to disappear, anu TIC
modern tight roller to take its place.
Then came umbrella bows OF llght s,ee'
rolled in V shape, and then, IN INC
quest for still tighter roller, UNI oreila
handles were made of metal. The nrst
tubing handles were made OF Drass'
Steel would have been cheaper, Dut
| there had been discovered no SAUSAGE
| tory method of brazing steel tubes such
/! as are used in umbrella handles. There
| is such a method now, however anu
umbrella handles of steel tubing are
now made in great numbers. Anu
nowadays many spreaders are maze Oh
steel, rolled channel-shaped. In cross
section this spreader is shaped some
thing like a capital letter E without
tongue, and the ribs of the umDrella-
the steel rods that run from the snd-
ing ferrule, or runner, as 1t IS caileo'
on the handle of the umbrella, Dy
means of which the umbrella is spread
are SO attached and adjusted to the
spreaders that they shut into the cnan'
nels when the umbrella is closed.
Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1897-03-11
PROGRESS OF THE BICYCLE.
New That Is Being Tried In
Switzerland.


Lovers of the bicycle-and they are
legion-are awaiting with interest the
coming of the chainless wheel, says the
Hartford Post. 1t is announced that
it Is coming soon and it is expected that
it will be considerable Improvement
over the wheel now in use. being easier
to care for. Something new in wheels
is reported from Switzerland. 1t is the
invention Of a Geneva man. The sad
die of this bicycle is developed into a
seat and it is dropped back almost i'm
mediately over the center of the rear
wheel, the steering-bar being length
ened to enable the driver to control the
wheel without bending forward. The
inventor says that the principle of the
machine is the utilization OF the con-
siderable amount Of force. very little
known, which is afforded by point of
support. Without this point Of support
the only force man has Is his own
weight. On the other hand, If the back
be we'll supported, he has in each leg
force more than treble his own weight
and which -, in fact. equal to the
weight ne Is capable OF carrying COLL
bined with that of his own body. The
construction of this bicycle Is intended
to make use of this considerable
| amount OF wasted force. The point OF
| support in the new wheel Is the back
of the seat, by means Of which the
| cyclists body Is thrown back and his
legs lifted up, owing to the position OF
the pedals. The body Is thus placed
| in a normal posture. The rider Is
upright or leaning slightly backward
It has been tried in the streets of &C.
neva and made a favorable impression
The ease with which 1t ascends hills
was particularly noticeable. The bi'
cycle has not reached its full develop
ment.
Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1897-03-11
CENSUS OF THE WORLD.

Nlost StupentOus Undertaking That Was
Ever Devised.
A census Of the world seems impos-
sible, but 1t is going to be undertaken,
says the London Mail. The unparal-
leled labor is to be one of the gigantic
projects to celebrate the advent of the
twentieth century, and 1t Is safe to
say that a more stupendous undertake
ing has never before been devised. The
scheme had its real inception at the
biennial meeting of the International
Statistical institute. recently held at
Berne, Switzerland, where q committee
was appointed to consider ways and
means. The first step in this impor-
tant committees labor was to enlist the
interest and aid of Ii Hung Chang.
They met him when he was In Berlin
and secured the promise Of his infiu-
ence In China. In no nation will the
work OF demonstrating be more difficult
than In China. Anything approximate
ing the accurate census Of the popula-
ton of the earth at the present time is,
without doubt, an impossibility. In
addition to the poles there are many
spots ON the earth that have never been
visited by the explorer and others from
which a census enumeration never
would get away alive. The population
of the earth is now estimated at 1000
900 ,oOO-guesses founded upon the OBJ.
servation of travellers and upon Other
guesses mentioned in treaties given b!
such countries as China, Persia. Arabia
and Turkey.
Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1897-03-11
OBSTiNACY OF THE LLAMA.
The Mule Is facilitating Compared with
This Animal.

The boy called "U-pa" to the llamas,
lifting his finger as ii to point them up
the trail. Ordinarily, remarks writer
in St Nicholas, the animals would have
obeyed, but the aggressive manner OF
Barton had aroused their obstinacy and
they did not bulge. The boy put his
shoulder to the ribs of one and heaved
hard: but the brute stood its ground.
We'll. il Is to waltz said he, and ran
about his path, gathering up very small
pebbles until the shabby hat was full.
Then he sat down on a bowlder that
jutted from the bank, settling himself
as II for long rest. Then he threw
mild and measured pebble at each
llama. They turned their heads little
and wrinkled their disagreeable noses
He waited for some time and then
pitched two more pebbles--which had
the same effect. So he sat, slowly ana
mechanically tossing HIS harmless mis-
siles upon the dense haiI OF his charges.
Evidently he was in no hurry; ana the
two travellers, impatient as they were,
had too much wisdom or experience 10
try to push him. They sat quietly in
, their saddles, watching the droll scene.
It was very ridiculous to need deliver
ance from two stupid beasts and to get
it from such an owlish little tatterde-
malion. An hour crawied by, and the
stones in RamOn's hat were running
low. Suddenly the brown llama turned
with snort of disgust aad stole OH up
the trail The gray one hesitated mo-
ment, snorted-and followed. THAT
way they get tired, sirs," said the boy
emptying his hat and pulling 1t down
upon his thatch OF black hair. I'D
take a good club to them" growled
Barton, who had great confidence In
Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1897-03-11
FOOD FOR THE CATS.
English Sparrpws Have to Fight FOR
Their Lives In London.


Their Lives In London.
II left to himself the London SPAR
row would probably multiply exceed
ingly, for there is enough waste from
every human household to keep at
least one pair of sparrows, says the
London Spectator That would give
something like 100000 sparrows to
the area of greater London. But these
figures do not represent actual facts.
The sparrow population is vigorously
kept down, not by want OF fecundity-
for at the zoo. for instance. where food
and shelter abound. the birds seem to
breed at all seasons OF the year-but
by the operation of the natural enemy,
that great fact in all wild life, which
even the progressive London sparrow
cannot avoid. The natural enemy in
this case Is the London cat. II any one
will count up the number Of houses in
his or her knowledge which do not
possess cat, the numbers and
ubiquity Of the natural enemy will be-
come apparent. Poor people keep more
cats than rich people, SO the small
houses abound in cats. Rich folks
cats, which have large houses, as a
| rule, only catch the sparrows on their
own estate, but poor cats have to
poach at large, and their rayages
among the young sparrows are prodig-
ious. 1t has been observed that spar
row-killing cat bags on an average two
young birds day. No amount of cor
rection seems to prevent their indul-
| gence in this form of sport. They
know it is wrong, but it is too fas-
cinating. One young cat of the writer's
acquaintance went into a fit after a
mild beating for killing young spar
rows and as soon as he recovered went
off to catch another. A cat in the same
house which was surprised with two
naked nestlings in it's mouth slipped
| them underneath a mat on the stairs
when it saw its mistress approaching.
| Nature Is too strong for them, and the
| drawing room pussy seems no more
able to resist the taste for sport than
the stable cat.
Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1897-03-11

hold the matt matter Then, where
there. arc short bends. as there must
he in making the necessary angles.
brass tubes have to be used.
I'm the basement Of the two post
Offices will be placed air compressors,
together with he necessary receiving
and despatching apparatus.
"A very Important part OF the plant
Is the carrier, which is an accurately
constructed steel cylinder, twenty-four
Inches long. Weighing twelve pounds,
and made to fit In the tubes. so as
to move freely. When this carrier Is
freighted with mail matter 1t Is placed
In the despatching tube. air from the
compressor Ia let In behind 1t. and
away 1t goes, under street. over bridge
and under street again, to the post
ONCE ON the other side Of the river,
making the journey In three and one
half minutes. The air pressure re-
CURED to do this Is only six pounds to
the square inch. II necessary, the pres
sure and speed can be increased.
'sAa one tube Is used for despatching
and one for receiving. o regular stream
OF carriers can be kept going In both
directions, with only ten seconds inter-
val between them. As each carrier will
hold 600 ordinary letters. this means
that It 10 possible to despatch $4,000
letters per hour In each direction, and
that the tubes will carry all Of the first
class and most Of the lower classes OF
mail matter between the two post
OfAcee."
The plant will cost about 100000,
and will DO constructed and maintained
hy 4 Philadelphia company. 1t Ia
known a. the Batcheller system and
n the same that has been In use In
Philadelphia for four years, between
the general postofice and sub-station
No. 20, The distance Of half mile.
The establishing Of a pneumatic tube
mail service over the East river ia only
the beginning Of an extended system
which is expected in the near future te
connect the general postoflice with sub
stations. railways and steamer land
ings.
Charles Nelson. second assistant
postmaster general, who has charge o
the mail transportation. obtained al
appropriation for the Bridge system
from the last Congress. and said tina
It was to be the beginning OF an ex
tended plant.
.Pneumatic tubes between the New
York postofliee and the various rail
way stations" he said. when asked
about the contemplated work. will re
lieye the department OF seventy pc
cent. of the wagon transportation. l
Is estimated that tubes can be put II
and maintained at the present rate pal
for wagon service in large cities. The
the tubes will expedite the delivery
the mail and make close connection
the same cost as now. 1t is hoped tina
an extended pneumatic tube service
In near reach OF the department In Ne'
York"
Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1897-03-11
ITS LATTER-DAY DEGENERACY.
The Umbrella Is No Longer Portlys
Respectable Instrument.

The Umbrella Is No Longer POrtlys
Respectable Instrument.
The real old family umbrella has
gone out. Call that slim, stuck-up, af-
fected, attenuated thing family UNI
brella? Go away, says writer In Lon
don Queen. I remember the genuine
family umbrella; it was kept in readi-
ness behind every front door; it was
large, portly heavy instrument. AS an
emblem of responsibility it was highly
esteemed in middle-class society; it was
serviceable as tent in rainy weather;
it could be used as a weapon of offense
and defense on occasion. 1 have seen
picture of an elderly gentleman keep
ing off footpad by means of this lethal
umbrella. He made as il he would
spear or prod the villain. Why, one
prod would alone make hole of six
inches diameter in that murderous car
cass. The nurse used to carry it, with
difficulty managing the baby and the
umbrella; 1t went out to tea with the
young ladies'; the maid who fetched"
them home took the umbrella with her.
1t succeeded the lantern and the club
formerly carried by the prentice when
he escorted his mistress to the card
| party after dark. remember it, say.
There were three brothers who came to
| the same school where l was but a
tiny little boy. They lived at some dis
lance and had to pass on their way to
school through a stratum of inferior
responsibility. Every morning brought
to these three brothers the delight and
excitement OF battle with the boys be-
longing to that inferior respectability
To the eldest brother, who carried the
really important weapon, the umbrella
was exactly what his battle-ax was tc
the Lion Heart. So he raised it; sc
he welded it; SO he swung it; 60 he
laid his enemies low to right and left
of him. before him and behind him
while the other two, relying ON TIN
books tightly strapped. brought then
to bear, with shrewd knocks ant
thwacks and poundings, on heads ana
shoulders and ribs.
Twas a famous family umbrella
green, too, II remember Alright,