davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-09-20

springs, has been ordered to Edwards. LIT. Geddings is expected there to- night, as there are also tents for the camp of refugees. The state board tried to prevent Father Prendergast of thls city, who has never had the fever, rom going to Edwards, but he consid- cred It his duty and the board gave way The board has a report from Biloxi showing thirty-six cases to date, besides six suspects and twenty-seven cases of yellow fever now on hand. No deaths reported.
 Colonel Robb, an aged planter, near Edwards, is one of the cases reported yesterday.
 Vicksburg is thoroughly guarded and entirely healthy.
 Mobile, Ala, Sept. 19-The official bulletin for the last twenty four hours ending at noon to-day shows eleven new cases of yellow fever as follows:
 J. w. Carlisle. J. J. Bourne, David Myrton, reported last night after board meeting.
 George Mayfield, ,Lettie Johnson, color ed; E. $. Schanenberg and wife, Frank Collier, Willie Charpine, Eugene Rem chei, Miss Alman.
 Ihere has been one death, that af frank Donaldson, mentioned as one of the new cases in these dispatches last night. He was sixteen years of age.
 Iotal cases to date, 29. Total deaths. 3.
 The president of the board of health tonight comments upon the days re- port as follows: "The cases reported to-day were taken one on the 18th, one on the 14th, three on the 18th. four on the 18th, and one on the 18th, so there is shown that there has been but one new case in the past twenty four hours. All the cases, with one or two exceptions, are doing well. The Sunday calm was intensified to-day, all traffic being sus- pended and the streets being even de- serted by the usual throng of wor shippers. Not only have many people gone away, but those remaining think it prudent to avoid gatherings.
 There was a light shower about 3 o'clock accompanied by cool wind that was most refreshing after the in- tense sultriness of the past two weeks.
The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-09-20
ELM CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
ANNUAL REPORT OF BOARD OF ED-
 UCATION SUBMITTED.

Progress Made in the Past Forty Years
 Years Expenses and Receipts-Number
 of Pupils in the District Over 2O,0O0-
 Work In Hillhouse and Boardman
 Schools-Valuatiod of School Property.
 The annual report of the board of ed- ucation has just been issued, and as usual contains much matter of inter- est relating to the schools of the city.
 President Asher of the board, in his preparatory statement calls attention to the fact that the board as at present constituted has been in existence many years and has made annual reports to the district and district meetings. As by the new city charter these reports are no longer to be made to the dis trict and district meetings MT. Asher takes occasion to compare the schools of the year 1S56-7 and 1S96-7 as follows:
The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-09-20
4 HARDSHIP ON GREECE.
Peace Treaty Declared to be Exceedingly
 OnerOus.

Athens, Sept. 19.-The conditions of the peace signed yesterday between the ambassadors of the powers, on behalf of Greece and Tewfik Pasha, the Turk ish foreign minister, at the Pophaneh palace are universally pronounced by the Greek press as exceedingly onerous.
 The organs of M. Delyannis, former premier, who commands an actual ma jority in the Bcule, violently attack M. Ralli and the cabinet, denouncing them as the real cause of the present misfor- tunes.
 The anti-Delyannis press abuses M. Delyannis as the "evil genius of Greece D The public generally accepts the re- suit with mournful resignation,
The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-09-20
AN AFRIDTS GALLANT DEED
SAVES 4 COMPANY OF SERBS EROM
 BEING CUT TO PIECES.

s-~S | surgent Trlbesmen-Enemy Makes q 1 Brave Resistance, but is Forced Into the Hills-Number of British Officers Wounded-Message from the Queen. Bombay. Sept. 19.-The advices from the front show that the various columns are advancing against the Mahmoukis from Pankora and Shabkadr. As yet they have men with no serious oppo- sition, but the difficulties of transpor- tation in a mountainous and almost painless country are immense. Anoth- CT formidable obstacle in the way of rapid movement is the lack of water.
 The brigade of General Jeffreys has not joined in the advance. Yesterday it left camp at Anayat, with sixteen companies of infantry and four guns, in order to re-attack the enemy at the vil- lage of Damodota. The enemy made a desperate resistance but were driven out into the hills.
 The British demolished their towers and captured four hundred mule loads of supplies. As soon as the troops be- gan to retire from the village the enemy re-appeared in force. The retreat, how ever, was effected with great precision. the native troops behaving splendidly. Two Sikhs were killed and six wound- ed.
 It is now known that the enemy's loss during the fight on Thursday last between Momounds and the Second brigade of General Sir Bindonblood in the valley north of Anayat was very severe. The tribes engaged did not press the brigade during the retirement
 Captain Ryder's company of Sikhs virtually owed their lives to the gal lant deed of an Afridi sergeant of the guides corps, who, when the Sikhs had exhausted their ammunition and were desperately cutting their way back through the enemy, dashed up the hill under heavy fire with supply of cartridges. He arrived juscin the nick of time, as the swordsmen of the enemy were already among the Sikhs, who were absolutely unable, after the heavy slimb and the hard shooting, to con- tinue successful struggle
 Lieutenant Watson was thrice wound
 
 ed while gallantly leading a handful of Bluffs, who routed a large body of the enemy that was trying to storm the village in which General Jeffreys, with guns, had taken up a position after missing his main body in the gloom Thursday night <
 It appears that the enemy lost 1sO men before they captured the Saragai { police post. They burned alive two Sikh cooks, whom they captured while hunting for fire wood. The queen has sent the following dis patch with reference to the reverse near Camp Anayat:
 T am deeply grieved at the loss of so many brave officers. and men. I earnesly desire to be informed as to the condition of all the wounded. The con- duct of the troops was most adm.ra- ble''
The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-09-20
Price of Food Rising in Spain.

Madrid, Sept 1s.-The price of all kinds of food is rising steadily, owing to the growing depreciation of silver and paper currency.
The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-09-20

Berne. Sept. 19-The cantons of GIa- rus and GrisOns were visited to-day by severe earthquake shock accompanied by heavy rumbling. The disturbance was so distinct that it was everywhere noticeable and in many places great blocks of rock fell from the mountains,
The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-09-20
Earthquakes in Europe and Asia.

Tashkent, Turkestan, Asiatic Russia, Sept. 19.-A severe earthquake shock occurred here last night and the dis turbance was felt throughout the whole of Turkestan. Several monuments of antiquity were damaged
The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-09-20

Peshawur, Sept. 19--The lower Moh- mands, south of here, have submitted and have agreed to pay heavy fine and to surrender their arms
The San Francisco call., 1897-03-28

panions. In the interior center of the
shell is a rough and corrugated scar,
highly lridescent, OF pearly greenish. hue.
The flesh of this fish is edible, but not
particularly palatabe to the American.
The Chinese prize it highly; they dry it
and ship it to China, where it finds a
ready sale. The Indians also like it, and
the old natives of California feas.ed upon
it with gusto; at many places along the
coast can be found large heaps OF these
shells, partly decayed, yet still valuable for
making pearl powder for use in ornament
ing boxes and frames; these shell mounds
are remnants Of Indian Haliotls fisheries
in the past.
The abalone export trade to China has
greatly decreased within the past few
years owing to the decline OF the quantity
of the fish through the excessive fisheries
of the Chinese. In 1883 there were exported
2. 900, 600 of shells and meats valued at $685.
600. In 1892 this business had decreased TO
404, ,547 pounds of dried meat worth $935l,
with no report made upon the shells. 1t is
probable that the business OF CATCH
ing abalones for Chinese export has not
much farther to go before it will end.
There will always be sufficient of these
fish caught, however, to supply the Chi
The San Francisco call., 1897-03-28
NJ MAp oF MARS ON MsacAraRs PRosEer,oA oxoyKe CANALS
rrerc Observation. ts Flesaraesen VI to 1875.
from oherse

arrange for numerous small channels di-
verging from the main canal, which might
take their departure at exactly opposite
sides of the main waterway and 80 appear
as crossing the main canal at angles de-
termfned by the object to be accom-
pIished. When an irrigating system like
this was com pleted it would be, found,
naturally enough, that during the sum-
mer or growing season, the land border
ing the canals would become verdant and
where an intersection of one or more
canals occurred there would be formed at
such places GASES. There would be
nothing extraordinary in the construc-
tion of such q system nor in It's effects
upon the hitherto desert area in the mat
ter of changing the appearance OF the sur
face by reason of vegetable growths; the
labor and its results would be perfectly
natural.
II the readers of The CALL will take the
trouble to look at the zenith about or .
O'Clock on a clear night just now, tney
will perceive reddish looking star, some
what larger than those surrounding IT.
shining with brillian: light. The star Is
the planet Mars, and It's surface when
viewed through large telescope exhlolts
precisely what would be seen by an on-
server looking from great distance at the
desert of Sahara, were that desert invested
with an irrigating system such as is de-
scribed above. 1t is not necessary here
The San Francisco call., 1897-03-28

the polar regions of Mars. and witnessed
its subsequent melting, but have also
seen clouds and mists pass over the face
of the planet; SO that Notwithstanding
the conclusions arrived at from the spec
troscpic observations made by some
astronomers it is very probable that Mars
has both water and atmosphere. The
spectroscope has been lamentably disap-
pointing in the Investigations of many
celestial bodies shining with reflected light,
such as the moon, comets and nebuI@.
Professor Holden in 1888 announced
that the long, straight lines visible in
Mars were really canals. Flammarion,
the famous French astronomer, who has
devoted patient. unremitting attention to
Mars for the past dozen years, positively
states that the lines are channels of actual
water, but he does not assign to them an
artificial origin. Latterly Percival Low
ell, who has been making special study
of the photography of the ruddy planet,
from his observatory in Arizona, states
that the markings are undoubtedly Lines
of irrigation; that is, they are water
channels, in which water flows during q
certain season, and from which canals di-
verge. About some geographical features
of Mars astronomers are fairly well agreed.
though observations made at different
seasons of the planet give somewhat diff
ferent appearances.
Flammarion shows the northern ard
The San Francisco call., 1897-03-28

face. One hundred and thirty years ago
Huyghens, noted astronomer of his time.
observed these strange lines. but owing
to the crudeness of the telescopes at that
time he was unable to determine their
character. His discovery, however, awak-
ened great interest, and from that time
until now the investigation of the wonder
full markings has been conducted along
scientific lines by the most competent OBJ
servers of the world. SchiapareIli an
nounced in 1877 that the surface of Mars
was furrowed by what he tl4en termed
s'canals. and at once arose heated argu-
ment as to whether Schiaparelli was to
be believed or not. Observers who had
not seen the lines declared that they could
not possibly exist, but this class was
speedily silenced by the fact that the lines
persisted in being seen by any one who
possessed telescope of sufficient power
and who chose to look Tor them.
Almost every year that has passed since
Schiaparelli's announcement has wit
messed Improvements in telescopic art.
Instruments of better definition and more
.sfar reaching" power have been devised,
with the result that to-day we have map
of the surface of Mars, which is actual y
more reliab BILE than that we have of Africa
The lines over the face OF the planet are
there. They are on the planets surface
and now the great problem is: What are
they? The majority OF competent OBJ
The San Francisco call., 1897-03-28

gency of forest fires also interfere with tho
continuance of clear vision.
Excelsior has been the motto of the
nineteenth century star-gazer. The Har-
ward astronomers ever In the van OF
scientific research. have established posts
for the study of climate from the South
Pacific across the Andes to the valley of
the Amazon. Unawed by the sublime
heights of volcanic Ell Misti or its smoke
wreath. like hostile banner, threat and
a warning, the summit was made tribu-
tary to science in 1894. The giant cone
gradually slanting upward to 10, 200 feet
above sea level was accessible the entire
route on muleback, though the surefooted
species never before trod such elevated
ground. Here one-half the bulk OF the
restless aerial ocean which battles the best
efforts Of the astronomer and of the opti-
clan is beneath the observer; and what
great things might not be expected at
such q site if calm reigned around and
good telescope was ever in readiness 10
take advantage of these exceptional con-
ditions?
Meteorological instruments on FL Misti
are visited every ten days; but a few oc-
casional hours are not true test of these
lofty peaks. Aerial currents and curva-
lures of strata, facilitated by mountain
slopes. the haunting high winds, the
hardships, the ngers-especlally that of
mountain sickness-the penalty OF what
is styled diminished living or tenn porary
waning of m entail and physical efficiency,
and the enormous cost-these are the chief
objections against the establishment of
permanent stations at unusually high al
ti,udes. Professor Pickering recommends
attitudes ranging from 1000 to 5000 feet in
tropical or subtropical regions and low
hills rising 200 or 800 feet above the sur
rounding plains. Professor Schaberle
who has also had personal experience of
high levels in the Andes, does not favor
them for permanent occupation.
In his entertaining volume on this sub
ject Professor Holden emphasizes the ad-
vantage of the moderate altitude of
Mount Hamilton, where transparency and
good definition are often com bined. and
where general observations of high order
can be maintained.
Thus counter current of opinion against
the loftiest peaks seems to have set in.
AS there is at present no known strong
hold OF transparency and steadiness of
the first class, at least one high crest
frowning down upon the lower air and its
dense turbulence should be given fair
and full trial.
A road to the summit substantial
building and constant relays of observers
habituated to high attitudes would gain
for science the choicest possibilities of the
selected site; and even if those occurred
but one day in the year the price would
not be exorbitant when the rate of ex-
| penditure in other directions, both by
Governments and by individuals, is con-
sidered. Rose O'HALLoRAN.
The San Francisco call., 1897-03-28

all very beautiful, called Haliotis Crache-
rodii. the black abalone, the red abalone
or Haliotis rufescens and Haliotis splen-
dens, the last being the most beautiful of
the species. SO beautiful that an enthusi-
astic naturalist OF this coast once called it
a "crystallized rainbow, rich in all the
tints of the spectrum"
These shells are not found on the At
lantic coast but until recently they have
been abundant here and may be found
from the foot of the peninsula of Baja
California to Kamchatka. Their present
lack Of abundance is due to the depletion
OF their beds by Chinese fishermen. Ex-
cepting those shells which are polished
and sold on the coast to the curio hunters,
they are almost all shipped in their ma
tive, unpublished state to China, where
they are used to make buttons, jewelry,
and for inlaid work in wood surfaces.
The nacre which this fish deposits pro-
duces tine mother of pearl OF commerce
and of the most beautiful variety. The
fish has but one shell and grows to the
length Of nine inches. Its back is quite
smooth, spire very short, aperture almost
as broad as the shell. Its outer angle is
perforated by series of holes, ive
or six in number, and through this
The San Francisco call., 1897-03-28
CHINESE STREET MERCHANT REPAIRING HIS WARES.

the aperture is marked by q bulge OF
enamel above and two small folds be-
meath, which give the shell its name.
Great beds OF these shells, all living. are to
be found at various points on the coast If
they are searched for just below the sur
face of the sand at low tide. They are
active little burrowers and throw up little
ridges of sand az they move.
The gasteropods also furnish the Chinese
with many OF their curiously colored
shells. These are all snail or slug like in
shape and are very abundant. All OF the
shells are carefully cleaned and polished,
but not boiled. Where the meat is large
enough TO make morsel the Celestial re-
tains it for food. 1t is q small matter to
him that the flesh is not ordinarily edible.
The Chinese will generally eat anything
that comes out of the water. and those
who do the fishing live on some kinds of
fish which the American would consider
garbage.
The Chinese do not confine their prod
ucts to their own sales they supply
curio stores. and quantities of their
polished and curiously arranged shells of
the Pacific are shipped East aud there
often sold for "fancy" prices.
JOHN E. BENNETT.
The San Francisco call., 1897-03-28

TkF terrestrial globe three feet in diam
eter were overlaid with heecy nap
AZ about one-fourth of an inch in depth it
would convey some idea of the relative
proportions of the earth and its atmos-
pheric envelope For further illustration
the bulk of this fieecy covering would
need to be massed near the surface OF the
miniature earth, while TIE upper layers.
graduating to invisible gossamer, should
leave the exact outer surface indetermin-
able
The distribution should also be uneven,
in some parts completely obscuring, in
others scarcely yelling the features, and
added to this the tenuous web should
quiver increasingly throughout, but with
little uniformity OF direction or of force
Compared 10 the solid earth its atmos-
phere is as the down on the leaves of
tree, but its attenuation is not more strik.
ing than its irresistibility.
What deed of violence is it that our
heaving ocean of air cannot accom- pIish2
And if less attenuated, ii the world were
permanently cloud-wrapped throughout,
how cramped would be the mind of man
#and how changed his history. As it is
the universe, open to his gaze all round,
has scattered truths of things both near
and far in his way. That he has availed
himself ardently of the pellucidity of the
atmosphere tor studying the heavenly
bodies from primeval times to the present
is amply proved.
AS the densest strata hover close to the
lowlands of the earth and extend but few
miles upward, it was suggested by Sir
Isaac Newton that the tops of the highest
mountains, which leave these strata and
their tremulousness beneath, might be
favorable to teleseopic vision.
Much knowledge has been gained on
this subject during the latter half OF this
century, and Mountain Observatories in
America and Europe" by Professor
Holden of the Lick Observatory, recently
published by the Smithsonian Institu-
tion, is useful and interesting summary
of the experiences of those. who have
given high attitudes a practical trial,
The conditions on few of the lofty peaks
will show the obstacles that remain even
though the densest air be surging harm
lessly round the slopes. A few hundred
miles off the west coast of Africa, where
the Atlantic depths are a storehouse for
the surplus heat of summer, the Peak of
Teneriffe pierces the atmosphere at a
height of II, 1913 feet.
This natural vantage ground was chosen
in 1856 by Professor Piazzi Smyth, the
late Astronomer Royal of Scotland, for
com pairing the views of celestial objects
with those obtained through the somber
skies of Edinburgh. Though in the trade
wind belt, where effort was hampered by
the persistent winds, which like wise main
tanned faint but continual haze of dust
even in the upper air, still the clearness
and steadiness were much superior to that
at sea level, and the remarkable dryness
The San Francisco call., 1897-03-28

foundation is suggestive, and Professor
Holden ominously remarks that the whole
history of the Mont Blanc station is not
yet written. He also questions the Wis
dom OF the undertaking, when equal re-
suits might be obtained with little danger
or difficulty on Pixies Peak or in the Sierra
range. Transatlantic observers, however,
would hardly be content with a high level
station SO remote, especially as the Alpine
observations SO far as undertaken have
proved satisfactory. Grieyous hardships
are endured and lives imperiled every
day for, grosser gains, and the few ven-
lures for sciences sake probably only vary
without adding to the disaster record.
A grand project is now entertained by
The San Francisco call., 1897-03-28

menters but the desirable com bnation OF
ciearness and tranquility was in general
conspicuously absent.
Many valuable astronomical observa-
tions can be carried on in defiance to a
q aulvering atmosphere, and as the summit
is accessible by railroad and the tempera-
ture not too rigorous, this elevated point
invites consideration as suitable site for
permanent high level station on the
grounds of convenience, Apart from that
the dryness of portions OF the Sierras offer
wider range of good results. The usual
mountain phenomena OF wind, snowfails
and lightning appear with force and fre-
quency OH Pixies Peak, and occasional in
sect swarms and the American contin-
The San Francisco call., 1897-03-28

Langley, Hale and others show that some
times when the island is partly hidden IN
obscuring haze definition is SO good that
planetary detail can be studied with ad-
vantage. Occasionally the smoke of the
volcano wreathes the scene and migratory
fiocks of insects also intrude between the
observer and the object of his attention.
In the same year that this scientific ven-
ture was completed DR.. Langley selected
the lofty summit of Mount Whitney, A.
900 feet in height. for solar observations,
requiring a com parison of the heat re-
ceived at high and low attitudes. Here
he found clearness, dryness and violet
blue sky surprising what he had seen iii
other favored localities. Partly owing to
The San Francisco call., 1897-03-28

are unknown here except in the widest
aerial tumuIts. and as we have heard long
and often of Alpine climbers, it is rather
sur prising that the star-gazer was not
heard of before 1890. However. the gen.
eral tourist is not incum bered with the
care of instruments, and his task is done
when his footprints indent the summit
snow, while the work OF the astronomer
only then begins. In this year, the
famous French scientist. NJ. Jansen.
though advanced in age, and. through
lameness. unable to travel as ordinary
climbers, took valuable solar observations
on the summit. and planned the building
of a permanent observatory on the deso-
la te peak. BY tunneiing, it was found