davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The herald., 1897-08-22
UNIQUE KST0NS OF THE NEW CONGRESSIONAL LIBRARY AT WASHINGTON

There is a feature in the decorative
work of the new Congressional Library
which appeals to the visitor very
strongly by reason of it's striking orig
inalty.-the thirty-three key stones of
the window arches in the pavilions rep
resenting the leading types Of the hu-
man race. They appear, of course. on
the exterior of the building. The idea
of utilizing as a decoration an ethnolog-
ical collection said to be more complete
than any other in the world was GER
tainly ingenious and appropriate; one
can but wonder that it had never &C.
CURED to the architects Of other struc-
lures devoted to similar purposes.
Being curious as to how so novel an
idea was worked up and carried out, l
determined to secure what information
I could; and with this end in view
made my way to the National Museum,
a large. rambling, brick building, nested
among the trees, near the Smithsonian
Institute. I was in search of Prof Otis
7. Mason, Curator of the chronological
Department, who after six months of
special research furnished the neces-
sary measurements and data for these
odd key stones.
After passing through a long hall
filled with relics of colonial and revo-
lutionary days, and through the adjoin-
ing apartment in which are grouped so
many curious models of far-away peo-
pies dressed in their native costumes, /
was directed to a little room at the end.
Here / found the professor, genial,
gray haired man, seated at his desk,
The herald., 1897-08-22
RHEHZ74zX
PROPOSED SWINGING BRIDGE ACROSS THE SEINE.

boats, so that in the event of the chains
breaking or the bridge itself giving way
the passengers will only drop a few
feet, to the water below, where the car
riage will float like an ordinary boat.
and enable the passengers to make their
way to shore without the risk even of .
wetting.
The strange feature of this novel un-
dertaking is that some engineers of ex-
perence to whom the plan has been
submitted declare it to possess valu-
able features and to be stride forward
in the art of bridge building. 1t Is
pointed out that while, on an ordinary
bridge transportation is slow even
where trains are run across, an army
could be loaded on the platforms of the
freak bridge and swung across in very
short space of time AS fast as one
platform was loaded with men, guns
and horses and started on it's trip
across, another could be getting ready,
and by the time the first had crossed
the second would be on it's way to the
same shore.
Provision is only made with the pres
ent structure for the carriages to be run
one way. When they reach the oppo-
site shore they will be run back again
on the same track. The designer, at the
time that he discloses his identity,
which will be only after the experiment
has proved to be the success that he
claims. will Immediately begin on an
other bridge of the same style, so that
one can be used for crossing in one d.
recton and the other for return trips.
! At present Frenchmen are scoffing at
the design and wondering why some
one doesn't find a straight jacket for
the inventor who is putting his money
into such a scheme, but meanwhile the
building of the bridge the cost of which
will be immense, goes merrily on, and
| it is hoped that by 1898 the structure
will be completed ready for opening.
Whether or not it will prove of any
practical value remains to be seen, but
it is giving employment to many French
mechanics, so that whether it is a fall
ure or not the enterprise will have done
some good to mankind.
The herald., 1897-08-22

kutsk) still its production of gold is de-
veloping rapidly; 1t already stands first
among all the gold-producing regions of
Siberia. Some idea of the extent of
its industry may be CLEANED from the
fact that the wages of the men employ
ed in it's mines amounted in the last
three years to $4000.000, while the cost
of the chief articles Of consumption at
these mines was nearly sS,O0O,OOO.
I have referred thus briefly to the
places of northeastern Siberia as indica-
tive of what may be expected from the
newly discovered Ell Dorado in the
Klondike of Alaska; for not only are
the geological and climatic conditions
very much the same in both regions,
but also the character of their mines, as
we'll as the method of working them.
AS characteristic of sub-Arctic min
ing regions in general l now propose
to give the reader some of the observa-
tions and experiences noted while on
recent journey through the mining dis
tricts of northeastern Siberia. To those
about to set out for the Alaskan fields
they may not be devoid of practical in
terest.
The journey was made in Siberian
skiffs along the Lena and it's tributaries
and on horse back through the taigas
or dense Siberian forests. Four sturdy
Russian fishermen manned our two
boats at bow and stern, and with their
long birch poles pushed us up slowly
against the swift current of the noun
tain streams.
Every now and then we would catch
the glimpse of bear or deer scamper-
ing away from the rivers brink when
taken unawares by our noiseless ap-
proach, and then they would disappear
in the dense pine forest; for we were in
the midst of a pine wood desert whose
end was undetermined.
The German Black Forest and the
great Lithuanian are as nothing COM
pared with these sub Arctic forest re-
gions. Up to the present time they have
been abandoned almost wholly to the
forces of nature and they present any,
thing but a pleasing spectacle to civil
lized man. There are many places
where, for hundreds of miles in every
direction, stand growths of pine, with
interlacing submits that obscure the
sky. The absolutely naked trunks,
which rise perfectly straight to an
The herald., 1897-08-22

HAS anything like this ever been at
tempted before?
"Only once-and the attempt was
made in Egypt thousands of years
ago by one of the Pharoahs (The Pro-
fessor spared me his nameD, who
caused five heads, representing the five
types then known, to be painted on the
wall of his tomb. Pharoah and L"
and the Professor smiled-"are the only
ones who have ever made use of this
idea in architecture. The collection
now set in the exterior of the Congress
sional Library is not only the best, but
practically the only one in the world"
Mr.. Green, superintendent and archi-
tect of the Library and a warm per-
sonal friend of Professor Mason, has
had set of lantern slides made from
the photographs of the heads, and has
given them to Prof. Mason for use in
his lectures. AS I wished to obtain
photographs, Prof. Mason advised me
to go to Mr.. Green. So I went direct
from the Museum to the Library, where
l found Mr.. Green in his office.
"Those keystones," said he, in answer
to my questions, were first modelled
in clay under Prof. Masons personal
direction; then plaster casts were made
and the stone-cutters copied the casts
AS the stone used is granite it was diff
cult to do any delicate work; granite
| is not the stone best suited for such
purposes"
81 like their bold and rugged aspect"
I answered. But who originated the
| idea of employing such heads instead
of gorgons or something equally con-
ventional?"
We'll" he said that is rather hard
to answer. Perhaps it originated with
all of us. 1t grew, as those things will,
| by suggestions from one another
| Mr.. Green kindly presented to me
duplicate copies of the photographs
which he had had taken of the blocks
| just after they were completed-each,
by the way is fifteen inches high-laid
up in rows against a high board fence.
"A difficulty soon arose." he said, "in
accommodating the forms of the vari-
Gus heads to the shape which a key
stone must necessarily have. In some
| instances we added a turban or other
native head-dress, and in the case of
| the Plains Indian, whose feathers are
supposed to stand up straight, we were
obliged to lay them low. The blond and
brunette types are placed in the front
| of the building in the window arches
on each side of the entrance, and the
rest are arranged in the order of their
position in the scale of civilizations the
lowest types are at the back of the Lii
brary."
The sculptors who undertook this diff
fcult work, are Mr.. Boyd and Mr.. Hen
ry F. Ellicott.
Among the types which appeal to one
as being most interesting are the
| Greek-whose cap is bordered with a
fret to suggest the achievements of the
ancient Greeks in art-the Persian, the
Arab, the Thbetan, and the Hindoo, all
sprung from the same essential stock
as ourselves; the Aino, the Polynesian,
and the Plains Indian.
ANNA NORTHEND BENJAMIN.
Copyright, 1897 by Bacheler Syndicate.
The herald., 1897-08-22
"Phara0h and Are the Only Ones Who
Ever Made Use of the Idea,"
Says Prof. Otis.

ing" said. ITO make a perfect classih-
cation of the races of the world
Yes" he answered. there We're in
deed many difficulties to overcome To
begin with, as the number of arches is
thirty-three, it was necessary to pre-
pare just thirty-three representative
types AS matter of fact there are
only three original types. 1t was neces-
sary therefore, to subdivide these sew
eral times over. That. again, gave us
too many, and the hardest task of all
consisted in the selection of the most
important of the minor types. OF course
some were set apart without question,
such as the blond German type, with
long oval face, and the brunette type
found in Italy, and various others rep
resenting the chief peoples of the diff
ferent continents. 1t was when we had
to choose between two of almost equal
Importance that the real difficulty arose.
Our decision was often influenced by
some small detail"
You have made a distinction between
the Thibetan and the Hindoo," 1 said.
"Oh yes" he replied, laying a map
before me. "They are very different.
The herald., 1897-08-22

Burmese.--they are closely allied. Now
here is curious type, and type
which has always heen Il mystery,"-
he indicated the Aino.
THE early inhabitants of JAPAN" I
ventured.
Yes, and of the surrounding islands.
No one knows whence they came, and
now there are only a few of them left"
(Which do you consider the purest
type. Professor?'
Il suppose that the Chinese type is
the purest in the world,-that is, in the
sense of being mixed with the least
alien blood. The Plains Indian is one
of the clearest, finest types of all These
heads" he added, 'are not merely the
result of six months work; l had been
making a study of the subject for ten
years, with the idea in my mind of
having collection in the museum for
the benefit of teachers and for general
instruct ton"
Il suppose that you have almost all
the material here in the chronological
department necessary for a thorough
study of the subject"
"Yes. there is a great deal of ma
The herald., 1897-08-22
1t Will Swing Passengers
Across the Seine Like
a Pendulum.
WILL CARRY 1000 PASSENGERS.
Protector COnceals His Name but
Has Deposited $1,0O0,000
for the Work.

France, the country of freak inven-
tions, is to possess--when it Is COM
pleted-what will undoubtedly be the
most freakish thing in bridges yet given
to the world. The designer, probably
fearing that his relatives would cause
him to be incarcerated in lunatic asy-
lum did they know that he had con-
ceived the idea of building the bridge,
has prudently refused to disclose his
identity except to those Immediately
concerned in the work, but he has given
sufficient guarantee Of a serious pur-
pose by depositing million dollars in
the hands of the engineers, so that
there is no doubt that the bridge will
be completed.
The bridge is to be a swinging de-
sign, and the passengers will be. not
wheeled, but swung across on immense
platforms suspended between sky and
water. On either bank Of the Seine at
Rouen there have been erected immense
towers IFS feet in height. From these
towers great steel cables are to be
strung which will support a rail-laid
track. This is all there is to be of the
bridge proper, and no one but trained
gymnast could cross it without danger
of falling into the Seine, a hundred and
sixty feet below. The passengers are to
be carried across on huge platforms
that will be suspended from the track
of the bridge by strong chains. Wheels
to which these chains are attached will
run along the track and carry the plat
forms. swinging gently to and fro dur
ing the passage, to the opposite side.
The motive power is to be electricity.
The platforms, which will swing q
few feet above the surface of the river.
are to be constructed to carry wagons
and street cars as well as pedestrians.
1t Is claimed that not less than a thou
sand persons could be carried across
at one time. The oscillating movement
of the carriages as they are swung
across the river will provide novel
sensation to the passenger, while the
close proximity to the water without
actually touching it will make the ex-
perience additionally unique.
1t is evident that the inventor of this
bridge had not the most complete con-
fidence in his swinging carriages being
proof against the great strain put upon
them for he has directed that the plat
forms be built in the shape of huge
The herald., 1897-08-22
GEN. SANTA ANNA.
How the Famous Mexican Soldier Looked
In 1854.

1t is not often that the memory of a
historical figure of as much apparent
immediate Importance as Gen. Santa
Anna seemed to be during the Mexican
war, drops so completely out of the
worlds mind, as his has. He was per-
sonally in evidence as late as 1864 and
yet his name is almost never seen even
in "reminiscences. Perhaps this is be-
cause the General was really person
of no genuine importance-perhaps it is
because he was always on the wrong
side. AT all events he was on the wrong
side when he made his last public ap-
pearance, for record of which the
world is indebted to George Augustus
Sala who met the general at that time.
"The intercoonial steamer on which
was passenger" says Mr.. Sala pick
ed up the ex-president of the Mexican
republic at ST. Thomas, that pleasant
little island, with it's white houses, with
green verandas and bright red roofs,
where the general had a country house
and solaced himself during exile by the
diversion of cock fighting.
"The general was going to Mexico to
offer his services to the Emperor Maxi
milian-to say nothing of his own per-
sonal interests, in which he had always
manifested the liveliest concern-and
was accompanied by his wife, whose
personal impedlmenta, comprising sew
eral enormous trunks of the pattern
known to the Spaniards as mundos-
worlds-a parrot in a cage. several lap
dogs and guitar, almost filled the boat
in which her excellency was conveyed
to the steamer.
Santa Anna himself was. in 1864. a
hale old gentleman of Sc; he wore a
glossy, curly brown wig. high white era
vat and stand up shirt collar a blue body
coat, with gilt buttons, a formidable
shirt frill of the 'pouter-pgeon' pattern,
nankeen waistcoat and pantaloons. with
great bunch of seals pendent from
the fob which contained his watch. He
had a wooden leg; and 1 think he told
me, after I had been presented to him
The herald., 1897-08-22
Olekminsk in Siberia May Prove For
midable Rival to K1Ondike.
OBSERVATIONS OF AN EYE WITNESS.
Incredible Wealth of This Almost Inaccessible Region.
Reasons Why Gold Loves the Frozen North.

It is q rather remarkable coincidence
that the two regions, which contain the
richest gold placers yet discovered,
should lie in almost identically the same
northern latitude, within three degrees
of the Arctic Circle. I refer to the re-
cent Klondike discoveries of Alaska and
the enormously rich placers of the
Olekminsk district in northeastern ST.
beria. Both regions occupy the basins
of rivers flowing into northern waters
and lie within the zone of almost peren-
nial frost.
While the identity of latitude Of
these two regions is purely coincident,
yet it is to the extreme northern stu
alton which they both possess, that is
due the excessive richness of their
placer deposits.
1t is a well established fact that the
richest placer deposits in the world are
to be found in those localities where the
disintegrating effects of the elements
have been most retarded. Nowhere is
this so well exemplified as in Alaska and
northern Siberia. In the latter at least
the soil is almost perpetually frozen and
this fact, together with the dense for
ests which subsequently covered the de-
posits, has favored the preservation of
the gold grains and nuggets from the
wearing and denuding action of the wa
ter. In fact. many of the gold deposits
in this region have been found to be
due to the influence of glaciers only,
and thanks to the cold climate which
followed the glacial period, many have
been preserved to the present day in
their original form. They even show
traces of a geological period partially
contemporary with man. for memen-
toes of his presence have been left in
them in the form of arrow heads, orna-
ments, coins, bones. ct cetera.
In general the richness of the gold de-
posits of these extreme northern regions
shows itself in every respect. beginning
with their width, size of stratification
and the amount of gold they contain.
The Olekminsk district of northeastern
Siberia produces, alone. fully one half
of all the gold now mined in the Rus
sian Empire; although its gold indus
try is as yet in its infancy. Notwith-
standing the severity of the climate, the
costliness Of labor and food. and the dis
tances from any inhabited place (12O0
miles from the Siberian capital, lr-
The herald., 1897-08-22

tributed in two and even three layers
the bottom one being by far the richest
The thickness of the gold-bearing strata
is from 2 to Is feet and the dirt above
it from 6 to 12O feet.
The extraction of the auriferous sand
is conducted in the simplest manner
possible by means of picks, crowbars
and shovels. However in the Olekminsk
district the use of explosives in the
mining works is yearly increasing: the
annual consumption of dynamite at the
gold workings of this region now
amounts to 20 tons. The auriferous sand
is transported in wheeled carts drawn by
horses to the separating machine. This
is nothing more than huge iron trun-
Gated cone resembling a coffee roaster,
perforated on all sides. This is made
to rotate by water power and the large
stones and pebbles find their way to
the waste heap where man is con-
stantly watching for nuggets.
The workings of the Olekminsk dis
trict are situated at a distance of 23C
miles from their depot of supplies and
in winter they travel back and forth on
the frozen surface of the streams and
in summer on horseback overland.
novel manner. 1t is first poured into
bags of coarse linen, which are after
wards stamped with the brand OF the
mine and sewn up in leather sacks
Each bag contains about fifty pounds
of gold and two Of them constitute a
load for one horse.
To the two bags is fastened stick OF
dry wood at the end of a strong cord, sc
that in the event of the horses burder
being washed away while crossing q
swollen river, the floating wood will
indicate the whereabouts of the sunker
treasure.
In the middle of June or at the end OF
the summer season the departure of a
load of gold from the mine is accom-
panied by pistol firing and the booming
of cannon, and cheers and blessings bic
the caravan bon voyage.
THOMAS G. ALLEN, JR.
Copyright, 1897. by Bachelor Syndicate.
The herald., 1897-08-22
Only One M0rOcled English Judge.

There is only one judge of the High
Court of Justice in England who ven
lures to dispense justice with monocle
stuck in his eye. He is the Rt. Hon.
Sir Robert Romer, and it must be ad-
mitted that the glass thus worn is
hardly in keeping with the voluminous,
-bottomed wig and ermine-lined
scarlet robes of a British judge.
The herald., 1897-08-22
Brunette European.
Papuan.
Egyptian.

surrounded by books and pamphlets
his secretary busily at work near by.
l announced the object of my visit.
He was interested at once and very
willing to talk on a subject to which he
had given so much careful attention.
1T seems to me difficult undertake
The herald., 1897-08-22

enormous height, are so uniform in their
appearance that even experienced trap
pers have to record every step they
take by scoring the trees.
In the midst of these dismal sur
roundings we were forced to spend the
night, as we did not dare trust ourselves
to the rapids after dark. The river pro-
vided us with pure. cool water, and the
dense trees kept off the sharp north
wind. Having carefully examined our
weapons and settled the watches in
turns, we prepared to pass the night.
When my turn came, threw fresh fuel
on the fire, wrapped my fur coat around
me, as the night was cold, and was
soon lost in reVerie.
The herald., 1897-08-22

terial here A few years ago compre-
hensive classification would have been
impossible, but now that every part of
the world has been opened and explor-
ed there is no reason why the collection
which we have made should not last
for all time.'
The herald., 1897-08-22
RESSIONAL LIBRARY.

The ThibetanS, you see, live here
and he pointed to the region of the
Himalayas-"while the Hindoos are
here, in the Indian Peninsula. This re-
gion is the birthplace of our race. You
will see that there is strong resem-
blance between the Thibetan and the
The herald., 1897-08-22

for running water. Moreover, he knows
that the rivers that wash up gold are
always those which have their sources
in ravines the rocks of which are very
much weather-beaten. Gold is rarely
found at precipitous spots and is most
The herald., 1897-08-22

gold is finer in its particles and the
sand less profitable; and lastly, in the
tail Of the deposit there remains float
ing dust which only yields a trace of
gold. The gold of the Olekminsk de-
posits has the popularity Of being dis
The herald., 1897-08-22
Wales and His Gloves.

The prince of Wales has his gloves.
made in Brussels. where the glover has
models of both of his hands. Albert
Edward is rarely seen ungloved.
The Forrest City times., 1897-05-14
WILL NOT INTERFERE.
A Not Altogether Just Complaint
Against a Soldiers Home.
A REGULATION GENERALLY IN VOGUE
Is Made the Basis of Complaint, and In
dicates Lack of Desire on the
Part of Pensioners to be Just
to Their Dependents.

WASHINGTON, May IS. - Complaint
has been filed at the pension bureau
against the soldiers home at Roscburp.
Ore, alleging that it is violating sec
ton 4745 of the Revised Statutes. maxi
ing it misdemeanor for anyone pledg-
ing, or receiving as pledge. the mort
gage, sale. assignment or transfer of
any right, claim or interest in any PEN
sion certificate, or to hold it as
security for any debt or promise. Some
inmates of the home called attention
to the matter, and it was taken up by
several grand army posts, one of
which, at Roseburg, has made formal
complaint.
The bureau has made an investiga-
ton and exonerated the management
of the home. There are legal author
tiles both ways, and decision con-
STRUNG strictly the statute cited
would, it is stated, be not only
unjust, but lead to serious conse-
quences. The evidence shows that the
home directors have required all PEN
sloners to surrender their pensions to
the treasurer of the home. Four dol
lars month is then allowed each per-
son for personal expenses, and the re-
mainder is paid to dependent relatives
or, If there are none. the money is
accumulated for the benefit of the
pensioner. This practice is substan-
TALLY similar to that in operation at 81
other soldiers homes. The pension
bureau takes the position that it is not
expedient to intervene in the case, as
the act of March 3, 1898, by implication,
sanctions the requirement, which has
been in force in most of the states in
the homes.