davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-07-08

intention being to keep the head up
right and not allow it to drop down.
Pens will never stick in a Pen holder
recently patented, which consists of a
round wooden handle with a curved
metal clamp to grasp the pen when II
rests against the side of the handle
the clamp being held by a sliding ring
To prevent a washboard from sliding
around in the tub while scrubbing the
clothes it is pivoted to frame pressed
into the bottom of the tub, the pivots
making it easy to raise the board to
remove the clothes under it.
To deaden the noise of steam from
the exhaust pipes Of steam engines a
muller, com posed of cOncentriC cham
bers to receive the steam, is placed on
the end of the pipe, thus spreading the
steam and lowering the pressure.
To keep d broom in shape and the
ends even wire bridge is formed OF
two U-shaped balls extending down
ward from the head of the bristles tC
hold an oblong frame in position neal
the loose ends and keep them straight
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-07-08

their various industries? The causes
are various. They are chiefly to be
found in the cheapness of steam coal
and the high cost Of gas in the United
States. Nc doubt the high cost of
gas illumination has something to do
with the wonderful development OF
electric lighting in this country. and
the same cause must have operated to
develop the electric motor as against
the gas engine. That the price OF gas
must have eXerted a powerful influence
on the gas engine industry is rendered
probable, says the Scientific American
by comparison Of the prices paid here
and in England. The city of Manches-
ter, which has about the same pOpula-
ton as the city Of Boston, sold its gas
in 1898 at the rate of so cents per 900
feet; and the consumption was 1885,
100000 feet, or more than the total
amount furnished by the whole state
Of Massachusetts, where the gas
costs on an average $3.50 per thousand
feet. In Newcastle-on-Tyne the users
pay only forty cents a thousand feet,
and when we bear in mind that makers
are building engines which they will
guarantee to use only 20 cubic feet per
hour, the popularity of this form of
engine in England is largely explained
Our contemporary conclues that it lis
reasonable to suppose that when this
Industry, which in respect to its pro-
portions is yet in its infancy, has at
tanned the importance which it has in
Europe, it will tend to reduce the price
of gas, especially such gas as is used
for cooking and power purposes; and
the gas companies, themselves, will
undoubtedly benefit by the growth of
the industry, the increased consump-
ton more than compensating for the
reduction in price
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-07-08
COAL AND GAS POWER.

1t has often been cause of most
serious comment among manufacture
ers that in this age of wonderful scien-
tific advancement they should still be
Obliged to resort to the old method of
burning coal to produce power, steam
and heat. This method has really
seemed, amid all the remarkable me-
chanical and electrical cOntrivanceS
that have come into vogue for the con-
venience of man, to be properly out of
date. The use of coal is costly, CHA
bersome and unclean. There is the
vast bulk to handle at the outset and
not little of it left to cast away in the
form of ashes after its duty has been
done. Each handling has its attendent
expense. Then, with the most econom-
ical use possible, an enormous amount
of energy is yomited out in the form
, of smoke and goes OFF into space-a
clear. sheer loss Massive boilers with
their large accompanying cost in
money and floor space are a necessary
concomitant to the burning of coal and
tend, with the other objections cited.
to make the average owner of a boiler
feel that the gas, gasoline and cleo
trio interests are not doing entire JUS
tice to themselves in so neglecting
such rare opportunity to win a prof
| liable customer
The Scientific American secs relief
in the gas engine, but declares with
some evidence of disgust that although
! the gas engine industry has been ad-
vancing with rapid strides in England
and on the continent it has made com
paratively slow progress in this
! country. How comes it, is asked, that
people which is so quick to appreci-
ate useful device should have given
comparatively little attention to the
gas engine, and have left it to other
nations to demonstrate it's efficiency
and Introduce it on large scale into
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-07-08
RELIGION IN NEW ENGLAND

II one examines the history of New
England character, he will find it
hard to eXaggorata the part which
religion has played in it's development.
In former days, even the irreligiouS
had, in the background of their lives,
a severe and self-dcLying standard Of
living which it was impossible for
them to lgIore. Sin itself was in
vested with a fearful dignity; and
surely no dream Of human perfection
ever sc ealted the nature of man as
did that stern theology which taught
him that the stars and planets were
only lights to light him at night; that
for lis benefit or for his punishment
Goo might at any moment interrupt
the course of the universe; and finally
t. az he had within himself the
nCmentous power of choosing eternal
punishment or eternal happiness.
Under that religious belief there grew
up men and WOmen-sOme of them are
still iiving-WhO constitute little
reservoirs of moral strength upon
which the community, or even the
nation itself could draw in times OF
necessity. What influence will take
| lace of that old belief? What moral
force will curb the passions, chasten
the lives, stimulate the energy of the
rude people who are born in these
remote towns? Whence shall they de-
rive the discipline and the self-control.
without which their primeval strength
Will be as useless as the undamned
waters Of a mountain torrent? [ Goa
feGs that these thoughts fill NE with
apprehension for the future; and
sometimes [ am even led to think
that New England character reached
It's elimination IN the heroic sacrifices
OF the civil war, and entered there
after upon a long and gradual course
Of sure decay. All this, however, may
be-and | trust that it is-simply the
pessimism of an old mall. Let it suffice
fo1 him that the glory has not yet de-
parted; that the moon shines as
brightly now upon the lake as it did
when he was a boy; that he is still
permitted to see the sun rise and set
in the most beautiful and-as it seems
to hin1-the most interesting corner Of
New ngland-Atlantic
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-07-08

| Fl eSe.-- is by no means uniform. In
certain places in the lunar seas re-
giCns OF a yelloWish or greenish tint
| nave been occasionally noticed when
| the iliumint ton was under suitable
Ca CitiCps. Such tints have sometimes
| been attributed to the possible pres
eIce of some form of vegetation,
t. ugh this would hardly De compat
lille with the absence of a lunar at
rIOspheTe. The grandest illustration Of
this Csss of objects is the great
OCeanus Procellarum, which covers an
area not very different from that &C.
cupied by European Russia. If, how
ever, we desire to look at one Of the
objects of this class which seems most
emphatically to suggest it's origin to
have been an ancient sea basin, |
would specially call attention to the
! Mare Crisium. 1t needs but little effort
of the imagination to fill this remark
able gulf with water, and then to see
| how its margin forms the cliffs against
which the waves hurled themselves
for centuries. Close examination re-
|
marked over with various Irregular
| tiles, so that when such features are
spoken of as smooth, it must be I'M
derstood that this is merely by way
of contrast to the extreme ruggedness
| which prevails over the great part of
the lunar surface"
Some mountains of thu moon
have been estimated to be at least two
miles in height. These calculations
were made by measuring the length
of the shadow cast upon the lunar
surface by the mountain peaks.
There are several extinct volcanoes
on the moon, the most remarkable of
them being the crater called Tycho.
In the neighborhood of this crater the
lunar surface is covered with long
streaks of dust, which, it is believed,
have laid there for centuries. AS the
moon has no atmosphere, there is, of
course, no wind, and the lightest par
ticle of matter would lie undisturbed
for centuries.
| Great chasms have been discovered,
evidently the result of violent earth
quake shocks. These chasms extend,
in some instances thousands Of miles
across the lunar surface. For hun
dreds of years the moon has not been
disturbed by these shocks or eruptions,
as the volcanoes have the appearance
of having been inert for a consider
able period. In fact, the moon seems
to be bereft of all internal energy. It
has no veg citation and no atmosphere,
and when these are absent it can have
no life.
If rh5 moon were ever inhabited,
y, vestiges of the structures of lunarities
of last ages probably remain, and it is
believed that the Yerkes telescope is
pow erful enough to disclose such evil
dences of former life, providing, of
course, that they exist
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-07-08
The Moons
g MarVelS.

''lt is still an open question as to
whether these regions have ever been
covered with water No doubt it seems
the simplest suppositi0n, so lar as GER
tain phenomena are concerned, to be-
lieYe that they are the basins in which
great seas did once roll, but that as
the moon has gradually cooled down
from a primeyal state in which it was
largely composed of molten matter, the
water from the seas penetrated into the
interior, and there entered into chemi-
cal uLiCn with the materials which
were crystalliZing. 1t certainly does
seem that whole oceans full of water
could have been thus disposed Of.
There are, however, many who be-
lieve that these dark regions are due
to the pouring forth from the interior
Of vast volumes of molten lava which
spreads over deep hollows, burying
more or less completely the objects
which had previously occupied them.
In some places indications are found
that these regions were once occupied
ty other structures of which only YES
tiges are any longer to be discerned.
There can be no doubt that these
so-called seas lie lower than the gen
eral surface of the moon. If water
was to be poured on our satellite, it
would certainly tend to fill the basins
once again. Close examination of
these remarka BILE tracts shows that the
grayish, slatey tint that they usually
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-07-08

time the crews reached the mile post,
Pennsylvania boat was numbering
along filled almost tC the gunwales.
but the men continued bravely pulling,
although falling far behind Columbia,
who in rowing i'll shore to avoid the
swells, lost considerable distance to
Cornell. A mile and a half down
an almost ludicrous procession began.
At the two mile and a quarter point
Coach Ward came around in the Ben.
Franklin aud took the Pennsylvania
crew aboard. From that time on the
race practically lost it's interest to the
thousands OF people along the shore.
At the bridge Columbia made a squirt
but Cornell was then ten lengths ahead
and increased her lead another length
and half, crossing the line IN easy
winner. The official time was Cornell
20:47 As; Columbia, 21:zO rs.
TO the pitiable hzzle of the afternoon
there was one bright side and that was
the true American sportsman spirit
boat just after Pennsylvania
swamped, Prof Wheeler of Cornell
turned to James Bond Of Pennsylvania
aid said: Con behalf of Cornell uni
Velsity 7 desire to say that Cornells
eight will row Pennsylvania's eight
tomorrow if you will accept the offer"
Bond replied that it was very cour-
teous thing to do, but that on behalf of
Pennsylvania he would have to decline
to accept the offer and that it would
be unsportsmanlike for Pennsylvania
to allow the Cornell crew to race for
a third time within eight days.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-07-08
STREET PREACHING ELOQUENCE.

A colored man, broad-shouldered
and full-bearded, gave readings from
the scriptures, sang psalms and
| preached half dozen five-minute ser
| mons to sidewalk audience in Myrtle
| avenue and Prince street, Broo klyn,
the other afternoon. An empty barrel
at the curb served as a pulpit desk,
although he made little use of it. All
| the sermons were on texts in the
| prophecy of Isaiah. When the speaker
took his place in the street he began
to sing "a Charge to Keep I Have"
IL a minute or two perhaps half a
hundred persons were listening-men
and women, boys and girls. About
twenty colored persons were among
them. After singing the old hymn in
clear barytone voice, with several
trills in the higher Totes, he opened a
Bible.
MY words this evening Git was mid
afternoon) are from the prophets. I
read from Isaiah. He was a great man
He knew that Christ was e-coming.
And how? And why? And in what
way? He was a prophet, my brother,
and that is how and why. He told of
the first coming of Christ. He spoke of
then the present, now the past. I
speak of the future, now the present,
an6 give the word of Christ's second
coming to the people of Brooklyn"
| Boys playing behind a crockery
crate at the rear door of store on the
lower corner tossed spoiled orange
over the missionary's head. He
thought it came from an open window
on the second floor, and his eyes fash
ed as he addressed himself to the
window:
II look up to that window What do
[ see? He'll is there. I look again
to that window, and I see trouble.
Once more 1 glance up to that window
and I see sin. Keep on a-chuckling,
hell is with you, lot with me. Keep on
a-chuckling, trouble is with you, not
with me. Keep on a-chuckling, sin is
with you, not with me. Praise God
| Keep on a-chuckling."
| For half an hour the missionary
read verses, sang, preached and quoted
| fragments of verses. Among other
| things he said:
ct is written that the wicked will be
consumed, punished as if by fire, as a
fire melts wax candle. Now, what is
wax? We all know it comes from the
bees. And what burns harder than
wax? Nothing, my brothers, nothing.
Remember Isaiah. He knew what he
| was talking about in the then present
i-now past. I speak of the future, now
| the present, and like Isaiah of old,
! bring you tidings of good cheer Wal TX
| IL the light NEW York Sun.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-07-08

their source two thousand years before
the birth of Christ and have been
travelling earthward ever since can
only be detected by the most powerful
telescopes. 1t will be possible to
photograph these rays with the Yerkes
instrument. Light travels at the stu
pendous rate of 100000 miles a sec
ond. What, then, is the distance from
the earth of the source of these rays
which have been moving for nearly
1000 years?
1t is estimated that stars visible only
by the largest telescopes consumed
5000 years in sending their light to the
earth. Thus the spectator does not see
the star as it is today but as it was
5000 years ago. A still more amazing
fact in this connection is that if these
stars ceased to exist 5000 years ago
they would still be visible. The bound
less depths of the armament can be
explained in another wSy. If, in one
of ,nese far-off stars there were as
tronomers with telescopes of such vast
power that the seer could observe TIE
details of this earth, he would not See
us as we are today, hut as the eart11
appeared 5000 years ago, further back
than any history attempts to carry
us.
This is the field which the Yer!les
telescope has before it, and that it Will
discover wonders, so marvellous that
the human mind can hardly grasp
them, seems a certainty. 1t is already
proven that it penetrates a much
greater distance than any other instru-
ment, and this alone is a sufficient
guarantee of it's future worth.
If the present plan is adhered to
Professor Hale, director of the obser-
vatory, will first employ the telescope
il an exhaustive study of the moon
The reasons for thi- course are many,
the most important being that the
moons situation makes it easier to
survey than any other celestial body.
1t is also much closer to the earth, the
sun, for instance, being 400 times
further away than the moon, and
even Mars being 140 Zines further
away. Another important reason is
that the moon is altogether destitute of
atmosphere, whereas the earth is
coated with a thick atmospher which
would almost prohibit observers in the
plaLets, if there are any, from seeing
more than the outlines.
Considerable is already known about
the moon, and its most prominent
features have been given names by
which astronomers recognize and study
them from their different stations
Perhaps the most persistent student
o. the lunar orb is Sir Robert Ball
who is almost as we'll acquainted with
the geography of the moon as the
average man is with the geography OF
the earth. Concerning the dark spots
On the moon which in former times
were referred to as seas, Sir Robert
says:
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-07-08

Chicago, June 20.-But for the I'M
fortunate accident which recently befell
the Yerkes telescope at the Williams
bay observatory the astronomical
world would be greatly enriched by
several discoveries of Importance.
Not more than four or five observa-
lions had been taken with the teIe-
scope when the flooring collapsed, and
the extensive repairs which must now
be made before the giant instrument
can again be used, will consume the
best part of the summer The few OBJ
servations taken were all made under
unfayCrable atmospheric conditions.
but even with this handicap a study OF
a section of the moon revealed a series
of ridges and depressions never before
seen with such clearness. 1t has been
estimated that the wonderful lens of
the telescope gives the moon the same
aspect that it would have if it were
only 200 miles away and seen with
the naked eye at that distance. When
1t is remembered that the moon is
$4,000 miles away some idea of the
power of the big telescope can be
gained
When the telescope can again be
operated some wonderful results can
be looked for, especially when the re-
sources of modern photography are
employed in conjunction with the
great lens. The depth OF the heavens
fa GO great that rays of light which left
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-07-08
EASY FOR CORNELL
SHE DEFEATS COLUMBIA AND
PENNSYLVANIA.
BIG RACE PROVES A FARCE
Large Swells Caused by a Passing
Steamer Greatly Interferes With the
Contest and Finally Swamp the
Quakers After They Cover Half the
Distance-Time, 20:47 As.

Poughkeepsie, July S.-All Of the ex-
pectations of those lovers of American
sport who thought that by establish
ing new records Pennsylvania and
Columbia would be entitled to demand
admission 10 what promises to be an
intercollegiate rowing combination OF
three colleges-Yale, Harvard and
Cornell-haye been rudely shattered.
The contest on the Hudson Friday af-
ternoon which had been heralded as
promising a close and exciting finish
and which each college coach declared
would be a record-breaking contest,
turned out 20 be the merest sort of a
procession and an apology for a race.
1t is true the water conditions were
not favorable to fast time. The light
est crew on the river and the one that
would be less likely to be able to
stand the swells caused by the wind
blowing against the tide, came out of
the contest an easy winner and only
slightly behind the record OF Yale last
week when she finished second in the
varsity race with all the conditions
in her favor. The heaviest crew in the
race Friday, Pennsylvania, found it's
boat washed full of water before the
second mile was reached, and after
passing that point was compelled to
retire from the contest. The next
heaviest crew, Columbia, bravely her
aided as rough water crew, was so
fearful of the results from this cause
that it lost many lengths.
The Cornell crew rowed over the
course in the easiest kind of fashion,
only hitting up her stroke the last
three-quarters of a mile in an evident
endeayor to make fair time. Columbia
struggled on in the rear, losing length
by length with a much quicker stroke
than Cornell and finally after crossing
the line her crew found itself almost
incapable of any further work. The
trouble seemed to begin in Pennsyl-
Vania boat. Just prior to starting
the race steamer, Tremper, came down
the river as the boats were lined up
and, although warned by the referee
and police, the boat would not stop.
The swells she made were blown back
by the south wind and Referee Harris
started the crews while the swells
were running, though Coach Ward of
Pennsylvania protested against start
ing. Cornells boat on the outside cut
the long swells in two, converting them
into a choppy sea, so that when they
hit Pennsylvania shell they swashed
over the side. 1t was here that Cor
nell's clever rowing was in evidence,
for while in beautiful form that crew
kept its oars from touching these
swells, but Pennsylvania oars hit
them with so much force as to throw
part of them into the boat. By the
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-07-08
SOME LATE NE THINGS.

A newly designed holder for grasp
ing an ear of corn for eating consists
Of pair of tongs with handles at one
end and a pair Of jaws at the other,
fitted with sharp teeth to grip the cob
A new bicycle lamp which cannot
fail to give sufficient warning to pedes-
trains is fitted with a revolving wheel
III front of Cne light, in which panes Of
ColOred glass are fitted to flash differ
ent colored lights.
To prevent the hands OF cyclers from
becoming burned while riding in the
sun wire frame, covered with a
light fabric, is attached to the bar near
and keep the sun Off
To assist in stirring the clothes in
the boiler on wash day and lifting
them out when they are sufficiently
BOILED a new clothes stick is attached
to the boiler by a clamp and pivoted so
it can be raised and lowered.
a new safety snap hook has a slid
ing bolt in the side surrounded by a
spring to force it out against the
point of the hook, where it is locked
fast by means Of a revolving cap fitted
with a slot to engage the end of the
bolt
An adjustable spanner for use in
bicycle bearings and the
like has a hook with projecting
knob at the end and screw in the side,
which can be turned until the spanner
fits the cone or nut to be frightened.
Race track annunclators are being
made which are designed TO indicate
the number of each horse, the name of
its rider and the time the race is to
begin, with movable figures TO indicate
the time and the winner of each race.
A device to prevent hens from set
ting. recently patented, consists of a
cloth hood to go over the head with an
aperture for the comb and eyes, the