davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1898-01-20
is A GRE A Z JUN PER.
Why HIGGINS rs CALLED THE
HUMAN KANGAROO.
some OF His Extraordinary Feats Do
scribed and Illustrated-Into a Case
OF Eggs without Breaking Single
/ One. -. +, a.4.

In the strand Magazine Oswald
North writes of the extraordinary
jumping feats Of John Higgins, .'The
Human Kangaroo" From this article
we quote:
The curious thing about Mr. Higgins
is that he is considerably below med
ium statue, being but feet 3% inches
IN height. He is not yet twenty-six
years of age, and comes from Black
burma district famous for the num-
Der and variety of athletes it has pro-
duced. Higgins various feats are
truly remarkable, whether considered
merely as jumps, or as dramatic spec
tacles, lngeniously contrived and bril-
liantly executed. The photographs re-
produced here were specially taken on
the stage of the Pavilion theater, in
Piccadilly Circus.
One OF the feats which Mr.. Higgins
is shown performing is one of a num-
Der of very - extraordinary trick
jumps. Clutching his 'dumb-bells, the
wonderful little man gives few
kangaroo-like leaps, and then rises
into the air and alights right in the
middle OF case of eggs! And yet not
an egg is cracked, although the ath-
1ete is seen to linger in their midst for
a moment and then rise gracefully
over the back of the chair. We asked
him how this was done. He said lie
couldn't tell; it was partly an effort
OF will. When he alighted for that
fraction of a second on the eggs, he
did not, of course, exercise a single
ounce of his weight, but completed
the jump by certain strenuous move
The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1898-01-20

Z
to the near hind wheel. Taking as
great q run as the stage will allow
Higgins springs lightly on to the table,
pauses Tor a moment, then rises with
an extraordinary bound right over
and across-the top Of the brougham.
one oplnes that the value Of the car
rage deteriorates nightly, mainly on
account OF those dumb bells, which are
discarded in flight. Often they fall on
the carriage and knock it about. Or
one will fall on a lamp, and batter it
somewhat. But it is grand feat this
jumping over full-sized brougham-
splendldly engineered so as to bring
down the house the moment the *'Hu-
man kagaroo'' alights on the carpets
placed on the other side.
The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1898-01-20
EXTINGUISHING A CANDLE

EXTINGUISHING A CANDLE.
Tor marvellous nicely of judgment and
delicacy of movement. Now and then
it happens that Higgins only extin-
guishes one candle. In such cases he
always performs the feat over again.
Mr.. Higgins is next seen in the very
act of ringing a bell in his flight-one
of those bells you push down sharply.
1t is placed on chair, which stands
on a table, so that the mere jump,
to say nothing about the bell ringing,
is worthy of notice. Of course, doubt
ing Thomases have their say about
this remarka bly, clever feat-''it is an
electric bell rung from the wings at
the proper moment" and so on.
Nothing but a close examination of The
bell in stu will convince such people.
A curious thing is that Higgins never
practices. He considers his evenings
work before the public quite enough
practice. Another remarkable thing
is the way in which he has attained.
after years of perseverance, his pres
ent position as champion all-around
jumper. Fearlessly he has attacked
professional and semi-professional
men, who have made one particular
kind of jump their speciality. For ex-
ample, there was the match with
Gregson, of Grimshaw Park, for $50
a side. The conditions were "staad,
one cross, and four Jumps" That
Gregson was specialist was evidenced
by the betting, which was three to one
against Higgins for the cross, and ten
to one on him for the match. Higgins,
The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1898-01-20

part Of his body generally. .4
Often people in the audience have
doubted that the eggs were real eggs.
But such persons are always courte-
ously invited on to the stage, not mere
ly to examine the eggs after the jump,
but before, and during it's accomplish
ment. Beyond all doubt the thing is
genuine-a really graceful and beauti-
full feat, calling for extraordinary
agility and suppleness, and extremely
careful judgment.
A very curious trick jump is seen
in another picture given. The subject
is Mr.. Frank Munro, Mr. Higgins
manager and agent, who, of course,
does not usually "oblige" in this re-
spect. The assistant, arrayed in a silk
hat (and, Of course, other things; only
the silk hat is a sine qua non), takes
up his position firmly near table. It
would never do for him to wobble
about erratically. Well, a lighted
candle in candle-stick is placed care
fully on his hat, and, this done, the
jumper retires some distance to take
measurements with his eye.
The reproduction of the photo, fully
explains this remarkable performance.
1t is, indeed, a tremendous jump from
the other side of the table right Up
on to the candle with both feet to-
gether. The flame is extinguished with
a quick movement of the foot from the
ankle, and then the athlete sails grace
fully down on to the stage.
In the photo, one dumb-bell drop
ped by Higgins in his flight is just
about to drop on to the table. And
these missiles certainly do fall around
with alarming promiscuity. The stage
The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1898-01-20
RECENT INVENTIONS,

To prevent rubber boots from wear
ing out quickly a protecting slipper Of
woven wire is made to cover the sole
and extend short distance up the
sides Of the boot
10 prevent cutting the. hide of an an
imal when SHINING it, new knife has
dull blade lying parallel with the
cutting blade, which keeps the latter
away from the hide.
Electricity is used to operate a new
railway gate, a small motor being
geared to the rocking shaft on which
the gate arm is mounted, to be oper-
ated by a controller in the gateman'a
shelter.
western man has patented a grain
elevator in which compressed air is
used to carry the grain, a receiving
vessel being mounted at the end of
suction pipe, which draws the grain
into blast pipe and forces it with The
air to the top of the elevator.
combined spring shackle and oil
ejector is attached to anchor cables
and towing hawsers to lessen the Ii
ability OF breakage, the spring being
set in an oil-containing casing with an
eyelet at each end to which the cable
in storm depresses the spring and
forces oil through the perforations in
the casing.
Expansion pulleys are to be used on
machine lathes, the new pulley con-
CT CT Of 40 1;~11
series Of short shafts, with a second
disk having slots in it to adjust the
shafts SO as to increase the circum-
ference of the circle in which they
move. Two pulleys can be operated by
one lever to increase and decrease in
an opposite equal ratio.
Shrubs and small trees can be pro.
tected in winter by a straw rope,
which is easily made in a newly de-
signed box of oblong shape, having
transverse notches cut in it's sides at
short intervals. A cord is placed in
the box with short strings attached 10
1t to tit the notches, so they can be
drawn together and tied around the
straw which forms the rope.
10 catch queen bees and drones as
they attempt to leave a hive a frame
is placed over the opening, having a
depending screen with openings large
enough to permit the passage Of the
worker bees, a number of open-end
cones being set on partition in the
center of the frame and opening into
a removable chamber. The large bees
crawl through the cones into the trap
and can then be taken out
A Kentucky man has married the
The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1898-01-20

RINGING A BELL IN FLIGHT.
however, won the cross by one and
half inches, and the jumps by nine
feet!
What may be called the athletes
most sensational jump is also shown.
His victim for this occasion only was
Mr.. Frank Munro. AS a rule Higgins
has to content himself with a paid TIL
derling as corpus vile, unless there
happens to be some one in the audi
ence burning for distinction. A chair
is placed on the table, and the as
sistant leans back with his elbows on
the table and the back of his head
resting on the seat of the chair.
When all is in readiness, and the
audience suitably worked up, Higgins
retires slowly to the other end of the
stage. Here he dips his shoes into a
preparation of lampblack and oil, so
that This mark may be proof positive
of successful Accomplishment. Then
giving the usual preliminary leaps, and
carefully calculating distances with
his eye, he bounds into the air, lin
gers for an infinitesimal period on his
subjects face, and then descends TO
the stage on the other side. The or
deal past, the subject rises bashfully
to take that share of applause to which
the big smuts on his nose and eyes
entitle him.
Another illustration depicts Mr.. Hig-
gins showiest feat--jumping over an
ordinary brougham. OF course, Hig-
gins does not leap off the ground clean
over the carriage; no human being
could do that. Observe the small table
2 It. 3 in. high, which is placed close
The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1898-01-20
EXtremitieS.

She-"Every one says she has such
very small feet" He-"Yes: she's
heard it so often that it's given her the
big ad.''-Yonkers Statesman.
The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1898-01-20

ON TO "A MANS FACE. -
at the Pavilion was fairly corrugated
with deep dents from them, and they
often disabled a chair or scared an
lncautious attendant nearly out of his
Wits a.,
Yet another candle Distinguishing
'eat forzns the subject Of another pro-
luction. Six chairs are placed close
The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1898-01-20

A Kentucky man has married the
granddaughter of the girl who refused
him.
All the world practices the art OF
acting.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-09-17

of last week. A few thousands of dollars
wisely expended, however. to create cross
ing at different levels, thus absolutely pre-
Guiding the possibility of collisions, would
set all fears of repeated accidents forever
at rest. The prime cause of the danger
would be permanently removed.
Nor is it altogether fair for the railway
companies or the community to place upon
human shoulders the terrible responsibility
for human life which can be removed entire
ly by the use of money in proper amounts
upon permanent betterments. The men who
occupy these posts at the danger points are
Of course willing and eager to secure the
employment, and arc satisfied with the
meager wages usually paid for their serv
ices But the municipality has something
to say about the case aside from the purely
economic problem involved. Its duty is to
step forward and demand progress, to give
the people the benefit of modern devices for
the preservation of human life. Disregard
ing all political consderat tons and local
tenderness for heavy taxpayers and fears
of threatening corporations, the rulers of
cities owe it to their masters. the people,
to proceed persistently to the removal of all
of these dangerous conditions.
Washington has been promised that its
grade crossing problems will soon be set
tied There is an apparent agreement upon
the plans of the improvements which are to
replace the present menaces. Congressional
action is required In the case of the Bal
timore and Ohio road a new financial adj
justment of the companys affairs is like
wise necessary. Cohoes terrible experience
justifies the most ardent desire in local
breasts that something along these lines
will occur before the ensuing session of
Congress has closed and before Washington
is visited with a similar disaster at one of
the five places where street car lines cross
steam tracks.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-09-17
Grade Crossing Horrors

Ilr disaster IT C)hoes, y Y. recently.
9era~lpE"l - the collision of q steam train
with an electric car. AMI causing the death
u seNera! People. is attributable directly
and solely 10 the persistent preservation Of
the grade crossing system in the cities Of
This country Whatever may BE- the other
factors. growing out OF individual careless
ness OF incapacity on the part of fagrnen.
motormen, conductors or engineers. the re-
spOnsibihty reyerts to the officials of cities
% railways who refuse or neglect to subs.i-
tute some other system for that which calls
for crossing Of tracks at grade. There
are I'VE such crossings in this city, and at
each OF these lives are daily hourly
nenaced- Precautions are Of course taken
to reduce the danger to 4 minimum. but
involve the possibility OF human error in
every direction and in all degrees. The
community can not forever rely upon the
iufaiiibility OF a flagmau whose duty il Is
10 warn approaching street cars that a To-
connective IS coming. or of a gateman who is
supposed 10 interDose a barrier under the
same circumstances, or of a motorman or
Conductor who may decide upon his own
responsibility TO assume the grave risk of q
dash across the tracks of the crossing line
No amount Of cOroners querying or of
lives sacrificed if any of these agents fall in
their duties from sleepiness, from intoxica-
ton. from inatteution or from stupidity
Nothing viii ever repair the damage done
% the community of cohoes in the disaster
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-09-17

troll. and American control will be designed
to mean Cubas permanent welfare. Cuban
cooperation while American control con-
tinues will be essential to success; and If
General Gomez and his followers come for
ward promptly and speak the word a. good
start will be effected and much friction
prevented. For this reason a visit by Cen
eral Gomez to the United States, which
would enable him to meet face to face the
men in high authority here and learn at
first hand what is expected Of him and how
implicitly he may rely upon the American
pledge of good faith, would assure him,
and, through him, all those who look to
him for counsel and direction.
If there are any MISUNDERSTANDING or
strained relations between the Cubans and
the people of the United States they have
arisen from causes which ought to be easy
of correction. 1t would be quite unwise
for US to permit the unfavorable impression
made on some of the American officers in
front of Santiago by General Garcia's rag
ged battalions to extend to all the Cuban
people and prejudice US against them. as
for the Cubans to accept as expressive of
American opinion and purpose the outg1v-
ings of certain pro-Spanish American public
men and newspapers who learned their les
sons Of detraction and contempt from Senior
de LONE, and who in memory of him are
Keeping UP a TRADE of misrepresentation
and abuse. The United States went to the
succor of Cuba in good faith, and with a
fair knowledge of conditions and a candid
acceptance in advance of all probable re-
suits; and it is still the source from which
the Cubans at this time may hope for need
full assistance and an honest deal
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-09-17
credit Due the Weather Bureuu.

A dispatch from Kingston, Jamaica. to
the London Daily Mail gives unstinted
credit TO the United States weather bureau
station al Kingston for sending out a noti-
hcation last Saturday of the coming of the
terrible hurricane which did such immense
damage on the Islands of ST. Vincent and
Barbados. Its good work then is regarded
as ample justification for the efforts Of
our government to extend its weather bu-
reau service throughout the West Indies
Inc station at Kingston, it appears, sent
out notification TO the effect that the
center of the hurricane would be to the
south of Barbados and that 1t was moving
to the north-northwest. These and other
important details We're all substantiated
with the extension of the weather bureaus
held OF usefulness in the West Indies more
and even better work will doubtless be Dos
sIble 1t is the proper thing in summer
time. when the heat is excessive, to cayil
at the weather bureau when il promises d
colo wave that never comes, but the practi-
cal value of a notification in advance of
the coming of such hurricane as swept
over THIS section of the country two years
ago, or the one that broke loose in the
West Indies last Saturday night and Sum
DAY, can scarcely be oyerestimated.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-09-17
Gold Standard Democrats.

Ex-ConEresSman Bynum is right. The Or
gauization of the gold standard democrats
has no longer a reason for existence. Those
members who have truly at heart the cause
of sound money should in the congressional
rolls this year affiliate with the republicans.
The lines are more clearly drawn than they
were two years ago. On the one side are
The silver men. united and eager for con-
troll of the next House and resolved. in case
of success in November, to pass free-coin-
age bill through that body and on the other
side are. or ought to be. all those who de-
sire TO see the present standard of value
maintained. Third tickets this year will
te a waste of material
This is not to throw disCredit on the third
party movement of 1896. for there were diff
ficurIies about that situation which seemed
TO Justify the bringing of the Palmer and
Buckner ticket into the field. To repudiate
their own pdrty's ticket and al the same
time boldly take up that of the opposition
was a step which many democrats. though
thoroughly exasperated at the action of the
Chicago convention, felt themselves unable
TO take on such short notice. They there
fore put UP u ticket of their own. But as
the campaign progressed it became plain
enough TO the great majority of them that
the wisest course lay through support of
the republican nominees direct, and that
course they pursued. The third ticket poll
Cd but beggarly number of votes.
Sound money won with the aid of these
democratic votes. and all that was demand
ed or expected by them has been fulfilled
by the victors. The money of the country
has been kept equal to the best in the
world Business confidence has been very
largely restored The times and prices are
good. Is it not as important now to sup
port sound money as it was two years age"
There is the same need of energy and or
ganization as existed then. The silver men
are again aggressive and, now as then. have
the same purposes in view. The democratic
candidates for Congress. whether 1t is ex-
pressly stated In their platforms or not.
stand for free silver. and democratic ma
Jorlty in the next House of Representatives
VIII mean the passage of free-silver bill
This seems TO be Mr.. Bynum's view, and it
Is a very sensible one
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-09-17

Inc return Of Company H. of the District
Volunteers, last evening was celebrated in
a manner befitting the occasion. 1t must
have given the boys. who have lust re-
turned from Porto Rico, some idea of the
nigh place they occupy in the esteem Of
the whole community
The soldiers who went forth from the
District of Columbia have done themselves
credit from the outbreak of the war. They
We're among the very first to offer their
services on the call for troops That only
regiment was taken was a disappoint-
ment at the time. since the entire National
Guard and numerous applicants outside of
that organization Were eager TO- service.
but so many were ready to 20 that it WIS
possible TO select the very best from the
material al hand. and to this was largely
cue the fact that the death rate in the
regiment was so very low in comparison
with other volunteer forces. The regi-
ment was we'll Differed. by men who were
experienced in military matters and who
Knew the value of strict discipline in time
Of war To some of the men this disci-
pline doubtless seemed irksome and IN
necessary. but that it played an important
part in keeping the regiment in good con-
dtion none can doubt. Comuarison has
been made with a New England reg .rnent
which served in Cuba under circumstances
precisely similar to those tina: encompass ed
the District boys The discipline in that
regiment was VIGOROUSLY tax AMI :he
death rate was many times what il was in
our own regiment 1t frequently happened
IN the civil war that officers who were I'M
popular with the volunteer forces at the.
Hrst because they We're considered marti-
nets and altogether too strict, aftcrward
became the most popular Of al as d result
ot their very strictHeSs. II takes some
volunteers considerably more than three
months to learn that discipline is one of
the most important factors in ne salvation
~ an army ia time Of war. Young anu in
experienced soldiers are very likely to take
tp-S chances unless they are held in check.
The return of Company II fills up the
gap in the regiment Unfortunately there
aye good many gaps in the several CON-
paH!rs that have not Yet been filled. and
some that never VIII be. Some of the men
ar" sick in hospitals and may not return
Tor many d day. While each returning SOL
u!eF VIII not have parade in his honor,
"aen he dos come back he Will find that
ne has warm place in the hearts OF his
fellow citizens.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-09-17
Representative Pitney's Withdrawal.

In manly letter Representative Pitney
of New Jersey has announced his with
drawal from the contest for the gubernato-
rial nomination. a contest which under
the circumstances. threatened to carry an
attenuated contingency of success, at tie
expense of inharmony in his party. Young
spirited, ambitious to a degree, Mr.. Pit
ney has been called upon to make his first
sacrifice of self to his party, and has made
1t unfalteringly and cheerfully. If the sac
rltlce was bitter no trace was displayed in
the manner of its making. 1t is safe to as
sumo that Mr.. Pitney has lost no ground
in the esteem of the republicans of New
Jersey by his course.
Mr. Pitney may still serve his party and
his country in public life. The nomina ion
for Congress in the fourth New Jersey is
open. Mr.. Pitney has proven his ability to
represent the fourth New Jersey district
by an honorable and in some ways con-
splcucus service in the national House of
Representatives. That his fitness is recyg-
nlZed was demonstrated in the general ex-
PFeSsions of regret that his success in the
Subernatorial race would entail his with
draWal from Congress. Mr.. Pitneys friends
at the national capital and his colleagues
IT the House will be gratfied if he ac-
cepts the nomination for Congress His
constituents will be subjects of congratula-
ton if they choose him to represent then,
again.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-09-17
Gen. Gomez Should Coma

1t is to be hoped that General Gomez may
carry ont the purpose he is said to be medi-
tating of visiting the United States in the
near future. The cause of Cuba would I'M
doubleday benefit. Not hat 1t has been
neglected or indifferently served by the
regularly accredited representatives here.
for 1t has not. But there is now an entirely
rev situation, and one with which General
Gomez should thoroughly familiarize him
self from the American point of view.
He enjoys the perfect confidence of the men
who have made the revolution successful,
and much will depend for Cubas future
good upon the attitude OF these men to-
ward the American plan of pacification of
the island.
This plan-not yet fully matured-must of
course be carried out when it Is matured
American occupation means American con-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-09-17
AIl-American Foot Ball.

The fear SO often expressed that the peo-
Pile of our newly acquired possessions might
be slow to get in touch with American ideas
would seem to be disproved by the news
which comes from New Haven. Mr.. Cunah,
of Hawaii, has entered Yale and intends to
try for a place on the football team this
fall and as Mr.. Cunah weighs 240 pounds
and is tall and strong in proportion his
chances of succeeding Cadwallader as CEN
ter rush seem pretty good. To offset this
advantage Princeton should get couple of
Porto Rican backs and Harvard sprink-
ling of Filipinos and then the battle of ALL
American teams can go merrily on