davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-05-11
TERRORS OF THE OCEAN.
Torpedo Boats and Torpedo Boat Destroycrs

against. Besides the boiler compart-
ment and the engine compartment,
there are four other subdivisions.
One for the carriage of that murder
ous load of 900 pounds Of gun cotton
at the head, and the others for regu-
lating the air supply to the engines
and for maintaining the torpedo at
any determined depth Of submerg-
ence.
When attacking vessels at anchor
and likely to be protected with tor
pedo nets, the nose of the torpedo is
fitted with cutter; and no ordinary
fabrication of steel rope and chain
could withstand the ripping force of
that instrument backed by the rush
ing force of nearly 1900 pounds. The
torpedo is elected from the tube by
the discharge of about four ounces of
powder. In passing out, little
trigger or clip turns on the power for
the engines, and, by the the time the
torpedo has dived, the engines, with
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-05-11


out jar, are running at full speed.
When clear OF the boat few yards, q
safety device drops from the nose and
leaves the plunger barred to detonate
the hghting charge within. Striking
ship from ten or fourteen feet below
the water line, 1t will tear wound
with such awful force that the heavi-
est OF armor must yield.
In the hands OF either the ignorant
or needless, the modern torpedo is q
menace to friend or foe; but in the
hands OF the skilled and resolute, it is
the wickedest implement of warfare
wicked in threat.and wicked in deed.
1t is to bear the modest burden of q
half dozen such "babies" that the
largest OF our torpedo boats are built.
The torpedo boat or the destroyer is
anything but thing OF beauty. Their
sea-green hulls, the absence OF bright
work, the presence of those torpedoes,
and knowledge OF their somber mis-
sion of stealth and destruction, stamp
with them the impress OF something
akin to official piracy. There are no
odds offered the enemy. 1t is not n
struggle between equal powers where
skill and facility of handling may win
with open honors. Instead, it is a case
OF q giant and a pigmy armed alike
with one common implement capable
Of running either. The weaker, though
many times more agile, cannot take
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-05-11
x-Rnys In War Hospitals.

A Milwaukee man, one Lynde
Bradley, appears to be the first man
to use the X-ray in the war hospitals
in case OF hosti,ities with Spain. The
great ease with which a bullet or splin-
ter could be found in the human
body with this strange light commends
its use at once. 1t would seem that
the Government officials would ap-
prove Of its adoption. According to
Mr.. Bradley, it would be very sim
pie matter to provide for the ray on o
war vessel, but the introduction of q
machine on the field.would be attend
ed with considerable difficulty. For
instance, q small engine. boiler and
dynamo and the machine itself would
have to be put on wheels for field
service. This outfit, however, would
be much lighter and more easily
transported than would be imagined.
and the one Mr.. Bradley has designed
could be built in a week. Mr.. Brad
ley has long been an enthusiast in
the use Of the X-ray aud has done
some excellent work with 1t. In case
of war he proposes to build 2 lachins
aud offer his services to IL Govern
ment.
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-05-11

In prolonged conflict, that type
will survive that can be easiest re.
placed or repaired, and from all we
know now of the complicated natr !
and time demanded in building ar.
mored ships, it is easy to see the po-
sition torpedo vessels of all sorts will
fill. They may be called the mo.
ment's most effective fighting machine,
but can hardly be confused with the
greater defensive qualities of the
battleship.
The whitehead torpedo is no logger
the secret mechanism it was noms
wears ago, owing principally to its
general adoption by nearly all navaI
powers, and its inside workings are
commonly understood by oil wei
versed military and naval men. A
knowledge how to work it, though, il
another matter, and, briefly, it may BIZ
said that every torpedo of the White
head type has its own individuality
its own idosyncrasies; and it is the
duty of every qualified torpedo Officer
to learn the characteristics of those
''steel babies" that some day may wiz
him glory.
The largest of our torpedoes, the
eighteen-inch, so known because that a
its greatest diameter, is blunt-head
ed, gar-shaped body of steel trih'
over sixteen feet long, propelled b,
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-05-11
Jottings in MY Garden.

Take good care of tho garden tools.
Good ones do better work and in
much less time than poor ones.
Now is q good time to haul manure
and scatter around the raspbcrries
which are to fruit next year.
One grower of fruit plants says the
Gregg blackcap raspberry must give
way to "new blood" 1t may but it
hasn't yet.
Whero our apple, plum and pear
scions were buried in dry leaves they
are fresh and keeping in the finest
shape.
The Champion, although an early
grape, is just about worthless as far as
quality is concerned.
The Clyde strawberry, I haze no
doubt, from it's behavior on my
grounds, has come TO stay.
1t is surprising what largo guam
tity of berries can be raised ON o small
plot of ground when highly manured
and heavily mulched with old straw OIL
marsh hay. J. have known some
small patches OF blackberries to yield
five times Gs many berries when
treated in this manner as the same
amount of ground not SO managed.-
Charles G. Nash, of Michigan.
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-05-11
A Very Old Violin.

Mr.. Taylor Buttrill of Jackson has
violin that is lS3 years old. 1t has
been in his possession some twenty
years, and is considered by tirst-class
musicians to be valuable and high
toned instrument. 1t was manufac-
tured in 17l5, and is perhaps one
among the oldest OF its kiad in the
south. Mr.. Butlill prizes his violin
very highly, and rs he is one of those
"back date" musicians himself he
sometimes takes the bow in hand and
knocks off "rhe Arkansas Traveller
and "rhe Old Cow Crossed the Road
with degreeof satisfaction that could
hardly be obtained from violin OF q
later date than 17l5. While he il not
what would be considered an expert
ne eau kaock tune ont of that old
violin that would surprise the natives,
Jackson (Ga.) Argus.
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-05-11

glare OF the white-hot furnaces, feed
the ccaseless vorscity Of those blis.
tered mouths with endless shovelings
Of coal, that the pressure may be kept
up to supply the greed Of those driv-
ing engines lying just behind in the
next compartment. The air is full OF
dust and CRIME, and ones head swims
because Of the heat. In the engine
room the roar is laundering, and the
parts move back and forth, up and
down with the velocity Of 800 changes
minute. A stray shot in there, well
placed, may burst cylinder teeming
with the pressure OF more than 200
pounds Of scalding steam or liberate
the hammering weight of driving
piston and send IL tearing through
every neighboriug part with the stun
ming violence Of many tons Of rending,
ripping force. Such are the odds
that must be faced for the safe carr
riage of those other forces she has at
her command; and TO the youngest
officer in the service may fall the
honor of that accomplishment before
which even a battleship might hesi-
tate. The work cut out for the tor
pedo boat is quite akin to that Of
leading forlorn hope; but when the
time comes good men and cool in
plenty will be found ready to forget
themselves and laugh at death in even
this dread service for our flags de.
fense.
Torpedo warfare began during the
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-05-11
Planting Parsnip Seed.

The parsnip seed, even when fresh,
is SO hard and woody that it is very
difficult to start it in early spring with
ont first putting it in pretty hot water
and keeping il there until it was near
to terminating. We never had much
faith in soaking seed 10 give it an
earlier start, but we always made ex-
ception OF parsnip seed, which, if
planted wholly dry in early spring.
tdkes SO long to grow that weeds will
get too big start before they can be
weeded out. Satisfy or oyster plant
must also be soaked before planting,
and for the same reason. In fact, all
the seeds planted in very early spring
ought to be nearly at the sprouting
point before they are planted. Weeds
grow at lower temperatures than will
any garden vegetable. But in plant
ing seeds that have been swelled by
soaking, extra care should be taken to
compact the soil oil about them. 20
that when the first rootlet puts out il
may touch damp soil, and not reach
out into vacant space lied with air.
II the weather aud soil are warm, it il
better to plant tho seed dry, and then
have it swell as ii absorbs moisture
from the soil. This compacts the soil
around the seed far better than it car
bc done by and. Boston Cultivstor,
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-05-11
SCIENTIFIC SCRAPS.

Astronomers tell us that in our solar
systems there are at least 1900, 900
comets of all sizes.
There is enough salt in the sea to
cover 1000, 900 square miles of land
with layer one mile in thickness.
In Germany peroxide Of hydrogen
Is said to be mixed with various drinks,
in order to give them the mellow flavor
Of age.
The hydra fusca, sort OF polypus,
may be turned inside ont like glove,
and will continue to live and eat as
heartily as ever.
1t has been proposed to equip Lon.
don policemen with portable electric
batteries to feed electric lights on
their helmets.
A curiosity of the Stockholm expo
sition is pine tree section four feet
in diameter from go or 10 miles north
of the Arctic circle.
The worlds useful fibers number
1918, according to catalogue by the
department of agriculture, about 30
being used in the United States.
h In French trails, mixture of ten
parts of air and one part of acetylene
has proven suitable for ordinary gas
engines, giving three times the energy
of ordinary illuminating gas.
A single bell is made by German
manufacturer to give more than one
note. A number of dents divide the
bell into sections of different sizes,
and each section, when struck, emits
tone corresponding to its size.
The fact is stated that in single
one of the standard locomotives EN-
ployed bya leading railroad of America
there are, counting individual rivets
and bolts. though not nails in the cab
and tender, over twenty thousand
pieces.
The gradual cooling of France is
proven by its vegetation. The Ital'
ian poplar, common in early French
etchings, is now seldom seen in the
country, while the lemon has disap.
peared from Languedoc and the orange
from Roussillon, and the northern
limit of many pant species has shifted
Tar to the southwark.
A noiseless and more efficient fame
for incandescent gas burners is pro
duced by giving the mir and gas @
rotary motion to thoroughly mix them
rs they are admitted to the bottom o.
the burner, the mixed air and gas ther
being heated by means of corrugated
rings in the burner. which draw hea
from the flame above.
Sunken iron ships which nre toe
deeply submerged to permit of The
descent of divers to make connections
for raising them can be lifted by mean'
of powerful electro magnets attached
to lifting ropes, the magnets beins
lowered until they strike the wreck
when an electric curren. is applied
through wires to cause them to griI
the boat.
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-05-11
Clean tho Dnnp Hives.

Cleaning out damp beo hives ana
opening them up as much as possible
TO the warm sun to dry out is very i'm
portant. But this must be done only
during the warmest part Of the day,
and also when the bees are outlying
freely. Never work with bees at any
time during cool weather, when they
are not flying. Combs are often found
very mouldy and damp from moisture
accumulating in the hives, and this we
can do nothing with but let them re-
main 30, and when the bees get strong
they will clean them thoroughly, and
no damage is the result. They will
also remove all dead bees that may be
sticking in the combs, which he could
aot do without damaging tho same.
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-05-11

American civil war, but so crude were
the early torpedoes and so little op-
portunity has there since been to study
the action Of modern torpedoes in ac-
tual war that naval officers all over
Europe have looked forward eagerly to
q war between the United States and
Spain as an object lesson. That the
torpedo years ago passed the expert.
mental stage and stands to-day as the
most wonderful and terrible Of mod.
crn engines Of war is not to be dorbted,
but it has had no real test of its power.
Not one torpedo has been fred in war.
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-05-11

OF the torpedo boat the public has
a fairly nccurate notion, and knows
that her chief purpose is to plant one
or more fatal stings against the sides
of an enemy, but the torpedo boat de-
oyer ranges, in imagination. all the
from a counter mining machine
/something just short OF good-sized
11ruiser. The torpedo boat destroyer
is really magnificent torpedo boat Of
great speed, better sea-keeping quail
ties and with battery of rapid firing
guns of from five to eight six-pounders.
She is built purposely with an out
ward appearance closely akin to her
natural quarry, that she may the better
approach unsuspected within striking
distance. She also carries q torpedo
outfit, and in her the battleship and
the cruiser have even more danger
GUS enemy than in the simple torpedo
boat, for where the small craft, by
stress of weather, limited speed, or
restricted endurance must halt, the
destroyer may continue with all the
more certainty of carrying out its
murderous mission.
OF the eleven boats on which we
may count in short while, two of
them may be classed rs destroyers,
the Farragut and the Rowan; two of
them rs thirty-knot torpedo boats, the
Craven and the Dahlgren, and the
rest as torpedo boats of ordinary
speed.
The Farragut, Rowan, Davis and
Fox are building on the Pacific coast;
the first by the Union Iron Works, of
San Francisco: the second by Moran
Brothers, of Seattle, and the last two
by Wolff & zwicker, of Portland, Ore
gon. The Dahlgren and Craven are
building at the Bath Iron Works,
Bath, Me. the Morris, Talbot and
Gwin at Herreshofrs, Bristol; the
Mackenzie at Charles Hillman's yard.
Philadelphia, and the Mckee at the
Columbian Iron Works, Of Baltimore;
and it is of interest to note that these
last two boats are Of the type recon-
mended by the chief constructor and
engineer r-in-chief as the most readily
susceptible of rapid duplication in
event of need.
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-05-11
Sweet Corn as o Money Crop.

Sweet corn rs money crop is n
pretty sure thing il one is situated
where the ears can be marketed when
in the roasting stage. What grain is
not sold in this way makes good feed.
The fodder is worth all it costs to
raise the crop, leaving the receipts for
corn as net profit. The stalks are cut
up at the bottom rs soon as the ears
become too old for market and are
carefully cured in the shock, or put
into the silo whole or cut ears and oil.
Either feed is preferred for milk or
butter production to the best hay.
The best variety Of sweet corn is still
a moot question.-American Agricul-
turiat
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-05-11
fare by any of the leading naval pow.

fare by any of the leading naval pow
ers in more than twenty years, and 80
great hos been the advance in torpedo
construction within this time that the
early tests are of little valne to the
present student of naval affairs.
Since the torpedo became machine
of precision it has been used in war
fare only by insurrectionists and weak
Nations. The war between China and
Japan three years ago gave some idea
of the value of the torpedo, but neither
its full value nor its place could be de-
termined in that short and. unequal
contest between two half-civilized Ma
tions.
Thirty torpedo attacks have
been made thus far, sinking a dozen
ships and damaging one other. Six
assailant boats have been lost.
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-05-11
Truck Farming ana DaIryinr.

In addition to our Jersey dairy re-
quirements, we shall raise this year
quite a quantity of hay for sale and
more sweet corn than usual. We
shall also grow few acres of potatoes,
one Of popcorn, one of onions, one Of
carrots, one Of squashes, two of melons,
one of cucumbers, one of strawberries,
one Of raspberrics, besides quite q
quantity of beans, peas, tomatoes and
the like. We find it cheaper on IN
average to buy corn and oats in this
part of the country than to raise them.
B. F. Wyman, of Illinois, in Orange
Judd Farmer.
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-05-11
Growing Bru.sels sprou,s.

Brussels sprouts require the sams
treatment as cabbage. The soil mus.
be rich and contain considerable mois.
ture. If the small sprouts do not
grow rapidly they will be tough. Sow
seed in hotbed and transplant, OF
scatter seed in hills and thin. Give
the plants plenty Of room. Have the
rows thirty inches apart and the plants
two feet apart. Ordinary culture
will suffice. Sprouts half an iuch in
diameter are thought to be more pala-
table than larger ones. The top
leaves are sometimes used as greens.
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-05-11

miniature engines, capable Of develop
ing within the limited space Of an
average sized cheese-box, q driving
energy Of thirty horsepower. With
that force turning its twin screws, the
miniature craft can be turned for q
mile and a half at the rate of thirty
tive miles an hour. Compressed air
is the motive power; and itis crowded
into the ten-foot boiler Of this small
boat till pressure oi ninety times
chat Of the air we breathe il roaohed.
.I'he explosion Of that boiler 4 dan
ossous possibility 70 be Gaarded
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-05-11

light projectiles every modern battle-
ship can send from her batteries, one
Founders, six-pounders and gatling
guns, all Of which may bring death.
and, with the exception OF the gat-
lings' bullets, ell Of which may pierce
the sides and boilers OF any Of these
boats.
When running at top speed, the
boats qniyer from stem to stern with q
wearing vibration hard to bear in COM
psny with the nervous tension oi
ssriops work. Down In the stoke
bold the arsneiI, before the binding
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-05-11
AGRICULTURAL TOPICS.


High thinking goes well with high
farming.
Farm the land red hot.
The truck farmer sells mostly high.
favored water and air.
Cattle will pattern after an ill-tem.
pered owner.
A tripod Of good farming: Good
stock, good care, good marketing.
Fall blowing fattens the profits.
Never allow two men, two COWS OF
two acres, to do the work Of one. -
New England Homestead.
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-05-11
Round the Earth.

The. time required for journey
round the earth by man walking day
and night, without resting, would be
428 days; an exrress train, 40 days;
sound, at medium temperature. 32
IL hours; a cannon ball, II 81 hours;
light, a little over one-tenth OF sec-
ond; and electricity, passing over a
copper wire, a little under one.teuth
of a second.
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-05-11
BlendIng Odora.

Recent experiments have demon.
strated that odors can be mixed &C.
oording to the law by which colors are
blended. One odor completely masks
another because Of its intensity, bui
by reducing this intensity the Other
odor can be felt. Any two odors can
be mixed 90 as to produce the eject o.
: simple odor.
The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-05-11
OIL In Fishing Eoats.

Tho fishermen Of Iceland now rogu-
larly carry oil in their boats to smooth
tho waves, which enables them to con-
tinue at work In weather chat before
they would not have dared 10 face.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-12-14
WOMEN .sHop11F1ERs IN COURT.

Three of Them Held for Trial on Charges
of Petty Thefts in Various stores.
Three women charged with shoplifting were
arraig- ed before Magistrate Olmsted in the
Jefferson Market Court Yesterday.
Kate fSullivan. % years old. Of 145 West
Twenty-seventh street. had been arrested in
the store of Adams & Co. on Sixth avenue by
Detective Zimmerman of the Detective Blu
reau. She:denied the charge. but was held in
$500 bail for trial. The detective swore that
he had seen her TAX goods valued at So.
Natalie Snifen OF Port Chester. n. Y. waived
examination and was held in $500 bail for trial.
She had teen caught In a Sixth avenue de-
partment store. Detective Bernard said that
he had seen her take jewelry. ribbons and
neckties valued at $3.50.
Miss Mamie Clancy. a private detectiye in
Chemner. 40 years old. OF 465 West Thirty
fourth street. with taking a pair OF stockings.
a pair of gloves. o knife. and several trinkets.
the aggregate value Of which was estimated at
So. Mrs. Chemner was held In $500 bail for
examination this morning.
"A middle-aged; wellodressed woman. who
Willis avenue. was arrested yesterday after
noon IN 3o the dry goods store Of II Ridley d
a piece Of ribbon valued at 20 cents and q
spool OF thread valued at 2 cents. The COM
plainants against her were William Holstrom.
a floor walker. and Miss Coulter. a woman de-
but through the court interpre.er;denied steal
ing the. articles. She said that her husband.
Charles Muller. was in the jewelry business.
but would not tell where, She was held In
500 bail for tril. She wept as she was locked
up. in the Essex Market Prison in default OF
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-12-14
K1IIED MEN LrrrIr DAUeHrrn.
The Defence of HiIdn Petersen Is Thats she
IL Insane.

In all probability the case against Hilda Pc
tersen. the servant girl who killed her 3-year-
old illegltimate daughter in Rockville Centre.
J.. l., on the evening OF March 4. by poisoning
her with carbolIc acid, will 60 10 the jury to-day.
The case was begun yesterday. the preceding
day having been taken up with the selection Of
q jury, before Justice Dickey In the Supreme
Court OF Queens county. held In Long Island
City. and the prosecution was completed so
early that the counselfo the defence had time
to make his opening address and call one wit
ness before the adjournment OF court. No de-
NAL OF the killing will be made. the defence
, being insanity.
The witnesses for the prosecution showed
that on the afternoon OF March 4 the defend
ant took her daughter Annie to Rockville Cen
tire and returned without the child. Four days
later the child's body was found in the back
yard OF Lewis ]. Elliott. The child, at was tes-
titled. was the daughter of Charles johnson. a
Swede living in Brooklyn. and had been put
out to board by her mother at the house Of
Mrs. Olsen, $50 Barley street. Brooklyn.
whence she was taken by the mother on March
4. Capt. McClusky OF the Detective Bureau
testified to q confession which the woman
made to him after her arrest. The confession
was admitted in evidence. 1t told how she had
taken the child to, a remote spot and poured
carbolic acid down her throat. The little one
seen the woman and child going to the place Of
the murder and had seen the woman returning
completed the. case OF the prosecution. which
was conducted by District Attorney YounRe.
who Is TO become. Gov. Roosevelt's private sec
rotary at the beginning OF the new year.
For the defence Lawyer Montfort announced
that the woman would be shown to- be insane.
There was no doubt Of the killing. he said. but
It was the act OF an irrational being. As evil
dence he cited the lack OF the commonestp pre-
cautions to keep the crime hidden. He would
produce expert testimony. he said, to prove
that Hilda Petersen was not in her right mind
at tho time OF the. crime. furthermore, her
mother. who was insane. was murdered in
for the crime. There was at least o strong sus-
picion OF insanity In the family. While he was
face had been immoyable hitherto, broke down
and cried quietly The first witness for the
merly worked and who had been one Of the
prosecution 9 witnesses. Her testimony showed
that the defendant was Of a very nervoue tenn
permanent. Court was adjourned when she left
fhe stand.