davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-10-08

it would doubtless be unwise to CUES
tion it, Yet one may sometimes be
pardoned for a silent incredibly. 1850
from 1889 seems, according to the best
text books at my command, to leave
90: and / do not believe any man WEI
see Porfirio Diaz without running over
the figures again and make sure there
is no mistake. It seems incredible that
this fateful figure should be on the
verge of three score and ten Yet he
was born in appropriately enough
Oh the eve of the birthday of Mexican
independence (Sept. 16)-and this is
generally taken TO be 1899.
A man Of 50 with speech as COM
pelling. capillaries as free. eyes as
eagle-clear. is envied; and have never
known a man Of any age whose step
was Younger.
The expectation that this undimmed
Neteran-the greatest soldier and the
greatest statesman that Spanish
America has ever produced, and one
Of the large names in both rosters Tor
sr historv-iS TO revisit the United
States Che was here in 1889, on sup
elemental bridal toul0, gives the IN
terest of the day to "A brief summary
of one of the most astounding careers
Of record.
Like a Hero of Romance.
A strangely romantic mixture, sure
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-10-08

ropes and all was 994 kilogram. The
ballast, scientific instruments and pas
sengers added 2.096 kilogram, so that
the balloon had to lift 5000 kilogram
as it assembled in air. 1t required five
days to fill the balloon with gas, and
then there was a delay of three days
before the weather appeared favorable.
The wind must be in the proper direc-
ton, and the air not too cloudy to pre-
vent exact observations. Pilot balloons
We're sent up finally and showed that
the wind set in the proper direction to
carry the balloon directly over TT. Alps
and the Jura, i. e., southwest.
The Ascent.
/ Four men held the ropes of the cap
tive balloon, ready to loose them at
the signal. The passengers climbed
1.-The car that swung beneath it and
threw out sacks of ballast equal to
their weight. Captain Sperterini cried
e .Lachez tout" det go ALI and the huge
balloon majestically rose amid the
shouts of thousands of spectators. for
scientists had come from all over
Europe to see this experiment. But
let Professor Helm tell of it in his own
words:
s 1T was 1858 a. m. as. the Vega rose
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-10-08

be told of farther on in this article.
The story of the trip itself as another
triumph of man over nature is of thrill
ing interest to everyone.
Four men in the balloon Vega cross
ed the Alps from Stilten in Switzerland,
to Mt Soule in France, some distance
north of Dion. The speed was equal
to that of the fastest European railway
train. and at times exceeded that of
the most rapid American express. A
distance of 142 miles was covered in 944
minutes.
The expedition was undertaken for
purely scientific purposes. The captain
of the balloon was Professor Ed. Spell
terini who has made more than 500
successful balloon ascensions. He was
accompanied by the eminent geoioglst,
Professor Albert Helm, and Professor
julius Maurer, the great meteoroiogist.
One passenger was taken along, stu
dent of Professor Helm. The project
of ascending the Alps in balloon was
preached as long ago as 1891, but it was
slow of realization. Money had to be
collected for the construction OF the
special balloon required and many
other preparations were necessary.
An Especially Built Balloon.
The balloon was built for the purely
scientific purpose of the trip The
diameter of the balloon when filled was
about sixty feet; it's circumference was
1870 feet; capacity 5000 cubic feet. 1t
was made of Japanese pongee silk, of
great strength, and was built in forty
eight meridional chambers, consisting
of no less than 3,16S pieces of silk. The
interior received six coats of varnish
and the exterior four coats. The cover
ing net was made of Anjou hemp treat
ed with rubber, with q, 504 meshes. The
weight of the balloon with anchor,
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-10-08
PATHETIC CHINESE INCIDENT.
A Mothers Attempt to Dispel the
Blindness of Her Child.
Oippincon'ts Magazine.)

Gippincon' is MagaZlne.)
This is what the Fair Samaritan saw
after she had climbed the dark stairs
behind the store and peeped into a
room that was in semi darkness, while
she repressed Lee Chung with warn
ing finger that enforced silence. 1t was
room of considerable dimensions,
with low ceiling The windows were
so ill-piaced besides being barricaded,
that the room was in twilight gloom,
although the day was bright without.
Its furniture was curiously disposed
close against the walls. thus leaving
wide space in its midst. And in the
room the woman Suey Yep was taking
part with the little Lee Moy in what
was evidently a daily occurrence.
With palms folded suppliantly before
her, she regarded Lee Moy with look
of ineXpressible love tinged with sad
ness. He was hitting wildly about him
with toy whip, and shouting angrily,
his language being punctuated by
strong Anglo-Saxon eXpletives.
On you, mother! Why cometh not
the SUM-"
She submitted with the patience of
an Oriental to the imperious language
of my lord, her man-child.
ooh, son of mine," she replied, with
infinite tenderness, 1.-The sun is still at
Pekin, drying his hair-for he hath but
now risen from his ocean bed. When
he hath had his morning meal and has
washed his face with dew and decked
himself with marigolds. he will mount
the clouds of purple and gold and am
Der and come to San Francisco"
DO they of Pekin see more of him
than we do?"
Yes, my son-oh, would we were
there!" she sobbed, 'for the sun always
shines there, but here it is mostly
dark
1--WE will go there. mother, at once"
He held up his hand for his mother to
take.
But it is a long and stony road from
here to Pekin, and we must eat and
drink before we start"
She led him to a little table, and set
cakes before him and a cup of tea.
which she fortified with a generous
draught of sam shu.
When he had satisfied his appetite
she prepared him another cup similar
1y sophisticated, and set it before him.
Drink once more" she said, for
when we have left San Francisco we
shall have no more tchah (tea) till we
reach Pekin.'
And the little man drank as he was
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-10-08

tourist can go anywhere with as per-
feet safety as is found in this mortal
sphere. He can say things that would
get him knocked down in any New
England village. and wear manners
such as we never saw. 1t is quietly
amusing to those who have any real
knowledge of the country when he as
cribes his safety to the fact" that
Mexico is a despotism; that Diaz IS
car, and the little policias at the
corner his spies, and that no one dareS
be bad. The great secret is now that
no one seriously wishes to. A GOOD,
serious man could go out any morning
in any Mexican town under 10000 and
strangle all the soldiers in it, for
constitutional. He would not nave
prolonged need of a constitute
ton it is true; for there is, law
in Mexico, and it goes. But the
idea that the country is military
camp, or a close corporation OF the
despot, or a nursery of spies and pass
ports is so grotesquely false and fool
ish that those who entertain it are
proper forwarders of our gaiety. Mexico
is pretty thoroughly governed, but alb
solutely without a trace of Caesarlsnl-
The hard hand (and those are his
own words to mel was used when
need was to throttle brigandage ana
revolution and uplift willful walloWlng,
But the machinery Is dStoilSHiHaly
simple and small and untyrannous, as
great minds devise. And, strangest OF
all, it is not so much to carry dead
heads and make places" as it is to
get effective public service. The ser
vice is not perfect, Mexico being still
populous with human beings and not
much invaded by angels Gin spite OF
much immigration from the north).
Not Governed BY the Machine.
But there is no machine no aggre-
CATION for purposes of plumber; and the
civil service of Mexico by and large, IS
not anything we can fully afford to
sneeze at. Despite our proper distrust
of everything we do not know, the
time has come when to despise Mexico
is to confess scant enlightenment. And
for what he has done for pubic
which took its inspiration from us aIter
ours drew its models, i'll as it long FOL.
lowed them; as well as for his gallant
figure as a man such as brave men
lose everywhere and every when, Pres
ident Diaz is likely to receive at our
hands a memorable welcome
CHARLES F. LUMMlS.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-10-08

as phenomenal exploits. bet in half a
hundred battles; commanding gen
eral whose grasp Of a whole campaign
has never been surpassed on this side
of the world; man as selfmade as
our rail-splitter and fortuned to wreak
far more vital change in his native
land than even the eXtinguishment of
slavery was in ours-here is certainly
enough material for a hero. And L
deeply believe that if there is such a
thing at all, if mankind has call TO
be proud of any special flower of man
hood, for its own sake and not for
racial vanity, Porfirio Diaz is entitled
to whatever love and esteem manhood
can give to manhood.
And from whatever point of view.
A Man Among Men.
s With a good deal of the Napoleonic
insight and inevitableness, there is no
suspicion CT the selfishness, the cold
ness, or that certain atrophy of hui
manity which marked the greatest SOL
der of all time. Diaz is always hu-
man, always of that untranslatabIe
quality his people call simpatico. for
which we have no near approach
than winning" and magnetic" A
cool egolst might have whipped abe
armies of Macmillan, but he never
could have fused Mexico into the
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-10-08

business enough TO capture the capital
of the state when a usurper held it; a
guerilla chief in the wasting wars of
the Refolma, when stohd, stubborn,
sound but tactless Juarez was trying
to put the church between fences and
keep it there; the Sheridan and Grant
in one through that unequal war in
which Mexico protested against the
usurpatfen of the little Napoleon; DO
litieal opponent at last of his friend
and patron, the great Indian president;
and for nineteen years himself presi-
dent Of the country he first gave fair
title TO call itself a republic; a field Of
ficer+ as dashing as our Funston and Of
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-10-08
ECbnl1ng HeriaIU opage Ooer Hips
Scientists Skim dai Studying Air Light
Effects Meteorological Threatened Eded
Balloon Travelled More Than Mile nueFen Faster Than Ballast Bags

A report has just been made of the
most extraordinary balloon voyage on
record. 1t is of the most intense in
terest to scientists and to everyone
studying the problem of aerial naviga-
ton. It sets aside one of the objections
which have been offered to the flying
machine as mode of travelling, by
providing that man feels no serious
discomfort either from cold or from
immense speed when at a great height.
And there We're other scientific results
of considerable Importance which will
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-10-08

earth it appears to5be blue. on account
of the thick atmosphere at the earth's
surface But when seen from q balloon
the blue atmosphere spectacIes through
which we gaze are made ipaleT on ac-
count of the rarity of the atmospheric
medium and We att first see them in
their natural colors. Seen from above
they appear like islands. especially
when We are above l9 900 feet. Mont
Blanc was observable only by the
clouds that surrounded its summit Tor
it was hidden in mist. Jura looked
like a series of ridges on the earth3s
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-10-08
and prepared for his daily
flight across-the world
Too Hot to Extinguish.
CMemphis scimitar.)


A well known Mississippi farmer VIII
have cause to remember his recent visit
to Memphis. He stopped in Well
known cafe, and among other things
ordered a sirloin steak. A bottle of to-
.basco sauce was on the table, and mis-
taking it for catsup, he spread it quite
lavishly on the steak and settled down
to enjoy the meal. He. cut off a big
piece, but no sooner had it struck MS
mouth than he began to feel like his
tongue was on fire. He twisted and
turned, and soon had the eyes of every
one in the dining hall fastened on him.
The more he twisted and screwed his
face the hotter the steak in his mouth
got. He didn't know what was the
matter. He could stand it no longer
and reaching up his hand he jerked out
the burning bite, threw it on the floor,
and in a very dramatic way exclaimed:
Nov, d you, blazer
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-10-08

copyrighted by S. S. Mcclure Co.. 1891
This character sketch of President
Diaz becomes especially interesting in
view of his recent intention to visit
this country. The illness of Sonora
Diaz. whom Mr.. Lummis refers to as
the idol of the Mexican people, to whom
she is affectionately known as Car
metita," prevented President DiaZ from
carrying out his plan and necessitated
the sending Of representatives instead
OF a personal visit.
The arithmetic has such an over
whelming majority in its following that
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-10-08

into the air. At first We assembled at
the rate OF over yard a second. but
soon commenced to go faster. We felt
the wind of the valley no longer at I, 200
feet, but stood still for moment
poised in air. but the next minute, 11:06,
we felt the southeast wind of the upper
air, and the balloon darted to the north
west at Lightning speed, in straight
line. The shadow of the balloon fell
ON the clouds with startling distinct
ness.
A Thrilling Moment.
''And now we waited with bated
breath to learn our fate. Would we be
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-10-08
Tell Your Sister. n \.

A Beautiful Complexion is an impossi-.
bilitv without good pure blood. the SORT
that onlyseSists IN connection with good
Digestion, a healthy liver and bowels.
Karls Glover Root Tea acts directly on
the bowels, liver and kidneys, keeping
them in perfect health. Price rs cts
and so cts. Sold by Nelden- Judson and
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-10-08

nation it is today-and it is doubtful
il he could even have made the same
record in war 1t is always TO be re-
membered as a sheer historic truth
that no man ever before on any con-
siderable scale conquered disciplined
armies with so small and so unlocked
an array of poems. Lexington is not
parallel, nor any other battle wherein
the raw recruits were our American
yoemen. Diaz won his campaigns with
material at which the most sanguine
of our frontier campaigners would
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-10-08

IN. is this seldierly figure who has
wrought such miracles in Mexico. Tne
chief drawback TO him as subject TOT
literature is that no dctionist would
dare invent anything SO improbable
as his established history An orph2h
nobody in a backwoods corner OF Mex Mex
ico: a callow theol0gue; a green law
student earning his way through
little Mexican institute civil; boy
mayor Of an Indian hamlet, wheedllng
his aboriginal constituents into drill-
ins for fun-and then drilling them Tor
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-10-08

to a great future for the use OF the
balloon, for meteorological and. physical
observations
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-10-08
Diaz, be Great Nan Of mexjeo.


BenngLaw, Religion Fighting Politics, Craftsmanship Brave
Soldier Inspired Woman
/ Spansh-bIOOded
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-10-08
Mexico a Sale Country.

Mexico today is as Unconditional as
New England. The most offensive
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-09-07
ROW OVER PENSIONS
Has Been Precipitated Already al
I PhiladelDbia.

Philadelphia, Sept. THE report of
the committee on pensions was read
yesterday afternoon at the G. A. r. en-
campment and a motion was made to
refer it to the committee on resolutions
This created much discussion Many
of the delegates favored the immediate
adoption of the resolution covering the
subjects mentioned in the report. The
Michigan delegation was the first to
object to the report on the ground that
it failed to specify what the Grand
Army wanted They were supported
by Indiana. Kansas and New York. At
ter a discussion lasting nearly four
hours the report was referred back to
the committee on pensions with in
structions that it be presented at to-
days session embodying the recon-
mendations and resolutions. The re-
port will be printed and distributed
among the delegates. Until then it will
be withheld from publication.
The complaint of the veterans as
contained in the pension committees
report is that the law governing the
granting of pensions is miSconStrued by
the pension examiner. The report is
not critical, but it is said to contain a
statement of facts as they exist in the
pension department. The encampment
adjourned at $50 o'clock to meet this
morning at o'clock.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-09-07
FOR COLORED PEOPLE.
Corner Stone of the Kansas Indus
trial School Is Laid With
CEREMONY

Kansas City, Kan, Sept. 7.-On the
summit of a picturesque hill that over
looks jackson, Clay and Platte counties
in Missouri and Leavenworth and Wy
andotte counties in Kansas has been
planted the nucleus of the first insti-
tuition ever established by state aid in
the United States for the exclusive edu-
cation of the negro.
Yesterday the corner stone of Stanley
Industrial hall was laid with much GER
emony, the chief executive of the state,
for whom the hall is named, being him
self present
There were present prominent negroes
from all over Kansas and Missouri who
regard the pile of brick and mortar
that is gradually assuming architecture
al shape as the harbinger of new era
for their race.
When the Rev. w. T. Vernon. sup
erintendent of the university, began the
exercises fully a thousand people were
gathered about the foundations of the
building in the glare of the hot after
noon sun. The superintendent told them
how glad he was and how appreciative
his people were that the state had given
the aid that it had to the institution
and he asked that his people show their
aDpreciatiOn by endeavoring to elevate
their race and improve themselves
through the advantages that were Of
fered.
Governor Stanley was then introduce
ed and spoke briefly on the benefits
that should accrue to the colored race
in Kansas from the work that was be-
ing started.
Next to the governor Representative
H A Bailey of Argentine, who was
the author of the h,ih~ providing the APP
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-09-07
MURDOCH KILLS A BEAR.
Son of Wichita Editor Brings Down
Big Game.

Steamboat Springs, Colo, Sept T.
Yesterday the grand hunt for game for
Steamboats, big barbecue began. The
hunt was organized and started out
promptly on time and without incident
of special note. Everything worked
smoothly. The hunt is under the gen
eral supervision of Game Warden An
drew. Jackson OF the second district.
The captains of the hunt are w. J.
Williams, Logan b Crawford and
Henry Schoffnit. jr., all well known and
prominent SportSmen.
The first results of the hunt were an
when MarceIlus Murdoch, the 16-year-
old son of M NJ. Murdoch of the Wichi-
ia Eagle. baSged a fine 400-pound black
bear within three miles of town. The
animal was brought in today and ex-
cited a great deal of interest, especial
ly among the tourists. The young
hunter is being congratulated upon his
good luck
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-09-07
'TWIXT EARTH and SKY.
Three Men Left on Top of I75
Foot Chimney by Break
Of Tackle.

This morning while a section Of the
steel smoke stack, being built at the
Edison electric plant on Van Buren,
street. was being hoisted into place the
bolt holding the gin pole" broke, let
ting the rope, holding the 500 pound
section, fall across the top of the stack.
The rope was cut in two on the edge of
the iron and the heavy iron section fell
to the ground, a distance of 40 feet,
and was bent as if it were but piece
of tin.
The broken gin pole fell down
through the inside of the stack, barely
missing three men who were working
on the staging on the inside near the
top, and carried the rope and tackle
with it to the bottom. The three men
Charles Stewart, George Paisley and
Clarence Chilson were left on their
narrow staging IT'S feet from the bot
tom of the stack with no way of get
ting down.
The rope and tackle. used in hosting
the iron sections and in carrying the
men up and down from their work, was
lying useless at the bottom OF the stack
The three men crawled up to the top
of the stack and looked over. The iron
IN falling struck the stack and the noise
attracted large crowd. The crowd
gazed upward and the men at the top
gazed down.
How in the world will they get
down" was the question everyone on
Send up a kite with string" sug-
gested one.
Tie a string on a bullet and shoot
1t over like a life line" suggested an
other
Tell 'em to unrave1 their socks" said
a boy who had just read in his reader
about the men imprisoned on the top
of a large brick stack and who had no
means OF escape until the wife of one of
the men yelled up to him to unravel his
sock and let the yarn down, draw up a
string and with the string draw up a
small rope, then a big rope and tackle.
Not one of the bystanders imagined
that the men near the top of the Chin
ney had a rope, but they did They let
1t down. The first thing that went up
was pail of iceWater and three dinner
buckets The men disappeared from
the top of the chimney and soon a few
crumbs of bread came f1uttering down
as a signal that they were peacefully
eating. As soon as a new gin pole
was rugged the men went to work as
usual
One Of the Workingmen named Sans
who was working at the top on the out
side came down on the rope just before
the accident and was holding the guy
rope when the accident happened and
the iron section fell toward him. He
ran and escaped injury. If the bolt had
broken while he was coming down he
would surely have been killed.
nbsn asked about the accident John
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-09-07

Newell the foreman sent here by the
company in Cleveland that is building
the stack, said: I have nothing to say"
The accident was due to carelessness
and was caused by the bolt that held
the gin pole breaking. An iron heel
on the end of the gin pole" fits on the
top of the stack and the heel is sup
posed to be held close and firm to the
stack by bolt. The sections at the
base of the stack are much thicker than
those at the top and the same bolt had
been used all the time and did not hold
the heel close. The greater part of the
weight was brought on the bolt and it
gave way under the heavy strain.
Many people were in the neighbOr-
hood of the stack and might have been
struck. The fault lay with the fore
man in not seeing that a proper bolt
was used to hold the gin pole" firm in
its place.