davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Gilpin observer., 1899-10-26
Ingenuity of the Tahitans.

The Tahitans are said to be the peo-
pie most serviceable to the traveller.
They seem, in fact, to command at all
times the principal conveniences OF life
Half an hour of daylight is sufficient
for building a house of the stems and
leaves OF the fehi banana. and fire Is
produced by rubbing sticks. II the
running water is deeply sunk among
stones, by working in banana leaves
they bring 1t to the surface. The chase
of cells, which in those dripping noun
tains become almost amphibious. Of
fers another instance of their ingen-
uity. They tear off with their teeth
the fibrous bark of ''puran" (Hibiscus
tiliaceus) and a moment after apply 1t
to noosing small fish. IL one Is sent
for fruit he will usually make basket
on the way by plating the segments
of a cocoanut leaf. A mat will be man
ufactured with almost equal ease.
Clothing is always at hand. and ba-
mana leaf serves for an umbrella
Tumblers and bottles are supplied by
single Joints G, the bamboo. and casks
or buckets by the long stems, and
whether you ask for hatchet. knife.
spoon. toothbrush. or washbasin. the
guides will never be found at a loss
San Francisco Chronicle.
Gilpin observer., 1899-10-26
RICH OLD BILL JONES.
TArNs Was when Povsrsy Compelled
Him to Pull the Plow.

TAms Was when Povsrsy Compelled
Him to Pull the PIow.
There died q while ago in Donoho, a.
village in Marion county, South Caro-
lima, Bill Jones. the richest man in the
community. He was seven feet tall.
weighed 400 pounds, had one arm, Is
sons and a dozen girls. He was the
strong man of the county, but 1t kept
him hustling to work a living out of
the little farm for his colony of hungry
mouths. One spring, just at critical
time in the family finances, the old
horse. the only one Bill had, up and
died. Bill called his boys together,
and caucus was held to decide upon
replacing the horse. Times were hard
with Bill always, but just then he was
In an exceedingly tight fix, with no
credit, excepting for a limited supply
of provisions. To buy another horse
was impossible, for no one would trust
Bill, knowing the size of his family,
and the small patch OF ground seemed
to stand no chance Of being cultivated
that year. 1t is true that Bills neigh
bors expressed sympathy when his
horse died, and sighed when they told
him they saw no chance for him to pull
through. Bill was hard worker, and
he kept at his work every day in the
year, excepting Sunday, so his bad luck
was not chargeable to laziness on his
part. He told his boys he was in des-
perate straits. and wanted their ad-
vice. The boys were not industriously
inclined, and in the loss of the horse
they hoped to avoid work. so their ad-
vice was not encouraging. Then old
man Bill raised himself to his full
height. took a fresh chew of tobacco,
and made this propositions: well boys,
we have a good many mouths depend
in on us and we mussen' disapp'int
'em, so we'll play horse; that is, I'll
pull the plow an let you boys hold the
han'les an foller me-" The novel idea
struck the boys favorably, and they
laughed to themselves as they thought
how the old man would soon tire out
and give up trying to be a plow horse
But before summer was half gone the
old man proved to be a match for any
horse or any six horses in that county.
The boys took hold of the plow ham
dies by turns, and the old man pulled
the plow along so fast that the boys
had to "spell' one another often. The
neighbors were amused at first, and
then, when they saw that old man Bill
was in earnest they ridiculed him and
vowed he would fail to raise crop
that year. But when all the crops
around Donoho were Laid by" Bill
Jones crop was the finest, and when
the harvesting was done his yield was
| the largest. So old man Bill made
| sufficient money to get out Of debt.
clothe his family during the winter,
lay in a supply of provisions and buy
horse. His success in future years
was the envy of his neighbors.
Gilpin observer., 1899-10-26

A PHILIPPINE EXECUTION.
he is being carefully conveyed on a
light rocking chair to which bamboo
poles have been attached to make it
serviceable as a stretcher He does
not appear to be greatly terrified-in
fact, his expression tells quite plainly
that he has no misgivings. Foreign
military men express surprise at the
solicitude shown by the American au-
thorities for the welfare of al wound.
ed, friend or foe.
Another picture shows the method Of
execution in vogue in the Philippines.
The instrument of death is variety
of garrotte, similar to the one used for
like purposes in Cuba. and introduced
in both countries by the Spaniards.
Every one concerned in the particular
Gilpin observer., 1899-10-26
Singing School of Thrushe..

A writer in Forest and Stream"
tells OF the methods Papa Thrush
adopts in teaching his little ones to
sing Find" he says, "a family of
wood thrushes and carefully note what
takes place. The old male thrush will
sing the sweet song In loud, clear
fute-like notes. and then stop to listen
while the young birds try to initiate
the song. Some will utter one note,
some two. Some will utter hoarse
note others n sharp note. After
awhile they seem to forget their lesson
and drop out one by one. When all
are silent the old thrush tunes up
again. and the young thrushes repeat
their efforts. and so II goes on for
hours. The young birds do not acquire
the full song the first year; 30 the les
sons are repeated the following spring.
| take many visitors into the woods to
enjoy the first thrushes' singing
school. and all are convinced that tho
song OF the wood thrush is a matter %
education, pure and simple"
Gilpin observer., 1899-10-26
POTATOES GROWN AT KADIAR

POTATOES GROWN AT KADIAK.
southeastern coast; at Kadiak. on Ka
diak island. off the southern coast, and
at Kenai, on the Kenai peninsula, be-
yide Cook inlet, about ITO miles to the
north and east. The conditions at Sit
ka represent all the heavily timbered
region Of southeastern Alaska, with its
deep moss and peaty SOIL At Kadiak
the climate is somewhat cooler, and
the soil less peaty while in the Kenai
peninsula there is large area Of agri-
cultural land inside the coast range,
which presents favorable conditions
for farming, although 1t lies north of
the sixtieth parallel of north latitude.
Last year the department sent to
Alaska a special agent, Prof. C. C.
Georgeson. native Of Denmark. He
made his headquarters at Sitka and
Skaguay. and experimental with seeds
Of over 100 varieties of grain. vege-
tables, grasses and forage plants. He
also distributed seeds to individuals in
other localities in Alaska and made
arrangements for cooperative expert
ments and reports as to the results OBJ
tanned. All Of the seeds were planted
between May 13 and May 25. The sea-
son was backward, and 1t was imprac-
ticable to plant them earlier.
OF vegetable seeds planted there were
asparagus. wax beans. beets. cress,
kale, lettuce. mustard, onions. pars-
ley parspips, peas, radishes ruta-
bagas, rhubarb. satisfy. spinach, sage,
thyme. turnips and Windsor beans. All
these, including in some cases several
varieties of each, except the wax beans
and spinach, made excellent growth
and produced vegetables and plants
that compa, ed favorably with the prod
ucts of gardens almost anywhere in
southern latitudes. The peas were
especially prolific. and the turnips. rad
ishes, parsnips. parsley and satisfy
produced roots as good as can be found
anywhere Some of the turnips weighed
five pounds each, and some even 10
pounds, and were of excellent flavor.
Potatoes also were decided success.
Many OF them weighed each pound
or more.
A more important test. however.
was made with grains and forage
plants. Oats and barley were grown
at Sitka and Skaguay with gratifying
results. Several varieties OF Nor
wegian and Russian barley were grown
with the same excellent result as with
the oats. or forage plants there were
seeded several varieties Of Norwegian
clover. timothy, hairy vetch and Riga
flax, and all were successful, the clover
being especially vigorous. measuring
over two feet high.
Alaska is pre-eminently land OF
small fruits and berries. The flavor
OF most OF the native varieties is pro-
nounced to be SO excellent that 1t is
said they are worthy OF introduction
into the States.
Gilpin observer., 1899-10-26
1T rs TORNADO-PRO
A MOST REMARKABLE FREAK
OF ARCHITECTURE.
Tornado-Proof House That Acts Like
Weather vanS Another House
Built In the Shape of an Elephant
Other Curiosities.

A New York gentleman invented in
1890 tornado-proof house, which was
to act automatically in self-defense,
and which might be utilized either as
residence or as place of refuge
during a storm. The structure was
built with wedge-shaped points at
either end like the bow of a ship, and
was mounted on wheels which moved
on circular track. A large, strong
of the house and was intended to act,
under the influence of high wind, as
kind Of weathercock and wheel the
building around on a pivot, SO as to
present its sharpened edge to the blast.
An appropriate apparatus underneath
the house provided for holding 1t
stiffly in position except under the ac-
tion of tornado: but the originator
OF this brilliant contrivance apparently
assumed that tornado blows steadily
from one direction, and left out of his
calculations it's twisting qualities. The
inmates of this place of refuge, when
swept by the revolving hurricane,
might be considerably astonished by its
rapidity of circumlocution. However,
the hopeful inventor adds to his de-
scription of the structure a suggestion
that 1t might be peculiarly adapted for
use as a hospital, since it could be
turned on its wheels by mechanical
forces so as to present the sick ward
to the sunshine throughout the length
OF the day, or to the ventilating effect
of the breeze from whatever quarter 1t
might be blowing. A private residence
which could be turned so as to follow
the sun and cause it's purifying rays
to shine into every apartment success
lively is a magnificent luxury which
commends itself to every health-loving
millionaire, but as only the minority
possesses a million, the patent will, no
doubt, expire unused. Akin to the
laudable invention is another which
proposes to put springs under house
to prevent it's being shaken down by
possible earthquake. One of the most
remarkable freaks in architecture since
the prehistoric wooden horse Of Troy
is a house built in the shape of an
elephant, which was patented in 1882
by gentleman of Philadelphia. In de-
scribing his conception this gentleman
stated that the form of any animal
might be employed, as his principal
object was to elevate the building con-
siderably above the ground, in order
to permit good circulation Of air
below the apartments and to insure
well-lighted rooms. The legs Of the
animal, being hollow were to contain
flights of stairs leading to the rooms
above. while the elephants trunk
might be effectively utilized as chute
for conveying slops and ashes to the
sewer, the opening to which might. for
picturesque purposes, be shaped SO as
to present the appearance of trough
out of which the animal might be sup
posed to be feeding. One Of these ele-
phant houses was actually erected on
Coney island, and proved quite profit
able speculation till it was destroyed
by fire. The queer structure was still
standing in 1898, and, on account of
it's size, could be seen at considerable
distance.-Ainslee's Magazine.
Gilpin observer., 1899-10-26
I'm THE PHILIPPINES
HOW THE WOUNDED OF THE
ENEMY ARE CARED FOR.
Foreign Admiration Exeitsd-ExecutaonS
Cendusted After Manner Prevalent In
Cuba-Aboriginai People Who Do Noe
Know What It Is to Wear Clothes.
Especial Letter.)

According to the evidence of photo
graphs, Uncle Sam does not appear to
be the inhuman oppressor of the Fill
ipinos he Is said to be by few OF
his critics, both at home and abroad.
One OF the photographs here repro
duced shows how wounded Fill
pino Is being brought into camp to be
cared for in the hospital. This par
ticular native had the misfortune to
have his leg broken by a rifle ball, and
Gilpin observer., 1899-10-26

execution photographed appears to
take the whole proceedings in decid-
edly matter of fact manner.
Some OF the aboriginal Filipinos
do not favor heavy clothing. A lot OF
Igarrotes, recently captured, wore only
headgear and a waistcloth. They
took no interest in what was going on.
although their surroundings must haze
been altogether novel to them. but
stolidly marched wherever their guards
directed.
Gilpin observer., 1899-10-26
rhs I,nrh.r rallied.

simithy coming out of the barber
shop)-"That shave made me think
had made a mistake and got into a
dentists chair Jonesy-"Why? Did
1t. hurt so?" Smlthy-"No;. but had
to taHe gas. you know"-Philadelphia
Bulletin.
Gilpin observer., 1899-10-26
Tho Wnrl Wnn Him.

Sprockett - Wheeler seems to be
stuck on that new doctor of his. Skor-
cha-Yes. he likes his up-to-dateness.
When Wheeler was sick in bed the first
thing the doctor said was: 20! Well
have you on pedals again in a few
days."-Catholic Standard and Times
Gilpin observer., 1899-10-26
Railroad Stationery.

A railroad official In recent lecture
stated that 1t costs his road each year
about $1,000 for pins. $1,000 for rubber
bands, $4,000 for ink. $1,000 for lead
pencils; also that 1t cost nearly as
much for stationery to carry on the
business as for iron~-:'ittsbury Pozt.
Gilpin observer., 1899-10-26
The jill. Montgomery
Machinery Company.


~
lNeA& 1a2Ol29O Curtis street.
s,MIh 5000 bargains in ma
w. Schnery, thoroughly re-
Il fitted and ready for i'm
Amedate delivery. Some
Rsl.Sl ~ of this machinery has
- ~ = never been used. We
can save you from 90 to
100 per cent.
1 copper smelter plant.
latest improved rapid drop 10-stamp
kmill. with crusher. ore feeders. silver plat
ed coppers and concentrators. Situated
i'm Gilpin county. This stamp mill has
never run 1000 tons of ore, and is for
sale because the mine did not pay.
l l25-H. p. steam plant; consisting Of
boilers and an automatic engine.
l direct acting double. engine holster,
cylinders 16X3O" new.
l0.H. r. center crank engine, new.
l 5O-H. p Hendie automatic engine.
10Th. p. portable engine.
4 2-h. p. horizontal steam engines. suit
able 90 for running fan or small power.
complete.
2 5o-H. P. horizontal tubular boilers.
sIcb t0-H floIt p horIz9ntsl tubular boiler, half
I 30-H. p. horizontal boiler.
10-H. p vertical boilers.
I 18Th. p. vertical boiler.
feed water heaters.
hot water heaters.
i 6x313x6 Worthington outside packed
duplex mine station pump.
16x7x15 Smith Vaile mine station
pump.
1sx1sx1ox12 worthington pump.
1 12 steam and 81 water end 10'
stroke duplex mine pump.
! deep well pump engine.
knowles vacuum pump, nearly new.
xii Blake crusher.
4x10 Blake crusher.
large capacity ore buckets, good
new.
20' Leffell water wheel. In case. new.
latest improved patent smoke consum-
ers.
5-ft. Howland pulverizer, new.
air drills. different makes,
I Frue vanner.
Wilfiey concentrators.
Automatic sample splitter.
dynamo suitable for silver plating or
precipitating cyanide.
4}winches, suitable for raising sinking
pVhps.
n wood turning lathes.
" 3-drum holster. suitable for derrick.
32-ft. r. r. track scale, new.
Several wood saws and frame.
5000 IT. black pipe.
Is furnace doors.
Crate bars, all sizes.
lot brick machinery and tools; will sell
or trade for brick; good chance to start
M business.
" complete laundry plant, cheap as dirt.
Aassay balances and small crusher.
Shafting, pulleys. boxes, collars, coup
lings, globe valves. etc.
Large drive belts and numerous small
ones.
DON'T FAIL TO CALL AND SEE OUR
LINE. WE PAY CASH FOR ALL KINDS
SECOND HAND MACHINERY AND
SUPPLIES.
Gilpin observer., 1899-10-26
Kind Friend.

Mudge-A mans life Is his own.
Now. II | took n fancy to commit SUI
eide, what right would you have to
prevent me? Yabsley-I wouldn't even
try.-Indianapolis journal.
Gilpin observer., 1899-10-26

All that is best in the great poets
OF all countries is not what Is national
in them. but what Is unlversal.-Loug-
fellow.
Gilpin observer., 1899-10-26

timber belt on the top of the mountain
to the sawmills at Alamogordo. but is
by no means a light tramroad, as 1t is
laid with 60-pound steel rails and is
substantially built in all respects.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-22

good bread, hence the importation OF American
flour is large and is rapidly increasing. In 1870
the wheat -four imported into Japan from the
United States amounted to $40 15l, and In 1917
it was $57l, $50.
The wages paid farm laborers average ten
cents GO SEM day for men, and six and hair
cents for women. In harvest the rates arc
about 80 per cent higher. Frequently good men
earn as much as % cents per day in the rice
harvest These are gold prices; in silver the
amount is double.
In passing a field a few days ago, where two
men were cutting rice, inquired now much
they received day, and they SAID they were
to receive 81 for cutting the field. measured
the tract. and found it contained tWo-elevenths
of an acre They said it would take them TWO
DAYS to cut and bind the rice on that tract
THAT would be twenty-five days work expended
in cutting and binding one acre. This Is falr
sample of the amount of work done in day
nv farm hands and the same is true OF all INES
OF work.
When the amount Of work expended in prep
aration of the soil the setting out Of the plants
from the seeded the hand cultivation, the ex-
pense of fertllizing, harvesting and marketing
are taken into account, the difference in the
price OF labor between japan and the Cnlted
states disappears, and the cost Of cuitivating an
acre Of land in japan averages higher than In
the United States but the tilage Is so much
more thorough that the product IS nearly double
that OF the United States. As an offset to this,
the price OF farm lands in Japan is very high
Good suburban lands. used for gardening, are
worth $4,000 an acre, and good rice land IS worth
5000 an acre in almost any part Of the empire.
The land is assessed at a high rate, and as the
imperial and provincial taxes combined amount
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-22

to nearly per cent. taxation is an item TO be
considered. While this is true OF farm lands,
on unproductve lands there scarcely any
taxes Large tracts in the heart OF Toxic, I'M
improved, practically escape taxation which
tends to keep the lands out Of market
Under the conditions which exist in Japan It
is difficult to see how the system OF agriculture
pursued could be much improved. This is ap-
plicable to the valleys The mountains and ia
ble-lands covering seven-eighths Of the empire,
devoted to forestry and native grasses.
Many cattle horses and goats could be kept on
these lands with great profit to the farmers.
The people are conservative along agricultural
lines, and as a rule averse to making changes.
Some have made successful attempts. and
doubtless others will follow Near Lake Ha-
kone at an altitude Of 1900 feet above the sea.
are large tracts OF vacant lands Here an en-
terprising Japanese Shibu Sawa, has estab-
lished a dairy. There are thIrty-one milch
cows, mostly good grade Shorthorns, Ayrshires
and Holsteins. They are MIXED three times a
day. For this purpose they are driven TO the
barn and tied 10 stanchions, much the same as
In the United States. and are fed a half bushel
OF mountain grass, passed through cutter run
by water power and four quarts OF wheat
shorts. The grass Is thoroughly wet. and the
shorts sprinked on It. The cows run in a large
pasture except at milking time. They give
from three 10 nine quarts at time A portion
of the milk Is carried over the mountains on the
backs of men to Miyanoshitu, seven and a half
miles 1t Is also sent to YumotO-seven miles
and thence by rail- to the town of Odawara The
milk Is sold for a.. cents a quart (gold) Any
aIrnIus milk IN made into butter IL Ia placed In
shallow pans, and a stream Of mountain water
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-22

is run under and around them. The chm,
Is primitive affair. The butter sells ,.
cents a pound. Lahorers emplovea 4.
dairy and on the farm are paid 81 70 10 ,a.'
a month, according to skill. and In aa,s'
they receive board. There was a good 80
lot OF young cattle. which subsisted en,,,,,.9
the pasture grasses. The dairy doubles, :.
a good profit, or the proprietor who IS o, n
the wealthy men Of the empire. would M, :.
1t up.
The general absence OF fruit trees IN Ja,.
noticeable. 1t Is seldom that a fruit o,oA.''
or even any fruit trees can be found exoep, n.y.
cities, where they are cultivated for ths -
market. The most widely disseminated 4. -
persmmon, and az ripened by the Jauans,. n
makes most delicious fruit As Il turns "a,
the fall, IT IS picked and dipped slightly in al,
hol; then it Is placed in a cagk and closely -.
cred for ten days II is then TT for use N.
pear produced is good FOR cooking, and I. :,
ished by the japanese knocked, but n r,..
becomes soft and luscious. II is hardy and a.,
from blight, and would make excellen, s,.s
for grating. All the pear orchards in y.,..
are trained 10 a trellis, which covers the ,,,..
area Of the orchard at the height OF siY an,
half feet from the ground This facilities.
picking, and prevents loss by heavy storna
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-22

SIN. upon the plan Of taking two and three
crops per year exhaustion would soon result
unless there was an annual restoration OF fsr-
tilizing material to the soil sufficient to supply
the waste The leaves and stems Of plants not
required for food are turned under as green
manure. Grass and leaves obtained from the
hills in large amounts, are used; also rice nuns
and rice chaff, and any portion Of the straw not
required for other uses. Fish guano and rape
seed are considerably used but the most direct
and potential fertilizer employed is manure
which is applied directly TO the growing plants
Nearly all the dryland field crops are thus treat
ed some receiving much less than others.
A radish Called here daikon) frequently
grows two feet long and two and half inches
In diameter; or If of the shorter variety, 1t may
be six inches in diameter and twelve inches
long,
When the harvest is ended the rice is stored
and the hull is removed by passing the rice
through milling process similar to grinding
corn. except that the burrs are made OF clay
banded with wood and with thin strips of wood
penetrating the clay vertically TO produce the
necessary friction upon the rice kernels to re-
move the huIls The winnowing to separate the
bulls from the berry is generally performed by
hand process, as in the days Of ancient Israel
few primitive tanning mills may occasionally
be found The rice is then sacked for market
The economical japanese do not pay out any
money for bags, but deXtrously weave thin
mating OF rice straw in form of the sack and
deity inclose the top and bottom with the
straws projecting beyond the edges Of the mat
ting, making the rice as secure FOR transpor-
tation as II packed in the best gunny sacks.
1t is then sometimes packed upon the backs Of
men TO the nearest canal or railway station,
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-22
GUTTA-PFRCHA AND CABLES.

From The Engineering Magazine
In connection with the Pacific cable va' A.
terestng question arises From whete
gutta- percha for this gigantic cable 70 ~" 'vs,s
Every whisper Of the construction OF nss
pacific line sends the gutta market az s ats
pore up by leaps and bounds. The ruilhs "a nj
OF the gum is the highest that has ever 20 ar
IL is stated, on what authority IL $ haru a. ~,
that the visible supply Of gutta is ins sg.
for the task and that II this cable is iaiu ,n.sk
be the last-the last with gutta-peFchs 80 ns "a
ton. at least. While this pessinism on Nv
NJ the eutta producers savors somewhat ~ |.
desire 10 stifren the market. there is yet s "a,
cently reasonable foundation FOR II III Wv iii \
ton destruction OF the gutta forests' ns.,sto.
interesting to see the outcome OF me s,I ~ m
IN the United States acquires an islano ss.ri
Carolines the building OF the eable li'S rot ts
possible. though expensive. II they az S sss
q landing place the operation OF the cau CIV. Al
70 REQUIRE a prohibitiveiy costly plan. asst
meanwhile there Is the question %
pesriDg gutta trsa