davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1899-05-25
Saving Rubber From Destruction.

All along the west coats of tropical
Africa the trees and vines producing
rubber have been killed for distance
of forty to fifty miles from the sea.
In the Amazon basin the greatest
rubber field, this useless destruction
of a source of wealth has never been
practiced. Small missions are made
in the bark, the milk is caught in hol-
lowed-Out Jumps Of clay placed be-
meath the incisions, and each tree
yields supply every year. But other
American countries are finding it nee
essary to adopt stringent methods to
protect the industry. In British and
French Guiana it is now illegel to col
lect rubber except by tapping the
trees. The cultivation of rubber on
plantations is now everywhere en-
couraged. The expectation of the art
icle from part of Nicaragua, unless
produced on plantations, has been pro-
hibited till 1907 on account of the
great destruction Of rubber trees. Co.'S
tn Rica has also prohibited the killing
of rubber plants.
These steps to save the rubber in
dustry from destruction both i'm Amer
lea and Africa, were taken none too
early, and the prospects are that the
waste in the forests will now be great
ly reduced, while. the number of plan
tations will gradually be increased
New York Sun.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1899-05-25

He Demanded Twenty-Five Thousand Dol.
lars from Lord Rethschlld.
The other day some ladies wrote to
Lord Kitchener suggesting that he
should give some thought to the girls
as well as to the boys Of the Soudan.
Thereupon the sirdar wrote the reply
that when he had got his Gordon Col
lege working well for the boys he
would think of the girls. Then came
the characteristic addition that when
that moment came he would not fail
to call on these ladies for subscriptions
to help him in the work. Which re-
minds me Of story so like the man
that 1t Is worth telling. / may say
that he tells 1t himself of himself with
great gusto. When Kitchener was
starting his list for the $50O,00 he de-
manded for the Gordon College he was
advised that the first and best step
he could take was to attend a lunch in
the city which Lord Rothschild would
give. The lunch was duly ordered;
the guests were met; the table set. In
the middle there was an awkward
pause. Lord Rothschild was observed
to leave Lord Kitchner after a short
conversation, and, as Lord Rothschilds
face was somewhat flushed and his
eyes shown brightly it was easily seen
that the great banker was not pleased.
And he wasn'a. For what had hap
pened was this, Lord Kitchener, with
that shrewd sense he unexpectedly
where money Is concerned-saw that
the amount Of the subscriptions OF
others would largely depend on the
the amount with which Lord Roths-
child would start the list. He fixed the
amount in his own mind at $2o, 1000.
When Lord Rothschild came up to him
Kitchener asked, with characteristic
bluntness, what amount he wished to
subscribe. give thousand dollars"
replied Lord Rothschild, little taken
back. Il want $50 ,0OO," said Kitchener,
land, moreover, unless get it shan't
stay to lunch" Lord Rothschild Is
generous-the generosity Of the family
Is as well known, indeed, as its wealth
but n stand and deliver message Of
this kind was something more than
even the most generous of men would
like. And that was why Lord Roths-
child looked angry.
The news spread through the room;
surprise and horror We're on every face
and several of the distinguished guests
went I'D to Kitchener to demonstrate,
Wolseley ut the head. They might as
well have talked to the Egyptian
sphinx. twenty-five thousand dollars
or ! 60, said Kitchener. He got the
So, 900 with the result he had antici-
pated-four other multi-millionaires
had to follow Lord Rothschilds exam
pie, and when the lunch was over the
subscription for the Gordon College
was well started with $125, 600.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1899-05-25
Wonderful Memory for Faces.

1t is well known that Henry Clay
was remarkable for his recollection of
faces. The following curious illustra-
ton of this wonderful power occurred
ut Clinton, while he was on his way to
Jackson, Miss.
The cars stopped for n few minutes,
when an eccentric, but strong-minded,
man made his way up to him, ex-
claiming as he did so, Don't introduce
me. for I want to see IL Mr.. Clay will
know me-"
Where did know your" asked Mr..
Clay.
I'm Kentucky" answered the old
man.
Mr.. Clay struck his long, bony finger
upon his forehead, as IL in deep
thought. Then noticing that the man
had but one eye, he asked, "Have you
lost that eye since / saw you, or had
you lost 1t before?"
"Since," was the reply.
"Then turn the sound side of your
face to me that / may get your pro-
file"
Mr.. Clay paused a moment, his
thoughts running back many years.
IL have itv' he cried. "Did you not
give me a verdict as Juror, at Frank
fort, KY, In the great case of the
United States versus Innls, twenty-one
years agoT'
81 didi I didr exclaimed the over
joyed man. @
"And is not your name HardwickeY p
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1899-05-25
The Sexton in New York City.

Sexton and Undertaken" is the sign
usually found affixed to or near the
New York churches, but ii does not
mean that the sexton actually con-
ducts an undertaker's establishment.
He merely contracts for the funerals
Of the members of the congregation
and sublets the work to what are
known as wholesale undertakers, who
attend to this class Of work exclusive
ly.
A twenty per cent. commission is
taking into consideration the large
membership of some of the New York
churche: and the elaborate funerals
that take place almost daily, it can
readily be seen that to be sexton is
an honorable calling-for it Is a bust
ness that brings in the coin. The pro-
fits of sexton in one of the large
downtown churches is estimated at
$4,000 annually from his funeral bus
mess alone. Weddings are not so
profitable, but they do fairly well and
are cheerful. He collects the pew
rents and takes his habitual commits
sion, he gets $40 for digging a grave
and hires n mere laborer TO do the
the work for 81; he is paid for opening
the church and for closing it, and
few other things that keep him from
starvation. But there is one thing
he must look sharp after, and that is
his collections. 1t is a peculiar fact.
but people will stand off a funeral bill
rs long and as callously as any other.
Detroit Free Press.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1899-05-25
A Steamship Brake.

Collisions at sea, from the awful ca
tastrophe Of III. NJ. s. Victoria down.
ward, might have been averted and
valuable lives saved, says a Croatian
engineer named Czevetkovitch, if the
colliding steamers had been fitted with
his patent marine brake.
The idea of the thing is simplicity it.
self. The brake consists of large
curved plate of steel attached to the
stern of the steamer, which can be low
cred at will into the water. The screw
of n steamship, it should be explained,
when working ahead, causes a stream
of water of terrific force to flow back
in the direction from which the ship
has come, and by lowering the plate Of
steel into this stream the power Is OBJ
tanned necessary to check the ships
way and bring it to standstill indie
pendently of the engines.
Since the stream caused by the screw
is Of greater force when the ship is
steaming fast, the brake would work
equally well whether the speed were
twenty knots or ten knots.
The Clotilde, steamer Of 1000 tons.
when steaming ut speed of ten knots,
was brought to an absolute standstill
within thirty seconds, during which
feet were traversed after the brake
was applied. This result was obtained
in spite of the fact that the engines
We're working full speed ahead the
whole time.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1899-05-25
Music In Everything.

The chief industry of Geneva is the
manufacture of musical boxes. Thou
sands of men, women and children are
employed in the factories, one of which
was visited by traveller, who gives
some interesting particulars about his
visit.
An attendant invited him to take n
seat. He did so, and strains Of delight
full music came from the chair. He
hung his hat OH a rack and put his
stick in the stand. Music came from
both rack and stand. He wrote his
name in the visitors register, and on
dipping his pen into the ink music
burst forth from the inkstand.
The manager of the factory ex-
planned the process of making musical
boxes, business which requires patti
ence and nicely. The different parts
are made by men who are experts In
those parts, and who do nothing else,
year in and year out.
The music is marked on the cylinder
by man who has served several years
of apprenticeship. Another man in
serts in the marked places pegs which
have been filed to n uniform length.
The comb, or set of teeth, which
strikes the pegs and makes the sound
is arranged by man who does nothing
else. The cylinder is then revolved
to see that every peg produces a prop
er tone.
The most delicate work of all is the
revising of each peg. 1t Is done by a
workman who has n good ear for
music. He sees that every peg is in
It's proper place and is bent at the cor
rect angle. When the instrument is
in its case. an expert examines 1t to
see that the time is perfect.-New York
Herald.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1899-05-25
DESTROYING the Sources Of Rubber.

The consumption of india rubber has
grown enormously in recent years. The
trade has been stimulated chiefly by
the use of pneumatic tires on bicycles.
Several years ago it began to be evil
dent that unless wasteful and de-
structive methods of collecting rubber
were discontinued the supply would
diminish while the demand was in
creasing. Government after Govern
ment has therefore prohibited or re-
stricted the collection Of rubber in its
territory in order to give the plants
time to multiply and recuperate. The
Congo Free State has now gone n step
further. In addition to its decree Of
1892, still in force, which made 1t a
serious and punishable offence to kill
the rubber plant OF to gather rubber
in any way except through missions
in the bark, it is now made obligatory
to plant Mt least $50 vines or trees for
every ton of rubber collected. In
fractions of the new decree are punish
able by fine up to $1,000, or imprison-
ment A Bureau Of Control of Rubber
Forests has been appointed to guard
the rubber interests of the State and
to enforce the DEGREES of 1892 and
1890.
1t is necessary to kill the camphor
tree in order to get camphor, but 1t
is not necessary to kill any Of the
varieties Of trees and vines that yield
rubber to collect their juice; and yet
this inexcusably stupid and wasteful
method has been employed in many
countries with the result that rubber
plants have been exterminated in hun
dreds of thousands of square miles Of
territory.--New York Sun.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1899-05-25
Prices Paid for Manuscripts.

The highest price ever paid for apiece
of manuscript was $4,000 for Homer's
Had, written on vellum, probably In
the eighth century. 1t is now in the
British Museum. A manuscript biblr
which was presented TO the Emperor
Charlemagne upon the occasion of his
coronation in the year 800 was sold Mt
auction some years ago for $500.
That is also in the British Museum.
The original manuscript of Scott's
Lady of the Lake" brought S6.450 at
auction. The autobiography of Lord
Nelson in his own handwriting, as pre-
pared for the press, brought $3.50.
The manuscript of Keats "Endymion"
was once sold for S3,475, and the manu-
script Of Scott's "Old Mortality" for &c..
100. Sir John Thorrell paid $1,000 for
a manuscript bible of the seventh GEN.
fury, and Lord Crawford paid $500
for a handsomely Illuminated manu-
script of the New Testament.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1899-05-25

a little dog bayed at the moon one
ri night.
But the moon didn't seem to care:
And other dogs heard the little dog bay.
And, smiling. each trotted upon his
way,
Thinking. "What a fool is therev'
A man sat down and grumbled at fate,
But fate didn't seem to care;
And other men heard what he had to
say,
And, scoffing, each passed and pursued
his way,
Saying, "What fool Is there"
Chicago News.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1899-05-25

Electric lines OF various kinds have
been run In times past In the face Of
apparently insuperable obstacles, but
1t Is difficult to imagine more trying
conditions for line constructor to
meet than those which attended the
building Of the aerial tramway up the
Chilkoot Pass from the foot of the
canyon to Scales, at the summit OF
the mountain. w. A. Burkh0lder, who
was I'm charge of the construction, says
that 1t was an engineering problem of
expedient and frontier experiences
rather than OF technical detail.
To begin with, the work was OF the
variety best known as rush job"
and to add to the perplexity Of the en-
gineer the contract was executed In the
middle Of an Alaskan winter, with
labor mildly characterized as ''un-
skilled" The labor" cost $3.50 to So
q day and board. At times twenty feet
of snow had to be dug through before
the ground was reached, and then, par
ticularly during the last two miles of
the line, the ground proved SO hard
that 1t was almost impossible to break
it with dynamite, TO say nothing of the
difficulty of thawing the explosive. Al
soon as hole had been dug for the
pole the pole had to be slipped In or
the drifting snow would fill Ii up. The
weather ut the summit was of indie
scribable severity. One morning Mr..
Burkholder's cheeks were frozen while
making an inspection of the line, and
a few days before the hard-frozen
bodies Of two Indians were taken from
the trail.
The tramway. which was begun in
June Of 1897, was completed In March
last year, when it commenced opera
lions. 1t consists Of q traction cable
of five-eighths-inch plow steel. support
ed at intervals on overhanging pole
structures. Underneath these cables
run two buckets-not unlike two coal
conveyors joined together These
buckets are hauled along the traction
cable by means of a pulling cable, also
of pillow steel, but having a diameter
of one-half inch. The tramway, which
is 1000 feet in length, is operated by
electricity and is used only for freight.
1t is capable Of handling fifty tons Of
merchandise daily. The rate charged
for the 1000 feet Of the pass alone Is
one cent a pound.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1899-05-25


One spring day just sixty-three
years ago a small body Of desperate
Americans was encamped on the bord-
ers of the San Jacinto River, In Texas,
which then belonged to the Mexican
Government These men were braced
to meet n desperate encounter with the
Mexican troops under General Santa
Ana, and knew that only complete sue
cess could save their lives and those
of other Americans in the colony.
For fifteen years the immigrants
from the United States had been try
ing to establish settlements In the
country, and were willing to live peace
ably, but after they had been eight or
nine years In Texas the then President,
Senior Bustamente, prohibited immigra-
ton, and began to send into Texas the
criminals from the Mexican prisons.
Even the people OF Mexico revolted
then, and General Santa Ana directed
the first rebellion against the Govern
ment, and succeeded In gaining the
Presidency.
When Austin, an American who
went to the City of Mexico as n repre-
sentative of his countrymen resident In
Texas, pleaded that the territory be
made State his petition was not only
unheeded, but he was seized and i'm
prisoned. Then it was that Santa Ana,
contemplating the assumption of die
tatorship, sent his troops into Taxas
and began the attacks upon the colon
lists that reused them to such desperate
resistance.
The Americans In 1886 were in such
straits that they had to take refuge in
February in the fort of the Alamo. The
independence of Texas from Mexico
had been proclaimed, with Samuel
Houston as major-general of the army,
that only numbered two thousand men
that were able to bear arms.
Santa Ana at last appeared in per-
son at the head of four thousand men.
Colonel Travis, knowing that the hope
Of victory was forlorn one, had line
drawn across the ground, bidding all
the men who would fight to the death
to step over the line and meet him.
Every man but one advanced.
When the Mexicans came on they
were met by tremendous onslaught
of shot and were repulsed but a sec
ond attack was successful. A fort
night later four hundred men were
surprised, and surrendered on condi-
ton that their lives should be spared,
but the traitorous Mexicans, after
promising mercy, had the prisoners
marched out and shot. Thus it was
that the remaining men gathered on
the banks of the San Jacinto River on
April 81, 1886, were determined to fight
to the death. They were few in num-
Der compared to their enemy, but so
frantic was their attack, that with the
cry, Remember the Alamo" they
swept all before them. With the loss
of eight killed, and twenty-six
wounded they routed the Mexicans,
who fled, leaving nearly 700 men dead
on the field and 73S prisoners in the
hands of the Americans.
The independence of Texas was then
confirmed, and for ten years it main
tanned itself as republic. Afterward
it became Incorporated with the
United States. The Texans are fond
of saying they have two independence
days, the Fourth Of July being adopted
since the country became n part of the
United States and April 81 as the day
when they vanquished their oppressOrs
and achieved their real freedom.-New
York Tribune.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1899-05-25
ROUNDING UP OF LOGS.
The Work Of FEELING . Big Stick b Per-
formed ArtlstlcAiIy.

Inc work Of relIing blS DICK u reI'
formed Artlstlca'Iy.
The white .pine industry thrives
greatest In the northwestern parts OF
the States of Wisconsin. Minnesota and
Michigan. The logging operations in
these forests are conducted principally
In the winter season, beginning early
In November and continuing until
about the end Of March. For the hous-
ing of the men, horses and oxen suita-
ble camps or shanties are provided,
generally built of logs and situated
within convenient reach of the densest
part of the timber to be cut. An aver
age set of camps will house from thir-
ty to seventy-five men, who are under
the charge of the foreman Of the camp.
In telling the trees the men work In
pairs, two to each tree. They use both
the Ak and the double-handed saw. The
fall of the tree is regulated by the use
of wedges inserted into the saw-cut at
the proper time and place, and so ex-
pert do the operators become that a
tree Is dropped between any two
stumps that may be selected in n way
that amaZes novice, and within
twenty minutes from the time the men
commence work. After the Teller
comes the swamper, whose duty 1t Is
to "Side-mark" each log with an indi-
vidual mark, usually called the water
mark, in addition to cutting narrow
path through the brush for the fallen
timber to the nearest logging road.
Close upon the fellers come also the
cross-cut sawyers, who cut the trunk
into logs of convenient length with
double-handed saw. A skiduing team
then follows and drags the logs to the
nearest skidway on the logging road.
The skidway is generally situated at
the side of a slight natural rise to en-
able the skidding teams to deposit
their logs more easily from above. The
loading of the sleighs is then proceed
ed with, and this is accomplished by
the aid of two men with pair of
horses. chains and suitable tackle.
From forty to 175 logs, depending on
the size, constitute n load, sometimes
weighing as much as 100 tons, for one
Of these immense sleighs, upon which
the logs are hauled to the banking
grounds" on the frozen surface Of the
river, where they are piled up to wait
for the thaw or opening of navigation.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1899-05-25
A Railway to Run Through Sahara.

A French company has been organ
lied with the approval of the govern
ment to construct railway line
through the desert Of Sahara from the
Mediterranean coast to the Gulf Of
Guinea. The northern terminus will
be Tunis, and the line will run due
south a distance of about 1000 miles
to the Niger territory, and then east
ward to the French portion of the Con-
go valley. The cost Is estimated at
S5O,OOOOOO.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1899-05-25

ut 10, II H." cried DR.. Hardwicks.
bursting into tears. Didn't l tell you."
he said to his friends. that he would
know me, though ! have never once
seen him during all these years!
Great men never forget faces
Christian Endeavor World.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1899-05-25

upon the arm Of his new uniform coas
burst unceremoniously into the room, he
was greeted BY the same old joke.
and In response blushingly replied: I'll
let you on this time II you will give me
Alice as hostage" And as the girl
seemed to be a willing sacrifice, Sir
Richard gave them his blessing.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1899-05-25

Nuts are securely locked In place by
a new device, having the nut out on
one side to receive lever, which is
pivoted In such position that when
Its long end Is depressed the short end
bites into the threads and prevents
revolution of tho nut
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1899-05-25
Wanted a Plain Young Woman.

The following advertisement Is from
an Australian paper: "Wanted: A
young woman (the palmer, the better)
to help a small, genteel family In their
domestic matters. One without ring
lets preferred"
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1899-05-25

The assessed valuation Of Boston Is
$1,036, 600, 75s, and the sva1ue Of the
property exempt from taxation Il
$172,07a.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1899-05-25

Erie, Pennsylvania. claims to be the
healthiest city in the world. The death
rate was 1887 in 1906; 1904 In 1897,
and 1858 Ia 1908
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1899-05-25


With the course of true love running
thus smoothly, and the crisp, frozen
ground under their feet, the twain
started upon their ramble.
With buoyant steps they breasted
the Hogs Back" from which favor
lite vantage ground n splendid view
of the surrounding country could be
obtained.
Eyes, there's the dear old Towers"
said Alice, where l should be living
nov IL the pater had not died.
you've found another home" whis-
pered Charley, land other parents,
81 know that, DEAR" responded the
girl. "But you cannot imagine what
II feels like to have ones birth place
given over to ruin and decay, and 10
know one hasn't single living rela-
tive. Only to think / cannot even visit
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1899-05-25
APPEAL TO AN AUTHORITY.

"They say" said the hostess, en-
deavoring to keep the conversation
from tagging, THAT Niagara Falls is
not more than 10000 years DID,"
II don't know anything at all about
it," returned the spiteful girl. why
don't you ask Miss Passe ?"
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1899-05-25
HEARD AT THE TABLE.

"The dog" said the qseudo-scien-
tific boarder, steers himself with his
tail, to considerable degree"
uses it to guide his wandering
bark, does he ?" asked the Chee'
Idiot.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1899-05-25
PROFESSIONAL 1NADvERrENcE.

Dearest. asked the confiding girl,
after her usual manner, ''am l really
your first and only love?"
"No, darling" said the young
druggist, "but you are something
just as good"