Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-11-10

has become a great favorite with thou
sands OF housekeepers as a floor covering.
1t comes from Japan in rolls of forty yards
and somewhat resembling mating in ap-
pearance. 1t is, however, much thicker than
the latter article. and being compact and
Did IS much warmer to the feet and there
fore makes more substantial floor covering
than mating. The material is especially
well adapted for use in dining rooms. halls
and pantries, where cleanliness and neat
ness are desirable. 1t costs 30 cents yard,
and is made in 80 different patterns The
bread forming the warp is of ecru and
,lends prettily and inconspicuously with
blues, greens, reds and rose tints, Which
, form the ground of the various patterns.
The paper bath robes-a German inven-
tion--are somewhat thick and look like
common white or brown blotting paper.
They cling to the body Immediately after
being put on and as the paper takes up
the moisture very eagerly the drying of the
body takes place rapidly. Furthermore.
the paper is a bad conductor of heat. and
quick changes Of temperature. preventing
the wearer from catching cold.
!: i: * X X
Probably few people ever heard or soda
dam, but such freak of nature really eX-
lists in an unfrequented part of the great
west. Mr.. A. o. Wright of the Indian serv-
ice, who travels extensively through that
section of the country west of the Missouri
river. in speaking of strange things-he has
ssA41S~NA ~ 1890
soda dam Asked what he meant by a
soda dam. he said:
in Box canyon. just abovethe hot springs
of the Jemez river. Arizona. is a dam eN-
tending from one wall of the gorge to the
other. This dam is nothing more nor less
than 4 massive wall of pure Soda rising TO
a height of 100 feet. and probably 6Oo feet
from end to end. Natures forces, of course,
started their work of construction away
back in the dim and distant past, when
deposits of soda contained i'll the water
thrown off by the springs were made at
the base of what has since developed into
one of the natural wonders of the west.
| Those deposits must have been made with
remarkable rapidity.
Just ten years ago the Jemez river
to an unprecedented height. and under the
abnormal pressure of the torrent a lower
section of the dam gave way, leaving
breach in the wall of soda about twenty
feet high. When the water subsidized the
lake formed by the dam was, of course, de-
stroyed. leaving the upper eighty feet of
the dam high and dry.
Il passed through that section of Arizona
this last summer. and purpOSely visited The
soda dam. l was most astonished to ste
that the twenty-foot breach had been near
| ly filed in The soda from the springs had
made fresh deposits, and gradually patched
up the hole made in 1890. AT the present
rate the breach will be entirely closed in
another year and the lake will assume its
former proportions.
PREVIOUS TO the Dreak IN the ttam, the
lake above was fully 600 feet wide, and ex-
tended up the canyon for at least three
quarters of a mile. Scientists who have
examined the dam are of the opinion that
it will never attain a height much above
100 feet for the deposits in the water seem
to sink in that great depth before the brink
Is reached. AS they fall, however, they
will tend to strengthen the base of the
dam, and will gradually decrease The depth
of the lake al its lower end
X * * =
Since his return from Canton President
Mckinley has heard Of many Interesting
incidents Of election day in different parts
of the country. but none that pleased him
! more than the one narrated by Assistant
| Secretary Hackett of the Navy Depart
| ment. Mr.. Hackett voted at Newcastle N
| H, and the Incident occurred at the open
| ing of the polls at that place. By common
| consent it had been agreed that the honor
of deposting the first ballot should be given
| to the oldest voter in the town. Punctually
at the hour named for beginning voting
Mr.. George Vennard, now in his ninety
fourth year, appeared at the booth and
! gave his name and residence in a clear
mona genartan, Mr.. Joshua Bickford, aged
| nnety-three years These two patriarchs
voted in the order Of seniority. The third
| vote was cast by Assistant Secretary Hack
escorted the two veterans to the polls in a
| carriage and saw them both safely to their
| homes. Both men are stawart republicans
| and voted the straight party ticket Mr.
Fennard has been voting steadily for sew
| enty-three years. His first presidential vote
was cast for John Quincy Adams Mr.
| Hackett told the venerable pair that on his
| return to Washington he would take occa-
| sion to tell the President of the distinction
| he had enjoyed of voting for him in COM
| pany with two Of the oldest republicans in
| the United States He fulfilled his promise
| during a visit to the White House yester-
| day. The President was very much pleased
| at the incident and asked MT Hackett to
| send his "remembrances and appreciation
| to the two old gentlemen.
| X X X Il
| A good many people who have taken the
| trouble to go to the office of the gas COM
| pany in order to explain in person that
| they don't care for the dim. religious light
| that has been provided for gas consumers
| recently are of the opinion that the young
! man who is employed by that corporation
| to receive this class Of visitors ought to be
| in the diplomatic corps AS an adroit and
skillful verbal fencer and conversational ex-
| pert he is thought to be especially fitted for
| those walks In life where gifts Of that ma
| ture are supposed to be in demand. He Is
| also pronounced to be past master In the
| art Of mastering those trying situations in
| life when 1t Is necessary that a soft an
| swer should turn away wrath.