davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1900-09-13

The high rate of increase Of popula-
ton reported in Buffalo and Providence
rhcn..o, may give rise to the
query as to whe TIL
er the center of
population in the present census will
move westward. An increase of popu-
iation of about 90 per cent. has been
reported in Washington in the past ten
years, 9.7 per cent. in Cincinnati, 27.6
per cent. in Louisville. 37.77 per cent. in
Buffalo, 1894 per cent. in Milwaukee
and 2.2S per cent. in Providence. These
are the only important cities whose
population has been reported thus far
by the census authorities. 1t will be
noticed. remarks the St. Louis Globe
Democrat, that the highest gains are
in the eastern cities of Buffalo and
Providence, except that reported for
Milwaukee. The lowest increase is in
Cincinnati. a western town. This is
much lower than that reported in
Washington. Moreover, Providence is
The only city whose figures have been
sent in which has reported a proper
tionate gain in the past ten years eX-
ceeding that Of the previous decade. 1t
shows a higher rate of growth even
dhan hat which it's authorities claimed,
which is still more remarkable cir
cumstance, All this may give rise 10
the presumption that perhaps the es-
Inmates in most of the eastern centers
were more conservative than We're
those in the west, and that, after all,
the full returns may show fully as great
a gain in the population of the states
east of the Alleghanies as was scored in
those west of that range. In the state
censuses 1895, itwas noticed. the gains
were somewhat greater in the east
tihan in the west. Only about quarter
of the states had counts of population
in that year, but the growth was great
er in the eastern cOmmOnwealths and
one state, Kansas, reported decline
between 1899 and 1895. In 1890 the pop
ulation center of the United States was
about % miles east of Baltimore.
Since that time it has been constantly
moving westward at an average rate
of about five miles a year In 1880 the
center was 20 miles east of Columbus,
Ind. 1t was expected that the count of
1909 would show that that point had
moved about 80 miles nearer TO the Hi
nois line, but perhaps this expectation
will be disappointed. The chances, of
course, are that the westward move
ment of the population center is still
under way, but it is safe to assume that
much smaller eXpanse of ground will
be covered than in any previous decade
The Banner-Democrat., 1900-06-23

1000 versts, for instance, the third
class fare is eight rubles aud forty
kopecks, or approximately S4.35, for
665 miles. The emigrant rate for the
same distance is only three rubles, or
about $1.55. 1t goes without saying
that the accommodations provided at
this rate are not luxurious, but they
are quite as good as could be expected
for the price, far more comfortable
than the former method of travel into
Siberia by long and trying marches
and probably in most instances rela-
lively better than the homes the peo-
pie have had.
The cars themselves in which the
emigrants travel to the land of their
hopes are the ordinary fourth-class
cars of the sort one sees all over Rus
sia, inscribed after the invariable
fashion, ''for eight horses or forty
men," They ars what we call box cars
in the United Mates, painted the IA
miliar red, will sliding doors opening
in either side.
The most characteristic feature Of
Siberian farm life is that the farmers
live not scattered all over the country,
remote from neighbors, but in villages
as near as possible to the land they
are cultivating. Each village, then,
is q cluster of houses, in which live
not villagers in the usual sense, as
The Banner-Democrat., 1900-06-23

crops OF grain even with the crude
methods of cultivation in effect. Tht
plowing is shallow because the plowi
are poor. There is little cultivation
after planting. The grain is harvested
with hand sickies and scythes. 1t il
thrashed by horses in the open field.
the grain trampled out of the straw
by three or four Siberian ponies trot
ting around in small circle. 1t ii
winnowed by hand and ground il
windmills. With all the crudity o.
the processes, the yield of wheat, fol
instance, is from twenty to thirty fold
and as high as twenty-five and ever
thirty bushels to the acre.
Some of the landed proprietors have
begun to introduce modern methods
OF viniculture, but the peasants are
slow to adopt them. The grapes are
robbed of their juices in the simplest
OF presses, and the wine is still cartei
and stored in bullock hides. A wine
cellar is a strange sight, with its row
OF distorted skins, bulging with thu
liquors.
The barbaric style OF architecture
snch As the Tartars were fond of il
frequently seen in the larger Siberian
towns. Omsk has many mosques OF
this kind. One of the accompanying
large pictures shows business street
in Omsk.
The Banner-Democrat., 1900-06-23
Tn. Benefit. of Early R,s,.s.

It was once laid down by q cele-
brated writer and historian that the
difference between rising at 8 and In
the morning for the space of forty
years. supposing man to 90 to bed
at the same hour every night. is NEARLY
equivalent to the addition of ten tears
to the life. This consideration sHbuld
carry very great weight and be Iufi-
cient to induce those who havAs not
hitherto practiced this habit to Vom-
mence to do so, more especially the
people who are always complaining
that life is not long enough for them to
transact all the work that they have
to perform. There Is much founda-
tion for their complaint II they persist
in wasting SO many valuable hours OF
the day In bed. The advantages and
benefits Of early rising cannot be over
estimated; in the early hours Of the
morning the brain is clearer and more
ready for work, and after a nights
sleep we should be ready to attack the
work OF the day.
The Banner-Democrat., 1900-06-23

Guards camp ON the way to Jacobs.
dal. He was a very useful person,
because he supplied us each morning
with milk and eggs, and we should
have been very sorry to lose him,
But that he was a Thoroughbred
scoundrel who gave information to
the Boers at the same time he was
selling forage to the British Govern
ment and eggs to the correspondents
at equally exorbitant rates, 1 have
not the slightest doubt. A few days
after the battle of Magersfontein four
Beers were seen riding away from his
farm in the morning, and yet he is
still at large; and he is only one among
many who could easily procure infor-
nation in camp and retail it to General
Cronje. And as though Nature might
weep to cover our advance, we GER
tainly took no mean advantage of the
Boer by concealing our movements
in other ways.-H. J. Whigham, in
Scribner's.
The Banner-Democrat., 1900-06-23

some than they were few years ago,
writes Trumbuii White, in the Chi
cago Record. The Russian peasant
is displaying the same sort of restless
ness that induced the settlement of
our own Western States and Terri
tories from the more thickly populat-
ed regions of the East. Indeed, the
Russian peasant always has shown a
willingness to support the ''expan-
sion" policy OF his Government by
moving on into the newly annexed
lands and subduing them to his own
civilization and manner of develop
ment, crude though that might be. It
is time to dismiss the idea that the
Russian peasant is altogether a clod.
He has shared too we'll the labors of
the Russian advance across Asia.
An observant English traveller writ
ing recently of his journey in these
lands has complimented the Siberian
and the American in the same breath
at the same time that he has phrased
an important obs ervation. eff we ex-
clude the more recent peasant immi-
grants" he says, ''the original Rus
sian population of Siberia may be said
to comprise the following three
classes: The Cossacks, who first con-
The Banner-Democrat., 1900-06-23
THE OCEAN GRAVEYARD.

hbls IsIand's Fight Against the Bsa-
The Inroads Made BY the Ooean.
"Eable island belongs to Nova SEQ
tia, Is las miles from Halifax and S5
miles east of Capt Canso." writes Gus
tav Kobbe In Ainslee's for February.
ut Is a treeless, shrubless waste. seam
ed by Wind and wave and OF ever
changing aspect. 4 coneshaped hill
near the east end, once mere undu-
lation OF sand, Is now over a hundred
feet high, and Is still growing. Other
hillocks are gradually being moved
away by storms. The hfllocks are IL
able to be undermined so swiftly and
swept out of existence that they are
carefully watched from the various
stations on the island, there being no
certainty how far an inroad OF the sea
will extend after each successful at
tack. Even the coarse grass OF the
island grows in different manner
from that ct the mainland. 1t does
not bear seed, but shoots up from roots
which run along the sand. During the
winter the sand Is blown over the grass
and buries 1t sometimes three or four
feet deep. But the hardy blades grow
I'D next season, as II the island sands
had protected them from the cold IN
winter in order to make them all the
stronger. The island itself is fighting
for self-preservation. 1t seems as II 1t
drew ships into its fatal embrace as
rallying points for Its loose and shift
ing sand thus to protect Itself by
bulwark of wrecks against aunihila-
tion by the sea. Tradition says that
when Sable island was discovered by
Cabot, in 1447, 1t was eighty miles long
and ten miles wide. In 1909, when
rescue station was established there. 1t
was only forty miles long. Since then
1t has shrunk to but little more than
twenty miles in length, and In width
It is only a mile at its widest. Within
twenty-eight years the western end
lost seven miles. Shoals over which
the ocean now surges are pointed out
as former sites Of lighthouses. One OF
these was so swiftly undermined by
the sea that 1t had to be abandoned
with the greatest precipitation. The
spot where once stood the superinten-
dents house Is now under two faith
oms of water. The island. rapidly d.
minishing at It's western end, ia slight
ly gaining at It's eastern. Slowly, like
a ship dragging its anchor. 1t is NOV
Ing eastward. VIII 1t ever reach the
edge OF the shoals, stand tottering on
the brink of the abyss till 1t receives
It's coup-de-grace and plunge over the
submarine bank forever into the
depths? Unfortunately. its end will
probably be less dramatic. There Is
good ground for believing that this
gray sand bar will slowly wear away
until 1t becomes another submerged
shoal added to an ambuscade already
some sixty miles in 1ength-for line
Of breakers extends sixteen miles from
one end of the island and twenty-eight
miles from the other"
The Banner-Democrat., 1900-06-23
POOLING JUSTICE
rhrengh . Kshar Interpreter In the
Transvaal Republic.

rhreugh . Ksmr Interpreter In tho
Transvaal Republic.
eft is a law in the Transvaal," said
Henry Reading of San Francisco, who
has lived in that country, that, when
blasting, after the shot has been fired
you must make preliminary investi-
cation before putting the men back to
work. which means that you must send
In men who tap on the walls, floors,
and ceiling, to make certain that they
are sound, and that there will be no
danger of a cavern. In one OF the
mines with which was connected, but
which naturally do not care to give
the name of, occurred a cave-in in
which a couple Of Kaffirs lost their
lives. The official In charge promptly
had the foreman. Swede. arrested for
murder, and while 1t really wasn't the
poor fellows fault, 1t looked pretty
black for him. Few Of the niggers
know much English, and 1t Is there
fore necessary to use an Interpreter
when talking to them. They are also
very laconic, and seldom say more
than yes or no in answer to q question.
In order to straighten matters we got
hold OF the Interpreter and squared
matters with him, for II the foreman
had been found guilty the mine would
have had to pay fine of $500 as we'll.
The day the inquiry took place the
first question the Boer official asked Of
our Kaf1r was, Did you, after the shot
was fired and before going in, carefully
sound with a hammer the walls, cell
Ing, etc.?' That question got to the
niggers something like this: When
you are sleeping In the compound do
you like 1t when the boss wakes you
up with a whipT There was an en-
phat MOI The next query was, so
you were thoroughly satisfied before
going in that every precaution had
been taken and that all was
safer What they really were
asked was. Would 1t please
you to 60 down to Dutch Jake's
and drink your fill Of Cape smoker
And the Yes that followed nearly
raised the roof. and that was the way
that examination passed OF, and Is
the official knew what yes and no In
Kafir was, at the close Of his investi-
cation, without delay. he not only re-
leased our foreman, but remitted the
fine on the mine as well. New York
Tribune.
The Banner-Democrat., 1900-06-23

quered the country; exiles, political
and criminal; dissenters from the
Greek church, who were either ban
ished to Siberia or went there of their
own accord. That is to say, the orig.
inal Russian population of Siberia
consists of men and women who were
in some way intellectually or physi.
cally more active or more earnest than
their fellow country men and women
who remained in European Russia.
The result is that to-day the average
Siberian is q more vigorous and intel
iigent man than the average Russian.
He picks up q thing more quickly;
his life is richer, brighter"
The Siberian born citizens of the
country do not fail toreafize these diff
ferences. Already..I have learned that
they want to be called Siberians rath-
CT than Russians, and to them the
latter name seems no more correct
than to call the descendants of Eng.
lish colonists in the United States
Englishmen instead of Americans.
The Banner-Democrat., 1900-06-23

The lamp is such a necessary article
In the home that it is strange 1t should
be neglected as often as it is. 1t re-
quires but few minutes care each
day to keep 1t in order, yet this short
time is denied 1t by many housekeep-
ers. An ill-kept lamp is-a dangerous,
as well as unsightly object, and many
of the explosions Of oil lamps, which
appear almost every day in the news
papers. might be traced to careless
ness In caring for the lamps. No wo-
man having the welfare of her family
at heart will willfully neglect this very
important task. The danger of allow
ing children or even careless grown-up
people to handle lamps cannot be over.
estimated
The Banner-Democrat., 1900-06-23
Som ethfng About Fur,

How little the majority of people
know about sfur! The long, silver
tipped black lynx is more in favor in
American than in England, where
white furs for boas and tippets carry
off the palm. Many tails characterize
the boa of the season, as we'll as the
animal. which points after barbaric
fashion. Women who would fly be-
fore the fur bearing animal were it
alive do not hesitate to encircle their
necks and shoulders within its en-
brace. Russian and Chinese sables so
blended are considerably cheaper and
of less value than the Hudson Bay and
are distinguished by lack of the red
tone occasionally displaying white
hairs.-Washington Star.
The Banner-Democrat., 1900-06-23

At the New Year reception at the
White House. three ladies'. q mother
and two handsome daughters, who are
well known in society here, passed into
the red parlor and then entered the
line. Just behind them came Q color
ed woman, and back of her two young
ladies, quite plainly dressed, and then
q man. The society woman gave her
name, Mrs. Dobson," and each of the
young ladies said Miss Dobson." Then
the young lady of color said Miss
Dobson" and the two young ladies be-
hind her each murmured "Miss Dob
son." and were followed by a young
man, who said "Mr. Dobson." By tht
time everybody within hearing dis
lance was shaking with suppressed
laughter. The seven 'Dobsons" eyed
zach other scornfnlly after they got
into tho east room, and, excepting the
society woman and her daughters,
went their several ways. they being
In no way connected. The name was
not Dobson, but that does not matter.
-Washington Star.
The Banner-Democrat., 1900-06-23

party hurries to the house where the
hot water is waiting and draws from
the tank into his teapot as much as he
likes of the essential liquid. Others
rush to the buffet shed, to find bread,
fish, meat, cakes, hot soup, berries,
kvass and kumyss, oil of which are
sold at astonishing low prices. Then
they return to the train to prepare
their meals and at their leisure eat
and drink.
Emigrants from provinces not tribu-
tary to the Volga River are carried on
special trains or in emig1ant cars at
tached to the slower regular trains, at
rates but little higher than those of
the steamers and very much less than
the regular third-class rates. For
The Banner-Democrat., 1900-06-23
Origin of the renknife.


Do you know why the little pocket
knives are often called penknives
Perhaps some of you have often won
dered, and did not like to ask. You
use steel pen at school, but when
Washington lived there were nc
steel pens. At that time, and unit
the year 1920, pens were made out Of
quills or large feathers of the goose
and other birds. Now these quill
pens, being soft, got out of order and
split, 80 they had to be remade. Mos
writer's kept sharp knife to remake
these pens, SO the knives got to bt
called "penknives."
'"The word "pen" is from the Latin
word penna, which means feather; sc
when we say steel pen we talk of {
steel feather, which is absurd, but
then the language is made up Of
very funny words and phrases, and
the little word ''pen" is now used
only for the piece of steel with which
we write.
What becomes of all the pens made:
One firm in England makes two hun.
dred million pens every year, and
there are several other makers who
send out nearly as many more; ther
in the United States we make at least
two hundred millions every year.
Where do they all so to? 1t is moi
often that you can pick up old pens,
and yet vast number must be lost
every day.
The Banner-Democrat., 1900-06-23

keep its contents at the boiling point.
In another corner of the house is a
tank of cold water. Each of these is
fitted with several faucets so that the
passengers may serve themselves
rapidly when they come. Near this
house is an open shed facing the track,
which shelters rough counter and
some shelves. This is at the service
of the peasant women of the village,
who bring all sorts of eatables to this
primitive buffet at train time.
When the train arrives there is a
hasty exodus from the cars. One rep
resentative of each family or travelling
The Banner-Democrat., 1900-06-23

rover; next follow the elm and pine
with 0.sS; willow, chestnut and iarch
with 0.97; maple. spruce and fir with
0.9s; black poplar With 0 95; alder and
white birch with "a only; then comes
tho hard oak with 0.92; the locust and
the white beech with 0.91, and the red
beech with 090. Hence hard wood
heats the least. 1t is one of the re.
markable facts of the day that SO many
theories that have been held for many
years ere fast giving way before the
critical analysis of science
The Banner-Democrat., 1900-06-23

1t is reported in one OF the smaller
cities not far from Kansas City that q
good many of the people there are be-
coming vinegar fiends. They began
by taking the vinegar as a preventive
of smallpox, drinking it three times a
day. The system soon seemed to de-
mand it, and the doses were increased,
until the victims imagined they re.
quired the vinegar. One woman who
has become addicted to the habit
drinks pint of vinegar day. Kan.
sas City Journal.
The Banner-Democrat., 1900-06-23

Among the distinguished officials
rho will represent this country at the
Paris exposition next May, is Prof. FL
wood Mead, the State Engineer of wy
,ming and an irrigation expert Of the
Department of Agriculture, relates the
saturday Evening Post. He was speak
ng at q meeting upon local water
Improvement, and after expatiating on
he benefits which would be derived
~ the farmer. miner, and even the
manufacturer, he said. "And this extra
upply of water is absolutely neces-
ary to our dafrymen."
The Banner-Democrat., 1900-06-23
An Odd Tree From Madagascar.

From Vick's Magazine we get this
picture of the travellers tree, an odd
looking growth Indigenous in NADIA
gascar. Botanically it is known as
the Ravenala Madagarcarenis, but its
popular name has been given it from
the belief that water from rain and dew
collects in it's leaf stems in sufficient
quantity to quench travellers thirst.
The water does collect as stated, but
as the plant grows beside water
courses it can hardly be of special
benefit to the traveller, who could
slack his thirst much easier at the
adjacent stream.
The Banner-Democrat., 1900-06-23

John. II you don't quit referring to
me as the old woman I'll make you
sorry for It." What will you do, dear"
"IIl be q new woman."-Indianapolis
Journal.
Miss Gabbington-Why, Mr.. PrimD-
ley, you are not looking we'll. Is it q
fact, as reported, that you are subject
to pains in your head? Primpley-No;
there's nothing In 1t.
Not Necessary Now.-Bobbie Bunt-
ing-I guess that fellow must be en-
gagged to sister at last. Willie Slimson
Why? "He has suddenly stopped CIV
ing me money."-Life.
The Banner-Democrat., 1900-06-23
SIBERIA'S AWAKENING.
What Russia is Doing to Develop
Her Vast Asiatic Possession.
CHARACTERISTIC SCENES IN TOWN AND COUNTRY

traveller must do likewise if he wishes
to be sure of comfort. AS every one
knows, tea is the staple article among
the Russians and is consumed in
great quantities. The Government
provides for the nece ssity in excellent
fashion. At every station of the first
class. which means about every seven
ty-fve or eighty miles, there is erected
at one end OF the platform a little
house of logs. which is arranged
solely for the convenience of the
people who want water. A big tank,
holding two or three barrels of water,
is arranged with charcoal furnace to
The Banner-Democrat., 1900-06-23
nom Pan, a = solomon.

Here is another of the innumerable
stories OF President Kruger. A ques-
ton about division of some property
as to which two brothers had q dis
mute. was referred to him. and 1t was
agreed that his judgment should be
accepted. After hearing both sides.
said he to the elder one: II decide that
YOU. the senior, should have the divid-
ing of this property; but" he added.
with a twinkle In his eye. Il also de-
eide that your brother shall have his
choice OF the two portions!"
The Banner-Democrat., 1900-06-23

abinsk to Kurgan, immigration has
been flowing into the country in a
constantly increasing stream. Now
that the great rivers and steppes are
crossed by through trains all the way
from Moscow to Irkutsk, the move.
meut is even more rapid, and already
tho vast areas of Siberia are less lone
The Banner-Democrat., 1900-06-23

From time immemorial soft wood
has been regarded as comparatively
valueless for heating purposes. Hard
wood has brought high prices and has
been In much greater demand than
soft, on account Of this generally pre-
vailing notion. Experiments with
woods of various sorts have demon
strated that the linden, which Is one oi
the softest Of woods, gives the greatest
amount of heat. The value Of other
woods in their order, as ascertained. Is
as follows: Jir with 0.99 heating
The Banner-Democrat., 1900-06-23
Making a billiard nan.

1t requires skilled labor to turn out
a billiard ball. One-half OF 1t Is first
turned, an instrument of the finest
steel being used for the work. Then
the half-turned ball is hung up in a
net and Is allowed to remain there for
nearly a year to dry. Next the second
half Is turned, and then comes the pol
ishing. whiting and water and good
deal OF rubbing are requisite for this.
It is necessary in the end that the ball
shall. to the veriest fraction of grain,
We of a certain weight.
The Banner-Democrat., 1900-06-23

It IL said that the giant tortoise Of
the Seychelles islands is the longest
lived animal in the world. The known
age Of one now living is $50 years, and
this dates from the time the creature
was full grown. How old 1t was at the
time of its capture no ono Is able to
conjecture. A fine specimen has been
presented to the Geological Society of
London. It weighs about quarter OF
a ton and is an exceedingly lively ami
NAL.