davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Juan County index. (Aztec, N.M.) 1890-19??, 1900-03-23
FRENCH in AFRICA.
BLOOD OF THE oAUL RUNS IN
THE NATIVES.


We are accustomed to look upon the
Beers as being entirely Of Dutch ex-
traction, but in reality there is a leaven
Of French blood among them. and. in
deed. there are French names among
them still, such as Joubert, De VII
liers, Duplessis, Dutoit, Roux and many
others, says the New York Herald.
Probably there are few Afrikanders
without a mixture Of French blood in
their veins. How did this French blood
mix with that Of Holland? Through a
colony Of French Huguenots who set
tied in South Africa long ago. The
actual colonization of South Africa did
not begin until 1862, when a small
colony settled on Table bay and at
Cape Town. This colony was founded
by an officer OF the Dutch East India
company. The population Of the young
colony increased but slowly, and vas
probably not more than 400 in 1855, the
year In which Louis XIV. issued a de-
cree %revoking the edict of Nantes, I'M
der which the Huguenots had enjoyed
freedom and liberation. A cruel and
vigorous persecugon followed, and
many of the Huguenots escaped to Hol-
land. A proposal was made to send
some of these to South Africa, but the
Dutch East India company feared it
might be dangerous to their interests
to harbor a large number of French
subjects in their South African colony,
so only a select few of the Huguenots,
nnI -rr,N, -. -IrfTT,a l.. rtsnh
branches of agriculture and other in
dustries as the Dutch settlers we're ig-
norant of, were sent over, in all about
300 souls. Before leaving Holland the
heads of the Huguenot families were
required to take an OATH of fidelity .
the Dutch East India company and to
promise to conform to all regulations
which might subsequently be made for
the South African settlement. These
Huguenots were undoubtedly the best
settlers the colony had received, and in
point of numbers they were nearly
equal to the original Dutch settlers.
They were superior to the latter in
Industrial attachments and the ameni-
ties of life and soon made their infiu-
cuCb lett III Iu5 CUlOuy. Inc RUE VI Inc
Dutch East India company was tyran-
nical and corrupt and the result was
that difficulties soon rose between the
governor and the French settlers, who
on several occasions made a bold and
more or less successful stand for their
rights. Whenever in the subsequent
history OF the colony principles had to
be asserted the descendants of the
Huguenots have been well to the front.
In the late '30s it was q man with
a French name, Peter Retief, who
raised his voice in protest against the
action of the British authorities in
connection with the emancipation Of
the South African slaves and the na-
tive question in general. This protest
was followed BY ne migration Of about
5000 coloniets he desert aud this
migration led to the founding OF the
Transvaal and the Orange Free State.
The San Juan County index. (Aztec, N.M.) 1890-19??, 1900-03-23
scientific Notes,

The German emperor has granted the
Polytechnic College of Berlin. the right
to bestow the title of doctor of en-
gineers. Heretofore the title OF doctor
has been given to t~heologians, philoso-
pliers and lawyers. This action was
recently announced at the centennial
anniversary of the college.
The Kottgen system of oanal-boat
towage, which was tried in France on
the Burgogne canal and voted a failure
has been installed in Germany, and the
results have been quite different. The
system consists Of a narrOW-gauge
railroad along the canal bank and a
motor fed from an overhead trolley.
Great economy is claimed for this
method.
Mechanical stokers have been placed
by the United States government on a
large lake freighter as an experiment.
and the result has been most satisfac-
tory. THE steam" says the report OF
the government official, was general
ed at all times without difficulty and
no doubt with greater ease and econ
omy than with hand firing. and the
smoke was extremely light during the
ordinary performance of the stokers. 4"
The San Juan County index. (Aztec, N.M.) 1890-19??, 1900-03-23

Many natural products are, in these
days of advanced chemistry. so sue
cessfully initiated in the laboratory
that the manufacture of "a sponge
which seems to possess all the valu-
able qualities associated with the real
article will not perhaps excite the sur
prise which it surely would have done
a few years back. The process is pat
ented by DR.. Gustav Pun of Gratz, and
consists principally in the action Of
zinc chloride or pure c~ellulose. This
action results in a pasty viscous mass,
which is mixed with coarsely grained
rock salt. Placed in a press mold
armed with pins, the mass is pierced
through and through until appears
traversed by a multitude of tiny
canals, like the pores of a natural
sponge. The excess of salts is subse-
quently removed by prolonged wash
ing in a weak alcoholic solution. The
artificial sponge swells up with water,
but turns horny and hard on drying,
just like its prototype; it can be en-
ployed for all the purposes which are
usually assigned to the animal product
Of the submarine rocks-Chambers'
Journal.
The San Juan County index. (Aztec, N.M.) 1890-19??, 1900-03-23

ameter. The light shot far above the
building, showing that it can easily be
sent to the top of any skyscraper in the
city. When thrown horizontally up
Mercer street the %searchlight illumined
the fronts of buildings a ~half-dozen
blocks away. The light penetrated the
smoke from the engine easily. OF
course, this smoke was not so dense
as that which will be encountered at
many fires. The new engine has a
frame and running gear much like
those Of the ordinary fire engine. The
boiler is a combination Of nest tubes
and snake hues. On the frames in
front Of the boiler is mounted a Forbes
engine, light and compact. Directly
connected to the engine is a marine
type multipolar generator, supplying
sixty-flve amperes Of current at a
pressure of eighty volts. This gener-
ator is entirely inclosed, making it inn
possible for rain or fire streams to
reach the armature. On each side Of
the drivers seat is placed an 18-inch
protector, and the seat folds over so
that the projectors can swing through
a circle. They can also be placed at
any vertical angle. The projectors are
supplied with DETECTING glass fronts.
making it possible to cover a large
area with the light at short range, OF
by using the plain glass fronts, also
supplied, the light may be thrown out
in parallel rays to a great distance.
The lamps are self-regulating, con-
sumo thirty-hve amperes of current
each, and each gives an arc of 5000
candle power. Between the projecting
bases and under the drivers seat, in a
nickel-plated brass box, are two wire
rheostats for regulating the currents
in the lamps. Each lamp is supplied
with an ampere meter. The dynamo
is also supplied with a ireproof Field
rheostat and a volt meter.
The San Juan County index. (Aztec, N.M.) 1890-19??, 1900-03-23
Ran Joint ana support.


A great many of the accidents as
well as the minor discomforts Of rail-
reading are due to the inability of the
constructors to secure a rail joint
which is perfect. This particular part
of the rail soon becomes pounded down
by the action Of the passing wheels,
and the low joint, besides being a con-
slant menace, is a great source Of an
noyance to passengers. A rail con
nection has been recently patented by
an inventor of Lexington, KY, which
was subjected to a severe test before
application for patent papers was
made, and this trial fully INDICATED
the claims of the inventor. This de-
vice not only joins the rail ends, but
affords an immovable support for
them. 1t combines the good quail
ties Of the old fshplate, the angle bar
and the truss, and is so devised as to
consist Of only three pieces. Briefly
described, the device consists of two
angle bars with depending extensions
which reach below the rail. In these
extensions there is a slot into which
is a fat piece on which the rail ends
rest, the angle bar section being at
tached to the rails with rivets inserted
while hot. The whole device to be
made preferably of steel, save the
rivets. This joint is said to absolute
ly prevent the spreading and creeping
Of rails, which are the source OF many
accidents. Rails thus Joined are prac-
The San Juan County index. (Aztec, N.M.) 1890-19??, 1900-03-23

A curious explanation OF the method
by which longleaf pine seedlings pro-
tect themselves against forest fires is
given by Clifford Pinchet, forester Of
the department Of agriculture. In or
der to strengthen the struggle for
existence of the young tree nature
gives It a thickness OF bark not un-
commonly as great as that Of the wood
itself, but the young trees have a
further device for the promotion Of
their safety when growing in long
grass, as they almost always do. In
the FIRST four or FIVE years Of its growth
the longleaf Seeding seldom reaches
a height Of more than four or five
inches above the ground. But while
the stem is thus making ~leisurely prog
ress the long needles shoot up and
bend over in a green cascade. which
falls to the ground In a circle about
the Seeding. This barrier Of green
needles not only burns with difhculty,
but shades out the grass around the
young stem, and so prepares a double
,hre-resisting shield about the vitals Of
the young tree. This is the reason
why FIRE, which has kept down the
growth Of evergreen oaks In parts OF
Florida, for example. has made a pure
forest OF pines in a region where oaks
thrive s~plendidly when they are so
placed as to be beyond the influence of
forest fires.
The San Juan County index. (Aztec, N.M.) 1890-19??, 1900-03-23

THE cures which we have to resort
to are in many cases." said the head
physician of one of the largest Scot
fish lunatic asylums, "as curious as
our patients whims. One patient had
for six years been under the delusion
that his head was turned the wrong
way physically. We put him In a
chair, tied him securely, and then.
having blindfolded him. gave him an
electric shock. He got up crying with
delight, and after that moment he was
the same as you or 1. Another de-
clared he was topheayy. We weight
cd his feet with two three-stone
weights and left him for a day.
Whether the extra weight effected the
cure or not / do not know, but he to-
day holds a very responsible position
under the government, and is one OF
the clearest-headed men / know.
Another thought that If he went to
sleep the world would stop moving.
We dosed him with chloroform. When
he awoke twelve hours later and
found everything all right he wepi
with JOY, then turned over and went to
sleep again, waking six hours later,
sane"
The San Juan County index. (Aztec, N.M.) 1890-19??, 1900-03-23
Mashlns to rs.ch asnlnrr.


There are few pieces Of apparatus
which will assist in teaching geology.
One Of the most interesting was de-
signed by Prof. @. A. Lebour Of Dur
han College Of Science. Newcastle-on-
Tyne. The machine is for making
folds Of rock, and as may be readily
understood. a large number Of fold
forms of rocks can be Reproduced, and
their consequences, such as thrusts,
faults, etc, can be demonstrated. It
consists Of two parallel wooden rollers
about three feet apart and four inches
in diameter. A shaft turns the two
rollers in opposite directions by
OF toothed bevel wheels, the shaft itself
being driven by a worm-wheei and
worm. One turn OF the handle causes
only 1-48th of the turn of the shaft
and rollers. SO that a very slow motion
can be impaired to the latter. A sheet
Of india rubber is firmly attached by
a slot n screwed to each roller, This
completes the arrangement. the rollers
being wound through about one entire
revolution and the india rubber being
thus stretched, and layers Of cloth,
clay, paste, or other material are laid
upon It. The handle is then turned
In the reverse direction, and the india
rubber is gradually released. Folds ere
in this way shown slowly growing, the
broad elastic band Stimulating the con
traction of a portion Of the earth's
course and producing various geo
logical forms. Various weights nay
be applied and different effects can be
obtained, thus giving an idea Of the
results which have actually been pro
duced in nature under great pressure;
that is to say at great depths.-SciOn-
tifc American.
The San Juan County index. (Aztec, N.M.) 1890-19??, 1900-03-23
Do nallana snhmarIna naa..

The naval board appointed TO in
spect the submarine Holland, have re-
ported favorably on fulhllment Of all
tests desired in firing torpedos at sur
face and below when in full speed. The
chief engineer says: IT report my be-
lief. after full examination, that the
Holland Is a successful and veritable
submarine torpedo boat, capable Of
making a veritable attack upon the en-
envy unseen and undetectable, and that,
therefore, she is an engine Of warfare
Of terrible potency which the govern
ment must adopt into its service" It
is probable that several boats of the
Holland type will soon be built.
The San Juan County index. (Aztec, N.M.) 1890-19??, 1900-03-23

According to a foreman who has
worked much in caissons, n%ght-haired
men cannot stand the air pressure, and
the darker a mans complexion Is the
better Is he able to bear up under the
work. Here is another curious thing
about the work. When the men come
up from the low levels they are nearly
frozen inside. You see, the compressed
air. which is very cold, gets inside OF
them to equalize the pressure. Now
here's the queer thing; II the men
we're given whisky. It would kin them.
They thaw them out by putting them
in a hot bath and giving them large
quantities of hot coffee"
The San Juan County index. (Aztec, N.M.) 1890-19??, 1900-03-23

About ten years ago a Young widow
with three children went to New York,
seeking employment. The eldest child,
. boy Of IS, had been before the mast,
and his 5oyish boast Of the different
knots he could tie inspired an inven-
tive woman to order Of him a screen
Of tied rope. The effect was so odd
and beautiful that a paying industry in
ropework resulted. By the combined
efforts Of the family, M daughter has
been enabled to study art in Paris, the
other has lately graduated from Cor
nell, and the boy is a civil engineer OF
much promise in the government serv-
ice. MY resources are what we our
selves can do" said Frederick the
Great to his discouraged generals. The
dictum is no less applicable to each
inquirer today.
The San Juan County index. (Aztec, N.M.) 1890-19??, 1900-03-23
PRESENTING NT
OF a Physician Told Him EEaotly whar
Was Wanted.

VI q Fhysioian Told Him Exnotly What
Was Wanted.
Like everybody else" said a Ken
sington physician, Il have PRESENT.
ments; but my presentiments come
true oftener than other peoples. Here
is a startling case in point that hap
pened last week: A woman, in the
middle of the night, sent for me. Her
husband, a dangerously sick man, was
hiccoughing. The h~iccoughs were VIC
lent, and the patient was weakening
visibly under them. Well, / went there,
and l worked hard over him, but, dc
what l would, l couldn't stop his hic.
coughs. At daybreak he died. Then
l came home. That evening the woman
sent for me again. Now for the pre-
sentiment. On my way to make thi-
second call l felt absolutely sure that
on my arrival the woman would say
she doubted II her husband was quite
dead, and wished me to set her doubts
at rest by an examination of the body.
/ grieve to say also that l hoped the
man was quite dead, because, If he
shouldn't be, the error would damage
my reputation. 1 got to the house
and the woman's first words were:
Doctor, won't you go upstairs and see
if John is positively dead?' That re-
quest, which l had SO surely expected
together with my wicked dread of the
mans being alive, upset me so that
burst into an idiotic laugh and stood
there guifawing in the woman's face
Heaven knows what she thought. Their
l went upstairs and came down tire.
mendously relieved, because John,
grieve and at the same time rejoice tc
say, was quite dead after all."-Phila-
delphia Record.
The San Juan County index. (Aztec, N.M.) 1890-19??, 1900-03-23

one way Of Getting Monoy without
Famine ne out.

rhnning 70 out.
There are more ways OF making
money Off a claim than panning Il
out, said an Alaska miner who had
some luck with his pick and shovel
For instance. / knew Of a man of
means in the Dawson district who had
a claim which had failed to be as pro
htable as expected, and he didn't know
just what to do with It to get his
money back, until he had devoted
considerable thought to It. And it
was simple enough when he knew how.
He quietly went to the gold commits
sioner and announced that he wished
TO 20 his ten per cent royalty on the
product of his claim for a year. which
was $780, 900. The commissioner ac-
cepted the $4,000 royalty and gave him
the usual receipt, stating on It's face
what IL was for, with the nufh5er OF
the claim, location, etc. Then he
waited patiently about, like Marys
little lamb, and one day In the course
Of human events, an Englishman came
along looking for a good thing for
some people who had money to spend.
He asked Mr.. Blank, among others,
what he had to sell, and the smooth
gent told him he didn't know exactly,
but he would show him his goods.
They looked over several claims that
were practically unworked, and her in
a casual way, Mr.. Blank showed the
Englishman his receipt for royalty on
claim so and so. And you know, he
said with a wink, that a man isn't
paying royalty on any more than he
a possibly help The Eng,ishman
was right on to that little game, Of
course, and he sized up the $4,000 re-
ceipt, looked over the claim in a gem
eral way and ended by buying it for
$150,000 Washington Star.
The San Juan County index. (Aztec, N.M.) 1890-19??, 1900-03-23
FIGHT THE FIRE.
sEARCHLiOHT ON FIRE ENGINE
IN NEW YORK CITY.
TO Aid the Firemen in Lighting Up
DARK Piacea In ran Buildings THAT Are
Anre-It Is q succsss-Are SELF Reg
ulating.


Fire Chief Croker expresses himself
as being greatly pleased with the
searchlight Of the La France engine,
an exhibition test Of which was given
the other night in New York, Many
other officials Of the fire department
who we're present also spoke highly Of
the s%earchlight. superintendent Louis
Divien Of the La France company
worked the searchlights. There were
two Of them attached to the engine.
Each Of them was about eighteen
inches in diameter. They we're de-
tachable and we're worked both on and
of the engine. A small insulated wire
cable was fastened "a each light. In
front Of the engine house stands a
twelve-story building, and one Of the
s%earchlights was turned upon its up
per stories. The light illumined a cir
cular space about thirty feet in di-
The San Juan County index. (Aztec, N.M.) 1890-19??, 1900-03-23

The copper cooking utensils OF the
natives of India, which they have chung
to so tenaciously, despite the fact that
entire families were frequently wiped
out by poisoning therefrom, are now
being gradually replaced by aluminium.
The Introduction was brought about by
the English missionaries, who accom-
plished this great innovation only by
getting the natives interested in the
manufacture of the kettles and by
managing to utilize the native labor.
Woodworking tools and implements.
The San Juan County index. (Aztec, N.M.) 1890-19??, 1900-03-23

Henry" whispered the maiden in
some embarrassment as they stood in
the hallway, where the young and
handsome reporter was preparing to
say good night, Its dreadful of me.
l know, but I've been eating onions"
Great Scott, Fanniel" he exclaimed.
you don't think that's a scoop on me,
do you? / knew that as soon as /
came in."-Chicago Tribune.
The San Juan County index. (Aztec, N.M.) 1890-19??, 1900-03-23

Washington Spec New York Times:
A serubbing machine that will do
more scrubblng than many a charwom-
an, but which viii not diminish or de-
press the wages Of charwoman, has
been put Ia operation ia the navy de-
partment with appreciable success.
The scrubbing 0me work daily. to
tho number Of so. between 4 and 6
o'clock. and besides receiving $40
The San Juan County index. (Aztec, N.M.) 1890-19??, 1900-03-23


In his lecture on Nervous Vibra-
ton" before the British association,
Prof. Richet stated that a nerve once
stimulated never returned to its origi-
nal state; and, though the difference
was physically infnitesimal, psy-
chologically it was enormous, because
this permanent disturbance was the
physical basis Of memory. The period
of the undulation which constituted a
nervous impulse was most important;
u ideas could not be repeated often
er than ten or twelve times a second.
If we tried to think of a set of words
in succession, this speed could never
be exceeded. This period Prof. Riehet
termed the psychological "unit Of
time" If the rapidity we're greater.
sound, light and electricity would be
perceived as Independent undulationa
and not as continuous sensations; If
slower, we could perceive the motion Of
the hand of a watch or the growth Of
a tree.
The San Juan County index. (Aztec, N.M.) 1890-19??, 1900-03-23

The applicant for a position had ex-
pressed a willingness to do anything.
Suppose ! should ask You to go out
and pick a pocket" said the business
man.
"Oh, that's all right" wal the inno-
cent reply, I'm willing to do anything
to make an honest living Detroit
Free Press.
The San Juan County index. (Aztec, N.M.) 1890-19??, 1900-03-23
HoRsE-RAoINo ON LIE srAoE
Animals Run on what May BE Called
Trendmnls.

- NNA ny ~ 0NAA4M
Treadmllls.
In racing scenes the horses do run at
full speed; they run, however, not on
the fixed stage, but on what may be
called treadmills, which keep the
horses in front of the house for longer
or shorter periods, according as they
are moved quickly or slowly, says Cas-
sells Magazine. A picket fence, placed
between the audience and the course,
not only makes the scene more realis-
tic; 1t also hides the mechanism of the
treadmills. This fence has contributed
in another way to add to the effect by
being moved in opposition to the di-
rection of the horses, and so lending
to their apparent speed. AS to the
sounds made by the footballs Of horses
to be heard as though passing outside
an interior scene they are reproduced
by the dried hoofs Of dead horses, or
wooden limitations mounted on han
dies and hammered against surfaces
of stone, gravel, sod or whatever the
occasion may demand. They are also
more deliberately manufactured by re-
volving a cylinder with pins protrud-
ing from the surface. These pins are
arranged like the spurs on the hand
organ roller, to initiate trotting, gal
Looping or walking when struck against
other substances. If the sound Of a
carriage is to be added to the tram
pling Of horses, wheels are run IN sand.
The San Juan County index. (Aztec, N.M.) 1890-19??, 1900-03-23
PsealIar chrl.tma. custom.

~N ~"AAMNe NN"N"H
In n Of the Pacific islands the ma
tives have q peculiar Christmas GUS
tom Every Christmas day they oner
up sacrifices, but in whose honor they
have not the faintest idea. IL is sup
posed to be a relic Of some missionary
teaching, as these natives 2 stil hea-
thens.
The San Juan County index. (Aztec, N.M.) 1890-19??, 1900-03-23

Every mans heart is connected with
heaven by wireless telegraphy. The
stings Of remorse mean that God is
calling up" the operator. Blessed are
they that understand the wonderful
code, for when the heart beats with
mors they will answer asking for
forgiveness with the promise to do
better.
The San Juan County index. (Aztec, N.M.) 1890-19??, 1900-03-23

Gen. Butler promised to eat his
Christmas dinner in Pretoria, and has
been well ridiculed for his rash speech.
It may be recalled that in 1898, refer
ring to the war between England and
France, William Pitt, one of the great
est OF statesmen, confidently said:
This will be a short wor. II will GER
tainly end in one or two campaigns.
Yet it practically lasted twenty-five
years. Gen. Butler has erred in dis
tinguished company.