davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-09-17
Swiss Town to Abolish rnsl.

The town of Davos, writes Swiss
correspondent, is considering bold
scheme for the abolition of all the or
binary forms of fuel. 1t is proposed to
erect an extensive electric plant at the
confluence of two large mountain tor
rents, whose united waters will supply
the necessary motive force. A large
firm of Swiss electricians has been
studying the problem for over a year,
and has obtained the concession of the
forces of the torrents alluded to. The
same firm has bought out new electric
heating and cooking apparatus espec-
tally designed for the scheme. The first
cost of the installation is estimated to
be 100000 francs. Already electricity
is not only used for lighting and mo-
tive power, but is adopted in many viii
lagos for cooking and heating and in
one of the largest bakeries. The idea is
to do away with all contamination OF
the air by the use of fuel.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-09-17

The present, when the development
of their Oriental trade is one of the
chief concerns of civilized nations, is
an exceptionally fitting time for the
dedication of a monument to the man
who did more than any one other in
dividual to give western nations an
opening in the east. The man was
Commodore Matthew Calbraith Perry,
member of family whose name oc-
cupies an honored place in the naval
history of this country, and himself
one of the most illustrious sailors ever
in command of an American ship. His
memory was honored July IA by the
dedication of monument erected by
Japanese, on the spot where his foot
first tread the soil of the Mikado's
kingdom, As years ago. The visit OF
Perry, according to an eminent repre-
sentative of the Japanese empire, was
''the turning of the key which opened
the doors of this country to friendly in
tercourse with the United States and
subsequently to the people of Europe.
Matthew CaIbraith Perry
was the son of Christopher Raymond
Perry, who fought on privateers in the
revolutionary war and made numerous
voyages to the East Indies in the mer-
camille marine. OF this veteran COM
mander's two sons, Oliver Hazard
Perry acquired the greater distinction
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-09-17

time immemorial, been the refuge of
outlaws and bandits. The legend sub
sisted for some days. and ex-
cited new interest in life in Cor
sica. and quite a large demand for
copies OF Colombia" But conversa-
ton which | had with the JUICE din
struction who had investigated the
case proved that 1t was, after all. as
he expressed 1t. crime vulgaire. and
not. as we had hoped. crime corse.
We afteTward had the satisfaction of
seeing the malefactor led in chains
between two mounted policemen on
his way into Ajaccio. whereas, the ira
dltional bandit would have been fed
and supplied with powder and shot by
the country people, who would have
rather gone to the stake than betrayed
his hiding place to the authorities.
Here and there vendetta may still lin
ger in the island, but 1t has now be-
come a means of attracting the tour
list, who is invited to buy bloodthirsty-
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-09-17
A. TO "IdeaLr."

1t is said that London financiers
take the projected continental boycott
of American goods seriously, and that
some of them are inclined to believe
thai England should take part in it.
Their view is that the menace of Amer
lea is not merely matter of trade. They
profess to regard the question from a
highly moral standpoint. They saw it is
no advantage to the world that a great
nation should dominate 1t with ideals into
which, they allege, nothing except money
can enter and with system of govern
menr in which money is the controllino
power. The ideals of Europe have ever
been higher than that, and to drop To
the American standard would be fatal
erroS.
SID, isn't it? The United States is
the only country which has engaged
in war within the last forty years
from any but selfish motives. Its res
cue Of the Cubans was the only niece
of pure knight-errantry seen in that
time. Europe allowed the Armenians
to be tortured and massacred because
no European power could trust the
others where there was plumber in
sight. For the same reason Eurone
permitted the Sultan to trample on the
Greeks. England is engaged at pres
emit i'll stamping the life out of two
little republics for their gold mines
Americans have the knack of getting
money, but they part with it more Law.
ishly than any other people in th,
world. They help to support the i'm
pecun!ous aristocracy of Eurone
which is willing to barter its soul fo
American dollars. Mr.. Frederic Harr;
son said that the impression produce,
upon him by Americas educational no
sources was that their volume wac q
least Ten times that of the resource
devoted to the same purpose in Emo
land. More money is given awav fo
education every year in America no,
in all Europe in ten years. In Amer
lea money is often priced as a maan
to noole ends; in Europe it is sough
for selfish enjoyment. Above All -
nance still survives in America 81
marriages are still made for low,
When people in Europe cease r. 90
themselves into matrimony thew mo
talk about their ideals" and d.,
cate the error of dropping to ~
American standard"
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-09-17

to the harbors OF the Mikado's realm.
He had four men of war in his expe-
dition and one bright morning in July
they entered the bay of Tedo and put
into the memorable landing place OF
Gorihama, now called Kierihama. The
anchors had hardly gripped bottom ere
the vice governor of Uraga-the town
Immediately abreast the s'aips-set out
for the squadron followed by feet of
guard-boats to surround the vessels.
Great was his surprise to see his police
craft ordered from the ships sides at
the point of bayonets and open
mouthed guns and even he was not adj
mitted to the flagship until his purpose
was fully stated. When permitted to
board finally he was met only by dele
gates Of the unseen commodore-for
the sake of added impression created
in name "Admiral"-and he was in
formed that the great admiral would
hold no intercourse personally with
any one short of the emperor or one
of his counsellors, and that he came
bearing a message of peace from the
president of the United States who
should be spoken of in the same ex-
allied terms only applicable to the en-
peror himself After several days of
ceremonial intercourse. meeting with
the emperor was finally arranged and
took place on the morning of Thurs
day, July IA. The result of this meet
ing was a temporary arrangement ia
vorable to the United States. The fol-
lowing year, Perry went on another
expedition to Japan, when the ports
were thrown open to Americans by a
treaty which is still in force.
Four years after this great work OF
his life was accomplished, Perry passed
away-March 4, 1858.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-09-17
VENDETTA IN CORSICA.
ancient. bloody Custom OF That Coun
try Has Greatly DIminished.

ancient. bloody Custom OF That coun-
try Has Greatly DIminiahed.
Persons who derive their Ideas Of
Corsica as It is today from Prosper
Merlmee's novel, Colombia" will be
doomed to some disappointment Man
ners and customs have changed great
deal In the island since the date,
shortly after the battle of Waterloo,
when the gallant British officer and
his daughter visited COLOMBIA In her
ancestral castle at Pietranera. The
vendetta. which is the theme of that
thrilling story. has greatly dimin-
tshed. During the carnival we fam
cied that we had come upon real
instance of this picturesque barbar-
ISM One workman killed another in
a cafe. and then. in the expressive
Corsican phrase. took to the maquis,
or brushwood. which covers large
portion of the island. and has. from
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-09-17

drill or a short circuit in the electric
wiring is liable to set it off any mo-
ment.
This oil, by the way although so
troublesome to the contractors, is
likely to be the cause of rapidly devel-
oping the surrounding country. The
oil has a parafTine base and is ex-
tremely valuable. Already number
of companies have been formed to
prospect the neighboring hills.
What will be encountered in the re-
naming 600 feet no one can tell. We
understand that bets are even betweeni
the laborers who prophesy milwaukee,
beer and those who are looking for
what is known in Kentucky as Noun
tain Dew.
The length of this tunnel will be
about 5000 feet, and the cost some
thing prodigious, but when completed
it will be a monument to the enter
prise and perseverance of the Union
Pacific officials that will apparently
endure for thousands of years.
The rest of Friday was spent on the
run to Salt Lake City, short stops be-
ing made at Evanston and Ogden.
Over $15,000,000 have been expend-
ed in these various improvements. AS
a result of them the Union Pacific has
not only much the shortest line across
the Rockies, but one simply incompar-
able for the ease of it's grades and the
smoothness of its tracks. 1t is said
! that the fuel consumed by asrailroad
averages forty per cent. of the entire
operating expenses. 1t will be seen,
/ therefore, what an enormous saving
there must be when this bill can be
! cut right in two. This the Union Pa
cific has succeeded in doing.
To President Burt, more than to all
others, is due the credit for these
changes. 1t was he who had the
nerve to go before board of directors
and ask for the enormous sum men
toned above, not to open up new ter
ritory or to build new lines, but sim
ply to improve an already existing
line. Railroading is more than almost
any other, a business of to-day. Off
Gals and boards of directors are con-
stantly changing. Not one of those
connected with the road to-day may
be with it five years hence. For this
reason Mr. Burt's daring and success
is the more noteworthy. 1t can be ex-
planned in only one way, and that is
that the money kings of the East have
prodigious confidence in the quick
development of this western country,
and in the enormous growth of our
trade with the Orient.
The people of Denver and Colorado
should be especially interested in
these improvements. Anything that
adds to the ease of communication be-
tween Colorado and Utah benefits
both. Three things are essential to
ideal railroad raveling-safety, COM
fort and speed. In each of these re-
spects no other line can compare with
J the Overland Route"
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-09-17
DENVER TO SALT LAKE CITY
VIA THE UNION PACIFIC RY.

tween the steel and the walls on all
sides to make 2 thick backing of Port
land cement. The bore of this part of
the tunnel was also changed to an egg
shape form, as being best able to re-
sist pressure. This shale extended
for 700 feet. and increased the cost of
the tunnel by hundreds of thousands
of dollars. The visitors were shown
five-acre lot which was covered over
thick with the broken and twisted
beams taken from this part of the tun-
mel.
Soon after the shale had been
passed through large flow of water
was encountered, and as in this end
of the tunnel the grade is toward the
breast, an expensive pumping plant
had to be installed.
The next obstacle was strong vein
of oil, accompanied by dangerous
gases. Notwithstanding the utmost
precautions, several serious explo-
sions have already occurred It gath
ers in dense clouds along the roof Of
the tunnel, where spark struck by a
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-09-17
THE MIDDLE-AoED WOMAN.
Not June's LOvellnes, but the Glory of
October.

Not June's Lovellness but the Glory of
October.
She sees, or thinks she sees, neglect
and lack of appreciation on every
side. Even the fashion magazines for
get her needs and cater largely to
those who are young. So she either,
quite inexcusably, allows herself to
subside into a nonenity or else she
fills her dressing table with lotions,
and creams, and massage rollers and
enter upon a combat with youth. She
starves her mind sometimes she neg
leots her soul, that she may find time
to use her many appliances to urge
back retreating youth. What the mid
dle-aged woman needs most of all is a
better understanding of her privileges
and of the amenities of her position.
Let her refresh her mind and comfort
her heart by glance at the fragile
dainty blossom and the golden fruit, at
the lovely rosebud and the gracious
rose, which is odorless until all its pet
ais are unfolded and its golden heart
exposed. Let her look at the loveliness
of June and then at the glory of Octo-
Der. Then let her remember that she
is October. Let her remember that the
youth of creation was chaos, and that
the completed universe is maturity.
Then will she understand the chorus
of the morning stars. Then will she
wonder at the mad chase after fleet
footed youth. Youth which accepts
happiness in place of joy; the false
for the true: the unknown for the
knowable; the shadow for the sub
stance; the apparent for the real. Then
will she know that her years are jew
els. The middle-aged woman should
lend herself to all sweet and pervading
emotions. She could give herself to the
varied influences of pictures, of sculp-
lures, of music, of literature and Of
sweet and noble thoughts She should
watch the splendor of the dawn and
the glory of the night. She should
thrill at the grandeur of the tempest
as we'll as the peace of the sunlit
MINDLESS sky. She should be compass
sionate, she should be loving, she
should be true. Then will a charm
more potent than that of youth abide
with her, and her gracious influence
will make her an added power of gooC
in needy world.-Ledger Monthly.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-09-17
HoRATIo ]. sPRAGUE.

and most eminently gratifying to the
department at Washington. The aged
consul was born at Gibraltar Aug. II
1928 His father was a Bostonian,
who settled in the great fortress town
soon after the war of 1912 and became
a permanent resident. In 1S45 young
Sprague was made consul and re-
NAMED in that Office for fifty-three
years. He served under fourteen pres
idents and personally entertained
three of them who visited Gibraltar
after leaving the White House. These
were Fillmore, Pierce and grant. The
consul was a warm friend of Admiral
Dewey and when the hero of Manila
stopped at the Rock on his way home
Mr.. Sprague took charge of him for
time and Hospitality entertained the
famous sailor. During the war of the
rebellion Mr.. Sprague was in a most
delicate position, but he carried it off
with great credit to himself and to
The cause of the North. In the late
Spanish war he was placed in even a
more exacting situation, but he met it
capably and WELL Although he had
visited this country but once he was a
patriotic and enthusiastic American
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-09-17

Green River and Bryan. lie Roy and
Evanston. Altogether there have been
built 1876 miles of absolutely new
track, there has been a saving of
thirty-one miles in distance and the
grade has been reduced to forty-three
feet to the mile.
All of Wednesday was spent in ex-
amining the improvements between
Cheyenne and Rawlins. or especial
interest to all was the powerful steam
shovel which was at work on Sherman
hill filling a long train Of freight cars
with the wonderful disintegrated
granite with which that region
abounds. Nearly cubic yard would
be taken at one SCOOP and freight
car would be filled every two minutes.
This disintegrated granite Is wonder
full material. It is not rotten rock, as
some may suppose. but live, bright
granite with sharp edges. 1t has sim
ply been subjected by nature to an
enormous crushing and grinding force,
which has broken IL In bits varying in
size from small shot to pieces as large
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-09-17

Rity. The latter has a national repu-
tation as a geologist and paleologist,
and added much to the pleasure of the
company by his description of the diff
ferent formations they examined. All
of the above gentlemen exerted them
selves to the utmost to make the trip
a pleasant one to their guests, and we
believe have the assurance that their
efforts were fully appreciated.
The train only moved in the day
time. The first night was spent in
Cheyenne. After breakfast Wednes-
day morning the whole crowd found
seats In the observation car, which
was pushed In front of the engine.
with Superintendent Parke's private
car between them, and prepared them
selves ito be shown"
Heretofore one of the most difflcult
pieces of track on the entire line was
that between Cheyenne and Laramie
Cheyenne has an elevation of $3.50
feet above sea level Sherman, thirty
three miles west, the top of the divide.
and the highest point between Omaha
and Ogden, has an elevation of S,247
feet. This made rise of 1900 feet
in thirty-three miles, an average grade
of sixty-six feet to the mile while the
maximum was over lightweight feet.
Although even this is less than that
encountered by any other railroad
crossing the mountains, still 1t Is a
pretty stiff climb. and a large number
of extra engines were kept constantly
employed in helping trains over the
hill. AS viii be seen by the map &C
companying this article, a very large
part of this line was entirely rebuilt
The work required the handling and
moving OF 100000 cubic yards OF
Sherman gravel and 100000 cubic
yards of hard granite rock and the
boring of tunnel / 800 feet long. To
the average reader these figures con
vey but little meaning. Some idea OF
the immensely of the work may, how
ever. be obtained when one is told that
there are three fills within a single
mile of track which contain enough
rock and disintegrated granite to bal
last the New York Central road from
New York to Chicago. Some idea OF
the cost may also be realized when
we are told that the contractors who
bored the tunnel received bonus OF
$160.000 more than the contract called
for, because they competed the work
several months earlier than was
specified In the contract. AS a result
of all this change the grade has been
reduced to forty three feet to the mile
An engine that before required q
helper to haul twenty freight cars
over the hill can now pull forty with
out help. The saving in fuel. in wages
and In repair of rolling stock is pro
digious.
Like changes. with grade reyisions
have been made between Howell and
Hutton's station Lookout station and
Medicine Bow. Hanna and Dana
Cooper's Lake and Lookout. Walcoti
and Fort Steele. Rawlins and Upton
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-09-17

as pigeons egg. 1t makes an abso-
lutely perfect ballast for a railroad.
as 1t will not blow away nor slip and
slide, but packs into a solid, homo
geneous mass. II Is gradually coming
into use also for paving city streets.
Denver has several so paved, Omaha
is experimenting with it, and recently
an expert from far-off Buffalo visited
the deposits for the purpose of deter
mining whether 1t would stand trans
portation so great a distance as to
that city
Wednesday night was passed at
Rawlins, and on Thursday the train
got as far west as Spring Valley. The
principal stops were made at Rock
Springs and Green River. At the
former place are worked the most ex-
tensive coal mines in the West. Be-
tween two and three hundred car
loads a day are shipped out the year
around. The company were taken
/ through one of the larger mines and
saw for themselves how the thing was
done. A short stop was also made at
Fish Cut, a little west of Green River.
where there are wonderful fossil beds.
1t was here Professor Marsh of Yale
college made his principal discoveries.
Near this point is one OF the most re-
markable cuts on the entire line, the
whole face of mountain having been
sliced off to get room for the track.
AS noted above, Thursday night was
passed at Spring Valley new town
that has sprung up at the eastern end
of the Aspen mountain tunnel. This
tunnel Is not yet completed, the head
ings being about 600 feet apart, but
both ends were visited by the party
on Friday morning. This tunnel is
the most expensive improvement on
the entire line. and its completion will
save greater distance than any
other. 1t is a very remarkable tunnel
in many respects In fact 1t is claimed
by the railroad officials to be the most
daring piece of railroad engineering
ever attempted on this continent.
They make this claim on account of
the difficulties encountered in prose
cutting the work. 1t was supposed the
mountain through which the tunnel
passes was of ordinary granite and
the contract was let on this basis. 1t
has proven, however, to be veritable
museum of wonders, each of which
taxed to the utmost the ingenuity of
the contractors. The first serious diff.
ficulty was huge mass of moving
shale. struck within 500 feet of the
western entrance to the tunnel. This
shale when exposed to the air swelled
up like a sponge, and its expansive
power was simply irresistible. Great
Oregon timbers twelve inches square
set as close together as they would
stand were snapped off like pipestems
1t was impossible to brace them Sc
they would hold. The floor of the tun
mel would sometimes bulge up -four
feet in single night 1t was finally
found necessary to replace the tim
bers with heavy steel beams, and be
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-09-17

We doubt II a more sumptuously
equipped train ever lett Denver than
that which pulled out of the Union
depot Tuesday evening, July 23d, con-
tanning about fifty newspaper men,
mostly from eastern cities, who had
been invited by the Union Pacific rail-
way to be their guests on a trip from
Denver to Salt Lake City and return,
with the special object OF noting the
improvements recently completed and
in progress along that line. The train
consisted OF three Pullman sleepers,
a dining car and the private car of
General Passenger Agent Lomax. At
Cheyenne the next morning there was
added an observation car and the pri-
vate car of superintendent Parke. AS
thus composed the train was carried
unbroken to Salt Lake City. Accom-
panying the party there were, in ad-
dition to Mr.. Lomax and Mr.. Parke,
Mr.. Griffin, the general agent of the
company at Denver. Mr.. Darlow, the
advertising agent of the road, and
Professor Knight of Wyoming univer-
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-09-17

The Vatican, the largest palace in
the world. will soon receive another
addition to its bulk. which will bring
up the number Of its rooms to $4,000.
The Pope has decided to erect three
new buildings. One, containing 800
rooms. will be used to house the pill
grims coming to Rome, while the
other two. which will be much smaller,
will be added to the Vatican Museum.
In the last mentioned buildings will
be placed all the artistic offerings that
Leo XIII. has received during his Pom
tificate.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-09-17
Luok Pieces ana Tal,.man.

A Wall street man carries seven
strange coins in his pocket for luck,
each being dedicated to a particular
day of the week. The loss of any one
would seriously upset him. A lawyer
proudly exhibits nine silver pieces
which he plays with when listening to
a client. He believes in the collective
power of nine. A newspaper editor car
ries at least dozen made of various
metals, from diminutive gold dollar
to a Spanish cart-wheel of copper A
sufferer from rheumatism wears a
magnetized ring on his finger, buck
eye in each pocket, sea-bean on his
watch chain, buckskin bracelet on
each ankle and copper soles in his
shoes. Another carries an Irish pota-
to in his pocket. having had 1t so long
that it is hard as a stone.-New York
Press.
The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-09-17

looking knives and daggers, bearing
such choice Inscriptions as Vendetta
Corsa; morte al nemico" ("death to
the enemy'O; or, even still more grew
some: Eva diritto al cuore del nem-
leo" eco straight to the heart of the
enemy") These choice weapons form,
together with gourds engraved with
portraits OF Napoleon, or the negroes
head. which is the Corsican crest, the
stable industry of MISUNDERSTANDING
ster Review.