davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1901-10-20
TO PREVENT CAT CONCERTS.
Hardware Dealers Have Schemes for
Heading Them OF.

There are various kinds of catguar1s,'
said a dealer in hardware and kindred
supplies, but this is what We sell most
Of" and the sample he showed was n sec
tion of a guard that is made in yard-long
lengths and consists Of a board strip three
inches wide, surmounted by top of zinc
bent in the form of an inverted trough
and with its lower edges nailed to the
sides of the board strip. The zinc has at
regular intervals of an incn or two along
its ridge holes through which project
foot long spikes. This guard is nailed on
top of fence.
1T is not necessary" the hardware man
went on, Ito put the catguard along the
whole top OF a fence, but only at the
points of approach; that is TO say, at
places where the cat can get at the top.
Even the spryest cat cannot go right up
the sheer face of a high fence, and so
along such a section you don't want the
guard, but you do want it, for instance, at
the corners, where a cat could approach
your fence along some other and here
you want it for a little distance along
each angle.
This discovery was made for himself
by customer of ours who put a section
of the guard across the end of his back
fence Joined. This section of guard pro-
jected out a foot and a half on either
side clear of the top of the fence, and it
seemed impossible for any cat to get
around that. Nor could any cat get
around it, but the day this guard was put
up cat came along the top of neigh
boris fence, halted at that formidable
barrier, and looked II over carefully for a
moment. and then softly jumped over it.
That's why at fence angles we put up
strip along the top of each OF the
fences running from the corner; the cat
could jump over a strip placed simply
across its path, but it can't jump over
three feet of 1t placed lengthwise on top
of a fence
"Then people put II up on fence tops
away from corners wherever there is an
approach TO any particular spot from the
other side other than along a fence, as,
for example, along bars running from
fence top to fence top across the neigh
boring yard, such as clotheslines are at
tached to- Or there may be In the next
yard against the fence at some point a
flower stand, or some other object that
would AFFORD the cat means of approach !:
II so, you place a section of the guard
there.
I'm fact. the cat may reach the top OF
your fence in various and unexpected
ways. And our customer who told me Of
his experience with the cat that had cas-
lily jumped his first erected guard SAT-.
that he had found IL an interesting study
to observe the several ways by which the
cats had reached the top Of his fence,
some OF these being quite unlocked for,
and he had found then a further and far
greater pleasure in planning such ar
rangement of the catguard as would
serve effectually to keep them out. which
he had finally succeeded In doing.
There is. indeed, no doubt that with
this guard properly placed you can keep
the caterwauling cat OF your premises
and there is demand enough for such
things TO make catguards in one form
and another regular articles OF sale In
city hardware stores"
The Washington times., 1901-10-20

sailing tonnage owned in the United
kingdom are below the average by II 900
and 20,OO0 tons respectively.
Apart from vessels broken up. con-
demned, etc. the United Kingdom steam
tonnage lost during 1900 Is below the
average of the preceding nine years by
about 20,O00 tons, while the tonnage own
cd has increased during that period by
over 3, ,250O 900 tons. The summary exhibits
interesting data as to the relative fire.
quency of the different kinds of casualty.
etc. which conclude the existence of ves-
sells Strandngs and kindred casualties,
which are comprised upder the term
wrecked" are much of the most pro-
life cause of disaster. To such casualties
are attributable AZ per cent of the losses
of steamers and 45 per cent of the losses
of sailing vessels. The next most COM
mon termination of a vessels career is
by condemnation, breaking up, etc
about II per cent of the vessels removed
from the merchant fleets of the world
are accounted for in this manner OF
the remaining causes of loss, collision is
the most general for steamers (about II
per cent?, while for sailing vessels. cases
of abandonment at sea come next in or
der of frequency (also about Il per cent?.
ing vessels may perhaps be regarded as
frequently more or less similar in the cir
cumstances of loss. If these be taken col
lectively they comprehend 10 per ecent of
the losses of steamers and IS per cent of
the losses of sailing vessels.
The return has been compiled by
"Lloyd's Register in such a manner as
to enable a comparison to be made be-
tween the percentages of loss suffered by
each of the principal merchant navies in
the world. Great as the absolute annual
loss of vessels belonging to the United
Kingdom appears to be, it is seen to form
a very moderate percentage of the mer-
camille marine of the country, and to
compare favorably with the losses sus-
tanned by other leading maritime coun-
tries. The merchant nayies which exceed
a total of 100000 tons are those of the
United Kingdom, the British Colonies, the
United States of America, France, Ger
many, and Norway. OF these countries,
the United Kingdom and the British Colo
nies show the smallest percentage of loss.
namely, 2.S9 and Pa per cent,
respectively, of vessels owned; Ger
many follows with 329 per cent,
and Norway is the highest. with
6.39 per cent AS regards steamers, white
the percentage for the United Kingdom
stands at 1.95. the average of the percent
ages Of loss for the other five countries
show an average percentage of 500, as
compared with 4.01 per cent for the United
Kingdom. The percentages given at the
end of the preceding paragraph suggest
that steamers have a much greater inn
munity from disaster than have sailing
vessels. This inference is borne out if the
losses, etc, sustained by the chief re-
naming merchant fleets of Europe be also
taken into account. While the losses of
steamers amount only to 2 per cent of the
number and is per cent of the tonnage
owned, the losses Of sailing vessels reach
81 per cent cf the number and 46 per
cent of the tonnage.-London Mariner.
The Washington times., 1901-10-20

to the man and his pocketbook who at
tempts quiet game. The ordinary man
Is no match for the expert at sleight-of-
hand. aided by various devices and proba-
bly, by confederate or stool pigeon
With any ordinary pair of cards a
crooked" shuffier and dealer can place
his cards where he viii. With a stripped
pack he can do still better with less skill.
With acid fluid, or a color box, he can
prepare cards beforehand, so that he can
read the faces from the back as plainly
as If they were in sight, yet the cards
to tyro appear to be straight. y special
ring renders it possible to mark cards
while playing, and 1t is claimed that this
is one Of the best vantage tools" known
one that is used by the oldest profession
ais. 1t is Worn as rule, on the third
finger Of the left hand
The number and style of reffectors is
legion. There is the ring reflector which
can be attached to any ring, by which
the indicators can be read while dealing
the spy. attached to the knee. and the ta-
be reflector by which the cards may be
read as il they were face up
The holdout is still another simple me-
chanical device which usually escapes de-
lection. The vest holdout is sewn inside
the vest on the left side The sleeve hold
out, strapped to the arm above the elbow
can he used by man, with his coat on
or in his shirt sleeves. and often beat
skillful and professional players as well
as suckers" but the perfection of hold
outs is that used on a table, and any old
table VIII do. as it can be quickly attach
ed.
a slight movement of the knee brings
any desired card to hand, as the hand
rests naturally upon the edge of the table
and undesirable cards are quickly dis
carded and put out of sight Stripped and
marked cards, as well as apparatus men
toned, are freely advertised and sold, but
If one wants to cut his own strippers,
briefs, wedgers, rounds, or straights there
are trimming shears for that purpose
Dice as usually seen are of simple
dotted form, but craps are furnished with
eyes, scratch crescents, scratch VS., rs,
Ws, or RS, stars, arrow heads and a
variety of marks suggesting Egyptian
hieroglyphics.
These are advertised as fair dice as
well as loaded, and even the dice box is
not without its fake accessories. To ma
nipulate dice requires a certain amount
of dextsrity to substitute one for the 9TH
er. and experts provide themselves with
expensive smoked, wavy, or transparent
dice to insure their own protection.
These and many other aids for crooks,
are not imaginary inventions, but are
only too real. If you are not a crook, you
can get quite an insight into the business
conducted by takers by getting a cata-
logue in which these goods are advertised
freely and openly in terms which need
no explanation.
Yet the temptation to get much for lit
tie, something for nothing, TO fiirt with
coquettish fortune is often Irresistible,
and although a man may know he will
be cheated, is being cheated, and has been
cheated, he will take one chance in a
million of beating the game. For NOR
al. when you feel disposed to tempt for
tune. take 'Punch's" advice to those
about to marry.-Boston Globe.
The Washington times., 1901-10-20
FATHER NEPTUNE'S TOLL.
Annual Statistics of Maritime Cas-
uaIties by LIoyd's Register.

The statistical summary of vessels to-
tally lost. condemned, etc, published by
"Lloyds Register" shows that during
1900 the gross reduction in the effective
mercantile marine of the world amount
ed to s4S vessels OF 6T7, 1872 tons excluding
all vessels of less than 100 tons. OF this
total 2S6 vessels Of 2sG. .3q tons were steam
ers, and $50 of 2e0.s78 tons were sailing
vessels AS regards steamers, the pres
ent return exceeds the average of the
previous nine years by 1s vessels and H,H5i
tons; as regards sailing vessels, it is be-
low the average by 274 vessels and S3,96S
tons. The figures relating TO steam and
The Washington times., 1901-10-20
just Once.

(From the Chicago Tribune)
1t was Charley's first game of golf. His
patient friend had taken him sadly around
the eighteen holes and watched him hack
the ball into small bits and cut up the
green as though it had been piowed by
shrapnel. After the game Charley and
his patient friend were talking to a few
of the golfers on the clubhouse veranda.
THAT was a beautiful shot you made
this afternoon, Charley" said the patient
friend.
Charley frightened up and flushed hap
PLY, while the young women looked at
him admiringly. (Which one?' he asked.
eagerly.
why" said the patient friend, the
time you hit the ball"
The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1901-02-28
Relief Corns Officers.

The annual meeting OF the Woman
National Relief Corps for Maine was
held at Lewiston last week in conDoe-
ton with the Grand Army encampment
at Auburn. The meeting Was largely
attended and interesting. Officers for
the year were elected as follows
President, Mrs. Sarah j Ross, New.
port; Senior Vice President. Ms. Azuba
o. Bagley, Lewiston; Junior Vice Pres
ident, Mrs. Annie l.. Stiles, Sprngvale
Treas, Mrs. Rose Graham, WestbrOok
Chaplain, Mrs. Rose T. Holt. Fairfield
Executive Committee, Mrs. Ella Jordan
Mason. Biddeford; Mrs. Sarah f Put
nam, Dlxfield; Mrs. Laura f. Stevens,
Portland; Mrs. Jennie L. Day, Gorham,
and others.
The following were the appointments
by the incoming president; Secretary,
Mrs. Emma l.. Shaw, Newport; Inspec-
tor, Mrs. Cora l.. Parker. Skowhegan ;
Counsellor, Mrs. Hattie c. Sprague,
Bangor; l. and /. Officer, Mr.. Ella
Jordan, Bethel; Patriotic Instructor,
Mrs. Jennie 2. S. Whitney Gorham.
The election of officers OF the
Woman's State Relief Corps 10 conven-
ton assembled Wednesday afternoon
at Auburn, resulted as follows:
State president, Mrs. y |. Sawyer of
Bosworth, No. l OF Portland; vice
president, Mrs Emma Stevenson, Heath
No. 2, Gardiner; secretary, Mrs Ellen
Lang of Bosworth, No. |, of Portland
treasurer, MIS-. Fidelia Wentworth.
Bosworth, No. |, of Portland; chap.
lain, Mrs. Julia McKeene of T. Ii
Marshall, No. % of Belfast; conductor,
Mrs Rose Merrill of Wilson. 81, North
Turner; guard, Mrs. f. G. Winship
Sheridan, No. s. Biddeford; past State
president, Mrs. E. Fitzpatrick of w. s.
Heath, No. ID, Waterville; directors, /
Mrs. Emma Mcdonald, j. F. Appleton
IL, Pennington; ,, Mrs. Harriet Burr
Burnside, No. 10, Auburn; 3, Mrs. Myrs
Besse, Knox, 81, Lewiston; 4, Mrs. c.
5. Morse, S. j. Cakes, A, Oldtown; 5
Mrs. 2. j. Emerson, Weld Sargent
Boothby Harbor. The Corps expect.
to convene for the 20'h annual al
Augusta in February, 1902
The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1901-02-28

From 100000 of population in 1900
we are 1000 900 in 1900. From having
little rank in agriculture aud none what
ever in manufactures, our productions
now enable this enormous population to
live far better than did our forefathers
one hundred years ago, and the surplus
of our farms and factories is entering the
markets and succeeding in competition
all over the world. For IA hundred years
the debtor nation, we enter upon the
twentieth century banker for all the
governments of Europe. We have chang
ed the continent which was wilderness
beyond the fringe of settlements on the
Atlantic coast, to great cities, thriving
villages, prosperous farms and active in
dustries on the plains and IN the noun
tains from the Atlantic to the Pacific,
and from the Gulf of Mexico to the Ar
tic Circle. Our railroad lines, covering
the country with network of steel, in
connection with transportation facilities
on the inland lakes, rivers and canals,
have given tn us an internal commerce
greater than that of all the inter. changes
OF all the nations of the earth by rail
and water. In length of lines we num-
Der nearly one-haf the mileage of the
railways of the world. Chauncy M.
DepeW.
The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1901-02-28
Maine Central Institute.

The winter term closes March for q
two weeks vacation. The last three
days of next week will be devoted tc
final examinations.
Miss Vlckery, Bates 1901, is supplying
the vacancy In the teaching force caused
by the sickness of Miss Files.
Miss DeMeritte, national treasurer OF
the Woman's Missionary Society, made
some very helpful remarks at the close
OF the chapel exercises, Tuesday mort
ing.
The winter number of NJ. G. /. has
just appeared. In this edition the alumni
OF the school are appealed to for hearth
est support that the school paper may
reach II higher degree of excellence.
Prof. Laudman has barely managed tC
attend his classes for the past two week
owing to the grip.
The Washington social in Powers hal
Thursday evening, proved to be an en-.
joyable time. Besides the usual marches
a pleasing program WAS rendered.
The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1901-02-28
Prices of Beef.

The Maine Farmer makes the follow
ing prediction
1.-THE price of beeves is slowly but
surely stiffening up with no periods of
falling back to lower values. This is in
accord with what the Farmer has been
claiming was in store for those who had
the faith to take hold and secure the
advantages in promise. And the best
part now is, there is nothing less in
promise for long years to come. The
farmer with good cattle on hand is all
right"
The advance of beef is trifle hard
on the consumer but is in the interest
of the producer Farmers of Maine
realize that those who cut down their
neat cattle and sheep made great
mistake. 1t will take some time to get
back to the former numbers but it can
be done and in the end it will pay.
One advantage of the advance in
beef to the farmer is that other lines
of meats advance in sympathy with it
and thus there is an indirect as we'll as
a direct benefit resulting from this
advance.
The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1901-02-28
STATE AND GENERAL.

The dates for the Maine State Fair
have been fixed for the first full week
in September, and the officers are or
ganizing for many new features in all
departments. Look for striking novel
ties this year.
Mrs. Charles W. Fairbanks, wife of
the senior Senator from Indiana, has
been elected president general of the
National Society of the Daughters of
the American Revolution. Mrs A. A.
Kendall was elected vice president
general for Maine.
National flags were hoisted over the
American embassy and consulate at
London FRIDAY morning in honor of
"ashington's birthday, but the usual
ambassadorial reception and the Ameri.
can society banquet have been abandon
ed owing to the Queens death.
Booth Brothers and the Hurricane
Isle Granite Company, of Rockland
were awarded a contract to furnish
the material tor large office building
to be erected at Pittsburg, Penn. Work
on the contract will begin at once, and
it will give employment to a large mum
Der of men.
The Nova Scotia government returns
for 1900 show that the production OF
gold in Nova Scotia was $4,000 ounce,
valued at $4,000 This is the SECOND
highest annual yield since gold wa.
first discovered in 1860. The estimat
ed yield of 1901 is $4,000 ounces owing
to new finds
Major w. L. Clayton of Bangor. who
was elected department commander OF
the Maine G. a. K. on Wednesday. al
the annual enoampment at Auburn, ha.
made two appointments to his personal
staff. His assistant adjutant general i,
TO be Fred E, sprague of Bangor, and
his assistant quartermaster general il
to be Captain Henry f. Seiders, also OF
that city.
Rear Admiral Hichboru. chief con.
structor of the navy, will surrender his
office on Saturday, after over 40 years
of active service. He does not retire
by operation of law until March {. but
has decided to spend the last few DAYS
of his career in active service away
from the department, and will leave
Sunday for Florida, where he will re.
main during the balance of the winter.
The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1901-02-28
Why Bees work In Darkness

Bees go out all day gathering honey
and work at night in the hive, building
their combs as perfectly as If an cleo
trio light shone there all the time
Why do they prefer to work in the
dark? Is often asked. Every one knows
that honey is liquid with no solid
sugar in it. After standing it gradual
ly assumes a crystalline appearance
or graduates and ultimately becomes
a solid mass.
Honey has been experimentally in
closed in well corked TASKS, some of
which were kept in perfect darkness,
while the others were exposed to the
light. The result was that the portion
exposed to the light soon crystallzed,
while that kept in the dark remained
unchanged.
Hence we see why the bees are so
careful to obscure the glass windows
which are placed in their hives. The
existence of the young depends on the
hquidity of the saccharine food pre-
sented to them, and if light were allow
ed access to this 1t would in all prob
ability prove fatal to the inmates Of
the hive.-Weekly Bouquet.
The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1901-02-28
q. a. IL. Resolutions.

Following are the resolutions adopted
at the Maine Department Eucampment
G. A. r. at Auburn, last week:
Resolved, That the Department OF
Maine, Grand Army of the Republic,
assembled at Auburn In its 34th meeting
Feb. 10, 20, 1901, strongly urge that the
court of appeals on pensions recommend
ed by the committee on the part of the
National Encampment, G. A. r., be
promptly appointed and organized, in
order that the sixteen thousand or more
cases of claims for pensions, held up
by the Pension Department, be settled
at the earliest possible time, as our
comrades, and those dependent upon
them, ought not in justice to be allowed
to wait for death to settle any reason
able claim requiring adjudication.
Resolved, That it is the desire of a
large majority of the comrades
of the Department of Maine
that in the appointment of those in
authority In the Pension Bureau under
the incoming administration at Wash
ington, 1t be the policy to put only
those in power over pension claims who
are friendly to the requirements and
dues of the old soldier and sailor and
such as will give in their Interpretation
of the pension laws the spirit and in
tention CT the several acts rather than
their technlcalities, in order that no in
justice and delay occur in any existing
claim
The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1901-02-28

In abiding to the ice business in Maine
the Boston Journal very pertinently says
The conditions which have brought
about the virtual abandonment of the ice
business in Maine-whatever their cause
may be-are extraordinary. With a
crop on the kennebec amounting annual.
ly to about 1,275,0 900 tons, and on the
Penobscot to about 400, 900 tons, the ice
business has been no small part of
Names commerce; and If this commerce
is to be allowed to stand still when there
is an abundant crop on the Hudson, then
the effect, not alone on the Maine work.
men but also on ice consumers through
out the East, will be costly.
The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1901-02-28
CAN'T EVADE IT.
Positive Proof from SkOwhegan Can't
Be Brushed Lightly Aside.

The reader IS forced to ac-
knowledge that convincing
proof IN his own city is pre-
eminently ahead of endorse
ments from everywhere else
in our Republic. Read this:
Mr.. l.. l.. Morrison OF Al Water ST..
Milburn block, says: "Shortly after 3
fall on the icy sidewalk marked symp-
toms of kidney trouble developed |
got Doau's Kidney Pills down stairs in
Patterns drug store. The first dose
made some slight improvement and l
was actually relieved some in three
hours. After used that box | got an
other and am pleased with the result.
met a friend who had kidney com
plant bad some time ago and | asked
him if he had ever used Doan's Kidney
Pills. He replied no | said to him,
well, you go and get box. They will
do you good for they helped me- can
be found in my office at any time and
will always have minute to give inqui-
ries my opinion"
For sale by all dealers; price 50 cents.
Mailed by Foster Milburn Co., Buffalo,
N. Y, sole agents for the u. s.
Remember the name-Doans sand
take no substitute.