The Butte inter mountain., 1902-04-30
PEOPLE WE MEET.

Some man whose knowledge Of mining
matters Is not limited has discovered
way of igniting blasting fuse under
water" said Charles Mcdonald, Occur
d'Alene miner at the Thornton hotel to-
day, "and 1t will be one OF the most use-
full inventions ever sent down a shaft. 1t
makes fire under water and renders II
possible for miners to set off shots In the
wettest holes ever encountered.
ut is little cartridge-like contrlv-
ance." he continued, resembling a 10
grain capsule and is painted red. BY
means of a crimper It is fastened to the
end of a fuse, and at will the miner can
strike Ii like a match on the rock, his
boot or drill. Water has no effect on
the ignlter, for once the fuse Is lighted 1t
generally burns.
Men working in wet mines sometimes
have half dozen holes drilled and
ready to shoot but the water running
out of the rock prevents them from light
ing the fuse, and considerable time Is
lost. Sometimes one can split the end of
the fuse and get 1t started before the
water vets the contents Of the cap, but
where there is water the chief difficulty
is In reaching the fuse with lighted
candle. The new igniter defies water.
bubbles and light smoke / saw one
lighted and placed in pail of clear
water. 1t seemed as IL the bottom of the
pail was burning, the result being smoke
and beautiful red reflection of fire.
After the fire had died away the water
became calm, but was of a smoky hue
and tasted like sulphur"
Iii, t,.a, Il, aot IL
way early this morning that would make
the old river Meander look like a bee line.
His gait was so artistic and his express
sion of abandon so entirely complete,
that passers-by who watched him on his
devious way felt little sorry for him
as he bumped into the big policeman at
the corner.
Whats the matter?" said the officer,
with pretended indignity, as the inebriate
single-footed 1t towards an electric light
pole.
"Stenuatin' circumstances" was the
semi defiant reply.
What are the circumstances"
"Well, beer drivers-all goin strike
t'morrow--no more beer f'r a month
(hic)-thought I'd just lay In supply
tha's ALL
And the man with the supply staggered
on while the big policeman sauntered off
grinning.
standing I'm front of the Fifth Avenue
hotel in New York the other day. talk
ing to a New York friend, / made bet
and won" said travelling man at the
Thornton today.
II saw man coming along by the
Worth monument and he had his hands
thrust deep into his trousers pocket.
~ never saw that man in my life
but I'll bet So he is from the West,
remarked.
my friend looked at me and said that
he'd take a chance, and as the man
crossed Broadway and came down by
us. / stopped him and politely told him
of the bet.
You win he said, turning to me,
I'm from Omaha. Then he went on
my friend wanted to know how
knew he was from the West and frankly
said that II he didn't know me he would
believe that l was a confidence man
and that the stranger was ringer.
81 told my friend that | knew the
man was from the West because he had
his hands in his pockets.
"You may not know it, but you never
see a purely Eastern man walking along
the street with his hands in his trousers
pockets He may have his hands down
In the pockets OF his overcoat II 1t is
buttoned, but otherwise they are always
swinging at his side. I've noticed 1t
time and again. On the other hand,
a Western man viii invariably walk
with his hands in his trousers pockets.
on moderately chilly days he will have
his undercoat buttoned and his over
coat opened. I've won good many 50
bets on that proposition
"I suppose you have heard that May
day Is the great annual moving day Tor
the people who live in rented houses, In
New York state" former resident OF
the empire commonwealth remarked to-
day.
II have heard something of the kind, =
was the reply.
"Well, did you ever hear about the
| cats that walked back?"
mo, can't say I did"
"That happens the day after the moy-
| ing" said the New Yorker
| Then he related how Brooklyn bridge
Is lined with two professions of cats
returning to their old homes the day
after the moving takes place.
Every year on the first day of May
many families move from Brooklyn &c
New York and a great many other fam
| lilies move from New York to Brooklyn
| and every year on May the cats &c
back across the bridge to the homes they
have been torn from. Hence there are
two long professions of cats on the
bridge going in opposite directions every
May 2.
"That must be a pathetic and touch
ing sight" commented the listener, "bu
| Butte can never have a parade like thai
because the people here do not move or
one day"
|
| Montana Banks