The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-04-02
)CAL MASTERPIECE ON HISTORIC sWASTIKA

A class OF Government officials with
whom the general public seldom comes IN
contact, yet who give more time and
labor 10 the work In their respective de
partments than any other employees. are
the scientists who are attached TO the
National Museum. Among this number is
Prof Thomas Wilson. curator, department
Of prehistoric anthropology. who by his
efforts has made his branch Of the
Museum a standard on the subject OF
man his history and development
Such time as Prof Wilson has been
able 20 spare from his department he has
devoted TO the compilation Of valuable
works on matters pertaining to his special
branch OF study many OF which have
been published by the Government. and
have been eagerly sought for by scientific
men. not only of America. but Of many
foreign countries. Among his later works
The swastiks" holds pre-eminent place
on the list OF the many contributions on
the subject Of this symbol. the history OF
which is lost in antiquity.
The Swastika" is the most ancient
form OF the cross. and as a symbol IS
more widely dinused than any known to
man. From Japan in the extreme East
20 the two Americas. this curious sign is
found upon images. stone carvings. pot
terry. and various utensils and imple-
ments. the handiwork OF prehistoric man
and his latter day successors. BY the
Buddhists q is cIaimed that upon the
breast OF Cautuma. the beggar prince. who
renOunced throne 90 become the savior
OF countless millions. this symbol was
found at birth. In the pottery Of the
American Indians this symbol has fJrmed
the basis OF the principal design, while
in the mounds CT Georgia and Tennessee
Prof Wilson has discovered copper plates
bearing the same mysterious tracing.
Until recent years no work upon the
subject had been forthcoming from the
pen Of an American scientific writer
Prof Wilson. acting upon the grand
principle Of The Smithsonian Institution.
the diffusion Of knowledge among men
took up the task and By deep research md
arduous toll produced a volume devoted
to the migration of this curious zig-zag
cross which work has been pronounced
by his fellow leborers in the realms OF
archaeology and anthrOpclogy 10 be
knowledge Of the world.
Even TO the laity this book is interest
ing and Instructive and to the ordinary
student gives q vast fund OF information
regarding the progenitors OF our race
An examiner in the Patent Office. speak
ing Of the numerous railway accidents
that. by reason Of the loss OF life entaiIed.
have horriied the country time aud time
again. describes an appliance that pro-
poses TO eliminate from travel such dan
ger due 20 collision. A Southern inventor
who has made a study for years Of the
causes leading 10 railway disasters. and
who is al expert electrician. has forward
cd to the Patent once the plans and
specifications Of a device that has been
pronounced the most perfect Of its kind
ever invented
Upon the tender OF the locomotive is in
stalled 2 motor run by band over one
Of the axles OF the truck beneath. The
rails form one loop Of the circuit. while
wire laid over the centre OF the track
completes the other.
An ingenious device connects the motor
with the rails. and though the train be
moving at a seventy gait, the con-
tact is continuous.
Placed in the cab Of the engine is an in
candescent lamp. which lights when two
trains approach within a mile OF each
other. Should this signal go unheeded.
after the train has run a quarter Of a mile
an automatic attachment to the airbrake
is released and both trains will come TO
q stop within less than a quarter Of
mile. Said the patent examiner:
when the yearly loss to railways, due
to wrecks, and the comparatively small
cost Of equipping trains with this device
are considered. IL would be safe 10 say
that should II fulfill the expectations Of
competent critics, IL viii be adopted
throughout the country Very likely Con-
gress viii take some action regarding its
compulsory use, as Il did in the case OF
a safety coupler some years ago"
Major r. T. Wilson. chief clerk, Ad-
iutant Generals Office. War Department,
was a soldier OF considerable experience
during the war Of the rebellion. The
major is never so happy as when relating
some remarkably funny incident that oc-
eurred during his army life in the West.
While spinning a few goOd-natured yarns