davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-10
YANKEES IN BELGIUM
Brussels as a Headquarters
for Our Trade.
WHAT PEOPLE WANT
MACHINERY AND FURNITURE IN
GREAT DEMAND.
An Interview With the First Cont
mental Invader-European
Business Methods.
Copyright, 1902, by Frank G. Carpenter)
SnacioI Corrasnondapca of Tho Evening Star

Copyright, 1902, by Frank G. Carpenter)
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.
BRUSSELS.
The streets Of Brussels are torn up by
the American invasion. In front of the
stock exchange a crowd of blue-gowned,
black capped, clog-shod workmen are dig
gng out the old horse railroad and put
ting in an American underground trolley.
The road is roped off and the brokers have
to walk half square out of their wa. to
enter the bourse. At night lighted Ian
terms mark the confines of the work, and
all day the sound of the pick and the
hammer is heard. The work is under the
charge of the Americans, although they
are not directly on the ground. The ma
chinery is being put IN by the General
Electric Company of New York, which has
invaded many parts of Europe and Is
doing big business here. The Westing-
house company is competing with it. It
has an Office in Brussels and its electrical
supplies are found in all parts of the coun-
try.
There is good opening here for cleo
trical machinery. Many Of the cities have
no tramways and good-sized towns have
no electric lights. Belgium is cut up by
canals. now operated by horse power, and
at this writing horses are used to haul
many of the cars of Brussels itself. They
drag the cars not only along the tracks.
but on the cobbles. pulling cars weighing
two tons and, in addition, thirty passen-
gers over the rough stones. Our horses
could not do 1t, but these big Brabant
steeds are very elephants in harness and
they haul with ease loads that would stall
the American Percheron.
Brussels is fast adopting rapid transit.
The electric work is being we'll done, and
when completed the roads will be man.
aged on military principles.
The street car conductor here Is as gor-
uniform with brass buttons, his cap is cov-
cred with gold embroidery, and he keeps
himself as bright as though he came out
of a handbook.
Every conductor has a whistle or horn,
a bag for his money and receipt slips for
fares. He carries little metal tube with
a sponge in 1t upon which he vets his
fingers In tearing off the slips.
The car fares are low, ranging from 2
cents upward, according to class and dis
lance On some cars the first-class seats
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-10
va. theshrst to introduce into Europe. Said

was LIE IlISt W 1ntEOtAuCo AAASO ASS&Sx'~' -
ssThe Belgians live In fats which are sels
dom heated. They were glad to get the
radiators, and at the start sold thousands
of them at 50 apiece. This gave me big
profit, but the Germans and Belgians are
now making cheap limitations, and the
Swedes are sending In copy which Will
drive the American radiator out OF the mar
of something else.
s'This has been the case with nearly every
one of my American importations, anu
have come to expect it. / take up an Amer
lean novelty and work it for five years.
knowing that at the end of that time the
natives viii copy 1t and undersell me-
Then drop 1t and take up something else.
Gust now" Mr.. de Clerq went on, Il
have knife sharpener, a little wheel affair
which can sell by the thousands. Here Is
one now. I have ordered the makers 10
cable me terms and prices. so that !! can
order from 10000 to $4,000, as want them.
1 must have the goods here in order to DO
business. These people won't wait, and
they won't buy from catalogues. Iney
must see the goods themselves. II tell
customer it will take six weeks to supply
him he goes somewhere else" ~
How Our Furniture Goes to Europe.
am especially interested in the way
American furniture is handled on the con-
tinent Mr.. de Clerq imports more of our
office desks, unit book cases, files and chairs
imam any QUIET mdH AL HOi lACih CuAOPS'
We went together over his warehouses. He
has two great buildings packed with our
furniture and he sells something like 1000
desks every year. Much of his furniture Is
from Cincinnati, and other stuff comes
from Grand Rapids.
Mr. de Clerq says the Europeans cannot
compete with us as to office furniture. La
Dor is low, but is not so cheap as American
machinery. AS 1t is now, the desks and
chairs come here in rectangular boxes IN
pieces knocked down. They are not smoothed
nor vanished. The finishing Is all done by
Belgian cabinet makers as good as our
best men in the states, who will work Tor
from eighty cents to 81 a day. The chairs
are sent in such a way that dozen d1mng
chairs come in box foot thick and four
feet square, while roll-top desk takes but
little more space. In this way the freight Is
low. The tariff on rough goods is also less
than that on the finished articles.
An American Warehouse.
Mr. de Clerq says that we ought to have
an American warehouse in Brussels where
our exporters could keep supplies of Amer
lean goods on hand and sell on call. Said
he:
..If half dozen Of our big firms would
put in, say, $4,000 year each and display
their goods in such a warehouse near the
Bourse, they could build up an enormous
trade The Bourse, or stock exchange, is
the business center of Belgium. Every
Wednesday the merchants and manufac-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-10
Absence Of Smoke in Berlin.
ha EnadnnoR
From the Engineer,


According to consular reports, Berlin al
though q busy manufacturing city, Is one
Of the cleaIest and best kept in Europe.
The smokeless condition Of the Berlin at
mosphere Is ascribed to three facts: The
preponderant use Of coke and briquettes,
which are practically smokeless; the skill
full scientific construction Of boiler furnaces
and chimneys; and finally the high stand
ard Of skill that is taught and enforced
among firemen who stoke furnaces with
coal for steam and manufacturing pur-
poses. Before q man can assume such
q charge he must be taught the theory
and practice of economical, scientific firing,
by which the coal Is distributed in such
a manner and quantity over the crate sur
face as to secure the most perfect COM
bustion OF Its VOLATILE elements. The ST.
lesian coal used In Berlin in most large
steam plants and factories is rich In btu.
men and would rank below many Of the BIZ
luminous Goals Of the United States, and
yet the long. dense, trailing clouds Of
smoke from mill and factory chimneys
which are so familiar a sight in many
American cities are rarely seen in that
section Of Germany, where the indiscrimi.
nate shoveling Of raw bituminous coal into
the steam and other furnaces is considered
an ignorant and wasteful proceeding.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-10

the honor OF making ths deposits in that
stone. HIS name Is ~ the stone on silver
pate - treasurer az the Grand Lodge.
the Grand Lodge Of the District of Column.
oia laid the corner stone Of the new House
OF Representatives. and Major Clarke an
grand treasurer, helped place the stone In
position.
In connection with the civil war Major
Clarke served creditably for four years and
three months. He was severely wounded
at the battle of Cedar Mountain, August 10,
1862, and while at home recovering from
h 8 injuries was presented by Washington
Naval Lodge. No. A. OF which he Is still a
member, with sword. sash, belt and re-
yolver. The presentation address was made
by Mr.. William e. Hutchinson. the present
superintendent Of the city hall building.
Major Clarke has Just recovered from q
severe attack of pneumonia of five weeks
duration. which was the longest and most
severe illness of his life
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-10
Camel Racing in the Desert.
From Pearson $, Magazine.


The racing camel Is very carefully bred,
and valuable prizes are offered by racing
society at sBiskra for the fieetest racer. ]
have seer thesstart Of race, and 1t re-
minded me, In a far-of sort OF way. of a
horse race. The camels were all arranged
in line. and they shifted az the air in their
anxiety to be OF. A flag was waved and
they set or at a terrible pace. as II they
were only racing for short distance. They
kept together until they were almost out Of
sight. Thsn they seemed to settle down
to their hs.bitual pace and the race proceed
ed with long Intervals between the competi-
race, and It reminded me of the first motor
car promenade between London and Brigh-
ton. The canels were certainly not 30
broken down and bedraggled. but they
came in at intervals OF several hours, and
great patience was necessary to watch them
arrive.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-10

obtained at almost every drug store. They
are called DR.. Pierce's Pleasant Pellets.
| have examined them and know them
to be entirely vegetable in their ingre-
dients. They act mildly and gently.
Such laxative should be taken occa-
sionally by every individual when the
liver is sluggish, the stomach sour, OF
the tongue coated. In the second place,
the real reason for her beautiful com
p1exieu is the use of DR.. Pierce's Favor
lite Prescription. advised Marian tc
take this three times day. She has
done so for the past three weeks, and
you see the result. It is medicine
| which is entirely vegetable and does not
contain either alcohol or narcotics. II
therefore cannot harm, and am sure
it would do you great deal of good.
Not only does it strengthen. but like the
governor on an engine, certainly regu.
1ates the entire feminine system"
/ YVES" said Marian, nit not only has
undoubtedly improved my looks, but
no longer have those nervous feelings,
feelings of WEAKNESS, backache and ter.
rible Blue spells. Then too. Ida, it has
taken away those black circles or rings
which you used to see under my eyes
Is it not true9n
luThis is what lady wrote me concern
ing the good the Favorite Prescription
might do me if took it. found hel
name and address in one of those little
memorandum books of DR.. Pierce thai
are distributed from house. to house
Here it is:
NJ wish to inform you how much DR.
Pierce's Favorite Prescription has benefited
me, wrote Mrs. Ray Tfaver, of Medusa,
IN. Y. NJ call myself cured. My com
plants were the usual womanly troubles,
which gave ME also palpitation of the
heart, frequent headaches. arid Numerous
other things I had aimost givcn up hops
of ever being any better but this medicine
has worked wonders In my case. Two
doctors failed to do me any good and
wrote to DR. Pierce with but little courage
but he wrote such good, encouragine
letter, my husband got 1--WE bottles a
| once, and before had taken al q tn
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-10
IT STANDS ALONE.

one 1t was DR.. Pierce's medicines that
cured me-"
1T STANDS ALONE.
Doctor Pierce's Favorite Prescription
stands alone, as the one and only remedy
for leucorrhea, female weakness, pro-
lapsus, or falling of the womb, so abso-
lutely specific and sure in curing these
common ailments of women, as to war
rant its makers Ia offering to pay, as
they hereby do, the sum of $500 reward
for case of the above maladies which
they can not cure. This Is remarkable
offer. No other medicine for the cure
of woman's peculiar ailments Is backed
by such remarkable guarantee. No
other medicine for woman's ills is pos
sessed of the unparalleled curative prop.
critics that would warrant Its makers
In publishing such an offer; no other
remedy has such record of third of
a century of cures on which to base such
a remarkable offer.
M. U. McClendon, Esq, Merchant, Gravel.
ridge, Ark, writes: My wife Mrs. L. L.
McClendon) was confined to room and bed
for some time with indigestion and female
trouble. Was unable at times to walk
across the room. We tried two as good
0ONSOiS ID tuOu6 AZ AOuAA OS lOuha Ah Jul
part of the country. Neither of them did
her any good. Afterward she decided to
write to DR.. Pierce for advice. / thought
it not wise as I was sure she would be
buried before she could receive an answer
but she commenced on your remedies and
I could see that she was some better by the
time she had taken the third bottle. We
continued the use of the medicine quite
while and now she does all the house,
work, and stood the examination for life
insurance all OK. Any one who so wishes
may write to me at my place of abode
Miss Emma Weller, who is Secretary Of
the Young Peoples Christian Association. at
1878 Madison Avenue, New York City, saws:
rYour Favorite Prescription is boon
to sick and tired women, for it cures them
when other medicines fail. know whereof
l speak, for have had experience with it.
For fourteen months had constant head
aches; seemed too weak to perform my
daily duties, and when the day was over I
was too tired to sleep well. suffered from
nervousness and indigestion, and every
thing / ate distressed me. Doctored with
different physicians but received no relief:
After reading one of your books decided
to give your Favorite Prescription trial.
Am very glad did, for found 1t was just
what wanted. I commenced to improve
at once and kept getting better until, after
seven weeks, was entirely cured. ! have
remained in perfect health ever since, and
remain q firm friend of your Favorite Pre-
scription."
The dealer who offers substitute for
g Favorite Prescription" is only seeking
to make the little more profit afforded
by q less meritorious medicine. His
profit is your loss. Therefore, turn your
back on him as unworthy of your pat
ronage.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-10

agencies myself. and from that time to this
l have had a good trade.
What class Of Belgians buy American
carriages?" asked.
''Only the rich. They are too expensive
for the poor" was the reply. but the no.
bility are glad to get them. Two OF my
earliest customers were the. Viconlte de
Buisseret and the Baron de Chambres. well
known over Europe as the owners Of fine
racing horses"
What did you do with your American
trotterT
81 sold him. His knees got sprung by
rough roads. and took 500 for him. The
purchaser entered him for the races in Diff
ferent parts of Belgium and made 81 800
out OF him in one year."
Our Gas Stoves and Swedish limitations
I walked with Mr.. de Clera through his
big store ca the Boulevard Anspach. not
far from the Bourse. It has every sort OF
American notion-American inks. erasers,
pens, files. scales. and all sorts Of knick-
knacks. was especially interested in gas
radiator which Mr.. dc ClerQ tells me he
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-10

cost cents and the second-class cents
the seats being exactly the same, except
that the second are behind the first The
thrifty Belgians patronize the cheaper
seats, so that there is usually plenty Of
room in the Scent quarter.
American Goods in Brussels.
Brussels is the capital of Belgium, COM
mercialiy and politically. The merchants
from all parts Of the country come here to
buy. and by look at the stores 1t is easy
to see that the trade Is enormous All sorts
OF notions are sold. Our patent medicines
are displayed in the drug stores, and our
porous plasters are advertised on the walls.
Kodaks and American typewriters are we'll
represented. as are all sorts Of American
farm tools.
Brussels Is more than q thousand years
old. and In the middle ages II was already
doing an enormous business. One OF the
Oldest parts OF the town II the Market
Place. containing the city hall. one Of the
finest buildings Of medieval Europe. Right
next this old building are stores Of Ameri-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-10
A NOVEL APPLICATION.
Veteran Wanted Place and Said So
In Verse.

Probably the most unique and original
application for office Of which there is rec
ord was one received at the War Depart
ment last week. It was headed IAN old
veterans petition to Secretary Root" and
ran as follows.
Dear Mr.. Root. please list awhile.
My poem may be OF In style;
To catch your ear Is my intention
And my request to briefly mention.
OF my own necessities must sing,
For belong to no political ring.
When they were wearing clouts and britches
l was picketing In Union bitches.
And yet do not draw a pension
fact think worth while to mention
To state facts is only fair;
l neither drink nor chew, sometimes swear.
In your department would like a berth;
Would prove myself Of excellent worth,
Upon my own merits ask for the place
And hope you VIII soon enter me in the race.
In the war for the Union, we brothers four
Were volunteer soldiers; could We be more7
We obeyed all commands. In success and defeat,
And were always ready to beat q retreat.
Three yet survive; one has answered the call
That sooner or later out fate must befall.
thousand year, let 1t be more or less
Would keep rs In grub and allow something for
Dress.
l won't ask politicians; have no servile knee
I stood erect In the ranks like one that is free;
And So Mr.. Root. to you appeal
For kind consideration; tits this way feel.
That one gray-haired veteran out Of brothers four
Should get an appointment, we ask for no more.
think you will read this AZ a matter OF course,
Then turn It over, and on the back indorse
The name of some magazine in need Of a verse;
They print much that ID better and much that is
worse"
IT am very sorry" said Secretary Root. in
reply. that I cannot secure the services
Of an old soldier who Is such an accom-
plished poet, but all the civilian places in
the War Department were put under the
civil service rules by an act Of Congress.
passed at the last session. and all appoint
ments now have to be made from the civil
service lists. AS I understand 1t, veterans
have a preference In such an examination,
but they have to get on to the list before
they can be appointed. I do not know
whether the examination includes versiflca-
ton. but II 30. you would undoubtedly be
successful"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-10

can hardware. stacks of lawnmowers from
Philadelphia. hay forks from Columbus,
Ohio, and grindstones from Berea. Nearly
every Brussels business house keeps its ac-
counts with American cash registers made
at Dayton, and the most of the tailors use
American sewing machines.
One Of the brightest business Americans
I have met on the continent Is Mr.. H. G. de
Clerq, who represents the King Spring
Company of Buffalo and a number of other
American institutions. He Is one Of the
largest of the Belgian importers and Is
making a big thing in selling American
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-10

THE COMMON SENSE MEDICAL
ADVISER. 1ooS large pages in paper
ooye,s, Is sent FREE on receipt Of n one
cent skassps to pay extesse Of Ssailixg
ONLY Addre1:
u. r. " PIERCE, s.tsle. " =.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-10

tneir sorrows and faults alike observed bv
eue W3uo. world that never hears OF the
os SI nappier legtops who live in an atmoa-
The, VI g u.et wholesome peace.
sue OF the fashionable set Of course There
are Wretched marriages. and lives which
t nnu incl, Ineir only honorable course the one
there Is one unhappy Couple there are Ave
wives. ~AN
We know so much more about our neigh
bors these days that we think the propor-
tion OF unhappiness greater than It ,sed to
De- There are many mismated people. but
NOT SO many as We have been led to believe.
! non ana then we hear folks deplore the
wickedness of the times. But bless us! the
times are not bad. We hear every cry OF
woe and hiss Of crime and the sounds
drown out the music of the world, as a blue
i D0ttie on window smothers the thrilling
hit OF the lark.
Plenty Of Good People.
The institution of the home is not going
to wreck even If some ventures have failed
and some hopes have gone down.
The tree In the orchard Is not condemned
because few gnarled apples fall from It's
branches, when the great proportion Of its
Irult Is sound at the core. There are matri-
monfai experiments that are decided fail
ures, but they are not marriages at all, and
should not be dignified by a name SO beau
tiiul ana nOly. nile God holds the heart
or the world in His hand of love- all that Is
false and unworthy must fall away from It
in the end.
There are hundreds and thousands Of real
homes in the land where the man and wo-
man who took hold of hands in youth are
well content to walk together to the end
They may not be sentimental or altogether
harmonious. An occasional tiff or more
er is good thing In the domestic air, for
an eternal calm is worse than tempest
for brewing disaster. sharp difference
tn opinion may darken things a bit, but
the sun will shine brighter when 1t is all
over.
There Is no merit in getting along peace
ably with a putty woman or man of plas-
tic clay. 1t Is a mistaken idea that to be
amiable and agreeable argues dullness. Girls
used to be taught that meekness was the
most priced OF wifely virtues. They know
better than that now. They have profited
by the experience Of their grandmothers,
who discovered that their husbands were
always peculiarly animated when they DIFF
fered with their best loved friends. There
Is no zest In one-sided argument no COM
plfment In the "just as you say, DEAR"
The love Of contest comes f1rst Of conquest
later, and in sequence.
Next to the greatest charm a wife can
have is the power to hold her own brightly
and cleverly in a wordy battle with her
husband. This, Of course, without rancor
or temper or sarcasm. And having named
the next to the greatest charm" It Is in
order to name the greatest, which Is, after
all Is said, the ability to surrender abso-
lutely and to disdain 50 poor a thing as
victory.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-10

At the height Of one mile the average
velocity of the wind is four times as great
as at the surface.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-10

for In hardut1lhes the European market
may tide over many shaky factory
American Earning Tools for the Gear.
Mr.. silcox nses an enormous business
with Russia. ae has dealt with the Rus
slams for yeafl and he has now his agents
in every large town of European Russia
and also. in Turkistan and Siberia. He sup
plies the car With agricultural machinery,
and deals largely, with the communal vii
lage assemblies In Russia much Of the
land is owned!by the villages, and the viz
lage officials bay machinery for the COM
mon use of the people.
A great deal Of our agricultural machin-
cry goes to south Russia. I have seen
large orders for American reapers for the
Cossack country. and while in Paris got a
picture of = fscamel hauling Deering
mower over ahe steppes of Siberia. The
cotton regions Of Turkistan were started
with American cottonseed sent by Mr.. Sill
cox to Russia. 1t is probable that American
cotton machinery could be sold there, for
thousands of bales of that cotton are now
annually shipped to the factories Of Mos
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-10
Novelties which Pay Well.

1 was interested In the novelties saw in
the warehouse of Mr.. Silcox. In addition
to all sorts of farm tools there were a num-
Der of notions of various kinds. One, for
instance, were some grocery scales which
had been sold by the thousands to the
founding asylums for the weighing of ba-
bies. A patent knife grinder for sharpen
ing moving machines has been wonder
full seller, and there are hand plows which
are sold to the vineyardists of France and
Spain to clean out the weeds between the
grape vines.
FRANK G. CARPENTER.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-10

The wife who shares her husbands hopea
and humors his illusions Is ever bsauth
ful.-Life.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-10

second I felt much better. I shall always
speak highly of DR.. Pierce's medicines.
am working very hard now, and have been
all spring and summer, so far, and feel so
proud to think can. I say to every
one 1t was DR.. Pierce's medicines that
cured me-