davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-12-21
MANILA HEMP FOR PUERTO RICO
Experiment Proves Climatic Condi.
tions Favorable.

tons FaVoraDIe.
Seeds of Manila hemp were recently
obtained from the Philippines by the
department of agriculture, with view
to making some experiments which
have for their ultimate aim the cultiva-
ton of this valuable plant in Puerto
Rico, where soil and climate seem to
be particularly well adapted to it. They
were gathered at the period of ripe
ness, mixed with finely powdered char
coal, and shipped to Washington in
small cylindrical tin tubes. When they
arrived they were sown in glass COW
cred boxes of sand, which were kept at
temperature in the neighborhood OF
so degrees Fahrenheit.
Manila hemp is species of banana
native to the Philippines and other Pa
cific islands south of the Moluccas. 1t
grows to a height of 20 feet and re-
Quires three years to attain maturity.
Nearly 100000 long tons of hemp
are exported annually from the Phil
ippines, the plantations, with proper
management, yielding something like
80 per cent on the money invested.
Thus it appears that the industry is
highly remunerative, and there is rea-
son to expect that it will add largely to
the wealth of Puerto Rico. The plant
requires a moist climate, and does not
grow well beyond an altitude of 200
fet above the sea- 1t is cultivated in
the partial shade of trees, the foliage
of which is not too dense. If the shade
is dense the fibre is finer and longer,
but less strong. Hemp which combines
fineness, length and strength COM
mands the highest price.
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-12-21
Where Is the West?

1t would be easier to tell wher0 is
the East. That is always toward tne
Atlantic. Boston is East to Cleve.
land; Chicago is East to Colorado,
and everything this side of the Cas-
cade mountains is East to the Pacific
Coast 1t almost amounts to this.
The West is where "A man is; the East
is where he or his father came from.
So it comes to pass that the West
has no fixed geographical limits like
the South and New England. 1t is
something more than geographical
term. Like Boston, it is a state of
mind. There are mountains and
rivers and oceans within the limits
of which this state of mind is pre-
eminently to be found, but it is to be
recognized in other regions as well.
You can tell a Westerner as you can
tell a Southerner, sometimes by his
speech, always by his attitude toward
life.
The West means Americans who
are controlled by certain ideas and
motives. But American does not
mean Anglo-SaNOn beyond the Allie
ghenies. 1t is never strictly speaking
a matter Of descent, but this is doubly
true of that great region where blood
and ideas and habits of every people
under the sun are fusing into a new
race. Inevitably the West is cosmo-
poltan. With such an origin it could
not be otherwise. Provincialism in
any arrogant sense of the term you
will not find outside of the thirteen
original states of the Union. On the
prairies too many men have succeed
ed where according to all precedent
they ought to have failed, for any one
to claim a proprietary right in omnis-
| cience. Lacking that, however con-
vinced 1t may be OF its own superb
| ority, the West Is tolerant, and the
Westener is at home everywhere
| World Today.
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-12-21

Unless public opinion is kept in
ormed as to what is going on, there is
cry little hope that the African ele-
hant can be preserved. In the first
lace, owing to its far larger growth Of
lsks, this species is the main object
the ivory hunter. The African ivory
! the whittier, the harder and the dear
of the two. Also the tusks are very
luch larger than those of the Asiatic
lephant, so that the hunter gets more
honey for less trouble-or rather, did
ct it, for hunting the elephant for its
worry can now only be carried on in
.sia in parts of the forests of Bur-
!ah or 'by permission" in certain dis
,icts of India. For some time a tusk
1S0 pounds weight was the largest
n record from Africa; since then even
arger specimens have been recorded.
Country Gentleman and Land and
Water
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-12-21
MERMAIDs GROWING SCARCE.
Affectionate Disposition Shown In
Love of Mother for Offspring.

The strangest of all strange fish
must surely be the manatee and the
dugong. The latter is the mermaid
OF tabled lore The dugong live in
1ocks along the shores of the Indian
Ocean, the Gulf Sea and the Gulf of
Manaar, where they browse on sea-
weed and river vegetation They are
very affectionate in disposition, and
especially is this shown in the love
of the mother for her offspring, which
is much stronger than the instinct OF
self-preservation. Neither will the
male leave the female If she be at
tackled; and instances are on record
where the companions of the manatee
gathered round and made an effort to
withdraw the deadly harpoon. 1t Is
supposed that the rude approach to
the human outline observed in the
shape of the head of the dugong;
the attitude of the mother in clasping
the young to her breast with one
flipper while swimming with the 9th
er, holding both above water, and
suddenly diving and showing her fish
like tail when alarmed gave rise to
the mermaid myth, first told by the
Arab seamen. Jules Verne gives a
thrilling description of the capture of
a dugong in the Red Sea, when its
flesh was desired as food. Natural
lists tell us that the flesh of the man.
atee and the dugong much resembles
well.fatted pork, of pleasant flavor
and is highly esteemed as food. For
this reason they were much hunted
and are fast becoming extinct; show
ing only too plainly the effect of
mans unceasing war on those whom
he has marked as his victims.-Field
and Stream.
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-12-21
san Franclsco,s Chinatown.

There are about $50 individual owr-
ers of property in Chinatown, and Of
these only 80 are Chinese. The total
value of real estate in Chinatown IS
estimated at $6,O00,000. AS the LEGAL
ity is within a stones throw of the re-
tail shopping district, and as it is eie-
waited and slightly, presenting almost
ideal sites for fashionable boarding
houses and fine residences, ii is be-
lieved that the removal of the present
occupants and the construction of mod
ern Improvement would make the land
worth at least s25,OOO,OOO. If not more
The World Today.
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-12-21
MATERNAL INSTINCT OF FISH.
How the Bass Looks After the Eggs
and the Young.

How the Bass Looks After the Eggs
and the Young.
"The female fish has no maternal in
stincts whatever" said j. Nevin OF
Madison. superintendent of the state
fish hatcheries. In fact, the fish is
the most unhuman creature in exist
ence-that is, Of the animals which
have any degree of intelligence at all
perhaps it is well that it is SO. for
If the parent fish took care OF their
young as other creatures do, the waters
of the earth would be filled with them
in a very short time. Under natural
conditions not one egg in million
ever becomes a fish year old. AS an
example, | have seen female brook
trout go up into the spawning places
and spawn their eggs and then turn
around and deliberately eat them.
For the past few years | have been
much interested in experimenting with
bass and studying their ways Here
the male parent has some maternal in
stincts apparently. He builds the nest
for the female, some little pocket with
a gravel bottom protected from the
strong current, but with plenty of fresh
water The eggs are spawned by the
female, who swims away and leaves
them to their fate. The male fertilizes
the eggs and then for a few days
watches over them, tanning them oc-
casionally to insure a circulation Of
fresh water and keeping off other fish
who would devour the eggs. The male
fish have been known to follow the
little fry for several days. protecting
them until they were able to care for
themselves.-E Wisconsin.
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-12-21
Dous That Wear Shoes.

In Alaska even dogs wear shoes at
least part of the time. Ii is not on
account of the cold, for a shaggy Es-
quimau dog will live and be frisky
when a man would freeze to death!
The dog does all the work Of dragging
and carrying, which in this country
falls to the horses, and in trotting
over the rough ice of the mountain
passes his feet soon become bruised
and sore Then his driver makes him
soft little moccasins of buckskin or
reindeer skin, and ties them on with
stout thongs of leather. In this way
he will travel easily, until his feet
are thoroughly healed up; then he
bites and tears his shoes with his
sharp. wolfliie teeth, and eats them
Wonderful animals are these dogs
of Alaska. Although they are only
little fellows--not more than half the
size of a big dland-they sell
from SIS to 5000 each, more than an
ordinary horse will sell for in this
country. They will draw 200 pounds
each on a sled, and they are usually
UTlNen III tpdllS Ol Sin. lutA neeN
no lines to guide them, for they read
lily obey the sound of their master 5
voice, turning or stopping at a word
But the Equimau dogs have their
faults. Like many boys. they are
overfond of having good things to eat
Consequently they have to be watched
closely, or they will attack and devour
stores left in their way, especially
bacon, which must be hung out of
their reach At night, when camp is
pitched, the moment a blanket is
thrown upon the ground they will run
into it and curl up, and neither cuffs
nor kicks suffice to bulge them. They
lie as close TO the men who own them
as possible. and the miner cannot
wrap himself so close that they will
not get under the blanket with him
They are human, too, in their disin-
clnation to get ont in the morning.
New England Farmer.
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-12-21
At the Pool of Bethesda.

One of the footprints of Jesus in the
vicinity of Jerusalem is the Pool of
Bethesda. The pool which repre-.
sents it now is an unsettled question.
Three are pointed out; of which two
are dry and full Of weeds and rub
bish. One of these is near the gate of
St stephen and the other is near the
Church of St Anne. The third pool,
supposed by many to be that of Beth
esda, is the Pool of the Virgin. It
lies in the Kedron valley, deep within
the hill, Ophel. The approach Is
through vaulted chamber and by two
flights Of steps which descend thirty
feet beneath the surface There has
been a large deposit of debris here so
that the outer aspects have greatly
changed This pool is an intermittent
spring. 1t flows sometimes two or
three times a day but in the dry sea-
son not so often The flow continues
from ten to thirty minutes. The sur
plus water runs off through the rock
cut conduit made by King Hezekiah,
and forms the Pool of Sloan. The
disturbance of the water, due to the
intermittent flow, and the fact that
it is the only living water in the vi
cinity of Jerusalem, in the opinion of
the writer, strongly Identifies II with
the Pool of Bethesda. The irregular
movement of the waters was not un.
derstood 1t was attributed by those
not acquainted with acquatic move
ments to angelic agency.-Ram's
Horn
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-12-21
FRENCH SUBMARINES.
God Work Done by Them at Recent
Maneuvers.


Submarine boats made a brilliant
erformance at the maneuvers which
ne French navy carried out in the
ay of Toulon This is the first time
nat such maneuvers have been held in
rance. The idea was to combine the
perations of the submarines OF the
ort with the torpedo boats which
lrm part of the defending fleet. The
peration was as follows: A polygon
I'd been traced in the great harbor.
his polygon, which had a surface OF
ONE 5000 square yards, was formed
a one side by the shore and on the
thers by imaginery lines which had
cen determined in advance. squad
IN composed of six torpedo boats OF
le fleet. headed by the destroyer La
.ragonne, was detailed to defend and
eep a lookout upon the polygon. On
lie other hand. five submarines were
4, traverse the space from one end to
le other, without being seen or local
ed by the torpedo boats. The maneu-
er took place during the forenoon. 1t
roved to be of a most instructive
laracter and gave some very conclu-
i've results as TO the operation of the
ubmarines.
Only one of the torpedo boats, the
%. 140. in the report which 1t pre-
snted to the commandant of the de-
,nse, stated that during few seconds
slight bubbling was noted, this no
oubt being caused at the surface OF
he sea by periscope which came near
he top. but the duration of the dis
urbance was so short that no exercise
T sighting could be made, and in spite
{ the efforts which were made at once,
was quite impossible to discover the
ath of any of the submarines. The
avail authorities here consider that
ais experiment which is tried for the
rst time with the torpedo boats and
1bmarines, is among the most impor-
mt and conclusive, and justifies the
onfidence which the navy has in the
ood performance of the submarines
.cientific American.
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-12-21
Oil to Calm Waters.

Shells filled with oil, intended TO
calm stormy sea when fired into it.
have been invented in France. The
effect of a film OF oil in reducing the
size of waves is well known, but in the
case of moving vessel it is difficult
to reach those in front, among which
the ships progress will soon bring it.
At first ordinary explosive shells con-
atining oil were tried, but these, be
sides being dangerous, did not distrib-
ute the oil evenly. AT present wooden
shells are used. which break when
they striek the water, allowing the oil
to run evenly over the surface. For
night use the shells have an illuminat-
ing attachment. The results are said
to be satisfactory
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-12-21
Actors Excluded from Races.

Since actors have been excluded from
he royal Enclosure at Ascot races,
British mtmDers Of that profession are
Omplaining. One of them says: 1T
3 impossible for an actor to attend a
evee, even though he may nave at
.snded in the days before he joined the
theatrical profession. He may have
taken a university degree; he may
aave been called to the bar, but these
qualifications for appearing in the
ooyal presence lapse when he becomes
an actor. Three actors have been
Knighted for distinction in their call
ing, and they may go to court as
Snights, but not as actors, while every
actor who is not knighted is still an
outsider under ban which the court
officials would not dream of applying
to painters, sculptors and musicians. :"
Chicago News.
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-12-21
CHRISTMAS PACKAGES.
How They Should Be Prepared for Sending
Through The Mails.

Christmas trade is booming and
i'll view of the fact that the Santa
Claus mail is already quite heavy
the postmaster is anxious that the
people be properly posted as to how
holiday goods should be sent
through the mails. 1t is especially
urged that wrappers should be
strong and safely tied, as merchan-
disc going through the mails is
handled by many persons not con-
nected with the plstofiiCe, such as
wagon drivers, railroad hands and
station workmen. Bags containing
such mail are often thrown on plat
forms from cars going at iull speed,
and rough usage is simply unavoid-
able. Care i'll directing mail is sug-
gested. Mailable packages can be
registered by paying s cents extra
postage. Putting on extra postage
without having registry receipt
does not register anything. Mer-
chandise packages may be sent for
one cent an ounce if placed so as to
be conveniently examined by post
office employees to prove there is
no writing inside. If sealed to pre-
vent such inspection the postage is
cents for each ounce.
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-12-21
MAKING zEBRAs USEFUL.
Said to Be More Hardy Than Mules.
Eat Less and Live Longer.

Since the first zebra was captured
in Africa there has been a popular
and general belief that the species,
while interesting to naturaists, would
forever be useless to mankind.
Many times efforts have been made
to tame the zebra into domestic
animal beast of burden like the
horse But until very recently all
these attempts have failed.
Experiments and tests in the Lon
don Geological Gardens made in tho
last few months show that the zebra
can be tanned and made useful. After
viewing the tanned animals and seeing
the great service they can perform,
a commission has started from Lon
don for South Africa, where there are
numerous herds of the beasts, and a
"breaking camp" will be established
1t is possible that within a year
zebras will be offered in the American
markets as animals of commerce.
They are much more hardy than
mules, eat less and even live longer,
although it is proverbial that a mule
was never known to die.
The commission in South Africa Is
backed by the Army Department,
which expects to be able to use the
zebra in pack trains because of its
stamina, quickness and strength. The
War Department at Washington has
taken cognizance and is watching the
South African commission. A cross
between horses and zebras has also
been instituted, known as the 'zeb-
rit1p ~
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-12-21
Alct olic Compounds.

John w. Yerkes, commissioner
of internal revenue, has sent a cir
cular TO collectors of internal reve-
nue. notifying them that certain pat
ent medicines have been examined
and found to como within the rul
ing of the department made Sep
tember 18th, notifying druggists
and other dealers in patent medi-
dimes that all compounds contain
ing certain admixture Of alcohol
must be sold hereafter under au.
thority of revenue license. He
adds, however, that i'll order to
prevent oppression or hardship, the
ruling will not go into effect as to
manufacturers until January, 1906,
while the retailers are to have until
April. 1906, to dispose Of their
present stocks. The work of ana
Lying the various patent medicines
is to 60 on until all have been test
ed. In the meantime the following
have been found to contain an ex-
cess of alcohol: Atwood's LaGrippe
Specific. Cuban Gingeric, Dewitt S
Stomach Bitters, DR.. Bowler S
Buchu Gin, DR.. Fowler's Meat and
Malt, Duffy's Malt Whiskey, Gil
bert S Rejuvenating Iron and Herb
Juice, Hcstetter S Stomach Bitters,
Kudros, Peruna, Rockandy Cough
Cure.
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-12-21
What Rosemary Stood For.

Rosemary was valued for its powers
of Strengthening a weak memory,
hence it became the symbol of remem-
brance. Rosemary was also used as a
love charm, the reason being Both
Venus, the love goddess, and rosemary,
OF sea dew. were offspring of the sea,
and therefore as love was beauty's son,
rosemary was loves nearest relative"
Anne of Cleves wore sprays of rose
mary at her marriage with Henry
VIII, as this flower was then used by
brides instead of orange blossoms, and
wedding guests wore it instead of white
favors. Rosemary was also closely as
sociated with funerals, the mourners
each carrying spray to drop into the
grave at the conclusion of the service.
Powdered rosemary applied to the
face was supposed to have magical eff
fects for restoring faded beauty and a
bath of rosemary taken three times a
day was said to restore youth and Wig
or In the language of flowers, rose
mary signifies fidelity in love Shakes
peare referred to this when he made
the old nurse ask, DO not rosemary
and Romeo begin both with a letter."
that is, with the same letter
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-12-21
LABoR-SAviNG MACHINERY.
Offers Large Market Abroad fer Our
Manufactures.

Offers a Large Market Abroad fer Our
Manufactures.
why American boots and shoes find
so large a place in British and other
markets abroad is explained by the
British consul at Philadelphia, Mr..
Powell, in his annual trade report. is.
sued by the foreign Office. 1t is owing
to cheaper production, due to the use
of labor-saving appliances, of which.
by the way, British manufacturers
were slow to take note.
Although only 10000 workers are
employed in the shoe industry I'm the
United States, as against 100000 in
the United Kingdom, the United States
makes more shoes than any other coun-
try in the world. This condition Of az.
fairs, says Mr.. Powell, arises from the
fact that practically all shoes are fac
tory-made in the United States, and
the use of the most improved maChin-
cry enables the workmen there to turn
out much greater number of shoes
per head than is accomplished In the
United Kingdom. 1t is stated that rs
firms alone in the United States make
an average total output of 100000 pairs
day.
Two examples are given of the saw
ing effected by the introduction of ma
chinery. Thus, 100 pairs or mems fine
grade, calf, welt, laced shoes single
soles. soft boxed toes, made by hand
In 1865, required 2,225 hours to mabs,
at an average cost per pair of E 2s
Sd: the same number Of the same kind
Of shoes were made by machinery in
1895 in 296 hours, at an average cost
Of IS per pair. Then 10O pairs of wom-
ems fine grade, Kid. welt, buttoned
shoes, single soles, patent leather tips
soft-boxed toes made by hand in 1875
required 1895 hours to make. at an
average cost per pair of Gl; the same
number of the same kind of shoes were
made by machinery in 1895 in 175 hours
at an average cost Of Is 2d.-london
Chronicle.
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-12-21
Chinese Clever Criminals.

There are no shrewder men on earth
than the Cinnamon" said Sergt. j. r..
Stanley. Il mean that when they are
crooked they are the cleverest of crim-
inals. When | was in the Philippines
| saw enough Of their work to make
me leave their goods alone Their
greatest fake is in changing whiskey
in a bottle for vinegar without break
ing the seal. They do this by soaking
off the label and drilling a tiny hole in
the side of the bottle. They then take
out the whiskey, and substitute liquid
similar in color, fill up the hole and
cover 1t with the label. The only safe
way to buy goods of Cinnamon is to
sample before you pay, They take lots
Of money from the soldiers in their
fan tan and opium dens. A Chinaman
never ran square fan tan game ia
the Philippines. kansas City Star.
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-12-21
The Subway Tavern.

The proprietors of the Subway Tav-
ern have sent out report to the cler-
gymen and temperance workers of
their work. The reports tells princip-
ally of what has been done to the
old-time saloons in the neighborhood.
Three of them, all within a radius of
a block and or two of the tavern,
have closed up.