Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-08-23

| TO adVlCeS received Dy Cne StdLe depart
ment, the latest thing in Germany.
Whether children may now puff per-
fectos without injury remains to be
seen, but that innovations Of any kind
are to be tried on the cigars manufac.
tured in the land of Emperor William
will bring JOY to the heart of all
Americans who have ever tried them
Consul Hurst, in reporting on these In
noyations, naively remarks that In
spite Of the fact that German cigars
are light, there has been considerable
local agitation as to the harmful eff
fects of smoking-a statement which
will receive the instant and hearty ap
probation of Mark Twain and all other
Americans who have undergone The
pain of smoking German alleged CT.
gar. Some factories in Germany, ac-
cording to the report, are now produc-
ing cigars known as free of nicotine"
and poor OF nicotine" which are gain
ing in popular estimation, largely on
account Of the general misconception
as to nicotine itself AS a matter Of
fact, however, while the new brands
gain the appreciation Of those who dis
approve of smoking certain makes Of
|
tine than the ordinary cigarette tobac-
co. Whether the whole affair is mere.
ly trade advertisement, the report re-
Trains from saying, but 1t does make
clear the fact that German cigar In.
spectors have as large field in which
to get busy as have the food and meat
experts who rev up their hands in
holy horror at the condition of affairs
existing in the United States, a condi-
ton which subsequent revelations have
shown may be found in Germany, too.
Free Education.
Secretary Shaw and Treasurer Treat,
who are naturally interested in the
existing shortage Of silver and silver
coins, may get bit of free education
from the rather interesting ray of light
shed on the possible cause Of the pres.
ent need Of these articles, especially
the latter, Of which there is a pressing
scarcity, from the remarks of an off,
cial recently returned from China, who,
through experience, has become vers.
ed in the ways of the slant-eyed Mon
golians. 1t seems, according to this Of
ficial's statement, that the Chinaman
is an expert in extracting the insides
of all the silver coins which he can get,
filing up the vacancy thus caused with
base metal, and after putting the
coin into circulation again, using the
silver extracted for his own personal
benefit. Naturally the United States
affords fine field for obtaining silver
money, and although figures cannot,
from the nature Of things, be obtained,
it is probable that many of the coun.
| try's smaller pieces are withdrawn
from circulation here by Cinnamon.
Their method of obtaining the silver
from the inside of the coin is delicate
and interesting. The rim, or milled
edge, is neatly cut off without being
mutilated Likewise the two facts Of
the coin are thus removed. The chunk
of silver from the center thus freed is
distracted, cheap filling inserted, the
coin put together again and sent on
its way with rejoicing on the part of
the operator, if not of Uncle Sam, who
age of small change.
i Barclay Brigade.
The Barclay Brigade" while it is
not on any of Uncle Sans rosters, nor
a part of any of the national defenses
is still very active agent in preserv'
ing peace and good order in the depart
ments, especially during the summer
months. The brigade Is not composed
of belligerent boys in blue, as might be
supposed, but of two colored men, If
ty blood-thirsty white and brown fer
rets, and dozen trained rat dogs
!, Their sole purpose in life is to exter.
inmate rats-and as many of these ami.
; mails become unwelcome pensioners on
: Uncle Sans bounty and devour pre-.
: cious manuscripts, the Barclay Brigade
! is kept busy, especially during the
summer, in benevolently assimilating
: the rodents. A "Pied Piper Of Ham
lin could reap a golden harvest here
5 but, failing him, Mr.. Barclay makes an
} efficient understudy. The offices Of the
: public health and marine department
have just had their turn and recently
, after a scene of carnage which could
/ not be duplicated this side of the Phil
ippines, they we're free from rats. Bar
clay himself is somewhat of a curl
, osity, since rat-killing is his profession
and one which gives him plenty Of
, work the year round.