Durango semi-weekly herald. (Durango, Colo.) 1899-1907, 1906-08-27

Charles w. Spalding, the former
Globe Savings bank president who
served term in the penitentiary for
embezzlement. files a bill for account
ing with the University OF Illinois,
claiming that he turned over to the
trs5tees property valued at 3416, 900
when he only owed 1921, 1857.
Walter Wellman writes from Danes
island, spitzbergen. that work Ia be-
ing rushed in preparing for the polar
alrship trials, hut that mistake a.
to the balloon house has retarded one
rauons. He says the scene at Rec
ord-Herald camp resembles opera
tons In boom" town.
The third Pan-American congress-
assembled last week at Rio. Every
independent nation on the American
continents comprising united popu-
lation of I50000.000, was represent.
ed. Mr.. Root, the American secretary
or state, was present at the opening
session and delivered an address
which is reported to have made an
excellent impression upon the Span
ish-American delegates present.
The popular feeling against the
packers and their establishments has
taken the form of drastic action in
several cities, particularly in PhIla-
delphia whore go slaughter houses,
after examination by the meat In.
spectors, were condemned as unsari-
tary and permanently closed.
Our consular reports from Germany
affirm the frequency OF food aduIter-
alton In that country. In 1898 tho
number OF prosecutions In the EN-
pire for this offense was 5000, In 1908
the number had increased to g,00O
and 1t is said that many manufacture
ers employ chemists to test materials
purchased in order to determine
whether or not 1t has been sduIterat-
| cd.
What is said to be the most re.
markable piece OF mechanism ever
| put together by man is a watch made
| In Berlin, which measures less than q
| quarter of an inch In diameter. The
case Is of gold, the works and hands
are of the finest tempered steel, and
the whole constructed on the most
approved plan, while 1t is declared
to keep excellent time. The minute
hand Is less than an eighth OF an
inch long, and the second hand not
one,Axteenth of an inch long. The
cost of the watch was In inverse pro-
portion to It's size, for the owner is
said to have paid close upon $4,000
for Tx.
curious form of substance has
degaloped In England an a conse-
qrence of the present mania for afr
ship and balloon voyages. Com
panies have begun issuing policies for
the insurance OF damage done by
balloons and airships, and the nrst
claim was paid few days ago In con-
sequence of the breaking OF few
panes of glass by quantity OF bal
last thrown from balloon.
If reports from Persia are correct,
that country Is apparently on the
verge of a revolution. The conflict IL
between thee state as represented by
the shah and his government and .
lerge faction. II may be a majority OF
the people and clergy. Unreasonable
taxation. misgovernment that has con-
tinued during many hundreds OF
years. poverty and misery Of the peo-
pie. these are the factors which have
contributed to bring about the pres
ent status which may or may not
result seriously for Oriental Gespot-
lsms are Ion lived.
Japanese cleverness In improving
upon western medical and other
methods Is shown by consular reports
from that country. illustrating the
precautions taken to prevent the
spread Of plague by house rats. Even
in the Middle ages. 1t was known that
an outbreak OF plague was preceded
by an extraordinary mortality among
rats. but only within the last few
years has the discovery been made
that rats. not only contract the dis
ease. but infect the houses where
they live. so as to communicate the
plague TO human beings. In Yokoha-
ma ships arrive daily from all ports
of the Orient and the city is always
liable to an outbreak Of the pssti-
lence. There is standing offer Of
yen (2h cents gold) for every rat,
dead or alive, delivered to any police
box in the city Upon delivery tho
policeman gives a ticket for the NON
y ey, payable at the nearest police sta
ton; he then ties to the rat wood
en- label. showing at what place It was
found, and drops the rat into a COW
cred tin box. Each day a wagon col
lects these boxes and carries them to
:, the central station. or to q new
branch near Hondo The rats ara