davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1907-10-26
A Monster Kite.
From the World Today.

From the World Today.
Probably the most wonderful and in
genious achievement of a Chinese kit
maker is designed to represent gigantic
centipede. This is unqu sstionably the
longest and most fantastic amusement de-
vice that has ever been constructed for
aerial flight. From head to tail it meas
ures nearly forty feet and is made to
fold uD accordionlike. The fierce large
head of the creature. with long protruding Z
horns. huge eyes and gaping mouth. forms
the front of the kite. This is the gem and
marvel of the whole collection, and en-
tlreiy new to the eyes of the western
world. Its construction is as follows
Extending from head 10 tail and coHstit,lt-
ing the body portion ara series of bam-
boo sticks running crosSW.sa to the center
to which are fastened twenty-five or more
pasteboard disks a foot or more in diane
ter. These are painted in circles of black
yellow and white, rapres anting the all
seeing eyes of this NEUROLOGICAL creature
a tail portion of narrow strips is fastened
to the last piece of bamboo. BY a me-
chanicai contriVanca the curved p acas Of
pasteboard forming the eyes are made to
revoive by the wind while the kite is be-
ing flown. Seen in the air. with serpen-
tinelike motion. its huge glaring eyes
swiftly twirling in their sockets, the eff
feet is said to be onishingly catistic
producing quite an awe-inspiring scene, to
the Chinese mind at least While being
flown a cord is attached to three or more
points of its length in order to keep il
under control. In IL strong wind, several
men are required TO hold the reel Tn
doubtedly we have here one of the first
and most ancient patterns of flying ma
chimes. thousands of years Old.
Evening star., 1907-10-26
CFOpHY5ICAL LABORATORY

Every Cne knows that vapor viii CCu-
dense. and there would be no object in
slIcn an experiment. He will take up his
earth problem from the time when our
sphere became incrusted and certain por-
tons began to show individuality. He
Will manufacture lava, such as exists IN
the bowels of the earth, and by applica-
ton of his high pressures and tempera-
lures transform that into rocks sapd-
rate 1t into the familiar minerals and
metals of earth.
He will manufacture rock In this way:
First he Will obtain the pure chemicals.
which. as has been learned by analysis,
nature used In manufacturing her rocks.
IThese-lime, magnesia, alumna, silica, and
so On-he will place in the proper proper
tionS In a series of mechanical mortars
and pestles which he showed to ma
number of them In rows and tiers, the
pestles revolving and stirring at the same
time and with rapid. uniform motion.
After being thus thoroughly mixed they
will be melted in a powerful electric arc
furnace, after which they will be ground
and mixed again. Then they will be ready
for applications of enormous temperatures
and pressures acting together, as In the
earth.
Greatest Artificial Pressure Here.
Natures pressure will be reproduced
by hydraulic compressor exerting 100000
pounds to the square inch-the pressure
that would be exerted on your hand If a
fifty-ton bar an inch square at the end
were rested upon it. This pressure is the
greatest that has been produced under
mans control. The powder that has left
the mechanical grinder and mixer Is
poured into a cylindrical opening an
eighth of an inch in diameter. and then
the desired pressure is applied.
I asked DR.. Day whether he had found
it necessary to take any special precau
tions against accidents In using these
enormous pressures. He smiled and said:
II am going to paint all of the appa-
ratus white. so that we may find it easily
If 1t gets suddenly scattered about the
landscape"
The heat. which may be given at the
same time. is supplied by an electric
Evening star., 1907-10-26
Will Be a Rock Factory.

and a third house, valued at $500, was
owned by j. Waller Ambrose White. a
bricklayer, resided here several years.
Three buildings were located on Mary
land avenue between 1st and I'd streets in
the thirtieS. and on 1st street two. In the
forties lgnatius Mudd, afterward commits
sioner of public buildings, resided on
Maryland avenue, and Mrs. SheckIes and
Isaac Reed. bookbnder. erected frame
dwelling on 1st street, which was the fam
lily residence for many years
Early in the fifties the citizens line of
omnibuses had its stables on LIST street
and about the same time a lager beer
saloon and gardens were established on
Maryland avenue. This was conducted
for several years by Joseph Gerhart who
entering the United States Army as a
lieutenant in 1861, attained the rank of
brigadier general before the close of the
war Later he conducted the hotel now
known as Myers, on the avenue east of
9th street.
In Square 576.
The square known as SIC, between
1st, I'd and B streets and MARYLAND
avenue, was laid out in 1899 into eleven
lots which We're apportioned to Mr.
Carroll and the United States The
corporation valuation in 1902 was 4
cents por foot. and afterward 9 cents
and In the thirties but l cent. The
first lot sold was No. 7, on Maryland
avenue near I'd street, to Warren Os-
born, which in two years went to A.
Schofield No transfers follow until
1s29, when Ann Lefevre bought lot q, at
the corner of I'd street, and the follow
ing year Thomas Scrivener purchased
lot IL, on 1st street near B Street In
1881 f. Rice obtained title in the same
lot; in 1888 w. G. w. White, lot 10:
Inez B. Palmer. lot 3. on street, and
Columbian College lot 4, corner I'd and
streets.
In the twenties a $3.50 improvement
is charged to G. Jones on lot =, on B
street: 5000 to A. SchofielN on lot z on
Maryland avenue, and one for 5000 to
l. flynn on lot H. 1st street. Ten years
afterward the Improvement on lot is
valued at $3.50; $1,000 is charged to
Mrs. Lefevre on lot 6; Schofie.d's yalu-
alton is unchanged; Daniel Turner is
assessed $500 at the corner of Maryland
avenue and 1st street; Thomas Scriv-
ener $500 and Lawrence Flynn $50 on
lot II on 1st street.
In square 5IS, to south of $40 there were
but three lots plated, Of which the United
States acquired lot on B and Canal
streets and Mr.. Carroll the others. The
valuation was 3 cents per foot, reduced to
l cent, and the title was unchanged until
1888, IneZ B. Palmer then acquiring the
lots. and ten years after they passed to
Dr. William Gunton. Three cents per
Evening star., 1907-10-26

arc, whose temperature can be made so
great that it will melt any known metal
or mineral-so high, indeed. that beyond
a certain point it cannot be measured.
One of the accompanying photographs
shows DR.. Day (on the lefD, and DR..
Shepherd of the laboratory staff boiling
negneSia in this electric arc furnace at
temperature of perhaps 6,010 degrees
F. They are protecting their eyes from
the intense glare by looking at the flame s
through ruby glass.
Tremendous Temperatures.
And what are the immense tempera-
lures which must here be reproduced In
order that natures rocks may be counter
feited? The gamut of your imagination
probably does not reach above a tenn
perture sufficient to heat a metal red hot,
which Is about 1000 degrees F. But
while the iron of the kitchen stove will
melt after becoming red hot, yet the rock
that we call fire BRICK which lines the
inside. will stand a red or even white
heat without any damage whatsoever. In
natures furnace all rocks We're melted
once, and many are there melting today
At temperature higher than red heat
copper and gold will melt; still there is
no difficulty in finding rocks with which
to line the furnacses wherein they are
melted and the crucibles which hold
them while they are melting. Hotter still
must be the furnaces in which glass is
made or iron melted: but yet there are
found rocks to hold them while they
seethe in hot LIQUID form Platinum
long regarded as the metal requiring the
highest heat for melting. can be melted
in uuickime vessels without injury to the
vessels. At this temperature of molten
platinum. however. all ordinary rocks
will have become fluid. But asbestos.
commonly considered as fireproof will
run like water at the great heats where It
many Of these minerals remain solid
There is iridium. which mefts at 5000 de-
grees F, and osmium. at many degrees
higher still. But even at this terrific
temperature there are minerals remaing-
ing stubbornly solid. Those with the
highest melting point are lime and zico-
Evening star., 1907-10-26
HISTORY OF "FROGTOWN" A SECTION OF WASHINGTON
WHOSE TOPOGRAPHY HAS PREVENTED IT'S DEVEL OPNENT

y the consideration of old-time sec
tions of the District the 'tFrogtown'
of antebellum days is recalled.
l. 'F'rogtown" was located within the
lines of Maryland avenue. South
Capitol and Canal streets. Although
this portion of the city was plated into
building squares. and was as convenient
to the Capitol as was the other ground
surrounding 1t, the original topography
handicapped improvement, and. until re-
gave evidence of the use Intended.
That such were the conditions In the early
part of our history is easily explained by
the traditions of some of the old Wash
ington families. as we'll as by inspection
Of some of the early maps of the city
and the old corporation records
These are to the effect that in what is
known now as Canal street a branch of
the Tiber creek coursed from Sd street
south, a5tward: that it became part of the
old Washington canal. which was opened
about 1916. and that much of the ground
well toward the Capitol park was low
and marshy. that much of it was level,
and the appr Jach to the hill was over
ntly- Unduating ground: that in the
carly part of the century less than half
Of the Capitol grounds was incloSed, and
that by circular picket fence, and that
in the thirties iron railing and a circular
walk inclcsed the grounds to 1st street.
House of Worship Erected.
Notwithstanding the conditions existing
in this section. the Presbyterians erected
here their first house of worship in the
District. the popular name for which,
The Little White Church Under the
HILL" gives idea of it's location on
South Capi-ol street. Later a. few dwell
ings appeared on this street and on Ist
street and Maryland avenue. but until the
ffties the buildings on the seven squares
did not exceed that number, and none of
these was more than an ordinary house
most of them shops. The site of the
church with the adjoining houses has been
covered in extending the Capitol grounds
and grading B street. The adjoining
hOuses-two-stOry bricks erected in the
twentieS by Nicholas l.. Queen of hotel
fame-Eave also disappeared, and all that
remains 10 mark the location is one of the
sycamore trees, familiar 20 many old resi-
dents the top of which only is seen. In
on of the three houses some OF the Queen
family resided many years, Mr.. John
Queen being the owner in the thrities and
Mrs. Charlotte Queen in 1913 disposed of
il. y valuation of $500 was on it in 1890
and the same amount was assessed on the
adjoining house. owned by William Bird,
Evening star., 1907-10-26

foot was the first valuation and after
ward l cent.
The area south of the Capitol grounds
between Delaware avenue and 1st street,
twenty-one lots, which were apportioned
in 1886 These in the early days were in
the hands of Pratt, Francis ct al, Green
leaf. Morris, Law and others, but no i'm
provements resulted. Inactive, too. were
the sales, for it was not till 1S45 that a
new name appeared, William Fisher be-
coming then the owner OF ten lots. The
ground IN 1902 was appraised at to 8
cents and after at to 4 cents.
In square south of 635 two lots went to
tie United States in 1877 and two years
later to l.. Lewis. and fifty years after
ward to Esther NJ. Lewis. The original
cent and remained at that figure for a
generation.
East Square 636.
East square 636. within the lines of B
c and South Capitol streets and Delaware
avenue, laid of in fourteen lots in 1872
and redivided into nineteen four years
later, includes the site of the original
First Presbyterian Church. The allotment
between Mr.. Carroll and the United
States was made in 1875, and the first
purchase was made by Elias B. Caldwell.
clerk of the United States Supreme Court
Capt. John Coyle of the Treasury Depart
ment and George Blagden, master me-
chanic at the Capitol as trustees of the
First Presbyterian congregation of lot IA
fronting South Capitol street, the con-
sideration being $500.
The early residents of the Presbyterian
faith had since 1905 shared in the min
istrations of Rev. John Breckenridge,
DID,. of the Baltimore preshytery. and
he became the first pastor. The church
building here erected was a plain chapel
facing east. and was occupied June 20.
1912, and Dr. Breckenridge was formally
installed July following.
Here worshiped tfe Bradleys. then re-
siding Capitol Hill, as ,Well as the
families of the trustees and rot a few of
our legislators and officials and prior to
the removal of the congregation to ~
street the church fourished DR. Breck-
enrdge served here about five years. In
1919 Rev. DR.. Reuben Post assumed the
pastorate. and in a few years the congre-
cation determined to erect a church else
where. on Az street between c and D
streets.
The initial valuation was and cents
per foot, but later this was cut in half
and the church building was the only
Improvement on the square till the TWEEN
ties, when two houses, each valued at
$50, were assessed to N. L. Queen In
1923 the then pastor of the church,
Rev. Reuben Post, bought lot IA. In 1928
Evening star., 1907-10-26

John Queen had a portion of the same
lot.
Passes to Colored Congregation.
An African Methodist congregation. of
which Rev. David Smith was the pastor.
and known as the Israel M. E. Church,
followed DR.. Posts congregation In the
occupancy of the White Church and pur-
chased the property in 1880. The deed
was to Walter Humphries, Basil Cant.
Scipio Beans, w. Tappan. T Debtor,
w. A. Nichols and Basil Simms as trus-
tees of the African NJ E. Church. and the
consideration 81, 500.
For many years the church prospered,
and some of the most prominent colored
preachers of the land served as pastors
among them Bishop Turner. 1t was in
the latter's term, during the civil war,
that meetings of a patriotic character
were he'd there and the enlistment of
colored troops stimulated. 1t is believed
that the first company of such troops, at
least in this section of the country, was
formed In that church.
While 1t took but little effort to en-
thuse the colored men to enlist. the old
time prejudice led some to stone the build
ing while the meetings were in progress.
The church was abandoned when nearly
forty years ago, when it became n ces-
sary to enlarge and improve the Capitol
grounds, by the filling in of and South
Capitol streets it was encroached upon.
The congregation then erected quite
notable edifice at the northwest corner of
and 1st streets northwest in the sew
enties. and is now a charge of the Col
ored Methodist Episcopal Church.
In 1888 parts of lots u and Il, 'front.'
ing B street. were acquired by Basil
Simms and L. Tanner, and Columbian Col
lege acquired six of the lots. William
Bird purchased lois 13 and II in
1885. and c. F. Erebs - the year fol-
lowing. John Kedgle in 1S41 bought the
corner lot at South Capitol and c streets.
Apportioned in 1895.
Square G37. composed of the fou teen
lots within the lines of South Capitol, C
and d streets and Delaware avenue was
apportioned in 1896 The following year
Thomas Law acquired six of the fourteen
lots. In 1902 cents per foot was land
value. and afterward , cents for twenty
years, and then reduced half a cent
1t long remained barren of improveme ent
and until 1882 no transfers of title wee
made. B. s. Bayley, j. W. Beck and c.
r. Mix each owned a lot that year. In
1885 George Phillips owned two lots, and
VIM. Ingle three lots. In 1896 Mr.. Phil
lips purchased an additional lot and T. B.
Lord two.
Between the Tiber, or canal. South
Capitol and d streets was square $50. laid
Evening star., 1907-10-26
copyright. 1907, by John Elfreth warkiasl

7 copyright. 1907, by John Elfreth Watkias.l
/ S7-E-T . had out how earth was made
z i the function of the geophysi-
cal laboratory Of the Carnegie
= Institution. just completed upon
an isolated hill overlooking the
/ Capital city from the northwest. No in
dividual university OF state has ever at
/ TEMPTED or even contemplated the breadth
+ of research assigned to this workshop by
Pref. r. S Woodward, president of the
institution.
AliShting from my car and mounting a
steep fight Of steps that ran UP th hill
side ] yesterday found this new building
an imposing structure of the Spanish
style. with gray stUcco walls and d wide
oy,raaaging roof of red tile. l was re-
ceiyrd by the director, Dr. Arthur l.. Day
a young physicist, who has not yet turned
forty although he has taught at Yale, his
alma mater; has been a member of the
scientific staff of the great technical
school of Charlottanburg and has served
as physical geologist of the United States
geological survey.
I'VE will here study the minerals of the
earth first by making them ourselves ar
titicially, from the purest of materials,
and, after thus counteTfeting them, by
subjeCting them to many physical, chemi-
cal and optical tests. We can make min
erals much purer than those found in ma
ture." explained DR.. Day. as he led me
on a personally conducted tour of the
new building. And in the course of this
inspection l soon perceived that the
geophysical laboratory is unique, not in
function alone, but III its ingenious ar
rang cment.
Building Has an Overcoat.
The building wears an overcoat which
will keep warmth in in winter and the
heat out in summer. This insulating
layer placed outside the exterior brick
wall, is composed of six inches of hollow
terra Gotta, with air spaces laid horizon
tai and closed at the ends. This scheme
is entirely new and original. The terra
Gotta overcoat is less expensive and al
most strong, structurally, as the brick
wall underneath.
Another novel arrangement protects the
delicate measuring and observing appa-
ratus in the laboratories on the upper
floors from the jar of the heavy ma
chinery in the basement. Each basement
room containing heavy equipment has for
a floor a thick slab of cement separated
bottom and SIDES from the adjoining walls
by a six-inch layer of dry sand. Other
modern laboratories have separate build
ings for their power equipment, but in the
geOphysical laboratory a great saving IS
effected not in material alone, but in
power which otherwise would be wasted
in transmission. To keep the delicate in
struments free from dust the air pumped
into the laboratories is filtered before be-
ing admitted. and to free them from the
jarring action of trolley cars or heavy
machinery. which otherwise might come
near. the buildings complete isolation was
purpOseiy selected. 1t is protected from
such encroachmentS by the steep contour
of the hill on three sides, while the land
on the fourth side is TO be occupied by
Evening star., 1907-10-26
Working at 1000 Degrees F.

MIA, both OF wftch DIR. Day Will be able
to melt In his electric arc furnace.
Evening star., 1907-10-26
The Misjudged Turk.
from the London Times.

The rural Turk at home, when not
soaded into violence by his corrupt rulers.
is the very antipodes of the monster of
popular imagination in this country His
domestic virtues are at least equal to
those of any western population. He is
honest. Industrious. patient. gentle and of
fine natural manners.
Evening star., 1907-10-26

quiet school of the Sisters of the Holy
Evening star., 1907-10-26
Repeat Earth-Building Processes.

quiet school of the Sisters of the Holy
Cross.
Repeat Earth-Building Processes.
But to get at the milk in the cocoanut-
at what Dr. Day and his scientific staff
are driving at:
They plan to manufacture on small
scale what Dame Nature has wrought on
a vast one. SO far as earth earthly is
concerned. Biologists have thus far in
ferrcd that in the beginning earth was as
the sun is today-a mass of heated
vapor. AS this gradually cooled the sur
face hardened into a crust, which as t
grew thicker pressed more heavily upon
the now liquid interior which came flow
ing to the surface whenever crack ap
peared. At first a fairly uniform mixture
of the elements formed earth's mass and
certa!n combinations solidifed to form the
first crust; but when portions of the liquid
interio.' afterward leaked through the
forming crust these soft masses became
when cooled and hardened species Of rock
different from the original crust. 1t was
all process of evolution CONCERNING
which science has done little more than
guess hence this geophysical laboratory
TO more than guess. to learn, to know
hOH earth was made, science mus, rsrJ&at
these processes in the laboratory. But
In order to do this the scientists must
have at their command enormous pres
sures and temperatures. Physicists in
some parts of the world have worked with
enormous temperatures, and other: II
other parts have experimental win vast
pressures. but nowhere else In the world
except in natures own laboratory has
there ever been equipment for working
with these vast temperatures and pres
suIes in the same place and at the same
time.
Will Be a Rock Factory.
Natures processes in earth building
seem to have been first the condensa ton
of vapor into liquid and then the con-
densa:'On of liquid into a solid But In
retrac.ns natures steps DR. Day will Lot
50 back to the very beginning and con-
struct a miniature globe out of vapor
Evening star., 1907-10-26

out in three lots. which in 1876 went. one
to the United States. and the others to
Mr.. Carroll. The first appraisement was
and cents per foot. 1t was quickly
reduced to cents, and for fifty years
cent represented the value. Down to the
civil war the land lay idle, in 1915 going
to the name of William Fisher, and after
ward to DIR. William Gunton.
JAMES CROGGON