davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The National tribune., 1907-03-07
MADSTONES.

The scientists have been carefully
examining the famous madstones upon
whicf people in the country put SO
mucIi reliance, and they find that they
are singuiarly porous material, which
will absorb virus or any other liquid
with which they come in contact pre-
cisely as fresh brick or a blottin8
paper takes up water. A clay pipe to
be bought In any grocery store for a
cent Is as good as the best maidstone
ever known. When It is applied to
wound made by a dog or snake it
quickly absorbs the blood, saliva and
whatever else in liquid form is within
reach Of its capillary attraction. The
usual statement that a stone will stick
to q poisoned wound but not to any
other is untrue. If it is properly dry
1t will adhere to any wound or other
surface In which there is moisture. A
considerable revenue is at times de-
rived from these madstones, as there
are instances in which the families
charge SIS for applying the stone and
81 for every hour that 1t sticks, adding
also their travelling expenses If the stone
Is taken away. 1t Is mentioned that
one man had a stone held to his leg for
100 hours, and yet he died. His life
could have been saved If SO much de-
pendence had not been placed on the
maidstone.
The National tribune., 1907-03-07
The SOapberry Tree.

The soapberry tree, Sapindus mar
ginatus utilis, has been quite extensively
cultivated I'm Algeria for its berrii.s
which are rich in saponin, and are sent
TO Germany for use in the manufacture
of soap. Similar qualities are possessed
by the Florida soap tree, Sapin 1us
manatensis utilis, commonly known as
the China soap tree, from the fact that
it was originally introduced from China,
Mr.. T.. Moulie, of Jacksonville, Fla.
has recently been engaged in promoting
the cultivation of this tree in the South
ern States by free distribution of
seeds. The tree grows to a hight of
40 or so feet and begins to bear
fruit in the sixth year. The berries
are about the size of cherries and con,
sist of hard, yellow-brown wax-like
shell, inclosing large black seed. The
shell is rich I'm sapOnin, and if bits of il
are agitated in water a lather will at
once begin to form. BY grinding the
shells a brownish soap powder is OBJ
tained which possesses valuable cleans
ing properties. The hard, black seeds
of the soapberry tree have been used In
the manufacture of beads; they also
yield fine oil usful In soap manufac-
ture, as well as in other Industries.
The National tribune., 1907-03-07
One Hundred Stories Hiub.

a leading New York engineer state
that people now living VIII view a ian
story building, made of reinforced con
crete. and towering above 1000 fe.
from the ground. The 50-story build
ings now under consideration will Ieat
to 75-story buildings and the 75-stor,
buildings will at once call for the 100
story skyscraper.
The obstacle at present to such ac
complishment in architecture is the ele
vator service. The weight of the cabl,
for supporting a car in the 30-stor,
building is enormous. and before tn,
buildings soar any higher some method
Of utilizing the upper floors will hav,
to be invented and introduced, which
of course, will be done in the neal
future.
Every need seems to be filed as 4
comes to be manifest, and some brigh
mind will find way out. At presen
no mans understanding Of the situa.
ton can increase the present apparent
limit in the elevator service, and ever
the 5Q-story building does not seen
practical.
The National tribune., 1907-03-07
THE ISTHMIAN CANAL.
(Contipued from PAGE IL

q whanSdo6dle. which topped every
thing The sucker had to acquiesce.
being shown that he had not noticed a
sign prominently displayed on the wall
behind him that whangdoodles were
being played. Thereupon the sucker
went out, collected some more capital.
returned to the game. finally got a
whangdoodle in his cards. held it
against another fellows four aces, and
was about to rake in a mighty pot. His
action was stayed, as he was again d.
rected to the sign which read that a
whangdoodle could be played only once
in an evening.
Possibly there is some application in
Mr.. divers very vivid anecdote to the
situation in which he figured. I'm
doubtedly the outcome of the bidding
has produced hard feeling. especially
among the Southerners. who were TAX
ing sectional pride that a Southern
man was to build the canal. There has
been a report that Mr. Oliver might sue
the Government to recover the expense
to which he was put in forming new
company at the Presidents suggestion.
1t fs not likely that he will do so. Per-
haps way will be found to compen-
safe him, in part at least, for the ex-
pense. but nothing has yet been done
to indicate this action.
In any event there IS an unpleasant
feature about the proceedings which
may deter many contractors from en-
tering any future competition. How
ever unfounded 1t may he. the impress
sion fs abroad that the old and estab-
lished contracting companies are try
ing to get the business for themselves
and that they will be foremost in any
future bidding
These are not all the remarkable fea-
lures during the past week in connection
with the construction of the Isthmian
Canal. The President has decided to
appoint ex-senator J. S. C. Blackburn.
Of Kentucky. a lame duck, who went
out of office Monday, March 4, after 80
years and more OF service I'm the House
and Senate. as member of the Canal
Comm ission. Mr. Blackburn never did
hard days work in his life. and has
always been q Congressional idler. a
great ssconteur, and. until he swore off
a few years ago, was chiefly known for
his enormous capacity for consuming
liquid goods. Blackburn has been USE
ful this Winter to the Administration
as a White House Democrat, and the
fat Commissionershlp. where he can
render no duid pro quo. Is hts reward.
Thus canal events have been treading
on one anothers heels for a few days,
and apparently there Is to be more
about the canal that will be worth
chronicling
The National tribune., 1907-03-07
Pneumatic Locomotives.

Pneumatic locomotives are employed
in some Of the large German collieries.
The engine is constructed like an ordi-
nary steam locomotive. An air-storage
tank takes the place of the boiler. The
air is stored under pressure varying
from 700 to 1000 pounds per square
snch. In some Of the engines the air
passes into an auxiliary reservoir be-
fore entering the cylinders. The air
pressure Is reduced to about $50 pounds
per square inch before entering the en-
gine cylinder. The air is used expau-
sively by means Of the Stephenson link
motion gear.
The National tribune., 1907-03-07
ALCOHOL As A MOTOR.

Prof. Elihu Thomson says that az
dena;ured alcohol declines in price ii
will come into more general use In
stead of gasoline as a motive power. 1t
will doubtless take two, three or more
years before the arrangement or or
ganiaation for the production and dis
tribuuon of the denatured spirit is suffi-
-cient,y perfected 10 give US the product
at = price which will compete with
gasoline in the more densely populated
districts where gasoline is readily OBJ
tanned al low price. 1t will come into
use in the outlying regions where gaso-
line is difficult to obtain and storage
and other charges greatly raise its price.
Alconol will have some disadvantages
and some advantages as compared with
gasoline. One of the advantages is that
an alcohol engine can be run with the
water boiling vigorously in the water
Jacket. something impossible with gaso-
line.
The National tribune., 1907-03-07
"LHHD Of THE FLHTHEHDS. "
Soldiers May Secure Farms in
this Indian Reservation.

MI. David T. Heating. registration
agent and attorney-at-law for soldiers
at Government land openings, expects
an early announcement Of the Flathead
Indian Reservation land opening, at
which the Government. following the
lottery plan, will distribute 5000 100
acre farms
The Flathead country, on the Pacific
Slope region Of western Montana, near
the Washington State line, Is regarded
as one Of the richest of the few remain
ing Indian reservations to be given to
the pubic,
Under the statutes, honorably-dis-
charged soldiers of the civil, Spanish
and Philippine wars and widows of
such soldiers and sailors have the priv
ilege Of fling upon the Government
lands by appointing an agent to act for
them. This privilege is extended to
widows by the Government at the land
drawings. where they are permitted to
register for the drawing by means of
an agent.
Mr.. Keating will be able to secure a
limited number Of agents to register
soldiers and sailors for the Flathead
drawing, and is now receiving applica-
tons by mail at his Office in the Board
of Trade Building, Columbus, Ohio.
The National tribune., 1907-03-07
WOOdman Treed by Wolves.
(Bovey Correspondence Minneapolis
Journa1S

George Hampden had thrilling ad.
venture with band of hungry wolvef
early Sunday morning and barely es-
capped with his life. He was walking
along branch road running thru the
woods when he heard the howls OF
wolves, tho they appeared TO be too far
away to be troublesome. 0He proceed
ed on his way for about 5quarter of a
mile. when he stopt bysa tree stump to
repair broken shoelace.
y was bending over tying the string"
said Hampden, when the first brute
jumped out of the brush directly in
front of me. and swapping and snarling,
came directly toward me. 1 seized a
club and bluffed him off for few min
utes, but he started 10 circle round me.
and ! drew back to a point where l
could reach the lower branches of q
tree.
''Once there I grasped a strong limb
and quickly pulled myself up, but not a
moment too soon. The wolf, leapina
up, succeeded in getting a part of my
coat. / had no sooner climbed into the
tree than six other big wolves came up.
l suppose 1 would have been up that
tree yet had not party of woodsmen
happened along and scared the animals
away"
The National tribune., 1907-03-07
THE MOST DANGEROUS PLACE Il
THE WORLD.

THE WORLD.
It is claimed that the plant OF inc
Illinois Steel Co., South Chicago IS 10
day the most dangerous place In the
world. There is an average OF t,sVo
men sent to the hospital every year, ana
moro than so men were killed outright
last year. There are five skilled sur
eeons at work all the time in the hos
pitfalls, and the injuries treated, which
average 20 a day, range from clnder
In the eye to fearful, If not fatal, burn
The unskilled laborers receive s1.eo q
day, while skilled workmen get from
IS to s14 a day. The trouble is that
there is a vast mass of powerful ma
chinery and great ladies containing as
much as 15e tons of molten iron. These
are transferred from one part of the
works to the other, pouring their blind
ingly hot contents into the mixing watts
and otherwise disposing of the prod
ucts of the furnace. 1t is necessary 10
employ a vast army of unskilled labor
ers. who are mostly Slavs from Hun
y,
ignorant of the language and besides
naturally dumb. Surrounded by such
terrible forces misunderstanding of
an order or momcntary car"iessness
Is liable to produce the most fearful
consequences. When the molten metal
is poured out 1T fills the room with a
shower of flying sparks. If the ladie
turns over or Il is too full and runs
ever, Or if a piece of cold iron fails
into 1t. it means death to those around
It. The work is conducted with absp-
lutte silence by the men, and every pos
sible precaution is taken to avoid acci-
dents. Nearly all Of these occur 10 tho
unskilled laborers. but the pay is so
high that the company can get at any
time all that 1t wants.
The National tribune., 1907-03-07
The 0Sth N. Y.

Editor National Tribune: Did The
National Tribune ever publish the 6Sth
N. Y. as lighting regiment? 1 know
1t was one of the 800 SO classed by Col
Fox.
The 6Sth N. Y, also called Cameron
Rifles" was organized at New York
CITY in August, 1861, for three years
AT the expiration of it's term of service
all We're mustered out except the vet
Grams and recruits, who were retained
1t was first commanded by Col. Rober,
j. Beige, who resigned Aug. 6, 1862.
Col. Gotthilf BorrIy de Ivernois then
took command, retaining the same till
he was cashiered Oct. 25, 1863, after
which Col. Felix Salm Salm took COM
mand. 1t belonged to Barlow's Diyis-
ion, Eleventh Corps, and lost 43 killed
and 75 from disease. etc. 1t was not
one of Fox's 800 Fighting Regiments" /"
National Tribune.
The National tribune., 1907-03-07
ARCTIC EATING.
No Need of Canned Goods Part of the
Time.
Explorer Fiala in Geographic Maga-
zine.)

zine.)
cover 120 polar bears were killed
during our two years stay I'm the Franz
Josef Archipelago. Scurvy was un-
| known and the general health of the
party was good.
During the Summer our party Sc
cured seventeen bears, and we luxuri-
ated in bear steaks fried in butter Mos!
of the men enjoyed the meat, which
was not unlike beef when prepared
carefully, by cutting away all fat before
frying. The fat gave the meat a rancid
taste.
I'm the nesting time of the gulls and
looms. several Of the sailors went up the
talus daily, dragging with them a long
ladder that they had constructed, and,
at the risk of their lives, clambered up
the precipitous side of the great rock
and robbed the nests. Many of the
eggs We're fresh, and when fried with
the ham We had found in the Duke g
cache gave US a breakfast not to be
despised.
Eight brant and several hundred
looms were shot and added to our lard
er and sixteen great wairuses and about
the same number of seals Walrua
liver was considered delicacy, but the
meat proper was rather tough and
made one think he was dining on auto
mobile TRES
The National tribune., 1907-03-07
Hi. Razor Ha. Done Duty for SO Year.

Editor National Tribune: In your
issue Of Jan. 3 you desire some expert
ence With raZors. / have one 1 bought
when Is years old for 371a cents; got
1t ground concave for 37la cents more;
have been using 1t ever since. 1t went
with me thru the army for four years
and nearly four months, and to-day it
does if anything better than ever. j
never tried IL 1t would pick up filings,
but l will say for the benefit of our
readers / use piece of pure lead pipe
To rub on the strap and hone my razor
on it, and it is a marvel how il cuts
clean as a baby's face. 1t has been in
use now 53 years, and money cannot
buy it.-Alex. j. Hofiliger, 18th and 95th
Pa, Boise, Idaho.
The National tribune., 1907-03-07
should stand by the President.

Editor National Tribune: In the dis.
m!ssal Of the colored troops without
honor. I am sure the President did
what he thot would be the best for
the good of the service and the morale
of the Army. This is the time for
every loyal man in this land TO stand
by the President, when he is being az.
sailed on every hand by those who
hate him because of the noble position
ne has taken against evils in high
places. I am thankful to say, how.
ever, that not only the old soldiers but
the mass of the people are holding I'D
MS hands, and looking to him to deliver
them from the grinding oppression Of
the money power of the country Those
living In the cities have no idea of the
sentiments Of the rural populations
The time was when the willy politician
ana demagog could lead them where.
ever it was desired, but that time has
past. Now the country people read the
great dailies, and are as well posted
on current affairs as any class Of peo.
pie in the United States As Lincoln
said. "All the people cannot be fooled
all the time" A wonderful change has
come over the spirit of their dreams
since the days of our martyred Presi.
dent Mckinley. Some people seem to
think, with regard to the dismissal of
the colored soldiers, that the President
did 1t to please the South, but l don't
believe there is grain of truth in such
an idea. At first, 1t looked as If perhaps
he had been little hasty, but we can
trust the War Department to do what
is right in the matter. The loyal peo.
pie were stirred up over Tillman's
speech in Chicago. It is passing
strange that literary and educational
societies will employ man like Till.
man, political demagog and blat.
ant traitor, to deliver an address which
is sure to stir up sectional strife Such
as he can do more to prevent just
settlement of the race question than
anybody or anything else Such a dis.
loyal viper ought to be crushed to the
earth by public opinion, instead of be.
ing feted and feasted by Northern sos
cieties, and cheered to the echo by peo.
pie who still remember the great strug.
gle thru which the Nation past. But
40 years after the close of that awful
struggle, man who is member OF
the great law-making body of the land,
sworn to defend the laws and Constf-
tuition of the United States. is found ar.
rayed against that Constitution, advo-
eating rapine and murder, arousing
class hatred, and would to-day advocate
the South's annihilation of the colored
race It makes a soldiers blood boil
to hear his traitorous talk. All praise
to our noble old advocate, The National
Tribune. Long may It survive to fight
for truth and tusticei-Jonn s. StraiIn,
Co. B. 18th, Co. C. 4th Iowa, Soldiers
and Sailors Home, Grand Island, Neb.
The National tribune., 1907-03-07
F1RELEss COOKER FOR U. S. ARMY
Keeps Foods Hot All Day In Zero
Weather.

The greatest improvement in years
and perhaps in the entire history of the
Commissary Department of he U. $
Army, has been achieved by Maj. A,
w. Davis, purchasing officer at st
Louis. The idea had been expert
mented with for months, when Major
Davis was assigned the task of per-
fecting it. The army fireless cocker is
more valuable acquisition in many
ways than even some new brand of
powder.
None but the soldier knows The wear
mess of waiting often three hours fol
the evening meal to be cooked, at the
close of an all days march during
which he has fed on hardtack and cold
The National tribune., 1907-03-07
Last Day in Uncle Sans Army.

David Rizor, Co. E, 18th U. g., La
rue, o., has very vivid picture in his
mind Of his last day in Uncle Sans
service. He was on Lookout Mountain
at Chattanooga, Tenn, when his Cap
tain's orderly came to him and told
him the Captain wanted to see him.
Comrade Rizor went with the orderly
to the Captains office and was politely
invited to come in. which he did stand
Ing, as soldier should, in the presence
of his superior officer. The Captain
picked up his discharge papers and
handed them to him saying: "Mr. Rizor,
here are your papers. Take good care
OF them; they will get You pension
some day. Sit down. He sat down
on stool, and his Captain saw he was
badly affected at the idea of leaving
the army and all his comrades. Turn
Ing to the Captain, he said: Captain.
can't enlist again? ?" and he was so full
that his voice broke and he was hardly
able to get the words out. The Captain
was quiet for moment, then said:
"Rizor, you were a good soldier and
your discharge is as honorable as any
that has been given in the regiment,
and there Is nothing against your en-
listing again, but you go home and see
your folks, and then if you can't con-
tent yourself, why, do as you gee fit;
but I hope we won't need you any
more. Cohlrade RlZor then got up and
took the hand his Captain held out,
saying: Captain, 1T is mighty hard for
me to leave you all here. 1 don't be-
lieve I'll be contented even at home
with my friends" The Captain kept on
shaking his hand. "Well, good by, Cap
tain.' Good by, Rizor; hope we may
meet again in the near future. Good
luck to you" God bless you, Cap
tain" COmrade Rizor then stepped out
of the tent and as he walked away
tears swimming in his eyes, he looked
back and saw his Captain still stand
ing In the door of his tent Rizor
raised his hand and saluted, the Cap
tain returning the salute. That was
the last Comrade Rizor ever saw of his
Captain. God bless him, and peace to
his ashes.
The National tribune., 1907-03-07
Discharge Paper. Returned to Sister.

In The National Tribune of Dec. 13
appeared notice stating that j. w.
Dutton, of 925 Golden Gate Ave, San
Francisco, Cal. had forwarded to the
editor the discharge papers Of George
p. Hebard, of Capt. Augustus Martini
company (C), Mass. L. A. These pa
pers had been picked up on the streets
of Oakland, Cal, several years ago. A
few days after the publication Of this
item the following letter was received at
the office of The National Tribune:
Editor National Tribune: The in
closed cutting has been forwarded to
me by a soldier friend, knowing I would
be interested. Geo. p. Hebard is my
brother (now dead) He was robbed
of his effects at the time the papers
We're missed, and he received new pa
pers on his return home. 1 would be
yer yglad to receive these original pa
pers, and if you will kindly forward
them shall be very grateful. Yours sin
cerely-Mrs. Caroline Hebard Closson,
216 Savin Hill Ave, Dorchester, Mass"
The discharge papers have been re-
turned to the sister of Comrade Hebard.
The National tribune., 1907-03-07
''There Is Many a Noble Heart Beating
Under a Ragged Cont.

Editor National Tribune: Your re-
cent reference to the record of the 18th
Mo. brought to my mind an incident
that happened back in the '70's, when
the grasshoppers had destroyed most of
the crops here in Minnesota, when dol
lars were as scarce as hens teeth and
the country was overrun with tramps.
A drzzling rain had driven me into my
humble cabin, when all at once our
small children crouched into the re-
motest corner with the frightened re-
mark, big tramp comin'.'
CHANGING out of the window, I noticed
rather seedy-looking old man ap-
preaching, carrying small bundle in
red bandana and his shoes in his
hands, walking at a wobbling gait to-
ward the door. Politely removing his
hat. he humbly asked for a bite to
eat" saying that he had no breakfast
that morning when substantial repast
was furnished him by my wife.
Thanking my wife for her kindness,
he asked me for an old pail that he
might bathe his tender feet, when I
noticed the crippled condition of the
same. and out of curiosity asked:
How did you get your feet injured ?''
when to my surprise he answered:
II had them frozen at Fort Donel-
son.
o-ohou. "SiO sOu q SOlutSTS
Eyes, SIR"
"What regiment?"
"11th NO."
"Union Or rebel?" which aroused the
old 1881 soldier spirit in the old man,
and arising from his seat, his eyes glis-
tening. he exclaimed in broken Penn
sylvania Dutch: mo, trent; I was no
rebel. I fights NIT ole Joe Mower, who
makes them run every time" He then
explained that he got his feet wet on
the hurried march to Fort Donelson,
and froze them during the night on the
line Of battle in the snow. When I in
formed him that had also been a SOL
der. he grasped my hand under the
impression that I had served in the 5th
Mimi, that belonged to Mowers Bri-
gade.
The old man had left his wife and
three children in a homestead claim
sod -shanty in southwestern Minnesota,
and had been to st. Paul working on
the streets earning money enough TO
pay OFF chattel mortgage O banker
held on his yoke of oxen and one COW,
all the personal property he possest.
When 1 notice the scanda1ous robber-
les chronicled in nearly every daily pa
per, perpetrated by men of wealth and
in responsible positions Of honor and
trust, l cannot help but think and ad-
mire that honest old 18th Mo. COM
rade.-P. Shippman. Sd Mimi, Captain,
18th U. s. C. T., LIE Sueur Center,
MINI.
The National tribune., 1907-03-07
A Grand and Generous. Bill.

land Falls, N. Y, suggests a bill allow.
ing $1,000 a month to the last 5000
survivors of the civil war, payable with
interest from the time the bill was put
in. He thinks this would be a grand
and generous bill, and would be some
slight recompense for the toiiing and
marching which the comrades did from
1851 to 1855. He would like to have
the old boys pass their opinion OIL thfs
suggestion thru The National Tribune.
The National tribune., 1907-03-07

Commander Robert f. Peary is get
ting ready to make another dash for
the pole in the Summer of 1908. He
claims that his last trip added much to
the knowledge of polar exploration, and
he feels very sangune that his next trip
Will ne success He thinks that sledg-
ing is the only practicable means OF
travelling. and will take advantage of
the long polar day which extends from
During that time the sun shines all the
time. There is no time at the North
Pole. as there is no north, south, east
or west. The only direction that any
one can go from the pole is south.