davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Francisco call., 1907-02-03
Plants Which
Have Nerves

"a OST persons have heard of the
N\ sensitive plant" which shrinks
from rough handling and expands
under gentle treatment. but the scien-
tific truth that all plants are sensitive.
that they have nervous organization
like that OF the lower animals. will be
news to many.
This truth was first proclaimed by
Professor ]. C. Bose. Previously physi-
ologists had attributed apparent evi-
dences of sensation in plants to a dis
turbance of the equilibrium of the
water In their tissues Now they know
that plants have really a nervous or
ganization. and respond in that way to
outside Influences.
Professor Bose regards the plants as
machine. complex, capable of delicate
response to external stimulus inducing
movements. and with the power Of
holding back part of the energy re-
sulting from the stimulus shock. The
external stimulus induces contraction,
and internal energy induces expansion.
The interaction of this contraction and
expansion is found to account for the
various phenomena CHARACTERISTIC of
life- Not the least important part OF
this conclusion would seem to be that
it brings into close relationship phe-
nomena between which no connection
could be previously detected He finds
no exception to the rule that response
is always by concavity of the more ex-
cited side of an organ.
The rhythmic activity OF the plant
tissue is measured by the rate of for
ward propulsion of water due to con-
tractile response. The transmission OF
excitatien is detected by various meth
DDS giving results in entire agreement
1t is curious to find that the se-called
sensitive plants are in some respects
less sensitive than their fellows. which
were supposed to be insensitive-
Among the most interesting OF the
experiments are those dealing with the
action of drugs upon the mechanical
response Of the plant. We are not. OF
course. surprised to learn that the i'm
mediate effect of exposure to the infiu-
ence of vapor of alcohol Is. as a rule.
one of exaltation.
There are. however. individual cases
In which a state of depression Is in
duced from the moment of exposure.
The San Francisco call., 1907-02-03
~ IMPROVISIrIG a BRIpGE O %

aSundantiy from the cracks OF tia
bark, and. as II seems. has a vary
ag-eeejoIs 1rnel. The animals lick IL
ana OF course. fall dead That 10 the
reason why one 6nds 50 many dad
animals under It. The stories told oy
Foescher are not to be found among
this natives OF Sunatra. and this is TIA
proof that they are not true"
When they came to the next pumping
station the travellers noticed TO thsig
great sorrow that the essence that haA
heer In the can had run out through
q hole made In the bottom by q sharp
Malay kris II was their moving
power, without which they could not
lsGys Lahat The situation was not
very amusing. for the next boat was
not due for Q month, and thsrs was no
way OF having benzine sent from Pal
ernbang. Here the old story about ns-
cessity and invention was repeated
again, for after much thought they had
the IDEA to distfl the benzins from the
naphtha, which IL abundantly Eup-
piled by the springs An old tin can
that formerly contained nfry Eters OF
greasing oil was made into . distiIrtng
ealdron. into which was inserted q half
The San Francisco call., 1907-02-03

day and examined the wells, three os
which yielded very good supply OF
petrol.
Here the travellers made forythe irst
time the acquaintance of a custom
prevalent only among very few tribes.
In kampong. situated some distance
away, they by chance saw not far from
the village a hut in tree. From a
platform on which the building was
placed were swinging several bodies,
doubled at the thighs and wrapped in
mating. They questioned the natives
and were told that these were members
of the head of the family who had died
since the late chief. and that they were
waiting to be buried with the present
chief when he died
When they left the village they were
astonished at the shouts that were
heard behind them, and having stopped
In order to inquire what was the cause
of 1T the chief OF the village told them
that his knife was stolen and that they
were suspected of the theft All the
natives rushed after them, surrounded
them and brought them back to the
village. the savages all the while. with
lurid Oriental imagination. promising
TO roast them at a slow fire, pull their
teeth out, fay them alive, break their
bones. make Jackets for the dogs of
their skins and beehives of their skulls
Those threats they would have tried to
put into execution on the supposed
thieves in spite of the fact that neither
of them had the lost weapon on him.
the natives not wanting any better ex-
cuse to kill the travellers Finally one
of the head men, who seemed to be re-
monstrating with the chief seized a
boy by the scruff of .ne neck and pulled
from under his shirt the missing knife.
With much grumbling the two travellers
were let go. They returned to the port
where their motor, was and continued
their journey.
At about O'CLOCK in the afternoon
they entered the jungle which here was
of a more savage character. The creep
ing plants were more numerous and
the road still more uneven. Then they
crossed a plain and then again entered
the forest 1t was already night and
their presence seemed to be the signal
for a general lighting up of fungi for
they noticed that there were myriads
of luminous spots on the ground. the
brilliancy of that marvellous sight be-
ing increa sed by the very numerous
f1ref1ies and the phosphorescence of mi
mute fibers on the trunks of the trees.
The whole forest was lit up as in a
fairy tale.
Suddenly Mr. Knoops shouted to Mr..
Kapferer, who was steering, to put on
all speed. and when the latter did not
follow his friends request he seized the
lever and pressed it as far as 1t would
go After a few minutes of mad run
ming they slackened their speed. and
when Mr.. Kapferer questioned HIS
friend as to the reason of his strange
behavior he answered.
The Deadly" Upas Tree
Did you not notice that pitch black
tree about hundred yards from the
The San Francisco call., 1907-02-03

road7 1t was the deadly upas tree.
and. as you probably know. it's poison
is so strong that 1t kills every animal
that passes under its boughs, every bird
that flies over it falls dead. Even a
man cannot pass 1t without being pois-
oned."
Mr.. Kapferer smiled and answered.
And you believe in all these tales
circulated by that mendacious traveller.
Foescher, who, in order to give himself
much Importance. told some extraord-
mary stories with such assurance that
even Darwin believed him. The pure
truth about the upas tree is that it's
sap is a deadly poison, which oozes
The San Francisco call., 1907-02-03

inch pIpe to draw away the steam OF
the generator, which was put under
pressure. Another long tube, inch
one, was put from the tin can to the
bottom of brook into a bottle and a
funnel. That was the cooler, and with
the help of a tap the can OF naphtha
Yielded an excellent essence, which en-
abfed the motorists to return to Loeroc
and thence to Palembang.
In all the kampongs which they
passed doubtless the story OF the
strange beast mounted by two men
will be told. In time. il no others go
there, it may become a fantastic
legend.
The San Francisco call., 1907-02-03

found. After good rest Mr.. Kap-
ferer walked to the kampong to look
around and as 1t happened a process
sion was passing from one house to-
another, situated at the end of the
village. On questioning the natives
what was the meaning of the pro-
cession he was told that 1t was ambil
anok, which means taking child.
This only puzzled him the more, and
on further questioning an old gossip
explained to him the custom as fol-
lows: II young man cannot pay
djudjur (money) he cannot marry, for
the custom of the country wishes that
he pay for his wife. II not he must
marry In the way which is called ambil
anok, which means that he must go
and remain In his father-inlaw s
house and do all the work his wife
would do were she not married This
means is very distasteful to the free
dom-loying men, and as but few are
wealthy enough to pay for their wives
the population of the island Is very
small. The Dutch Government has
done everything to get rid of the Gus
tom, but 1t is SO deeply rooted that the
efforts were quite useless.
Continuing his stroll Mr. Kapferer
went toward the wharves he saw in
the distance. He walked to the edge
OF the bamboo floor and stood looking
at the river, but was made to turn
round by native shouting to alim that
the flooring was rotten. He hastily re-
traced his steps. but walked too heav-
lily, and fell through up to his waist
startling half a dozen crocodiles that
had taken shelter underneath. The
animals on seeing a man rushed back,
with their jaws open. For moment
the traveller hung between life and
death. He drew his feet out of the
hole just as the jaws of the foremost
animal closed and wrenched off tire
heel of his boot. On his return his
scared face was much laughed at by
his companion.
Half an hour later Gt was about 8
o'clock) they started again, passing on
their way one of those petrol pumps
that spits out the liquid like fountains.
The wheels spun merrily round, the car
did not even stop at the bottom OF a
steep hill, but went UP 1T at top speed
both its chauffeurs in capital spirits,
and came down the other side with the
brake ready in case of accident. 3
they swung round the corner OF the
road a bridge came into sight. or rather
instead of it, two large beams We're put
across a precipice. The brake was
pressed down and the motor stopped
within five yards Of the chasm.
Over a Bamboo Bridge
But how to pass it? Happily band
of Malays were working at the repairs,
and at Mr.. Kapferer's suggestion they
put bamboo sticks across the beams
and stretched two large mats over
them, holding them al both ends with
ropes. The motor was taken to the
bend on the hill. full speed put on, and
they flashed over the inlprovised bridge,
which tore as they new over
At Bandjar Sari they stopped for .
The San Francisco call., 1907-02-03
TIE, IAnToIt1G OF THE MOTOR CAP AT LOE.ROc
&c. KILOMETRES UP TUE RIVER from EALENBANG

from hook in the stern. and slowly.
with the current-too slowly for the
two travellers. accustomed TO fly in
their motor-the pirogue glided among
the floating houses, built on RATS,
nearly entirely of bamboo, and COW
cred with very low. sloping roofs But
at this hour-late for the early-rising
natives-almost all the lights were
out. and besides the pirogue, with a
motor, only few belated fishermen
were moving on the river. These men
We're seated in the sterns Of their
boats, attracting the fish by the light
OF lanterns and torches. Fishing is one
Of the means of subsistence of the
Sumetrans. Nine-tenths of the inhabi-
tants, however, live by agriculture and
the products of the forests. which
abound with valuable exports
Soon Palembang was left behind. and
the boat glided on the dark waters of
the Moesi River under a moonless sky
Early in the morning they arrived
in creek. at the bottom of which is
a little native village, but here a prob
lem presented itself. The car had to
be landed, but there was an obstacle
in the form of strip of mud several
yards in length. bordering the shores,
and It was impossible for the motor to
pass it. After some deliberation a very
simple way of crossing the mud was
put into execution. Planks were
brought down from the village. and a
road was made TO the boat side, the
motor was lowered and then hauled by
ropes to the land. The first obstacle
Of the handle the works were put in
motion. and the regular "teuf, teuf'
proved that the moving power was in
readiness.
The San Francisco call., 1907-02-03
Mischievous Monkeys

At the beginning the road was very
bad and the motor moved slowly over
rocks, dead trees and slippery planks.
Soon, however, 1t went at the rate of
twenty miles an hour. AS they sped
easily on through the woods the works
suddenly stopped. The travellers got
down, and opening the lid. looked to see
what was the matter The examination
showed that the electric communication
had been broken. This took them some
time to discover, and they were so alb
sorbed by their work that they did not
notice that they were surrounded by a
lot OF monkeys, spying their move
ments, some of them already hanging
on the car. As some tools and wire were
needed Mr.. Kapferer went to the tool
chest. and found that it was open and
the coil of wire was missing. He at
once guessed who had done the mis-
chief
"Oh. the little villainsm cried he,
shaking his fist at the impudentiy star
ing monkeys. who scampered away ut
tering shrieks, .'it is they who have
pilfered our. chest
For long time they endeavored to
put the machine right but In vain,
when by chance Mr. Knoops noticed q
monkey in the middle of the road hug
ging the coil. He seized his rifle and
wanted TO shoot him, but Mr.. Kapferer,
knowing that his friend was excited
and not wishing to frighten the beast
away IL the shot missed, took up a ham
mer and held II out to the monkey
who through curiosity. came near, and
then ran forward to take the tool Offer
ed to him, but was stretched out by a
blow from the hamper. Soon the motor
was IN order and they started again
flying over bad bridges. bouncing UP
and down.
Ar. Knoops held on tightly In a
blue funk" at the rapid descents and
sharp turns around curves. Mr.. Kap-
ferer, who was steering, did not slack
en- speed, however, under the gigantic
trees full of chattering parrots Sud
denly out of the woods stepped great
wild boar, who stood staring at the
strange animal that came toward him
and then, putting his head down.
rushed at the motor. He struck the
left hand back wheel and broke some
thing. They did not stop to see what
but got away from the furious animal
After half an hour of fast running
they perceived q village kampong. AT
the unusual noise the Inhabitants left
The San Francisco call., 1907-02-03

Lisbon has an NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. So
clety- Members who violate the rules
are fined shillings and the money In
expended for lottery tickets Tor The
benefit Of the other members
The San Francisco call., 1907-02-03
TIE Swift FOOTED NATIVES
MO, BRATDI5HLNG THEIR
KNIVES CAME on LIKE q
. PACK OF HOUNDS & q

\ September y H. Kapferer
and his friend, NJ Knoops, de-
cided TO cross the island OF
Sumstra from Palembang to
The San Francisco call., 1907-02-03
{ Deadly Upas Tree

Did you not notice that pitch black
tree about hundred yards from tho
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1907-07-12
WAS IT A SANE FOURTH
Many Persons Killed and Manned or
the Day We Celebrate.
From Saturdays Daily

L
Thirty-seven men, women ana emil
dren are dead and 2,l53 are manned
lacerated or burned as result OF the
Fourth's excess of patriotism In the
United States. The number of the dead
does not include five drowned during
the day.
The roster of the dead is four more
than last years mortality. A year ago
thirty three persons were dead on the
morning after the Fourth, not in
Guiding five drowned. :,
Unfortunately, the death roll will
increase day by day, and even the
late DAYS of August will witness addi-
tions to it. Tetanus, that grim after
math of gunpowder wounds, claims its
victims by the scores. and even by
hundreds for weeks after the Fourth
New York leads all the cities OF the
United States in the number OF Killed
and injured. Ten persons are dead III
that city, while six more are SO ser
iously hurt that it is expected they
will die within a few hours. At the
New York hospitals 423 injured persons
were treated. No record was made OF
the number of dispensary cases cared
for
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1907-07-12
DR.. j. E. DORIAN
Medical Block, St. Paul, Minnesota
Order for Hearing Upon Petition for
Determination of Descent !Qf Land.

STATE OF MINNESOTA, HCounty of
Bine Earth.--ss. In Probate Court
In the Mater of the Estate of James
S. Parsons. Deceased.
The petition of Harry E. Carney. hav-
ing been duly made and filed in this
Court, representing among other things
that one James S. Parsons, who resided
last prior to his death in the State of
Massachusetts died at the State of Mass
achusetts on the 18th day of Septem-
heritance in certain lands in the County
of Blue Earth, State of Minnesota de
scrbed in said petition, and that said
petitioner has interest in said lands,
and that more than five years have
elapsed since the death of said James
S. Parsons. deceased, and that admin
istration has not been granted or had of
that the descent of said lands and of
the interest of said petition therein
be by this Court determined and said
lands assigned to such persons as may
be entitled thereto by law.
Now, Therefore. 1t is ordered that
the said petition be heard at a term of
this Court to be held at the Court
House. in the City of Mankato, in said
County of Blue Earth, State of Min
neSOta. on Monday the 5th day of Au-
gust A. ID. 1907. at 10 o'clock A. NJ.
1t is Further Ordered That notice of
said hearing of said petition be given
by the publication of this order once in
The Mankato Free Press. weekly
newspaper printed and published i'm said
Blue Earth County.
Dated July third. 1907
probate Court Seal)
VIM F. HUGHES.
Judge of Probate
Pau & Pau. Attys.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1907-07-12
.Ju1y 5-12-I9. 1907,

ORDER FOR HEARING ON CLAIMS.
STATE OF MINNESOTA-Co County of Blue
Earth-ss. In Probate Court.
In the matter of the estate of James Lund-
quist. deceased
Letters testamentary on the estate Of
said deceased being this day granted unto
Nils Nyquist, of said County.
1t is ordered, that all claims ana demands
of all persons against said estate be presented
to this court, for examination and allowance
at the probate office i'm the City of Mankato in
said Blue Earth county. on the following day
viz: Monday. the 9th day of January, A. ID.
1905 at ten o'clock i'm the forenoon of said day.
1t is further ordered. that six months from
the date hereof be allowed to creditors to pre-
sent their claims against said estate at the
ca piration of which time all claims not pre-
scented to said court, or not proven TO its sat
isfaction, shall be forever barred unless for
cause shown further time be allowed.
Ordered further. that notice of the time and
place of hearing and examination of sale
claims and demands shall be given by publ.
cation of this order for three successive weeks
prior to the day appointed for such cxamina-
ton, i'm the Mankato Free Press, weekly
newspaper printed and published at Mankato
in said county,
Dated at Mankato. the first day Of July.
A. d. 1907.
BY the Court,
probate Court Seal WIN. +. HUGHES.
Judge of Probate.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1907-07-12
SHERlFFS AT A GATHERING
Officers Of the Law To Hold Meeting
In Milwaukee.


Twenty sheriffs, representing as many
counties of Minnesota and North Da-
kota, passed through Minneapolis last
evening on their way to Milwaukee for
the annual meeting of the Interstate
Sheriffs' association to be held there
during the next three days. Sheriffs }.
w. Dreger of Minneapolis and William
Gerber of st. Paul joined the party,
which included: Louis Gonyea of Crook
ton, William Gerger of Faribarlt, A. ii.
Grant of Buffalo, B. j. Moritz of st.
Cloud, G. H. Gatz of Chaska, j. H. TraX-
Ter of lie Sueur Center, p. J. Lundqulst
of Redwing, John d. Donahue of Man
kato, John H. Wick of Olivia, w. ii.
Mckenzie of Glencoe, Christ Bertleson
of Litchfield, j. F. Ellickson of Madi-
son, James Lane of Slayton, j. E. Lund-
oren of Alexandria, w. E. Parr of Wi
mona, William f. Bates of Duluth, }. }.
Minder of Sisseton, n. D.; J. E. Lee of
MinOt, \. ID.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1907-07-12
ROUGH TRIP OF THE QUEEN
Boat Launched at kennedy's Bridge
Encounters Some Obstacles.
rS..:I nasI,


The Minnesota Queen that was
launched at the Kennedy bridge at 8
a. M, July 4, in charge of Lyle Scar
ing and Frank Cutie, made nice
run for a number of miles down the
beautiful valley of the lie Sueur river,
but while attempting to pass under the
tracks of the Mankato and Decorla
street car line, which by the way, is
not provided with turn tables for the
purpose of letting ships pass through,
the upper deck of the Queen was torn
off and the ship otherwise damaged,
making it necessary to run into Rapi-
dan harbor, one mile and a quarter
southwest of the Blue Earth county
poor farm. After receiving necessary
repairs and the captain and crew pro-
vided with, refreshments and some nee
essary wearing apparel, the craft start
ed on its way down the river to Man
katO
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1907-07-12
STATE LANDS SOLD WELL
About Seventy Thousand Acres Are
Disposed Of In Few Weeks.

| st. Paul, July 5.-A series of eieh-
teen auction sales of state lands has
just been closed by State Auditor S. G,
Iverson. About 10000 acres were sold
from which the state will receive about
$550,00O and of this amount $4,000
was taken in on the first payments on
the land sold. The average price received
for the land was $3.50, which is about
the same as the average last year.
Mr.. Iverson said yesterday that i'm
many of the places visited during the
sales it was found that quite number
| of people from other states had been at
tracted to the state by the extensive
advertising which the state has done
and that they purchased improved farms
as result of their investigations. In
one county, he was told that about
10000 acres had changed hands within
two weeks of the holding of the state
sale there, which was believed to be due
largely to the advertising which had
attracted the attention of the people in
other states to the advantages in Min
nesota farming communities. There
were also number of resident
bidders at the state sales just concluded
and about fifty of the sales were made
to people from other states, including
Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, North and
South Dakota.
The state has three purposes in view,
MIR. lverson said, in holding these auc-
ton sales of state lands. The first is
to sell the lands for the benefit of the
school fund and the settlement of the
districts in which the land is located.
Another purpose is to advertise the
state throughout the country as an agri-
cultural state, as well as to call at
tentiOn to the general resources of the
state and get people from outside to
come here and investigate. The third
purpose is to make the people of the
state realize what is here. In several
counties there was discovered a restless
feeling among some of the farmers due
to their reading of the advantages in
other places and in such places the au-
ditor made it point to advise them to
hold to their Minnesota farms, which
have made them rich, and if they were
impressed with the promises of some
other place to spend a little money on
la tour of investigation before they cut
loose from the Minnesota farms. If
they did so, he felt sure they would
come back to their old farms to stay.
The last of the sales were held yes
terday at Pine City, Pine county,
Deputy Auditor c. S. Brown taking Mr..
Iverson's place in conducting this sale.
Up to yesterday the sales amounted to
,420 acres and with the sale yester-
day the total will reach over 10000
acres. st. Louis county heads the list
in the number of acres sold, with $500,
and Aitkin comes next, with 5000 The
lowest record was made in Crow Wing
county, where 500 acres were disposed
Of
The sales by counties were as fol
lows: st. Louis, $500; Itasca, 5,40O;
Carlton, 5000; Aitkin, $500; Clearwa-
ter, 5000; Crow Wing, 500; Beltrami,
5000; Cass, 5000; Hubbard, 5000; Wa
dena, 1000; Todd, 1920; Kittson, 1900;
Marshall, $500; Roseau, $500; Red
Lake, 2,4S0; Becker, 1850.