Devils Lake inter-ocean and Devils Lake free press. (Devils Lake, Ramsey County, N.D.) 1905-1909, 1908-03-27
WASHIRas ON LET TER
fspecaal Corlsreespo.nd.lence.l

'.''s - Especial Correspondence.1 4.
It Is doubtful If any Of the labora-
tories maintained by the government
for scientific research are more unique
in character and vet bear promise of
more important results than one which
has just been established In Washing
ton by the United States forest service
for Investigating the structure Of COM
mercially important woods.
Forest Service Laboratory.
Laymen will not understand the sig
niflcance Of the proposed invesiga-
tons carried on in this laboratory so
quickly as architects. builders and
other wood users. who In these days
of growing scarcity of the more valua-
bic woods are seriously perp!exed in
Identifying substitutes. Mistakes Of
this kind tn Identification have In the
last few years In several instances
meant the loss of thousands Of dollars
and many embarrassing lawsuits.
Many Of these woods look alike even
to the trained eye OF the mill man or
the builder. and yet they are widely
different In value for certain purposes,
and 1t Is of the greatest Importance to
be able to distinguish them quickly
and certainly. Again. new wood may
come to a mans notice for the first
/ time, and it may be necessary for him
to decide what it Ia and what 1t Is
worth.
Practical Investigation.
The government has been helping in
dfzidual lumber users for some time,
but the facilities have not been near
50 complete Us they are now. 1t is to
meet such needs and answer such
questions that the forest service has
established. the laboratory and placed
1t In charge Of trained dendrologist.
Architects. lumbermen. manufacturers
and makers Of WOODWARD are already
sending In samples Of wood for identi-
dcat1on and asking IL there are not
some structural characters by means
OF which such woods may be conven-
ienty separated from relative species
having greater or less value for some
specific purpose.
: The laboratory will investigate in
practical way. The structure of the
woods, sections lengthwise and cross
wise, will be studied so as to separate
by structure alone the various species
of a genus. Analytical keys to the
trees of each group will be worked
out These will be based on the ar
rangement and character of the pores
discernible to the naked eye or by a
hand lens.
A Historic Medal.
Senator Owen of the new state of
Oklahoma showed the president the
other day large silver medal, in
which the chief executive was greatly
interested. It was a peace medal
awarded to Senator Owens Indian
grandfather, Thomas Chisholm, by
President Jefferson. 1t bears the In
scription: Medal Of Peace and Friend
ship to the Last Hereditary Cherokee
War Chief, 1903. By Thomas Jeffer-
CON-" On the reverse side, in the mid
die Of the medal, are clasped hands,
showing the agreement between the
white man and the Indian for peace.
The medal is treasured highly by Sem
ator Owen, who Is one Of the two men
I'm the United States senate Of Indian
blood, Senator Curtis Of Kansas being
the other.
lndians at the Capital. ,..-''
There are more Indians in Washing
ton. blanket Indians, than there are In
Omaha or Kansas City-that is to say,
tho aaght Of q noble red man Is moro
familiar to tho people Of the national
capital than to the residents Of tho
middle west hundreds of miles nearer
tao stamping ground Of Lo. Probably
tAere arc from 100 to 200 redskins In
Washington the year round. They
are visiting delegations to put
up a heap big kick with the great
white father, TO collect their tribal
Land moneys, to protest against some
order prohibiting the killing Of game.
| Pension For Blind Girl. -
Lille Small Rib Is an eleven-year-
old Cheyenne Indian girl, living at
! the Cheyenne-Arapahoe agency, near
Bridgeport, Okla. She is claimant
= for a pension, and Senator Owen of
Oklahoma, himself part Indian, Is TAX
ing an interest in the case. In Jam
uary, 1906, Lille Small Rib was acct
dentally shot In the face by soldier
of the Thirty-ninth infantry, whose
. company was temporarily camped near
the tepees Of the Indians on the Chey-
+ enne reservation. Two soldiers had
= been hunting along creek near BY.
Z As they were returning to camp they
met number Of Indian children,
among them Lille Small Rib. The
]. gun of one of the soldiers was acct
j dentally discharged, the load. striking
: Lille full In, the face. The child was
picked up for dead. Army surgeons
were summoned at once, and, while
Lilies life was saved, her injuries
made her blind for life. Bills have been
introduced in the house and senate
4 granting Lille Small Rib aslife pension
Of $500 year. %5s5* .I12
l&&@ Latin Forest Preservation.
j&T Tho Son ,,f7 +ral a -, Ga; nd !, -;