davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1909-08-13
The Aviator,s CHIEF Problem.

The Aviator's Chief Problem.
The general view Is that the greatest
difficulty in the way of the aeroplane
lies in overcoming air currents. Avia-
tors themselves do not agree with this
opinion. To them the navigation of
air currents, except in unusual winds.
has become comparatively simple.
They agree in the statement that their
chief problem Is n of motor power.
An examination Of the recent acct
dents to aeroplanes shows that nearly
every one of them was due to a failure
Of the motor. This 1t was that caused
the two disasters to Hubert Latham
in his attempts to cross the English
channel. 1t also. occasioned the first
slight mishaps Of Orville Wright at
Fort Myer.
The same problem has been present
in automobiling and motorboat navi-
cation. The failure of a motor With
these, however. usually occasions moth
ing more than 81 stoppage Of the ma
chine and Il more OF less tedious de-
lay. In the aeropIane the cas- is more
serious. The stoppage Of the motor
here means necessarily ar immediate
descent. with the attendant danger of
accident. The problem is also compli-
Gated by the necessity for lighter mo
tors and the consequent elimination Of
some Of the important parts of the
engines. Glenn II. Curtiss and some
other aviators have succeeded in con-
irving surprisingly light motors. but
in sacrificing weight they have also
sacrificed efficiency. On the other
hand. the Wright brothers have retain
ed the heavy motors and depended on
their machines to lift the greater
weight. Yet even with them the fail
ure of the engine at critical times has
caused q few more or less serious mis-
haps. 1t is plain that aeroplane in
ventors should henceforth turn their
attention to the perfecting of a suita-
BILE motor and that with their success
the aeroplane problem will be solved.
With a reliable engine the aviator can
fly at greater heights, can v longe..
distances and can be practically In
sured against accident.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1909-08-13
The Flight Across the Channel.

SAASAV "a N
The monoplane fight Of NJ. Bleriot
across the English channel marks an
epoch in aerial navigation. It may
prove almost as much Of a milepost
as the first transmission Of a message
by aerial telegraph across the same
channel. To fly yer this historic.
turbulent and fog choked neck Of wa
ter has been the one dream of French
aeronauts since Montgolter shot up in
his first balloon over a century ago.
This makes Bleriot's achievement all
the more notable. Il
Perhaps the most significant feature
of the achievement is that it was made
by a heavier than air machine and by
a monoplane at that. 1t has become
more aud more apparent that the aero
plane and not the dirigible balloon is
to be the vessel of the air. The bal
loon is the sport of the wind. Aero
planes are more on the lines of nature,
being like the birds and insects. all Of
which are heavier than air. 1t is
striking also that this feat should have
been accomplished by a monoplane.
which is still more closely modelled
after the bird and insect than the
Wright machine and most Of the 9th
ers, which are biplanes.
The speed at which the. flight was
made was that Of an express train, or
more than forty-dve miles an hour. II
aerial vessels are SO swift in the In
fancy Of the science, who can predict
what their speed rate will be when the
aeroplane is perfected and in common
use?
The only amusing feature Of the en-
tire incident is John Bulls nightmare
lest he be invaded by airships. If a
nation is determined to be scared per-
haps it may as well be scared by i'm
aginary airship fleets as anything else.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1909-08-13
Guests Have Marrow Eseape.

Mackinac Island, Mich, Aug. IL,
Forty guests had narrow escapes from
death whom the Hotel Hessel, on the
mainland near Les Chenaux islands,
was burned to the ground. y number
OF the guests escaped In their night
clothing and lost Ill their baggage.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1909-08-13

A bunch Of mattresses at a summer
resort have gone on strike because
they were not allowed to flirt. After
all, Mattresses are but women. and
since they saw all the other women
flirting what could the poor girls do?
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1909-08-13
Great APPLAUSE
GREETS PlNCH0T
Stands Well With National
Irrigation Congress.
TALKS TO THE DELEGATES

Gives an Account Of His Stewardship
for the Last Year and Voices an
Eloquent Tribute to Former Presi.
dent Roosevelt, Whose conserva.
ton Policy, It 10 Said, 10 Not BE.
Ing Adhered To.
Spokane, Wash, Aug. 11.-Gthord
Pinchot has found out where he stands
at the National Irrigation congress.
On arising to address. the convention
the 1900 delegates gave him an ova
ton lasting fully five minutes and
winding up with q burst of three
cheers.
MI. Pinchot went Immediately into
his subject, giving, as he announced,
an account of his stewardship for the
last year. He was preceded by 7. J.
Allen of the forestry service, who de-
handed that if the West is to pre-.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1909-08-13
DISCUSS COMPROMISE VIEWS

Parties interested In Chinese Loan in
Conferences.
Picking, Aug. 11.-EIenry p. Fletcher,
the American charge, the representa-.
tives here of the German, British and
French bankers and Liang Tun Yen.
president Of the board Of foreign at.
fairs, were in conference on the mat
ter of American participation in the
Hankow-Szechuen railroad loan. Com
promise views were exchanged. These
will now be referred to the principals,
whose replies will determine what
matters shall be taken up at the next
conference.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1909-08-13

That wife who shot her husband
for overworking the family phono-
graph probably has the backing Of
next door Deighbors in her appeal to
the unwritten law.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1909-08-13

It seems that the American school,
master 'is abroad extensively in Tur-
key. and perhaps he's the very chap
who taught the Young Turk how to
shoot.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1909-08-13

The scared English should reflect
that IL their continental foes can get
at them in their homes by aeroplane
they can escape to America by the
same means.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1909-08-13

II Alfred Austin's poetry were writ
ten in prose and freely interlarded
with caps and red ink it might make
perfectly good Arthur Brisbane ed
jtorials.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1909-08-13

Being a world power, st. swithin
pours water somewhere every day, the
tabled forty included, whethar you no
tice It or not.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1909-08-13

A German scientist says that wom-
ems feet are rapidly growing larger.
This meal that the shoe dealers will
have to lie more than ever in marking
No. Gs down to 2's.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1909-08-13
SLAIN By SIX MASKED MEN
Kentucky Farmer Called to Door Of
Home and Shot.

scottsville, KY, Aug. 11.-John
Simpson. q farmer. was called to the
door Of his home by six masked men
and shot to death. The killing was
the outcome of Simpsons participa.
tion In q suit Instituted by q Mrs.
Douglas to recover the custody Of her
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1909-08-13

People who go to Europe In a yacht
in order to be exclusive must expect
to bribef old Neptune into inventing
q denaturedf seasickness.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1909-08-13

"what will 1t be when the president
Of the United States meets the presi-
dent Of Mexico?" asks an exchange.
ssshake. PorH" "Aianana, Bill'
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1909-08-13

When the dying age really arrives
there will not be SO much worrying
over bad roads.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1909-08-13

The turbine marvel must share the
distinction beats Its own record" with
the aeroplane for awhile.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1909-08-13

Soon the smart London chap will
dine in Paris. then skiddoo home by
the air route for the coffee and cigars.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1909-08-13

Thaw may not be crazy, but If they
do not get his case out Of the courts
the American people o o will be.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1909-08-13

Thousands Of bachelors turned out
by the coed and women's colleges viii
claim exemption from the bachelor
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1909-08-13

The seeds of democracy seem also
growing in Spain.
The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1909-08-13

Continuous drownings show that get
ting into too deep water iss q contin-
nous fad with some people.
The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1909-09-17
CHAPTER XVIII.
AT the Dixie.

Marion caught her closely. to her
heart. Il knew you would go if 1 got
you angry, dear. But you are so slow
to anger. Mr.. McCloud is just the
same way. Mr.. Smith says when he
does get angry he can do anything.
He is very like you in SO many ways"
Dicksie was wiping her eyes. rs
he, Marion? Well, what shall l wear?"
Just your riding-clothes, dear, and
a smile. He won't know what you have
on. It is you he will want to see. But
I've been thinking Of something else.
What will your Cousin Lance say?
Suppose he should object?"
"Object! I should like to see him
object after losing the fight himself"
Marion laughed. "Well. do you thir.K
you car find the way down there for
us?"
Il can find any way anywhere within
100 miles Of here"
On the goth Of June McCloud did
have something of an army Of men in
the Crawling Stone valley. OF these,
$50 were in the vicinity Of the bridge,
the abutments and piers of which
were being put in just below the Dun
ming ranch. Near at hand Bill Dan
cling, with a big gang, had been for
some time watching the ice and dyra-
hitting the jams. McCloud brought ia
more inch as the river continued to
rise. The danger line on the gauges
was at length submerged, and for
three days the mainline construction
The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1909-09-17

camps had been robbed of men to
guard the sofc grades above and be-
low the bridge. The new track up
and down the valley had become a
highway of escape from the flood, and
the track patrols were met at every
curve by cattle, horses, deer, wolves
and coyotes fleeing from the waste
of waters.
Through the Dunning ranch the
Crawling Stone river makes a far
bend across the valley to the north
and east. The extraordinary volume
of, water now pouring through the Box
canyon exposed 10000 acres Of the
ranch to the caprice of the river, and
If at the point Of its tremendous sweep
to the north it should cut back into it's
old channel the change would wipe
the entire body Of ranch alfalfa lands
off the face of the valley. With the
heat of the frightening June days a
vast steam rose from the chill waters
OF the river, marking in ominous wind
ings the channel of the main stream
through a yellow sea which. ignoring
the usual landmarks of trees and
dunes, t1anked the current broadly on
either side. Late in the afternoon of
the day that Dicksie with Marion
sought McCloud, a storm drifted down
the Topaz Topaz hills, and heavy
showers broke acros the valley.
AT nightfall the rain had passed and
the mist lifted from the river. Above
the bluffs rolling patches of cloud OBJ.
The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1909-09-17
SYNOPSIS.

Murray SINCLAIR and his gang of wreck
Frs We're called out to clear the railroad
tracks at Smoky Creek. Mccioud. a
FLAIR and his men in the act Of footing
the wrecked train. Sinclair. pleaded in.
'aocencs. declaring it only amounted to a
discharged the whole outfit and ordered
the wreckage burned. McCloud became
acquainted with Dicksie Dunning, a girl
OIL ure me W " who came to look at the
clair. "Whispering' Gordon Smith told
PRESIDENT Bucks Of the railroad, Of Nc
G cre ged 6rave ight against a gang of
for the superintendent's appointment to
his high Office. McCloud arranged to
n o'a at the boarding house of Mrs. Sin
CAR, the eX-foreman'S deserted wife.
Dlcksle Dunning was the daughter of the
late Richard Dunning, who had died of a
6roken heart shortly after his wife's
married life. Sinclair visited Marion Sin
ciair,s shop and u fight between him and
G GeeiouS br, Ias m narrowly wSs ayerted: Smoky
McClopd prepared to face the situation.
President Bucks notified Smith that he
had work ahead. McCloud worked for
In fairly good order. He overheard Dick
sic criticising his methods, to Marion
Sinclair. stock train was wrecked by
was held up and the express car robbed.
Two men of a posse pursuing the bandits
were Killed. McCloud was notified that
Whispering Smith was to hunt the des-
p%eradoes. Bill Dancing, a road llneman,
proposed that Sinclair and his gang be
sent to hunt the bandits. A stranger, ap-
ahead: Dancing was told the stranger
was whispering Smith, Smith ap-
PREACHED Sinclair; He tried to buy him
off, but failed. He warned McCloud that
his life was in danger. McCloud was car
ried forcibly into Lance Cummings pres
ence: Dunning refused the railroad a
right-of-way, he had already signed for.
Dicksie interfered to prevent a shooting
ARRAY. Dicksie met McCloud on a lonely
trail to warn him his life was in danger.
On his way home a shot passed through
his hat. Whispering Smith reported that
Du Sang, one of Sinclair's gang, had been
assigned to kill McCloud. He and Smith
saw Du Sang. Whispering Smith taunt-
ed Du Sang and told him to get out of
Medicine Bend or suffer. Du Sang seemed
to succumb TO the bluff. McCloud's big
construction job. was taken from him be-
Dunning by the United States court.
The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1909-09-17

We feel sorry for. the poor man
whose wife talks in her sleep, too.
The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1909-09-17
CHAPTER XVII.
III. CRAWLING Stone Rise.

The Crawling Stone Rise.
So sudden was the onset Of the river
that the trained riders of the big
ranch were taken completely aback,
and hundreds of head Of Dunning cat
tie were swept away before they could
bd removed to points OF safety. Fresh
alarms came with every hour of the
idaysand night, and the telephones up
and down the valley rang necessarily
with appeals from neighbor to neigh
bor. Lance Dunning, calling out the
reserves Of his vocabulary, swore ire
mendously and directed the operations
against the river. These seemed, In
deed. to consist mainly Of hard riding
and hard language on the part of
everybody. Murray Sinclair, although
he had sold his ranch on the Crawling
Stone and was concentrating his hold
ings on the Frenchman, was every
where in evidence. He was the first
| RI 4 point Of danger and the last to
ftdeS away from the slipping acres
where the muddy food u%ndercut; but
rs defiance seemed to disturb the
Crawling Stone, which kept alarming
~ at work.
Above the alfalfa lands on the long
henchEnorth of the house the river, IN
its course many years earl,
The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1909-09-17
After Pastor Had ElucIdated Text
from Which He had Drawn His
Sermon,

The colored parson had just con.
cluded a powerful sermon on Saliva.
ton Am Free" and was announcing
that a collection would be taken for
the benefit of the parson and his fam
lily. Up jumped an acutely brunette
brother in the back Of the church.
"Lcok a-year. patson." he utter.
ruptcd, "yo' amt no sooner done tellin,
US dat salvation am free dan yo' so
askin' US fo' money. II salvation am
free. what's de use in payin' TO- 1t?
OATS what l want to know. An 1 tell
yo' p'intedly dat l amt goin' to glib
yo' nothtn' until 1 find put. Now"
Patience, brudder. patience" said
the parson. "In 'lucidate: s'pose yo'
was thirsty an come to a river. Yo'
could kneel right down an drink yo'
fill, couldn't yo'? An 1t wouldn't cost
yo' nothin' would it,"
"oh, cou'se not. OATS Jest what
Il"
dat water would be- free" con.
tinued the parson. But s'posin yo'
was to hab dat water piped to yo'
house? Yo' have to pay, wouldn't yo?''
"Yas, sub, but"
The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1909-09-17
CHAPTER xvi.-continued.

The Crawling Stone river is said to
embody, historically, all of the de-
ceits known to mountain streams. Be-
low the Box Canyon it plows through
"a great bed Of yielding silt, its own
deposit between the two imposing
lines of bluffs that resist its wander
ings from side to side of the wide val
ley. This fertile soil makes up the
rich lands that are the envy of less
fortunate regions in the Great Basin;
but the Crawling Stone is not a river
to give quiet title to one acre of its
own making. The toll of it's centuries
spreads beautifully green under the
June skies, and the u~nsuspecting set
tier, lulled into security by many
years of the rivers repose, settles on
it's level bench land and lays out his
long lines of possession; but the Sioux
will tell you in their own talk that this
man is but a tenant at will; that in
another time and at another place the
stranger. will inherit his fields; and
that the Crawling Stone always comes
back for its own. m
The winter had been an unusual one
even in a land of winters. The sea-
sons fall of snow. had not been above
an average, but it had fallen in the
spring and had been followed by ex-
cessively low temperatures throughout
the mountains. June came again, but
a strange June. The first rise of the
Crawling Stone had not moved out
the winter frost, and the stream lay
bound from bank to bank, and for hun
dreds of, miles, under three feet of ice.
When June opened, backward and
cold, there had been no spring. Heavy
frosts lasting until the middle of the
month gave sudden way to summer
heat, and the Indians on the upper
valley reservation began moving back
into the hills. Then came the rise.
Creek after creek in the higher noun
tains, ice-bound for six months, burst
without warning into flood. Soft winds
struck with the sun and stripped the
mountain walls of their snow. Rains
set in on the desert, and far in the
high northwest the Crawling Stone
lifting its four-foot cap Of ice like a
bed of feathers began rolling it end
over end down the valley. In the Box,
40 feet of water struck the canyon
walls and ice-1oes were hurled like
torpedoes against the granite spurs;
the Crawling Stone was starting after
its own.
When the river rose, the earlier talk
Of Dunning's men had been that the
Crawling Stone would put an end to
the railroad %pretensions by washing
he. $50 miles Of track back to the
Peace river, where it had started. This
much in the beginning was easy to
predict; but the railroad men had
turned out in force to fight for their
holdings, and while the ranchers were
laughing, the river was flowing over
the bench lands in the upper valley.
The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1909-09-17

Cloud. 81 wonder how the river is?
I've been asleep. o Bill" he called
to Dancing. what water have you
sot?"
"Tw~enty-eight six just now. sir.
She's arising very slow, Mr.. McCloud."
so | am responsible for this in
vasion,' continued Marion, calmly.
I've been up with Dicksie at the
ranch; she sent for me. Just think of
it-no woman but old Puss within ten
miles of the poor child! And they
have been trying everywhere to get
bags. and you have all the bags, and
the men have been buzzing around
over there for a week like humble
bees and doing just about as much
good. She and ! talked it all over this
afternoon. and l told her l was COM
ing over here to see you. and we
started out together-and merciful
goodness, such a time as we have
had!"
But you started out together;
where did you leave herr"
There she stands the other side of
the fire. O Dicksie!"
Why did you not tell me she was
here!" exclaimed McCloud.
Dicksie came into the light as he
fastened owe If she was uncertain
in manner. he was not. He met her,
laughing just enough to relieve the
tension Of which both for an instant
We're conscious. She gave him her
hand when he put his out, though he
felt that it trembled a little. Such a
ride as You have had! Why did you
not send me word? I would have
come to you!" he exclaimed, throwing
reproach into the words.
Dicksie raised her eyes. II wanted
to ask you whether you would sell us
some grain sacks, Mr.. McCloud, to
use at the river, if you could spare
them?"
Sacks? Why, of course, all you
want! But how did you ever get here?
In all this water, and two lone
women! You have been in danger to.
night. Indeed you have--don't tell me!
And you are both wet; 1 know it. Your
feet must be wet. Come to the fire.
The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1909-09-17

SCure the face of the moon, but the
distant thunder had ceased, and at
midnight the valley near the bridge
lay in a stiffness broken only by the
hoarse calls of the patrols and far-off
megaphoros. From the bridge camp,
which lay on high ground near the
grade, the distant lamps of the track
walkers could be see moving dimly.
Before the campfire in front of Nc
Clouds tent a group of men, smoking
and talking, sat or lay sprawled on
tarpaulins, drying themselves after the
long day. Among them were the
weather-beaten remnants of the old
guard of the mountain workers, men
who had fought the Spider Water
with Glover. Bill Dancing, huge, lum-
bering, awkward as a bear and as
shifty, was talking, because with no
apparent effort he could talk all night,
and was a valuable man at keeping
the camp awake. Bill Dancing talked
and, after Sinclair's name had been
dropped from the roll, ate and drank
more than n two men on the d.
vision. A little apart, McCloud lay
On a leather caboose cushion trying to
get a nap.
The man sent to the bridge had
turned back, and behind his lantern
Dancing heard the tread of horses. He
stood at n side Of the campfire
while the visitors rode up: they were
women. Dancing stood dumb as they
advanced into the freight. The. one
ahead spoke: mi. Dancing, don't
you know me?" AS she stopped her
horse the light Of the fire struck her
face. why, Mis- Sinclair!"
YES, and Miss Dunning is with
me- returned Marion. Bill staggered.
This Is an awful place to get to; we
have been nearly drowned, and we
want to see Mr.. McCloud."
McCloud, reused by Marion's voice,
came forward. "You were asleep"
said she as he greeted her. II am 50
sorry We have disturbed you!" She
looked careworn and a little forlorn,
yet but a little considering the strug-
gle she and Dicksie had made to reach
the camp.
Light blazed from the campfire,
where Dicksie stood talking with Dan
cling about horses.
They are In desperate straits up at
the RANCH" Marion went on, when Nc
Cloud had assured her of her welcome.
Il don't e how they a save it. The
river is starting to flow into the old
channel and there's a big pond right
in the alfalfa fields"
ut will play the deuce with things
If 1t gets through there" unused Nc.