The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-04-08
AT THE HOTELS.

4 u -
'"The lack Of an international standard Of
electrical power has caused many confu-
slons," said Prof Wilhelm Jaeger. Gehein.
er Regierungsrat, member OF the physical.
isehtechnisehen ReichsanstaIt. Frieaenau-
Berlin, Germany, at Gerstenberg's last
might "and In order to arrive at an under.
standing representatives Of TWENTY-FIVE
countries met in 1908 in London. These
delegates concluded TO appoint a commit
tee consisting of a member each from the
English. the French. and the German
delegations to convene in Washington and
work out a system Of standards regarding
electricity and submit same to their re-
spective governments. which in turn
would submit them TO those governments
which participated at the general conven-
ton for approval and adoption.
"The English member Of the commits
sion. which is doing its work at the
Bureau Of Standards, is F. f. Smith, OF
Teddington. London. a member Of the
National Physical Laboratory, and the
French member is NJ Laporte, OF the
Bureau Centrale D'electricite, Paris. We
expect to finish our work in about two
months, when 1t VIII be submitted to our
governments. It is naturally to be ex-
pected that after the adoption BY the vari-
Gus nations Of a uniform standard Of
electricity all confusion elong electrical
lines, measures, power, and force will be
at an end
Small rQ a
according to John G. Brand. of Nome.
Alaska. who is at the National. IF peo-
pie think it's strange to have bunch of
pennies worked of on them, they ought
to 90 TO a country where they don't even
have nickels and dimes" said Mr. Brand.
who spent a year or so in the Klondlke
at the time that region was in its hey
day.
Yes, sir, quarter was the smallest
piece Of money used in Alaska ali the
time ! was there. Occasionally one would
see a nickel or dime. but people seldom
used them. The cheapest you could buy
thing for was a quarter. Cigars We're
quarter apiece, and all the way up 70
81. 4 small glass Of beer cost a quar-
ter. and whisky. ] guess, went at 81
drink Newspapers were sold at two bits
apiece; so were oranges. apples, and ali
kinds of fruit that sell around here by
the dozen"
MIR. Brand can relate many exciting
experiences in connection with his Alas
kan stay, but none is more illustrative
Of the queer use made of money than
that of the arrival Of the first boat in
the spring OF the year during which he
was in Circle City. The principal cargo
on this vessel was a large quantity Of
whisky in barrels. No sooner had II
arrived in town than the saloons, 20
which it had been consigned. were be
sieged by thirsty patrons. Men bought
the liquor in liberal proportions, paying
| for the same in gold dust, which the bar
! tenders carefully weighed on a delicate
! set of scales, kept in every saloon for that
/ purpose. Speaking OF this, Mr. Brand
said: a number of acquaintance in
vited me and a friend Of mine 10 a
place to have a drink. Everybody was
/ drinking whisky in quantities that ordi-
narily a man would measure out in tax
/ ing glass Of beer. All in the crowd but
myself and my friend had. been in Alaska
|
| purchases with gold dust. The local men
could not tell what they were paying for
the drinks. Presently it came my friends
turn to buy. and be laid SO gold piece
| on the bar. The bartender handed him
back twelve silver dollars. Those drinks
had been costing 81 apiece"
Bernard F. Frost OF London. England.
who is at the Arlington. is OF the opinion
/ that Americans. with all their native
alertness, are not proof against catches"
'TtHis a remarkable fact" said Mr..
Frost, who is here on his annual business
/ visit that the very Oldest catch IN
existence may still be depended upon TO
mystify-and, in some cases. exercise the
brain almost to the verge Of insanity
many people who, by some extraordinary
chance, have managed TO live q good
many years upon this earth without ever
hearing it before. Even the man or wOm-
! an who VIII readily determine which is
the heavier. a pound CT lead or a pound
| OF feathers, will often come a cropper'
| when the equally familiar portrait
poser is presented. You know the one.
A man is looking at a portrait and he
| soliloquizes: Sisters and brothers have
none, but that mans fathes is my
! fathers SON. At whose portrait is he
looking? The answer, of course, is his
own.
Then there is our old friend the pea
cock. who. straying into a neighboring
! garden, lays an egg. and the question
arises. to whom does this unique egg
belong? To the owner Of the bird or
to the owner Of the land on which 1t
was deposited? This is one OF those
most irritating posers. IN which the
/ catch lies in the question. for obviously
the egg-laying business is in the depart
ment, not of the peacock. but of his
mate.
English politics? fully believe that
the present Liberal government will not
last long. It's life depends entirely on
the good will of the Irish party, which
holds the whip hand. Unless AsQuith Is
willing TO satisfy the Irish party, Il is
safe to say that there viii be another
general election this fall
Every indication points to the renomi-
nation of Gov Harmon for another term
in the gubernatoriaI chair, according 10
| William F. Gunther. Of Cleveland. Ohio,
who was seen at the Raleigh last night
Harmon is the strongest man the
Democrats Of Ohio can place in the field.
| He can poll not only the entire Demo-