The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1910-09-01
GOSSIP OF THE
NATIONS CAPITAL
Especial to the Silver State,l
From Soldier to Artist.

From Soldier to Artist.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 3ls-One Of
the interesting figures in Washington
Is y. Il. Killers, the man who makes the
beautiful transparencles which can be
seen at the capitol in the oflicee Of the
department OF agriculture, the interior
department and the forest serviee. and
by the public generally at all Of the
big expositions, especially where there
are Illustrations OF the government q
work.
These transparencies are q combina-
tion Of Photographic work and oil
painting They seem to be made by NO
one SO perfectly as by Mr.. Killers, who
mas perfected transparent oil paints
and a transparent varnish, fxatif, -.
with which he treats the finished pic
ture. The effect given by these trans
pareneies is very tine, and the demand
mas grown 90 great for them that q
large studio is now given over to their
production.
Hlliers was soldier in the Civil war
and ne took up the work at which he
has acquired his reputation by accident.
and In sense, under eompulsion. He
went to New York after the war and
was employed in the Prospect park DO
lice department. The illness of q brother
made 1t necessary to take him to Cali
fornia, and he went there by steamship.
arriving in San Francisco in 1870. and
going to visit his brother, Richard Hill
iers. then in the grocery business, but
since engaged in fruit growing at At
water, Merced county, where another
brother. Hiram, is also engaged in rails. 4
ing fruit and chickens. The brother
whose illness made necessary the Cali
fornia journey got well, and finally
went to the southern part Of the state
where he subsequently, died.
Having accomplished his mission,
Killers started east and stopping OF 1t
Salt Lake City to see that Mormon
colony, he read of Major Powell's ex-
pedition down the Colorado river. Ills
imagination was fred by the prospect
of adventure and he made application
to join the expedition. Being man Of
hne physique, he was accepted.
but,' he says, 81 wouldn't 70 down
the canyon of the Colorado again for
the mint of the United States.n The
first season the expedition got as far a
the Crossing of the Fathers whore the
boats Were left and Major Powell went
back to Salt Lake City. The photo
graphs not proving to be satisfactory,
Major Powell told Killers ha would
have to become tho oxpoaiti0n q
photographer. "But don't know any
thing about photography replied Hi:
lers. Nevertheless, he was obliged to
take up the work and he was success
full from the very first. He continned
with the expedition, making bigger ard
bigger photographs. The sise Of his
pictures has steadily grown ever since
and last year he made three for the
Seattle exposition which measured A
by 80 inches. His work 10 now widely
recognized, and people come to him
for it from all parts of the country.
Saving the Shade Trees.
For ten days past the United States
government has been engaged in very
active warfare against the elm tree
beetle. This year the shade trees Of
Washington have suffered severely
from the attacks of predatory pests.
The district government finally came
to the conclusion that it was necessary
to do something radical to preserve for
"city beautiful" The method Of at-
tack decided upon was to make use Of
gasoline engine mounted upon .
u
spraying the trees and shrubs with .
pie who saw this outfit accompanied by
two men who were spraying . milky
liquid upon the trees with the aid Of =
hose, were at loss to know what they
were trying to do. The trees are most
sects but it is expected that this treat
ynouf mill .koa ovry &r~<k~- ~o~ -
will preserve the trees.
Cost Of Living on the Isthmus.
While all the rest Of the country 10
complaining about the high cost Of 'liv-
ing the men who are digging the "big
ditch" across the Isthmus seem to have
very little to complain of ON that
score. Let any city reader compare the
prices he has to pay with the following,
selected at random. from the columns
Of the Canal Record, the Official organ
OF the Isthmian Canal commission:
Stewing mutton, per pound, Z cents
cents; stewing lamb, cents; leg Of
lamb, "a cents; lamb chops, 26 cents;
shoulder of veal, Is cents; veal chops,
% cents; beef suet, cents; soup meat,
cents; corned beef, 12 to 16 cents;
pot roast, Is cents; rib roast, Is cents;
sirloin roast, 81 cents; pOrterhouse
roast, 81 cents; beef liver, 10 cents;
pork sausage, IL cents; bologna, IA
cents; fresh eggs per dozen. 20 cents;
fresh cod. 7 cents; fresh blueish, IA
cents; fancy large roasting chickens,
$3.50 each; fawls, 70 cents to $l.15;
broilers, rs cents; squads, 35 cents;
pheasants, 20 cents and 81; partridges,
so cents; Wesphalia ham, per pound,
35 cents; sugar cured ham, "a cents;
breakfast bacon, 80 cents; salt beef, 12
cents; mess mutton, cents; special
creamery butter, 40 cents; Swiss cheese.
20 cents; Roquefort cheese, 38 cents.
Vegetables. per pound: Cucumbers, s
cents; new potatoes, cents; sweet
potatoes. 2la cents; onions, 5 cents; to-
matoes, cents; turnips, 8 cents; ear
rots cents; beets, 5 cents; cabbage.
31a cents; squash, 5 cents; plums, 10
cents; peaches, 10 cents; oranges, l2
cents per dozen; grape fruit. cents
each. Meals are served at the hotels
for 30 cents each.