davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington herald., 1910-07-24
BASE OF PISA TOWER
Foundation Simply Consists
of Ring of Masonry.
PERPENDICULAR WHEN BUILT
Royal Commission OF Experts Make
Startling Discovery, Finding Inner
side of Structure and Only Nine
Feet Beneath Surface of Ground.

The Leaning Tower Of Pisa. with itE
eight tiers of marble colonnades. is threat
ened with the same fate that overlook
st. Marks Campanile in Venice.
royal commission Of experts as the
result of thorough investigation reports
that instead of being massive. spacious
base. as it was generally believed to be.
the foundation consists simply OF a ring
Of masonry exactly corresponding TO the
huge cylindrical mass superposed thereon.
The diameter Of the inner ring OF the
foundation is precisely the same "a little
over eight feeD as that of the inside OF
the tower
This fact and the discovery that the
foundations are merely nine feet nina
inches beneath the surface have con-
vinced the commission that the tower
was originally built perpendicularly and
that its leaning propensities, which are
becoming more and more aceentuated,
are not due to any intention on the part
Of its constructors.
Increase Nearly Foot.
In 1929 the tower was nearly fourteen
and half feet out of the vertical, and
since then the commission believes that
the increase has been nearly foot.
The causes for this condition are
principally that the base Of the tower has
always been immersed In water, and
deep cistern dug seventy years ago in an
unsuccessful attempt AT drainage has only
made matters worse. A severe earth
quake shock in 1884 gave the tower an
additional inclination of FIVE inches.
AS the oscillation caused by the ringing
Of Its magnificent peal Of seven bells Is
believed TO be another source Of danger.
Cardinal Maggi. Archbishop OF Piss, has.
suspended the ringing OF the two biggest
which together weight over six tons, and
has ordered that the smaller bells shall
be simply beaten with the hammer hence
forth.
The Washington herald., 1910-07-24
high PRICES At ART SALE
This Year Notable in the Auction
Rooms at London.
Despite DenOuncements of Extrava-
gnnce, Pictures stIII Fall Under
Hammer at PrOhibitive Price.

London July 2s.-The extravaganza of
the prices paid for paintings and objects
OF art at auction rooms. an extravaganza
which Sir c. Purdon Clark has denounced,
continues to mark the sales proceeding at
Christie's. At the sale OF the Meinerz-
hagen collection Of engraviDgs nine mez-
zotints. all OF which were originally pub
lished for about s. each. brought S47. 500
An unlettered proof of Wards engraving
OF Hoppner's portrait OF The Frank
land Daughters" brought $500. It's
previous sale realized $500.
Since April Z, when a series of impor-
tant sales OF pictures began at Christie's.
eleven collections have realized s.. 1880
The sale OF Baron Schroeder's collection
Of paintings, engravlngs. and jewels, pre-
eious and semi-precious. brought the total
OF sssO.2so.
Below is table showing the results of
the sales of eleven other collections al
Christies:
The Young collection June 30 July and q D.. $40 Si'
The Waller collections: pictures and draw
ings tJlne B.l4s
Porcelsin furniture. SC June z. 8. 3D.. 80 ldS
Modern u tures. various owners June g.. 1854.
TIE Buckley collection q ersrayings MAY SOi 8GC
{ The Coope collection Of NIaioca. &c lAsy
, l. <apaf'
The Maddox collection q modern TlctuTes
tApnl Observation-Disclosures. S.se
The Falcke collection Of hTUnses. sc. (AITh
IS. n. q 2z........................... Is6iS
| The ThCohald collection, etchinEs. and
Cravings April p Is and E9ol-............ 1868
The Guest collection Of plate porcelain. &C
tApr H. Il 3 l4--.......-.-....-.....-... Ssh
EtchinES &c tAVi 7l......................... A. 81
The Washington herald., 1910-07-24
ENGLAND'S OLD SHIPS SOLD.
BiIIboards of London Contain Pos
ters OF Advertisements.

London. July 23.-England's navy is so
big and improvements in war ships are
SO rapid that periodically the navy de-
partment sells its obsolete fighting ships
by auction For month the billboards
Of London have contained posters adyer-
Using a sale by auction OF a job lot OF
war ships. They cost millions 10 con-
struct. but the auction at the Portsmouth
Navy Yard realized only 100000
The most interesting vessel sold was the
second-class cruiser Melampus. II was
on this cruiser that King George few his
first commanders flag The Melampus
realized $4,000.
The battle ship Centurion, from which
Admiral Sir Edward Seymour commanded
the landing of bluejackets TO march to
the relief Of the besieged embassies in
Pekin during the Boxer rebellion, real
lied $4,000. Her sister ship, the Bar
fleur. brought $3.50 more.
Junk dealers bought the ships, They
were so obsolete that not even South
American republic could afford to buy
them.
The Washington herald., 1910-07-24
SUBSIDY FOR CUNARD LINE.
British Government Pays 100000 a
Year 10 Mail Carrier.

Year TO Mall Carrier.
London. July "a Parliamentary pa
per, just issued, shows the subsidies that
the Cunard Line gets from the British
government The annual subsidy paid
TO the Cunard Steamship Company by
the post-ofice is $4,000. The main serv-
ice performed in respect OF this subsidy
is the conveyance OF letter and parcel
mails by the weekly mail ships from
Liverpool and Queenstown 20 New York.
The company is also required, subject
TO certain reservations, 10 convey, with
out additional payment. letter and parcel
mails from this country 10 the United
States. and parcel mails from New York
to Queenstown and Liverpool by any
steamships Of the company that may run.
The contract runs twenty years, termi-
mating on November Is. 1877
total sum OF about $4,000 per annum
is recouped from foreign and colonial
administrations, but It cannot be stated
how much of this is in consideration of
the more rapid service afforded by the
ships in question.
The annual subsidy paid by the Cunard
Steamship Company by the navy is s7Jo.-
600. viz: $4,000 each IN respect Of Maui
retania and Lusitania. In consideration
of this payment the company is bound
during the term of the agreement 10 hold
all its vessels at the disposal Of the gov
eminent TO be hired or purchased upon
certain conditions. The agreement is for
twenty years from September Is. 1907.
The Washington herald., 1910-07-24
OFF FOR FRENCH GUIANA
Convicts Not Well Treated on Board
Transport Loire.
Five Hundred Men, Chained in Pairs
Placed I'm Iron Gingerbread
Every Morning.

Paris, July 23.-French convicts. it Is
often said in France, are far too well
treated in Guiana and other penal settle
ments, but the good treatment certainly
does not begin with their transportation
to their new home.
Five hundred have just left on the
transport Loire. Chained two and two
TO each other, the prisoners are taken
from the old citadel IN the lie de Re near
Rochelle. marched to the pier. and placed
on barges. which take them to the ship.
Once aboard. they descend to the iron
cages or bagnes, OF which there are four
between decks. separated from each other
by passages in which are seamen on
guard fully armed.
Bread is distributed every morning and
twice day a party ascends to the deck
with vessels which are filed with provi-
sIons at the rate OF twelve portions In
each. Sometimes the food is Goldfish
cooked with rice, sometimes bacon with
potatoes or beans or lentiis The pans
having been brought down TO the cages.
the convicts devour their contents.
In fine weather when the transport
is well away from land. parties of 100
at a time are allowed on deck for half an
hour. Hammocks are served out in the
evening. slung to the ceiling of the
cage. and the convicts get what sleep
they can.
AS many Of these men are desperate
criminals. great precautions are taken on
board to keep them in order. -Four guns
loaded with grape stand In readiness TO
suppress any attempt AT revolt, and when
they are permitted on deck a hose con-
nected with the boilers is within reach Of
the sailors on guard
The Washington herald., 1910-07-24
GREAT ART OF LIFE
Aged Princess Helene Writes
Her Autobiography.
HAS HAD ROMANTIC CAREER
A Playmate OF King Louis III, When
He Was Crown Prince, She Has
Become One of the Most Notable
Figures In European Nobility.
Danced with Eugene.

London. July 23.-Herein lies the great
art OF life. to enjoy the full scent OF
the roses and all other gifts Of nature,
while carefully avoiding the thorns.
Such is the frank philosophy OF the
life of Princess Helene Won Racowftza,
who. Ike another Helen, fired all hearts
in the monday OF her brilliant beauty.
some forty years ago. and won. In the
evening Of her days. has taken the world
into her confidence in a more than I'm
usually candid autobiography. The Prin-
cess has had a career romantic and
stormy.
From her father. a brilliant Bavarian
diplomat at the court of Max II. she
inherited the blood Of the vikings; her
mother a beautiful and fascinating wo-
man, belonged 10 one OF the highly
cultured Jewish fsmi1iessof Berlin. fam
ily of poets and philosophers, while the
temperament Of Helene herself was pure
Greek In the alteration of beauty.
Playmate of Louis II.
Sne of her earliest playmates was the
Crown Prince Louis, of Bavaria, who
afterward became King Louis II. Her
parents belonged to the intimate circia
OF King Max II. and Helene was chosen
as the most fitting comrade for the young
prince.
The childish friendship was broken by
a quarrel in which the Crown Prince
and little Helene fought like Wild cats.
When her father heard OF the episode,
In spite OF the complete forgiveness OF
the royal parents. the intimate inter
course between the children was broken
OF. Years after, when the Crown Prince
was a king and The little girl the wild
owed Princess Won Raeowitza, he sent
his former play mate some bOnbons, with
the words: Greeting to my once wild
little playmate"
From Munich TO Berlin, from Berlin
to Turin, where her father was minister
to King Victor Emmanuel. and from
Turin to Nice went Helene, a beautiful
debutante in her early teens. Dainty and
winsome as a fairy, with sharply-cut
profile, glorious golden hair, and wonder
ful eyes. which were blue. gray. and
green by turns. is the description Baror
VoldendoTff gives of her beauty at tbi:
time
While at Nice, the town gave q bal
in honor Of Napoleon III and the En-
press Eugene. then at the zenith of her
glory.
The Princess devotes many chapters
to what is known as the Lassalle cpl
sode. II is a fervent chapter from the
Book Of Love, this tragic love-story Of
Ferdinand Lassalle. the brilliant and TO
mantle father of German Socialism. and
the beautiful Helene Won Donniges. which
furnished George Meredith with the mo-
tive for his novel, "The Tragic Come
dams" For her part in that romance OF
half a century ago and its unfortunate
ending, the Princess has been alter
nately hailed as an unhappy heroine and
condemned as a heartless jilt
Lassalle was fatally wounded in a due
by another OF her lovers. a young Rou-
manian prince, Yanko Won RacowitZa.
Helene. who never regarded the Prince
as the murderer OF her lover, become
the Princess Won Racowitza, her hus-
band dying a year later from consump-
ton.
The Washington herald., 1910-07-24
ENGLISH JUDGES LAX
Kings Bench of High Court
Behind in Its Work.
LAWYERS MAKE COMPLAINT
Adjudication OF Their Cases Delayed
by slow Progress, While Chancery
Justices Keep Calendar Clear-TwO
New JudEe at Salary of So, 900 a
Year Authorized by Parliament.

London. July 2S.-Like American judges,
English judges complain that they are
overworked. AS a result. Parliament is
authorizing the appointment of two new
judges TO the High Court bench at a
salary of $4,000 a year, with Sl7,5OO a
year as pension after retirement
The High Court is composed OF two di-
visions. Kings Bench and Chancery. The
judges of the Kings Bench are behind IN
their work and lawyers and clients are
complaining of the delay in the adjudica-
ton of their cases. The chancery judges
keep their calendar clear, and there is no
delay their courts.
-Four of ghe six judges on the chancery
bench are under sixty but over fifty. Jus
tice Joyce Is still active at seventy. Six
teen judges occupy the courts of Kings
Bench. including Lord Chief Justice Al
verstone. The appointment of the TWO
new judges VIII give the Kings Bench
eighteen judges, and it is hoped TO OBJ
viate further complaints OF delay.
The Judges on the Kings Bench are on
the average older than the chancery
Judges. Justice Lawrence still sits at
seventy, and is not contemplating retire
ment
About 1000 cases are filed annually in
the Kings Bench Not all Of them, Of
course. come up for hearing. OF these
10000 about 5000 are set down for trial.
and of these about 2,000 actually are
tried Two-thlrds of these cases are tried
in London. the other third on circuit. It
is estimated that each judge tries annu-
ally I2O cases; twenty years ago the aver
age was Isl cases.
While the judges complain of Overwork,
it is a fact that they work only thirty-six
weeks of the fifty The judges sit only
five hours a day for five days a week.
OF course, their work is not wholly repre-
scented by those figures because all of
them have more or less work to do in
their chambers or their homes. The
judges seem 10 be an unusually healthy
lot OF men because their absences due to
Illness average only four days year.
The Washington herald., 1910-07-24
WORLD EVENTS FLASHED FROM CAPITALS OF EUROPE
EMBASSY IS VACANT.
Portuguese Sent to Vatican Persona
non Grata.

Lisbon. July 23.-The GOODNESS of the
relations between Portugal and the Vat
lean are much commented upon. Recent
iy Cardinal Merry del Val wrote 10 the
Archbishop of Braga. ordering the sup
preston of a Portuguese Franciscan pa
per. which was done.
The government regarded this as an in
fringement of It's prerogatives, and the
Crown published a royal decree, CEN
surfing the Vatican. The archbishop Is
noY organizing a clerical campaign to
protest against the decree.
The Pope having refused to accept two
eminent politicians proposed as Portu-
guese Minister TO the Vatican, the EN-
bassy is now vacant. and the Cabinet
has decided to leave 1t vacant pro tenn.
The seculo says It is not impossible that
the embassy viii be abolished.
The Washington herald., 1910-07-24
AIRSHIP TRACKS NEXT.
German AeFOnauts Talk of Con.
structing Buoy System.

German Aeronauts Talk of Con-
structing Buoy System.
Berlin. July 22.-German aeronauts are
already talking about the mapping out
of properly lighted airship tracks for the
guidance of dlrigibles and aeroplanes
travelling by night or when weather con-
ditions make it necessary for airmen to
fly above low-hanging clouds which hide
the landscape. The technical paper Luft-
schiffhalle says that a patent has just
been issued for new system of sta
tionary luminous aerial buoys of enor-
nous candle power.
They are TO be connected by wires with
the earth. Different colors are proposed
as signals indicating threatening storms.
the direction of the surface winds, and
dangerous landing places.
The only objection seems to be the
cost Of lighting whole air track. as the
buoys. 10 be effective, should not be
placed too far apart Nevertheless, il
seems the system Is going to be adopted
for start by some large cities to equip
their landing places for airships
The Washington herald., 1910-07-24
LANCE IS FORMIDABLE.
German Military Authorities Say
Weapon Is Justified.

weapon Is Justlhed.
Berlin. July 2s.-The lance as a cavalry
weapon has justified its existence, mill
tary experts agree. in the South African
and the Russo-Japanese war, in spite OF
those who decried the arm as old-fash-
toned and cumbersome. The German
military authorities still believe in shock
tactics and the cavalry charge and un-
der those circumstances the lance in the
Prussian Uhlan's hands remains for
midable weapon
Experience, however. has also shown
that the lance point often makes too
deep wounds for the shaft to be with
drawn quickly and so the lancer runs
the risk of having it wrenched from his
grasp in the charge. The cavalry regi-
ments stationed at Brunswick and Stras-
burg are experimenting with a new kind
of lance which carries a ball below the
base Of the laneehead, preventing it from
penetrating further 1t is said that the
new arm IS just as effective in disabling
an enemy and is free from Jsether disad-
vantages. It viii probably be adopted by
all the German lancer regiments.
The Washington herald., 1910-07-24
DIFFER IN DAMAGES
Two Actresses Get Claims
for Their Injuries.
ONE BITTEN BY A SERPENT
witness Appear In Court 10 show
Music Hall Manager Insisted on
Her Using Live ReptiIe-She Gets
$40 and the Other Bruised In
Auto Is Awarded $500.

Paris. July 23.-Two actresses, one from
a music hall. the 9th r from a theater,
we're injured last winter. the former by
a serpents bite. the latter by a motor
bus. Both have just been awarded COM
pensation by the courts.
The damage done by the NOTORIOUS has
been estimated AT nearly three times that
inflicted by the serpent. The music hall
actress played in the "Amorous Review.
part which consisted in dancing with q
live snake coiled round her.
One evening the snake bit her. and she
suffered an injury which. according TO
evidence. brought about what VIII be
permanent disablement within the
meaning Of the employers liability act
Witnesses were produced 10 show that
the manager insisted on the plaintiff
appearing with a real live reptile. She
began 10 act in the "Amorous Review
with one which died. She then offered
TO appeal with an irdia rubber snake, but
the manager demurred. The spectators
must see a real live snake on the stage.
~ AAua6HSNaN
He even promised 20 pay half the price
of a new live serpent II she eventually
obtained a Madagascar snake from a
purveyor to the zoo. This was the rep
tile that bit her, The court awarded
her $34O. part representing medical at
tendance expenses. and the balance her
salary at the rate OF six shillings a day
since the date of the accident.
The actress who was damaged by a
NOTORIOUS got $500. but she had. It is
true. claimed $1,000. She was driving to
the theater in a taxicab which collided
with a notorious. AS a consequence, she
was bruised in the body and received a
cut in her cheek. which has left a scar.
Not only her person, which is comely,
but also her dress, which was brandsnew,
was Haruaged
The Washington herald., 1910-07-24

Rome. July B.-Net profits of slS,5S5. 900
derived from the weekly state lotteries
are q feature of the Italian treasury re-
eeipts for the fiscal year ended last June.
This is a considerable advance on the
gains Of the preceding year. The Italian
Socialists are anti-gamblers and want the
lotteries abolished, but they are not likely
TO succeed in their abolition. campaign,
as all the southerners. and especially the
Neapolitans. are confirmed gamblers.
The Washington herald., 1910-07-24
Two Centennrians An yiIlaue

Paris. July 23.-The village of Grabels.
near Montpelier in Southern France, has
only 500 inhabitants. but two of them are
centenarians and twelve are over eighty.
one being eighty-nine and four eighty
five. There were three centenarians I'M
til the village doctor died at the age OF
los, and his death was due, according TO
one of the remaining centenarians. a
woman Of l0l, to an act of carelessness.
The Washington herald., 1910-07-24
ARMY OFFICER CRUEL.
Capt. VahIIxampf Guilty of Atrocious
Acts Toward Men.

berlin. July 29.-Capt. vahlkampf, of
the 1Ilth Infantry, has been sentenced to
two years Imprisonment and dismissed
from the army for systematic cruelty.
During the trial it was shown that he
had been guilty of 7s5 distinct acts of
cruelty in the course of three years. The
judges declared that there were hundreds
of other cases where the evidence was
not sufficient to convict.
Vahlkampf used his sword. his fists.
and his feet. 1t was testified that he had
kicked prcstrate men in the head till
they bled from the nose. mouth. and
ears. such acts on his part we're almost
daily occurrences.
The Washington herald., 1910-07-24
Greek study EmphasiEed.

London, July 23-sIr Oliver Lodge, pres
ident of Birmingham University, does not
agree with some other distinguished Eng
lish varsity men who believe that the
day of Greek Is over and that it is &
waste of time to teach 1t to university
students. At the graduation day exer-
cises be emphasized the usefulness OF
Greek by expressing his regret that his
university did not awe chair Of Greek.
The Washington herald., 1910-07-24
eMx shop Is Her sign.

London, July 23.-Lady Angela Forbes
is the latest recruit to the ranks of titled
shopkeepers in London.
Her enterprise is flower shop, where
she personally waits on customers and
sells them plants and blossoms at fancy
prices. The titled proprietress fits about
among her wares wearing blue apron
and leather gardening gloves. MY Shop"
is the sign over the doorway.
The Washington herald., 1910-07-24

Paris, July 2S.-Prof. d'Arsonaval sug-
gests novel method Of amputation by
means of electric currents of high fire.
quency. Experiments on animals proved
the possibility of raising the tempera-
ture TO a very high degree by means of
currents, apparently without pain. After
some days the members so treated fall
away. leaving the stumps perfectly cica-
tried.
The Washington herald., 1910-07-24
CONSIDERS GERMAN TREATY.
President-eIect of Brazil Deals with
Berlin Foreign office.

Berlin, July 23.-Marshal Herms Da
Fonseca. President-elect OF Brazil, arrived
here yesterday. Two representatives of
the German foreign office met and well
coined him. Fonseca says his visit is en-
tirely one Of pleasure. but the presence
of Senior Souto. the president of the
Brazilian Economic Union, gives an idea
that Fonseca's visit is connected with
the new Brazillan-Germsn commercial
treaty.
President Fonseca says the prosperity
OF San Paulo and Santa Catharina are
due to the fact that they are practically
German colonies.
Prof. Schneider of me Berlin Univer-
sity referred TO these German colonies
when he wrote. "A nation Of 100000. 900
Germans will some day rise in South
America
The Washington herald., 1910-07-24
HURRICANE IN ITALY.
Extensive Havoc Reported I'm NORTH
ern Part of Country.

Rome. July ga disastrous hurricane
has swept over Northern Italy. Dis
patches from Milan. Como. Saronno. and
Erba report extensive havoc.
The latest reports state that Saronno,
Lonate, and Kevellasca, three Industrial
towns with an aggregate population Of
2Oooe. have been practically destroyed.
Il is known that many buildings at Sa-
ronno were leveled TO the ground. in
Guiding the workshops Of the Northern
Railway.
Sixty workmen we're hurried to the
ruins. Six bodies have been recovered.
Relief parties have been dispatched.
The Washington herald., 1910-07-24
No Excommunication Needed.

Rome. July 23.-Cardinal Agliardi, re-
plying 10 a question as 10 whether the
Church had communicated the wife OF
Prince Oscar OF Prussia because she
married a Protestant, said mo special
accommodation is required, as mar
rIages contracted in conflict with the
laws of the Church are punished by such
a penalty de jure''
The Washington herald., 1910-07-24
Heavy Storm on Pnciflc.

Guadalajara. Mexico, July 28.-News has
been received here Of a terrific storm
which swept the Upper Pacific coast OF
this country. At Mazatlan much dam
age was done to property. many build
ings being partly destroyed. The ship
ping In the harbor suffered losses. The
loss OF the Mexican gnnboat Tampico
was narrowly averted.
The Washington herald., 1910-07-24
Berlin Bank for Women

Berlin. July IA cooperative bank
for independent women has been founded
in Berlin. The main object of the bank
is TO finance women who desire to start
in business on their own account. Ordi-
nary banks are reluctant to grant women
the same credit as men
The Washington herald., 1910-07-24
AMERICAN ENGINEERS NABBED
Placed in Mexican Jail for Shooting
Railroad Foreman.

Saltillo. Mexico. July 2S-Nelson CORY
and Randolph Harrison, American civil
engineers employed on the National
Railways OF Mexico. have been arrested
and placed in jail. charged with shoot
ing and fatally wounding Francisco
Cantu, general foreman OF railroad con-
structlon