The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-01-04

peatedly been SHOWN WIen t1c s.ediii-
ship Mauritania four times during
1903 lowered the records of trans-At-
lantic voyages. September 20 h made
| the east bound trip in four days, IL
hours and Al minutes, while she end
ed her return from Queenstown to
New York September 80, in four days,
10 hours and 81 minutes. However,
the Cunard's Lusitania has pushed
a close second for the western trip
record. The fast railway schedule
between New York and Chicago has
been extended and two lines now run
daily trains from New York to st.
Louis in % hours.
In the desperate effort to efface dis
lance and bring all people together an
international European railway COM
pany is now boring a tunnel through
the venerable Mont Blanc, while in
less than five years hence this repub-
lie will have severed North and SOuth
America by the panama Canal at a
cost Of $375,00O,0 200. The United
| States taught fEe world a lesson IN
universal comradeship when last
spring our fleet returned from grid
ling the globe. having travelled 4S,444
miles in IA months
New speed records have been made
with automobiles and these machines
have daily come into greater use until
now in America alone $500, 600, 600 a
SCd1 . 1IfColCu III 1ISi ~ q
protest in behalf of the horse was re-
Gently made in Congress the Senator
from Wyoming declared that today on
the Western farm the automobile was
a necessity in herding cattle on the
plains, tending sheep and garnering
the crops as we'll as a mode of con-
veyance far superior to the horse,
whose value has not declined notwith-
standing this competition.
The most spectacular event in the
realm of exploration was the penetra-
ton of the frozen north to the pole.
September 1 the world was electrified
with the new that a Brooklyn physi-
clan, DR.. Frederick A. Cook, had.
reached the pole April q, 1908. One
week later came the message that
ceeded April 6, 1909. Subsequent
events have apparently demonstrated
that DR.. Cook is a fakir of the most
brazen and contemplate variety,
while Commander Peary has shown a
spirit of egotism and selfishness in his
official reports n in his treatment of
his c~o-laborers SO fragrant as to
dampen the ardoT of his most Virile
enthusiasts.
In the conquest of the south pole
an Eng1lShman, Lieut.. e. II. Shackle-
ton, has penetrated 45O miles further
south han any previous explorer and
on January 8, 1909, reached a point
only 90 geographical miles from the
pole. The tropical jungles have been
exploited and former President ROOse-
welt has been for months in the heart
of Africa in successful quest of big
game.
The Years Disasters.
January. 1909. was ushered in with
a cry of anguish when the news flash
ed that Messina and Reggie had been
destroyed, December IS, 1908, by an
earthquake which swept over 200, 600
souls into eternity. That disaster at
least showed that the worlds heart
today is ever responsive to the appeal
of misery when this misery is the re-
suit of a blow of nature or fate and
not s~elf-inflicted The United States
alone contributed nearly 100000
for the relief Of these unfortunate
people. The name in which the
worlds donations were handled has
demonstrated the necessity for some
well equipped organization to take
when these catastrOphies
occur. This has led to the recommend
alton Of the international conference
at Brussels that this work be dele
gated to the Red Cross Society and
has increased worldwide interest n
support of this noble organization.
January % an earthquake in Per-
STA caused the loss Of 5000 lives. In
April tornadoes in our Southern Gulf
States resulted in the destruction of
much property and killed several hun
dred people The Cherry mine disas-
ter in Illinois imprisoned nearly 800
unfortunate men, only 20 of whom, a
week later, were rescued alive. A
steamer collision ear Java drOwned
100 persons. Happily when the Florida
rammed the steamer Republic, bear
ing LOCO passengers, the sinking ship
was located by use of wireless tel
egraphy and other modern Inventions
, and every soul was rescued.
h growth Of true fellowship has
not only been displayed in cases of
disaster but one of the nota ole
achleVements of the year was the a.
t1on OF the international Naval Confer
ence IN placing practically all things
that cannot be used in actual fight
ing, such as cotton. WOOL cloth. soap,
etc, on the absolutely c~ontraband'
list SO that they cannot be seized on
neutral vessels. What an advance
from the condition in the American
Civil War.
Missionary Crusade.