davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-31

form properly crowned roadbed. This
should be plowed well and deeply Then
furr AVS are d. across the road rom s.de
10 side. extending beyond the width to be
burned If it is intended to burn twelve
feet of roadway the transverse burrows
should be sixteen feet long. The ridges
are about four feet apart The cord wood
is laid across these and forms series or
fues in which the fire is started A sold
moor of this cord wood is made, and other
p,e,ee a @ piled len thwIse pom tnls
foundation is piled the plowed-up clay,
which is usually in large Jumps. This
allows the fire to pass between and get
at the clay. thick layer is made OF
these clods, then another layer of WOOD,
and on top a second layer of clay, which
NAV be made up of smaller pieces OF
earth. This second clay layer completes
the nvre and it is ready for the torch.
Roads are always built in dry weather
At that time only may the clay be broken
nm in large Jumps. This wood and earth
formarion ready for the burning may be
laid ont for long distances, and the firing
nav e done for anv liven amount of
or anv convenient time. The fire may be
stonned at any point by emitting the
charge of wood in any one transverse
furrow. So may the road be burned, sec
ton by section according to convenience.
When the material is sufficiently
cooled the roadbed should be brought to
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-31

.HE federal government. in pursu-
ance of one of its especial hobbies
that of teaching the construction
of good roads to the ninety millions. has
discovered a unique method Of convert
ing roads that are impossible into others
that invite wheel traffic in all weathers.
This peculiar method of working "A
transformation is merely burning the
road Black and sticky gumbo may thus
be converted into clinkers that rival the
best Of asphalt as a basis of highway
building.
The building Of roads with fire is linn
tied to certain localities. located chiefly
in the south. The building of these roads
began but a few years ago in Missis-
sippi and was quickly adopted in the
sister state Of Louisiana, and thence
has spread in many directions and has
come to be widely and variously used.
In the black lands Of Mississippi traffic
on many roads becomes absolutely inn
possible during the wet season. The NOV
ing Of crops during that season and even
getting about the community in light We
hicles is not to be considered. Whatever
touches the black mud It sticks to and
Is carried away. Wagon wheels soon be-
come solid disks Of mud many times
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-31
BUILDING GOOD ROADS WITH FIRE.

a high crown before rolling in order TO
allow for the compacting of the material.
This can best be done with a plow or a
grader. After this, rolling is necessary
until the roadbed is smooth and hard
and finished with a crown which should
have a slope of at least half an inch TO
the foot. Not only has the nature of
the earth above the fire been changed,
but the ground beneath IL has been
burned to a considerable depth, and a
layer of transformed clay is provided
which makes permanent good road.
The cost of burned clay roads will diff
fer in different localities and will depend
chiefly upon the price Of fuel In the
first experiments in Mississippi a road
was constructed at a cost amounting
to 1.47S per mile. This is at a rate suf-
ficiently economical to allow the construc-
ton of such roads quite generally in such
While the clays in the
southern states. which contain a high
percentage of organic matter, lend them
selves particularly to this firing, the
surface clays and soils of many states
farther north could be treated in the
same way. and, in fact. any soil or clay
which bricks or clinkers at compare
lively low. temperature would be suitable
for this work The Office of good roads
is carrying on experiments in many other
looking to the adoption Of
this new method of road building.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-31
Commissioner Of Education
Plans to Fiji High Schools Of Country

seriously felt, and consequently the
opportunities to make ready money
which are offered by factory. town
or city. do not tempt the pupils OF
Oakland City to withdraw at the end
of the grammar grades" DIR. Clax-
ton did not seem to think the latter
cause was of great Importance. He be-
lieves the "study-program" had most
to do with it.
During the eight years preceding
1905 the percentage of pupils continuing
into the high school raneed from ~ 10
81; during 1905 1909 and 1910 il was loo
per cent.
The study program consists OF "a
definite arrangement in advance for the
entire term of the exact hour each day
at which the pupil shall study each les
to each subject. The pupil has one OF
these cards filled out; the teacher has a
duplicate.
This system of regular study has kept
pupils from devoting all their time TO "A
few favorite studies to the detriment OF
the ees Delesant. Il n ulCatcd ha ait
of studying for the sake OF study. and
because of the discipline OF mind conse-
quent thereon, Mr.. Reavis believed. lay
the value of education. 1t kept the pupils
from sinking unpleasant tasks.
During the three years the system has
been i'm use in Oakland City three things
have been accomplished with more or less
success, according to Mr.. Reavis. The
problem of discipline has been practically
solved: considerable Improvement has
been made in scholarship and regular
hours of home study have been provided
for by the large majority OF the students.
One pupil said: Il had the habit Of al
ways putting off my work until l felt
just right for study. and as result made
very poor grades. but since | have adopt
ed a regular study program my interest
in my work has greatly increased and L
am no longer ashamed of my grades.
The United States commissioners of edu-
cation is going to preach broadcast the
doctrine of the study program" and
hopes to see a much larger percentage o.
pupils attending high schools.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-31

occasionally that there was a scarcity
Of ripe male whitefsh. and, having a
number of egg-laden females on hano,
the operators have thought it expedient
to fertilize the eggs with the nit OF the
lake herring, a species belonging to the
tribe Of white fish, but not even OF the
same genus as the true whiteflsh. AS
weighing about two pounds when full
grown, with a suggestion Of the long
lower jaw of their papas-are becoming
quite plentiful in those waters, and are
seen now and then In the markets.
Success has been obtained lately in
crossing the brook trout with the salmon
in California, remarkable achievement
in view of the great difference in size or
course, all species of trout and salmon
belong to the same family of salmonide,
so that a hybrid of the kind Is hardly
abnormal In this instance the cross has
been made both ways. and, as might be
expected, the half-breeds Matched from
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-31

simpIe. The eggs of the shad were
sprinkled with the ''milt' of the male
subsequently Matched in glass jar full
of water. At ten days old, when liberat.
ed. they were as long as the end JOINT OF
ones fOretinger, and seemed as healthy
and lively as any straight shad Try OIL
like age.
What they would be like after growing up
nobody car say, but perhaps some or
them will he caught at future time, 10
afford instruction and amusement ZOE
piscicu,tural sharps.
Fortunate the fish commission peo-
pie have succeeded in making similar
cross between the shad and the river
herring, and a number OF the liberated
hybrids hare been subsequently caught.
They are extremely bony fishes, these
halfbreeds. as one might IMAGINE; much
larger than the herring and or little
value for the table for the reason men
toned. AS freaks they are consplcu-
GUS success, but for commercial purposes
worthless.
Now in trying to obtain such hybrtds
the method adopted is the same as Tor
breeding ordinary fishes. The roe IS
pressed from the mother fish into tnih
pan by passing the hand gently down the
body, and the milt from the male, obtain
ed in like :manner. is poured over the
eggs. In this way the latter are I'M
pregnated. and then they are transferred
to the g.asS jar, through which a cur
rent Of water is kept perpetually moving
by means of a siphon arrangement.
This particular experiment Of mating
the shad W tn the herring was performed
not so much for scientific purposes as
through necessity. Male shad, as often
happens, were scarce. and so an attempt
was made to fertil re the shad eggs with
herring melt. Though no such trial mas
been made as yet. there Is every reason
to suppose that herring eggs could be fer-
til zed in similar fashion with shad milt.
thus accomplishing cross in the oppo-
site way.
1t would be most interesting to observe
the difference between the two crosses,
but observation of like phenomena In the
case of other species Of fishes points TO
the conclusion that the offspring or the
herring mother with shad for father
would be much smaller than those OF the
shad mother referring for paternity to
a herring. A shad egg is many times
larger than a herring egg, and the crea-
ture Matched from it is proportionately
bigger to start with. and is bound to at
tain superior size. In Lake Erie. at
the Matching stations, it has happened
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-31

salmon eggs each a much larger size
than those from trout eggs.
The most notable experiments in cross
ing different species Of trout such as
lake trout and brook trout, have been
made by DIR. w. ]. Moenkhaus or
CHICAGO University. He has al
ready evolved some very interest
ing hybrids, and during the coming sum-
mer will extend the investigation to va
rious saltwater fish at the marine natural
history farm which the government
maintains at Woods Hole, Mass.
So far the inquiry is only in an expert
mental stage, but it may be turned to &C
count in a practical manner at a future
time. 1t is entirely possible that in this
way new and useful kinds Of fish may
be produced-as, for example. by crossing
the cod with the paddock, with the hake.
with the pollock and with the cusk. All
of these five species spawn at the same
time of year, SO that artificial inter
breeding would be easily accomplished.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-31
.HINK of inventing an entirely new
kind Of animal. Such thing has
. m ciblc

WINK Oh lnVentinB All eHtAeiy lie"
kind Of animal. Such a thing has
d often been declared Impossible,
even in Imagination; yet the United States
fish commission has ACCOMPANIED 1t In
reality The government fishery experts
have already created several brand-new
kinds of fishes. such as were never
thought Of by conservative old Dame Ma
ture. and every one of them Is wonder
in it's way.
Alive? Very much So Just as much
alive indeed, as any normal thing with
fins and scales that swim in ocean or
river Yet, being turned out by peculiar
articles In the hatchery, they are as truly
laboratory products as any inanimate ar
ticles Of scientific manufacture.
Though creation is natures business
peculiarly, and interference with her work
i'm this line was formerly deemed almost
impious at the present time all sorts of
''mOnkeyings'' are attempted with norman
methods of propagation. and, by one
means or another, man is trying to con-
troll the reproduction Of species on the
Garth. The creatures that are of no use
to him are being killed off, while those he
finds valuable are multiplied at marvel
Gus rate with the help of incubating ma
chimes and In other ways.
is a distinctly novel idea, and, this prob
lem having been solved, the only question
remaining is how far the plan can be ex-
tended to other animals. such, for in
The shad-bass Is already an accomplish
ed fact. 1t lives and swims and has it's
being, though a creature unknown to
natural history. Experts OF the fish COM
mission have evolved it successfully at
Havre de Grace, Md. and several thou
sand specimens have been liberated in
the waters thereabout. They we're rear
ed in tanks to the age Of ten days, and
then set free by gently immersing the tin
milk cans containing them.
The shad-bass, as its name might imply.
is cross between the striped bass and
the shad-two fish that never breed to-
gether in nature. They represent, in fact.
not merely different species; they are not
simply of two different genera, but they
belong to different orders wide apart One
of them is spiny-rayed and the other
soft-rayed, a distinction of utmost i'm
portance from a scientific viewpoint. 1t
might seem as easy to cross the tiger
with the hippopotamus as to produce n.y.
brid between the shad and the striped bass.
Yet the thing has been accomplished.
and the way Of doing 1t was wonderfully
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-31

had instilled habit of study an. regularity
of study, hence a genuine love for the
work. into the minds of the pupils
This was the principal cause, , Dr.
ondary ones. He found Supt. Beavis, he
said young man, filled with strong
belief i'm the value of education and SO
enthusiastic in this belief that ne could
not help imparting much of it to these
about him.
OF course, Mr. Reavis disclaimel per-
sonal credit for the fact that during the
three years he has been in charge or the
Oakland City schools not a pupil mas
droped out between the grammar and
high school grades; and yet DR.. Claxton
thought he deserved most OF the credlt.
He doubted whether some cites. even
with the system Mr.. ReaviS had adopted
could accomplish like results.
In addition to the study program, an
other influence in bridging the gap be-
tween the grades and the high school,
Mr. Reavis told DR.. Claxton, was the
presence of strong man teachers in the
upper grammar grades. These men are
interested in secondary education and
have pointed out on every appropriat
occasion and constantly keep before
their pupils the vital relation of the
grade work. MIR. Reavis explained. ito
that of the high school course and the
importance Of the individual knowing
what the high school had to offer
Again." he said, the organization OF
the schools is of such character as TO
eliminate much of the waste ordinarily
found in a system of schools. Exoep-
tional children are not held back and
retarded children are not forced on at
a pace that discourages and causes them
to lose interest; but through grouu
teaching the children are taken along
with those of similar ability.
And lastly Oakland City has an en-
vironment that is distinctly educa-
tional 1t is town where the lure OF
the factory is not strong enough to be
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-31

In the same manner the common mack
erel might, without much difficulty, be in
terbred with the bulrs-eye mackerel, the
Spanish mackerel, or the king fish, all
three sufficiently nearly related to offer
excellent prospects of success. As for
fresh-water fishes, the black bass might
be crossed with the crapple and rock
bass; the common carp would be nkely 10
afford hybrids with the golden ide and
the goldfish, and many other comolna-
lions would suggest themselves. The carp
family would grant exceptional opportunl-
ties for artificial mating, being the most
numerous in species of all the fish tribes
The fish commission in the way OF ny
bridizing fish has already advanced lar
enough to be extremely interesting: II
this sort of thing can be done with nnny
creatures, it may be practicable WIN moi
day the crab may be successfully crossed
with the lobster. and the oyster with the
clam, thus affording novel marine oehca-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-31

ton at 6:43 in the evening, and you make
Detroit at five minutes past 4 the
following ACCOMMODATIONS close to
a twenty-four-hour ride between Wash
ington and Detroit, when, mySter1ouSly
enough, it's only about a fourteen-nour
ride between New York and Detroit. But
] chose that way of going, just TO AVOID
the thing of having to change cas-
Nothing whatever was said to me about
any lay-over. | figured that the tram
would at least dub along and mind us
business and get me into Detroit without
forcing me to stop at any one place.
esnecially some tiresome and wholly un-
inviting place, for any EXTENDED perloo
of time.
Well, after that train left Mansfield
Ohio at q clock on the following morn
ing it instantly became an accomnoda-
ton train, nothing less, and so acknoWi-
edged to be by the conductor. 1t st p
ped not only at every tank on the lne 70
Toledo, but at every pond. 1t was mis-
cradle dreadful, dispiriting.
No diner was hitched on to proYlde
breakfast for travellers by that train. me
porter of one of the chair cars was aDle
to fuss I'D a little coffee and some sand
witches for folks that charged wild-eyed
up and down the aisles and demanded
some food to stay EN- until the tram
reached some place where they couio
eat. But that was all in the eating line
for anybody until the train reached To-
ledo The train was due to reach the
town at 11:2O in the forenoon. but 1t
didn't get there till noon; and folks
went breakfastless until that time.
But before reaching Toledo they were
informed, blandly, otherwise, that
there'd be a three-hour lay-over for them
in Toledo. Which there was The car
bound for Detroit was shunted to a
measly. smelly part of the Toledo tram
yard, and there lay cheerlessly until
half-past in the afternoon. when an
engine backed up and took it along to
Detroit.
I've heard a lot of bowls and impreca-
tions from fooled travellers on American
railroads in my time but l never heard
quite such a wholly justifiable bunch OF
discord from the threats of men and
women as I did over the conduct OF that
pathological train between Washington
and Detroit. There was one compensa-
ton: One got. quite unexpectedly, al
the Toledo station-at the station restau-
rant, run by wholesome German by the
name Of Merkle--one of the very pest
breakfasts one has wedged into his
frame since the breakfast thing was IN
vented and patented
CLARENCE L. CULLEN.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-31

cies to tempt the appetite of the epicure
One should not venture upon too much
guessing however, lest one be betrayed
into mistake such as that made NOT very
long ago by an enthusiastic person who
gravely advocated the mating of the jelly
fish with the shad for the purpose of get
ting rid of the latter's bones, an ingenious
idea, but hardly practicable from a pisci-
cultural standpoint.
There are things about fish eggs which
even the fish commission people do not
Vet understand, and one of these is the
occasional production OF monsters-fish
with two heads, three eyes and various
other deformities. What causes these &C.
centricities no one knows. The experts
have tried to reproduce them artificially
by all sorts of devices, such as exposing
the ova to extremes of cold and heat,
dropping them repeatedly from a h light,
and SO on, but in vain. Up to date the
fish monsters remain, as at the beginning,
purely natural phenomena
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-31
: S S5GR&E59ffA BLESBSEANGGM S5 S1E 5
THE FABLE OF A DIVINE SPARK THAT HAD
A SHORT CIRCUIT--AN UNUSUAL
STAGE CAREER

Conservatoried.
At last she came home with a
Diploma showing that she was an
Actress.
After that. she merely needed Play
and Company and a lot of Scenery
and Manager and a Theater and the
soft old Public buying Of the Scalpers.
in order to realize her modest Ambi-
ton to become Real Star.
She took her Diploma and the Local
Press Notices up to New York to see
what she could get on them, and found
10000 other incipient Modjeskas hit
ting the worn Trail that led from one
Agency to another.
Artistic Temperaments were more
Abundant than Lamp Posts and get
ting an Audience with n Big Gun was
just as easy as Opening Time-Lock
with Hat Pin
SnC n1Q all OlIeE dl tic IiipPouA oAAAS
to walk in front OF an Elephant waving
a prop Palm. but she spurned II, De-
cause she was ready to do Desdemona
at Moments Notice.
AS for the Laudatory Article Written
by would-be Willie Winter or the
wild and woolly West. she couldn't find
any one in the neighborhood OF AID
Street who had even heard Of the rank
Town in which her Folks were SO
Prominent.
In order to get Experience. she signed
I'D with a No. Company, playing the
Part of the deaf and dumb Lady VINO
crosses the Stage and removes the Tea
Things early in the Second Act.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-31

some Eminence. right between Sara
for q Telegram from G. +. to come on
and tackle any Role that was too Heavy
for Maude Adams.
The proud Parents awoke next Morn
ing to discover that Lady Macbeth was
boarding with them.
When she moved from one Room to
the entire length of the Pole, SO as to
make Room for her Head.
A local Haberdasher, who had been
plotting to surround her with a new
Bungalow and lot of Mission Furni-
ture went to call as per Usual and
found her away Up Stage. trying to
look like Margaret Anglin in the Big
Scene
*
She was too busy to Hold Hands,
for she was mapping out a Career
which terminated with Electric
Sign on Broadway and the Street
jammed with uptown Limousines.
So the Gents Furnisher moved down
the Street to Brick House, the I'M
married Inmates of which would begin
burning Greek Fire and sending up
Balloons every time a Live One Slam
med the Front Gate.
Lila had the Bacillus Theatrlcus
gnawing away in every part of her
System.
She could see the magnificent Play
House crowded from Pit to Dome, just
as the Producing Manager sees it every
August when the Pipe is drawing
freely.
She could hear the Leading Man n
the Dress Suit say, as he pointed Up IT.:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-31

with tin Makeup Box, hurled from
the rear of the Observation Car
Next day she had a strip Of Red
Carpet spread for the Haberdasher and
was learning to Cook in Paper Bags.
Whenever she hears of a Good Show
coming to Town, she invites all Of her
Friends to come out to the Bungalow
and Play Rhum on the Mission Furni-
ture
Moral: The True Friend of Humanity
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-31

wears in succession all of its grammar
school pupils remained in school. l knew
there must be some plan, some system.
some cause which had brought about this
educat onal phenomenon. Hence my jour-
new to Oakland City, Ind"
X X
The commissioner of education then ex-
planned that he had found the cause and
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-31

SlOner Oh SuuSotioiA'
Philander P. Claxton. Is pre-
narins to sound throughout Tic i'Ae
and breadth of America.
So much interest is DR.. Claxton tahiiie
in the movement he hopes 10 hiaus III a.
TO have the high schools OF the oo'i-'
fued-at the present time a large per
centaxe of the pupils dropping out ai'e'
finishing the grammar grades-tnat NC
Gently went west from ne
visit a school where exceptional results
along this line are being accomplished
The commissioner is Of the opinion t.at
entirely too many pupils fail 10 aVai'
themselves of high school privileges. ne
wants to remedy this fault. How to &C
complsh this is the problem he is study
ing.
When. therefore, he learned recently
of a school in Indiana where Tor three
wears past 100 per cent of the grammar
school pupils. every last one OF them, had
continued on into the high school, he
packed his grip and started WESTWARD
from the National Capital.
II wanted to see with my own eyes, as
far as possible. how this phenomenal
thing had been accomplished. he said on
his return to Washington the other DAY.
I'VE do not hope to attain any perfection
of that sort, and there is no city IN TIE
country, in my opinion, even sman one,
where for any long number or years IN
succession all pupils could be persuaded
to go on to the high school
But / bel eve that much more can De
done in that direction than is being done
at present
{" had never heard before" DR.. Clax-
ton continued, "of town where for three
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-31

F. can't think OF
anything better to
do just now than
to wind UP the old
year with a few
m i d, innocuous
more or less dena-
tured kicks.
What has be-
come of the old
fashioned h o t e !
clerk? The hotel
clerk, We mean.
who used TO be