SST" pj r?p! ' SpiJ-," it 1 THE PAGES 9 TO 12. "! SECOND PART. OF Endured by the Dispatch Road Explorers in the Wilds of Indiana County. A PERILOUS TRIP BY NIGHT Through Darkness and Eain, Over Rough Mountain Roads. A STATE COMMISSIONER TALES Of the Great Task He and His Colleagues HaTe Undertaken. GOOD HIGHWAYS EARNESTLY DESIRED tbom oub preclal commissioner.! The Pittsburq Dispatch 1 Countby Road Expedition. INDIAN A. PA, May & ) There is cot much danger of The Dis patch explorers being fined. We "drive no faster than a walk," now. All roads are again as bad as they were when this expedi tion left Pittsburg. So much rain has left them in a horrible condition, and once more it is a common occurrence for our wagon to eink to the hubs in ruts and holes. It took the horses four hours to pull through from Elderton to Indiana, a distance of only 12 miles. Our average speed for the past four days will be less than that We simply stopped at Indiana long enough to lunch. There were threatening clouds overhead, and we were anxious to scale Chestnut Bidge before the storm broke, if possible. No Stop nt Nolo. I had planned to spend the night at Nolo, NOT PLEASANT, which I understood was a small settlement midway between Chestnut Bidge and-the Laurel Hill Mountain. But J. II. Cun ningham, the veil-known liveryman at In diana, told me I could never make Nolo that night. "Ho, there is no other village between here and Nolo," he said, "but your party will be sure to fincflodgings at Mr. Dinwid dle's store." Nolo was only 14 miles distant and it was then 3 o'clock. It would be 4 when we got started. Everybody advised me to give up the idea of pushing on to Nolo. "Dlnwid die will keep you all night," they all said, "Dinwiddie likes to entertain travelers." A Pleasant Prospect. Mr. Dinwiddie, I learned, kept a store half-way down the eastern slope of Chestnut Bidge Mountain, about eight miles from In diana. It was but a solitary house in the woods; yet there seemed to be no doubt from the general evidence submitted to me before I left Indiana that Mr. Dinwiddie's house was a veritable castle, so much room wonld he be able to place at the disposal of trav elers. We started East feeling unusually gay that we only had eight miles of a drive ahead. It had been a very trying day for all of the party. The four" hours' struggle with the rand "ditches between Elderton and Indiana had exhausted everyone, both man and beast. All the morning the clouds had brought scurries of rain as they floated by in broken rifts. The sun, when it got a chance to shine, was hot and glaring. When it was iiidden toe weather was sultry and the at mosphere close. A Speedy Disenchantment. Our canvas curtains, tied tightly down to keep out the ram, made the inside of the wagon so warm and close that to ride be came almost unbearable. To walk was worse, for it was nearly all up hill and perspiration was rendered profuse. In this condition we had arrived at Indiryna; and tired, hot and wet we left Indiana. Our hopes of an early arrival at Dinwiddie's soon appeared delusive. For "chuck holes" and deep ruts, that pike, for four miles out of Indiana, Droved worse than anything we had struct: for three weeks. The wagon lurched, rolled, shivered, shook, careened and creaked. After that we had a two-mile climb up the mountain. The grade was something we had not bargained for. It was not bo steep as it was steady and crooked. One curious stretch of this mountain road, after ascending a hill in switch-back fashion, makes a sham turn, forming what is called the "Devil's Elbow." Overtaken by a Storm. I don't know whether any superstitious traditions cling to the "Devil's Elbow," but about the time we rounded it lightning had begun to flash ana the rumbling thunder rendered the echoes in the forests here any thing but pleasant. The photographer tried to take a photograph of His Satanic Majesty's elbow, but the pattering raindrops stopped him. The storm was breaking sooner than we expected, for we had just began the ascent To make any faster time was out of the question. In 15 minutes the ram was pouring down. The wind, driving down the mountain, caught our schooner in the center and delayed progress. Somebody suggested opening the rear . curtain to let the wind have free access through the interior, but that proved to be impracticable. There was nothing left to do but to take all the wind and all the rain and climb on to Dinwiddie's. Only the Beginning of Trouble. This was our first experience with moun tain roads. I wish it were our last, But alas, it is only the beginning. Mountain roads have a rock bottom. 1 don't mean by that that the bottom is smooth as a flagstone pavement, for the rocks crop out -i -ii .u. Rnma stand on end. others slope at 45 degrees; a lew lie flat, and others "have a peculiar curvature, suggestive of Tolcanio disturbances. In fact, if you lie HARDSHIP flatly down on a mountain road and look ahead along the surface, what you will see will bring to your mind, the muchness of a nutmeg grater. A farm wagon like that we are traveling in, bumping over these rocks is awfully unpleasant. It is nicer to walk, but we couldn't. The torrents kept on descending, the lightnin? continued to flash, the thunder still thundered. A man on horseback passed, and we nailed him to ask: "How far to Dinwiddie's?" We didn't gather much encouragement from his reply. He said: "Five miles." The next fellow we met said "Three miles." and the third swore it was four miles. We soon got to think that there were several Dinwiddie's up in that mountain. Klgbt on tbo Mountain. At Kittanuing the other day we disposed of our lanterns. We had never needed them, but now darkness gathered nearly an hour earlier than usual. We were sur rounded by pines, rhododendrons, hemlocks and beech trees, and beech trees, hemlocks, rhododendrons and pines. We had long since passed the last human habitation. When once it began to get dark it kept on rapidly. Without lanterns there was imminent dau ger of running foul of logs or rolling over some precipice. How we longed for Din widdie'sl At last we rested Beaver and Bucephalus upon the summit. Poor fellows! They were actually drenched, and there seemed no prospect of the rain ceasing. Your ex plorers heaved a joint sigh of relief to know that their pull up hill was over. But now little we knew! The descent which we sup posed would be so easy began. It pro ceeded. In fact it proceeded a little faster than we cared for. Our brake-rod had worked loose and we only discovered it wouldn't hold the wheel after we were flying down the rocks, A Terrible Experience. The front wheels would drop a foot from some ledge, and down would bump the rear wheels, in time to witness the front wheels in turn rise bodily in the air'over a two-foot boulder. We felt that the wagon must be shaken to pieces. We couldn't fix the brake, because the wagon couldn't be stopped. The exhilaration of going down hill was so delightful to the horses that they kept right on. We just had to sit there no, that is a mistake. We didn't sit. We bounded in space. The wagon seat would send us up to the wagon roof, and the roof would send us back to the seat An BT ANY MEANS. equipose, fairly between the two, was main tained. At last we sighted Dinwiddie's. The flash of light was hailed with joy by the entire party. Preparations were at once made to leave the wagon. And we were not slow about disembarking. "But I can't keep you," said Mr. Din widdie. "Can't keep us?" said I fairly rooted to the spot. Got (be Cold Sbonlder. It was then nearing 9 o'clock, and we were in a howling mountain wilderness. "Can't do it," said Mr. Dinwiddie. "I haven't the room. There is only this store room and a sleeping loft overhead. I already have a man here and haven't ac commodations for your horses." And sure enough Mr. Dinwiddie's castle was not what we had pictured it We begged for room to set up our cot but Mr. Dinwiddie was inexorable. So, disheart ened and very hungry, we clamored back into the wagon and continued our miserable journey, with the encouraging knowledge that at least we had our faces to the east and might tee the rising sun next morning before anybody else. But we found lodging at the next larm house beyond. It is occu pied by I. S. Kepple, and realizing our de moralized condition, he and his wife did their best to make us comfortable. In Indiana Hon. E. E. Allen, J. A. Watson and T. Vencil headed a party of seven who waited upon The Dispatch ex plorers at the American Hotel, "to show their eagerness for good roads and to see a wagon that had survived 600 miles of bad roads." A Legislator on Rood Improvement. When they got through the investigation they confessed that the horses were the greater curiosity. Had they seen us late that night at Farmer Kepple's they would have owned up to seeing greater freaks than the horses. Mr. Allen represents Indiana in the Legislature. He says he thinks this agitation, and the general sentiment for some improvement of country roads, will result in crystalizing legislative opinion and result in an enactment of value to all roadways. He admits that the question of cost will havea great deal to do with securing the approval of the members of Legislature from country districts, but he thinks iarm ers have a wrong idea about the movement now on foot As he understands it, the proposition is to make municipalities and corporations help share the expense by using as much of the taxes which they pay into the State Treasury as those which the farmer pays. Tnk of the State Commission. Hannibal K. Sloan, Esq., of Indiana, is a member of the State Boad Commission. He declares that he and his fellow commis sioners have an enormous task on hand, and as yet he has no idea how they will solve it The commission has just succeeded in straightening out the labyrinth of laws in Pennsylvania on roads. A lawyer has been engaged for three months in tabulating them. There are nearlr a thousand differ ent laws in the various counties. In In diana county alone their are 60 separate laws special acts for different townships. Mr. Sloan has not yet committed himself to any particular line of improvement He says that to undertake to transport to and distribute limestone over counties where it does not exist would entail an enormous ex pense. To even require macadamized road ways of any kind oi stone all over the State would be costly, for the reason that in the counties of the northwestern corner of the State there is no stone of any kind, and it would have to be taken there. A Difficult Point. Yet Mr. Sloan admits that macadamized roads are the only durable highways that can be obtained. I asked him how he would favor raising the money for any gen eral road improvement "That is a great question," he replied. "I have had an idea that by making the county the nnit instead of the township and then by having all road taxes paid in money to the State authorities, a distribution of the State funds could be made to counties just as school funds are now distributed. This would be ejuitable at least It would give to each county in proportion to her needs and would place the entire matter of road building in the State's hands.! An important meeting ot the State Com mission has been called for the 15th instant. It will be held at the Lafavette" Hotel in Philadelphia. Not tbo Right Kind o?Stone- There is limestone in only one township of Indiana county. That is in Cherry Hill township. Limestone would have to be carried jnto Indiana county, if it was adopted as a standard (or macadamizing. There is plenty of" sandstone here, and, while it has been used for many years in repairing the Indiana pike, it cannot really be said to be successful. In fact I let our own struggles in traveling 20 miles of In diana county roads in ten hours stand as more eloquent evidence of the condition of the highwaysand the principles of repairing them than all the interviews I could print Indiana farmers generally desire to have full specifications as to the probable State tax rate before' they indorse any movement for general road improvement. We are now driving toward Ebensburg and Hollidaysburg, and my next letter will give more minute details about the roads in the Allegheny Mountains. L. E. SlOFIEL. PEARS FOR HIS SISTER. James Devoy's Hallucination Not Yet Dis pelled He Cables to Ireland to Learn Something- Definite of His Only Surviv ing Relative's Health. A visit was paid yesterday afternoon to the residence of James A. Devoy, the young mad stated to be suffering from a temporary hallucination caused by the terrible warn ing of a "Banshee." Mrs, Hill, the owner of the house in which Dcvoy boards, said: "I don't think James will see any one; however, there is no harm trying. His con dition has improved wonderfully since this morning, but he is still de pressed. He went down to the Cathe dral, where he attends service, and told his trouble to one of the priests there. They reasoned with him, and he returned almost cured of his queer ideas. However, he again began to be melancholy, in an hour or two, and now he is once more locked up in his room." The visitor's name was then sent in, and to the surprise ol all, Devoy sent down the message: "If he is connected with the news papers I will see him." Accordingly, Mrs. Hill led the way to Devoy's room. The imagining victim of the Banshee was sitting in an armchair. He was pale and haggard and looked like a man just recovering from a wasting fever. "I wish to see you," he said, "because the cause of my grief and fear has been mis represented. It is not so much my own death that I dread as that of my only sur viving relative, a sister, who lives in Ire land. She has always been very dear to me, and was to have come out here and kept house for me this summer. I am waiting for the Irish mails in fear and trembling. The message I received may have loretold my sister's death. That is why I am so overcome with fright and sorrow. Of course, it may be my own death that was foretold, but the fact that I am so healthy makes me think that I will not die. "Yon see, I am not a mere coward, after all. The only death I shudder to think of is that of my poor sister. You probably doubt my story? Yet it is notorious in my native town in Ireland, that three of my nearest and dearest relatives were warned of their deaths by the Banshee. One of the Cathedral priests tried to argue me out ot this belief to-day, but the facts, to my mind, are too strong to be overcome. I could swear before a court of justice that I heard those Banshee screams on Saturday morn ing." The interview then closed, Mr. Devoy sinking back wearily into his chair, and the visitor taking his departure. The case has created a great deal of excitement in the Watson street neighborhood, and the ut most anxiety prevails as to young Devoy's condition. Later in the evening it was learned that Devoy had cabled to Ireland for news of his sister. The Hills hope that a favorable re ply will calm his fears and restore his men tal stability. THINKS IT WILL GO THROUGH. Colonel Andrews Enthusiastic Over the Big North River Bridge. Colonel James P. Andrews returned yes terday from Washington, where on the pre vious day, with Gustav Lindenthal, he appeared before the Senate Committee on Commerce to advance the interests of the leviathan bridge over the North river. In speaking of the shape in which the bridge prospect is at present, Colonel Andrews said: "The bill has passed the House and is in the hands of the Commerce Committee for action in the Senate. We made; 3 de tailed statement of the prospectus, and, I think, produced a very favorable impression. "One of the Senators asked me why we did not show our stock subscription list, and I answered that we had none. He ex pressed surprise, but when I explained that we were proceeding npon the hypothesis that unless there is a charter and a tangible incorporated body to subscribe to, promises to take stock were not worth the paper they were written on. We will have no trouble in securing funds if the Senate passes the bill. I hope that the bill will get through within a fortnight." POSTHASTES BY MISTAKE. The Trno Inwardnea of the Sensational Wlodnp at McKeesport. "I think the settlement of the postoffice fight at McKeesport is the most laughable thingT ever heard," said a gentleman yes terday, who had just returned from a trip to Washington. "In what way?" was asked. "Why, in every way. You see, Mr. Bay, in his final recommendation for the office in advertently wrote the name of the applicant 'Edwin Soles instead of 'Elmer Soles. Now there was an Elmer Soles, a Baltimore and Ohio employe, who was backed for the place bv many prominent politicians of Alle gheny county. He was the man whom Con gressman Bay finally settled upon. But after he had sent in the name it occurred to him that he had recommended the wrong man. McKeesport directory was at once consulted, to see if there was an Edwin Soles, and sure enough, there not only was a man of that name in the borough, but he was a very dark horse in the race for the postoffice, and he got itl Did you ever hear anything funnier?" "Has the matter gone too far for correc tion?" was asked. "Oh, yes; Mr. Bay is in such a position that he won't retract now, and those who are the worst left are the backers of Elmer Soles, who is.really a mighty nice fellow and in whom' the officials of the Baltimore and Ohio Boad were especially interested. They must feel much chagrin over the out come." Lace curtains! Lace curtains! 350 pairs at a bargain, on Friday and Saturday, May 9 and 10. Huous & Hackk. xxssu Baby's Delight Is to get a ride in one of those bnggies at Harrison's. The springs are so comfortable. Harbison's Toy Store, 123 Federal st, Allegheny. It is true economy to buj the best For all washing and cleaning there is nothing that saves so much labor as Walker's Wax Soap. It saves wear on everything, and costs no more than common adulterated soaps and goes twice as far. Ask for Walk er's Ww Soap. luwrs kETTSBURG, SATURDAY, MAT 10, 1890. A WONDERFUL CITY. The Pittsburg of To-Day a Revelation to Observant Visitors. WEALTH, HAPPINESS AND VIGOR Evidenced in Our Massive Buildings, Solid Banks and Pretty Suburbs. PROGRESS THAT CANNOT BE CHECKED The comforts and facilities for travel are so great these latter days that it is a real pleasure to break away from the cares of business once in a while, and take a short trip from home. The railroads of to-day are so solidly and smoothly built, and the coaches ire so elegant and commodions, that a person feels no discomfort whatever in be ing whirled over the country at a rate of 30 or 40 miles an hour, while at every turn of the road new and attractive scenes are pre sented to please the eye and make the hours pass delightfully away. So writes Editor L. Harper in his paper, The Banner, pub lished at Mount Vernon, O., in an intro ductory paragraph to a lengthy article which will be keenly relished by Pitts burgers, the main portions of which are ap pended: After briefly describing the journey from Mt Vernon to Washington, Pa., he says: "The shades of night are falling fast" as you enter Washington county. Here a grand sight is presented to the eye. The hills and the valleys for about 20 miles are illuminated with the burning gas, which es capes through pipes from hundreds of gas wells that line the road on either side. The old town of Washington, famous for its edu cational institutions, looks like it was on fire as you approach it, but when the cars pass along its southern border you will dis cover that the burning gas comes from iron posts planted at every street corner and the flame never ceases night or day. A stranger thinks this is a "terrible waste of gas," but it has to be kept burning to avoid accidents. OUB NATURAL FUEL IMMENSE. The principal portion of the gas consumed in Pittsburg comes trow the .Washington connty wells, although there are many other sources of supply, in Allegheny, West moreland, Butler, Beaver and other counties. Not only are nearly all the large manu facturing establishments in Pittsburg and vicinity run by gas power, but iion, steel, glass and castings are made by gas, and houses are heated, and cooking, washing and many domestic industries are carried on by the use of gas. This greatly lessons the burdens of labor, as there is no coal to be carried into a bouse or ashes to be taken out, no fires to be started in the morning, to "boil the kettle" or broil the breaktast beef steak. Indeed, it has become customary, when a servant is looking for "a new home," to inquire if there is natural gas in the house if not, she doesn't want to iive there. The price of gas to private consumers is about the same as coal, with these advant ages in its favor saving of labor, comtort and cleanliness. How long the supply of gas will last is a conundrum that no person can answer; for, while many old wells are being exhausted, new fields and new wells are constantly being discovered, more pro ductive and profitable than the old ones. For the present, at least, it seems that na ture's hidden reservoirs and laboratories are inexhaustible. PITTSBURG; PAST AND PRESENT. Pitttsburg of the past and Pittsburg of the present are so vastly different that it is. almost impossible; alter an absence ot a lew years, to realize that it is the same place. My acquaintance began with the city in 1832, when, as a boy, I set type on the first daily paper published in the city, called I7ie Pennsylvania Advocate. The city then had four wards, on the low ground between the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers. Afterward Bayardstown was added to the corporation, making the Fifth ward. Since then the growth of the city has been rapid and wonderful, and at present it has 36 wards, extending over what was once culti vated fields, six or eight miles east of the old city. Allegheny City on the north side of the Allegheny river, has grown to be a large and beautiful place, with 13 wards, and a constantly increasing population. Then there are many neighboring towns and bor oughs, such as Manchester, Birmingham, McKeesport, Braddock, Homestead, Mill ville, Mansfield, Sewickley, Sharpsburg, Tarentum, Wilkinsburg, etc., all having compact populations and supporting many industries, and all, in a great measure, identified with and dependent upon Pitts burg. The census returns show that Pitts burg falls behind Cleveland and Detroit in population, and this is owing to the fact that Allegheny and the adjacent towns and boroughs I have named have independent municipal governments and their popula tions are separately enumerated; while, in point of fact, the men who control the in dustries that have built those suburban places, are known and recognized as Pitts burgers. PROSPEROUS IN SPITE OF REVERSES. Pittsburg has had many reversals and misfortunes, but has survived them all, and has had fewer failures than any city of its size in the country. The first and greatest calamity that befel the city was the great fire of 1845, which swept everything before it, from Ferry street on the north and Fourth street on the east clear down to the Monon gahela river, wiping out of existence in a few hours the principal business part of the city, including the large Monongahela House and the Monongahela bridge. But the "burnt district" was soonrebuilt with Elain, substantial, inexpensive business ouses, which have nearly all disappeared, magnificent iron and stone front buildings taking their places. The next greatest calamity that overtook Pittsburg was the great railroad strike and riot of 1877, which destroyed railroad and other property to the value of $3,000,000, which the innocent taxpayers of Pittsburg were compelled to pay under a decision ot court, as a result of the unwise and wholly inexcusable bullheadedness of the Pennsyl vania Bailroad Company, in attempting to enforce Its demands by powder and ball. I shall never forget that fearful Saturday night, as it was my privilege to witness the tragic drama, being then here on a visit Pittsburg paid that tax, under protest, "like a little man," and went on prospering and uncomplaining. BIG BUILDINGS AND SOLID BANES. Just now Pittsburg can boast of the largest, most substantial and elegant busi ness edifices to be found on this planet Chicago and New York have doubtless buildings that ascend higher into the clouds, but they look insecure as compared with some of the large, massive, solid bnildinga of Pittsburg. The costliest buildings in the city are those erected by the banking cor porations. There are two granite banking houses, now approaching completion, on diagonal corners of Wood street and Sixth avenue, which will each cost abont $300,000. It takes a big pile of money to put up such structures, but the investments are good, when a rental of from $20,000 to (40,000 a year is the return to the owners. Pittsburg has more banks and banking capital than any city of its size in the Union. The city and suburban boroughs have 25 national banks and 32 other banking insti tutions, whose aggregate capital exceeds $30, 000,000, with deposits abont double that amount These facts would indicate that there is great wealth in and around the city. Indeed a return of the County Controller to the Conntr Commissioners. Unit made public, shows that the total valuation of the property of Pittsburg is 5142,687,417, while that of the entire county is placed at $264,581,459. While the wealth of this great city is pretty evenly distributed among its indus trious and enterprising population, yctthere are individual cases of extraordinary wealth. Within the past year the newspapers have given the names of 13 citizens and estates whose wealth runs from $3,000,000 to $36, 000.000, and the names of 65 others whose wealth is placed at from $1,000,000 to $3,000,- 000 each, mostly business men and private citizens, while there are hundreds more whose means are in the neighbornood of $1,000,000 each. The general prosperity that has blessed this city is not confined to any class of people or any enterprise. The .newspapers of the city, which 30 years ago were struggling for a precarious existence, are all now prosperous and above the aver age, equaling in enterprise the metropolitan journals. THE EAST END A PARADISE. The old city having been monopolized by business houses, the citizens have been com pelled to move to the East End, which was once ' farm land. All the way from the old city limits to East Liberty and Wilkins burg is now built up with magnificent resi dences, surrounded with lawns, trees, shrub bery and flowers, a veritable paradise to those who are confined to business during the day. The East End is now reached not only by railroads, but by numerous cable and electric street car lines, by which the travel1 is so rapid and comfortable as to af ford relaxation to those doing business in the city and living in the country. I ac cepted the kind invitation of a lady friend to make the "round trip" to the East End, going out on a Fifth avenue cable car to East Liberty, six miles, and returning by the Penn avenne line down the Allegheny river valley. Including stops, the trip was made in less than two hours. Think of a circuit of 12 miles on a wire cable, pulling a car as-apidly as a fast horse can trot! We are certainly living in a wonderfnl agel There was a time when I knew nearly every person I met on the streets of Pitts burg, but that time, alas, has gone forever, 1 find the names of the men I onceknew in scribed on monuments in the beautiful Alle gheny Cemetery. There lie the men who started Pittsburg on its career of glory and prosperity. "They sleep their last sleep, they have fought their last battle. No sound shall wake them to glory again." But their sons and their grandsons, and the stranger from other States and other lands, have taken their places as actors in the great drama of life. COME TO SEE THE CITY. Pittsburg Visited by n Quaint Old Couple The Father and Mother of the Inventor of (lie Telephone at a Local Hostelry. On the 9:30 train on the Baltimore and Ohio road, there arrived from Washington City, last evening, a quaint old couple who hired a hack apd were driven to the com fortable quarters of the Hotel Anderson. The old lady accompanied her husband to the registry counter, and stood, at his elbow while he wrote in the book, in a character istic, peculiar hand, "Prof. A. Newhall Bell and wife, Washington, D. C." Then they went out for a short walk, and returned at about 10 o'clock. The veuerable couple are the parents of Prof. Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor of the telephone. The old gentleman was formerly connected with the Smithsonian Institution, but he has long since retired, and is spending his later days in peace and meditative observation. Unlike most of the great inventors of the world, Prof. A. O. Bell has made a fortune out ot the devices of his brain, and his parents are made partakers in the luxuries oi this life which wealth will procure. There is no evidence of wealth in the appearance -of either father or mother. They are plain scotch people, simple in dress ana in man ners. The old professor is of medium height, straight and stocky. He wears a soft black hat and clothes of gray Scotch goods. His face, strong and ruddy, is surrounded by heavy gray hair and bnshy gray beard and mustache. He looks like the pictures of Walt Whitman, with his hirsute profusion. Prof. Bell smokes good cigars, using a meerschaum mouthpiece, black as ebony with long using. Mrs. Bell is frail, thin and bent, wears plain black, made in old fash ion, but walks with as much spryness as many women'of much fewer years. Prof. Bell said that he and his wife had come to Pittsburg simply to see this city. He had heard much of this wonderful cen ter of mills and factories, and had long had a desire to see it He said that he would remain here for several days, and would visit mills and other places of interest. SO DIFFERENT, YET ALIKE. One Point of Similarity Found Between Mayor and Ex-Mayor. "Here comes the best friend I ever had," said one gentleman to another, on Fifth avenue, yesterday. The latter looked up and saw ex-Mayor McCallin approaching. "Well, there'sa singular coincidence," he replied, pointing across the street to where, by chance, Mayor Gourley stood talking to a friend. "There's quite a difference in the appear ance of Mayor and ex-Mayor, isn't there?" asked the first speaker. "Yes, quite a contrast," was the xepbr. "But, now I come to think of it, there is also one point identically the same in the two men." "And what's that?" "I observe that both men have their hands in their pockets," which was indeed the case. SOMETHING LESS THAN $100,000. What the Pennsylvania Company Han Given for tho World's Fair. The statement made that the Pennsyl vania Company had contributed $275,000 to the Chicago World's Fair is not correct One of the officials of the road said yester day: "Our Unas west of Pittsburg have given something less than $100,000 as our share. It is not a matter of liberality, but a question of business. A railroad commit tee was appointed to apportion the sums contributed by the railroads, and our share was less than $100,000. This sum was paid some time atro. The fair will greatly in- 'crease our business, and we expected to give something in return lor it, but fo.uuu is ridiculous. "I do not know on what basis the appor tionment of contributions was made. I can't say either how much the Pennsylvania road has given." ARSENAL PARK MOVING SLOWLY. Chief Blgclovr Home, but Not Communicative Abont His Visit. Chief Bigelow, of the Departmental Pub lic Works, returned home from Washington yesterday morning, where he went to confer with the officials ot the War Department in regard to the matter of giving part of the Arsenal grounds to the city for a park. When asked for the result of his visit he was as shy as some of the animals in Schen: ley Park "zoo," and would give little in formation. He said the department moved slowly and methodically, and the matter was progress ing as rapidly as could be expected. In fact it moved about as fast as the Treasury De partment was moving in the construction of the new postoffice at Pittsburg. Whether any action would be taken soon or not he could not say. , B.&B. Biggest sale of 27-inch silksl Biggest bargain! 200 pieces and as many different stylet) 60c and 75c; $1 and $1 50 quality. Boaos & Buhl, TEADE IS BK1GHTEK. Substantial Gains in the Movements of General Merchandise. TOO HDCH IRON AND STEEL MADE. Enormous Exports of Wheat and a Redac tion in Available Stocks. PREVIOUS STRIKE RECORDS BROKEN rSPZCTAI. TZIEOKAM TO THE EiSrATCH.l New York, May 9. Special telegrams to Bradstreet's report substantial gains in the movement of general merchandise, notably at Western and Southern points. Exceptionally favorable reports come from the recently flooded region of Louisiana, where the demand for goods is more than meeting expectations and collections are improving. In the Northwest higher prices for farm products have stimulated trade and made collections easier. In some regions, however, frosts affected the previously bright crop outlook, while in others rains have had an opposite influence. San Francisco advices are that Signal Serv ice wheat crop reports from California to Washington present too gloomy an aspect On May 3 San Francisco resumed shipments of breadstuff's to Australia, a significant fact, sending to Sidney 18,248 centals of corn and 225 barrels of flour. Stock speculation at New York is active and strongly bullish, and public interest is increasing. " Indnstrial stocks were the fea ture of the first days of the week, and at its close the Granger shares began to move np on supposed improvement in the Western railroad situation. TOO MUCH IEON PRODUCED. The official report of production of iron and steel in the United States in 1889, just published, is accompanied by the specific admission that excessive productive pig iron capacity is back of tne existing weakness and late decline in prices of crude iron, which corroborates our statement a week ago as to increasing stocks of pig iron. The soft coal miners threaten a general strike for eight hours, and some thousands of Pennsylvania coke workers are consider ing a strike. The number of strikes during the first nine days of May exceed all previ ous records for a similar period. They num ber 145, involving probably no fewer than 66,000 strikers. There were 65 strikes on May 1 alone. Thus far the strikers have made substantial gains. The carpenteis' strike for a shorter day has practically suc ceeded, meeting at New York and Brooklyn hardly any opposition. In Illinois 15,000 coal miners have obtained an advance and will resume work. LARGE EXPORTS OP BREADSTUFPS. Exports of wheat (and flour) from both coasts this week equal 1,373,270 bushels, against 1,273,715 bushels in the like week a year ago and 2,747,048 bushels last week. The total shipped July 1 to date is 92,325, 8S8 bushels, against 75,357,748 bushels in a lika share of 1888-9. Stocks of available wheat ou both coasts are slightly in excess of the total held a year ago, but American, European and afloat stocks of wheat, as specially telegraphed to Bradstreet's, de creased 10,200,000 bnshels during April, as compared with a decline of only 5,000,000 bushels in March last. Business failures reported to Bradstreet's number 152 in the United States this week against 133 last week, and 174 this week last year. Canada had 23 this week against 23 last week. The total number of failures in the United States, January 1 to date, is 4,290, against 4,570 in a like portion of 1889. HOW DUN LOOKS AT 'IT. B. G. Dun & Co.'s weekly review of trade says : During the past week the business situation has changed but little; the outward manifestations vary somewhat, but the lead ing facts are still the enormous volume of traffic in progress, the expectation of mone tary expansion, and the absence of forces at present seriously disturbing, even in details. Chief and most potent of present favoring influences is still the prospect of increased monetary use of silver in some form. Labor controversies cause less interruption than has been anticipated. It has come to be recognized that injury to winter wheat may count for 50,000,000 bushels at least, but spring seeding has cov ered an increased acreage and a larger yield of that kind would naturally follow higher prices. ' SOUTHERN IRON A FACTOR. Iron shows no great change, the radical fact in that branch being the transferring of part of the production to Southern instead of Northern fields. The Increase in wool supply this year can not be large, but the expectations of higher prices so generally entertained by growers tend to embarrass the manufacturer. Boston sales were large, with prices stiff. Move ment of meats continues heavy. At Chi cago, 3,000,000 pounds dressed beef against 945,000 last year, and for the vear thus far 50,000,000 against 18,000,000 'pounds last year. Beef cattle have reached the highest point for the year, lard receipts at Chicago are nearly double, and hogs grow stronger at the West. In general, operations in products are lemarkably large, with ad vancing prices, but mainly because of ex pected loss in production this year. DETGOODS ACTIVE. ' The drygoods business continues of fnll volume at Chicago larger than list year, and the shoe trade is also larger. The volume of all trade shown by exchanges, outside New York, remains about 10 per cent above last year's which in turn was the largest on record. The reports from interior cities indicate fairly maintained activity, with money mar kets now here stringent, though at Chicago and some other points closer about May 1 than before, on account of settlements and preparation for assessments for taxation, here disbursements about May 1 were larger than ever before, approaching $30,000,000. LAY DELEGATES BEATEN. The Majority Report In tbe Episcopalian Slate Convention Defeated. tBPECIAI. TELEGRAM TO TUB DTSrATCB.I Philadelphia, May 9. The subject of lay representation was fullytdiscussed at yes terday's session of the convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church of the diocese of Pennsylvania, over which Bishop Whita ker presided. The committee having the subject in charge presented two reports, and after a warm debate the re port of the majority advising that the constitution be amended so as to give lay delegates Mhe equal right with the clergy to vote on every question, was de feated by a small majority. The majority report set forth: At present the diocesan convention is com posed ot the clergy who sit In It by virtue of their titles and laymen who represent tbe parishes in union with the convention. Each parish, regardless of its size, has the right .to send three lay delegates. The lay delegation from each parish possesses tbe right to one vote and no more. This arrangement is provided tor in tbe constitution. It is pro posed to so alter tbe constitution as to allow the several parishes to be represented by lay men in numbers apportioned to the number of people actually belonging to each. Underwear of all kinds for ladies, gents and children at prices which cannot be undersold. Eosenbaum & Co. WThs Men's Plain nud Fnncy Night Shirts, 60o worth 65c, 75o worth 85c. 85o worth $1, $1 worth $1 25. See our line of nnlaun dried shirts at 75c and $1. A. G. Campbell & Sons, 27 Fifth ave. Gabriel's FBOV TXUFUt BAB ILtUSIBATXD BT THE DISPATCH. Dr. Gabriel's Experiment, with its extraor dinary result, has been thoroughly sifted by many learned and scientific societies. Indeed, I believe the whole scientific world has at last been forced to accept if not to un derstand tbe facts in connection with it. It is not co, however, with the outside world the lay public; exaggerated accounts have found their way into the dally paper; rapa cious contributors to weekly light literature have eagerly seized upon the weird truth to build upon It a tower of sensational fiction; writers of leading articles, totally ignorant of the true story, have gone so far as to ac cuse those concerned with fraud. To those who have known Dr. Gabriel, and enjoyed his friendship; to those who have been his fellow-workers in science and have learned to appreciate his genius, these misunderstandings, these ridiculous exag gerations are especially painlnl. It is un der such circumstances that I have been re quested to write clearly, and as far as pos sible without the use of scientific terms, all that is known of this remarkable experi ment. Dr. Gabriel has been well-known in med ical circles as the rising oculist of St Joseph's Hospital. His indefatigable efforts have largely added to the literature of his special subject His investigations and ex periments in optics and the surgery of the eye have placed him in the front rank of his profession, and have secured for him a last ing reputation. Our acquaintance, I regret to say, was not extensive; occasionally we have met at the house of his colleaee, Dr. Benson some times in the hunting field. There is no necessity to describe his per sonal appearance; suffice it to say that it needed but a glance to assure one that he was a man of keen intellect and a gentle man. His manner, always courteous, was somewhat too'reserved to please most people, although among his intimate lriends this VOLUME AFTER VOLUME I reserve was found to cover a mine of humor and good nature. Etrom Dr. Benson I have learned much concerning tbe oculist's private life, his work at the hospital, his various inventions and experiments. A little more than a year ago Dr. Gabriel narried the beantiful daughter of a cele brated artist, a girl who, without being in the least degree a blue-stocking, had re ceived a far higher edncation than most En glish women. She interested herself greatly in her husband's studies, and by her artistic abilities was enabled to be of considerable service to him in preparing drawings to illustrate his great work on the eye. Much of her time was spent in such- useful labor. No wonder, then, these two were more united than the majority of people. Although Mrs. Gabriel's beauty was of such a high order as to have made it an easy matter for her to reign as a leading star in society,society's prizes had no temptation for her. Entirely devoted to her husband and his work, her happiness was perfect Truly Dr. Gabriel was a fortunate man to have won such a companion in toil and recreation! But their happiness was short lived. They had been married but ore year one year of unbroken gladness when.the summer session having passed, Dr. Gabriel put science and practice entirely away, and prenared to spend his month's vacation in Alpine climbing. His wife never hesitated to share this toilsome pleasure; strong and robust, it was just the exercise most fascin ating to her energetic nature. The story of her fate is a short one. One morning the daily papers contained a short account of "another frightlul accident in the Alps." Mrs. Gabriel and a gnide were killed by a mass of falling rock. Dr. Gabriel, though much iniured. recovered. On his return to England be gave up all professional work. A ghastly change had taken place. In his haggard face and gray hair few could recog nize the great oculist who had been the picture of strong and energetic manhood. His colleagues and fellow professors endeav ored to persuade him to return to his prac tice and hospital work, but in vain. He would see but few friends, and for some time Dr. Benson only was admitted. This excel lent man was much alarmed at his condi tion, but tailed to arouse the widower from tbe despondent state into which he had fallen. Weeks passed, and still no signs of im provement appeared. Dr. Gabriel's seclu sion became even more profound, so that it was with difficulty Dr. Benson could obtain access to him. Bumors were circulated that the shock of his. wile's death and the injuries he himself had sustained had affected his mind, but these reports were emphatically denied by those friends who were successful in obtain ing an audience. The household servants, too, declared that beyond his excessive re serve there was nothing unusual in his manner. They said he spent most of his time in his laboratory, where he frequently remained the whole day and the greater part of the night, and was absorbed in an experi ment ot great interest Let me here introduce myself in order to explain the part taken by me in the events which followed. I will first state that I have no connection whatever with the medical pro fession. Being of independent means and of a somewhat scientific turn, I have de voted much time to the study of photogra phy, especially those branches so seldom at tempted by amateurs, viz., enlarging and reproducing. In this way I have been able to be of service to many eminent hintologists and microscopists including my friend Dr. Benson men who have no time to register tbe result of their researches by this means themselves. The work has an indescribable fascination for me; I have studied under the most celebrated professors of photography r Expepee both in this country and on the Continent, and I think I can say without vain boasting that I can hold my own against any professional in this art By this means I became acquainted" with many colleagues of Dr. Gabriel. One night after a meeting of the Histolog ical Society, we were redisenssinz the speech ot the evening, when Dr. Benson, who had been called away an hour or two previously, returned, his genial countenance preternat urallv grave and anxious. He soon told us that be bad just come from Dr. Gabriel, who bad become suddenly and unaccounta bly stone blind! Such an announcement at once dropped all further discussion on the ''cholera bacillus," the subject of the meet ing, and Dr. Benson was eagerly questioned for further information. "The case com pletely baffles me," said the physician. "Dr. Gabriel declares that on awakening this morning he found that he had entirely lost his sight he appears totally unable to distinguish light from darkness. I have carefully examined the optic disks with the ophthalmoscope," continued he, "without being able to make out the faintest change in retina; and there are no symptoms which would lead one to believe he had sustained any cerebral lesion. I have never been so puz zled by any case in my life." Many theories to account for this phenom enon were at once advanced by some of the younger men present, most of them holding that the blindness resulted from mischief set np in the brain by the accident in the Alps. To this Dr. Benson could not agree, his great experience in these cases leading him to ex pect symptoms which were conspicuous by their absence in Dr. Gabriel's misfortune. " There is a remarkable mental condition here," added the doctor, " which, although it does not bear npon the question from a pathological point of view, is as interesting and surprising as it is inexplicable. It is this: Dr. Gabriel, in losing his sight, has also lost all melancholy, all his former de pression of spirits; in fact, he has quite re turned to his natural cheerful condition. THREW ASIDE IN DISGUST. During my short interview he never once expressed any regret at this crowning calamity, and although fully convinced that he would never see again, he appeared in no way distressed." There were many grave faces and signifi cant nods as Dr. Benson concluded. Poor Gabriel, they believed him mad. Time proved.that neither Dr.Gabrile's ex traordinary return ot cheerfulness nor his loss of sight was of a transitory nature; both were perfectly incomprehensible. There was one thing, however, evident enough to the uneducated as well as to the professional eye it was, that in spite of the great im provement in spirits, our friend'j health was rapidly and surely failing. This de cline was as mysterious as the blindness. Those who believed they had traced the lat ter to cerebral lesion, the result of the acci dent, declared the former to be qnite in ac cordance with their diagnosis. Whateverit was, Dr. Gabriel was steadily sinking. One day a messenger hurriedly brought me the following letter from Dr. Benson: Deae A. In a few hours Oabriel will be no more. I have received Irom him a sealed docu ment, in which, he states, will be fonnd Infor mation that may offer some explanation as to tbe cause of bis blindness. He desires a post mortem examination to be made npon his body immediately after death, if possible. He fully believes that something of unpar alleled interest will be discovered should the examination be carefully conducted. In order that it may be as complete as possible, be wishes any abnormal discovery to be at once photographed. For many reasons ltfis undesir able to employ a professional photographer. Knowing that you have much spars time, I venture to feel sure you will assist us in tbfs matter. If you have no other engagement please hold yourself In readiness to start at a moment's notice. Iu haste, yours sincerely, Henry Binson. I readily agreed to give my services when ever they might be required, and prepared such apparatus as I was accustomed to use on similar occasions. Earlv one morning Dr. Benson called " for me on ' his way to Gabriel's house. He had jnst re ceived information that the poor oculist was in artlculo mortis. We arrived a few minutes before the end. Quietly wo entered the darkened chamber. How diffi cult it was to believe that those intelligent eyes, even in these last moments so Instrous and deep, could be absolutely sightless; wide open, tbey were turned as if search- ingly upon tbe face of the physician, as with his fingers lightly on the patient's hand he leaned over the bed. But there was no reflection of the doctor's grave and anxious look a peaceful smile spread over tbe handsome features, flickered for a-. for ned in ' and i moment, and then remained stereoty deatb. Sadly we left the room joined a few professional friends who, like myseir, had been invited to attend. Dr. Benson then prodnced the sealed document mentioned in his letter, and read aloud as follows: "My experiences during the past few months have been so abnormal in every re spect so inexplicable and apparently so far beyond the bounds of human reasoning that, believing I should be regarded as a madman were I to publish them, I earnestly request that the facts which I am abont to relate may be hidden from all but those) present at the autopsy, should the examina tion of my dead body fail to bring forth con firmatory'evidence. It is now many months since tbe accident in tbe Alps severed ms from my dear wife. Tbe sunshine of my ex istence was changed to the darkest gloom of despondency. No twilight of fading health broke tbe suddenness with which the night fell upon me. My own injuries were not as serious as have been supposed, and I do not believe my present condition is in any way connected with them. The brain con cussion and shock impaired my mental faeul- '4 4 1 i i m 4
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers