THE PITTSBURG- , DISPATCH. SUNDAY- -SEPTEMBER 27, 189X'
18
A REVIEW OF SPORTS
Leading Features of the National
leagne Baseball Season That
is Nearly Over.
AFFAIRS OF THE LOCAL BALL CLUB.
The Question of the Pirectom Paying
Fancy Salaries When the Club
Cannot Afford It
TROUBLES A1I0XG THE AMATEURS.
Imiiij HltcMTs Deftat of Ready Qin&cber The
Woods and Davis Battle.
When next Sunday comes the baseball
season of 1691 will have become a thing of
the past. It will have gone to swell the
number of its predecessors, leaving its
record behind it, whether it be good, bad or
IndiGerent. "When the end of the season is
so near, it may not be out of place to say a
few words about it, although the race of the
teams is not over yet, nor can we say with
absolute certainty what will be all the
positions at the end of the race. But there
have been many very interesting features
of the season just about to close. Fin
ancially, I don't think it has been such a
success as many people expected it would
be, and on the other hand it has been more
of a success then many other people pre
dicted. The disruption of last vear re
duced the popularity of the game to such a
low ebb that there i as reason lor thinking
that several seasons must come and go be
fore all the old-time enthusiasm returned.
It was stated that the collapse of the P. L.
would sour the publio mind more than ever
against the League and its magnates. But
this statement was only made by partisans.
There was another party; a sort of optim
istic party, who argued that just as soon as
the P. L. was out of the way and the old
condition of things re-established the publio
enthusiasm which had only been smoulder
ing would burst forth in greater and
stronger volume than ever. These were
the positions of the two parties just before
this season commenced. "We have seen
that neither has been altogether correct;
but those whose feelings were a little hurt
by the downfall of the P. L. and predicted
all kinds of calamities as a consequence,
were absolutely wrong. An exceedingly
greater amount of success has characterized
the season than the party in question pre
dicted. But while I contend this lam free
to admit that the public interest in the
game has not been as great as it could have
been; indeed, it has not by far been as great
as it has been on former occasions. And
there have been reasons for this. There is
still an element of disruption abroad. The
old snirit of rebellion airainsc the T,e.iiie
and everybody who has helped to make the I
jiouuiu ntui. cti.vi.ooiui la cwi& luuic ui
les rampant lhat cpmt is fraught wi-h
desires to see the National League ruined
just because the P. L. collapsed. "Well,
this spirit lias prompted those who are im
bued with it to try all in their power
10 injure mvuia prospects anu dampen
public enthusiasm. In very mnnv instances
the mot strenuous efforts have been made
to ow s-eds of dissatisfaction and discon
tent w ltli the object of causing one party to
assail another. Unfortunately these efforts
have hail pi cater effect than they should
have hid.
A Few Good Features.
Well, when c take into consideration the
above elements of strite and discontent, we
must admit that the season has been a very
successful one as far as the National League
Is roncerncd. In Boston matters may not
have been as prosperous as were antic!
pated, but they have been more successful
than might have been expected under the
circumstances. There have been two con
tending parties there, and their contentions
have doubtless to a very great extent,
soured the public on the game. I cannot
avoid the conviction that matters in Boston
would never have become so unpleasant had
the efforts of tnoso who rebelled not been
formed and festered by a number of irre
sponsible neople whose dearesl wish is to
don n the Leaiue. Another leature of the
se '.sun has been the demonstration of the
fact that the National League is still pos
sessed of its turner and most assuredly all
of its former popularity will come back by
next season with increased force. I am
glad that the National Leagne still stands
prominently ont as the power in baseball.
Under its guidance and under Its shelter
ing wing the wclfaie of the national
game has nothing to fear. The greatest
minds in the baseball world and I might
add the fairest minus take pait in the delib
eration and assist in shaping the destinies of
the League and theiefoie.the national game.
This fact a pleasant one to me, and gives
me nssurani-o that evervthlngs will go along
all right. AnoMicr verv pleasing leature of
the season has been tho factof the existence
of m many :rood teams in the League. I
don't think there ever was a time when
thero wore eizlit as good teams in an organi
sation as there are m the League now. This
prove" to us that the quality of ball players
Is improving no matter what other results
limy be. And let me lemark here, thiit I am
jjnaiuui.'udiiii Lite i.wuiiy nm uuiuiuuu iu i
improve. The misloi tunes and necessities I
ot last year 1 jve reunited in teaching club
diiectorsa very important lesson, viz , that
it 13 worth while to speculate in "Young
blood." This year has demonstrated that
fact and w e have to-day dozens of young
yhvyers w ho might never have been heard
tell of had the old '"tnrs" not risen in their
foolishness and introduced a grate of
anarchy. This year has so successfully
proven the worth'of j onng blood, that I an
ticipate theie will not be very much de
mand for tho old luminaries nex; year.
Burely this ought to be a lesson to those who
ate being liberally dealt with.
About the Prospects.
I cannot well leave tho above few remarks
about the season without saying a few words
tbout tho prospects. It would bo foolish
ness to argue that ba-ckall can be as popu
lar as it might be a3 long as there are fac
tional lights or as long as there are two par
ties tiying to ruin each other. Wo must
conclude, therefore, that as long as the
Lcnguo and Association are tiying to
baffle each other things wont be as
successful and as pleasant as they
could otherwise be. This being so, it would
be better for all hands if all the troubles be
tween the tw o organizations were smoothed
down; in fact, obliterated. 1 dare say all of
us interested ia the game share this opinion;
but the question is: How can the troublcbe
removed ? I do not intend to suggest an an
swer to this question, but I am iuclined to
think that efforts are being made at present
to eulvo the problem. Several ways have
been mentioned. Wcall know of the way
sugjrested by the Association. That was to
abolish the entire present order of things
Mid give the Association full control of tho
new. Certainly that is one way. Hut there
lsnnotlici wav that 1 have heard suggested,
and. It 1 nnsuike not, it was very lavorably
discu--ed ni the recent League meet
ing. Tnis way is to consolidate tnetwo 1103
ton clubs and take ll'l.iuiore and St. Louis
into tho League. Tho ISoston consolidation
could be ellecled by the League club direc
tors allowing 1'iiuce one-fourth interest in
their club. Mi. i'liuce, I understand, is
willing to make such a. deal, and so are the
majority of League magnates. But the
Boston triumvirs .ire not; these triumvirs
who ruled so long in Boston with undis
puledswaj. In my humble judgment the
plan seems to be a good one, not only for the
Leiiguo, but also for the tiiumvirs. To them
the question ought to bo a very simple one.
They sho'tld a-k themselves this: If we
concede Prince a quarter of our club will
tho remaining three-quarters becomo of
more value than the whole at present! Now.
if thev would sk themselves that question
aud be guided by tho answer the trouble
would be settled at once. Certainly tho
three-quarters would nftcr the change be
more valuable than is the whole now. It
way be that pride prevents the deal, but
it must not be forgotten that more
or lees of a compromise had to be made in
every League City betorethe warof last year
was ended. But I still am in hopes that
an arrangement will shortly bo made where
by everything will bo put Into a satisfac
tory condition. Of course, if the Associa
tion magnates do not desire to have a lair
and reasonable settlement, let the war go
on. The League will always have the better
of it. either in pilfering players or in any
other respect. I have it from very good
anthorlty that quite a largo number of
prominent players in the Association have
already mado known their desire to )oin
the Lengue. If the Association declines to
actf.iiily and IntelUeently, let It suffer tho
consequences. Tho Leairue will then havo
rierfect right tocatch good players wherever
t can in the Association ranks.
Fow "Words About the Local Club.
I am very glad to know that the directors
or the local club are quite satisfied with the
clubs financial showing for tho season. In
Friday's Disr.vrcH there appeared a state
ment from President O'Neil which showed
that the club has done very well indeed,
under the circumstances. This has been in
many respects an exceptional year for tho
Pittsburg club. Before a team of any prom
ise, or almost worthy the name of a team,
could be secured a very large amount of
rnonej-hadto be spent. A number of very
costly men were secured regardless of price;
indeed, this was the only way that popular
players could be induced to come to
Pittsburg. But some of the costly
men were failures, and then other
new nlayers had to be scoured, which
costmoro money. All thisadded to the ex
penses of the club and was to a very great
extent an outlay with no return. Added to
this was the fact that the team was most of
the timo at the tall end. and when wo con
sider these things we will wonder how tho
club has managed to get out about even. If
the clnb docs escape any loss on the season
I feel sure we'll bo all very clad of it, be
cause the directors of tho club have dono
everything in their power to make tbimrs
successful. Tliev have been stinted in
nothing where labor or expense were con
cerned and they deserve to be rewarded.
But while tho e"lnb may not have been a
inonev-maker this year "theie is no denving
the fact that there is a better organized
team now than we have ever had at the end
of a season before The team is in such a
condition now that very little would
strengthen up its weak points and make it
one of the strongest in the land. If JIanager
McGunnigle is to be with us ner" year, and
I trust he will, I feel certain that he will
havo a money-making team In this city.
Why on his last Eastern trip with the team,
tail-lenders as they were, he cleared $2,700 for
the club. This shows thnt if we could once
get near tho top and keep there this
team would bo the most profltable in
tue country. There may be some diffi
culty in signing one or two of the nrcfent
players. Already tho trouble with King has
commenced, and I anticipate much trouble
with Galvln. The latter wants an increase
of salary, and, from what I hear, tho club
cannot afford to pay it. Regarding King's
case, all that I have to say is that he has a
Eerfoct right to get all the money he can,
ut the directors are in duty bound to look
after their own interests also. Really, I
don't think they can afford to pav King or
anybody else any such salary as $5,000, and
it might be well lor King were he to consent
to remain another season hero at tho same
figure being paid Baldwin. No doubt King
is a good pitcher, but it requires an extraor
dinary man to be worth $3,000 for six or seven
months. Old Galvin has been a real bread
winner during the season, and he is only
getting one-half of $0,000. Players may con
sistently ask for extraoi dinaiy salaries, but
they should not stubbornly hold out for
sums that clubs cannot possibly afford to
pay.
The Amateur Season.
The meeting ot the County League the
other night was a reminder that the amateur
season of 1891 is alBO about over. The little
League met and wound up their affairs for
the season. The Pratt pennant was awarded
to the East End Gyms, and they were
worthy of it. Some time ago I stated that in
my opinion the Gyms were the best amateur
team in Western Pennsylvania and one ot
the best in the country. I have not had oc
casion to change that opinion, but their
work since I expressed the opinion has"bee!i
such that my opinion is stronger than it
was. The Gyms have done much to popu
larize what is termed amateur baseball, and
they have of course been well assisted by
other teams. There are some very promis
ing players in the County Leaguo winners,
young men who give promise of being great
hitters and excellent fielders. I trust that
the team will stick together, and that when
next year comes they will be better than
ever. But the amateur season generally in
this section has been good. At the recent
County Leagne meeting it was stated that
every club in the League had made more or
less "money during the --eason. This i, in
deed, encouraging, and indicates that ama
teur playing will get better heieabouts. It
is worth while pointing out that every team
in the League has been more expensive
than formerly, and this fact makes the
statement that all have clearedmonev moro
interesting and pleasing still. Well, the
success of the season ought to prompt the
League off ci lis to try ana do better next
year. The League is under capital manage
ment, and I don't see why even
greater things cannot bo done
nex; year th.in havo been done this.
Trouble Among the Amateur.
During the last few days there has been
something liko consternation thrown into
the ranks of the local amateur athletes. The
A. A. U. has tin own a little bombshell out
in the way of informing its members that
they must not take part in the contest of
clubs not registered in the A. A. U., nor
must they allow members of clubs not regis
tered in the A. A. U. to contest in the sports
of registered clubs. This, of course, with
ont special decrees to the contrary, means
that there can be no reciprocity between
any of the local athletic clubs and the Alle
gheny Athletic Association, because the
latter is a member of the A. A. V. Time
and time again I have upheld the good
qualities of the A. A. TJ., and the useful mis
sion it performs in the way of developing
athletic sports, but its rule, the one now in
question, has many bad qnalities. To me
there does not seem to be sufficient reason
for it, and on the face of it the arid boycott
is stamped. Iu many respects it is an em
bargo on amateurism, because of its narrow
ness. The A. A. U. sas to the Allegheny
Athletic A-sociation: "Now, none of your
members must compete in the contests of
the Last End Gyms, and yon must by no
meaus allow any of the East End Gyms to
compete in your contests." This veto is
simply because tho Allegheny Athletic
Association is a member of the A. A. U. and
and the East End Gyms arc not. The line is
not drawn, mark "you, because of non
amateurism but only because the A. A. TJ.
wanU barriers put rro flgaicst every
thing and evorbodv' "that Is not
Bait and parcel of itself. The A. A.
. has not by any means a monopoly of
bona fide amateurism. Those of us "who
know anything at all about athletics know
this full well. I know" amateur athletes who
are in no way connected with the A. A. U.
whose nmateurisra is of the Simon puio
kind, and yet if the A. A. U. had its way
those amateurs would never be allowed to
competo except they Joined tho A. A. U.
That is getting things down selfishly fine to
say the least of it But I would liko to
know what injury there is done the A. A. U.,
or What harm is done to amateurism It a
club not registered in the A. A. U. has a field
day and the contests all regulated by the A.
A. U. rales ami nil the contestants genuine
amateurs is patronized by contestants who
are members ot registered clubs. I know of
no harm or injury, and until the contrary is
pointed out to me I cannot come to any
other conclusion than deeming the rule a
very bad one. When talking on this subject
I want to sav a lew words about the East
End Gyms. Probably that club is one of the
roost active in tho State, and if there are
not some good athletes on its roll of mem
bership it won't be fo- lack of energy. I
know or no better athletic organization for
a young man to be connected with. The
club has an excell-nt building and depend
upon it everybody connected with tho club
is a hustler. It is sure to be a successful or
ganization. Young Mitchell and Gallagher.
During tho week there havo been two
pugilistic encounters of more or less inter
est. I refer to the battle between Billy
Woods nnd Jack Davis and "Young Mitchell"
and lieddy Gallagher. Tho contest between
the two last named was the most important
and it may be intoiesting to say a few words
about it. I have several times of late dis
cussed it and my readers will know thnt I
always figured out that Mitchell would bo
the winner. Two weeks ago I spoke very
definitely on this point. Well, the contest
was in some respects a strange one. Several
admirers of tho fistic arena think that it
was a "fixed affair," aud I confoss that
there was some reason for so thinking. But
I feel convinced tnut the better man of the
two won. Yonng Mitchell won becauso ho
was fighting a man w ho never has displayed
the pluck and courage of a mouse. I havo
often admired Gallagher as a clever and
effective boxer, nnd ho proved that he was I
n.ai on n eunosuay evening at san iran
cisco. But he was in front of a tolerably
game follow and one who Is very effective
in countering an opponent. It Is there
fore not difficult to understand how
Gallagher so suddenly collapsed. While
he was doing all the snrfico fighting nnd
getting nomu with his leads, hi. opponent
was getting homo somo counters that wore
quietly and unobserved by the crowd mak
ing Gallagher's heart grow weary. Just as
soon as these counters, which " had been
mostly on Gallagher's body.bogun to have ef
fect, Keddy began to show up in a somewhat
groggy condition. He has never shown that
he can or will stand punishment, and I
would not bo surprised to learn that a weak
heart had as mnch to do with his being
counted out ns almost anything else. Dur
ing his career Gallagher has had much to say
about fighting any middle-weight in the
world. Not long ago ho talked of being
anxious to tackle Fitzsimmons. Ho ought
to go into obscurity now. Young
Mitchell has been qulto a good winner, but
somehow or other I always hesitate before
coming to a conclusion that he is a cham
pion. Ho might be able to make a good
stand airninst FitzsimmonsorPritchard, hut
I would not bo surprised if he did not.
Woods and Davis.
Plttsburgers will remember Billy Woods
who was here at tho Opera House with
Fitzsimmons. Woods is an , extremely well
built and powerful youug fellow, though ho
has something to learn as a boxer. He prob
ably never w ill bo a first-class boxer, but
that he is a very good fighter was proven by
the way in which he defeated Jack Davis.
The latter has already showed himself to bo
a good man and lor a time on Monday night
tho contest between Woodsand himselt was
a very hot and desperate one.The Denver
man won simply by superior fighting abili
ties. I havo often expressed the opinion
that Woods is tho superior of Kilraln and I
nm fully convinced of that now. It mav bo
that tho California Athletic Club will offer a
purse for Woods and Kilraln or for Woods
and somebody else. When Woods appears
again take notice of him. Piukgle.
HOW THE CITY LOST.
the new crrr of Kensington gob
bles THE STETVAr.T FARM.
Its Valne Almost Donbled by the
Building Boom There So Great Is tho
Bush That Thousands of Lots Are
Added to the Plan.
Once more the city is the loser. The Bcr
rell Improvement Company has bought all
of the H. L. A. Stewart farm at $200 an aero
in advance of what it was offered to the city
of Pittsburg as a Poor farm sito a little over
n year ago. At that time the people howled
fraud and the sale was stopped, but had it
been bought it is safe to say that inside of
three years it could havo been sold for $.1,000
on acre. In fact, the Poor Farm then would
have met the same fate as the present one.
Kensington would havo crowded it tar more
than even Homestead has crowded the old
one. For that new town on the Allegheny
Valley road is Just ns stable as any of the
older manufacturing towns of tho county
like nomestead, Eraudock and McKcesport.
Where a year ago the farmer followed the
plow is now long rows of substantial and
somo elegant modern houses. Kensington,
though it lias sprung up since last June, is of
solid growth. In the past four months 965
lots have been sold exclusive of manufac
turing sites. There have been 155 houses
erected in this new city in that timo, and
there are 1,000 men now at work on the vari
ous improvements. Nearly 300 other labor
ers are sleeping in barns. The population is
now about 2,000 people and a baby. The lat
ter came about three weeks ago and wears
the name of Elizabeth Annetta Cappcau.
As hers was tho first birth registered in Ken
sington the Burrell Improvement Company
at on co donated her a $1,000 lot.
Streets havo been laid out all over the
present city, and most of the gas and water
pipe and sewers are already laid. Tho water
supply cannot be beaten anywhere. It is
brought from the big hills away to the east
of the town. It is clear as crystal and suffi
ciently cool for dunking purposes without
tho us or ice. With the present flow they
can supply a population of 15,000 people, as
well as all the gieat mills that are being
established there.
Everything is favorable for manufac
tories there, and that Kensington is to
take tho lead among the great
manufacturing towns of Western Penn
sylvania is evidenced by the fact that
tnc plan had to be increased from 2,100 to
6,000 lots in order to find homes for the
thousands of workmen who must noces
sarily go there. The first dicam of the
founders of this now city has been surpassed
The wonderful facilities afforded thom
for factories is so great that tho demands
havo been greater than was anticipated.
There is a brond, level sweep of land plenti
fully supplied with coal and gas aud has
three ana one-half miles of river front. This
was seen CO yeat sago by Andrew Carnegie,
who tried to buy the property for the Edgar
Thomson steel woiks, but it could not be
bought.
Beginning at thenorth end of the factories
now in course of construction are the
Brownsvillo Plate Glass Works, Bradley
Stovo Works, Kensington Chilled Steel
Works, Excelsior Tlint Glass Works, Ken
sington Tube Woiks, Kensington Roller
Flour Mills, B. F. Rynd & Co.'s Planing
Mills, J. M. Logan & Son's Planing Mills
Rolled Steel Wheel Woiks, and the Pitts
burg Reduction Company. Besides this a
flint and n big bottle house will locate there
inside of the next few weeks. The
company now has altogether CO man
ufacturing sites. For the accommoda
tion of the factories two and a half
mile of railway snitches are in course of
construction, which will cost $00,000. An
additional impetus is given to the town by
the fact that when tho new dam is built the
Allegheny will be navigable clear to Ken
sington. m
Aside from its inducements as a place of
business it is also ono of beautiful homes.
The residential portion is all by itself. The
Washington Inn is one of the best equipped
hotels outside of the cities. The streets are
all broad, and besides this there is a magnifi
cent natural park of 50 acres.
MAKING HOGS PB0DUCB PEP3IH.
After Their Appetites Are 'Whetted by a
Trick They Are Killed.
The pepsin sold in the drugstores is the
veritable product of an animal stomach,
and generally of the stomach of the hog.
One factory in New York has the oddest
method of preparing the article that ever
entered into the human mind, says the St.
Louis Olobt-Democrat. A number of per
fectly healthy hogs are fattened for market,
and lor 36 hours before killing time are
deprived of all food, not even being allowed
a crop of water. Then the trough from
which they are accustomed to eat is covered
with strong wire netting, and the most ap-
Setizing slops and hog delicacies, smoking
ot, are poured into the trough.
The fumes ascend with grateful fragrance
to the porcine nostrils, the hogs all run to
the trough and stand over it, ravenous with
hunger, squealing and fighting with each
other for a chance to get at the slops. The
iron netting prevents them from tasting the
food, and while they are still thinking
about the matter they are killed, and their
stomachs being taken out are found per
iectly full of gastrio juice, from which
the pepsin ib prepared. If ow, if it was not
the hog's imagination that made the gastric
juice now into his stomach in anticipation
of a feast, what was it?
I0HKEYS LADEN WITH PEEFUJEB.
Long Lines of the Patient Animals Carry
ing tho Rich Attar of Itoiu.
Harpers' Yonng People.3
Everyone knows how subtle, penetrating
and permanent is the rich perfume of attar
of roses. The larger part of the world's
supply of this delicious scent is made in
Persia, where there are many hundreds of
acres devoted to the cultivation of roses for
this purpose.
At certain seasons of the year long cara
vans of donkeys, laden with the attar, and
under guard ot soldiers to protect the rich
booty Irom attack by robbers, journey from
Central Persia to the little port of Bushire,
whence it is exported to Bombay. Other
donkey trains similarly escorted proceed to
ports on the Caspian Sea, whence the attar
is conveyed to Turkey and Bussia, which,
niter Hindostan, are the largest consumers
of the costly luxury. "When the wind is in
the right direction the approach of one of
these caravans is announced by the scent
long before it can be seen, and the line of
its progress can be traced by the odor for
days alter it has passed by.
A New Use for a Watch.
St. Lonls Globe-Dcmocrat.3
If you are to sleep in a strange bed and
there is a suspicion of damp about the
sheets lay you watch between them and
either smoke a cigar or read awhile. Then
take out the watch and if there is any film
or mist on the glass, don't go to bed, of if
you do, sleep between the blankets, which
are never damp. Hundreds of drummers, and
especially men past youth or middle age,
take this precaution and profit considerably
thereby.
Only Ten of Them.
House Hunter Are there any ants in the
houses you mention?
Agent .Not many. Tenants are all that
have been seen in them.
ONLY A FEW LEFT.
The Picturesque Horse Car Driver Is
a Rarity in These Days.
J0LLT CHARACTERS OP TEARS AGO.
The Dark Period in Which They Toiled
Biiteen JTours a Day.
MODERiU GKIPJIEN AKD M0T0RHEN
rwniTTEx ron tite dispatch.!
HE last of the horse
car drivers is now a
picturesque figure in
the Btreets of Pitts
burg. He will soon
be gone entirely, and
only his memory will
remain. It will be
enshrined as have our
recollections of his
fathers. "Western
Pennsylvania prog
ress has left behind it
a sort of reminisccn
tial c e m e tery, In
which are reared mon-
JL Dream of the Past, uments over the
tombs of his ancestors.
One of these bears the Inscription: "The
Reckless Keelboatmcn of the Ohio Kiver."
Carved upon another are the words: "Merry
Waggoners of the Allegheny Mountains."
A third epitaph is: "Brave Mariners of the
Eaging Pennsylvania Canal." And, now,
the chisels in Time's marble shop are
clinking against a new shaft, tracing out
he legend: "Sacred to the Memory of the
Genial Drivers of Pittsburg Horse CarsI"
WrfEJT THE GRAVE WAS DUO.
lam not the first to write his obituary.
That was written in red ink by the capital
ists who built the first traction railway ont
Fifth avenue. The same pick and Bhovel
that first broke ground for that enterprise
simultaneously commenced to excavate his
grave. It is a more cheerful task that I
assume. "With the last of his race the tra
ditions of the. drivers of the street car mules
must not be allowed to perish. A few
clicks of mv typewriter will save them to
posterity. "Without Buch a nucleus, what
future reunions of the Society of Daughters
f the American Horse Car Drivers would
be?
How well we Pittsbnrgers used to know
hinil The grim, silent gripman of to-day
and the pert, pompous conductor of the
cable lines are of no relation to him what
ever. These modern officers of the street
cars, in their bright and neatly-fitting uni
forms, must be descended from another
An Interesting Sandwich.
stock, for all our recollections of the horse
car driver are mellowed by his mild, suave
manner of answering vour questions. True,
he was a trifle slow in coming to the point
when you were in a hurry, and he was al
ways familiar enongh with you, especially
if you stood on the front platform during a
trip, to entertain you with a story or two,
or even to interview you about your per
sonal business.
KEMEMBEEED 'WITH KINDNESS.
But, for all that, his innate politeness,
his readiness to help you on and off with a
heavy bundle, his entire willingness that
you should stand on the platform if you
wanted to rather than suffer a sweat in the
overcrowded aisle within, the way in which
he winked at the sign over his" shoulder,
"Positively no smoking!" the quiet influ
ence he exerted over his conductor, and the
resulting absence of that chestnut so often
heard nowadays, "Stand farther up the
aisle, please!" how all these traits do now
endear him in our memories.
Of conrse, he couldn't keep clean and
bright like his successors. He caught all
the mud and slush from the horses' feet.
Breasting the fury of every storm, a neat
fit was not so much the object of his outer
clothing as quantity. He had no glass win
dows between him and the wind, and there
fore he wore three shirts, ablonse, a double
breasted coat, and sometimes two overcoats.
Stuffed thus, how could you expect him to
present a tailor-made appearance? With
wages much below what the carmen of to
day receive, could you have ever wondered
at the ragged edge of his pockets?
TrtE DKIYXItS' UPS AND DOWHS.
The future historian of the Pittsburg
horse car veteran will discover three dis
tinct epochs in the career of these hardy
men. They may ba divided as follows:
First, The Dark Period; second, The Suc
cessful Period; third, The Perilous Period.
In the first period the lines of the horse
car teamster had fallen in hard places.
"Even now when I think about it," says
the Inst of his race, "my eyes grow heavy
and my limbs feel a peculiar kind of numb
ness. ""We worked in those times 14, 1G and
18 hours a day aye, my friend, I have done
20 hours for three days at a stretch when we
had the first epidemic of horse-disease
on our line. See that boy sitting there on
the dashboard of the back platform? Well,
he's my son a strong, healthy lad now;
but, sir, it's his mother's doin's. The first
five years of his life I never saw him by
daylight, except about two months in each
summer, and then it was as he lay asleep in
his trundle bed at 4 o'clock in the morning.
I always went to work along about that
time, and didn't get home again until 10 or
II o'clock at night. Once I had my run
changed, so that I could drive the last car,
getting into the sheds about half-past mid
night, which would make my car tho last
ont in the morning. I thought in that way
I could have
A EOMP tVITH THE TOUNGSTEE
when he woke up, but we were burnt out
that year, and I couldrft get a house nearer
the station than two miles, so I had to leave
home that much earlier. Yes, Johnnie was
a long time making my acquaintance at that
rate. Conductoring? Oh, yes, he's been
conductor of mv car for a year past. I make
him toe the mark, too, because I know tho
business through and through, and I will
never have it said of a bov of mine that he
didn't know how-to handle the reins as well
as the punch.
"How'd you like standing almost motion
less as a statue on this yere platform for 1G
and 18 hours, day in and day out, winterand
summer the same?" concluded the driver.
But, this, of all traditions of tho horse car
men, is well known. The story in poetry of
the car driver whose child died on a winter
night while he was with his mules made a
nation cry. When the life of the horse car
driver reached auoh low ebb the rock bot
tom it struck was humanity's help.
Tbe high-water mark of the driver's call
ing came withtho second period. Trades
unionism put its brotherly arm around the
oppressed teamster, nnd there was a per
emptory demand for shorter hours of duty
lor him. Publio opinion backed the cry
ym
111113
IftjjNiSllJg
for "Twelve hours!" and "Ten hours
only!';
A STRUGGLE FOB HUMANITX".
The struggle with the poorly-paying rail
way companies of that dav was stubborn.
It lasted for weeks. It had picturesque
features and exciting situations. In all
parts of the two cities secret meetings of
the driversand conductors were held nightly
at 1 o'clock A. M., because the poor slaves
could not get away lrom their cars until
after midnight. At length the strike came.
The pull ot the men was strong and com
pact, and with a single stroke, one day,
their shackles were broken. It brought
them such hours of duty that they could
have their natural sleep out in the morn
ings, and get home early enough inthe
evenings to sit around the family fire-sides
for an hour before retiring. The men got
to dating all the events of their lives either
"before the striket" or "since the strike."
Is it any wonder?
The third period began more recently, and
Is now well-nigh closing. It is a story of peril,
according, to the last of the drivers, who
says to me again: "I guess the world is too
fast for we careful drivers, anyhow. Why,
our faces got so red, and our noses so big
and fiery from standing out on these plat
forms in all sorts of weather that you mean
Cbmftttfte to Rip Tan WirikU Thought.
passengers in the warm car charged us with
having bloated faces from whisky. When
we got shorter hours after the strike, we
kept a smoother face, but now our hair is
getting white from a new cause.
TOO SWIFT FOK THEM NOW.
"What few of us are left along Fourth
avenue, or on the old Transverse line, or
West End either, for that matter, have our
hearts in our mouths a dozen timas a day.
On Fourth avenue our little car gets sand
wiched in between the Duquesne electric,
the Wylie avenue cable and the Hazelwood
traction cars. It gets a 1 ump nearly every
trip that sends a shiver through my frame.
A Transverse driver has grown prematurely
old on account of the crossing he has to
make at the corner of Wood street and
Sixth avenue. He can't count the electric
cars that whiz around him there cverv trip.
He says he kisses his wife goodby every
morning for the last time'.
"Now, I used to drive np the hill on
Fourth nvenne in winter when the horses
would slip and the brakes freeze, and I hava
not been afraid to stick to my car when she
flew back across Smithfield street. And
once, a good many years ago, when the pink
eye knocked all the horses out on the Citi
zens Company's lines, I drove a team of
new mules past a dummy engine that they
tried on the tracks in Lawrenceville about
1872, and they ran away with my car; but
I will be hanged if I ain't afraid of being
smashed to pieces someday with my car in
among these electric and cable cars. I guess
our time has come, anyway.
THEY AEE DTING GAME.
"Well, if we are out of date, we die game.
There were very few of we drivers wfco
would have anything to do with their new
fangled grips and electric magazines.
That's why they had to train up a new set
of fellows to the business. They couldn't
get many of us.
"There's lots of first-class drivers I could
name to you as A 1 in their business. We
had some famous drivers once on the
Lawrcnceville line, but thev are dead now
Sam Oiler, Jack Coolejr, Old Moore, Bill
Jackson every old resident out Butler
street will remember them as soon as they
see the names mentioned here. William
Fidell is now driving Ko. G on the little
Southside line. He Degan driving on the
Penn avenue line when a mere boy. Then
there is Joe Frine, who drives No. 9 on the
Southside line. He has ben at ever since
he was 12 years of age began then to drive
,meal-trips' from Twenty-second and
A. Rare Sight Nowadays.
Thirtieth streetB, and graduated into a full
fledged driver soon after. Mr. Bowles and
his sons wero once well-known drivers on
the Citizens line.
MEN THE PEOPLE KNOW.
"Another old-time conductor on that Una
was Mr. Fallbush. His son Will Is now as
sistant superintendent of tho Citizens.
"Wila" Connors, on the Sharpsburg divis
ion of that roadj was familiarly known all
over the city. Mr. Wernerberg" began driv
ing many years ago on the Citizens line,
spent a long time afterward on the West
End, and is now on the Manchester road.
There are no doubt lots of people in Law
renceville who yet remember jolly John
Langfitt, who was both driver and con
ductor. He went into business afterward.
Charles Gailey, now on the Sharpsburg
division, was an old-timer, if I remember
aright.
"My name," concluded the old man,
"you needn't print it, but you may just put
me down as the last of the boys, for when
the balance of we few who are left are
ordered to drive our cars into the scrap
pile, I will manage somehow to be the one
who holds onto the reins longest."
L. E. Stofiel.
CBAHE'S QUIET SPECULATION,
The Comedian Recently Won 8100,000 in
the lloston Stock Exchange.
Boston Herald.
Comedian William H. Crane, better
known to tne playgoing world as "The
Senator," awoke one morning recently to
the realization of t le fact that he had sud
denly acquired a fortune without exactly
knowing how he had done it He found
himself the possessor of nearly $100,000, for
which he hail toiled not, neither had ha
spun, and which was the result of s series
of lucky speculations, begun on the im
pulse of an idle moment, and continued
more for tbe sake of the excitement they
f urnishe i than with the expectation of
reaping nny great pecuniary benefit from
them. It all came about through a casual
visit to the Boston Stock Exchange.
BORING THE ROCKIES.
Brick Pomcroy's Great AmMtion Is
His Big Tunnel Scheme.
IT WILL BE A HOLE PULL OP GOLD.
Somo of His Quiet Observations on the
Promoters of London.
ENGLISH INVESTORS IN AMERICA
rcomtisroxDENCE or tot: dispatch. l
New York, Sept. 26. While wandering
around the Pulitzer building the other day
I stumbled upon that famous old newspaper
notability, Mark M. Pomeroy, otherwise
"Brick." Somebody had recently told me
he was dead, but they must be mistaken, for
here I found him at an immense desk piled
with papers, a stack of exchanges at his
feet, in one of the handsomest suites in the
new building. The open doors revealed
the near presence of the usual corps of ste
nographers, typewriters and clerks who
invariably form a part of his working
system.
"Brick" is apparently very mnch alive.
He has lost none of his old buoyancy of
spirit or bland suavity of speech or manner.
When I parted from him years ago in La
Crosse he had pawned his watch to take a
faithful employe to Denver. Out there he
made a third fortune, and spent it in push
ing a tremendous scheme to bore a bole
through the Kocky Mountains. There was
an effort made to squeeze him out, and the
whole scheme became involved in litigation,
out of which "Brick" emerged on top. But
ho was again penniless, and came to New
York once more and began patiently and in
dustriously at the bottom.
MASTER OF ANOTHER FORTUITB.
The recuperative powers of such a man
are wonderful. He is now again financially
well off, and has a lovely home in Brooklyn
and three beautiful children. As he has re
cently been abroad in the interests of his
tunnel enterprise, the conversation natural
ly drifted into the channel of American en
terprises and the London market. His
graphic pictures can only be reproduced in
his own rich coloring, but it is quite as in
structive as itis amusing.
"There is plentv of accumulated wealth
in England," said he, "although not so
many opportunities to Invest as In the
United States, and naturally a desire to
invest it to a reasonable certainty of
profit. Tho prudent English investor de
sires security rather than speculation. He
is a man who thinks much of and for his
family. He is not so quick to see a point
or strike into a value as is the American,
but he is loyal to whatever he embarks in,
aud it is a shame that such men should be
bled and swindled as they are by their own
people in London, and by untruthful men
on this side of the ocean, as this hurts
legitimate business here and wrongs well
intentioned men there. The too general
fashion in London, is for the investor to
lock himself up in his den and rely upon
his solicitor, or 1 .wyer.
HIS IDEA OF THE SOLICTTOIL
The 'solicitor' is a varied customer. He
advises his client to go very slow; to trust
everything to his solicitor who carries two
razors up his sleeve, one to shava the j
American who comes to him for money, tho
other to shave his client who invests.
"When a man with a propertv, good, bad
or different, reaches London and" registers at
a hotel or an exchange he is flooded with
cards from men who offer their services in
in any line, from 'doing the slums' to ex
amining the 'Mews' (stables) where the
Queen's horses are kept; from introducing
you to the most successful promoter to the
Archbishop of Canterbury, or the pudding
maker of Cranbery. The streets swarm with
promoters and other agents. If he runs yon
into a clothing store and you buy, he has
a rake-down. If he takes you to a hotel,
restaurant, coflee house, Bodega, lecture,
doctor, jeweler, banker, railway office,
lawyer, promoter or investor, and you deal
witn the one to whom you are thus intro
dnced; the solicitor drops in later pn for his
commission, and aside from this is continu
ally striking you for a small loan.
HOW THEY PRACTICE.
"English promoters come to this country
by scores, and they line the Atlantio coast
from Cape Cod to Florida. They lay in
wait in New York for whoever has property
to dispose of. They intercept every man
they can. They come over in the steerage,
borrow money in New York on account of
their (London connections), get options on
breweries, gin mills, ect, otc, tangle affairs
all up, then to get out of the way, demand a
bonus, and if you won't be blackmailed
they will turn against you.
"Yes, I had experiences in London, and
they were both funny and educational. I
was first called there by men who wrote me
they wished to invest in our Atlantic
Pacific tunnel, but wished to see me first.
They gave references in London, which I
afterward found to be rotten gimcracks, in
cahoots with the plucker. They talked big,
made offer and borrowed a shilling or a
sovereign or so, till they came in town,
'as they hung Danny Keever in the morn
ing.' To get at the real investor was, for a
time, impossible without greasing the
skids, and when I refused to do that, word
was passed along the line and the street
gang yelped their notes of warning.
PROMOTERS NEVER GET LEFT.
"The ordinary London promoter counts
on taking all the cream and half the skim
milk. He makes the British investor,
whom he can reach through the church,
club or family influence, pay from three or
four times the actual value of what he buys
or buys into, and the promoter thus makes
his fortune easily and quickly and retires
on consols. There are honorable excep
tions to the above, but this is the general
rule.
"There are in London, as here,jnen who
as attorneys are true to their clients and
who conscientiously advise them. Honest
promoters and honest advisers and they
are in the minority. Of late London capi
talists are sending honest, sober, reliaole
men to this country, and on to the West,
North and South to see for themselves, and
to recommend only what is good. There
are two distinct families or classes of in
vestors in England. Those who invest for
a permanency who demand interest based
on living wealth containing substantialities,
and American substantialities are coming
to the front ahead of all others. Men and
women who seek first mortgage bonds on
living property in which the music of actual
labor is heard and in which industry here,
as well as capital there, is alike invested.
These persons do hot care a fig for
PUNCH AND JUDY SHOWS
as offered iu 'Stock Exchanges,' for the
shearing of sheep and stripping of suckers.
They seek values,and give values for values.
The'other class are the speculators, gamb
lers, percenters, promoters and those who
ish to ride fast, be it uphill or down; who
arc crazy to gamble; to be in the swim; to
clip, cut and run; who would beat the angel
that wis carrying them to heaven if there
was a shilling in it for them.
"Yes, I visited London twice in eflorts to
interest capital in our tunnel enterprise,
merely to hasten the work on to completion.
The first time I fell in among those of the
Dunn-Brown order, whose references were
banks and bankers, of the class who plotted
only to skin Americans. The second time
I found men of reliability, but death stepped
iu and, by removal of Daniel Adnmson,
President of the Iron and Steel Makers'
Association of Great Britain and a great
man for work and integrity, lost me months
Of work. His death and the consequent in
ability of Mr. Vernon, the engineer ho had
agreed upon for the completion of the work,
to gather up his backing in time, was a
great disappointment, aud I then decided
to go ahead without English capital
ONE SIAK CONVINCED.
"One of the pleasing incident was this:
I gave a friend in London a square man
there in business three Atlaritic-Pacifio
Tunnel bonds of $100 each ns compensation
ior some work he did for the Tunnel com
pany. He introduced me to several very
fine men, but they decided to act only on
what was recommended by their solicitors;
or they thought the work was too faraway;
or did not have the paid-for indorsement of
a certain blackmailing financial paper in
London. Among the gentlemen he thus in
terested was one Henry F. Dale, whom I
remember as a clean, pleasant-spoken busi
ncssman, who had too much on his hands
to give time to me or to invest. Later on,
after I left London to return home
nearly broken-hearted, sore under my
failure to convince people f the
integrity of my intentions and
the desirability of the securities I was
offering, my friend was in need of a little
ready cash, and borrowed from Mr. Dale on
the three bonds as collateral a few dollars.
Mr. Dale was a pleasant, good-hearted,
careful man, and on loaning to my friend
did so only to help him, not to secure the
collaterals. My fnend was unable to pay
Mr. Dale, and quit-claimed the bonds to
him.
HE FOUND OUT THE FACTS.
"Later on he loaned another small sum to
my friend, taking a $200 Tunnel bond as
security, and at last he nuit-claimed this to
Mr. Dale, who considered the entire trans
saction as a loss. In August of this year
Mr. Dale, with other English gentlemen,
was in Denver, and to gratify curiosity,
called at the general office of the Atlantic
Pacific Tunnel Company, to ask if the bonds
he had held fast were of any value, and was
almost knocked out on learning that they
were good for all they called for, and that
all these five years that have elapsed since
he kindly made the loan he might have had
interest promptly, and that it was ready for
him. That man now believes in our tun
nel. "As years roll on there is a great change.
Foolish Americans go abroad to there spend
their time and money in benefiting railway
lines, etc, in the old countries. Secretary
Foster says thev have thus spent 550,000,000
this year. Had it been spent in this coun
try, how much better for this country and
all concerned. As foolish people go abroad
to spend their money, careful investors in
the old country are coming to this; going
into the South or West; going on beyond
and
AWAY TE03I WALL STREET SKINNERS
and investing in lands, mines and such
properties as have length, breadth, depth
and substantial values. Our people find
fault with wise Englishmen and others for
Investing in vthis conntry, yet they sav
nothing against those who invest f 50,000,000
in foreign travel and foreign nonsense and
furbelows, that they usually seek to smuggle
into this country on their return.
"Yes, I am getting on well with the Col
orado work and never was in better health.
We start in on the East side of the Con
tinental Divide, CO miles dae west from
Denver. The tunnel at this point will be
25,200 feet long, similar to the ML Cenis
and St. Gothard tunnels through the Alps,
will be 4,000 feet below the monntnin tops,
and will lessen the railway distance between
Denver and Salt Lake City 230 miles. It
will put us into more than 200 rich veins of
gold and silver ore. We expect inide of
three years to take out $5,000 a day. There
are more than 4,000 shareholders in the
scheme, and if I drop out of this thing men
call life before the tunnel is completed they
will carry on the great work and reap the
reward. It is progressing steadily every
day. Newspaper and political fame are
ephemeral. It is in this great American
enterprise I hope to be remembered when
all else is forgotten."
Charles Theodore Murray.
A SHAKE On THE TEADT.
One of the Dispatch's Friends Has a Start
ling Experience on the ItalL
A friend of The Dispatch sends the fol
lowing account of a very remarkable expe
rience she had a short time ago:
Last Saturday a friend and myself boarded
the Philadelphia express (bound East) lor"
Latrobe. There were but few vacant seats.
I found one woman inclined to be piggish,
with her satchel and wraps piled up beside
her. I asked if the seat was engaged, and.
she said it was. I took ono opposite, and
had just been fairly seated when there
crawled out frombeneath this woman's feeta
huge snake. I screamed "A snake!" and
jumped onto the scat just as we women do
when we see a mouse.
In an instant my neighbor picked np the
monster, very deliberately made it into a
coil and placed it in her satchel. She told
me not to be alarmed (the beastly creature),
that it was a pet. The pet was an African
species, so she told the gentleman behind
her, 5J4 feet long. She had opened the
satchel to give it air and it crawled out
without her knowledge. I did not get to
see the conductor, as be had lifted our tick
ets and passed on; but when told abont it
the next day he said there would have been
one snake less if he bad seen it. It was a
most dreadful experience, as others besides
myself can testify. E. S.
WOMAN GOOD ENOUGH.
A Newspaper Appeal Made to Stick to the
Old-Fashloned Word.
"Before they adjourn, the Board of Lady
Managers of the World's Fair, now in ses
sion in Chicago, should petition to have
their official designation changed," says the
Lafayette, Ind., Journal. " 'Lady' managers
sounds finicky and afiected, and does not
smack of business. It makes one think of
the average sewing society, where female
gossips meet to train their "needle guns on
the character of their neighbors. Let it be
plain board of woman managers. That old
fashioned word is good enough. Besides, it
means something, which is more than can
be said of the other term. The word 'lady,
is so overworked these days that it has gone
into disrepute. There is something sug
gestive of worth, of tenderness, of strength
combined with gentleness, of dignity and
motherliness in the name of woman. All
the tributes to the sex in the great masters
of literature are addressed to woman, not
'lady.'"
A FAIR SMUGGLES.
In
Her Belt Were Found a Lot of Hair
Switches Worth 820 .Each.
New York World.
When the Augusta Victoria came In on
her last August trip a very businesslike
young woman came over the gang-plank
with the pace of three score and ten. She
was assisted to the retiring room and re
lieved of a little silicia skirt with a well
stayed belt fringed with switches of the
most beautiful human hair imaginable.
There were tresses of gold, blonde.bronze,
brown, jet and cows'-tail-red that most
fashionable of all shades all clean and fine
as silk, without a trace of dye or bleach and
worth at least ?20 a switch. The skirt
weighed 40 pounds, which acconnted for the
deliberate pace of the unhappy adventuress.
A Mammoth Flag.
Friday, September 11, a wheel company
of Chicopee Falls, Mass., flung to the breeze
one of tlie largest United States flags ever
made, and possibly the largest, the dimen
sions being 41x71 feet. This monster flag
was stretched from the top of two five-story
factories, and gathered within the folds
were numerous flowers, which fell into the
crowd below when unfurled. The Mayor of
Chicopee and a large concourse of spectators
witnessed the event. The flag- is not disfig
ured by advertising.
fepoI of Bicycles.
A series of military tests has been made In
Germany to determine tho speed of bicycles
as compared with that of horses. Iu cover
ing a distance of 32 miles two cavalry officers
rode against two infantry officers mounted
on bicycles. The latter accomplished the
Journey in 215 minutes and 210 minntes re
spectively, while the two lieutenants on
horseback arrived at their destination seven
minutes beforo the first bicycle rider. Over
a conrse of 25 miles the samo result was ob
tained, the riders arriving n few minutes in
advance of the bioyclists. In both caces the
cavalry officers only rode at a gallop for the
first U minutes or the Journey, while the
bioyolists went at full speed all the way.
NOYEL MAIL SERVICE.
The Plan Adopted in St Louis in
Which Street Cars Are Used.
A LEAVENEHJ AGEXT POE BEEAD.
The Male Ostrich Has Been Known to Brain
ItselfBjaKick.
ALmmnjH' foe the flash-light
rWRITTUf TOR TOE DISPATCH.!
A scheme has been projected In St. Louis
for facilitating the transmission of malls be
tween tho various sections of that city and.
the main postofflce by using tho street rail
road lines. This is a departure of such im
portant that it3 Cevelopment will bo
watched with great interest. As operated
at present C2 square miles of the city is sup
plied with five snb-statioiis about ten
square mllos per station. Much valuable
time is lost by carriers in going to and from
stations, which could be utilized if they
could get their mail at point less remote
from their routes. It is therefore proposed
to establish sub-stations, with facilities for
stamp sales, registry, etc, to the number of
abont 60, mostly in drug stores and similar
places contiguous to stcet car lines, which
radiate north, northwest, west, southwest
and sonth; placing on the selected lines cara
quite similar to ordinary railroad post
offices. In these cars will be carried a messenger.
He will receive the mails as arranged at tha
central postofflces. At the first of his sta
tions he will pass off the sack for that sta
tion, receiving at the same time the mail
accumulated there. This will havo been
already partly arranged, eo that the package
for station 2 will como to him marked with a
red tag, and he can go on with his distribu
tion for stations beyond; and so at each suc
ceeding delivery and reception of mail over
his entire route. The main Idea 13 to do
away, ns far as possible, with carrying all
collections to the general office for assort
ment and distribution. It Is'Intended to
begin with two cars. The car next preceding
a mail train "will carry a signal to denota
such to be the case, so that the public will
he thus enabled to derive tbe .ullest benefit
from the service. .
Habits of the Ostrich.
Some Interesting notes on tho habits
of the ostrich, which is now being
bred not only in South Africa but also in
this country, have been put before the Itural
Society of Tasmania by Jame3 Andrew. Mr.
Andrew, who has devotod great attention to
the study of tho ostrich, says that daring
the nesting season tho male ostrich Is any
thing but an agreeable creature, and resents
the intrusion of any visitor on his domain
in a verv pugnacious way. His mods of at
tack is by a scries of kick". Instances ara
known of men being killed outright by a
single kick, and Mr. Andrew recites theeno
of a horse's back being broken by a blow
aimed nt its rider. If a. man is attacked is
is useless for him to seek safety in flight, ai
tho bird wonld easily overtake him. The
only plan is to lie flat on the ground and
submit as resignedly as poMble to the in
evitable and severe puiumcllng which it
may be expected will be repeated at inter
vals until a means of escape presents itelf,
or the bird affords an opportunity of beini
caught by the neck, which, if tightly held
and kept down, prevents much further mis
chief. Under such circumstances Mr. An
drew has known n bird, with a badly calcu
lated kick, strike the back of its own head,
scattering the brain?" a serious loss of
valuable property to the farmer."
Science In Bread Making. ,
At the recent annnal meeting of tho
American Chemical Society In Washington,
D. C, the question of the value of carbonate
of ammonia as a leavening agent in bread,
oral used in baking powders, camo up for
discussion. It was shown conclnsivoly that
bread made with a baking powder in which
1 per cent of carbonate of ammonia is used,
in connection with cream of tartar and
soda, it not only of nniformly better color
and texture, but a product more wholesome,
becanso tho ammonia Acrvcs to neutralize
any organic or lactic acids present in tha
flour. It was stated that ammonia rendered
tho gluten of the flour more sotublo than
tho oriirlnnl gluten, and that tho bread ia
which this action was produced hv carbon
ate of ammonia mnst bo more digestible,
nnd hence moro healthful, and because of
the extreme volatility of carbonate of am
monia, and its complete expulsion from tho
bread In the process of baking, it Is one of
the most nseml. most healthful, and most
valuable leavening agents known.
A Xew Faint Oil.
Anew paint oil has been introdnced.nndar
the name of llnsodine, in Scotland, which
bids fair to supersede linseed oil. It is equal
in body and consistency to linseed oil, and
cheaper than boiled oil, both in first and ulti
mate costs. Among theadvantnges possessed
by llnsodine over boiled oil are the follow
ing: It is paler In color, it has stronger and
more uniform drying power. It dries hard
and brizht, with a better surface. It can ba
used without fear in all classes of work. It
Is more durable, and does not blister.shrink,
or crack. Llnsodine is claimed to be a per
fect drver, and dries by oxidation. It mixes
with all kinds of paint, and not only can ba
used with the same thinnings as linseed oil,
but actually improves linseed oil by betas
added to it.
A Fraud in Fianos.
Attention has recently been drawn In
England to a species of fraud which is bo
coming somewhat common in this country.
It appears thnt hundreds of pianos are an
nually bronght over from Gennrnyfor tha
purpose only of being sold by auction. Oc
casionally they bear real names, and often
apocryphal ones. But many of them boast
name-labels which closely resembled thoso
of eminent manufacturers. Xotlong ago a
well-known Xew York firm had occasion to
take action in a case of this kind, and had
tho satisfaction of securing a verdict calcu
lated to effectually prevent a repetition of
the offense.
Removing Itnst From Knlvex.
Great trouble is sometimes caused In tha
household by knives and other steel cutlery
becoming rusty. This may easily be pre
vented by a little care. Steel cutlery should
be plunged in a pan of whiting after wash
ing and removed Just before it is nsed.
When it is wiped it will bo perfectly bright,
nnd if kept in this way it cannot get rusty.
In case the cutlerv should already be rusty
it should be rnbbed with a flannel dinpediti
sweet oil; then covered with slaked lime and
allowed to rest for 24 hours. It should then
be wiped clean and finished off with soma
powdered whiting, and a piece of chamois
leather, when it will become as bnght as
new.
Automatic Car Starter.
Some method of mitigating tho strain of
starting has long been needed In horse car
work, and at length an automatic device for
effecting this has been introduced by one of
the London, England, street car companies.
Two- spiral springs fastened to the front
axle, are woundup when the brake Is ap
plied to stop the car, and on their releasa
sufficient power is made available to start
the vehicle. This device is not only merci
ful to the horses but effects a great saving
in power.
j?ir Guards for Wheat.
A Kansas farmer describes how tho wheat
crops are protected from Are down In his
State. A large, broad-sheared gang-plow is
taken and two furrows run along outslda of
tho fenco. At a distance of about two
feet two additional furrows are run. This
line or about seven feet is a barrier which
no prairie Are on tho short grata plains can
nas, except in very high winds, and then
only at Isolated roints, where it can easily
be beaten out by blankets or wheat backs.
Cleaning Car Wheels by Blast.
Very efficient work is now being done la
various departments by the use of the sand
blast. One of its latest applications is to the
cleaning of car wheels. The time saved by
this method can he imagined when one man
can clean 20 wheels in three hours and a
hair, including tho time consumed In rolling
them to and from the machine.
New Use for Alnmtnnm.
One of tha Iat03t applications of alum
inum is In the making of photographlo
flash lights in the place of magnesium. X
mlxtnro of powdered aluminum sad
chlorate of potash gives a brilliant llaslt
without the smoke that Is produced by mas
nesium.