18
THE FnTSBTJKGP DISPATCH. SUNDAY, OCTOBER 11, '1891,
REVIEW OF SPORTS
Some Opinions About the Methods of
the Baseball Club Directors
of Pittsburg.
PLATERS AKD ADYA5CE HOKEY.
The Foolishness of Investigating the Charges
cf Fraud Relative to the Boston and
Kew York Games.
OUE LOCAL A5TATEUR ATHLETES.
John L, Sullivan Stranded in Australia, - and Cocsfp
iboct Fcjilism in General.
Ko matter what kind of baseball team
there may be in Pittsburg, -whether it be
good, bad or indifferent, or -whether it be
prominent or obscure, there will probably
be always one thing that will keep Pitts
burg before the world as a baseball city,
and that is the Board of Directors of the
local club. I am fully convinced that there
jiever was a more interesting body in exist
ence in the baseball world than the direct
ors of our ball club. Of course, I hare said
this belore, but every time they meet one is
10 forcibly reminded of the fact that one
cannot avoid speaking about it. The time
has come again when these interesting di
i rsctors have to map out their policy, at
leatt . they will call it policy, for next
seasou, but really judging from their past
, efforts of directing baseball policy they
, should meet every day in the year, because
plansand schemes dawn upon them so thickly
end fast that once a week is too seldom for
them to meet to make changes sufficient for
the-r numerous methods. 60 far these
cirectors have done tolerably fair in putting
1 up the cash 'or a ball team, but it has been,
and I dare say ever will be, unfortunate that
they do not stop at that. Ko body
of men on earth could make a greater failure
of anything than these directors have done
in trying to run the local club; indeed, they
hove made a burlesque of it, and when
everything is considered it is not unreason
able to say that the ill success or the team
' ha been the result of the uncertain and
ridiculous policv of these very directors
' themselves. Indeed, it might be well if the
1.0-callcd board was swept out of existence,
or almost an entirely new lot be elected.
It is my firm conviction that Pittsburg will
always be the failure and the laughing
Ftock it has been as long as this famous
, board have the destinies of the ball club in
their hands. There never will be a real
friendliness among these directors, because
they are unfaithful one to another, and un
iaithlulness is an important clement of im
competency, and there never will be peace
among them, because those of them
who know nothing at all about baseball
iiave mora to say and more "policy' to
adopt than those who do know something
about the business. These conclusions,
then, sujrsest a very discouraging outlook
ibr baseball in this city.
Tlie Directors Method-..
Ball plavers of the team know quite well
cf the condition of things I have just cited,
and so do the ball players throughout the
country, and it is no wonder that good
players hesitate to come to a city where
Ecveral men who have as much idea about
baseball as a cow has about its ancestors in
ust on almost daily interfering with the
affairs of the club. I defy contradiction
when I say that there is not a Board of
Directors of any baseball club in the coun
try who acts like the directors of the Pitts
burg club. Why, every time they meet aud
do anything thev rush out of their meeting
room and apologize to this man and that
man ior what they have done, and meet the
next dav and undo that which they have
done. They lack stability, besides " being
-untrue to each other, and that is caused by
lack of knowledge and experience of base
ball business They depend almost entire
ly on the opinion of outsiders, irresponsible
Deojile. lor anything they do, and I never
knew a successful business run on any such
method. It would be exceedingly strange
if tte directors of any of our big" business
concerns would have to run their business
according to the whims and caprices of out
eiders; but this might be done if these di
rectors had no opinions or notions of their
own. "Well, this seems to be the diffi
culty of the local club. Its directors are so
terrified by outsiders that some of them
are entirely in the hands of the latter. This
accounts, in a measure, for the very strange
mid uncertain action of the Board "of Direc
tors. AVc all know of the very discrcdit
r.blc way in which cx-JIanager Hanlon was
deposed. His scalp was sought for by all
the directors and -u call know of the farce
the directors played in putting Mr. 3IcGun
sigle in power. "Tue members of the board
didn't know what to do; they had no opin
ions of their own, and they burlesqued mat
teis until the entire baseball world made
thtm the target of ridicule. As a result
tuey jumped suddenly to a conc'usion. But
again we have some of these very directors
wanting to undo all that was done then and
li ve the old order of things established.
"Why? Simply because they know so little
about their business that they are influenced
by carpins and talk of every Tom, Dick and
Harry they meet. First thev want a man
lier to manage the team; in fact, nothing
else will do for them. They get that and
the next day they wantthe manager to be
daily under their orders. And so things go
on in just as certain a course as a ship at
eea without a helm. There is an old biblical
ndege that forcibly applies to this Board of
Directors: "Unstable as water thou shalt
not excel." If that had any force at all in
the Mosaic dispensation it surely has more
in this instance.
Firmness Is Needed.
What I have just said has not been said
In any unkindly spirit. It has been said
because, in my estimation, the entire source
of trouble in the local club lias been ainoug
the directors. If that cause is not removed,
then we never need hope for any baseball
rncccss in this city, because neither good
players nor good managers will be disposed
to stay with us. "What is most needed is
firmness. I cannot for the life of me see
vhy the directors of a ball club or any other
business should not try to mould opinions
of their own and stick to them legardleas of
the whimperings and threats of outsiders.
Had the directors of this club been firm in
their actions from first to last matters would
have been very much better to-day. De
pend upon it," the public will tolerate no
longer the farces aud burlesques we have
had here in the past as far as baseball is con
cerned. If we must love the national game
ve must have it in good style. If we can
net get it one way we may be able to get it
another. That baseball business in Pitts
burg is profitable is certain. The results of
this season prove it. Although we have
had a tail-end testn for the major part
of the season, more , than $2,000 have been
cleared, if the extra expenses ior the im
provement of stock is omitted. A showing
of that kind is to me somewhat remarkable,
and shows that there is money in baseball.
But the public will not continue to support
a tail-end team, and there is no reason why
they Ehould. It is true we had a winner,
and if we cannot get one I don't sea why we
should support a team at all.
Players and Advance Illoney.
Just as regularly as the season ends the
controversy of advance money appears, and
I dare say it appears more or less in every
city. It is to the front again in this town,
as several of the players are demanding ad
vance money, and some of the players want
a pretty good slice of it. I have always
been opposed to the principle-of advancing
' monev, as is the custom in the basebaU
business. It hai very many attendant evils;
that is, taking the system generally. More
than once the question has been fully dis
cussed in this paper, and I still hold the
same opinion regarding it But while I am
opposed to the principle the custom still
lives, and it lives apparently just as much
to-dav as it ever did. This being so it
would appear unjust to a player of merit to
deprive him of the benefit of a custom the
benefits of which are being shared by
others. It must not be fosotten that the
magnates have only themselves to blame for
the system, and as long as they foster it or
patronize it in any way they have
no reason to complain, and play
ers naturally will expect to get
the advance money. If magnates
would till the system entirely, then there
would be some "justification for arguing
against a plaver demanding it, but under
present conditions and customs I think a
player perfectly right ,in demanding ad
vance money. But there is another feature.
"We must not forget that the present is a
bad time to decline the giving of advanco
money. If a good player wants the money
and it is refused, there are other clubs in
the Association that will readily pay it.
The plavers know this, and as they are
mostly playing for money they are always
likely to co where thev can cat most of it.
But the local club is unfortunately peculiar
in this respect. Xot many players care
about playing in this city for reasons I have
mentioned above, and "it does not need
much extra inducement to attract them
elsewhere. This fao to some extent forces
the local club to fork out advance money
when it otherwise could have avoided it.
That New Xork Investigation.
"Well, we have had the baseball investiga
tion, or rather the New York end of it.
One of the foolish things of the season has
been that investigation, because everything
that could be known about the matter that
was investigated was fully known before
the investigation commenced. But as a few
interested people, whom defeat had made
sore, continued to make the most ungenerous
charges, the New York Club Directors
were compelled to do something. They did
all they could do; that was to go through
the formality of an investigation. As a
result of the latter everybody has been pro
nounced honest, and all the New York play
ers tried their best to defeat the Boston
team. President Hart, of Chicago, has not
by any means acted a wise part in talking so
loosely about fraud and dishonesty. Even
if he conscientiously thought that there
had been a collusion between tho New York
and Bostoa teams, he certainly should have
refrained from expressing an opinion
until he met his fellow magnates
in a proper meeting place. Most
assuredly his wild talk has not
added to the glory and luster of the League
and his unfounded suspicions must certainly
have soma effect on his standing anions
Leagui magnates. The fact that Mr. Hart
really believed that the New York team and
its management rould conspire with the
Boston Baseball authorities to work dis
honestly against the Chicago team does not
say much for Mr. Hart's estimation of the
morality of his colleagues. If President
Hart shouted "fraud, fraud," 60 as to lead
the admirers of his team to think that his
team had been defeated unfairlv and not on
their merits, he must have failed because
the finish made by the Chicago team was
one of the mojt miserable that could nave
taken place and in view of that fact Mr.
Hart should certainly have kept himself
quiet as far as charges of fraud were con
cerned. Certainly there was no fraudulent
playing and I believe that the honesty of
the players in the National League is just
as pure'to-day as it everwas. It might now
be in order to have another investigation.
An inquiry might be commenced to find out
what should be done with a man who falsely
charges his colleagues with fraud and dis
honesty. About Amateur Athletes.
During the week we have had tho fall
sports of tile local amateur athletic associa
tion. "While there wero some good con
tests, it cannot be said that the proceedings
were very successful. The weather was bad,
and the attendance, therefore, only moder
ate. The programme dragged considerably,
and altogether the proceedings were much
too dull and cheerless to sustain an affection
ior out-door sports. The truth is the mov
ing or leading spirits of the A. A. A. must
become considerably more active if they
want to exist at all as a club. They must
make themselves known by deeds, and that
cannot be done without a spirit of activity,
and a strong one. But I was talking about
sports. During the contests I noticed one
or two features that may be worthy of note.
One was the evident lack of instruction
some of the amateurs displayed. This was
verv prominent in the foot racing, as sev
eral speedy runners were the worst starters
I h ' e seen for a long time. Now, amateur
sprinters must know that starting is a very
important essential in the sprinting business
and a man who does not know how to stand
and act at the mark is not likely to be a
success. In some places it has become
the fashion for a sprinter to spring
from tiie mark as soon as
The starter tells the contestants to get set.
This was observable Tuesday and as a result
one very good runner was disqualified, hav
ing "got over" three times. And invariably
when cases like this occur there is much
howling against the started. To be sure
the starter is sometimes to blame, but I
have found that in the vast majority of
cases the runners themselves are only to
blame. I have always held that a starter
who does not give competitors a reasonable
time to get set is as unfair as one who fires
the pistol after a man has starte. "What is
needed most among our local amateur
sprinters is a thorough teaching in starting.
There are several good men in the city who
could soon make them reliable and quick at
the mark. But the clubs should see to this,
because if an athletic club wants to estab
lish a name at all, it must put up the cash
in the first place. There is no getting over
this fact and as far as I can understand the
matter it would pay our local club to pay a
good professional man to teach the sprinters
of these clubs how to get away from the
"mark."
Remarkable Trotting Season.
The trotting and pacing season is almost
over for this year and undoubtedly the lat.
ter part of it has been the most remarkable.
Since last summer made its appearance
there has been almost every week something
of au important or sensatioual kind on the
trotting track, but the two events of this
week have probably been the most promi
nent. The two events I refer to have been
the pacing confpst between Hal Pointerand
Direct and the trotting contest between
Aileron and Nelson. There is every
reason to believe that each was on the
"square" and that in both instances the
best horse won. Certainly I am convinced
that in the pacing race the better horse
w on, for there is every reason to think that
a comparatively young horse like Direct
cannot down an extraordinary campaigner
like Hal Pointer. The latter is certainly
the best pacing horse in the world to-day
and has fully earned the title of champion.
True, Direct has time on his side and may
develop even into a greater -wonder than
Hal Pointer. Whether or not Allcrton is
tho best trotting stallion in the world I
don't eay, but he defeated Nelson so handily
at Grand Rapids that he has been styled the
"King." That he is a great tTottcr there is
no doubt, but I won't be surprised if he
should take part in more match races this
year.
The Football Season.
The local football season has opened. I
anticipate that we'll have a very busy time
of it from now till Christmas if the weather
is favorable. Football is a game that ought
to be patronized, but the weather is gener
ally against it I care not whether we have
a Bugby game or an Association contest,
there is always something in the game to
enthuse one. Either game does for me as
far as fun and sport are concerned. But
the Association followers are first in he
field this year, and I trust they will hare a
good season of it. To all appearances the
Association League is made up of some good
teams this year, and as a result there may
be some very lively and bitter contests.
But there is one thing that every player of
every team must not forget, that is to pre
vent quarreling. At every game there will
be an umpire or referee to decide dis
putes, and if his ruling is wrong a
higher power will put it right. Players
must not quarrel before the public because
by so doing they will do the game more
harm than many seasons will redeem. It is
true that when things don't come our way
we are inclined to fuss with everybody near
us, but the League football players must
take defeat like men and bridle their
tempers. If thev do they will be all the
better for it. The Kugby players will
probably get down to work this week.
Judging from reports the Allegheny Ath
letic Association team mean to have a very
busy season, and expect to have a very
strong team. If they want to do good work
the sooner they get at it the better, because
they will meet some very strong aggrega
tions before the season is over. It might
not be out of place to suggest that one or
two games be played at once between tha
Allegheny Athletic Association and the
East End Gyms. They would help the play
ers to get into condition.
ADout Pugilistic Affairs.
I am afraid that my readers who look for
something every week abont pugilists and
pugilism will fare badly this week again, as
there has nothing of importance taken place
during the week. Probably the most im
portant thing that has been brought before
our notice has been the reported stranding
of John L. Sullivan in Australia, If he
has gone "dead broke," I'm sura I will not
be surprised; indeed, I will be surprised if
he makes or has made any money at all as
an actor in Australia. John L. Sullivan in
Australia as an actor is quite different from
John L. Sullivan in Australia as a pugilist.
There are two very important facts that
Sullivan and his friends Bhould have con
sidered before they set sail for the
Antipodes. One is that Australia is not the
United S.tntes, and the other is that Sulli
van is not an actor. Sentiment won't carry
a theatrical fraud to success in a
foreign land when the principals are
foreigners. It may do at home because of
antecedents, etc, but abroad it is another
matter. And, in my humble judgment, it
might have been a misfortune for the theat
rical world generally if a man like John 1m
Sullivan could go round the world success
fully as the star of a dramatic company; I
mean it wonld not say much for the status
of the intelligence of the patrons of the
drama. But if John L. Sullivan and his
friends had gone to Australia in a legiti
mate way they would have made money,
and lots of it If John L. had gone to that
country as the "greatest pugilist on earth"
he would have been a winner. All that ha
would have had to do would have been to
say that he wanted to meet all comers, and
he soon would have had plenty of money
and so would his friends. But ha forsook:
his legitimate calling andhasbeen a failure,
just as would a blacksmith who would go to
Australia to make first-class pianos.
The Irish Champion.
There has been another event during tha
week about which a word or two may be
said. Maher, the Irish champion pugilist,
has arrived in the country, and, according
to programme, a challenge will be issued
for him to fight "any man in the world."
He is under the guidance of Billy Madden,
and already that worthy has stated that
Maher will figh Jackson, Corbett or any
body else in America. But the regulation
forfeit has not been put up yet, but it
probably will ba accompanied by a chal
lenge a yard long. Of course we probably
all know how Maher rose to fame. He
knocked Gus Lambert out in "one knock."
I always smile when I think of Lambert
I happened to be in England last
vcar wherf Jem Mace imported Lam.
bert 'to that country. As soon as
Lambert landed Mace had him announced
in. the newspapers as the "greatest pugilist
America ever produced, and the only man
who ever defeated Peter Jackson." Then
the sweeping challenge for Lambert to fight
anybody in the world was issued, and then
he was qualified to co into the show busi
ness. Well, we all know of Lambert's
abilities as a pugilist, and he is the man
whom Maher downed in London. Now,
Maher may be a good pugilist; I don't say
he is not I don't know what he is yet, but
I feel just as confident as I am that I am
writing these words, that he is not good
enough to fight any man in America. But
we will probably see what he can do before
long.
The lightweights.
Since the contest between Austin Gibbons
and Jack McAuliffe we have not heard a
word about the former, except that he is go
ing to England to fight Overton. I don't
know definitely whether or not Gibbons has
gone or will go to taokle Overton, but I ex
pect the two will meet if a suitable purse is
put up for them. Gibbons will find Over
ton a much easier mart to face than McAu
liffe, and, therefore, will make a much better
showing, because Gibbons will no doubt ba
a tolerably good man where he can have a
little bit of his own way.
The proposed contest between Jimmy Car
roll and Billy Meyer has been declared off
owing to the interference 01 tne law omcers
at New Orleans. It is. therefore, not likely
that we'll have any lightweight contest of
prominence this year in this country. But I
still have an idea that we'll have another
contest between Carroll and McAuliffe 'be
fore next spring comes and goes.
Peinqlb.
A CLASSICAL EDUCATION.
Bow
the Study of th Dead Languages
" Froflted a Hoipital Patient
Philadelphia Record.
The medical staffattached to a well known
hospital encountered an amusing incident
recently. A certain patient, who was the
victim of paralysis, came to the hospital for
treatment He was a fine Latin scholar,
and with it all loved a good glass of liquor.
He could not move his legs, but his stomach
was in excellent condition, and every morn
ing the sick man asked for just one cock
tail. He was just as regularly refused by
the physician, and finally the cocktail re
quest got to be a standing joke. Ono morn
ing the patient got a piece of paper and
pencil, and wrote the following prescription
and sent it to the physicians:
;R
So. Frumentl... ..... o.
: Tr. Angostura......... . l draohm. ;
: Sacch. ;
ZCitrl a a ..-.q. s. ;
Misc. :
: Flat Galllcauda. ;
: Jomr SHrra, at, D. :
To those who are not well versed in Latin
ft might be well to state that the prescrip
tion called for a first-class cocktail. Hie
directions "Gallicauda" mean the "tail of
the cock," and "Fiat" is imperative for
make. "When the physician read the pre
scription he consulted the rest of the staff,
and as a result a thumping big cocktail was
sent up to the sick man.
Right of One American Citizen.
New York Advertiser.
Only one American citizen possesses lha
right to British armorial bearings, and
that is John Contee Fairfax, M. D.,
eleventh Lord Fairfax of Cameron, a Scotch
peer without a seat in Parliament This
gentleman, now resident at Northampton,
Bladensburg, Prince George county, Md.,
was born at Vancluse, Fairfax county, Va.,
September 13, 1830, succeeded his brother,
the tenth Baron, April 4, 18G9; married
October 8, 1857, Mary, daughter of Colonel
Edmund Kirby, TJ. S. A., and has two sons
and five daughters, all unmarried.
The Dnchess or Fife Isn't Frond.
Here is a pointer for the Anglomaniacs.
The Duchess of Fife is frequently seen in
tha streets of Brighton with her baby, Lady
Victoria Duff, actually in her arms.
BATHS OF THE SEINE.
Cool Tanks of Water In Which AU
Paris Befreshes Itself.
PBOVTSIONS FOE BOTH SEXES.
"Hot, Cold, Sulphur and Every Other Style
I Furnished Cheaply.
WASHING THE DOQS AND THE HORSES
lUOsxzsroH unjtcz or Tire dishtch.1
Paris, Oot 3.
HE bath needs no
advocate. It has a
pedestal in the Hall
J of Hygiene as high
1 as those of Fresh
I Air and Daily Ex
ercise. The righteous
man "tubs" him
self daily. A house
without a bath
room Ib an ana
chronism. The par
lor may be wanting.
There may be no
closets. The kitch
en may serve also
as a dining room.
But a bath room
there must be.
Likewise a city
which does not provide bathing places for
its people is worse than an infidel. It can
not expect to be "healthy, wealthy, or
wise" "When a city is blessed with a river,
its duty is even more imperative, since tha
bath can be maintained with so much great
er ease. The gospel of the publio bath is
well understood in Paris. American river
towns could afford to send their councils
here to take a lesson in how to use a river
for the benefit of the people.
EVOLUTION OF THE PABIS BATHS.
Paris has learned its lessons by experi
ence not by intuition. There was a day not
200 years ago when the Seine was used as a
publio bathroom au natureL Men bathed
boldly along tha levees. Naturally such
freedom resulted in srandaL In 1716 bath
ing suits were required by law. Soon after,
OJTB OT THE -WARM
bath houses were erected. These were
simple enough in construction. A boat
covered by an awning served as a center.
Around this stakes were driven into the
river bed forming an immense parallelo
gram. This was boarded up on the sides and
covered by an awning. A ladder led down
the bank. Simpler and smaller baths were
made by driving in four stakes for corners
and one for a central support, and covering
all with canvas or linen. Here for 3 cents
one could have a bath, for 1 cent extra a
towel. ,
Such a primitive beginning had the pres
ent cold baths of the Seine. To-day they
are more convenient and attractive. As
oni rides alone the river or walks on the
embankments he sees anchored to the quavs
numerous long, low structures, pe haps 250
feet in length by 70 in width, mounted on
barges or piles. They are rich in shuttered
windows and eav in paint The French
tri-color floats over them. At the windows, I
THE HORSES AT
the entrance, the ends are masses of flowers,
vines, plants. Huge letters tell that one is
a cold bath, pour hommes (for men); an
other a cold bath, pour dames (for women).
Some advertise Bains de Fleurs as an ad
ditional attraction; some warm baths. On
many the price is printed.
INSIDE A BATH HOUSE.
Ton need not hesitate to investigate. A
stone staircase leads down the embankment
to the river. A light bridge, its balustrade
usually wreathed with vines, takes you into
the boat There before the office window
sits tho concierge who, whether you come
for baths or information greets you kindly.
Opposite the office is a linen room with
m
UUHLTE
u 1 1 1.1 1 iui 1 j ilf WJJI
Diagram of Cold Bath Hmae.
J. Entrance bridso. 2. Offloe. 3. Buffot.
i. Linen room. 5. Dressing room. G. Walks
around pool. 7. B 1 idee over pool. 8. Bath
ing pool. 9. Swimrains pool.
stacks of towels and bathing suits. On the
other side is a buffet, where you see by a
card that after your bath you may have, at
a moderate price, a cup of chocolate or
coffee, a glass of wine, or beer, or cognac,
an egg or a roll.
Passing through a littlo hall you will
enter the oblong bathing room. It is
lighted frpmabove. Small dressing .rooms
surround it on all sides. In front of these
run the walk. The center of the place is
devoted to the pool, which is usually about
170 feet long and 40 feet wide. The dress
ing room into which you are shown is quite
large enough for the purpose, is provided
with a small window, and is furnished with
chair, hooks, mirror and shelf. It can be
locked, a precaution which the rules insist
upon. One half of the pool-is devoted to
the ordinary bath. The water is about 2U
feet in depth, The other half is for swab
ming and is quite deep enough for a good
plunge. This part is provided with a spring
board, trapeze rings, etc Everything about
the place is sure to be scrupulously neat
tiisy !
It
-w-, Fgipf! '
There is a carpet on the walk. Flowers are
everywhere. The paint is fresh.
THE COST OF A SWIM.
Theprice of a bath in the best of these
establishments is usually 12 cents, or when
ten tickets are taken at once, 10 cents, but
there are baths for men as cheap as 4 cents,
and for women 6 cents. This is without
suit, cap or towels, for which you pay
ordinarily 10, 6 and 3 cents rent respect
ively, fiy furnishing these yourself the
expense is materially reduced. At nearly
. 4 J
:rrr gi?i'"g3Tft-xjii:iil.T'M-ff-
A. Cold Bath Haute.
all these places swimming masters are in
attendance, who charge for a single lesson
35 to 80 cents, according to the fame of the
master. If ten lessons are taken there is a
large reduction. The inevitable pourboire
is expected for the swimming master and
the attendant, but it need not be large, and
the poor do not give it
There are warm baths as well as cold in
the river. The " most interesting is tho
Vigier. It was the first warm bath opened
on the Seine. One, Poitevin, established it
more than 100 years ago, and run it with his
wife's help. Monsieur died finally, and the
widow married the assistant garcon, Vigier.
Between them they made a una success of
their bathhouse. Thereare now twoVigiers,
quaint old places, two-storied, with low
ceilings, the walls adorned with ancient
pilasters with queer capitals, tho walls
pointed and varnished, the little salons
which accompanv the bathrooms on ihe
upper floor furnished with ancient looking
tables and mirrors. Before one of them the
wall of the embankment is a solid mass of
English ivy.
The bathrooms are airyand convenient,
and the price is low; a plain bath, 10 cents;
sitz, 10; foot, 8; soda bath, 16; bath with
towels and other extras, 26.
UNDER GOVERNMENT SUPERVISION,
All of these establishments are conducted
by private parties, but the Government,
BATH HOUSES.
since It made Its beginning in 1716 by order
ing bathing suits for swimmers, has con
tinued to guard the river baths. The Pre
feet of the Police is responsible for their
safety aud salubrity. Neither warm nor
cold baths can be established without a per
mit from him. The time for cold baths is
limited from May 1 to September 15. No
bath can be opened in the spring without
first being examined by a commission for
the purpose. Its position in the river is
dictated, care being taken that it is placed
where the water is neither too deep nor too
swift, where there is not too touch traffic,
and as far as possiblo from a sewer opening.
In the cold baths the houses for men and
women are required to be separate, and the
latter are compelled to wear a suit of colored
flannel (I wish our Atlantic sea bathers
would make a note of this: Decollete bath
ing suits in white cotton are not Parisian
style.) In the warm baths the building is
divided into two distinct parts, one for men
Rnd one for women. Formerly the doors
THEIR BATH.
were locked on the outsida by the attendant
but now the law requires 'that the lock bo
within, so that tha bather can let Himself
out, and that each room ba furnished with a
bell by which to call help in caso of sickness
or accident. Tho sulphur baths must bo
given so that no odor will annoy tmtuers in
other part of the establishment. This
careful supervision gives the publio confi
dence in the baths. The low rate which tho
proprietor pays for hi9 privilege in the
river, 5 cents a meter, makes It a satisfac
tory business even at the lo wbatliing prices.
Thus, while not snppoiting the bathing
houses, the city so encoumees tbem that it
is to the advantage of private parties to
keep them open. Tho proprietors have a
syndicate for self protection.
But tho Seine is not for man alone. The
Faiisiiindoss and horses learned that long
neo, mAny of them with shivering disgust.
At several points along the embankments
drives or walks lead down from tha street
to the river, to drinking places for animals.
Here are biought horses ana dogs to be
Bcrubbedand washed. Especially on Sun
day are these crowded. Tho horses are
driven or coaxed in, the 0:03s usually tum
bled in, nnd after they lire pulled out they
aro lathered and scrubbed, unscdiind dried,
probably moro thoroughly than ever their
owners cleansed themselves. Boys frequent
ly go into the dog washing business and the
owneis, ladies and gentleman, stand by to
seethe operation. At least one legularly
permitted dog bathing establishment exists,
and to my mind it is the most interesting
balgnolro on the Seine.
Leaning over tho side of tho Pont de la
Concorde one day, I was attracted by the
oxtraordtnarv maneuvers 01 two dogs, a big
Newfoundland nnd a small nondescript.
They wet 0 swimming for pure plonsure. No
aogevui-cimscu ins tan witn moro persist
ency on terra flrnia than these dogs chased
theirs in thu water. Looking about for tho
owners, 1-s.iw at a little dlsranco. drawn up
nn the shore. 11 bout ucihans 15 leet long.
On it was a little house, gav in red and green
paint, nnd from its stern floated a red aud
white flag.
Jut then a boy emerged from the house
carrying a big dog which ho proceeded to
thrust iuto a tub of what I found aftcrwaid
was sulphur water. From this tub tho dog
was transferred to another of clear water,
and was finally ciiriied back into the little
house. I -went down to investigate, and
what did I And but the regulaily licensed
establishment of Monsieur 1. Marie, "barber
and bathor of dogs." Tho JIadamo at the
door inlormed me that ho carries on his
traffic winter and summer, fui nishing warm
water for the baths wlion tho weather is
cold. Hero for 3J cents you may have vour
pet washed and scrubbed and rid of his
fleas. For 6 francs ($1 20) you mav In addi
tion have him cut and trimmed in the latest
Parisian dog style: a rufflo of hair around
each leg, ono aiound tho tail aud a mano on
bead and neck. Cheap enough for to much
furbelow!
And the dogs that had attracted me? They
are the ingenious advertising cards of the
establishment Ida M. Tarbill.
Sj'R'-frnrljJllJIJjIj-'- -J' "
FALL OF- BALMACEDA.
Fannie B. Ward Still Holds That He
Was a Patriot, but Misguided.
ENGLAND'S PART IN THE TE0UBLE.
The Three Days' Celebration "Which Is Re
quired of All by Lav.
CHANGES A SINGLE YEAR HAS MADE
rCORKESPOSDISCE OF THE DISFATCB.
Concepcion de Chile, Sept 6. Re
turned to the haunts of man, we learn that
during those weeks of journeying in tha
wilderness, surrounded by unconquerable
Indians, our lives have been more secure
than if we had remained in any city ot
Chile, where war has been rampant in its
worst form that of brother against brother
attended by mob rule, incendiary confla
grations, rapine and murders innumerable.
The telegrams, which brought you the main
facts of rebel victories, have told you none
of the grim particulars. I want to impress
upon my friends in the distant itonh
that in forming their judgment of this
Chilean controversy a few things should be
left out of account
In the first place, remember that the fac
tion now dominating Chile controls all tele
graphic and cable communication with the
outer world, and therefore no accounts un
favorable to themselves aro being sent
abroad. On the contrary, their paid dis
seminators ot alleged "news have scrupu
lously omitted any allusion to the court
martials that invariably end in mnrder.con
fiscations of the property ot many private
individuals whose only crime was that of
having remained loyal "to the government,
countless assassinations, and carte blanche
to pillage and destroy.
CELEBRATION OP BALMACEDA'3 DEATH.
A mark of the civilization of any land is
the treatment of a conquored foe. A fair
sample of the "mercy" that prevailed in
Chile was shown in the illumination of
their homes and other demonstrations of
joy by the powers that now be, when tho
deposed and conquored ex-President, who
certainly could do no more harm, lay dead
in the capital city, having taken his own
life in the main hope of saving from further
persecution his few faithful friends, and in
the wholesale dispensing of free whisky for
the purpose of inciting the irresponsible
riff-raff to a ghoulish celebration of that sad
occasion.
Remember, the end is not yet Impartial
history will by and by render a different ac
count of these stirring events; and then
poor Balmaceda, now suffering the world's
contumely, will be written down as one who,
though perhaps misguided, held the inter
ests of his country nearer at heart than does
the priest-controlled faction that defeated
him, assisted by English brains and capital
of mercenary purposes. The hostile feel
ing toward 'Americans, industriously
fostered by interested Britons, grows more
and more bitter in Chile, with the Itata
farce and the action of the United States
Government in not sooner recognizing the
rebels. If it were not for those alleged
causes, others would be trumped up to suit
the occasion equally well
THE GREED OF THE BBITON.
The fact is, as one with half an eye
.should see, that our English cousins are
making too much money out of this far
away corner of the globe to willingly share
any "port ion of it with Americans. In tha
line of monopolizing all there is of value in
a country on which he can lay hands or
gain a foothold by "hook or by crook," tha
thrifty Briton stands without an equal as
witness in Baja California, Belize, the
Mosquito Coast and other sections of the
"Western hemisphere.
To an "inside observer" it seems strange
that the world is slow to understand the
secret animus of the present conflict the
last struggle of the Church of Kome to re
gain its Tost power, allied in its desperation
with a few English capitalists, whose in
terest is not in Chilean patriotism or re
ligion, but in Chilean nitrate or other ar
ticles of commerce. Audit is amusing to
note how some excited journals call upon
the President of the United States and his
Cabinet to tremble in their shoes because of
the hostile attitude assumed toward them
by this puny and unstable Republic. Uncle
Samuel is still abundantly able to take care
of his own in any part ot the world, and in
time even this arrogant "Junta" may come
to undersiand that its favor of disfavor is a
matter of profound indifference to the citi
zens of "God's country."
THEY CELEBRATE BT LAW.
In spite of his conceit, there is something
refreshing in the patriotism of the typical
Chilean though it consists in killing every
body who disagrees with him, if he can.
While we, as a nation, have grown some
what ashamed of our old-fashioned Fourth
of July, and the Declaration of Independ
ence to which we are indebted for existence
is remembered for little more than the butt
of professional jokers, the true Chilean will
cut the throat of any man who refuses to
celebrate with him the 18th of September.
There is a law in the land requiring every
house to have a flag-staff, aud every flag
staff to hang out the national banner by day
and a lantern by night on all anniversaries
of the Republic. Chilean vanity goes still
further, and insists that all the schools
must use text books by native authors; all
the bands must play the music of native
composers; and visiting opera and concert
gingers must introduce the songs of the
country into all their performances. Al
though there is nowhere a more discordant
and unruly people nowhere so much mur
der and other serious crimes yet the cruel
soldier and the hunted bandit, the haughtv
don and the patient peon are one in their
love of couutry, and their firm conviction
that it is the mightiest on the face of the
earth.
CHILE'S THREE EIGHTEENS.
In the Spanish language Diez y ocho (ten
and eight) means 18, and among Chllenos
the words have special reference to their
national independence, which was declared
September 18, in the year 1818. The finest
residence street in proud old Santiago, the
citvof palaces, is named the calle (street)
of Diez y ocho. All over the land there are
Diez y ocho plazas, Diez y ocho saloons,
manufactories and estates, and many chil
dren, male and female, who were so un
fortunate as to be born near that patriotic
date, are burdened with the three cabalistic
words for a front name. At this festive
time of year the law compelspeople to paint
their houses, to clean the streets and to
furbish up things generally, both inside and
out. Every woman in Chile must have a
new gown lor the Diez y ocho, and in the
matter of bonnets, it is to the creme de la
creme of Santiago what Easter Sunday is to
society belles of the Xorth. Flags stream
ing over every doorway transform the
streets into long vistas of bunting the
beautiful Chilean banner, with its single
white star on a blue ground, and twostnpes,
one white, one red, interspersed by the
colors of foreign officials. Even the cook in
our house has felt the contagion of reform,
and this morning I found her industriously
pushing the dirt lrom tne miauie oi tha
kitchen floor into the corners.
THE RICH AND POOR AKIKE.
. Though the people are poorer than ever
this year, it will, be a great day or rather a
great week. The lower classes are always
ready for frolieing, whether the occasion be
a wedding or a funeral; and for a wealthy
famiry to refrain from celebrating, whether
tneir hearts are in it or not, would be
dangerous at this juncture, for the "Junta"
might "construe it into an evidence of sym
pathy for the "lost cause" of Balmaceda.
The municipalities usually recognize
three days as the legal time for feasting and
rejoicing, during which no one can be com
pelled to labor the 17th instant for the as
kembling of the people from the country;
the 18th for horseback riding and general
jollification; the 19th for tha sham battles
between chosen divisions of soldiers, the
tournament, racing, etc.
Many of the poor sell everything they
possess in order to secure pocket money for
the occasion. In most foreign countries,
and especially in Spanish America, it is
quite the correct thing to visit pawnshops,
wherein may be picked up many choice and
curious souvenirs, such, for 'example, as
diamonds in antique settings, golden spoons,
silver candle sticks, splendidly embroidered
shawls, silver-plated spurs, prayer-books
bound in mother of pearl, etc. A few weeks
after Diez y ocho, when the short time has
elapsed during which these may be re
deemed by their owners (and they seldom
are redeemed), is the best time for pawn
shop purchasing.
BALMACEDA ONE TEAR AGO.
The funniest part of this patriotic season
is the preliminary spree which always pre
ceeds the regular celebration by just two
weeks, and is supposed to appropriately
lead up to it This extra jollification is
known as Diez y ocho chico "Little Eight
een" and is continued from one to three
days. Though participated in bv all classes,
from the President down to the humblest
peon, it is not considered quite as swell as
the later celebratiqn.
I spent last Diez y ocho chico in Santiago
only one little year agol Then the hero
of the hour, surrounded by his happy fam
ily, was the now despised Balmaceda. The
troubles that culminated in his melancholy
suicide were already begun, but nobody
dreamed that they would end in war. At
the races last year, and the subsequent dress
parade on the fashionable drive, the Balma
ceda coach, coutaining the President, his
handsome wife and two young daughters,
were the observed of all observers; and the
rabble who lately shouted with joy at his
death were as ready then to rend the air
with vivas in his honor. "With that irre
sponsible element it is "Le roi est mort;
Vive le roi."
THE DICTATOR'S FORTUNE GONE.
One year ago the late President was not
oply a popular and happy man, but a verv
rich one. and that povenr could ever over.
take him or his seemed entirely out of the
question; yet he died so poor that all the
money he possessed had been given him bv
his wife from herjrivate fortune to assist
his flight The widow and her children are
left not only penniless, but -homeless, for
the victors wantonly burned and sacred their
house, as well as' tlut of Balma'ceda's
aged mother.
In this third city of the Republic, the
patriotism of Diez y ocho chico has been
rampart for four and twenty hours, and still
cannons are booming anl bands are plaving
"Viva Chile," and carriages dashing to" and
fro carrying gaily dressed people with glad
faces. The fashionable resort of Concepcion
is the Alameda. Lombardy poplars grow
thickly, in long rows from end to end of the
Alame'da. On either side of the first line of
noble trees, rows of tents have been set
some made of boards covered with cloth,
some of old carpets, and others of canvass.
These motly houses are occupied during
Diez y ocho by thousands of country peo
ple, all dressed in their best whole neigh
borhoods together, bent on having a week of
thorough enjoyment
THE HOLIDAY MENU OE CHILE.
Sbonld you call for a meal at one of these
hostelries you would find the menu about as
follows: Soup made of chopped clams,
beef kidneys, cabbage and onions; the lungs
of fat pigs, broiled; boiled sea crabs, gar
nisnea witn ine grilled entrails of pigs;
roasted "sea urchins," served in their pur
ple shells; fried fish, with sauce prepared
from oxfeet; roast turkey stuffed with
onions, spices, red peppers and coryanders;
fried peas, pepper salad, bread, cheese and
verba mate the tea of Paraguay, sipped,
boiling hot, through a silver tube the size
of a straw. You can take the whole course,
standing, for the modest sum of
about $3; or, if mora economically in
clined, you may find a cheaper al
ternative on the back side of the same tent,
where, for 25 cents, you can join the family
dinner of boiled meat and vegetables, all
eating from the same wooden bowl; and an
extra medio (O cents; win secure you two
or three glasses of wine with which to wash
it down. Ever v tent is a ball-room and a
raloon, as well as a hotel, where two or
three young women sing the plaintive airs
of the cuac3, accompanying their voices with
guitarsj while couple after couple come sol
emnly forward, twirl their handkerchiefs
and dance, and the bystanders keep time by
the clapping of hands. Casks, barrels and
bottles of wine are strewn all about; and so,
while some skip "the light fantastic," others
drink; and they in turn drink and dance
again, until all become too top-heavy for
further eflort The wine being the "pure
juice of the grape, it produces no ill effects
but a temporary stupor, which soon wears
off. Fannie B. "Ward.
BTSSIAN TSAP3 FJB BBABfl.
Some Methods the Backwoodsmen ofThat
Country Vte Effectively.
The backwoodsmen . have some odd ways
of hunting bears. Ona plan is to tie a
strong chain ten feet or so long to a heavy
billet of wood, and at the other end to make
a running noose. This loop is arranged,
like a simple rabbit snare, in a narrow pas
sage, the billet being thrown on one side.
"When the bear runs his neck into the noose
he drags after him the wooden weight,
which entangles him in the 1 ushes and
finally brings him to a full stop. The bear
then follows up the billet, catches it up
from the ground, bites it savagely, hurls it
down and continues on his way. Pulled up
short a second time and then a third,he goes
through the same antics until on reflection he
decides to carrr off the troublesome billet
in his arms and find a precipice over whic,h
to throw it, in doing which he is dragged
nvpr bv its weight
Stillanother snare consists in'suspending
a great rock or a log against a door which
closes an opening in a tree where honey is
stored. When the bear comes to eat the
houey he pushes away with his paw
the obstacle which hinders him, but
this . movement only results in
swinging aside the rock, which, coming
back, strikes him on the head. The bear,
growing angry, makes a vigorous lunge at
the weight, and, of course, receives a still
more violent blow. It then comes to a
grand struggle between the bear and this
lifeless object, in which the animal often
receives a whack that hurls him lifeless
from the tree to the ground below.
Srore Effective Than Beauty.
St. Paul Globe.
There's a girl on the hill who always gets
a seat in the car if it is just jammed. She
isn't pretty nor anything like that, bnt she
is brainy and her feet are large. She wears
common-sense shoes with heavy heels. She
goes into a car and hangs to a strap in front
of some , man. Then every time the car
jerks she lunges around with those heels.
After a few lunges the man gives her his
seat and limps out and stands on tha plat
form and swears.
LOYE OF LITERATURE
TJie Golden Gate Through "Which the
Child Passes to Wisdom.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS AEE DEFICIENT
In the Branch That Gives the Best Prepara
tion for Life's Wort.
1 SCHEME FOR BETTEE TEACHIJia
Iwimii.: roa the dispatch.!
After inquiring into the time devoted to
literature in the public schools in this and
adjoining counties, I have come to the con
clusion that too little is devoted to this
branch. And, moreover, I believe it ran be
taught successfully in our common schools
and our homes without much additional
labor on the part of teacher, pupil or
parent
Of course, we cannot teach all, for It
would take a lifetime; but if we make a
good beginning it is half the battle. "Wo
can teach the importance of such knowledge
and create a desire for more, which will be
acquired in after life. A great deal can ba
taught incidentally by a judicious teacher,
even in the infant school.
The objects of study are discipline or
training, knowledge.culture, etc. The study
of literature gives more intellectual train
ing, knowledge and culture than any other
branch in the common school curriculum.
The branches generally taught in the com
mon schools tend to exercisa the intel
lectual faculties only. Arithmetic culti
vates reasoning and judgment. So does
literature. To follow thought as expressed
in languago will stimulate the mind to think
foritself. Geoeraphy and history cultivate
the lmmrlnation:bnts.tndvinrrnnetrr-fintlnn
and other imaginative compositions, which
we meei in literature, win cultivate tue
same faculty as rapidly. All of tho common
brandies cultivate the memory, but litera
ture will do tho Same. There is no more
interesting way to cultivate the ,memorr
than by committing extracts of prose ana
poetry, the beauty of which the child caa
appreciate.
TOE EMOTIONAL NATORS.
But the study of literature does more than
any one or all of these. It cultivates tha
sensibilities. When a pupil studies the life
of nn author and becomes acquainted with
tha many trials and difllculties ho had to
overcomo and what circumstances of Joy
and happiness or grief and woe caused tha
words to drop from his pen, ho grows into
sympathy with him and the emotions aro
awakened. As soon as they are awakened
they can be trained, and they can only be
trained while in a state or activity. It is
important that the flexibilities should be
trained, for in tbem lie the springs of human
action. "Here we find the motives which
set tha Busy world in action, the causes
which go to make men what tlioy are in
their busy and ever-changing scenes of life's
great drama."
Too much of the knowledge received in the
schools is simply hook knowledge, and many
of our youn;r ladies and gentlemen leave
school and study lorever without the least
idea of the practical use of their education.
The rules in arithmetic, the dennitious in
Grammar, tha dates in history and the
boundaries of foreign countries, yes, even
our own States, are all forgotten, simply be
cause the pupil did not receive from the
branches they studied that culture which is
so essential to success.
WHAT LOVE OP LITERATUEE DOES.
Not so in the study of literature. Create
within a child h love for literature and you
have placed it upon a straight road to wis
dom. It will now read whenever it gets a
chance, and all that remains to be done is to
place within its reach the proper books and
papers. It is remarkable how soon It will
become familiar with the topics or the day
and how attentively it will listen to the dis
cussion of theso topics. It will soon ac
quire a vocabulary of words and a flow of
language that will enable it to converse
with a surprising intelligence. Persons that
read much are always intelligent, and their
knowledge Is not confined to one or two
branches. They get a general knowledge of
a practical nature that they can put to prac
tice in everv-day life. I do not mean readlnir
without reflection; for a person who haa
studied literature properly knows that there
is more to be done.
This gives training and culture and prac
tical knowledge for the einerzencics ot life.
Best of all, it creates a love for home influ
ence, one of tho corner stones of our happi
ness and civilization. While the young are
engaged in reading at home they are not
only away from the temptations outside the
parental roof, bnt aIo gladden the hearts of
the anxious father and mother. There It no
more touching scene tli.m that of a family
gatheied around the same table all pleas
antly employed in the perusal of good liter
ature. HOW IT 13 TO BE TAUGHT.
Literature can be taught, first, in connec
tion with reading even in primary classes.
The study of literature can be made very in
teresting to primary classes by short inter
esting stories about the authors, etc All
children love stories. Let the teacher, in
the form of stories, impress npon the mindj
of his pupils a few characteristic features in
the life of an author orof his writings and
thev will remember him ever afterward la
all 'his productions and study them with
more pleasure than before. Tell them of
the benevolence of Goldsmith, the insanity
of Cowpcr, the poverty of Burns, the melan
choly of Johnson and the blindness of Hil
ton. In American literature tell them of
tile friendship of Duake and Halleck, tha
poetical genius of Bryant, and of Whittier
m a self-mado man. of the wit and success of
Holmes, the beginning of the literary life of
Cooper, the wanderings of Taylor, etc., and
It cannot fail to create an interest in tha
reading class and a love for literature.
Again.it may be taught in connection with
history. Thero is a very close connection
between the bistorji and literature of a na
tion. For instance, tho history or the Unitod
States is divided into tho colonial, revolu
tionary nnd tho national periods. So is its
literature, and the pfine pal authors and
tneir respeuwve wnims in gub ua iuuguw
with little extra labor with tho history of
their periods. While studying tho history
of the Revolutionary War the pupils come
into contact with most of the great orators
and writers of that time. Give them some
of their principal works and they will weld
together insepaiably the anthors. the pro
ductions and the cause for which they
labored, while at the camo time history be
comes tho more interesting.
TAUGIIT AS A SPECIALTT.
Lastly, literature may be taught as a
ipecial study. Pupils that have been taught
literature in connection with readings and
history will pursue li with interest as a
special study. It is trne we have no work
on literature adapted toourcommon schools
and from which it can be taught in this way,
but I cannot seo why it should be so. We do
not want a book encumbered with dates and
titles, but one with the lives of the authors
in the form of stories and followine each a
few selections which will make the pupils
familiar with each one's language and style.
Then there might be set apart certain days
when thenunils would be exDectbd to recite
short extracts from particular authors.
School days are short and few, especially
so in our common schools, and in tnis age
of enlightenment we should strive to Intro
duce such branches a will develop most
fully and harmoniously all the powers of
the mind and give us knowledge that we
can use in practical life. Literature Is one
of the branches that will do this.
W. B. D.
Kolselessness or Smokeless Powder.
A great many stories have been told about
the noiselessness of smokeless powder.
Hiram Maxim, who ought to .know, sayi
that there is no such thing as a noiseless
gunpowder. The report of a "un' charged
with smokeless powder is very sharp, and is
as loud as when black powder is used, yet
the volume of sound is much less, so.that
the report cannot be heard at so great a dis
tance. The report ot a gun using smokeless
powder is a sound of much higher pitch
than when black powder is used, and conse
quently cannot be heard at so great a dis
tance as the lower notes given bv black
( powder. Another pointy about smokeless
powucr is its sugnt recoil, it wouta nat
urally be thought that the recoil of the bar
rel would be greater, owing to the greater
pressure exerted by "the smokeless powder
on the base of the cartridge case and the
breech mechanism. Snch, howeTer, is not
the fact, for the barrel actually recoils Tery
much less when smokelesi powder is.used.
This is due to the suddenness with which
the pressure is exerted, it acting more like
a sharp blow on the metal, whereby more of
the energy is converted into heat instead of
being spent in overcoming the inertia of tho
barrel to give recoil.