TITTSBURG-
DISPATCH, SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25, 1891. 17 . m
FfMf US ' "
nvEirrxs ros the dispatch j
"Dora, I have something very strange to
tell you," said Gilbert, "as ha sat on the
doorstep with his sister one evening and
watched the last rays of the setting snn
through the trees of the forest, near which
the neat little cottage stood. "This morn
ing as I was on my way to the city to buy
groceries for aunt, I heard a rustling noise
in the treetops. Looking up, I saw a pure
white horse, with golden hoofs, flying
through the air. I watched it for some
time, and then saw itdesccndto the ground.
On its back eat a little old man, with a robe
ns green as the leave.", and on his long gray
hair ft as a sparkling crown. He had such a
kind lace that I did not fear him at all.
"When he sooke his voice was sweet and
lausical, and I was sorry when he went
away."
"Did he really speak to you?" asked
Dora, who had been listening with rapt at
tention to her brother's words. "And what
did he saj?"
-He told me" continued Gilbert, "that
lie belongs to the iairv folk, and that part
of his kingdom is underground, directly be
neath our co.-t shed. He said that the
eiamping of the goat disturbed his people
when they wanted to rest. The old man
promises that it 1 move the shed I shall be
rewarded."
"We shall move it to-morrow," said
Dora. "Think of the dear little fairies
1LAJ
KXBUCK DOW3T TH3
being disturbed by an ngly goat. But,
hroiher,I heard at school to-day that Phillip
IiTery angry, and declares that he will
punish you because the Count gave you a
gold piece, and said that you could play
the flute better than any other boy in the
Tillage."
Gilbert, astrong, sturdy boy of 15. only
laughed at his sister's fears, and thought
that Phillip would not dare to harm him.
Gilbert was so busy the nest few days
moving the znat shed "that he neither saw
nor thought of Phillip; but Phillip had not
forgotten bin determination to punish Gil
Vert for carr vine off the prize. After think
ing over many plans, he at last decided upon
one. lie learned that Hubert was going
again into the citv, and would not return
until night. Phillip determined to hide in
the busnes which bordered tne forest path,
fcud when Gilbert passed he would spring
oat and beat him. The longilooked for night
was dark and cloudy. There was no moon,
and not even a star was to be seen. Phillip,
armed with a club, hid himself in the
bashes, and listened tor Gilbert's step. He
tad not waited long when he heard someone
walking along the path. As the steps drew
nearer, the bo spring out, and erring: "So
yon were not afraid of Phillip. I shall teach
yon to take the prize from me," dealt such
a blow that his victim fell heavily to the
f round, and Phillip, fearing he had killed
is former friend, fled in great haste.
It was cot Gilbert,howe er, whom Phillip
hsd struck, but the Count, who was hurry
ing home after a day's hunt in the forest.
Ad hour later, Gilbert on his way home
stnmbled over the insensible Count. The
boy gathered some dry twigs, and having
made a fire tried by its light to find the in
juries of the wounded man. While he was
thus busy, a band of hunters from the castle
came into the forest in search of their mas
ter. When they saw Gilbert bending over
the Count they t once thought that he had
given the blow, and would listen to no
words of defense. While some of the men
carried the still unconscious Count to the
castle, the others dragged Gilbert back into
the city, 'where in the morning he was
brought v-etore a Judge, who declared that
Gilbert was guilty and for such a crime he
must be hanged just at sunset. This newt
spread like wildfire through the little vil
lage where Gilbert lived, and poor Dora
was nearly sick with weeph-j.
Phillip had not intended to punish his
enemy eo severelv; but ho was afraid to tell
who Bad injured the Count, and he thought
so one knew. When evening came great
crowds collected in the public square to
witness the death of the innocent boy. He
had already mounted the scaffold, and the
rope was about his neck, when a strange
int over head attracted the attention of
tn people. A white hore with golden
hooft was flying over the city. The rider
was the little mac in the green, robe and
with the sparkling crown. He guided his '
ZXJ!?ZrW
the ope from Gilbert's neck,-he placed the
bov bc-ide hiiu on the white horse, and they
flew like the wind from the astonished
crowd. Gilbert and his friend rode on their
beautiful horse over forests, villages and
cities until the sun disappeared and it began
to grow datk. Then Gilbert asked the old
man where they were going.
"You have Miffred so much to-day," was
the reply, "that I am going to givo you a
Might oi plea ure. We are going to Fairy
laud," "Kind friend," said Gilbert, "I do not
wish to seem ungrateful to you, but could I
not first go to my sist r who is grieving for
me? She will be glad to know that I am
tale "
"Your sister already knows of your
rescue," replied the old man, "and ehe
awaits you in our beautiful kingdom."
As the old man was speaking, Gilbert
sa a glimmer ot light through the trees,
and as they drew nearer, he heard the ring-
sunmeroeus. .a. moment later, tne ,
horse fcad"paused before the golden door,
which opened of itself, and Gilbert guided
by his friend entered into a wide hall. The
lofty arched roof of sparkling saphire was
supported by golden columns, to which
clung tender vines, bright with many color
ed flowers. The floor was of white marble
studded with rubies and other gems. Fairy
forms flitted here and there, and strains of
the sweetest musio could be heard.
The Fairy Qneen herself, leading Dora by
the hand, approached to meet the new ar
rivals, and, alter bidding Gilbert a hearty
welcome into her realm, led the way to the
banquet hall. There many tables were
spread with such dainties as are found only
in Fairyland. Several hours were spent in
enjoying: the feast. The fairies had heard
how Gilbert had been unjustly condemned
to death, and of his little sister's great
grief and they determined this night
that they should have so much pleasure that
all their sorrow would be forgotten. They
paid every attention to their guests, and
after the banquet all returned to the marble
ball. The King and Queen seated them
selves on their jeweled throne, and, after
giving Gilbert and Dora a place on either
side of them, they commanded the fairy
folk to perform one of, their wonderful
dances. Theu, to the sound of merry music,
the graceful little creatures, with their
beautiful robes and flowing hair, seemed to
float in the air, until Gilbert and Dora
clapped their bands with dehsrbt, When
the dance was over the Queen said:
'WBONO WAX.
"We have your flute here, and we wish
to listen to those sweet airs, which in the
evening you play to your sister. Gilbert
took the flute and played as never before,
while the fairies, charmed by the sound,
fathered about the throne, and listened
almost breathlessly. Gilbert played until
he became so wearv that the flute dropped
from his hands. Then the fairies began to
sing, soft and low, a pleasing melody, and
in a short time, Dora and her brother had
fallen into a sweet slumber. How long
they slept they did not know; but when
they awoKe tbey were lying on a bed of soft
moss, under a large tree in the forest near
their home, and the morning sun was urging
them to awake.
"O brother, wasn't it beautiful?" asked
Dora, "and we can never forget how kind
the fairies have been to us."
"It was beautiful," replied Gilbert, "but
I fear our trouble is not over; for if I return
home I shall certainly be seized -ii carried
back into the city to be punished."
At this thought Dora c bright face grew
sad, and she asked: "Can we not hide some
where until they find the one who really
struck the Count?"
While the brother and sister talked they
saw a great crowd coming through the
forest, and intheirmidst was Phillip bound,
in iron chains. The true criminal bad been
found and Gilbert was sate. Phillip was
not hanged, but he was driven out of the
country and was never allowed to return.
Gilbert often goes to the castle to play for
the Count, and when he leaves he is always
laden with rich gifts for his sister and him
self. Patsie.
BAT CATCHERS OF BBAZIL.
A Species of Boa Constrictors Takes the
Place of Cats In Bouses.
Tooth's Companion.
In certain parts of Brazil, where the cli
mate is intensely hot, and where rats are a
great nuisance, the common cat does not
thrive, but is replaced by a domestio rat
catcher, whose presence causes a decidedly
unpleasant sensation to visitors from the
North. An American who recently visited
Brazil writes this account:
"On the morning after my arrival, in de
scending the staircase from my room to go
down to breakfast, I was frightened almost
half t6 death at seeing an enormous snake
chrled up on the floor exactly at the foot of
the stairs. The serpent was apparently
asleep, but I was not at all sure that he
might not be preparing to strike at me. So
I ran back up the stairs with all the speed
I could mauage, and then proceeded to snout
for help. In tw o minutes the hall was full
of servants, all gazing at me in astonish
ment; end my host rushed out of his own
apartment.
best 0f English.
"wnat is tne matter?" he asked in the
"WJ'I l0k therel Look at
tnai snaKei
"I pointed at the coiled-up monster at
tne loot 01 tne staircase, who now had luted
up his head a little, and was sleepily look
ing about him. The seriants held their
hands to their mouths, and my host laughed
outright.
'Why said he, 'that's only Pedro; that's
our giboia.'
" Oh,' said I gasping, 'I thought it was a
great snake.'
" 'It is a snake,' said my host, but it is
perfectly harmless, except to rats. You
will not find a house in this part of Brazil
without one. They keep the premises clear
of rats. Pedro wont hurt you.'
" 'But how am I going to get downstairs?'
I asked uneasilv.
" 'Ob, you can step right over him.'
i ueciineu, nowever,
to make tho At
tempt whereupon a servant came forward,
both hall& dragged him out into the vard.
Tlley are aspecres 0f smaUboa constrictor." j
ART OF THE BUKGLAK.'
The Best Way to Bob a Bank Vault
Is to Get Elected Cashier.
FAILIKG THAT, TOOLS WILL DO IT.
An Immense Amount of Genius Displayed
in an Approved Kit
HOW CKACKS3IEN DO THEIE WORK
rCOBRXSPOIfDESCI OT TUX DISPATCH.
New York, Oct. 2i Did you ever meet
a re al live flesh-and-blood burglar? I mean
a man who has made a living by cracking
other people's safes, by housebreaking and
robbery who has "done time" in various
prisons and who is under police surveillance
everywhere he goes? The man with the
cast iron countenance, the shifty eyes and
the hunted look? Not the "Spike" Hen
nessys and "Kid" McCoys of the melo
drama, but the more hardened and still un
regenerated ruffian of the streets of New
York? Not the man behind the bars or in
the prisoner's dock, but the criminal who
has recentlv been turned loose upon society
and who is, that unseen watch apart, as free
to come and go as you are?
Of course not. Ton would shrink from
such society. Yet there is a certain nov
elty in the sensation. Such men pass you
on the street and leave no more'distinct im
pression than the touch of a bank president
who has absorbed the money of his depos
itors and is yet at large unexposed. It is
only when you are brought face to face
with the burglar in a dark room with his
blinking bull's-eye shining in your face and
the cold muzzle of his pistol pressed against
your temples that the sensation is experi
enced in all Its blood-curdling intensity.
And I feel sure you would rather be ex
cused from such a meeting.
INTRODUCED BY A POLICEMAN.
To have an old friend "on the force" say
to you suddenly some day, "Would you
like to meet a burglar? Here he is now"
and raising a significant finger draw a
plainly dressed ami shambling figure from
the passing Broadway throng into a back
room and say, "this man is a bank sneak
and burglar," conveys a different and per
haps a more agreeable sensation. And that
is the sensation I have just experienced.
"When'll you fellers let up on a man?"
was the first and rather plaintive inquiry of
the ex-convict. His face took on an inno
cent and woe-begone look.
Thi officeraddressed him familiarly, asked
him what he was doing on Broadway and a
whole string of questions; not severely.but
rather inviting confidence and conversation.
When the man found he was not wanted and
that a newspaper man was his other auditor
he talked quite glibly. He had been read
ing a recent interview with a well-known
sate manufacturer.
"There isn't a bank vault or safe lock
made," said the burglar, "that can't be
opened by an expert. I became an adept at
the business while. in the employ of a safe
manufacturer. I picked locks as a legit
imate business from New York to San
Francisco. Every safe comnany has men
who can do the same thing.
OLD STYLE COMBINATIONS EASY.
"The first thing a bank official, or any
body else docs, when the safe lock gets out
of order, is to send to the manufactory and
they send an expert who opens the safe.
The ordinary combination lock is easily
picked. There are time locks which cannot
be done so easily, especially some modern
ones. S me combination locks have a mi
crometer proof attachment. That? Why,
It's an arrangement which Is supposed to
prevent the successful use of the microme
ter, a little machine which can be attached
to the handle of the lock and has an Indi
cator which shows the thickness and varia
tion of the tumblers. Some of these cheap
combination lock have a bell-like sound, or
click, and these can be easily read. And
some combinations run In grooves and can
be detected at once. Yon might as well
have a house door lock and latch key on a
safe as one of them.
"The latest and best combination lock
gives out no sound whatever, and, while it
may be opened, it would require an expert
and a good deal of time to get it more time
than is at the disposal of a man in the night
businesS. There is a good deal of sameness
about the old style combi nation locks, and
when you get used to them they are as
easily opened as a street door.
QUALITY BETTER THAN QUANTITY.
"While the modern bank ';rglar must
be, and usually is, an. expert on combina
tions he by no means relies upon thai. A
dozen years ago I could open any lock
within 45 minutes. The improvements
have been such, however, that that method
cannot longer be depended upon. It isn't
true as stated in this safe manufacturer's
interview, that the safes operated upon
successfully by burglars are simply fire
proof safes and that no so-called burglar
proot sates are Being cracEeu.
"All that formidable looking array of bolts
you see on a burglar proof sale amounts to
nothing if you can pick the lock. The two
side bolts are the important ones. The
others catch the eye but don't make the
safe any stronger. The weight of material
is not so formidable to a burglar as the
quality and there are lots of poor materials
put into safes. Now there is a weakness in
almost every safe and it is the burglar's art
to find it. Some have better steel in the
back than in the front and sometimes the
steel is tougher and better tempered in one
part than another. I can tell at once as to
the hardness and thickness of steel plating.
I've had drills, however, that would go
through anything. I could put a hole
through two average steel plates in 30
minutes.
GENIUS IN THE BUBOLAE'S AST.
The skill and genius that have been ex
pended upoa burglar's tools is something
extraordinary. And the pains that are
taken sometimes to lav the foundation of
great burglaries or a system of small on cs
woiild.be astonishing to honest people. I
know of a case where a valuable safe was
purchased lor the experimental work. For
Instance, several county banks may be
found using the same safe. By the pur
chase of one of the same kind and make the
experts bad an indefinite time to study out
its weaknesses!. They then descended upon
the selected spoili and got away with the
boodle. Another way is to go right to the
manufactory and see how they are made,
just like the fellow did who wrote that
article. You have read accounts of re
peated burglaries in certain sections within
a ery short time. Well, they are usually
on a certain set of safes.
"Blowing a safe is often the quickest way
to get into it. But it's noisy and danger
ous except in village stores. No burglar
ever loots with a safe in any way .unless he
possesses inside information as to the money
likely to be in it. As to banks, it is the
study oi weeks and months other schemes
can often be sprung in a day or two or even
in a few hours. In case of a bank you've
got to be a depositor a customer, and do a
great deal of coming and going to getthe
lay oi the land.
ONE WAY TO FOECE A SAFE.
If I was going to force a safe I might drill
the door into the lock, take off the machine
and punch out the 'dog.' That holds the
combination. With that off, the bolts are
free. If there was much danger from the
noise I'd put in a taper tap, follow it with
a plug and cut a thread through the door,
and then screw a threaded bolt until it
strike! the detent when you can wrench the
detent oil without any noise. It only takes
a few minutes on an ordinary safe, and with
a good outside partner on the watch no up
pleasant interruption is probable. That
partner holds a string which is fastened to
my leg, sec, and can signal according to a
prearranged code. On a safe or vault door
In the full light of the gas and exposed to
the street the work would be intermittent,
perhaps, but it Las been done.
"Another way to get into a safe is to drill
the side just beyond the inside doors. .Then
both sets of doors can be blown off at the
same time." There are contrivances for
pumping powder, dynamite, gas, etc., into
such a hole. There is one machine with
whioh you can fill a safe with gas from the
nearest burner, through a hose and thus blow
it up with material right on the premises.
A KIT OF BANK TOOLS.
"Burglars' tools? Oh, yes: there is a
great variety. They are bought and sold in
New York every day. They are made here,
too. A first-class bank kit of tools com
prises a large assortment The ne plus ultra
of the crackman's kit is the drillirlg ma
chine. It is a piece of steel frame shaped
somewhat like a horseshoe with a bar run
ning ut from the toe. It hs set screws at
the toe and heel to fasten it on the bolt han
dle of a safe door. When it is all set up, all
you have to do is to turn a crank and feed
the drilL There are bits made that go
through the best tempered and toughest
steel in the world.
"There are calipers, dividers and spirit
levels for finding the correct measurement
in the door. There is a force screw about
nine, inches long threaded the whole length
so you can screw it right into the lock and
force the detent off Then there is the taper
tap and its brother, a plug used in cutting
threads in the hole. All of these punches
have copper heads on them to deaden the
sonnd of blows. There are files and steel
saws that will cut the hardest metaL There
are jimmies small ones for fine work and
large sectional jimmies that can be taken
apart.
ACCESSORIES OF THE LAY-OUT.
"There is a dark lantern, too, and a
threaded bar of steel, which we call a 'lag,'
for forcing off the lock of street doors. Then
you have to have a key hole saw which cuts
a square hole as well as a round one. There
are several sizes of nippers and tongs. When
there is a key in the key hole you can sim
ply insert one of these, and, nipping the
key, can unlock the door from the outside
as easily as yon could do it with the key
itself in the inside. When there is no key
we can use tasters or pick the lock. There
is a great variety of drills or bits, and there
are braces, wedges, chisels, suction pumps,
force pumps, electric batteries, nitro
glycerine, dvnamite, gas hose and a device
tor heating the spindle and drawing temper
and fulminating caps and all that sort of
thing.
"I have said that there are a good many
ways of getting into a safe or a bank vault,
yet there is one way," added the burglar
with fine irony, "which I have not yet men
tioned. This is to get elected cashier or
President of the bank, and then you can get
away with all the funds at once without
danger and without exciting suspicion and
without being liable to have your head
blown off during the operation. This sort
of burglary has about knocked out all
safe-cracking artists, and throws every
thing else in the same line completely in
the shade."
Charles Theodore Mubbax.
PTTTING DOWN CODFISH.
Tne Operation of Salting IsMnohSIore Deli
cate Than Ono Would Think.
Harper's Weekly.
The salting of the cod Is done in the hold.
Each "banker" brings from Franos Its
cargo of salt, an ingredient which, it is
needless to say, plays a capital role in the
fishing campaign. The salting ii one of the
most important and delicate operations. If
th ere is not enough salt on the fish, it will
not keep; ii there is too much, the fish is
black and moist A good Salter is just as
valuable to the owner of a "banker" as a
good captain.
Four men are generally employed to salt
the fish in the hold. One, with a sort of
curved trident, shovels down the salt to the
level of the piles of fish already made: the'
other receives the fish that are thrown down
from the deck, and passes them to the piler,
who places them with minute care inclose
layers; finally the salter comes with his
shovel in his hand, spreads salt over the
layers offish, and looks after the methodical
end regular execution of all these processes.
This work has to be done quickly and well.
As soon as the fish has been washed it ought
not to remain on deck, but be stowed away
as quickly as possible. Furthermore, if the
codfish Is not packed regularly, without the
edges touching, andif the laver of salt is
too thick or too thin, the salting is com
promised, and the drying of the fish, which
is done especially at Bordeaux and Cette,
will give a cod of poor quality.
The GoliIQnch.
rWItnTEN TOB TUB DISPATCH.
Oh, do you know the Goldfinch,
The summer yellow-bird?
Who sits on a thistle,
When he wishes to whistle T
Oh, yet, I know the yellow bird,
Tho sweetest song I ever heard
srfc
Is his of "Summer is here! Ob, sweetl sweey
How good is this thistle seed, tweetl tweet!
tweetr
He likes the leaves of the tender young
beets.
Though he mostly snips ou more than he
eats.
He also is fond of the ripe lettuce seeds,
But he never eats more of these than he
needs.
This bright little bird is known by dif
ferent names, such as Salad-bird, Thistle
bird, etc., given on account of his fondness
for the seeds of these plants as well as those
of the sunflowers, dandelion and other
weeds. He is known to naturalists as
tristis, a Latin word meaning sad or melan
choly, from his low and plaintive note of
"sweetie sweet." but to me there is noth
inffsad about his song, which seems one of
intense happiness. Although living almost
entirely on seeds in the fall, during the
summer the Goldfinches, especially when
they have young, consume large numbers of
insects of different kinds and are consequent
ly of great benefit to farmers as are almost
all of our small birds.
In summer the male is of a bright yellow
color on the back and breast, and tliis, to
gether with his black cap and dar2 brown
almost black tail and wings, make him a
very conspicuous object as he swiugi on the
top of a wild lettuce stalk, but toward fall
he loses his black cap and changes his gay
yellow dress to one of a dull olive tinge,
much like the one worn by the female.
Samuels say: "This bird seems to be more
of a dandy, and consequently less of a
family man than most of our other species,
and leaves the great -part of the burden of
the family cares on the shoulders of his
mate. While the females are sitting the
males often assemble together and pass the
time in bathing and trimming their feath
ers. I have heard some of the goldfinches
sing almost as sweetly and with as varied a
song as our canary bird."
Auht Cla.BE.
A Chance for Uncle Jerry. ' .
Baltimore American.
Artificial rainmaking is rath'er unseason
able now, but the department might go to
work to invent something that will give us
a real snow at Christmas 1
A M FEET OF WATER
Make a Great Deal of Difference in
Pittshnrg's Ore Supply.
HOW THE JOHN HARPER MANAGES.
EubMnff the Bottom of the Eoo Canal and
Biding St. Mary'a Kiver.
UNLOADING PBECI0U8 BROWN DIET
rwBirnnr roa tot dispatch.
S Article No. 4.
JM XJH.J3 previous
papers of this series I
have been picturing
a sort of grand, tri
umphal passage of
the iron ore fleet
across the Great
Lakes. In the be
ing of this paper it
becomes necessary for
me to haul in some of
my sail, and make a
few necessary explan
ations. Pittsburg's
iron industry has
much at stake in the
statements I am about
The Captain on xvalch.
to make.
When the steamship John Harper arrived
at the "Soo" Canal I saw lying above the
lock a large steamer, out of the hold of
which Iron ore wasbeing hoisted and carried
over on cranes to a smaller vessel known as
a "lighter." Probably 200 tons were thus
taken away from the larger boat, and one of
the mates of the Harper laughed, as he re
marked: "The charges of that 'lighter' will
amount to something on the owners of the
big boat."
The trouble was the large vessel was
drawing too much water to go through the
"C" Pnnnl Cl.u tn.( ... n Mil.
platform on the bottom of the lock has been
necessary to protect the lower miter-sills,
and that'has reduced
THE DEPTH OF THE CANAXi
to such on extent that the authorities will
permit no vessel drawing more than 14 feet
2 inches to pass througlt. The large vessel
was too heavily laden and had to be "light
ered," This was one reason why the John
Harper was compelled to leave the Ashland
docks with a scant 2,000 tons of ore when
sha could just have easily loaded S00 tons
more. When It is remembered that ore is
worth anywhere from $5 to 58 per ton, and
that a lake vessel charges $1 25 per ton
freight, it will be seen at a glance what the
John Harper and all other vessels in the
Lake Superior trade lose by having to carry
light cargoes. So the wise captain of the
Hnrper nid not have to go through the ex
pensive operation of "lightering," bnt with
a load that weighted his vessel down to 14
feet draft, he went through the canal with
flying colors.
But, as I stated, his boat had to lay by
just below the canal to await davlfght.
Why this delay? The St. Mary's river is
60 miles long, or thereabouts, and its nar
rowest channel lies south of the "Soo"
canaL At best, this Is perilous for large
steamers tor navigate at night in fact it is
next to impossible because steering a boat
is done by means of "ranges" on the shores,
and these are not distinguishable after
nightfall. The depth of the river in some
parts of this channel Is under 14 feet,
though the river has an average depth of 16
and 18 feet, j, "
. THE BlVEB LOW THIS TEAB.
Now, for some reason which even scien
tists are puzzled over, the SC Mary's river
is 11 or 13 inches lower this year than it
was in 1890. "And that drop of 11 inches
makes a big difference in the size" of the car
goes taken out of Lake Superior," Captain
Jlills Informs me.
Boats may carry from 2.B00 to 8,000 tons
of ore when they get it at Escanaba, on
Lake .Michigan, because they are not to
cass throngh the St Marv's river and canal.
but when they go up to Ashland, Marquette
or Two Harbors, on Lake Superior, where
most of the ore comes from, they must drop
COO tons or more, or stick in the mud.
After the Harper left the foot of the
Sault Canal at daylight "Wednesday morn
ing, the Captain took h s lofty position on
watch on top of the wheelhouse, and he re
mained there a good part of that day. In
the narrowing channel and comparatively
low water of the river it kept him con
stantly "sighting" the shore ranges, and
his voice seemed to never cease as he
bawled down the speaking shaft to the
wheelman: "Port!" "Starboard, a littlel"
"East, half by south!" Steady, now!"
It was worth the caution, certainly.
There were aboard 512,000 worth of ore,
$150,000 more invested in the craft itself,
and a score ot last competitors m the imme
diate neighborhood watching a chance to be
first out on Lake Huron with their rich
burdens of iron.
THE LAKE COVERED WITH SHIPPING.
Lake Huron safely reached at last, and
nil over that body of water we meet more
and more ships. The influence of Chicago's
great trade with Buffalo is here felt for the
first time, and the lake itself seems to as
sume that busy appearance characteristic
of the second metropolis of the country.
Thursday morning found the Harp'er en
tering the St. Clair river, and emerging
from that upon pretty Lake St. Clair, the
Captain again had o go attentively to his
watch on the bridge. There are some shoals
In this lake that are an enemy to safe navi
gation, and in the neighborhood of the it.
Clair flats the Government's 81,000,000
channel has not yet fully relieved the ma
riners. Once, the Harper's bottom stirred
up muddy water, but she suffered no par
ticular delay.
There is a movement on foot to have Con
gress deepen all the channels and rivers in
the lake system to a uniform stage of 21
feet. If that be done, one-third more
traffio can be carried from every port on
every lake. Add a third of 9,000,000 tons
of iron on to the shipments of the Lake
Superior region for each year and you will
re'adily see the significance of that 21-foot
movement for Pittsburg furnacemen. Will
it make iron ore cheaper?
WHAT C0UQBES3 'WTLI. DO.
A stage of 21 feet of water in the St,
Mary's river, in the St. Clair channel, and
in the Detroit river; and the completion ot
the Government's new 19-foot lock at the
Sault, will remove all the obstacles that I
have explained in this article. The John
Harper, and all other steamships, may then
carry their full draft out ot Superior. To
day St Clair river steamers drawing 15 and
16 feet of water are constantly grounding,
when they are capable of running with a
draft of 20 feet.
The public-spirited men back of this
movement expect to be able to show Con
gress this winter that the continuous 21-
loot channel will only cost 3,339,568. To
work up a sentiment in favor of the im
provement the vessel owners association,
this summer, treated members of the Con
gressional Appropriation Committee to
through vovages on the big ore steamers.
They will find, as I have, that a ride on one
of tnesc leviathans is beter instruction than
reading volumes about the increase in lake
commerce. There is an astonishing ignor
once, though, on the part of public officials
in these matters. Some 'fellow up in Mich
igan claimed that the valves used in the
canal at Sault Ste. Marie were an.infringe
ment of his patent, and he enteied suit. It
became necessary during this litigation,
this spring, to have an expert exam ne the
gearing ot the locks.
JVHAT A STOPPAGE ENTAILS.
To do that, all the water in the canal
would have to be emptied, and the task
would have taken three or four days to per
form. One of the highest officials in the
War Department at Washington City or
dered this done. The message was received
at the sauit during the busiest days 01 this
Lrear'a business, and it fell like a thunder-
bolt among the mariners. An effort was at
once made to explain to the War Depart
ment official what four days' delay at the
Sault canal meant. He was told that lost
fall when a break occurred in the canal, and
it was closed just for three days, exactly 150
ships accumulated at either end, their cap
tains howling for admission and the iron
manufacturers screaming for ore.
Of course the order from Washington was
quicklv revoked and tho examination of
that trifling valve will wait until navigation
closes in winter. This official was of the
class whom vessel owners were anxious to
visit the lakes this summer. Tney toos
pleasure in showing them the constant pro
cession of ships through the "Soo."
This reminds me that up in Wisconsin I
found that the Governor of Michigan had
just affixed his signature to a bill passed by
the Legislature last winter repealing a
specific tax on ore mining properties. The
tax originated in the early history of the
Hf... ..W. va.a k..A.. rinhin.n'a tJt in.
ment was slow sizing up the importance of
ore beds.
A BILL AFFECTING PITTSBUBO.
Pittsburg, however, once found almost to
her sorrow, the extent of Congressional
ignorance. In 1871, just as Congress was
adjourning', it passed a bill limiting the
maximum amount of steam to be carried by
steam vessels to 110 pounds to a square inch.
The august body did not know to handle the
coal tows of the Ohio river it is necessary to
have 150 pounds, and sometimes 180 pounds
of steam. That bill placed an embargo on
Pittsburg coal. Fortunately a long summer
drought intervened, or else Pittsburg peo
ple would have lost tens of thousands of
dollars throngh that act. In the Congress
assembling the next December an amend
ment to the bill from Pittsburg was very
quickly adopted.
To return to the John Harper, however.
From the Detroit river she passed into
Lake Erie, and shortly after midnight
sighted the lighthouse at the Pittsburg
docks, of Fairnort. O. Before the crew re
tired that night they had the hatches
opened, the decks cleared, and all made
ready for the dock laborers to begin work
unloading the boat Friday morning at 7
o'clock. The method is entirely different
from that nsed at Ashland to put the load
on with. Along -the docks are huge tram
ways, probably twice the width of railroad
tracks. Next to these rest the staunch tim
bers and pillars supporting "cantilever
browns."
A TOIT ET EVEET BUCKET.
A "cantilever .brown" extends out over
the water, so a ship moors immediately un
der it, very much in the same manner as in
dry goods stores on an overhead wire comes
the cash-box, bringing your change from
the cashier's office, does a car spin along
this cantilever track in the air. It has sus
pended to it a heavy iron tub which will
hold a ton of ore. Reaching the end' of
the track, directly over a hatch on the
ship, the cr, by an automatio attachment
drops the tub, and held by a chain it
descends like lightning into the ship's hold.
Down there laborers fill this bucket, a sig
nal is given the men in the little aerial
house fixed like a pigeon roost among the
timbers back over the ore piles. The
bucket with its ton of ore rises out of the
hold swiftly, and the moment it touches
the little aerial car there is a snap, and the
car speeds back to the stock piles on the
pier, where by another catch the tub is
suddenly overturned and the ore poured
out on one of the artificial mountains
of stock.
Several of these "cantilevers," with their
I-ton tubs, were put to work on the Harper's
load. For a little while they averaged one
ton per minute lifted out of the hold, and I
am told the work is often more rapid than
that. Probably a'score of laborers down in
the Harper's hold would relievo the ship
of her 2,000 tons of ore in the course of the
day.
LOADING CABS DIBECT.
But I heard, while watching all this, an
order given to transfer some oi the Harper's
load to railroad cars direct for shipment to
certain mills at Pittsburg. That called
into play a different set of apparatus. One
of the curious looking shanties on wheels
which inhabited the white tramway on the
dock, was pushed np to one end of the
Harper so as to be out of the
way of the cantilevers. On its other
side a rhiiter brought up a train
of Pittsburg and Western Eoilwny cars.
The tramway iron-clad shanty suddenly re
volved with a whizjbringing a mighty crane
into view. This it landed just over the
first batch of the Harper and down from its
end swung a one-ton bucket into the hold.
Hauling it up again the shanty made an
other dizzy spin aronnd and emptied the
bucketful of ore into the car. It kept this
up nntil several cars were loaded with
Norrie ore.
That afternoon those cars started off be
hind a panting " locomotive for Pittsburg,
and two days later, when I had returned to
Pittsburg myself, I was riding on a Penn
avenue car and as it passed under the Junc
tion Kailroad bridge at Thirty-third street I
saw a lot of ore aboard a train of Pittsburg
and Western freight cars, and these were
probably the same I saw loaded at Fairport.
It completed indeed my journey from the
iron ore mines of Lake Superior to the fur
naces at Pittsburg. L. EL Stofiel.
CAK'T UHDERSTAND AM2BICA.
Novelist Howells' Amnjlng Experience
With an Official in Venice.
Youth's Companion.
The ways of English and Americans are
still appalling to the more indolent and
less cleanly Southern nations, who have
had for many decades large oppo rtunities
for studying these race peculiarities and
yet have never ceased to wonder. "When
Mr. W. D. Howells was Consul at Venice
an attempted burglary in the palace occu
pied by him gave occasion for the following
suggestive incident:
In my account of this affair to the Com
missary of Police I said that the burglary
occurred one morning about daylight, when
I saw" the head of the burglar peering above
the window-sill, and his hand extended to
prey upon my wardrobe.
"Excuse me, Signor Console," inter
rupted the Commissary, "how could you
see him?"
"Why, there was nothing in the world
to prevent me. The window was open."
"The window was openl" gasped the
Commissary. "Do you mean that you
sleep with yonr windows open?"
"Most certainly."
"Pardon," said the Commissary, sus
piciously, "do all Americans sleep with
their windows open?" ,
"I may venture to say they all do in
summer" I answered. "At least, it is the
general custom."
Such a thing as this indulgence in fresh
air seemed altogether foreign to the com
missary's experience, and but for my of
ficial dignity I am sure I should have been
enectuallv browbeaten by him. As it was,
he threw himself back in his arm-chair and
stared at me fixedly for some moment&i
Then he recovered himself with another
"Pardonl" and turning to his clerk, said:
"Write down that, according to the
American custom, they were sleeping with
their windows open."
But I know that for all his politeness, he
considered this habit a relic of the time
when we Americans abode in wigwams.
SALT WATEB 05 EAIB.
A Good Tonie if Rightly Used, bnt Tfrongly
It Canses Baldness.
Pall MaU Badges J
Much Is said pro and con as to the effect
of salt water on the hair. When properly
applied salt water is not only not injurious,
but is an excellent tonic. If allowed to re
main in a damp mass, however, it will cause
the hair to fall out The strands should1 be
carefully combed after the bath, and not put
up till perfectly dry.
Tar soap rubbed into" the scalp before
going in helps to keep blonde hair light.
The hair curled constantly in one place
engenders a fever, which causes it to fall
out. It is wise, therefore, to chance from
top-knot to Psyche and thence to Langtry
as frequently u possible.
Pisf5
WB1TT22T TOK
BIT EDG-AE EA"WCETT,
Author of "The House at High Bridge," "Romance and Reverie,"
"The Adventures of a Widow," numerous songs
and poems and several plays.
SYXOVS1S OF PREVIOUS CHAPTERS.
. The story opens with a ball Alonzo Llspenard has given in hii palatial residence ta
honor of his betrothed, Kathleen Kennaird, the daughter of a cold and calculating mother.
In the miOst of the festivities, Alonzo's Uncle Crawford arrives and Informs hira that by
the rascality of a member of his firm who his Just committed suicide, his immense fortune
has been swept away. Aft?r the ball Alonzo informs his sister, Mrs. Van Santvoord a
frivolous sooiety woman who has set apart an allowance for her husband on condition tha
he leave her free to enjoy society without his company. The news almost prostrates Mrs.
van Santvoord. At her home. Alonzo and her husband. Hector, qnarrel, the latter claim
ing Alonzo's neglect of the business made the defalcation possible. Mrs. Van Santvoord
restores peace and Alonzo goes back to his home to meditate. After learning the worst
Alonzo visits Kathleen and thinks he observes a coldness in her manner. A few davs later
he requests his cloe friend, Philip Lexington, to ask Kathleen her real feelings.' Philip
turns on him, and Alonzo discovers that all Philip's resrard for him vanished with his
fortune. Desperate, he visit Kathleen. Mrs. Kennaird meets him and savs Kathleen is ill,
and, furthermore, that the engagement must be broken. In a rage Alonzo culls Kathleen
who comes to him, avowing love and constancv. Eut Mrs. Kennaird exercises a kind of
mesmerism over her daushier and force her to repulse Alonzo. When affairs are finally
adjusted it is found that Alonzo and his sister have $S,000 3 year each. Alonzo sets apart
half of his for his sister. Just at this point Alonzo's friend, Etic Tliaxter, confidant of
the King of Saltravia. offers him the position or art superintendent for the realm. Alonzo
accepts and goes to Saltravla. Meanwhile Kathleen, disgusted with herself for renulsin"
CHAPTER VL
Eric's voice, however, struck reassur
ingly on his ear. "Yes, my dear Alonzo; it
is the King. I had no idea that he would
pay us this honor. But he is so exquisitely
gracious that one never knows what new act
of kindness he will commit. The persons
who surround him are quite harmless be
ings, I assure you. They, perhaps, possess
all the native ill-breeding of high-bred
aristocrats, but are well aware that the
faintest act of discourtesy toward anyone
whom Clanmond favors would promptly.
end in their exile from the court I pray
you have not the least sense of awkward
ness. The King never permits it to live in
his presence. He has a really wondrous
gift that of destroying idle ceremony. Do
not address him as 'Your Majesty.' He
greatly dislikes that form, so separative and
so constantly reminiscent of his royal rank.
I am sorry enough, dear Lonz, that yon,
should see him so soon. I had wanted
that we should talk for hours
about him before you and he "were brought
face to face. He is so remarkable, so pre
eminently distinguished. I am sure there
A3 THE KINO PASSED HE PUT
was never a King like him in all the world
before. I sometimes think there has never
been a King either so great or so good,
though that, of course, is saying much. But
if our century is productive of anything in
teresting and extraordinary it should be
her Kings, which are both anomalies and
absurdities. I think Clarimond plainly re
alizes this fact. I could have consumed
hours in talking of him to you before you
and he met, if it had not been his caprice
to come and greet you as he has done. He
has just left the palace, yon know. You
can get a good view of it yonder on the spnr
of the mountain, now that the sun has sunk.
I called it my bee-in-the-bonnet, that pal
ace, nntil it was quite finished. Do you
care for it?"
"Care for itl Good heavens, Eric!"
. Alonzo felt his blood beat as only the
blood of an artist can when he gazes upon
work that seras to him noble and grand.
The faded daylight hod now brought out
new tints, dark and rich, in sward and
foliage. From a slope of the dim and
majestic mountains towered King Clari
mond's abode. As a masterpice of building
it was no less delicate than sublime.
Wrought entirely of white marble, it
loomed against the nndulont lawns and ter
races that compassed it, in an intricate maze
of turrets and spires. It was enormous with
respect to the space that it covered, and yet
so lace-like in its etberel proportions that
you might have named it the very filament
or cobweb of architecture. To Alonzo tho
King's deep regard for Eric was instan
taneously plain. Such commingled airiness
and solidity, such flower-like blossoming in
stone, such frost-like beauty and grace blent
with dignity and power, could but be the
work of genius alone. It flashed through
the gazer's mind that perhaps Ludwig of
Bavaria, mad though he possibly was, ad
mired and revered Wagner no mdre than
Clarimond of Saltravia admired and revered
In. i.rp?itnrnY this enrhantini? edifice.
"It's a magnificent bee to have had in
one's bonnet, my dear Erie," presently
murmured Alonzo. "In this light, seen as
we see it now, its loveliness appears miracu
lous." "Those are words that drop right down
into my heart's core," said Erie. And now,
as the group of people drew nearer, one
figure quietly parted itself from the others.
"The King, whispered Alonzo's friend,
and with an outstretched hand and a face
that seemed to radiate sunshine, Clarimond
of Saltravia advanced.
"You are most welcome," he said, in very
fluent and perfect French. "You see," he
continued, I do not wait to be presented to
you, but take the liberty, like this, of claim
ing your acquaintance."
This form of phrase from royalty might
well have been called graciousness, not to
say condescension. But the young King
who now spoke somehow contrived to make
it appear like neither. His voice was rich
and sweet, his manner affable without the
vaguest trace of patronage, and his person
irresistibly charming. Alonzo quickly felt
that he could not be called by any meansa
man physically faultless, and yet in his
tall, compact figure, his wavy colden locks
and his radiant gray eyes, dwelt a world of
attraction. '
Almost before he knew it the stranger
fqund his sense of strangeness oddly vanish
ing. Clarimond made him acquainted
among the ladies and gentlemen of his little
court with no more seeming aimcuity than
by a wave of the hand, a happy sentence, or
even a fleeting smile. The manners of those
tl WMM&em
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9 vgr? 3a J- (uoooooaool
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who composed hi train .were certainly aajjnto tha fcTtangHar Mtvaf art and itiqk.
THE DISPATCH
marry.
aid to this easy method of introduction
Indeed, as the minutes now slipped by,
Alonzo began to have the sensation that he
had entered within a circle of delicipus
sorcery where nature, like that other natnra
which towered and undulated so pictures
quely on every side of him, teemed with only
the fairest lures. He soon found himself walk-
lng in the direction of the palace, solelv ac
companied by the King. All the others,
including Erie Thaxter, had drawn a little
backward, and thir gay conversation floated
so buoyantly and fearlessly on the scented
evening-air as to dissipate every hint of that
austerity which we are told usually sur
rounds a monarch.
"Yoa have been away but a short time
from America?" asked Alonzo's companion,
regarding hira softly, and yet with what he
suspected to be veiled keenness as welL
''re3f monseigneur,"repl ed Alonzo, won
dering if Eric's English veto as regarded'
"your majesty" might be thus translated
into French.
But the title failed to please. Immedi
ately Clarimond placed his hand on the '
speaker's arm. "Let it be monsieur be
tween us," he said. "1 like that better.
But you were in Paris for a little while be
fore coming here, as I think Eric told me,"
Ilk
zri)c;wviz?'
y,W V ?
-s '
s.A:m
HI3 HAIfD EfTO THAT OV ALOXZO.
ran his next words. "And you like Paris?
Or are yon in that one respeot un
American?" "I like it beyond all other places,"
Alonzo answered. And then he added:
"Except Saltravix"
"Saltravia is perhaps the most opposite
place to Paris," smiled Clarimond, "that
the world contains. Besides, you do not
know it yet,"
"Ah, but I have been able to see how
beautiful it is."
'That is because your friend has made
it so."
"These airy villas are his work, Mon
sieur, no less than your astonishing pal
,ace?" "Nearly all are his work. As soon as I
felt how remarkable was his genius for
architecture, I said to him in so many words,
"Transform my little kingdom for me. And
he has done so."
"But su-jely with great expedition."
The King laughed, shrugging his shoul
ders? "Our Eric declares himself lazy. Is
itnot absurd? True, I have assisted him
with large funds and hordes of workmen.
But he has labored with fine industry."
"A laboj of love, surely."
"Of art, which never succeeds in its
achievements unless love spurs and guide
it, One can do nothinc well without lov
ing to do it or so I imagine. This partic
ular sweep of country represent Erie'
masterpiece of effort. Westward are th
homes of people who have neither the for- '
tunes nor the culture to live artistically.
And on the farther side of the palace Sal
travia assumes an aspect which is inevitably
more commonplace. There are the two
large hotels, tne four celebrated springs
and the Casino, Eric improved rather than
rebuilt all that. It is more populous, far
less rural than the prospects which now
greet us. and may remind you of certain
S laces like Carlsbad, or Horaburg, or Ba
en. Erie has his own little abode, how-
ever, in which I believe you are to Inhabit
a suite of chambers. It is near the palace,
and commands a view of just these height
and dells for which you have already de
clared a liking. In a short time we will
reach it, and there, monsieur, I will ven
ture to leave vou. To-morrow, after you
and yonr old friend have bad time for a
memorial chat, and when a few hours of re
freshing, slumber have followed the excel
lent glass of wine which I am sure yon will
get at dinner, I shall be greatly pleased to
receive you at the palace. We will walk
through the picture galleries, talk a little
overwhat- is there already, and then ask
ope another what sorts of unsecured can
vases would prove the most desirable. Erie
tells me that he trusts no one's jierceptioa
of thorough worth in art so implicitly as ha
trusts yonr own."
Alonzo felt himself reddening with doubt
of self. Here, in this incomparable spot,
almost under the shadow of that glorious
marble poem which filled him with new re-
fard for the soul whence it had sprung, to
ear words of expectant confidence in his
own powers of esthetic insight! It seemed
almost like a merciless mockery. He shook
his head, and in very faltering tones re
sponded: "My dear friend has over-rated
me to a sad degree, Monsieur, I assure
you."
"Hush," said the King, with a gesture 0!
playful imperiousness. "If you want me to
respect your abilities you must not begin by
depreciating Eric's critical gifts. Bemem
ber that I have reason to swear by them.
And if yon doubt your own capacity to cu
m
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