i Valley and | s Borax Mines. | 000000000000000000 ley is probably the most al feature In California, u the southeast corner cf and is inclosed by the ntains on the west and ange on the east. It is les long, and at its nar- Jt eight miles wide. most probably, it was ancient river. The low i is 200 feet below sea ->ve this rises Telescope .'eet high, of the Fana and dir>ctely opposite the k, which reaches an alti ) feet. During the winter are covered with snow, larkable valley was discov v>o by a party of immigrants, : whom lost their lives in the to cross it. The name has > it, also, as being the scene of ess tragedies. Early in its traditions of gold and silver of wonderful richness within adaries persuaded many adven pefsons to undertake the liaz experiment of its exploration, imber who have lost their lives i desolate field is undoubtedly Pursuing the mirage of rich de of precious metals these adven us prospectors succumbed at Inst ,o the intolerable heat and the agonies of thirst. The range of the thermometer is probably greater in Death Valley than , elrewhere In the Western Hemisphere. In ■. inter the temperature is way be low zero, while in July and August ■ the thermometer ranges for weeks at 137 degrees above, frequently rising several degrees higher. For weeks at a time the lowest level temperature ob served exceeded 100 degrees. The deadly heat burns every vestige of vegetation. The Spanish bayonet, a WATER COOLER USED IN DEATH VALLEY. plant that flourishes under the most arid conditions, here barely survives, while the mesquite, with its long roots penetrating deep into the earth in search of scanty moisture, just man ages to exist. A party of enterprising agricultur ists once experimented with growing fruit and vegetables in this region, an ticipating large profits in the early marketing of their crops. The attempt was a complete failure, the inten: • heat withering the plants, notwith standing copious supplies of water and the most, skillful cultivation. Iu the higher altitudes of the Panamints there are numerous valleys with flow ing streams. In these fruits are culti vated, and reach the market two months before the California products mature. The prevailing winds in Death Val ley are from the west. Though origin ating in the Pacific Ocean and satu rated with humidity in traveling the in termediate distance, they are inter cepted by the lofty peaks of four ranges of mountains, which absorb all of their moisture, so that by the time they reach the valley all humidity has disappeared, and no living tiling can survive the intense heat. Even birds, indigenous to the region, die. It is in the months of greatest heat !ll§l§Si|ifJiPll :'s*&£ - • * -o BORATE MINES IN DEATH VALLEY. that the sand storms of Death Vallty are most deadly. Theu rage with In tense fury, obliterating the landscape and dimming the light of the sun. withering the scanty vegetation and covering the trails deep in powdered dust. At all times the aspect of the valley is superlatively desolate. No spot on earth surpasses It in aridity or tophet-like heat. During the heated term an hour without water means death. Meat be comes putrid in an hour. Eggs are cooked in the blistering sand. Water is only palatable by means of large po rous earthenware jars, common to all - hot countries, suspended in drafts and reduced in temperature by means of the rapid evaporation of the moisture from the outside. The belief that the borax marshes are the remains of the vast lake which once filled the valley is supported by traces of water-line found 000 feet above, on the mountain sides. In general appenranee all borax marshes are alike. They are located Bisk . ... 4 "'if* .' SPANISH BAYONET PLANT, DEATH VALLEY at the point of greatest depression and from a distance look like deposits of salt or snow. Under the surface is common wot clay or water of varying depths. " deposits are generally circular in form and appear as though once they were crat rs. Borax WHS J created by contact of boraclc acid in gase"" 0- form, with the lime and soda of the surface. A'. Teels Marsh, Ne vada, borate of lime appears in tha form of balls imbedded iu clay along with soda, salt, etc., but at Columbus these are found in sandy soil. Some times these LaJls are lecomposed, un derlying the soil which is removed, and the borate shoveled out. Deposits of crude borate of soda are found in Nevada and in Death Valley, at the Monte Blanco mines. These mines are THE CRYSTALLIZED BORAX ON THE RODS. located in a region the most forbid ding, remote from the railroad and of fering almost unsurmountable difficul ties in the redufrtion and marketing of their product, but their richness and extent, compared to all' other fields, soon c;.used them to be regarded as the principal source of supply for the -future production of borax in the Uni ted States. The works employ from 400 to 1000 men. The crude borate of lime is first passed through rock breakers and is then ground to the fineness of flour by means of rolls and ourr stones. It is tnen, with a small proportion of car bonate of soda, thrown Into a digester, where under heat, pressure and agita tion the existing affinities are com- pletely divorced. The carbonic acid unites with the lime, which yields bo raclc acid, the latter with a small por tion of soda und the result is borax In solution. The liquor is then drawn off Into tanks, where the borax in crystal lizing attaches itself to small steel rods and hooks Altogether like great sticks of rock candy. The sediment contained in the mixing tanks is com- posed largely of sand and dirt with considerable borax mixed. The de posit is passed through a Alter press, which presses the dirt and allows the borax liquor to pass away to be util ized again. Repeated over and over agatn, the last remnant of borax is finally secured by this process. A Very Successful Venture. An abnormally generous womt • went to Europe last su lmer, leaving her liorser; in entire .'.large of her coachman. The coachman, of a prac tical turn of mind and with his mis trsss's -'ull consent, turned a pretty jienuv by renting the teams out. Be- iong she had a letter from him— would sin object 10 his setting up a hearse? There was a great demand for something of the sort, new and smart, in the to v. n, and he knew of such a nice hearse to l>e had at half price: if she wouldn't mind his putting her horses to it, his fortune would be made. The abnormally generous wom an wrote back that she was perfectly willing. A few weeks 1.-.ter she was rewarded by a letter from the coach man saying that the hearse, as run by her horses was the greatest suc cess; "people are just dying to get into It,"he added.—New York Sun. Father's Horrible Discovery. While trying to save George Denl son, an eight-year-old companion, from drowning in the Floyd River at Sioux City, lowa, George Lewis, aged thir teen, was also dragged down and died with his friend. Deuisou was bathing in the stream, and was supposedly seized with a cramp. Lewis plunged in after him when he called for help. At first it was not known who the lads were, and the father of Lewis offered to dive for the bodies. He first brought up Deuison, and on diving a second time rosewitli his own son in his i.rms. He was nearly crazed with grief when he recognized his child.—Ciuciuuati Enquirer. Where the Y. P. S. C. K. Will Meet. The Young People's Society of Chris tian Endeavor opens soon a world's session in London, r.nd will hold its convention in the Alexandra Palace, which resembles the Madison Square Garden, New York City. The palace is just beyond the out skirts of London proper and lias a ca pacity for lodging and boarding 5000 Endeavorers, as well as giving ample room for their meetings. The banquet hall of the palace will be divided off into dormitories, enough of them to hold 121)0 young women. This ar- Ilk ' ~ ALEXANDRA PALACE. rangement left 3800 young men to be cared for, but 800 tents have been pro vided for them, and .uey will occupy these, five to a canvas. The kitchen of the palace is large enough to prepare food for 2500 per sons, who can sit down at one time in the dining hall and be served. All En deavorers not provided for in the pal ace will have accommodations seeured for tliem In near-by private houses and hotels. It has been settled that all vis itors will pay their own expenses. The total number of delegates ex pected in London is iiO.ooo, of whico 8000 come from America. The dele gaten represent a membership of 4,000,- 000 Endeavorers, scattered all over the world. Euy to Pick the Winner. They made a wager as to wlilcn could give a story the widest circula tion in the shortest time. One of tnern had it manifolded oa the typewriter and sent it to every newspaper In the town. The other merely told It to his wife "in strict confidence." A UNIVERSAL CONSIDERATION. Wh< n the day Is dull and busy and tfie air la /■ill of noise We dream of prospects fair and tar away, Some place vrtiere ail the sweetness atd the blooming never cloys And the siluut hours go drifting day by day. But a voice—'tis much like conscienae— speaks In most empbaiic t ne And awakens us anew to discontents. It interrupts the dreaming and bids all our hopes be flown With --How about the dollars and the cents'/" Ob, the king sat sadly musing of the won drous good ne'd do When he somehow gut bis royal way at lust, And the jester vowed he'd wear a garb which all the world would view With deep respeot. The motley far he'd cast. And the tradesman said he'd be a man of line and s udlous mien, And tbe scholar said he'd follow chosen bents; But they alt were set to plodding through the old familiar scene By "How about the dollars and the cents.'" —Washington Star. HUMOROUS. Angry Father—How dare yon snow your face again? Persistent Suitor— I could not leave it at home. "The undertaker Is very Jolly tnis morning.''' "Yes. Three hundred new doctors were graduated last night." Stubb—What became of the play, "Down with Titled Peers?" Penn— The playwright has sued for more roy alty. Tommy—Pop, what's a martyr? Tommy's Pop—A martyr, my son, is a man who lives up to his wife's expecta tions of him. "That's the way," cried the forger, as sentence of ten years was imposed, "alPof us great writers are compelled to suffer for giving full freedom to our art." "Alas!" cried the villain as he drew his sword with trembling hands. "I am undone!" "Then," replied the hero, allow me to do you up without delay." "I'd die for you!" the lover cried. While lines of grb'f played round his brow. "You needn't mind." the girl replied; "I know too many dead ones now !" He—After the encouragement you have given me, it is rude to decline my Oi*'er. She—Perhaps It is; but I'm sure that my acceptance of your offer would also be rued. "Why do they keep you here?" asked the prison visitor. "Oh!" replied tlit' man who had burned down his resi dence to get the insurance, "for home consumption, I suppose." Blobbs—Newlywed seemed greatly depressed just after his marriage; but lie's now qnite his old self again. Slobbs—Yes: he has persuaded his wife that it is cheaper to take theli meals out. "1 trust." remarked the eonslderata young man, "that my whistling doe» not annoy you." "Oh. 110," returned the dapper maid. "I'm used to hear ing men whistle. I'm the collector tot a millinery firm." Don't say the tra:np will never work, But liv»-s upon his stealings; One mighty ia<k he'll never .shirk— That's working on our feelings. The small boy wriggled under the circus tent. "Say, fellows," he . chuckled, "I feel like a yacht making the homeward run." "How's that?" in quired his associates. "Goingin undet full canvas;" and then lie disappeared. "I never tell my boy that 1 won't take him to the circus if lie Isn't good," remarked the candid man. "Why not?" "I don't want to take any chances. I'm afraid he'll do some thing that will keep the wiioie lainlly home." Mr. .Tllstjollied—What 011 earth are jU trying to do? .Mrs. J ustjotneel—l was reading about cooking by eleej triclty, so I liting the chops 011 the electric bell, and I've lieen pushing the button for half an hour, but 11 docs not seem to work. Tlie Ostrlcl' Runter. \ .nan of the Mldgans had his dwell ing near our camp, and was occupied specially in hunting, who was named Boni. He dwelt in a small zariba. 11 few 3'ards in diameter, its roof being the heavens above, while its walls were made of thorns thickly piled up to a considerable height. Being without family he lived alone with a single camel, which carried a stock ot water froiu Aware, lo miles way, every two or three weeks, this camel and a tame ostrich forming his whole property. He employed the ostrich, which he caught win;: a chick and tamed, to decoy Ills wild brethren, whose valuable plumes lie devoted himself specially to obtaining. His mode of capture was somewhat after this style: In spots visited by these gigantic birds lie was accustomed to place himself in concealment before daylight and let loose his tame ostrich 111 the jungle, un meeting its wild relatives the latter would join, and when all were feeding In company it would generally bring them to the place where the Midgau lay waiting for his victim. I luid not an opportunity of seeing the plan in execution, but Boni himself explained all, at the same time showing us Ills tame ostrich. Previous to our visit Boni had never beheld a white man in his life, and he looked at uv with cu riosity, wondering at various trifles we showed him, and marveling at our weapons anil the method of using them. —"Sport In Somnliland," by Couu Joseph Polacki. A 1-iternr.v Failure. Mr. Sluunner—Your story Is not a plausible one. Talking Forager (anxiously)— D'ye t'ink I'm stuck, mister? I payed fete de poet two dollars fer wrltin' uie dut string of talk!— Brooklyn Life. MACHINE FOR HANDLING tCGS. Interesting Device For Picking Tliem la Crate*. Egg crates, with their pasteboard partitions for each egg, are usually packed by expert hand-packers, and the device here pictured is intended to facilitate this operation. It consists of a wooden tray to which are at tached paral.el wooden strips of semi circular section, running in the direc tion of its length, the whole being cov ered with cloth. This t-a. is placed TOR TACKIKO EGO CRATE 3. on an iron stand, fitted with wooden •oilers, and is adjustaole to any height. The eggs are placed In the tray, which must be rocked occasionally, causing the eggs to dovetail into the corruga tions in perfect order. When the tray is full it is removed to the case into which the eggs are delivered by tilting the tray and drawing it gently from jne end to the other. By this means the eggs are delivered into the case in symmetrical order in such a man ier that breakages are reduced to a minimum. Chinene ]>re*«mak*r«. The sewing, as well as dressmaking, 's all done by men tailors in China. I'here are many amusing stories told >f them as copyists of the American's .vay of making up garments. A friend nad need of a dozen undergarments. \s she came over 011 shipboard a but on was lost, and an exceedingly clum sy and ugly one replaced the lost one, villch was of pearl. On reaching Shanghai she desired a tailor to copy 'rom this garment, which was placed n Ills hands as a model. He brought jack the garments, exquisite creations 11 lace and tucked muslin, and each >l' the dozen adorned with a button exactly like the one on the sample jaraient. Upon having his attention •ailed to the ugly button his reply was. 'Likee Missy," anil lie was greatly dis ippointedthut his efforts to please were lot appreciated. He had spent many uours in search for ' - likee" buttons, ind 110 doubt was greatly disgusted »vitli the unreasonableness of the for ;lp.n laily.—Woman's Home Compan-' ou. NerfM »< Klertrlcnl Conductors. It lias been believed for some time hat nerve sensations are electrical in character. It is known at least that Human nerves are electrical conduct ors. and that they conduct differently according to the direction in which :ne electric current passes along the nerve. If a current is passed along a nerve away from the nerve centfe, contraction of the muscle follows. If the current is passed in the oppositu llrection then there is little or no con traction. Longest Sentence. j Teacher—"How many of my schol | irs can remember the longest sentence j hey ever read?" i Billy—"Pleas \ mum, I can."' | Teacher—"Wliat! Is there only one? ; Well. William, you can tell the rest i )f the scholars the longest sentence | »*ou ever read." j Billy—"lmprisonment for life.' liemarkable Quartet. I The tallest man in Europe is Oscar j Balling, who is only twenty-three ! old and measures eight feet two I nohes. Frauleln See-hen, the second I curiosity, is the oldest daughter of a Chinaman, who married a German woman in Lerlin. She is well pro portioned, and is only an inch shorter EUROPE'S TALLEST AND SHORTEST PEO PLE. than Oscar. A ludicro ■ contrast is the Norwegian dwarf, Oie Olsen, w • tenderly nurses a full beard and is forty years old and not quite three ln ln height. The fourth member of the troupe is little Willie Wendt, six teen years old, a Persian, who is two feet eight Inches tall. The qeartet exhibit together. THE GREAT DESTROYER. SOME STARTLINC FACTS ABOUT THE VICE OF INTEMPERANCE. I Rob a Poor Man of nil Beer Th« Allegation Tliat Alcoliol Is ■ Food Wbltli Does No Harm Shown to U« ■ Fallacy by Scientific Investigators. What! rob a poor man of his beer And give him good victuals instead? Your heart's very hard, sir, I fear, Or at least you are soft in the head. What! rob a poor man of his mug And give him a house of his own, With kitchen and parlor so snug? Tia enough to draw tears from a stone! What! rob a poor man of his glass, And teach him how to read and write? What! save him from being an ass? 'Tia nothing but malice and spite! What! rob a poor man of his ale And prevent him from beating his wife. From being locked up in a jail. With penal employment for life? What! rob a poor man of his beer And keep him from starving his child? It makes one feel dreadfully queer; And I'll thank you to draw it more mild Professor Atwater Confuted. Professor Atwater, or those who have spoken for him, have declared that one and one-half to two ounces of alcohol, taken in divided doses during the day are oxidized, _ and "seem" to do no harm. The subjects of his experiments were adult males, some of whom were accus tomed and some not accustomed to drink ing some kind of alcoholic beverage. It is further stated that those experimented upon were not under observation, in an experimental way, long enough to deter mine what might have been tne result of imbibing this amount of alcohol for a long time. The fact to which attention should be called is that no definite measures were instituted to determine whether the or ganism at all suffered in its functions by the taking of these small dailv quantities of alcohol. It will not satisfy the earnest investigator to be told that tfiey "seemed" to do no harm, nor need he content him self with this answer. Others have deter mined that, arriving at definite results. Dr. Herman Frey, in Sahli's clinic, in Berne, Switzerland, in 1896, undertook to determine the effects of small quantities of alcohol upon muscular work. We can not, within the limits of this article, give '.heae experiments in detail. Suffice it to •say that they were carried out with the utmost care and all apparent sources of error eliminated. Alcouol was given in tie form of cherry brandy, cognac, wine, beer and diluted water, not more than one and one-fourth to two drachms, or live to ten grams of alcohol being adminis tered at one dose. The strengtn of the muscular contractions was measured by Mosso's crgograph. As a resuu of his ex periments Dr. Irey found that alcohol in these quantities decreased both the ■strength of the individual contractions and tlie amount of work which the muscle was capable of doing before being fatigued, in some cases the decrease amounting to nearly fifty per cent. Of many experi ments these were only two which did not show this result, and these, the experi menter thinks, were influenced by sug gestion, as they were hysterical subjects. Concerning the effects of alcohol upon nental processes we have only to recall the work of Kraeplin and his co-laborers. These' eminent and careful investigators, ifter many experiments, 1350 in one group, announced without reservation that "all the intellectual functions examined suf "ered a marked depression after the inges :ion of small, moderate and large doses of ilcohol, and this depression makes its ap pearance immediately after the alcohol has been ingested." Among the mental processes tested were the uower to add figures and to commit to memory. In :hese there was a constantly decreasing power with the continued ingestion of al cohol, followed by an immediate rise when the alcohol was withdrawn. Nor should •t be forgotten that the quantity used was ;xactly that which Professor Atwater and Dthers say seemed to do no harm. As to the heat producing power of al .•ohol that is another fallacy; tor, in spite if the fact that really more heat is pro duced in the body by the oxidation of al :ohol, the heat radiation by reason of the dilatation of the periphery vessels is in :reased in a still greater degree, and the sum total of the effects is an actual de crease of bodily temperature. Let any one consider these facts, which have been established by the most care ful possible methods anil with mathemati cal precision, and lie must deny in toto that alcohol deserves a place in the list •if carbohydrate or any other class of : oods.—New York Independent. A Study In Iteer. There lies dead in Bellevue Hospital :i nan whose intemperance killed him at the ige of forty-three. For many years before lis death life must have been a burden to lim, for he was forced to carry about 4£ pounds of flesh, mostly diseased. It is not said that he was a drunkard, but as for that there are different degrees af drunkenness. There is the man mad with drink, the drivelling idiot inclined to ■amblins philosophy and incoherent friend liness, uie babbling enthusiast, the insen sate Inarticulate joker, the dull sleeper. Amend drank prodigious nuantities of beer and acquired cirrhosis of the liver. As he lay dying all that his drowned-out intellect could amuse or interest itself with was a calculation of the amount of lieer consumed by him during the twenty ive years that he had driven a beer wagon. This, he said, was seven quarts a day, 2-555 quarts a year, 63.875 quarts for the twentv ive years. What a vision of bestiality! Nearly 500 pounds of beer-wrought flesh, with a trembling spark of intelligence hidden away among its masses of fat. and it the end. after long confinement in the nospital had reduced this mass to less than 200 pounds, the partially released but still stupefied spirit could only busy itself with the waves of beer under which it had been submersed for a quarter of a century.— New York World. Clvl lllnc Africa. The civilization of Alrica goes on apace. A British steamer sailed from Hamburg i few days ago with 10<>0 tons of spirits on board for Lagos and Southern Nigeria. Another steamer, sailing from the same port, carried double that quantity. The spirits consisted of bad gin and worse rum. and the trade is principally in the hand 3 of a few bij English and Germar firms. An liifldloua Foe. Drunkenness entraps the bread-winner of the household and robs him of his wages, his strength, his character and his emplo ment. It robs the wife of the lovt and protection pledged to her at the altar. It takes from the children the care and affection of a father. It steals from every member shelter, foou, clothing and an honorable name. The Crnsade In llrlef. British officers say that the total ab stainer is the better fighting man. More deaths are due in England to all roholism than to diphtheria or typhoid fever. There arc 740 saloons in the First Ward of Chicago, and in one section there are twenty in one block. The Sons of Temperance, an English so ciety, has an adult membership of 42,775, a gain for the year of 2309. Railroad companies in Ohio are forbid den under penalty of S2OO to employ loco motive engineers who are addicted to i drinJ:ino
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers