The Somerset County star. (Salisbury [i.e. Elk Lick], Pa.) 1891-1929, April 29, 1909, Image 6

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    THE WIDENING HORIZON.
% Just out yonder,” the youth declares,
“T have seen where the earth and the heavens meet.
"Tis a long, slight line, and the one who dares
May cross it with confidence complete.
‘And some day I'll build me a swift-winged boat
And I'll speed to the land of the golden glow,
Where the twilight landscapes shine and float
And comfort the dreamer here below.”
“ ’Pjs not far distant,” the man eries out,
“The time when peace shall maintain its sway
In this world that struggles ‘mid storm and doubt—
The journey is such a little way!
We will swiftly speed on the wings of thought
To the glories opened before our view!”
‘And the man forgot as he smiled and wrought
The hope of his youth
that had ne'er eof, yrus,
e Washington Star.
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BATTLE IN MIDAIR.
Wyoming Man
Fight With an Eagle.
Has a Thrilling
e—@ &
WHE
Swinging like a pendulum at the
end of a two-hundred-and-fifty-foot
rope against the side of a five-hun-
dred-foot cliff, with jagged rocks far
below and nothing but one bare hand
with which to fight off the fierce on-
slaught of an immense eagle whose
nest he was attempting to rob—this
was the awful predicament in which
‘Arthur Williams, a young man of
Riverton, Wyo., found himself one
‘day early in June last year. With
the welfare of her nestlings at stake,
the great bird attacked the despoiler
of her home with inconceivable fury
and only to a lucky chance does Will-
ams owe his life.
Riverton is a new town on that
portion of the Cheyenne and Arapa-
hoe Indian reservation which was
opened to settlement last year, and
ifn the country thereabouts mountain
lions, timber wolves, coyotes, eagles,
bears, ete., can be found.
Before the Indian reservation was
formally opened to the whites for set-
tlement the flockmasters were per-
mitted to graze their sheep over the
country, and ~it gradually became
known among the sheepmen that over
in Lost Well Canyon there were a
pair of eagles who made a specialty
of devouring young lambs. Try- as
they might, however, the shepherds
were unable to get a shot at either of
these great birds, and for several
years they were the terrors of the
district.
Hunters with their Winchesters
often lay in wait for the big birds,
hoping to get a shot at them, but
with the proverbial keen eyesight of
such creatures, the eables detected
the nimrods and never came within
gunshot when the nest was being
watched.
During the spring of 1908 the two
old eagles were more successful than
ever in raiding the flocks of the
sheepmen, and accordingly a special
effort was made to exterminate them.
To that effort Arthur Williams owes
the appalling adventure which befell
him.
Williams and two friends made a
trip out to Lost Well Canyon to in-
vestigate the chances of trapping the
eagles in their nest. A ride of eight
miles over rough mountain trails
brought them to the canyon, half way
up the perpendicular side of which
they saw the horizontal cleft in which
the wise old birds had built their
nest. At the foot of the cliff directly
under the cleft was a pile of bones—
the remains of lambs thrown out of
the nest by the eagles after they had
been picked clean.
“We ain't any nearer that nest
down here than when we were at
home,” remarked Williams to his
comrades. ‘‘Nothing but a balloon
or an airship can help us from down
here. Let us go up to the top of the
cliff and see what we can do from
there.”
For two hours the three young men
struggled to reach the top of' the
mountain. A wide detour was neces-
sary, but at last this was accom-
plished and they stood on the brink
!
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Smile
2
of the cliff, half way down which the
eagles’ nest had been built.
“There’s nothing to be done from
here, either,” said one of the men
despondently. ' “We might just as
well go back home; we shall never
reach that nest.”
While the men stood and talked
from far down below them there rose
the shrill, piping cry of young birds.
“Young ones!” said Williams. I
wish we-could get them alive; they
would be worth money to us.”
“No use’ to bother; you’ll have to
THE MAN WHO
Story Which Had a Lasting Effect on a
GAVE HIMSELF
Great
Business Man’s Life.
Sentiment and business are not
such strangers as one might at first
think. The following tale, taken
from the World’s Work, was told by
a man of affairs, who handles mill-
jons of dollars every year. The les-
son of the story had been a lasting in-
fluence in this business man’s life.
The two boys concerded in the narra-
tive were his college classmates.
One of them was a farmhand, a big,
brawny, slow chap who had made up
his mind years before to get out of
the day laborer class. He had saved
for a long time; and the local minis-
ter had helped him along with his
fessons and coached him for college.
Finally, with a few hundred hard-
saved dollars, he had taken the en-
trance examinations and been ad-
mitted. I never saw a man with a
more stubborn resolve to lift him-
self a peg or two. He knew his limi-
tations, and didn’t aim too high, but
he was determined to get along, to
be, say, a lawyer in a country town;
and the path seemed open before
him, although his mental slowness
and lack of early advantages meant
that it would take him twice as long
as it would a clever youngster.
His roommate was the son of a
country doctor, his very antithesis,
clever and quick, easily the head of
his class, who had been brought up
in substantial comfort, with no
thought on the boy’s part where the
money came from.
The two became fast friends. The
doctor’s son used to help the other
with his studies, and the ex-farm-
hand looked up to his superior quick-
ness with a sort of awed admiration
which was pathetic to see.
One day, about the end of the first
year, the doctor’s son received a let-
ter from home. His father had died
cumbed to the shock a few hours
later. It presently turned out that
the father had had nothing except a
good income from practice; so the
boy was left high and dry.
He had long talks with his chum
about the matter and told him that it
was evidently all up, so far as his ca-
reer was concerned; he had not the
stamina which would enable him to
earn his own living while going
through college, and he accepted the
event as meaning that he would be
side-tracked for the rest of his life.
Shortly he had to return home to set-
tle up some family affairs.
A few days later he received a let-
ter from his roommate, which ran
something as follows:
“Dear Jack. I've been thinking
things over. There’s no possible
question that you’ll get more out of
a college course than I could. You’ll
surely make a mark in the world. I
can never be more than a fourth-rate
lawyer. Economically considered,
therefore, to educate me and leave
you out is reckless extravagance.
“I enclose a check for the amount
I’ve saved, which was to give me my
course. This will see you through,
with strict economy.
“Of course, I know you won’t want
to do this; but I’ve thought it all out,
and it’s the plain common sense of
the situation. Moreover, I shall dis-
appear by the time you receive this,
and nobody will know where I am.
So you couldn’t return the check,
anyhow.
“Good-by and good luck.”
The doctor’s son took his college
course, and is doing very well to-day;
and he has never seen his friend
since.
It is possible that he got more out
of a college course than his friend
might have got. Whether he will get
guddewly, and his mother had suc-
more out of life is another question.
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And when you smile
Another smiles,
And soon there are miles
And miles
Of smiles,
And life's worth while
Because you smile
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take it out in wishing,” said the third.
member of the party. ‘Come on,
let’s go home.” ‘
“All right. I'll go home now, but
I'm coming back to-morrow after
those birds,” said ‘Williams.
The next day found the three
young men back at the cliff. They
had mapped out a scheme whereby
they hoped to get the young birds,
anda had brought with them 750 feet
of stout rope, far more than enough
to reach them from the top of the
cliff down to the bottom of the can-
To make quite sure of this,
however, they first lowered the rope
weighted with a stone down the face
of the rock and saw that while there
yet remained a big coil at their feet
the weighted end of the rope rested
on the floor of the canyon.
Then the rope was hauled back and
a tight loop made in one end. This
was paid out over the edge of the
cliff until it hung directly in front of
the eagles’ nest. The other end of
the rope was hitched around a con-
venient tree.
, During all this time the men kept
close watch for the old eagles, but
saw nothing of them.
“Off hunting lambs, I suppose,”
said one of the young fellows.
Then Williams stepped forward,
laid hold of the rope and quickly dis-
appeared over the side, sliding down-
ward, using one leg, around which
the line was wrapped, as a brake to
keep himself from going too fast.
Across his shoulders w lung a
stout bag in which he intended plac-
ing the little eagles when he secured
them. In one hand he carried a stout
stick for use in an emergency; the
other hand grasped the rope.
Down, down he went, until just in
front of the eyrie. Then he slipped
one leg through the loop at the end
of the cord and turned to look into
4
yon.
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the dark hole, where he could here
the eaglets ‘‘talking.”
Slowly he swung around, bracing
his foot against the rocky wall until
he faced the cleft and could give his
attention to the nest.
Suddenly, screaming wildly with
rage and fright, out from the dark
cleft came the old mother bird. Like
a stone from a catapult she flung ser-
self dt Williams’ face.
Dismayed by the suddenness of the
attack, Williams recoiled, his foot
slipped from the wall, and his body
spun around and out of reach as the
huge bird went past him. He did not
escape altogether scratchless, for one
claw, life a knife blade, cut across
his cheek, and in an instant the blood
was flowing from a cut half an inch
deep.
Only a few yards did the old eagle
fly, then she wheeled and with the
speed of an arrow shot once more at
the man hanging at the end of the
rope before her nest. .
This time Williams braced himself
and with his stout stick ready in his
right hand awaited the onslaught of
the big bird. His left hand grasped
the rope.
The eagle struck Williams on the
head with her - wing and at the same
moment Williams lashed at the bird
with his stick. Such was the fury
and strength of the creature, how-
ever, that the stick flew from Will-
iams’ hand and went whirling
through space to the bottom of the
canyon far below. !
Pecking, clawing and striking
stunning blows with her terrible
wings, the big bird beat the air in
front of Williams’ face, holding her
position and tearing savagely at the
head and face of the would-be de-
spoiler of her home. Her screams
were incessant.
Meanwhile on top of the cliff there
was utter consternation. The attention
of one man was necessarily taken up
with the rope, and a slip on his part
meant instant death to Williams in
the way of a fall to the rocks at the
foot of the precipice. With a rifle
in his hand the other man watched
that nightmare fight in midair far
below him. He could not shoot with-
out endangering Williams even more
than the eagle.
Just then things were going very
badly with the nest robber. Blood
was flowing from a dozen cuts on his
head and face, his hand was lacer-
ated, the clothing about his shoul-
ders was cut in ribbons, Moreover he
was half stunned, and but for the
loop in the end of the rope would
have fallen to his death. He had no
time to give directions to his com-
rades and simply had to fight the bat-
=
tle out alone.
Presently the old bird darted away, |
preparing for another swoop at the
defenceless man. When she was ten
feet distant a rifle rang out from the
top of the cliff, and Williams knew
his' friends were doing what they
could. But the old bird did not fal-
ter for a moment, although a couple
of feathers from her terrible right
wing floated away in the wind. In
his haste to send a second bullet
downward the man with the rifle
managed to jam it, and with a de-
spairing cry threw the now useless
weapon to the ground.
The eagle returned to the attack
with even greater fury, and for a few
minutes Williams thought his last
moments had arrived. But still he
fought on, pulling. great handfuls of
feathers from the bird and beating
at her desperately with his bare fist,
receiving in return many cuts and
slashes as well as stunning blows
from the madly flapping wings. He
was almost ready to loose his hold on
the rope and go crashing down to the
bottom of the canyon, when the eagle
suddenly wheeled away for another
attack.
As she came back again, screaming
and beating the air, something the
size of Williams’ head struck her on
the back, and down she went like a
stone, whirling over and over. Will-
jams’ friend above had hurled a small
rock at the bird, and, luckily for Will-
jams, the boulder had struck her
fairly on the back between the im-
mense wings.
“Hold on tight and we’ll let you
down to the bottom!” sang out the
man at the top of the cliff, leaning
far over. Then Williams showed the
sterling stuff of which he was made.
Though bleeding from a dozen
wounds, breathless and exhausted, he
was still determined to fulfil his er-
rand.
“Hold me here until I get these lit-
tle birds,” he shouted feebly. “I
came after them, and I'm going to
have them.”
With that the plucky fellow
crawled back into the niche, put the
two little eaglets in his bag, thrust
his leg through the loop, grasped the
rope with both hands and was safely
lowered to the floor of the canyon.
Within a few feet of where he
landed lay the old mother eagle.
Williams: staggered over to her and
gave her a kick. To his amazement
she moved, stood up on her feet and
flew away.
One of Williams’ companions came
sliding down the rope and reached
him just as the injured man fainted
from loss of blood and excitement.
The punishment he had received was
terrible, but fortunately his eyes had
escaped injury. i
After casting off the rope the third
man made his way down the moun-
tain to where Williams and his friend
were. They managed to stop the flow
of blood, and between them got the
wounded man on his horse and
brought him to Riverton. Williams
spent several days in bed and covered
with bandages for two weeks, but re-
ceived no lasting injuries.
As souvenirs of his terrible fight
he has two little eagles and a dozen
or more big scars te show his friends.
—Wide World Magazine.
JAPAN'S OPIUM CRUSADE
iN FORMOSA.
~The Consul-General of Japan at
New York, Mr. K. Midzuno, in a read-
able article in the North American
Review, describes “Japan’s Crusade
on the Use of Opium in Formosa.”
When Japan, at the close of the
Chino-Japanese War, found herself
in possession of the Island of Formo-
sa, she discovered that she was con-
fronting a very serious problem. For
generations Chinese ‘inhabitants of
the island had been using opium; and
realizing the deleterious effect of the
drug upon the population, the Japan-
ese Government felt that something
had to be done to put an end to its
use. It would have been inhuman
to compel those who had been smok-
ing opium all their lives to discon-
tinue the habit. The Government de-
termined, therefore, that its effort
should be directed toward preventing
the advent of new recruits into the
ranks of the smokers, and it provid-
ed for the registration and the li-
censing of those who should be per-
mitted to use opium. The results
have been most gratifying, according
to Mr. Midzuno, and the prospect is
that the opium habit will disappear
entirely from the island upon the
gradual disappearance, in the course
of nature, of the older portion of the
population. Mr. Midzuno says:
“Ag statistics indicate, there are to-
day 127,000 opium smokers, in For-
mosa, and nearly, if not quite, all
are among the very aged, who have
been used to its effects for many
years. It is very seldom that new
converts to its use are found since
the introduction of the crusade.
“Not what to do but how to do it
is the question that confronts those
who would forever eliminate the ob-
noxious and the hurtful from For.
mosa. The present need is rigidly to
enforce registration, and to keep es-
tablished a license system for those
addicted to the use of opium, thereby
confining its use to those who could
not subsist without it. For the pres.
ent generation and those oncoming,
the superior advantages for the de-
velopment of a higher civilization
that are everywhere being gradually
introduced, aided by such precautions
as the so-called gradual prohibition
project involves, offer every assur-
ance, based upon definite facts, that
ere long the wretched habit of the
abuse of opium in the Island of For-
mess will ke a forgotien tradition.”
REASON FOR KILLING
Coroner's Jury Vindicates Altoona
Man Who Shot Russell in
His Home.
Altoona.—After hearing all the evi-
dence the coroner’s jury in the case
of J. T. Craig of this city, charged
with killing Edward Russell rendered
a verdict that “death was caused by
a gunshot wound fired from a revol-
ver in the hands of John E. Craig in
self defense and while protecting the
honor of his own home.” |,
A writ of habeas corpus was imme-
diately applied for by Craig’s counsel,
and without further hearing Judge
Bell released Craig on $2,000 for trial
at the next criminal court.
Craig, who is a locomotive fireman
on the Pennsylvania railroad, came
home unexpectedly Saturday night
and found his wife and Russell to-
gether. Russell sprang at Craig, and
in the fight which followed Craig shot
Russell. Craig says he fired in self-
defense. Mrs. Craig before her mar-
riage lived in Elmira, N. Y.
IGNORED BILL
Grand Jury Refuses to Indict York
Farmer on Woman's Evidence.
York.—The Keener murder case,
which caused widespread interest ear-
ly last winter, was disposed of when
the grand jury ignored the bill and
Keener was released from jail.
Keener was charged with murder-
ing an unknown man last summer
and disposed of the body by cutting
it up and burning the fragments.
The accusation was made by Lorena
Tauser, his housekeeper. Keener later
admitted the killing of a man. The
identity of the dead man was never
established.
HELD FOR U. 8S. COURT
Three Charged With Mailing “Black
Hand” Letters.
Erie.—Carl Panitzken, Joseph Costa
and Earl McBride, young men charged
with sending “Black Hand” letters to
Charles H. Strong, president of the
Erie & Pittsburg Railroad, were ar-
raigned before United States Commis-
sioner Harry L. Moore and held under
$1,000 bail each for trial at the July
term.
Assistant United States District At-
torney W. 'S. Williams of Pittsburg
had charge of the case. The prison-
ers are also facing a charge in the
county court. wr
TRAIN HITS BROTHERS
One Is Killed and the Other Probably
Fatally Hurt.
Washington.—Joseph and Constan-
tine Antono, brothers, were run down
by a Wabash train in a tunnel near
Hickory, Joseph being killed and the
other probably fatally hurt. The lat-
ter was taken to a Pittsburg hospital.
They had been employed at the Mc-
Gugin tunnel, two miles west of
Hickory. They were walking through
the tunnel toward Hickory when a
freight train overtook them.
Colonel Logan Accepts Honor.
Colonel Albert J. Logan commissary
‘| general on the staff of Governor Ed-
win S. Stuart, announced to the of-
ficers of the Eighteenth infantry that
he would accept the election to the
coloneley of the regiment, which they
had tendered him a few weeks ago.
As the commission of Colonel Frank I.
Rutledge expires on Wednesday, May
5, it is expected that orders will be
received from General John A. Wiley,
division commander, for the election
to be held on that -evening.
Pledged to Galbreath.
Butler.—Pledged to support the
candidacy of - Judge James M. Gal-
breath for the nomination for justice
of the supreme court, Attorney S. F.
Bowser of Butler, Dr. BE. C. Thomp-
son of West Liberty, and James W.
Fleming of Buffalo township an-
nounced as candidates for delegates
to the state Republican convention at
Harrisburg June 16. Butler,! Arm-
strong, Beaver and Lewrence coun-
ties have endorsed Judge Galbreath.
School Teacher Held for Trial. :
Butler. — Charged with aggrevated
assault and battery, James E. Gross-
man, a school teacher at Evans City,
was held for court before Justice Ja-
cob Keck. It is alleged Grossman,
while chastising E. E. Pfeifer, son of
D. W. Pfeifer, inflicted severe inju-
ries. During a scuffle the boy’s leg
was broken.
Cattle Quarantine Lifted.
Harrisburg.—The state live stock
sanitary board announced that the
quarantine of both state and federal
governments against Pennsylvania for
foot and mouth disease had been rais-
ed and that there were no restrictions
on movement of cattle, except upon
about 90 farms, on which the disease
had been found, and where observers
were at work.
New Castle.—Driving over the Mor-
avia street crossing of the Pittsburg
& Lake Erie railroad, Frank McNally,
25, and Ira Book, aged 30, were per-
haps fatally injured when a passen-
ger train struck their buggy.
Civil Service at Washington.
Washington.—AIll employes of Wash-
ington borough are to serve hereafter
under civil service rules. Council
+4 has accepted the report of a commit-
tee recommending adopting a civil
service for firemen, police, sewage dis-
posal employes and others drawing
pay from the borough.
Pittsburg—*“Guilty as indicted” was
the verdict rendered by the jury
against John and Charles Colbert,
brothers, charged with attempting to
bribe a juror prior to the councilmanic
graft trials last February.
PENNSYLVANIA
Interesting Items from All Sections of
the Keystone State.
PURE FOOD SUITS
Pittsburgers to Be Prosecuted Under
New Law.
Harrisburg.—Within 24 hours after
the final adjournment of the Legisla-
ture, which passed the law prohibiting
the sale of adulterated non-alcoholie
drinks, Dairy and Food Commissioner
Foust directed prosecutions to be em-
tered against three Pittsburg dealers
—one for white grape juice contain-
ing sulphites, one for moxie contain-
ing saccharine and one for ginger ale
containing salycilic acid.
Another Pittsburg prosecution or-
dered was for violation of the mew
lard act in selling a cottonseed pro-
duct as pure lard.
o
SCARLET FEVER EPIDEMIC
Board of Health Closes Bentleyville
Schools and Churches.
Washington.—By order: of the Bent-
leyville board of health the schools
and churches of that town have been
closed temporarily because of a
threatened epidemic of scarlet fever.
On April 11 Cora osier, daughter
of William Mosier, became violently
ill while ‘attending church and died
the following Wednesday.
There are at present four cases of
scarlet fever in the town.
SLIPPERY ROCK BOOMING,
Chamber of Commerce Formed to Pro-
mote Electric Line.
Butler.—A chamber of commerce
has been formed at Slippery Rock to
promote a new electric line to extend
from Grove City to Butler, through
Slippery Rock, to induce the Pennsylk
vania Company to build a branch into
the town and to establish a newspa-
per. The street railway has been
surveyed to Grove City and the pro-
moters say they have it financed.
The chamber of commerce officers
are: President, J. C. Kerr; first vice
president, J. BE. Stooops; second vice
president, W. H. Wilson; secretary,
C. P. Hawks; treasurer, O. K. Bing-
ham. )
PRISONER FULL OF NEEDLES
Man Awaiting Trial for Murder Tries
Unique Scheme.
cdi tha
Meadville.—John Cronin, a prisoner
awaiting trial for the murder of Har
ry Winters, has been trying to Kill
himself by punching his body full of
needles. It has been discovered that
he has pushed down seven ordinary
needles into his abdomen and one in
just below his heart, so close that the
lining was perforated. :
Poor Farm Short of Funds.
Indiana.—Poor Commissioner James
M. Marshall will go to Philadelphia
to urge upon the State board of char-
ities the need of an appropriation to
assist the Indiana county poor farm.
Insane patients whose relatives have
been inmates of the home since its
opening and the necessary cost has
been paid from the county poor fund,
causing a shortage for the proper
maintenance of other departments.
The State will be asked to appropri
ate $3,000. ;
1
Emery Awarded $5,000 - :
Butler.—A verdict for $5,000 was
returned in the case of Lewis Emery,
Jr., of Bradford, against the Eagle
Printing Company. Mr.Emery, Fu-
sion-Democratic candidate for gover-
nor in 1906, entered suit because of
publication in the Daily Eagle of a
speech of acceptance of Homer Castle,
Prohibition candidate for governor,
which contained allegations reflecting
on Mr. Emery’s integrity.
Wage Cut at Connellsville.
Connellsville.—Notices of a wage
reduction were posted at the Dunbar
furnace and Semet-Solvay plants.
Men working by the day at the fur
nace and on the coke ovens are cut
15 cents a day. Laborers, are cut
10 cents. The wages of all employes
paid by the month are cut seven and
one-half per cent. The daily work-
be time was reduced: two hours last
fall.
. Not Mrs. Boyle.
Sharon.—Attorney Thomas C. Coch-
ran, who is in charge of the Whitla
interested in the ‘Billy” Whitla abdue-
tion case, is confident he can prove
the prisoner known now as Mrs. Helen
Boyle is of wealthy parentage. He
declares any attempt of the woman
and James Boyle to prove themselves
legally married will be offset by evi-
dence he has obtained.
Washington.—A petition signed by
several hundred citizens in southern
Washington county was filed in court
praying that the old plank road ex-
tending from Washington to the
Grouse county line be paved with
rick. :
Washington.—It is estimated that
$10,000 damage was done to crops and
fruit trees in Washington county by
the storm. Trees and shrubbery were
stripped of blossoms and young crops
were ruined. Several oil and gas der-
ricks were blown down.
Water Tanks Burned.
West Newton. — Sparks from a
freight train on the Pittsburg & Lake
Erie railroad at Buena Vista, seven
miles north of here, destroyed. two
water tanks belonging to the railroad
and damaged its filtering plant. e
loss is $3,000. The West Newton fire
department extinguished the blaze.
Franklin.—Colonel George C. Rick-
ards of the Sixteenth regiment, N. @.
P., has issued an order providing for
the discharge of the hospital corps
| now located at Titusville and the re-
| eruiting of another in Oil City.