4
A QUAKRY OF VERDE.
ON ISLAND OF CATALIN A, OFF
CALIFOnNIA.
Wn Uel by ttie Imllnni Mntlo Houno
hold Utciulli from It null llnrtercil
Them for Onma nnd. Skint Sawlnp
runt Uilnblliheil.
(Special Letter.)
Tlio question whether we aro ad
vancing In the mechanical arts anil
great schemes of engineering is often
suggested when wo are confronted
with tho work of the ancients. The
pyramids aro tho most stupendous
works of man over contemplated, and
lliero appears to bo nothing now under
tho sun. Interest In Irrigation In tho
Bouthwest dawned within tho last
twenty years, yet In Arizona and New
Mexico thcro aro traces of a clvllza
tlon so old that tho mind falters In
following It baclc. Wo sec beds of
streams cut through miles of country,
even mountain ranges, and n maze of
Irrigation streams crossing and re
crosslng tho land, made unknown ages
In tho past years, so perfect from an
engineering standpoint that tho ex
perts of today aro emptying them of
tho sand and debris of centuries and
using them ns tho arteries that sAall
bring nrjr life to this fertile part of
SERPENTINE QUAHRY AND WELL.
what was tho old American desert.
Everywhere we follow In tho steps of
,tho ancients, and on tho Island of
Santa Catallna there Is an interesting
illustration of this.
When tho whites first visited south
ern California they fo.ind In use nmong
nil the mainland Indians richly shaped
ollas or mortars of steatite or serpen
tine, whilo scores of nrtlcles wero
formed of liner grades of tho same,
which experts have pronounced verdo
antique. In almost every grave ollas
jwero found, and hundreds had been
handed down and were In tho posses
sion of tho Mexican descendants,
of tho Indians. Thcro wero flat
stoneB, perforated to hang on pegs,
quaint ornaments, sculpturings of
(various animals and tally stones with
lines cut In them. One found by tlx
writer at Santa Cruz island on tho
breast of a skeleton bore fifty or more
straight marks which might have
been the man's age and were all that
could bo made out.
Verdo antlquo was valuable, and a
search was made for tho point of sup
ply. Finally Prof. Schumacher of tho
Smithsonian discovered it on Santa
Catallna island, which lies off south
ern California, In a locality named
Pott's valley, about fifteen mllc3 from
tho llttlo town of Avalon.
Prof. Schumacher found on this
Island a perfect treasure house and car
ried to the national museum hundreds
of objects representing the ancient Cal
ifornia Islanders. All the islands of
this group wero Inhabited by a hardy
ROUND SCARS INDICATE PLACES FROM WHICH OLLAS WERE BROK
EN BY THE INDIANS.
raco that had camps in every canyon
whoro there was water, and Santa
Catallna abounds In kitchen middens
and places whero theee peoplo lived.
That they wero a commercial raco Is
shown by the ollas made by them, and
they wero the merchants who supplied
tho races of southern California with
their pots and mortars or ollas.
Prof. Schumacher's attention wan at
tracted at Pott's valley by the remark
able rock where tho scars of ollas that
have been brokon off by tho Islanders
aro plainly seen. Tho rock Is a lofty
mass or steatite that lises in tho cen
ter of Pott's valley, now called Em
pire Landing. It Is a landmark from
a long distance at sea and Is over
grown with cactus and various klnda
of vegetation; Indeed, tho cactus hides
h largo portion of It an almost Im
pregnable chevaux de frlse. Tho scars
art circular and aro tho marks where
the round ollas wero broken off. The,
method of work was very primitive,
th natives having enly slate sad
quartz knives to work with. With
these rude Implements they carved
out an object the shapo of a cannon
ball and as large as a football. Grad
ually this was picked away until final
ly It hung by a narrow stem, which
was broken off. Tho inside was then
slowly dug out with the samo rudo
tools and in tlino tho olla acquired tho
smooth and often artistic form so
familiar In all tho museum collections.
The common shape U round, but lino
mortar shapes threo feet In height wer
not unusual.
Tho writer some weeks ago wont
over this old manufactory very care
fully and found It most Interesting.
Here was an aboriginal manufactory
an outdoor workshop In tho Im
mediate vicinity of which wero found
vcrdo antique Implements In various
stages from the olla just outlined to
tho one that had been broken off, leav
ing the scars In tho rock. In a word,
tho completo evolution of tho olla
could bo traced here, especially nt tho
head of Cottonwood canyon, back of
Pott's valley, whero vcrdo antlquo
crops out in ledges in every direction.
On many of these can bo seen tho work
of tho native carvers, while beneath
nro tho piles and hcup3 of chips as
they wero left centuries ngo.
Tho early Spanish navigators, Ca
brlllo and Vlscalno, who discovered
tho Island 300 years ago, described tho
flno canoes of tho natives. These,
laden with ollas, crossed the Santa
Catallna channel, nnd tho natives ex
changed them for game and Hklns not
found hero. The present owners of
tho Island, recognizing tho valuo of
tho stono for commerclul purposes,
havo followed out tho muto suggestion
of tho ancients by establishing nt Em
.plro Landing a sawing plant, opening
up a valuable qimrry and ono that Is
unique, It Is believed, having no pro
totypo at least In this country. Tho
verdo antlquo resembles soapstouo In
tho crude rock and would easily es
cape observation.
It is of different degrees of hardness,
nnd while en soft that It can bo read
ily worked, It baa great tensile
strength, its chief value being in tho
romarkablo manner in which it can
bo worked. Almost every pos3lblo ob
ject can bo mado from It from a boat
to a screw. A great vnluo lies In Its
Imltntlon when polished of tho darker
grades of marble; and owing to Its
cheapness nnd durability It is in de
mand among architects for mantels,
lining, electrical slabs and whero a
perfectly polished surface Is required
with tho strength of marble. The now
city hall of Los Angeles and many of
tho flno buildings In that city and San
Francisco nre finished In It, tho stono
taking a rich polish, nboundlng In
greens and yellows, Brays and bluck.
A visit to this quarry Is most In
teresting. Here, 800 or 000 feet above
tho sea, Is an claborato plant and a
scries of saws that aro capablo of cut
ting out hundreds of feet of verdo an-
tiquo a week. The rock is first bored
into with a steam rock drill, a modern
Improvement on tho flint chips of the
ancient owners of the soli. A series
of borings make It an easy matter to
break off tho slab, which Is then low
ered by a hugo crano upon a car, uin
dor tho saws and blocked for cutting.
Tho saw Is n gang saw with a blunt
Biirface and, worked by a steam on
glno, moves back and forth on the
edge of tho stone, not touching It but
cutting by tho grinding Into It of a
mass of steel shot, which aro really
tho teeth of tho saw. Tho rapidity
with which this Is accomplished Is
marvelous and largo slabs are cut with
case.
DeMli'Deallng Instrument.
Soapless Sam I seo dey'n been an
udder drownded In a bathtub, Petey.
Perambulating Pete Yep; say, dom
t'lngs is as dangerous as trolleys.
Philadelphia North American.
FIGHT THE FIIIE.
SEARCHLIGHT ON FIRE ENQINE
IN NEW YORK CITY.
To Alit tlm Firemen In Lighting Up
Dark lMncr.9 In Tnll Untitling That Aro
A II re It Is n 8uccei Aro Self HK-ulntlnc-
(New York Letter.)
Firo Chief Croker expresses himself
ns being greatly pleased with the
searchlight of tho Ln Franco engine,
an exhibition test of which was given
tho other night In New York, Many
other ofllclals of tho flro department
who wero present nlso spoko highly of
tho searchlight. Superintendent Louis
Dlvlen of tho La Franco company
worked tho searchlights. There wore
two of them nttnehed to tho engine.
Each of them was about eighteen
Inches ln diameter. They woro de
tachable and wero worked both on nud
off the engine. A small Insulated wlro
cablo was fastened to each light. In
front of the engine houso stands n
twelve-story building, and ono of the
searchlights was turned upon Its up
per stories. Tho light Illumined n cir
cular space about thirty feet In di
ameter. The light shot far nbovo tho
building, showing that It can easily bo
sent to tho top of any skyscraper ln tho
city. When thrown horizontally up
Mercer street tho searchlight Illumined
tho fronts of buildings n half-dozen
blocks nwny. Tho light penetrated tho
smoko from tho cnglno easily. Of
course, this smoko was not so dense
nB that which will bo encountered nt
many fires. The new cnglno has n
frnmo nnd running gear much like
those of tho ordinary flro engine. Tho
boiler Is 11 combination of nest tubes
and snnko flues. On tho frames ln
front of the boiler Is mounted n Forbe3
engine, light and compact. Directly
connected to tho cnglno Is a marine
typo multipolar generator, supplying
Blxty-flvo amperes of current nt a
pressure of eighty volts. This gener
ator is entirely Inclosed, making It im
possible for rain or flro streams to
reach tho armature. On each sldo of
tho driver's scat Is placed nn 18-lnch
projector, nnd tho scat folds over so
that tho projectors can swing through
a circle. They can also bo placed at
any vertical angle. Tho projectors are
supplied with deflecting glass fronts,
making It posslblo to cover n largo
nrca with tho light at short range, or
by using tho. plain glass fronts, nlso
supplied, tho light may bo thrown out
ln parallel rays to a great distance,
Tho lamps aro self-regulating, con-
f.umo thlrty-flvo umperes of current
each, and each gives an arc of C.000
randlo power. Uctwcen tho projecting
bases nnd under tho driver's sent, in n
nickel-plated brass box, aro two wlro
rheostats for regulating tho currents
ln tho lamps. Each lamp Is supplied
with an nmpcro meter. Tho dynamo
Is also supplied with a fireproof Field
rheostat and a volt meter.
WISHED HIMSELF POOR.
The MnrquU of Wncliuter ICnvleil
rial 11 John Smllli.
The marquis of Winchester, whose
name figures ln tho list of Transvaal
victims, was exceedingly popular with
his soldiers, writes 11 London corre
spondent. There was ono duty, how
ever, in connection with tho House
hold grlgado which ho positively de
tested, and many stories aro told of
tho marquis' stubborn protests ngnlnst
going on bank guard. The staff quar
ters assigned tho ofllcers ln Thread-
needle street were close and stuffy, nnd
the marquis Invariably left them with
a violent headache. Once when going
off duty ho said to tho sergeant: "This
Job always makes mo wish such a com
modlty as filthy lucro had never been
Invented. Then there would bo no
bank guard." "nut my dear lord,"
camo tho reply, "you wouldn't havo
had an Income of so many thousand a
year. That might not havo been very
pleasant, either."
"Oh, sergeant," rejoined the mnr-
quls, with a smile, "it Is not tho first
time ln my llfo that I have wished 1
had been born plain John Smith, with
out a slxpenco ln my pocket unless I
had earned It."
Nlmon'a Sock of Silk,
When tho clever Kansas congress
man, Jerry Simpson, mado hlu first ap
pearanco In tho houso there was much
curiosity ub to his appearance, for ho
had been heralded throughout tho
country as "SocklcBs Jerry." ' A New
York momber on being Introduced to
tho Knnsan, audaciously stooped and
drew up the leg of his trousers. Ho
saw black silk socks with a drop
Btltcn. "well, I'll bo hanged!" ox
clnlmed tho New York man, "how tho
world Is given to lying."
All Injuillcloiit root.
Nell Mad nt him I Why. ho wrnio
a lovely poem to her. Iiellc Yes, but
iha never read it. wnen she saw tho
title of It she tore tho whole thing up
In a nt or anger. You see he called
Unci on Mabel's Face.
It
JULIA MORRISON JAME9.
Julia Morrison James Is for tho pres
ent probably ono of tho best advertised
actresses ln tho country, owing to hor
acquittal at Chattnnoogn, Tenn., on tho
charge of murder. Sho shot nnd kilted
Frank Leiden, a momber of tho com
pany. Tho shooting took placo on tho
Etnge befors n largo audience, nnd pro
duced a great sensation. As developed
nt tho trial, Mrs. James seems to havo
been made despcrnto by tho Insults and
advances of Leiden, and while hor feel
ings wero thus worked upon sho did the
killing. The Jury took tho view of hor
counsol, that nt tho tlmo of tho shoot
ing Mrs. James wns suffering from
emotional Insanity. Tho verdict glvos
general satisfaction. Julia MorrlBon
James Is well known In tho theatrical
world, and her friends nnd acquain
tances In and near Now York city all
testify to her former good charactor
and her pleasant nnd agreeable dispo
sition. During her cross-examination
she stated that sho had no monoy with
which to hlro lawyers, but that her hus
band had money. Her husband has
accompanied her on her professional
tours since their marriage, and wns ln
tho city of Chattanooga nt tho tlmo of
tho shooting. Mrs. James concealed
JULIA MORRISON JAME3.
Leiden's actions from her husband as
far as possible, lest ho might kill hor
nnnoycr, but tho cvldenco seems to
show that tho two men woro cnomics.
WANTS A DECENT BURIAL.
Ono of tlm Urout Anxlrtlei nt tlm
II mil of n Chlneno llniiichnlil.
A sympathetic foreigner, rcconUy
writing to nn Amerlcnn newspaper,
bewailed tho hcartlcssness of Chinese
sons nud daughters who In tho parent's
lifetime prepare hlu coffin and blirouU
nnd openly tnlk with him of his do
mlse. Tho facta do not Justify tho
sympathy, for thcro can bo no truor
cvldenco of filial piety ln China than
for n child to present to his parent n
burial outfit. Let tho head of the
family bo assured by tho ludlspiitnblo
cvldenco of tho cotlln ln tho nuusu that
a rcspcctnblo burial will bo his, and
one of the greatest anxieties ot ills liro
is rcllcvod Tho collln Is proudly dis
played to each guest, tho lat'or novor
f.-.lling to add his testimony to tho
filial. P'f-ty of the younger generation.
The force of tho Irish bull thnt "hopes
you may llvo to cat tho ben that
scratches on your grave" la qulto lost
in China. It Is singular to note wlt'i
wlur. certainty a Chinaman who la old
or 111 will prepare for his doniM1; I'm
monition of coming fnto seem to enter
into his soul, nnd he sends word to his
relntlvea and rrlonds that ho Is about
to die what day can they como to his
funeral? If ho has not been forehand
ed enough to securo his burial outfit
thcro Is a groat commotion among tho
households till money Is collected for
tho coflln nnd nlso for feasting and
music, for a funeral Is a great social
event.
A MATHEMATICAL PRODIGY.
Arthur Griffith, the mathematical
prodigy of Kosciusko county, IsU., who
ARTHUR ORIFFITH,
astounded the members ot tho Ameri
can Psychological association at Yalo
recently with his Incredlblo miracles
of calculation, 1b only 10 years old. Ho
was ralscd'on an Indiana farm, and his
first manifestations of Intelligence wero
in tho way of notation. By tho
tlmo ho could talk young Grif
fith could count up to 1,600. Ho
counted tho "buzzes" of a planing
mill saw up to 0,573 In ono day, and
tho grains of corn he fed to tho chick
enB up to 42,173, Tho lad did not go
to school until ho wns 10 years old,
and then ho looked nt all his studios
with a mathematical eye. Geography
ho reduced to a mutter of miles and
feft, and history to questions or days,
hours aud minutes. His romarkablo
faculty for numbers attracted tho at
tention of Profs. Llndley and Bryan of
the Indiana Stato university, und It
was through those gentlomen that ho
was introduced to tho American' pty
chologlsts at Yale.
There Is no man whoso heart Is so
hard hut the love of God can break It
FIGHT TO THE HEATH
DESPERATE BATTLE BETWEEN
TWO HUQE GORILLAS
In the llrnrt of Afrlcn fur tho Foe
rlon ot Mnto Tho Thrilling
Scene Detcrlbeil by nn American
Trnrulei.
(Special Letter.)
An Amerlcnn traveler, Capt. Jack
Renton, who has spent somo tlmo In
Africa collecting animals for menag
eries, onco witnessed a fight between
two gorillas ln tho wilds of upper
Guinea that for foroclty has seldom
been equaled. Ono day whilo out ln
tho woods ho camo to n clearing, on tho
edgo of which ho saw a big male goril
la. On tho other sldo ot tho open space
was a female, nnd tho former wns evi
dently making court to hor. Tho male
gorilla, trying to attract tho attention
of tho fcmnlo by uncouth motions, wns
beginning to ndvnnco clumsily towards
hor, when suddenly a dull "boom,
boom" sounded from far awny In tho
forcBt. Up to that Instant tho mnlo
gorilla, whilo savngo looking, had giv
en no sign of being angry, but now nil
was changed. Ills hugo jaws shut to
gether with a snap. Then through tho
Bllcnco which had fallen on tho Jungle
when tho first sudden chnllongo was
heard camo a sharp bark, followed by
a deep humming sound. It wns tho
terrible battle call ot a full-grown go
rilla, tho cry sent out when ho Is about
to light to tho death for a mate. Sud
denly thore was n llttlo flurry at tho
left ond of tho clearing, and tho chal
lenger broko through tho bushes Into
plain sight. Ho wns worthy to do bat
tle with tho first giant. I could seo
ho waa a veteran, witli tho scars ot
many battles on him. Ilia big Hps
woro rolled "up In a grim snarl, show
ing broken teeth nnd great gaps, tho
result of former battles. Both gorll-
A FIGHT TO
las woro taller than tho avcrago man
as thoy stood on their hind feet for
battle, but their enormous breadth ot
chest and shoulders mndo them look
liko squatting, hairy giants. Nolthor
ot tho big animals wasted timo In pre
liminaries; they had worked them
selves up Into such nn Insanity of rago
that only killing would satisfy. Each
advanced on his hind legs until with
in six feet ot tho other. Then tho
younger gorilla began to light. Stop
ping forwnrd with marvelous quick
ness for such an ungainly nnlmal, ho
struck a flall-llko blow with his hugo
paws. Had tho blow gono homo, no
mero flesh nnd blood, not oven tho big
boned frnmo ot hla antagonist, could
havo withstood It. Hut tho old gorilla
had boen in too many death grapples
to bo caught so early ln tho fight. Even
as tho big arm swung around ho sprang
forward, coming in close so as to miss
tho full forco of tho swing. Tho noxt
instant ho had swung his own nrm
around tho younger gorilla's neck, en
circling It with four feet of steel mus
cles and holding his enemy's head stiff
upright, so that ho could not bring tho
terrible teeth into play. Thon tho old
gorilla oponod his heavy Jaws, and got
tlng a firm grip on tho right shoulder
ot tho younger gorilla, hold on Ilka n
bull dog, teaching his way through tho
knotted musclo and sinews and shoul
der blndo of his opponent. At tho snmo
tlmo tho loft nrm of tho old lighter
wrapped ltsolf about tho youngor goril
la In a rlb-brcaklng grip. It was only
for nn Instant, however, that things
looked so desperate for tho youngor
fighter. Tho first gorilla's splendid
fighting ability and tremendous
strongth showed thcmsolvcs. Whirling
up his loft nrm ho fastened his long
fingers about his antagonist's throat
nnd tried to break hla grip and nbovo
IiIb bond back. At first tho only effect
of this waa to mako tho old follow
tlghton hla grip on tho othcr'a shoul
der. Thon tho youngor gorilla put
forth all his strength. I could seo tho
muscles of his arms, shoulders and
back gather themselves Into big knots
and bunch up, as it thoy would broak
through tho skin. Tho murderous
doep-set oyos started forwnrd until
tkey wero lovel with tho cheek bones.
A, last desperate effort, and the bis
had went back, tho tightly closed
Jaws ot tho old gorilla toarjnp out
flesh and sinews as they woro shoved
away, but not un-grlpped. Then tho
old fighter's right arm slowly nnd re
luctantly uncoiled from tho other's
neck. Tho younger gorilla had brokon
tho death grip. Doth big fighters wero
momentarily free nnd stepped back to
regain brcnth and repair Injuries. Al
though wounded, It wns tho younger
gorilla that mado tho attack. Thin
tlmo ho did not waste nny efforts on
blows with his hugo paws. When
they had approached almost within
striking dlstanco tho younger of tho
fighters mado a rush, Ho received n
blow on tho head thnt would havo
crushed a man's skull. It scarcely
staggered him. Then both his long
nrms wrapped thomselvca about his
opponent's neck, nnd, holding his an
tagonist tightly clasped, ho began bit
ing with fierce energy, not a steady
grlp-bltlng blto, but furious, tearing
gnnshingB, which ripped skin nnd flesh'
from face and shoulders and chest. Tho
older gorilla was taken by surprise nt
this sudden rush nnd chnugo ot tactics
by his opponent. Hut though at n dis
advantage, ho waa too old a fighter to
bo easily dismayed. First, ho secured
n grip on his opponent's throat, nnd
straining every inusclo, tried to tear
himself freo from tho infuriated grasp
ot tho younger beast. Ho might ns
onolly broken n steel cablo as tho
strangling hold of his enrngod oppo
nent. Thon tho older fighter relaxed
his grip on tho other's throat.nnd plac
ing both his huinan-llko paws on tho
younger'a fnco, tried to force his head
bark. This brought out ft torriblo trinl
of strongth. It tho old gorilla could
forco tho othor's head back, ho would
bo freo nnd might perhaps break his
enemy's neck. Each ot tho hugo fight
ers seemed to show this and put forth
all of their giant strength. Hack,
Bhouldors, nrms nnd neck wero called
Into play, tho heavy musclcB rippling:
up nnd gathering Into big knots.
For whnt was probably halt a mln-
THE DEATH.
utc, but scorned ah hour, tho two semi
human Bhapes stood thcro putting
forth every cnorgy. At Inst tho young
er fighter's fnco was within two Inches
ot, his opponent's head. Tho youngor
gorilla inndo a supremo offort, twisted
his head Biiddonly ond before his op
ponent could dodgo had fastonod bin'
teoth in a death grip on tho throat of!
tho veteran fighter. Tho veteran was
borno backward, carrying his too down
with him. Unless ho could loosen tho
grip on his throat ho waa doomod, nnd!
tho old lighter know It. Over nnd ovor
on tho ground tho two hugo apes rolled,1
fighting desperately, hut without sound;
savo for tho shrill hissing of tholii
breath as It was forced from their)
heaving chests. Tho veteran of many i
hard-fought junglo battle know bin
own end had como. Up to this tlmd
tho battle had boen fought In silence;
but as tho old gorilla gtWo up' the 'con
test and felt tho tooth ot his antago
nist Blnklng deeper and deeper Into hid
throat, tho pain was greater than htf
could boar. Ho broko Into a wailing)
cry tiiat cchood through tho jungles.'
Again, and again tho cry rasa up nnrij
then Anally died out. Tho fierce, hard
fighting, hard biting younger gorilla
had been working hla way through hid
antagonist's throat and had nt last
bitten through tho wind plpo. Thc(
great light was over, and tho veteran;
of many similar contests had met tlm
fa to ho had motod out to othora. Tho)
Inst glimpso I hud of tho conquprQrj
was an, with tho glaro of battlo still In?
his eyeo and covered from head to foot'
with his own blood and thnt of his en
emy, he marched oft In triumph toward'
her for whom ho had fought so des
perately nnd so well.
Crime tn Now York In llenrenaliir.
A rcmurkablo fact to which attention
Is called ln tho report ot tho Stuto
Prison commission Is that tho number
of tho Inmates in prisons of Now York-'
stutp, has fallen In four yeura from,
12.CC1 to 10,'JCO, or over 19 per cent.
Thcro would seem some grctind, there
fore, for tho gratifying assumption
that crlmo Is diminishing.
In tho number ot locomotives tho
United States comes first with a total
of 30,74(5. Groat Britain cornea ntit
with 19.C02.
