Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The Loup City northwestern. (Loup City, Neb.) 189?-1917 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 28, 1898)
'wmmmmBBmmmmmmmmmaammmmmmmmmmmmu base Tall gossip. CURRENT NEWS AND COSSIP OF THE CAME. Lotbam ffi.nti lo Return to Playing In Faster Company—Favor* the Present Pitcher** Position—Ba»« Mall Is on Top. I Latham Want* Fa.ter Company. OU can't keep a good man down,” said the old friend of the Columbus fans, W. Arlington I^tham, the come dian of the dia mond, is a striking example of the old saying. When the "Dude” was cast aside by St. Louis In 1896 he turned down an offer from Columbus and went to Scranton in the Eastern League, where he pulled the manager's leg for a larger salary than he secured in the major league. Scran ton stood for this a short time, and then arranged it so Ariie could get away. Lntham Immediately boarded a train for Columbus, and, as the Sen ators were minus a third baseman, the "Dude” finished the season here. Last spring it was deemed wise to play Genins on third until McGarr was se cured, and Lutham drifted Mansfield in the Interstate league, where he played a fine first base, stole bases with im punity on the Hube catchers, and won many a game by his stick work. Lathnn escaped reserve and has been trying to better himself. He Is willing to umpire in the major league, accept the management of anything from the St. Louis Browns to the Crossland Blues, or play ball again, with a lean ing toward a position as first baseman. To Arthur Irwin, of the Toronto team, Latham has mentioned his qualifica tions as a first baseman, and Irwin is said to have decided to turn Jack Car ney down and give the "Dude” a chance, realizing what a drawing card tlie comedian would be. No Clis*njje Nfctlpd. Of lale there has been considerable agitation on the subject of shortening the pitching distance from its present utretch of 60.5 to 55 feet. To the big majority it seems as though there was nothing wrong with the present dis tance. Jt can not he said that the games of the last few years or since the pitching distance was increased to C0.5 feet-have been less interesting than those of previous years, when tho distance van not so great. It required some time for pitchers to become ac customed to the increased distance. When they did master it, games went c-n Just the same. We have had 1 to 0 * games In as large numbers recently as when the distance was 55 feet, and also as many games with big sc >res. The Increasing or decreasing of the dis tance seems to have had no effect on making the pitchers less effective. However, the decrease now contem plated would naturally increase the efficacy of the pitchers who are now accustomed to the 60.5 rubber. It would reduce batting to a minimum and not In any way Increase the sci ence of the game. Record pitchers would hail with joy a rule decreasing the pitching distance. The public, which likes scientific piay, with Just enough batting to allow of clever base running, would object to anything that would curtail batting, as does the pro posed shortening.—Cincinnati “Timc-; Star." Baltimore'* Center Fielder.' Jacob Stenzel, the gri at center Add er of the Baltimore Club, was born June 21, 1867, at Cincinnati, O. After playing with several local amateur teams, with considerable success, be, while yet in his minority, accepted an engagement with the Wheeling Club, of tho Ohio State, for the season of 1887. ills excellent work that year led to his re-engagement with the Wheel ing Club for the season of 1888, when JACOB STKNZKI. that Hub ».»» a »♦»'..r ■>( ihe Trl ■t*l» lJUW. I» ftriwl *.jj with Ih* Ci>: 4WU»I» Club .V tiiH |m *an ih.* **-«*.m »( |kN » ih ih* U.«l y*at<ii. Club. »>f th« T*» *» |..» Ur on hu»*k»f, b on. I.u..» Mb* I tba Chi-**■ » Ctu‘. of Ih - Natl -utl Uoacur *h*rn b* r> iiuin- .1 only a f»* o*nb», obon b« »»« nIniwI |n iv»i btnm-i »«nt not la lb* l*t. ifc Canal an4 Jbta*4 lb* M|«>fca*n Club of th« l**«ib» N«w<b**»i Ionian la I»>j BtObMl «m wnb lb* IVrOani Club ut lb* !*«*• I Ho North ami an4 ranhr-i 4m lb Ik* t » lal bait.a* •Mn|*« >*1 Ibal ornauatu.n in ib« Nil of that l**r b* »a* > *■•< I by Mb*b«*r H i< knftbn. * r «f |H‘« ban dob. Nr lb* ■*«* of lata, tin *»ob bbrt 4«rSa* ibai »• man i« 41 #teai»t«>oobl|> «*«**• **4 rank*4 but In lb* «•*<*! MIKbf •'* **■» Of >b» I National League. He remained with Pittsburg until 1896, when Baltimore secured him in a trade. He is a con sistent batsman and a valuable player. Rn*o Ball on Top. A pretty good expression this, com ing from the Pittsburg News, in which journal we find it sandwiched in an excellent article on base and football: •'Football and other variety of games in which a ball of some description figures may come In between Che base ball seasons to attract attention and physical energy, but the great national game is the thing after all, and there is no weather so cold or any winter so long that the Interest weakens. There is almost about as much inten sity about the games won and lost around the winter fires as in the cham pionship contests in mid-summer. The American spirit Is so strongly wound up in the game that nothing but extraneous causes will lessen the in terest In it.” Adherents to football can never hope to sec the sport dominate in this coun try. Unfortunately It is a game that cannot well be played In summer. That Is the time the people give their attention to clean, healthy sports al most as a regular diet; and they turn to baseball. Kuntace Newton. Six weeks ago the writer tried to locate pitcher Newton, the big left hander purchased from Norfolk, and sent a lettter to his old home at Hope, Ind. .no word came from him, how ever, until last Wednesday, when the young man wrote from Indianapolis, where he now resides, and sent along a photo of him. elf. In an inclosed note ho said: ".My career having been a short one, any notice of my work must also necessarily be brief. I began play ing hall at Moore's Hill, ind., in '93, pitching for the college team in that place. I then drifted over to the blue grass region the following season and pitched well enough for the Maysville independent team to be signed for Nor folk last spring. Of tny work there EUSTACE NEW TON. the recently published averages will .-how. I am not yet of age, weigh 180 pounds and stand an inch over b feet.” Newton’s brother is a physician, and It Is said Eustace himself is studying surgery.—Louisville Dispatch. Pointer* for Voting. When President Young, of the Na tional League, Is making up his staff of umpires, It would he well for him not to hew too close to the line of the resolution adopted at the fall meet ing to give the preference in appoint ment to old players. Thai resolution will act as a handicap to him in mak ing up his staff, for just the qualifica tions needed for a good umpire are those in which, in nine cases out of ten, an old player is lacking. Thus, the prime requisite of an umpire is good eyesight. Do the moguls, who in a commendable desire to help those who have grown gray in their service, realize that one of the (list signs of advancing years in a player is im paired eyesight? It Is that that makes a player of little use to his club, and, if he cannot bat, his failure in that direction being a primary cause hill 14 it tfi tut iiunnoiKicI «I. D he tan see anti quickly judge a fast play that Is being made? It Is ques tionable whether a ball player at any time makes a good umpire, hut cer tainly an old one would, In my opin ion, be of no more use than he would he to the team that last released him. The duties of an umpire are judicial, and yet how few players possess the breadth of mind, llrmncM\ agility, coldness to 111) such a rt ..poasihle po sition? Certainly very few new ones; equally << rtalu still a lei., number of old on.*- Philadelphia hedger." InUll Of All. Catcher Jack UVonuor is wintering ! in St. lamli. and between indoor ball ! game* and diamond searching evp- di* ; m u*, for Jack I* a i,1111101.-.,cur on p.v | dun* atone* and invest* nt* saving* | that way, he ttnd* tin. - for occasional I t hat* With the spitting writer*, Speak - j in* «f speedy vale her* Ja-k t*t * the fastest I*trier he cief * iug:u wa* Hone other than Mark lia. twin, when he was the projecting end of (he Colum bue American A** . utbuv t • u» „ crack ' battery Sliver King w«» »p.>Uy in hie palmy day* an 1 Cy Young t an ilw shoot 'em user the plaie with light ning rapidity, hut i con, r say* they . nil have to step »«ld» when llaidWIk s j name l* **«nti used «« Marl **, eur«ly i the •pmniMwt pitcher h* net ban died IVn liHeeie || 'Married mm.*’" obeeivwd the phiitot ophet live longer than single «.«**“ * Well, tf they do *•**«■> 4 the sad eyed individual, “it term* them tight " * S< * Yerh tv or! * MAY BUY THE MOUNDS CONGRESS TO PURCHASE PRE HISTORIC WORKS. Movement to l.a|T Hare Secret* anil History of Hyffoue Hare — National 1 I’ark I« Proposed for Anderson, Indiana* (Anderson, Ind.. Letter.) HK question of converting the In ti I a na prehistoric mounds Into a na tional park will he revived again this session of congress and more favor able action may be taken. As archae ologists continue the study of the mound builders they And that the In diana mounds are most remarkable of all In the nation. Recent discoveries have added a great deal of Interest to the Indiana mounds and they have again demanded the attention of the Smithsonian institution, which was one of the prime movers some years ago in the attempt to have the grounds converted into a national park. A camera cannot do the Indiana mounds Justice. They are not. great heaps of earth which show well In a photograph, as Is the case with those In Ohio and along the Mississippi, and are not even as attractive as those In Illinois and the northwest, which follow the contour of snakes and wild beasts, but they do possess outlines well defined and precise Scientists arc convinced that their builders possessed many of the talents of the ancients of Egypt and Asia. Like the other mounds, they are covered with forests which show that ages have passed since the builders occupied them. The precision of the modern survey or and the methods of the nineteenth century builder have been combined in the Indiana mounds, and the result is a work of art rather than a crude heap. If it was known that the builders had surveyed .Saturn through telescopic lens and beheld the circles around the inner globe. It might be claimed that they had used the planet and Its girdle UH t hf>l f Titsffnrn fne * Vi o nntiuf vnot Inn of earthworks. The five great, mounds lie just east of this city. The outer circle of tiie greatest of the five is but ten feet in height, but broad enough to allow teanj3 to pass over its crest. It Is ISO feet in diameter, and measured from any point it Is identically the same distance from the center mound. The precision of these outer ridges is so rice they at once attract attention. With a graceful curve the ridge slopes on an angle of about 120 degrees to a great ditch fifteen feet wide and about fifteen feet deep. Like the ridge, it is a perfect circle. From the ditch rises the inner, tile great mound. The rise is rounded and evened off as prettily as though it had just been completed. In the very center of this mound, which is fully 100 feet across, is a prominence, and this is five f'-et above the outer circle ridge, and twen ty feet higher than the inner ditch. From this a path wide enough for teams to pass runs to the outer ridge, where there is an opening. It bridges the ditch. All mounds, large and small, are built on identically this pat tern. all of the openings being to the north and on a direct line from the center mound to the north star. These openings have been much studied, but significance of their direction has not been determined. The recent discov eries, given later, all tend to the be lief that ail of these mounds are hurled deep under the present surface and were built on the strata of shale prob ably before the alluvial deposits were made. The great mounds of the Indian group all belong to the Brcnnenberg family, which is among the wealthiest and best known in this county. The Bronnenbergs, while enterprising farmers, have little idea of the assist ance they might give to science by al lowing excavations in the mounds. They have persistenly refused to allow any •*<•<**ati<*n» wad* in »ft> of the wotiada, t. ii rmmntly a midnight party • u nrganlitd. wk.» h dun lit th* <«m*r nf lb* i«nt«r HM'diut Mih<.nun tit* min w*nt dnaa l*«nty f> *t ib. y (.himl | ■mlhInn lint l*at*n kUll* ul Mill that had rudrutiy nut in n n«»i in thi- w|. •iritrtlitu »>f ik« n. ttiud* tot kid a*« «uwulai*d iai«r I nia •'(•ngMirtu lb* | Ihnury that tb* imI worb* of prtiMlltv* all It* lav b*!.i* lb* mHin of ! I a* gt mud and **» bull! opo* ih« ; «Hd«ri* <*«t i'»aU nf »iat* tbnr* lll ldt* at \nd*t *•!« a rwilertwr •f Mibpi *. b*» a »halt ip| (tiub icr ! la ui •abibMdio a. r* *ht*b hi* i-.** *i«*4 J<«»* a»«*** lb* wi, I* ***b a ! maa**f a* t« «*»••** lb* • tuaa «f ig« 1 till and U tb* brain tarn Tk*#a | •knit* *»i* Mi'l *uh oik**. H*d*f } rnn ilUn** oki h • lul. blp 11^|| I |fc#» »*•# iy*« »* iu# bM :*i erg. They are very large, show mark ed intellectuality, and, unlike skulls of the present day, or of Indians, have a fifth skull bone in the back of the head. There can be no doubt that the purpose of removing the tops of these skulls was to remove the brain tissue. The skulls have been severed with some flue Instrument, which did the work as precisely as the surgeon s saw of today would do it. Recently, while making an excava tion near the mounds, workmen who did not appreciate the llnd suddenly came upon a composition which resem bled a baked cement or clay. It was round and secure. They broke Into It and found they had opened a hermeti cally scaled cave which resembles greatly our cisterns of the present day. It was dry as a powder-house, and the air which came from Its recesses was sickening and tainted with great age. Here in this small receptacle, scarcely large enough to hold more, were found six skeletons in a sitting position. All were propped up evidently when first put in. When the fresh air came roll ing In they crumbled to pieces and but for a few bones which remain no trace Is left of this remarkable find. The bones that are saved, however, Indi cate a people who were very large—de cidedly larger than those of the pres ent day. Parts of the skulls showed that the heads were very large also— the foreheads were very large. There can also be little doubt that this find Is closely connected with the mounds and that the skeletons were those of mound builders. It Is claimed a similar discovery was made some years ago near the mounds, and that this proves convincingly that mound bbulldcrs were the occupants of the cells. This mode of burial could not have been that of the modern Indians who occupied this part of the country at the time of the landing of Colum bus. Francis Walker of this city, who has long advocated the converting of the Indiana mounds into a national park, says that tiie mound builders of this section were far advanced In the arts and sciences. If the mounds were, as supposed, built upon the shales which underlie the alluvial deposits, a refer ence to geological data would place the existence of these aborigines back a:; far as the time of the Pharaohs. To the east of the mounds is a cave of artificial formation that reads in toward the great mound 150 feet dis tant, and is fully fifty feet below the present surface of the mounds. There is little doubt that here lies the solv ing of the great mystery. It is prob able that following this would bring a person in the inner chambers of a work of primitive building that would solve the doubts now existing regard ing the history of this remarkable peo ple. Should the movement to convert these lands Into a national park be success ful the Smithsonian institute arfll oth er institutions of learning which have been greatly interested in this group will make excavations that are now impossible. They have long regarded the builders of these mounds as those flora which they would git most knowledge, owing to the superiority and advancement these people evident ly held over other tribes of builders. Many minor discoveries have been made in the past few months that throw additional light upon the mounds and the builders, but they do not differ greatly from the few set out above and simply serve to further the theories which have recently taken the place of the older ones. To ChM'iK** OrMa ( urr«*i»t«. At Vladivostok. a prominent ItUHslan port ami the terminus of the Siberian railway, for over four mouths of win ter the port Is blocked up with Ice. render tug shipping tratlle Imp. csiblc For many years the Hui-lan authori ties have been endeavoring to over come these natural dllth (titles, ami Some time aj|u Ice-breaking ships were Introduced to break open the Ire, an operation, however, which has proved practically useless. it Is uowr reported ; that a "certain engineer" hat proposed j a plan for reclaiming the narrowest • part of the Tarter Strait between Sag- 1 hatted and the HhsbUh mainland The theory of such an undertaking is that, j If this Is done, the cold rut rent which j eaters the Japau sea from the Arctic, j via IWrkrtnt strait, will he checked. Slid the pc-sage of the waimer tide, coming from the •->utl» through the Tskuma strait, will make the water on Ike coast of J span aa warm aa Vladl voalok. and the tatter will be warm all J y«4r louad The espec tatloa la eater- ! t claed lk«t tkle remarkable engineer ing work will be entered upon nfter tke completion of tfc# Siberian rail- , road • t»l It «**ft %4 evens*,* t ba tallest of tke rural a caeea in Korop* are tke queen «f Ivitniel an l ike -raws ptlacees vf IV- tc sv a. k NOTES OF THE WHEEL. — MATTERS OF INTEREST TO DEV OTEES OF THE BICYCI.E. Mm I.lkcly to Rule the M»8 Market— liooU Wheel* tor S.tO The Would He Torctm*er Miut Tea Groat Care - "Tin Wheel*." '98 Wheel Trice*. S the plans ami prices determined upon by the differ ent cycle manufac turers continue to be announced, it becomes more ap parent that select ing a mount Is go ing to be no less bothersome a task In 1898 than it has been in years gone by. Omitting the chainless wheels at $125, as being In a class by themselves, the range of prices on wheels which look alike to the novice is calculated to cause more confusion of mind than ever. It is plain that, broadly speak ing, every maker will have at least one model for $50, whatever others he may catalogue. Manufacturers have felt the necessity for meeting the demand for lower prices, and It now looks as though the popular price next year will be $50, rather than $75. R<-Kl»l«rlnK Racer*. It seems likely that the L. A. \V. will consider a proposition at its next meeting to enforce a registration of racing m<-n. The Idea, it is said, is in dorsed by the chairman of the national racing board, who will advocate Its adoption. It Is estimated that there are now nearly 9,000 racing men in this country, about 6,000 of whom are ama teurs. It is calculated that the enforce ment of a registration rule will enable the league to maintain closer watch fulness upon the riders. A registra tion fee of $1, as in vogue in the Ama teur Athletic Union, is contemplated in n<jw oi me acceptance or tne amend ment. The adoption of such a rule would benefit the league financially, but it is likely to be Strongly opposed. Opposition will be directed against the movement on tho ground that the league will have no right to force meet promoters to pay for the privilege of holding a meet and then compel riders to donate $1 to the organization for the privilege of competing. Advocates of a registration rule take the ground, however, that few racing men belong to the Ly A. VV. and that the organiza tion is entitled to exact a f o from them for the privilege of racing, so long as the league maintains such a depart ment. An advocate of tho bicycle pear ca.‘;c* has this to say about the chainless wheel: “The bringing out of the chain less wheel in its perfection has demon strated very clearly that something must be wrong with the former style of chain construction. A careful study of the new model convinces one that the points of superiority claimed are obtained not only by substitution of beveled gears for chain and sprocket, but by the very complete inclosing of the running gear, thus providing a wheel that requires no attention to this most Important detail. It is a dem onstration of the fact, with which ill manufacturers are not familiar, that the natural line of Improvement is in the direction of perfecting the running gear, not especially in its mechanical detail,but by securing absolute protec tion to the mechanical movement, whatever it may be. The points of su periority claimed for this construction seem, after careful study, to be obtained simply by this enclosing of the gear. What strut k me forcibly is the fact that tho points of superiority are also the points that mark the en closed chain model. They are all ob tained by Inclosing the chain and sprocket with a gear case.” ,l<nr|ili Itlcc The I'l o hy |Vuu») lunUn who In. h neroud honor* lit the Id* Ihtr riiatloual UN. fit* HmiII, Now the Iniettdtng buyer I* ton fiubtnl b> reputable tnahrra. one uf whom offer* him a I •« wheel gitarau l.ed lo Im’ the (tilth. *1 grade whll. lb* other offer* hie Mro-tl) high grab aitli t* *1 I I'm. but In lb* Mina breath another rut* Juat about aa good ' »• |U Th# luaheMt are trying to meet I he publb demand ahd offer high grade wheel* lt»ut I '* up \» # ntal ter of tmt. the aterag* pint hater I npit ■••liable end »*|>«*l* too m.ob fin hla money. It la illugteal lo hellaee that l*o will buy a* mw»h *• Into, yet the unlMlliat* d full* ityHi In do .. win* It n.mee lo wheel* the |»< hityera wall lb* heel wheel Welt the 4* «t»r meet* their prie# A rate hit hotel' whn k*»*t «.'wi (feieg ahwuf ■■■[■■BHnBnillHBBBMHnHBi cycles will be able to go out next year anil get for 550, or even for less money, a substantial wheel, sufficient for the requirements of an ordinary rider. There is likely to be, however, a lot ot ''trash" or "tin wheels" on the market, because of the cry for very low prices, and inexperienced persons will do well to take rounsel of some friend before going among the stalls to shop. Too Jlorh Variation. The troubles of the buyer will begin when he finds wheels running in price from $25 to $100, and each one repre sented to be strictly "high grade” and the best produced. From this state of affairs the makers themselves are largely responsible. Alongside of $100 wheels they have offered for $75 the same machine, except that it did no: have this, that, or the other new wrinkle, the value of which waH que s tlonnblc. Wheel builders have be-ir too contradictory in their methods The drop had to come. The hand will ing was on the wail long ago. Now that the general price of wheels ha fallen far below $100, riders have found that the manufacturers, Instead oi proving their claims by getting out of business, are going blithely along, building high grade wheels, and sell ing them for 25 or 35 per cent less th-u. they averred was possible. Miotilfl lie Nalarlml The office of chairman of the nation al racing board of the L. A. W. is c honorary one, being without a fixed sal ary. During the past two years, how ever, tlie national assembly has vote: the surplus money in the racing bom 1 treasury to the chairman for his wo;1 during the year. This is rarely 1< than $2,000. On tills account strong objection will lie raised at the ne.v t annual meeting against the pruetii * Instead a movement will be made : make the office a salaried one. At tic last annual meeting such a recommen dation was lost, but Its passage in v year is quite likely. It is also felt til it should be an elective office. Charles VV. Miller I 'l Winner of tl.<- six-day bicycle race !:.• Madison Square Carden, New York. For Cycle ratlin. . President Potter announces that a ' hill will be introduced in tlie leglsia ture of New York state at its coming, session providing for the general con struction of cycle paths. Commenting on the plans outlined, he says: "Cycle path construction along the lines of country roads will be pushed more vig orously in 1898 than ever before. From the practical experience thus far gained it is shown that the best sur face for cycle paths is a thin dressing, of crushed sandstone. This packs easily, forms a smooth, elastic road w ith Just enough grit to ‘bite’ the tin and prevent clipping, drains quickly, resists the formation of mud, and lot ten months in the year supplies an ideal wheel way. it is superior to th cinder surface, as the latter sticks to the rubber tire and is egsily picked up and loosened by passing wheels. In dry weather it is blown off and scat tered by strong winds. A cycle path, should be not less than five feet wide in its narrowest part." March of Improvement. experience lias shown that it is not the gears in a bevel gear wheel that, are most likely to cause trouble, it In the bearings. A few years ago, when, the construction of hearings was far less perfect than now, the old league rhainleas wheel was ridden sixteen centuries in sixty days by n well-known * club man. Kvery night his wheel was overhauled and new hearings were continually being put Into It, The gears stood the racket, hut the hear ings did not. Now, however, the bear ings In bevel gear wheels ure of speeint construction, and are far superior to what were used then. From this It will lie seen that the claim of maud Nii Inters that the giars do not wear til break Hnds sortie • oriobornttou In his tory. I in Marching Onward. As aii imill at mu of the growing pow i-r of wlievlmin in the world of poll tbs. I'residi nt Fuller attlrins that out if a total of I ii u-pliaiiU to the New York assent lily If I wrote to hint in no tttcerutitt te n of entreaty, wlilt a view nf gaining the support of wheelman tu he rerent .ampul* a More t out Ini - lug still is said to Iss tb« fact that '■ally all the • uolol.it,.» who were tliown to be wheelmen themselves »»t» elevletl I hi* must tomb Ik* tunny spot of those who twltvva Ihsrs ' e an bi >. u vote. a»av« nilwi« kuuuita A r:«I* aed tied or <ar el hi till Urn ta »* o« asm*-4 m Hi Fwiersbwrg, to I b • n*» * u ■ a A similar Kag ^ ■*h sskihttura sunn t* ha epaatni al llradford eeaststs at motor tut, at »r wagon* motor rycl** tlcy vie* rtetri**, road skalva. the csualag oedkml of tratal rartUge* tuglaaa. ri der# and Iktll lonmiln