That is What the State is Hatching at
tiu South Bend Fish Hatchery.
VATS fill Of SICK AND DLAD FISH
Mo»», Stud and I'ulionoua Matter—Saloon
Ke«.p«r Appointed Superintendent —
Nupplir* Purchased for Hatchery Un
der Very I'ubaelneaallke Condition*.
SOUTH BEND, Neb., Sept. 10,-The
State Fish Hatchery at South neml con
stitutes In Itself a sweeping and force
ful arraignment of Governor Poynter
and the fusion administration. If any
thing Is lacking in Impeaching the in
tegrity and establishing the lncom
petency of the chief executive of the
state, this supplies it. Right here may
be found evidence of palpable negli
gence, lax and questionable business
methods, a shamefully incompetent
maangement, perversion of the public
funds and general decay and ruin of
the property.
WEEDS IN PLACE OK KISH.
The condition of the hatchery Is such
that one unfamiliar with the place
would at once conclude that the state
was In the business of propagating
weeds instead of fish. In fact the work
of destruction of the fish supply has
gone on to an alarming extent, and
by the end of the present year there
will be little left of this Institution but
sad reminders. Already every vat or
pond used in the propagation of fish
is filled with weeds, muss and swamp
products. In most places the weeds rise
above the water and almost cover it
from view. The reservoirs are half
filled with moss, mud and filth, and,
where the water can be seen at all, the
surface reveals the presence of much
poisonous vegetable matter. The pres
ence of poison and filth manifests Itself
in lethargy and death among the finny
tribe. In nearly every vat there are
sick and dead fish, which combine to
endanger the life of the entire habi
tation of the acquarlum. The mosH and
weeds have grown so high and dense
I hat they are cut with a scythe, a most
destructive way of removing the ob
struction, bo far as the fish are con
cerned. Thousands of dollars will have
to bo expended to restore the hatchery
to proper condition, and much money
and time will be required to place It
in that condition where it will be of
any benefit to the state.
GROSS NEGLIGENCE AND INCOM
PETENCE
inis is but the logical fruition of
gross negligence and incompetency.
When the fusionists assumed control
of the state government the hatchery
was In charge of M. O’Brien, who whs
an experienced and practical man, and
who had had supervisory control of
it for upwards of twelve years. H<
was succeeded by his son, William
O'Brien, who held the position of
supertntedent up to last August. The
latter was thoroughly schooled in the
business and under his management
the hatchery prospered. But Governor
l’oynter and the fusion leaders wanted
something besides prosperity. They
wanted to use the public patronage as
a legal tender for the payment of po
litical debts. This resulted one year
ago in the retirement of O’Brien and
in the appointment of Adam Sloup. an
Omaha saloonkeeper, us superintend
ent. At that time as now, Sloup knew
nothing of the fish hatching business
The only experience lie had was In
fishing for “suckers” with effervescing
wines and liquors. To his credit, let
it be said, that he himself, at tho time
of his appointment, told the governor
that he knew absolutely nothing about
the duties of tho position and did not
feel fitted for the place. Despite this,
and to placate a ravenous element of
the Jacksonian democracy in Douglas
county, whq demanded tho appoint
ment of Sloup, Governor Poynter ap
pointed him superintendent, 'iuis was
about one year ago. As might have
been expected, the last year has been
a year of terrible havoc at the hatch
ery. Another year of such manage
ment, ad there will be nothing left the
state for the many thousands of dol
lars expended but ruin and desolation.
Superintendent Sloup draws his sal
ary, $1,200 per year, dresses as primp
and fashionab'e as a gentleman of
means and affects to look wise. That
is about all he can do. He knows the
difference between a fish and a hen
luiwk, but it would be trespassing upon
the realm of uncertainty to presume
that he could distinguish between a
German carp and a biack bass. As for
the species of fish, tho manner in which
they propagate, or the particular care
which should be accorded, he know^
practlcaly nothing. An instance cf this
may be recited ns evidence: Each year
it has been the custom for the super
intendent to go to Bay City. Mich., for
pike spawn or eggs. Up to the pres
ent year this lias always been done.
This year It has not, for the simple
reason that neither tbo superintendent
nor any one connected with the hatch
ery was competent to do it. Had the
nuperlntedent gone he was Just as apt
to bring hack the eggs or larvae of
nome pestiferous Insect as the spawn
of pike, and. rather than assume the
risk, the practice wits abandoned. Hud
prudence and care been exercised In
the selection if workmen at the hutch
try the bluud'r In aelucUng an Incom
petent superintendent would not have
been an disastrous llut attain was
party ripwllii < y consulted, with the
result that there la not a man around
the hatchery, from superintendent
down, who la qnaltA'd There are two
workmen at th« hatchery In addition
to th» sti i«rtnii i.dent. l a* h tr*sw* a
sa ary »f |10 per month Their iusi v
are (' If Utreltht and Sumner Darnell
Neither la nf much service to the state.
Darnell t* kuowu a* a man who uk«#
the world easy. Were It not f»r the
proper solution cf economic ynibbim
the mantle of rare would leal IlyVIy
upon him This worrtea him IV-f re
he wee i Ui r4 en the pay roll, he h • I
a twu-«rre firm at rtouth Itead. While
the w. 4a were Working cut the d«
•trueil -n of his p liiu crop •»I pr.*
4wt |a-den he Wee ilutrull fain
fiat rr ftum ’ t’uin * ItarWay ,a a
patron i f bwebaadry he wae Iv w»e a
failure I* is a* > h hauler. at sav
late Iran* • I sold hi* * farm aad lao I
ed his name on the pay roll of the
state at $40 per month. He la now
at the hatchery, where, among the
everglades and thickets of native and
exotic vegetating he can evolve such
panaceas as are Intended to remove
economic afflictions, to his heart's con
tent. If the fish sicken and die
through neglect, that is of no concern.
THE FUNDS DISSIPATED.
The last legislature appropriated $8,
800 for the maintenance of the hatch- '
ery. This is nearly exhausted. Al
teady there is a shortage in some of
the funds. The last payment from the
labor fund was made February 23, 1900.1
Since that time the laborers have re
ceived no pay, The state owes them
for seven months' work already, and It
will be about seven months more before
they will receive pay, if, indeed, they
are paid at all, for those familiar with
the condition of tha hatchery are of
the opinion that the state will close
it and go out of the business. There
is just $21 in the labor fund, though
the pay roll will require at least $1,100,
the way things are being managed, be
fore another appropriation is available.
There is scarcely a fund that is not I
withering under the raids that are be
ing made on the treasury, and that
there will be a large shortage or de
ficit, unless these raids are abated, is
self evident.
C. E. Streight, one of the laborers at
the hatchery, speaking of the matter,
said: “It's prety tough to work when
■you don't get your pay for it. The
state owes me now for four months’
work and I expect It will be ten
months before I get paid.”
“How do you account for it?”
“I don’t exactly know. I think if
the labor fund bad been properly used
It wouldn’t have been so bad. I un
derstand that the repairing of the
(lams and such work was charged up
to the labor fund.”
Whether this be true or not, that the
repairs were charged up to ths labor
fund, cannot at this time be verified,
as no Vouchers for labor bad been re
ceived at the time of writing from the
superintendent for record at the aud
itor’s office since the month of May.
At any rate the fund Is exhausted, and
that, too, without deducting the cost
of repairs of the dams.
Indirectly it was learned that It cost
tho state $750 for repairing three small
dams, though why It should
be so expensive, a superficial
investigation failed to disclose.
Vouchers for this work should
be on file in the auditor's office long
since. Whether held back designedly
or not, nobody appears to know. The
only person qualified to explain is
Superintendent Sloup and he was ab
sent from his post of duty when the
hatchery was visited. Some said he
was in Omaha attending to his saloon
business, and others, that be was at
a democratic convention.
LAX BUSINESS METHODS.
Selecting a saloonkeeper of scarcely
ordinary business Intelligence for the
iuperintendency of an institution re
quiring, among other things, specific
knowledge of fish and fish propagation
was a blunder palpable on its face, and
one that will cost the state no small
amount of money. And, by the way.
Superintendent Sloup is still in the sa
!oon business, his establishment being
located at the corner of Fourteenth and
Williams streets in the city of Omaha
ife has a partner In the business named
Krutoi, and the saloon is run under
tho firm name of Sloup & ICruml.
Whether Mr. Sloup is successful, from
* business standpoint, in the manage
ment of his saloon, is of no public
concern. Mr. Sloup is herein consid
ered, not as saloon-keeper, but as a
public official. Certain it is, however,
that if Mr. Sloup paid no more atten
tion to the business details of his sa
loon than he does to the hatchery his
business methods would fall far short
of meriting emulation.
In purchasing supplies for the hatch
ery he has practically discarded the
system of contract. Whether this be
Ilia fault or tbo fault of the board of
trustees is a question, but it Is never
theless true that little If any effort
has been made to procure supplies at
competitive prices. In the course of
an investigation along this line it was
discovered that a certain meat dealer
in Omaha, a warm personal friend of
Superlntedent Sloup, Is furnishing the
moat supply for the hatchery. Liver is
used extensively at the hatchery for
fish food. It was discovered that V. F
Kuncl, the meat dealer herein referred
to, is furnishing this part of the sup
plies. ICuncl's place of business is at
No. 1244 South Thirteenth street, in
the city of Omaha, about two blocks
from the saloon of Sloup & IC rural.
When asked if the liver was being fur
nished under contract one of the
Kuncl's said:
"No; we have no contract. We sell
the liver as cheap as we can afford to
ind that is all. We box it up and ship
it, but tho state has to pay the trans
portation charges."
This Is only an example of the man
ner In which the business Is conducted.
There la no competition lu buying, like
that resulting from contracts, and lu
most Instances the superintendent Is
afforded an unrestrained opportunity to
latronlze his own personal friends.
Tho goods are not weighed, nor arc
they checked up when received at th«
hatchery, thus leaving a wtder opening
for crookedness and fraud.
Taken i*s a whole there may he oth
er institutions of the state as loosely
managed, but none more grossly nils
managed.
The damage wrought I* not easily
repaired. What th* state has expend
ed thousands of dollar* for I* tow u
mere shadow, representing practically
nothin?. A continuation of the pres
ent policy and management Will uitt
tualely result In the whole Investment
being a total loss. Superintendent
Hluup woulu. no doubt, do hetter If h*
knew how, hut he is unskilled in the
Icuiness and la unable to Inaugural*
such thangea aa are rwjulred to pre
vent complete loaa 1‘ovnter * uwjiru- j
intau with tha polltb kana. by which I
thav were to support him for renom- |
mat Ion on condition that they select j
i the people for the carious "dr't to be
(tiled by appointment has piwten a t-r
rlble detriment to the atnt*
The only woman rabbi on t»> ord t*
j Mia* Ha* bel Prank. *-• » hid ro**f*rra*J ,
The Iti st tklnkl i were made In lb*
land They nr r. brought I* Kagl ii>l I
! in Idi
Local Prosperity,
HACSDKnS COUNTT.
“Prcsperity," said F. E. White cash
’er of th° Ashland National bank, is
Everywhere in evidence. The farmers
are making money and as a rule are
not borrowers. How different It was
only five years ago. I recall the case
of a man who came in and applied
for a loan of $150.
| “What collateral have you?" I asked.
"One grey team, four and five years
old," he replied.
“Any more?"
"One mule team, twelve and four
teen years old.”
“Any more?”
“Four infich cows, four, five and six
years old, red polled."
“Any more?”
"I'm not certain I could recover the
money If I had to foreclose. 1 hesitate
to lend money on such questionable
security."
Continuing. Mr, White said: "I did
let the man have the money, but it
was because 1 knew him to bo honest.
I mention the case because it was one
of many. Everybody was hard up.
Since those days the farmers have paid
their urgent debts while the well-to-do
have on deposit In this hank double
the amount of money then held there.
Moreover, the old real estate mort
gages of 1897-8 that were taken out
on ten years time at 7 per cent Inter
est. are being taken up and new loans
made at reduced inleteat of o and
per cent.”
Near Ashland lives Ole Tllnm and his
two sons. Mr. Worn has several
tracts of land In Saunders and other
counties. He says: "I have Just sold
several thousand bushels of corn at
32 and 34 cents per bushel. My cattle
bring me large profits and the price
for the past three years cannot be
grumbled at. I have made money
from my land and some condition
other than good crops must be the
cause.”
John Tarpcnning, a neighbor of Mr.
Hlotn, has a beautiful valley farm
and large fields of corn. “I cannot
say but my crops have brought me
good enough prices for the past few
vears. I've had bad link in raising
hogs, but that is no fault of manage
ment nor of the market. It is certain
ly remarkable that prices continue so
good.”
George Sanders lives near Ashland
on bis 15-acre tract. He has several
fine farms that lie rents for $2 50 to
$3.00 per acre. "I could not sell land
and it was uphill work to rent at good
figures five years ago. I am exceed
ingly well pleased with present mar
ket conditions.”
George S. Smith, between Memphis
and Ashland, has a fine farm and
prosperity appears on all sides. Mrs.
Smith to.d her story of pleasant times
as the wife of u farmer, and related
with no little pride that she "never
knows want by reason of profits from
her chicken flock and dairy cows. I
am enabled to more than furnish the
table and clothe the family from my
part in the farm work.” Mr. Smith
recently built a large barn. He baa
a large corn crop growing. "I am sat
isfied wiih the prices and feel that my
work is not In vain.”
William Mullendorf is a renter near
Yutan. “I lost too much for my hard
work In old conditions prior to four
years ago and do not want to see any
changes from the present. As a renter
I can appreciate the good times.”
I KDAIt COUNTV.
The prosperous condition of this
section is simply phenomenal. No
place I know of in the state has made
such rapid strides in the last, three
years as has Hartington. the county
seat of Cedar countv. It is the termi
nus of the Wakefield branch of the C.
St. P., M. & O. railway, and claims
a population of 1,500, has a good water
system and a volunteer fire depart
ment, a brick court-house that cost
$27,000, and nine churches in which
services aro regularly held. In the
last three years several large brick
business blocks have been built, mak
ing Main street almost solid brick on
both sides, and more brick building.\
are now In course of construction.
Hartington has a handsome brick
high school building that cost over
214.000, and there Is another private
Catholic school being built that will
cost about $10,000. Senator Robison,
R. I*. Dimlck and others have recently
| erected beautiful residences costing
*4.000 and $5,000 each, and probably
$30,000 more nas been expended here
in the last two years in residences
costing from $1,000 to $2,000 each. The
sidewalks in the business portion are
of cement and the street crossings are
made of paving brick.
R. L. Dimlck. one of the pioneers
who erected the first building in this
city in September. 1883, is engaged in
the real estate and loan business, lie
says this town went through the hard
times from 1*93 to 1897 better than
many other places, with no bank or
business failures, but that not a bus
iness concern In the town made a dol
lor during the four years, on account
of shrinkage in values nnd bad debts
| Many men grew gray then trying to
save as much as they could of what
they had previously accumulated. Hut
in the Inst three years business con
uitlons are all that could be desired
real estate has advanced about 33 I 3
per cent. Interest on farm loans has
fallen from H to 9 per cent In 1898 to
5V* per cent In 19*8). Lund Is worth
twice ss much now ss it would sell
for at forced sal* In 1898. The crops
I in this part of th* slate were never
I iietter, and, with prices good, the
farmers were never before In as good
| rlreumstances as th-y are now.
ii H lining county treasurer, says
"The delinquent las list la reduce l
I one half and that the Interest due on
I s> h>sd tiond leases Is all paid, escept
| m three Instances. During the hard
1 times there was a general default In
' payments."
Mr Renat, county rlerh and recorder
1 says that nearly all the old farm m »ri
1 (age* are paid off and that the farm
> era of this county are la * *»-eil»nt
•wa.ilib n flnaac sMy. many of lb >«
b ivt' more land and ta< renting their
held of live stock
Mr S' !e>n ■ okisr of th* Dm S'<
l eal bcii* says that Iho ii' pain in
the Unit her* are n • • than 4»s*t
what they nets m UM sad that in
i 'sfvsi iatss ay* mush 8i« r This ta
Quite a cattle country. The stock
raisers have been making money fast
since the Inauguration of McKinley
and this condition will be responslVe ]
for a number of politcal changes that
have accrued in this part of Cedar
county. The change in the prices of
grain aud live stock has also a strong
effect on the farmer.
Kvery man interviewed, who is en
gaged in stock-raising and farming,
says that times are the best that he
ever experienced, and that he Is mak
ing good money on both—hks crop and
live stock. One of these formers com
plained that he had the last payment
to make on a loan that did not fall
due until 1901, that he wants to pay It
now, but the lender would not take it,
because he did not know where he
could loan the money again.
The hardware firm of Morris &
Oould, who do an extensive business
here, employing nine clerks, say that
no one thing Indicates to them the
prosperous condition of tnis farming
community so much as the Immense
■ale of buggies and carriages to the
farmers in the last two years; that
they Fold five car loads this year und
as much last year and that there was
three other firms In the city selling
a similar class of vehicles and were
doing a good business. A prudent
farmer never buys luxuries when he is
in dobt.
Expansion in the fullest sense the
term implies dominates everytnlng
here. Sixteen to one is also the ratio
of prosperity under McKinley's ad
ministration in contrast with the pe
riod of the democratic panic. About
seventy-five per cent of all the build
ings in the city were erected since
McKinley was inaugurated. The town
of laurel was founded In 1893; about
a dozen buildings were erected in that
year. Then followed the panic of 1893,
the drouth of 1894. the passage of the
Wilson free trade Mil, and on the heels
of that came the free silver craze
making a combination that wrought
ruin and disaster on every hand. It.
was a period of contraction, contrac
tion of everything, financial, indus
trial and commercial. No progress
was made by either merchant, banker
or farmer; all suffered. The scrip
ture! assertion: “For whosoever hath,
to him shall be given and he shall
have more abundance; but whosoever
hath not, from him shall be taken
away even that he hath," was univer
sally realized. All agree that they were
worth less in January, 1897, than they
were In January. 1893. Now laurel is
a city of about 600 inhabitants sur
rounded by an Industrial paradise.
New homes, new business houses, new
In hope and renewed in courage and
faith. Prosperity is mAre evident
here tlian at any point in the Ixjgau
valley.
This city ts situated at the Junction
in Cedar county where the Chicago,
St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha crosses
the Great Northern road running from
Sioux City to O'Neill. It would tic safe
to say that no town In the state of
twice the population can boast of as
many tine residences constructed on
lines of modern style of architecture
and attractively embellished with
points that blend as can Laurel. In
the space of two blocks on one street
are fourteen new modern residences,
each costing from $2,000 to $4,000.
Everett & Waite, the founders of the
town have an elegant brick storeroom
on the principal street corner. It is
32 feet wdde by 100 feet In length, two
stories above basement, In which they
conduct a general merchandise busi
ness, and report business good. It
would be useless to occupy space to
tell what they say, because it is in line
with the testimony that the volume of
business lias about doubled, prices on
staples are very similar to what they
were four years ago; money is plenty;
most customers pay cash. The degree
of prosperity can more accurately he
measured by the sale of farm imple
ments, buggies, carriages, harness, etc.,
that It can on the trade in staples,
such as goods and groceries.
Thomas Uerg, a dealer In farm Im
plements. said; "I started In the im
plement business in 1892 when the
town was founded. I had $1,000 to put
into business; my highest sales In any
year until 1896 aggregated $2,000. No
body paid cash then and my best cus
tomers would sometimes let their notes
run six months past due. I tell you
it Is a fact that I had a terrible strug
gle to keep my head above water.
There were two firms of us here then
in this business. In 1896 I took an
inventory of .what I had and found
that I was only wortli $600. and, as 1
stated before, I had $1,000 to start
with. Well, since then, things became
different. Iaist year I sold over $11.
000 worth of goods and only $2,500 of
that on time. Now there are four
firms here in the implement business.
There is no trouble about collections;
most of my customers come in and pay
before their paper is due. This year
up to Aug. 1st my sales exceed $8,000.
My sales are nraly ull made to .farm
ers, and to show you that they are
gutting in good circumstances I sold
over fifty buggies or carriages already
to them this year and the moat of them
were cash sales. Between us here last
year, we sold over twenty carloads of
farm implements." Asked how the
price of farm Implements compared
now with the price on same goods in
1896, he said that the prices hi ls<*9
were the lowest In the nHtorjr of the
country. He said that there was a
slight advance recently on farm wag
ons and a few other articles, but there
was no special difference taking the
business all through. In the last four
years lie said he cleared over $5,000
above all expenses, meaning net gain
P. I*. Voter Is engaged In real es
tate and farm loan bualneaa and should
>»* well pasted on Interest rate* ami
land values. Mr Voter said that he
had been in the bualneaa here alma
the town started lu t*M; farm lands
are now over thirty per rent hlgner
than they were la 1**4 Our farmers
aw very hard times here during t'leve
iagd'a administration m mt of them
had to borrow in *ney n«.| put Uwins
on their farms to ltd* them over the
hard it mm. I knuw of a mtulwr of
>.iem who only hid n hare equity m
tnelr farms In IvM who alnce then
have p»i>i out and bought more land.
The m»*e remunerative prie s lur
what thev had to sell *niel them their
home a- The tarmera are all tasking
Musty now Ponte of th a» lit.le. t of
being borvowers are say l-istnng
money nr have a gt**l d- y a't to Ihs.f
credit at the bank
IN THE OCEAN'S DEPTHS,
How a Submarine Telegraph Line is Laid—Ingenious Methods
of Determining the Route of a Cable.
The events of the past two years
have been given an increased interest
in the remoter parts of the globe that
hus never been so widespread among
our people as now. The Philippines,
the Transvaal and China have ceased
to be mere geographical facts, but
have become real places of which we
know something and from which we
demand news with as slight delay as
possible. The telegraphic cables
therefore today hold an Important
place In minds that previously had
given them but little consideration.
It is strange how few people know
anything of the oceanic telegraphic
service, says a writer in the Washing
ton Star. A vague Idea that it is car
ried on by "cables” Is about all that
the ordinary person possesses, but
what a cable Is. how it Is operated or
what difficulties lie In the way of Its
construction, are all unknown to the
bulk of well-informed people. The ac
counts of them are generally so Incum
bered with technlealtles as to be al
most unintelligible to unprofessional
readers, and, In consecpience, they are
wrapped In more mystery than are
many things that enter Into everyday
life. Most people think that there Is
no more difference between submarine
and land telegraphy thnn there is be
tween an overhead and an under
ground trolley line, but this Is not
true. They are absolutely distinct,
and have little more in common than
have a great railway system and a
horse car line, If so much. Both tele
graphic systems use electric currents
to transmit signals over a cunducting
wire, as both the railway and the
horse ear line use vehicles that move
on a track, but all else is different.
In order to understand why a route
for a cable Is always sought with much
care the structure of the cable itself
should be known, for on Us safety de
pends the success of the enterprise. A
cable consists of a "core" of wire that
is really the important part of the
whole, and a covering of some insulat
ing and protecting material. The cor^
is made of strands of copper woven in
to a rope-like cord, and weighs from
70 to 400 pounds per mile—for the
shore ends that have to stand the suri
are much stronger and heavier than
the deep sea portions. The stranded
form is much more flexible than the
solid rod, and is not so ant to be bro
ken in laying. The core Is coated with
a mixture of resin,, tar and gutta per
cha, known as "(’hatterlon's com
pound,” that is to act as a cement and
hold the insulation firmly to the wires.
The Insulating material must com
ply with many requirements. It must
not conduct electricity and must pre
vent "leakage” as much as possible; It
must he thoroughly waterproof, for the
sea water will soon corrode the copper
if it reaches it, and will steal the cur
rent if there be the smallest hole
through which It may reach the wires.
It must resist the chemical action ot
the water on Itself, end It must he
flexible and tough, so that the cable
may be coiled into a small space on
board ship and run over pulleys when
being laid without cracking or tear
ing. Finally, It must be something
that does not decay readily and does
not dissolve In water So far but one
material has been discovered that ful
fills all the conditions. That Is gutta
percha, a gum that is easily worked
and whose only drawback is Its scar
city.
When the pure gum Is heated to
about 1R0degrees Fahrenheit It becomes
very Boft and plastic, so that It can
be rolled or pressed Into shapes that it
retains when cold. Advantage la ta
ken of this In making cables, for the
heated gum is forced through a cylin
der surrounding the core and as the
core Is drawn through a die-pl«ee a
thin layer of gutta percha Is left on It.
This Is repeated as often as U required
and the core is thus covered with a
series of gutta percha Jackets that ex
tend without break or Ream from end
to end. and, from the electrical stan-d
point, the cable is done. In this con
dition it would bo exposed to many
mishaps that might injure the envel
ope and destroy the working of the
cable, so a sheathing is put around It,
Saved by n Pair of Nprctnrte*.
A writer In a contemporary describes
the escape from injury of a workman
engaged In a foundry in this city.
While preparing for a casting ho was
shot on the leg by a splash of the
liquid mptal. It went clean through
his trousers and through the wall of
the strong leather spectacle case,
which he carried In his trouser pock
et. Hut the broad noso bridge of the
cpectacle frame chocked It In its prog
iphs. The intruding metal, yet un
hardened, dashed against this part of
the frame, nearly enveloping it, and
attaching itself with as much neat
ness and stability as if it were the
handiwork of a skilled craftsman.
Had the spectacles not been In hla
pocket the molten metal would as
suredly have penetrated their owner's
thigh.—Westminster Budget.
Where I.»nil lx Most Valuable.
The growth of the land values Is
one of tlie most wonderful phenomena
of the age. Every inch of land be
tween King William's statue and
Trinity square, London, cost £30 10s,
or at the rate of £191,000,000 per arro
- beyond all doubt the highest price
ever paid in England for land. The
Southeastern Railway company has
asked at the rate of $65,000,000 per
acre for a piece of ground in Ber
mondsey, which had a depth of six
teen feet only. The demand was so
exorbitant that even a railway com
pany had to pause, finally declining
to purchase. In the year 1880 land in
square foot, ami six years later the
Cannon street was sold for $30 a
price of land in this identical street
went up to $75 a square foot.—The
Forum.
Guarded by
Spooks...
Gambler Patch’s
Buried Treasure Pro
tected by Uncanny
Creatures.
'Tis not every one who travels over
the Albany road leading west from
Greenwood, Me., that is aware of the
Immense fortune burled near the road
side, about two miles from this place—
$100,000 in gold within a stone's throw.
Here is the story. In the early part
of this century there lived a profes
sional gambler named Patch, who, af
ter wandering all over the face of the
earth, finally settled here on what is
now known as the Patch homestead.
With a large accumulation of ready
moaey. Patch became a money lender,
and one could secure any amount by
giving him good security. ''I’ncle"
Hen Docou of West Paris remeinners
him and says:
"Yes, I remember lsa3e. Wanted
some money once nnd went to him to
get It. Patch put for the woods, and
In a short time he returned with the
money. He went through the same
operation with every one who wanted
to hire money of him."
Patch died suddenly. In his will be
left to his sou George all treasures
hidden in the ground. It stated in the
will that should anyone save the legal
heirs try to get the fortune he (Patch)
would appear in the form of some ani
mal ami drive him away. George never
found his father's money and at his
death willed everything to his son
Frank.
Frank Patch lives on the same old
farm that his grandfather bought, but
has never been able to find the treas
ure.
Not only have the legal heirs tried
to find if, but other persons havo
hunted secretly at night for it.
Solon Ityerson, with another man.
was chased away from the place by a
strange animal only a year ago. Mr.
Ryerson says: "Yes. we came near
finding it. All was well until one of
the most terrible looking animals Im
aginable appeared. We found a rock
which was cut out of Patch's ledge and
fitted In Just as even ns a stem to a
pipe. It was Just largo enough to let
a man's body down. When this crea
ture appeared and drove us away."
"Hnve you never been there since?’*
the reporter nsked.
"No, nor I never will go there, eith
er. 1 got all I wanted of it that night.
I would not go there again for $200.
000. I have got nil 1 want of trying tj
find his money.'*
Acres and acres of ground has been
; dug over in search of the money.—
I New York Journal.
K*Urr r«fk> l*Wli W»ll*n.
China, naval budgata, empire build
ing and art do not aufllr* to pan up th*
wide powers of the Kaiaar Wilhelm A
(•w weeka ago ha saw a yacht rupala*
on a Uh* n«*r Cutadam and at on e
| he had Jumped Into a boat and aavad
iha inmate* Mor* r*.*ntly h* u*hl d
1 th* waiter with signal and probably
I unique sue anna it was wtt*n h* gath
ud him In hia palac* a group
of men to whom he guv* admonitions
. in* must fatherly, a eomm‘**io« the
moat inspiring They war* going
! forth, these son* of r»th*ftand. and
in thair hand* Uy th* honor of (let
many in ihtlrw, to whom he hn*w
he iooM intrant it And the** m*n.
who liwb their vowmtaaion from their
cwpmvr, w*r« th* a»iivn going forth
to the German Motion of the Carla e«*
hlbltloa. The eplaode ta one to pon
der over, and the *<hju#I ta, declnrea a
man who watched them, that ‘.he bad
behaved baud of waltera at the Faria
ahow ta, by general couaent. the Ger
man,
CMM « llf*4 la a H.«
A Itrldgetua N J , telegram aaya.
The tl» month* old daughter of Arthur
F. Tateiu waa the victim of a peculiar
accident The child waa playing near a
heavy wood* a h.g an I atnch her head
la taa vp>aini Iter had waa wed gad
tight aad the hutgM of the hag had to
be cut aad the v'avea I then off one
at e l me lu rel ate It. The child
waa hadty hru sM aad nearly ule
cited.