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About The Loup City northwestern. (Loup City, Neb.) 189?-1917 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 13, 1906)
RAILROAD IN THE ARCTIC LINE IN ALASKA LAID-ON GROUND THAT NEVER THAWS. Engineering Feat Which Ha* Taxed American Skill and Pluck—First Broad Gauge Road. A daring piece of engineering and Construction work has been the build ing of the first broad-gauge road in Alaska, the Council City and Solomon River railroad. The significance of the enterprise is the proof which it alfcrs that the Alaska tundra can be crossed, an achievement which many •f the best engineers had declared re peatedly was impossible. J. Warren Dickson, a young New Tork engineer, built this most north erly railroad In the world, after plan ning it out in every detail five thous and miles away from Alaska. And so exactly were these details worked out that when the first year’s work was finished near Nome every item of a $500,000 equipment was accounted for. save a few odds and ends worth (ess than $100. The story of the solving of the greatest problem met with In con structing the road, namely, the build ing of the roadbed across the tundra, shows wliat determination and in genuity will do. The tundra is the name given to the lowlands of Alas ka. These lowlands are covered with age old growths of moss in hummocks, decayed year after year, in nature’s process of 6oil making, to a depth of from one to three feet, with frequent pools of water. It was this unstable ground over which engineers bad de clared no roadbed could be built to sustain the heavy cars or a standard gauge road except at prohibitive cost. But Mr. Dickson bad convinved himself that, while this tundra in itself was ant firm enough, it was only an excres cence on a solid foundation of earth, In some place frozen, and in other places over a foundation of ice. He' realized that the ground underneath this tundra would sustain his tracks. But the difficulty was in disposing of the moss and its underlying muck, to save the enormous cost of handling snd draining it, for unskilled labor was $4 a day. Concerning one thing, *11 the ‘‘knowing ones” held to the same opinion—the tracks would have to be sustained by a heavy underpack Ing. This would add another item sf great expense, as ordinary planking was worth $40 to $60 a thousand feet board measure. But Mr. Dickson studied out the solution. He utilized the moss and muck—which is of the consistency of wet clay—by building them into the grade (which at the same time gave him ditches for drainage on each' side) and then'tamping the grade. The action of the long hours of hot sun drained and hardened the grade. Then the tracks were laid and the balasting done from near-by gravel hillsides. And the substantial roadbed, unaf fected by the wintere, is silent proof of the success of the methods used. Along the line loaded freight cars in some places pass over tracks built In this substantial manner eight or ten feet above crystal ice. This substrat um of ice never melts, in spite of the very warm days of summer which pre vail even here within 100 miles of the, Arctic circle. It is the primeval freeze that has not thawed since ancient geologic ages. It is kept from thaw ing by the thick blanket of moss, muck and gravel lying over it, and; the whole roadbed has proved a firm foundation for this commercial enter J--\ First Standard Gauge Passenger Car: Constructed in Alaska. prise involving great capital. Three, winters have already proved that there is not the s ightest ’’heaving”, and that it is as solid a foundation' as that of any railroad in the- United. States. ! The past four months of work ac complished remarkable results. The camp had increased fb 600 men. Eight miles of standard track were builtj and ballasted, and parelleled by a, telephone line; complete railroad' yards were laid oui, with switches to all the supplies, sufficient to build over forty miles more of the road; threej large buildings were erected and oc-‘ eupied; a complete machine shop was in operation: everything was left in , order for the nett season’s work, and 600 workmen had been sheltered and fed without one fatal illness or accident. The line is now over 34 miles long, and the revenue is on a basis that1 would bulge the eyes of a traffic man ager in "the States.” Freight is car ried for $1 a ton for every mile hauled.i That is about 125 times as much as* the rate in the States. Passenger, | rates are 20 cents a mile—ten times the rates on the big lines. UP THE MOON MOUNTAINS. _ * I "tcuuiNl Ur DUKE OF ABRUZZi’S 9 EXPEDITION. Ascends the Klyanja Peak In the Mount Ruwenzori Range In the African Interior. The Duke of Abruzzi Is back from bis remarkable expedition into the in terior of Africa, where he explored the wonderful Moon mountains, as cending Mount Ruwenzori, and scal ing the Klyanja peak, a feat never before accomplished. The intrepid mountain climber has just paid his re •poctE to the Royal Geographical so ■— . — — — —y The Kiyanja Peak Ascended For the First Time By the Duke of Abruzzi. elety of London, through whose gener ous support he was able to carry on bis explorations. The story of the duke’s Journey through Uganda, and his ascent of Mount Ruwenzori is an Interesting •ne as told by a member of the expe ditiou. The party left Entebbe on May 14 last and arrived at Fort Por tal fifteen days later, where the Brit ish authorities received them kindly and gave him an escort of 30 native Soldiers, commanded by a Sudanese cap tain. for it must be remembered that the duke had- to traverse a strange and in some cases hostile country in order to reach the starting point of the real object of the expedition. On the road from Entebbe to Fort Portal the duka was met by several chiefs, who brought him the usual presents of cattle, poultry and fruit. The party was accompanied by •bout 100 native carriers, who sang as they marched, sometimes war or love - songs, sometimes a song they had especially composed in honor of the duke—"the pale Mulanghira (prince) ' braver than the leopard.” On reaching Fort Portal the expe dition was met by the British gov ernor and the king of Toru. Here a rest of two days was taken. On-June 1 the expedition moved to wards the Valley of the Mobuks river, which springs from Ruwenzori; the weather, which during the first part of the Journey had been very hot, grew gradually cooler, until vfhen the high glaciers were approached it be came bitterly cold. On June 6, after •even hours of hard marching, the party reached Kichincin, which is sit uated at an altitude of nearly 7,000 v (set above sea level. At this point the Uganda carriers refused to proceed further on account of the cold, and the duke had to change them for eighty carrier* re- ! cruited among the inhabitants of the low mountains (Wakondjo). From here to Bujongolo the party experi enced for the first time the damp weather of the Ruwenzori district—' mist, fogs and rains, through which' only at intervals they could obtain a view of the splendid scenery that sur rounded them. At Bujongolo the duke ordered camp to be struck, and from this place, taking with him four trust ed Italian guides of the Aosta valley,, he started on June 9 for the ascent of the first peak of the Ruwenzori. Dur ing the duke's absence the camp had to be removed and pitched higher up near the glaciers, but of the eighty new carriers only seven could be in duced 10 proceed, and those only after the promise of a large gift in money. Three days later the duke returned, after having ♦eached the first peak, which is 16,000 feet high. On June 13 a dramatic incident oc curred. For several days the party had reason to suspect that it was followed by some wild animal, al though on acccnut of the great eleva tion and of the rigor of the temper ature such a thing seemed rather strange. However, in the evening of the same day the Duke Abruzzi was sitting in front of his tent giving in structions to Signor Filippo Bulli, who. was in charge of the scientific section; of the expedition, when he sprang to his feet, crying: “The leopard! the leopard!” Signor Bulli turned and saw a big leopard two yards away, its eyes shining in the darkness, with gaping jaws, and on the point of mak ing-a spring. Signor Bulli seized the,' box whereon he was sitting and; hurled it with all his might at the beast, hitting it on the head. The leopard leaped backwards and ran away through the mud and bushes, howling with fear, and despite a two hours’ chase it was impossible to trace the animal. On June 18 the duke reached the highest and hitherto untrodden peak of Ruwenzori (li>,220 feet). This he named the MargherRa, in honor of the dowager queen of Italy. A careful topographical survey of this mountain chain was made. It seems that the loftiest peaks are in the Congo and not in the Uganda. Orients: Greetings. Arabians when they meet a friend shake hands six or oight times. Once, is not enough. Should, however, they be persons of distinction, they ' em brace and kiss one another several times, and also Idas their own hands. In Turkey the greeting i9 to place the hand upon the breast and bow, which Is both graceful and appropriate. Reveal Character. Tou can trust a woman who sits with her thumbs up. She may be de termined. but she is not untruthful. The one who conceals her thumbs is apt to be deceitful and untruthful. Look at the thumb if you want to judge of people’s, intellectual strength, for the longer it is proportionately the stronger the brain. Sugar-Coated. Some take no verse as mental food, but they are jrery wrong; a little verse will do you good, and make you well -nd strong. And If you cannot get It raw, you surely can, I wis, admit a bit Into youf craw if served as prose, like this.—Louisville Courier-Journal. ADVOCATE OF “TRIAL-MARRIAGE.” ^ -- - l! 'IM The voice of popular protest has been quickly aroused against the doc trine of trial-marriage as set forth in Mrs. Herbert Parsons' book. “The Fam ily.” Here and there only a voice was raised in favor of trial-marriage, as being a solution of the divorce problem. Many ministers denounced trial marriage from their pulpits. In addition to the exposition of her plan of trial-marriages. Mrs. Parsons, sets forth many interesting data relating to the laxity of marriage in all countries. KNEW WHAT HE WANTED. Astute Yankee Made Money by Wear ing Queer Pair of Trousers. A Massachusetts man tells a story of “Old John” Langley, a veteran Wor cester horseman, that is illustrative of Yankee astuteness. One day Langley sought his tailor and in somewhat profane terms de manded “a pair of breeches of the best Etuff in the shop.” Of the many sam ples submitted “Old John" hit upon a beautiful silky broadcloth, the most costly piece of goods the tailor had, and, although this was most unsuitable for the purpose, Langley insisted that it was just what he wanted. Further more, he declared that he desired it “made up w-rong side out.” The tailor expostulated in vain, but the trousers were made as per specifi cations, and delivered. A day or so thereafter a friend, call ing on Langley, remarked on the trou sers in uncomplimentary language. Langley said he was satisfied. More guying resulted in an offer from “Old John” to bet $50 that the cloth cost more per yard than that in his friend’s trousers. The bet was taken am.l the tailor was to decide it. Tie named the price. The friend would not believe that the rough goods could be so costly until he was shown the shiny silky side. Then he paid, as other men had on similar bets, so that “Old John" SATISFIED WHERE HE WAS. Why Buyer’s Desire for Good Measure Suddenly Evaporated. The following anecdote is told of a most careful and sedate druggist in Keene, N. H.—a gentleman of the old school, who for 50 years occupied the same corner, and who, in all his deal ings medicinal, is a very scrupulous man. Not long since a person of not par j ti'cularly liberal practices, and withal a I close man, came to the good Samaritan j "ith a recipe that he wished put up, ! an<l fhe man of -drugs proceeded at once to attend to it. While engaged in weighing out the compound, the customer, with a smile intended to be “childlike and bland,” said to him: “Now, Doc, be sure and give me, good measure.” The druggist paused, holding the scales at rest while he looked over his spectacles at the man before him. “Sir,” he replied solemnly, “if I were to give you the merest grain more than this recipe calls for, you wouid be' in hell in five minutes.” The buyer didn't persist. Triumphing Over Difficulty. There passed away some time age an actress who had been so unfor tunate in her marital^ experiences as to divorce several husbands, and who re ALCOHOL MOTORS FOR FARMS. Each year the usefulness of the horse is lessened by some invention de signed to do the work of this animal. The introduction of the electric car put many thousands of horses out of busness. Then came the horseless car riages and freight trucks. Now comes the announcement by the United States government itself that alcohol will soon be used to furnish power for operating all sorts of farm machines and vehicles and that the horse must soon be largely suspended upon the farm by these machines operated by al cohol. , reaped quite a harvest on his original idea. Had No Bargains on Hand. Mr. Simons did not rise from his chair behind the air-tight stove in the Bitting room when his wife hurried in and told him that Abel Sanders was In the kitchen and wanted to see him, says the Youth’s Companion. ‘‘What d’you let him in for?” he asked reproachfully. “He wants to buy a hoss. that’s why,” replied Mrs. Simons. “You’d have made a great to-do if I hadp't.” “No, I wouldn’t," Mr. Simons said, as he reluctantly rose. “I know San ders’ size. I can’t do business with him. He wants a cheap hoss. And I ain't got anything l can sell for less than 314.” Humor of a Paris Sunday. The compulsory closing act is devel oping the humorous sense of Parisians. The other Sunday a well-known haber dasher's shop had its windows beauti fully dressed with cravats of every conceivable color and descriptipn. “Exceptional opportunity! All these ties only 15 cents each. For to-day only:” But the door of the shop was closed and bolted. The next morning would-be customers flocked to it to buy some of the wonderful ties, only to learn that the notice no longer held good. This reminds one of the barber who advertised: “Customers will be shaved free of charge to-morrow.” An Exception. Knicker—The child is father to the man. Bocker—Not much; -the baby who rouses the neighborhood at night be comes the man who takes his shoes off so as not to wake his wife. v More Beer Drinkers. Beer drinking In the United States Is on the increase. The total con sumption in the past year amounted to 64.G51.63G barrels, or 31 gallons for each inhabitant. In the previous year 49,459,539 bar^ala were consumed. tamed her maiden name for profes sional purposes. The day of her de mise a sister actress waited on an un dertaker, to make arrangements for the funeral. “Well,” said he. “as to the casket, I should advise one lined with white: satin if the lady was unmarried. If; she was married heliotrope would make a pretty lining.” The actress mused. Then she said: “I will consult her other friends,” and’ went away. Later in the day she came: again. “Sir," she said with dignity, “we have reached a decision. We should] like our dear friend's casket lined with, the heaviest grade of white satin, with' dashes here and there of heliotrope.”: Would Give Mira Half. One of Marblehead's old Grand Bank skippers used to tell the following: Skipper Mira Preble was fitting out; for a trip and “Mopy” Chambers, the; champion wood sawer of the town came to the wharf and asked if the; skipper would bring him some tongues and sounds. Preble agreed if “Mopy” would fur-: nish a firkin. The next day "Mopy" came to the^ wharf with the largest firkin made and salt; “'there, Mira, if you will bringi (hat full to-me I will do the handsome thing for you.” “What will you do?” asked Preble.; “If you bring it back ievel full I will, give you half,” replied “Mopy.” Calling Her. “A Boston minister says that ‘wine, women and song’ should be broken up as an alliance, that woman should be regarded as the saving influence in a< man’s life and I think he is right.” “The saving influence! And youj have just spent $40 of my htird-eamed money for a bonnet! Oh, tut!”—Hous-' ton Post. Monkey Men. A New York man injagines he Is a; monkey, and quite a number of New York monkeys imagine they are men. “Mary, do you think I look as if I had been crying? Well, 1 suppose the wind has made my eyes a little red. “Jack—Mr. Harris—didn’t meet me at that tearoom downtown as he prom ised. But I don’t care at all—not in the least. I had rather an unpleasant time and couldn’t eat anything. It’s all Jack’s—Mr. Harris'—fault, too. “You need not make coffee for his dinner. No, nor tea. We'll have just milk. Oh, I know he doesn’t drink milk, but we can’t always be consid ering what he likes. By the way, you need not fry the chicken, either. We'll, have creamed codfish ;*Jack detests it. If you can think of anything else that he doesn't eat, you may as well cook; that, too. “No, I'm not in the least angry. No. indeed, Itnever get angry with my hus band. I merely can’t'always be think ing of his dislikes and likes. He didn't remember his engagement with me to day and I—I don’t care if I never, never see him again. No, I don’t. I suppose I’d get along equally well without him. So, Mary, you may as well get the dinner at once. I won't) wait for him—he can eat it cold;, though perhaps it would be better to have dinner very late—for he always comes home so hungry. “Why, it's after five o'clock now. What do you suppose is the reason he doesn't come? “Oh, can anything have happened to him? You say he may have been struck by an automobile? Mary, how can you suggest such a thing? You had a friend who was smashed to pieces by one? Oh. oh! If they are bringing Jack home in pieces—I’ll love every little tiny piece. “What? Yes, yes, get some hot water ready; they may need it if—no, no, that looks as if we were anxious to be ready to—to fix him together. I mean— “Oh, Mary, the sight of blood will; make me faint. Do you think he'll have any blood on him? Your friend did? Mary, you are such a comfort to me! If he only returns to me whole I'll never, never tell you to cook cod fish again. “Poor boy! He won't care for the. chicken, either—and it was such a nice chicken, too! The butcher said— “Oh, some one is coming! It's Jack! “But I Didn’t Stop.” Ife’s whistling! liow can he when I'm mourning him for dead? “Oh, Jack, I’m so glad to see you I can't even think! It—it was such a surprise to—to open the door and find you here. I felt sure you were coming to me dead, so 1 told Mary'to put on the hot water— “John Vincent Harris, why didn't you meet your little wire in the south west corner of the lunchroom, as you promised? Yes, it was the southwest corner. I remember distinctly, be cause I kept saying ‘s’ for soup and •w' for fish. W-h-a-l-e, fish, you know. “Are you sure? Maybe it was north west—'n' and 'w,' soup and fish noodle soup, of course. Yes, that was it. I was there promptly at two o’clock. “Well, if you think I could do all that shopping and get there at 12 o'clock, you never were more mistak en in your life. Now, John Vincent Harris, do you mean to say that you think more of your business than of your own wife, so that you could not wait two hours for her? “Oh, about the lunch. I ordered for you, too, because 1 knew you would be so hungry. Jack, the waiter, had such handsome eyes! I think he rath er lilted to look at me—so I ordered more than I wanted and all the things you liked. When you disappointed me I couldn’t eat a thing. I gave the waiter 50 cents—he had been so kind. But I nearly fainted when 1 looked at the bill and discovered that I hadn’ money enough—I didn't know thing* cost so much. “I wanted to be brave and dash out without paying, and then send the cashier postage stamps, but ‘1 was afraid the patrol wagon would come after me, and if the police got me you never, never would know where I was, would you. Jack, dear? “So I counted my pennies, pretended that I was in an awful hurry and fair ly threw the money at the cashier Yes, some of the money rolled on the floor—but I didn’t stop. "Now, Jack, dear, please pay me for your lunch and send the cashier a check for seven cents—and you’d better make it anonymous so—so that waiter won’t know."—Chicago Daily News. ROUTED THE GRAIN TRUST. i • *_. i WOMAN WHO HAS FOUGHT BIG NEBRASKA COMBINE. Mrs. Kehoe, of Platt Centre, Has Pros pered In Business During Ten Year Struggle—Story Brought Out by Probe. Omaha, Neb.—In a fight lasting ten years, Mrs. Kate A. Kehoe, of Platte Centre, Neb., lias beaten and put to flight the Nebraska grajn trust. To day Mrs. Kehoe is prosperous and successful, while the great grain men who control the Nebraska grain trust are dodging around in their efforts to escape the summons server and the federal grand juries. The story of Mrs. Kehoe was brought out in the recent investiga tion into the grain trade in the west before the interstate commerce com mission at its Omaha session, and at its close the comraissiopers congratu lated Mrs. Kehoe upon the remarkable fight which she has just made against the big combination. While the fight has been going on Mrs. Kehoe has risen from a "shovel house” to be the owner of two big grain elevators, and from handling a few wagon loads of corn she is now one of the largest grain buyers along the line of the Union Pacific rail road. In addition to her fight with the grain trust, Mrs. Kehoe has been obliged to fight the railroads for her supply of cars in which to ship her grain, as well as to whip the members of the Omaha and other grain ex changes into line, thus forcing for herseif a market for her grain, once she had purchased it. Ten years ago, when Mr. Kehoe died, about the only asset he left to his widow was a small grain business transacted through a “shovel house." In grain parlance a “shovel house” is a dealer who buys from the farmer and shovels the grain into a ware house, afterward shoveling it into a railroad car, instead of handling the business through an elevator. Every elevator man considers it his business to “down" a "shovel house” whenever he can do it. Mrs. Kehoe continued the “shovel house” business, and in addition she opened up an implement house, sell ing all sorts of farming implements. Then the grain trust got after her. They wanted her to quit buying grain from the farmers. She refused to give up her business, and the trust began “work” against her. Her customers jn the cities were coerced into refus ing to buy from her. She met this attack by obtaining new customers. Then the railroads began shutting off her supply of freight cars. She was compelled to sit idly by and watch her competitors load car after car, .while none were given to her. She took the matter up direct with* the general managers of the railroads) and got her share of the empties. Failing to run her out of business, the trust invited her to ‘come in ; and share with them the results olj the “fleece.” She ordered the emis sary from her office in indignant re fusal. But Mrs. Kehoe turned this last effort of the trust to good account and, by showing the farmers in that vicin ity that the trust raised prices only to eliminate competition, after which the price of grain would fall below MRS. KATE KEHOE. (Nebraska Woman Who Has Won Fight Against Grain Trust.) the regular market, she obtained their cooperation, and thereafter when the. trust raised prices above the regular market the farmers continued selling: their grain to Mrs. Kehoe at the reg-; ular quotations. Then one night the "Bhovel house" burned. It was set on fire, but no one was ever punished for it. Forty-eight, hours after the fire contractors started, building a fine new grain elevator tlong the railroad track, and in a short time Mrs. Kehoe had one of the! most modern grain elevators In that portion of the state. The trust kept up its fight against her, but her methods with the farm ers and buyers were so "square" and her business was operated with so much sagacity that she has continued :o operate her elevators in spite of the combination that has ruined so many small dealers. To-day Mrs. Kehoe owns two eleva :01s, a first class grain business, a Jig implement and seed house, the inest residence in her county and is he biggest business “man” in Platte Centre. SHRINE OF OLD COLONIAL DA YS Bruton Church a Religious Landmark in American History. BRUTON CHURCH, FOUNDED IN 1632. Washington.—Bruton church at Wil iamsburg, Va.. is a historical buttress :onnecting the present generation with he most remote colonial ancestry and »eyond that with the mother country. I is a monument of the transfer of he seat of government from James own, where the first settlers pitched com neraorative inspiration of the James- j own tercentennial exposition. The present edifice was built in 1715 >n the foundations of the old church instructed in 1683 and it is the oldest iiptscopal church, having had continu jus service in the United States. Here as vestrymen worshiped Dan el Parke, John Page, the immigrant; Phomas Ludwell, secretary of state; I Sir John Randolph; Peyton Randolph, j ihe king's attorney and speaker of the | house of burgesses; Robert Carter Nicholas, treasurer of Virginia; Maj. Robert Beverly, attorney and clerk of the house of burgesses. Here once sat the men who first saw the vision of a great free republic of the western world and who at the altar of sacrifice consecrated their lives to the cause of, liberty which they loved. George Wythe, patriot, teacher, signer of the declaration of independ ence, was a vestryman; Thomas Jeffer son, James Monroe, John Tyler and, Chief Justice John Marshall and Ed ward Randolph worshiped here while students at the College of William and Mary and most of them in after years, while serving the colony and state. George Mason, Edmund Pendleton. Ed nmnd Randolph. Benjamin Harrison. Bland and Lee, while members of the bouse of burgesses, Patrick Henry, while a member of the house and gov ernor of Virginia, 1776, and George Washington while seeking to win the heart and hand of the beautiful Martha Custls. Col. David Bray’s memory is pre served by a monument bearing a Latin inscription. His spouse erected this monument and she followed him to the grave in a short time. This lady was Elizabeth, daughter of Col. John Page of Gloucester county. This latter gentleman is the progenitor of the Page family of Virginia, of which the celebrated author, Thomas Nelson Page. is. without a doubt, the bright particular star. Unkind. "So you wouldn’t take me to be 26?” giggled the fair widow. "No, indeed,” rejoined the inconsid erate old bachelor. "But if you had a daughter I might take hdr to be that old.”—Chicago Daily News. Indulgent. First Bull Terrier—Why do you keep your master waiting so long when he calls you? Second Ditto—Oh, just to jolly him a little; he likes to hear himself whis tie.—Detroit Free Press. Safest Coal Mine in the World. ._£ The above workings in the open air at Hongay, Tonkin, are on the side ef a hill, which is one solid block of coal about 200 feet high. To get at the min eral, it is only necessary to remove a layer of schist on the surface. The coal, which is of a good quality is mined to the extent of about 1.000 tons a day.