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About The Red Cloud chief. (Red Cloud, Webster Co., Neb.) 1873-1923 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 11, 1910)
Bv- -rf - sswa???5r& LIKEHOCH. . ? tmm.mati TPishcs HUGH 11. SMITH U.S. DE-PUTV COMMI3SI0NER OF PI3HERI&3 6 S) J5LIEF In tho exlstenco of sea serpents and other mnrlno mon sters goes back to a very remote antiquity and may bo n3 old as man himself. That great He brew poem which wo call tho Hook of Job has much to say about the "loiiathan." This creature has been the subject of much speculation and may havo been a myth, but there la noth ing Inherently Improbable In Us being a slant fish. Who knows that primitive man may not havo been coeval with some formidable marine crea tures now extinct, the tradition of which has como down through the ages ind left Its impros3 on tho mind of tho present generation? Tho avid, ity and credulity with which tho general public year after year receives newspaper accounts, which aro purely fictitious or hang on slender threads of fact, portraying tho capture or sight ing of creatures of Impossible form, show how firmly established and deep-seated is the convic tion that tho sea contains leviathans not yet known to science. Every season ylolds a fresh crop of sea-serpent stories and a now scries of grotesque pictures of creature? which, if they real ly existed, would revolutionize our Ideas of tho animal kingdom. Tho writer has personally fol lowed to their lairs two or three of tho most hor riblo monsters conceived by the vivid Imagina tion of tho newspaper man, and found them to bo well-known animals with little t i sus'i si the sea serpent As to whether there really exists In the sea today strange monsters, scientists are not wholly in aoroirt, although a negative view Is held by most of them. Tho very circumstantial account of tho sbtlng of a "eca-serpent" on the AMatlo coast by the French gunbjat Docldoe a fi w yeais ago. as published In the Journals at the time, will perhnps weaken tho belief of sqme Intelligent person;? who havo hoietoforo denied tho possibil ity of tho exl&tcnco at this day of ma rine monsters comparable to those of geological limes. Whatever may bo tho truth as to tho exlstenco of such creatures, thero aro well-known members of tho llsh cl.us which are so large that they do l "CI'tfftT HUGH M. SMITH 10 ;''vn7S& ! POLICEWOMAN IS A SPHINX Miss Adams, Secretary to Chicago's Chief, Will Not Talk of Offlco While He Is Away. Chicago Mian Kulo Adams, secre tary to l.e Uoy T. Stowurd, chief of police, became actual head of tho do pattmont tho other day when tho chlif net forth on a woek'ti vnoatlon (rip, and for tho first time hi history 3,000 bluoconls foil under tho rulo of a sss5ss, wmmmmM&MMmmmm?m fr''ilRSCSfvW , , ..-Wfr.tti-ti,.., Jm " wlhinimiMTiiii nip -- ? servo to bo regarded as inonstern and may bo tho basis of some ot tht sea-serpent yarns with which tho world lias been regaled for centuries. Among tho scrpentlform fishes thero Is none of such exceptionally large size as properly to belong In tho sea- serpent class, although somo deserve to bo con sidered ns giants among eels. If any known flshos may bo suspected of nsplrlng to bo sca-sorpents, surely they nro tho morays, although a sea-sor-pent only 30 feet long would hardly satisfy present-day requirements, and no mot ays havo yet been recorded which wero half so long. They have, however, been known to exceed ton feet In length, and they aro among tho most dreaded of fishes, having formidable teeth and showing a disposition to attack men. A fish of such pocullar form that the Italians call It mola, a millstone, and tho Spaniards pez Iuna, moon-fish, is known to Americans and Eng lish as tho sun-fish, for It appears at tho surface of tho ocean on bright days and spends many hours basking listlessly In tho sun, sometimes ly ing fiat with ono side just out of the water, some times with tho back fin projecting like a buoy above tho surface. It Is disk-shaped, its height nearly equaling its length, and It has a long, nar row fin on Its upper and lower edges posteriorly, and a short, broad flap representing tho caudal fin; Its eyes nro largo and Its mouth small, and taken altogether It Is ono of tho mo3t grotesque of fishes, being apparently all head Of almost world-wldo distribution, Its Is particularly abun dant on tho southeastern coast of tho United States and on tho California coast. It swims but little, being usually content to bo drifted along by tho ocean currents. Tho Gulf Stream wafts many a Bun-fish northward oach summer, so that tho species is not a rarity off southern Now Eng land, and I have seen a numbor of specimens that had become stranded on tho coast of Norway. Tho fish Is entirely harmless, and Is so sluggish and listless, and Is such a conspicuous object at sea, that it Is easily approached and harpooned. That tho sun-fish deserves a placo In tho list of giant flshos may bo Judged from tho fact that oxamples weighing 200 to COO pounds aro not raro, and that much largor .ones are occasionally met with. Tho largest known specimen, harpooned In 189." at Ucdondo Beach, California, weighed 1,800 pounds. On such a monster, lylug en ono side, thero would bo room for 30 men to stand. Tho strong teeth, shaped Hko a turtlo's beak, suggest that hard-shelled animals constltuto its food, but as far as known Jolly-flsh aro Its chief diet. Tho extremely tough, fibrous Ekln, several Inches thick, and tho general coarseness of structure seem Inconsistent with such dollcate food. Tho valuablo mackerel family has ono mom 'jer which easily ranks first In slzu among tho bony fishes, as distinguished from tho sharks, rays, sturgeons, otc, with gristly skeletons. This is tho horso mackerol or groat tunny (Thunnus thynnus), whoso rango encircles tho globe and which Is nn object of flshorles In many couutrles, notably sputhorn Europe. Built on tho compact and graceful lines of our common mackerel, it is the apothesia of speed,, alertness and vigor among - " , ' I .rt- TT- flJW-HJH ABOUT TO ?Z ? lTCP HOOK tho fishes of tho high seas, and might very easily mnko a transoceanic trip in one-third tho time of our fastest steamships. Threo species of fishes of tho sea-bass family known as Jew-fishes rang among tho largest of tho spiny-finned fishes. They inhabit tropical American waters, and range as far north as tho California and South Atlantic coasts. Tho spotted jew-flsh (Promlcrops ltalara) Is common in tho West Indies, and reaches a weight of COO pounds. Tho black Jew-flsh (Garrupa nlgrlta), found from South Cnrollna to Brazil, weighs COO pounds. Tho California Jew-flsh (Stereolepsls glgas), usually called sea bas3, sometimes attains a weight of COO pounds and Is ono of tho renlly great game flshos of tho country, being much sought by nnglors In southern California. An experienced angler has written: "My largest fish weighed 27C pounds, and I was ropeatedly almost Jerked overboard by tho struggles of tho bass. I havo seen a 200-pound fish snap tho largest shark lino Hko a thread, and largo specimens straighten out nn iron shark hook; yot tho skilled wlelders of the rod catch theso giants of tho trlbo with n lino that in not much largor than eomo eyeglass (fords." Among the rays nro several members which reach colossal proportions. Tho largest nnd best known of theso Is tho so-called "devil-fish" (Man ta vampyrus) ot our South Atlantic coast and tho tropical waters of America, which occasionally strays as far as Cape May and Is cornomn south of Capo Ilattoras. It Is shaped Hko a butterfly or bat, and has been called tho "ocean vampire," ' Projecting from cither sldo of tho head is a horn- Hko appendage, which In reality Is a detached part of tho pectoral fin or "wing." Theso horns, to which tho namo "devil-fish" owes Its origin, aro sometimes threo feet long and aro ireely mov able, being used for bringing food to tho mouth. Tho mouth 1b peculiar In having no teeth In the upper jaw, whilo the lower Jaw has about a hun dred rows of small paved teeth. Many years ago , tho pursuit of tho fish was a favorlto pastime of tho Carolina planters, and William Elliott, In his "Carolina Sports by Land and Water," said: "Im nglno n monster from 1C to 20 feet ncross tho back, full !5 feet In depth, possessed of powerful yet flexible HapB or wings with which ho drives himself furiously In tho water or vaults high In tho air." Thero tiro well-authenticated Instances of this flsh cntagllng Its horns In tho anchor ropes or chains of small vessels and towing them rap Idly for long distances, to tho mystification of tho peoplo on board. Tho expanso of body In this species Is greater than In any other known animal. Examples 1G foot wldo aro common, and thoso 20 foot across and over 4 feet thick aro not raro. Tho maximum width is stated by authors to bo 25 or 30i feet Ono specimen, of which tho wrltor had a photograph, caught in Lapaz Bay, Mexico, many yoars ago by tho crow of tho U. S. S. Narragaa- sott of which Gcorgo Dowey was cap tain, was 17 foot wide and weighed nenrly two tons. A Hah of the larg est size mentioned would weigh not less than sK tons. In tho lagoons, sounds, nnd bayous of tho West Indies and our southern coast thero exists an abundant Hah of groat length, Intermediate In struc ture between tho sharks and tho rays, nnd at onco rccognlzablo by tho elon gation of tho snout Into a wldo, flat blado In the edges of which nro largo, sharp teeth fitting In sockets and di rected horizontally. Tho teeth nro in 2G to 30 pairs, separated by wide in tervals, and give to tho saw-fish Its name. The species la well-known to thoso who rcsldo In or visit tho South Atlantic or Gulf seaboards, and the "saws" aro familiar objects In curio stores all over tho country. When giant fishes nro mentioned most peoplo will at onco think of tho sharks, among which, Indeed, nro found tho largest flshos now existing. Of tho many species of sharks note worthy on account of their size, there aro about half a dozen which nro pre eminent. Thoso differ much In tholr disposition, somo being harmless A3 doves and others tho Incarnation of ferocity. Tho sleeper shark (Somnlosus mi crocephalia), whoso scientific namo fits it so ndmlrably, appears to havo developed Ita body nt the expense of Its brain, for Is a sluggish, stupid glutton, about six times ns long ns an aver age man. At homo In tho nrctlc regions, it sometimes--makes visits as far south as Capo Cod, tho British Isles, and Oregon. One of tho most prodigious and perhaps tho most formidable of sharks Is tho "man-cater" (Car charodon carcharias). It roams through all tem perate and tropical Boas and everywhere 1b an object of dread. Its maximum length Ib 40 feet nnd Its teeth aro 3 Inches long. Whilo thero aro fow authentic Instances of sharks attacking human beings, thero havo undoubtely been many cases where shaiks simply swallowed peoplo who had fallen overboard, Just as thoy would swallow nny other food. How easy It would bo for n man-oat er to devour a person wholo may bo judged from tho finding of an entire hundred-pound &ca-llon In tho stomach of a 30-foot shark on the California coast. The largest of all fishes, tho largest of all cold blooded animals, and tho largest of all exUtlng ani mals, with tho exception of a fow spccleb of whales lh tho whalo shark (Rhlneodon typlcus), originally described from Capo of Good llopo, but now known from India, Jnpan, South America, Panama, Cali fornia nnd various other places, a small speclmon having been obtained on tho Florida coast a fow years ago. This shark baa a very broad and ob tuse snout nnd an exceedingly wide mouth armed with numerous mlnuto teeth; tho dark-colored body Is marked with many small whitish spots. Tho spe cies Is Btated to attain a length of 70 feet and Is known to exceed CO feet. Notwithstanding Its Im mense size, however, It Is hnrmlcsB to man unless attacked, and feeds on tho small creatures for which Ub teoth aro adapted. Its huge bulk makes it dangerous in tho bamo way that a whale Is dan gerous. Tho ribbon-fishes constluto a group chiefly note worthy for their shape nnd tho circumstances un der which thoy havo been mot with, although some of them nro nmong tho most elongate of llshcB. Imaglno n creature ono foot high, threo or four inches thick, and moro than 20 foot long, with tho coiihlstcncy of a wot towel, and you will havo somo Idea of a ribbon-fish. Our knowlcdgo of theso fishes Is duo to no ac tivity on tho pnrt of zoologists In finding their hnbl tat nnd collecting them thorcln, hut to tho cir cumstance that when thoy dlo or lodo their equi librium they full upward and float on tho surface, whence thoy aro picked up or drift ashoro. Nearly nil tho specimens known havo been fouud dead or dying, nnd fow, If any, havo boon socuied in deep sea collecting apparatus. This suggests how frag mentnry must bo our knowlcdgo of tho largor ani mals of tho oceanic abyss and how posMble it might bo for unknown monsters to exist thero In abun dance, i , , i woman Assistant Chief Schuottler In, of course, oillclally the acting chief, but Miss Adams Is rarrjlng tut tho work Chief Steward dues when ho Is In tho city. Keen, aloit and purposeful. Miss Adams took tho holm and dltorted Hinoiiililv tho routine of tho husloHt pollro dopattniint In tho world. Tho obsors.it Ions she has iniulo la tho months idtico hor appointment as chief Steward's "oonlldontlal man" havo prepared MIkh Adams to step Into tho ohlel's oillclal shoos. Thoso of tho "pavement pounders" who had not been advised of tho chief's vaca tion plans never susporled tho king was gone And a queen wan reigning. MImh Adatim stepped In as acting chief nt a tlnio when tho pollro de partment was grappling with one ot tho most puzzling death mysterloH In its annals, therefore it hasn't been an easy matter to see her. Miss Adams has a way of not an swering questions, but it is such a charming way that tho battled Inter viewer only smiles back at hor and asks another. Ono question which Miss Adams dodged was tho one: "How does It feel to bo chief of po lice?" It was a direct question. Hut tho nnswor eamo Hko this; "Why, how should I know?" That didn't sound at all direct, but Miss Adams assorted that sho wiih not able to an swer It moro directly, oven after It was put In number of different forms. A FOREMOST YACHTW0MAN Mrs. Goclet, Who Lately Excited Jealousy in German Court Circles, Bears This Distinction. Berlin Mrs. Robert Goelot, who has ostitod tho Jealousy of Gorman court circles bocauso Kaiser Wllhehn snubbed ills own courtiers in order to dine with the noted American woman on her yncht, tho Nahmn, at the Kiel regatta, Is perhaps tho foremost yachtswoman of tliu world and has long been a favorlto of tho Germau fjftf ! '1 fiippSS emperor. When her husband died 11 yoars ago, Mrs. Goelot was left a for tune, and tho Nahmn has flown her colors In many seas sinco that tlnio. Tho knlaor has been a frequent visitor at Mis. Godot's yacht during hor at tendance at tho Kiel regattas sluco 1901, and oven exchanged visits with tho dimming American when tho weio in Italian waters In 1904. Mrs. Goelot is n social lender In Now York and Newport. Sho is ono of tho very fow foinlnlno members of tho Now York Yacht club. Tho Nahma Is espe cially well known at Kiel, Cannes, San Sebastian and Monto Carlo. Sho was hold up by Turkey as a auspicious ciaft in 1903, but tho sultan made amends by giving Mrs. Goelet a decoration. Watch Found After Four Years. Iondon. In a turnip fluid on Park farm has boon found a watch lost four yoars ago by Cory Wright, a Londoner, whilo shooting over tho preserves of Col. Barclay at Hanworth hall, near Great Yarmouth. It wus tumid bed but appeared as good as ovor. .V7V " 7m-AA.I T)WNft ' What havo you to say to this chargo of bigamy; why did you havo so many wives'.'" "Well, Judge, T ovportod to weed out n few of them later." RAW ECZEMA ON HANDS "I had eczema on my hands for ton yeats. I had threo good doctors but nnno of them did any good. I thon used ono box ot Cutlcura Ointment and three bottles of Cutlcura Resolvent nnd was completely cured. My hands wore raw nil over, lnsldo nnd out, and tho oczoma was spreading nil ovor my body nnd limbs. Before 1 hnd used ono bottle, together with tho Cutlcura Ointment, tny pores wero nearly healud over, and by tho time I hnd used the third bottle, I was entirely well. To nny ono who hns any skin' or blood dleaso I would honestly ad vlso them to fool with nothing clso, but get Cutlcura and get well. My bands havo never given mo the least bit of trouble up to now. "My daughter's hands this summer beramo perfectly raw with eczema. Sho could get nothing that would do them any good until sho tried Cutl cura. Sho used Cutlcura Resolvent and Cutlcura Ointment and In two weeks they wero entirely cured. I havo used Cutlcura for othor members ot my family and It always pioved suc rosbful. Mrs. M. E. Falln, Spcera Fciry, Va., Oct 19, 1909." History Cleared Up. Tho thlid grado was "having hliv tory." Forty oungsters woro ma. king gucsHcs about tho life and char acter of the Father of Ills Country, when tho teacher propounded a ques tion thnt stumped them all. "Why did Washington cross tho Delaware?" Why, Indeed? Not a child could think of anything but the nnswor to tho famous chicken problem: "To get on tho other side," and, of course, that wouldn't do. Then llttlo Annlo'rt hand shot Into the air. Llttlo Annie crosses tho Delaware every summer herself, hence tho bright idea. "Woll. Annie?" "Bocauso ho wanted to get to Atlan tic City." Philadelphia Times. It Wouldn't Stretch. Tho assessor was doing tho very best ho could, but tho farmer was shrowd and wary. "How ninny acres of farming land havo you?" ho Inquired warily. " 'Bout 20, I guess," said Roubon. "Twenty! Why, It looks to mo Hko nearor 120. Come, now, can't you In crenso that a llttlo? Thero aro suroly moro than 20 acics In that tract. Sup poso you stretch that a little." "Say. foller," said tho farmer, "this ain't no rubber plantation." Harpr'a Monthly. Fine School. "Your daughter should attend my school of education." "Sho shnn't! She's attended ono, and $ho's positively " "Ah, but I teach a now systomi When my pupils nro asked to rcclto thoy aro trained to refuse" A man's argument Is nearly always" self convincing. A COOL PROPOSITION And a Sure One. The Body Does Not 1-ccl Heat Unpleasantly If It has Proper Food . GrapeNuts Peoplo can Hvo fn a temperature which feels from ten to twonty degrees cooler than their neighbors enjoy, by regulating tho diet. Tho plan Is to avoid moat entirely foi breakfast; uso a goodly allowanco ot fruit, cither fresh or cooked. Then fol low with a saucer containing about four heaping teaspoonfuls of Grape-Nuts, treated with a llttlo rich cream. Add to this about two slices of crisp toast with a meager amount of butter, and ono cup of well-mini o Postum. By this selection of food tho bodily onergy is preserved, whilo the hot, car bonaceous foods havo been left out Tho result Is n very marked difference in tho temperature of tho body, and to this comfortable condition Is added tho certainty of easo and perfect diges tion, for tho food being partially pro digested Is quickly assimilated by tho dlgesttvo machinery, Expeilenco nnd experiment In food, and Its application to the human body has brought out thoso facts. Thoy can bo mado use of and add materially to tho comfort of tho user. Road tho llttlo book, "Tho Road to VVellvllle,,Aln pkgs. "Thero's a Reason." mA "" ?,!:FmT4jg( &juwgtoto -Muhftf ntftjfc&kje&EJaaKLMu. wmf,'fc .an.;, it i -.. u,:ifji','0- -.-jrTt: ,,i imtmi'.nu.- MumKttm,im-ii,nu em. m 't!m . --.'L . . . . . . - . i u : r - "-in-.