Shi
8 'Cbe Conservative.
VOLCANO LANDS.
There is really no guarantee against
the persistence of nature. A ma
jority of the islands of the sea are of
volcanic origin. The internal forces
of the earth expel and throw out ma
terial until the mass rises above the
water and the great chimney con
tinues supplying matter until its
overflow makes a roomy island. The
eruption ceases. The mass cools , the
lava cracks and breaks , the sun and
rain join in reducing it until the soil
appears capable of supporting vege
table life , and finally the vast tumuli
formed by volcanic action become
beautiful spots , fertile and verdant.
They attract man , and ho lives upon
laud that was once fire , and ,
where molten hell dashed waves of
flame as high as the swells of the
ocean , a paradise is in bloom and
homes are built and children play in
the perfumed air.
The islands have always strongly
appealed to the imagination of man ,
and the high cones of the volcanoes
that built them are among their at
tractions. The forests climb far up
these slopes and farms and gardens
hang upon their acclivities , all pre
senting a picture of peace and happi
ness. But there is no guarantee that
the force that made the foundation
for it all was spent in its creation.
The most persistent volcanoes in the
world are either insular or peninsu
la' * . The craters on island groups
are the aptest to erupt.
Nature is persevering and persist
ent. Whore she has once sot her
danger signal it is well for man to
bo careful. In the valley of the
Rhone were vast ancient floods , but
these had so long ceased that cities
were built down to the water's edge
and hundreds of thousands of people
planted and dwelt where once the
water had rolled in a destructive
flood. Suddenly the flood , absent
more than a century , came again ,
and cities wore washed away ,
hundreds wore drowned and thou
sands made homeless. The watershed
of the Rhone had not changed.
When there fell upon it the same
amount of rain that fell to make the
ancient floods they were sure to come
again , and it fell and they came.
Another century or two may pass
before another Rhone flood , but it
will come , and if people meantime
forget and go carelessly over nature's
danger line they will suffer.
It is so * with the dwellers in vol
cano lauds. Vesuvius had belched
lava long before the time of Romulus
and Remus. The volcano had prob
ably been an island originally , but
omitted the material that built it on
to the mainland , lengthening the
peninsula. Eighteen hundred years
ago men had forgotten that the fiery
mountain was destructive and they
had built Hcrculaneum and Pompeii
at its base. In one night they wore
buried so completely that their graves
were forgotten. The volcano spread
over them fifty feet of hot ashes , and
their homes and temples , theaters ,
baths and galleries wore smitten
from the sight of men , to make no
sign for nearly twenty centuries.
Now homes are built up the slopes
of Vesuvius and cities spring at its
base. But some time they will surely
join Heroulannum and Pompeii.
The destruction of St. Pierre on
Martinique , and of other towns by
the volcanoes of the lessor Antilles ,
is a recent and awful warning to
stay on the right side of nature's
danger lino. This generation will
heed it. St. Pierre will not rise
from its ashes now. But by and by
men will forgot. The sides of Peleo
will again bear forests and birds will
sing there and tinkling water will
trickle down the path that was trod
den by fire , and when a largo popula
tion has grown at the base of the
mountain , some day when all are
busy with work and affairs , or some
night when all are at pleasure ,
Pelee's fiery banner will shoot sky
ward and , falling , enfold all life and
recreate the desolation in which it
made the island originally and in
which for ages it has built on and
added to the original plan.
It is barely possible that the warn
ings of science might keep1 people
away from danger in the volcano
lands , and this awful tragedy may
help toward that end , but the fact
remains that up to this time no warn
ing and no experience have kept men
from passing the danger line. San
Francisco Call.
CHANGES IN MARKET FOR HORSES.
The rapid displacement of horses
from street-car lines of cities from
1880 onward helped to disturb the
market for horses. An impression
prevailed that a permanent decline in
the use of horses had begun , and that
the depression of prices would bo
permanent. Within recent years a
great reaction in demand has oc
curred and the supply is now inade
quate. Horses have boon in active
demand for shipment abroad , and
special classes of horses are in strong
demand at home. The express and
transportation companies require
strong , heavy horses for their retail
collection and deliveries. These
horses must also have more activity
than these selected for strength alone.
A similar demand exists for horses
for the fire departments of our cities.
Tall horses of good action are in de
mand for carriage teams. The racing
'stock of the Kentucky blue grass finds
ready market among lovers of speed. 'j '
The foreign demand in recent years j )
has reached almost all parts of tl o
country whore enough desirable
horses could bo bought to ship in car- 'j1 '
loads. After the essential qualifica
tions of ago and soundness , buyers
have taken animals of such varied
character as might bo grouped under
the term ' ' general utility. ' ' Besides
the horses obtainable from the farms
of the Middle West , from which
older States long had supplied defi
ciencies in local supply , Southern
States have boon canvassed and the
country west of the Mississippi has
more closely disposed of surplus
stock than at any previous time. The
hardy "caynsos" and "bronchos"
have been taken , and there seems to
be good reason to' believe that in cer
tain cases the sales have impaired the
supply of horses for local use. While
the present foreign demand is un
usual and hardly to bo long continued
in so intense a form , it has brought
to view the capabilities for supply
and the character of animals avail
able in different sections in a way
likely to produce a premauent im
pression. With the increasing dens
ity of settlement in civilized coun
tries , animals for service tend to fall
below the demand and the deficiency
must bo made good from a distance ,
unless man , by his personal service
or by aid of a machine , does the v A
work. Great expectations have been
based upon the introduction of vari
ous motors.
Specific uses of horses have boon
greatly affected by recent inventions.
In addition to the changes upon
street railways , bicycles and automo
biles have greatly affected the livery
business. It , however , remains true
that horses are in great demand. An
illustrative incident is the buying in
Maine for private stables in Now
York. Northern Now England has
long boon famous for hardy roadsters ,
particularly under the name of "Mor
gan horses. " These are animals of
moderate weight , of good action ,
good temper , and of high endurance
for long-continued effort. Select
animals distinctly fitted for any spe
cified service are likely to find good
sale continually.
Bulletin 87 , lately issued by the
Bureau of Animal Industry of the
Department of Agriculture , is en -
titled ' ' Market Glasses of Horses. ' '
It is a careful statement of the pre
vailing conditions and current do
mands.
TO CURE A COLD IN ONE DAY.
Take Laxative Brome Quinine Tablets.
All druggists refund the money if it
fails to cure. E. W. Grove's signature
is on each box. 25c.
