THE OMAHA DAILY BEE : rSTTNDAY , SEPTEMBER 2 , " 180-1. J3
Photograph of a Continent , Revealing Its
Achievements and Misfortunes ,
SUPT , PORTER REVIEWS THE WORK
Hopes acdmbltiona of Millions Arrajed
in Coltranocl Figures.
ARMY OF FIFTY THOUSAND INTERVIEWERS
The Lights and Shadows , the Frojjross and
Drawbacks of the Nation.
A STUPENDOUS AND MOMENTOUS WORK
A ComprrlieiiMvo Hetlow of tlio lUrvcnth
Cnmua nnil IVImt It Ilcmoi'utralc * Vin
dication of tlio Count Oocrcnao of
tlio Illrtli Jtutu 1'uturn UrotrtlL ,
The average reader of a newspaper will re-
cell In undisguised terror at the dismal ar
ray of figures , the ghastly tabulated state
ments , the never-ending string of knock
down facts which the census suggests. There
Is , however , a broader and more attractive
view ot the census which Is rarely brought
out ; a view of Intense concern to the na
tion and touching in one form or another al
most every human interest. Approached
from this standpoint , tlio sombre statistical
garb falls off and a subject with life and soul
la revealed , breathing of the achievements
and misfortunes , the progress and drawbacks
the joys and sorrows , the crimes and no
bility , the greed and the self-sacrifices , the
hopes and the ambitions of millions of human
beings. It Is the photograph of a'contlnent.
In the area which Is shown many of the
mighty nations ot the world can be tucked
away In corners upon Its broad surface
Surely wo have hero a theme rising above
more columns of figures and an Inspiration
that will transport us beyond the en urn era
tlon ot hard , dry facts.
To my mind It would bo difficult to Imagine
a moro fascinating task than that of photo
graphing these millions , In which the field
was a vast continent reaching from ocean to
ocean and spreading from the snow-clat
mountains ot Alaska to the tropical ever
glades of the gulf ,
INTERVIEWING TWELVE MILLIONS.
Those engaged In the work had to tall
with all sorts and conditions of men am
women on almost every topic ot human In
terest. Over twelve million people had to b
seen ; over twelve million dwelling house
must bo visited. On foot went this army
CO,000 strong , elbowing their ivay into th
crowded tenement houses of New York city
where more human beings exist to the sqiiar
mile- than in any city In the world , on horse
"back along the mountain paths ot Wyomin
&nd Montana in search of the little nil n In
camps , In bouts on the rivers and Inlets o
the northern extremity ot the republic Int
the fishing villages of Alaska , In caravan
accompanied by artists and photographers fa
Into the Indian reservations , not only to as
certain the number but the condition of th
numerous tribes of North American Indians
In an old church building in Washington , D
C. . may bo found nearly 20.000.000 of orlglna
Echcdules upon which are written Ihe name
and a brief history of nearly C3.000.000 hu
man beings. These myriad sheets of pape
como as It were from every homo and dwel"
ing place within the domain of the stars nn
atrlpos. Nay , more than this , not a farm
a factory , a mill , n business house , a corpora
tlon , a person , a fishing boat , a court o
record , a county recorder's or reglslrallo
office , a municipal or state bureau , a charlt
abla Institution , a school , a church or
prison waa omitted. The history of all thes
operations formed no small part of the sta
tistlcal harvest of 1800 , and engaged th
tlmo and Ingenuity of the statisticians I
classifying , tabulating and preparing to
.final publication.
STUPENDOUS AND MOMENTOUS WORK.
The widest range of humanity , of climate.
of conditions , of endeavor are found In thass
returns , from huts of mud and surround
ings little better than those of the primitive
ago to dwellings of oriental splendor and
-princely magnificence ; from the simplest and
crudest operations In fishing , mining , procur
ing food supplies and furs , to the most
Intricate operations aided by Invention , elec
tricity and the highest human Ingenuity ;
from conditions barbaric to conditions typical
of the highest civilization. To decide the
avenues by which these millions shall b. '
reached , tha manner'this continent shall be
traversed , Ihe best methods to be employed ,
the Information to be sought and to put th ?
army In motion is Indeed a rare experience
and a good fortune that can come to but few
men. The field work of tha United States
census when undertaken by an Impromptu
organization brought Into existence for the
purpose Is ono of the most stupendous and
momentous civil undertakings a man can
assume. Not only is the census the condi
tion preco.dent to our form of government ,
and by It'wa apportion both direct taxation
and political representation , but by guiding
legislation and thought of all kinds It touches
every artery and every vein of our ma-
terlal. physical and moral progress , and I
thus In some degree affects the Interest ot [
almost every Individual.
THU ROMANCE OF STATISTICS.
The amount of Information gathered al
most surpasses belief. The enumerator and
special iiK < nt had to cipher out the crops . ,
appraise the value , number thn Itvo stock
and estimate the eggs , butter and cheese of
every farmer. From the manufacturer and
mine owner was obtained the number of
liands employed , wages paid , capital In
vested , quantity of product and valueof
production ; to say nothing of the still
further Information demanded by nearly 100
xport special agents who devoted several j
years to fully Investigating special branches
of production In the agricultural , mining and
manufacturing branches of the census. The
fisherman was Interviewed aa to the specie
and quantity of his catch ; the florist to find ;
out the variety and development of gresn-
IICUBO production and the surprising sums
expended therefor ; the horticulturist given
. an opportunity to tell a statistical romance
on the expansion of truck farming and the
vltlculturlat Interrogated In relation to thn
marvelous achievement In native wines-mak
ing. Transportation by rail and water , re
vealing a. railway , lake , ocean and river
system equal lo that of all the rest ot the
world , occupied for three or four years some
of the keenest experts and accountants In
the -world , while the entire range ot in
surance , life , fire and marine. Involving In
terests that when-measured by dollars make
one dizzy , was covered with u thoroughness
and detail never bcforo attempted by any
government ,
A TRINITY OF GLOOM.
That trinity of gloom taxation , debt and
death occupied no Inconsiderable amount
of thought. Transcripts ot every regis
trar's ami every recorder's 'olllce where
deaths and Individual debts are recorded
were searched and transcripts were made
for the purpose of ascertaining the physi
cal and financial strength and weakness of
the population , while In the statistics of
special classes and pauperism and crime
wo were able to iruige the moral welfare
ot thu people. Cognltiiiit alike ot the
lights and Bhadei of humanity , much that
Is gratifying and hopeful may be found In
the advancement ot education , of religious
sentiment , of homo owning and ol the gen
eral Improvement In morals and Increase
of thrift.
It la difficult to paint this picture- ex
cept by a few bold strokes , for the detail ot
It would becmrt tedious and fall of the pur-
pos in mind , that of giving In a few
words ft conception of the greatest mar
shalling of facta relating to a nation's
progress ever attempted by auy government
in the world. That not a fallura or ab
solute mlicarrUge occurred In any branch
at the. nork speaks aa highly for the con
scientious , ibis expert * InvlteJ lo take part
In the work as ( or th Ihoronghness and
care with which It was planned and brought
lo a succestfal termination.
A HUNDRED YEARS' PROGRESS.
Tha eleventh census W .B ot unusual In
terest and Importance from the fact that U
would show the advance of 100 years' march
ot the republic the Oral century ot the
nation's life. The first census had been
taken In 1790 , the year after the formation
ot the government under the constitution ,
anil the results of the l&st enumeration
would furnish the material and mark the
growth during this Important period. On
the 1st of June the work of enumeration
was begun , and with the exception ot n few
outstanding districts that month closed with
the census practically completed. Then fol
lowed the shipment of tha schedules to the
office- and the first rough tabulation. In
October of the same year the results were
announced and It was found that the popula
tion exclusive ot Indians not taxed accordIng -
Ing to the phrase ot constitution was
GJG22,250. And this total will stand for nil
time to come. The count was pushed with
such energy that the census ofllce hnd the
official returns ready on the convening of
congress In 1830 causing no delay In the
apportionment of national representation ,
which was made two years In utlvanc ; ot any
other census. Of course there were many
who expected a larger total , and among
them th ? superintendent himself. The work
had been done- with unusual care. As far
as possible the weak spots In the work of
1880 had been strengthened. The usual
complaints of cities and ambitious towns
were answered by partial recounts or by
evidence of the correctness of the count ,
white those making unreasonable and par
tisan attacks for political purposes were
given an opportunity to make the usual
Inflated and " " " "
trustworthy "boom , "police"
and "school" censuses to meet the great
expectations of civic pride and the neces
sities of those anxious to "lessen" the per
cnplta cost of expenditure anil magnify the
work of the Health department by minimiz
ing the death rate. Unwilling to wait until
the complete tabulation , when the census
would prove Its own accuracy , the fact that
the aggregate population tild not come up to
popular anticipation was used to stir up the
cltlins ot dissatisfied elites. Several
congressional Investigations were made and
though one lasted nearly twelve months and
was thoroughly conducted by a. committee po
litically opposed to the administration at
Washington , the ofllce and the work was vin
dicated In every respect. Some fault to bo
sure was found with the system and sugges
tions made In the line ot & permanent cen
sus bureau , but the verdict was that consid
ering the magnitude of the undertaking and
the material available for temporary work of
this kind the results were remarkably satis
factory and complete.
OKCKKASB OF THES BIRTH RATE.
The time has now como for a complete vin
dication of the great count of I8DO. The other
branches ot the eleventh census need no de
fense , for friend and foe alike agree in prais
ing the special work without stint , while our
goad statistical brethren across the sea de
clare It stands unequaled , It Is also gratify
Ing and perhaps pardonable for me to say
in this connection that Canada , Austria and
Italy have adopted the scheme ot tabulation
It ougurated by the eleventh census , and that
today Sca-ndlnavla , the German government
and the municipality of 1'arls arc
making a study of the system wltli
a view of adoption In future
statistical work. To some perhaps the popu
lar surprise and disappointment at thean
nounccment ot the total population was suf
ficient evidence of something wrong in the
count. Statisticians , however , with nny re
gard to their reputations would hesitate to
accept this sort of a proof , and as a result ' .
do not recall a iilngle statistician of any repu
tatlon joining In the epidemic ot abuse which
swept over the land in consequence of an Im
aglned shortage of a million and a half In the
eleventh enumeration of the population o
the United States , When questioned on th
subject they wisely answered , wait until the
tabulation of the population by periods elite
lite and ascertain how many of the Inhabl
tants ot 1S90 were > mder ten years of age ,
Should the proportion ot the- total population
under ten years ot age be the same as It wai
In 1BSO , namely 20.7 , 1C will be time enough
lo doubt the accuracy ot the count. It on
the other hand the birth rate has suffered a
sharp decline the eleventh census will be cor
roborated In ono ot the most essential points.
Estimates and expectations work well some
times , but just as you begin to rely upon
ihls method they take a sudden tumble and
the "estimator" Is Unomlnlously extinguish d.
In this particular Instance the birth rate did
decline. The- population under ten years
of age In 18SO was 20.7 per cent ; In 1890 , 24.3
per cent. Now what does this mean ? It
means that if the population of 1880 had been
maintained In 1800 the population of the
country would have- been greater by sixteen
or seventeen hundred thousand and the ag
gregate population over 01,000,000 , This
would have been equal to the most liberal
estimate ot our population and the fact that
the actual enumerated population did not
equal the estimates can be explained entirely
by the falling oil In the birth rate during the
previous ten years.
THE PEOPLE RESPONSIBLE.
The more the figures are studied the more
convinced any fair minded Individual would
become that the enumeration of 1890 Is sub
stantially exact. Again the falling off In
th : birth rate finds corroboratlon In the
returns showing the falling off In the size of
families from 5.9 in 1870 to 4.9 In 1890.
Thus the figures prove that the people of
the country , not the superintendent of cen
sus , are responsible for the shortcomings
of the population returns of the eleventh
enumeration. The actual returns , even if a
few of the enumerators have ben careless ,
are always more trustworthy and satisfac
tory than estimates from the most profound
statistical sharps. For example , there was
Elkanah Watson , who In 1815 estimated the
population of the Unltsd States for each
decade until 1900. In 1820 he was only about
8,000 out of the way. In 1830 about 32,000 , in
1S10 In the same neighborhood ; In 1S50 some
thing like 650,000 , and in I860 over 310,000.
Then he took a mighty fall , and was millions
too much In 1870 and 18SO , closing nearly
10,000,000 , too high In 1690 , while his esti
mate for 1900 ot 100,235,1)85 ) will probably ex-
Cceil the autual count by 25,000,000.
Not deterred by the Ignominious fate of
the most accomplished of our estimators , I
suppose the latter-day statistical prophets
will bo on hand in 1900 with their com
mendable venem-nco and old time exagger
ation. These persons seem to have never
heard of the law of decreasing rate of In
crease. Gibbon has shown that the further
conquest la carried the wider and the
mightier becomes the resistance and the
hostility which the . conquering power Is
forced to encounter. So It Is with natural
growth , whether In wealth or In population.
Not only do the limitations of nature become
more and moro stringent In reducing the rate
of Increase , but that Increas : docs of Itself
create moral ami social , not to speak ot dis
tinctly political tendencies which traverse
Its own course , and , If not strong enough
to- defeat further growth or accumulation ,
do at least make any successive gain moro
slow and painful.
THE FUTURE GROWTH OF POPULATION.
What will be the- future rate of growth ot
the republic ?
On this subject General Walker recently
saldt
"There Is reason for believing that certain
forces and tendencies not heretofore felt , or
at least not heretofore recognized In our
national life , are beginning to affect power
fully the reproductive capabilities of our
people , and that these forces and tenden
cies have contributed In a very large degree
within the last decade to bring down a ratio
of Increase In the native poulatlon. "
What are these forces ? To what extent
are they Industrial , and to what extent
soclalT How much of this decrease Is due
to the fact that the line ot agricultural oc
cupation Is drawing closer to the great bar
ren plains ? That manufacturing is taking
Us course westward and southward ; that
population Is concentrating In our large
cities of Industrial energy ; that the'atrug-
gle for existence in these compacted com
munities increases in severity , and to the
concentration ot wealth ? On the other
hand , how much Is due to the fact that the
population tends Increasingly to fashion
and social observance } that diet , dress ami
equipage become more and more artificial ;
that home life and housekeeping gives way
to boarding anil residence in "Hats ; " that
methods for controlling the size of families be
come better known ; that families decrease ,
children become more burdensome , and mar
riage responsibilities are assumed later In
life ? It Is difficult to give with any degree of
exactitude the particular cause for the dccrjate
In the birth rate , but I have here enumera
ted some of the principal forces which affect
tha reproductive capabilities of our people.
In the eddy and swirl of social and In
dustrial currents through which the nation
Is pusslne , It la wholly Impossible to cstl-
mate- Its futttro rate ot growth. The pres
ent decade has begun with financial and
business disasters , which will seriously re
tard tha growth of population. For the first
time In a generation or more the gates of
Castle Garden arc twinging outwird anil
not Inward. Allowing for a still further re
duction In the birth rate and Increase in
the marriage age , and In view of the pres
ent conditions and tendencies , the republic
will not likely greatly * exceed 75,000,000
souls when the century which brought U
Into existence closes its march of 100 years.
UODERT P. I'ORTER.
fl AY VXTAIIW.
There are probably tew persons In the
United States who do not believe that some
means should be adopted for the cultiva
tion and maintenance ot better relations
between employers and employes and for
the prevention of such strikes and lock
outs as those from which cur country has
suffered from time to time , and particu
larly during the last few months. That
there should be some more simple method
for the settlement of Indut'.rlal disputes
Is universally admitted , and a method which
will at the same tlmo tend to promote amore
moro active oymDilhy between employers
and employes is particularly desired. Prob
ably the present generation will never see
the complete solution of the labor problem ,
and possibly It may never bo attained , but
that something should be done In the way
of legislation to meet present conditions Is
evident. Without attempting to discuss
the question as to how far an emplcyer has
the right lo control the wages of his em
ployes and to Ox their hours of labor , or the
no less Important question as to the right of
employes to Inaugurate strikes in order to
enforce their demands , the writer deslrea
to call attention to an act lately passed by
the leglsiatjre of the province of Ontario ,
Canada , which seems to provide for the
amicable settlement of all the more Impcrt-
ant industrial disputes likely to arise. It
Is entitled "An act respecting councils of
conciliation and of arbitration for settling
Industrial disputes. "
The act Is a rather lengthy one , and only
Us moro Important features will be noticed.
The word "employer , " ns used In It , is de
fined to mean any person or body of per
sons employing not leas than ten workmen
In one business , and the word "emplc-ye "
any person working for such an employer.
The subjects of dispute of which the act takes
cognizance arc : .
1. The price to bo paid for work dene ,
or In course ot being done , whether such dis
agreement shall have arisen with respect
to wages or times of working.
2. Damage alleged to have been done to
work , delay In finishing the
same , not fln-
isnlng the same In a good and workmanlike
manner or according to agreement , or n
d spute respecting materials
supplied to em-
° a"egea to bo bad > or unfltor
un
3. The price to ba paid for mining any
mineral or substance mined or obtained by
mining , hewing , quarrying or other process ,
or the allowances , If any , to bo made for
ponds , refuse , faults or other causes whereby
the mining ot the mineral substance is Im
peded.
4. The performance or nonpcrformance
of any stipulation or matter alleged to have
been In an agreement , whether In wrltlns
or not ,
. ? Insufficient or unwholesome food sup
Piled to employes where there Is an agree
ment to victual them , or to supply them
with provisions or stores of any kind.
I1-ventn1ated | or dangerous workings
,
„ - „ !
or places in
mines
, or unwholesome or un-
or other places of uvi-uinmg.
" w lch work '
" belnK Performed
, ,
nr nectlon „ with neccssary conveniences in con
such rooms or places.
agreement ' ! 16 of d'snilssal ' or , employment under
any employe or number nf
employes.
S. The dismissal of
an employe or em
ployes for their
connection with any trade
or labor organization.
For the settlement of disputes in regard
to these matters , provision Is made for a
council of conciliation , and a council of ar-
ri/t ? n > rboth ° , f wlllch act under the di
a registrar of councils appointed
by the lieutenant governor. A council of
conciliation consists ot four , persons , two of
which pro nominated by each of the parties
to the dispute. A Joint written statement
mi0CiT ls.8ubmlttc < l to thom whenever
nn > , .
possible , but If no such statement can be
agreed upon , each party provides them with
a statement , after which a meeting is con
vened nt such a time and place as Is most
convenient for the parties concerned. At
this meeting ; an effort Is made to bring
about an adjustment of the dispute. In case
a settlement cannot be reached , however
either party may then petition the registrar
trationr dlsputo to thfl wuncll of arbl-
Tiiero are two councils of arbitration , the
three members of each holding office for two
disputes ! ° nie .counc11 la f ° r the settlement of
railroad companies and
wage-earners In their employ , and the other
for the settlement of disputes not In con
nection with railways. One member of each
council is appointed by the lieutenant gov
ernor on the recommendation of the em
ployers of the province , and ono ou the rec
ommendation of the employes , the third , who
acts as president of the council , being nomi
nated by the two already appointed. For
me person to be recommended by the em
ployers , every employer and organization In
ine province employing at least ten per
sons is entitled to one vote , and every
leplly constituted Board of Trade Is like
wise entitled to ono vote. For the person to
bo recommended by the
employes as a mem
ber of the council of arbitration In mat
ters not belonging to railways , every trade
and labor council , every district assembly of
the Knights of Labor , every federated coun
cil of building trades , every lawfully incor
porated trade unlont and every organization
of wage-earners of an Industrial calling Is
entitled to one vote. For choosing the per
son to be recommended by employes ot rail
way companies every organization of rail
way employes Is similarly entitled to one
vote.
vote.The
The council of arbitration slta and con
ducts ita proceedings as In open court , and
In making Its decisions la governed by "tho
principles of equity and good conscience. " It
has the power to summon witnesses and ad
minister oaths , and for the. purpose of pre
serving order the president has all the
power of a Judge of the high court of Justice ,
except that he cannot commit for contempt.
Witnesses are entitled to the same fees as In
the division court , and all the expenses , of
councils of arbitration as well as of councils
of conciliation are paid by the province. The
report or award of a council must be made
within one month and be signed by a ma
jority of Its members. In case the parties ,
before the case is heard , agree in writing to
be bound by the award , Jt may be made a
rule of the high court of Justice and en
forced by legal proceedings.
There are a number of Interesting pro
visions Intended to simplify the proceedings
under the act and Insure Justice. While
either party may be represented before the
council by from one to three persons , such
persons must be parties to the dispute , no
counsel or attorney or paid agent being al
lowed to . It is
appear. also provided that no
proceeding shall be deemed Invalid by reason
of any defect of form or any technical irregu
larity. Should either the employers or the
employes become dissatisfied with their rep
resentative upon the council of arbitration
the lieutenant governor , upon their recom
mendation , may cancel his appointment and
appoint another In his place. In case one
party to a dlsputo has applied to the regis
trar to have the matter referred to a council
of conciliation and has appointed conciliators ,
and the other party refuses to uubmlt the
case , the council of arbitration may proceed
to Investigate the causes of the dispute acd
report what parties are In the opinion of the
council mainly responsible for the same- and
how it should bo settled.
From this brief resume of the act It will be
seen that while no provision Is made tor
compulsory arbitration , every facility la af
forded to employers and employes for the
settlement of their disputes amicably and
without expense. Although the findings of
the council of arbitration are. not legally
binding , except -when the parties hare
signed an agreement previously to that ef
fect , they will certainly have great -weight
with the parties themselves and will have n
controlling Influence upon public opinion. Aa
a. Btrlko or lockout inaugurated. In the face
of public opinion is doomed to almost certain
folluro , U 1s reasonable to suppose that such
exlrfme measures will seldom be resorted to
In Ontario hereafter and that tbe govern
ment of that province In passing this act hai
Ukun a decided step In advance In the mat
ter of labor legislation. Americans , at any
rate , will bo intemted In watching tbe re
sult. A , HUGH IIIPPLE.
i It TOMORROW IS LABOR , BAY , ASTDIT'S -
LABOR NIGHT AT POMPEII !
AT COURTLAND BEACH.
The Grandest and Most Sublime
irework
Ever given in the west , including PAIN'S
RESERVED SEATS
o.v titiriti Tickets to POMPEII
Knhn',15th , nuti Donglai.
Kinsler'E , IGth cr.d Farnam Also admit to Couit'nnJ
Tuller'f ' , 14 hnnd Douglas ( Fifty Feet in Diameter. ) Beach nftor 3iOO p. m.
Kiplinger's , 13th tnd Far while CourtVad Boaoli
nam. IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LAKE.
tickets arc not good for
of Up the to porJoniKiiico. 5 o'clock ot the night Throwing a Shower of Fire 100 Feet High. Pompeii nt any tlmo.
ATri 5 ACRES MOST
QUAKES OF SCENERY. MASSIVE
DS
OF of
TERRIFIC A BEAUTIFUL
FORCE Portrayed in a fireworks BALLET EVER PLACED
LEVEL THE frame 2Ox4O feet. AND
GLITTERING BEFORE
TABLEAUX.
Art Take the Sherman avenue cars and change cars ttt Locust struct ; no THE HUMAN
LIVING transfer slip is necessary after 3:00 : p. in , On entering cars nt Locust AWE-INSPIRING IVfl
street after 3:00 : p. in. pay ten cents , conductor gives you a return ticket. ERUPTION OF
Brightly hlazlnff , On returning from Courtland Bench conductor takes np this return ticket VESUVIUS.
SPRING UP
glaring * electric and hands yon a transfer slip which will take you to cither end of the IMMENSE
ALL OVER THE
Sherman avenue fine desire to .
lights will make the you may go.
GRAND STAND
Ladies and children
CITY.
. grounds as light ns
noon-day to see the Glittering Scenes Absolutely thq Most Colossal , ren unescorted can
YOU MUST most wonderful per of Costly and Majestic performance visit this refined with 10,000 ,
formance the world IMPI I ?
SEE IT , has over produced. Amazing Beauty. Outdoor Exhibition. perfect propriety.
U P. train to Pompeii leaves Council Bluffs at 9th and Broadway at 7:00 : p > m ;
returning leaves Courtland Beach at 10:45 : p. m. Fare for round trip 25c.
Scale of Prices , Roman Sports and Charming Immense Lake 3OO
Games 18
Music by
Admission , with good scat 50o Centuries Ago. Feet Long 1OO
Admission , with reserved seat 75o Boyd's
Family Boxes , seating flvo persons & 5.00 350
Feet Wide
with
Single Saat in Boxes 1.00 Performers on Theatre
Children under 125'cnr3 25o
Children occupying Reserved Seats < 3r Box Seats full price the Stage. Band. Pompeiian Flotillas.
ARISTOCRACY r BE SNAKEDOM
Eoa Constrictors &ni Hattlois Lordly Rep
tiles Under All Conditions.
STRIKING FEATURES OF SERPENT LIFE
Snake Enchantment Unknown to Natural
ist a Who llavo Studied tlio Ophldluu'a
Unblts Tliolr Movements Csscti-
tUlly CntllUv.
( Copyright , 1831. by S. B. McClure , Limited. )
When I lived In the Island of Trin
idad la 189J I had two baby boa con
strictors Just born. They were about
us thick as a man's thumb anJ
fifteen Inches long. For their first
meal I gave to onea mouse and to the
other a humming bird , which they hilled
and uwalbwcd with all the formalities of
their ciders. Afterwards aroao a difficulty
which ended In the death of one , ( or whllo
he who had had the mouse , being moro
easily supplied , waxed fat and big , and in
tissue was able to take rodents of a larger
size , the one that got ! ho humming bird
starved himself to death because I could
not supply him with similar delicacies. Can
it be that their first meal determines their
preferences In after life ?
It may be laid down aa a rule that
colubrlne snakes , venomous and nonvcn-
omous , follow up their prey and catch it
by persistent chase , just as we have seen
the racer get his mous . There Is , how
ever , this to bo remarked , that none ot
them , as far aa I have seen , keep It secure
by pressing It with their body against
neighboring objects , except the racer and
some of his near relatives In South America.
Whenever the animal they catch 13 small
all the harmless colubrines ( except three
south Afrlcin species , Leptodelra Rufesccns ,
1'sammophls Cruel fer and Psammophylax
Ithombeatus ) , which kill by constriction ,
Just like bcas , swallow It alive ; but If It is
largo , the pressure of their jaws kills it In
the swallowing.
A LIVELY BIEAL.
In May. 1891. I kept In my collection
at Port of Spain , In the island of Trinldnd ,
n large Machetu ( Herpetodryas Carlnatus ) ,
a species very like and nearly related to the
racer , whose specialty is lliards , frogs and
birds , eschewing mice and toads. For two
weeks this Macbeta had fasted because I
hid found It difficult to obtain a supply of
frogs sufllclent for my numerous family.
I needn't mention that ha was eager to
get some , when one evening a boy came In
with a goodly number. , tl tumbled at once
fifteen Into his cage. Instantly there was
a wild Jumping of frdgd to escape , and a
violent lashing about * of'llio ' snake to catch
them , making of the .cage a perfect nest
of confusion. The. frpgs were only of a
medium size- and the snake very large , so
that as soon as he caught one It went down
without trouble. Im leas than three min
utes he had stowcdithe. whole fifteen In-
sldo. From the quick spasmodic bulglnga
of his sides at various pdints I could clearly
tell that they were kicking to escapa from
his stomach ; Indeed , .sojuvldentlj . * were they
alive within him that ty.en their final croakIng -
Ing was still audible for some mcments
afterwards. Want Vf 'air ' , however , soon
put nn end to their , movements , and left
the well gorged Macheja at peace to digest
them.
The colubrlno snalfcs , Is has been said ,
both harmless and 'ddjtrtVy , pursue and run
down their prey Just as wo have seen the
racer do whenever they know them to be
upecles they can easily overtake , but when
they know they cannot do this , as for Instance -
stance when they have birds to deal with ,
their method undoubtedly partakes , in some
degree , of the stealthy manner of the boas
and vipers.
CATLIKE METHODS.
To describe the boa's hunting , the word
stealthy Is very appropriate , for while thn
ways of the colubrlnes In pursuit of their
prey are decidedly dog-llko the ways of the
boas and vipers are essentially -catlike. The
boa constrictor and the rattlesnake , whlcli
we have taken as representatives of these
two latter classes , are undoubtedly tba aris
tocrats ot inakedom.
These lordly reptiles are never to be seen ,
like the vulgar crowd of frog-chasing colu
bers , scurrying for dear life through rocks
and bushes In pursuit of a dinner ; much lea/
will they liag'ten from the path ot an enemy.
nor even move an inch It ho approaches
menacingly or with undue rapidity , but pre
pare for the combat like Insulted knights
and be ready If necessary to dispute the
passage.
Now let us see how very different from the
way ot the racer Isi my boa's method of se
curing that rat he Already sees and longs for ,
which has been all this time making furious
efforts to gnaw its way through the wires ot
the trap in which ho is confined. It is not
more than eight feet distant from the corner
where the boa lies called on the rug. His
snakeshlp sees it , and yet he has never made
a move lo come towards It. However , 'tis
time he should get It ; so I open the cage
trap and let It run loose In the room. Like a
fiabh it runs beneath the furniture , hides
among my books , climbs up the curtains ,
tries to escape by the windows , In fact it
goes everywhere except to that corner where
the boa lies.
And yet what can that Irish rat brought
over on the steamer's maiden voyage from
Belfast know ot the dangers of that boa's
cells ? There are no snakes in Ireland , as
every one knows. It can never have possibly
seen a snake , and yet Its terror of the boa Is
so great that In the reptile's presence It for-
gels its fear of man to such an cxlenl that
I find U difficult , even with a stick , to drive
It to the corner where the constricting exe
cutioner awaits it.
After much chasing around the room , how
ever , the rat becomes tired and often pauses
on the carpel , bul only to make another rush
for freedom as eoon as I move. It now fre
quently dashes around close by the boa , nay ,
even sometimes springs upon his back , and Is
off again like a rubber ball before Its feet
have scarcely time to touch him.
Nevertheless , with all this excitement to
move , the waiting snake composedly main
tains the selfsame cell as before ; for the mo
tions of the lively rat are much too quick
for him to strike nt
FATAL CUniOSITY.
How does the boa know that If ho remains
quiet the curiosity of his prey will finally
compel It to approach him quietly In a catch-
able manner ? Who can tell ? These prob
lems of the psychology of animals arc very
dllllcult to solve. Once more I busily chase
the rat until at last it stops for a moment
to breathe on the open carpet , within a
yard of the boa's nose.
I now cease my pursuit , whereupon it
sits up on its haunches , and busily rubs
over Its snout with lls paws "washes its
face" as the boys call the performance.
Then It reaches forward and biilffs toward
the motionless snake , whoso only Plgn of
life Is the tongue that now comes Inquiringly
out back , fine and double-pointed ; yt not
fitfully , and quick to bo drawn In again , as
Is usually the case , but with a continuous
lolling out , as it the little mclnbcr had
grown tired of Inaction and nsoded a pro
longed stretching.
Meantime , whllo the reptile's broad , fiat
head , set with grayish , catlike eyes , never
moves at all , the nrck Immediately behind
U is slowly resolving Itself Into that living
spring , from whose lightning dash there is
no escaping , nor docs he shift his general
position in the slightest , so that from tlio
rat's point of view there la nothing alarming
to b : seen. His muzzle Is facing toward
the timorous , and yet curious rat , which is
still sitting upon Its hinder quarters match
ing that queer bifid tongue , which , excepting
the catlike eyes. Is the only sign of Ufa It
notices In the entire coil. .
A LIGHTNING EXECUTION.
Therein a dash upon the rat , and a foldIng -
Ing , so Instantaneously done , that the doomed
animal hasn't had time to utter a slnglo
squeak. A gunshot could not bo quicker.
The eyi Is too slow to follow the rlmulta-
neous open-mouthed spring-releasing and en
folding again , which leaves the rat now
quivering In the throes of death , with two
cells of thn snake's neck around Its body.
The reptile's ' Jaws are held closed like a
vice upon It. nor will he let go cither with
cells or tee'.h until ev ry pulsation of Us Ufa
has ceased. Even then ha will cautiously
unloose only his jawa at first , and , still
holding it tightly enwrapped , will feel over
with his tongue again and again all the ex-
postd parts before it will venture to entirely
unloose it. This , however , ho finally does ,
hut even after completely releasing It , ho
will continue long to try It with that In
quisitive tongue to make sure that It Is cer
tainly dead , for no boa ever swallows living
prey.
prey.Does lie cover It with saliva before swal
lowing ? Certainly note No snake of any
kind , ever proceeds In such an unnatural
manner. Ho simply takes It In , whole and
unbroken drinks It as It were , In the solid ,
Just aa ve saw the lively racer do with
the mouse.
Now It may bo said to all this that both
ihe rat and tha boa , being in confinement ,
and Interfered with by man , have not acted
In their natural manner , Tha objection
Is only of apparent value.
That my Interference has brought In a
confusion ts necessarily true ; but lei us by a
close study unravel the operations ot nature
In what we saw Just now.
In the first place- , the rat was In his cage ,
could ace the boa moving on his rug. This
made It fear the boa. My chasing- after
letting It out of the trap made It fear mo ,
nnd practically forget Its fear ot the boa.
When I chnscd It to fatigue It Jumped many
times on the boa without the reptile's mak
ing any effort to show that ho lived or would
Injure. This action of his caused the rat to
regard me moro than the boa.
Hut when I ceased chasing It and It found
Itself sitting clcse to the boa on the open
floor Its former apprehension became again
somewhat aroused. But yet It had now only
a remnant of Its former fear left ; because
It saw that the snake , being yet and nil
the time motionless , had not injured It
when it Jumped on him before. Therefore ,
Its fear being slight , it did not retire at once
and that very fear becoming by degrees
partially allayed allowed curiosity to grow ,
until finally wo find that the little quad
'
ruped's growing curiosity , llavo re J with a
taste of fear , which mixture Is BO apt to
lure men also Into danger , secured for the
boa the dinner which he coveted.
HUNTING IN THE FOIU5ST.
The same thing happens every day in
the forest. The boa at twilight lies celled
by the woodslile , perfectly motionless , waitIng -
Ing for his dinner to come smelling around
him , The wood rat or squirrel comes scoutIng -
Ing along , looking for Its nuts or for Its
mate , and finds Itself suddenly close to the
apparently lifeless snake , who , If his head
Is In position , snatches up the luckless
rodent the moment it pauses to sniff before
Jumping away. Should the snake be not In
a proper position of course the game springs
off for a yard or so and sits up there on Us
hind legs to see if Its fears were- Just fled.
Meanwhile the snake Is getting ready , but
with such gentle and Imperceptible slow
ness that the wondering rat sees no great
cause for alarm and soon approaches again
urged on by that fatal curiosity made still
more active by lessening fear , until it enters ,
cautiously snllUng with outstretched neclc ,
within the magic circle of the boa's striking
distance , wl en Its doom Is certainly and In
stantly sealed.
This mingled union of curiosity anil fear ,
the former over growing more as the latter
decreases , is the real explanation of the so-
oalled serpent's fascination of his prey by
the power of his unblinking eyes.
'TlR astonishing how much verdant but
unwholesome scientific scum a dreamy
theorist can gather from the surface waters
of zoology when he lazily situ him down to
consider the ways of animals from the
human point of view. " That "human point
of view" Is the very matrix of absurdity ,
from which arises so much that Is outro in
hat has been wrltlen on "mimicry , "
" "
"fascination" and In general on "animal
Intelligence. " Ho who would perfectly
learn to speak and write Italian , French or
Spanish and to Judge truly the characters
of their countries must make of himself an
Italian , Frenchman or Spaniard In thought.
In tongue and In manners before ho can
propsrly speak the language or faithfully
translate it , or Justly write of things
French. Italian of Spanish for English-
speaking people. Much moro must he transform -
form himself to do Justice to Zulu or
Chinese.
And If this be so for a thorough knowledge
of mere human foreignncss , how much more
strongly Is It true of matter ] pertaining to
animal psychology. To inwardly compre
hend the ways of snakes one must become In
8omo sense himself a , snake. Understand
ing the words In their ordinary meanings ,
"mimicry" and "fascination" would probably
never be strictly true in speaking of the
ways of any animal , but certainly , as regards
snakes , these words have no place whatever
and should not be used at all , tor they are
unflt , misleading and mischievous in fact ,
to speak it. plainly , they uro philological lies.
Science demands something better and ought
to have It stir yourselves , yo scientists ] Lot
your vocabulary bearing souls overflow become -
como serpents In so far as you can , and give
us new words that will be true translations
of matters ophlologlcal.
An the boas secure their prey by waiting
for it , and springing to seize It , when It
comes within striking distance , so also does
tha velvet scaled rattlesnake and all hit rela
tives of the vlperlne family.
A WAITING GAME.
"Does not the .hungry boa. or rattlesnake-
then , " If. may be asked , "go In quest of their
prey , or do they wait enrolled perhaps for
days In the selfsame place , waiting until
fortune may chooseto send a meal Jn their
way ? " Not at ail , quite the contrary , for
they are seldom a whole day In the same
vicinity. They change their lurking places
as the haunts of their wlldwood gaino may
vary ,
Should the food-seeking rattlesnake , celled
on the hillside at evening , waiting In vain
for the squirrel or chipmunk which falls to
appear , notlc la tbe distance flock of
finches rioting among the huckleberries ,
slowly and cautiously he glides down from
his lichen-crusted rock and wends through
the herbage his unsuspected way ; nor doea
he hasten In hla a'calthy ' course , but oftcq
pauses , and wltlfupstrolchcd neck peeri
ahead through the gr setops and daisies
which cover him , In order to be certain that
still his direction Is right , and that yonder
In the bushes a fluttering victim still awaits
him.
him.His
His motto Is "Lente festlnn. " "Tims
enough , " says he. to himself" as a bird files
right over him toward the lofty hemlocks
behind , to plume her well gorged craw on the
topmost branch ; but as she passed she saw
him , and now sends forth those well known
notes of alarm wliMi cause her feeding com
panions to Join her. Then she gets conrago
from company , flics back to the spot , for she
marked where slip saw him , and sits on a ,
sassafras close to his lurking place. Tlienco
she litters her warnings. She sees him en
rolled by a birch stump , for he stopped when
the flock flitted over and celled to await their
returning.
Quiet he lies there and gray , like the birch
stump beside him. Soon they are fluttering
around him , and none nt him moves bui hla
tongue points , all trembling like wings of an
insect or pine needles hanging In cobwebs so
commonly seen about birch stumps. Their
fear having almost departed , they alight not
far from him to view him. A curious ona
hops on the stump top , when Instantly out
strikes the rattler and snatches her pierced
by his fnng point ! ) , distilling their venom
within her. Hlght down through her bach
near the shoulders they are deeply embedded
In her lungs. She dies In five seconds , for
when snake venom is directly Injected Into
the lungs 'tis must certain mid quickest ol all
to snuff life out. The lightning could not kill
her quicker. I've HIH'II the tame happen qutto
often. In his mouth ho holds fast her dead
body , nor will he let go till he swallows ; nor
does he regard her companions' , now screamIng -
Ing and fluttering In terror , In madness , la
fact , close above him. Perhaps If we watch
till he swallows we'll witness his catching
another that happens to flutter too closely.
Just here II may bo asked , will the death-
striking rattler or other viper dare to hold
In like manner till It dies n powerful rat or
squirrel , fiercely armed with dangeroua teeth ,
that could with one death bite sever his ver
tebra and kill him while dying ?
Oh , no ! The venom-bearing vipers know
their business too well for that. 'TIs only
the small and weakling prey they ilare tu
hold In Its death throes. The largo and dan
gerous animal Is struck as surely , but never
held not even for a single Instant. The pru
dent snake strlkca out like lightning , and files
back to his cell Just aa quickly , ready at onca
to defend himself , or repeal the stroke II
necessary. He watches It In Its death strug
gles , and when all motion has ceased glide !
slowly around the lifeless corpse , Just as thfl
boa docs , exifmines It all over with his tonguf
to see that It Is surely dead and then com
mences to swallow ,
As carnivorous quadrupeds of the canlna
kind generally hunt by day , and , feline ones
at dusk , at night when the moon Is clear , or
during the hours about the djwn , BO too do
the serpents which pursue their prey by simi
lar methods.
When over the hilltops the morning sun
pours Into the valleys and rouses the diurnal
animals from their lairs , Ihe dink-loving
vipers and boas rttlro to the twilight shade of
a thicket or hollow tree , or hide themselves
away In some rocky cavern , wherein In pass
In qutot the IIOUM of heat and glare , anil
wait for ttin somber shadow * of evening ta
fall , when they may agjln lie In wait by thf
drinking place or walch pncolled for thelf
victims as they pass on the forest path.
On the other hand , In Hi * brightness anil
warmth of Uie noonday this colubrlne serpents
are mostly abroad , busily seeking for their
fishes and toads by the swamp-side , as tin
garter and water snakes do basking In th
sun as the spreading adder on the Band hills ,
or as the black nicer , gliding like restless
spirits through the tall v.eed thit tring
the brook side , seeking for the Insect-catch
ing , quick-diving frog * , or the fleld mica that
como there to drink , whllo Rome you will find
In the tree tops , watching from leafy ambush
amidst fruit or flowers for the bird * they tea
flitting around them.
Wo have now seen how the colubers , that is
to say , the common snakes , cobras and coral
snakes , chase their prey like dogs ; iiow vi
pers and boas lie In wait for and spring on It ,
the latter Btrangllng- , the former otrlklns
It to death with tholr venom.
Thus far the methods of serpents In catchIng -
Ing and killing their prey.
prey.G.
G. n. O'KEILLV.
One of the moit elaborate productions this
season will bo that ot William Haworth's \
new drama , "On the Mississippi. " Davla A
and Kcogh will pro nt It for the first tlmo
September 10 , In Ilaltlmore. "On the Mis
sissippi" ii said to he a very breezy and
stirring play , the scenes being laid In Ten-
netaer , New Orleans and Louisiana ,