Evening Star Newspaper, April 9, 1892, Page 10

THE EVENING STAR: WASHINGTON, D.C. SATURDAY, APRIL 9, 1892—SIXTEEN Something of the Life and Habits of ONLY OUTINTHE NIGHT. ‘His Methods of Foraging and the Damage He Dees to the Farmers—How He Lives and What Are His Habits—He H!bernates In the ‘Winter. Written, for The Evening Star. ETWEEN CANADA and the Gulf of Mexico and the Rocky moun- tains and the Atlantic coast there is no better known animal to the farmer than this same old coon—he is not known as a friend either, and he is treated accordingly He likes chickens and he dotes on sweet corn, and therefore he is voted a nuisance and an enemy: for his eun- ning and perseverance in robbing hen roosts, and in foraging through the garden make him marked coon in every sense of the word. But, coming out only at night time, he must be hunted then. or never. since he nevor moves by daylight. i The raccoon (piscyor Iator) is the only ani- mal of its kind in America. It isa very near relative to the black bear and has been play- fully called the yy many observers | jies as it sported in the eeks and rivers, where it ix ing, since it greedily eats frogs don the sea coast and its estuaries it is a great fisherman for crabs, and | when thus engaged it affords an entertaining swudy aud has given rise to no end of queer fables about its method of fishing and crabbing, ‘Using its tail as bait, &c. HIS METHODS OF FORAGING. From the strict habit of this interesting ani- for existence. It is a trec dweller and Sfeeys resorts to the hollow of some tree trank to rear its young in and to pass the daytime intervals in sound sleep. It has from four to six young, and rears these in this arboreal re- treat ‘They are brought forth usually in the and the coon mother devotes hersepf to ‘care for several months, or, at least, dntil they are about as large as herself; she leads them down at night into the best ‘resorts of chosen prey, and she nas not got to go for they can and do eat most everything— as mice, birds’ eggs and the helpless young and their eggs, clams, crabs, crayfish, nuts of all kinds and orchard fruits, ‘orn in especial, and any green corn for matter, ead frequently. far too frequently, isit the farmers’ hen house, more for chickens than the old birds. will be observed that though the e8 im the tree tops, yet it does not find there, though it is a most expert . Isis e rather slow traveler when on over the ground, and it would be easily a tree by a feeenneen ¥ active man, could that see it and where to ran when it is out ting; therefore the services of the coon that yellow cur that sportmen’s tales have fastened in our mind—are called into play. Brer coon is endowed with a very fresh scent, and it is a very poor stick of a dog that cannot wack him. Small athe coon is, yet it, can make an tand a winning one usually pitted atlas’ only one dog, but it reldom coders bettie when pursued if it’ can reach any kind of a tree trank or sapling. It will, if sible, gain the largest tree in the thic! ing that 1t is just so much more inaccessible to the noisy dogs and men that are hot on its trail. HE | BIS LIFE AND HABITS. Whole volumes have been written descriptive of the fun and embarrassments of the coon hunt, but very little has been put into type of real information as to the life and behavior of thie queer, sly beast, as it leads its nocturnal existence 'in the forests and the groves that abut our farms. ‘The white man's acquaintance with the coon dates usually from the cornfield to the garden: the fondness of all coous, young and old, f green corn—corn “in the milk,” 1s wond: ful, and it is safe to say that no pateb of maize that grows near a woods or dense thicket in the middle and eastern United States is un- touched by the coon, unless that region where it is not so disturbed bas been literally scourged of all coons. When the ears have well tasseled out ina teh and the kernels bave developed so as to be plump like and juic; scends upon the tield wit = an the raccoon de- a: teh and pulls down bushe rs m a single night, when half a dozen cleanly eaten would gorge it ‘The Revoe which a dozen or even less number of coons can make during the growing and ripen- img season in scch acorn field can be well ui derstood, ezil the reason foz that promptly or- dered coon hunt when it is found to have beea et work in the farmers’ field is abundant and Asa general thing the coon does not disturb the hen roost, and its work there as to damage and mischief is very much less than it is popu- larly credited with, for much of the uproar ard a which ‘the weasel inilicts upon the farmers’ poultry is wrongfully charged up to the raccoon. —. HE MIBERNATES rN WINTER. ‘The coon does not migrate. but bibernates uring the coldest and most severe periods of winter. He will be found out all times during the hyena! scence when tho weather is bright and the snow is not soft and deep. He then bunts industriously for the larvw and the like f insects, which hie sharp claws dislodge under covers of tree trunks, bork and dead branches on the ground. inds a few nuts, per- haps, but, om the whole, be does very little eating or moving about between December and March, 98 « rule, in this locality. ‘The boliow limb or tree trunk which the coon takes up for ite nest and place of retreat is never lined or otherwise improved by this ani- mal, and i is usually selected 60 as to be as high up as possible from the ground: here it rests, brings forth its young and from which it descends every time the sun sets in pleasant weather to start out for food over some well- known trail When « coon “walk” is discovered by man it is an easy matter to catch the animal by placing an ordiuary steel trap in the patb, Daited with almost anything that the coon eats. The coow skin, stretched and drying on the farmer's baro, is one ot the most familiar of rural signs, and a coon skin cap with the deeply barred tail asa tassel bas been a favorite with woodsmen ever since the first entered the t manipniation of the cook from an ulterior odor which detractedrom the relish of the spread. HOW HE ACTS IX 4 CAGE. A racedon makes an easily kept cage animal, end itis often found so contlaed. When awake it ia the most restless of ali creatures, pacing to and, bunting ‘wide sections utter! rented by it, sec! Hiern twine su ar obeaaes intry itself about the same foonen timber, cuted felts ena douse ing to Flower, with the same general habits; ot , 48 there are several species of fresh water crabs in thet region upon which this animal ts very fond of feeding. it has got the particular ame above given. 6 form, Procron lotor, ranges all down from the United States through Mexico well into Central America, and those imens taken in Costa Rica are said to be the largest of ir race, and our name of “raccoon” is an anglicized shortening of an Indian designation, “arathkoon,” of the Delawares. The French raton or raton laveur and the German Waschba and similar Enropean names are derived from habit which this animal exhibits wi g of dipping or washing its food in the water if near a creek or pool: it alzo liter- ally rubs and washes its forepaws in any stream or spring that it may chance to run across leisurely prowling through the meadows or forests. —— HYATTSVILLE. Correspondence of The Evening Star. Hyarrsvite, Mp., April 8. ‘The grocery firm of A. P. Berry & Co. of this Place has made an assignment for the benefit of its creditors through Wm. Meyer Lewin, trustee, who has given a bond of $22,000, which indicates that the assets of the said firm are about half that amount. Messrs. F. H. Smith, R. P. Evans and John A. Erdman, trustees of the Masonic fraternity of this place, have completed the deed convey- the lot recently donated by Mr. ine. The erection of the proposed Masonic hall will be shortly commenced on that property. Mr. George H. Zimmerman of West River has taken charge of the Methodist Church of this place and will fill the pulpit there next Sunday. Arbor day was well observed in this village. The handsome fiag that was recently presented to the public school by the G. A. R. post of this place was hoisted over that building and appropriate songs and picces were sung and recited bythe pupils. They alco planted « number of cedar trees in the school yard under the direction of their teacher, Mr. Pheiffer. Mr. Lewis O. Wissman is an applicant for the assessorship of this district, Mr. Otto Habercomb, who has been absent some time in Indiana, bas returned to his home in this village on account of sickness. Mr. Espy D. Buck has gone to Nebraska, where he expects to remain quite a while. COUNTY AFFams. The regular spring term of the circuit court ‘met at Marlboro’ last Monday, with Judge John B. Brooke on the ben: He delivered an ef- fective charge to the grand jury and appointed Mr. P. A. Scaggs of Branchville foreman. The docket was called,cases were assigned and judg- mentsentered in uncontested ones. Francis Hall was tried for violating the state law by telling liquor withont a license, and, pleading guilty. was fined £50 and costs. The case of Johu Glenn, trustee of the National Express and Transportation Company. agt. Rosa P. Suit, executrix of Col. S. I. Suit, will be tried next Tuesday. The Hatton will case, on which the jury failed to agree at two previous trials, will be tried again next Thursday. ‘The county commissioners met last Tuesday at Marlboro and paseed the following ord That the bonds of John T. Cullember, Sami Sweeny and Francis J. Payne as constables of Suratts, Marlboro and Spauldings districts be approved; that the public schools of this county be insured for three years for $195; that Geo. i. Walker, contractor for the new school house Hyattsville, be paid, on the report of the building committee of that school, €300; that Timothy L. Keen be authorized to straighten, at his own expense, and keep in repair for the next two years the road that runs through his roperty. The following road supervisors | | opal appointed for the different districts: Yausville, Wm. R. Baker; Bladensburg, Brooke W. Beavans; Marlboro, W. W. Fowler, N. O. Ridgley, jr.: Nottingham, N. 0. Waters, Geo. W. Cross; Piscat Jos. A. Thorn, Geo. T. Underw. pauldings, Wm. H. Vermillion, Wm. E. Swann; Queen Anne, G. C. D. Towns hend, Isaac W. Grimes; Aquasco, B. T. Richard- son, James Naylor; Surratts, Thomas R. Combs, John & Jenkins, jr.; Laurel, Arthur Fulton; Brandywine, Charles P. Baden; Oxon Hill, Henry Frye, 8. 5. Adams; Kent, C. N. Beckett, John A. Shultz, Geo. T.' Suit; Bowie, C. C. Clarke, Heury Hake: Money order offices have been recently es- tablished at the College Park, Aquasco and Suitland post offices. Mr. Wellington Glenn of Glendale died at that place last Sunday, at the age of fifty-four years. Mrs. E. Parsley and the Misses Hedson have urchased a jot in Beltsville from Mr. A. E. Frown and will shortly have a house built upon that propert Mr. Kingsolvin has sold his farm near Muir- kirk to a New York syndicate for #40,000. H. punts russert FROM FALLS CHURCH, Correspondence of The Eveming Star. Faris Caunca, Vs. April 6, 1892. The shooting of Alfred J. Hill, commonly called Al Hill, on the evening of the 24th ultimo by Charles L. Campbell is still the sub- ject of much comment in this community. Campbell, it is reported, will be defended by Mr. Walter Moon of Fairfax Court House, bright and very popular man here, John] Goode, who defended Hains at Norfolk, and it is thought that some of the local talent will be employed also. The commonweulth’s attorney, Mr. Jas. M. Lore, will be assisied by Mr. John- son of Alexandria. The plea of the defense will be self-defense. In opposition to this claim the prosecution will contend that Hill was shot by the second fire, when he had retreated by actual measurement eleven and one-half feet and apparently when his movement was stopped by coming in con- tact with a fence along the street. Au effort will be made to obtain from Judge Chichester, holding court now at Alexandria, the release of Campbell on bail. His coun- sel will undertake to show that he shot in seif- defense and strengthen the plea with the state- ment that he has Bright's disease and that he will die if not released from confinement. Wit- nesses from here go dows for examination. — ——_ SURPRISED KOTH PARTIES. The Result of the Recent Municipal Elections in Ohio, Special Correspondence of The Evening Star. Convuses, Onto, April 8.—The result of the Ohio municipal elections this week was a sur- prise to republicans and democrats alike. Re- publicaus generally conceded that the unforta- nate factional troubles had demoralized their party and expected to see general democratic gains in all the large cities. Democrats took the same view of the situa- tion and confidently claimed general and de- cisive victories. Thettarge cities of Cincinnati, Cleveland, Colunbus and Toledo have shown that the republicans not only held their own in these municipal elections, but even made gains. “I fear it means a drift of political sentiment hio, to Tux STAR representative. |“ the result fa give alike indication | there will be good cause for discouragement in “ees portant office in this state to be ‘The most imy C filled this fall is the secretaryship of state. For | this office there are three candidates—Brice | Wydmon of Cincinnati, 8 M. Ts bana and John J. Chester of \ element, Taylor voted for Sherman for Senator the quarrel. generally anduoteed that Mr. Chester's sentiment is for the Foraker element. He was secretary of the state league of republican clubs in the cam- paign of last year and is quite popular with the young republicans of the state. Gov. McKinley exacted, it is said, of Col. C. L. Poorman, before he appointed him to ceed Secretary of State Ryan, a will not be a candidate for the test for this nomination, next to of delegates at large to Minneapolis, will be most interesting work of the state convention at Cleveland on the Sith and 20th of this month, ———_ Eee Reonemy uld | rend ourselves. Our surround: MILITIA ORDERED OUT. A Story of the Labor Riots of 1877, IT WAS NOT A PICNIC. Going Of on a Supposed Pleasure Jaunt—The ‘Mob of Strikers and SympathizersContribute Exciting Features forthe Boys En Route— Bloody Work at Their Destination. PROPOS OF THE RE- cent little differences of opinion between the United States and Chile and Great Britain, the militia of the country was brought forward rather pro minently. After drilling for years, many were the predio- tiona as to how they would act under fire. The militia bas been the subject for many a poor joke for time immemorial, but the times when they have acted with great nerve and coolness will be found upon investigation to far outnumber those obscure cases when the militiaman has been found unworthy of the trust reposed in him. A reporter of Tux Stan having in mind the great labor riot of 187 Pa. knowing the trying tim: an ex-militiaman who had in it and from him obtained opinion as to the fighting qualities of the state soldiery. The ex-militia- ‘man was found in the Post Ofice Department and hails from the city of Philadelphix. He went out with the conipany that were driven back by overwhelming numbers into the Pitts- burg round house and told quite a graphic tale of his experiences. THovaNT IT was FU: He said: “It was about 1:: noon on the 20th of July, 18% train pulled out of the depot at Phila- and good-byes were called out, accom- panied by laughter and jests. | As wa sped over the coungry at a rate that made us ll wonder, wo exchabged adieus with the rail- road men slong the line, but I noticed a sul- lenness in the Iatter's looks that seemed to for the nature of our reception at our e: on. ‘Everything went well with our train until Harrisburg was reached. At this place the depot was crowded with sirtkers, and jeers and hisses and taunts were kurled at us in volumes thick enough to cut withan ax. But taunts and hisses don’t “faze’ # militiaman in times of trouble, and I was congratclating this fact, when crack: bang! came a balf brick through’one of the car windows not two seats in front of me. Lastantly all was confusion in the car and an involuntary reaching for shooters was indulged in. ‘Steady, boys," came from the captain, and at that moment our train pulled out of the depot and that little trouble was lett behind. “But that was tho skirmish of the great bat- of which we were a part. The small sta- tions between Harrisburg and Altoona offered no obstacles to our progtess, as the number of men congregated about them were unorganized and minus a leader. It was nearly dark when our train pulled into the depot at Altoona, but light or heat had no charms for the working- men and strike sympathizers of the mountain city. All along the track at the depot, but be- hind the high iron fence, thousands of them Were assembied, and the shout they gave us as We swept into the city was enough to scare a thoroughbred Indian fighter. PLAN OF THE STRIKERS. “Their plan, as developed, was to hold our attention in front while a few of their number gotin their fine work upon our train and en- gines from the rear. I believe it took us about three hours to get clear of that depot. First one coupling pin would be pulled out from be- tween our cars and thrown away by a daring striker and then another, and then after we thought everything was ull right our engine wouid breakdown. By the time the engine was repaired the coupling pin performance would be repeated, with slight variations. While all this was going on the mob outside the fence was howling like Comanches and apparently was thirsting for our blood. At last the com- manding officer ordered us out of the cars in a manuer that the strikers understood too well. ‘They gradually fell back from the cars, anda few minutes later our train was climbing thé eastern slove of the Alleghenies and Altoona had disappeared in the darkness in the rear. “I think it was a little after midnight when we arrived in Pittsburg, aud we immediately took up positions in tho now historic East End of that classic city. With the break of day we spread out throngh the yards of the railroad, the strikers swarmed avout us like bees, and the fan began. One by one we were pushed back until our entire command had been con- solidated. White faces? Well, I should say so. A tougher crowd never faced soldiers than that mob on the 2ist of July, 1877. js “As to what broughton the bloodshed and whether it was Gen, Pearson that gave the order to fire is question that is open to argument and will never be settled. THE FIRST SHOT AT PITTSBURG, “I happened to be in the front row, and directly in my front were two strapping big miners with pick bandics in their hands, which swung above their heads ina way that ested to me the advisability of keeping m at a distance if I valued my life. Up the line a short distance two men were trying to wrest a gun from the hands of one of our boys, d my fingers twitched nervously around the stock ofany gun. The boy was plucky; refused to give up the gun, and as one of the mob aimed a vicious blow at lis head he pulled the trigger of his gun and blood began to flow. The first shot was fired none too soon to suit my taste, ay the men in my front were getting danger- ously close and my shot could not have been ired five seconds after the first. “Then followed a scene fit for the pen of only a master of the art of description. ‘The poor wretches had no idea we would fire upos them; that ix, the body of the mob did not, but the reckless, hot-headed leaders in the ‘rear knew what they were about,and subsequent de- velopments contirmed this conjecture. Up, over and under the cars, the mob fied in dis- may and terror, uttering wild yells of pain and fright, and soon we were left in compurative quit.” But it was only for a few short mo. ments. Back came the mob, this time armed with guns instead of clubs, and advancing with the stealth of @ savage on the war trail in his native forest. One by one I saw our poor fel- lows drop as ‘ping,’ “ping” and ‘bang’ came the crack of rifles and shotguus from under, between and on topof the cars that surrounded us. RETREAT 70 THE ROUND uovsE. “Then the welcome order came to retrent to the round house. Weshouldered several of our comrades, but my blood was up to the fighting point and I was one of the boys that helped to cover the retreat. I knew men in front of Us wore not strikers, but of a class that jump at an opportunity to kill a fellow-being when the responsibility for the act is reduced to a minimem. Place a man in my position on that day, and if he be minus the blood of a coward the instinct of @ savage will be quickly a ‘I beliove that after seeing several of my companions in arin fall with ghastly wounds I was transformed and hatidied. my rifle wi coolness and keen, savage del that mak me wonder to this day how I did it, ‘t last we were safely inside the round house. rhe met A eee basa ad — rage ceparations to de- Stra Back te etood tho ual, ict jue. us si empty sngines, towering high toward. the call. and. soot, come tationed at a window, follow! ean ar that told the fact that be bed Winged his man.’ We wore savages then. Tool cxthis anh Sang beaten cottons me ose “AS last our quarters became unbearable, ‘of the roof were falling in uj Ea, Sod up the colonel Tooled at hia taten fara cool matter of fact way, he said: ‘It’s 8 o'clock; ‘we will have to move. It's too hot here.’ for the remainder of my life. Our retreat from the round house was so sudden that we were several squares away from it before our ab- sence was discovered. As we hurried along street men would dart out of alleys and by- ways, take deliberate aim, fire and dowa would go one of our men. “As we were passing a house about three uares up the strect from the round house the ind at the second-story window was hastily drawn up by a partially dressed man; an ejacu- lation followed; a rifle was snatched up by him, & report was heard and with a groan down sank ® companion about two feet to my left. Simul- taneously three rifles cracked in our company and I know that that murderer didn't have long enjoyment over his cowardly act. ‘The police found his dead body throe days later. ‘e were heading for Unelo Sam's arscual up- town, but upon our arrival there the blue coat in charge could only care for the wounded, as his force was small and the mob at our heels wasimmense. * “Then out into the country we went. As we passed the gate of a cemetery two of our boys were kilied almost instantly, th acting as a fitting backgroun: t ghastly picture. Turning to the right we made for the Sharpsburg bridge over the Allegheny river, and as we reached tho other side we scattered. I took refuge in a house unobserved about a mile from the bridge, and the occupant Proved a friend. He gave me_achange of clothes and I started back for old Philad a Hive My thoughts naturally turned to th difference in my coming to and loaving yurg. ‘TBE TRAMP TO ALTOONA. “I tramped almost the entire distance to Altoona, where I came.across a relative who gave me money enough to pay my fare for the rest of the journey. While I was in Altoona I mingled with the crowd around the depot un- recognized and heard thrents against the Phila- delphia soldiors that made my flesh creop. In due time I arrived home ead was welcomed as One risen from the dead. “We left fifteen dead in the round house at Pittsburg and about ten were killed outside, to say nothing of the wounded. ‘The mob also paid a fearful forfeit for its rashness, forty be- ing killed and abont 125 wounded. “Shortly after the labor troubles of that year I withdrew from Co. —and havo remained out ever since. I might add that those who join the militia for alittle pastime, as I did, make a big bluff against fate, as a contingency is liable to arise at any time that will call for a display uf nerve, the lack of which would be little loss than a calamity.” a Remarkable Conceptions of Beauty, From the Yankee Biade, It is remarkable to learn the extraordinary ideas of female beauty which characterize different nations. The ladies of Arabia stain their fingers and toes red, their eyebrows black and their lips blue. In Persia they paint a black streak around their eyes and. orna- mont their faces with representations of various figures. The Japanese women adopt the singular method of gilding their tecth, and those of the Indians paint them red. In’ some parts of India the pearl of the tooth must be dyed biack before a woman can be beautiful. The Hottentot women paint the entire body in compartments of rea and black. In Green- land the women color their faces with blue and . yellow, and frequently tattoo their bodies by saturating threads in soot, insert- ing them beneath the skin and then drawing them through. . Hindoo families, when they wish tobe particu- larly lovely, smear themselves with » mixture of saffron "and grease, and in nearly all the islands of the Pacific and Indian oceans the women, as weil as the men, tattoo a great va- riety of figures on the face, the lips and the tongue. In New Holland the women cut themselves with shells, and keeping wounds open a long time, in the flesh, which they deem highly ornamental. Another sin- gular mutilation is made among them, for, when in infancy, they take off the little finger of the left bard at the second joint. In ancient Persia an aqueline nose was often thought worthy of the crown, but the Sumatran mother carefully flattens the nose of her daughter. Among some of the savage tribes of Oregon, and also in Aracan, continual pressure is ap plied to the skull, in order to ‘atten it, and thus give it a new beanty. The modern Persians have a strong aversion to red hair; the Turks, on the contrary, are warm admirers of it, In China small, round eves are liked, and the girls are continually plucking their eyebrows that they may be thin and long. But the great beauty of a Chinese lady iw in her feet, which, in childhood, are so compressed by bandages us effectually to pre- vent any farther increase in size. The four smailer tocs are bent under the foot, to the sole of which they firmly adhere, and the poor girl not only endures much pain, but becomes a cripple for life. Another mark of beauty consists in having finger nails so long that casings of bamboo are necessary to preserve them from injury. An African “beauty must have small e: thick lips, a large flat nose, and askin beauti- fully black. In New Guinea the nose is per- forated and a large piece of wood or bone in- serted. On the northwest cost of America an incision more than two inces long is made in the lower lip and then filled with a wooden plug. In Guinea the lips are pierced with thorns, the head of the thorn being inside the mouth and the point resting on the chin. ~c0e One Woman's Ingenious Scheme. From th icaxe Tribune. ‘The boy in the second flat has friends and he and his friends make so much noise that they keep the baby in the first flat awake. Conse- quently the mother of the baby in the dirst flat made complaint to the people in the second flat, and, that availing nothing, studied deoply to devise some way of stopping the racket, And as sho debated with herself thero was a rattle above her head ns some one tang’ the door Pell of the second tat, and, looking up, sho caw that the door bell wire ran'through the corner of the room she wasin, ‘There was a look of triumph on her face as she got out a cane with a curved handle aud sat down to await developments, The next time that the boy above tried to jamp over the dining room iabie she hooked the cane on the wire and gave it a jerk. The noice ceased and some man came down to the door. There was evidently a consultation when nt back and it was fully ton minutes be- fore the boy aud his friends started in for a game of “ag.” When they did the little woman in the flat below give the cane another jerk and thero was another ttip to the door. The people in the second fiat seemed to bo troubled when the man came back, and after a council of war he crept quietly down the stairs again and waited just inside the door, while the others took positions at the top of the stars where they could soe the fun, ‘Yen or tifteon miuutes tired them all, and with: thi “Well, I guess those kids are not coming back, rted up the stairs, As he did so the boy's spirits overcame him again, and he gave a war whoop and tried to turn a handspring. ‘The little woman in the tlat_ below promptly jerked the cane again, the bell tinkled and the man on the stairs rushed down, threw the door open and chased s boy who happened to bo it,” he said, when he breath, “I'd have licked that boy if I eould have caught him.” “Ought to have jumped on him with both fet!” aaid the boy who made th he tried to illustrate hiv remarks the little woman in the flat below pulled on the cane again. here ? aging, 700" she returned plensantly, “the “bo you know who's doing it?” he tnter- rup The boy upstairs,” she replied. foot ball o> nd eliakes the heute to all the in addition to waking PAGES. i ARE INDIANS CHEATED was ond were Midsvres gle rie, the epocaltort Charges of Inferior Supplies Fur-| thought, dough wey were somewbsr disoour- . ve the capture at Grand river of a steamer nished by Uncle Sam. theirs loaded with armson its way to the the bufale Sided and is wade for! many boat THE LICENSED TRADER. | atts antelope, skins were wanted by the massacte of Custer and his soldiers. Fort Flimsy Cotton Cloths for Wintry Citmates, peak ot sae time when Unsuitable Provisions and Shoddy Goods— | the War Department had — was Ota Daye 7 nip | even. the megs oe pom oe poe ‘Was = Fortune—How Supplies Are Dis- tributed. _ UCH A DISTURBANCE over the red man’s af- fairs as is agitating Con- ress just now has not been seen for ever so long. Seuiators and Representatives inter- ested in his behalf de- clare that he is grossly swindled by Uncle Sam in the matter of sup- plies furniabed in ful- washed his hands of responsibility by turnin itinto the United States wreasury. To get it out will require an act of Congress, eo that th chances are about 100 to one tliat these unlucky savages will never see a penny of the cash due them. An Indian agent and contractor have been known to divide €5,000, allowed by gov- ernment appropriation for transporting sup- lies from a steamer landing to a reservation, Stent af sneeed Ty de ceapin dvciee of gion Go telions treaty obligations. | carry the goods on their own backs. The They say that Such clothes are provided for agent's recommendation of a firm for stock or him as he cannot possibly wear, the shoes dis- imple ents is said to be always good fora oe tributed do not ft Indian feet, the tools meaning a percentage for himself. P fe i Wasrhingtor Given him are worthless and the food offered | the orm a cutee and aah some As rations is not fit to eat. aboriginal So long as the Indian has a ,Six months ago a government commission Visited the Bioux on the scene of the troubles which ended with the killing of Sitting Bull. In its -——, called for by Congress last week, the supplies for these Indians found at the jocal agency are described ag largely fraudulent. fonther on his back they pluck him.” A BRIGHTER SIDE. Yet there isa brighter side to the picture, so far ns some tribes are concerned. The Osage Indians are the richest community on the face ofthe carth. “They are 1,509 in number and Lave 8,000,000 deposited to their credit in the treasury at Washington, on which they draw $100,000 interest every three months, This income will continue “until Uncle —— ready y them the princi ey also have 1,470,000 acres of the reg in Oxla- homa, for which tho unterrified “boomer,” totally indifferent to the rights of the red man, hopelessly sighs. Half of them wear blankets 0 ¥- Wheat for seed was discovered to be only fit for “hog food,” while garden seeds of different to ‘the kinds were rendered useless by being mixed gether in bags. Although, according to treaty, every male Sioux “one suit of good light-weight, brown Asuit, neither warm nor vided for wear in a climate wh re the tempera- ture reas twenty degrees below zero in winter and terrific stor: sons. The biankets w: und ly of shoddy and dyed navy blue, which quickly changes to a variety of reddish tints. Shoes, which the people could not wear because they were not the right shape, were made of the cheapest material at the least possible cost. Shawls, underwear, piece goods, throad, &c., were equally inferior. Tho Sioux do not at- tempt to use these goods, which find their way to tho nearest railway town, and are exchanged in quantities for a comfortable coat or blanket. ‘To only one package of such morchandise did @ manufacturer vonture to attach his name, ‘TUE TRADER SYsTEx. Indians generally complain that the licensed trader system is a source ot infinite distress to them. The trader obtains permission from the overnment}to do business on a reservation. No one else but himself is permitted to keop shop there. He monopolizes all selling and buying to and from the Indians, charging and paying what prices he chooses. Goods and an- nuities to which they are entitled are usually many months behind hand in distribution. were pro- THE BIGGEST APPROPRIATION made by the Indian bill now under considera tion in Congress 1s for the Sioux—22,000 of them—who get $1,793,000 in cash annually. Besides, each individual receives every day three pounds of beef, half « pound of flour and half # pound of corn, and to each 100 perso: are given three pounds of beans, four poun of coffee and cight pounds of sugar. All this cording toa treaty made in 1877, which pulated that the allowances in money and Provisions mentioned should be kept up until these People “shall be able to support them- selves.” ‘There doesn't seem to be any pros- Pect that this looked-for period will ar- rive, for as Red Cloud once remarked to Carl Schurz, “Wo can't afford to xupport ourselves, under the circumstances, and we aren't going THE SUPPLIES AND MONEY ALLOWANCES Provided for so-calied “pauper” Indians do in fact represent payment due for lands pur- n chased by Uncle Sam from them at prices usa- Not receiving them when they are promised : aod the Indians are forced to run into debt at. the | SLY most unjust to the savages. Being * “store.” Credit, they claim, sigaifiee avutis | of the nation,” they are not permitted to have peices: “Tusa eo tenn ataites double | us peineipal of wins fs owed te thee, berene allowed oniy the interest nt 5 per cent until the time shall arrive when they are considered ca- able of taking care of the principal properly. xceptional cases are those of the Kickapoos, Pottowatomics and Winnebagoes, who, accord- ing to the treaties made with them, can, upon becoming citizens, withdraw their individual shares of cupital from the treasury. Other tribes are at present trying to get possession of their own money. A paragraph has been in- terpolated in the new Indian bill, authorizing the Secretary of the Interior to i ®@ cash equivalent for rations to such Indians as he cipher they are at the mercy of the trader in the matter of accounts, If poor Lo, when he has a little money, buys anything for the sake x neighboring town, the shop- Keeping vampire denies him further credit, without wifich he is likely to starve Iater on, The furs, fish, venison, wild rice and snake root, which the unhappy savage procures, he must sell to no one but the trader, at the latter'sown prices, on penalty of his credit drawn. These articl shipped by the trader to the nearest market and dis] ofat 4 profit of several hundred per cent Every crop the red man can raise is anticipated on the books of the “store,” the proprietor of which is always willing to acceptin Payment anything from a pony toa red-hot stove; but cash an “goods” prices differ. THE RESERVATION wonx. There is always a good deal of work to be done on reservations. This is performed by Indians, who are paid for it out of the money belonging to them in government bands. Very often, leged, the agent representin; Unele Sam “stands in with" the trader and pays for such labor with orders on the “store.” ‘The victims can get the money by insisting upon it, but, it is claimed, they cannot afford to do 80 for fear of offending the trader, who has them in his power. An army officer sta- tioned at Washington tells of a case that came under his personal observation at the Grand River agency in Dakota, where the local trader fook » pack of playing cards and wrote on the ack of each, vod for 3.50 in trade.” Every week on that reservation 100 beeve® were killed. and each head of family got a hide worth $5 in cash. In lieu of this money the trader gavea card to each man, and the officer referred to saw him on one occasion receive such a card in payment for one yard of brass wire and a tea- spoonful of red iead. Another time he saw e18 in greenbacks paid for two and a halt yards of flannel. This trader acted for « firm, having himself nothing invested, but receiving one- third of the profits of the business. His income was $10,000 a year. Yet this was one of the least profitable agencics in proportion to the population. . But these things oceurred in the ood old days,” twenty years ago, when an Tudian trader's eense was an assured tortune. In view of the abuses which, it as alleged, pre- vail even now the Indians ask why in trading they shouid not be allowed the benefits of com- petition, They desire that honest dealers shall be permitted to enter the reservations and es- tablich shops. RATIONS AND FARM UTENSILS. Partly decayed beef and bacon, bogus coffee and fiour of the sort known contemptuously as ‘red dog,” out of which bread cannot be made, are alieged to compose in large measu: the rations distributed vy Uncle sam. Con- tracts awarded to the lowest bidders, 1s is said, put a premium upon inferior articles. On somo reservations Where beef is supplied “on ‘the hoof” the arrangement is that one head of cattle shail be allotted to every so many Indians, but when undersized beeves with no flesh on their bones are provided waut threuiens. Eighty light wagons wero required at the White Earth reservayon, Minneso.a, in 1879. In response tothe demand, eighty emigrant wagons with canvas covers—regular “prairie schooners” — were sent. At tho wame time several dozen iron eables, big enough to hold ships-of-war, were supplied for ox chains, together with a large number of cast-iron ploughs, which, being useless for turning up the hard soil of thay region, bave been rustiug by the roadsides ever since.’ A government inspector to whom ap- Peal was made declared tuat he ‘guessed the | ¢xbausted. ‘The squaw passes on to another interior Department knew what was best for | clerk who distributes corn. He has a number the Indians." ‘Tho Indians express disappoint | of of different sizes, each holding so ment because they do not usually get their | Many rations, ‘Ihe amount of corn due the winter clothing until the following spring. I¢| Woman he promptly dumps into ber shawi, is uot generally realized that un Indian is ut | tied up for temporury use as a receptacle. She least as fond of dress a» the white man. He | then passes to yet another clerk, who gives her would be glad if his tasto tor coior and bright- | the flour or sugar due her, and so on until she ness could be considered in purchasing the | ba» received her portion of everything, when garments intoaded for his use. she passes out at adoor on the other side. Usually the squaws employ the corners of their THE cared BUREAU AT PRESEXT. shawls to hold the rious Kinds: Shred On the other hand, it is asserted that no de- | but at some agencies they are obliged by regu- partment of the government 1 more honest | lation to bring sacks for the flour. than the Indian buroau at present. Complaint BOW THE CATTLE ARE DISTRIBUTED. is actually made by tho agent in charge of res-| In the distribution of cattie combinations are ervations that they can no longer “make a made among the relatives or friends, twenty- cont.” Seandels concerning them have been | wwo persons perhapd being entitled to one stecr s0 serious in the past that overybody is watch- ‘The cattle are rounded up, and ing them. One was heard to admit with a sigh | Weekly. bay ms “of them as are needed are driven into ‘a Sot roxy one agejBns: the anly monay he hed | Send, Tn frou of the corral la a box resem earned la three : Bay wastor by charging Uncl am for ar fares bie tee jodees eat > ep ees, traveled free. terpreter ciously. Some authorities on the subject, how- ever, doubt the wisdom of the measure, the danger being that the money would be quickly squandered, whereas the regular allowance of Provisions, &c., secure the red men against starvation. GIFTS To THE RED MEX. There are some instances in which Indian tribes are provided from government funds with money and supplies as gifts. The largest is granted to 10,000 Apaches of Arizona, amounting to €200.000 yearly. ‘This sum is ap- Propriated for their benefit not so mich, it is said, as @ matter of charity as becaues it is cheaper to feed them than to fight them. The next biggest gift is £125,000 for 5,000 Apaches, Kiowasand Comanches in Oklahoma, the reason for it being the same. Many small tribesall over the United States are allowed from $4,000 to #10,000 annually to support the old and infirm and to pay physicians and artisans. Every tribe ona reservation is provided witha physician,car- penter and blacksmith wherever the appropria- tion admits. Government funds are set aside fair degree of liberality for civilizing the 8. The new bill appropriates $40,000 for “irrigating machinery and appliances on Feservations;” also $2,000 for a flour mill at the Pimas ageney in Arizona, whete the best wheat in the United States is grown with the assist- ance of irrigation. The grain is threshed by ponies and separated from the chaff by the Wind as it is thrown into the air. DOMESTIC ANIMALS. Poultry is purchased for the Indian sehools, though supplies of domestic animals are ordi- narily provided for by treaties. Twenty-five thousand cows and 1,009 bulls are now being bought for the Sioux in fulfillment of the last treaty with them. Fish ponds are soon to be established in connection with two of the train- ing schools for Indians in order that they may become ae with the care and culture of fishes. it is further suggested that reserva- tions shall be stocked with the hardier game fowls, and that the streams thereon shall be supplied with earp and other fishes by the United States fluh commission in order tha: the indians may be afforded agreeable employment and recreation. THE DISTRIBUTION OF RATIONS. To any one who has never witnessed the distribution of rations at an Indian agency the performance is remarkably interesting, The government building is ordinarily a barn-like structure, surrounded by a platform, on which the squaws form in line, each with her ticket. As they through a’ door, in single file, a clerk looks at cach woman's d and shouts out the number of rations to which she is enti- tled. cp med that there are three in her family, she is entit!ed to twenty-one rations for the week, of course. Her card shows that, and every time it is presented the clerk punches it once. After it has been punched iifty-two times, es, being good for one year, itis when he had « pass and y the agent, his chief a 4 ‘an Indian selected for to treat with absolute honesty, owing to the | uns | aggh eo aon y age 0 multiplied checks upon bim. tin the “g old forded alt of ee ‘Went ints the agent ther ‘was managed wich the alaas were always i i i FI ft i i ie il i a i Lf i by : ? i H i 4 : i i in i} ef iy F af bis considers able to buy their own supplies judi- | * army officer here telis of an occasion when In Thessal wens became saw an Indian tumble into a stockade filled with from mal ten compel oo maddened steers, He made his escape by for a week. After he had recovered sufficien wentto Smyrna. From there planned to go to the Holy Land and i & while, but the vessels had ali going through on account of the cholera, #0 they went to Alexandria in Egypt instead. Cairo and the Pyraunids were viewed and then after a eek in Egypt, including to Suea and liberal ration of tobacco. ‘They used to befur- | Sack. |S. ERYp my ee ed niahed with i upto 183, trom 80,00 0 70,00 | was boarded on the Both of Rerontee ee year em. om bay tue jour present most of them Bye ak to eces= | rail to Delhi yg — wood to Cawnpore. | distance of 314 miles. The roads were excell to : : bat it was very bard accommodatious at the Dah-Bungalows, OF mail stations, which were the only stepping: Rioe asa diet became ly monot- Cnous. In fect wheeling through India is described by Mr. Stevens as boing very much [Like iding around a race track, there 1 #0 ss much sameness to the country. The people WHEELED ARPUND THE WORLD. | were very phlogmatic and stolid. ‘They eee reat travelers, and the highways were always Two Washington Cyclists Girdled the Globe. plying the red men with the herb nicotian, con + tr italuxury which they ought to buy for themselves. Whe Have | Crowded with pilgrims. INDIA AND JAPAN. The railway was utilized in traveling from Cawnpore to Calcutta, where they were most cordially received by the English bicycliate of that city. Many excursions were taken to neighboring points of interest, and then Sings: Pore was made the objective poiut. Some litte riding was bad im the viciwity of that city and the journey wae resumed o d the desire of the kong, the great Chinese p. portunity tor wheelin two young men to trundie to Canton was frus- trated on account of there being no roads or even trails, so they went up the river in boats, [leaving their wheels behind. Kobe was the first Japanese port touched at, and from there they started to wheel to Yoko- Lama. When they bad traveled for five days Some police officials discovered that their per- y limits obliged . ’ to bourd Excursions were made to Fujiyama, the Magnificent mountain, aud Kudza, then the wLeelmen sold their wheels, discarded their knickerbochgrs ud bought Uckets to San Fran- reo. Ar. Stevens, in speaking of the journey, aaid: “Of course we enjoyed it and - lad of experience, but I : | Again undertake such a long expedition. Ex- | clusive of our wheels the trip cost us each their | bout $1,200. We were fortunate in meeting with no accidents, either to ourselves or our wheels. Of course we went Lungry many times, and had to eat some pretty rough food, but when you go on a jaunt like that you must adapt yourself to the surroundings. In no piace did they try to overcharge us very much, e cepting in Japan. We remember with partic lar pleasure the courtesy aud kindness of the German and Austrian wheelmen, and our most Unpleasant recollections are of Turkey and ber people. THE RETURN OF MESSRS. STEVENS AXD Mr TO THIS COUNTRY—ADVENTURES IN #8) LANDS—NEARLY 4 TEAR SINCE THEY LErr ‘WASHINGTON. Mossra. Eugene F. Stevens and George D. | Mitchell, who left this city last May, sailing May 6 from New York, to make a tour of the world on bicycles, or at least to. make as much of the tour on bieycles as was practi ar- tived in San Franciseo March 21 and will soon come bome, their intention being, after a few days spent in sight seeing in California, to come to Washington and complete the circuit of the globe by rail. During their progress around the world Mr. Stevens wrote a number of in- teresting descriptive letters, which were printed in Tar Stan. They did not go to boat any records of travel, but to journey for pleas- ure, stopping whenever they found something to interest them. The Sau Francisco Examiner of March 27 says: Their faces are brown from exposure to the hot suns of many climes. Their hands are cal- loused from the handles of their wheels, and the labor of pushing over forty miles of rough roads a day, up hill and down, has made muscles like bands of steel. They left the big Atlantic liner at Queens- town, where they found two wheels of English make of the safety pattern had been sent by the manufacturer. They then packed up all of their ordinary clothes and sent them back to America. When they wheeled out of Queens- town each man carried two flanuel shirts, two | undershirts, two pair of stockings, one pair of shoes, o few handkerchiefs and a corduroy suit with knee breeches. Besides they carried a few maps and guide books. The weight of each man’s luggage, which was strapped to the machine, was about twenty-five pounds at the beginning, but after a few days it was reduced to fifteen pounds, : About ten days were spent trundling about Ireland. The Lakes of Killarney, Glengariff, Dublin and Belfast were visited. and the beau- tiful scenery much enjoyed, notwithstanding that it rained a greater portion of the time. From Belfast a steamer was taken to Glasgow and there the two wheelmen traveled about among the Scottish lakes, paying a visit to Edinborough aud Sterling, after which they made their way over the Cheviot hills to Eng- land. The English roads permitted of some very good runs. The best time the ‘eycliste made during the tour was in England, where they accomplished fifty-three miles in five hours. The greatest distance ridden in any one day was seventy-five miles in France. Leaving England by way of Portemouth, a stop was made at the Island of Jersey, with its Picturesque mixtare of French end’ English people and surroundings. There many ot the narrow roads and are completely arched by the shrubbery. Riding through these bowers over splendid roads was delightful. ‘On the way to St. Malo, in France, they met two young English girls’ who were going to nd two weeks awhcel in Normandy. ‘Through France was delightful riding. A day or two was spent in Paria They started awa, from the attictions of that great city July and spent the great American holiday at iaeheen, Black. 4 Fontainbleau. Geneva was reached via Dijon, | , pm" “~~ eee and there they feli ia with the Eiwell party of continental tourists who had left Paris a week before. ‘The vale of Chamouni was explored and the river Rhone was followed to its icy source, the great Khoneglacier. While going over the high Furka pass the altitude was so high that the clouds and mist often concealed them from each other. Beautiful Lake Con- stance was visited. The wheelmen reached Beyreuth in Bavaria while the great Wagner festival was in progress and listened to grand opera in flannel shirts and knee breeches. Of course they were viewed with considerable curiosity by the men and women about them in the great theater. | Vienna was reuched after a journey through | the Bohemian forest. Then by easy stages they wheeled to Budwoiss, and then through Styria | to Gratz, and from there to Croatia. ENCOUNTERING HARDSHIPS, In Herzegovina their first really hard times Were encountered. Water was very scarce, it | was frightfully aot and most of the time they | were starving. In Dalmatia almost a similar perience was met with. One day they climbed up the mountain side for six hours, pushing their wheels ahead, the city in sight all the time. At the top of the pass they stopped at a little wine shop kept by a man who had been asailor. He had spent some time in San Francisco and Philadelphia and | was able to say few words of English. 1t was | the first opportunity he had ever had to dis- | play bis great knowledge to his wife and fam) and he was delighted with the awe with which | he succeded 1n inspiring them when he carried | on a conversation with the travelers. | ‘Their entry into Centinge, a city up among the Lilltops, caused them considerable nerv- ousness, Every one of the swarthy moun- taineer inhabitants of the town carried iu his belt a great long formidable-looking revolver, besides motley assortment of knives and dag” gers. It was worse than Leadville or lomb- stone in the fiush of the mining excitement. But they learned that it was merely a custom in the land, and as they saw no blood spilt their fears grew less. At Corfu s sail boat was chartered to ferry them to the little Turkish port of Senta Sus- Tanto. ‘Mr. Stevens does not speak with much pleas- ant reminiscence of his journey through Tur- key. “There is no government on the face of the earth worse than the Turkish,” he insisted. “The customs officials were so overcome by surprise at the iden of anybody coming to Turkey for mere pleasure that they forgot to THE CHESs WoRLD, Problems, Games, Solutions and Solvere— Notes. From the tournament of the British Chess Association, EVANS GAMBIT DECLINED. rook out of play ume ely on hie gucene re fo 'satinty even c) The disadvantage of allowing white intl inove ig how app-reat. 1b order to use ait hie Plecea, a= the sequel shows. te) in the pro- 1 1017 Qake ‘or wins the queen. (e) . In sharp contrast to whites in. th the Russian a _ charge us any duty for our bicycles. They in- E sisted, however, that we should be accompanied b by a military guard and detailed a foot soldier ht toescort us. Atthe next town were met = by a cavalryman, whom we iinmediately dubbed “Gnele, on account of his venerable appear- ance. ‘He conducted us to a sort of a hotel, where we were given a room, and in a few mo- ments every inhabitant of the town was try- ing to get into our roora to stare at us. We left the foot soldier behind on the second day had bara work to keop up “We were obliged to walk the great part of three days on account of the washed out and a the roads. About every five there is a gendarme stationed, whose res ‘. te Koo) it Ke en KEK, : = qliora's mide sortie wim Miectee ‘nccurata ‘and. vwroroun. Diack tttence ith four Fawn ids va ‘Uncle’ gave us eqnsiderable trouble. were obliged to pay for his food und he toid | 3° everybody what « flue time he was | i 7 Club, fork, is a chess resort, ey 4 plan of, the 2 ‘The latest scheme is be- mn noe, nee © teresting contest, with the odds the