Evening Star Newspaper, November 12, 1892, Page 8

THE EVEN STAR: WASHINGTON, D. C. SA’ *: TURDAY, NO VEMBER 12 . 1892-SIXTEE 9TH STREET AND MARYLAND AVENUE. SURE DEATH TRAPS. The Infamous Grade Crossings Within the City Limits. THE UNPROTECTED TRACKS. ‘The Blood of Many Victims Marks the In- tersection of Streets and Railroad Tracke— “Ne One to Blame,” and the Carnage Con- tinues— Victims to Corporation Greed. “I do not think any argument is needed fo convince the pubiic (Rat the time has gone by | when the lines ond ti zens should | be constantly exposed resulting from crossing of streets by steam railroads at grade.” President Roberts of the Pennsy!- vania reilrond, 1 whirled across a “OOK ocr” | Swish! Dash!! Bre!!!) The engine, which | seemed to be coming | straight down the street, | few vears this fact bas been The next street is 9h street, and within h trap of the highest perfection. how the ap- pearance of this artfully constructed infernal | machine. The tracks on both sides and in| doth directions areas free from fences us the boundiess prairie and the crossing is only pro- tected by a set of gates armed with a wheezy bell. gates are always there, but wooden tea in themselves do not possess the mental faculty which would canse them to lower with- out outside afd. Often the outside aid bas beep conspicuous by its absence. Within the past emplified at 9b street. NUMEROUS VICTINS. Not long ago George Washington, an old colored man, attempted to drive over the cross- ing with a pair of mules. The ontiit was struck by an Alexandria train, the mules killed and jewalk and dixap- WM peared around the cor- | = * while an erratic a a with one solitary car = attached like the a! tenuated tail to a kite, the Tur Star artist and Tax Stan reporter caught tight hold of etree box. They were out looking up the question of grade erossngs. but the ax-ien said nothing abont finding out the i« Nietim and this thing frresponsibie railroad traix g all around them was almost too much for nerves oniy ac- eustomed to plain cimple snicites and wurders. in rear. ‘The miles of railroad tracks which | are Warbington’s chief drawbac be seen toh vinted. The grade crossing prob- Jes in te" cit id have been solved long 0 if « compuisory congressional junket could been arranged along Maryland avence, Virgina avenue, Delaware aver and «@ few cross streets. Such a trip bas | Bever been arranged and the only personal browiedce of the railroa: their arrival, wher Drusbing ther mine is the orter is probably bt ad th congressional m of whether ‘a quarter, conte tare when mired is altogether too for thought of the | who is performing | fence t+ firs: ¢ engrosing t poor nou-voting wen serobatie feats in getting away from the front of the train. WASUINGTON'S FATAL CnossINos. Washingtonians don't ta tors down along the railroad ¢ monument! were erecte | system at the place of his Smpossibie for either real + this city as for a carriage to drive across lots in | a cemetery are some points which have been dyed a litt deeper in blood than others. The artist am Teporter before mentioned especially visite these spots in fear and trembling. On the Penneylranin road from the Loug bridge to the tumnel, some three miles. every street which Goes manage to get across the tracks docs so at grade. This would be bad enough considering ‘the heavy travel on many of these intersecting » but the dificul:y is further beightened manner which at many p its the iteh and turn and the complications in number. ‘The fencing slong the seem to be somewhat erratic alto, places the tracks are fenced crossing ‘o crossing, while again juares the tracks between crovsings are iy unprotected. Guard gates were found at the crossings. althongh xt some peints the eomplivation of guard gates would puzzle a eriminel lawver. The danger along thie road fe grestly increased by the almost conaiant stream of travel between the river fron’ d the Geuter of the city. ‘Ihe increased growth and ‘tracks - in fa from for 6TH STREET the driver seriously injured. There wasa fog at the time and serious complaint was made that the gates were not properly guarded. | # was only a poor colored man and a pair of mules, bad it been « Congressmau driving his stylish team there would have Leon more than “serious complaint. in one week in March, 1392, there were two victims to the Penisylvania grade «ystem. Que was an unknown colored mau, killed at Virginia venue and 3d street, and ‘the other Harriet Gillis, acolored woman, who met her death at this same 9th street crossing. Her death brings out another fact in regard to this crossing. She was killed on the evening of March 16 by a freight train, which was moving slowly. There iw a telegraph station at this point, and the en- gineer and conductor of the train bad both } } CROSSING. he fire- man carried the train across the crossing. Har- en and horribly man- | gled. The coroner's jury said it was accidental | and nobody was to blame. She was simply an- other victim to the grade crossing. Harriet of which | Gillis, it must be remembered was only a pcor 02d does not improve by any meani ‘ \ METROPOL colored servant girl. She was not the wife or relative of a Congressman, #0 Congress bad uo | earthly concern in the matter. | ANOTHER NETWORK OF UNGUARDED TRACKS. | Let us move a little further along Maryland avenue, keeping a sharp lockout for trains, for from 9th to 7th street has witnessed a good many of the 150 deaths which the Pennsylvania AT tmaportance of South Washington exch year to the danger by increasing the stream of { PANOER ALi ALONO THE Lixe. From the tunnel to the depot and from the Bridge to the depot there is ab-olutely no time ‘when an engineer can be sure that the next minute his engine wili not be dashing over sume Bupan being. From the Long bridge to Lith street there isa perfect network of tracks, ~, which are protected simply by ater." There ts no fencing of any sort low Every foot of the The line of cars cross a 6TH STREET AND VIR = ———a GINIA AVENUE 7 | road is reeponsible for up to 1890. From 7th | » Ith street there is a perfect network of un- | protected tracks. The road here runs through &@ reservation, the occupancy of which is still legal notwithstanding the passage of the in- | | famous Atkinson bill, which gave the road acer- | | tain legal right to kill people at pleasure. The | | space occupied on this reservation is — | used by the road in ebifting and making up trains, | THE SEVENTH STREET CRossING. | At 7th street there is a complicated state of | | affairs, which would be interesting as a puzzle if it were not so dangerous to life and limb. | This is the main crossing for travel between }» carriages, wagons and cable ITAN BRANCH AT BOUNDA both continue along Maryland avenue, but branch off with a network along Virginia ave- nue. There is, thorefore, a complication of tracks and gates. A stranger going north,after safely navigating the Virginia avenne tracks, would probably consider he was through with all railroad perils, buta few steps further and he {aon the Maryland avenne execution Tenms are liable at any time to get caug! space between these two systems, with trains rushing by both in the front and rear. ‘Timid horse usually resent thatsort of thing, andmany accidents are the result. ‘Tak Stax representatives saw several occurrences of this Kind, happily without serious reealte, during their brief stay at that point. A DaY's TRavrr. Accione watch made in 1890 at this croming showed that on one day, and « usual day, count- ing from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., the gates were low- ered 116 times, and over 2,000 vehicles and 7,900 foot passengers passed. This was in 1890, and the travel ix now greatiy increased. « Fire en- gines on their way to burning buildings have several times been greatly delaved at this cross- ing. It may be suid, however, that no Congress man has ever been killed at 7th street. A PERFECTED TRAP. There are rat traps and mouse traps. On the stretch of tracks between 7th and 9th atrects mentioned above there is one of the prettiest AND MARYLAND AVENUE. and neatest mouse tra) scale in existence. This is where 8th street crosses the Maryiand avenue tracks, or rather where Sth #treet would cross if it had not be- come discouraged by the parking and the many { railroad iron. ‘There is, however, every for foot passenger to’ get killed. In many micuse traps there is cheese laid to entice VET aD) yay Dee S409 the victim up to the mechanism. In the case of the Sth street trap the bait consiste of a path on the south side leading directly to the tracks, and on the north a board walk, which crosses the parking and comes down to the rails. The beard walk ends at a little bank and ditch, which must be jumped. When the raiis themselves are reached tae conveniences which have led thi end suddenly. The intervals between the tracks have no boards and the rails stand up and afford every chance for a victim to trip. ‘The illustration will give an idea of this nent little contrivance for quick death. It may be weil to state that no Con- gressman uses this crossing going to and from work, FAST FROM SEVENTH STREET The condition of affairs on the Pennsylvania ‘So far as quick and sure killing is concerned the tracks on 6th street at the intersections of Maryland and Virginia avenues are probably a littleahead of anything in the city. ‘The lines ranning on both of the two avenues, Maryland and Virginia, turn-into 6th street to get up to the depot. turn in a manner which has wiped out ‘The cut will give some idea of he may the situation. AT VIRGINIA AVENUE AND SIXTH STREET. ‘The 6th street tracks turn sharply and run close up to the high board fence of the freight yard. Sidewalks cross these tracks at two constant would not matter much if at oad trains not constantly ‘Here the tracks from the Long’ buites BALTIMORE AND OHIO he is not utterly confused by the labrrinth of | tracks and complication of gates, ix stilt further | handicapped by the fact that the fence prevents him seeing ten feet around the curve. An engine snatches its victim here before he real- izes that there is « locomotive within ten miles. /A young son of Mr. Springman Fealized this not long ago when had his foot cut off by anengine. ‘The general Public recognized it, too, only afew days ago, when Singiston Bell wat horribly mangled Tight at this point. This accident was so re- cent that every one will remember how Bell and a companion, George Webb, both colored, were struck by anengine on October 23 and thrown up against the fence. Bell died from his injurie-. Both men were sober and neither saw the train. Whether the gates were up or down is almost an immaterial! fact. ‘The dan- Rerous crossing was there and is there today, and you, gentle reader, may be the next vic- tim. “The coroner's jury in this case thought no negligence had been shown, but added the remark: “We regard this crossing asa very dangerous one, which should be more fully protected." Needless to sy neither of these men was in any way related to Congressmen. INTERSECTION OF MARYLAND AVENUE SIXTH STREET. ‘Two squares above this combination of curve and grade crossing is another almost equally as bad. This is where Maryland avenue and 6th street intersect. There are tracks on 6th street and more which curve into Maryland avenue, running right across the sidewalk, which is e tirely unprotected. In_ the illustration ‘of this spot two gentlemen are standing at this curve and Tue Stan reporter waited five minutes to tee them picked off bya train. Closer inspec- tion showed them to be railroad men, however, and they probably knew the schedule. It is a dangerous standing ground, however, for ordi- nary citizens. At this point, as will be seen, the crossing over the main tracks is guarded by gates, while one solitary gate runs AND angle about half way across Mai land avenue to block the approach of the street cars which cross at this poi The rest of Maryland avenue, in regard to the tracks on that street, is entirely unprotected. This is the special death trap that killed » Jamplighter named McIntosh tome years ago. On March 6 Maryland avenue and 6th street was farther distinguished by being the acene of the killing and horrible mutilation of young Paul Cullen, a fourteen-year-old Ind, who was laying about the deadly grades. Neither Mc- Fatoab nor young Cullen had ever served any time in either the House or the Sen: Only the presence of mind of an prevented a horrible accident at this crossing on July 28 of this year. As has been eaid, the Belt line of street cara crosses the 6th street tracks at this crossing. On July 28 car No. 26 going west was caught between the gates, the bars having been lowered both in front and rear. A train was daehing around the curve from Virginia avenue The engineer saw the terrible danger and put on his air brakes and the train was only stopped when within ten feet of the street car, which contained half a dozen passeng: lightest hitch in the nerve of that engineer or in the efficacy of the air brakes would have sent seven sonls to eternity, and this should be charged up to the grade crossing. ‘The crossing had in this case done its full duty and must have been surprised to find an engineer with the skill to balk ite gincer ona new and enlarged | Purpose. OTHER DANGEROUS PorN7s. At 43¢ street the Metropolitan cars cross the tracks and the crossing is an especially danger- ‘ous one and has several accidents to its credit. Third strect {s something of the same sort of crossing, having safety gates and with the AT.H STREET. cks slightly raised. This crossing was the | ene of the killing of an unknowa colored man in March of this year. From 8d street out to the tunnel the crossings are about the samo and nenrly all have an accident of somo sort to their credit. At 14th and L streets Mr. William Golway was recently killed. ‘This sad death oc- curred near the curve and the coroner's jary blamed the railroad for the accident. THE B. AND 0. CROSSINGS. It would seem that in all equity the long stretches of surface tracks which the Pennsyl- vania road keeps in Washington would be con- sidered a more than fair wharo for one city; but not to be outdone we find the Baltimore and Ohio road in another section of the city main- taining also miles of death-dealing tracks. As on the other road, there are some spois on the Baltimore and Ohio which lately have attracted especial attention by the horror of their death- dealing power. Such a place is the crossing at Delaware avenue and H street, which is the main traveled way for that section. Here ® constant stream of travel keeps up all day, The Columbia street cars cross here, as well as a herdic line, and wagons, carriages and foot passengers are cross- ing at ail times or waiting for the gatos to be raised. This crossing also possesses some pecial requisites for killing neatly and scien- tifically. "It is another of those double tracks, as the main line and the Metropolitan branch divide just below, and with two acts of tracks for the division a team is liable to be caught between two trains at any time. The gates aro being raised and lowered almost constantly, although often people seem to pay but little at= tention to them. While Tz Stan men watched for five minutes six foot passengers and one man, or a bicycle, dodged under the gates and crossed whilea train was close at hand. This may be reckless disregard of life, but the gov- ernment would not allow Inmps of dynamite to lie around the streets where reckless persons could kick them and a company should not be allowed to maintain crossings of this character. ‘The entire surroundings ai this point are dan- gerous in the extreme, as the many accidents which have occurred would prove. NUMEROUS AccIDENTS. In recent years blood bas been freely shed here. One of the saddest cases wis that of Sophia Grambler, who was an inmate of the Home of the Little Sisters of the Poor. She was struck by an engine at the H street cross- ing and instantly killed. in July of this year two victims have been added to the list of martyrs to the H street trap. On the night of July 27 Wm. F. Bergman in at- tempting to board a train at this point fell under the cars and was literaily cut in two. On the following morning Wm. Brabler and his son were struck by a train at this crossing. Mr. Brabler was a well-known grocer. He was with his son in bys wagon and was caught.between the gates and killed by a passing train, His son was saved almost by a miracle. AT THE BoUxDaB: ‘The point where the Metropolitan branch | wit may killed at this point in 1890, as was Stierman and his wife shortly afterward. Out on the main line of the Baltimore and | Obio there is constaatdanger; the crossings are often elevated some feet. ‘The Point where éth street strikes the tracks is especially marked by | two recent deaths, ‘The street stops just be- | fore getting to the rails, but so far as foot pas- sengers are concerned every facility is offered | for death. Neur thie spot Rev. Eugene Peck was killed, und recently the community was shocked by the killing at this pointof little ‘Teresa McDonald, who was walking on the foot- way alongside the tracks. Many other points, both inside and outside of the city limits, could be meztioned which have demanded and received the blood of vie- tims to corporation greed. eae, aca ELECTRICAL OMNIBUSES, | New Conveyaness ‘ Street) London. From the Londou Datly Telegrap?. For three or four years an experimental elec trical omnibus has been secr: at intervals in the streets of London, and the facts which its inventor, Mr. Radcliff Ward, has ob- tained by @ succession of trial trips have at last enabled bim to determine the num- ber of electrical units which are necessary to put into motion one ton weight. The prac- tical reeult of these detailed observations has been already turned to account in the constrac- tion of a parcel van, which may frequently be encountered in the West End; and the expe- rience gained by ita working has clearly demon- strated that an ordinary omnibus driver can in ten days acquire the necessary skill to handle an electrical vehicle with perfect pre- jon and safety. In immediate future ndon is to be provided with improved electrical "buses, so that, however popular the new conveyances may become, drivere need not be deprived of their means of livelihood by their competition. Probably in a fort- night the latest electrical omuibus will be run ning. Compared with the first "bus of th kind constructed —a cumbersome affair, weighing four tons—the new pattern will be “a thing of beauty”—if any omnibus said to possess beauty. In all outward reepecte it will closely resemble the modern roadcar, with its garden seats on the roof and its protected stairway, but it will have this advantage—it will give more comfortable seate with greater elbow roum to the inside passengers, as it will beof greater width than the ordinary "bus; and, ectricity will give light, there will be obtained a distinct improvement upon the present mode of illumination. Instead of the driver's box sent, a platform projects from the front of the ‘bus, and below ft « kind of “small boy catcher” or guard protects the first pair of wheels, which are fot steering, the other and larger pair being for driving. The tlectric ‘bur’ will carry twelve people inside and fourteen outside, exactly like one of the ordinary type. To each ‘bus will be allowed three seta of accumulators, the electrical energy being etored in the Tramears may be driven either on this plan, or by an overhead conductor, or by the undergrotind conduit system, but vehicles which pursue an independent route, not running upon rails, obviously can only be worked upon the storage wystem, which necessarily means an increase of dead weight. The Electrical Power Storage Company undertakes to run electric cars for any tram company for 66 per cent of the Brom ‘takings, leuving the remaining & per cent to pay directors’ fees, secretarial and o expenses, rent of buildings and capital charges. It is this company which bas engaged to supply the electric “buses with accumulators, One set consists of sixty-eight cells,each about 50 Ibs. in weight, bringing up the total weight of the ne ‘bas ready for running to rather more than 83 compared wil that an electrical generating and storage sta- tion is placed at Hammersmith, at this point, the commencement of the journey, two trays of accumulators will be pushed through traps in front of the ‘bus under each seat; and, auto- matically, the electrical current will be brought into communication with the motor, which, with the necessary intermediate gearing, lies under the body of the ‘bus. This store of energy will sufice for @ trip of fourteen miles, say from Hammersmith to Liverpool street’ and | back. On its return to the yard. instead of | changing horses, all that will have to be done is | to take out the exhausted celisand replace them with others fully charged—an operation which, according to the experience gained upon the Barking electric trams, can be performed in two or three minutes. It may be asked whether traveling byelectric "bus may not be an expensive luxury. The calculations appear to give prospect of the present low rate of fares being maintained. On | the basis that one line of "buses con twenty-five, wi the ile journeys daily, the total cost per mile, including mai tenance, would be 3d, as compared with 5d per | mile for horse traction. In other words, each | electric "bus would mean a saving to the pro- | rietor of £4 a week, or, say, £200 per annum. Further, the saving to the ratepayers would be considerable by the substitution of broader and smoothly running wheels for the eight hoofs of a pair of horses giving at each pace a sledge- hammer blow upon the asphalt, wood or ma- cadam with ruinous effects, Experts upon the question have the highest praise forthe character of the London roads, along which the electric "buses would be likely to ply for patronage. No difticulties of gradient or paving interpose obstacles. Probably the worst drawback to be feaied is the greasiness produced by a foggy or muggy day, but the same evil operates disadvantageously upon _horseflesh. It has been suggested that a still greater luxury than those improvements — which are promised might be obtained by the adoption of pneumatic tires. In this di- rection Glasgow has already led the way. its tramway and omnibus company having just placed upon the Argyll street and Pollokehields route an omnibuawhich insures absolute noise- jessness on the journey and the minimum of jolting. Strong pneumatic tires are fitted on the wheels and springs placed in the cushions otthe inside seats. An incandescent electric p illuminates the interior, supply of elec. tricity being stored sufficient for eight hours’ continuous light. The omnibus carries twelve sengers inside and fourteen outside. There are special reasons, however, in Glas- gow for the introduction of pneumatic tires, protected by canvas and wire-wove netting; for most of its thoroughfares are paved with granite sets, or “‘causeys,” as they are locally termed, which lead to much noise and constant oscillation. Happily in London the asphalte and wood commonly in use make the streets comparatively quiet, and, in dry weather, easy going. Except for ‘swift hansom cabs rubber tires are not considered neces sary; but occasionally one may see a private coupe with bicycle wheels, which appear to be readily adaptable. Glasgow has, beside the nature of its roads, another reason for its effort to make "bus traveling popular. The company which has leased the tram lines from the corporation is face to face with the ex- piration of its term. Hitherto, as the pro- prietary of the ‘buses, it has taken care not to compete with its own tram care on tram routes, but directly the corporation works the trams for iteelf the company retaining its "buses will create an opposition to the trams and tempt the public to use in preference the noiseless and comfortable pneumatic-tired omnibus, +06 ‘The Sarcastic Maiden, From the Chicago Inter-Ocean. ‘The sarcastic maiden is not a pleasant com- panion, She is too sharp to be agreeable. Her cutting speeches, rife with scathing personali- ties, cause her to be shunned rather than se- lected as one of those charming sort of girls } men and women both admire, If she writes » ones itease obtains. ‘The sarcastic girl may possess talent far above the breezy creature who can mits that she would rather 1 purely weeoeand laughs by urns with Phylite Molly Bawn will win the admiration and side over the home of the season, while her more brilliant sister, wi dangerous sharpness, will be left to bi casms aitd solitude, Sarcasm is not wit, be sarcastic. One can be bi i if FEERE i EERE | police headquarters in to Appear in the| a be | | strings of a certain class of citizens, EASY WORK FOR AN ENGLISHMAN. wi 4. Bant Had No Trouble Wealthy America: Wm. H. Bant is » young Englishman. He areases well, parts his wavy blonde hair in the middie, is well educated and an accomplished liar and is @ swindler and a “prisoner at police headquarters, He was arrested by Detective Sergeants McClusky and Armstrong of the cen- tral office, New York, yesterday morning at Broadway and Clinton place. He admitted to Inspector McLaughlin that be is a swindler and that he has lived for months on the proceeds of his swindling operations. For some time complaints have been made at w York by many well- known persons that they have been swindled of sums ranging from $10 to $50 by a young En- Swindling indler wero, in ali cases, the same. The man had, in ench case, got his’ victim's confidence, | then his sympathy and then his money. He had obtained confidence fn himself by claiin- ing to be «son of some well-known Englishinan or English woman. He had got their sympath: | and money by telling a tale of delayed rem tances, and, as a consequence, temporary finac- cial embarrassment. When Bant was searched » Itst of names of wealthy persons was fonnd Some he bad already swindled; others were prospective vie- tims. “Two letters of introduction were also found. They were written by Charles E. Emory, who bas an engineering office at 915 Bennett | building. One of these was addressed to Com- modore Wilson, chief eugineer of the board of | construction and repairs of the navy. The other was addressed to Commodore George W. Mel- ville, chief of the bureau of steam engineering. Both letters introduced Bant under the name of Mitchell. They were the sume in substance and stated that ‘“Mitcheli”” was a son of Mr. Mitchell of the firm of Armstrong, Mitchell & Co., the jfamons sbipbuilders at | Newcastie-on-Tyne. | They also said that he was in the United States ona pleasure trip, and wae visitit of interest. | He desired, too, it was said,. to | new navy, and, consequently, had sought to be introduced to persous who would give him es rameand ant says he came to New York from Qos- forth, 1a Northumberland, England, on June 22 inst. Tis father is an engineer at Gosforth, and Bant evidently has been educated for that profession. He ie a gentlemanly {ellow, and talks intelligently on the profession of bis father. He first stopped at the Sturtevant House, but later, when money came easily, be went to the Fifth Avenue Hotel. Soon after he ‘went to Gloucester, N. J., and lost all his mouey on the races. Then he’ went to Philadelphia, where he swindlea two Englishmen out of @100 by his ingeniour story. He then traveled to ( ieago and secured $25 from Sir Heary Wood, secretary of the British commission of the world’s fair. He told Sir Henry that bis name was Mitchell, | was aon of the English engineer, now dead. From Chicago he took a trip by easy stages to San Francisco, stopping off at important cities, and working bis game on many persone. After tiring of the Pacific coast, he went back to New York. (On the eastward trip he also lett atrail of deludod victims. He reached New York city four weeks ago and soon after called on Mrs. Frank Leslie-Wilde, He introduced himself to her as ason of Mrs. Braddon, the novelist. who, be said, wae in private life plain Mra. Maxwell Mrs. Wilde was busy at. the time of Bant's call and gave him her card, re- questing him to call again. Some time ago he meta Mr. Rand, who was impressed with his story of “high-toned” rela- tives, and introduced him into the Engineers’ the heaviest horse ‘bus, | Club, at 10 East 29th street. ‘There he met eev- and lightest “8 cwt.: but,4 eral gentlemen, whom he afterward relieved of | the electi@¥ omnibus | various sums of money. carries ite horses on board. Assuming Recently he called on Chas. Wiler, publisher of engineering works at 63 East 10th street. He told “Mr. Wiley the Braddon-Stephenson de- lnyed remittance story and got $10. Mr. Wiley took Bant to his home at East Orange, N. J., and gave him dinner and lodging and loaned him an overcoat. Bant wore the overcoat when arrested. He nico swindled Dick & Douglass, the Ann street publishers. Bant declared that he had been the private secretary of Sir Edward Grey, M. P. He said he accompanied Sir Edward ona trip to Spain, France, Germany, Turkey, China and New Zealand. The trip lasted ten mont its termination in London Sir Edward pre. sented him with €250 and a valuable gold watch. He also said that he bad been a reporter of the London Daily News. said, because he bad swindled a man out of £20. In reviewing bis American career Bant can: didly told Inspector Mckaughlin that be was greatly surprised at the ease with which people “gave up” their money. The mere fact that be was an Englishinan seemed to loosen the purse He eave he was in this country a short time eighteen onths ago and did a neat little swindling bus- iness then. ‘The prisoner's picture was taken for the rogues’ gallery. In appearance he is rather imposing. He is five feet ten,inches, slender. His eyes are blue and his countenance frank and open. He had on his list the names of Gray Gris- wold, S. 5. Howland, H. 8. Herbert, Thomas Hitchcock. Jonathan E. Cowden, Eugene Hig- gins, W. E. Tiffany, Henry P. Stimson, A. J. Cassatt, Prescott Lawrence, Pierre Lorillard, Mime. Huppert, 89 Regeut street, London; the Gilsey House and the Hackney Horse Show Society. ——_ ——+0-+ PLACING THE ORCHESTRA, Wind Instruments of Wood and Brass Di- rectly in Front of the Leader. The orchestra is now arranged so that the wind instruments of wood and brass with pulsa- tile instruments form a solid body directly in frontof the leader. The strings stretch to the left and the right, and the double basses di- vided fringe the back of the stage and its farther sides. ‘The grouping is commended by the Boston Journal. It was thought in the eighteenth century that the double basses, ‘cellos and bassoons should be dispersed throughout the orchestra. As Rosscau quaintly expressed it, “It is the bass that should regu- late and sustain all the other parts, and all the players should hear it equally.” | We know how the celebrated orchestra of the Dresden opera, under Hesse, was The conductor was in the middle of the railed space, seated before aclavier. Behind him was a violoncello ay well as n double basa, The first violins w at his right band in a line, ‘The second violins ere on the same side, but nearer the stage. The other ‘cellos and double basses were at the extreme ends. ‘The violas were between the first and second violins. All of the wind instru- ments, with the exception of the trumpets, were on the left of tho conductor. The oboes were nearest the stago, and the bassoons were close to the conductor. The drums and the trumpets were on the raised platforms at the sides. The famous chorus and orchestra of the Paris conservatory are arranged as follows: Sixteen first sopranos and sixteen second sopranos are at the left of the conductor. At his right are ten frst tenors and tengecond tenors. Directly in front of him are ten first basses and ten sec- ‘ond basses. ‘To the left of the basses, as the hearer faces the stage, are fifteen first violine, to tho right fourteen second violins. The first and the second violins face each other. Behind the basses is the harp. Then come ten violas facing the conductor. The next line ismade up of two clarinets, two oboes, two futes, piccolo, four ‘cellos and two double basses. Behind this line are four horns, four bassoons and four ‘cellos. Behind them are two te, three double basses, four ‘cellos and two double basves. Three trombones and two double basses are nex: in order, and the tuba and pulsatile instruments bring up the rear. A Singular Superstition, From the Bangor (Me.) Comercial. In regard to the habit of partridges of flying into civilization and @ popular superstition re- garding them an Augusta man says: ‘One flew ‘on our premises and wascaptured. Then came ate the bro‘ i i F and the — a in F LB i i Bea if jlisbman. Their stories and descriptions of the | ing. the points | gather some facts about the construction of' the | and on | He left Gosforth, he | { | what Capt. Bendire Says About Some Freaks tm Feathers. SOME OF OUR OWN BIRDS. | BOW RE NEARLY Lost mis irr wurtE pIRDS- | Nesrixo—oountsm:r oF Paainre cuIcKESs— QUEER WAYS OF THE ORRAT HORNED OWLS- NESTING OP PASSENGER PIOZONS. A. BIRDS-NESTING ADVENTURE THAT | +% came near ending fn a tragedy is described | by Capt. Bendire in a monograph on the birds |of North America, iseued by the Smithsonian | Institution and the National Museum jointly. The captain was riding along the tanks of creek, Ariz.,one fine day inthe year . Then heeawabig black hawk. ile fol- | lowed the bird and at a distance of about dive | miles from camp he found it perched on a limb of a tall cott | tree be discovered a bulky nest placed | close to the main trank and about forty fee | from the ground. The mate of the hawk which | he had beer, 1 j Riltitto j19 climbed up to the nest, in which he founda j single pate blue egg, the parent birds mean- while cirel manifesting their | anger br shi He put the egg. which aught sight b of everai Apache In- in_a little canon about They were evidently | dians ere eighty yard: | watching him, | It wax ® case where the only chance of safety lay in presence of mind. Without exhibitme any signe of bi the alarming @iscor- captain proceeded to descend in as leisurely a manner as possible, still retaining the egg in hie mouth. If he had manifested *ymptoms of being in a hurry the Indians | would have perceived that they were «pied and they would have been waiting for the ere | hunter at the foot of the tree before he could tdown. In thnt case denth by torture of endish ingenuity would doubtless have been down distant. bis fate. Asitwas he reached the ground in j safety, mounted his horse and started for ean | Im an instant the Apaches were after bir | and they chased him nearly to the camp before |abandoning the pursuit. He got there all j right, however, with the egg in his mouth, It jas unbroken. Owing to ite large size the captain bad great difficulty in getting it ont of | hit mouth without injuring it, but he finalls | succeeded, though, as be says, his jawaached for | come time afterward. It is mow included in the | Smithsonian oological collection ' PRAIRIE CHICK The captain tells alot of funny things about prairie chi id their courtsh human ¢ love all | around, these “pinneted ‘grouse,” as they | properly called, do their wooing in the «pring. Atdaybreak they assemble in parties of jozen to fifty on high, dry knolle where | grase is short. Tho cocks bave a lo: | patch of vellow ekin on each side of the ne ‘hese patches cover sace which the birds j blowup like bindders. They are ornaments nlike the year ° | which they dispiay for the females by blowing them uy © Tipe oranges, the feathe: tw t ne erected. hile the males strut about and themselves in this fashion tbe timid f | cast shy side glances at them, evidently admir- ing. From time to time one proud cock or | another will rush through the midst of the love- | fick hens at top speed, making a booming noise as be goes, which can ‘be heard ata distance of two miles in the still morning air. Hundred of such voices can be heard sometimes prairie at early dawn, producing a chorus that is very agreeable to the ear, the notes being like the deep notes of alarge organ, though softer and | more powerful. Any one who has heard such a | concert can never forget it. After the cocks have been making this display for a little while the hens begins to show inte est by moving about quickly afew yards at a | time and then pausing. These actions, cor j tinued by a score of birds simultancously, 5 jeent a curious spectacle, and the observer easily imagines that they are moving to the measure of music. The lovemaking party | breaks up when the sun is balfan hour high | and the assembly is repeated every morning for a week or two until all the birds have made | satisfactory matches. Toward the latter part of this mating season there isa great de Vully 50 per cent of their eggs are destroyed mnually by fire in dry seasous and by water in wet years. The nests mre made in the grass, and prairie fires consume them by wholesale. One of the most curions things abont these birds is that only the females migrate to warmer regions in winter, leaving the males to brave | the cold—very much as women leave ther hus- bands in town during the summer and fly to the seashore to escape the heat. THE HORNED OWL. One of the most remarkable birds that the captain knows of is the great horned owl, which is more destructive than all other birds of prey put together. Sometimes it is called the “hoot owl.” It bunts usually at night, though some- times it goes abroad for food on cloudy days, ‘The female is much larger than the male, and sometimes she kills and eats him. This often happens under conditions of captivity. One of these owls has been known to cut off the heads of three turkeys and several chickens in a sin- | gle night, leaving the bodies uninjured and it for the table. The bird does not hesitate to enter coops and kill the fowls which they con- tain. It is the most reientless enemy of all game birds and is wonderfully omnivorous, its | bill of fare being filled out with euch small procurable. When provender is plenty the great horned owl eats only the heads of its victims, thus de- manding a great number for the satisfaction of ite appetite. Its sight is very keen and escape from its pursuit is difficult. In one nest of this bird young owls, a mouse,a muskrat, four ruffed Grouse, one ‘rabbit, eleven rata, one woodcock, two eeis and four bullheads, representing nears eighteen pounds of food. The heads of all these animals were eaten off, the bodies being left untouched. These owls’ used customarily | to make their nests in hollow trees, but the ax | of the lumberman has wiped out the primeval forests to such an extent that hollow trees large enough for the purpose have become ve carce. For this reason the birds nowadays ‘usually lay their eggs in the old neste of crows and the larger hawks. The courtehip of the great horned ow! is said by the captain to be very funny indeed. In one case that was observed the male and female | sat together on a branch and be approached her carefully and gradually, while she half turned away, timid girl.’ He stroked her with his beak two or three times and then bowed solemnly. Next, he rubbed her bill | with his and bowed agcin, continuing those | caresses, which seemed to be bashfully received by the female. After a little while they flew away together, presumably on their boney- moon trip. The hooting ery is the love song of | the male, These owls are ofien aitracted by the campfires of hunting parties and their flight is | 80 nt that the firet notice one has of the resence of one of them is the it query, Pwo —who—coskeSer~—yeat drome froma tree top perhaps directly overhead. MILES AND MILES OF FrazONS. | Minnesota i following was sitting on the nest. | With the intention of robbery the captain | | mammals as rebbite, opossums, squirrels, musk- | rats, rate and skunks, while it will eat fish when | we been found, together with two | passenger pigeons, which were so numerons wenty yeareago that their flocks were comparable to the vast berds of buffaloes that roamed the plaine of the west formerly. Like the buffalo, the passenger pigeon has been nearly extermiosted by ruthiess slaughter. ‘The only reason why there are any left today it no longer business of g them for market One vesting in 1876 was near Petos! Mich. It covered « space twenty-eight miles long and averaged four miles in width. The Pigeons arrived in two focks from different Girections, one of these flocks being = com- pact mass of birds five miles long by one mile Wide. ‘The clamor they made could be heard at niles, of the passenger pigeons Fnoet wholly 10 the thinly ied region along the northern United States from Maine to vow they are batched ‘out of the nest by At that time they ar¥ often fat- the old birds. They Gutter ce or four days ¢ upon a tinean ds of this species 4 in a fog while crossing ‘Thev made the mistake oarse downward, amd, strih- perished by thousands. A hore of the lake for miles i | is now confined | settled and wo border of the day or two later the was covered a foot deep with their bodies, The ol fogand none of them were lost. > - THE TABLE NAPKIN, It Was First Used Only by Children and | | that article, now cousid= the table napkin, tren, and was only { the family about ifteenth century. In eti- an earlier date than thie, # other ange pieces of advice for children, ore instructions about wiping the fingers and lips with pkins. usa nly b: embers It seems that the table cloth was long eaougi? to reach th rerved the = napkins, When they ine they placed them fira® and finally a writer, vrvative and did not ily, records with scorm: i under the chin and were going to be thet be were bie t soil bis beautiful our expression for straigh “hard to make both end Jed to the habit of the table w @ napkin on the left arm. apkine beca than in ates for each gui About 16! David published the i how to wait w to fold all kinds of wirted, folded tm ia the forms of a double and twisted sell, sin heli, double me tingle melon, cock, hen, hen and chickens, two chickens, pigeon in a basket, partridge, pheasant, two pons ine pie, hare, two rabbits, sucking pig, dog with a collar, pike, carp, tarbot, miter, turkey, tortoise, the holy cross aud the Lor- | Taine crore,” oo — | POLEFUL WOMAN, | She ts a Wet Blanket in Soctety and in the sick Room. From the Omaha World-Herald | Do you know the dolefal person? She, for | the doleful person is always a woman, is always | © good neighbor in good health and tries to be neighborly in sickness, But she makes « mis- erable foilure at the latter. You know bow e acts, Don't you remember the last time the baby was sick? After you had watched by the little one's bed day after day and night after might; bad watched the roses fade from the loved one's cheeks aud saw the little form waste away? And don’t you remember that just at the time when you bad «bout given up hope the dolefal neigh- |boreame in? And don't you remember how she tried to cheer you up with @ one-sided oon- | Yeraation something like this: Mrs. B—, how much worse the babe ot) | fighting among the cocks, which is probubly due to rivalries, Prairie chickens, the captain says, show very | poor judgment in selecting their nesting places. | | “Why, looks this morning. She looks just like Sarah |Joner’s baby did the might before it died. | ous! Tnever saw a child so wasted away as Sarah's was, except yours, We just done everything for that child, but it wa'n't no use, 1 never will forget how Barab took on at the | funeral.” And then the doleful neighbor suddenly re bers that she hay to ran back home to sts sponge,” and when she goes you bape she will never return, You look at suffering babe and feel that your beart must surely break; but suddenly there isa knock at | the door and in comes the—well, sunbeam neighbor is as gooda name asany. She wns jover the evening before and quietly and unobtrusively helped to do *o many needful ; things, and when abe left she lefts word of cheer; and when she comes this time she says | something like this: | “Why, how much better the baby Jooks this morning!” And don't yon remember whata bright gleam | of hope crossed your mind? “I never enw a child improve so much in so short time before, Iam sure the baby will soon be well. And then the sunbeam neighbor the bed, adjusts the blinds, telis you she will call again in a few hours end hurries home. Honest, | now, didn’t she leave a confident feeling behind | her?’ You felt better and more hopeful. Baby | even seemed to rally under the words, and ‘hen at last the little one was playing around your knee again didn't you think of the words of the sunbeam neighbor’ The doleful, neighbor has frightened more mothers to death, buried more babies and caused more tears than all the com bined. She should be supp: — Guarding Secrets of the Home, From Harper's Bazar. Perhaps there is no surer revelation of char- acter than the manner in which» wife uses her husband's name in conversation. We have some respect for Mr. Fawcett’s heroine, who closed her eyes when her husband staggered into sight aud declared that “Manhattan hed one of his headaches, for he never drank.” It is hard, however, to pardon the woman who con- fides to ew one she mects the shortcomings of the man whose honor is in her keeping. Reticence requires more culture! power =" : who argue, with sharp- There are the wives who at a tongued Mra, Poyeer, that “God made the wo- man silly to match the man,” and with ber are ready to slays sister making the same state- We question if women are quite fitted to ieatola to guned alors suslousiy the oes Capt. Bendire gives an interesting descrip- tion of the immense breeding colonies of the | ‘guard more zealously the home, PARENTAL JOYS. From Harper's Bezaar. Fond father—“Why, Tox, what father "And what te that ‘can-opever. afraid it's broke, ‘cause it open.’ i open te etch, Tow on it overal ties ond Tim . &