Evening Star Newspaper, July 20, 1895, Page 9

THE EVENING STAR aUBLISHED DAILY EXCEPT SUNDAY. AT THE STAR BUILDINGS, 101 Pennsylvania Avenue, Cor, 11th Strest, by The Evenine Star Newspaper Company 6. i KAUFMANN, Prest, Kew York Office, 40 Potter Building. eee oe ‘he Evening Star is served to subscribers fn the elitr carriers, on their own account. at 10 cents r Week, or 44c. per month. Copies at the counter cents each. By mail—anywhere in the United States or — postage cents per ment he Saturda; if 1) Sheet Star, $1.00 ears ha lee amen ne. ered at the it 5 as second-class mall mattoc). FZAll mall -abscriptioas must be paid in advarce. of rertising made known on applicatica. i. Ohe Zpyening Slave» WASHINGTON, D. CG. SATURDAY, JULY 20, 1895-TWENTY PAGES. in Be counfrp goes info so farge & pe-cenfage of aff fhe Gouses within a radius of fwenfp mifes from Be office of pufificafion. THEY FLY KITES Benjamin Franklins of the Weather Bureau and Their Experiments. A STUDY OF THE AIR CURRENTS A String of Kites Will Be Flown to a Great Height. THE PRACTICAL RESULTS ——+——. Written for The Evening Star. EN GIANT KY¥TEs, g all on one string, will l be flown, if possible, to the height of two miles by the weather bureau authorities. This, of course, would be many times higher than any other kite has Litherto traveled, the famous Eddy kites having flown only 4,000 feet, ac- cording to latest re- ports. ‘This will-be done in connection with sys- tematic studies of the upper atmosphere, which region has heretofore been explored by scientists only with the aid of captive balloons carrying thermometers, baromet- ers, &c. But balloons are found to be most impracticable for such purposes, since the wind blowing against them keeps up an almost constant vibration, while its force against their envelopes cavses great leak- age of gas, and hence makes a flight of many hours impossible. The kite experiments to begin this sum- mez will be conducted by Prof. Adie, the same meteorologist who is making exten- sive photographic studies of lightning flashes. The investigation of the upper at- mosphere will be made, first with a view of ascertaining the differences of tempera- ture for various altitudes in free air. Other experime:ts, aid of the kites, will fol- low these, all of which are expected to enable the bureau's meteorologists to make One of the Giant Kites. ® great profile map of the. atmosphere, which task has never yet been accomplish- ed. Temperature and barometric curves, electric eurrents, &c., will be located for various parts of the country and for differ- ent seasons of the year. Such data will be as necessary to the en- gineers of flying machines, when practically perfected, as charts are to sailors. Balloon- ing can be then carried on with much less risk than at present, since it will be an easy matter to determine what currents of air are likely to be met at various heights, just as it is now a small task to find the gulf stream or the trade winds. A still greater service will be rendered by this in- formation to scientists, who now believe that men will be able to soar like birds as soon as the upper air currents are definitely understood. The Importance of Kites. Kites will be flown to different neights in hot waves during electric, wind or rain storms, in cold wayes during snow or hail storms, and, in fact, during every possible Phase of weather. The reason why the slopes and summits of high mountains can- not be utilized for just such observations is use when at the top of the highest Mountain the observer might just as well be on the lowest point of ground as far as the temperature curves, etc., are concerned, 4 they are parallel to the earth's surface in all places. The Eiffel tower is the high- est stationary point at which experiments have been made in free air, and the Wash- ington monument comes next. The exp2riment ground whereon the tests will be made is a short distance beyond Arlington. The practical management of the kites is in charge of Mr. S. A. Potter, Prof. McaAdie's assistant, who aspires to become the champion kite flyer of the World. Mr. Potter's kites, of which ten are already constructed, are what are known gs the Malay or tailless kites, some-of them being on’ the order of the Eddy kite. while those later made are, it is claimed, tmprove- ™ents on that design. The tailless kite, first used by the Malays, is somewhat dia- mond shape in outline, the point where the diagonal ribs cross being very near to the top. é The horizontal or cross rib in the Eddy kito is bent in the shape of a bow, while that of the Potter kite {s so formed that the cover, when viewed edgewise, repre- gents the compound curve of a bird’s wings in flight. The convex side of the surface is toward the flyer, when the string is at- tached. The point of attachment has been ee calculated, so that the weight of the bottom point of the kite obviates the necessity of a tail, such as always adorns the schoolboy’s kite. Witnessed the Flight. ‘The writer, who was invited this week to. accompany Prof. McAdie and Mr. Potter to the scene of these experiments, saw several of the kites go up to a remarkable helght on a warm, sultry day, when there was lit- tle or no breeze perceptible. There was no running preparatory to the filght. The kites were simply held at the proper angle and let go. A large reel, the size of a grind stone,autematicaily fed as much cord as was wanted. At 250 feet apart, each kite was tied on a separate cord, about fifty feet long. In the great tandem team of kites, soon to make this great journey, the two leaders Measure each six feet high by seven feet wide. Each of the eight others following is five feet high by six wide. Although so eat In area—forty-two square feet—these larger kites weigh only a pound and a quarter apiece. To send the whole ten Kites up to the height of two miles there will have to be used at least four miles of ecrd. To accurately calculate the height to which theze kites ascend a surveyor's transit will be used, and the distances worked out by triangulaticn. In most of the experimenis the kites will bo kept In the air for twelve hours If poss! ble, and that a definite record of the tem. perature curves, eic., may be had a sel registering thermometer of special design will be sent up, attached near the top of the Ine. This is a small aluminum box, containing clock works for revolving a small drum, upon which are traced the lines representing the degree of temperature for each fraction of the day or hour. This will run for eight days. It weighs altogether two and one-half pounds, which weight ean be easily carried to enormous heights. What the Kites Are Made Of. China slik, muslin, drilling, gloria and pa- per are each used for cov:ring the kites. One-half of them are made white and the ethers black, the latter being the more con- spicuous against the sky. It is now the purpose of the experimenters to construct this summer a giant kite, which will revo- lutionize the whole science of kite fiying. This will be no less than a combination Kite balloon. The length and width are not yet determined, but in form it will be a large, flat box, about a foot in thickness, the light frame being covered with gold beaters’ skin. It will be Inflated with hy- drogen gas, which would give to a kite of the dimensions of the present design and a foot thick a lifting force of tnree pounds. This would be sufficient to take the kite up, notwithstanding the general buoyancy of- fered by the wind currents. While, flying seven of his kites in a stiff breeze Prof. McAdie lately fastened a spring balance to the cord, and found that there was a pull of no less than forty- eight pounds. By using a greater number of much larger Kites he has no doubt that it would be a small matter to carry one or two men up into the air. ——__ THE CASH CARS. Towser Was Rattled by Their Whiz- zing Over His Head. From the Utica Observer. Toweer is a magnificent dog. It is doubt- ful if the city contains a larger or better® natured animal. He is a cross between English mastiff and bloodhound, and he has an array of good qualities that makes him beloved of the neighborhood in which his master resides. When out with his mis- tress on a walk he ts exceedingly well mannered and walks along with a stately tread that would strike terror to a hobo, but which is really pleasing to the honest cltizen, A few days ago Towser went down town with his mistress on a shopping tour. He entered the store and very meekly obeyed when told to lie down in a cool spot in one of the aisles. In a few minutes, how- ever, Towser began to show alarming symptoms. His head moved rapidly from side to side and his eyes, which were fixed on the ceiling, had-a wild and somewhat dangerous look. He commenced to dash back and forth up and down the aisle, leap- ing over bargain tables and knocking piles of goods to the ficcr by his boisterous frol- ics. The young ladies stopped right in the middle of interesting descriptions and climbed the counters. Some of the cus- tomers started for the door and others played pussy in the corner with each other in dodging behind whatever might appear to present a barrier to the approach of Towser. The gentlemen who measure out the various textiles in quantities suited to our needs ingloriously retreated at the cry of “mad dog.” Towser’s mistress didn’t know what to do. She couldn’t make the animal stop his wild career, and she was greatly distresed for fear he would have to be shot. It should be known that Towser is young and full of play, if he is big and unwieldy. When he was lying on the fioor as his mis- tress bade him, his attention was attracted to the swiftly gliding cash boxes that desh about with your coin so spitefully and bring you the change from a five-dollar bill, after you have made a $4.97 purchase, be- fore you have concluded how to invest it. Tewser thought these boxes were some- thing he ought to catch, and before he would get well started after one another would whiz past in the opposite direction. So he pranced around the store, having lots of fun all to himself, while everybody thought he was mad. When the real cause of his outbreak was finally discovered the cash system was stopped, but even that didn’t allay Towser’s suspicions. He watch- ed, ready to jump at any moment, and wouldn't leave the store until led out by a couple of men, who were sent around from his master’s office for that purpose. Towser stays at home now when his mis- tress goes shopping. +e0-—-—___ INCAPABLE OF IMPERSONALITY. An Alleged Failing ‘That Has Defer- red Woman's Emancipation. From the Saturday Review. The bond of fellowship: which exists be- tween man and man simply by virtue of a common sex fs entirely absent between wo- man and woman. It is, in fact, replaced by a fundamental antagonism, a vague en- mity which renders the general attitude of a feminire creature toward her kind essen- tially different from that of the male creat- ure in {identical relations. In individual cases this feeling ts counteracted by affec- tion or by sympathy, but apart from per- sonal sentiment it remains, severing every living woman from the rest of her sex. To a great extent this arises from woman's Incapacity for impersonal feeling or ab- stract emotion. In life's fray she fights either for her own hand or, more often, for some one man or woman whom she loves, but rarely for the welfare of her sex at large. Were it not for this strange lack of hu- manity in her natures the emancipation of woman would not hd@® been so grievously retarded. If the few women who suffered aforetime under -the restrictions which hedged in their Uberty and been able to count on the sympathy and co-operation of all women, the time of their subjugation would have been enormously abbreviated. As it was, the first seekers after freedom met with more opposition from their own sex than they did from the other; nor, in- deed, do they fare better today. Enormous changes in thelr social status were effected by an inconsiderable minority of women braye enough and logical enough to im- press the male powers tha be with the jus- tice of thelr demands. But for their cour- age they received no sympathy, and for their success not one word of thanks—noth- ing, In fact, but execration from the huge inert feminine mass in whose service their strength was spent. A TAX ON BICYCLES. e A San Francisco Supervisgr’s Reasons for Advocating It. From the San Francisco Examiner. Since the licens2 committee of the board of supervisors discussed bicycles last Tues- day afternoon, the subject has been broached in the committee rooms half a dozen times, and on one occasion a half serious, half bantering proposition to license individual owners of bicycles was made. More than one supervisor is of the opinion that bicycle riders ought to pay a license, but very few of them care to say so at this tims, owing to the fact that bi- cyclists have become a big voting factor. Supervisor Joe King of the first ward is probably more outspoken on the subject than any of his associates. He said yester- day that, while he has not made as full an investigation of the claims for and against licensing wheelmen as he wants to, he was of the opinion that a license would do ro harm. “The fact of the matter fs,” said Super-* visor King, “that the bicycle is superseding the Rorse to such an extent that a number ef industries which have heretofore suv- ported thousands of people are practically ruired. These are livery stables, hay and feed farms and their agents, the black- smith, the horseshoer, and the carriage and wagon maker. I ami tcid that fifteen thousand men ard women in San Francisco gs wheels. the effect of this is to destroy many thousands of dollars’ worth of taxa- tle property, und I should say that the whe+Imen cught to have no scruples against ng a fair license for the use they ¢ of the streets. Of course, I am not prepared to.say whether the license should be $1 or $2, or even a greater sum, per year. T am going to look into the subject very thoroughly and will report what I find to the board, with such recommendations as I may deem necessary. e+ A Modified Statement. From the Boston Transcript. It is related as characteristic of a cer- tain professor at Harvard that he was lec- turing to a Radcliffe class not very long ago and happened to say in the midst of his lecture, “It is the duty of women to be beautiful;” then he paused, looked his au- dience over thoughtfully, and added, “at least decenUly good looking!" THE NATIONAL GUARD xarget Material is Now in Store at Ordway. WORK PROGRESSES ON THE RIFLE RANGE Getting Ready for the Preliminary Team Competitions. NEWS FROM THE ARMORIES ———— Yesterday the target material from Rock Island arsenal began to put in an appear- ance at Ordway, so there ts reasonable foundation for the hope that the rifle range will be complete before another week has passed away. Several unexpected causes of delay operated to hold things back con- siderably, but it seems now as if the last obstruction had been removed. The office building is practically complete; the ex- cavations at. 200, 300 and 300 yards are ready for the targets; the 600-yards pit ought to be complete by Tuesday, or Wed- nesday at the latest; the telephone lines will be ready for operation within two or three days, and the work is generally be- ing so planned as to bring avout, if It be possible, all-around completion at prac- tically the same time. All the necessary sanitary arrangements have been mmede, and before next Saturday there will, it is expected, be near the firing line a well of good water. . Until the definite date of range ccmple- tion is known it is not likely that any orders will be issued as to competition for places on the brigade team, but the in- spector general of rifle practice has in- formally notified the inspectors to select their candidates. From the second regi- ment will come not more than twenty mén, and the probabilities are that the second will not present much more than half that many; from the first regiment the number of candidates is not to ed he en- seven; the first ate bat- troop A, lwo, and light bat- tery A, two. » Thess candidates will be selected from those men who were not members of last year’s brigade team, eo it is apparent that with the twelve principals and four alter- nates of 189 and the nct more than forty- four candidates, the total number of guardsmen who will shoot for the honor of a place cerrot exceed sixty, and of this number at least twenty will be cut off after the conclusion of the first day's competi- tion. Prior to the opening of the competi- tion ample oppertunity will be afforded for voluntary practice, so that intending com- petitors may fit themselves for the hot fight which now seems to be assured. Men who fail to make a good showing in the competitiors, but who do well in voluntary practice befcre the brigade team is final made up, will stand a good chance for se- lection anybow, for there is no regulation governing the precise manner in which the team shall be organized. If the inspector general of rifle prectice sees a good man he can put him on the team at any time. The Rifles’ Laurels. Tho National Rifles, recently mustered into the Guard as company B, second bat- talicn, are for the time being resting on the laureis won at the St. Louis interstate drill. Ths officrs have accepted their com- missions, and Captain Oyster last week of- ficially reported to the major commanding the second battalion for duty. The com- pany has not yet received its equipment of government property. Drills have been suspended during the hot weather. Dates will soon be assigned the com- pany for practice in the gallery, so that the men may be In proper condition to shoot the outdoor scores with the remainder of the brigade on the new range nearly com- pleted at Ortway. Company A’s Program, Company A, second battalion, has ar- ranged to give hcps at the National Rifles’ Armory during 1895-'96, as follows: Thanks- giving evening, January 16, February 22 and Easter Monday evening. The company has also decided to hold a fair, which will be opened October 28 and continue two weeks. Many original and cnique features are expected to insure great success to the enterprise. Among the possibilities is an outing of this command later in the season to Ocean View, near Norfolk, Va., the site of the successful encampment two years ago. A committee, appointed by Capt. Edwards, to inquire into the feasibility of the sugges- tion, will leave for Ocean View this even- ing, and report to the company next week. The Fencibles’ Vacancy. That company D, fourth battalion, would not object to a transfer to the vacancy in the second battalion caused by the muster out of the Fencibles is a growing rumor. In fact, it is said that Capt. Willlams’ com- mand is particularly desirous of becoming a member of the first regiment, and means to make a strong effort to accomplish that purpose. Board of Examination. At a meeting of the brigade board of ex- amination Wednesday evening last the fol- lowing were examined: Second Lieut. Jesse Grant, company B, first battalion, for first leutenant, same company; Sergt. J. B. K. Lee, company D, first battalion, for second lieutenant, company B, first battalion, and Sergt. Garrett, company B, sixth battalion, for first lieutenant, company C, sixth bat- talion. The practical examination of Lieut. Grant and Sergt. Lee will be conducted by Capt. Shilling, while Capt. Jenkins will look after Sergt. Garrett. The next meeting of the board will be August 21. Notes of Interest. Tke dishonoravle dischargo of Private Monina G. Porter, company D, sixth bat- talion, has been revoked, and an honorable discharge granted in its stead. Trumpeter Willis E. Reynclds, first sep- arste company, has been transferred as a private to the corps of field music. Joseph 8. Coolidge, first Heutenant and quartermaster of the first separate bat- talion, and John B. Leeman, first Heuten- ant, company 13, filth battalion, have ten- dered their resignaticrs. Tho feature of the week in the Dtstrict Gvard was the holding of battalion courts- martial for the trial of those men who ab- sented themselves from the recent en- campment withont leave. The findings will not be know2 until the results of all the trials are received at headquerters, which will be not later than July 31. The resignation of Capt. D. L. M. Petx- otto, adjutant of the first regiment, has been accepted by Col. Moore and forward- ed-to headquarters. Adjutant Joseph W. Anderson of the sec- ond battalion has presented to headquar- ters a series of artistic photographs taken by him at Camp Washington. Gifts of a similar nature >yill be gladly recetved and preserved as souvenirs of the successful outing of the brigade for 1805. Sergt. Maj. John A. Heydler of the first battalion has been tendered a position on the brigade non-commissioned staff, with rank as sergeant major. Because of leagthy connection with the first, and active identification with its sporting in- terests, Mr. Heydler has declined the pro- motion. Sergt. Maj. Hudson of the first regiment yesterday received the desirable warrant. The quarters of company A, third bat- tallon, on the second floor of the new ar- mory building, have been handsomely fur- nished, and now compare favordbly with any room in the structure. The Memphis prize winners intend to keep up the good work by constantly adding to the hand- some furniture and other attractive fixings. Major Frederick T. Wilson of the third battalion is at Atlantic City for a sojourn of several weeks. During his absence Capt. Edgar A. Shilling of company A is in com- mand of the battalion. Capt. Domer, late of company C, second battalion, has’ turned in at headquarters the government property issued to his com- mand. 5 Capt. W. L. Cash, inspector of rifle prac- tice, first regiment, is now cut and around after a long spell of serious indisposition. It was hoped and expected that the cap- tain would at least be physically able to take charge of the regimental team which, under his command, won the New Jersey interstate regimental trophy in 1891 and 1892, but it pow appears as though Lieut. T. S. King, I. R. P., second battalion, will be team captain. Capt. Cash may, how- ever, visit Sea Girc during the meeting for the purpose of watching the competition. Members of company A, engineer corps, were inclined to believe they had struck a prize when they were given permission to select ten guns from the ordnance property turned in by the late company C, second battalion. Careful inspection by two of the engincer experts resulted in the finding of only one decent gun In the entire outfit. Sees SOUTHERN REPUBLICANS Mr. Bruce Talks About His Recent Trip to the Gulf. = A Proposition to Have Delegates Go to the Conyention. Uncommitted— Vice Presidential Candidates. Ex-Recorder Blanche K.Bruce,who was the last negro United States Senator,and who Was register of the treasury by appointment of President Garfield, has just returned to Washington after an extended trip through the south, It began by a visit to his plan- tation In Mississippi, and thence he went to various states bordering on the gulf and on the Mississippi river. His object was to investigate the political conditions, from a republican standpoint, and to consult with the party leaders as to the course to be pursved by them in relation to the next national conventjon. The results and im- pressicns of the trip were statéd in an in- teresting manner by Mr. Bruce to a Star reporter at Mr. Bruce’s home, on R street. “Delegates to previous republican con- ventions,” he said, “have gone from the southern states making considerable noise in behalf of certain candidates, and, in my opinion, bave prejudiced the chances for success of the meA they favoréd. In the conventions of 15St and 1888, you may reollect, many of the southern delegates were for John Sherman, and were not at all backward in expressing their prefer~ ence. I do not say that Mr. Sherman fail- ed to be nominated because of the support given him by the delegates from the states south of Mason and Dixon's line, but there was a feeling among the delegates from the north that they didn’t want the nomi- nation forced upon chenr, by, a section of the country that could give the’ candidate of the convention not a solitary electoral vote. That feeling became so strong in 18/2 at Minneapolis that # proposition was seriously discussed to disfpanchise us in national conventions by reducing the ratio of representation in accordance with the vote of the states. To Go Unpledged. “It occurred to me that it would be’ wise for the southern delegates to go to the con- vention next year without having commit- ted themselves to any caifiidate, and with- out expressing a preference for any, and after learning the preponderance of senti- ment among the northern delegates, fall in with that, so far as it was possible to do so. This view I set before the leaders in the southern states as far as It was pos- sible for me to them, and I was both surprised and gratified to learn that they held the same view, that it was not a new proposition. So I feel that the southern re- publicans will go to the next national con- vention prepared to exercise more influence than ever before, .and at the same time arousing no undue prejudice against them- selves. Of course, there may, and probably will, be some of the young fellows who will make a nolse—they’d do that any- where—but the conservative men of the party, generally, hold the ppinion that I do, and will conduct themselves in accord- ance with It.” The Vice Presidency. “Will the southern republicans push the claims of one of their number for the nomi- nation for Vice President?” was asked of | Mr. Bruce. * “There is some talk of it now, you know,” he answered. “Henry Clay Evans, who was elected governor of ‘Tennessee and was cheated out of the office; ex-Senator Powell Clayton of Arkansas, ex-Represen- tative John W. Moore of the same state and Judge Nathan Goff of West Virginia have all been mentioned for the honor, But my advice to the southern republicans is, wait until you can show the country some electoral votes’ from your section before asking representation on the national ticket.” i “Is there any probability of the republi- cans carrying any southern states at the election in 1896?" “Viewed in the light of present condi- tons,” replied Mr. Bruce, “I expect that they will carry Tennessee and North Caro- lina. They carried the fofmer last year, and the rape of the state by the demo- crats in itself is enovgh to insure republi- can success next year. Then, if the pres- ent division in the demoeratic party in Kentucky continues to exist I see no rea- son why we should not carry that state. I confidently rely upon adding these three states to the republican column in 18% Arkansas republicans say they will carry that state also, but I have no idea that the count will show a republican majority, even were there a majority of republican tickets in the nallot box. _ What Democrats Told Him. “I found many democrats all over the south outspoken in their criticism of the perty management and expressing a de- termination not to vote the national ticket again, Never, in all my experience, have 1 found such a condition of things. Business men said to me that they were disgusted with democratic administration of national affairs; that with full control of all branch- es of the government they had so admintis- tered the trust committed! to them as to re- duce business men in the south, at least, to @ worse condition than they were even in the years just after the war. Then, they said, they had something; now they are utterly prostrated. ‘We do not agree with your party in many things,” they said, ‘but we like your tariff policy and believe the republicans can successfully manage the national finances. The demécrats certainly cannot. Therefore; as business men, and for business reasons, we shall support the republican ticket?” 3 “Did the proposition to nominate a presi- dential candidate from the gouth create any impression there?” : “Only an unfavorable one,” replied Mr. Bruce. “I had considerable fun with my democratic friends on that subject. I quoted the plea for a south@rn man at the head of the ticket and digganted upon the advantages of Carlisle andCrisp. But they didn’t take kindly to i ey said: ‘You needn’t think you can the democratic party with any such pfoposition as that. You know that all our ptofhinent men were connected with: the war:of secession (they never refer to it as the war of the rebellion now. I think that comes from the effect of Bryce's “Amertcan commonwealth,” which denominates it the war of secession), and that there is not the slightest probability of electing a man President of the United States who was engaged in fighting against it.” The southern democrat recognizes, us well as any one, the presence of sentiment in politics, and realizes its force in influenc- ing results.” MACHINE AND LABOR Investigations of the Relation of the Former to the Latter. QUANTITY AND QUALITY Does Hand Work Suffer by the Competition of Mechanism? AN EXPERT SAYS NOT —— Special Correspondence of The Evening Star. PHILADELPHIA, July 18, 1895. Philadelphia is at present the seat of an interesting investigation at the hands of the general government. At the last session Congress directed the department of labor to ascertain to what extent manual labor had been displaced by modern machinery. Fer this purpose Commissioner of La- bor Wright last fall detafled a number of experts and special agents of his bureau for this work, each agent pursuing an in- vestigation in all industries found in the territory assigned him. Recently, however, a new departure has taken place, and each officer is assigned to an industry or group of dilied industries, making a technical analysis of the relations of machinery to hand work as to quantity and quality pro- duced by the most modern and the most ancient methods obtainable. Mr. ,A. M. Dewey, formerly the editor of a labor journal, well known in Washington, has recently come to Philadelphia to inquire in- to the use of machinery in printing, book binding, blank book making, type founding, ete. A visit by The Star correspondent to the department headquarters yesterday morning early found Mr. Dewey busily en- gaged in arranging a ‘pair’ of schedules on the binding of a book. Views of a Labor Expert. Asked to say something about the invest!- gation for The Star readers, Mr. Dewey said: “The relation of machinery to the indus- trial question has for many years occupied the minds of thoughtful men and women the world over. There has been a prevail- ing impression that labor was being made to suffer because of th!s competition with the inanimate piece of mechanism to be found In every industry, and there has been much strength and energy wasted by some of the best of the organizations of labor in their efforts to suppress the machine. The fear of the plate printer that the machine would displace labor has been proven groundless, as there are more printers at that trade today than before steam presses were invented.” Typesetting Machines, “How about letter press printing—print- from type?” S> fi typesetting is concerne pliee Mr. Dewe: “the machine which dces the work successfully is of recent diseov- pute all papers nearly, and many book offices, are getting them in as fast as pos- sible. The printers held out for a long time, and declared not iong ago that the machines should nut be permitted to enter the composing’ room of a union office, but they have realized the mistake, and the mach re now operated by union print- ers eve ere. Asa matter of fact, when all employes are taken into the machines in the printing business em- ploy more than they displace. Were it not for the cheap composition made possible by the machine, many daily papers must certainly suspend, for the composition bill is the item that swamps the business of- fice. ‘But even then,’ says the printer, ‘we would be the gainers, as there would yet be employed more printers than now on all.’ Which would be true if the printer were the only one entitled to consideration. But when all are considered, pressmen, proof readers, reporters, editors, circulat- ors, bookkeepers, newsboys, and the thou- sand and one other people employed about a@ newspaper office, it Is easy to discover that the typesetting machine employs la- bor rather than displaces it. And there is another consideration not mentioned—the public welfare. Many papers make good papers through competition. Good papers educate the people, and society reaps a direct benefit from the introduction of the machine. In Every Trade. “And this evolution, or revolution, which- ever you chcose to call it, permeates every trade. The old rat-tail type-making ma- chine has given way to an automatic type- casting and finishing machine, which turns out the finished work with one operation. There is a book-printing press now run- ning in Philadelphia which prints the sec- tions, gathers.them for binding and fclds the gathered sheets ready for stitching, and this, too, at the rate of 10,000 hooks per hour. I am told that a firm at Lowell, Mass., has in operation a machine which does all this one can do, and in addition prints a cuver in two colors, and ch ad the cover on the book, leaving it ready for the trimming m: ine, and does this twice as fast as the Philadelphia press mentloaed. The pcssibilities of the printing press are almost unlimited, since by simply an exten- sion of principles already discovered there seems to be no limit to the quantity of work which can be produced in a given time. Perhaps the most remarkable dis- placement of all is to be found in the wood- working trades,” continued Mr. Dewey, after a pause. “The planer and sticker, mortiser and tennoner, have rendered prac- tically useléss the big chest of tools with which the carpenter and joiner formerly plied his vocation. The work of making sash, doors and blinds is today almost en- tirely jn the hands of machine operators. A six-panel, 0. g. pine door, which would require a good man from ten to twelve hours to build by hand, is made by the hundred in from ten to twelve minutes each; that is, one hundred doors will be run through a modern factory and com- pleted in from ten to twelve hundred min- utes of working time when reduced to the work of one man.” “How about the quality of the work pro- duced?” Quality of Machine Work. “As to the quality, there are a few general principles which will apply most anywhere. A machine mortised and tenon is admittedly hetter than if made by hand. The reason is clear. In mortising for a tenon the hand workman cuts his mor- tise a little large on the inside, to make sure of an easy fit, and he likewise cuts his tenon a little small for the same rea- son. Together they make a loose joint. But the machine Work is arbitrarily exact in both cases every time, hence a closer and stronger joint. In iron work the more the iron is hammered the better it be- comes, and, therefore, hand work is strong- er than machine work, except in special cases, where the trip hammer is used to beat the iron well. In sewing on leather or cloth the hand stitch ‘s the best, though the machine does the best looking work, and for most purposes it is as good. But where there is a strain on the stitch in hand work it comes on the goods and not on the thread, while in machine, with the lock stitch, one thread will cut the other, as can be easily demonstrated by break- ing a piece of thread or twine across the hand. A strand which would cut the flesh without breaking when drawn without crossing can be easily broken by taking a hitch around the hand and bringing the thread across itself. But machinery les- sens the price of the product and brings it within the reach of the masses. creates a demand for more of it and so the opportunity for labor increases.” Canning by Machinery. “Does your inquiry include food pro- ducts?” 4 “My own work is not in that line, but the investigation includes everything. During the past winter it was my privilege to ex- amine into the corn canning industry in an adjoining state, and I acknowledge that what I learned was a revelation to me. In a single institution this season thirty peo- ple will do the work formerly requiring over 500. Green corn will be husked by machinery for the first time. A cutting machine will cut off as much corn as could be cut by 200 women with knives, and a machine which cooks, fills, measures, weighs and puts the caps on the cans of corn does the rest of the work. It is sim- ply marvelous. And yet in that industry, in spite of this most wonderful machine equipment, I was told by the manufacturer that there were now ten times the num- ber of employes engaged as at the time of and labor, while the goods had been placed within the reach of every one, selling as low as forty cents per dozen cans for good grades at certain seasons of the year. “No; machinery does not displace labor in the aggregate, and is of a great benefit to society beside. Those who oppose its in- troduction from a labor standpoint may be honest In their opposition, but they are mistaken. They are chasing a phantom.” “Do you find much child labor being em- ployed?” “So far I have found none in this state.” thanks to the vigilance of the factory in- spectors.”” w “How do wages of machine and hand labor generally compare?” = “The idea that machinery has been the cause of reductions in the price paid to labor in recent years is an error, in my opinion. Men at work on machinery re- calve better pay, as a rule, than the hand workman engaged in the same business. “I am aware,” continued Mr. Dewey, in conclusion, “that there is another side to this question, and the argument that ma- ghinery has taken the head of the family out of the factory, and replaced him with one of his children at a less wage, is a forcible one, but it cannot be made to ap- ply to the introduction of machinery in general.” Mr. Dewey is well known as a labor and temperance orator, and will deliver several addresses on subjects befor vi Philadelphia. 2 Me ete ——— ABOUT SKY SCRAPERS. Some of the Perils in the Constructjon of Tall Buildings. From ihe New York Times. “How long {s it since walls began to be panels and ceased to be the main support of buildings?” “Well, not very long,” replied Architect Post. “The first step was the use of iron trusses as the support of all the interior parts of a building, the walls being self- sustaining and built independent of the cage, though anchored to it by connections between the cage and the stone piers. Then architects began to incorporate the outer columns of the cages in the walls. From this it was a short step to relieve the walls of all serious carrying responsibility and make them simply panels in the outer lines of the cage. “I think myself that this latter plan has some objections which may be urged against it. In the first place, the upright steel beams when built into the walls are removed from all possibility of examination without tearing the building down. In the second place, there is danger from the ef- fects of large fires exterior to the building itself. Suppose a big fire was to start oppo- site a building constructed with steel pil- Jars near the surface of the walls, the heat might do incalculable damage by warping and twisting the pillars. “To avert these dangers, the most recent method of constructing cages is to place the steel uprights just inside of the outer walls and push the ends of the horizontal beams out far enough to support the walls, cantilever fashion. This permits an exami- nation of every essential part of the cage, and, at the same time, protects it from the possibility of danger from exterior fires.’ “How high could a building be made from theoretical point of view?” asked the re- porter. “The Eiffel tower in Paris is 90 feet high,” said Mr. Post, “and there is no en- gineering difficulty in making an office building equally high, or even higher. The commercial limit, however,will not be much greater than 300 feet. The question of ele- vator accommodation and light will step in at this limit, even if the legislature does not keep down the height to a proper pro- portion to the width of the street, as it ought to do next session. “We find in practice that each elevator in a building will accommodate an average of fifty offices. The higher the building,there- fore,the greater the amount of space which must be taken up by the elevators. This fact acts as a restriction to very tall build- ings on small lots. The question of light ts more serious. A tall building is all right so long as it ie not surrounded by equally Yofty neighbors. As soon as other buildings of the same or greater heigat spring up around it, many of its previous advanta; disappear. The lower floors may still let Yell for store purposes,and the upper floors, which have good sunlight, for offices. But the intermediate ficors, which have to use electric Nght all day, will soon grow unde- sirable, aud there will be great trouble in letting them at profitable rates, except, of course, where the building faces on some public square, like the Times building, or cpposite a church which is not likely to be removed, like the new Havemeyer building, at Ann street and Broadway.” “What will be the height of the new Havemeyer building?” asked the reporter. “It will be about 207 feet from the street level to the top of the main roof. Then there will be a roof house, equivalent to another story, a basement, subbasement and cellar. It will have twenty-five com- plete stories in the 307 feet. The plans are not yet complete.” “What wiil be the final end of the tall buildings now in New York city? Will it be earthquakes or the day of judgment?” suggested the reporter. , “Neither, Earthquakes are not common in this part of the world, and the heaviest buildings must yield to time,” was Mr. Post's reply. “The three dangers to these buildings which may bring about their indi- vidual demolition in the course of two or three generations are corrosion of the metal work, heat from exterior fires and future inadequacy to resist wind strains. I have already spoken of the danger from exterior fires. The corrosion of the metal work is a serious matter, because it may come on very gradually and because owners are so careless about keeping such details con- stantly and carefully inspected. I do not mean that looking at the steel framework every day is what should be done, because if the framework itself is to be properly preserved it should be covered in with damp-proof material to resist rust, and with some non-conducting substance, such as hollow bricks, to resist interior fires. “All steanpipes and waterpipes should be kept carefully apart from the upright columns which carry the weight of the structure. Then these pillars should be so placed that any one of them may be re- Moved in case it shows weakness, and re- placed without disturbing the buiiding. In the new Havemeyer building we are put- ting in asphalted felt between the cased columns and the exterior walls, thus form- ing a damp-proof course. Around the steel columns we ars placing a four-inch case of porous @erra cotta, with air spaces on two sides, which makes an excellent insulation against interior fires. © “Suppose that a building gets old, and that its joints have been deeply corroded by rust, its resistance to wind pressure will be greatly lessened, and then if it once be- gins to rock it may injure itself so serious- ly that it may have to be taken down.” “‘Will the grandsons of the engineers now living appreciate the dangers in such cases?” ed the roporter. “I think they will,” replied Mr. Post. “These great buildings are not likely to come to pleces without giving competent engineers ample warning, by cracks in the stonework or by the settling of beams, or by some other sign of instability. The de- termination of causes for such defects rests upon principles which never change, and therefore will be equally good as a warning to our gescerdants as to ourselves.” REAL ESTATE GOSSIP An Improvement of Some Conse~ quence on G Street. LATEST FASHION IN ARCHITECTURE A Section of the City Where Promie nent People Once Lived. SOME NEW BUILDINGS Reference has been made in this column to the interest which is being manifested in Property in the business sections of the eity. One of tife indications of the reviv- ing activity in this class of property is the improvement which Mr. John W. Foster Proposes to make on G si He owns the building 1204 G street and also the property which abuts on it.and fronts on 12th street, the number being 616. Soon after the return of Mr. Foster from Japan, and before he left forgthe north, he au- thorized his agent, Mr. T. A. Harding, to ~ improve this property. Plans for that building have been drawn by C. l. Harding, architect, and provide for the erection of a four-story structure having a frontage of nearly 40 feet on @ street by a depth of nearly & feet, and then extending east 97 {cet to a frontage of 23 feet on 12th street. The two frontages will be built of mottled brick with stone trimmings and a generous provision will be made for window openings. The first floors will be arranged for business purposes erd the upper floors for use as offices and flats. The work of construction will be substan- tial, and the new butiding will be quite an addition to the business structures of @ street. Other improvements, it 1s stated, are con- templated in various sections of G street, but the detatls have not been definitely de- termined and it is not positive, as yet, whether the plans will be carried out. It is evident, however, that there will be in the near future considerable building done on G street, as the demand for additional facilities to accommoé@ate the increased business will make it necessary to provide new structures. ‘The Homes of the Lenoxes. A building in a rather interesting locality was torn down during the week to make room for a new structure. It was located on the north side of E street between 10th and llth streets, and adjoins a row of dwellings which was built many years ago by Mr. Peter Lenox, one of the well-known and substantial citizens of the District. Mr. Lenox, as is well known, came to this city in its early years, and was in charge of the construction of both the White House and the Capitol. He was also en; in private business here. For many yeats he occupied a residence, which is still stand- ing, near the entrance to the Long bridge. Then he built the house at the northwest corner of 10th and E streets, which has re- mained practically unchanged; and also several houses adjoining on E street. One of these latter was occupied for a time by Mr, Walter Lenox, a son ef Peter Lenox, and who was mayor of the city and a prominent man in local affairs. A New Architectural Fashion. - People who contemplate building houses will be interested to know that fashion in architecture, which, however, is not quite as changeable as the styles of dress, has decreed another style than that which is now in vogue, and that it is likely to be in full fling here by next year at any rate. Some of the leading architects of New York city are employing what is popularly known as the French style, and are using it in designs not only for business buildings but for private residences. It is fair to presume that it will not be long before ex- amples of this style will be given form and shape in this city, and those who have be- come tired of the more recent phases of architectural fashion, such as the Roman- esque and the colonial forms, will be glad to learn that a change is Imminent. The French style as now being applied in New York preserves to a large extent the lines and forms of classic architecture. Gne of the features is the extension of the openings up into the line of the cornice, and in addition the roof is made to seem Lnimportant, and it is sometimes given the effect of being unfinished. Ornamentation is rather extensively used, and, altogether, the extreme examples of this style furnish quite a ‘contrast to the simpler forms of the Romanesque or the colonial. In the matter of ornamentation, however, much depends on the teste of the architect and the purse of the owner. This city shows, perhapr, as great a diversity in architec- tural types as any city in the world, and. in fact, it may be said that one of its chief charms consists in the absence of the mo- notonous rows of bulldings which, like boxes set on end, make one street wear the same appearance as all other streets. A Big Retaining Wall. The excavation which is being made for the erection of a street railroad station on M street at the head of the Aqueduct bridge {s attracting a good deal of atten- tion on account of the extent of the work. Owing to the grade of M street in rela- tion to Prospect street, it will be necessary to erect a retaining wall on three sides sixty fect in height. To give to this wall the strength which will be required to withstand the pressure, it has been deter- mined to build it some thirteen feet thick from the bottom up to about half the height, and from the latter point it will be gradually reduced in size until the top is reached, when the width will be four feet. This great wall will be constructed neither of brick nor of stone, but of solid cement, which when it hardens becomes like the solid rock itself. Scme Improvements. Plans have been prepared by C. L. Hard- Ing, architect, ior an apartment house, to be erected at No. 1922 16th street. It will have a frontage of twenty feet, and will extend through to New Hampshire avenue, the depth being about sixty-two feet. It will be four stories in height, with a front of Pompelian and light stone trimmings. ‘There will be five rooms in each apartment. George C. Bloomer will erect three three- story dwellings on M street between 10th and llth streets. The fronts will be of press brick and stone. ‘A. S. Whitt is building a two-story and cellar addition to his residence, 463 P street northwest. It will be 20x30 feet, with square bay window, surmounted by a tower. The front will be pressed brick, with stone trimmings. On the first floor will be a par lor, with cabinet oak mantels. On the sec- ond floor the new addition will contain three bed rooms and a bath room. The building will be heated by furnace. a —— A Considerate Youth. From Puck. id The kid had smashed his father’s shaving mvg and done sundry other damage, when his mether discovered him. “Ob, Freddy!” she exclaimed, horrified, “what will your papa say when he comes home and sees what you have done?” “Well, mamma,” she replied, with a half smile, “I don’t think I would like to repeag it before you.” Ee A Good Guess. From the Pittsburg Chronicle Telegraph. ES “Papa, does that mean Skye terriers?”