Evening Star Newspaper, July 27, 1895, Page 9

THE EVENING STAR a@UBLISHED DAILY FXCEPT SUNDAY. AT THE STAR BUILDINGS, 1101 Ivania Avenue, Cor. 11th Street, by The Evening Star Newspa Compan &. H KAUPFMANN Pres) b glia peak aE Wow York Ofics, 49 Potter Building, The Evening Star ‘s served to subscribes in the fitz by carriers, oa thelr own account. at 10 cents Pecnce each, BY maail nayebine, eee Cenees States or Canada—postage presiid--O0 cents per mint 8 st 3 with trockent! ribose Sheet Stn $1.00 per sear; o! Gntered at The mt Oiiee ae Washington, D. C., Speak cat Seen) abecriptions must be paid i Raton of advert! tae, made known on poi seni REAL ESTATE GOSSIP Changes Which Are Being Made in . _ Two Residences, IMPORTANCE OF THE DINING ROOM Some of the Improvements in Pro- gress or in Contemplation. NOTES OF INTEREST Repairs of some importance are being made in the residence of Mrs. Townsend, on Lafayette square adjoining the Beale house. The principal purpose of the changes which are being made is to give additional space to the dining room. This will ke accomplished by an addition in the rear which will be in the form of a round- ed projection. There will be other altera- tions made in the house which will con- tribute materially to the comfort of the occupants. In the course of a year or so, Mrs. Townsend expects to secure a com- modious building site in some section of the city, where she will build a spacious and handsome residence for her own use. Somewhat similar changes are being made in the residence of Mr. anda Mrs. Barney, on Rhode Island avenue between 16th and 17th streets. The house is already one of the most spacious private residences in the city, and when the alterations are completed it will have more floor space in a single suite than perhaps any other house in the city. The house is what is known as an English basement, and the entire width is unbroken in the parlor floor. There-is a small reception room and library on this floor, and back of this a spacious picture gallery and adjoining that @ dining room. The plans which are now being carried out provide for an addition not only to the depth of the dining room, but the building of a studio still further back and separ- ated from the main building by a court. The dining room and picture gallery will practically be one room, the line of divi- sion being marked by an arch and marble pillars. The entire depth of these two rooms will be about eighty-five feet, and on sccial occasions this space can be util- ized for dancing purposes. A gallery for musicians is to be erected over the court, and on the other side of the court will be the studio, which, of course, will be con- nected with the main building. The total depth of the house will be about 135 feet, and the interior arrangement is such that the entire area can practically be made one room. : It is noticeable that in the changes that are being made in these houses the dining Tooth, as far as size Is concerned, wil! be the principal room. This is the feature of a@ number of large private residences tnat have been erected in recent years in this city, and it only serves to emphasize the growing importance of dinner giving in the social world. Removal of a Landmark. For years one of the landmarks on the West side of lith street, just above the avenue, was a brick wall which inclosed the vacant ground in the rear of Riggs’ Bank. Durirg the past week workmen have been engaged in removing this wall, and it i: the intention of the owners of the property, the heirs of the late W. W. Corcoran, to erect on this frontage a row of one-stury buildings which be used for business purposes. It will be recatled that recentiy this property fell to the Corcoran estate in the partition which was made between Mr, Riggs and the Corcoran heirs. Under the terms of this division, the title to the corner property, where the Riggs Bank building is located, was vest- ed in Mr. Riggs. and the remainder, includ- ing fronteves both on the avenue and on 15th street, was the share of the Corcoran heirs. It is probable that some changes | and alterations may be made in the bank building. but it is thought that this struc- ture, which is sp closely identified with national and loce allowed to rem In its appearance. Revival in Bullding Cir One of the building trades unions in this eity, a day or two ego, reported that all of its members were now regularly employed. Perhaps nothing could speak better for the revival in building circles, except it were Possible to say that all the members of all the trades had found steady employment. Still the revords of the building department of the District government make it evident that there is a steady and healthy growth in the building world. A large number of per- mits to build have recently been taken out,a considerable portion of them being for rows in the outlying secticns of the city, which are evidently being put up for speculative purposes. The District government fs itself one of the heaviest builders just now, and during the present summer the building inspector will have more work on his hands than has ever been the case since the office was es- tablished. At t work is being done on the small spital, the ground for which has already heen staked off, a truck house, an engine house, a ‘ward at the Washington asylum and the reconstruction of the heating apparatus at the girls’ re- form school. Within the next two weeks, however, the number of buildings for the use of the Dis- trict will be greatly Increased, as vids are to be called for shortly for a number of ad- @itional structures. Advertisements will be Issued for a third story 12 the third prec’ police station. Plans have been finished for the proposed recenstruction of the Stevens school building, the plans are under way for xcditions to the Brightwood and c and plans are practizal- on 1 banking history, will be cticully unthanged for the Garfield school Hamilton road. Altogether the District has eighteen bulld- Ing jobs provided for by the last appro- priation act, and these will give steady employment to a large number of artisans. i and builders generally are nifesting a great deal of interest in the work of the commission appointed by the oners to carry through the pro- on of the building regulation amission will doubtless receive Many sugge and recommendations from men whose experience has shown {hem in the it that the regulations as they are now on the books are defective and inadequate. It will probably be a couple of months before the labors of the commission are finished, as it is their in- tention to prepare a code so carefully that it wiil be subjected to the minimum of criticism. Activity in Suburban Houses. A marked feature of the season in build- ing matters is the actiyity in suburban houses. During the year the value of the buildings put up in the county has ap- proached to within $100,000 of that in the rorthwest section ard Georgetown, and the difference is growing all the time, so that if things keep up as they are the county Will be up even next year. One curious velopment in suburban growth lately has been tho tendency to build in and to use brick as material, thus to @ certain extent the variety Naturally expects to find in t & big city. Recent! cut to build two ro one of five dwelling: Fiorlda avenue. If th there is a certain amo é D ment in store for those who had hoped to sco the outer edge of Washington built up tached villas” of brick, stone of “semi-d . cs vs attractive combinations of } these various materials, Among the building permits taken out this week is one for a handsome $10,000 residence for Dr. F. E. Maxey, to be erec ed at the southeast corner of12th street and Rhode Island avenue. The front is to be of press brick and Indiana lMme- stone, with a mareard of tiling and tin. It will have a frontage cf 22 feet and will altogether be quite an improvement to the reighborhood. Mrs. Emily R. Webster has under way a row of houses, Nos. 16 to 24 E street southwest, to be used as dwellings. They are to he of red brick and the estimated cost of the improvement is $5,100. B. F. Grimes has designed for R. F. Lukel two substantial houses, 1891 and 1803 Cedar street, to be used for dwellings, the corner building also containing a store. They are to be three stories in height, with a tower projection, the fronts being of press brick and jalvanized iron. The two are to cost in the neighborhood of $12,000, James Lowlor has made a contract for a two-story brick dwelling, 707 2d street, at @ cost of $4.54), ‘The attractive front will be relieved with Ohio store. J. J. Dugan is building a two-story brick dwelling and store at 500 L street north- east, to cost E. T. Tippett is erecting a two-story and basement dwelling, G09 South Carolina ave- nue scutheast, to cost $2,800. Some Improvements. Five dwellings will be erected on 11th street southeast, corner of Pennsylvania avenue, for D. B. Gottwals, from plans"pre- Pared by R. J. Beall, jr. architect. The corner house will be three stories and the others two stories and cellar, with fronts of pressed brick and stone trimming. W. H. Hennirg will have a three-story brick. dwelling erected on 34 street near A street northeast, pians for which have been drawn by Edward Woltz, architect. The front will be of pressed brick, stone-trim- med, and a square bay window will end in a balcony tt the third story. ‘The interior finish will be of oak, the whole to cost $4,500, T. F. Schneider, erchitect, has prepared plans for a three-story and basement dwell- Ing, to be erected on Rhode Island avenue and 16th street for,O. G. Staples. It is to be 45x®) fest, with front of light stone and buff brick, and stone porches at both en- trances. The interior finish wiil be of the finest obtainable, and every improvement and convenience will be Introduced. Messrs. Wright & Stockett have built two two-story and cellar bay-window _ brick houses, Nos. 1009-1011 D street southeast, which make a handsome Improvement in that sestion. AN ORATOR'’S METHOD. —— Conkling's Apparent Shontantety the Result of Careful Study. Holland's Letter tn Philadelphia Press. Senator Conkling wes especially sensitive to such {mvutatfon upon hfs power as an orator as the intimation that he always Prepared with care his speeches seemed to him to cast. He studled perhaps as na orator in his generation did the art of seeming to say on the inspiration of the moment that which ought to be said, and to say It in the best manner possible. There were two illustrations of this art of anparent extemporaneous power, which showed how thorourhly he had mastered ft. During the second Grant camuaign Senator Conkling was to deliver what In the colloquialism of political canvasses is called the “ovening gun." He was to speak at the old Academy of Music in this city. He was thoroughly rrovsed, in perfect sympathy with the candidate and the is- snes of the camnaien, and was Inspired, as well. by a political ambition, born of the alres frequent hint that he might him- self be named four vears later as New York's candidate for the presidency. The Senator had probably the finest political audience that had ever faced a speaker in that temple of music. It was made up mostly of representatives of the refinement and culture of New York. Many ladies were there, and occupied the boxes. so that, excepting that they were not dressed as they would have been had the entertainment been an apera, thelr appear- ance suggested anything but a_ political gathering. Conkling held the audience entranced for more than three hours. Occasfonally he would hesitate, as though framing his thought in suitable words. Now and then ne would make references to the audience, which seemed to have been spontaneous, to have been suggested by something which at that moment passed before his eve. And so perfect was the sngxestlon of extem- peraneous utterance that probably every person in that audience, excepting those familiar with Conkling’s method, believed that the speech, so far as its diction was concerned, was the inspiration of the mo- ment. Yet there were proof slips of that speech, and the identical passages which seemed to have heen suggested on the instant were found in it. Had such an audience as Mr. Conkling presumed he would have not been present, he would haye been obliged to omit those references. Mr. Conkling’s pri- vate secretary, long afterward, in speak- Ing of that memorable address, said, that whereas the writing of it occupied only about two weeks, it took Mr. Conkling nearly three weeks of continuous applica- tion to memorize it, and to practice its rhetorical effects. The Rochester Speech. The speech delivered by Mr. Conkling at the Rochester convention of 1977 ts thougat by students of oratory to be perhaps the most powerful illustration of sarcasra, con- tempt and the sneer that is wholly parlia~ mentary, which any American orator has left us. It had every appearance when delivered of being inspired by the passion of the moment. Yet there were a few men who heard It who knew that it had keen carefully written and thoroughly learned. Mr. Conkling read It, or, in fact, repeated it with his notes before him, at’ which he did not glance, to a few friends on_ the evening before the convention met. Some of them advised him not to «deliver It, be- cause of its intense personality, correct as that was, so far as parliarientary usage was concerned. In the speech ocenrr2d two alternative passages. Mr. Conkling intended to attack George William Curtis, and did so. In case Curtis sheuld reply, or admit having made certain statements, then Mr. Conkling pro- posed to use one passage which touched greater heights of sareasm and content than anything else ‘n the speech. In case Mr. Curtis should deny that he made cer- tain statements, then Mr. Conkling pro- Pesed to use another passage, and that is the one contained in the speech. As Curtis did shake his head In derial, Mr. Conkling was compelled to use the pas. sage he had written in case Curtis ekould thus deny. But {t seemed to the conven- tion, following instantly, as it did, upon Curtis’ denial, as though it was an insplra- tion of the moment, —-o-—_____ A Good Likeness. From the Tammany Times. A conceited Individual out west got an itinerant portrait painter to paint the por- trgit of himself holding a favorite ass, and when the job was finished he invited a friend to inspect It. After carefully exam- ining it, the friend s “ft is a capital portr: holding you by the bridle?” The friends do not speak now, and the portrait is consigned to a! = ee A Fate Partnership From the New York Wee Stranger—“‘Boy, there’s a dime museum somewhere around here, I understand. Do you know where it is?’ Boy—"'Yes: I wish I had a dime ter get in. Stranger—"Well, you conduct me to the place and I'll give you the dime.” Boy—"All_r That's a fair partne ship. Yeu 2 th’ capital an’ T turn! th’ brains. LABOR IN CALIFORNIA Agitation of the Japanese Problem on the Pacific Slope, NO NEED FOR ALARM So Says an Official of the Jap- anese Legation. THE SITUATION IN HAWAII Written for The Evening Star. There appears to be just now a great deal of agitation in California with refcr- ence to the alleged importation of Japanese contract laborers, Preas dispatches state that the belief has arisen that the Japarese question will soon become as pronounced an issue on the Pa- cifie coast as the perplexing Chinese prob- lem, and that it is apparent that the influx of Japanese laborers, if actually pending, wi, to a greater or less extent, affect every othér section of the country, as they Will be distributed from San Francisco to all the fruit and agricultural districts, whére their services can be made available. ‘There would be manifest impropriety in the publle discussion by one officially con- nected with the Japanese government of a question of “this Kind if tt were actually pending. But that can hardly be said to be the case. Neither the question itself nor the agi- tation to which it has given rise is new, and neither has as yet produced anything more serious than that Species of spasmodic e2gitation which ar:ses on the Pacific coast whenever anything in the nature of orien- fal immigration is under consideration There might pe some excuse for this agi- tation if it were founded upon any real knowledge of Japan and her people. As the case stands, it is based upon hypoth- eses so manifestly and absurdly untrue that it is difficult to treat them serfously. China and Japan Are Different. China is a vast empire, having an over- crowded population, with whom the strug- gle for a bare existence is so strenuous that any change is welcome. It has always been easy to get Chinese in any number to go anywhere, and to do any kind of work, if there Is only the remetest prospect of improving their condition. They accept hardship, sl treatment and pay that would be scorned by any other class of laborers because the worst abroad is, as an almost fivariable rule, an improvement upon the best they can find at home, With Japan and the Japanese the case Is entirely diferent. Japan is not now ani never has beon an overpopulated country. Nor have the conditions of life even for the humblest ever been so hard as to make an exodus of any corsiderable part of the population either welcome or necessary Wages are, as a rule, comparatively low, but the cost of living Is low also; while the multiplication and growth of numberless new industries, which have been such a marked feature of Japan's progress during the past thirty years, have afforded a re- numerative field for surplus labor. in the present agitation in California concerning the evils to be apprehended from Japanese immigration the danger of the ingress of Japanese laborers from the Hawatian Islands has a prominent place. A pr dispatch states that a contractor at Honolulu has signified his willingness and his ability to supply California fruit ranch-rs and farmers with any amount of Japanese labor at_a very low price, if the laws against contract labor can be avoided. The value of this statement can be judged best by a description of the nature and ex- tent of Japanese emigration to Hawaii. Japanese Emigration. It should be stated, by way of preface, that before Japan értered into treaty rela- tions with western powers all Japanese were forbidden by Iaw, on penalty of death in case of infraction, to go to foreign This was in accordance with y of seclusion which kept Japan immured from foreign intercourse, except under the most stri t restrictions, for nearly three centure: the concli- sion of the first fore: S, and espa- 58, this pol icy was changed, but not so as to admit of the free mmeled emigration of Japanese nh countri The govern- ned the power to restrain the people from leaving the country in large numbers, exacting that every Japanese sub- ject who went abroad should be provided with a passport according the requisite per- mission. So far as regarded traveling for pleasure, for business or for study, this re- striction a mere formality. It did, however, act as an effectual bar to any- thing like the establishment of a system of “coolie’’ emigration, snd this undoubtedly Was the object of the law. Japanese in Hawail. The emigration of Japanese laborers tc Hawaii was che result of a desire on the part of the Hawaiian government to get rid of Chinese labor. The presence of a large number of Chinese in the islands was considered a dangerous menace to their well being, and as long ago as the early seventies an earnest effort was made to secure Japanese laborers. For some time the Japanese government refused to listen to any such propositions, but finally an ar- rangement was made by which Japanese laborers could go to Hawail. ‘This arrange- ment was, however, as totally different from anything like coolle emigration as it was possible for any system to he. In the first place, the whole arrangement was made the subject of a formal treaty. The Interesis and welfare of the emigrants were guarded in every particular. They were provided with Interpreters, doctors and special nspectors, and were granted what was little short of a species of extra territoriality in their new home. It was possible for them at any time to release themselves upon sufficient cause from their voluntarily assumed obligations, and in no case was hardship or oppression possible. Under the plan of supervision and control, ably devised and carried out with the ut- rare, the experiment has had a won- success, and has resulted in mutual satisfaction to the Hawaiian profit planter and the Japanese laborer. Why They Would Not Go te America. It seems unnecessary to point out that this state of things is essentially unique, and that It could not occur except under the pecnliar conditions which prevail in the Hawaiian Islands. The Japanese who go to Hawa{f are picked men, and a certain Proportion of their wives and families ac- company them. The men, as a rule, are small farmers or farm laborers, who desire to earn enough to pay their debts, ta buy more land, or in other ways to improve their condition at home. Wiien the time of is ended they either return to or re-engege for a further term with the planters. They have not set out upon a roving mission, but, as a general rule, upon cifle purpose. There 1s only the ikelihood, at least in the great ¥ of cases, of their going to the United States and there becoming a men- ace to domestic labor. The Hawaiian planter would in any case be able to ofter them inducements as tempting as any to be found in the United States. Labor is an article of pri rtance in the Ha vailan Is} lly so under the h at present prevail y reasonable to suppose the planter will use every’ effort to prevent the diversion of skilled labor. It 1s equally fair to surmise that his efforts , and it is on that 1895—-TWENTY PAGES. will be seconded by the officials of his own government, as well as by the Japanese officials whose duty it Is to promote the welfare of their countrymen in Hawaii. There can be no such thing as coercion in either case, for the laborers iare free agents in all essentials; but on the other hand, all the facts combine to prove that the islands can never become a half-way depot, 2s it were, for the shipment. of contract labor to the United States, If, therefore, cny contractor, so-called, in Hawaii has offered to provide such labor he is evidently trading upon the credulity of those whom with whom he deals, or— and this seems much more probable—some over-zealous official has discovered a ver- itabie mare’s nest. Japan Like Any Other Foreign Natio: So far as regards the emigration of any Portion of her laboring population to the United States, Japan stands precisely upon the same footing as any other foreign na- tion! This country, has its laws regarding the importation of contract and other la- bor, the force and validity of which every other state Is necessariiy bound to recoz- nize. In accordance with those laws the subjects and citizens of numerous foreign countries—Itglians, Russians, Japanese and others—have been turned away from the shores of the United States. This is right and proper, for it is entirely within the province of every independent state to con- trol its domestic affairs in its own way. But it Is neither just nor politic to make any discrimination in the application of such restrictions. or ta be spurred into an exhibition of superfluous zeal through the apprehension of a purely tmaginary danger. Happily, the circumstances of the present case do not warrant the belief that there will be such a result as th‘s, or that there will be need of recourse to any other or more stringent measures than are pro- vided by the terms of existing laws. So far as Japan is corcerned, the gov- ernment has conclusively shown that it has no desire to countenance ‘the infraction of the laws «f other nations in this regard by making regulations whick provide, amony other things, that no Japarese shall em'- grate to a country where his coming wou!) be in violation of law. This stipulation of itself might well be regarded as a satis- factory quietus to those visionary fears to which the problematica) dangers of Japan- ese Immigration have given rise. D. W. STEVENS. Sn al MAKING AN AX. A Process Not Quite Sa Simple ax It Wonld Seem, From the Albany Journak It takes only one man to write a poem or to paint a picture, but before an ordi- nary woodentter’s aX leaves the workshop it must pas¢ through the hamds of forty expert workmen, each of whom does some- thing toward perfecting it “The rAW matétial comes in from the cars At one end-of the factory; Invgreat, rough iron bars. scaly with red dust. It goes at once to the forges, the mouths of which continually spout fountains of‘sparks. Here the end for a distance of some feet {s heat- ed mntil it glows a rich red It is then withdrawn by a dozen brawny, grimy- faced werkmen, sometimes! with the help of a tackle, and fed between the rollers of a worderfilly’ ingenious and complirated- machine, which euts the bar into double ax lengths. shapes the metal {nthe general form of two axs placed butt*to buft. and finailv doubles the p:eces together around a mold, which leave@ a toep at the middle for the helve hole. Next the ax goes to the grate of a furnace fired with gas,where it is ratsed to a white heat. In this form it Is carried swiftly to the base of a great tilt-hammer, which drops down vpon it with terrifle force, welding the folds to- gether in an instant. So bright fs It as it lies under the hammer that it fairly seems to twinkl . ‘ On leaving the tilt-hammer the ax goes again to the furnace, where it is heated red hot. Then it is taken in hahd by a work- iman who rasps its edges with a sharp saw to take off the “fins” or jagged fringes of ‘ron which still clings to it. “This ts high- iy dangerous work. The ax is hot, and as the stecl of the saw plows through it a stream of red-hot sparks shoot high in the air. Usually the workman ts protected by means of a glass frame tn front of his face, but even this does not always keep off the particles of hot iron. = ow the tron part of the ax, all of the lntt and most of the blade, is complete. The steel for the knife edge fs first heated at the fnrnace and then stamped into the preper shape by a powerful de press. The two parts are now sent to the weld- Ing room. A groove is eut iftd the forward edge of the iron butt, the steel knife edge carefully inserted, and after being heated, the creat hammer welds the two together. In some of the improved shops experiments with electricity for welding are being made and the results thus far presage success. The most important point of the whole process is the tempering. and it is here that some manufacturers have been highly | and some have failed complete- ecording to the most improved method pots of lead suspended over a furnace are used for heating purposes. The steel ax blade 1s dipped down into. the molten lead very carefully and when sufficiently hot it is instantly removed and thrown into a vat of cold water. As soon as it comes out it foes at once to an inspector, who makes very careful tests to find out whether or not tha steel is too brittle or not brittle enourh. It must also be exactly of the standard size and weight. The usual way of testing for temper is to strike the edge sharply with a hammer. If it chips off or cracks the ax is thrown aside without further ado and Is. made over again. After all the inspector's requirements have been met the axs go out to the grind- ing room, where half a score of spectacled men sit behind swiftly turning grindstones and “smooth” them all over, giving par- ticular attention, of course, to the knife edge. “Next the polishers take the ax in hand, and after a few minutes of work with emery and woodep wheels, the im- plements assume the ining appearance which they present in the hardware store. Care must be taken in the use of the emery wheel not to take the temper out of the steel blade. Sometimes designs are painted or etched on the ‘butt of the axes before they go out of the shipping room, A CRUEL REVENGE. Phe Slighted Lover Gets Up in His Wrath and Warns the Falxe Onc. From the Detroit Free Press, She was passing up Hastings street in the gloaming as he was coming down, and natural philosophy brought about a meet- ing. “Miss Johnsin, kin I spoke to yo'?” he Faueried, as he halted, 1 “Yes, sah,” she replied. Yo’ kin spoke right yerg, if yo’ dun want to say sum- thin’.” “I'd radder spoke to yo’ in private.” “Yo' can't do it! What yo" want to say?” “Miss Johnsin,” he said, after fidgeting akout for a moment, “did yo’ go to de dat nigger Swiper last night?” id he buy ice cream and candy?” “Yes, sah.” i “An’ took “Yes, sah. “An’ danced ebery dance wid yo'?” “Yes’ sah “An’ did yo" promise?” “I did, an’ what yo’ gwine ter do "bout it? “What £ gwing ter do "bout It? What I gwine ter do? Eze gwine ter get revenge! Ize gwine ter make it so.drefful bad fur yo’ dat yo'lt wish yo’d nebber been bo’n!” “Hu! How yo’ gwine ter do dat? Gwine ter slash me wid a razor? “No, ma’am! V'ze gwine ter do wuss’n dat. I'ze gwine right up an’ get married ter yo'r mudder, an’ afore night I'll be yo'r stepfather, an’ make de face ob dis airth ‘0’ to supper?” so hot fur yo’ dat yo’ will be callin’ upon de Lawd fur mercy! Gopd evenin’, Miss Jobnsin, I'll see yo’ later ——+e+ Charlotte Perkins Stetson of San Fran- cisco has gone to Chicago to assist Miss Jane Adams in the management of Hull House, the celebrated social settlement in- stitution, HARNESSING RIVERS Niagara Tamed, and Now a Osli- fornia Stream is Made to Work. ELECTRIC CURRENTS FROM THE WATER Economica! Prodyction at Power _From Falling Fluids. POTOMAC CAN BE UTILIZED The “harnessing of Niagara,” as the work of transforming the vast water power at the falls into electric currents is called, bas challenged the closest attention on the part of the scientific and mechanical world, for it is generally conceded that if so tre- mendous +n engine can be brought into subjection to the will of man, and be made to do the werk of the neigboring commun- ities with economy, there is really no limit to the possibilities that Me before manu- facturers and others who depend upon the creation of some form of force. Electricity must ~-be caused by some exciting agency, and today the almost universal means is a steam engine, which turns the armatures of dynamos: and so produces the current that is then used for various purposes. But this depends upon coal, and it is fear- ed that witn the great drain upon the world’s supply, In the multiplication of the forms of producing machinery, there will sooner or later come a time when the limit of safety as to the use of coal and other natural materials for the production of steam will he reached. Hence ary effective and economical means of utilizing the probably inexhaust- ible force that lies within the great rivers that traverse every large body of land is anticipated to be the first and most natural solution of the problem, unless a better method than has yet been devised for the transformation of the sun’s heat into power and motion can he attained. Niagara is the Breatest source of water power in America, and, so far as known, in the world. Its re- sources are practically inexhaustible. The sole problem there to be solved was the safe and economical transformation of the rushing force of the stream, caused by the fall at a certain point in the river of from 160 to 170 feet. It was known that there were millions of horse powers going to waste In the irresistible stream, but how to check and utilize this energy with safety and certainty was for long years a ques- tion apparertly beyond the “answering of human beings. Difftculties Overcome. Nears of study have surmounted the diffi- culties that nature had placed in the way. Pits Were dug on the banks of the river, above the falls, and fed by canals running away from the line of the stream at the best angle® for the transportation of the water. At the bottoms of these pits were Placed turbine wheels, with ‘shafts con- necting with the machinery above on the surface of the ground that !t was desired-to put in motion. Steel tubes gave free ac- cess to the wheels, and outlets for the water after it had done its work were provided, and a tunnel carried off the combined currents to a point below the falls, where it emptied the water into the rapids of the river. In this case nature had built a dam, with the necessary fall of ground below to car- ry off the water after it had been utilized. The main question was whether the ma- chinery could be constructed strong enough to withstand the enormous blow of the millions cf pounds of water falling such a great distance. This was accomplished, and the first great obstecle was over- come. Then came the question of how far the power could be put into the form of electric currents, and how great would be the loss. The men behind the enter- prise had to consider one main point: The manufacturer, as a rule, cared nothing for the waste of the coal supply. His chief concern lay in the mere matter of dollars and cents. If he could buy electricity with which to run his engines cheaper than he could buy his coal, or, in other words, if he could get a certain amount of power out of the current at a lower rate than he would have to pay for the same amount of power derived from his steam engine plant, he would prefer the new method of producing power. If not he would continue to use the old plan of burning coal, producing steam, and so de- veloping power. = So far the experiment has proved a suc- cess In that the electric current can he placed on the market—certainly near the point of creation, ané@ probably at a rea- sonable distance from it—at a much lower rate than the old system costs. Already manufactories have been erected at the falls that are run with the current de- rived from the great cataract, and steam power is being abandoned. The next step has been to make possible the transmis- sion of the current to a distance, and still be able to underbid the coal fields. This ts being done, to a certain extent, though some reports are to the effect that the pro- jJectors of the electric plant at the falls are somewhat disappointed, for it has been found that there is a certain percentage of loss of strength in transmission that wipes out a part of the margin between the costs of the two powers. A California Enterprise. But Niagara is not the only scene of this great struggle between man and the nat- ural forces of the earth. There has just been successfully inaugurated in Califor- nia a plant that is expected to revolution- ize the methods of manufacture and irans- portation. The American river has been dammed, and the water thus collected has been directed against a series of great wheels below the surface of this artificial lake, and so the force of the stream has been transformed into power and then into electricity, and is finally transmitted over wires to the city of Sacramento, twenty- three. miles distant, and is there utilized to propel street cars, to run the electric lights and to turn the wheels of factories. This plant was only recently installed, and the first tests were made on the morning of the 1ith of July, so that the industry of collecting the force in the river and turn- ing it Into power is yet in its infancy. The Sacramento experiment has demonstrated that the force of the stream can be evo- nomically sent to a distance and there used in commerce. The wires have thus far carried the current from Folsom, the scene of the dam and initial producing plant, for twenty-three miles, and there is a total loss of but 20 per cent of the pow One-half of this loss is met in the tran: formation of the power at the dam, and the other half in transmission to Sacra- mento. How much further the current could be carried is, of course, as yet prob- lematical. The Folsom plant now gener- ates 4,800 horse power, and it is expected that with additional turbines and canals running out of the dam at least 10,000 horse power can be derived from the water and sent to the city. There is, of course, a limit to the capacity of the stream, for af- ter a certain number of pipes and wheels have been installed the total supply of wa- ter necessary to run each at its full strength begins to be impossible of attain- ment, and there is a loss in the economical Fewer derived. Hence it is estimated that his point of the extreme capacity of the river is about 10,006 horse power. There has never yet been made any reliable esti- mate of the full capacity of Niagara, though guesses have been ventured that may be more or less accurate. It s prob- able that the full possibilities of this cuta- ract will never be known until the plants at the edge have been duplicated to the vanishing point. The Folsom Plant. The dam at Folsom is 8) feet high and id Go rinfers’ Inf, che fittfe scGooks master of advertising, saps: SE is cfaime > for the Wasfinsfo n Stor, and profabfp “ trutSfulip efoimed, 1Bat ven Away! To everybody purchasing lots from us TODAY and MONDAY we will Engraved give a Handsomely Chased and SOLID GOLD WATCH, Stem-winder and Setter. There are just 15 of these beautiful watches left out of the 75 we had, which were taken from a large at Tuxedo. importer in exchange for lots It’s rather an expensive way of doing business, we admit; still we feel grateful to the Wash- ington public. For when we look back (but a few months) and think what Tuxedo was then, and is now, a rapidly growing suburb, everywhi ere, we can afford to be generotis. with houses springing up Is it any wonder, then, that we are proud of our achievement, for the success of this beautiful suburb is on every= body’s lips. Remember, a chance like this don’t come every You hear of it ON THE STREET, IN THE CARS, AT THE CLUBS; in fact, everywhere you go. day, so grasp it while it is still within your reach. For it’s only a question of days, perhaps hours, before every lot is sold. Make up your mind today, before they are all gone. Just think what you could have bought property for around Dupont Circle a few years back. Well, prop- erty at Tuxedo will become just as valuable in course of time. Every day we hear tales from our custom- ers of what property could have been bought for a few years back. They are now taking time by the fore- lock and investing their money in this pretty suburb. Some people say how can we afford to seil lots so cheap. The secret is, we buy our land cheap and sell it cheap. lf you are seeking a home site all we ask of you is not to purchase a lot anywhere before seeing these. oice HomeSitesFrom$40to$60 Small Payment Down, $1 Weekly, 10 Per Cent Off for Cash.- NO SWAMPS. NO PALARIA. ——BUT—— : Pure Air, PureWater, Perfect Drainage IS WHAT YOU GET AT BEAUTIFUL * TUXED too FEET ABOVE WASHINGTON. d Situated on the main stem of the Penna. R.R., in Prince George's County, Md., within a few min- utes’ ride of the city, and about one-quarter of a mile from the District line, with station on the grounis. Comnmtation fare, 6 cents, Five houses already completed and occupied, five more houses and a church in course of construc- tin. Contracts out for several more houses. People buy today and build tomorrow. Buy now while you have the chance. Don't put if off any longer. this desirable property. Make up your mind today to go out and look at Trains leave on Sundays at 9 a.m., 1:10, 4:10 and 6 p.m. Week days at 11:40 a.m., 4:30 and 6 p.m. Circulars and tickets at our office or from our agents at Penna. R.R. depot, 6th and B streets nw. TUXEDO CO., 623 F St. Northwest. 650 feet wide. It is built partly of masonry, and the canal that feeds the wheels from the dammed water is wholly of masonry. The river has a fall of 82 feet from dam to power house, and about 70 feet of the fall can be utilized. Two wheels are now in place_and two more will soon be estab- lished. The current Is sent to Sacramento over twelve wires, six being used at one time. The line is dulplicated to insure safety in view of possibile accidents. The wires are strung overhead, along the high- way that leads from Folsom to the state capital, six: being on each side of the road. They are of copper, a quarter of an inch In diameter. At the Sacramento end of the line the current is transformed into a lower volt- age, and is then distributed about by means of a switch, among tht various dynamos and motors that are used for the different functions of the power. The plant is a private one, having been built by the Liver- more Brothers and Albert Gallatin, with the aid of the state, for which the latter receives a certain part of the power de- rived for use in the state's prison, In ad- dition the state received several large grants of land near the site of the dam, and gave the use of convict labor to the projectors in the construction of the dam and other parts of the establishment, The owners have in contemplation the sale of the waste water from the dam and tur- bines to the surrounding territory for ir- rigation purposes, so that the actual cost of production of the current will be re- duced, though it is by no means certain that this w:ll mean a reduction of the price at which the current is sold in the Sacra- mento market. It is projected that other streams flowing down into the valleys from the S'erra Nevada mountains will be dam- med and the!r forces utilized in the sume way, and enthusiastic Californians are de- claring that in a short time the entire state will be the scene of prosperous fac- tories run by this new power, so cheaply serived from the hills. There is already quite a boom in progress, and, with charac- teristic impetuosity, the residents of the Pacific coast are predicting that their coun- try will soon draw uniold millions of cap- ital from the east to the land of plenty of power. Washington's Opportunity. And that is why it appears more strange than ever that the natural power that is flowing every minute past the city of Washington has not been utilized years ago. There ure two falls in the great river that runs by the national capital, both of them well within the range of the Cal!for- nia plant, and atso within the distance of the city of Buffalo from Ni&gara. Little Falls at six or seven miles, and Great Falls at eighteen miles, are thus inside the radius that is now known to be a possibility in the transmission of electrical power. There is an untold power in the stream. Besides furnishing a tremendous quantity of wa- ter to the city for drinking and washing purposes the river has still within it a practically inexhaustible, force if it could ever be harnessed. There is sufficient fall in the ground to give a descent of the wa- ter upon the turbines, and the mystery Is that this opportunity has not, years ago, been accepted by projectors. There have been propositions made in the past, to be sure, and at times the government has taken tentative steps toward establishing @ great plant at ene or the other of the cascades for the illumination of the city, but as far as practical results are con~ cerned, all these plans have come to raught. A recent publication In The Star told the story of the organization of a new company to effect this end, Little Falls haying been chosen as the scene of future op: ons, and there are indications that either pri- vate capita] or the gcvernment will in the near future utilize the Great Falls power. So that information concerning the har- nessing of the Niagara and the Sacramento has a local interest, and is expected to have soon a practical lozal application. Price of the Current. It s unfortunate that there are not at hand any figures giving information as to the price at which the electrical power is delivered to consumers in Sacramento. This 1s a very vital question, and one that is glv- ing considerable trouble in Buffalo, where there Is now in progress an important con- troversy between the power company and the munictpa? authorities. The company ras been doing business at the falls for some months and now seeks a charter from the city, with permission to lay wires and sell power to private consumers, as well as to supply the city with currents for electric lights. The city council is now wrestling with the matter, and there is a good deal of feeling on both sides. The council is try- ing to force the company to tell the city what {t can deliver the power in Buffalo for and the corporation refuses on the ground that it cannot estimate the cost of trans- mission. Some critics say that this in- formation is easily obtainable and that the comprny is purposely withholding its knowledge. Whatever the result of the con- troversy, it is certain that if the corpora- tion does not place the power within the reach of the consumers of Buffalo at prices that are lower than the cost of producing equivalent power by steam the commodity will not find as ready a market as the pro- ducers of the current desire or anticipate. —.——__ Decendence of a Once Proud Family. From the Chicago Tribune. “Your name is John Smith, is it?’ sar- castically inquired the police magistrate of the seedy vagrant before him. “And rou belong, of course, to one of the leading families of Chicazo?” “No, jedg: dejectedly replied the pris- oner. “Accordin’ to the last city directory the Johnsons lead us about . ———er—______ Difficult Part of the Course. From Puck. “Miss Keedick is taking the first course in the Female College of Journalism. It will last three months.” “What is the scope of the first course?” “Learring to sharpen a lead pencil.” ——__+e+—_____ She Must Have Known. From the Temmany Tima. He wes telling his wife about a small game of poker in which he had lost 45 cents, “It was the worst game I ever played,” he exclaimed, still angry over it, “and I got so mad I couldn't sec.” “What did you do then, dear,” she smiled sweetly, “go it blind? Terrificd by the Unseen. From the Indianapolis Journal. “The unseen can terrify even a brave man,” he was saying. At that moment the daughter of the hostess came forward to sing and his es- sertion was verified. As one well knows, a voice is invisible. —_——_+ 0+ Liked a Bargain. From Harlem Life. saw Mrs. K. going Into an action sale last Monday. Isn't her craze for bargains extraordinary?” “Yes, indeed; I believe she could die happy if she knew she wouid be laid out on a bargain counter and be buried as a remnant,’ .