Evening Star Newspaper, August 10, 1895, Page 12

12 THE EVENING STAR, SATURDAY, AUGUST 10, 1895-TWENTY PAGES. NEW YORK NOTES Times Are Very Dull in the Great Metropolis. TALK ABOUT THE ALLISON WAVE Conspicuous Politicians Believe in the lowa Man's Chances. SUMMER AND THE RESORTS a Bpecial Correspondence of The Evening Star. NEW YORK, August 8, 1895, No one knows just whence it came, but there is an Allison wave sweeping over New York just now. It may subside. These anti-convention enthusiasms are not the best growrd for predictions. But the opin- fon of some of the best politicians now in this city or who have visited It in the past week is that Mr. Allison’s chances today are better than those of any other repub- lican candidate for the presidency. And make no mistake about Mr. Allison's candi- dacy. There is probably only one man in contemporary political history who was a confessed candidate for the presidency, and that was David B. Hill. He was not afraid to say that he wanted to sit in the White House. But all of the other can- didates of both republican and democratic parties are like Mr. Harrison, men who have nothing to say, or like Mr. Allison, men who are “not candidates for the nom- imation,” but who will not say that they would decline the nomination if it was ten- dered to them. So astute a public man as the Hon. David B. Hill is credited with having said in con- versation recently that he believed that Mr. Ailison’s chances were better at pres- ent than those of any other candidate, be- cause of his conservatism and because of the fact that he had no pronoun ene- mies in his own party. Mr. Hill is a great admircr of McKinlev, and I have r ubt would like to sce him nominated y more because of his admiration for him than because he believes that with his high tariff ideas Mr. McKinley could not possibly be elected. I met ex-Congress- man Nathan Frank of St. Louis the other day at the Hoffman House and he said that he did not see how Allison could help being nominated. Mr. Frank had been un- der the magnetic influence of James S. Clarkson at Long Branch, though, and that may account for his feeling in the matter. Speaking of presidential candidates, I see that Senator Frye is quoted as saying that he will support Reed fo~ the nomina- tion. No o1t who knows the Senator ex- pected anything else from him. He is loy- al to New England at all times, and Mr. Reed wiil be the New England candidate. But Mr. Frya is too honest to say that he personally favors Mr. Reed's candidacy. Signs of the Times. There is undoubtedly an increase cf prosperity in some parts of the country and @ growth in certain industries this summer, but certain signs suggest that it has not reached New York city yet. One of the most striking of these {s the line of work- men out of employment waiting for bread on Broadway and 10th street every night. It has been the custem of a well-known baker, whose shop is there, to give to the Poor every night between 12:30 and 1 o'clock the broken loaves of bread frum his shop. He night sell these for a small sum to cheap restaurants, but he prefers to give them away. Every night, winter and summer, 1 line forms at the entrauce to the bakery on 10th street. Strangers in the city who are coming up town in a isroad- way car late at night on their way home from Manhattan Beach wonder at ihe long line of shabby men gathered under the gas lamps, sitting on the curb in orderiy single file, waiting for something—just What is not apparent to the uninitinte oxey’s army” the Broadway car con fuctors call this army of the hungry ‘when they explain to incufrers the mean- ‘eg of the gathering. There is rarely a fight when every conductor whose car gasses 10th and Broadway is not called on to explain. Even the people of New York are so little familiar with this part of the city after dark that I heard the driver of a street hack the other night inquiring what the “row’’ was about. Normally this line of men extends as far as the door of Grace Church, but lately it has gone on beyond lith street. The men in line are not tramps. They are Plainly workingmen out of a job. No one can doubt that if he passes along the line and takes even a casual look at the men who compose it. The line now, in the face of returning prosperity, is longer than it ever has been before. Plainly, if this can be taken as an index, the number of men out of work in New York is greater than it has been. In the Squares. The tramps, too, are unusually thick in the city. Every public square is full of them all day. In front of the city hall is @ little circle surrounding a fountain. On its benches every day is an array of tramps which would frighten away any de- cently dressed citizen. Union Square and Madison Square, too, are full of these dirty, il-looking fellows. The chief occupation of the policemen in the squares is to see that no tramp goes to sleap on a bench. Tho tramp’s rights stop at the privilege of occupying sitting room. If he drops into a doze he is awakened pretty sharply by hay- ing his head shaken violently or the soles of his shoes beaten with vigor. Central Park is not free from the tramp, of course, but he is not in exclusive possession there. To one who has seen the public squares and citcles of Washington filled day after day with groups of smart nurse maids and prettily dressed children, ard often with well-dressed men and women, the tramp- infested gardens of New York ere rather repulsive, except as they offer a spot of green in the waste of brick and granite and asphalt. There are to be more public squares in New York’s crowded district. While the Misguided city authorities of Cleveland and St. Louls are filling up the public squares with public buildings and con- gressional economists are trying to rob Washington of some of the public parking for building sites, New York is planning the purchase of valuable land for the pur- pose of establishing new breathing spots in the heart of the crowded city. Nothing is too costly for New York if it represents imprevemeat. When the excitement over the enforce- ment of the excise law has subsided a lit- tle, the police board is going to have an even more serious problem to solve. It is not new by any means, but it has been lost to tly. It is the ever present, al- way rmined social evii question. The new phase of it grows out of the breaking wp of the famous “Tenderloin” district. One evil which resulted from this immediately was the invasion of the flat houses by the scarlet women, so that cer- tain parts of the city are quite as much tainted now as the Tenderloin was before. On the Rialto, There is not much to be seen on Broadway nowadays yw except cheap actors and Women with bleached hair. The famed “Rialte is no longer in the vicinity of Union Square, but on upper Broadway; and the curb of that thoroughfare north of 234 Street is fringed day and night with young or cid men, whom the passer cannot rec- ognize as any of the celebrities of the stage. They are the small fry of the profession waiting for engagements. Few of the bet- ter known actors ar@ in town. Most of them are ting or spending their time at summer resorts. In fact, but for the plaint of the summer resort managers, one would think that all New York was at the seaside or in the mountains. The hotel owners along the Jersey coast, though, are 5 up petitions for a hot spell, mmer has been so cool that their wonderfully small. Coupled with the conditions of temperature is the fact that the travel abroad this year has been greater than ever before. As a result, seme of the best-known seaside hotels are offering special rates for August—usually one of the best seaside months. But the tide of foreign travel has turned. ‘two Weeks ago it was almost impossible to re- Berve a good location on any outgoing ves, sel of the principal lines. Now you can get ace at the last minute, and the incoming steamers are showing a material increase of business. This promises some relief for @ seaside landlord, and he will welcome is sratefully. The New York hotels have nG reason to complain. The hotels which charge moderate rates have had their rcoms full a great part of the summer. Some of the up-town houses have done but a small trade; but the hotels of the second grade have done a thriving business with people passing through the city on the way to summer resorts, and merchants who have come east to buy fall stocks. The Counterfeitera’ Capture. The arrest of that amazing counterfeiter, B:cckway, and some of his accomplices, does not reflect a great deal of credit on ths secret service. Ercckway is one of the men whem the secret service people are suppesed to have under constant survell- larce. Ther is only a limited number of engravers in the United States capable of doing the fine work which is considered dangercus. These men are registered, and the secret service is supposed to know their whereasou‘s end their cccupation at all times. The last time Brockway was caught—the time of the famous bond coun- terfeiting—he was detected by a secret service agent who recognized him and mude some inquiries of a printer whose place he bad seen Brockway leave. Two years ago when I was writing something about the bond counterfeits the secret service people asked me not to say much about Brockway, as he was leading a de- cent life and they did not care to have re- proaches brought on his people. At this very time, it now appears, Brockway was planning the job which was second in im- portance only to his bond counterfeiting and which wis so near completion that a delay of two or three days more would kave given the counterfeiters time to get away with their goods. Possibly the fact that the pursuit of the recently-arrested geng was began under one secret service chief ard concluded under another may ac- count for the delay in making the arrest: There is more jealousy between these thie! takers than there fs among actresses. Or, possibly the dramatic feature of the case appealed to the secret service chief. The time Brockway was arrested for bond counterfeiting his accomplice was on his way to Chicago with a traveling bag full of the bogus bonds when he was captured. Twenty-four hours more and he would have received the money for the bonds and escaped. —— HATCHING QUEER ANIMALS. Propagating Alligntors nnd Croco- diles by Artifice for Market. The attention of the United States fish commission has been called recently to a new and remarkable industry, namely, the artificial propagation of alligators. For supplying the trade in Florida curlosi- ties there is a large demand for young rep- tiles of this kind. In Jacksonville, which is the center of the traffic, from 8,000 to 10,000 alligators are sold to tourists an- nually—nearly all of them baby ones. The latter are collected in considerable num- bers by professional hunters, who receive for them from $20 to $25 a hundred. Some of them are disposed of alive at retail, but many are stuffed. An infant alligator stuffed is worth twenty-five cents more than a live one. Szurians, six to twelve feet long, fetch $12 to $25. The difficulty of securing young alliga- tors in sufficient numbers has led to the establishment of the strange business de- scribed. To find the nests of these reptiles is comparatively easy, and the eggs are shipped in bulk by the hunters to Jackson- ville. In that city there are twelve deal- ers in alligators, the best-known of them being a man who has earned the sobriquet of “Alligator Davis.” It was he who originated the incubator system, which is simple enough. The eggs, about the size of goose eggs, are placed in boxes of sand and covered up. The boxes are exposed on a roof to the torrid rays of a semi-tropical sun, and in a few days the lizards are hatched, They are six inches or so in length when they make their first appear- ance in the world. Some of them are killed and stuffed as soon as they see daylight. A species of true crocodile is found in southern Florida on both coasts. It is hardly distinguishable from the alligator except by the shape of its head, though it grows bigger, attaining a length of eight- een feet. Dr. Hugh M. Smith of the fish commission says that young crocodiles are hatched for market in the same fash- jon. The mother crocodile lays her eggs | in sand like a turtle, and simply covers them over. Somewhat different is the Practice of the maternal alligator, who, in April or May, seeks a sheltered spot on a bank and there builds a small mound. The foundation of the mound is of mud and grass, and on this she lays some eggs. She covers the eggs with another stratum of grass and mud, upon which she deposits some more eggs. Thus she proceeds until she has laid from 100 to 200 eggs. The eggs, in the course of time, are hatched by the sun, assisted by the heat which the decomposition of the vegetable material generates. As soon as they have “chipped the shell,” the baby alligators are led to the water by the mother, who provides them with food which she dis- Borges, showing much anxiety for their safety. At this early period of their ex- istence they are exposed to many dangers, being a favorite prey of fishes and turtles. Alligators’ eggs, by the way, are some- times eaten by the Florida crackers. The robbing of the nests for market is helping to hasten the inevitable destruction of the alligator fishery, which has been an impor- tant and profitable industry in Florida. Facts recently gathered by the fish com- mission show that the reptiles cannot long escape practical extermination. Already they are becoming scarce, and the price of hides has gone up. . It is estimated that 2,500,000 alligators were kijled in Florida between 1880 and 1804. In 1889 three firms, located at Kis- simmee for the purpose of buying skins taken in the region between Lake Kissim- mee and Lake Okeechobee, handled 30,000 hides. During the same year twelve hunt- ers brought to Fort Pierce 4,000 pelts. Two firms in Jacksonville handled 30,000 skins in 1889. A few years ago an expert hunter could easily secure 600 alligators in three weeks, and one man at Cocoa killed forty- two in one night. The skins are paid for in provisions and ammunition mainly. Dealers get sixty-five cents aplece for them from tanners in New York. In 18 about 250 pounds of alligator teeth were sold, hunters receiving from $1 to $2 a pound for them. They are re- moved by burying the heads and rotting out the teeth. Of the best teeth about seventy make a pound.The stuffing of alli- gators and the polishing of the teeth give employment to forty persons. Unfortun- ately,alligators grow very slowly. At fifteen years of age they are only two feet long. A twelve-footer may be supposed reasonably to be seventy-five years old. It is believed that they grow as long as they live, and Probably they live longer than any other animals. ——___ MOTOR ON THE BICYCLE. A Device That is Claimed Will Reduce Exertion and Accelerate Speed. From the New York Herald. A new bicycle, with an original motor, sped up the hill at Riverside Drive and 92d street yesterday afternoon. The in- ventor asserts that the wheel will save its rider a yast amount of exertion: and give him a high rate of speed. The most noticeable point about the working qualities of the machire was that while the motion of the wheelman’s feet was far slower than on the ordinary bi- cycle, a high rate of speed was maintained. The motor consisted of two radius beams, Latest Manner of Bicycle. fulerumed, one on either side, to the rear of the frame. From the forward ends of the beams arms extended downward, to which the pedals were attached. At the angles formed by the beams and the pedals driving rods connected with the cranks, which were placed, as in the ordinary bi- cycle, diametrically opposite each other. The wheelman’s foot, instead of describ- tng a circle, made an oblong curve. Riding a wheel geared to 100 inches, each time one fovt was lowered the wheel covered a space of twenty-six feet and two inches. The rider, who was said to be a non-pro- fessional, elaimed to have covered on this wheel a distance of fifteen miles, and,when timed, made the last third of a mile in forty seconds. ELECTRIC WORKERS The National Body to Meet Here in November. ENTERPRISE OF THE LOCAL UNION Statement of the Objects of This Representative Organization. SOME PERSONAL SKETCHES President John M. Berger and the other officers of Local Union No. 26 of Elec- trical Workers a few weeks ago saw a great opportunity to present to their col- leagues throughout the United States the advantages of Washington as the place of meeting for the coming convention of the brotherhood, and they did so, with such success as to secure for the national cap- ital the support of every union save one in the eastern and central states, and ‘nore than enough votes to win the coveted prize. The unions in the west have divided their strength between St. Louis, Milwaukee and Chicago, making it impossible for sny of them to defeat the efforts of the local un- ion of this city. Less than two months ago it was regard- ed as a foregone conclusion that the next convention of the national brotherhood would be held in Minneapolis. The conven- tion of two years since had so decreed It, and the various unions were prepariag to select their delegates to go there. But about that time reports began to reach Mr. J. T. Kelly, the grand secretary- treasurer, at St. Louis, that many of the members who would be glad to attend the convention and listen to the important pa- pers which will be read and the discus- sions to follow thogght that Minneapolis was too far away from almost the en- tire section of the country whence the brotherhood derives its greatest streagth. Mr. Kelly wrote to President Berger cf the local union here, telling him that he was under the impression that the meeting place of the convention would probably be changed from Minneapolis to some castern city. Energy and Enterprise. Mr. Berger determined that if brains and energy could secure the convention for Washington he would leave no effort un- tried to bring about this result, and, call- ing his associate officers into consultation, he laid his plans before them. The latter seconded Mr. Berger's suggestions and promised their support, which action was subsequently indorsed by the union itself. immiediately Mr. Berger went to work, and day and night, even depriving him- self of necessary sleep, he wrote letters to almost three score of the other unions— or about three-fourths of the entire mem- bership—setting forth the advantages of Washington as a place of meeting, and so- liciting the vote of each at its next meeting in favor of this city. The resuit of these efforts has already been told in The Star, for Sunday last at the meeting of the Labor day conference Mr. Berger was able to announce from information that he had received trom Grand Secretary-Treasurer Kelly of the executive board and others that the next convention of the trotherhood will be held in Washington November 11-17 next. The history of the organization and its officers is of more than usual interest. Local Union No. 26, Electrical Workers, was organized May 20, 1802, with fifteen charter members, and ts affiliated not only with the Federation of Labor of the Dis- trict, but with the American Federation of Labor, which, outside of Washington, has over 100 unions throughout the country, ex- tending from Maine to Texas, and having a membership of over 300,00, while the membership of the electrical unions alone is at least 40,000. The first president of Local Union No. 26 was P. A. Deffer, who served two terms of six months each, and was succeeded by R. F. Metzel, After serving for one term Mr. Metzel declined a re-election, and was succeeded by A. Man, who retired at the expiration of one term. Mr. Man was succeeded by Mr. J. M. Berger, who is now in his third term as president, and who has also served as press secretary for a much longer period. Sketch of Mr. Berger. John M. Berger, the present energetic Fresident, was born in York county, Pa. April 25, 1858, and was taken by his par- ents to Baltimore when he was two years old. He received his preliminary 2ducation in the best schools; and later entered Loyola College, where he graduated with high honors. During his career as a student at the college he took great interest in elec- trical experiments, and when twenty-one years old was appointed assistant right manager of the Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Company. Here he remained for two and a half years, during which time he also practiced telegraphy and became an expert operator. Resigning his position with the Chesa- Peake and Potomac Telephone Company, he accepted the place of chief of the tele- phone lines of the Baltimore and Ohio Rail- rcad Company, remaining there untill the great strike of telegraph operators in 1883, when, with the great majority of other knights of the key, he went out, and, also like many of them, has never since return- ed to the key. Mr. Berger was next employed in the | eGitorial department of the Baltimore Even- ing News, where he remained for about eighteen months, when he accepted the pesition of chief of the test room of the Eaxter Motor Company, an office which he held until the failure of the company in 1885. While in the Baxter service he be- cume the pioneer in a movement, which was indorsed without hesitancy by the beard of directors of the company, to pay the employes time and a half for work dene between 6 p.m. and midnight, double time for that done between midnight and 7 a.m. and for Sundays. Prior to that it was the custom to have the employes work up to any hour that they might be called upon to do and also on Sundays without extra pay. Mr. Berger came to Washington Septem- ber 23, 1889, and secured employment with A. U. Burkett & Co., electricians, with whom he remained for several years. He began business for himself in 1994. He Was among the first members of Local Union No. 26, and July 1, 1893, was elected president. Efficient Officers. Vice President John Hebbard was born in Rockville, Md., and came to Washington in 1886. He learned the trade with Mr. Christian G. Schneider and is still in Mr. Schneider's employ. He has been a mem- ber of the union from its formation, was a trustee for two years, worthy foreman one term and is now serving his first term as vice president. Worthy Foreman Henry Phillips was born in Baitimore February 29, 1864, and on Oc- tober 28, 1879, when but little more than fifteen years of age, entered the United States nuvy and served until December 14, 1888, when he was honorably discharged. During his service in the navy he was for a time attached to the United States man- of-war Pensacola. He was also assigned to the school of seamen’s gunnery in this city, where he served seven months; from there he was transferred to Portsmouth, Va., where he remained seven months, and from Portsmouth he was transferred to the Pensacola, where he served until honorably discharged from the navy. Upon again entering civil life he accepted a position with the General Electric Com- pany, and assisted in wiring the steamboats the Filgrim and the Bristol. Leaving the employ of the General Elec- trie Company, he returned to this city, and for three years was electrician at the Shoreham, at the end of that period going to the Normandie. He is now chief elec- triclan at the Palais Royal. He joined the local union in October, 1892; has filled the position of vice president and is now sery- ing his second term as worthy foreman. Recording Secretary Arthur C. Balser wase born in Washington, D. C., July 16, 1874, and was educated in the academy at Forestville, Md. His first service as an electrician was in Louisville, Ky. Return- ing to this city he secured employment with the Bliss Engineering Company and then was in the employ of the Rock Creek Railway Company. He Is now a member of the firm of Balser Bros. & Co. He join- ed the union October 21, 1892. Financial Secretary George A. Malone was born in this city in 1857. He received his education at St. Aloysius and St. Jos- ————— eph’s Colteges:"#about eight years ago he began to wérk' with Mr. Christlan G. Schneider as”&n electrician and is still in his employ. He was a charter member of Local No. 26.and is now serving his third term in kis pregent position. Treasurer Maffolm Beaton was born in Scotland in 18524and came at an early age with his par@itgito this city. He was edu- cated in the p ic schools here. He serv- ed his trade “with Mr. Christian G. Schnel- der and is si} his employ. He is now serving his tiir@ year as treasurer. The Trustees. Trustee Jem H. Lloyd was born in Springfield, 386.3 in 1867, and graduated from the Springfield Academy in 1883 with the honors 0; his class. While at school he was especially’ fond of electrical experl- ments, and after leaving school he went to the Pacific slope, and secured a position in San Francisco with the California Electric Company. Later he came east and was employed by the Brush Electric Company of Cleveland, Ohio. Subsequently he again went west and accepted a position with the California Electric Company as tester on their new Edison underground syst2m, which, when completed, was merged into the Edison Light and Power Company of Sea Francisco. For some time, and until he yoluntarily relinquished the place, Mr. Lloyd had charge at -night ef the new power station of the company. From San Francisco Mr. Lioyd went to Denver with the General Electric Com- pany, and from Denver he returned to Cleveland, Ohlo, where he work2d for the same company on their new underground system, which is a duplicate of the Cali- fornia system, From Cleveland he went south, to Lynchburg, Va., and for a time was with the Piedmont Electric Company. Leaving there he came to this city, and is now in the employ of Royce & Marean. He was elected trustee one year since, and 1s still serving in the position. Trustee R. F, Metzel was born in Balti- more May 3, 1859, He was educated in the public schools of that city, graduating with honor at the Baltimore City College. WEile at college he paid much attenti to experiments in electricity and imme- diately upon leaving college adopted elec- tricity as his profession. He studied to be an operator and joined the Telegraphers’ Brotherhood and remained at the key until the great strike of the brotherhood in 1883, Upon quitting the key he accepted a posi- tion with the Viaduct Manufacturing Com- pany, and later went to the Southern Elec- tric Company, both of Baltimore. Upon the failure of the latter he came to this city and secured a place with Mr. Chris- tlan G. Schneider, in whose employ he still is, He was one of the charter mem- bers of the local union, and is serving his first year as trustee. The Nation: Body. The National Brotkerhood of Electrical Workers was founded in the city of St. Louis, October, 1891, and the first national convention was called by the St. Louis union on November 21 of the same year. Seven unions responded. The delegites present at that convention were few in aumber, but were determined upon success, and they pledged themselves rot to cease from their work until in every city in the United States there should be organized a branch 6f the Naticnal Brother- hood. At this convention the foilowing of- ficers were elzcted to serve for the first year: Grand president, Henry Miller; first vice president, E. C. Hartung; second vice president, F. J. Heizieman; third vice pres- ident and grand crganizer, T. J. Friswell; grand secretary-treasurer, J. T. Kelly. At the second convention, held about a year later, it was found that the brother- hood bad intreased so rapidly that twenty- five unions were: represented in the body and the following were elected officers to serve for the ensuing year: Grand presi- dent, Henry Miller; grand secretary-treas- urer, J. T. Kelly, both being honored with re-election; tvice ‘presidents, P. F. Heally, F. J. Roth, 3: 3. Vires, John Dunn, P. J. Flenming, John‘Allen and C. J. Edstrands. At this convention Secretary-Treasurer Kelly spokelof the need of an official jour- ral for the ‘brotherhood and it was at once resolved tovestablish such a paper, and January 1,»3893,. The Electrical Worker made its appearahce. This paper is neither political nor.religious, its chief, and, in fact, its only, mission being to educate the mem- bers of thetbrotherhood and to uphold the rights of thé electrical workers. The Na- tional Brotherhood of Electrical Workers concedes perfect freedom to all its members in their political and religious beliefs. When the third convention met in St. Louis in November, 1808, there was under the shield of the National Brotherhood about forty-five local unions. The grand officers elected at this convention were chosen to serve for two years, and were as follows: Grand president, Quinn Jansen; first vice president, N. Duff; second vice president, H. W. Sherman; third vice pres- ident and organizer, H. Miller; grand sec- retary-treasurer, J. T. Kelly. The follow- ing executive board was also chosen: J W. Fitzpatrick, J. J. Vires, F. J. Roth and William C. Prickett. Since the convention was held Vice President Henry Miller re- signed and embarked in another line of business. : At Least 400 Delegates. When the convention meets in November next in this city It will have an unbroken circult of eighty-one local unions; its ctr- cuits reaching from Maine to California, and from the gulf to the St. Lawrence, and numbering about 40,000 members, who will be represented in the convention by at least 400 delegates. The object for which the National Brotherhood was formed was as follows: Having seen the necessity of a thorough organization ef the trade, and believing that a common cause and universal sym- pathy should exist among all electrical workers, the members formed the National Brotherhood for the purpose of elevating their social and mioral standing, not only among other branches of industry, but in the commurity at large. It is also re- garded as the imperative duty of every electrical worker to do all in his power to organize the members of the craft, and thus place themselves in the material, social and moral position to which the dig- nity of the trade entitles them. The further objects of the National Brotherhood, are, viz.: To establish an ap- prentice system, to maintain a higher standard of skill, to encourage the forma- tion cf schools of instruction in local unions for teaching the practical applica- tion of electricity, and for trade education Benerally, to cultivate feelings of friend- ship among the men of the craft, to settle all disputes between employers and em- ployes by arbitration, to assist each other in sickness or distress, to secure employ- ment, to reduce the hours of daily labor from nine hours to eight per day, to secure adequate pay for work performed, and by legal and proper means to elevate the moral, intellectual and social condition of every member. —_—.__ Converse a Third of a Mile Apart. From the Chicago Times-Herald. A remarkable phenomenon in sound transmission is claimed to hava been dis- covered in the Garden of the Gods, in Colo- rado, by Prof. Burrill and Prof. Davenport of the University of Illinois. They assert that one of them stood near the center of the east s;de of ithe reck north of the en- trance, while the, other was upon a hill opposite, andistance of a third of a mile, and while'in thése positions accidentally discovered ‘that they could hear each oth- er’s voiceB distinctly, although neither spoke louder than a conversational tone. The ertrance or, “gateway to the Garden of the Gods,” as dt Is called, is a narrow roadway between, giant rocks. This rug- ged formation is, broken just within the entrance, and the irregular masses rising high above, one’s head are so arranged by nature as 40 magyify the volume of sound. The dry, rarefied air accelerates sound transmissign in this altitude, so that the human vojce canbe heard a greater dis- tance thag, in a.dense atmosphere. o+—_____ f American Irises, From Garden and Forest. American irises do not seem to have re- ceived the attention from cultivators that they deserve. It is doubtful if there be at this time a complete collection even of the different species in any one garden, while there are, no doubt, good varieties which have never beén cultivated, and probably not even collected for herbariums. Again, there are varieties which have only a lo- cal reputation, and which have not been generaliy distributed. I have found a number of varieties of this kind; some of these are not yet flowered here. Some of our irises are most difficult to establish, and it will task the skill of an eastern grower to flower some of the west coast species, which resent removal and natu- rally are at rest during our summer sea- son. e+ —____ Fremont Smith was hanged yesterday at San Quinton prison, Cal.,for the murder of two fishing companions. DOGS AND THE LAW Regulations Applied to the Canines of Washington. MUZZLES MAY BE REQUIRED The Tax-Tag Statute and Its Various Provisions. THE FOUNDMASTER’S DUTIES During the past few weeks several mad- dog scares have startled the people in dif- ferent sections of the city, and this has raised a question as to why the dogs are not muzzled, as they were years ago,during that part of the heated term known as “dog days.” Formerly owners of dogs were required to muzzle them, but since the dog-tag law has been in operation the au- thorities have not required the use of muz- zles. In the days of muzzles the police used their pistols on animals caught roaming the streets unmuzzled, but now the pound- master impounds the unlicensed canines. From time to time legislative action has been taken, and the result is a number of laws applicable to canines and their own- ers. The police are in receipt of complaints of all kinds about dogs almost every day, but In most instances they advise the ag- grieved parties to swear out warrants. Cases of this kind involve much trouble. Convictions for theft of dogs are few and far between. The Dog-Tag Law. Under the act of Congress provision is made for the issuing of tags at $2 upiece, and the presence of the tag on the dog's ecllar gives the canine the full protection of the law. Faiiure to have the tag is pun- ishable by a fine of not more than $10. A tag is good only on the dog for which it was especially purchased. Section 2 of the act of Congress referred to says: “It shall be the duty of the collector of taxes upon the receipt of $2 to give to each person paying the same a suitable metallic tag, stamped with the year, showing that said tax has been duly paid. The coilector shall keep a record of all such payments, with the date thereof, and the name, color and the sex of such dog, and the name of the person claiming any dog so paid for.” Section 3 of the act defines the duty of the poundmaster respecting dogs. It reads: “The poundmaster of the District of Co- lumbia shall, during the entire year, seize all dogs found running at large without the ‘tax tag attached, and shul impound the same. If within forty-eight hours the same are not redeemed by the owners thereof by the payment of $2, they shall be sold or destroyed, as the poundmaster may deem advisable, and any sale made by vir- tue hereof shall be deemed valid to all in- tents and purposes in all the courts of the District of Columbia.” Dogs as Personal Property. The fourth section of the act defines the dog as an article of personal property, and gives the licensed canines the privilege of running at large. This section reads: “Any dog wearing the tax tag herein Provided for shall be permitted to run at large in the District of Columbia, and shall be regarded as personal property in all the courts of said District. Any person injuring or destroying the same shall be Mable to a civil action for damages, which, upon proof of said injury or killing, may be awarded in a sum equal to the value usually put upon such property by per- sons buying and selling the same, subject to such modifications as the particular cir- cumstances of the case may make proper.” Under the provisions of the fifth section the owners of dogs are made Hable for civil action for any damage done by a dog to the full amount of the injury inflicted. In this connection may be citel an act of the late legislative asseinbly, which also makes the dog persoaal property, and gives the Police Court civil power. This law says that the “owners of dogs who have com- pled with all the requirements of existing laws relating to dogs, snd those which may hereafter be passed, shall be entitled to recover, upon proper proof of ownership before the Police Court or other court of the District, any dog which may have been lost or stolen; and any persons who may be convicted of stealing a dog shall be able to a fine of not less than $5 nor more than $50, with all costs of trial; and from and after the passage of this ict dogs shall be deemed and held to be per- sonal property.” legal circles some doubt as to the validity of this law is expressed, as the act virtually makes the stealing of a dog a distinct offense and makes the penalty not More than $50. In event of this law hold- ing good, the theft of a valuable dog could Probably not be prosecuted under the act for grand larceny. May Require Muzzles. Congress, in dealing with the question of dangercus dogs, worded section 7 of the act in this manner: “Whenever it shall be made to appear to the Commissioners that there are good reasons for believing that any dog or dogs within the District are mad, it shall be the duty of the Commissioners to issue a preclamation, requiring that all dogs shall, for a period to be defined in the proc: mation, wear good, substantial muzzies, securely put on, so as to prevent them from biting or snapping, and any dog run- ning at large during the period defined by the Commissioners without such muzzle shall be taken by the poundmaster and im- pounded, subject to the provisions of sec- tion 3.” 5 In this connection Congress also made provision for the punishment of the owners of dangerous dogs by providing that “If any owner or possessor of a fierce or dan- gerous dog permit the same to go at large within the District of Columbia to the danger or annoyance of the inhabitants, he shall forfeit and pay for the first offense for the second, a sum not exceeding , and upon a third conviction, for the same offense, the Commissioners shall im- mediately cause the dog upon account of which the conviction takes place to be slain and buried.” For the offense of enticing from the street or other place any dog for the pur- pose of removing the tag or killing the ani- mal a penalty of not more than $20 is pro- vided, while it is punishable by a fine of from $5 to $10 for putting on one dog a tag purchased for, another. Pulice Regulations, During recent years the District Com- missioners have passed regulations con- cerning the keeping of dogs. Two sections of them are as follows: No person shall own or keep, in the Dis- trict of Columbia, any animal of the dog kind which by barking, howling, or in any other manner whatsoever, disturbs the comfort or quiet of any person. No animal of the dog kind shall be al- lowed to go at large without a collar and tag, as now prescribed by law, and if he be of a quarrelsome or dangerous disposi- tion he shall furthermore be secured by a chain or cord held in the hand of some person accompanying him. The penalty clause for these sections pro- vides that: Any person violating any of the pro- visions of these sections shall, on convic- tion, be punished by a fine of not less than $5 nor more than $20, and, in addition, in case of the biting of ary person (except upon the premises of the owner of the animal so biting), the animal shall be ad- judged to be killed, and on such judgment shail be killed by any member of the police force; and in case of a second violation of any other provision of either of said sec- fons, the animal, unless permanently re- moved from the District of Columbia with- in twenty-four hours after such second of- fense, shall so be killed. ———__. A Boarding House Incident. From the New York Weekly. Thin Boarder (delightedly)—“The beef is very tender today.” Mrs. Slimdiet (wildly)—“My goodness! That new gtrl must have gone to the wrong butcher.” A Bieycle Bell. From the Philadelphia Call. A bicycle girl says that when her bell breaks she wrings her hands, THINGS HEARD AND SEEN There is a singer in the city who has a very knowing little girl. The child has never had a nurse, but has been cared for all her five years by her mother. She took the little girl with her one day to see a friend. “She will be down in a minvte,” was the message after they had taken seats in the parlor. As scon as the servant disappeared again little Katharine leaned over and said to her mother: “Mamma, how long are her minutes?” The mother stopped to think instan‘ then said: Be si :, “Why do you ask such a question, dear?” “Well answered the little one, with a deep sigh, “papa says your minute is an hour, and I just wondered how long hers is. Speaking of little girls, there was a cabi- net officer here a few years ago who had a little girl about seven years old. The nurse took her one day to find the washer- wemar. They found he- in a little frame shanty of only cne room, which seemed a great novelty to the child. Z On returning home, she was telling her mother avout this wonderful house which had just ore room. With a sigh and an earnestness born of deep longing, she said: “Oh, mamma, how I wish we lived in that house!” “Why, my child, why should you wish such a strange thing?” “Then, don’t you see, when I was put to bed at night I could hear everything that was said, because you wouldn't have any other room to sit in.” Was there ever a child but what was pessessed of a wild desire to hear every- thing the grown people say? A gcod story on the late Gen. Dan Mc- Cauley of Indiana is related by Judge John N. Scott, now of Port Townsend, Wash- ington. es On Judge Scott's last visit to Washington he, with his old college chum, Gen. Joe Fullerton, and Gen. McCauley, went on a trip up the river to one of the club houses. The two former gentlemen wanted to in- dulge in some target practice. Gen. Mc- Cauley protested vigorously. Being pressed for his reason, he said the fact was he was such a bad shot he had made up his mind to quit it last time he tried it. He had never hit the bull’s-eye in his life, ke confided to them, and he was a little ashamed of it. : After some little trouble they convinced him that they were both worse shots than he, and they'd shoot “for place.” First the judge shot and made a fair showing, then Gen. Fullerton, making a better, and last Gen. McCauley, who hit the bull’s-eye. No one was more astonished than the gentleman himself. He began to be inter- ested. They took another turn. Again he hit the bull’s-eye, and yet again and again, ard the ringing of the gong was music in his ear. The others declared they'd shcot no more with him, and threatered dire revenge for his deception. In vain he assured them it was the first time in his life he had hit the bull’s-eye. He treated liberally, and they all enjoyed the jaunt, particularly the boy who tended the target, who was several dollars wealth- jer for their visit. They came back to town, dined at Gen.. McCauley’s expense, and he declared he had made the hit of his life. “Dan never suspected us,” laughed the judge, “‘of having bribed that target boy to ring the gong every time he shot. And he couldn’t see the trick in it, because his bullets never even touched the target, not one!” Who ever heard of a vegetable garden in a flat? There is one here in Washington attached to a pretty little flat on the sec- ond floor. A dinner there with the colonel is a thing to dicam of. Fried chicken to rival Cabin John’s and vegetsbies fresh from his own garden. If his guest is incredulous, the colonel will take him cut through the kitchen to the back porch, and there, sure enough, cn a porch three feet by six, is a flourishing vegetable garden. In a box were a lot of radishes, in another about eight fine, healthy tomato plants, with *the great, red tomatoes hanging temptingly, ready for the next meal. Even cucumbers— ahout five hundred of the lovely little fel- lows have already been laid into brine for his wife to pickle when she comes home from Cape May. 2 The cucumber vines run the length of the porch, over all the boxes; the tomato plants stand near the end of the porch and are tacked with tape against the house to prevent the plants being weighted down. In the middie is a lovely box of sugar beets. The colcnel is now contemplating fencing in a portion of the roof and having a chick- en yard. He thinks it would be sufficiently out of the neighbors’ way so as not to be annoying, and he says the only thing lack- ing to make his existence perfect is plenty of home-made spring chickens. Fourteenth street is the paradise of doc- tors. They seem to have a great fondness for an office on this north and south thor- cughfare, and many of those who have been unable to secure suitable locations on the street are located in offices on side streets, 50 that their modest signs can be seen from the passing cable cars. From the boundary to Pennsylvania avenue, includ- ing the doctors whose signs on side streets can be seen from the cable cars and those on New York avenue, which can also be seen from the cars, there are about fifty physicians located. They have been count- ed by persons interested in the subject; but some have gone and some have come, 80 that an exact estimate cannot be given un- til there has been a recount. It is not be- cause there is any more ill-health in the vicinity of 14th street than in other parts of the city that so many doctors congregate there. Doctors, you must know, scorn ad- vertising. It is unprofessional to run a card in a newspaper or to advertise a great cure. But they like to have their signs where they can be seen. Onr sailor boys out on the Asiatic station are not having an altogether dull time; nor have they forgotten the glorious Fourth, which passes so noisily at home. The Charleston was at Nagasaki, Japan, on the Fourth, and since the occasion the mail has brought evidences that it was patriot- ically remembered. An officer in the de- partment received two separate invitations from a friend on the Charleston, sent as samples of what the sailor boys were en- joying. A small card, printed in English, but not displaying much artistic skill, an- nounces “A minstrel performance, given by the Charleston troupe, under the auspices of the captain and officers.” This was to have taken place on the evening of the 3d, in the “public hall, Nagasaki.” No doubt it was an enjoyable occasion. A larger in- vitation, printed in bright blue, with little ships and boats in the corners of the bor- der, cordially invites the recipient to take part in the “Fourth of July celebration given by the crew of the Charleston, under the auspices of the captain and officers.” In the forenoon there was a regatta; in the afternoon there was a sack race, shoe race, three-legged race, ete., for small prizes, as well as the inevitable greasy pole to climb. In the evening there was a grand illumina- tion and fireworks. It Is a common joke that when a man's wife is out of town that he writes a mournful letter, and then goes around and has a high old time. There is not much in that joke. It does not begin to do duty with the mother-in-law joke, and that is pushed far beyond its deserts. Fhe fact is that out of a dozen men whose wives are out of the city for the summer, there will be at least eleven who are really lonely, and, in fact, put in a very miserable time. ‘They do not all feel willing to acknowicdge it at first, and few like to have sympathy thrust upon them, but there are mighty few who do not in their hearts pay the highest kind of tribute to their wives and wish for their return. Assistant Secretary McAdoo of the navy has a waste basket which proclaims his patriotism. The willow strands are inter- woven from the bottom to top around and around with red, white and blue, the na- tional colors; the top is festooned with the three colors intertwined, while the side next to where he sits is aderned with a beautiful bow of the same material. What is the old song? “Three cheers for the red, white and blue,” isn’t it? So far as the most searching inquiries go, it appears that only two women wear Moomers on bicycles in Washington. The men who are apt to know about such things report but two women who have so far braved the eyes of the public with the bloomer costume. As a matter of fact, if women are going to discard skirts, why not adopt knickerbockers? They are inore nat- ty and look as if the women using them were not half afraid. Foreign bands sometimes get mixed up in playing the national airs of the United States. At Kiel it appears that some band being desirous of paying particular atten- tion to the United States steamer Marble- head played “Climbing Up the Golden Stairs.” This was laughed at in the Navy Department and one of the officers said it reminded him of a reception given the officers of the ship at Haiti The entire Haitian armv turned out to meet and es- cort the Yankee officers to the palace. Old King Solomon was president of the black republic at that time. The army consist- ed of all kinds and conditions of uniform, and made an array that would have been the making of a minstrel clio. The band was goregous in its attire, the best part of all that was gaudy in the uniform of nations having been used to make the nas ticnal band of Haiti a thing of beauty and a joy to the black republic. As the staid officers ascended the steps of the palace and the dignitaries fell back to make way for them the band played the supposed national air. It was some minutes before the American officers were aware that it was intended as a compli- ment to them and that they were expect- ed to take off their hate and make their best bows. But they finally caught-on and marched to the front of the platform and doffed their hats to “John Brown's Body Lies a-molderiig in the Grave.” A statement in one of the English papers received in Washington is to the effect that the authorities are about to pull down the last thatched cottage in London. It is situated three miles and three furlongs from St. Paul’s. Some remark was caused on account of the length of time the struo- ture had been standing and that in all that time it had escaped fire. It was stated by a person who had traveled in England when he read the paragraph that there were wooden houses in England that were 500 years old. This seems almost in- credible. In this country a wooden house would need to be almost entirely renewed in every hundred years. It is said that the hard wood and the care that had been taken of the houses accounts for their Preservation. ——_—__ ART NOTES. That the artists of Washington are inde- fatigably plying brushes and palettes is ap- parent from letters received from almost every part of Europe and the United States where temporary quarters have been estab- lished by members of the local fraternity. E. F. Andrews has during the past montr made an extensive tour of the con- tinent, gathering material for future work. At present he is in Switzerland, where he will stay until the 15th instant, at which time he will return to Paris and join a little party of students from the Corcoran Art School and accompany them in a trip up the Rhine, stopping en route at various points of historical interest, and reaching Southampton about September 15, when the entire party will take passage for the homeward voyage. Miss Trimble and Miss Helen Smith are touring through Switzerland, in search of the picturesque, and their written descrip- tions of scenes and situations encountered during their travels are proving a source of intense amusement and pleasure to their home friends and fellow students. Miss Minnigerode has established herself in pleasant quarters near Paris, and is studying under several of the most cele- brated French masters of painting. Parker Mann has removed his entire artistic paraphernalia to Gloucester, Mass., and his studio there is one of the most elaborate in the art colony which has made the little seacoast town famous as a sum- mer resort for members of the profession. Contrary to his usual custom, Mr. Mann is working almost exclusively in oil colors, and expects to have enough material for an exhibition early in the winter. The artist Abbott Thayer will before long make a short visit to Gloucester for the purpose of painting a portrait cf Miss Balastier, and during his stay will share Mr. Mann's studio. Other ortists who at present are ‘esi- dents of the art village are Child Has- sam, De Haas, the famous marine painter, and Rhen, who has an ideal summer stu- dio, which he visits annually, and where much of his most valuable material is se- ‘cured. Herman K. Viele is delightfully situated just outside the town, and Miss Sara N, Bartle is pleasantly located and busily en- gaged on a number of miniature portraits. From the eighty canvases submitted to the committee in charge of arrangem>nts for paintings to be sent to the Atlanta exposition as representative of Washiig- ton art but thirty were accepted, the small number being due in part to the somewhat limited space allotted for their accommo- dation in the section devoted io art An-cng the larger canvases were E. F. An- drews’ portrait of Dolly Madison that for a time occupied a place in the east room of the White House; a fine life-sized por- trait of Gen. Baird, by Robert Hinckley; a striking and wholly characteristic study of sheep, by R. N. Brooke, and several of Max Wey!'s most effective landscapes. U. 8. J. Dunbar Is the only sculptor in the city who will exhibit. His contribution will be large, and includes several of his recent and most successful portrait busts and the life-sized figure of “Grief,” which attracted such favorable notice during the la: mos exhibition, S. Jerome Uhl ts spending his summer in the west, where he is on a tum- ber of large portraits. Harold Macdonald has recently finished a government commission for a portrait to be placed in the Supreme Court, and is at present engaged on several canvases of unusual interest and merit, which will be used next winter by the artist for exnibi- tion purposes. In addition to making preparations for temporarily clcsing his studio, Mr. Dunbar has recently modeled a number of Jife-sized figures that will form a part of the collec- tion sent by the bureau of ethnology to the Atlanta exposition, and has put finish- ing touches to the portrait bust of Mr. H. M. Rice, which wili shortly be placed in the state house at St. Paul, for which city Mr. Dunbar left last Thursday, ex- pecting to remain until late in October. Richard B. Gruelle, a prominent artist from Indianapolis, is spending a short time in Washington for the purpose of making a series of water coior studies of scenery in and about the city. Miss Katharine Chipman has finished the portraits upon which she has been en- gaged of Mrs. R. C. Fellows’ little daugh- ter and Mrs. E. M. Davis, and will leave tomorrow with a number of friends for an extensive trip north, from which she will not return until the latter part of Oo- tober. Miss S. W. Kelly left the city last Thurs- day for a trip to the mountains for the purpose of sketching from nature. Of her recent work a life-sized portrait of Cardi- nal Gibbons is one of the most successful, and before long the canvas will be placed on exhibition. Mrs. C. T. Parker is working on an in- teresting series of illustrations, which are to be used in several new publications, by popular authors. The work of renovation is still going on in the Corcoran Gallery, and when the building is again thrown open, it will plain- ly show the effects of its recent overhaul- ing and freshening up. Each painting has teen carefully cleaned under the personal direction of Dr. Barbarin. The marble statues and casts have been cleansed of every vestige of dust and stain. The fur- niture has been oiled and polished, and even the incandescent lights have been examined and placed in perfect condition for the evening receptions next winter. Al- though the work is almost completed the gallery will remain closed until the 15th of September, oo which time it will be opened as usual. A addition to working on several import- ant commissions, Le Grand Johnston ts engaged on a series of decorative motives that are to be used in the government building at the Atlanta exposition. Hobart Nichols is devoting much of his time to figure work, his success in that line last winter encouraging him to more serious efforts than ever before, and it is probable that his next exhibition will con- tain a greater and more interesting va- riety of subject matter than any previous one given by the artist. —— Why She Didn’t Come. From the Cincinnati Tribune. He—“ My laws, Lucy! where were you? The babies have been crying for three hours.” She—“Couldn’t come any sooner. The score was a tie in the tenth inning, and game called on account of darkness.’