IS A NATURAL TRAP.
tack It Death Gulch in YellowtUB
IhMi mt WIM Aalsaavls Um Tmatw
llT IB Ik PglMMH Vawa
f ska VsvlwfcablietM)
1 the heart of the Rockies, in Death
Qavteh, a desolate ravine lu the north
stat corner f the Yelloirat'one Park,
ia a natural bear trap. Here hundreds,
perhaps, thousand, of auinials. seek
lag food, drink or ahelter, have beea
tempted to come, oul- to drop help
lessly to their death, "into a bath of
invisible, poisonnua vior, where they
Ink down to add their bones to the
ioaail recorda of au interminable lint
of aimilar tragvdics, sVualnjr back to a
period long preceding the recorda of
human hiatory."
This i the conclusion reached bj T.
A. Japgar, Jr., Ph. 1)., who describes
Death Gulch lu a paper iu the Popular
Science Monthly, lie viaitcd the place
aa a member of the United States geo
logical aurvey. , . -
"In the bottom of Death Hutch," he
a;, "la a email stream of clear cold
water, aour with sulphuric acid, and
flowing down a nnrrow ateep channel
cat In beds of dark gray volcanic stuff.
Ascending this gulch, the aide, dol
ing together, become very steep slopes
of white, decomposed rock.
Th only springs now flowing sre
mall ooees of water issuing from the
base of these slopes, or from the chan
nel bed, forming a thick, creamy,
white deposit about the vents, and cov
ering the stream bed. Tliisdeposl'iSi'n
sista largely of sulphate of alumina.
, About 150 feet above the main
stream these oozing springs of acid
water cease, but the character of the
rulch remains the same. The odor of
. sulphur now becomesstronger, though
producing no other effect than a slight
rrltation of the lungs.
"The gulch' ends, or rather begins,
n a scoop or basin about MO feet above
3he creek, and just below this was
tenod the fresh body of a large bear,
s silver-tip grizaly, with the remains of
a companion in an advanced state of
decomposition above him. Near by
were the akeletons of four more bears,
with the bones of an elk a yard or two
above, while in the bottom of the pock
et were the fresh remains of several
squirrels, rock hares and other smnll
animals, besides numerous dead but
terflies and insects.
"The body of the prizxly was ear
fully examined for bullet holes or
other marks of injury, but showed no
trace of violence, the onls indication
Awing a few drops of blood under the
nose. It wasi evident that he had met
his death but a short time before, as
the carcass was still perfectly fresh,
though offensive enough at the time
of a later visit. .The rchiains of a cin
namon bear just above and alongside
of this were in an advanced stage of
jeeomposition, while the other skele
tons were almost denuded of flesh,
though the claw and much of the
imlr remained.
. "It was apparent that these animals,
aa well as the squirrels and insects,
had not met their death by violence,
but had been asphyxiated by 'lie ir-l-espirable
gas given off in the gulch.
The hollows were tested for carbonic
.acid go with lighted tapers, without
proving its presence, but the strong
mell of sulphur and a choking sensa
tion of the luogs indicated the pres
ence of noxious gases, while the strong
wind prevailing at the time, together
with the open nature of the ravine,
4srat have caused a rapid diffusion of
the vapors." N. Y. Herald.
Tks, American sathsala CM I.
There is but one method by which
"the United States can discharge their
national duty and attain the object
which is admittedly to be desired. The
method is the constitution and appoint
ment of a competent tribunal, com
3M6ed of men who enjoy the confidence
and esteem of all the civilized world,
and whose judgment would command
general acceptance. Before this trl
fninal let the advocates of both routes
Panama and Nicaragua appear by
counsel and present their respective
.schemes, supporting the project by
itch scientific evidence as I hey can
produce. Let, above all things, the
evidence adduced on each side be test
ed by competent, and therefore search
ing, cross-examination from the other
lie. Let the inquiry be of the most
public kind; let all the proceedings
lake place in the blaze of n light as
fierce as that which is said to bent
"upon the- throne;" and let the deci
sion be accepted aa final all over the
world. This canal question presents
opportunity to the people of the
Vnlted States in which they con show
that they appreciate their great place
and their high position, ond show it
fey assisting to settle the question in
uoh a manner as will be for the benefit
f humanity and for the advantage of
the world. America's true ' interest
would be served by this and all would
agree to entrust the waterway con
structed under . America's auspices to
American trustee-like custody. W.
Oenry Hunter, in Engineering Mega
. .cine. .; ' ;
Wild CkMM Aatrsvr la th tier.
Trom one, of the flocks that passed
jorer this city lately a single bird had
trfdently in some way got nd rift from
lite companions and become lost in
the empty spaces of the sky for he
was seen flying wildly southward, with
loud cries,, and soon afterward he
turned and was seen heading north
ward with much clamor, and trying,
evidently, like the great goose that he
M, to find his lost flock. They had
yone on,, heading for their breeding
(rround in the far north. Hartford
fConn.l Tims
UNCLE SAM'S BIG MORTARS.
Thar Ar Assunat'ik Must Tswtikta
ISSMlSSNSWSa C Mtl4SBl
Wurfasv,
The type of heavy breech-loading
mortar relied upon by the army for inner-line
harbor defenses is one of the
most terrible Implements of war that
have been ilevlwd. The high-powered
rifle it mounted lu the const defenses
with an effective range of eight, to ten
miles, and is calculated to open Are
upon u blockading fleet the moment It
comes within reach. The mortar bat
tery is concealed well away from the
big guns, where it canuot be reached
fxcept accidentally by the tire of the
enemy, nor Is this battery intended to
be brought into play until the rifle iu
the main fortifications haw been com
pletely or partially silenced by the
;nemy. The mortars have a limited
range of about 4V4 miles, and their tre
mendous bursting charges ure tired
high In the air, with the certainty of
plunging iuto any vessel occupying a
plotted position upon a chart which is
in the possession of the otllcers equipped
witlt range-tinders of delicate precision,
located at a considerable distance from
ihe concealed battery. Till chart is
divided Into minute squares, and as the
enemy's ships cross the intersections
of imaginary lines the men liuudling
the mortars, ulthough they cannot see
the. vessels, aim, load and discharge
with the certainty born of long prac
tice that every shot will tell.
The new mortars, of which 1,000 are
provided for in the existing scheme of
natiouul coast defense, and of which
MO have already been mounted in po
sitions comniuuding the entrances of
the principal harbors on the Ailuntic
coast, tire a 12-iuch shell weighing 1, 000
pounds. This, following a hif;h trajec
tory, is intended to full upon the uu-
armored decks of vessels, and, by ex
plotting, demolish' the machinery, de
Mroy the crew, and perhaps sink the
vesue-1. these weapons each weigh
about 13 tons, are 11 feet 0 inches long,
and their 12-inch rifled bore is M feet in
length. Their greatest diameter at
the breech is 3 feet 2 inches, This
great mass of metal is so nictlly . bal
anced that it can be loaded, aimed and
fired by two men. The loading is per
formed by simple mechunisuis, and
with a trained gun company otsix men,
one accurate shot can be tired every
two minutes. .V. Y. Tribune.
FROLIC OF A TORPEDO BOAT.
Istalu kilorl of M at 0
riost Ib tko lllk am
Hsisss.
In the earlier days of the war, while
the excitement of the new condition
of affairs was Mill at its height, the
commanders of ihe different craft en
gaged in the blockade of Havana were
restless under the monotony of theit
duties, and sometimes did thing, that
were not ordered by the comjiinnder-in-chief.
So writes a naval correspondent
of the Companion, and he proceeds to
narrate a pretty lively adventure as a
case in point.
One particularly dark night the cup
tain of a torpedo boat decided to take
advantage of the darkness and run well
in toward the Morro. With all lights
doused, the boat steamed slowly to
ward the entrance of the harbor until
her crew could hear plainly the surf
breaking on the rocks under the "cas
tle." While the boat rolled lazily in
the swell, the officers tried to make out
the guns and the fortifications at the
harbor mouth.
Suddenly, n the boat gave a heavy
roll, the switch which turned on the
private light signal 'was moved, and a
.lilniie of red and white lights illu
minated the entire boat. Everyone
made a dush to break the connection.
In the rush the colored conk managed
to roll overboard, and us he went ovel
the side he grabbed au. everything
handy. Among the things he took
hold of, unfortunately, was the whistle
rope.
If the boat had been foundering,
nothing more could have been done to
attract attention. The big searchlight
on the . Morro twitched around in an
uncertniu manner and turned slowly,
toward the boat. Before it reached
them the people on the torpedo boat
mnnuged. to turn off the signal; the
spasmodic shrieking of the whistle
stopped when the cook was hauled
aboard, and the boat escaped in the
darkness without a shot being fired at
her.
The- next time his boat went in, the
captain took in his private night sig
nal and the cook had orders to stay in
the gallery. Youth's Companion.
Mmmy Helsrlaas Lemvln Howe.
The population of Belgium is be
coming so numerous that, the country
is no louger able to support all ii-
people, who in consequence are h-nvlng .
their native land Jn urger ninnuci j
every year and accepting situations
abroad. Lust"ycar nearly l(),!O0 work
men took out passports for Bulgaria,
Servia, Boumunia, Russia, China and
Siam. The emigrants consisted chiefly
of quarrymen, metul-worlccrs, glass
blowers and brick makers, but they
Included also a large number of en
gineers, architect and managers of
works, who were leaving Belgium to
take up good appointments. One en
gineer, M. ltouffurt, has- been sum
moned to China by Li Hung Chung to
study the problem of preventing the
inundations) of the Yellow river, and
M. Itolin Jacquemyna, prime minister
to the king of Siam, now in Belgium,
has entered into agreements with sev
eral young magistrates, lawyers, en
gineers and agriculturists, who will
soon start for Bangkok. The first
journal to be produced In the. French
language in Bangkok, the Courier de
Bangkok, was established bv M. Wi-
lcttc, n young Belgian man nf letters,
Inst year. Its object is lo defend Bel
gian industrial 'and comme.roinl Inter
ests on the banks of the Mcnam, Lon
don Pott, . -
UDo You Want
IF SO.
we carry
CALL ON US
and Reapers, Graver Headers and Buffalo Pitts
Thrashers. HUBBARD BROS.,
DETECTIVE AT THE 'PHONE.
HirtksMi4 Hprls of Cimvraasll
Art Take OS? 1st Ik Vtm
trmJ atBtfaa.
There is a young woman in the employ
of the telephone company at its ecu
tral exchange who-issaid to bean cares
dropper. She is a stenographer, and
her duty is to sit at a desk in the cen
tral office and take down lu shorthand
all that passes over any telephone line
that is to be investigated. She sits ull
day with a trumpet ut ber ear, and she
bears both sides of any conversation
that is held over any wire with which
It is desirable that she 'be "cut in."
This is done only at the request of the
subscriber whose telephone is Investi
gated. 'While the stenographer or telephone
detective is making a report of the In
testigation on any one telephone line
she hears nothing that is said on other
lines. She sits at a desk apart, and
every word that she hears is jotted
down in. stenographic characters and
then eopied by her on the typewriter.
This full report of the conversation is
then submitted to the manager of the
telephone company and by him to the
subscriber who has asked for it. If
the typewritten report conveys any in
formation tp the subscriber he acts on
It according to his own idem, and the
matter is a secret between him and the
telephone manuger. The telephone Is
In such a ense a private detective. .
The telephone company is often
called upon to produce verbatim re
ports of conversations over a subscrib
er's telephone, so the young woman
stenographer, who is nn eavesdropper
by employment, is kept quite busy
There are subscribers w hose telephones
are unaccountably in almost constant
use; there are others whose wires are
used for purposes not exactly legiti
mate. These men apply to the tele
phone manager for a report of a day's
or a number of successive days' conver
sations. The telephone company uses
its discretion about giving the informa
tion. asked. While .Smith, however, may
get a report of the conversation on the
telephone for which he pays, the com
pany will not tell him what passes over
Jones' telephone.
A young murried man with a tele
phone iu his little home one day had' a
solemn and earnest conversation with
the telephone manager. His telephone
dt home, said the married man, had been
very bucy for several days, and he
couldn't account for it; neither could
Jils .vniing wife. The recently wedded
man, entertained, however, a very dark
suspicion. The young woman with the
rceeiver'nml the pencil and pad went
to work one morning on his case.
The result was most alarming to the
young marririt man. The typewriter
report showed that us soon as her litin-
bund left home in the morning the wife
enl cd tin a downtown office, and lie
gnu a conversation with one who hhd
been very attentive to her before she
married. That night the wife was con
fronted by an angry spouse. There fol
lowed a domestic "settlement" of fierce
intensity. Kansas City Star.
Oho lit Wife foe He Dress.
"Yes," enid the business man, con
vincingly, "I am very particular about
n woman's drcH. I don't like gaudy
clothe tind T don't like somber colors,
either, but I want something that my
friend Mnivany would call 'betwixt and
uechunc' 1 like a stylish woman, which
means that I admire a neat woman, for
to tny mind no woman can be stylish
who dresses In a slipshod, untidy fash
ion, I like the Inilor-madc girl, fort
she is always well groomed. I chose
my wife first of all for her taste in
dress. She was the only girl I ever
knew who looked equally well in a shirt
waist and a, ball gown, and I don't know
to this day which costume I admired the
most."
' And the business man sauntered
away, smiling rcmlniscently, Chicago
Chronicle.
a inder, Reaper, Header,
j' ""V"
McCormick Roller-bearing Binders
FSTUDEBHKEB I - JHSHjt ;
BP.... ISHBgi
WAGONS
CARRIAGES AND BUGGIES
There in positively no better vchiclu
made than the Studcbakor known and
recommended the world over.
Two car-loads received this week.
$40, $30, $25, $20
Second-Hand Wheels, $5 to $25.
aJBITMANJieniJeirMre.
Shone & Schermerhorn
Not second-hand in principle, but in the matter of goods
they have new and second-hand of all descriptions
Branch House
Gold Hill
IT IS UNFAIR
To send out of town for srtlcles that an tie procured at bomo.
THE MERCHANT
expects all the poople of a town to trade, with hint. And thai is quite
proper and right, becnusc It Is a fair business proposition.
IT 18 JU8T - AS FAIR
for mill men to txpnol merchant and all builders to kuy their Dsera,
Aash, Mouldings, Flooring, Kuitlc, and all Mill Products at bomo.
GRAY 6 BRADBURY'S
Is a home ImstUuUoo. Why
ANatural Query. The I.udy "So you
are a hero of the late war, eh?" The
Tramp "Yet, ma'am 1" The Lady
"Well, what, have you done with tho
money you received for your magazine
articles?" ruck.
"Yes, sir," said the quiet, man, "we
want the army reorganized." "You
think we ought to have more soldiers'?"
"I haven't studied the question that
for. But, from sonic of the remarks
thnt have passed, I don't hesitate to
oonclude that we need more chaplains,"
Washington Star.
Women scarce In Kftriit.
Egypt is the only country in the
world where there are more men than
women, The male sex in the domin
ion of the khcdlve exceeds the feminine
by 1(10,000.
or a
Thrashing Machine?
MEDF0RD
.. .. OREGON
The Second-Hand Men
Buy, sell and exchange
anything on earth. Give
them a call at their store,
j West Side, Medford, Ore
P1AKIN6 Mill
not patronize It t
The transports carrying troops from
Ban Francisco to Manila are to bo armad
with Rix-poundor rifles, for use In cash
of a tea attack by Filipinos,
Tho war ship Iowa has bcuu taken out
of the Port Orchard dry (look on Paget
Souud, after having boon thoroughly
cleaned and gettlug bilgo kools put on.
Our bnby has boon continually
troubled with oollo and cliolora in
fantum nlnco bis birth, and all that wo
could do for htm did not scum to give
moro than temporary relief, until wo
ti led Chamborlain'a Oollo, Oliolcrnnnd
Diarrhoea Remedy. Slnco giving thnt
remedy ho has not boon troubled. We
want to glvo you this testimonial at an
ovldonco ol our gratitude, not that you
need It to advertise your meritorious
remedy. G. M. Law, Keokuk, Iowa,
For sale by Chnt. Strang, drugglat,
Medford; Dr. J, Hinklo, Central Point,
" aooiETms or mbdvord,
i . . '
I. O. (). K.-l.wlRO No. BS.uioet Int. II, f. f. J
ball every Hstunlsy at at p. lu, Vl.ltlim '
brothers slwaritivuleomo. ,
Kiianh AxMNN. N. t.
(1 0, Ndki.k, Hoc, Him,
I. I), i). K. Itoiinu lltt'or icnennipuM'Ut,
Nu. .IU, ini'uts In 1, U. t). K. bull Ibii si'Diiiid umI
(ourtb WmluusiUysof ouuti iiioutbal D p. ui.
I. T. I.Att iim, U. P.
V. T. YoKKi Horllio,
Olive llelwUuli l.oilifu No.WH, iiuwtH In r. O,
O. V. bull Itrst suit nihil 'I'iiksiIiivs of rues
uiunlb, Vlsllluv sisters uivM to sttend, .
Mvuil.k NtviioiihlM, N. (i.
I.U.I.IU Wkavkm, Iteo. Huo.
A. r. A A. M.-Meols Brut Friday on or Us
forefullinooiistHp. in.. In Musuiilv hall,
N. I. Namiikuam, W. M.
W. V, Urrwcorr, Hoo. Hwi.
K. of P. Tullstnsu Imliio No. Ill, nine" Mn
duy rveiiliiH ut e p. in. Visiting brolbers ul
wuya weliumie. 1'. M, WiukiN, U, O.
h, K. col.n, K. of It. uud M
ItnlglitN of the MiiceHiici"'.-''rrluuih Teat
No. II, meets In rouiiliir review un the 1st uud
rU Tuusdsvs of eurli month In A. O. U. W.
Hull utT:!up. hi. Visiting HirKolgbla cordial
ly luvllod toutluiut.
U. L. Vrr.tiu, Cowusndtir,
YY. T VoiiK, It. K.
A. O, U. w l)iKrei ot Honor Kstlier llu
No. 14, meets ovoiy neeoiul uud fourth Turniluy
uventiiK of curb month, ut A. O. U. W. IisH.
MllH. tlAIIIIIK M. Ololioil, (I. ol II.
Milt. I1KI.IA DOIHIII, Itl'O.
A.tl. U. W.-LiHiuo No. Ml, uioxla every nra
tml third WodnoMluy In the moiiib ut H p, in
lu their bull In lliu opr.ru blovk, Vlsitlug
brothers Invllotl lo nlleiul.
J. W. 1.AWT11N, M .W,
N I,, Naiiiisiian, Itneordor.
Woodmen ol tbfl Worlil ( unip No. IU, meets
ovurv KrkUy ovsiilng In Ailliliis-Uvuol block,
siouioru, ureguu.
. II M HKKMH, C I.'.
Jos Hhomk, I'lerk.
fbrysnnlhtimuui tllrelr. No. K4, Wonico uf
WoiKlnnirt. Meets stHMind uud fourth Tuesday
ot iiui'h uiontli ut ?:aiu. io. In Woodmoo ball,
Visiting Klaters Invited.
Iiahsih Wnnu, 0, M,
aha li. yiii.ij., I'lnta.
Vf. It. O.-Cliester A. Arinur Oorps No. m
moetn seeouil ami fourth t-'rlday of oaeb
month ul V oVIook p. m , Ot Woodman's ball,
VUllug alalcra luMlml,
Miu. J II, Wiiiixah flat
MllH, N. II. IlKAltUCRVi Hee.
(I. A, It.-C'ho.lor A. Altbur I'oat No. 17
meela In WiKitlman's ball every aeeoad uud
fnurib Moiiduy night In eseb month at 1 ::.
Vlaltlng t.'umrudea eurdlnlly lnvlto.1 lo attend.
V. A.lloAHiiktAS', Uom.
M. H. Damon, Adlulunl
W. II. T, U. Meets ovory other Vodnwdy
Inthollullnylllook.
Auuic lUu.sv, Pres.
Mia. May l'")t. Hre.
OHTJBOHU or MSOrOU).
Ht Inl Marka Kolaooiw; Hiiudav HrSnni nnnu
st Kiibtconul Cburcb avenr Huiidsv worultis ut
tuo'elueli. Kev. Vt'ai, Hurl, llccturja.b. I'voli,
Buparlbtoudunt
Mothotliat Kplaoopal Cburoslf. N. Hounds,
pantor. I'reucblug avory Habtialb at II a.m.,
and 7 :0 p. in. Hunday acbool ut 10 s. n., II. I.,
tillkey, aupl. Olaaa moellng etir.r Habbalb
at eloan or aermon, l.ovl Kuurott. leader. i:p
worth lengtio every Habbalb evening st 0:9a, ti.
Fauoetl, preat. Itegulal weobly pruyor meet
ing every tVednroduy ntrulug at t :DU. I.adlea'
Hewing elrale every week. Mlaalnnary aoototy
meeta the Ur.it Friday lb oaoh mouth.
Prnabytiirlun L'burcb llov. A. Ilsborly, naa
lor. Pleaching at II a. la. and 7:91 p. tn. Hun
day school ai 10 u. m. Y. I'. H. O. K., disup. m.
Junior Kndnuvor Harlnly at n.iti p. m., Hunday.
Prayer meollug on Wodueaday ovvhlug ul ' -Ui
o'clock
llaptlat ehureh fl, N. Annea, puator. Vt'or
ship aud prcaehlug ovcty Hiimlay uiorulng and
ovoalliK ul uaual liotua for ehureh aervloes.
Covenant invollngoii Hiltuiduyat Vo'oloek pre
oeedlng each Ural Hunduy. 1'ruynr tiiQottng oa
Wodnividay ovimlug. tlapllal Young I'coples
Union meutaut t:.K) on Suuday evoLlug bus
duy school at lu a. m
Christian church Conor ol Hlxtli and 1
aireeta. 1'reacblng st II a. m and T. p. ni.
Hunday school at Ida. oi.;Junolr Endeavor at
3 p. ni.tv, P.H. (J. t. at 0:W p. m. 1'iayor
meeting every Tburaday lvonlng. Ladles
.Missionary Aoslllary to U. W. II. K. VTrat Thura
day 7:90 p. M. oucb month, tioral Union'
ovory Friday ai7:J p. m. Thepcopto wolcoma.
O. J. Olat pastor, Hoaldos at lbs ohuroh.
Mnlhodlst Kplaoopal Ohurrh South Rnv. K.
F. Wilson, paator. Froaohlng every Hunday st
11 a. m. and 7 p. m.i Hunday acbool at 10 u. m.;
r.j,.irii.wi,l pniyor aim oraiao mrotltlg
oaeb Hunduy slip, m.; I'rayorroeotlng Wednea-
...i,,iu,iuv,, nwmni iioiiio Miaaion
Society meets Ural Thursday In euob montli st
:80p.m. Mrs. K. 11, IMoksl. prssident.
TVTORTHERN
PACIFIC RY,
U
13!
Pullman
Sleeping Cars
Dining Cars
Sleeping Cars
Elegant
Tourists
FREE COLONIST : SLEEPERS
MiNNcaroiia
TO
HCICNA AND
THROUGH TICKETS
-TO-
WfCAOO
WA8HINQTOM
PHItADELPMIA '
NEW YORK '
BOSTON AND ALL
POINT6 CAST ANB SOUTH
r
A. D. CHARLTON,
Assistant Oonnral Passongor Anal
No. m Morrison St.. oor Third, .
OltTLAND, OH
Or W. T. York, Ticket Agoul.
Medford, Oregon,
Hotel Nash
Barber Shop
Bates Bros., Props
First allies work In all branches of tho
tonsoriDi art, Suilsfnolion
guarantcod. . .
HOT AND COLD BATHS