Morning Oregonian., January 29, 1900, Page 4, Image 4

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2
THE MORNING OREGONIAN, HONBAX JANtJAKY 29, 1900.
PITCH COAL IN COOS
It Is Associated With the Coal
iiincd on the Bay.
PROBABLY RELATED TO ASPHALT
c a Foliated Structure and Read
ily Split Into Plates Yields
a. Smoky Flame.
Associated with the coal that is mined
at several points in the Coos bay coal
field Js a coaly substance generally known
in that region as pitch coal. It was ob
served and samples -were collected by a
party of the United States geological
survey at two localities Ferrey's mine, at
Riverton, and the Newport mine, at Xilbby
but it has been reported from other
places. These two occurrences are about
33 miles apart, and associated -with differ
ent beds of coal In different basins. The
coal is so crushed that its relation to the
pitch coal could not be clearly made out,
but the pitch coal appears to occur as Ir
regular masses, veins or partings in the
coal, varying from two inches to three
feet in thickness.
The principal occurrence is in the New
port mine, where it is not -uncommon.
The best specimens were collected from a
6mali vertical seam, which passes direct
ly through both benches of coal as well
as the mining and cap rock. The seam,
or rather vein, is about two inches in
diameter, -with -well marked sides, sharply
defined against the coal and associated
rock. Its' mode of occurrence Is therefore
In strong contrast -with that of the lignite,
and suggests that it Is related to asphalt
rather than coal, for the latter very fre
quently occurs in tissues.
The pitch coal has a dark-brown color
with brown streak and lighter brown pow
der. It is rather soft and very brittle,
with irregular, angular fracture. One of
its common physical feature is a foliated
structure, by reason of which it splits into
small, thin plates. This structure in the
best specimen that has been examined
is perpendicular to the walls of the vein.
It readily ignites from a match, melts -with
etrong intumescence, and yields a very
smoky flame. This easy ignition, fusion
and combustion Again suggests that pitch
x:oal Is. related rather to asphalt than to
coaL It is evident hat If the pitch coal
is an asphalt it belongs to a .group of
compounds of which petroleum Is a mem
ber, and may be more closely related to
potroleum than to coal in origin. To dis
cover more fully the chemical nature of
the pitch coal and 'its relation to the New
port coal, samples of both were referred
by J. S. Diller. of the United States geo
logical survey, to Professor William C.
Day for special chemical investigation,
and his report follows. His Investigation
shows conclusively that the pitch coal is
an asphalt, and that Its origin is inde
pendent of that of the coal with which It
Is associated.
The occurrence of asphalt In the oil re
gions of California is not uncommon, and
its genetic relation Is a matter of much
interest. Professor I. C. White, state geol
ogist of West Virginia, who is one of the
highest authorities la. this country on
coal, oil and gas, calls attention to a de
poate of grahamite In Ritchie county, W.
"Va., described by Professor William M.
Fontaine and lately by himself. It fills a
Assure three feet -wide, and was once ex
tensively mined for use in manufacturing
gas. The elementary composition of this
West Virginia asphalt as given by Fon
taine and that of the pitch coal as re
ported by Day are shown in the accom
panying table, where they are seen "to be
quite closely related:
&
..a
!
za
3P
3 X
ov;
5 05
a a
a
3 -3
Pi 0"n
HO 1&
ASPHALT.
or
a
W
West Yirglnia...J76.457.S313.462.25JTr.Tr.
Oregon !72.17i7.90!14.6l4.300.5Slo.52
The special interest growing out of this
similarity is to be found in Professor
White's theory of the origin of the West
Virginia asphalt. He says, in a letter to
3Ir. Diller, dated February 14, 1898:
"It is simply theresiduum of petroleum.
The fissure extends down through under
lying oil sands, and when the crack was
opened petroleum oozed up and the tarry
matters in soiutlon finally plugged up the
xit, just as they will do in an oil well If
not interfered with by the torpedo man.
The fissure has been traced for over a
anile and runs about N. 13 deg. W., being
at right angles to the great volcano an
ticline which extends through that region,
and the upthrust of the latter evidently
caused the rent."
The proof of the correctness of Profes
sor White's view is found in the fact that
"'a great deposit of petroleum has lately
been developed In the immediate vicinity
of the fissure and 1S00 feet under the sur
face." While the presence of pitch coal
in Oregon contains interesting sugges
tions with reference to the occurrence of
petroleum, too little is yet known of the
facts to warrant any predictions.
Coal and Pitch. Coal.
Mr. Day has this to say of the coal and
pitch coal of the Newport mine:
"The questions at issue are: First, Is
the pitch coal a variety of asphaltum?
Second, was it derived In any way from
the coal or is its origin different from that
of the coal ? And, if the latter, is not the
presence of material of the nature of pe
troleum or allied substance indicated as
the original mother substance from which
the pitch coal -was formed?
"Briefly stated, my conclusions are that
the pitch coal Is a variety of asphaltum,
and that It has not been formed from
the coal alone with which It Is associated,
although vegetable material similar to
that which yields coal may have formed
some of the original material which, by
a process of distillation, was converted
into tho pitch coaL From the nitroge
nous bodies -which I have found in the
pitch coal I Judge that animal matter has
been in part, if not entirely, the source
of the pitch coaL In short, the pitch
coal has in all likelihood been formed In
the same general way, as other asphalts
in California which are believed to have
been the result of the distillation of ani
mal and vegetable remains In presence of
hot -water or steam. This is the view en
tertained by Professor S. F. Peckham,
who has studied the petroleums and as
phalts of California m much greater de
tail than any other investigator. Peck
ham's views are summed up in the fol
lowing quotation from a paper by him on
the nature and origin of petroleum:
The circumstances of ray life have brought !ne
Into personal contact wlta deposits of bitumen
ovor a very wide area aid. Tinder such condi
tions as have afforded me very unusual oppor
tunities for a careful study of all the phenom
ena attending1 the appearance of bitumen at
the surface of the earth, the result-Df which
has been to confirm the opinion that I have
heretofore expressed that. In the majority of
Instances, bitumens, from natural e&a to as
phaltum, are, where we now find them, distil
lates. 4T believe, then, fully that the pitch coal
and the associated coal are perfectly In
dependent of each other and are of en
tirely different origin, the pitch coal be
ing formed by methods ascribed to the
asphalts, while the coal is formed from
wood, according to the generally accept
ed views of the formation of coal.
"There are various theories in regard to
the origin of petroleum, natural gas, and
the asphalts, but it Is not necessary to
discuss these theories here, the questions
being, rather, -whether the pitch coal Is
an asphalt, and whether It could have
been formed In situ from the coaL
"The facts considered In drawing conclu
sions include analytical data pertaining
to the pitch coal and the coal, results of
experiments upon the dlstl'lation prod
ucts of both, comparisons -with similar I
products obtained by the distillation of I
gilsonite, and finally the action" of a num
ber of solvents which are customarily em
ployed in investigations and analyses of
the asphalts generally."
Appended are analytical data pertaining
to pitch coal nd associated coal of the
Newport mine. For the elementary analy
sis the specimens were dried at 105 deg.
C. for two hours:
Per
PencenL cent
Pitch coal. Coal.
Carbon 72.17 53.54
Hydrogen 7.90 5.03
Nitrogen 0.58 1.13
Sulphur. 0.52 0.82
Ash , 4.30 6.38
Oxygen 14.61 29.23
Determinations of moisture, volatile
matter, fixed carbon and ash:
Per
Per cent.
Pitch coaL
Moisture at 105 C, 1 hour.. 2.24
Volatile matter 83.69
Fixed carbon 11.41
Ash 2.66
cent.
Coal.
10.7L
44.48
39.02
5.79
The percentage of ash In the asphalt
varies somewhat from one sample to an
other; different samples alsovvary slight
ly in color when powdered. The ash of
teoe0os9oe
o
I ANALYSES OF
e.
o
0
a
e
2
3
ow Rapid heating & ,e
ogsr F v
vZ i c
top c: c& : :
J " ft? o .
: r ? '- :
9.78 42.57 -44.19
11.94 41.48 37.S5
15.45 41.55 34,35
17.27 44.15 32.40
9.66 43.50 35.02
14.84 22.00 50.21
14.78 35.20 40.25
10.05 41.55 44.50
15.49 35,87 44.59
16.30 33.46 42.67
10.42 42.21 43.18
9.56 49.85 35:98
9.54 42.37 43.90
13.90 35.70 45.40
10.30 55.37 26.50
10.43 66.71 13.23
8.10 38.95 43.18
10.59 50,05 33.89
9.55 44.66 40.06
11.63 C6.18 17.31
11.30 41.04 43.63
11.54 49.13 53.76
12.05 60.92 36.23
7.94 41.91 46.95
10.27 45.69 42.74
11.03 44.97 31.99
9.00 44.92 41.74
8.53 42.52 44.43
6.88 48.69 32.05
10.03 53.63 29.70
.79 48.90 36.58
14.24 55.60 22.64
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
23
29
30
31
32
In all the analyses of this table made by Mr. Steiger the volatile mat
ter was determined by heating seven minutes over a Bunsen burner flame
18 centimeters- high, the crucible being placed 8 centimeters above the
burner. The results are given In the columns under "rapid heating.".
Localities of Coals of Wliich. Analyses Are GLven,in the Tabic.
1. Newport mine, shows distinct -woody structure.
Newport mine.
Newport mine, upper bench.
Newport mine, lower bench.
South Marshfield mine, middle bench.
Beaver Hill coal, middle bench, Garden Gulch, Dean & Co., owners.
Beaver Hill coal, lower bench, Garden Gulch, Dean & Co., owners.
Beaver Hill coal, middle bench, Dean & Co.'s property.
Beaver Hill coal, middle bench.
Beaver Hill coal, lower bench.
Beaver Hill coal, Beaver Hill mine.
Beaver Hill coal, Beaver Hill mine, middle bench, 300 feet beneath
9.
10.
1L
12.
surface.
13. Beaver Hill coal (?), near western line of section 19, T. 27 S.,R. 13 W.
14. Urquharfs coal, by river, one-half mile southwest of Riverton.
15. Lyon & Co.'s mine, middle bench, 1 miles south of Riverton.
16. Bunker coal, 28-Inch bed, near Bunker, of Bandon Block Coal Com
pany, at Riverton.
17. Bunker coal, Urquharfs opening on 24-Inch bed, one-halt mile south
of locality 16.
18. Peterson's coal, near the line between sections 9 and 16, T. 28 S., R.
13 W.
IS. Beaver Creek mines (Utter mines), one mile southeast of Coaledo,
coal of upper bench B. r
20.
2L
Top bench of lower coal, 2 miles northeast of Coaledo. ' i " r
Middle coal.
Top coal. -
Coal 1 miles northeast of Henryvllle.
Southport coal, five miles south of Marshfield. . , v
Norton's coal, on Catching slough.
Steva's coal, five miles northeast of Marshfield. ' - t
Near .South slough. - ' - " v
Coal at Aiken's cabin. ' '
Parker's coal, on Seven Mile creek.
Near Dr. Cook's.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
SO.
3L Coal reported from Shasta Costa creek, near Rogue river.
32. Reservoir coal, near Marshfield.
9eaeit98eeettt9ttsiae(lt9(se(ailt
the coal appears to be constant in all
samples so far as examined.
The following analyses made by W. F.
Hillebrand are inserted here for compari
son: Per cent
No. 1. No. 2. No. 3.
Moisture at 105 C, 1
hour 2.000 2.080 11.220
Moisture over H2S04
In vacuo, 4S hours.. 2.010 2.020 12.920
Volatile combustible,
less moisture in
vacuo S3.S80 S2.910 44.310
Fixed carbon, less ash 12.050 10.450 36.770
Ash -2.050 4.620 6.000
Sulphur 0.620 1.000 1.960
Phosphorus 0.002 0.006 1.310
The coke of the pitch coals (1 and 2)
was In hard, black lumps, adhering to
the crucible, while that of the coal (3)
was loose sandy. The ash of both pitch
coals and coal was nearly white.
No. 1 Is pitch coal from Newport mine.
No. 2 is pitch coal from Ferrey's mine
at Riverton.
No. 3 Is coal from Ferrey's mine at
Riverton.
Determinations of silica, iron and alumi
na in ash:
Per
Per cent. cent.
Pitch coal. Coal.
Silica, S102 , 33.39 16.92
Ferric exide. Fe203 4.26 11.53
Alumina, A1203 7.72 11.79
Determinations of solubility in carbon
bisulphide, ordinary ether and petroleum
ether:
Per
Per cent. cent.
Carbon bisulphide Pitch coaL Coal.
Insoluble 26.45 Nearly all
Soluble 63.55 Trace
Ordinary ether
Insoluble 34.21 Nearly all
Soluble 65.79 Trace
Petroleum ether
Insoluble 89.34 All
Soluble 10.66 None
Consideration of Analytical Results.
"An inspection of the figures obtained
as the result of elementary analysis of
pitch coal and coal shows marked differ
ences in the percentages of carbon and
of oxygen, the pitch coal being much
higher in carbon and lower In oxygen than
tho coal. The percentages of ash do not
differ greatly In the two, but, as is evident
from the analyses of the two ashes, there
Is a very marked difference in their com
position as well as In their appearance.
"In the quantity of moisture given off
at 105 deg. C. a much larger proportion is
evident for the coal than for the pitch
coal, while under strong heat the latter
gives off a much higher percentage of
volatile matter than the former.
"The figures of the elementary analy
sis -of pitch coal do not resemble those of
the analysis of any one of 65 different
coals considered in Dana's 'Mineralogy.'
Comparing the same figures with those
of asphalt analyses, however, they do
agree fairly well with those of asphalt
from Auvergne, which are as follows:
Per cent. Per cent
Asphalt. Pitch coaL
Carbon 77.64 72.17
Hydrogen 7.86 7.0
Oxygen 8.35 14.61
Nitrogen 1.02 0.50
Ash 5.13 - 4.C0
"Most of the recorded .analyses of as
phalts are open to question, and there Is
much need of revision.
"Tha figures for the Oregon coal agree
fairly well with those of a brown coal
from Meissen; Saxony, as follows:
Per cent
Meissen Oregon
" - coal. coal.
Carbon 7 58.90 58.54
Hydrogen ... ,.. .... 5.'36 5.03
Oxygten 21.63 29.23
Asn -.. 7.50 6.38
"I nave been unable to find any analysis
of an asphalt which bears any resem
blance to the analysis f the coal just giv
en; the percentages of carbon in asphalts
are always much higher than 58.
"When I first observed the ashes of the
pitch ccal and the coal. I was much im
pressed with their different color, and the
presence In the pitch coal ash of sharp,
angular particles which were entirely ab
sent in the ash from the coal. The color
of the pitch coal ash was nearly white,
while that of the coal ash was brown, in
dicating a larger percentage of oxide' jof
irofei. These observations led me to make
determinations of silica, iron and alumi
num in the two ashes. Oomparlng the
results obtained, it is evident that the
percentage of silica in the pitch coal
(33.61) is just about twice the amount
present in the coal (16.92); on the other
COOS BAY COAL.
Physical properties of ,coke.
3.46" 0.91 Sooty, partly coherent.'
8.73 1.32 Sooty, noncoherent. '
8.05 2.55 Will not coke.
6.18 1.37 Will not coke.
11.82 3.08 Will not coke.
2.35 ,
9.77 .-.
2.90 Does not coke.
-4.05 ,
7.57
4.19 0.C9 Sooty, very slightly coherent. r
4.61 0.94 Does not coke.
4.19 1.85 Does not coke.
5.00 ,
7,83 0.38 Does not coke.
9.63 0.37 Does not coke.
9.77 4.28 Does not coke. -
5.47 0.56 Will not coke. I
50 1.12 Will not coke. v
4.86 0.59 Will not coke. -
4.03 2.10 Will not coke.
5.57 0.49 Will not coke.
10.79 4.3S Will not coke. ,?
3.20 0.28 Will not coke.
1.30 0.94 Coke fair.
12.01 2.01 Will not coke. . '
4.34 1.97 Will not coke. - w
4.52 0.82 Will not coke.
12.38 1.50 Will not coke.
6.64 3.06 Will not coke.
13.73 6.25 Coke good.
7.52 0.32"
hand, the figures for the combined oxides
of iron and aluminum in the coal ash are
about twice those obtained for the pitch
coal ash. The two materials, then, so far
as ash can serve to indicate, are not of
the same origin, since we should hardly
expect such marked difference in miner
al constituents If the pitch coal had been
formed from the coal or from the woody
matter which seems to have given rise
to the coal. I am inclined to give con
siderable weight to the evidence furnished
by this comparison of the two ashes.
"A most marked difference appears be
tween pitch coal and the associated coal
when we consider the action of the sol
vents carbon disulphide, ether, and petro
leum ether or naphtha. The coal, as
would be expected, Is almost entirely in
soluble in the liquids named, while the
pitch coal dissolves to a greater or less
extent In all three, 63.55 per cent being
soluble in carbon disulphide, 65.79 per cent
in ether and 10.66 per cent In petroleum
ether. In short, so far as the action of
solvents is concerned, the pitch coal acts
like an asphalt, while the coal shows no
such conduct.
Products of Dry Distillation.
"A quantity of pitch coal was placed In
a hard glass retort and heated. It very
soon melted, forming a thick, black
liquid, which promptly gave off moisture,
accompanied by a dense white smoke.
Soon afterwards, oil was noticed con
densing in the upper part of the retort
and running back to the heated liquid.
The dripping of oil into the receiver soon
began; it -was at first dark and turbid
looking and mixed with a small amount
of moisture. After a time the color be
came lighter and took on a greenish cast;
later still, and toward the end of the dis
tillation, it became dark red and so vis
cous that It would hardly flow.
"The general conduct of pitch coal in
distilling Is very similar to that of gilson
ite under the same treatment, except that
foaming' takes place in distilling gilson
ite, while pitch coal shows very little ten
dency to foam in distillation, which is
regular and uniform throughout. The
odor of the oil from pitch coal is of the
same character as, but not Identical
with, that from gilsonite. As in the case
of gilsonite, ammonia was quite freely
evolved toward the end of the distilla
tion, as shown by strong odor and Imme
diate action upon wet litmus paper. The
distilled oil was next subjected to distilla
tion with steam; L c. It was put Into a
flask with water, and the latter was
boiled, and the steam and volatile oil
were condensed in an ordinary Liebig's
condenser. t
"The oil thus volatilized came over with
the steam as a yellowish-green oil float
ing on the surface of the condensed water.
After a time the oil becomes darker in
color. The volatilization of oil with steam
after a time comes to a definite and rather
abrupt end, leaving undistilled a dark,
rather viscous, and tarry liquid of disa
greeable odor floating on the water in the
distilling flask.
"The -conduct of this oil in distilling with
steam is identical with that of oil from
gilsonite when similarly distilled with
steam, except that the odors are different
enough to distinguish one kind from the
other, although they are of the same char
acter. "On shaking the oil, volatile with steam,
with dilute sulphuric acid, the latter ac
quires, on settling off, a flesh-colored tint,
showing that something has been dis
solved; neutralization of this acid with an
alkali (potassium hydroxide solution)
gives at once a light, nearly white precipi
tate, which is again readily soluble In
dilute acid. This conduct again is ex
actly like that which distillate from gil
sonite shows. This action of dilute acids
upon asphalt oil or petroleum, was first
noticed, so far as I know, by Professor
3. F. Peckham, in connection with Cali
fornia petroleum. He has shown that the
crude petroleums of California contain
esters made up of basic oils in combina
tion with an exceedingly viscous, feebly
acid, tar. When the crude oils are treated
with dilute acid, this acid radical forms
a hydrate which produces with the other
constituents of the petroleum an emul
sion from which the aqueous acid solu
tion of the basic oils Is separated with
much difficulty. He also claims that the
basic oils belong to the pyridine and quin
ollne series. Peckham's description of the
conduct of California petroleum fits very
perfectly, indeed, my experience with gil
sonite from Utah and the pitch coal now
Jn hand. Similarity in origin is therefore
suggested, although, of course, It can not
be regarded as proved.
"A quantity of the Oregon coal was also
subjected to heat in a retort in the same
manner as the pitch coal. The conduct
of the coal was most decidedly different;
there, was no melting oreven apparent soft
ening; moisture was promptly and quite
freely given off, but the only distillate ob
tained was a very small quantity of thick,
black coal tar, such as is usually obtained
in greater or less degree from the destruc
tive distillation of various kinds of coal,
as in the manufacture of illuminating gas.
Most of the volatile matter given off ap
peared to be gaseous and uncondensable.
There was too small a quantity of this
distilled tar to do anything further with
it."
A VISIT FROM A GRIZZLY.
A Yellowstone Pnrlc Hotel Defended
by a Man With a Hose.
In the closing installment of his "Bi
ography of a Grizzly" in the January
Century, Mr. Seton Thompson describes
the singular experience of a Yellowstone
Park hotel-keeper:
Many years ago a wise government set
aside the headwaters of the Yellowstone
td be a sanctuary of wild life forever. In
tho limit of this great wonderland the
ideal of the Royal Singer was to be
realized, and none were to harm or make
afraid. No violence was to be offered to
any bird or beast, no ax was to be car
ried Into its primitive forests, and tha
streams were to flow on forever unppllut
ed by mill or mine. All things were to
bear witness that such as this was the
West before the white man came.
.. The wild animals quickly found out all
this. They soon learned the boundaries of
this unfenced park, and, as every one
knows, they show a different nature with
in its sacred limits. They no longer shun
the face of man, they neither fear nor
attack him, and they are even more tol
erant of oneanother In this land of refuge.
Peace and plenty are the sum of earth
ly good; so, finding it there, the wild
creatures crowd into the park from the
surrounding country, and are found there
In numbers that are not elsewhere to be
seen.
The bears are especially numerous about
the Fountain hotel. In" the woods, a
quarter of a mile off, all the kitchen gar
bage is dumped, and each year a greater
number of bears gather there during the
months that the hotel is running, for the
sake of the abundant feed on the gar
bage heap. It is a common thing now
to see a dozen bears feeding there at
one time. They are of all kinds black,
brown, cinnamon, grizzly, sllver-tlp,
roachbacks, bfg and small, families and
rangers, from all parts of the vast sur
rounding country. All seem too realize
that in the park no violence is allowed,
and the most ferocious of them have
here put on a new behavior. Although
scores of bears roam about this choice
resort, and quarrel among themselves,
perhaps, over tjie. best feeding and drink-ing-pldces,
there has never yet been a
man hurt by any one of them.
One day the owner of the Palette ranch
came through the park. During his stay
at the Fountain hotel he went to the
garbage dump to see the bears. There
were several black bears feeding, but
they made way for a huge grizzly that
came about sundown. . . .
"That," said the man who was acting
as guide, "is the biggest grizzly in the
park; but he is a peaceable sort, or Lud
knows what'd happen."
"That!" said the ranchman, in aston
ishment, as the grizzly came hulking
nearer and loomed up like a load of
hay in the pine Woods. "That! if that
is not Meteetsee Wahb, I never saw a
bear in my life. Why," that is the worst
grizzly that ever rolled a log in the Big
Horn basin."
"It ain't possible," said the other, "for
he's here every summer, July and Au
gust, an' I reckon he don't live so far
away."
"Well, that settles it," said the ranch
man; "July and August is Just the time
we miss him on the range; and you can
see for yourself that he is a little lame
behind and has lost a claw of his left
front foot I know now whert Wahb puts
In his summers, but I did notsuppose that
the old reprobate would know enough
to behave himself away from home."
The old grizzly became very well known
during the successive hotel seasons. Once
only did he really behave ill. and that
was the first season he appeared, before
he fully knew the ways of the park.
He wandered over to the hotel one day,
and in at the front door. In the hall he
reared up his eight feet of stature as the
guests fled In terror; then he went Into
the clerk's Office. The man said: "All
right; if you need this office more than
I do, you can have it," and, leaping over
the counter, locked himself In the tele
graph office, to wire the superintendent
of tho park: "Old grizzly in the office
now; seems to want to run hotel; may
we shoot?"
The reply came: "No shooting allowed
in park; use the hose." Which they did,
and, wholly taken by surprise, the bear
leaped over the counter, too, and ambled
out the back way, with a heavy thud
thudding of his feet and a rattling of
his claws on the floor. He Rassed through
the kitchen as he went, and, picking up a
quarter of beef, took it along.
This was the only time he was known
tc do ill, though on one occasion he was
led into a breach of the peace by an
other bear. This was a large she black
bear, and a -noted mischief-maker. She
had a wretched, sickly cub that she was
very proud of so proud that she went
out of her way to seek trouble on his
behalf. And he, like all spoiled children,
was the cause of much bad feeling. She
was so big and fierce that she could bully
all the other black bears, but when she
tried to drive oft old Wahb, she received
a pat from his paw that sent her tumbling
like a football. He followed her up, and
would have Jellied her, for she had broken
the peace of the park, but she escaped
by climbing a tree, from the top of which
her miserable little cub was apprehen
sively squealing at the pitch of his voice.
So the affair was ended; in future the
black bear kept out of Wahb's way, and
he won the reputation of being a peace
able, well-behaved bear. Most persons
believed that he came from some remote
mountains, where were neither guns nor
traps to make him sullen "and revenge
ful. a
His Place.
Catholic Standard and Times.
Father So you've resigned your situa
tion again?
Son Yes, sir; it was too hard.
Father Too hard! Don't you know that
no situation is perfectly easy?
Son Yes, sir. That's why I want no
situation.
1 c
A .series of experiments made at Kiel during
the lapt two ye,ars have shown that of all met
ala used In shipbuilding an amalgam of Iron
and zinc Is least subject to deterioration from
the influence of sea water.
FIrAKTS AND METHODS IMPORTED
FROM1 AMERICA.
Hotr the Industry Hob GroTrn Den-
nite Limit in ,. Tnnn.
Production There.
ON THE TRANSCASPIAN RAILWAY,
July 21. Cotton- is the chief product of
Turkestan. Even before the Russians
came considerable quantities of the fiber
were raised and manufactured locally,
and since the conquest the industry has
been extended with great rapidity. In ac-
cordance with the Russian policy to ob-
tain the best Information on all subjects
wherever it may be found, the govern-
ment has sent several of its most compe-
tent students to the United States to
study the methods of cotton cultivation In
the Southern states, and upon their return
has placed them In charge of important
experimental stations in the Central As
iatic provinces, where their new informa
tion could be applied practically. I have
met three or four Russian agriculturists
who have gained their experience In tho
United States, and who, remembering the
courtesy and the assistance they had
there, are' anxious to aid me and inform
me in every way in their power.
Mr. Rauner, the attache of the minis
ter of agriculture, whom I met In St.
Petersburg and with whom I was to trav
el through Turkestan, is one of these. He
has studied the cultivation of cotton, to
bacco and sugar In the United States,
with special reference to the arid regions
of Turkestan. Now he is the chief of the
administration of agriculture and crown
domains in Central Asia, and is sharing
in the work of developing the great es
tate of the emperor of Russia near Merv,
which is to obtain its water supply from
the extensive Irrigation works now near
Ing completion on the Murghab. Inciden
tally I might mention that I am leaving
Central Asia without meeting Mr. Rauner
again, after all the appointments made in
St. Petersburg and our efforts to meet
this side of the Caspian. He reached
Tashkend the day I left, and We ex
changed calls in haste, each failing to find
the other at home.
No cotton Is grown in European Rus- I
sia, but in Turkestan the plant has been
an important factor of industry for hun
dreds of years, and the increase In pro
duction since the Russian occupation has
been constant. Even In the early period
after cotton came Into Turkestan from
Southern Asia, while it was becoming
acclimated far to the northward of its
place of origin and was developing Into
several local varieties, it was an arti
cle of export into the neighboring coun
tries. Farmers did not devote themselves
exclusively to the one crop, however, but
practically diversified agriculture and
mixed cotton fields in with those for
wheat, barley and other staples.
Russia had been the chief customer for
Turkestan cotton for many years before
the conquest, the condition of the Russian
market being the most potent influence In
regulating the production year by year.
During the civil war in America, Russia
was unable to obtain the normal quantity
of cotton, so that the demand on Turke
stan increased rapidly, prices went up and
the industry advanced to its highest devel
opment. Bokhara, Khiva and the other
khanates of Central Asia rose to the emer
gency in a manner to surprise the world,
and brought the Russian mills through
their crisis without much distress. Dur
ing the years of fighting which ended
when the Russian occupation of Turke
stan was complete the production was ma
terially reduced, but after quiet came to
the khanates again Russian energies were
directed toward restoring the industry.
At that time the empire was buying all
the cotton for its mills from the United
States a d Egypt, and it was evident that
the establishment of the industry on a
commercial basis would be quite as im
portant for Russia as for Central Asia.
Introduced American Cotton.
The first step was to Introduce the
American cotton plant, which was supe
rior to the native varieties. Ten years of
unsuccessful experiment proved that sea-
island cotton could not stand the dry cli
mate of Turkestan. Then efforts were di
rected toward the acclimatization of
American upland cotton. The result was
favsrable in every way, and since 18S0
all the progress of the industry has been
with this variety. An experimental plan
tation was established in Tashkend under
the direction of Russian agriculturists
who had studied In America; pamphlets
were printed in Russian and In the native
languages of Central Asia instructing
farmers in the methods of cultivation of
this cotton, these being distributed free
in large numbers; American seed was dis
tributed free of charge to all who would
apply for it, and the sale of cotton from
American seed was guaranteed.
As was to be expected, these measures
soon showed results. Planters who had
divided their land among various crops
began to devote their attention to cotton.
American gins were ordered, and with
the Introduction of American methods of
cleaning and assorting the fiber the price
of American cotton grown in Turkestan
soon rose far above the price of the prod
uct in the Russian markets. With those
conditions in effect there has been no in
terruption in the annual Increase In tho
area under cultivation, and the production
of cotton either in Russian Turkestan'
proper or the semi-independent khanates
of Bohkara and Khiva.
There is no doubt that the Russians
have learned most of the knowledge of
cotton cultivation which they possess from
the United States and that consequently
there is not much which we can learn
from them about it. Nevertheless, its
rapid extension as a profitable commer
cial Industry and the share it may have
in competition with American cotton In
European markets give it a definite
American interest.
Methods' of cultivation of the cotton
plant in Turkestan are not yet invariably
fixed. There are still pioneers in the
industry who are frying experiments in
the effort to improve the quality and
quantity of the yield and to reduce tha
expense of production by improved meth
ods. These experiments run usually to
different systems of preparing the soil,
of sowing and of irrigating. Most of this
experimentation, however, is done by
Russian planters who have gone into the
enterprise as a commercial proposition, j
FR.UIT SELLERS AT FEDCHENKE, PROVIXCB OF FERGHAXA.
and there has been little change in the
methods of the Asiatic planters them
selves. The large Russian plantations axe
morje numerous in the neighborhood of
Tashkend. with others in the region of
Samarkand and the Ferghana territory.
throusrh which the latest extension of the
i railway runs. Most of the local planters
break the soil with primitive Asiatic wood
en plows; with cast steel shares, harrow
I the field wltha single board, cover the seed
i V han3. apply fertilizer only in excep-
tional cases, pay no attention to the
choice of seed, sow broadgast, and alto
gether use the most primitive methods
throughout. In spite of this, tho condi
tions of soil and climate are so favorable
tnat tbe harvests are satisfactory. When
people adopt modern methods, as- they
are certain to do In time, the cotton of
Turkestan will become an Important por-
tion of the world's production,
The most difficult information to obtain
in Russia Is that which Involves recent
figures, and I have no statistics at hand
later than those for the crop of four
years ago. At that time, however, the
area planted to cotton In the three prov-
inces of Turkestan proper Sir Daria.
Samarkand and Ferghana was approxi
mately 500,000 acres, with a total yield of
raw cotton of about 120,000 tons. This
was more than double the area under
cultivation in 1890, and the yield was in
creased in the same time from some
25,000 tons to nearly 120.000 tons. If to
this is ad Jed the annual crop of the
khanate of Bokhara, amounting to some
32,000 tons, and the 8000 tons of Khlvan
cotton, all of which goes to the Russian
market, the total of approximately 160,000
tons is reached for the central Asiatic
yield of 1S95. Since that time the province
of Transcaspia has begun to add ap
preciable quantities to the total and the
Increase has been constant In the other
provinces, though perhaps not as rapid
as from 1S90 to 1895. Transcaspia, Indeed,
Is counted on by the Russians to con
tribute generously to their cotton pro
duction as soon as several notable irri
gation works now under way are com- ,
pleted, and considerable money already
has been Invested in cotton enterprises
In that arid territory.
Further Extension Limited.
Russian authorities here in ' central
Asia are proud of the remarkable devel
opment of the Industry In their territories,
but they are frank to say that further ex
tension has Its very definite limits. Com
paratively few lands suitable for growing
cotton remain unoccupied, and an increase
of the Irrigation systems is necessary If
the limit is not to be reached within a
few years. It Js planned, therefore, to
use more intelligently the .water supply
that comes down from the mountains Into
the Sir Daria river, as well as the Amu
Daria, for this purpose. The Grand Duke
Nicholas, cousin of the late emperor, has
one of these great works under way on
the Sir Daria, not far from where the rail
way to Tashkend crosses the river, and
the emperor himself, when his immense
estates on the Murghab are fully devel
oped by irrigation from the Sultan Bent
dam. wiH be the greatest cotton planter
in Transcaspia. However, with all this
work completed and the production brought
to its maximum, Russian statisticians cal
culate that the total cotton yield of
Turkestan and Transcaspia, with the
khanates of Bokhara and Khiva, is not
likely to pass 400,000 tons annually.
The varieties of American upland cot
ton most commonly grown in Turkestan
are those known in the United States
as New Orleans, Ozler silk, Peterkin,
Texas, Dixon and Duncan's mammoth
prolific. The local Asiatic plant Is grown
In several different varieties, but in the
trade it usually bears the name of the
place of its origin, as, for example, Tash
kend and Khokand cotton. The number
of Irrigations varies with local condi
tions, but there are usually two or three
after sowing, one in the fall and one in
the spring just before sowing. Autumn
plowing is not generally practiced. Sow
ing Is begun as early as April 1, but the
average season for sowing is nearer the
end of the month.
The cotton crop is dependent upon ex
ceedingly various causes, of which the
condition of the weather in the autumn
months Is the most Important. If the
autumn Is warm and there are no- frosts
the harvest may continue till December,
but frosts In September reduce the qual
ity and the quantity of the yield. In
consequence of the greater frequence of
these frosts the crop is not as certain In
the northern cotton fields around Tash
kent as in Ferghana. Rains are not a
matter of concern to the planter, as the
weather Is usually clear and dry through
out the entire period of growth.
Modern agricultural implements are
found only in those places where Rus
sian cotton planters are settled. With the.
mass of the native population the omatch
and the ketmen are still in use. The
omatch Is a wooden plow of the simplest
construction, with an Iron plowhead. but
vnrrTjn rtr.s: tronntod -with nitrht
fulness, aversion to society, which deprive you of your manhood. UNFITS YOU
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Dr. Walker's methods are regular and scientific He uses no patent nostrums
or ready-made preparations, but cures the disease by thorough me.dicnl treatment.
His New Pamphlet on Private Diseases sent Free to all men who describe their
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plain envelope Consultation free and sacredly confidential. Call on or address
Doctor Walker, 132 First St.. Corner Alder, Portland, Or.
"HE THAT WORKS EASILY WORKS SUCCESSFULLY"
'TIS VERY EASY TO CLEAN HOUSE WITH
without a moldbonrd. By harnessing
bulls, horses or camels, and sometimes
all three, to the- long yoke, the earth is
turned up to the depth of about one foo.
It is heavy, inadequate and extravagant
in labor, but it costs not more than a
dollar, so the peasant makes up for its
deficiencies by repeated plowings.- The
ketmen ii a sort of handpick with wh'ch
the natives do every thing that a piow wal
not do. TRUMBULL. WHITE.
NEW RAILWAY RATES.
Controversy BetTvccn Railroad and
Interstate Commission.
Baltimore Sun.
Tha Railway Age Is at' pains to show
that the chief object of the shippers who
engaged the interstate commerce commis
sion in an Inquiry Into the new classifica
tion of freight by the trunk lines was to
induce the comm.sslon and attorney-general
of the United States to take the posi
tion that the concerted action of the rail
roads in agreeing upon a freight classifi
cation was a violation of the Sherman
anti-trust law. The commission declined
to Interfere or take action until the new
classification had taken effect and proof
of actual injustice under it was shown.
The attorney-general has just refused to
get an Injunction against the operation of
the new classification, and affirms that
the anti-trust law does not apply to it. Tho
remedy of the shippers, if one be needcT,
lies, he suggests, with the Interstate com
merce commission. As the new clasaiflca
tlon Increasing rates somewhat on cer
tain art-qles by reason of the Increased
cost of labor, iron and other material
took effect yesterday, there will be an
early opportunity, It Is intimated, for In
jured parties to get justice under the ex
isting laws.
It is noteworthy that the Interstate
commerce commission has long been try
ing to get the railroads to make a uniform
classification applying to the entire Union.
Senator Cullom, in his bill to amend the
Interstate commerce regulation law, re
quires the railroads to formulate a "na
tional" or uniform classification. Both the
commission and the reputed father of the
commission approve, it appears In princi
ple the joint classification that the trunk
lines have made, and would like to see a
like agreement covering the railroads of
the whole United States, The Ag natu
rally thinks the proposal of the shippers
to prevent any two railroads from agree
ing to observe an identical casslflcation
of freight absurd, since without agree
ments every railroad might have its own
classification, and the aggregate cost of
sending merchandise from Baltimore to
San Francisco could be ascertained only
by adding together the local rates of a
dozen different classifications, each subject
to constant variation. That would be re
verting to old ways with a vengeance,
the Age thinks, and abolishing "through"
rates which would be folly.
But the milk In the cocoanut Is not so
much, perhaps, tho new classification ai
the fact that under it freight rates on cer
tain articles are advanced. If It resulted
in a'new reduction of rates, the shippers
would not, perhaps, have objected. They
had two strings to their bow to prove that
each Increase of rate is excessive and un
just, or get the whole classification st
aside as in violation of existing law. Hav
ing failed in the latter course, they still
have admirable fighting ground in fh-
rates themselves. If It be true that the
railroads are trying to obtain excessive
remuneration for their services as freight
carriers, the interstate commerce commis
sion, which has never been accused of par
tiality to the railroads, may be trusted to
detect the fact and bring pressure to bear
In the proper place. It Is not unlikely
that here and there some article has been
unduly advanced. But this cannot be as
sumed, the commission says. In advance
of a specific complaint and Inquiry. The
railroads, it Is to be observed, complain
for their part that iron, steel rails, loco
motives, cars, wages and all kinds of ma
terial cost much more now than they did
IS months ago, so that increased remunera
tion Is but reasonable. The shippers, they
say, are getting increased profits and are
prosperous and ought to be willing to give
the railways a share of prosprity. TIma
will show which side is in tho right.
o
Wild Fruit.
Longman's Magazine.
The cultivation of currants and goose
berries was unknown among the Greeks
and Romans, and dates only from the
16th century. It has been a matter of
dispute whether those shrubs should be
considered as genuine natives of Great
Britain, but in the light of further re
search, this claim to be indigenous, at
least In the north of England, will now
hardly be denied. In the southern coun
ties, though the species are now common
enough in woods and thickets, it Is pos
sible that they may be escapes from cul
tivation. It Is interesting to notice that
the illustrious John Ray speaks of black
currants as "squlnancy berries," a name
which shows that they were commonly
used then, as now, in cases of sore throat.
He also mentions the bush as growing
wild "here In our neighborhood by the
Hoppet bridge, near Braintree," in Essex,
where, however, it is no longer to be
found.
The fruit of the wild elder, which, says
old Culpeper, need not bo described,
"since every boy that plays with a. pop
gun will not mistake another tree Instead
of elder," is still gathered by country
people for the purpose of making elder
berry wine, which Is held to possess con
siderable medicinal virtue. "If," say3
John Evelyn, "the medicinal properties of
the leaves, bark and berries of this tree
were thoroughly known, I cannot tell
what our countrymen could ail for which
they might not find a remedy from every
hedge, either for sickness or wound."
These so-called natural remedies are now
seldom employed; it is therefore the mora
interesting to notice that elderberry wine
is still frequently used by poor people in
country places.
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