J
PORTLAND. AUGUST
1908.
It ft
BV WINTER BYLES.
THE first scientifically constructed
inland harbor, built especially for
the launching and landing of bal
loon and alrrtilps. Is receiving the flt
ishlng touches of skilled workmen at
Fort Omaha, headquarters station of
the United States Signal Corps, an! the
contractors expect to turn it over to
L'ncle Sam during the last week In Sep
tember. Aeronautic stations bui'.t by
other countries are obsolete In compari
son with the up-to-date, modernly-cori-atructed
airship yard to be used oy the
Signal Corps. Every scientific appliance
known to aerial navigation has been
adopted 1n the construction of thU sta
tion, and it will be the finest In the
world. With the completion of this
finely-equipped plant, it l not too much
t5 say that, notwithstanding Count Zep
pelin's recent successes, the Yankee will
lead the world In aeronautic achieve
ments, for the reason that he has built
with a view to overcoming the v?rv dis
asters whtch brought Zeppo'lin's efforts
to a destructive ending. There are only
three other plants In the world that in
any manner compare with that at Fort
Omaha France. England and Germany
each has one and their architecture Is
of the back-date variety.
The Signal Corps has been at work for
more than two years building and equip
ping the balloon station at Fort Omaha
and even the people in the vicinity of the
old fort did not realize what was bei-g
accomplished until the mammoth step'
frame of the balloon house began to rise
before their eyes. A finished ballooning
dock Is as important an adjunct to the
safe and successful launching of air
ship as the harbor Is to the safety of
ocean-going craft, and the officers of
Wealth Accumulation Basest IDesire
A Socialist s Answer to an Editorial Vpon "The Strong and the Weak."
(Thl rt!cl rtqiilre no analytical exam1
lntion or refutation. It la Printed m
Oreginlan merely to giva a Socialist writer
his -.")
BY THOMAS SLADDETX.
THE Editor of The Oregonlan states
that "it is ot the business of so
ciety and its laws to require the
active, earnest, prudent, purposeful mem
bers to carry the idle, worthless, ineffi
cient ones." Then why does It do It? The
Editor seems to have overlooked the laws
of inheritance, which in many instance
make the "active and earnest members of
society"' carry not only the Inefficient
ones, but also their "lackeys and ladles,"
Including French maids and veterinarians
to attend the wants and ailments of their
poodle pups, and rehabilitate feudal chau
teaus for the occupancy of worthies rudi
ments of a former state of civilization.
That the strCng shall ever rule the weak:
very few would care to deny, and that a
Socialist should at times drift into the
realms of the "Ideal." especially .when due
consideration is taken of tho surroundings
In present society and the ideal educaUon
he gets from capitalist newspapers should
awaken no surprise. Expediency, being
one of the weapons of modern civilization,
the Editor, then, should not wonder at it
that at this late day he is confronted
with his own weapon.
The theory of evolution in biology, as
well as in human society, has clearly
demonstrated the law of struggle and sur
vival of the most fit, but that same the
ory has brought along with It the theory
of change. That the fit of today are the
unfit of tomorrow, that the intellectual
of one age Is the Imbecile of the next,
that the strong organism In one cycle is
the weak in another; these matters are
carefully ecreened in the majority of
cases. In a mountain fastness was a
powerful chief. Around him were gath
ered a few powerful followers. All passers-by
paid him toll, and Industry was
carried on for his support. He was the
strong. But in the twinkling of an eye
a change came. Gunpowder was Invented
and when this robber baron descended
from his mountain fastness he was con
fronted with a row of bayonets. The
weak had become strong and the strong
weak. Business had become tne dominant
factor in society and the man who "was a
good worker and attended assiduously to
business became the strong, and pros
pered. But the method of carrying on
business changed and he who attended as
siduously to business became again weak.
Another factor had entered. The man
who knew little of business, but had a
capacity for organization became strong.
He left the realms of business to the
weak and he began to organize the dif
ferent business properties under one
head. He began to gamble on the stock
exchange. The great gambler became the
strong and the business man became the
weak. If we will carefully study the
pages of history we shall find that the
strong Is not' a term that can be used in
the absolute sense. The Editor uses the
term Justice, but Justice is merely an ab
straction. We must know many things
surrounding a given people before we can
determine what Is Justice, and even then
in its last analysis it is nothing but an
Individual opinion. Today the are so
many theories of Justice that the Editor
of The Orcgonian would have a hard
time in fl rawing up an acceptable line of
demarkation between a criminal and a
philanthropist.
"To which does primacy belong: to me
chanical work or to mental speculation?"
According to the theory of the Editor of
The Oregonian. poverty has always ex
isted. It has existed at different times
In different cycles, but It has always been
a forerunner of disaster to the Nation or
system in which It found root. If over
turned Roman slave civilization, medi
mm
. .r. .!:
"BALLOON- HOUSE
-DURING :F2iieior
OF. construction;
the Signal Corps were far-sigh ted
enough to comprehend this fact when
they began their preparations to comply
with other worlds than ours for luc.vss
in balloon and airship experiments.
All Under the Signal Corps.
Congress has steadfastly declined to
view with sincerity the balloon work of
the Sienal Corps and for that reason U
has not been possible to secure any ipe
cial appropriations for experiments or
construction. The Fort Omaha balloon
plant has been built entirely out of the
regular Signal Corps appropriation,
which has resulted in a partial setback
to desired accomplishments In other
branches' of the signaling service.
Many prejudices have been overcome,
but many more are still blocking -.the
work of the corps. Captain Charles B.
Hepburn, commanding officer at Fort
Omaha in the absence of Colonel GJass
ford. said that, while the efficiency of
the Signal Corps has been shown to he
greater than that -of any other country
In the world, the relative sise of this
branch In no wise compares with other
branches of the Army.
"With any kind of a war coming on,
the United States would at once raise an
army of not less than 300.000 men." de
clares Captain Hepburn. "This could
be done without going beyond the ranks
of our militia, which is composed of men
almost up to the standard of trained
soldiers. But our Signal Corps could
only present a skeleton for such a vast
army, and we would have no trained
men from which to recruit our ranks.
For that reason, we would make a sorry
showing compared with other branches,
simply from lack of number. In my es
tlmatlon. the corps should be put on a
aeval feudalism; may capitalist civiliza
tion "profit by their example."
The Editor would make much of a new
idol, "the Intellect." Is there so great a
quantltlve difference between the intellect
of a linotype operator and the Editor of
the "New York American?" Or is It a
qualitative difference? Is the head of a
Rockefeller possessed of a superior qual
ity of gray matter to that of a Burbank,
who has never yet been able to earn his
own living? Would the editor of The
Oregonlan think a great Injustice were
done if laws were passed and became op
erative which made It possible for the
brain capacity of a Burbank to obtain a
reward as great as oily John? What is
intellect, anyway? A genius is a man
with a lob-sided brain. So is a lunatic.
If the brain lobs In a direction which en
ables that man to do those things which
are pleasurable to a society at a given
time, we call that man a genius. If the
brain lobs so as to cause that man to do
those things which do not give us pleas
ure, we put him in a nut factory. Every
man's brain lobs in one way or another,
and If every man's brain except one
lobbed in the same direction as the man
that we had in the lunatic asylum, tnen
the only sane man would he the Insane
man and the sane men would all be crazy.
"Some men can do things that others
can't." Will the Editor stick by that?
Certainly he will not. It falls flat imme
diately it is put to the test. I can go ana
Sundry "Reflections of
The Same Kind of a Cat.
Judge's Library.
Ethel, aged 8. had succeeded m making
her dog stand up on his hind legs, but her
efforts to make the cat do likewise re
sulted in the little girl getting a bad
scratch, whereupon she exclaimed: "You
damn cat!"
Her, horrified mother, who overheard
her. punished her severely; but not dis
heartened Ethel the next morning again
endeavored to Induce puss to emulate the
dog. and again she felt the force of the
feline claws. "You" the angry child be
gan, when her mother said warningly:
"Ethel!"
"Well." she continued, "you are Just the
same kind of a cat you were yesterday."
Their Game.
A poor lady the other day hastened
to the nursery and said to her little
daughter:
"Minnie, what do you mean by shout
ing and screaming? Play quietly, like
Tommy. See, he doesn't make a
sound."
"Of course he doesn't," said the lit
tle girl. "That is our fame. He is
papa coming home late, and I am you."
Everybody's Magazine.
The Oldest Professions.
Youth's Companion.
An?old friend of the family had dropped
in to see a young lawyer whose father
was still paying hte office rent.
"So you are now practicing law," the
old friend said, genially.
"No. sir," said the candid youth. "I
appear to be, but I am really practicing
economy."
Demanded Consideration.
'A prominent clergyman tells with great
delight of a brother minister who was
called to a certain church. A committee
visited the minister and asked that he
accept the call.
"i have been considering the matter,"
basis with the rest, of he army. In order
that it might prove its worth and be.
prepared forany emergenoy."
' Safe Harbor for Airships.
The Fort Omaha station is now t'ae
headquarters of the Signal Corps and
the balloon plant Just being completed
will make It the source of all important
experiments In aerial work In the future.
The balloon house and power and gen
erating plants are of the most modern
design of scientific architecture. The
balloon house Is designed with a view to
offering not only a "refuge in the time
of storm," but also to the successful
launching and docking of all sorts of
aerial craft. It Is built entirely of steel
and corrugated Iron, and is equipped with
up-to-date ventilating and Bafety appli
ances. It has a frontage of 80 feet, and
Is COO feet long. The main hall through
the center runs the entire length of the
structure, is 0 feet wide and 60 feet
high. The semi-circular roof extends 80
feet higher, making the height of the
building over all 90 feet. At the front of
the building two steel doors, worked on
get a dozen men and go out some night
or some day and take away from different
people of Portland enough to last us all
the rest of our lives. I have the ability.
I can organize the men. I know where to
go. There are probably others who could
not. Everybody that was able could ao
likewise. But you would put me In Jail.
Yet you say to me: If you follow certain
rules in this game you can go out with
the rest of us and you can plunder the
world with impunity and who gathers in
the most spoils we will crown him with
gold and sing Hosanna to his name, in
golden letteYs we will inscribe his name
among the intellectual Immortals.
"Moral progress of the world isn't
promoted by curbing the intellectually
strong." Granted. But who Is to de
cide who are the intellectually strong?
Today in the very nature of things
every person intellectually strong ex
cept in one particular degree of in
tellectuality, that of wealth accumula
tion, are mown down. No portion of
the human brain can become highly
developed without a corresponding loss
In some other direction. This causes
the changes in art, literature, educa
tion, language, religion. In fact in
every phase of human existence. Ac
cumulating wealth becomes the lead
ing science of the hour. At some point
a curb must be put to this form of
social dominance, else its momentum
becomes so great as to overpower so
ciety. Democracy gives way under the
replied the reverend gentleman, "but my
wife fears she may not like the church."
"But your wife doesn't preach," pro
tested a committeeman.
"True enough." replied the clergyman,
thoughtfully, "but she frequently lec
tures." Gone Already.
gentleman Is entertaining a coun
try cousin at a restaurant In the city,
and observes that the countryman
takes no .notice of the elegant sur
roundings. "What are you watching the door so
anxiously for?" asks the host finally.
"'I want to see that nobody gets
away with my overcoat!"
"Oh, you needn't be anxious. You
see. I don't bother about mine!"
"No reasoff why you should. Yours
went half an hour ago." Mcggendor
fer Blaetter.
Forethought.
July.
Extract from a letter written at college:
"I am much rejoiced, dearest uncle, that
you are coming to visit me next Monday.
I will be at the station to meet the train.
As we haven't seen each other for a long
time, hold- a five-pound note in your right
hand, so that I may easily recognize
you."
Another Wonder of Science. .
London Globe.
"I have been taking some moving pic
tures of life on your farm."
"Did you ketch the hired man In mo
tion?" "I dkl."
"Ah. Science kin do anything these
days!"
An Unrefined Palate.
"Washington Star.
"Think." exclaimed the pure food advo
cate, "of the thousands of persons who
are deceived with cold storage eggs!"
"I can't get up any sympathy for them,"
SAFEGUARDS AQABNST ACCiPEfcp
AY WEE CitlS-AB -1il-Uk.
i' i
ft
GAS ELANi; .
JDRT ' OMA3HLA.'
ball bearings, and .60 feet high, slide
freely and make an opening 40 feet -wide.
The floor Is of cement on a macadam
foundation. A space 20 feet wide on
either side of the - interior, running the
whole length of the building, is to be
used for aeroplanes and storage pur
poses. Generating Hydrogen Gas.
'Directly to the north of the balloon
house is the power and generating plant.
City gas plants are seldom able to fur
nish, the kind of gas necessary to the
successful operation of balloons, and for
that reason it becomes necessary to con
struct a plant for the manufacture of hy
drogen gas. This building Is a substantial
brick structure and is equipped with a
300-horsepower generator motor, operated
by a 1500-ampere direct current, secured
from the city electric light plant by
means of a transformer, which also forms
part of the elgnal corps equipment.
Thirty voltameters, which resemble in size
and shape an ordinary barrel, are set In
a row around the motor. By the use of
these voltameters and the motor gener
ator, the oxygen and hydrogen Is sepa-
strain. Individual intellectuality must
be curbed if that individual intellec
tuality becomes dangerous and likely
to destroy the collective intellectuality
or threatens to lower the intellectual
ity of the generality. The masses can
not be allowed to degenerate Into he
lots in order to build up an intellec
tual race of consuls, or patricians.
This would be simply retrogression.
Civilization to lndute must do away
with the worthless, Inefficient members
of society, not by the slow process of
pauperized intellectual strangulation,
but by doing away with the condition
which causes to come into existence in
ever increasing numbers a worthless
and inefficient crew. If the "intellec
tual giants" of the present day are
unable with their . intellectuality to
abate present evils and if that motley
crew still geometrically increases in
numbers at the present rate then noth
ing can nor should stop that worthless
crew from developing their own intel
lectuality and by their numbers and
their force prove to tne world that the
intellectuality of the ruling powers of
the past had been only assumed and
these members of that "worthless"
rabble still had lying within, it, dor
mant for the time being, the Intellec
tuality of the future, and they will
prove to the world that they are fit,
because they have survived. '"By their
fruits you shall know them" and from
the condition of society shall we Judge
Its rulers. Trickery and chicanery Is
not intellectuality nor sky-scraptng
buildings and a rising real estate mar
ket a sure sign of the stability of a
society. Wealth accumulation is the
basest desire of man. It is the growl
of the wild beast over its prey.
Newspaper
answered the epicure. "A man who can
be deceived with a cold storage egg de
serves to be."
A Sign.
Detroit Free Press.
"I didn't know your mother was danger
ously ill," said the observant neighbor.
"Why, she Isn't," replied the dainty
daughter. "What made you think that?"
"I saw you washing the dishes this
morning."
And is it any wonder that they never
speak as they pass by?
At the Pension.
Judge.
"It must have been a very tender-hearted
butcher who killed this lamb," said the
Cheerful Idiot, pausing in the sawing of
his chop.
"Why?" kindly asked the oldest boarder.
"He must have hesitated three or four
years before striking the fatal blow."
The New Relation.
Life.
"What do you mean, sir." roared the
irate father, "by bringing your portman
teau to my house and ordering a room?"
"I'm adopted as one of the family,"
coolly answered the young man. "Your
daughter said she would be a sister to
me."
A Beastly Blunder. .
London Opinion.
Miss Fisher Masher and I have Just
had our photograph taken as Beauty and
the Beast.
The Honorable John (a bit of a fancier)
Yes, he is a beauty, isn't- he?
Reassured.
Tit-BIt.
"George!" She looked Into his eyes un-
questionlngly. "George." she said, "it
isn't for my money that you love me. Is
it?"
He stroked the head resting there
L
i I
rated from a solution of decomposed
water by the means of electrolysis. The
oxygen is permitted to escape, but the
hydrogen is saved and pumped Into a
storage tank, to be used as necessity re
quires. Pipes connect the storage tank,
pumps and balloon-house. Objection is
made by many aeronauts to hydrogen or
water gas for use in balloons, but Signal
Corps experts who have made a study of
"lighter-than-air" balloons have adopted
It after a thorough and scientific study of
ballooning as applied to practical use.
"Varying atmospheric conditions influence
aerial navigation to such an extent that
theoretical ballooning has long since been
relegated to the rear, and only the prac
tical side Is now considered In the con
struction and inflating of gas bags. Signal
Corps men believe that water gas is the
only practical rifting power, and have
adopted it in their work.
Guards Against Accident.
When it is desired to launch a balloon
or airship, the gas bag is brought to the
center of the big balloon-house and placed
In position by means of block and tackle.
The inflation process becomes simple, be-
"Pigeon itis"
They Hold an Annual
'i
ENGLAND'S latest sporting mania is
"pigeonltis," or raising pigeons
for flying, breeding, message
carrying and other purposes. The ex
tent to which pigeon fancying is car
ried may be Judged from the fact that
no less than 10,500 carrier pigeons,
worth $60,000, were entered In the
recent great "Pigeon Derby." The
birds were turned loose at Nantes in
the south of France and flew 450 miles
to Lancashire, England. Prizes of
more than $5000 were awarded. The
extent and importance of the new
sport may bo further Judged from the
fact that both the King and the Prince
of Wales entered birds. Special
"pigeon trains" were run from Mid
lands to the embarking ports on these
occasions, and "pigeon staterooms,"
fitted up on the cross-channel steam
ers. The whole arrangements were
carried out with the most elaborate
care and quite regardless of cost.
In addition to the great bird-flying
competitions, English ranciers are
spending thousands of pounds each
year in breeding ' all varieties of
pigeons, and various shows, for the
express purpose of- exhibiting "varia
tions," are constantly being held In
different parts of the country. Some
of the birds exhibited are valued at
more than $500 apiece. There are five
Humorists
against his manly breast, and made reply:
"My darling, no! Why, little one, I
would love you if If if you had 10 times
as much money."
"Oh, George!"
And she sighed as though relieved of a
great weight.
Backing Up.
Houston Post.
"Hello!"
"Hello!"
mj 7? !!"
"Who are you talking to?"
"I am talking to you!"
"Well, who do you think I am?"
"You're my wife! and I want to say
right .here "
"I am the cook!"
"Oh-h-h, I beg your pardon for speak
ing to you in that manner!"
Xo, It Is Sewed On.
Detroit Free Press.
So much has been written about this
new directoire gown that we may be par
doned if. for the sake of the husbands
interested, we merely ask: Does it but
ton down the back?
Gussy.
London Opinion.
"What sort of a looking chap is Gussy?"
"Well, If you ever see two men in a
corner and one looks bored to death, the
other one Is Gussy."
Squelched.
English Paper.
He But the worst of you Americans
is that you have no leisure classes.
She Indeed we have. We call them
tramps.
The Indignant One.
The Tatler.
"The idea of Mm a-telllng me 'ow chil
dren ought to 'be fed! Why, I've buried
10 o' my own!" -
cause the pipes are connected with the
mouth of the bag and the pumps soon fill
it with hydrogen gas. Once inflated. 20
or 30 trained Signal Corps men steady
the big bag by means or guy roure, aim
when the aeronaut Is ready to ascend
they march out through the sliding front
door, carrying the balloon with them, and
release the ropes. This is the modus op
erandi employed for launching air craft
in a scientific manner. All preparations
for the ascent -are made under cover of
a substantial building, relieving anxiety
about winds and atmosphere.
In the event of adverse conditions com
ing Into evidence after the balloon Is In
flated, the big bag may be deflated with
equal ease, by pumping the contents back
into the gas tank without loss of hydro
gen. Thus one of the greatest impedi
ment is overcome. Heretofore the con
tents of the balloon bag were considered
as lost after being pumped in, because
there was no way of pumping the gas out
and back into storage. The manufacture
of hydrogen is expensive, and being
forced to lose the contents of a balloon
for lack of storage and other facilities
has been a serious drawback to scientific
ballooning. At the Fort Omaha balloon
plant only such hydrogen as escapes dur
ing the time the balloon Is In the air will
be lost.
The big gas tank Is- located in close
proximity to the balloon and power build
ings. It is 50 feet across and 30 feet high,
giving it a large capacity. It has a con
crete base and frame of steel, and is con
structed with a view to standing a high
Interior pressure.
"Loading" In the Field.
Another feature of the balloon plant is
a division for "loading" hydrogen gas
tubes. These tubes are intended for use
Latest Craze of Britishers
"Derby" In Which 10,000 Birds Worth $60,000 Talte Part.
big pigeon clubs In England and no
end of people are going in for raising
these birds ss a hobby.
Even the ordinary "man In the
street" In London shows his pigeon
fancying proclivities by feeding and
watching the flocks of birds which
have taken up their abode in the great
public buildings, such as St. Paul's
Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, the
British Musuem and elsewhere. It Is a
rather singular thing that certain
families of pigeons attach themselves
to each of the gfeat public buildings,
and some fanciers say they can tell
whether a bird is a citizen of the Brit
ish Museum or of St. Paul's.
When a pigeon show Is on in London
thousands of people flock to cee it.
Judges of fine birds are appointed with
as much care as would be a Judge of
the Supreme Court. Nor Is the pigeon
Judge a whit happier than the man of
law. He runs a chance of making mor
tal enemies every time he renders a
decision. As a consequence, pigeon
Judges have taken refuge in a nTiineri
cal system for all birds so that they
cannot be accused of partiality, which
they might be suspected of if they
knew the owners' names.
It has only been within recent year
that bird fanciers have gone in so ex
tensively in England for raising
pigeons with big prices attached to
them. A few years ago one could buy
a really fine bird anywhere for about
30 cents. Now they are asking $200
and $300 for plgeonB which, Judging
from mere appearances, do not seem to
be "up to much."
Fanciers during the last few year
have been strenuously striving to pro
duce what they term "pigeon perfec
tion," and it is for this reason that the
price has risen so , enormously. Some
truly remarkable birds have, so to
speak, been manufactured. Pigeons
are treated very much as flowers. By
cultivating certain stocks and breed
ing for definite peculiarities, truly
startling effects in bird individuality
are obtained. For instance, bird fan
ciers, by proper cross-breeding, can
shorten the beaks, put more feathers
in the tails, enlarge the wings, shorten
the legs, expand the crops, and even
make the feathers train In certain di
rections. The birds seem absolutely
plastic. It will be remembered that
It was through pigeons that Darwin
was able to perform the remarkable
experiments which contributed so
largely to his developing the evolution
theory.
These various experiments have pro
duced some veritable "freaks" in pigeon
building. A curious bird recently exhibit
ed at a West End show was a pouter
which won first prize. It was a large
"black-pled" bird. The winning features
of the bird consisted in its erect manner
of carriage, slender body, long legs with
feathers on its toes and large globular
crop. This bird, with its crop full, did
the cake walk and seemed so pleased with
itself, Swelling out its crop to such huge
proportions, that It won the prize possi
bly by sheer force of self-advertisement.
The owner of this bird-refused $500 for it.
and no one at the show seemed staggered
at his unwillingness to "part."
Another bird which commanded a very
high figure $300 at the same show, was
described as a "Jacobin," which means
that it has Inverted feathers growing
about its neck, forming a species of ruff,
resembling the cowl of a Jacobean monk.
Not many persons, perhaps, may have
seen such a cowl, so the pigeon fancier's
word has to be taken for the fact that the
bird ruff looks like a monk's neck
piece. However this may be, the particu
lar bird in question was an ugly afjalr,
with its head and neck buried in the hood
so deeply one couldn't tell which was bird
and which hood. The great point about
this $300 bird consisted In the fact that its
1SE1
in the flold service, being portable and
easily loaded on a truck. They are 30 feet
long and 10 Inches In diameter, and are
tested up to a pressure capacity of 8000
feet to the square Inch. iach tube 1
tested bv means of a powerful pump be
fore it Is filled with hydrogen. A com
pressor operated by a 300-horsopower mo
tor is used to force the hydrogen Into
these tubes, which, for inflating balloons
on the field, will be connected In series
and the high pressure will In turn force
the hydrogen into the bag.
Fifteen acres of ground, known officially
as "Aerostatic Park," has been sot aside
for the use of the balloon detachment.
All trees have been removed from the
tract and the ground Is being graded in
a manner that will make a launching and
docking of aerial craft an easy accom
plishment. The topograpny oi mo tuun
try in the vicinity of the fort is consid
ered especially favorable to the success of
aerial navigation, and Fort Omaha was
selected for future experiments because
of those virtues.
Early in October the first ascensions will
be made. All the balloon equipment
owned by the Government, including two
dirigibles and two aeroplanes, are expect
ed to reach the post during September.
Captain Charles d'F. Chandler, who made
the flight from St. Louis to the coast in
the "America" a year ago. Is now sta
tioned at the fort and will be among those
to make ascensions at the maneuvers.
Colonel Glassford, commanding the Fort
Omaha signal station, will be in charge
of the balloon maneuvers. About 400 offi
cers and enlisted men will have returned
to Fort Omaha from different sections
of the country, where they have been,
furnishing detachments during Infantry
and cavalry maneuvers.
Omaha. Aug. 17. ;
hood, was smooth and close. The thicker
and closer the hood. It seems, the more
valuable the bird. The Jacobin pigeon has1
a "mane" at the back and a "chain"' la
front, both these terms Implying slight
ridges in the feathers, of which experts
seem to think much.
A rather cuVious parrot-faced pigeon
called a "Turblt" always attracts an im
mense amount of attention and never
fails to capture several prizes at plgeoa
shows. Turbits look rather perplexed as
if they had not quite made up their mlnda
whether they were real pigeons or halt
parrots. With the Tlrblt, fuss and feath
ers count very little. It Is the face that
wins. Experts will stand for hours before
one of these birds examining its short,
thick beak, seeing if it has the proper
curve or sweep, feeling its "bumps" to
find out if its skull Is properly formed,
and chucking It under the chin to watch
Its smile. Under the circumstances, the
Turblt stands the ordeal very well. A
all its good points are on the Turblfs
head and face, and hundreds of people are
constantly gazing Into Its rather mild
eyes, or running their thumbs thought
fully over its back hair, no wonder the
bird looks as if it had forgotten some
thing. The sum of $300 Is not considered
too much for an intellectual Turblt with a
semi-detached Roman proboscis of the
proper curve.
An immense amount of Interest Is al
ways taken In 'carriers," of course. The
chief characteristic of the carrier, to make
It a valuable bird, must be length of
neck and beak, and a curious bulging sort
of growth on each side of the latter. Just
why this ugly looking "wattle," as It Is
called, should be considered a good point
it is hard to tell. Doubtless fanciers have
some profound reason which they only
divulge when In secret among themselves,
with doors closed and lights out. How
ever, the wattle goes and brings prizes.
It does not add to the facial dignity of the
bird. It resembles two rather large and
distinctly ripe strawberries placed on
either side of the beak. You cannot help
sympathizing with a bird with a straw
berry nose like this; and the perpetuation
of this feature by breeders might well be
done away with. Ae an alternative, a
neat election button with the bird's mon
ogram on It. would not look bad by way
of a prize-winning variation.
Of fantalls, their number Is legion
but, strange to say, such really beautiful
birds attract very little attention. This Is
due. no doubt, to the fact that, as yet,
none of this variety has been bred with
more than one tall. Possibly future
shows will exhibit fantalls wit la one or
more tails, and then more prizes will be
won by this class. But what chance does
a fantail with one caudal appendage, no
matter how floral the effect may be,
stand beside a dishfaced Turblt or a car
rier with a nose like a night blooming
cereus ?
The Cowboy's lament.
Denver Republican.
Things don't seem like they uieter in this
Itood old woolly Weat;
I've got a bitter feellnc gnawin here be
neath my vest;
There ain't no kick on wage, but, stranger,
darn the payt
When the Sprlns roundup la over I have
got to Help pucn nay.
It useter be the cowboy was mo always ;
on the roam ; i
He didn't see a pitchfork, and tba saddle ;
was his home;
But the game la worked some different in '
this dark, degenerate day.
When a feller takes his spurs off' and get I
In the doggoned. hay.
Se Jest take my chaps and losa 'em bring '
the pale blue overalls
Bring along that shirt of hlck'ry there 1
notbin' now that galls; -Tve
hocked my Cheyenne saddle, for the
puncher's had his say
There Is hayseed down my collar,' ao come ;
on with hay more hay!
ARTH.ua CHAPMAN, . i
M mmmwmmmmmmmmmmmWmWmmmmmmmmmm
- ED 1 04.2
I
1 ,