r- .■
THE LAMP'S EVOLUTION.
EXCAVATIONS OF ANCIENT CIT
IES SHOW IT OVER SIX
THOUSAND YEARS OLD.
Originally was a Conch Shell and a
Twist of Cotton Western Inge «1-
uity Devised the Brass Burner
and Regulator.
By EDGAR JAMES BANKS,
Ph. I>.
The Oriental lamp is the same now
as it always has been—a simple dish
of clay, stone, bronze or glass, filled
with oil; its wick is a rag or a twist of
cotton, one end of which is Immersed
ip oil and the other rests over the edge
of the dish to be lighted. This was
the lamp not only of ancient Babylonia
and Egypt, but also of the Hebrews,
Greeks, Romans, and all other early
peoples. Even to this day it is the com
mon lamp of Mesopotamia. In Saint
Sophia, the great mosque of Constanti
nople, there is no other method of il
lumination.
The first artificial light with which
primitive man brightened the dark
ness of night was the camp fire, ttie
same tire with which he slightly
roasted tils meat and warmed bis
naked body. At just wliat age the
idea of lighting by other means first
occurred to him is no longer known,
but the excavations at the Babylonian
mound, Blsinya, the ruin of the oldest
known city In the world, have shown
that it was in the very long ago, per
haps thousand» of year» before 4500
B. C.
During the excavations far beneath
n temple which was constructed at
tliat remote date, among the ruins of
earlier ages, there was found a large
concli shell about 8 inches In length.
Its exterior had lieen worn smooth by
constant handling, and a section at its
opening and half o- its elongated
valve bad been cut away so that it
form«! a deep dish terminating in a
long anout. In its interior were slight
traces of a thin, black deposit. At
first the use for which this dlsli was
Intended was puzzling; it was weeks
later when it suddenly occurred to me
that this sea-shell waB the primitive
lamp, the ancestor of the great family
of lamps.
Some time later, while excavating
at a higher level In the temple refuse
heap, where the pries*» of 4500 B. C.
threw tile broken and discarded
utensils of tlie temp’ service, there
appeared among the dozens of baskets
full Vf polished and cut stone several
'triangular object» which resembled
the conch shell in shape. One of ala
baster was entire; others were frag
mentary, yet their original forms could
be restored. They were the lamps
which came into vogue after the concli
bad passed away, or when it became
so scarce tliat it was no longer em
ployed, and stone was substituted in
its place. Although the conch was dis
carded. Its triangular form remained,
even to the natural snout for the sup
port of tlie wick, which wus repro
duced In tlie stone.
To the curly Babylonian, tlie pure,
almost transparent alabaster lamp was
perfect In shape; the next step in the
evolution was lu its decoration. In-
| stead of the plain exterior, it was
engraved with reticulated or curved
lines; liut a more Important step in Its
decoration was when Uie lamp-maker
concelvi'd tlie iden of suiqiortlng tlie
wick in u hole at the sharp corner.
One such exumple from the Bisuiya
temple refuse heup terminated in a
the civilized West, who would no
longer rest the wick upon the edge of
the receptacle for the oil, to pass it
through the brass arrangement which
lie called the burner, and to provide
it with a screw in order that it might
be raised or lowered, and the essentials
of the modern oil lamp were as
sembled.
While we have the sea-shell, the
lamp of primitive man of over ti.ooo
years ago, it would be interesting to
know what kind of oil was burned.
Ibe olive tree produces the illuminat
ing oil of the model Orient, and al
though in other parts of the world
the f“t of animals was used, the
unchanging customs of the East lead
us to infer that olive oil was also then
employed. The wick was doubtless a
twist of the cotton which grows wild
along the shores of d.e Tigris and the
Euphrates.—Engineering News.
Old Methods Succeed.
It has been claimed that old methods
of doing business cannot succeed in
this twentieth century of ours, but a
striking example of where old manners
have been and are yet successful may
be found in the busiest city of the world
—New York. Right in the heart of
the wholesale district may be found a
restaurant that is feeding more people
every day of the year than any other
house in New York City, and doing it
along the line of “old methods.”
It is claimed for this famous eating
house that every pound of food used
is i>aid for in cash upon the day it is
purchased and that the proprietors
have never yet given a check in pay
ment for supplies, nor owed one dollar
at the close of the day, and they keep
no books.
Each morning the dealers supplying
this remarkable establishment deliver
the necessary goods at the receiving
department and then form in a line
leading to the cashier’s desk where
each one in turn receives his money in
good hard coin.
When evening comes whatever is
left in the cash drawer is profit, less
charges such as taxes, light, fuel &c.
A further boast of the owner of this
restaurant is that its doors have never
been locked since first opened, way
back in "wartime,” and that no one
knows where the key now is.
An idea of the number of people fed
may be gained from the fact that table
salt, used exclusively by the patrons
at the tables and not including any
used for cooking, is purchased every
four months In ten barrel lots, each
barrel
containing three hundred
pounds.
FARMER IMMIGRAS Is,
After threatening to call members I postage »tamp», an^*%ln"X“<1out
by name if they did not obey, the band i the
pontFregg. The road* Some of Our Citizens Make C om
of agriculturists, shouting and yelling ! since he came to Cong2“\,.‘„.... , thp Farmers-But Poor City Dwellers/
of
these
letters
again plunged the
for the free seeds "toot’ quieted down,
Many of our Italian immigrants are
iu disorder and
WOODLAWN MANSION, PART OF and Mr. Cooks was enabled to proceed. House
good farmers, after their fashion of
PITY THE POOR FARMER.
SEEDS VERSUS BATTLESHIPS.
Mr Gaines, of Tennessee, endeav laborious intensive cultivation. They
WASHINGTON'S ESTATE, NOW
Free seeds found another doughty ored to l»e beard above the noise and are wretchedly poor, but they are chil
CHANGES HANDS.
‘com dren of the soil and where they occ*.
champion in South Trimble of Ken- confusion. As he sat down, by com-
Mr. Trimble asserted that the mand of the Chair, he managed to say sionally do get Into the same con-
tucky.
--------
A Gift trom the First President to
----- were
that the bill was loaded with all kinds genial occupation in this country they
seed uuutvto
dealers of the country
’
His Adopted Daughter-Playwright Heeu
of appropriations to take cure of aud make good farmers and eveotuau»
instigating
the
newspapers
to
lignt
iuDLi^UUUB
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*'
—
—
•
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Paul Kester Disposes of Manor to
free seeds. Real farmers wanted mese suppress the "mouth aud foot disease, good citizens.
Princeton Woman.
The greater part of the immigrants
_ ___ farmers who hollow horn, and hollow tail,” but took
seeds, but kid-glove
from tlie farmer the few seeds in fact, now pouring Into the country
the granges
Another change of owners has come run t*-~
o—w — did
— not . need
„ ,, them away
to Woodlawn Mansion, that historic and did not want them. It this w as ¿at he every year looked forward are better qualified for agricultural
and horticultural pursuits than for
property having been bought by Miss graft, be said, it was the only kind to receiving.
_ ,
any others. These pursuits were their»
Elizabeth M. Sharp, of Princeton, N J., of which every one of the *0,000,000
This new outburst of eloquence on in their European homes, and but for
from Paul Kester, who dramatized people of the country got a piece.
the part of Mr. Gaines
J'1® certain difficulties they would natural
“When Knighthood Was in Flower,
Advocating economy In other direc House Into convulsive laughter. ly resort to them here. The trouble la,
and other plays.
When the members hail partially re
Woodlawn Mansion was the home of tions, Mr. Trimble suggested less ex covered their composure Mr. Gaints there is nobody ready, as a general
Lawrence Lewis, son of Betty Wash- penditure on battle ships “If we stay rushed down the aisle, carrying a maa» thing, to offer them employment, in
groups, on the land; and transporta
of manuscript in both hands, holding it tion to the land is more or less expen
aloft, shouting that he had htintlre V sive. On the other hand, there are al
of letters from farmers favoring free ways contractors ready to engage them
seeds.
for railroad, mining and similar em
As chairman Wadsworth reached out ployments in the seaboard States, and
his hand for them, Mr. Gaines laid sometimes in other States; more often
them on a desk and began pulli-g from they simply settle down in the big and
the bunch various documents. It already congested cities. They take
developed that among these “hun what they can get; and, more espe
dreds” of letters there were an unusu- cially, what will be most likely to en
I ally large portion of bills of varl°u® able them to enjoy the continued com
sorts and other “pub. docs.” that had panionship of their fellow Immigrants.
The newcomer dreads the isolation
no relevancy to the seed question.
Again the members shrieked and which will usually be his lot if he ac.
gathered in the n!sle, forcing the cepts employment on a farm.
Under the far-sighted plan of ths
chairman to resort to every parlla-
men who are colonizing some WeBtern
mentary expedient to secure order.
When the bill came up for a vote areas, particularly in California and
the free seeds were continued by a New Mexico, all these difficulties are
vote of 153 to 82, A fight for the abo - avoided. Groups of agriculturists of
ishuient of the free seed practice will the same nationality are brought to
continue, for it iS believed tliat the gether, and invited to become owners
sending out of the packages are of no of small tracts, sold to them on easy
practical benefit to the farming classes terms. Ten acres of good land, so ob
of the country, and it is safe to say tainable—and the price of which he
that next year’s bU| will find the ap can usually pay in labor for others—
propriation for these seeds omitted is a very attractive proposition to the
when it comes iron* the committee average immigrant, especially when,
and the probabilities are that by that in his new home, he may be sur
time a majority of uie members of the rounded by others of his own race.
The plan has been already demon
House will support the committee.
WOODLAWN MANSION.
strated to be very profitable to the
ington and Fielding Lewis, of Fred at home, mind our own business, let
Since 189(1 the world’s annual pro promoters also.
ericksburg, and nephew of the great other people alone, we shan’t need a duction of gold has doubled.
The highest mountain In Colorado
George Washington. The wife of Law battle ship any more than a burglar
rence Lewis was Nellie Custis, grand needs a jlmmv and a dark lantern,”
There are now one million pension is Massive, 14,424, and the next is
daughter of Mrs. Martha Washington shouted Mr. Trimble. This sentiment, ers on the pension rolls of the United Elbert, 14,421. Pike’s Peak is 14,108
and the adopted daughter of George notwithtanding the speaker was a States.
feet high and there are twenty moun
trifle mixed in his metaphor, met with
Washington.
tains in Colorado higher than thia.
The marriage of Nellie Custis and prolonged applause from the gallant
The number of cameras made In the
young Lewis was the social event of the band of free-seeders.
The most expensive fish In the fish
United States last year was 300,000,
year 1799. The marriage took place in
Mr. Lilley, of Connecticut, read let worth about $20,000,000. A gener markets of the United States is ths
the mansion house at Mount Vernon ters from his consltuents, some asking ation ago a camera was an unusual English sole which retails for about
on the birthday of Washington, and in for Shropshire sheep, Durham bulls, object.
sixty cents per pound.
the year of his death. Washington
gave to the couple a tract of forest land
covering a range of hills on the Mount
Vernon property two miles southwest
of the mansion house, Lewis personal-
ly saw that a part of the woods were
cleared away, and in the clearing he
had erected the great house which he
called Woodlawn. The place passed to
Lorenzo Lewis at the death of his
mother, Nellie Custis Lewis, and by
him was sold in 1848 to two Quakers
from New Jersey. Chalkley Gillingham
and Jacob M. Troth. The sons of these
men live near the estate to-day, Jacob
M. Troth, the younger, living on an
adjoining farm and on land that was
a part of the original Woodlawn. The
house passed through many hands anil
in 1900 was bought by Paul Kester,
who now sells it to Miss Sharp.
FAMOUS VIRGINIA BONE.
Wanted AH the Goodies.
Teddy was about to be ten years old.
In view of this interesting event Ted
dy’s mother had ordered some Ice
cream and cakes ond other dainties,
and Teddy was told to Invite his little
friends to a birthday party. The even
ing of the celebration came around,
and all the goodies were waiting to be
enjoyed. Teddy and his mother were
also waiting.
Suddenly the youngster said:
"Mother, don’t you think It’s time to
eat the ice-cream and cake now?"
“No, indeed, my son,” she replied,
“we must wait until your friends are
here.”
“Well, to tell you the truth, mother,”
began Teddy, "1 just thought that for
(Continued from procoding page.)
once in my life I’d like to have enough
goodies, so 1 guess we better begin Currier, of New Hampshire, where it is
commonly understood one of the chief
now, ’cause I didn’t invite anyone."
industries is that of raising rocks,
granite, and marble, protested against
his assertion tliat the farmers were not
in sympathy with the free-seed busi
ness. They declared the farmers of
their State demanded them anyhow.
Mr. Cocks read letters from the edi
tors of practically every agricultural
paper in the country, denouncing free
seeds, and when he frankly admitted
bo had written these editors asking
their opinion of the proposed action
of the committees lie wav attacked by
the advocates of free seeds as if he
had committed some crime.
ALL ABOUT SEED “ADS.’
Mr. Bartlett wanted to know It those
papers carried advertisements of the
seed deniers, to which Mr. Cocks af
firmed that he had no doubt of it. as
the business of soiling seeds was a
legitimate one. Mr. Fortney did not
believe the answers represented an
honest opinion, as the replies bad been
sought
Mr. Cocks endeavored to proceed
with his argument re-enforcing it with
citations from a stack of letters, hut
LAMPS OF LATE BABYLONIAN AND PERSIAN PERIODS.
he spoke amid a confusion that marked
the day as the most unruly of the en
rnm's bond. the lighted end of the wick
tire session. Mr. Gains shouted him
projecting from Its mouth. After the
AO It THE WATCH TRUST.
self hoarse—and that is a difficult
discovery of the hole for the wick. It
tiling, even for Mr. Gaines to do; Mr.
wns tin easy step to cover the entire Representative Vreeland the Victim Mann scolded, as he often dot's when
lamp, with the exception of an opening of a Joke During Match Monopoly he fails to approve; Mr. Fordney, Mr.
In the center to receive the oil Thus
French, Mr. Sims, u. . Chandler, and
Controversy.
the lump of classlenl times originated.
others asked questions simultaneously,
When
Representative
Rainey
of
Illi
Another Intereatlng example from Bis- nois, a few days ago, made a speech in and the chairman of the committee all
tuya Is an extremely large marble Congress on the alleged watch trust, but broke liis gavel in a vain endeavor
lamp, oval In shape and with vertical ho opened up a subject that has been to maintain order. At one time it
walls. The snout for Its wick Is a
decided interest in Congressional looked as if the mace, (but symbol of
deep groove extending out alamt 2 of
ever since, lie had a collection the dignity and power of the House,
Inches, and with Its support from be circles
of watches on his desk which he would have to lie taken from its perch
neath It resembles the handle of a mod showed as exhibits.
and waved over the heads of refrac
ern dish. This lamp held about two
Representative Vreeland of New tory and angry free-seed mutineers
quarts of oil, and, ns It was found tn York found another phase of the watch who ref usih I to take their seats when
the ruins of the temple, Its unusual question which he wanted to talk so ordered.
else suggests that In the Babylonian about, and proceeded to stock up with
temple, as In the aynagoguea of a later sample watches and watch cases. He
era. and In some churches, even to the had tho assortment nicely displayed on
present day, a light was kept perpet his desk, when, by a prearrangement,
ually burning.
he was called out into the corridor.
As soon as he was gone a Joker In a
Previous to 4000 B. C. the lamps, ns neighboring scat produced three mem
well as most dlshea and household el orandum spindles, two short and one
feet», were of stone; after that time tall. He set them in a row on Vree-
obj« .a of burned clay began to np land's desk, Then he produced three
|s'»r. Before tliat date lamp» were oranges and carefully stuck one on
found only in tlie ruliis of the temple; the point of each spindle, producing
later clay lamps wore found in tlie the perfect effect of the three golden
dwelling houses of the people. Of the balls of the pawn shop sign.
latter a variety of ahopM have ap
"Well, by gosh!” exclaimed Vree-
peared. Nome are triangular, the shape land. when he came back. The laugh
suggest .si by the conch; one Is a min scared his intended speech out of him.
iature boat; other» of a later period
are identical In ahape and size with
those of Rome and Greet*«. Tlie lamp
Mrs. Ferguson.—George, dear, how
of these nations was undoubtedly lx>r do you like my new hat?
rowed from the older civilisation of
Mr. Ferguson.—Do you want my real
Babylonia. The common clay lamp opinion of It. Laura?
of I’erela and of tlie time of Haroun
Mrs. Ferguson.—No, I don’t, you
er llaschld assumed a round form mean thing!
with a dent In Ita rim for the wick,
resembling In every respect a minia
"Do you think a man’» importance la
ture frying ¡win, from which the handle
Magistrate: XVhst’s yonr name?
la iniMing. The lamp of modern ling- measured by hts pocketbook?"
Prisoner (natueil Simpson; and a atam
"Certainly not," answered Senator
dad differs from it only in being set
merer): 8«-aa-aa-ae-aa—
upon a pedestal and provided with a Sorghum. “A pocketbook couldn’t hold
Marlxtrate: Constable, what’s the pris
enomeb to amount to anything. It’s oner .'harred with?
handle.
the bonk book that counta."— Waahlng- Constable: Roua.la like aeitaer water, yet
tor the lamp-maker of ton Star.
k“
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60 minutes
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HOUSE FOR FREE SEEDS.
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