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GMT INLAND SINK.
FIERCE RAMPAGE OF COLORADO
RIVER DESPOILS THOUSANDS
r OF FERTILE ACRES. * :
Huge Engineering Difficulties Must
be Overcome; or Otherwise Eight
Thousand Families Will Be Render
ed Homeless and Destitute
G.J. BLANCHARD at Loa Angeles.
The great Colorado rivor.of the
southwest the Nile of America, U on
1U bad behavior. Like old trarellcre
who forsake the beaten highways, the
Colorado, grown tired of Its channel.
Is seeking a new route. Its desire
for change naturally Is the cause of
Quit and created a huge Inland sea
which covered all of what la now
known as Imperial Valley. The shore
line of this great sea can be distinct
ly traced by the old beaches .which
are found there, -
Enormous Salt Beds.
Trader an almost tropical snn the
sea. evaporated, .uncovering a gnat
level plain over Urge portions of which
was laid a deep deposit of rich river
sediment wanting only lrregation to
produce abundant harvests. At the
lowest depression In the valley, where
evaporation baa not yet carried off
aB the water, the salts wen deposited
thickly and Urge works have long
been established there marketing
thousand! of tons of this mineral#
For centuries the Colorado has been
THE JOT OF AGE.
thought and bad a special humorous
reference to himself, bnt the miscom
prehension and exaggeration of the
press baa magnlded bU utterance and
given It a sweep be never Intended.
Must Seek New Fields.
When the acquisition of knowledge
Is used merely as a means through
which to earn bread, that U the end
of a man's career, whether be be thirty
or forty or a thousand years old. Men
who seek no new Held* of exploration
nor carry forward to fulfillment any
work they attempt In early days are
mere drones In the hives of life.
Dr. Osier, who U close to the sixty
year line, baa gone to England to take
a professorship of medicine In Oxford
University, which will without doubt
lead to an Increase of bU professional
fame, which did not come to him until
after he bad passed the half century
lost In hU journey of Ufe. BU pari
ng Injunction to hla medical asso
ciates ur America, at the Washington
meeting In May, was to follow the
Golden Buie In all their actions, and to
cultivate that moderation which la said
to be the golden thread running
through all the virtues. This advice
U not new, bnt It cannot be repeated
too often In an age when many men
are striving to shove their neighbors
to the wall In their desire to occupy
the middle of the road themselves.
Man U naturally a selfish anlmsl and
needs to be often reminded tbst he
most do unto other* as be would hare
them do unto him, even If he desires
to attain more worldly success. The
mon who has no consideration for his
Uborlng fellows Is likely to find no con
sideration extended to him wben the
hour of mUfortune cornea
much consternation on the part of tho
railroad which happens to be located
near by, end of some little disquietude
several thousand settlers
and unless the erratic stream can be
induced to return to It* old pathway
to the see. A glance et the map will
make deer the unusual conditions
which at present prevail In the Col*
orada Delta.
Below the town of Tnma, Arizona,
the stream baa cut Its banks at three
places end passing through old, dr;
channels, la now pouring westwari
and northward Into Balton Sink. Aug
mented by the volume of this great
stream the Sink has already become
a vast Inland tea, spreading out for
00 miles In one direction end 90 miles
In another, and growing daly.
The Giant Force of Nature.
Psmangers on the train now ex
claim with wonder a* they look out
upon the broad see reaching to the
western borlxon, where but a short
SIXTY FIVE MILES OP LAKE,
time ago the deeert reigned supreme
In Its awful deeolation.
Ounce at the map again and note
the faint line near the international
boundary, and encircling tbe Urge
area marked Imperial Valley. All tbe
Und Included wltbln tble line to below
aea level, the lowest portion situated
In Balton 81nk where It is 287 feet be
low. To those who visit this remark
able region It Is apparent that In anci
ent geological times tbe Qulf of Call-.
gfcamtiotff
Crew
preparing to
~build Sam.
Is above tbe valley on either side.
Once let It cat Its banks and tbe
stream spreads out all over the coun
try. About fonr year* ago a toi
corportlon. Imbued with tbe lauda
purposo of making homes for aettl _
In tbe Salton Desert, completed a big
canal heading In the river below Yu
ma and almost on tbe International
boundary. The canal waa a large
one, 00 feet on the bottom, and carried
a great amount of water through
Mexico Into California on to the area
now called Imperial Valley. The
canal heading, owing to tbe character
of tbe banks of the stream, was inse
cure. It bas always been n source of
trouble and annoyance. The river
resented It as on obstruction In Its
course end deposited great loads of
silt la front of It and then proceeded
to cut • channel 'around It. Dredges
were used constantly to keep the canal
beading open.
The. last great flood in the stream
simply wiped nwqy tbe bead gates
and opened a way for n Urge part of
tbe stream to flow Into tbe valley.
Just below this' point the stream
iplUed over tbe bonks again and fol
lowing down an old stream channel
It finally began to pour lta whole vol
ume In to Salton Sink. Only the high
honks of the Imperial canal prevented
larger areas of Irrigated lands from
being Inundated and millions of dol
lars In crops from being destroyed.
Great difficulties are presented to
tbe engineers who ere trying to liduce
the etream to go back to It* old chan-
neL .'A new beading Is projected.
Tbotisands of feet of lumber have
been ordered and steamboats are
awaiting lta orrlvaL If these mount
irove Ineffective there 1* danger that
,000 families now residing In tbo Im
perial Valley, may be rendered home
less. Competent engineers ore In
clined to believe tbat the task Is be
yond tbe strength of tbe present com
pany to perfom and tbat measures
now being undertaken will not prop-
fornta extended far northward. The
Colorado River, carrying as It doe* n
vast load of sBt and detritus from n
drainage basin covering ZZiRm
tulles, built a bar entirely
to settle. Meanwhile, the cltlsens of
'he valley are somewhat philosophi
cal and ere continuing to reap, under
almost tropical skies, tbe heaviest
crops grown In the world »
Misinterpretation of Dr. Osier's
Statement.
Dr. Wmiam Osier, tote professor In
John Hopkins University, Baltimore,
met with a great deal of undeserved
notoriety because be wee misunder
stood wben he laid the creative fscul.y
disappeared usually at the age of forty
year*. He did not mean to convey the
impression that man’s usefulness
ceased at tbat time, but tbat tbe Imag
inative faculty was not es active then
a* it was in earlier yean, wben men
ore green and raw In Judgment and pat
forth many things tbst they wish tu
have suppressed later on. Bis little
Jest about chloroforming those who
“tog superfluous on the stage” was
meant to apply only to teachers who
falleu to move with tbe advanced
TOBACCO FOR THE NAVY.
Government Selects Supply for
Oilh-ers and Men.
The American naval officer and the
Jscky smoke and chew. This la a fact
of which the Government takes official
cognisance and recognises In a way
tbat make* such habits Inexpensive
Incidents to life on board ship. Re
cently the Navy Department bed un
der consideration the award of n con
tract for ISO,000 pounds *f cat plug
tobacco, and In November next bids
will be called for another supply of
like amount Tbe contract under
which the supply Is now being far*
nlsbed woe secured on n' basis of a
bid of 40 cents a pound. Twenty-
nine bids are now under consideration,
tbe prices ranging from 30% cents n
pound to 48 cents. The contract will
not necessarily be let to tbe lowest
bidder, but to the one supplying at tbe
lowest price the grade best suited for
tbe purpose.
Practical Chewing Tests.
Each bidder is required to submit
a sample of tbe tobacco to be fur
nished, and these, after tbe factory la
bels are removed and secret Identifi
cation marks substituted, are divided
Into small lots, part being sent to a
chemist for analysis, and a goodly
supply going to the various navy yards
for distribution among officers and
men for practical test, the opinion of
the officers and “Jackies” being taken
before the award Is mads* Flnsl re
sults are reached by the process of
elimination, natll tbe selection of the
cbewers dwindles down to two or
three samples whleb ere bound to be
favorites. These favorites ere then
tahen np with regard to the chemical
test, and tbe contract IS awarded, so
that perhaps the lowest bidder bas no
consideration whatever wben tne final
result is obtained.
While heretofore the navy supplied
tbe men with the tobacco (a very In
ferior article) free of cost, the Gov
ernment now Insists upon the best
grade, which It sells to tbe sailor at
tbe contract price, plus a very small
percentage to cover the cost of hsn
dling. Only tnch tobaccos are consid
ered which are manufactured from
pure leaf tobacco of the growth of the
current or preceding year In which
the contract Is made, and which shall
have undergone a natural sweat
How to Tell Counterfeit!.
Best Work Late In Life.
Dr. Osier never depredated age,
knowing that man’s best work Is done
after age has mellowed bis under
standing and strengthened his judg
ment There are numerous examples
of what virility In age can do all along
tbe track of history. It was seen In
Benjamin Franklin. William E. Glad
stone, la seen In Edward Everett Hale,
Lord Kelvin, Charles It. Iluswell, en
gineer and author, still-at the age of
07 at bis dfctk In New York, and other
names will occur by scores to general
readers.
It Is an Inflexible law of nature that
the being wbo does not progress must
retrograde. There Is no place on this
fearful ascent of Ufe where, spiritually
and lntelleriually, we are not forced
to go forward lest we slip back. But
It Is a happy provision In nature that
even In tbe longest Ufe there Is no
arbitrarily fixed point of time where
expansion must cease as If by a fiat,
where there are no more heights be
fore tbe soul to climb, no more views
to bo obtained, no broadening and ex
panding of the vision possible. Al
ways and forever a new bud may be
formed on tbe topmost bough of the
old tree, even though the trunk Ije
partly hollow, and the nourishing sap
mount slowly through tbo bark.
CHINESE GRAVEYARD CUSTOMS.
Peculiar Custom of- Placing Cooked
Food on the Craves of the
Departed.
Assorted foods, literally by the
wagon load, are annually taken out to
Cypress Hills Chinese Cemetery by
member* of New York's Chinese col
ony, says tbe New York Times, and
these offerings, which are to us such
strange evidences of affection and re
membrance, are placed with pic
turesque rites, on the graves where tho
departed Celestial brothers of tbe
colonists ere awaiting tbe convenient—
or Is It tbe anaplelousT—season for
transshipment to tbe land which these
most stolid of sentimentalists Insist on
believing to be the only on* where the
dead enn rest comfortably. These an
nual Illustrations of the fact that the
Chinaman has feelings like the rest of
us, even If he does choose different
ways of ahowlng them, attracts the
usual amount of attention, some of It
respectfully curious and some opcnlv
derisive, but neither variety affects tbe
performance of the ceremonies or
enables ns to get n bit nearer the mys
terious Mongol mind. It Is hard to
believe that onr far-traveled Chinese
really think tbat anything Is accom
plished for the dead by putting roast
pig and boiled rice on a grave, and yet
they do it year after year.
A Bright Retort.
Tho ancient story of tho Chinaman
who, when asked it what honr the
spirits consumed the food thus offered
to them, replied tbat It was at the same
honr chosen l>y our dead for smelling
flowers we similarly place. Is always
pertinent to discussion of this mystery,
and reflection on the story has the
admirable effect of giving a new
standpoint from wbleb to study tbe
“outlandish” custom of onr useful but
unloved guests. In ell these things it
Is the thinking so that constitutes
right, propriety and oongrulty. The
Chinese ceremonies do show affec
tionate or plons remembrance, and
whether tbe dead are Indifferent or not
tbo reflex action on tbe living la effec
tively brought to bear.
Black Friday.
“Now, children,” told the Sunday
school teacher, addressing the juvenile
dais, “can nay of yen tell me any
thing about Good Friday r*
“Yes. ma'am, I can,” replied n boy.
“He waa tbe colored men whet done
tbe housework for Robinson Crusoe."
A Good Buggy For Sale.
Leoevllle (Mo.) Light: Luke Bel
mont’s DOW boggy Is for sain He got
married last week, you know.
Any visitor to the Bureau of Engrav
ing and Printing where Uncle Bam Is
printing the much sought-after greea-
backa, comes away Impressed wltb the
Intricacies of the manufacturing of a
paper note. Few, Indeed, understand
tbe rule of four adopted br the Govern
ment as tn aid In thwarting the plans
of counterfeiters. Acqoalntanee with
tho rule of fonr. might help msny peo
ple of tho outside world in detecting
counterfeit money. Every note printed
by tbe Government—national currency
and not bank notea—contains a number
and n letter, no two bills baring tbe
same number. These are printed, as
the visitor can see, In the blocks of
four as they leave tho piste printer's
table. For Instance, a number will be
found on a note, SS.M3 with the letter
C In the upper left hand and lower
right hand corners; another bill bear;
the number 70,088 D; another 42.S86 B.
These numbers and letter* have n re
lation for tach other and are easily de
termined. The last two numbers on
the note determine, when divided by
four, tho letter to be found In the two
corners. Should tbo last two numbers
be divisible by four, with a remainder
of one. tbe letter appearing should b*
A j If two remain, B; If three remain.
C; and If the last “two number* are
exactly divisible by four, with no re-
malnder, the letter appearing should
be D.
Rest the Bonca of Pocahontas.
Tbe proposition to bring bach to the
ancient city of Jamestown tbe body of
Pocahontas, In connection with tbe ex
position at-that place, baa aroused con
siderable Indignation, both In England
and In America, by people wbo believe
tbat such a step Is nothing more than
a move Intended as a aide-show feature
>f the exposition. While It la true
there have been Instances of a disturb
ance of a grave made hundreds of years
before, as In tbe recent case of Ad
miral John Paul Jones, still the cases
cannot bo compared. One Is a man wbo
had much to do with the preservation
of the American nation and navy; the
other was the central figure In a bit of
fiction surrounding the settlement of
this country by English settlers. Po
cahontas, It Is true, was a native Amer
ican, which John Paul Jones was not,
but Pocahontas married ao English
man, lived and died In England, and
tbe traditions of her later Ufe were sur
rounded by all that 1* English.
The London Standard, tn comment
ing on tbo movement to bring her body
to America, cites pages from a book by
an American writer tending to «bow
tbat tbe life of Pocahontas was a tra
dition and poetical version and add
ing: “If tbe original myth la really
believed by tbe people of Jamestown,
we only hope they will do something to
urn* er the audacious skeptic that baa
impugned It”
STOP LAND-GRABBING.
THE DUTY OF CONGRESS IS TO
AMEND FAULTY AND ANTI*
QVATED LAND LAWS.
President HUI,of the Great Northern
Railroad, tall* Attention to Enor
mous Disposals of Government
Land Without Settlement Into
Homes.
From tbe Philadelphia Bulletin.
There will be peopje M-netmed
enough to charge that President HJI1,
of the Great Northern Ballway, did
not come Into court with entirely dean
ef.n/1. in the vigorous denunciation of
the land-grabbers contained In his re
cent speech before the National Irriga
tion Congress at Portland. This, how
ever, does not necessarily detract from
the truth of Ida charges. Perhaps few
men In the country are better qualified
ts speak upon the blighting effects of
tbe dishonest policy which has appro
priated mllUons of acres of valuable
lands, only to exclude from them the
actual settlers who would have (level-
oped them.
President Hill Is a railroad manager,
and railroads depend for profit upon a
traffic afforded by a populous and well-
cultivated country. A railroad (-tend
ing through territory without farms or
farmers, towns or Industrial communi
ties must suffer serious disadvantages.
Where great tracts of Und are owned
and controlled by mere speculators, de
velopment Is Impossible. It is very
likely that President Hill spoke by the
card when he charged that those who
go upon Government Und at this time
for the purpose of making homes are
only a handful.
Rapid Disposals of Public Lands.
HU figure* showing the rapid In-
crease In area of public lands which
bare passed Into private ownership
since 1898, possess a significance that
U startling. Nearly 90,000,000 acres, a
toUl area equal to three times that of
the State of Pennsylvania, have been
awarded to private owners In the six
yean from 1898 to 1903, Inclusive, very
little of which—according to President
Hill—has become the property of home
stead seekers. The bulk of it bas be
come the holdings of the lumber kings,
cattle barons, and speculators pure and
simple. It Is evident that there are
more men who deserve the penalties of
the law which have lately been Inflicted
upon Senator Mltcbell, of Oregon.
Tbe duty of Congress In this connec
tion la unmistakable. Tbe laws under
which this vast domain has been se
cured by private Interest# with no In
tention of opening it to development
should be repealed or amended to pre
vent any further looting of the public
Tbe Modern Rush. ,
From the Chicago Tlmes-Herald.
He didn't have time to chew
The food that be had to eat;
But be washed It Into his throat
As If time was a thing to beat.
At breakfast and lunch and dinner
Twas a bite and a gulp and co-
Oh. the crowd la so terribly eager,
And a man has to hurry sot
A bite and a gulp and away
To the books and the ticker! A bite
And n drink and a smoke and a seat
At a card table bait of tb* nlgbt;
A pressure, n click aod a pallor,
A cloth-covered box and a long;
A weary old fellow at forty,
.Who U deaf to tbe noise of tbe
throng.
Toothache or Appendicitis?
A movement looking to tbe better
care of children Is spreading. It I.
proposed now that the tooth brush
drill be n part ef tbe curriculum of
our schools, and that dentists spOuld
visit reguUrly tbe children attending
them. Doctors have spoken very
strongly on tbe usefulness of taking
tonics and similar medicines In order
to promote better digestion, or to
parity the blood, when n constant
system of poisoning Is going on la the
month. It la claimed that much poor
blood and weakness In children comes
from denial decay. A noted physician
declares that appendicitis la caused by
bad taafh. Taka your choice—either
have your teeth extracted or your ap
pendix cut out The doctors get you
either way, going or coming.
To Be Reunited.
"Have you seen my pvor. dear little
duckling?" asked tbe distressed but be
witching young mother duck.
“Ah 1 medame,” repiled tbe polite but
still hungry fax, ”1 have Inride Infor
mation on that point; yon will soon
meet your UtUe one."
Agents Wanted
^To Canvass for thi^
United States)
Senator Number
'NOW PUBLISHED.
Tbs (me contains portraits of the
NINETY MEMBERS
two from each State In th. Union. This
collection vu made from recent exclusive
sitting, for tho
BOSTON BUDGET
The Pictures’
12 x 8 Inches! n size
an protected by copyright and cut not bo
reproduced legally ei**wbere. Tho croup
forms tbo non valua&Tt collection of state*
nn nrer offered to tho American people.
Price CO Cents Deliiered
For tarma aad other partlealara addraas
The Budget Company,
SZO Wmahlniton Street,
Boston, Mass.
PENSIONS.
Over one Million Dollar*
allowed onr clients during the last
six years.
Over one Thousand
claims allowed through ns dur
ing the last six month*. Dis
ability. Ago and In-
•ease pensions obtained
in the shortest possible time.
Widows* claims a specialty#
Usually granted within 90
days if placed with us immedi
ately on soldier’3 death. Fees
fixed by law and payable out of
allowed pension. A successful
experience of 25 years and benefit
of daily calls at Pension Bureau
are at your service. Highest ref
erences furnished. Local Magis-
trates pecuniarily
benefited by sending us
claims. ,
TABER & WHITMAN CO.,
Warder Bld’g, Washington, D. C.
’Gleanings in Bee Culture
teach** yo« about boM. bow to handle them far
honey and profit. Bond for free oopy. Read It.
Then you ’ll wont to subscribe. 6 month's
rial He. Don’t delay bijt do it to-d*y.
A. I. Root Go., Medina, Ohio.
PIANOS AND ORGANS
STANDARD OF THE WORLD
Foster’s Ideal
/ Cribs *
.Accident Pr6of:
EXCAVATION WORK.
With Greatest Economy
use the
Western Elevating Grader
and Ditcher.
ROAD CONSTRUCTION.
Western Wheeled Scraper Ca
AURORA* ILL*
IforOaUlof.
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Throw Your Bottles and Scales Away
D O YOU KNOW that dirty bottles and scales cause yau trouble P
Obviate thi* by using our Developer*, put up READY TO USE.
Simply empty our tube* into the developing tray and add the water—
wa don’t charge yon for th# latter. Large quantities of developer
made up at one time oxydlze sad spolL With our developers yau only mike
up enough tar Immediate use. *
__*£!** H £ a * int * tnke * sclent for 24 ounces ef davel-
aper tor Velox, Azo, Cyka, Rotox, or other papers, or SO ounces of Plata and
Hhi Developer-* Developer vhleh will not stain the fingers or naili. aad
is non-poltonous. We have a Sepia Toser for gaslight pspera, 6 tubes, 25c.
NATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHIC CHEMICAL COMPANY
11Q>9t - “* Ptnn ATt ” Washington. D. C.