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Death Valley and
Its Dorax Mines.
Death Valley Is probably the most
unique natural feature in California.
It is located in the southeast corner cf
Iney i County, and Is Inclosed hy the
FUnamlnt Mountains on the west and
the Funeral Unnge on the east. It Is
seventy-five miles long, and at its nar
rowest point but eight miles wide.
At one time, most probably, It was
the bed of an ancient liver. The low
est depression Is 200 feet below sea
loTtl, but. above this rises Telescope
Peak, 11,000 feet high, of the 1’ana
mint Range, and dir •ctoly opposite the
Funeral Peak, which reaehep an alti
tude of Kooo feet, During the winter
Tills remarkable valley was discov
ered in 1S50 by n party of immigrants,
many of whom lost their lives in the
attempt to cross it. The name has
clung to it. also, ns being the scene of
numberless tragedies. Early in its
history traditions of gold and silver
deposits of wonderful richness within
its boundaries persuaded many adven
turous persons to undertake the haz
ardous experiment of Its exploration.
The number who have lost their lives
lu this desolate field is undoubtedly
great. Pursuing the mirage of rich de
posits of precious metals these adven
turous prospectors succumbed at last
to tlie intolerable heat and the agonies
of thirst.
The range of the thermometer is
probably greater in Death Valley than
elsewhere in the Western Hemisphere.
In vinter the temperature is way be
low zero, while in July and August
the thermometer ranges for weeks at
337 degrees above, frequently rising
several degrees higher. For weeks at
a time the lowest level temperature ob
served exceeded 100 degrees. The
deadly heat burns every vestige of
a
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WATER COOLER USED IN DEATH VALLEY.
plant that flourishes under the most
arid conditions, here barely survives,
■while the mesqttlte, with its long roots
penetrating deep Into the earth In
search of scanty moisture, just man
ages to exist.
A party of enterprising agricultur
ists once experimented with growing
fruit and vegetables In this region, an
ticipating large profits in the early
marketing of their crops. The attempt
was n complete failure, the intern -
heat withering the plants, notwith
standing copious supplies of water and
the most skillful cultivation, lu the
higher altitudes of the I’annmints
there are numerous valleys with flow
ing streams. In these fruits are culti
vated, nnd reach the market two
mouths before the California products
mature.
The prevailing winds in Death Val
ley are from tlie west. Though origin
ating in the Pacific Ocean and satu
rated with humidity In traveling tlie In
termediate distance, they are inter
cepted by the lofty peaks of four
ranges of mountains, which absorb all
of their moisture, so that by the time
they reach the valley all humidity has
disappeared, and no living thing can
survive the intense heat Even birds.
Indigenous to the region, die.
It is In tbe mouths of greatest heat
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BORATE MINES IN DEATH VALLEY.
that the sand storms of Death Valley then ground to the fineness of flour by
are most deadly. Then rage with in- means of rolls and burr stones. It is
tense fury, obliterating the landscape then, with a small proportion of car
nud dimming the light of the sun. bonate of soda, thrown into a digester,
withering the scanty vegetation and where under heat, pressure aud agita
covering the trails deep in powdered tion the existing affinities are com-
dust. At all times tlie aspect of the
valley is superlatively desolate.
spot on earth suitkihscu It lu aridity or
tophfrtdike heat.
During the heated term an hour
without water means death. Meat be
comes putrid lu ua hour. Eggs are
cooked In the blistering sand. Water
Is only palatable hy means of large i»o
rous earthenware jars, common to all
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MOUNTAINS ENCLOSING DEATH VALLEY.
hot countries, suspended iu drafts
reduced in temperature by means of
the rapid evaporation of the moisture
from the outside.
The belief that the bonne marshes
are the remains of the vast lake which
once filled the valley Is supported by
traces of water-line found GOO feet
above, on tbe mountain sides.
In general appearance all borax
are alike. They are located
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SPANISH BAYONET PLANT, DEATH VALLEY
at the point of greatest depression and
from a distance look like deposits of
salt or snow. Under the surface is
comtflon wet clay or water of varying
depths. These deposits are generally
circular in form and appear as though
once they were crat:rs. Borax was
created by contact of boracic acid in
gaseous form, with the lime aud soda
of tlie surface. At Teels Marsh, Ne
vada, borate of lime appears in the
form of balls imbedded In clay along
with soda, salt, etc.’, but at Columbus
these are found In sandy soil. Some
times these balls are recomposed, un
derlying the soil which is removed,
nnd the borate shoveled out. Deposits
of crude borate of soda are found in
Nevada and iu Death Valley, at the
Monte Blanco mines. These mines are
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THE CRYSTALLIZED RORAX ON THE RODS.
located in a region the most forbid
ding, remote from the railroad and of
fering almost imsurmountable difficul
ties iu the reduction and marketing of
their product, but their richness and
extent, compared to ail other fields,
soon c..used them to be regarded as
the principal source of supply for the
future production of borax iu the Uni
ted States.
The works employ from 400 to 1000
men. The crude borate of lime is first
passed through rock breakers and is
pletely divorced. The carbonic acid
unites with the lime, which yields bo
rade acid, the latter wuh a small por
tion of soda and the result is borax in
solution. The liquor ig then drawn off
Into tanks, where the borax In crystal
lizing attaches itself to small steel
rods and hooks altogether like great
sticks of rock candy. The sediment
contained in the mixing tanks is corn-
posed largely of sand and dirt with
considerable borax mixed. The de
posit is passed through a filter press,
which presses the dirt and allows the
borax liquor to pass away to be util
ized again. Repeated over and over
again, the last remnant of borax is
finally secured by this process.
A Very 8nece*»ful Venture.
An abnormally generous wotnr. ■:
went to Europe last summer, leaving
her horses iu entire charge of her
coachman. The coachman, of a prac
tical turn of mind and with his mis
tress’s full consent, turned a pretty
penny by renting the teams out. Be
fore long she had a letter from him—
would she object to his setting up a
hearse? There was a great demand
for something of the sort, new and
smart, In the town, and he knew of
such a nice hearse to be had at half
price; if she wouldn’t mind his putting
her horses to it, his fortune would be
made. The abnormally generous wom
an wrote back that she was perfectly
willing. A few weeks Ir.ter she was
rewarded by a letter from the coach
man saying that tho hearse, as run
by her horses was the greatest suc
cess; “people are just dying to get
into it,’’ he added.—New York Sun.
Fattier’* Horrible Dlacovery.
While trying to save George Deni
son, an eight-year-old companion, from
drowning iu the Floyd River at Sioux
City, Iowa, George Lewis, aged thir
teen, was also drugged down and died
with his friend. Denison was bathing
in the stream, and was supposedly
seized with a cramp. Lewis plunged
in after him when he called for help.
At first it was not known who tlie lads
were, and the father of Lewis offered
to dive for the bodies. He first brought
up Denison, and 011 diving a second
time rose with his own son in liis arms.
He was nearly crazed with grief when
lie recognized bis child.—Cincinnati
Enquirer.
Where the Y. P. S. C. E. Will Meet.
The Young People’s Society of Chris
tian Endeavor opens soon a world's
session in London, r.nd will hold its
convention in the Alexandra Palace,
which resembles the Madison Square
Garden, New York City.
The palace is just beyond tlie out
skirts of London propound lias a ca
pacity for lodging nnd boarding 5000
Endeavorers, as well as giving ample
room for their meetings. The banquet
hall of the palace will be divided off
into dormitories, enough of them to
hold 1200 young women. This ar
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ALEXANDRA PALACE.
rangement left 3800 young men to be
cared for, but S00 tents have been pro
vided for them, and -aey will occupy
these, five to a canvas.
The kitchen of the palace Is large
enough to prepare food for 2500 per
sons. who can sit down at one time in
the dining hall and be served. All En
deavorers not provided for in the pal
ace will have accommodations secured
for them in near-by private bouses and
hotels. It has been settled that all vis
itors will pay their own expenses.
The total number of delegates ex
pected in London is 00,000, of widen
SOOO 'come from America. The dele
gates represent a membership of 4,000,
000 Eudcavorers, scattered all over the
world.
Easy to I*ick tlie Winner.
They made a wager as to which
could give a story the widest circula
tion in the shortest lime.
One of them had it manifolded cn
the typewriter aud sent it to every
newspaper in the town.
The other merely told it to his wife
“iu strict confidence.”
REPUSLieAM PLATFORM
Adopted at Philadelphia and Upon Which the Party
Will Enter the Presidential Campaign-Host
Features of the Document.
Following are the salient features of
the platform presented in the Repub
lican convention by the committee on
resolutions:
We renew our allegiance to the
principles of the gold standard and de
clare our confidence in the wisdom of
the legislation of tho fifty-sixth con
gress by which the parity of all our
money and the stability of our cur
rency on a gold basis has been se
cured.
We declare our steadfast opposition
to the free nnd unlimited coinage of
silver. No measure to that end could
be considered which was without the
support of the leading commercial
countries of the world.
The Democratic party must be
vinced that the American people will
never tolerate the Chicago platform,
Wo recognize the necessity and pro
prietv of tbe honest co-operation of
capital to meet new business condi
tious, and especciallv to extend our
rapidly increasing foreign trade, but
we condemn all conspiracies nnd com
binations intended to restriot business;
to create monopolies; to limit produc
tion or to control prices and favor
such legislation as will effectually re
strain and prevent all such abuses,
protect and promote commercial com
petition nnd secure the rights of pro
ducers, laborers and all who aro eu
gaged in industry aud commerce.
We renew our faith in the policy of
protection to American labor. In that
policy our industries have been estab
lished, diversified and maintained. By
protecting the home market the com
petition has been stimulated and pro
duction cheapened. American
In the further interest of
workmen we favor a more effective re
striction of the immigration of labor
from foreign lands, the extension of
opportunities of education for working
children, the raising of the age limit
for child labor, the protection of free
labor, as against contract convict labor
and an effective system of labor insur
ance.
The national defense and naval
efficiency of this country moreover
supply a compelling reason for legis
lation which wiil enable us to recover
our former place among the trade car
rying fleets of the world.
The nation owes a debt of profound
gratitude to the soldiers and sailors
who have fought its battles, and it is
the government's duty to provide for
the survivors and widows and orphans
of those who fell in the country’s
wars.
We recommend the policy of the
Republican party in maintaining the
efficiency of the civil service. The
administration has acted wise in its
effort to secure for public service iu
Cuba, Porto Rico, Hawaii and the
Philippine islands only those whose
fitness has been determined by train
ing and experience.
It was the plain purpose of the fif
teenth amendment to the constitution
to prevent discrimination on account
of race or color in regulating the elec
tive franchise. Devices of state gov
ernments, whether by statutory or
constitutional enactment, to avoid the
purpose of the amendment are revolu
tionary and should be condemned.
Public movements looking to a per
maDent improvement of roads and
highways of the country meet with our
cordial approval, and we recommend
this subject to the earnest considera
tion of the people of the legislatures
of the several states.
We faver the extension of the rural
TWO DELEGATES MIX.
Texans Attending the Republican
Convention Have Fisticuff In
Committee Room
A Philadelphia dispatch says: The
Republican committee on credentials,
after an all night session, adjourned
nt 6 a. m. Wednesday, having com
pleted all its business.
A lively fist fight between two Texas
delegates occurred at 4:30 o’clock,
just after the committee had listened
to arguments from contesting delegates
in that state.
As the delegates were leaving the
committee room, W. H. Love, a dele-
NEWS FROM KEMPFF.
Confirms the Report That Americans
Were Not In Taku Fight.
The navy department has received a
cablegram from Admiral Kempff dated
.Tune 20th. He says the Taku forts
were captured by other foreign forces;
that heavy finiug was heard at Tien
Tsin on the evening of the 17th iust.
He is making common cause with the
foreigu powers for general protection.
There are 300 Americans ashore.
On May 31st the number of foreign
troops at Pekin was 430. There are
6,000 ashore now at Che Foo and
about 3,000 troops, Russiau, German
and English have just arrived.
LI HUNG’S RECALL
Is Expected To Cause Grave Troubles
At Canton, China.
Advices from Hong Kong state that
the Chinese expect trouble at Cantou
over the departure of Li Hung Chang
for Pekin. It is rumored that the
forts have received orders to fire on
any fereign warship attempting to pass.
A gunboat is kept under steam in
case of emergency. There is no war
ship at Canton.
free delivery service which may bo
justified. home rule for and tho
We favor statehood of tho
early admission to and
territories of New Mexico, Arizona
Oklahoma. provide
The Diugley act amended to
sufficient revenue for the conduct of
the war has so well performed its work
that it has been possible to reduce the
war debt in the sum of $40,000,000,
The country is now justified in ex- of
pecting, and it will he the policy
the Republican party, to bring about
a reduction of the war taxes.
We favor the construction, owner
ship, control and protection of an
Isthmian canal by the government of
the United States,
I Q the interest of our expanding
commerce we recommend that con
£ res8 ere 0*5. e a department, of com
merce an industries in charge of a
secretary with state portfolio. It
should be organized under the basis
of appointment and will render it ser
viceable to the nation a increasing
trade.
The American government must
protect the person and property of
every citizen wherever they are where
they are placed m peril. We congrat
ulate tbe women of America upon the
splendid record of public service in
the volunteer aid association and as
numerous in camp aud hospital during
the recent campaigns of our armies in
the eastern and western Indies, and
we appreciate their faithful work in
education and industry,
President McKinley has conducted
tbe foreign affairs of the United States
with distinguished credit to the Araer
icau people. by
We commend the part taken our
government in the peace conference at
the Hague. While the American gov
ernment must continue the policy pre
scribed by Washington, affirmed by
every succeeding president, and im
posed upon us by the Hague treaty,
of non-intervention in European con
troversies, tho American people earn
estly hope that a way may be found
honorable alike to both Great Britain
and the South African republics, to
terminate tbe strife between them.
In accepting by the treaty of Paris
the just responsibilities of our victo
ries in the Spanish war, the president
and the senate won the undoubted ap
proval of the American people. No
other course was possible than to de
stroy Spain’s sovereignty in throughout
the world and the Philippine
islands.
The eourse created our responsi
bility before the world and with the
unorganized population whom our in
tervention had freed from Spain to
provide for, the maintenance of law
and order and for the establishment
of good government and for the per
formance of international obligations,
our authority could not be less than
our responsibility; and wherever sov
ereign states are extended it is the
high duty of the government to main
tain its authority, to put down armed
insurrection and to confer the blessings
of liberty and civilization upon all the
rescued peoples. The largest meas
ures of self-government consistent
with their welfare and our duties shall
be secured to them by law.
To Cuba independence and self
government were assurred in the same
voice by which war was declared, and
to the letter this pledge shall be per
formed.
The Republican party, upon its his
tory and upon tttis declaration of prin
ciples and policies, confidently in
vokes tbe considerate and approving
of the American
gate from McKinney, Texas, accused
Walter Burns of having made state
ments in the committee room which
were not true. Burns denied that he
bad made any such statement, and
Lore called him a liar. Burns promptly
planted his fist in Love’s face with a
violence that would have laid Love low
on the floor bad not some of the by
standers caught him. Love was finally
hustled down the stairs and taken
away by his friends.
Immediately after this row two col
ored delegates began to make violent
threats and warlike demonstrations at
each other. This trouble also involved
a question of veracity. They were
dragged apart without
INDORSED BRYAN.
Second Day of Florida State Demo
cratic Convention.
The Florida state Democratic con
vention Wednesday adopted a plat
form, the main features of which ore
the endorsement of William J. Bryan
fpr president, the denunciation of
trusts, demand for the repeal of all
war taxes, 16 to 1 ratio of coinage,
governmental control of corporations,
especially railroads, direct vote for
United States senators, a graduated
income tax aud reduction of the tariff
to a revenue basis.
The question of the removal of the
seat of the government is also a plaDk
in the platform.
HAS KRUGER ESCAPED?
Report Comes That He Has Left For
Some Point In Europe.
A member of the British house of
commons, who has had an important
connection with South Africa, is tell
ing a story of a telegram alleged to
have been received from Cape Town,
which ife says Kruger has really escaped
nnd already on tho seas bound for
Europe, and that the person occupy
ing the executive car is not Kruger,
but a substitute.
DEAD
IN BAD WRECK
Fast Southern Train Goes
Headlong Into Washout.
SCENE A HORRIBLE ONE
Whole Train Completely Demolished,
and of Forty Passengers and Crew
Only Nine Escaped Death.
Passenger train No. 7, on the South
ern road, due iu Atlanta at 9:45 p. m.,
ran into a washout over Camp creek
Saturday night at 9:30 o’clock one
mile aud a half north of McDonough,
Ga., which is twenty miles south of
Atlanta, and thirty-one people were
killed outright.
The train left Macon on schedule
time. It was made up of an engine,
No. 864, and three cars. The car next
to the engine was a combination affair,
part of it being used for baggage and
part of it for passengers. The next
coach was a first-class passenger coach,
while the third one was a Pullman car.
The run from Macon to McDonough
was made iu a heavy storm which
had baen prevailing for many hours.
At McDonough the usual stop was
made, and the train pulled out for At
lanta. • One mile and a half north of
McDonough was a culvert over Camp
creek, which had stood the storms for
many years. Either a cloudburst or
the heavy rush of the waters after dark
Saturday night washed away quite a
section, leaving an immense gap.
The train rushing along plunged
wildly into this gap, and iu a second
the tender was piled upon the engine
and the cars upon cars in an extrica
ble mass.
Immediately after the cars went
down fire began to spread among
them, aud what destruction the fail
did not accomplish, the flames about
completed.
Of the thirty-one killed, all except
two were lifeless bodies when rescued
from the flames, the scalding steam,
and the raging waters of the creek,
swollen by heavy rains into a torrent.
Only nine persons were rescued.
None of them are seriously injured.
The wreck is said by railroad offi
cials who visited the scene to the most
disastrous in the history of the state.
Only a few moments were required
to arouse the people of McDonough to
the fact that the most horrible railroad
wreck the state had ever known had
occurred within two miles of their
town.
The scene when they readied the
place where the accident occurred beg
gared description. All that remained
of the train was a mass of ruins that
in the dim light appeared to be only a
mass of splinters.
A number of thrilling rescues were
made. The manner in which the only
two women were rescued was remark
able. Miss Mary B. Merritt is of
Boston, where she is a teacher in a
school of oratory. She and her pupil,
Miss Clara Alden, also of Boston, had
been visiting in Macon and were en
route to Boston. Both occupied
berths in the Pullman. When the
plunge was made they found their end
of the car almost entirely submerged.
Going upon the platform, which was
an exhibition of nerve since the water
was almost to their chins,they climbed
to tbe roof of the Pullman and walked
np the inclined car to the further end,
where they stood calling for help.
They w r ere the first to be rescued. A
rope was thrown, which each in turn
grasped and in that manner were
carried safely to the point from which
the cars had fallen.
The list of these killed is as follows:
Passengers—W. W. Iparks, W\ F
Maddox, GeoTge W. Flournoy, W. J
Pate, Jesse Pate, aged 13, son of W.
J. Pate—ail of Atlanta, Ga.
D. C. Hightower, Stockbridge, Ga.
J. L. Florida, Nashville, Tenn.
The crew—J. Sullivan, engineer
of the wrecked train, Atlanta; W. A.
Barclay, conductor; H. R. Cress
man, conductor of Pullman on tho
wrecked train; W. H Green, fireman;
W. W. Bennett, baggage master.
Employees of the road who wero on
fatal train—J. H. Hunnicut, conduc
tor, Atlanta; J. E. Wood, conductor,
Atlanta; G. Y. Griffith, supervisor,
Flovilla, Ga.; W. R. Lawrence, fore
man, Stockbridge, Ga.; W. O. Ellis,
bridgeman, Stockbridge, Ga.; John
Brantley, fireman, Atlanta; J. H.
Rhodes, flagman; W. I. Morrissette,
repairer, Pocahontas, Ya.; Ed Byrd,
negro fireman; Robert Speucer, negro
porter. white
Unidentified—Bodies of four
men; one supposed to be Robert
Buchanan, of Atlanta, aud one G. M.
Beewall, of Chicugo; bodies of five
negro men.
GEORGIA’S GOVERNOR ILL.
Debarred From Duties By Severe At
tack of Rheumatism.
Governor Candler, of Georgia, is ill
at tbe mausion in Atlanta, and it will
probably be several days before he will
be able to return to the statehouse.
Governor Candler, in coming from
Athens to Atlanta last Saturday, after
attending a meeting of the board of
trustees of the university, contracted
a cold which resulted in rheumatism.