Newspaper Page Text
A REPTILE HOUSE.
The Cosy Horae of Philadelphia’s
Serpent Pets.
A Family of Venomous Snakes
in a Plato-Glass Palace.
The new reptile house in the Phila
delphia Zoo was opened recently, and
hundreds of visitors admired the beauty
of the new homo of the serpents. It i 3
far prettier, says the Philadelphia
Times, than tho sorpent house in the
London zoo, though costing much less
money. The building is built of brick
and glass. There is a main building 36
feet square, and on tho east and
west sides aro two now \rtngs of oval
shape and 28 feet long and 32 feet wide,
making tho building 92 feet long.
The glass roof of tho wings bulge out
from the main building with symmetrical
beauty, making the house like a grand
conservatory. The main building,
which was originally the aviary, is tiled
with buff tinted tiles with terracotta
edging. The walls of the new wings
are lined with enamelled bricks, and a
wainscoting of enamelled bricks runs
around the walls of the main building,
while above it tho walls are plastered
and tinted a delicate cream white.
Stained glass fills the double door
and windows on the south front of the
main building, and with the creeping
vines thatshado the front make a pic
turesque effect. A fountain shoots up
its silvery spray above the neat tank of
the crocodiles in the centre of tho main
building, and between hanging plants
and baskot3 of flowers sweet-voiced
birds mingle their melody from glitter
ing cages.
The two back corners of the main
building are banked up with choice
plants, and there will be flowers bloom
ing in tho serpent’s home all winter.
Tho east wing is lined with cherry
wood framed and plate-glass cases seven
feet high and nine feet wide, which
are the homes of the tree-climbin"
O
snakes. These snakes live on natural
ground and real trees and plants grow
in the big cases. Every case is reached
by the sun. The heating pipes are so
arranged that in blizzird weather the
snakes can lie right over tho pipes, but
no matter how high tho temperature of
the cages tho temperature of the build
ing will never be disagreeable to visi
tors.
The west wing has a curving row of
plate-glass cases for the snakes that
don’t climb. They are the homes of the
venomous and ground snakes. All their
surroundings are natural, and snakes
can be seen in the new reptile-house as
ono sees them in nature. The cases in
the west wing are not as largo as in the
east wing, but around the walh of the
main building aro large casos for sala
manders, hell-benders, and other water
reptiles of their class, and gigantic man
eating crocodiles and tiny turtles sleep
together in the waters of the big tank
in the contro of tho building.
The collection of reptiles in the
Zoo is tho best in this country, and
Superintendent Brown hopes to make it
the best in the world. The east wing
is filled with a typioal collection of boa
constrictors. Tho great Indian python
lives next door to tho royal python
from Wait Africa, while tho South
American constrictor hisses through the
plate glass at the beautiful anaconda
from Brazil and tho Cuban tree boa, and
the Australian boa, or carpet snake,
curl themselves in adjoining cases.
Tho collection of lizards and com
mon snakes is a great one, and the now
west wing has many attractions to draw
tho visitors.
The gigantic salamanders from Japan
were watched by the crowds yesterday,
while everybody stopped to look at the
“Gila monster.” He wa3 formerly an
Arizona terror and i 3 the only veno
mous lizard known. It is tho same
“Gila monster” who killed a mar in
Tombstone six weeks ago. Ho is slow
and sluggish in his movement, but is a
terror when aroused. Near him is the
beautiful starred tortoise from Mada
gascar. Ho is biack, with yellow marks
that radiate like a star.
This is tho first attempt to keep
snakes with all tho surroundings of na
ture, and Superintendent Brown is de
termined to make it a striking feature
of the Zoo. The work on tho building
was begun last June, and was only com
pleted on Saturday. The artistic home
of the reptiles was dosigned by Super
intendent Brown, who gave two years’
study to the subject in order to make it
tho finest reptile house in the world.
An Emperor’s Gorgeous Pullman Car.
The London Times is authority for
the statement that Emperor William of
Germany is having himself a special
Pullman car, consisting of bedroom,
dressing room, dining room and study,
built for his future journeys. The cost
■will be $35,000, and his majesty will be
▼ery much at home in it. Now he trav
els at his own expense upon all lines
save that of Frankfort-Cassel, and upon
the others is charged at tho rate of 18
pence per mile for the engine and five
pence for each pair o* wheels that comb
after it.
Took Advantage of Leap Tear.
An Ansonia lawyer was sitting on tha
steps of the Central house in Newton,
Wednesday, says the Ansonia (Conn.)
Sentinel, when a pretty young lady
passed out of the hotel and up tha
street. “There goes a remarkably
pretty girl,” exclaimed a gontleman
conversing with him, and there’s quite
a little romance connected with her,
too.” The legal gentleman was all at
tention at once as his friend continued:
“Sho belongs down in Baltimore and
her father is a wealthy liquor distiller
of that city. She’s got a cool $200,000
in her own right, and a decisiveness
about her that means business. ' Sho
located at the George hotel, Black Rick,
this summer, coming there all alone.
A youag man sitting at her tablo at
tracted her attention. Sho spoke to
him one evening after he had met her
about three times, and she broke him
all up by asking him if ho was married.
Ho replied that ho was too poorly situ
ated for marriage just then; ho hadn’t
much money and had to support his
father. 'Well, I’ve plenty of money,’
she said; ‘why don’t you marry me?’
“She returned to her homo in Balti
more, told her father about the circum
stance, got his consent, and returned to
Black Rock with her father, was mar
ried in Bridgeport, and sho and her
husband are passing tho remainder of
the summer in Newport, as happy as
turtle doves.” The lawyer Ins been
thinking ever since what chances thcro
are for young men in this country.
Substitutes lor the Mackerel.
The dearth of American and Canadian
salt fish in the markets of this country,
owing to short catch, has been produc
tive of a novel feature. It is the substi
tution of other fish, such as Black sea or
Russian salt mackerel, Scotch bloaters,
' f w
small salt shrimps from Belgium, do
mestic sardines and in fact fish put up
in many peculiar ways such as were
scarcely heard of in this trade. Do
mestic sardines have been advanced in
price owing to this increased demand.
Our big salt fish jobbers, such as
Messrs. Shriver, Blackburn and Head
ley, assured tho News representative
that tho demand for fine mackerel, and
particularly for “spring chicken” fuh,
i 3 increasing, and deservedly so.
The samples of Irish mackerel merit
description. Instead of being split on
the back, they are so served on the
belly and are scaly, angular and full 6f
tough bones. They seem very strong,
and aro generally rejected by the trade,
in spite of tho shortness of domestic
fish. As to tho B ack sea mackerel,
they seem to bo a cross between a Dela
ware catfish and a miniature shark.
They aro black, full of oil, and are not,
strictly speaking, rogular mackerel.
They also are rejected. The experi
ment of importing mackerel will ftrdly
be repeatod again. Sirdine®, etc., as
substitutes are all well enough, but tha
genuine, domestic, inshore mackerel
will always roost high. [Philadelphia
News.
“Old Hatch” as an Art Critic.
Hutchinson,the famous Chicago spec
ulator, familiarly known as ‘ Old Hutch, ’»
doesn’t like his son’s taste in art. The
old gentleman has his iicas on this sub
ject as he has on every other one, but
they don’t agree with Charlie’s. The
old —itleman prefers a good chromo or
engr-ving to a painting ary day in tho
week. Ho never swerves from his com
mercial idea of values, no matter what
the matter under discussion may be.
He can not seo why a little square of
canvass costing a dollar, with another
dollar’s worth of paint on it, should sell
at $2500. He saw one in the exposition
one year with that price marked on it.
It represented a seme on Massachusetts
Bay, with some fishing hutsm tho back
ground. Charlie wa3 oa tho art com
mittee, and the old man tackled him
bright and early.
‘‘What’s that fellow want $2500 for
that picture for??*
“Because it’s worth it”
“Nonsense. Didn’t cost him $3 to
make it Why, tho ground ain't worth
that I know the place welt It’s
down on the bay. Blongs to Eph
Slalder. I can buy the whole place for
SISOO.
TVonn-Proof Cotton.
Mrs. Rowley, of F.ore,ville, Texas,
has growing upon her farm a variety of
cotton that she thinks is worm-proof,
as while rows almost touching it are
stripped of foliage not an insect ever
crawls upon this particu’ar speeie<. The
leaves are almost the color of London
purple, and the staple long and fine
with a slight tend me; to woolliness of
curl, and tho lady who has now been
experimenting with it for six years
thinks she will be justified in planting
it for her whole cron.
The Oldest Ex-Congressman.
Mr. John F, Col.in, of Hinsdale, N.
Y., is probiuly tho oldest ex-member
of C ngress now living. Ho was born
in Hillsdalo in 1802, and is now 86
years of a;e. Ho was a member of tho
twenty-ninth congress (1815-4 G),
elect’d from the then eleventh dis
trict. Hs is still ir. the fu l possession
of his faculties, with c ear intellect, ac
tive mind, and generally good health.
THE CAT’S-EYE.
Ceylon the True Home of This
Superb Gem.
Moonstones, Crocidolites and
Other Precious Stones.
The Duke of Connaught gave his
bride a cat’s-eye ring a 3 an engagement
token, and this was enough to make
the stone fashionable and to increase its
value greatly. The domand soon ex
tended to Ceylon, where the true chrys
oberyl cat’s-cye is found, and stimu
lated the search for it thcro. In tho
chrysoberyl cat’s-eye the effect is tho
result of tho twinning of the crystal, or
of a deposit between its crystalline lay
ers of other minerals, in microscopic in
clusions. If the stono is cut across those
layers, “en cabachon” or carbuncle cut,
as it is called, a bright line of light will
be condensed on the domelike top of the
stone. In the search for theso chryso
beryl cat’s-ayes there havo been found
an endless series of chrysobcryls of deep
golden, light yellow, yeliow green, sage
green, dark green, yellowish brown and
other tints. They aro superb gems,
weighing from 1 to 100 carats each,
ranking next to the sapphire in hard
ness. They gave a great surprise to
tho gem doalers, for it was found that
thn darker leaf green or olive green
stones possessed tho wonderful dichro
itic property of changing to columbine
red by artificial light, the green being
entirely subdued and tho red
predominating. They wore, in
fact, alexandrites, a gem .which
had formerly been found only in Si
beria, and even there of poor quality.
Though found in large crystals, a per
fect gem of even one carat was a great
rarity. Here, however, fine gem*, rare
ly under four carats, were found and an
exceptional one weighing sixty-seven
carats. They can be numbered among
tho most rcmarkablo gems known.
Strange to say, among this alexandrite
variety a few have been found which
cpmbine tho characteristics of the cat’s
cyo and tho alexandrite, and, wore, in
fact, the alexandrite cat’s-eye.
Moonstones, also from the same prov
ince of Candy, Ceylon, were brought to
light by this search for cat’s-eycs. It
would not be an ovor-estimato to say
that 100,000 of theso stones havo been
mounted here in tho last four years.
They vary iu size from one-eighth of an
inch to nearly two inches long and one
inch thick, and many of thorn surpass
anything hitherto known of their kind
in boauty and size. Those that display
the chatayant white and tho hazy blue
color aro especially beautiful.
Tho demand for tho cat’s-eye also
brought into notice tha then rare mineral
from Asbestos Mountain, forty miles
north of Yaal River, South Africa,
known 03 crocidolite, more especially
that variety that has been altered to a
quartz cat’a-eyej£ In this stone an in
filtration of siliceous material coated
each fibre with quarks or chalcedony,
giving it the hardness of seven. This
pleasing stone sold readily for $6 a
carat, and at the outset cvcu moro; but
owing to tho excessive competition of
two rival dealers, who sent wholo car
goes of it to tho London market, the
price fell to sl, or even to twenty-five
cent®, per pound, by the quanty. Even
table tops have been made of this mate
rial by veneering. Vases, cane head®,
paper weight®, seals, charms, &c., were
made of it, and sold in largo quantities.
Burning it produced a bronze-like
and by dissolving out tho brown
oxide-of-inn coloring an almost white
substance was obtained, which was
dyed by allowing it to absorb red,
green and brown-colored solutions.
These, owing to the delicacy of the
fibres, were evenly absorbed.
Ten years ago this mat rial was prac
tically unknown; lut so extensively has
it been sold that today it is to be found
on every tourist’s stand, whether on tho
Rigi, Pike’s Peak, in Florida, at Los
Anreles, or at Nijnl N >vgorod, show
ing how thoroughly organized is the
system of distribution in the gem mar
ket. Missionaries have never spread a
religion half so rapidly as traders have
disseminated the cat’s-eyc.—[Graphic.
Alligator Oil.
Near Citra, Fla., in Orange Lake,
840 alligator, were killed by hunters in
one week recently for their hides and
teeth. Dr. Ellis of Citra belicvc-s ho
has found an excellent substitute for
whale oil soap by distilling the remains
of the slaughtered alligators and apply
ing them in liqui 1 form as a wash to
the infected trees. Another idea ha 3
entered tho head of the doctor, and
that is the ir.anu ncture of insect soap
from the fat substance of the ’gator,
which will servo to drive away mosqui
toes, gnats, fli ,s an I fl > is.
Interesting to Scientists.
Mbs Bu .ker H.d- D >you have much
Indim Summer in Colorado?
M jor We'oster— Yes, wo hi.ve a great
deal more I idiaa Su.naur than you do
hero in th E i<t.
“I wonder why that is sr?’’
“Because wo have got
I reckon.”—[Texas Si.tin o s.
QUAINT AND CURIOUS.
Henry VIII. died of carbuncles, fat
and fury.
“Erin go bragh” means Ireland for
ever. ,
For the first six months, of 1883 the
English railways killed 165 people and
injured 957.
Henry 111. is said to have granted a
license to dig coals near Newcastle
upon-Tyne in 1234.
A professor at Columbia College,
New York, has set himself to work and
has now mastered 12 languages.
Hair powder came into use in Eng
land in 1590, and in 1795 a tax of a
guinea was laid upon persons using it.
Venice was first governed by a doge,
Anafesta Paululio, A. D. 697; Gonoa
choso its first doge, Simone Boccanogra,
in 1839.
After a hurricane last month
reef 50 feet long, 30 feet wide and 5
feet high was upheaved in the harbor of
Vera Cruz, Mexico.
The Pcrsees, ancient fire-worshippers
expelled from Persia, are tho factors,
capitalists, and leading merchants of
Bombay, where there arc 9000.
An msthetic-loolang blue lobster, with
a delicately tinted pink tail, was cap
tured at Portland, Me., recently, and is
now swimming in close quarters as a
curiosity.
The impertinences of business have
reached a climax in the sending of cards
and circulars of undertakers and tomb
stone manufacturers to the homes just
visited by death.
A farmer named Bordereau, living
near Angers, France, put a loaded
bomb-shell in his bed, attached a
lighted fuse to it and in a few moments
was completely blown to pieces.
Charles Joseph, a French carpenter,
29 years of age, took an enormous nail,
held it with his left hand over the
right temple, and with a heavy hammer
drove the nail right into his brain.
There aro thirty-five cities in tho
world having more than one-half million
inhabitants. Of these New York,
Philadelphia, Brooklyn, Chicago and
Sf. Louis are in the Unit id States.
High up in the topmost branches of a
large tree that was felled near Winches
ter, Ohio, recently, a petrified fish wa3
found. It i 3 supposed to have been
dropped by an eagle or some bird of
prey.
A street “fiddler” in Omaha was
given a $5 gold piece in mistake for a
nickel by an absent-mindod person who
was listening to his music. Tha giver
did uot discover his error, but tho
player did, and honestly returned the
money.
The oldest incorporated business con
cern in the world is the Hudson Bay
company which has had an existence of
225 years. Tho headquarters of tho
jompany are at Winnipeg, Manitoba,
and the bulk of the stock is held iu
England.
A resident of Sioux City, lowa, who
for 30 years or moro ha 3 grudgingly
paid taxes on 20 very poor Jersey acres,
has just sold them for above $37,000, in
consequence of tho discovery thereon
of a bod of fino clay for tile, brick and
pottery making.
Nearly everybody in England writes
with a quill. You find them put for
public uso in courts, in banks, in tele
graph oflicos, and postoffices—in fact,
everywhere where people must write.
If a man prefers to use a pen or a pencil
he must carry it with him.
There is an old porpoise that has
been in the harbor of St. Augustine,
Fla., years and years. The porpoise is
particularly tame and frolicsome. Ho
is called “Old Ghoul,” and is known
by having ono fin gone. Ho often plays
around the fishermen’s boats, and his
presence always augurs a good catch.
*Au Amphibious People.
The Sulu people are almost amphibi
ous They are also capital boatmen,
and they use two kinds of boats. The
dapang is a dugout ca*oe, with a free
board heightened by plank 3, but differ
ing from tho usual Malay model in hav
ing both bow and stern cigar shaped,
the tops of the ends being beflt up
ward. Theso dapangs have largo bam
boo outriggers on both siles and can
stand heavy weather. The praus, or
larger vessels, aro strongly built; not
very neatly perhaps, but with a good
deal of ornamental carving on the
sterns. They range from ten to twenty
tons burden, and aro used for voyages
to B >rneo and the more distant islands.
Mention having been made of carving,
it may be added that the Su us are very
clever and tatsoful at this sort of work,
which is to be found about their houses
and tombstones ns well a 3 on their
boats. Pearl-fishing is followed here,
as elsewhere in the M slay archipelago,
and the Sulus aro said to be tho best
divers in the world. They think noth
ing of a depth of seventeen or eighteen
fathoms and will swim straight down
to the bottom without any weights to
help them. O,e celebrated pearl
diver is said to have gone down in this
way to h depth of no less than twenty
seven fathoms.
FOR THE HOUSEWIFE.
Washing Win<low3.
Soap-suds should not bo used on tha
windows either. It is almost impos
sible to make tho glass look clear when
they are. First brush all tho dust off,
removing all that adheres in the cor
ners with a bit of cloth, wrapped
around a sparp-pointed stick; then take
some weak tea, boiling hot, and add to
it a tablospoonful of alcohol and a few
drops of ammonia. Dip a piece of
sponge or old flannel in it and rub the
glass until it looks clear. Then take
another cloth and rub until well-pol
ished.— [Prairie Farmer.
Moth-Infested Carpets.
If carpets are badly infested, say 3 a
Scotch contemporary, they should be
taken up and beaten and swept thor
oughly. Before relaying, scrub the
floor with hot water, getting plenty of it
in the seams and crevices. Give the floor
time to dry, and then, with a feather
or small brush, smear kerosene under
the baseboards and in the cracks. Place
all around the edges a strip of tarred
paper, or heavy paper soaked in
melted tallow, either of which
will prevent the insects from
getting underneath tho edges, where
the destruction generally begins. If
their ravages are just beginning, and
tho carpet does not need taking up, put
a wet cloth over the spots infested, and
press heavily with a very hot iron. The
steam thus driven through the carpet
will destroy all eggs and larvse.
To Wash Laces.
An exchange gives the following way
as a good method for washing laces:
“Fold the lace two or three times, and
tack it to a pieco of clean white flannel.
Wash in warm water, with soap, not
rubbing, but dipping it up and down in
the water, and patting it between your *
hands; change the water once. Then
dip it into very hot water, roll it up
with tho flannel outside, and squeeze it
as dry as possible. Then remove the
tacking thread, and dip the lace into
cold water, into which a little pearl
starch Jhas been dissolved.
“Take it out, and roll it out in a large
cambric handkerchief, squeeze it dry,
and again fold it up in a dry handker
chief. Let it remain for an hour, then
fold a linen sheet four times, spread
upon it a fine piece of linen or an old
cambric handkerchief. Lay your lace
upon it, carefully smooth out with your
• hand all folds or creases, and gently
pull each ' pattern into proper shape;
then spread over it another fine hand
kerchief, folded double, and iron with
a hot iron. Remove the upper cloth
from the lace, but do not touch the lace
until it is perfect y dry. It dries in its
impression on tho cambric, and per
fectly retains tho beauty of its pattern.
When quite dry, fold it in tissue paper,
and it will look like new lace.”
Potatoes for the Table.
Baked Potatoes. —Take them as
hear of a size as possible. Wash very
clean and cut a slice off both ends; bake
in a hot oven.
Fried Potatoes. —Peel and slice into
a pan of cold water; drain and season
with salt, and pepper, add ono table
spoon of flour and mix well; fry in
hot lard or beef drippings twonty min
utes.
Saratoga Cmps.—Thinly peel and
slice, let stand in salted water twonty
minutes; take out, drain and dry on a
napkin: separato tho slices and drop a
handful at a time in boiling lard; stir
with a fork, until a light brown or
crisp, as desired: skim out, drain well
and serve.
Baked Potatoes. —Cut cold potatoes
until you have a pint into small disks.
Put them in a pudding dish in layers.
Sprinkle each layer with pepper and
salt and a little parsley. On tho top
layer put lumps of butter the sizo of a
pea. Pour over this one cup of cream
or milk and lastly ono boaten egg. Put
in the oven and brown.
Baked Sweet Potatoes. —Slice cold
sweet potatoes. Put themnn layers in
a dish with sugar and butter sprinkled
plentifully between, also a very little
flower. When the dhh is full pour over
the top tho juice of half a lemon and a
half a cup of cold water. Bake in the
oven until brown. This is the Southern
way of preparing potatoes.
Potato Balls. —One pint of hot
mashed potatoes highly seasoned with
salt, pepper, celery salt, chopped pars
ley, and butter; moisten, if needed,
with a little hot milk or cream. Beat
one egg light, and add part of it to the
potatoes. Shape into smooth, round
bails. Brush over with the remainder
of the egg, and bake on a buttered tin
until brown.
Potatoes in thb Half-Shell.—
Wash and uako three smooth potatoes.
Cut in halves lengthwise, and without
breaking tho skin scoop out the potato
into a hot bowl. Mash, and add one
even tablespoonful of buttor, one of hot
milk, and salt and pepper to taste.
B at the white of two eggs stiff, and
mix it with tho potato. Fill the skins
with the potato mixture, heapiog it
lightly on the top. Brown slightly.
THE
PEOPLE’S PARTY,
PROTECTIVE,
PROGRESSIVE,
PROSPEROUS.
861 PLATFORM:
We Pledge Ourselves in Favor of
PROTECTION
OF OUR CUSTOMERS
From Overcharge and
Misrepresentations.
FREETRADE
FOR EVERY ONE,
With the Merchant who
does most for his
Customers.
PROHIBITION
Of Monopolistic Rings,
Inflated values and op
pressive high prices.
Buy as you vote,intelligently. As candi
dates for your patronage, we invite
an examination of our business
record in support of our
claim for fair dealing.
We promise for
the future
The Best in Quality,
The Most in Quantity,
And the Lowest Prices
TO ALL CUSTOMERS, without dis
tinction of age or class, and behind
our promise stands our enor
mous stock of
BARGAINS,
which are being crowded upon us by our
NEW YORK BUYER.
Never have we been in condition to offer
our patrons such advantages as
at thi§ time. Our
MILLINERY DEPARTMENT
•
has no equal. Our Stock the Largest,
Assortment the Best, and Prices the
Lowest. Our stock of
DRESS GOODS
Below the Lowest. Our
Fancy Goods Department
will save you a handsome profit.
STAPLE GOODS DEPARTMENT
stands at the head for a money saver to
our customers.
OUR SEWING MACHINE DEPARTMENT
includes all the
LEADING ffiACHINES
IN THE COUNTRY,
Starting in price at $5 and up.
In this department wo
Buy,Sell, Exchangeand
Repair
ANY AND ALL KINDS.
Remember that FOUR DAYS in each
week we give away different articles to
our cus'oiners. Some days we give to
every lOtli purchaser and some days to
every sth, and some days to all.
Our patrons are well aware that we
give
BETTER VALUE FOR
THE MONEY,
Than any other house in
CHATTANOOGA!
Come along, and we will
PROVE TO YOU
That you can Save money by making
your Purchases of us.
H. H. SOUDER-