Newspapers / The News & Observer … / Aug. 6, 1899, edition 1 / Page 2
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2 METROPOLIS OF FLORIDA (Continued 'From First Page.) cratic party. In 181MJ when a large num ber of rich men were refusing to support the ticket, Florida’s new Senator spoke out strongly for Bryan and the Chicago plnform. There is more tendency here, I believe, to call business men to tions of public trust than in the older States. It is chiefly the business me i who havi developed the resources of Florida, and they exert great influence in its political as well as material concerns. * * * The most unique attraction in this city is its Ostrich Farm, as they call it. It is an ostrich farm, of course, but it is also an ostrich show. The farm, which is situate in a bend in the river, is enclosed like a base ball park or a fair ground. If you desire to see the wonderful show you pay an admission fee, and in the store adjoining the farm you'can 'buy ostrich plumes, boas, capes and collarettes at all sorts of prices and colors, a boa costing from .$2 to $12.50. The most papular boas are one and a half yards long and sell for from $lO to sl2. In its advertisement the concern urges the readers of Florida papers to ‘‘Patronize Home Industry,” and there fore by inference not to give support to the pauper labor of the ostriches of for eign countries. In the winter great throngs visit the ostrich farm and the admission fees rival those of a modern circus. The preachers can take their children without compunction to see the animals, the scientists go to study ani mal life, the curious go to see something novel, and the young folks go because it gives them a diversion. Anyhow every body goes. It is off-season now for visi tors, but the gates are open so that no admission fee may he lost. In this farm are more than one hum dred ostriches, standing seven feet high, weighting two hundred and titty to tour hundred pounds each. 1 also saw ostriches two weeks old, about the size oi a hen. For the benefit of any who may desire to know more alltout the ostrich farm, I append the following from a little book ‘‘Souvenir of the Florida Ostrich Farm:” At the Florida Ostrich Farm the best feathered birds are paired off for breed ing purposes in separate corrals, with a passage way of six feet in width be tween each corral to prevent the males fighting. During the laying season the males become very fierce, and can dan gerously wound a man with one blow of the "foot; they kick forward, with a downward, scratching movement, and their one sharp claw is sometimes fatal. Should anyone be so unfortunate as to find himself near a savage bird, a cer tain amount of safety can be % secured by dying flat on the ground, as the ostrich can kick dangerously only at a height of about three feet; this is probably the reason that these 'birds are so frightened at a dog; although they will charge a man on horseback, yet a little fox terrier will send them running to the farthest corner of the field. Each pair of breeding birds are kept in a small corral 50x150 feet —so small that a South African ostrich farmer would assert that they could not thrive in such a small space—and are fed clover hay. corn, oats, barley, etc. Experience, however, has shown that they thrive fa* mously in their corrals; that they grow as large, and that their feathers are as good in quality and as large in size as those of the Cape. The younger birds— those not kept in corrals for breeding purposes—roam in troops in larger en closures, and a group of birds running with their wings outspread, alarmed at some unusual sight, is a most beautiful spectacle. Each and every bird is named. Fol lowing are the names of some of the pairs of breeding birds: President Mc- Kinley and Queen Victoria, Mark Hanna and wife, Joe Wheeler and Alabama. Beau Brummel! and Violet Cameron, Admiral Schley and Little Cuba, Bob Fitzsimmons and wife, Bendigo and Lit tle Egypt (African birds 30 years old). Prince of Wales and Lilian Langtry. Teddy Roosevelt and wife, General Fitz hugh" Lee and Virginia, Grover Cleve land and Frances. Sagasta and the Queen Regent, Napoleon and Josephine. •Admiral Dewey and Miss Manila. An average bird weighs from 250 to 400 pounds, and stands 7 to 10 feet high; it is omnivorous, carnivorous to some ex tent. and voracious; it will eat stones, leather, oranges, aiid has been known to swallow gimlets, lighted pipes, and even a newspaper properly rolled for consump tion. The hard substances are used to grind the food in its stomach: gravel has to be supplied them, freely for this pur pose, just as fishbones to canaries. Shortly after pairing off. a pair will !>e gin to build a nest, or rather, to dig one out of the ground. The male bird rests his breastbone on the ground and kicks the sand behind; when one side is suffi cinetly deep, he turns around and oper ates iy a like manner, until a round hole about four feet in diameter and one foot deep is the result of his exertions; oc casionally he intimates to the female that iiclp is required, and they take turns. The hen forthwith begins to lay an egg every other day, until twelve or fifteen are located side by side in this hole in the ground; they scatter a little sand over the tops of the eggs to preterit them from the fierce rays of the sun; this habit has doubtless led to the supposi tion, printed in many ancient natural histories, that the eggs of the ostrich are hatched by the sun. unaided by the bird. As soon as the full number of eggs are laid the couple share the labor of hatch ing; the nulle bird sitting on the eggs from 4 o’clock in the afternoon until 0 o’clock the following morning; and it may be understood with what skill this is performed when it is remembered that 250 to 400 pounds of ostrich is bear ing down upon fourteen eggs; at 0 o’clock the hen takes his place, sitting the day. 'me iniale ostrich, however, with remark able intelligence, relieves the female for an hour in the middle of the day, whilst she gm-s in search of necessary nourish ment. A pair will follow this regime with the greatest regularity for forty days, when the chicks can Ih> heard tele phoning, as it were—in the shells. Fre quently the chicks hreak the shells them selves, blit often the hen can be seen pressing on the shell with Her breast bone to assist the youngster in making his dqbut into the glorious climate of Florida; sometimes she can be seen tak ing it by its little head and shaking the shell from its body. In the wild state this ends the annual process; hut the ostrich farmer—not unlike the ordinary chicken Taiser —industriously removes tin 1 chicks to a covered shed, attends to their support himself, leaving the yiair of older birds to proeeed with another sitting, which they do with unwearied regulari ty; the consequence is, that instead of 14 eggs annually from one pair of birds, tae “ostrieulturist” —if we may term him —often produces eighty, many of which are fertile and hatch. The scripture al leges that thi' ostrich knoweth not her young; this may happen in a wild state, but a tame ostrich has a prosier res-jMct for and pride in her offspring, if left with her. They brood them only at night time, keeping them running about all day with them in ceaseless motion from daylight to dark. When the chicks are taken away they are kept warm at night in well covered boxes; on the third day after their appearance they will be gin devouring small stones and broken bone; on the fourth or fifth they begin to eat i.ran, cabbage, grass, etc., which is the ideal food for tin 1 bird in its younger state. With this its mortality is small and growth remarkably fast; up to the age of six months it grows at the rate of one foot a mouth. An ostrich egg weighs about three and one-half pounds, and is equal to thirty lien eggs; an omelette of ostrich eggs is nearly the same flavor and appearance as an omiette of ordinary eggs. The unfertile eggs are blown and find a ready sale, decorated and plain, as souvenirs in the Florida Ostrich Farm. They are sold at the farm for SI.OO each. The feather of the ostrich are of va rious shades and several colors, accord ing to the age and sex of the bird; those of the young are a mixture of white and yellow; at eighteen months of age they turn to dark drab on the female, and black and white on the male. The most valuable feathers are those of the male adults; those of the female and of the young are of inferior quality. The winged feathers are the largest and most flexible, and many are more or less white; those of the tail are inferior both in quality and color. The white feathers, so called, being in most cases the color of ivory, are the most valuable and Ihviu tiful. Every nine months the birds are ex amined and the ripe feathers plucked. This requires a certain amount of ex perience and skill; careless plucking will injure the growth at future feathers; a feather root injured, injury is done that can never be remedied; for when a ‘‘socket” is pulled out a feather can never grow again. The short feathers are pulled out without any apparent pain to the creature, as they are riiie and would fall off in the course of nature, If not extracted by the skilled operator; the heavy wing feathers are cut off with short scissors, the, stumps being left in the skin; these are ripe for extraction about three months after a plucking takes place. The Society for the Sup pression of Cruelty to Birds, of which the Princess of Wales is president, ex pressly excepted the ostrich from its list of unfortunates. As has been said, the extraction of feathers from the ostrich, ny skilled operators, is without pain to the bird. Three corps of feathers are yi ebb'd at the ostrich farm in two years, though of course, plucking takes place more frequently. Each bird is worth from S3O to SOO per annum in feathers, and most of them live, in Africa, to the good old age of seventy years. Their vtaiue varies from SIOO a pair for chicks to SSOO a pair for full-grown breeding birds, three years old anid upwards. Tin* plucking of the birds is one of the occasional sights at the Florida Ostrich Farm in Jacksonville. A few of the birds are driven into a small corral, when one by one they are introduced to a small angular inclosuro, a long narrow bag placed over the head, with a hole in the end for it to breathe, one man hold ing the bird while the ojH'ratoj* skillfully clips and pulls all the feathers that are ripe; isting thus blinded he becomes very tame, but care is exercised by the men in keeping behind the bird to prevent tin* kicks that necessarily are included by the creature in tins performance. The narrowest part of the nngle-shawnl in closure contains a small door, which, af ter the plucking has taken place, is open ed .the bag taken off, and the bird runs away with wings extended, quite reliev ed. SKIN SCALP HAIR HANDS Cleansed Purified and Beautified by wm For preserving, purifying, and beautifying the skin, scalp, hands, and hair, and preventing pimples, blackheads, red, rough hands with shapeless nails, and itching palms, for irritations of the scalp, and falling hair, as well as chafings, rashes, inflammations, undue or offensive perspiration, and for many sanative uses, CUTICURA SOAP, because of its delicate emollient properties derived from CUTI CURA, the great skin cure, and the purity and sweetness of its composition, is absolutely without a rival. Sold throughout the world. Price, Cdticuba Soap, 25c.; Outicitua Ointment, 60. Potteii Dbug and Ohem. Coup., Sole Props,, Poston. “ All about the Skin, Scalp, Hair & LLaude.” free. THE NEWS AND OBSERVER, SUNDAY MORNING, AUGUST 0, 1800. MUNYONSi Liver Cure posi tively cures < bil iousness, coated tongue,bad breath, constipation, jaun dice. sallow com- face erup tions,impure blood, sick headaches, wind _in stomach and gives natural sleep. 25e. Medical advice Uw- U 505 Arc’d st., Phils. LIVEHOH The various kinds of feathers are put Into separate bags, male and female separate, also tail feathers, wing feath ers, white, black, gray, iitc., and these are all graded afterwards according to their different sizes. Before these feath ers are useful for the purposes of trade they have to undergo numerous opera tions; first graded, then tie them on strings about four feet long, singly, o,r in bunches of two or three, according to their size, then they are scoured, cleaned in soapsuds, and rinsed frequently, when they are ready for the dyer. The na tural black ostrich feather is dyed black; this is not only on account of its natural shade, but also because of its character, having a fine silk-like down; this is the glossy black of commerce, so much valued by connoisseurs; and these black feathers are more valuable than drab. After dyeing, mote rinsing in clear water containing starch: then they are beaten on a smooth board until they are free from all particles of starch. After this they go to the work-room, where skilled operators “finish” them; here again they are graded, and this grading is even more important than the first; years of practice and observation are re quired to tit the competent operator for his task. Then they go to the sewing department. The fashion of the single feather disappeared long ago; now each feather used in the trade consists of sev eral whole feathers placed on top of each other and sewn skillfully together, three, four or five feathers, according to the value and thickness desired. After sow ing. the feathers are steamed, in order to allow the filters to assume their nat ural position, which is the beautiful one. and taken charge of lty the curler, who gives them that graceful shape, both to fibres and stem, so much desred. Front the curler they pass to the (bunchfr. who combs them and gives them that fashion demanded at the time, for sale in the open market. * * * The North Carolina troops in camp here last year left a good impression behind them. 1 drove out to the old camp, now deserted, and a friend pointed out the positions of the various regi ments. and particularly the spot between the camps where a North Carolina soldier “downed” an F. F. Y., who re flected upon the Tar Heel. “When they got here some of the North Carolina sol diers had no shoes and no decent clothes, and that put them at a discount, but it was not long before they displayed such qualities of tiie soldier and the citizen as to win the resi>eet of the whole city. They made friends and there were many inquiries made of me nlmut Capt. This and Private That. Some of them were quite popular among the belies of tins city, and “they say” that more than one wedding will result next year from the encampment of North Carolina boys in this city of beautiful women. * * * The encampment was a big thing for Jacksonville in a business way as well as in a social way. There were as many men in camp here as there are men, wo men and children in the city. They all spent money, some of them freely, and it made Jacksonville the liveliest town on the Continent while it lasted. Jack sonville hated to see the boys leave, both because of the social pleasures as well as the financial considerations. If some of the iHiys painted the town red, it did not shock Jacksonville. It is a cosmopoli tan town and is not easily shocked. * * * The city has a fine jiopulation of old time Southerners, who retain the old traditions, and a great influx of wide awake, progressive Northern men and women. The combination makes a fine population, possessing all that is best of the two civilizations—the Puritan and the Cavalier. Which predominates? In the summer, the Cavalier. In the winter, the Puritan. But the visitor from both sections “rules the roost” in the gay winter season, the Jacksonville people giving them the “go.” ,1. D. Fish being rich, in phosphorous and phosphorus lwimg the essential thing in making matches, it therefore stands to reason that girls should' he partial to a fish diet. “AN EMPTY SACK CANNOT STAND UPRIGHT.” . Neither can poor, weak, thin blood nourish and •sustain the physical system. For strength of nerves and muscles there must lie pure, rich, vigor ous blood. Hood’s Sarsaparilla is the standard preparation for the bkjod and its many remarkable cures and the fact that it does everybody good who takes it prove it is just what you need if you are weak and languid. Hood’s Pills do not gripe. All drug gists, 25c. T/ive levels all ranks —except in Ken tucky. There a man is either a major or a colonel just as long as lie pays his liquor bills. RED HOT FROM THE GUN. Was the ball that hit G. B. Steadman, of Newark, Mich., in the Civil War. It caused horrible Ulcers that no treatment helped for 20 years. Then Bueklen’s Ar nica Salve cured him. Cures Cuts. Bruises, Burns, Boils, Felons, Corns, Skin Eruptions. Best Pile Cure on earth. 25 ots. a box. Cure guaranteed. Sold by all druggists. An Irishman says that love sets the heart aching so deliciously there is no getting a wink of sleep for the pleas ure* of the pain. The soothing and healing properties of Chamberlain’s Cough Remedy, its pleas ant. taste and prompt and permanent cures, have made it. a great favorite with the people everywhere. For sale every where. Bobbitt-Wynne Drug Co., and 11. T. Hicks, Druggists, Raleigh. WHO KNOWS? I. Who knows The birth of a grass-blade—the life of a rose? And who, in this life that is drifting away, The meaning—the mystery of them shall say? All that we know in this region below Is that May makes the roses and winter tii; snow. 11. Who knows The thought of the river that evermore flows To the sea that is tossing its waves on the shore And heeds not the rocks or the wrecks in its roar? All that we know in this region below Is that May makes the roses and winter the snow. 111. Who knows The tide where life’s tending—this goal where it goes? In the Night is there light?—will a morn ing dawn bright When sighs shall be silenced and souls shSil be white? All that we know in this region Inflow Is that May makes the roses and winter trie snow. IV. Yet we trust That sometime a flower will blossom from dust; That the songs that we sing and the prayers that we pray Will not’di in the darkness that know.- not the day. Yet all that we know in this region b< - low Is that May makes the roses and winter the snow. V. Such is life. With its joy and its sorrow—its strength and its strife. The bloom and the gloom, and the dark and the bright. And God gave Good monriig, and God give Goodnight! But ill that we know in this region in law Is that May' makes the roses and wirttei the snow. F. L. STANTON. LADIES CAN WEAR SHOES One size smaller after using Allen’s Foot-Ease, a powder to be shaken into the shoes. It makes tight or new shoes feel easy; gives instant relief to corns and bunions. It’s the greatest comfort discovery of the age. Cures swollen feet, blisters and callous spots. Allen’s Foot-Ease is a certain cure for ingrow ing nails, sweating, hot, aching feet. At all druggists and shoes stores, 25c. Trial packages free by mail. Address, Al len S. Olmsted, Lc Roy, N. Y. jj§ Pond’s || I Extract ■ j|jjjjp (Avoid Substitutes) |jij%Si| Cleanses and |||j Heals all Inflamed Sub*- Mi faces. Cures Sore Throat, Coughs, Colds, |p| Bronchitis, Asthma, Catarrh and || Relieves fi «CURE YOURSELF! (Jww his* 4 for uuinjiurav iischargea, imlajßiu.Hiiona rritations or ulccnif ions >f iq uco u h iiie 111 orunos PairtloHß, Hipl not iwtrill* genl or Sold by ,>r.. SS or sent in plain iv rapper F Chid ester’s EajrUah Diamond Brand. ENNYROYAL PILLS original and Only Genuine. /. •ape, always reliable, ladus ask Af/lwifcjlM Druggist for Chir.henUr • KnglUi » Dia-figFKx mo nd Brand in lied and (fold metallic \ wJ®' CV Beal °d with blue ribbon. Tube \Sf Ira other. Refuse dangerous v \ fjf tion* and imitation*. At Druggets, ni send 4c. I W jf in stamps for particulars, iestinwatu.-t aac V D “Relief for Ladiem” in letter, by return m\ _£r Mall. 10.000 Testimonials, frame. Paper. Chleheater€nemlcalCo. # MAdlaon *li Local Druggists. IMIiLAUA.. PA meets the requirements of every dress-maker. CUT PAPER PATTERNS These patterns hiz'r been pronounce 1 " th<' best and the simplest" on the market. Tii y r esi 25c. PER PATTERN WAIST, SLEEVE, or f Hi'.O'—(OSIPLEIU «OM \. tor. We will be pleased t send you os a special offer .» TRIAL SUB. 250. FOUR WEEKS to the BAZA R upon receipt of the money. Adilr— HAKPEK A ItHOTHERS, 1 iihlNhor.,V. tU» Opium, Morphine, Whiskey—ls inter ested in the cure of these habits, write for my book on these diseases. Mail ed free. B. M. WOOLLEY, M. D., Atlanta, Ga. Sun CASTOR IAI Tlio Kind Ytra Have Always Bought, and which has been in use for over 30 years, has borne the signature of— and has been made under his per /'s / Bona * supervision since its Infancy. Allow no one to deceive you in this. All Counterfeits, Imitations and Substitutes arc but Ex periments that trifle with and endanger the health of Infants and Children—Experience against Experiment. What is CASTORIA Castoria is a substitute for Castor Oil, Paregoric, Drops and Soothing Syrups. It is Harmless and Pleasant. It contains neither Opium, Morphine nor other Narcotic substance. Its age is its guarantee. It destroys Worms ami allays Feverishness. It cures Diarrhoea and Wind Colic. It relieves Teething Troubles, cures Constipation and Flatulency. It assimilates the Food, regulates the Stomach and Bowels, giving healthy and natural sleep. The Children’s Panacea—The Mother’s Friend. GENUINE CASTORIA ALWAYS Bears the Signature of The KM You Have Always Bought In Use For Over 30 Years. THE CENTAUR COMPANY, TT MURRAY STREET. NE*/VOF» > CITY. SEVEN SPRINGS. The Very Finest of All Mineral Waters* A POSITIVE CUKE FOR INDIGESTION, DYSPEPSIA, INSO MXI A. NEE NWS PROSTRATION AND ALL KIDNEY AND LIVER TROUBLES. Its general restorative properties are wonderful. Each spring has its own peculiarities—all seven are marvelous. Reduced rate on railroads. Hacks to meet all trains at La Grange. Teleph one line from Seven Springs ‘to La Grange. Waterworks in hotel. Hot aml cold water baths, free to guests. Water free to guests. Boarders at o ther hotels or boarding houses using Seven Springs water are charged $2. 00 per week for waler privilege. For terms, adress, G F. SMITH Prop. Seven Springs, N. C. SOME Os THE ARTICLES AND THINGS YOU NEED Powdered Wax for floors, best'quality Ice Cream Freezers, Wire-Screen Doors and Windows, “Muresco.” the best Walll Finish; “All Right” Mixed Paints, “Gar land” and a “AlI Right” Cook Stoves, Poultry Netting, Refrigerators. BUG-DEATH. Julius Lewis Hardware Co., Raleiah, N. C. LARGEST STOCK IN NORTH CAROLINA. Soutliern Plumbingand Heating Co. Sanitary Plumb ing, Steam and Hot Water Heating. Office and Show-rooms 224 Fayetteville St. HARRY A. HART' Manager, Inter-State ’Phone 444. Raleigh, N. C. Jobbing prompt ly attended to. Estimates fur nished in any part of the state in all our branches. RAIN OR SHINE Your wants can always be sup plied from the stock of Whiting Bros. Umbrellas. For rain or sun. 50c.., 75c, SI.OO, Si. 25 and Si.so. A New lot just receiv ed. Rubber Coats, Slick ers, Boots and Shoes ga lore. Gas Fitting,Pipe Valves and Fittings Plumbers Supplies
The News & Observer (Raleigh, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Aug. 6, 1899, edition 1
2
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