Terre Haute Weekly Gazette, Terre Haute, Vigo County, 10 February 1887 — Page 9
HIGH HAnED LADIES.
SHALL NOT THE HATS COME OFF IN THE THEATRE AT LEASTJ
Sonnets Come High, but Fashions Are No More Absurd than They Always Were—Views of Some Old Fashioned
Head Coverings.
The newspapers, for the purpose of getting something picturesque for thoir Sunday editions, have taken up the war against high hats. The possibilities in the way of illustration are tremendous. When you are run out of something to write about, go for woman's dress. It will never fail you.
Women's hats at the theatre! cry the grumblers. £)own with them! "most mutatious and atrocious of all," screeches Col. P. Donan, "behold the hideous headache hatching, deformed, skillet like abomination, filled •wifh impossible botanical and ornithological monstrosities." "Give us women," quoth the gallant colonel, "and not gaudy clothes racks and husband angling fashion plates."
Papers teem with illustrations of broken hearted bald headed men twisting their necks off in the vain attempt to shoot their eyes around the giant brim of some lop eared theatre hat. How they pity themselves, the dear men.
It's all very well. But what if the women on their part had something to complain of? What if it could be charged against the men and proved on them that they are guilty of worse theatre conduct than the wearing of even the four storied of the pagoda hats? In short, gentlemen, what can you say in defense of that utterly accursed and unspeakably nasty habit you have of tramping out like horses between the acts every night at the theatre and going to get a drink?
A FEW HATS.
Women's hats at the theatre may look like these that the artist has caricatured, but if they were ten times worse they would still not be«an offset to the men who squeeze past ladies and rush out in procession every time the curtain rolls down.
At least that is what the women say. They declare that themea rttbtbeir dnsfcy trousers1' shins past the bright silks and velvets, taking the luster oil the one and the pile off the other. Ladies must rise for them, catching their skirts against the chaira and tearing out the drapery and tie strings of their gowns. They must 6tand there, a spectacle to gods and men till the oily, black boots have rubbed along by them, and the knees have torn out and carried away the loops in their dresses. Then the hoofs clatter upthe steps like a cavalry company, and the ladies 6it down, only to bo routed up again by the tramping cavalry. The troop come in smelling—heavens! how they do smoll, and sit down all about, clearing their throats, expectorating, and filling the air with their tobacco and whisky breaths. The getting up and sitting down must be gone through altogether some twelve times whenever a woman goes to a five act play. The women's dresses are spoiled, their stomachs sickened and their patience is worn to the bone. Now, say the ladies, have we not just cause for complaint? Are the grievances all on tho masculine side of the house? They pause for an answer.
In times post and in all times it istrne there have been intervals of monstrous femiaiine head covering. Women, being shut out from the large interests of humanity, are apt to overdo tho small interests in which they lire and move. Women's headgear has been .sometimes four feet high.
SOKE MORE HATS.
Well authenticated pictures show that within the last three centuries bonnets like those in the second illustration have been worn by the highest ladies of the lands. They were rendered additionally high by their hats. Old engravings and paintings of the continent of Europe represent the leaning tower headdress exhibited in the figure on the right. In the days of our own grandmothers bonnets like that upon the central iiguro were worn. They •were called "skyscrapers," and across the formidable looking brim in front were draped black and white embroidered veils, done in silk by tho delicate fingers of maidens fair, "their ownselves." It was before tho days of machine embroidery. Many of these beautiful old veils aro even now in possession of maidens as fair as those who wrought the delicate silken netting, but who aro greatgranddaughters of the dames that wore tho sky scraping bonnets.
On the right is yet another monstrous hat. It is of the style worn by the court ladies of Franco in 1787. At that time women rolled thoir hair back over a cushion and powdered it white, in toe style of hapless Queen Marie Antoinette. So, perhaps, it is a consolation, though a slim ono, to know that women aro no more absurd than thejr always were.
The question of the obstructionist theatre hats is being very earnestly discussed at present. It is a littlo odd, by the by, that no Objection has been raised against these hats church, though the same ones are worn to •otli church and theatre. Perhaps the stock
of Christian grace 15 so much larger In a church than in a theatre that the nuisance is put up with uncomplainingly there.
If we are so fond of imitating British fashions, we certainly ought to follow the beet of them. In London bonnets are only Worn in theatres of the lowest class. In the best ones.women, like men, are bareheaded. A woman looks so much prettier bareheaded than in any kind of a bonnet that it is a pity she will not sit without a bonnet. The reason she hangs to it is that it costs so much money she feels as though she must show it off at all hazard. Why not have low crowned hats made on purpose for the theatre?
MADAME 'NILSSON,
Who Will Shortly Become the Countess Miranda. Attention is directed anew to this grand ringer just now. It is said that her marriage with Count Miranda will close her professional career forever. Usually when great artists marry noblemen it is necessary for them to work harder than ever, in order to support the poor, delicate noblemen in a style becoming their birth and expectations, so, •ven though rumor says it, that is by no means sure evidence that Nilsson will stop Singing.
CHRISTINE NILSSON.
The picture here given is copied from what is said to be the most beautiful portrait of the singei' ever made. It is from a crayon dono by Vuiller, a Parisian artist.
Nilsson is now in the prime and glory of her fame as well as her beauty. She is 43 years old, and far handsomer than she was as a girl. She was the daughter of a poor Swedish peasant, who lived with his wife and seven children in a hut of two rooms. When Christine was 9 years old she went barefoot with her little brother to the town fair to sing and earn a few pennies from people attending the fair. The small girl accompanied herself on the violin wlulejghe sang. Among the listentfor the tmhr Judge, Wr: TtoiKtfK3sMfc He perceived at once the marvelous voice. He hunted out her parents, and got their permission to send the child to Paris to be educated. She is the idol of the Parisians, and is altogether a Frenchwoman in her sympathies. Her home is a magnificent ono at South Kensington, London.
TENNESSEE'S NEW SENATOR.
Ex-Governor William B. Bate Wins the Prize at Last* On three occasions has ox-Governor Bate contested for the privilege of representing Tennessee in the United States senate, and success has crowned his pertinacity at last. In 1879 he came within one vote of getting the. caucus nomination. In 1872 he contested the place with Andrew Johnson. The fight was a protracted one, resulting in the election of Gen. Cooper as a compromise candidate. In tho re-
WILLIAM B. EATE. EGNFC contest it is presumed that Gen. Bate was assisted bv his j-ecord while governor for tho term ending 1885. Senator Bate is in his 62d year. He was a young sqldier in the war with Mexico, and at the beginning of tho civil war took the field in tho service of the Confederacy at the head of a regiment. He was promoted a brigadier general, and at the battle of Shiloh was severely wounded in the left leg. He still limps, and leans heavily on a cane. He is a lawyer by profession and a brilliant man before a jury. Ho is in independent circumstances, and lives in most comfortable style in Nashville. His family consists of a wif and ono child, an attractive young lady who has just entered society.
U. S. MINISTER TO COREA
Arkansas Furnishes the Consul-General to That Land. Hugh Anderson Dinsmore, of Arkansas, has recently been appointed minister to the flowery kingdom of Corea. He is a tall, bright young man of 37 years. He was born in Benton county, Arkansas, bis father coining thero from Pennsylvania in 1S48. Dinsmore, the elder, was wealthy, but tho civil war left him penniless. Ycung Dinsmore went to work to earn his own living at tho age of 15. By employing all his leisure time in study he qualified himself so as to secure the appointmentof clerk of tho circuit court of his native HUGH A. DINSMORB. county. While holding this position he studied law and was admitted to tho bar. He entered into partnership with J. D. Walker, subsequently a United States senator. In 1878 Mr. Dinsmore was elected district attorney, which position he held for three consecutive terms. He was a Cleveland and Hendricks elector in 188-1 In the campaign of last fall he was defeated for election to congress by but a few votes
SHERIDAN AND FITZ HUGH LEE.
A Historical Meeting at a Recent Whiie House Sio'j«r. That was a striking illustration of letting bygones be bygones the other day at a White House dinner in Washington. Among those present at the banquet were Gen. Sheridan and Governor Fitz Hugh Lee, of Virginia, Their wives were prasont with them. Mis. Lee, a beautiful, gray-haired woman, was taken to dinner by Gem. Sheridan. Mrs. Sheridan, who, some say, is the prettiest woman in Washington, went in on the aim of Governor Leei The two men sat opposite each other.
It was a brilliant scene, with tho flowers, the gleaming chandeliers and the ladies' bright dresses. It recalled to more than one mind a scene which happened between these same two men not quite twenty-two years ago. It recalled in brief the fact that Sheridan and Ix3e were the two generals who did tho very last of the fighting between Union and Confederates at the fall of Rk hmond, in April ,'ftj.
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SHERIDAN AND L?E.
Gen. Robert E. Leo had perceived that it was all up with the Confederate army, and announced his intention of surrendering to Grant. Gen. Fitz Hugh Lee, his nephew, and Gen. (now Governor) Gordon bitterly opposed the proposition. Lee declared he would retreat witli his men and join Johuston in North Carolina, cutting his way past Sheridan, who was with the cavalry at Appomattox station. Sheridan wrote to Grant that if he could hurry up infantry to his support they might "finish the job in the morning." For reply Grant double quicked his Fifth Army corps, Gens. Gibbon and Old, to the assistance of Sheridan. They reached him at daylight. Gordon and Fitz Hugh Lee had already attacked Sheridan. At the approach of Ord and Gibbon they fell back. Just as they did so a white flag was seen, and bugles sounded halt. Robert E. Lee hod surrendered the armies of the Confederacy.
JONAS &.
Who Gives Ono Million Dollars to Found a University. The announcement that Jonas G. Clark, ef Worcester, Mass., is to give $1,009,000 to found a university in that city to perpetuate his name places him among the leading American philanthropists. His gift is tho most munificent on recoird. Mr. Clark has had tho scheme under consideration for many years, and he has laid his plans so carefully that they will not bo altered by his death. He intends also to add to the figures of the original endowment.
Mr. Clark is a native of Worcester county and i9 now 72 years of age. Leaving his father's farm early, he bogan life as a .carriage maker, then he became a manufacturer of tinware and dealer in hardware. When the news of the discovery of gold in
TERRE HAUTE, INDIANA, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 10,1837.—TWO PARTS —PART SECOND -I" i"
California reached the east he immediately saw great possibilities of trade with that new country, he gave all his atten
JONAS G. CLARE.
tion to it and soon built up an enormous trade in hardware and miners' outfits generally. Later he went to California, "and became one of its wealthiest citizens. He had unbounded faith in the cause of the north during the war, putting all his money into government bonds at low prices. In 1864 he came east, and turning all his gold into greenbacks at the big premium then prevailing he made large real estate investments in New York and Boston, which have swelled enormously on his hands. Ho proposes to have a law, medical and unseotarian theological school attached to hi3 university, as well as an academic department.
Liszt's Kebuke to David.
A pupil of Liszt relates the following anecdote: *'On one occasion the master and several of us from Weimar were spending the evening with Ferdinand David, who desired to try anew composition through with the master. 'You will find the piano part,' said he, as he touched the music with his bow, 'very difficult' We all felt indignant at David's arrogance, but Liszt said nothing. The piece began with a broad, majestic movement the piano part grew more and more brilliant. David's face changed expression as though some important fact were dawning upon him, and finally he stopped playing altogether. 'Why,' he gasped, 'he is playing the violin part too!' Liszt continued without noticing the mortified violinist, and brought the piece to a magnificent close. It was a rebuke that David never forgot."—Boston Transcript.
Walt Whitman's Pension Claim. Speaking of his claim for a pension, the good, gray poet recently said: "I was never enlisted in the army, but I was with the Ninth Army corps at the first battle of Fredericksburg and looked after the wounded until tho end of the war, and, in fact, I was at the hospitals at Washington helping for twelve months after tho war. It was while assisting at a surgical operation that I became blood poisoned throughout ray system, after which I became prostrated by hospital malaria, which finally caused my paralysis.**
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WAR SHIP OR GUNBOAT.
WHICH SHALL PREDOMINATE IN JHE FUTURE NAVIF.S?
The Argument In Favor of Small War Vessels and Torpedo Boats—What EQrope Is Doing In the BIatter~Kecent
Trials
According to Admiral Porter, "the grand total appropriated during the year for the increase of tho United States navy has been £5,647,017." Tho result is that the navy has dwindled down to twenty-eight vessels that can bo actually used for active service. "Twenty of these," says the admiral, "are only third rates and fivo of them are about equivalent to tugs." Millions have been wasted on "repairs" though. An effort is being made to remedy this neglect by beginning the construction .of a navy at once. The navy department at Washington is besieged by designers of war ships and plans of coast defense. Inventors are giving all their attention just now to tho subject of warfare. But the problem before the navy department is, whether we shall have a large fleet of small and swift torpedo or gunboats, with a few cumbersome iron ciads, or whether it shall be plenty of large war ships and a few small ones. A point argued in favor of the smaller vessels is that they can be quickly built and tho heavier work of protecting the harbors and cities along the coast can bo left to the land forts and batteries. At this time it is interesting to note what is being dono on tho other side of the Atlantic in the matter. Tho foreign periodicals teem with illustrations and descriptions of war engines of all kinds, but it is noticeable that considerable attention is given in naval experiment's to small gunboats. Two of the latest vessels of this class are presented here.
I AN ENGLISH TORPEDO BOAT. The illustration shows a torpedo boat, No. 79, just submitted to a trial by the British government. Its number would indicate that there were seventy-eight similar boats to bo constructed. On the trial trip the boat was put to tho most severe tests to satisfy the admiralty board and tho speed realized surpassed anything heretofore found in vessels of similar character. On a continuous run of two hours' duration the boat sailed a distance of nearly fifty-two miles. Two miles were made at the rate of twenty-syc and a half miles an hour. Then tho maneuvering of the boat was tested. When going ahead fi&L turned in fifty.-eight s^conds in a circle whoso diameter was eighty-five yards, wheik backing she turned in a circle of sixty-five yards diameter in sixty-five seconds. Some of tho larger torpedo boats in the British service have been named Rattlesnake, Grasshopper, Spider. No. 79 should be named the Eel from tho way in which she could squirm around among a hostile fleet. Sho is but 125 feet long, with a beam of thirteen feet. She possesses two steering towers connected to each of which ore two torpedo guns. There is also a torpedo gun built into the bow of the boat for direct ahead fire.
THE NEW FRENCH GUNBOAT. This is the latest addition to the French fleet of small and fleet war vessels it is named the Gabriel Charmes after its designer. Charmes was an enthusiast on the subject of revolutionizing the style of war vessels. He held that tho unwieldy ironclad floating batteries had served their time, and that the future navy would consist only of single gun boats. His articles on the subject created a sensation, but'he died without knowing that his ideas had been approved. The present minister of the French marine, Admiral Aube, ordered the construction of a boat to test the value of young Charmes' idea.
SECTION SHOWING METHOD OF OPERATING GUN. His boat has just been tried with most satisfactory results. She is 134)^ feet long, 12J4 feet wide and S)4 feet deep. Her hull weighs 27 tons, her machinery 22 tons and her single gun 11^ tons. In the sectional view i3 shown the method of operating the gun. The carriage of this piece is arranged so that the force of the recoil at the moment of firing not only puts it under cover during the reloading but also brings it into place again when j-eady for filing.
The gun has a caliber of only 5} inches, but owing to very energetic explosives used the destructive results are very great. The gun being placed immediately in irontof the pilot house permits of the horizontal aim being given to it by the pilot. The fil ing of a projectile weighing sixty-six pounds can be performed at the rate of one a minute. The method of passing the ammunition up to the gun is shown in the illustration. On the trial trip this vessel showed a speed of twenty-three miles an hour.
In the matter of other small torpedo boats the French have 9 under 70 feet in length: 41 under 100 feet 18 of 108 feet, and 51 of 114 fe#t in all 128 of high speed and armed with, machine guns only, besides their torpedoes.
England has more torpedo boats than France. Thero are 139 of the following lengths: 84 of less than 114 feet 53 of 125 feet, and two longer.
Shorthand Writers in Washington. In Washington, outside of the reporters of congressional debates, there are but four men who are masters of shorthand.
PREPARING FOR THE FIELD.
The New Uniform for the Frcnch Infantry. Gen. Boulanger, just now the idol of the French fire eaters, is making many changes in the French army designed to increase its effectiveness.
He proposes to change the dress of the soldier. For one thing, he has recommended the wearing of a beard—a full beard ^—close cropped. He has set tho example fby cultivating one apon his own chin and checks. Since
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Napoleon III, the Frenchman has worn a mustache and imperial in the feshion set by the late emperor. But Gen. Boulanger IJ knows tho weakness of his fellow countrymen, which i3 their, vanity. A
Frenchman would prefer to go without his bath rather than to leave his mustache without being
NEW UNIFORM.
waxed till its two ends stuck out like steel pens. But this operation takes time, far too much time so docs the elaborate shaving and trimming around the mifttache. Therefore, says Boulanger, let the soldier ,wear^ a full beard and save all this time.
Tho changes in uniform proposed by the minister of war have been carefully looked into by a military board, and recommended. They were ordeied to bo submitted to tho French assembly for approval.
The recommendations were that the round jacket bo abolished altogether, and the tunic servo for all occasions. This tunic is represented in the illustrations. The new tunic is large and loose, rendering movements and respiration easy. It will be roomy enough FULLY ACCOUTERED, to permit a woolen waistcoat to be worn nndenieath. It has pockets interior and exterior. Tho belt is of black leather, as it has been heretofore.
The infantry are to wear epaulettes. Cartridges are to be carried in an outxjde pocket of the tunic, thus doing away with tho cartridge box.
"LUCKY" BALDWIN.
The Famons Millionaire Speculator of tho Pacific Coast. The news of the recent severe illness of Mr. E. J. Baldwin, the daring, open handed speculator whose name has been the synonym for luck on the Pacific coast, will be received with regret by all who have met him. Baldwin went from Butler county, O., to Indiana at the age of 7 years. At 22
I lie was a merchant in Valparaiso, Ind. E. J. BALDWIN. Ho built three canalboats, the first to ply between Chicago and St. Louis, in 1S48. In 1850 he was a grocer in Racine, Wis. In 1S53 ho started for San Francisco with a large stock of horses, which he sold out in Salt Lake City at a large profit. Arriving in San Francisco he bought and sold two or three hotels. Then he wont into the brick trade. From bricks he went into the livery business, which he followed for seven years. Selling out the liver)' business he next opened in Virginia City, Nev., in tho lumber trade, dealing also in real estate and mining stocks. He came out of the mining region at last with $9,000,000, and built in San Francisco the Baldwin hotel, one of the costliest hostelries on the continent. He also purchased some 50,000 acres of the best land around Los Angeles in southern California. He has erected many farm houses on this plantation, and here he spends much of his time among his orange groves and vineyards. An intenso lover of horeo racing, he is sure to turn up when there isjsome great turf .contest. And although he is called "Lucky" Baldwin, there' is no doubt that hard work and foresight have had much to do with his success.
-Tinje Wasted in Shaving.
The poet Campbell is said to have calculated that a man who shaves himself every day, and lives to the age of three score years and ten, expends in his life as much time in the act of shaving as would suffice for learn~ ing seven languages. The great French naturalist, Cuvier, said that he found himself wasting as much time with the shaving brush and razor as amounted to at least four days in the year, and he resolved thenceforth to waste no more precious time in that way, and to let his beard grow.—Exchange.
The Calhonn Statue.
Haer.isch's bronze statue of John C. Calhoun will be unveiled at Charleston, S. C., in ApriL The pedestal is in place, and the statue has reached Marion square, where it is to stand, but the four bronze figures of justice, truth, history and the constitution are still to be cast in Italy.—Chicago Herald..
A lonely Skating Rink met a Toboggan Slide the other day. 'How are you feeling asked the Rink, in doleful tones. ''I am Hunky," replied the Slide. "I am in fast company and Making Barrels ©f Money." "Come and see me in about Two Years from now," said the Rink, "and we will Condole together, I have Been There myself.'"—Philadelphia Call.
FIFTY YEARS A QUEEN.
A I'ower to Commemorate Victoria's Jubilee. On the 28th of June, 1837, Victoria was crowned queen of England. If she lives until the same date this year there will be an extensive celebration of the event of her golden jubilee as queen. Preparations for this event have already begun, and it is expected the demonstrations throughout Great Britain and tho colonies will be very grand and imposing. It i3 proposed that there shall be erected in London, besides other monuments to mark tho event, a giant lower, to be used as an observatory, where natives and visitors can get a bird^s eye view of the greatest city in the world. The tower is to be erectod on ground belonging to the Marquis of Salisbury, near Trafalgar square. But the object of its construction is not altogether the glory of the queen, for it is proposed to charge admission to it, and ib is expected it will be a very profitable enterprise.
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EXTERIOR VIEW.
SECTION.
The illustrations give at a glance tho appearance and plan of the structure. The height of the tower will be 420 feet above the pavement. It will be circular in form, constructed of red and white brick and stone. The outer wall will be seven feet thick at th# bottom and two feet thick at the top. The diameter of the tower will be sixty feet at the bottom and one-half that diameter at the top. There will be elevators to raise pas-1? sengers to the summit, and forthoso who will' not trust these mechanical contrivances thero will be two sets of
Btone
steps provided be
tween the outer and inner walls whereon they can ascend or descend on foot. Outside galleries will be constructed half way up the structure and around the top. Here will be a restaurant and smoking room with accommodation for about 600 people at one time.
Thero was a tower of observation somewhat on tho samo plan at the centennial exhibition at Philadelphia. Now Paris is about constructing a similar tower to bo nearly 1,000 feet high, but both Paris and London, possess a drawback to tho use of such a tower, and that is fog. Unless they can abolish London fog by an act of parliament tho proposed Victoria Memorial tower will be useless much of the time.
UTILIZING NIAGARA FALLS. 'i
A British Commentary oil American Enterprise. Tho London Graphic thus speaks of what it terms the desecration of Niagara Falls: "Nothing is sacred to the practical man of the present age, especially when he happens to dwell across tho Atlantic. There he uses the wonders of nature as* advertising boards for puffing quack medicines or patent stoves, and the picturesque and grandiose aro only appreciated by him in proportion to their utilitarian value. For many years past, however, be has had a standing grievance. In the falls of Niagara he has seen a force of 7,000,000 horse power running to waste, and his regrets that no effort has been made to utilize so stupendous a force have found vent in, every newspaper in the Union.
BIRD'S EYE VIEW OF FALLS, SHOWING TUNNEL "His mind «s being now set at rest. Some years since the first considerable use of water power at Niagara was made by the running of a hydraulic canal about a mile in length from Port Day to a point below the falls. This has been so successful that afar more ambitious enterprise is now being undertaken by a 'Niagara Tunnel and Power Company.1 Briefly outlined, the scheme is to construct a subterranean tunnel from the water line below the falls (marked in the illustration) extending through the solid rock to the upper Niagara river, at a point about one mile above the falls, where ahead of 120 feet is obtained. It is stated that the magnitude of the power thus available will exceed tho combined power in use at Holyoke, Lowell, Minneapolis, Cohocs, Lewiston and Lawrence. The mill sites are to be provided with railway sidings and tracks leading. to all important northern railways, while tho Erie canal, seven miles distant, is connected with the river and is thus available for the dispatch of goods. "The cost of this scheme is estimated at $4,000,000 to $5,000,000, and tho work is to bo executed by an army of 10,000 Italian laborers."