Saturday, December 27, 2014
Published in the Lake County Independent, Libertyville, Illinois on Friday, June 22, 1900
A black lion has lately been added to the collection of animals in the Jardin des Plantes, in Paris. Lions of this color are found only in the interior of the Sahara, and are scarce even there.
Tuesday, November 25, 2014
Published in the Waukegan Daily Gazette, Waukegan, Illinois on Saturday, September 3, 1898
How Moses Smith’s Eccentric Notion Made a Fortune for Another Man.
It is not generally known that a former citizen of Owensboro brought across the ocean the first elephant that was ever in America, says the Owensboro (Ky.) Inquirer. The name of the gentleman was Moses Smith, who at one time owned a vast body of land from the mouth of Panther creek up the river, embracing in the neighborhood of Sorgho.
Mr. Smith was at Paris with his brother and had “more money then he knew what to do with.” He told his brother that he intended taking something to America that the people had never seen. “You had better buy an elephant,” said the jocular brother and that was what Moses did. He picked out the biggest animal he could find and paid an enormous price for it. He brought it to New York, where it was a nine days’ wonder, but the owner soon found that he had something worse than the proverbial white elephant on his hands. He tried to sell it, but could find no buyer and at last undertook to give it away, in which he was equally unsuccessful. Finally he found a man who agreed to pay him $100 for it and this individual put it on exhibition. He was so successful that he went into the show business and made a fortune out of Mr. Smith’s folly. Col. Frank McKernan, of Adrianville, is a grandson of Mr. Smith, who lived to a great age at his home in this county.
Friday, November 21, 2014
Published in the Waukegan Daily Sun, Waukegan, Illinois on Monday, October 4, 1897
Puppy Killed by Cyelist, Its Mother Attacked All Bicyelists.
Wheelmen were attacked by a dog the other day, one after another. It was no ordinary vicious brute, but a dog seeking vengeance. It is dead now, and the bicyclists who shot at it fruitlessly and swore at it ferociously are sorry.
The dog had a family of puppies at the house of Edward Bishop two weeks ago, says the New York World. All were given away but one. That last offspring was run over by a careless bicyclist and killed. The mother licked the dead puppy and then started on a mission of revenge.
Bicycle riders were attacked on the road and were obliged to search for safety. Among those attacked were Messrs. M. E. Simmons, G. W. Decker, his daughter Mollie, Fred J. Tolley, James Pinckney, Al A. Grambs and Martin Erk.
Several shots were fired at the creature, but went wide of the mark, and the dog escaped to near Tracyville, three miles out of Port Jervis, N. J.
A number of boys and men followed and killed it in an old shed. The dog’s wrath and excitement had driven it mad, and frothing at the mouth it cleaned the thoroughfares of cyclers, pedestrians and all until killed.
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
Published in the Waukegan Daily Sun, Waukegan, Illinois on Monday, March 20, 1911
Chicago Firemen Escape Blaze Which is Fatal to One.
Chicago, March 20.-One man was killed and 300 head of cattle were burned to death in a fire which destroyed a square block of the huge network of pens in the Union Stock Yards here.
The body of the man trapped by the flames was found in the wreckage of a viaduct that fell among the perishing beasts below. A number of firemen narrowly escaped being crushed when the structure fell. Various commission firms owned the cattle destroyed. The loss is $25,000.
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
Published in the Lake County Independent, Libertyville, Illinois on Friday, February 13, 1903
Farmers residing in the town of Bristol fear an epidemic of hydrophobia among the sheep of Kenosha county. A short time ago a mad dog passed through that section of the county and bit a number of sheep.
In one flock, belonging to William Stevens, five sheep have already gone mad and, breaking from their pastures, invaded other flocks. As soon as possible the afflicted sheep were killed, but it is feared that hundreds of sheep have been bitten. In some cases other animals were attacked and it is thought that the infection is widespread.
Saturday, November 8, 2014
Published in the Waukegan Daily Gazette, Waukegan, Illinois on Friday, October 1, 1897
The rats that deserted the little schooner Mary E.Dykes, which waterlogged in the lake eight miles off Evanston Tuesday night, showed bad judgement. When the boat began filling with water, not withstanding the heroic efforts of the crew to save their boat from shipwreck, the rats came running up in droves on the deck, which was awash with waves, and took to the lifeboat. Five minutes afterward a big wave carried the lifeboat away with the cargo.
With every wave washing over the schooner, the crew had a hard time of it until morning. All their clothes except those they had on went with the rest of the wreckage. Early Tuesday morning the lifesaving crew put out to rescue and with the aid of the tug Mord the Dykes was brought to port. The schooner was so rotten that the planks came off while being towed in.
Saturday, November 8, 2014
Published in the Waukegan Daily Sun, Waukegan, Illinois on Monday, February 7, 1898
Cedar Inspector’s Battle for Life in a Michigan Swamp.
A cedar inspecter in one of Robert Rae’s camps at Hillman, Mich., started for camp at a late hour. In a lonely swamp, about one mile from camp, he was attacked by seven lynxes.
Having nothing with which to defend himself, his first thought was to climb a tree, not knowing that lynxes were experts in that line. But as fast as the animals came up he knocked them off by a heavy limb he had broken from the tree. His shouts, together with the wails of the lynxes, brought aid from the camp.
One of the rescuers shot two of the lynxes before they showed signs of leaving the tree. One measured five feet eleven inchds in length. Many of the old hunters are doing a big business trapping the animals, the bounty and fur well worth the trouble.
Saturday, November 8, 2014
Published in the Waukegan Daily Sun, Waukegan, Illinois on Thursday, June 1, 1899
One Who Has Been Bitten Forty-Seven Times During His Dangerous Career.
“Eternal vigilance is the price of immunity from bites,” said a lion tamer recently to a New York Telegraphman. “Although my lions do not often catch me, they do with a frequencey sufficient for all practical purposes. Within three months I have been bitten twice on the leg and once on my right arm. Altogether in my career I have been bitten something like 47 times. But lion tamers get used to such little things.
“The most serious accident I ever experienced was when I was bitten almost through the right thigh. With good treatment I soon recovered. There is no better remedy for an animal bite than lukewarm water and plenty of salt, and by using them I have invariably escaped blood poisoning. I am always armed when I enter a cage, though my audience may not know this, and on five occasions when the lions became maddened and I saw death staring me in the face I have had to shoot to kill.
“I have found the Asiatic lion the easiest to tame and the safest to handle. The Nubian lion is more treacherous then a tiger and when he bites he takes a big piece. Males are easier to tame then are the females, and cubs are not as easily managed as is generally believed.”
Published in the Chicago Press and Tribune, Chicago, Illinois on Saturday, July 30, 1859
Greenly writes a long letter describing his trip from Denver City to the mouth of the Platte River. He thus relates a discussion that occurred one night around the campfire.
“By the way, there was a discussion at supper between my three companions-all mountaineers of ripe experience-as to the relative merits of certain meats, of which I give the substance for the benefit of future travelers through the wild region. Buffalo I found to be a general favorite, though my own experience of it makes it a tough, dry, wooden fiber, only to be eaten under great provocation. I infer that it is poorer in Spring than at other seasons, and that I have not been fortunate in cooks. Bear, I was surprised to learn, is not generally liked by mountaineers-my companions had eaten every species, and were not pleased with any. The black-tailed deer of the mountains is a general favorite; so is the mountain hen or grouse; so is the antelope, of course; the elk and mountain sheep less decidedly so. None of our party liked horse, or knew any way of cooking it that would make it really palatable, though of course it has to be eaten occasionally, for necessity hath no law-or rather, is its own law. Our conductor had eaten boiled wolf, under compulsion, but could not recommend it; but he certified that a slice of cold boiled dog-well boiled so as to free it from rankness, and then suffered to cool thoroughly-is tender, sweet and delicate as lamb. I ought to have ascertained the species and age of the dog in whose behalf this testimony was borne-for a young Newfoundland or King Charles might justify the praise, whilst it would be utterly unwarranted in the case of an old cur or mastiff-but the opportunity was lost, and I can only give the testimony as I received it.
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
Published in the Waukegan Daily News, Waukegan, Illinois on Monday, September 23, 1912
Is a Natural Imitator and Responds Quickly to Training-Its Memory Strong.
The blackbird, which belongs to the thrush family, has strong imitative powers, and has even been taught to speak. There is not much variety in its natural song, but its voice has a pure, flute-like tone and full volume. The bird is very susceptible of being trained, and when reared by hand from the nest is capable of forming strong attachments and makes itself a great favorite.
When a blackbird is six or eight weeks old, his training should be begin. Take him to a quiet room away from other birds, and each night and morning whistle the portion of the tune you wish him to learn, or play it on the flute. Feed him before you begin, and put a fat, lively worm where he can see it. After you have whistled or played the air, say twenty times, stop, so that the bird may have an opportunity of imitating it.
If he should make the attempt, give him the worm at once, praising and caressing him meanwhile. He will soon begin to see why a reward was given him, and will not be slow in trying to earn it. When once he has learned the tune he will never forget it, and it will pass into and become a part of the song.
After the blackbird has completed his education, he should be placed near some other singing bird, whose notes he would soon learn and blend with his own.
Put his cage out of doors whenever the weather permits, and he will tell you how pleased you have made him. But during the hot days of summer, let him be well shaded and kept cool, as heat and dry air seem to affect his voice. He will begin to sing in the end of February or the beginning of March, and will continue until the fall, if the summer is not to hot.