The Lower Coast Gazette.
DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF THE LOWER COAST: AGRICULTURE, HORTICULTURE, FISHERIES AND COMMERCE.
VOLUME I. POINTE-A-LA-IIACHE, LA., SATURDAY, MARCH 20, 1909. NUMBER 12.
DEATH LIST
INCREASES
Work of Terrible Cyclone
at Brinkley, Ark.
Mayor Appeals for Aid-Stoves,
Building Material, Food and
Bedding Badly Needed.
Brinkley, Ark.--Brinkley is wiped out.
The proud and prosperous little city
of 4,000 people is a tangled mass of
wreckage. Not a building in the busi
ness section of the city has been left
intact, not a residence but that has suf
fered in a fearful cyclone which swept
the place Monday night, leaving death
and desolation in its wake.
More than fifty people are known to
have perished in the storm.
Damage enormous.
The property damage is enormous.
Conservative business men estimate the
damage at more than $1,000,000. More
than 2,000 houses were wrecked, or par
tially wrecked, by the great wind. Every
business house is in ruins, every church,
save one, is destroyed, and there is
hardly a home that has not at least suf
fered the loss of roof or wing.
First Work One of Mercy.
The first work was one of mercy.
Mayor Harry Jackson took command
of the relief committee, Dr. E. D. Mc
Knight was assigned to the position of
chairman of the doctors' committee. Be
fore it was hardly day, relief commit
tees were coming from all directions.
Each brought physicians and nurses,
armed with medicines andt supplies,
eager to help in the work.
In the few houses still standing it is
well nigh impossible to start a fire, be
cause chimneys were among the first
things to go and the situation is terrible
in the extreme.
The Catholic Church and the Green
lee building, the latter minus a roof in
parts and otherwise damaged, have been
converted into hospitals, and here the
doctors are 'Working with the injured:
Many of the citizens are badly hurt, but
detcmined to help those worse off than
themselves, have refused to go to the
tempotsry hospital.
. ')ii t of the, dead 'were caught in the
wrecked buildings, and erpshed almost
beyond recognition. The family of Isaac
Reed was almost completely wiped out.
Reed, his wife., and their two sons, Rus
sell, aged 16, and Raymond, aged 12,
S rrd, instantly killed. Miss Murlie Reed,
a daughter, alone escaped death, but she
S is seriously fljured.
Did Cyclone Stunts.
Straight across the city from the
southeast to tlhe northwest swept the
warring elements, leaving death and de
structien in their wake. The tornado
jtmpqpl, turned, writhed and twisted like
a thing endowed with life, judging from
, the wreckage which marks its flight.
: It let . no path, as is usual with ey
elopesj ; but spread itself out over a wide
area and embraced the e-',re town
w:" -tbia Its deadly grasp.
It ilrst struck the residence portion of
the city. Cottages, two-story frame and
- t lfit. dwesllinags crumbled beneath the
smighty rnus h of the winds. Trees were
":> iuprootld sand carried hurtling through
the asir for hmundreds of feet, crashing
through filmsy wooden walls as if they
. .b-heen so much cardboard. Telephone
pale were snapped short off at the
i grIJil and tossed abot, timhe streets
lr. lpipe stems.
Its ruck the bbuiness. seetion with
evier-uereaslng violence. Solid brick and
I, oarete storehduaes fell crashing to the
S ground before its fuiry. Heavy awnings,
~ tedhtsO hd even the front walls of many
stoes,; tin roofs and flying debris of all
kinl;d:t t tbhe air, while the elements
. rag. : a-nd a, rain fell in torrents.
, People Panmc.Stticken.
SMen, women and children ran scream
lug knd terror-stricken into the streets.
Thbh city was in. total darkness. The
" riakley igbht .and Power Compan' was
e .e iof the Arst plants strucek by the
storfa., It was 4emollased and its wires,
--_ iei ,w.with the telephone and telegraph
ydIrg~ spread over the pound In a ver
athi: snetwork of steel, iron and copper
usir, bands sought for wives and wives
S oueght for children. Brothers cried
. loud to mothers and sisters, and as the
Ib iury of the wind died away to a
Steady and ominous roar, their screams,
ith thoee of the injured, rang
" ot .'plereingly In the ilmost Stygian
arkness, Strong men paused, shud
dar'ed sad khew not What to do or where
o ge Wesoen sank down in the streets,
i kh biad become veritable torrents,
brjn ~their -ehldden to them, and
up mi* prayers for the deliv
- 'of their lfers,
i- )* reation wnae in another moment.
:sntw sad teaees were secured.
Ttm a linmajain Woman Golfer.
seated before the are Ia
lof the eaty celub, -io oked
aTlpP t h ela thd t greens and
ail-torwia at thler alit sits.
cod :-.ma -at t -o their w."at.
auiuppleUse' sad to their
I~~iae~i· andi
Searching parties were organized, and
at 1:30 o'clock a myriad of flickering,
flaring, fitful lights danced about over
the scene of unspeakable desolation and
ruin which unfolded itself to the eye
for brief moments as the brilliant and
vivid flashes of lightning pierced the
sombre. heavens.
The rain was pouring in torrents,
lashing the face and hands with sting
ing force.
Daylight Exposed the Horror.
Not until long after daylight had
come to add horror to the desolate pie.
ture of woe and ruin, showing in start
ling relief the terrible havoc wrought
by the tornado, was the body of Charles
Frenz, the fifth victim of the business
district, found. Frenz was purchasing
a pair of shoes in the Foote & Gazola
store when it was struck. His body
was found about 10 o'clock, lying crum
pled into a heap about midway of the
ruins.
There ere were thirty funerals in Brink
ley Thursday. Coffins are arriving on
every train, and undertakers and their
helpers kept busy preparing for the
burials.
Two Hundred Convicts.
A special train loaded with one hun
dred convicts arrived from Little Rock,
making two hundred prisoners now here.
They will be put to work cleaning up
the debris, and the work of rebuilding
the town will begin at once, as soon as
materials arrive.
The Cotton Belt railroad has 300 of
its carpenters and brickmasons from dif
ferent points on the system rushing here
to assist in the work of rebuilding the
town.
The Rock Island sent out a call for a
similar number of workmen from along
its lines, and they will be rushed here.
Stoves Are Needed.
Aside from food and bedding, the peo
ple most urgently need a car load of
stoves on which to cook, tarpaulins to
cover up the front of their stores and
to hide the leaks in the roofs of the
houses yet standing, andt tin roofing.
Martial law prevails with all its rigor.
The soldiers will not let any one through
the lines who does not possess a pass
signed by the provost marshal.
Food Now Available.
The soldiers hav, established a large
cook tent in the middle of the town, and
all those who have no means of sub
sisting are being fed at the expense of
the State and the relief committee.
Mayor Jackson Calls for Aid.
Mayor T. H. Jackson has issued the
following appeal:
"To the Public-In response to many
inquiries concerning the terrible calam
ity which has befallen our city, I would
like to say that the list of dead, so far
recovered from the wreckage, numbers
35, and wounded over 200. There is
not a house in the city, either business
or residence, that has not been damaged
by the cyclone. The entire business por
tion is lost, and only three buildings are
left standing.
"In response to many offers of assist
ance, I would suggest for immediate
temporary relief, that furniture, some
bedding, blankets, tarpaulins, shingles
and other roofing material be sent us.
The latter is in urgent demand because
there is not a dry roof in the city to
protect the wounded and homeless.
"In the way of permanehit relief, I
would say the greatest benefit could be
done our unfortunte people by shipments
of building materials, such as lumber,
shingles, roofings, brick, sand, etc. Many
of our people will be able in this way
to assist themselves, and start living,
with the prospect of regaining lost for
tunes or, at least, preparing places to
shelter themselves. Both the Rock
Island and Cotton Belt railroads have
.greed to bring to our relief, all con
signments of this, or any other nature,
free of charge. It will possibly require
several hundred carloads of buirding
material to repair our city, as there is
not a mill or factory that is not com
pletely destroyed.
"T. H. JACKSON, Mayor."
DONAGHEY'S MESSAGE.
Arkansas Governor Quickly Acts After
Visit.
Little Rock, Ark.-Little Rock parties
returping from Brinkley say they never
Witnessed a more desolate scene in their
lives than what hey beheld theire. It is
impossible to describe the havoc caused
by the storm. At the request of Gov.
Donaghey the legislature will at once
appropriate $10,000 for the relief of the
sufferers. Gov. Donaghey's message ask
ing for the appropriation follows:
"To the Thirty-seventh General Assem
bly:
"I have just returned from Brinkley,
where the recent cyclone has eamsed so
much loss of life apd property, and I
find there is urgent need for immediate
relief to those. who were maimed and
crippled, tbgether with the remaining in
,habitants, who are suffering for lack
of food and shelter.
"I therefore recommend that you make
an apprbpriation to be immediately avail
able to those entitled to the same of the
mumnof $10,000."
journaliet, "look litke the deuce be
side you men! You men have a regu
Irtion golf suit, just as you have a
regulation evenaing dress-. But we
womees disfigre the linksLin an old
skirt and a sweater. Where Is the
future Worth or Paquin who will in
yent for women a golf dress at once
nrea~ t an.d elega.t"
Popular There.
Jn ;a msanof any agrat ubas e
ll et B elf"*
WHITE SNUBBED TAFITS
6MBASSADOR TO FRANCE WILL
BE LET OUT.
Story of Taft Honeymoon-Whitt
Refused Honeymooners Ticket
to Court Function.
Washington.-Amibassador White is to
step down and out diplomatically, and
another is to have his place at the French
capital. There is a moral in this pass
ing of Air. White, and the story thereof
"should teachl the reader to be caireful of
the stranger within his gates, lest in
that stranger he entertain all unaware
an angel or one who is sprouting subse
fquent wings to become an angel.
It was in 1886. Mr. and Mrs. Taft
had just been married and were travel
ing through Europe, wrapped in those
rainbow folds of sentiument folk call a
"honeymoon."
The Tafts in the course of their en
raptured rambles came to Vienna. There
they found Mr. White. The latter gen
tleman was secretary of the legation for
the United States.
There was some function, whereof roy
alty would be the center, coming off
upon a near afternoon. Mr. T'aft asked
Mr. White to see about an invitation.
To procure such invitations was not
among' things impossible. Mr. White
could .have had thein at a merest hint.
Upon; the morning of the royal func
tion Mr. White sent a note to iMr. Taft.
It ran in practically these words:
"I am sorry' to inform you that I
was unable to accomplish what you
asked. The affair is very exclusive. The
number of invitations is limited and
they have been ordered sent only to per
sons of imuportance and distinction. I
enclose, however, tickets to the museum
and trust that airs. Taft and yourself
will spend a pleasant afternoon."
Mr. Taft -still has that White letter.
It has become, although not filed, the
big document in what might he called
"the case of Ambassador White."
BISHOP HOSS HAS RELAPSE
Wound From Operation Gives Him
Trouble.
Baltimore, Md.-It will be likely sev
eral days, 'and it may be a week or two
before Bishop E. E. Hoss, of the Metho
dist Episcopal Church, South, is able to
leave the Johns Hopkins Hospital The
bishop underwent an operation for an
internal trouble a month ago and it was
said that he would leave the hospital at
least ten days ago, but new complica
tions set in last Saturday and since that
day lie has had a high temperature and
considerable pain from the wound which
was made at the time of the operation.
The bishop takes his relapse very much
to heart and it grieves him quite a bit
to know that he has received this sudden
setback.
WAR CLOUD IS LOWERING.
Nicaragua and Salvador Assume,
Bellieose Attitude.
W'iahington.-Fouur hundred marines
from Panama and 200 from Guantanamo
are held in readiness to be rushed to,
Honduras and Nicaragua borders in case,
as is threatened, Nicaragua should at
tack Costa Rica or use the Honduran
territory, which is neutral, for the trans
port of troops. The state department
holds that the treaties existing between
Mexico and the United States and the
Central American republics demand that
there "shall always be peace between
these republics," therefore it is the func
tion of Mexico and the United States
and it is their right to forcibly prevent
Nicaragua from making war.
SCHOOL CHILDREN WORK.
Prises Offered Result in Cleaning Streets.
Charlotte, N. C.-Over 2,000 school
children worked like Trojans gathering
up every stray bit of trash, broken glads,
pottery and brick bats that could be
found high and low, in a contest for
prizes offered by the Wonman's Club to
the child raising the largest heap of
rubbish. As a result many of the
streets of the city hive trash piled
waist and head high along the gu;ters
ready for the city wagons to coniey
to the erematory.
The chief of the sanitary department
states that it may relquire a week for
his department, working with the full
street force, to get rid of the accumnu
lated rubbish.
DEATH CLAIMS GEN. PALMER.
Founder of Colorado Springs. His Es
tate is Worth $16,000,000.
Colorado Springs.--en Win. J. Palm
er, founder of Colorado Springs, died at
his country seat, Glen Eyrie, west of the
city, late Sunday. Death came as a
result of a fall from a horse in October,
1906, which resulted in breaking hiis
back. Gen. Palmer often lias been called
the foremost citizen of Coloralo. He
leaves an estate valued at $15,000,000.
Misunderstood.
SThe Hobo-'Scuze me, ma'am, but
I'm orful hungry, an' if youse'll gimme
a ehanst t' work
The Lady--Certainly. There's the
woodpile and an ax.
The Hobo-'Scuze me ergin, ma'am,
but I was erbout t' say if youse'Ul gim
me a chanat t' work youse fer me
breakfast, I'd be much erbliged.
Go' at Task Cheerfully.
There Ii nothing so easy but i~t be
eoaes.ditali!¢t when you do it with re.
t eren -4erenlce.
THE MARATHON HABIT
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TAFT USES BIG STICK
SEVERS DIPLOMTTIC RELA
TIONS WITH NICARAGUA.
Warships Ordered to Patrol Coast of
Country--Mexico Is Acting
With United States.
Washington.--wing to the continued
disturbed conditions in Nicaragua and
President Zelaya's 4,ailure to make se
rious efforts looking to the settlement
of the Emery claim, the state depart
ment has broken off diplomatic relations
with that country.
Affairs in Central America have been
closely" watched by the American and
Mexican governments, both of which
have now come to an understanding that
the time has arrived when drastic meas
ures should be enforced to insure peace
in the Central American republics.
Ambassador La :Barra, of Mexico,
spent some time at the state depart
ment Friday, in conference with Assist
ant Secretary Wilson, and the determina
tion was reached that if the American
warships now in ioati'agnan waters and
to be sent there are not sufficient to im
press President Zelaya that the treaty
of peace entered into between the Cen
tral American republics is to be lived
up to, more radical steps would be taken
to accomplish that result.
PLEADS FOR RACE SUICIDE
Ohio Leader of W. C. T. U. Wants
Quality Not Quantity in Children.
Cleveland, O.--"Let's quit raising chil
dren till we can take care of those we
have. Let's abolish sentimentalism and
substitute common sense. In race sui
cide, so-called, lies the salvation of the
race."
Such is the plea of Mrs. Sarah K.IL
Meredith, recording secretary of the
Ohio VW. C. T. U., who has stepped to
the front as an advocate of race sui
cide.
"Quality, not quantity," is the key
note on which Mrs. Meredith bases her
arguments. "I believe it is next to
criminal," she says, "to scatter the doc
trine, 'Marry and raise a family,' with
out taking into consideration whether
the man and woman are fit to marry,
and whether the future of tne children
-at least in a measure-is assured."
BOUND, GAGGED AND ROBBED
Former Hotel Keeper Roughly
Treated by Masked Men.
Galesburg, Ill.-W. L. Bennett, a for
mer hotel keeper of Hot Springs, was
taken from his boarding house here
Thursday night by three men who pro
fessed to be United states deputy mar
shals. Placing loaded revolvers at his
head, they forced him to go to a shanty
in the outskirts of the town, where
they bound him with copper wire and
made this fast to screws in the floor.
They {hen robbed him of diamonds val
uel at $500 and a large sum of money.
Left there, it was some time before he
could break loose and make his way to
the nearest house, still partly bound
with wire.
FRANCE FACES DEFICIT.
Paris.-France, like the United States,
is confronted with a big deficit in her
revenues. The situation is rendered the
more serious by the large number of
socialistic projects involving heavy drafts
on the treasury. The budget of 1909
necessitated the issue of $12,000,000 in
treasury bonds, while the regular esti
mates for 1910 show a deficit of $45,
600,000, and this without taking into
consideration the proposed workmen's
old age and state railroad' employes'
pension proposals, which together involve
the sum of $37,800,000 more.
BISHOP HOSS WORSE.
Unexpected Complications Causing Great
Pain set Up.
Baltimore, Md.-The official state
ment is made that Bishop E. E. Hoss,
who was operated on at the Johns Hop
kins hospital more than a month ago,
his for several days not been resting
so well, owing to the fact that an un
expected complication has arisen. While
this will delay: his eonyvalescence and
entails a great deal ot pain, his physi
cians consider, it of A.a temporary na
~turez,
TRUST SLASHES PRICES
EFFORT TO CRUSH INDEPEND
ENT STEEL MAKERS.
John W. Gates Will Probably Head
the Independents in Fight
on the Trust.
New York.--In its rate war on the in
dependent steel makers, the Steel Trust
Thursday made further reductions in the
price of its products. It cut the quota
tions for tin plate from 25 cents to 30
cents a box, or $5 to $6 a ton, and for
steel plates it made concessions of $1
to $2 a ton on the reduced price of $i
a ton. In brief, it put the prices to a
level on which it was said few inde
pendent manufacturers could exist.
The reason for the extra reduetion,
an official of the trust said, was "to
get business." The cut to $6 a ton for
structural pieces and steel plates had
brought out some orders, but the inde
pendents had met that cut and were
getting their usual proportion of busi
ness. Similar conditions obtained, it
was added, in other branches of the
trade.
Under these circumstances, the trust
decided to make further reductions and
to carry on a relentless war against the
independents, underbidding them wher
ever possible.
With all these threats in the air, a
rumor was circulated that the independ
ents could combine under the leadership
of John W. Gates in an organization for
self-defense, if not for aggression.
Gates, it is known, has never for
given the Steel Trust men for the man
ner in which they forced him to sur
render his holdings in Tennessee Coal
and Iron at the time of the recent mone
tary panic.
PLAN BIG LAND SALE.
Government to Hold Applications
Until Next Fall.
Washington.-If the present plans of
the department of the interior carry,
there will be one of the biggest land
sales in Oklahoma next October that the
new state has ever witnessed. The new
plan of the department is to hold up
all applications for sale of the surplus
lands of the allotteel until that time,
and bunch them for a big land opening
sale. The present system of selling the
lands of the restricted Indians has never
been satisfactory to the government. It
is believed the land-opening idea, coupled
with the payment plan of four annual
payments, will draw thousands of farm
ers who want to make homes in the new
state, and will make the lands bring
higher prices.
WILL BUILD FOUR DREADNOUGHTS.
London.-The eagerly awaited British
naval estimates were issued Friday. A
compromise won the da3) for (Le rsti
mates provide for a total expenditure of
$175,713,500, an increase of $14,116,000
over the estimate of 1908-09.
The new building program provides
for four Dreadnoughts, six protected
cruisers, twenty torpedo boat destroy
ers and a number of submarines, the lat
ter to cost $5,000,000.
DICKINSON TO GO TO CANAL.
Niw War Secretary Will Familiarize
Himself With Work.
Washington.-Secretary Dickinson, it
is expected, will soon be sent to Panama
to familiarize himself with the canal and
all conditions surrounding it. This
statement is made by a high adminis
tration official. Soon after he comes
here President Taft, Col. Goethals and
Secretary Dickinson will confer about
the canal. Some changes in the organi
zatitn are expected.
Japs Return Home.
New York.-K. Yamasaki, acting con
sul general of Japan, announces that the
report of the department of foreign af
fairs of Tapan, which has just been
cabled to him, shows that during the
month of February, 1909, ninety-four
more Japanese returned home than en
tered the mainland of the United States,
and fifty-two more Japanese returned
home than entered Hawaii. Mr. Yama
saki said the mode of travel showed that
the largest proportion of those Japanese
returning home were of the worklnag
e~lsh
TEXAS ASSEMBLY IN CHAOS
One Member Expelled and Speaker
Asked to Resign.
Austin, Tex.-The senate of the Texas
legislature expelled Senator Thomas as a
embenlr of that body by it vote of 21
to S, on grounds that he had maliciously
maligned members of the senate, charg
ing that they were grafters and corrup
tionists.
The house, by a vote of 71 to 48,
asked Senator Kennedy to resign in con
sequence of alleged official misconduct in
drawing money for clerks not in attend
ance upon the legislature. Instead of
complying with the request Speaker Ken
nedy mounted the rostrum, assumed the
gavel and announced the official hour for
adjournment had arrived, and he de
clared the legislature adjourned sine die.
die.
(Gov. (ampbell issued a proclamation
reconvening the legislature in regular
session, and Speaker Kennedy after ad
journing the regular session, announced
the special session ready for business.
PRAYERS BROUGHT CYCLONE
Revivalist and Congregation Asked
Warning Catastrophe.
Cuthbert, Ga.-The cyclone which
struck this place Tuesday night, destroy.
ing over 300 buildings, killing six per
sons, injuring twenty-eight, and leaving
300 families homeless, came in answer
to prayer, so the church folks assert,
and was sent by God to warn the town
to eschew evil and purstes righteous
ness.
For a week before the cyclone a great
revival was in progress, and there were
nightly prayers for God to send cyclone
or earthquake to warn the unrighteous.
On the night of the cyclone nearly 1,000
persons were present at revival service
and the cyclone came while a fervent
prayer was being made for God to send
storm, earthquake or some other sign to
waken the wicked.
When word reached the elurrch of the
awful wreck and the appalling property
loss, the preacher made a strong appeal
to the people, and in the darkness cries
and supplications went up to God min
gled with shouts of victory. Thursday
a praise service was held that God had
answered their prayers and melted the
stony hearts of the people.
KENTUCKIANS AFTER REWARD
Ex-Gov. Taylor Was to Be Gagged,
Bound and Shipped in Coffin.
Indianapolis, Ind.-Ex-Gov. W. S. Tay
lor of Kentucky, still a fugitive here,
heard for the first time Thursday how
narrowly he escaped from being kid
napel, bound, gagged and nailed in a
coffin, to be shipped to Louisville, where
the ventilated coffin was to.be opened
and Taylor arrested, charged with the
murder of the late Gov. Gobel.
The plan was laid bare by Col. Burch,
field, of Lexington, Ky. It failed, said
Col. Burchfield, because the Indianapolis
poTce, who were friendly to Taylor, got
wind of it and furnished guards night
and day for the Kentuckian.
Lured by the $100,000 reward for the
refurn of Taylor, several soldiers of
fortune of Kentucky, came to Indian
apolis, rented a vacant house to which
Taylor was to be transported in a cab
any opportune moment he could be
seized and stored the coffin in the vacant
house. In this house Taylor was to be
bound and gagged and nailed in the
coffin. An inquisitive real estate agent
who wondered why the men who rented
this house, did not move in, spoiled the
plan.
TO RESTORE 3-CENT RATE
Representatives of Eighteen Rail
roads Meet in St. Louis.
St. Louis, Mo.-Representatives of the
passenger departments of eighteen rail
roads met here Thursday to consider the
advisability of restoring the old 3 cents
a mile rate, made legal by the decision
against the Missouri 2-cent fare law
rendered by Judge McPherson in Kan
sas City on Monday.
J. M. Johnson, vice president of the
St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern
Railway, who was chairman of the con
ference, said that the railroad men hlad
received a communication from Attor
ney General Major of Missouri, asking
them to appoint a committee to confer
with him before definite action was
taken.
Women Still Missing,
New Orleans, La.--In their efforts to
find three women, the wives of well
known men, who hare been missing for
days from their homes in New Orleans
and one of its suburbs, the police admit
that they have been unable to obtain
the slightest clue that would lead to
the solution of any of the mysterious
cases.
SThe women are Mrs. E. W. Blaker,
Mrs. P. II. Thibeaux and Mrs. John S.
Edmonds. Mrs. Thiebeaux's husband
himself disaplpeared from home Thurs
day.
Would Boom Country Life.
Guthrie, Okla.-The Southwest Inter
state Commission on ('ountry Life, called
at the suggestion of the National Com
mission, "*to create new interest in farm
life and to improve social conditions in
the country." began a two-days' meet
ing here today. Missouri, Kanas,. Ar
kansas, Texas and Louisiana are repre
sentedl. I;reat interest hIh bee,, imani
fested Iby the people of (Ikihoma in lthe
meeting, and farmers from surrounding
counties and towns are here to discuss
their affairs and to formulate somej
scheme to better their conditions.
MECCAS FOR ARTISTS
CAROLUS DURAN TELLS THEM TC
GO TO PARIS AND ROME.
Famous Painter Says One Has Time
and Chance to Think in the Eter
nal City, But He Goes to
Paris for Sensations.
Paris.-One cold December mornint
a wondering maid, rubbing her eyes
brought coffee and hot water at an
unearthly hour while the fashionable
world of the Bois was settling itselD
for a final sleep, and I took an hour's
journey across Paris over to the Latin
quarter to see Carolus Duran come
up from Rome for a few days in
France. For many long years he has
been at the head of the French Aerd
emy at Rome, teaching, but painting
as well, as is testified by the long list
of great pictures, among the best of
the present centrry.
It was only nine o'clock, but he wat i
already in his studio, the one he keeps
always in Paris for his frequent vis
its. He was at his desk opening let
ters, giving directions to, his secre
tary, and receiving one by one a lit.
tile coterie of old friends and students.
They had been there for some time
waiting for him in a small reception
room where a kindly concierge had
made a bright fire on the hearth, giv.
ing warmth to a room already peo.
pled with living canvases of the mas
ter, hanging on the walls.
After the others were gone, and the
letters all opened we had a little talk
in the big studio, a small pipe organ
at one end and a grand piano at the
other, draped with a curious Indian
shawl. Large canvases'and small of
lovely female forms and. masculine
faces full of dignity and character
A V
caught the attention. But only mo
mentarily. The master himself was
there, sitting In a high-backed .l@
chair which might have come from a
Florentlne palace; an erect fiare
gracefully carrying its weight of yearu
The personality of the man filled the
room, the personality of the master.
One felt that whatever other permo
might happen to be thereg Carotus
Duran would still be the one toward
whom all eyes would be turned. Awl
one felt that it he gave an order, it
would not be disobeyed. One could
readily imagine his pupil, John Bar
gent, great enough himself to be
ranked among the masters, bowing htis
head before Carolus Duran and doing
as he was told,
But Duran does not want to be al
ways obeyed. He insists upon his pu
pils following their own initiative.
"Each person mupt march alone Ift
he is to accomplish anything," he said.
"In painting, the most difficult of all
arts, he must learn how to take his
steps, of course; he must study long
and patiently and learn how to walk,
and he must learn this from others.
Then he must go his own way as he
sees it most clearly.
"I come to Paris often, although I
have been in Rome over 40 years. I
do not think Paris is better for an atr
tist than Rome, or Rome better than
Paris. Each gives its own.
"Paris is better for the beginner. He
learns in Paris how to feel, and no one
can paint or write or do anything in
art who has not learned to feel, to
have sensations. I came to Paris for
its sensations, for the new world of
thought and activity centered here, for
the plays at the theater, for the books
that are being written, for the men
and women that make Paris what
lt is.
"But in Paris there is too much bus
tle and business for me as a mature
artist, too much electric light, tele
graphs, telephones, hurrying trains
and rushing people.
"I go back to Rome to reflect upon
what Paris has given me. Rome h
tranquil, with the peace of ages rest
ing upon it, and a message from its
stores of antiquity that falls upon
the soul sweetly, soothingly. One has
time and chance to think.
"But certainly one must not be calm
and tranquil too long. One must not
stay too long in Rome. There are the
voices of the present.
"Let the artist learn his grammas
in Paris, let him come then to Rome
and learn how to speak. Then let him
give his message to the world stamped
with his own individuality. Something
so much his own that he got it neither
from Paris, nor from Rome, nor from
any other place, but from the depths
of his own souL"