davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Placer herald., 1857-04-25

RAILROAD IRON MILLs.-Few persons
are aware of the extent to which railroad
iron mills have multiplied in the United
States. Sixteen years ago no rails were
manufactured in the country. Even as late
as ls49, only nineteen thousand tons were
manufactured ia the United States. There
are ROW twenty one railroad iron mills,
placed as follows: Pennsylvania nine; Vir-
glnia three: Ohio two; Massachusetts one;
New York one. Illinois one Kentucky one.
The amount manufactured last year, reached
10000 tons. The quality of the American
rail is superior to the English, the iron bet
ter, manufacture better, and durability great
er.
The Placer herald., 1857-04-25

INSTANTLY Bl THE USE OF
IACQURS ESSENT4A+ OILS.
T1vIlESE OILS arc obtained by distillation at
Il the Chemical Laboratory, Parish Or Jcffer-
son, of Pierre Lacour, author Of l.acoHrE Chemi-
cal Analysis, I4acours Chemical Manipulations
Lacour on the Manufacture Of Liquors &c.
Purchasers are particularly requested to return
the TASKS and obtain their money if the oils does
not give perfcct satisfaction.
LAcouns On. OF CoGNAc converts neutral spirit
to superior imitation of Imported Brandies, viz:
Oard, 'Sazcrac. Marctt Cognac. Paultncy, Seig-
nettc, United Vineyard Proprictors Cdstilon and
London Lock Brandles. The liquors gill have
Common Reetidca Whskcy vim BE 5hiliged by
the use 6f tHe Oil Of CognaotoNcw York Brandy,
Pine Apple Brandy, Common Cognac Brandy. &c.
LAcouR's RlI oFRYE changes Rectided Whiskey
to MonongaheIa Rye Whskey. Old Virginia Malt
Whskcy. bourbon Whiskey, &c. - "'
On or CEpRAT changes common Rectiied Wlis-
key to Old Irish Malt Whiskey. ''' WIN
on or PEA0H changts common Whiskey to
Virginia Etath Brandy, &c. Oh Of Peach and
Oil of Cognac will convert common Whiskeyto
Apple Brandy.
On or Giv converts the poorest Whiskcy to
Holland Gin Schedam Schnaps, Rose Gin, Swan
Gin. English Gin, &c.' '' = ''.''
LAcoUR's CONCENTRATED AcDYill ia five hours
after being mixed change five gallons of good
Vinegar and twenty-five gallons of water TO thirty
gallons OF Inc h4DSt lcEar Inut can De IOunu
in the market. BY the use of Lacour's Concen-
trated Acid, Vinegar can be made for one dollar
and sixty cents per barrel.
For MAKING LIQroRs, i4acours Oils requires no
preparation pour the oil into the whiskey
and shake we'll. The liquors thus made will have
a fine natural aroma. fill rich. oily taste; beau
tiful transparent color and fine bead Lacour's
oils exert three distinct properties in converting
common whiskcy to brandy, gin. &c. The first
property combines with and subsidies in the form
of foculent PARTICLES the whole of the grain OIL
(Amylic Alcohol) The whskcy is thus deprv-
ed of that peculiar irritating and burning TASTE
and becomes neutral spirit; the second property
consists in an oily mueillanimous taste impaired
70 the liquor, which renders it mellow and impars
an appearance of great age; the third property ia
exhibited in the rich vinous nutty odor that is i'm
parted to The liquor. which renders distinction
from the genuine brands impossible. ''''
These oils are put up in quart TASKS; each flask
contains sufficient oil for making three hundred
gallons Of liquor. Full and Comprehensive direc-
tons accompany the bottles. PRICE 81 per bottle.
For sale at ihe corner of st. Charles and P0y-
drass streets. "'
One bottle of these oils, five in numbeT, will be
securely packed ana shipped, with bill Of lading.
to any part Of the country, upon the receipt of
So to the address of '''t q y
r. LACOUR. New Orleans.
turchasers are requested asa guarantee OF good
iaittj 10 fufnish as the name Si aay house ia Ne~
Orleans and we will ship them package hf Ihe
oils II they do not perform all that is claimed
for them, they will cosf rr'hin" --fv.
The Placer herald., 1857-04-25

LEGISLATIVE FAvoRs.-We acknowledge
she receipt from Senator Westmoreland, of
the report of the special committee on the
appointment of Gauger of Wines and Liquors
Iof the city of San Francisco.
And from Mr.. O'Neill, Of the House, a
copy of the Revenue Bill.
The Placer herald., 1857-04-25
TUsT RECEIVED and in store
JUST RECEIVED.


DER STEAMER Golden Gate Clippers Morning
Light, Flying Fish Flying Mist, large sup
ply OF Pure Cream Tartar Lard Oil Extract Iii
quorice, Blue Nitriol, German and English Cam
omle. Saltpctrc. Corn Starch, Shakers, Sarspar-
lila, Sarsaparila Root. Gum Arabic. Citric Acid.
Potash Extracts OF Lemon. Rose and Vanilla.
Nanil la Beans. Boiled Linsccd Oil. Castor Oil in
barrels, Pure yellow and White Wax. Kidders
Powers and Wcghtman's Tartaric Acid. Bay
Kun IN cases and barrels, Fresh Hops in pound
packages, Sage. Soap, Yankee lndeliblc Ink.
Roses Backing Brushes, Mason's Backing Ho
stetters Bittcrs. Cod Liver Oil, Spanish and
American Saffron. Lubin's Extracts, Genuine
Wrights Brandrcth's, Moilats and other Pills,
Chamos skins. Lycopodium, Essential Oils Con
gress Water i'll pints and quarts. BoraX Sal Soda
fcarl Barley, and many other staple articles
which, together with our former large stock of
Drugs, makes our assortment as varied and large
as any Drug House in the city, to which we invite
the attention of the trade and others buying in
this market. ALBAN, THOMAS a. CO..
Wholesale and Retail Dru ggsts,
apvl4-am 16l J street. corner 9th.
The Placer herald., 1857-04-25
Panama.


The news from the Isthmus is of an inter
esting character The American Ministers
will leave the country forthwith
1t seems that war between the two
countries is inevitable, as the Panama govern
ment refuse to make any satisfactory repara-
ton for the slaughter of American cti-
zens at Panama some time ago.
The Z. S. ships Independence and De-
cature are still at Panama with broadsides
turned on the city, and detachments of U.
S. troops from the ships are sent, by re-
quest Of the Railroad Company on each
train, so as to protect the passengers and
treasure.
The natives are very troublesome, and
threaten destruction of the road and trav-
elers, but at present no fears are entertained,
though there is no telling what will occur
unless our Government takes decided steps
to punish the audacity of the natives.
The Placer herald., 1857-04-25
Nicaragua.

1he news from Nicaragua is quite tavor-
able to Walkers cause.
On the 3Oth of March, Col. Lockridge,
with the little steamers Scott and Rescue,
made an assault on Castillo and captured
that important point with the loss of only
27 killed and wounded, while the loss of
the Costa Ricans was 1913 killed.
COL Lockridge, Generals Hornsby and
Wheat, Col. Frank Anderson and Maj
Baldwin, with 475 men and full three months
provisions, were at lest accounts establish
ed at Castillo, and full y able to hold their
position.
The only position of Importance now held
by the Costa Ricans is Fort San Carlos
which is at the mouth of the San Juan
river, on Lake Nicaragua. and if the allies
are driven from that point, Walker will
have full possession of the transit route.
AS the Orizaba touched at San Juan del
Sud, she found that Col Blanco, with 100
Costa Ricans, had taken quiet possession of
the town, but it was expected that a small
detachment Of Walkers army would soon
disperse them, though no fighting had taken
place up to April 9th, the day the steamer
left
On the 23d of March, Gen Mora, with
about 1900 of the allied army, made an
attack on Rivas where Walker was en-
trenched, and was repulsed with the loss of
about 100, and double that number wounded
while Walker only lost 2 killed and l woun-
ded.
Walker is now fortified at Rivas, with
$50 abIe-bodied soldiers, and so days sup
plies, and the allies have commenced a siege
by surrounding Rivas and threaten to starve
him out, which is regarded as an impossible
ity, as the Cholera has broken out in the
Costa Rican army, and was carrying off the
men at the rate of 25 a day.
In consequence of sickness, and the cer-
taipty of DEATH the Allies are rapidly de-
serting, and the army is dwindling away
fast.
1t was announced at San Juan del Sud
that detachment of marines would be dis
patched from Rivas to San Jnan, under
command of Lieut.. Houston, to escort all
women and children to that place, so that
they would be out of danger.
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1857-12-23

THE TRADE IN OSTRICH FEATHERs.-Here j:
something curious about the trade in ostrich
feathers. The newspaper from which We clip
credits it to the "Annals du Commerce Exte
reu :"
Leghorn, after the decline of its commerce
with the Levant. remained the great entrepot o
ostrich feathers, and did business in that article
to the amount of about 100000 francs annual
ly. But since the establishment of steam navi-
CATION, London has gradually become the prin
cipal centre of that branch Of trade, and Leg
horn now only does business to about half the
preceding amount; q part OF the dlminution, is
however, owing to the decline which has taken
place in prices. Seyen-eighths of the ostrich
feathers which Leghorn receives, come from f.
gypu and the rest from Tripoli and Aleppo A.
bout three-tourths OF the whole are sent to Paris
aud the remaining fourth to England. White
feathers are worth from five to twenty times
more than the black ones All feathers, white
and black, are sold by weight, except, however
the finest sorts, which are disposed of according
to quality. The price of white feathers varie.
from 150f to 300t the Tuscan pound, (nearly ll
ounces. J aud of black from 30f TO 35f. The trade
in ostrich feathers requires good deal of expe.
rience. as it is easy to be deceived in the quail
ty, when they are not prepared. -Four or five
houses are engaged alone in the trade at Leg
horn, and their profits are large The dealers
at Paris are beginning to obtain from London
the ostrich feathers which the latter gets from
the Cape of Good Hope. They already procure
from that city marabout and bird of paradise
feathers which come from Calcutta, and vulture
and heron feathers which come from Brazil.
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1857-12-23

ABRoGATIoN OF VENERATED LEGAL PRIN-
cIPLE.-That old principle Of English law which
says that mo man shall be put twice iD jeopardy
for the same otfence"-a principle that dates be-
yond the days OF Altred-has been abandoned
The Law Times, periodical published in Lon,
don, in noticing the verdict Of recent criminal
trial says: "The courts have gradually restrict
ed the meaning of this once cherished Inaxim'
until, in the case now under consideration, 1t
has been reduced to nul;ty. We are not pre-
pared to say whether such result is desirable
or if it is not for the public advantage that per-
sons accused of crime should be subjected to
continual trials until conviction is Obtained
Our present purpose is merely to record the fact
of the annibiation of another of the famous old
maxims of our jurisprudence, in the hope that,
the spirit and letter of the law may be brought
into agreement, and that one impartial rule may
be applied to all offenders"
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1857-12-23

The TRAoHERs.-Socety can never make re-
turn to the teacher for all that he has done for
it. There is no fortune to be made, scarcely any
fame TO be acquired, in the painful duties which
he fulfls. Destined to see his lite pass away in
a monotonous occupation, sometimes even to
meet with injustice, or the ingratitude of igno-
rance, he would often feel grieved, and perhaps
sink under such trials, if he did not derive his
strength and courage from other sources than
the prospect of present and purely personal in
terest He must be sustained or animated by o
profound sense of the moral Importance OF his
labors. The austere pleasure OF having served
mankind, and secretly contributed to the public
welfare, must be worthy recompense awarded
by conscience alone. His glory consists in as
piriDg to nothing beyond bis obscure and laborii
ons condition-in wearing himself ont in sacrl-
ices which are hardly remarked by those who
profit by them.
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1857-12-23

A DREADFUL SpEorAoLE.-It will be remem.
bered that the Russian line Of battle ship Lefort
lately capsized at MONDAY in the bay of Finland
carrying down twelve hundred persons, of whom
nearly four hundred were females A diver
lately descended to the wreck, and referring to
this writer in the London Times, from st. Pc.
tersburg, says:
"Such persons as were on deck at the time
we're Of course at once washed away, but the
divers found no less than LOO corp>es in the
cabins between decks and in the hold Of the
vessel, all clingiDg to some portion OF the tim.
bers of the ship, or to each other. The horror
of this fearful sight appears to have been aggra.
waited by the circumstance that the bodies were
already far gone in decomposition, and with 9
few exceptions, the eyes were wide open and
glaring The effect Of this dreadful spectacle or
the divers was such that one of them was to-
tally unable for many days to recount the ghast
ly scenes he had witnessed down in that hive d
putrefying corpses, and on bis persistent refusa
to repeat his visit there, was sent home.
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1857-12-23

AN END TO KIssING.-A short while since the
affectionate public was astonished by the story
of young lady whose neck was dislocated in
consequence OF the i-advised resistance which
she offered to the alniable salute of an admirer
more ardent than discreet. Our last exchanges
from Europe now match this tale with another,
Of an inquest held at Leeds on the body of o
young man of 81, who fell down stairs and kill
ed himself in the course of an attempt to snatch
kiss from the unwilling lips of girl of 49,
Some of our contemporaries deduce from the
first of these occurrences the wholesome moral
that young ladies should never oppose the ad-
vances OF their admirers. In common fairness
we are now bound to infer from the secoud &C.
cident that no man should ever attempt to take
a kiss until it is offered to him. Between the
two lessons there is reason to fear that an an.
cient and not altogether disagreeable custom
may be summarily abolished.
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1857-12-23
Curing Bacon.

From an article ID the Southern Planter OIL
killing Hogs" we extract the following
What is needed to cure bacon is smoke; moi
fire. The philosophy OF it is very simple: wood
III burning, gives off a pungent oil which escapes
with the smoke in the form OF vapour. This
oil, called by the chemists kreosote, possesses a
very singular power OF preserving meat from
putretaction. 1t is absorbed by the bacon from
the smoke in which it is suspended, and is sup
posed to coagulate its albumen, eand thus pro-
tect it from the air, which is the great cause and
medium OF putrefaction. At all events it pre-
serves 1t and we have partaken OF hams cured
without smoke, but by an application OF kereo
sote in solution, that were just as good as any
other and had the characteristic taste OF smoked
bacon, a taste indeed which ordinary bacon de-
rives from the kreuscte OF the smoke There Is,
then, no use in more fire than will make plen-
ty of smoke; there is harm rather: for too much
heat will make the bacon drip, and it may thus
lose some of the very preservative 1t has absorb
ed as it certainly loses Il portion OF its weight.
In damp warm weather, it should be smoked
again, as precaution merely: the operation
may not have been completely performed at first;
or the dripping which occurs in such weather
may run off a portion OF the insoluble coagulum
which has been formed and the flies are apt to
be about in such weather and do harm, unless
smoked out.
Whenever warm weather sets in for good, the
Joints should be taken down and ashed well with
hickory ashes, and put in bags, or not, as one
pleases. If they have been properly managed
previously they will not need it at all. But the
ashes are desirable They help to preserve the
meat, and are sort of additional sa.tng. Ashes
of themselves, if literally applied, will act in
place OF salt During the Revolution tory in
Albemarle, very honest man by the way, as
his descendants still are, was refused salt to cure
bis pork and his wife made as good bacon that
Year, with one peck of salt and an abundance ol
hickory ashes to the six hundred pounds, as the
family ever had.
In applying the ashes, tits well to have buck
ct of molasses, and apply portion with q
white-washing brush to each joint. When well
sneared, rub on the ashes, which will thus ad
here firmly and make an impenetrabe cement
Then re-hang the meat with the joints down.
1t will save waste in this way by diminishing the
dripping.
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1857-12-23
POETRY.
Owe No Man a Dollar.

love No Man Dollar.
BY cHAs. p. sHIRAs.
Oh. do not envy, my own dear wife,
The wealth of our next door neighbor,
But bid me still to be stout OF heart,
And cheeriuly follow my labor.
You must know the last of those little debts
That have been our lingering sorrow,
Is paid this night! So we'll both go forth
With happier hearts tomorrow.
Oh, the debtor is but shame faced dog,
With the creditors name on his collar;
While I'm king and you are queen,
For we owe no man dollar!
Our neighbor you saw in his coach to-day,
With his wife and his Haunting daughter,
While we set down at our coverless board,
To crust and cup of water.
saw that the tear-drop stood in your eye,
Though you tried your best to conceal it
knew that the contrast reached your heart,
And you could not help but feel it;
But knowing now that our scanty fare
Has freed my neck from the collar,
You'll join my laugh, and help me shout
That we owe no man dollar
ASS
In fact is a wretched debtor;
pity him oft from nv very heart
And wish that his lot were better.
Why the man is the verest slave alive,
For his dashing wife and daughter
Will live in style though ruin should come
So he goes like lamb 10 the slaughter;
But he feels it the tighter every day,
That terrible debtors collar
oh, what would he give if he could say with US,
That he owed no man dollar
You seem amazed, but I'll tell you more;
Within two hours met him
Sneaking away with frightened air
AS if a iend had beset him;
Yet he lied from very worthy man,
Whom met with the greatest pleasure
Whom called by name and forced to stop,
Though he said he was not at leisure,
He held my last note! SO held him fast,
Till he freed my neck from the collar;
Then shook his hand as proudly, said,
"Now, | owe no man dollar"
All ! now you smile, for you feel the force
Of the truth have been repeating;
knew that downright honest heart
In that gentle breast was beating
Tomorrow IL rise, with giant strength,
To follow my daily labor;
But, ere we sleep, let us humbly pray
For our wretched next-door neighbor;
And we'll pray for the time when all shall be free
From the weight Of the debtors COLLAR
When the poorest will lift up his voice and cry,
Snow. owe no man dollar!
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1857-12-23

BE Nor DISCOURAGED is fine remark of
Fenelon, Bear with yourself in correcting faults
as you would with Others We cannot do all
at once. But by constant pruning away of lit
tie faults, and cultivating humble virtues, we
shall grow towards perfection. This simple rule
NOT to be discouraged at slow progress, but to
persevere, overcoming evil habits one by one,
such as soth, negligence and bad temper; and
adding one excellence after another-to faith,
virtue; and to virtue, knowledge and to knowl-
edge, temperance; and to temperance, patience;
and to patience, godliness; and to godliness,
brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness,
charity-will conCuct the slowest christian at
last to high religious attachments.
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1857-12-23

a deep voice, "You ave been took in. Instead
OF marrying lady, you have married lady
maid" Starting up, Charles John exclaimed, IN
melodramatic manner, Impossible! My dear
Sophar never could deceive me-" How the
dowager Mrs. Allen made the discovery is not
mentoned-but she was right. The individual
whom the Cockney husband called "Sophiar"
Was ady's maid, and was not "a lady," She
protested that the dowager was mistaken-that
this was wicked world apt to slanaer Innocent
people-tbat, if she told her husband story a.
bout the $4,000, (Which was invested, not IN
funds, but on the security Of splendid Chateau
en- Espagne or of the Isle of Skye.) he had also
tricked her, by declaring himself worth $4,000 o
year, and that he 'kept brougham." Finally
it appeared that she had only hired the carriage
at Cheltenham, to ride in q few times, while AL
len was in that town, and that the attendant
waiting maid-the soubretta of this little drama
was a quick -wIted Abigail, fellow servant
indeed, who had lent herself to pass OFT "Sophi
ar' as lady of fortune, and thus anchor her,
safely and happily in the haven of matrimony
Worse than this monstrOuS cheating. Mr. Allen
found his bride behaving so improperly, after
the fictitious nature of her fortune had been as
certaned, that, in five or six days after their re
turn from Paris, she left his house, in company
with another man, against whom he hnally
brought an action for Grim. con-, and recovered
$500 damages which were not paid. So closes
Act w.
Misfortune comes in battaons. Poor MIR. AL
len found it so. That the $50, 1000 should be a
myth was bad enough. This was not all. The
faithless ''Sophiar" had contrved, before mar.
riage to get into debt to the tune of $4,000, and
MIR. Allen had it to pay. Wanting pecuniary
means to do this, he became gentleman IN dit
icultes. Moreover, he had to refund what he
nad borrowed, on the strength Of his lady's for
tune, to cut dash with in Paris. Nor is this
all; naturally enough, he desires to break the
matrimonial tettels. But marriage is knot
easily tied, and Especially in England) not easily
loosed. Just while he was deliberating what to
do. aud how to do it-sittiDg in brown study
in his otfice-in walks ''Sophiar." She, it seems,
had commenced suit against him for alimony,
and actually had the etfrontery to 'tender her
self" in legal form, to be taken back to his bo-
som, and there nourished, and cherished-as his
lawful wife, In default of his so taking her
back, her action tor separate maintenance would
lie. No doubt, also, that she would he-to prove
her case. Here, with the hero sued for his
wife's debts at common law, and put into the
ecclesiastical court for alimony, sufficiently
tragic finale is arrived at. The audience acting
as jury, will give in verdict OF "served him
right" and the curtain drops.
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1857-12-23

A CASE FOR LEGIsLAToRs.-It go into gro
GERS shop and steal two or three pieces sugar,
| am thief But if grocer sells me pound
of sugar, and there are one or TWO ounces short
he merely sells things by false weight l am i'm
prisoned. The grocer is fined few shillngs and
escapes. am guilty of but one theft. The gro
GER, it may be, is guilty of thousand, for he
robs every person to whom he sells goods with
those false weights. Now, can you tell us by
what strange anomaly of the law the greater
thief is allowed to get off so much more cheaply
than the lesser Why shouldn't there be the
same law for both e. Punch
Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1857-12-23
Ferguson, Eariss Il Co.,

No. 9 PE.AhL SIREET, RICHMOND,
IMPORTERS, J0BBERS OF DRY GOODS,
A RE receiving, and will in few days have in store
n their entire stock of SPRING AND SUMMER
GOODS to which hey would call the attention OF city
and country Dealers embracing in part Cloths CASH
meres and VeSting-all grades;
White Cambrics and Musns;
Irish Linen, Linen Sheetings and Diapers;
Black and fancy Silks, and Satin De Chine;
Silk Linen, Cambria and Lawn H'dkerchiefs
Embroidered Collars Sleeves and Lace Goods;
Ladies' Dress Goods; Berages, Nuslins, Lawns;
French Kid and Silk Gloves in great variety;
Taiors' Trimmings-best quality.
large portion of the stock of goods has been re-
Gently bought for cash. and part is of our impor
tatlUn-ali or which offcr III small advance for
cash
~ Special attention paid to the Hosiery Depart
ment having one floor exclusively for goods of that
class. Richmond March Z, 1S57-1y