davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Placer herald., 1858-02-20
A Beautiful Extract.

There lies in the depth of every heart that
dream of our youth, and the chastened wish
of manhood, which neither cares nor honors
can ever extinguish-the hope of one day
resting from the pursuits which absorb us;
of interposing between old age and the tomb,
some tranquil interval of reflection, when,
with feelings not subdued but softened, with
passions not exhausted but mellowed, we
may look calmly on the past without regret,
and on the future without apprehension.
But in the tumult of the world, this vision
forever recedes as we approach it, the pas
sions which have agtated our life disturb
our last hours, and we go down to the tomb,
like the sun in the ocean, with no gentle and
gradual Withdrawing of the light of life back
to the source which gave it, but sullen in its
fiery glow long after it has lost its power and
its splendor.
The Placer herald., 1858-02-20
The United States and Venezuela.

1t is stated that some very decided meas
ures will be taken against Venezuela, to ob-
tain redress from that Government. long de-
layed, for outrages against American citizens
The origin of this trouble is as follows
In the year 1854, party of sixty Ameri.
cans, who owned and occupied an island
called "Avis Island" more than 800 miles
from the Venezuelan coast, and who were
quietly engaged in collecting guano, were
forcibly expelled from the island by order
of the Venezuelan Government their prop
erty sold, and the proceeds appropriated by
the perpetrators of the outrage. Rapresen-
talions were Immediately made to the Vene-
zuelan authorities by the U. S. Minister at
Caracas, of the lawless nature of the seizure
of the island, and the robbery of the proper
ty of American citizens, whose occupation
of the island, and prosecution of their busin-
ess, had been sanctioned by the United States;
but these representations have been persis-
tently d;sregarded, although frequently and
urgently renewed. 1t is rumored that, in
case the peremptory summons which our
Minister has been instructed to deliver to the
executive at Caracas, be disrcgarded, YES
sci of war will be ordered to continue the
negotiation at the point where diploma
cy has failed, and to make seizures of Ven
ezuelan property in satisfaction of the debt
due to our fellow.citizens for damage and
loss In consequence of the act of Senor Plana.
The Placer herald., 1858-02-20
Perils of St. Petersburg

1t is melancholy to contemplate the con-
stant danger in which this brilliant capital is
placed. If Mr.. Kohl's picture is not over
charged, the occurrence of strong westerly
wind and high water, Just at the breaking up
OF the ice, would at any time suffice to occa-
sion an inundation sufficient to drown the
whole population, and convert the entire city,
with all its sumptuous palaces, into chaotic
mass Of ruins. The gulf of Finland runs to
a point as it approaches the mouth of the
Neva, where the most violent gales are al
ways those from the west so that the mass
OF waters, on such occasions, is always forci-
bly, impelled towards the city. The islands
forming the delta Of the Neva, on which ST.
Petersburg stands, are extremely low and
fiat ard the highest point in the city prob
ably not more than twelve or fourteen feet
above the average level of the sea. A rise
of fifteen feet is, therefore, enough to place
all St. Petersburg under water, and rise of
thirty feet is enough to drown almost every
human being in the place. The poor inhab-
itants are, therefore, in constant danger of
destruction, and can never be certain that the
whole 100000 Of them may rot, within the
HeAG t"eHty -loUI HOuIo, Do WdSleI OuJ OF
their houses like so many drowned rats. To
say the truth, the subject ought hardly to be
spoken of with levty, for the danger is too
imminent, and the reflection often makes
many hearts quake in St. Petersburg. The
on.y hope Of this apparently doomed city is,
that the three circumstances may never occur
simultaneously, viz: high water, the breaking
up of the ice, and gale Of wind from the
west. There are so many points Of the com
pass for the wind to choose among that it
would seem perverse in the extreme to select
the west at SO critical moment; neverthe-
less, the wind does blow very often from the
west during the spling, and the ice floating
in the Neva and the Gulf Of Finland is of a
bulk amply sufficient to oppose formidable
obstacle to the water in the upper part Of the
river. Had the ancient sages of Okhta kept
meteorological records, one might perhaps
be able to calculate how often in a thousand
years, or in ten thousand years, such flood
as we are here supposing might be likely to
occur. AS it is, the world need not be at all
surprised to read in the newspapers one of
these days, that St. Petersburg, after rising
like bright meteor from the swamps of Fin
land, has as as suddenly been eXtingushed in
them, like mere wil-o'-the wisp. Nav hea-
ven protect the city." For. quar-. Rec.
The Placer herald., 1858-02-20
Od.Eatured Thoughts.

BY STUPID, THOUGH HARMLESS FELLOW.
1t is not generous to blame youth for the
follies of young men.
Good wives, like flberts, will remain good
for long time. 1t all depends upon the
care you take Of them, and how you h, sband
them.
Snpposng experience does not give us new
habits, it teaches us at all events to hide the
holes in those we have
Solid worth is often found in rough out
side. Sovereigns roll repeatedly out of an
old stocking.
When friend is sinking, Hope is like the
anchor that pilots take out to ship in dis
tress, and we should all volunteer in carry
ing it to him.
The loss of joyful illusion is always a
painful thing. 1t is like a child looking at
a Clown after he has washed his face.
A surly reception from debtor raises a
pleasing hope Of payment.
If we on y said one-half of the witty
things that, on reflection, we feel we might
and ought to have said, what clever fellows
we should be,
We have often seen a COW part with her
milk in the most patient manner, and then
turn round and upset the pail 1t reminds
us always of generous action graceessly
done.
The Placer herald., 1858-02-20
Milky Wav.

This is great luminous band which
stretches every evening all across the sky.
At one part it sends off kind of branch
which again unites with the main body after
remaining distant for about $50 degrees.
This remarkable belt has, from the earliest
ages of which we have any record, maintain
ed the same place among the stars; and when
examined through powerful telescope it is
found to be composed of myriads of glitter
ing stars, scattered in groups of millions, like
gstening dust, on the back ground of the
general heavens. Sir William Herschel has
divided it into number of nebuous systems,
or separate clusters of stars and has des-
cribed their appearance and shapes; but, as
yet, it is but the shadowy outline Of another
branch of astronomical research which will
require more powerful instruments and more
human genius than is now at command, for
its exploration.
The Placer herald., 1858-02-20
Strength of Metal.

In some experiments made for testing the
comparative strength of plain and corrugated
metal, the superiority of the latter was sig
nificantly demonstrated. Two pieces Of cop
per, of equal surface and thickness, were
formed into arches of about fifteen inches in
length the one having flat surface, and the
other two corrugated arches. The arch with
the fiat surface gave way under few pounds,
while the corrugated arch withstood the
weight of two men who violently surged
upon it without making the least impression.
In another experiment, made upon large
scale, and under unequal conditions, the
plain arch gave way with three thousand one
hundred and twenty-six pounds Of pig iron
upon its screw, while the corrugated arch
bore the weight of sixteen thousand nine
hundred and ninety-four pounds of the same
metal for fortyeight hours without the least
perceptble DETECTION. This was afterwards
increased to twenty-seven thousand pounds,
which also remained forty.eight hours with
no visible detection.
The Placer herald., 1858-02-20
Antid0te for Poison

One Of the correspondents of the London
Literary Gazette, whilst speaking of the num-
Der of deaths occurring from accidental poi
soning, says
venture to affirm there is scarce even a
cottage in this country that does not contain
an invaluable, certain, immediate remedy for
such events-nothing more than desert
spoonful of mustard mixed with a tumbler
Of warm WI ter, and drink Immediately. 1t
acts as an emetic, and is always ready, and
may be used with safety in any case where
one is required. By making this simple an
tidote known, you may he the means Of saw
ing many fellow-creaturs from an untimely
end.
The Placer herald., 1858-02-20

from the Free State Party has secured 81
out OF A Representatives, and IA out of 10
Senators. Gentlemen who left the Territory
on the llth ult., report the Democratic
State ticket elected.
Observation-Disclosures have passed the
Nebraska Legislature deprecating the action
of the Lecompton Convention in failing to
submit the Constitution to vote Of the peo-
pie, and expressing fear that the establish
ment of such precedent may have an i'm
portant bearing upon the character of their
own domestic institutions.
Dispatches from New Granada state that
there is no prospect of the ratification of the
treaty recently negotiated between the United
States and that Republic. They seem de-
termined to make no restitution for the loss
es of our citizens, and are opposed to letting
the United States have the island in the bav
of Panama.
A reliable private dispatch from Columbus,
Ohio, announces that the Democratic caucus
of the Legislature have unanimously agreed
to instruct the Ohio Senators in Congress to
vote against the admission of Kansas into
the Union with the Lecompton Constitution
unratifed by the people.
Both branches of the Legislature of Ala
bama have unanimously passed resolutions
authorizing the Governor to call State
Convention, if Congress refuses to admit
Kansas into the Union under the Lecompton
Constitution.
Ir. Anson Jones, one of the heroes of the
Texan revolution, and formerly President of
the Texan Republic, committed suicide at
Houston, ON the sth ult., by blowing out his
brains.
The President has written to Mr.. FORSYTH,
Minister to Mexico, that his presence is de-
sired in Washington.
When the steamer Fashion arrived at New
Orleans from Mobile, she was seized by the
authorities.
California Bonds-7's 70, have advanced
to ~ cents.
Foreign.
Sir Colin Cambel had relieved Lucknow,
after series of severe struggles with the en-
emy, in one Of which he was lightly wound
ed.
The letters from Naples give graphic de-
tails of the late earthquake. Official accounts
leave no doubt that thousands perished, and
some estimates go as high as 10000 to 90
OOU
The Placer herald., 1858-02-20
A Grand Work.

The Paris correspondent of the New York
Tribune thus sets forth grand scheme: You
will see by the late French journals full de-
across the Channel between France and Eng
land-a plan which is now seriously talked
of on both sides Of the Channel The pro-
iector is a Frenchman and his plan, which is
perhaps the twentieth fer the same object, is
regarded as worthy Of serious attention. The
distance is just twenty-five miles. A bridge
is impossible on account of the obstruction
to navigation, and the Thames Tunnel seems
to have condemned all enterprises of SINH
lar character. 1t is proposed to build triple
archway in stone. for three railway tracks,
under water, commencing the construction
simultaneously at both ends and meeting in
the center of the Channel. At this point,
where there is now slight elevation of the
soil, the protector proposes to build station
or halfway house, and as the middle will be
sort Of summit level, higher than the two
ends, the cars at this point will approach the
surface. An island will here be constructed,
and a large circular shaft will serve the dou-
ble purpose of lighthouse and stairway to
ascend and descend from and to the railway.
The middle is elevated principally because in
case of burst of water, it is better that the
current should run toward the land; happily
the bottom of the sea here favors this design.
Other shafts, however, are to be constructed
in the course of the submerged aqueduct for
cases of emergency. The island will be a
useful addition to the Channel in ordinary
cases of shipwreck.
The Placer herald., 1858-02-20
An Hour at the Old Playground.

l sat an hour to-day, John,
Beside the old brook stream
Where we were school-boys in old time,
When manhood was dream;
The brook is cloaked with fallen leaves,
The pond is dried away,
l scarce believe that you would know
The dear old place to- day.
The school-house is no more, John,
Beneath our locust trees;
The wild rose by the window side
No more waves in the breeze,
The scattered stones look desoate-
The sod they rested on
Has been plowed up by stranger hands
Since you and were gone.
The chesnut-tr tree is dead. john
And what is sadder now,
The broken grapevine of our swing
Hangs on the withered bough.
! read our names upon the bark,
And found the pebbles rare
Laid up beneath the hollow side,
Just as we piled them there.
Beneath the grass grown bank, John,
looked for our old spring,
That bubbled down the alder path
Three PAGES from the swing.
The rushes grow upon the brink,
The pool is bleak and bare.
And not foot, this many day,
1t seems has trodden there.
took the old blind road, John,
That wandered up the hill,
'Tis darker than it used to be.
And seems so lone and still;
The birds sing yet an ong the boughs,
Where once the sweet grapes hung,
But not voice of human kind,
Where all our voices rung.
sat me on the fence, John,
That lies as in old time,
The same halfpannel in the path,
We used so eft to climb;
thought how Ger the cares of life
Our playmates had passed on,
And left me counting on this spot,
The faces that are gonc.
The Placer herald., 1858-02-20
NUMBER g..
Eastern Items.

A lady in Railway, N. j., it is stated, has
recently succeeded, after several frutless at
tempts, in establishing her title to a large
amount of real estate in Dayton, Ohio. It
is said to cover all the central part of that
town, and it is rumored that the amount is
about two million dollars.
An old lady who recently died in Ports
mouth, N. H., left relic to the better work
of olden time, pair of shoes in a state Of
good preservation, which she had worn for
the last forty years.
The leading houses Of Montreal have Just
advertised that they will, from and after the
lst instant, adopt the decimal system Of
weights as well as currency. A movement
towards the same object has been made in
Quebec.
In 1855 the population of France was at
a stand still, and there was that year a pre-
ponderance of deaths over births to the mum.
Der Of nearly 100000.
continental paper says that curious
case is about to be tried by the civil court
of Berlin. The barber and upholsterer of a
wealthy banker have brought actions against
him to obtain damages for having made them
attend on him when he was afflicted with
the small pox, whereby they caught the
malady and were laid up with it for some
time.
The Russians are re fortifying and extend.
ing the north side of Sebastopol; new
fortress is being built at Kertch.
AS the Spanish Prince came into the
world, the King Consort handed him round
the room on golden platter
Among the novelties observed on New
Years day in New York, was carriage pro-
PEELED by steam and operated by two fast
young men, in their business of making calls.
They doubtless considered the old fogv turn
on: of tour-in hand as altogether too slow
for the times, and the accomplishment of the
full complement of five hundred calls"
There were sixty murders in the city Of
New York during the year just closed
There has been but one execution, and three
persons are now under sentence of death.
In Florida on The Sd ult., while Captain
Stephens was out with scouting party.
they We're fired upon by The Indians and ono
man killed. Subsequently, the Captain laid
| HH NtllUuSH loI VIC luulduS dilu SnOJ I'VE OF
them. He thinks there are yet five hundred
Indian warriors in the State.
The Academy of Science in New Orleans
has received paper purporting to demon
strate the fact that the waters Of the Gulf
on the borders of Southwestern Louisiana and
thence to Texas, are the safest which have
been submitted to scientific tests, and that
by the process of evaporation in tanks, salt
of superior quality, equal to Turks Island,
may be obtained.
The cost of the New York railroads is
equal in amount to one-tenth of the whole
taxable property in the State. The aggre
gate value of the taxable property is about
fourteen hundred millions, while the cost of
the railroads is about one hundred and forty
millions.
Cincinnati, according to an estimate Of
the Gazette has a population Of 244,OoO in
habiants, an increase in ten years of over
$1,000. The value of manufactures and in.
dustry is set down at 5000 900.
The Placer herald., 1858-02-20

LAKE SUPERIOR GoLD.-The Detroit Ad-
vertiser of recent date mentions a specimen
of gold bearing quartz which was found on
the north shore Of Lake Superior. 1t pres
ents a similar appearance to the gold bearing
quartz of California, though it would not av-
erage as much as that. The specimen con-
tains, besides gold, quantities ofsiver, copper
and iron.
The Placer herald., 1858-02-20

The HANGING AT MoNrEREY-A letter
from Monterey to the Bulletin, states that
the man hanged at Monterey was named
Jose Anastasa, and that the reprieve was
granted to Anastasias Jesus. The prisoner
was to be executed on the l2th inst, and the
reprieve arrived on the 10TH On it's arrival.
the Sheriff consulted the Monterey Bar and
sent for Judge Hester who had sentenced the
prisoner. All agreed that the repreve did
not affect the prisoner, but the Sheriff be-
eving that the Governor had mistaken the
name, refused to carry the sentence of the
Court into effect. The Deputy Sheriff, back
cd by the people, took the responsibility and
hung the prisoner in accordance with the
terms of the sentence. 1t is said that if the
Sheriff had not hung him, writ of habcas
corpus would been issued by the County
Judge and the people would then have taken
the prisoner and put him to DEATH
The Placer herald., 1858-02-20
Important from Mexico. Reported Flight
of COmonfort.

The San Francisco Bulletin, of Tuesday,
has the following highly important news
from Mexico:
The John L. Stephens brought no mail
from Mexico, but a private letter dated Co.
lima, Feb. 5th, has been received by gen.
tleman in this city, which contains the fol-
lowing important news as to the state of
political affairs in the Mexican Republic.
The party to whom the letter is addressed
assures us that the writer is perfectly reia.
BILE. The letter says: Comonfort has fled
towards Vera Cruz. Zuraiga has been recog.
nzed as President, in the city of Mexico, as
we'll as in Pueba and other places near the
capital, Juarez is at Guanaxato as "Consti-
tulional President" and has convoked Con.
gress; and Parodo is marching against the
city of Mexico with 5000 men. 1t is thought
that the liberal party will succeed; in such
case Juarez will renounce in favor of Zuraiga.
The Placer herald., 1858-02-20

To CLEAN KID GLovEs.-Lades will be
glad to learn that alcohol will wash kid
gloves without either straining them or leav-
ing an unpleasant order about them. The
gloves are simply drawn upon the hand and
carefully rubbed with piece of clean tlan-
el, wet with alcohol until the soil is removed
then hung up to dry, and afterwards stretch
ed, when the original color rs-appears
The Placer herald., 1858-02-20

"Gouge on Banking it is the title Of a
new edition of which has just been issued
from the press. A cotemporary aptly re-
marks that Blanks on Gouging" would not
be an inappropriate title for a work setting
forth the operation Of the present system.
St. Mary's beacon., 1858-12-23


~
@
e. .... |' - ||... s*SF
y ID 81 81 fz
.|s....
@ *4 -
~ EaI i<.. 4t |k I<
SsN N. a. M sz. Az ss.sA 4k
s.sa s.|z||||
&ke M m se ..1
IS Sc. "a. s..| |....= + :IIiIs s.. IS 6I u; -
....zs.... ''..'|| l|. 3 nm = s|s| Et.
s ST |... ...' III i s'...I<. s. .F' k.IHs l..A
.z'.| s. .''. Es.:.i@ ~ zT'sNl EIIsI2NI
''|'..S ..'.l &.| .|.||s. : IS :. .|'|,I.s.
ks.|.. '|5sss s s'7fs Is N,.s.sE Wfk q a| il
|.s s&&& 4 81 ]. .|I.S El.r ':.s 81 ii u, II
'|..|| a. s. IS. .sS|| E... lIzsa lIisls III
N #ss.I'ss 4.sHss< Il I..I. al $50 s|aslrs 68 ses
.'.. ss I..|s i l.. IIis l.issa ss h.s,t Iss
il. ). ST. ...z.. z.|.. |.. al es4s4 ista Size
IA 1 2s Ms s.l 81 a...4 # 54..i si.6 461.4s .4.I1.s
E...|.A l.. s... s. ST. {. .a.s s.1. IS. li.S
s. ....l..z.S s z..'. ..I |.... i i,ss...'| s q
s {. 8. 81. ,..;.s ,l IS.
... s. 'z. Ez'I=s 3.sTs.:isaAs ..,'II ,.l
s.s.'. -. s.Isrs. he sess. Iz,,nf.
e. contents. nre Ill .s.a..es|:
.. ..'.s s..z1. s. ei.'s,s. and t,i n;e.1 IN
s.'''... l|. 2ss Al capacisIss IS and
IL e s 4. e. ..s.nss4is.e something 81 knock
inc ss.s'1I7| S|,'iFt. y saving 81 planning. 81
Ssis a6i|s assss : u ii's isEsr
Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1858-09-24
Great Rowing March

The championship OF the Lakes Is to be con-
tested for on the 9th of October in rowing
match between the Metropolitan Boat Club OF
Chicago, and the Shakespeare Rowing Club OF
Toronto, for $500 a side, and the champion flag
Of the Lakes The preliminaries of the match
between the Clubs have been settled, and the
sum Of $3.50 has been put up by each club, for
felt money. The match is to take place at De
troit in four-oarsd boats, the distance to be
pulled five miles, two anj half miles out and
the same distance in. The start 10 be at 10 A
NJ, and each crew to have their own stake boat
to turn
This viii be a contest of muscle and wind in
stead Of wind alone, and will possess the in
terest Of half dozen regattas
Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1858-09-24

All hope of finding Thurston alive is given
I'D, and none can ever tell the particulars Of his
sad fate and that of the daring Winchester
The balloon by which ThurstOn was carried off
was found near Baptiste Creek, and has been
identified by Mr.. Bsnnister. 1t was nearly a
new one, of silk, and cost about $1,000. The
silk was sent TO Detroit by Mr. B., who after a
long but fruitless search for his lost friend, has
also returned to that city. He puts no faith in
the truth Of the stories that man was seen on
the balloon as it came down, but feels quite sure
Mr.. Thurston must have fallen before reaching
Canada at all.
The Detroit Tribune says Mr.. Bannister states
that the balloon-valve on which Thurston sat IS
torn out from the silk OF the balloon three
quarters of the way around, indicating unerr-
ingly that the weight Of the unfortunate man
was too great for the strength of the sides, and
that the silk gave way, when he must have
dropped off His only remaining chance would
be to cling to the smooth material of which the
balloon was made, and he could not have sus-
tanned himself in that manner. When this Oc-
Cured we can only conjecture, but that It must
have been within an hour after he started, seems
highly probable The balloon was seen for
nearly two hours with glass, but II must be
remembered that this great body, full sixty feet
high, was only the size of mans hand, when
thus visible, and it would be impossible to see
the ill-fated man if he had cropped of