Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-05-30
Tho stockbridee Indians and their Claim.

The excitement caused in Columbia, and
adjoining counties by the arrival of tie
StOckbridge Indians, and their claim to large
tracts of land, remains undated. They
claim no less than 100000 acres of land
in Columbia county, comprising nearly the
whole of the Livingston Manor" which in
cludes the towns of Ancrom. Gallatin, Cler-
mont, Germantown, Livingston, Taghkanic,
Copake, and part Of Greenport. They admit
that in 1854 their title was extinguished to
1000 acres, lying on the Hudson river, and
extending from the Duchess county line
through the towns of Clermont, German
town and Livingston, to Oak Hill in Green
port and also in 1885, IN some GOO acres
bordering on Massachusetts, and which
now comprises the village of CoPake, but
they contend that their title to the large
intervening tract has never been extln-
cuished, and to test the legality of this claim
the present suit has been brought. The case
is ordered to the September term of the SUI
preme Court. The Indians claim fifty cents
an acre. 1t has long been u yexed question,
and all parties will be glad to have the matter
finally set at rest. The party of Indians still
occupy a house ON the lands OF Mr.. Shultis,
near Copake Lake, and pass their time inmak.
ing baskets, which they sell ut remuneratlVe
prices in the neighborhood. They are a lar-
dy looking set oifellows, and seem peaceabiy
inclined. Their spokesman, Levi konkapot
is g~entlemanly and courteous in ms manners
and displays a more than ordinary degree OF
intelligence in conycrsation.-N. J. Com.
A TuRlLIyG lNCIpENTlN THE LIFE or \
,,,-,,, H.. In ratDrplnu from
Philadelphia. about the middle of August,
1858, the cars were very crowded, and my
companion in the same seat, | found out to bo
{. locomotive engineer, and i'll the course OF
our conversation. he made the remark hehop-
ed he had run his last trip upon 4 locomotive
Upon making bold 10 ask his reasons, he gave
me II , following story, and since then | have
found it to be strictly true:
Give wears since | was running upon the
New York Central Railroad. My run WAS
from b to b. twas the light.
inc express train, and was what It's name de-
notes. for it ,ras fast. have seen her throw
her six foot driver so as to be almost inyisl-
BILE to the eye. But to my story:
About half a mile from the village Of
there is a nice little cottage but a few feet from
the track. At that time a young married
couple lived there. They had one child, a
little boy about four years old, Il bright black.
| eyed, curly-head little chap rs You ever saw.
| had taken a great deal of interest in the
little fellow, and thrown candy and oranges
to him from the train, and | was sure to see
him peeping through the fence when my tram
passed. 49,,
One fine sunny afternoon we were behind
time and running fast; we did not stop at
B, and was to make up one hour be-
lore reaching B. We came up at a ire,
mendous speed, and when sweeping around
the curve, my eye following the track, not
over two hundred feet ahead sat the little
fellow playing with a kitten which he held
in his lap. At the sound of our approach
he looked up and laughed, clapping his little
hands in high glee at the atfrighted kitten
rs it ran from the track. Quicker than the
lightning that blasts the tall pine upon the
mountain top. | whistlcd down brakes"
and reversed my engines, but knew it was
impossible to stop. Nobly did the old cn-
CINE try to save him. The awful strainIng
and writing If its iron drivers told but too
plainly of the terrific velocity VIC had attained
was out of the cab window and down Oh the
cow.catcher in a flash. The little fellow stood
still. motioned him off and shouted; his
little blue eyes opened wide with astonlsh-
mcnt, and II merry laugh was upon his lips.
| held my breath as we rushed upon nm,
made n desperate attempt to catch him, but
missed, and as his little body passed hrard
The feeble CRY of Mother and the forward
trucks crushed his body to atoms.
o, God; that moment. may 1--we, SIR 10
be an old man, hut the agony oil thai mo-
ment can never be erased from my memory.
The cars stopped some rods from the spot
and | ran back as soon as possible. Ills
mother saw the train stop, and a fearful tore
bodinp flashed upon her at once. She
came running frantically to the spot where
we stood. Never shall | forget the look she
gave me as she beheld her irSt-born a shape
less mass. would have given my whole eS-
istence to have avoided that moment! lhave
seen death in all its forms upon railroads
have seen men, women, and children, mang-
cid and killel-lhaye seen all this, but that
little innocent boy, as he looked up IN my
face, and killed almost in my arms, 1t I'M
neryed me, and from that day ! made a sol
emn VOW never to run a locomotive more.
That young mother is now III the Utlca
Lupatic ASYLUM. From the hour her boy
was killed treason had left its throne lie
stopped and wiped the tears from his eyes,
and said, you may think it weak in Inc
to shed tears, but | cannot help 1t.
NO" I replied, "but think it noble; and,
sir, would to God every man had a heart as
large yours" have often thought since,
how few are those who give one passing
thought to the man of strong nerve and stout
arm, who guides them through darkness and
storms, with the speed of the wind, safely to
to their journeys end. They do not, for a
moment, turn their attention to the iron mon
ster that is dragging them forward with fear
full velocity to meet friends or relations
Thew do not realize that the man who
guides the fiery monster holds all their pre-
eeious lives at his command, and that the
least negligence upon bis part would cause
sorrow and mourning in a thousand homes
that are now waiting the return Of the absent
loved one.--C Icreiand Rcricr.
AUcTIoNEER's NOTICE.
~ =, ,ul altar this loft.