davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
North Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1867-current, 1870-04-13
The Prairie Dog.

The Prairie Dog.
In Captain Marcy's Exploration of the
Red River of Louisiana are given some in
teresting facts about that singular animal,
the prairie dog. He says:
Passing through these dog villages,
the little animals are seen in countless
numbers, sitting at their subterranean
dwellings, presenting SO much the appear
ance of stumps of small trees, and so in.
cessant is the clatter of their barking, that
it requires but little effort of the imagina-
ton to fancy ones self surrounded with
the busy hum Of city" The immense
number of animals in some of these towns
may be conjectured from the large space
they sometimes. cover. Captain Marcy
passed one of these towns twenty-five
miles in length, and supposing it to be as
large in other directions, it would embrace
an area of six hundred and twenty five
square miles, or eight hundred and ninety
six thousand acres. Estimating the holes
at 20 yards apart, the usual distance, and
each dwelling occupied by four or five
dogs, the whole population of this tract
would be in round numbers, forty millions
of dogs. The food Of these animals con-
sists principally of a coarse, why grass,
which grows in abundance on elevated
plains, often many miles from any water,
which does not seem necessary to their
existence. About the last of October, the
prairie dog carefully closes all the pas
sages to his habitation, and turns in for u
loag nap. He keeps housed until the
warm days of spring, when he removes
the obstruction in front of his door, and
energies full of life, fun and frolic.-The
rattlesnake is often an inmate of their
dwellings, and sometimes preys upon
them when hungry.
North Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1867-current, 1870-04-13
Peter Meleudy's Defenders.

Peter Melendey, ex-United States
marshal, is declared by the law officer
of the government for the district of
Iowa, to be defaulter to the govern
ment to the tune of over tire ethousand
dollars. All over the state there are cit
liens who, having served as witnesses
and Jurors, and signed receipts which
Marshal Melendy represented to be ne
cessary for procuring the money from
the government, have yet received none
of their nees, the receipts on file at
Washington showing that he has had
the money. Sheriffs have in like man.
ner been defrauded of their compensa-
ton for boarding Marshal Melendy's
prisoners. And yet such papers as the
Des Moines Register and Davenport
Gazette defend Melendy against the
charge that he is defaulter. They say
that he has accounts which are in dis
pute. We believe Melendy does claim
to have some accounts, but he has never
claimed to have accounts covering the
whole amount of the governments mon
ey which he admits to have appropriate
ed to his own use. And as to witness
fees, jurorx fees, and sums due for board
ing prisoners, all of which he has had
from the government, but never paid
over to those entitled to the money, he
cannot have offsetting accounts, and
does not claim to have. That Peter Me-
lendy is loyal, and was formerly chair
man of the radical state committee, may
be sufficient reason for his defesne by
the Register and Gazette, but honest
republicans do not the less deem him
dishonest official and an unworthy citi-
zen.-Dubuque Herald.
North Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1867-current, 1870-04-13

The bill reducing the number of Super
visors in each county to three has passed
both houses. 1t permits counties to in>
crease the number to five or seven, by a
vote Of the people. The Wisconsin leg
islature has just reversed the thing. The
people of that State became dissatisfied
with the three commissioner system and
have, through their legislature, adopted
the plan of county government which We
have just discarded.
A railroad tax bill has also passed both
houses. 1t provides for tax on the gross
receips of / per cent. on the first $4,000
per mile, 2 per cent. from $4,000 to &c.
600 per mile and 8 per cent. on all over
Sc, 900 per mile. Four-ffths of the tax is
to 60 to the counties in proportion to the
number of miles of track in each, and one.
fifth to the state. Bridges across the Mis-
sissippi and Missouri rivers are to be taxed
as other property in the localities where
situated.
North Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1867-current, 1870-04-13
How to tell Good Horses.

How to tell Good Horses.
A long, spot bellied" horse will always
be found deficient in powers OF endurance,
while horses that are round or "barrel-
chested' are invariably more muscular
and enduring, having what is termed more
''bottom" than those first alluded to-.
Scientific sportsmen are, in a great meas
ure, guided in their opinion Of horse's
racing qualification by his girth just be-
hind the shoulders. By this test q well
known jockey told the reputation and
prewess of the celebrated racer "Plenipo.
tentiary," almost from the period of his
birth. Cattle dealers aud butchers, il
like manner, judge by the chests and
shoulders of cows and pigs what amount
of fat they are likely to gain in the PRO
cess of feeding All animals that have
large lungs are remarkable for the vigor
of their appetite and for the facility with
which they appropriate their nutriment.
Such animals will feed upon the coarsest
hay and straw, while their less fortunately
constructed companions are fattened by
no kind of food. An amusing anecdote is
told of simpleton, who, in trying to sell
his horse, declared that ''the animals eat
ing was a mere nothing" The intelli>
gence would, contrary to intention, have
sufiiced to ruin the prospects of sale, but
that the buyer, with rare discrimination,
inferred from the horses chest that the
capacity of his appetite had been unwit-
tingly misstated. He bought him on the
hazard of an opinion, and he had no rea>
son to repent his judgment.
North Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1867-current, 1870-04-13

voted to renew the income tax; and
instead of reducing the taxes upon the
common necessaries of life, the House is
now considering bill to increase them
in various ways. We have corps of
revenue officers at Washington who, in
stead of administering the law fairly and
equitably, devote all their ability to the
discovery of new and ingenious modes
of hunting down the ax-payers, to extort
extra shillings and additional pennies
under technicalities which would disgrace
Police Court pettifogger, relying upon
the fact that ninety nine men out of every
hundred would rather pay an unjust tax
than stand lawsuit with the government.
And now, to cap the climax, it is proposed
to pass bill to contract the currency to
the amount of $500, 100000 in one year,
and bankrupt everybody who has not
been bankaupted by payin: taxes, under
the pretense of reducing the interest on
small portion (less than one ghth) of
the national debt-a scheme, the very
shadow of which has paralyzed every de-
partment of trade and industry in the
United States.
The American people are on the rack.
Inc Appliances OI torture are III Skilllul
and experienced hands, and, so long as
there is any blood left in them, our rulers
will apparently never relax. 1t is, per-
haps sometimes well not to be aware oil
what is in store for us. We know that
the inhabitants of Chicago can pay from
ten to twenty millions of taxes annually,
and it is plain that so long as they sub.
nit to the taxation the demand will not
be diminished.
"We like the tone of this article, COM
ing as it does, from the leading Republi-
can paper of the West. Will our fellow
citizens read it carefully, and if the day
of grace is rot gone by, will they not pc
tition the stolid Congress which is now in
| session to relieve us? "The American
people arc now on the rack That SEN
tence tells it all. We have no time fol
extended comments, but the subject is SC
truthfully and SO convincingly handled
by the TRIBUNE, that We leave it one week
for the reflection Of those interested.
Think! Think!
North Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1867-current, 1870-04-13
Outside.

Outside.
Kissing. julien Dubuque Puzzles
are articles left over last week. Wheeler
& Wilson. :. Easter; it comes next Sun
day. Some medical advertisements of
importance. Death Of General Howard
National Debt. :. Cars to West I'm
ion letter of Gen. Bausenwein referred
to......Advertising an article of our own
......No scolding.. 1.-THE Army and the
Infamy; from the Burlington Argus.
Repartees.. First American Flag.
Victoria's Annual Receipts......H. W. B.
.Mahomet..... England, Fun, Miscel>
lany, and very interesting advertisements
of business houses at home and abroad
......A heavy notice of sale by Sheriff
Davis. Read the outside and have the
benefit of the whole paper.
North Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1867-current, 1870-04-13
ES0uimaux Dogs.

ESqu1m0ux Dogs.
They are harnessed with a leather
collar, belly and back bands, through
the upper part of which the line of seal
skin passes which is attached to the
sledge, and it serves the double purpose
of rein and trace to draw with. = = y
Each dog is estimated to carry two
hundred pounds and to travel with that
load at the rate of five or six miles an
hour.-The leader, which is well
broken dog, is placed ahead of the pack
with draught line of from six to ten
fathoms in length, and the rest with
successfully shorter ones, until they
come within eight feet of the sledge.
They are not coupled, however, as they
are usually represented in engravings,
but are attached each loose from all
others, SO that when they are in motion,
travelling, they appear like flock Of
cartridges, all flying loosely, and yet all
the same course.-They always travel
in gallop, no matter what the state OF
the country may be.
Going down hill is most difficult and
dangerous, and at times it is necessary
for the rider to guide the sledge with
his feet, as boys do their sleds sliding
down hills, and sometimes it is done by
long poles stuck into the snow. When
the sledge is heavily laden, and the
descent is steep, the dogs are often taken
of, and the vehicle made to slide down
the precipice by the man alone, who
lies fiat on the sledge, and guides it
with his toes from behind, as he de-
sends head foremost.
The dogs are so we'll acquainted with
the courses and places in the neighbor-
hood that they never fail to take their
master and sledge to the house where
he wishes them to 60, even should a
severe snow storm come on while they
are on the journey; and it is always sa-
fer for the rider at such-times to trust
to the instinct of the dogs, than to at
tempt to guide them by his own judg-
ment. Cases have occurred when men
have done this, and paid the penalty by
freezing to death in desolate wilder.
ness. In such cases the faithful dogs,
if left to themselves, make directly fol-
their home.
When two travellers meet on jour.
ney it is necessary for both parties to
come circuitously and slowly towards
each other, and give the separate packs
the opportunity of observing that their
masters are acquainted, or otherwise, a
fight might ensue between the dogs
Life of Audubon
North Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1867-current, 1870-04-13
News and Items.


The Illinois River, at Havana, is now
four miles wide. It's usual width is one
mile......The Davenport Gazette says:
"The lady Engrossinq, Clerk of the House
of Representatives of Iowa, it is said, has
not only won victory over the foolish
prejudice against the employment of her
sex in clerical positions, but has been tri-
umphant also in another direction. If her
name should be changed, ere long, to
Ebert, the surprise will not be remark
ably great" Mr.. E. is a member Of the
House.......Speaker Blaine says that Con>
gress will adjourn in June......There are
five American dentists at Berlin, and two
at Dresden........A bachelor, widow
hunting club has been organized at Lam
sing''""One Of the longest sentences in
magazine literature is to be found in Lip
pincot's for April, in an article upon
"Florida." 1t fills over page Of double
columns, and contains more than eight
hundred Words. Geo. w. Haislet has
enlarged his Ventilator, Of DEBORAH, to an
eight column sheet.
Some one says that if the night Of the
18th of April is clear, the moon will be a
sight worth looking at, as it will then be
full while at the perigee Of its orbit the
point in its orbit nearest the earth.) So
her apparent size will be the largest it can
ever get. This conjunction cannot hap
pen again in several centuries. So be on
the lookout at an early hour.-Erch.
The Free Trade men admit that the
Tariff bill will get through the House, but
think it will fail in the Senate. The tar
if men now say they will make strong
effort to get it through beth Houses, even
if Congress should be compelled to remain
in session until the middle ofJuly.. 1.-The
president promised to recommend, by
special message to congress, general
amnesty to all participants in the rebellion
as soon as Georgia was admitted. The
republican politicians oppose it and it is
said they will most likely accomplish their
purpose. 1T is estimated that the number
of persons still disfranchised under the
Fourteenth amendment from all state and
federal Offices amounts to 100000.
Iowa has 10000 more white males than
females. How's that for (you and) IT,.
An investigation Of the charges Of cor
ruption preferred against Gen. Howard,
as commissioner of the freedmen s bureau,
commences to-day......Attorney General
Hoar says he has not thought of resign
ing. 1t was reported that he had......
Eleven is the fashionable size for ladies
boots at Des Moines.
Bishop Kingsley, of the Methodist
Episcopal Church is dead. 1.-Two boats
arrived in St. Paul on Monday, the llth.
......West Union is to have a brass band...
IA letter to the Independence Bulletin
says that Senator Grimes has improved
very much in health and the writer thinks
his friends may hope for full recovery.
Mrs. Stonewall Jackson denies the re-
port of her marriage to wealthy Boston
ian.. ...General Buffers negro boy having
failed at West Point, he has now appoint
ed as cadet the son of Mr.. Colby, the
Democratic editor of the Newburyport
Herald, and member of the Legislature.
North Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1867-current, 1870-04-13

Don't think because snuffs and strong
poisonous solutions will not cure Catarrh,
that you cannot be cured. The proprietor
of DR.. Sage's Catarrh Remedy offers $500
for case of Catarrh which he cannot
cure. 1t costs but fifty cents for pack
age which prepares one full pint. Sold by
druggists, or send sixty cents to DR.. r. V.
Pierce, Buffalo, N. Y, and get it through
the mail
North Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1867-current, 1870-04-13
Deep Flowing.

deep I1OWlnss
Deep culture is one Of the fundamental
principles of successful agriculture and
horticulture, but in its application more
harm than good is quite often the result.
For instance, man possesses piece of
land, the surface of which to the depth
of four inches, is rich, vegetable mould,
but below this, it is poor, cold and ster-
lie. Now, we will suppose that this man
has heard that soil should be ploughed
eight inches deep, and he tries it upon the
land in question, inverting it to the depth
named, bringing layer Of four inches OF
unfertile soil to the surface, and upon
this sows wheat, rye, or any other similar
grain failure is the inevitable result
and the reason why is quite apparent
The fertile soil was buried beyond the
reach of the young, delicate roots of the
sprouting grain, and it found no susie
nance, and persisted, or made but feeble
growth. If fertilizers had been added to
the surface after being ploushed, and har.
rowed in with the seed, the result would
have been quite different; for the roots
could then have found sustenance at the
very outset, and as they gained strength,
penetrated to the rich soil below.
It is a well-established fact in time oil
drouth, plants will not suffer SO much on
a soil eight inches deep Us on one that is
only four simply because deep pulveriz.
alton increases the capacity for retaining
water. 1t also has an opposite effect upon
soils that contain too much water, for by
breaking up deeply wet, tenacious soil,
we permit the superintendent moisture to
pass of, either by percolation downward,
or by evaporation. In cases where nc
fertilizers can be added to the surface
after ploughing thin soil, then it is bet
ter to adopt one Of the following systems
pillow only as deep as there is good
soil, following with subsoil- plough, and
break up the underlying strata as much az
possible, but not bringing it to the surface.
Or inyert the soil eight to ten inches deep
several months before it is wanted for use
and then reverse it again, bringing up the
surface soil at the time of sowing the
grain. No compact soil, either rich OF
poor, was ever treated in this manner
without being greatly benefited.
North Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1867-current, 1870-04-13

Light Ahead.
An article in the Daily Chicago Tribune
OF April 18th, is cheering. 1t is headed !:
"OUR CAPACITY TO PAY TAxEs.-In
olden times, when men were put upon the
rack, it was regarded as valuable scien-
tlhc attainment to be able to SO estimate
the endurance of the victim that the
wheels might be turned and the clasps
frightened, without killing him outright.
Thus, prisoner might be regularly tor
tured for o month, and yet not killed,
while, if the instrument were in the hands
of less skilful operator, he would be
sent to Kingdom come at once. The peo-
pie OF chicago have been on the rack of
taxation for q long time, and, as the tor
ture increases, our wonderful power of
endurance is developed. Nevertheless,
there must be limit, and the extreme
limit Is drawing nearer at each turn of
the Assessors crank"
X X
Here follows statement of the taxes
paid in Chicago on an assessed value of
S266,0OO,OO0; City, State and County,
Banks, income, banks, licenses, sales and
gas, SlO,S6O,O00. These are direct taxes.
The indirect as follows: Distillers. tobac.
conists, ale and beer, gross receipts,
custom duties and miscellaneous, Sc, $50,
600 nore! The Tribune then SAYS:
.sIn addition to all these, are the taxes
paid under the tariff on all imported
goods bought and consumed by our peo.
pie, and the still greater sum, which
never goes into the Treasury, paid under
the miserable pretense and delusion oil
protecting American Industry"
The Tribune curses the Legislature Of
Illinois fer "extravagaRt appropriations y
the Council of Chicago for 'sreckless and
improvident legislation, adding $4,000
600 to the city debt" and the Board Of
Supervisors who used their Offices te
squander million of dollars upon mis-
cradle county buildings reducing the
county to state of bankruptcy, ans
compelling their successors to anticipate
the present year by borrowing money a,
10 per cent We clip below, the close o.
our cotemporary's sensible article
We have Congress who are advised
BY official figures that, despite the extra
ordinary expenditures, there will be q
surplus revenue of $l25 100000 for the
year, and yet they reject oil propositions
TO reduce taxation. The Senate has just
North Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1867-current, 1870-04-13

A gentleman who was very jealous
on the subject Of horses, but not
according to knowledge, bought marc
at auction and rode her home. "Well,
Caesar" said he to his stable coachman,
"what do you think of her? She cost
me $780," "dunno master" eyes, but
what do you think 2" "Well, massa
it makes me tink of what the preacher
said notwithstanding about his
money is soon parted. DIsREMEMBER
DE FUsT PART!'
North Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1867-current, 1870-04-13

A friend of ours who is chief clerk in
the Governmental Dispensary, says tina,
no medicine chest is now complete with
out Johnson's Anodyne Liniment. We
always supposed it was prescribed if il
is not, it ought to be, for certainly there
is nothing in the whole materia medica Of
so much Importance to the soldier and the
sailor as Johnson's Anedyne Liniment.
North Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1867-current, 1870-04-13

SORE THRoAT.-Everybody has a
cure for this trouble, but simple rem
edies appear to be most effectual. A
gargle Of Chlorate of Pottassa is the
best remedy known for malignant and
every kind of sore throat, or diptheria.
North Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1867-current, 1870-04-13

HOUSE TO RENT.-Inquire of DR.. Gill,
Dentist. DR.. Gill, Dentist, did you say
Yes, DR.. Gill, Dentist. Remember DR..
Gill. Dentist, Of McGregor.
North Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1867-current, 1870-04-13

Too BAD.-A Detroit girl has been
fined S25 for screaming murder" when
a fellow Rugged her. The lover paid
the fine. "They say" that the girls
around here don't scream on such
occasions.
North Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1867-current, 1870-04-13

Veterinary Surgeons all over the coun.
try are recommending Sheridan's Cdralrs
Condition P0wders for the following
troubles in horses Loss of appetite,
roughness of the hair, stoppage Of bowels
or water, thick water, coug chs and colds,
swelling of the glands, worms, hor sc all,
thick wind, and hea yes.
North Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1867-current, 1870-04-13

A Nevada editor in discoursing upon
the common (dreadfully common
practice of kissing bride, whereby
unblushing male bipeds take the law Of
custom as their excuse for committing
an impertinence that would not be
permitted at any other time, says, with
a good deal Of sense as well as fun |;
"We never had bride that we can
remember, for the reason we are too
poor and INDECENT; but should the
future have one in store for us, and any
man should attempt that privilege, we'll
knock chips enough from his nose to
exempt him from the draft"
North Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1867-current, 1870-04-13

A Quebec bank has three tons Of
twenty-five cent pieces in its vaults.
North Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1867-current, 1870-04-13

The payments in the Washington are
never greater than they are the first year.
North Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1867-current, 1870-04-13

a. Il. q Il. y. JONES',
j0BBERS and MAKERS OF BOOTS AND SHOES. g
to their
Gold
which
kind
lion by CALI nus,
%
Styles &c
Andobs e,too,th
the "Artst Artisan and
Mankind in General q
in m
OUR DOWN TO SPECIE BASIS -
Andth the Goods have come whe
AIDES Rss-cHHPE
Brigham's Justly
all eath
At & IT. o.
North Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1867-current, 1870-04-13

A HOME JEWELL mother, speak
ing of her home jewels calls one ruby.
She says: ut was a happy day when
sweet, merry little Grace was sent to
bless our home and fill our hearts with
perpetual sunshine. Just FIVE years
old, she has done more in her short life
to dispel sorrow, and give each cloud,
however dark and threatening, silver
lining, than many who can count their
three score and ten. A real ruby,
giving out warm, rich light, and cover
ing all around with rosy tinge, that
hides multitude of faults and troubles.
Shine on our household, that all souls
coming near you may grow happy from
the nearness."
North Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1867-current, 1870-04-13

The MooN.-Lma, the astronomical
or classic name for the moon, will be near
er the earth (Terra) on Friday night of
this week, than she has been for twenty
years. Her appearance will be greatly
enlarged. Let us look at the old lady
who does SO much mischief with lovers
and other luna-tics.
'To fatten well, hogs must have a
clean pen and comfortable nest. An
addition of muck or mould, or dry
leaves should be made to the yard at
least twice in each week, and the bed
should have special attention as often
as every other night. Wading round
up to their bellies in mud is very
Improbable business for an animal
upon which we are anxions to place as
cheaply as possible the largest amount
of fat; while nights worn out in the
restlcssness that wet straw or wet earth
always makes inevitable, are not
especially conducive to the same desira.
BILE end"