davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1871-07-21
The Ship Canal.

One of the most important advan-
tages to be secured by the building
of a railroad north and south thro'
our county, will be the connection
with the Fox & Wisconsin River
Ship Canal, from Prairie Du Chen
to Green Bay, by means of which
when built-and its construction is
not great way in the future-our
heavy products will seek an eastern
market by water transportation in
stead of as now by rail. The value
Of this ship canal to the farming
country of the entire Northwest
cannot be too highly estimated.
Our intelligent farmers know that
more than half the cost of carrying
our wheat and pork to New York is
paid to the railroads west of Chica-
go, although the relative distances
are entirely disproportionatc to
these charges. 1t is this burden
which the ship canal is designed to
Tighten, and when that work is COM
pleted, a direct railroad communi-
cation with its western terminus
will BE an imperative necessity for
every grain and stock grow ing
community in Iowa. In nn county
of the State will the advantages of
this great waterway, or the impor-
lance Of connection with it, be more
readily appreciated that our own.
We may have such communication
by the Cedar Rapids an'' F"s.yille
road, and it only remains for our
citizens to determine whether this,
with other facilities which the road
offers us are sufficient to compen-
safe them for the outlay required.
it seems to rs that sagacious men
can arrive at but one solution of the
problem.
Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1871-07-21
From Delhi.
DELHI, July 2lst, 1877

DELHI, July ZlSt, 1911.
EDITOR Wishing to
make my self useful l will pen you
a few lines from the "City of Sand"
e.nl The country around it.
Harvest has commenced in down
right earnest, and the ceaseless
CHATTER of rcapers is indeed pleasant
music. Crops are very promising,
consequently farmers are good ma
tured and say they hope to soon
still the terrible cry Of "hard times. :"
Delhi is at present deeply inter-
cstcd in the all-engrossing subject
Of railroading, and the prospect for
success is decidedly flattering.
Last week the place was overrun
with bridge contractors, who were
running hither and thithcr to see
"who should build what bridge"
They have departed at last and
quiet once more reigns.
Politics, woman suffrage and
SANDER are on the decline owing to
the scarcity of delegates compe-
tent to master those naughty (knotty)
subjects. The new paper is quite
an important feature, and although
the Office is rather diminutive, yet
all unite in wishing and aiding its
success. Business seems to be as
lively here as in other places, and
best of all, everyone appears to be
happy.
"Mine host" says right here come
to dinner, and as am very hungry
l will comply. More anon.
M NJ
Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1871-07-21
DUBUQUE. July lS

EDITOR BULLETIN:-We may as
well announce at the beginning of
this letter, that during the few weeks
succeeding the glorious Fourth,
there have been no occurrences of a
startling character in or about the
Key City. On the contrary, the pull
sations of city life have been very
quiet and measured, beyond a case
or two of drowning and few acct
dents which are continually occur,
ring in every community, there has
been hardly enough going on to
break the monotony of everyday
routine. The most common topics
of conversation are the weather and
the Orange question.
Since the Fourth we have not had
a rain shower Of any consequence,
but have had a succession Of dry,
hot, sultry days, the effect of which
has been to sap the energies of man
and brute. The thermometer has
indicated as high as 1913 in the
shade here, and one or two eases of
sun stroke have been reported. Eve
ry one is complaining of the heat.
The delicate ones are very careful
about going out without an umbrcl-
la, and all sorts of expedients are
resortcd to for safety against sun
stoke. AS we were passing along
the street, u day or two ago, we no.
ticed an old gentleman slowly max
ing his way among the crowd. Pres
entity he met a lady friend, to whom
he stopped to courtesy, and as he
raised his hat in recognition, out
fell shower of fresh cabbage
leaves, which he had placed in the
crown as a protection against the
sun. The heat takes the pride and
starch right out of folks. The dain-
test dandy willis, and is not asham-
ed to be seen on the streets in his
shirt sleeves; the most pompous of
the city fathers look quite meek in
their summer suits, the veriest old
bloak in the town seems more mod
est in his hiccough, and the peach
Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1871-07-21
Origin Of tho New Departure.

A writer in the Fort Dodge Re
publican seeks to show that the
New Departure was born ut Fort
Dodge, being created of the same
material as the Cardiff Giant. The
plain fact is that the New Depar-
turc was born at McGregor, in this
State, little more than a year ago,
having for its fathers Judge VIM.
McClintock, of West Union, and
Hon. John L. Stoneman of the form
err city. 1t first appeared as the
platform of the Democratic { on
gressional Convention for the Sd
District of Iowa, in 1870. Whoever
will take the pains to read the reso-
lutions of that Convention will dis
cover that their sentiment is nearly
identical with that of the Ohio plat
form, whose authorship is so wide
ly credited to the late G. L. Vallan-
digham. In this McGrcgor plat
form all matters of dispute regard
ing the war. the Constitutional
Amendments, reconstruction, sut-
frage, etc., were declared dead
issues. The situation was fully ac-
copied in all points save on the
question of taxation and tariff. On
this platform Hon. John Il. Stone
man, one of the most pcrversc dem
ocratic leaders of the State, as well
as one of the most accomplished
political debatcrs of the West, was
nominated. Challenged by Hon. w.
G. Donnan, the candidate of the
Republicans, he was the first man
in America to go before the people,
on the stump, and present the New
Departure. Mr.. Donnan, meeting
him in Joint discussion, being the
first to tear up and scatter to the
winds this miserable sham. Mr..
Stoneman stuck to the text of the
platform with tenacity which
nothing could move, and through a
deserved personal popularity, COM
bined with petty republican dissen-
tons, succeeded in carrying his
own county, though the District vo-
ted him and his Departure down by
more than FIVE thousand majority.
SO began the New Departure. The
fact that Mr.. Vallandigham accept
ed this thing is justly a matter of
of worldwide note, but on the ques-
ton of authorship he was mere
copyist.-W Waterloo Reporter.
Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1871-07-21


TIE proposition to build the B.,
c. r. & NJ. railroad through Fay
cite county seems to have retired
into the background the Waterloo
& McGrcgor narrow gaugc--or as
some of those interested prefer to
call it-"narrow gouge" project.
The Fayette county Union says:
The Engineer of the Waterloo &
McGregor narrow gauge railroad, Geo.
Paul, completed the survey Of their line
to this city last Saturday, and reports an
excellent line, but the determination of
the people here to take hold of the b.
G. II. g. NJ Road will probably divert
that enterprise into some other channel,
or delay its construction until the people
have realized sufficient FRI m the compile
ton Of the other line to enable them to
contribute TO this. Mr.. Paul is an cngi
nccr of world wide reputation, and the
Waterloo gentlemen engaged in this en-
tcrprisc are all gentlemen of both finan-
cial and intellectual ability, with whom
we would have been glad to cooperate
in their enterprise had we not thought
that Gus interest as county would be
better suhservcd in another direction.
Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1871-07-21
Another Newman Letter,

The Nashua Post of last week
throws a little more light upon the
electioneering operations of DR..
Newman, in behalf of his friend and
parishioner Senator Harlan. The
Post says:
"The Chicago Tribune CONSTITUTES Sena
tor Harlan's letter to be a denial of the
existence of the Newman letter. We
have personal knowledge that a Prcsi-
ding Elder in the NJ +. Church, i'll Iowa,
received what purported to be letter
from Rev. Dr. Newman, Chaplain Of the
L. S. Senate, urging the claims of Mr..
Harlan to reelection. The Elder, upon
showing us the letter, called attention to
what he termed the beautiful writing.
We believed the body of the letter was
printed in elegant script, and called the
attention Of the Elder to the marked diff
ference between the text of the epistle
and the signature Of DR.. Newman, the
latter beng written in bold, business
like hand, in black ink, the difference in
the two being so evident that the most
casual observer could not fail to note the
fact that the hand signing the letter had
no connection with the one printing or
writing the body Of the epistlc. The let;
ter shown to us was quite different from
the one published in the Dubuque Her
aid, to which Senator Harlan refers in
his note to the Davenport Gazette. The
letter in the Herald read as follows:
Here is copied the original New
man letter. -.,
sour recollection Of the letter shown
US is, that it covered all the points made
in the above printed document, and We
remember, also, that it made an appeal
in behalf of Mr.. Harlan, urging Metho-
dists in Iowa to support him for the rea-
son that there are now but seven MethO-
dists in the Senate, and that it is ncces-
sary to keep the number good? That
Mr.. Allison was Unirersdlisn That
prominent republicans there, among
them Secretary Belknap, were anxious
for Mr. Harlan's return. In these par
ticulars, the letter from Doctor Newman,
perused by us, differed from the letter TO
which Senator Harlan alludes in his note
to the Gazette. * 80"
A few weeks after the letter was shown
to us, we were in Des Moines, and gen
tlcman called our attention to the fact
that Doctor Newmen had sent litho-
graph letter TO Methodist clergymcn in
Iowa, urging the necessity of Mr.. Harlan's
return 20 the Senate. Enquiry elected
the fact that the letters referred 10 were
similar to the one shown us in MAY last :"
Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1871-07-21
The Democracy who invoked the

The Democracy who invoked the
Constitution to shield traitors, and
who so vigorously denounce every
constructive violation or disregard
of that instrument, plume them
selves as followers of Thomas JEFF
ferson. They are never weary of
chanting praises of his exalted wis
dom and craftsmanship and cnlarg-
ing upon the fervor Of his devotion
to the Constitution, and yet are very
careful not to quote the following,
found in one of his letters, regard
ing the then pending purchase of
louisiana:
''Thc less that is said about the consti-
tutional difficulty the better. Congress
should do what is necessary in silence.
find but one opinion rs to shutting up
tire constitution tor some time"
Can anybody form an adequate
conception of the howl which
would go up from these mod
ernd iciples Of Thomas Jefferson,
if President Grant would propose
the shutting up of the constitution
for some time?"
Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1871-07-21

An infatuated ancient Massachusetts
schoomarm, down in Georgia, hung her
self last week because Of her love for one
of her boy pupils, a lad not yet IA. On
the evening before her death, she went to
the boys house, and calling him to the
gate, said: Med, you will never see me
again. When you grow to be man and
marry, tell your wife about the woman
old enough to be your mother, who died
on your account" Thus saying, she
clasped the object of her strange passion
to her bosom, and was never seen alive
again.
The above was clipped from the
Dubuque Herald. A short time
since that paper would have embel
lished the tale by the gratituous add
dition that the fame of the ancient
Massachusetts schoolmarm was q
Niger. That it does not do so in
this case may be attributed to the
fact that its party is playing the
farce of a new departure toward de-
ccncy, and that the editor of the
Her"h" is the second pnrrct in the
show.
Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1871-07-21
Jeff. Davis in a Now Role.

The following is the substance OF
an article in the Louisville Com
merciuI of the 18th. 1t will be
read with peculiar relish by those
susceptible Southern women, who
with so much abandon have be-
sieged the lips Of Sour beloved ex-
president" on his tours through the
country:
"On Tuesday evening jeff. Davis left
the Peabody hotel, Memphis, Tenn, in
company with the wife of another man,
who had been boarding at the Overton
house, and took the $50 train on the
Memphis s. Charleston railroad, for
Huntsville, Alabama. Representing TO
the conductor that the lady was under
his protection, he took berth in the
sleeping car, he taking the upper bed
and she the lower They retired early
and after travelling short distance the
ex president descended to the lower berth,
the which fact was noticed by the porter,
who informed Mr. Hess, the conductor
vi Luc SlCCLlHS Cui, tu"s ShSiC =" 90 So.AAS
thing wrong in that berth. Mr. Hess
pulled aside the curtains, looked in, and
told the cx president that he had made
mistake. and requested him to get into
the upper b; rth. He gave him half an
hour to do SO, but jeff. couldn't see it.
Mr.. Miller, conductor of the train, was
called, and he told Mr.. Davis, that such
conduct was not allowed on that road.
Mr.. Davis, with all the dignity of an ex-
president, and of the present president OF
an insurance company, said he had paid
for the berth and wnnl! DC :.e he pleased.
The lady turncd her back, refusing to
have anything to do with the fuss. Con
ductor Miller was determined, and, after
more threats, succeeded in persuading
the venerable martyr Of the lost cause to
get out of the lady's berth, and crawl in
to the upper one, which he did in his
shirt and drawers, in presence OF mum
Der of disguised witnesses.
/ The facts are given on good authority
and there is no doubt Of the story in cv-
cry particular"
Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1871-07-21
Another Female Prisoner.

Close following upon the account
eff the terrible crimes Of the Con-
nccticut Borgia, Mrs. Sherman,
comes the intelligence from Balti-
more of the unearthing Of an al
most precisely similar record Of
murder by woman in that city.
Mrs. Elizabeth G. Wharton, widow
of Major II. W. Wharton, an army
officer, woman of high social
standing and accomplishments, has
been indicted for the murder of Gen.
ketchum, and the attempted murder
of Mr.. Van Ness, by administering
poison to them in their drink, while
visiting at her residence. Added
to these charges is the horrible sus-
picion that Mrs. Wharton also
caused the death by the same means
of her husband, her son, her hus-
bands brother and his daughter, all
of whom died suddenly at her house
within three years. Her son who
died about year ago had his life
insured for her benefit for $4,000.
The motive for the poisoning of
Gen. ketchum is supposed to have
been to evade the payment of $780,
900 which she owed him. She has
a daughter who is almost distracted
by the accusation against her moth
or. The case makes a profound
sensation among the upper circles
of Baltimore society
Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1871-07-21

THE RAILROAD IN FAYErrE CoUN,
TY.-The recent visit Of the b., G.
II. & NJ. railroad officials to West
Union, seems to have aroused our
northern neighbors to the utmost
pitch Of enthusiasm and activity
with regard to the north and south
project. After full discussion of
the claims and advantages Of the
various roads proposed to be built
through Fayctte county by the
several companies, the citizens final
lv determined to tie to the Cedar
Rapids & Postville project, and ac-
cordingly entered into an arrange
mcnt with the gentlemen present
representing the company, the terms
of which are thus stated by the
Laion:
"a committee of oar citizens nave
finally effected an arrangements with the
T. c. r. & NJ Railroad, by which they
propose to build Il road from Cedar
itap,ls to intcrsect tht &i,va,.s"Y |. St.
Paul Railroad, at or near Pottsvillc,
trayarsing our county from north to
south, as near rs practicable through the
center thereof, on our securing them 10
cal aid to the amount of 100000, to be
paid when the road is completed and the
right OF way through the county. We
have sixty days in which to raise the aid
after which, if we succeed in raising the
amount, they propose to commence work
Immediately, and to complete the road
within one year OF the ability of these
men to complete this enterprise when
once commenced there can be no ques-
ton. Their success as railroad builders
for the past few years fully demonstrate
this, and we cannot afford to lose this
opportunity to secure road or such
favorable terms and We hope TO see the
citizens promptly coming forward in the
shape either of IA ) per cent tax or sub
scription, as they may think the most ad-
visable. We look upon this as no wild
and visionary scheme but a straight for
ward business transaction between bust
ness men"
A memorandum embracing the
general terms of the agreement and
binding the company to pay $780,
600 in case of its failure to perform
it's part was signed. The agree
ment was to have been put in form
al shape at Cedar Rapids Oh Satur-
day last. Thus it will be seen that
the people along the line north OF
us are fully aroused to the advan-
taees to be derived from the build
ing Of this road, and are determined
to secure it if earnest effort will do
it. We have faith to predict that
those efforts will be warmly second
ed by the people of our own county,
who have an equal interest in and
may hope for equal profit from the
Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1871-07-21
A River Reversed.

For river to run up hill is con-
sidercd one Of the impossibilities,
but since Saturday last that phenom-
cnon has been observed in the here
tofore sluggish ditch which forms
the harbor of Chicago. The Chi
cage river now flows inland, its Wa
tiers seeking the sea by way Of the
Mississippi and the Gulf instead of
by the lakes and St. Lawrence as
heretofore. This has been effected
by deepening the Illinois and Mich
igan canal between Chicago and
the Illinois river, near Lockport, so
that the sluggish current which
would not flow into the lake with
speed enough to carry off the filthy
accumulations Of the city, is now
compelled to flow the other way, its
turbid, death-dealing waters being
replaced by the blue tide from Lake
Michigan. AS matter Of course
the people of Chicago are greatly
elated over the curse removed, the
improvements in sight and smell
which the enterprise already pro-
duces. This is all very well, but what
of the dwellers in the country?
Are they not proper subjects
for commisseration, with this slow
procession of stagnant, reeking cor
ruption eternally flowing out from
the great city, poisoning the pure
country air with it's exhalations?
The Chicago Post exultingly prof
fcrs boqaet to St. Louis on the oc-
casion of the completion of the work,
but the "choice fragrance" of the
gift will be snuffed by her own
suburbs.
Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1871-07-21

A. d. Davis withdraws from the con-
test for the nomination as Sheriff of
Fayette county, on the ground that "29
men are sufficient as candidate for one
Office"
Aaron Kimball, Esq, of Cresco, How
ard county, is mentioned in connection
with the Senatorship in the district com
posed of Howard, Chickasaw and Bremen.
His competitor for the nomination will
be Andy Felt of the Nashua Post
Dan Voorhees,, of Indiana, communi-
Gates to the people of that State the
agreeable intelligence that after his pres
cnt term in Congress, he will retire from
public life He says he will never again
run for Office, nor is there any appoint
ment which he could be induced to &C
cept on any terms.
Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1871-07-21

THE Connecticut Senate have
passed bill to repeal the usury
laws of that State, allowing money
to enter the market like everything
else, and have its value determined
by actual supply and demand. The
effect in Connecticut, if the bill
should pass the other branch of the
Legislature and become law,
would be to reduce interest below
present rates, as there is large
amount of funds to loan which
would come into unrestricted COM
petition.
Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1871-07-21

The Fort Dodge Republican at
tempts defense Of Senator Harlan
and the Newman letter. This it
has perfect right to do, but unless
the effort is attended with more
Judgment and discretion than SO far
has characterized it, it will assured
ly fail to convince fair-minded men.
The Republican, with more direct
ness and less tact, reiterates the plea
made by Mr.. Harlan in his late let
ter, that he is prosecuted because a
Methodist, and builds thereon a
claim for religious support Of his
Senatorial aspirations. 1t charges
this effort to break down Mr.. Harlan
because of his religious affiliations,
upon the friends of Allison and then
caps the climax by the following
declarations: a-1:;4.'
Were Senator Harlan profane man,
Sabbath breaker, libertine, a prize
fighter like Morrisey, or drunken row.
dy like some others we could mention,
doubtless every man who now objects to
him on account Of his Methodsm would
call him jolly good fellow and do
their utmost to return him to Washing
ton"
The plain inference here is that
Mr.. Allison is supported because ga
profanc man, libertinc, &c.
The Republican is late convert
to the Harlan ranks and little ex-
cess of zeal may perhaps be expect
ed Of it at first, but it seems to us
that the above is decidedly cool from
a paper which a few weeks since
was itself accusing Mr.. Harlan of
duplicity, and making suggestion
that the interests of its own section
would be better attended to with
some other man in Mr.. Harlan's
place.
Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1871-07-21
State News.

Gov Merrill and Lieut.. Gov Walden
with their families have gone on visit
to California.
Mrs. Goodnow, who was terribly in
jured by reaper near Cedar Rapids, two
weeks ago, has since died of her wounds.
"A destructive fire occurred at Sioux
City on the 18th inst, destroying II
buildings. The total loss was about
$4,000; Insurance $1l,7OO. The fire
was the work Of an incendiary.
Tall corn items continue to "tassel
out" in the columns of our Iowa ex.
changes, each taller than the last. The
latest is from the Cedar Rapids Observer,
which tells Of stalk twelve feet three
inches in height.
The Iowa State Teachers Associa'
ton will hold its annual meeting at Coun
Gil Bluffs, August Goth, 30th and 3lst
An address will be delivered by Rev Geo
Thachcr, President of the State Uniycr
sity.
Black Hawk county has sent five pa
ticnts to the Insane Asylum within a
year, the last being Mrs. Williams the
wife of the wretch who committed a rape
on his step daughter in Cedar Falls, a
week or two since The shock was toe
much for her reason.
On Sunday night two men confined
in the Jail at Fl. Dodge, one named Barn
hart, for forgery, and the other Saunders
for selling liquor, broke out by boring
the door In the hall they separated
Saunders escaping by the back door
while Barnlart in attempting to 60 out
of the front, was met by the watchman
and shown 70 another cell