davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1871-08-31
v------------------
TWO PICTURES,

Nothing is safer to say than that
this world ought to DO improved, and
particularly the country wherein one
happens TO live and of the ills of
which he knows the most. The
most impregnable Of all positions to
take is that refoi ms should be con-
summated. Here are room and
verge for the grandeur of philosophy
the tnagnificence of rhetoric, as we'll
as Tor the "clinchers oflogio. But
some acquaintance with life makes
most men practical and indisposed to
tear down their domioils till thcy
can build better ones. That the Re-
publican party has not evoked mil
ienial blessedness out of a Democrat.
ic rebellion is an Individually demon
strable proposition; but that the
Democratic party would have done
or will 90 more toward curing the
evils itself has planted and nonrish-
cd, and still fosters by it's teachings.
is not as indubitable. We have
taxes. That lie most true-in fact.
as true as that we have to pay a
Democratic war debt Of vast propor.
lions. Yet the Democrats who made
this debt perpetually simulate spot.
less innoceDcy of it, and dcclaim
about this taxation as if it wore not
their own work. "By their fruits
shall ye know them,' and by the
worst curses country ever survived
1T knows the party iniscalIed Demo-
cratic. As to the debt and taxation.
Republican administration seems TO
DC dong pretty well with them, and
we incline to suspect that the people
will look upon this as the main thing.
1t would DO still better if all the i'm
proper folks in the world would i'm
mediately reform, but we are not
called to put the most improper of
them oil into power if they won't.
It's . sad thing that SO many anxious
citizens should be kept at doing tho
penance OF new departures and indie.
finitely promising to do better than
they have done in the past, but there
arc at least two solid consultations
Ior This affection. One is that in no
other way can Tho old sinner be got
70 tako any salutary new departures
Whatever. The other ia that the
substantial welfare of the country is
40 good hands. Lot him who is de.
terfhlned 70 deny this, first ponder
his task. Let him consider how he
may controvert the following short
statement:
The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1871-08-31

The Hon. Robert b. Roosevelt
member Of Congress from the Fourth
New York District, is also editor O
the Citizen. The honorable Rober,
is a strong Democrat, but he says, in
the last number of his paper:
GAS matters stand at present, De.
mocracy is almost sure of defeat in
1872 ]" and further on, in language
still moro positive, he comedies that
the New Departure, the anti Orange
riot, the exposure of Tammany's rot.
tenness Though, in his opinion, OF
slight consequences in their opera
ton on New Yorkers), "having pro-
duced their effect in the country,
where, with theaid ofthe anti Catho-
lie feeling, they hare dug the Craze of
Democracy, and ,oiH bury it IN the ap-
preaching Presidential election"
THIS kind Of speaking right out
in meeting" will never do. "Policy,
my boy, policy" Confession may be
good for tho soul, but it is very bad
for the party.
The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1871-08-31

Gen. McCook, in his great cam.
palgn speech, is said to have expess-
cd himself on the tariff, uerbatim.
thus:
Talk of the tariff! Two cents a
oushel on acknowledgement | mean
working men, think of that. And
the bonds amt taxed, but your salt r.
taxed, your sugar ] mean, two cents
bushel-a pound l mean. And
who says that Gen, jackson was NOT
a great man? Who ever heard Of
him taxing poor mems salt, sugar /
mean, two cents a bushel? No. sir. Old
Hickory sworo by the Eternal SUGAR
should be FREQ OF tax. Then there
ls tho debt of twenty-five thousand
and only two hundred and
eighty thousand paid off in five
years. Where has the rest gone TO /?
The Republicans stole it to enrich
,he ironmasters.''
The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1871-08-31

Des Moines had tremendous rain
storm on Thursday night last, which
did a great deal of damage to new
buildings in process of erection, and
the entire side of a new building be-
longing to MIR. Bird was undermined
and washed down causing lops OF
$1,000. Webb & Sons new building
was damaged $500 or 5000, and other
parties were also damaged a good
deal.
On Thursday morning last as the
Rev. l, N. Biddle, OF Abingdon. Ill.,.
was being driven in buggy to tho
railroad depot at Bloomfield by Rev.
N. d. Porter, the horse took fright
at an approaching train and ran
away, throwing Mr.. Biddle out
against tree, o limb of which enter
ed his eye, and pierced clear through
bis head, and he died at IS o'clock that
evening,
The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1871-08-31
Terrible r. e. Accident,

On Saturday afternoon as con
struction train on the B. e. M. r. r.
was backing up from Rome, whom
near Coalport and running around a
sharp curve in the road, the train
run over II COW on the track, throw.
ing a number of the cars off and kill
ing 4 men instantly, among them the
conductor, and MORALLY woupdipp
another, the latter of whom diod in q
low hours. Eleven others were moro
or less hurt but mono dangerousI,. -
We did not learn tho namca of any
OF the parties killed or wounded
The accident is said TO have boon I'm
avoidah!e and that no ono is 10 hl,ma
for it.
The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1871-08-31
Our armed NEUTRALITY Friend 81 X.

Our armed neutrality friend Of the
Rsgsster came L time yesterday and
struck out from the shoulder, giving
US, as he thought, doubtless q very
happy bit, administering his punish
ment with bread grin on his face.
The occasion for his pleasantly was
= lew paragraphs appearing in the
CouRiER IN defense Of the Hon. VIM.
Penn Clark against the Registers on.
slaught upon him. Our friend saws !:
I'VE did refer to Col. Clark to saw
"that it didn't look altogether right
"and religious for him to be damn
ming Gen. Grant UP and down in
Washington, and yet pretending to
"speak for him in Iowa. In reply
to this we will say that we know
the Col. like many another man, is
quite forciblo talker, and slashes
right and left when be secs some
thing not altogether to suit him;that
is, Col. Clark is one of those peculiar
" constituted men who indulge in
strong expletives occasionally, but
neverthssess are always found when
in action training on the right side.
Some Of the tiuest and best men OF
the republican party have like
characteristic, and yet mono know
better than those who know them
boot, that they are very reliable in
the hour IF conflict; and everybody
knows tina. Col. Clarke is one of the
Oldest and most reliable veterans Of
the republican party. Now, with all
this in view, we have to say Of our
friend, the Register, that he has mad.
vertantly, probably, but mono the
less surely, been very culpable in die.
playing, thus publicly, the excentrle.
tiles Of Col. Clark: The Col. has
for some years past, been engaged in
a very successful law practice al
Washington, standing very high, in
deed. The Col. lives in good style
and isvery social, especially 70 Hawk
eyes. Now our friend OF the Reqis
ter visits Washington; he accepts
the Coils generous hospitality; be
dimes and sups with him, and has q
pleasant, social chit-chat. Severa
months thereafter, the Col. writes 9
letter favoripg Mr.. Harlan Tor the
Senate, and our friend goes for him
roughly, which we took occasion tt
criticize. Thereupon, the Registe,
sends broadcast through the State, s
personal airing of the Colonel, ant
the writer would, doubtless, attest
upon his oath, that the Col. did al
sometime say, damn it, and tina,
about something which Gen. Grant
had done.
The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1871-08-31
The late n. Ma,

The late DR.. Nelson, who wrot,
the "Cause and Cure of Infidelitv ,
also wrote the familiar hymn, M,
days are gliding swiftly BY" ia
many the fact will have peculiar in,
terest that it was written in a Mis-.
souri, swamp, close by the Mississip.
pr river, while tho Doctor was hidinr
from The blood-hounds of tho Fnoi,
tive Slave Law, until no could cross
the river into illinois.
The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1871-08-31

PFC NIc.-The Sabbath school at
Mt. Tabor church in Highland town
ship toto have q pic mic on Saturday
next. Some four or five other schools
join with them, and they expect to
have q good time.
The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1871-08-31

In England they have three names
for persons who change their rolig.
ion. Those who turn from the Church
OF England TO the Church OF Rome
are called "perverts" by the Angli.
cans and converts" by the Romans.
When they change back again they
are called reverts. 1t is said these
are becoming numerous, on account
OF The new intallibility dogma which
is more than they bargained tor. No
ecclesiastical ceremony seems to be
required in the case of clcrgymc
coming back to the Church OF Eng
land, but just to preach in some par
ish church as before the perverslon.
The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1871-08-31

KEEP 1T CIRoULATING.-Ihpid cir
culation is what makes an easy
money market. Hoardec money
never does good, even to it's possess.
or, while it deprives every enterpri-
sing man ofa valuable agent in his
business transactions. eight times
seems naturally to develop tenden-
cy OF boarding, whereas, it should
serve only as check upon extrava.
gance. Let every man who owes a
dollar, pay it with the first dollar he
can get, and the private Indebtedness
ofthe country willspeedily disappear.
A, paying B, enables b to pay c, and
G. ID, to the end of the alphabet,
when A comes in again Tor what ia
due him. Keep the money hot with
q rapid circulation and the hard
times will soon disappear.
The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1871-08-31

An exchange says: zone of the
greatest nuisances at a hotel is O
handsome man. He is an intolerable
bore to all the ladies Of good sense
in the house. If might be allowed
q suggestion, | would advise every
father who is threatened with a hand
some man in the family, just to take
clothes FOUNDER and batter his
nose to pumice. For some cause
or other, nine out OF ten of the hand
some mon You meet are conceited
jackdaws. They cultivate their hair
and complexion 50 much that they
have no time to think of their brains.
BY the time they reach thirty their
heads and hands are equally SOFT"
The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1871-08-31

An aged woman in North Adams
Massachusetts, relates that MANY
years age, whilo attending a socinl
dance, young mechanic asked her
hand for one OF the dances, She in
dlgnantly refused, feeling very much
mortified that he should make sncb
an offer. Years have passed. end
she has filled an honorable but hum.
bio position in life, while the Young
man whom she then scorned has
been Governor OF Massachusetts
The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1871-08-31

u From an extended d44Crip0tons of
the new State House now being built,
published in the State Register, July
%, we take the following items about
it.: w f8 M
PLAN or THE BUILDING.
The plan of the building is in the
form of Greek Cross, with pavil-
ion nj each of the four corners, or a
central building with two wings
the former 1877 feet 10 inches wide,
by 227 feet Z inches long---tho wings
each 100 feet by liz feet s inches,
and the pavilions42 feet 4 inches, by
AZ feet 1 inches. The front portion
is "a feet wide and projects ,18 feet
inches. The end porlicos are each
SO feet s inches wide, and projecls 13
feet inches The principal front
faces the West, it's greatest length
being from North to South. The
basement is divided into document,
stationery, and storage rooms-its
height 10 the clear is l2 feet. IN
INTERIOR FINISH.
The interior finish Of tho House
of Representatives will, CONSIST of
paneled walls and ceilings. enrlchen-
ed by fresco; the front Of the CALLER
les are to. be finished with columns
and panel work. Each side iof the
house will be lighted By Eve large
windows, affording abuadanco of
fresh air and sunlight when desired,
The Senate chamber will DO finisheds
in similar manner, although differ
ent ia detail, and will be lighted in
the same manner. sss,5sses,
The finish Of the grand rotunda
will be by engaged columns Of the,
Ionic order for the first story with
brackets supporting the balcony
The principal story will be flashed
with Corinthian columns and arches
with heavy bracket course above.
Tho Offices and rooms OF tho State
department and the supreme Court
will be finished Ia 8 plain but sub.
stantial manner. The stairs are in.
tended to be made of iron, ard will
be massive and substantial. The
grand staircases will be lighted by q
large dome light directly over them.
This and the grand rotunda will
make the interior quite light and
cheerful. The floors Of the main
corridors will be laid with marble
thing. All walls and foors will be
constructed fire proof and finished
throughout in q most substantial
manner. s,f y, go.
The chief merits Of the design con.
sists Of we'll lighted and ventilated
rooms in every part of the building.
The basement which is to be used
for documents and stationery rooms,
&c, ,is entirely above ground and will
be dry. @
Tho halls for the House Of Repre-
sentatives and the Senate will be
thoroughly lighted by large windows
en- two sides, rendering them cheer.
fal and healthy. Each Office aud
committee room is lighted from the
exterior, there being no inner courts.
The exterior finish Of the building is
generally plain and massive, but BY
this broken outline, produces . high.
" artistic efiact. The elevated loca.
| tion of the Building will materially
enhance its grandeur. ,F,s.5.. 4, -
The highest point Of observation
from the building (the balcony at
the base of the lantern being 1856
feet above tho level Of the city prop
er, will afford an extended view of
the Des Moines and Coon rivers, the
adjacent bluffs and several towns and
villages for miles around, making the
most magnificent lookout in the
West.
The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1871-08-31
The Portsmouth Tribune puts it

The Portsmouth Tribune puts j,
thus -
A drummer from n printing
house in Cleveland called upon one
Of our merchants on Front street last
week, and proposed to show him
samples of cards, bill heads. etc
with view of securing an order
The merchant politely but firmly re.
piled "Sir, do not wish to examine
them. We have good printers here
who give US satisfaction in work and
price, and they publish papers here
and represent our interests, besides
paying taxos and contributing to the
general welfare and public enIerp Use
we fell it our duty to give them our
work, and think it wrong to send
printing elsewhere that can be done
as well here" Such business men
can consistently ask their fellow citi
zens for their custom. But what
claims has one upon this community
for trade who goes elsewhere him.
self when he has money"
The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1871-08-31

At certain hotel in Ohio they
scat man at dinner in front of q
mirror like the concave side of a
cylinder, which makes his reflection
that OF q thin, hungry, lantern,jawed,
cadavcrous chap. When he ian't
watching, the waiter flops it round,
for the thing works on pivots, SO that
the convex side is turned out, and
tho diner, upon again looking up, is
started TO see himself swelled out to
the extreme of corpulen.y, like a
champion tat man. OF course he
doesn't dare to eat any mere. He
feels that if hA did he would burst,
and tho soul of The landlord is made
glad by the economic device.
The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1871-08-31
The Republicans of Scott 90,

The Republicans of Scott county
last Saturday, put in nomination the
following ticket: For Representa-.
tlves, NJ. J. Rohlfs, J. w. Green and
J. IL. Freeman; for Sheriff, G. Schnit-
ger; for Treasurer, Henry Egbert; for
Auditor, K. D. Leonard; for Coroner
Dr. Thomson; for Superintendent. p
). Morton; for Supervisor, j. Lang.
helm.
Mr.. Rohlfs has served twice as .,
member OF the House. and Mr.. Green
once, in which capacity they proved
to be men of talent and influence.
The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1871-08-31
MASS MEETING
v5a Ell AT
oTTUM~ a
'Septembe, 18th, at 2 o'clock p NJ

HON. JAMES HARLAN, HON
w N. IOUGHRlDGE and HON
SAAL MoNUTT will be present and
address the meeting. aH
Let the people turn out from ia,
anu near and listen to these excel.
lent takers.
everybody prepare to como by
setting apart this day to visit tho
city. A rousing old fashioned meet.
ing IS the order of the day.
The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1871-08-31

The radical party has it's little
trouble IN Ohio as well as in other
states.-Keohuk Constitution.
And everything is lovely in the
Copperhead party. Their candidate
nominated Gas Democrats say) by a
giaring fraud in counting the ballots,
Is taken sick from imbiblng too much
democratic platform" makes most
ignominlous failure in attempting to
make a speech, and is hustled off the
stand and withdrawn from the can.
vass The democracy don't have any
trouble in Ohio; oh, no!
The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1871-08-31


Faith, of the Osceola Democya,
says:
1--WE risk our reputation as ,
prophet, that if the Democracy lin
clarke Coz hold Senatorial and
county convention, the entire Sipler
tucked, from constable down to Dague
WIN be elected, and the Siglerites
think so too" I'VE
Faith Is Prophet, and "a true one
80 far as Democracy is concerned
All that is needed, is for it to declare
openly its principles and the people
VIII condemn it, and the only way
they ever succeed at all. is by playins
poesnm and decciving the peopie-
h"y are trying that game in this
county, but the Glover foot will stick
out, and they can't win.
He further says that
"Fhirtcen years ago Clarke coun,y
was Democratic, but the chanre has
been growing worse and worse over
since"
Just the same everywhere but in
New York city, and they could not
control II fora day it they did not
havo the City Treasury in their pow.
or. All tho Democratic party wants
"a The Offices, and the control of Nh
u'nal, State and county finances and
the country and Constitution coula |
Then all 20 to the devil together, ju,t t |
as they wanted it to in 1861, !
The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1871-08-31

AS Harry Sergeant, of waterproof
~. T., was driving u load of grain &c
h's barn, recently, he struck one OF
the horses with tho butt end CT the
p!tchfork, when tho animal kicked,
hitting the handle of the fork and
sending tho tines as straight as an
arrow through Sargent's body, killing
him instantly.
The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1871-08-31

There were never more katherine
lnd.essions OF grand success in ali
that pertains to the Annual exhibit
ton Of the Iowa State Agricultural
Society, than arc presented this wear
The people all over the State arc In
KING an unusual interest in it, and
unless the elements are against us.
the State Fair Of 1871 will be one Of
the greatest ever held. Those who
agreed to prepare the grounds have
done this work promptly and well,
aud everything in this direction ia
ready Cedar RAPIDS Times
The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1871-08-31
Mr.. Greeley, on his farm. keens !,

Mt. UrecIBy, On his farm, Keeps u
running account with his hens,
double entry. When hen lays an
egg she runs around the bases, and
as she strikes the home base, where
the book-keeper is located she sings
out, "Tally one" or "taIIy two," as
the case may be, because some of
them are reporters and the book.
keeper gives her credit, and charges
her for her meals. In this way Hor.
ace can tell what hons are Sinking
and how much he makos on each
hen. He says his experience is that
ROSTERS are a glazing fraud, putting
on style around and never laying an
egg once in two weeks.
The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1871-08-31
CurioSitiAs of YiEa

Lay your finger on your pulse, and
know that at every stroke some inn.
mortal soul passes to his maker
some fellow being crosses the river
OF death; and if we think of it we
may well wonder that it should be so
long before our tura comes.
Halt of all who live die before sew.
enteen.
Only one person in ten thousand
lives to DC one hundred years old and
put one IN a hundred reaches the age
OF sixty
The married live longer than the
single.
There is one soldier to every eight
persons, and out of every thousand
born ninety-fve weddings take place
II you take thousand persono
who have reached seventy years.
there are of
The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1871-08-31

ONE STEP FoRwARD.-Tbe Legis.
lature of Texas has adopted q law
providing for common school svs-
tenn for that State, and compulsory
education is made u prominent feturo
thereof -Four months schooling in
each Year is required of all the popu-
lation between the ages Of 5 and 81
years. The law also provides for
separate schools for the blacks and
whites, or tho school directors may
require tho attendance of blacks and
whites in the same school, if thought
desirable.
The Governor reports that there
are leo, 900 children in The State, OF
school age, and that the largest part
do not enjoy any educational advant-
ages whatever.
The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1871-08-31

STRUCK BY LIGnTNING.-Tuesday
evening last, MIR. David Kingcry's
Barn, one of the best and largest
structures in the county-64x4O feet,
put up on stone basement-co contain.
ing 100 tons Of hay, 800 bushels OF
oats, 80 bushels of wheat, farm nipple.
ments and harness, was struck by
lightning and burned 70 the ground.
The animals were all rescued, except
one calf, which persisted in the fire.
Entire lcss.about $4,000, insured for
81 ,50O.-Albid Union, sod
The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1871-08-31

There was Q narrow escape from
an awful railroad accident at Haines'
quarry, near Anamosa, on tho Du.
buque Southwestern, the other day:
A train bearing 500 Sabbath School
excursionists was on its way to
Marion, and a careless switc6man
left side track connection opcn.-
The train left on the main truck, and
the engine went within three feet of
q deep preoipice at the foot Of which
flowed the Wapsie river. The OK.
citcmont was terrible. The blunder.
ing switchman was badly punished by
the conductor
The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1871-08-31
A well known officer in aud Rec.

A well known officer in aud Rec.
kIe was celebrated for his cunning
ana wit. His mother having died in
Edlnburg, he hired hcarse and ear.
ried her to the family burial place in
tho Highlands. He returned, it il
SAID, with the bearse full of smugei.
ed whisky, and being leased about it
by friend, he said -" Won, man.
there's nae harm done. only took
away the body and brought back tho
speerit ="
The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1871-08-31

In Story county they don't hav,
to wait long for apples after set,in,
oat apale-trees. The Representot,,,,
says: Mir W. Cessna, ofthis tow
ship, brought into our oifice the Ohio,
day an apple fully matured, pertac,
ard about b inches in diamotorthnt
grew upon "a tree only about two
ieet high, and two years old. rbo
apple would weigh more than tho
entire body Of tho trse above 1bo
ground. IL was tho Duchess ~
Oldenburg 'budded' upon q common
stock two years DID,"
The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1871-08-31

They have been seized with the
economics in San Francisco. One
feesoyterlan pastor who was settled
az aas so'oos has been cut down to So
ooo, and Unitarian preacher who
was golllns $4,000 has been told that
h ~ mus. DO contonted with $4,000
The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1871-08-31

A reporter thus graphically des
cribes the effect OF d storm on North
river: "While the storm was in the
height, the vessel lsecled to the lar.
board, and the captain and another
barrel OF whisky fell overheard"