davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-01-01

DEFECTS OF THE Bounty LAND BILL.-The
more the Soldiers Bounty Land bill is dis
cussed the less it is liked. Is defect is that
1t does away with actual settlement, aud
puts 1T in the power nonresident spectators
to gather up immense tracts of land, and
hold 1t to the exclusion of homestead settlers
and thereby infict immense injury upon the
residents. Not only upon them but the
whole people, and particularly the soldiers
and their children, who will soon want
homes. They do not wish to have this i'm
mcnse patrimony transferred from Govern
ment control to the hands Of monopolsts.
Congress, as the guardian of this vast es.
tate, ought not to surrender it to any but
actual settlers, or those who receive it on
condition that they improve it by building
railroads or canals
But under the provisions of this bill about
three hundred and twenty million acres will
! be absorbed. This vast area is nine times
the size Of Wisconsin. The State of New
York is not one-tenth as large as the npire
that the United States would surrender title
to. 1t is said that the soldiers, and the wild
ows and orphans of soldiers get land under
the law and they cannot dispose of it until
they have deed. Suppose they cannot?
The fact remains that non-resdents will
controle tie land and it will inevitably fall
into the hands OF land sharks with little
benefit to soldiers or their widows or orphans.
and must infict great damage on the West.
The Homestead Laws are now very gener
Gus. There is a vast domain open to those
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-01-01

fOT me t'eeh eHdaHg IHeSody, DecentOcT 81 Icfk-
Cattle shotes. sheep. Hogs; Colre,,
Ta asi W wssS i ss o5 u %. 81 1850
One wear ago, 1878 900 563s 300 90
PRICEs.-Beef Cattie-EXtra fat and heavy pre-
MUM Oxen, SO 25d sl0-5O first quality, s9-15 q
slU.u0: second quality, -. Goa $3.50 third quality
S6.UOG $40 per 100 lbs, total weight of hide,
tIow aud dressed beef. \ few choice single pairs
sll.75dSl2 co. Bulls, &c, S6OOdS1e0.
WorkiHg OreH.-Sl0u a $40, z pair, or accor-
ding 10 their value as beef Handy Steers SIS
100.
Mich Co.es.-s4oas75; extra good, .sO0sroo,
with or without calves, as may be agTe I'd; farrov
aud ordinary, Sl5d so.
stores.-Yearllngs, ssOdseO two-years old, zoo
400; three-years old soVdOo- Western steers.
choice, s7-5Od 500; Live weight Sd dsGc- = p
Good s15Odss; fair, STA 49, light, s625dsI
Sheep.-S5d7. Sheared To &c.
Steep aud LgHbS.-SS.OJp o., or GASP n.
Shotes.-Wholesale 6doc-; retail, 7Gac- ? y
Fat Hogs, = a So ID. Spring pigs l0aI5c. , n.
Veal CaireS.-s4.0Jdl0-OJ = head.
HtdeS.-BrShton- "a a loc.; country lots, 5S
5sc' nallow, oG6hc-; country lots, 5G53sc
| Try lots, dry $1,000 $500. Lambs $lOo; shorn
/ % cents. CallskIns. l+dI6c.
4 REMARks.-The supply OF Western cattle is suf-
iclent were there no other market. lis long cars
were unloaded, h lvmg 1891 head of cattle the most
of which Will be in excellent condition for slaughter
! by the first OF February, and through the remain
der OF the cold weather we ant cpate fine beef
; tie from the West In consequence of heavy feed
ing, sales OF cattle this week are dun. The best
went at last quotation, and many will he efl over
y. \. Monroe sold p steers at &C. live weight ar-
eI aging 1888 lbs, 33 steers private terms, Il
steers at private terms, Il steers 10 Mr. Hathaway
/ at 17sc, averaging ls97 lbs.
ID. IL stevens sold lis steers at &C. average 49,
lbs. Hathaway & Scotlans sold s. steers al SSc
average 1888 los. But little doing in working oxen.
! Sheep have sold at unchanged prices: good lots
sold at OK TO SC. Houghton < Wilcox sold 20 sheep,
average ~ lbs, at &C. e. W. Browneu sold 50
sheep al SC. +. Temple sold 70 sheep, average 90
lbs, &c.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-01-01

THE CHICAGO PosToFFiCE-CJl. Frank A
Eastman, formerly resident Of Montpelier,
assistant editor OF the Patriot, who has been
postmaster in Chicago, H., for TIE past lour
years has resigned that Office Toe rartIcu-
lars are thus given by a correspondent o
the Free Press:
Some little excitement was 0ccasioned this
week by the resignation of Col. Frank 4
Eastman, formerly of Vermont, from the
postmastership OF Chicago, and no little snr
prise at the new departure iron the evil
service reform, in the intelligence that Gen
Macarthur Is likely to succeed Col Eastman
instead OF the present esteemed Assistant Post
master, Colonel Collins 5. Squires, whose
promotion Colonel Eastman urgei upon the
government. While Colonel Eastman 5
resignation created some surprise with the
public, 1t did not among the employees OF the
post Office here, and the cause assigned by
Col. Squares, Is mainly a dissatisfaction al
the recent ruling OF the Post Office Depart
ment, holding postmasters responsible fol-
| losses OF registered letters. The postmaster
/ OF Chicago is required to give 100000
bonds, while his salary is but 81 900 :
registered letters to the amount of thousand,
OF dollars pass through this Office daily, and
OF the 800 employees twenty-five are in tht
registry depar tment. Col Eastman claims
that no possible care or precautol can pre-.
vent the THEFT, loss, mislaying or msdrection
! OK an occasional letter, as no system has evel
succeeded IN entirely avoiding errors or losses
10 the transmission Of mails But who shall
/ be responsible Tor the contents OF a missu.
/ letter? Inc government dis claims all Tia
billty and now points to the postmaster il
whose office the registered letter was ile
traced. During Col Eastman 5 admni>tra
ton of nearly four years, registered letters
to the amount of about 81 600 have been los
in the Chicago p st Office, the largest sum beirg
! 81 600. rne government has Insisted upon
Col. Eastman liability. The Colonel refuses
payment, taking the ground, with very higt
legal advice, that since the principal IN til,
case, i. e. the United States, is not liable
there can be no liability of its agent Col
Eastman contends that it is preposterou
that an officer with salary of $4,000 a year
shall be at the mercy of any thief or igno
ramus, whose dishonesty or stupidity in
single instance may wipe out all the proper
ty the officer possesses. Maintaining thu
position Col. Eastman refuses to make VI
from his own resources the 81 600 loss, ant
the government, taking the side of the loser
against hun, Col. Eastman has resigned
with true Vermont spirit, as was his express
Cd intention If, after an interview at Wash
ington, the authorities insisted GA his liza
bility.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-01-01
The Christmas Storm.

The great storm Of Christmas day and
night, is one of the events of 1872 that will
hereafter be referred to. 1t was a storm as
unusual in the area of country over which it
extended as in its severity. Although but
little of it reached this locality-not over
three inches of snow fell, we think-its effects
are still visible in belated mails and late
home bound travellers. The storm appears
to have approached from the south and west
1t began to snow at Charleston, S. c., and
Chattanooga, Tenn, at O'Clock Christmas
morning, and six inches of snow fell before
daylight. 1t reached Washington at p III .
on Christmas day, and at the same time the
storm ragged at Memphis, the Mississippi
being nearly frozen OYER, while in Kansas,
Missouri, Illinois, and Canada, ragged the
severestsnow-storm in many years. Advane-
ing northward, it reached Trenton, N. j., at
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-01-01

A RECORD OF HoRRoRs.-One Of the most
fearful railroad accidents that mas ever oc-
Cured in this country, happened on the
Buffalo and Pittsburg Railroad, near Pros
pect Station, Pa, on Tuesday Of last week.
The Immediate cause was a broken hange ON
the tender wheel. Some OF the terrible de-
tails are as follows:
About sixty rods west of the station is a
trestie work, some twenty feet high, over
which the locomotive and tender of the
eastern-b bound express train passed 10 safety,
but the baggage and passenger cars, only
two coaches being in the train, were thrown
from the trestle and struck top downward.
The weight OF the truck crushed 10 the cars,
closing in windows, and to render the situa-
ton even more terrible the passenger coach
was partially tilted upon its side 50 that +
the occupants OF that side there was abso-
lutely no means OF escape
| Almost Immediately the cars took fire, the
passenger coach burning at both ends. Some
/ half dozen persons waiting at the station
were soon at the scene OF the accident, but
they woI ked at mmepse dis dvantage No
water could be lad, and the show that was
!
/ flames Only two axes were available, and
the wood work of the cars was bolted togeth-
er So firmly and intricately that but little
Roadway could be made with them.
All the time these Efforts were being put
forth, the flames were steadily gaining, and
the shlieks Of the imprisoned victims as the
scorching heat enveoped them was appalling
to the bravest heart. Now and then a rope
was put through creyce, fastened to a
form and the sufferer pulled out by main
strength. Sometimes it would be lIieless
body. and the charred arms. leg; or head
were thus separated from the trunk, and ia
many more cases the body was bsrelt OF its
iiIabs
The body OF lady was thus rescued from
the flames, the head and one arm swapping
off Ike piece Of charcoal, while the other
arm was untouched a KID glove covering the
hand and fingers wearing their jeweed orna-
ments The body will be doubtless recog-
nized with the aid of the rings; but for these
it would be impossible to identity it, The
bodies Of three other ladies were taken out,
neither Of which. it is believed, can be
recognized.
In al it is estimated that fully ten Of the
twenty -one bodies have been removed from
the burning car. 1t is supposed that in ad-
dItion TO tue bodies recovered a numbtr Of
Of others were consumed IN the burning car,
and that nothing but their backened bones
will be discovered when the fire is extin-
gushed and the ashes raked over. Adding
these to the number of injured that will die
it is estimated that the total number OF lives
lost will not iall short of thirty, the whole
number of persons IN the two cars at the
time of the accident being forty five.
Following this terrible holocaust comes
the casualty of Wiiliamsport, Pa. Christmas
Eve, where a church q DOT gives way, pre-
cipit ,ting three hundred persons to the Gel
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-01-01

STOKES TELLS HIS STORY In the Stokes
trial, Friday, Stokes was put on the stand,
and told his story of the shooting Of Fisk,
in his own way. His aim was to convince
the jury that he shot Fisk in self defense.
be (Flsk) having drawn pistol to shoot
him:
He said he was induced to enter the hotel
by seeing a lady in the window above, whom
he thought he recognized. After entering
the hotel he found that the lady was not the
person he supposed, and he turned to 20
away, when he SAW Fisk. Fisk pulled his
pistol out and witness sprang to the left to
be out of range He saw Flsk's pistol dis
timely, and as he believed his lite to be in
danger, he instantly took out his own pistol,
cooked it and fired rapidly, but not thinking
IF killing Fisk, and not taking any particu-
lar aim Stokes described Fisk as desper-
ate, INSCRIPTIONS, vindictlve man; said
that he had made threats against his
(Stokes's life, and in consequence of those
threats he was always apprehensive of VIC
lence through his agency. Fisk boosted to
him that his touch was cold and clammy
that it was dangerous to cross him, and that
| Dorman Is. Elton would not trouble him
any more Stokes denied the testimony OF
| Parker, that he said . Fisk was a-black-
mailer, and that he would shoot him.
The cross-examination of Stokes, Saturday
occupied nearly the entire day. TWAS rigid
and searching, but it did not change hls
story The testimony Of the most important
of the few other witnesses examined was tC
sustain the theory that Fisk had a pistol ant
possibly usedsIt, and that the shooting by
Stokes was not premeditated. Three wit
| nessts testified to d conversation with Stokes
on the day OF the shooting, IN which ht
spoke of his intention to 60 to Providence
to contest decision on the result OF horse
race ia which he was interested and Others
testified to a Geographic dispatch sent By
him on the day OF the shooting, regarding
his projected Providence trip. The p4rlor
man OF the Grand Central repeated his testi
mony at the former trial, to the effect tina
the pistol handed to him after the shooting
was Mt the one exhibited in court Stokes
pIst0i), and that different bullets were toun(
which did not fit the same pistol.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-01-01

VOTING FOR PRESIDENT AND VICE PREsI-
DENr.-As every four years produces a large
class of new voters who cast their first votes
for presidential electors, and as all may not
be familiar with how the matter Of electing
a President and Vice President goes on alter
going out of their hands, we will quote
sufficiently from the statute regulating the
same to show the ns0duS Operdnd.
The electors, as is generally well under
stood, are required by the United States
law, approved March l, 1892, to meet on the
first Wednesday in December. at such place
in each State as shall be directed by the Leg
islature thereof, and shall make and sign three
Ger tifcates of all the votes by them given.
and appoint person to take charge of and
deliver to the President of the Senate, at the
seat of Government, one of these certificates
before the first Wednesday 10 January hen
next ensuing. (Which is to-day in the pres
ent instance), another certificate to be sent
to the President OF the Senate ty the
post office " and the other to be delivered to
assemble. If, from any cause, neither Of the
first two named certificates reach the Pres
dent of the Senate on or before the first
Wednesday in January, then the Secretary
of State shall send a special messenger to
the district judge for the certificate left in
his custody, who shall forthwith transmit
the same to the seat of Government
This closes the business until the second
Wednesday in February, when Congress i,
required by the law to be in session The
certificates are t! en- opened, the votes count
ed, and the persons who shall fill the offieos
of President and Vice President aseertaipeC
and declared, agreeably to the Constitution
The person appointed to deliver the lis
of votes receives twenty -fve cents for every
mile of estimated distance, and any person
appointed to deliver the votes, who shall
neglect to do so after accepting the appoint
ment, shall forfeit the sum of one thousanc
dollars.
This may not be entirely fresh informa
tion to anybody, and then it may be to some
and such can have the benefit of it.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-01-01
EssaOS PRODUCE HARRIET.
Wednesday Dec q5 Is-o

". ~.
Butter is without change in price We quote
the wholesale prices, received by commission
house follows:
Fine fail made New York and Vermont hut
ter at S2d 34c Stb; fine Western fall made al
: d5Oc = choice summer made butter at "a d26:
medium butter at lsd Doc; common do al Pa Sc
bakers do at l00 l5c r 10.
CheeSe.-The market Is dull, with only a demand
lili cd TO small parcels for present consumption.
Ne quote prime factory at l4ts; good do al lac
prime dairy at lac; good do i3c and common al
a l2c t h.
Eggs.-rhe is fair supply to-day and good lots
of Eastern and Northern have been cold Al So a Soc
per doZ
Apples.-There is only a moderate demand and
the market Is quiet at quotations. We quote at 81
5OH2-15 ? Dbl for New England apples, and $50
3 30 for Western 10.
observation-disclosures are asking 90dS5c = bush
for jackson Whites which not quite firm,
with rather better supply Onions are firm, with
sales at s4J1d4 75.
Beans.-We quote prime mediums at 81 62dl -
good DO at $50; common do S2.37d 80; prime
pea Beans at S3.50d3 %, and common 10 at 81 25d
80 2 bush; yellow eyes at S3.l20 331; choice
hand-picked Eastern at $50 2 bush.
Poultry.-Common turkeys sell at IA a &C: com
mon chickens at l2Gl5c, and choice do at lsS.2c:
Hay.-We quote the best lots s29 p ton while
all good and even fair lots of hay sell at S25d29 =
ton Straw IS scarce AT S32d2S = ton.
Fresh Meats.-The market : quiet, TO-DAY poul-
my being the standard article for this weeks trade
Some choice kentucky fatted cattle sale by
H. Bird Co., which speak well for the blue grass
region. We qnote Brighton dressed beef al t1gc
chicago dressed beef Is selling al dllc for whole
carcasses. Common veal sells at safe, and shOIoe
al lOdllc T. 10 Mutton sells at ga l2c = n. Dress
ed hogs are dull at So d55c p n.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-01-01

who wish to 60 and take the land as git
from the Government, and we hold that the
present system, which induces actual settle
ment on lands, is a wise one, and cannot be
safely abandoned We think that the Gov
ernnent can sell land on better terms than
widows and orphans, located hundreds OF
miles away, can sell it in dealing with land
sharks, and it would be better for widows
orphans and wounded soldiers to set aside
the proceeds of land sales. and pay them the
money in fair proportions, than to pass this
bill in its present shape.-N. II. State Jour-
nal.
We have already alluded to this bill, and
the view taken of it by the paper above
quoted appears TO US sensible and correct.
There is probably but little danger of its
becoming law.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-01-01

The recent order of the Postmaster General
directing postmasters to collect double the
amount unpaid on letters partially prepaid,
making no account of the stamps on sucn
letters, has as before been reported been pro-
bounced without warrant of law by the Post
Office committee, and will have to be rescln-
ded. Beside this unjust regulation, another
even more annoying, has been put in force IN
relation to drop letters. Such letters, if only
partially prepaid. are not delivered at all, bu,
are retained and advertised as ''unmailable.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-01-01

The CHEAPNEss OF HUMAN LIFE The de-
structlon OF human lie within the past two
weeks by the various casualties which are re.
corded elsewhere, has raised an anxious
alarm as to the causes, which has rot before
been perceptble. Accidents in the most
horrid form accumulate with fearful fire.
quency, and as it is assuming too much TO
say that such calamltes are to be attributed
to the direct interposition OF Providence, the
question as to how human wisdom should be
applied to prevent their recurrence, is as
natural as that first law of nature selcprotec-
ton. The New York Eceniag Post forclbly
puts the matter in this way
1t may be more difficult t. explain the
matter thus limited. Men and communities
are absolutely more intelligent than they
were 100 years ago, and yet the lie of the
private person is as insecure. What is the
reason OF this One cause, we are convinced,
is the dishonesty Of our methods Of work.
Architects devise the plans of buildings,
which they label fre-proof, and these build
ings burn ike heaps OF dry shavings. Car
penters put up buildings warranted t. be
safe, which 20 down under a little weight.
Railroad corporations undertake t. carry d
person to a certain place, and he fortunate
II z few of his charred bones arrive there. -
The same thing is true in other branches Of
business. These men are not sinners above
all men. Everybody is clamorlng for his
rights, which is well enough, but sbody ap-
pears to think OF his duties. An obligation Is
4 thing to be evaded and renown is to be won
by citchwOrd.
We must 20 back to simpler lie, to i
strlcter honesty. To do this enormous
pressure is needed from some power, aud
that power is society. 1t was some one else
who was burned to death on Tuesday. but t
may be you who will be burned to death TO-
morrow. You, in your department, can lie
honest yourself, not in the sense Of paylns
your debts, but in the sense of dong what
you pretend to do. When everybody Is
honest in this way, there will be some hope
but - long as we simply condemn our
neghbor, lie will continue to be ms cure
and property will be less substantial dian
vapJr.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-01-01
MONTPELIER MAiikEr.
For the ceeE ending Jan. l, 1873
RETAIL PRICES.

Apple, dried new y b 10; Butter 206 Is & 50;
Beef 4d20 Beef dried green weight, 20. Pork fresh
6dl2h; Pork, Salt I21S; Ham Is; Lard Is; Veal Ga
IL; Beans 2 bushel S3.00d4; Cora SOC; Corn meal.
7l0O lbs, SLIGO; Oats = bu. new, tOdJOc; Flourbbl
$50 a 80; Crackers - so. Coal ton SST5d
Cheese p ih, I4disc; Fish, Fresh Cod, dress
Ell iuc Halibut Is, ehad 49, Mackerel II; Salt Dish,
Cod isc salmon, I2ISc; Mackerel l24. Tripe Il },
Kerosene OIL y gal. soc. Potatoes new. 7oe.
Salt 20; Dairy I;ld2cSt; sugar, refined llal4
Brown llG2; Molasses p gal 10c6$io0: Maple
Sugar v ID lO0l4c; syrup 40; Sl.00; TIA a 3 80.
Coffee Old. Java, roasted, 10; Rio. roasted IS.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-01-01

The HoLIDAYs.-So thoroughly general
has the observance of the holiday season
become, that there is little else left to talk
or write about, especially, till Christmas,
and " New Years" are packed away, and
the "moveabe feasts and tie Lenten period
begin to dawn upon US. The nation takes
recess, the Chief Magistrate goes home In the
interim to visit his fatheI statesmen gener-
newly fallen snow has an untrodden look
around the village school-house, and the wild
savagery of our rigorous climate is coaxed
into mider moods by the brighter blaze and
more abundant cheer within. 1t is we'll
there is something to break the mOnot0ny OF
the dreary spell, even though we are obliged
to draw largely upon the imagination 20 do
it, aud this is half, and usually the better
half, of life under any circumstances. When
we do nothing but plod, there is but little
that we can call enjoyment, but a fair
distribution and due Observance Of the
80 time for all things makes up that happy
combination which constitutes d we'll bal
anced life and seems to best answer the great
end of existence. The " holiday season. is
not a myth, and as We have it as a reality,
let US by adapting ourselves to its usages so
far as IS practicable, make the most of it. 1t
is the special season for kindly acts and good
wishes and neither of these are heyOnd the
reach of any one Today we greet the
readers of the FREEMAN on the threshold of
the new calendar, and extend to all the
hearty good wishes Of the season.