davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-08-28
NUMBER 90.

smith, Victoria, WarlIke, and Wheatley.
All these events were at Jerome Park
during the summer and fall meetings.
At Saratoga, the same year, his record
was not much improved, if at all, as for
the tenth renewal of the Travers stakes
he was third, Tom Bowling and Waver-
ly being FIRST and second. This is the
best we hear of him as a three-year old.
As four year-old We only remember
that he failed to come up to expectation,
and THAI be beat Katie Pease, 10 the as
Constituent of the betting men, on We'd
nesday, the 18th of this month, on the
same track over which he rushed yester-
day. A word will suffice for his compet-
itors. Katie Pease and Wanderer are
known to be both fast and enduring, and
the former made splendid record at
Jerome Park this year. Although she
has Of !ate lost somewhat in prestige, she
is regarded as by no means a contempt.
BILE competitor.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-08-28
Restoring Old Books.

A Paris paper states that in the
French capital an industrial art is prose-
cuted, of the existence of which few per-
sons have any knowledge whatever. The
art consist in the restoration of old
books and manuscripts, and has been
raised by few experts to a marvellous
perfection. The skill of these artists is,
indeed, so great no book is considered
by them to be beyond their Transforming
touch. They take out the most inveter-
ate stains and marks; they reinstate the
surface where holes have been gnawed
by rats or eaten by worms; they place
missing lines and leaves in such a way
that no one can discover the interpola-
ton; they remake margins, giving them
fact, so we'll is all this done that fire.
quently the most discriminating Judge
cannot tell the restored copy from the
perfect original work. Ornamental
frontisspieces, editors marks, vignettes,
coats of arms, manuscript or printed
pages, all are initiated to a degree of ac-
curacy that tasks even the most practic-
ed eye. Such restoration, however, is, OF
course, expensive. Thus, at a sale OF
books some time ago, tattered, filthy
and repulsive, but in some respects quite
unique, copy of the Breviary of Gene.
va brought only S1O0, on account of the
damaged condition it was in. The purch.
aser at once took it to a book restorer
who stated his terms to be 500, and that
the process would require year.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-08-28
A Tremendous Reader.

Probably TO author of his time has
read more than Carlyle. He actually
devours, and has devoured books ever
since he was ten years old. He will go
through an ordinary volume in two hours
md though he may not con each page,
ne will findsin it all that is worthy His
memory is prodigious, not only for gen.
erals, but for details. He could repeat
poetry by the ell. He never does, how
ever, for he is always averring that he
hates poetry; that the greatest bards have
crippled their thought, and limited
their range by rhythm and rhyme He
thinks Homer, Dante and Shakespeare
would have been greater had they ex-
pressed themselves in prose. Neverthe-
less, he is a poet-a poet, not without,
but Indifferent to form He has the re-
putation of being better acquainted with
all subjects, historic, phIlosophIc, litera-
ry and scientific than any living Briton.
For years and years he is reputed to
have read on an average five volumes a
day, and to have skinned eight or ten
more. Reading has ever been passion
with him, and he has said that his idea
of heaven would be to be turned into an
inexhaustible library of new and good
books, where he could browse for all
eternity. He estimates, have heard,
that he has CLEANED the contents of fully
one hundred thousand volumes, which,
when we consider his voracity, rapidity,
trained eyes and mind, is not at all un-
likely. There is hardly curious and
remarkable book in the British Museum
that he is not more or less familiar with
A gentleman's ordinary library he could
eat up-all that is worth eating, that is
in a single fortnight.
1t is asserted that a rich merchant
here, who had collected FIVE Or six thou
sand rare works, once besought the an
thor to dine with him, in order to look
at his library. The bibliophile, allured
by literary hunger, went three hours be-
fore the time announced. When the
merchant got home, and asked his guest
to see his books, his guest replied: "Why,
mon, I've finished en-"
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-08-28
Brigandage in Spain.

Spain numbers among its curses, in
addition TO Don Carlos, Dorregaray, and
the inherent cruelty Of its people, a sys-
TEN ofbrigandage ofa bold but extremely
polite order. A Mr.. Arthur Hasleden, of
London, writes to the Times, giving his
experience as captive among the bri-
gands. He was travelling with his fore
man 10 some mines in the Linares Dis
trIct, when the bandits captured him and
coolly demanded a ransom of 10000.
Mr.. Haselden laughed at the amount,
and told his captors that they might save
themselves the trouble of asking for it
from his relatives by disposing Of him at
once. He consented, however, for forms
sake, to attach his signature to the de-
mand made upon his brothers, and re-
mained with the brigands for nine days.
At the expiration of this term the mes
senger dispatched for the ransom return
ed with sum of money, and Mr.. Hasle-
den was set at liberty. The chief brigand
politely offered the captive guide to
his destination, promised him Immunity
from any other gang Of thieves in the
district, and made him present of &c,
with the remark that it would not be
right for caballero to go about without
any money in his pocket. On reaching
his brothers Mr.. Hasleden learned that
&c, 900 had been paid for his release, and
was given to understand that the local
government would see that the firm did
not suffer pecuiary loss by the transac
tion. There is an air Of romance about
this adventure which is usually lacking
in similar episodes in Greece and Italy
1t exhibits phase of Spanish character
as graceful as it is unexpected.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-08-28
The Devastation I'm Action.

The great British iron clad Devasta-
tion recently took part in a mock naval
action. The London Daily Telegraph
says:
"All the men, from captain to the low
est grade were under orders to be on
board by A. NJ. At $50 the drum beat
to quarters, it being understood that in
the pilot tower an enemy's ship had been
sighted in the distance. The captain
took his post within the shell-proof tow
er, and gave his commands through
speaking tubes. The turrets were man.
ned by their full complement of men,
twenty-four to each gun, eleven taking
inside and thirteen outside position in
working each. From the turrets down
to the magazine every trap-hole was man
ned. On The word given to load guns
the 700 pound shells were within a min
ute brought out, hoisted on the pulley
carriage, ran down to the guns mouth,
and the gun loaded and run out. The
distance from the enemy being given, the
gun was raised to the proper level and
discharged within the second minute.
The enemy, being supposed to have es-
capped, bore down on the Devastation,
and boats put off to board her. The
bugle sounded to arms to repel the
boarders, when two-thirds of the men
of the crew-comprising 100 men each
division-few to arms, and with swords
and guns ran up to the boarding deck,
! the third division remaining below to
protect the magazines, and as reserve.
The boats being repulsed, it was suppos-
ed that the enemy had returned to their
guns, and that shell having burst had
set fire to the Devastation. On this three
bells were rung, and the men ordered to
the hose. Four hose we're set in opera
alton on the sounding of the bugle, and
the forepart of the ship was deluged with
water at the rate of about three tons pei
minute. The imaginary fire being got
under, the bugle sounded to return tc
posts, the enemy's ship still approaching
The order was next given to ram her
All the men returned to the breastworl
deck, and lying down with their head
forward, prepared for the shock. The
imaginary enemy being pierced, tht
drum again beat to quarters, guns were
reloaded, and after backing out from thu
supposed disabled ship, broadside 0
four guns was poured into her. This ac
. was supposed to have destroyed the enc
my, and the bugle sounded to secure tn
, guns. On the captain receiving report
that everything was secured the bugl
sounded dismissaln
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-08-28
A Curious Birds Nest.

There is bird in New Guinea, called
the megapodius, which, in the size of its
eggs and the manner of Matching them,
must be considered extraordinary. 1t is
not larger than one of our ordinary fowls,
but its eggs are three inches long by two
and half in diameter. 1t does not at
tempt to sit on them. A colony of birds
lay their eggs together in large mound,
in the hottest part of the year, from Sep
tember to March, and leave them to be
Matched by the sun. The mound is made
of sand, loose earth, and sticks and leaves,
which latter by their decay, increase the
heat. The mounds are wonderfully
large, being ten feet high and about six
ty feet in circumference at the base. The
young birds come out at hole in the
top. The mother birds wait on the trees
around till their chicks are hatched, and
thep each loads Off their own brood.
How each knows its own is mystery
The eggs are-much relished by the ma
tives, but not at all by Europeans A
native of Cape York ventured one day
into nest ef eggs, and while he was ex-
ploring the hidden riches of the large
mound, the upper part fell in and he wa'
smothered He was afterwards found
in the very act of digging-buried alive
in birds nest.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-08-28

Most timely in the universal cry for
cheap railways and cheap aptransportation
comes the announcement of a process
for the manufacture of iron direct from
the ore, the use Of the blast furnace be-
ing dispensed with. Instead Of pig iron
this process employs a compound called
"iron COKE" which consists Of a mixture
Of ore Tor any substance containing
iron,) the necessary huxes, and the
equivalent of carbon. A lump of this
compound is put into the furnace, and
by the single process known as "ball-
ing" cheat" may be obtained in con-
siderably less time and with considera-
bly, less labor than under the old meth
od, the process Of melting" and boil
ing" being entirely dispensed with. The
most important feature Of the invention
is the great saving which il effects in
fuel Pittsburgh Telegraph.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-08-28

POPULATION OF THE UNITED STATES.
Our future population is the subject
Of an interesting paper which has been
read by Professor Elliott, of Whashing
ton, before the American Association, in
session at Hartford. By an elaborate
system of calculation, based upon the
censuses that have been already taken,
the writer finds that, on June LIST, 1874,
the population of the United States was
43, ,167 900 an increase of over four and
one-half millions since the last census
was taken. The estimate for 1875, when
census may probably be taken, is A.
1000; for 1875 the Centennial year,
45,627 900 and for 1880, when the next
decennial census will be taken, $685.
900. The calculations show quite plain
ly the waste of population caused by
the rebellion. Had there been no war,
and had we, therefore, gone on growing
at the rate previously shown, the census
of 1870 would have given population
of 4I,71S,OO0, or over three millions
more than the total actually given-3s,.
55S,371. The larger figure was nol
reached until 1873, showing that ths
war caused q loss equivalent to thret
years growth.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-08-28
MISCELLANY.
Cyclones-Mr. Belts Theory.

In the Nafuralia IN Nicaragua MI
Belt has the following on the origin Of
whirlwinds and cyclones: Il am conf
dent that a study of the smaller eddies
Of air is the proper way to approach the
difficult question of the origin Of cy-
clones. "The movements of these small
whirling masses may be observed from
the outside, and their progress traced
from the ircirient Stage to that of dis
=aEu-iGu n the beginning of a whirl-
wind there il a movement near the sur
face Of the ground q light particles of
dust towards a centre, attended or oc-
casiond by rotary motion of the air.
This quicly rises into whirling column
from fifty to hundred feet or more in
height On the dry, hot plains of Cen
trail and South America and of Austral-
ia, this phenomenon is of frequent oc-
curence. and is not unusual in our tenn
perate Iatitudes in summer. The whirl-
ing columns, according to Mr.. Belt, diff
fer in diameter from few feet to many
miles, and his opinion is that "there is a
complete gradation from the little dust
eddies, through larger whirlwinds and
tornadoes, to the awful typhoons and
cyclones of China and the West Indias." "
In the small whirlwinds which occur
over the land, there is no evidence OF
the condensation of vapor occurring in
dry air. But where the atmosphere is
charged with humidity, as over tropical
seas, the condensation is great. The no.
ton, therefore, that whirlwinds and tor
nadoes originate in sudden condensa-
ton, Mr.. Belt thinks not well founded,
the phenomenon being an incident
rather than cause of the movement.
Nor is theory a satisfactory one that the
meeting Of conflicting currents of air,
and consequent condemnation, give rise
to the phenomenon. Attention is direct
ed to the fact that many terrible whirl-
winds are dry and run their course with
out producing rain or cloud. They
originate at or very near the surface of
the ground, where the air becomes in
tensely heated. "The quivering of the
air over hot ground foreshadows the
whirlwind as mirage does the simoom,
and sultry heat and oppressive calm do
the hurricane In the stratum of heat
ed air next the ground resides the ener-
gy which produces the whirlwind. That
this in many instances is prevented from
rising has been proved by numerous
observations. At last the upward ten
dency becomes SO strong that it breaks
through the everything heavier air, and
there occurs. an upward discharge, fol.
lowed by all the phenomena of whirl-
winds.-Popular Science Monthly.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-08-28

l am always mad when see any one
hauling out manure and throwing it
down in heaps. The true way is to
spread the manure from the wagon and
spread it evenly over the ground. 1t is
easily done in that way for several rea-
sons. 1st. The load is portable, and can
be moved forward to suit, enabling you
to vary the amount put on as circum
stances require. I'd. There being good
board bottom to shovel from, it is much
easier to handle it than when lying on
the ground. Sd. From the elevated
position on the wagon it requires only
about one-half the exertion to do the
work that it does from the level of the
ground. But the advocates of the heaE
theory will say, "The manure wastes by
being exposed to the sun and air"
have very little faith in such theories.
have hauled manure and spread on lane
in summer and left it until the mex
spring before the ground was plowed
and never in my life did see the sam
amount of manure produce better re
sults.-RaraI NssU Yorker.
1
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-08-28
All ptian Plague in Algeria.

The f5llowing from a correspondent
in Algeria VIII give some notion of the
ravages of the locusts in certain places
at the present time: -If the ancient
Egyptians could come 10 life again they
would here witness their terrible plague
of locusts. Let any one imagine an
aerial torrent descending upon all the
fields and devouring every particle of
verdure in few minutes: beans, pota-
toes, maize, every kind OF vegetable and
fruit; in fact, and what IS worse still, the
foliage of the trees. At Bou-Ismail, the
Mayor offered a reward of a franc for
every kilo of locusts' eggs. In a very
short time he was obliged to desist, be-
cause of the largeness Of the sum, 1900
francs being quickly expended. If the
corn had not been ripe, not single grain
would have survived this invasion; but
fortunately, it was too far advanced.
The vines have been rGined, causing a
great loss to their owners. My bees were
going on we'll; but for the last month
tAiSN nave b66L SuEAOdAitiSu OS ihG uS-
vastators, and l have hardly any hope
they will be able to resist them. One
neighbor, to protect his geHden from the
ravages of crickets and S1ocusts, spread
his linen all over the vegetable beds and
fruit bushes; but-would you believe it?
the monsters devoured all from under
meath. In some places the locusts have
not done any damage themselves, but
have left in passing such enormous
quantities of eggs that every effort to de-
stroy them has been vain. In Kabylia,
one OF the most fertile and best cultivat-
ed districts of Algeria, some of the crops
have had to be replanteI in consequence
of the lOcusts. Large numbers of trees
have been attacked, and just now the
olive, fig trees, and vines are menaced
by the crickets in spite of the strenuous
exertions made by the natives to destroy
the eggs. But it is not only these plaques
that the unfortunate colonists have to
contend with; enormous flights of SPAR
rows have done great mischief in Mill
anah and Orleansville this summer, and
some districts have suffered from drought
so that. all things considered, the agri-
cultural prospects for this year are not
very hopeful in even the most favored
spots"
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-08-28

TUNNELLING THE NIAGARA RIVER.
Meetings have recently heen held in
Buffalo, New York, of the incorporators
of a company which purpose to construct
a tunnel for railways under the Niagara
river. At the last meeting twenty-five
corporators were present, but as thirty
constituted legal quorum, no business
could be transacted. One of the speak
ers at the meeting, which was largely
attended, claimed that, as the character
of the rock-bed through which the tun-
mel would pass was known throughout
its entire length, the practicability and
the cost thereof could be ascertained
without any danger that, like the Hoosac
and other tunnels, its calculated cost
would be greatly exceeded by the actual
cost
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-08-28

In one Of the Virginia mines there is
an old horse that is plausibly credited
with the power Of mathematical compa-
tation. Many years employment in the
routine Of working machinery 10 hoist
a bucket to the surface has impressed
upon the old fellow exactly the number
Of circuits he must make to accomplish
his elevating task, and upon accomplish
ing that number he always stops and
turns about FOR the next operation. In
other words he il able 60 count.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-08-28
Child StOIen-s2O,00O Reward.

The Mayor of Philadelphia has issued
the following proclamation, offering
reward of twenty thousand dollars for
the capture of the abduetors of the child,
Charley Brewster Ross, who was stolen
from his home in Germantown on July
1st. and the restoration of the child.
Mayors OFFICE, I
City of Philadelphia, July p.
At the instance of the citizens of
Philadelphia hereby offer reward of
twenty thousand dollars for the arrest
and conviction of the abductors of
Charles Brewster Ross, son of Christian
Ross of Philadelphia, and the restora-
tion of that child TO its parents. The
child was stolen from Washington Lane,
near Chew street, Germantown, in the
suburbs of Philadelphia, on the after
noon of the first of July, inst. At the
time when the child was stolen he an
swered the following description: Age
four years; dressed in brown linen kilt
suit, with short shirt, broad brim un-
bleached panama hat, with black band;
laced shoes; blue and white striped
stockings. The boy has long f1axen
curly hair, hazel eyes, clear skin, round
full face, and no marks except those
made by vaccination on the arm. His
appearance, as above described, may
have been greatly changed by cutting
off his hair or changing his dress to
that of girl, or in some other way.
The child was decoyed by two men into
falling top, yacht-bodied buggy, paint
ed dark all over, lined with dark mater
ial, drawn by dark bay or brown horse,
about fifteen and a half hands high,
driven, it is believed, without check
rein, by two men, who, as nearly as can
be ascertained, answer to the following
description: No. one was a man of rath-
er larger size, probably five feet eight
inches high. He was seen sitting; age
believed to be from thirty-fve to forty
five years; mustache and full beard or
whiskers, rather long on the chin, or
brown, or sandy brown color, and brown
hair. He wore a ring on the lirtle finger of
his right hand No. two was a man
five feet eight Or ten inches high, about
twenty-five or thirty years of age, OF
light, or with tendency to sandy COM
plexion, a sandy mustache, and red nose
and face, having the appearance of a
drinking man. One of those men wore
broad brimmed straw hat, looking as
if it had been worn a season or two, and
is much sunbrowned. The other wore a
high crowned, dark colored straw hat
One wore linen duster. One of the
men wore glasses or goggles of dark col
or probably as disguise.
w. S. SToKELEY,
Mayor of Philadelphia.
In the cause of humanity, as well as
for the interest of justice, it is earnestly
requested thar the foregoing be given
the widest publicity in every newspaper
Of the United States and Canada.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-08-28

THE BLACK HILLS.
Termination Of the ExpedltiOn-GOld
Claims Already Staked on

New York, August 22.-The W0rlds
special from Bear Butte, Dakota, Au-
gust fifteenth, says; Clusters expedition
has terminated the exploration Of the
Black Hills. Gold was found at many
points and in good quantities. Some
placers can yield one hundred dollars
per day per man. The interior of the
Black Hills is succession Of timbered
hills, open parks, valleys Of luxurious
pasturage, sheltered form storms soil fer
tile and inexhaustible. There are many
fine water springs, some strong enough
for water power. Companies have been
already organized among the civilian
employees Of the expedition, and gold
claims stalxed of. They wait the action
of the Government to enable them TO OPP
en- mines.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-08-28
Cheap Artificial Ice.

The Columbus (Ga.) Sun reports that
the iron-works of that city have perfect
ed machines by which superior quail
iy of ice, in quantities limited only by
the capacity of the apparatus, can be
manufactured at cost ranging from 75
cents to 50 per ton-the latter being the
maximum. "The Columbus process
claims to be an Improvement upon every
other, in point of economy and durabili-
ty of its apparatus, and in the inexpen-
siveness, rapidity, and simplicity of the
operation Distilled water was used, and
the ice is, therefore, purer than that cut
from standing ponds. The machines are
being built with capacity of from ,000
TO 1000 pounds per day, and at prices
ranging from $4,000 to $4,000. They
can be used in the winter at less expense
than the cost of cutting and storing ice
| by the ordinary process, and are as ad-
vantageous in northern as southern lati-
tudes. When artificial ice was first pro.
/ duced, in France, it cost $110 per ton, OIL
81 cents per pound. The process, pat.
ented in Europe, in 1850, by Prof. Twin
ing, of Ohio, manufactured 5000 pounds
of ice per day, at a cost of SO per ton ol
J cent per pound.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-08-28

The Boston Commercial Bulletin
makes a notice of the vegetable joke,
contributing its grains of wit literally.
Its says. "These vegetable puns have
become 30 numerous that one cannot
make an oat of them without rye face.
II goes so against the grain"