davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-01-02
Peanut Oil.

The production of peanuts in this
country has increased wonderfully du-
ring past ten or twelve years. In this
city alone over 600, 900 bushels are an
nually sold, while the entire crop of the
country reaches three times that quanti-
ty, or about 100000 bushels, valued at
$3,000,000. Previous to the year 1860,
according to the agricultural report, the
total product of the United States did
not amount to more than 10000 bush
els, of which North Carolina furnished
125, 900 bushels. The great portion of
the crop now is raised in Virginia, North
Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia and South
Carolina.
As an artical of food they are valua-
BILE, but their importance in commercial
point of view is much greater on account
of the oil they contain. The oil is in
large demand, serves every purpose for
which olive or almond oil Is used. 1t
is now being used extensively in place
of olive oil, particularly for table use, it
being quite as good, and keeps a long
time without becoming rancid. The "a
mount of oil contained in the nut varies
according to size and other favorable
circumstances or conditions. All the oil
comes from the 'meat," the husk being
of no value. The oil is extracted by
pressure, and the pressed cake is not
thrown away, but is used both as food
for cattle, and as manure. Most of the
oil used in Europe is manufactured in
the countries of the Mediterranean, the
French depending principally upon Al
giers, where the plant fourishes greatly,
for their supply. The production of
peanut oil in this country dates back to
the war, when it was used to a great ex-
tent for table purposes in the South, the
olive oil not being easily obtained. 1t
was used quite generally as substitute
for lard. The cake residuum was made
serviceable too; after being roasted and
ground, it was used in place of coffee
and chocolate, making excellent bev-
eraqe.-N Y Tribune
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-01-02
Too Much Accumulation.

From the Chicago Times.
The whole trouble lies in accumula-
tion; but it is not in the accumulation of
wealth, but of labor. Here in this country
are millions and millions of acres of land
which may be had for the asking, which
will furnish competence to millions Of
men, and yet nobody wants it. Labor
accumulates itself at the great CONNER
cial and manufacturing centers, and in
sists upon staying there. It's extraordi-
anry quantity results in excessive COM
petition; it depreciates, and fhereupon
some demagogue rises to his feet, points
to the comfortable houses of capital, de-
nounces their owners as "bloated aristo-
crats," and demands a division. Sup
pose that these inefable asses who thus
clamor for distribution of wealth should
distribution of labor. Suppose, in place
of demanding that this successful busi-
ness man should go around on the next
alley and distribute his wealth, that
communist reformers should go around
on the alley themselves, and distribute
the surplus labor, there suffering and
idle, in directions where it could be self
supporting there not, at least,
be as much sense in the latter Course as
the former? A dealer in tea who would
overstock the market, would be laughed
at if he would propose that other men
should divide with him to make up his
losses; and it is precisely such an absurd
thing that is demanded by labor.
Labor is a commodity and so is capi-
tai. Each is valuable according to the
demand for it; and where either finds
tself in excess of what is needed, the
| fault is its own. In such a case capital
goes somewhere else; let labor do like
wise. There is a remuneratite demand
for labor, but it is not in the great com
mercial centers at the present rate Of
supply. Let labor redistribute itself
and then we shall have no more painful
scenes where thousands of men meet tc
secure the bread necessary to save them
from suffering.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-01-02
NUMBER 80.
The $4,000 Cow.

From the Spirit Of the Times.
The short-horn COW, Eighth Duchess
of Geneva, that was purchased at the
late New York Mills sale by Mr.. II.
PAWN Davies, of Gloucestershire, Eng
land, at the enormous price of $4,000,
has again changed hands and will remain
in America, a part and parcel of the
herd of Colonel Lewis G. Morris, of
Fordham, New York. 1t seems that
Mr.. Davies agent, being unaccustomed
to our currency, in the excitement Of tne
sale became confused as to the relative
value of dollars and pounds sterling, and
bid far beyond his authorized limit. On
his return TO England his principal
wrote to Mr.. Campbell, requesting him
TO dispose of the COW for his account on
as favorable terms as possible. Upon
hearing of this Colonel Morris at once
offered the price that Lord Skilmersdale
paid for his prominent purchase, $40, 800,
which was accepted. In addition to this
COW, we learn from Colonel Morris that
he has purchased Thirteenth Duchess Of
Thorndale, Twelfth Maid of Oxford,
Third Countess of Oxford, and several
other females of prominent breeding
that were disposed of at the New York
Mills sale; also that he has purchased
the old bull, Beau Of Oxford, from Mr..
Ezra Cornell. These make a strong
combination, and add prominence to the
Scarsdale herd.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-01-02
A Brave Britisher.

The commander of the British man-of-
war Niobe, who put stop to the butch
cries of the Virginius prisoners, did not
touch his cap when he entered the har-
Dor of Santiago de Cuba, as much as to
say "by your leave" He did not, it is
said, pay the customary salute to the
Spanish forts. He did not wait for the
anchor to touch bottom, but jumped into
the Niobo ceased to move. 1t was the
7th of November, and fifty more pas
sengers of the Virginius had been or
dered for execution that morning. He
came from Kingston in answer to tel
egram from the American Consul, ask
ing for the presence of an American
man-of-war. There happened to be none
at Kingston, and the captain of the Nj
ODE responded to the dispatch. On Ian
ding, he proceeded straight to the Gov
enor's house, and peremptorily deman-
ded that the executions should cease
the Governor declined to interfere. The
captain of the Niobe replied that, Gin
the absence of an American man-of-war,
he would take the responsibility of pro-
tecting American citizens and guarding
the honor of the American flag" "Pro-
tecting American citizens and guarding
the honor of the American flag" meant
in English, with the Niobe to back the
proposition, the bombardment of the
town, the curtain to rise on the scene in
about five minutes after the captain
should set foot on the quarter deck of
his yessel;.so the Governor "gave way"
and fifty lives were saved. We do not
know the name of the gallant sailor
(says cotemporary in commenting on
his brave act,) but all the Americans
who love the national ensign, all human
people who hate cruelty and barbarism,
and the fifty doomed men snatched from
the jaws of death by the heroic act, owe
to the British captain the respect and
gratitude due to brave deed.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-01-02
The Effects of Worry.

That the effects of worry are more to
be dreaded than those of simple hard
work, is evident from noting the class
es of persons who suffer most from the
effects of mental observation. The case
book of the physician shows that it is
the speculator, the betting man, the
railway manager, the great merchant,
the superintendent of large manufactu-
ring or commercial works, who most fire.
quently exhibits the symptoms of GER
ebral exhaustion. Mental cares accom-
panied with a suppressed emotion, occu
pations liable to great vicissitudes of
fortune, and those which involve the
bearing on the mind of a multiplicity of
intricate details, eventually break down
the lives of the strongest. In estima-
ting what may be called the staying
powers of different minds under hard
work, it is always necessary to take
early training into account. A young
man cast suddenly into position invol-
wing great care and responsibility, will
break down in circumstances in which
had been gradually habituated to the
position, he would have performed his
duties without difficulty. 1t is probably
for this reason that the professional
classes generally suffer less from the eff
fects of overstrain than Others. They
have a long course of preliminary train
ing, and their work comes on them by
degrees; therefore when it does not come
in excessive quantity, it finds them pre-
pared for it. Those on the other hand,
who suddenly vault into position requi-
ring severe mental toll, generally die
before their time.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-01-02

The yule log is of very ancient origin,
and is undoubtedly a relic handed
down to us from the ecandinavians,
who were accustomed at their winter
festivities to burn, amid great pomp
and splendor, bonfire, to their god Thor.
With less pomp and show the burning
of the yule log has been maintained as
Christmas Eve custom. We imagine
that it was not unlike the social old
black log of modern time, but now a
relic of the past. The yule log was
drawn from the woods with great rejoic-
ing, and every passer made obeisance to
it as the emblem of welcome and cheer.
At the close Of the festivities the partial
ly-burned log was carried to the cellar
until the next anniversary, when it was
used to light the new log. 1t was pop
ular notion that if the partly-burned log
was in the cellar the house was secure
from fire. 1t was considered a bad
omen if squint-eyed person entered the
house while the log was burning. As
an attendant upon the yule log was the
yule or Christmas candle, which was a
candle of magnificent proportions that
was placed upon the festive board, and
shed its joy-giving light throughout
the house. The lighting of the yule log
was the commencing of all manner OF
sports and games.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-01-02
A FalIaey.

DIR. Hall says that it quite mistaken
notion which leads many persons to
sleep in cold rooms; the generality of
people cannot safely sleep in room
where the atmosphere is under fifty de-
grees Fahrenheit. Many persons wake up
in the morning with Inflammation of the
lungs who went to bed well, and are
surprised that this should be the case.
The cause may often be found in sleep
ing in a room the window of which has
been foolishly hoisted for ventilation
The water-cure journals of the country
have done an incalculable injury by the
blind and indiscriminate advice of hois-
ting the window at night. The rule
should be everywhere during the part OF
the year when fires are kept burning to
avoid hosting outside windows. 1t is
safer and better to leave the chamber
door open, as also the Fireplace; then
there is draft up the chimney, while
the room is not so likely to become cold
If there is some fire in the room al
night the window may be opened al
inch. 1t is safer to sleep in a bad all
all night with a temperature over fifty
than in pure air with a temperature
under forty. The bad air may sicker
you, but cannot kill you; the cold ail
can and does kill very often.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-01-02
ROughing 1t.

A few evenings since a Detroit chap
was sparkling west side girl who wore
an Elizabethian ruff. Expecting his
coming, she had dressed herself for the
occasion, and the ruff, stiff as an unre-
stricted- use of satin starch could make
it, was of the most stunning character.
The lover came at the othodox time,
and was ushered into the parlor, where
the enchanting maiden and her father
and mother were seated. He was cor
daily received, and the evening passed
pleasantly, although the old folks sat up
good deal longer than the young folks
thought necessary. Finally they went
to bed, and the twain were left alone
After a certain amount of bashfulness,
the maiden consented to her lovers re-
quest for kiss. He essayed to take it,
but was met on every point by bristling
wall of tatiatan and starch. He came
up in front, and was g6uged in the eye.
He sidled up to her, and the right hand
prong cut one of his ears half off. He
attempted to reach the prize over her
shoulder; and checaua de .frize of lace
tickled his nose until he was obliged to
sneeze. Then the maiden came to the
rescue, and held down one side of the
provoking ruff, and again the lover ad-
vanced. Just as he had all but reached
her blooming cheek, the damsel lost her
grip, and the razor decoration flew up
with force that took an "under bit out
of his right ear" Then he got mad
Then they both got mad, and an antici.
pated wedding has come to a premature
end Ddnbury Neuos.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-01-02
Naturalized Weeds.

The New York Tribune says: Two
hundred and fourteen of our weeds have
been introduced from foreign countries,
and chiefly from England. In 1887 on
ly 1877 foreign weeds were enumerated
in our catalogues. In 1872, book en-
titled "New England Rairties," gave
list of % plants, which the author spoke
of as having sprung up since the En-
glish took possession. Among these,
the plantain, 'the white mans foot" is
mentioned. In 1858 the toad fax, or
butter and eggs, also then known as the
"Rausted weed"-from the name of the
gentleman who introduced it into Penn
sylvania as garden fower-had over
run the pastures of that province. and
had caused many anathemas by the far
mers against the unlucl<y introducer.
The common chickweed is said to have
been first sown in South Carolina as
food for canary birds, and the presence
of the Scotch thistle is accounted for as
due to the amor part,'ie of an enthusias-
tic Highlander, who brought it hither
as an emblem of the pugnacity of his
countrymen. An other record says we
have the thistle through the carlessness
of clergyman who brought hither a
bed of thistle down, and on changing il
for feathers, spread it and the seeds il
contained broadcast over the country.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-01-02
Corn and Hogs.

From carefully conducted expert
ments by different persons, it has been
ascertained that one bushel of corn will
make over 103 pounds of pork, gross
Taking this result as basis, the follow
ing deductions are made, which all our
farmers would do well to lay by for con-
venient reference:
When corn costs 25 cents per bushel,
pork costs cents per pound.
When corn costs 33 cents per bushel,
pork costs cents per pound.
When corn costs 80 cents per bushel,
pork costs cents per pound.
The following statement shows what
the farmer realizes on his corn when
sold in the shape of pork:
When pork sells for cents per pound,
it brings 25 cents per bushel in crib.
When pork sells for A cents per pound,
it brings 80 cents per bushel in crib.
When pork sells for cents per pound,
it brings As cents per bushel in crib.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-01-02
A Mystery Of Lake Michigan.

The other morning" says the Detroit
Free Press "two farmers and their fami
lies, who were driving to Maiden to at
tend church, noticed, when about eight
miles below, or near the town, a ships
yawl on the lake, heading towards the
beach and about half mile away. They
could plainly make out man in the
stern sheets steering the boat with an
oar, and, although there were no vessels
in sight, the morning was so pleasant and
that the man had put out from shore to
pick up something, and but little atten-
tion was paid to the yawl. Passing the
same spot on their return, the men found
the yawl hard on the beach, and the man
sitting stiff and motionless in her stern.
Leaving their wagons, they discovered
that the man was ifeless and frozen as
hard as a rock. He sat bolt upright on
the seat, the oar out behind and both
hands grasping the handle, and it re-
quired hard work to wrench it from his
death grip. There was about foot of
water in the boat, but the craft did not
show hard usage. The mans legs were
almost covered with ice up as far as his
knees, and the spray had dashed over
his back and shoulders and frozen there.
There was no name on the boat, and the
person who brought the information to
Windsor could not say that anything
was found on the person of the man to
reveal his identity nor show how lie had
been cast adrift. 1t is not believed that
he put off from any vessel, but it is the
theory of some of the marine men that
he was driven from some of the islands
or from some point down the shore. No
one could say how long he had been
afioat or when death overlook him, but
he must have been dead at least three
days or more. There was neither mast
nor sail to the boat, and there was moth
in it but the one oar, showing that the
poor fellow had not intended a long trip
blown off the shore. He had used his
oar to keep before the wind. and had
frozen to death on his seat. For days,
and perhaps for a fortnight, the frozen
man sat there with his icy fingers clinch-
ing to the ashen oar, and the gales and
the waves spared him to reach the shore
and receive Christian burial, while a
score of hardy men who manned a
staunch propeller, saw her go down to a
grave in the deep waters and followed
| a flor
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-01-02
The Hog CrOp-Winter Wheat.

JACKSONVILLE, ILL, Dec. 2S.-The
National Crop Reporter publishes to-
day corrected returns from the States
of Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa,
Ohio, Tennessee, Kansas Missouri and
Indiana, in relation to the supply of
hogs for the current season, showing
that the total number fattened in the
states named is 8 LILO per cent. less than
for the season of 1872, and the compar-
ative falling off in each State is as fol-
lows: Illinois, per cent; Minnesota,
10 $40 per cent; Wisconsin, $40 per
cent; Iowa, 6 $40 per cent; Ohio, 8
2-10 per cent; Tennessee, p per cent;
Kansas, 6-1O.; Missouri, $40 per
cent; Indiana, 7 $40 per cent. Corre-
spondents in most localities report that
feeders generally have disposed of all
the marketable hogs, and that, although
there will probably be some sent for
ward late in the season, the number will
be limited, as the farmers have sold as
closely as possible with view of saving
feed. The average falling off in weight
per head is estimated at Is pounds in
Indiana, 10 pounds in Iowa, 6 pounds in
Illinois, 15 pounds in Ohio, 9 pounds in
Kentucky, 16 pounds in Missouri, and
% pounds Kansas.
The average of winter wheat sown
the present season compared with that
of the previous year shows an increase
in Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Ohio, In
diana and Tennessee, averaging eleven
per cent
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-01-02

THE length of a fash of lightning is
generally greatly under-estimated. The
longest known was measured by M. F.
Petit at Toulouse. This fash was ten
and ahalf miles long. Arago once
measured a series which averaged from
seven to eight miles in length. The
longest interval ever remarked between
a flash and the report was twenty two
seconds, which would correspond with
a distance of fourteen miles. Direct re-
searches have shown that storm is sell
dom heared at q greater distance than
from seven to ten miles, while the aver
age are barely heard over four or five
miles off. This fact is the more curious
as cannon may be destinctly heard double
or treble that distance, and in special
cases much further. During the bonn
bardment Of Paris, in the winter Of 1870,
the Krupp guns, which had been lefs
over from the Exposition Of 1867, were
heared at Dieppe, distance Of eighty
four miles. Arago states that the firing
at Waterloo was audible at Creil, one
hundred and twenty miles distant.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-01-02

ON the New York World.

From the New York World.
Great fear and trembling which made
all his bones to shake fell of late on the
Pennsylvania pedagogue who, looking
forth along the serried benches and the
rugose perspective of whitfield desks,
saw one by one his pupils, as with com
mon catalepsy, doubling in helples coli
lapse and tumbling lifeless upon the
floor Since the "four times fifty living
men" fell before the wizard eye Of the
ancient mariner no such mysterious top
ping of human ninepines had been
known in human experience or record
ed human story. We can only cOnjec-
ture what the terrified pedAgogue did in
this ghastly conjuncture, but it is like
ly that he enacted some lively exploits
of investigation. He was rewarded by
the discovery that the stoyepipe was dis
placed and was pouring volumes Of coal
gas into the room where the pupils sat
convulsed with fractions and saddened
with alb abs. Of course they tumbled
off their benches, and of course the
watchful and intelligent schoolmaster
broke all the windows, opened the door,
carried the scholars out and laid them
in rows along the landscape; and then,
with great presence of mind and resolu-
tion, readjusted the stovspipe. The
children, we are happy to record, all
came to life at length; and we comment
upon the strange occurrence not so much
for the purpose of cautioning school
masters to keep constant eye on their
respective stovepipes, as for that of ex-
pressing anew our conviction that, ow-
ing to the ignorance and incapacity of
architects or district commissioners, an
immense number of children in this
country pursue their studies amid pois-
oned atmosphere, and drink in disease
while they are learning to spell and
cipher. It is not often that they tumble
off their benches one after another as
did asphyxiated children the other day
in Pennsylvania, but the furnace hue,
with its withering sirocco blast, if it
poisons less swiftly than the displaced
stovepipe, does so hardly less surely.
And the intelligent schoolmaster may
correct the displacement of the latter.
But the former he has no power over,
and while helpless to arrest the slow
suffocation of his pupils is compelled to
inhale the poison with them.