davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1874-07-31
y E9EEEGE.

SAN FRANCISCO, July 25.-A despatch
from Eureka, Nevada, gives the particulars
of the storm yesterday. 1t had been rain
ing with great violence from early in the
morning until noon, when n cloud burst on
the lofty range of mountains 20 the east
ward, and vast volume Of water rushed
down the canyon where the town is lOcat-
ed.
The eastern part of the town was flooded
in ten minutes by fearful rush of water,
which was constantly increasing in viO-
lence, depth and impetuosity. The people
in that portion Of the town were hemmed
in, and every moment houses were torn
from their foundations and swept away
with their occupants. Ropes were procur-
ed, and a line formed of brave men thus
protected dashed into the torrent and saved
many lives. Only a few women and child
ren were lost.
The body of one Mrs. Bray was recover
ed. Roger RObonett, reporter of the Sen
tinel, is among the drowned. The Sentinel
Office was swept away, and all that part of
the town in which were situated dance
houses and other places of amusement, is
gone. The flood lasted only half an hour.
The total loss of life, it is believed, will
reach twenty-five or thirty. The weather
is still threatening.
Another despatch states as follows "A
water-spout burst near Carson City, Neva-
da, to-day. causing great destruction Of
property. No lives were lost"
Private dispatches from Eureka say that
fourteen dead bodies have been recovered.
The following additional names of victims
have been received James Calvin, J. W.
Talbot, J. Darn1y, John Rauft, W. J. Nc
Geary and William Smith. The loss by the
flood is 100000.
WELLS, July 25.-About thirty feet Of
the Central Pacific railway track was wash
ed out by the bursting of a rain cloud,
twenty-eight miles east of this place, yes
terday. The eastern bound express train
is detained. A train with workmen has
passed to repair damages, and anxious
passengers are waiting their progress.
The western bound train is expected here
about noon.
Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1874-07-31
HIGH WATER.
HOUSES SWEPT AWAY-NIANY PERSONS
DROWNED.

PITTsBUPG, July 27.-Probably the
most disastrous storm ever known here
visited our city last night. II had rained
at intervals all day, but no danger was ap-
pretended until about eight O'Clock in the
evening, when the rain came down in per-
feet torrents. The water from the hills
came rushing down in low portions of the
city, carrying away houses and everything
in its course.
The greatest damage was in Butchers
Run District, in Allegheny City. Water
coming from hills down the narrow hollow
formed gulf and swallowed up houses and
unfortunate inmates before they could
escape. Houses were a6oat or hurled to
pieces, and in some families only one or
two have escaped.
One man lost his wife and two children.
Another man ut Mansfield lost his wife and
four children, and another family Of six
persons father, mother and six children
were all lost. 1t is believed that 80 per-
sons were lost.
Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1874-07-31
FORTY MILLION LAWSUIT.
THE GREAT CASE Og TURNBULL vs.. PAR
DEE.

A despatch from Mauch Chunk under
date Of July 2lst says: The great S40,-
000, 900 coal land lawsuit of Turnbull VS..
Pardee aud others, which has been pend
ing in the courts of this State for two years,
has been decided in favor of the defendants,
under the provisions of the law of Penn
sylvania governing the gaining of title to
land oy treasurer's sale for arrears OF
taxes.
The question at stake was the title to
several thousand acres of land in lower
Luzerne county, rich in deposits of coal,
held by the defendants, and claimed by
James Turnbull, as the heir of Alexander
and James Tgrnbull, deceased. The land
is in the heart of the coal fields and was
the property of the Turnbul family, once
prominent in Philadelphia, long before it
was known to contain coal. The last
Turnbull in whom the title rested was
James Turnbull, deceased, father Of the
claimant. He neglected to keep the taxes
on it paid, and it was sold at Treasurer's
sale. The property subsequently came
into the hands of Oris Pardee and other
great capitalists. The father of the plain
tiff died in Philadelphia about forty years
ago, before the great value of the land was
known. He left divorced wife and the
pleintiff, then a mere child. Sometime
after the death of his father, young Turn
bull went to sea. His mother, in 1852, be-
lieving that her soG was the rightful owner
to the land in Luzerne county, made efforts
to have the claim substantiated. She found
a friend and adviser in o. ii. Wheeler,
Esq, then a lawyer in this place. He
shared her belief in the justice Of her sons
claim, and recommended an ejectment suit
to recover. 1t being necessary to find the
missing heir before anything could be done,
they commenced a search for him. For
twenty years they sought and waited anxi-
ously to hear of his whereabouts. Finally,
in 1871, they heard of him in Mazatlan,
Mexico. lie was summoned home, and
dIIlfCu lh IllIduCipIld CdliJ III lO'-'
His career had been one of constant dan
ger and hardship. On his first voyage he
was shipwrecked. With eight companions
he floated for nine days on the ocean in an
open boat 1t was picked up near the
Island of st. Thomas, with all its inmates
dead but Turnbull. Recovering from this
voyage, he wen: to Central America, and
in 1S49, to California. lie remained there
a year or two, and made considerable mo-
ney. adhering TO resolution made when he
left home to touch no intoxicating drink
and never gamble. Leaving California, he
went to Mexico, engaging in the coustruc-
ton Of canal at Mazatlan. While there
he was robbed several times, and was once
left for dead, with twelve daggers sticking
in him, by gang of Mexicans, who robbed
him. On the way from California TO Mexi-
co he was the victim Of steamboat ex-
plosion, in which over a hundred were kill
ed, he being one of very few who escaped
He was several times shipwrecked, but
lived to answer the the summons to come
home and prove his claim to immense
wealth. lie worked faithfully in his cause,
but takes his great defeat philosophically.
Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1874-07-31

parts of Italy, and Gypsies have traded in
the lives of children of the rich, but it has
been unknown till now in America. Is il
to be made regular business ? 1t seems
to be safer than house-breaking or forgery.
For all the police have done or seem likely
to do, the kidnappers will make q pecu-
mary success of the venture, and get off
scott free.
THE POOR OF NEW YORK
are not altogether neglected. The New
York Times some years years ago inaugu-
rated system of excursions for the poor
children which was grandly successful.
They chartered boats and loaded them
with children and took long sail, half
day sail up, the River or Sound to some
beautiful grove, and disembarking gave
the children games and sports, and what
was better for them, a plentiful lunch of
good things. These excursions take place
twice week, and no one can estimate the
good they have accomplished. A PROPOSE
tiOn has been made TO give regular excur-
sions to the sea, of the working women Of
the city. They labor year in and year out
in factories or in their garrets for the
merest possible pittance, just enough to
keep soul and body together, and such a
thing as a day on the water or in the green
fields is something beyond their means. To
this class, excursions, such as the poor
children have been enjoying for three years,
would prove an inestimable boon. 1t will
be done, for New York is charitable city
when called upon.
/ THE CITY IN SUMMER.
New York is all away from home Just
now. Jones is at Long Branch, Smith at
Newport. Brown in the White Mountains.
Thompson in Europe, and where the rest
are the Lord only knows. One thing is
certain, they are not at home, or if they
are they keep the front shutters closed and
are in the back parlors, to make believe
| they are out of town, for no woman Of fash
ion, though she has the coolest and most
| delightful house on the Island, would con-
sent to live in the city during the months
of July and August. No matter though
she has to take a room at watering place
scarcely larger than the Saratoga trunk
that contains her thirty dresses, no matter
if she is compelled to endure heat, dust,
worry and discomfort of all kinds, when
she might be entirely comfortable in her
own home, fashion DEGREES a residence out
of town during the summer, and she bows
to this as she does to all its other DEGREES.
She comes back in the fall worn and jaded
to degree, but she has been ''out Of town.
and her duty is done.
BUSINESS
is a little dulier than last week, if any diff
ference. Which is to say there was moth
ing doing last week, and this week the busi-
ness men have stopped talking about the
dullness. But they all expect a heavy
fall trade. They say the people have used
up the stocks on hand, and that they must
begin to buy this fall. They are right.
The enormous crops now being harvested
will get us money, and the wheels of trade
will begin to revolve again. We are al!
living in hopes. The month of September
will show a revival, and by October men
will forget the terrible year they have pass
ed through in the pleasurable excitement
Of their fresh prosperity. So mote it be.
PIETRO.
Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1874-07-31
AZ CASTLE SHANNON.

The loss at Castle Shannon will be very
considerable. The bridge at Wheeler's
Station was party washed away. At Fair
haven the loss is much greater, S. Provost
S Bros. estimate their loss at between two
and three thousand dollars.
Mr.. Rogerson's blacksmith shop was
carried off the foundation and totally
wrecked. The Baptist church at Wheeler's
station was also swept away and destroy
ed, and the whole valley presents 4 terribly
forlorn appearance. Hay and wheat stacks,
wagon wheels, parts of bridges, and every
conceivable kind Of property were carried
along with the torrent, and lies to-day
strewn along the valley.
Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1874-07-31
DisfardIy Attempt at Murder.

WILKEsBARRE, July 29.-This morning
at .Iermyn, in this county, Alfred Green,
superintendent of coal mine, started to
inspect the mine and see if it was free from
gas and that everything was all right, as
was his regular custom before the miners
entered for the days work
Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1874-07-31
KIDNAPPING.

An incident occurring in Philadelphia
may not seem to be exactly the thing for a
New York letter, but IN this case of kid
mapping in the City of Brotherly Love is SO
peculiar that | went to investigate it.
Some weeks ago, little Charlie, the son of a
merchant residing in Germantown, named
Ross, was missed from his home. The
parents in their agony tried every possible
way to find the missing child. The police
were put on the track and special detective
were employed, but all to no purpose. The
child was nowhere to be found As last
resort, the newspapers were used, and adj
vertisements were inserted offering a re-
ward for the recovery of the boy, and these
brought responses. \ few days after the
appearance of the first advertisement, a
notice appeared in the Ledger rs follows:
Ross-''We be ready to negotiate.'
Further advertisements drew out an
swers until correspondence was effected
which revealed a horror scarcely to be
credited in this day and age OF the world.
The child had been enticed into wagon
by two men who had driven it off and had
it safely hidden. The ransom demanded
was $40, 900 The kidnappers informed
Mr.. Ross that they knew he could not of
his own means raise $40, 900, but they knew
he had wealthy friends who would advance
that amount rather than have the child
come to harm, and that unless their condi-
tions were complied with the boy would
be destroyed. The father and mother, in
their terror, consented to the terms, and
the negotiations for the pavement of the
money are now in progress.
Mr.. Ross, the father, is q member of a
large wholesale dry goods house in Phila-
delphia, who lost in the panic last fall the
bulk of his fortune. The payment of this
enormous sum will ruin him, but love for
his child is paramount, and he will do it.
The question that comes up is, whose
children are safe Here is a little four
year old boy taken up on the public street
and spirited away; and so securely hidden
that the police fail to get any clue to his
whereabouts. They cannot even get any
trace of his abductors, ard the father, to
regain possession of his child, is compelled
to pay an enormous ransom. Such things
were done years ago in the semi-barbarous
Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1874-07-31
xepublican state convention.

The Republicans of Pennsylvania will hold a
state Convention a. Harrisburg, at noon, on
Wednesday, August 10, 1874, for the purpose of
nominating candidates for Lieutenant Governor,
Auditor General, Secretary of Internal Affairs
and Judge of the Supreme Court.
The representation of the several counties in
this Convention will be based on the appointment
OF Senators and Representatives made by the
present Legislature, each Senatorial and Repre-
sentative district being entitled TO delegates equal
in number 10 its representation in the Legislature
under said apportionment.
RUSSELL ERRETT, Chairman.
EZRA LUKENs, tSo.-atorios
JOIN M'CULLoUGH,
Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1874-07-31

A DANGEROUS CoUNTERTEIT.-Ada dan
gerous counterfeit having appeared on the
five dollar notes of the Traders National
Bank Of Chicago, the Treasury Department
offers one-half per cent. premium for the
return of the genuine five dollar notes of
that hank to the department of destruction.
Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1874-07-31
DEPTH OF THE WATER.

At distance of two miles from the Ohio
river The water was some fifteen or eighteen
feet in depth, and where the two runs meet
there was about one acre of debris, consist
ing Of shanties, lumber, carts, wagons and
everything mentionable.
The iron bridge across Main street was
washed away, and the entire structure car
ried down the stream some six hundred
feet.
The gas tank is upset and lying on its
side, which cannot be brought into use for
some time.
The Sawmll Run railroad bridge, about
one mile up the stream, where it crosses it,
was carried away for a distance Of about
six hundred feet.
Ziegler's store, a new, two story brick
structure, which was lately erected, was
hit by the water, and by those who saw it,
state in three minutes there was nothing
left Of it but the foundation.
| Taylor's salt works, which have lately
been completed, and, it said, cost upwards
of $4,000, were entirely swept away, the
! foundation itself not even teing left to tell
where they stood
| The oil refinery was also demolished, and
the run is sLrewed with the rion tanks
One Of them was carried about SIX hundred
feet of.
At MANSFIELD.
Intelligence from Mansfield, Pa. gives
an account of the sweeping away of the
! dwelling of Mrs. Thorn, and the drowning
of that woman. The body had not been
! recovered at last accounts. Another dwell
ing on CamDbell' run was carried off, and
| also six stables.
/ The Pan Handle railroad bridge over
| Campbell's Run was washed away, and
| also another bridge called mo. 6,n about
a mile further west. The track two miles
east of Mansfield has taken a slide of thirty
| feet to one side, the right hand track being
some distance past where the left hand one
was originally.
The Try street sewer broke, in cOuse-
quence of the heavy pressure of water, and
a stationary engine and part Of the round
house of the Connellsville railroad was
swallowed up. The new sewer afterwards
broke and fell upon the old one.
In addition TO the above damages, the
track of the Connellsyille railroad, as al
ready stated, suffered considerable damage
at the gas works, OF Soho, and at severa
different places between Birmingham and
SahO.
The damage on the Cleveland and Pitts
burg railroad is very extensive, and We
learn from those who came up this morn
ing, that no trains are running between
Smiths Ferry and Pittsburg. From In
dustry to Rogers Ferry, distance Of three
miles, the track is covered with solid rock
and for three hundred yards below Steuben
vile the road bed is washed from uuder the
tracks. No trains are running on the road
The tracks Of the various passenger rail
way companies being covered in many
places, travel was seriously obstructed anC
continues to-day. The Pleasant ValieI
and Birmingham are not running any car
atall
Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1874-07-31

Washington is winning reputation as
an easy place to obtain divorces. From
the 1st to the 10th of July, thirteen were
granted there.
Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1874-07-31
On Receipt ofthe Marked Rrice.

Address, J. L. PETERS, P. o. Box 5429. 500 Broadway
New York, opp Metropolitan Hotel.
WHISKY IL MIDNIGHT Sen,
stamp. ". EVANS X CO., Harts Falls, Y. Y. J24, Nv
Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1874-07-31
aen advertisements.

In the Court Of Common Pleas of
Northumberland County.
In re of the account of Henry Lahr, committee
of William l.. Wilmer, lunatie.
Notice is hereby given that the account of
Henry Lafr, committee of William L. Wilmer.
a lunatic, was fled on the 23d day of March, A.
d. 1874, and will be confirmed by the Court on
Tuesday, the 4th day of August next, unless
cause be shown to the contrary.
l.. l.. ROHRBACH, Prothonotary.
SuDbury, July 10, 1874.
Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1874-07-31
Correspondence.
OUR NEW YORK LETTER.

BEECHER-TILTON - KIDNAPPING - THE
POOR AND WHAT Is~ BEING DONE FOR
THE1I-THE CITY IN SUMMER-BUSI-
NESS
Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1874-07-31

The Pittsburg Evening Telegraph far
nishcs additional particulars of the great
flood which wrought such terrible destruc
ton Of life and property in that city and
Allegheny on Sunday night.
Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1874-07-31

In some cases whole families have been
swept away by the torrent, and not sin
ole one left to tell the tale. And many fami-
lies are to-day mourning the loss of ia
ther, sister or brother who have not yet
been found, and Of whom nothing is known
or can be learned, and this probability is
that the majority of those not found have
been washed into the Ohio river
Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1874-07-31

DY virtue of sundry Writs of Fieri Faeias,
I'D Venditioni Exponas, and Leyari Facias, is
sued out Of the Court Of Common Pleas of Nor
thumberldnd county and to me directed, will be
exposed to public sale or outcry, at the Court
House in the borough of Sunbury, Pa, on
Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1874-07-31
SAWMiLL RUN.

The storm last night, which has proven
so disastrous to both life and property in
this immediate vicinity, appeared to rule
with unabated sway from one end to the
other of fSawmill Run, and both life and pro-
perty has suffered SO disastrously that the
night of the 26th of July will ever be re-
membered in that vicinity.
Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1874-07-31
BY LIGHTNING.

The house of Mrs. Robb, on Monterey
street, was struck by lightning and Mrs.
Robb rendered insensble from the shock.
An engine weighing $500 pounds, standing
near the glue factory on O'IIara street,
was swept away like chip and has not been
found.
Los Angeles daily herald., 1874-08-08
Santa Barbara College.

Fran the SanJ;t Barbara Press.
The new term of the Santa Barbara
College began to-day (MOnday) under
the most favorable auspices. The
number of new students that had been
entered up to noon was fifteen, and it
was expected that other names would
be added to the list. The whole num-
ber of students was seVenty-six. The
following are the names of the faculty,
ETC.: Principal, Prof. +. V. Hopkins;
Vice-Principal, Miss e. G. Hatch;
teachers, Prof. Julius l.. Tomlinson,
Prof. Il. Newmayer, Prof. Regenstein,
Miss J. Lindley, Miss Emma c. Smith /;
housekeeper, Miss NJ. l.. Parsons.
Prof. Newmayer will have charge of
the department of music and dancing.
lie was engaged for five consecutive
years in the Royal Opera at Vienna,
and is eminent in his profession. 1t
is evident that the Board of Trustees
have spared no pains in their efforts
to place the college on an equal foot
ing with any, similarly situated, in the
State, and the success of those efforts
is shown by the selection of an excel
lent board of instructors.
Los Angeles daily herald., 1874-08-08
Wilmington items.
From the Enterprise Of August 8.

From the Enterprise Of August 8.
The Fall term of the Wilmington
public school will commence next
Monday, August 9th.
Dark-eyed maidens mounted on fly
ing steeds daily enliven the town of
Wilmington.
The next session of Wilmington Col
lcge will begin on Tuesday, August
18th, under the Presidency of Rev. A.
Nj. Campbell, of Los Angeles. He will
be assisted by faithful, competent
teachers. Mr.. G. is Il thorough worker,
and we look for good results from his
management.
Quite party are roughing it over at
Catalina Island. Fishing, hunting
wild goats, bathing, and simply lying
around Illustrating are items i'll the
daily programme. No doubt that is
one of the healthiest places in the
world. No one was ever known TO
spend II few days there without deriV-
ing substantial benefit from the visit
Some visitors and home folks have
been bathing down on the beach. This
is the way they do it. A stake is driven
into the ground anda rope attached; q
timid maiden seiZes hold OF it, and n
pair of dainty feet go tripping overthe
sand toward the surf, when the waves
roll up about four inches high and the
incipent mermaid falls down and
screams for help. The men make o
gallantr rush for the rescue, but before
they reach the jeopardized bather she
is lying high and dry on the beach,
waving her pedal eXtremities at va
CanrV
Los Angeles daily herald., 1874-08-08
Tulare Items.
From the Delta Of Aug. 9.


Work is progressing rapidly on the
Visalia road. The cars now run to
within about three miles flown. The
depot is being rapidly pushed forward
and the whole thing will be in work
ing order this month.
r. E. Hyde, Z. Jacob, S. Sweet, J.
w. Crowley and L. Guggynheim have
united for the purpose of building a
first-class warehouse in this place. The
building is to be of brick, fifty by one
hundred and twenty feet, twenty feet
high, and fitted for the storage of eight
thousand tons of wheat.
Several cattle have died in this
place during the last week, as is sup
posed from the effects of poison. 1t is
likely that the cattle obtained access
to some ones enclosure, where poison
has been used for killing squirrels or
some like purpose.
Los Angeles daily herald., 1874-08-08
Vivian.

There was not a spare seat to be had
tn Merced Theatre last night. Much
to their credit, our citizens rallied
finely to give this talented gentleman
u reception worthy of his merits.
Conccrning the performance, we can
only say that it was up TO Vlvian's
high standard; abounding in melody,
humor and Wit, but polished through
out. There were no crudities intro
daced, to Jar against the sensibilities
Of any one. Madame Muse presided
at the piano with much grace, adding
greatly to the pleasure of the evening
by her melodious touches. Mad
anne J. Reitfarth has fine voice
well cultivated, and her songs and
ballads were received with hearty en-
sorss. Esmeralda, (which she sang