davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-05-01
rEuGs AND MEDICINES.

T1'HE FLORIDA AGUE PILLS are war
Il rancd 10 cure the most obstinate OF chill.
aud tsver and dumb chill without the use Of either
cuiuine. mercury, or arsenic. They are prompt IN
their action, safe In their use, aud they leave NJ
unpleasant effects. For sale by
BoDEKEE BROTHERS,
Wholesale druggists,
Fifteenth and Main streets.
The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-05-01
81. Es',I!!.Nl',! Ma
RIoHMoNDs Tpg,R Ex,Hss5G n

= THURsp6I.3ApriI 80. 1874.
soLD.-s2-so0 Virginia deferred at N !: $500
6s ct 791Kz 80 Wv >''sD''on" ci''
6 GOLD. 1896. 4 b p,a ....,
The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-05-01

NARB. AMMONIA.
One cask OF CARB. AMMONIA just reesiSsd.
For sue by BOLEkEK BROTHERS..
an'oS " Druggists.
The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-05-01
Weather Probabilities.

WASHINGTON, April SO.-For the Middle
States, partly cloudy weather and light rain
tonight, followed on Friday by rising tenn
perature, partly cloudy weather, and south
west to southeast winds.
For the South Atlantic and East Gulf
States, rising temperature, clear weather,
and fresh to brisk southeast winds.
The Ohio river will continue falling Mt
Pittsburgh, and rising at Louisville and
Evansville. The Mississippi below Cairo
will remain nearly stationary,
The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-05-01
WASHINGTON Items.

WASHINGTON, April 3O.-The consumers of
iron and steel are appealing to Congress for
a reduction Of tariff.
1t is understood that the Committee on
Appropriations will report the river and
harbor bill without amendment.
The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-05-01

NEW YORK. April 30.-Arrived: Scotis, Mime
sofa, Thuringta. Arrived ont: State or Louisiana,
Forest Queen, Assyriin, Ma, hover.
The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-05-01
Letter from The Border.

+. sA-Hrs-TaE c3OT>-THs BRISTOL Pc
..a o. GENERAL NAHoSRS EXPRESS.
4;a,S.oL.GoopSoS. VA. AND TESS..l
4 ,nril 90 lN-t
Martinsburg weekly independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1873-1875, 1874-07-25
TAXATION.
Editors Independent /:

llttttOTS LUutDtIUueHt
The assessors are now going
around the city assessing the prop,
erty. Have they any fixed scale
for the fair performance Of the
work? Heretofore the assessment
Of vacant lots in the centre and
business portions OF the town
has not been in due proportion to
the amounts asked for them. For
instance party owns an eligible
lot for which they have returned
an offer Of $600or 500. When
the assessor comes around this
same lot is just down at from
SIS to 500. This is not justice to
those who are required 70 pay a.
full proportion on the real value of
their property. Vacant lots should
be taxed in proportion to the value
placed on them by the owners
when they offer them for sale. Ii
this is not done, it will impede
the progress of the town, and per-
sons Of moderate means will be
forced to live as renters or pur-
chase lots on the suburbs, too far
out from their business. Let this
matter be looked into liza lot is
worth five hundred dollars, ana
the owner will not sell ii for less,
Why should no not be taxed on 1t
in proportionto that amount? ALI
other property IL taxed in that
way, and the man who owns
houses, and merchandise, or other
property except lots, il made to
pay an undue proportion OF the
corporation. III vacant lots pay
nothing, other property must pay
more. i throw out these ideas
and will alIude to the matter again
at some future time, with your
permission
TAX AYEa,
Martinsburg weekly independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1873-1875, 1874-07-25

We understand that the several
building associations Of this place
are being managed with more
than usual success, and that the
Berkeley" has but a little more
than twenty shares out of the
thousand it originally had to dis
pose of, and will close out during
the coming winter. These asso-
Citations have done much towards
promoting improvements in our
city, while they have been profita-
BILE to their stockholders, paying
an average dividend of twelve per
cent.
Martinsburg weekly independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1873-1875, 1874-07-25
COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS. Coun

COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS Coun-
ell met at So. NJ, Mayor Cham
bers presiding. Messrs.
Baker, Cline, Rutherford, Ferrin,
Staley, Hoffman, Wolfes, Cline
and Miller.
Petitions for extension of water
pipes on Raleigh, East Martin,
German and High streets refer
red to Water Board
On motion the ordinance in ref
erence to conducting market, or
dered to be Strictly enforced
The garbage cart was ordered to
be replaced.
The Street Committee authorized
to have new floor laid on bridge ov-
or Iuscarora on German st also
TO put bridge on North Queensin
passable condition, and some pick
ed crossings on Queen street from
pump on Kapp's corner to Blon-
del's residence; also from Commo-
dore Boarman's to Judge Hoge's.
On motion adjourned.
Martinsburg weekly independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1873-1875, 1874-07-25
1895

lOLal Zi4Z @J.O0
/ think "Young America y can
climb the chill Of scienceu in
the reading department on a much
shorter, sleeper and cheaper grade
than that.
But that is only one Of many Sc
ries with which our schools have
been afflicted, each book Of which
has gone through many editions,
and parents always have to buy the
latest edition. although the practi-
cal difference between that and
several previous editions is so
slight that it can only be seen by
one
F" Who can q hair divide
Between the North and Northwest side.
In trying to estimate the num-
Der and extent of those series of
books that the people have been re-
CURED to buy many Of which
they were compelled o lag
by before they were half
w n out~-sometimca hardly coil
ed Ito q supplied by oncot ers,
he task seams Iope c5s
The increasing pro spect tires our
wandering eyes;
Hills peep DER hills, and Alps on Alps
arise.
In reference 10 the numb i and
extent or the studies in school j,
the Anaericaa says:
"All branches IF sci nee
have advanced SO IA sidly. and SO
many wonderful and startling dis-
coveries in the uhysical world hav
been made, that teachers and
school boards have an idea that
it II advisabl. to cram the boys
and girls with a amattering of
learning on these su jects. This
Of course is great Mi take and
results badly"
On this point / win quote some
extracts from the first of the
series of articles / referred
lin the forepart of this one. tits
dated Ncy. Sth 1871:
"Our children are over take in
their earlier years Of attendance at
school. their studies are numer-
Gus and their lessons excessively
Martinsburg weekly independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1873-1875, 1874-07-25

A friend from the West who WIS.,
tied us Wednesday, remarked that
our town had grown that he was
surprised to find that we had wat
er and gas, and that so many new
and handsome buildings and that
other improvements were being
made in the town. Though an old
citizen of the State, he has some
of the spirit of the west" Go
ahead"
Martinsburg weekly independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1873-1875, 1874-07-25
For the Independent,
SCHOOL REFORMS.
10 The Eds. Independent:

~ Ufc LIttS. dff0tptftucNts
A late number Of that staid old
paper. the Baltimore american,
contained a long article on this
important subject which pleased
me very much, and from which ]
will make some brief extracts, and
add some corresponding ideas Of
my own, much older than the
american article,as will appear be-
fore l close.
In speaking of the school books,
IL says:
*** The great majority Of
the text hooks in use in the pri-
mary and grammar schools are MI
insult to the capacity Of any smart
boy or girl. They seem to have
been ingeniously written up with
the view of forcing the pupil to
struggle through the largest
amount of badly-arranged matter
to acquire the smallest quantity of
information.
*** 1--WE opened the other day
catechism of the history of the
United States, bearing upon its IT,
tie page the name Sof the uperin-
tendent of Puplic lntruction as its
author, In which the names of
Judge Chase and Mr.. Fessenden
were graveiy set down as Secreta-
ries Of War In Mr.. Lincoln's adj
ministration.'
Several years Of experience as a
teacher, and twenty-five suisse
quent years " close observation on
the subject in connection with the
education ofmy children, long since
convinced me that many of the
school books In use are Il compound
Of stupid nonsense, and in some,
gross error, with a small percent
age of really useful and reliable
matter, gotten up by persons in
competent to the work, and crowd
ed npon the schools by others
equally incompetent for their stu
alton, who unfortunately got con-
troll of the management of the
school system in their respective
sections of country-some times, as
III the case referred to by the Amer-
lean, the authors themselves were
school officers.
But it is more particularly In
the line of school READERS that
the people who have the books to
buy. may with propriety and
great earnestness say Good Lord
deliver us. y
BY way of plainly illustrating
this fact, will quote briefly from
a series of articles that l wrote in
1871 2, for the Seymour Und.) Sun,
under the head Of tour School
System and its Evils. y The Sc
ries OF books given are (" Wilson's
series, I" then in the market, and
the then retailing prices:
Martinsburg weekly independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1873-1875, 1874-07-25

large. The 4aiur ! result is, that
they either .tudy too hard, 10 ac-
qnire tn m perfectly or else learn
to get over them in az imperfect
maansr. hich rend ti.em OK
little practical value afterwards.
Scholars are crowded into
iheFourth or Fifth Readers before.
they have thorou shly mastered
the spelling boo III to Alg bra
befnre the half understand COM
mon Arithmetic and into Latin, or
some other language, befor1 they
canr nd English properly.
think the blame for ali Of this
lies, not 50 snuch with the officers
and teachers of our schools, as In
the ambition ofparents, and pro-
vailing public sentiment on the
subject, which sustains, and even
demands, this creed or shot bed
system of education
OF the great variety of school
books and the frequent changes In
them, | said in the same article
= = Scholars are confused and
discouraged, rather than aided and
encouraged by the enormous num-
Der Of, and rapid changes in their
books. The effects mentally, are
as sure to be injurious as excessive
and hasty eating are physically,
by over-taxing the digestive pow
ers.
Practical utility should be the
rule to regula te every thing per-
tanning To our schools In eve v de-
partment, from the highest To tile
lowest. But that it is not, even fn
the highest, / will give a single
case in proof. The series Of ques-
tons propounded by the State
Board Of Education, for candidates
for school teachers to answer to the
County Examiners, contains
ameng others the following.
I'm aOhut direction does he fc0tey
Ia the Strait Of Gibraltar run, and
achy ~
Had that question been pro-
pounded by Il Board of Naval Of
ficers, to a class Of midshipmen
who were to be assigned to active
duty in the navy, ii would seem
very appropriate. But when it is
to a class of prospective district
school teachers, it seems Just about
as useless as it would be to inquire
of them about the component parts
and specific gravity of moon
shine.n
That first article probably would
have been my last on the subject,
but for the fact thai certain in
dividual, who evidently thought
himselfa whale among small fish,
pitched into it generally, ana on
the Strait Of Gibraltar que. tior in
particular, giving answers to it as
absurd as the quf stion itself under
the circumstances, (for au,hors on
ph ysical geography themselves
disagree on 1t, and certainly COM
mon school teachers could not rea-
sonably be expected to understand
it, and the re lult was d pretty live
~ discussion of the entire subject
of school teaching, school books,
their cost, quality, &c.
III. M. ADDISON.
Martinsburg, July 18th, 1874.
Martinsburg weekly independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1873-1875, 1874-07-25

The Triumvirate were invit
ed to dine with the host of the
Stewart House, and it may now be
considered a point fully settled
that editorial labor is a wonderful
appetizer, ranking next to the cler-
zeal profession. Our genial host,
Johnson, found it SO, and zoe found
his table plentifully supplied, and
cooking seldom equaled, never ex-
celled an essential to good hotel.
Martinsburg weekly independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1873-1875, 1874-07-25

BIGAM r. Frederick Strauss.
from Bohemia, has been setenced
t four years and three months at
Sing Sing for bigamy. He first
married in 1870 a young Jewish
woman, and deserted heraffer two
years Of wedl0ck. LIN 1873 he COURT
cd Miss Bridget Mccarthy, who
would not marry him unless he
Eelinquishcd Ills Hebrew and be-
came baptised in the Catholic. He
complied, and renewed his connu-
qlal bliss until Mrs. Bridget heard
Of his axtecedents.
Martinsburg weekly independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1873-1875, 1874-07-25


We are informed that Preston
County has appointed Col. Allison
OF Wheeling, Hon j. C. McGrew,
and Hon. G. M. Bishop, of Preston
county, a committee to compro-
mise with and settle the taxes due
from the B. & O. II. r. to said
county upon some just and equita-
BILE basis. The only counties on
the line of the road which have
not made settlements are Berkeley
and Taylor. What has the COM
mittee appointed by the County
Court of Berkeley done to secure
the tax due the county. Is a
wealthy corporation to escape the
payment of tax while the poor are
made to pay. There is default
somewhere. Funds are needed to
support our schools, to educate the
children of the employees of the
road. Who should pay Hs
Martinsburg weekly independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1873-1875, 1874-07-25

4 number ofour exchanges have
been discussing the question
whether or not drunkenness ought
to be considered a valid excuse for
the commission Of crime. This,
not stating the case fairly, no one
who would think for IA moment
would maintain such an absurd
proposition. The true statement
is: Ought drunkenness mitigate
the punishment for crime. 1t is
true that all civilized nations have
always considered drunkenness as
a partial justification or excuse for
the commission of crime, but
whether it ought to be SO consid-
cred or not, is another question.
The chief reason for viewing it
thus, is that it takes away reason
and destroys the capacity to esti-
mate the consequences of ones
own action. In other words it con-
verts a rational human being into
a wild and savage heart. This
strikes us as no reason at all why
the drunken criminal should not be
punished as severely as the sober.
On the contrary it impresses the
conviction very forcibly on our
minds that a crime committed UNI
der the influence of drunkenness
should be punished more severely
on that very account; for a man
who voluntarily makes himself a
lunatic and then commits the deed
Of a lunatic, has committed two
crimes-one against himself and
one against his neighbor-and is
therefore doubly capable. The OBJ
ject Of punishment is mainly to
prevent crime, and the law ought
TO be SO administered as to subserve
that purpose; but if sentimental
emotional reasons are to contin-
ne 10 sway judges and juries In
the future as much as they have In
the past, IL is questionable wheth-
er there will ever be any decrease
in crime committed under the in-
fluence IA emotional ar drunken
insanity
Martinsburg weekly independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1873-1875, 1874-07-25

Hon. Charles j. Faulkner de-
livered an address in this city on
Tuesday evening last, on Popular
Education, which for beauty OF
diction and sublimity Of concep-
tion is rarely equaled, even by the
most accomplished orators and
erudite scholars. He spoke for
more than two hours, greatly de-
lighting his intelligent hearers,
With his easy manner, elegant style
and mastery eloquence. We re-
greet the lack ofspace forbids that
we should even lay before our
readers a synopsis Of the scholarly
production. = Piedmont IN q ep en-
dent.
Martinsburg weekly independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1873-1875, 1874-07-25

II has been urged that one OF
the chief dangers of our republic is
in the existence Of the professional
politicians and Office seekers, ON the
ground that men ,,s,c,. in office are
apt To use every corrup;ing influ-
ence 81 heir command 10 retain
whatever easy berth they may
have fallen into.
Whatever may be the opinion
on the gravity OF the danger, land
and some may estimate il far too
lightly Of the existence Of men
who make otiice-seeking profess
sion, there can he no question.
Just as one can, nine times out
of ten, tell the gambler by the cut
of his coat and the flash Of his jew
elry, the jockey by his racing tot
let and smell of the stables, so can
we tell the professional in
the other ami less noble
field by the clap-trap utter
ances of his public speeches and
papers.
Ii he happens to be a man of
wealth, he generally owns a news
paper not in his own name that is
not polite, but one over which
he holds such convenient sway,
that it stands like country sign
post, ever In sunshine and storm,
pointing it. ii0gers to him,
his greatness and The cOun-
try's need of his services. Let
an office be vacated, or ii new
one created,a and he at once yields
to the solicitations Of many
friends and submits himself to
the people. And so it goes; for
ever yielding, forever submitting,
till at last he yields himself to
death, and submits himselfto the
grave all the more unwilling be-
cause in eternity he has no reasan
to suppose there are offices for him
to fill.
Martinsburg weekly independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1873-1875, 1874-07-25

The earth, on our part of it, is
dry and parched, but the Austria
liam mali brings accounts Of plenty
of rain on the other side. At
Melborne as much as 1854 inches
had fallen this year to the middle
Of April, the average for the peri
cd being only $40 inches. Five
inches of rain fell in a fortnight in
March. People on their way to
the new Palmer diggings in
Queensland were shut in between
swollen rivers. unable either to
proceed or return. They killed
their horses for food, and were in
danger Of starvation.
Some interesting facts are given
as to the water-supply of ancient
Rome. Nineteen aqueducts trav-
ersed the city. the largest of which
brought water from a distance of
forty miles. These aqueducts,
which were made of stone, bent
at an angle every hal mile, in or
der to break the force of the wa
ter, and at each angle there was a
large reservoir WITH a filter appar-
atus at its outlet. Some of these
pipes are still in use, being six
feet in height and two feet wide.
The new water company at Rome
has tried iron pipes, but they
burst so frequently that it is
thought the ancient method will
have to be reverted to.
Martinsburg weekly independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1873-1875, 1874-07-25

The offer of a reward of so, 900
10y Mayor Stoke. of Philadelphia
for the arrest and conviction of the
abductors of Charles Brewster Ross
and the restoration of the boy to
his parents, evinces something like
a proper idea of the Importance of
this case. The interest which every
family has In breaking up so me-
farious a business in its very incep-
ton, should alone be sufficient to
induce evey one 10 render all the
assistance in his power to the off,
GERS of the law, By communicating
information and otherwise; but
the offer of SO large a reward will
induce many to devote to the quest
OF these Williams an amount Of time
and labor which they would not
otherwise have felt able to afford,
and If any clue exists, it will
probably be industriously followed
up.
Martinsburg weekly independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1873-1875, 1874-07-25

SPECIAL to The Indep rden.l
WHEELING, July 70. The
Court Of Appeals to-day rendered.
their decision in the Stander MUIR
der case awarding him q new
trial and sending the case back to-
the county court for examination
In the case Of the State against
John Tolerfero from Berkeley
county a Supersedeas was awardeA
by the Court. ID.
Martinsburg weekly independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1873-1875, 1874-07-25

IMPROVEMENT IN BUSINESS. -
Slowly but steadily business of
nearly all kinds is improving, and
our streets are beginning to wear
their usually lively appearance.
This is owing to the generally
bountiful crops of the country, es-
pecially of wheat, with the good
prospect of corn and partly to the
fact that people of all classes are
beginning to feel that there was
not any great cause for the late
panic, and the country is not as
near the brink of ruin as many
thought. With a little patience,
mutual forbearance and confidence
in each others business, men in
town and the people of the country
will find themselves again OH the
high road to general prosperity.
Martinsburg weekly independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1873-1875, 1874-07-25

One day last week Andrew Shea
was killed in the railroad yard at
Grafton. He was formerly a clerk
in the hotel at Grafton, when un-
der the management of our old
friend, j. w. Hooper. His remains
were taken to Baltimore for inter
ment.
Martinsburg weekly independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1873-1875, 1874-07-25

We learn from reliable sources
that the prospect for a good yield
OF wheat and oats Is excellent.
While there is a promise of a. good
crop OF corn, all depends upon the
season.
Martinsburg weekly independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1873-1875, 1874-07-25

The action ofthe Council IN re-
placing the garbage earl, was wise.
No precantion looking to cleanli-
ness of the crowded part of the
town can with safety be neglected.
Martinsburg weekly independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1873-1875, 1874-07-25

No USE TO TRY.--A few days
ago chap from East or somewhere
else, came to our city with d new
window fastener. but not did take
him long to find out that i was Of
no use for him TO try to compete
with Addison, and he left as sud-
denly as he came.
Martinsburg weekly independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1873-1875, 1874-07-25
LOCAL NEWS.
THE WEEKLY INDEPENDENT
Has a circulation more than DOUBLE
that ofany otherpaperpublishedin
the county.

We learn that the Peep els Ma
tional bank have determined to
erect vault in their room in
Scheu's new building, as an addi-
tional security against fire and
burglars.
Martinsburg weekly independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1873-1875, 1874-07-25

Mai. John A. Hartman died in
Stanton on Monday night. He
was, during the late war, chief
Quartermaster of Stonewall Jack
sons Corps.
Martinsburg weekly independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1873-1875, 1874-07-25


A SAD ACCIDENT AT WATKINS
GLEN. The Elmira Admirer gives
the following account of the sad
accident at Watkins Glen, which
resulted in the death of a very es-
Unable young lady, Miss Ruth
Van Etten, of Auburn: She came
out with az excursion party of a
dozen or more companions, arriv-
ing at the Glen about noon. The
accident happened little above
the second stairway from the en-
tr nee to the Glen. The Glen is
narrow at that point, with precip-
itous sides rising many feet from
the bottom. The pathway is quite
narrow, too, but we should think
sufficiently protected by stout
railing to forbid any ear of dan
ger or any thing untoward hap
nening Miss Van Etten stood
leaning on this railing looking into
the abyss below. In some unac-
countable manner--either some
loose dirt or slippery stone being
the cause--she lost her footing and
slid down between the lower rail
of the railing and the edge of the
precipice into the gorge below
She first struck on the rockson the
opposite side, but bounded back
to the same side down which she
fell, distance in all of at least
ninety-five feet. She was literally
dashed to pieces at the bottom, her
neck being broken and her brains
being crushed from her head
She was taken to her home
on the return boat. The
young woman was we'll con-
nected and highly spoken of, and
her untoward fate has cast a feel
ing Of gloom through every circle
whore it was known. She was
about rs years of age.