davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1876-11-25
NO. 48.
The Nail District of Birmingham.

On q murk winters night, in the
olden time, when the fires from the
blast furnaces, and the lurid flames of
some ignited pit mound, were all aglow,
the music of the mailing hammers of
Birmingham, England, might be heard
all the country round. From the little
huts or sheds, dotted here and there
upon the broken landscape, with an
utter absence of order or convenience,
as though the mighty geological opera
tions underneath had shaken them into
the most unlikely places, the CLEAN of
the hearth fires would shine from the
open shutters, and the merry songs of
the workers, male and female, sung at
the very topmost pitch of their voices,
might be heard mile away. Up to ten
or eleven o'clock at night would these
sounds continue-no unusual circum-
stance in district where labor never
seems to rest, but where the roaring
furnaces and the great rolling wheels go
on increasingly day and night. Through
the open loophole, the whole art and
mystery of nail making could be wit
messed by any passer-by. The mailer
would have the ends of three or four
rods in the fire, and taking out the one
which had been in longest, after pull
or two at the bellows to bring it to a
Welding heat, he would taper down the
point upon his anvil, at the same time
making a shoulder for the head. He
would then hold it over chisel or cut
ting punch, stuck upright at the side of
his anvil, and, giving it one tap with his
hammer, cut it halfway through, an
iron stop in front of the punch giving
him the exact guage for the length.
He would then turn down the point of
the half-severed nail into steel instru-
ment called bore (the top of which
ormed mold for the head, and twist
it off, and then, with few smart blows,
he would beat it down until the head
was spread out sufficiently, and assumed
the required shape, the nail just turning
from red to black as he gave it the
finishing tap. As his rods got too short,
he would weld or "shut" two of them
together, and put new rod in the fire /;
and SO on, with the regularity of clock
work, probably, in thousand nails, not
one varying the number of blows upon
each,
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1876-11-25
The Price Of Beef.

The New York Times has the follow
ing If American beef can be sent from
here to England distance of three
thousand miles-and retailed in the
London market for nine pence, say
seventeen cents per pound, surely it
should not sell here for from twenty to
thirty cents per pound. And be it re-
membered, only the very choicest Ohio,
Indiana, Kentucky, and Missouri cattle
are used for export; the common sort,
more especially rough Texans, being
excluded. This promising addition to
our export trade is comparatively new,
constantly growing, and is likely soon to
attain vast proportions. It has already
attained an average of about one hun
dred carcases a day-roughly estimated
at $75 per carcase-making total daily
export amounting in value to $500.
Is it not monstrous anomaly that
American beef should be retailed in
London at lower rates than are charged
for it here2 All cotton goods show q
great advance and decline from the be-
ginning of the war down to the present
time. New York Mills, which sold for
twelve and half cents in 1861, and arc
offered for the same price per yard to-
day, we're advanced to eighty cents at
one time during the war. Wamsutta
goods, which sold for twelve cents a
yard in 1861, were advanced to seventy
cents in war times, pnd are now offered
at the old price. Printed cotton goods
or calicoes are selling to-day in the lower
standard grades at reduction from the
prices of 1860. Merrimacks, which sold
for ten and twelve cents yard in 1860,
and twenty light and thirty cents dur
ing the war, are now offered retail at six
and quarter cents yard. Gamers
sell to day at six and quarter cents a
yard, the same price as in 1861, and so
on throughout the whole catalogue.
Prime cuts of beef sold before the war
for twelve and half cents per pound.
To-day they are selling st from twenty
to thirty cents per pouI5 IN this market.
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1876-11-25
Cost Of Making a President.


"The American people," said an
English writer on our politics, sis per-
petually voting for some election or
other" Somebody, it might be added,
has to bear the expense of these per-
petual elections. Just what the expense
is, in general canvass like that which
has Just drawn to close, it is difficult
to estimate with any approach to ac-
curacy for there are no statistics ex-
tant upon the subject, and the politicians
who plan and conduct campaigns are
naturally reticent upon such matters.
1t is plain, however, that there must be
a heavy outlay of money. The printing
and distributionof campaign documents,
the rental of public halls, the pay of
stump speakers, the purchase of ban
ners, torches, uniforms and other para
phernalia the expense of postage and
telegraphing-all these are necessary
outlays, and when the extent to which
they are carried throughout the country
is borne in mind it becomes very ap-
parent that the aggregate must be enor-
nous. A paragraph has lately been go
ing the rounds of the press, to the
effect that the strenuous campaign in
Indiana preparatory to the recent State
election consumed ten million dollars.
This is, of course, wild exaggeration,
based upon mere random guess. An
estimate that seems to us not far from
the truth places the average cost of a
Presidential election at about one mil
lion five hundred thousand dollars for
each of the great opposing parties, or q
total of three million dollars. Accept
ing this as within the bounds of prob
ability, it would seem that the expense
of putting a President into the White
House is fifteen times greater than the
whole amount of salary paid to the in
cumbent during his term of four years.
Calling the population of the country
about forty millions this would be
equivalent to tax of seven and one
half cents head for every man, woman
and child in the United States. The
maintenance of the court of France for
the first year of the second empire was
less than two cents per head of the popu-
lation. 1t appears that the cost OF
making President may be greater than
that of keeping prince.
The expense of our elections, how
ever, are borne mainly by voluntary
contribution. The burden falls chiefly
on wealthy partisans who expect to
share in some way the benefits ensuing
from the election of their candidate. 1t
takes the form of tax only in the case
of Office holders, who are assessed for
election expenses by the party in power.
The burden touches the people re-
motely and indirectly, if at all, while in
reality they derive an actual and i'm
mediate benefit. The various devices
by which their sympathy and support
are solicited awaken more active inter
est in public affairs, and the masses
thereby acquire the rudiments of politi,
cal education, instead of remaining in
apathy and ignorance of the condition
of the country and the administration OF
the government. Great as the costs OF
our elections may be, they cannot be
lamented as an unmitigated burden upon
the people. .-NesO York Herald.
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1876-11-25
Novelties in Millinery.

Glove kid is coming into use for bon
nets, says Harper's BazGr. A very few
have been imported, but they are pre-
ferred by Parisiennes to the finest felts
or even velvet. One of pale rose pink
has the fine rose kid drawn smoothly
over the frame and trimmed with os-
trich tips and gros grain of the same
shade.
The Benoiton, or scarf of silk passed
under the chin, is another novelty. This
is q long width of soft twilled silk,
either cardinal red, cream, or other
shade of the trimming of the bonnet,
and is in many cases bordered with fur.
1t is sewed to the back of the bonnet low
down On the crown, is passed around to
the front, muffiing the neck, and is fas-
tened on the left side. Silver fox fur or
else marabout feathers trim the hand
soonest Benoitons. The square figured
basket woven silks are also used for this
purpose.
Some of the newest French hats, espe-
cially those of plush or felt, have an
edge of fur that borders the face; gray
and black furs are most used.
White plush, velvet, or soft felt hats
chosen for dress by young ladies who
dress richly. They have broad crowns,
high but not pointed, are very short be-
hind, and are trimmed around the crown
with plated scarf. For face trimming
is dark velvet of some becoming shade,
or else fringe of ostrich feathers very
much curled. The newest French felts
are of the tilleul shade, a greenish cream
tint, trimmed with the same color, and
contrasted with pale blue or with dark
damask red. Cream colored felts have
cardinal pufings under the brim, with
many upturned loops of ribbon outside;
the ends of the ribbon are also turned
upward, and are cut into five or six saw
teeth points. The pointed Mother
Goose crowns and one sided bonnets
have become so commonly worn that
fashionable milliners are furnishing
their customers with more quiet looking
bonnets with broader crowns, or else
regular capotes. Felt bonnets are very
popular, notwithstanding the outcry
against them made at the beginning of
| the season.
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1876-11-25
Yankee vs.. jap.

Looking at the pottery in the Japan
ese bazaar, says q Centennial letter
writer, I espied a flower pot which
struck my fancy, and I inquired the
price.
-Four dollaire," was the response of
the youthful Jap.
The price suiting as we'll as the arti-
Gle, I determined to take it on my way
out, and in the afternoon again ap
preached the bazaar with that object.
This time there was o leathery old Ori-
entail in attendance, with face like that
of a wrinkled old monkey, who, being
asked the price, answered:
Eight dollaire %
"No," I said, throwing up four
fingers, it was four dollars this morn
ing"
The old heathen opened mouth like
a slit in side of sole leather, and dis
playing row of yellow fangs, ejacu-
lated
"Oh, noa, he is eight dollaire."
AS retreated, noticed in the little
garden which surrounds the bazaar the
same kind of flower pot, in some oi
which were plants, and tried the Gus.
todian of these, q sober, chestnut com.
plexioned Jap.
How much are those2"
"Six dollaire.
Again I explained they were four dol
lars in the morning, but was only an
swered by quiet grin, and
"Six dollaire."
Approaching the bazaar once more,
waited until the withered old swindlel
was called away for few minutes, ant
then hailing the youngest and mos
amiable faced Jap l could select,
touched the flower pot and asked:
"How much ?"
The youthful son of Japan picked i
up, looked at it, trying to estimate it
value, and then turning to me said, evi
IDENTIFY at hazard
"Four dollaire an half"
And carried it off at the fourth pric,
at which it had been offered me during
the day.
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1876-11-25
A Law Abiding Citizen.

A little old lady, wrapped with blanket
hawls almost to suffocation. stepped off
rom one of the ferry boats at Detroit
md appeared desirous of interviewing
bme person. As there were no hand
|oxes, baskets, or bundles visible, the
|1stcm house officers paid no attention
her until after she had fingered on
he wharf for fully half an hour. AT
list an officer inquired if shew was looking
Pr any person, and she replied that she
lad been making some purchases
cross the river, and wanted some of the
|overnment chaps to inspect the goods. y
PR. Thompson offered to perform the
Prvice, when he was gratified with 6
few of two kittens whose eyes were moi
( et open. Suffice it to say, no duty was
emanded.
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1876-11-25
Animals In a Cyclone.

A Key West correspondent of the
Baltimore Americas, giving an account
Of the terrible cyclone which the United
States vessel Ossipee recently encoun-
tered at sea, says: The effect of the
storm on the animals on board was Pc
iliar. The cats disappeared on the
i orning before the storm and have not
nee been seen. The only dog is
aniel, splendid pointer, owned by
he captain. He exhibited the greatest
read at being left alone, and was only
bpeased when some one was petting
m. The hens and turkeys, usually the
ost hungry and voracious and quarrel
bme beasts on board, forgot their hun
pr and barely opened their eyes when
pod was thrown them. Two birds,
bobos," q species of pelican, came on
oard while we were lying in the vortex.
They must have been drawn down while
ttempting to fly over us. The parrot
Eas the only person on board who
eemed at all to enjoy the surroundings.
Phe talked, Whistled and laughed in the
fternoon when the barometer had COM
aenced to rise. Much personal prop.
rty was destroyed by the seas that got
pto the staterooms, in spite Of all pre-
buttons. Most everybody lost from one
b two caps and from one to three suits
clothes. The ship herself after the
torn was over had most dilapidated
appearance, much worse than any evel
Rw after going through severe battle
But we are all very grateful that we
assed through the ordeal. Other yes
els, I fear, Jared much worse, as We
ave seen considerable debris, evidently
rom the wreck of vessels.
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1876-11-25
The Absent One.

On, silence of the night, whose voice alone is
sweet,
When hers is lost to me
Mysterious ray that falls about the mossy
feet
OF yonder shading tree
Tell me if that her eye, when others soundly
sleep,
Rekindles soft its sun,
And il my darling friend, while my vigil
keep,
Recalls the absent onel
When in the blue aloft the moon foods with
her light
The forest and the sky
What time the bells that to the vesper prayer
invite,
Chime and vibrate and die
Tell me il that her soul to their sweet har-
mony
Responds in unison,
And if to her that chime of peaceful melody
Recalls the absent onel
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1876-11-25
A French Love Story,

Marie Gauthier, a-rich heiress, be-
tween fifteen and sixteen years of age,
who lived with her parents at st. Me-
dard, was the object of many hopes
among the eligible young men of the
neighborhood. In addition to these.
one especially ineligible sighed for the
gilded beauty. His name was Theophile
Parceau, his age eighteen, and his
parents were humble cultivators of a
small farm. His education had been
good, but feeling that he could nothope
to obtain the consent of the girls faith
er, he entered his household as a SER
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1876-11-25

The Detroit Free Press reports that q
careful estimate by competent old ladies
shows that the number of Detroit girls
who daily go ont after autumn leaves is
AGO. The number who get any leaves
is nineteen; ;sthe number who find beaux
and forget all about autumn is 451.
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1876-11-25

STOPPED FooL1Na. .--Atthe opera house
Cincinnati, one of the attendants at
nenagerie played trick upon the ele-
ant. He offered the animal a quid of
! bacco, which was thankfully received.
thin quarter of an hour the young
gentleman fell victim to retributive
Justice. While he was standing in the
center of small group the elephants
trunk wound about him and tossed him
into the air.
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1876-11-25

Ask your purse, not your pride, what
you shall buy. Let not desire to excel
your neighbor in display run you into
lavish expenditure. There is no foible
30 attractive for the time as extrava
gance. People call it iberality, noble
ness of spirit, and enlarged views; they
look on with admiration. e thaY "a = :
brilliant display of firsW4z, hzk III
fire once spent, then esIi.sS Ha Ee'az
ton.
The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1876-10-17
WASHINGTON NOTES.

=.
,o".r.,uI,,o"v ,n.rS.s W"a,,.
Durncs Appontcd Postmaster az
Nhrr""" -- 'h"mhcri"in's Appiie"'
Wv" '"'' '""'N :" Nv "'''"'"'"'
WASHINGTON, ott"oer Io'-OiIlcla'
reports 10 the Department OF Agricul-
lure lhuirH'c " reaction III the condl-
"'h OF COTTON curing the last month
III zen u lnc pr'h'lP"' STATES from
V-'' 20 Oct me o''ooer average Tor
thes' states VAS ~ III 1870 III 1874 IL
was - lht'' Is small advance III
IeNaS' me hBoreS Tor the states are
rs ''i'""S' N"''n '"'"'l''h, o. 0"u'h
Natolina' ~ georgia, soi PIorid", ooi
N'"U"m", "i MISSISSIPPI y Lou'sI'
ana ~ ems u ARKANSAS, 90 rem
h'SS'', W. tennessee ana leN"s' II
The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1876-10-17
There are over six hundred lunaties

There are over six hundred lunatics
in the Georgia asylum.
AT the st. Louis Fair, the $500 pre-
MUM Tor the best bale OF cotton was
awarded TO Arkansas
Large quantities of gold and silver
coin are now being received at New
York from various parts OF Europe.
The ST. Lawrence Is the only river
in the world which enjoys the SYM
metry of having its head larger than
its mouth.
The owners Of guns paid into the
British treasury during the last tinan-
cial year nearly 800, 900 in the form of
license taxes.
Twenty.nine thousand dollars have
heen received from Virginia City
New milling saloon In one year in
the way of license. The money la
collected monthly, aud gambling Is
not restricted at all.
A laborer of Hlberpian extraction
was, not long since, lamentiDg the
hard time, and drawing for contrast
u bright picture of his home In the old
country. "Ah,n said he, finally, "av
was only back again In my fathers
wallis.p A jolly fellow workman
squinted dis eye, and replied: "Sure,
an av We wur there, you molght sthan'
on the groun' an reach yer ham down
the chimbley an open the door av It,"
The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1876-10-17

est cheapest and meanest quality that
can be round In any market. During
the nine days | was there | was Civ en-
little else than bread aud coffee aud
tea There was sugGr aud molssSes
in the building, but none vas glv,u
theinmates. There We're some dcicaclts
orderered for one of the sick, who
needed some such nourishment, but
the superintendent would not allow liz
purchase, But IA poor as the provi-
sions are, they are much better than
the treatment received at the hands OF
the man VINO SO outrareously aud In.
humanity abuses his position, make
this statement that the public may
know how the city hospital IL man
aged There are others who will ties
tify 20 the same thing. II ought to be
remedied. HENRY sCHERNIKA.
The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1876-10-17
BOLD BURGLARY.


THE Inmates 0fH ssOHSC ChlOTOfO med
ana Robbed,
At a late hour last night Officer Duff
informed ~ that about two 0'cIocl, the
inmates Of the house of colored
woman named Saline Williams, who
lives ON Elm street, near the Metho-
dist Tabernnclp, were chlOrOt0rmed
and robbed. The thieves administered
the auWsthe,ic ~ means of a bHudl,er-
chief ,n;uftd with tie drug, which
they fastened 10 n plank some ten feet
in length, with nails driven in the
end Of it. This they thrust through
an open window and applied /, to
their victims, aud when completely
under its influence, they emit red and
proceeded to ransnck the house. They
were seen by parl.n1 living aenr by,
but before officers could be summoned
for their arrest they escaped with
their booty, consisting Of pair of
earring number Of shirts,
towels, sheets and blankets raere
were Two OF the thieves, both white
men. Omccr Duff IS certain he
has them spotted and viii effect their
arrest
The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1876-10-17
The DEATH Sentence.
Terrell star.

lAtiA'l pbuisl
On Monday morning last, Eugene
Catchings aud Bill Payne, the negroes
convicted Of the murder Of John Love
between this place and Lawrence q
short time since, were brought into
Court to receive the sentence OF death.
AT nine O'clock the prisoners entered
the courtroom under strong guard.
On being asked by the Judge II they
had anything to say why sentence
should not be pronounced against
them, Bill Payne said the trial had
not been just one. That they had
not expected To be brought To trial this
session of the Court. That they had
many witnesses that had not been
summoned.' lie expressed u wish for
another trial. Catchings appeared
uneoncerned aud refused to speak.
Judge Clark then proceeded 10 pro-
nounce the sentence. He noticed tho
strange fortunes of the negro race and
their sudden elevation from slavery To
the privileges and responsibilities OF
citizenship. He spoke Of the untortu-
nate tendency of their race to indo-
lence and consequently TO crime, OF
Nuttt Wuht vi ilhiui anu
intellectual culture. He next reviewed
the testimony in clear, mastery, yet
pathetic manner, and reminded them
of the age, poverty and decrepitude OF
their helpless victim. He painted to
them In burning language the scene Of
the murder, the brutal attack, the rob-
berry and the flames. or their flight
from the blazing building and of the
unerring pursuit OF the officers of the
law. or their arrest, generation,
confession and trial. OF the prompt
ness of the citizens OF this county to
protect them against the vengeance OF
passionate mot. He next spoke OF
their final trial In the District
Court. OF the manner In which the
jury was obtained, and reminded
them that every witness, either
OF them had demanded had been
brought into court. He reminded
them that able attorneys had been APP
pointed for their defence aud that
everything that could have been done
for them was cheerfully performed.
The Judge then spoke of the certain
character Of the evidence and declared
that no rational mind could have
heard 1t and adjudged them innocent.
He closed by pronouncing the usual
sentence OF death, and as he informed
them that ON Friday, the3d of Novem-
Der next, between the hours of 10 In
the morning and in the evening,
they should he hanged by the neck
until they were dead, and prayed AL
mighty God to extend to them more
mercy than they had allowed to their
feeble old victim, tue hitherto stolid
features OF Catchings relaxed In u
spasmodic effort to retain composure,
aud he dropped his head. Payne
showed no outward signs of fear or ex-
element, but remained apparently UNI
concerned. AT the command of the
Judge they were moved back TO jail,
where they are IN irons, confined
within the cage and doubly guarded.
The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1876-10-17
CITY nSEIT&E.


"A Ertpgicu NhN w no S1HlhAs rae HAS
Been skisiEeH'ed.
We were called on yesterday by II
person who wished Us to publish what
he desired to say about alleged ILL.,
treatment received at the City Hospi-
tai. We know nothing of the truth Of
the statement, and would be 10th to
believe such condition of affairs ex-
lists. We give il so that IL o wrong has
been committed il may be remedied;
1t il untrue, that it may be refuted
was crippled between Weather
ford and Dallas by having my foot
crushed by wagon, and on my arri-
val in this city, being in needy orcum-
stances, ! went to the city hospital to
receive proper treatment, and remain
until | was able To earn II living,
This institution for charity, is under
the supervision of II man named Wal
lace, whose treatment OF those who
are so unfortunate 40 to be taken there,
renders him uniitto preside over IT,
complain no more fer myself than for
the other lame aud halt who have
been consigned 90 the place; hut were
| to relate alt that tran-pir,d white |
was there, II wouI luror he mdigua-
ton of all The rl,iiNa,hropit people 81
this city.
will pass over some things that !
saw many things that ought not to be
| tolerated in civilized community.
But there was one man, who had HE
leg broken, and who was suffering the
most circulating pains, and when he
was raised to dress his wounds, he was
handled so roughly that he moaued
and begged piteously for treatment,
and his appeal was met with curses.
II | am rightly informed, the people
OF this city are taxed to provide whole,
some food for its homeless sick.
learn that ak cents 10 allowed FOL
beef, yet even tho small amount occa
lsionally given us Is of the very poor