davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1877-05-31
A New Kind of RailrOad-the Pioneer
Railway How it is COnstructed-Its
Cheapness and Durability.

A new kind of railroad has been suggest
ed by some English capitalists and engin-
GERS. The plan proposed is called "the
Pioneer Railway" and consists of a low
fence or continuous girder, constructed of
wood OF iron, as desired, supported on edge
upon posts or pillars, and surrounded by a
single rail (not single line of rails), the
engine, coaches and cars running on this
rail, and sitting astride of the fence, after
the fashion of the pannIers or packs on a
camel or a mule. As any incline up to one
in ten is possible, in consequence of the
method of driving adopted, no expensive
surveys are required; nor levels, except of
the most simple kind. tits estimated that
with the railway made entirely in iron the
cost will not exceed $500 per mile, in
cluding the proportion of rolling stock.
By abandoning entirely the use of vertical
adhesion this system Is entirely independ-
ent of weight is as far as driving power is
concerned and hence locomotive engines
can be made as light as is consistent with
obtaining the necessary power from them.
| The horizontal grip is given by mechanical
appliances, which affords the means OF
varying the amount of pressure at will, in
proportion to the gradient to be traversed
and therefore to the load to be drawn. A
light locomotive engine on this system
means a light construction of road, but 10,
necessarily, as in the narrow gauge systems
a seriously diminished proportion of traffic
hauled by it. The weight ia, as nearly as
possible. uniform throughout the train, and
amounts, when loaded, to from Is to 2;
cwt per wheel.
The "Pioneer" is thus a homogeneou
caravan, all the links of it being of simila
weight, and the road to carry it being con
structed at an outlay governed by the ma
ture of the traffic, and in no way measured
by the arbitrary weight of conventiona
locomotive, whose dead weight alone woul'
equal that of whole 'Pioneer," freigh
: included. 1t possesses the very importan
I element, from commercial point of view
, of providing supply never in excess c
the demand; freight stations and porter
passenger stations and signals, will not b
required, there will be no points of cross
It lngs, derailment is impossible, and no ou
:. lay for fences, hedges, or retaining well
:, need be incurred, because in public an
!, exposed places, as we'll as for the passage
II roads and rivers the viaduct is raised
F. any required height. The main intentio
v underlying the plan is to provide moo
- Of communication and transport which
:, cheap, elastic, and efficient, having 10
Il first cost, easily and rapidly erected and r
3. moved, and being cupable of paying wit
h the scattered or meagre traffic to be obtai
y ed from thinly populated and undevelopc
countries.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1877-05-31
Success and Suicide.

from the Philadelphia Saturday Evening Post-l
The road from prosperity to suicide is
more direct than would be supposed By a
superficial observer. The occurrences of
few years past throw much ghastly light
along the way over which men have rush
ed to ruin.
It can scarcely have escaped the notice of
any newspaper reader that the prevalence
of self.destruction has alarmingly increas-
ed, and that a large proportion of the un-
happy victims have been led or driven
thereto by reverses of fortune. Very few
of the sufferers were of the class who had
always been poor, or in moderate circum-
stances.
Is it true then that as part of the price of
obtaining great wealth, one must accept
the risk of self-murder? 1t certainly dose
appear SO, and not without much reason
therefor. To secure large possessions
man must give himself wholly to the work
| One who has himself succeeded, and who
| has occupied position specially favorable
! for observation, at the head of & metropol-
/ itan journal declares to be rich one must
work Is hours day for 20 years. Right
| here is seen the first item in the risk. Not
one'in a hundred can stand such strain;
he will'be broken in health by it, ard most
likely will be subject to brain disorder,
very frequently resulting in suicide, even
if no reverse of fortune is experienced.
There is another fearful elemen. of dan
ger When the whole soul is possessed by
any object, It's loss is proportionally disas-
trous. If the pursuit OF money is allo we
to engross the thoughts, swallow up the
affections and in weave itself with the
whole life, what must happen when disas-
ter sweeps away that which for years has
been thus a part of the man himself? Just
what happens to the arch when the key
stone is removed, or to the tree when its
roots are severed.
With these facts known, it is easy to see
why there should be such an alarming in
crease of ruin in this form, especially in
this country. Nowhere else have there
been such temptations and such opportun-
tiles for rapid acquisition, and never has
the hold upon wealth been more uncertain.
Those money giving institutions which to-
, day are the dazzling successes, and seem
solid as the hills, tomorrow are smitten as
with resistless flood, and are swept away
with their ruined victims clinging to their
J fragments The more powerful the boiler
and the more massive the machinery, the
more fearful the explosion, and wide
spread the wreck. Great risk and grea
) gain are ever Swallowed by great ruin.
Let those who love life ponder.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1877-05-31
Good Advice.

The Maj Farmer says: "First enrich
all the ground you can, and while you are
at it enrich it we'll. Then plant what you
can take good care of and no more. If it is
weedv do not SOW wheat on the other half
acre. If you try to smother weeds with
wheat you will learn that two can play at
that game Plant your weediest land and
then hoe it. Clean cultivation for crop is
like extra feed for an animal. It gives that
increased yield that makes the operation
pay. Here in Maine we do not work large
fields enough TO make it profitable TO give
weeds as good chance as we do the crop
by half hoeing both; advice from New
York to the contrary Notwithstanding
Whether you plant one or two acres of corn
plant beans and pumpkins with it. Then
they will get hoed when the corn does. I do
not think it need to, or often does, make
half the difference in the yield of corn that
the Farmer called it; and as for the bother
/ it is our business to be bothered. 1t is the
little bothers that make the difference be
tween profit and loss"
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1877-05-31
THE DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION.

The Democratic County Convention held
in this place on Monday last was one Of
the largest ever held in the county. The
convention was organized in the morning
and the different committees appointed,
after which they adjourned until ! o'clock.
At the hour appointed the hall was crowd
ed, and the convention Immediately pro-
ceeded 10 business. The platform amounts
to nothing. The party organs" and the
favored few" were left to reap a harvest
from the sweat of the honest laborers OF
Perry county undisturbed. Almost every
one we met had a complaint TO lay in
against the management of the affairs Of
the county, but the convention refused any
relief. After the adoption Of the,platform
the balloting for Representative was next
in order. There was thirty nine ballots
which lasted until about II o'clock at night
when Curtis Trovinger received a MAORI
iy Of all the votes cast and was declared
the nom inee.
The next Office to be filled was that O
IIOseCuLluR AtO'bey. MI IluumdI dHC
Mr.. Burgess being the only two candi.
dates before the convention. Mr.. Burgess
withdrew and Mr.. Huffman was nominated
by acclamation.
There we're four candidates for the offic,
Of Treasurer. Ten ballots were had, anC
on the 10th ballot, Noah Karr received six
ty two votes and Isaac Weaver 50.
Mr.. Plank, Of Hopewell township, wa
nominated for Commissioner. Mr.. Planl
is highly spoken Of by all who know him
as being a suitable man for this office, an
that he will be thorn in the sides of tn
Professional Bridge Builders"
Mr.. Stinchcomb was nominated for Au
ditor by acclamation. Mr.. Moore was al
80 nominated BY acclamation, for the ofic
Of Recorder.
James ]. Dolan received the nominatio
for Infrmary Director.
Arthur McCourtney was nominated 70
Surveyor.
The convention was in session unit
o'clock on Tuesday morning. The dele
gates we're worn out, and the candidates n
turned to their homes, having learned
lesson from the tricky politicians.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1877-05-31
Sewing Machine Monopoly Ended.
Washington Special to Commercially

Washington Special to Commercially
At noon tomorrow the great monopoly
ON sewing machines expires, and from that
time forward the most improved machine
will be sold for at least one-third of the
former prices. The only patents on all
sewing machines that will remain in force
will be on the minor details. The vital
points, such as the vibrating needle and re-
ciprocating shuttle, the vibrating needle
and rotating hook, continuous feed in
connection with the above, whether wheel
or what is known as the fore-motion feed
will expire. In other words, the combina
tion consisting ofGrover & Baker, Wheeler
& Wilson, Howe and Singer companies,
will come to an end They owned the
John Bachelor patent, which was the only
one besides the A. B. Wilson, and which
was valuable as q continuous feed motion.
The profits of this patent have been not
less than $4,000,000. In 1851 or 1852 the
combination was formed, by which the
patents belonging to the several companies
were made common use of. A stipulation
was made, however, that no machine should
be sold for less than an agreed price, which
has always been about six times the first
cost. They would also license other COM
panies to manufacture machines for fee
of from three to twenty dollars per ma
chine, according to the number manufac,
tured, and then only when the combination
price was adhered to in the sale of the
same. So strong has been this combina.
tion that it virtually controlled the price Of
every machine in the country. The Batch.
elor patent was twice extended. A year
ago the combination raised million dol
lars to get it extended again. The ablest
lawyers in the country were retained, and
appeared before the Congressional commit
tees Since efforts have been made to get &
patent on some minor detail by which this
monopoly could be continued. 1t is tn,
testimony of any reputable person acquaint
ed with the subject that these machinei
can be turned out at cost Of $S.75, ant
that $40 at the outside for retail price
would give all hands large profit.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1877-05-31
Suggestive of a Lie.
GFrom the Austin Reveille. I

At the last session of the Sazerac Lying
Club, a modest, unassuming member closed
the tournament with one about grasshop-
pers. "What I am about TO relate amt no
lie; it's true and actual, positive fact. Once
when was in Salt Lake, during one Of the
grasshopper years, they had Drilled chicken
marked on the bill of fair at the restaurant
boarded at. Pm sorter partial to yeller
legs, and I told the waiter to bring me half
br lied chicken, which he did, as soon as
the cook had fixed it up in shape. I pro.
ceeded to eat the bird, but noticed kind
of peculiar taste to it; SO I questioned the
waiter about it; and, gentlemen, what dc
you suppose I have been eating?" Grass
hoppers !'' cried the entire club il chorus
"Not much; it was just chicken. You SEE
it was SO long since 1 had eaten CHECKER
that it tasted kinder peculiar to me-"
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1877-05-31
Hurry and High Pressure.

1t is the pace that kills; and of all forms
of overwork, that which consists in an ex-
cessive burst OF effort, straining to the
strength, and worrying to the will, hurry of
all klnds-for example, that so often need
ed to catch a train. the effort required to
complete a task of headwork within
period of time too short for its accomplish
ment by moderated energy-is injurious.
Few suffer from overwork in the aggregate:
it is too much work in too little time that
causes the break down in nineteen cases
out of twenty, when collapse occurs. Most
sufferers bring the evil on themselves by
driving off the days work until the space
allotted for its performance is past, OF much
reduced. Method in work is the great need
Of the day. If some portion of each divis.
ion oftime was devoted to the apportioning
of hours and energy, there would be less
confusion, far less hurry, and the need of
working at high pressure would be greatly
reduced, if not wholly obviated. A great
deal has been written and said of late, to
exceedingly little practical purpose, on the
subject of of"overwork. We doubt whether
what is included under this description
might not generally be more ppropriately
defined as work done in a hurry, because
the time legitimately appropriated to its
| accomplishment has been wasted or misap-
piled Hurry to catch a train generally i'm
plies starting too late. High pressure is,
says the Lancet, either the consequence OF
a like error at the outset of task, or the
penalty of attempting to compensate by in
tense effort for inadequate opportunity. II
brain is bartered for business in this fash
ion, the goose is killed for the sake of the
golden eggs, and greed works its own dis
comtiture.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1877-05-31
Care Of Breeding SOWs.

Under the head of "Talks with the
Deacon" the american Cultirator publishes
an excellent series of articles from which
we take this advice upon the above topic:
II would mix one pound of the bran and
meal with four quarts of water, and cook
thoroughly. This would give you food
containing about as much water as fresh
grass. Of this food the SOW might have
all she will drink. have known my sows
when sucking their pigs to drink, for the
first six days, forty quarts each day; per-
haps thirty quarts per day is about the
average. If you have little milk to give
with it. or greasy slops from the house, SO
much the better. Your object is to feed 80
as to enable the SOW to give as much milk
as possible. If the SOW is inclined to fat.
ten / should make the food still more
sloppy, say five quarts Of water to mix.
ture of meal and bran. The milk of such
sows is apt to be SO rich that the little MICS
cannot digest it; it comes through them
nearly the color of milk Diarrhea is sure
to follow, and this is serious injury
Warm and excessively sloppy food for the
SOW is the best preventive know Of" We
have always found it to be an important
item in the future welfare of the pig t.
make the process of weaving as gradual al
possible, so that there could be no period a
which the thrift and growth is either stop
ped or retarded. If in the life of any ami
NAL this stoppage takes place it is invaria
bly, followed by loss which can seldom. i
ever, be made good again. To avoid TIL
and fattening ofany and all kinds of stock
and if properly carried out will often in
sure comparative degree of success wber
inevitable failure would have been the re-
suit of an opposite course, Regular feed
ling is another important element of sue
! cess.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1877-05-31

Nineteen years ago the Pacific Hotel,
st. Louis, was burned, and thirty inmates
lost their lives. 1t was supposed that the
fire was started purposely, by robbers, who
plundered the rooms during the excitement
Another theory was that it was set to hide
murder. The body of a guest was found
bearing wounds that apparently had caus
ed his death previous to the conflagration
and a notorious thief was arrested on sus.
picion; but an investigation failed to bring
out evidence sufficient to convict. Interest
in the disaster is revived by letter to the
ST. Louis Republican, written by convict
in the Indiana State prison, purporting to
explain the origin of the fire. He sayt
that the incendiary was desperate known
as Raleigh Bill, now dead, whose motive
for the crime was the chance that it gave
for robbing the guests. OF course the OBJ
ject Of this real or pretended revelation
may be to gain release from prison; bu
the story is probable, and is to be officially
investigated.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1877-05-31
SOLDIERS AND SAILORS NATION
AL REUNION.
Fourth Annual Encampment.
HEADQU MARIETTA, ONO,
Nav 23i. 1871.


HEADQUARTERS, MARIETTA, ONO,
10 the Veterans of all branches Of Military
and Naral Serrice throughout The United
States:
COMRADES Three annual encampments
of the National Re- Union have been held
at Caldwell, Ohio, the last one having an
average daily attendance of $4,000. with
q States represented. The attendance
last year demonstrated that the gathering
has outgrown the place and accommoda-
tions. 1t has been decided, therefore, TO
hold the Fourth Encampment at MARI
ETA, O., SEPTEMBER 4th, 5th, 9th
and 7th, 1877, and the Executive Commit
tee hereby extend hearty invitation to
all Soldiers, Sailors and Veterans of all
grades and branches of the service. with
out distinction, to meet with us as above.
In this matter we know no politics, no
North nor South, but wish to meet upon
the broad platform of a common and united
country.
The most extensive preparations aye un-
der way to provide for the comfort and en-
tertainment Of the great gathering. The
City has offered the use of all public
buildings, parks, &c. The general Gov
ernment and the State Of Ohio have voted
US the use of artillery, tents, muskets, am
munition, battle flags, &c. The Ohio Ma
tional Guards will generally en-camp with
US, and Gov. Young, with staff, has accept.
ed an invitation to be present, and review
them. This county alone will furnish q
battalion of 800 to 1000 men for escort and
camp duty An immense Camp will be
located near the City, on the bank of the
Muskingum River.
The President, all State Governors, anG
leading civilians and military men have
been invited, and are generally expected il
camp Correspondence had with Genera
Sherman and General Cockrell (late of thu
Confederate service,) lead US to hope tina
both, SO far as they can tell now, will b.
with US, and we hope to announce other
shortly.
The exercises will consist of artillery sa
lutes, brass band contests, dress parades
experience meetings, sham battles, &c.
A boarding bureau, on the Centennia
plan, will be establishment. Those VIII
wish to go into Camp should form messe
and bring blankets, &C., along. We furnis
shelter and fuel for camp fires only, bu
will allow few sutler stores in CamI
where supplies can be had at ,reasonabl
rates.
The Executive Committee will be pleas
ed to take charge of and return to owner
at the next Re-Union, any relics of tn
late War that holders may be disposed
have returned. The return of capture
sword by Major Estes, of Texas, to Co
Archer of the 18th Iowa Regiment, at tn
Re-Union of 1875, was an interesting an
impressive ceremony.
Marietta can be reached by three leadin
6 Railroads and two navigable rivers, tt
Ohio and Muskingum Direct rail conne
ton can be made from Columbus, Clev
land, Cincinnati, Baltimore and Pittsbur
' The lowest possible excursion rates will
procured. and parties should club togeth'
9 and write for rates from their respecti'
homes. Further Information cheerful
' given upon application to the Secretary.
D. P. BOSWORTH,
. Chairman Executive Committee.
j r. B. HOOVER, Secretary.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1877-05-31
About Babies.

Different countries have different meth
DDS Of dealing with their young. The
Greenland baby is dressed in furs, and car
ried in a sort of pocket in the back of his
mothers cloak. When she is very busy,
and does not want to be bothered with him,
che digs hole in the snow, and covers him
all up but his face, and leaves him there
until she is ready to take care of him again.
The Higdoo baby hangs in basket from
the roof, and is taught to smoke long before
lac Learns to walk. Among the Western In
dians the poor little tots are tied fast to a
board, and have their heads fattened by
means of another board fastened down over
Their foreheads. In Lima the little fellow
lies all day in hammock swung from q
tree,,op, like the baby in the nursery song
silks and jewels and his head ia never mn,
covered, day or night, while in Yucatar
a pair OF scandals and straw hat are
thought to be all the clothing he needs.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1877-05-31
Cherries Workshops.

There are scores of workshops in this
and other countries that are far from at
tractive in regard to their surroundings
and interior arrangements. Many of them
are dark, crowded, dreary places, where
stated stint of labor is performed according
to a prearranged agreement for which
stipulated price is paid; and were it not for
the daily calls of wants, there would be no
incentive to labor We have seen work
shops that were dark, and damp, destroy.
ing the health and buoyancy of the spirits
of the operatives, when a small sum per-
haps would add not only warmth and light,
but fill the place with pleasant surround
! ings. The surroundings of the place of
labor have more influence upon the opera
tive than many are aware of. Give a me-
chanic clumsy tools 10 work with, a rough
dirty bench to work upon, imperfect light
scarcely elbow room, and but little care ex-
i erciSed respecting proper ventilation and
warmth, and he will become careless, his
work partaking of the character Of his sur
/ AS VIII tIliNh lilOIS Vi EGEklHS
| his wages at certain time than of the
completion of his work \ few years of
this experience will spoil any workman, no
matter how good he may be.
But give him, on the contrary, good tools
to work with, nice place in which to per-
form work, and he will insensibly take
more pains with it than in badly arrang
ed apartment. In pleasant room he will
of his own accord, keep his tools and work
in good order, and more cheerfully perform
the task assigned to him. A kind of magn
etic influence of the surroundings will in.
fuse itself into the operative, and his wor,
Will partake of that and go from him
stamped with the impress of the influence
Tins oraafoS
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1877-05-31
Fixing the Security.
From the Detroit Free Pies

A colored resident oi Detroit, who occa-
sionally lends few dollars Oh good security
was the other day invited to lend neigh
boring cobbler $50 on a note of hand run
ming thirty days. Suppose dat note comes
due and you haven't de cash?" inquired
the capitalist. But l will have" but
suppose you haven't" The cobbler could
MT get over that, and he was looking very
serious, when the capitalist got bright
idea, and said "We kin fix dat. You make
de note, you see. You may be good or you
may not be- Pm good, and we bof know it
cause here's de cash right here. You make
de note and I'll back it, I knows myself
you see, and de capitalist who won't lend
money on his own dorsement hain't no bu.
sines head on him" And they fixed it that
way.