davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-02-21
Death In tho Navy.

Many hard things have been said about
the holders of civil offices, and the crown.
ing reproach, the indication of their most
heinous offence against good manners and
the claims Of other men to their places, was
put in those words Of Thomas jefferson,
which have assumed the epigrammatic form
Of ''few die and none resign" However
true this mny still be Of the ordinary Office
holder, it cannot be said Of the gallant men
of our navy, as is pointedly exhibited in
the deaths of six rear admirals within q
few weeks. This is certainly remarkable
mortality. None Of these men were young,
however, for Admiral Alden, tho least aged
Of the number, entered the navy in 1923.
His death from an acute infammatory dis
ease was an indication that his system was
little spent by age for morbid processes
themselves have not such vigor and rapidity
in the systems of the feeble Admiral
Wilkes, however, was seventy-five, Bailey
and Davis seventy. This is a tolerably ripe
age where men have not passed lifetime
in taking care Of themselves. All of these
officers had seen great deal Of service, and
much of it hard service. They had NIL
passed through two wars Altogether.
therefore, though it seems strange Mt first
glance that so many admirnls should fall
out at once, it will not be far astray to
regard them as an accumulated number
whose days had reached their natural limit,
ouI wbosn sudden 1ccease Mt this time
rather than another is to be attributed to
the occurrence of the great variations OF
spring weather
The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-02-21
The Blues for n Cu,e.

1t is now about year since the HERALD
brought General Pleasonton's experiments
with blue glass before the public and ex-
amined the theory OF its influence upon
plants and animals. The discovery which
was then seen through glass dnrkly is
now everywhere known. Newspapers have
copied our articles, and colleges and
physicians have given the matter their scri-
GUS attention. Blue glass is now one of the
great topics of discussion we hear Of 1t in
The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-02-21

All the points of the foreign news have
peculiar suggestiveness. From Constanti-
nople we learn of the arrival of the heavy
cargo Of arms and ammunition recently ship
ped from New Haven; but with this report
comes the ominous statement that the ship
has been sadly knocked about on the stormy
seas and that the cargo is damaged"
Arms are not easily hurt, but very
little damage will hurt great deal of am
munition, and as the Turks counted greatly
on that cargo it may BIO that the effect
of the storms on the Atlantic will be felt on
the Danube. With this bit OF news comes
o confirmation from Vienna of our cable let
ter Of Sunday last on the force the Russians
have ready to take the field. Six hun
dred thousand is given by this report
as the force now actually with the
colors in the several departments likely
to be involved in the operations. Half Of
this force can march at q moments notice.
With such force in motion and the other
half organized as a reserve to support the
first line and keep it full as to numbers the
safe way for the Ottoman Empire out Of
war with Russia is not visible. Yet
another fact of the news is one of
the many that have already made
war between those Powers well nigh in
evitable. Twenty Bulgarians, accused Of
completely in the insurrectionary movement
of last year, are sentenced to twenty years
imprisonment each, and the Turkish officer
who was the author Of the Bulgarian
butcheries is promoted. Thus does the
government assume all the odium of
those acts In the British House of
Lords Earl Derby denies the position
taken by the Duke of Argyle as to the
changes in British policy toward Turkey.
If the English policy toward Turkey was
not changed in the course OF last year how
is it that England united finally with all the
other Powers in demanding that Turkey
should concede those very reforms which
were demanded in the Berlin memorandum,
the failure of which England brought about
The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-02-21
Our weather Predictions for Europe.

Our Weather Predictions for Europe.
Feeling convinced that it is possible to
make accurate predictions of the weather for
Europe, based upon the conditions that pre-
vail on this side of the Atlantic, and our
knowledge of the course of storms across the
ocean, we have given the subject considera-
BILE attention. After series of predictions,
duly published in the HERALD, and which
have been in every instance fulfilled by
the passage of severe storms over Northern
Europe within day of the time an
nounced in these columns, we decided to
warn our London and Paris bureaus by
cable of the approach Of all dangerous
storms to the British and French coasts.
On the 18th we predicted in the HERALD
heavy gale on the above named coasts
for the 10Th, and duly informed the
HERALD Bureau in London by cable
on the evening Of the 14th. We printed
yesterday morning special cable despatch
announcing that furious gale had burst
over Queenstown on the evening of
the 10Th and that the storm had ex-
tended to England, causing heavy gales
at London and Liverpool. We publish in
to-days HERALD special dispatches from
London and Paris giving details of the
ravages of the storm in England and France
and informing us of distressing loss of life
and property. This complete and remark
able fulilment of our weather prediction
made five days in advance of the arrival
of the storm on the British coasts encourages
us in the work we have undertaken, which
is one in the interest of international COM
merce The HERALD announced over month
in advance of their occurrence the probability
of destructive storms and floods in England
and France, and warned the authorities of
both countries to make proper preparation
therefor. The enormous damage caused
by these terrible visitations has justi-
fed our timely warnings The science of
meteorology is yet only in its infancy and is
capable of being made one of the most i'm
portant and useful branches ofhuman knowl-
edge. We trust that complete system of
international storm warnings will soon be
perfected. We have initiated the work and
will lend our best efforts to make it thor
oughly effective for the protection of CON-
MERGE and the limiting of the number
those disasters which involve such terrible
losses of life and property.
The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-02-21

Another case of death by hydrophobia
was reported yesterday, and one the day
before. Doubtless the attention now
given to this disease secures the report Of
every case ; but it is certain also that ut no
period has the disease been SO common
cause of death. In the case reported from
Rhode Island the kind of dog by which
the bite was given is not stated but in the
previous case reported it was the inevitable
Spitz. Authority is loosely organized with
us, and is slow to act on points that relate
to the private tastes of people except with
regard to the traffic in liquor; otherwise
steps would have been taken in some quar-
ter to subject this species of dog to the
especial supervision of the police. But surely
persons who keep dogs owe it to their own
families and to their neighbors to exercise
this supervision privately as far MS is pos
sible 1t seems to be we'll established fact
that this dog is far more liable to cause this
malady by his bite than any other dog kept
by the people. There seems abundant
reason why this should be SO if disease in
the dog is necessary condition Of the CON-
munication of hydrophobia; for the chang Of
climate to which this animal has been sub
jected is sufficient to account for such dis
ease. But if it be true, as is maintained by
some, that the virus of hydrophobia is Sc
creted in the glands of the dogs mouth as
the virus of serpent is under the mere in
fluence of excitement and without disease,
then the known irritable character of the
Spitz is fact greatly against him.
The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-02-21

TIE WEATHER-A great area of low pressure
extends over the western part Of the Atlantic
Ocean between ATTITUDES thrty-tivc and sixty
degrees north. 1t is due to the union of two
areas of low barometer Immediately off the coast.
We have already announced the probability of
bad weather over the west of Europe during the
last days of the present week, the indica-
lions warranting that conclusion. An extern
sivc area of high pressure is now moving east
ward and southwark over the Gulf, South
atlantic and Lower Middle States, in whichregions
cool and generally clear weather prevails In
the northern sections, and particularly in Mime
sofa, the barometer is falling with re-
markabc rise in temperature, while on
the Atlantic coast tho weather is cool
and partly cloudy. sharp "norther'
prevailed ON tho Texas coast during yesterday
and is now abating. Rain has fallen on the
South Atlantic coast and light snow at few
points in the British provinces. The Western
rivers have generally fallen. The weather in
New York to-day will be warmer and partly
cloudy OF clear.
The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-02-21

WALL STREET YEsTERDAY.-The market
opened something lower, but improved during
the day There was decline in Western Union,
from which it afterward partially recovered.
The coal stocks were weaker after the publica-
lion of their reports. Gold opened Mt 1O5lo,
fell to 1858, and closed ut the opening price
Government stocks were generally steady, while
railroad bonds were weaker Money was easy
at 3, GIG and per cent on call.
The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-02-21

TIE EARNEST LETTER Of the chaplain of the
Clinton Prison deserves attention, but SO does
the charge made by the friends of the dead
convict Clancy. An examination of the remains
of the deceased would disprove one statement
or the other, and the examination could be made
speedily, thoroughly and chcaply.
The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-02-21

OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT IN FLORIDA
describes in letter which we print to-day his
final preparations for the exploration of the
great Wacissa swamp in his search for the mys-
terry of the smoke. After establishing n con-
ycnient observatory on lofty pine tree and TAX
ing the necessary magnetic bearings by compass
of the distant column of smoke, the party boldly
plunged into the gloomy depths of the morass
and hacked their way through tangled wood and
matted canebralxcs. Thus has our correspond
ent commenced his perilous task The deadly
moccasin snakes dispute the way like the
guardian genii Of the place. but they are made to
succ,lmb by the persuasive eloqucnce of the shot
gun,
The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-02-21

BRAINS RATHER THAN BODIES have been I'M
favorably affected by the weather of the past
week Although the mortality was less than in
any other week in similar seasons for five years,
disease of the brain and nervous system, with
their correlatives, unusually fatal. Another
sad though familiar statement appears in the
records of vital statistics-more than half the
deaths of the week occurred in tenement houses
The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-02-21
One Moro info rt u n . to.

From the medical examination Of the
body of Katie Riedel. made at the time it
was found, the physicians were satisfied
that the girls death was caused by prussic
acid, but were disposed to regard the cir
cumstances as indicating that it was not
case of suicide. 1t was possible that she
might have gone to the place where she was
found, there swallowed the poison and died !;
but it was thought that if she had swal-
lowed as much Of this very active poison as
the size of the vial indicated she must have
died instantly with the uncorked vial in her
hand. On the contrary, the bottle was care
fully corked and in her pocket, and this
care seemed to Indicate the presence
of some person after her death. Who was
that person? Weilspiel, now discovered, was
with the girl the afternoon before her death
by his own admission, but gives irrecon-
cilable accounts of where and when he left
her. He had the same motives to murder
her that induced Rubenstein to murder Sara
Alexander. They had been improperly in
innate and she had become an embarrass-
ment to him socially and perhaps finan-
cally. In addition he was in the dilemma
of jealous lover 1t becomes very natural
suspicion, therefore, that this man gave the
girl the poison, perhaps in drink carried
with them to the place where her dead BODY
wns found
The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-02-21

CRY DEPARTMENTS. Senator Bixby's bill
is substantial and practical mea-
sure of reform in the government of
the city. 1t makes the terms of the
heads of departments coincide with the term
of the Mayor, from whom they receive their
appointment, and reduces their number to
one tor each department, except in the case
of tho Police and the Health departments,
though in the. latter case the additional
commissioners are only such in virtue of
holding other Offices. We believe the pas
sage of this bill will go great way toward
securing in the departments that sense of
immediate responsibility to the executive
without which it does not seem possible to
get any duty effectively performed. All the
labors of the Committee on Cities, which has
begun with great flourish of trumpcts,
will not do SO much for US rs this simple
law.
The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-02-21

VIRTUE Is IT'S Own REwARD-The cigar
smuggling business is being investigated by the
principal losers--to wit, tho owners Of the
steamships whose crews turn penny or two by
private mportations of the fragrant weed, and
they discover that the safety of their own YES
sells has been imperilcd by the smugglers.
The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-02-21

WHAT ARE You GOING TO Do ABOUT IT p
A large consignment of wheat reached New
York Oh Sunday from Liverpool because wheat
Nings moro money here than in England.
The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-02-21

THE LIVELY STORY of Captain Johnsons trip
across the ocean in a dory should assure fair
weather yachtsmen that the open sea is not so
frightful after all
The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-02-21

THE EMIGRANT COMMISSION defends the head
money tax, gives Boston sly rap and blows its
own trumpet gently i'll letter to the Produce
Exchange, published today.
The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-02-21

THE AGENT of q prominent French liquor
manufacturer is prosecuting imitators of his
liquors Should all other responsible houses fol-
low suit the stock of imported liquors in the
country would seldom average one bottle per
The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-02-21

From ourrcports utismorning The probabilities are
that The ,ccatcr IN Nc,o York. today ,ciH be acarn'cr
mud DurAu cl0ldu on, clear.
The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-02-21

ANOTHER LARGE CHURCH SOCIETY is bank
rupt Cause: too much building. Why not adopt
the apostolic style and worship in IAN upper
chamber" until hard times are over! Something
is certainly wrong when it costs as much to be-
lonc tn n church as TO n club,
The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-02-21
u RIPL e SH e d Il
NEW YORK, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY g. 1877.
NOTICE TO COUNTRY DEALERS.

The Adams Express Company n special newspaper
the Pennsylvania Railroad and its connections
leaving Jersey city at quarter past four NJ daily and
Sunday carrying tho regular edition Of the HERALD tar
West Harrisburg and South to Washington reaching
Phadelphi quarter past six A. NJ and Washington at
+. NJ
The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-02-21

demolish his administration will be in
creased by a manifest disposition to give
him fair play and encourage him to act for
the public good.
The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-02-21

Our SPECIAL DESPATCH from Ottawa states
clearly the financial programme of the Dominion
poverDment
The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-02-21
ADJUSTMENTS TONIGHT.

vALLACK'S THEATRE-wnp OARS
Union SQUARE THEATRE-TuK DAMcHEvSG
EAGLE THEATRE-AINEs.
ACADEMY OF DEslGN-wArrR CoLoRS
NIBLO'S GARDEN-Anousp THE WORLD.
OLYMPIC THEATRL-RouSD THE CLock
BowERY THEATRE-DrvoRcE
BROADWAY THEATRE-ouR BOYS
GRAND OPERA HoUsE-Two oRrnASA
BOOTHS TIIEATRE-FIrrn AVENUE.
EZRMANIA THEATRE-TnEKEsA KRosEs
PARK THEATRE--oUR BOARDING Houss.
HELLERS THEArRE-PREsr,piGIrArio
FIFTH AVENUE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
EGYPTIAN HALL-sESsArroSAi vARixrS,
PARTISAN VARIETIES.
COLUMBIA OPERA HOUsE-vARr1Ty
THEATRE CoMIQUE-vAnIrrv
TONY PASTORS THEATRE-vAnIErY.
NEW YORK AQUARIUM.
TIvOLI THEATRE-vARiEry.
BROOKLYN PARK NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..
SAN FRANCISCO MINsTRELs
CHIcKERING HALL-CARL FESrS CoScERr.
GILMORE'S GARDEN.-RAcEs.
KELLY e. Icons MINsTRELs.
The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1877-11-08
Sc1ENcE+
PRACTICAL EVOLUTION.

It has been reserved for a German
lady, Fraulein Marie Won Chauvin.
to accomplish one of the most remark
able feats in evolution on record
the changing of an amphibiou gilled
double-breathing animal into one that
is lung-breathing and land-inhabit-
ing. The subject was the Mexican
gilled salamander or axoloti. AS far
back as 1867 Dunmeril noted that, out
of many hundred of these creatures in
the Garden DIES Plantes in Paris, thir-
ty lost their gills and assumed the
form Of the distinct amblystoma, a
true land salamander, breathing air
only by lungs. No cause could be as
signed for this change, as all the
axolotls were exposed to precisely
similar conditions. Nor did the ex-
cision of the gills of one that had not
changed throw any light on the mat
ter, because new set of gill tufts
soon grew out again.
Fraulein Van Chavin owes her re-
peated success to gradually accustom-
ing the animal to life on land and ex-
ercising constant care to it's health and
diet. Five strong axolotls were
selected and were first kept in shallow
water. Here they did not thrive, and
the holder measure of putting them
directly on land was resorted to-.
Tepid baths twice a day kept up GU
taneous respiration; and during the
intervals between the baths wet moss
was packed against the bodies. The
mode of feeding was ingenuity itself.
An earth worm was inserted in the
axolotl's mouth as far as possible.
Then the worm's tail was pinched un.
til it wriggled SO far down that the
axolotl was obliged to finish the swal
lowing whether he liked it or not.
Three of the animals persistently
elected their food, and, after fifty
days sojourn on land, died, or rather
committed suicide, by starvation
The survivors, however, even after q
few days showed marked decrease
in size of gill tufts and tail fin; before
long, when put in water, they strug
gled to get back to land. Further
changes went on; the skin was cast
repeatedly, the gills slowly disappear
ed, and the clefts closed. The eyes
became larger, and the skin, from be
ing black and shiny, turned brownisl
violet black with yellow spots. Fl
nally, the complete amblystoma form
| was assumed and with the amblyStoms
nature, the animals developing an as
tonishing greediness.
1t is stated that the gills and tail fiji
seemed to shrivel by actual drying
through the action of the air, and that
they were not absorbed by the vita
processes of the animal itself. Thi:
is considered by Professor Huxley tt
be "a most interesting point, as i
shows how the first air-breathing am
phibia may have been evolved from
double breathers by succession O
dry seasons, that is, by purely me
| chanical causes.
The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1877-11-08
POETRY
A LITTLE CHAIR.

By MRS. MARGARET EYTINGE,
Oh! the children, happy children,
Smiling everywhere go;
Some as brown as autumn's berries,
Some as fair as winter snow.
Some with eyes as blue as morning,
Some with eyes as dark as night.
Some with faces strangely thOughtful,
Some with faces strangely bright.
And the while ! gayly greet them,
Back my heart returneth where,
In my room, amongst my mowers,
Stands a babys little chair.
But alas the laughing darling,
That in precious by-gone days
Sat there. never more will cheer me
With his pretty, naughty ways.
Cunning feet placed on the table
Wien his noontide meal was DER
Cup of milk poured on the sugar,
Spoon and fork dropped on the floor.
Then when mothers" face grew cloudy
Little arms around me thrown,
Little hands my cheeks caressing,
Sweet lips pressed upon my own.
Oh. the children, happy children
Yes, meet them everywhere
But at home, amongst my flowers,
Stands baby's empty chair.
The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1877-11-08
THE AGRICULTURAL VALUE OF
WORMS.

In1837 Mr.. Darwin. in a paper read
before the British Geological Society,
explained how the formation of vege-
table mold which forms covering
several inches in depth on the surface
of productive land was directly due to
the common earth worm. The soil,
he stated, was simply the non-nutriti-
Gus matter contained in the earth Or
lglnally eaten by the worm and reject
ed by it, and the accumulated deposits
of large numbers of worms produced
the extensive layers commonly found.
Quite recently Herr Won Hensen has
Investigated further into this subject
and has confirmed Darwin's cOnclu-
sions while supplementing with many
of his own. An abstract Of his inves-
legations appears in the XIXth Centu-
ry.
He states that the adult worms
Fcomes to surface at night and, with
their tails in their burrows, collect the
twigs, leaves, etc., which serve as
their food. This material is heaped
around the Orifice of the burrow and
is drawn in piece by piece, the leaves
IN time becoming macerated and de-
composed, and thus rendered suitable
for the worms eating. The investiga-
lions were conducted in a garden hav-
ing layer of mold inches deep and
a subsoil of yellow diluvial sand.
The worm tubes were not easily traced
in the mold, but were perfectly clear
in the sand, running vertically down.
wards to depth of from 3 to feet.
On the walls of these burrows the black
masses of eXcrement of the worms
were plainly visible. Some tubes
were entirely filled with this substance
the black color of which was diffused
into the adjacent soil. In about half
the inhabited tubes, plant roots had
entered, following their course. By
extended observations the authur
states that the roots of ANIMALS can on
ly penetrate into the subsoil through
channels opened out to them by earth
worms, and he observes that this pen
etratlOn must be of service to the
plant, as the subsoil retains moisture
longer than the surface layer of the
mold.
In order to ascertain the precise
part taken by the worm in making this
vegetable mold, two worms were
placed in a glass vessel filled with sand.
on the surface of which was spread a
layer of fallen leaves. The worms set
to work at once, and after about six
weeks the surface of the sand was
found to be covered with layer of
mold nearly half an inch deep, while
many leaves had been carried to
depth of three inches. Worm tubes
ran in all directions through the sand;
some were quite fresh, others again
were completely filled with mold. In
short the soil of the vessel was already
perfectly well prepared for the growth
of plants.
Herr Won Hensen find that. although
the earth worm weighs only about 46
grains,iit produces in four hours near
ly 0grains of excrementitious matter.
On an average he fnds'about $4,000
worms to an acre of ground. Their
combined weight is therefore over 22O
pounds and they produce about 81
pounds of mold in "a hours. Besides
this they produce a uniform distribu-
ton of the mold, open up passages in
the subsoil for roots, and render the
subsoil fertile.