davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1877-10-27
Southland's PigeOn-ROost.

The most timd and harmless animals be.
come formidable and even terrible when con
Cregated in great numbers, They take no no.
tice whatever of man, and in their congregated
capacity become his foe. A herd of bufialoes
on the plains Is terror in its march; drove
of rats In Northern Europe attacks all living
things that come in its way, and even flock
of pigeons, if big enough, becomes a great nui.
ssnce if not danger. A pigeon-roost is big
thing, and they have big pigcon-roost on the
AuglaiZe river, near Dodsons camp-grOund
Camden county, Missouri. II is an annual
roost and disturbs the quiet of the people OF
the section The newspaper man finds it diff.
cu; TO edit and print his paper in pigeon.
rOost Millions of pigeons cover the trees and
sometimes break them down. There is a
frightful confusion ofnoises in this pigeon pan
demonium The crashing Of limbs-the roar.
ing of multitudiOus pigeons, and the cracking
of shot.guns sweeping the birds down 10y hun
dreds and thousands all night long. Nobody
can sleep in such an uproar any more than they
could amid the thunderS of raging battle. Be
sides this there is darkening of the air Ivy the
birds in their flight, which makes continual
cloudy weather But the people of this pigeon.
roost are making the best of the situation. The
pigeon has become leading article of com.
mcrce in the county. Last year over one hun.
bred thousand pounds Of pigeons were shipped
from Southland, and the pigeon yield this year
promises To he aS good. But everything else
stops in the pigcon-r ooSting season except the
ucw,papcr->t Louis Republican,.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1877-10-27
The "Thief Account"

Steal" said the old man, in accents ofintense
scorn. "Steal! Why, you would be astonished
to find how large II proportion of the travelling
public are Internal thieves. They steal The
bed-clothing, pillows, boot-jacks, soap soap.
dishes-everything in fact which they can
carry off Everybody steals soap. We expect
that, and don't kick. You'd bc surprised to
hear that "a noted Indiana politician
makes "A practice of putting the soap into his
valise every time he pays his bill. He doesn't
seem to use much of it himself, but | think he
takes it home to his children. The first thing
to be done when fellow comes to the office to
paw his bill is to send the porter up to his
room to see if anything is missing. When a
fellow comes down with his vaise in his hand
we are unusually suspicious. The only way
to get even with the thieves is to keep IA thief
account Whenever anything is missed
charge it up at fair value and the next time
catch thief in the act make him pay the
entire amount or go to Jail. One day a nice
looking fellow came down with valise in his
hand, and inquired the amount of his bill
The minute saw him | knew he had stolen
something, so | rang the bell and gave the por-
ter the wink | pottered about the books
while the porter was gone, and ! could see he
was getting uneasy. He had notion to bolt
but lust then the porter came down, and saw
bv his eve that something was missing. |
Jumped over the counter and grabbed the ras
cal by the throat. open that valise, you id
thief, saws l. He got very white about the
gills, and began to beg. When the valise was
opened sure enough there was new bed
spread for which hadpaid five dollars. Bill
SAYS |, bring me the thief account ! footed
it up, and it amounted to just titty-siX dollars
you pay that says |, or go to jail He
thought it was id hard to have to pay for
other mems stealings, but on the whole con-
cluded that it was cheaper than to 90 to the
penitentary. Compromising felony? Well,
YES, it did have that complexion. But maybe
it nipped thief in the bud. The girls are
generally honest, though once in while we
catch one of them. One time there was an
internal rcepeddler stopped with u.s. and he
had black satin vest stolen. paid him five
dollars for it. He described ii very accurately.
There was yellow spot on the collar where
he had dropped some acid on it, and his name
in full was written on the leather with which
it was bound at the bottom. | suspected the
Girl Mary We watched her for week or two,
and concluded we were mistaken when one
dav a fellow came in with Il black satin vest.
and there was a round yellow spot on the col
lar 1t was Mary's sweetheart. | collared him,
erked up the vest, and found the name of the
treepeddler on the leather. He owned up that
Mary had stolen the vest and given ii TO him.
At that time the thief account was only seven
dollars and so he got off heap'-Iadtaaapo.
lis He1a!d.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1877-10-27
Heat UNDERGROUND.

Some of the drifts on the lower levels of sew
eral of the COmstOck mines are found to be so
hot that it it next to impossible for the men to
work in them. When they can work it is to
great disadvantage, and considerable labor and
money is expended by the companies to sup
ply fresh air. In some cases men can only
work few minutes and then run out to cool
off In the Consolidated Virginia NINE, the
face of the north drift on the 1150-foot level
from the Gould & Curry, near the east wall of
the ore vein, is so hot that il is necessary to
keep close, tight box, or cooling room, in
close proximity to the workmen in which the
of the air is kept down by com.
pressed air, so that the men may cool off and
change every few minutes. Another of these
cooling boxes has to be placed at a halfway
point in the drift for the use of the men who
run the cars in and out
The Savage incline, also at point near the
water, is so hot as to be almost beyond human
endurance. But for their shirts the skin of the
men would be blistered as though by let of
scaldng steam A man from the mine showed
an Enterprise reporter blister on his arm
that was nearly as large as mans hand. This
blister was caused by exposing his arm at the
bottom of the incline. 1t is so hot down at the
water that, on scrcwing nut to the end of a
bolt. one man would be able to do no more
than fasten monkey-wrench upon it before
he would have to retreat Another would then
descend and give the wrench two or three
turns, One day last week the giraffe got off
the track well down the incline, and in trying
to replace it one of small party of men was
so overcome by the heat that he fell down in
a state of insensbility. His companions car.
ried him from a point between the 100 and
1900foot levels to the 1300foot level of the
Hale and Norcross mine, where he could OBJ
tain mouthful of fresh air He was still I'M
conscious when he reached the point named.
The Hale and Norcross mine is now quite
cool, the draft in it having again changed, be
ing once more down the main shaft.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1877-10-27
THE GRAIN YIELD OF 1877.
The Largest Crop that the Country has Yet
Pr Oduced.

The grain crop of the United States tins au-
tumn is vast increase over that OF any pre-,
ceding year in the history Of the country. IL
amounts in the two principal cereals, wheat
and corn to 1926 600 bushels OF the former
and 1880, 000, 600 of the latter, according TO the
careful estimate of Mr. Walker, the statician
of the New York Produce Exchange Inc
movement of this enormous crop has just ne-
gun to be felt, as up to the past eight weeks tlie
expectations were of last years crop; Dut the
sudden increase already noted gives good
promise of II golden future. during thc nriei
period mentioned our exports OF wheat from
the ports of New York. Montreal, Boston;
Philadelphia, Baltimore, New Orleans ana
Portland have aggregated II ,525, 1873 bushels,
against an exploration from the same por's
during a corresponding period OF last year OF
393S,951 bushels, showing an increase OF
75SG,237 bushels There has also been an IN
crease of ,234 bushels in the expectation Oh
rye during the same time, and in peas an IN
crease of 81 400 bushels. In corn alone mas
there been falling of to the extent OF l'oo7,-
054 in that time.
The following table presents the increase OF
production and expectation in the two leading
cereals in the past ten years:
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1877-10-27
past ten years
CORN.


To arrive at the amount of corn sent abroad
if is proper to count in that which goes in the
compressed form of pork Our annual hog
product expectation is about 100000 hogs
As il takes about fourteen bushels of corn to
fatten each hog, that will be equivalent to
about 56OOO,0O0 bushels more of corn to be
added to the exports annually, as sent III the
form of animal food We also send great
deal barrelcd up in the shape of whisky;
Corn meal is included in the estimate, reduced
to bushels.
The receipts of wheat at western lake ana
river ports, Chicago, Milwaukee, Toledo De
troit, Montreal, St Louis, Peoria and Duluth'
during the four weeks ending Oct u, from the
new crop, were 13O99,375 bushels, against
,151 ,507 for the corresponding period of last
wear, showing an increase of 5041, 17S bushels.
The shipments from those ports in that time
were 1 1 ,O24 ,O5S bushels, an increase of 4SOO,.
$50 bushels over the corresponding period OF
the wear before. California has been this year
an exception to the rest of the country Her
crops have fallen off. Between July l and
Sept. "a of this year her exports OF wheat were
40l1 900 bushels less than during correspond
ing period Of 1876.
That the alarm occasionally expressed over
the probability of other seaboard cities taking
away our grain trade has not been altogether
baseless, seems pretty well demonstrated by
comparison of the figures of their receipts and
ours during the period OF activity IN move.
mcnt of crops to the seaboard last year and
this between May 1 and Sept. |. Last year
the receipts of flour and grain at Boston, Phil
adelphia and Baltimore during that time
amounted to 34,14S,003 bushels; at New York
to but 1861, 1853. This year, during the cor
responding time, those ports received @3,2l2,-
3sl bushels, and New York 81 ,3233l5 bushels.
From that showing II appears that, while both
have suffered decrease, New York's receipts
have fallen off only 7,333,s53 bushels, while
those of the other ports named have declined
II ,536612. The records of receipts show that
the water routes bringing grain and flour to
this port have held their own within about
"a 600 bushels and that the falling off has been
in the receipts by rail.
The increase in England's importation of
breadstuffs from this country in the year end
ing Aug 81 1877, amounted to almost as much
as the average of her importations during the
ten wears preceding. OF corn alone she took
out 30, 100000 bushels. Her total importation
was about S0,000,000 bushels, of which 10000,
900 were from this country, and 2OOOO,0OO
from southeastern Europe. The importation
of corn into Germany, France and the United
Kingdom promises to increase largely, as of
late years a general tendency to resort to it as
food for stock, instead Of oats and cut feed, has
been manifest 1t is found to be one-third
cheaper in England than the material hither
to employed for that use Germanys supply
will, however be drawn mainly from Hungary
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1877-10-27
CREAM OF OUR EXCHANGES.

Chicago bank presidents are knights of thu
gold fleece.
When you detect Glove in the breath, look ou
for the cloven foot. Et
DR.. Hall says that raw potatoes are good 10
cure drunkenness. The Murphy movement Is al
last accounted for. .f3s
The Lady Slipper is the name OF vessel
inst launched mt Boston. She must be intended
for the whaling service
rural republican organ consoles itself for the
loss of Ohio by "a republican victory IN france
There are sixty-eight different sewing machine
stitches, and a hundred and sixty-eight different
ways of lying about them
It's not difficult to initiate Josh Billings, thus
''Doant karrey aigs in your cottale pocket. AlSs
amt good after they've been sot on awhile"
Again: zone advantage of having toothake
is that it makes fello forgit all his luther trub
bles. If the tooth hurts too bad, make for den
list at tooth hurry gate and havt snached out"
A Western paper speaks of "a tramp with a
sort of a half jjaunty air about him." Most OF
them do have a Fort of demi-j Jointly air about
them, that's fact
"John Wesley Hardin, the Texas desperate, is
a very finely organized person. One of his vic
tins he killed for snoring" Now we begin TO
have some sympathy for John
Pennsylvania German has pumpkin which
weighs one hundred and eighteen pounds. That
must be the one which is so large that eight men
can stand around it.
James Collins of Whitley Co. Ky, was prescott
cd in the Whitley Circuit Court for selling his
vote. He was found guilty and DISTINGUISHED for
life The enforcement Of such a law would kill
the Republican party in New Hampshire in one
year.
Says the Morris Rtormer:
You borrow money at Il bank and give mort
gage for the same. You patiently pay your in
terest on your mortgage and yet you behold your
property worth less and less all the time
That depends--if your property is second.
hand old printing press, yes; but if nice piece
of Grundy county prairie, hardly. But where's
the phenomenon that pays interest in amortgagc
year after year PATIENTLY
An Indiana editor says: "Coal oil, rubbed on
the neck and head, will cure hog cholera. We
have tried it," Then he ought to know; but
what made him eat the green apples?
A Mr.. Steele recently married a Miss Lemon in
New York. We have our opinion Of any man
who would Steele n Lemon, but we suppose it
was well squeezed before he took 1t, which light
ems the oiicnsc. Or maybe he wanted some lem.
on aid
New York Sun: Mr.. Iiayes. says that his over
whelming defeat in Ohio is not at all due to his
,I,.,s., -. 4.
1T wasn't the liquor in the punch, said the man
with headache the next morning, at was that
COMPOUNDED lemon peel that fixed me"
They had baby show down at Champaign,
and scroggs, of the Gozetfe, adopted the whole
collection as 'our babies" II is not recorded
how many paternal ''parients" have had occasion
TO quote the query, 'Whose peen here since rsc
peen gone. y
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1877-10-27
Ophir and Vicinity.

OPHIR, Oct. "a, 1877.
Everything dull in these parts Some of
our neighbors look and teel blue at the pres
ent price of cattle.
Mr.. Jno Higgins Of La Sale, met with a
serious accident last week while visiting at
Mr. Robt Wylie's. As he was leading his
animal past Mr. Wylie's pony the latter struck
out to shake hands with Higgins pony but
missing the latter struck Mr. Higgins, break.
ing two ribs and splintering another Dr.
Everett was Immediately called and did all he
could for the sufferer and at last accounts he
was doing well.
John Wylie has the boss potatoe patch in
this vicinity -
Miss Annie McNally has two genuine cot
ton stalks in full bloom, They look nobby and
are quite a curiosity,
An acclden, oec,.rred last Sunday, at the
Waltham church, which might have resulted
in the killing Of two estimabc ladies. As
Mrs James Wylie and Il young lady, with
their driver were leaving the church, their
horses took fright at something. Giving q
sudden jerk, caused both ladies to tip out back.
wards, both falling on their heads. Neither,
however, was seriously hurt
What has become Of the Waltham oyster
supper Has it gone up Salt River, the same
az the Ohio republicans? Guess SO.
The Utica HeraId has got a Waltham cor.
tI,n ,;,ly
democrat man for the compliment
HrRCIIES
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1877-10-27

The continuation of the ISSUE of government
bonds and increase of iiiterestbearing indcbt'
edness serves only TO incfease the class of pau
pcrs who live in palaces by cutting of cou-
pons from untaXed bonds, making labor school
its children repair the public roads, pay state,
county, town, school and all other taxes while
the bond.clippers are positively exempt from
taxation as much as tie pauper over the hill
in the poor house.
While the government is Il common borrow,
cr and comes into competition with business
and cnterprising citizens, and gives security
that is exempt from taxation and retires a
part of the money borrowed from circulation,
and puts money in circulation that costs the
people $3.50 in gold for one dollar in silver, an
individual who puts his money into business,
if merchant his goods depreciate every day
and the next month he can duplicate his entire
stock for less money; if into farm, with the
same result; and f into manufacturing, the
result would be still worse, as his stock of raw
material deprcciates and his manufactured
goods also decline or shrink in value, and with
interest, taxes and insurance will eat out his
substance. SO think the man that looks aft
er his own interest should buy government
bonds rather than go into business. Then he
can retire into some one of our over-taxed cities
and not pay one dollar Of tax except upon his
fine house and furniture as some of our enter,
prsing farmers and others are now doing
John S Armstrong
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1877-10-27

They resolved to erect the prices ON linen, --
Till American females let up on their sinnin'
} And stopped their everlasting Irritation
And the Dutchmtn swore, by the point OF his
knife
That a broken heart cost Wong Fong his life,
Assisted by a blue jacket revolver, and the per
iidiousness of an American girl who came
the giraffe over the Celestial, and then gave
him the grand bounce.
Such is life. This is the first suicide Of Chi
namau in Chicago.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1877-10-27
QUESTION No. I

How much does the silver which takes the
place of fractional currency, cost the people as
a substitute circulating medium? Govern.
mcnt issued forty millions of bonds running
30 years at ) percent The interest in 90 years
will be forty millions making eighty millions
principal and interest. Then 10 years inter.
est Is 20 millions more making total of one
hundred millions for the thirty years, and CIV.
cry dollar of silver in circulation will thus
have cost the people $3.50, while that same sil.
yer IS not legal tender in sums larger than
$500 in any one payment and would not be
taken for one of those bonds in amounts of
over $500 or 800 on the 800. leaving 800 10
be paid in gold
QUESTION M. >
Why was the tax on incomes repealed
which was the only law passed by congress in
the last fifteen years that made capital pay a
portion of the taxes
Because congressman gets 5000 per year
salary, and the law taxed all incomes over
81 900 per year ; per cent, thus taxing each
congressman one hundred and fifty dollars.
Therefore those congressman just repealed the
income tax and put 800 per cent on smoking
tobacco, thereby making the grangers and 9th.
or ignoranuses pay their taxes.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1877-10-27

The Danbury Nec' mans new book, THEY AL
Do II" for sale al osman & Hapeman's
The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1877-03-07
Beligerent Congressman.

The closing day of Congress was
marked by several disorderly scenes. An al
tercation took place between Lamar and Doug
lass in the hall of the House, just after the
adjournment of the Democratic caucus. It had
it's origin in the intoxication OF Douglass,
which caused Lamar, chairman of the caucus
to rule him out. The order exasperated Doug
lass, who at the termination of the caucus
assailed Larmar with vituperation, and but
for Intervention of friends, according to re-
ports, Lamar would undoubtedly have shot
him. Glover chairman OF the real estate pool
committee assaulted correspondent of a
Baltimore paper Tor rejecting on him, and
the correspondent in turn assaulted the Ser
geant- Arms of Glover's committee for Civ
ing information as to the authorship of the
article. Still later MIR. Page was urging $3.50,
600 appropriation for a fire proof building for
the National Museum when Mr.. Morrison said
it was vicious and pernicious measure. Mr..
page who was standing within two feet Of
him, in the area, said that it was not true,
whereupon Morrison caught him by the
throat with one hand. Noturther demonstra-
ton was made, the members around quietly
separating the disputants, and business went
on as if no such interruption had taken place.
The bill was rejected.
The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1877-03-07
Review of the Markets.

Review OF the Markets.
The price of wheat has steadily de-.
okned during the past week in spite of con-
trary expectations. In Chicago the quotations
are, No. 2, $l.2l cash g. 22x seller March !;
sl.24x seller April 1913 seller May No. 8
Chicago sl.ll@l.l6; rejected 9l@94o. Corn,
active and shade lower No. 2, 37Xo. asked
cash; 44o seller May. Oats dull and shade
lower; No. 2, $50 cash; $40 seller April !;
36x seller May.
Milwaukee quotations are Mol, sl.4o; No.
2, fresh sl.29; seller March el.26x; seller
April 81. 28k No. 3, $l.l9. Corn steadier !;
No. ?, 40c. Oats, dull and lower; No. 2, Sic.
Rye, nominal No. l, &c. Barley, quiet but
Armer; No. 2 seller March, g..
In St. Paul and Minneapolis No. wheat ia
81 80 and No. 2, $l.25.
Dressed hogs are quoted at f550@6.75 in
st. Paul and Milwaukee, and $6@6.l5 in Chi
oago.
Eggs are quoted at l1@l2Xo in St. Paul and
Minneapolis.
In st. Paul fine lots Of tubs, jars, and even
firkins, OF really fresh and sweet butter, are
aleable at 1920, as to quality. Only small
amounts OF choice dairy packed table butter
are arriving, and they sell at 22@25c.
The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1877-03-07
A State Dinner Tor Hayes.

Gen. Grant and Mrs. Grant gave a
State dinner to the President elect ON the
evening Of the Sd. The invitation read as
follows:
The President and Mrs. Grant request the
pleasure OF Gov. and Mrs. Hayes company
at dinner, Saturday evening at Z o'clock. An
early answer is desired. March LIST, 1877"
The following were present: President
elect and Mrs. Hayes; the Secretary of State
and Mrs. Fish; Mrs. Secretary Morrill,, Secre-
tary Morrill, was to i'll to attend; Secretary OF
War and Miss Cameron; Secretary of the
Navy and Mrs. Robson; Secretary OF the H.
terror and Mrs. Chandler, Postmaster Gen.
eral and Mrs. Tyner; Attorney General and
Mrs. Taft; Hon. VIM. A. Wheeler, Vice Presi,
dent-elect; Senator and Mrs. Sherman; Senator
and Mrs. Boutwell,; Senators Sharon and Boot.
ly; Mr.. and Mrs. Cresswell; Chief Justice and
Mrs. Waite; Col. and Mrs. Grant; Mr. and
Mrs. Sartoris; U. $. Grant, Jr., and Webb c.
Hayes, son of the President-elect.
The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1877-03-07
The Chicago Postmaster a Defaulter.

The chicago postmaster Detaulter.
Postmaster Macarthur, of Chicago,
has been discovered to be detaulter in the
sum ot 100000. He first became involved to
the amount Of $4,000 by the failure Of the
Cook County Bank two years ago, and though
the government assumed halt the responsible
lty, which amount it was supposed would be
covered by the assets Of the bank, Mr.. Near
thur has never been able to replace the sum-
Besides this he became involved in the I'M
successful operation of his iron foundry on
the North Side, and took money from the
general post Office department to tide matters
over until loan could be negotiated from
Scotch capitalists. He expected also to be
enabled to dispose tavorably OF some portion
OF his foundry, but in all OF his schemes for
replacing the money he was unsuccessful, and
consequently fled his petition in bankruptcy.
HIS petition shows total liabilities about $751;
900, assets 1920, 600. Of the debts Sc, GOO are
due the United States government, and $2,6Ol
to the Illinois Soldiers nome, OF which he
was treasurer. The secured debts are @43, oO0