davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1877-01-04
Terrible Railroad Accident.

CLEVELAND, o., December 30. An
unfortunate train, known as the Paci-
tic Express, consisting of six coaches
two dining room cars with the usual
express and baggage cars and two en-
gines, was wrecked yesterday in this
State. The relief train hence was two
hours reaching the scene, though
drawn by two engines and the distance
being only fifty miles. Daniel Nc
Cure, engineer of the forward engine,
relates that the train was running at q
slow rate and just as they had fairly
crossed the nigh bridge which is not
more than forty rods distant from se-
depot, he felt violent jar and in an
instant the coupling bow on the two
engines had broken and the whole
train was precipitated with the bridge
into the river below. Mcclure
that his engine was pulled back ne
TO the end of the broken span be
the coupling severed, and it resu
its forward motion barely in tim
save itself. The bridge over the
tabula River was an iron truss.
and had been in use for abou|
years. The span is about OBJ
feet WIDE and through the
tween flows the river
or five feet deep at Il
and thickly covered with ice
this space the eleven cars al
gine and tender were precipit
fall of sixty feet of course,
through the ice, shivered the
magazine of nitro-g glycerine' had ex-
ploded beneath them. The seven pas.
senger coaches altogether contained
about one hundred and sixty-fiye
adults, besides number of children.
In the drawing-room car, which was
bound for Cleveland, were nine per
sons, all of whom are supposed to have
perished by drowning or by fire. In
the two sleepers, bound fer Chicago,
there were thirty-fve passengers, and
most Of these in the forward car, who
were saved, with injuries more or less
severe. Within a very few minutes
after the crash the flames burst out
from nearly every car. The latest
statement gives sixty wounded and one
hundred killed.
Ldter-There are one hundred miss
ing. The dead are disfigured beyond
recognition. All the cars were burned
to -cinders,
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1877-01-04
FOUik YEARS AEnGE,

While the purposes of conspirators
within the Republican party have for
years been fully understood III the
South, the veil is but now being drawn
80 as to permit light to fall upon
minds at the North. Frauds nrac-
ticed at the South in State elections
have succeeded so well that, embold-
ened, these conspirators propose to
govern presidential election upon the
same doctrine. At last the fair
minded citizen of each party is con-
sideriug the inevi table result of such
a wrong as that which has been perpe-
trated in louisiana if it be finally con-
summated by Congress. Suppose that
the Democrats, having appealed in vain
to the sense of honor of their oppo-
nents; having exhausted every peace
full method of redress without sue
cess; having receded, step by step,
under protest, as their opponents,
growing bolder in fraud, advanced,
should finally give way; should de-
clare that they valued :he peace and
prosperity of the country too highly to
endanger it longer by continuing
contest, IN which all the power was
on one side and all the right ON the
other. Would they not again take
:heir appeal to the baIlot-boxes? Four
years more, and the parties would
again gather up their strength for
great struggle, and the contest would
De far more bitter than the
last. The Republicans would be
beaten, as they were this year,
but by more decisive majOrities,
aud then it would be just as easy for
returning boards to change the votes of
States as now. What is there to pre-
vent three or four, or, If necessary,
half dozen States being turned at the
next election, to keep power in
the hands of the Republican party!
The same men who have carried
out this conspiracy would still be
st the head of the government, and
would probably have been preparing
FOR such an emergency during all the
next four years. Tue army of cffice-
holders would have increased by thou
sands; the army and navy would be
still more completely under Republican
control; and all the vas; powers of the
administration could be swayed for one
purpose.
Such is the course the country nav
anticipate after four years more OF Re-
publican rule, Shouldn't come. L cor
rupt despotism would have usurped
the place of republican government,
and the change would then be made
complete in name even as it is now ap-
pears in form. There is but one hope
for the country, and this comes
through the peaceful portals of a de
termined public opinion, an opinion
which would drive crime from the gov
ernment, as the good people of Austin
should command peace and order and
justice in this city. The nation must be
quieted now, even as Austin should
speedily be made the home of only
lsw-abidipg men; else returning
board f years hence may lead the
nation il : civil strife, Just as our
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1877-01-04

THE FALL OF GOLD.

The large aud steady decline of the
gold premium may be traced to natu-
raj causes. WHICH, so long as they act,
will keep the premium steady at about
l0f, or even carry it to lower figure.
The leading cause for the depression
of gold may be found in the figures of
our exports and imports for the last
eighteen months. During the fiscal
year ending June 80, 1870, the repor;
of the Secretary of the Treasury sho rs
an immense excess of exports over i'm
ports, making a total balance of trade
in favor OF this country of over 500,
900, 900. And this bSlsnce is continu.
ally augmenting. The figures of the
irst quarter of the present fiscal yeaI
ale largely more in our favor than those
of the corresponding quarter of the
fiscal year ending last June. During
the month of November the imports Of
merchandise were three and half mil.
lion dollsrs less than those of the cor.
responding month Of last year, while
the importation of specie during the
same north was IS, 500, 600, against
81, oOe, 600 in 1875. During the same
month there was correspondingly
great increase of specie in she New
York banks, amounting TO over 81, 500,
600. This plainly shows with what a
steady current specie is flowing to this
country from abroad.
Another cause for the fall of gold
may be found in the significant fact
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1877-01-04

By Spartan law boys were taught TO
steal and though this code may not be
supposed to operate directly upon Radi-
Cal youths OF this country, the impress
sion prevails that their early training
in the cheerful business was not neg
'ected. But having "saved the coun-
try" they have the right to rob it; but
in what consists the honor of saving
the Union IN order to destroy it aud in
what are the present relations OF the
States to one another assimilated to
those subsistIng when the trained
thieves seized powerl Democrats may
prove to be as efficient robbers as
Grants squads and battaliors and
armies of placcmen; but Democrats
will reproduce popular freedom and to
the extent that Tilden can enforce
honesty and economy and lessen the
number of sInecures, burdens Of gov
ernment and OF intolerable taxation
will be lcssened. The South is neces
sarily an unit, because the South has
suffered most intolerable wrongs and
comprehcnds most clearly the necessity
for reform that reaches not only our
purses and homes and firesides, but cur
right of local self-goverrment. The
North has beer ruled by its own people
and its local systems have been unaf-
fected by Grantism; but the South has
been consolidated in Tllden's behalf
because worse than Spartan THE ies-
strangers to us-have devoted eleven
years of earnest toll to our humiliation
and robbery.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1877-01-04

The State Treasurer, Major Dorm,
has placed $125, 600, without cost, in
New York to meet the States inter.
est account OH the first day of 1877,
and he is prepared to pay the bonds
maturing on the same day. All told,
the State Treasurer will pay out in in.
terest and IN redeeming bonds OF the
first of January 1915, 900, nearly two
thirds of the sum to be expended here
at home. Treasurer Dorm, Comptrol-
ler Darden and Governor Hubbard will
spare neither toll nor financial skill in
maintaining the perfect credit of the
commonwealth.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1877-01-04

A NARROW gauge railway from Aus
tin to the coast becomes probability.
Mr.. Hurley, of Galveston, has charter
for such a road from that city to points
in the interior, embracing Austin, for
which he has lately been offered one
hundred Thousand dollars in cash.
Deeming the franchise, in its eXecu-
ton, as more valuable than otherwise,
he has lately devoted much of his
time and energy to prospecting for the
prosecution OF this line of railway
from point on the lower Brazos to
the Colorado river. In furtherance of
plans of construction, he has been of
fered the old graded line of railway
from Columbia to Wharton, work, the
original cost of which was over
5000, 900. The grading is good and
most of the bridge structures are in
perfect keeping. Besides the graded
roadway and the other works, Mr..
Hurley has been offered liberal dona-
tions in lands from private parties in
Brazoria, Matagorda and Wharton
counties, which with little more en-
ergy can be easily swelled to an amount
equal to what he claims will Justify
the immediate construction of the
road, which, when put in operation to
the town of Wharton, and thence in
time up the Colorado valley to Austin,
would make one of the best paying
thoroughfares in the State. II this
road be put in operation as far as the
town of Wharton, there remains not
the least doubt that the people of the
Colorado valley will induce its con
struction even to this city. An old
citizen of Matagorda county, now in
this city, speaks as though the deep
est interest IS being felt in this enter
prise in the lower country, and he
thinks the amount of private land
subscription required can easily he
obtained. The people of Galveston
have 4 grand stake in this enterprise,
and if they will go to work now and
build the road to the Colorado in
Wharton county, it will become an en-
terprise in their favor which must
rapidly grow, and eventually convey
to the "I>land City" the riches of one
of the most productive regions of all
Texas,
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1877-01-04

JUDGE WOODS, the able .iurist who
presides over the United States Cir
cult Court of this circuit, proposes to
maintain intact his integrity as a
judge. When teleg caphed to pro-
ceed to Tallahassee the other day. to
protect by the forms of law the in,
lamies of Florida's returning board, -
he replied that he would not 60, his
official duties nos calling Linn thithcr.
In these degenerate days, the people
may well congratulate themselves that
such a judge administers the law in
the six States, of which Texas IS enc,
constituting his circuit. He only did
his duty, but in doing it his conduct
presents striking contrast to that of
Judge Bond, of the adjoining circuit,
embracing South Carolina.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1877-01-04
NO LGSCF1 LAW.

The absorbing topic OF the hour con-
tinues to be the homicide committed
on Christmas. A deep, suppressed ox-
c!tement is manifested, and there is
something electric in the very air which
bodes no good to evil-doers. Our best
and most conservative citizens are seen
10 shake their heads omiuou>ly and 10
SAT, with an air Of quiet reserve that
conveys more meanin. than the words
''that the present state OF thirgs can
not last much longer; If citizens a,e to
be wantOnly murdered, and the perpe-
traitors go forth unwhipped of justice,
then more summary remedy will be
invoked. Others are comparing the
situation with that in San Francisco
during the early days. There, as here,
was fCuad city administration
timid, nerveleSs, without force, morale
or character. The town under the vir-
tual control of = compact ring of gam
blers, rcughs and felons, where profess
sional assassins were the pets of the
police, who passively permitted murder
in their presence, and only interfercd
against the citizen and in favor of the
shedder of blood. Reused at last by
murder peculiarly atrocious, the whole
community, as by an instructive pre-
concert, ran to arms; vigilance CON-
mittee was organized. the murdereIs
arrested, tried and hung, and the city
perfectly purified. But the STATES
MAN deprecates such an extreme rem
edy here. We are the expOnents Of
law and order. Let us invoke them to
the uttermost. Let our citizens re-
strain their just Indignation and be
careful not TO add by word or deed to
the prevailing excitement. We have
courts and tribunals, with judges who
have the nerve TO vindlCatc the pro-
famed and outraged law. Let no
guilty man escape" but let the meas
ures invoked be peaceful, legal, and
in accordance with the moral sense OF
our people. If these remedies prov.
ineffective against the dangerous an
guilty combination in our midst, there
will always be time to fall back upon
that sudden, sharp, unfailing court of
popular retribution, whose edicts every
assassin trembles at in his dreams, ana
whose sentence and execution walk
hand N hand.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1877-01-04

New YEARS DAY IN the capital will
MT 60 down on a city full of drunk
enness, that exhausts itself beneath
the shadows Of night in debasing de-
bauchery. Good women will hardly
promote evils like these, and New
Year in the capital will lie celebrated
tomorrow by social pleasures begot-
ten Of native good will, of generous
hospitality and love for the homes We
have and for the city we would max G
attractive by the sobriety and decency
and gentlemanly bearing of its men
and stainless purity and intelligence
of its women.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1877-01-04


The Austin correspondent of the
Galveston Necs says it is believed here
that HuntinSton's agent in this city,
when the Legislature sat, was really
working for Scott and that Scott and
Huntington were then partners In BAN
boozling our blessed law-givers. Very
certainly the State has lost vast do
main acquired by bending the road from
Philadelphia down into Texas that ii
might secure the magnificent conces.
sion and make the States roads sim
pie feeders" to the through trunk
line" from Philadelphia to San Fran
cisco. The Through route" IS to be
controlled of course by Tom Scott OF
the Pennsylvania Central and his sue
cessors forever, and Congress is to de-
fine rates of freight. Two thirds OF
each Congress will consist OF Northern
men and these Will regulate freights
and rates of travel IN the interest OF
Philadelphia, New York and St. Louis
1t will cost no more to send a bale Of
goods from San Francisco to New
York and Philadelphia than to Calves
ton, one-third less distant than New
York. But this is not the only job put
up by the supposed conspirators. The
read now comes down from St. Louis
and is made quite three hundred miles
longer than necessary because the do
main of Texas must needs be appropri-
ated by the rich advcnturers. Phils-
delphia and New York and St. Louis
not only demand our wealth and trade,
but wanted rich broad acres of Texas.
and to secure both, this divergence
from straight route to San Francisco
was Indispensable. But having
squeezed the lemon the rind will be
thrust out OF the way and the road
from St. Louis to Santa Fe will be mad e
an air line and th.se little branches
from Texas will only be remembered
when now and then a Texan NAV 90
to the gold coast to learn where and
how the sun sets. When the railroad
companies Of California would hsve
iron transferred from Europe it will
pass through a Texas port and take
the shortest land route across this State
and New Mexico, but all general
freights and passengers will find that
it costs as much from Galveston to San
Francisco as from New York to San
Francisco. Such is the Job pat up bv
the railway ring now cunningly asking
Congress TO invest itself with ;he
power 20 regulate rates of freight
charges from New York and Philadel-
phia to san Francisco over the Texas
ana Pacific road.
Does 1t not become the duty OF the
people to reconvene the Rutabaga's SEN
egambian-suffIage constitutional con-
vention and hoEe il for the simples (!
And should not the newspaper core
spondent who says that ''Huntington's
sgent here was also Tom Scott 5 agent, y
be presented TO the public as the most
ingenious, acute observer of events
whose lucubrations adorn the pages
of the press He is s marvellous
dreamer.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1877-01-04

SEVERAL papers of Northern Texas
are each claiming the largest circula
tion. The freshest, most vigorou:
paper, and that most agreeable to the
many as distinguished from the sup.
posed leaders OF the multitude, will al
ways have the largest circulation.
People may be heard, now and then,
to damn such a free-thinking press,
but they will have and will read such a
newspaper. Free thinking and free
speaking are demands of the age and
country, and especially of vigorous,
progressive populations OF Texas.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1877-01-04

PERHAPS those good mlu who &c
about the streets with pistols and
knives may not know it, but they
max" property valueless. Life. of
course, in their eyes, Is worth nothing
but houses and homes ami merchan.
disc have value and cost money and
toll. All this is destroyed 10y the
CLEANS OF the ussassin's knife and by
the echo of pistol shot. M,n's lives
may be tanen and they do not avengc
the outrage, and sociery is hstless
but twhen murderers and adventures de-
strOy the value of our homes and of our
iabors of lifetime the spirit of ven
geance is awakened and blood-thirsti-
ness must hide its ghastlY face and
come forth only beneath the shadows
of the night. But let us have peace
and order, and no more violence either
Oh the part of the people or of the
peoples enemies.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1877-01-04
NO. 81

THE Legislature Of Arkansas meets
Monday, and that of Mississippi q week
later, that of Alabama is in session,
having elected the youthful! snd elo-
quent Morgan United States Senator
In Tennessee Isham G. Harris, Gen.
Bate, John T. House, Judges John NJ.
CarmaCk, Archie Wright and Tom
Brown and many others are candidates
for the United States seuatorship.
Lamsr has been chosen to represent
Mississippi, and ii rejected by the
Senate will be reelected. or Gen. Ed.
c. Walthall may be substituted if La
mar prefer it because Of his own I'M
paired health. Governor Garland takes
Ciayton's place as the senatorial repre-
sentative of Arkansas, and Garland
and Governor Coke will be seated to-
gether and sworn friends.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1877-01-04

TIE great moral question ia whether
the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Rail-
road Company will buy the Central
Railway track from Denison to Sher-
man or build an independent line.
Greed and folly alone can prevent the
sale and purchase. The Missouri,
Kansas and Texas must and will have
a route of it's own to point en- the
Texas and Pacific, and if Austin had
enterprise and. pluck and 8 proper
leader of the people, the Missouri,
Kansas and Texas would be speedily
extended in this direction. A road to
Lampasas would attract line With in
finite force towards Austin, even from
Kansas City and Denison,
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1877-01-04
Editorial Notes.

The average cost of whisky in Tex
as is 81 per bottle; of land 81 per acre,
and it is queer fact that he who is
able to buy whiskyis never able to buy
land.
The lndianola and Cuero road
been thoroughly renovated by Nj
Monsarrat, and he will soon begi
extension; but not, we gre
towards Austin. Can't we
.r-ntr O0n no, r~-,,r
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1877-01-04

II was with a humi.iatic
and a deep, mortifying Sc
man nature that l read in
paper this morning a moi
death OF Col. G. &. GILES,
was most forcibly reminded
Latin maxim, Nortuo IeOni G,
suItdnt = even hares can ins
lion. Members of the press
well. His genial, genert
should have withheld even
an Ishmaelite or Bohemia
ever were Lis t-ailties, the
of death had obliterAted thi
was a forcible trespass upon .ns ,es.-
ings Of his friends and relatives 70 re-
vert to them. Col. GIllespie's life
record shows a nobility Of nature 1t
would 3e well for his traducer TO en-
ulate. He loved his fellow-men, and
all who knew him knew that be did
no wrong but 10 himself. II would
have been well, then, TO have per-
mitted him to go to his grave with the
kindly recognition accorded him by
the STATESMAN, and without tho mali
cIous reference TO which I have re-
ferred. Blessed are the beauties that
cluster around his memory.
ROB. X. SMITm.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1877-01-04

FooT WORM Is blest with an lnte'-
Iigent, gcscrous and progressive popu-
lAlion. They H-ve just presented
Paddock, of the Dsmac,rf with desk
that cost $50. Paddock has done in
finite service TO the place. Ii
made every attraction known ana
fused knowledge of facts worth
lions to Tarrant county.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1877-01-04

BANKERS and merchants of New
York. a mighty multitude of them,
have sent petition to Congress assert
ing two demands of the people-the
one, that peace and order must be
maintained at all events; the other,
that the presidential imbroglio must
be settled at once IN the interest of the
business of the country paraly zed by
the deviltry of the party leaders and
placehOlderS. 1t therefore happens
that Bayard, Thurman and leading
Democratic Senators have spent the
past few days with Tilden in New York
city devising plans for an immediate
and proper solution of difficulties IN.
cidcnt to the presidential election.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1877-01-04
TT.
Wy REFUGE.

~ MAS. j. L. ALEXANDER, OF rApVcAH. KY.
When stunG by words tha: tAoushtless lips have
spoken,
iy to Thee 10 make my sad complaint
Thou poucSst "oil' upon the heart half bl
And gVesI wine when am weak snd
Wren shadows dark across my path are
Pretending evils that my soul doth dread
20 10 Thee and o. Toy word relying.
Find IN moment al my fears have nsa'
When sickness with at,cuuatcd iaEers,
ACcclerates the pulses even beat
How could hear the pain and feyer-iossinp
Did not hear the coming OF Thy feet,
How could I DO without Thee, precious savk
When grief swoops down with her sharp vn
ture bcaE
And leaves the heart, with all its harp-si,ings
riven,
Aud ife's fair landscape wintry. bare ar
bleak
feel my need OF Him each day aud hour,
He /; nay comforter, my staif and rod
l go To Him Win every care and trouble,
At child 10 father 50 80 10 God
With open arms lnd Him ever Seady
To grant the h0On--f best IL shoIfSdf
IL not Ia give the grace OF patient waitin
Which e'er 1t l. His pleasure TO bestoY
He is so gentle even In refusing
80 tcudvr Vhtn lie chidc- our unbeli
when most need rebui
There's strongest comfort IN my soresl
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1877-01-04

Pete Mccartney, the notorious coun-
terfeiter. who was arrested at Rich
mond, Indiana, last week, states that
he has paid out, in the last eleven
years, to officials, two hundred and
thirty-six thousand dollars TO secure
immunity from arrest and escape there
from, and it is understood that twenty
thousand dollars went in one lump.
he further states that, quite recently,
he was in Cincinnati, and, while read
ing the morning paper in the breakfast
room Of the Gibson House, he was as
toHished by the entrance Of Marshall
Purnell, Of Texas, who had offered ten
thousand dollars for his arrest. Hold
ing the paper close to his face, he es-
capped the notice OF Purnell until The
latter was seated, and be then left y
room under the pretense that his
was bleeding.