davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1877-02-08

The wild geese are putting in an ap-
pearance about the lakes, the "chip-
munks rare coming out, the pr:llrle-
chickens are growing, and the general
opinion prevails that the backbone of
the winter is broken. OF course, the
spinal column will wriggle good deal
yet, and give us vigorous spasmodic
lurcheS, but it's 4 broken back never
theless. ave told you So" when we
learned about the breast-bone of the
goose, and the melt - Of the hog, and
the musk-rat houses, and all tile other
intallible signs. P. S.-If the back
bone isn't broken, this don't county
The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1877-02-08

1t O'CLOCK T. NJ.
BILLS PRESENTED
II. D. lIumiston, use of team in collecting
taxes (Not alIOwed.) SIS co
Pioneer-lress Co., blanks for Clerk Of -
Mons Grinager, abstract from Land Office, S
b. n. Carrier, drawing Jurors, SO
j. d. Roberts, road work On bridge, 70 10
A. 0. Condo moved that the bill of
J. u. Roberts for bridge work lie refer
red to the Supervisors of Little Rock
TIP. as matter legitilnately belonging
to said town. Carried.
c. Z. Sutton, -four on Relief, 81 Is
L. Z. KimbalI, pork on Relief, 40 II
Martin Heiser, Relief. " AZ
j. II. JonIS Relief, 1851
e. b. aoveless' Relief entertainment. * e
l.. Hollis 2 10
II. J. Grant, Relief, 10 Us
Wm. Madison, Relief, 6 ST
IL. l.. LackOr, Relief 2 50
Z. B. Langdon Relief, ! 80
A. g. Robinson, Relief, 2 50
C. Z. Sutton, room rent, Is 90
The Commissioners ordered that $40
be appropriated for wood for use Of
County Offices, the County Auditor to
make the purchase on the best terms
obt;ainable.
A. o. Condo moved that Mr.. Robin
son be and is hereby authorized to pro-
cure the use Of room for the term of
Court i'll March term. Carried.
Otis Bigelow presented affidavit ask
Ing for abatement of assessment and
taxes Tor 1885, His request was grant
ed.
A like request was presented by A..
y. Robinson, which was granted.
On motion, the County Auditor was
instructed to secure the use of the
building now used for County Offices
for three months, at rates not in ad-
vance of the former lease.
On motion, of Mr.. Condo, NJ. Robin
son was authorized to procure a plan
and estimate Of expense for Il suitable
building for a temporary County Office
and present the same at the next Meet
ing Of the Board.
Mr.. Condo moved that the County
Auditor be and is hereby instructed to
notify the Supervisors of Graham
Lakes township to complete the ap.
proachcs to the bridge across the outlet
Of East Graham Lake on county road
No. l. Carried.
Board adjourned to meet at 9 clock,
Feb.7.
The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1877-02-08
MOBILES COUNTY OFFICERS.
RTISENESS \

The ADVANCE is furnished 1T II 50 a year to
Clubs OF ten or more Clubs OF ten for six months
IS cents for each subscriber
The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1877-02-08
BUSINESS CARDS.
H..i ms.
BANK OF W0RTHlNGTON.

ELlnU SMITH, Banker. A. NJ SMITH, Cashier.
INTEREST PAID FOR TIME DEPOSITS.
Drafts Bought and Sold. Special attention CIV
Oh to collections.
Office Hours from 2 to IL a. III. and from to
o'clock, p. III. l2-27ly.
The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1877-02-08

NJ. b. Odell, the Jeweler, has gone
over to Luverne to set the clocks and
watches right. That little suburb of
Worthington has been running be-
hind time - 50 much that we have to
send man over to bring it up. We
commend Mr.. Odell to the people over
there as skilled orkman and il gentle
man,
The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1877-02-08

Our friend u. Stone, Of the firm of
Bennett & Stone, removed his family
to Luverne OH Tuesday, and will for the
present. remain at that suburb repre-
senting the interests of the firm. We
are sorry to lose Stone, even tempo
rarily, but he consolation remains that
our loss is their gain. The postmaster
over there must keep his eyes open or
Stone will have him ousted just as soon
as Tilden is inaupurated.
The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1877-02-08
OFFICERS,
:" y. UUMISrON,
NOTARY PUBLIC.

WIN give especial attention to executing and
acknowledging deeds, mortgages, etc AIS" to
the renting OF village property or improved farms
and to the collection OF rents, taxes. etc. Sew
cral improved farms, and village property for
correspondence and patronage solicited. Worth
ingtOn, Mimi. [5ly
The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1877-02-08
aVprthin9to.1 @dvantt.
PUBLISHED WEEKLY, At

WORT1I1NGTON, MOBILES COUNTY. MIMI
vance. Al! orders will receive PROMPT attention.
Communications intended for publication must
be accompanied by the real name and address OF
the writer az q guaranty Of good faitll-lIot nee.
essarily for publication INV oo'
The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-12-13
Music of the Oyster.

A Mexican correspondent of the San
Francisco Commercial writes: All through
the night / heard a short swapping
sound coming from the twigs of the
bushes, but in the darkness was unable
to ascertain the cause. 1t was not con-
fined to any one bush, but extended the
whole distance. There was no regularity
about it, but it fell upon the ear at in
tervals, like the pattering of the first
large rain-drops that precede a heavy
shower; but no rain-drops ever made so
loud a noise, even when falling upon
the shingle roof of country barn. l
fell asleep trying to make out the cause,
and was awakened by the continued
snap, snap, snap, which disturbed my
slumbers. 1 knew it couldn't be the
day breaking, because it was not near
the morning hour. But when morning
did come, and the sound had not ceased,
/ discovered it arose from the oysters
that were actually growing ON the
bushes, every twig of which held along
its length cluster of from ten to twenty
oysters about two inches long by an
inch and half wide. thought it
was strange country where the
bushes bore such fruit as that. The
branches of the bushes were submerged
at high water, and the young oysters
grew upon them until their weight broke
off the branches and they fell into the
soft, muddy bottom. 1t was the sudden
closing of thin shells which produced
the sound. Some naturalists have said
the oyster can be educated; but this was
the first time 1 was ever an auditor Of an
! oyster concert,
The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-12-13

officer detailed to inspect the works, as
follows: "It is probable that the aid Of
the new dredgeboat,' if it is moderately
successful, may soon enable Mr.. Eads
to gain channel of % feet deep for a
width of 200 feet throughout the jetties,
and the chances are quite favorable for
the attainment of such channel in the
early stages of low river by the help,
possibly, of only an ordinary dredging
machine, and later, perhaps, even with
out such aid. There statements are
made because the law (act approved
March 8, 1851 requires the honorable
Secretary of War shall embody
in his annual reports the probable
time when other payments will become
DUE"
Provision for this payment is made in
the sundry civil act of March 8, 1877,
vol. 10, page 1853, provided it becomes
due prior to the LIST of February, 1878.
Should the contingency arise subsequent
to that date, it would appear that
further provision must be made by Con-
gress for the payment. 1t having been
officially stated to me that there was an
open channel of greater depth than
eighteen feet at mean tide, to and from
the sea through the South Pass to the
Port of New Orleans, directed. August
Is, 1877, the suspension of the opera
tions for the deeping of the Southwest
Pass under the appropriation of August
IA, 1879, in compliance with the pro-
visions of that act.
The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-12-13

and S9S, of the reported value of SAB,
900.22, were irrecoverably lost, leaving
40 still under investigation. This state
ment includes the destruction of regis
tered letters by railroad accidents, etc.,
except those destroyed in March, 1877,
by the burning of the postal car at
Sedan, Indiana.
The percentage of actual losses, COM
pared with the number of letters re-
ported registered during the year., ,348, :
127-is about one-fftieth of one per
cent, or one in five thousand sent
through the mails.
The total weights of the mails dis
patched from the United States to pos
tal-union countries during the year were
as follows: Letters, 81, ,401 ,230 grams,
equal to 1921, 427 ounces; printed mat
ter and samples, 377, ,260, 1854 grams,
equal to 13, ,S0S, 1887 ounces, being an in
creased weight over 1876 of 74,51S
ounces of letters, and 1,2S9, POS ounces
of printed matter and samples. A
statement is appended of the weight of
mails dispatched to each. posta[union
country.
1he cost OF the United States trans
atlantic mail steamship service for the
year 1877 was $159, ,742.4s, being re-
duction of $l2,600.61 from the cost of
the same service for the year 1876.
The United States postages on mails
conveyed to and from the West
Indies, Panama, Central America, Bra
zil, Mexico, Bermuda, Nova Scotia,
New Granada, Venezuela, Honolulu,
the Australian Colonies, Japan and
China amounted to S107, ,363.55, and the
cost of the sea conveyance thereof was
$47, ,S49.49.
The total cost of the United States
Ocean Mail Steamship Service for the
year 1877 (including $3.50, eco paid from
special appropriation for steamship ser
vice to Japan and China) was $751;
586.53. In addition to this the sum of
81, ,368.S0 was paid on account of for
eign closed mails transported from New
York to Europe, and reimbursed to this
department in the settlement of the
quarterly accounts with the British and
French post departments.
The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-12-13
The War Department.

The annual report of the Secretary of
War opens with an account of the work
ing of the act of August Is, 1876, by
which the army was reduced to a max
imum of 25,0O0 men. As the cavalry
was specially excluded from reduction,
the diminution in the other branches of
the service was large. The maximum
of engineers was reduced to 200 men !;
that of ordnance men to $50; ordnance
sergeants at posts to Ia; commissary
sergeants at posts, 14S; hospital stew
ards, 200; West Point detachments,
200; recruiting parties, 500; Indian
scouts, 600; guard at military prison,
seventy-four; sixty-fve enlisted men per
battery for five batteries of artillery
forty-eight men per battery for five bat
teries at the Artillery School; thirty
eight enlisted men per battery for fifty
batteries of artillery. and five enlisted
men for non-comfnissioned staff, at each
of five regimental headquarters of artil-
leIy; thirty-seven enlisted men per COM
pany for 250 companies of infantry, and
five for non-commissioned staff, at each
of twenty-five regimental headquarters
of infantry. This made total of 1875
infantry and 1925 artillery men in the
field. In order to effect these reductions
recruiting was suspended, and all the
soldiers whose terms would expire be-
forr October 81, 1877, were discharged
Recruiting on limited scale has been
recommended, but the numbers still in
service are much below what they would
seem from the above figures.
The Secretary dwells on the fact that
the force of his command is so small
that when riots like those at Pittsburg
toccur, troops have to be transported
from long distances at great expense
while the militia are not to be depended
on. Then, too, the army is too small
for the defense of the frontier and war
like operations against hostile Indians
The army is to the United States what {
police force is to a city. 1t has nov
enough regiments, companies, and off
GERS, but all companies of infantry
should be recruited to fifty men each
and batteries to seventy-five men, will
power to increase the former to on,
hundred in cases of emergency, and tn
latter to one hundred and twenty-five
Attention is called to the weakening O
the force below the figures given il
tables by sickness and special details.
RETIRED LIsT-wEsT POINT.
+ The renewal of the restriction of th
number of the retired offices to thre
hundred is urged. There are now fifty
seven officers waiting retirement, an,
their pay would be reduced 25 per cent
were they retired. Improvements an
engagements of the buildings at Yves
Point and the restoration of the ban
to its former number, forty members
are recommended. The cost would b
$21S,57S.37. A reversion of the cours
of study and the possibility of abolish
ing Sunday parades are also mentione
as subjects worthy of consideration
Details are given of the July riots an
: the part taken by the army in their sur
| preston, of the Mexican border trouble
The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-12-13

BURLINGTON HaaOk-Eye: A Philadel-
phia poetess sings: I" 1 would not weep
because the roses die" No, indeed;
that's nothing to cry for. But when
black oak wood is worth $3.50 a. cord,
and the winter promises to last five
months, then you want to lift up your
voice and howl till they can hear you in
Nevada.
The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-12-13
MY swEETHEABT.

Do you know my sweetheart, sirf
She has fed and gone away,
I've lost my love; pray tell me
Have you seen her pass to-dayf
Dewy bluebells are her eyes,
Golden corn her waving hair;
Her cheeks are OF the sweet bIush-rose;
Have you seen this maiden fair?
White lilies are her neck sir.
And her breath the eglaDtine;
Her rosy lips the red carnations
Such Is she, this maiden mine.
The light wind is her laughter,
The murmuring brooks her song;
Her tears, so full Of tender pity,
In the clouds are borne along.
The sunbeams are her smiles,
The leaves her footsteps light;
To kiss each coy flower into life
Is my true loves delight.
/ will tell you who she is,
And how all things become her,
Bend down, that may whisper,
Ny sweetheart's name is" Summer"
Chambers's journal.
The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-12-13

Business cards Of five lines or less, So per annum.
Local notices 10 cents per line each insertion.
Simple announcements OF marriages and deaths,
aud church and benevolent society ices ins rted
free. Any additions TO obituary notices will be
charged Eve cents per line.
Fayors must be banded in as early as Tuesday
morning to insure insertion the sime week
Communications upon subjects Of general or local
Int solicited
The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-12-13

...Si9 III, ,443 "a
The estimates for the support of the
military establishment are for an army
of $4,000 enlisted men, and the aggre-
gate thereof may be increased or di-
minished in proportion as the strength
of the army is finally fixed at larger
or smaller number The estimates sub
mitted by the chiefs of bureaus have, in
some instances, been considerably re-
duced, and it is believed that the several
sums now asked are the lowest that can
be appropriated consistently with Just
regard for the public interests. The
aggregate estimates for rivers and har-
bors have been reduced to S5,015, 900,
and Notifications to $62o,000.
In conclusion, the Secretary refers to
the work of constructing jetties at the
mouth of the Mississippi River, and
quotes from the report of an engineer
The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-12-13
ESTIMATES.

The estimates for this department for
the fiscal year ending June 80, 1870, as
revised, amount, in the aggregate, to the
sum of $43, lie. 1922, as follows:
Salaries coptinoant exnanaes and most.
The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-12-13
Postoffice Department.

The Postmaster General reports that
The total expenditures of this depart
ment during the fiscal year ended
June 30, 1877, 4S6, ,322 A
The revenues were as follows;
Ordinary receipts..........- SIG, 1856, "A "a
Receipts from money or
der business. ................ IT, 400 IS
Receipts for official stamps sl.i-s.
and stamped envelopes. 370,730 47-27, ,5S1 ,5S5 26
The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-12-13
SOUTH ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.

Our relations with the Republicans of
Central and South America, and with the
Empire of Brazil, have continued without
serious change further than the temporary
interruption of the diplomatic course with
The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-12-13

Much delay, consequent upon the accusa-
tions of fraud in some of the awards, has
occurred in respect to the distribution of
the limited amounts received from Ven
ezuela, under the treaty of April 25, 1866,
applicable to the awards of the joint COM
mission created by that treaty.
So long as these matters are pending in
Congress the Executive can not assume
either to pass upon the question presented
or to distribute the fund received. 1t is
eminently desirable that definite legislative
action should be taken, either deciding the
awards to be final, or providing some method
| for q re-examination of the claims.
The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1877-07-12
INDIAN LAKE ITEMS.


The Indian Lake people joined with
the people about Round, Silver and
Skunk Lakes III celebrating the Fourth
ut Barrett's Grove, on Round Lake.
There were from 50 to 100 persons pres,
ent. There were no formal exercises,
but a bountiful dinner was spread Oh a
large table, of which every one partook
and then there were seven baskets full
left. The amusements consisted of
boat riding, swinging, c:oquet, and 4
good time generally visiting and ex-
changing good wishes. In the evening
there was dance at the residence of
J. Phillips, just south OF the lake.
There was also q picnic at the resi-
dence Of Isaac Horton, OH Indian
Lake.
Grain never looked 50 nattering as it
does now. Barley harvest will begin
this week. Under the hot weather,
corn is coming to the front in splendid
style. EN-Sheritf Bulls has Il piece of
barley which promises SO bushels to
the acre. DR.. Churchill has il field of
wheat which reaches to his arm-pits
and promises from Is to 80 bushels to
the acre. Henry Haggard also has a
splendid field of barley, promising 40 to
so bushels to the acre. All small grain
is unusually we'll headed and if not
bllghted will yield immensely.
Hoppers have BEEN flying for some
days but are not eating in tins town.
They seem to be small and feeble.
B. D. G..
The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1877-07-12
SEWARD ITEMS.

Crops looking exceedingly well.
Fred Bloom has piece Of oats which
promises to yield Is bushels to the acre.
August Schultz has the finest piece of
barley have ever seen in this State.
II this were in Wisconsin I should say
it would yield so bushels to the acre.
3. +. Johnson has a fine crop Of peas,
the best l have seen. Weston Gage
has a very fine prospect for wheat.
Corn is coming along we'll under the
hot weather. Potatoes doing we'll ev-
erywhere and people are eating them.
Grasshoppers flying but no damage
except to gardens and some to corn.
The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1877-07-12
ELK ITEMS

On the ith, Pioneer S. S. joined
with the Merrill NJ. f. School in a pic
mic at the residence Of 7. L. Taylor.
There were some 80 present. n bcun-
tiful table was spread with a dinner
which would have done honor to bet
ter days. After dinner there was q.
treat of instrumental and vocal music,
the instrumental by Miss Hattie KEEL
ley, and the vocal by the Elk choir.
The best Of feeling prevailed and every
BODY declared, with Peter Of old, lit is
good for us to he here.' Much credit
is due to Mr.. Taylor and his estima-
Die lady for inaugurating and conduct
ing this delightful picnic to such q
successful termination. They had two
nice swings prepared for the children,
and every thing was done to make the
day pleasant to both young and old.
All declared themselves in favor of fire.
quent gatherings Of the kind and re-
solved to hold another picnic at the
residence of MI. Convey on Thanksgiv-
ing day. All hoped that this was the
beginning of better times. The faith
of the people of Elk is strong in the
future Of our beautiful country.
Crops never looked better. Wheat
promises Is bushels to the acre. Corn,
under the hot weather, is coming on
finely. Grasshoppers flying in small
numbers but doing no damage. Farm
ers have no fears of losing their crops
this year from this pest.
There are four schools this Summer
in Elk, all satisfactorily taught. Also
two Sabbath, Schools and Mr.. Taylor
organized another one last Sunday at
the Miller school house, where Miss
Fellows, daughter Of Milton Fellows,
IS teaching. Miss F. has the gift Of
teaching the infant class successfully
n Sabbath School was organized in
Elk, at the Miller school House, last
Sabbath, with the following officers:
superintendent. L. Taylor. AS
sistant Superintendent-MissI Ida NJ.
Fellows. Librarian-Thos. Miller.
Infant Glass Teacher-Mrs. Darling.
Testament Class Teacher-Mrs. Eel
lows. Bible Glass Teacher-T. l.. Tay-
lor.
HUFFMAN.
The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1877-07-12
GR1H1M LAKES ITEMS.

The pic-nics were we'll attended here
on the 4th. Heron Lake turned out
almost to man land woman, too, we
should think,) and so many Smiling
faces betol1en contentment, if not sue
cess. Worthington and Hersey were
represented. as was also Sheldon, Iowa.
The Grafton was 4 complete failure.
None of the many orators engaged hay
II 8 put in All appearance. John Crap
St, y made 4 few remarks. and Mrs.
l:apsey sang Centennial Poem of her
OWN composition which was very good,
j. j. PiXley and lady, Of Lacrosse,
Wis, are visiting Mrs. Pixley's father;
N. III. Smith.
Grasshoppers flew in large numbers
f on the 81 and o Sth g Ndt west A
any harm.
Crops look well, and we hear farmers
boasting of their fine barley aad flax
and talking of harvest.
Politics is being talked over some,
and we hear of several candidates for
Office. Hope the farmers will not break
up one ring by forming another as their
course seems to Indicate now. The
better way would be to meet at eau
Gus and instruct your delegates to vote
for men you want and then vote for
them. Not because they are farmers,
but because they are good men. Men
who are capable and will attend to
their duties and consequently entitled
to your support. Is. W. W.
The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1877-07-12
THE INDIAN LAKE. ROAD.

We are informed that the Indian
Lake road is in very bad condition.
The isthmus on the north of Ocheeda,
just this side of McCollum hill, has
been almost impossible and the ap-
proaches to the bridge near Mr.. Brant's
are in very bad condition. The peo-
pie of Indian Lake propose putting in
some graf aitous work on the isthmus
next week, by cutting down McColl-
I'm hill and filling along the lake shore.
We are informed that $50 have been
appropriated to repair the approaches
to the bridge, but that the work has
not yet been done. The business men
of Worthington ought to do something
toward inn proving this road. There
are Iowa farmers who wish to do their
trading in Worthington, who 60 to
Sibley because the Spirit Lake and In
dian Lake road is iu such bad condi-
tiOn
The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1877-07-12

Some excitement was caused on the
street Oh Monday forenoon by an at
tempt made by Attorney Daniel Rohr-
Ell to obtain paper from Banker A.
NJ. Smith. It seems that a patent be-
longing to DR.. Jackson WAS deposited
in the bank. Bohrer went in and in an
excited manner demanded the paper,
and told young Smith that if he did
not surrender it he would horse-whip
him the first time lie met him on the
street. Smith informed him that he
would deliver the paper up if Rohrer
would bring an order for the same.
Rohrer threatened to gut" <'shoot, !"
and ''horse-wlip" the Cashier, when B.
W. Lyon took the excited attorney and
led him out Of the bank. Rohrer af-
forwards met Smith on the street and
was about to carry out his threat, when
Lyon again interferred and sent the
Attorney to his room ut the hotel.
Young Smith still retains his abdomi-
nal and other viscera. O, Dan, why
will you "fout?'' Your little hands
were never made, To tear intestines
'tout!'