davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
, 1877-01-24

ern road into Ida County. Tho Western Ter.
minus is not fixed, bnt will ,bo nrobnbly ~
Unawa- Stakes hnvo been sct as far a. Smith.
land, and the contracts made for grading and
ttark-lnying. Tho road Mill be pushed forward
next season as far ~ possible, to moro tho crops
Of the next harvest. Tho Company own large
quantities Of land along tho pro9,oscd road, ant
have sold probably enough In build tho line.
ROCK IsLAHt, 4 PACIFIC.
st. Charles has rroPotcd to ratsc go, GOO for
the cxlcnaIon Of thu Chcago, fsock island 4
l'ncifc from Knoxville tn that ttace, Witch Is
near the west line Of Madison Co.tnty. It would
rcautrn l,ut few miles uf roasl to connect with
their Wfntcrsct hra,tcf Of tho c., Il l. d T.
which runs to Des Afnlnrs.
In about ten days the people Of Lucas County
arc 10 vote upon the question of a. per cent
tax 10 aid il. the cxtcllson Of tho ln'ianoln
branch Of tito Chicago, Rock Island = Pacific
Read from Intiianu|A to Chnrtton. There is
ittlo doubt the proposition will be adopted, md
II 20 other towns along. the rnutc viii fmnc.li-
ately follow. 1t is estimated $1;Ah0O0 will DO
required TO place the roa,I-lctl sca.ly for the
irui,. wlstcl, ,lone, The Chicago, Rock 1*lani 4
paglnc will probably iron nnd c1ufp it,. This
line would prove m Invaluable feeder to
Dcs Mo!ncs, n.,d virtually to Chicago, as tic
cattle, hogs, mud grain ra!:cd nlong tho rnutc
nro Immense III lsiauiitv. It. would alsn afford
competing limo with tho Chicago, Burlington
s. Quincy.
, 1877-01-24
ITEMS.

ITEMS.
afr. Tim Chandler, tho efficient Agent Of tho
Chicago, Milwaukee d ST. raul R1ilraad in this
city, was agrccab1y surprised yesterday evening
when he was presented by Afr. A. V. II. Carpcn-
ter, General Ticket nul Passenger Agent,
on behalf OF tho officials Of tho road,
with splendid g''ll charm III tito shape Of
little tatchct, hs token OF their appreciation
OF his uncxamplcd tsuthfulncss nnd vcraclty.
The taken ia appropriately insrvtl,c,t,. can.
not tell lie. lt!Id it With my lIttic latcct."
u,atlo fer very feeling and appruprfate re-
marks, and Nir. tllaudler wns 20 overcome at
this unexpected appreciation OF h!s virtues that
he was almost unable to express The feelings ot
lis l,cart. Tic ctrcnloncs closed with neat
Tic Illinois Central l,atlro1d Inns commenced
to run through slccplng-cars between this city
aud Hannibal vta Its own 1ino and the Toledo.
used On this limo belong TO the Wtxl,irn1f Com.
pany. The train leaves here Mt 8::D 2: NJ. and
arrives at uann'bal ut lU:'n u. II. The first
through RlccplnE-car left tho lllInois Central
Depot last evening.
Gencral Ticket Agents of tho land -gmnt ratt-
roa<ls arrived here yesterday, mud more will
come ihts morning. They will hold meeting
nt tic Palmer Ilolisr during tho day to tlccltu
| t1p0n Uniform rates for the sal1 or lnnus mud
| tho issuing Of excursion tickets.
| Tho General Ticket and Passenger Agents.
Association held lis regular monthly meeting Gt
the office ct the Chicago, lluck Island d pacllc
l.airoad yesterday, but beyond the revision Of
| tic regular sl1rct ratcs, nothing Of all lmp0r-
Tho General Freight Agents Of the roads lead
ing to tic West frotn tllft etty iclt 1neeiinG
yesterday Aftcrnoul ut the nlleoof tho Illinois
Central fsailroal anI revised tho frtg,t classi-
f!rn1ions. Tic clalugcs made arc Of no impor-
| tanco to outsiders,
, 1877-01-24

WASHINGTON, D. c., Jan. EXHIBITIONS wcr
presented from Philadelphia, PittsburR, and st
Louis, PRAYING the passage OF Il bill prcscntc'
by tho joint Committee On counting the Eject
oral vote.
The New York herald., 1877-09-01
Post once Savings Ranks.

The proposition Of the HERALD that our
government should adopt the plan which
has been in successful operation in England
for the last sixteen years, with the universal
approval Of the English public, for protect
ing the savings of the poor against the or
ganized thievery Of which they are SO con-
stantly the Victims is attracting wide atten-
ton. 1t is strongly indorsed by portion
of the press and feebly condemned by an
other portion. Even the journals which
doubt its expediency make no ques-
ton of its practicability and do not
dispute that the security of de-
positors would be perfect. SO far, there
fore, as the interests and safety Of de-
positors are concerned there is but one
side to the question. 1t is not wild and
untried experiment. for the most practical
nation on the globe long ago put it in
operation, and its wisdom is amply vindi-
Gated by the results. 1t would promote q
frugal disposition to save, not only by in
spiriuc an increased sense of security, but
by bringing savings banks facilities within
the reach Of large part of our population
VINO 90 uOl low eAJoy eASLn. AAe tIumP
nuisance renders ii more and more unsafe Tor
people living in the country to keep money
in their houses but they nre so remote from
savings banks that they cannot avail them
selves of this means of security, and, be-
sides the risk from burglars, their money
earns nothing while they keep it locked up
in drawers TO be sure, it might as well go
to thieves and burglars as to the rapacious
swindlers who rob the poor In cities under
the pretence Of taking care of their savings
and paying interest for them; but it would
be better for people both in city and
country to have their spare cash in
safe custody. That the Post Office system
which has had such complete success in
England would be an equally great blessing
TO depositors in this country nobody dis
putes, and the only objection made to the
plan is that it is not within the proper func-
tions of the federal government. But thus
far this is mere assertion, unsupported by
even pretcnce of argument.
Our Post Office is constantly doing things
which rest upon precisely the same principle
as the proposed savings bank. The money
order system is a pertinent illustration.
Why should the Post Office receive money
in Maine and engage to pay out an
| equal sum in California? 1t is doing
The New York herald., 1877-09-01
The Isth,n lis Canal.

We print to-day with great pleasure q
letter from Commander Selfridge, of the
United States Navy. in regard to some
points in the surveys for an isthmus ship
canal, and particularly in correction of GER
tain errors with regard to his own part of
the work which crept into an article on the
subject printed in these columns some days
ago. If our statements did injustice to his
services in this arduous field it was through
inadvertence and not intention; and, since
they have drawn correction from him,
there is the less ground to regret their ap-
pearance, for they can do no harm to his
reputation, while every word from those
familiar with the surveys tends to increase
the popular knowledge of this subject, and
is, therefore, an advantage to the country.
The New York herald., 1877-09-01

this, or what is1squivalent to this, every
day in the yer. to the great conven-
fence of the senders and the general satis-
faction of the public No growler has been
SO churlish, no prater OF constitutional
metaphysics has been SO scrupulous, as to
raise any objection to the money order sys-
tenn, which does not differ in principle from
the savings bank system which we recon-
mend. Under the money order system the
Post Office takes the money of the people IN
one place, becomes responsible for it and
pays it out in a distant place. Un-
der the savings bank system the Post
Office would take the money Of the people
in one place, become responsible for it and
pay it out in the same place. If anybody
can 'insert his metaphysical scissors be-
tween the two and split the principle on
which they alike depend We will pay our re-
spectful attention to the feat. We do not
throw out challenge. but we assert, with
out fear of successful contradiction, that
there is no constitutional argument against
Post Office savings bank which is not an
equally valid argument against the Post
Office money orders.
The New York herald., 1877-09-01
The Decline Of the Drama.

Under this title Mr.. Dion Boucicaut has
published in the North american Rerieao q
letter notable for it's boldness and brill
iancy, and which is welcome as q valuable
contribution to an important debate. 1t as
sumes that the drama has declined, and as
signs reasons Tor the fact, of which some
are real and others imaginary. 1t may be
true, rs Mr.. Boucicault says, that the utili-
tartan spirit of the present age does not en-
courage the production of the highest
dramatic art, as was once the case and that
generally the best intellect finds other forms
Of expression; but this would not prove
that the drama has declined The miscon-
ception Of Mr.. Boucicault is that he con-
fuses production with appreciation, and as
sumes that because the age does not create
great dramas therefore it does not value
them. But the decline Of the drama, in the
broad sense of the term, as he uses it, is
not proved by the fact that there exists no
Shakespeare, no Congreve, no Goldsmith.
The great English writer's beqneathed us
literature which is almost as bright and
beautiful as when it was created and it was
never as deeply established in popular esti-
nation as it is now. In seeking to obtain
correct knowledge OF the condition of the
drama the irst question should not be, Why
is there not another Shakespeare now? but,
What rank does Shakespeare now hold !?
Mr. Boucicault himself clearly explains why
such dramatic poet would be impossible
now, but fails completely to prove from that
fact the decline of the drama. Never were
its most intellectual productions more dearly
and widely priced. Shakespeare is continu-
eusly played wherever the English language
is spoken. The old standard comedies are
always welcomed with pleasure, when prop
erly brought out, and survive the changes
of society. These are not the signs of de-
cay. If standard plays were neglected now
if Shakespeare were falling instead of rising
in the estimation of the age /; if we allowed
his fame to crumble, as the Greeks let the
! Parthenon fall into ruin. then Mr. Bou-
The New York herald., 1877-09-01
Advance OF the Ottoman Army i'm
Bulgaria.

From Shumla we hear at last of that Otto
man advance against the Russian left which
it was perhaps intended should be made
simultaneously with Suleiman Pacha's ad-
vance against the Russian lines in the
Shipka Pass, and which is, therefore, some
what behind time. 1t may be that in this
case it is better late than never; but we
doubt if that maxim can be regarded as
sound in military sense when the lateness
implies that the period for an effective CO.
operation is gone by. Although it is OBJ
vious that the Russians in the pass have not
yet freed their front from the tena-
cious foe that has assailed it for 30
many days it does not appear that
that foe is able to do more than
annoy and embarrass the defenders of the
position He cannot carry their lines but
his menace in that quarter will compel them
to keep in hand in that direction consid-
erable part, ifnot the whole, OF the force that
was hurried thither to fight him. Will this
so reduce the numbers of the Russians on
their line below Gabrova as to weaken their
defence of those lines, and, consequently,
afford favorable opportunity to the Otto
man army of the quad rilateral? We do not
believe it will, and, if it does not, then all
the advantage that the Turks could have
gained from the combined movement
against two points on their enemys line is
lost. This is a grave fault in their opera
TONS
1t is reported that the column of Selim
Pacha advanced on Friday from Eski
Djuma to the line Of the LON and crossed
that river, and that the Russians fled before
him, offering but trivial resistance. Further,
that Nedjih Pacha advanced from Rasgrad
toward Torlak some few miles to the east
of the LON, also driving before him the
clouds Of flying Russians. Fighting, it is
said, continued all day. The most impor-
tant feature Of this advance was the engage
ment which took place at Karahassanler.
from which Mehemet Ali claims the Rus
slams were driven with loss Of four thou
sand men after desperate fighting The
Turks acknowledge loss Of three thousand
men, SO that, although the position does not
appear to be Of first rate importance to the
Russians at present, they evidently acted
on the plan Of the Council Of War-namely,
to retire from no more positions without
being forced out. In regard to the Russian
army in Bulgaria the defeated force was
only holding an advanced post.
BY the time the Ottoman advance reaches
the Jantra it will find change in this par
ticular. The Russian line of advance is that
zone of country between the Jantra and the
Osma rivers, with the Balkans at one end
and the Danube at the other. Their line of
defence for this district is toward the quad
rilateral, on or near the Jantra.
The New York herald., 1877-09-01
MEXICO.

ELECTIONS IN soNoRA-A COMMISSIONER SENT
TO GUAYMAs WITH POWER TO ANNUL THE
STATE ELECTIONS.
WASHINGTON, August 81, 1871
Inform has been received at the Department OF
State the United States Consul at Guaymas that
tho Legislature OF Sonora convened the I'd OF July,
declared General vlncente Mariscal Constitutional
Governor Of the State and that he was inaugurated az
such the 4th General Mariscai was the Provisional
Governor and Military Commandant OF Sonora.
The Consul states further that on the 18th OF the
same month General Huerta and staG, accompanied
by General Pesquiera former Governor Of Sonora
rived at Guaymas on the gunboat Mexico to investi
gate the recent State election, being empowered Ia
annul the same If in his judgment tho situation o.
Affairs justified him in SO doing General Huorta was
ccompanied by 200 federal troops, with 800 mon 70
ported to be route thither, which Will make in all
loo federal soldiers In that frontier State Whether
such force has entire reference the recent cleo
t,ons the future can alone make clear
The New York herald., 1877-09-01
Blunders OF the French Government.

Blumders OF the French Government
In one more important point the French
government has been compelled to amend
it's proceedings against NJ Gambetta. He
was at the last accounts to have been prose-
cuted as an accomplice in the publication
of his own speech, as it appeared in the
Progres du Nord a journal published in
Lille, where the speech was delivered. His
trial was, therefore, ,sort OF legal adjunct
to the trial of the offending journalist.
But now the government has learned that
the Lille journal copied the speech from the
RfpuJlique Fancaise SO the proceedings are
transferred to Paris as adjunct to the prose-
cution of the Partisan journal. Such vacil-
lation of purpose and such blundering is
not often seen in the politics Of any
country, and it is pity for the rep
utation of the President for fair
ness and common sense that he did
not find out where to begin before moving
in this case. From the evidence given of
the perceptions Of the Ministry this might
have compelled the government to wait
great while but the delay would have been
salutary 1t is said in the anecdotical
chronicles there was once man who had so
much to do that he did not know what
to do first; and unable to decide this
great issue, and unwilling to be
unjust, he calmly gathered up his
tackle and went fishing. That heroic escape
from painful dilemma was worthy a great
man, and if the President of France had
been equally we'll balanced in practical
philosophy--ifhe he had gone fishing OF shoot
ing or occupied himself with any other
harmless sport to which his faculties are
equal-he would at least have escaped
the ridiculous mishap of doing the
wrong thing first and second and
third and fourth, and being compelled each
time to undo it and begin again. In the
case of the proposed prosecution of M.
Chardon, the Senator for Savoy, the govern
ment has also put itself in the comical po-
sition of not knowing the law before it be-
gan, or of admitting after it began that that
is the law which is not 1t abandons this
case because Senator cannot be prosecuted
without the consent of the body Of which
he is a member. How can q government so
little acquainted with the law us this blum
der implies be relied upon to defend that
law against all comers?
The New York herald., 1877-09-01

REPUBLICAN PoLITICs-Our correspondent at
Saratoga throws some light on the republican
situation as it appears ut that famous watering
place. To we'll known politician who is a keen
observer of men and public affairs it looks as if
we had first class game of political chess on
hand, in which the next Presidential nomination
Is the stake, and Mr.. Sherman. Mr. Evarts, Mr.
Conk1ing and possibly one two others are the
players. The whole thing is very amusing The
next Presidential election is far in the distance.
and it Is more than probable that political pat
ronagc will have very little to do with it. Since
New York became q State, however, we have
always had political intrigue of some sort or
another, and our correspondents letter shows
that our politicians have not lost their cunning.
The New York herald., 1877-09-01
General Mcclellan on the Eastern
War.

War.
General McClellan's opinions upon the
war in the East naturally command great
deal of attention, not only because of his
military reputation in this country, but
from the close study he has made of the
armies of Europe, and the second OF his
papers, published in the Ssptember-Octo
number of the North American Review, will be
read with interest. His comments are
brought up to the 14th Ct August. With
the campaign movements in Asia Gen
eral Mcclellan occupies the first part
of his review, and he expresses the
opinion that the Russian forces in Armenia
were at first much overrated. Instead OF
one hundred and seventy thousand, as at
first estimated, he thinks there are not
more than seventy-fve thousand, to which
the Turks oppose almost double the num-
ber To the extension Of the Russian
forces over too long a line he ascribes
their repulses in Armenia, but believes that
had the Russians possessed naval control Of
the Black Sea their successes would have
been swift and complete. Their defeats at
ton Of the strength of the Turks there,
but he does ot'consider that it will have o
permanent effect upon the war. II ana
lying the strategy of the Russians he
finds that their commander plans with
caution, but strikes with decision. Upon
the whole General lTcClellan's study of the
Eastern war as late as August IA has led
him to the conclusion that ''the chances Of
ultimate success are still largely in favor of
the Russians"
The New York herald., 1877-09-01

ton. But if we are bound by hard bar
gain it is satisfactory to know that the credit
OF the city is SO good that nobody fortunate
part with them. In spite of enormous
waste, gigantic frauds and so many years Of
maladministration as the city has gone
through, and in spite Of the debt which
grew so rapidly during the Tweed regime,
the financial world has unshaken confidence
class of securities safer than the bonds OF
this city.
But the high credit of the city does not,
as we think, rest at all on the fact put for
ward by Mr.. Kelly that the city owns real
estate whose value is nearly double the
amount of its debt. The Comptroller bor-
rows this line of argument from some OF his
predecessors, but even if it were hundred
times repeated there would be little In 1t.
Who believes that the Central Park and our
other parks will ever be divided into build
ing lots and sold? If the city should ever
he reduced to such straits as to try to
make this an available resource real
estate here would have sunk to q
low ebb indeed, and lots in Central Park
would hardly find purchasers. 1t is ridic-
ulous to regard this property as possible
resource for the payment of debts. Ii the
city should 90 to ruin neither that nor any
other land within it's limits will possess
much value; but until the city goes to ruin
the Park is no more to be regarded as a
piece of salable property than our noble
and beautiful bay. The credit of the city
depends on it's relation to the commerce of
the country and the commerce of the world,
which will cause it to grow in population
and wealth for centuries to come 1t is the
certainty that its taxable property in prl-
vate hands will increase from generation to
generation that lies at the foundation Of the
city's credit and causes keen-sighted capital
lists to feel such undoubting confidence in
its bonds.
The New York herald., 1877-09-01

BALTIMORE AND BUFFALO must he added to
the list Of cities in which the business outlook is
bright and cheerful. There can he no better
gauge OF the commercial condition than the
canal statistics, and the returns for last month
show very large increase in business Not
withstanding the reduction of tolls nearly fifty
per cent the receipts for last month as compared
with those a year ago were largely increased
The prospects of good fall trade and return
Of prosperity are good everywhere.
The New York herald., 1877-09-01

GENERAL HOWARD has possibly been too
severely criticised. The correspondence else
where printed shows that the obstacles in bis
way are very great and he seems to be doing
the best that can be done under the crcurYl-
stances. One OF the disheartening features, Of
this whole Indian business is the aid and com
fort given the savages by INSCRIPTIONS and un
princpled traders.
The New York herald., 1877-09-01

THERE Is No POSITIVE information ut Wash.
ington as to the exact position of Sitting Bull
1t seems to be the belief of the War Department
that he is still in Canada. and under that inn
preston the commission will 90 to Canada and
demand his surrender. Canada will probably
tell the commission to take him..
The New York herald., 1877-09-01

SENIOR MATA, the Mexican representative at
Washington, in advising his government to send
R large force of troops to the frontier has taken
y rather strange course to alay public feeling on
this very vexatious question. If, however,
when they get there they help keep their rob
bers and marauders ut home their presence may
have the desired effect.
The New York herald., 1877-09-01

GENERAL GRANT was presented with the free
dom OF the city of Edinburgh yesterday. 1t was
OF course necessary that he should say some
thing, and what he did say was graceful and ap-
propriate
The New York herald., 1877-09-01

The DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE for Governor in
Virginia has rendered substantial service to his
State and his party by setting his foot down on
the reputation programme in that State. To
be sure they do not call it Reputation, but that
is what it means. Virginia is too proud to follow
Georgia into dishonor
The New York herald., 1877-09-01

SHORE INSPECTOR FERGUSON won u complete
victory over the garbage men. He gallantly
boarded the scows, which ingloriously surren-
aered on the terms of the victor. Ferguson ought
10 be made an admiral for his gallantry.
The New York herald., 1877-09-01

cicault might well say that the drama
had declined. He errs in the inference that
an art degenerates when the appearance OF
great artists is for an indefinite period sus-
pended by a new productive tendency OF
the world
The New York herald., 1877-09-01

The PROHIBrrIoN PARTY in Iowa will take
iome votes from the republicans, but, of course
not enough to change the result. Prohibition
not being in the democratic creed they are
specially incensed against the republicans, for
whom they believe cold water is strong enough
The New York herald., 1877-09-01

FRESH REVELATIONS are made in connection
with the silk smuggling ring. 1t seems to have
had its ramifcations in half the vessels arriving
Rt the port.
The New York herald., 1877-09-01

SENATOR INGALLS,, of Kansas, denounces the
administration set of pigmies, which sug-
gests the inquiry, Who is Ingallsl Mr.. Ingalls,
appears to sadly need some discreet friends.
The New York herald., 1877-09-01

From oar reports this morning the probabilities
arc that the ~eather ia Ne~ York today wiH be
partly cloudy ,ciA, possibly, rains.
The New York herald., 1877-09-01

WALL STREET YEsTERDAY.-The stock market
was less active, and, as q rule, prices were
lower. Gold fell off to 1O4. Government
bonds were weak, States dull but steady and
railroads strong and higher. Money call
opened at 3 a 4 per cent and closed at per
cent, advar cling i'll the interim to ) per cent.