davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-05-04
ILLINOIS RIVER IMPROVEMENT.

The Commissioners of the Illinois & Michi-
| gan Canal have issued an address urging the
importance of an appropriation by congress to
complete the improvement of the Illinois river.
The state has built two dams, at a cost of about
S15O000, and as far rs their influence extends,
has given the river permanent depth OF ! feet
of water at all seasons; but there are three
more dams necessary to complete the work,
and these will cost about 81 100000, which Is
more than the state will probably be willing
or perhaps ought to pay, considering the really
national character of the work. The commits.
sioncrS say:
With these three additional locks and dams
this river will become one of the most mpor.
,ant channels of commerce in the United States
and perhaps in the world; giving 226 miles OF
navigation for large class steamers, and other
crafts drawing q feet of water, at all seasons oil
navigation, and ut a cost of about $4,000 per
mile, including what the United States have
expended in dredging.
This will be the least expensive route OF It's
length that has been, or can be built on this
continent; and of much larger capacity fol-
tonnage than most of the other routes The
Erie Canal, of New York, $50 miles IN length
has cost over 500 900 per mile, or thirty millions
of dollars, and has not more than Ito or IL.
of the capacity of this river when improved.
| The completion of this river improvement
will make a good water route from Chicago
through the Illinois and Michigan Canal to
the Mississippi river, there connecting with
| - 600 To $4,000 miles of internal river naviga
ton of the Mississippi and its tributaries, and
make water communication from the Gulf OF
| ST Lawrence and New York City, Ia ST Louis
and all places on the western rivers, New Or
| leans and the Gulf of Mexico.
! The importance of this route may he seen in
the fact that in its present condition LIZ of all
the lumber shipped from Chicago, and IL OF
all the corn received al Chicago, passes through
this channel; and at -. Louis l-5 of all the
freight received by river, and 100 part of all
the freight received by rail from the ID rail
roads centering there and the different rivers
Is received by this route and by this river.
! The number of steamboats, arriving at st
Louis in 1876 was 2.l22, and of this number
300 were from the Illinois river. The depar
lures were ais. and 2S9 were Illinois river
boal,, making over Is part of all arrivals and
departures.
From tins il will be seen how important &c
the Western and Southwestern States IL the
completion of this improvement and the grea
influence il will have IN cheapening the rates
nj transportation; clearly showing that this
would become, in a short time one of the grea
channels of commerce, and thus benefit large
portion OF the citizens of this vast country.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-05-04

The Methodist ministers of Delaware at a
recent conference, resolved unanimously not to
accept Barnum's complimentary tickets to his
big show and that it was sinful to visit such
places" The notification to Barnum To that
effect gives him occasion to send the reverend
gentlemen singing reply, in which he unmcr.
cifully ridcules II piety that abhors looking on
his "prolane girailcs, drunken sea-lions, swind
ing camels, gambling rhionoceros, thicving
monkeys, debauched antelopes and Lamas,
degraded lions, tigers and lcopards, slanderous
ostriches, hypocritical vultures, heretical gold
IN pigeons Ireligious parrots and cantakcr
Gus cockatOosn
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-05-04
FRIGHTFUL EXPLOSION AT MINNEAPOLIS

The city of Minneapolis was terrified about
! o'clock on Thursday evening bv IA frightful
explosion, which was soon discovered TO have
occurred in the big 42run Washburn mill, in
the center of the milling district of the CITY
The explosion not only demolished the Wash
burn mill, but shattered the Diamond, the Zen
it'll, the Petit, the Robinson n Co, the Hum
boldt and Galaxy mills, and all were DESTROYED
by the fire that followed it AS well rs the
adjacent lumber yards and cooper shops.
The most mysterious part about it is that no
one can satisfactorily account for the explosion
The generally accepted theory thus far is that
1t originated in the stoves from flour dust in
various ways, as that "A gas was created that
filled the elevators and every part of the mill
and the explosion followed The theory is also
advanced that the fire originated i'm the stove,
from flour dust; that a gas was created that
filled the elevator and every part of the mill
and the explosion followed The theory is also
advanced that the fire originated from a Ian
tern being lowered in the whcat-bin where ras
had been generated.
/ About seventeen lives, principally ofcmploycs
in the Washbun mill, were lost and a nun
Der of persons in the other mills were more OF
less seriously injured The loss is estimated
at a million of dollars of which about one
thlrd l. covered by insurance
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-05-04

Mr.. James X. Magic, State Printer Expert,
flies into towering passion and RACES through
column of the Springfield Honit0r over a
brief paragraph in the FREE TRADER few
weeks ago, criticising his sworn bill for ninety
days services from January 1st to April LIST,
for the reason that said ninety days must in
clude both Sundays and certain days he was
known to have spent in attending the Toledo
convention. Mr.. Magic denies, firstly, that he
had sloorn to the bill, though he admits that
he is sworn officer, which ought to cover his
bills as well as other official duties; besides, as
matter Of honor and conscience, it is hard to
see what difference it can make whether his
bills are sworn to or not But secondly Mr..
Magic affirms that the duties of his office are
81 overwhelmingly laborious that he is actual
ly obliged to work every Sunday, to say moth
ing of fourteen hours each week day, and
hiring assistance besides. What in the world
can the state printer be doing to cast upon the
Expert such exhausting services? The laws
and journals were printed year ago. Beyond
them there can be little to print except blanks
used about the state house and occasional cir.
culars. Then there is no law in Illinois that
justifies Christian man in working on Sun.
day, or that authorizes man paid by the day
to be paid for working on that day.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-05-04
From MarseilIes.

MARsEILLEs, May ,, 1877.
The bridge that ,rdS to appear overthe canal
on Main street has not appeared.
There will be temperance meetings Friday,
Saturday, Sunday and Monday evenings next.
Mr.. Woodford of Pontiac is the speaker.
The Light Guards entertainment went OF
last evening and will be repeated this evening
The balloon did not go up yesterday-it was
too bad a day; but from the actions OF some
of the lookers-on we should judge they would
be exceedingly dry this morning.
4 singing school is in progress at the VI. +.
Church under the supervision OF Boston gen
tleman. 4 concert will be the finale.
II is rumored that our townsman, Capt. j.
W. Preston. is contemplating change of 10
cation to some place in Iowa. He has great
MANY friends and we hope he will not concludc
to 90.
Mr.J. VI. Day is talked of a> teacher in Mar
settles the coming year. He would indeed be
an acquisition Ia our town.
The orchestra club under the leadership Of
Frank D. Coy is doing good musical work
for the town. May it prosper.
Last Sunday night, or rather Monday morn
ing, some mIscreants attempted 70 effect an en-
trance into the houses of James Scott and J.
B. Waite, but failed. Mr. Scott heard them
and had they succeeded would have warmly
welcomed them Mr. Waite did not hear them
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-05-04
COMMUNISM.

The authorities of New York city, Cincin
natl, St Louis, Chicago, and many other large
cities of the country are becoming seriously
alarmed at the rapid growth and threatening
attitude assumed by the sOcalled communists
of those cities. They are not only organized
| in formidable secret oath bound societies, Du'
are accumulating large quantities of arms ana
ammunition, and to all incnts and purposes
are preparing for war. In Chicago they
boast that they have four thousand men thor
onghly armed and drilled, and in New York
and other cities the numbers are equally Tor
mdabc They make no secret of their pur-
pose to renew the labor connections which
were so promptly suppressed by the authorities
last year, and are organized into companies
and regiments, and drilled and armed so that,
as they declare another attempt of the authori-
ties to crush them will be eticctually resisted.
There are three classes engaged in this bust
ness-onc composed of crazy theorists, whose
brains have been turned by the wild vagarics
of the French communists and who honestly
believe in their irrational theories; the second
class is composed of common rasCals who in
the turmoil and Commotion of an outbreak eX-
pect to profit by indiscrimnatc thieyery and
plumber; and the third class are ignorant and
innocent dupes-mcChanics and laboring men,
who have sought honest labor in vain and are
easily dcluded with the shadowy and dclusive
promise of social reorganization that shall
both cqualizc labor and the distribution of
property.
There is but one way Of dealing with this
formidable danger to public peace, safely, and
good order. The authorities being forewarned
must be fore-armed There are in Illinois
some fifteen or twenty regiments of well armed
and tolcrably well drilled State Guards They
must be put in condition of readiness for in
slant action. If the communists make any
show Of force threatening the public peace and
safety, they must be instantly crushed. There
must be no firing OF blank cartridges. A doz-
en- lives sacrificed at the right time will save
hundreds that are sure to be lost by dilly-dally;
ing. Whatever excuse there may be for COM
munStc organizations in portions of despotc
Europe, there is no excuse for the existence of
the bloody monster here.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-05-04

The Freeport Bulletin, the home organ OF
Mr. Cronkrite, Democratic candidate for State
Treasurer, and one of the standard and best
conducted democratic papers of Illinois, thus
refers to the nominee tor state treasurer OF the
late Springfield convention:
In selecting Mr.. Cronkrite to head the ticket,
the members of the convention have not only
paid high compliment to our tellow.towns
man. but have also displayed their own judg-
ment, wisdom and discrimination. He is a
gentleman of strict honor, and is possessed,
moreover both naturally and by education, Of
those business qualifications which should dis
tngush the treasurer Of the state. He will
poll an immense vote in this section, where
his abilities have been so widely recognized
and his character so long esteemed. Mr.. Cron-
kritcs record as a member of the three last
general assemblies is also great element of
strength, and has won for him numerous
friends in every nook and corner of the state.
His nomination for the treasurership is, we are
confident, the strongest that could have been
made, and we are equally confident that next
November it will be endorsed by an election
Lat the polls.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-05-04
NEW CANDIDATE FOR CONGRESS.

There now, We take it back. The FREE
TRADER has more than once spoken of the
really phenomenal poverty of this congress
sional district in republican material for a
congressman. The only two or three men the
party had that approached responsibility in
that way were held to he so far above the little
trckcry and maneuvering necessary to get a
nomination that they were unwilling to get
down to the degrading business, and so the
scramble was left to the small fry. But we
take it back Kendall county has a statesman
who, latter a great deal Of hesitation" and
only in view of the deplorable condition of the
country has concluded to offer his services TO
the people as their representative. That he is
statesman of no common size and calibre, is
sufficiently apparent from the platform he pro-
mulgates in connection with the condescendiHg
announcement of his candidacy, as follows:
|. The greatest good to the greatest number,
:. Opposition 10 further initiation and further
contraction at this time
3. Reduction of taxation to the lowest posi-
bic extent consistent with good government
4. Opposition to subsidies and land grants.
5. Restriction of corporations wherever they
encroaCh upon the rights of the people
q. Strict devotion to Republican principles,
equal rights, manhood suffrage and civil ser.
vices reform.
7. Opposition to intimidation, fraud, oppres-
sion and violence everywhere.
8. Union in the party, in the government,
and in the hearts of the people.
9. Careful attention TO the commercial, man.
uthcturing and agricultural interests of the
country so that capital may receive its Just
dues, and skill and labor their just reward
10. Strict economy in every department of
the government.
Aside from the merits Of this platform on
the score of soundness and startling originali-
ty, this candidate has the further overwhelm-
ing consideration in his favor that he has lived
seven years in Kendall and four in La Sale
county, and that he "has no organized band
of office holders working for him, and is not
rich enough to hire canvassers to traverse the
district in his behalf" If that don't bring
him the nomination, it will surely be another
sad proof that money and check are too much
for true merit and modest craftsmanship
BY the way, as the announcement of our
Kendall county statesman appeared over his
own proper sign manual in Thursdays York
Vile Rec0rd there is no truth in the rumor
that it was burlesque gotten up by Cullen to
kill off dangerous rival.
And by the way again. The name of this
Kendall candidate and statesman, we had al
most forgotten to mention, is JOHN A. GILLIAN
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-05-04

We do not agree with the Ottawa Free Trdd-
er in the idea that greenbacks are exempt from
taxation after they reach par value and cOntin-
ne to float as money IN commerce We admit
that all government Indebtedness should be
exempt, but greenbacks cease to be an indebt.
edness after our treasury vaults are filled with
the means ofpaying them on presentation. The
nature of this kind OF paper becomes changed
from that of suspended CLAIM on the govern
ment to a mere certificate of deposit for cash
that is placed in the vaults subject to the call
of the holder. If greenbacks, at par, are eX.
empt from taxation, then gold and silver Ger,
tificates are also exempt Certificates for coin
deposited in the treasury are not classed rs
government Indebtedness; no more than is the
responsibility it assumes of holding the secur-
tiles of national banks to protect billhOlders.
National bank notes are taxed in the face OF
the fact that government guarantees the redemp-
ton and becomes debtor if the banks break.
Grcenbacks should be classed as money, and
listed as money, after they reach par-as sub
stltutes Tor the money held on deposit in the
treasury vaults,-and no sound tribunal would
pronounce them exempt because the holders
prefer to use them instead of the cash that is
waiting redemption. When the government
makes the announcement that it is prepared to
pay greenbacks when presented, it makes a le-
gal tender of payment which changes the ma
turc of the obligation. A lawful tender of pay
ment on note when due stops interest on it;
ditto, on bond; ditto, exemption on green
backs,-Joltct PhGntr.
The doctrine of the Ph0ntr is undoubtedly
correct Greenbacks, by several decisions of
the L. 5. Supreme Court, are held to be exempt
from taxation, on the ground that they are evi,
denccs of government Indebtedness, and on the
correct principle that no government can main.
tants dignity, authority, or even existence il
it allows its bonds or other evidences ofindebt.
edness to be taxed by subordinate or municipal
authorities. But when the government announc-
cs its readiness to redeem its evidences oflndebt,
edness in coin, their whole character is chang
ed. They are no longer evidences Of indebted,
ness, but become coin, or real money, and there,
after should be taxed like all other money. Now
that the greenback Is virtually at par with gold,
we think the time has come when the govern.
ment ought to provide for their redemption and
taxation, like all other paper circulating as
money
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-05-04
A WOOLLY DIFFUSION.

| Nothing is more delusive than the so-called
protection" of high tariff. A few years ago
the wool growers of the country held cOnven-
ton after convention, until finally they got con-
gress to levy high tariff on foreign wool,
Then sheep raising was TO become profitable in
the L. 5. and grow into an enormous business.
Recent statistics laid before congress by the ag-
rlcultural bureau, however, show quite the con-
trary According to these, sheep raising has
actually declined under the influence OF the
protective" tariff. Thus in 1867 there were
7,159177 sheep in Ohio; in 1877 there were on
" 100000 In the same time the number Of
sheep in Michigan fell off from 4,O2S,7G7 to
100000, and in the seven states OF Ohio,
Michigan Pennsylvania, New York, Indiana,
Illinois and Wisconsin from 21,4l9,197 to 49,
0S9 300, or more than One-haf. In the same
period the number Of sheep in Great Britain
increased from %, 195 600 to IS 100000 and this
under free trade IN wool. In 1867 we imported
3G,300,000 pounds Of wool and $45S00,000
worth of woolen goods In 1877 we imported
100000 pounds of wool and S47,6OO,O0O
worth of woollen goods; so that under a tariff
framed to promote the growth Of sheen we are
steadily increasing our importation of foreign
wool and decreasing our consumption ofd omes-
tic.
The explanation of the Notifying fact is,
that the tariff has raised the price of our coarse
woods nearly to that of the finer foreign article,
so that our manufacturers find it profitable to
import them and manufacture fine goods, leav-
ing the coarser manufactures to be imported
from abroad Rich people that can afford to
wear broadcoth are benefited, and the wearers
of coarse goods and home spun pay the tax.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-05-04

The great Erie Railroad, which cost some
100000 in its construction, and has since
then piled up a debt of nearly as much more,
was sold under mortgage last week for S.
100000 1t was bid off by eX-Gov. Morgan in
behalf of the English stockholders. The road
ought to have paid dividends almost from its
first completion, but fell into the hands OF
thieves like jim Fiskc, old Drew and that
gang and has been subject to almost rs much
ruthless robbery as the national treasury under
Grant, Robson and Belknap.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-05-04

Recent Investigations in New York City
demonstrate the fact that three,tourthS of all
the people of that city live in tenement hous-
es-not in merely rented houses, but in houses
erected TO accommodate from ten TO twenty
families each. At least half of the remain.
ing one.fourth live in single families in rented
houses, 50 that not over one-eighth of all the
neople of New York live in houses owned by
the occupants-or rather heads of families OF
the occupants themselves.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-05-04

The Republican Illinois State Central Com
mittee, together with about 70 other leading
republicans from different parts of the state
met at Chicago on Thursday to talk over the
fall campaign. 1t was decided to make a
square-toed fight and to dscountcnance all
coalitions with the Nationals or other political
rumps or fag ends. The Goth of June was
fixed rs the day to hold the state convention
and Springfield selected rs the place.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-05-04

There is quite little buz in diplomatic cir
Giles at Washington and the East over the arri-
val, at an obscure port in Maine, of II stout
Hamburg steamer named the Cimbria, which
has been bought by Russia, and besides being
thoroughly equipped with fighting implements
and material, has full complement of officers
and some SIX hundred well drilled Russian
marines on board. The original destination
of the vessel was New York, but the English
minister at Washington being notified of her
sailing the fact was reported to the state de-
partment, upon which the Russian minister
had her stop on the Maine coast. 1t is said
the purpose of Russia is, in case of declara-
ton of war against Russia by England, to send
most of the men to the California coast toman
privateers to be fitted out there, as also to have
the Cimbria dart out from her covert IN Maine
and fall upon any helpless English merchant
vessels that may be found sailing in north
Atlantic waters.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-05-04

The Cashier of the Indiana bank who rar
away leaving 100000 in his safe is uploubt
cdlya victim of emotional insanity, besides DC
ING absentminded. We think of that p.lr
with extreme sorrow. What n spectacle il
must have been when, suddenly clapping hi,
hands TO his forehead he remembered that the
money he so needed was not there, but un
doubtedly at the disposal of its rightful owners
We shall next hear OF his suicide
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-05-04
OUR CLUBBING.

We are prepared to club the FREE TRADEF
with the following publications, furnishing both
at the prices named, postage prepaid. The of
ier-open to old subscribers or new at any
post Office IN the county-is the CHEAPEST
EVER MADE IN this county:
FREE TRADER and Chicago Weekly Times. 81 70
FREE TRADER and Chicago Weekly Tribune. 2'oo
FREE TRADER and Chicago Weekly Inter- o cr
Ocean ................. ''.''''''''' :, an
FREE TRADER and Prairie Farmer. ......... 3'oV
FREE TRADER and either Of Harpcr's publ
rnvr Tp.nrp and Sc,,ibner Advertisements. AS
FREE TRADER nd Godeys LADIES' Book. 3U
Fprr TpIDrp and Ii,e $fock Journal ..... g. Is
FREE TRADER and chronological Journal. -. 3 %
FREE TRADER and 81. Nhhotds. ......'.''' 90
FREE TRADER and Denio,fsts 4hoMty.'..'' 3'oo
FREE TRADER and Ldt'eHs L,rng A9e..'.'. 20 -
FREE TRADER and Western furH ..'.:.... 2b
FREE TRADER and Moore's Rural Ne,o Yorker $50
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-05-04

John Morrissey, no less noted rs philan
thropist and successful politician than as a
great gambler-an impossible combination
outside Of New York city-died on Wednes
day at Saratoga, N. y, after lingering illness
lie was at the time Of his death member Of
the New York senate, but had not taken his
seat there, having spent the winter IN Florida
in the vain hope of recovering his health.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-05-04

The Watson Hotel at Newark, Kendall coun.
y, threestory frame building, was burned to
the ground on Saturday morning last, about .
o'clock The hotel was owned by Mr.. ]. A.
Coy, and was occupied by Mr.. Archie Halbert.
The fire was caused by defective fiue. There
Was no insurance The building was a large
three story frame structure and must have COS,
eight or ten thousand dollars.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-05-04

VIM Evarts son of Secretary Evarts whose
where he had gone in the vain hope to recover
his health, died at Washington on Friday of
Iast week