davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1878-05-22
Agency and lts surroundings.

AGENCY OlTf, may lin, 1915.
Editor C0uyier:-Heavy dews have
paid their compliments to this por-
eion Of Wapello county as we'll as at
your city. Corn is about all planted
here, and some that was planted ear
ly has received blowing. A great
deal Of corn planted on prairie land
has been destroyed by the mice, wire
worms or some other farmers pest.
The fruit prospects are yet very fiat
tering, the cold weather not having
injured it to any great extent. Onr
little village and country surrounding
should be noted for morality, sObriety
and politics. For morality, for its
religious exercises, preaching and
sabbath schools every sabbath at all
the churches and country school
houses, which are largely attended.
For sobriety, there being no saloon
in the place. For politics, for every
man, woman and child, with the
exception of one or two) are republic
cans. We are oil distressingly fond
of greenbacks, but "the old democrat
ic Jaxen hard pan" we will not 70
back on. At our township conven.
ton In June we will try and send as
delegates to the County Convention
men with those political principles
which will not compromise with sore
heads for political victory. Your
Weekly has q large circulation here,
and seems to be much appreciated by
its readers. JULES.
Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1878-05-22
A Biu Horse.


Ex-Sheriff Walter, of Butler, Pa, il
the owner of pleasant Laddie," i'm
ported from Clydesdale, Scotland,
about eighteen months ago. At the
royal horse show, Rsttersea, London,
England, he took the first premium.
He has bright, clear eye, Is . dapple
gray in color and weighs 1928
pounds. The foreleg in its largest
part is thirty-four inches in circnm-
ference, and fourteen inches around
in its smallest part. The weight of
his shoes is FIVE pounds each, and
they measure seven inches in width.
His forelock reaches to the end of his
nose, name fifty-eight inches in
length, and very heavy. 1t takes a
strap eight feet two inches long to
girt him, while collar 36 inches
deep incloges his neck.
Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1878-05-22
An Astonishing Fact.

A large proportion OF the American
people are to-day dying from the ef.
fects of Dyspepsia or disordered liver.
The result of these diseases upon the
masses of intelligent and valuable peo-
pie ia most alarming, making life &C.
tuslly q burden instead ofa pleasant
existence ofenjoyment and usefulness
as it ought to be. There is no good
reason for this, If you will only throw
aside predjudice and skepticism, take
the advice Of Druggists and your
friends, and try one bottle of Green's
August Flower. Your speedy relief
is certain. Millions of bottles OF this
medicine have been given away to try
it's virtues, with satisfactory results in
every case. You can buy sample bot
tie for IL cents to try. Three doses will
relieve the worst case. Positively sold
by all druggists on the Western CONT
nent.
Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1878-05-22

From Eben Peck, of Blakesburg, we
learn more of the particulars of the
death Of Washington Layne, killed
near that place by a runaway team
on the 18th inst. 1t seems that Mr..
Layne was working colt in his team
that morning and when about ready
to start to the village sent boy to
the house for q pocket book, telling
the lad that in the meantime he would
rearrange the harness. When the
boy returned the team and driver
were gone, and when found q half
mile distant he was dead. 1t is sup
posed that while fixing the harness
the team took fright at something and
threw him down and in falling one
Of his feet became fastened in the
gearing of the wagon, and in that
condition he was dragged all that
distance. He was between forty and
fifty years Of age and leaves family
Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1878-05-22
IOWA.

A free library has been organized
in Washington.
Waterloo has arranged for the
building Of gas works.
The Grinnell cheese factory uses
two tons of milk day.
Sioux City is continually working
to suppress intemperance.
An Anti-Treating Society has been
organized at Harper, Keokuk county.
Waterloo has no bonded indebted
ness, no outstandingl warrants, and
has cash in her treasury.
McGregor Mems: "This town
don't want the Iowa Local Editors
Association to hold its meeting here.
II had q Methodist con ference last
fall"
Mrs. Fannie Wood, who was found
hanging dead in q barn near Sioux
City, some time ago, was, it is alleg-
cd, first killed by her husband and
then hung.
For falling into q water-work
trench at Burlington, A Schelling has
brought suit against the contractors
for $4,000 damages on account of in
juries received.
It is stated that the officers of the
Iowa State Agricultural Society have
invited President Hayes and his
Cabinet to attend the State Fair at
Cedar Rapids this Fall.
During the past three weeks over
one hundred emigrant wagons have
crossed the Mississippi river on the
Dubuque ferry-boat, destined for
homes in different parts of Iowa.
Says the Dubuque Times: "Not
far from Dubuque lives a gentleman
who certainly is blessed with the
most thrifty and managing wife,
She is more valuable than gold, in
disposition is sweet and amiable, and
has business qualifications which Pc
rennially blossom, bloom and bear
fruit like an orchard. In the depart
ment of poultry what she accom-
plished last year may be mentioned.
ComWencing with forty-six chickens
q year ago, ahe'succeeded in raising a
flock Of ITO additional, and realized
from the sale of eggs Si03.25. In the
meantime the family consumed forty
chickens and had all the eggs that
were desired. All this was done
within the period Of twelve months,
and the family consisted Of five per-
sons"
Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1878-05-22
About Notable People.

New York Sun.
Mr.. Henry Bergh looks like the
picture of Don Quixote, and has q
liking for red cravats.
Mr.. VIM. D. Howells. the writer, lie
growing stout, though he has to play
the little man in Boston and Cam
bridge.
The Hon. Hamilton Fish is not a
big man, but he has toppish son,
who is now in the State Legislature
training for craftsmanship.
II. B. Claflin, the heavy merchant,
is small man, quick of movement,
nervous of temperament, and he
sticks to Henry Ward Beecher.
VIM. II. Vanderbilt grows to look
more and more like the Commodore,
White hair and little less flesh wo'd
increase the resemblance.
Joseph jefferson looks like clcr.
gyman rather than an actor. He
wears plain clothes, is believer in
Spiritualism, paints fair pictures, and
is wealthy.
Hon. Fernando Wood has very
erect carriage, dresses with scrupu
lous neatness, and has close-clipped
white moustache, but he has not ye
fixed up the tariff.
John Sherman has q high forehead
and does not neglect his own matec
nal interests, even in the most trying
political crises.
George, the Count Joannes, has
black eye, a courtly manner, ant
very black locks. His law business
which is large, consists very much 0
cases in which he is both cOunsello
and client.
i George Francis Train resemble
Bayard Taylor, but not in beer drink
ing, and talk 30 earnestly and rapid
ly that the hearer has no time t
think whether he is really sayin
anything. He used to be wealthy
and probably is yet.
i Mr.. George Jones, of the Times, is
short man, and was brought up as
Baptist, though he is said to hav
fallen away from that faith. He ha
long been the victim of asthma. II
, goes to Europe once every year, an
spends his time in the engine room q
the steamer on the voyage, for ther
his asthma troubles him least.
Mark. Twain is slight man and
] fellow Of ability. He polishes h
work very carefully, and if he ha
: been chosen "a the editor of the Har
, ford Couyant, he would not hay
! shown that a man was necessarily
!. fool because he is funny. The troubl
! with Mr.. Twain is that his taste
sometimes at fault.
8 Mr.. Murat Halstead, of Cincinnati
z has good many gray streaks in h
: hair, but he steps off like youn
man, and it would be bold fello
e who would undertake to wrestl
= with him. He has no favors to as
q of Hayes, though he knows him wei
r and being in good health and maxim
Q money, ne does not desire TO trav
o abroad at public expense.
Cardinal Met losky is of spare hal
. it. His street attire differs from TIL
: of an ordinary gentleman only in til
straight cut of the coat and the shal
: and hue of his neckwear-a cleric
: purple stock. His official robes al
= of great richness. He sings the ma
u in q low distinct and sympathet
tone. His sermons are ordinari
imprOmptu.
Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1878-05-22

DR.. Lathrop, as is well known, is I
great curiosity hunter. Lately b,
learned that a horned horse or knu
belonging to Coles circus had dice
at Mexico, Mo-, and he was deter
mined to have that hoses anatomy
for his free museum, and according
~ wrote to friend there to spare nj
expense in securing it for him. The
following letter will tell how hi
friend accomplished the job:
MEXICO, Mo-, May Is, 1873.
DR.. r. L. Lathrop, Ottumaca IosDa
DEAR SIR Yours received, and
Notwithstanding your caution 1. did
get excited on the appearance of SO
much cash. set about Immediately
and soon found butcher boy who
agreed to do the work. / whispered
il around that had received a letter
with money from doctor in Iowa,
asking me to dig up and ship him a
corpse that the showmen buried ON
their grounds, and about 7 p. m., the
two men and ! could be seen with
spade and shovel making for the sa-
cred spot. By this time the town was
full of all sorts of reports, that the
showmen had killed Q man and buried
him, and that that COmmissary man
(meaning me) had received the infor-
nation by mail and $1,000 in cash as
a reward for the body, that the sup
posed murderer had that day been
lodged in Jail (there was fine look
ing fellow just put in Jail about two
hours before), 80 before we had dug
q foot, there were two hundred peo-
pie around US asking thousands OF
questions. played the mum, only
making such replies as would more
fully excite them. In about two feet
we found Q terrible stencil which only
proved to be q white Parrot and
some rotten fish lthe Parrot was
SO badly spoiled that you could
not use it then down we
went until at the depth of
five feet we found the straw and be-
came satisfied the hos was there. II
was now about dark, the digger
reached down under the hay-claim-
ed he had his foot, made pull and
handed up mis- own shoe, this with
the stencil that followed convinced
all that human being was there, and
an old doctor standing by declared
that q man who had spent two years
in q dissecting room as he had, could
not be deceived, and this ia the smell
of . human corpse without doubt (the
shoe more than the smell convinced
him). The crowd now commenced
to talk about an inquest At this
time we adjourned and left the
crowd and corpse (stiil upcovered).
At IL p. m. we went down again
with knives, rope. and solution and
sawdust. This exposed all, the joke
was out and the crowd sold. After
cutting, skinning, &C., we secured a
Goldfish box, which just held the hos
by uncoupling him, and rested until
this morning. At 5 o'clock we went
with . wagon and hauled the box to
the depot. s. A. S.
Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1878-05-22
Land Measurement.

In order that the farmer should
keep an account with his field, 1t is
first necessary that he should ascer-
tain its area. Ifhe provide himself
with a straight, stiff pole one rod long
and notched into yards, he will be
able to ascertain the area as follows
If the sides of the field are all paral-
lei, multiply its length in rods by its
breadth in rods and divide by 100
the quotient will be the number OF
acres in the field. Second, if the field
ia triangular in shape multiply the
longest side in rods by the greatest
width in rods, and divide half the
product by l6O, and you will get the
area of acres. Third, when the sides
of the field are four irregular and I'M
equal ones, run line from one ex-
treme corner to the other, and then
find the area of the two triangles az
above, and add them together. This
will give you the number of acres in
the whole field. Fields, no matter
how irregular, may be measured in
this way by dividing them. into TRAN
gles,-,JOuynnl of AGRICULTURE,
Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1878-05-22
JoTTINGs.

A suburban beer saloon is causing
the Mt. Pleasant red ribbonites great
deal Of uneasiness.
The communication "From Sub
scriber," will be published when he
or she furnishes lis with his or her
true name. This rule is memorable.
The editor of the Agency indie
pendent says, "Ottumwa has got a
cheeky Mayor" You get drunk up
here and you'll think so more than
you do now.
DR.. Hinsey, who has been attend
ing the Valisca cattle sale, informs us
that cows brought from $3.50 to $2l5O
| per head, which goes to show that il
still pays to raise good stock.
The Gate City says: "It is now a
settled belief among the officers of
the X. 4 D. NJ, at this place that the
road has been leased to the c. r. l.
& p, to take effect October first"
The Muscatine Journal suggests
that the Richings-Bern troupe
give their entertainments exclusive
ly by telephone, hereafter. The great
expense necessary to keep up their
rich and beautiful wardrobe nigh,
thus be avoided.
The Adrian (Mich.) Times says
"One of the most sensible young Ia
dyisms we have noticed in a Ions
time is the fact that sixteen young la
dies of Kalamazoo successfully carr,
on . cooking club"
i Charles N. Mcdowell, formerly o
Mt. Pleasant, but for years past o
st. Louis, died in the latter place Of
Saturday morning after only 6 hour
J illness. He was buried at Mt. Pleas
: ant on Monday last. He was prom
/ inent business man and an es,imabl
t citizen.
The Premium List for the Stat
Agricultural Society has been receiv
ed. geographically considered it i
neat specimen of work, but the pa
per is far inferior to what it shoul'
be. The fair is to be held at Ceda
. Rapids, Sept. 18th to Goth inclusive
p
A collision took place between tw'
extra freight trains on the main lin
Of the G. B. & O., at Biggsville, TWEEN
ty miles east of Burlington. Monda
u night. Two brakemen and iirema
were injured one having his leg bro
ken and another receiving seriou
injury in the back.
Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1878-05-22
Edison's Latest Invention

Yesterday, strange man, carrying
what appeared to be q small coffin,
paused in front of the Oil Exchange.
He was a sad-faced man, and his
black suit glistened in the sunlight
like an armor. He put down his
strange burden and bowed to the
men standing around. Then casting
his eyes up at the building, he be-
gan:
Gentlemen congratulate you.
You have reared here q structure
which is second to none in the coun-
try. When you shall have gone to
that bourne from whence no traveller
returns" and he glanced sorrowfully
at the little coffin, ''this beautiful
building will remain q monument to
your energy and enterprise.
"But gentlemen, poor as may
seem, great as the contrast is between
us, have that in this little box be-
fore me-" and he tapped the coffin
reverently with his cane, (which
would not exchange for all thu
wealth of your oil regions. 1t is
gentlemen" and he began to unscrew
the lid, while the crowd involuntar
lily shrank back at is, gentlemen, {
rat-trap, which l am introducing fol
Mr.. Edison, of Mungo Park"
Tho crowd closed up again.
SIT is his latest invention, and, as b,
says himself, his best. I have hand
led q great many rat-traps in my life
and can safely say that this one
| lynn q tho encEo DH nf oil of ~ am
Don't crowd up too close till show
it to you," and he took off the tol
and exposed a box with lot o
apartments communicating with eacl
other by little doors, windows and
Openings of one kind and another
"The great inventor named this thu
Citizens Savings Rst.trap,' because
its operates on the same principle q
a savings bank.
"You see the rat smells the chess
and enters by the front door" ant
the trapman indicated the aperture
with his cane "thence, in quest of th'
cheese, which is sort of ignts fdtuus
through this door, which admits hin
to parlor A, or the cashiers room
This door closes behind him, and h,
passes thence to parlor B, or the di
rectors' room: this door closes be
hind him, as before, and he proceed
to parlor g. the presidents private
apartment. By an ingenious ar
rangement the closing of each littl,
door removes the cheese into the mex
room, in this way always keeping i
one room in advance of the rat tina
seeks it. until the last room is reach
ed (parlor d., when it is swung
noiselessly to the front apartment fol
the allurement of another victim
Once inside of door no rat can ge
out; but rats ON the outside can ge
in, and do get in, until the trap il
full"
"What's. all that got to do with {
savings bank ?" asked receiving tel
Ter who was in the crowd.
"Everything, my dear friend; ev
crything," replied the strange man
"because, you see, when the trap II
full it closes-liabilities large, assets
nothing"
Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1878-05-22
Tho Mccormick Victorious.

Tho mccormick victorious.
The following special dispatch to
the Globe Democrat will be read
with interest by farmers. The dis
patch iaAs follows:
HIGHLANDS, Ill, May 4, 1873
There was . grand field exhibition OF
self-binders here to-day in both green
rye and wheat, the Mccormick,
Marsh and Osborne, participating
The Mccormick won q decided VIC
tory over its competitors, being the
fAvorite for cutting and binding, and
especially for clean work. Five Nc
Cormicks were sold ON the field.
NAY l6 w.t.
Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1878-05-22
Lots Of Fun.
Atofa Rnntoxor

Des Moines' representa- tive of the
Communicate press appeared yester.
day in daily form: This now makes
i've daily papers in Des Moines, land
still there 10 room for more" There's
no fun like the fun of starting daily
newspaper, to those who like it-as
long 90 1t lasts.
Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1878-05-22
Agricultural Items.

The best product of farm is good
farmer.
A man who lives a few miles from
Aberdeen, Miss, raised 1000 bushels
of sweet potatoes last year on foul
acres of land.
Half the eggs Matched in France
the great poultry-growing nation Of
the world-are Matched by means Of
incubators.
Tho rico crnn nf thin country il cnm,
Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1878-05-22
Horse Trading.
From the Fremont lNeb.l Herald.


A shrewed granger came into FIRE.
mont the other day with q span of
horses, which, in appearance, were
paragons of beauty. One of our
horse traders caught sight of them
and offered to buy them at once. The
granger was willing to sell, conse-
quently the bargain was soon closed,
the money paid over and the horses
delivered to the new owner. The
granger then looked at the horseman
with wicked twinkle in his eye and
remarked:
sinister there's some instructions
goes with them horses"
"What are they 2" replied the horse
man.
"Well, sir, when that are critter
/, lies down on his right side, you has
to turn him over before he can get
up. He's q left-handed brute and
can't use his right side. The tother
animal was born backwards, aud
doesn't pull we'll any other way
When you hitch him to q wagon just
reverse ends, and he'll pull noun.
tain up by the roots"
After delivering these instructions
the granger walked of, chuckling
like loose cog-wheel, and the horse.
man was sorry that Beecher had
abolished hell before this granger
time to die had come. But the horse
man was resolved not to be beat in
this way, and began to look about fol-
a victim. He soon found one in the
person of prominent lawyer, IL
whom he sold the team at a fancy
price. After getting his money h
delivered the instructions as he had
received them, and now there's law
yer on the ragged edge who is cast
ing his eyes wistfully around fol
some other man wishing to buy 8
beautiful team. He'll sell cheap and
throw the instructions in.
Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1878-05-22
lneratttude TO Mew.naner..

ln8ratttude to Newspapers.
The Des Moines Register, instigated
BY the ingratitude Of the great public
to newspapers for their good works,
10 moved to say: "Any man caught
thAnkinga newspaper for helping
him ought to be punished. There is
not one in . thousand guilty Of it,and
the thousandth fellow had as we'll be
killed of, and make it unanimous"
Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1878-05-22

ing to the fore again. South Caro-.
lima has an estimated yield of 44,OOO
tierces this year, and Georgia $4,000.
immigration to Western Minnesota
lie very heavy. The statistics of the
land offices show that the sales for the
last six m onths have been the largest
on record.
From fifty to one hundred head of
sheep can be kept on each farm of
from one hundred to one hundred and
fifty acres ofland with but little extra
expense, and with actual advantage
to the land.
The Massachusetts, papers say there
are plenty of .farms. in Worcester
county which can be obtained for less
money than it would cost to transport
family to Minnesota and settle them
there in the rudest dwelling, more
primitive than any farmer in Massa-
chusetts has occupied since the colo
NAL days.
California estimates that ten thous-
and acres of land, comparatively pro.
ductive, have been covered from six
inches to two feet with a rich alluvial
deposit by the late floods, but it il
feared that the same rich sediment il
being deposited in San Francisco har.
Dor, in such quantities as to eventually
choke it up.
OAK STAvEs.-Louisiana and Mis-.
sissippi are asking why some North.
ern men do not come down there and
go into the oak stave business, in.
stead of building up these industries
in the West, as the oak is SO abundan
in these States. It seems strange
question to ask. People generally gt
where they see other people making
money.
i English farmers are rejoicing in tn,
prospect of the first good season they
have had for four or five years. Ac
counts from sill parts of Great Brit
ain agree in saying that the land wa
never in better order, and that tn,
! spring crops were never put in will
better chance Of success. Grain il
cheap, but the farmers do not holt
much of it, while stock is very dear
i notwithstanding that there is an enor
mons amount of roOta left over