davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-02-07

submitted BY the British ASocl-
alton for the Advancement o. Sci
ence" to thirty seven OF she most
distinguished chemists Of Europe:
Is it desirable that tho chemist
should undertake 10 place 4 money
value on commercial manures The
answer is unccremoniously IN the
negative. Now II Dr. +. has fair
" presented this question, u We
believe he has. then these figures
and dollars and cents marks about
the commercial and farm value OF
manures. are the biggest Of all the
frauds the farmer has yet heard of
on this subject. And the wonder
IS all the more. when the imposi-
ton is supported by such eminent
authority as Or. Noelcker. Of the
ROYAL Agl Society of England.
And what becomes of DR.. Stock
bridge in this scuffle: We read IN
the last Report whore he could,
with mathematical precision, send
to any farmer a given quantity OF
"mixture," and produce an exact
number bushels of corn.
The chemists have already yield
ed the question Of analysis of the
soil, saying that there was too much
depending upon It's physical condi-
ton. Our belief IS, hat Nille's is
the only true theory, as yet, for the
farmer or the chemist. Take n
ingredient and try it upon a certain
crop on a certain soil, and continue
to add another and another each
wear. until that reaches amaXimum
upon that soil !; or until you have a
complete manure for the crop upon
that soil.
This IS a subject of 50 much i'm
portance that we believe the State
could do no better work to help the
farmer than to give III chemist
small farms In different sections of
the State, upon which to test his
theories. and verify his ANALYSIS of
manurcs, soils, &c. We are not
opposed to Il judicious use Of pur-
chased manures, such as have stood
the farm test; for there is one
crop, bright tobacco, to which they
are simply indispensable. But we
would have the farmer to remem-
Der that clover and peas are not IN
this controversy. Il IS a settled
fact that they I the cheapest Of
all manurial substances. One acre
in clover is worth as manure eight
hundred pounds of the best peru
guano. Put in an acre Of each
Of these this Spring, and test if
this be 4 fact, won't YOU?
\. a. G..
The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-02-07
Dr3E EApMER AND MECHANIC.

alluremcnt of appetite, every frenzy
passion. And as If there had not
been fatal material enough in the
physical nature. of the negro 10
work upon, the new apostles he has
been taught 10 follow have lnfiamed
his imagination with ideas Of his
consequence, or fired his ambition
with the expectation Of speedily
reaching the social and intellectual
prominence of the white man. The
gift OF education threatens TO be a
fatal one, since the masses a new
or acquire enough to elevate them
an inch above the dead level of race
degradation, while it inspires just
enough of pride to disqualify them
from ucces In that position TO
which God and the common sense
of most of mankind have assigned
them.
1t is a patent fact, that the young
generation of negroes is growing up
without training-for We do not in
clude In this term the trivial smat-
tering of education which advances
those through Webster's spelling
book, and there leaves them
without restraint on morals or
habits, FESTIVE under discipline, i'm
patient of control, despising sys-
tenn, capricious in choice, faithless
to engagements, in1amed by nov
elites, in all things making work
subsidiary to pleasure. And their
pleasures are of hal distinctive
character to be looked for in a race
Of strong animal passion, unchecked
by any moral force and not within
the purview of legal restraint, de-
~bilitating the physical powers,
prostrating all continuous energy,
production of disease to themselves.
and inevitably entailing it upon
offspring.
Upon them the labor hopes Of
the South is at present based. The
old generation of negroes will soon
pass away, and they will be sue
ceeded by another of unframed,
unsystematic, indolent, morally
depraved, and physically deterior-
ated race of their successors. Is it
not time that the labor question
should be viewed from other than
its old standpoint For negro Ia
Dor IN the South we see no present
substitute, if the present staples
are to be continued, or if the exis-
ting system Of cultivation is to be
followed. Yet neither the staples
nor the system a be profitable if
the labor material becomes worse
than it now is, and that seems to
be inevitable under admitted grow
moral and physical deterior-
For the present, old channels
will be followed without striking
change in the current. For the fu-
ture, there will be enough to test
the sagacity of statesmen to supply
what will become a pressing and
imperative want.
J. ID. G.
The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-02-07
A Worthy Project.

Everybody IN estern North Lar.
DINA has heard of the Limestone
Springs and of DR.. Curtis's ant.
bellum seminary for young ladies a,
the springs. The building, which
is BRICK, four stories high, and two
hundred and forty feet in length,
is now occupied by our old friend
Jesse Hollis, formerly of Charlotte,
though Maj. L. H. Bomar owns q
part interest. The property con-
sists of several hundred acres, on
the sunny side Of a slope arising
from the railway station (Gaffney
city,, one mile distant.
Peter Cooper, the millionaire,
founder of Choppers Union," the
famous art school Of New York,
wishing, as he says. "to do some
thing for the South, and show that
a Northern man has some interest
IN the welfare of the Southern
people," has addressed a letter to
Gov. Hampton, offering to donate
the property to the State Of South
Carolina to maintain a Manual La
Dor Institution, or School of Science
and Art applied to the useful and
necessary purposes of life, for young
women. The design is to add a
school Of the same character for
boys, if the Legislature will exempt
the property from taxation, and
otherwise assist. Gov. Hampton
writes that he will lay the matter
at once before the Legislature. The
use Of the building, its appliances,
tuition, and everything except
board will be free to any lady over
fourteen years old from any part Of
the world.
1t is somewhat of a coincidence
that before the above was learned,
we had sent to the printer the fol-
lowing
California, tho far out toward the
setting sun, SO to speak. has started
good thing, in the Oakland Me-
chanic School for Boys. The curse
of the age is 100 many drones, and
too few workers. The kew to this
curse is that labor is less "digni-
fed" than it should be. There are
thousands and tens of thousands of
young men in every State, who are
not too lazy to work, but having |
received a tolerable education, they
shrink from lowering their " social
position" by going into the field or
the work shop. OF course this is
shere folly, but they can hardly be
blamed, when you reflect that even
n Raleigh the youth who should
oil all day in one of our foundries,
follow the pillow in the neighbor-
ng field, would not receive the
same cordial welcome in society
hat is given his cousin, who stands
behind the counter, or keeps has
hands clean, his linen spotless, and
lis leisure at the service of the
adies-by doing nothing. "But,"
some wise old mentor-"he
not to mind that, let him be
man, and show himself q man."
&c. This is shooting wildly. He
mind it, because he is a man.
persons world is that which
interests him. The youth wishes
stand we'll with those who sur
'ound him. He is not a bit con-
'oled owe the GOODNESS and sights
II the young folk around him, by
told that all sensible people
approve his course" He e very
that "labor is not digni-
The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1878-05-11
HEIRS TO THE SITE or A CITY.

For long time past tradition has
been cherished in the families of three
brothers named Wentforth, living in
New Jersey, that their maternal grand
father, some time about the year 1915,
pre-empted the land on which the city
of Little Rock, Ark, stands. About
twenty years ago suit was begun for
this land by an heir belonging to
another branch of the family, but the
three brothers we're not sanguine as to
its success, and refused to allow them
selves to be taxed heavily to carry it on
When, however, last year Elias Went
forth, of Elizabethport, one of the
brothers, was offered $500 for his claim,
he refused, saying that if it was worth
anything it was worth more than that.
Two or three days were spent by
the heir who has been carrying on the
suit, in informing the Wentforths that
the site of Little Rock was theirs, the
United States Courts having at last rem
dered q decision to their favor. The
property thus acquired is variously val
ued at from so, 100000 to 500, 900, 900.
There are ten heirs. Elias Wentforth
is spile-driver, and has been working at
the North River, in New York City,
on contract with E. G. Brown with
VIM. II. Vanderbilt. Another brother
is keeper of the draw of the Raritan
bridge at Perth Amboy. Neither brother
is entirely dependent on his occupation,
and Elias Wentforth owns several
houses in Elizabethport. Owing to his
occupation he is well known all along
the river front, and his good fortune is
general cause of envy, even to those
who believe that the heirs of $40, 900, COO
are about to take and hold secure pos
session of Little Rock.
The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1878-05-11
The Homes of Our F0refathers.

The history of domestic architecture,
says writer in CasselPs Popular Edu-
Gator, in our own country illustrates in
very striking manner the rise of civil
ization and the extinction of barbarism.
We have not to travel back more than a
few hundred years to find domestic COM
fort thing entirely unknown, and the
abodes of princes entirely destitute of
conveniences which are now considered
necessary in the house of every peasant.
Our Saxon forefathers lived in the
rudest possible style. The homes even
of kings and lords consisted simply of
one large apartmentor "hall," in which
all the details of domestic life were car
ried on by themselves and their immedi-
ate attendants. Privacy was thing en-
tirely unknown. After the pursuits of
the day-the chase or fight-they as
sembled round one common board,
taking place according to their rank in
the household; and in the self same
apartment all members of the house
hold afterward disposed themselves for
sleep. 1t was only occasionally that one
end of the common hall was separated
from the rest by screen, affording a
rude retiring chamber for the lord and
lady of the house, with few privileged
attendants. Almost the only out-offices
attached to the hall were the sheds or
pens for cattle or swine. The dogs,
more cherished, were allowed place in
a corner of the hall itself; and another
corner was frequently occupied by the
store of provisions. Sometimes, how
ever, the latter would be placed in re-
ceptacles or cellars dug out under the
hall. It's flooring was of earth, its walls
of wood and clay, and its roof of thatch.
For the admission of light openings
were left in the sides and closed by
wickerwork when night came on; for
warmth, log fire was lighted in the
center of the apartment, and the smoke
escaped by holes in the roof.
The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1878-05-11
One Hundred Years Ago.

One hundred years ago not pound OF
coal, not a cubic foot of illuminating
gas had been burned in this country.
No iron stoves were used, and no con-
trivance economizing heat employed
until DR.. Franklin invented the iron
framed fireplace, which still bears his
name. All the cooking and warming in
town and country were done by the aid
of fire kindled In the brick oven or on
the hearth Pine knots or tallow can
dies furnished the light tor the long
winter nights, and sanded floors supplied
the place of rugs and carpets. The
water used for household purposes was
drawn from deep wells by the creaking
sweep. No form of pump was used in
this country, SO far as We can learn, UNI
til after the commencement of the pres
emit century. There were no friction
matches in those early days, by the aid
of which fire could be easily kindled ;
and if the fire event out upon the
hearth " over night, and the timber was
damp, SO that the sparks would not catch,
the alternative was presented of wan
dGring through the snow mile or SO to
borrow of neighbor. Only one room
in any house was warm, unless some OF
the family were i'll. In all the rest the
temperature was at zero many nights in
the winter.
The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1878-05-11
THE ALLIANCES OF THE FRENCH
EMPIRE

Prince Napoleon has appeared as a
writer in the last number of the Re,ue
des DeiGr Moades with an article entitled
"The Alliances of the Empire in 1869
and 1870" his aim apparently being to
prove that France would not have lost
Alsace-Iorraine had it not been for the
clerical party He relates that in 1869
there was an interchange of correspon-
dence between the Emperors of France
and Austria and the King of Italy, on
the subject of defensive and offensive
treaty against Germany. Austria de-
sired that Italy should be included in
this alliance, and the latter power was
willing to sign the treaty only ON the
condition of obtaining Rome, a conces-
sion Napoleon III was loath to make.
When the Spanish affair cropped out,
the French Emperor perceived the
necessity for promptly concluding the
triple alliance, and in July, 1870, pro-
posed to sign treaty STIMULATING the
armed action of the three Powers.
Italy, however, thinking she had now an
advantage, and encouraged thereto by
Austria, demanded that France should
engage herst If to wiring from the Pope
certain important concessions. 1t was
desired to keep this part of the treaty a
secret, and Italy declared that without
the agreement of France to it she would
not move. The French Emperor, how
ever, confident in his own strength, de-
clined to accept this condition and de-
clared that he would do nothing as re-
garded Rome. As Austria would sign
nothing without Italy, and Italy re-
quired the promise of Rome, France
went into the war alone. Strong press
ure was brought to bear upon the French
Emperor by his Ministers to agree to
the demands of Austria and Italy, but
the clerical party as strongly opposed
any concessions regarding Rome, and,
with the view Of pleasing the latter, he
broke off the negotiations. After the
first French defeats, Napoleon was
hastily dispatched to Italy to gain the
armed assistance of the two Powers by
any and all concessions, but each needed
several months to prepare itself for war,
and it was too late to expect any help in
that quarter. So, according to Prince
Napoleon, the Empire fell.
The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1878-05-11
An Adventure Of Carl Schurz.

Arthur Nenner thus writes in HARPER
Magazine for May: 1t was in Spandau
that the adventure occurred which won
Carl Schurz his knights spurs-if one
may use medieval figure in this I'M
knightly age. But the whole adventure
is thoroughly romantic. Before the
troubles of 1913, Schurz was studying
medicine at Bonn, and there became
intimate with the poet and professor,
Gottfried Kinkle. This Kinkle was a
wild, visionary writer, but seems to
have possessed that personal magnetism
which secures the truest and most self
sacrificing friends. Both he and Schurz
took part in the so-called Baden revolu-
ton in 1S49-a campaign which, so far
as the revolutionists were concerned, re-
sembled more closely Fenan invasion
of Canada than any other military
event with which ] am acquainted. At
the breakup those patriots who were
able crossed the frontier into France or
Switzerland. Schurz reached the latter
country; but Kinkle was caught, and
locked up in the penitentiary at Span
dau, where he spent most of his time in
spinning yarn for the Government
benefit. His friends, however, were not
going to let him pine away at this useful
but uncongenial employment without
making an effort to release him from it.
His wife woman of great energy of
character-wrote to Schurz, asking if he
was ready to help, and he called at once
to Bonn to see her. From there he went
with letters to some trustworthy person
in Berlin, notably to certain physician
there and these two, with the assistance
of a country gentleman living in the
neigh orhood of Spandau, arranged and
carried out the daring attempt They
succeeded in bribing a turnkey, who,
between eleven and twelve at night,
having provided himself with the dupli-
cate key to KinSle's cell, which hung in
the prison Office, and rope, let the
latter out, and got him on to the roof of
the building, whence he was let down to
the street, where Schurz and the
physician were waiting. They con-
Quoted him with all possible haste to a
nelghboring inn, where a suit of plain
clothes was awaiting him, the doctor
taking in exchange his prison gear,
which he intended, and, to his sorrow,
actually did, preserve as a relic, though
implored by his friends to destroy So
dangerous a possession. For not long
afterward, he being suspected of having
had hand in Kinkle's fight, his house
was searched, and the clothes being
found, he was sentenced to a long term
in prison and died there. This, however,
is a depression. After the change of
dress was effected, the aforementioned
country gentleman appeared with a
carriage and span of fine horses, him
self on the box, and, after Schurz and
Kinkle had got in, started for the
Mecklenburg boundary. They reached
in safety the port of Rostock, being
everywhere helped by trustworthy
friends, and from there the two sailed
for Scotland in vessel dispatched by
its generous owner solely to convey
them. Mr.. Schurz was at this time
November, 1S50) but twenty-five years
old.
The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1878-05-11
Daniel Webster.

He was large, tall man, with head
whose beetling brow and deep-set, burn
ing eyes and unusually swarthy skin
marked him as no common man. In his
rough hunting-suit, with high boots
incasing his pantaloons, and his face
often marked with powder stains, from
the habit he had, common to many
sportsmen raised on the old-fashioned,
sinele-barreled, fint-lock fowliBg-piece,
of blowing into the muzzle of his gun
after its discharge, he was an uncanny
person to meet on wild, lonely marsh
near sunset. One day, when he had
been shooting at the birds that flew by
his covert, flock of birds flew by at d
lower level; discharging his gun, he
heard the next moment an cutlery from
the beach below him. He sprang up
and, rushing, over the bank, discovered
man rubbing his shoulder. My dear
sir. did / hit your he exclaimed. The
man gave single glance at the sports
man, and replied, excitedly, Yes, you
did hit me, and from your looks
should think that l am not the first
man you have shot, either"
The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1878-05-11

DR.. J. LAWRENCE HAMILTON writes
to the London Times that he saw boy
remove small spider and place it in
the center of big spiders web which
was hung among foliage, and distant
some four feet from the ground. The
larger animal soon rushed from its hid
ing place under leaf to attack the in
truder, who ran up one of the ascending
lines by which the web was secured
The big insect gained rapidly upon its
desired prey, the smaller creature
spiders are cannibals, notably the larger
females, who are given to devour their
smaller male lovers.) When the little
spider was barely an inch in advance of
its pursuer, it cut with one of its pos
terror legs the line behind itself, so that
the stronger insect fell to the ground,
thus affording time and opportunity for
the diminutive spider to escape along the
ascending rope of the web. This is not
the only fact which seems to indicate
that spiders instinct may also equal
reason.
The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1878-05-11
The Sudden Disuse of Stimulants.

The Rev. T. III. Chope writes to us
from Hartland Vicarage, North Devon
1t is frequently affirmed that any sudden
abstinence from alcoholic beverages in a
person-much more an aged person
who has used them through life is pre-
judicial to health. An instance has
lately come under my observation of the
beneficial results arising from the sud-
den disuse of alcoholic stimulants by a
widow of eighty-two summers. Her
usual drink through life has been gin,
which she changed for beer previously
to reaching her eightieth year. She
suffered from occasional attacks of govt
in her left hand and also a running foot
sore. Upon her reaching the age of
eighty-that is, two years ago-she sud-
denly adopted the total abstaining prin-
ciple, much to the surprise and conster-
nation of her friends, who all prophesied
a speedy and sudden termination of her
life for the want of her accustomed po-
tations. Nothing of the kind. The toe
healed, the govt vanished, and for two
years she has been free from the har-
assing complaints and is living monu-
ment of the good effected by the sudden
adoption of non-alcoholic regimen. She
is in her eighty-third year, and fire.
quently walks out in her sons garden
or barnyard without any covering on her
head. Her memory is excellent; she
can repeat long prayers, and she bids
fair to become centenarian.
The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1878-05-11

ACCORDING to paper lately read be-
fore the Paris Academy of Science
cholera appears on all geological forma-
tions, but its development and propaga-
ton depend largely on the physical ag
gregation of the ground, its permeability
for air and water, and the variable
quantity of water it contains. The par
tisans of the common doctrine always
suppose specific infectious substance OIL
cholera germ, which is propagated from
place to place by human communica
tions, not by the atmosphere.
The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1878-05-11
Or all the strange places chosen by the

Or all the strange places chosen by the
birds forrearing their young, one of the
queerest is mentioned in Hardacick's
Science Gossip. In the railway station
at Coventry, the sparrows have great
fancy for building their nests inside a
signalbell that is rung many times in
the day, and often in the night-three
or four blows being struck each time.
The bell is saucer-shaped, and about ten
inches in diameter. The apparatus con-
nected with the bell is rather compli-
Gated, SO that, when it is struck, there
is, besides the loud ringing, great rat
tie and noise of levers, and heavy
thump caused by the falling counter
weight" Despite this loud and frequent
din in their ears, and the agitation it
must cause their dwellings, the sparrows
persist in building in this bell, and their
nests are frequently removed by the
railway officials. Still the birds have
succeeded in Matching and rearing their
young in the curious place.
The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1878-05-11
POISON IN jSEWING-SILK.

A startling paragraph is going the
rounds of the newspapers, respecting
poison by the use of sewing-silk The
victims were women employed in large
establishments where much hand-sew-
ing was required. The poison was in
troduced into the human system by the
mouth, the women being in the habit of
biting the thread, and of twjrling it be-
tween their lips when threading needle.
The symptoms of the sufferers indicated
lead poisoning; painters collie being
frequently Occasioned. This story comes
from France, and has recently taken
definite shape in communication to
the Moniteur dHigiene. 1t has no APP
plication to the sewing-silk used in this
country, as our manufacturers of that
article pride themselves upon the purity
of its dyes. The French silk-makers
have not been SO fastidious, and by
weighing their goods have hurt their
sales. 1t is to be said, however, that the
weighing of silk in European dyeing is
usually done with the salts of iron, but
the Asiatics, both Chinese and Japanese,
have trick of weighing raw silks with
salts of lead. A dinginess is impaired
to finished goods if the lead remains in
them, and the American manufacturer
is obliged to extract that metal if he has
been SO unfortunate as to buy raw silk
containing it. Sewing silks that are in
ferior in any respect have their weak
ness exposed in this market by an in
genious system of testing, which is now
in general use in Wholesale business.