davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1879-10-02
The Reporters Gospel.
[St. Lou Tin es-Journai.I


How manifold are thy works, 0 re-
porter, and how dost thou compass the
people of the earth around about.
Thy name is legion, thou art every
where at once, thy fat is a joy unto the
printer and thy lean hangeth upon the
hook until it be dead.
In the day dost thou gird thyself and
travel into far countries and sit with
lawgivers and money changers in the
temple; thy hand is against every man
and every man is against thee.
Thou climbest the stairs at night, yea,
even seven flights of stairs climbest thou
up and makest thyself to sit in chamber
whereunto the reaches and mosquitoes do
appertain.
If so be the son of man prevalent upon
thee to look upon the wine when it is
red, it being but the third hour of the
day, thou art full as a tick and thy
masters do dock thee as to thy wages.
The foolish reporter saith in his heart:
My work albeit being done l will tarry
awhile hereabouts, lest haply there being
fire or murder, the paper shall be
scooped of an item.
And as he tarrieth, 10, there comes a
fire and he hustleth out upon the war
path and they squirteth water upon his
raiment and entreat him sore, but he
! writeth up anon and sweateth much, foI
he is IA foolish reporter.
But the wise reporter, whensoever his
task be done, skippeth for home and
J lieth upon his couch and sleepeth the
sleep of the righteous man.
And when the fire cometh and the
| murder descendeth. he laueheth them
to scorn and no man saith unto him &C
and he goeth or come and he cometh, OIL
scoop and he scoopeth it.
For he was wise reporter and he
maketh merry with himself and all his
ways are ways of pleasantness and al
his. paths are peace.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1879-10-02
Disastrous cooaaqration at Deadwood.

A special from Deadwood, d. T., says A
fire broke out in the Star bakery, on Sherman
street, at 2 20, A. M, and following that thor
oughfare, swept everything before it on Lee,
Main, Gold, Wall, Patton and William streets,
and several residences on Centennial avenue
Famed by a light breeze, and nothing to con-
tend with except very inefficient fire depart
ment, everythi was at the mercy of the
flames. Less than half score of the pro-
nounced fre-proof warehouses withstood the
severe test. The buildings being mostly of
wood and poorly constructed, were burned like
go much chaf. The fire spread with such
wonderful rapidity, that any attempt at
saving anything would have been useless.
All along its terrific explo-
sions of gunpowder, petroleum, liquor,
etc.. were of frequent occurrence. Buildings
were blown to atoms. The hook and ladder
apparatus and hose carriage were the first
things to burn, leaving nothing but few feet
of worthless hose with which to battle against
the devourng elements. The new water works
were tried for the first time yesterday, and this
morning were put to their full capacity with
little success in subsding the flames on account
Of the scarcity of water. The hillsides al
most a solid sheet of flames, and water from the
| Boulder Ditch could not be had, otherwise
considerable property would have probably
been saved, as the ditch ran almost directly
over the worst spot. The widest excite
ment prevailed account of the fearful
force of the flames, and the people thought
of little besides saving their lives, hun
dreds escaping with only their night clothes
Every team within miles of the city was called
into service to help save what could be got out
There are probably about two thousand pco-
pie homeless and many destitute. About a
hundred and twenty-five buildings, besides
fifty or sixty dwelling houses, were destroyed
and while it is utterly impossible to get any
definite figures regarding the loss, well posted
business men place it from 81 800 900 to 81,
900 900. The fire is still burning, but all its
material is exhausted, and there is no danger
of its spreading unless there should be an un-
| favorable change in the wind.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1879-10-02

From 1858 to 1870 the increase very
slow less then than at any period. The
reason given is that the war period checked the
intellectual growth in a large section of the
country. Since 1871, however, the increase
has been tremendous, averaging over one thou
sand annually.
4 CORRESPONDENT at Wheeling, W. Va 4,
says: James Robinson, farmer living near
this city, has been missing money at various
times and the haus made has swelled tho
amount to $3.50. He suspected farm hand
that had been in his employ by the name OF
Frank Van Buren, and came to this city yes
terday to have the officers look him up. Early
this morning Van Buren, was detected and ar
rested, and on being taken to Jail and searched
the discovery was made that the sex of the
prisoner was not in keeping with male attire.
Investigation disclosed the fact that the ar
' Florence Goldborough,'' who has figured
prominently in the courts of several states
She has served three terms in the Columbus
Ohio, penitentialy, and has been arrested al
other points in the country for appearing IL
male attire. " Florence " is now thirty-thret
years old, and her present freak will send her t'
the penitentiary for the fourth time.
A STRANGE case of abduction was attempted
at Little Falls, N. Y, by a telegraph operator
named Charles E. Shuyler. Reporting to a re
spectacle young lady that her father was seri
ously injured, he offered to accompany her t.
the terrible scene. She accepted. Reachin.
the designed place, he passed her into a room
locked the door, and under threats of violence
required her to copy a manuscript, which sh
! did, as follows
DEAR PAPA I ask you to give this man $500
for unless he raises that sum within week h
is ruined. He pledges you his word and homo
that it shall be returned to you in sixty days
| For this loan he has no security to offer excep
myself whom he has in keeping. He mus
have this sum Immediately, or within week
| So lsng as think you intend to pay this snm
Just so long shall be kindly dealt with. Blu
at the first indication
At this point the girl stopped writing an
begged to be released, promising to raise the re
qured sum and bring it to him. On her swear
ing to never disclose what had happened sh
was released, and told the story. Schuyle
was arrested and confessed his crime. On hi
person was found letter to the father of tn
girl stating in substance that he had his so
Willie, who is six years old, in custody
and would release him on payment of $4,000
and if not forthcoming the child would
drowned. Schuyler was held to bail in s. ,OO(
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1879-10-02
When the World was Founded.
London Academy.l


Geologists, astronomers and physicists
alike have hitherto been baff1ed in their
attempts to get up any satisfactory kind
of chronometer which will approx
mately measure geological time and thus
give us some clew to the antiquity OF
our globe. 1t is therefore worth nothing
that Mr. Mellard Reade of Liverpool
has lately contributed to the Royal So
ciety very suggestive paper, in which
he endeavors to grapple with the cues.
ton by employig the limestone rocks of
the earth's crust as an index of geological
time. Limestones have been in course
of formation, from the earliest known
geological periods, but it would appear
that the latter found strata are more
calcareous than the earlier, and that
there has been a gradually progressive
increase OF calcareous matter. The very
extensive disposition of carbonate of
lime over wide lareas of the ocean bot
tom at the present day is sufficiently at
tested by the recent soundings of the
Challenger. According to the authors
estimate the sedementary crust of the
earth is at least one mile in average ac-
tual thickness, of which, probably, one
tenth consists of calcareous matter. In
seeking the origin of this calcareous
matter it is assumed that the primitive
rocks of the original crust were of the
nature of gigantic or basaltic rocks. BY
the disintregration of such rocks calcare-
Gus and other sedementary deposits have
been formed. The amount of lime salts
in waters which drain districts made up
of GRANTEES and basalts, is found, by the
comparison of analysis, to be on an
average of about 3.73 part in 100, ,000
parts. 1t is further assumed that the
I excessed areas of igneOus rocks, taking
! an average throughout all geological
time, will bear to exposure of sedemen-
tary rocks a ratio of one to nine. From
these and other data, Mr.. Reade con.
! cludes that the elimination of the cal
careous matter now found in all the
sedementary strata must have occupied
at least 60O,000,000 of years. This,
; therefore, represents the minimum age
of the world. The author infers that
/ the formation of the Laurentian, Cam
brian and Silurian strata must have oc
cupied about 2 100000 of years; the
red sandstone, the carboniferous and tn.
poikilitic systems another 200, 1000, ,nG0
and all the other strata the remaining
200,000,000. Mr. Reade is, therefore
led to believe that geological time ha
been enormously in excess of the limit
urged by certain physicists; that it ha
been ample to allow for all the change
which, on the hypothesis of evolution
have occurred in the organic world.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1879-10-02
Burdette's RecOllectiOns.
Burlington Hawkeye

Yesterday l watched the happy boys
of Moncton, down on the river bank,
sliding down the long muddy incline,
ending with plunge into the water
that was little thicker than the banks
they slid down. remember the game
with vivid distinctness. How often
Ihave played it in my days of inno-
cence. Coasting wasn't u circumstance
to it. And this mud bank sliding has
been p pular among boys in all ages and
countries.
The fun comes in when you slide over
a clam shell.
One boy has just glided over shell
now. | can hear him clear here, and l
think he is about two miles and half
away. l cannot hear very distinctly
just what he is saying remember The
formula as perfectly though as if had
only ceased to study it yesterday.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1879-10-02
A Plucky Girl.

Commend us to Carrie Roberts
who was sat home" to tramp who
called to the house of her employer in
New Lebanon, Ohio, recently. 1t is not
every young woman, who being alone in
a dwelling, and suddenly discovering the
presence of robber, would have the
presence of mind to make direct for his
hair and to administer to him lesson
that made him glad enough to drop his
booty and escape from the premises fol-
lowed by several shots fired from a
revolver in quick succession. If tramps
in general came across such energetic
domestics their intrusions would be less
frequent than they now are. Circum-
stances, of course, favored Carries feat,
or probably we ought to say her hands.
If the tramp had been bald-headed, or
had worn a wig, she could not have
given him such conclusive evidence of
her strength as to convince him of the
prudence of retreat. We can only ex-
press our regrets that Miss Carries aim
was not as steady as her nerves, and
that she did not prevail on her visitor to
stop by well directed shot from her
revolver, although he doubtless left her
lock of his hair.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1879-10-02

The pub ishers are making very at
tractive announcements for the autumn
trade, and by Christmas the book market
will probably show more books and
better ones than ever before in the
history of the country. Two facts in
this connection are interes ing: Boston
has evidently lost something. while the
western cities have gained. Chicago has
already issued one or two standard
works, Cincinnati bids fair to become
an emporium of economic literature,
while St. Lsuis holds its own in matters
of speculative philosophy. But New
York surpasses them all combined liz
the publication of popular literature.
1t is a little remarkable that the
American book trade is without an ex-
change, and possesses scarcely SO much
as a central crgan which is generally
recognized as such. The great firms of
Boston, Philadelphia and New York
evidently mean to be entirely indepen-
dent and autonOmic. The best organized
book trade of the world is that of Ger
many. Ifknows of but one price to the
trade, and another to buyers, and no
book'sellrr is Obliged tp retain copies moi
sold within n specified time.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1879-10-02

THE Marquette Reviear publishes an
interesting account of a duel between
Sitting Bull aud Crow warrior. which
occurred after the fight of the Goth OF
June, between POO lodges of Sioux, who
were south Of the border after buffalo,
and companies of United States soldiers
and $50 Cheyennes and Crows. Sitting
Bull accepted the challenge, recrossed
the line, shot the Crow and scaiped him
aud took possession of his horses. In the
retreat across Milk river into Cansda,
Sitting Bull personally commanded the
rear guard of light warriors covering the
movement, and was himself the lat To
cross,
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1879-10-02
The Greeley Estate.


Horace Greeley's estate pays Just where
no one ever dreamed of its realizing any
thing, and it does not pay in those very
items where it was expected to realize
handsomely. Thus Mr.. Greeley's heirs
have got nothing from their shares in
the New York Tribune, which were
expected to yield them clever income.
But, on the other hand, Cornelius Van
derbilt, whose notes were not thought to
be worth the paper they were written
upon, has paid every dollar of the debt.
principal and interest. So tract of
wild land in West Virginia, which cost
$4,000 or $4,000. and from which no
one thought penny would ever be
realized in this generation, has lately
improved so Unexpectedly in value that
it is said that an offer of $40, 900 has
already been made for it, and much
more may in the end be got for it,
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1879-10-02

AMONG the conquences of the Glasgow
Bank failure has been Il breach of prom
isa case. The lady belongs to Glasgow,
the gentleman to Greenock, both of
them being people of some wealth. The
lady held some of the stock of the bank,
and when the crash came, although the
marriage invitations had actually been
issued, the gentleman cried off until it
was ascertained how far he would be af-
fected as her husband. After the de-
cision of the House of Lords that no
liability would extend to him, it was ex-
pected that he would at once complete
his engagement, but for some reason or
other he had changed his mind and posi-
lively refused to do so. After all per-
suasion had failed, an action claiming
$4,000 WAS raised, which be eonprimscd
by paying 81 ,oQ0
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1879-10-02
Negligent Husbands, Read This.


Men should not allow their wives tc
split wood; it is emphatically mans
work, and awoman is likely to make a
bad job of it. Peter johnson of Rochester,
N. Y, however, left his wife without
frewood, and so she took an AK and
started for the woodpile to get a supply
for herself. Selecting a proper piece Of
wood, she struck at it several times with
out hitting it, and at last cleft it partly
in two. Thinking she could easily part
it with her hands, she inserted her
fingers in the crack and tried to spread
it apart. Out dropped the AK, which
until this time had remained in the
wood, and the stick springing together,
imprisoned her tingcrsas in wise. After
struggling awhile she picked up the AK
with her free hand, but in striking ut the
cleft the blow missed and cut off one of
her fingers. She then gave it up, and,
with her fingers still held in the stick,
she managed to go to u neighbor's house,
where she received assistance.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1879-10-02

THERE is R)yal Commission at
present in this country acquainting it
self with the methods of American ag-
riculture, with the view of applying
the results of its observations to the i'm
provement of the British far ming inter
est. 1t has been said that the appoint
ment of the commission was a sop to
the Liberals, WHO have come forward
as the champion of the British farmer,
and when the vast tenures in the two
countries are considered, the reports
appear not unnatural. The landed
property of Great Britain is held by a
very small class. and the valuation is
very high, Independent of the produc-
tive worth of the land. In our great
western grain fields, the value of land
is based upon its productive capacity,
and while England's facilities are taxed
to the utmost, there are beyond the ex-
treme verge of our'preeseat grain belts,
millions upon millions of acres that as
yet wait "to be tickled with the plow to
laugh with the harvest"
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1879-10-02

A cABLEGRAN from Simla says: General
Baker, commanding a brigade of infantry,
will probably attack Kushi on the route from
kohat to Cabul. Resistance is expected.
A force under General Sir Frederick Roberts,
of three brigades, $500 men in all, is supplied
with transportation and ready to move on
Cabul by Logar Valley. The advance of the
main body, under General Bright, numbering
$500 men, will commence Immediately. Sir
Frederick Roberts will be supported by a re-
serve force of some 1000, under Generals Cor
don and Cough, holding Kuram Valley and
maintaining communications between the ad-
vancng forces and Northwestern India.
THE forthcoming annual report of the Post
master General will show the number of Post
Offices in the United States to be 40, ,S72 at the
end of the fiscal year June 30, 1879. The fol-
lowing shows the number of post-offices every
ten years since the organization of the Govern
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1879-10-02

THE books for the registration of
women under the new law of Massa-
chu 'etts have now been closed, and the
whole number of women Who have come
forward to qu lify themselves for the
discharge of the voting franchise is
about 0c0 The female population of
Massachusetts amounts to about 90o, ,0CO
souls, of whom probably not less than
200 900 At the least are adults, 80 that it
would seem that only one woman out of
each 100 car d 10 claim that inesti mable
boon for which Mrs. Susan Anthony
and her illustrious compeers have been
80 long contending.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1879-10-02

THERE has never been p rio | in
the historyof this country when suicide
was more prevalent than it has been
during the past few years. Time was
when such act was sensation and a
nine days wonder; now it seems to be
taken as a matter of course, and dis
missed with a paragraph. The causes
that are leading to the spread of the
t,o-prevalent crime, might afford a
study for humanitarians. 1t is time for
public opinion to bestir itself, and see if
they cannot be rooted out. Public
opinion, which can make the memory
of suicide disgraceful, can do much
il it will only make itself felt.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1879-10-02

OF course the rumors of extensive
gold discoveries in Alaska will need
very material corroboration. But they
are not in the least unreasonable. The
geological formation of Alaska, ON the
contrary, makes it quite probable that
it is gold-besring country. There are
those who believe, like M. Laveleye,
that the mining of precious metals is
about tn reach an eud. 1t is equally
rational to suppose that that industry is
about to begin in good earnest. Not
one-half of the globe has thus far been
properly searched for precious metals,
and Asia, Africa As we'll as our own
country will probably yield large guam
titles of silver and gold. We. should
not like to advise any one to 60 to
Alaska in search of gold; but we hope
that the golden rumors which come
from Sitka are all founded in fact.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1879-10-02
Ship.BuIlding Statistics.

Statistics compiled at Washington
show a most encouraging degree of
growth in American ship-building in the
increased tonnage in sailing vessels--
1,039 tons in 1869, 670 in 1870 and 2,o67
in 1871; but of steam vessels there Was
an increase of 2,S0i tons in 1865; a,5i5
in 1859; 1902 in 1870; 1912 in 1871 !;
IL, 766 in 1872; 26,54S in 1878; S2,097 in
1874; 81 ,032 in 1875; 2l ,346 in 1876 /;
1927 in 1877, and 26,960. in 1878. A
very large proportion Of this increase
WAS contributed by the iron ship yRrds
of the Delaware river
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1879-10-02

OF DIR. Talmage, who is on his way
home, the New York Commercial Adrer-
tiser says he has delivered ninety-six
addresses during his stay abroad, has
earned comfortable sum of money, has
gained in flesh and reputation, and
come, back to his people with renewed
vigor, ready to fight the Ephesians with
the sword of the Lord of Gideon. If
all the signs hold good, the versatile and
irrepressible " Dominic" will find some
fresh thorns in his way when he re-
sumes his work in Brooklyn, but he is
the man to pull them out without prick
ing his fingers too seriously.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1879-10-02

THERE is period in the early life of
every true woman, when moral and in
tellectual growth seems, for time, to
cease. The vacant heart seeks for an
occupant. The intellect, having appro-
priated alment requisite to the growth
of the uncrowned feminine nature, feels
the necessity of more intimate compan-
ionship with the masculine mind, 20
start il ON its second period of develop
ment. Here, at this point, some stand
for years, without making q step in
advance. Others marry, and astonish,
in few brief years, by their sweet
temper, their new beauty, their high ac-
complishments, and their noble woman
hood, whose blindness led them to sup
pose women devoid of such traits.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1879-10-02

Mr.. GEORGE f. ANGEL insists on
making the community uncomfortable
by "poisonous and iulterated articles
are found in our fool, our drink, our
clothing; in the cooking utensils used
in our kitchens, in the pipes that carry
our water, in the wallpapers that
beautify our houses, in the colored
papers and toys which are the play
things of our ch ldren." 1t is a won
der, under these circumstances, that
the population of the United States
continues to increase rather than de-
crease.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1879-10-02
A Fatal Kiss.


The death Of Miss Minnie wilkins of
Memphis, by yellow fever, was MS
pathetic as it was dreadful. In the in
tervals of the black vomit spasms she
besought her husband to kiss her, and
he, with a devotion which will probably
cost him his life, complied. She died
with her arms about his neck, and he Is
now Frustrated with the malignant
pe3tilence. Greater love hath no man
than this that he should give his life for
isfriends," But the life of this husband
was given, not to save that of his wife
for she was beyond hope-but to cheer
the agony Of her last moments on earth
With kiss and m embrace.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1879-10-02

THE example given by the rebellious
Afghans is considered by our British
cousins as likely TO be initiated in the
Eastern countries ruled by the direct
or indirt ct influence Of England. The
report of the departure of the British
Resident from Mandalay is finally con
frmed, sfter having been denied in for
mer dispatches. He left Burmah quite
in time for his safety, inasmuch as
cruel,ies continue to be perpetrated
there by the ferocious King Thee Baw.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1879-10-02

LONDON World tel u that the , by
mania which is now raging in France
is not Of English but of Yankee origin.
French ladies' simply keep a pair OF
scales in the nursery, and betting be-
tween themselves on the weight of their
offspring. In the families of the French
upper classes there are reldom more
than Two or three children.