davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-12-11
Portland Wholesale Prices Current.
Corrected for the PRESS to December II, 1879.
flour.

Flour.
Superfine......5 2595 rs
Extra Spring, g 25G6 30
Xxx Spring. ~ 25a7 so
Patent Spring
Wheats 80 5099 rs
Michigan Win
ter BEST. ~ 5097 70
Low Grade
Michigan. 80 2596 70
St. Louis Win
ter good. III soar 75
Winter fair sc 1897 90
Winter best. IS 25la6 20
Produce.
Turkeys... -. 14G1G
Chickens. So. 10012
Fowl. ..."...s 90 SLY ~
Sw. Potatoes. g 1904 so
New 4" Dbl l 50@
Irish potatoes,
car lots. ...p 45Sd 60c
Onions, y bbl.3 so @3 Is
crate ...2 0002 25
Round Hogs. o4o
Cheese.
,ro;,o 11Ol4
Vermont go. l2@l4
4. Y. Factory. l2@I4
EPGf;
Oranges.
Palermos, PIX 3 50@4 90
Valencia, ~ case IL 90
/" p box q o@
MeSSina. 1000. D 10
Palermos. "A 00@4 90
Nuts.
Peanuts
Wilmington.1 6001 20
Virginia. i 5001 81
Tennessee. L 20d1 30
Castana, }Y h.. 11la | &c
Walnuts, =" 1901 &c
Filberts, " 12013c
Pecan. 4" 11@l2c
The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-12-11
EUROPE.

Rumors Of the Cars Abdication.
New YORK, Dec 10.-A St. Petersburg des-
patch states that rumors are atloat that owing
to severe nervous prostration the Gar is con-
sidnrinr the subject of ahdicatin0.
The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-12-11

Aud vour relator further shows and informs
this Honorablc Court. that on the ma DAY OF
December, 1879, he made request IN writing,
tn said Secretary of State, EdWafd n 1oNe'
who is the legal CUSTODIAN ol a"iu oiliol,'i ,o
turns. to permit him or his counsel 10 examine
fine returns from said district IN the once OF
said Secretary of State, or III ms presence, III
order to ascertain what errors de1ects OF llllor-
malites or DISCREPANCIES between the returns
and the records, if any, might exist, ana III
order that he might prepare the application III
writing required by the statute, ana state
therein the error alleged as the statute requires
him to do, and for all other purposes cohlem-
plated by the constitution; but SAID secretary
of State refused to allow such an examination,
or anv examination, and still persists in refus--
ing thereby depriving your relator OF MS Regal
rights to see and examine public record OF
this State and of all means OF correcting sald
discrepancies, errors, detects auo Informant
ties in said returns if any should be found, and
of his legal right to moe such correction, or
to.make the application for that purpose, and
state the errors alleged, as the law requires
him to do. .
mandamus may issue from this Honorable
Court to said Edward II. Cove OF Augusta, III
the County of Kennebec, Secretary of State,
and the legal custodian of said returns, com
manding him to permit your relatof by NM
self and his counsel or either, to have lmme-
date access to said returns, and to examine tne
same at suitable time and place ana IN asu 1i
able manner for the purpose OF exercising 1he
rights, and complying with the REQUIREMENTS II
provided by the laws as hereinbefore set forth
and that rule of court may issue to said re-
s sr commanding him to appear before
said Court at Fryeburg in the County S-o OF OK
| ford. on the 9th day of December, 1879, being
| the seventh day of said December Term, and
show cause, if any he has, why the prayer OF
said netitioner should not be granted and
writ of mandamus issue as prayed for
(Signed) NAHUM l. Hill
| STATE OF MAINE, COUNTY OF kENNEBEc
On the 2nd day of December, 1879, personal n :,
ly appeared the above named NAHUM /. mn
| and made oath that he has read the foregoing
1 petition, or heard it read, and knows the CON
tents thereof, and that the same is true OF his
own knowledge except the matters stated 10
| be on his information and belief, and that as
to those matters, he believes them to be true.
| Before me,
The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-12-11

Pearl, }Pib III @1112
Pot ......... 6129 s
Bread.
Pilot Sup. Is 00910 90
do ex 100 pc 0OdS 90
Shin 4 0o06 90
Crackers ib
100. 3UU %
The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-12-11
Oil.
Paints.

p Pure Lead. 3 5O99 w
Pure GRID do. 8 6o,a9 90
! Pure Dry do. : 00,99 %
/ Am. Zinc ..... 6 00@7 90
Rochelle Vel. 21s(9 8
Eng. Ven. Red 212(g 8
/ Red Lead. .... 7(@ 8
/ Plaster. ooo
White, Pton.. Cd W
Blue ..........2 50@2 20
Ground, in bis Z 0097 90
Calcined, bis. 2 2b9
/ Rice.
Rice, p fb. -. 6ss@ s
Saieratus.
The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1879-12-04
Vegetation on the Earth.

The densely luxuriant tropical plants,
with their lofty palms and wilderness
of creepers; the more open woods of
oak, elm, or pine, and the plains of
grass or heather of temperate climes;
the MOSES and lichens Of the far north,
and the millions of minute algm on
fields Of snow: the enormous masses Of
marine plants, and the multitudinous
green threads of every pond or rivulet,
are one and ali continually engaged
during the hours of daylight in tearing
from the atmosphere its carbon, and in
sucking from the earth or sea its water
with the mineral substances dissolved
in it, in order to build up new masses
of organic substance, from these purely
inorganic materials. The quantity
of living matter thus daily formed may
be truly termed enormous The dry
land of the earth's surface Is estimated
at 22,392,430 square miles. Let rs
assume that Of this $1,000, 900 square
miles Tor little over two-thirds) are
clothed with ELECTROMAGNETIC al
together the vegetation Of the OCEAN
and let but the three hundred and sixty
fifth part Of an inch be the growth Of
this surface daily, and every year will
be formed mass one inch thick, and
$4,000, 900 square miles in extent,
which would make solid cube of vege-
table matter about b miles in extent in
each dimension. 1t is thus no wonder
that we should have accumulations Of
vegetable debris in tie form Of coal in
some parts of the world, las in Pennsyl-
vania) which may be in alternating beds
20 feet in thickness, and extending over
an area larger than that Of Yorkshire.
The wonder at first sight is rather that
the size of the solid earth does not, in
succeeding ages, notably increase at the
expense of its fluid and aeriform matter.
But as fast rs organic matter is thus
accumulated by so enormous and so in
cessantly acting mandatory, its fabric
is nevertheless much like the web Of
Penelope; for close upon life follows
death, and with the death of all organ
isms, their substance (by decomposition)
returns again, for the most part las
water, carbonic acid, ammonia, and va
rioug gases, etc, 10 that inorganic world
whence it was originally depri.ed.-St
George Givart in Contemporary Re-
view.
The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1879-12-04
Hurrying TO Port.

Three more vessels OF tho whaling
fleet arrived from the Arctic yesterday
afternoon, via: the banks Abraham
Barker, Captain Smith, and Hunter,
Captain Homan, and the brig Hidalgo,
Captain Williams, Captain George A.
Smith, of the Abraham Barker, reports
that in all his Arctic experience he
never encountered such severe weather
as they had in that ocean the present
season. He saw nothing O. the jean
nette, although he spoke the Sea Breeez
after that vessel saw her, and was told
by Captain Barnes that the steamer had
gone north among, the loose and pack
ice. Captain Smith is Of the opinion
that great error has been committed
in sending such an expedition out in a
vessel like the Jeanette, with not
power enough TO work off a lee shore
in = gale of wind. It was certainly
to be hoped that her expedition
would be successful. They encoun-
tered great deal of ice in the Straits
as they came out-something unusual
and the voyage down the coast was an
extremely tsmpestous one. Sunday
morning the wind, which had been
blowing from the southwark and east
ward, got around into the northwest,
and blew agale. Captain Homan, Of
the Hunter, said that he was within 40
miles of Wrangel Land early in October.
He saw no sign Of the Jeanette. If
she was in the situation described by
Captain Barnes when he last saw her,
he thought she might have got into the
pack, and if so, it was highly prob
lematical when she succeeds in getting
out. Captain Holman thought it would
have been to the ultimate advantage of
Captain De Long if he had spoken
to the Sea Breeze and awaited himself
of the experience of her commander and
other whaling captains in the fleet.
Captain Homan is the captain who, n
few years since, struck and captured
large bow head in the Arctic, in which
was found a harpoon belonging to skip
that had been whaling off the coast of
Greenland four years previous. In fact
he had on his vessel boat steerer who
was ON the ship Ansell Gibbs at the
time the whale was struck, and
recollected the circumstance Of his es-
cape after the boat was fastened-a fact
which shows that making the Northeast
passage is no new thing with the whale
family. Captain Williams reports Sc
we're season in the Arctic, and very
rough passage down from Fox Island.
Nov. Sth and 9th he had severe gale Of
wind, which,blew from nearly every point
of the compass within twelve hours,
during which the Hidalgo lost her lower
foretopsail, and fore and mainsails, the
wind blowing them clean out Of the bolt
ropes. s.. +. Call.
The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1879-12-04
Taxing Babies.

Under William III. registration was
for the first time turned to account az q
means of raising revenue. The earliest
statute having this object was called
San act for granting to his Majesty GER
tain rates and duties upon marriages,
birth, and burials, and upon bachelors
and widowers, for the term Of five years,
for carrying on the war against France
with vigor." The duty on marriage
under this act ranged from Is. Cd. to
ESQ., in proportion to the rank Of the
bridegroom; that for births from Is. to
$50; and that for burials from u.s. to
more than ESQ. That statue also exact
ed from bachelors and widowers above
the age of % yearl SUM varying from
Is. to el2 los. 1t imposed penalty Of
-fl00 on those of the clergy who should
neglect registration, and empowered the
Tax Collectors to examine the registers
without fee. AS might have been ex-
pected, births were now concealed that
the cost of registration might be escaped
This led to q further enactment, which
required parents, under penalty, TO give
notice of births to the clergy within Eve
days of their occulrenee-The Cornhiu
Magazine
The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1879-12-04
Scientific Classification.

+ here are folk, scisntiic folk, whose
joy of labor is to collect to arrange, to
nam e, to index. They seem to think
that when. they have gathered together
many things or many facts, and then
have put by themselves those having
certai lilseness-for instance, all the
beetle S that have backs or horns alike,
all the leaves that have edges alike, or
all the words that have beginning, an
end, or middle alike, and have given
the beetles, or the leaves, or the words
a name generally Latin one, meaning
merely in latin what any one with half
an eye would see at .glance-that the
beetles have backs and horns of such
color or such a shape, or that the leaves
have such OF such edges, Or the words
such or such beginnings, middles or
endings)-when they have done this, l
say, these folk seem t., think they have
been very scientific and have greatly
enlarged tn, boundaries of knowledge.
The truth is, however, that they have .
learned nothing at. all but there are
some things, more or fewer, which have .
certain likeness, mcse or less and they
have done nothing but to put these
things into a-pigeoi1shole-their Latin
name-for conveniert reference. Their
labor has q. certain. value in that it
makes real study easier. 1t corresponds
to the getting together library, and
classifying aid cataloguing it. But this
man may do as well as it can be done;
he may know where every book stands,
indeed he may be able to tell you in what
press and on what shelf in every other
great library all the important hooks
stand, as Mezzofanti could, and he may
be rs barren of ideas born of those
books as Mezzofanti was himself And
nothing is added to knowledge, nor is any
stimulus given to thought by calling
beetles "coleoptera,' a figure of speech
an "aposiopesis," or word an ''agen-
tial." So much CT so-called scie ace cor
sists in merely giving learned name
to common knowledge, sometimes to
ignorance /!
In fact, science has become an intel
lectual fetish, and scientific can't word
of high pretonsion. A very recent use
of it in England, "a scientific frontier"
is somewhat pulling Nov, what
natural frontier is, or military frontier,
we all know; but what else scientific
frontier is, it would, think. puzzle the
inventor the phrase to make clear to
common sense. 1t seems to be mere.
cant, either born of the scientific craze
of the day, or craftily adapted to the
humor of its complacent victims.
The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1879-12-04
Progress of the Anglo Saxon
Race.

There is something amazing III the
progress of the Anglo Saxon race; as il
is called, though that race is now largel,
mixed with the Celtic clement. This
mixed race of Celts, Saxons and Nor
mans, seems to be endowed with, unpar
alelled vigor and vitality in the occupy
ing of new countries and establishing
new empims. There,ca can be no question
WE think, that North. America, Rom the
Mexican border to the Polar Sea will be
substantially peorleds and governed by
this race, notwithstanding very oonsid.
cradle number of Africans, Indians and
Chinese, and we might say. Roman
Catholic Celts, who keep as much by
themselves as any ono of these. races.
This North Ameriea,will probably ulti-
mately contain and support a population
Of somc four hundred millions, or nearly
ten times as many as it does now,
Then there is the vast continent of
Australia to be filed with mixed pop
ulation something; like our own, but
with the Anglo Saxon race IN, the As.
cendaacy, both in government language
and literature. The Chinese question
there will be more Of practical one
than here.
South Africa also, and that probably
as far north as the Portuguese Posses
sions, is to have the Anglo Saxon ele-
ment'in the ascendant in power and in
Auenee, though not in numbers for a
long time to come, if ever.
India, that envy Of all Oriental con-
quarors, seems 70 be firmly settled under
an Anglo Saxon government, and to be
likely to include ultimately Burmah and
Afghanistan. The people Of India can
never be Anglo Saxon, bat there may
be large mixture of the governing
race.
Tasmania and New Zealand will, of
course, be Anglo Saxon countries, as
we'll as other islands CT less Importance
in both hemispheres; aad very likely a
considerable portion OF West Africa and
East Central Africa may fall under
British rule. The names Victoria Ny
ANA and Albert Nyanza and the Vic
toria Falls of the Zambesi may vet be
come the household words of q large
Anglo Saxon empire over splendid re-
gion now lying in moral darkness and
degradation.
If Britain could, with the full and
free consent of all concerned, transfer
her North American possessions to these
United States, for and i'll consideration
of rev tariff, no. exceeding ten per
cent Oh any article, and then give her
exclusive attention to India, Australia
and Africa, 1t appears to us that the
interests Of the whole human race, as
well as Of the Anglo Saxon race in par
ticular, would thereby be promoted.
The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1879-12-04
Perisned in the Flames.

Again it becomes our nainful duty to
chronicle death in the flames. This
time n bright young man while attempt
ing to save property and rescue those in
danger loses his own life in the attempt.
One week ago last night camphene
lamp exploded in the River Side Hotel,
at Snohomish. The flames spread very
rapidly, and in a few moments the build
ing was wrapped in flames. The fire
and smoke startled the inmates, and it
was only by rapid flight they made their
escape. The scene was one of intense
excitement, as it was not known if all
had been awakened. The flames were
leaping and roaring into the air, when
for one brief moment Frank nolan, a
young man about 81 years, appeared at
the window and with one wild scream
be threw up his hands and disappeared
forever, swallowed up in the terrible
furnace. The surge of anguish which
swept the hearts of the spectators can
never be known only by fearful expert
ence. He had gone into the building to
see that no person remained and was
ovsrtaken by the relentless fury of the
sea of flames and burned to a crisp
The sad fate of the hoy cast deep
gloom over the town, and as the last
timber fell and the smoking ruins smoul-
dered, silence as dsep ~ that which en-
velopes the city of the dead regned in
Snohomish. A young life had been
yielded up while on An errand of mercy;
another grave to contain the ashes o. q
noble martyr. Mr.. Romines the owner
of TIE building, and Mr.. Nader, the
lessee, lost ver~ heavily, but the greatest
loss was sustained by the parents Of the
brave and noble boy who persisted in the
flames. Time canno. restore him To
their hoarthstone. His spirit has passed
beyond the banks and shoals Of time
from whence mothers prayers 4 an
guish or fathers grief can nevc. call
him hence. May his charred ashes rest
quietly in their tomb until the final sum
ming up, when his noble act will shine
out and deluge lesser faults by it's
brightness, upon the pages of the great
book of life
The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1879-12-04
Whistling in England.

There is much less whistling among
farmers men than 40 or so years ago,
and less singing also. When 1 was a
boy most of the men sang at pillow and
with their teams. Their voices borne
over tie hills by the breeze, were one of
the charms of country ramble. They
mostly sang love songs or sentimental
ditties l remember the "Mistletoe
Bough" was great fAvorite with one of
my fathers men. Some time ago l re
marked to the rector Of a ncighboring
parish how very seldom / heard men
singing at the pillow compared to when I
was a boy. He replied: "That is be-
cause you were bred among the hills,
and now live in a fat country; men
don't sing in fiat countries" felt this
was correct Milkmaids sang to their
cows without which it was believed they
would not "givs their milk down." If
you meet country girl nowadays, and
ask her, "Where are you going to, my
pretty maid = you oan never say the re
ply was, "A-mlking, sir" for maids no
longer milk, but leave it to be done by
men called "garthmen." At the "slip-
pins" all the men were expected to sing,
but those who could not might whistle,
as / have heard them more than once.
Like milkmaids, "clippins" have all van
ished. Those kindly gathering, where
the master and his neighbors and his
men all made merry together, have all
gone, and we have steam plows and
reaping machines and hborers' unions
instead Although there is yet more
singing and whistling in billy than in
flat countries, it is certain that farmers
men neither sing nor whistle half as
much as they used to do. AS far back
as remember, our middle classes con-
sidered whistling vulgar (as hoys were
not allowed to whistle). 1t is possible
the laborers Lave now got to think SO
to. Railway trips, and more ready &C
cess to towns, are bringing everything
to dead level, and gradually eiiacing
the old-fashioned country ways,
The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1879-12-04

"Ihose suspenders, madam, are long
enough for the shortest boy or short
enough for the longest man; they will
just fit your fine looking youngster."
perhaps SO but / don't want to sew
buttons on his boot legs. l want them
to hold his pants on. Them suspenders
is long enough for the Colossus of
Rhodes" "Just 30, madam | sold old
Coloss pair out Of the same box YES.
terdAy"
The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1879-12-04

LAdy-"But tell me, Miss Jenkins,
why you are not satisfied" Governess
--"Well, the fact is, madam, should
be perfectly contented to stay if Master
Tommy were not SO plain but j am
afraid of his being taken for my little
boy some day when we are out walking,
and that would be 20 very unpleasant.
The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1879-12-04

What was it that Sin bade the sailor
The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1879-12-04

Detectives are the spies Of kfs.
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-03-14
Police Pickings.

A light run in police circles to-day.
Just wait until Sunday is over.
Alfred Edwards is to be tried to-
day for stealing a two-dollar pistol
from Julia Hickerson.
A ship-carpenter and a laborer went
on a spree last night and wound up in
the station-house. They were let of
without a fine this forenoon.
Perry Chilperic, a twenty-five year
old white man, rested on a soft plank
at the station-house last night. He
had no money to buy a cot in a board
ng-house.
Mrs. Massi, a Shelby street confec-
%tioner, was arrested last night for
abusing one of her neighbors. The
case was to be tried at noon to-day by
DR.. Porter.
Mr.. John Simpson, a gentleman
from Mississippi, was fined s. to-day
by DR.. Porter for putting his fingers
up to his nose and saying dirty things
to a colored lady.
McClarty, the genteel confidence
swindler, who let cards, whisky and
women get the best of him, will be
escorted to Little Rock by a special
officer named James "A. Martin, who
arrived this morning to convey the
prisoner to the scene of a part of his
bad deeds.
Atwenty-nine year-old white Amer
lean citizen, named Joseph Brown,
was arrested last night for stealing a
pistol from John Wheelan, the watch
man, or i%anitor, of the old Gayoso
House. Joe was sent to Jail, not being
able to give bonds.
James Sweeny, who some weeks ago
made a vicious slash with a lathing
Ratchet at officer George ellis head,
and came very neal tomahawking him
into worms meat, is in the station
house lookup, this time for stealing
twenty-five cents from a fellow citizen
Of his named Barney Hagemoycr.
John Chapman, a darky, whose
father is now in Jail, was sent up for
forty days this morning. The offend
ing Chapman has a fashion Of loiter-
ing about livery stables and playing
craps whenever he can catch a country
greenhorn. John is set down in the
police circles as a bad egg.
Mrs. Victoria Amelia Cooper is
searching for her husband, Charles
Cooper, She arrived by steamer from
Centennial Island, thirty miles above
here, this morning in response to a
letter from him, and up to noon the
police had been unable to find out his
location.
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-03-14
Very Frenchy.


PArlS Paper.l
A painter commenced a portrait Of
a young girl belonging to the best So
ciety. Fol some reason or other a
misunderstanding arose between the
family of the young girl and the artist.
The painter, having begun the work,
took advantage of the head, which was
pretty, and added the body of a nymph
destitute of drapery. The picture
appeared at the last exhibition, and
was seen by the family, accompanied
by some friends. "Ohl mon dieu -
said a lady, on recognizing the face Of
the young lady, on a very low-necked
torso. "Did your daughter sit to the
painter in that way?" You cant
think So" replied the mother CURLY.
The artist did it entirely from mem
ory.n