davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1879-03-27
The Cause OF q Mine Explosion.

Some peculiar features of mining
casualties were developed ct a coroner's
inquest on the bodies of William Crone
and Thomas Tiernay. who died from in
juries received by an explosion OF fire.
damp, at the Lower Rausch Greek col.
liery, near Pottsville, Pa. These men
were working with safety-lamps on the
bottom level of the mine, 1900 feet
below the surface. The vein in which
they worked made no gas, but another
beneath it, with about nine feet of slate
between, gave forth gas in quantities so
great as to force up the solid slate Gov
ering in the centre of the breast, the
pressure of the strata above, of course,
helping. The movement caused o
rumbling and cracking, which the men
thought came from the roof, and they,
together with the fire boss, James
ONeill, and a miner named Jacob
Imschweller, were watching that part,
when the noise became 30 violent that
they ran into the heading, fearing that
the roof would fall. The roof, however,
remained undisturbed. The men had
scarcely left the breast when the floor
heaved up, opened, and volume of
gas poured forth, which at once filled
the whole place. O'Neill and Imsch-
weller, fortunately for them, darted
into the passage leading inward from
the breast; but Crone and Tiernay en-
tered the "intake" passage. Crone,
knowing that strong current of air
would force the flame through the
meshes of his lamp and set fire to the
gas, shielded his lamp as he ran, but
Tiernay neglected this precaution. The
gas ignited from his lamp, and a terrible
explosion followed. Crone and Tiernay
were so badly burned that they died in
few hours, while the others, being
behind the explosion. which always
takes an outward course, were only
slightly injured by being dashed against
the coal. The wood work of the mine
was shattered for a distance of 10C
yards, and boy named Grady received
fatal injuries from door which fell on
him. The mine was then being in
spected for the third time that day (the
explosion occurred at noon). and 16, 6,57e
cubic feet Of air per minute was ther
passing through that portion of it. Tht
Jury returned a verdict that "the de
ceased came to their deaths from the
effects of an explosion caused by run
ming through the gas with their safety
lamps against, instead of with, the air
current"
The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1879-03-27
How Yassar Lost q Pupil.

A letter from Poughkeepsie, N. Y, to
tho World, says: At the beginning OF the
term one year ago young lady from
New York entered the freshman class of
1878 at Vassar college. She was then
sixteen, of slight figure, brown haired,
pretty, and young person OF buoyant
spirits, who speedily became something
OF character among her fellow.students.
It is said, however, that the faculty
found her intraotable and subjected her
to a course of mild discipline which she
did not like. She had entered the col
lege under peculiar circumstances. Her
father had endowed a scholarship
there at q cost of $1,000, and she was
the first to receive its benefits. Finally,
much of what was considered infelicitous
in the girls ways was overlooked by the
faculty, and under the new order OF
things matters moved along more
smoothly.
Just before the last holiday week she
was again, however, in open rebellion
against the authorities. She expressed
determination to accompany fellow
student to the latter's home in the West
to spend the holidays. The head of the
college protested with emphasis; but
when the time arrived the young rebel
went on her proposed trip and returned
in due time and resumed her studies.
In the meantime she was corresponding
with and meeting in Poughkeepsie every
Saturday, when the young ladies are
permitted to leave the college to do
their shopping, the young son of her
fathers partner in New York.
Thus matters stood up to a recent
Friday, when the young woman was
missing. Inquiry discovered that, with
the assistance of two OF her chums, she
had quietly packed her wardrobe and
stolen away. The young man had a
carriage in waiting for her. and on her
arrival they went to the residence of DR..
Elmendorf. of the Second Reformed
church, in Poughkeepsie, and were mar
ried. Then they were driven to the
Nelson house, where they remained
until Saturday afternoon, going then to
New York. Dr.. Elmendorf, it is said:
was induced to perform the ceremony
only by the presence of a gentleman Of
high standing in this city, who accom-.
panied the couple to the house and
vouched for their character and the regu-
larity of the proceeding. The father OF
the bride and groom are in business to-
gether, the former being a wealthy manu-
facturer of proprietary bitters."
The two girls who assisted his daugh
ter in making her escape from the col
lege have been expelled and sent home.
The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1879-03-27
The Custom OF HTreating."

"Treating" constitutes one OF the
chief perils attaching to the custom
of imbibing spirituous liquors, and
there are now few persons who
could not, if free from its shaekles,
restrict the indulgence Of their thirst to
q decent moderation. A man meeting
q proup of his friends just as he ls bent
on obtaining his afternoon allowance OF
"sherry and bitters " must, If he does
not violate usage, and if he wishes to
do what is expected of him, ask them
all to join him. Suppose the whole
party to number seven. Seven drinks
are poured down seven throats, willing
or unwilling. What is the immediate
result of this hospitality? Six other
individuals feel themselves mortgaged
with an obligation to equal it. There
NAV be little chat, and then some one
saws: "Ah, let's have another drink j.
Then seven more drinks are pourred
down seven throais. More talk. An
other happy thought by another mem
of the party. Seven more drinks de.
scend the seven throats. More talk.
A fourth inspiration by fourth partlcl..
pant. Some one who has done his fated
duty tries to beg off has business to
transact; ought not to drink any more.
His objection is vetoed by the asking
party, who is already slightly stimulated
perhaps. "No Sinking ole fel!er,
come on p Repetition of the gulplng
act by seven performers. Every one
feels the mellowing influence by this
time. "Charley," says No. Six affec-
tionately to the genius OF the bar,
"eiy's 'notherl All hands roundP'
Encore the feat of seven men swallow
inc seven drinks. No. Seven's turn
has arrived. The happy relief is near:
BE happens to be the least experienced
of the party. He is already full of bliss.
His words are few but expressive. "Set
'em up again, hic!" Up they 60. and
then down they go-seven more drinks.
Let us see. Seven times seven are
forty-nine. And all because one man
felt like taking little "sherry and bit
ters." Perhaps he goes home to his
dinner afterward. Perhaps he don't.
Perhaps he fails to see his wife and
mother-in.lsw until the next day. Such
is life in country where "treating ls
the custom. York Herald.
The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1879-03-27
WhOppers.

It WAS at 81 miners cabin in Tennessee;
dozen or so Of rough, uncouth, un.
kempt.looking fellows sat over a stove
in an atmosphere redolent with cold cof-
fee and tobacco.
"Talkin' about your stories" said a
grizzly, gray old fellow, removing his
pipe from between two shaggy masses
of tawny hair, while his companions
gave each other significant glances-
"talkin' about your stories, why, we
all hearn on Bill Hess, him as was
killed in '76, a moonshining. Well,
Bill an me wus old cronies. A year
afore the war Bill, he swalled of q
peach pit. It trubbled of him kinder,
but no one thought much ont; but
Bills appetite it got stronger and
stronger, till at last he'd eat and de-
your of every think as what he could
lay of his hands on. An the mystery
about the affair wus, that the more
Bill he would eat, the thinner did he
become.
"It wus six years arter that-yes, it
wus sewing years-when one day Bill
he wus took with gripin' an groan-
in. Snakesl how he kicked and yelled /;
sewing men couldn't hold of him. No
doctor wus in the parts where we wus.
Well, he had conwulsions, an he had
'em right smart, too, I tell yer, and the
furst think we Mowd, up came a small
cherry tree -
CT thought as 'ow he swalled of a
peach pit ?" some one asked,
"Well, so he did, and he disgorged Of
q peach tree about three feet high-did
I say cherry ?-well, that wus slip Of
the tongue--with bloomin' peaches on
IL. And a.ter that Bills health cum
back to him, and he wusn't afflicted no
more"
"I've got a story to beat that" e1-
claimed q young, sprightly-looklng
miner, with q merry eye and clear
complexion. "Me an Bob Jones we
wus travelin' in '58, just about the
time that ere accident happened to Bill
Hess, and Bob he got cinder in his eye,
which kinder annoyed him. It got wuss
and wuss, till the poor feller hadn't no
peace or comfort. One day, says Bob
to me, says he: Pete. somethink is
the matter with that ere eye, somethink is
the matter. It feels like az what it wus
gettin' bigger and learTin' Of my head
81 looked at it, and sure enough there
wus .raisen-like sort of think on it.
Still it trabbled of Bob. Day by day,
that raisen-like sort of think growed and
growed, until it wouldn't let the eyelid
shut. Mind ye, all this time Bob could
nee Just as we'll as ever, if anythink, bet
Ter than nor before. The raisen like
sort of think growed and growed for
Two years, when it had growed three
inches out of Bob's eye. 1t WAS just
like bush, with tiny branches and little
bits of leaves. Well. to make long
story short, one night Bob turned over
on his face in his sleep, and in the
lnornin' he found little maple tree
lyin' alongside of him, and the pain in
his 6srrdsr snE $780, LTl,at
there" pointing to sapling just out OF
the door, "is The tree which growed OF
the cinder what Bob Jones caught in his
eye." ....
The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1879-03-27

A confidence operator was caught in
the act OF cheating a man at cards, and
boldly insisted that by 30 doing he was
only obeying the scriptural I'M unctlon'
When asked how he made that out, ne
said: "He was a stranger, and took
him in"
The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1879-03-27

A case is sometimes gained through
perjury and sometimes per jury,
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-06-11

and an investigation Of his affairs disclosed an in
debtedness varying from 81, 900 to 5000. .n.
West Brattleboro people haven't done laughing at
the Bawston " man who all unacquanted with
the way 10 work farm, came 10 that locality and
undertook to run one "a he saw fit, without re-
gard TO the advice Of his neighbors Seeing him
carrying in his sap tubs rather early they asked
him, Are you not going TO make any more sugar
this season ?" and he replied Z" No, gness not
for the present; shall wait until after haying"
lie didn't run the farm long but dug out for
the Hub. Joseph Freeman was arrested at
Brattleboro for stealing $50. Bound up in the
sum Of $500, John Burk. Of Brattleboro, was
bound up in $500 for resisting an ofIlcer....L. C.
Davis Of Reading, was seriously injured few
days ago by being thrown from buggy.
WINDSOR COUNTY.
THE little daughter Of Charles Robbins OF
Chester who strayed away from home on Sunday
Of last week was found on Tuesday, hatless and
shoeless, cured up by the side Of huge rock in
the woods in an insensible condition She was
unable to account for her disappearance and Is
now quite sick from exposure and want Of food.
John Hammond, alias California Jack, has
been sentenced to ten years for the burglary OF
the town clerks office in Chester, and nine years
for the burglary of Robbins & Marshs store, the
latter time to begin on completion Of the first
term. Herman Dressed Of Springfield is con.
victed Of sixty-one offences under the liquor law
the fine for which will be SGl0 lie was treasurer
and business manager Of n club, organized with
written articles and regulations for the purpose Of
supplying themselves with lager beer. The de-
fence was that thus furnishing the members with
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-06-11
Ohio Conventions.

The Ohio democrats held their state con-
vention on Wednesday last. The green
hackers held theirs on the same day. The
former party rolled themselves in the dust
before the latter, hoping that by such con-
duct they would unite the two parties.
With this hope the democrats went for
Thomas Ewing and nominated him-a man
than whom no one is a ranker greenbacker
or has done more to secure the passage of
bills for the unlimited coinage of silver
dollars of two hundred and twelve and one
half grains. Yet the embracing such a man
did not secure the end sought, for the green
coalesce with the democrats, and then went
ahead and nominated A. Sanders Piatt fol
governor. The democratic platform agrees
very well with the greenback on financial
questions, only it does not demand with il
that all the bonded debt of the nation be i'm
mediately paid in greenbacks. 1t does, how
ever demand that national banks be abol
isbed and that greenbacks be substituted
for bank notes, and the party it sought t.
capture demands the same. The democrats
had good deal to say on political questions
which in the main supports the position re
Gently taken by the party in Congress will
reference to the use of the army and the az
pointment of supervisors. The convention
however, could not be brought TO the poin
of resolving that Congress should deny az
preparations unless it secures its politics
ends, though a member introduced such
| resolution.
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-06-11
The New Orleans Times also approves the
action of the Brookhaven people, and says
An Independent Opinion.

The New York Herald, while eschewing
party politi is nevertheless shrewd in its
judgment of political measures and situa-
tons. Its wel-informed Washington cor
respondent speaks as follows of the mortify-
ing dilemma in which the democratic party
has placed itself There is, as everybody
sees who does not happen to be a democratic
statesman, just one way for the democrats
to get out of the mire into which they have
walked, and that is to pass the army and
legislative appropriation bills pure and sim
pie and adjourn. If they do this at once
and without any further tomfoolery, they
might even claim before the country that
they had established an issue for the next
election. But instead of this simple and
straightforward course they are preparing
an elaborate plan to sneak out of their diff
Guilty, the main dement's of which are thatin
the first place it will not succeed, and in the
next, if it did it would only make them
more contemplate than they already are.
"The Southern democrats, meantime, for
the most part, talk very sensibly, just as
Senator Butler did the other day, but they
do nothing. They are the willing tools of
the Northern extremists, and tho ugh they
grumbe and are dolorous when they see
that the South is held responsible for all the
folly, they lack the courage and determine
ton to either make their party do right or
do right themselves. They have drifted
into a crowd they do not believe in until the
country is justified in holding that, however
conservative the Southern ideas may be,
they lack either craftsmanship or force of
character to make their influence felt for
good in their party, and that they do not de-
serve to be trusted with power. This is the
conclusion unavoidably drawn here by OBJ
servers, who fully admit the good intentions
of the greater number of the Southern men,
but who see that mere good intentions are
not of the slightest use-did not prevent the
extra session, have not prevented all the
folly and stupidity which that has brought
to the front, do not avail now to secure SEN
sible action and adjournment, and will not
avail hereafter, if the democrats should be
trusted with power, to restrain its wild and
| ignorant members or to keep it in moderate
courses"
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-06-11
The Panama Canal.


Contrary to the general expectation that
the results of the late Congress at Paris
would lead TO such contention respecting
rival routes as would indefinitely postpone
the whole enterprise, exactly the reverse
seems now to be proving true. Count M. de
Lesseps, who, in the face Of SCOTS and jeers,
built the Suez canal and made it grand
success, throws into the new scheme all the
ardor of his enthusiastic nature and the in
spration of his heroic success. The route
was no sooner agreed upon than he an
nounced the formation Of company and
the opening of subscription of four hun
dred million francs TO carry the project into
execution. This looks very much like bust
ness. Il shows that the conference meant
something more than talk and that these
men are ready to show their faith by their
works. The expectation now is to begin
the work on the first day Of next January,
and NJ. de Lesseps has declared his purpose
to go to Panama and take out the first spade
full of dirt himself The route agreed upon
is from Colon on the Atlantic side to Panama
on the Pacific side. The state of Columbia,
through which the canal would pass, has
already given her concession, and it seems to
be taken for granted, especially in Europe,
that the way is clear for operations to COM
mence. But before subscriptions begin to
flow in very freely we imagine would-be
subscribers will want to know what the
United States has to say about it, This
question can, however, if the eagerness to
subscribe to the stock demands it, be settled
at the regular session of Congress in De-
oau,har
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-06-11

STATE SovEREIGNTY.--Gener Sherman
makes good point touching this favorite
doctrine of the South. He says: "Just
where the legislative ceases and the judicial
begins just where the Judicial ceases and
the executive begins and ends, are borders
of authority about which men have disputed,
quareled and fought in the past, are now
disputing, and will to the end of time dis
pute; but on the whole our system of gov
ernment is admirably adapted to the grow
ing and ever-changing interest Of our diver
sified land; and though we often lose
patience at particular events, every Ameri
can who goes abroad, especially those of the
South who in disgust at the end of the wal
went to Brazil or Mexico, returned NOR,
than satisfied with their own country.
remember in 1861, discussing with Boyt
and Bragg, and Dick Taylor, all these ques
tons in Louisiana, and confess that an
surprised that this old doctrine of soveI
eighty belonging to a state like Louisiana
Mississippi, or South Carolina, greater tha
that of the nation, should be revived in gu
national debates, after il had been settled b
the great tribunal of war"
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-06-11
English POliteness.

Mrs. Livermore relates an incident of her
experience abroad which happily illustrates
prominent feature of English society. She
says III was once the recipient of very
marked politeness in London. My husband
and received verbal invitation from Lady
Villas, whom had met once or twice pleas.
antly, TO come TO her house next evening
and meet few friends of hers. We ac.
copied and went. But ! was deceived by
the informality of the invitation, and sup.
posed it was merely to meet half dozen
neighbors or intimate friends. So we went
out riding in the afternoon, stopping there
on our way back to the hotel. Judge Of my
amazement to find the house illuminated
and very large and brilliant party assem-.
bled in full dress in my honor. There ! was
in a plain carriage dress, bonnet, black
gloves went right into the house and
to the ladies' dressing room, whence sent
note to the hostess saying that had mis-
apprehended her invitation and was not in
appropriate costume. She ran up and re-
assured me by telling me they had come to
see me and didn't care for the dress, and
carried me right down with her. All in
full dress, and the ladies without hats, and
hair deliberately dressed | with brown dress
bare hands, bonnet on. | soon recovered
the sef-possession which the .fdur pas some
what disturbed, and was greeted with splen
did cordially. In few minutes Mr.. Liv
ermore edged around behind me and wits
pered, Didn't you think, Mary, that al
these ladies had on white kids when yor
came in ? looked around, and they were
all bare handed Moreover, observed thai
a half dozen had bonnets on. This hal
dozen rapidly increased till we were in :
majority, and soon discovered that no lad,
who arrived after did had removed he
hat. Now that is what | call politeness !"
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-06-11

CATHOLIC CONFERENCE.-The new Cath
ole colonization scheme is said to be making
good progress. Theplan is to secure Western
lands and sell them to Catholic families
either from the Old World or the over
crowded cities of our own country. Means
will be furnished these settlers, but as they
get ahead they must pay back to the com
pany all moneys advanced to them. 1t is
thus seen that the colonization company is
in no sense charitable institution. When
the colonists avail themselves of the advan
tages of the homestead law the land will cost
them nothing though the better plan to
pursue generally is thought to be the pur
chase of cheap lands in some of the older Of
the Western states instead of pushing Out
on the frontier. Bishop Spauldiug of Peoria
and Bishop Ireland of st. Paul, are among
the originators of the project. The associa
ton purposes to start with paid-up capita
OF one hundred thousand dollars.
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-06-11

THE BARRON CAsE.-The Dexter bank
case having been lately revived apparently
through an effort on the part of the bank
officers to impeach the character of its late
cashier, Mr.. c. ii. Farley of Portland, an
expert in these matters, has written letter
in which he says 81 paid visit to the
Dexter bank yesterday to look the ground over
and listen to the story of the bank officers.
| saw the books, handouts, gag, ropes, etc.,
aud saw them lock the safe doors on the in
side. They do not make out a good case,
though found some in Dexter who believed
their story, but this is not strange. Inc
entries on the books show nothing fraud.
ulent, and are capable of dozen reasonable
explanations. made copy of some of the
worst ones, and showed them to cashier
of a savings bank here to-day. Said he
Tried on charge like that, should be
made out one of the greatest rascals unhung.
| Such entries are common even in every
well.regulated bank" At the close hi
intimates, with good deal of piquancy, tina
the only possible motive for Barron's suicide
would be repentance for the rash act of Civ
ing two thousand dollars to such set o
men as those bank officers are.