davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Smyrna times., 1881-02-09

THE first court in the new Court House
in Wilmington was opened on Monday
and Chief Justice Comegys in his charge
took a wide range referring to the re-
moval from New Castle and reviewing
the history somewhat of courts from the
early settlements In touching on the
matters that should come under the cog
nizance of the Grand Jury he called at
tention to the blasphemous language of
a recent lecturer (who all understood to
be IngersolD who DETAINED revealed re-
ligion for the purpose Of exposing its
doctrines to contempt and ridicule. He
says: {" i say to you that the law of this
State is against the insulting of God by
reproachful or derogatory language, or
expressions J" and that it will be the duty
of the Grand Jury to bring such offences
to the notice of the Court and he con-
tinued, eff any one should be convicted
of the crime of blasphemy there will be
no stint of the full measure of punish
ment the law prescribes. Such an one
was convicted and punished when John
NJ. Clayton was Chief Justice. The
punishment now is fine and Imprisonment,
but until the adoption of the present con-
stitution in 1926 from colonial times was
pillory, the brand and stripes. The Judge
then passed on to the dog fight recently
had by Philadelphia sports at scheutzen
Park. He gave the grand jury to under
stand, in words that were not minced,
that neither dog fights nor blasphemous
utterances should be countenanced in the
State of Delaware.
Smyrna times., 1881-02-09

ANOTHER RAILROAD SCHEME.-A new Rail.
road Scheme heretofore limited at is cir.
substantially spread out in the Morning
Neaos as Of some significance. Briefly stated,
It assumes that the Delaware and Chesa.
peak Ship Canal (which is a far ways
from being dug) will be under the control
of the Baltimore & Ohio road at its western
terminus. The eastern terminus on the
Delaware Bay would be the entrepot of all
European steamers and will of necessity be
prize fer railroad capitalists. 1t says that
a meeting OF such capitalists was held in
New York some months ago and it was de.
termined if proper charter could be OBJ.
tanned from the Delaware Legislature to
build the road and make the connections.
The project is, to run the line from some
northern point in Southernly direction to
st. Georges, Odessa, and thence to tap the
Smyrna and Delaware Bay railroad at some
convenient point between the town of
Smyrna and Smyrna Landing; thence by
way of Dover, Magnolia, Frederick, Mil.
ford, Milton, to the mouth of Lewes Creek,
or to such other point on the Delaware bay
or river as may become the eastern termi.
nus of the Maryland and Delaware Ship
Canal. This prOblematical project is based
on something far in the distance.
SUGAR CANE.-Our farmers are ever on
the lookout for more paying crop. This
is commendable, for the farmer who puts
all his eggs in one basket" as some have
with peaches and others with the cereals,
sometimes make a sad miss of it. This
country requires an outlay of 5000 1000 ,OOC
for sugar alone, an article which in many
families stands next in the list of expenses
10 that of -four. We should grow our
sugar and thus cheaper its expense while
at the same time furnishing an important
product Of agricultural labor. The plant
Minnesota cane which furnishes more sac
charine matter in our sandy and loamy
lands than in the West would seem to BE-
that article, as the following item from the
Salem Sunbeam shows:
Last year Hildreth Sons, sugar re6nsrs
OF Philadelphia, erected svaporating wsrki
at Bennett Station, Cape May County, anc
contracted with farmers to grow one hun
dred acres of Minnesota sugar cane. The,
desired to test the matter upon a larg,
scale. 1t was entirely successful, makine
excellent sugar. In fact, SO much 80, tha
they are now negotiating for the purchas,
OF $4,000 acres in order to grow it upon
scale large enough to supply their Phila
dclphia refneries. The Vineland farmer
have grown this Minnesota sugar cane fo
the past nine years. The HilIreth Son
have kept their experiment, very quiet
either because il was an experiment, or t.
have start of the other refiners.
Smyrna times., 1881-02-09

has been "nursing mother" in fostering
and developing the internal resources of
the State in building towns, furnishing a
ready outlet to the best markets for their
crops and by her large shops and taxable
property is an important factor in the tax
interests of the State. 1t is further stated
that all the losses by this competing road
should the bill be passed will be made
good by adding to the tariff schedule OF
the Delaware Road which will in the end
be severe tax on the people in the lower
part of the State. To now charter
competing line is considered ungrateful.
On the other hand it is claimed that
railroad has no more claim to a monopoly
than has butcher, merchant or manu-
facturer that the only healthy mode in
this as in any other business is proper
competition. Wilmington claims that in
ten years they will number population
of 10000 and that the growing interests
of the city demand more than single
line of railroad. Further, that the road
will be built whether this charter pass or
not, the only difference being that what
would be a great benefit to the citizens of
Wilmington, Newark and the northern
part of the State generally will be taken
| from them and given to their neighbors
in another State.
There is evidently hostility to the bill
in its present shape giving the corporators
it is claimed a ''roving commission to
locate it where they please and ''chattel
mortgage" on the property for the bene-
fit of SPECTATORS. The bill will be amen
ded doubtless definitely fixing the route
and shortening the time for its completion.
Mr.. J. w. Davis assistant vice President
of the Bait. & o. r. r. was invited by a
majority of both branches of the Legisla-
ture last week to address them in refer
ence to the subject:
"Mr. Davis said there was no desire
to conceal the intentions of the company
in regard to this matter, and that, not
withstanding the reports to the contrary,
he was authorized to assure the members
of the Legislature that if the amendment
shall be passed the Baltimore and Ohio
Company was prepared to go at once into
the construction of the new line; that the
cash money was already subscribed, and
a corpse Of engineers prepared to locate
the route. He also stated that the com,
pany was compelled to establish an indie.
pendent line; that the Philadelphia. Viii.
mington and Baltimore road seemed to be
held by the throat by some mysterious
power, and in its turn seemed disposed tC
throttle the Baltimore and Ohio. He
further showed the advantages that would
be gained by Baltimore and Delaware
that it would afford an additional Quite
at Wilmington to the peach-growers, &c.
of the Peninsula to the Northern ant
Western markets"
We in this section occupy what may b
called ''neutral territory" but people d.
not long remain neutral on subjects O
absorbing interest. One opinion expires
sed is that if competition is granted i
the northern part of the State, it shout,
also be extended down the State by re
newing the liberal Delaware Bay Shor
line charter that was granted some tie
years ago.
Smyrna times., 1881-02-09

A Bill to encourage immigration on
Wednesday passed the Senate at Dover
and will doubtless pass the House. The
exemption section as amended and pas
sed the Senate is as follows: "All unlm-
proved marsh lands lying adjacent to the
Delaware bay or any of its tributaries
within this State that are not now asses
sessed at more than two dollars per acre,
when purchased and located upon by col
onies of immigrants, composed of ten OF
mere families, shall be exempt from the
assessment and payment of State and
county taxes for a period of ten years
from and after the date Of first purchase
and occupancy"
Smyrna times., 1881-02-09

The RAILROAD WAR.-The interest in
the Railroad war, as it is called, has in
no wise abated, and it is still the absorb
ing question at Dover. The Baltimore
and Ohio road it is said comes with inn
mense "sinews of war" TO battle for the
proposed charter for the Delaware IVES
tern the p. w. & b. in its long control
of the railroading interests Of the State
has not failed to secure solid influence,
and between the two about every man in
the State whose services were considered
Of importance has been rqained. There
is said to be great similarity between
now and the time when the notorious
Lottery bill was before the Legislator,
when those full-handed and daring opera
tors debauched with their money an,
wine nearly all the public men of tn
State. There is one difference, however
the object then sought to be obtained wa
an absolute iniquity; now it applies onl
:. to the means used sought to reach q
end.
The press of the State (Which is ger
orally fair reflex of the people, whic
4 have taken sides at all are for the bill ar
n those of New Castle county decidedly 9
The opponents urge that the p w &
Smyrna times., 1881-02-09

Two or three cases of undoubted cruelty
has occurred in Sussex to children from
the Orphans Home during the past win
ter which were reported in the local
papers and caused sensation. The Phil
adelPhia Times from this or by invitation
sent down Reporter who manufactured
a column and half of sensational incl
dents or imaginings that would make the
people Of that section appear as heathens
and Hottentots. Austin Harrington,
Esq, Attorney of the Delaware Society
for the prevention of cruelty to children,
wrote to Esquire Thompson ~. ~
town who replied that there were two
cases, Ruben Taylor and John Tyndale
whose cruelty had not been exaggerated,
but insists that these cases are not general.
These men have been severely fined and
thus taught a salutary lesson. The boys
were thinly clad, made to sleep before the
fire without any bed and one Of them wa.
so severely frosted as to require amputa
ton of part of the foot. A sweeping
charge was brought against the who'll
section, and State by implication, as
exceptional in cruelty to the weak an,
helpless Similar parelIels of cruelty ar
matters Of daily record in all direction.
going to show how great is "man's II
humanity to man." In speaking of thes
bound children the Sussex Journal saws
"They come to as with clothing ;
scant as the ''blue drilling which fig9r,
60 prominently in the Times articles an
KIN their entire out fit bundled IN
handkerchief Notwithstanding ali ii
the most Of these boys find good HON
and KIND masters. They are well cloth
and fed Our people do not ali live
'pone-bread" with "a little bacon as
luxury" but we think the people of :,
ser county as rule live as well as tho
OF any other community"
A marked copy of The Cincinnati d.
Gazette under the head Of sMaltreati
the Orphans" has d special dispatch G,
tang the main part of the Pbiladeln
7aaa article. Aud thus statem
graphically made travels, whether true
false y
Smyrna times., 1881-02-09

THE FIRE QUESTION. Month after month
our towns are having admonitions in re-
gard to the necessity of better fire APP
paratus. The fire in Dover on Thursday
night, like the one we had a few weeks
since, happened under the most favorable
circumstances, viz: but little wind and
that in the direction of a vacancy. Sup
pose in either event it had been in another
direction and the wind blowing briskly
(Which was just as possible and likely
who can tell where the confagration
would have stopped. We were better
supplied than Dover, having two fire.
engines in a manner useless from the
neglect which they had received, but
Dover hadn't even these; only few lad
ders. A fire extingulsher such as any
man can carry on mis- back would have
extinguished the',fre in the Capitol Hotel
when first discovered, but where there
was so much property and lives at stake,
with a knowledge that the town furnished
no appliances to fight the "fire fiend,"
even this so far as we have seen had no
place among the requisites for a well
kept hotel. We do not speak of this as
an exception in the furnishing of coun-
try hotel, because we do not know that
any of them keep one, but in building
where the rooms are heated with stoves
or CRATES and knowing the carelessness
incident to irregular occupants, the pro-
prietor of every such place should be
provided for any possible contingency
But it is not housekeepers but corpora
tons and those who are constituted theil
guardians who should feel particularly
admonished. The other night the towr
of Plymouth, N. c., woke up to fire thai
before it had burnt itself out had destroy
cd thirty stores, besides churches, dwell
lings, &C., laying in fact the whole tow
nearly in ashes. A conjunction of cir
cumstances against us as great as in tn
cases of the two fires above named for u
might produce a similar result in Smyrna
Dover, Milford or in fact most any othe
town on the Peninsula. 1t is a surpris
that the capitalists of the assurances ar
not more sensitive on this subject The
. are taking enormous risks. The Ken
County Mutual has tens of thousands c
insurance in Dover where the authorize
: of that burg have not so much as tn
semblance of an apparatus as large as
water bucket Our town has two engine
, but every fire shows how Inefficient
they are kept and what an absolute war
of organization there is in their use
a case of emergency. The Kent Con
pany did seem to get awake to the Stat
of affairs that confronted them and I
their last annual meeting voted to joi
with the corporate authorities Of towr
! and other companies to provide watt
supply. This was well, but they shoul
go further and make as a condition of il
surance that each town should have 6
efficient fire apparatus. 1t will requi
: something like this TO make some cor
munities organize for selfprotection, al
even then, some of them may be bur
out before they can be whipt into
:, The sluggishness on this subject won
, seem to raise doubt after all wheth
- "selfpreservation is the first law of 4
" ture."
Smyrna times., 1881-02-09

THE TIMES is published every Wednesday after
noon By ROBERT D. HoFFEcKER, Editor and Pro-
prietor, at Smyrna Delaware.
ERMS-SuBsCRPTIoN-O year s.. 90 in advance, of
$3.50 if not paid till the end of the year. No paper
discontinued until all arrears are pad-only at the
option of the Publisher.
ADVERTISEMENTS viii be inserted at the rate OF
Seven Cents line forthe rstinsertion; subsequent
insertions Three-and a halfcents Aliberaldis
made 70 quarterly, ssmi-annual and yearly advert
sers.
OBITUARY NOTICES will be charged two cents per
line.
Smyrna times., 1881-02-09

finger ring valued at SI5o =
leaving to%n ON %' the all e. Provided %
to Mr.. Fountain is heayy ' a'5 lh. ~
computed, especially as he w "nH eannot /
of the heaviest business he 4" a. IN the MIDI
his house being crowded WIKI %S ever ever dor.
also large house on the wost guests, n!
Green. His furniture. stool as que Of d.
were insured for $4,000 in tS bnu : hXtu,
Fire and Marine Insurance ~ r.. DeIaN,,
Wilmington, which will fully eau sUn pashy y
on the same. The building wa er The b,
Dir. Thomas o. Culbreth, and ~o oWn'd
for $4,000 in the Kent Conn, S' iI3Tsu',
$4,000 in the Farmers Mutual of NJ 13iutoi
ton, and $1,000 in the New Casto inlmD
Mutual. The insurance will Cow. Cow =, ToQn
Inc companies are talking Of rst tue ~
tn" propertY.-.State .Seotin,i '0uIdl
Smyrna times., 1881-02-09
Doings of the Legislature.

The "third House" at Dover is said to be
much the busiest of the three. This arises
from the interest In the Delaware Western
r. R. bill which was mementarily last week
expected to be called up. In consequence
Of the fire at the Capital Hotel, which
routed number Of them with their carpet
bags, the honorable body adjourned until
yesterday afternoon. The business last
week was no ways pressing, the time being
leisureIy taken up in stock laws, bridge
bills &c. Mr.. Harrington of the Senate
tried to get resolution through to re-
csivs no new business after the 2Sth inst,
but it was lost.
Smyrna times., 1881-02-09

When you have burnt and bister.a.
nose and throat with worthless y9N
blown into your head, ask YOUR h pr"a'a
for package of Hartley's Catsrrb P,utgE
which will afford you relief At on ,"n'ell
Veglsr, Son & Co., Baltimore, Nd
Smyrna times., 1881-02-09
WEDNESDAY

ISenate.-Claim of ]. F. Stats, Auditor of
Accounts Of $l55.7l, referred to Committee
on Claims The act amending act re incor.
porating the town Of Dover was referred to
the Committee on Corporations. The act
to encourage immigration passed with an
amendment. Petition to divorce Annie Z.
Davis, Of Smyrna, from her husband was re.
ferred to special committee Of Cooch, Belts,
Horsey. A JOINT resolution authorizing in.
surance of State House for $1,000 was lost
House.-Mr. Bradford gave notice of an
act entitled further supplement to the act
entitled an act for the benefit Of public
schools Of Wilmington; Senate bill reduc.
ing State School Superintendent salary
was read second time; also the bill va.
eating portion of Water street in the city
Of Wilmington; also an act to amend chap.
ter SIS Revised Statutes; also Senate bill
taxing telegraph and telephone poles; also
the act proposing an amendment to the
constitution granting woman's suffrage and
referred to the committee on Revised Stat
utes; also Senate bill for the relief of A.
Given, and referred to special committee
Of McNsal. Register and Bradford; Com.
mittee on Revised Statutes reported favora.
bly, on the bill to amend chapter 81, vol.
| l2l Laws of Delaware.
Smyrna times., 1881-02-09
THURSDAY

Selate.--A number Of bills were read
second time and referred. Mr.. Cooch pre-.
sented four petitions representing 355
names from citizens Of East and West
| White Clay Creek, Red Lion and St. Georges
hundred, praying the passage Of the Della
ware Western bib. The COMMITTEES On
Claims reported that it was inexpedient TO
leeislate on pensioning the soldiers and
widows OF the soldiers Of 1912, as presented
| in the memorial of 7. b. Vance. The act
amending an act Incorporating dhe town of
| Dover was passed. Joint resolution an.
pointing q committee to settle with the
State Treasurer in 1882 was passed. Har.
riBgton and Cooch were appointed.
House..--The following bills were intro.
duced: BY Mr.. Bradford, authorizing the
City Council Of Wilmington to borrow 500,
600 for the benefit Of the Beard of Educa
ton. BY DR.. Tomlinson, providing for 1
State registration Of births. marriages and
deaths. BY Mr.. Townsend, relating Il
, negotiable notes, making notes, etc, fal
due on Saturday when drawn for a lega
holiday which comes on Sunday. Bill
, were passed an follows: Authorizing Geo
. +. Wilson to straighten n road in lndiai
River hundred; authorizing "the tow
commissioners of Seaford TO sell marke
] space" The bill to amend chapter SO {
a the Revised Code was passed. Dir. Regists
gave notice OF an act to regulate the e'
: penditure of money by the Levy Court I
q New Castle county. A resolution VI
passed authorizing the Divorce Commits
y to summon witnesses. An act incorpor
n ting the Valley View Cemetery Commits
was PASSED.
~ 0r,,,5s Thu act amending The act iucS
Smyrna times., 1881-02-09

lSsnats.--The act amending the act incor.
ating the town OF Odessa was passed. The
bill preventing live stock from running at
large in school district No. As, Sussex conn'
ty, was passed.
Smyrna times., 1881-02-09
SMYRNA AND VICINITY.

IT looks as though we might yet have
that January thaw.
Smyrna times., 1881-02-09

ALMOST FIRE.-0n Monday night about
ii o'clock the alarm Of fire was given and
for time there was considerable of stir.
It was caused by the burning Of mattress
in the upper story Of Charles f. BeOk's
dwelling on Maine ct, He was aroused
shortly after going to bed by the smell of
fire. On ascending 20 the room above he
found il in light blaze. He threw q
pitcher Of water on it and hastily gave the
alarm of Rre. Fortunately there were
several persons in his fathers store next
door who partly suppressed the flames with
water and then threw IL out of the window.
In its decent IL fell on some barrels filed
with coal oil belonging to Geo. w. Gordon
which very fortunately were covered with
snow, otherwise, the consequences may
have been disastrous. There was unusua
promptness in getting the two ERE engines
out and but fer its speedy sxtinguishmen
they would have been on the ground a
soon as needed. The origin Of the FIRE i
a mystery. Mr.. b. says no one has occu
pied the room for some weeks. A candl,
stick and candle were observed in the room
and some suppose there were also matche
on the stick which were ignitsd by mice o
rats in working around the candle. TIL
: material otherwise was hardly Of the kin,
to produce spontaneous combustion. Parlo
: matches are wonderfully easy OF ignition
, A gentleman tells us that last week /,
thrswing his vest on chair preparatory Il
retiring that Ii was set on fire from tn
abrasion of several Of these matches and
!. penknite that was In his pocket, Thes
things should admonish to great cara i
their USE
Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1881-10-08
The Drunkard.

The beginning of intemperance is
the beginning of a wicked life.
It's victims are the most depraVed
specimens of humanity. 1t has an
iron grasp, and will retain its hold
until the end of time, and through
out eternity. 1t began at first in
mere inclination, but has grown to
resolutions. 1t has become linked
to him as one of his customs. lie
seems to have no power to resist
the temptation. Who has visited
the home of the drunkard ? What
was there that attracted your atten-
ton? Was it the cheerfulness OF
the household, the pleasantneSs of
manners and kindness towards
the family? No, not there. No
home of the inebriate ever enjoyed
such pleasures. His social alice
tions have gone with his reputa-
ton his conscience has lost all
power to check him in his career.
The tender chords of his heart have
been converted into iron chains !;
his efforts to release himself are of
no avail. The CALLING chains of
incompetence are too strong for his
weak resolution thus he is plOd-
ding along doing nothing that will
cause his name to live after death
but drifting down the stream of
Time, reading his doom in the set
ting sun, soon to be launched into
eternity, where his name will for
ever sleep in the lonely chambers
of forgetfulness. >. R. LulderS, in
Good Ienlplar'S AdUOcdte.
Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1881-10-08

\ correspondent of the New
York World tells all about the SEN
SatiOn produced by the jim-jams.
This is the way he tackles the sub
iect "Delerium tremens Snakes
Jim-jamsi Yes, I've had touches
OF them. You want to know how
it feels? I'lI tell you. You have
been drunk maybe week, maybe
more. At last liquor ceases to eX-
cite, brace up or tranquillize. You
drink half pint of brandy. 1t has
no more effect than so much water.
Then you are close Oh the horrors.
Food won't help you your stomach
rejects it. Now your punishment
commences. You can't sleep. You
are weary. Oh, so weary, but
there is no rest. You are tired of
thinking, yet the brain will think.
You lie down, drop into a dOze for
a moment and wake up with a
shock as if touched with an electric
wire. You are covered with per-
spiration. You get up and walk
the room, streets-walk, walk, and
then fling yourself down praying
for few minutes sleep. All this
Tor days, with people about you,
and through nights. But no Chi
nese torturer employed in keeping
some miserable criminal awake I'M
til he dies was ever more full of
relentless viligance than your abus-
ed nerves. breads understandable
seize upon you. Your hands have
q senSatiOn'Of being enormous size.
They do not look If The fool If
Your head in like manner feels as
if enormously pulled out. Then
your breath comes spasmodically !;
hot flashes strike at the region of
the heart all the blood seems to
rush in that direction, and you
fight aimIcssly for life and expect
to fall dead. This is the commence
ment of the horrors. Now you are
fixed for seeing rats and snakes and
vermin."