davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1881-09-08
Increase in Human Longevity.

1t has been said that the average du-
ration OF human life is the most definite
measure we can apply to the advance
OF civilization. Among savages life is
short, and it is the exception for a
man to attain the age of fifty years; and
long before that time his powers are
decayed. Nor is the average much
higher in comparatively advanced
stages of civilization. In the records
of the English courts from the thir-
teenth to the sixteenth century Sir
Thomas Hardy found no instance of a
man who had survived his elghtieth
year, and the age of seventy was rarely
reached and was regarded as extreme.
From an examination of the Tontines
established under William and Mary
and those under Mr.. Pitt it has been
calculated that portion nearly equiv
alent to one-fourth of the total period
of existence was in the course of the
intervening century added to human
life by sanitary improvements and the
advance of medical knowledge. In the
Tontine of 1890 eight persons of certain
ages and sexes obtained an average of
about tifty-six years. In the Tontines
OF 1890 the same number of persons of
the same ages and sexes obtained an
average Of about sixty-eight years.
Kolb, the eminent German statistician,
sums up the case thus: 1.-THE meagre
facts known indicate that the maximum
age of man has nearly remained the
same for centuries and even thousands
of years; but that the number of persons
who reach extreme age, and especially
the number who survive infancy, has
very materially increased The mean
lifetime of an Englishman is given by
the life-table as forty-nine years. Any
increase in the mean life represents a
corresponding increase in the economic
value of the population.
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1881-09-08
A Pathetic Story.

In drenching rain the other day
Alice Relyea, little girl of eleven years,
was found lying on a rock about half a
mile from her home in Sleightsburg, a
suburb of Kingston. N. Y, by some
boys who chanced to stroll in the vicin-
ity. Thinking her a tramp they amused
themselves by throwing sticks and
stones at her, but they soon found that
the child was insensible, wet, cold and
blue. On discovering who she was they
carried her to her home, where she re-
vived and was able to tell her story. It
seems that her mother had been very
harsh with her and had spitefully yelled
tosher, q Get out of this kitchen, you
dirty little wretch; why. don't you go
somewhere else to lay aronnd?' and
Alice wandered away soon afterwards
to the place of her discovery. In re-
sponse to her mothers S questions on her
return, she answered: /" Why, | thought
you nor papa didn't care for me any
more, and I went into the woods where
/ could hear the birds sing and see the
sweet flowers and sunlight"
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1881-09-08
Weli.Filled Postal Cards.

A month ago j. Z. Richardson, OF
this city, received postal card from
his brother in Haynesville, Iowa, con-
tanning over 5000 words. It was writ
ten to him as q letter, and the writing
upon it was SO fine that it required i
magnifying-gl glass to read portion OF
it. Mr.. Richardson made up his mind
that he would not be outdone, and four
weeks ago made preparations to reply
in tho same style. He wrote during his
leisure moments an answer, which he
brought to close to-day, the space on
his card having been entirely consumed.
When his task was completed he count
ed the number OF words. and foundthat
he had G.471, a number exceeding the
one he had received by over 1000. 1t
was written with a steel pen and can be
read without the aid of a glass. Stock
tow (Cas.J Herald.
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1881-09-08
NUMBER &c.
SCHOOL AND CHURCH.


There are 10000 missionary Bap-
lists in Alabama.
I'm England the proportion OF uni
versity students to the population is one
to 1880. In the German Empire it is
one to 1,600.
Rev. John F. Adams, of the New
Hampshire Conference, who is now
ninety-one years old, is said to be the
oldest preacher of the Methodist Church
in this country or in the world. ~ i
Over 81, 500, 900 has been raised al
ready for the Wesleyan Methodist
Thanksgiving fund. and public collec-
tions are being made at the principal
chapels throughout the circuit in Great
Britain.
"A Norwegian Lutheran Synod in
Iowa recently decided that it was not
proper for one of its ministers to accept
nomination to the Legislature. The
Synod unanimously decided in favor of
"no politics.
The famous old English schools,
Eaton, Harrow, Rugby and Winchester,
are constantly full to overaowing, al
though their cost constantly increases.
Oxford and Cambridge were never SO
crowded with students as now. @
The work of education in Armenia
will hereafter be promoted by special
society. This society has Just been
formed in London. and has numerous
and distinguished committee. The first
meeting was held few days ago under
the Presidency of the late Dean of
Westminster.
Since the Revisers completed their
work on the New Testament manu-
script of the Gosples Matthew and Mark
has been discovered in Italy, dating as
far back as the fifth century. Its leaves
are OF purple parchment, and the writing
IS in silver ink. There are many illu-
limitations and pictures. 1t is in every
respect remarkable manuscript No
authoritative statement is made as to
the light which would have been shed
on the work of the Revisers if this man
uscript had been discovered year or
two earlier.
The Society TO Encourage Study at
Home now has pupils in thirty-seven
States, three in the province of Canada,
and one in Bermuda. 1t is conducting
work in English literature. the fine arts,
the sciences, in music, mathematics,
French and German, and it is constantly
widening its sphere. OF the whole num-
Der of pupils seventy-six per cent have
persevered in their work. The leading
library now includes 1.055 volumes.
The teaching grows more specialized
and objective every year. The Society
is full of force and there is no end Of
volunteers for the work. Among the
students is mother of four children,
from two to twelve years of age, who
takes care of the milk from twenty-five
COWS and lives at the West.
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1881-09-08
LOVES COMPENSATION.

ge came to the bower of her love,
Twapging his sweet guitar,
Do called her in song his snow-white dove,
His lily, his fair bright star.
No sang that his love was beyond compare
His voice was sweet as his song
Ne said she was pure, and gentle, and fair,
and thought that he wasn't far wrong.
when he sang and played till the moon was
high;
And 81 eet was the love-born strain;
TIL the night caught up each tremulous sigh
And echoed each sweet refrain.
NE told how he loved her, DER and DER,
with passion in every word,
In songs that never heard before,
And sweeter ones never were heard.
And Twas jealous? Well, scarcely; no;
Twas glad to hear his lay,
lever echoed him-sott and low
When he sang what wanted to say.
ror while he stood meath the window-sill
Singing my darling's charms.
Isat In the parior. dark and still,
With the girl that he sung in my arms.
Huntington Hduk-Eye.
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1881-09-08
Weighing a Hog.


A dog fight sends the pulse of a viii
Iage up to l30. and a foot-race or a
knock-down will almost restore gray
hairs to their original color; but for real
excitement let a man come along in
front OF the tavern about sundown driv-
ing hog.
Hay, where you going?"
Going to sell this hog
Hold on minute! What does he
weighpn
20! about 225."
You're off; he won't go over 2O0.'
Every chair is vacated on the instant.
Every eye is fastened on the hog root
ing in the gutter. and every man fiat
ters himself that he can guess within
apound OF the porker's weight.
That hog will pull down iist exactly
l95 pounds, says the blacksmith, after
a long squint.
He won't go an ounce over 1856, :,
adds the cooper.
I've got two-dollar bill that saws
that hog will kick at 210,'' SAYS the
hardware man.
g You must be Wild" growls the
grocer; 81 can't sec over 150 pounds
OF meat there
Twenty men take walk around the
porker and squint and shake their heads
and look wise, and the owner finally
says:
!" II he don't go over 220I shall feel
that am no guesser."
"Over 220. Ii that hog weighs 200
pounds I'll treat the crowdp' excIaims
the owner of the bus line.
g dunno bout that nused the
Squire, who is on his way to the gro
Gerry after butter. ssSome hogs weigh
more and some less. What breed is
this hogp"
s. Berkshire"
:" Well, I've seen some G. them Berk-
sheers that weighed like load O. sand,
and then agin I've seen 'em where
they was all skin and bone. Has anv-
body guessed that this hog will weigh
600."
NO" 81
..Well, that's $ q leetle steep, but Eve
kinder sot my idea on $50"
By this time the crowd has increased
to hundred and the excitement is in
tense. The Squire lays half dollar on
250, and the owner of the hog rakes in
several bets on between 220 and 225.n
The porker is driven to the hay scales
and the silence is almost painful as the
weighing takes place.
:. Two hundred and twenty threer
calls the weigher.
Growls and lamentations smite the
evening air, and stake holders pass over
the wagers to the lucky guessers, chlefof
whom is the owner of the hog.
8 Well, Pm clear beat out, )" says the
Squire. felt dead sure he would
weigh over 300.''
20. knew you were all way off, 2
explains the guileless owner. .sWhen
we weighed him here at noon he tipped
at exactly 223, and l knew he couldn't
have picked up or lost over poundr'-
Detroit Free Press.
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1881-09-08
Novel Oil Wells,

A Titusville Pa.) special to New
York paper says: A month or SO ago
Sebastian Haehn, blacksmith living
in Mechanic street, this city, was spad-
ingi in his garden after heavy rain.
As he turned up the earth, he noticed
that little pools of crude petroleum
formed in the cavities made by the
spade. He dug a pit four feet deep.
1t filled up with oil to such an extent
that he dipped out five barrels full.
The oil was of excellent quality, and
Haehn sold his five barrels to the Oc-
tave Oil Refinery Week before last
Haehn dug another .swell'' in his gar
den. 1t responded with a yield Of two
barrels an hour. The well attracted
great attention. 1t produced eighty
barrels, and then ceased to flow. The
excitement over the novel oil territory
died out soon afterward. On Monday
last the news spread through the city
that Haehn had opened another well in
his garden, and that it was yielding at
the rate of thirty-six barrels a day.
Hundreds focked to the scene OF the
new oil operations. The well was
located in the southwest corner of
Heahn's potato patch. With a large tin
hand upmp the owner was taking out
of the "hole'' two barrels of oil an
hour. His previous well had also start
ed again. From that one of Haehn's
sons was taking oil at the rate of twen-
ty barrels day.
Immediately following this strike of
the lucky blacksmith great demand
for leases of adjoining gardens arose.
Such an OIL field had never been heard
of before. Without capital, and with
no tools but shovel, an operator
could sink well and strike the sssand''
in half an hour. The right to dig on
four feet of a mans garden became
worth So bonus and one quarter of the
oil. For three days Mechanic and
adjacent streets have been thronged
with excited spectators of the new
operation. in oil production. and parties
anxious to get "a piece of the terri
tory On Tuesday night Theodore
Avery, who has a coal yard adjoining
Haehn's, garden put down well. At
the depth of four feet he struck oil.
The yield was a barrel an hour. He
has put down four more wells since.
The five wells were yesterday yield
ing eight barrels an hour.
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1881-09-08
The Railroads Of the Country.

The total number of miles of railroads
OF the United States in operation at the
close of 1880 was 930,371 miles, an in
crease for the year of Z, miles against
2,771 miles the previous year and 2, 687
miles in 1873. The gross earnings of
railroads for 1880 were S6i5, ,4OI, ,93I
against S529,012,9o9 in 1879, and the
net earnings S255, 1913, 436 against $780,
916,72i in 70. The dividends paid ag-
gregated $77, 115,4 against $6l l,68f,-
470 in 1879. Gross earnings reported
on railroads in Southern States, S4S,-
3l7,754, against 3,917, 2Sl for 1879;
$42,997, 28I for 1873 and S39, ,812, 358
for. 1877. The net earnings were $l8,-
124,034 against Sl4,673,357 for 1879,
Sl4,379,950 and S12.66l,346 for 1877.
The dividends paid amounted to So. .525,-
977 against 80, 131, ,770 for 1879, 80. $685.
799 for 1873 and S2,740, 793 for 1877.
The earnings from freight, mails, ETC.,
$37, 1869, 182 and from passengers S1O,-
44S,572. During the year various con-
solicitations of railroads were made in
the Southern States, in consequence of
which the earnings to an amount of not
less that $4,000, 900 were not reported. in
addition to'a very large amount of earn
ings by companies whose officers re-
fused information. The total earnings
of all railroads, 100000 miles, of the
Southern States is probably $52, 900, ,000.'
The gross earnings of the railroads of
the Western States, 1920, 588, 100,
against 1922, 379, GAG for 1879; $209, ,852,.
275 for 1873, and $193, 204, ,516 for 1877.
Net earnings, $725, 166. .218. against $685.
961, ,906 for 1879; $77,958, 229 for 1878,
and 500. .085, 242 for 1877. The divi-
dends paid amounted to S33, III $50,
against 1928, ,561, 1862 for 1879; S19,341,-
222 for 1873, and 81, ,556, ,462 for 1877;
earnings from freight, mails, ETC., $780,
400, ,002, and from passengers, $64, ,60S,-
098. Included in The statement Of the
earnings of the railroads of the West
ern States is that Of the Union Pacific.
IN r. Post.
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1881-09-08
The success of the Haehn and Avery

The success of the Haehn and Avery
ventures led to wide extension Of this
strange territory. A vacant lot on
Washington street, southeast from
Heahn's. was yesterday the scene of
active operations. Three producing
wells were put down. The rest were
"dusters. Captain Pickering went to
"wildcatting" under a shed near the
Buffalo, Pittsburgh and Warren Railroad
track. south of Heahn's. He dug to a
depth of eight feet, and got well good
for ten barrels day. Two wells were
put down on the ground of the Octave
Refinery. At five feet oil was found.
One of the wells is pumping twenty-five
barrels day. The McKeown Garden,
east OF the refinery, was leased by j. P.
Thomas, VIM. McKensie. and J.. Nj.
Brinton. Thomas took the northern
half of the garden. He got two five-
barrel wells of excellent green OIL The
other parties struck oil, but it was of a
red hue, and had the appearance OF be-
ing mixed with tar. In the gardens
along the east side Of Washington street
several wells came i'm as good pro-
ducers, but the. Oil was of an inferior
quality. All the property along Oil
Creek, between Washington and Frank
lin streets, has been leased by A. j.
kraffert. He will develop it ON large
scale.
The original Heahn territory MAIN
tains its yield, and is being further de-
veloped. Heahn has made trench all
around his garden and one through the
center. Into these the oil collects rap
idly. The operator is putting up tanks
to receive his oil, as there IS great
scarcity in barrels. Haehn's garden is
now yielding 100 barrels a. day. He ex-
poets to increase it to 200. The oil is
worth at the refineries $1.1O barrek
The price of one barrel defrays all the
expense of putting down a well. Oper-
ations are carried on day aud night.
That part of the city is lighted up all
night by the flaming torches of the oil
men. The weird scene is witnessed
nightly by hundreds of people. There
are no indications of any decline in the
yield of. this oil, and Haehn, the lucky
discoverer of the field, is laying away
not less than 800 day as clear profit.
There are many theories in regard
to this acknowledgements of petro-
lcum in large quantities SO near the
surface. One is that the oil is the leak
age OF tanks and pipe lines, which has
sunk into the earth until it reached the
gravelly deposit in which it is now
found in pools. Another is that this
deposit has been forced up from the
true petroleum sand strutum by some
unknown agency, and caught and re-
tanned in the stratum where it now
lies.
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1881-09-08
PUNGENT PARAGRAPHS.

Lets strip the light fantastic toe.''
said the chiropodist to his patient. -
Boston Commercial Bulletin.
The Pittsburgh Telegraph has dis
covered way OF making lemonade with
out lemons. Pooh! Out this way they
have neither used lemons nor sugar for
years. Detroit Free Press.
There are just two classes of peo-
pie in this world. Half of them were
the first to discover the comet and the
other half have been shot through the
liver.-Elmira Free Press.
Smith, who went into amateur
farming this year, says he planted his
bean poles two months ago and has wa
tered them regularly, and for all that
they haven't grown an inch, and show
not the faintest sign Of blossoming yet.
He begins to fear they will bear no
beans this year. r.-Boston Transcript.
-Spriggins, who is the catcher of
Jersey nine, aud has hands like an cle-
plants ears, was prancing around the
other day boasting of his exploits on
the field of carnage, when he enthusi-
astically exclaimed: SHOW, do you sup
pose for an instant that ball could get
past me after I once got myself into po-
sitionr' mo. guess not" said by
stander, glancing, thoughtfully atSprig-
gins graphing irons, "unless it went
around through the next countvr' The
convention then adjourned sine de
Mt and Wisdom.
1t now appears, from authentic in
stances cited in the local papers all
over America that nine-tenths of the
soldiers wounded in the late war were
shot right straight through the liver;
that about thirty per cent. of this num-
Der were shot clean through the liver
and back again; that forty-eight per
cent. of the whole number were shot
exactly as the President was, only with
larger bullets; that they all got well and
are alive now. 1t seems that it was not
considered respectable for any man in
the army to get shot anywhere except
in the liver. Or neck. The officers
generally preferred the neck. Bnrliags
ton HdsOE- EHe,
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1881-09-08

-Four hundred Hungarian families,
with a capital of some S400 each. have
notified the American Vice Consul at
Pesth of their desire TO found homes in
this country.
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1881-09-08
AT a convention Of d;me.nove

AT a convention Of dime-noyel
writers held in New York the other
day it was unanimously resolved not to,
introduce in their works of fiction here
after any boy as hero who has not
robbed his father of $1,000, tortured
his little brother, served six months in
jail, set fire to a neighbor's house, COM
mitted highway robbery and run way
from home to exterminate Indians and
rob mail oaches.-Norristo,Un Herald.
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1881-09-08

-Edith-ss Papa, is it nice to make
remarks about peoples dress?'' Papa
=" Why certainly not, darling; what
did you ask that fors' Edith Moth
ing, papa. only mamma said my dress
was awfully shabby, and wondered why
papa hadn't noticed it long ago. Edith
had the goods for new one the
very next day.
, 1881-04-26
OKLAHOMA.

RtNkEIA1k1 htkhHNOAt
WASHINGTON, y. G.. April 25.- Tie atten-
tlon Of tho Secretary Of the Interior was
recently called to circular issued BY the
Frecd,nen's Oklahoma Association Of st.
louls, J, Milton Turner, President, and Ham,
nlha1 q. Carter, General Manager. The cir
cutar promised leo acres Of laid to every
freedman who would go and occupy the pub
lie 1ands OF Oklahoma. Secretary klrkwond
at once referred the circular to the Commits
sIoy1cr OF The General Land Office, who, In Ills
report, says:
There has ncyor been period Of utnc since
tho ucquisIt1on by the untted Suites Of the hr;
Within tho limits Of tie present Indian Territory
hare been open to settlement or entry Dy my
persons wbomsocyor under any oI sa1d rn9tIo ,,
With tho Semtuolcs, March, 1860. about 10000
acrcs 1t Iaud VERY ccded t9 TIE United .. statss;
stutes TO iOcate Other 1ndtnns and freedmen
thereon. The " freedmen - rcfnrFea to wore the
sases Of indian tee' Se1es
im@IEsa''o iionrses. vouia ill., @ be Unauthorized and
illegal! With ruterence to the statST,Snt M
SSu SoS acses ot X p1be lands io this Territory 70
,whIch tho 1ndtun tltlo has been exttng,,lahed.
sssa ss of1 & sss s SRs0a IL
@'''' .'.s - - : + irrujnt1o LANDS ''.
within the meaning Of the Public Land laws.
Which Is IN tho United Htates ia co'trads.tno.:
snds ss psnts e fs te tes
sai Jig Or Iossrvsa isr n,,,5. any Losg}9se I}9,,
o. o. Withdrawn s 1er a!spo.ai u iawtu! a4thoIity:
arc not pub,to lands In tho Legal and proper
aDsss s1 s.s to Ts sspoo T. 70 sh e md S
eo7ts made by cs1En!nE pers9ons 9or It, t.
, 1881-04-26

for continuance from private holders have
been moro numerous tltAn wns anticipated.
Tho purchases In open market have inate-
rally !ncrensett Untler the advance In prices,
nth It Is believed that large part OF these
bonds now changing hands will be presented
for extension.
THE INDICATIONS
nre, In oil respects, of 80 favorable charac-
ter rs to lend a prominent officer Of tho
Treasury Department To express the belief
that by thu 10th Of the coming month Secre-
tary Window will he Justified III proposing
to take up and extend tho 5s, according to
The cloice Of the holders. III short, the ont
look at the Treasury now Is such rs to make
1t exceedingly prnbabla that when Congress
1ncets 1t will find full provision made for tho
outstanding Gs ntld h., not only for those IN
the hands Ut the banks. but also for those In
the possession of private holders.
RESArDl! DAWES
lavnR referred to the Secretary OF the
| Treasury letter received from n citizen Of
Massachusetts, sugRrstIng that II the Assist
ant 'rreasnrers In the several cltles Whero
rccctye t q anI stamp for continuance the per
| cent bonds, It wonlt be- Il saving OF expense
10 many holders, the Secrct,ry has written
10 SeIlltor Dawes the following letter on the
| subject:
Arm. ~ lssl.--s1n: referring to tho letter Of
-, Of 1lostof. whtuh WAS hnnd01 to inc by you
thls morning. have the honor TO- to Hay that % tn9
Hss,sta9 rrens''reFs Of tho Wattcd shoa
lie authorized % receive the limited States Don1s
t. 'e rsr N 81 Ap9 ri
raturnin9 the snlne 10 tho owness aftcr stamp
Ing tho bontla with tho nvitonce Of their cs!tl-
to provide for future payments Ut intersst IN
rcfpeut IN tho coupon bond$ now ontstand!n0'
and which tlAy III presented for continuance,
| 1InnA n u ff1
, 1881-04-26

Sp4etat Dtspdteh to T1n CAteaso 1ftouHs. g.,
LITTLE ROCK, Ark, April Gs.-AndEnw craw.
ford and boy mined John Cherry we're drowned
pear Eldorado yesterday. IN company with n
man named Donobuo. they started tn orosa Tho
stream 10 a skin. When MALT way over ponohle
accidentally overturned tho boat, throwing
thom all i1tn tho wator: The boy could not
awItn. and. when Crawford tried to snve him, no
ohue aucccodol In reAchtng the uppoet shore:
81. PAUL. Minn.. AMI! ia dispatch 70 ,aae, sna
Abncr Denhpltn WIS drowned tharo to-day Whalc
try1n1 to cross tho river. \ wealthy !ttshMnn
named Stafford, visiting this country Wns
ctnl8tQnCCa,