davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1881-04-14
A FORGOTTEN Insurance Policy.

Mr.. Nathaniel Harris, Of Ipswich,
Mass, took out an insurance policy on
his dwelling-house in the year 1856.
The policy was made to run for five
years, and was flied away among his
other papers by Mr.. Harris. In Novem.
Der. 1860, the house was burned, and
Mr.. Harris greatly regretted that he
had no insurance, as he supposed. He
had within the tour years previous to
the fire somehow got the impression
that he was insured for four years only.
The loss, therefore, was never reported
TO the company, and never paid by
them. - ;s
A few days ago, however, Mr.. Harris
daughter was looking over her father $
old papers in process of spring house
cleaning, when happening to glance ct
the date on an old insurance policy, she
read MAY. 1861" Instantly she re-
membered that the house was burned in
1860. She showed the documents to
her father, who could hardly believe
his eyes, and tho in turn showed the
papers to the agent Of the company.
This led to Investigation, and It was
found by the records of the clerk OF the
ire-cngine company at Ipswich. who
was ct the fire, that the fire actually o.
Cured in November, 1860. N course
all legal claims against the insurance
people had expired by Limitation years
ago. but upon the facts shown to the
ofhoers of the company, in considera-
ton of the fact Of Mr.. Harris being in
INDECENT circumstances and over seven
ty years of age. it was generously de-
cided by them to pay the loss even at
this late day.-Roston Traveller.
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1881-04-14
A Gross SWindle.

WHATEVER may be the fact in respect to the
quality of oleomargarine and lard butter
whether these substances are better or worse
than real butter; whether they are harmless or
hurtful or beneficial to the pc: sons eating
thcm-it is clear that the consumer has an
indefeasible right to know when he Is buying
them. '.'''
From the testimony already given before
the committee of the Legislature now fnvesti-
eating this subject in this city it appears that
in the greater number of cases this informa-
tion is not attainab,e. As a matter of d" bust
ness" 1t was said on Saturday, the grocer who
has laid in a stock Of these substitutes for but
ter-costing him less than butter-dnds it ju-
dicious to sell them at the market price of but
ter, because IL they were sold at a fair profit
and under their real names the consumer
would not take them. .tt
This may be regarded as a very shrewd pro-
ceeding from the point of view of the grocer,
but from the point of view of the public it is
thoroughly disreputable and outrageous, and
an end should be made of it forthwith.
Some distinguishing marks should be affixed
to these substances, in order to prevent con-
suners from being swindled, for that 10 the
precise word which describes trade of this
sort.
If oleomargarine and lardine are wholesome
and worthy objects of commerce, they will
surely make their way under true colors: but
whether they are so or not, the public cannot
afford to be cheated systematically as to an
important part of their daily food.
Some of the men concerned in the manufact-
ure and sale of these substitutes for butter
have estimable public regulations to sustain.
If they have any intelligent regard for their
reputation they will forego for the present all
argument as to the actual qualities of these
substances, which is an entirely secondary
matter, and will unite in defense of the com
munity from an unconscionable practice in
well-devised aud practicable measure which
will enable any buyer, however dull he or she
may be, to distinguish readily and certainly
the substitutes for butter from the genuine
article.
According to the testimony presented on
Saturday, no one in this or the adjacent cities
can tell as he sits down to dinner this evening
of what the "butter" on his table Is made.
From this doubt and uncertainty the public
must be relieved, and we hope that the relief
will be given voluntarily Y. Post. March IS
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1881-04-14
A Historic Farm.

Some time since the fact was men.
toned in these columns of piece of
property which had remained in the
same family, descending from father to
son, for q period of more than two
hundred years; it being held continu-
ouslv during that time, and is still held,
in the same name in which the original
grant was made. We have recently
heard of a case similar in most respects,
only that the present owner holds by
an inheritance which comes from the
female branch of the family. 1t is the
farm called "Springfeld," in Hanover
County, owned by Mr.. George Watt.
Records tracing 1t back to the grant
made by James the H., of England, to
John Austin, reveal the fact that it has
remained in some descendant of his
family to the present day. We were
recently shown a plat of a survey of it
made by Benjamin Bates, Surveyor of
Hanover County in 1900, which is still
in good preservation. Mr.. Bates was
the father of Micajah Bates, for many
years surveyor of this city. This farm
is on the Chickahominy, about eight
miles from Richmond, near Cold Har-
Dor, and is one of the most valuable in
that section of the State, and is only q
small portion of the original grant. On
its soil was fought the battle of Cold
Harbor, one of the bloodiest of the
war. Grapevine bridge is just below it
on the Chich ahominy, and after Nc
Clellan had been dislodged farther up
THO stream he withdrew toward this
crossing so as to reach the shelter OF
his .gun-boats on James River. The
whole right wing of Lees army con-
verged toward this point in the effort
to Intercept the Federals. They met
here, and the shock was terrific.
Eighteen Federal cannon were capt
ured within fifty yards of the dwelling
holse. Besides the prestige of an
tiquity which hovers around and over
tbs old settlement, it has also the addi.
tlonal historical attraction mentioned
in the annals of the late war. Its asso-
Citations in this respect will render it
famous for long years to come.-Rich-
mosad Va.) Dispatch.
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1881-04-14

- Aunt Betsy GIvENs," probably the Oldest
woman in Louisville. KY, and certainly tho
frst girl child born in that city, died on the
2Sth ult. She was born in 17s8, in the old fort
Oh HeArgrass. IN Jefferson County, Ky.,s and
has beeaa resident Of the place all her life.
She remembered the time when Louisville was
avery small town, and used to tell some very
interesting stories Of its growth and progress.
One of the most astonishing things about her
was that she was never outside Of Louisville
but once or twice In her life, and had never
been on q railroad car. She had up to the
time Of her last illness remarkably clear
memory. and was acquainted with all the dis
tinguished men Of Kentucky, among whom
Henry Clay was one of her especial favorites.
She was well informed on all political matters
that transpired nifty or sixty years ago, and
used to take great pleasure in telling her
friends how matters were conducted then. and
contrasting them with affairs of to-day. MrA
Owens had q holy horror of theaters, and used
to boast of the fact that she never was in one
in her life. She was . lifelong member of the
Methodist Church, and up to few years ago
rarely . Sunday passed that her face was not
seen among the worshipcrs. Her health WAS
remarkably good. and she was wont to say that
she was never sick . day 10 her Life. She
could thread needle without the aid OF glass
e., and her hsaring was also very GOOD. Last
summer she had severe fall on q stairway at
home. and this FASTENED Der death. >. ,s.
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1881-04-14
. nRLl6IOUS AND EDUCATIONAL.

DIR. Leonard Bacon says that har-
ness ought not to be all breeching, but
oldmen are useful sometimes to hold
back the young men in a church.
= PROT. Caleb Mills, who was known
as "the father of the public schools of
Indiana" will have monument in the
Capitol at indianapolis.
There are nine principal Baptist
mission stations In China. The Board
OF the Southern BAPTIST Convention has
three-Canton, Shanghai and Tung
Chow. The American Baptist Mission
airy Union has three -Ningpo, Zoahy-
ing and Swallow. The English Baptists
have two-Taiyuenfu and Tsingchow-
foo. The Seventh. Day Baptists of the
United States have one-Shanghai. At
these stations there are something over
two thousand communicates.
The patronage in the Church of
England is vested in the Crown, the
Lord Chancellor, Archbishop and
Bishops, Deans, and Chapters, the
: Universities and their colleges, many
of the nobility and gentry, and a whole
host of trustees in various parts of the
country. The Lord Chancellor has by
far the largest number of livings at his
disposal. aud Of private patrons the
Duke of Devonshire and the Earl Of
Lonsdale stand the highest on the list.
The largest living, Winwick. is in the
gift of the Earl Of Derby, and is valued
at e. 200. r... .. ..ar.r
The fruits of mission work NAV
not be immediate. Though there be but
a sorry exhibit for many years of earn
est and devoted work, yet if perse-
vered in it will succeed. A good illus
tration is Foo-Chow in China, where
missionaries have labored for thirty
years among a population of two mill
ions. In the first eleven years not one
soul was given to Christ, and no sign
OF any good whatever. The Church
Missionary Society said: ""There are
no results: we must give up the mis-.
sion.'' But their missionary, Mr..
Wolf. said: II will not give up this
mission" A few months after he
gained one convert. then three more;
and in 1879 there were three thousand
native Christians in Foo Chow.
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1881-04-14
The Placid Grocer.

A Detroit grocer the other day dis
playe q dozen cakes of the clearest
and incest new maple sugar possible to
make, and as he stood at his door git-
izen halted and looked at the sugar and
queried:
'.NewP"
"No; it's old"
SNAKE it yourselfr'
"Yes.''
"Adulteratedrs Jim
Eyes"
sBhouldn'tS shiak it ,wouad be
hs III H. u, aa - we
.'Then why 30 you want to sell itP"
Il don't want to. set it out here
30 that kdrat could cart # of and dump
it on some vacant lot :" eJ
- The citizen looked up and down the
street, across the way, and finally said:
II guess I'll take two pounds Of your
twarmed,up adulteratsd old sugar. If it
was new wouldn't touch the stuff at
any price. Please weigh this cake"
He paid for the sugar and. carried It
away; bat he looked like ~ man mo
wanted to say something near 70 some
body.
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1881-04-14
West and South.

TIE State election in Michigan on the 4th
resulted in the reelection of Isaac Marston
to the Supreme Bench, and the election Of
James F. Joy and Austin Blair as University
Regents. These were the Republican candt
dates.
The Ohio municipal elections occurred on
the 4th. The indications on the evening
of that day pointed to the election Of Means,
the Democratic candidate for Mayor in Gin
cinnati. In Columbus. Dayton and Cleveland
the Republicans, and in Toledo the Nationals,
were successful.
On the 4th the Wisconsin Legislature
adjourned sine die. Almost at the last mo-
ment it was discovered that the Apportion-
ment bill recently passed disfranchised the
town of Ridgewsy, in Iowa County. An
attempt to correct the b!under failed,
and the Governor vetoed the bill
A FEW days ago George Blaney, Cincin-
natl stove dealer, spranZ OF Marietta train
as 1t was entering the former city. He landed
directly in front of the Indianapolis express
and his head was instantly severed from his
body.
The Missouri River at Omaha overlooked
its banks on the 4th, compelling the smelt-
Ing works to shut down.
A FEW days ago seven persons were
drowned by the capsizing of . row-boat ON the
Afhley River in South Carolina
NEARLY all the live stock I'm the Missouri
River Valley between Jefferson and, Fort
Thompson ia. reported to have been destroyed
by the food.
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1881-04-14
The Mailing Of q Letter.

The Newbdryport (Mass) Herald re-
lates the following story of the mailing
of letter which many persons, in part
at least, will take to themselves: Last
Saturday night Newburyport gentle
man. coming to this city, was asked by
fellow passenger if he would be kind
enough to drop a letter in q box when
he arrived in town. Of course he will
ingly agreed to do so, took the letter
and placed it in a pocket. On Tuesday
morning he put his hand into that
pocket and brought to light the mis-
sive. He had returned to Newbury-
port and forgotten his errand. Wish
ing in part to atone, he carried it to
the depot and gave it to the baggage
master with the request that the latter
would hand it to some Boston-bound
passenger, that it might be forwarded.
The 6aggage-master took it. and
handed it to the first man going to Bos-
ton whom he met, perfect stranger.
This gentleman read the superscrip-
ton, and looked surprised. He tried
to smile, but was dumfounded. At
last. however, he said: "Why, I gave
this letter myself to gentleman on the
train last Saturday night to post. How
on earth came you by ite"> The ex-
plauation was given, when he re-
marked that the letter had q history.
1t was written last week on Thursday
by; Lady and given to . gentleman
with the request that he would post it
in Boston. He courteously acquiesced,
put it in his pocket and carried it till
Saturday morning. He then turned it
over to the narrator of the story, who
very properly carried it till evening.
and, 40 he was not then going into Bos-
ton, he turned it over to No. of our
tale, with the results above described.
That young lady anxiously watches
the mails, in blissful ignorance of her
letters wanderings. 4 rasa .at
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1881-04-14

AN dleomargarine mandatory has
been established at New Orleans.
Pittsburgh capitalists will build
glass works among the soda mines of
Wyoming Territory. "a T.,
The Russians keep fish perfectly
sweet for long time in the hottest of
weather by dipping them in beeswax,
which forms an alright covering for
them. Ia
The public debt of the United
States n sos per head; Of Spain, $,54;
of France, $l36; of England. $117; If
Holland, STA; of Canada, $?8; of Mex
loo, $50; of Switzerland, 81.
MIR. Corby, at . meeting of the
Manchester Scientific and Mechanical
Society, condemned the screw-jack as
q relic of barbarian, and predicted that
before long it would be superseded by
the hydraulic jack. e.-r -us
India rubber has q rival in the
milky sap of the {" Bully tree of South
America. 1t becomes soft, so as to
bear being joined piece to piece, at
about 12O degrees Fahrenheit. but re-
quires 28O degrees to melt it. .-f
The Hotchkiss revolving gun. al
ready adopted in the French and other
great navies, has been ordered for use
lately in the German navy, the ships to
''be armed with this weapon in such a
manner that every point surrounding
each vessel may be protected by the fire
OF at least two guns at minimum
range of two hundred meters" H
The Vice President of the Western
Lumbermen's Exchange estimates that,
if the demand for lumber increases
proportionately, the forests of the
United States will be annihilated in
twenty years. The same view is taken
by the Northwestern Lumberman, which
says that 1.-THE timber supply of the
Northwest Is becoming so rapidly ex-
hausted that within the next ten years
something like timber famine may be
looked for.'' t
The farmers of Canada are scarce
ly less astute in mon ey-mak;ng devices
than the Yankee peddlers whose
wooden nutmegs have become his
toric. The latest device, which is re-
ported as getting alarmingly common
preparation and sale of galvanized
UuIt0Fs L HIS lutOTtStluX 8EtC10t tOA
merchandise is made in rolls, the out
side of which are of the primest pro-
duct of the dairy, plastered on in thin
layers over huge Jumps of lard. sleeps
fat. etc., of the poorest quality. a.
The phylloxera, the understanding
insect, has appeared in six Calfornia
counties, a very serious occurrence. The
pest, for which no prevention or remedy
has been discovered after years of
search, has ruined, the VINEYARDS of en-
tire districts in France and driven 6OO,.
600 acres of vineyards out of cultiva-
ton since 1874. As result the yield
of French vineyards for 1880 was only
675, 900, 900 gallons, about the same as
the yield q century ago, and barely one
third the wine crop of 1875. the most
abundant year on record. In 1879 and in
1880, California exported wine to
| France, and, unless the phylloxera
spreads on the Pacific coast, the State
is certain before many years to supply
Europe with wine. ,-,..,.,,.....,
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1881-04-14
A Fearful Explosion.

RECENT Wilkesbarre Pa.) dispatch to the
Chicago Tribune says: "A fearful explosion
of dynamite occurred soon after midnight
this morning 1t the Heidelberg shaft of the
LehiGh Valley Coal Company, = few miles
north of this city, by which William Hensley,
OF this place, was torn to shreds, and the en-
Rineer, William williams of Pittspon, was
probably fatally injured. The Heidelberg is
. new work IN the rock the coal mot being
reached. Honsley IVES In the engine-house
afixing . percussion cap to charge
Of the powerful explosive containing
. pound and a half, when it ex-
ploded, and the concussion started some
ten pounds more standing near by. The
effect was fearful The enRine-house and
hosting engines were smashed into atoms
and sent flying through the air like tops Of
thistles. Windows were broken in Pittston,
and the people started from their beds in at
fright, fearing that the town had been blown
mp By an unusual s0cumulation. Of fre-lamp
in the worked-out mines below, that had by
some means been ignited. BY the miners 1t
work down in the subterranean chambers, new.
or having heard such racket before."
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1881-04-14
A Fathers Vengeance.

! OFFICERS from this St6te have just returned
from Texas with olda6ansD Dab lgreefie arrested
on charge of murder, Who has q most re-
narkable history. he lived before the war In
the northern part ofTennessec. His home was
. pleasant one, and wfth, Ms wife and two sons
he lived very happily on bis farm until quar-
rel arose between neighbors. The difficulty
was patched, but one of the sons-both of
whom had grown to mans estate-conceived
tia he had been wronged, and one day while
he and his brother were passing along the road
in a wagon they came up with five mon. their
neighbors, and the quarrel broke out afresh.
The young men were courageous, and would
not be intimidated by their opponents.
Hot words led to blows, and the FIVE men,
pulling pistols, Aired upon the Dahlgreen boys
and killed them. They ran away, and, fearing
the vengeance of old man Dahlgrecn-for he
was even then considered quite an old man
disappeared from the community. OF course
Dahlgreen and his wife were nearly distracted
at the sad death Of their "boys," of whom they
were very proud, and Mrs. Dahlgrcen never re-
covered from the blow, but about the time the
war broke out died. and the husband was left
to lament the separation Of his family.
He conceived the idea that nothing was left
in this life for him except to obtain venge-
ance on the men who had robbed him of his
cOuS. ne ucNONCu SuC ACluuAAu0A Va uAo ukC w
this purpose. He began Systematically to
search for the five men, whose names were
Gridley, Black, Hewitt, Meyers and man
called Black Tom," but whose true name was
Lurdy, and one after another was met and
killed.
He had noscruples, no conscience His sole
object was to put the villains who made life
no object to him out of the way. He took no
interest in the war. 1t mattered not whether
the North or South were victors. He shot
Meyers and Lurdy in Tennessee, and escaped
the officers who were set upon his track.
The old man disappeared from his country,
and no traces of him we're heard for several
years. The man Gridley died of pneumonia
in Cincinnati, and Black is serving out term
in the State Penitentiary at Columbus, for
burglary.
The last Of these men, Hewitt. was slowly
but surely tracked by Dahigrecn to Colorado.
and in a little town on the frontier of the
State, at Coyote, he came up with him and
shot him in cold blood, after he had thrown
up his hands and asked for mercy. The little
community was terribly excited about the
murder, and started officers on the track of
Dahlgreen, who threw them OF the scent.
No more was heard of him until last month,
when information was received that he wa0
in Houston, Tex, and there he was arrested
-Denucr (CU.) Cor. Cincinnati Times-Stdr.
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1881-04-14
A Balloon Adventure.

NJ. ALLlOTH, the editor Of the Phare du Lit
t0rdl, gives an interesting account of his re-
cent adventures in the balloon Gabriel, in
company with Captain Jovis and Lieutenant
Vivier. The balloon, which started from Nice,
France, in the morning, rapidly rose to q
height of 1000 feet. The view was at first
magnificent. The Alps and a great part of
Switzerland were distinctly visible and the air
was warm. But the clouds and thick mist
soon hid everything from view, and when, by
degrees, and in spite of every EFFORT TO pre-
vent it, the balloon descended, the party found
to their horror that they were about nine miles
out at sea, when they had all along believed
themselves to be going steadily in u northeast
eriy direction. Once or twice the Gabriel was
induced to rise again for a short time, but it
soon returned to the water, and, although
anchor, ballast, bags, boots and every article
Ut any weight were thrown from the car, it
remained obstinately welded 10 its new .ele-
ment. At times the balloon scudded along at
. great rate, though the lower portion of the
car was submerged. the water, which had at
nrst only been ankle deep, finally rising sutii.
ciently high to stop NJ. Allioths watch in his
waistcoat pocket, at 5:36 in the afternoon.
Night found the unfortunate travellers In even
worse plight, and, to add to their difficulties,
the car began to rock with tho waves, and, al
though numbed with the bitter cold, they were
compelled to hold on tightly for bare life.
At intervals they shouted together, but
1t was labor lost, and no answer was returned.
At last, to their great delight, they espied the
sail OF an Italian craft bearing down upon
them. A. Ost was speedily launched, and
they were soon on board, in dry clothes and
making hearty supper. The ship proved to
be the Morosini, bound from Naples to Cette.
The Captain had, it appears, perceived the
balloon during the afternoon, and had actually
gone out Of his course for several hours in the
hope of rescuing its passengers. Bat the bal
loon sped along much faster than he, and
Signor Penielli was obliged to give up the
chase. The meeting in the dark was thus
pure accident. The balloon had drifted about
while the ship had held to it's course The
uplucky occupants of the Gabriel were picked
up about halfway between the mainland and
Corsica, and but for the timely appeatatice of
the Aorosini they must Inevitably have been
lost. As it was, NM. Jovis and Allioth were
terribly exhausted by all they had gone
through. The party were landed at Villa
franco at $50 on the following morning, and
their reappearance a Nice was the signal for
general ovation, their friends having de-
SPARED Of ever beholding them again. As for
the balloon, as soon as they had quilted the
car it shot once more into the air with light
ming speed, and may be careering still for all
any one knows to the contrary.