davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1883-01-13
GOVERNORS MESSAGE.

The message Of Gov. Cullom, laid before
the legislature on Friday of last week, has
already been so widely published IN the
large dallies, that our readers will care for
nothing but q short abstract of IT,
FINASCEs.-The total receipts into the
state treasury from all sources tor the years
1881 and 1882, including balance In treas
ury, were S9,45l, 95o97, and the total dis
bursenents $62ls,9s1 81, leaving balance
III the treasury of $3,233675O8. OF the
receipts $779,845.92 were from the Illinois
Central railroad, and the rest, including
81, 000, 600 levied for school purposes, were
from taxation. The balance in the treas
ury OF over three millions is Unexpectedly
large, on account of the expenditures hav-
ing fallen within the appropriations and
the income having exceeded the estim ates.
If the present legislature /. no more extra
VACANT than the last one was (snd dear
knows that was extrayagant enough y there
can be reduction of million IN the gen.
eral tax levy for the next two years. The
entire state debt nov amounts to but 1928.
900, and this remains unpaid only because
the evidences OF debt are not produced for
payment, and as they probably never will
be, the Governor thinks the money might
us well be merged in the general fund.
CANAL.-The people having voted at the
last election in favor of the transfer of the
Illinois and Michigan canal to the United
States, the Governor recommends that the
Legislature pass joint resolution instruct
ing our Senators and requesting our Re.
representatives. in Congress to use all proper
means to secure the acceptance of the Hi.
nois and Michigan canal by the United
States, and also TO secure the construction
of the proposed canal from Hennepin to
Rock Island. The enlargement of the ILL.
nos and Michigan canal, the completion
OF the Illinois river improvement, and the
construction OF canal from the Illinois
river TO the Mississippi river at Rock
Island, altogether constitute one great
work OF a nationa, character, connecting
the two largest valleys and systems OF
water communication Cd this continent.
The rapid growth in population. aud in.
creased production of the territory on the
west of the Upper Mississippi, call for this
improvement, and the direct business
interest of Illinois in the work is no more
than that OF the other Northwestern States.
BOARD OF HEALTH, &c.-The Governor
approves the work done by the state Board
of Health IN protecting the citizens alike
against contagious diseases aud the impo-
sition of ignorant quacks; compliments
our state educational institutions, such as
the Normal schools, Champaign Univer.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1883-01-13
From Waltham.

WALTHAM, Jan. 12.-SInce our last wri.
ting death has visited US taking one of our
most respected citizens, Mr.. Lon Tapt, who
came to his death on the 9th by the accl-
dental discharge OF his gun. He leaves a
wife and two children and large circle of
friends to mourn his loss.
On Sunday morning Mrs. ThOs. Manley
passed away IN her Saith year.
Mr. Albert Leach, a respectable young
man of Utica, while on h,s way home from
Ottawa was attacked by three ruffians and
badly beaten.
Mr.. Henry Wood of Odell is here visit
ing his sister, Mrs. Samuel Gray.
The surprise party At Thos. Michaut's on
the 9Th was not what it would have been
but for the accident that day.
Mrs. Henry Fralken left yesterday for
her home IN Pennsylvania,
The Farmers Alliance on Tuesday eve
ming elected the following officers: II. J.
Monoit president; Samuel Esmond vice
pres; j. Carlin, sec'y; j. CALVIN, treas.
Mr.. & Mrs. Jos. kinser celebrated their
wooden wedding on Tuesday. \ large
circle of relatives and friends were present
and some very fine presents were brought
among which were a rocking chair and
table from Mr. and Mrs. A. o. Crosair.
Mrs. G. w. Esmond and son Thomas
were visiting frieLds IN Odell last week.
A surprise was had at Mr. Condos on
last evening. A grand time was had by all.
Bernard Stanley is attending school in
Ottawa. U.&I.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1883-01-13

but an hour or two before had left Liver
pool on q voyage to the east The Brussel.
was struck IN the bow and sank in twenty
minutes. There were number OF passen
gers on board all of whom were saved ex
Icept two deck passengers, Italians. Eight
of the crew were lost, including second
officer Young and carpenter Woods. The
two were picked up In an apparently life
lees condition and taken on board the kir
by Hall. where al efforts to resuscitatc
them proved fruitless,
The Brussels was Glasgow built iron
steamer, and one Of the fastest and mos,
trustworthy of the seven in the service OF
the Inman line Her owners have lodged
IA claim against the Kirby Hall tor $780,.
600 damages.
The steamship British Empire, from
Shields for Bombay, with 300 persons on
board, was burned at sea. All on board
were saved except two boats, containing IL
persons, which are missing.
The steamship Donau arrived a, New
YORK on Monday from Bremen, bringing
eleven cabin and $40 Storage passengers.
On The 4th inst, while at sea, fire broke
out amidships IN the hold There was ex
element among the passengers, but the
flames were eX.inguishcd by the crew.
The IRON steamer POtsyille, one of the
Colliery line from Boston to Philadelphia
OF the Reading Railroad line, went ashore
at Seagiri, n j., on the 10Th, in binding
snow storm. All hands on board were
saved bu, the vessel IS probably lost
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1883-01-13
THE FLOODS IN GERMANY.

The extraordinary floods in Germany
and Austria, Of which the cablegrams have
been sounding notes OF distress for The last
week or two, have reached q stage Of des-
tructivencss so exceptional and enormous
a. justly to interest the whole civilized
world in movements to alleviate the dis
tress. The accounts leave no doubt that at
least a'millon of people have been reduced
to beggary and that death from starvation
by the thousands must follow if immediate
relief Is not afforded. The cause Of the
floods Is that IN the earlier part of the win.
ter there had been, particularly in the AL.
pine region from which the head waters OF
the Rhine and Danube are drawn, al an
usually heavy fall Of snow With the be,
ginning Of January came sudden thaw,
accompanied with heavy and continued
rains. Some idea OF the huge volume of
water thus pIecipita!ed into the made,
quite outlets supplied by the river chan
nels, may be formed from the fact that the
Danube at Vienna is now 10 feet above its
spring level, and the Rhine has become a
series of lakes, engulting scores of villages
All the lower portions Of the cities OF Hell
delberg and Mayence have been laid waste,
while Mannheim and Worms are almost
wholly under water. The river streets of
Cologne can be traversed only with boats,
and some of the towns in its vicinity have
entirely disappeared beneath the food. In
one small agricultural district near Worms
ten thousand people have been left utterly
destitute, and it is computed that in the
whole Rhine country more than hundred
thousand persons are in the same deplora-
Die condition. No less appalling is the
havoc produced by inundation along the
valley OF the Danube. The town OF Raab,
with 10000 inhabitants, Is so completely
that the whole place had to be
abandoned, many being drowned in at
tempting to escape on the ice. The great
city of Pesth Is in hardly any better condi-
ton; and all down the Danube valley city
after city and village after village are more
or less victims Of the inundation.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1883-01-13

sity. &c, aud thinks they are doing a good
work and recommends additional appro.
priations for the enlargement and improve.
ment Of our penitentiaries, as recommend.
ed by the commissioners.
CmARITIEs.-The Governor is confident
that our system of public charities, in re-
spect both of efficiency and economy of
administration, can safely challenge COM
parIson with that of any other State IN II 9
Union. He is anxious to see, at rs early Il
day as may be practicable, a complete
separation of the convict from the non.con
wet insane, and Il special institution for
the former to be connected with one OF our
present penltentlaries or our hospitals for
the insane, as the legislature may in Its
wisdom determine.
In this connection he gives the follow
ing interesting figures from the last census
showing the rapid increase of the helpless
classes III the last decade:
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1883-01-13

continues to bc illustrated at Seneca, where
on Friday last the price for old corn,
70 ibs. to the bushel, was A. cents, while in
Ottawa, which hes paid IN the past (see
Report of Railway Commissioners) the
highest price in the state, on the same day
the same grade of corn brought only 43
cents. Farmers hereabouts have the OPP
portunty Of securing railway line which
will add these two cents bushel to the
value of their corn without the haul to
Seneca if they wish 1t. The Seneca, Otta.
wa & Mendoza road will do it; and when
the balance of right Of way is secured the
work Of building will commence II be.
hooves farmers TO be liberal.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1883-01-13
ILLINOIS LEGISLATURE.

The senate, In Friday OF last week, final
ly succeeded In cleo ting its officers, Hon
W. j. Campbell, of Cook, being elected
president pro tenn. on the 9th ballot.
The two houses met IN JOINT session the
same day and canvassed the vote cast at
the November election for state officers
after which the Governors message was
read in both houses, and then both adjourn.
ed over to Tuesday.
AS nothing else could be thought of In
Springfield until II was over but the sena-
rial contest, 1t was not strange that the frs,
business up IN the senate on Tuesday was
resolution offered by Hamilton of Spring.
field declaring all votes cast for any state
officer fol L. s. senator null aud void
The senate lodged the issue by referring
the resolution TO a committee, where OF
course it will lie buried until the election
Is over. Harrington, dem. from Kane
proposing to offer a similar resolution in
tho house, first laid II before a democratic
caucus, which got into wrangle over IT.
coming to no conclusion; upon which, on
Tuesday, Harrington offered the resolution
on his own responsibility, and 1t was laid
over one day. Wednesday il came up in
order, and as it promised to excite ho,
discussion in which republican brethren
might se' cachother by the ears. strenuous
efforts were made by the party leadere to
strangie 1t by a reference 10 the judiciary
committee, as in the senate; but this wa
deteated-105 to 81, and motion carried
to make 1t the special order Tor Thursday
Again coming up on the latter day, spi-
rited debate ensued, and coming to vote
the resolution was adopted, so to G5-bu
one democrat voting against and o repub
licans for It. So that in the estimation of 9
large majority of the house at least, an,
member who votes tor Cullom for L. s
senator violates his oath of office. That i
was thought mus, settle Cullom's hash, bu
the sequel showed, as will be seen below
1t didn't by any manner OF means.
Aside from this breeze. the only bushes,
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1883-01-13

Gov. BUTLER. While the Massnchu-
sets papers both rail at and ridicule Ben
Butler for the enormous length of his ad-
dress q week ago, when inaugurated as
Governor of Massachusetts,, they are forced
to admit that at least there is no nonsense
in it or anything commonplace. He has,
as the New York Sun puts 1t, been seven
teen years getting ready for this message,
he had good deal to say, and he goes
right to the heart of every subject he
touches"
Among many other things he tells that
no doubt startled the inhabitants Of the
the "Old Bay State" are the following
That by a capitation tax Massachusetts
denies free and equal suffrage 10 her citl-
zens, and practically offers a bounty Of
from one to two dollars for neglecting
town meeting and staying awsy from the
polls;
That Massachusetts refuses to 1851 OF
her male citizens over twenty-one years OF
age rights and privileges guaranteed by
the Constitution Of the United States; that
her laws dIsfranchise SO per cent of her
voting population and that there are pro
portiOnally fewer voters In Massachusetts
than in any other state Of the Union, North
or South, except five;
That iI some parts Of Massachusetts
there is neither free ballot nor fair
count; and that a system OF sealed ballots
Is needed to protect the Massachusetts, vot
er from intimidation at the polls
That the Massachusetts, laws regulating
naturalization. by restricting the process to
the Superior and Supreme courts, operate
to Hullify the laws OF the United States.
and that the restriction should be repealed :
That Of the money spent by Massachu,
sets on her reformatory, correctional aud
pauper institutions, e,ghty-seven per cent.
goes in salaries aud perquisites;
That the cost of supporting every sane
and insane pauper of Massachusetts IS
double what 1t ought to be;
That the boasted educational system of
Massachusetts, is far behind that of many
other states--in fact, that she is the nine
tecnth state of the thIrty.eight III respect
TO illiteracy, while there are only two
states which expend more money per CAPT
Ia for education; that of $4,000 which
the state expends for education, ~, 494, 226
goes for salaries of teachers. Our scnool
money" he says "ls diverted extravagant-
IN from the many TO whom its does be.
long to the few 10 whom II does not
belong"
OF these and other topics Of less Import
snce Gen. Butter treats with great fullness
and untlagging common sense. Massa.
chusetts in the wear 1888 Is blessed with a
governor with brains and backbone
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1883-01-13

! ms Oh course is NJ muc0 more RAPID
rate than the increase of population, and
the Governor can account for it only on
The assumption that no former enumera-
ton Of the afflicted classes has been AS
complete as the last and that the increase
therefore is more apparent than real.
While the message gives very lucid
and satisfactory exposition OF the affairs OF
the state and is not wanting in many sen
slble and practical suggestions of icgisla-
ton IN their connection, he really has but
three recommendations of what he regards
as important legislation to urge. One is
the devsing OF some plan for the improve
ment OF the public highways Of the state.
He has no specific plan to offer, but Is ap-
parently satisfied that no plan the legsla.
ture will devise can be worse than the gen.
eral road system OF the state now in force
The next recommendation is that the legis
lature take the necessary steps to submit to
the people constitutional amendment
giving the executive power to veto items
in appropriation bills without vetoing the
whole bill; the same as President Arthur
asks congress TO take steps 10 have the
constitution OF the u. s. amended And
thirdly, the Governor is quite lengthy and
earnest IN urging the importance OF Grim.
NAL law reform. 1t will be remembered
the Governor regarded this matter OF so
much importance that he enumerated 1t as
one of the subjects to be acted upon by the
extra session he called last winter, but th at
body seemed either unwilling or unable to
grapple with it, and gave it the go-by.
The Governor simply regards our presen.
criminal practice as disgracefully detect
I've, full of loopboles by which most of the
greater criminals 60 unwhipt OF justice.
"Our jury laws" he says, "set premium
on Ignorance" and he urges the passage
Of such laws as shall secure the presence
Of men In the jury nox qualified to Judge
Of evidence, and not, ss the present law
operates. to secure exactly tbs men least 80
qualified.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1883-01-13

The questionable intimacy between
Freddie Gebhardt and Mr.. Langtry's wife
doesn't prevent the latter from dong pay
ing business IN the way of posing before
Chicago audience as professional beau
ty. Though all the papers agree that hel
acting 10 amateurish and inferior, she draws
crowded houses, and the receipts for last
week-six evenings and one matiHee-
foot, up $14.6O8. Lawrence Barrett Oh
Edwin Booth even would be satisfied with
q good deal smaller footing.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1883-01-13

Charles b. Ware, whose death at the
Ksnkakee insane asylum occurred a
week ego, was, back in the fOrties, land.
lord and owner of the Mansion House In
this city. Having sold that hotel, he
bought large farm in Kendall county, but
Afterwards selling that, be moved 10 Auro.
ra and engaged in speculations in which
he was unfortunate. HIS reverses unset.
tied his mind and eight years ago he was
consigned to the insane asylum. He was
over 70 years Ofage.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1883-01-13

Marshall T. Polk, the absconding Ten
nessee Treasurer, whose arrest at San An
tonic. Texas, was announced and his re.
lease on habeas corpus because no witness
appeared against him, WAS re.arrested on
the 10th at the town Of Webb, on the Rio
Grandc, by U. s. Marshal Sheehy. 1t turns
ont that Polk had purchased his release in
San Antonio by paying the officer $4,000,
and he offered Sheehy $1,000 to let him
20, but the Marshal proved incorruptible.
Polk was accompanied to the RIO Grande
by one OF the private detectives whom he
had bribed to pilot HIM out OF the country.
His nephew and servant had crossed into
Mexico in advance Of him carrying with
Them, II is said, large amount of money
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1883-01-13
THE MILWAUKEE, HORROR.

Since the burning of the Vienna theatre
year ago there has been no calamity tina
so nearly eaualed Its horrors as that which
occurred IN Milwaukee on Wednesday
AT O'Clock that morning, when its two
hundred occupants were wrapped in slum
Der, the alarm was sounded that the New
hall house. the largest hotel IN the city, six
stories in height and covering half block
was on fire The fire appears to have star
ted in the basement, and ran up the eleva
tor as up huge chimney, the flames burst
Ing out on every floor and filling the halls
with sitting heat and smoke, 50 as TO cut
off all escape from the third story up ex.
cept by the outside windows So rapid
was the spread OF the fire that IN twenty
minutes the whole interior from the ground
floor mp was little less than a glowing fur
mace. There being no escape except by
the windows and the building being Who'll
ly unprovided with escape ladders, there
was no help except by ladders run up from
below. But the fire department of the city
SCENE to have been wholly unprovlded
with apparatus TO meet the case, and the
result was that the unhappy occupants
had no alternative but to drop back into
the flames or face death in form no less
certain by leaping to the stone pavement
below. To add TO the horror Of the latter
alternative the building, 20 feet from the
ground, was surrounded with perfect net
work of telegraph and telephone wires, so
that persons leaping from above were first
caught and mangled by these before being
crushed on the hard stone pavement I'M
derneath. Yet dozens made the dreadful
leap not one of whom survived It,
The destruction OF life Is estimated at
over one hundred, the majority OF the VIC
TINS being the servants who slept in the
sixth story-mostly waiter girls, chambe
maids, sc.
The city daileys are filled with lists of
tho killed, injured, missing and of such as
escaped, but there are so few of the names
familiar TO our readers that we need not
copy them. Among the guests of the
house were Gen. Tom Thumb. wife and
party, who we're giving exhibitions in
Milwaukee. Occupying lower floor, the
General and his wife escaped though some
of their servants we're less fortunate. The
Minnie Palmer dramatic company WAS
also giving exhibitions IN the city, and
having rooms at the Newhall house, sever.
al members were also victims, among
them John Gilbert, q we'll known actor,
though Minnie herself escaped. Of course
the calamity was attended with many hair
breadth escapes, paralysing scenes and
incidents, but our space is too
limited 70 enter into these.
Now that 1t Ia over with, there Is gen.
eral outburst OF indignation, as usual,
that = huge building, SO admirably con.
trived for q flretap, should have been
allowed 70 be used as q hotel at all, and
arc going up for rigid inspec.
ton Of all other great caravansaries; but
Of course the clamor Will soon die out, ~
has often been the case heretofore, until 1t
Is revived by another similar horror
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1883-01-13

Yesterday morning freight car loaded
with oats broke down two miles west OF
this city on the Rock Island road and be
fore the train could be brought to stand
still the car WAS dltched and completely de-
molishcd. The oats are not so badly scat
tered but that the greater part OF them can
be saved. Utmost care is taken by this
company to guard against accidents from
broken rails and men patrol the entire line
from Chicago to Davenport every night
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1883-01-13

Northern Illinois was struck by a very
cold wave on Monday night. Ottaws
thermom eters reported variously from q
10 81 degrees below zero early on Tuesday
morning. at Freeport the thermometer
indicated 20 deg. below zero, and at Rock
ford 80 deg. below. So low Il degree Of
temperature as that Is seldom known 10
this region. In the suburbs Of Chicago il
Yves reported from 10 to l3 deg. below, but
higher In the city.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1883-01-13

General Longstreet has written letter
TO cx.President Grant agreeing in detail
with his findings in the Fitz John Porter
case, and citing an example where he dis.
Obeyed an order of General Lee at the
second battle of Bull Run, and made a
movement which helped in the defeat OF
the Union army.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1883-01-13


About az cheeky piece business a.
the newspapers ever get an opportunity to
swear about Is the claim of the Ninth
Rhode Island Regimen, recently presen,, d
10 the pay department of the U. 5. army
for $5,o0O,ooOa as back pay The regiment
at the outbreak of the rebellion, enthusiss
ilcally volunteered for the three months
service, and at the end of that term a. en-
Enthusiastically returned home, refusing to
re-enlist. Through some mistake no repu
lar discharge papers were ever gwen them
and now they claim pay for full time from
April 1861 to date with INTEREST," Some Of
these Rhode Island patriots, 1, Is limited
even claim reimbursement from the gov
eminent for their expenses in running
away to Canada to avoid the draft.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1883-01-13

\ locomotive and one car were derailtd
on the canal switch OF the Burlington road
at this place on Wednesday, owing to the
careless way in which switch lever ives
secured. No serious damage was done,
fortunately, except delay In getting the
property back on the track again.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1883-01-13

BY an exploslonin coal mine at Coul-
terville, Randolph county, ILL.,, Monday
evening, ten men we're imprisoned under
ground, and al last accounts had not been
rescued. All of them are probably dead.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1883-01-13

Another company has been organized at
Champaign, with paid up capital Of $50
900, to engage IN the manufacture sugar
from Sorghum cane under the Weber IL
Scovell patent
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1883-01-13

MARINE DIsAsTERs.-The steamer City
Of Brussels, Capt. Land, of the lnman line,
which left New York Dec. 2sIh for Liver
pool, was run down in the estuary OF the
Mersey. oir Liverpool, at six O'Clock on
Sunday morning, IN dense fog, by the
steamer Kirby Hall, from Glasgow, which