davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1883-12-06
PosroFFICE DEPARTMENT.

The revenues of the department for the
fiscal year ended June 80, 1888, amounted to
S45, sos 692.61.
The estimated surplus of revenue over es-
timated total cost of the service for the year
is 81, ,001, ,2S1.8S
In addition to the expenditures for the
service of the year, S466, 3S7 was paid on
account of liabilities for previous years, max
ing the total amount disbursed during the
year, not including credits to Pacific rail-
roads, $43, ,2S2, 94443
The receipts for the year were So, ,632 262. .46,
or SO per cent. more than those of the pre-
vious year. This ratio of increase is about 5
per cent. less than the average one for the
preceding three years, and it may be ac-
counted for in large part If not wholly, by
the fact that the public were induced TO
stamps and stamped envelopes in anticipa-
ton of the change of letter postage to two
cents, fixed to take effect on October l last.
Following this report will be found an in
teresting table, marked l, showing the
sources from which the revenues of the de,
partment for the last fiscal year were derived
also the gross revenue by states and terri
tories and the percentage OF such revenue by
states and territories.
The increase in the item of compensation
to postmasters was 81, $50, MA, or little
more than 10 per cent, over the expenditure
for the previous year. This was an unusually
large increase; but it Is estimated that nearly
100000 of it was due to the fact that the ac
OF March 3, 1883, to equalize the salaries o.
postmasters, was made to apply to the fourth
class offices from the date of its passage, in
Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1883-12-06
Sojourner Truth.

New York Tribune.
A dispatch to the Chicago Journal from
Battle Creek, Mich, November 26, SAYS:
"Sojourner Truth, the eolored lecturer
and sibyl, died here this morning at the
age of los years."
Sojourner Truth, as she called herself,
was born slave in Ulster county, N. ",
and until she gained her freedom was
known by the name of Isabella. When
she was 8 years old she was sold on the
auction block with a lot OF sheep, she and
the sheep bringing Sl04 She was owned by
Colonel Ardinburgh. but in 1927 she was
emancipated. Her life as n slave was a
hard one, her labor being almost endless,
and she was under no improving inhu-
ences. She never learned to read or
write. At an early age she experienced
religion, and, as most colored people do,
she became very enthusiastic over it,
never missing an opportunity to attend a
camp meeting. By her lectures in vari-
GUS parts of the country on slavery, tenn
perance and other topics, and her services
as hospital nurse during the war, she
gained much notoriety, but she ever
sought to do conscientiously what
she considered to be her
plause of her fellow beings Previous to
the war Sojourner held a series of meet
ings in northern Ohio. She sometimes
made strong points in her speeches which
she knew would hit hard those who apollo
gized for slavery. At the close of one
OF these meetings a man came up to
her and said: "Uld woman, do you think
that your talk about slavery does any
good? Do you suppose people care for
what you say? Why, don't care any
more for your talk than 1 do for the bite
of a feap perhaps not" Sojourner
said; "but, the Lord willing, I'll
keep you scratchingp Some years
ago, Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe
wrote what is known as Sojourner
Truths Book of Life" a volume that
had an extensive sale among anti slavery
people. In 1876 this book was enlarged
and reprinted at the expense of Mrs
Francis w. Titus of Battle Creek, Mich,
where Sojourner lived for many years.
In Sojourner's estimation Abraham Lin
coin was the foremost man of all this
world" and in October, 1864, she went
from Michigan to the White House to see
him. 81 said to him." to quote her oyn
words, "'Mr. President, when you first
took yourseat feared you would be torn to
pieces likened you to Daniel who was
thrown into the lions den; and if the
lions do not tear you into pieces, knew
it would be God that would save you
And l said to myself, if He spared you 1
would come and see you myself before
your term of Office was out; and He has
done so, and here l am to see you Mr..
Lincoln congratulated me on my having
been spared. l told him that thought
he was the best President that had
ever lived, as he emancipated the
slaves. He showed me sew
eral nice presents of his; and before |
went away he wrote in my Book of Life
in big, bold hand, with the same fingers
that signed the death-warrant of slavery:
For Aunty Sojourner Truth. October 29,
1864. A Lincoln" During the last
few years she had been very feeble at
times, and during the summer OF 1876 the
report that she was dead was sent out
from her Michigan home.
Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1883-12-06
The Albatross.

The friendship of strange and apparent
ly incongruous animals is well illustrated
by the albatross, which is of a most vo-
racious disposition and tyrannical nature
He is one of the largest and most formid-
able birds of Africa and America. When
its wings are stretched they sometimes
measure twelve feet from tip to tip. He
lives upon tlsh and smaller aquatic fowl.
They have the strongest and most unac-
countabie friendships, however, for the
society of penguins. They always choose
the same places for breeding and rear
ing their young, which is some distan-
and uninhabited island, where the ground
slants to the sea, as the penguin can neith-
er climb nor fy. In the Falkland islands.
which are in the South Atlantic, which
the bros had undisputed possession OF
for many years, these birds are seen liy-
ing together in the greatest harmony.
Their nests cover acres OF ground, and
are laid out with the regularity of a plan
tation. In the middle on high ground the
albatross raises its nest on sticks and long
grass about two feet above the surface;
round this the penguins make their lower
settlements or rather holes in the ground,
generally eight penguins to one albatross
Though most birds perch on limbs when
they sleep, or crawl into holes in the
ground like the wren, which is found in
the hole of the prairie-dog of the plains,
the albatross is said to sleep in the air.
At night when pressed by slumber, they
rise into the clouds as high as they can,
then, putting their head under one wing,
they beat the air with thu other, appar-
emily like the girl of the song on the
flying trapeze, floating through the
air with the greatest of ease." Soon,
however, the weight of their body,
only half supported, brings them
down, and they are seen descending with
a pretty rapid motion to the surface of
the sea. They then put forth fresh efforts
to rise again, and alternately ascend and
desrend at ease. Not unfrequently while
in this sleeping state they fall on ship
board, and are easily capturedi
During the late war, when General John
Marmaduke, of the Confederacy, was
transferred from the army of Virginia to
the army of Tennessee, some OF the sol
diers of the latter army were talking
about the new general and wondering
what sort of looking man he was. Only
one of the group had seen him, and his de-
scription was that he was great tall fellow
with white hair. "Why, he's an albatross,"
he said. He meant albino. The story got
out and some of his officers used to
annoy him considerably by calling him
the "Albatross General" The general
had very white hair, ruddy complexion.
was six feet three, and only weighed Ii9
pounds.
Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1883-12-06
How Wooden spoOls are Made.

Lewiston (he.l JouInaA-
The birch is first sawed into sticks feur
or five feet long and seven-eighths of an
inch to three inches square, according to
the size of the spool TO be produced.
These sticks are thoroughly seasoned.
They are sawed into short blocks and the
blocks are dried in hot air kiln. At the
time they are sawed a hole is bored
through them. One whirl of the little
block against sharp knives, shaped by a
pattern, makes the spools at the rate of
one per second. A small boy feeds The
spool machine, simply placing the blocks
in a spout and throwing out the knotty or
defective stock. The machine is automatic,
but cannot do the sorting The spools
are revolved rapidly in drums and polish
themselves. For some purposes they are
dyed yellow, red, or black. They are made
in thousands of shapes and sizes. When
one sees on a spool OF thread 100 yards"
or 1000 yards" these words do not signify
that the thread has been measured, but
that the spool has been gagged and is sup
posed TO contain so much thread. When
a silk or linen or a cotton firm wants a
spool made it sends pattern to the spool
maker. This pattern gives the size and
shape of the barrel and of the head and
bevel. These patterns determine the
amount of thread that the spool will hold.
Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1883-12-06
rurrenieo-s Enormous Brain.

Pail Mall Gazette.
The brain of Turgenieff is said to have
weighed 20l2 grammCs. The average
weight of the human brain is 1890
grammes. Turgenieff's is said to be the
heaviest which has yet been weighed.
Cuvier's brain is said TO have weighed
1900 grammes. There are many cases in
which an extraordinary intellect has ac-
companied heavy brain, but men whose
mental superiority is undoubted by both
friend and foe had often brains under
the average weight. The cast OF Raphael's
skull shows that it was smaller than the
average British SKULL Cardinal Mezzo-
fanti's head was but of the average size; I;
Charles Dickens's head was rather smaller
than the average. Lord Byron's head was
remarkably small; Charles Lambs did
not come up to the average weight; and it
is we'll known that at the death of Gam
beta his brain was found to be smaller
than that of an ordinary Partisan ouvrier.
Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1883-12-06
FIsK's PALACE CAR.
Fitted Up Regardless of Expense and Now
Serving rs n Wreoking Car.

Fitted Up Regardless of Expense and Now
Serving rs n wreoking Car.
susquehanna. Pa, Dispatch.
On siding near the repair shops Of the
New York, Lake Erie and Western rail.
road is an old car, bearing on its side the
| legend Tool Car" 1t is used to carry
the wrecking gang of the Susquehanna
division and their tools. / was looking
at the car recently, and one Of the en-
ployes said:
81 suppose you would be surprised If
you knew to whom this car used to be-
long,"
Whose was it?' 1 asked
"This car" he replied, has rather q re-
markable history. When Jim Fisk was
president of the old Erie he had car
built for his own private use, and it was
named after Josie Mansfield. The car
was built down in Delaware somewhere,
l think, and it cost a mint OF money.
When Fisk ordered it he gave only instruc.
tions to build him car in which he could
travel and enjoy himself. When
it was finished and delivered to
Fisk he was so pleased with the
workmanship that he Immediately sent
check for $1,000 to the man who had de-
signed the car and had charge OF the
work. The actual cost of the Car was not
far from SIS 900, which in those days was
an enormous sum for one car. 1t was
fitted up throughout in the most luxurious
style. 1t was finished inside with oiled
walnut and cherry, and the panels were
adorned with oil paintings, which
alone cost a large sum. All the ap-
pointments of the car were corre-
spondingly expensive. At one end
were sleeping apartments and dressing
and toilet-rooms. The remainder of the
car was s. travelling drawing-room. In
those days the idea of taking meals on
board train was unheard OF, but Fisk
used to have wine and delicacies for
lunch, and hired butler, whose special
duty was to take charge of the car, wher-
ever it went.
pretty tall travelling. He had an engine
at his command, and when he wanted to
20 over the Erie he went flying along at a
rapid rate, regardless of the other trains,
which had to get out of the way. 1t was
Fisk who ran the fast train over the Erie
carrying relief for the sufferers by the
Chicago fire. When he made up his
mind to send out the relief train he
sent for Engineer Sam Walker of
Port Jervis to come to his pri-
vate Office. SAM he says, 4 want you
to run that train through to Port Jervis
as quick as God will let you. Ii you are
killed Pll look out for the wife and little
ones Walker took the train through in
the unparalleled time of hours and 10
minutes. Nat Taft, think, took it over
the Delaware division. At any rate it was
a tremendous run, and the Erie beat them
all into Chicago.
"Fisk was a great favorite with the rail-
L. I
for us when he was around. When Fisk
died the car was used by his successor for
awhile, and afterward did some duty on
the eastern part of the road. 1t aiterward
found its way here for repairs. When
they came to look it over they decided
that it would be useless expense to repair
it, and so, after lying on the switch for
year or two, it was turned into a wreck
ing car, as you now see it.
Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1883-12-06
The British Army.

The total average strength of the Brit
ish army in 1882 was lS9, ,229 OF all ranks,
of whom 1921 were household cavalry,
15,49S of the line, 1906 royal horse ar
ens9seEs sTg Tsg s 50ya oot as susrs 12SS FS{
fantry of the line. OF the total 1S9, ,229,
1886 were officers, and l65,776 rank and
file. The whole force was almost evenly
divided between home and foreign service,
94,295 being in the United Kingdom and
94934 abroad. OF those at home 6l, ,325
were quartered in England, 1909 in Scot
land, and 29,39l in ireland. OF those
abroad on the lst Of January last, 81, ,70j
were in India, 1859 in Egypt, and y, LIS
in the colonies.
Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1883-12-06

More than twenty different languages
are spoken in the New Hebrides group,
and on one island alone sixlanguages are
in use.
Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1883-12-06

ending June 80, 1888, is 1872 from disease,
and so from wounds, injuries and accidents.
| The casualties from actual warfare during the
| last fiscal year were few, only two reports OF
this nature having been received, involving
| the death of one soldier and the wounding
| of nine Others.
| The Third Surgical Volume, History of the
| War, has been completed. 1t presents vol
ume containing 9S6 quarto pages, devoted
TO matters relating TO the surgery OF the
| lower extremities, to materia chirurgica, to
transportation of wounded by land and wa
ter. to the work performed during the war
by the medical staff and the ambulance sys-
TEN, and a subject-matter index of all the
three surgical volumes.
The additions to the library during the
past year include 1912 volumes and about
5000 pamphlets, making the total number in
the collection about 60. 900 volumes, and g.
700 pamphlets.
The printing OF volume " of the Index
Catalogue has been completed and the
edition distributed. The manuscript of
volume V is in an advanced state of prepara-
ton. and the first part of it is now going to
press.
The use of the library by the medical pro-
feSsion of the country continues to steadily
increase. 1t is believed that this library has
now become of such importance and utility
and is so widely consulted that it should
have the means OF placing on its shelves as
soon as published every new medical work.
great or small, in all languages. To do this
will require an annual appropriation OF $lO,-
600.
The attention of Congress is again called
to the great importance to the army, TO the
medical profession, and to the nation, of
providing a suitable fre-proof building for
the safe deposit of these valuable collections,
the destruction of which would be an irrep-
arabic loss
ENGINEER DEPARTMENT.
For many years no appropriations have
been made for continuing the construction
of our forts and the barbette batteries, de-
signed for the country's defense, are incom-
plete and rapidly going to ruin. 1t appears
to be not only matter of prudence but of
absolute necessity that these works, so long
delayed, shall at once be commenced and
pushed to speedy completion.
RECORDS OF THE WAR OF THE REBELLION.
The general examination of the records,
both Union and Confederate, has been COM
pleted. Any further examination that may
be necessary will be for such missing links as
may be developed in the compilation. The
formal reports of military operations made
by the Union commanders have all been
copied, and those by the Confederate COM
manders will be copied by the end of the
next fiscal year.
Nine volumes in all have now been pub
Gshed; seven more are in the hands of the
printer nearly completed, and the manuscript
of five additional volumes is arranged for
printing.
The attention of Congress is invited to the
subject of giving substantial encouragement
to the formation of volunteer militia organ
iZations in every state, and in the District of
Columbia, by liberal appropriations to sup
ply the necessary arms, equipments, tents,
ammunition and other ordnance stores
Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1883-12-06

II the area of the United States was as
densely settled as that of France, there
would be room here for 6S0,O00,O00 peo-
pie.
Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1883-12-06

John Owens, the actor, used to wrestle
with the pestle as pill compounder in
Philadelphia,
Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1883-12-06

Within the past year leases have been
made in pursuance of the authority conferred
by law upon the secretary of the interior, of
sites within the Yellowstone park for the
erection of hotels and necessary buildings
for the accommodation of visitors: one large
hotel, at Mammoth Hot Springs, was opened
to the public in August, and camps have
been maintained during the summer at other
points of interest. As result of this pro-
vision for the comfort of tourists and the in
creased convenience of access to the park
from the completion of railroad communica-
ton to within few miles of its borders,
the number of visitors has been much greater
than heretofore. Stringent regulations have
been established for the prevention of injury
to the game and the natural curiosities and
effort has been made to protect visitors from
any unreasonable charges for services rend-
cred to them within the park
Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1883-12-06

New 1Ofk tribune.
A dispatch to the Chicago Journal from
Battle Greek, Mich, November 26, says:
'SOjourner Truth, the colored lecturer
and sibyl, died here this morning at the
aye of los years."
Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1883-12-06
. POSTAGE ON DRoP-LETTERs

II
duction of postage on drop-letters from two
cents to one cent That two cents should be
charged for delivering q letter in the citv
where it is mailed, while the same price will
transport it across the continent, is said to
be anomalous. The postmaster general.
however, argues against any reduction of the
two-cent rate on drop-letters, and remarks
that the plan OF rating postage according to
the distance of the carriage was wisely aban-
doned almost forty years ago.
At IA offices only was the cost of delivery
exceeded by the local p stage
WEIGHT FOR FIRsT-cLAss MATTER.
After careful consideration am of opin.
ion that the unit of weight for rating first.
class matter should be changed from one.
half m ounce to one ounce This change
in connection with the recent reduction OF
letter-postage from to cents, would place
this country on an equality with anv other
in respect of cheap postage. Great Britain
maintains a more liberal unit of W light for
rating letters and packages than we do.
NEWSPAPER POSTAGE.
The postage on third-class matter. embrac.
ing newspapers and periodicals sent by Others
than the publishers, is l cent per ounces.
Some of the larger newspapers
weigh more than ouncs. There
seems to be popular impression that
] cent per copy is the uniform rate for ali
newspapers. Many persons. under this i'm
preston. deposit in postoffices newspapers
which weigh more than ounces, and no,
exceeding ounces bearing a 1-cent stamp
Such papers are not entitled to be sent and
perhaps as rule are not sent. This creates
dissatisfaction and complaint. In order Ia
obviate this recommend that the rate n
postage on newspapers and periodical publi.
cations sent by others than the publishers n,
news agents, be made cent per ounces.
LOTTERIES.
recommend, as in keeping with our legis
lation, and with view to render II more
etficacious, the passage of an act orovidino
that every newspaper which contains an adj
vertisement OF a lottery, or any agency
thereof, shall be excluded from the mail.
and rendering the person who deposits If fo,
sending by mail liable to the penalties which
under existing laws he incurs for so denos;t
ing letter or circular concerning lotteries
also recommend that so far MS thew NJ,
applicable. the provisions of the Rey;sai
Statutes relating to the District of Colnmb;,
upon the subject of lotteries be extended :,
all the territories Of the United StaSes "
| POSTAL TELEGRAPH,
As to the three leading plans for establish
Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1883-12-06

The necessity for government for Alaska
is becoming very apparent. The laws of the
United States and the Territory of Washing
ton should be, as far as applicable, extended
over it, and this for the present would avoid
the necessity of q legislature. There should
be a governor, secretary, judges, marshal
and district attorney. The total expense IF
such government could not exceed $40, 900
Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1883-12-06

il may be without greatly onerous taxs,iSn, Q, ols
turbance Of business interests when nave osen
fostsrcd perhaps stimulated, by provisions o. law
once expedieut Though OF the public aeot s rsse'
ing upon US II is to be considered that Ine oolee
Tor which II was in the main incurred was the good
Of coming generations, well as OF that wnien IN
curred III and that 1t is not unjust TO them tna,
reaping measure OF the dement's u puie1.Se1 "a .ss
n1ent. But as our interest bearing public oeDt Is
over one billion and quarter Of dollars tSl.S2
4a6 OoO in exact fgures snd about S-ooVpeavo ~ an
meut for about mine and seventeen years, respect
iyely, and may not be brought in by purchase
save at heavy rates OF premium even II u can ey
tentIoI the Question, how shall hesped-up sur
plus of public money be avoided? The discussion
Of this question in former reports OF this depart
now: the views therein expreessd have not been
given up. There ought TO be a reduction tof taxa