davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-08-09
Engineers Superstitions.
ALBANY journal.


Amsterdam is now on the dead
list" said an old grizzled engineer of
the New York Central railroad last
night as he glanced over the account
of the third fatal accident at the
crossing of that village. A Journal
reporter was ignorant of the signifi-
canoe of the dead list" He eX-
pressed his curiosity.
"By dead list / mean" said the
engineer responsibility, that that
crossing is now out of danger. Three
deaths. you know, baptizes it. That
is what the boys say. You know they
believe that if one man or woman is
killed at certain point there are
dead sure to be one or two others be-
fore long. Superstition Yes, that is
what it is and no mistake. But some
of us engineers who have run ma
chine for twenty or thirty years, as
l have, taken stock in it because we
have seen it proved time and time
again. l don't believe that three
deaths are sure to come one after an
other, but can't help wondering why
it is so often two. That's what they
call the quality, isn't it? When YOU
come to think of it, everything goes
by twoS. You have two legs, two
eyes, two hands. two ears, two nostrils
and two rows of teeth. There are
two parts to day, two divisions of
the year, winter and summer, and two
orbits of light. The pair is the
natural number. | have q record
home of the accidents that have oc-
CURED while l have been on my en-
CINE. can show you the dates to
prove that they have been in
eight cases out of ten two at
a time. Several times three
have happened in succession, but
two is the usual number. People
would say that was superstition, but
when you see it over and over again
you can't blame us. / know engineers
who will knock off for week or SO,
after an accident to their train in
which somebody has been killed,
rather than rLn the risk. There was
a case when young Platt Truax was
killed near Schenectady in 1878. You
know they are now trying three
young fellows in this city for derail-
! ing the train. A few days before a
freight on which he was running had
an accident, in which the fireman was
hurt so that he died. think he
died-but the accident was not at
the same point. 1t was west of
Schenec ady. The train men told
me afterward that Truax had
premonition of death. If had my
book here could give you heap of
information about deaths on the raj !
to show you there is something
strange in it. Anyway. most of the
engineers have rather strong fear
of repetition whenever blood is
spilled along the line. OF course,
there are those who are as supersti-
tious as old women. Those are the
fellows who see ghosts"
''See ghosts 7"
Eyes, the disembodied spirits, as
the mediums call them, or people they
have run over. Not long ago an en-
gineer you know by name resigned
because he said the spectre of wo-
man he had ground to pieces at Fon-
da used to appear every night at the
exact spot"
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-08-09
TRYING PUBLIC PATIENCE.

The public is getting tired of this
telegrapher's strike. The operators
had grievances which they had
right to place before the companies,
and that compromises have already
been effected between the operators
and two companies is proof that there
was at least partial reason for the de-
mands made upon the companies.
Here we know nothing of the strike
except its effect upon the operations
of the Western Union, which to put
it mildly has been deceiving the
public. Its officers proclaimed that
they would transact business just as
Though the strike had not occurred
announcing a readiness to take all
business on certain conditions af
fecting its transmission. Business
men have been deludec into entrust-
ing them with important dis
patches, which are not promptly
forwarded. The mails have offered
more rapid means of communication
than the electric wires, and the news
dealt out to newspapers under
contract for large service has been
neglected, and press reports have been
garbled to suit the tastes and interests
of the company. AS an exchange
says, the theory of the Western Union
to be that the strikers could
be&eceived and overawed by boasting.
1t was authoritatively asserted by the
company that ample preparation had
been made for the strike. and that ii
had resources which would imme-
diately be called into action to supply
the places of the strikers. Business
men have waited for the company to
redeem It's promise, and now, after
nearly two weeks has passed, it is
evident that the Western Union is
much worse crippled than on the first
day of the strike. In New York and
other cities the commercial organiZa
tons are demanding settlement OF
the differences between the operators
and their employers. The sentiment
expressed is that it is the duty of the
telegraph company, ga monopoly that
has dictated terms to large class OF
educated laborers," to open the way
for negotiations. In some of thu
large cities power of the law. as {
remedial agent, is being invoked
Suits for damages resulting from tn,
failure OF the company to promptly
transmit messages are being insti
tuted. Under the strain of publ,
opinion, and the prospects of heavy
costs in the courts for business dam
ages to customers, the telegraph
bosses will probably soon be COMPEL
ed to abandon their defiant attitud,
and come to terms with the strikers
1t would seem that the difference
r0uid be settled svomptly and salts
factorily by an impartial board of ar
filtration, as has been suggested b,
the New York board of trade an,
TRANSFORMATION.
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-08-09

THE English syndicate purchasing
Confederate bonds threatens to lnt1u-
ence public opinion in Europe, so as
to make it impossible for any South
ern state, or for any county, mu-
nicipality, or corporation, in the
Southern states, to borrow money or
sell bonds in Europe, unless these
states recognize the bonds as a debt
and pay them. Our advice is for the
states, counties, municipalities and
corp rations of the South to let the
syndicate go to perdition. 1t is COM
posed of villainous set of black
mailers, and no decent money
agency will be influenced
by it. AS far as that
is concerned it would be just about
the best thing for the Southern states
to cease to be borrowers. Those who
need money should ask it of the people
through taxation ra her than pay
these English blackmailers for en-
dorsement. Their endorsement, to
tell the truth, is worthless, and they
are beneath the notice of the honest
and decent financiers of any country.
Touching this scheme the Philadel-
phia Record says:
As the scheme to induce the south
ern states to recognize the validity OF
the bonds of the Confederate States
develops itself it sinks even below the
level to which the Record assigned it
when it was first preached 1t was
then regarded as only common con-
fidence swindle, by which simpletons
might be induced to buy the bonds
for 5 or per cent of their face, hav-
ing cost the present holders about 81
to Sc per $1,000. But it now appears
probable that the operation has at
tanned to the proportions of black
mailing scheme. The syndicate in
terested threatens to influence public
opinion in Europe to such an extent as
to make it impossible for anv south
ern state, county, municipality or
corporation to borrow money or sell
its bonds in England or on the conti-
nent until the southern states pro-
vide for the payment of at least II
per cent of the Confederate bonded
debt. 1t is useless to waste words on
such folly. If such combination be
formed it may not, after all, be mis-
fortune to the south. Plenty of capt.
tai for internal Improvements that
promise to pay we'll can be had in the
north, and if the southern states are
shut out from indiscriminate borrow
ing for few years they will be richer
in the end. But none the less the
meanness of the European syndicate
deserves universal contempt.
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-08-09

The Baltimore Herald says that
some of the Southern states would
go Republican in case OF Buffers
nomination by the Democrats for the
presidency. The Herald is hunting
a most distant excuse for strengthen
ing the Republican party. 1t is so dis
tant, in fact, that the point will never
be reached. Butler may do as the
Democratic governor of Massachu-
sets, but he can never be the Demo-
cratic nominee for the presidency,
though in event of certain permanent
political changes in New England he
might be found most acceptable for
some great position of trust. Heis de-
cided reformer, and would be the very
sort of man to unearth Republican
villainles, perpetrated for over
twenty years.
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-08-09

1T APPEARS that the late demand
: for Confederate bonds finds it's origin
in the operation of a safe deposit COM
pany, formed in London, and in the
gullibility of Englishmen. Thisco
pany, at the head of which is a noble
lord and two members Of parliament,
have notified holders of these bonds,
that they will be accepted on deposit
and held for payment; that the com
Pany viii give receipts for the bonds,
and that these receipts will have a
value in the stock exchange; that
the most powerful agencies will rep
resent the company, enforcing plan
of payment by the southern states,
the aid of the Federal govern
ment in the undertaking be-
ing a part of the plan of
coercion. In view of the alluring
promises the gullible buy bonds and
take the receipts, and these receipts
represent prospective millions. OF
course the company has lot of sala-
ried officers, and a condition is that
the depositors pay an assessment for
their salaries. 1t is simply a syndi-
: cate of swindlers, who know the
bonds are not worth the paper upon
which they are printed. The Con-
federate bonds are on their face due
and payable only in stated number
of years after the declaration of peace
between the Confederacy and the
United States-an event which has
not yet happened and will never hap
pen. The fourteenth amendment to
the constitution declares that neither
the United States nor any state shall
assume or pay any debt or obligation
incurred in aid of Instruction or re-
'bellion against the United States, or
any claim for the loss or emancipa-
ton of any slave; but all such
~debts, obligations or claims shall be
held illegal and void" This ought to
be conclusive to every human being
except Englishmen and idiots.
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-08-09

WHEN an individual or a country
produces more than can be consumed
it is with a view Of selling the eX-
cess. If the consumers cannot be
found at home, it is necessary to seek
them abroad. But the protective sys-
tenn is an obstruction to this natural
course of trade. The system stimu-
lates production and at the same time
limits consumption to the home mar
ket. When there is over production
under the undue stimulus Of high du-
ties, the excess cannot be sent abroad
except at a loss to the producers.
This has been witnessed over and
over again in the iron manufacture
and in every other industry subject to
the operation of the protective duties.
What this country wants is an outlet
for the surplus productions of its in
dustry and skill, an to this end the
unnecessary taxation through the
tariff must cease.
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-08-09

EFFORTS are being made to show
that Judge Hoadly is free-thinker
Thomas Wentworth Higgenson, Re.
publican and president of the free re.
ligion association, states publicly that
the organization, of which the judge
lis a member, is anything but an inf
del organization. On the contrary, il
aims to secure religious freedom to
Catholics, Protestants and Jews. The
society may be beneficial. but its OBJ
jects are fully secured by the constitu.
Ation of the United States.
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-08-09

SOME of the papers regard Mr.. Fry
mier's candidacy as rather previous.
So it may be; but they do not know
how really previous it is. He was
figuring to look after the cash bal
ance during the session of the legisla-
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-08-09
UGLY CHARGES.

Secretary Chandler Will hardly give
up his cabinet position because of his
defeat in the race for the New Hamp-
shire senatorship, but his defeat
shows that the federal administration
is not as strong in that state as it
might be. In the late contest, too,
there were charges brought against
the admiral which, if he has nice
sense of honor, he can hardly avoid
asking to have Investigated. 1t is not
expected, of course, that men occupy
ing high official positions will bother
themselves with the ordinary charges
made by political enemies. The
charges made against Mr.. Chandler
by Mr.. Cramp. however, are not
ordinary in their character and
do not grow out of political
feeling. They are very grave, and
involve the official integrity Of Mr.
Chandler. They cannot, therefore
very well be passed over in silence
especially as they are made by man
whose position is such that he car
hardly afford to make charges Oh
mere rumors. The charges that MIR
Cramp makes are that John Roach:
influence made Mr.. Chandler secre
tary of the navy; that there was
secret understanding between Roacf
hnf Ehnn6lnr
arrange it so that Roach should secur'
the contracts for building The new
steel cruisers, and that final,
Roach undertook to put Chan
dler in the senate, with the under
standing that Chandler should do hi
best to secure extra allowances t,
Roach for building the cruisers. l
these charges be true Mr.. Chandle
cannot, of course, continue to admin
lister the affairs OF the navy. Th
only way to find out whether they ar
true or not is to investigate them, AM
, even the truth may not be discovered
No doubt the next house will orde
an investigation. A Democrat
House discovered Robeson's crook
= edness, and Democratic cor
gress may find that Mr.. Chan
dler is little better than Nj
| Robson was. 1t may be tina
Mr.. Cramps failure to secure any c
' the contracts for the new war vessel
y has so embitterGd him that he make
charges without sufficient reason.
, so. there ought to be an investigator
to vindicate Mr.. Chandler. 1t
; rather suspicious, however, that M
, Roach's bids should have been so IA
, below the estimates. 1t is also Whl'
G pered in Washington that Roach
contracts are not drawn in strict col
, formity with the law. 1t is not at a
improbable that this Roach Chandlt
business will furnish the Democrat
party with some good campaign thu
, der.
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-08-09

MARKANDAYA says: MAN becomes
learned by lying down with his head
eastward, acquires strength and
longevity by lying down with his
head southwark, becomes troubled
with distressing thoughts by lying
down with his head placed westward,
and brings upon himself disease and
death by lying down with his head
placed northward." So now whip
your beds around to suit your tastes
and desires; even commit suicide by
sleeping, if desirable.
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-08-09

license shuts off the worst class of
saloons and makes the traffic pay a
large proportion of the cost entailed
upon the public by it. There is a
sound reason in this. They claim the
right to sell, and if their selling en-
tails cost in the way of maintaining
courts. police, prisons, poorhouses, etc,
they ought not to ask that the
people be taxed for such purposes, but
ought willingly bear all the burdens
their business entails.
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-08-09

THE American Cultivator, devoted
to agriculture, horticulture and fami-
ly miscellany, is one of the most at
tractive of all the papers of it's class.
No wonder its publisher claims for it
the largest circulation of any weekly
agricultural paper in the United
States. 1t is published at Boston
Mass, by George 3. James. Subscrip.
ton price. So
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-08-09
Translated from the Omnibus: The

lrdnSldGeu IrOIn Inc OMNIBUS: Inc
Mr.. Younglawyer dances with the
daughter of the house, who an orna-
mented fan of elephant bone in the
little hand holds. Her hot brow
moves the cooling to, when, Oshucks,
justles neighbor on her, the fan out
falls of her hand and breaks into sew
eral pieces. Gracious lady," cries
comforting the Mr.. Younglawyer, "if
l an elephant were, believe You me, /
should from nae instantly a tooth out
draw and TO- you new fan thereout
mako 1et :"
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-08-09

1t is estimated that from 10000 to
100000 tons of charcoal are annually
made in the United States. No better
way to get through forests. 1t was
this which, more than anything else,
deprived Ireland OF hers. Few coun-
tries are now more barren of timber,
although tradition AYERS that a squir-
rel could once travel from tree to
tree from Antrim to Kerry.
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-08-09

To PROVIDE for increased taxation,
with millions accommodating in the
treasury, is an absurdity, which can
be explained only in the fact that
there are a great many politicians
who want to provide more remuner
alive pickings to local rings, of which
they are part.
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-08-09

THE Courier-Journal claims to have
Information of a reliable character
that President Arthur, Governor Eos.
ter, of Ohio, and their managers and
followers, have arranged to work to-
gether to fix up the Republican ticket
for 1884. Arthur is to have the first
place and Foster the second.
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-08-09

TWENTY-FIVE per cent of the Brit
ish troops at Cairo and II per cent at
Alexandria are sick. The cholera and
climate are doing what Arabs regi-
ments could not effect. And without
ckhe troops it's impossible to enforce
en- a semblance of sanitary regula-
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-08-09
POraker's ForIorn Hone.

washington Post, DEM
Judge Foraker will not make votes
by raising the "bloody shirt howl
His recent reference to "cruel assas.
sination, bloody murder, horrible
butchery, kuklux, white leaguers, bull
whip and shotgun" recalls the bel,
lowing of Boutwell, in 1879 and the
early months of 1880, before Grant
declared that "the gray" was as loyal
as "the blue"
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-08-09
A BIOOdthirsty Kentuckian.


We do not know exactly how mar
row an escape President Arthur ha6
on Friday from the fate of Garfield
but according to the Hon. Phi
Thompson, of Kentucky, it was very
narrow indeed. The Kentuckian Wis.
tied the president to seek an Office fol
a constituent, and was so 'cavalierly'
treated that if he had not had the
self-control to leave the room he
should have felt compelled to "res emit
the conduct of the president. That
Thompson's resentment might have
taken the same form as Guiteau's did
is probable from the fact that ne has
already murdered man who, he
thought, had injured him. The incl
dent, if correctly reported, suggests
the propriety of this reckless ruffian
being Kept in Kentucky, where his
peculiar sense of honor could be sat
isfied by the lives of citizens who
approve his past life. If he must be
left in Washington his visits should
be confined to the Office of the COM
missioner of internal revenue.
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-08-09
Appealing to RepabIIcan Organs.

AS the Republican organs have
kindly settled the speakership ques-
ton for the Democrats, they might
kindly suggest the best man the lat
ter could pick out for the presidency.
Better still. they might undertake to
demonstrate the folly of a Democrat
aspiring to the white house. If sue
cessful they would save the country a
great deal of trouble.
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-08-09
Low Taxes the Main Plank.

From the MCKINNEY BLACK WaXeyI
The main plank in the Democratic
platform of Texas is that the Democ-
racy are in favor of low taxes. To
adopt the amendments proposed to the
constitution would increase taxation
twofold, which is anything but moth
ing. Old Collin, the banner Demo-
cratic county, will maintain her right
to the proud distinction by promptly
voting down the amendments.
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-08-09
The Logic Of Figures.
New York world.l

On the comparative Democratic and
Republican vote in all the states OF
the Union in 1882 the Democrats were
in popular majority of over 100000.
The country has thus declared in
favor of Democratic rule, The YER
dict of the people has already been
rendered. 1t will be reiterated in
1883 and 1884. 1t will be enforced
There must and shall be change.
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-08-09

A curious case of sensitive skin has
been observed in female patient at
one oil the Berlin hospitals. 1t was
found that if a name was written
upon it with nail or blunt piece of
wood the flesh rose at once over the
marked track to the heighth of
several millimetres. showing the
writing very plainly. After awhile
it vanished. SO many persons have
thus written their names on her body
that she is called the autograph
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-08-09

SENATOR MORGAN has firm con-
viction that Thomas F. Bayard is
destined to become president of the
United States. The realization of
such a conviction would be one of the
happiest things that could befall this
country
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-08-09

THIRTY cents on the hundred dol
lars is more than the state needs. Its
effect is the piling up of an idle sur
plus in the treasury. Why, then,
vote to double the tax, to provide
money for waste, for the widest
profigacy.
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-08-09

THAT Polk verdict is bad thing
for Alabama. Ex-Treasurer Vincent
will hereafter keep himself strictly
incognito, and the distance from the
scenes of his defalcation will be abso-
lntely enchanting to him.
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-08-09

JUDeE KINNE. the Democratic
: candidate for gesernor of Iowa. has
opened the campaign in that state.
He shows himself square-out free
trader and declares for licensed regu-
lation of the liquor traffic. Kline
may not be elected, but he has the
Republicans on the run.
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-08-09

THE Pennsylvania Democrats en-
dorse Gov. Pattison's administration.
Rhe election this fall is for but two
state offiaes. The convention met
Wednesday and the wires told of its
doingS.
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-08-09
Play or Pay.
utica Herald, (Rep.) !

A telegraph company is a common
carrier. AS such it is bound to trans
NIT all messages rendered it. 1t is no
excuse that its men refuse to work (; it
is bound then to get other men. Eye
~ person offering a message, and fail
ing to secure its delivery. has claim
for damages against the company del
inquent. 1t will not take long, if the
strike continues and has reached the
dimensions that seem probable, to pile
up claims for damages against the
Western Union sufficient to destroy
its dividents for the next fifty years.
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-08-09

Great excitement prevails in Rus
sci, Ark, over the discovery of gold
mine few miles west of that place,
which assays $l0.2S in silver and
S11.O3 in gold per ton. 1t is thought
the ore extends all along the divide
between Red and White rivers. 1t
crops out at Salado, Greenbrier, and
near Buck Horn.
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-08-09

SUIT has been brought against the
owners of quantity of whisky burn
ed in an Indiana distillery, upon
which $4,000 of taxes were due
The owners claimed an exemption
but their claim was not admitted.
The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-08-09

HENDRICKS, Mcdonald and Sunset
Cox are going to Iowa to serve the
Democratic cause. Uncle Sammy
stays at Graystone. saving the inter
est he clips from bonds.