davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-09-26
Where do Earthquakes come From.

This is question that has been
greatly revived by the earthquake re.
Gently, The Philadelphia Times very
wisely and tersely says; "Although an
earthquake of more or less destructive
ness occurs somewhere or other in this
world about once month, and it is es-
timiated that first and last some thir.
teen million human beings have per
ished by means of such disturbances,
there is to this hour no satisfactory
theory as to their origin.
'It has been noticed that earthquakes
are most frequent and violent arouud
the present lines or centres of volcanic
action, hence these sudden shakings,
rumblings and sometimes fearful open
ings of the earth's surface have been
associated with supposed volcanic ac-
tion.
"An ingenious theory is that the cen.
tres of earthquake disturbances are near
the sea or other large bodies of water
and that irruptions of igneous matter
taking place beneath the seabed large
hssures are opened and the real up
heavals began.
''In general such violent actions, as
well as the known volcanic distul ban
ces, are primarily traced to the theory
that the centre Of the earth is bed o1
fire, and that in its perpetual motions
perpetual disturbances in the upper
crust of the world must occur.
''This is at once the simple and sc
far the only theory of the origin of vol
canic and earthquake action that men
have been able TO rest in. But is pure
hypothesis, and must be, simply be
cause any many that could get neal
enough to the origin of an earthquake
to understand it would not live to tel
his story"
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-09-26
Bitten by a Cobra.

Among many instances of snake
poisoning have seen, said a traveller
in India, was strong young Brahmin
OF 20, well known to me who had been
bitten during the night while watch.
ing his maize crop. Ere | knew of IT
they had brought him into my com.
pound in front of the bungalow. As
yet he walked quite steadily, only lean.
ing slightly on the arm of another
man. There was the peculiar drowsy
look in his eyes, as from a strong mar
cotic, which indicated his having been
bitten for some time, and left but little
room for hope now. He could still
clearly tell the particulars. He had
been bitten he said, on putting his foot
TO the ground while moving off his
charpoy in the dark, but, thinking the
bite was that of a poisonous snake,
had given no more heed to the matter,
and gone to sleep again, till wakened
by his friends coming in search of him.
With some difficulty l was able to find
the bite -- very faint, no larger
than the prick from pin, but still the
unmistakable double mark Of the poi
sononous fangs. lie felt the poison,
he said, gradually ascending the limb,
and pointed to part just above the
knee, where he felt it had already
reached, the limb below that, he said
was benumbed, and painless to the
touch, like the foot when 'asleeep."
AT intervals the pointed line steadily
rising highe", and was still able to an.
sy at estons clearly on being rous-
ed. AT lie b,h it seemed to be of no use
torturing him further by keeping him
moving about, and he was allowed to
remain at rest. Shortly after this,
while being supported in sitting pos
ture, all at once, without any premoni-
tory sign, he gave one or two long
sighs, and life ceased, about an hour
after he had himself walked into the
compound. There was something ter
ribly real in pointing out each stage of
the ascending poison (as the snakebit-
ten patient always cam that was grad
ually bringing him nearer and nearer
to death, with the prospect of only an
other hour or half-hour of life remain
ing to him and yet the patient does
not seem to realize this with the keen
ness that an on-looker does, probably
from the poison benumbing at the same
time the powers of the mind as well as
of the body.
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-09-26
Bursting a Gun,

Those old enough to carry loaded
gun should be too old to play tricks
with it, They also ought to be so ia
miliar with its use as to know that a
slight resistance at the end of the muz-
zle will burst it, when fired The fol-
lowing illustrations are suggestive as
to the carelessness which arises from
Ignorance or foolhardiness
In bravado a young man placed the
muzzle of his fowling-pi under the
water and fired the charge. The re-
suit was the bursting of the barrel
near the breech and the multilation of
his hand.
Another placed and held the muzzle
of his piece against piece of plate
window glass aud fired the charge
powder and bullet. The glass was shat.
tered, so was the gun barrel.
Another instance was that of an ex,
perimenter who had heard that a can.
die could be fired from the barrel of a
gun through an inch board.
lie drove candle into the muzzle
of the gun, fired, and the explosion split
the barrel almost its entire length, anG
did not even drive the candle from tn,
muzzle.
Still another burst of gun barre
was caused by the use of wet grass fol
wad, well rammed down over
charge of shot.
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-09-26
A Spirited Indian Girl.


The Indian school at Carlisle, Penn,
under the charge of Capt. Pratt, is
working hard to answer the question.
What shall we do with our wild wardsi
It's pupils, selected from the savages of
the plains, are given n common school
education and taught trade or house
wifery. An important part of their
education is derived from association
with Christian white men and women.
How thoroughly this has revolutionized
some of them may be seen from the
following anecdote
There is a very bright and interesting
Indian girl, named Lizzie Spider, the
last being her fathers name, which she
assumed, custom the girls nearly all
follow.
A few years ago, she was at the
Indian school at Carlisle, a pupil,
where she acquired considerable knowl-
edge.
When she went back, during the
summer vacation, her father sold her to
young Ipdian brave for number of
ponies, which is the accustomed form
Of marriage among the Sioux.
She had just received enough educa-
ton to revolt against the savage life
that was to be thrust upon her, so she
ran away and lived for many months
hidden in the woods, going by stealth
occasionally to the hut of friends to get
supplies of food.
During his last visit to Yarkton,
Capt. Pratt heard of her, and after
search found her and brought her back
with him and put her in the Lincoln
School, where she now is. She says
she doesn'; want to be sold for ponies,
and cook and work for savage lazy
boots.--Philodelphja Times.
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-09-26
A Way to Grow Wise.

After reading book, or an article,
or an item of information from any re-
liable source, before turning your at
tention to other things, give two or
three minutes quiet thought to the sub
ject that has just been presented to
your mind see how much you can re-
member concerning it; and if there
were any new ideas, instructive facts,
or points of especial interest that i'm.
pressed you as you read, force yourself
to recall them. 1t may be a little
troublesome at first until your mind
gets under control and learns to obey
your will, but the very effort to think
it all out will engrave the facts deeply
upon the memory, so deeply that they
will not be effaced by the rushing in Of
a new and different set of ideas /;
whereas, if the matter be given no
further consideration at all, the i'm
preston you have received will fade
away so entirely that within a few
weeks you will be totally unable to re-
member more than dim outline of
them.
Form the good habit, then, of al.
ways reviewing what has just been
read. 1t exercises and disciplines the
mental faculties, strengthens the mem.
ory, and teaches concentration of
thought,
You will soon learn, in this way, to
think and reason intelligently, to sep
srate and classify different kinds of in
formation and in time the mind, in
stead of being lumber-room in which
the various contents are thrown to,
gether in careless confusion and dis
order, will become a store-house where
each special class or item OF knowledge
neatly labeled has its own particular
place and is ready for use the instant
there is need of it,
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-09-26
An Hour in a Base Ball Factory.


"The base ball manufacturing bust.
ness has had q rapid but prosperous
growth" said a manufacturer recently
ut is confined to few men, and pro-
badly will not be encroached upon by
speculators. There are in the United
States to-day only eight factories OF
any Importance, and yet these are en-
tirely sufficient to supply all the base
balls that are wanted in this country.
Recently there has been sort of
boom in the ball market. This is
caused by the adoption by clothing
houses throughout the country of the
custom of giving to juvenile purchas-
ers base balls as presents. The balls
are of different grades and prices. The
kind that are given away are, of course,
but quite durable. Perhaps you would
like to see how base balls are made.
Follow me and I will show you the
whole process" On the upper floor of
the establishment sat several men with
baskets of dampened chamois and
buckskin clippings at their side. Be,
fore each workman stood a stout piece
of joist, in the end of which was insert
ed mould, hemispherical in shape, 10
which the balls are formed. Taking a
handful of the cuttings from the bask-
ct, the workman pressed them together
in his hands and then wound about the
mass few yards of strong woolen
yarn. Placing the embryo ball in the
mould, he pounds it into shape with a
heavy fiat mallet, and then wound on
more yarn and gave the ball another
pounding. After testing its weight on
pair of scales, and its diameter with
tape measure, he threw the ball into
basket and began another. When
the newly-made balls are thoroughly
dried they are carried to the sewing
room on the floor Helow where they
are to receive their covers. Forty
young women sat at tables sewing on
covers of horse-hide. Grasping a ball
firmly in her left hand, with her right
hand one of the young women thrust a
three -cornered needle through the thick
pieces of the cover and drew them
firmly together. In less than ten min
utes her work was completed. A smart
girl can cover two or three dozen of
the best, and eight dozen of the cheap
er grades of balls in a day, The wages
earned weekly range from 81 to 80.
The balls are afterward taken to the
packing room, where the seams are
smoothed down and the proper stamps
are put on. The best balls are made
entirely of yarn and India rubber. My
brother was of the pioneers in this bu-
siness,' said the manufacturer. "He
was the inventor of thetwo-piece cover
now in general use throughout the
country. If my brother had only pat
ented his invention the members of our
family would now pe wearing dia-
monds instead of bits of white glass in
our shirt fronts. Ball covers are made,
almost without exception, of horse hide,
which costs So side. We used to OBJ.
tain our supply from John Carl, leath-
er dealer in the Swamp, for nearly
thirty-fiv years. We are obliged to
go to Philadelphia now, there being no
merchant here who keeps horse hide
leather. The capacity of our factory,
when we get our new moulding ma
chimes in working order, will be about
$4,000 balls daily, each machine be-
ing expected to turn out 1900 balls
day."
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-09-26

The largest tree in the world is one
discovered in 1874 in grove near
Tule River, in California. Though the
top has been broken off, it is 24O feet
high, and the diameter at the fracture
is IL feet, 1t is called "Old Moses,
from a mountain in the neighborhood,
and is thought to be 4S4O years
old. The hollow of the trunk,
which is Ill feet, will hold $50 per
sons, is hung with scenes of Califor-
mia and is carpeted and fitted up like a
drawing-room, with table, chairs, sofa
and pianoforte, A section of this tree
seyenty.fve feet round and twenty-five
across, was exhibited in New York in
1879.
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-09-26

Blotting paper saturated with solu-
tion of oxalic acid and dried, will not
only absorb the ink off blot but will
remove the blot itself if the ink is un.
mixed with indigo or aniline color.
1t might be dangerous in removing
signatures from important papers, but
a trace of the writing will still re-
main and can be made legible by add
ing forrocyanide of potassium of gallic
acid.
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-09-26

Drug store boy to prescription
clerk
Here is prescription, and the man
wants to know how long it will take to
put it up" Prescription clerk, medita-
tively-"Let me see--its about dinner
time. Five minutes to get over to din
ner, eighteen minutes to get it, and
two minutes to get back, and two min
utes to put up the prescription. Tell
the man it will take about half an hour
to put it up"
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-09-26

"Lay off your oyercoat or you won't
feel it when you go out" said the land
lord of a Western inn to a guest who
was sitting by the fire, "That's what
Pm afraid of" returned the man. The
last time l was here / laid off my over
coat, l didn't feel it when l went
out, and haven't felt it since"
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-09-26

"Ever had cyclone here ?" asked o
Kansas man who was visiting coun
try aunt in the East, "a cyclone? oh,
yes, said his aunt. Deacon Browns
son brought one from Boston spell
ago, but law he couldn't ride it. Tum-
bled off every time he tried"
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-09-26

Puscher, the Nuremberg chemist,
says paste composed of starch, gly-
cerine, and gypsum will maintain its
Elasticity longer than any other Gem
ent
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-09-26

A Philadelphia youth who was sha-
ken by the earthquake in the afternoon
and then shook by his best girl in the
evening says he didn't mind the former,
but was broken up by the latter.
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-09-26

AT Pernambuco snake of the boa
class is largely employed to drive rats
out OF houses. 1t costs fifty cents to a
dollar, and requires only a saucer Of
milk once or twice week.
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-09-26

Cases of metallic poisoning have
been traced to cheap silver-plated
pitchers. Where the lining is broken
or worn galyanic action is set up and
the base metal rapidly oxidized.
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-09-26
Thought He Was an American.

Stranger-"Ticket to Montreal, Can
ada, please?"
Ticket Agent (whispering)-"Here
it is ; lay low"
Stranger-"What?
Ticket Agent -"There is detective
right behind you"
Stranger--"What do care for de-
tectives? / came here from Montreal
on business and am merely returning
home
Ticket Agent "B eg pardon;
thought you was an American
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-09-26

In Canada one person in 1920 is
an inventor in South Carolina one
in every 2l,lS2.
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-09-26

EARrHoUAKEs.-A severe shock of
an earthquake was felt in Boston in
1875, and in many parts of the East
ern States. In Boston and the sur
rounding country houses were hurled to
the ground and general alarm prevail
ed, much greater in fact than that Gre
ated by the recent shake up. 1t has
been estimated that earthquakes are
felt the world over once in five days.
Between 1900 and 1850 $500 were
counted.
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-09-26
Rates or ApvsRTIsINq,

Yearly advertisements payable quarterly. Tran.
silent advertisements must be paidfor before Insert
cd except where parties have accounts.
Legal advertisements two dollars per inch fol-
three insertions, and at that rate for additional
Insertions without reference 10 length.
Executors, Administrators, and Auditors notices
three dollars. Must be paid for when Inserted.
Transient or Local notices, ten cents line, regu.
lar advertisements half rates.
Cards in the Business Directory column, ore
dollar year for each line.
The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-09-26

Fat COWS give poorer milk than
moderately lean ones.
Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-05-07

even twenty-five dollar license
Practically, the government cannot be
charged, In the Issuance of liquor
licenses in communities where pro-
hibition Is the law, with aiding or
abetting the vlolator of such law, but
morally II does afford him a certain
degree OF encouragement, which he
utilities. Senator ingalls, bill is step
In the direction of withdrawing this
encouragement, at the cost, too, of a
considerable loss TO the government,
for licenses to sell liquor cut very
important figure in the internal
revenue receipts. Over eight hundred
(spirituous aud malt licenses) were
issued last year in the state of Maine,
where Neal Dow and prohibition have
ruled the roost for over thirty years.
Go to any county III Texas where the
prohibition law il in force and 1t will
be found that the revenue collector
has sold liquor licenses there. II the
ingalls, bill, therefore, shall prevail, it
will be virtually boost for the pro.
hibition canse-perhaps the first step
in a movement to make the liquor
traffic national question, to loom up
as an issue full as exciting and far
more aggravating in It's aspects than
the questions of tariff, currency, etc.
Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-05-07
J.oval to Their Constituents.

Prior TO the assembling Of congress q
deal of unfriendly criticism was al'-
Piled TO Congressman Culberson ana
wellborn of this state because they
were thought to oppose the wishes oil
their constituents upon the tariff ques-
tior. TIE GAZETTE, too, among otn-
ers of the state press. dealt pretty
roughly with these gentlemen. In
deed there was cause for IL; for Mr..
Culberson had asserted through the
public press that the Democratic de-
mand for tariff for revenue only was
foolish and untenable, and had praised
the Ohio tariff plank to the skies as a
sSillfully constructed evasion OF the
issue, which might be made to mean
as much protection as one wanted
Mr.. Wellborn also wabbled badly,
and wanted to put Sam Randall
in the speakers chair, and in
other respects showed an I'M
easy orthodoxy. But they did come
up to time and vote for Carlisle, and
the people in the Fourth and Fifth
districts were pacified
Now we behold another evidence of
the thorough conversion of Messrs.
Culberson and Wellborn. They strong
ly support the Morrison bill to reduce
the tariff. and align themselves with
the revenue-reform Democrats. They
do not act as il this were an
unpleasant perfunctory duty, but their
words indicate genuine enthusiasm.
The speeches of Messrs. Culberson and
Wellborn in support of the Morrison
bill were able and honest, and both
gentlemen were heartily congratulated
upon their efforts. They put them
selves squarely on record against pro-
tective tariff, and their zeal in favor of
revenue reform is exceeded by no
member of the Texas delegation-no
even by Congressman Mills, who has
been one of the most consistent free
traders in the house.
Plainly, there must have been some
thing to cause this change. Nothing
is so potent an incentive to the
public official as the force of
public opinion. These gentlemen had
heard from home. Unmistakable
limitations were given that il
they wanted to hold their seats they
must satisfy their constituents of their
soundness upon a cardinal point OF
Democratic doctrine. The campaign
is approaching, when the voter has q
chance to make n change if things
don't suit, and fittings don't suit they
must be made to suit. 1t was time for
an expression from Washington, and
an assurance from the representatives
of the Fourth and sixth districts thai
they did not mis- epresent their con
stituents. That expression has beer
spoken and it is satisfactory.
Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-05-07

Senator ingalls, has measure before
congress, which, If 1t becomes a law,
will greatly facilitate the prohibition
lists in their war on John Barleycorn.
Stripped of its verbiage it is simply a
provision that the national govern
ment shall not issue internal revenue
licenses to sell liquors in states where
local enactments prohibit the liquor
traffic. While it IL II boost for the
prohibition cause, it is also tub
thrown to TIE states rights whale,
doubtless with a view of catching the
votes OF Democrats, who, opposed on
principle to sumptuary enactments
las laws prohibiting the selling or CIV
ing away of liquor are), are yet great
sticklers for state sovereignty. The
truth is the federal government, with
Its revenue system, has been rather an
obstacle than otherwise to the enforce
ment of prohibition laws both in
states and communities. The people
OF state, in theory sovereign as to
the regulation of their domestic affairs,
enact "A law making liquor selling n
high misdemeanor. The state will
not issue a license and essays to sup.
press the liquor traffic. The federal
government does not pay any atten.
ton to the state law. 1t issues liquor
licenses to whoever applies tor and
will pay for them. II sells them by
the hundred every year in Maine
Iowa, Kansas, aud In counties In
Texas and every other state wher,
prohibition Is local measure. Armed
with these permits from the genera
government, the liquor dealer runs his
"blind tiger" establishment or per
haps sells In open defiance of stat,
law, depending upon the laxity o
local officials or juries. The genera
government virtually legitimizes
traffic which the state declares illegiti
mate. IL is true the government, II
Issuing these revenue licenses, doe,
not propose to guarantee to the buye
thereof immunity from prosecution
IT virtually says TO him. you will
be exempt from interference on tin,
part OF United States officials, bu
10 you and your state must settle III,
5 rest" 1t simply proposes to "hand
: OIL" and the audaclous dealer, VIII,
!, would not dream of defying the ma
tional government takes the risk o
n evading or' openly disregarding stat,
u laws and usually succeeds, Secur,
J. rom federal interference, he Is tn,
q better prepared TO rick an encounie
L with the state. The latter must de
q pend upon local sentiment to catcl
:. ana punish him. The general govern
rs ment WIZ spend thousands Of dollar
d to hunthlm down and punish IL Il,
h tries to eyadc or delies the payment Q
Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-05-07

IVA, in a like area accessible to GO.
,,mbus. Welack but essential, ana
the lack of that is fatal If not over
come. We must have cheap coa'.
without that, other advantages count
ne nothing. We can get cheap coal by
building a railroad to the coai ieios'
railroads bring cheap coal, and these
two produce manufactures. Manuiac'
tnres build up and sustain a city
Fort Worth wants to be city. Con-
clusion of this proposition Is too OBJ
yious to need statement.