davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-03-19
GunpOWdcr,

"There is popular delusion regard
lgthe amount of powder used in war
lrre," said a gentleman whose business
is the manufacture of pOwdcr-making
machinery, and who has made hobby
If explosives. CAS- a matter of fact
he continued, "much more powder is
ourned in times of peace than in me-
Of war. The average daily consumpe
ion of powder in the United States is
100 tons. In battle in which 10000
men fired 40 rounds EACH less than
one-quarter Of an ordinary days quota
of powder would be used. In the con-
struction Of the Hoosac Tunnel more
powder was exploded than in the Civil
War, and a single large coal mine will
use almost as much. The coal trade
consumes more powder than any other
3ingleinterest. quantity is exported,
and the rest is usei in civil engineer
ing,in the manufacture Of pyIotechnics.
for sporting and military purposes, and
by the government in firing signals and
salutCs.
"The manufacture of powder" con-
!inued the explosive enthusiast, "is =
line art. have been Unidentified with
the powder interest for twenty-five
years, and | have observed that it is
associated with only the best and high
est types of civilization. Second-rate
nations cannot manufacture it success
fully Scientific and mechanical ability
of a high order is required in making
lrst-class gunpowder. The same Is
true of firearms. The Chinese were
the first to use gunpowder generally,
and they still make and use it extern
sively; but Chinese powder is very
crude compared with that Of American
or even English manufacture.
"Gl.npowder and the finest quality
os blasting powder are made of three
parts of saltpetre, and one Part of char
coal and birthstone of equal quantities,
In the cheaper grades Of blasting pow
der, nitrate of soda is substituted for
saltpetre. The largest beds of salt
petre are in Hindustan, and for long
time the English had complete control
over the saltpetre market. The primo
pal deposits of nitrate of soda are in
Chilli, near the boundaries Of Per.
Some years ago an experimenting
American discovered that when nitrate
OF soda, which is obtained for less than
cent pound in Chill, is mixed with
muriate of potash, which is procured
at a nominal expense in Germanythere-
sui is complete change of their bases,
anG the pr 'ducts are nitrate of potash,
or sSltpeure, and muriate of soda, or
,omr'un salt. Through this happy
discovery, two products, each many
times moro valuable than the original
materials, we're secured, and the British
monopoly with its eXorbitant prices
was broken. The essential ingredient
Of tunpowder, as Of nitro-glycerine and
Of several other explosives, is nitric
acid. d.--Nclg York sun.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-03-19

Some time ago l opened daily jour
nal and read this touching paragraph:
| read how there was brought out one
morning from the prison of one of our
police stations in New York man
whose very countenance showed that
he was made for better place and Il
higher calling, He carried an empty
sleeve. Called up to the bar of the
police magistrate he was asked his
name.
ale said, 81 am Sergeant Maxwell,
of Fifth United States cavalry and
then, drawing out a half-empty flask
from his pocket and holding it up, he
sad "ln Sheridan's raid in the val
ley of Winchester, when our command
er came down to rally us, l swung
out that arm, and the shot of the enc
my carried it off, and then holding
up the flask he said "The only enemy
have ever met who has conquered me
is that" The police magistrate SEN
fenced him back to his CELL and carry
ing his empty sleeve, and empty purse,
and his empty character, and his emp
ty life, this young man, born for bet.
ter things, went off to take his place
among the victims of strong drink.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-03-19
The First Million Grecnbacks.

Mr.. Sturtevant, of the stationery di-
vision of the treasury, carried the first
100000 of greenbacks from Washing
ton over the mountains to the West.
"The greenbacks," says he, "werc in
common mail! bags and l had to sit
with u loaded revolver to watch them
/ remember il was in October, and
though warm in Washington, it grew
bitter cold when we got on the noun
tains. l had neglected to bring my
overcoat and l almo,t froze. Icarried
the money via Pittsburgh to Cincinnati,
and few months later l took another
100000 in the same way. After this
it was noised abroad that the green
backs were being distributed in this
unsafe way, and the government made
a contract with the express companies
to carry them"
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-03-19
WHOLE NO. 2l63.
Worship OF the Sun.

Richard Proctor, the celebrated Eng
Iish astronomer, says: In old times men
worshipped the sun as d god. They
knelt in alteration before bis glorious
orb and raised their voices in supplica'
ton to him, as to a being who could
hear their prayers and grant them
what they wished. How widely prev
alcnt that religion Of sun-worship was,
we cannot now tell; but there are traces
in the purer religions of later times Of
that old system. Even in our own
time, qttite a number of ceremonial OH
scrvances can be referred back to The
time when the rising and setting sn''
was regarded as a gol, when the an.
nual movement Of the sun, carrying
him now below, now above the equator,
was followed as the motion of deity
now withdrawing, anon renewing his
favoring glances, while tile critical
epochs when the sun-god was passing
the equator, ascendingly or descending
ly, were celebrated as religious festt
vals, of which the Feast Of the Pass
over land our own Easter In its season
al or astronomical aspect) and the
Feast of the Tabernacles are afum.
brations, though associated now with
purified religious ideas. We are apt tc
smile at these old faiths, if we do not
utterly contemn them; but in sense
they were reasonable enough at tho
time when they prevailed, If under
any circumstances men might forget
the Creator and worship the creature,
it was in the case of sun-worship Tc
say truth, there is no apter emblem OF
the Deity than the sun. Tvo glorious
to be regarded save as through a veil,
the sun is the source Of every form OF
force existing on this earth. His might
is eXerted for our benefit even when
we see him not In the night hOurs,as
well as throughout the day, the sun is
at work holding not only the earth, but
his whole family Of planets, at their due
distance to receive his rays. When he
is hidden behind dense clouds, when
darkness encompasses the earth, he is
still at work for us. Nay, the very
clouds which hide his rays are due to
his labor on our behalf; even when
their gloom seems greatest, they are
preparing under his bcneicent beams
to drop fatness on the earth Science
however which has shown the sun as
the true source Of clouds and rain, hail
and snow, wind and storm, of all the
material forces at work in the air, on
the seas, and on land, the nOuriSher of
vegetation and of every form OF life,
shows that he works according to nat
ural laws. Sun-worship is shown by
science to bu'a gross materialstic rell-
gion, 1t has been rejected as unworthy
of reasoning men, understanding what
the sun really is In this science has
done what over and over again science
has had to do, and has been reproaehed
for doing-until, with the advance of
knowledge it has b en- seen that in
pointing ont what is material and un.
worthy in the crudcr forms Of worship.
science has not been materialistic, but
the reverse.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-03-19
that object, but was told one day that

that object, but was told one day that
had lost it all.
"l'm not business man, you know:
and then | thought I'd teach water
colors; and well, you've been my
only pupil, you know 50 I've got to
say good-by; and there's something
else I'd like to tell you-but you might
be offended"
"Oh, no." said Miss Elizabeth.
You'll forgive me. Thanks said
Mr.. Buckle. "Well, it is this-if l
hadn't been such Il poor beggar I'd
have asked ycu if you could like me
enough to marry me. 1neyer met any
one 30 nice indeed, | never did; and
our tastes ale alike, and all that. I'll
try not to think of it more than I can
help, but | felt that | must tell you
before we parted for ever"
Miss Elizabeth had put her handker.
chief to her eyes, and now was heard
to whisper something.
"Beg pardon said Mr.. Buckle
I--Pve got plenty" said Miss
Elizabeth
"PlentyS" repeated Mr.. Buckle.
Money!" gaspcd Miss Elizabeth,
PLENTY for both"
"You kind little woman" said Mr..
Buckle, and took her hand.
The brushes lay neglected, the color
dried on the palette.
They sat thus for long while, thec
"If you really love me- said Mss
Elizabeth, "it doesn't matter which
has the money"
"ltsawfuly sweet ofyou to feel that
way" said Mr.. Buckle. "Only, would
it be right of me, you know? What
would your family say"
In the mellow twilight that had be.
gun to steal over the empty little room
Miss Eli2abtth's face looked wOnder-
fully soft and young as she looked up
at him; but | think she scarcely could
have done what she did but for that
fancy picture of himself which he had
made for his landlord If she were not
brave now she felt he might indeed
be found pendant from a branch some
where.
"1Ieaveu knows. I'm of age she
said, with little laugh; "and a family
that has left me alone at a boarding
house may say what it pleases; don't
care"
at is the right spirit" said Mr..
Buckle. 81 think it very fine, and |
shall be made so unutteraIly happy by
it, my dear"
They kissed each other in the twi-
light, and left the room together arm
in arm.
Il 4
at was very sly of Elizabeth. We
expected more confidence said the
Oldest sister to her friends shortly after
''But she has married well-a celebra-
ted artist, exceedingly rich, presume
they all are. His name is Buckle"
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-03-19
SHORTHAND WRITING.


HCpOrts OF v Itut meetings,
"Some years ago, when l was on one
Of the Cincinnati papers" said Mr..
John Richie, the stenOgrapher, 81
perform 0 what still regard as my
most notable Stenographic feat"
What was that"
Il was assigned one night TO make a
verbatim report of a lecture by the
Rev. Henry Ward Beecher. The train
in which the distinguished pulpit ora
tor was TO arrive Glanced to be latG
that night. The lecture which was to
have begun at s o'clock, did not start
until about 1045. ! saw at once that
! would have to move hastily to get
the report ready before the paper went
to press, as it would be late before the
speaker had finished. How did
manage it? Well, prepared great
number of small, narrow strips of pa
per. 1t was 1915 when Beecher spoke
his last sentence. Then / got six men
around me to translate while ] dictat-
ed from my short hand notes. ! gavo
ten or fifteen words to each man at I!
time, which they wrote out on narrow
strips and another man with paste
pot and brush arranged the copy in or
der on the larger sheets. st l:4j
the lecture was in the hands Of the
compositors, and it appeared complete
in the papers that morning, Yes, THAI
was sabout the biggest thing | have
done.
"Do you remember the investigation
5f Judge Blodgett by congressional
committee? One day during the pro-
ceedings my stenographic notes made
256 pages of solid type.writing, or
about nine columns of reading matter
in one of the blanket-sheets. y page
Of type-writing will average 800 words.
solid, or about $50 words Of testimony
where the paragraphs are numerous.
On that day was through by 9 p. IN.
| had one assistant part of the time,
and never more than two. But lhaEe
often taken notes alone and single
handed sufficient to make 200 pages Of
type.writing, and would always lie
through early in the evening Since
the type writer has been introduced we
can make five copies about as easy as
one by using carbon paper Day after
day ! have produced 400 pages of long
hand copy, Transcribed from my notes
One page of long-hand will equal
about half-page of type'writing. We
have typc-writing operators who will
turn out ten pages an hour
"Since 1868 l have always managed
A corps of reporters in the presidential
convention. / regard one Of these ma
tional conventions as the most difficult
kind of reporting that is done--worso
even that congressional reporting. 1t
is never-ending talk from the molnent
the convention opens until it adjournsr
and at times the excitement and con-.
fusion is stupendous, In the Tilden
convention at ST. Louis five of us kept
along with the proceedings each day.
and made five copies with the stylus.
We also did the Garfield and Hancock
conventions. We recorded every
word, and they were all written up
and Transcribed within five or ten min
utes after the adjournment each day.
The stenographer of Il great political
convention needs q large and varied
fund of knowledge pertaining to pub
! lie afTairS. ."-ChicG0O NeUN.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-03-19

"Are you fond of dates?' asked he
as he passed the fruit to his betrothed
"Very much so," replied she, and then
she coyly added, 81 know of a sweeter
date than this" "What date is that? 2
oueried he. "'rhc date of our mar.
riage,' scftly responded the gentle one
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-03-19

miss Brown, | have been to Learn
how to tell fortune" said u fellow to
a brisk brunette; give me your hand
if You please" La! Mr.. White, how
sudden you are. Well, 60 ask pa
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-03-19
Rutland Business Cards.
BERWICK HOTEL,

hNHOHHNHHDSV4N'H II FVTFy
RUTLAND VERMONT I
Heated Throughout by Steam,
Good Sample Rooms, Billiard Room AMI
Livery Stable connected with the Hotel
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-03-19
The Life. Let dgcr.

Our suf1erings we reckon DER.
With skill minute and formal;
The cheerful eNse that fills the score
We treat as merely normal.
Our list ofills, owiull, how great.
We mourn onr lot should fall so;
] wonder, do We calculate
Our happiness also?
Were it not best 10 keep account
Of all days, if of any?
Perhaps the dark ones might amour
To not so very many,
Mems looks are nigh as often gay
As sad, or even solemn;
Behold, my entry for to-day
Is in the "happy' column
The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1884-03-30
Benedict Highland.

A News reporter while skirmishing
around yesterday for local items drop
ped into the handsome offices of Webb &
Nichols the live real estate men, on Water
street
''What about that new town of yours?
the faberite inquired of the junior of the
firm :"
Benedict Highland?' p
Yes, Benedict Highland, what is it
and where is it and what about it,"
'Well, you can say that it is the pret-
tiest and handsomest site for a town in
Florida, Mr.. Reporter. It's fifty-six
miles out on the Florida Southern and
one Of the finest situations in the State,
with plenty of altitude, a fine climate
the year round good water and located
right among the collonaded pines"
lone thousand acres originally, but
much Of it has been sold off into five
and ten acres, for residences and orange
groves nearly half of the tract has been
disposed ofalready."
"Who to-"
"Well, sundry people. Some of the
married men are going to settle here at
Palatka and build fine residences are
going to have their orange plants out
there In short we are going to build
splendid hotel right away, and go to
work in dead earnest to make it the
most charming spot in this section. We
have reserved fifteen acres for park,
laid out our avenues and lots and now
we want the population and we are get
ting that every day"
There seems to be no abatement in
the tide of immigration here and else
where in FLORIDA Mr. Nichols?'
Not a bit of it, never saw anything
like it. Look here in my office at this
moment There's a gentlemen over
there from Maine, and there's another
from Boston, and there are others in
that grup, all northerner's, strangers in
quiring for land to make permanent
homes. You can say, that all are get
ting what we haven't been getting here
tofore in Florida, more permanent all
the-year-round settlers then / have ever
known. and good people too, people who
have money to build luxurious houses
and grit to work if they desire to-"
The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1884-03-30
AlnlaTGCS.

This wear four million of almanacs have
been issued. Considering this deluge.
how strange it seems that this production
should ever have been a monopoly? Such
however was the case in England from
the time of James I. 10 the opening of
the American revolutOn-a period Of one
hundred and seventy-fve years-and to
effect its abolition required all the elo-
quence Cf Frskine Benjamin Franklin
began his Poor Richard almanac in 1872,
and continued it for twenty-six years.
The sale was enormous, and yet, at the
lapse of a century. it was found impOssl-
ble to obtain a complete set. A publish
er. who wished to republish the work,
succeeded after five years search in get
ting eighteen numbers, and after his
death they We're sold for twelve dollars
apiece. 1t is said that Franklin deeply
regretted the necessity of discontinuing a
work in which he took such a deep inter
est, but public duty required it. He is
said to have been the first American to
make use Of a nom de plume" and in
issuing his almanac he preferred the 10
cal character of Richard Saunders to
plain Ben Franklin. Poor Richard was GER
tainly happy thought, and itproved the
most popular hit Of the age. 1t may be
added the New England almanac, issued
by Isaac Thomas, Of Worcester, was a
worthy successor to Poor Richard. 1t
was begun in ITS, and continued for for
ty-two years, being in its day one of the
most popular issues of the press, but a
still more remarkable instance is found
in the New England Almanac and Far
mer's Friend, issued by D. NJ. Daboll, of
Groton, Conn. This publication has been
continued in the family for one hundred
and twelve years, and is now in the
hands of the third generation. Itretains
the old fashion Of weather predictions,
and might have been good authority for
Bottom and his dramatic associations.
The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1884-03-30
More Boats For Florida.

A special to the Florida Herald from
Cincinnati says Morten Bros, Of No 36
East Second street, this city, have con-
tracted with Enos, Hill & Co., of Gallo
polls, o., for the necessary machinery of
the largest propeller that has ever been
built on the Ohio or Mississippi river by
private Individually. The hull is to be
1856 feet long, % feet beam, and 10 feet
hold and will go to Florida. The Messrs-
Morten are stockholders in corporation
that was organized under the laws of
Kentucky as The Florida Hotel and Navi-
cation Company to build a hotel at Pal
atlla. on the ST. Johns River, and they
own an orange grove at Spring Garden,
on Lake Dexter. Captain William I'm
derwood, who owns a grove at DeLand,
is believed to be interested in the enter
prises of the company.
Arrangements have been consumated
under which the Minnie Bay will leave
here near the last of May for the st.
Johns river, to run in connection with
the Chesapeake, which leave here May 1.
The former Ohio river packet Fannie
Dugan, which was recently sold by Cap
tain c. B. Smith tothe DeBary Line, has
again been sold by the latter to Captain
JOSEPH Smith of JacksonviIleo torun from
Jacksonville to Sanford, 21O miles, es-
pecially as a summer boat, and connect
with the Astatula, which runs from San
ford to Indian river, about 100 miles, and
is owned by the purchaser of the Fannie
Dugan.
The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1884-03-30
Ignorant Political Mentors.

Philadelphia Record GndD.
Positively the most amusing thing in
current politics has been the effort Of dis
tinguished editors to relieve congress of
its responsibilities as to tariff legislation
by kindly advising leading members
what they should do. The fun may be
better appreciated when it is known that
at least one of the congressional men
tors could not tell the rate of duty on
three articles out of the thousands on
the tariff list
The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1884-03-30

Lord Robert Cecil, son Of the Marquis
Of Salisbury, proposes to deprive the
British commons Of the power of inter
fering in the foreign affairs of Great
Britain. He would make the term of a
cabinet five years, Independent Of votes
of censure. This fad" is gotten up with
the idea Of ridiculing the proposition to
abolish the house of lords.
The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1884-03-30
md even across the river. "

and even across the river"
whats going up over there 2"
Mr. Hibbard smiled knowingly-and
we promised not to give it away-you
cln say that it will a5tonish lhe natives.
he said cautiously, and free steam ferry
will add to the convenience of going over
to see it.
The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1884-03-30

The grave of the celebrated Kit Carson
Is at Taos, n. NJ, and the Grand Army
posts of that territory are about to take
steps to erect a suitable monument to his
memory. A son of the old mountaineer
is in the employ of ex-senator Dorsey on
his cattle rancho.
The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1884-03-30

In France 1900 of elementary teachers
ale said to receive yearly salaries of from
800 TO 700 francs each, or about S120 to
$40. There are nearly so, 900 others who
are remunerated on different scales, but
who in no case receive more than 1000
francs a year.
The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1884-03-30

The above IS an eXplation Of what appears to
be discrepancies in the pamphlet. I have en-
deavored TO correct and explain them for no
other reason than TO do justice TO myself
and all concerned
Very humbly.
J. j. SAWYER,
Clerk of Council
The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1884-03-30

ARTHUR. President Arthur will give
a dinner party to Gen. Grant, dating it
at as early day as the latter is able to
go out in the evening.
The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1884-03-30
AN EXPLANATION
Ofthe City's Accounts by Clerk Saw
yer---Ir. Notes Pamphlet Review
ed hr the CifN,s OficiaI

fthe City's Accounts by Clerk Saw
yer--Mr Notes Pamphlet Review
ed by the City's Official.
The following is the bill which was paid at
that time:
Variations in amounts between monies au-
thorized per minute book and scrip issued per
scrip book, cOunterfoils specified.
Per min Per scrip
1892 ute book book.
June 5th, John Washington. S12.228 $500
- 5th, John Washington. $500. .--.-....... $500
- 26th, Josh Mckinney. .G2 ......... 6.62
The money was paid out hu1riedIy, Alder
men having written the scrip for me on the oc-
casiOn and l signed it without comparing the
scrip with the bill. Randolph Foster, into
whose hands it fell, carried it to Judge ellis
alderman, and Alderman Mann. At the
next meeting of the council S6 was deducted
from the amount then due Randolph Foster.
Why it was not shown on the minute book l
cannot tell, but would most respectfully refer
those concerned to the living members who
composed the council at that time and to
Foster.
Per NJ. b. Per 5. B.
July Sd, J. Anderson and
others Observation-Disclosures 800. .......S 2.50
July 3D. J. Anderson and
others. ...... ............... 250....... 25O
July 8th, +. Foster and others 1905. ...... 1880
- 8th, R. Foster and others 1890. ....... 1890
31st, H. r. Teasdale.... I5.85........ 1918
1t appears as follows in the minute book
Henry R. Teasdale, voucher, 629; for salary
S8.33; for costs etc, in mayors court S6.S5; to-
tai Sl5.18.
You will see that when ! issued the scrip
put the numbers together more correctly
1888, S6.85, total Sl5.18.
Per min Per
1882. ute book. scrip book.
August Sd, D. A. Boyd. S+08.O0. ..... $4,000
ID. A. Boyd over issued by mistake but not
paid them