davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-12-19
A Cow Bow on Rollers.

The following narrative by a cow DO,
OF his experience on roller skates. will
be appreciated by all who have beer
there:
am more used to riding OF horse
back, but last night l thought I would
try them little wagons. | got one witt
a double cinch, and another TO match
it, and as soon as | saddled the layout
| could feel them begin to bow back
and was wishing | had a buck rein. be-
cause was expecting them to stiffel
their knees and go to bucking ever,
minute, but they didn't. l walked then
over to the other end Of the corral t,
gentle them a little, and directly the,
started off at an easy canter, and were
coming right back around through tn,
herd and there was Il dude there with;
stiff hat, who was trying to cut ont
polled Angus heifer, in a blue dress
and | fouled and roped both my hin,
legs with a hoop skirt, and it had m,
stretched ont, ready for branding
~quicker'D a spring calf can bawl witt
his mouth open and his lungs stretched
But got up and got on again, and yor
oughter seen me exerclsethem vehicle.
OF course they'd buck when I'd try t.
hurry 'em, and they would rear up and
fall back when | tried to stop 'em to-.
quick. hut III leave il TO the boss harn-
er of the whole roundup if 1 didn't gal
lop 'em round there for three or fou
hours and had EN- roll over and owe,
with me, and they didn't get me Oft.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-12-19
legislative News,

The Bismarck journal will make a
special feature ofthe legislative reports
during the session OF the legislature.
and will give Il clear idea of the lepis-
latlon pending OIL accomplished, noting
carefully the prospects and progress OF
all Important measures. The editor OF
the Journal has had large experience
as a legislative reporter, and believes
he knows what is wanted by those in
terested in legislative proceedings.
The Weekly Journal will be sent to
any address from date Of subscription
till the close of the legislature for so
cents. The Daily Journal during the
session will cost 50. The weekly con-
tains forty-eight columns OF matter.
and is flied with news and choice mis-
cellany that will prove a welcome Wis
ltor to every household.
BATEMAN& MCDONALD are prepared
to negotiate loans on real estate at not
tom rates.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-12-19
Tie Bad Lands.

Bismarck Journal:-There are doubt
ess many readers Of the journal who
would read with interest a brief deScrip-
non of the bad lands OF Dakota. They
1re situated principally alongthe Chey-
anne and Grand rivers and the Little
Missouri. They are from two or three
niles to say twenty-five miles in width.
IN the long ago the valleys Of these
streams must have ieen flied with
lritt wood. Then followed a period of
drift which buried the accumulation of
wood undertwc or three hundred feet
of sediment, sand and gravel. The
buried wood in time became coal, the
veins bei1tg tn'scma instances twenty
odd feet III depth. 2EitherfrQm sponta-
neous combustion, or from electricity.
fires We're started in these veins, and
they gradually burned out. restoring in
part the old Water courses by means of
water in these newly formed basins.
Any n familiar With the country can
realize how quickly the gullies thus
formed would be widened so as to en-
brace the vast tract now covered bv
the bad lands. Sullv describes them as
resembling the bottom of hell with
the liresput out" Looking upon them,
here you see the patches Of Stag, there
great boulders, showing unmistakable
evidence of great heat, AID on every
hano scoria, or burned Clay. resembling
broken brick. Where the fires We're
checked hy the caving earth and the
coal did not burn. mounds two or three
hundred feet in height stand. Some of
chem contain several acres of level
prairie on their top and have the same
grasses and vegetation and are the
same height as the table]ands on either
side of the bad lands. Some of thu
mounds are cOnical shape, and some re-
selnple old castles or monasteries in
ruins.
At other points there are simply huge
piles Of clay. and at others great bars of
gravel, scoria, or sand, without a parti-
Gle OF vegetation. At some points the
craters formed by theburnipg coal beds
have been filled with drift or wash, and
you find from ten to forty acres of the
richest patches of pasturelands. Stand
ing upon the table lands you look down
upon the bad lands, and if you see them
in the moonlight. you are reminded OF
a city in ruins. You note the resem-
blance to broken walls and tottering
chlmneys. the ~blackened piles Of rub
bish. the broken brick and mortar, with
occasional grass plats. AS you con-
template the scene, and take in its
grandeur, you cannot fail to see how
they have been formed. Perhaps some
II familiar with the country, will take
you to the burning butteS. where you
can watch the process OF bad land for
nation. Within the writer's knowl-
edge, those near Medora have been
burning for the past eleven years. and
during that time only u few hundred
feet OF the butte has disappeared. The
pulle plu1I mas Deen burned up, carried
away in dust by the wind, or washed
away, leaving an additional section OF
the bad lands, presenting all the char
acteristics Of those formed ages ago.
Where the mounds are. the coal did not
burn, and may now be mined. The bad
lands are full of rich %plateaus and at
ford tbn hest chaltar for Ctcny
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-12-19
County Seat WAY.

Those who think that thecounty seat
war in this county was severe should
investigate the trouble in Sphinx coun-
ty. 1t seems that at the election in
1882 the county seat was duly located
at Redtield hut by reason of the aecis-
ion of the returning board' they de-
clared no election and as a consequence
the county seat remained at Athol.
AS O as this state of affairs became
known, the people of Redield took for
chile possession of the records. Conse-
Quence-War. The courts We're appeal
ed to and an Injunction granted re-
straining the moving of the records
from Redfield. The latest from the
seat OF war is as follows:
George Bennett. United States mail
contractor, states that the Redheld mil
ltary company, eighty strong, armed
with Winchester rifles and sword bayo-
nets, is guarding the town. and that the
night he left two companies of United
States troops with two cannon and
equipments arrived. j. labru, county
commissioner, attempted to pass the
guard and was cut in the face with a
sabre. A man made a statement be-
fore the guard that with a dozen men
he could take the recordsin spite Of the
military, and was Immediately dubbed
down with a gun. Every person at
tempting to enter that portion of Red
field guarded by the military, was com
PEELED to give a satisfactory account of
himself and his intentions to the guard
before he was allowed to proceed, and
then was frequently followed by a de-
tailed squad of militia.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-12-19
--t -----
Petrifed Prairie Dogs.

1t appears that some time ago some
hunters who We're out on the war path
discovered a gul0h or raYlne on the
south band of the Plum, about twelve
miles northwest of 4AinswOrth. The
sloping hills OF either side bound it in
as securely as the lake OF enchanted
fishes. the only canon leading out or in
opening upon the banks of the placid
Plum. In this curious, romantic spot
they came upon a most extraordinary
sight. 1t was no more nor less than a
prairie dog village. and at the opening
OF each little mound sat the little prai-
RE dogs, who did not stir from their
positions as the hunters invaded their
camp. On investigation it was found
that the dogs were not alive. but We're
turned to stone. but by what mysteri-
Gus process no man can explain. They
sat upright, their little paws folded on
their breasts. and evidently overtaken
by a fate that came upon them like
lightning. The owls and snakes which
make their homes with these gentle
creatures were living and standing about
as if basking in the sunshine. andtEey,
too, We're petrified like their compan-
ions. " = T. 80.
The party secured several specimens
and Mf..smith has the finest of these,
which he proposes to send to the great
worlds exposition at New Orleans as a
part of Nebraska's exhibit. He de-
scribes the dog as being absolutely per-.
feet, even to the hair and eyes, and the
most remarkable petritication that has
come under his observation. The eXhi-.
bit will be the most curious of all the
New Orleans show, and will offer a
problem that will puzzle the sayants to
explain. The wholeregion about Aims
worth abnunds in fossil remains and
petriiications, but this specimen of a
whole village of living creatures earned
into stone from the midst of life is not
to be equalled by anything yet recorded
in natural history.
Mr.. Smith is now serving on the
United States grand jury. and will start
for home to-day to return on Tuesday,
when he will bring his specimens with
him.
A queer animal was killed in the
Skunk river near Oskaloosa, Iowa. re-
Gently. 1t is described as follows: AL.
Swain and DR.. Huptsnan made accu-
rate measurements. which are as fol-
lows: Entire length from end of tail to
tip OF nose, 81 feet; from the fore legs
to TIP OF nose, IS feet: it's tail, % feet:
body from fore to hind legs. 10 feet.
Its heart weighed 80 pounds and had
four cavities, and was pronounced bv
Huntsman to be the heart of an air
breathing animal. and not a reptile
The lungs and all the other organs
seemed like the vicera of animals. 1t
was found that not one Of the bullets
had penetrated the skin.
1t was skinned and a taxidermist is
employed to stuff it, and it will be sent
to the Academy of Natural Science. at
Philadelphia. The flesh is being care.
fully removed from the skeleton, which
is to be properly wired and kept forthe
present at Oskaloosa on exhibition.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-12-19
Notice.

The County Commissioners of Jer-
auld Co. will meet in special session at
the Court Housein Washington Springs
on Monday. Dec. 20, 1854. Tor the pur-
pose of making final settlement with
the various officers.
u: Linus BLANK. County Clerk,
BY C::,E.' WHuTSEl, Deputy.
The following are the officers elect Of
the Grand Lodge. /. O. CT. elected at
Mitchell last week: Grand Worthy
Chief Templar, Theo. ID. Kanouse. OF.
Woonsocket. The other officers elected
We're as follows: G. W. Counselor, Bro.
Burke, OF ADerdeen; G. w. Vice Tenn
plar, Sister Brown, of Sioux Falls; c.
Secretary, A. G. Folsom, of Dell Rap
ids; G. Treasurer, Bro. Parry, of Mitch
ell: G. Chaplain, Rev. w. II. Hoadley.
OF Huron: G. Marshall, Mrs. Ollie Full
Ter, of Broadland: Representative to r.
w. Grand Lodge to be held ut Toronto.
Ontario, May, 1885. A. G Folsom, Dell
Rapids. Geo. r. tanning, Egan: alter
mates. w. e. Benedict, Canton, Mrs.
Julia Brown, Sioux Fails; Trustees, n.
G. Nash. Geo. r. tanning, J. G.. Burk.
Place OF next meeting was declared to
be at Woonsocket.
An experiment Was tried in the Phil
adelphia public schools that deserves
the study of all in the educational prob
lem. BY an order from superintendent
McAlister the girls put aside their
books for the day, and spend the hours
in sewing. under competent instructors
in needlework. 1t is safe to saw thats
the children will be more proitably
employed by this means than if they
We're memorizing the rule for extract
ing cubic root or bounding Afghanis-
tan.
On and after Jan. l next the day will
be reckoned at Greenwich Observatory
Us com mencing at midn'ght, the hours
being counted on up to "a, or midnight
again. For many years a dial showing
twenty-fonr hours has been erected at
the observatory. but in futurethetwen-
ty-fom-hours day will be official.
Secretary Teller, says a Yankton dis
patch. has received a telegram from
Comptroller Lawrence Of the treasury
saying that since the proclamation OF
Governor Pierce announcing the com
,letion of the capital building at Bis
narck he recognizes Bismarck as the
'apitai OF the territory.
In twelve counties Of Dakota the
commissioners refuse to grant license
o sell Intoxicating drinks. The coun-
les are Sphinx, Kingsbury, Jerauld,
'harles Mix. Sully, Mcpherson. Clark.
faulk. Union. Buffalo, Potter and
Douglass.
Money on Final Proof. For particu-
lars enquire of
BATEMAN q MCDONALD.
Money to loan on Real Estate. Lib
raj amounts, no delay. Hitchcock
5ros., Mitchell, Oak. 37w4
Don't forget that we are prepared to
i'll all applications for loans on Real
estate. BAFEMAN & MCDONALD.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-12-19

at the conclusion of the term of
court recently held at Sioux Falls the
members of the petit jury presented
Judge Palmer with a gold headed cane.
II was q valuable present worthily be-
slowed.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-12-19

1t WINS and operates over 4. 500 miles of ro..
IN Nof;lr'l Illinois: WISCONSIN. Minnesota. Io
wa and Dakota; and as its main lines, brancle.
tres of the Northwest and FasHVeSt. il natural
" answers the description Of short line, and b es,
route between
Chicago. Milwaukee, st. Paul. and Minneapolis.
Chicago. Milwaukee,. Lacrosse aud Winona.
Chicago, Milwaukee, Aberdeen and Glendale.
Chicago, Milwaukee, Eau Claire. and saltwater.
Chicago, Milwaukee, 'Wausau and Merrill.
Chicago. Milwaukee, Beaver Dam and Oshkosh.
Chicago. Milwaukee, Waukesha & Oconomowoc
Chicago. Milwaukee, Madison Il Prairie du CHIEF
Chicago. Milwaukee, Owatonna and Faribault.
Chicago, Bc,oit. JanesviHe and Mineral Point.
Chicago. Elgln, Rockford and Dubuque.
Chicago. Clinton, Rock Island and Cedar Ra,jds
Chicago. Council isluffs and Omaha.
Chicago, Sioux City, Sioux Falls and Yankton.
Chicago. Milwaukee, Mitchell and Chamberlain
Rock Island. Dubuque. st. Paul q Minneapolis.
Davenport. Calmar. st. Paul and Mimcapo,is.
Pullman Sleepcrs and the Finest Dining Cars
III !le world are run on the main lines of tia
'llicagn. Milwaukee and st. Paul Railway. an,
every attention IS paid to passengers by courtt
"us employees OF the Company.
>. >; Mt.l%RiLi. A.N. II. CARPENTER.
ven. Manager. Gen. Pass. and Tkt. Agt
j. T. CLARK. GEO. n. HEAFrOpD
"eh. supp. Asst. Gen. Pass. Art
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-12-19

A DDI7r Send six cents for postage, and re-
Il | Mill, ceive free. a costly box of goods
which vii! help you to more money right away
than anything else in this world. All Of either
Sex. succeed from first our. The broad road to
fortune opens before the workers. absolutely
sure. At once address TRuE { . Augusta, Me
The Portland daily press., 1884-01-07

The anniversary Of the battle of New
Orleans occurs tomorrow and Democrats IN
various places have arranged to celebrate il
as ii they alone had right to do So They
would be likely to raise howl if Repuhli-
cans should similarly appropriate the ami
versary of the battle of Gettysburg or of the
surrender at Appomattox for partisan pur-
poses, but it )uld not be In worse form.
General Jaclso was Union man. but
since the battle of New Orleans the major
part of the Democratic party has been in re-
belion. We sometimes hear of Jeffersopian
Democrats, but never without remembering
how bitterly Jefferson denounced slavery
and how completely the Democratic party
became the instrument of the slave power.
What Charles Sumner used to say before the
war, was strictly true, that neither Washing
ton Jefferson or Madison, with their record
ed opinions on slavery, could receive nom
.nation for the Presidency from the Demo-
cratic party. We imagine the Boston gath
ering will not be quite SO fulsome in adora-
tlon of General Butler as it was last year.
Jackson was not repudiated at the end Of
his first term. We observe that there is to
be little attraction here in Portland. Mayor
Deering is the only name announced as an
orator of the occasion so far, but we are in
formed that others will speak. We hope so
for the comfort of those who go to honor
Jackson's memory. Is this the first BOOM
ing gun OF the coming municipal battle?
The Portland daily press., 1884-01-07
Origin ofthe Word Mississippi

(Magazine of American Historyl
The Mississippi is good instance of the
variations through which some names have
passed. Its original spelling, and the near
est approach to the Algonquin word, s'the
father Of waters" is Meche sebe, a spelling
still commonly used by the Louisian Creoles.
Tonti suggested Niche Sepe, which is some.
what nearer to the present spelling. Father
Laval still further modernized it into Micbis-
pi, which another father, Labatt, goftened
into Misisp, the first specimen of the present
spelling The only changes since have been
to overload the word with consonanis. Mar
quette added the first and some other ex
and SO it remains in France to this dav With
only one ''p." The man who added the 9TH
er has never been discovered, but he must
have been an American, for at tie time of
me purchase OF Louisiana the name was
generally spelled in the colony with single
"p."
The Portland daily press., 1884-01-07
The Postmaster,s Case.

A day or two ago the conditions of the
controversy between the Postofiice Depart
ment and the Postmaster of Portland were
given as clearly as they could be ascertained
here. According to that statement it was
not apparent what ground the Department
had TO make an issue upon. A dispatch
from Washington to the Boston Jour
nal. which purports to come from an author
itative source, presents the case in
another light There are some points about
this statement which seem to us unreason-
able. For example we doubt that Judge
Goddard "evaded' any provisions of the
statutes that were express and definite, or
has attempted any such sharp practice as is
implied In the statement about employing
clerks, who were paid by the government to
do one service, to do another in order
that ne might appropriate the money al
lowed for the latter service to him
self. This, if it were true, would
be much more serious offence than diff
ference of opinion about the construction of
a statute. We anticipate it will be
The Portland daily press., 1884-01-07
Trouble in the Boston Custom
House.

Trouble in the Boston Custom
House.
An affair which happened in the BOSTON
Custom House last summer and which has,
recently been brought TO the attention Of
Secretary Folger seems likely to give Collec-
tor Worthington considerable trouble.
Charles s. Whitehouse, previous to June s
of last year, had been weigher in the Bos-
ton Custom House at q salary Of $4,000 a
year. On that date he resigned his position
to take seat in the New Hampshire Leeis-
lature TO which he had been elected, Later
in June the force at the Custom House was
recognized npon the recommendation of a
commission aud Collector Worthington for
warded to the Secretary of the Treasury a
list of all officers with their salaries under
the new schedule. As they were almost en-
tlrely reappointments, the list was adopted
without question. Whitehouse appeared in
this list as weigher. subsequently the
Collector informed the Secretary that he had
transferred Whitehouse from weigher to be
deputy weisher and had promoted deputy
weigher Oalman to be weigher In Octob-
er Whitehouse went back to the Custom
House.
During the time in which he was
absent the civil service rules went into eff
feet which made competitive examination
aprersquisite to appointment to the Office of
weigher Warehouses; reappointment
without examination seemed therefore to be
a vinlatinr nf 4ho civil sor-;o,s 4. i, .
civil service commission called Secretary Fol
gers attention to it. Considerable correspond
ence ensned the result of which was that
the Civil Service Commission withdrew. con-
corning the technical point raised BY The Sec
rotary, which was that the fiction Of keeping
Whitehouse on the rolls took the case out Of
the operation of the civil service act. The con
trovefsy as far as the civil service commis-
sion is concerned is thus disposed OF.
Collector Worlhing ton, however, finds him
selfin an unpleasant predicament. One Of the
rules of the customs service forbids an officer
of the customs to be absent from dp4sy747rno more
than thirty days in any one year without
express permission from tsile Secretary Of the
Treasury sss 81 tine Collector will be asked TO
explain why he allowed Whitehouse to go to
New Hampshire and spend four months
without getting permission from the Score
tary Judge Folger is very much incensed
at the deception that was practiced upon
him in the matter Whitehous it is said.
was wanted in the New Hampshire Legisla-
ture last veal to aid the reelection of Sena-
tor Rollins, being one Of his political work
org
The Portland daily press., 1884-01-07

Governor Butler Numbered up to the very
last moment. His final official act was TO
order an election to fill the vacancy in Con-
gress caused by the resignation of Governor
Robinson, and he fixed the time of the cleo
ton at date which does not give time for
compliance with the State registra ton laws.
Time was when even General Buffers enc
mics were willing to concede that he was
smart but the State never had Governor
who made so many stupid and inexeusable
bunders in his term. Either be is falling or
there has been some mistake about his abil-
ity.
The Portland daily press., 1884-01-07

found, if ever the real facts in this case
come to light, that Judge Goddard
whatever mistakes he has made,
has not been guilty Of any DELHI
crate attempt 10 deceive and defraud
the government for personal advantage.
With this comment by way of warning to
our readers against giving implicit conf
dsnce to the statements made, we print else
where the Journals despatch for what II is
worth as asolution Of the mysterious circum-
etonooe
The Portland daily press., 1884-01-07
Massachusetts Hannv.

1t is pleasant to see the satisfaction Of the
people of Massachusetts with the new State
Government. Governor RoblnsoIs inau-
gural address is commended 10 all quarters
as able, just and wise. Il is not packed as
the last Governors was with false state
nenis, unfourded insinuations, rotten rea-
soning aud obstrepeIous egotism. The Leg
islature has organized for business and the
completeness of the partisan breahd )wn is
in nothing more apparent than in the
circumstances that partisanship is once more
practically ignored. Large numbers Of Dem
ocrats voted for the Republican presiding
officers OF both branches who were selected
without caucus, and in both houses capa-
BILE Democrats have been given chairman
ships of fair proportion of the committees.
Until the era of ButleIism party division
on any question of general State bust
ness was scarcely shown In the Legis-
latnre. The public interests and not
party interests were considered by
all, aud the Democrats who followed Gener-
al Buffers example in condemning what
~NeseN N~SAA ASA4S 1OASA t0UAtOAbNEQ eWudb Tic
members of their party had actively favoged
and voted for, and what Republicans had
voted against. 1t was clear example OF pc
litical dishonesty for them to condemn as a
party &C ion Which they were as responsible
for as anybody; but that consideration had
no weight when Butlerism was rampant. The
old Bay State has awakened fiom horrid
nightmare thas had quite enough Of Demo-
cratic selfish partisanship and pseudo reform.
1t will be many a long year before her people
will try another such experiment. One
term in the State and one term 10 the city
were quite sufficient.
A. brood Of harpies, foul and greedy,
hocked to plumber the public treasury and de-
bauch the public service, and the community
took alarm. On election day they were
driven out Of public life, and the memory
of them ia a narcaatipU scandal