davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-04-24
THE PANAMA CANAL.
Five Thousand Laborers Die within
Three Months - Progress of the
work.
phiIadelnhla ~ Record

thllHQelpiha tih-l hecoFu.
cover 500, 600, 900 have been spent in
establishing hemes for the engineers
and workmen along the route of the
Panama ShipCanal, " said Captain
James Wiltbank, who has been for
more than one year engaged in dredg-
ing operations on the canal, and who
has Just retur ned home after a tough
tussle with the dreaded swamp-fe0er.
plenty of money there Captainl"
80 plenty. There is only one thing
more common than cash, and that is
death. Men die like the leaves of the
trees in autumn. Only the Italians APP
pear to live. The dead are disposed
of witeout ceremony. 4 shallow grave,
no prayers, and all is in a moment
forgotten. There are now Is, 600 men
at work on the canal, mostly negroes
from Jamaica AID French West In
dies. These negroes are brought over
in droves as fast as those at work die,
and venture to say that not two
thirds Of the $4,000 laborors now at
work will be alive year from now.
It's dreadful. Five thousand died dur
ing The last three months; but the
large pay tempts man to brave all the
dangers. The company appears to
have an unlimited supply of money
and pays off every two weeks.
What progress has been made in
the four years2"
"Well, two miles and half of the
canal proper has been dug out. Orig
lnally this section was dredged to a
dept of IA feet, but is now only 6 feet
deep, the soft swamp lands pressed
down by the weight of the dirt thrown
out on either side filing in the canal
from underneath. A great deal Of
work has, however, been done with
the great steam shovels in leveling
the high lands through which the
canal is to pass, and dredging will
soon be started into those sections.
Work is now progressing upon the
only large mountain which bars the
way of the canal from ocean to ocean.
This mountain is 400 feet high and 3
miles in circumference and is to be cut
down with steam plows and carted
away. The company has been com
PEELED to spend 800, 900, 600, as | said,
to locate homes through the swamps
from which as a basis the work of Dig
ging out the canal can be carried on.
This work necessitated the building
of railroad branches into the swamps,
and the making of solid foundations
with stone and gravel hundreds of
feet wide and miles in extent. La
borers gets SO a day, and skilled
mechanics and bosses from 500 to $3.50
a month.
"Will the canal ever be fnishedl'
"No, l think, unless the swamp
sections are constructed with piling,
and that would cost so large an
amount of money that the scheme
could not possibly pay. But the com
pany appears to have all the cash nee
essary to carry ON the work.
Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-04-24
A Legend of the Eastern Church.

Two women were walking over the
plans of juda Anxiously, eagerly
they were talking together. Their
minds were certainly not concentrated
on the object of their going up to Jer-
usalem.
And have you not heard the won
derful news, how that our Lord has
really risen from the dead and has
become the nrst fruits of them that be
| heve2N
"Ah, tell me not tibet. Do not !
know that this Jesus of Nazareth, the
young carpenter, the son of Joseph
and Mary, has now been tried, con
demned, and crucihed, and this three
days he has lain in the grave, guarded
by the Roman soldiers2 1t has been
proven that he was an impostor, and
the Jewish Sanhedrlm, the Roman
court, and the people all with one ac-
cord condemn him. His few followers
are nov scattered abroad, doubtless
hiding in caves and dens in Tia mount
aims
Mot SO, not so, friend, for but yes
terday my husband was in Jerusalem
and ne himself saw and talked with
those who had seen the Master. They
told him how the two women went TO
the sepulcher early in the morning
and found the stone rolled away. and
an angel sitting there who told them
that the One they sought was risen
from the dead, and how the women
had turned and seen the Master him
self. All, no, he lives, he lives, and
again walks among his chosen few
and should YOU tell me that the
eggs whioh carry in my basket to
the market place TO be sold, and this
hour all been dyed with the blood
which this Jesus OF Nazareth split, |
might as soon believe it, for did | not
put them, early in the morning with
my own hands, into the basket, and
they were as white as snow
And Just then the women reached
the market place in Jerusalem, and
opening her basket of eggs which she
held on her arms, 10, they were all
| blood red
And ever afterward, in memory Of
this, the children of those who be
lieve dye the snow white eggs on Eas-
ter morn, a blood-red.
Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-04-24
Some of LincOln's Jokes
Boslon Budget

President Lincoln has been made re-
sponsible for so many Jokes that he
reminds one of the noted Irish y;it,
who having been ruined by ipdorSing
the notes OF his friends used to curse
the day when he learned to write his
name, as he had obtained such "a rep
utation for willingness to oblige that
he could not refuse Mr.. Lincoln
might well have regretted ever having
made a joke, for ne was expected to
say something funny on all occasions
and has been made answerable for all
manner of tests, stories and reparteeS
as if he had combined all the elements
of humor, com monplace heartlessness
and coarsenesS. mingled with a pas
sion for reviving the jokes of Joe Mil
Ter and circus clowns. Yet he did say
many excellent things-on one occa-
sion when Senator Wade came to him
and said
Il tell you. Mr. President, that an
less a proposition for emancipation is
adopted by the government we will
all go to the devil At this very mo-
ment we are not over one mile from
hell.
Perhaps not said Mr.. Lincoln,
"as believe that is just about the dis
lance from here to the capitol, where
you gentlemen are in session.
On one occasion, at reception,
when the crowd of citizens and sol
diers were surging through the salons
of the white house; evidently con
trolled oy the somewhat brusque west
ern element, a gentleman said to MIN
MIR. President, you must diminish
the number of your friends, or CON
gress mast enlarge the edidce.'
well, promptly replied Mr. LIN
coin, Il have no idea OF diminishing
the number of my friends; but the
only question with me now is whether
it will be best to have the building
stretched or split
At one OF these receptions, when q
paymasterin full majors uniform was
introduced, he said
Being here Mr.. Lincoln, | thought
/ would call aud pay my RESPECTS
From the complaints made by the
soldiers responded the president, II
guess that is all any Of you pay.
Ward Lamon, when Lincoln had
appointed him marshal of the District
II Columbia, accidently found him
self in a street fight and, IN restoring
peace, he struck one of the belliger-
enUs with his fist, weapon with which
he was notorioGsly familiar The
blow was a harder one than Lamou
intended, for the fellow was knocked
senseless taken up unconscious, and
lay for some hours on the bordeY of
life and death Lamon was alarmed,
and the next morning reported the af-
fair to the president.
If am astonished at you, Ward,
said Mr.. Lincoln; you ought to have
known better. Hereafter when you
have to hit man, use a club, and not
your fist.
Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-04-24

go A Globe Democrat reporter had
mounted the locomotive at Edwards
vile, and for over fifty mules had
perched on the narrow seat behind
the engineer, enjoying the strange
eXhilaration of ride on the machine.
Presently a quintet of lights flashed
into view far ahead, The engineer
pushed in his throttle, blew the whistle,
applied the air brakes and the train
came TO a stand still A stop of several
minutes was made, and during this
interval the promised story was given
as follows:
For over five years | never passed
that place | was speaking about with
out looking for the dog, and in all
that time he never failed me- He used
TO run out when he heard train
coming and perch himself square be-
tween the rails He would Sit there
until the engine got within a dozen
yards of him and then he would Jump
to one side, and commence a race. He
has run clear into Taylorville with
me many a night, running right along
side the raachine and bark with all
hls might | got SO that Id take a
piece of meat along with me from st.
Louis, so | could feed him after his
run. really became attached to him,
aud never forgot to watch for him.
Well, sir, about two weeks ago | came
along one night and saw him there,
but he didn't look the way he usually
did. When be came within range of
the headlight, instead of sitting up
with his ears cooked and barking he
had his nose down between his paws.
He was lying across TIE track at first,
but as the locomotive approached he
got up and lay down again, with his
head directly towards the COW catcher.
l thought 1t was queer, but supposed
he had some new trick, and fully eN-
pected to see him racing along beside
me as usual. But he never bulged an
inch, and the engine struck him at
the rate of thirty Mules an hour. The
queorest thing about it, though, l
found out next day. We stopped here
for water, and ! asked one of the men
standing by If they knew the owner
of the dog, describing the house where
he lived. He said yes. that the maa
had died a few days before and had
been buried on the same day the dog
committed suicide. Yes, / mean SUI
eide, because it was as clear a case as
l ever saw, You have no idea how |
miss. All right Jiml Well good
night, sir,
Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-04-24
Killing Made Easy.
Demorest S Monthly

In the time Of NapoleoA it was es-
timated that it took 500 bullets to be
fired in battle before a man was kill
ed in other words. every dead soldier
represented his own weight IN lead.
But the recent improvement IN lire
arms has added to the efficiency OF
the soldier. The greater range OF the
rifle, as well as the rapidity with
which it can be fired, has made 1t
thirty-two times as effective as the old
smooth-bore. To put 1t more accur-
ately, a military authority says that
the modern rifle is superior to the old
smooth-bore in the following partlcu-
lars: It is eight times more effective
in accuracy, two-thirds greater IN
range and penetration, five times
greater in rapidity of aimed fire; while
the weight of the cartridges per man
has diminished, yet the number mat
may be carried has been increased.
The added efficiency OF the heavy
guns is no less surprising. The Ia
nous krupp now makes gun OF nine
inches caliber and eighteen tons
weight, which will send ball tnroagh
twenty inches of solid IRON; and ms
field gun. within range OF more tnan
mile and a half can be depended
upon to put every projectile INTO q
space Of less than two hundred square
feet Taken into consideration the
Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-04-24
she Knew the Country.
BurlingtoE Hawkeye.


Ethel was going down to Boston to
spend the month of April, aud enjoy
the bracing life-giving east winds
with Aunt Priscilla Beenepawt Her
father looked over her shoulder as
she packed her trunk, and gasped for
breath as he ga2ed upon a bottle OF
poison a saHd bag, a bowie-knife, two
revolvers, a slung shot and glass
bomb.
Great heavens, my daughter" he
shrieked as he fell to the floor with
a thud. Have you joined the Skin
mishing fund.- Do you expect to use
that Lucretia Borgia arsenal in Bos
ton2'
mo, papa, said Ethel, sweetly, 81
will throw them all away on reaching
Boston, but ! have to travel through
Connecticut alone, and, if there
should be any inquest taken upon a
mysterious murder after my limited
ticket is taken up, l do not propose to
be at the iuque3y myself"
Bless you, my child, sobbed Eth
els father, you are right. 1t is time
somebody beside women be occasion
ally killed ia this land Of steady hab-
its.
Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-04-24

breech- loading, rifling, better powder
improved projectiles. the lighter ca =
riages of steel, the science of artillery
has been revolutionized; and one bat
terry to-day is more effective than
twenty of those so skillfully handled
by the great Napoleon. In the next
great battles some dreadful engines of
destruction will be brought into play.
The Hotchkiss revolving gun can fire
bursting shells at the rate of eighty
minute. 1t can pour out continuous
and deadly fire of seventy-fve pounds
of metal, or 1900 hits, every sixty
seconds. 1t is fearful to thiak of the
havoc which would be caused by the
guns of the future.
Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-04-24
Indian Washerwomen in Mexico.

The modern servant girl of Ameri-
can civilization may not be all that
could be desired, but there ought to be
comfort in the thought that the Indian
domestic down in Mexico is very sue
cessful in making life a burden to
those who employ help there. An In
dian washerwoman agrees originally
to do a washing for moderate sum,
generally half dollar, but she wants
her breakfast before she begins.
When work mas progressed until the
clothes are all wet, she strikes and re
fuses to finish unless she is given a
dress. Then she resumes for an hour
or SOW. when she declares she is hun
CRY again. Being fed she worries
along till dinner time, but iii the mean
time she has filled all her pockets with
apples or potatoes, or whatever seems
plentiful in the edible line. Along
about 4 o'clock she gets through her
Job Then she asks for another lunch
and some flowers to take home with
her. AS she is leaving her last re-
mark is: Mica wake muck amuck"
q haven't anything to eaD Under
these circumstances it is not surpris-
ing that wash day is put off as long
as possible in Mexico, and the rarity
OF clean linen is in a measure eXcus-
bla
Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-04-24

the moral courage which he exhibited
in voting in accordance with his con
victions of right was truly heroic.
But how greatly public sentiment has
changed Probably there was not one
of the hundreds of those who witness
ed the presentation ceremonies re
Gently who did not feel that the great
Iowa statesman, the father of Iowa
craftsmanship, had shown foreseeing
wisdom in his vote
Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-04-24
Useful Household Hints.

The most eficacious and inexpen.
sive method in which to rid house OF
rats is to rent il for few months to a
Chinese boarding house keeper.
Never be inflicted with cold, white
walls in the parlor or nursery. IL
sbonjd be the effort Of the housewife
to give color and brightness to every
room. Thirteen cents worth OF coIored
chalk. IN the hands Of the chlldreh,
will transform the bleakest panel INTO
a maze Of bewilderipg designs, IN one
morning.
Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-04-24
The NEGRO Congressman.

Washington Letter to the Baltimore American
"Uncle Bob Smalls," the we'll
known cOlored man who was in the
last Congress and the ono preceding
it, is here again as the successor of
Congressman Mackey. "Uncle Bob, -
as he is called in his district, is very
popular in South Carolina. lie is
quite well off, financially, and a per-
son of considerable education, He
retains all the affection of slave days
for his old master and mistress Not
long ago his old master died, and IN
the course of events it transpired that
his wife became quite destitute. I'm.
Gle Bob, who had quietly kept an ey,
on the situation, went to her anC
told her he wanted her to make his
home her home as long as she liked,
and insisted upon her going there,
occupying the best rooms in the
house, and making herself as much
at home as ever she was even in her
own hoNse. His horses and carriages
are always at her service, and his
wife waits upon her as carefully and
promptly as she was attended upon
twenty wears ago.
Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-04-24
Tho IJog On tile Wabash.

"See that house over therel Wei,
wait till we get to Taylorville and I'll
tell YOU queer story. The speaker
was a Wabash engineer on the night
express between St. Louis and Chica-
Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-04-24

ut is stated, says a New York girl
to a Philadelphia young lady as they
gazed With awe and admiration at the
towering form Of Jumbo, that three
times around an elephants foot
is exactly the measure of his
height. $50 | understand. Do
YOU think similar measurement
around my foot would equal my
height2" asked the New York girl. u
certainly do; but the calculation
would show that you are taller than
Jumbo.
Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-04-24

The Albany Journal has passed INTO
the hands Of Canajohare man.
Some newspapers have frlghuu'
fate.
Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-04-24
Heavy Sentence.
Philadelphia Call

What is the charge against this
mani" asked an Arkansaw Judge as
the prisoner was placed before him.
killing an editor, your honor.
Him. was the editor a resident Of
the slater
eyes, your honor"
sWhat have you 20 say, prisoner,
concerning this very serious CHARGE
Are you guilty or not guilty.
Guilty, your honor; | murdered
HIM in cold blood.
"Well." said the judge, there is
nothing left for me to do but sentence
you. The crime of naurder in this
state is becoming much too common.
You are charged with killing an Ar
kansaw editor, to which charge you
plead guilty.
Yes, your honor, / do, and don't
care if it costs me $50.
prisoner, responded the judge sol
EMMY, you are fined 5000, and stand
committed until the amount is paid -
Professor Piazzi Smyth writes thus
to the Cleveland Society for Preserv-
ing and Perfecting Weights and
Measures. OF a new objection 10 the
merit system: Let me applaud your
idea that the European countries
which have adopted the mater are
those which were conquered by
Napoleon Bonaparte. and those which
have not ADOPTED it are those which
Napoleon tried to conquer but could
not, God overruling him"
Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-04-24

The ash Of the apple tree contains
II per cent. lime. That of the pear
and peach, nearly as much. This fact
taken with another, viz, that il is rare
ly practiced, to apply lime as a fcrtil-
izer to fruit trees, will be quite suili-
cient to account for the wretchedly
miserable appearance Of many old or
chards, as well as to explain why or
chards that are planted upon lands
rich in lime are so thrifty and bear
such handsome fruit Ii we should
follow reason and analogy in respect
Of the management Of orchards, we
hou!dapply lime every third or fourth
year with liberality. Good farmers
dress their fields once in five years
with fifty bushels of lime per acre, as
an encouragement Of the clover; why,
then, should we not as profusely lime
our orchards, which require so much
of this element, when clover, which
contains less than half as much, is so
literally treatedl
Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-04-24
Alfred the Great.

Away back in the misty Middle
Ages clustered about with tradition
and song, lived the famous English
king, Alfred the Great. just half
century is supposed to have been the
limit of his life, the date $40 being
given as the probable year of his
| birth, and that of his death 9Ol. lie
was king of the West Saxons; and his
was tumultuous reign, full of war
and struggle, as was all life IN those
barbarous days before the great art of
peace had been studied by the people
of the earth. Many stories of his life
are familiar 10 everybody, especially
that of his adventure IN disguise when
flying from the invading Danes, when
the cares of state weighing upon his
oppressed mind led him to forget the
cakes which were intrusted TO his care,
and brought upon him this reprImand
from the herdsman's wife:
"No wonder thou art poor, house
less vagrant with such neglect to bust
ness. shall set by all the burnt cakes
for thy portion of the weeks bread,
and thou shalt have no other till they
are all eaten.
Alfred was q Christian king, and
his harp was as dear to him rs was
King David's of much more ancient
time and David's Psalms were also
very dear to Alfred, who himself
translated them into English, and is
said to have constantly carried "A copy
IN his bosom His harp was also his
almost constant companion; and 1T
was by its means, disguised as a tray
cling minstrel that he at one time OBJ
tanned entrance within the lines OF
his enemies, where they detained him
three days, so delighted were they
with his music, and he thus obtained
information which enabled him to
save his country and his crown.
All these things are well known of
King Alfred but it is not so general
ly known that he was a poet and
hymnist Of no mean order, besides
being the author Of works of other
kinds, and the founder of seminaries
and Of the University Of Oxford, His
best known hymn is still TO be found
In many church HYMN books.
Smyrna times., 1884-12-17

THE SPANISH TREATY. The Spanish
treaty is by no means an unmitigated
evil nor an absolute good; neither is it
a partisan measure.
We look on the principle of the
measure as a wise step in the right
direction; yet we decidedly do not APP
prove of all of its clauses, the majority
of which call for the most careful and
deliberate action on the part Of the
Senate. as any measure which involved
millions Of dollars and thousands of
persons does.
The utmost discrimination is needed
in dealing with the treaty. Atpresent
it pleases and displeases Freetraders,
Protcctionlsts. Fair Traders, Dem
ocrats, Republicans, sugar and cigar
men in about equal numbers. In itself
this evidences that the measure is
novel and presents untried plans.
To give some idea Of the vast and
varying interests involved a few facts
may be stated. We will import from
the Spanish West Indies this year
sixty-three million dollars worth of
sugar and molasses-a dollars worth
each for every one. We also import
seven millions worth of tobacco and
cigars. All other imports will amount
TO about two millions worth.
We export in all about seventeen
million dollars worth of goods; of
which the principal are Wood, two
and Il quarter millions; provisions,
three millions and iron and steel, two
and a quarter millions.
The principal points made are as fol
lows: We remit the duty on sugar and
half the duty on cigars, which makes a
difference in our revenue Of about
forty million dollars; but it also will
lower the price of the necessary sac
charrine luxury, for which every one
now paws "a duty Of dollar each.
This will dispose Of nearly half of the
surplus revenue. II will do so with a
disturbance of only two industries, one
Of which, Louisiana sugar-growing
has not grown to meet the wants OF the
country, as other protected industries
have done, and which is now in
feebler condition than before the war
On the other side we gain the re.
mission Of the Cuban tonnage tax
which is dollar a ton on every coaster
that goes to Havana. This will be 8
great stimulus to our merchant marine
nearly every one admits. we gam Uh'
remission Of duty on meats, which nov
nav So for 220 pounds; we gain th'
3 duty on hogshead choOks at twenty
six cents each, of which we sell two
and a half million dollars worth ant
) -four is reduced 81 barrel in duty
= leaving it at $l.5O.
The treaty does certainly reduce ou
duties and those Of Cuba very mater
ialIv. but we have sixty millions o
neople to supply and Cuba has onl!
2 aix millions. The ratification Of th'
treaty will probably destroy the Louis
e iana sugar interest, but it also remove
enough duty to pay in three years 70 70
, the Whole plant of the sugar growers
r The plan Of the treaty is in aecordanc .,
a with Republican policy. It's execu
p ton is a matter Of practical deta
which the Senate alone can settle D.
n the aid of manufacturers Interested
philadelphia Daily Ne'cs.