davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1884-08-21
Decline of Wheat in England.

A correspondent of the Country Gentleman,
living it England, notes the gradual decline in
the value of the wheat crop and the necessity
for change. He says: ''Our crops Of wheat
for the past nine years have been deficient, for
the acreage produce has been only PAX
bushels. The main cause of this low average
was the disasterous season of 1879, when the
crop was estimated at but 10 bushels per acre.
The most productive wheat crop of the present
generation was in the hot and dry summer Of
1868. The difference between the last harvest
and that of 1868 is very striking indeed, and
it shows in bold relief the changed position of
the farmer. The price Of wheato the former
bushels at that price is e13 lbs per acre. Last
year the average yield is placed at 26 bushels
per acre and the price So shillings The farm
er would therefore pocket e5 lis per acre.
Thus it is plain that wheat cannot be
grown at the money, far the Eng
wheat at less than about 50 per acre. The de-
crease of wheat cultivation in ten years amounts
to upward of 100000 acres, and about double
the quantity Of what is now grown at home has
to be imported More land is being laid down
to grass and the alteration of the times obvi-
ously points in that direction. One result Of
the times appears that great reduction of rents
is imminent. Many of the large owners are
granting reductions of rent which range from
10 to 40 per cent. but a reduction of less than
80 per cent is of little avail, and very lately
number of farmers have sunk under their bur
dens The agricultural situation would have
been much worse but for the good prices OBJ
tanned for cattle and sheep"
On the point regarding the shipment of store
cattle from the United States he says: ssThe
idea Of bringing store cattle from the western
states of America is entertained by some British
farmers, especially those in Scotland, but it
looks somewhat Utopian. 1t is granted that
stores are too high; then why should not the
British farmer rear and get the high price for
himself. A one-year- old and under pays as
much, counting the value of food consumed,
as two-year-old or three year-old."
The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1884-08-21

A letter to the Boston Transcript says: One
cold day last fall while in ono of the northern
Pacific cities, saw a.box car standing on a side
track and man busy unloading something
from wagon into the car. From distance l
could not make out what kind Of merchandise
he was handling, SO went up to the wagon to
satisfy my curiosity. Fancy my amazement
when l found the merchandise nothing
more nor less than--bonee. Having found out
what it was at once proceeded with the illog-
ical but altogether natural inquiry, "What is
that STUFF" ''Youre o tenderfoot, Iguess, I"
said the man. Ipleaded guilty, swell, sir,
these are buffalo bones We farmers are all
through with our fall blowing, and just now
we gather these things as fast as we can sell
'em. What's done with 'em? We can sell all
we can gather right here, and get $8 ton for
them. They're shipped to St Louis, and there
they're ground up and sold for fertilizer. l
don't know whether the buffaloes was much
obliged to us for driving 'em off from their old
stamping ground, but any way they've left us
their bones as kind of legacy, and we make
good use of 'em sir. There are two or three
carloads of buffalo bones shipped from here
every day now, and will be till snow flies. Yes,
they're shipped from most every place of any
size all along this line as far out as Bismarck
Well, I must get this load off. There are two
or three other teams waiting their turn"
The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1884-08-21
Rattlesnake Jake's Death.
From the Portland Oregonian.

From the Portland Oregonian
On Big Spring creek, in Meagher county, a
Few days ago, Rattlesnake Jake and his partner
O'Fallon, two desperadoes and reputed horse
thieves, attempted to run small place called
Lewiston, and meeting with some opposition
they declared they would clean out the town.
and commenced shooting ct Everybody in sight
There were only three guns in the town and
they were placed in the hands of men of un-
daunted courage, who used them with such
good effect that both of the supposed horse
thieves were run down in short time, O'Fal-
Ion being shot first, through and through with
Winchester rifle, and Rattlesnake served in a
like manner q short time afterward. Both
men showed great pluck. OFallon, after be-
and asked him if he was hnrt. Jake said that
he was. SWELL" said O'Fallon, 81 am shot
and I am dead man, but will stay with you. "
At that moment he fell from his horse, then
raised himself upon his knees, took deliberate
aim with Winchester at q young man named
away from the fracas, and shot him through
the head, killing him instantly.
The citizens saw that there would be more
men killed if the thing was not ended quickly
and shooting of pistols of all sizes commenced
in earnest OFallen took five shots in the
body before he fell the second time and then
he raised himself on his side and continued
shooting until he had not strength enough to
support himself, and after lying down he kept
shooting as long as there was life in him
Rattlesnake Jake, after he was shot through
the body, kept shooting; then his right arm
was broken by a ball and he changed to his
left hand and kept shooting; another ball
broke his left leg and, supporting himself by
the other, kept shooting; another ball struck
his chin, carrying away half his jaw, when he
fell on the ground, raised himself on his side
and kept shooting. From weakness he could
not support himself any longer and he fired
lying flat on the ground There were nine
balls in him before he gave up. just before
he drew his last breath he made an effort to
draw his pistol again, but had not strength
enough, and it fell by his side.
The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1884-08-21
A Brother Unknowing1y Assaults HIS
Sister,

Ayoung lady, the daughter of highly respec-
ted merchant of Hackensack, N. j., had occasion
to visit some friends about three quartersof a
mile distant from her own home At about
o'clock she started on her way home. When
about midway between her friends house
and her ewn, the young woman was suddenly
seized from behind, and while one of her as
sailants for there were two) pinioned her
arms, the other placed his hand over her
mouth to prevent an outcry. Thus handi-
capped the girl was unable to defend herself and
was dragged into the bushes She had scarce
ly been thrown to the ground, when the moon
broke through the clouds and terrible dis
covery was made 'Oh, brother, spare mel"
the girl cried, and then tainted stMy God"
calculated the horror-stricken young man, cit
is my sisterl" Then he sank down beside her
on the grass and cried like child 1t was
some time before the young lady returned to
consciousness, and when she did neighbor
stood beside her, and when she was able to
stand, accompanied her to her home. The
young woman, upon arriving home recounted
the particulars of the terrible ordeal through
which she had passed to her parents, but care
fully, in order to shield her brother concealed
the facts of the horrible discovery she had made
Both of the young men have heretofore been
highly respected, and it it is thought they were
under the influence of liquor at the time.
The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1884-08-21
The Flu ture King of England.

An inspired article has appeared in Loyd's
Weekly, the chief organ of the working classes,
on the politics of the prince of Wales The
writer says the prince of Wales has no belief
in the policy of effacement of the empire, and
will not shrink, when necessary, from asser-
ton or extension of imperial responsibilities,
though opposed to aggression. He is, there
fore, drawn to the radicals, who have brok-
en- from the traditions of the Manchester
peace party. The article further recites the
heir apparent to the throne of England is a free
trader on principle, and regrets the existence
of protection policy in other countries on the
ground that hostile tariff begets other forms
of international hostility. He considers that many
of the ideas and plans now identified with so
cialism are thoroughly practical, Christian and
constitutional Respecting forms of govern
ment he accepts the pope's dictum that what
is best administered is the best constitutional
monarchy, and is the most economical form of
government because it keeps check upon in
dividual ambition, extravaganza and jobbery.
The republican idea, in the abstract, is very
fascinating, in practice, delusive and costly
through waste and unstable, especially in its
foreign policy, which should be permeated by
fixed principles, common to all parties of the
state. The prince believes the English mon
archy will endure, because it is the nucleus of
the real republic, and having what other re-
publics need, a center of gravity apart from
all, yet allied to all.
The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1884-08-21
The Charge Of Canniba1ism.

Washington Special: The terrible tale of
the experiences of the party in their canvas
hut during the winter of 1884 has been the one
topic of conversation in naval circles here,
and there is general belief that although the
horrible story of human butchery which was
published may not be true in all its allegations
the worst side of their life in the Arctic during
that period has yet to be made pub
lie The attitude assumed by Commander
Schley and the other officers of the
rescuing party certainly gives color to this
belief While some of them were inclined to
be communicative when questioned on the
subject to-day by reporters, most of them
were reticent Commander Scheley, when ap-
preached by your correspondent, was not at
all in a communicative mood
ssDont bothsr me with your questioning"
he said, ssfor will have nothing to commu-
nlcate to the public till the story is told
at the official investigation. There is no
truth IN the story at all-none whatever.
If the survivors of the party ate the
flesh of their dead comrades, I know
nothing whatever about it. Did I know
of anything of the kind having been done, I
should refuse to crafty morbid curiosity and
create sensation out of the sad misfortunes
of these men by disclosing any knowledge to
any but the proper authorities. Men in such
a situation lost their reason and are not strict
ly human beings Starvation reduces men
to brutes pretty rapidly, and they will resort to
means of sustaining life which to us would seem
appalling. If you and were reduced to such
state that one must eat the other or both die,
then it is proper that only the fittest should
survive"
The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1884-08-21
Death Of an Old Soldier.

Gen. William Hoffman, U. s. A., died at Rock
Island on Tuesday. He was born in New York
city, Dec. 2, 1907. He graduated from the
United States Military academy and entered
the army as breyet second lieutenant Of infan-
try He was promoted to the various grades
until he attained the rank of colonel in 1852 He
early saw much active service in the Black Hawk
and Florida Indian wars, being then engaged
on frontier duty till 1916. In the war with
Mexico he took part in the siege Of Vera Cruz
and different battles, up to including the cap
ture of the City of Mexico, receiving the
brevets of major and lieutenant colonel for
gallant conduct He afterward commanded
various expeditions, being on duty in Texas at
the outbreak of the civil war in 1851, where he
was made prisoner of war, being exchanged
in August, 1862. Appointed commissary gem
eral of prisoners during the latter year, he
supervised and controlled all captured prison
ers until the close of the war, when, breveted
major general, he assumed command of hi 8
regiment. In 1870 Gen. Hoffman was, at his
own request, retired from active service.
The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1884-08-21

LIE voltaire gives thefollowing account Of the
French operations in China:
Admiral Lespers blockaded Kelung Aug. s.
The Chinese attempted TO repel him with the
Krupp common, and the French thereupon
opened fire and silenced the battery without
causuality. A company then landed and spiked
the Chinese guns. In this operation one man
was killed and two wounded Admiral Lespers
remains at anchor before Kelung to prevent
Chinese vessels from coaling. Admiral Cour-
bet stops ct Foo Chow to support Patenorte's
demand A detachment Of the squadron re-
mains Oh Woo Sung, ten miles north Of 6hang-
hal
Admiral Lespers reports that on Aug. 5, with
three vessels he attacked, and destroyed the
forts Of Kelung. On the 9Th, parties landed
from the ships and completed the destruction
OF war materials IN store there. The French
are now masters Of the port roadstead and the
mint Two were killed and four wounded. A
dispatch from Pekin Of Aug, II says Tsuug II
Yaipen has protested to the powers against tho
cperatioQs of the 1repch Ae0t q Kslung
The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1884-08-21

Nearly all the business portion of @Anoka,
Mimi, was destroyed by fire on Saturday
morning The flames started about two o'clock
in privy adjoining Van De Welde & Pages
roller skating rink, and when first seen were
spreading up the hill toward the high school
The efforts of firemen and volunteers to mar
row the course of the confagration were un-
availing. Every piece of wood, every box and
plank, fences, blinds and cornices were as dry
as bone, and instantly caught fire as the
flaming current approached.
The fire showed no signs of stopping as long
as there was anything for it to feed on, and it
cut clean swath to the river, taking in it's
course the magnificent Washburn Touring mills
as well as the opera house, block, First Nation
al bank building, and four score buildings,
some Of them finer buildings than are usually
to be seen in such small city as this. There
was no ..'partial damage" except to one building
the school house. All the rest are total loss.
As Anoka now looks there is wide level gap
from the bridge north to the court house, ex-
cept the standing ruins Of the First National
Bank, the Opera House block and the tall
round chimney Of the Lincoln mill rough
estimate Of the figures foot up as follows:
Buildings burned, So; loss on buildings, $341, ;
$50; loss on contents, $277, $40 Insurance on
buildings $191 $50; insurance on contents, $124,
875; total loss, &629, 100; total insurance, $685..
W. D. Washburn's loss was roughly estima-
ted by him at $175, 600, with $145, 600 insur-
ance. The principal buildings destroyed, be-
sides Mr.. Washburn's are Jackson's Hotel,
Anoka Club House, Anoka Bank, R Taylor's
store, Bean d Guderain's store, A. L. Ticknor.s
stores; II. l. Plummer's stores; ]. A. Foote'S
buildings, skating rink, Postofice Block. OF
these buildings destroyed, is were on jackson
street; 133 on Maine street; and others on
Monroe street and others, besides those on the
river bank.
Steam engines from ST Paul and Min
No. - AvnI In nd
rendered effective service in staying the flames,
though the destruction had been accomplished
previous to their arrival The Mississippi river,
crossed by handsome wagon bridge, is one
mile west Of the city and its tributary, the Rum
river, runs through and pretty equally divides
the corporation through the business portion
Where the destruction occurred ia north Of the
Rum. In 1870 Anoka had not more than 1000
inhabitants; now fair and low estimate Is
5000 and with its street cars, electric lights,
and other metropolitan paraphefnalia, tho city
incorporated in 1873 has an air Of activity i'm
press5ye aud surprising.
The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1884-08-21
Naquet, the champion of divorce lao.

Naquet, the champion OF divorce leg
islation in France, is Jew, whose an
cestors came to France from Algeria.
His wife is Roman Catholic and their
children are brought up to that Faith.
In politics he has been changelinr.
He began by publishing formulas for
the use OF the Reds" who wanted TO
overthrow the Second Empire with gun
cotton. Afterward he belonged to the
scientific committee at Tours, and was
responsible for the purchase of worn
out artillery from the United States,
At Versailles he was close comrade
Of Louis Blanc, and stuck like 8 leech
to Gambetta in the days Of that orators
power. He j. hunchbacked and gray
The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1884-08-21
Talk About EARTHQUAKES.

Maj. ]. W. Powell, of the geological survey
at Washington, talked thus about earthquakes,
Earthquakes in the eastern portion of the
United States have been comparatively infre-
quent and mild The most important was that
in the Mississippi valley known as the New
Madrid. A late earthquake in Western Neva-
da made fracture about two hundred miles
long, and the displacement varied from five to
seventy-five feet The western portion of the
United States, from the farther border of the
plains to the Pacific, is region of many
and great earthquakes. 1t has also been
in very recent geologic times region
of great volcanic activity. Thousands of
now dead volcanoes are scattered over
the country, and vast lava fields cover large
the margin of an earthquake fracture, and ge-
ologists have more than once prophesied that
it will be destroyed by an earthquake. GeolO-
gists have concluded from the consideration of
. great variety of facts that the interior of the
earth is in fluid condition, due to pressure
and great heat We penetrate from the sur
face toward the interior of the earth by mines
and by boring for artesian wells and other Pur-
poses The temperature is found to increase
at such a rate that degree of heat would soon
be reached at which all known rocks would
melt Secondly, vast number OF volcanoes
is distributed widely over the earth, through
the rents of which enormous quantities Of
molten rock are poured out on the surface of the
earth, showing that vast reservoir Of mol
ten matter exists beneath the crust Thirdly,
would be crushed and caused to flow by the
pressure Of q few miles of superintendent
rock. Now, to understand the cause of an
earthquake we must appreciate that q compar-
atively thin crust rests upon q vast fluid. The
next thing to be considered is that all the land
portions Of the earth is rapidly being transport
ed to the sea by rains and rivers. Thus the
land areas are being unloaded and ocean bor-
ders are weighed down. This loading Of sea
borders and unloading OF land areas upon
crust which rests upon fluid sets up enormous
strains, but they accumulate until at last suffi-
cient stress is established to cause fracture and
displacement through the miles of solid crust
When such . rupture occurs an earthquake is
the result All earthquakes in regions where
volcanoes do not exist are thus caused by
strains due to the degradation of some portion
of the continent, and the loading Of the mater
ial upon some other portion of the continent
The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1884-08-21
A Hanover Girl Objects to Being
Called Witch.


A curious action for libel will shortly
be heard in the Hanover law courts. It
appears that young farmer met very
attractive girl at ball, danced with
her several times and left early at night
to return home by train. He duly ar
rived at his destination, but some little
time after leaving the railroad station
saw, to his surprise, his partner of the
evening seated on chair in the middle
of the road, with the moonlight shining
on her face. She beckoned to him and
be approached her, gasping out: ."Why,
I thought I left you dancing. How on
earth did you manage to get here ?"
''Ha," said the girl with hooking
laugh, II am a witch" The young
man took to his heels, but the damsel
assumed the form Of a dog and followed
him to his fathers house, where he ar
rived more dead than alive and told the
story to his astonished relatives. As a
natural consequence the story soon got
about and the young lady found herself
stunned BY all her former acquaintan-
ces. On hearing the reason of the cool
ness she at once instituted an action for
defamation of character.
The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1884-08-21
Urookston land ONCE, had accepted, and was
taking steps to quality when he died



New York Special lon Sunday, during the
funeral OF Lewis Ingler Jr., the young man
who committed suicide at Amityville, l. L,
an extraordinary scene occurred As the min
lister was about to kneel in prayer, the shock
Of the earthquake shook the house large
mirror which reached from the ceiling to the
floor was cracked into from the top to the bot
tom. and the walls of the room were bracked
in two places. The flowers were shaken from
the coffin and the silver handles at the sides OF
the casket ratified. The minister and several
of the mourners tainted There was
stampede to get outside and one lady jumped
through an open window and sprained her leg
so that she had to be carried to her home.
The minister was unable to go on with the serv-
ice, and the mourners and others remained
outside while the pall-bearers re-entered the
house and carried the coffin out to the hearse.
A broom handle can be laid into the creacks in
the wall
The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1884-08-21

Lewis o. Storla, auditor Of Clay county, Min
nesota, and appointee Of the receivership Of
the Crookston land Office, died Tuesday morn
ing at Moorhead Of typhoid fever, aged fifty
one years. He was the mostprominent man Of
his nationality in Northwestern Minnesota His
life was insured for 5000 in the United Work
men, Mutual Aid, Northwestern and Hartford
Life.
Crookston Office, it will be remembered.
died few weeks ago. Mr.. Storla was
born in Alamakee county, Iowa, Nov
80, 1858, of Norwegian parents. HIS early
years were spent on the farm Of his father.
and attending school in the neighborhood. In
1875 Storla went to Clay county, Minnesota, and
settled in the town Of Eglow, purchased farm
and run i until 1850, when he was elected
had held the Office ever since, being reelected
In 1882. A few weeks ago he received notice
Of biz appointment 70 to rsceivsrahip Of The
The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1884-08-21
A Montana Mining Sensation i.

Butte, Mont, Special Telegram:-A sensation
has been caused here by the sudden and secre
departure of Francis W. H. Medhurst, genera1
manager of the Lexington company, the biggest
silver mining enterprise in Montana The inn
mediate cause of his fight is that Judge Davis,
tached property of the Princeton Mining COM
pany, and Medhurst, in whose name the title
rested, could not raise the &c, 900 necessary to
recover possession. Medhurst was heavily in
debt caused by excuses at the gaming table
here and in Salt Lake, where he once -four
ished. His gambling debts aggregate about
$75,0O0. He did not touch the funds of the
Lexington company. His salary was $12, 600 .
year. Baron Erlanger of Paris, who is at the
head, of the Lexington syndicate, will pay the
$4,000 claim Of Judge Davis against the
Princeton company, and it was with this under
The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1884-08-21

eyes; shall break the engagement" she said
folding her arms and looking defiant; set il
really too much trouble to converse with him
he's as deaf as q post, and talks like he had q
mouthful of mush. Besides, the way he hawks
gagement for that; tell him to take DR.. sage's
Catarrh Remedy. 1t will cure him completely. y
"Well I'll tell him. lido hate to break It off, fol
in all other respects he's quite too charming. ~
Of course, it cured his catarrh.