davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-12-17

the pilots hand, who falls headlong
to tie floor
Carney sees that they are in criti-
cal strait of the river place abound
ing IN jagged rocks, dreadful shoals
and intricate channels.
By the light he sees the steamer
waver, feels that the thick storm comes
down thicker, and the wind begins to
blow a hurricane. Suddenly she
slips upon rock she careens, and ten
thousand screams arise and countless
white figures burst up from below
Carney bursts in at the door with a
swift glance about the river ban S.
He pushes aside the fallen body, and
SEXES the wheel, hurls the boat rapid
~ into her course and rings below to
back water. The captain and mate
rush upon the wneel-house and sur
round him, but do not touch him.
He is ghastly pale. They ask him
If he is competent and he nods. They
turn hurriedly to their posts, but one,
who remains to watch. Carney, with
fierce struggles at the wheel and a
hand to the engine bell, carries the
boat past overhanging rocks.
Finally they run to him with shouts
of gratitude, as she energies into the
broad river and pursues her way down
the wide chadnel. Others take the
wheel and ne reels away i'll and ex
hausted; and then all becomes obscUr-
ed and darkened.
He next awoke in an hospital,
whit her they have carried him to re-
cover. He has been Ill for some days,
but they send for some one who has
been waiting. He is an old man who
sits smilingly by the boys bedside.
"You did molly, you did bravely.
Without you, millions worth OF prop
erty, and doubtless hundreds Of lives
would have been lost. I come to re
ward you, Name desire"
4 thought comes Carney. SIS
the pilot still sick2"
'He is, and will not come on again.
If you will take his place it is yours
from tomorrow"
A day after he walked out for the
air. He turned corner and came
upon a thin-faced, Acknowledged fig
ure Ia dusty clothing, who appeared
to be looking for someone. They stop.
They look at each other, and run to
each others arms,
He pushes back her hair gladly, and
tells her that it was ne whom the city
has been speaking so well of, and i'm
plores her to believe him changed
no longer fierce of temper, no longer
improvident, no longer unreasonable.
Sickness has purified him. Will she
take him now? She looks up CRATE
fully, prays that he will forget that
dismal night when they parted, and
tells the story of her hasty tramp in
search of him; they cease speaking
for moment, they gaze at one an
other for an instant, and they walk
away happily together, now and for
] ever.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-12-17
Got What They Wanted.
San Francisco Post.


But the experience Of a young man
we'll known in social circles during a
visit to Paris is about as funny as they
make them. It seems that party of
young Americans, including this adj
venturous Californian and a notable
joker from New York, found them
selves late one night at ball room in
Paris. The wine had been flowing
freely. and the town was rather on
the riot. The Americans were having
lots of fun, when in passing group
OF Frenchmen the New Yorker acct
IDENTIFY stepped on Partisan toe. The
Partisan tapped him gently on the
shoulder.
You trod on my toe, sir"
Did II [ didn't see any toe"
you are insulting, sir. Here is
my card"
The American took the card, looked
at 1t, then very solemnly put his
hand in his pocket and handed over
another. It was the Californian S
card, which he happened to have.
Next day principal and second called
at the rooms of the Californian. He
received them blandly.
'You are not the man who trod on
my toe" said the Frenchman.
"Oh, yes, I am. You are mistak-
en-"
"Do you mean to tell me I lie?"
asked the Californian. IT tell you I
stepped on your toe"
We have called to demand satisfac-
ton.
And you shall have it."
The other American, anticipating
fun, had dropped ia.
VERY well, sir. When and wnereg
Here and now, " said the Califor-
MAN.
This is against all rules"
II believe I am the challenged
party"
"You are, but"
land I can choose any weapons?'
Certainly, but"
Gall right. Here you are"
And he brought out pair of box
ing-gloves.
'Put 'em on and We'll have it out
here"
The Frenchman could not but &C
cept. The door was locked and their
honor was satisfied by both principal
and second beng knocked about Sc
fearfully that they kept their beds for
a week. But they had their revenge,
for they put the police on the Ameri-
cans track and worried them SO that
they got out of Paris.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-12-17
1T MIGHT HAVE BEEN.
BALDwIN'S MONTHLY.

Full often in our lives has come day
When pausng where two paths divergent lay,
we pondered, deep and long, which one to
Fearful that either followed. we might lose
The rare enjoyment of happy hour,
Or grateful incense of a fragrant flower,
Or glimpse of some fair land where shines the
sun
On giant groves where the rivers run
Through furrowed fields, and through the shad-
OF cypress trees that weep upon the hanks.
We fear to lose so much; but knowing not
The changeful chances of our future lot,
We set out boldly on the chosen track,
And then so often comes the looking back,
And baff1ed strife our cherished goal to win
The mournful, hopeless cry: at might have
BEEN"
Sometimes the soul, when with great sorrow
Recalls time, long fled, when lightly hung,
The course of future years in Fates greatest
scale,
And sees how, all unwittingly, and influence
frail
AS morning dews, that on the grasses CLEAN,
Destroyed the even balance of The beam,
Unknown to us the deep decision made,
And turned our paths from the sunshine into the
shade
4 passing thought, look triaing, deed;
4 word unspoken in an hour of need,
Or spoken when 'twere better left HnSaid;
Some written line that we might Ivy chance nave
read;
And round our future draw an iron hand.
We never think that such little thing
Can ever such tremendous sequence bring,
Until too late, and then we backward turn
The page that we have filed, and though dimly
burn
The light of other days in vain frets
Against it's destiny, and deep within
Our hearts we mourn for what we might have
been.
All, soul, look thou upward, trusting; kiss the
rod,
And know there is no might have been" with
God,
From Aim, whenever Iowly we draw near,
We learn of love that casteth out all fear;
We find a Faith that, in the oblivious sea,
Whelms every dread and doubt eternally;
A hope mfaltering to us is given;
a tender Charity, as broad as heaven;
A perfect Peace, calm untrOubled Rest;
Through, these, all other things seem right and
best.
We rise triumphant over death and sin,
All pain and sorrow in our Joy forgot,
And looking backward on our might have
been,"
Thank God that it was not.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-12-17

In frst-class passenger carriages on
English lines they put pans of hot
water in the compartments to keep
the passengers warm. Stoves are not
used.
Thousands of hogs have been fat
tened in San Luis, Opisbo County,
Cal, on the acron crop, which was
never before known to be SO great as
it is this season.
There were 1921 collisions between
Union and Confederate troops during
the war. In this enumeration the
minimum of the Union troops was
500 and the maximum 100, 600.
The Queen of Italy is the best dress
ed woman IN Europe, and our own
Chief Justice Waite. has worn out
five satin gowns since he first took his
place on the supreme bench.
Six tons of almonds were gathered
from a sixty-fve acre orchard on the
Oakshade farm, near Woodland, Cal,
the past season. At 10 cents per
pound the crop will bring $12, 600.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-12-17
How Freezing Benefits the Soil.
American Agriculturist.

It is a well-known fact that water
ia the act of freezing expands consid-
erably, and with force that is ire
sistible. It is the freezing of water in
their crevices and pores that causes
the rocks to be gradually worn down
and ''weathered," as it is called, into
soil. It is this also which is continu-
ally reducing the soil to finer frag-
ments, and which breaks up the hard
clods and mellows the ground. Fall
blowing or spading assists this effect
by breaking up the compact soil into
Jumps, which are furthar broken into
small particles. AS water and air
can only act upon the surface OF these
particles, it is clear that the smaller
surface is exposed to the weather, and
the soil is made soluble. If block of
hard soil of twelve inches cube is ex-
posed to the weather, there 1854 square
inches only CT it affected; if it is brok-
en- up into cubes of one inch; 10, 1858
square inches are exposed to these
beneficial influences; if the soil is
further broken up ia fragments of
oue-twelfth of an inch, there are more
than 124, 900 square inches thus affect
ed. This fact shows how greatly the
effects of frost benefit the soil, and,
therefore, how necessary it is that the
land should be Fall plowed, an oppor-
tunity given for this beneficial action
Of the weather. In the garden,
even, all the soil possible should be
spaded before it freezes.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-12-17
TOdOggan Costumes at the Canadian
Capital.
Edmund Collins, in Outing, for Decembe

Edmund Collins, in Outing, for December.
Most tobogganers wear a white
blanket coat trimmed with red or
blue; knickerbockers, buff moccasins,
and a tuque, red and blue, white or
red, Or sometimes entirely crimson or
garnet The white coat with red fac
lngs would be 10 me intolerably insip-
id bat that 1t has dash of the saw
age In its inartistic uneouthness.
White and blue are little better
there is at least no suggestion of a
greasy, INDECENT Indian. Those of
truer taste are adopting myrtle green
trimmed and slashed with cardinal
or crimson and a warmer, richer and
more picturesque costume, with its
tuque 10 match, and crimson sash
tied TO the waist, one could not well
conceive. Costumes" are becoming
conspicuous in the streets during win
ter, but some are satisfied with tying
sash of some denomination of red
about the waist of a black cover coat,
which IS not ill-becoming. This is a
favorite expedient of the Governor
himself, and his secretary, Lord Mel
gund. It is only during these late
years, however, that this picturesque
apparel has become conspicuous In
the streets. Ottawa has adopted the
fashions of Montreal, the home of ice
carnivals, of the toboggan and
the snow shoe; and you see on winter
mornings everywhere in the streets
the fair young Canadian girl, her
eyes cleaning and the roses IN her
cheek, in bottle green, crimson Or
Magenta coat, hurrying along with
her music portfolio under her arm.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-12-17
LIFE ON SALT CAY.
HOW Salt Is Made by the wind and
SUN
Baltimore Sun.

Baltimore Sun.
"About two weeks ago I attended a
novel entertainment having rather a
grave object in view" said Capt.
Chadwick, lof the schooner, Lizzie VIII
son, a few days ago, at Kerr's salt
wharves. ct was g. bazaar held in
the loft Of a salt warehouse in Salt
cay, near Turks island, having for its
object the purchase of hearse. [
contributed by my presence and cash,
and after several days the bazaar
closed with about $40 towards buying
the vehicle" The Lizzie Wilson ar
rived on Saturday with 1853 bushels
Of salt
THE manufacture of salt at Turk s
island and Salt cay" continued Capt.
Chadwick, has much of interest to
one who has never seen the process,
which, by the way, is performed
wholly by nature, the wind and sun
sun doing the work. The wind is
preferable as an agent. At Salt cay,
where loaded, there was salt pond
of several acres in extent. It is divid-
ed into numerous square spaces by
Missionary two feet high. Water is
admitted from the sea to a reservoir,
and its saline density tested by a by
drometer. It is usually 10 degrees
From the reservoir the sea water is
admitted into the brine pool, which
is about 80 degrees, but is reduced by
the admixture to about 60 degrees. 1t
is then run into the pools by small
wheels like those of a side-wheel
steamer, placed on the side of each
pool and worked by hand. Salt makes
in about six weeks. In the process of
granulation the salt changes its color
first flesh, and then changinging to
a beautiful pink. The strain upon
the eyes is very great when looking
into the salt beds. When the crystal
is formed on the bottom the brine is
pumped out by wheel. The salt is
then raked into heaps and put into
half bushel bags to be loaded. The
process is going on continually, and
there is always plenty of salt on
hand. The rainy season began to set
in about the time I sailed, and but
little salt can be made while il lasts,
probably till next March. The salt is
piled in heaps on the cay, and rain
has little effect on it, but, of course,
would reduce the saline qualities of
the still pools of brine. The salt is
used principally for beef packing.
Salt cay belongs to Great Britain, and
has about six hundred inhabitants,
mostly colored. The manufacture of
salt is the principal labor-giving inter
est, but many maintain themselves
making shellwork, some specimens of
which are beautiful. There are Baptist,
Wesleyan, and Church Of England
churches on the cay. Cacti eight feet
high grown on the cay, and is about
the only vegetation to be seem"
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-12-17

bonus, and, besides, got one eight of
all the oil the wells produced The
average bonus GA leases was 81, 900 an
acre, although the price in several in
stances ran up to 81 900 Among the
adventurers who flooded the country
was tall, lean, lank, and hungry
looking chap from Illinois. H. had
heard that fortunes could be made in
a day, but the thought never for a
moment entered his mind that he was
destined to grow rich IN q minute
While looking arouUd he ran across
Col. Ellsworth, who was watching the
drillers at his well, which was about
400 feet deep. TIE stranger entered
into an animated conversation with
him. When he went away he carried
slip of book paper upon which the
Colonel had written in peGcil this:
[ hereby agree to sell three-fourths
OF well No, Holdman Farm, for
$18, 000, payable within three days
T. Fl. ELLSWORTH
The tall Westerner was not yet out
OF tAe Colonel's hearing when be was
acc0Sted by well-dressed stranger,
upon whose spotless piece Of linen
flashed diamond as big as horse
chestnut.
DO you know where I can buy a
good piece OF oil property?" eagerly
inquired the man of the diamond.
''I'm your huckleberry, stranger,
said the westerner. adjusting his hat
rakishIy on the side of his head. eve
got an immense bargain here for the
right kid of a man. You see that
well over there?"
eyes"
"Well, I own three-fourths interest
in in it and also IN the land surround
it. The well is 400 feet deep, and is
within q few rods of the gushers. It
will be big well, there is no doubt
about that
What Will you sell out for, my
friend?'
"Seventy-fve thousand dollars will
buy me out slick, and put you ia pos
session."
'It;s bargain" said the stranger,
and pulled ou5 p0cketbook which
was nearly bursting with it's load OF
greenbacks.
4 neighboring stump served as 9
desk.
There you are, now give me the
papers," he remarked, as he handed
over stack of bills.
The westerner counted the money,
and found there wereseventy-fve1 1, O9C
bills.
All this time Col, Ellsworth stood
not ten PAGES away. Had he strained
his ears he could have heard the
shrewd westerner drive his bargain,
but he did not know what was hap
pening, and the chances are that he
was not enlightened until years after
wards.
The Colonel was somewhat surpris
ed when the man from the west plac-
ed in his hands the purchase money.
This done, the stranger was introduc-
ed and the bargain was settled. The
well turned out to be only a very mod
crate producer, and the stranger lost
money.
In one minute the western adven
turer had cleared $57, 900 In hard cash
The next stage carried the stranger
out Of the country. He was never
seen again in Pithole Or any other oil
town. He had made his pile and wa;
satisfied.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-12-17
Something Valuable for Wisconsin
Farmers.
Western Farmer
Western Farmer.

4 new compilation has Just reached
our table that is valuable. It is a com
pilation of the annual reports of our
State Agricultural society, the State
Horticultural society, the State Dairy
men's association and the Agricultural
Experiment station of the State Uni
versity. It is compiled by Sec'y Gin
ton Rabbit, Of the State Agricultural
society. Mr.. Babbitt, is celebrated for
his efficiency as manager of the af-
fairs of this society but in the prepare
ton OF this volume he has excelIed
anything that he has formerly done.
The volume is a bulky one of over a
thousand pages, and it fairly makes
one dizzy to contemplate the magni-
tude of the job Of writing up all this
matter, preparing it for the printer,
reading proof, revising copy and the
multitude of little details that attend
a job of this kind. Of course refer
ehce is had to Mr.. Rabbits report
alone. The others were gotten out
by the various secretaries of the socie-
ties, and are marvels of perspieuity,
neatness and comprehensiveness.
When you read the Dalrymen's re-
port you do not marvel that Wiscon-
sin came to the front at the World
Exposition on her butter making.
When you reas the Horticultural re-
port you do not wonder that Wiscon-
sin stands first of all the states in her
horticulture. And when you look
over the State University Experiment
Station report you are impressed with
the wisdom of our last legislature in
making provisions for "the boys"
The people will endorse legislature
that acts with this wisdom. And in
fact this whole volume testifes to the
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-12-17
HE MADE HIS PILE IN ONE MIN
UTE.
The Almost instantaneous Manner
in Which Man Became Rich in
PIthoIe City.
n. Y. Sun.

Scores of good stories have been told
of men who by a successful stroke of
luck or business policy have become
suddenly rich. Sme have made their
bundle in six days, while others, by
cornering certain stocks Or food pro-
ducts, have jumped from comparative
poverty to princely affiUence between
the coming and the going of the sun.
The list of men who have made so
called fortunes IN a day or week,
might possibly fill a small book, but
there is no known record of some
of the peculiarly lucky dogs of
creation who have toyed with coy
fortune and grown wealthy in less
than an hour. Speculation in petro-
I0um has given birth to several in
stances Of this kind.
But the man who grew rich in an
hour is not for an instant to be COM
pared with the western chap who &C.
cumulated handsome fortune in the
short and feeting period of sixty Sec
Onds. Two hours after he struck the
oil country he was hurrying out of it
as fast as the numbering stage would
take him, and he never came back,
again, either. He was not at all pig
gish. He simply knew when he had
enough.
1t was in the early days, when the
great petroleum industry was still in
long dresses, the incident in question
happened. The year was 1865, and
the theatre of operations the then red
hot city Of Pithole. With the simple
aid of a twig of witch hazel, Thomas
II. Brown, whose ancestors were
among the early settlers of New York
city, located the well which ushered
into its brief but exciting career of
oleaginous existence the phenomen-
al Pithole oil district. Mr.. Bro WINS
rod of witch. hazel made Thomas
Holmden, the owner of bleak and
sterile farm, one of the richest men in
the state. The Frazier well, which
was the Plthole pioneer, was finished
on Jan. s. 1865. The $50 barrels of
oil it poured into tanks during
the first and subsequent days
Of its existence was worth IS barrel
at the well, but in those days il cost
the consumer only $3.50 a barrel to
place the stuff in the New York mar
ket.
Every commercial traveller who
has ever visited Erie, Pa, knows the
sneeze and the patrlarchal white beard
and bald head and suave manners Of
Col. T. Il. Ellsworth, for years pro
prietor of the Ellsworth house and
later proprietor of the Reed House.
The Colonel was not always hotel
man. He was one OF the earliest OPP
orators in the region, and at several
periods IN his career was worth
great deal of money.
It happened that the Colonel, who
was one of the early birds, came into
possession of a snug little slice of the
famous Holmden farm. Several wells
had been drilled On the track, and all
came in as money makers. The Col
oneIs was not as choice as the rest
A well was started, and the drill be-
gan its search for oil. At this time
hundreds OF strangers, with fat pocket
books or big bank accounts, roamed
over the field in quest of desirable To-
cations. Thus the land, once value
less, became immensely valuable.
Land owners axacted fearful big
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-12-17

ty one years to its credit the Post
eighty-four years, the journal of
Commerce and the Courier dies
Etats-Unis fifty-sight years each,
and the Sun, which shines for all,
ffty-two years There was no office
cat in the halcyon days of the Sun.
the Scaats-Z9itung bas lived fly
one years and the Herald just fifty
wears
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-12-17

A New York woman laid diamond
ring on the bracket shelf in a big
transatlantic steamer. The state room
steward threw it overheard,
Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-12-16
WHOLE No. 1O,8l3

the Fifth Avenue yesterday, and increased
his ofiense by taking his wife with him.
He said yesterday that he should pay no
attention whatever to the threat of the
Union. Nearly every mail brings a new
grist OF circulars from the boycotters. No
name IS signed to the circular, which is
prepared in q printed form, and has the
name of the Central Labor Union at the
bottom. Ex-Governor Foster, of Ohio,
found a circular in his mail Yesterday
morning. and promptly consigned il to the
waste basket, No one but Il demagOgue,
he said, "wGuid pay any attention to such
stuff" The only man the circular is re-
ported to have affected is General Butler
lie received the notice just rs he was leav-
ing, The hotel, short time ago. The clerk
at the hotel said to-day that the General
had not returned here since Ben Buffers
position rs professed champion Of labor
and Labor Unions has aroused some Curl
osity rs TO how he win treat this edict
Where he stops when he next comes to
New York will be watched with interest.
Another Eiopement Sensation.
New YORK, December 15th-A. NJ
Waterbury, Conn, is enjoying the sensi-
ton, just now, of one of the most singular
elopements that ever took place -Whera a
married man abandoned his family and
hied away with two women and several Of
their children. The man is Elihu D.
Smith, a blacksmith, aud a deacon in the
Methodist Church. The women are Mrs
Edwin Lorrow, wife of a miller. and Miss
Adeline SheriC, sometimes known as Mrs.
Barton who lived With the Lorrow. The
eloping party left on Saturday, and are
supposed 10 have gone to Canada. Deacon
Smith had raised all the money he
could, and left his family almost destitute.
Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-12-16

DR.. Robert Newton, late President Of the
Eclectic College of the city of New York,
VIM. Halls Balsam very extensively III his
practice, rs many of his patients, now liv-
ing and restored to health by the use of
this invaluable medicine, can amply tes-
tify. He always said that so good a rem
edy ought not to be considered merely as q
patent medicine, but that it ought to be
prescribed freely by every physician as a
sovereign remedy in all cases of Lung dis
eases. 1t cures Consumption, and all pee
t0ral cnInulaintS