davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1885-12-16
IHE railroad commands of the Wost

The railroad companies of the West have
fallen into a bad habit of attempting to
muzzle the press in case of accidents on
their roads. This is as foolish as it is un-
wise. The press cannot be muzzled. It
VIII get the facts anyway, and in pursuance
OF a demand from it's readers will publish
them. The charge that newspapers are
afraid OF railroads." or influenced by them
to suppress facts, is not w%ell-foundei. The
railroads invariably get more from the
newspapers than they give to them. Thew
are, as a rule, dead heads, both as to ad-
yertlsing and subscription, and the occa.
slonal trip -or annual pass is doubly paid
Ior. On the other hand, the charge of SEN
~satlonalism, to the extent Of preferring
falsehood to truth, made against the press
Is equally untrue. In an extended expert
ence, covering fifteen years OF active work
in city and country. we have never vet
found a newspaper man who preferred
1alsehood to truth. No class OF men will
work harder to obtain facts and to verify
rumors thar reporters. Railroad COM
would serve themselves, the publ;c
and the press by giving reporters everv
laclllty Tor gathering news and especially
IN gaining facts in case of accidents. Inns |
the truth only would be given to the
world, the names of killed and injured !
would be correctly published and public feel. !
ing and the anxiety of those having relations !
and friends on a wrecked train would be
allayed. A great Eastern railroad en-
ploys a man who, in addition to other
work, furnishes the press with full
"details OF every accident tina occurs on the
'oad. These reports are absolutely correct.
no effort is. made in them to shield
either the company or it's employees. Why
should not the Union Pacific and the
Northern Pacific adopt this course, in
Of sealing the lips OF their employees
lnder penalty of discharge and even going
% far as to attempt to close the service of
he Western Union Telegraph Company
lgainst the peess. The MINER will at no
ime spare labor or expense in securing re.
'orts OF accidents. 1t will always be glad
o take the statements of the officials of
he road, but it does not propose that any
airs on the part of officials
hall prevent it from getting and publish
1g the new. If the telegraph Offices are to
e closed against us, as an effort was made
t Missoula some time ago, we shall have
D resort to the mails. We want to be on
terms with the railroads, but we
ant news a good deal more.
The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1885-12-16

The raid against polygamy in Utah is
daily increasing in rigor, which shows that
the Mormons must 60. Judge Boreman, of
the Second District, recently, in charging
the Grand Jury, said, among other things,
that certain district judges had been
loudly praised for their l~eniency in cases of
polygamy or unlawful cohabitation, but
as for himself he cared nothing for the
blessings OF this people, and, in fact, would
rather have their curses than not; that
men. women and children had always per-
jured themselves in cases brought under
the Edmund's law, and that as in the past
so they would undoubtedly do in the fu-
ture when in the witness chair; that the
inry would notice that fact and tia the
proper place for such persons was the peni-
Tertiary" Yes, those who perjure them
selves to screen their cohorts in this in.
famous crime, must also be taught
obedience to the laws of the land. When a
few examples are made of the vile per-
~jurers, as Judge Boreman proposes, there
will be no more acquittals in polygamy
casaa
The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1885-12-16

The police authorities in Washington,
District OF Columbia, are in a quandary to
know what disposition to make OF drunken
officer connected with the Gillian legation,
named Senior Del Campos, who is in the
habit Of getting On a spree every week OF
two and trying to tear up the town. He
has repeatedly been arrested and taken
home in a hack, because the divinity which
hedges around the King protects a member
of the diplomatic corps also. The police.
men are tired OF paying hack-hire to take
the young man to his lodgings, as it would
be a cause for war if he was locked up in a
cell like any ordinary %drunkard. The Chief
OF Police thinks that if his antics are to oc-
cur regularly in the future, tt at there should
be some special provisions made for his
disposition. This fellows immunity from
arrest is owing to the stiff, unbending prin-
ciple of the law Of nations, which exempts
foreigners connected with embassies from
fine and imprisonment. There ought to be
international houses OF correction estab-
lished for the care of such characters.
The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1885-12-16

IT. you are looking about for a handsome
and instructive present in the shape of a
book, buy Patience Stapleton's volume OF
sketches. entitled "The Majors Christ.
mas, and Other Stories" 1t is a good,
pure, wholesome book, for the reading OF
which mankind will be the better. Mrs.
Stapleton's name is familiar to magazine
readers, as a charming writer of light
fiction. The story given the first place
in her book is not by any means the best.
cat Dresden by the Sea-" is a delightful
Christmas story. 1t fairly beams with
cheer and is beautifully tender in it's senti-
ment. The character Sue is particularly
well drawn$and it is done in a few words.
And there is an atmosphere about the farm
house OF Luther Trask that is refreshingly
natural. One OF the bright stories in this
book has been specially written for E. A.
Buck, Esq, OF New York. who will publish
it in the Christmas edition OF his great pa
per, the Spirit of the Times. There is no
more charming book for the Christmas
tide.
The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1885-12-16

RAILROAD ENGINEERS and officials o,oh.
to have known long ago that two 49,
cannot pass each other on a single traoh
Yet they seem to disregard tho $50
or are too stupid and blind to kno.,
Every day chronicles serious acc;do.4'
from that cause. The only way to OWNS
Their eyes would be to make examn,os -.
them. The last occurred night befora ~ -
about fifteen miles from Atlanta. Gsona;"
whereby not less than twelve bnman
'ngs were hurled into eternity, and abont
as many more fatally injured or m.;"",
Tor life In this case one train, runn;na "a
a high rate OF speed, tried to pass ana at
winch had stopped to take water. NV n,'a
ming through it on the same track ~ "-
menclns at the rear end. It did not naas
the other however, but it did scatter ds pass
ana o~es'fue''on on either side Of the tr.an
The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1885-12-16
The new Congressman must experience q

H new congressman must experience q
feeling OF disappointment when entering
upon the duties OF his office, for all his ex-
allied opinions of the dignity of his position
are dissipated when he finds that lie is only
Il small atom in the great body of men
forming Congress. a correspondent OF the
Philadelphia Daily News thus graphically
describes him: IF there is any display of
dignity it is made by the new Congressman,
who is present one hundred and thirty
strong. But who can blame him? Remem-
Der that in many cases he has just arrived
from a town where, when he made his de-
parture, there vas no greater man than
he and where al! eyes were conferred upon
him. He is not yet aware that his indi-
vidual greatness has been absorbed Dy the
superior greatness OF the body of which he
is a small, fractional part. He does not
yet know that the great speech he has pre-.
pared with SO much care will never nave
any other audience thar what the looking
glass exhibits to him in his rehearsing
pangs. Very few men in the House do any
talking. The power OF the Speaker, under
what is known as the Randall rule, is abso-
lutte. A man might be a Congressman for
ten years and if the Speaker sees tit to ig- |
more him he might as well talk to the waves
on the kanlschatkan shore as endeavor to
secure recognition. There is exactly one
day in the session when a member, if he !
happens to be chairman of one of the sixty
committees, may get Il chance to be heard
Tor one hour, despite the Speaker; but
events may occur that might even deprive
him OF this right
The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1885-12-16

POLITICAL principles are very often in
bred and it does seem as though in many
instances they, like other family traits,
alton to generation. There are, in our
national history, cases recorded showing
that sons have become prominent in pc.
litical organizations that their fathers
were distinguished members of. There are
also many cases showing that the sons
nave cast their destiny with the party op-
posed to the one to which their fathers be-
longed to. The latter, there is a good reason
Tor believing, inherit their political senti-
ments from their mothers, especially il the
fathers happened to be Wings Or Republic
cans, as the following clearly shows: The
little son Of Mr.. James G.. Blaine's next
friend, Mr.. "Steve" Elkins, whom about
four years ago Mr.. Elkins named for Mr..
Blaine, becomes furiously angry whenever
any one, on hearing his name, asks il he is
named for James G.. Blaine, and excIaims:
"No 1 amt named for that old Jim Blaine
and I wouldn't be. Ifyou say hat again
III hit YOU" He even made this saucy de-
NAL to Mr.. Blaine himself, although the
latter, when the child was named, presented
him with a silver cup and saucer, spoon
and rattle in a very handsome case in
scribed with his name. Mr.. Elkins' wife is
q daughter OF ex-senator Davis, oil West
Virginia, one Of the staunchest Democrats
in the Land. Mrs. Elkins coming from a
stock it was only natural that
the children should be imbued with the |
true faith politically, which means De-
mocracy.
The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1885-12-16

The Appellate Court of the Third Dis
trict OF Illinois has just given a decision OF
extraordinary interest regarding the re-
sponsibility of bank directors for the safe
keeping OF bank deposits. The facts are
reported as follows: "Gardner Case was d
depositor in the Bank of Bunker Hill, ILL.,,
and John Delano and others were directors.
The bank failed, and Case brought suit
against Delano M others, Individually,
to recover the amount OF his deposits, rest
ing his claim upon the ground that as such
officers they were bound to know the
financial condition of the bank; and the
acceptance OF his deposits after they might,
by exercising due diligence, have known the
TACT OF its insolvency, constituted a per-
sonal and individual responsible lily to him.
The trial OF the issue was had before Judge
Jesse j. Phillips in the Circuit Court of
Macoupin County, where judgment was
rendered in favor OF Case. The defendants
appealed and the Appellate Court new
affirms the judgment OF the Court below"
This, says an exchange, is new departure
in rulings upon this question, and if it is
made thelaw Of the land, as we believe it
should be, it will greatly lessen
the humber of bank robberies bv
bank officials in the future. Directors
are supposed to direct, but as a matter OF
fact bank directors as a rule are mere
flgureheads, whose names are used for the
purpose OF promoting confidence in the in
situations with which they arc connected.
They usually leave the management OF the
banks affairs to some officer who does as
he pleases with the funds. OF course, if
the man thus trusted is honest, comuctcut
and careful, everything goes well; but il the
bank is robbed by a trusted president or
cashier, the directors immediately plead
the baby act and declare that they never
knew what was going on. We believe that
bank directors should be held individually
responsible to the full extent of their pri-
waite means for any losses that may be suf-
Tered by depositors through dishonest or
incompetent management, and we have no
doubt that if this rule were generally an
Piled the number of bank failures wound
soon be reduced to a minimum.
The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1885-12-16
A fight in q church tooL VIA.

A fight in a church took place in Detro;,
last week, which at first bid fair r. ha :.
very serious matter. 1t grew out Of charees
preferred against a priest of St. Albert,s
church: Father Kolasinski, who has besn
accused before Bishop Borgess. Of annro.
pr'ae'ng funds belonging to the chnrcb
Many married men. in afidav;ts NOW =.
tne Bishops hands, make otber :.
charges against the priest. Tho otho.
Jay Father Kolasinski turned ovs,
.ne DOORS OF the church and was denossd
10y BISHOP Borgess.. Two other nriests wasa
assigned to the church. but the women ~
inc parish rallied in force and nrevsnts -,
onem from holding services. Tba nr;aS4a
were e'ected and the police summopas se ~
restore quiet. These were also as.au'. W
~ 'ne women, several Of whom were had1a
injured in the melee. Finally Father Ko1as,
,nshl reached the church. The inauen.a 10
nao with his congregation was ,tr;L;s. ns
SHOWN IN the TACT that the few vorda ICY
rlm e the excited people to Their hona.a
A''o out his hands and women ro,d.d
The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1885-12-16
MAruEXs A. WERR in their

MATHEWS 4 WEBB in their weekly cir.
cular make the following quotations OF
Upper and comments On the market: Cop
per has edged off from it's previous high
limits and threatens almost to go back to
it's previous rates at New York, and to lose
some OF its advance in London. The main
cloud in the horizon is the fact that the
Calumet and Hecla have none OF their 1866
production sold ahead. Johnny Bull has
recently swallowed the "Anaconda," and
thus reversed the usual programme, and
the willy, English operators (whose main
strength is that the Americans under-esti-
mate them) are now doubtless going to
depress values once more for another deal
in Lake and, when this has been effected.
we may see some lively and advancing
speculation. At the close, Lake at New
York stands $11.15 to S11.2O, with the
other brands ranging down to 1Oc., while
1T London Chill bars stood at f42 and
best selected at EAT. Our domestic manu-
facturers have very little future copper pur-
chased, and are a~nxiously watching the
next ~move-which is most likely to be a
Calumet and Hecla sale at 11c."
The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1885-12-16

The sheep raisers in Colorado have caught
the infectious disease mania, as appears
by the following, adopted at a convention
held at Colorado Springs on the 18th inst.
Resolved, by the Wool Growers of Colo
RADIO, in convention assembled at Colorado
Springs, December II, 1885, that they re-
spectfulIy petition the State Veterinary and
Sanitary Board to enact such rules and
regulations as said Board may deem
efficient for the protection OF the wool
growing interests Of the State, to the end
that infectious or contagious diseases
sheep may be eradicated and pre-
vented, and they respectfully call the atten-
ton of said Board to the following appro-
pirate and pertinent rules in the premises"
The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1885-12-16
The jury system in Iowa does not AZ

The jury system in Iowa does not APP
pear to nave made much progress, and the
actions of some juries there are not calcu-
lated to inspire much confidence in litgia-
ton. A case was tried last week, at Eldora,
in that State, in which one Charles Hender
son was the defendant. The jury had been
out some time, and being unable to agree
they resolved to decide the case upon a toss
of a penny. In this case it was "heads l
win. tails You lose sure enough. for by
the toss they were to render a verdict Il
not guilty, but instead OF that they came
into court next morning with q verdict #
guilty: Judge Henderson having been adj
vised Of this 'mis-fip," set the verdict
aside. This does notspeak well for a State
that turns out an army Of lawyers from
her law schools, twice a year. She had
better stop flooding the country with law
yers and use her schools TO train jurymen.
The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1885-12-16

Commenting upon a possible uprising in
Utah, the New York Mail and Express says:
"The present alarm as to a possible Nor
mon revolt against the Government NAV
end as the Fourth OF July scare did; and
the Mormons may ridicule the 'Gentiles'
Tor their silly fears as unsparingly as they
did then; but many Of the Gcntiles still
believe that if prompt action had not been
taken last July there would haye been an
uprising, and there is at east nc harm in
preparing for an event that may possibly
happen at almost any time. The relations
between the Mormons and the Government
have been getting strained more and more
every month, since the recent prosecutions
under the Edmunds law began. The
most prominent Mormon leaders have been
driven to flight, and are now compelled to
address the faithful from a safe distance,
instead Of face to face, while many
~polygamists have been sent to Jail, and the
rest are sure to follow. In this strained
state Of affairs the United States Marshals
are regarded with peculiar hatred by the
MorInons, and it was an assault on one OF
these by a gang of Mormon .rowdies that
has brought on the present crisis. Marshal
Collin, when assaulted, drew his pistol INT
shot one McMurrin, who has since died OF
his wounds. Collin gave himself into GUS
tody and is TO- awaiting trial. The Nor
mons, however, regard the shooting
OF McMurrin as a high-handed MUIR
der, and threaten to lynch Col
lin if they can get him. So omi-
nous have been their mutterings about
this matter. and SO significant the utter
OF their newspaper organs, that the
Gentiles-who are outnumbered three or
Jour to one in Salt Lake, and more than
that almost everywhere else in the Terri
tory-are naturally somewhat anxious and
like to know that there is a sufficient force
ut Fort Douglas to suppress any uprising
that may possibly occur. It might be bet
Ter in the end if the Mormons should resort
20 arms, but it would bring about a great
leal of present evil, and the Government is
pound to prevent any fesort to force if it
an do SO by a show of strength before
The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1885-12-16

THE great timber waste yoi,,n
escaped the eagle eyes of Secret, on mas not
ne, IKE all other citizens who have I tha
terests OF our country at heart ;"sl IN
solicitous for the future, fearing a. h. ~ very
that, unless some effectual mean ~ '9es
adopted by Congress for PRESERVING H. are
on Government lands, the time is n 1.H,ei
distant when, by waste and robbery NV !. lar
all he destroyed. In his last renort = !. Will
Legislation for the preservation NJ says
is imperatively demanded, and tba f huloer
ing suggestions are made: 'on'"'
First-That as to land survev0d .,
plats have been filed, appraisers b sn Il
pointed to all Observation-Disclosures wha,ap '
than the half are overgrown with t;, rIofe
Trees to be selected and appraised at 4ei
fnll actual value and return made =, ~ tIl
lands SO selected and appraised to tbo 1o us
office, where the plats shall he na" ,aHl
added. value
Second-That in all future surveys II.
surveyor shall select, appraise and retnrr ~, ~
each survey all timber land and the W.
praised value. 'p'
Third-That every fourth section i,
scribed by number, marked as 'timhs,
land" and appraised, shall be permanent.
reserved from sale.
Fourth-The lands marked on Mats o
timber lands and appraised, excent tbs ra'
served sections, shall only be sold a,
public auction to the highest bidder tor
cash (but in no event below TIE apnraissl
value). ANY lands not sold shall he bsS
subject to future sale, subject to the sams
order and directions.
Fifth-All entries made shall be reou;,01
to establish that the land entered is not
timber land.
In addition to these excellent suggestions
which might be carried still farther, for
preventing an entire destruction of tirber
Congress ought at once to amend the laws
prohibiting unauthorized taking of timF er
and trees from the public domain, in order
that those who have been and are now
engaged in specializing in the same
shall have that punishment melted out to
them which their vandalism so richly
Mr.. H.. L. Brown, who has been c%onnertpd
with The MINER since it's first inception.
has sold his interest in the COMPANY and
retired from the management. Mr.. Brown
Is now engaged in closing his books and
collecting the outstanding accounts to tbe
date OF his retirement. AS it is desirable
TO close the books at once TIE MINER
that his calls for cash MAY be
promptly met.
In severing his connection with The
Mr.. Brown does so with the regret
81 all the stockholders, who found him an
earnest. faithful and conservative manager,
who made the interests of the paper his
The MINER, and all connected with
t, as proprietors or employees, wish Mr..
every possible success in whatever
may in the future engage.
The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1885-12-16
THE VOICE OF THE PARTY.

The MINER is informed that there is on loo,
a movement to bring about the removal o
Postmaster Smith and to secure, in a auiei
manner, the appointment Of a Democrat
in his place. The whole movement il
characterized by stealth and dark-lantern
methods. 1t is said that a petition has
been circulated in one portion OF the city
mainly by Republicans-in the interest OF
a gentleman well known in the community,
and that he received some signers.
The position Of The MINER upon the sub
ject of changes in office is well known. 1t
believes that a. change in the party in
power should mean a change in every sub
ordinate office also. The President re-
quires the hearty cooperation of Demo-
cratic ~ofice-holders in bringing about the
reforms he has in view. An army of office
holders arrayed against an administ ration
no matter h~owsoever wise and good
would render it powerless for good. We
believe that "to the victors belong the
spoils.' We believe that every Republican
ofice-holder should be displaced by a
Democrat. Therefore, we believe that
Postmaster Smith should be removed,
with the rest, as Il party measure and as a
natural sequence of a political revolution.
we do, however, make the proviso that
the Democrat who succeeds him shall be in
every respect as good il man, and that he
shall be acceptable to the rank and file OF
the Democratic party.
There is no appointment within the gift
OF the President in which the people OF
Butte are so universally interested as in
that OF postmaster. He is a man with
whom they all have dealings-even down
to the little toddlers, who receive their
Easter cards, birthday mementoes and the
tokens OF the Christmas-tide f:oth ''the
The Postmaster holds a s~emi-confiden- +!
tial relation to the whole people. He is to |
4 degree the custodian OF many OF
heir secrets. He should be a man |
satisfactory to the masses, |
one, at least, who has the
confidence OF the whole communitv, He
be an honest mai and a sober one.
lie should be Il man OF the strictest integ-
ity and the purest honor. His record
.hould be stainless and his every act above
'uspicion. He should come from the best
OF society and he endorsed geaer-
lily by the business community. He
hould be a man OF business training and
BUSINESS habits. He should possess execu-
i've ability and the faculty Of systematic
ng SO complex a business.
Such men are not scarce in the Demo-
ratio ranks, if they are only looked for.
hey rarely seek an office, however, and
he place must seek them. For that
eason we oppose any d%ark-lantern
and efforts to fill the office by
Let the people have Il choice in
he matter, or a chance, at least, to give
Expression to their preference. This is all
they ask, and that much should be
them.
The MINER does not believe hat Dele
ltc Toole or Postmaster General Villas
ill fall into any such trap, or that they
lend themselves to such a scheme. No
lange will be made at once, and the
eople will be given a chance to speak.