davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1885-08-13

The serious railway accident at Merritton,
Ontario in which, through the failure of the air
brakes heavy train thrown into the Welland
Canal and several persons killed and wounded
may lead to o renewal of the old and sturdily con
tested battle of the brakes. For many years this
struggle was maintained-we are not sure that In
England il Is yet at an end-and an immense deal
of evidence was brought forward on all sides. In
this country most of the railroads have adopted
the Westinghouse or some other ar-brakes, and as
q rule they give satisfaction. The only danger
connected with ar-brakes is that if they fail it is
apt to be at critical moment, and If then the train
has not the hand-brakes trouble is liable to occur.
For stopping trains quickly thero is really no com
parison between the old and the new methods; but
a railway brake ought to pc like Cmsar's wife, for
everything may depend upon it dozen times day,
andi there's room to doubt its constant efficiency
the public cannot be said to be properly protected
Since il was discovered that the principal officers
of the Coast and Geodetc Survey are Democrats,
net 80 much is heard about the alleged dishonest
management of the bureau. Ii makes good deal
of difference TO this Administration whose OK is
gorcd.
New-York tribune., 1885-08-13

A recent report to the British House of Commons
showed that by the operation of forest laws in
India, where there was formerly a terrible waste
of timber the revenue from forests has increased
tenfold, yielding a net profit of $2,OOO,OO0 The
experience of other countries exhibits equally good
results. 1t has been difficult to arouse public
interest in the subject of forest preservation in this
country but the time is not far distant when the
deficiencies in the present policy of the country on
this matter will become Glaringly apparent,
New-York tribune., 1885-08-13

Minnesota isone of the States which are discussing
interesting census The average increase IN
population over 1850 is 20 per cent in the counties
so far heard from. indicating population in the
State of over a million If New-York did not have
such n small-minded Governor some instructive
comparisons might now be made between the
growth of population In the East aud West
New-York tribune., 1885-08-13

1t would be well for the Excise Commissioners of
this city to define just how many gin mills are re-
quiIed to serve the appetite of an average-sized
block. A conservative public is justified in assum-
ing that sixteen to the block isan ample suiciency
and yet despite the protests of large portion OF
tho inhabitants of the block thus supplied. they
have granted license for q seventeenth saloon IL
there is such a thing a limit per block to this
form of industry, the people ought to know it.
The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-08-05
FARM NOTES.

some poultry raisers occasionally attempt
to economic by purchasing outraged grain
for their fowls. Such a course is about as
pIoftlble as combining new mich COW TO a
diet of poor straw.
IL is quite common when farmer keeps
three, four or more cows that the best mixer
brings more net profit than all the Others.
and often what is made from her goes to de-
fray losses on the others.
After trying different methods for growing
cheap food for swine, a prominent breeder
concludes that sweet corn and peas are best
for summer use, and corn, bran and roots
most suitable for winter.
The Ohio state Reports show that the
counties in which have drained most are pro-
ducing more and better crops than those
counties which have done but very little
draining. The drained counties also use less
fertilizers, although producing larger crops.
John NJ. Dolph, of Port Jarvis, tells the
Orange County Farmer that to kill the cod
ling moth the simplest method advised is to
place folds of cloth around the trunk of the
tree, and once week remove them and pass
them through clothes-wringer.
Clover contains more water than many
other grasses, and cor equently requires a
longer time for curing properly. Its also
more rapidly injured by rains than other
grasses, and should, therefore, be protected
WIN NO'NAS 0hth III WINS, III ttcC VI oil
emergency.
American celery is better than that in
Great Britain. There the after ton is given
to producing giant stalks. They are rather
coarse and green. Here the dwarf stalks are
the favorite, and they have a crisp, delicate,
nutty flavor unknown on the other side of
the water.
To make gentle mixer calf should be
trained from the time ii is two months old.
1t should be rubbed and stroked and petted.
Its teats and udder should be hand ed fire.
quently from the beginning. Thus when
the animal is : ldy to become cow it will
be 'amiliar it'll the motions of milking.
Gardens have generally an excess of coarse
bf-nyard monure and deficiency of potash
and phosphates. Many garden plants, es-
pecially turnips and cabbages. will be greatly
helped in such gardens by substituting an
application of phosphate for the usual spring
dressing of stable manure.
When dried fruits or other articles are
very carefully inclosed in strong paper bags
moths, millers or worms can not get get into
them. If not entirely free from them or
their eggs, the fruit should be first heated in
The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-08-05
Teterioration of GERMAN Wool.

For very long time German wool has
been known in the market for its superior
quality, which is shown by the repute in
which part of il, "Saxony wool, and the
fabrics made from it stand. Having always
been not only wool producing but a wool
manufacturing country of eminence, the
manufacturer and producer were more in
contact, and the latter could try to satisfy
the former as to quality, which in former
times always found remunerative prices.
The gradually increasing importation of vast
quantities of colonial wool has, however, al
tered this. To follow the lead of England,
Germany had to produce low-quality goods
more or less mixed with mungO and shoddy,
and as the disposition of the bulk of the pop
ulation was more in the direction of cheap
than of superior goods, the production of the
better classes of wool gradually diminished
for want of remunerative prices. This change
in the quality of the wool used has now
been so firmly established that farmers find
it no longer to pay to grow the better classes
of wool, and as they can not compete with
the colonies in the coarser kinds, the conse-
quence is a gradual but certain falling off in
quantity as well as in quality.
The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-08-05
a Frightened Dude.
[Philadelphia News.l

Despite the orders of Mayor Smith con-
corning fireworks, one small boy managed
to get his work in very effectively this morn
ing at Chestnut street wharf.
A tall dude, wearing a twO-story collar,
stood near the river, abstractly sucking the
head of a small sapling fashioned like a
walking-stick. His eyes were bent on va
cancy and his thin legs were spread wide
apart The dude was thinking.
A bootblack crept up behind him, careful
" placed giant firecracker under the mo-
tionless figure and retired to the shadow of a
saloon doorway.
There was a sizzling sound as the fuze
burned rapidly down to the head of the
cracker.
"Bangr'
A wild shrek, half somersault, pair of
legs waving in the air and the dude was on
his back. A sympathetic little bootblack
came from the saloon doorway and helped
the poor creature to arise. Mercy" he
gasped. Il thought i was dead. What in
the world is the matter? How awfully
wicked. II has shocked me all through"
burned shame" said the hoodlum, as he
adjusted lighted cracker 10 the dudes
coat-tail ''you better git away from here.
There's tough gang o. kids around this yere
wharf"
BEFORE the victim had time to reply the
second cracker exploded. Another shrek,
and the tongue-like legs struck up Franklin
street, and in few minutes were lost to sight.
mo use them air guys monkeyin' around
this camp" said the hood.um, and he lit a
cigar stump and sat down on the wharf to
eniOv III
The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-08-05
AN AWFUL EXPERIENCE.
An Ohio Farmer Narrowly Escapes Being
Killed by a Myriad OF Black AHts.
dayton, o., Special.


Mr.. Isaiah Burncrat, farmer liv ing near
Chambersburg, small country village few
miles from here, had a most wonderful ex-
perience to-day narrowly escaping being
killed by ants. He was picking blackberries
in a wild patch of underground in a dense
wood, when sudder ly he disturbed millions
upon millions of large black ants. They
were under thin covering of earth which he
stepped on, and almost instantly they
crawled up his part legs, and when he
tried to knock them off they showed
fight. Before he could get out of the heavy
growth of brush he was covered from head
to foot with the pestiferous insects. They
bit him and crawfed into his nose, ears, and
mouth. He yelled for help, but soon be-
came blinded with the myriads of ants on
his head and face, and before he reached the
edge of the wood fell helpless to the ground,
utterly at the mercy of the insects, and was
only saved from death by the timely arrival
of brother. The insects were common
black ants of very large size. Burncrat
was bitten by them all over the body, but,
while very sore, it is thought, providing the
bites arc not poisonous, will recover. The
case is without precedent in this section OF
the country, and it is believed had not aid
arrived when il did the ants would have not
only killed but eaten their victim.
The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-08-05
AN EPISODE OF THE WAR.
An Order From General Grant Which
Secretary Stanton Dared Not Disobey.
Washington Speeial.l


Senator Morgan, of Alabama, this evening
in speaking of the magnanimity of General
Grant related the following, of which he was
personally cognizant: Clement c. Clay
said he, was appointed by the Confederate
Government as a Diplomatic Commissioner
to Canada. He was afterwards taken and
carried, | believe, TO Fortress Monroe, where
he was imprisoned. He was dying at the
time ii was thought, OF asthma, and his wife
came here to ask his release on giving the
required bond. She went to President John
son, and he gave her the necessary order,
which she took back TO Secretary Stanton.
Stanton read the order and, looking her in
the face, tore it up without a word and
pitched it into his waste basket. The lady
arose and retired without speaking; nor did
Stanton speak to her. She was filled with
despair. She saw her husband, in whom her
life was wrapped up, dying in prison and
she was unable to hel p him.
Shortly after she met gentleman, / think
Mr.. Garland, the present Attorney General
and told him how she had been treated.
Your husband was commissioned by the
Confederate Government a Brigadier Cen
eral.n said Garland II was present at the
time. i know that he duly qualified and re-
ceived his commission. That brings him
within General Grants parole TO the Con-
iederate Army. You go TO him and tell
him your story" Mrs. Clay went straight
to General Grants house. but was told that
the General was just about to leave for New
York. She asked 10 send in word to him,
and the servant took her name. In about a
minute General Grant appeared, gripsack in
hand, and told her that he had but time to
catch the train.
"Then l will walk with you, General" the
lady said.
mo, no." said Grant, 'let's hear what
You want to say"
Then l must make my statement short "
said Ms Clay. My husband is General
Clay, of the Confederate Army. He is in
prison and will die if he stays there. Z esi-
dent johnson gave me an order to Secretary
of War Stanton. Mr.. Stanton tore the paper
up before my eyes and cast it away"
Grant rung his bell and Badeau entered.
Have you roster of the Confederate army
said he.
Yes, SIR" answered Badeau.
SIS there General Clayl' he said as he
took the roster.
Clement C. Clay. Is that your husband?' %
''Yes. sir.''
General Grant sat down and wrote as fol-
lows:
General Clement c. Clay of the Confeder-
ate Army, is included in the parole of that
army granted by me at Appomattox. 1t is
my order he be released on giving the proper
bond, and / shall see that this order is car
ried out
''U. s. GRANT, General L. S. A"
Grant handed the order to Mrs. Clay and
babe her good-by. The lady went to Mr.
Stanton and presented the order. The Score
tary tapped his bell and, handing the parer
to his aid, said: Have that man dis
oh
The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-08-05

tains il until fun enough to discharge into
the next lower trench through the shallow
latorals, or until il is absorbed by the grow
ing plants.
1t will be seen at glance that this sort of
irrigation can only be undertaken in the
vicinity of large towns. or where an acre of
productive land has great value. Mr.. Cole
estimates that it has cost him $500 per acre to
bring il TO its present condition of high pro-
dUctiVeness, bat he holds that il has made
the land worth several times that sum, and
that his system will pay large dividends from
the increased yield thus secured. He thinks
that lie can get ten tons of hay from an acre.
and other crops in proportion. He has de-
voted his improved lands to small fruits with
astonishing results Doubtless correspond
ing results could be secured by a much less
cost by system of trenches less expensive
than that of AIr. Cole. There are thousands
of acres of soil near our large cities now COM
paratively worthless which could be made
highly productive by some form Of Mr.. Coles
new agriculture
The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-08-05
small versus Large Farms.


Our own notion is that small farms well
cultivated, are almost invariably the most
profitable; and hence, we firmly believe
(what has often been asserted), that If many
a farmer would sell half or two-thirds of the
acres he now occupies, and poorly tills and
manages, and devote his entire time and
energies TO the care and cultivation of the
remainder, he would derive far more profit
from his labor and investment with much
less yexatiOn of spirit. The fact is as some
body truly asserts, we have too many farmers
who are Gland poor'-who have so much
land they can not make a living. Para
doxical as this may appear, il applies
truthfully to many naturally fertile and
productive locality. When such farmers
have learned that it is not economy to own
more land than they can till in the most
profitable manner, so that ii will pay for
the money expended in keeping it free from
taxes. weed and other membranes, they
will have solved the problem of ease in
practical rural lie. The happiest and thrift
lest farmers we have ever known lived on
farms OF only ten to one hundred acres,
every foot OF which was made to count.
On The other hand, the farmer who has 20
many broad acres that he can not
walk over them daily-where rods
OF fence corners are never cultivated
or otherwise utilized-lives Il life of anxiety
and worry. Instead of working like slaves
and living in a misery manner, in order to
run big farm" or purchase "all the land
that joins them, it would be wise lor hosts
of farmers to sell some of their broad acres,
concentrate their efforts upon limited areas
and look more to the comfort and happin S
of their households and the proper education
OF their children. Even if large farms were
the mot profitable, which we deny, small
ones are to be preferred for many and cogent
reasons, not the least of which are the COM
fort, peace and general welfare of the owners
and their families
The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-08-05
Watering in Hot Weather.

1t is the greatest mistake, writes an En-
glish gardner, TO suppose that in the case OF
pot plants looking over them morning ard
evening Will suffice WREN the weather IS OF
hot and parching character. / have known
places where th'te were stated times for
watering, and no matter what the weather
was like, none was done at any other period
of the day, but venture to assert that the
highest excellence in the culture OF plants IN
pots can never be attained when a hard and
fast rule is laid down and adhered to In this
matter. Ii is not only that pl ants do not get
water when they need it, when watering is
done at regular stated intervals, but they
frequently get il Wen they DO not require
il, and if plant is watered only an hour or
two before II becomes sufficiently dry TO alb
solutely need this attention, it will never
make roots so freely as when watered at the
right moment. Nothing so much excites the
ire of good plant grower of my acquaintance
as watering plants before they need water.
Don't give pl : 1t water now because 1t will
want ONE in an hours time is the remark
often mace TO young men with him, and IN
summer he has every plant looked over three
tin a day ard in winter twice. Many
root-bOund plants should never get dry in
summer, especially when making their
growth or coming into bloom for, although
becoming dry may not injure, 1t often takes
away from that vigor which is necessary u
the attainment of great excellence. In mar
net Ssl1ucl-S nave hAlONH AOl pldhtS ~ NC
gone over ever 7 hOrr in the day, end the re-
sults well justified the labor bestowed. 1t is
not, of course, necessary that soaking be
given each time, for if the whole of the soil
IN the pot is wet little given from time to
time viii keep il so, whilst preserving the
roots in that equable state of moisture which
they love to enjoy in the growing time. In
the winter | consider that good is done by
allowing plants to become nearly or quite
dry from time 10 time, as the soil Is thereby
maintained in sweet condition and the
roots in healthy state, but in hot summer
weather every time the soil becomes quite
dry there is a check, which, if often repeat
ed, has diminishing effect upon size and
auty. In the case of plants which are ex-
posed TO the fierce sun the harm done in this
way is often serious, though generally unsus-
pected by the grower who may think that in
looking 10 his hot plants twice a day he is
doing his duty by them.
The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-08-05
"The New Agriculture"
Boston JOurnal.l

Mr.. A. n. Cole, who is styled by the AL
bany Journal as the veteran editor and hOr-
ticulturist, and who has an extensive farm in
Wellsville, y. Y, near Rochester, has at
tracted considerable attention to what he
calls 1.-The new agriculture" Mr. Cole de-
rived his first ideas on the subject from Hor-
ace Greeley, who told him of the wonderful
fertility of the soil in sections of California
in the neighborhood of subterranean
rivers, as compared with the dss-
ert about them, and from the
fact that Professor Roberts, of Ithaca, had
traced red clover roots to depth of eighteen
feet, on bed of gravel OVERLAPPING water.
These and like observations led Mr. Cole to
assume that plants will reach down TO water
sources directly beneath them, and thereby
gain a luxuriance which can not be at
tanned under ordinary conditions. Mr.. Cole
has tested his theory on piece OF land where
the soil was ten or twelve inches deep
and rested on clay. 1t was regarded as the
''worst kind of land" by the farmers in the
neighborhood. The soil under his treatment
has become wonderfully productive. The
system of irrigation is as follows:
Trenches ran horizontally across the slope
at a depth of five TO six feet, the distance
apart depending on the quantity of stone r.
move from the soil in digging, as Mr.. Cole
deTends entirely upon the stone secured in
this way. First there are placed in the bot
tom OF the trenches about eighteen inches in
depth OF round stone, averaging from SIX TO
eight inches in diameter This is covered
with nom four to six inches of small, fiat
st. ne, over which are thrown the smaller
stones which are found in excayating, then q
covering Of straw. then earth to a common
level. The trenches on Mr.. Coles farm were
about twenty feet apart These M N
trenches have no outlets like ordinary drains,
as they are designed as reservoirs for the
surplus water that soaks into them from
the surface. The trenches are connected
throughout the field by shallow drains lead
ing from the upper to the lower trenches
continuously, until the last cross d-g in dis
charges the surplus water into the highway
gutter. The cross drains are made smaller
than the main trenches, and are simply deep
enough to escape being disturbed by the
pl0w. They are never 80 deep within two or
three feet as the main trenches from which
and to which they are laid The surface
water goes into the main trench, which re-
The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-08-05

DR. JOHN ii. DOUGLAS, THE PHYSICIAN WHO
TREATED THE GE, ERA:.'s THROAT.
The tedious illness of General Grant has
brought into prominence the name Of DR..
John II. Douglas, of New Yo-k, whose sue
cess in healing diseases of the throat led 10
his employment at an early stage in the
progress of the sickness which has robbed
the United States of one OF her greatest men.
On October %, some months after General
Grant had first complained of irritation in
his throat, DR.. Douglas was called in to ex-
anime the diseased part. He found the base
of the tongue to be infamed, considerable
swollen and hardened, and inflammation a.
the roof of the mouth, the soft palate and
the tonsils. The symptoms were of such a
character as, in the judgment of the expert,
to render a fatal termination probable. DIR.
Douglas acquainted the family of the suf-
ferer with his opinion, of which the General
was kept ignorant. Cancer of the epithelium
is considered to be an incurable disease.
On November 80, General Grant discon-
tinued the habit of smoking which it was
bought was unfavorabe to his condition.
hut there is no proof that the practice of
enjoying cigar had caused his illness.
From the time when DIR. Douglas NUM-
gave his case the greatest attention, cOnfin-
ing his efforts to the throat, the other physi-
clans engaged in the case taking the best care
of the general health of the sufferer. During
the progress of the case lie found ii necessary
to remove a number of teeth. He relieved
local pain by the application of hydro
chlorate of cocaine, a newly-discovered an
aesthetic. About the beginning of March
/ .. Douglas said that the Generals
death would probably be caused by
physical exhaustion, and would take
place in about three months, with
no Possib lily of his surviving longer
tEan six. At the consultation of March s,
the three medical gentlemen assisting DIR.
Douglas unanimously agreed in his diagnosis
of the case. An earlier consultation had
been held, when the excelsior of some of the
diseased parts had been discussed and con-
sidered unadvisable.
During the remainder of General Grants
residence in New York and in his last days
at Mount McGregor, DIR. Douglas was almost
constantly in attendance on him. He did
all that could be done to avert the conse-
quences which his experience taught him,
probably from his first knowledge of the case,
was inevitable.