davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-07-23

cumstance became very unpleasant.
After while / realized that there
was some power helping me at the
throttle when reached this place.
mentioned it to my fireman, and
made him try it. He was convinced
that rny impression was right.
One night the whistle gave two or
three. screams. I thought the fire
man had pulled the cord, but he de-
nled 1t. This occurred two or three
times afterward, and / couldn't see
any hand pulling the rope. Well,
you may be sure I didn't like this
sort OF thing. At last creepy feel-N
ing began to crawl all over me when
approaching the dead engineers
house: One dark night in June, 1881,
| made up my mind to balk the COST.
L called the fireman In the cab and
both OF us grasped the throttle, slow
ed up to the proper speed, and held
on to it firmly. We felt something
tugglng at 1t, but we were too strong
for it. Suddenly the throttle was
wrenched from our hands and pulled
out to the utmost limit. Away bound
ed the train down the grade into All
lOOAa, the whistle shrieking like a
demon. Before we got away from
the, ghost the train had attained great
speed, and we ran half way through
the city before we could slow up. A
swltchman saw us coming and switch
ed us on a side track beyond the Lo-
gan House, where we wrecked two or
three cattle cars and damaged the
engine. The incident caused great
commotion among the people living
along the tracks, and the company
censured me for it. As I couldn't be
responsible for ghosts antics, 1 gave
up the job and came back to the B
and o."
WAS the ghost that of the dead
engineer2'
Il think so. He always slowed his
engine while nearing his house, and
waved his hand at his wife and child
rem, who stood at the door and bowed
and smiled at him. The night he
raised all that runlpus, he must have
gotten mad because | didn't let him
have his own way"
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-07-23
Electricity in the MenagerIe.

Nearly every day some new use is
found for electricity, and one of the
most recent applications eff this power
is in the interest of the professional
tanners of wild animals, says an ex-
change. The inventor is a tanner
himself, and his instrument is an ap-
paratus shaped like stick and highly
charged with electricity. When the
animals become unruly he gives them
a shock from this battery, and the
effects are said to be instantaneous.
On experiment, three of his lions
Immediately showed signs of the great
est terror. They were seized with
trembling and growled fitfully. The
tiger was more quickly subdued, be-
came stupefed and crouched In cor
ner of the cage. Bruin was more
refractory to the electricity, which
seemed scarcely to affect him. He
would growl and show his teeth, but
was sHbdued after repeated discharges.
The most astonishing effects. how
ever, were perceptible in the boa con-
strictor. On receiving the discharge
the specimen from Cayenne, nearly
twenty feet in length, became at once
paralyzsd and remained motionless
for six hours afterward. When he
recovered he showed signs OF help
lessness for thres whole days. Fin
ally the elephant on being electrified
by touch of the stick upon the tip of
his trunk, set up series of wild cries
and became so frantic that the tanner
feared he would break mis- heavy iron
chain.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-07-23
COL. JAMES BOWIE.
The Man who Invented the Famous
Knffe-Bis Numerous DueIs-Massa-
Gre of the Alamo.
PIttsburg DlspatCh

An item among the Curious Con-
densations" in the Dispatch a few
days ago. was to the effect that one OF
the curiosities exhibited at the New
Orleans Exposition was knife which
had once belonged to Col. James
Bowie Who was Bowie? He was
one the noted characters in the south
west during the first quarter of the
present century. AS d duelist and
gambler he was without a peer. He
was the inventor of the. knife which
bears his name, and which he used
with terrible effect IN many of mis- en-
counters.
On one occasion, having been chal-
lengcd, he stipulated that the fight be
at midnight in darkened room. The
coma batants entered and the door was
locked, the seconds and surgeons re-
naming on the outside. With pain
full interest they listened for the fight
to begin. Ali was silent save the
sound of feet moving stealthily over
the floor and an occasional moan as
of some one in pain. In a few min
utes one of the men was heard to fall,
and voice from within cried out,
"come in" Upon entering the room
the attendants found Bowie lying in
a pool of blood, almost cut to pieces,
but still breathing. He recovered.
The other man died in few hours.
Another time he fought his oppon-
ent across log. each with an arm tied
to his back. AS before, the terrible
knife was the weapon used. Bowie
was badly cut about the head and
body. His antagonist was killed on the
spot.
Col. Bowie was very small man,
his weight at no time exceeding Ito
pounds. When not excited he was
as gentle and tender hearted as a
woman. He invariably took the side
of the weak against the strong. Ent-
ering stage coach one day Ae founa
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-07-23
OH!
Merchant Traveller.

1T understand you had quite live
ly time at your house Saturday
night" said Johnson to young Mr..
Smirel last Monday morning on his
way downtown.
Eyes, rather" replied Mr.. Smirel,
with pleased and happy blush which
rather disconnected Johnson.
What vas the excitement2 Cele~
brating the Fourth2'
"Oh, no." hastily answered Mr..
Smirel with a blush, sit was only the
first"
why" exclaimed johnson, SUR
prised, Saturday wasn't the first, 1t
vas the-then he stopped, made a lit
tie calculation on~his fingers, remark
ed ooh" with peculiar significance,
and went in with Ssnirel to help him
select tn, cigars.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-07-23
THE UNION DEAD.
Statistics of the Union Soldiers Who
Died in Service During the Civil War.

Died in Service During the Civil War.
New York Sun.
Twenty years have passed since the
close Of the civil war and now, at last
a careful official record of the number
Of deaths that occurred in the Union
army has been made. A little more
than twelve months ago, on the I'd Of
June, 1884, General Drum directed
Mr.. J. w. Kirkly, an experienced
statistician of the Adjutant Generals
office, to begin the compilation of
this record, with the aid of ten clerks.
a minute and exhaustive exploration
of all attainable official documents
has now produced table of statistics
which far surpasses ia completeness
anything on the subject hitherto ex-
listing.
To state the grand result at the out
set, the table shows total of 9,S55
deaths of commissioned officers and
$40, 913 deaths of enlisted men, max
ing an aggregate of $50, 1876 deaths
among the Union forces. The period
included in the record is, for the regu-
lar troops, the interval between A pril
Is, 1861, and August 1, 1865; for d
portion of the volunteers it is prolong-
ed beyond the latter date until the
muster out of each organization. 1t
will be remembered that the troubles
in Mexico and other causes occasion
ed the retention of some volunteers
in the service after the downfall of
the Confederacy. Indeed, as Mr..
Kirkley notes, the last white volun>
teer organization was disbanded Now
ember Is, 1867, and the last colored
regiment December 90, 1867, while
the last officer of the volunteer gener>
al staff was not mustered out until
July 1, 1869.
Yet, careful as the examination Of
the records has been, one lack rem
ders it still far from complete. The
death registers of some of the largest
prisons at the south used for the con-
6nement of Union soldiers are missing.
For the prisons at Americas, Atlanta,
Augusta, Charleston, Lynchburg, Ma
con, Marietta, Mobile, Montgomery,
Savannah, Shreveport and Tyler the
registers have not been secured at all,
and the importance of these prisons is
we'll known. Only partial records
were had from the prisons at Cahawba.
Columbia, Florence, S. c., Millen and
Salisbury. There have been ways it
is true, of partly working up these de-
ficiencies; bat on the other hand, as
Quartermaster General Meigs, cited
by Mr.. Kirkley, has shown in many
southern prisons three or four corpses
of Union prisoners were sometimes
buried In the same trench and the
number of graves only imperfectly in
dicates the number of dead. Even in
this most imperfect record the NUM- Der
of Union soldiers known to have died
in captivity was close upon thirty
thousand-in exact figures, 29,498.
The late investigation, we may add,
has increased by about Que sixth the
records of deaths among Union pris-
oners.
Taking Mr.. Kirkley's tables, we de-
rive from them the following general
results:
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-07-23

The official tables, as published from
a manuscript copy in the Array and
Navy Journal, further distribute all
these classes of deaths among the
Union troops by states. it being ex-
planned that the phrase "other known
causes" Including deaths resulting
from quarrels not amounting to MUIR
der, from being shot by sentries or by
the provost guard and miscellaneous
causes. This aggregate of nearly $780,
600 deaths of Union soldiers must be
supplemented by like record of Con
federate soldiers, in order to find the
real number of victims to the war in
both armies. Then the naval deaths
must also be ascertained and added.
Many a soldier and sailor met fate
more dreaded than death in being
crippled for life or made the prey of
lingering disease contracted III the
service.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-07-23
Chinese and the Laundry 3 usiness.
Pittsburg Dispatch.


AS is above intimated, laundries are
the principal fields of industry of the
Chinese of New York. They learned
it In the west. When the Pacific
Railroad was completed many China
men who had been employed in build
ing it sought work in the mining
camps, and were given women's work,
as women were exceedingly scarce.
They showed themselves particularly
adept at laundry work, and their SER
vices were soon in demand through
out the cities and towns of the west.
1T was about 1870 that Newark, n.
j., man, travelling in California, con-
ceived the idea OF establishing a big
laundry with Chinese workmen, on
the plan of the famous Troy laundries.
He saw that Cinnamon could do
quicker and better work than the
Irish women OF Troy, and would work
for very low wages. So he started the
big laundry at Belleville, n j., with
fifty Cinnamon to begin with, and it
has been a great success.
Soon after this venture was started
one of the Chinese workmen in it
came over to New York for a holiday.
and was greatly impressed with this
city as field for laundry enterprise.
He returned to Belleville, drew his
wages, and then came to New York
and opened laundry. It was at the
corner of Catharine street and East
Broadway, Chatham square 1t was
novelty, and most offensive one to
the average Irish washer woman, for
the Chinaman charged lower prices
than she did. and didn't accidentally
lose" handkerchiefs and other small
articles of wash, as it had been her
immemorial perquisite to do. So she
raj led his place. 100 strong, and
smashed his windows. But he held
the fort and eventually prospered.
This pioneer washerman's name was
Hong Young. He opened several
other laundries, and finally went
home to China with a handsome for
tune derived from them. Other of
his countrymen emulated his example,
until now there are more than 1, 900
Chinese laundries in this city, perhaps
300 in Brooklyn, and 300 more in Jer-
sey City, Newark and other suburban
places. The Irish washerwoman has
become reconciled to the Chinese
washerman and has married him
numerously.
The laundries are scattered all over
the city. In Chinatown proper the
principal places Of business are gro
ceries and restaurants; Chinatown
being situated on Mott, Pell, Park
and Chatham streets. The first Chi
nese grocer was one Woo Kee, who
retired from business some years ago
with a fortune of 5000, 900. The
richest Chinaman in the grocery
trade-indeed, the richest Chinaman
in the city-is Yong He Cong. who
has two grocery stores here, besides
large Establishments in China, in,
Cuba, in Tonquin, in Formosa and
elsewhere. He is probably worth ST.
900, 600. There are two or three other
storekeepers here reputed TO be worth
100000 or more. There are eight
groceries in Chinatown and two or
three elsewhere in the city.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-07-23

Lord Salisbury. Mr.. Gladstone and
Lord Randolph Churchill became cab
met ministers at exactly the same age
thirty. six.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-07-23

The Princess Beatrice will have ten
hridemaids, all her own nieces.
Smyrna times., 1885-11-25

little one. two years old, dressed all in
white. When she reached the Presi-
dent she raised her charge as high as
she could and said Kiss de
Pres'den ~ Well, little one" said
the President, imprinting n kiss upon
its cheek, "yOu are not old enough to
remember me-" The President does
not make a practice of kissing chill
dren, but there was no alternative in
this instance.
Chief Clerk YOumans, of the Treas
ury department, has called the atten-
ton of employees particularly to rules
l and 2 of the department regulations,
which provide that all delinQuencies
in not promptly attending at the morn
ing hour or not continuing diligently
employed during business hours will be
daily reported, and that employees
should not receive visits, read news
papers or smoke during business hours
These rules have been partially disre-
garded for some time past, and the not
ing of the names of tardy clerks last
Friday was the commencement of a
plan to rigidly enforce them. The
chief clerk has a package of printed
warnings ready to distribute to delin-
quents, which state in effect that viola
tiOns of the rules unless satisfactorily
explained, will be reported for action.
With the organization of the next
House, less than two weeks off, the in
dicatiOns that the old officials, except
the dOorkeeper, will be reelected, in
crease. No opposition has yet appeared
to the incumbents-Gen. Clark for
clerk, Mr.. Leedom for sergeant -at.arms.
and Mr.. Dalton for postmaster. With
regard to dOOrkeeper, generally pre-
Yalling impression now is that Col.
Sam DOnelsOn, of Tennessee, has prac-
tically II walk-OVer. Several other
candidates are mentioned, but neither
of them has any solid or organized fol-
lowing. Representative Ward, of In
diana, said to-day - am for the Ten
nessee horse, DOnelsOn, aud he has a
walk-Over. He couldn't be beaten
now"
In connection with the. election of a
dOOrkeeper it is said that the Pennsyl-
Vania democrats have an idea of bring
ing out dark horse. The report was
that Pennsylvania expected to nomi.
nate Mr. Carlisle for Speaker. and Dru-
pose his unanimous reelection that
in return for his compliment Kentucky
would De asked TO support Il Penn~vl-
wanna democrat for duorkrepcr. But
some OF the Kenturky members arr, al
ready pledged to D,nrlson. and unless
the entire delegation could be induced
TO JOIN IN such II movement it is not
thought it could succeed. l..
Smyrna times., 1885-11-25
Shall We Have Electric Light, ,

VIM. S. Heger, n representative of
the Edison Electric Light Company. of
wilmington, was in town on Saturday.
In the interest of his company and in n
visit to the TIMES Office set forth the
plans on which they operate. His OBJ
Ject in visiting Smyrna, as he is also
doing the other towns on the Peninsu-
la, is to present to the citizens the bene-
iit of lighting their streets and places of
business as well, with electricity. The
EdsOn system, because of its complete
dlVislbllity, is claimed to have a great
advantage over others because it gives
steady light, allowing as many divis-
ions of it as is desired and because it
IS entirely free from sparks, and there
lore danger. The cost of burner of a
ten candle power is about one cent an
hOur. In comparison with gas it would
ne about the same or possibly n little
more than gas at 1926 per 1000 feet.
The rapidity with which it can be
lighted or eKtinguished Is well known.
They prefer the formation of cOmpan-
les in the towns, taking their nav in
settling the plant, in stock or where
this cannot be done, disposing of
rights to individuals to a greater or
limited extent, who can light ND their
own property and those of as many
others as may choose to connect with
them. An electric engine can be at
tached to the boiler of any mechanical
enterprise, or to that, if so desired. that
furnishes the day power at the water
works. The electric generator is a
rapidly moving machine, not under
l,OOO revolutions a minute, but the
steam power, when convenient. NAV
be taken from the boiler used bv
ment.
There are some strong advocates of
electricity In our town, as was evinced
several weeks ago in an effort, though
without organization, to have it com
Dlned with the water works as a part
OF the town enterprise.
The thoroughly awakened enterprise
manifested in our community should
prompt our capitalists, who are alwavs
looking out for a good investment To
look into this matter with a view To
getting on the ground floor. There Is
a growing sentiment everywhere that
electricity is soon to supersedo pas
It's subtle nature has made il difficult
for the scientists to master, but thew
are getting it mere completely under
their control every year, and its com
plete management is doubtless speedily
at hand, Electric plants are being
placed IN towns much faster than was
gas when 1t came into general use
third of q century ago, and as this Is 4
iasteT age we need not be surprised at
speedy results. West Chester, Pa. isa
town ofS,OOO inhabitants. The Edison
system OF electric lighting has been in
troduced there, and it Is high In favor
with the citizens. Those who use tba
light in their dwellings are enthusiastic
over It, its economy and its great sn1
periority over any other illuminant
being 50 apparent as to need no DOM
onstration. Electricity is to furnish
the light of the future. ''''i
Smyrna times., 1885-11-25
For the Smyrna Times.
Letter frnm Clavtnn.

Rev. w. B. Gordon preached a second
sermon in the hall here Sunday afternoon
tOa fair audience. The turn out would have
been greater had not the weather, as on the
previous occasion, been most unpropitiOus
for outdoor travel. Mr. GOrdon's work
here is highly appreciated and we think
when he says he will follow it up, regard
less of weather, it shows a promising ear
nest of safe foundation for the prOspec-
tiYe chapel at Clayton, warmly espOused
by some of our people. b. b. Ferguson,
DIR. HarmOnson and other Knights of the
Golden Eagle merit thanks for manifest in
terest in the cause; the former succeeded
in getting sufficient subscribers to place
comfortable chairs for seating capacity
Mr.. Gordon preached from the text,
Who's on the Lords side2" clear-cut,
practical lesson to his hearers.
a constable on the rampage from a
neighbOring town, whose prOclivities are
quite at variance with his official position.
visited one of our hotels last week in the
absence of the proprietor and tried to
raise Cain" insulting the lady of the
house and all hands generally. The usu-
ally quiet hOStler of the place, finding for
bearance no longer virtue, finally struck
back with such effectiveness that the party
more given to serving blows than warrants,
breaking rather than preserving law, found
himself hOrS de combat, and went home a
badly bruised individual-a sadder if not a
wiser man.
Game, old residents say, is nothing like
as plentiful rs in former years in Kent
county. Visitors come with snowy outfits
in guns, dogs and trappings, with dire in
tent of sweeping the country and bagging
victorious show, but the return home after
fair trial Is in sad contrast in most cases
muddy, tired, wilted and detected, with
two or three rabbits, a squirrel, stray bird
or So and that is about the average result.
Saturday night usually produces some
excitement with our cOlOred visitors The
elder Gibbs, being III an uneasy frame of
mind, opened fire on his boys beating and
cutting them about until certain Of our
white boys, firing of this sort of monotOny
took hand in the meeiee resulting in
Mr.. Gibbs, Sr., being laid out by board
broken over his back and shoulders. lie
was taken home by his friends but as we
see him about this week, his injuries could
not have been very serious.
party writes to know what kind of
business would be an inducement to enter
into here on II venture. We answer most
anything Of IL legitimate character by steam
or water power of II manufacturing nature,
agricultural implement warcrOoms, &c
Lock your stables carriage houses and
Outbuildings. VIM Murphy, on j. p.
Hudson's farm had two sets of good
harness stolen from his premises several
nights since.
Morris Kirmes would make capable
justice if he would serve
Robert Reese has received the fancy bulk
window frames for his new store front.
Poultry is coming in freely and the mar
kets will be well supplied for Thanksgiv-
ing The very stormy weather since Sun
day afternoon tends to lower the prices.
LEAR.
Clagton. Del. Nor. q 1885.
Smyrna times., 1885-11-25

The excited condition Of the stock
mark ct continued last week but quieted
down some at the last of the week
Prices reached a higher figure than
they have since 1888. The New York
Tribune in speaking of the market
says:
Railroad business duriug the u.,t
week has been larger than before
though much below the level of last
year. The financial situation has not
changed the banks are getting back
more of their money from the West.
and the reserves are now increasing.
The situation as to labor is not quite
as good as was expected. The miners
OF the MOnOngahela Valley still resist
the settlement TO which they are adj
Vised by their own officers. who led the
men into foolish contest and cannot
get them out Of it they made the men
believe such extraordinary things about
the profits OF operators that il is hard
for them now to realize the trplh.
The Hooking Valley strike threatens
to disturb mining throughout Ohio. the
miners there having formally asked a
strike in all mines. The nail contest
makes no progress, but the manufac-
tureTs have increased the number OF
machines at work. The anthracite
miners formally ask a new arrange.
ment, but difficulty is the less likely
to result because the men are said Ia
favor arbitration. The general out
look, if not quite so bright as some
spectators have represented, Is not
gloomy, and if Congress would be wise
It might soon become altogether en-
cOuraging."
Smyrna times., 1885-11-25

will build about eighteen miles of road
to Elizabethport, where it will connect
with the Staten Island system. The
connection will be made by an iron
bridge or viaduct, about 600 feet long,
over the Arthur Kill. AS it has to
cross the track of the Pennsylvania
road several times, it is supposed
the latter will fight it at every step,
and the Legislature of New Jersey, it
is said, will not permit Of the bridge
contemplated being built. The Phila-
delphia Times says:
"True, there is no more immediate
need for another line from Baltimore
to Philadelphia and New York than
there is fora kite bob to a cannon wheel.
The one double track line now con-
meeting Philadelphia and Baltimore is
capable of transporting double the
travel and traffic that both lines will
have for years to come; and the two
lines now connecting Philadelphia and
New York are much more than equal
to all their own travel and traffic and
that of the Baltimore & Ohio COM
bined; but the Baltimore & Ohio is
IA rival of the great trunk lines for
Western business, and it is little more
than bump OH a log i'll the division
and regulation of Western trade while
it is shut out of New York except as a
dependent of rival lines"