davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1886-10-21
EARLY TElEGRAPHY.
History of the Construction of the First
Line by Professor Morse.

History of the Construction of the First
Line by Professor Morse.
1t was enacted by Congress on the
Sd of March, 1S4S, that the sum of $50, 600
be appropriated for testing the capacity
and usefulness of the system of electro
magnetic telegraphs invented by Sam
uel f. b. Morse, of New York, for the
use of the Government of the United
States, by constructing line of said
electromagnetic telegraphs, under the
superintendent of Prof. Morse, of
such length and between such points
as should fully testits practicability and
utility, the same to be expended under
the direction of the Secretary of the
Treasury upon the application of said
Morse.
The second section of the act author
ize the Secretary of the Treasury to pay
from the $50, 900 what he may deem a
fair compensation to Morse and Others
for experimenting the construction OF
the telegraph.
There were four patentees, Morse,
F. o. j. Smith, Alfred Vail and George
Vail. Prof. Morse, in attempting to
construct the line between Washing
ton and Baltimore for they were the
cities to be connected), conceived the
idea of building it underground, and
accordingly, after the wire was made,
which, by the way, was of copper,
wrapped with fine thread and tarred
so IS to make as perfect an in
sulation as was known at that date
leaden pipe was selected and made
to receive the wire underground. Abou
$1,000 of the $4,000 was expended
on this pipe before test was made
| The test, however, was u failure. A
battery and instrument were placed o
either end of the lead pipe, but ther'
was no current, and it was soon ascer
tanned that the current all passed from
the wire to the pipe and from the pip,
to the best known conductor-MotheI
Earth. Mr.. George Wood. clerk t,
the patentees, said afterward that fo
several days it was thought Prof. Mors'
would lose his reason in consequence,
of this disappointment
After lengthy consultation F. o. J
Smith, better known as Fog" Smith
agreed to buy the lesden pipe for
small consideration, and it may b
stated that but for suggestion mad
by Smith (and he alone is entitled +
the crediD, that the wires should b
put on poles, as they are now, year
might have elapsed before the electro
magnetic telegraph would have been i
Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1886-10-21
THE AWFUL WINES.
How They Caused Confiding Teuton to
Lose Thousands of Dollars.

How They Caused a Confiding Teuton to
Lose Thousands of Dollars.
1t is safe to say that three-fourths OF
those who deal in mining stocks
through the medium of the boards never
saw mine, and that less than one
half have any knowledge of how a
mine is worked. That people should
make serious mistakes in their specu-
lations through ignorance OF these
matters is not to be wondered at
Perhaps the greatest blunder on rec
ord was made by gentleman of de-
cided Teutonic origin, who visited my
Office one day and asked, point blank:
"Haf dey schtruck dot vinzeP' "What
winze do you refer to-" said |. dot
vinze in der Oonion Consolidated
Nine" was the ready response.
There s no winze in the Unisn Con-
soil dated Mine that they are likely to
strike at present." l answered, and
then, thinking the man might be little
confused in his mining knowledge, !
aSkeu. w HdJ w you iho"h w ' " AiinS -,
What do you suppose winze isP
"a vinzePn he shouted, with know
ing smile; "oh, vinze is a body OF
ore" mo, it isn't" said |, and, tax
ing pencil, l drew him a little sketch
of winze, and explained to him thai
it was small shaft sunk from one lev
el to another, generally for the purpose
of ventilation.
.ls dot vinze?' he fairly yelled, IL
the most astonishing manner; "den, by
gracious, lose me tousands und tous
ands of dollars on dose vines. Ever.
dime l see dey have started vinze, o.
schtruck vinze, buy der schtocks
and every dime dey 60 down righ
away. 1t always vas wonder to mi
why de Comstock didn't pay more div
idends and levy fewer assessments vel
dcre vas so many hundred vinzes il
der mines" He walked out leaving tn
door open, and Icould hear him repea
at every third step as he went down tn
stairs: "Oh, dose vines! Oh, dos
vincesr' San Francisco Chronicle.
Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1886-10-21
No True Granite in America.

There is no true granite in America,
as geologists understand it." was the
rather surprising remark of Expert DE
Loss to little gathering on Change the
other day.
He was asked to explain himself fur
ther, and he went on thus:
well, Mr.. Dana, the celebrated ge-
ologist, says: True granite is composed
of quartz, feldspar and mica | be-
lieye those are his exact words. Now,
this is fact; then | repeat there has
never been block of fine granite d $
covered on the American continent, nor
anywhere else in the world that | have
ever seen. All accepted granite has a
portion of hornblende in it This is
admitted by the modern German lithol-
ogists as natural component part OF
the great paving-stone. The more
hornblende that appears the harder J:
the granite. In fact, all hard American
granite is called horpblende granite. -
Utactanati San.
Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1886-10-21
A Curious Old Law.

There are a number of curious old
laws still in existence in Missouri. In
the early part of the Mexican war Alb
salon Hughes, of Galloway County
was wounded by cannon ball at the
battle of Sacramento. He was struck
below the knees and had both legs
broken. The General Assembly which
convened in 1S49 passed special law
granting him the privilege of keeping
a dram-shop at Cedar City, Galloway
County, during his life, without being
subject to any license. This was passed
as a recognition of his service. Mr..
Hughes at once opened saloon and
has never vet closed it. He is now an
old man, but is not as badly crippled as
one might expect, considering the ter
rible wound he received. The Down
ing law does not interfere with his
special privilege. Although he has
been running saloon in Cedar City for
over thirty-seven years, few people out
side of his neighborhood know that he
is exempt from paving license. Cor.
81. Louis Republican.
Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1886-10-21
One Dollar Per Year.
PERSONAL AND LITERARY.

Cornelius Vanderbilt scorns crests
md notices. &c. "" simply Is
painted on his carriage.-M Y. Md%
An estate near Lake Geneva,
Switzerland, has been purchased by
James Gordon Bennett, who intends to
build a castle on its banks
Andrew Carnegie, the wealthy
iron man of Pittsburgh, has offered 10
donate $780, toward the establish
ment of free library in his native city
of Edinburg. -Pittsburgh Post.
Joseph Cilley, OF Nottingham, N:
H., who is still living, at the age OF
ninety-six, enjoys the distinction OF
having been the first anti-slavery man
sent to the United States Senate.
Mrs. General w. S. Hancock has
been engaged during the summer in
writing volume of "reminiscences OF
her late husband. 1t is now about
completed, and will be published this
winter
Nine. Patti recently entertained
Henry Abbey at her Welsh castle, and
kept the American flag flying all day
Sunday in honor OF her guest, who
saws she lives in royal style, and has
over sixty servants to wait upon her.
Mamie Woo Sing, wife of Pueblo's
famous Chinese doctor, Chung Sing,
died recently after five weeks SICK
ness of malarial fever. The doctor
married her in Pueblo last winter, pay
inc two thousand dollars for her. She
was sixteen years old, and he was sixty'
San Francisco CdH
Christine Nilsson, the singer, is to
be known as the Countess Angel de Mi
randa. Her future husband belonged
to the gilded Bohemia of Paris when
he went there in the train of the exlled
Queen Isabella of Spain in 1868. he
was appointed when Alphonso returned
to Spain to post at the Spanish En-
bassy created for him.
Emperor William has ordered the
publication of the complete edition OF
the musical works of Frederick the
Great. The collection will include sew
eral compositions which have hitherto
remained embalmed in the library at
the Sans-Souci Palace at Potsdam,
which have Deen Selecleu anu ait"hS0"
for publication by the Crown Princess.
-Rev. George o. Barnes, the mount
ain evangelist of Kentucky, says that
he iourneyed around the world with
his wife and three children entirely on
faith. He had no plan when ne sci
out but to preach, had no invitations
from abroad, no promises of support,
no acauaintances even in the countr es
he visited. Yet he made the journey
and wanted for nothing.
/ -"Every day at one o'clock $780,
600, 900 sit around little mahogany
, table in an upper room in the Western
/ Union building and eat a plain but
substantial lunch,' says the New 7 orE
I Sun. "rhe millions belong to Jay
! Gould, Sidney Dillon, Russell Sage
, and Ex-Governor Alonzo B. Cornell
All were country boys and wore shoes
only on Sundays. Mr. Gould and MIR
f Sage got their first ideas of finance il
i village stores, and Mr.. Dillon and Gov
{ ernor Cornell were day laborers, an'
: thanked Heaven when they trudge'
home with six dollars in their trouser
r pocket on Saturday night"
Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1886-10-21
A MOA'S SKELETON.
A Probably Extinct Bird Which Attained
Height of Fourteen Feet.


Height of Fourteen Feet.
Among the New Zealand exhibits at
the Colinderies in London is the skele-
ton of a moa. The moa was bird
much larger than the ostrich, attain
ing a height of fourteen feet, and but
recently extinct Indeed, it is held by
some that living specimens may still
exist in the interior of New Zealand,
though there is not much ground for
hope in this respect. 1t is supposed
by naturalists that the bird lived large
ly on the roots of ferns so numerous in
the islands of Australasia, its legs and
claws being of wonderful strength and
specially adapted for scratching. In
the new red sandstone of the Connecti-
cut river valley in Massachusetts i'm
prints of the feet of large birds have
been found which are of character to
indicate that the moa, or bird very
nearly like il, once existed on this con-
tinent. Here, however, it disappeared
at an early stage. The skeleton in the
Colinderies exhibition is ten feet high,
which, with two smaller specimens,
have been lent by the Canterbury (New
Zealand) Museum. Exhibited with
the birds is the only moa's egg in ex'
istence. 1t was discovered in the kai
koura peninsula, and is about the size
of two ostrich eggs. Chicago Tribune
Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1886-10-21
HUMOROUS.

There are some men so violently
opposed to capital punishment that
they won't hang wall paper. They let
their wives do it.-1er0S SiftingS.
He Was Careful Man. Mariner
- Sail, sir; nice breeze on now, sir.
Mr.. Isaacs-" Vot! After dinner as
cost me three-an-thixpenth? Not me-"
Funny Folks.
Some one asks: "What has be-
come of the dasyp" Briefly, she has
gone back to the city, and is staying
in the house waiting for her freckles
to disappear. -Ne,o HaUen NcwS.
The Abbe Liszt. one of the great
est pianists the world ever produced,
died poor. There are good many
people in this country who seem likely
to die poor pianists. - Springfield
Union.
The Parisians have new idol, .
beautiful dancer from Tunis, known
as La Belle Fatma." She has been
adopted as a favoritc in the absence
of Sara Bernhardt, who was known
as LA Belle Thinma. "-Rdmbter.
Would it be considered impolite
to speak of some of the very thin girls
who 90 in bathing as swimming
matches? Perhaps to refer to them
as part of the floating population
would be better Boston NeDS.
Visitor (regarding the baby )-'Oh,
what dear little duck of child! He
resembles you both, indeed he does.
He's got his mothers handsome ewes
and his fathers hair" Father (who is
baldheaded) Il think he must have; |
haven't IN Y Telegram.
--"I'll press thee, press thee yet
again." sang the hair-parted-in-the-
middle man at the social the other
night and all the fellows he had bor-
rowed from for two years back went
out in the cool for fear he would keep
his word. = Yonkers Statesman.
Capitalist Gust rescued)-"Well,
Mister, I'm much 'bliged to ye for
hauling me out of the water, an here s
dollar an forty cents for ye-all the
change I've got about me now" .'Oh,
no; keep your money. | wouldnt
think of robbing you." Not tall!
not tall 'Twould have been lost any
how il We hadn't rescued me. "-Hdr-
, per's Bdzdr.
Their house in the country was
raised few feet from the ground. and
Tommy, to escape a well-deserved
: whipping, ran from his mother and
crept under the house. Presently the
father came home, and, hearing where
the boy had taken refuge. crept undel
to bring him out. As he approached
on his hands and knees, Tommy asked
: Papa, is she after you too?'-M Y
: Ledger.
r Great Literary Critic-"Who was !
Q started the fashion among noted au
a thors of every now and then printing
$ novel anonymously" Great Publishe
/ -s'It began in Boston. believe.
4 "Well, the inventor of that idea ough
e to be hung" "Why, what the barm?'
Is '.Harml Great Scott How is a crit
n to decide what to say about book
= he doesn't know who wrote it?"-
Omaha World
Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1886-10-21
SAVANNAH TENNESSEE, THURSDAY,
operation. Smiths suggestion was .

operation. Smiths suggestion was
success, much to the delight OF Morse.
who had in the meantime gone almost
distracted, and things then went on
swimmingly.
The line having been completed be-
tween the two cities, the office at WASH
ington was established in the north
end of the capitol Mr.. Louis +.
Rantzinger was the operator-the first
In this city, and good one. Such
thing as key to write with in those
DAYS was not known. The mode OF
writing or making the character then
was with the wire as it came in to the
operating room from Baltimore; or, to
give better idea, imagine one OF the
wires on the street swagging so low
that it could be cut in two. A good
operator can take either end of the
WIRE in his right and left hand, and by
striking them one with the other send
message. This was about the way
messages were then transmitted.
When it was no longer doubt that
the telegraph was success the office
was removed to Seventh street, be-
tween Z and + streets, over the then
city post-office, where the east front OF
the general post-otfice now stands and
the line was open to the general pub
lie. William Linton and j. W. Lugen-
beel learned the art of telegraphing in
the early spring of 1S46 and were the
first employees on the line between
Washington and New Orleans.
Among the few operators in Wash
ington now who can look back and
call to mind the telegraph in its in
fancy are the following: John w.
Lugenbeel, William Linton, Fred
Rooms, James Towers, Llewellyn
Washington and William Macfeely.
There are two others now residing in
Washington whose names should be
mentioned in connection with the early
days of the telegraph: Messrs. j. B.
and Lambert Tree. These gentlemen
studied the art with the writer anc
were for several years his assistants
Lambert Tree was quiet, sedatt
young man, so much so that the writer
dubbed him Judge" not dreaming a
the time he would ever aspire to {
iudgeship. He has, however, beel
three times selected Judge in Illinois
and now has the high honor of repre-
senting this country as Minister to Bel
gium. - Washington Critic.
Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1886-10-21
SOUND THE ALARM.

when you meet friend all smiling,
One who loves 20 joke and chah,
One who seeks to be beguiling
Some acquaintance TO a laugh,
And be starts the ancient story
Which he never fails to tell,
Mercilessly check his glory
Gently touch the chestnut bell.
When the drummer brings his samples
Cheerily into your store,
And he cites as good examples
Men who've bought of him before;
When you've told him oft, but vainly,
That to you he can not sell,
Put the matter still more plainly
Gently touch the chestnut bell.
When the man who reads the papers,
Taking care each joke to scan,
Starts to tell about the capers
OF the President and "Dan,"
Falter not, you know your duty;
All your sense of pity Quell;
Crush him, cen in youth and beauty
Gently touch the chestnut bell.
When the maid with whom you're roam
ing
On an evening promenade,
Softly whispers ia the cleaning:
mo one loves me, I'm afraid"
Ere she has you at the altar,
OF her hopes sound forth the knell;
Grab the string and do not falter-
Gently touch the chestnut bell.
Merchant Traveller.
Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1886-10-21

Let US rest content with our present
vast territory. Despite the asser-
tons of the West and South our coun-
try is not crowded. There are hundreds
of districts still sparsely populated, and
there will not be for many years any
necessity for an artificial outlet. Many
wise thinkers are of the opinion that the
Union is already too large, and will in
the process of time be split up into four
or more independent divisions.-Phtla-
1elphid Call.
Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1886-10-21

Two ancient churches of England
have re-opened, and several Others are
in process of restoration. The old
Norman edifce at Daily, Yorkshire,
has been re-opened by the Archbishop
of York, and also the fine old Saxon
church at Middleton, which has been
completely restored.
Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1886-10-21

"A man was recently fined five dol
lars in the Denver police court for fast
driving, and a man who was run over
by him and made the complaint was
fined the same amount for using pro-
fame language in the encounter.
Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1886-10-21

"A large watermelon recently ar
rived at Baltimore. Md, from Augusta.
Ga 1t measured thirty-two inches n
length. fifteen inches in depth, fourteen
inches in width, and weighed eighty
four pounds.
Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1886-10-21

A correspondent from Paris says:
"The ushers were all ladies, and were
to be seen waiting upon the ladies and
gentlemen all over the house during
the intervals between the acts" ''Ush-
er ladies" is a new term to be added to
..sales lsdies'n washer ladies" and
the others.
St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-01-13
MR.. DOHFRTY.

dian. They were a sneeZing song, the
''WoOdsawyer's Refrain" and 1.-The Sc
prian." Both words and music of all three
were original with the performer, and were
sung with a genuine impersonatiOH
that was very taking. His sneezing
song brought down the house. The closing
act was scene in the ''Jobbers' union club
ROOM" where number of alleged freaks,
consisting of Mr. Weatherby as the Circas-
sian girl. Mr.. Gilbert as the human flute.
Mr. Doherty as the strong man from
Winnipeg, in snowshOer's suit,
Mr.. Throop as Charles Queen and
Mr.. Wilkes as Madame Wilkinini. with
Ehle Allen as the dramatic tramp. Al
Flournoy is the colored policeman. "spe-
cially detailed by Mayor Rice to hunt
down" the said tramp. About the most
striking costume was that of Mr.. Wilkes.
who looked especially gorgeous in a
pink satin Mother Hubbard, with black
trimmings. All through the evening there
were enough illusions to Minneap-
oils. the ice palace. etc.. to keep the house
good natured, and all of them took. w.
G. Strickland, manager of the Ideals, was
general manager behind the scenes, and de-
serves good deal of credit for the way
in which he kept things moving. The
Ideals will appear again tonight.
St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-01-13
Must GO All Rail.

Complaint has been made against the
Northern Pacific road by Pacific coast mer-
chants for sending goods shipped from
Portland by steamboat instead of letting
them go through by rail. Assistant General
Freight Agent Fulton of the road investi-
gated the charges made and learned that
the shipping receipts did not show that the
goods were to go 'all rail- neither were
any directions given by the shipper to have
them go SO. Mr. Fulton states that nearly
all the shipments going out of Portland con-
sists Of reshipped goods, consequently they
have the mark ''all rail-" which were put
on in the East. Immediately after the
first complaint was made Mr.. Fulton cor
responded with officials of the Puget Sound
road requesting them to obtain standing
orders from merchants TO have goods ship
ped all rail if they so desired. However.
this only concerned the business originating
in Portland. and the same complaint came
up on shipments from the East, about
which there was some dissatisfaction, but
there was the same remedy. Pacific coast
merchants are now filing standing orders
with the Northern Pacific at st. Paul, and
no further trouble on this score is antici-
pated in the future.
St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-01-13
Northwestern Traffic Association.

The meeting of the lines interested in
Iowa, Minnesota and Dakota business. or
the lines included IN the Northwestern
Traffic association. ut Chicago to-day prom
ises TO be OF more than usual interest The
routine matters 10 come up before the
meeting are not of very much consequence.
but the questions that will be brought up
after the session are of the greatest i'm
pcrtance. The pool expires April 1, and
discussions viii likely be INDUCED in with
regard 10 the admission of the Minnesota Il
Northwestern and Illinois Central roads
into the pool. Debates on this matter have
before taken place and the subject has been
talked over from every point OF view by
Commissioner CarmGn and the traffic mana
gers OF the lines, members 10 the aSSOeia-
ton. The conclusions invariably arrived at
were that the Minnesota x Northwestern
should be included. as remaining as an in
dependent road il could make the existence
Of the association burden to lis members.
Should this road be taken i'm at the expira-
ton Of the life OF the association, the per
eeniage 10 be allotted il would be subject
OF much contention. Ii is very unlikely
that the pool will be reOTganiZed for a
period longer than six months as the Wis
consin Central will then be classified as one
OF the trunk lines and would be the same
To the association as the Minnesota IL North
western is at st. Paul. The result of the
meeting is awaited with much interest in
St. Paul.
St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-01-13

rear seats. The stage setting was of a mel
low. greeniSh color, and for a background
had an immense picture of the ice palace.
An unusually overlooking appearance the
Ideals made, and the performance that they
gave was up to good many professionals.
Over the stage as h nde Ter ablaze with
electric lights in colOred globes, that shed a
mellow light over the ring, making a very
pretty picture. During the second part the
delicate fOliage-like setting had to be with
drawn and some more substantial slid in or
the gags" would have wrecked it. AS
1t was, there was an audible move
ment among the tree tops when
the Chinese" orchestra was turned on in
Little All Sid. the Chinese Kid. The art
lists toilets were elaborate, each wearing a
full dress suit and high collar with bout
tOniere, and any quantity of burnt cork. Their
performance was great, from first to last.
The audience was made up of the best citi-
zens of ST. Paul No ''show" that has
been at the Grand this season has been
given a warmer reception. There was not
a number that was not encored Every
thing went off in buSiness-like or
der, and if there were a few points
that could be criticised, the audience was
too much in sympathy with the artists to
think Of such thing. The opening chorus
was good, and from the moment when Mr..
Wilkes dropped his bones and said to Mr.
Powers. who ably officiated as middle man.
''Mr. Powers. everybody is onto you" until