davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1888-12-06
A japanese Fire Department.

The Fire Department of Toxic, ac-
cording to Frank g. Carpenter, is un-
der the police, and japanese fires burn
down more houses than those of any
other nation of the world. The archi-
lecture is such that when fire breaks
out houses fall like they did in the Chi
cago confiagration. and l saw n state
ment In newspaper of a fire in the in
terror of Japan which burned 1900
houses. It is said that Toxic burns down
every seven years, and fires of from one
to five hundred houses are common.
When tire breaks out in one of the
interior villages of Japan, if the wind is
blowing, the town is practically gone
The roofs are in many cases of thatch.
of, outside of the large cities, and the
six little steam engines which form To-
kio's Fire Department would not weigh
more than two American
steamers. The fremen of Yokohama
wear blue hats like butter bowls. Their
pants stop just above the knees, and
their blue gowns have round white
ring on the back, inside of which is
printed in faring gletters-the Yokohama
fire brigade.
Inc nome LIe OF Gle Japanese is Sucn
that fires can hardly be avoided. In
stead of using matches for lighting their
cigars they have little bowls of charcoal
called hibachis, and these are kept on
the floor, which is usually covered with
straw mating. The kitchen stove is
merely stone box and the partitions of
the house are of thin paper or of boards
which will spring into flame at a touch.
There is no such thing as gas in the Or
llnary japanese house, and the candle
md the coal oil lamp are the illuminat-
ng powers. The lanterns are the ordi-
lary paper lanterns, which you see at
American lawn fetes, or square boxes of
'iled paper stretched over q wooden
rame in which lamp or candle burns.
The lamps and lanterns are placed on
he floor and about them the chlldren
'lay and the family sprawl. 1t is
ronder, indeed, that there are not more
res, and when it is rememb red that
here is not a chIInLaey on any of the |
ouses of 9oPfan. an5 that the fuel of
ne danger from fire Is apPreciated. The |
rdinary Japanese smokes a pipe, and |
he fact that this pipe must be refilIed
bout two times q minute adds to the
anger of fire. The bowl of japanese
ipe is not bigger than the bottom of a
himble. It holds about two puffs of
moke, and is usually made of brass or
letal
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1888-12-06
Contents of a North Carolina Mound.

Mr.. j. NJ. Spainhour has described,
in the Elisha Mitchell Scientific Society,
some relics that were discovered IN the
excavation of q mound in Caldwell
County, N. G. Within the mound was
found skeleton lying upon its face,
with the head resting in large sea-
she'll, the inner surface of which was
carved with hieroglyphics. Around the
neck were large beads made of sea
sheels. The arms were extended and
bent at the elbows, so as to bring the
hands within about foot of the head.
Around each wrist was bracelet, com
posed of copper and shell beads, al
ternating. The copper beads appeared
to have been hammered into thin sheets
and rolled around the string, part of
which was preserved. Near the right
hand was an iron implement like ohisel
or punch, not sharp pointed, but smaller
at the end away from the handle. The
left hand was resting on the convex
surface of a sea shell, the concave
surface of which contained about
carved with hieroglyphics. Two other
skeletons, on either side of this one,
also had their heads resting in the con-
cave surfaces of shells, which were
marked with hicroglyphics. Several
other skeletons were found around and
above the principal one, which was
thougt to be the remains of o chief. In
another part of the cemetery were found
skeletons of persons who had evidently
been buried alive, their limbs having
been held down by large stones placed
upon them.-Popular Science Monthly.
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1888-12-06
Idols Which Named Our Days.

In the museum Mt Berlin, in the hall
devoted to Northern antiquities, they
have representations of the idols from
which the names of the days of the week
are derived. From the idol OF the Sun
comes Sunday. This idol is represent
ed with his face like the sun. holding
burning wheel, with both hands on his
breast, signifying his course round the
world. The idol of the Moon, from
which comes Monday, is habited in
short coat, like man, but holding the
moon in his hands. Tuisco, from which
comes Tuesday, was one of the most
ancient and popular gods of the Ger
mans, and represented in his garments
of skin, according to their peculiar man
ner of clothing; the third day of the
week was dedicated to his worship.
Wooden, from which comes Wednesday,
was valiant prince among the Saxons.
His image was prayed to for victory.
Thor, from whence comes Thursday, is
seated in bed, with twelve stars above
his head, holding q sceptre in his hand.
Friga, from whence we have Friday, is
represented with drawn sword in his
right hand, and q bow in his left.
Scatter, from which is Saturday, has the
appearance of perfect wretchedness. He
is thin -visaged, long haired, with long
beard. He carries pail of water in his
right hand, wherein arc fruits and
flowers. Times Democrat.
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1888-12-06
Racing Photographs.

The oft-Proposcd scheme of substitu-
ting photrgraphifg apparatus for the
} l"aBine5 :" N5inninB Foft at IAorso r"t.ess
has been adopted in Germany with
marked success. Experiments in the
same direction have also been recently
carried out in America with such salts
factory results that at one well-known
race course an official photographer has
been retained. From these experiments
it would seem that so-called "dead-
heats" in which two, and in one case
three horses were alleged to have reached
the winning post exactly at the same
moment, are impossible events. The
photograph shows in such cases that
there is really q difference of several
inches between the horses heads. 1t
may be assumed that the Photographic
method would only be relied upon in
very close races of the description just
cited. There are certain difficulties in
the way of its general adoption, the
chief of which is the occurrence of dull
weather, when a picture taken with the
necessary speed, any one two-hundreth
part of o second, would be imp ossible.
Chambers Journal.
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1888-12-06
COnyicts TO Reclaim Waste Lands.

Gen. McCook, of Fort Leavenworth,
Kan, is engineering gigantic scheme
for the improvement of the Missouri
River at the fort and the consequent
salvage of thousands of acres Of bottom
land lying opposite Leavenworth. Just
above the fort the river makes straight
East bendof over mile and quarter,
and turning South and Westagain, makes
n gigantic turn like a capital U. The
Missouri side of this bend has been
badly cut for years, aud the Rock Island
Railway has moved its road a mile in
land to avoid the water. Acre after
acre of valuable land has fallen into the
river. General McCOok will soon ask
permission of the United States Secreta
ry of War to use the prison labor to cut
a canal Mt the base of the bend. He es-
Inmates that with the use of the military
convicts he can in two months open up
this canal to n depth of ten feet the en-
tire length of this base. and will, with
the aid of the spring floods, straighten
out the course of the river. The work
will be of incalculable benefit to Leav-
enworth. L. Chicago HerdLd.
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1888-12-06
Impure Water and Ice.

'It is very hard" says Prof. Tonry,
'to convince some people that glass of
perfectly clear, colorless water, with no
odor or taste, may be more impure than
water coming from the kitchen sink
which has been used to wash cooking
utensils, yet in many cases L have found
water as to the direct communication of
which with stable yard or pIivy vault
there could be no possible doubt" This
is striking statement, but Mr.. Tonry
is able to demonstrate that it is based on
a multitude of we'll studied facts. There
is no absolutely pure water in nature,
but there are limits beyond which the
contamination of drinking or cook
ing water cannot be safely al
lowed to go. The presence of chlorine
in water indicates the kind of organic
impurity dangerous to health A drop
of solution Of nitrate of silver is a con
venient test. If it produces in tumbler
of the water in question white cloud,
and its related impurities are
present to n probably dangerous extent.
Boiling will, as rule, destroy disease
germs. The popular theory that freez-
ing purifies water, Mr.. Tonry thinks. is
incorrect. "Pure ice, ." he says, SIS al
most as hard to obtain as pure water" "
He mentions a case where typhoid fever
was traced directly to the use of impure
Sun.
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1888-12-06
Can Animals Count ?

Houzeau de la Hale, tells of pelican
living in a fisherman's family at Santo
Domingo that was fed upon the refuse
of the fsh-cleaning. Looking for its
food, it went to the shore every day and
waited for the boats to come back. The
fishermen rested on Sunday, and the
bird acquired so clear notion of Tie re-
turn of that day, when it had to fast,
that it would not stir from the tree on
which it was accustomed to spend its
time. 1t is not necessary to suppose
that the pelican had learned to count
the six days at the end of which its mas
ters would not go fishing; but, while it
really estimated daily the time when it
must make its excursion to the shore, it
was informed of the return of Sunday
by observation of what was going on in
the house, as. for instance, by the fish
ermen putting on their Sunday clothes;
in the same way as the dog knew when
its master was going to hunt by seeing
him with his gun and game-bag. In such
instances, animals show that they have
the faculty of associnting ideas, of OBJ
serving consecutive facts, and establish
ing a correlative connection between
them-things which have been proved
by abundance of other evidence, and
which demonstrate not less intelligence
than acquaintance with the ten signs ex-
posing the first ten numbers, or the use
of system of Enumeration te express
large numbers. Science MONTH";
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1888-12-06

leaders of the band trying to turn them.
When he saw the old man on the ground
Sanchez lassoed the steer nearest to him.
and threw the animal on his back.
Others fell over the struggling steer.
forming q baricade that checked the
stampede long enough for Don Torivo
to spur his horse forward, pick Hender-
son up, and bear him away out of dan
ger.
Torivo then rode back to help San
chez, who was struggling with the steer
that he had roped. The lariat slipped
from the steers feet, and he made a
lunge at Torevo's horse, goring
the mustang fatally, and throwing Tor,
evo heavily to the ground. The herd
was wildly excited, and it was impossi-
BILE for Sanchez alone to prevent the
steers from scattering and running wild
through the streets of the city. Forum
ately the four O'Days, expert vaqueros,
of Butchertown, rode up Just in time,
punched the cattle seain, and drove the
whole band into theS coral. Their ar.
rival saved Torivo from being trampled.
and he got out of the scrape without
serious injury.
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1888-12-06
A Unique Proclamation.

The following is copy of the last
Thanksgiving proclamation issued by
Governor Semple, of Washington Terri
tory: By authority of the established
custom of this country, hereby desig-
nate the last Thursday of November as
Thanksgiving Day for the year 1888. I
recommend that on that day the people
of Washington Territory do assemble in
their places of worship, in their school
house and society halls, in their loggers'
camps and miners cabins, on their ships
and by the firesides of rich and poor, in
the city and country, and there give
thanks to Almighty God for his infinite
goodness to us and to all men. If any
homeless ones be seen standing by the
way side on that day, [ trust that those
who are more fortunate will care for
them, that they may see the silver lin
ing to the clouds and feel the sunshine
Of kindness for moment, and so not
despair of human nature. Such bread
will return in blessed form to those who
cast it upon the waters.
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1888-12-06
A LndicrOus Stag Hunt.

The modern stag hunt has been aptly
described in the run by pack OF hounds
and still more numerous Ia k of
brutes, and the descriptions hold good
especially according to ro port of re-
cent run with her Maje,ty, Queen Vic
toria's buckhounds. il will be romem-
bered that this royal hunt is supposed
to have semblance to the chase indulg-
ed in by the Plantagenct Kings In the
regal domains of Windsor aud tls- AsaH-
40 Ss1,t~ WV IN s -
was Injured to speed and fati ne in
roaming through his wild and primitive
recesses, and always had n run Tor It's
life. The modern hunt is of different
description, as the stag, almost stall ied,
is entrnpped in Windsor Forest, ana
when required is carted in large DoN
constructed for the purpose, from whlch
he is released, being followed by ilo
hounds after few minutes grace. On
this occasion the stag, finding itseiI
hard pursued, took refuge III pond AZ
it refused to leave that place OF ianSly"
security, despite the shouts OF the hunts
man and the use of the lasso to disiouSe
it, the hounds were impeliei int? the
water to attack the terrified anilnal.
When it showed signs Of exhaustion u
was dragged ashore and eventna.'y
stuck. Upon examination its body was
found to be literally perforated win
the teeth of the hounds. All tins was
done under the sacred name OF sport"
San Francisco Chronicle.
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1888-12-06
Saved from Stampeded Cattle.

There was wild stampede of cattle
on the Potroro road near San Francisco,
earl on n recent Sunday morning caused
by the crazy antics of n steer from Fres-
no. Don Ferrnn Toriyo and Ponchas
Sanchez, descendants Of the naughty
Castilian cavaliers, who once owned that
country, were driving the band. The
Don is said to be one of the most expert
vaqueros on the coast, and Sanchez is
not far behind him in skill. But when
the Fresno steer ran amuck through the
herd, goring everything IN his way, even
the chivalrous Don was unable to pre-
vent q panic, and away went the whole
band, ''gallycahoo" on the Potrero road,
scattering pedestrians to right and left.
An old man of the name of Hender-
son, who was on his way to early mass,
was too intirm to get out of the way,
and he fell upon his knees in his fright
in front of the believing, laundering
herd. Sanchez WAS pretty close to the
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1888-12-06
Fresh Water Mariners.

The number of sailors who ship from
Chicago annually is estimated at not less
than 90, ,OOO. This includes captains,
mates, fircmen, engineers, cooks, deck
hands, and scamcn. 1t is CuriOus to
know thab-more than three-fOurths of
these sailors are Scandinavlans. A
Swedish lake captain, whose weather
beaten face gave evidence that his life
had been spent on the deck of a vessel,
explained why it was that there were so
many of his countrymen leading sea-
faring lives.
"Wc are q nation of sailors" said he,
"because in Norway and Sweden there
is not much else to do. There is but lit
tie agriculture in our country and the
whole male population becomes sailors
or fishermen. Boys go to sea ut the
age of twelve years and are sailors all
their lives. I myself shipped as cook
at twelve years of age and for forty years
have been riding ON the water. Another
reason why SO many sailors in America
are Scandinnvians is because young men
ship before the mast i'll order to reach
the United States, when they do not
have money to pay their way. On the
voyage they get good idea OF the work
and then take it up as n trade. think
it is generally conceded that Scandlna-
vians make better sailors than any other
nationality, because they are less adj
dicted to drink and are more peaceable
on shipboard. In the Norwegian mer-
chant marine boy gets 81 n month, and
when he is strong enough to go before
the mast as nh ordinary seaman his pay
is raised to 81 a month. here is but
one other promotion, and thatis to alb @
seamauship, when he gets $40 n month
without variation. OF course there is
always the position of mate to look for
ward to, but then every sailor cannot be
the mate of vessel. -Chicago Ncrs.
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1888-12-06
Mexic0'S Irrigation System.

There are but Two seasons in Mexico,
the wet and the dry All winter long
there is not drop of rain, while i'll sum-
Nor it pours i'll torrents, not day pass
ing without q shower. The water
courses, that are but dry gulche5 IN
winter, becoming roaring torrents In
summer. But the crops which grow in
winter as we'll, do not suffer; they are
watered by irrigating canals. This sys-
tenn of irrigation was introduced hun
drcds of years ago, and is most wonder
ful evidence of an early civilization.
There are aQueducts of stone and dams
at the reservoirs, which bear the marks
of age unmistakable. Across the dry
bed Of gulch, or in the course of some
stream running nll the year, strong
dam is thrown, and acres and acres of
water, caught in the rainy season, are
stored for the dry. Taken in irrigating
canals or bitches along the hlllsldes and
across the valleys in aqueducts, the wa
ter is conveyed to the fields. A gate
across the ditch is closed and the bank
opened; the water runs through the fur
rows and refreshes the thirsty crop.
When enough has been put in one fold,
the opening in the canal is closed. The
gate is once more opened, that the next
field may have its share. This system
of irrigation is one of the wonders of the
country or of the world
The waters of n stream, crossed on
bridge hundred feet high, may be
hundred feet above the cars few miles
ahead, and the water seeping through
the soil, darkening the killsides down
to the track again. With unskilled la
Dor and with uueducated engineers,
lapse of nature has been supplied and a
fertility of soil established, that could
not have otherwise been attained
PLniric harlncr
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1888-12-06
Great Oaks from Little AcOrnS.

Columbus was weaver; Haley a
soap boiler; Arkwright barber: HIsop
a slave; the learned Bloomfield was a
shoemaker; Hogarth was an engraver of
pewter-plate; Sixtus, the Fifth, was a
swine -herdsman; Homer was beggar;
and Horace Greeley started life in New
York with ten dollars and seventy five
cents in his pocket, as well off as if he
had the eleven full round dollars. But
there are great many young men wait
inc for the other twenty-five cents be-
fore they begin. II. De Wit Taymoge in
tie Ne7o York Observer.
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1888-12-06
Proper Mode of Electrical Executions.

Frederick Peterson, j. Mount Bleyer,
Frank ii. Ingram and r. Ogden Dore-
mus, the committee appointed for the
purpose, have reported to the Medico-
Legal Society, of New York, upon the
proper method of executing criminals
by. electricity. The method recon-
mendel is to bind the criminal in
strong chair having attached to it's back
a sort of helmet to hold the head secure
ly. The immersion of the body in
large quanity OF water to act as one
pole, runs tho report, or the placing of
large metal plates upon any part of the
body should be put entirely out of con-
sideratiou. Metal directly in contact
with the skin during the passage of an
electric current burns and is liable to
produce Iarcerations The electrodes
should be of metal, not over one inch in
diameter, somewhat ovoidal in shape
and covered with thick layer of sponge
or chamois skin. One electrode should
be so inserted into the back of the chair
that 1t will impinge upon the spine be-
tween the shoulders, and tho other
should be so joined to the helmet rs to
press firmly upon the top of the head.
The poles and the skin and hair Mt the
points of contact should be thoroughly
wet with warm water. Tho hair should
be cut short. A dynamo generating an
electro motive force of Mt least 5000 volts
should be employed. Either continu-
ous or an alternating current may be
used, but preferably the latter. Tho
current should be allowed to pass Tor
thirty seconds. Tho rheophornes can
be led off to tho dynamos through the
floor or to another room, and the IN
strument for closing the circuit can DO
attached to the wall. -, =,
The more scientifically you kill hn-
man being the moro horrible 1t seems.
Tho gallows is cheerful compared WIFI
the chair and holmct and electrodes
.Nelo orleans Pt0uHRe
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1888-12-06
A Photograph as a Statue.

A well-known metropolitan photo
grapher has an interesting exhibit at
the American Institute fair. 1t is the
life-siZe photograph of young girl,
which, aided by an ingenious system of
lighting, has been SO arranged as to have
the appearance of an exquisitely mould
ed statue. The child is in long white
dress, and stands on white marble
pedestal. The back ground of the pic
ture is very dark, while everything
about the child herself is dazzling white.
The picture is so illuminated as to bring
out its light portions with the greatest
effect. 1t is at one end of small gal
lery hung with dark cloth, into which
the observer looks by means of small
slit at the other end. The edges of the
picture are concealed, and the effect
produced ON the observer is that he is
looking at beautiful piece of statuary.
N Y Sam
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1888-12-06
The Coffee House Movement.

An interesting fact in connection WIN
the coffee-house movement III Ehgiaiu
is furnished in the recent report OF Une
houses in Leicester. Eleven years ''go
the first coffee-house was ostaDASileu IN
Leicester, and now there are twelVe, alI
thoroughly equipped. The recelpis $50 dor
twelve months have approached SioV,-
600. and the capital $4UO,O 900. Ihe dlv''
dend, which is limited to SIX per cont,
has enabled the directors to put by
S5O. 600. A new house in the centre OF
the town, costing 800, 900 is about to
be opened by the Duchess OF Leicester,
who has taken lively interest IN the
movement since the commencement.- --'
Mem York ObSerg6r.
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1888-12-06
Wild Western Nomenclature.

The Okanogon Washington Territory
Outlook is considerably hurt over the
statement made by traveller that the
only persons worth going to see in that
vicinity are Wild Goose Bill, Okanogan
Smith and Texas George. Other ciI-
zens of Okanogan mentioned by the
Outlook are Shookum the Trapper, Sun
rise jack, Yellowstone Jim, Buckskin
Charlie, Dogskin Bill, Okanogan Bill,
Baldy Brown, Iuff Nut George, Baldy
Huff, Wild Bill, Wenatchee Bill, and
numerous others.
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1888-12-06

GERMAN tribes regard stag beetles as
diabolic, and all beetles are detested in
Ireland, more especially n bronze va
riety known as 'gooldie. 1t is also
believed that to see beetle will bring
on rainstorm the next day. There
are said to be no spiders in Ireland, nor
will spiders spin their web on an Irish
oak or cedar roof A spider is said to
have saved Mohamet from his pursuers
by spinning it's web across n cave where
he sought refuge The same is snid of
David in the cave of Adu liam.
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1888-12-06

THE practice of having night-lights in
children's bedrooms is pronounced very
injurious by well-known physician. In
stead of allowing the optic nerves tho
perfect rest afforded by darkness, tho
light keeps them in perpetual stimula-
ton, with the result of causing the brain
and the rest of the nervous system to suf-
fer.
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1888-12-06

THE ancients generally maint'ined
that there was close connection between
bees and the soul. Porphyry speaks of
"those souls which the ancients called
bees"