davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1888-04-14
REMARKABLE LUCK.
An Investment OF $500 That Yielded Nearly
$4,000, 900.

An investment OF 1910 That Yielded Nearly
100000.
Old-time Pittsburghers would hardly
need an introduction to Philip Wine
biddle, founder of the Winebiddle es-
tate in East Liberty. About sixty years
ago his mother gave him five hundred
dollars as a ''starter. The go West"
fever had not as yet agitated staid
Eastern communities, but Philip was
fred with a restless ambition to 60
West, and seeing but little prospect Of
a great future for Pittsburgh, he jour-
neyed toward the setting sun, and af-
ter much meandering he halted at the
city of Erie, then little more than a
lakeside hamlet. Philip had consid-
cradle knowledge of land titles, and as
he was offered by an an old settler one
hundred acres in the town for five hum
dred dollars, he grasped eagerly at the
supposed bargain, but shortly after
wards relented and wanted his money
back. But real estate deals are not
generally made on the basis of ire
funding the money if goods are not sat-
isfactory," and Philip had to keep the
land. He came back to his mother in
Pittsburgh, broken-hearted over his i'll
luck, and cried like child at what he
considered robbery of his five hum
dred dollars, and both agreed it was a
''bad Slip for Philip. Thirty years
later this land could not bought for
two million dollars, and is now worth
nearly four million dollars OF course
all this, on the Carpenterian theory,
was brought about by hard work.
Five and thirty years ago the most
noted hostelry in the city was kept at
the junction of the Seventh street road
and the East Liberty turnpike, by a
sprightly old German lover of the turf
named Pap Better, father of the
noted turfmen Sam and Joe Better.
For nearly a generation it was the "out
of town. resort for sleighing parties
in winter and driving parties in sum-
mer, pretty much after the fashion of
''mine host Heating of later days.
1t was famous for it's poker parties and
frog suppers, and many a pleasant
evening was spent there in the "long
ago" by lotteries of what Broker
Holmes and attorneys Andrew Burke,
Biddle Roberts, w. E. Austin, Henry
McGraw and Colonel Sam Black were
the chief attractions. Pap Better
had famous black stallion which was
known all over that region, and it was
probably not worth over 800. The
owner of large tract of land near
where East Liberty Station now stands,
but whose heirs do not care to have his
name mentioned, took d fancy to
"Pap's" horse and offered him 100 acres
of land for him. Pap" preferred to
keep the nag. The Beitlers are now
all dead and the land which Pap re-
fused for his horse could not now be
purchased for 81, SOC, 900. Pittsburgh
Dispatch.ss
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1888-04-14
DE LESSEPS' CANAL.
The Proposed Alteration in the Plan of the
Panama Ditch.

The Proposed Alteration in the Plan of the
Panama Ditch.
It has cost some hundreds of mill
lions of dollars to demonstrate to Count
Ferdinand De Lesseps that stone has
not the degree of permeability pos
sessed by sand. It was no trick at all
to dig hole through the granulated
plain of Suez; but canalizing the solid
rocks of Panama is quite a different
thing This is at last admitted by De
Lesseps, and he now proposes to change
his work from sea level to a lock
canal. But will the undertaking, even
in its new shape, ever be finished? Can
its promoters ever raise the vast sum
needed for its completion?
lie Genie CSvil, the most prominent
engineering periodical in France, has
an article in recent number on the
subject of the proposed alteration in the
canal The statistics it presents must
certainly startle the Gallo enthusiasts
who have been inveigled into dumping
money by the cart-load into big ditch
which promises to remain for all time
'without form and void.'' Following
IS synopsis of statements made by
this French scientific authority-which,
by the way, is not hostile to the enter
prise:
eThe five divisions into which the
line of the canal at Panama is divided.
contained at the outset, 135, 900, 600
cubic meters to be removed. The accom-
plishment, up to this time, has been as
follows: In the first division, from As
pinwall westward, three-fifths of the
excavation, and in the fifth division,
from Panama eastward, one-third;
in the second and third divisions, from
Tavernilla to Emperado, one-eighth
each, and in the fourth division, La
Cuiebra, two twenty-seyenths. Of the
total accomplishment Of 3O,666 666
cubic meters out of the 1876, 600, 900 to
be extracted 10. 666, 666 comes from the'
Atlantic and Pacific sections, where
the earth is soft and the dredges 4en-
counter no serious obstacles. Fi5m
the three central and difficult divisions
100000 cubic meters have been ex-
tractes i1aftef seven years. operations,
and o1 of total of $1,000 900. Even
if the ssasstituti~-2 Of Z,sanal with
locks shoas reduce Total remain
ing excavation sI6ese sections to
40, OOO, 600 easar meNrs, as claimed by
the company, it Ybuld require twenty
i've years to complete the work at the
same rate of progress. In that time.
even at the present rate, the aggregate
interest of the existing debt, uncom-
pounded, would amount to $500, 900, 900
and the world would have for the re.
quirements of its commerce, an in
complete canal, not more than fifteen
feet in depth (457 meters), and bur.
dened with debts exceeding 81, 0O0, 000,-
900. Chicago Times.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1888-04-14
UninfIarnmable Wood.

At the instance of the Belgian Min
lister of Public Works, Messrs. Goudin
and Denny have investigated the SUBJ
ject of rendering wood fire-proof.
They report that the resistance of
wood to heat may be considerably in
creased, though absolute incombusti-
bility can not be secured. The resist
ing material must take the form of an
injection into the fbers of the wood or
of a coating; and it must be not too ex-
pensive, non-corrosive, speedy in be-
coming fixed, easily applied, neat and
unalterable. An injection of a con-
centrated solution of phosphate of
ammonia is recommended as the best
treatment for small pieces of wood;
but a more generally available plan is
coating with cyanide of potassium or
asbestos paint. Science.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1888-04-14
ON The ROAD.

The snow is white, the way Is stern and sore,
Wide, binding wastes behind US and before;
And tho we soon shall see stiller shore
The road is long.
The gaunt grey wolves are famished for sheir
prey,
But we are bound, and hungrier than they;
The fruit will fall when we ourselves are
clay
The road is long.
We leave strong hands to cleanse away the
stain,
Tho we plod on along the shuddering plain
To marching music OF the creaking chain
The road is long.
The sands of Tyranny are slow to run,
Alas! that this and many morroWs sun
Must see the goal ungained. the work un.
done
The road is long.
Our lives we're ladder-rungs: the Cause moves
on;
The light shines fair IS ever it has shone;
twill blaze full bright ere many years be
gone
The road is long.
We are but bubbles breaking in the sea,
The strong slow tide that one day will be free;
We shall rot know it-yea, but it will be.
The road is long.
-Grdhdn r. Johnson. in NJ r Independent.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1888-04-14
Skinflint and Grandson.

We heard story in the store Of an
old farmer who died here a few years
ago, and who made a great deal of
money only to put it in the savings
bank. He was going to market one
day With fat calf. and his invalid
wife requested him to bring home
some beefsteak. When he returned
his wife asked him if he brought the
streakP He replied: mo Sally, the calf
came 10 just even money, and didn't
want to break the bill.'' The country
is full of just such farmers to-day,
who are almost too stingy to live. One
man in the store remarked that the
grandson who is now running the farm
will not make the money on it that
his grandfather did. To which the
writer replied: THAT may be. but the
grandson is worth more to the town
and to society In general than his
grandfather ever was,' which was
admitted by the rest of the crowd
Connecticut Farmer.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1888-04-14
SNAKES IN INDIA.
Observations Made by an English Clergy
man and Naturalist.

OOServaIiOns MADE Oy an English clergy
man and Naturalist.
Rev. j. f. Tenison-Woods, on the
snakes of the Indian archipelago. OBJ
serves that the cobra never exceeds the
length of about five feet, and that the
larger snake with which it is often
confused is of a different species, called
hamadryas ophiophagus. The hama
dryas, which resembles the cobra in
having hood or dilatable neck, at
tains the length of fifteen feet. and
feeds chiefly upon lizards and snakes.
1t is aboreal in its habits, but shows a
great Partially to water, to which it
will readily take. 1t is very fierce and
is ready not only to attack but to pur-
sue human beings. Its venom is
nearly as deadly as that of
the cobra. Mr.. Tension Woods has
heard of many instances of its fero-
cious character-that is to say, of its
turning on those who attacked it and
showing fight.
At picnic, he says, some officers of
the Twenty-seventh regiment gave
chase to large hamadryas, but they
had not gone very far when it turned
on its pursuers and quickly scattered
them. 1t then took to the water, where
it was followed by two of the party in
a boat, but it soon tried the expert
ment of boarding, and made the row.
ers exert their powers to get away.
Mr.. Tenison-Woo makes mention of
the sea snakes as. being wonderfully
numerous in all the seas of India and
China. 1t is difficult, he says, to ex-
aggerate the numbers one sees on the
surface of the water on calm day. He
continues:
"When off the coast of Borneo in her
Majesty's ship Pegasus we had some
very fine, calm days, when the sea was
like glass or oil. On every side we
were surrounded by specimens of these
reptiles between two aad three feet
long. have seen the same thing ON
many different calm days; in fact, l
don't know any place where they seem
more numerous than the Bornean
coasts. frequently saw nearly as
large an assemblage in the Philippine
seas. should say that bathing was a
very perilous business in those locali-
ties, for the serpents are very venom
Gus, and there are many authentic
records of disastrous results from their
bites
Mention is then made of the python
reticulatus, or boa. This species is
said to be very numerous, and has a
disagreeable habit of coming to live in
the thatch of houses, emerging at night
to take its prey, in pursuit of which it
is not particular whether this is some
of the rats and mice of the house or
the chickens and fowls of the poultry
yard. Mr.. Tenison-Woods proceeds:
"Recent writers have described the
fear which the natives have of this rep
tile, on account of its sometimes at
lacking man. This I can not believe,
and whenever have been in the Malay
peninsula, Java, Celebes and the Mo-
luccas, have never found natives much
afraid of them. As to their swallowing
a man, or even large child, the idea
is too preposterous to be seriously en-
tertained. Neither do / believe that its
muscular strength is so great as is gen.
orally believed, though no doubt its
crushing power is considerable. -
Sinaapore Press.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1888-04-14

and steered ashore, just to wipe tho
earth with his traducer.
But the boat went calmly down the
stream, fretted line of light proceed
ing from its lower deck, and long,
tumultuous retinue of pillows flying
away from the noisy wheel and swerv-
ing left and right till they slapped the
very shores. Watching the recedin
steamer l forgot all about the
stranger.
Suddenly I felt hand grasp my
coat collar and give it a rough
twist. The same hollow and very low.
pitched bass voice I had heard before
said: Nov, young man. I've got you.
l want you to tell me right Off Do
you or do you not think that man 8
crazy?"
l was thoroughly scared now and
practically powerless in the hands of
this extraordinary man. / answered
at once. though / know not why I an
swered at all: What do you think
about himp''
Mad as milkman; stark. starin g
crazy-Pd put him in a strait-jacket
if / had him here" was the reply, de.
livered with many shakes of my COL
lar.
II think so. too"
Then We'll go and bring him back
right away" rejoined my captor, and
to my horror, he began to lead me
up the east-bound track. He took
great strides and before I could get
away from him we were fifty yards
away from the platform. I. had no
definite ideas at all, except the knowl-
edge that l was in the hands OF a
mailman.
We had walked about one hundred
yards farther. still on the ballast and
between the rails of the east-bound
track, when out of the gloom ahead
OF us l saw the premonitory glow of a
locomotive headlight touching the rails
and dabbing the mist with film of yell
low. The track curved rather suddenly
about two hundred yards from the
place to which the maniac had
dragged me.
There was no time to be lost. In
thirty seconds the up train for which
! had been waiting would whirl
around the bend, and no power on
earth could stop it before it reached
us. With my right hand, which was
free, / unbottoned my overcoat and
the cutaway beneath it Ihad hardly
finished when the screams of a
whistle woke the echoes, and the
round, ardent face of the headlight
burst out in splendor along the track.
! braced myself for the effort-it
must be made at the last moment.
The train came on; it was not fifty
yards away, and the whistle opened,
which announced the engineer had
seen us. He could do nothing. tore
my right arm free from both coats,
and the other slipped out in second.
/ sprang to the right, clear Of the
track.
The train swept by. I stopped to
see nothing. With all the speed ]
could command I raced back to the
station. The conductor and the brake
man met me. All l could find breath
to say was one word: Maniac.
At this word two tall men stepped
out of the crowd and one of them
said to me:
.'Where is he?'
DOWN the track; dead, l suppose"
HE escaped from Dixmont to-day;
you had narrow escape"
But the body was not on the track.
81. had jumped in time. The keepers
found him down on the river bank,
still prosecuting his pursuit of the
crazy pilot I got my coats back.
They were on the track. One arm was
severed from the overcoat. The train
cut it off
I kept the severed sleeve as me-
mento of my only interview with
maniac. albany { ~ ~ Times.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1888-04-14

Papa, do not drink tonight"
The words came in soft, pleading, tear
soaked tones from the sweet, golden
haired innocent that grasped his hand
baseeehingly. A tear welled up in the
fathers eye. why not, my child?"
he asked. Because Alphonse will be
here tonight, and if you come home
blind, blazing, staggering drunk, and
smash every thing, you're going TO
scare him off, and plumbers sons are
not SO plentiful this season. That's the
Why
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1888-04-14

The lady who posed to her husband
as the model for the figure of Freedom,
painted in the dome of the Capitol at
Washington, now keeps a boarding.
house, and frowns upon the depart
nent clerks who ask twice for butter.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1888-04-14
FACES IN CHICAGO.

What an Observer May See in tho Garden
City's Busy Streets.
Walk up State street. ride on a
street car, stand around suburban.
depot-how many daffodils do you
seeP How many faces that bear EVIL
dence of sunshiny heartse How many
eyes that Tighten with pure and kindly
inner fires? You will see hosts of
hard-featured men and women scut-
Ting along in their various callings,
pursuing vocations where their aim is
not so much to serve worthily rs to
maintain their so-called rights. You
will see tobacco-impregnated men
expectorating on stair-cases where
women are forced to trail their skirts;
you will see cadayerous faces where the
abuse Of hygenic laws has left its
death-like mark; you will see untidy
people, who ought to be corralled like
wolves and kept from blighting the
pure air with their noisome presence;
you will see lazy eyes and suspicious.
hawk. like brows, and sensual lips. and
cruel mouths, and idiotic chins. and
pinched and mincing gaits, and pow
dered and painted cheeks. and arti-
fetal bangs and frizzes; but tell me,
oh, tell me, for the love of sweet
Heaven, where will you see any thing
better than this sad category How
often will you encounter a face that
you will take on trustp or an eye that
you know borrows its light from
Heaven or manner that is sweet
and cordial as the breath of rose in
the dewp Number them on your
fingers. my dear. and only use one
hand in days travelling. - Chicago
Journal.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1888-04-14

Bobby (thoughtfully) = Pap,
Father Grascibly)-"Ya' as. va J. what
is itP" Bobby DO you think I'll be
as cross as you are when I grow upa''
TEXAS S.ftings.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1888-04-14

"A citizen Of Smithville. Ga, says
that the other morning hearing voice
in an old log pen by the roadside, he
looked in. He saw an aged and dilapi-
dated stranger on his knees praying:
20 Lord. soften the hearts of the peo-
pie that may not lack for bread as
go along. In answer to questions
the tramp said that he never failed TO
get bread when he prayed for It, and
that he never failed to pray.
Bent County register., 1888-03-03

From all over the eastern part of
the state comes the word that farm
ers are actively at work plowing and
pushing spring work as rapidly as
possible, and intendsto plan; all they
can take care of, and from what we
have seen in the vicinity of Lamar
We will say thatin twenty-nIne years
residence in the west we never saw
farmers enter on their spring work
with more zeal and determination to
not only make living, but make
money than right here They came
to this country to make homes and
the energy and pluck they display
is sure to win.
Bent County register., 1888-03-03

It is not to be wondered at that
range cattle look well in this coun-
Try. Last winter there was not over
ten days shat1t vas necessary to feed
stock, and thus winter three weeks Is
all the time stock needed attention.
Both winters as there have for years,
thousands of cattle passed through
The winter without any attention.
Caifle on the range to-day are fit for
beef, and it is an exceptionally hard
winter when they can't rustic their
living on our prairies. OF course
milk COWS have to be fed 10 10 we'll,
bat AL other stock csn go through
oar winters without asking any odds
oSanybsdy.
Bent County register., 1888-03-03
LAMAR STILL LEADS
The List Of Towns in the
Valley IN Enterprise,
Business, Activity
and Progress.


Monday morniug the people Of
Lamar were stir early, work on
number of new enterprises was to
commence. public and private inn
provements, and as if by agreement
everybody appeared to be in a rush
to start some work or attend to impor-
business, down Main street work was
being pushed on the Holmes Bros.
new two story brick building, the
railroad company were putting sew
ers under their track, north of the
railroad men were grading the
streets, bitches were being plowed
for sewer purposes. Carpenters were
at work on a new building for Fred
Lee adjoining the Lamar State Bank
on the south, a little farther up across
the street carpenters were at work
building an implement store room
for NJ l.. Swift & Go. \ half
block farther north dozen or two
men were at work on the new three
story brick hotel Two blocks west
of Main street several differeat par
ties could be seen stepping off aud
marking corners in j. Z. Godding'S
West Side Addition, while the build-
ing of fences, setting out trees and
making garden had regular boom
of their own. Such was Monday and
the activity of our people has coutin-
ued every day during the week, and
we believe Will continue through the
summer. If one half OF the people
who are talking of building this sum
mer carry out their plans Lamar will
be third larger before fall, making
the estimate reasonable. But it is
not of what is expected to be done.
but what is actually in progress that
We wish to mention. The building
is not confined to the town. Ouc OF
our lumber dealers told us Monday
that that had been the best day with
him of any day since last fall He
said his sales had been large and
that he had been just as busy as he
could be all day. Most of the lum-
Der, in fact nearly all of it, that day
had gone to the country. A good
deal of what goes to the country of
course is for new claim houses. Yet
altogether there are many who have
been here year or more who are
building additions to their residences
and otherwise making their homes
more comfortable. As result. of so
much work 10 be done, men who
want work have found employment,
so that everybody is busy and the
town has been more than lively IL
a few days our people will be called
on to vote bonds 10 build large
brick school house The one in use
is already crowded and will be much
too small by next fail. The work
can be done and the building be
ready for use before the fall term.
Bent County register., 1888-03-03

Good water is one of the luxuries
we of this locality enjoy, and good
water is luxury that is only appre
ciated when it cannot be had. Lamar
and surrounding country is most for
tunate in this respect Good water
easy of access and all that is wanted
for any purpose is to be had at every
door.
Bent County register., 1888-03-03

1t is fac; known by everybody,
that when an eastern man visits Col
orado, he is never satisfied until he
becomes a resident. There is an at
traction about the state that takes a
firm hold on strangers and the long
er a man lives in the state the better
he likes his location.
Bent County register., 1888-03-03
Colorado grew two million bush

Colorado grew two million bushels
of oats and over that number bushels
of corn last year. about half what
will be raised this coming summer
if the season is at all favorable
There win be an immense amount of
crops planted this year and as the
indications are favorable we look for
big crops.
Bent County register., 1888-03-03

1t requires work to make living
in Colorado the same as any other
place, but man can get good re-
turns here as any place we know of
for as little work.
Bent County register., 1888-03-03

When the cheap excursion rates
go into effect this month on the
Santa Fe, the cxcursionist as far
west as Coolidge will buy tickets to
Lamar, they all want to come to a
land Office town to find cut about the
rest of the country.
Bent County register., 1888-03-03

Fred Hale, of Denver, shot REILLY,
the court house contractor 1t Las
Animas Wednesday. Reilly was
shot three times and fell dead. Il;
was case OF self defence and the
eoroner's jury so found.
Bent County register., 1888-03-03

One advantage this section has
over many is the excellent market in
the mountains. Grain, hay, vege,a-
bles, butter, eggs and chickens are
always in demand up there
Bent County register., 1888-03-03

Ten years from now will find the
industrious farmers of Bent county
rich men. The history OF the state
proves that every farmer who has
given his time and attention to his
business has become well off.
Bent County register., 1888-03-03

Let the poor man coming west
looking for a home, consider well be-
fore passing Bent county, our soil,
climate and many other advantages
are hard to beat in any country.
Bent County register., 1888-03-03

A Z. Bent this week bought Frank
Tobie's grey horse for single driY-
er, and span of large horses TO work
on his farm, he values the farm team
a, three hundred and fifty dollars, he
intends TO farn two hundred acres
this year.
Bent County register., 1888-03-03

Rev. Forester Will hold Episcopal
service at the NJ. E. church on Mon
day evening at seven o'clock and
lecture on the subject "How do We
know the books of the New Testa-
ment is the word of God?"
Bent County register., 1888-03-03
OFFICIAL PAPER OF THE CITY.

The altitude of Colorado is too
high for the cyclone to make sue
cessful tour of the state.
Bent County register., 1888-03-03

The La Junta Tribune thinks two
hundred thousand acres in Bent,
Pueblo and Huerfano counties will
be seeded to alfalfa this year. The
estimate is not large.