davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1889-04-26
THE NEW YORK SUBWATS.
AN INGENIOUS SCHEME FOR BURY
ING THE WIRES.

Detailed Description of the Dangers
That Beset the workmen in the Man
holes Owing to the Cause.-The Many
Systems That Have Been Considered.
The refusal of Jay Gould to bury the wires
of the Western Union Telegraph company in
the subways that have been provided in New
York city, as well as the bringing of suit in
equity by the former against Mayor Grant,
in which he demands an injunction against
the municipality from interfering with the
present system of wires and poles, calls at
tention to the subway system of the metrop-
oils.
When the legislature yielded to public sem
timent and passed law compelling the burial
of all electric lighting telephone and tele-
graph wires by their owners, in New York
state and more especially New York city,
there was a sudden inroad of subway in
ventors from every part of the country to the
metropolis Over one hundred different sys-
tens were submitted by their enthusiastic
originators Many were good and many were
extremely bad Some, indeed, were so OPP
posed to all the principles of mechanics and
applied science ms to require no second glance
before being rejected. Others, while excel
lent enough theoretically, involved either so
much expense or so many technical difficult
ties as to be impracticable in an extreme de-
gree. Illustrations of these three different
classes are afforded by one sanguine inventor
who wanted to use the present water and gas
mains for carrying; by a second who pro-
posed to tunnel every great thoroughfare
from Broadway down, and by third whose
chief idea was the substitution for the present
curb and gutter system of an endless COM
posite mass of iron, concrete and cement cast
in their position during the progress of con-
struction OF the good systems all were care
fully tried and experimental with The re-
suit of these researches was the adoption of
the tombstone system by the Consolidated
Telegraph and Electrical Subway company,
the controlling corporation of its class in the
United States
Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1889-04-26

feet are arranged so that the wheel is about
16 inches thick at the inner circle. To pre-
vent this wheel, thick in the center, and thin
at the outer edge, falling down, there are two
braces, one on either side, the upper ends of
which are attached to the saddle, and the
lower ends of which rest on small wheels or
travellers that run on the ground, little in
the rear of the center of the big wheel. In
the inner circle are two circular, or nearly
circular, bands OF iron or steel, very neatly
fitting, but in no place touching the inner
circle of the big wheel On these two iron or
steel bands is balanced the saddle. with brass
trunion wheels or pulleys under it-four of
them. In front ard half way up the inner
circle is located a pair of brass ratchet wheels,
inches in diameter, revolving on journals or
bearings in the inner iron bands. The ratch-
cts on these wheels work on a series of little
bolts on the inne- circle of the big Wheel in
the manner of coSs.
Now for the principle upon which the ma
chine is expected o work. The saddle, as will
be seen by the cut rests on four little trunion
wheels, the burden primarily falling on the
two rear trunions. These are considerably
in the rear of and elevated above the center"
The two forward trunions of the saddle are
intended to be exactly on the center"
Now, the weight placed on the saddle, falling
as it does ON the rear elevated trunions, forces
them down and forward; this in turn
forces the forward trunions in front of and a
little above the center, and at the same time
causes the ratchet wheels to revolve. This
constant pressure forward and the revolu-
tons of the small ratchet wheel causes the
big wheel to revolve-and there you have
your machine in motion. To assist this
downward and forward motion of the
saddle on which the inventor bases all
his hopes for success, a pair of swinging
foot rests or stirrups are provided. These
swing on either side of the wheel,
from the out ends of the axle on which the
six inch ratchet wheel turns, enabling the
rider when seated in the saddle, astrlde the
Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1889-04-26

No doubt it is more important, on
the whole. that reformcrs should be
strenuous than that they should be
reasonable, and sometimes the reason
ableness itself comes with time. In re-
gard to the position of woman there is
certainly more of appeal to principles
and less lavish prediction Of results
than was the case few years ago, and
this is clear gain. II is perhaps for
tunate that we have had constant OBJ
ject lessons as to the dangers of too
sweeping prediction. Thus it is Justly
claimed that the influence of women
makes naturally for peace, yet in
those parts of the country where pri-
vate feuds prevail most freely it is adj
mitted that the influence of women
rather tends to keep them up, through
the pride taken by sisters and wives in
the courage shown in these contests.
The admission of women to business
affairs promotes honesty, on the whole,
yet there have been few cheating en-
terprises in our day SO ingenious, so
persistent and so successful as the so
called "Women's bank" in Boston.
1t is claimed with some justice, in re-
puTu W COeuuCdJlOlldl COllcBtS, llldJ
their influence improves to some ex-
tent the morals and manners of the
young men, yet there have been few
outbreaks of disorder more question
able than have taken place iatterly at
Cornell and Wesleyan, both coeduca-
tional universities. Wendell Phillips
used to point with justlpride to the gen
eral elevation in the tone of literature
since women began to take a promi-
nent part in it, but at the present
time, in England and America, it is
women, not men, whose publishers try
to exc out the claims of their books by
limiting that they are a little indecent.
What does all this SHOVE Not that
temperance, manual industry, and So
cial reform are unimportant things,
and surely not that the world is to be
harmed by elevating the condition and
influence of women; but it shows that
we must be careful about prophecy,
and must rest all claims for reform on
wide principles, without dwelling too
much on details. We can really see
but little way ahead in regard to the
results of any grea. reform. 1t may
turn out much profounder in its re-
suits than we had imagined, and yet
the precise results we expected may
not come. or not in the expected form.
Human nature is a large matter with
which we deal. Reform must proceed
along many lines before it accom-
plishes its whole work There are
some principles-as, for instance, the
right of a man to own himself-which
appear as simple as that two and two
make four; but even in applying these
it is safer not to be too precise as to
our prediction of consequences, but to
bear in mind the sage counsel of Mrs.
Camp, Seek not to proticipate. IT
w. II. in Harper's Bazaar.
Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1889-04-26
A MAGlClAN'S STORY.


United States Minister Moran Initiates
Cassandra and Proves n Jonah.
Kellar, the magician, has pretty
thoroughly covered the globe in his
travels, and has come out safe and
sound. He says he never met with
but one accident in all his wanderings,
but that one experience was queer
enough, he thinks, to make up for the
lack of many others. He tells the
story in this way:
1t was something like ten or twelve
years ago that l left Lisbon, Portugal,
one fine summer morning on a steam
er bound for Southampton. The
steamer was one of the stanchest on
the line, the weather was particularly
pleasant and everybody was figuring
on a speedy and enjoyable run. Be-
fore we had been out of Lisbon many
hours | found that Benjamin Moran,
the United States minister to Portugal,
was passenger on the steamer. Mr..
Moran introduced himself to me, and
on the strength of our both being
Americans and in the company of lot
of Portuguese and foreigners, we speed
lily struck upon acquaintance. After
chatting on various subjects and ex-
changing experiences, we fell to in
cidentally talking about the prospective
voyage. | said something about the
pleasant trip | expected, but Moran
iaughingly checked me with these
words: Mr.. kellar we are doomed to
meet with an accident. Though he
said it with smile, there was trace
of seriousness in his manner, and l
asked him what he meant. He re-
piled that he had never made a single
trip, by rail or water, that he could
remember without meeting with some
unexpected delay or accident. Some
of the machinery in the locomotive
had broken down, or the train had
been derailed, or somebody had been
run over, or the ships shaft had
broken, or the vessel had been wrecked.
L am a veritable Jonah, he added,
with laugh, and just as sure as you
and | are talking here on this deck,
this ship will meet with an accident
and my record will stand unbroken.
l tried to laugh away his super
stition, but he wouldn't have it,
and persisted in his alarming proph-
esy. You may not believe what tell
you, but, on my honor the sky cloud
ed up within three hours after my
conversation with Mr. Moran, a fog
spread over the water and early in the
evening the steamer ran her nose on a
ledge of rocks and hung fast. She
hung there with her bow in the air
just long enough for all the passen.
gers to Chamber down on to the reef
and then with lurch backwards she
ran off the rocks and sank in more
than hundred fathoms of water. We
had tough time of it that night on
the rocks, but the next morning the
weather cleared and we were picked
up by a passing steamer. Nobody was
injured, but ever since that trial
have always had dislike for travel
ing with a Jonah. New York Mai
and Express.
Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1889-04-26
On PENNSYLVANIA Avenue.

The shifting of the. tides of humanity rolling
along the avenue brings together four such
celebrities as Gen. Greedy, Buffalo Bill, Fred
Douglass, and Bancroft the historian Greedy
is tall, straight, bearded, pale and thin, still
wearing glasses TO protect his eyes, snow
blinded In the Artics from the bright rays
of spring sun. Douglass is heavy, well fed
almost fat, with mass of bushy white hair
surrounding his black face. Bancroft is very
old and inflrm, very gray, walks leaning on
the arm of an attendant, but has in his thin
face the expression of man who is content
to die because he has accomplished something
Buffalo Bill, almost as handsome as ever,
though showing the effect of his advancing
years, walks with the elastic step of an ath-
lete and bears strong tanned face and a
keen eye Admiral Porter, spry at more
than three score and ten, wears his SLOUGH ha.
jauntily on the back of his head and puffs at
his twentieth cigar for the day He is an in
veterate smoker and has been for half cent
ury. A striking figure, gray but strong, and
walking with the step of boy, is ex-Secre-
tary McCulloch, who has measured greater
span of life than Admiral Porter w ASKING
ton Letter.
Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1889-04-26
Luck Struck Them.

The natives of the Gilbert group of
islands have enjoyed veritablc wind
fall. A large ship with full cargo
and nobody on board sailed INTO their
harbor. The vessel was the British
ship Rock Terrace, and the strange
part about the matter is that the ship
was abandoned by her crew about
twelve months ago, and, instead of
laundering soon, she drifted on and
ON until she reached the Gilbert
islands. She left Philadelphia for
Japan in September, 1887, with a
cargo of oil and phosphates valued at
1925, 900, When near the Philippine
island the crew abandoned their YES
sci, landing on an island close by, all
of them being saved. Nothing further
was heard of her and the underwriters
paid the sum for which she was in
sured. She had but a few inches OF
water in her hold and was in fair con
dition. She was owned in st. John,
N. B.-Washington Critic.
Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1889-04-26
A WoOdman's Nerve.

The average woodman has first
class, able bodied nerve, as any one
who has witnessed camp accidents will
attest. Physicians who attend the boys
who have been hurt by rolling logs or
falling trees will also bear cheerful
testimony to the nerve they exhibit in
with the loss of some valued member
of the human anatomy. An instance
of nerve has come to the notice of The
Courier that is worthy of record
Elisha Lathrop of Bozrah, Conn, is
the proud pOssessor of a real, genuine
nerve; in fact, he would be pleased to
hear of any man who has more of it.
In hauling logs in the forest the other
day large log was thrown from the
sleigh and it fell on his leg, breaking
it below the knee. So heavy was the
stick that Mr.. Lathrop's men had to
hitch the oxen by chains to the log
and draw it off his body. Mr.. La
throp was not ratified, although his
men were. They lifted him to the bot
tom of the sled and then helped him
aid of the men, and by means of ban
udSeS, anu ny ulllI Ol severe Juggling
at the member, Mr.. Lathrop set his
own leg. He had never seen broken
leg set before, but he said afterward,
in describing the operations Il looked
at the other leg fora guide and fixed
up the bad one just like it" After
getting the broken bones in the right
place lie bound cloths tightly about
the leg, mounted the load and was
driven home. Then he hitched up his
horse and drove nine miles to the
home of DR.. Sweet, the natural bone
setter. Sweet examined the job
WHO set this legi" he asked.
Il did. " said Lathrope.
well" responded the doctor, II
never saw a better job You can drive
right home again now. There is moth
ing left for me to do. "-Saginaw Cou-
rier.
Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1889-04-26

Note that The pr '-s...c In the one ease is
downwar ANA 1T the ut get upward Fur ner,
nute thal ~ buti ,'ases the pres are is con
veyed to u >ecun. wheel From these second
wheels 1t is conveyed to the large central
wheel, but on opposite sides and in opposite
directions. Now, if the first wheels revolve
what will the second wheels dor
"Revolve, too,n answered the reporter.
"And if the second wheels revolve what
will the large central wheel do2"
"Revolve also."
"Ah, you have it, The object is to COM
municate motion to the central Wheel which
will be attached by gearings to any machin-
cry to be operated"
But the first wheels must be started be-
fore the others will move," said the reporter.
There you have come to the point of my
invention. By observing closely you will see
that all the wheels are arranged with refer
ence to each other, so that their points of con-
tact are out of line with their centers or
axles. They are geared off center as it is
termed. The pressure they exert on one an
other is consequently off center Get this
point fixed in your mind. My entire inven-
ton consists in the adjustment of those five
wheels off center Now for the effect The
weighted levers cause the first wheels to press
against the second. The pressure being APP
piled off CENTER the wheels will move. In
the same way the second wheels will press
against the large central wheel off center
and it will move. Quod erat demonstran-
dunn"
But do you know the wheels will mover
"Know It'll A blind man can see it, Novel
Those wheels are bound to move. Gravity
supplies my power, and will supply enough
to move the world if | had suitable full
crum."
The invention of the st. Louis man, Joseph
Breitenmoser, is radically different The
working model, to which the inventor is now
putting the finishing touches, is described by
The St Louis GlobeDcmocrat as a wheel
s feet in diameter, composed of a frame
work of iron rods and braces, covered with
canvas, with a hollow center, where the saddle
is located, feet in diameter. The outer
edge of this big wheel narrows down to a
thickness of 2 inches, with fange like
tire 6 inches in width. The framework of
iron rods forming this solid outer rim of 219
Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1889-04-26
Hints on Sleeping Rooms.

1t is a good thing to have a room
well ventilated; but ventilation is not
all that is to be desired. The tired
feeling in the morning may be due to
an over weight of bed covering. 1t
may be due TO malarial poison or to
over exertion during the day. Try
another sleeping room one story high
err, if possible. Hard, dry rubbing
with large Turkish towel, just be-
fore going to bed, has an excellent eff
feet. Rhubarb is wholesome when it
is ripe and well cooked, but it is not
right to eat too freely of t.-Now
York Telegram.
Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1889-04-26
'The Ghost Walks,"

Col. 7. Aston Brown, who is the
best authority in this country concern
ing local stage history, gives this ac-
count of the origin of the phrase The
Ghost walks, as explaining that sal
aries will be paid Harry Watkins,
an old player, relates an anecdote that
is worth recording. 1t appears plausi-
BILE enough to be the true origin, be-
cause it seems SO natural. In one of the
itlnerant companies of England, the
manager, himself an actor, was very
fond Of playing the ghost in Hamlet,
which was one the stock pieces OF these
unpaid nomads. Salary day came and
went, but, as the manager had no
bank account, and the box Office re-
ceipts were too meager to warrant the
alleged treasurer in posting over the
box office door those letters SO cheer
ing to the actors heart, S. p O. r.,
the stomachs and wardrobes of the
players began to suffer. At last pa.
tience ceased to be virtue. The com
pany grew clamorous for their arrears.
A strike was organized, and at one OF
the Hamlet rehearsals, when Hamlet,
speaking of the Ghost, exclaimed Per
chance twill walk again, the leader
of the revolt, who happened then to
be the Ghost, ignored Shakespeare, and
shouted emphatically, MOI I'm bless
ed if the Ghost walks any more until
our salaries are paid. All actors-es
pecially those who've been there be
fore many time-will easily concede
that an incident like this would quick
ly become common sport, and soor
furnish the material for new bit Of
stage slang. THE Theatre
Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1889-04-26
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES SELF PROPELLER.

inner circle, to throw his weight well for
ward by simply rising occasionally TO a
standing position, with his feet in the STIR
rups These are intended for use in climbing
hills, and the inventor says there is practi-
cally no limit to the impetus that can be
given the machine by simply swinging the
stirrups forward and elevating them nearly
to horizontal position. Swung as they are
to the ratchet wheel axle, forward pressure
on them pulls this big wheel forward and
causes it to turn at a speed only limited by
the amount of pressure used. The tremen-
dous question is, will it worka
Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1889-04-26
A HindoO Cremation.

Upon pile of wood about six feet
long by four high is placed the corpse
of Hindoo, wrapped in white sheet
and tied between two bamboo poles
Over this wood is again placed, while
the head and feet project from either
end. 1t is the duty of the widow, if
there be one, to light the funeral pile
In this case there is not and it is done
by coolie who seems to have charge of
affairs. The wood ignites at once, the
flame at first gives place to smoke
which it soon overcomes, and in TWEEN
ty minutes nothing remains but few
blackened embers all vestiges of the
the body are gone. While this was
taking place no less than four other
piles had been erected for bodies that
were lying about some partly in the
water, some partly on shore like so
many blocks of wood. Cremation
takes place not more than six hours
after death. The body is borne from
the house to the burning CHAT on the
shoulders of six men, followed by ma
tives who are hired to wall and lament
for the departed. Formerly the widow
was compelled to burn herself upon
her husbands funeral pile Now she
has not that privilege, thanks to the
English, but becomes, unless wealthy,
the slave of her mothcr-in- law.
Surely one can pardon such Great
ures praying for the death of her hus-
bands mother. 1t was a most impress
sive sight to see and one that will be
indelibly stamped upon my memory.
The Hindoo's ashes are thrown into
the Gauges, and he believes they are
thus carried on to Paradise, -Benares
Letter
Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1889-04-26

be judged from the fact that after long
term as judge of the city criminal court, a
heated campaign before the primaries and
truly savage one after nominations were
made, he comes out unscathed. Mr.. De Witt
c. Cregier, the new mayor of Chicago, is a
highly successful man of business. In st.
Louis and Chicago the campaign was compli-
Gated by many issues and five different parties.
Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1889-04-26

on q steel wire axis
at E. The figure
ABCD re pre-
sentS an arm or
bar. There were
six of these project
ing in different di-
Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1889-04-26
Three Big Mayors.

The spring campaign in politics has been
fought with more than the usual fury in the
larger cities, and the result is-well to be
safe, it may be called mixed" Cincinnati
Echo de l'ouest. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1883-1929, 1889-01-24

lir sur. ia couche funebre, 81 nos
genoux qui Sc posent ct nos pleurs
qul coulent sur la pierre verde
de ton s6pulcre en- t'ont jsmais
coneolA7
"Ah! quand je songe a tous ceux
que la mort ma pris, a ces c@urs
qui m'6talent 81 tendres ct qui ont
cesse de battre, q ces yeux cue j'ai-
mais tant ct qui sont eteints, ces
doaces vol1 qui ont fait le silence
autour de. II me semble yoir
aotter leurs ombres lageres ayec
les vapeurs du soir il me semble
entendre leur voix dams les sons
de la cloche qui sonn5 leurs joies,
leur naissance ct leur mort....
Oui, ]e les reconnais, ces soutiens
de mon enhance, ces amis de ma
premiere Jeunesse.
''Je leur rappelle les temps fu~
turs ou nous devons nous revoir
au~ della du seu1l de cetts tombe ct
Oh nous serons reunis dams la paix
des cleux sans orages. -"
Echo de l'ouest. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1883-1929, 1889-01-24
La clOche natale.
Nous lisons dams le Messenger.

Nous lisons dams le Messenger.
Quelle po6sis contenue dams ce
moroccan, don't, malheureueement,
nous ne connalssons pas lauteur.
En- tous cas-, On ne peut exprlmer
avec plus dame ct de sentiment
des id6as auss1 profondes ct qul
Won't au cBur:
"Jette aux vents du soir ton
hymne 81 dou1, 0 ma cloche natalie.
Ta yoix est une priere qui eleve
Fame, un chant qui falt battre lie
cmur, un souvenir qui met des lar
mes dams les yeux.
| "Sonne langelus aui porte au
recueillement ct ravive pesperan
ce; CONNIE la fin du jour qui nous
falt penser au soir de la vie; some
les morris, ces chers absents qu'on
oublie q mesure que ]e temps Sc
loigne. 80. Conduls nos pas d..ns
les jardlns des s6pulcres, e. rap
pelle nous quill y a Ia des amis qui
reposent jusqu'au r6veil des tom
beaux.
"Myst6rieux sommeil qu'on dort
sous la terre. ). .at.il quelque re-
We, quelque image aui lui retrace
les temps passes? Dams cette mutt
obscure, recolt on quelque laeur
du jour eteint 81 vite? Dams CO 81
lence de la tombe, eAtend.o on quel
que parole annie?
20 toi qui reposes dams Ia mutt
du cercueiI, dis nous 81 lie bruit de
nos pas dams lherbe haute des ci-
metlarss ne ia jsmais fais s1sail