davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-13
STOCKS AND STABILITY.

The renewal of commentaries concerning
the embarrassed condition of Johns Hop
kins University from the suspension of divi-
dends on the Baltimore and Ohio stock
which forms the endowment, renders it per-
tinent to point out one or two facts that are
likely to be overlooked. In the first place
the representation that the institution is left
with nothing but worthless stock" on its
hands, and that there is a likelihood of the
Baltimore and Ohio going into bankruptcy,
are either exaggerated or the promptings of
interested mendacity. There is no railroad
system in the country which contains better
hope of solvency than the Baltimore and
Ohio. Its property is worth more In pro-
portion to its capitalization than that of any
other railroad of equal size in the country.
Its net earnings are large. and promise
resumption of dividends in the future. 1t
has been embarrassed by mismanagement,
and that embarrassment has been magnified
by those who were interested in wrecking
the corporation. But to represent the Bal
timore and Ohio stock as worthless and the
endowment of the Johns Hopkins Uni
versity as entirely wiped out, is wholly apart
from the truth.
There is, of course, a great deal of force in
the assertion that this proves the impro-
priety of making railroad stocks the founda-
ton of endowments. The deduction is per-
tinent, under the present conditions of
railroad management; but entirely fails to
draw the lesson of the folly and criminality
of the railroad policy which makes its stock
fuctuating and uncertain, instead of endow-
ing it with the stability of Government
bonds. There is no interest in the country
which has more capabilities of soundness
and reliability than the railroad business.
The fuctuation of gross earnings per mile
of railroad on the entire system for the past
five years has not exceeded five per cent,
with the exception of one year, when 1t
was a little less than ten. Those in
net earnings have not exceeded one
cases out of ten been caused by the
abuses of the system. When railroad
managers will manipulate their own stocks,
or attack the prosperity of others to carry
out their own schemes; when railroad wars
are waged expressly for the purpose of
crippling competing roads so as to drive
them into combinations, and when great
capitalists attack the credit of a corporation
avowedly to drive it into obedience to the
dictates of other lines, it is no wonder that
railroad stocks are not suitable for endow-
ments. But the stupidity and criminality
which takes them out of the category of
solid investments and invests them with
the nature of gambling tools is none the
less monumental.
Railroad stocks ought to be stable; and
the suresr way to make them so, is to make
the action of competition so free and uni
versal that dishonesty and incapacity will
be subjected to its natural and salutary
penalty of extinction.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-13
PROTECTION FOR pAvEMENTs.

A dispute has arisen between the city au-
thorities of Philadelphia and one of the
corporations that are generally supposed to
have as much authority as the authorities,
that should not be without instruction to
other cities. Several streets have recently
been improved with new and good pave
ments. No sooner have these pavements
been completed than an electric company
comes along and wishes to tear up the pave
ment in order to lay an underground con-
duit. The Director of Highways forbids
them to do it, and the fight has reached high
temperature.
The action of the city official is certainly
timely as a protest againat the destruction
of streets by tearing up the pavements,
within year or two after they are put down,
for the purpose of laying subterranean pipes
and conGuitS. One reason why our streets
are poorly paved is the constant repetition
of this act, with the inevitable result that
the relaid pavement is not III line with older
parts. There is a great deal of wanton
neglect about the matter. The principal
street now under improvement will as it is
built up require gas, water, natural gas and
sewer connections at intervals OF nearly
every fifty feet in front of the vacant prop
erty. Unless provision is made for extend
ing these connections to the street line before
the pavement is laid that costly work will
be damaged 80 per cent wherever the street
is built up. Yet nothing has been done so
far to secure what might easily be provided
for, that all these connections should be ex-
tended before the pavement is laid
There may be some excuse for tearing up
pavemehts when the advance of improve
ments calls for new and unforeseen under
ground structures. But to omit the precau-
tions against the damage which anyone can
foresee, is the Kind of stupidity that is
criminal.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-13
PITTsBURG, FRIDAY, SEP. Is. 1889.
A GREAT GALE.

Glad is the news that comes from the Jer-
sey coast, glad though not devoid of terror
and sadness. In the light of the reports at
first received from Atlantic City, it seemed
as if greater catastrophe than that which
wrought ruin and death in the valley of the
Conemaugh was about to overwhelm the
last battalions of the great army of health
and pleasure seekers at the sea side. This
fear has happily been proven unfoCnded
and the suspense is over, for yesterday the
protecting arms of the railroads were able to
touch the assaulted city and the garrison is
being carried away in safety.
The storm has done immense damage on
q long line of seaboard. The great pleasure
resorts OF New York usually grouped under
the common name of Coney Island have
been annihilated almost; the more stylish
villas and boulevards of Long Branch have
been battered terribly, and so on down the
coast till Pittsburg'S summer suburb, At
lantic City, is reached, there is one continu-
Gus picture of desolation and distress. There
have been many lives lost, but not nearly
so many as might have been expected. Un-
happily, however. the reports on this point
are not all in. 1t is likely that marine dis
asters will prove TO have been plentiful in
the path of the cyclone.
In the matter of extraordinary weather,
attended by fatal and costly results to the
inhabitants of this continent, the year 1889
is distinguishing ITSELF There is time for
more weather yet, more's the pity.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-13
A HORSE IN HIS BED.
The Strange Appnrition Tint Disturbed Mr..
Hauptman.s SIumbers.

"PehAaub 5iumDcEbs
NEW YORK, September ia big gray horse
went on a rampage yesterday afternoon and
caused great CONSERVATION in the Twelfth pre-
cInct. While standing with a mate in front of
an express wagon belonging to Meyer Garos-
labsky In front of No. IS Delaney street the
horse became frightened, reared on his hind
legs and finally broke loose from the wagon,
carrying. the pole along. The infuriated ami
NAL rushed along to Delaney and Clinton
streets, where the pole struck letter box on a
lamp-post and the animal ran on the sidewalk.
Sergeant Lemsen. sitting at his desk in the De-
lancey street station house, saw the animal
flying by the open window but before he could
reach the door 1t was out of sight, and vast
crowd q people were standing in front Of
Meyer Hauptman's grocery store, on the north
east corner Oh Delaney and Attorney streets,
nearly opposite to the station house.
Here the scene was extremely startling. Celia
Hauptman, ~ years old, and Annie Hauptman,
child, were IN the store waiting on customers
and near them were Bessy, a servant for Mrs
GoldfanS, and Fanny Mendel. 13-year.old
child, when suddenly the doorway was dark
ened, anu tne morse came tearing in and made
a bold dash for the narrow passageway between
the counters, The women and children sought
refuge behind the counters. and fortunately es-
capped injury, but the horse kept on and ell
tered the rear sleeping room. Mr.. Hauptman
was doing on his bed and was awakened bv the
clatter of the horses feet he sat up in time
to see the gray animal fill up the doorway. In
a moment the horse planted his two front feet
on the bed and fell over upon the soft mattress,
apparently contented with his strange sur
roundings and comfortable resting place. Mr..
Hauptman crept out at the foot of the bed and
surrendered it. = -
After the excitement was over one of the
girls VINO were IN the store fell on the sidewalk
IN faint, and this gave rise to a rumor that
Esther Hinchfeld had been knocked down by
the horse and slightly injured. The damage
done by THIS suddenly crazed horse was about
500. He was claimed by his owner and taken
aWay
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-13
PROPHETS POOR RECORD.

A prophet is not without honor save in
his own count try. Upon this truth Lewis
B. Greenslade, otherwise Lewis the
Light" can now reflect with mournful salts
faction. For eighteen years Mr.. Green
slade has been following the trade of a
prophet. So thoroughly has he been en-
gagged in exploring the future that his wife
asserts he has never attempted to support
her and their three children. 1t has come
to pass, therefore, that Mrs. Greenslade has
obtained decree of divorce from "Lewis,
the Light" with S. a week alimony to boot
Whether Mr.. Greenslade prophesied that
this event would take place we are unaware,
but it certainly would have been an easy
feat.
There are not few prophets, evangelists
and spiritual shepherds who reveal in their
lives curious contempt for their obIiga-
tions. They are SO busy with the future,
with the messages of heaven, and with the
care OF other sheep, that they forget the
present, their earthly duties, and the preser-
walton of their own souls. AS to Mr..
Greenslade's prophecies we are but slightly
informed, but however accurate and mo-
mentous they may have been, we think he
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-13
THEATRICAL PROMISES,

In many respects "Myles Aroon" is inferior
to ''Shane-Na-Lawn," the play with which W. ].
Scanlan delighted such large audiences at the
Bijou Theater the first three nights of this
week, but Mr.. Scanlan is such a finished actor
and sweet singer that it is well worth seeing.
The house last evening, upon its first presenta-
tion, was crowded to the doors, and a better
pleased audience it would be difficult to find.
Mr.. Scanlan sang his celebrated ''Swing Songn
in his inimitable way, and "My Maggie and
several others of his own composition, all of
which produced encores. Miss Matte Fergu
son appeared to better advantage than in
"Shane Na-Lawn," and Miss Helen Weathers.
by's Lady Glover was pretty piece of charac-
ter work.
THE programmes at Harris Theater this
week contain false statement, if SON of tbe
late Mr.. BARLEY Campbell is to be believed
Young Mr.. Campbell stated yesterday that
Passions Slave" now being given at Harris,
Theater, is not, as printed on the bills and pro-
grammes, the work of BARLEY Campbell That
dramatist wrote THE White Slave" and "Tbn
Galley Slave" but not PASSIONS Slave.n IF
young Mr.. Campbells charge is true, the con.
duct of Mr.. Winett, the manager of the COM
pany needs explanation.
CHARLES L. DAVIS will introduce his old
creation of AEvin JoSliss in a new form at the
Bijou Theater next week. The play is called
Zone of the Old Stock" 1t is said to be a
clever comedy. and to present plenty of chance
for our old friend Atuip JosIin to exhibit his
well-kpown characteristics. Mr.. Davis pridps
himself on the rare and beautiful furniture he
shows in this play. Some pieces of it are said to
be very old. sThe scenery-all MIR. Dayis'-is
also highly spoken of.
EDMUND COLLIER and May Wheeler Sustain
the leading roles in Woman Against Woman
which will be seen at Harris Theater next
week. The papers everywhere this play has
been given are profuse in their praise of if
especially those of Louisville where it is being
produced this week. The advance sale BEGAN
yesterday.
"THE Old Homestead" has done what no
play ever did before. 1t has won undoubted
praise from the clergy, and no wonder. Thev
indorse it as simple and pure, with moral as
well as an amusing purpose. Such plays are
sermons. The sale of seats has opened at the
Grand Opera House for this engagement.
HER gigantic majesty, Big Eliza, who weighs
only 800 pounds, is the heavy attraction at the
Worlds Museum on Monday next The min.
strel companyis playing to good business this
week.
AUsTIN's Australians, very high class
vaudeville company, come to the Academy of
Music next week. The company includes an
unusual variety of talented speciality people,
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-13
BEWARE OF THE BARRIsTERS.

In the lawyer We are more inclined to
look for sagacity, shrewdness and sub
tlety than absolute unblushing audacity.
The challenge, however, which the lawyers
have hurled at the newspaper men a second
time savors strongly of audacity. Though
but two suns have set upon the CORY field
where the newspaper men everlastingly
smashed the lawyers at the game of base
bali, the vanquished are once more to the
front with a challenge to a second contest.
We advise the gentlemen of the press to
proceed cautiously. The first papers in the
case are apparently straight-the precipe,
that is, reveals no pit tails, but when the
parties get into court a surprise may be
sprung upon the defendants of the cham
pionship.
Our suspicious are aroused by the clause
tacked onto the challenge in which it is
suggested that the vanquished parties shall
at their own proper charge feast the victors.
What does this mean? Even as Sergeant
Buztuzz smelt an evil affection in the Pick
wickian allusion to tomato sauce" so
ought this corollary about dinner to make
the newspaper heroes wary. There is moth
ing SO fearful in this world as a famished
lawyer. A tiger is tame compared to him.
With the sight of covers for nine before his
minds eve, each man in that team of bar
risters will become reckless and relentless
in his efforts for victory. We tremble to
think of what new horrors this second con-
test may contain. Have the ornaments of
the bar secured some new descendants of
Ananias, entire worthy of their famous an
cestor, to act as umpires? Or have they
evolved some new process of law by which
the pitcher of the newspaper nine may be
restrained from delivering unhittable balls?
An injunction, preliminary, OF course, might
be obtained to stop every journalistic bats
man from slugging the ball for three bases
every time he came to the bat, if some par
tisan Judge were held conveniently on the
PLAYERS bench.
In fact SO many awful possibilities encloud
this audacious challenge that we advise the
untamed newspaper sluggers to 60 slow.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-13
PUBLIC PEOPLE PARAGRAPHED,

THE Prince of Wales calls his daughter
Maud Jack
GENERAL NJ. c. MEIGs says that we shall be
found by the census of 1890 to have g., ,24O, 600
people in the United States.
MAX STRAKoSCH, who brought some of the
most brilliant singers 10 this country that ever
left the other side of the Atlantics is in the
Home for Incurables at Fordham, n. Y, a
paralytic.
SEMBRICH, next TO Patti the most accom-
plished singer in the Italian school, has yielded
to the pressure of German music and is study
ing the role of Elsa i'll "Lohengrin," in the ex-
pectation OF soon singing it at Berlin.
THERE are only two royal scientists living at
the present time worthy of the name. One is
Prince Albert, of Monaco, well known for his
deep sea researches, and the other is the Arch
duke Ludwig Salvador, of Austria courage
Gus traveller, and by no means contemplate
naturalist
Sol SMITH RUsSELL's WIFE is SMALL in
tellectual-looking woman with a Bostonese
face. She is the daughter of Mr.. Adams
known to fame as "Oliver Optic" Mr.. Russell
is the owner of several fine buildings in Min
neapolis besides his handsome residence. He
takes care OF his money
NINE. PATTI will remain at Craig-y-Nos,
Wales, until October q, when she goes to Lon.
don. She will sing in eight concerts, two in
London and six in the provinces, for wlileh she
is to receive SIS, 900 and all expenses paid. She
illleave Liverpool for New York on November
g. She is to sing in this country, Canada and
Mexico.
KARL FALKENsTEIN is the name of the in
ventor of smokeless powder. Three years ago
he was an unknown chemist in Vienna. He
offered his invention to the Austrian War
Office, but no investigation of his device was
made. Discouraged by this refusal, he went to
Berlin and had an interview with the Emperor
and Count Waldersee. His invention was
thoroughly tested by experts, and the smoke
less powder was pronounced success. He
sold his rights to the German Government for
a large sum, and is now living in luxury.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-13
THE ADVANCE OF THE SEA,
just Where This Thing is Going to Stop IL
Might be Difficult to Say,

S"s' ''' ~"A7 hink - Uoiuk ~ 0tOp IL
Might be Difficult to Say.
From the New York SUM-
Year after year for the past 20 summers the
outposts and defenses set up on this coast
against the invading surf are carried by storm.
Line ;seter line is rolled back; whole settlements
have retreated and repeatedly made stand
inland far from the places they first occupied,
and the retreat still goes on. Coney Island
Sandy Hook, and Staten Island have suffered
from this invasion of the waves On the south
beach OF the latter region traces of old home
steads are found at low water mark, and with
in the memory of some OF the old inhabitants
meadows hourished and corn grew where CLAIMS
are now plentiful. But without going into
hearsay evidence upon this point, one has only
to look at the beach ITSELF There he will find
The roots OF pine trees more than half way out
from the present line of high water
The trees that stood there are we'll remem-
bered by many persons whose recollection need
only go back some 10 or l5 years. And we are
told the evidence is the same all along a con-
siderable portion of the Atlantic seaboard.
Just where this thing is going to stop it might
be difficult to say Perhaps some scientific
men Will say that in ages past the sea here
abouts came very much further inland than it
does at present; that it receded, and has now
taken notion to come back again. Well, it
certainly does look a little that way. Every
new storm appears to bring the water further
up than the one that came before it.
But let the wild winds whistle and the break
ers roar; the continent is big one, and can
stand a good deal of encroachment Besides.
there is consolation in the reflection that, If we
are heavy losers just hereabouts some other
region is in like degree gamer, for whatso-
ever the sea takes away it may not keep, but
must presently elsewhere deposit the same.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-13
THE TENSION TEMPORARILY RELIEVED.

Commissioner Tanner yesterday obliged
the administration by stepping down and
out. He took with him, however, the Presi-
dents certificate to his honesty. This re-
lieves the tension for the time; but the
troubles of the Corporal's successor have
not yet begun. Nobody was ignorant that
the Corporal was stem torian and diffusive
talker; that his views Oh the duty of the
Gov ernment to provide pensions for vet
Grams, with all the expedition and liberality
the laws permitted, were of the most pro-
Gounced sort; that he was not particular
about consulting his superiors before ex-
pressing himself. But when all this has
been said, and when it is further admitted
that possibly the methods of his administra-
ton were not those Of the cool and i'm
passive business sort, it is still significant
that no charges OF pensions illegally or
fraudulently allowed or increased are
brought forward.
The change in the Office might, super
ficiallv, therefore be taken to imply that it
is not the spirit or results of its administra-
tion but the methods which are to alter. If
this be so, the person who steps into Tan
ner's shoes will find it anything but an easy
matter to satisfy the demands and expecta-
tions of the veterans aroused by the party
pledges and bv Tanners brief regime, with
out continuing to knock "a hole in the sur
plus"
The administration has happened upon its
first serious difficulty. President Harrison
seems to wish to carry out the pledges
of his party to the old soldiers;
but he has found that the powers of the Com
missioner, under the existing laws, if used
TO the fullest in the interest of the veterans
will produce fiscal results that the legis-
lators of his party refuse to shoulder. If
the Corporal had knocked no "hole in the
surplus"-had raised no troubling specters
Of deficiencies sit is hard to believe that
his speeches and interviews would have led !
TO more than admonition or reprimand.
Even the alleged lsxity of his methods in
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-13

business respects might have been remedied
by the suggestion of better ways. But the
alarming cost of his programme frightened
the administration. Evidently his sue
cessor will be expected to bring consider
ations of economy as well as other virtues
to the post. Meanwhile, the Grand Army
and other organizations of the veterans will
not be less urgent than before for the most
liberal Interpretation of the laws governing
allowances-and in comporting himself re-
sponsively to the two conflicting ideas, the
new Commissioner is reasonably sure to en-
counter a food of criticism either from
within or without.
If President Harrison can tide over the
period till Congress meets, without encoun-
tering new storms on the pensions question,
be will be lucky, indeed. That august
body, in fairness, should then relieve the
Executive from further difficulty by revis-
ing its legislation and making such ex-
plicit and intelligent provisions as can be
carried out without such unedifying con-
flicts and confusion as the past three months
have witnessed.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-13
ODD ITEMS FROM FOREIGN SHORES.

THE German Museum in Nurnberg has
bought Prince Sulkowski's famous collection
of armor and weapons for $1,000. Specialists
estimate the value of the collection al $500, COO
A LARGE and very important discovery of
uranium is reported in Cornwall. II is true
assure vein, tho ore containing an average of l
per cent of the pure metal, going up as high in
many places as 90per cent. The market price
OF uranium is $4,000 ton.
PROBABLY the longest "Dee" line railway in
the world is that from Buenos Ayres to the foot
of the Andes. 1t covers $40 kilometers, or
about 275 miles. and is as straight as an arrow
The highest grade Is about three feet TO the
mile. 1t crosses no ravine and no stream, and
therefore no bridge.
AN example of the depreciation of agri-
cultural land in England was afforded within
fortnight when farm in Lincolnshire was Of
fered for sale. The highest bid was e., 100 al
though the property cost fe,70O Is years ago,
and considerable sum has since been ex-
pended in improvements.
THE last annual report of the Richard Wag-
ner Society in Germany shows an increase of
membership during the last year from 5000 to
$3.50 The expenditures exactly equaled the
receipts, s1l 200. Two thousand five hundred
dollars were expended on the education of
poor young students of Wagner's music,
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-13

would have better applied his energies to
the support of his family in some such
lowly way as breaking stone than in antici-
pating events. Unless the prophet be illu-
minated by Higher Power, in which case
the being so blessed would not overlook his
duty as man, we think he is superfuous
nuisance to the world. 1t is great deal
better to be good husband, hard worker
and patriotic citizen than humbug with
q fine sounding name