davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-30
A PRoTRACTED TASK AHEAD.

Nobody who foresaw the complications
ahead will be in the least surprised that the
task of distributing the Johnstown relief
funds is proving many times more difficult
than the collection of them. To say that
the Governors Commission has an elephant
on its hands, would imply belief that it is
not equal to the emergency, for which there
is as yet no sufficient warrant But
that it will have troublesome time with
suggestions, criticism and point blank CEN
sure, for not doing the business in the way
which everybody else is privileged to think
best is already only too clear.
No doubt some of the Johnstown sufferers,
looking at the large totals sent for their
relief, have permitted themselves to think
that they could at once be fully set upon
their feet again in business way. As
suredly that would have been the wish Of
the generous donors. But immense and
gratifying as the contributions were, they
would go but small way toward furnish
ing any considerable restoration of the lost
property. If each of the thousands of fam
lilies of sufferers could have a few hundred
dollars it would be the uttermost the fund
would permit Off indeed so much would
be possible. What little distance this would
go toward re-establishing them in their cir
cumstances prior to the flood, anyone can
see. That the Relief Commission is bound
to fall short of the too sanguine expecta-
tions in this regard is very evident.
As well as can be ascertained from the
rather vague and misty formal declaration
of purposes by the commission last week, 1t
proposes to continue relieving present dis
tress and the immediate privations that will
arise, rather than attempt a per capita
distribution. Of course this purpose is al
ready censured; but the critics should at
least have better plan. None yet has ap-
peared. That there will be much personal
be taken for granted. Be the process of
natural recuperation swift or slow, some
will lag in the race; some will be less fortu-
nate than others; some less able in short to
help themselves. An immediate distribu-
ton of all the money might make week of
temporary plenty only to be followed by
many weeks of hardship for numbers of the
relieved. The case clearly is one where
continuous oversight and judicious admin
istration of help for long period yet is re-
quired.
But if the commission adopts the more
protracted course, the public will justly
hold it to the strietest care in its disburse-
ments. Something has been said about the
cost of conducting the relief service. 1t will
be a lasting disgrace If extravaganza or job
berry to the amount of single dollar shall
be exhibited when the commission comes to
file its report.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-30
MRS. HARRISON'S MAIL.
II Contains Numerous Requests for Pieces
of Dresses and Locks of Hair.

WASHINGTON, June 29.-The most exacting,
time-consuming and laborious portion of the
daily routine of the chief lady of the White
House is her correspondence. If this confined
itself to personal friends 1t would be managea-
BILE, but embracing within its scope every nook
and corner of the land and every detail and di-
versity of subject, it assumes the proportions
of burden which no woman could carry, not
even one so painstaking and conscientious and
industrious as Mrs Harrison. There is hu-
morous phase to this toilsome drain upon the
time and energies of the wife of the President.
One OF the principal subjects of correspondence
in Mrs. Harrison's mail is the request for sam
pies of her inaugural ball costume.
They come from feminine sources, of course,
and in the appeals for the coveted fragment of
the silk-woven homesPun textile the acme of
epistolary composition and logic is often
reached. In the kindness of her heart Mrs.
Harrison has gratitied many of these simple
appeals from the fabricators of crazy quilts
and patchwork, but not to the extent of demol-
ishing the historic gown in which she looked SO
queenly at the great ball in the vast court of
the Pension building, but from garments
which had seen service in church-going house
hold display and social duty in times of Sena-
torial dignity and in the retirement of home
life at Indianapolis. In this fragmentary form
the dresses of former days have disappeared,
leaving decided void in the wardrobe of the
first lady The sources of supply have long
been exhausted while the demand continues
unabated. This presents an emergency which
can only be met by calling upon the looms Of
the manufacturers fos an output sufficient to
supply the popular appeal.
The fair sex relic hunters of the Republic do
not stop at samples of Inauguration ball dresses"
butintersperse their well-intentioned epistolary
requests by asking locks from the bounteous
tresses which lie in wavy brown masses
4, H.. a. - - r AZ
lady. There is a limit to the possibilities of
nature, and, notwithstanding her wealth of the
treasured article sought, these requests are re-
spectfully declined or committed to the silk
lined paper basket, where everyone must admit
they belong. If even a moiety of the appeals
for locks of hair for charity or jewelry were
gratifed, the presiding lady would long since
have been driven to such expedlents to replace
natures supply known only among the ton
serial mysteries of the wig maker and the hair
dresser.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-30
THE GREEN STAMP TO GO.
1t is Probable That There VIII be a
Change In Size, Also.

Change In Size, Also.
WASHINGTON, June 29.-The specifications
just issued by the Postmaster General for the
guidance of bidders under the next contracts
for postage stamps. advertised for under date
of June II, 1859, provide for bids for two series
of stamps of different sizes, one of them be-
ing the size now in use, the other about one
third smaller. If stamps of the larger size
should be determined on when the bids are in,
the colors will be as follows: One cent, ultra
mine blue; 2 cent, metallic red; 8 cent, vermil-
ion; cent milori green; s cent, chocolate; 8
cent, dark red; 10 cent, light brown; Is cent,
orange; 50 cent, black; 90 cent, carmine.
II stamps of the smaller size should be pre-
ferred, the colors will be as follows: One cent,
ultramlne blue; 2cent, carmine; 3cent royal
purple; 4-cent. chocolate; 5-cent, light brown;
6-cent, vermilion; l0-cent milori green; l5-cent,
steel blue; 3Q-cent black 9O-cent, orange
Under one form of bids the contractor will be
allowed extra compensation from all change
from the present designs, and in another form
of bid, changes may be made at the will of the
Postmaster General without extra compensa-
tion. From the above it will be seen that the
color of the 2-eent stamp will be changed
from green TO either carmine or metallic red.
In speaking of the proposed changes, Post
master General Wanamaker said to-day he
believed that the smaller sized stamp would be
quite as useful and popular as the larger size
now in use and by reducing the size of the
stamp material saving would be effected
which could be profitably expended in better
and in every way more desirable color, The
was the color of the 2-cent stamp which imme-
diately preceded the green 2cent stamp now in
use. No changes in designs have yet been de-
termined upon.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-30
A VALUABLE RELIC.
The Strange Recovery of a Harpoon After a

The Strange Recovery of a Harpoon After a
Lapse of SO Years.
WASHINGTON, June 29.-There has Just been
received at the National Museum in this city, to
b placed in the fisheries section, an interesting
souvenir Of the Arctic whale fishery, which
Captain ]. w. Collins, the superintendent of
that department, greatly prizes, 1t is an old
fashioned hand-molded swivel harpoon, which
has quite story. as cleaned from the papers
accompanying it. While in the Ohkats Sea
this summer the ship Cape Horn Pigeon, COM
manded by Captain L.. Nathan Rogers cap
tured whale, in the blubber of which was i'm
bedded foreign substance. On examination
this proved to be harpaou, broken off at the
junction with the lance, which had been in the
whale over 30 years.
On the hinge of the harpoon was stamped in
plain letters "S T. d." Ship Thomas Dicker-
SON. and the name of the maker, not so plain,
could also be made out. This was the first
and only messenger from the good ship Dick
erson, which sailed from New Bedford in 1856,
and was lost the next year in the very waters
where the crew of the Cape Horn Pigeon Sc
cured the harpoon 80 years later.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-30
LIGHT READING EnR ROYALTY.

There has been rule in the English
throne that no divorced person could be
presented at Court. This rule has naturally
borne harder upon the women than the men,
for il is only to the feminine mind that the
court presentation is an ecstatlc privilege.
No matter whether the woman had sinned
or been sinned against, her exclusion from
the royal presence has inevitably followed
her appearance in the court of divorce. She
might have been forced to obtain a release
from husband desperately brutal or mon-
strously immoral, but as soon as she came
near Buckingham Palace the hand of the
Lord Chamberlain waved her back The
precincts of the court were forbidden to her.
Recently, in a moment Of liberality, and
it might be said sanity, Queen Victoria de-
cided so far to relax this rule as to admit
those who had obtained DEGREES of divorce
as plaintiffs to the royal presence. When
the first drawing room after this decree was
announced so many divorced women applied
for cards of presentation that the Lord
Chamberlain was threatened with paralysis
and the Queen issued new version of her
royal will.
In the revised decree we are shocked to
observe that the erstwhile sober and discreet
ruler of Great Britain is becoming giddy.
She says that henceforth before divorced
woman shall appear before her she, the
Queen, will decide by reading all the pro-
ceedings in the divorce suit, including the
testimony of the witnesses, whether the
character of the applicant is spotless. 1t is
truly painful to think of Queen Victoria
voluntarily undertaking to read such sala-
cious literature. But the old lady's excuse
for getting at histories more naughty than
the worst of French plays is remarkably
ingenious.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-30
Prof proctor's widow.

st. Louis RepubIic1
In spite of his tireless and indefatigable work
as writer and as lecturer. the property accumu-
lated by the late Prof Richard A. Proctor at
the time of his death was not sufficient to sup
port his wife and children, andwe learn that his
home in Florida, together with his library and
scientific apparatus is to be sold for the benefit
of his heirs. His widow, Mrs. Sallie d. Proc
tor. formerly Of st. Joseph, Mo-, will make an
effort to buy the library so as to keep it to-
gether, and with this object in view will de-
liver next winter, some of Prof. Proctor's as
Economical lectures, Including those on the
sun. the moon and other worlds than ours. She
will use the Professors slides and lantern and
Mrs. Proctor is woman of sufficient talent
proved when Prof. Proctor himself delivered
them to delighted audiences,
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-30

Whatever has been said was to point out
the incongruity of the class whom Judge
Gresham characterized as "the Pharisees"
In indorsing the Presidents Sunday holi-
days and denying the same recreation to
the masses
No one has seriously blamed the Presi-
dent, except as he is in sympathy with
those of his friends who would deny to the
common people the chances for enjoying
fresh air and natural pleasures which he
finds necessary. But it would not be sub
ject of special wonder if the unco guild
Colonel Elliott f. Shepard and others of his
class should do some wincing on their
own account
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-30

The astrological predictions of that
amusing humbug, Zadkiel, advises the pub
lie for the Fourth of July next to "sign no
writings and make no contracts, but thou
may'st court" AS the Fourth of July next
is a legal holiday, the people will be apt to
abstain from signing writings and making
contracts; but it is not SO inconsistent with
the customs of young people to do some
courting on that day. So that for one day
in the year Zadkiel's advice will be OBJ
served, even by people who never heard Of
the astrologist.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-30
ALIyELY COMMISSION.

There is certainly reason Tor gener al con-
graduation, without regard to party lines,
in the fact that the Civil Service Commits
sion which President Harrison has consti-
tuted seems determined to make its record as
an active opponent of spoils jobbery. The
commission is acting upon the principle
that the purpose of its existence is to hunt
out violations Of the civil service law; and
it is evidently inspired by the Irishman's
famous idea Of, wherever it sees head,
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-30
Money to be Made BY Hand.

AS no arrangement was reached between the
Government and the agent of the steam
presses in the Bureau of Engraving and Print
ing under the new law reducing the royalty
from 81 to cent per 1000 Impressions the 10
steam presses against which the plate printers
have made such bitter fight will be at once
thrown out of the building. 1t was ascertained
that the necessary work could be done without
the operation of these presses, and the men
employed on them were informed this evening
they need not report for duty on Monday. This
makes the victory Of the, plate printers com
plete over the steam presses,
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-30

ATTENTION is now being called to the
fact that Simon Cameron started in life as
an editor. A good many politicians have
taken that method of beginning political
career, and while they do not continue to be
editors, the remark which Hamlet made to
Polonius when the latter declined the
charge that he was fishmonger, will apply
to the politicians.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-30

The discovery that the City Treasurer had
no power to collect water taxes from tenants,
but must assess them against landlords, is
founded On good sense; but the city author
tiles have been long time in finding it out.
People who have had their domiciles in
vaded by city officials who were collecting
these taxes in just the way that is now de-
clared unauthorized, can have the satisfac-
tion of rejecting that it was a violation
of their rights under the pretense OF gov
ernment
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-30
Soldiers Feel InsuIfed.

Members of the District militia are very
much ineensed at the order of President Harri-
son that no intoxicants shall be dispensed by
the commissary or allowed in camp when they
go into quarters at Old Fort Washington,
which they will do shortly. They say that the
order is an unwarrantable innovation, and
really insulting, as it presupposes the inability
of the boys to control their appetites and con-
duct themselves like soldiers and gentlemen.
General Ordway, the commanding officer in
the district, is also very much incensed at the
order, and expresses himself to his friends
very freely and in no complimentary manner
in regard to the peculiar interference
of the President General Ordway says
the inevitable result will be that the men will
smuggle whisky secretly to their tents and
drink freely to show their defiance of the
President, while otherwise they would content
themselves to great extent with the light
malt and vinous beverages which would be
openly dispensed. The opponents of the Presi-
dents orders are not the more pleased, because
it is plainly stated that Mr.. Harrison was in
fuenced to his action by members Of the
Woman's Christian Temperance Union, whose
other recent request that intoxicants be BAN
ished from the Presidents table was promptly
and contemporary turned down by the entire
Presidential household. Lively times are
looked for at the Fort Washington camp.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-30
THE TOPICAL TALKER.
A New Use for Fnn-The Drug Clerk Was
a Little Of-A Cool Compromise-The
Coming of July.

New Use for Fnn-The Drug Clerk Was
Little OG-A Cool Compromise-The
Coming Of July.
THEY tell me it was pretty hot even in the
grand stand at the ball game yesterday after
noon There were rather lmore ladies than
usual present One of them attracted no little
attention because she carried an immense fan of
the old.tashioned kind, which was cased in
scarlet silk to match the startling hue of her
hat and dress. One of the gentlemen in the
party which circled around this brilliant being
asked her why she carried so large fan.
ITO keep off 'flies," replied another gallant
for her.
NO" said she, correcting the second speaker,
"but hope it will break the force of foul
tipsrn
The fan looked heavy enough to protect the
face behind it, but fortunately no trial of its
strength was made.
ONE Of the most aggravating mistakes I've
heard of in long time was perpeIrated by a
drug clerk in suburban store one day last
week.
A servant was sent by a certain estimable
young lady to the drug store to get some
borax. which was to be used for hair-eieansing
purposes. The drug clerk filled the order, but
by mistake substituted alum for borax. The
servant returned and the young lady at once
set to work on a home shampoo. 1t was not
until the solution of alum had been applied
very thoroughly and her hair had been satu-
rated with it that the young lady discovered
that instead of rendering her tresses clear and
glossy, as borax usually does they were be-
coming matted together in horrible mess.
To cut the story short, it took an expert bar
Der an hour or two to bring that young lady's
hair out of its horrible condition. As for the
drug clerk, guess he is not out of the mess
yet.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-30

AN eminent lady, who represents the
Bonanza millions abroad, and has sued two
English newspapers for intimating that her
mother was a washerwoman, has a very
plain case of libel. 1t is evident that the
ancestress OF such descendant could not
have been washerwoman. She must have
been nothing less than a washlady.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-30

The little differences in the Board of
Awards were quickly composed last week by
permitting Chief Bigelow to decide the mat
ters peculiarly belonging to his department.
Now let>the work go on. the festive Fourth
of July is near at hand, and only four
months remain to build miles upon miles of
badly needed streets.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-30

The project of the progressive reform
ers," to have the Government guarantee 5
per cent dividends on all corporation enter
prises, would give decided stimulus to the
industry of putting one dollar of capital
into such enterprises, and issuing three to
five dollars worth Of stock to represent it.
Five per cent on the five dollars of water
would yield an excellent profit.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-30

The news which comes from Yale that
the captain of the freshman baseball nine
and the stroke oar of the freshman crew
failed to pass the examinations shows the
futility of wasting the time of those repre-
sentatives of physical culture over such un-
important topics as mathematics and the
classics.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-30
He Has n Pair of D,Uzes.

From the st. Paul Pioneer Press.l
Buffalo Bill and his horsemen are to show
the French people what stag hunt is like, and
it is said that the Due and Duchesse d'Uzes
will participate. The affair is for the benefit
of charity, for which the Colonel expects to
raise large sum of money The French
climate has certainly impaired Bills intellect
or he would not attempt to make raise with
nothing but pair of d'Uzes to draw to-
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-30

THE dedication of the finest cemetery
gate in the United States, being that S12O,
900 entrance to the Allegheny Cemetery
from Penn avenue, was one of yesterday s
leading points of interest The Allegheny
Cemetery has always been one of the at
fractions of Pittsburg, and this addition to
its embellishments will be duly appreciated.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-30

THERE is a man in the Kansas City Jail
who is stated to be legally entitled to his
freedom but he cannot get out. Kansas
City, however, seems to think that 1t is
keeping things even, in the fact that it has
great many citizens who are legally enti-
tied to be in jail, but so far have not been
successful in their endeavors to break in.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-30
GERMAN STATE SALARIES.
The Small Amounts Paid to the Chief Officers
of the Empire.


The German Empire does not pay its high en-
ployes on an extravagant scale. Prince Bis
marck receives f2,700 year and residence.
The Foreign Secretary gets f25OO. including
free quarters; the State Secretary, FL 800 includ
ing free quarters; the State Secretary of the
Imperial Court of Justice. G., 200 and house;
the State Secretary of the Imperial Treasury,
f1.000Snd house; the State Postmaster Gen.
eral, f1.200 and a house; the Minister of
War, f1,S00. with house, fuel and ra-
tions for eight horses; the Chief of the
Admiralty, fl.S00, with house; the chief of
the general staff, El.50O. house and rations
for six horses. Fourteen commanding generals
get fl 500 each, with free furnished quarters
and rations for eight horses. With regard to
ambassadors those in London and st. Peters
burg are paid e., 500 each; in Vienna, Constan-
tinople ana Paris, $4,000 each. OF ministers
e. 400 is paid at Brussels, f2 $50 at Bucharest,
e. 400 at The Hague, f270O aG Madrid, $4,000 at
Pekin, f2s 400 at Rio Janeiro f3.150 at WASH
ington f2,0O0 at Stockholm, e., 400 at Teheran
and f2 $50 at Yeddo.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-30

JUDGE STOWE did not speak easy" by
any means yesterday in passing upon the
cases of illegal liquor selling. The tone of
the judicial utterances upon these violations
of hw is a pronounced discouragement to
that branch of enterprise.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-30

WITH regards to two of the reported
trusts, it is safe to predict that the Rubber
Trust will have to stretch long distance,
and the Pottery Trust will be likely to make
bad smash, before they succeed in smother
ing competition in those trades.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-30

THIS is the regular season of the year for
the announcement that Don Cameron will
not again be candidate for Senator; but it
might be embellished this year with the
detail that Beaver will not be candidate
either-enough to hurt any one but himself.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-30

AUSTRIA is the latest power in Europe
to put her foot down with the declaration
that she is going to have peace in Europe if
she has to fight for it. This will afford all
the military Emperors a good excuse for
asking for increased taxes for the support
of their armies.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-30

THE knowledge that the new rules
adopted by the Republican County Com
mittee are satisfactory all around, is cal
culated to create the belief that the white
winged and millenial peace is spreading
itself over the political field.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-30

A WISCONSIN postmistress recently took
after man with club so vigorously as to
knock him out of this world altogether.
The example of the First Assistant Post.
master General seems to be pervading all
the ranks of the service.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-30

WITH another wreck on the Pennsylvania
Railroad yesterday that corporation will be-
gin to believe that it never rains but it
pours, and that this is very rainy season.