davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-09-26
LATEST NEWS CONDENSED.
GENERAL NOTES.

THE fifty miles of sewer in San Diego
cost the Taxpayers $500. GOO.
A Miss FANNY VERTUN claims that she
holds the title deeds of the entire ground
on which Minneapolis is built and has be-
gun suit for possession.
THE Chippewa river is the lowest it has
been this season, and In consequence
nearly all the mills at Eau Claire have
been shut down. the majority of them for
want of logs. A few will In all probabili-
ty not start up again this season.
LIGHT frosts were reported Wednesday
morning from La Crosse, Omaha and St.
Louis, with little damage, The heavy
frost near Necedah, Wis, worked much
damage to the cranberries.
EAU CLAIRE, visa report comes
from frst-class authority that a detective
is shadowing the Chippewa county author
tiles, and that if Curtis and Harrington,
the prize-fghters, are not arrested the Off
Gals will be called to account by Gov.
Hoard.
P. T. BARNUM gave a farewell family
dinner at his Bridgeport residence prior
to his early departure for Europe. The
party. consisting Of his children and grand
children, with their husbands and wives
and three grandchildren, numbered seven
teen.
THE following is the seating capacity
of the eight largest churches in the world
st. Peter S, Rome, "a, 900 persons; Milan
cathedral, $4,000; St Paul, London, %, 900;
st. Sophia, Constantinople, 23,000; Notre
Dame, Paris, $1,000; Florence cathedral,
10000; Pisa cathedral $4,000; St. Mark S,
Venice, 1000.
Four jurors have been secured in the
Cronin case. They are: James A. Pear
son. of Glenwood, farmer; John l.. Hall,
of Fernwood, a draughtsman; John Gull
yer, of Chicago, a real estate man, and
Charles G. Dix, of Chicago, cashier.
SAYS an Englishman you Americans
are getting so that you have no interest for
any time but the present. Years ago we
used to think that we were pretty wise
when we coined the phrase men of the
day. But, bless me, you have no use for
men of the day; you only care to know
about men of the hour And | expect
that you will very soon ignore everybody
but men Of the minute. The American
people live on the sharp point of the pass
ing moment, and seem to enjoy it.
A LARGE public bath will soon be erected
in Philadelphia from money left by Ben
iamin Franklin and John Scott, Franklin
left in will, dated April %, 1870, $4,000 to
be used in Philadelphia in such a way
that after the lapse of a century the prin-
cipal and interest should amount to a sum
large enough to make valuable public i'm
provements. In 1916, John Scott added
81, 900 to this sum. The principal now
amounts altogether to about $40, 900. Ten
thousand dollars of this will be laid aside
for another century, after the new bath is
constructed.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-09-26
Farms in China.

Land is held in small tracts, as a general
rule, and the word farm in China has a
far different significance from what it has
In the United States. A farm often con-
tains no more than three or four mao, and
sometimes less; but in some sections of this
province (Hupeh) holdings of from 100 to
$50 mao Ia mao equals one-siXth of an
acre) are not uncommon. and In rare in
stances larger tracts are owned. The own
ers of the large tracts do not cultivate them,
but lease them and receive rent in kind,
usually about one-ffth of the crop when the
tenants supply everything.
The agricultural implements used by the
farmers of China are of the rudest con-
struction, and of the same kind and pattern
that were in use centuries before the Chris
tian era. No modern farming machinery
or utensils of any kind are used by the
natives in any portion of the Empire. One
may travel hundreds of miles in the rural
districts and never observe any change, no
progress in any direction The methods of
tilling the soil in all respects are just the
same as they were hundreds of years ago.
Labor is abundant and very cheap, hence
no thought is given to modern methods of
agriculture. The farms are of such limited
area and labor so easily procured at such
astonishingly low rates that, In the estima-
ton of the Chinese farmer, improved i'm
plements are not needed He doubts the
expediency of changing the old methods,
when able-bodied, industrious farm hands
can be obtained at from So to So per
annum.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-09-26
FIRES AND CASUALTIES.

A PLEASURE yacht with nine passengers
capsized In Lake Erie during the storm
Wednesday, and two of the bodies have
been recovered.
FOREST fires are raging In several places
near Portland, Ore, and great amount
of property has been destroyed.
DURING the absense of Mrs. A. Senbower
at Oakland, Md, her home was burned
and her two children persisted In the
flames.
HEALDsBURG, Cal.-The heaviest earth
quake experienced here for years occurred
Saturday. No damage is reported donee.
AT Rice Lake, Wis, there is an epidemic
of typhoid fever. Six deaths in very
short time have been reported and a num-
Der of cases are under treatment.
KANSAS CITY-A fire in the dessi-
eating and refinery works at Kansas
City caused loss of SIS, 900. J. A. Estin-
berger and Jno. Halpeeb, employees of the
company were fatally injured. Two FIRE
men were seriously hurt.
PORTLAND. 0re-Terrible fires have
been raging west of here and are rapidly
approaching the city. Authorities have
taken all precautions to prevent disaster
u S4Ctl iOSo Ids bCGil CduS6I dlItdtlN 10
farmers, and several villages have had mar
row escape.
ST. CLOUD, Mimi = Saturday night
the residence of Michael Haupt, well-to-
do farmer, living near Spring Hill. this
county, burned, and his two sons Conrad
and Alois, aged respectively twenty-six
and twenty-three persisted. Other mem
bers of the family barely escaped.
SAN Francisco, Cal.-As Mrs. Annie
Gaba was sitting at the table last Monday
evening with her baby in her arms and
two other small children near her, the baby
upset the coal oil lamp. which exploded in
the mothers lap and all four were envelop-
ed In flames Mrs. Gaba and the baby
were so badly burned that they died In
short time. The other two children were
fearfully burned and their recovery is
doubtful
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-09-26
CRIME.

AN outlaw named Sylvester Morales was
captured at Los Angeles IN company with
Nymphia Brown, whom he had abducted
some time ago.
A LONE highwayman robbed the stage
between Forest Hill and Audubon, Cal.
Monday morning He secured Wells
Fargo & Co. S treasure box and escaped,
Ed AHEARN, the surviving principal in
the st. Louis prize fight has been held
without bail on the charge of murder, and
seconds and timekeepers as accessories
AT Somerset, Pa, the two Nicely broth,
ers, who were under sentence of death, es-
capped from the jail after overpowerine
the sheriff and mortally wounding q
deputy.
CLEVELAND, Ohio. = Thieves entered
the residence of G. Morris, of 803 Prospect
street Friday night and stole $40, 900 worth
of bonds, gold watch, pair of diamond
earrings and other less valuable jewelry
All the stolen property belongs to Mrs. L.
A. Pierce, who resides with the Morris
family The bonds are said to be mnego-
TABLE
ST. PAUL, Minn.-The jury in the case
of Clara Blatz on trial for the murder OF
John Daugherty, with whom she had
been living, brought in verdict of man
slaughter in the first degree, and recon-
mended that she receive the extreme pen
atty of the law or twenty years imprison-
ment.
Two RIVERS, Wisconsin = For the
past few weeks several farmers living near
Two Creeks have lost number of head OF
cattle each by death. Veterinary Surgeon
that the animal had been poisoned. Mr..
Messman, one of the victims, followed his
cattle the next day, and noticed that they
were licking something from the ground
Upon examination, this proved to be Paris
green and salt in little piles about two
inches high, scattered over large piece
of ground.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-09-26
Weather Forecasts for September.

The 1st day of September is the center of
a regular storm period, therefore we put
down in the calendar the 1st, I'd and Sd as
the days In which the most active storm
movements are liable to occur. We write
this forecast ON Friday morning, Aug. Is,
and dispatches, as well as private advices,
inform US Of snowfall within the past two
or three days at various places In Pennsyl-
vania and New Hampshire. This, togeth-
er with the fact that there was frost in
Northern Illinois on the 1st day Of August.
not only continues to sustain our prediction
for a cool summer, but our special an
nouncement of amazing flights of the
mercury up and down" for this exact time
In August Word and Works. This condi-
ton, in all probability, will continue,
making heavy frosts to the northward more
than probable at the close of September's
first storms About the 7th the rise In
temperature necessary for secondary storm
developments will take place. First quar-
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-09-26

ter of moon on the I'd at clock 81 min
utes p. N.
5 The 18th of September is not only about
the date of the greatest electrical excite
ment during every autumnal equinox, but
Is, tins year. the center Of a regular storm
period. Therefore. from about the 10th to
18th may be expected many active and per
maps Violent and destructive storms and
gales. Seamen and others viii do well to
prudently heed all storm signals and indi-
cations on or about the 18th. 18th. 18th.
and l4th. Earthquake phenomena at this
time, or. indeed at any storm period in
the month, would be a most natural. but.
perhaps harmless result. Full moon on
the 9Th at Z clock and 81 minutes a. m.
A general high barometer. with some
freezing, and much frost. to be looked for
behind the storms of this period. Abont
the 18th warmer, followed by reaetionarv
storms. Moon last quarter on the 18th
10 clock 4S minutes D. m.
On the oath falls the center of Septem-
ber's last regular period This. together
with the earth equinox, Jupiter disturb
ing presence, and the fact that the moon
drops between the earth and sun at 8
o clock Al minutes %. m. on same day. in
dictate violent autumnal storms and atmos-
pheric changes. If the weather should be
warm and ndisturbed, with little or no
electrical war in the atmosphere at this
time, the chances will be increased for VIC
lent earthquakes. We put down the sd,
oath, 25th and 265h as danger DAYS. Re-
dictionary temperature and storms about
the last of the month, into October. We
invite most careful observation of these
forecasts by every one who may read them,
and greatly covet the help of all, that we
may make them in the future more and
more perfeet.-St. Louis World and
Works.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-09-26
VALUABLE RECIPES.

For transparent paste to fix transpar-
ent advertisements on glass use IS parts
India rubber dissolved in so parts chloro-
form, then add Is parts gum mastic.
To paint iron or steel to protect it from
corrosion first use a printing of oxide of
magnesia; afterward any oxide paint on
top of it. Do this properly and it will
never corrode even under water.
For French polish for hardwood doors
l. Shellac, pounds; wood naphtha, 3
pints q Shellac 2 pounds; powdered
gum mastic and gum sandarac, l ounce
each; copal varnish, y pint; spirits Of
wine. l gallon. Mix and shake cold till
dissolved.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-09-26

uated in what appears dense forest.
Neither spires nor chimneys cut the blue
sky. nor Is smoke observed to ascend from
the ; wan scene of the capital. Nothing
In fact, beSpeaks the busy home of 10000
to 10000 people. and yet hidden away
among these trees is the palace of the raiah,
and hard by are the houses of his favoriteS.
each family having large inclosure around
the homestead. lmphail may thus be de
scribed as city of villages, or rather
suburban residences around the palace.
Straight. wide roads lined with trees,
frequently interesting each other
at right angles, afford the means of COM
munication but neither shop. artisan, nor
wheeled conveyance exists IN the city In
dustry and skill occur only in the distant
rural homes.
The people of the capital are the pro-
NOTED favorites of the ruler, who have as
signed to them plots of ground near the
palace, and live by pressing upon the per-
secuted agriculturists of the state.
The capital of Manipur Is a royal resi-
dence dedicated to luxury and amuse-
ment. All are happy. The streets are
crowdedwith smiling. healthy faces of which
few bear the marks of toll or labor There
are no schools In the state and court favor
and promotions are secured by success In
polo. Coinage is unknown and themen are
not allowed to trade Imports and exports,
except in certain articles that yield royal
revenue, are practically prohibited.
The women from the distant villages re-
pair ON a certain day to the capital or to
other recognized centers. Each carries on
her head a neatly made square basket, in
which has been placed the surplus stock OF
the homestead, the labors of her industrial
skill or of her husbands agricultural
knowledge. On reaching the market-place
the contents of these baskets are exposed
and bartered, when each returns again to
her family. carrying off the proceeds.
Market days the long straight road from
Bishenpur to Imphail is crowded by groups
of women hurrying to and fro. Each
wears an elegant striped dress in bright
colors and made of silk and cotton. The
stripes run along the length and the top and
the bottom are neatly embroidered. A long
piece of cloth is cleverly carried across the
breasts and just under the armpits, instead
of around the waist, and is firmly tucked
up so that the top embroidered edges fall
! forward, adding additional fold to the gar
ment, while the bottom edge reaches below
| the knees. The legs and arms are left eX
posed The women are the onl traders IL
the whole state.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-09-26
THE MURDER EPIDEMIC.

The Philadelph Times, in discussing the
great and increasing number of murders
in that city, says what is alike applicable to
the entire country The Times says:
1.-The fact that there have been sixteen
murders committed in Philadelphia since
the first of last May should startle the
community and arouse every good citizen
to demand the more certain and prompt
punishment of crime. Four murders a
month in a city that boasts of the virtue,
intelligence and good order of its people,
should compel public sentiment and the
administrators of the law to halt the food
tide of crime by the swift and sure punish
ment of murderers. We thoughtlessly
speak of these sudden eruptions of crime
as epidemics, but they are simply the
logical result of the failure to punish Grim
inals. The enforcement of our laws for
the punishment of murderers have be-
come absolutely farcical in Pennsylvania.
As soon as a criminal is convicted and all
the judicial authorities have finally de-
clared his or her guilt, there is no pretense
of prompt or impartial execution of the
law. If the criminal has potential friends,
either social or political he or she can
wear out the law In the battle for its over
throw. If politician. the party comes to
the rescue of the murderer; if colored
man, the race is appealed to for his protec-
ton; if arehgionist, the church comes with
supplication and prayer for mercy; and
thus justice is wounded in its own sane
tuary until there is no pretense of execut-
ing the laws against the murderer. In
stead of deploring the so-called epidemic
of murder, let the public turn to the Board
of Pardons that has lately assumed to re-
try every important criminal case; that
her husband; that protects the husband for
numbering his wife; that shields the cow
ardly murderer of John Sharpless because
of the color of his skin, and that without
warrant of law or precedent, asserts its
right to review the judicial decision of the
highest court, And when the Pardon
Board has been instructed as to the sane
tity of the laws, let the governor be adj
monished that he is in no degree bound by
the recommendations of the Pardon Board,
and that his uniform submission to the
orders of an utterly irresponsible tribunal
has given this community, and other sec
tons of the state, what is inconsiderately
called an epidemic of murder The way
to stop the murder epidemic is to prompt
ly try, convict and certainly execute every
murderer while the law commands the
death penalty. If that were done for
three months in Philadelphia, the muir
derer would cease to ply the vocation be
cause of the certainty that his or her own
life must be given for the life destroyed to
crafty greed or passion. Let the majesty
of the law be asserted bypublic sentiment,
by the courts and by the governor, and
the epidemic of murder will cease
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-09-26
WASHINGTON.

The State Department at Washington
has been advised of a riot in Navassa, an
island III the Caribbean Sea, about $50
miles from Kingston, jamaica In which
many Americans are reported to have been
killed. The man-of-war Galena is on her
way to the scene.
MINISTER RYAN transmits for the infor-
nation of the State Department statistics
of the value of American machinery i'm
ported annually from the United States in
to Mexico from 1880 to 1887, inclusive,
which shows that the expectations grew in
value from 1852 484 in 1880 to S4000,0 900
in 1887.
SEC'Y. PRCcTOR has been looking into
the complaints coming from persons in the
new states, that number of soldiers
quartered there were about to vote at the
approaching elections. The secretary has
replied that the soldiers cannot acquire a
legal voting residence by means of their
military service in the state, and if they
undertake to vote illegally civil authorities
will be able to cope without difficulty.
THE weather crop bulletin for the week
ending September Il, says: The reports
from the northwest and states of the Ohio
valley indicate that an excellent corn crop
has been secured, and only slight damage
has resulted to crops in that section from
the recent frosts In the winter wheat
states the ground is generally in good con-
dition and seeding is progressing rapidly.
WASHINGTON, D. C. = Sec'y Window
has appointed Robert II. Terrell, of Massa-
chusetts chief of the navy pay division of
the fourth auditor office, vice Martin OF
Ala, resigned. The new appointee is a
colored man. graduate of Harvard uni
versity, and at present engaged as teacher
in the colored normal school of Washing
ton. He is the son of Harrison Terrell, the
faithful servant of Gen. Grant, who was
with him during his last illness, and
who is now a messenger in the war de-
partment.
''THE Washington Monument employs,
writes correspondent of the Cleveland
Leader, report that the number of people
DESTROYS of ascending the shaft is as great
as ever. It takes the elevator used fully
ten minutes to make the trip either way,
which, with the ten-minute stopa the top,
only allows two trips each hour. Two or
three dozen persons ascend each trip,
nevertheless there is during the middle of
the day long line of visitors waiting a
turn to take the ride
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-09-26

ers, has declined to be candidate for a
seat in parliament.
THE bursting of a water spout caused
several doaths II Mexico IN the
vicinity Of Cerro Gordo. Live stock was
swept away and many houses destroyed.
ROME. nineteenth anniversary of
the entry of Italian troops into Rome
was appropriately celebrated here on Fri
day.
ST. JoHEs. n Foundland.- British
war ship Lily struck rock of Point
Armor and sank. Seven Of her crew were
lost. The vessel IS a total wreck Con
siderable money and valuables went down
with her.
LoNDoN.-Six cotton mills at Blackburn
have been closed owing to the depressed
state Of trade.
SEVERAL London newspapers have charg-
ed Scotch peer with having committed an
indecent assault upon child, and say that
the magistry was afraid to take action.
ADvICEs from London says that cholera
has made it appearance In BagdOn, and
the disease is spreading into western Per-
STA.
A LETTER has been received at the Lon
don news agency signed Jack the Rip
per, stating that another Whitechapel
murder will occur In about a week.
In the speech of the King of Holland.
in opening Parliament at the Prague, the
statement was made that the government
would soon introduce bill for the estab-
Eshment of obligatory military service.
ARCHDEACoN FARRAR's reason for
sending his son to be educated as a civ
engineer In this country was that OF
schools are progressive. The ArchdeacdH
says that engineering in England is
twenty-five years behind that of this
country
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-09-26
A White Sparrow.
PHILADELPHIA Inquirer

At 18th and Oxford streets yesterday
four groups of interested sightseers stood
upon the four separate corners intently
watching the antics of a snow-white Eng
lish sparrow, which seemed to be a sort of
a king among its soberer-coated fellows,
demanding and receiving from them an
amount Of homage that would have done
His Highness the Shah of Persia good. A
resident of the neighborhood said that he
had noticed the albino for two or three
years. He has a nest in yonder church
steeple,' he explained land have spent
considerable time in watching him and
studying his peculiarities He is n male
bird-a bachelor That may sound strange,
but there are lots of bachelor and spinster
birds among the English sparrows. Season
after season they refuse to mate, and they
set up establishments of their own and
live in them, despised and quarrelled with
constantly by the married birds. This
white sparrow seems to have some
authority over the others. They bring
him food, and even build his nest for him.
Life with him is an existence of idleness
and luxury. When any bird refuses or
neglects to pay him tribute he attacks the
derelict, givees him a sound drubblpg and
eventually brings him to terms.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-09-26
INNOCENCE PUNISHED.
A Convict Confesses to the Murder of a
Policeman.

CHICAGO, ILL., = Policeman O'Brien
was shot and killed in an alley near Burke 5
saloon on the night of April 3, 1887, and
died the following day. Suspicion pointed
to Tim O'Grady as the murderer and he was
brought before O Brien who, in his dying
statement, said O'Grady murdered him.
O'Grady was tried, convicted and
sentenced to the penitentiary for seven
teen years for manslaughter Dyer Scan
Ian, who was afterwards sentenced, and is
now serving term of ten years in the pen
itentiary for shooting Officer Nolan has
confessed to the murder of O'Brien and
has made an affidavit to that effect.
O'Grady has always strongly protested his
innocense and steps will be taken to secure
his release.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-09-26
FOREToLD HIS OWN DEATH.
Premonitions of Man Who Succumbed tC
Heart Disease.

CINCINNATI, O.-Theodore H. Becker, d
saloon-keeper whose place of business is on
Basin street, has frequently remarked of
late that he did not believe he would live
long, although he seemed in very good
health The other morning he told his
wife that he believed he would lie down
and die A moment later he went into
his bedroom, remarking to her as he cross
ed the threshold II will be dead in half
an hour She thought he was joking and
paid no attention to him. In about if
teen minutes Mrs. Becker had occasion to
go into the bedroom and was Mortified to
find her husband lying stretched upon the
bed stone dead. She tried to rouse him,
but finding this of no avail she rushed
shrieking into the street. DR.. Brown was
summoned and pronounced the cause of
death to be rhrumatism of the heart.