davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-16
FUTILE FooLIsHNESs.

That Minnesota law by which the attempt
was made to prevent interstate traffic in
dressed beef, has reached decision in the
Like every State judge who has passed
upon that stupidity absurd enactment,
Judge Blodgett had no hesitation in declar-
ing it unconstitutional. There seems to be
no disposition to take the matter to the
United States Supreme Court, and this may
be regarded as the end of the law.
The history of this piece of legislation
furnishes, first remarkable commentary
on the class of Legislators who pass law
that every intelligent man knows to be un-
constitutional; and next an illustration of
the foolishness which strives to destroy OBJ
noxious features of legitimate business by
destroying the business altogether. At the
same time that this decision is rendered, in
vestigation is proving that the dressed beef
magnates have their hold upon that interest
by virtue of railroad favors similar to those
which built up the Standard Oil Company.
If the producers of Pennsylvania had tried
to pass laws preventing the sale of refined
petroleum, it would have been in the same
line of action that was adopted by the anti
dressed beef people.
1t should not take much thought to per-
ceive that the remedy for such things is to
establish conditions of transportation as will
make it impossible for anyone to secure e1-
elusive privileges. II that were done, every
one would be at liberty to buy cattle either
for dressed beef or shipment on the hoof.
The competition of buyers would give cattle
raisers the best prices possible under normal
conditions of demand and supply, and the
of the dressed beef trade would
give consumers lower-priced meat.
To abandon that policy for the EFFORT to
kill the dressed beef trade by the passage of
an unconstitutional law, is to surpass the
feat of the man who burned his house down
in order to get rid of the mosquitoes in it.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-16
PEOPLE OF PROMINENCE.

| OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES recently re-
marked that death bears as pleasing a face to
an old man as sleep to one who is tired.
KING ALPHoNso, the baby potentate of
Spain, has offered a prize to the citizens of
Madrid who will invent the cleverest and most
novel toy.
| HAVING suffered two severe chills since his
| arrival in Washington, ten days ago, Senator
| VOORHEES,, of Indiana is confined to his home
at the capital, but his friends expect that he
will soon be able to 60 outdoors again.
THE Duke and Duchess of Bedford are
''rusticating'' at the present moment in their
S5O0000 cottage at Endsleigh, Devonshire.
The cottage is surrounded by grounds which
contain no less than 60 miles of grass rides and
gravel walks.
THAT Queen Victoria is woman of more
than ordinary force Of character is clearly
shown by the fact that during her recent visit
to Wales she on several occasions fattered the
natives by addressing them in their own lam
guage. Moreover, she is able to both read and
write Hindostanee with considerable fluency.
There are but few ladies who at the age of 20
would have the perseverance and the, courage
to acquire proficiency in two such excruciat-
ingly difficult languages as Hindostanee and
Welsh.
NATHANIEL E. HOWARD, retired capital
ist of San Francisco, was an original "Forty-
niner." He says: Il was in Frisco when there
were 1000 men and not single family. Judge
Terry, who was shot down while attacking JUS
uce Field, made a lot of trouble in those days
and l was a member of the Vigilance Com
mittee that kept him seven weeks in its rooms
while awaiting the result of the shot wounds
Terry gave Hopkins. Had Hopkins died-and
he was mighty close to death-Terry would
have been lynched. He richly deserved it."
OF all the sovereigns of Europe the Gar of
Russia is the least pleased with his work. This
is not owing to the fact that the Gar has Mill
Ism to fight, but because he is constitutionally
opposed to the cares of State. He likes to
hunt and fish, and is very fond of his family.
He is sociable by nature and enjoys sitting at a
table drinking wine and talking to good friends.
1t is seldom. however that he can indulge his
tastes in any of these directions. He is obliged
to give great deal of time to the affairs OF his
vast empire and he often wishes that he had
been bonn in an humble station.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-16
PITTsBURG, MoNDAY, SEP. 16. 1883.
USING MODERN IDEAS.

The march of modern ideas has never had
a more marked illustration than the adop
tion at Dr. Sproull's church, in Allegheny
yesterday, of telephone device whereby
dear persons in their pews, who could moi
ordinarily hear the clergyman's disco urse,
were enabled, by putting the receivers to
their ears, to absorb the whole homily.
The subject of the sermon, appropriately
enough, was the duty of the churchin adapt
ing itself to the needs and character of the
age. While theorthodox precepts were val
uable, they are not likely to strike the
public mind with half the force that attaches
to the practice of summoning the latest tri,
umphs of invention to the work of bringing
home the teachings of the churches to their
hearers.
Some elements in our churches have been
indisposed to keep up with the age. The
indication that one church at least is going
to use the newest methods in spreading the
old and yet ever new doctrines is full of
promise for its usefulness
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-16
A POLITICAL DECLARATION.

The announcement of the Single Tax As
soeiation, of Pittsburg, that it will support
the Democratic party as "moving more
closely to the line of individual freedom
and emancipation of labor than any other, :"
has its peculiar features. In view Of the
fact that no party in Pennsylvania has been
able to adopt the single tax idea, the deci-
sion of its supporters to act on the broad
and catholic platform of backing the party
which they think represents individual free
dom and emancipation of labor is certainly
'commendable. Their principle of selection
may be rather obscure, and their estimate of
the Importance of the votes of their hundred
members seems unique. Nevertheless, their
determination to do all they can for indi-
vidual freedom as represented by Mr.. Bigler
as State Treasurer, whether he collects a
single tax or not, is refreshing in its good
faith
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-16
MORE SILVERN THAN SPEECH.
How Grandfather Harrison Complimented a
ThronR of Young Ladies'.

IurOh8 oi Ounx Lauiess
From the Washington Post.I
A. W. Faulkner, of Columbia, La, who has
been member OF the Legislature for 16 years,
is in Washington. Although he has lived in
Louisiana for 43 years, Mr.. Faulkner was born
in Ohio, and he tells an interesting story Of the
campaign of lS40. in which the grandfather of
the present President was elected.
Il was quite boy then" said Mr.. Faulkner
to reporter, "but took deep interest In
politics. l was a Democrat, but when heard
that General Harrison was to speak at the
town of Ripley, u miles away, determined to
attend the meeting, and 1 walked the
whole distance. 1t was the first great
crowd that / had seen, and 1 remem-
ber it well. 1t was estimated that there
were 10000 people present. Many of them had
come great distances in large canoes, dug out
of buckeye wood and mounted on wheels.
Others had constructed log cabins on their
as many as ID horses, in some instances. The
stage from which General Harrison was to
speak was decorated, and on it were seated
about dozen young and pretty girls. They
wore garlands of buckeye balls and carried
flags bearing picture of log cabin. Finally
General Harrison appeared. He was an old
man then, and was looking, as he felt, quite
fatigued and tired.
In few words he thanked the immense au-
dience for their interest in politics and in bis
success, but asked TO be excused from making
speech, as he did not feel able to undergo the
exertion. i cannot make q speech, he said,
but can do something else. can kiss all
these young ladies, and ] am going to do it,
What that, he kissed every one of the girls in
succession right before the whole crowd. You
ought to have heard the shout that went up. /
believe the echo of it reached the next coun-
tyO
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-16
CORPORATION CANDIDATES.

With regard to the reported refusal of Mr..
Chauncey II. Depew 10 resign his railroad
position in order to advance his political
ambitions, the Philadelphia Press says:
1t is true that inscriptions men have made
use of railroad corporations to rob the people
by stock-watering and other such schemes. But
there are men of this kind engaged in every
line of business. 1t furnishes no reason for the
wholesale denunciation of the officers OF cor
porations, and Mr.. Depew has shown his
sterling qualities by refusing to pander to this
prejudice.
1t is true that there is a decided difference
between railroad men; but that fact does
not touch the rim of the issue as to
corporation men in politics. There are dis
creditable and dishonest men in every line
of business, as the Press asserts. But when
such line of business is united in demand
ing from the legislative powers, that it shall
be exempted from the penalties of dis
honesty and recklessness, by emancipation
from the competition which regulates the
profits and business of the masses, it would
be very just to object to a representative of
that class, however creditable in his private
character, as Presidential candidate or a
Senator.
The idea that Mr.. Depew can divest him
self of his education and environment as
railroad man by resigning his batch of rail-
road presidencies is. of course, absurd.
One illustration suffices to show the way in
which all his interests regard public
questions where the corporations are con-
cerned. When the Interstate Commerce
law was pending and just before its pass
age, MR-Depew asserted that if enacted it
would depreciate the value of Western land
fifty per cent. Within a year from that
timehe found it necessary to explain an in
terview in which he criticised the remarka-
BILE advance of Western land. Ii Mr..
Depew had been President when the Inter-
State Commerce law was passed, would the
public interests in that enactment have had
much weight?
When the issues arising out of the rela-
tions of the railroads to the public are
settled in way that will keep the corpora
tions themselves out of politics, the bright
and able men who manage them will be
welcome in politics in their personal char
acter. Until then, it is necessary to re-
member that the interests of the people are
paramount to those of the corporations, and
that the man has not yet been discovered
who can represent the latter and do Justice
to the former.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-16
CLIPPED BITS OF WIT.

| They call gum an elective at Vassar be-
/ cause the students needn't take it unless they
chew.-Mussey's Weekly.
The kind and correct thing to say to the
conner home is: 81 hope you feel rested from your
| vacation" Nobody says, ''rested by your vaca-
| tion" except those who haven't had any.-BostOn
| Commonwealth.
Miss Ancientmaid Ito Rusticboy)-Ye1
| dear return to the city tomorrow Alas! We
must indeed part! But why do you wesp2
Rusticboy--I am sympathIzing with the city
fellows--Terds SLftfngs.
SIS your father easy to get along WITH"
asked George as they sat on the doorstep.
why, certainly. What made you ask?''
Nothing; only be seems to be a good deal Of .
kicker. ~ Washington capftal.
Old Gentleman (passing through hali)-
don't want to see you kiss NV daughter again,
young man. DO you hearY
Young man Gin parlor)-I do, sir; I'll close the
door mex. time.-Nelo York San.
Head Clerk-I'm letting my whiskers
grow, sir.
Sol see: but can't permit employees to grow
their whiskers in business hours. They must do
that in their own tims.-Toronto Grip.
Briggs-I had dickens of time to-day,
tell you.
Braggs-What was 1t?
Briggs-Just for fun shook my nst at = blind
beggar across the street and he chased three
blocks up an alley before could get away.-Terrs
Hatste Enterprise.
A Gap Somewhere-"Did you hear my
speech last evening?'' said a Congressman 10 .
friend.
Yes; pretty good effort"
at was short-handed.''
81 thought that there was something OF tnat
kind about 1t. clerk or private secretary on
on his leave? Imagined when heard 1t tnss you
were short-handed somewhere. Washington
Critic.
Mrs Al met Mr.. B. on Madison ave-
nue. this afternoon. and hardly recognized him.
Mr.. A.-What was the matter with hlmE
Mrs. Ale was out fishing and got dreadfuly
sunburnt. He said It was caused by the reflection
Of the water.
Mr.. A.-ReHection OF the water2 Humph, the
reflection OF the water will sunburn . man down
in cellar II he takes big flask with him a. y.
does when he goes nshing. = Tsras SVttRgs.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-16
A WONDERFUL WHIST HAND.
Each of the Players Accidentally Dealt a
Complete Suit.


Complete Suit.
PHILA DELPHIA, September l5.-The corner
stone of the new building of the Hamilton
Club soon to be erected on Forty-frst street,
near Locust, will contain one of the most re-
markable packs of playing cards that the eye
of man has ever gazed upon. One week ago it
was merely an ordinary pack Of red-backed
cards, but a few evenings since it performed
such wonderful evoIutions that it is now re-
garded as little less than sacred. A quartet of
well-known West Philadelphians namely: DR..
S. R. Slillern, Colonel Alexander w. Russell
Joseph Fl. Cofrode and William s. Kimball,
were gathered in the cozy card room of the
present Hamilton Club, at Forty-irst and Lo-
Gust street, intent upon game of whist"
Prior to DR.. Skillern's arrival the other gen.
tlemen had been playing three-handed game.
When he came in he took the PACK, shuf1ed
and proceeded to deal. AS the doctor examined
his hand he glanced up with bewildered
twinkle in his eve, only to discern the same be-
wilderment reflected on the faces of each of
his comrades.
Fellows. l never had such hand in all my
life, the doctor chuckled, after moments
pause. What do you think of it: Every cards
q diamond"
Great heavensr' cried out Mr.. Cofrode,
"why mine are all clubsr'
And Ill hold 13 hearts," exclaimed
Colonel Russell, breathlessly rubbing his eyes
and pinching his nose to make sure that he
was awake.
And then they all looked in Mr.. KimbalPs
direction. The whole suit of spades lay spread
out before him, and he was bending over them
in complete mystifcation.
The cards were not bewitched, and there had
been no trickery. When the astonished players
had somewhat regained their composure they
put their heads together and concluded that
the law of chance had sanctioned most pecu-
liar freak. They called their friends in to view
the wonderful deal, then picked up the cards
the hand was dealt and denying the operation
of any external agent in the arrangement of
the cards. The pack is now on exhibition in
the ciubrooms. where il is viewed by scores of
half-incredulous clubmen.
1t is said that only two deals of like character
are on record as having been made in this
country, one in Chicago clubhouse and the
other on Massachusetts, railroad train, both
of them some years ago.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-16

Hughes means in this months Forum by lis ar
ticle on Mr.. Gladstone; he speaks in the news
| paper sense.
The Lost Leaders, lead one in all sorts Of
delightful directions. And great part of
their charm is that they don't insist on taking
you such long tramp that you are tired out
before you have gone half way They are all
short, and they are upon all manner of topics
Scotch Rivers" "Thackeray's Drawings"
THE Art of Dining" ION Shaving" The
Lending of Books" "Club Bores," "The Theo-
ry and Practice of Proposals" "Some Rare
Things for Sale"-rhese are some titles from
the table of contents. Indeed, we have here
two hours talk in the most friendly and famil-
lar fashion with a man most delightful to listen
to- in which, as in most of the best talking, the
conversation turns easily from politics to
puns'' and passes from Mahomet to Moses"
sxx
Lost Leaders" is the utterance of man of
letters. MIR. Longs studies among books and
myths show through in every paragraph. An
other book of brief and varied sketches in
which the writer copverses charmingly with
the reader, is Miss Baylor's A Shocking
Example. Only here we have the privilege of
the society of bright, clear-eyed woman.
Miss Baylor's behind the Blue Ridge" while
very likely quite true to nature. was most
depressing book. 1 see that the publishers
have bound it in blue. But "On Both Sidesn
was inspiring and cheerful enough to wake up.
And in "a Shocking Example" it is the writer
of that charming international study who talks
to US. The name-piece doesn't amount to
much it is sketch Of the goings-on at very
mixed and miscellaneous Union" Sunday
School in California. In fact, none of the
sketches amount" to much, from the point of
view of some people. The Cambridge wrangler
who was disgusted with paradise LOST be-
cause it didn't prove anything, would very
likely have some ia ult to find. "Craddock's
Heldest" Is significant study of life in the
lower levels of London society. "Hidalgo, the
Washington of Mexico" +" Isl serious and strong
piece Of historical writing. But, for the most
part, the sketches are simply bright and enter
tanning. And, according to the wise saying,
for the people who like that sort of thing this
is just the sort of thing they will like. There
are good many bright people who like 'this
Sort of thing" greatly. For others, there are
the metaphysics and the algebras.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-16
Fined SA5 nm Haur.

Under the last administration certain prece-
dents were established as to the extent of rail-
road responsibility, which were eminently fair
to the public as well to the railroads. but the
new broom which has performed service for
the last few months, in its effort to brush away
supposed abuses. has borne too hard on the
railroads. Uncalled for fines have been in
hicted. and petty irregularities magnifed, but
this will all be remedied as time goes on. Prac-
tice gets the better of theory ere many months
nave passed over an administration"
How large are the fines that are paid?'
'Of every amount, from a few cents up to
many hundreds of thousands. For the delay
of mail train on one of our small branches a
fine of about 81 has sometimes been charged
against us. As the route becomes more I'M
portant. the money loss to us grows accord
lngly. For the past few months the Pennsyl-
Vania Railroad has run special mail and ex-
press train from New York City to st. Louis.
1t makes better time than any passenger ex-
press between those points, and the Govern
ment pays for the service about $4,000
month. That is about $50 an hour, and the fine
for every hours delay comes to about this
figure. If the train were six hours late we
should be charged over $500. In the case Of
other mail trains the charge for an hours late
ness might be several hundred dollars, posi-
bly, s., 900.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-16
A GOOD TALKER AT 104.
The Oldest InhabiIant of Long Island n
Smart Woman Yet.


ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DIsrArcH.i
NEW YORK. September 15-The oldest per-
son on Long Island is Mrs. Rachel Stillwaggon,
of Flushing. She will celebrate her l04th birth
day on Wednesday. She is the daughter Of
Stephen and Hannah Aeker. who, when she
was born, lived on a farm at Tarrytown. With
her parents she moved to New York City when
she was II years old and lived in a house on
Stone street, near Broad street, for many
years. The whipping post the postoffice. the
debtors prison in City Hall Park, "Bridewell"
in Broadway and other places she graphically
describes. Mrs. Sti1lwaggon is rather short.
Her eyes are gray and they appear TO be useful
to her. but her sight now is much impaired.
Her hearing is only slightly defective, and she
is good talker Her mind is as clear as it ever
was, and she shows little evidence of her won
derful age in conversation.
Until she was 96 years old she performed her
own housework and made her own dresses.
She now uses a cane in walking, and she suffers
from lameness in her left knee She also is
troubled by numbness in her left hand and
arm at night. On February IA. 1911, she married
David Stillwaggon, who was carpenter.
Seven children were born to them, only three
of whom are now living.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-16
THE FEATURE OF THE SHOW.
A Couple Welded on the Grand Stund Mt n
County Fair,

County Fair.
MIDDLETowN, N. Y, September 15-As an
nounced in advance, the marriage ceremony
solemnized on the grand stand at the annual
fair of the Delaware Valley Agricultural So.
ciety, held at Walton the past week, was the
attraction of the show. The couple who filled
the role of bride and groom ON the occasion
were Miss Ella Hotchkiss and Mr.. John Bristol,
good-looking and respectable young folks of
Walton. At P. NJ. on Wednesday the enam-
ored pair, attended by bridemaid and best
man, were driven TO the fair grounds In an
open barouche, drawn by four gayly capari-
sOned horses, and escorted by the officers of the
Agricultural Society and by the Walton fire
department. of which organization the groom
is member, all to the music of the Walton
Band. The nuptial ceremony was formally
celebrated on the grand stand by the Rev. o.
d. Ramsey pastor of the Walton Methodist
Church, in the presence of 5000 interested
spectators, who cheered the pretty young bride
enthusiastically.
The display of wedding gifts to the pair by
the officers of the agricultural society and by
other friends formed large and somewhat in
cOngruous selection of housekeeping goods
The list included parlor and bedroom furni-
ture, chinaware, range, family Bible. baby
carriage. doll wagon, pair of game chickens
and Scotch collie pup. The Ontario and
Western Railroad Company supplemented the
other gifts by free tickets to New York and re-
turn on the wedding journey.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-16
STERLINGS REMARKABLE SIGHT.
He Could See With His Eye While IL Was
Out of the Socket.


From the Bridgeport Farmer.1
A caller at the Office of DR.. F. M. Wilson this
morning was Mr.. Julian H. Sterling, artist
journalist and official draughtsman of the
Housatonic Railroad system. His mission was
to consult the doctor about one of his eyes,
which had been pain1ng him intensely for an
hour or two previous. The doctor ascribed the
irritation to the presence of some foreign sub
stance, and, when a superficial examination
failed to locate it, he determined it would be
necessary to take the eye out. To this the
patient agreed. DR.. Wilson temporarily de-
prived the organ of all feeling by spraying it
with cocaine, and then forced out the eyeball.
A cinder was found to be the cause of the
trouble. This was removed. and the eye re-
placed in its socket.
The operation was entirely painless. but the
feature about it which struck the subject as
absolutely ludicrous was the fact that while
the eyeball was lying on his cheek he could see
with it the ear on that side, the power of vision
being fully retained. With the other eye he
also obtained a full view of the eye that was
resting on his cheek. The cocaine caused
dilation of the pupil to nearly twice its natural
size, and this condition remained for some time
after the operation.