davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-12-14
Light Wanted.

A farmer going into the court house
from the north door, is confronted on
unusually dark days with almost total
darkness. He works his way along to
the foot of the stairs leading to the
second story, and from there, If wish
ing to turn to the left, on the first
floor, he usually stumbles over a syn
dictate" spitto0n, not as large as the
average barn door, but large enough to
throw him "head over heels" Yester-
day a FREE TRADER reporter saw
stalwart, robust farmer attempting to
pass that 'cuspidor" in the prevail
ing darkness there, and for about a
minute the farmer stood on his head.
Ottawa has got to do something to
encourage the farm trade-either
light one of the lamps on the foot of
the stair railing, or remove that spit
toOn to the bank of the river. Almost
every other room in the court house is
lighted with gas on dark days.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-12-14

600, as estimated, 1t will be necessary
to make proofs Of the condition of the
lands listed AS swamp lands In 1850.
This proof must be by witnesses now
living, who can remember the lands
then, and their condition. To do this
ii will be necessary TO prove the con-
dition in 1850 OF each tract on the list
now in the county clerks Office by
hunting out witnesses all over the
county, the lands being situated in
nearly every township. This will take
time and lots Of money. If the board
think Mr.. Garner too high priced (half
the sum realized, he to pay all ex-
penses), why not consult |. r.. Hit,
who is still in the business-let out
the Job to the lowest bidder, so to
speak? But the board should not
make the mistake Of turning the job
over to "a man who is not thoroughly
familiar with every detail of the bust
ness, of making the proofs and OF
pressing the claim after the proofs are
made
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-12-14
The Other Side,

In justice to Mr.. w. L. Scott and
the Spring Valley Coal Company, the
following reply by Mr.. Scott to the
statements Of Henry ID. Lloyd upon
which this paper cOmmented), is re-
printed from the New York Times:
''TO THE PUBLIC-Under date of
the 18th ult., che Associated Press
agent at Chicago sent out statements
with regard to the Spring Valley Coal
Company, giving as authority for said
statement one Henry ID. Lloyd. This
man Lloyd is constituencies liar, and
and is responsible for most of the
falSehoodS that have been published
Spring Valley, and the Associated
Press management at Chicago ought
to be fully aware Of this fact. There
has been no order given to not employ
men at Spring Valley who took lead
ing part in the distribution of food
during the strike" as is alleged, nor
as to any miner who was engaged in
the strike. When the men accepted
the company's terms, which were
more liberal as to the price of mining
than the price paid at other mines in
the state, more men signed contracts
the first day than we could possibly
put to work, and miners have been
leaving other mines in the state and
flocking to Spring Valley in such
numbers since work was resumed that
it has been impossible for the COM
pany to find work for all of them.
Owing to the long strike our mines
were not in condition to work at their
full capacity when work was resumed.
We are doing all we can, night and
day, to get them in order, which we
hope to do by the middle of December,
when we will be in shape to double,
if not treble, the number of men we
are now working. No better refuta-
tion of the infamous ISLANDERS and
Misrepresentation heaped upon the
Spring Valley Coal Company and its
officers can be given than the fact
that not only have all of our old men
signed contracts. but that miners are
coming to Spring Valley from all over
the state, seeking work without our
solicitation. Men generally go where
they are best paid, and where they
can earn the most money"
The fact that men are going into
Spring Valley for work in a steadily
increasing stream Is cOrroborated by
Judge Eldredge, who says, from OBJ
servation in person there this week,
that the men are fairly ''tumbling
over each other" to get chance for
work
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-12-14

There has been good deal Of talk
for several years about sugar-making
from sorghum in Kansas. Daddy
Rusk even devotes some pages TO it in
his agricultural report. So deeply in.
terested did the people of Kansas be-
come in the subject that several large
mills were erected, by the aid of bonds
issued by counties in sums running
into tensof thousands. Now it turns
out that the men who erected these
mills were little better than swindlers.
They won the confidence Of the
granger by mixing cane sugar with
the sorghum product, and thus dazzled
their dupes by what seemed a brilliant
success. Then they gobbled the bonds
and elOped! 1t is always best to look
with suspicion on parties coming with
proposals to start big manufacturing
enterprises with the help of subsidies.
The subsidy business, in nine cases
out Of ten, has always proved a fraud
on the public.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-12-14
The Result of Carelessness

Monday afternoon man named
White had narrow escape from
death, and in measure his own core
lessness caused the trouble. Sunday
he went hunting, and took with him
a small revolver of the bulldog pat
tern. This contained five loads when
he came home Sunday evening He
showed the weapon into the right
hand pocket in his vest, and thought
no more of it. The next morning he
went to his work at the BricktOn Tile
Factory with the revolver still in his
vest pocket. In the afternoon, how
ever, while engaged in turning a
grind-stone, his side brushed against
the wheel, and the revolver was dis
charged. The bullet glanced upward,
and inflicted flesh wound across the
front of his body from the vest pocket
to the left shoulder blade. DR.. Ry-
burn was called, but the man was
found to be more scared than hurt.
He promises to handle dangerous
weapon with more care in the future.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-12-14
FHE NEWS.
WEDNESDAY.

Claus Spreckels' immense sugar re-
flnery, costing 81, 900, 600 and having a
CAPACITY of 1000, 900 pounds of sugar
daily, began operations YESTERDAY
This immense plant is to be dupii-
Gated by Spreckels, giving him ca
pacity of 1000 tons of refined sugar
daily. He is not member OF the
sugar trust.
While attempting to arrest two men
who were robbing a Chicago saloon
early yesterday morning, Oiiicer WIN.
Davis was shot and killed by one OF
the roughs. Later as they were max
ing Off, they were stopped by Oliicer
II. Thomas, who had his arm shat-
tered by pistol shot from one OF the
men.
There was fatal explosion at the
nitro-glycerine works at Butler, "a,
Yesterday morning, which destroyed
the greater part of the works Two
men who were loading the stun into a
wagon, who in some way caused the
explosion, were killed.
The entire plant of the Joliet Manu-
featuring Company, makers of agricul-
tural implements, was destroyed by
fire Yesterday morning. Loss, 1000.
One hundred men are thrown out OF
work
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-12-14

The Independent Times has started
a subscription lottery and is going to
rattle off a town lot in Streator for
the purpose of getting subscribers.
The time stated for the drawing is
next June. That is so long ahead
you won't forget (?) to have the rattle,
will you, Mr.. 1T, like your old friend,
Rose, with his team? And don't
cover it with mortgage, for that
discourages ticket holders. These
newspaper gambling schemes are a
great thing for a tOwn-tney do so
much to elevate the moral tone of the
community. And manufacturers al
ways like to rush into a town where
it appears the newspapers can make a
living only by running lottery to
get men to read the papers, because
such a resort to business methods for
hidden by law always shows great
and laudable spirit of enterprise-a
money-making spirit worthy of emu
lation, of course, by the rising genera
ton: and shows the intelligence of
community that won't take paper
without lottery attachment. If some
one would only open branch office of
the Louisiana lottery on the main
streets of Ottawa and Streator so that
ticket buyers in that swindle would
not have to sneak their money off by
night trains to New Orleans, the evil
dences of true local enterprise would
be complete. Wonder Rose hasn't
suggested this as a good way to boom
the town!
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-12-14
'OllOwS:
Total 81 ,060, $50, 900

What has been done with this
enormous sum? 1t has been used in
the purchase of United States bonds
before they fell due at premium of
from ID to % cents on the dollar
That is to say, present or about
$3.50 0O0,0 has been made by the
government to the rich bOndhOlders
as an inducement to receive cash in
advance on bonds for which they had
paid in government paper at the rate
of 60 to 70 cents on the dollar.
In every other civilized country on
the face of the earth the constant
strife has been to cut down expenses
and remit taxation. In this country
alone the struggle has been for the
party in power to retain excessive
taxation. Why?
Because the system of taxation is so
inextricably interviewer with the sys-
TEN called protection" that to dis
continue the one is to destroy the
other.
Mr.. Window says this unnecessary
taxation can be reduced in three
ways Take off the tobacco tax, &c.,
600. 900, and the tax on spirits used in
the arts, S7,0O0,000. The other $685.
600, 600 can only be reached by reducing
excessive duties on imports and en-
larging the free list.
But the latter plan is contrary to
the Republican platform, and, though
realizing its justice, he cannot recon-
mend it. All he dares recommend is
so to increase duties on number of
articles as to stop their importation,
and in that way cut off the revenue.
Turn the money into the Golfers OF the
monopolists, trusts and syndicates to
keep it out Of the public treasury!
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-12-14
The HOrsfOrd Case,

The Horsford will case was settled
by mutual agreement at Minneapolis
last Monday. The will has been in
litigation since the death of John II.
HOrSfOrd in 1886. When the case was
called for hearing Monday the attOr-
neys announced that an agreement
had been reached. Messrs. Nc
Dougall, Chapman and Snow, of this
city, are attorneys for the children of
HOrsford, and Minneapolis firm rep
resents Mrs. HOrsfOrd, the defendant
in the bill. The case has created
considerable interest, and has been on
the records of the Probate Court once,
the District Court twice, and the Su-
preme Court once. BY the agreement,
all cases growing out of this suit and
now pending are finally disposed of.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-12-14
THURSDAY.

The funeral of jeff Davis took place
Yesterday at New Orleans with elab'
crate services, and all over the South
simultaneous memorial services were
held. And the last relic Of the lost
cause" is gone.
The Senate and House yesterday
held centennial exercises in commem-
Grafton of the Inauguration of Wash
ington as President, Chief Justice
Fuller making the address.
.Johnstown, Pa, adds to the horrors
of the year, IN which it has been SO
conspicuous, theatre panic, in which
Is persons were killed and many more
injured.
Another electric light wire dropped
in New York yesterday. 1T sent car
driver to the hospital, but didn't Kill
him.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-12-14

No wonder they are still way Off
from having figured out the result of
the vote for drainage commissioners
in Chicago yesterday. Each voter had
. votes, which he could cast all for
one man or divide them up between,
9, 3, 1 or more candidates at his own
sweet will, thus: q for Jones, l-5 for
Smith, 2 3-5 for Thompson, II for
Bones, l-5 for Scott, etc. The clerks
must figure up not only the fractions
for each candidate, but for each voter,
to see that he hasn't cast more than
his nine votes.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-12-14
H. 8. GILBERT e. 90.
Apparently Embarrassed. They Transfer
valuable Property,

N"uaoie properly.
Considerable excitement prevailed
on the street Tuesday afternoon when
a rumor gained currency that II. S.
Gilbert Il Co., the well-known grain
merchants who have practically con-
trolled the trade in and within fifteen
miles in Ottawa, had gone to the wall.
The rumOr was traced TO the Re-
cOrder'S Office, where q FREE TRADER
reporter found four bills OF sale and
three deeds on file, conveying large
amount OF property to l.. b. Merritleld
and Hiram II. Gilbert.
The bills OF sale, made by II. S. Gill
bert and f.. j. Manchester to l.. b.
Merriteld, conveyed the WedrOn,
North Utica, Serena and Grand Ridge
warehouses, with the offices, scales,
etc, for total of Sl2, 225. All were in
regular form.
One of the deeds. made by Mr.. Man
chester to l.. B. Merritield, conveys
the Utica residences; also lots 9 and 10
in States addition to Ottawa; con-
sideration, $500. A second deed was
from Ii. S. Gilbert to Hiram II. Gill
bert, conveying the n. "a IT, of the S.
I Of lot 2, in blk. II, city of Ottawa;
consideration, $1,000. The third
deed, from the same to the same, con-
veyed Buffalo Rock" warehouse prop
erty; consideration, $1,000. The prop
erty thus conveyed amounted to $24,
725.
Neither of the gentlemen were COM
municative, but Mr.. Merrifeld adj
mitted that the action was not pre-
meditated.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-12-14

A warrant was issued Wednesday by
Squire Tienary for the arrest of Luke
Anterior, Of Wedron. The complain
ant is Squire Isaac Stems, of the lat
ter place, and AthertOn will stand
trial for disorderly conduct, and also
for using abusive and threatening cpl
thets.
1t is alleged Atherton entered
Storms store Tuesday afternoon and
threatened to shoot the old man and
teardOwn his shanty;that he was under
the influence of liquor, and used very
obscene language.
The hearing of Duke Atherton, the
man who, it is alleged, assaulted Isaac
Sterns at Wedron Wednesday, has
been continued until next Tuesday
morning by Squire Trenary.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-12-14

The project of the Republicans in
Montana to have bogus sergeant-at-
arms arrest a Democratic Senator or
two and thus give their rump Senate
"a quorum by force, having signally
failed, the Democrats now propose to
turn the tables by having their Senate
meet and declare the seats of the Re-
publican Senators vacant, upon which
the Governor, who is Democrat, can
order the vacancies filed by a new
election! Beautful-beautiful Is the
game of politics.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-12-14

The Chicago Tribune mentions, as
another glaring instance of race preju-
dice at the South, that Geo. w. Gable
recently greatly shocked the sensibili-
ties of upper-ten society of Nashville,
Tenn, by accepting entertainment
from and spending an evening in the
society of the colored elite at the resi-
dence of j. G. Nichol, a colored man.
OF course there would be no howl of in
dignation or disgust go up among the
''beSt society" Of Chicago if Geo. w.
Gable should come to that city, accept
entertainment from colored citizen,
and pass pleasant evening in the
society of the colored elite. Oh, no.
only there would, and such a howl as
would drive Gable out of town. Race
prejudice, quotha? There is more of
it to the square rod in Chicago than to
a square mile in Nashville. Even the
smiling Y. NJ. G. A. of Chicago is toe
fine to travel the road to heaven in
company with niggers, and tells them
to organize an association Of their own
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-12-14

r. G.. Ingersoll, in recent letter,
has so far relented in his atheistic
faith as to confess that, after all,
there may be such thing as a life
hereafter. "We know" he says, that
in this world after joy comes grief, as
after day comes night, and it may be
there is some world where after grief
comes JOY as after night comes day."
Thousands of much worse sinners
than Bob Ingersoll have emerged from
the throlls of unbelief into the day
light of truth. Why despair of Pope
RnhNn
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-12-14

no injury, because IL had natural
enemy in small fly, as well as several
kinds of lady-bug beetles. Acting on
this knowledge, a number of the flies
and beetles were imported from Aus
tralia and turned loose in the Cali
fornia orange groves. Lo. the result
i'm less than two years. The fly and
bestles have so enormously multiplied
that they have not only exterminated
the scale, but keep themselves from
multiplying so as to become nuisance
by feeding on each other.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-12-14

The newspapers are making run
over the long biographical sketch of
Charley Augustus Hill, the member
from this district, attached to his
name in the Congressional Directory.
Hill gets thirty-two lines, while such
small fry as Joe Cannon, Speaker
Reed, Mckinley, ingalls,, Cullom,
Sherman, etc, are put off with or 10
lines. No doubt Hill, being young
and inexperienced in the business was
led unconsciously into the td'tr pas.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-12-14

Our old fellow tOwnsman, G. j.
Beattie, who some twenty years ago in
this city stepped down from cob
bler's bench to become lawyer, then
moved to Pontiac, where he got into
trouble with "A servant girl, and next
turned up in Chicago, is again in
trouble about forged letters in di-
vorce case. This time the forgery is a
decree purporting to be signed by
Judge Jameson. The Judge regrets
that, on account of the unwillingness
Of the interested parties TO prosecute,
the heaviest punishment inflicted on
Beattie will probably be dlsbarment
from practice by the Supreme Court.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-12-14

Here is one of Dame Natures most
pleasant little romances. For some
years past the great orange industry
of California had been threatened with
destruction by an insect that sticks its
beak into the tree bark and sucks the
vital sap, giving forth an emulation
which has procured for the pest the
name OF white scale" Inquiry showed
that the insect had been imported
from Australia, and on writing to that
country, IL was found that the war
mint was well known there, but did
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-12-14

Company d held meeting Tuesday
evening last and elected Lieut.. Hook
and Sergeant Retior, respectively,
treasurer and secretary, the positions
held by these gentlemen during the
year just passed. The boys know how
to ''hold to a good thing when they
have it,"
Capt. Blanchard announced that
nine, composed of young men about
town, desired to have the use OF the
armOry to practice at indoor ball, play
ing with nine from the company,
and also to give exhibition games.
Permission was granted to practice at
stated times when the armOry is not
in use for other purposes.
The Captain also stated that he had
been in communication with the cap
tain of the Chicago Zouaves in regard
to uniting in the exhibition drill at
Chicago, Company ID to give its bugle
drill.
A committee was appointed to ar
range for grand party to be given in
the near future.
Previous to the business meeting
the regular drill was resumed, after a
vacation lasting six weeks longer than
usual.
The company is in a tlourishing con-
dition, being out of debt and having
$40O in the treasury.
"All we need" said Captain Blan-
chard, sis about twenty new recruits.
The company now numbers many
first-claSs young men, but we want
new members"
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-12-14

wilds as due to no courage or wisdom of
his own, but to the protection of Prov
idence; but he started with 1,2OO
men, gathered some security by the
way, and got through with less than
400. How about Providence and the
800 that fell by the wayside? Stanley
probably thinks Providence works on
the Darwinian principle of the survi-
val of the iitteSt
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-12-14

Sam Small, the revivalist, has made
application for ordination in the
Episcopal church, and it is not doubted
but the application will be favorably
acted upon. He has been a member of
the Methodist church, but his family
being Episcopalans is the reason he
gives for desiring the change.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-12-14

Corporal Tanner, after taking a
month to think it over, declines the
offered partnership with Col. Dudley
in the pension business, and has OPEN
ed an Office of his own. Probably the
the Dudley method of grinding out
pensions in "blocks of five" was
altogether too slow to suit the corpo-
rails idea.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-12-14

Perhaps Rose does not know that
his subscription of $500 to the Organ
Company bonus fund is due. Really
some friend ought to remind him of
IL. These little things do slip fell
lows mind, don't We know.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-12-14

The dark cloud of the almost uni
versal defeat of Prohibition at the
polls during the past year has, it APP
pears, silver lining. The Commits
sioner Of Internal Revenue at Wash
ington reports large decrease during
the year in the number of saloons and
the quantity Of liquor consumed
throughout the country.