davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-12-11
article will show the location and STRAIT
egic Importance of the new mortar bat

article will show the location and STRAIT
egic Importance of the new mortar bat
tercs.
They will command not only the deep
water pocket that would allow an iron
clad to approach the shore from
the ocean, but in the longest ranges
of its guns can defend the channels
of the Narrows against the entrance
of the foreign hostile fleet to the New
York harbor. In case fleet of war
ships succeeded in entering the lower
bay it could join in the grand conflict
that would arise when they met the guns
of the forts that stand at the entrance to
the upper bay
The Plumb Island mortar batteries are
to be arranged in two Notifications of
earthworks standing sioc by side and
facing the ocean at southwest angle.
Each fort is to be 60OX400 feet, accord
ing to Gen. Henry c. Abbott, president
of the board of engineers, in whose office
the plans have been prepared. The
ramparts of the forts are to be thirty.
five feet above ebb tide, and the guns
will rest on body of cement raised ten
feet above the low water.
The interior of each fort is to be di
vided into four pits, each containing
four of those terrible engines of destruc
ton, 12-inch howitZers. The guns will
be fired out of a great well, as the earth
walls of the fort Will rise twenty five
feet above the level on which the can
mons are operated The mortars will
thus be entirely invisible from the ocean.
in the deep pits the guns vii! be per-
fectly protected from the impact of tho
shot thrown by the enemy, as the
mounds CT earth forming the ramparts
are to be of a thickness impenetrable by
any known projectile Within each pit
is to be a storage magazine for POWDER
protected by masonry and earth, and
there are to- be extensive magazines for
high explosives, located atsome distance
from the batteries. The powder maga-
zines for each battery will hold 100 tons.
In the rear two forts will not be par
quetted, but will be left open.
The thirty two great guns for the two
Plumb Island batteries are to be of the
new pattern of tweivc-inch mortars
known as howitzers, of which successful
tests have been made within the last ten
days at Sandy Hook. They are breech-
loading, and constructed on the built-up
plan, steel lined, riiie bored. and steel
hoopcd. 1t is much longer than the old
pattern of mortars and is capable of eX-
IRENE accuracy in firing. The proiec-
tiles for one of these monster cannons,
which. dropped OH the deck of the best
armored ironclad in. existence, would
pierce the entire ship, is of solid bulk of
steel three feet long, weighing 625 pounds
and costing $500. Eighty pounds of,
powder will drive this large projectile
eight miles The gun will also throw
shells containing high explosives. By
this means it can drop enough nitro
glycerine on ships deck to scatter an
ironcad into 10000 pieces
1t is one of the new twelve-nch howitz-
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-12-11
Moose and Locomotive.

On Sunday, July 18th, as a short
train of fiat cars was running I'D the
Duluth and Winnipeg Road into
ltasca County, Mimi, for a load of
cedar poles, a large moose was dis.
covered near the track. In an in
slant he fled ahead of the train along
the old tote path used by Indians
and woodsmen before the railwaJ
was built. The path is close to theI
car track, and at this point, aboud
fifty miles from Duluth, is parallel
with it, passing over the dead level
divide between the Mississippi Rived
and TIE Great Lakes.
AS there are no regular trains on
Sunday, the engineer had clea.
field, and determined to show the
moose how to run. The iron horse
snorted and bounded along over his
track of steel, while all on board intent
ly watched the race, cheering alike
the engine and the moose. 1t was
four-mile straight-away run, but id
the excitement no one registered Tho
time.
Thrice the moose faltered as the
path led over deep ravines SPAWNED
only by rude and rickety low bridges.
but as the train thundered close upon
him, he each time plunged ahead I'd
increase again the distance betweell
himself and his heartless pursuer.
His gait was an indescribable trotI
such as only the moose can exhibit
his hind feet tanning his ears hi /
tongue lolling from his mouth, every
muscle in his body moving, while hi |
PAGES were apparently two rods in
length. At first it was only a littld
jog. but as the engine began to do it
best the moose let himself out a knot
at a time, and all the mysterioGj
power of steam could not preyai
against this monarch of the forest.
Faster and faster sped the engine|
but still the frightened moose trotbetI
jim the van, letting out his tongue an
other link, and adding a knot, as
was needed, to his gait. But mhelj
four miles had thus been travefsed
the contestants came upon clearing
where men were gathered.
Thus driven from his pathway an
forced to abandon what seemed
playful pastime, The moose dashe
across the track several rods ia from
OF the engine, AID moment Later
without awaiting the aware OF NJ
well-earned lauGels, was losh to sigh
Id the forest.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-12-11

BUILDINGS eight and ten stories
high are not too high when tho
streets are broad, but beyond that
there is hardly any surrounding
space in city wide enough to make
them proper, indianapolis, with her
broad streets, could stand buildings
of great height we'll so far as seemli-
ness is concerned. In Paris the
height of buildings is regulated by
law according to the width of the
abutting street; nowhere in that
city are they fourth as high as Chi,
cago's sky-scrapers, and this suggests
that there is more greed than need in
such structures. London, with four
o" five million people, and Paris, with!
two or three million. transact their
business without ten-story buildings,
and sewerage and sanitary regula-
lions are much better obeyed in those
cities than here. The Chicago effort
is timely. 1t should call a halt.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-12-11

ST., 500 an acre for their land and SIS, 900
for the damages that the erection of
the fort would Go their adjacent pop.
erty.
Plumb Island is partly in tho rear of
the low bar Of sand forming the eastern
end of Coney Island known as Point
Breeze. The island has low. slanting
beach backed by few sand-hills and
stretches of salt meadows. Behind,
across Hog Creek and Broad Creek, the
low meadow land extends back for many
hundred acres The highest spot on the
island is not fifteen feet above mean
high tide During the heavy seas of
early spring large part of the island is
under water. Its only buildings are
three ishermen's shanties, now unin-
habited. No drearier srot exists on the
ocean shore than this isle of hundred
acres, whose air is polluted by the
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-12-11
INDIANS WITH HuFEA,
The Caucasian Part of the SHOW IT.,
Terror of Them,

The Caucasian Part of the Show live,
Terror of Them. M
/ was talking recently to Nv ~
a. townsend, who accompanied ~
Buffalo Bill show throughout Enro ,ie
and he said to me: ope,
II had very good opportunitr
study Indians far removed from tbo w.
native place. Every idea which 1'' da
rived from my school books had - u n
changed. Buffalo Bill was as , fp 2e
as death of these Indians. and a.
whole Caucasian part of the show was Was
in continual alarm, especially the w a
nanclal part of it, lest some terri,I u,
crime be committed by these via villa
people, for which the managers wo,,,a
be held responsible by law. 0O'''
"On one occasion an Indians sa1.n,.
was withheld for week becausa l.,
had misbehaved, or had not tnrnn n1
up. He had picked up enough En l
gllsh TO say to the paymaster: q ar
you The man thereupon barricadad
his door and took a six-shooter ~
bed. For two nights there was nv
alarm, but the third night he b,n
pened to fall asleep, and the tran wy %
his door indicating a forcible en-
trance, he looked up, pistol in hand
and there was the Indian, about to'
plunge knife into him. ~
Further on, at Marseilles, two ~
the Indians belonging to different
tribes or nations had dispute as FOL
which was the principal chief. or ~
they would have it among the white
races, which was the bigger Indian
and could lick the other one. The
gates were closed; the two Indians
stripped themselves stark naked and
started to carve each other up. ThereI
would have been a homicide and bipI
trial at law, which might have burst
the show but for the squaw Of one Of
these Indians rushing in with club
and laying them flat on the ground.
"Now, it is wild people like this
That our philanthropist insist can be
IN few years, by education, elevated
to civilization. People who reason in
that way forget that as man is
himself the product of an evolution
from the animal, so continuance in
purely animal habits and ideas for
generations makes the work of recen-
Grafton as slow as was the work of
retrograding. Cincinnati Enquirer
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-12-11
Pa,yned n ES Bill.

A man who possessed solitary
bill and wanted to blow it in bad
hit upon a novel plan the other q
by which to save and spend it Do'
The bill was given him by frlel
and he was determined not to p!
with it. After lengthy debate WI
himsel he evolved the brllI'%,
scheme OF pawning the note
paid a visit to his uncle, raised sf'
on the bill, and spent it accord''ls
his tastes. Whom further funds ca
in he redeemed lie { :ig:ual nctc'
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-12-11
Not In the Book.

The idoms of the English language
add not little to its beauty and USE
fulness; but they are sometimes capa-
BILE of an Interpretation quite differ
ent from the one intended.
A lady famed for her skill in cook
ing was entertaining a number of
friends at tea. Everything on the
table was much admired; but the ex-
cellence of the sponge cake was espe-
cially the subject of remark.
"Oh," explained one of the guests,
sit is so beautifully soft and light!
Do tell me where you get the recipe!'
Il am very glad" replied the host
ess, "that you find it so soft and ligha.
l made it out of my own head"
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-12-11

ONE of the exhibits to be seen in
the Moorish palace at the Worlds
Fair will be million of dollars in
gold coin. AS our visitors, with
scarcely an exception, will desire to
feast their eyes on this tempting
sight, the Moors would seem to have
hit upon very popular attraction.
Ii is pleasing thing to see a million
OF money, though one cannot have it
himself.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-12-11

COMPARISONS are odorous"-and
somebody will think the following
announcement out of all taste, and
smelling very strong of anarchy, and
all that sort of thing. Without pre-.
tending to settle theQuestion of ethics
or good taste, or the degree of crime
in either case, we give it just as we
find it in another newspaper: "Two
Nebraska banks are in trouble. The
First National Bank at Enterprise
wasrobbed of several thousand dollars
by three cowboys, and on the same
day the National Bank at Tecumseh
was closed by order of the Comptrol-
Ter of the Currency. having been
robbed Of about $4,000 by the bank.
officials" Now where is the differ
ence? Is it not really in favor of the
cowboys? They had the courage to
make the bank officers hold up their
hands and violated no expressed faith
to the public. The officers got the
public confidence and cewardly stole
behind peoples backs. Yet the law,
or the public as the case may be, will
send the cowboys to the penitentiary,
and if possible settle with the other
thieves for so cents on the dollar.
And this is-what do you call it, any
| how?
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-12-11

"A CHICAGO lake captain proposes
to dam Niagara Falls in order to Sc
cure deeper water in the lakes. Such
thing would be certain to meet
With strenuous opposition on the
part of New York and Canada, but
no one would object Were he to damn
the malodorous Chicago River.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-12-11
after a DAYS Shonninr.

Mr.. Stinter examining some &C
counts On des!1)-I think | prefer the
counting to the welded days. Then
there was alternate billing and COO
ing; now it seems to be about all
'billing"
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-12-11

stenches from the fertilizer factories at
Barren Island just across the narrow
inlet to Jamaica Bay
The Importance of the work on this
desolate little slip of sea sand can not be-
overstated. 1t includes the entire out
lying ocean defense of the greatest of
Americas harbors and the protection
from bombardment of its greatest cites
A glance at the map ACCOMPANYING this
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-12-11
Making II Realistic.

nucster-l wonder where Shaks-
pcare got the idea reflected in the
sentence, "When graveyards yawn. +"
Based altogether on superstition, I
imagine?
,Jester-Perhaps, although 1 can
believe such Il thing possible to be
brought about?
Quester-lIow?
Jestcr-By having Dominic Pro-
ticks visit any one of them and
preach d funeral sermon.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-12-11

AN old woman in the poor-house at
Butte, Mont, has received notice
that she is heir to an immense estate
in England. AS is usual in such cases
a horde of relatives springs UP, anX-
ious to take charge of the dear old
LADY TO- the rest of her life. People
never have so many devoted friends
as when they inherit, vast fortunes.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-12-11

Boston builders and insurance
men, according to the New York Com
mercial Bulletin, are disturbed over
what seems to be the discovery that
asbestos paper between floors is not
only no protection against fire, but
an increase Of the danger. The law
provides that in Boston buildings the
whole area of the floor from wall to
wall shall be deafened with one inch
of plaster or two thicknesses of as
bestos paper, or other incombustible
material. 1t has been customary in
complying with this law TO use as
bestos paper; but the American
Architect reports some recent eX-
periments in Germany which throw
grave doubt on the value of the pre-
caution. The fire inspector of Ham
burg. it seems, has been experiment.
ing with various kinds of floors and
has found that floor of two thick
nesseS of one and One-tifth inch boards
joined at right angles was burned
through in one hour and twenty min
utes The same construction with
asbestos between the hoorings was
subjected to fire in the same way as
the boards and burned in flfty-nine
minutes, or twenty-three minutes
quicker than without the asbestos
With ordinary roofing felt the floor
burned in one hour and twelve min
utes. The conclusion the inspector
reached from these experiments was
that all materials introduced between
the floors are, to say the least, useless
for protection and may be injurious
on account of the foul smoke gen.
Grated.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-12-11

a CONTEMPORARY figures out the
cost of raising a boy till he is u years
of age at ALSO. The trouble with
that expense is that influences entirely
outside of the expenditure determine
whether, when the boy is raised, he
is worth tho money or would be
highly valued at the odd $50.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-12-11

THE whole Common Council of
Newport, Ky, has been incarcerated
in Jail. However, it is not so un-
usual for Aldermen to be behind the
bars with their constituents in front.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-12-11

Mrs. KENDAL says the critics of
the American press are irreproacha
bic. AS the compliment must be re-
turned some way the same may be
said of the lit OF Mr.. lNeldul's trous-
prS.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-12-11

The bugler of Tennyson's Light
Brigade still survives and lives in
Denver, it is said. The chances are
that this good old man would long
since have been gathered to his faith
ers had some fell accident ever
brought him before country school
on commencement day" at which
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-12-11

AN Ohio man hid a bottle of whisky
in a stone fence. Others saw him
and when he had gone appropriated
the bottle and drank It's contents.
The whisky was drugged with strych-
nine and one man died of its effects.
Moral: Stone fence whisky is usually
fatal
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-12-11

A PERSON in a Wilmington theater
the other night arose in his seat and
demanded that the performance
cease unless it could be conducted
according to his own ideas. The re-
mainder of the audience We're in
some doubt as to whether he was a
dramatic critic or popular clergy
man. but he proved to be an ordinary
crank.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-12-11
The Wny with worncn.

Mrs. Greyneck-Oh, I'm so tired!
I've been shopping all day long.
Mr.. Grcyneck-I suppose you spent
the ten ] gave you this morning.
Mrs. Greyneck-Every penny of it.
Mr.. Greynecl-What did you get?
Mrs. Greyneck-Oh, 1 didn't get
thing, it all went for car fares.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-12-11
Rather Cruel.

Miss Freshly-Anything new up in
the country to-day, Farmer Green?
Farmer Green-Wal, yes'm. They
be sayin' that the hog cholera's
comm long our way.
Miss MY! l don't wonder you
1,,,
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-12-11
Know dc Is Wealth.

Druggist-"Y on might have charged
that young man two dollars for filling
that prescription. Why did you put
the price at twenty-five cents?"
Clerk-"IIc understands Latin"
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-12-11

lGNAT1Us DoNNELLY gets 81 out of
his libel suit against the Pioneer
Press, and the general opinion seems
to be that the jury put the ciphers in
the wrong place.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-12-11

The Grant monument was erected
in Chicago without single salary
paid to any OF the hard workers upon
the committee In New York from
the outset they have had a costly
Office and paid their secretary 50, 400
per year for Keeping it warm.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-12-11

LITTLE Miss CLEVELAND begins life
with a fine collection of spoons, and
as she approaches the age of Is or 20
they will accumulate about her more
and more.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-12-11

JOHN TAYLOR, a lO-year old, at St.
John, N. B., safely swallowed toy
whistle. He might be exhibited as
the human whistling buoy.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-12-11

The Pullman Company will exhibit
at the Worlds Fair the first sleeping
car ever built in the United States,
There has been a revolution since.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-12-11

IT is quite appropriate that the In
dependence race-track should be kite
shaped That is certainly good
shape for flyers.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-12-11
Doub.y Defined.

Tommy-What is running &C
count?" Pa says it's an account
merchants have to keep Of customers
that are in the habit of running away
from paying their bills.
Uncle-That'S one definition of it.
Tommy-Is there another?
Uncle-Yes. \ running account
is, in some instar IS, an account that
gets tired out running after while,
and then it becomes a standing obli-
cation.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-12-11

A YOUNG and blushing couple took
each oUher for better or worse the
other day on the very summit of
Pixies Peak. How's that for high?
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-12-11

SINCE PATHS famous parrot has
learned to speak Welsh she uses it's
tongue for corkscrew.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-12-11

This is a dog. Has the poor dog
the mlmps? Oh. no; he has not the
mumps. He only tackled a man
with a wooden leg; that's all.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-12-11
Accounted For.

Gotleft-You say our party is in
bad odor with the public: How do
you account for it?
Sagcman - Easily enough. You
have chronic habit of handling dead
issues.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-12-11
An Experienced Burglar.

Young Burglar-"These spoons ainv
silver. They are the cheapest kind a.
limitations"
Old Hurglar-''That's lucky"
Lucky"
yep, Take 'cm along"
"What fer?"
"Ihe Teddy of the house will be
afeared to set tho detectives after us,
lest they should lind them spoons an
describe 'em in ali papers. Street s.
Smiths Good News.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-12-11

HELLOFITE is the name of anew
explosive. 1t must have sulphur and
birthstone in it.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-12-11

DESPITE the anti-agitation regular
~ inaugurated by various dress-reform
movements, the corset continues to
StaN
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-12-11
HUMOR OF THE WEEK.
STORIES TOLD BY FUNNY MEN
OF THE PRESS.

Many Odd. Curious. and Laughablo
Phases of Human Nature Graphically
Portrayed by Eminent Word Artists of
Our Own Day.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-12-11

IT is astonishing how debts wifi ex-
pand after being contracted.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-12-11

THERE is renewed agitation in
Springfield Mass, of the dress ques-
ton, the point of attack being the
long dresses which sweep the streets
and carry into the houses not only
dirt but the germs Of disease. 1t
will be necessary, however, to bring
some stronger argument against the
long skirt before woman will consent
to abandon it. What is mere health
compared with fashion?
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-12-11

time and place it is an iron-clad Gus
tom to kill off and bring back from
the jaws of death, back from the
mouth Of he'll, this ong-sutfering 600.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-12-11

ONE of these days a jury will pr
scribe a large dose of long-delaycc
justice for some vitriol- thrower.