davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-29
THE REVIVAL OF TRADE.

1t is too early yet for the impulse of the
great harvests and reviving trade to be
fully felt here, but the signs of coming
prosperity are neither few nor obscure,
The railroad statements from almost every
part of the country are as reliable indices
of the situation as can be obtained, and
without an exception almost they show a
large increase of earnings. Take for ex-
ample the statement of the Pennsylvania
Railroad for July. 1t shows an increase
of net earnings amounting to $4,000 on
the lines east of Pittsburg, and for the
seven months of the year, including six
months of.general slackness of trade, the
increase in net earnings on the same lines
was $3.50, 900. The lines west of Pitts
burg also show an increase in net earn
ings of S131, 900 for the month of July,
and an increase of net earnings for the
seven months of SS41, 1,OOO
It must be remembered that this i'm
provement has occurred before the move
ment of the immense harvests from the
West, and before the corresponding trans
fer Of goods to the West for the Fall trade
have made themselves felt A month or
two may elapse before Pittsburg feels the
effect of this revival, but prosperity is
knocking at our doors and must be ad-
mitted before very long.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-29
sUPERsTITIONs ABOUT BIRDS.
Some Of the Sayings That Are Believed in
at the Present Day.

Some of the Sayings That Are Believed in
at the Present Day.
St. Louis Republic.1
1t is unlucky to kill stork, a robin or a
swallow. According to Swedish legend the
stork hovered over our Savior as he was
dying upon the cross, crying 'styrke
styrker' strengthen vel strengthen YEP
and from this it received its name OF styrk,
or stork. There is O similar Scandinavian
legend with respect to the swallow which
fluttered above the cross crying "svale |!
legends with respect to the robin-one that
as the Savior was toiling up the hill of Cal
vary robin few down and plucked thorn
from his temple, and drop of blood fell
upon its breast and turned it red.
The other is that the robin carries dew to
refresh the sinners in hell, and the heat of
the flames scorced its feathers red-a much
more comforting legend than that which as
cribes to the malignant jay the task of carry
ing sticks to he'll every Friday to feed the
flames and torment the wicked If one kills
q wren he will break bone before the year
is out. 1t Is also unlucky to kill a martin.
Many animals possess the power of curing
diseases. Three hairs taken from the "cross'
of an ass that Is the mark running up the
back and out at right angles over the
shoulders, will cure whooping cough, but
to be the cross of Christ impressed upon the
animal when Christ rode into Jerusalem on
the back of an ass. Another sure cure for
whooping cough can be obtained by asking
and following the advice of q man riding q
piebald horse.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-29
TIN PLATE IN SIGHT.

If the free traders In this country doubt
the expediency or profit of establishing tin
plate works in this country, their friends,
the Welsh manufacturers, do not Every
day or so this is being proved by reports Of
Welshmen who have sold out their plants
in Wales with a view of making a new
start in America. In our local columns to-
day are several facts of great significance
as to the growth of the new industry David
Owens, Welsh tin plate manufacturer
has sold his plant and will embark in the
same business here. The other day it was
reported that r. C. jenkins, another
prominent tin plate manufacturer of
Wales, was selling his works to syndicate
in order to get into the sunshine of the
Mckinley tariff on this side of the At
lantic. Now that the ball has been set
rolling who can say where it will stop?
Another pleasant incident to record is
the shipment of twenty tons of block tin
to Pittsburg from Mexican mines operated
by Pittsburg capital. This is the first con-
siderable amount of tin from this source,
and it is eloquent of the ability Of this
continent to supply the tin needed by
American manufacturers. With the de-
velopment Of American tin mines, the i'm
migration of Welsh tin plate me1 to these
shores, and the establishment of tin plate
works here the cry that the tariff would
not enable US to make tin plate will be
less often heard.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-29
AGAINST DIRT AND DEATH.

The need of public baths here has been
demonstrated this summer as usual by
frequent deaths from drowning in the
rivers, to which men and boys who cannot
swim will resort in the absence of other
means to be clean. A more powerful argu-
ment for the establishment of public baths
could not be had. 1t is not merely for
sanitary and moral reasons that bathing
place for the masses, at small cost, is de-
sirable, but for the sake of saving human
life In other cities of Pittsburg's wealth
and population public baths have long
been established. In every case they have
proved a blessing to thousands who would
not have had the means to achieve cleanli-
ness otherwise.
What is there to prevent Pittsburg from
having this cheap and superlative luxury?
The city could afford to provide baths;
and would get good dividends from them
in the moral improvement which always
goes with cleanliness If the city will not
undertake the work, some of our wealthy
and philanthropic citizens might find here
chance to erect monument which
would carry their names down the ages
amid the benedictions of the people.
As to the character and scope of the
baths, it is well enough to premise that
plain and unpretentious structures will
suffice. Hot baths of the ordinary kind
would be the most important feature, of
course, but swimming pool and shower
baths might well be added. 1t is to be
hoped that the widespread feeling in favor
of public baths will crystalize in some
practical plan for their erection before the
arrival of another summer
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-29
JoKELETs FROM JUDGE.

eyes, that's fine dress; but don't be-
lleve the beach police will let you go into the water
with it,
'MercyI that isn't bathing suit. That's bail
dress.''
Morley-Perkins has sent Dumley chal-
lenge.
Thorley-Did Dumley accept 1t?
Morley-Yes; and selected rapiers at 40 PAGES.
Since Browns wife died he's grown quite
gray.
Not that he grieves much. they say;
But-and the fact there's no denying
When she stopped living he stopped dyeing.
Mrs. Bunting (near-sighted)- What is
the object of the notice on that tree?
Bunting (who sees that 1t reads Beware Of the
dog Ut is put there that he who reads may run.
He forgets not to boast what he does for
his brother,
Procuring him vIctuals and pelf;
Though it's not half so hard to beg for another,
He finds. as to beg for himself.
Bessie-Why didn't you let Charley
read your diary?
Jessie-Because the first time his name appeared
was when he proposed and 1 accepted him. It
viii take at least week to work in his name nicely
in all the back pages.
There's one thing, as it is so true
1t might as well be said:
To most of US poor Mondays blue
From painting Sunday red.
Colonel Culpepper (who has struck one
of his former chattels)-What ever became Of
Auntie Lou?
The WATERSHEDS daid.
Colonel CuIpepper-Old age?
The waiter-No, sab. Ole bourb'n-
Poet Gmpressiyely)-I always know
when write something that Is very good.
Critic (thoughtfullyl-Bu do you know when
you write something that is very bad?
Mrs. Laytin Gust returned from a good
time)-why, it's only two In the morning.
Mr.. LAytin-Humphi If I'D been coming home
alone instead of with you. you'd think Ii was late
enough, III betl
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-29
AGED BUT YET ACTIVE.
An Old Lady Who Melted $4,000 From
Knitting.

An Old Lady Who Melted $4,000 From
Knitting.
Lewiston CMe.) Journal.l
Not long ago DR.. Peables, of Auburn, while
making a professional call at the residence
of Charles Holbrook, Esq, prominent
farmer at North Auburn, learned of the re-
markable story of an aunt of Mr.. Holbrook,
whose death occurred some weeks ago. The
aunt's name was Mary Holbrook, and at
her decease. at the age of SO, she was q
widow, living in the town of Holbrook
Mass. She was the mother of % children
and but three were living at the date Of her
death. She never weighed over 100 pounds
and in her last days did not weigh over 30
When 70 years of age she began to knit tides,
to while away the time more than anything
else, and it was not long before she had over
100 as the result of her work.
She did not knit the tides especially for
the market, but one day her son took a few
samples to Boston, where he found ready
sale for them at Whitney's store on the cor
ner of fremont and Winter streets. The
tides seemed to strike Mr. Whitney's Gus
toners very favorably and he was obliged to
find the old woman in Holbrook and secure
for his store all the tides she had. Not only
this, but he arranged with her to take all
she could make at a good figure. She soon
found, however, that she could not begin to
fill the order, for a certain class of custom
ers at the "Hub" had O regular craze for
them. So what did Mrs Holbrook do but
engage several old ladies IN the neighbor-
hood to do the coarser parts of the work,
filling in the finer parts with her oa n hands.
"In this way" says the writer of Mrs. Hol-
brooks obituary, from her 10Th to her 90th
year, 15 years, she netted sc, 900 from the sales
of her tides, upon which fully:one-half of the
work was done with her own hands. How
many ladies, over whose silver hairs SO many
winters have kindly passed, can show such q
record of almost wonderful patience and
perseverance, we wonderf"
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-29
NAMES FREQUENTLY SEEN.

OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES will cele.
brate his birthday to-day. He was born
August 29 1903.
SENATOR MCPHERSON, of New Jersey,
is said to be an actual, active, bona fide can
didate for President.
THE old monarchial families of France
are gradually drifting into the receptions OF
Nine. Carnot, which means the acceptance
of the Republic.
Miss LoQUE, who breaches in Chicago,
believes that the time is coming when man
will be frozen out of the pulpit and women
be the only ministers.
S. CORNING JUDD, postmaster of Chi
cago, under Cleveland's administration, is
in a very feeble condition in a sanitarium in
Kenosha, Wis. His friends do not share in
his hopes for recovery.
GENERAL 10 SHELBY is a thoroughly re-
constructed ex-Confederate. No soldier
fought more bravely than he; he knows he
was wrong and does not believe in keeping
up the memories Of the war.
Mr. AND MRS. STEPHEN OSBORNE, of
Knoxville, Tenn, are soon to celebrate the
seventy-second anniversary of their mar
risge. They are respectively 1Ol and 90
years Of age, and have 800 descendants.
JOHN LONDON MACADAM, the inventor
of the road that bears his name, labored for
years to perfect his ideas, and, although the
English Parliament voted him $3o,0O0 it
hardly covered his outlay. His monument
is the roads of England.
ELIAU THOMSON, the Boston electrician,
who is regarded as Edison's most formidable
rival, is a slender young man of clear-cut
features,a small brown mustache and wavy
brown hair. He is bright talker, a good
electricians Of the East.
BEETHovEN's Flemish ancestry has been
proven by the discovery in Bonn of history
of the Beethovens since $50 years ago. The
composers great grandfather lived in Ant
werp in I750. His son Louis, in consequence
of family quarrel, left Antwerp about that
time and got a position as tenor In the royal
choir at Bonn.
THE Prince of Naples, who is soon to
visit England, will not give up his whole
visit to pleasuripg, but hopes to gain many
practical hints by inspecting important in
dustries in the kingdom. He is also an en-
thusiastic numismatist, and will probably
spend considerable time in the British and
South Kensington museums.
THE engagement of the youthful Comte de
Talleyrand Perigord to Mile. de Rohan
Chabot daughter of the Prince and Princess
de Leon, has raised the question in aristo-
cratic Paris as to the most fitting age at
which young men and maidens should enter
the holy state of matrimony. The French
aristocracy, 1t appears, is divided on the
matter.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-29
WHY DRESS REFORM FAILS.

The clatter of Chautauqua's dress re-
form movement is dying away already,
and the complex attire of modern woman
survives the shock without scar. No
sane person expected any other result.
These efforts to radically reduce and alter
the raiment of humapity's better half re-
semble the craze for unlimited fiat money
which infects the farmers once every
while, in so far as the practical results are
concerned. The great majority of people
desire the manufacture of greenbacks
wholesale about as much as most women
hunger for the trousers or meal-sack robes
Of the dress reformers But for while
the reformers rage, and talk great deal
about the enormities of fashion-as the
greenbackers do of the intolerable tyranny
of gold-and the beauty of the human
figure as revealed in classical statuary.
and the bondage of woman generally. 1t
is an amusing topic for the dull season,
Ginning in nicely with the description Of
the bathing costumes in which Venus
courts Neptune at Atlantic City, and
therefore it gets much space in the news
papers, and much attention in the little
tattle at tea tables.
But woman, with divine common sense,
perceives too clearly the potentiality of
clothes as they are made and worn to-day.
She wears the fetters of fashion willingly.
Kate Field declares that until public
schools and private seminaries turn out self
helpful, able-bodied individuals, instead of
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-29
PLUcKY NATIoNALIsTs.

The Nationalists of Massachusetts, are
not eLooking Backward" They are
doing their best to put Edward Bellamy's
ideas into practice, and considering the
brief time they have had for action since
organization have really accomplished a
good deal. Its campaign of education
they are waging, but they have not ne
elected, as enthusiasts unused to politics
so often do, practical methods in the man.
ufacture of public sentiment. Some ac-
count of what they have done so far may
be found in our news columns to-day.
1t will be readily acknowledged that the
people of Massachusetts, have good cause
to be grateful to the Nationalists for the
law, which the latter pushed through the
last Legislature in the face of bitter oppo-
sition, giving towns and cities the right to
own and operate light and water works
for their own use Already the law has
been resorted to by several of the smaller
towns with good results. The National
lists are not content to rest upon their
laurels, and they have taken another
step more exactly in accord with
the principles of Bellamy. Now
their plan is to make the supply of coal
governmental function. For a beginning
they petitioned the City Council of Boston
to pledge the city to this novel and gigantic
undertaking. The city fathers modestly
declined the job, and there the matter
stands. But the Nationalist did not
expect to win at the first assault.
Their idea is to accustom the people to
Nationalism in the concrete, to arouse
popular feeling, and opposition was not
only expected but even devised by them.
Such revolution in business and poll
tics as this cannot be accomplished with
out a tremendous struggle, and the noise
of the battle is hailed by the Nationalists
as a good advertisement of their cause.
Even if they prevail upon Boston's city
government to undertake to supply its
citizens with coal the Nationalist do not
expect to reduce coal bills so much as to
direct the public's eye toward the causes
which operate against cheap fuel, such as
the combination of coal dealers, mine
operators and railroads, etc, and thus lead
to the absorption of all these agencies by
the Government This is the best way to
test the Nationalist panacea, and while we
may be permitted to doubt the probability
of the people departing so far from pres
ent practices and established beliefs, as we
doubt also the practicability of the Ma
tional programme and its desirability, it
must be confessed that the apostles of the
new gospel deserve credit for their cour-
age and good intentions. 1t is remarkable
also that they have accomplished SO much
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-29
THE VALUE OF SMOKE.
1t Can Be Made an Article of Considerable
Profit by a Condensing Process.

1t Can Be Made an Article of Considerable
Profit by a Condensing Process.
Age of Steel.]
Smoke abatement is already public
question. 1t has become menace to public
hea tn and an irresponsible distribution of
dirt in the lungs and laundries of our indus
trial centers. 1t has to go. The veto of civil
ization Is against it. 1t may be innocent of
bacteria, but it is synonymous with asthma
and strangulation. 1t has taken some time
to convince the average citizen that dirt in
the air was not only disastrous to clean
linen, but more so to public health. Common
sense has at last recognized the fact and
the abatement or abolition of the smoke
nuisance has called into play much of
theoretic and practical ingenuity. Smoke
consumption has been the objective point,
but we have gone q step beyond that, and O
process is announced by which smoke can,
in association with attending cases. be made
into oil. Prof. v. B. Lewes, of Great Britain;
has recently called public attention to GER
tain facts in this connection. Among these
practical illustrations is one including three
or four Scotch iron works. to which a certain
gas company is paying an annual rental for
the right of collecting smoke and gases from
blast furnaces.
We quote the modus operandi from an
English contemporary, Inventions: "The
smoke and gases are passed through several
miles of wrought-iron tubing, diminishing
in size from six feet down to is inches, and
as the gases cool there is deposited q consid-
erable yield of oil. At Messrs. Dixon's, at
Glasgow, which is the smallest of these
installations, they pump and collect about
6O,0OO,OO0 cubic feet of furnace gas per day,
and recover on an average 25000 gallons of
furnace oil per week, using tho residual
gases. consisting chiefly of carbon monox-
ide, as fuel for distilling and other purposes,
while considerable yield of sulphate of
a m N iS q ta n or n ar,aI IyaJy
a small percentage of the coke ovens are
fitted with condensing gear and produce a
considerable yield of oil, for which, how
market, the chief use being for Lucigen and
other lamps of the same description, and for
treating timber for railway sleepers."
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-29
THE KEY OF DEATH.
An Interesting Relic to Be Seen in the
Venice Museum,

An Interesting Relic to Be Seen in the
Venice Museum,
st. Louis Globe Democrat
About the year 1900 a stranger named Te-
baldo established himself rs q merchant in
Venice. Soon becoming infatuated with the
daughter of one of the most ancient and
wealthy families he asked her hand and was
rejected, the young lady being already affi-
anced. Half-crazed and thoroughly enraged,
he planned revenge. Being an excellent me-
chanic he soon evolved most formidable
looking key. The handle of this unique wea-
pom could be easily turned. Being turned it
disclosed spring with a missile in the shape
of needle of exquisite fineness. With this
weapon Tebaldo waited at the church door
until the maiden he loved passed in on the
morning of her marriage.
When the bridegroom appeared the des-
perate lover, unperceived, sent the slender
poisoned needle into his rivals breast, and
within an hour he was dead of q strange,
battling disease" Again Tebaldo demanded
the hand of the maiden, but was refused.
Within few days both her parents had died
in a very mysterious manner Suspicion be-
ing excited, examination was made, and the
small steel instruments found in the flesh in
both cases. One day the maiden allowed
Tebaldo an audience, but told him that she
would never be his bride. Within an hour
she was a corpse. Tebaldo was suspected,
the key was discovered and the culprit
hanged. The celebrated 'key of DEATH is
still shown to the curious visitor OF the Ven-
ice Museum.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-29

rickety parrots stuffed with book-learning,
the reign of common sense"-by which
Miss Field means the adoption of Turkish
trousers or antique Greek robes, we arc
not sure which, by women-"wiIl be post
poned."
We will go further than this and pro-
phesy that women will not consent to
make frights of themselves, until they
cease to be women, or until men cease to
be attracted by becoming attire made in
the prevailing fashion, which New York,
+, London, or Paris may happen at the time
TO have set
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-29
INSPIRING MEsCAL.
How One Plant Furnishes Drink, Clothing
and Food for Natives.

How One Plant Furnishes Drink, Clothing
and Food for Natives.
Phenix Herald.l
The humble but inspiring mescal Is de-
rived from such imposing scientific terms as
the aguave Americana, maguey and Amer
ican aloe In his report to Agricultural Sec
retary Rusk, Special Agent Poston of this
city says the plant is a species of the numer-
Southern California, Texas New Mexico and
Mexico. The Aztecs, when found by the
Spaniards, used the plant for cordage, mat
ting, brooms, brushes, shoes, bedding and
various domestic purposes. They roasted
the pulp into food and fermented the juice
into "pulque." The latter has been i'm
proved by modern civilization into the
strong but not repulsive drink called mes
cal. The maguey plant natures in seven
years; cabbage-headed in shape and with
prickly guards.
1t weighs from 25 to so pounds. The vari-
GUS layers, as roasted by the natives, are
nutritious and purgative. The pulp is fer
mented in q rawhide vat. The City of
Mexico drinks $50, 1000 pints of pulque daily,
generally throughout Mexico, pulque being
the national beverage, like wine in France,
beer in Germany or "budge" in YankeedOm.
Mescal flowers make excellent honey. Deer
and antelope seek them eagerly. The stalk
of the plant grows IL to 20 feet high, and is
used in Mexican domestic architecture.
Mescal distileries are very simple and more
secret than any moonshiner'S still. Maguey
has been immemorially cultivated in Old
Mexico, but 1t is not raised north of the line
In Arizona for Is years past mescal has
averaged 50 30 per gallon new, with 81 added
for each year of maturity. A higher grade
article is called tequila, and is worth over
$40 per gallon.