davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1893-03-09
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A distinguished foreigner visiting
our shores, on meeting an American
author Of some distinction, blandly
asked him If he had ever written any
thing. Here was stab to admins
ter to a mans vanity! A woman
would never have made blunder of
that sort; she would have found out
all about the writer's books before
she met him, and made some clever
reference to them before she had
been five minutes in his company. 1t
is hard to imagine a situation from
which woman's tact will not ex-
tricate her. An amusing story Is told
in this connection by well-known
authoress: While in Trouville, / met
young American and his wife. l
knew the latter quite well. In fact,
she had been seamstress for me,
and the man she married was one of
Philadelphia's Hundred and Fifty.
She was clever, pretty, well educated,
and an improvement in her fortunes
enabled her TO meet her husband in
the regular way. He married her,
but was not aware of the social posi-
tion she had formerly occupied. 1
met them on the promenade and
could hardly disguise my surprise;
but her tact came TO the rescue and
saved us all from an awkward posi-
tion. Here is what she said to me,
even before l had q chance to catch
my breath: Il am so glad to see
you! We need no introduction. What
a delightful time / had at you house
in New York the last time you were
so good as to entertain mel We
would like to stay and talk with you,
but have a pressing engagement, :"
and with this my friends pretty wife
grasped her husbands arm and pulled
him away. While the whole pro-
ceeding may be looked upon as one in
which assurance played its part, the
wife displayed a tact that to me was
charming. She was quite good enough
for her husband, and knew IL, but
was afraid that In an unguarded mo-
ment 1 might say something that
would give him an idea of the state
affairs before she had the opportunity
to enlighten him. That man will
have happy domestic life, for no
where is tact more indispensable than
in the home.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1893-03-09

winter a great portion OF the line would
be lined on either side by precipitous
cliffs OF snow. Sometimes these cliffs
became so high that the only way fresh
drifts could be cleared away was by
shoveling the snow upon fiat cars and
hauling it out to place where it could
be got rid OF.
But methods OF snow bucking have
improved with other branches OF rail-
way service. In 1886, j. s. Leslie, of
Brooklyn, an employee OF the Railway
Mail Service, perfected a rotary pillow
which was designed to cut and throw
snow from the track as nearly
like the shovel in human hands
as it Is possible to utilize steam
power. This first rotary pillow made
It's trial trip on the Union Pacific Rail-
way In the winter of 1885 and 1887,
making a record of 5000 miles through
snow that sometimes reached a depth
of fifteen feet, at cost OF 16h cents a
mile for operating both rotary and
pusher. This was remarkable when
compared with the cost OF the old
methods of snow bucking. The rotary
has been improved since then until 1t Is
considered perfect. Now an entire
division can be cleared of snow In a day
without discomfort 10 the men VINO 90
the work. The pillow simply starts from
one end Of the division and keeps going
at the rate of twelve to twenty miles an
h tS1 q gHtn 1T Is 60 th II e saa
through drift it opens a roomy pas
sage. throws the snQw entirely out OF
the way, and "hanges every foot OF
road. Hanging is cleaning out the
snow between and below the level OF
the rails.
The rotary has been introduced on a
large number of the important lines be-
tween the Atlantic and Pacific coasts.
Thousands OF miles of track have been
cleared by 1t without the loss of single
life, 1t is claimed, or the wrecking of a
single engine. Compared with the long
lists of costly wrecks and numerous
fatalities by the old methods OF snow
bucking this is something remarkable.
The rotary is also in use on the German
and Russian Government lines.
Another plow built and operated on
the same principle as the Leslie rotary
snow pillow is the JUL centrifugal snow
excavator. Instead Of fat wheel made
up OF cone-shaped scoops as in the Les
lie pillow the JUL pillow removes the snow
by means OF great auger with the
point directed down. 1t is operated in
precisely the same way as the other.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1893-03-09
HOW THE ROTARY WORKS.

ting motive power and rolling stock in
good condition for the struggle in frost
and snow Hundreds OF men are busy
with steam shovels, gravel trains, and
pile-drivefs getting the roadbed in
shape, and numerous bridge gangs look
after bridges and culverts. When the
ground is once frozen about all the
trackmen can do Is to patrol the track
looking for broken rails and loose bolts,
and shovel snow out OF frogs and
switches. When joint says in win
ter it cannot be leveled up with gravel
tamped under the ties. It must be
Skinned. A shin" is a wedge
shaped piece OF hardwood board about
eight inches wide which is driven be-
tween the rail and the tie until the joint
is level with the rest of the roa1.
But IL Is with the first snow-storm
that tho trouble begins. When word is
passed to the dispatcher that blizzard
is raging along the line freight trains
already on the road are ordere1 to "tie
up" at coal and water stations, passen-
ger trains at eating stations. and trains
that have not left terminal stations are
abandoned, that is, ordered not to
leave.
When train out on the road during
a blizzard leaves one station aud fails
to report at the next in due time the
dispatcher does not need to be told that
that train is stuck hard and fast in a
drift somewhere between the two sta:
tons. Accordingly he orders out a
snow-plow and a way-car or two to pick
up sectionmen to shovel out that train.
This relief train stops at each section
house on it's way to pick up the gangs"
80 that It soon has good-slzed force
on board. The pillow, or relief
train, hurries to the last sta
ton the snow-bound train left;
then proceeds under full control
until the train is found. The railroad
men being familiar with the bad por-
tons of the road, are able to maze a
pretty good guess as to where the lost
train will be found. Upon reaching It
the section men ere ordered out to
shovel the enow a,f,|J from the wheels,
the snow-plow ceHplcs on to the rear
ear and assists the engine hauling the
train TO back @ittofe the drift. Then
snow pillow and)ttptf back up to the
station, so as to permit the train to
sid6track and let the plow take the lead
to clear the track. Or perhaps the re-
Lief train may DO sent from the opposite
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1893-03-09
no clean and rre.erye Harness.

But few people think of the econo-
my Of little vigorous rubbing and
oiling the harness. With moderate
care a set can be made to last just
twice as long as 1t ordinarily does
Yet there Is a greater object In view
an saving the wear and tear Of the
leather. 1t is a humane one. You
can't make me believe that a man
loves his horse, no matter II he ex-
presses his devotion in the strongest
terms, il he Is too mean or too lazy to
oil I'D the harness and soften 1t.
How hard the shoes on your feet
get and painful and pinching when
they become water-soaked and neg
lected for the want Of some oil tc
soften them. 1t Is exactly the same
with the harness on horses back.
Did you ever notice that he never
wants it on when 1t is in stiff and
unwieldy condition? A harness should
be thoroughly washed at least once a
week with pure CASTLE soap and a
sponge, and then oiled with neatsfoot
oil in profuse quantities. Dublin is
also a good grease for the purpose,
but neatsfoot oil is the best.
After the application is made rub
the leather dry, so as not to leave
any grease spots on the surface, for "
any are left the dirt collects and
sticks fast. To complete the job the
mountings should be rubbed up with
some kind of polish. Putt pomade lie
the best for the purpose. 1t comes In
small boxes, costing about 8 or 10
cents each, and may be obtained from
any dealer in turf goods. Harness
should always be hung up by the
hook in the saddle, the bride sus-
pended from a hook Of its own and
the lines tied nicely in the bit. Hang
the names and collar or breast-cOllar
from higher hook. When hung In
this manner harness will never lop
out Of shape or get to looking awk.
ward.
Always be particular with your
reins and scrutinize them when clean
ing for the purpose Of detecting a
flaw in the leather The most dis.
tressing accidents have happened by
the lines breaking when driving a
frightened. or uncomfortable horse,
and a little previous attention will
avoid the possibility of any such ac-
cident.
Riding saddles should be put on n
rack not less than three feet above
the floor, to prevent the rats
from gnawing the padding and the
destructive vermin from settling
there Considerable oaro should also
be exercised in keeping the back OF
the saddle perfectly free from dirt or
any lumpy settlement. Nothing is
more painful to horses back, and
skin disease often results Buggy
whips should be kept perpendicularly
suspended from the cracker. This
is the only way to keep them straight.
Make little slot in one Of the beams
above your head just large enough to
slip the end Of the whip in, and you
have your whip slot. Keeping the
whip hung this way also saves its
lasting qualities. 1t is hardly neces-
sary to say anything about how to keep
robes, blankets, and rubbers clean and
dry. Everybody knows that a horses
life is in jeopardy with wet covers as
a mans is with wet clothes. They
should always be thoroughly aired
and dried when used and kept in a
dry place.-Farm and Home.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1893-03-09
selecting a Title.

From first to last Dickens did his
work consclentiously, and the selec-
tion of titles was a matter of grave
anxiety to him, many being rejected
before one was chosen. The familiar
name Of Chuzzlewit, Howard Paul
tells us, went through curious pro-
cess of evolution. First it was
Sweezleden, then Sweezlebuck, then
Sweezleway. None of these would
do. The Sweezle then became
Chuzzle, and there was a new series
Of Chuzzletoe, Chuzzleboy, Chuzzle-
wig, and, finally Chuzzlewit. For
"Hard Times" nineteen or twenty
titles were rejected. Here are some
OF them: Heads and Tails" "Two
and Two are Four" sour Hard
Hearted Friend" "Rust and Dust, "
"a Mere Question of Figures" "Mr.
Gradgrind's Facts, ""Black andWhite.
David Copperfleld" was especially
troublesome. Even after he had
fixed upon the hero's name IL took
him some time to arrange the exact
form of the title. During q sojourn
In Genoa Dickens was puzzllng his
brain to find a title for one Of his
Christmas tales, when the city bells
rang out peal of chimes. He was
in nervous, excited state, and the
noise OF the bells agitated him. But
they gave him the title he was seek
ing, and he called the book ~The
Chimes" Another novel for which
he found II difficult to decide upon a
name was "Bleak House" We might
have known 1t under any Of the fol-
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1893-03-09

the top layers OF which are nailed
one upon the other and shaped to
form round top. The plank cover
ing extends a short distance below
the ground, and this covering is metal
clad, making an earth connection for
electrical currents, conducting wires
also leading from the lower edge OF
the covering further down into the
ground. A heavy door, also covered
by sheet metal, allows access to the
interior, which is suitably floored and
is prev ded with circular seat. In
the top are number of vertical ven
tilating pipes or tubes, and there is
also an underground ventilating pipe,
terminating In the outer air just out
side the building, and affording an
ample circulation OF air Within when
the door is tightly closed.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1893-03-09

enginesr. for the coal soon gets 10 full
OF snow that only the most expert fire.
man can keep steam up to serviceable
pressure. Sometime an engineer and
fireman are out from fifry-slx to seven
ty-two hours on q snow-plow without q
moments rest and perhaps but two or
three meals during that time.
AS an example OF what engine-men
are sometimes called upon to endure,
take the case Of an engineer on the
Northern Pacific, who was sent with a
pillow west from Brainerd In the
midst of a blizzard eight years ago to
keep the road open. He was TO be fol-
lowed by other plows at intervals OF
couple OF hours. The officials hoped,
In this way, to prevent blockade. This
engineer, after proceeding fifty miles,
stuck In a drift. It was 80 stormy that
he could not see the length OF his en-
CINE. He had big tank OF coal, but
the water was low. so he and the fire.
man took turns shoveling snow into the
tank, where 1t was melted by the
'heater that Is small pipe to con-
vey steam from the boiler to the tank,
to prevent the water freezing. The
storm lasted fifty-six hours. All the
men had to eat during that time was
one small lunch. When the wind went
down, they found they were near a
farmhouse. There they procured food
until relief came twenty-four hours
later. The engineer was the only one
of thirteen caught out on the road Ia
that storm who kept his engine alive. ,"
Five engine-men were frozen to death.
If the snow Is very deep the plow Is
followed by "drag-out" and a gang OF
ON or am. QhnuaIQrQ A sdrQ -nIf" Ia
another engine to pull the pillow engine
out of drift when 1t gets stuck. On
coming TO deep cut the pillow stops
while the shovelers are brought up to
break" the snow. This is done by dig
glng trenches across the track at dis
lance of 100 feet, more or less, 30 that
the pillow may not have a solid mass OF
snow to encounter. Then the pillow en-
CINE backs up for mile and half and
makes a run fH the cut. BY the time
1t strikes the drift 1t Is going sixty miles
an hour. The shock Is terrific. Often
the pillow buries itself completely and
comes 10 full stop in going 400 feet.
The concussion throws a ton or so OF
coal from the tank forward upon the
deck of the engine. Sometimes it
breaks the machinery so as to disable
the engine totally-as the engineer
would put it-"she strips herself. Then
the shovalers come up and dig the snow
away, and IL the engine Is all right the
process is repeated until that cut Is
clear. 1t used to be process OF days
to clear a division with push
plows and shovelers. Each succeeding
storm made matters worse, for the snow
was simply pushed aside, not thrown
out of the way. By the close OF q hard
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1893-03-09
nilot is usually carried

pilot is usually carried.
In light snow one engine is sent out
with the plow, again two, three, or even
five engines are coupled together, ac-
cording to the depth and extent Of the
drifts to be encountered. The push
plow simply pushes the snow to the
sides of the road. The engine or en-
gines are always run at their highest
speed. for their weight and momentum
are depended on entirely to carry them
through. II they were to run slowly
they would stick in the drifts and would
have to be shoveled out. 1t is peEilous
business, for the snow packs so hard out
on the great prairies of Kansas, Ne
braska, Minnesota and Dakota that 1t
often throws the pillow from the track,
particularly If it is side drift, with the
snow deeper on one rail than on the
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1893-03-09
Too GINNING.

A man and woman found them
selves wedged !. in a crowd in
one Of the streets of New York,
says the Herald. They had come
out to see the parade-it may
have been at the recent Column
bus celebration-ahd as things were
they could see nothing. The man
had bright idea.
"When l give the word, Julia, you
scream and faint.
Julia waited. The signal came,
and she Topped over into her escorts
arms.
"Giye me air." she gasped.
"Air! air." cried the man.
The crowd parted, and the man
and woman emerged at the front.
The woman revived, and the pair
made ready to enjoy the show.
Just then, however, an ambulance
dashed up Some one had turned in
a signal.
"You can't be too careful about
these cholera cases." said the sur
geon, with a wink. "Id better take
you both along for inspection"
And they did not see the parade.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1893-03-09

other. Sometimes the pillow slides up
on top of the frozen snow without
throwing the engine In the ditch. Hard
ships, as well as danger, are connected
with snow bucking. When running fine
snow Sits IN through the crevices in
the cab, and, falling on the boiler-head,
melts. filling the cab with steam. The
clothes Of the engineer and fireman are
soon wet through. and they continue in
that condition until their trip Is finished.
The cold air comes in through the same
places that the snow does, so the men
are not only wet but cold, The engi-
neer is under great and constant
strain to keep his engine up to it's maxi
mum capacity and watching the road.
The fireman has no easier time than the
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1893-03-09
LouIsIana,s Rice Crop.

A Louisiana man says that the rice
crop Of that State this year will be
fully one-half of the entire crop OF the
United States. "The raising Of rice,
he says, "has worked wonders for the
interest of our State. 1t has prac-
tically opened up new industry in
the agricultural line, and hundreds
of farmers who thought their lands
valuless when the cotton gave out
now find themselves in position that
will soon place them In one year
where cotton could not put them in
I've. 1t is really the most lucrative
OF all the new industries in the
South"
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1893-03-09
The REASON for III.

An old law tract assumes to give In
this simple language the origin Of
the tenancy by the law or courtesy of
England:
1t was called the law Of England,
because 1t was invented in England
on behalf of poor gentlemen who
married gentlewomen, and had moth
ing to support themselves after their
wives death.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1893-03-09
CYCLONE HOUSES.
A Kansas Man Devises a Safe Scheme FOL
His Neighbors.

A structure for use in countries
where hurricanes and cyclones are
liable to occur, and which will afford
secure temporary shelter during the
heaviest storms, is shown in the ac-
companying illustration from the st.
Louis Republic, and has been in
vented by a Kansas man. A number
of posts are arranged in a circle and
inclined to connect with each other
at the top, forming conical shell, the
Tower ends Of the posts being firmly
secured to horizontal anchor beams
some distance below the surface of
the ground. The framework is COW
cred by sheathing of heavy planks,
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1893-03-09
rerrors Of the Drifts.

or all seasons of the year for railroad
men winter is the worst. To train and
engine men It means extra work and in
creased hardships; to the officials added
cares and anxieties; to the stakeholder
extra expenses and diminished divi-
dends. 1t takes much larger force TO
do a given amount of work in winter
than IL does In summer. The oil or
dope" freezes in the boxes on the cars,
making the journals turn hard and re-
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1893-03-09

dIrection--that 10, meeting the snow
bound train. II depends upon which
way the train can be reached the most
readily. When all trains are safe every
body simply waits until the storm
abates. Then comes snow blocking.
Railroads within 500 miles OF Chicago.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1893-03-09

according to the Tribune. have but little
SNOW bucking" to do.
Old engineers on the Northwestern
tell OF times, when Chicago was some
what smaller than now. when they had
as hard battles with the drifts as any
road west of the Missouri. One tale is
told Of passenger train that ran into a
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1893-03-09

quirlng much more power to maui them.
The snow makes bad rail"-that is,
it makes the rails so slippery that the
adhesive power of the engine drivers is
reduced 80 that much less than the
usual number Of cars can be hauled up
a grade and trains cannot make time.
Then the ground is frozen hard, the
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1893-03-09
Half Lifetime.

A man In Dakota was lately sem
fenced to prison for half a lifetime.
and the Supreme Court has decided
that the time means nineteen years
seven months and four days.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1893-03-09

SINCE the Cape diamond fields were
discovered in 1867, so, 1000, 900 carats
OF stones, valued at $3.50, 900, 900, have
been exported. These would load up
two big coal trains.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1893-03-09
A FIENpIsHLY CRUEL RACE.

Frightful Practices OF the Dahomeyans,
whom France subdued.
Shortly after the battle in which
the French soldiers I'm Africa finally
put the Dahomeyans to rout couple
OF accommodating Frenchmen. turn
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1893-03-09
HUMOR OF THE WEEK.
STORIES TOLD BY FUNNY MEN
OF THE PRESS.

Many OaA. Curious, and Laughabis
Phases OF Human Nature Graphically
Portrayed ~ Eminent Word Artists Of
Our Own Day.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1893-03-09

The prisoners are hung head down
ward on a frame and left there to
die, while vultures and buzzards are
encouraged to hover around them
and attack them.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1893-03-09

WHAT SEVERE WINTERS MEAN
TO RAILROADS.

Thrilling Experiences OF Trainmen ON the
Prairies = improvements In Methods
Rotary PIows Which Scatter Snow Like
Chan-How the Lines Are Kept Open.
Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1893-03-09

frosty rails are more likely to break
under the weight of trains, and broken
rail may cost half a dozen lives.
The whole summefls devoted to prep
arations for winter An extra force
of men is employed in the shops in get
Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1893-06-03
THEN AND NOW.

Our contemporary said yesterday that
"when the House was called to order at
9:25 o'clock today there was not Repub-
lican In the chamber, but 1.-THE Speaker
ruled that there was quorum present"
The object OF the Republican members
of the House was, OF course, to prevent a
quorum II they could.
In speaking OF the action Of the Demo-
Gratis of the House in absenting them
selves at Providence, the same paper said,
on May 25: zone great party deserts its
sworn duty to its constituents by absent.
ing by its representatives In the General
Assembly the sessions of the General
Assembly,"
Again, on May 4, the same old ccnscien-
tious, publication said: "The Democrats
In running away now every day from the
House OF Representatives show to the
people narrow, in spirit an unconstitu-
tional, and in practice mean spirit which
will be rebuked at the polls"
OF course the venerable gentleman
down town Is honest In what he writes,
and we look to him for big scolding OF
the Republicans for keeping away from
the House at Newport