The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1893-10-14

TIE Newcastle England Journal re-
ports pathetic story of q dog, given in
evidence before the Gateshead magis
trates. A man over eighty, charged with
keeping dog without license, did not
appear, but the chief constable informed
the Bench 'that the old man had been at
the court in a terrible state Of distress,
and that he lived with his wife In con-
dition Of abject poverty. On inquiries
being made, it appeared that the dog
must be destroyed ii the summons was
pressed. as the old couple had no money
to pay for license, but that the wife
had begged for the dogs life because it
| had more than once saved her from Le
ing burned TO death. She had fallen
into the fire in a tit, and I" the dog had
seized her, dragged her from the flames,
and burying his nose in her lighted
clothes, had extinguished the fire. To
prove the truth Of the woman's state
ment, the chief constable got some old
newspapers and set fire to them, this be-
ing done in the presence Of other con-
stables. On each occasion the news
paper was lighted in the middle OF the
floor The dog rushed at it and cxtin-
guished the flame" The magistrates, Of
couse, subscribed to pay for what the
local reporter, with pardonable ELUSIVE
ness, calls the "noble creatures license"
1t is a pity that the dogs breed, or, at
any rate, size and looks are not men
toned.
Mn. MATTox, Of Mississippi, was hous-
ing his hens. The night wa, somewhat
cloudy. He had visited his barns and
was on the point OF returning to his
house when all at once he heard pecu
liar Kissing sound overhead, and at the
same instant n luminous glow fell all
around him. as if the moon had suddenly
emerged from behind n cloud, chronicles
the Chicago Post. lie looked up aud
was almost alyzed ut the sight OF u
brilliant fiery globe descending through
the air with the speed of lightn ng, and
shooting a comet like tail far up into the
heavens. So rapid was the descent that
it was only visible for "A second, but in
that brief space, he says, he suffered an
eternity Of unspcakablc terror. The fire
ball struck tho earth with dull report,
scarcely 300 yards from where he stood.
IL was some minutes before he could re.
cover the use of his limbs, when, run
ming hastily to his house, he aroused tho
family and several labOrers about the
place. telling them comet had struck
the earth, and they had only few min
utes to pray. In short time the whole
plantation was up and women and chill
dren were heard crying and supplicating
heaven for mercy. They could not get
closer than about thirty yards OH account
Of the heat and ncxious fumes
of sulphur aud gas which the
stone emitted. The stone sizzled
and steamed and shot out jets OF
steam or vapor from thousand pores.
BY daylight it showed up IA dull, dingy
black, and was full Of pores, which still
shot out jets Of vapor of an offensive
smell which almost stiled. The stone is
evidently imbcddcd in the ground for
some distance, and shows only about
foot above the surface. Mr. Mattox es
Inmates it to be about the size of "A hogs.
head.
A DIFFICULT mechanical feat Just nc
compished Mt Porta Costa, Cal, is
described substantially as follows by
witnesses: On August 10, loco
motive went through the big ferry boat
and plunged pilot first into the waters OF
Carquinez Straits, the tender and cars
remaining on the ferry boat. The water
was deep enough to cover the cab, but
not enough to let the boat out of the
slip. The locomotive stood practically
vertical and its nose was deep in the
mud On the night Of the 10Th n large
pair of shears made of 12Xl2-inch tim
bcrs crossed Mt the top was built up on
the end of the boat and some large pullcys
hung where the pulleys crossed. Then
diver spent several hours in fastening a
numb er of cables on either side of the
frame under the boiler. Four engines
were attached to the ropes, but could not
start the locomotive, although the strain
was SO great that cable nearly three
inches in diameter was broken. Finding
the appliances Of insufficient strength,
the shears were doubled in size, and
fifth engine taken on board. On the 18th
another trial was made. IL was hard to
get the engines to pull exactly together,
and, as their wheels would slip and re-
volve, the cables would snap and the
tackle generally would be badly strained.
Finally a simultaneous pull started the
mass, aud the cab slowly appeared above
the water and the engine was gradually
lifted until somewhat higher than the
floor of the ferry-boat. Tackle from a
steam dredger stationed in the front of
the slip was then attached to the forward
end of the locomotive, which was pulled
out in this way. The shears were then
swung slowly backward over the deck of
the ferry boat and the engine gradually
lowered to the tracks it had left. When
it was hauled to the ncighboring round
house and the mud washed of it was
found that but little damage had been
done beyond the splintering of the cab
by the cables.