davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-08-22
OWNS A MECHANICAL HORROR

Perhaps the strangest of al clocks
is to be found in India, being one IN
possession Of a Hindoo prince. Near
the dial Of an ordinary-looking clock
is a large gong hung on poles, while
underneath, scattered upon the
ground, is a pile of artificial human
skulls, ribs, legs and arms, the whole
number Of bones in the pile being
equal to the number of bones in
twelve human skeletons. When the
hands of the clock indicate the hour
of one the number of bones needed
to form a complete human skeleton
come together with a snap; by some
mechanical contrivance the skeleton
springs up, SEXES a mallet, and, walk
ing up to the gong, strikes one blow.
This finished it returns to the pile
and again falls to pieces. When 2
o'clock comes two skeletons get up
and strike, while at the hours Of noon
and midnight the entire heap springs
up in the shape of twelve skeletons
and strike, each one after the other,
blow on the gong, and then falls to
pieces as before,
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-08-22

brackets, to which the conductors are
bolted and continuous connection is
secured by means of a bond of fiat
copper strips riveted to the webs. The
soapStone blocks are set in iron bases
erected in the manholes
Every twelfth manhole is connected
with the power house by telephone
Quick break electric switches are To-
Gated at intervals in these manholes,
in order that any section of the line
may be cut out in case of trouble or
accident. AT the track switches each
conductor is provided with a fiaring
nose to facilitate the entrance of the
plough into the conductors. The man
holes in which the insulators are
placed are constructed of brick with
walls that rest on concrete fOunda-
tons. The floors are laid with 6
Inches OF concrete and are provided
with drains for carrying off water
With this provision for drainage no
trouble from water in the conduit will,
it is believed, be experienced. The
conduit was built along the grade of
the street, but with sufficient pitch to
permit any water flowing into the con-
duit to find it's way into the manholes,
located every 80 feet, and from thence
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-08-22
WE LIKE TO LITIGATE.
Americans Have More Lawsuits Than
Any Other Civilized People.

A man of ingenious mind and ap-
parentIy ample leisure has gone to- the
trouble of figuring out the number OF
lawsuits brought in each country III
wear. and he has reached the conclu-
sion that the United States is a better
country for attorneys and counselors
than any other civilized land under
the sun He figures as lawsuits civil
actions only, taking into no account
proceedings Of a criminal character
brought by the public authorities
against individuals. He has ascer-
tanned that, taking the figures for the
last ten years as fair average, there
are 1.25O,OOO lawsuits brought in Eng
land every year. 100000 in France,
100000 in Italy, 100000 in Ger
many and 100000 in the United
States.
1t is not to be inferred from this
that the people Of one country are
much more prone to litigation than
are the people of another, but the ex-
PLANTATION is to be found in the fact
that the conditions Of litigation vary
exceedingly. Going to law in England
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-08-22

to the minimum of damage which
would inevitably arise from any stoE
page in the service. The plan there
fore contemplated the construction Of
the line as if for cable road, in Or
der chat should the electrical system
prove unsuccessful, the electrical por-
ton could be taken out, and the cables
and pulleyS of a regular cable system
introduced into the conduit without
loss of time and at comparatively
small expense.
The LenoX avenue line is a double
track road, starting at the car house
at 146th street and running directly
south to 10th street, into which it
turns and proceeds as far west as
Manhattan avenue. 1t turns there and
runs as far south as 10Sth street, along
which it is carried to the junction of
that street and Columbus avenue
The district which this line will serve
is at present somewhat sparsely set
tied; but the facilities of transit which
it will afford will probably result in
the rapid development of new resi-
dence section for New Workers on both
sides of the Harlem.
The power house is located on 146th
street a few yards west of LenoX
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-08-22

avenue. Steam is supplied from two
water-tube boilers to the horizontal
croSS-compound $50 horsepower Aliis-
Corliss machines. To each of the en-
gineS is coupled General Electric
400 dynamo wound for $50 volts in
stead of 500 volts, as is the usual
practice in railway work This ma
chine is placed between the high and
low pressure of the engines.
From the generators the cables run
to the switchboard and thence to a
subway under the sidewalk on 146th
street, extending as far as LenoX ave-
nue., where they are introduced into
the hve-inch iron pipes running par
allel with the conduit. For the pres
ent the line will be operated directly
from the power house, but feed wires
will probably be placed in the pipes
and will be Joined to the conductor at
the necessary points, and the line will
then be divided up into sections
The construction of the underground
contact system is simplicity itself.
The plough suspended from the car
truck passes through the slot in the
center of the track and presses against
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-08-22

is very expensive business, for it ell
expenses SO large that many of the
courts are practically closed to per-
sens of modest means, and a long
litigation unsuccessfully pursued ends
often in bankruptcy. In France the
number Of lawsuits is kept down
through the general practice of arbi-
tration, as many as 100000 cases in a
year, especially those arising from lis
putes over wages, being settled by
this agency, without cost to either
party. In Germany a great majority
Of cases are petty ones, involving
small amount of money and due.
many Of them. to customs or uSa ges
which are not sufficiently defined TO
be, in all cases. similarly understood
by bott parties to an agreement This
districts of Germany and there are
many legal disputes in the manufac-
turing districts too.
The number of cases credited to the
United States seem enormous, but it
is probably accurate. There are, for
example, eleven district courts for the
disposal of civil cases i'm New York
city. In one of these courts, by re-
cent report, the number of actions
brought in a year was shown to be
9,100. These courts have before them
each year, on the average, $1,000
cases. The cases brought in the state
courts Of New York amount in a year
to about 10000, and of those brought
in the federal courts New York fu1 :
nishes a very large number. Taking
the whole country through, it is seen
that the average number of cases per
1000 of population is in the neighbor-
hood of seventy-five to eighty-fiye
The number of lawyers in the United
States is materially larger than i'm any
other country in TIE world, and the
amounts in dispute here are much
greater than Observation-Disclosures
American.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-08-22
WHEELS AND WIRES
THE BICYCLE 4 USEFUL Al
JUNCT IN WARFARE.
A LINE LAID IN QUICK TIME
Lieutenant burlington Runs a Mile Of
Wire in Thirteen MinuteS-Iowa
Militiamen in Camp at Waver;y
Are Learning the Art Of War
fare

Waverly, Iowa, Aug. 1S.-The sec
ond brigade of the national guard
Went into camp at Waverly yesterday,
the last of the troops arriving this af-
ternoon. The brigade is made up of
two regiments of infantry of twelve
companies each. The camp has been
named Camp Prime in honor of Adj
jutant General Prime of Des Moines.
Col Foster, of the fourth regiment,
is the officer in command on account
of the sickness of Gen. Rule. The
work of the signal corps promises to
be of great interest.
The utility of the bicycle as a neces-
Sary adjunct was demonstrated by
Lieut.. burlington laying a telegraph
wire to a point a mile distant from the
camp and establishing communication
in thirteen minutes, travelling over
field and furrow and unrolling wire
from a carriage on the style of a min
allure hose cart attached to his wheel
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-08-22

The first practical electrical under
ground conduit railway in this coun-
try is now in operation in New York
city. 1t is connected to the cable
traction Of the Metropolitan company.
The public can now travel from the
Battery to 146 street with one transfer.
from the cable car to the electric car.
at West 1OSth street
The underground electric system
employed differs radically from all
other systems of electric underground
conduit railways both in the conStruc-
ton Of the conduit itself and the
method of taking the current from the
conductors for the motors. 1t has
been operated more or less expert
mentally for the last month, and its
success has justified the sanguine pre-
dictions Of the electricians and engi-
neerS who effected the installation
The introduction of this system upon
the surface lines of New York city IS
the result of the determination of the
Metropolitan Traction company to give
to New York a satisfactory electrical
system of propulsion which would not
be the subject Of that peculiar popular
prejudice which has acted to debar it
from the advantages of the overhead
trolley system. Consideration of the
question resulted in the selection of a
conduit system manufactured by the
General Electric company, and the
long stretch of road on Lenox avenue
was chosen as the scene of the exper-
iment.
In formulating the project the trac-
ton company proceeded upon the most
conservative lines, and determined to
reduce the consequences of failure
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-08-22

ficiently rigid to require Suspension at
holes are placed at the centers, inspec-
ton and repair are thus rendered COM
paratively easy.
A modification of this system of sus-
pension of the conductors is intro
duced for a length of about one hun
dred yards of single track ON 10th
street, between Lenox and Seventh
avenues. At the manholes, instead Of
insulators suspended from the ceiling
Of the conduit, the conductors are sup
ported by a s0apstone pillar, provided
with an iron cap furnished with
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-08-22

colt, Denver: Illinois, Capt. J. S. Dun
ham, Chicago: Indiana, j. w Venue
man, Evansville; Michigan, Hon. Ii.
W. Seymour, Sault Ste NAME; Mon
tana, Hon. Thomas C. Power, Helena;
Minnesota. E. V. Smalley, st. Paul;
Massachusetts, Edwin h Abbot, Bos-
ton; Nebraska, E. Rosewater. Omaha;
New York f. s. N4ylerbee. Port
Henry: North Dakota, Geo. B. Cliff
ford, Grand Forks: South Dakota,
Hon. i. f. Pettigrew, Sioux Falls;
Wisconsin, Frank A Flower. Su-
perior; Wyoming, Hon. Joseph NJ.
Carey, Cheyenne; Ohio, luther Allen,
Cleveland; Pennsylvania, James H.
Henderson, Pittsburgh Assiniboia,
Capt. Davidson, NJ P. P, Indian
Head; Manitoba, Z. W. Taylor, VIM
nipeg; New Brunswick. J. Robertson.
St John; Saskatchewan, Capt d. H.
Mcdowell, NJ. p, Prince Albert:
Nova Scotia, d. McKeen. NJ p. Glace
Bay, Cape Breton.
Something like 10000 invitations to
states, provinces, municipalities, in
situations of learning and organized
bodies throughout the United States
and Canada are now being sent out in
the form also of an official call Be-
sides formal invitations are being sent
to all senators, members of congress,
college and university presidents and
leading thinkers, economics and engi-
neerS to attend the convention as hon
ored guests and participate in it's dis
cussions. Members only are eligible
to the general, state and provincial of
fees and entitled to receive free the
reports and publications of the asso-
citation. Those wishing to become
members will forward name and ad-
dress with the required fee of 81 to
Capt. j. s. Durham. treasurer. 21O
South Water street, Chicago, or to
Frank "A. Flower, West Superior.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-08-22
ILLEGAL MARRIAGE.

Chicago Journal:-Champio Pugn-
ist Corbett has just given the world a
knock-dOwn exhibit of the scandal
Gus and demoralizing disparity that
exists in the marriage codes of the
various states of the union. few
York on the ground of his own in
fidelity, the correspondent in the case
being Vera Stanwood," otherwise
Jessie Taylor, Of Omaha. Yesterday
ne married this woman at Asbury
Park, N. j.
Probably the indecent haste which
he has shown liz the matter will still
further endear the champion slugger
to his admiring constituency. But
the course of false love does not al
ways run smooth, and if there is not
trouble ahead for Mr. Corbett there
ought to be. The decree of divorce is
sued by the New York court con-
tanned very plain provision when
forbade the eX-husband to marry
again during the lifetime of his
former wife. The guilty couple have
sought to evade this portion of the de-
cree by being married before a JUS
t1ce of the peace in New Jersey, and
by representing themselves as resi-
dents of that state But it would he
a strange decree that could be fla
gravity violated in one portion and
still remain valid in the other
MIR. Corbett and wife No. may De
able to enjoy their honeymoon undis-
turbed, save by the contempt of de-
cent people, as long as they keep out
OF New York. But if they ever regis
ter as Mr.. and Mrs. Corbett in ho-
tel IN that state the pugilist may cas-
lily find himself within an inclosllre
somewhat more circumscribed than a
tWenty-four-foot ring 1t is only a
matter of finding some person who
cares to take the trouble to prosecute
him, and so great a man never lacks
for enemies. If the champion is bent
upon remaining in the state of illegal
matrimony he had better keep out Of
the state of New York.
This shameful case merely recalls
public attention for the thousandth
time to the crying need for a ami
form code of marriage and divorce
laws in the several states. Also 10
the demoralizing effects of prize-fight-
ing on an eX-bank teller whose early
sObriquet in the ring was Gentleman
JIM
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-08-22

the fat surfaces Of two iron con-
ductors running the entire length of
the conduit. These conductors are
placed each three inches on each side
away from the center Of the slot to
the ends and centers only. The ends
are located in the manholes and hand
avoid deleterious effects OF any drip
which would otherwise reach them,
and are of channel iron four inches
deep and thirty feet long. They are
suspended from the ceiling of the con-
duit by&means Of insulators devised
for this especial purpose, and are at
a depth of thirteen inches below the
conduit slot Each conductor is suf-
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-08-22
BATTLE WITH RATS.
over One Hundred of Them Slaught-
cred in a Smukehouse.

1t was a hard-edrned victory that
Walter Carter won over an army Of
rats in Garden. 1t was a case of
fight or perish, and Carter fought.
When the fierce battle was finished
he counted the heap of fallen enemies
There were 102 Of them. Garter is a
member of the firm Of Roberts q Car
ter, provision dealers, on Second
street, above Pearl. For a long time
the firm suffered severely from the
depreciation of rats, which seemed to
grow in bOldness as they increased IL
numbers. They were into everything,
climbing all over the store and gnaw-
ing into boxes, barrels and bins to
such an extent that the owners were
appalled,.
1t. was the Junior partners habit to
open the store in the morning, and he
invariably heard a great scanpering
over the place as he entered by the
dim light. He concluded at last III
have it out with the little beasts, and
began an investigation to locate their
rendezvous. This he had no difficulty
in finding. AS he opened the door Of
a small brick smokehouse in the rear
of the store, now little used, he saw
fully a dozen rats run into holes in
the floor and walls. They quickly re-
covered from their fright, however,
and emerged to glare viciously at him
out of their wicked little black eyes.
~ rt cb npt ialy
club and a lantern and re-entered the
smokehouse This time he closed the
door behind him. The dim light of
the lantern served to half daZe the
rats, and Carter had no difficulty in
killing three big fellows. AS they
gave vent to dying squeIks, however,
scores of other rats emerged from
seemingly nowhere. surrounding the
young man with the club on all sides.
To show an instant's fear meant prob
able death for the invader of the rats
domain. 1t must be a fight to a fin
ish. Carriers retreat was cut off, and
he started in to fight.
The rats leaped at his hands and
face and crawled over his feet, ali the
while keeping up a horrible din Of
squealing that nerved Carter to his
task. One after another of the soft,
ugly things struck him as he stood
dealing blows right and left and fell
ing a rat at almost every blow. Still
the numbers multiplied, and the cour-
ageouS fighter began to fear that he
would have to fall before the horrid
foe. He had been bitten several
times ON the hand, but had managed
to keep the fangs of the vicious beasts
from his head and face. Thus the
fight kept on for fully fifteen minutes
and Carter was growing weak from
the violent exertion. At last, however
he felt that the rats were gradually
thinning out, and he had less trouble
in keeping them off him. This gave
him fresh courage, and at length he
realized that he had won. No more
rats appeared.
Almost overcome by the eXertions
and excitement, Carter staggered out
into the open air and gathered himself
together. In a few minutes he recov-
cred and, piling up the dead, found
that he had killed 102.-Baltimore
American.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-08-22
TROUBLES OF A BRUNETTE.
Lover so Posters Her that She
Causes His Arrest.

Omaha, Aug. 1S.-Miss Minnie Mont
gomery, of Pittsburg, Pa, handsome
brunette, has caused the arrest of
Thomas Fisher, of Sharpsburg, Pa,
a well known inventor, for threaten
ing ito kill her. The young lady is
visiting friends here. Fisher fell in
love with her while she was attending
school i'm Pennsylvania and for
months has been begging her to marry
him. He followed her and his at
tentions became so annoying that he
was arrested.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-08-22

The venerable ex-Judge Henry w.
Blodgett, of the United States circuit
court at Chicago, was thrown over the
gan while out driving. The whippIe-
tree broke and the judge was thrown
out, alighting on his head and Shout
ders. The horses ran about six feet.
and strange to say the judge vas only
slightly bruised. 1t was a remarkable
escape.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-08-22
A COLOSSAL COP.

Superior, Wis, Aug. 20.-The first
appointment by Mayor Howe Of this
city is likely to become famous. II
is that Of Gust Anderson, a Sean.
dinavian giant, who now wears po-
Iiceman's star. He is seven feet, fouI
inches tall.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-08-22

Ex-Mayor Starkweather, who re-
signed his pulpit in the Episcopal
church at Superior to accept the high
est office within the gift of the people
of that city, and who was recently
impeached and deposed from office on
charge of being guilty of taking brides
and extorting money from his police
men and firemen, is to become an
actor.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-08-22
TA-TA TO TROLLEYS
NEW YORK'S NEW UNDER
GROUND STREET RAILWAY.
OVERHEAD WIRES MUST co

A System Which Seems to Be Simple,
Safe, Reliable and Economic-The
Current Not to Return by the Rails
Sliding Contact Pieces-SOlution Of
Rapid Transit Problem.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-08-22

heroines in these tragedies of life.
That is why Berlin is houeycombed
with uSury, and that is why usury is /
a regular profession-or. rather. a fine
artisan Francisco Argonaut
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-08-22
POSTMASTER APPOINTED.

Washington, D. c., Aug. 20.-J E.
StoH has been appointed postmaster
at Ross, VVeernon county, vice f. A-
Chase, resigned.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-08-22
TIMELY PERSONALS.

w. d. Dabney, solicitor Of the state
to accept the position Of professor of
law at the university of Virginia His
present office pays $500 a year.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-08-22

The plough or travelling contact ar
rangement is also essentially novel.
1t consists of two pieces of iron, one
on each side of the plough. supported
on spring leaves, which cause them to
press outwardly against the two con-
ductors. The plough is suspended
from a longitudinal bar bolted to
croSS-beams set upon the track, and is
constructed of two sheets of steel laid
each one upon a plate of fiber. The
two sheets OF fiber are then brought
together, enclosing strip copper con-
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-08-22
nIto the sewers.

means of the rails as is Usually the
case with the overhead trolley This
is distinct feature and advantage of
the new system. Each conductor
forms one side of the working circuit.
The current is fed into the positive
conductor and returns over the other
or negative conductor The current
merely rises on one side of the plough,
passes through the controllers into the
motors and after performing its duty
returns by the other side to the oppo-
site or negative conductor
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-08-22

Miss Jennie O'Neill Potter, the elo-
cutionist, is seriously i'll in New York.
Her doctors say that she is suffering
from pleurisy, brought on by cold and
overwork. One Of Miss Potter's most
intimate friends is authority for the
assertion that her present condition is
critical in the extreme. Miss Potter
was born and reared on a farm near
Bloomington, Wis, and has had very
successful career as an elocutionist.
Several bicycling girls at Coldwater,
Mich, have outgroWn the bloomer
stage, according to a Detroit news
paper, and now ride in the streets and
suburbs wearing complete masculine
wheel costumes knickerbockers, golf
stockings, and short jackets.
The evening times., 1895-12-16
CLEVELAND AT HOME.

The President is again al his desk In the
White House The winds OF Hatteras were
tempered to the shorn Democrat. The gr,v-
ernment vessels hold was full OF ducks.
The commaHdcr-in-chief of the army was
surfeitei with gore. Therefore all hands
were pipcd up to furl sail and feed coal and
get up Steam. and here we are.
The business of the government can now
proceed. Secretary Carlisle's tardy report is
In. a nd the President is here To explain it to
all eomers. Some one of the many resolu-
tions looking 10 Cuban recognition can be
adopted 1T once. now that it can promptly
receive the autograph of the Executive.
The President has probably concluded that
what is sauce for the duck is sauce for the
Spa niard. and will sign us be shot.
AT any rate. the President is returned,
is doing business at the old stand. and will
at least appear to be earning his salary. He
is deserving of congratulation that he has
beeR sparedfrom dangers by flood and field
and hurricane. and that many gentle was
sail with many genial friend Will be held
over the bodies of the luscious ducks with
which the Maple was weighed down TO the
bulwarks.