davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1896-05-16

No man Is bigger than the Republican party
and therefore the party always makes its own
platform. The Republican party has solved prob
lens thousand times more difficult than the
financial question. and when the time comes will
settle that to the satisfaction Of every fair
minded and honest man-and very easily al that
too. The Protective tariff is the real issue, not
the money question.
New-York tribune., 1896-05-16

Mr. Warren Leland Jr., the manager M Vi
fabshed NewYork Office at 300 oth-ave Deo"een h cae
waldorf and Holland House. for the convenience OF ose
desiring to accommodations at the ocean house
Windsor Hotel 9Th Ave. 46th to Attn Ste, ~ \.
Free Coach and Baggage to and from >-,>
GRAND CENTRAL DEPOT WARREN f. LEl-ANp
New-York tribune., 1896-05-16
1u0er 10 advertisements.
Bnslness Notires.

Roll Top Desks and Office Furniture.
, Great Variety Of style and Price.
7. @. SELLEW.
The San Francisco call., 1896-08-02

California is most likely the only State
in the Union where there is always an OPP
porunity for the workingman to earn his
living.
This may seem a strange statement to a
great many in view of the recent indus
trial depression and the hard times that
have followed, but it is made after investi-
cation, and every word Is true.
OF course it does not mean that every
man can remain in the town he likes best
and find plenty of work at his trade. We
all know that is not so. Nor does it mean
that the lazy and worthless tramp can get
plenty to eat and drink and give little in
return. The opportunity referred to means
plenty of hard work and perhaps long
hours and, lastly, the pay is not high
But it is sure to average enough to live on,
and there is an independence attached to
it unknown to the average wage worker in
the big cities. Besides there is also the
possibility of large returns at any time.
Briefly the work is gold mining with the
:. old fashioned cradle or sluice- box. For
tunes nsed to be picked up this way atone
time. Those days are passed. but there is
.. stiff enough gold left in the gravel pits
:throughout the State to insure wages"
at any time for the man who works.
1t would be somewhat difficult for dis
couraged man, who has been pennIless for
months TO engage in this work, but by
=. n means impossible. However. the man
who is best able to take advantage OF it is
The San Francisco call., 1896-08-02
"A Botanical 6urio

. "A curiosity of Mendocino County that
cannot fail OF being of great interest to
botanists.is that OF tree growing by the
roadside not far from the Insane Asylum.
In reality it is com bination of trees, and
the combination goes to show that dead
stump is capable of furnishing noarish.
ment to thriving young sapling.
There Is nothing particularly startling
about the appearance of this tree, as it
really looks a good deal like the willows
that are common in some parts of the
State. But glance at the upper trunk
shows it to be red in color, and close ex-
animation shows it to be amdrone. An
examination of the stump in which it is
. growing shows it to be q post oak as dead
as a railroad tie.
When the oak tree was cut down or
when the madrone came to life can only
be coniectured. 1t is possible that the
oak was cut when the road was surveyed,
about. twenty-five years ago. 1t is eer-
tainly a long time ago, as the stump Is de-
void of bark. Of course it is impossible to
tell just what happened, but from the ap-
pearance of the tree the heart of the oak
stump must have rotted out, leaving a
hole. into which the dust from the road
settled in the summer. In time the seed
pod from a madrone blew into this hole.
and the winter rain and spring sunshine
brought it to life.
At any rate 1t is there where all may see
it. The probabilities are that the heart of
the oak tree has rotted clear down to soil
and the roots of the madrone have in that
The San Francisco call., 1896-08-02

the healthy artisan. down to his last IS,
and with no prospect of work st his trade
before him. Such man can do no better
than get couple of blankets and start for
the mountains.
Walking is hard, but it is no harder than
walking the streets of San Francisco lcok
ing for work, and few days are enough
to reach any of the gold-bearing localities,
even though the traveller did not get a
single 'lift" from some passing farmer.
Between the Tehachapi and Shasta
there are thousands of canyons in which
a man can get enough gold to pay all of
his expenses. And, what is more, hun
dreds of men are doing it, and there is
room for thousand others. At any point
in the mountains, on any of the branches
of the many rivers that empty into the
San Joaquin Valley, where there is q
gravel bed, there gold can be found il
some quantity. To be sure there is some
choice in the locality, but any of them is
sure to yield something.
The only implements needed by the
miner are a pick and shovel and dipper;
and the only material little quicksilver,
all of which can be bought for couple of
dollars, or perhaps less.
Arrived at his destination, on Govern
ment land, the miner will first stake out
his claim and then make his sluice-box,
which is q very simple task for any me-
chanic, as will be seen when he gets into
the mining country. There is no need for
The San Francisco call., 1896-08-02
oange Freaks Of Nature That Ca Man Found Mcndocno County

No one would suspect the holes exist
ence until they were close enough to look
into it, as the rim is covered with thick
growth of trees. And even having found
that few would think it was anything like
it is. because the opening really LOOKS like
an ordinary sink-hole in a rocky country.
To descend into this hole it is necessary
to be well provided with ropes and be
something of a gymnast. The rim of the
hole is about twenty-five feet across, but
twenty feet from the surface it narrows
to hole hardly large enough TO crawl
through.
The descent into this mysterious cavern
is a most exciting experience. Thirty feet
from the surface there is ledge, and the
explorer must hang on to his rope or he
will drop off into space.
The downward descent is a succession of
crawling through riffs in the rocks and
climbing over Iedges into CULTS of dark
ness.
The deepest descent into this hole was
made last Saturday, when party, includ
ing representative of THE CALL, reached
a depth of 1874 feet from the surface. At
this point there was ledge of rock, over
which a lantern was lowered about twenty
feet to another ledge. The hole was wider
at this point than at any other, and in the
dim light third ledge could be seen and
on it skeleton, but whether of man or
beast could not be ascertained.
From these lndicat tons it would seem
that the hole was at least 1000 feet deep,
and possibly has an outlet near the bot
tom. At any rate it is well ventilated, as
the smoke from the burning paper quickly
ascended to the top.
The San Francisco call., 1896-08-02
Hole in the Ground

One OF the most remarkable holes in the
ground IN all California is undou btedly
one on the Laughlin ranch in Mendocino
County. Not only is it peculiar in itself,
but its opening is where an explorer would
never look for such curiosity-on the top
of hill.
This freak of nature has been known to
white men for many years, but only six
people have had the temerity to explore it.
1t is said that the Mendocino Indians
knew of its existence and once threw a
negro into it for being a fraudulent prophet,
from which tragic circumstance the hole
is known to the countryside as "Nigger
hole"
1t is not an easy matter to reach this
place from any of The towns in the county,
as many miles of bad road have TO be ira
versed in order to get anywhere near it..
The last two miles is to the top of the
hill, which rises about 800 feet above the
wagon road.
The San Francisco call., 1896-08-02
Ukiah's s Show Place

DEVILS Den is Ukiah's showplace, and a
most unlaue one it is. Located about FIVE
miles from town in a rocky gorge at the
end of good road, it is easy to reach at
all times of the day or night.
This freak of nature is composed Of that
queer compound of mud and gravel SO
common IN the locality. From the an
pearance OF it the compound once filled a
gulch and after hardening has been wash
lnaout by the rain ever since.
As in all other cases of washing a gully
was first cnt through the center, but un-
like CLAW the substance did not run out
easily, possibly because there was more
stone in one place than another. The re-
the form of stalagmites similar to those
seen in the great caves of Kentucky and
Virginia.
Devils den covers about four acres and
the stalactites arc all OF cold gray in
color. They vary in size from feet to rs
feet in height. In many places the forma-
ton runs off in rid ges, with the stalactites
cropping up at intervals.
At any time of the day Devils Den is
pleasing and interesting to look at, but
the people of Ukiah have habit of illum-
mating it on moonlight nights that makes
it like a glimpse of fairyland A party
will go out we'll provided with plenty of
fireworks and colored fire and make an
evening of it. When the pyrotechnics are
burned the effect is simply dazzling.
The color of the clay makes it particu-
Iarly sensitive to the colored fire and th e
The San Francisco call., 1896-08-02
Jack Jars Fetching Gap

The coquettish handling of fan has
given birth to volumes of semi-humorous
writing. The tilt of a hat on Beauty's
head, skillfully contrived to enhance the
charms of female loveliness in the eyes of
men, has also an acknowledged place.
"Setting her cap at him" is almost a
proverb. But no man or woman writer
has heretofore attempted to do justice to
the possibilities of the caps of the natty
apprentices who ''sail the ocean blue" on
British merchant vessels between this
port and "the tight little island.' The
wearers are in that charming age, inter-
esting to all spectators, which is Just be-
tween the boy and man-the debatabIe
ground of adolescence. sThcy are manly
and boyish and appeal to the ladies by
their dashy manner and handsome,
smooth faces. Then above pair of hon
est blue eyes and smooth forehead and
trinity kept hair place visored blue cloth
cap. 1t has OH the front OF it, midway be-
tween the visor and the top of the crown.
a bunch of coquettishIy arranged gold
lace with some sort of an em blem, which
the ladies will wonder over and admire.
The cap is just large enough to be safely
poised at any one of half q dozen
The San Francisco call., 1896-08-02

how 1T got into its present form unless at
one time there were mud springs in the
locality. There is good reason 10 believe
that such is the case. as the numerous hot
water springs near by testify. There is
neigh horhood, and it all takes on peculiar
and unusual shapes.
From the appearance of the spot in
question the mixture of mud and gravel
must have rolled down the canyon in a
semi-liquid state, and when the springs
had dried up it solidified. Thus it re-
mained for years, possibly ages, with the
water from the mountain streams wash
ing over it. But the time came when the
stream cut its way through the crust and
took an underground course.
AS soon as the stream had one tunnel
through the stratum of mud and gravel it
gradually cut out others until several
acres have been undermined. As the
years have gone by tunnels have accumu-
lated until the place is perfect labyrinth.
The accompanying picture shows view
looking upstream. The place where tae
water enters the earth is about 1000 feet
away and 40 feet higher
As these tunnels gradually wash out
the lower ends cave in, SO that the open.
ings are slowly going upstream. This is a
faster process than one would think, as
the ends of the tunnels have ascended
fifty feet in the last two years.
Of course it is almost impossible to ex-
plore these tunnels owing to their small
size and the great danger of caving walls.
Not day passes but what several tons
fall into the tunnels to close them up.
The San Francisco call., 1896-08-02
Strange Natural Tunnels

About three miles east of the town OF
Ukiah in Mendocino County can be seen
one of the most unusual natural curios In
the State. In certain spot the crust OF
the earth is fairly honeycombed with
natural tunnels. and at the same time Is
strong enough to bear the weight OF the
heaviest wagon.
The origin of this peculiar geological
foundation is a matter that seems to have
escaped the study of the great scientists OF
the State, as several well-known men de-
clared they had no knowledge of it. In
general appearance the earth appears to
be artificial. 1t looks almost exactly like
the composition of stone and cement that
is used by builders when putting in foun-
dations. A close examination shows 1t to
be mixture of a substance similar to
soapstone and various kinds of gravel.
1t is almost impossible to conceive OF
The San Francisco call., 1896-08-02

whole amphitheater is bathed IN glow
OF liquid light When few skyrockets
and Roman candles are discharged and
the brilliant light is reflected from pin
nacle to pinnacle. bringing out the most
unexpected effects of light and shade,
then, indeed, is the scene dazzling one.
Just when the DEVILS Den first came
into existence is not known, but it is OF
com paratively recent origin and on account
of its ephemeral nature will undoubtedly
soon be thing of the past. That is, if
our rainy seasons keep up.
The San Francisco call., 1896-08-02

having paid $57 so for his pas
sage and having thereby saved $5. The
return portion of the ticket, which now
costs the broker but $52 so, Is by prearrange-
ment turned over to the San Francisco
brokers' correspondent in Chicago. This
entities the holder to a first-class un.
limited trip to San Francisco, and its nom-
inal value is $72 so. 1t is probably sold
for $62 so, which saves the passenger $40
and gives the broker profit of an equal
amount. Thus the return ticket, which
cost the brokers S1l0, is disposed of for
$120, leaving each S. as his share of the
profit, while the saving to the two passen-
gers has been SIS.
Another favorite proposition is that
which offers in the purchase of a through
ticket to Indianapolis via Chicago. This
costs $54. The regular fare to Chicago is
$50 so. The local fare between Chicago
and Indianapolis is $5 so. This deal, there
fore, leaves Sd to be divided between the
broker and the passenger.
A better field still is that opened by the
purchase of a ticket from San Francisco to
joplin via Denver and Kansas City. This
costs $40 So. The rate TO Denver direct is
$35. and to Kansas City $40. The local
rate between Denver and Kansas City is
S17 and between Kansas City and Joplin
81 80. Thus. by the proper manipulation
of such a ticket there Is margin of $15 IS
to apportion between the passengers and
the brokers.
Tickets from San Francisco to Mont.
gomery, Ala, via St. Louis, also offer
good investment for the brokers. The
rate to Montgomery is s51 60, and to st.
Louis SAT so. The local charge between
these two points is $14 60. The skillful
therefore, of a through
ticket would leave $40 80 to be shared be-
tween the travellers and the brokers.
1t is almost the constant theme of
thought among passenger agents to thwart
the operations of the scalpers, and the
courts are frequently resorted to in the
endeavor to force them out of business.
Ukiah, Showing Where the Earth
h Natural Tunnels
The San Francisco call., 1896-08-02
Whoro Men Can always Make at Least a Living

dollar a week for the privilege OF working
on it.
The first week Simpson was at work he
made So, but since that time he has aver
aged over a dollar day. He says he
never goes below so cents, and OCCASION
ally reaches s..
In the Russian River country dozens of
men were seen last week, and all spoke in
favor of the business.
''Of course" said one, this is not what
1 would be doing if could help myself.
/ used to earn So day as carpenter, but
that was before we had free trade. Now
earn from $5 to So a week, which beats
nothing ali hollow, | can tell you. 1t don't
cost much to live here. / have traps set
for rabbits and small game and keep fish
lines out in the river all the time. l only
have to buy very few provisions, such as
coffee and bacon. / am in good health
and have really enjoyed the experience.
My family is in the City and have sent
them 81 or S. every week. would like 10
see them, but guess can't until McKin-
ley is elected and business improves"
The locality mentioned is really one OF
the poorest in the State, and yet it has
been proved that any man can make wages
there who will work.
On the headwaters of the San Joaquin
there are dozens of men who average over
81 80 day, and few OF them have found
big nuggets. Not long ago man is said
to have washed out one that weighed $780,
S of Nature, Resembling Huge
'The Devils Den
The San Francisco call., 1896-08-02

shelter of any kind, as the warm weather
at present prevailing makes it comfortable
to sleep out of doors. But should one be
desired it is easy to construct from the
timber in the vicinity. The miner and
poses mentioned.
To show what an industrious man can
do, it is only necessary, to relate the expe--
rience OF Z. Simpson,. who is at present
working in a gulch known as Gold Run,
about twelve miles from Redwood in Men
docino County. Simpson is an engineer
and electrician by trade, but lost his last
job about year ago ''for economic rea-
sons" His savings gradually disappeared
and for several weeks he walked the
streets without sufficient food, all the
while getting into debt for his room rent.
Last April somebody told him of the
mining business, and after borrowing a
dollar from n good friend he started out.
1t took ID cents to cross the bay, but before
his money was gone Simpson had walked
almost to Healdsburg, when he got job
from a rancher. He worked week, and
again started on his way with 81 and big
bag of provisions given him, by his en-
ployer.
In less than week Simpson was at work
in Gold Run. He found a number OF
other men there, and they kindly gave
him pointers in the business, and also in
formed him that it was private land and
that he would have to pay the owner
Peculiar Clay and Gravel Freal
C+oIa0co;+oc Go1JaJ
The San Francisco call., 1896-08-02
How Tickets Are ScaIpod

There are no longer any ticket "scalp-
eIs." They prefer to be known as ticket
brokers' and under that title all the up to-
: date pasteboard manipulators now trans
act quasi-legitimate business. Ticket
broking is far different business from the
old-time scalping. To be "a broker re-
quires capital and the establishment of
responsible connections in nearly all of the
principal cities of the United States.
During a recent season OF disturbance
between Kansas City and New Orleans
o Ottinger of"'this. City invested about $780,
900. in tickets of the Kansas City, Fort
Scott and Memphis road. These were
purchased at the rate of $11 each. When
the trouble was adjusted between the war
ring roads rates went back to the old fig
. ures of $21 50 It is generally the custom
fer roads to redeem all cut-rate tickets
after disagreements have been arranged,
but in this instance, for some unexplained
reason, the Kansas City, Fort Scott and
Memphis road has refused to take up the
0ttinger holdings, and he is compelled to
get rid of them as best he can.
But even during times of profound
peace the broker who has established
himself with good connections has little
difficulty in making a comfortable in
come, and this will continue to be the
case so long as return tickets are issued at
reduced rates, and local charges are much
higher in proportion than through rates.
4 few instances will illustrate how the
brokers can under these conditions, with
some slight risk, it is true, contrive to get
the best of the railroads.
:. First-class return tickets are sold be-
tween hers and Chicago for $110. A first
class limited ticket either way costs $62 so,
and an unlimited passage $72 so. The
broker finds an intending passenger who
is about to buy limited ticket for $62 so.
A rate of $57 80 is quoted by the broker.
The customer accepts the offer and the
broker sends to the Office of the Southern
Pacific to buy a return ticket for $110. The
passenger proceeds to Chicago after
Strange Geological Formations Nea
Is Honeycombed Wi
The San Francisco call., 1896-08-02

positions and still retain its position
securely in piping breeze Each po-
sition tilts the visor in a different direc-
ton, reshapes the contour of the sailor
boy face, imparts anew expression, rakish,
romantic, sentimental, daredevil, bluff,
pure English, nautical, and always leaves
an appearance of bonhommie. There is a
strap that goes over the top of the cap.
that trails to one side, that frames the face
that serves al many variations as the visor
in the general effect and makeup. Six
young American girls gazed at four Eng
lish apprentic 8 at the ferry wharf The
bows pulled smoke out of good cigars like
congress of young locomotives, and
dashed their larry toplights' or did some
thing else equally nautical. AREN'T they
cute?' asked the girls. They were truly,
deucedly clever, but without those caps
the bloom of their Towering young man.
hood would have been less glossy and cap
tivating.
The San Francisco call., 1896-08-02

way managed TO obtain nourishment.
But IN that case there is a strong proba-
bility that the oak stump would have been
cracked, which is not the case. 1t really
looks as if the partly decayed stump of
the oak has been the means of absorbing
nourishment sufficient to keep the ma
drone alive.
The stump of the oak is about eight feet
above ground, which can be accounted for
by the grading of the road. The madrone
is about twenty-five feet high and appears
to be in good condition in spite of the un-
usual conditions under which it is grow
ipp
The San Francisco call., 1896-08-02

OF the long list of philanthropists who
have gwen 81, 100000 or more to tho cause
of higher education in this country only
one himself was college graduate. The
single exception is Seth Low. Girard,
Peabody, Cornell. Cooper, Rockefeller,
Rich, Packer. Hopkins. Clark, Drexel,
Vanderbilt. De Pauw, Lick, Stanford and
the others had not the advantages of coll
lege education.
The San Francisco call., 1896-08-02

M. Vigne has suggested to the French
Chamber of Deputies tax OF one centime
on every published book. The Govern
ment, for instance. would have received
$500 from NJ. Zola's Rome" alone.
The San Francisco call., 1896-08-02

StaIagmites Called tThe Devils Den
The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1896-01-23
ConfIicSIn Title.

THACKERvILLE, l. T., Jan. %
Five residents of thisitown had notice
served on them today to vacate their
property. c. p. and ]. G. Liddel,
two non-citizens, bought about 25OO
acres of land from a citizen, getting
a quit-claim deed to same, and claim
that the residences of the five are on
this land. Some of these parties
built the houses and all of them
acquired peaceable possession and
have occupied the property for some
time. They will be compelled to go
into court and defend their interests
or lose their property.
The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1896-01-23
Above Cost But sneel.l.

The w. NJ. Nix Grocery company
will on Saturday next conduct q
special sales day mot cost sale) to
which they invite the attention Of
the good housewives OF the city.
They have just received a large as
sortment OF standard canned goods,
Blanke & Bros candies and many
other nice things too numerous to
mention.
Remember it viii be a special sales
day, at prices above cost, but cheap
er than such advertised sales usually
are. All those holding keys to the
gold premium box may rest assured
the offer viii be made good not
withstanding the theft Of the con-
tents of the box.