davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Mesa free press., 1899-12-29
GENERAL NEWS ITEMS
The News of the State, Nation
and the World
MOST INTERESTING HAPPENINGS
From Everywhere will be found in
this Column. Items that inter-
est Everybody

Mr. Roberts would not he able to ask
the band to play "Just One Girl"
General Joubert of the Boer army is
said to be an American. He certainly
fights like one.
Shasta county has new curiosity in
the shape of dancing eggs" Masses
of these eggs, are laid by some as yet
unknown insect, on the under side of
oak leaves, and as they advance toward
maturity they drop to the ground and
dance about Collections Of the eggs
are now on exhibition in some of the
towns of the county
The members of Pittsburg Typo
graphical Union No. have walked out
of the offices of the Pittsburg daily
newspapers and struck work, although
the scale or contract between the
printers and publishers does not expire
until December "a. They have not
struck for higher wages. The demand
is that the machinists employed to care
for the linotype machines, and who are
members of Duquesne Lodge No. 10 of
the International Association of ma
chinists, be forced TO become members
of the Typographical union.
Great special bill at the Orpheum Los
Angeles. The Great Camille D'Arvill,
Beautiful Art Portrait of this Great
Artist will be presented to each one who
attends Wednesday Matinee, Dec. 20.
Mesa free press., 1899-12-29
GATHERINGS OF THE s. p.

San Francisco. P. Huntington,
president of the Southern Pacific COM
pany, has issued a statement of the
earnings Of the company for October
last and for the first four months of
the present fiscal year.
The gross earnings in October
amounted to $6,069,811. This is an in
crease Of $1,062,382 over the CORES
ponding month of the year before. The
figures constitute the largest gross
revenue in any month in the company's
history. The operating expenses In
October were $3,602,611, an increase Of
$595,626. The earnings over operating
expenses were $2,167 ,23O, or an increase
of $466,75 over October, 1898.
For the months of July, August, Sep
TENDER and October last, the gross
earnings Of the Southern Pacific Com
pany aggregated $22,324, 375. This is an
increase of $3,688,551 over the CORE
spending period of last year. The op-
Grating expenses amounted to STA, 401,-
239, an increase Of $2,023, 02O. The total
earnings over operating expenses were
$685. 1876, representing an increase Of
$1,665,531 over the same four months
of the year before.
Mesa free press., 1899-12-29
EIGHTH LAW.

SAN NCISCO-Attorney -Gener-
al Ford at the request of Labor Com
missioner Meyers, has given an opin-
ion interpreting the eight-hour law of
California. The law provides that eight
hours shall constitute a days work
for ''laborers, workmen and mechan-
ics."
The Attorney General says the leg
islature evidently intended to include
O. those engaged in manual labor, or
physical toll requiring little or no skill
or special training; (2) those engaged
in similar labor or toll, but requiring
some skill or training for the proper
and efficient performance of the same,
and (3), those engaged In mechanical
employment requiring skill in the use
of tools" He adds:
Whether or not any particular en-
ploye fails within the any one of the
classes designated in the statutes must,
of course, depend upon the character of
/ the particular service rendered by him.
For example, it is evident that a
Waterman or special policeman who
performs not manual labor is not a
laborer' within the meaning of the
statute, nor is he either a workman
or mechanic Nor could it be held
that those engaged in purely clerical
or professional employment were
among the designated classes"
Mesa free press., 1899-12-29
Life or Death.

"Prince" John Van Buren,, so called
because he was the prince Of good fell
lows, was exceedingly quick at re-
partee. The New York Tribune prints
a story which shows his readiness and
effectiveness on the stump.
He was making speech in behalf Of
his father, President Van Buren,, when
an old Democrat rose and upbraided
him as a bolter. Quick as a fash he
replied to the charge.
One day, he said, a man on horse
back came up with a boy who was CON-
tending with an overturned load of
hay. Instead of tossing the hay back
into the wagon, the boy was tossing it
hither and thither, regardless of where
it landed. The traveller halted and
said:
"My young friend, why do you work
so furiously this hot weather? Why
don't you throw the hay back into the
wagon, and be more deliberate in your
labors?'
The boy stopped, wiped his face with
his shirt sleeve, and pointing to the
pile of hay on the roadside, said:
stranger, dads under there!
Then he set about his work again.
more furiously than ever.
Mesa free press., 1899-12-29

subject to the same standards as those,
applied to man, but on the question of
clothes she must still suffer a little by
the comparison. For a man does not
go into retirement and deny himself to,
his kind while the tailor is at his house.
He does not pore over pattern books,
and on the subject of findings" he is
blissfully ignorant. One can hardly
fancy man going about choosing the
lining for his coat, the buttons for his
vest and all the innumerable elements
that go to cover the human form divine.
OF course, women have the object Of
beauty as well as utility in their minds,
and in their zeal for the former they.
will give soul and strength in the search
for becomingness. This Is well, but it
Is encouraging to note that 1t is now
possible for woman to be we'll dressed
without devoting her days to the task
In former times 1t was almost impossible
to buy women's garments ready made,
and it was necessary for woman eth
er to make them herself or employ
dressmakers more or less skilled. But
now she is no longer under the tyranny
of the thimble. She can buy her clothes
ready made, and when she dons these
she Is not to be distinguished from the
wearer Of the made-to-order gowns,
while she feels far superior to her who
wears the homemade dresse.
Mesa free press., 1899-12-29
FILIPINO PITFALLS.

NEW YORK-A special to the .Trib-
une from Washington says that in hos
pital reports which reached the war
department from Manila is chronicled
the first casualty due to falling into a
Tagal pitfall which contained the hor-
rible device of bamboo posts set firmly
in the hole and sharpened at the top
for the purpose of impaling the un-
wary.
The American troops have frequently
found such traps on the line of march,
and especially in front of insurgent
trenches. but instances have been ex-
ceedingly rare in which the bamboo
stakes were discovered. Ordinarily the
traps have been simply deep holes in
the jungle, covered with long grass, and
although soldiers have frequently fall
en- into them, no serious injury has re-
suited. On October Is, when forty
five men of Co. /, Nineteenth infantry,
were engaged in a reconnaissance in
chasing small band of Tagals from
some trenches, Private Karl plunged
into such a pit, with it's sharpened
bamboos, and had his leg and foot Sc
verely lacerated, which put him out of
service. Fortunately he did not tumble
headlong into the trap, for If he had,
in the opinion of the surgical officers,
his wounds must certainly have been
fatal
Mesa free press., 1899-12-29
WHEAT CROP FIGURES.
The Agricultural Department Statisti-
clan Makes Report.

WASHINGTON-Th statistician of
the department of agriculture reports
athe wheat crop Of the United States
for 1899 at SAT 300, 900 bushels or 1913
bushels per acre. The production Of
winter wheat Is placed at POI, 700 900
bushels and that Of spring wheat at
255, 10000 bushels. Every important
wheat growing state has been visited
by special agents of the department.
and the changes in acreage are the re-
suit of their investigation.
The newly seeded area Of winter
wheat is estimated at 80, 150, 900 acres.
which is 100000 acres greater than that
sown in the fall of 1898. The sowing
of wheat is still going on in Califronia
and some of the southern states and
the foregoing estimate is subject to
correction.
|. The average condition Is 98,1.
The acreage sown with winter rye
is estimated at z per cent less than
that of last year. The average condi
ton is 1872 per cent.
The compilation of the annual re-
turns from individual farms Is ap-
preaching completion. Amy slight
changes that might be called for in. the
average yield per acre of corn, oats, bar
ley and other crops, published October
10. will be made at an early date and
the final figures will then be available.
Mesa free press., 1899-12-29
PACIFIC COAST NEWS
Important information Gathered
Around the Coast.
ITEMS OF GENERAL INTEREST
A Summary Of Late Events That Are
Boiled Down to Suit our Busy
Readers

The San Jose Board of Health will
cooperate with that of San Francisco
to suppress traffic in diseased meats.
There have been 3O35 arrests at Sac
ramento during the past year, Of
these last twenty-one were held for the
superior court.
Bridge tender Emlay of Alameda,
whose past deeds Of heroism have
won for him the title of Hero OF the
estuary of San Antonio" on last Sat-
urday and Sunday added two more
lives to the long list Of those he has
saved from watery grave.
By a recent decision of Judge Hen-
messy of Portland, Ore, spiritualistic
mediums are declared ministers of the
gospel of spiritualism, and exempted
from payment of the license fees re-
Gently imposed by the city council ON
fortune tellers and mediums.
At a meeting of the High School
Teachers club of Alameda county, at
Oakland, Saturday, the following mo-
tion was made and carried: cit is the
sense of this club that the state con-
stitution should be amended so that
the state scool tax should not be ap-
piled exclusively to primary and gram
mar schools"
Volunteers of America in San Jose
have decided to substitute private dis
tribution of food, clothing and fuel to
the deserving, for the usual holiday
dinner, as it is their experience that
the really deserving poor avoid the
publicity of the dinner, and that those
who avail themselves of the opportu-
nifty are chiefly stalwart hobos.
At meeting of the board of super
visors Of San Francisco county, on
Monday, an ordinance was introduced
providing for the sale of street-car
tickets at the rate of seven for a quar-
ter, to adults, available between 6 and
s am, and and p. m, or all days
except Sundays; and eight for quar-
ter to school children, available. be-
8 am, and and p. M, on all days
except Saturdays, Sundays and legal
holidays. The matter was referred to
the street committee, and the resolu-
ton passed to print, to facilitate oper-
ations.-Los Angeles Times.
Mesa free press., 1899-12-29
COMIC, YET TRAGIC.

ST. LOUIS-Comedy and tragedy
were depicted in the arena of the ST.
Louis Athletic club. In the prelimi-
nary bout preceding the star contest
between Tommy White, the 126-pound
Broad of Cleveland, Henry Neise of st.
Louis and Fred Bellerson, reputed to
be the heavyweight champion of Utah,
went on for fifteen rounds. Neise was
long and lanky, while Bellerson was
'hog fat" their combined weight ap-
proximating 400 pounds.
The performance of the men was so
grotesque that roars of 4, laughter
greeted their efforts. No serious harm
was done until the bell tapped for the
sixth round, in which, after a heavy
exchange, Neise was fioored by a hard
right hook on the jaw He arose
groggy, with his back to the Utah man,
who, seeing his advantage, planted a
terrific right-hand swing to the head,
bringing Neise to the floor, his head
striking with dull thud. He was car
ried from the ring in an unconscious
state and physicians were summoned.
White and Broad then entered the
ring, and after fighting two rounds
with honors even, were stopped by the
police, who announced that Neise was
dead.
"Tim" Hurst and Manager Charles
Whitney were Immediately taken into
custody. Bellerson escaped, but his
seconds were put under arrest. The
physicians verdict was to the effect
that Neise died of conclusion of the
brain.
Mesa free press., 1899-12-29

The New Fodder Plant Said to Be
Adapted to This Country.

BERKELEY-The Australian salt
bush. the new fodder plant, whose Gull
tivation Is being advocated by the ag-
ricultural scientists Of the University
Of California, is proving well adapted
TO California needs
mo other fodder plant yet tested In
the Salinas valley makes such early
winter growths or furnishes so much
and such valuable food for live stock"
said Inspector Charles H. Shinn. on
his return from visit to the Paso
Robes experiment station of the uni
versity. Horses and sheep, which
are being fed half hay and half salt
bush. have become very fond of the
combination"
The experimental pear orchard in
Paso Robes, which Is just coming into
bearing, is reported by Inspector Shinn
to have proved gratifying success.
Mesa free press., 1899-12-29
MRS. CRAvEN's CHANCE.

SAN FRANCISCO-Mrs. Nettie r.
Craven, who claims to be the widow of
James G.. Fair, won partial victory in
Judge Troutt's court, when the court
decided that she may prosecute her
claim for a family allowance of $4,000
a month.
Under this ruling Of the court Mrs.
Craven will now be permitted to prove,
if she can do so, her contention that
she is the widow of the senator. It
will be in order to show that she sns-
tanned wifely relations with the de-
ceased millionaire. and that he was
supporting her at the time of his death:
If she does this to the satisfaction of
the court her petition for family allow
ance may be granted.
Mesa free press., 1899-12-29
COMPANY BLAMELESS.

TACOMA, Wash-A Carbonate spe-
cial to the Ledger says the Coroner's
jury there has rendered the following
verdict:
eve find that the thirty-one men
giving their names) came to their
death by an explosion of gas from
some unknown cause.
eve find that the Carbon Hill Coal
Company used due diligence to keep
the mine free from gas for the safety
of it's employees, and has complied with
the state mining law, and we attach
no blame to the said company.
(Signed)
GEORGE E. MACMARTIN,
Foreman"
One witness said the men frequently
smoked in the mine when the bosses
were not around.
Governor Rodgers was an interested
Mesa free press., 1899-12-29
WELL DISTRIBUTED.
Large Estate to Be Divided Among
Two Hundred People.

CHICAGO-A special to the Times
Herald from Mount Pleasant, Ia,
says:
The will of the late w. G. Saunders
has been filed for probate here. The
estate amounts to about $400,0 900.
He was widower and left no chill
dren. Two-thirds of this estate he
divided up among about 200 relatives
and friends scattered all over the coun-
try. Every one who has been kind to
him or his deceased wife will get
check for $500 or $1,000. He left $4,000
to the city cemetery fund, $4,000 to the
Christian church of this city and $4,000
to the local Christian Scientists. The
balance of his estate amounting to
about 100000, he has left as trust
fund to be invested and the income to
be used for the relief of the poor.
Mesa free press., 1899-12-29
FROM FOREIGN LANDS,

The London Statist says the pros
poets of gold coming from the United
States are more hopeful. To induce
shipments the Bank of England has
raised the price it is willing to pay for
eagles one penny to 76s sgd per ounce.
At the same time it has offered to lend
money at only 21s per cent on the Sc
curity of gold.
Guatemalan advices to the New York
Herald are that the governments bull
letin, just issued, gives details of rev.
dictionary attempt in the eastern de-
partments Of Guatemala. Troops are
now pursuing the revolutionists over
the frontier into Salvador and Hondu-
ras. Several prominent citizens sup
posed to be sympathizing with the rev.
dictionary movement, have been taken
prisoners.
Mesa free press., 1899-12-29

"Will the coming woman marry? She
will not unless the coming man studies
grammar, so that he can make the
cultured woman understand a proposal
Of marriage. Rev. Newell Dwight
Hills, in a sermon at Plymouth church.
Does DR.. Hills know of woman re-
jectlng q man for no other reason ex-
cept that the proposal was contradic-
tory to the science which treats of the
principles of language? Does DR.. Hills
know a man who made a proposal Of
marriage repeating word for word the
language that he had prepared With
painful exactness and was accepted ?
II he does he is in possession of infor-
nation of which the world in general
Is not. The woman who would reject a
man because he erred in the construc-
ton of his sentence in asking her to
marry deserves to be an old maid all
the days of her life. The man who
could deliver well prepared proposal
would sacrifice sincerity to artificial
ty, unless he had extraordinary self
control, and the sincere man makes a
far better husband than the artificial
one. And the woman who could not
understand a proposal of marriage,
grammatical or otherwise, should be
unfeignedly pitied for her dullness of
comprehension.
Mesa free press., 1899-12-29
PREYED UPON WOMEN.
Swindler Heber Tells How He Became
Wealthy.

CHICAGO-Walter T. Heber, arrest
ed here charged with using the mails
for fraudulent purposes, confessed be-
fore United States Commissioner Hum
phrey that he had grown wealthy
through his swindling operations.
Postoffice Inspector Stuart has re-
ceived scores of complaints, mostly
from women, which indicate that He
Der operated through the mails in ev-
cry part of the country. He adver-
tised extensively to send 500 samples
of silk and other articles upon receipt
of Is cents. AS an extra inducement
he guaranteed to reproduce in oil pho
tographs sent him by customers. When
arrested, numerous photographs were
found, and his mail on the day of his
capture contained nearly 5000 in sums
from 25 cents to So.
Mesa free press., 1899-12-29

L. Kayatayama, the imperial archi-
tect of Japan, has recently placed an
order In Pittsburg for 5000 tons OF
structural iron to be used in building
q palace for the crown prince at Tokyo.
Although covering a large area, this
building will be only three stories In
height, and will be constructed with
particular reference to withstanding
earthquakes. This architect has been
here for some time, studying our build
Ing methods, and especially their adap-
tation to Japan's needs.
Mesa free press., 1899-12-29
LIEUT.. BATSON WOUNDED.

WASHINGTON-G Otis has
cabled the war department that Lieut.
Batson, who organized and commanded
the Macabebe scouts. has been seri-
ously wounded in the foot. Amputa-
ton is probable.
Gen. Otiss dispatch is as follows
MANILA, Dec. 14.-Lieut Batson,
Fourth cavalry, organized four large
companies of Macabebe scouts, had
advance of Lawton's troops, and at
Mesa free press., 1899-12-29
FOUR MEXICANS KILLED.

FLORENCE-Huero Pero, Juan
Orosco and two other Mexicans were
killed at the Ray mining camp, twenty
five miles east of Florence. A free
fight started among score of drunken
miners in drinking saloon. Knives
and revolvers were used, and at least
dozen of the participants were
wounded. The camp has filled up with
the lowest class of Mexicans, many of
them fugitives from Mexican justice,
and cutting ARRAYS are far from I'M
common.
Mesa free press., 1899-12-29
HOPE FOR DAMPHOFFER.

VANCOUVER, Wash.-A telegram
was received from United States Sen
ator Foster by, State Representative e.
c. Bellows of this city, stating that the
war department had given him assur-
ance that the sentence would be nit
igated in the case of George Damphof-
fer, who has been condemned to death
by a court-martial in Manila.
Mesa free press., 1899-12-29

tended Young's cavary in Northwest
ern Luzon, Batson leading with con-
spicuous gallantry in several hard
fought engagements. November 10 he
was seriously wounded in the foot:
amputation probably necessary; can
he not receive majority in some staff
corps as reward for efficient services?"
Mesa free press., 1899-12-29
FEARED BOERs WOULD WIN.

NEW YORK-Daniel A. Weber, an
Englishman, So years old, committed
suicide at his home here by jumping
from the fourth-story window. His
son Daniel, with whom he lived, said
that his father was made melancholy
from being out of work and the news
today that the English forces were suf-
fering reverses at the hands of the
Beers.
Just before killing himself, the old
man expressed the opinion: 'I'm afraid
the Beers will win"
Mesa free press., 1899-12-29
LIBRARY SECURED.

OAKLAND-The Ebell Society ladies
have been successful in their efforts to
secure the $4,000 necessary to pur-
chase site upon which to build the IL
brary for which purpose Andrew Car
negie has given $4,000. The ladies
had on hand in cash and pledges S18,-
769, when telegram was received
from G. p Huntington stating that he
would contribute $4,000. This brings
the total of the subscriptions to $3.50
more than is needed.
Mesa free press., 1899-12-29
BRITISH PRISONERS.

WASHINGTON-Mr Macrum, Unit
ed States consul at Pretoria, has cabled
the state department that the Trans
vaal government informed him that full
reports will be given through the war
Office of the republic of the names and
condition of British prisoners Mr.. Ma
crum preferred request for informa-
ton on this point some time ago, and
was at first refused. Now, however,
that the assent of che Boer government
is given, it is noted that their response
is not completed.
They will not furnish Mr.. Macrum
himself with the information, but
oblige the British to make application
to the Boer war Office. This is a small
matter. but it is said may be indicative
of an intention on the part of the Beers
to force formal recognition Of their in
dependence in every official communi-
cation by the British government.
Visalia has two hundred pound
Ii
Mesa free press., 1899-12-29
CRISIS BLOODY DEED.

TACOMA-Adam Crist deliberately
shot his wife, fatally, killed his eight
year-old son, seriously wounded sec
ond son aged years, and then ended
the tragedy by putting bullet through
his own brain. Jealousy is the only
motive assigned for the crime. Crist
was the proprietor of the Chicago lodg-
ing house and returned this morning
from a six months business trip to
Spokane.
Mesa free press., 1899-12-29
WOMAN ABOLITIONIST DEAD.

PAWTUCKET, R.I.-Mrs. Elizabeth
Upham Chase, who became prominent
throughout the country in the anti
slavery agitation days on account of
her work in behalf of the negro, and
who was the leading advocate of wom-
an suffrage, died at her home in Cen
trail Falls, aged SO years.
Mesa free press., 1899-12-29

With wife, house and lot, piano,
q sword, watch, pet lion, a title
and fat salary already provided, and
q big pot of prize money in sight, Ad-
miral Dewey is naturally pretty well
satisfied with the way the world is
using him.
Mesa free press., 1899-12-29
NOT BOER SPIES.

BELFAST-Two American CONNER
cial travellers, who have arrived here,
say they were detained at Queenstown
on suspicion of being Boer spies. They
add that the United States consul OBJ
tanned their release and that he is max
ing an inquiry into the matter.
Mesa free press., 1899-12-29

What we inherit from England is
chiefly language, literature and GER
tain political aspirations. These are
worthy requests, but they do not,
nevertheless, entitle England to be
called the mother country any more
than the possession of French language
and litei ature entities Hayti to claim
the lineage Of France. The truth is
that the pure Ang,o-Saxon strain
among us is nearly extinct and ha
been replaced by better one. 1t is
time for our statesmen to recognize
and, on fitting occasion, to proclaim the
fact and put an end to the after-dinner
humility which makes out that Amert-
cans are something else and worse.
Mesa free press., 1899-12-29

A girl laughed five hours over joke
and 1t took two doctors to persuade her
to stop. Editors as rule have great
number Of such jokes sent them. but
they are always afraid to print them.