davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1899-03-17
Nlagara'S Fantastic Winter Records.

Niagara has been a mighty good
gar to go there to view the big water
fall. Not a summer passes without
Its thrilling rescues, accidents and sui
cides; hardly a winter rolls by with
out some hairbreadth escape from the
grinding ice.
Niagara Falls folk on both sides Of
the river are a little shy about report
ing suicides, but the records show that
the number averages thirty-fye a year.
some OF these self-murders by jump
ing into the worlds greatest cataract
are dramatic in the extreme, but near
~ all have n feature in common
almost every victim appears to be in
a trance, as If the rushing green
waters had exercised a strange fas-
clnatlon owe him. In view of DR..
Luys, the eminent French %hypnotist
n specialist in nervous diseases, this
fascination is nothing more nor less
than hypnotism. and possibly he is
right, though skeptics might disagree
with him. He says the steady motion
OF the stream affects good hypnotic
subjects exactly as does his hypnotic
machine, made of four giittering cups
that are kept in rapid revolution, and
that in most instances the shock to
the suicide when he strikes the water
breaks the hypnotic spell, hence the
almost invariable screaming and fran
tic struggling to regain che shore and
a " the life so rccklessly risked.
Ice bridges do not form below the
falls every season, but they always
bring a bountiful harvest to the Ma
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1899-03-17

between the falls and whirlpool rap
ids. This years bridge has been re-
markable. Never before has the jam
been on such an immense scale. Hun
dreds of thousands of tons Of ice are
piled, some of it fifty feet high, in the
gorge and along the banks. So great
at times is the pressure on the jam
by additional ice that the monster
structure moves out under it. This
happened a few days ago, when many
persons were on the bridge, which
moved down the river 300 feet before
it stopped. Great crevasses open sud
denly, or, closing under the same ire
mendOus pressure, form huge ridges
and upheavals. Some Of the views
taken show how the ice is hurled UP
and thrown with fearful force against
whatever happens to be in its path.
Huge iron and steel cross-girders, sup
porting many tons on the new steel
arch bridge. were bent or twisted a"
if they were SO much wire.
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1899-03-17

CARA hotel men, and they would no
doubt see to it that every winter has
its bridge If they could. The bridges
are always dangerous, yet the sight
seers invariably gather upon them, and
many narrow escapes from death by
the ice giving away, similar to the one
reported a few days ago, occur. Sui
cides on the ice bridges are rare, and
most of the few that have taken place
have been by shooting, not by jumping
into the water.
Curiously enough a fair proportion
OF all those who kill themselves at
Niagara use the bullet, but nearly
every one so manages it hat his body
will so over the falls. Bodies that
pass the cataract are invariably
stripped naked by the combined action
OF the water and the Jagged rocks.
Professional swimmers have for years
been ambitious to swim or float
through4the whirlpool rapids below the
falls, and one at least, Charles Percy,
managed to go through in a closed
boat about twelve years ago. Two
professionals, and possibly others,
nave lOSL Lnelr lives IN the attempt.
One of these victims was Capt. Mat
thew Webb. an Englishman who had
survived some surprising aquatic ex-
periences, and who attempted to swim
the rapids without protection of any
sort on July "a, 1883. He was evil
IDENTIFY killed by being dashed against
the rocks before he had timo to drown.
The other victim was Colbert w.
Flack Of Syracuse, also English by
birth, who tried the trip on July 4,
1883, ia an open boat named the Phan-
tom, built from his W special de-
signs. His craft was 20 constructed
that%the Inmate could be strapped fast.
and he argued that this precaution
would Increase his safety. no matter
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1899-03-17

day, SO great was the attendance on
the free show. For a week in ad-
n every stage from Buffalo to the
falls went down loaded, and the packet
boats on the canal carried thousands
from Buffalo and the towns along it's
line as far east of Rochester. BY the
night of the 7th all the taverns at
Niagara II many private houses
We're crowded with guests, and on the
9Th there was a famine, the food sup
ply being inadequate to the enormous
demand. On the Sth five steamer loads
every available boat on the Erie be-
ing chartered-went down the river
from Buffalo, and the total number OF
spectators on both banks of the falls
was between $1,000 and $1,000. That
would be thought a good-sized crowd
even now; then it was simply unprcc-
edented.
The Michigan was cut adrift at about
3 O'Clock in the afternoon a quarter
of a mile above the upper rapids, her
crew Of five men leaving in a yawl
and being obliged to row for they
lives to get out of the currents tnfu-
ence. To add to the interes: OF She
occasion she had on board a but alo,
two bears, a raccoon, a dog, a cat and
four geese. The bears jumped over
board and swan ashore in spite of the
current. All the other creatures per-
ished except two of the geese, which
were picked up below the falls and
sold for fancy prices. The craft went
over broadside on, with the British
Union Jack flying from her stern and
the stars and stripes from her fore
mast. She was smashed into bits, Of
course, and the relic hunters afterward
gathered pieces Of her as best they
could from the river below the cata-
ract.
A contemporary accoun closes with
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1899-03-17

"A score or more Americans were as]een
on the Caroline, unarmed. if is said
Az all events most Of them were
driven away; one. Amos Durfee. was
killed on the deck. Then the boat was
cut loose from its moorings, towed ont
INTO the stream, set on fire and LET 90
IL was declared at the time that sew
eral Americans were still on board
"heh thls was done. and that thew
were either burned to death or sent
TO destruction, but this was never
proved. Old man Scranton used TO
describe the sight Of that burning
steamer floating down the river and
gong over the falls as the weirdest
n most impressive spectacle he ever
saw.
The excitement caused on both sides
or the river by that episode was fer
rl1lc, and Uncle Sam and johnny Ruu
came nearer fighting over it by manv
degrees than they did over the Vene-
zuela boundary a few years ago. In
lS41 Alexander Mcleod, a Canadian
who was of the British party. was
tried in Utica for the murder of Dur
fee and acquitted. Mr.. Scranton used
to say that it was then the general
impression in both countries that Nc
l.eod's conviction would have brought
On a war between the United States
n England. Scranton never got anv
pay for his boat, though he held an
indemnity bond against British moles-
tation signed by the mayor of Buffalo.
Niagara to-day presents a delightful
appearance. The greatest of all the
attractions this winter is the remark
able Ice jam in the gorge below the
falls known as the ice bridge.
An ice bridge at Niagara Falls is
not an arched raised structure, but a
foe OF impacted ice which has come
ever the falls and jams in the river
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1899-03-17

the statement that the people were
so well pleased with this grand and
novel aquatic exhibition that already
they are talking about getting I'D
something more splendid next year,
IN this the tavern-keepers and stage
proprietors will heartily join, as the
present frolic has afforded them a fine
harvest The spectacle, however.
was never repeated.
The Nearly Caused War.
The destruction of the steamer Caro-
line was OF another order. It took
place on December %, 1897.
A small rebellion was Their disturb
ing Canada, and the Caroline-orig-
lnally named the Caroline and built
10 sail IN salt waters off the coast Of
South Carol1na-had just been char
tered to ply between Buffalo and what
was known as %Schlosser's dock, inst
above the falls, stopping each trip at
Navy Island, on the Canadian side. It
was charged then by the British that
she was used to smuggle arms and
ammunition to the rebels, and her
owner, the late Hamlet d. Scranton of
Rochester, admitted as much to a re-
porter twenty years ago.
The British didn't like this, and they
naturally took steps to stop aid reach
ing the rebels in this way. These
steps were not foreseen by the owners
Of the boat, and so we're eminently
successful. At near midnight a party
Of sixty loyal Canadians, armed to the
teeth and headed by Capt. Drey, ap-
pearcd at Schlosser's dock in boats.
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1899-03-17
GEN. Won CAPRlNl.
LIKE BISMARCK, HE WAS A MAN
OF BLOOD AND IRON.
Came OF One Of the Greatest Families
OF PrussIn-Was Considered a Worthy
Successor OF the Iron Chancelior-An
Active Life.

Gen. Count George Leo o Cap!ivl,
formerly chancellor for the German
empire, who died recently, was Il OF
the most versatile and at the same
time one of the most influential Ger
mans of the century. As a soldier in
his early days he ranked next to Won
Moltke as the foremost warrior in
Europe. Transferred between two days
TO the navy. and made admiral ind
chief OF the naval department or the
government. he quickly showed him
self master CT that branch Of the ser
vice, and he reorganiZed the German
navy. laying the foundations for its
present strength. transferred c
more, this time from Il military to a
civic field, Count Won Caprivi showed
himself capable of mastering the IN
tricate details of the German foreign
policy. and became a not unworthy
successor to Bismarck.
Caprivi was born in 1881. and ac-
cording to the hera!ds he rejoiccd in
the full name of George Leo Won Ca
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1899-03-17
PumclO, ShaddOck or Crane Fruit.

The pumelO of Florida is now recog-
nized as not only a delicious breakfast
fruit, but also as a tonic and alter
ative, counteracting malaria, imper-
feet action Of the liver, and as a gen.
cral bracer and appetizer to the human
system. In China the fruit is made
ornamental in it's service, the rind cut
in intricate and curious designs, the
top lifting as a cover, as do citron
melons in this country for ceremonious
occasions. The pulp is separated, the
white, tough membrane peeled off and
then put back in the skin, to be re-
moved to individual plate when the
fruit is passed. 1t is ever present as
a favorite delicacy of Chinest feasts.
In this country the shaddock is served
in various ways, either as fruit, shcr-
bet, etc, according to the fancy of the
hostess. AS a fruit course for break
fast it is cut in half and eaten with
~sugar-the less of the latter used the
more beneficial.
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1899-03-17

n happered. AS a matter of eX-
perience it insured his drowning, for
the boat capsiZed and overturned
twice. 1t is possible that he might
have got out alive had he been free;
as it was, he was held down by the
boat and drowned the first time his
cockleshell turned over.
Big FREQ Show.
AT least two stable vessels have
gone over the falls-the schooner
Caroline a little less than ten years
later. The Michigan's voyage was pre-
arranged, and was enjoyed by thou
sands gathered en- the American and
Canadian shores. The Michigan was
then the largest vessel on Lake Erie.
She drew too much water, in fact, to
enter some OF the best ports, and had
never been profitable. For hat rea-
sOn and also because she was some
what decayed lin her uppers," her
owner, Major I'raZcr-a New Yorker,
by the Way-suggested to the keepers
of public houses" near the falls and
to the owners Of various steamboats,
and stages that it would be a good
thing for them to buy the BOAT ana
send her yer the falls, trusting to
the money the spectators would spend
to get their expenditures back. The
suggestion was adopted, and Septem-
Der s was chosen for the exhibition.
{ h. orrn). ~ IL,-o z. T.
be believed, Buffalo and all the ad-
Joining country in this state and Can
ada virtually a deserted on that
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1899-03-17
THE COUR DE CESSATION,
What Frances Chief Tribunal Consist
Of-W0r!ss Slowly.

1t may come as a surprise to those
familiar with the large salaries paid
to our higher judges to learn that the
presldont-ln-chief Of the French Cour
de Cessation receives only fl 200 q
year, says the London Chronicle In M
country save the United States do ill.,
dlclal salaries approach in AMOUNT to
even a third Of those paid her and in
the united States only in the CITY of
New York. The heavy rise in judicial
salaries here dates from about the
middle of the last century. The sal
aries II pensions are based on the
assumption that judicial salaries must
be in a ratio with the earnings of
those paid to the barristers, from
"hom the judges are selected. On the
continent generally the judges are
not SO selected, but ill-paid as thov
are, they appear to give ample sal.
ls1actlon IN the matter of legal learn
ing and hold a high social position
Inc constitution of the COur de Cas-
sation is as follows: The president. or
chief justice, stands at the head of the
organization, having below him three
subordinate presidents, each of whom
has charge of a chamber. Next in or
der come forty-tivc minor judges, styled
councillors, fifteen for each chamber.
Besides these strictly judicial function
aries, who are appointed for life.
there are seven official advocates. one
OF whom is a sort of attorney general
to the whole body, while two practice
IN each OF the divisions. To this
staff must be added four chief clerks
and about a score of minor officials,
Or the three chambers the first is a
court Of requests. serving to decide
what cases shall be allowed to go be-
fore the civil and the criminal cham
bers respectively. Eleven judges in
all the divisions are necessary to form
a quorum, the courts sit only three
days a week, from Il to 4, so that this
huge machine does it's work very slow.
Nv.
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1899-03-17
BRITISH LIBERAL LEADER.

Sir Henry Campbe!l-Banncrman, who
was recently chosen leader of the Brit
ish liberals, is a man of the world more
than a politician. Although he has
sat fer thirty years III the house OF
commons as member for the city of
Stirling, he does not take himself Sc
riCUsly in his political activities. He
has little ambition except to do good
work, and not too much of it. He is
perfectly honest and frank in all that
he does, and can be trusted not to take
any unfair advantage by the rival
powers within his W party. That is
why Harcourt travels peacefully to the
Riviera and ROsebery sits undisturbed
while Bannerman assumes the formal
leadership Of the opposition. He did
wish in a quiet way to be made speak
er of the house, but he was quite
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1899-03-17
WOMEN ExECUTIONERS.
Belgium Had One Recently and Virginia
Had Ono Years Ago.

Had ono Years ago.
What do you think Of a woman who
voluntarily offered herself to the gov
eminent us the public cXecutioncr? \
few years ago the official public exc
cntioner at Brussels died and a sub
stitute was temporarily appointed, says
the New York Herald. On one occa-
sion this person was i'll and unable tc
attend. But at the appointed hour q
stout middlc-aged woman presented
herself at the central police station
and quietly remarked TO the assembled
funCtionaries: 1--WE come for the exc.
cution. My husband is rot very well
this morning and has asked ME to tak5
his place. Please let us get to bust.
ness" The general stupefaction may
be more easily imagined than describ.
cd, which, being noticed by the would
lie lady eXecutioner, she adt>d in a re.
assuring tone: oh. this is not by any
means the first time 1t afterwar1
tIanSpired that the woman, whose
name was Marie Rege. had officiated on
several occasions in lieu Of her hus-
band. Dressed up in his clothes and
her face masked, she had been the pub
lie cXecutiOncr at several executions,
and ncver had the proceedings been
interrupted by Il single hitch. 1t is
needless to add that the police author
tiles were unable to avail themselves
OF her offer on this occasion, how
ever. 1t Will BE 4 surprise to most
people to learn that there has actually
been d woman CNecUtiOner in this
country. In oldcn times few cared to
undertake the Office OF eXocutiOner, and
occasionally death sentences were re-
SpitcG On condition that the criminal
should perform this office. A case of
this sort occurred in the p~re-revolu-
ttOnary day. when a wOnlan was SEN
fenced to death for a murder she had
committed in Virginia. The death sem
tence was respited on her offering to
become public CXCcutioner. and known
as Lady Betty she performed these
duties for many years. She o~ficiated
on the &catiold without any mask or
disguise and logged criminals through
the streets with enthusiastic vigor.
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1899-03-17

content when his colleagues decided
that they could not spare him from
active party management. The new
leader is the son of a Glasgow mer-
chant who was knighted at the time
of the birth of the prince of Wales.
He assumed the traditional name Of
Zimmerman under the will of an I'M
Gle. He has been chief secretary for
ireland and secretary Of state for war.
he Is known Familiarity as &c. B."
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1899-03-17

grandfather was down from Isabella
county to visit his son, and was in
GUIDED among those of the family who
went to see Mansfield in his star en-
gagement. We'll, dad, what did you
mink OF him?' asked the son, when
hey were home again. He's a smart
teller. There's no gettin' round that,
but afore I'd appear in public with
ina there S of his'n I'd have the
turned thing op'rated on"
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1899-03-17
The Senate's Dude.

Senator Hale of Maine is the dude of
the upper house. He has a weakness
for sachet powder, and in passing him
in the corridor one is sure to catch q
Whit Of perfume. Mr.. Hale is as choice
and particular in his use of English as
he is in the selection of his wearing
apparel.
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1899-03-17
WAS n Clog Dnncer.

Tell me honestly said the novel
reader to the novel writer, did YOU
ever see a woman who stood and
tapped the floor impatiently with her
toe for several moments, as you de-
scribe?" Yes was the thoughtful re-
ply; az did once" who was shop,
She was a clog-dancer." -
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1899-03-17
Hia

Mr.. NeWlywed-Here's your wheel,
my dear. II cost So to have her fixed.
Mrs. Newlywed-Why do you speak of
bicycles as feminine? Mr.. Newlywed
because, my dear, they're like wom-
en-, inasmuch as you realize how
expensive they are until you've got
them.
The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1899-03-17

Winifred (insinuatingly)-Mr. Ram
dolph comes to see you every dav
doesn't he? Julia-Oh, yes; but he's
very easily entertained. Winifred-He
must be.
Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1899-06-30
H NEW RAILROAD.
First Shovel of DIRT to Be Thrown
Today With Appropriate
Ceremonies.
From Saturdays Daily.]


The first dirt on the Bismarck, WASH
burn & Fort Buford Railroad grade
will be thrown late this afternoon
probably about S o'clock. Rumors of
this event have been flying about the
city during the day and it is likely
that a large number Of citizens will
drive out to the place where work will
begin. The chief engineer came in
from out On the line last night and
Immediately began the cross-section-
ing and the setting of grade stakes.
The master Of ceremonies today will
be Hon. John Satterlund, whose untir-
ing energies have had much to do with
the securing of early operations on
this road. Its building mean much
for Bismarck. 1t establishes a trade
center. 1t will accelerate the COM
pletion Of the 500 and the building of
the Milwaukee and Northwestern
roads to the Capital city. 1t will
assist in settling up a section Of the
state containing much good land and
few settlers-a region where Ignite
coal is abundant-the settler has but
to dig it IN his own land. This road
Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1899-06-30
FOURTH OF JULY.
The Biggest Kind of a Big Time is Ar.
ranged for at Bismarck-s4oo in
Prizes.
From Wednesdays Daily.l


The general committee in charge of
the Fourth of July celebration had a
long meeting at J. G. Sweets store last
evening, and mapped out the arrange
ments for the biggest kind of a big time.
There has been a liberal response to the
appeal of the soliciting committee for
funds, and there is now nearly $500
available for prizes and expenses. Gen
Hughes was selected as president of the
day, and w. S. Moorhouse as grand mar
shall.
Vice presidents were selected as fol-
lows:
Frank D. Smith, Teller; Donald Stew
art, Manning; D. R. Holbrook, Fort
Rice; M. L. Marsh, Boyd; w. S. Triplett,
Morton: VIM. Britton, Logan; Chas.
Gaskill, White; VIM. Bratton, jr., Ster-
ling; J. A. Field, Apple Creek: B. F.
Scovil, Mckenzie; A. T. WEIGH,
Menoken; S. A. Peterson, Painted
Woods; Chas. o. Hanson, Grass Lake;
Albert Hedstrom, Ghylin; John E. Bach.
man, Ecklund: E. Rawlings, Crofte:
Frank Bly,, Glenview; Ole Sather, Burnt
Creek; Henry Schunert, Riverview;E E. H
Sperry, Hay Greek; M. Wolf, Naughton
S. K. Hood, Francis; j. P. French, Jr.
Gibbs: Norman Falconer, Lincoln; L. D
Bailey, Long Lake; H. A. Mcclure, Dris
coll; Joseph Kershaw, Sibley.
The full list Of subcommittee ir
charge of the various departments is a.
follows, the gentleman first named beins
chairman:
Grafton and Program-Gen. Hughes
Jewell and Hoskins.
Horse Races-Logan, Leslie and Nc
Donald.
Sports - Moore, Hutchinson, Rya1
McC ormick and Marcellus.
Gun Shoot-Richholt and Newton.
Bicycle Races-P. Byrne.
Printing and Acknowledgements ant
Byrne.
The chairmen of the various commit
tees are expected to get their men to
gether this afternoon and this evenin,
and complete their parts of the program
SO that the full program can be printe.
and sent out into the country tomorrow
morning. Arrangements are being mad
for a special train to leave and return t,
Mandan at convenient times.
Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1899-06-30

Bad management keeps more people
in poor circumstances than any other
n cause. To be successful one must
look ahead and plan ahead so that when
a favorable opportunity presents itself
he is ready to take advantage of it. A
little forethought will also saw much
expense and valuable time. A prudent
and careful man will keep a bottle of
Clamberlain's Collie, Cholera and Diar-
rhea Remedy in the house, the shiftless
fellow will wait until necessity compels
it and then ruin his best horse going for
a doctor and have a big doctor bill to
pay, besides; n pays out % cents, the
other is out a hundred dollars and then
wonders why his neighbor is getting
richer while he is getting poorer. For
sale by E. S. Beardsley.