davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Arizona republican., 1899-02-18
SPECIAL TREASURY AGENTS
Tucson Being RaVaaed Refers inc
 Matfer fO phoenix.

George H. Wheelock of Omaha and J. N Garner of New York arrived in Phoenix on February 10. The former tock lodging at the Ford and the latter at the Hotel Adams. They had not been here long before the nature Ct their business was disclosed. Sam Seip, the cigar dealer and manufac- turer, found it out first. MT Seip does not credit himself with a quicker per ception than other people, but in this discovery he was aided by circum- stances and pure luck.
 One morning his able assistant, Col. John Swilling was engaged in filing new cigar boxes with the factory's out put of the previous day. He had filled nineteen boxes of fftie5 and had put ten cigars into another box. These boxes were unstamped and there was no legal reason why they should not be so long as they remained in the fac tory. MT. Seip's factory is separated from his store by only an imaginary line Col. Swilling finding himself cramped for room in which to pursue his packing operation set these boxes on the other side of the constructive line. In this move he erred, for the law requires that wherever a filled or partially filed cigar box may be out side the factory, it must bear a stamp, Otherwise it is the property of the Limited States. Soon after the conamis- sion of this error by Col. Swilling, Messrs. Wheelock and Garner entered. The first thing they observed was the absence of the stamps, if a nOn-exist-
 1J ~D1Or 7I07c They seized the goods and confiscated them. They were special agents for the treasury department. When Col Swilling recovered from his surprise he told the gentlemen he was glad to see them. He added that it was uh- fortunately for the United States that they had not delayed their visit about ten minutes when he would have had another 1000 cigars boxed and ready
Arizona republican., 1899-02-18
for confscation.

TUT COul-SCIJlOu.
 Messrs WheeIoclt and Garner re- mained about town four or five days rectifying errors of the head or of the heart upon the part of dealers in ci- gars, tobacco and malt spurious and yinous liquors.
 Then they went away as unostenta- tiOusly as they came, for that is the manner of revenue officers. They were not heard of again until yesterday when a letter was received here from a wholesale liquor dealer at Tucson bIistling with startling statements and Interrogation points. He said that two men named WheelocK and Garner had been there a couple of days revO- lutionizing the saloon business. They pretended to be special revenue in spectors and had been trying to collect a special license from saloons in which singing girls and pianos are employed. They had insisted on the immediate payment Of this special license. One of them, the writer said, had endeav cred to soak a diamond pin Witf q prominent saloon keeper for a small sum of money. From all these circum- stances the writer is led to the con clusion that the special agents are fakes" He wants to know if the late interna1 revenue law contemplated a tax upon female saloon singers and pianos. Whether Messrs Wheelock and Garner made the same interpretation Of the law in Phoenix, and whether while they were here they raised a doubt as to their genuineness.
 The reply is that they did not. They were accepted as special revenue agents and exhibited the proper credentials. It is irconceivabIe that they should nave done otherwise at Tucson. The only solution of the conduct reported from Tucson is that Messrs Whelock and Garner are being personated there by scoundrets who will eventually come in conflict with the same government that Spain and Aguinaldo fooled with.
Arizona republican., 1899-02-18
CONCESSIONS IN CUBA.
Correspondence and Orders Submitted
 to the Senate.


 Washington, Feb. 1.-The president has transmitted 10 the senate a state mert from the secretary of war and other papers in reply to Q resolution in GUiring wIethc- any franchises os con- sessions have been granted in Cuba since the military occupation of that island. The secretary says that none has been granted, and adds that the ex- ecutive orders dated December P, 1893, bearing upon this subject have been communicated 10 the commanding gen erals in Cuba and Porto Rico, and says the department is ncl5 advised that any concessions have been mada.
 The secretary includes in the core spondence a letter from President Me Kinley to General Wade, chairman of the Cuban evacuation commission, dat- ed December F, calling attention to the report that the local authorities were preparing to put Up fer auction fran chises covering the right to construct railroads to the most important parts Cf the island of Cuba. In the course or his letter the president says: Tt can not be permi ted that the persons nom iralIy representing the remnants of Spanish government there shall in this manner commit the future government of the island to obligations of such i'm p0rtance. The existing Spanish au- tL5rity in Cuba is permitted to be exer- cised by the United States merely as a matter of convenience. It is merely a violation of good faith for these off cials to attempt under the guise of sovereignty which they do not pos sess to commit acts SC injurious to the people of the island. The president can conceive no good reason why this long dormant power shcUld need to be eX- ercised at the present time, and he c0nceives that it's exercise is intended to be practically hostile and ln deh- arce .cf the rights and authority of the United States"
Arizona republican., 1899-02-18

fort. The men hastily abandoned the doomed ship, and jumping into tae river with more dispatch than cere- mOny Waded or swam ashore.
 The burning vessel was set adrift and left to her fate. She drifted slow- ly down the river, long after al was again silent around Fort Hudson and the tired gunners were quietly sleeping in the gray dawn ot another diy. About o'clock the following morning the names reached the ships maga- zine and the vessel blew up, the ter rife explosion shaking the very earth for several miles around.
 T remember I was sleeping on . plank" said the colonel, and the ie- donation seemed almost to shake lie off my rude, improv1sed. bunk.
 Dewey was a, midshipman on that vessel and we tried our best to ldlI him and all his crew. But he added, and the old veterans eyes twlnkIed pleasantly as he spoke, Pm mighty glad we didn't
 After the war Colonel Bledsoe re- turned to Missouri and several years ago took up his residence at Pleasant hln.-kansas City Star
Arizona republican., 1899-02-18
A BOUNDARY DISPUTE
X Quarrel Over Thrse-E'ghfhS of an
 Inch of Ground.

They have been drawing things pret- ty fine on North Fourth avenue late Iy, and Q curious controversy is going on in consequence. The names of the parties to the dispute are withheld. MT. A is the owner of a handsome house and lot in the zoo block. His next door neighboT, 1lr. B, is the owner of another handsome hou-e, built so close to the line that A de- cided to have a survey. The survey showed that Bs house at one end ez- tended upon As lot thrco-etghtEs of ar
 inch went to see B about the trespass and offered to sell him the infnitesimaI strip for $50. Property is valuable On North Fourth avenue. but the price seemed to B to be ex- horbitant and declined to purchase st $1 632 front foot. A offered him his choice then between moving enc end
Arizona republican., 1899-02-18

is]ation causes the prospects of an ex- tra session to be looked upon with complacency by the strongest friends of the administration. The authoriza ton by the h-use republican caucus Of a committee tc organize the forces for currency legislation was suggested originally with view to the possibil- ity of an extra session.
 If the president were more indis- posed toward an extra session the are that he would be willing to accept a compromise on the army bill: but with a recognized sentiment 0I some influence in favor of hasten ing the meeting of th2 f'ifty-siXth con sless, there is not the usual motive to cCmpromize.
Arizona republican., 1899-02-18

the rope, he dropped the lightei candle to the bottom Of the shaft and close to one of the snakes, and taking aim with his~rifie from the mCuth oJ the shaft Mir. Kislingbury put I bGi;et through the body Of the reptile. The business end of the snake had been paralyzed, but the body writhed and twisted, no doubt until the sun sank, according to tradition. The second snake could be heard in the shaft Dut could not be seen. The following day the effort to kill it was renewed With success. Pictures were taken of the snakes as they were stretched upon the ground. They measured four feet, one having ten rattles and the other four teen
Arizona republican., 1899-02-18

Of his house back and defending an action for trespass. B accepted neirn- CT, but did something that nobody ever heard of before. He hired car penteT to shave off the three-eightha or an inch of his house with jack plane.
 Mrs. A stood by watching the tonsOrial performance and reminded the car penter of the brick foundation. The
 carpenter trimmed the brick to the
 line with a, cold chisel. Then Mrs. A said the water must not be permitted to run from B's house to their lot. The carpenter built an cave gutter and the action for trespass was left with. out a foundation
 But there was more of the contrC- VeTsy which has not yet been settled As survey showed that valuable fruit tree, which he thought belonged to him, stood exactly on the line. It was in fact, as nearly equally divided by the line as possible A fence was built against the tree in each direction. Then decided that he didn't want a tree, or any part of a tree. lie ordered the carpenter to clear the ground by cutting his half of the tree away. 4 hurried down town to see 2 lawyer and returned with a legal opinion that 6 live tree cannot be destroyed without the consent of both parties in interest. 5 saw another lawyer, who said that property owner cannot be compelled to maintain an encumDrance on his premises, because somebody else wants it done. Thus the matter stands and B says his half of the tree must come down. He wants the boundary line clear.
 This account of this extraordinary rediculous as it is, is not in the slightest degree oyerdrawn.
Arizona republican., 1899-02-18
sHI" BLEDs0E's LAST FIGHT.
The Famous Confederate ArtiILeTynlau
 Has Passed Away.

Colonel Hiram NJ. Biedsoe. or 'Ri' Bledsoe Of 'Bledsoe's Battery,' as he was more familiarity known, dled at his home in Pleasant Hill yesterday morning from pneumonia.
 No man who came cut of the west al the beginning of the civil war became so well known before the great strug- gle had progressed many months as did Hi Bledsoe. He it was who or ganized and commanded BIedsoe's bat tery, which for the accuracy of its fire and the daredevil bravery of it's men and it's commander became known from enc end cf the country to the other.
 When the civil war began young BleGsOe, for he was 8 young then, or ganized the First Missouri battery and joined the confederate forces. He was elected captain He did not have to wait long to spring into prominence for very soon after the oTganlzati0n of his battery he assisted in Cna of the several Missouri battles. The work Of
Arizona republican., 1899-02-18

the battery was so effective and the young captain showed so many quail
 fications of leadership that he was rec commended for promotion and was made colonel of artillery As an it. lustration Of the battcry's deadly aim. the battle of Springfield is told over
 and over again by the old man 5 friends. It was then that, after two hours hard fighting, he dismounted
 every gun of Sigels battery and won
 the day.
 BledsOe's wonderful success as m
 artilleryman is made all the more re- markable when it is considered that lie knew absolutely nothing of engineer
 ing and the placing of his guns was
 simply a matter of the born instinct
 of a natural fighter.
 The leaders of the confederacy after
 that began to recognize BIedso oe s
 work. He was ordered out of the west
 to the area east of the Mississippi
 where the most important work was expected of him. He was equal to all
 occasion and soon the entire union army had instructions to pay particu- lar attention to Bledsoe's battery and destroy or capture it. But BIedsOe's shrewdness was equal to all occasions and although wounded five times ne was never taken prisoner. The near est he came to capture was at the bat tie of Franklin, Tenn. General Hood charged the entrenched federals with disastrous results. The confederate forces were fearfully cut up and five brigadier generals were killed. Hood himself was wounded, leaving Colonel BledsOe in command. For three days Bledsoe held his battery in place and covered the retreat of the army. Gen eral Benjamin Harrison once attempt ed to capture this battery. but was re- pulsed.
 Shortly after the battle of Manila Colonel BledsOe, in talking to a St Louis newspaper man related this ill., cident of his only experience with Hewey during the civil war:
 In 1863 1 was under General Gregg of Texas. who was in command of the confederate forces occupying Port a few miles above Baton Rouge, La. One dark night Admiral Farragut, with five effective well armed war vessels, loaded with sup plies and ammunition for the troops run the Port Hudson batteries. A ter rife engagement followed and for quite a while the fire from the fort qnd | the ships and the burning of wood i work by the shells from the many big ! guns engaged, made the night so bright that I almost believe that one l. could have read newspaper. l have | been in many very hot places in batr tie, but that was the heaviest lombard ment I have ever participated in.
 Two of Farraguts vessels were Ce- stroyed, but the other three succeeded in passing the batteries under the ter E rible rain Of shot and shell and pro oeeded up the river to rende" what they could to the federal troops encamped around Nicksburg. 1f the two vessels destroyed cue was sunk and the other was set on fire ny l. he explosion Cf a shell. On the latter ship was George Dewey, now famous IS the hero of Manila, then a midship nan in the United States navy To ave the crew his vessel w9s run lshore on the federal side, opposite the
Arizona republican., 1899-02-18
HE SAW SNAKES
They Were Live Ones, ToO-Mr. KiS-
 IingburY's Experience in Shaft.

MT. George Kislingbury, of Salt Lake City, formerly state mine tn- spector of Colorado, was a guest at the Adams yesterday. While making an examination of the Lawler nirlng claims, near the famous Hillside mlne in Yavapaf county, in company with Mir. Woods and MT Crocker Of Pres cott, met with an experience which he will remember a long time. At the top of the divide on the Hawkeye nm ing claim, which belongs to the Law
 Ter group, a shaft thirty-fiye feet was sunk eighteen years ago, and Mr. t<1s- lingbUry descended into it's depths t0 examine the ore body. A ladder, hung from an old windlass franc, went down twenty feet; but not carIng to trust to the safety of the ladder be- cause of its age, MT. Kislingbury had rope placed in the shaft to further in- sure safety in descending, and allow inspection of the lowest depths Of the shaft, as the ladder did not reach the bottom Ten or twelve feet from the bottom of the shaft wall plate was placed to which the bottom 3f the Iad- der was fastened. So it was necessary for him to slide down the rope where the ladder ended to the bottom of the
 
 shaft
 As soon as his dangling legs touched the bottom of the shaft MT. Kisiing- bury heard a rattlesnake, and looking down saw the snake cOiled and ready to spring at him, his head erect and t4-e rattles of his tail spinning cut a ferOciOUs song of alarm. He imne1- lately dropped his prospecting p1ck and sample sacks which he held in one of his hands, and yelled to the men above to hoist him out of his 'cave of despair" and immediate danger, ard at the same time began to climb t1e rope. The swinging rope took him 'lI- rectly over the snake, which struck him on the heel of his boot, but it's fangs did not penetrate the leather fortunately. although the shock was as severe as though he had been struck i'll 2 vital part of his body. He succeeded in getting to the wall plate without further damage, and with the security of his position, he felt warranted in looking down upon his antagonist 1n the bottom of the shaft To his su"- prise there were two snakes instead Of one With tight hold on the Iadder, and eight feet above the snakes, the mining expert was rapidly regain1ng possession of his wits, of which he had been robbed m0mentarily while dangling at the end Of the rope with coiling snake at his heels Tearing off chunks of rock matter from the side of the shaft he made an effort to kill inc snakes, but his nerves were too un- steady to allow him to hit even the bottom of the shaft. to say nothing of landing upon one of the reptiles. 1h9 snakes kept up a continual rattle, and glided fercely about the bottom Of the shaft seeking the enemy.
 Ascending to the surface Mir. k1s lingbury was determined to end the snakes, and asked MT. Crocker to go to the cabin and get a rife, Fastening q i candle to q short piece of wire, and then fastening both candle and wire t9
Arizona republican., 1899-02-18
EXTRA SESSION TALK.
The Prospect Now Considered Decid-
 edly Probable.

Washington, Feb. 17-A number of the best informed men in congress, who have heretcfcre regarded an extra session of congress as improbable, eX- press the opinion today that there is a very decided prospect that the Fifty sixth congress will be called together soon after the close of this session. If the intention to put the army bill in fTcnt of the several remaining apprO- pTiation bills for consideration in the senate is adhered to. it is not imprOb- able that the consequence will be the failure of some of the app OpriajiOn bills, even though the army bill were thus forced through. The fight over the army bill will be prot-aetad and in- tense, and it is not the purpose of the administration to sanction any com promise.
 On the one hand, an extra session is threatened if the bill, practically as it is, is not adopted; and on the other hand the opposition profess to feel no fear of an extra session. Some mem bers of beth h0usss want an extra ses- sion. md me-. of them go at least as far as ito express indifference to a war1- ing of danger of having to be reas- scmbled
 The opinicn is expressed by some Of the most careful obsel vers that the ad- ministration is more than half in clined toward an extra session if the responsibility for it's being called ctculd rest upon the minority. While there is some objection to calling con gress together at an unusual time for the sole purpose of considering and act ] ing on financial measures, the f3j5 that it would promote desired currency leg
Arizona republican., 1899-02-18
ENGLISH CHURCH AGITATION.
Ultra-Ritualists Determined Not to
 Recede From Their Position.

London, Feb. 1.-The debate in par lament and the bishops statements in the matter of the church controversy have considerably clarified, the situa- tiOn. Moderate men of all groups are clearly disincliEeG to further ernbitter the controversy and join hands with Sir William HarcCurt, and the ultra PrO'tGstants and moderate churchnen in particular are reluctant to lessen the cOmprehensiVenes of the Anglican church or increase secular authority over 1t. The government is opposed to legislation or ritualism and averse to empty, unseenly discussion of spirit ual things in parliament The bishops in their turn do not propose to meet the agitation by the examination and determination of questionable p.ac- tices in the archbishOp's courts. espe- clally the use uf incense and the res erVatiOn of the sacrament. Meantime the extremists among the ultra-ritual- ists show no sign of yielding and find some support from their congregations. Suggestions that disestablishment is the only real remedy are beginning to be made especially in liberal nCncOn- formist quarters, but churchmen and the government are eager to prevent the raising of such Q grave question. The advocacy &f q government en- d0Wed Catholic university for Ireland is personal to Arthur Balfour. The ministry and both parties are widely divided upon it.
Arizona republican., 1899-02-18
MANAGER C0wED CRITICS.
Gallery Gods at Prince Of Wales Thea
 ter Talked Down.

London, Feb. 1.-The first produc- tion Of a comic opera entitled "The G. quette," by II. J. W. Dam and Dustin Clerice, at the Prince of Wales theater tonight was followed by an extraordi- nary scene. The piece is remarkably ecod and was finely presented, but a clique in the gallery persisted in keep ing up a vocifer0us "bcoing," which excited the ire of Manage LciTanfeld.
 Mir. LCwenfeld appeared before the curtain at the close Of an act. end for fifteen minutes carried On a savage col lcquy with the gallery gods inter spersed with intervals of pandemo- nium. The manager finally cowed the critics and silenced them.
Arizona republican., 1899-02-18
RELIEF FOR AMBASSADORS.
British Foreign Office Says They Need
 Not Entertain Travellers Abroad.

London, Feb. IA curious circular has been issued by the foreign office to British diplonatists abroad regard ing the visits of fellow countrymen, from which American representatives are much greater sufferers. It eX- plains that official. political or social standing does not give British subjects who travel for pleasure, private busi- ness or health any claim to be enter tained at the expense of her majesty $ preseIftatives
 It is the custom of the foreign office to issue rather freely notes commend ing the bearer to the good offices of am bassaGoTs and consuls, and these have been taken as virtual commands to en- te.tain the visitors.
Arizona republican., 1899-02-18
PUBLIC WHIPPING IN DELAWARE
Eight Men Charged With Robbery
 Flogged ill New Castle Jailyard.

Wilmington, Del, Feb 17.-SheriT
 John E. Taylor thIs morning in tne Jailyard at New Castle, whipped eight
 prisoners for various degrees of rob-
 Dery. It was the first experience or the kind for Taylor. Henry smith ana Robert Allen, both colored, were placed in the pillory at 10 o'clock.
 There they stood for an hour. hey wore mittenS and were coVeredE With blankets. There were but few specta- tors to watch the men drag through the hour. When taken from. the plat form, eight feet from the ground rLey could scarcely move down the ladder and had to be assisted by the jail warden. They were taken back to their cells and warmed for an nOUr, while Edward Trueman, a white fors- CT, stood alone for an hour in the pit lory. After Trueman had been releas- ed from the stocks the whipping Oe- gan. Henry Smith received forty lashes, the maximum number. He was convicted of entering the house of Mr. and Mrs. James M. Vandeerift, an aged couple in New Castle county ana firing two shots at the farmer, who shot at the burglar. Smith is now to serve ten years in jail.
 After he received twenty lashes, to which he paid but little attention, haV- ing gone through the same experience before. Allen was only arrested last Tuesday for robbery and inside of tWenty-foIr hours was convicted and to ten years in prison, in ad- litiOn to one hour in the pillory and his laShes. His back today revealed the scars of previous whippings at Dover and New Castle. Previous to the 1Cgging Of those two men SIX others were subjected to punishment.
 There arc forty-eight different ma teriala used in constructing a piano, from no fewer than sixteen different countries, employing forty-five differ ent hands,
Arizona republican., 1899-02-18
EYES RIGHT. .%S*%%**

and everything else right, too. The potatoes we sell are as sound as a bell; mealy when cooked and of excellent flavor. Our prices and goods are right.
 We have just received from Kansas another shipment of Corn Meal, Pearl Rcminy, Flaked Hominy, Graham FloCi and VELVET" the ac- knowledged king of flour in Arizona. Sweet Apple Cider, Salt Mackerel, Salmon Bellies, Lake Michigan White Fish and Lake Trout and Goldfish.
 Our special Mocha and Java at 28c is guaranteed to give satisfaction or money refunded. Try one pound is all we ask.
 Don't forget cur presents this month.