davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1899-08-10
MISSISSIPPI RIVER FRANKS.
Changes Course and Farms From One
State to Another.

The Mississippi River is a most
capllCious stream. and during the
yorntless ages It has flowed through
This valley and to the gulf II has
changed its course more times than
one man could count in day.
Not only does the boat channel
change often, but the body OF the river
changes, River pilots know that
hey may find deep water on one
side Of the river on one trip OF a
steamer. and on the other side and n
dangerous sandbar whore the deep
water was but short time before.
The sand which constitutes the bot
tenn OF the river * shifted lncossantly
by the current, and Is rolled up into
heaps and then strung out again and
lhcn piled mp again farther down. The
nma current that does this takes an
anfly turn every now and then and
shoots against the river bank. finally
breaking through and renchIng some
il. and In n night the great river has
made new bed for itself.
These changes OF the course OF the
river have caused some peculiar con-
ditons to exist, and one Of the most
peculiar now exists Mt Centennial
Chute. about twenty-five miles above
Memphis. At this point, before the
year 1876 the Mississippi took eud-
den turn westward from its coui Sc.
and, after going In westerly
direction turned south, then south
east, and then directly south. II was
simply horseshoe bend and the land
inside OF the horseshoe was titled as a
farm. This farm was In Tennessee,
and across the river from II was
Arkansas. In 1876 the river cut
through the narrowed neck OF the
peninsula on which the farm was sit
uated, and since that time the entire
stream flows through the cut, leaving
the bend through which the river once
plowed free OF water except when the
river is very high
The owner OF the farm now has to
cross the river TO get TO the Tennessee
mainland, whereas formerly ne had
To cross the river TO get into Arkansas,
He can walk up to his line fence and
still be In Tennessee, though his
naighbors Oh all sides are Arkansans.
He still pays taxes to Tennessee,
though the river has put his land into
Arkansas A steamboat coming along
the Arkansas bank Of the river sud
dem" passes portion OF Tennessee,
nestled right In the lap OF Arkansas.
Farther up the river the same prank
has been played by the father OF
waters. except that In this case the
river threw part OF Arkansas Unto
Tennessee. The state OF Tennessee
granted to man this land which was
formerly In Arkansas, and now law
suit has been brought by the owner
OF the Arkansas farm from which the
land in question was detached to re-
cover the land, the man to whom II
was granted b. the state OF Tennessee
after the river put II on the Tennessee
side refusing to give 1t up.
The lawsuit promises to be most
interesting one. and will show
whether the boundary line between
Tennessee and Arkansas IL the Miss
issIppi River. II II Is, a revised edi-
Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1899-08-10
NATURAL BEAR TRAP.
Death Gulch Catches or ASphyxia,es
Many Wild Animals.

Death gulch is a small and gloomy
ravine in the northeast corner Of the
Yellowstone National Park. In this
regiou the lavas which I'll the ancieat
basin OF the park rest upon the TANKS
Of mountains formed Of tragmeutary
volcanic ejecta while the hydro
thermal forces of the central portion OF
the park show but feeble manifestation
Of their energy in the almost extinct
hot spring areas of Soda Butte, Lamar
river, Cache creek and Miller creek. -"
Although hot water no longer flows
from these vents. gaseous emanatioas
are now given off in considerable vol
ume." On Cache creek, about two
miles above its confluence with Lamar
river, are deposits Of altered and
crystalline travertine, with pools IN
the creek violently etferveScing locally
This is due to the eopious emission or
gas. Above these deposits the creek
cuts into q tank OF sulphur and gravel
cemented by this material, and few
Yards beyond is the debouchure of 4
small lateral gully coming down from
the mountain side. In its bottom is a
small stream of clear and cold water,
sour with sulphuric acid, and flowing
down a narrow and steep channel cut
in beds of dark gray volcanic tun. AS
cending this gulch, the sides, closing
together, become very steep slopes OF
white, decompoSed rock. The
only springs now flowing are small
oozes of water issuing from the base OF
these slopes or from the channel bed,
forming a thick, creamy, white de-
| posit about the vents, and covering the
stream bed. This deposit consists
largely of sulphate of alumina.
About one hundred and fifty feet above
the main stream these oozing springs
of acid water cease, but the channel OF
the gulch remains the same The odoI
of sulphur now becomes stronger
though producing no other effect thar
slight irritation of the lungs"
| Climbing through this trough, Il
frightfully weird and dismal place, and
occupied by only tiny streamlet and
an appalling odor we at length discov-
cred somc brown furry masses scat
tered about the floor OF the ravine
about a quarter of a mile from the
point where we had left Cache Creek
Approaching cautiously 1t became
quickly evident that we had before us a
large group Of huge recumbent bears
The one nearest to us was lying with
his nose between his paws, facing us
and so exactly like a huge dog asleer
that it did not seem possible that II
was the sleep OF death. To make sure
threw pebble at the animal, striking
him en- the flank; the distended skin
sounded like a drumhead. and the only
response was belch of poisonous ga;
that almost overwhelmed us. Closer
examination showed that the ANNA
was a young silver-tip grizzly (ursus
horribilis). A few drops of DARK
blood strained his nostrils and the
ground beneath. There proved to bt
five other carcasses, all bears, in vari
Gus stages of decay; careful search re-
Noa'Cd oval areas of hair and bone:
that represented two other bears, max
ing a total of eight carcasses in all
Appleton's Monthly.
Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1899-08-10

Prospective purchaser-I don't like
TO invest in real estate anywhere I'M
less know the place is reasonably sure
10 make a good, solid city. Your town
Is eight months old and, as yet, ] 'sil
10 see what reasons you have for be-
Loving that II is sure to make great
city.
Real estate agent--You don't? Why,
We are already talking Of rapid transit,
paid fire department and complain
ing about the smoke nnisance.--Puck.