davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1899-04-05

When a msjority Of the shares we're
owned by Mackay, Fair, Flood & o.
Brien their partnership was announced.
That was January l, 1872. The new
company went to work TO find new and
rich Iedges at a depth of ], 400 feet down
in the lode. Scarcely miner in Vir-
ginia City but thought they had gone
crazy. Hunting for ore at such depth
was absurd. All mining history was
contrary TO it. For year the firm had
to exercise every manoeuvre in mining
financiering to get money and keep
pushing laterals, drifts and slopes
through porphyry or worthless rock.
The outside miners said, 'I told you
so." Ii cost a lot of money AID kept
the firm devising new financial schemes
but MackAy and Fair kept their own
counsels and worked with their gang OF
laborers like fiends. Then a body of
ore that yielded sll5 ton was reached.
1t gave the firm new heart and fresh
capital. In three months more anoth-
er ledge of ore worth $50 ton was en-
tered. -Four more ledges OF equal value
were worked ia the course Of the year.
But the greatest natural treasure
house of mineral wealth ever known
ia the world WAS yet to be opened by
these four miners. On what Is know n
in the Virginia Mine as the ], ,SO0-f'ot
level n drift was entered into ledge
that assayed 81, 900 to the ton. When
the ledge was dug into, ore that assay
ed s.. 600 was reached In week or
more the ore ran TO s., 200 and even S.
600 a ton. And there was much Of il.
The mining world OF the West went
crazy over such a find. Thousands of
mineralogists aud mining experts flock
ed from al over Europe and America to
Virginia City purposely TO see that
wonderful ledge Of gold and silver. Its
richness is subject which stirs any
re niniseent gold miner on the Pacific
coast to this day. Some Of The rock
even yielded SIS, 600 in gold and silver
to the ton. A wagon load of the ore,
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1899-04-05
First Up San Juan Hill.

Capt. w. NJ. McFarlsne, of the Six
teenth U. S. infantry, which did such
glorious work in the charge on San
Juan hill at Santiago de Cuba, and
who is now home on leave of absence,
relates new and pretty story in re-
gard to the first man ON top of San
Juan hill. This honor has cen
claimed by men Of the Sixteenth and
also by the Twenty-fourth, bat accord
ing to Captain McFarlane the first man
in the advance belonged to neither
regiment. Neither was be technically
in the service of Uncle Sam.
''He was Cuban nigger,r said Cap
tain MeFarlane, according to the Salt
Lake Tribune, "and about the biggest
and blacklist man ever saw. In our
first advance he had somehow become
hanger-on with the Sixth and Six
teenth. He was armed with only n
machete, and from the moment we
received the first fire of the enemy he
seemed literally crazed with military
ardor. He had never seen troops take
an enemy's fire in the open, and after
the first blood he literally tore from the
rear through our ranks, barefoot and
with machete in hand. AS he passed
me his appearance was so unusual and
striking that he made an impression
on me, even with the fight raging
around US, but onward he ran like a
tiger until his progress was stopped by
several lines Of wire fence. These he
quickly cut with his machete, thereby
opening the way for the Sixth and
Sixteenth. Onward be dashed, fully
75 yards in advance of our first line,
and my last sight Of him was as he
disappeared in the Spanish trenches.
A few minutes later I was in the same
place, bat all search for the unknown
hero, either dead or alive. was fruit
less.
captain Lassiter, however, stated
that he had seen the man start down
hill with tine blood streaming from a
bullet hole in his face, and that is the
Ast known OF tins hero Of San Juan
hill.r
This is the simple story of tie first
man in the American columns to reach
the Spanish trenches, and Captain
MeFarlane much regrets the impossi-
biIity of finding and honoring the
name of the half-savage hero.
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1899-04-05

Jim Fair and his old partner, Dan
Hooley, parted company in 1853 They
had sold the little Hopewell mine near
Grass Valley, Nevada county, Califor-
mia, for several thousand dollars Dan
felt as if he were rich for life, and he
went down to Frisco to celebrate his
good luck. In month, he says him
self he was broke. Fair, with the first
capital heever had, decided TO stick to
mining He first went over the range
TO his former mining field in Calaveras
county and married Miss Jennie Room
ey. The miner had known the brides
father, Peter Rooney, in the mines at
WeIch's Bar, aud As the II ,oneys, Fair
and Dan Hooley had all come original
ly from the County Tyrone. Ia the
north Of Ireland, q friendship had
sp ang up am, ing them. Many an
evening young Jim Fair had spent =:
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1899-04-05
NatuIany.

This story, relating to young pork
packer in Kansas City, is circulated
quietly among his acquaintanees:
a new baby had arrived in his fam
lily, and he was very proud of it.
While several friends were eongratu-
lating him in his Office and smoking
cigars at his expense, one of them
asked him:
"By the way, how much did the
cherub weigh ?"
'Ten pounds, dressedp' exclaimed
the delighted young father.
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1899-04-05
Not that Kind.

The Argonaut tells OF two fresh-air
fund children in the country, looking
in wonder at some live chickens.
Didn't you ever see any before ?''
lady asked them.
"Oh, yes, num-" the eldest child
answered, knowingly, "we've always
seen em-lots-only generally it was
after they was peeled"
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1899-04-05

With the golden eye Of the sun upon
him, he threw himself upon his toss
ing bed and slept until after MONDAY.
Afterwards he rambled upon the shore,
returning, tired and listIess, at length
to his chambers.
s'Miss White, she's leavin' tomorrow
mornin', !" his landIady told him, as she
laid his tea.
But the Poet was not interested. He
wondered who Miss White might be.
Indeed - he drawled languidly. He
reused himself to poke the fire as a
stopper to any other attempt at con-
versation and Mrs. Lewis took the
hint.
But in the evening when, with the
coming out of the stars, delicate
thread of sound wound itself through
the stiffness, his Interest came back to
him. He threw himself upon his
couch, and gave himself up to pleasure
Of the sweet strains Yet was it hard
ly pleasure, but more a fine pain.
There was in the music naught Of the
waiiing Of yesterdays, naught Of its
pleading, naught of its passion, naught
OF its hope. L. was like, the Poet told
himself, a wire Of polished silver, a
wire that might turn and twist in ones
flesh forever, yet never cause mortal
wound-only an infinitude Of pain.
But that Of yesterday was the broad
blade that kills at one stroke.
And again-as it broadened and
deepened, and faded, like moOnbearn,
away-"that of yesterday" he muir
INJURED was renunciation with It's
battle, its victory, its sublime triumph,
its trAusient peace TO days is rssigHa-
ton a submittanee which has naughs
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1899-04-05
SOMERSET, Pa, WEDNESDAY. APRIL s. 1899

the Rooney cabin. When Mrs. Room
ey and her two bright-faeed daughters
opened little general store for the
miners at Douglas Flat, Fair and Hoo
ley used to drop In ofan afternoon and
chat with the Rooney sisters behind
the pine counters. Miss Jennie prom
ised to marry jim when he had made
strike in the mines.
With his bride and a household out
fit Jim Fair started over the Red Dog
and Plaeerville trail for the COmstoek
mines at Virginia City. For two years
he had been stamping restlessly to get
over there, where the miners were
making great money. Mrs. Fair was
equally anxious to go and try luck In
the new diggings in Nevada. So,
away they went in a lumber wagon
drawn by two rented mules, from
Douglas Flat TO the Comistock. They
had their sole possessions in the wagon
with them. There was an ancient
cook stove, a featherbed tick, a half
bushel of earthen dishes, aud lot Of
cooking utensils, such as pans, pots
and kettles. Jim had 5000 in his
leather belt. The miner and his bride
were week in crossing the Sierras
and descending to the mining camp of
Virginia City. They cooked their
meals along the mountain road and
they slept out of doors whenever the
night overlook them. Many times
after the miner and his bride had their
millions of dollars. and could not be-
gin to spend fraction of their enor-
nous daily income, they often said
those simple. natural days when they
had it all TO look forward TO were 10y
far their happiest.
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1899-04-05
AT THE WINDOW.

heard the woodpfrker I,ecking,
The sap-sueker sing;
turned and looked cut of my window.
And 10, II was Spring
A breath from tropical borders,
aust ripple. flowed into my room.
And washed my face clean ofits sadness,
Blew my heart into bloom.
The buds I have kept for lifetime.
sweet buds ] have shielded from snow,
Break forth into fun leafand tassel,
When Spring winds do blow.
For the sap OF my life goes upward.
obeying The same sweet law
That waters the heart Of the maple.
After thaw.
forget my old age aud grow youthful,
Bathing in wind-tide OF Spring.
When I hear the woodpecISer pecking.
The sapsueker sing.
Atlantic Monthly.
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1899-04-05
HOW FAIR
MADE
HIS MILLIONS
AMAssED $40. 600, 00OI SIXTEEN
YEARS.
His Mining Partners Story of His
Streak Of Luck-Reads Like a
Tale From Arabian Nights.
HOW FAIR
From the l,hiiadelphia sunday Times.

From the Philadelphia Sunday Times.
'virginia Fair to become Mrs. VIII
liam X. Vanderbilt, Jr., and the sister
in-law of the Duchess Of Marlborough !
Whew whatwonderful changes gold
mining makes in some folks lives"
The speaker was Daniel Hooley, a
veteran gold miner and prospector
among the Sierras. "Forty years ago, I"
he continued, "Jim Fair and / were
living in a little redwood cabin at
Hogsn's Camp, in Calaveras county.
We were not worth more than 500.
We were holding down a gold claim
which did not promise well, bat We
had hopes that some day we might
find q ledge of pay ore that would sell
for few hundred dollars, and then we
would be fixed. We slept together in
a bunk: we cooked our own meals Of
boiled beans and fried bacon over a
fire outside the cabin; We washed our
own overalls and jumpers at the creek,
and we wondered if we could ever get
enough together to marry two fine
Irish girls named Rooney, who lived
over the divide at Douglas Flat But
fortune had some wonderful things in
store for my partner, Jim Fair. In
just sixteen years from that time he
was worth 10000, 600, and he and John
w Mackay were the richest miners
alive. He became United States
Senator, the leading millionaire of
California, and now his daughter Nir-
ginia, is to marry William X. Wander
biit, Jr. Well, 1t is certainly surpris-
ingu
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1899-04-05
Before the Open Door.

AlgernOn thought he was on the free
list at the house Of the revenue officer
whose fair daughter had welcomed him
so many times before.
But on this occasion two watehdogs
met him at the foot of the steps and
thought it their duty to levy tear
of.
That was why he custom
All, yes Life is full Of such hor-
r0rs Chicago Tribune.
A lazy liver makes lazy mau. Bur-
dock Blood Bitters is the natural. never
falling remedy for lazy liver.
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1899-04-05

Ordinary household accidents have no
terrors when there's bottle of DIR.
Thomas Electric Oil 10 the mediciLe e
chest. Heals burns. cuts, bruises,
:. rains. Instant relief.
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1899-04-05

No more picturesque soldier of for
tune than Dan Hooley can be found.
While some of his mining associates
long ago struck it rich, and then either
died poor or in affinence, Dan Hooley
has chased the tickle goddess, Fortune,
from one mining camp TO another all
the way from Chihuahua, Mexico, to
British Columbia through forty-five
years. And he still has the proverbial
miners hopes.
He was the chum and partner of
James G. Fair in two mining camps for
eleven years. They shared the same
poverty and cheered each other when
season after season passed and they
never found any pay rock. Many
time they were both disheartened at
their continued adversely. 1t seemed
as If luck never would come their way.
For months at a time Jim Fair and
Dan Hooley, shod with clumsy brogans
with soles studded with steel pegs,
begfrt with leathern straps, and clad in
overalls, red flannel shirts and greasy
sombreros, went prospecting over the
Sierras. Their sole joint and undivid-
ed possessions were a jackass and the
load on its back, consisting of smoke
bsgrimed kettles, burned skillets,
clanking, battered tin pals, two rolls
of sadly sol ed blankets, and bag or
tive Of beans ard chunks of salt pork.
Many old time miners in California
are recalling those salad-days in the
career Of Jim Fair, during the latter
fifties, now that his daughter is to be-
come one of the Vanderbilt aristocraey
in New York.
Once Jim Fair, discouraged, aband-
ed mining and walked TO Sacramento
to hire out as a teamster. He was then
81 years old. Luckily for him and for
the mining world, his natural fondness
for hunting for mineral wealth came
back. He and Hooley moved over into
Nevada county. There they found an
outcropping of gold bearing quartz
The bare recital of the facts in the
life of James q. Fair from that time in
1852 until 1850 is as marvellous as any
chapter in Arabian Nights The vera
eious story of the way the immense
Fair fortune was achieved from moth
ing in practically thirteen years thrills
even the veteran Californians, familiar
as they are with the incidents of the
story, whenever it is told, to this day.
Among all the wonderful stories of
how the famously great fortunes in the
world have been piled up. none equals
that of the sls7 ,O0) 900 which the four
bonanza kings dug from the bowels of
the Comstock lode at Virginia City,
Nevada, from January, 1872, to July,
1879. 10 1852 James q. Fair was worth
about 500; in 1865 he bad 5000; in
1871 he was worth $4,000, and in 1889
he had In cash and securities as good
as gold between S42,0Oo,O0) and si5.-
900, ,090.
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1899-04-05
Ninety Per Cent.

or the people are afflicted with some
form of humor, and this auses a va
riety of diseases. The reason why
Hoods Sarsaparilla cures when all
others fail is found in the fact that it
eifectually expels the humor- Scrofula,
salt rheum, boils and all eruPtiOns are
permanently cured by this great med
ieine.
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1899-04-05

Arrived in Virginia City, Fair studied
the suIphuret ores-then a novel COM
bination of gold and silver-and soon
became an authority in the camp.
Such millionaires as Lucky Bald
win, Sharon and Ralston were making
large fortunes there then, and hum
dreds of miners were getting thousands
of dollars out of the twenty-five mines
on the Comstock lode. By 1855 Fair
was boss of gang of men employed
in the Ophir Mine there. Later he
was superintendent. He and another
Irishman, John w. Maekay, became
close friends. Mackay was a foreman
in the Hale & Norcross Mine. The
young irishmen saved their earnings,
while other miners spent theirs in
drink and gaming. They also exchang-
ed secrets they had learned in the
depths Of the mines as to the forma-
ton OF the richest ledges in the Com
stock lode. At the same time there
were two young men Of Irish birth,
James c. Flood and William OiBrien,
who ran a saloon in little one-story
wooden building on Washington street,
in San Francisco. The saloou-keepers
were popular with Cornish and Irish
mining: laborers who went from the
Comstock to San Francisco to spend
their money in sprees. Flood and
O'Brien had been told by tipsy miners
valuable facts for investors in COmstock
shares, aud the saloon-keepers had
been patting all the profits of their bar
into mining stocks. Naturally, Mack
ay, Fair, Flood and 0'Brien came
together.
In the dingy little back room of the
Flood & O'Brien saloon the mining
company of Macksy, Fair, Flood &
O'Brien was secretly formed one day
in ls7) Mackay and Fair were the
practical miners at Virginia City; Flood
and OBrien manipulated the mining
stock market in San Francisco. In
1859 the Comstock mines began to
peter out All sorts of discouraging
rumors were afioat in 1870. The stock
of all COmstock properties deprecated
month by month. The great Ophir
paid 20 dividends for half year; the
Hale & Norcross closed for the first
time 10 seven years and the Consoli-
dated California stock went down 20
per cent. in the summer Of 1871 The
San francisco newspapers and mining
exper,s said again and again that the
glories of the Comstock were forever
gone and that the lower ledges were
not worth the working.
Meanwhile Maekay, Fair, Flood &
O'Biren kept their partnership secret,
but each member of the firm was busy.
Shares in the California and the Vir-
ginia mines were bought by Flood and
O'Brien for mere songs, compared
with their former selling values Every
dollar the mining firm could get went
quietly into these stocks. 1t took some
$50, 900 to get control of the California
and Consolidated Virg ina mines.
Three years before the same stock had
sold for over 81, 100000.
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1899-04-05

Hoods Pills are tn best family ca
thartic and liver tonic Gentle, reliable,
sure.
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1899-04-05
DR Il 5. KIMAIELL,

- oS Is professional services to the citi-
So = ,ssoLnerset and vicinity. Unless pro
l. ~ ~ engaged be can be found al his Of
" nan s.. last Of Diamond.
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1899-04-05
~ Somerset Herald
lp' rr,plrsaro l's
c.,,,s of Publication.

,,eg wednesday morning at
FHsi.a.a s.aa s,'li # paid in ADVANCE otherwise
s-'I ~, lursriasly be eii1,s'~, ,',,,,,nss nn,,l
So 'als.l.i l.s .re paid up. FOsim'''srs neg
srssHs'' - xbsn subscribers do not
:, ,s..l s'sly y.pss ;, viii be held responsible
- = saDssHpii'n. from one POstofice to
su'-'li',,', eIro US the name of the form
.p.i'' 'i,', ~ present Office address
81 rHr sosERsEr HEEALD'
S0MERsET, PA.
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1899-04-05

Your doctor knows all about
foods and medicines.
The next time you see him,
just ask him what he thinks
IF
The Monte Vista journal., 1899-01-21
Court Martial sss Esxsn,

Washington. Jan. 1.-THE Prcsitcu,
today announced at the Cabinet meet.
Ing shortly after II assembled for i,s
regular session that he had decided Ia
order n court martial To try CommIs.
sary General Earan for the nbusiy.
and violent language he had used r,.,
speeding Major Gencrnl Nelson A.
Miles. while On the witness stand he.
TORE the war investigating commission
last Thursday.
a determination TO ,nke some action
was vigorously expressed nj the las,
Cabinet meeting, but the President re.
served hnnl decision.
General Easan has not been relieved
Of his duties In anticipation ~ hi. pros.
pc'irc trial. hut II Is Understood tha,
ib" or'ier FOR his arrest preparatory io
trial VIII of Itself carry with 1t his ~.
lief from official duties.
II VA, said nt the War D.nar,mcn,
today 'hni ih. order for arrest may b..
served "n General EnIan by mn officer
OF III" army som" time during the OF.
hcial day tomorrow.
The Monte Vista journal., 1899-01-21

policy we appeal to the people and ~
cannot lose our fight unless the peo.
pie have lost their love for American
Institutions. We bring the two ideas
face to face-self-government against
Imperialism. We ask the American
people to choose which they will serve
My friends, l believe we will triumph
l have NO doubt In my mind as to
what the outcome will be because
have faith in the intelligence and pa
triotism of the people.
My friends. II you will take from the
national hymns Of our nation the four
words free" freedom" "independ
ence," liberty" Those hymns will be
as meaningless as would be old glory
II we robbed It Of the red, white and
blue.
Other nations can do IT.: we cannot
Imperialism, whether its fruits, bitter
or sweet. must be left to the subjects
Of monarchies. This is the tree Of
which the citizens OF republic may
not partake. II Is the voice of the ser
pent and not the voice OF God that
bids the American people eat OF the
forbidden fruit. lApplause.)
The Monte Vista journal., 1899-01-21
MAY NOT KEEP THE ISLANDS.
senator Gray Spesks Of an Ams raeAn Pro-
tscforAte at MAntls.

senator Gray Spesks of an Ams Fican Pro
tsctorAte at Manils.
Wilmington, Del, Jan. 11.-Senatoi
George Gray, member OF the peace
commission. in n speech given here last
night at the banquet by the locn
board OF trade, regarding the Philip
pines, said:
Now that we have them. II doe.
not follow that we are committed tc
n colonial policy or to violation OF
those great principles OF liberty ant
self-government which must Away
remain American ideals II our free in
stitutions are to endure.
NO country-and this country leas
OF all-can AFFORD TO trample on II.
ideals. have no fear that II will Dc
so. Without assuming for nomen
any right to speak for the president.
think l can assure you. with som,
knowledge whereof speak. that h,
fully appreciates the duties and re
he is committed 10 no policy calculat
ed TO discourage, much less strik,
down. the aspirations OF liberty-lovina
people all over the world.
Il belong TO n different political par
". but 1 shbHil De lHlsc w my N'H>t
of justice and TO that pride which
feel as an American II | did not de
clare my confidence In the patriotism
and purity of purpose Of William Ne
kinlcy. He is no usurper Of power. M
stranger to American people called I,
his high office 10y their suflragcs, and
II would he strange Indeed If lie did
not share 10 the fullest extent in The
love of our constitution and the prin
cipl-s that undorlie II. What less thar
this can be truthfully said Of an Amer
lean President
but the solution Of the problem,
which confront us il not with th'
President. When the treaty is ratified
no policy can he adopted without III,
sanction OF Congress. And the Who'll,
American people will determine
through their representatives what re
lntions We shall sustain to the Philip
pines"
The Monte Vista journal., 1899-01-21
A DAM GIVES WAY.
Imme ense Loss of Property Resuits 10,
Cleveland.

Cleveland.
Cleveland, Ohio. Jan. 1S.-About 1:la
this morning dam under the Wilson
avenue bridge gave way. Back Of the
dam Is n body Of water mile and one.
half long. hundreds of feet wide and In
places twenty-five 10 thirty feet deep.
The break In the dam has already al
lowed torrents OF water 10 pour down
on the flats below. The property loss
IL already large and II the entire dam
gives way. which seems inevitable. It
Will be enormous. Along the line
whence the flood, II II comes. must
How, are the big plants OF the Standard
OIL Company. the Cleveland paper
mills. the Flick slaughter hous.. and
other manufacturing plants. There
are bu, few people living In the track
Of the Hood and these were all warned!
and have sought safety ON higher
ground
The cnus. Of the flood H. the recent
heavy rains. the melting snow from the
hillsildcs and n pond OF several acres
Overlooking. streams for several miles
up the gully have added their quota OF
water. At 3 o'clock the right pier Of
the bridge fell and the whole struc,ur.
may go nj any moment. No loss OF
life as yet. a large force OF police and
nrcmcn nre nj the scene
Th" Wilson avenue bridge IL n ~ric.
turc ',D feet long and has been bull,
Tor a Few months. II cost <35O.Oco.