davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1901-10-17
BENTON, OCTOBER Il, 1901.

The United States Supreme Court
decided that the sale was legal,
but the corrupt manner in which
the bill authorizing the sale was
passed, tainted the transaction
with fraud, also casting a blur
upon the characters of the pur-
chasers of the lands, and which
long outlived them.
The early settlers of the Yazoo
Valley cultivated tobacco, wheat,
indigo, and "raised" horses and
mules for plantation use. Flat
boating was the principal means
of transportation, until the inven-
ton of the steamboat. Cotton
was cultivated in small quantities
and for home consumption, only,
until the cotton gin came into
general use. Then, indigo and
tobacco gave way to cotton.
Negroes were imported from the
West Indian Islands, principally
Cuba, and from Africa, and this
soon became the most produc-
tive cotton section in the South.
And here lived for half a century
an aristocracy surpassed in no
no other section of the South in
wealth and culture.
A few days ago l visited Mill
dale-a spot rich in romance, his
tory and scenery. 1t is about two
hours drive from Vicksburg,
through a succession of hills and
valleys-the scenery becoming
prettier and grander until pictu-
rescue Milldale is reached. Here,
Nature seems to have exhausted
her favcr5 in creating a landscape
that approaches the sublime. l
took luncheon at the modern farm
house built upon the site of the
Downs mansion. | was shown
the foundations of the mill, and
where the little Church had stood.
A bright little boy guided me to
the top of the hill by winding
pathway to the sunken graves Of
these last direct descendants of
the historic House of Douglas,
tho earliest settlers of the rich
Yazoo Valley. From the top
of this hill magnificent view Of
the country is had-a grand pam
Drama of hill and dale; and, in
the distance, the broad Yazoo
sweeping by, it's yellow waters
gistening as FURNISHED gold.
j. M. SCANLAND.
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1901-10-17

the richness of the lands of the
"Yazous" reached the older set
Elements in Virginia and the Car
olinas, and gradually this Valley
became settled with planters, a
number of whom bought along
their slaves and household goods.
The Choctaw and the Yazous In
dians claimed this country by
right of prior occupancy-their
forefathers having lived here for
ages unknown, tracing their de-
scent from the Mound Builders.
The Yazous lived upon the banks
of that river which took it's name
from their tribe. their hunting-
grounds extending about 100 miles
up the Valley from near MiIldale.
The Choctaw habitations extend
ed from Walnut Hills, or what is
now Vicksburg, to the grounds of
the "Neches' tribe. The chief
settlement Of the Choctaws was
the cold ball ground,' about Is
miles southeast of Vicksburg,
which place took its name from
the game OF Indian ball. The
''old ball ground" afterwards
was the plantation Of Henry
Douglas Downs, son of Ambrose
Douglas Downs, Of Milldale. The
Spaniards, who were striving to
dispossess the Indians, occupied
the banks Of the Mississippi
having built a fort near where
Vicksburg stands, namingit it ''fort
Nogales,' from the forests of
walnut trees on the hills. The
place was known as "Walnut
Hills'' until about 1917, when the
travelling preacher, Newt Wick,
settled there, when the name was
changed to Vicks-burg.
The United States government
also claimed this country by vir-
tue of England having recognized
the claim Of Georgia to this Sec
ton before the Revolution. Com
panies were organized and large
tracts of land were purchased from
Georgia.. By this means, the
Yazoo and Mississippi Valleys
became settled by Americans,
and the disputed. territory was
eventually wrested from Spain
and the Indians. The largest
land deal on record, perhaps, was
the historic "Yazoo Purchase
of fifteen million acres of land,
for which 100000 was to be paid.
Georgia had no funds, and sold
these lands in order to raise mon
ey, after having 'extinguished
the Indian title'' in rather dis
creditable manner. But, the
newly formed United States gov
ernment also claimed these lands
on the grounds that when Georgia
adopted the Constitution the State
thereby relinquished its title to
this territory; and, furthermore,
that Georgia should relinquish the
lands as part payment of that
colony's expenses in the Revo-
} luton.
After the expulsion Of the Span
iards and the determination OF
the Indians the real trouble be-
gan, and the "Yazoo Purchase
/ became the most celebrated case
l in the history of land litigation
The United States vacated the
sale holding that neither terrific
ry nor a State has the power tc
make treaty with Indians. Il
was also shown that nearly all Of
the legislators who voted for the
T bill authorizing the State to sci
2 the lands had stock in the Com
2 pany. Duels and street fights
7 followed, and, finally, the Legis'
5 lature annulled the sale. The
records of the sale were publicly
: burned at the Capital, which was
3 LewisvilIe. The money was Or
= dered refunded to the purchasers
7 but, unluckily, the greater par
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1901-10-17
Figs and Thistles.

| uOtIllIS.
The devil always knows where
to find loafer.
Every little act is the child OF a
great principle.
If you would be pure in mind,
be pure in habit.
The man who prays right, al
ways pays right.
The most dangerous deception
is self-deception.
A good man is one of Gods
thoughts in motion.
The first real step to heaven is
to decide to start now.
A fact is something that neither
man nor devil can kill.
The man who wears blue glasses
never finds the sunshine.
If some people would pay bet
ter, they could pray better.
The man who worries helps the
angel of death to get him.
The devil can make almost any,
thing he wants out of loafer.
The things which do the most to
make us happy do not cost money.
If your life is not a blessing to
Others, it is not blessing to you.
One of the biggest towards is
the man who is afraid to do right.
| It isn't half so hard to please
God as it is some of our neighbors.
The man who has high opin-
ion of himself doesn't know him.
self.
To have to look at himself is the
hottest fire a bad man can get
into.
The shadow of a trouble is al
ways blacker than the trouble
itself.
The hardest man to please is the
one who never knows what he
!. wants.
When a man does business for
God, there is no danger of bank
ruptcy.
The man who is always thinking
} evil finds ten thousand ways to
speak it.
II you want to be strongi in trial,
don't forget to pray when you are
prosperous.
Some men are honest because
they never had a good chance to
steal anything.
| The devil is always ready to
shake hands with the man who
does not pray in secret.
/ When God sends a man any,
where, the devil does his best to
keep him from going.
The man who puts heart into
r everything he does is watched by
, angels when he works.
You can not get more light
I from God, unless you are walking
in the light already given.
, If you want to have power to
: mould other men, learn to control
, the man who wears your hat.
No man can do one thing
: through a desire to please God
? without wanting to do anotherr
The bad man throws mud at the
j good man because he has to do il
: to keep from looking at himself.
t One of the hardest things the
S devil ever undertook to do was tc
n put a long face on happy Chris
tian.
When you find Gods plow a
work in your soul, you may know
:, that he intends to raise a crol
:, there.
Trying to be religioue two hour
week is one of the hardest way
. to get to heaven anybody eve
" undertook.
People who worry, forget tha
y God is still great enough to kee
- an eye on everything, from a
atom to planet.
W People who are not quite rigf
II themselves always feel bette
, when they can find somethin
le wrong with other people.
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1901-10-17

By not being a Christian your
self, you make it that much harder
for everybody else to be one.
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1901-10-17

No man can keep hold of the
hand of God while he steps on tho
rights of his brother.
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1901-10-17

Every man who loves his neigh
Dor as himself, has something in
his heart that God put there.
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1901-10-17

Rev. G. H. Hepworth: There
are many roads to heaven, and if
we are honest in our desire to get
there we cannot go far astray.-
God ministers to every man ac-
cording to his temperament, but
not to all alike. The one thing
needed, without which no man
can be safe, is honesty of purpose.
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1901-10-17

Rev. Geo. H. Hepworth: The
world would not be better if there
were only one sect, but it would
be a good deal better if we loved
and respected each other more.-
What the world Graves is not more
thinking, but more love. Christ
represents principle, not a the
ology, and His whole life can be
summed up in the simple phrase,
Glove one another.'
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1901-10-17

The man who is always lookin |.
for mud never sees the sky.
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1901-10-17

True religion is the same every
where. Neither climate nor CEN
tury can change it.-N.Y. Herald.
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1901-10-17

Bishop Hendrix said tthe New
Orleans Conference: 81 register
here and now VOW that hence
fort | will give more time to the
study of the Bible and to secret
prayer"
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1901-10-17
SERWICH's
HOTEL AND RESTAURANT

merican and European plan. Cor
II ner of Texas and Market streets,
Shreveport, Louisiana.
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1901-10-17

N. Y. Herald: No sect on earth
has all the truth there is, and
every sect has some truth which
mankind needs.
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1901-10-17

The fault finder does a good
deal Of work for the devil.
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1901-10-17
FRANKS RESTAURANT,
J. BCCCoLo & Co., Proprietors

Oyster parlor, fish and game of all
kinds. Up-to-date in all things, and
furnished in the neatest style. Prompt
and polite attention. Meals at all hours.
In the Simon building, Shreveport, La.
New-York tribune., 1901-02-21
Personal.

Arrangements being made b. ths Royal
Academy of Sciences of Sweden 10 celebrate the
third centenary of the death of Tycho Brahe. the
founder Of modern practical astronomy. on octo-
Der "a 1901. by a special meeting. II is also pro-
Iosed 10 further commemorate Tycho's work by
ne publication Of facsimile of the original edition
OF his celebrated "Astronomise Instauratae Mechan
the Aeadey I is well Ga Known !" that n "8far Rhe5 S
anaSsnnrg in the year 1898 Tyoho had this work
printed IN his own office. with the view to give the
eeeorities Of his time exact idea Of the organ-
ever But tbe e1itio, s rrn ~ ne, az heer Small
TOT me only copies of the work known to be IN
The British Museum. Prague and stockhoim
Senator R. r. Butler. Of Washington County.
lenn Is the oldest member Of the Tennessee Legis-
lature in point Of service. Ha is now serving his
% ad TTsd x " Rears m h fRe os nd 4f9Gs e
experience in State legislation. Senator Butler
ten 2 er9e in The m NGpa 5 To H9TS Of ana
Northumberland of the 18th Cavalry.
Ex-President Harrison has declined to sign Pc
ttion to Congress for a $4,000 monument for Tppe-
canoe batt field. where William Henry Harrison Dis
tnguished himself. General Harrison's is
tnat though he should be pleased to see the plan
Congress and that IN this case ii would be ndeI-
ancestors prominence in the battle.
The memorial TO the late Professor Henry Sidg-
wick will probably take the form of an endowed
scholarship az Cambridge. though other projects
are also before the committee. Professor J. Mark
receive American subscriptions says: Seeing the
services Sidgwck rendered educatiOn-notabIv
woman . education-and the very large use made Of
ms BOOKS IN American universities. it IL hoped that
considerable sum will be raised IN this country.
contributions. TO be forwarded through me. may be
sent direct to Princeton. y j."
Berne Feb 2O-John @. A. Leishman United
States Minister te Switzerland who was recently
selected 10 succeed Oscar s. Straus as the Amerf-
can representative at COnstantnopIe, to-day pre-
Sented his letters OF recall to President Brenner
Berlin. Feb. 20.-George Speyer. the Frankfort
banker. has given 1OooO00 marks to the city TO pro-
mote scientific instruction.
New-York tribune., 1901-02-21
COOLING DOWN.

II is pleasant 70 observe marked decrease OF
strenuousness and caloric in current discussions
Of the tariff dispute with Russia There is less
talk about a loss of S3n0ooO0o year 70 the
United States and Of s2ooo0,Ono a year TO
Chicago alone through disturbance Of only
S10.000000 of trade. There il even an inclina-
tion 10 concede that the United States Govern
ment may possibly have some slight shadow of
Justification for its action. People with due
sense Of humor arc beginning 10 appreciate the
preternatural Solemnity Of tho charge that the
Sugar Trust has bribed or otherwise prevailed
upon the Government 70 do this thing. in view
of the admitted fact that imports Of sugar from
Russia amount 10 less than per cent Of all We
import. Not even trust goes cunning for
sparrows with l2-inch gun.
Ii is likewise pleasant To observe that the
Russian press maintains m amiable tone and
ventures to hope that the Russian Government
will reconsider it's action and suspend its retail
iatOry duties upon American goods until the
matter can he more carefully and iudcially
considered. In view Of the intimate relations
between the Russian press and the Russian
Government. such utterances must he regarded
significant. With Russia keeping cool and
the hOt-GOspellerS Of the anti-Administratton fac
tiOn here cooling down TO below the danger
mark may hope for Teadjustment OF
affairs without setting the North Pole atire.
New-York tribune., 1901-02-21
UNREASONABLE OPPOSITION.

Mr.. Cannon well described In the House Of
Representatives on Monday the unreasonable
conduct Of the opposition. or Of a major frac-
ton Of il. The opposition he said. had taken
the lead in clamOring for war with Spain.
against the more thoughtful and peaceful policy
Of the Administration and It's supporters. And
then. when the war finally came-a war into
which the opposition hoasted il had dragged
the Nation "hy the scruff Of the neck'-the same
matchmaking opposition voted against the
measure necessary for raising the money TO
prosecute that war. The opposition was. in
brief. in favor Of the war. hut against its sue
cessful prosecution.
That description of part-happiy. not Of all
Of the opposition party will. We think, stand
II may well be supplemented with similar
description of the present attitude of the same
unrea sonable faction. There is no fact of record
better known than that Congress in its act of
intervention did its utmost 10 reverse. or mate
rally 20 modify. the consistent policy Of the
President and that under the inspiration and
guidance of conspicuous opposition leaders. it
did actually adopt a resolution which is now
interpreted by its trainers as having reversed
that policy and as having committed the Ma
ton to a brand new policy. of COngress's own
contriving. And yet these same gentlemen OF
the opposition now vociferOusly declaim against
Congress being asked 10 bear any OF the respon-
Sibilty for thar act Of its own doing, and insist
that the President himself should be held solely
accountable for the working out of a scheme
which he did not suggest and did not favor
but which was practically imposed upon him
against HIS will.
Moreover. in another part OF the field where
the opposition boasts OF having dragged the
President into war -by the scruf of the neck. :"
and where the President prosecuted the war
with signal success, authority is now asked by
the President for closing up the issues and con-
serving the results Of the war by substituting
/ civil for military administration; and 10 this
The opposition again objects. II not only was,
as We have said, for the war. but against It's
prosecution In also was in favor of beginning.
but against ending. the war. IL exaggerated the
causes Of the war, and now seeks 10 belittle it's
results. II went out Of its way 10 seek provoca-
tiOn 10 war. and now with equal agility seeks 70
avoid conserving whatever good results were
gained by the conflict. IL exulted in RESPONSE
bility for beginning the war. but lodges and
decries responsibility for restoring peace. OF a
truth. Il was well that the Romans made their
god of war two faced.
New-York tribune., 1901-02-21
TRANSATLANTIC TRAVELLERS.

On the Oceanic. OF the White Star Line. which
arrived here yesterday from Liverpool Alfred
Armstrong WaIdemar Won Beck Dr. Frederick A.
Cook Lieutenant j. r. Elmsley. Captain J. \.
Farquhar, Mr.. and Mrs Arthur Hill. Miss Mar
garet ttIu r. II. Hutton. Mrs. Eugene Kelly
Gouverneur PauIding and Percy c. Wyndham.
Among those the vaderland Of the American
Line. which arrived here from Southampton. were
Mr.. and Mrs. F.; K, Collins Miss Josephine Dow
ing. Herman X. Keller, Mr.. and Mrs. Joseph
Machray. Captain r. \. Marshall Mr. and Mrs.
Gerald Richard and DIR. c. F. Washburne
L'Aquitaine of the French Line. which sailed
Tor Havre had among her passengers the Rev. H.
rett. Adolphe Perrin, Miss Celestine Vienne and f.
L. Wfddicomb.
On the ST. Louis. OF the American Line for Liver
pool were Samuel LOates and Daniel Maher the
Jockeys; Charles \. Mills, the English racing
man; r. g. knowles William Duke the horse
trainer' Colonel Cuthbert Larking. Frederick Rod
gers and Rufus W Weeks
New-York tribune., 1901-02-21
S4rIvGS WELL GUARDED.

The annual reports Of the savings banks In
this State. which were given out recently IN
Albany. must convince the most sceptical-if any
sceptics there are-that almost all of them are
managed saSaciOusIy and that with few excep-
tons they are true citadels Of financial strength
Their growth has indeed been remarkable,
but IL has betrayed no indication OF hasty
forcing and no sign of weak construction. The
thrift and caution of ew-England have been
prOverbial since the landing of the Pilgrims,
but New York has been even more prudent and
careful i'm this generation in the government of
its savings banks than most of the States in the
Union. The laws regulating and restricting the
investments OF the deposits belonging to the
frugal and Industrious now strict and ju-
dcious In the last score of years there have
been more troubles and scandals affecting saw
ings banks in New-Ensland than in the Empire
State
So unquestionng is the confidence of the
masses in this State that the totals OF the re-
sources of we'll known institutions for savings
have mounted 10 imposing sums. If there were
only a single savings bank in this city whose in
vestments and resources exceeded SJ0o0oO00.
the general opinion might be that notable re-
suit had been reached in caring for the money
laid aside by an army OF depositors for possible
rainy days" But this city contains several
savings banks whose assets in each case are
far in excess of S5OO0oOO0 and whose affairs
have been administered so ably that they have
laid by surpluses so large that no conceivable
panic. not even n financial catastrophe. could
endanger the interests Of the depOsitOrs The
banks are established on rocks. Many OF them
now have homes that look like fortresses. so
massive and enduring are they. State and city
alike proud OF the savings banks which fur
nish so convincing an assurance Of strength and
stability
New-York tribune., 1901-02-21
6Oi6 Low
HON TIE CITY uONEY GOES.

Carefully prepared statistics show that the
cost of the local government Of this city In pro
portion 20 population is in excess of that Of the
other we'll known cities of the world. hut the
tendency Of the municipal departments Is con
stantly toward still more extravagant expend-
ture. The improvement and extension Of the
dock system Of this port are OF the utmost i'm
portance 10 American commerce, hut our Dock
Department has been going forward al a pace
so headlonC that II il were not checked the local
treasury would soon he overwhelmed by grave
embarra ssments. Many new schools are needed
in every one of our five borOughs in addition 10
those building. but with so huge n bonded
debt and high a rate CT taxation as that
now imposed some limit must be set 10 the Use
Of a great number of millions hastily even for
new schoOlhOuses. The city is already putting
several millions every year into the new build
ings II cannot do everything at once. while
rapid transit is so loudly called for and the
drafts upon the public funds for the great sub
way. the new bridges and the tunnels Of the
future are sure 20 be- extensive year after
year.
our new parks i'm the tenement districts. the
parkways and the bOulevanis uptown. the new
drives and concourses. the changes in streets
and pavements both above and below the Har-
lem. and the increase OF the water supply make
formidable demands upon the taxpayers. The
police force. the Fire and other departments
cost more and more as the city gains IN pOpula-
ton. From the proceeds of taxation and the
issues OF bonds NeW-YOrk will expend tens of
millions above the sum of s1O0oo0O0H in this
first wear Of the new century. No reasonable
taxpayer advocates a miSerly policy In metro
politan affairs. The Outgo for the government
Of more than three and half millions of people
and for the development of what great
community must have inevitably mounts far up
In the scores OF millions every year. But the
disposition toward a prohigate waste in every
one Of the five bOroughs and in almost every
department OF the local administration Is going
beyond bounds and too many OF the members OF
the State Senate and the Assembly exhibit an
inexcusable eagerness 10 encourage unwise
schemes and appropriations in this city. Watch
dogs OF the local treasury are too few and too
deficient in pluck and in vigilance both at the
CITY Hall and AT the State capital. Governor
Odel is zealOusly in favor OF retrenchment here
in the city and throughout the State. But how
many officehOlders and Legislators can he
counted upon 10 stand with him like a stone
wall against spendthrift misuse OF the money
which is taken IN one way or another from the
people OF New-York?