davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Omaha daily bee., 1906-07-29
some Hirtory OF FontaneIIe.

When Mr.. sprick first settled In Fon-
tanelle he and five young men who were
his companions in the expedition TO a new
land, built a log cabin, the first house
erected in Fontanelle. Some remains Of
the cabin still exist, but In 1855 a more
comfortable frame dwelling was built,
proof of the fruits of Mr., Spricks lnbors.
In 1888 the brick home which he tenanted
the remainder of his life was constructed
and the trees and shrubs about It were
planted at the same time. The pictures
show Mr.. Sprick as he sat on the porch
of the house some six years ago and the
place at that time The other photograph
shows the second house he built in Fonta-
nellie. The three domiciles we'll illustrate
the three phases OF his experiences in Me-
braska; the first OF hardship and rude
usages. the second OF humble comfort and
the third Of ease.
There is more historic interest to the
village OF Fontanelle than the mere fact
that II set out to be the biggest town in
the state and possessor Of the capitol. So
well were its claims pressed that Fon-
tanelle lacked but one vote less than
Omaha in the race for the location OF the
capitol OF the territory of Nebraska. Al
that time Omaha and Fontanelle had about
Omaha daily bee., 1906-07-29

age man OF this tribe is three inches shorter
than that of any other New Guinea ma
tive of the same height.
The Ahgaiambos make up for the def
ciencies in their lower eXtremities by hav-
ing fine chests, thick necks and powerful
arms. Around their waists are folds of
thick muscles. They are fever proof.
In November last there arrived at DR..
Turner's hospital at st. Petersburg five ex-
amples of another race which suffers from
a peculiar deformity. They are Cossacls
from the transcaspiafl territory While
their heads and bodies are perfectly nor
NAL, their hands and feet are only par
TALLY developed. They have the appear
ance of grownup people with feet and
hands Of the size Of 12-year-old children.
These patients are descendants of Rus
sian Cossacks who emigrated to the other
side of the Caspian and 1t appears that
more than half of the community suffer
from the same strange deformity
Omaha daily bee., 1906-07-29

Oelrid had never seen railroad train
until three days before. All of the eigh-
teen years of his life had been spent on
farm in the back part of Carroll county;
but after Oelrids father died and his
mother became i'll. four years ago. things
began to break bad at the farm and soon
there was heavy mortgage in sight.
A chance seemed to offer itself in the
way of a job proffered to Oelrid by his
cousin in Ohio, and it was then that Oelrid
made the long journey from his home to
the nearest railroad station and started on
his still longer journey to his cousins home
in Ohio.
AS near as Oelrid could remember, that
cousin lived in a place called Rich Hill,
somewhere in Ohio; but he lost the card
bearing the address and is not now sure
where his cousin lives. Oelrid had spent
his last cent on street car fare and was
wandering aimessly about the streets, his
baggage under his arm, when kind-hearted
citizens attention was attracted to his
forlorn appearance The man brought the
boy to the station and Oelrid was glad to
stay there all night.
Omaha daily bee., 1906-07-29

IE13EISNl York City have been ordered to
- the metropolis to begin service.
Weighing each 175,0OO pounds, they are the
first of the order for thirty-fve electric
locomotives given by the New York Cen
trail railroad to the American Locomotive
company to be delivered. There are eigh-
teen more nearly completed and due to
arrive before September /, the day set for
the opening OF electrical service on that
railroad from the Grand Central station
to Highbridge on the main line and Wake
field on the Harlem division. While the
big electric locomotives are to draw the
through trains to and from Highbridge
until the main line service is finally ex-
tended to Croton, the motor cars, running
in FIVE and seven-car trains together with
steel trailers. are to care for the suburban
service. Fffty-fve trailers have been or
dered from a st. Louis car building COM
pany. and the first lot will soon arrive.
The electric locomotives are capable of
making the regular trip from the Grand
Central station to Croton, a distance OF
thirty-four miles, with a total train weight
of 1876 tons, in forty-four minutes without
stop. The heaviest of these trains will
be SIS tons and will be drawn by two
locomotives. Maximum speeds of from
sixty to sixty-five miles an hour are to be
attained but Undoubtedly this will be
largely increased as the curves are
Strengthened and the roadbed further inn
proved
The designers have secured the best me-
chanlcal features of the high speed steam
locomotive, combined with the enormous
power and simplicity in control made pos
sible by the use of the electric drive. The
locomotive has four driving axles, on each
of which is mounted the armature Of a
gearless electric motor having a normal
rating of 65O-hOrse power. The total rated
capacity of the locomotive is 22Oc-hoI sc
power although for short periods a con-
siderably greater power may be developed
making it more powerful than the largest
steam locomotive in existence.
According to the electrical experts the
electric locomotive has many advantages
over the steam locomotive. All danger
from fire and explosion. which is always
present in q steam locomotive carrying fire
under a forced draught and a boiler
charged with high pressure steam. is elm
mated from the electric locomotive. The
experts also say that the substitution of g
simple rotating member in the electric To-
connective for the cranks, side rods, piston'
and other parts connected with recipro
eating motion in the steam locomotive di
minish0s the possibility OF accident
Omaha daily bee., 1906-07-29
Hero of Many Battles.

One fault Of certain extremely popular
general is that he, being rather deaf, is apt
to come to wrong conclusions.
Returning from a campaign, one OF the
first meDtt to greet him was an old acquaint-
ance. "Ah, my dear fellow" said the gen.
eral, so glad to see you again. Hope you
have prospered and had good fortune these
years"
Yes, general, yes; but I have had the
great misfortune to lose my wife since 1
saw you"
Catching the word wife" the other
guessed at the idea OF a recent marriage
and, patting his old friend affectionately on
the shoulder, he exclaimed:
Happy man! happy mani"
Omaha daily bee., 1906-07-29

company is repairing it's tracks, and for a
section both eastbound and westbound cars
have been using the same track. To pro-
tect the car in the block watchmen are sta
toned at either end of the single track and
permit only one car in the block at a time.
While the Waterman was absent the other
night an eastbound car dashed past the
danger point. For a second the Waterman
contemplated the horror Of a collision
which appeared unavoidable, and then,
rushing to a telephone, he directed that the
power on that division be shut off.
This was done. At brief intervals the
current was sent through the wires, ena-
bling the two cars to move ahead slowly
and show by their headlights that they
were approaching each other. Had the
Waterman not acted promptly in having
the power turned off nothing could have
saved the cars from collision.
Electrical Supplies.
The discussion in England aroused by the
Omaha daily bee., 1906-07-29
Patriarch of the Community.


Patriarch of the Community.
Representing the only resident remaining
of the original company that laid out
Fontanelle, Mr.. Sprick for years was
garded as the patriarch Of the community.
lie was a man of strong fiber, entirely cap
able of subdulng the natural difficulties of
the virgin plain and surviving the viscissi-
tudas of the first settler. He was always
more or less of an active leader in polii-
tics and affairs in Washington county and
the TOWNSHIP of Fontanelle. His lifelong
political afiliation was with the repub-
lean party, carrying among his convictions
trollable power by mere wealth. He was
elected to the lower house of the legislature
in 1878. 1877 and 1881, and to the state senate
from Washington and Dodge counties in
1887. He was recognized as a leading
force in all of these bodies and served with
credit.
Mr.. Sprick had two political hobbies
which he pressed at every opportunity.
One was the firm belief that all good gov
eminent must come from the proper edu-
cation OF the masses of the people, and
the other that It is the plain duty. under
all circumstances, for every citizen to cast
his ballot whenever an election is held In
his community. Carrying out these plainly
conceived theories, he was a power in pro-
riding an excellent public school system in
the township. From 1855 to the day of his
death he had never failed TO vote at an
election whenever It was possible for him
70 do 80.
Omaha daily bee., 1906-07-29

the Union Pacific would be run up the
selfsame valley when the railroad was
built-if it was built. This bit of fore
sight seems have been good, though de-
fective, for tho Union Pacific did run up
the vallev. b. on the opposite side of the
river.
The colonization society had fifty MEM
bers and most of them came to Fontanelle,
along with others With a mighty eye
to the future and sound intentions, ample
plots Of ground were set aside for a col
Omaha daily bee., 1906-07-29

the same population. Possession of the
capital then meant the impetus that would
make a metropolis.
Omaha secured the prize, relinquished It
when It was no longer Indispensable and
is the principal city of the state with
1S5,OOO inhabitants. On the other hand, not
more than $50 persons live in Fontanelle.
These, without exception, are in good cir
cumstances. No poverty or want is known
there. The claim is made, and with a
good deal Of reason, that the township is
Omaha daily bee., 1906-07-29

For an officially dead man Henry Pan-
coast, a liveyyman Of Vineland, N. j., man
ages to enjoy his meals and surroundings
fairly well, and his is one Of the oldest
OF records. Pancoast enlisted Ia the civil
war from Atlantic county and vas dis
charged from the lexington hospital,
Washington, .. c., on January Z, 1868.
Somehow the dates got mixed and he was
reported as dead by the surgeon, and so
the records state today. 1t took him
twenty years to prove he was alive enough
to get a pension,
Omaha daily bee., 1906-07-29

avowed intention to make this town the
capital. In Omaha the committee was
urged by the few inhabitants to cast their
lot with them, but declined. They looked
over the ground as much as possible and
decided that the ideal situation for a great
town was at the juncture of the Platte
and Elkhorn rivers. They chose for the
townsite a section Of land on blur over
looking the valley, two miles from the
present town of Nickerson and nine miles
from Fremont. 1t was fully expected that
Omaha daily bee., 1906-07-29
Quaint and Curious Features Of Current Life

For thirty-one years Pancoast has been
in the livery busienss at Vineland, and
during that time he has never entered a
church, never attended a circus, never was
in the local opera house or attended any
amusement whatever, and never went to
a Fourth of July celebration. The only
place of entertainment he has visited was
reunion of his regiment, the Twenty
first New Jersey volunteers, in Atlantic
City a year or two ago. He says there Is
not another record like his in the state.
The old soldier has left his home every
morning before the family was up, ana
returned most of the time after they had
retired for the night and hardly had
speaking acquaintance with his four chill
dren, all of whom grew up to fill promi-
nent positions in life.
Strange People in New Guinea
Sir Francis Winter, acting administrator
of New Guinea has recently been exploring
the recesses OF the great island territory
over which he presides. He fell In with
several unknown tribes. BY far the most
remarkable OF these are the Ahgaiambo'
a race of swamp jewellers.
For past ages these people have lived In
a huge morass dwelling in houses raised on
piles twelve feet above the surface OF the
water. They travel in canoes dug out OF
logs, and, as they never by any chance
leave their native swamps. they have prac-
tically lost the art of walking.
The result of this strange existence has
been that the whole tribe is deformed Their
legs have atrophied so that none OF them
can walk properly on hard ground. Their
feet have become short, broad and nat ex'
cellently adapted for swimming. but the
skin is so thin that they bleed on hrH
ground.
The legs are very thin and the usua
muscles above the knee missing. the Skin
hanging In loose folds. The shin muscles
are developed, those of the calf almost alb
sent Into the bargain the leg Of an aver
Omaha daily bee., 1906-07-29

ent experimenting with a telephone cable
under Lake Constance, with a stretch of
some fifteen or twenty miles, and a very
considerable depth of water If they sue
coed, the next step will be series of tele-
phone cables between England and the
continent, where there is nowhere any
great depth of sea
Omaha daily bee., 1906-07-29
Preventing Collisions.

For twenty-five minutes the other night
the power was turned of on the division
OF the Utica and Mohawk Valley Electric
railroad extending from New York to
Frankfort in order TO avert head-on crash
between a, couple OF crowded trolley cars
travelling toward each other at a sixty
miles-an-hour clip.
West OF the village OF Frankfort, reports
the New York Sun. the electric railway
Omaha daily bee., 1906-07-29
A Transatlantic Telephone.

While It might never pay to lay tele-
phone cable across the Atlantic, 1t would
undoubtedly pay. and pay well, to lay a
cable which, while being effective for telc-
Omaha daily bee., 1906-07-29
Colony That Didn't Grow.

The idea that resulted in Fontsnelle had
its origination in the Quincy Colonization
society, organized at Quincy, ILL.,, in 1854
The society sent committee TO Nebraska
to select a site for a town, it being the
Omaha daily bee., 1906-07-29

THE death Of Henry sprick at the
village OF Fontanelle, Washington
county, last week. recalls the life
kf19hIpI Of sterling type Of Nebraska
- pioneer. Mr.. Sprick passed away
at the ripe age Of 70, rich in the happiness
that usually comes to we'll ordered and
honorable endeavor and the will to make
the best Of circumstances, no matter what
they may be.
He had dreamed. when he came TO Ne
braska In 1855, of founding the metropolis
and capital of the state. With others he
had planned such an enterprise before de-
parting from Illinois. Every precaution,
In selecting the site OF Fontanelle, was
taken to insure Its geographical advantage
for such honors. But destiny held another
fate for the village of Fontanelle. Instead
OF tall buildings, paved streets and many
people, most OF the townslte was to be
the location OF profitable farms in one of
the most fertile sections of Nebraska.
OF the band who saw its hopes go to
pieces, only Mr.. Sprick remained. He
quietly did what lay to his hand and passed
his declining years in comfort and ease,
secure in the possession of a suficient COM
petence.
Omaha daily bee., 1906-07-29

lege, for court house and for the capitol
that never came. The streets were made
broad and regular, which was very easy
to do on blue prints and clean prairies.
1t was asserted with truth that the place
was ideal for city to build on, and there
is today no gainsaying that the place is
wholly beautiful and attractive.
Omaha daily bee., 1906-07-29
Never saw n Railroad.

1LRID TROY. IS years of age.
Carroll county, Virginia, long and
lean and as innocent as tall,
spent a night at the Central po-
lice station in Cleveland.
Omaha daily bee., 1906-07-29

Sprick in the Vanguard.
The first settlement was made in 1856
and Mr.. Sprick was in the vanguard with
Omaha daily bee., 1906-07-29
Electricity suppIantInE Steam.

NO of the huge electric locomo-
tlves ordered by the New York
Central for terminal work in New
York City have been ordered to
the rnetrnnnlis to hnpIn sarUicn
Omaha daily bee., 1906-07-29

Electrical Supplies.
The discussion in England aroused by the
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1906-05-31
Died

SHROUT-At his home in Oakland on
last Sunday evening of complication
of diseases, Beckwith Shrout, aged
about seventy years. The deceased was
an old soldier and his funeral took place
on Tuesday. He leaves quite number
of children, all of whom are grown.
HILLEARY-At her home in Cumber-
land, on Thursday, May oath, of CON-
plication of diseases, Mrs. Samantha c.,
wife of Mr. William A. Hilleary, aged
&C years. The deceased was born at
Centerville, Pa, and was married
about fifty years ago. Thirteen children
were born OF the union, five of whom,
with her husband survive, they being
Messrs. w. F., of Pittsburg; Chas. E.,
Of Garrett county; R. P. and H. C. and
Mrs. U. G. Mcintyre, of Cumberland.
The funeral of Mrs. Hilleary took place
at Westernport on Saturday afternoon
to which point her body was conveyed
in a special car attached to train No. So.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1906-05-31
Disastrous Forest Fires in Tucker
county, w. Va.

Disastrous forest fires: have been
raging around Parsons, w. Va. the
past week. The Richard & Hess camp,
on Green mountain, was destroyed, to-
gether with the slide, one thousand
cords Of bark and many saw logs. The
Otter Greek Boom and Lumber Company
lost six hundred cords of bark. Fires
ragged fiercely on the Elk Lick tract and
also along the Blackwatcr river near
Davis, W. Va. Nearly all the lumber
in the vicinity of Gladys has been burn
ed. The saw mill and several thousand
feet Of dressed lumber of Kenney Rains,
at Hartman, w. Va, were burned, his
loss being $1,000.
Fires have done much damage in the
vicinity of Davis, w. Va. No rain had
fallen in that vicinity for some time
until the light rains of Saturday and
everything is dry and burns like finder.
Sparks from one Of the Thompson Lum-
Der Company engines set the woods on
fire, and lot of logs were damaged
and about eighty cords of bark were
destroyed A fire is also raging up
Beaver Greek and it is feared that prop
erty will be destroyed near the Beascn
mines.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1906-05-31
HIS HAND BADLY MANGLED.
Accident to w. II. KahI. Planning Hill
Superintendent.

Mr. William H. Kahl. manager Of the
Oakland Manufacturing Company S
planning mill, met with an unfortunate
accident on last Monday morning where
by he lost three fingers and a portion of
his thumb of his left hand.
Mr.. Kahl was employed in running a
piece Of lumber over the jointing ma
chine when the board turned and threw
his hand into contact with the plane
bit, which severed the fingers in a
twinkling. He was brought to town as
soon as possible and DIR. limbaugh rem
dered the necessary surgical aid. Mr..
Kahl was out on Tuesday and though
unable to do manual labor for some
weeks to come will give his attention to
the business at the mill.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1906-05-31
Sc. and i0C. Goods.

There are special bargain tables near
the front of the store on which are
placed quantities of sc. and 10c.
goods that are sold at ridiculously low
prices. Look for these tables the next
time you come in. One half hour spent
in this way and the purchasing of 81
cents or dollars worth of goods cannot
help but please and put many useful
articles in the home.
J. NJ. DAVIS & Sons.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1906-05-31
For Thirty Days.

A. D. Naylor & Co. will give special
low prices on their entire line of We
hicles, Graindrills, Harrows, Flows,
Turnbull and Weber Wagons, FERTILE
ers, two; and three-ply Roofing, etc.
Our warerooms are running over with
goods and we will sell at the lowest
possible prices. If you do not want to
buy come to see US anyway; we want to
show you the largest assortment as well
as the best line of goods in Western
Maryland. st.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1906-05-31
Opening of 1.-THE Mt. Lake Hotel.

This hotel will be formally opened for
the reception of guests for the coming
season on Friday evening, June 8th,
when there will be banquet and mu-
steal entertainment The profits arising
from this entertainment will be divided
between the Ladies' Aid societies of
Oakland Lutheran church and Mt Lake
Park Methodist church. All are invited
to attend and spend pleasant evening.
Tickets for the supper can be secured
from either of the societies or from the
hotel office.
i Ii. CIPPETT. Prom.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1906-05-31

A heyser young man recently receiv-
ed a pictorial postal from a young girl
of Oakland suggesting that she would
like to put her shoes in the Keyser
young mans trunk. This is what he
wrote her: Il have just received a pair
Of shoes from Indiana and now the
trunk full. "
Capt, Robert II. Gordon, of the Cum
berland bar, stopped in Oakland Tues
day evening on his way home from
hingwood, where he tried a case the
day previous involving a sum Of S., OO0
for damages on a breach Of contract.
Mr.. Gordon won the suit and damages
were assessed at the above figure.
Memorial Presbyterian church, Of
Oakland, Rev. John A. McClelland, pas
tor, held its annual congregational
meeting few evenings ago. The re-
ports of the various officers show
the church to be in good condition fnan-
cially. During the past year this con-
gregation has gone forward wonderful
ly under the pastoral care of Rev. Mr..
McClelland.
We publish today well written let
ter describing the experiences of MIR.
and Mrs. E. f. Enlow and their daugh-
ter during the great earthquake and
fire in San Francisco. Mr. Enlow is
employed in the customs service in San
Francisco. His wife is now the guest
of relatives in Pittsburg and will come
to this county to see other friends be-
fore returning west.
Miss Rebecca Thayer, daughter Of
Mr.. and Mrs. Fred. A. Thayer, of Oak
land, graduated third in class of "a at
the Western Maryland College, West
minister. The graduation exercises were
held On last Friday and the commence
ment will be on June 18th, when Mr..
and Mrs. Thayer will go to Westmins-
ter. Miss Thayer's illness of several
weeks prevented her from taking first
honors in the class.
The hen is the greatest wealth pro-
Queer of the country. Some one has
gathered and made public the following
interesting statistics regarding the per
Torrance Of the Hen: On two months
she lays more value than the annual
production of all the gold mines of the
United States. Every three months
she produces more than the years pro-
duction of pig iron. Her eggs for six
months are worth more wealth than the
capital stock of all the banks in the
New York clearing house. In less than
two years she could pay off the national
debt. The annual report of the Secre-
tary of Agriculture shows that last year
the eggs of the United States were
worth more than the cotton or the
wheat, more than all the potatoes, the
barley, the tobacco, the sugar cane and
the rice. They practically equal the
dairy product and are surpassed only by
the corn crop Of a bumper corn year.
And the hen made new record recent
ly. On one day there were received in
New York over 40, 900 cases, containing
Is, 1856, GOO eggs The hens business
for one day in one city amounted to
$3.50, 600. -
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1906-05-31
SAW MILL BURNED.
Property of David II. Lower Who Sus-
tanned a Loss of $1,000.

The saw and planning mill belonging
to David H. Lower, located between
Mountain Lake Park and German, was
totally destroyed by fire on last Friday
night, along with large amount of
manufactured lumber.
Mr.. Lowers loss is placed at $1,000
with no insurance.