davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-09-12
PLAGUE FRISCO.
Government Is to Fight Black Death
On Pacific Coast.

Government Is to Fight Black Death
On Pacific Coast.
A section of San Francisco is in the
grip of the bubonic plague, commonly
known as the "black DEATH" and the
Mayor has appealed to President Roose-
welt for aid The public health and
marine hospital service has been in
structed to take charge of the situation
On the Pacific coast.
While calling on the government for
assistance in stamping out and prevent
ing the further spread of the con-
tagion, the Frisco authorities promise
whatever financial assistance the city
Is able to stand. 1t is urged that heroic
measures must at once be adopted to
prevent the disease getting a strong
foothold on the coast.
Acting promptly on instructions from
Oyster Bay, Surgeon General Wyman
issued the necessary orders placing the
public health and marine hospital SER
vice in charge of the situation. Gen.
Wyman also notified the Mayor of San
Francisco that the corps of service Of
fcers already on duty there would be
augmented and additional measures
taken to check the spread of the dis
ease
1t is believed the appeal of the
Frisco officials shows the situation has
become extremely dangerous and will
require great care in handling. Gov
eminent health officers have been sta
toned there for some time and meas
ures were taken to prevent the spread
Of the disease to other ports through
shipping, but the plague seems to have
gained stronger foOthold in the city in
spite of the efforts of the officers.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-09-12
BIG LAKE SHIPMENTS.
INCREASE IN COMMERCE DURING
JULY.
Strike In Lake Superior Ore Region
Fails to Decrease Movement as a
WhoIe-Robbers Dynamite Safe
of South Dakota Bank.

Considerable gains in lake commerce
during July are shown by receipts of
leading classes of merchandise at the va
rious lake ports, compared with the
earlier months of the year and CORE
spending periods Of the preceding two
years. The strike in the Lake Superior
ore region did not result in decrease Of
the commercial movement as a whole.
Total receipts during July amounting to
11,O9S,37? tons, were 6 per cent in ex-
cess Of those of 1906 and 10 per cent in
excess of corresponding 1905 figures. AS
a result of the strike, wheat rates from
Duluth to lower lake ports, which had
been about PA cents a bushel, fell to l
cent, and increased the wheat shipments
from Duluth and Superior by over so
per cent, from 2,216,205 to 4,029, $50
bushels. Receipts of ore from domestic
ports show a shrinkage of about quar-
ter of a million tons, falling from $685.
234 tons during July, 1906, to 5,46S, AT.
Lumber receipts also are smaller than a
year ago, the greatest losses being record
ed by Lake Superior ports. An interest
ing point revealed is the increase in the
average size of the vessels plying on the
great lakes, amounting to over 100 tons
for the year.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-09-12
wRECKERS DITCH A TRAIN.
Draw Spikes from Tracks on the
Baltimore and Ohio.

Draw Spikes from Tracks the
Baltimore and Ohio.
Train wreckerS were at work the other
evening on the Baltimore and Ohio rail-
road at Scott Haven and Suterville, thir-
ty miles east of Pittsburg. Spikes, it is
said, were drawn from the east-boupd
tracks for the purpose, it is thought, of
ditching the New York express, which
leaves Pittsburg at 0 80 o'clock in the
evening The wreckers, however, were
confused by the number of freight and
passenger trains passing those points, and
the express got through before the spikes
were drawn. The next train, a fast
freight for Philadelphia and New York,
was not so fortunate. When the engine
struck the rail from which the spikes had
been drawn the rail turned over, derailing
the engine and twelve cars. The tank
of the engine is in the Youghiogheny riv-
er, thirty-five to forty feet below the east
bound track. Five of the derailed cars
were over and wrecked, the merchandise
ing being scattered along the tracks, while
the other cars completely blocked both
tracks. The fireman and the engineer es-
capped injury by jumping. The west-bound
track was reopened for traffic about mid
night, but the east-bound track was not
reopened until after 10 o'clock the next
forenoon.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-09-12
PERISH IN FAR NORTH
cHICAGOAN THOUGHT TO BE
ARCTIC VICTIM.
Disquieffng Rumors About Attic
Explorers Reach Port of Upper
Canada Ohio River Steamer
Burns After Sinking Five Times.

News of the probable loss of the
schooner Duchess of Bedford, the ship
belonging to the Anglo-American arctic
expedition, which hoped to find a new
continent north Of the Mackenzie river,
was brought to Athabasca Landing. Can
ada, by Alfred Harrison, who has been
in the arctic circle for two years and who
came lack On the steamer Midnight Sun.
Mr.. Harrison said Ernest Stefanson Of
Harvard university, after whom the ex-
petition has been called, himself brought
the news of the loss of their boat 10
Herschell island He also brought the
news of the disappearance of three mem
bers of the party and expressed the. fear
that they had met death in the frozen
north. The missing men are Captain
Mikkelson, a Dane; Ernest Dekoven
Leffngwell of Chicago, and j. NJ. Marks.
They left the ship in February with sixty
days provisions for the supposed land to
the north, and had been gone seventy days
and no news had been received from
them. One of their teams of dogs had
returned, and it is likely the party will
never be heard. from again. The schoon-
er Duchess of Bedford, Stefanson
thought, had probably sunk. The ship
had filled with water, probably from the
ice strain, but they had been able to
remove everything of value to the main
shore.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-09-12

taught the young man when he was a
youngster and who remembered the slight
blue-eyed boy who called her his second
mother"
But the convictions of these women
had no weight with the second jury which
passed upon the guilt or innocence of the
man. So on Oct. %, 1901, these twelve
men brought in a verdict of guilty, and
again was the prisoner sentenced to the
penitentiary for his natural life.
In the meantime, however, and before
Gov. Taylor left the State as a fugitive
from justice to prevent arrest and ar
raignment for completely in the same as
sassination, the executive granted a par
don to the prisoner. The Supreme Court
of the State declared this pardon void,
holding that Taylor had ceased to be Gov
ernor at the time it was issued.
But the feeble old mother never ceased
praying for her sons freedom. Nor did
she waver in her faith as to his limo
cence She had impoverished herself,
having sold her little farm and moved to
the home of a daughter, to aid in raising
finances FOR the son to continue his battle
against what seemed to be overpowering
odds. Then came the third trial. She
was living in an humble cottage in Bar
louisville, and every evening she could
be found standing at the gate, her very
soul crying out for a verdict Of limo
cent"
Finally the verdict was carried to her,
but it was as far from that expected and
hoped for as day is from night. 1t was
on the evening of Aug. %, 1903, that
she learned that a third jury had con-
demned her boy to death.
Holding herself steadily erect, the aged
womaa made but one comment:
my son is innocent; my sole prayer
now is to the God of the fatherless and
the widow that he will c1en the eyes and
soften the hearts of those enemies of
Caleb who seem determined to have his
life. But both he and 1 will live to prove
to the world that he had no connection
with the crime"
Prior to this trial Powers had used up
about all the funds he could secure. Now
he was pretty well discouraged. Again
did a woman come to his rescue. In the
mountain school at Flemingsburg, Caleb
Powers had inspired that affection in Mrs.
Brock which was to bring forth harvest
that made a fourth trial possible. Not
withstanding her "a years she gave up all
her time to raising a fund for Powers
defense She resigned from the little
school and travelled the length and
breadth of the State in behalf Of her for
mer pupil She was particularly sue
cessful among the women of the State,
and it was her spirit, which she impaired
to others, that made the fourth trial a
certainty.
One of the attendants will be the pris-
oner's mother. She says she cannot bear
the suspense which was hers while await
ing the verdict in the third trial, and she
is confident that the prejudices of fol -ner
iuries will not be part of the makeup
of the next which will try her boy. What
ever the outcome of the trial. the pris-
oner is bearing up with remarkable forti-
tude.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-09-12
NEW YORK.

The more cheerful tone Of matters
financial is reflected in the reports of ex-
banding trade az large jobbing centers
on fall account. Conservatism in buy
ing is, however, still enforced by money
market conditions, and purchases are not
so large as they are numerous at many
markets. Relatively the best reports
came from leading northwestern and
southwestern centers, which apparently
find crops turning out better than earlier
anticipated. One feature deserving atten-
ton is the reported less noteworthy buy
ing of complete new stocks of goods,
which is apparently a result of money
conditions. Quite few cities report
trade as a whole ahead of the fall sea-
son of 1906, the crop outlook in those sec
tons no doubt influencing buying. Col
lections show improvement in different To-
calities, but as a whole are still slow
Bradstreet's Report.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-09-12
HAWKS AND OWLS DEFENDED.
Biological Survey bureau Declares
Farmers Are Unjust.

A defense of hawks and owls is entered
into by the biological survey in recent
report from that bureau. 1t is declared
that both Of these bird families have been
condemned by the farmers of the country
without discrimination because some of
their species are destroyers Of valuable
things. Mitigating circumstances are
found for some otherwise harmless birds
becaust of lack of proper food in the
country where they live.
incidentally, tales of eagles carrying off
children are declared to have little "foun-
dation in fact" but the bald eagle, the
emblem Of the United States, is, neverthe-
less, said to be unfortunately fond of
lambs, pigs and poultry and in the more
thickly inhabited regions probably does
as much damage as the golden eagle" The
golden eagle, say the experts, has been
known to attack calves and colts and to
have carried away from one range in the
West in a single year more than 400
lambs.
The report of the survey divides the
hawk and owl families into four general
species as follows: Species wholly benefi-
cial; those chiefly beneficial; those in
which beneficial and harmful qualities are
about balance: harmful special. Some OF
these birds may be good citizens in one
locality and extremely undesirable citi-
zens" in another.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-09-12
CUBA COSTS MILLIONS.
Expenses of Army of Pacifcation
$2,554,97O for 1907


$2,554,97O for 1907.
1t cost the American government 81
554,970, in addition to the regular ordi-
nary expense, to keep the American army
of Cuban pacifcation in that island dur
ing the fiscal year of 1907. This fact is
shown in the annual report of Gen. Ale
shire, quartermaster general of the army
OF the amount stated $1,015,3S3 was
spent for transportation.
Gen. Aleshire devotes a few words to
the work of the quartermaster's depart
ment and its ramifcations over a great
portion of the world covered by the Unit
ed States and its territorial possessions,
at the same time pointing out that the
strength of the corps consisted of but
ninety-six commissioned officers and 200
post quartermaster sergeants, in addition
to seventy-si1 line officers who were de-
tailed in connection with the departments
work
The general points out the urgent ne
cessity for such an increase in the num-
Der of commissioned officers as will relieve
the department from the necessity of call
ing upon line officers to perform its du-
ties; also for an increase in the num-
Der of post quartermaster sergeants and
the creation of a general service corps for
the work of the department.
Gen. Aleshire expresses the opinion that
the limit of cost, now $4,000 for build
ings, which can be constructed without
special authority Of Congress ought to be
increased to 100000. This is especially
urgent with reference to hospitals.
He says that carefully prepared Stats
tics show that the prices of nearly all the
lumber used in ordinary construction have
advanced fully 100 per cent sire 1904,
and the higher grades of finishing lum-
Der even more than that.
Because it is economical the bulk of the
coal required for the trans-Pacifc trans
port service is procured at Nagasaki,
Japan, where upon the return trip to the
United States all transports take aboard
coal to their cargo capacity. The coal
ing is done very rapidly, as much as 3,063
tons having been put aboard in a work
ing day of ten hours,
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-09-12
BANDITS ROB TRAIN.
OMAHA AND TEXAS EXPRESS
HELD UP.
RopDers Ride Passengers and
Cow Train Crew with ReyoIyers-
Occupants of Coaches Stripped Of
Money and VaIuabIes.

Spectacular raids of the Dalton gang
and the Jackson Hole outlaws were re-
called Friday when the Omaha and
Texas express on the Rock Island RaiI-
road was held up by three masked men
near Murdoch, Neb., and the passeu.
gers stripped of money and Jewels
while the train crew was terrorized
The robbery was one of the boldest and
most successful in the history of the
State. The robbers went through the
chair car, robbing every passenger
therein, securing their pocketbooks and
purses, covered the train crew with re-
volvers and escaped by leaping from
the train.
The robbers were passengers on the
train. Shortly after leaving Murdoch
the men arose in their seats, their faces
covered with masks, and, with revol-
vers in each hand covered the passen-
gers. Then the leader ordered every
body to keep still and not resist else
they would be shot. Two men went
down the aisle with hats in hand, while
the third kept the passengers covered.
All passengers were ordered to throw
their pocketbooks into the hats, and
this was done. The conductor appeared
in the car with pistol in his hand,
but was promptly covered with four
guns and forced to drop his revolver.
After getting all the money in the car,
the robbers jumped from the train,
which was slowed down for a grade An
attempt was made to enter the sleeper
section. but the door was locked
The Rock Island robbery is the first
notable train holdup in that section
since the series of sensational raids
along the Union Pacific several years
ago by the famous Jackson's Hole band
of robbers. For a long time every ex-
press train running between Omaha and
the West was protected by armed
guards, and big rewards offered by the
railroads for the detection Of the ban
dts spurred local sheriffs to such ac-
tivity that train robbing became a
lost art. More recently the precautions
have been abated, and the daring and
nerve of the Murdoch bandits convince
the police that some of the members of
the old Jackson's Hole band again have
taken the road.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-09-12
All Around the Globe.

An American soldier at Cienfuegos,
Cuba, is suffering from what is believed
to be yellow fever. This is the first case
of soldier being attacked by the disease
since the army Of occupation went to the
island.
Superior Judge Lawlor of San Fran
cisco denied the motion made by the at
torney representing Patrick Calhoun,
Thornwell Mullaly, e. E. Schmitz, Abra-
ham Ruef and others to set aside and
dismiss the various bribery indictments
against them.
A local revolution which broke out at
San Luis, capital of the province of San
Luis, has been quelled by the Argentine
authorities.
In the State railways in Germany the
carriages are painted according to the
colors of the tickets of their respective
classes. First class carriages are painted
yellow, second class green and third class
white.
Craps" or throwing dice, is said to
have been originally a religious act. In
the turn Of the dice was supposed by the
primitive peoples to be the answer Of the
gods to their prayers. There was no
element of chance involved.
Jan Kubelik, the violinist, it is an,
nounced will make another American tour,
beginning at New York Nov. 10, under
the direction of Daniel Frohmar.
According to a statement of Senator
Plat, president of the United States E1-
press Company, the company's net earn
ings for the fiscal year ended June 80
were only s137,007, as compared with
S372, 061 last year.
Former United States Judge John Jay
Jackson, whose wholesale Imprisonment
of organizers and agitators during the
Virginia miners strike Of 1902 angered
the labor unions of the country, dropped
dead of heart disesse in Atlantic City
New jersey.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-09-12
TWO MOMENTS DEVOTION
May Yet Bring Freedom to Caleb
Powers of -Eepfuelv

While nothing definite is yet known
as TO the time of Caleb Powers next
trial, recently deferred on the charge of
numbering Gov. William Goebel OF Ken
lucky, the preparations are being made
and when the case is again called his de-
tense viii be complete Incarcerated for
seven years for a murder which changed
the political history of a State, outlawed
its Governor and wrecked many homes,
Powers, who at the age of so years was
Secretary Of State for Kentucky, is still
fighting desperately for his life and lib
erty. Three times already Caleb Powers
has been condemned for participation in
the Goebel assassination three times he
has been granted new trials. To his moth
er and his old school teacher he is in
debted for at least two of these.
Almost Immediately after the murder
Powers was arrested while trying to es-
cape in disguise. On Aug. 10 following
jury pronounced him guilty of COM
plIclty in the assassination and fixed his
punishment at life Imprisonment He
was man Of some little means and his
political friends, partly considering his
trial as one arraigning his party before
the world came to his aid and new trial
was granted.
1T was a towards shot which slew
Goebel, and Caleb is not a coward
This is what Mrs. Rebecca Powers, the
mother of the prisoner, said at the first
trial. This is what she said after the
appeal was successful, and this is what
she made many others believe by consist
ant reiteration
Il know Caleb is not a coward, and !
also know he had no connection with the
deep damnation of Goebel's taking off,
This was the downright answer to ev-
cry charge made against the prisoner re-
turned by Mrs. Lulie Clay Brock, who
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-09-12
Interesting News Itens.

Estimates are made that Marshall and
Henry Field will divide S1,00O,000 coo
when the estate of their grandfat her is
settled at the end of a trust period OF
thirty-eight years.
While the French gunnery schoolship
Couronne was at target practice near
Toulon on Aug. 2 a terrific explosion
blew off the breech block of hundred
millimeter gun, killing three and seriously
wounding FIVE persons. The exact cause
of the explosion is a mystery, but will
be the subject Of rigid investigation.
In riot started by an attack on nom
union street railway inspector at San
Francisco, in which 1 900 persons partici-
pated, several men were badly wounded,
one fatally.
DR.. II. w. Wiley Of the Department Of
Agriculture said in an address in New
York that centenarians are to be as nu-
merous as blackbirds, and that the health
of the world is growing better.
The government of Venezuela has mott
fed Belgium that in recognition of the
principle of arbitration the disputed
claims of Belgian creditors, amounting to
SZ,UUp,Opo, WOuIu De pdiu aS ISq01ISu US
The Hague Court.
The personal interchange between the
rulers OF Germany and Russia on the
high sea is believed to have dealt with
the new Anglo-Russian treaty, and Mich
olas is thought TO have assured William
that although it gave Russia port on
the Persian gulf, this would in no wise
interfere with the German plan for rail-
road through the Euphrates to Bagdad.
1t is also said that the Gar arranged a
loan of $50, 100000 with German bankers
conditioned on the whole sum being ex-
pended on warships to be built in Ger
many.
There were 35,91S emigrants from Ire
land TO England last year, an increase
Of 4,764 over the previous year.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-09-12
Sparks from the Wires.

Increase in the pay of the army, but
no increase in its size, is the compromise
which has been reached by the President
and the leaders in Congress.
After being imprisoned for eight hours
in the McAdoo tunnel, New York, eigh-
teen men were rescued. The rainfall had
caused an accident to the working.
Two young foreigners unable to speak
English were arrested by Syracuse N
Y, police on suspicion of connection with
the attempt to wreck a New York Cen
trail train at Jordan, n. \.
The Rev. Marcus A. Brownson, pastor
of the Tenth Presbyterian church, Phila-
delphia, Pa, has been asked by the trus-
tees of Hanover college, Hanover, Ind,
to assume the presidency of that institu-
ton.
Crown Prince William, while riding in
an automobile near Brunswick, Prussia,
was in collision with an empty wagon,
slightly damaging the princes car. No
body, however, was injured.
George Gould, Go years old, who was
one of the wealthiest men of New Ro-
chelle. y. Z, died in hospital there of
SJarVaQon anu exposure, dCCotuIHS 10 the
physicians.
James CLARK, who with ". P. Jackson
of ST. Louis was arrested in Omaha on
suspicion of safe-blowing, has been iden-
tilted as Marion Hedgepath, notorious
criminal
President Caceres of Santo Domingo
| has issued a call for an extraordinary
session of the Dominican congress, Sept.
10. to act on the proposition for $780,
| 100000 loan from Kuhn, Loeb & Co. of
| New York.
| Half a million dollars worth Of prop
erty, including three squares Of the bust
ness and residence section of Houston,
| Texas. was destroyed by fire which start
ed in the plant of the Standard Milling
| Company.