davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1911-11-24
Led To Our Greatest Scandal

In 1879, which fired the country with
Intense excitement
We'll. as the surveyor OF the first
railway which crossed the state or
Iowa, now known as the Chicago,
Rock Island and Pacific. Peter A. DEFY
did the work SO thoroughly and hon
estly that when the Union Pacific
project was got under way and 1t was
time for the surveys to be made MIR.
Dey vas selected Is chief engineer
and he started put from Omaha upon
the survey about 1864.
The survey vas carried rapidly
west, and the time was almost at hand
for the contractors to begin the work
of constructing the line when the late
Cakes Ames, a member of congress
from Massachusetts, and president OF
the Union Pacific, received a letter
from his chief engineer. In that let
ter Mr.. Dey stated that he had just
learned that some of those in author
fty in the Union Pacific had organ
lied a contracting company. which
they owned. which was to get the fat
opportunities associated with the con-
tracts for the building of the road.
This is a fraud on it's face wrote
Mr.. Dey of the proposition, in prac-
tically those words. 1T is something
conceived in dishonor. 1t prevents
fair competition for contract work.
The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1911-11-24
Some Penalies of Beauty

sects, while the most glorious double
begonias or double phlox are given
the cold shoulder and visited by very
few.
But besides indicating the presence
of poison, beauty often indicates
ONE serious weakness. DR.. SicheI.
a French scientist, orce observed that
a snow-white cat with blue eyes never
paid any attention to sounds, such as
the barking of a dog or the blowing
of a whistle. He experimental with
great care, and found that all the
white cats with blue eyes were stone
deaf, but in cases where III iris OF
the eye had a little other color In IL
the creature could hear.
1t is highly probable that ali HORSES
with blue eyes suffer from some weak
ness of this kind, and as for ilsects.
| every naturalist discovers that unusu-
al varieties in moths and butterflies
varieties of great beauty reared un.
der dificulty-are SO e and incapa.
BILE that they cannot exist in . state
| of nature.-Stray Stories.
The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1911-11-24
AWIHnP az III chi OF MMl~
"kzIK HNE" MHR7W

games. the big stove. the weigher at
the gold-scales. the musicians. the
men and women. the Virgin. Celia.
and Nellie. Dan Macdonald. BEETLES.
Billy Rawlins. Olaf Henderson. Doc
Watson-ail OF them. 1t was just as
he had left 1t, and In all seeming
it might we'll be the very day he had
left The sixty days Of incessant trav-
ell through the white wilderness sud
denly t~elescoped. and had no exis-
tence In time. They we're a moment.
an incident. He had plunged out and
into them through the wall Of silence.
and back through the wall OF silence
he had plunged. apparently the next
instant, and into the oar and tur-
moil OF the Tivoli.
He drew a deep breath and cried:
The winner pays. and I'm the win
ner, amt l? Surge up, you-all Male
mutes and Siwashes, and name your
poison! There's your Dyea mail.
straight from Salt Water. and no horn
swogglin about it! Cast the lashings
adrift, you-all. and wade into it,"
A dozen pairs of hands were at the
sled-lashings, when the young lie
Barge Indian, bending at the same
task. suddenly and Imply straight
ened up. In his e was a great sur
prise. He stared about him wildly.
for the thing he was undergoing was
new to him. He was profoundly
struck by an ~unguessed limitation. He
shook as with a. palsy. and he gave at
the knees. slowly sinking down to fall
suddenly across the sled and to know
the smashing blow of darkness across
his consciousness.
Exhaustion" said Daylight. Take
him off and put him to bed. some of
you-all. He's sure a good Indian"
A few minutes later. Daylight was
whirling around the dance-floor. waltz
ing with the Virgin. And small won
der it was that the Virgin yielded her.
self to his arms, as they danced dance
The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1911-11-24

Hines. the lumberjack, toward thu
door. Daylight interfered.
Where are you-all going?" he do
manded. attempting to draw them to
the bar.
Bed" Elijah Davis answered.
Got to-" Joe Hines added apollo
getically. We're mushing IN the
mornin'."
Daylight sun detained them.
Where to? What's the excite
ment?"
mo excitement" Elijah explained.
We're Just a-goin' to play your
bunch. an tackle the Upper Country.
Don't you want to come along?
"a sure do" Daylight affirmed
But the question had been put In
fun. and Elijah ignored the, accept
ance.
We're tacklin' the Stewart" he
went on "Al Mayo told me he seen
some likely lookin' bars first time be
come down the Stewart. and were
goin' to sample 'em while the rivers
froze. You listen, Daylight. an mark
my words. the times comm when
"AAeSA 0A66AA O~ OH "S o.
Therell be men In them days thatll
laugh at u summe scratchin' an
ground-wallerin'."
Elijah laughed. gathered his two
partners up. and was making a second
attempt to reach the door.
Hold on" Daylight called. II sure
mean it."
The three men turned back sudden.
ly upon him, in their faces SURPRISE
delight. and incredulity.
"G'wan. you're foolin'." said Finn,
the other lumberjack. 2 quiet. steady.
Wisconsin man.
There's my dawgs and Sled" Day
light answered. 'ThatH make two
teams and halve the loads; though
VEAL IL have to travel easy for a
spell. for them dawgs is sure tired"
The three men yer overjoyed. but
still a trife incredulous
Nov look here" Joe Hines blurted
out. none OF your foolin'. Daylight
We mean business. VIII you Gomez
Daylight extended his hand and
shook.
The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1911-11-24
Resignation Of Peter A.. Oey as Chief
Engineer Of Union Pacific Result
ed In Exposure Of the Credit
Mobilier.

Il was invited last year to deliver
an address before the students OF the
University of Iowa." said Mr.. George
F. Parker. the biographer of Grover
Cleveland. to me recently, land while
there | was especially gratified to
lei the man whose resignation,
made in protest of the actions of his
superiors, brought about the famous
Credit Mobilier scandal. which has
been called the greatest congressional
scandal in American history. This
a Peter A. DEFY, is now eighty
eight years of age. in perfect posses
1On-of his menta faculties, and re-
joices in We a that he was the first
engineer to survey a railroad in the
state of Iowa and that he has lived to
witness the wonderful development OF
the state since the days of that sur
vey.
Il suppose many OF the younger
generation have never heard OF the
Credit Mobilier syndicate, yet it gave
the country its first notable sample OF
~so-cailed high finance on a large scale.
The syndicate. or company, with its
French name was organized for the
purpose of building the Union Pacific
railroad. It was made up OF an In
side group of officers and managers OF
the road, and it took contracts for the
building OF the road on the under
standing that 1t would be paid for the
work In second bonds Of the Union
Pacific. These men, acting for the
Credit Mobilier. saw to 1t hat they,
as officers Of the Union Pacific,
awarded fat construction contracts to
the syndicate. and In this Eaa the
railroad company was .gilked or a
large sum of Tho heads or
the syndicate aaiso operated in the syn
CW2iHNyerests in congress. the gov
nnNIZnt being a partner in the Union
LZ:1ic enterprise. This led to charges
lin the presidential campaign OF 1872
that the syndicate had bribed men,
bers of congress to vote In favor OF
Union Pacific by selling them Credit
Mob1lier stock far below its market
value. The vice-president, the speak
er of the house. three senators n a
number of the leading members OF
the house OF representatives were
freely accused OF being so bribed; and
the result Of all these accusations was
a prolonged investigation. beginning
The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1911-11-24
His Treasures Are In Heaven

OF books that he wanted. He did
n ask me what they we're and seem
ed entirely satisfied when | told him
that the cost was about three hundred
dollars.
Il am not entirely unselfish In send
ing these little libraries to my miners
in Montana" Captain Goldman con-
fesed. "Of course. l have always felt
that it was incumbent upon me to do
what l could to make their hard life
as easy as possible. And yet was
thinking of myself when I decided to
send these little libraries to the min
ers.
II am in religion a Unitarian. I am
a profound believer in the fundamen-
tai truths which are in the New Tes-
lament. I believe implicitly In the
Sermon on the Mount. But I don't
know much about the kind of life we
will have herafter, though I read vari-
Gus expositions of it, written by per-
sons who profess to know what 1t will
be. Still, it has occurred to me that
If l do what is right here. then l shall
have reward according to my merits
hereafter, and there are two things
which l have done, and will continue
to do as long as I am able, in the
hope that I shall obtain credit marks
in the future life.
81 make it my duty whenever I see
a banana skin or an orange peel upon
the sidewalk. or in any place where a
person stepping upon the peel might
be in danger of slipping. carefully to
remove and destroy the dangerous
| thing. I will go blocks out OF my way
to do that. l sometimes think that
have in this way prevented many an
| accident. Then, too, l try to do good
among my miners. l believe / have
done a good deed in buying these lit
tie libraries for them. The reading
Of these books will make them happy
and do them good. So l am in hopes
that these two actions nay avail me-
a credit mark in the hereafter.
think they will"
And the kindly old man spoke witt
perfect sincerity and in that simple
ity of belief and conduct which wer'
all his life characteristics of him.
(Copyright, 1911. by E J. Edwards. Al
: Rights Reserved.)
The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1911-11-24
John Goldman, Veteran Mariner, Be-
Iieved That It He Gid Right Hsre
He Would Receive His Re
ward Hereafter.

Captain John Goldman was the last.
rs he Jas for mobre than thirty years
the lest, illustra tion of the oid-fash-
iCIad tyre Of seh captain. especially
he sea captain fwho brought to Bos-
tor much OF its commercial pre-emi-
nenca in the EARLY part of the past
century.
Captain Goldman retired from the
sea a few years. before the beginning
Of the civil war. He was a little man.
thin of face, slight of physique. and
weather-beaten, and in the early eigh-
ties his became one of the prominent
figures in Washington, where he
lived for a number of years. He was
an earnest advocate of a tariff for rev
enue only, and in connection there
with his name was a familiar mi In
the public print of that time and he
was personally known to the leading
men of Massachusetts, and OF Wash
ington. In the mideighties. when |
came to know him. the captain had
also gained a reputation as the author
of a charming book descriptive OF the
pleasures of horseback riding. a sport
of which he was an enthusiastic de
voice.
Captain Goldman invested a portion
of his fortune, not a large one, ano
gained in the China trade, in some
mines in Montana. Occasionally he
visited those properties and he be
came greatly interested in the miners
studying always to do something To-
their moral and physical welfare.
II would take it as a great favor l
you would visit the secondhand boo
stores of Washington and buy for nj
various sets of biography and his
tory" he said to me once. Il do no
are how much they cost. provided
the pen is a reasonable one
want to use them as the basis for Il
braries for h miners who are en-
ployed in my mines in Montana.
A few weeks later l was able t
say to Captain Goldman that ma
found a sufficient number OF the KIN
The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1911-11-24

two months before; for this was the
night of the sixtieth day, and opinion
was divided as v e as to whether or
not he would compass the achieve
ment- At ten o'clock bets were still
being made, though the odds rose. bet
by bet, against his success. Dowr IN
her heart the Virgin believed he had
failed, yet she made a bet of twenty
ounces with Charley Bates. against
forty ounces, that Daylight would ar
rive before midnight
She it was who heard the first yelps
of the dogs.
"Listen!" she cried. Its Day
light"
There was a general stampede for
the door: but when the double storm
doors were thrown wide open. the
crowd fell back. They heard the eager
whining of dogs, the snap OF a dog
whip and the voice OF Daylight crying
encouragement as the weary animals
capped all they had done by dragging
the sled In owe the wooden noor.
They came In with a rush. and with
them rushed In the frost. a visible
vapor OF smoking white. through
which their heads and hacks showed.
as they strained In the harness. till
| they had all the seeming of swimming
| in a river. Behind them, at the gee
| pole. came Daylight. hidden to the
knees by the swfrling frost through
which he appeared to wade He was
| the same old Daylight. withal lean
and tiredlooking. and his black eyes
were sparkling and flashing brighter
than ever. His parka Of cotton drill
hooded him like a monk. and fen 10
straight ines to his knees. Gr1med
and scorched by c~amp-smoke and hre,
the garment in itself told the story o.
his trip A two-months' beard coy
cred his face: and the beard. In turn
was matted with the ice Of his breath
ing through the long seventy-m1it
run.
He experienced q thrill of surprise
as the roar Of welcome went up ant
as ever familiar detail OF b T1vol
greeted his vision-the long = ans
tho array AZ bottles. The 4amblinl
The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1911-11-24
CHAPTER III.

At Sixty Mile they restocked provi-
sions, added a few pounds OF letters
to their load. and held steadily on
From Forty Mile they had unbroken
trail. and they could look for
ward only to unbroken trail
clear to Dyea- Daylight stood
Il ma~gnifcently, but the killing
pace was beginning to tell on Kama
His pride kept his mouth shut, but
the result Of the chilling of his lungs
In the cold snap could not be con-
cealed. They travelled till ten O'Clock
the night they reached Selkirk. and at
ss- next morning they plunged ahead
into the next stretch OF wilderness OF
nearly ave hundred miles that lay be-
tween Selkirk and Dyea. There was
no iet-ap in his pace Twelve hours
a day, six In the twilight and SIX In
che dark. they toiled on the trail.
Three hours we're consumed In o
ing, repairing harnesses. and making
and breaking camp, and the remaining
nine hours dogs and lei slept as Il
dead.
The time came when Kama was un
able to 90 in the lead and break trail
and 1t was proof hat he was far gone
when he permitted Daylight to toi
all day at the heavy snowshoe wofk
Lake by lake they crossed the strinf
OF lakes from Marsh to Linderman
and began the ascent Of Chilcoot 3,
all rights Daylight should have campet
below the last pitch Of the pass at ~
dim end OF day: bat he kept on ene
evos and down to Sheep Camp, Will
The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1911-11-24
How Fish Keeps It's Balance.

HOW FtSn NSSPO sS
To keep its normal position In the
water a fish must constantly exert
muscular effort, much as a bicycle
cider keeps his balance. It Is not In
stable equilibrium, like a wen-oaiiasted
ship. This is the conclusion OF two
French investigators, who's expert
ments seem to prove that it is not
chemical changes In the tntest1nes that
cause a dead fish to loaf belly up
ward. but that this position results
from the greater density OF the nesn
and bones of the back n the loss
If some power OF movement A fish
stunned by an electric current prompt
" turned on Its back Wnen It's
paralysis was removed by the break
Ing of the current the fish at once re-
covered its balance and with a stroke
OF its tail was again swimming up
right
The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1911-11-24

reer as president and director of i'm
portant steamboat lines. Commodore
Van S%antvoord, whose father had
large interests in the Erie canal
boats from 1880, five years after the
canal was completed to about the
beginning Of the civil war. was
thrown nto\ iRtimat{ personal rela-
tons with both Commodore Wander
bile and Dean Richmond. who was.
from the early forties until his death
in 1866, the most promineM business
man in western New York. Nand for
the better part of that period the
most influential Democrat in New
York state from the party orgafiza-
ton point of view.
Dean Richmond gained a fortune
In business in Buffalo in the early
days Of the Erie canal" continued
Commodore Van Santvoord. H
dealt in western produce and shipped
1t to the east by the Erie canal.
While he was making himself the
greatest produce merchant of west
ern New Yosk different companies
were busy building railroads across
the state from Albany to Buffalo.
There were seven in all. You had to
change cars five times in going from
Albany to Buffalo.
"One day, while Dean Richmond
was riding upon an Erie canal boat
from Batavia to Syracuse. the
thought suddenly occurred to him
that the Erie canal boats were towed
| directly from Buffalo to New York
city or Albany; whereas, the seven
railroads which paralleled h canal
did not offer continuous passage eth
er for passengers or freight. That Is
a bad situation for the railroads. said
Dean Richmond to himself. Why
not overcome 1t by stringing these
railroads together? Why not join
them and make one line out OF them /,
Then we can run passenger cars
through from Albany to Buffalo, and
greatly shorten the time and incon-
venience of the trip. We ought also
to be able to run freight cars
through. If We can do that. hen we
can compete with the canals
LAS soon as Richmond reached
Syracuse. he set about the work of
consolidation. He secured control OF
the stock in the various railroads and
then vent to Albany and easily got
the consent of the legislature to make
one system out of seven. When he
did that he was made. in 1853, vice
president of the line, which he called
the New York Central railroad. and
later became president. He died
about two years before Commodore
Vanderbilt undertook the greater
consolidation which was the basis oil
the Vanderbilt system. l have always
felt certain that it was from Dear
Richmond that Commodore Wander
bilt got the lint for his great con
solidation. which resulted in the Van
derbilt system. and I have often won
!, dered whether. had Dean Richmond
lived. Commodore Vanderbilt woule
have secured control of the New
York Central railroad. / confess tina
} I can't decide that question. know
, however. that Dean Richmond, in con
solidating those seven railways tina
ultimately became so important
] part of Commodore Vanderbilt's sys
tenn, Dol the first step in those colos
sal railway consultations which wer,
made after his death"
Copyright. 1911. by Z. J. Edwards. Al
Rights Reserved.D
The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1911-11-24

behind him ragged a snow storm that
would have delayed him twenty-four
hours. This last excessive strain broke
Kama completely. In the morning he
could not travel At five. when called.
and sank back again. Daylight did
the camp work Of both. harnessed the
dogs, and, when ready for the start.
rolled the helpless Indian in all three
sleeping robes and dashed him on top
Of the sled. The going was good; they
were on their last lap; and he raced
the dogs down through Dyea canyon
and along the hard-packed trail that
led to Dyea post. And running still,
Kama groaning on top the load. and
Daylight leaping at the gee-pole to
avoid going under the runners of the
flying sled. they arrived at Dyea by
the sea- True to his promise. Day.
light did not stop. An hours time saw
the sled loaded with the ingoing mail
and grub. fresh dogs ~harnessed and
a fresh Indian engaged. Kama never
spoke from the time of his arrival till
the moment Daylight. ready to depart.
stood beside him to say good-by. They
shook hands.
You kill um dat damn Indian"
Kama said. "Savvee. Daylight? You
kill um."
He'll sure last as far as Pelly."
Daylight grinned.
Kama shook his head doubtfully.
and rolled over on his side, turning
his back in token of farewell.
A crowd filled the Tivoli-the old
crowd that had seen Daylight depart
The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1911-11-24
CHAPTER ~.

This time the trail vas 49,. :,
was better packed. a~1dk<fIev va not
carving mail aga1f Z time. At Forty
sahe ~ two days for the
D.u,.65s the dogs. end at Sixty Mile
-. lights team was left with the
ta-lHer. Unlike Daylight. after h
n19rible run from Selkirk to Circle
City, they had been unable to recup-
krate on the back trail. So the four
men pulled on from Sixty Mile with
a fresh team Of dogs on Daylights
sled. The following night they
lcamped IN the claster of islands at
the mouth OF the Stewart Daylight
saIked town ssl1ss. nd. though the
others laughed at him, he staked the
whele maze Of high. wooded island.
.Iust surprising the big strike does
come on the Stewart" he argued
"Mebbe you-all II be in on it, and then
again mebbe you-all won't But / sure
will. You-all d better reconsider a
| go in with me on it."
But they were stubborn.
you're as bad as Harper and 3A
| Ladue." said Joe Hines. sThey'rsaE
ways at that game. You know hat
| big fat jest below the Klondigee and
/! under Moosehide Mountain We'll,
the recorder at Forty Mile vas te,lin.
| me they staked that not aAaonth ago
The Harper & Laduel Town site
Ha! Ha! Hal"
Elijah and Finn 5oIyed In his laugh
ter; but Daylight grayeiy in earn
est.
There she If he cried. 1.-THE
bunch is working, It's in the air.
tell you-ail. Wlae'd they-all stake
the big fiat for Z they-all didn't get
the bunch? Wish ID staked it."
The regret In his voice was provoca.
tive of a econd hurst of laughter.
Laugh. dang you. laugh! Why
your eyes amt open vet. You-all are
a bunch of little raewing kittens.
tell you-ail If thst strikes come on
Klondike. Harper and Ladue will be
millionaires. And + It comes on Stew
art, you-al. watch the Elan Harnist
town site boom. d them days, wher
you-an come arsund maxim pool
mouths he heaved a sigh Of
resignation. WEI, suppose II
have to give youall a grub-stake o.
soup, or something or other"
tTO BE CbNTINUED.)
The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1911-11-24
Dean Richmond, Now Almost Forgot
ten, Was the Founder and First
President Of the New York
System.

II suppose that most Americans
who know anything at all about The
matter believe that Commodore Van
derbilt was the father of modern
railway consolidation, but my opinion
is that that honor belongs not to the
founder of the Vanderbilt fortune n
the great Vanderbilt railway system.
but to Dean Richmond, a man whose
name, even. is now practically for
gotten except by a few of US old
timers"
So said, a few years before his
death, which occurred in 1901. Com
modore Alfred Van Santvoord, the
organizer and at the time OF his
death the owner of the largest steam
boat line plying upon the Hudson
river. In the course Of his long ca.
The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1911-11-24
H~andsomest insects Are Poisonous,
and White Cats With Blue Eyes
Are Deaf.

Nature, as well as mankind. has a
big charge sheet against personal
beauty. In the world OF insects
beauty is often synonymous with pois-
on.
An ugly caterpillar, such as that OF
the swallow tail moth, is obliged to
pretend to be a stick because birds
are SO keen on it. A beautiful cater
pillar, on the other hand, sticks up
.soldly on it's habitat in view of every
bird in the skysand is nev touched.
The reason lies in the fact that If
birds took to eating beautiful caterpil-
lars they would find them poisonous
and die.
1t is much the same in the world OF
plants. Ornamental geranium leaves
are not attacked by insects as much
as plain oak leaves. and the vulgar
and wholesome dandelion is beset by
hundreds OF different species Of in