smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1877

The annual report of the Canal Auditor,
just sent to the Legislature, makes melan-
choly exhibit of the business of the canals
for the last season of navigation. 1t has
been the most unprosperous year
in their whole history. We do not
believe that this extreme depression
is permanent, but it furnishes conclu-
sive reasons for o fundamental change
in our canal policy. The railroad war which
was so active during the season made the
railways more formidable competitors of our
public works than they have ever been be-
fore. This competition cannot be main
tanned for o series of years without bringing
utter ruin on the railroads, and we may
therefore expect the Erie Canal to recover a
portion Of its lost business. But the railway
competition will hereafter be SO formidable
that the State must abandon all idea of
making the canals source of revenue.
The tolls must be reduced to the lowest
point that will suffice for defraying the ex-
penses of superintendent and repairs, and
the worthless lateral canals must be aban-
doned. 1t is idle to talk of selling them,
for the State will never find q purchaser.
Their revenues and the deficiency of tolls as
compared with expenses are exhibited in the
Year: 1877

WHATEVER VETERAN ARCHITECT, actor and
manager h,s to say about increasing the safety
Of theatres and their audiences demands the
careful attention of the public, and We therefore
ask for Mr. Boucicaults interesting letter the
general notice which it will doubtless receive.
Year: 1877

IT IS PRorosED that New York city shall rcgl-
late the selling of liquor within her limits, and old
topers contemplate the change with serenity
that does not please champions of temperance
Year: 1877

THOSE WHO SHEER ut the talk about danger
from fire in churches will perhaps explain how a
fine church was utterly consumed in Virginia
yesterday. and so quickly that the congregation
did not escape any too soon.
Year: 1877

PORT JERvIs Is AGAIN threatened by an ice
gorge, and if science will only devise some way
Of avcrting the danger it may hereafter talk
monkeys and protoplasm at Port Jervis without
encOuntering single sneer.
Year: 1877

AN EXTENSIVE MEAL.-The most ex-
pensive dinner served on Thanksgiving
Day was eaten at San Francisco, if the
ingenious news letter be veracious. 4
rich citizen who lad made fortune as
q poultry dealer, wished to send a fine
turkey 10 his daughter and her young
husband, and at the same time TO inclose
a little souvenir. He placed certificate
of 100 shares OF consolidated Virginia
mining stock in a rich morocco pocket
book, hiding his gift inside the royal
bird, near the heart. AS he joined the
young couple at dinner there was
merry twinkle in his eye. Grace was
said and the keen carving knife cleft the
breast Of the fowl. ''It tastes little
leathery," remarked the young wife.
'sCut DEEPER responded the fond
parent. They cut and cut until the last
vestige of stuffine, which srleIt like "a
collection of elegantly bound books was
removed. There was q soggy-looking
pocket-book. The India-rubber band
had dissolved, and as it opened with
the heat the sweet juices OF the turkey
had, little by little, reduced the crisp
certificate to boiled pulp. With loud
shrek the father fell under Glle table.
He had forgotten to take the number Of
the certificate and they had been eating
a turkey worth IS, 900.
Year: 1877

DAMP WAnhs.-The Builder gives the
following remedy for damp walls Three
quarters of pound of mottled soap to
one gallon OF water. This composition
to be lail over the brick-work steadily
and carefully with large tlat brush, 50
as not to form a froth or lather On the
surface. The wash to remain twenty
four hours to become dry. Nix half
pound Of alumni with four gallons of
water leave It to stand for twcnty four
hours, and then apply it in the same
manner over the coating Of soap. Let
this be done in dry weather. In the case
of stone walls the following ingredients,
melted and mixed together, and applied
hot to the surface OF stone, will prevent
ali damp from entering and vegetable
substance from growing upon it-one
and a half pound rosin, one pound Rus
sian taliow, one quart linseed oil. This
simple remedy has been proved upon
piece of very porons stone, made into
the form of q basin two coats OF this
liquid, on being applied, caused it to
hold water as any earthenware vessel.
Year: 1877

DEATH FROM HEAT BENEATH THE
EARTH. City Chronicle One
morning, as some miners who went on
the 7 O'Clock shift OF the Yellow Jacket
were going down the incline below the
1,70G foot level, they came upon fel-
low-laborer sitting on one OF the timbers
and apparently sleeping. leaning against
the sill with his head on his arm. They
found that tie man was dead. To ail
appearances he seemed alive, as his body
was still warm with the intense heat,
which stood ut that point at 130 degrees.
It appears that he went down the Vel
low Jacket the night before at about IL
O'Clock to the ], 700, foot level, and went
from there to the same level of the I'm
perial, en- route for the 1900 foot level,
OF the Bullion, to relieve a comrads who
was working there. The man who was
to have been relieved toiled on all night
unconscious of the fact that his friend
was corpse. On the 1,700 foot level,
Gallagher went down the incline about
six sets CT timbers. and there, it is sup
posed, exhausted with the terrible heat,
sat down to rest. There was cooling
house few yards beyond, but he did
not know it.
Year: 1877

L Confidence is everything between hus-
band and wife and woman loves and
desires above all things to be trusted.
She would not be glad when he is sad.
She would not be ignored Of his troubles
or his anxieties. Anything is better to
her than to be shut out from the inner
most CT the life of one who should be
all hers and she all his. Women, gen
orally, are averse to keeping things TO
themselves, and husband IS often over
dosed with confidence but many really
aEectlonate men lead, as far as their
wives are concerned, double life. OF
that which is not domestic they think it
right to say nothing. Some grievous
troubles may be upon them-dread Of
failure, certainly of loss, remorae for
some mistake which has plunged them
into anxiety; and they mako no sign Of
it save by change of manner, which to
the women who are ignorant that they
have many cares is incomprehensiblo.


Tho wife would be sympathetic, but
when froWning brow, silence and a lack
of the usual caresses are all the token
she has of her Eege lords trouble, ali
her boasted intuition can not keep her
from flying to the conclusion that it is
personal matter, that she is no longer
loved, or that he loved some one else
And I believe much domestic misery has
been caused in the first place by the
mans secretiveness when he lad no Sc
crets which might not have been shared
by his wife. Yon may say, why should
lie talk to one who can not understand
or give counsel-to q being with such
vague ideas of stocks and banking and
speculation that she can only wonder
why things have gone wrong. Well
there are many reasons. The woman
who holds him dear viii give him more
sympathy than any other living being,
lrfor one thing and he needs sympathy,
whether he knows it or not. And then
she has her ri igl,ts, for she is partner
in q firm Of two, and the books sboRil
not ba closed TO her. She is mate CT
the vessel in which he is captain, and
surely should know what shoals are near;
and. moreover, If you love her You do
not want to make her miserable. Trust
her
Year: 1877

Editors Of the Dispatch:


In view OF the Presidents visit, this Fair
week will be one OF unusual importance in
the history OF our city, and our citizens
should Use their best endeavors to make the
occasion as imposing as possible. Would it
not be well, then, for our merchants to make
next Thursday general holiday. and close
their establishments, SO as to enable their
clerks and employees TO participate in the
festivities? I am disinterested party, but
think the occasion Of sufficient importance
to warrant such action on The part OF our
merchants. Let them all agree, then, that
next Thursday shall be Il general holiday,
and close accordingly. OBSERVER.
Year: 1877

Miss S wAIN's CoNcERT.-Miss Alice
Swain's concert will be given at Mozart
Hall on the 9Th Of November. Among the
many features OF interest in the programme
will be the rendition Of scene from the
opera Trovatore. It will be directed by
Mr.. Siege, which is sufficient guarantee
OF its success. The concert will doubtless
he very ENJOYABLE
Year: 1877

THE MILITARY DEMONSTRATION AND THE
COMPETITIVE DRILL-THE ARRANGE
MESTs THAT HAVE BEEN MADE AND
THE COMPANIES THAT ARE CoMING-THE
PRESIDENTIAL v1STT-AN EVIDENCE OF
MUNICIPAL ECONOMIC ERAL Or
pERs FOR THE FAIR.
Year: 1877

THE TOBACCO FACTORIES tobacco
business is the great trade of Richmond.
Let the President fail to see neither the fac
tories where the plug is made, nor those IN
which cigarettes and smoking-tobacco are
prepared. At least one OF these last is fully
prepared to give the President fine recep-
Year: 1877

A WORD To BoYS.-What do You
think, young friend, of the hundreds of
thousands who are trying to cheat them
selves and others into the belief that aco-
holic drinks are good for them? Arc they
not to be pticd and blamed? Do you
want to be one of these wretched men?
If we are to have drunkards in the future,
some of them are to come from the boys
to whom am writing; and | ask you
again if yo want to be one of themP Mop
OF course yon don't!


Well, l have plan for you that is just
as sure TO save you from such fate us the
sun is to rise tomorrow morning 1t new
er failed; it never will fail; and think it
is worth knowing. Never touch liquor in
any form. That's the plan, and it is not
only worth knowing. but it is worth put
ting into practice.


know you don't drink now, and ii
seems to you rs if you never would. But
your temptation will come, and probably
will come in this way:


You will find yourself, sometime, with
Il number of companions, and they will
have bottle of wine on the table. They
will drink, and offer it to you. They will
regard it as IL manly practice, and very
likely, they will look upon you as milk
sop if you don't indulge with them Their
what will you doP Eli? What will yor
do9 Will you say, Boys, none of thai
stuff for me! know trick worth halfa
dozen of that" or will you take the glass
with your own common sense protesting
and your conscience making the whole
draught bitter, and a feeling that yor
have damaged yourself, and then go off
with hot head, and skulking soul tina
at once begins to make apologies for itsel
and will keep doing during all its life?-
j. g. Holland.
Year: 1877

The RUSSIAN BATH.-The Russian
vapor-bath has come into use in the United
States as II medicinal agent. But in the
life of the Russian peasant it plays most
important part. No orthodox peasant will
enter church until he has ceansed him
self physically by means of the bath. AT
ter laboring among pollutions for six and
Il half days in the week, he devotes Satur-
day afternoon to the vapor-bath, and care
fully avoids thereafter all pollution, until
he has performed his devolions at the
morning service on Sunday. Some of the
peasants take their vapor-bath in the
household oven, in which the bread is
baked Others resort to the public bath
owned by the village. The degree of heat
which they endure would kill Il person not
accustomed to it from childhood. And in
winter they often rush out of the bath and
roll themselves in the snow. Such rapid
transitions from extreme heat to extreme
cold illustrates common Russian proverb
which says that what is health to the
Russian is death to the German, Notwilh-
standing, however, the frequent use of the
bath by many of the people of Russia, it
is said that some of their personal habits
are filthy and Objectionable.
Year: 1877

WHEN MEN ARE AT THEIR BEST.-Dr.
Beard states that from an analysis of the
lives of n thousand Representative men in
all the great branches Of the human fami-
ly he made the discovery that the golden
decade was between 40 and so; the brazen
between 20 and 80; the iron between so
and GO. The superiority of youth and
middle life over old age in original work
appears all the greater when we consider
the fact that all the positions of honor and
prestige -profesSorships and public sta
tons are in the hands of the old. Re-
putation, like money and position, is main
ly' confined to the old. Men are not
widely known until long after they have
done the work that gave them their fame.
Portraits of great men are delusions
statues are false! They are taken when
men have become famous, which, in the
average, is ut least twenty-five years after
they did the work which gave them fame.
Original work requires enthusiasm. IfaIl
the original work done by men under
forty-fve was annihilated, they would be
reduced to barbarism. Men arc at theil
best ut that time when enthusiasm and
experience are almost evenly balanced
The period, on the average, is from 80 tC
40. After this the law is that experience
increases, but enthusiasm decreases. OI
course there are exceptions.
Year: 1877

feel sorry ms any of us to have your boy
fall into bad habits When hear such
things about my children try to be more
faithful in my counsels, so us to avert if
possible the danger mentioned When
you meet her, treat her more kindly than
ever, and if you know anything praise
worthy of her children, mention it for her
encouragement. That is the best way l
know of to defend James against her crit
cism in future"


" | never thought of that way, but l will
try it."


A young man was travelling with a
couple of wild fellows in stage coach,
who began conversation with, You are
from Vermont, believe"


/" am"


THAT is the bean porridge state?"
at is"


"Do you really eat bean porridge three
times day, as they say you doP"


Eyes"


D." Well, l suppose the children go TO
school: how do they carry their dinners?"


THAT is very easily done. We freeze
up our porridge and take the AK and cut
out chunk large enough for our dinner,
and carry it under our arm, set it out un.
der the corner of the school-house so it
won't thaw, and when noon comes 60 for
our dinner, take our jack-knives and help
ourselves


They asked no more questions. - COttage
Hearth.
Year: 1877

How much more precious are the things
we cannot see by the external sense, than
those which are clearly disclosed to it.
Truth and love have this supreme value
we never have n glimpse of either without
feeling how much it would be worth to
us if we could only have deeper insight.


The more we see, the more we are i'm
pressed with sense of the worlds we do
not see. mans love for man is some
thing too much apart from his life-it is
capable of becoming his whole existence.


1t now flows in streams separate from
the main activities of life; what would he
not give if his affection for his race and
his passion for his dear ones, could be
made to flow in the current of his great
aims and purposesp
Year: 1877

A girl who makes herself too cheap is
one to be avoided No young man, not
even the worst, except for base purposes,
wants anything to do with cheap young
lady. For awife none but fool or rascal
will approach such woman. Cheap Jew
elry nobody will touch if he can get any
better Cheap girls are nothing but the
refuse, and the young men know it, and
they will look in every o,her direction for
a lifelong friend and companion before
they will give glance at the pinchbeck
stuff that tinkles at every turn for Escinat-
ing the eye of any that will look. You
think it is quite the "correct thing" to
talk loudly and coarsely, be boistrous and
hoydenish in all public places; to make
yourself so bold and forward and common
place everywhere that people wonder if
you ever had Il mother, or home, or any
thing to do! So be it, You will probably
be taken for what you are worth, and one
of these years, if you do not make worse
than Il shipwreck of yourself, you will
begin to wonder where the charms are
that once you thought yourself possessed
of, and what evil spirit could have so be-
fooled you. Go on, hut remember cheap
girls attract nobody but fools and rascals.
-MacniLGnS Magazine,
Year: 1877

TALLER THAN A FISH SToRY.-Not 50
long ago there arrived at San Antonio a
gentleman from large town on the rail
road between here and Galveston. He
put up at one OF our hotels and displayed
"a tremendous appetite. At the end of the
week he expected to be presented with his
bill, but no bill was presented, although
he had no luggage at all. Time went on,
and still no bill. The landlord treated him
with lofty courtesy, as did the walters
One night, however, he did not return tc
the hotel, and next morning the landlord
hired detective who hunted and found
him. The stranger thought the landlord
was going to have him put in Jail fol
swindling, or something else, and he felt
very much alarmed about it. But no.


The landlord was rs pleasant as ever
He asked the stranger what he had done
that he should desert his hotel that way
inquired whether the walters had Offended
him, and finally begged him to return tc
hts hotel once more, promising TO furnish
him with oysters or anything else he
might wish.


i hO otl flllSSl WAS ttNIOIllpOu' 41O lOlN
the landlord he couldn't pay his board
The landlord replied that he did not wan
any board, and finally extorted from the
promise that he would return to his hotel


After a few days the stranger took the
landlord aside, thanked him with tears ir
his eyes, and asked him why he was Sc
anxious for him TO eat ut that hotel free oI
charge.


I'm tell you," was the reply. Il dom
care cuss for you personally, but since
you have been eating here | have forty
more guests at dinner than | ever had be-
fore. They come here for no other pur
pose than to look at you eat-you eat Sc
hearty. But the trouble is, | had a $1,000
bet you would choke to death at the din
ner table within specified time. To-day
is the last day, IN | have lost Git!'
And lie kicked him nineteen feet and ter


inches into the strcct.-San Ant0niO, 1er
as, Herald.
Year: 1877

The managers of the Permanent Exhi-
bition have done wisely in making di-


rect, straightforward and candid appeal


to the public of Philadelphia for the help
that appears to be absolutely necessary


to enable them to carry ON their enter
prise successfully. OF course the Exhi-
Dltlon must suffer with the general de-
preston of business and must take its
share in the general retrenchment; but
IL has met with embarrassments at the


beginning out of proportion to the uni
versal shrinkage of Investments, and
embarrassments which the best business
prudence could not have foreseen. At
ter the decision of the Circuit Court the
managers were entirely justified in sup
posing that the appropriation made by
Congress would be retained by the Board
of Finance for the reim amusement of its
stockholders, and that the shares of Cen.
tennlal stock contributed to the Perma.
nent Exhibition fund therefore repre-
sented money value that justified the
managers in very extensive preparations
Year: 1877

Under the heading. "Bagging the
Came" the Kenesaw Times of last
week contains a fierce article. The
Professor is given to extravagant
flights of metaphor. In his fancy he
is the hunter and the newspapers OF
the state are the Birds, he writes an
item and If they pay the least atten-
ton to it they are peppered with shot
The last time lie was out, the BOwN-
WILLIE ADVERTISER, the Lincoln Jour-
nal and the Kearney Press ell came
fluttering to the ground only three
birds and his bag was full. We can
understand now why the professor has
been so unsuccessful in his hunt for
t1ce-his bag IS too small. Gere OF
the Journal and Fairbrother of the
ADVERTISER are two dignified rooster
and the idea of Prof. Williams shoot
ing their feathers all off. makes us
laugh until the tears come into our
eyes.-Kedrney Press.
Year: 1877

On last Saturday morning the two
eastern spans Of the u. 2. r. Il. bridge
at Omaha were blown from their piers.
We CLEAN as follows, from the Repu6-
icdn's account of the catastrophe:


OF the many rain and wind storms,
of which this city and vicinity has
been the subject, the one yesterday
morning was the most disastrous to
our common interests.


Many could not believe the story,
being unable to surmise how this well
constructed bridge could sustain any
serious damage.


With the multitude a Republican
reporter visited the scene. We first
went to the eastern end of the bridge
as il now stands and viewed the wreck.
Two spans were gone-the two at the
extreme end on the Iowa side. Moth
ing remained between US and the cas-
tern bank except the lone pier. The
nearest span had fallen into the water
and was out OF sight. The one on the
eastern shore lay against the embank-
ment. the strong wrought iron bars
being bent into all conceivable shapes.
The large pieces which were of cast
iron were badly broken. This was the
sight.


OF course the report that 1t had been
struck by lightning had been disputed
both in fact and in theory. 1t was no
more possible for lightning to hur!
one part of this bridge than it would
be for 1t to splinter a lightning rod.
The spans had been lifted bodily by
the wind, In some fOrm-a cyclone or
whirlwind most likely. We say lift
ed, for there were no signs of its hav-
ing slid off the piers or being blown
over. The pier on which we stood did
not show any evidence of the massive
structure having been removed from
1t. We could not conceive IL possible
for wind to raise this enormous weight;
but this was the only solution. 1t was
the wind, in its resistless whirl of Inn
meDse magnitude.


1t Is not definitely known what will
be the exact cost of replacing the
spans. 1t has been variously estima-
ted at from one hundred to two hun
dred thousand dollars. The remain
ing spans are left uninjured. The plan
of the bridge was so arranged that each
span was entirely independent of the
other. The falling of these two spans
in no wise strained the other parts.
The two piers are left standing with
out the least injury. 1t is supposed
that 80 days is the shortest period In
which we can expect to see this great
thoroughfare fully repaired and ready
for use.


The bridge company were yesterday
putting down board walks across the
sandbar to the channel, where they in
tend to have rope ferry for the con-
venience of passengers. This Is the
only temporary relief practicable.





Unfortunately there is no ferry boat
here, and IL will take some time TO
bring one.


The spans are $50 feetin length, and
weigh about 250 tons each and will
have to be manufactured in Chicago
probably.
Year: 1877

secure an upright aud impartial Judge,
who could not, consequently, be
swerved from a rigid and faithful dis
charge of bis duties, by any outside
influence, pressure or prejudice what
ever, come from what quarter, party,
clique or faction, soever it might. Let
the west demand justice at the hands
of the state convention, and nominate
him. and be would be elected by larg-
er majority than any other person in
the state. Ofvast legal learning. and
ripe scholarship, he would make the
model Judge.
Year: 1877

Dispatches from the Russian camp
now flourish the news that 1.-THE
Russians maintain their position. I"
While they are scarcely doing this al
this time, Il has been bat . short time
when they were rushing around hunt
for O fight. If this style of Russian
successes continues much longer we
may expect 10 read, Russian army
retreatiug in splendid styie-reeross-
cd the frontier on its way home by o
most brilliant coup de main between
Year: 1877

Senator Morton's condition during
the pat week has been varying. At
times he has been undoubtedly very
low. He would then rally and restore
to his friends degree of hope of his
restoration to usual health. We
would not be surprised to hear at any


moment of the great Senator's death.