smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1877




IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRBUNEl


WASHINGTON, May 2.-Congress at its late
session appropriated S25OOO0 pay for relayng worn
out wooden pavemeuts in this city On Saturday last
Advertisement inserted in the Washington papers
inviting bids Tor stone block and bituminous pavement
10 be laid in certain streets In accordance with the first
advertisement and the specifications furnished by the
engineer in charge OF the works. bids were to be opened
Saturday Of this week and the contractor to whom
the work be assigned TO be required 10 begin
within ten days aud to complete the wqgk within 80
days To-day the time for opening the bids has been oN-
tended May and the time for beginning the work
for 80 days


one item Of the specification calls for 1G,023 square
yards of stone block pavement of a particular descrip.
ton, to be laid seventh-st. Now, strange as it may
appear firm Of contractors in this city to have
confidence in their ability obtain the contract
that they have already purchased stone Of the descp
Ou called for from the quarry at Cape Ann, in MaSSa
schooner loads of I already their way to Wash
ngo. The first Is expected To arrive here tins evening
M other wOr, in which such stone he used Is con
tcDpatcd in Washington Other contractors who in-
tend to hid for this work express the belief that IN some
way which They do not pretend 10. understand
these particular contractors must have had Information
in advance of the kind Of pavement to be laid ard the d
mcnEuns OF the block required and must have good cause
To feel unusual assurance In the auiity 10 outb1 all
other competitors Otherwise they would not have taken
the Ii,k getting ont the stone in advance and ordering
ii shipped This city even before the advertisement in
from Gen Buffers quarry is Of iclf suspicious crcum-
Year: 1877

than South Of it. IL may he that the fu-
ture Of parties will be determined by the
success, or failure of the new order Of
things. If Mr.. Hayes succeeds in restor-
ing peace to the South on basis that
will carry the protection of law TO the
humblest in the land, he will have earned
the gratitude of the nation. His policy
will have born fruit which will rally to
It's support the conservative of both par
ties. But if it be otherwise, if the tend
cred olive branch be rejected if human
life and human rights are not held more
sacred than they have been in the past,
not even the solid South can save the
Democratic party from hopeless defeat.
Party ties are relaxed, but The relaxation
is for the purpose Of securing good gov
ernment and that is all.
Year: 1877

A CHINESE GIRLS CRIPPLED FEET
IN CouRT.-As officer Love was walking
down Pacific street, yesterday afternoon,
he observed an old Chinese woman car
ryihg a small girl in her arms, and sus-
pecting from the bandaged feet of the
child that it was a case Of mutlstion in
PROCESS to cripple its feet to the iashiona-
Bile standard, he arrested the woman and
took her TO the Station House. The Off
GERS of the Society for the Prevention Of
Cruelty to Children were notified. The
examination Of the chid's feet proved
that the officer was right. The evidence
ot barbarous surgery appeared in the
compressed and distorted toes and in,tep,
and heels. The feet were shapeless, and
the feet were almost square, in shape
more like the head of a hammer than any
thing else. Presumably, this was the
work of some Chinese doctor. The
wounds made by this distortion were Just
healing and the shapeless extremities
were both pit.u and disgusting to see.
The object Of the torture had been to
press the foot to point aud make it
round. a charge Of cruelty and another
OF mayhem We're made against the old
hag, All Mucy, who had the girl in
charge. The latter is about ten years old
and bright and intelligent, and of course
aston>hed at the interest manifested by
the barbarians in her crippled feet The
case will be heard in the Police Count
Bail IN the sum OF $1,000 was given for
the accused--AHa CaIif0,nia.
Year: 1877

THE CoNsTiTUTIoNAL CoNyENTGoN.
The old fight of two years ago will come
up in the Legislature this Winter upon
the proposition TO call a Constitutional
Convention. 1t viii not be until all re
turns have been received and canyassed
in the Office OF the Secretary Of State,
that We can know whether majority Of
the electors voting have voted for Con
vention. If they have the way will be
clear enough, but if only minority Of
those voting upon the proposition favor
it, the question will be mudGled rs before.
There is no doubt but Of those who took
any notice Of the question a majority have
voted for Convention.
Year: 1877

THE Democrats of Iowa have nomina-
ted for Governor a man who, four years
ago, in his capacity OF Chairman Of the
Democratic State Committee, and in
open State Convention, formally announc-
ed that the Democratic party had " sur
vived its usefulness" and that then was
the time to " bury it out Of sight"
Year: 1877

An exchange says: Battlefield sta
tistics chow that it takes mans weight
in bullets to kill him. This is very
clumsy statement of an interesting fact,
and only the absolute absurdity of the
idea that it expresses so much more
clearly than the one intended would
prevent general misapprehension of
the writer's meaning. The Chicago
Tribune has published statistics to
show that the same fact exists in re-
gard to riots, and that for each person
killed in the late riot in that city, bul.
lets having an aggregate weight equal
to that of an average man were dis
charged by the police. The total
weight Of metal discharged was one
thousand pounds, and assuming the
average weight of the men to have
been one hundred and forty pounds,
the weight of metal divided by the
assumed average weight of a man,
gives q result Of seven and one-seventh
people injured. This result of the
ITibune'0 estimate tallies with the
number of casualties, which consisted
of seven men killed and one boy
wounded. The statistician who made
the calculation might have added an
other to it, showing that the chances
against a man being killed by vol
ley of musketry in battle or riot
are nearly 2500 to l, supposing each
bullet to weigh about an ounce. For
all that, the one chance against man
isn't pleasant one to face.
Year: 1877

When travelled (1S71) in Pales-
tine an old servant from the monas-
terry of Ramleh, about fifty miles west
from Jerusalem, showed me the sup
posed place where Samson killed one
thousand Philistines with the jaw bone
Of an ass. When l expressed my
doubts as to the length and strength
Of jaw-b bone, considering the great
number of surrounding enemies, the
great man explained the case in the
following manner: "Well, he took
hold of the ass by the tail and swung
the animal against the Philistines in
such manner that only his head, aud
of this especially the jaw bone, struck
the Philistines, keeping off in this way
the surrounding warriors, and giving
the blow the necessary force to kill. I
affirm that in this manner Samson
could have slain million Philistines,
provided the tail of the ass did not
break. ."-SacramentO Journal
Year: 1877

MRS. HEATH has recently moved to
IVl this place for the purpose of meeting
a want which the ladies of the town and
county have for long time known, that
of having a dressmaker of experience
among them. am prepared TO make all
kinds of dresses in the latest styles, and
guarantee satisfaction. Stamping for braid
ing and embroidery done in the best man
ner, with the newest patterns. All I ask
Is tair trial. Residence on Elm Street,
in the Acomb Building. If.
Year: 1877

One OF the m ost unfair and mischiev-
Gus acts of Congress is that which re-
quires cent stamp on box of matches
and two cent stamp on bank check.
The people were enabled to buy two
boxes of matches for cent before the
war, a nd now our people in Wilmington
are taxed on this one article to such an
extent that three cents box is charged.
This tax gives monopolyrto the rich
manufacturers, and no man can compete
with them, because they make their
money off of the discount on the stamps.
Members of Congress through the lobby
are induced to keep this tax on matches
and every poor person is taxed to keep
up this monopoly. A N ost unrighteous
and dishonorable procedure that ough t
to find an open exposure in the SEN
Ate
Year: 1877

SENATOR HERMAN is grieved that he
can only count upon twenty-four Sena-
tors who will vote against Bland's Sill
yer bill. There are 76 Senators; thus he
finds 52 votes for the bill, more than taco
thirds. But he does not dare to call
them "consummate fools," as the Every
Erening and Commercial does. In fact
they seem to show so much wisdom and
caution in what they say, as to alarm
their opponents and make them feel
they have made great mistake and will
be caught in the attempt to commit one
of the greatest frauds of the age.
Year: 1877

SILVER QUoTATIoNs.-Germany re-
fuses to use silver coin as money and
there is constant financial distress and
trouble. France uses silver, paper and
gold as money and is the most prosper
GUS nation in the world.
Year: 1877

Few men, even those who deserve
fame, know how famous they may be.
Certainly Fitz-Greene Halleck never
thought that his genius would be honor
ed in the city where he lived and worked
by statue to his memory, and that the
President of the United States would un-
veil it in the presence of thousands of the
best of our citizens. Americans are not
accustomed to thus honor their poets, but
the custom of erecting statues to great
men is a beautiful and appropriate one,
and we are glad to see it growing in
public favor. Halleck deserves q place
in this Pantheon of the metropolis; for,
though he was not one of the great poets
of America, he was one of the first and
purest, and much that he has written will
live as long as our literature. The lines
addressed to his dead friend Drake
"Green be the turf above thee"-have
become household words, and his "Marco
Bozzarisn stirs the heart now as strongly
as when it was first published, fifty years
ago. The ceremonies yesterday We're all
that could have been desired.--N. Y.
Herald
Year: 1877

When CHARLES O'CoNoR on Monday last
said before the august presence of the
mixed Tribunal that there was not man
in the civilized world that had the faculty
Of ofblushing that could look an honest man
in the face and say the Hayes electors
were elected without blushing, he might
have heard near him voice replying, 81
believe myself to be an honest man, and
can say the Hayes electors of Florida were
elected without blushing." 1t was the
voice of WIN. NJ. EvARTs, and the words
were said in such tone as not only to
carry conviction Of their sincerity with
them, but also deserved rebuke to Mr..
O'CoSoR for the bold insult which he had
offered to the distinguished counsel on the
Republican side. We would gladly en-.
deavor to believe that these unjust and in.
opportune words were a laf,us linguare on
the part of the distinguished lawyer of Goth.
am were it not for the fact that but few
months ago he brutally assaulted the
President through letter to St. Louis
friend by saying that he Twas drunken
Democrat picked up out Of the cutters of
Galena by the Republican party for the
purpose OF ruling the Nation" Had not
Mr. O'CoNoR placed himself on record as
person willing to utter expressions
against the President such as even the
pirate of the press would refrain from
using, we would gladly pass over this last
coarse and untimely utterance delivered in
the presence of the Commission and 10 the
very face ofthe distinguished men to whom
it was bold insult. AS 1t is Mr.. o 'CoNoR
has once more injured himself in the esti-
nation of his high minded fellow citizens
and has opened the way for another
apology which we understand he will make
IN 1av
Year: 1877

The Presidents veto of the bill abolish.
ing the Police Board of the District was
sustained yesterday In the Senate. Senator
INGALLS,, who has boen in earnest symps.
thy with the reforms which have been in.
auguratcd in the Police Department of the
city, said. in sustaining the Presidents
veto, that the police force was virtually
without head, and that owing to the fact
that'a large number of people would be here
on Inauguration day, that the force ought
to be well organized and under defaitc
leadership, and for that reason he was In
favor of retaining the Board. Senator
INGALLS, reason for one is good, but there
arc other and more important reasons
why the action of the Senate was
q wise one. and why the Board
should be retained. The developments
of the past few weeks have proven
beyond doubt that criminal collusiou Of
certain members Of the Police Force with
the gamblers and thieves Of the District
has existed for some time, and therefore
retention of the Board is necessary in order
to inaugurate reform, investigate thor.
OuSuIy tuc CuuiBen ubalust the OlllCihls,
punish the guilty, and SO far as Is necessary
for the best interests Of the service, reor.
ganize the force. The Senate having sus.
tanned the veto, these measures can now be
prosecuted with vigor and energy which
would have been impossible had the bill
passed over the veto. The people of the
District, who have been paying seven
thousand dollars in taxes to support certain
officials now charged with corruption in
office, demand that a thorough and ex.
haustive examination shall be made into
their official conduct, and If they be guilty
that they shall be punished to the fullest
extent of the law. To the Police Board
the people, the tax payers, the law abiding
citizens, and all interested in tic welfare
and peace Of this community, look. for
prompt action in this matter. They can.
not shirk this sacred trust. The evidence
of guilt is too glaring, and public opinion
too powerful for them to waver or hesitate.
The matter is in such state that 1t cannot
be whitewashed. Let the Board do its
duty, and the people will sustain. Let
them shirk the responsibility, and they
will be brought before the bar of public
opinion for settlement.
Year: 1877

CHARLES O'CONoR, In his argument be.
fore the mixed Tribunal, made an admis-
sion which surprised many. 1t did not
cut such an impressive figure in the argu-
ment, but it augured much for the future.
He said that the Commission could
60 no farther nor exercise any more
power than could the two Houses that
the President of the Senate could
not canvass the votes because the Consti.
tuition did not authorize him to, but that
the two Houses could because they were
authorized 10 act-that Is, the House could
elect the President, and therefore ii must
determine the fact that there had been q
failure 10 elect by the Electoral College,
and on the other hand the Senate must and
can determine that there has been no elec.
tion, and so it will elect Vice President.


Now, according to this theory, the re.
port Of tho Commission amounts to moth.
ing, for If that body is nothing more than
giant committee of the two Houses, there
is nothing binding in their action. The
Judges of the Supreme Court were simply
called in for the benefit of their wisdom,
and If the decision should happ,n
TO be in favor CT Mr.. TILDEN, it
is expected that the Republicans
will scquiesce but If 1t should
be in favor of Governor HAYES only, Mr..
O'CONoR has just advised the Democratic
party that the report of the Commission
amounts TO nothing, and so 1t can be laid
aside as one of the curiosities of modern
legislative literature, and as according to
his theory the House must act 1t must of
course decide for itself when the occasion
for action arises.


Under this theory of Mr.. O'Conor the
Democrats can wait patiently until few
minutes before the 4th day Of March, and
then suddenly assuming that there has
been no election, proceed immediately to
elect Mr. TILDEN. If the Senate should
then elect WHEELER Vice President, there
would practically be o concurrence in the
idea that there had been no election by the
Electoral Colleges. And even if the Sen
ate should refuse to elect WHEELER
the President of the Senate could
not declare any one elected Presi-
dent, because he could not get both
Houses together, spd if he could he would
have nothing toscount, because the cleo
toral votes, the certificates, and all the
papers have passed from his possession.


There is something startling in these
facts, as there are large number of
prominent Democrats committed to
this scheme. They propose to take
up the time of the Commission,
interpose objections, get in behind
the returns il possible, and run
the matter down near to the 4th of March
and then discover that the finding Of the
Commission is erroneous, and suddenly,
through concerted action in the House,
spring the election of Mr.. Tilden on the
country. The papers will be out OF the
hands Of the President OF the Senate. The
Year: 1877

1t is plain that the counsel of both par


ties before the Electoral Commission regard
the decision to be made In the Florida case
as conclusive oi the whole question to be
determined. And the question of jurs.
diction is so clearly put by the peculiar
condition Of that case, and is 80 narrowed


down by the admissions of counsel, that 1t
will not be difficult for the people to un


derstand its merits. The counsel of the
Democracy have at last conceded the
position the REPUBLICAN assumed at the
outset, that the whole duty of electng q
President is confded to the States. and
that their competent action, when taken,
binds all parties as to the result of the
election and their choice Of electors. Aud
upon this ground they proceed to build in
the interest of their candidate. But the
result must prove disastrousto their cause;
Year: 1877

A SOLITARY musquito buddcd and bios.
somed in this Office last night but sank to an
eternal rest in the paste cup before the bell OF
St. Aloysius struck the hour of twelve. He
passed away without struggle, and a smile
rested on his billdozed brow In the sleep that
knows no waking.
Year: 1877

In recent speech of an attorney In
a libel suit, the following language
occurs: There has grown up sort of
common law of obligation, recognized
mutually by the press and the people, by
which the people expect that the press,
as distributors of useful intelligence,
shall inform them, as well what is to be
avoided as what to be sought, as well
who is to be suspected as who is to be
conf1ded in. And a newspaper, as a
garnerer and distributor of news. Is a
public monitor, and it is its duty to ad-
monish the people against frauds and
shams, and impostures and dishonesties.
1t is to be beacon as well as guide;
and whenever public newspaper,
through its diversified appliances for
the collection and distribution of
information, discovers any where in
public life, and public avocations,
whether it be a lawyer, or clergyman,
or aphysician, man who, instead of
securing the public welfare by honora-
BILE methods and practices, simply
prowls about in the back yard of his
profession, and uses the means
and instrumentalities which honora-
BILE title gives him to pander to his own
lust or avarice, or any other vile passion,
and that paper fails to send out some
admonitory voice, and sound some
signal of warning, it is recreant to
every principle of duty and response
bility, and should be stigmatized by the
public it pretends to represent and to
Year: 1877

Nhitsuntide has not been without
its romance this year within the charm
ed circles of society. The story of an
elopement which was brought about by
one of the "parties" concerned in a
very ingenious sort of way is being told.
A young lady by no means unknown in
the world Of fashion, and engaged to be
married to a gentleman OF the long
robe, accompanied her parents to stay
at their home in the Midland counties
during the Whitsuntide recess. The
gallant barrister ran down from town,
too, after his innamorata. During his
stay an invitation arrived asking the
young lady on a visit to some relatives
living on the other side of London. A
note accepting the invitation and
arranging the very day and train was
penned and apparently dispatched; but
the willy man Of law waylaid the letter,
substituting another written in good
imitation of the hand of his lady-love,
which, with many regrets, declined the
proposed visit. Trusting to his know
ledge of the !lady's relatives that no
answer would be- sent to the apparent
refusal, the culprit went back to town
the following day. Two days after the
fair fancee also came up, en- route for
her relatives place, and innocently ex-
pecting, as arranged in her note, to find
the fond uncle standing, bovine-faced
and eager, on the Euston platform,
ready to chaperone his charming niece
from one London station to another,
and so on to her destination. But i'm
agine her astonishment No uncle;
| only Master Barrister, somewhat
sheepish of aspect, and with lame tale
about waiting for uncle at some rem
devious where the latter intended to
call. The upshot of the adventure,
however, was that as evening wore on,
without dear uncle putting In an
appearance at the rendezvous. Master
Barrister confessed his stratagem.


Ultimately, it is believed, the deceiver
prevailed upon the indignant damsel to
consent to its. being made into real
elopement by marrying him some few
days later. She stayed at the hotel; he
at his chambers-that is ascertained.
Some say that she was furthermore in


duced to writesa assembling letter


home the very next morning, informing
her parents that her hosts had come


suddenly up to town for few days, and


that she was staying with them, and


thus preventing any letters arriving fol


her at her uncle's in the South-that,


however is not ascertained. The result,


nevertheless, Of the escapade was this
J The clergyman, to whom application
Year: 1877

Washington, in addition to its other
misfortunes and calamities, has been
visited by an epidemic of malaria,
caused by the tearing up Of the streets
for the purpose of repairing the rotton
wooden pavements. A large number
of people are sick. Congressman may
consider themselves fortunate that the
extra session was postponed until the
fall. Why could not the work have
been postponedp
Year: 1877

termined to take the place at any
cost, proposed to bury 1t with earth
by gradual approaches. He had a
large army ; the soil of the plain
was light and deep and he set $4,000
men to work with spades, throwing
up high decentralization of earth
wall before them in advance. The
men were kept in gangs, working
day and night, the earth being
thrown from one to another like the
steps Of stair, the top gang takin 2
the lowest place every half hour in
succession. In five weeks the huge
earth wall was carried forward
nearly one mile, until it rose to and
above the highest ramparts, and the
earth began to roll over them. This
caused the Turkish governor to
hang out the white flag, and give
in. Had he not done SO, General
Gordon would have buried tht
fortress.