smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1874

One of the ladies employed as counter
in the National bank redemption divis-
ion of the Treasury Department to-day
discovered among the notes sent for re-
demption one of the counterfeit five
hundred dollar bills originally discovered
at the Treasury Department about a
year ago. 1t was SO perfect that several
of the most experienced clerks in the
Treasurer's office thought it genuine, but
upon reference to the engraving and
printing division it was pronounced a
Year: 1874

NEW YORK, July IA Springfield
dispatch giving an account OF the burst
ing of a reservoir in Massachusetts on
Sunday says: The discovery of the leak
was made by Deacon Harry Meacham, an
old gentleman who has been one of the
law makers of the State, but whose name
will be remembered from this day, not rs
that of Solon, but as the Collins Graves
of Blush Hollow. At o'clock Sunday
afternoon, Meacham, who lives about n
quarter of a mile from the upper dam,
visited it, feeling anxious lest the long
continued and heavy rains had weakened
its walls. The dam appeared to him at
that time all right, but noticing that the
water was rising very rapidly he bethought
him that possibly the dam of Little Goose
Pond, on Small Brook, emptying into
this reservoir, had given way ana
he went up there to investigate.
Coming back after finding that all was
right, and again surveying the dam, he
was about to turn away satisfied when he
WAS Mortified to see heavy land slide on
the lower slope of the dam. knowing at
once what that meant, ne got out his
horse, mounted him in haste and dashed
down to Blush Hollow, carrying the
alarm of the coming waters. The warn
ing was swift enough, giving quite ten
minutes for the escape of men, women
and children to the hill sides, situated rs
in Skinncrsville. but further OF. At the
end of about ten minutes the tiumc gave
way and a wall of water sixty feet wide,
covered with cap of snowy foam, rush
ed through it with roar, and descended
Main street with more than the
force of an Alpine avalanche. Inc
terrified people. happily, through
the forethought OF Deacon Meacham,
stood Oh the hill sides in safety, and
watched the progress of the destroying
wave in terror and apprehension. Leay-
ing the Main street it branched east
ward, rolled down in the the rear of
houses, and into Blush Hollow, AN ad-
Joining village, repeating the ravase'
described mt the time Of the Mill river
disaster. Houses went down like ten
pins. trees were torn up by the roots and
carried along by the wave, and even tn"
surface of the earth was torn and har-
rowed us though with II mammouth
plow. For half an hour the flood main
tanned its mighty force. At 4:3O the pour
reached the lower dam. This influx
broke the second dam, whose waters
poured forth to add To the power of the
waves. Reaching Chester the water
carried away one wooden bridge in
the centre of the village more
or lces damaged foundations. dams, and
stock Of several manufacturing establish
mcnts, and quite ruined, many fields and
gardens. Below this village tn" floods
chief damage, outside of that to the rail
road, was the carrying away of the bridg"
at Rolling Brook, and then it gradually
lost its force and power of mischief. Ibe
entire damage Of the flood is roughly
placed at three hundred and fifty thou
sand dollars, and the estimate is modcr-
ate, excluding persons th'own out of ia
ploymcnt, and the forced idiencss of the
place.
Year: 1874

Treasurer Spinner threatens to tender
his resignation in case his views regarding
the sole management of the bureau under
his charge are not approved by those
higher in authority than himself. Gen.
Spinner's dissatisfaction grows out of the
conflict of opinion between himself and
other prominent officers of the treasury,
with reference to the appointment Of
clerks i'm his own bureau.
Year: 1874

NEW YORK, May pa letter from
London about the statement in the
Times of the obvious causes of the nom
appearance Of the Duchess of Edinburghs
at the queens drawing room, and the
announcement the following morning
that such q statement was in no way
authorized BY the Duke of Edinburgh,
says it was plain to every one that such
an announcement as that in the Times
would not have been put forth by the
conductor of the journal on his own re-
sponsibility. 1t must therefore have
been what the French call ''eomique," ="
and the only question was by whom it
could have been sent. Public opinion
pointed at once 10 the queen, and public
opinion continues to regard her majesty
as the author of the statement, but for
whatpurpose it was made, unless to throw
the public off the scent no one can
imagine. Both the Prince of Wales and
the Duke of Edinburgh are exceedingly
indignant at the whole affair, but the
opportune arrival of the Czar viii post
pone, If it does not put an end to, any
chance of an open breach between the
members of the royal family.
Year: 1874

From the New York World.


Accounts given in Washington dis
patches of the passage of the civil rights
bill by the senate describe many of the
Republican senators who voted for the
bill as halfashamed Of what they were
doing and as more than half doubtful of
the expediency of their action. The votes
which were cast against conscience,
however, summed up as roundiy in the
majority as did those which were cast in
self-righteousness; and the question of
conscience is a question of no account in
the practical results of the senate's Fri
day nights work. As for the expedi-
ency Of the measure, that is something
more tangible than the consciences of
Republican senators; and the doubts
which many Republican senators felt on
that score were fully justified, il, indeed,
they were not to some extent inspired
by the figures of the ninth census, for
the following table made from the ninth
census shows that there are only three
States in the Union wherein the negroes
have majority, and only two wherein
a square division of the races at the polls
the negro majority is large enough to be
fairly counted upon:
Year: 1874

Delaware, Maryland and Missouri are
NOT given in the table because negro
supremacy in those states Is weil-known
to be impossible. The passage Of the
civil rights bill will tend to keep the
negro voters consolidated IN favor OF the
Republican party, but it will also con-
solidate the white vote OF the south
more strongly than ever against the
Republican party. And after intiicting
Infinite injury on the eommon-school
system of the southern States, and upon
the negro race, the Republicans viii ac-
cOmplish little for themselves besides
the retention Of South Carolina, Missis-
sippi and Louisiana. They need not
pass the civil rights bill TO do that.
Year: 1874

The everlasting darkey is destined to
always be an element in American poll
tics and the skeleton in the closet" of 8
great many houses. But our country is
a progressive one, upon the negro ques-
tien at lesst,) and it will be saving of
money to our people TO recognize at once
the fact that political and civil equality
exists for the negro race. This is the re-
suit of Congressional legislation, sane
toned by the approval OF the States in
their individual and sovereign capacity.
Nevertheless, we occasionally hear of
some locality, where the community gets
on Its high horse, and insists upon the
rigid adherence to the State Law which
the wisdom of the Code Commissioners
framed, prohibiting Negro and Indian
children from being educated in the same
school with those of the pure Caucasian
blood. In the goodly city of Sacramento
which invariably voted for the elevation
of the negro race until it had gone as far
in that direction as national issues could
be made TO 60, when it was brought down
to local affair, she turned her back upon
all the precepts she had sedulously decided
to be good for practice, by voting against
equal rights of education. The latest and
funniest case, however, comes from Men
there was solitary darkey child. The
parents Of the juvenile African demanded
as they had the right to demand, that
their sable scion should be instructed in
the rudiments of an English education.
There was school being taught there,
but the parents of the noble Caucasians
cared not to expose their children to the
contamination which the solitary little
niger would bring to the classical regions
Of the school room. Then the Trustees
hired a house, employed a competent
teacher and opened a school for the lone
darkey, All went merry as a marriage
bell till the financial question came in,
when the county Superintendent declined
TO recognize the little "cullud pusson" as
a school. The District Attorney and the
State Superintendent, however, when ap-
pealed to, decided that the Trustees were
right, and we presume, under the new
law, if the district is populous one it
will draw its quota Of five hundred dollars
for the education of that lone darkey.


Now this is nothing more nor less than
nulliicaton in a small disqualification
Of the spirit, il not of the letter of the
National law. The old time prejudice,
which grew out of the relations of Free
dom and Slavery, which extended into
the North until the people of every State
became imbued with it, asserts itself now
in the form of a denial Of civil rights to
negroes. The effects of action of this
character is only to provoke national leg
islation covering all such points.
Year: 1874

The trial of Nash, in Contra Costa
county, for the murder of Gers bach, COM
mltted nearly year ago, resulted in the
conviction OF the prisoner Of murder in
the first degree and was followed by
sentence Of Imprisonment for life. We
presume, in the absence Of details, that
this trial is the first under the amendment
to the Criminal Code which permits the
jury to define the punishment to be in
flicted, as well as the degree Of guilt, and
may therefore, be taken as something of
criterion of the action which will be
taken by juries in most cases similar in
character.


The murder for which Nash was con-
victed was one of the most brutal and un-
justifiable which have had place in the
annals of crime. We do not care to re-
hearse the details Of the affair further than
this: Nash and the wife of his victim
conspired together to murder Gersbach,
and did the decd in the most cold blooded
manner. Immediately afterwards Nash
left, and was afterwards arrested near
Truckee. The evidence was positive as
to the guilt and motives of the murderers
and under the old law there could have
been no hope of escape from the penalty
of death. 1t has been case where no
eXtenuating circumstances could be shown
and if the jury have leaned to what they
believe to be the side of mercy in this
instance, it is fair TO presume that other
juries, in cases less fragrant, will follow
the example.


The humanitarians, who have long con-
tended for the abolition of the death pen
atty, have thus practically carried their
point. For few men are stern hearted
enough to decree that human being
shall be launched into eternity, whensthe
choice of lesser punishment is in their
hands. 1t now remains to be seen if the
ends ofjustice will be better served under
the new law than under the old. 1t has
been urged that they will. That jurics,
when man is on trial and justice de-
mards his life il he is convicted, incline
to take the side Of mercy in all stages Of
the trial. That the certainty and not the
severity Of the punishment is what will
act as preventive to crime, and that
this certainty becomes more assured,
when that statute, which makes the SEN
tence Of death follow the verdict Of guilty
is repealed. This is the reasoning of the
advocates of the abolition of capital pun
ishment, and it only remains to be seen
how far they are right. If the change is
for the better we shall rejoice.
Year: 1874

WHAT CAN BE DONE ?-It would
seem, to judge by the tone of the Dolly
Warden sheets, that such small qualities
rs honesty and competency cannot be
found in men who are, or have been in
public life. They are now after Andres,
late State Senator from Tuolumne, and
if we are to believe them he is man de-
void of intellect, who was elected Sena-
tor by the railroad influence, and who in
consideration Of having been reliable
friend of the company while in the Leg
islature, is now rewarded by Federal
appoin tment. One thing will be apt to
strike inquirers rs being very strange.
How is it that in counties like Tuolumne,
where the railroad company have no in
terests whatever, not man employed
nor mile of road either in operation or
projected, it is strong enough to elect a
man over the anti-monopoly sentiment
of the people, while in those counties and
districts where the company have the
~ OdbCsO IiOpOity HItCiSSI uiu lile ihi SCs'
number of employees, anti-railroad men
are elected. The charge is too thin al
together. The intention is to stamp ev-
cry man who is assisted by Sargent, or
the Republican Congressman from CAL
ifornia, to a Federal appointment, as be-
ing one who is opposed to the people and
railway creature, and thus weaken
their influence and standing and cast ap-
probri1m on the party of which they are
members. A more servie set of libelous
defamers than the Dolly Warden organs
Of this State would be hard to find


The Colusa SIN hits the nail on the
head squarely, we think, when it says
that it will soon be in this State that
there will not be dog fight unless one of
the dogs is a railroaddog. Meanwhile it
becomes serious public question what
can be done to keep our public men from
being either elected by that everlasting
railroad, or captured after being elected
in opposition to 1t.
Year: 1874

SINGULAR SEARCH FOR A GOLD MINE.
"A short time ago Smith & Barr sold a
chicken to a customer. A day or two
ago the customer returned, and was very
anxious to learn from whom the dealers
had purchased that chicken. AT first he
declined to tell why he wished to know,
but finally said that he had found pieces
of coarse gold in the chickens crop, and
was satisfied there was plenty of it where
the chicken came from. The chicken
was traced to man and his wife who
brought down lot from Lake county,
and the gold-huntcr started off in quest of
the chicken-raisers. lie is going to scour
the country until he finds them, and then
he expects to see gold lying around on
the ground loose and in great abundance.
-PdttejO HldepcHdeRt.
Year: 1874

A REMARKABLE QUARREL.-A terri
bic fight took place recently between two
women in Chill under the following cir
cumstanccs: One of them, who had re-
Gently given birth to an infant having TO
make a journey to Rancagna, left the
child under the care of neighbor, who
had child about the same age. A few
days afterward the mother who had gone
on the Journey returned home and was
told that her child had died during her
absence. She insisted that the surveying
infant was hers. She said she knew the
child to be hers, and was not going to be
deceived by the stratagens of her neigh
Dor. The other called all the saints in
heaven to witness that her child was the
living one and not the dead one. The
dispute finally ended in blows and the
intervention Of the police. The case has
gone TO the tribunals, and another ques-
ton like that decided by King Solomon
is now before the judges Of Rancagna.
Year: 1874

A LITTLE GIRL KILLED BY RED ANTS.
F. G. Jones informs us Of the singular
death Of little colored girl on his farm,
near Auburn. The girl went to some
sils that had been used for cutting up
meat on, and on which there was large
number Of red ants. While asleep the
ants by the hundreds made an attack up
on her, and when she awoke she was lit
orally covered with them, and all busy
biting and singing. They were so fero-
cous that woman on the place had to
sweep them off with brush broom. The
biting and singing were so very serious
that fever ensued, which, coupled with
the poison of the bites, produced death
two days acknowledgement (Ala.) Oh
SeTUer.
Year: 1874

WHILE youthful couple were being
joined il wedlock in n Justices court in
New York, recently, the damsel rather
astonished number of spectators by
suddenly breaking out with, 81 want to
know whether we are going to keep house
or board before going into this thing ?"
The justice ruled the question out of or
der, and the ceremony proceeded.
Year: 1874

A LOT Of young fellows of Auburn went
TO serenade a girl last Wednesday even
ing. They spied what they thought was
the fair damSel herself, seated in shady
place on the veranda. After singing for
nm hour or two, the old lady said. "Thats
very good, come again sometime when
the girls are at home"
Year: 1874

CorRTINe comes less expensive than
formerly in Iowa, judicial tribunal
there having decided that when a lady
broke of an engagement she must return
all presents received. from her suitor or
reimburse him for their value in money.
Year: 1874

PASSENGERS to the Pacific by rail
breakfast in the Sierras with twenty feet
of snow around them; four hours later
they find wheat four inches high, and the
next day see pear trees in blossom.
Year: 1874

Tho following article, taken from


tho Country Gentleman, 30 thrilling
ly sots forth the fearful results OF


using tobacco that the most hardened


sinner must repent and hasten 10 be


wise after reading il


First experiment. hog was shut
up in tight pen, and his only food


was one half pound of tobacco day


In one week he lost four pounds.
Second, mule was placed in o stall
without food, two plugs OF tobacco
were placed before her twice day.
She grew gradually restivs. On the
third day one plug was forced down
her throat, when she tore tho ex-
perimentor's ear with her tooth, show
ing the bad effect tobacco has on
ones disposition. IL was then found
necessary TO muzzle her so that she
could not open her mouth. At the
end of eight days she died.


Third, a dog was nailed up in q
tobacco hogshead. At tho end OF
four days lie was takon out much re-
duced. Fourth another dog was
inclosed in tobacco barrel and
rolled down q steep hill Within
two years that dog went mad Truly
these are Satan's nets could cite
plenty more Of such experiments. We
all know that single drop OF the
oil Of tobacco placed on tho end Of q
dogs tail will kill u man in O minute
OF four men lately killed on the Erie
railway threo were smokers, and the
father of the other an invetcrate
chewer Of tobacco. On tho bodies
Of the two men washed ashore after
the late storm on Lake Michigan,
papers OF tobacco were found.


In my own neighborhood, q very
distressing accident, by which most
estimable lady, the mother OF seven
lovely children, broke her leg, was
occasioned by q pair Of runaway
horses running into fence that sur
rounded field of tobacco. Miss
Flatfoot recently died in the county
adjoining mine at the age OF lis
years. She had both chewed and
smoked over 100 years, and as she
had no disease till tho time OF her
death, it is only fair to suppose that
it was tobacco that killed her. For
SO long time was Satin spreading
his nets for her but l think Mr.. X.
will agreo with me that no must have
her sure now.


But why multiply examples ? You
know how it is yourself So Mr.. Ed
itor, do not 60 on helping spread
these nets by showing in your paper
how to grow large crops Of tobacco
any moro. Rather interline tho book
OF Proverbs with tho remarks OF our
second Solomon. Only lot me add q
word CT caution to that gentleman.
Does he, let me ask, use toa or coffee.
There arc other nets Of Satan, as
tobacco. Docs he eat mince pics and
use salaeratus Moro nets. Docs
he indulge in leo creams or oysters I
Let him beware, lest, when he least
expects, Satan, in scooping in his to-
bacco users, fly away with him! Gra-
ham bread without salt is his only
salvation.
Year: 1874

The American Educational Annual OF when
rho first number is just issued by W. schermerhorn


Co. s new periodical devoted TO the general interests
OF education, and intended to present comprehensive
OF the facts and statistics relating TO the subject
IN the different States Of the Union Among the con-
tributors 10 the volume the United States Commls
soner OF Education and, with single exception al
the State and Territorial superneudents OF Insruc-
ton. Considerable space is devoted to biographical
sketches of distinguished persons devoted TO the cause
of education in country and Of eminent educators
who have deceased during past two years both at
home and abroad A great variety OF statistics 10
regard to schools and colleges will be found serviceabie
by teachers and writers in pursuit OF facts on the SUD-
ec of education. The plan Of the work is excellent
evidently been carried out with ability ana
zeal The periodical commends itself to the favor
able notice OF the educational public by its variety OF
information and the judiciousness Of its suggestions
and it is TO be earnestly hoped that 1t Will call Iortn
sufficient In contents to insure its permanent
continuance. 1t makes its appearance at an opportune
moment when renewed and increased attention Is paid
10 the great cause which it represents
Year: 1874

IN reference to the taxes now as.
scssed Oh property, We will state that
we heard good citizen Of our county
say this week that he had antc.war
tax receipts on tho property now
owned by him for fifteen cents, tho
then tax, while now he pays between
eleven and twelve dollars on the same
property. There has been no now
buildings or other improvements to
account for this groat difference. How
is this for high ?-Kcowcc Courier.
Year: 1874

Gen. Sherman, when before tho
military committee tho other day, was
ASK what he thought Of colorcd
troops and to this question Con,
Sherman replied, that he would not
say that he preferred colored to white
troops, but he could not withhold
his testimony to the fact that the
two regiments Of colorcd troops now
in tho service had fulfilled all tho
military duties required Of them, and
had proven their valor in many q
frontier engagement.
Year: 1874

1t was agreed on all hands that
Ned Stone was a very practical fel-
low. He had been very poor at one
time in his life, and had TO work very
hard. His industry had in the end,
however, met its due reward. At
middle age he was comfortably cir
cumstanced.-When he announced
to his friends therefore, that he
thought OF taking unto himself a wife,
lit was thought generally that the
step he meditated was prudent and
proper one. And when he further
stated that he had made an offer Of
his hand to one Georgisna Warren,
the daughter of a wealthy merchant,
and that his offer had been accepted
by the lady, we, of course fastened
to tender our heartfelt coDgratula-
tions on the occasion.


Ned Stone spoke of the matter in
his own sober simple way;


swell, you know am getting on, "
he said, "and if I'm ever to marry it's
about time I should think of settling
about it."


"You've been very kind. / think
1 shall be very happv-in fact I don't
doubt it--as happy as a fellow has q
right to expect to be. One has not a
right to expect too much of course.
But I'm quite fond in my way Of this
Georgiana Warren, and 1 think that
she in her way is fond Of me; she is
not too old; not too good looking nor
yet too plain; she is sensible and ac-
complished enough, and / don't see
why she should not make good wife.
and similarly 1 don't see why will
not make good husband. Perhaps
am not very fond of old Warren, the
father, and perhaps he isn't fond OF
me. But l don't know as that may
matter much. l dare say We shall
understand each other better by and
by; in the meantime l must try and
make the best of the old mans humor,
and not run counter to him more than
[ can avoid. And it seems to me that
the old fellow would be no fonder OF
ANYBODY else who would want to
marry his daughter than he is of me-
You see its our affair-Georgians's s
and mine-and not his; though it is
hard to make him see it in that light
But dare say it will come right IL
| the end. That's what / tell Georgi
ana when she takes up With rather
gloomy views of her fathers temper
She has good sense, and, I think
looks at the matter very much as | dt
only of course, she can't help feel
ling that he is her father, whereas,


think thank goodness he isn't mine


1t will be seen that Ned Stone wa


not a lover to 'sigh like a furnace.


As for writing a woeful ballad to hi


mistress eyebrows 1 don't think b


could have accomplished such q fac


even if his life depended upon doin


so. The thermometer of his lev


stood at temperate, with no tendenc


of an upward rise. "The marks {