smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1874

Senator Carpenter, while making Fourth
of July Grafton at GAINESVILLE, received by
telerraph the news of the decision OF
the Circuit Court at Madison sustaining
the validity of tho Potter railroad law
His remarks at once diverged to what he
calls "this unexampled uprising of the people +"
against the tyranny of capital; and he SAID
many fine-sounding things of the efforts OF the
farmers to "releve themselves from the Op-
"presson Of mOnOpOlies and fix within reason
cable limits the cost of transporting our pro-
"ducts to the seaboard." This he called labor
taking measures for ITS own protection. 1t Is
one of the privileges of labor to fix its own
wages. The farmer is at liberty to ask for his
corn whatever price he pleases, and II he can
not sell it he may feed it to his hogs or burn
it for fuel. Just 80 his hired hands may charge
as much as they like for their work, and II
they cannot agree with their employer, 1t is
free country, and they have right to remain
idle. But Mr.. Carpenters idea of liberty for
the farmer is much more comprehensive; 1t
seems to have a good deal to do with curtall-
ing the liberty of other people. The doctrine
that man has a right to charge what he
deems fair for his labor does not apply to rail
i
price not only of his own labor but of the
railroad mans labor too for it makes great
difference whether one works with hoe and
a steam -plow, or works with a freight car and
a locomotive.


The tyranny of the numerical majority in
Wisconsin is just now triumphant and the
people, in the iirst excitement of their cup
rising" are attempting the impossible task of
regulating the price of a commodity by legis-
lation. The railroads will not carry on busi-
ness at loss. They must reduce the quality
of their service in proportion to the reduction
in rates, or they must invest money in politics,
and so buy permission from the Legislature to
increase their charges. In either case the
farmers will suffer, the development of the
State will be checked, and grain will fetch no
more for the grower than it does to-day.
Perhaps after little experience the farmers
and the railroads will both realize that they
are necessary to each others prosperity, and
that neither can thrive by the plumber of the
other.
Year: 1874




We print this morning a letter from Mr.
Parton, written with that sprightliness and
force which make everything he writes
interesting, but marked also by that uncon-
scious and unintentiOnal unfairness to which
we have hitherto had occasion to refer. We
presume no one except Mr.. Parton read the
straightforward statement of Mr. Miles with
out seeing that it was truthful and honest
presentation Of the case, and that the men
who criticised the bungling conduct of the
Sheriff at Morristown, on the occasion
referred to, had no purpose in view except to
obey their orders and give an accurate
account of the affair. But it is an idiosyn-
Grassy of Mr.. Parton that he cannot see this.
Having hastily taken the Sherifl's side, and
having been crammcd by his anonymous
Morristown journalist, it is morally impossible
for him to see that he was deceived; and
when he says that he took pains to inform
himself of the truth of the matter, it merely
means that in this case, as in all Others, he
took pains to gather as many piquant details
as possible to sustain his original prejudice.
lie is free from any intentional wrong in this,
we have no doubt. But he is so made that it
seems more important to him that he should
not have been lied to by the Morristown man,
than that half-dozen reputable and indus
trious journalists should have been branded
as ruffians, drunkards. and slanderers in
widely y-circulated magazine. And what is per-
haps still more characteristics, Mr.. Parton is
evidently astonished and not well pleased to
find that one of the gentlemen whom he called
q slanderer, bully, and a debauchee,
has risen to defend himself against these in
furious and wanton attacks, and that the
journal he has faithfully and acceptably served
for seven years assists him in the defense of
his well-earned reputation. If it were not SO
serious a matter. it would be amusing to see
how THIS prejudice dstorts the judgment vi SO
Year: 1874

The French Crisis has come but has appar-
entity not passed. The engagement between
the Government forces and the variegated op-
postion in the Assembly can scarcely be
called anything more than a drawn battle.
But so far as any advantage may be said to
have been gained, it would certainly seem to
lie on the side of the Republicans. The
motion of NJ. Lucien Brun, censuring the Gov
ernment for the suspension of the Union, was
rejected by the decisive majority of $40
70 only 80. This sustains our conjecture
that the Left would not submit to be used in
the interests of the mOnarchical faction, even
upon pretext so tempting as the freedom of
the press. This vote was fair warning to
the Right that if they desired n coalition with
the other extremity of the Chamber they must
themselves take the necessary steps. The
subsequent votes in the session showed that
Immediately after the defeat of the Right
under NJ. Brun, which the Left permitted but
did not assist in accomplishing, a member of
the Right Center, NJ. Paris, introduced reso-
luton pedgng the Assembly to uphold the
septennial powers of Marshal MacMahon, but
reserving all constitutional questions. This is
nothing moro than the personal Septennate,
which these tender-f footed monarchists are
now willing to establish, although they do
not yet see their way clear to organizing it
IN republican sense. This afforded at once
an opportunity for coalition without
compromise. The extreme Right is opposed
to any formal recognition of the Septennate
which shall make restoration impossible for
tho next seven years. and tho Left. in all its
Year: 1874

The now Police Commissioners renew with
their associates the farce of deadlock in the
Board by which the election of a Treasurer is
prevented In the meantime the policemen go
without pay and are run out of credit. 1t will
surprise no one then to learn that the money
lenders are offering advances at ten per cent
a month. On every possible occasion the Com
missioners tell the reporters that they "Tegret
"that the force is kept without its pay" and
"bOpe the Board will at once provide for
"them,7 and then promptly meet aud proceed
not to do 1t.
Year: 1874

question of the right of the Government to
use the railroads of the country for the trans
portation of mails, and to fix the compensa-
ton therefor with or without the consent OF
the corporations owning them. This, in his
opinion, may be done by an exercise OF tho
right of eminent domain, for which he cites
authorities from State and Federal courts
While declaring the existence OF this rght,
however, he does not recommend resort 10 lt
except in cases Of absolute necessity. lie pro-
noses 70 draw a bill which will be acceptable
TO Congress and the corporations to present at
the next session..


An effort is making to compel the Park
Commissioners to go on with the work OF
LAYING out the Parade Ground which the Ring
planned on the upper part OF the Island
remote from every central and populated
locality and utterly useless except to few
real estate owners, whose adjacent property
would thereby be improved. The Park De-
partment was right in disseminating the work.
The Department of Public Works ought to be
restrained in similar extravagant improvements,
which run the city in debt to the advantage
only of real estate owners and the pleasure OF



on fine thOroughfares. Taxpayers, who won
der where the city can begin to economHe,
would do well, while rejecting on the nearly
three per cent assessments, to drive out after
dark beyond the Central Park, and count up
the hundreds of acres almost absolutely unin-
habted. but covered with long rows of gas
posts in every direction, and lighted as bril-
hantly as Broadway or the City Hall Park.
Here is money flowing ont at the bunghole,
while the Board in the City Hall, with eyes
! downcast, has been diligently stopping casual
| leaks at the spigOt.


The second case under the Poland law
passed by the last Congress came up yesterday,
ex-GOv. Shepherd appearing before the Grahd
| Jury at Washington upon an application lor
an Indictment of Mr. Charles A. Dana OF this
city for libel Should the Grand jury find a
true bill against Mr.. Dana an effort will be
made to take him to Washington for trial.
! The case is similar to that of Mr.. Buell., cor
respondent Of The Detroit Free Press. charged
with libeling Senator Chandler. If either OF
these persons has been guilty of libel he ought
to be punished. The press of the country de-
mands nothing for them but fair trial
under circumstances in which they shall suffer
no injustice or unnecessary hardsmps. That
there is manifest injustice in the law and that
it is intended to be made the instrument fol-
muzzling the press is stOutly maintained. IL
now appears that the Poland bill was drawn
by District Attorney Harrington, assisted by
Mr.. Shepherd himself. Its purpose under the
circumstances can hardly be matter OF doubt
Judge Poland has already attempted an ex-
PLANTATION of his connection with the measure
1t remains for him to make one more state
ment to settle the question whether he was
a guilty accomplice or an ignorant tool OF the
persons who drew the bill.
Year: 1874

The case of the steamer Roanoke, plying on
the waters of the Chesapeake Bay, for techni-
cal violation of the law requiring the steam
boat regulations to be framed and posted i'll a
public place on the steamer, though it seems
trivial, is one in which public example is
needed. Steamboat owners are habtually
careless of the provisions of the laws made
for their observance, and notice is very rarely
taken of their violations of the letter of the
law until public attention is arrested by some
accident resulting therefrOm. If the laws are
of any use they should be enforced strictly.
Year: 1874

Every few weeks brings us startling
accounts of bank robberies in the East.
Many of these robberies are commit
ted by forcibly compelling the cashier
or the custodian of the key to the safe
to open the vault; the robbers then
supply themselves with it's precious
contents, bind and gag the cashier and
leave him and the empty vault to-
gether. 1t is hard to make Califor-
mans believe there is not some collu-
sion between the custodian of the key
and the robbers = at least criminal
neglect. We venture the assertion
that there is not bank in California
that could possibly be opened by one
man. There are generally three and
never less than two keys to our banks,
and they are intrusted to different
officers. If the locks are combination
neither officer knows what letter or
figure the others use. Thus all of
them are compelled to be in the bank
before it can possibly be opened. We
wonder that all bankers do not use
such precaution. California is one
ahead
Year: 1874

The scheme for retaining the rail-
road depot in its present loca-
ton has lost many of its sup
porters since the HERALD pricked the
bubble by showing that the motive
for breaking up the contract between
the Council aud the railroad company
was for the purpose of ultimately To-
eating the depot on the east side of the
river. Many of our merchants who
signed the petition to temporarily re-
tain the depot at its present location,
now that the purpose of the petition
is understood, do not favor the scheme
and would much prefer that the depot
be located on the ground donated by
the city to having it finally fixed
across the river and virtually out OF
the city. In response to the statement
of cotemporary that the railroad
would not operate two depots, we viii
but repeat the language of Mr..
CRoCKER to the Council, which was
that he would probably use the old
place as a passenger depot after he
had completed and commenced using
the new depot. The point attempted
to be made, that the company would
not incur the extra expense of operat-
ing two depots cannot be established
for the reason that there would be no
extra expense, or at least so little that
it would amount to nothing worth
mentioning.
Year: 1874

has labored for months to impress this
truth on the minds of the people, aud
we are glad to see that our labor has
not been in vain. The moment the
work of building this road is earnestly
commenced, that moment will real
estate begin to advance, and as the
road progresses, in like ratio, will
property increase in value. If our
land owners took stock in The road to
the value of one-half their land, the
remaining half would be worth more
by the time the road reached Cajon
Pass than the whole is now. iIhis
advance will be 'proporionately the
same in all property. All who look
at the matter in its true light will not
hesitate to advance the enterprise to
the full extent of their means. The
building of this road will be a faster
and more certain method of making
money than mortgages and two per
cent, q ts -ee g. tf - -t.--
Year: 1874

THE track is now laid to- within
seven miles of Anaheim. and we are
informed that the road will be COM
pleted to that place and the cars rum
ming by the first of January. This is
an important piece of road to Los An
geles valley. 1t is thirty miles in
length and runs through a body of
land as rich as can be found in the
State In q short time this road will
be lined on either side from this city
to Anaheim with gardens, orchards
and small farms. For nearly the en-
tire distance irrigation facilities are
within the reach of all, and large
area of the soil will produce immense
crops of corn without irrigation.
The shipments from Los Nietos dur
ing last Fall afford the most satisfac-
tory evidence both of the productions
of the soil and that the number of cul-
tivators have rapidly increased during
the past year.
Year: 1874

THE new law requiring publishers
to prepay postage on their entire aG-
dition sent through the mails goes
into effect on the first of January. We
notice that a number of journals are
increasing their subscription rates on


this account. 1t is hot our purpose to
increase the price of. the HERALD.
We shall prepay the postage on all
prepaid subscriptions, and at once
discontinue all papers ON which the
money is not paid. We cannot afford
to prepay the postage on paper for
which we have not been paid.
Year: 1874

There is more of the right kind OF
railroad talk among our business men
since the mass meeting Of last Satur-
day than We have heard for long
time. Many of our citizens appear to
have but just realized the great ne
cessity for arousing themselves to
action. They seem TO have just made


the discovery that the building of the
Los Angeles and Independence Rail-
road is matter of dollars and cents
to every person owning foot of real
estate in this valley. The HERALD
Year: 1874

SALT LAKE, December 1lth.-A
Mormon Justice of the Peace of this
city has just decided in civil action
that the divorces granted by Brigham
Young are void. An appeal has been
taken with a view to expose and test
the legality of the Mormon Church
system. Many persons who have
been divorced by Brigham against
their wishes seek redress in the Dis
trict Courts.
Year: 1874

On Thursday last, our usually quiet |Ommunity were favored with Q grand heatrical entertainment. given for the eneGit of the Congregational choir, and banged exclusively by their talented pung leader, and was quite a success. Ome perhaps considered the costume of the principal actor ''leetle too airy, " Ut genius should have fair play.

 A young ward politician in this village hO is delighted when people call him eputy Sheriff. considered himself griev- hsly insulted recently. because our easant and popular Barber Sam merely minded him of little debt for hair oil at should have been paid long, long ago, he went for the unfortunate knight of ther and shave. and kicked him with 6he old leather he had on his feet. n receives the sympathy of all who ow him, but he should be more careful the future about presenting bills to mocTatic officials.

 OCCASIONAL.
Year: 1874

The Ruins OF Observation-Disclosures
was settled by the intrepid John Smith, May
18th, 1907, and was, as is we'll known, the first
English settlement on this continent 1t was q
peninsula then; it is an island now. The water
long since forced passage through the narrow
neck that connected it with the main land and
left it au island But the effect Of attriton did
not end here. For nearly mile from this 10
cal,y "the noble James has been gaining on
the land So much Of the old town is now. un-
der water and, at low tide, evidences of this
fact have sometimes been discovered in the de-
bris that is left here. The old tower and ruins
of the church are now less than fifty yards from
the water and must, in time, be submerged un-
less some action be taken to prevent it. The
tower, ivy grown and picturesque as it is, lifts
itself some thirty-6ve feet above the plain, aud
is eighteen feet square. 1t is impossible to as
certain the exact date Of the construction of
this old building, for it was not the first church
erected there. though it was doubtless built
early 10 the l7th century. As the site of it is
Included In the fifty acres decided to the author
tiles Of James City for public houses, some
steps should be taken by the county or State to
preserve it from further demolition, and to pre-
vent it from ever passing under the absolute
control of private parties. The island is now
owned by New Yorker, and hence the greater
necessity for action in the premises to preserve
this memorial OF the first settlement OF Virgin
ia-Lynchburg Vrganian.
Year: 1874

CoarieT-Journal: A young widow lady left
Washington the other day for Colorado, to
marry man to whom she was engaged, and
whose business il so arbitrary as to deny him
the privilege to go so far from home, even To
marry. About one man in a thousand is
worth, as husband, the fatigue, trouble,
and expense of going that far for, and it too
often turns out that he isn't. But women
will take such risks for very small pre-
miu,n
Year: 1874

In California IN 1859 l resided for a short
time in deep canon, where the sunlight reach
ed us but eight hours ont of every twenty-four,
and mountains reared themselves high on every
side. On the west side of the canon, at a
distance Of some three hundred yards, and di-
rectly in front Of our residence, the highest
point Of the mountains reached the altitude OF
three-fourths Of a mile. One day, as l sat
listlessly looking out from the open parlor
window and deeply pondering nature as saw
it piled in huge but comely masses around me,
observed light, fleecy clouds floating lesurely
and playfully around the brow Of this tai
sentinel OF our village, at first attracting but
single admirng thought but as 1 continued
half unconsciously to watch these falry-like
whirling wind, there came others more dense
and displaced them. and yet others still deep
ening and darkening until in half an hour the
clouds had filled in, fioated across the canon
and kissed the mountains on the othersside:
and yet others more heavily laden came hurry
ing along, the wind mementarily increasing.
until the summit OF the mountains became Lost
W Niehi auu ucep tMhhbnb ClOscu OuJ INC llbnt
of day, deep-toned thunders began to mutter.
and IN another half hour mountain storm
burst upon us in all its fury,-the clouds hung
low. and the rain poured down in torrents.
Suddenly the thought presented itself that i'm
asmuch as the top Of this high mountain was
above the clrcling clouds the last saw Of it,
it might be in the broad sunlight still, The
thought no sooner took form than an irresistible
desire possessed me to go up and see il 1t was go,
and If so, get look Of the upper and sunny
side OF a black thunder storm, and only har
realizing the task was undertaking. put on
my husbands rubber boots, overcoat and nat
aud hurried forth.


The side of the mountain must ascend was
so steep neither man nor beast could go up IN
straight line, and quickly crossing the canon
began the ascent by sepentine path formed by
Year: 1874

A young bean, at his sisters evening
party, began TO sing, why am | so weak
and woarys" when a little brother
brought the performance TO a sudden
close by yelling out, Aunt Mary says
it's because you come so late, and drunk
most every night
Year: 1874

A Texas editor, whose midnight oil
must have failed him just as he was going
to press, prints the following energetic
opinion: "The man who would water pc
troleum and sell it, would sneak into the
palace of the king of kings and steal the
gliding from the wings of angels" The
sufferer could hardly have been more
vigorous in his denuncation if he had
caught somebody watering his whiskey.
Year: 1874

Mr.. Galloway has called attention to
the fact that If Davy lamp be burning
TRANQUILITY in an explosive atmosphere,
the transmission of sound wave pro-
duced by a slight explosion OF gunpow
der, is sufficient 10 cause the cOmmuni-
cation of flame from the lamp to the
surrounding atmosphere Hitherto it
has generally been assumed that the oc-
currence of collier explosion, after
firing shot, is due 10 actual communi-
cation of flame from the gunpowder to
the tirc-damp but Mr.. Galloway's eX-
perimcnts show that it is much more
likely that the explosion is brought about
by the noise of the shot being propagat-
cd through the galleries OF the mine to
the safety lamp,
Year: 1874

A suit was recently brought before the
Sheriff of the Dundee (Scotland) Small
Debt Court, to obtain damages for in.
iuries sustained from the bite of dog.
a man was about TO enter the house of
a neighbor to complain Of the noise made
by his dog, but being somewhat violent
in his manner. the dog jumped upon the
intruder and bit him in the face aud
hand. AT the trial, the plaintiff having
failed to prove the dogs previous bad
character, the sheriff decided the case in
favor of the defendant, saying that it
was singular that, according to Scotch
law, dog was entitled to the first bite
out of man without attaching penal.
ty TO the master, while the master was
liable for the first bite taken out Of o
sheep, however good the previous charac.
ter OF the dog might have been.
Year: 1874

Social intercourse is mighty educator
lts Importance and extent of influence can
scarcely be measured. But in all families
and schools, as well as in business and pleas.
ure groups, association extends a power
greater even than books to develop, refine.
and perfect, both children and adults.
Hence the advantage Of village and city
life over the country in this respect.


My present purpose is to apply this idea
to the needs Of working people, and demand
that Sunday shall be used more freely and
wisely for calls and visits among neighbors,
Year: 1874

The highest power Of the newspaper is
As vet little known. The secret Of that
power lies in its free aud brave speech.
Few are aware of this, however, and hence
the hesitancy on the part both Of readers
and publishers. People are so difficult to