smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1877

1t is we'll known that France provides
nearly every market in the world with
coral. The Steele gives some valuable
information upon coral fishing, which
furnishes employment for a large num-
Der of people. The process of coral
fishing is of the most simple nature
Imagine two long pieces of wood, form
ing square cross, in the centre OF
which lead or cast iron wedge is SOL
idly affixed, and which sinks the whole
machine into the middle of the sea. To
each of the four branches of this cross,
are attached fibres of hemp ana old
ropes. These fibres are united by a
rope of about five fathoms in length, so
that when the cross is sunk to the bot
tom, and is put in motion by the move
ments of the vessel, it catches, loosens
and retains all the fragments of coral
that comes within its reach. When the
captain sees fit the boat is stopped, and
it is then the hard labor begins for the
crew. The capstan must then be turned
and the heavy cross, laden with all its
booty, and made still heavier by the re-
sistance of the water, must be hoisted
on deck.


This hard work is incessant: the fish
ermen work on an average of eighteen
hours day, and when the weather is
unpleasant, which is often the case on
the African coast, they have not one
moments rest. The ship only returns
to port to unload, to replenish its store
of eatabes and fresh water, and then
Immediately goes back again. OF all
fishing, that of coral Is the most difficult.
When women decorate themselves with
these pink pearls they little dream what
hardships and dangers had to be under
gone to dislodge this beautiful product
from its ocean bed. When the coral
fishermen leave their homes they say
they are going to suffer the torments of
the cross.
Year: 1877

On the other side of the street there
are two droskies with their drivers
sleeping in the sun, waiting for passen-
gers. One is a covered chaise in the
modern style, the others are the old
fashioned guibars on which one sits as
tride as on horse, keeping tight hold
of the drivers waist for fear of falling.
Some of these droskies are good enough,
with fat horses, but the most of them
are abominable, and the detestable
pavements adds still more to ones suf-
ferings. 1t is great comfort when we
can have the good snow roads of winter
and the cozy little sledges; then one
starts out with something like pleasure,
though with the chance of being upset
in the gutter. Moscow is so large, and
the sidewalks are so narrow and so bad


that 1t is next to impossible to walk
much, and one soon falls iuto the lazy
habit Of always riding. These isuOSt-
chtks properly wear along blue tancat
with an odd fiat hat, but there are so
many who come in from the country for
a short time that you see all varieties of
costume. Each has brass ticket with
his number around his neck. have
seen No. $1,000, so that the number of
these vehicles must be very large. One
set Of men 60 out by day, and at night
another set who prowl lazily along the
streets or stand near some frequented
corner, always half asleep, in wait for
a chance fare. l have sometimes sur
prised them at their morning toilet, as
/ have looked out early in the morning,
"A little saliva on the hands, and the
face is soon washed. Three crossings
and a genuhecton to each quarter of
the horizon complete the hasty toilet.
These ivoStChiks do not, of course, all
own their horses and droskies, but for
the most part they belong to drtels or
cooperative associations. Sometimes
they hire the horses and droskies of
some man to whom they pay share of
the profits, and sometimes the drteI
owns them all. Their elder, or presi-
dent sees to providing them all with n
common lodging and board, and their
profits 20 into the common stock and
are regularly divided up.
Year: 1877

The immense stones used In the erec-
tion Of the Pyramids of Egypt were OBJ
tained from the quarries In the Arabian
hills, and were carried to the river, and
over bridge of boats. They were then
brought forward by means Of a cause
way, which Of itself took ten years to
construct, and which is said to have
been fine work with Its polished stones
and figures Of animals engraved upon
them. One hundred thousand men
were employed at time, and these were
relieved by the same number at the end
of three months. A long time was
spent in the leveling Of the rock on
which the edihce stands, and twenty
years for the erection Of the pyramid
itself. The estones were raised step by
step by means of machine made Of
short pieces of wood, and, last Of all,
commencing from the top, the stones
were cemented together with layer of
cement not thicker than piece ofpaper,
the strength Of which is proved by the
age Of these enormous memorials.
Year: 1877

The more you avoid glaring and
glancing lights in the room you habitu-
ally sit in, the better. Therefore-al-
though the following advice IS certain
to meet with no attention from the
great majority--it is our laughably
painful duty to recommend ladies to
have as few mirrors and other looking
glasses, gilt picture frames and mould
ings, bright colored curtains, and highly
polished furniture in their drawing
rooms as possible; and what they must
have should be so placed as not to allow
bright lights to be thrown upon them.
Highly colored curtains are additionally
injurious when the windows are open,
80 that various brilliant and dazzling
colors are flung about the room by the
incoming breeze. A very bright carpet
is a very injurious thing, and when
combined with bright painted ceiling,
madness. These things may be q
merry life for the eyes, but they are q
short one. A rich patterned, sober
toned carpet. and soft sky-gray or
stone ecolored ceilinga are my own private
fancy. The almost invariable white
wash of the British ceiling would be a
constant injury but for the grave fact
that the British isles are not overbur-
dened with sunlight. But whether
Year: 1877

When was boy of S years I attended the
rammar-school in s., and fell desperately in
lovew with little black-eyed, red-checked damsel
of g. TIC course Of true love did not run smooth.
WAS jealous OF a big squinteeyed fellow With
whom She would always slide down lill, while
went alone. At last, In my frenzy, wrote a
startling letter to the little tlrt, declaring my
passion, ard asking her which she intended to
marry. The answer soon came, saving that she
loved me the best, but the other fellow gave her
the most candy! I gave up the contest.
Year: 1877

any character of mains already laid; and they
avoid the obnoxious feature incidental to the
use of all other meters, of " dOmiciliary visits"
for the purpose of detecting and prohibiting
misuse of water. The free and independent
American householder, untrammeled by any OF
the base considerations which impel the ordi-
nary taxpayer to economy, thinks he has
perfect right to use as much or as little water
as he likes, and would resent the intrusion OF
a water-meter inspector as an invasion OF MS
castle. The unique feature OF the meter
in question is that only one is necessary
to district of about 1000 inhabitants, and
vet it detects the very house in which vast
age takes place and also proves its charges.


Investigations of this system by the au-
thorities of Philadelphia, Chicago and Brook
lyn we understand to be already on foot In
view of the fact that NewYork uses from 70
TO 45 per cent more water TO each OF Its IN
habitants than either of these cities, some
prompt action looking to thorough inquiry
into the advantages of the meter alluded to
ought to be taken by the Aldermen.
Year: 1877

Previous articles on water meters IN The
TRIBUNE have shown its readers the great eX-
tent of the waste of CrOtOn in this city; never
tbeless the statement OF Gen. Gilmore that 20
per cent of our supply is wasted. and that less
than one-third of what passes into the aqucduct
ever reaches our houses for actual cOnsump-
tion, will surprise and startle. This immense
waste is. of course, a great loss in money value
to the city moreover, the dcleterouS effects
on health, not to mention the damage to houses,
of this leakage is incalcuabe.


Gen. Gllmore's communication ought to have
the desired effect of compelling official and
general attention TO the wiser policy of saving
our present supply Of pure water rather than
OF attempting to increase it. Ii the wastage
is double the quantity used, it is clear that
the supply, provided the wastage can be cut
off or even reduced onc-hal, will be sufficient
for many years to come There is, therefore
no present pressing need for new aqucducts
or an extension OF the old one to more remote
sources. The means of decreasing the wastage
are presented in very clear and forcible Ian
guage, which any reader can understand with
the aid of the diagram attached to the COM
muncatOn The Endorsement Of the Liverpool
system of waste-water meters IL hearty and
uncquivOcal, and coming from an engineer of
Gen. GillmOres repute cannot but command
respect. That it will suggest and incte in
qury on the part of the officials of all our
principal cities charged with the management
of their water-works ought not TO be Il sub
ject of doubt. The system appears simple
the meters are not costly, and few of them
need to be used they can be readily applied to
Year: 1877

If the views expressed by ex-senator Bout
well in his address at Bamstablc the other
day are intelligent and truthful, then there was
an obvious mistake i'll the phraseology OF the
Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments. The
object AIMED at in these two amendments, as
now appears was to secure to the newly en-
franchsed blacks the right-tO vote the Repub-
hcan ticket. There was some general talk at
the time of the adoption Of these amendments
about endowing the blacks with the ballot for
their own protection and there was notion
current that the purpose of these changes Ill
the organic act was to put the blacks i'll the
way of taking care of themselves by
giving them weapon of defense. 1t
was this argument, if we remember Alright,
which turned the scale i'll the dis
cussion against the objection that was
urged with great earnestness that mischievous
consequences would be sure to follow so sweep
inc measure as this sudden investlturc of
the ignorant and degraded masses OF freed
men with all the privileges, rights, duties and
RESPONSIBILITIES of citizenship. Indeed we re-
member hearing it said more than once III
the discussions which preceded the final
adoption of these measures that IN the end
it would result in the discontinue OF
the party which advocated it. But there
were some who said that the latter
consideration should have no weight; that the
object of the amendments was not to perpetu-
ate the power Of a party but 10 insure the
freedom of the blacks. 1t seems they were
laboring under a mistake. Mr.. Boutwell's view
of it is that the intention of the amendments
was to invest the freedmen with the privilege
of voting the Republican ticket, and that not
having accomplished that purpose with DIS
tinguished success, they are pretty much a
failure.


The fact then is, under this Interpretation Of
their aim and scope, that a great mistake was
made in the phraseoloSy and terms of the two
amendments. They should have provided for
the taking of a census Of the blacks before
every election, to serve as registry list OF
voters, this list to be added bodily to the
actual white vote poled for the Republican
ticket at any election, and counted as the true
Year: 1877

The Ohio Democrats are Overhauling the timbors
of the ST. Louis platform to If any of them are
substantial enough to work into the structure which
they propose to fabrcate for the Fall canvass. The
results of this nspecOnare rather dlSheartening SO
eminent Democratic authority as Mr.. WatterSon
asserts that the South has been finally elimIna-
ted as "A political factor, and this deprves the party
of its capital theme for strenuous campaign rhetoric
The Mongolian question can hardly be dgniied INTO
an ISSUE" After the dexterous dodging of the late
House of Representatives on the Tariff question it
would be unseemy to make any " declaration OF
principles" that subject. even if they were quite
sure they had some principles to declare The st.
Louis Currency plank spliced and yeneered
originally. And now that Mr.. Dorsheimcr is not
there to Withstand Mr. Ewing to his face and make
a square issue - before backing into a compro-
mise which did, after ALL leave some basis of hope"
for hard-money men. it is hardly probable that the
Ohio Economists will express any anxiety to re-
move hinderances to resumption" Upon the whole
there is very little of poor little Marbles material
which can be worked over or utilized to any adyan-
tage. Greenbacks and Subsidies would make a
stirring batlecry in Ohio, and so it would in Turkey
but there are Democrats of an elder day who would
feel uncomfortable in their collins when it was
shouted over their graves
Year: 1877

Mr. Randolph Tucker has been giving the
Baltimore law students some excellent advice
about the necessity of keeping alive a rev.
erence for the Constitution and its methods,
and seeing that future generations receive un-
impaired this precious Inheritance 1t is to be
regretted that at the same time Mr. Tucker
took occasion to distOrt history and revive
rccolections OF time which he ought to be
glad to forget. He cannot be engaged i'll a
better work than that of instilling into the
minds Of the young men of his section a
profound respect for the Constitution,
but he can surely be in better
business than that of making 1t appear
that all the crimes against that instrument in
the last generation have been committed by
the North. Mr.. Tucker never heard apparently
of the firing on Sumter-only of " centrallSm
at Washington; he never heard apparently Of
the ordinances of secessOn-Only OF central
"ism;" never Of any war-only of unproyoked
and persistent "centralism." Much that he
SAYS of the more recent condition of Southern
affairs is unhappiy true. Much that he says
on other points is sensible. 1t is pity that
he should have said much besides that was
neither true nor sensible.
Year: 1877

Last Mays weather. as shown in the review fur
nished from the T. s. Signal Station in this city, had
some noteworthy peculiarities. The elimination Of
its "hcatef term was 90o on the 10Th; but
both before and after that term there was
enough of comparatively cool weather to
bring down the average for the month


to that of the preceding six years. Rain
fell-more or Lesson 9 days of the 81, and only 7
were clear; but the total rainfall very small in
fact little a fourth the average of the month in
six years preceding, and only half Of tho lowest
record in those years. Meanwhile the rainfall
at the West has been enormous. The remarkable
feature of the month is indeed. that the rain
bearing clouds from the West have failed for the
most part to make their customary march across this
region That pecuarity of the season still contin-
ues and is at present observable in the singular slow
ness with which the belt of rain areas that now has
reached the lake region approaches the coast With or
after the advent of that, We may reasonably expect
somewhat cooler weather. The afternoon rise of tho
Year: 1877

The Summer directory of Newport, on
another page, gives promise of an unusually
brilliant season. The list of cottages seems to
be full, and the number of houses already
rented is stated to be large increase over that
of last season New-YOTkers show bravely in
the list, but the names of representatives, of
other cities are given with the same fulness.
Year: 1877

The vacant Police InspectOrship has been
filled by the appointment of Capt. Murray OF
the Fourth Precnct-One of the few captains
who did not seek the place. The Commits
sioners have fallen into the excellent fashion
of looking beyond the list of candidates when
there is promotion to be made. The other
day they promoted from the ranks to
the grade of Captain in one day an
officer of such merit as to deserve
fully this extraordinary mark Of honor,
and of such mOdesty that it was only
after the persuasions of one of the Commis-
sioners that he consented 20 present himself
for examination for a post above that OF
roundsman. This appointment is somewhat in
the same line. The fact that such men are so
handsomely recognized is guarantee of the
present administration of the Police Depart
ment such as Will crafty every good citizen.
But what would become of this admirable
system if the Tammany politicians secured
control of the department and made their pro-
motions not for service to the public, but for
service to Tammany7
Year: 1877

Yesterdays fire in Baltimore certainly shows
a remarkable indifference on the part of the
local authorities to the presence of dangerous
buildings in that city, The oil factory which
burned yesterday and flied the cutters and
streets with blazing oil, burned for the fourth
time. 1t was only the absence of wind that
prevented disastrous fire. Some day when
the factory burns down again-for according
to all precedent it will surely be rebuilt and
as surely be burned dOwn-there may be
wind, and fire sufficiently disastrous to teach
the Baltimore authorities a lesson.
Year: 1877

Lost and destitute children are not without
friends in the great city, as is shown by the
interesting story in another column of the
children's room at Police Headquarters. With
the thousand arms of the police at their com
mand and society specially organized for
their protection, the children are perhaps bet
ter off than many older unfortunates, who are
not so helpless, but who find it more difficult
to get help. This is a work which checks
crime and misery in it's first growth, and it
ought to prosper.
Year: 1877

The scheme of the Western Union Telegraph
Company to furnish Washington time III tins
city by tclegraphic signal at noon OF each day
has elected some objections made to the time
ball process which are given in another col
umn A striking instance is given OF the un-
trllstworthiness of telegraphed time, which Is
enough in itself to show that it would be
better to take the time of the true noon,
as is suggested, from THE TRIBUNE clock, pro-
nounced on excellent professional authority to
be the most accurate in this city, than to trust
to an uncertain transmission by wire from an
other city.
Year: 1877

The gossips have been cheated, and the pub
lie have been spared scandal. The great
Boston case, which was to drag some OF the
first families into court, and the news OF which
has already brought the lovers of scandalouS
revelations to their tiptOes IN eager interest,
has been switched Off into private court OF
referees. There will be no spectators and no
newspaper reports. Certainly the parties to
the case will not complain of this move, which
saves them much unpleasant publicity and Sc
cures them a court in which they are doubtless
as sure of justice as i'll any in the Common
wealth. The public will not complain, for
there have been enough of scandal trials OF
late years. There viii be dissatisfied people,
of course, the people who gathered in the
courtroom yesterday to enjoy the feast being
reported as among the number. 1t does cattle
of that kind good TO be cheated.
Year: 1877

A considerable quantity Of new material for
the archHOlOgsts has been obtained by the
discoveries of late years in Cyprus, Egypt, and
Palestine. The process of decipherng the in
scriptons found is necessarily slow. Some
report Of what our scholars are doing in this
matter will be found in our report of the pro-
ceedngs of the American Oriental Society.
Ii is quite evident however, that the work
performed is yet much nearer the beginning
than the end OF these undertakings.


A Georgia letter, printed elsewhere, seeks to
correct misapprehensions as TO the facilities
afforded to the blacks in the common schools
of that State. There was a time when the
Southern planter could not have been per-
shaded that it was to his interest TO educate
the blacks. and indeed at that time it certainly
was not. Education and slavery could not
have existed together. But now the Southern
planter must see, if he has eyes In his head,
that what was not true before is true now. 1t
will be greatly TO his advantage 10 transform
an ignorant, often shiftless, and sometimes
brutal class of people into thrifty and orderly
itizens. The statistics seem to show that Tic
Year: 1877

AT the Hamburg meeting of the German
Naturalists Professor Virchow gave an ad-
dress on the present position of anthropology.
In introducing his subject he pointed out that
anthropology, although one of the youngest
of the sciences, already occupies as advanced
position as many of the older branches of
study; and also that the races possessed
OF least ability are also those lowest in the
scale OF culture. Tojudge Of the capacity for
culture from the signs of 1t which exist is
only admissible in the case of people who are
surrounded by great intellectual activity, but
not in the case of entirely isolated people.
Thus the Australian Papuas by no means
stand so low as has hitherto been believed.
On this fact Virchow founds an impor ant
doctrine, which opposes che idea that such
people must necessarily fade away when they
come into contact with civilization. Vir-
chow thinks that the extinction of such races
is rather to be ascribed to the righteousness
OF Europeans and the incapacity of the latter
tn educate the former. There is vet no eyi


dence that uncivilized races must become ex-
tinct, which, indeed, is contradicied by the
history of Europeans themselves. If the civ
ilized people Of the present day be considered
as the product of higher development, we
cannot regard the possibility OF such devel-
opmeut as cause of the extinction of such
people as are now on the SAME platform of
culture which we ourselves once occupied.
Year: 1877

A PUzzLING circumstance in connection
with the testimony in the Oregon case is very
effectively explained by the aid of collateral
incidents. 1t was shown that the $4,000 sent
by telegraph to Salem was returned to the
New York bankers from whom the draft was
obtained, and this fact, at first blush, would
seem to prove that none of the money was
used after all. But the Oregon Republicans
have theory which completely upsets this
conclusion. 1t is that the funds forwarded
from New York to pay the sexpenses" Of
Cronin and the conspirators were sent to
Oregon by express, but had not reached their
destination on the 9th of December, the day
fixed by law for casting the Electoral vote.
The draft of $4,000 was thereupon tele-
graphed to allay the fears of the distrustful
parties to the scheme, and, of course, when
the express package arrived three or four
days later. the draft was returned by tele-
graph to New York.
Year: 1877

THE extraordinary decline in gold is Of
course due in no small degree to the course
of our foreign trade for the past year. The
full returns of merchandise and specie for
1876 show an excess of exports over
imports of about s17O,OOO,OOO. This is a


gratifying condition of things unparalleled in
the history of our foreign commerce. The
contrast with former years when the i'm
ports generally exceeded the exports by from
sixty to hundred millions is indeed strik-
Year: 1877

We DO not read anonymous letters and communi-
cations. The name and address Of the writer are in
all cases Indispensable, not necessarily tor publication
but as a guaranty Of good faith.


We cannot undertake to return or reserve eommu-
nicatiOns that are not used.
Year: 1877

A MASS meeting ought to be held very soon
to protest against the ''usurpation" of Presi-
dent Grant in removing the stores from Ba-
ton Rouge Arsenal. They would have been
so handy for Nichols militia.
Year: 1877

A post examination made yesterday OF the
body o tho newly born child which was found
Wednesday last IN satchel floating In the East River
revealed that II had apparently died OF neglect No
clue 10 its parentage could be found.