smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1877

The Lansing Republican puts the case with
much force in this wise


"Suppose new grocery should be opened
in Lansing, where articles OF food are sold at a
less price, than has been customary. Suppose
all the established grocers combine in mob to
break up this new store or drive away the peo-
pie who resort to it TO trade. This would be
the precise action of the railroad strikers.


"Suppose a new wheat-buyer starts in busl-
ness. paying a fraction more per bushel than
any other buyer, and thus begins to absorb
trade. Suppose the old, established wheat
BUYERS combine in mob to dr1ve the new one
out OF town, or set guards around the town 10
keep the farmers from coming in and selling 70
him. This is the precise action OF the railroad
strikers.


suppose new bank should be opened 10
loan money at a lower rate OF interest or on less
security than the established banks, and the
managers of the latter should combine ana
mob the new institution, and drive away tne
people who wish to do business with IL. luis
would be the precise action OF the ralroad
strikers.


"Suppose a new boardpg-house should De
opened, and accommodations furnished az .
less price than has been usual; euppose me
old Boarding house keepers combine ana smssu s
the crockery and break the furniture OF tne
new concern. and drive away It's propne.o,,
and hound and persecute the people VINO wlsn
TO board there. This would be the precise sc-
ton OF the railroad strikers"
Year: 1877

of the times and the low rate OF wages. lie
was person of long experience, and he did
did not hesitate to say that the times we're
the hardest he had known in the whole course
of his cheouered existence. lie bad actually
been obliged to give up his newspaper, as an
expensive luxury which the state OF his hnanceS
no longer permitted him to indulge III. SiDgu-
larly enough at the close of his lamentation
he asked the crowd what they would take
In very few moments this martyr 10 low
wages or no wages had spent sixty cents IN
charitable conviviality and it Is intimated IN
tbe narrative that he had been dispensing
Houid aims i'm the same free-handed way since
morning. But as to this NATTER the exact
figures are wanting.


A little arithmetic will show that II the
Dubuque sufferer, upon whom the tihes are
so hard. spent every day the sum OF sixty cents
for his own, and FOR other peoples alcohollc
delectation, the cost of his great g0od-ieiloW
ship would be $2I9 per annnm. ms "ou'u
certainly pay the rent Of comfortable mousse /;
it would go q good way towards clotmng ana
feeding q finily; and il put at Interest IL
would earn from $12 to $15 year. Inc
time, must be very good indeed which Will per-
nit any workingman to squandor considerable
portion Of his money in treating the crowd.
Whoeyer undertakes to reconcile pecunlary
ease with n lavish expenditure which can I'
him only harm, may be a magnificent theoreI-
zeal economist, with very clear views of the
rights of labor, but he may be sure that MS
own misfortunes will never be mended. Ihe
wisest Secretary of the Treasury WIZ not "
able to hit upon a policy which viii make
this reveller rich. No Act of Congress Will
reach his case He will have to lesslate a
little for himself.
Year: 1877

body of men Inaginc they have p grievance
against society," Al this will come OF smooth
ing down the mob-spirit with soft words ana
compiling mild disapproyal of law'essness w'th
expressions of sympathy and offers of redress
for imagined grievances.


The truth is there is nothing for it but the
sterncst and most uncompromising reprobation
of the whole spirit and purpose OF these law
less outbreaks. There is no grievance that
can excuse or palliate these. The first duty
the duty of self-pIeseryation as well as oil
self-respect-is to dcnounce unsparngly the
crimes of the leaders in this movement. aud
demand the inhcton upon them OF the ut
most penalties of the law. Nothing short OF
that will answer. And the first thing III order
in the line Of political action is the establish
mcnt of the freedom of labor, and the putting
down of the mob-spirit and mob-law. 1t may
be wise to establish Department OF Industry,
or have the Government take possession OF all
railroads. canals, ETC., or do any OF the thou-
sand things suggested by the thousands oi
cheap political economists. 1t certainly Is not
UlSe TO do any of them under dureSs or
threats from a mob. Ii is not wise TO do any
of them until 1t is settled beyond peradyen-
uIre that we have q Government of law and
order and that we are not to be driven by
ruflaAsm and der TO the consideration OF
anybody's hobby. Settle it first that labor Is
free TO find its own market and make its own
price. and that for mob violence there is but
one unvaryng treatment, with one inevitable
result. After that, all the subordinate qucs-
tions can be treated calmly and fairly. But
the party makes no mistake that sets It's foot
down positively and Enthusiastically to this as
sertion: The first principle is the freedom OF
labor; the first duty the preservation OF order
and enforcement of law! Until these points
are settled, nothing else is IN order.
Year: 1877

THE TINES IND THEIR HARDNESS


Truth may be in the bottom of well, but
a mans prosperity il certainly not in the
bottom of other peoples glasses. In illustra-
ton OF this, we have a tale narrated by a
Western reporter who wandered rs he tells
us. the other night into drinking-saloon in
Dubuque, of course in quest of information
and not to qucnch his thirst. 1t is hardly
necessary to state that the company was dis
cussing the strike. The miserable man who
seemed to lead tho eloquence informed the
melancholy crowd that personally he was a
great sufferer in consequence of the hardness
Year: 1877

A very large number Of arrests were made
on Saturday night in enforcing the new EX-
else law in this city. As a consequence the
saloons in some districts-notahly in Harlem
were entirely closed yesterday. TIE amount
collected for licenses during the week was
over So, 600 nearly a half of the amount
being paid on Saturday.
Year: 1877

Much attention is attracted by the new Re-
publican organization in this city, as being the
outgrowth of liberal Republican ideas, and
having political reform in view. The leading
feature of the new organization is the endeavor
to exclude oilice-hclders from the list Of dele
gates to the General Committee, or to Assem-
blv. District, Ward or State Conventions. The
exclusion is not, however, to apply to per
son holding only the position of ,tary public
or commissioner of deeds Naturally the Op-
moments of the rev organization claim that its
object is to obtain Federal positions for those
who now have no cDance of being Office
holders: but this is vehemently denied by its
sunnoftcrs
Year: 1877




cudgelling. When large safe Is to be
gone through now, there are at least
three, and sometimes four or five, men
in the job. They are men whose mus
cles and courage recommend them more
than their address, and their little gang
has most thorough organization. For
several days previous to the job
the one who has the manage
ment visits the locality, takes his bear
ings, and seldom neglects to sight and
consider any little detail in the sur
roundings which may cut any figure in
the work. Sometimes it is deemed best
70 reach the safe by cutting through the
floor above, sometimes to go through a
sidewall against which the vault is built,
and sometimes to enter the room or bank
by forcing or unlocking the doors.
There are two or three cases on record
where an entrance has been made by
getting into sewer, having taken accu-
rate bearings by measurement, and then,
by aid of . compass, tunneling under the
street and sidewalk to the wall where the
entrance is to be made. The manager
has also, in some cases, to devise a
scheme for silencing watchman, and
in order to work to good purpose it be-
hooves him to learn something of the
characteristics and habits of the man he
has to deal with, in order to determine
upon what plan to adopt in getting rid
of him. A burglar always prefers to
avoid inflicting personal injury, if a gag
or n drug will serve as well. The brand
of the safe must also be learned, in or
der that the style of work may be deter
mined beforehand. Burglars usually
have preference in safes, growing fire.
quently, not so much from the inferior
ity of the manufacture, as from the ex-
perience which they have had in ''blow-
ing" that particular kind. A thorough
going professional, however, always
makes it a point to secure engravings of
the interior arrangements and the locks
of all manufactures, and study of
these always enables him to act intelli-
gently.


All preliminaries being completed,
the time is chosen for the work, the
choice favoring such time as will allow
the largest number of hours of freedom
from interference. The tools are trans
ported to convenient place by night.
Some of them are cumbersome, and
must be well disguised in packages.
The long, powerful "jimmies, or dou
ble-edged or pointed crowbars, are in
two pieces, which can be Joined at the
middle with ring bearing a screw
thread. These pieces are easily carried
by being run up
Year: 1877

/


When the time to begin work arrives,
the watchman, if there be anv, is quiet
ly disposed Of One man takes the po-
sition of lookout, where he can COM
mand view of the streets, without HIM
self being seen, and whence he can sig
nal his comrades within to cease or con-
tinue their work as outside circum-
stances prompt. There must be at least
two others within, but there are some
times more. The improved appliances
mentioned above consist of highly tenn
pered wedges OF various sizes and a
powerful screw arrangement. A hole
being drilled into the face of the safe,
this screw is fastened therein by screw
thread. and the appliance being braced
strongly against the edges of the safe
and the floor, a jimmy is used as a lever
to turn the screw. The power thus
gained is fairly irresistible, and the face
of the door or side is fairly torn loose.
The wedges are applied to finish the
work which the screw has begun, and a
large sledge, with covering on its face
to deaden the noise of the blow, is
vigorously applied to them. In this
way the work progresses so rapidly that
the professionals freely boast that they
will enter any safe that is made, if they
be allowed four hours to do it in. If,
as detective remarked, the cracksmen
had had during the war the appliances
that they now command, there would
have been numerous gigantic robberies.


This class of operators do not, as a
rule, spend much of their time in public
places, and the long experience which
was necessary to qualifys,them for their
trade always enablesthem to judge pret-
ty well whether or not they are under
surveillance St. Louis has not been
troubled by any of this class for con-
siderable time The last expert visitors
wore Boyle and Wood, the two convicts
who made their escape from Sing Sing
by jumping on an engine rs it passed
under bridge on the grounds, captur-
ing the engineer and fireman. cutting
loose from the balance of long train,
Year: 1877

The most serious of all the litigatiOns that
have barred the path of Rapid Transit in this
city has at last come to an end. The victory
in the Court of Appeals is complete; the de-
cision is unanimous. 1t seems not too much
TO hope that all future attempts at litigation
to check the progress of the road will be re-
carded by our courts as fractious they have
always been "vexatious to our citizens, and
probably they will now be SO termed by our
judges.


The chief point raised was as to the cOnsti-
tutionality of the law known as the Rapid
"Transit Act.n 1t was assailed as granting a
monopoly to the Gilbert Elevated Railroad,
contrary to the amendments of the COnstitu-
ton of 1874, which forbid the Legislature to
pass a private or local railroad bill. The pres
ent decision reviews the status of the Gilbert
Company at the time of the passage
of the Rapid Transit Act, and shows
that the company was at that time the
grantee and possessor of the right to
build the road, and had all needed incl
dental powers. Therefore, the Rapid Transit
Act did not grant a monopoly nor new
right to the company, which indeed
did not need it. That being the case,
the Constitutional Amendment was not vio-
lated. In fact the Rapid Transit Act
was in itself of general character; it did
not authorize any road in particular, but only
any one that might comply with certain diff
cult conditions; it was restrictive in its essen
tial character, rather than permissiye.


The other points raised were of less impor-
tance such as that property-owners are not
fully provided with recompense for injury,
and that it is an open question as to what par
ticular occupation of the streets can be per-
mitted without invading private rights. Some
points are regarded as not being properly
under consideration in the suit; others are
decided in favor Of the Gilbert Company. The
entire decision is regarded as being also favor
able to the Rapid Transit Company, and as re-
moving its chief obstacles. Our citizens have
reason to be grateful. Now let the work be
pushed.
Year: 1877

State they are too poor to reach it except on
foot. Mining il the only trade they know;
they must live by it, or die by it. But the case
of the operators is n hard one, too. Their capi-
tal produces no returns. They cannot dig coal
which nobody will buy; they cannot pay out
more than they receive; and if thousand
miners are waiting at the pits month where
there is no sale for the product of more than
five hundred, either half the gang must be
sent adrft or the works must be run on bali
time. 1t is the latter alternative which has
generally been adopted, and though there is a
greater activity just now in consequence
of the complete suspension during the
strike, the balf-time plan will no doubt soon
be resumed. Perhaps it is more morciul than
the other way; and yet we are not certain
that it is The coal business must adapt itself
TO the changed conditions OF industry, and the
sooner the number of mines and the number
of miners are reduced to the actual require
mcnts of the country the better will 1t be Tor
all classes OF the people.
Year: 1877

What has become of the cry for more green
backsl Two years ago it was loud; even one
year ago it was clearly audible in some quar-
teIs. But now the "m0re paper" men are
silent forgotten are the beautiful theories of
unlimited currency interchangeable for never
to-be-payable 3.6j bonds hushed are the roar
of Cary, the boom of Kelly, and the fog-horn
of Allen. Printing presses are no longer
fiercely called upon to make us all rich, and
the debtor no longer shreks for more paper
with which to pay his debts. What is the
matter7 Merely this paper dollars have be-
come too good, and the silver dollar. being
poorer, is preferred by all those who want to
swndle creditors. Undoubtedly there are other
and very honest people who wish to have
silver remonctized But the clamor of the
inAationist and repudiating debtor is no longer
for paper, but for silver, and it changed
instantly when silver became the cheaper.


Unhappily for the purposes of those who
want to cheat somebody, the paper dollar has
come to be worth 81 cents. This is
the more discouraging to the moral agricultu-
rist because there is every probability that
paper will still advance in value, until it
Year: 1877

From a correspondents letter on another
page, it is clear that neither party can claim
the day yet in Ohio. If either has an advantage
over the other, it is the Republican party,
which encounters an enemy more demoralized
than in any of the three last campaigns. The
present campaign seems to be the dullest
within the past generation.
Year: 1877

Thurlow Weeds letter of resignation from
the Republican Central Committee completes
his withdrawal from political life, but his
earnest remonstrance against too rapid pro-
cess of resumption shows that his interest IN
public affairs Is as lively as ever. Mr.. Weed
makes an interesting valedictory.
Year: 1877

We called attention early in the Spring to certain
art rooms to be opened during the Fall in this city


under the auspices Of several influential aud art
loving women possessed luckily of means sufficient
to carry their good ideas into effect. This idea.
Year: 1877

quarrel of an ex-thief and an expire fighter,
and is not likely to think any better OF
Tweed, or any worse of Morrissey, because the
former poured out the vials of his wrath upon
the gamblers head. The Board of Aldermen
ought to see that their dancing bear is kept
from getting too sore q head. Neither
party to the dispute is likely to say any
thing of the other that an impartial public VIII
pronounce extravagant, but the noise Is none
the less vexatious. The salient point of the
examination yesterday, seems to have been the
Brooklyn bridge jobbery. Tweed testiiies that,
as the friend of Henry c. Murphy, he bribed
the Board of Aldermen to authorize the issue
of bonds for the bridge. The sum paid
was $55, 600 or $65,000, and the man through
whom it was paid was Thomas Conan.
There was also an interesting item about Mr..
William c. Kingsley's fifteen per cent on sup
plies furnished for the bridge. Here also it is
to be remarked that Tweed's statements are
not so grossly improbable as, for the sake OF
the general good name, it is to be wished
they were.
Year: 1877

The Democracy of Port Town
send thought they could not
keep up theirparty organization,
with any reasonable prospect Of
success, without newspaper Or
gan. They got newspaper Or
gan; and now all the respectable
portion of the party wish they
hadn't; they find that an organ


which can only play disgusting
tunes, and draws it's inspiration
from squaw dance-houses, is not
exactly the thing to promote
harmony OF inspire respect. in
community outside Of the hood
lum element. Not succeeding in
getting any responsible printer
or experienced editor to run the
machine, it's management was
assigned to small specimen of
county attorney, rural edi-
tion of Uriah Heap, with the
deprecating bearing of a scared
cayote, and less knowledge of
political economy than he has
of the rules of social intercourse
or legal pleadlngs and practice;
the former of which he exempli-
fies by avoiding as far as posi-
BILE all social contact which might
betray his low breeding, and the
latter by attempting to appear
in court as the retained attorney
on both sides of a litigated claim,
which caused the Judge to dis
miss him from the case and ap-
point another attorney to defend
the rights of his clients. The
only previous knowledge the
public ever had of the politics
Of this figure-head of the organ,
/ was the small experiment he
made for Prosecuting Attorney,
and was the worst beaten candi-
date who ever ran in the district.
The ostensible editor of this
so-called Democratic organ is
one Williston, called "Doctor, y
who has achieved some notorie-
ty of questionable character,
but never as a Democrat. He
was one of the colony of Indiana
paupers whom Gen. Milroy at
tempted to quarter upon the In
Year: 1877

An extraordinary trial is now taking
place in the capital Of Maryland. One
Of the chief justices of the Supreme
Bench of the State and one of the dts.
tr:ct judges are jointly charged with
corruption in Office and bribery.
Year: 1877

dian Department of this Terrific
Try. Loyalty to the Republican
party was then his chief claim to
a billet at the public crib, and he
got it through his connection by
marriage with the family of Gen.
Milroy, who appointed him Ply
sycian to the Chehalis Indian
Agency. The first use he made
Of this position was to commence
a secret intrigue for ousting the
Agent with a view to the sue
cession; which, being exposed,
cost him his place. As a loyal
Republican, he was appointed
Physician to the Insane Asylum,
and at once commenced the sys-
tenn of intrigue and petit sneak
cry in which he was an adept,
to GUST Mr.. Harmon, the con-
tractor,in the hope of succeeding
to the management of the Insti-
tuition. While openly protesting
the most friendly feeling towards
Mr.. Harmon, he enlisted the in
fiuence of all who opposed the
contract system in favor Of a
change, and at the same time
was constantly engaged IN pri-
vately circulating damaging re-
ports against Mr.. Harmon, which
subsequent investigation proved
to be his own malicious inven-
tions. The doctor" next turns
up at Port Townsend, where a
marine hospital is the present
object of his cupidity. He COM
menced at once plying his voea-
ton as an intriguer in buzzing
around all the scandals which he
could gather from discharged
patients and street loafers in re-
gard to the management of the
hospital. This he did at first as
a Republican, but seeing no pros
pect in that direction, he Is now
working to commend himself to
the prospective Democratic Ad-
minlstration by a party zeal
which disregards all the decen-
cies and proprietles of social life.
The paper is published On Ethe
idea that Democracy is the low
est strata of organized society,
and that its success depends up
on pandering to the most brutal
instincts and degrading vices of
humanity, by scofing at and de-
nouncing all manifestations of
the graces of social intercourse,
all recognition of social ameni-
ties, as hostile to the spirit OF
base-born Democracy which it
assumes to represent. Hence no
decent person in community is
exempt from its attacks. 1t
gave the endorsement of publ
cation without protest of a COM
munication from the keeper of a
squaw brothel, just out of Jail,
charging three leading Demo
Gratis, the Sheriff, the member of
the Territorial Council, and one
Of the most reputable law firms
in the county, with the infamous
crime of conspiring to rob pris-
oners who have any money or
other effects when arrested.


We have deemed this exposi-
ton due to the many highly re-
spectacle Democrats in Jefferson
and other counties IN this dis
trict whom the Democratic Press
falsely assumes to represent
Not one editorial article has yet
appeared in that paper discuss
ing Democratic principles, and
scarcely one free from personal
vituperation.


|


An extraordinary trial is now taking
| ~ -
Year: 1877

Bernard Slamm has been
awarded nearly twelve thousand
dollars for the loss of a foot on
the Southern Long Island Rail-
road, and is now willing to trade
off the other on the same terms.
Year: 1877

The Southern Pacific Railroad Company are negotiating the purchase of the Colorado Steam Navigation Company's line of steam CTS and if they make the purchase there will be no competing line from San Francis co to Arizona.
Year: 1877

OUR United States consuls are at
their best queer set. Something is
always occurring about them in foreign
lands of an exceedingly unpleasant
character. Now we learn that Mr..
Fairchild, who is the consul general at
Liverpool, and who should be at his
post to receive the eX-President upon
his arrival, is absent in France on a
tour of pleasure, and consequently the
consul general at London will have to
proceed to the formers post and per-
form his duties for him. If Mr.. Fair
child cannot stay at his consulate and
attend to his own consular duties-not
of an arduous nature an.yhow-why, he
had better be recalled home and some
body who will perform this Office be
sent in his place.