smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1878

CoHoEs, n. Y. Dec. 10, 1878.
At halfpast ten O'Clock last evening fire was dis
covered in the tenement No. AZ Bowery street, Fifth
ward On the arrival OF the fremen it was ascer-
tanned that Patrick Rourke. his sons Timothy
Martin, owen and William aged respectively sixteen
eleven. nine and five years and two daughters, Mary
Ann, aged twenty-five. and Bridget. aged thirteen,
were in the burning building


The two girls were rescued the older so badly
burned that she cannot survive but the younger
comparatively uninjured.


Mr. Rourke died soon after being taken from the
building.


The boys dead when found.


The house is in ruins.


A defective alarm caused delay in the arrival of
the fire department


STATEMENT OF AN EYEWITNESS.


The following statement of the affair is given by
Stephen Monk, who resides in an adjoining build:
ing


was awakened by my little daughter. who told
me that the house fire. On rising I
observed that the frame building occupied by Patrick
Rourke and his six children on fire.



gave the alarm and to the front
door. Knowing that the key had been lost broke
the door open, but could nothing owing
TO the sitting smoke. then went to the rear Of
the building and found the kitchen window open.
which led me to believe that the whole
family had made good their escape. By this
time several strangers had arrived. and two of them
broke in the window of the bedroom in the front
of the house, where they found Patrick Rourke
lying between two barrels He was dragged
toward the window in an insensible condition. and
sfter gasping few times expired.


While the father was being removed two other men
entered the house through the window and recovered
the insensible body of Mary Ann, aged twenty-five
years the oldest child.


The body Of Owen. aged nine years next re-
building He was burned to a crisp. and it was
time before he was recognized.


About two o'clock in the morning the charred re-
mains Of Timothy, aged sixteen years; Martin. aged
eleven years. and Willie. aged five years
were recovered from tho debris in the back Kitchen
They lay together and were burned into shapeless
mass.


Bridget. aged thirteen years. is the only member Of
the family who escaped. and she states that she
was forced through the kitchen window by Mary
Ann. her elder sister. who removed from the
front bedroom window in unconscious state and
remained in that condition up to Thursday noon
when she expired.


Bridget can give account or information regard
ing the affair except that she pushed through the
window.


The remains Of the unfortunates were removed TO
the undertaking rooms of McMorsn and Ryan on
Mohawk street.


The mother of the family died some four years
ago. and of Rourkes sons is at present serving
term in the Albany Penitentiary.


The building owned by its occupant and was
uninsured. There is system of fire alarm here
and great delay was occasioned thereby.
Year: 1878

PROMPT measures are to be taken in
Iowa to suppress the tramp. He has
become more than nuisance. He is a
danger, Therefore the governor issues
a proclamation against him, notifying
mayors and sheriffs that the law permits
them to call out the troops if necessary
for the protection Of railway trains and
other property.
Year: 1878

Cotton and woolen mills, machine shops
and factories, in addition to those connect
ed with railroads, either ceased altogether
or worked only on short time. In these
cases, also, many thousands of operatives,
forced into idleness through no fault
of theirs, were added to the large army of
the unemployed. The depression in trade
and the breaking down of industries
seriously affected the railroads, and up to
this time one of the principal causes of the
continuance of the hard times has been
the forced reduction of labor and the wages
of labor on them by the demand for rates
of transportation so low that, but for the
discharge of hands and the cutting down of
salaries, they would not have been able to
meet their current operating expenses.


Fortunately for US, all the signs and
| tokens point now to the setting in of a
healthy reaction. The prospect of a revival
in the business of railroads is stronger by
far now than it has been at any time since
the panic of 1873. The abundant crops
of the West, partly duplicated as they are
| by the holding back of so considerable q
proportion of the last years crop, will
propably, from the latest advces, be largely
wanted in Europe, and although low prices
will prevail, the aggregate money value
must necessarily be very great, and its dis
tribution give corresponding impetus to
trade and all the varied branches of oul
industry. Moreover, the excess of our ex
ports over our imports has been SO large oi
late years that we have not only been
lessening very materially thereby our foreign
indebtedness, but, by the concurrent exer
else of economy at home, have been re
trieving our losses and growing compare
lively rich. The best evidence of this is
that we are now paying our debts almost
wholly in products, instead of the precious
metals, and at this time experienced bank
ers in New York are predicting that in thC
course of few months, instead of sending
any more of our gold abroad, there will bC
a steady inflow Of gold this way. Consider
ing the remarkable increase in the expor
demand recently, from a local point o
view, we have a striking illustration in the
unusual number of steamships and sailing
vessels coming to Baltimore, some freighteC
and some in ballast, but all carrying away
full cargoes of grain and other products TO
consumption abroad.
Year: 1878

BISMARCK.-A correspondent writes as follows from
Berlin of Prince Bismarck: He lives generally at
the Radzwill Palace which has lately been purchased
by the German Government, and added to the old
Foreign Office next door. At the back is O large
garden; called here Park, and originally cut of
from the Thier Garen, Bois de BoelOgne Of Berlin.
1t is surrounded by high walls and the great Chan
cellor. when he walks there, is carefully watched
over by the police, and protected by his now Cee.
brated dog, large smooth, black boar-hound which
mas succeeded the famous Sultan, who was poisoned
by the Social Democrats. The Prince hardly ever
ventures into the streets of Berlin and indeed
to the capital as little possible In conversation


ms manner is frank and cordial; he talks of English


books as one who has read most of them and ne
seems to be possessed of thoroughly encyclopedia
mind 1t is his habit after dinner to stroll upon the
terrace at the back of his palace and puff volumes
OF smoke from an enormous china pipe with a long
cherry ystick stem. / do not know whether his two
sons are possessed of any of his intellectual powers
but they have inherited, at any rate, their father.
vigorous and massive frame.'-N j. Tribune
Year: 1878

HARD TINES AND BETTER PRosPEcTs.-
The industrial and commercial depression


from which we have suffered so long was
not due, says the b B.l,tnore Sun, to the
over-building of railroads alone and the
sudden cessation of the employment which
they gave directly and indirectly to hun
dreds of thousands of men. During the
flush times we plunged into q general
course of overtrading and lavish expendi-
ture. Mills and factories sprang up every
where largely in excess of the needs of the
country, and when the crash came they
were overloaded with stocks of goods for
which there was comparatively no sale
Year: 1878

Thus far the battle with the Indians in Oregon have
all been victorious for the Government troops the
reports concerning them are veritable the hostiles
VIII not be able to hold out very long against the
heavy in proportion to the whole number of their
braves.
Year: 1878

Few have any adequate conception Of the magni-
tude of the emigrant movement to the Far West this
season. The st. Louis Journal is authority for the
statement that "in Kansas Nebraska Dakota and
Minnesota the amount of free land taken up prnci-
paly for homescads, exceeds that of the last wear
by more than three and half million acres The
movement, though not great is very noticeable i'm
Montana, Colorado Wyoming and other Western
States and Territories, and in Texas and Arkansas
SOUTH This is of the best indications of return
ing prosperity that could be cited The benefits sure
70 follow the depletion of the overcrowded ranks OF
LABOR III the East cannot be estimated The recent
decision OF the Secretary of the Interior whereby thou
SANDS OF acres of land along the lines of the Pacific
much to give new impetus to this westward move.
ment
Year: 1878

LONDON, Jan. 1.-The Mark Lane Express,
in its review of the grain trade of the past
week, says


The appearance of the young wheat plant is
satisfactory in spite of the termination of grain
having been slow, owing TO the saturated con-
d1tion Of the soil. The weather ha- been very
severe in Scotland, but in the south a fair
breadth of land is under wheat. In the upper
districts farm labor is still much behind. A he
position ofthe grain trade at Mark Lane and
the provinces is decidedly strong and
with the turn of the year il Is likely that con-
siderable activity will ensue. Supplies of
English wheat continue very limited, and al
though The holders nave not been able to OBJ
tain higher prices, the tendency has
certainly been in their favor.
The import OF foreign wheat into London
has been more moderate, last Mondays return
showing a total Of only as 600 quarters the de-
crease being due to the falling off I'm arrivals
of Indian produce and the closing up of the
North Russian ports The most noticeable
feature OF the week has been the revival OF the
demand for wheat from country millers, who
have purchased more freely at the extreme
prices OF the previous week, and on Friday at
Year: 1878

o'clock to-day. Boyer and Conrad NJ, Nisim
were driving. When near the post oil ice
their horse took fright and ran away, throw
ing both men out. Boyer struck the curb
stone so hard as to crush his skull. Meisim
was badly hurt in the face.
Year: 1878




RICHMOND Jan. 1-For the first time in
the history of Virginia since colonial times
its governor, Col. II. w. NJ. Holiday. was
inaugurated to day with all the pomp and
display of a grand public demonstration
The governor, In his inaugural address, takes
the strongest grounds for the maintenance
of the state credit, making the points that
the debt was created to provide the improve
ments which the state now possesses, and
from which it daily derives profit; that the
war effected no change I'm the relations
between the state and its creditors that no
one questions the obligations of the debt,
the laws under which it was created or the
benefits conferred upon the state by
the property its proceeds bought, and that
the general assembly should direct its utmost
efforts TO the question of how to pay and
denounces the course of those who seem to
strive how not to pay. The address declares
Virginia can not escape her liabilities, which
all men acknowledge, except by a process
imilar to schedule in bankruptcy, with
surrender OF her as cts, and concludes this
subject with declaration OF belief in Vir-
ginia's ability to meet her obligations


Great applause greeted these sentiments.
The governor seemed to consider the debt
question to be one of real importance before
the people.
Year: 1878

There is a thousand times more
good than bad i'll the world. To~day
the newspapers are engaged in finding
out all the mean things that are done.
Unless thing is a bad thing it is not
known. If all the reporters of all
the newspapers would look through
all the streets and through all the
houses of the country and find the
name of some man who had practiced
self-denial for the sake of wife and
children; find some man who had Civ
en- up all the property he had to pay
his honest debts, who had gone out OF
his house; given up his pictures and all
there was of luxury, and taken wife
by her hand and gone down to power.
ty and penury in hut; if they would
tell the names of the men who had
done generous deeds, l tell you every
newspaper in the United States would
be crowded with names of men anC
women.
Year: 1878

gpeeial Dispatch to the Chicago Times.


WAsInNGToh, May 99.--Mr, Keys
letter appears TO have shot him into
the bosom of the Republican party.
Charles Foster said to-day that the
letter had put an end to the movement
looking to Keys retirement from the
Cabinet. The Republicans who have
been urging it now say that since this
bold stand has been taken Ivy Mr.. Key
lie should Le supported. There is but
one comment among Democrats upon
the subject. They say that the letter
i a howl for bread, and that Key is
moor and can not afford TO lose his of
flee. 1t is strange that where Key has
tried so elaborately to produce an i'm
preston of: lofty patriotism he should
succeed only in creating an impression
of official EendicanGy. The TepneS-
see members are especially indignant.
They are busy this evening arranging
a letter that il to be published to-mor-
row, addressed TO the Democrats of
Tennessee, denOuncing Key as an
apostate. This will be signed by both
Senators and all of the Democratic
House members from Keys State.
Something of the spirit of the letter is
shown in the following interview with
Tennessee members of the House. Mr..
House said the boot was uplifted to
kick Key out, and that he sigued this
letter prepared for him to keep his
place. He also believes that the letter
was prepared and made a subject of
Cabinet consideration, aud that tue al
Year: 1878

Jonathan II. Bass, of Cambria, Nj


agra county, has not joint in his


bod. He went to bed in 1867 and


has never been out of it since. He
cannot move even finger. He ran
as captain Of canal boat between Buff
falO and Rochester in 1850, and was
getting stiff then. When he could
not do any work he had to quit canal
ing, and then went to housekeeping.
His joints kept getting stifler and
SITTER. The doctors could do him no
good, and at last had to give up, and,
after twenty-One Years, he has been
abed at the farm homestead of his FAM
lily, between LockpOrt and Lewiston.
His trouble commenced with a pain
shooting through the bottom Of his
right foot that tumbled him to the
ground. The foot commenced to
swell and got almost twice its natural
size. Stiffness in the joints followed.
Now Bass is literally a bone man.
There is no more bend in his legs,
arms and body than there is in mar
bic statute. His arms are as fast TO
his sides as if they were nailed there.
For eight years after he went to bed
he could move his arms, but the joints
finally became solid bone. They have
to feed him with a spoon. His jaw
are as immOvable as his other joints
There is space between his teeth Just
wide enough to get food through. In
1869 he became blind. His mind is
sound, but he speaks with difficulty.
Year: 1878

1t is the easiest thing i'm the world to


find fault. 1t is easy to say that no.
body is honest. 1t is easy to say the
church is to blame for it. 1t II easy
to say the church is all right if the
minister would preach and do as he
ought, But it isn't easy to look on
the hest side to see that there are hun
dreds of faithful preachers, thousands
of honest, sincere men and women,
countless acts of justice, charity and
humanity which out weigh all the
umbling Of all the grumblers, 80 it
is really the only finest dust in the hal
The world isn't all wrong. Everybody
ance. Let us be fair and cheerful.
isn't rascal, Our neighbOrs are not
trying tO cheat us. The church is do
ing good work for the world, aud even
the GROWERS are not half as disagreea-
ble as they seem.
Year: 1878

On Wednesday night a skilfully
planned attempt to carry off the
jewels of Lady Rosebery was
made at Petworth House, Sussex,
the seat of Lord Lecontield, at
which Lord and Lady Rosebery
are spending their honeymoon.
Itappears tina. the dressing-room
Of her ladyship is situated the
back portion Of the mansion,
overlooking a retired courtyard.
On the night in question, while
the guests in the house were at
dinner, one of the men servants,
on passing through the court
yard, noticed a peculiar filcke


ing light in the window Of the
dressing room, the blinds OF
which were down. He stood for
q moment looking at the window,
when, observing the forms Of
two persons moving about, it oc-
cnrred to him that something
was wrong. He at once, with
out entering the house, rang
bell attached to the exterior of
the mansion for alarm purposes.
This had the affect of disturbing
the robbers, who escaped by /.
ladder placed perpendicularly
against the wall, and which the
man servant who had raised the
alarm had failed, IN consequence
Of the darkness, to observe. The
dressing-room door was found to
be locked from the outside, and
on admission being gained it was
discovered that the robbers had
not succeeded in stealing any
booty. This was due to the fact
that the jewel case of Lady Rose
berry were placed IN a strong
iron case, instead of being, as is
generally the custom, left on the
table. The police have failed to
obtain any clew to the culprits.-
London Times.
Year: 1878

Compassion for those left behind ar
rests comment upon such terrible acts
as that by which the eX-vice president
of the New York Stock EXchan ,e ends
cd his life We have no desire to add
a papg to the keen suffering of Mr..
Wheelock's family, but the growing
frequency of the resort to suicide Tor
ending what, to the unfortunate being,
seems hopeless struggle with adverse
circumstance, demands word: Here
was a gentleman who for a quarter CT
century held position of high honor
in the community of money. Cons
mercial disaster overlook him, as it may
the most prudent, and the fact that he
was afterwards reelected to the vice.
presidency shows that his failure had
not impaired his reputation, although
his credit had naturally fallen. He
made further losses, and at last had
but his salary from the Stock Exchane e
to depend on. AS happens often. when
a man has little that little is taken
away. Last month another candidate
was successful in the Stock Exchange
election, ard the long noticsd mental
depression Of yesterday settled into de-
cided despondency. A false relief was
sought in stlmulants, only to bring col
responding reactions to gloom. and IN
one the man took his own life. His
business career had for over twelve
month been downward. but surely that
was the time for the will to bear him
up, the very time for the avoidance OF
the dangerous remedy of alcohol. 1t is
wonderful what man may bear and
NAV suimount. We see the wicked day
after day avoiding the effects Of their
misdeeds and fighting against the con-
science of the world with untiring vigor.
1t is the Wheelocks and not the 1weeds
who commit suicide. No depth of dis>
grace, no suffering so great but the
bad man will make virtue to himself
of his efforts to better his condition.
Why should the man who is simply un-
fortunate show less grit than the rogue ?
N. Y. Herald.
Year: 1878

The steamer Gen. Terry in her
recent tlip up the Missouri river
discharged some freight at NJ
Kenz;e's Landing, a short dis
tancc above Cheyenne Agency,
and put off some men to remain
in charge of it. During their
stay there they tished out OF the
river Il bottle having paper in
side, on which was written the
following: ~ have been sur
rounded by Indians for eight
days and have killed six Of them.
They have wounded me and |
am dying" Our informant, Il
gentleman of 7eracity, knew the
signature and date OF the note,
but had forgotten it before We
saw him.


1t may be this IS a sell perpe-
trated by some thoughtless per
son, or it may be the relation Of
an unhappy fact. Some brave
unfortunate may have been sur
rounded by the red devils and
yielded up his life after defend
ing it as bravely as circum-
stances would admit Of. If that
be 50, it must have been at some
recent date. But where, when
and who was this unfortunate,
and the questions that will prob
ably rever be answered through
all eternity, How he went down
to death far from friends, with
out a comrade to close his eyes
in death, we can only picture to
ourselves. But if it all be true,
there is no doubt that he died Il
brave nan, for none but brave
man could in the eyes OF impend-
ing death, have had the courage
and presence Of mind to have
taken the onl y means left at his
command to communicate with
the outside world and inform
them of his fate.
Year: 1878

1t will be seen by the foregoing states
ment of the financial condition of the
City that our debt is but little less than
it was at the date of my last annual re-
port. This is due TO the large delin>
quent tax list of the past yeer and to
the depreciation of City warrants, ow-
ing to the unsettled state of our charter.


Could the taxes have been collected as
closely the last year as they we're the
Year: 1878

Every boy and girl should learn 10
swim. A writer in the .9merican 14g-
rieulfwriss offers the following suggea-
ti0ns, By 0bedience 10 which slIe sft Ol
swimming may be readily acquired


When I was q boy learned TO swim
by means Of ssimnihg-board. This
is The safest method possible. Ii cork
are used they may slip from around the
breast down beneath the body, throw
ing the head below the surface. and
putting the wearer in danger OF drown
ing.


Some country boys get two bladders
and then tie them together with short
cord, and use these as supports. They
are the most dangerous things possible
for boy to have.


The board Is perfectly safe. aid one
may learn 10 swim in very short time
by using one. II should be over four
feet long, over foot wide and two
inches thick, white pine or cedar.


To use it, boy wades into the wa
ter up to bis shoulders, then taking hold
Of The end Of the board he pushes il be-
fore him-lowards the bank, and not
into deep water-springs forward with
his feet and throws himself fat upon the
water.


This movement carries him along a
few feet. He then draws up both his
legs at the same time, Keeping the
knees as far apart as possible, and then
striking out with both feet, not straight
backward, but sideways, just as a frog
does.


The stroke is made slowly and is re-
peated again, drawing up the legs slow
ly and steadily. The board keeps the
head above water. When the leg stroke
has been learned, one hand IS taken
from the board and the stroke learned,
or the chin may be rested on the board.
while the stroke is taken with both
hands.


This is q very good plan, it comPels
the swimmer to keep bis hands under
the water which be should always do.
By-and-by the board may be pushed
ahead, and the young swimmer may
swim after il. always Keeping il within
reach. When a number of boys 90 10
swim they should always have two or
three of these boards with them for use
In case Of any accident.
Year: 1878

A reference to other columns this morn
ing will show that with the close of the
warm weather the heat of the political
battle may be said to have fairly begun.
Our dispatches contain accounts OF the
principal political events in four States yes
terday and in both political parties. First
of all we have New Hampshire. There the
republicans have nominated State ticket
selecting General Head as their candi-
date upon an unmistakable honest money
platform. Next we have the democratic
party Of Ohio represented by Mr.. Pendle-
ton in q soft money speech at Columbus,
which is effectively answered by another
Ohio man. General Garfield. speaking in
what Massachusetts delights to call the
old cradle Of liberty-Faneuil Hail. Iowa
speaks through the mouth of her "favorite
son." Secretary McCrary, and Mr.. Elliott Q.
Cowdin in measure represents our own
State in letter upon the questions of the
day to an influential body Of our citizens.
The financial question, it will be seen, is
the main point in the addresses of all these
gentlemen, as it is the main question before
the country. When the arguments are all
in, next November, we have no doubt that
the virtue, the intelligence and the patriot
ism of the country will find by On over
whelming majority an honest verdict in
favor Of an honest currency.