smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1874

One riot six brutal affrays, thirty-hve
fires, forty children seriously wounded
at least three persons killed outright,
and oneIchild::burne to death, form the
total of the casualties consequent on the
celebration of the Fourth in this city
and Brooklyn. And as these are only
the casualties which were thought serious
enough to be repeated at Police Head
quarters, doubtless the full extent OF
loss and suffering can never be known,
1t may be safely set down that the above
enumeration does not exaggerate the
horrors of the glorious day we cele-
brate" in such senseless fashion.


This, be it remembered, is the black
list for only two cities of the country.
Judging from the fact that in Allegheny
City, Pennsylvania, alone, one hundred
houses fell a sacrifice tot the Small Boy
and the fre-cracker, it is not improbable
that the casualties for the rest of the
cities equal in ratio those of the Metrop-
oils. The statistics for the nation, II
they could be collected, would doubtless
be curious, and certainly they would
prove alarming.


All these painful facts might be used
as a serious argument for the abolition
of the absurd manner in which we cele-
brate Independence Day if we were
people accustomed to stop after disas-
ter and count the cost. But we have no
time to do anything but repair damages;
such thing as foreseeing and prevent
ing casualties appears unworthy of con-
sideration. We go on from year to year
celebrating the most important event
and the most sacred day in our history
in the same senseless and idle manner
that the Chinese welcome their New
Year and the English execrate paltry
conspirator, and those who disapprove it
are happy to escape the dreadful din by
flying from the city, when less efforts, if
united, would secure the abolition ofthe
whole nuisance 1t is only necessary to
have wise police regulation rigidly en-
forced prohibiting the firing of pistols
and popping of fireworks, and the refusal
of the Common Council to make appro-
priations for pyrotechnic displays, to Sc
cure immunity from the nuisance and
danger The prohibition of all such dis
plays would of itself soon bring them
into disrepute. Suppose the city author
tiles charge their memories with this
matter for year and make an effort in
this direction before the Centennial is
upon US, The prospect of manslaughter,
mayhem and arson which threatens us
on that occasion already assumes the
proportions of national disaster.--NeaO
York Tribune. ss.l - s5fia
Year: 1874

his jaws are on fire, his collar runs into
his ears, his arms and legs trip him up,


And so he stumbles on day by day and
year by year. pulled this way by diff
dence and that way by conceit, until he
is showed at last into his proper place in
the world Some day in middle age he
wakes up to find that he has slain no
tyrant, heralded no dawn that he, too,
grumbles over tickets or pores over fnan-
cial columns, that he has forgotten
Kant and Emerson and German infdeli-
ties, and is given over to zeal in the
sugar trade or the spawning of fish, or to
break in the village church of which
he is an elder. Alma Mater and her
lore he remembers with good-humored
laugh and nod. but there is nothing so
sacred or dear to him, or so often re-
membered, as the simple teachings of
the old, fat, tender-hearted mother,
whom, when her work was done, he laid
reverently to rest in the cnurchyard.
Year: 1874

Courtesy is not merely an observ-
ance of conventionalities OF society;
it is in reality founded on common
sense and manly feeling. An un-
courteous man is one of the greatest
bores in the world. He offends
everybody, and instead of being
treated with kindness and consider
alton by his neighbor, he is gener-
ally intensely disliked, and no lang
uage is sufficiently strong to express
his dement's. To be courteous is
simply to pay a proper Difference to
the feelings of others. A well edu-
Gated man is generally courteous.
The fact of his mind being liberal
lied teaches him the necessity of ex-
ercising this virtue. Benevolent
raen are always courteous; the desire
to give pleasure to others is sufficient
inducemeut for them to cultivate this
good quality. 1t is Just as easy to
be courteous as the reverse. The
time has gone by when bluntness is
taken as the sign of honesty. 1t has
been found that dishonest men can
be blunt and rude as well as honest
men; and compliments of Difference
to the feelings of others have ceased
to be mark of insincerity.


A person who is habitually dis
courteous, generally possesses but
little sensibility, and as he cares
nothing for wounding the feelings
of others, excuses himself by saying
that he only speaks what he thinks;
that is, to put forth his own private
opinion whatever it may be, no mat
ter whether it wound the feelings of
his dearest friend. OF course, if
PERSONS opinion is requested, he
must tell the truth; but even that
can be done in courteous language
which will wound no one. If cour-
tesy were more generally practlced,
it would be conducive of the best
results. Mutual civility among all
classes of society would be found a
potent remedy for more than half
the social evils that now oppress
mankind.
Year: 1874

THE WILL MUST BE TRA1NEp,
NOT BRoKEN.-M often speak OF
breaking the will of a child; but it
seems to me that they had better
break his neck. The will needs regu-
latiOn, not obstruction. l should as
soon think of breaking the legs of a
horse in training him as a child's
will. | would discipline and devel-
op it into harmonious proportions.
I never yet heard of n will in itself
too strong, more than an arm too
mighty, or mind too comprehen-
sive in its grasp, too powerful in its
hold. The instructions of a child
should be such as to animate, inspire
and train; but not to hew, cut ana
carve; for | would treat a child as a
live tree, which was to be helped to
grow, never as dry, dead timber to
be cut into this and that shape, and
to have certain holdings grooved
upon it. A live tree, aud not dead
timber, is every child.-ITheodore
Parker.
Year: 1874

\ New York Journal says that
wealthy gentleman of that city had
added codieil to his will, ordering
that after his death his body shall
be injected with petroleum, placed
IN metallic coffin, and then be de-
posted in one of the retorts of the
Manhattan Gas Company's works.
If atterward no one wishes to enter
his ashes they are to delivered TO
the Central Park Commissioners, TO
be used as fertilizing material on
one of the flower-beds near the
music stand.
Year: 1874

VALUABLE INVENTIoN.-Jam
Thomas, OF the Golden Gate mine,
has invented a simple yet ingenious
method Of splicing wire rope, or at
taching the end to any desired place
without tying the same. Splicing,
by this little contrivance, can be ac-
complished by one man in fifteen
minutes, which now takes four men
about six hours. Old and new rope
can now be safely spliced in the time
stated, and the splice made as strong
as the rope itself. The invention is
valuable, and has proved itself by a
continued test of sixteen months in
the hoisting works of one of our
deepest mines.-Soaord Independent.
Year: 1874

OHIO county taxpayers will be glad
10 learn that the rate of taxation for
the ensuing year IS TO be reduced to fifty
cents on the hundred dollars. This will
provide for The payment of all reason
sbe charges for the government OF the
county, and meet also our liability on
all the railroad bonds issued by
the county that are now outstanding.
This rste OF taxation is very low in-
deed when it is remembered that the
valuation OF property for purposes OF
taxation is far below it's actual selling
price, and the fact speaks well for the
economy OF the administration OF the
county government.


A road tax OF % cents on the
hundred dollars is TO be levied
uron properly outside OF the city Of
Wheeling, in addition to he general
rate spoken OF above. This is an i'm.
porisut and desirable levy and, il its
proceeds be judiciously employed, will
do much to improve the roads and thus
enhance the value of Ohio county
farms
Year: 1874

NEw YORK, June There was
quite a movement 10 trade with but
little activity in any department The
market for Cotton Goods remained
quiet but prices unchanged. Prints
fairly active a. the lately reduced prices
Grain Bags 10 better request and could
be sold largely at q slight concession in
price. but holders are more firm 10
their views. Foreign goods quiet.
Year: 1874




Mr. Beecher chose last evening, as the
subject Of his usual Friday evening talk,
the womcn's war on the whiskcy. sellcrs,
which is now going on with such vigor
ia the West He said


There isAcen in nature two modes Of
activity. One is the gradual, the mild,
the steadfast, and the other kind of
clilnacteric, intensive, with intcrmissions
SO we have gentle rains, and so at other
times we have mighty outbreaks and
storms and disturbances. Both Of them
are admirable. 1t would not be enough
perhaps to have mild and gentle iniiu.
cDccs all the time; there are things that
these do not reach and il certainly would
not be desirable to have kind of pro.
cessonal amount of storm around you
when you desire to purify the atmos
phere and so the ordinary mode ia ma
ture is what may be called tue quiet, even,
and gentle mode, and occasionally the
more impctuous and tempnstuous one,
There seems something like that in the
course Of human society. Beyond all





and moderate action Of men is that ap.
pointed to be the ordinary, and there can
he just as littIe question that a. times
communities wake up and mount into n
higher development Of feeltng-into
movements that are upon much grand
er scale aud that things are accomplish
ed in that way that are not accomplished
in any other We have a remarkable in
stance of this going on now in the West
in this extraordinary movement that is
taking place to suppress the drinking ss-
Establishments. ! 90 not know that the
history of the race has ever shown par.
alcl in the past to tins movement II
there is anything in the world that need
ed doing il was the taking down Of that
class of men that have perfect Liberty to
desolate the community by ungodly traf.
&c. If there is any one evil that cries
aloud in more fury and with more voice
to heaven for suppression than dram
drinking and selling OF drinks ! know
not what it is. Consider that there may
be other things that are worse, but they
are not so continuous and UNIVERSAL
This dram drinking, while it is peculiar.
~ delelerious to the individual. it is the
scourge Of the household it is the mur
rain plague OF the family, and il comes
with espec al weight on woman. us being
| least able to defend herself, and all the
suffering is concentrated on her Now,
then, this evil, Which has deiled lcgisla-
ton, when we have preached against il in
vain, have cgislated against it in vain, at
last in tho providence Of Col there has
arisen, no one can tell where or how, as
tho wind bowcth where it lis,eth, there
has arisen moral cyclene, a perfect
tempest of influence against it, There
are good many things, think, predis
posing In the first place it is one OF
Year: 1874

tbem-whO il killing himself, body and soul,
by excessive indulgence-who is tOrturing his
wife's heart, exposing his children to want,
lessening and wasting his estate, or in various
ways major and minor, is in the habit OF
breaking the peace. If all who drank be-
came thus degraded and dangerous, irresponsl-
bic and incompetent, there would be no par
rooms and no corner groceries. They would
not be permitted to exist, for the public voice
would camor for their extinction and take no
denial The difficulty is in framing general
rule which shall meet all exceptional cases.
A great many men drink moderately; a great
many who drink immoderately harm none
but themselves; not few drink moderately
for a month and then go mad for week;
and all drinkers may have certain wees OF
character leading to practical vices which
cannot be directly or indirectly referred
to Drunkenness The barkeeper may point
tliumphantly to twenty customers who have
for twenty years been refreshing themselves
ut his fierce and fiery fountains, with no worse
result than rubicund noses or lndurated Nv
ers. When customer calls for drink, now
il the barkeeper to make up diagnosis or
his condition1 how Is he to determine
whether the applicant shall be supplied or notg
Thirssy men, while the coveted dram Is IN
doubt, will behave with Il great deal OF gen
tility and discreet circumSpectiOn They may
plead pain in the stomach. They may set up
general exhaustion of the system. They
may assume a pretcrnltural sobriety. They
may drink with infinite gravity and
then going away. break heads, or get
their own finally and fatally fractured,
leaving widows and orphans substantially to
profit by their departure. The man who sells
the liquor thinks it very hard that al these
destitute creatures should be turned over to
him for comfort and support Perhaps 1t Is.
If So do not such liabilities afford an excel
lent reason for instantly and forever aban-
doning the business!


This is the conclusion to which many rum
sellers, after having been fined and imprls-
0ned and in various ways hara5sed and
annoyed finally come. Nothing, however, Is
gained to the temperance cause by pushing
penalties beyond a reasonable point. If this
law of compensation il carried too far, it will
soon be dropped altogether. The tendency OF
all temperance legislation is to drift. The
most that the cause of sObriety ever really and
permanently gains is through moral conviction.
Year: 1874




The Supreme Court of Illinois has recently
confirmed verdict of $4,000 damages given
by the Jury to a widow, made so by ardent
spirits sold to her late husband. The facts of
the case it is unnecessary to rccaptulate.
The defendant supplied the man with that
which rendered him incapable of self-care
He went to bed upon railway track, and
was naturally found dead the next morning
Putting the statute out of the question, this
seems to be a clear case of personal injury
under the common law. The Illinois statute,
however, Guiets all doubt upon the point
Judge Scott, in reviewing the case, said ::
"IIe who deliberately sells that which he
"knows will infame the passions, deprive
"the party of the control of his judgment,
"and render him for the time being incapable
"of exercising proper care for personal
"safety, or that of his property, must be pre-
"pared for the consequences that may
Z" follow OF the sOundness of the general
principle involved in the statute there can be
no doubt. The difficulty is in the uncer-
tainty of its application. 1t partakes of
the nature of all statutory provisions which
leave cases to be decided, first, by the judg-
ment and opinions of witnesses; and, secondly,
by the reason of the jury, which may often be
left unaided by sufficient testimony. Not only
must the fact of the sale be proved, but often
il must be established, since the best witness
il defunct either by witnesses who are nat
urally slow or else by chain of circum-
stances. Again, although in the trial before
ia there was no difficulty in connecting the
drunkenness with the death, yet in nine cases
ont of ten it might be impossible to show
that the fatal result followed absolutely from
the sale and consequent intOxication. Finally,
il is not easy always to persuade jurors to act
upon presumptive malice however forcibly it
NAV be suggested by the testimony, so that
in many neighborhoods it would be impossible
70 secure an unfavorable verdict In such a
case whatever tho evidence might be. So
much for the practical enforcement of the law


The morality and equity of such statute
we are not speaking of its abstract princi =
ple-may sometimes be equally embarrassing.
OF course, all is plain if the decision is to be
governed by cur emotions. We may take for
granted the shame and the sin of selling
stimulauts to person who is known to abuse
Year: 1874

The expenditures of this class for the year
1873 were inordinately increased by the Salary
Steal, and by the heavy deficiency bills put
through the XLlId Congress at its concluding
session. While the appropriations for de-
ficiencies by the third session of the XLlld
Congress exceeded eleven millions of dollars,
those of the present Congress have been
barely four millions. These facts forbid the
hypothesis that there has yet been any real
retrenchment in the Civil and Miscellaneous
expenditures. The enormous rate at which
those expenditures have increased since 1861
will be seen by the following additional. fig
Year: 1874

| The murder in Brooklyn on Wednesday
night appears yet to be wrapped in mystery
No clue to the identity of the murdered man
has been found, and, much less, no trace OF
the assassin. The indications point, however,
very strongly to one of two theorles-murder
for revenge, most probably by foreigners or
possibly, murder for package of money OF
valuables carried in the hand, not on the
person. But there are so many little clues TO
the murdered mans identity, that reason
ably good detective service ought certainly 10
be able, within the next twenty-four houiS'
to find out who he was. For many reasonS
our whole detective system just now Is vi
trial. and. if it fails in this case, the growing
impression that it Is pretty nearly WoitilioSS
any way will get strong conlrma'ioA'


The correspondence between the Governor
and the accusers of the Mayor lends strong
confirmation to the view repeatedly expressed
in TIE TRIBUNE, that the movement for MIR.
Hayemeyer's removal is likely to fail. Con-
sdering the near approach of the election,
and the inevitable confusion which a change
in our chief municipal Office at this time
would work. we incline to believe that the
community will be content to worry through
without fleeing ills we have to others that we
know not of. Only let every voter remember
this. SO long as we have a system of clearly
defined official responsibility, and are able to
single out the men who are at fault for mis-
government, the voters themselves are to
blame if the misgovernment is continued.
Fortunately this time every voter knows
Just where to strike.
Year: 1874

Q Those curious in the matter will be inter


e,ted in an article published elsewhere, show


ing the various sources from which New York
is supplied with the two million or more
glasses of milk it daily consumes, and the
strange methods by which it is brought by
night to our doors. Some of the statistics of
this trade are as amazing as they are curious
Year: 1874

1t is a very curious case of blackmail by a
policeman which was heard yesterday before
Commissioners Disbecker and DuTyee; and 1t
is curious illustration of the influences that
tend to demoralize the force, to find that tho
Commissioners contemplate no punishment
save the dismissal of the blackmailer Surely
here is a case for the Penitentiary, if we have
any such cases at all in our free and easy
city.
Year: 1874

we print elsewhere particulars of a Distress
ing case of genuine rabies in Plainfeld.
Some of the points developed during the rapid
progress of the disease deserve special notice.
Perfect anasthesia was produced by the in
halation of chloroforIn for several hours, yet
in this condition the spasms never wholly
ceased, and instantly broke out with increased
violence on every attempt to introduce fluids
into the stomach. 1t is evident that, whatever
additions may have recently been made to OR
knowledge of the nature of this terrible
malady, no progress has been made IN its
successful treatment.
Year: 1874

Little Delaware with her one member of the
House of Representatives was lost to the
Democrats IN 1872; and now desperate
effort ia about to be made to bring her again
under the benign influence of the Salisbury
dynasty, whose yoke she bore with stOlid pa
tience for many a year. The issues of the
pending canvass are clearly stated by cor
respondent whose letter we print this morn
ing The election is mainly important because
the Legislature to be chosen viii either re-
elect U. S. Senator Bayard OF name Repub-
lican as his successor.
Year: 1874

When theoretical and practical men
differ in opinion respecting the feasbil-
ity of any proposed scheme, says the
Engineer, an actual experiment affords
them the only means of ascertaining
which of them is in the right. Rival
opinions, conflicting statements, and
contradictory assertions have existed for
years with regard to the possibility of
tunnelng under the Channel, and as yet
nothing has been done or attempted to
be done, with the exception of some en-.
deavors Of private character to which
we shall allude, to solve the problem.
If we sum up the opinions hitherto ex'
pressed by geologists and engineers re-
specting the Channel Tunnel, it will be
found that while the former do not go so
far as to deny the possibility Of the un-
dertaking, yet they entertain grave
doubts of its feasibility. AS an instance
of an obstacle, which geologists regard
as calculated seriously to imperil the
success Of engineering subterranesn
works, may be mentioned land springs
These certainly give a great deal of
trouble occasionally, but no engineer
would be deferred solely on
that account from carrying
out the undertaking. Assuming uniform
conditions to prevail in the same strata,
the remark Of Sir John Hawkshsw is
very appropriate. he has observed that
at a sufficient depth it is of no more
consequences that the sea may be above
the tunnel than a mountain. The cost
of running preparatory driftways in
order to determine the ultimate practi-
cability Of the scheme. has been estima-
ted at f9O,0OO 1t has been stated that
the Great Northern railway of France is
willing to contribute portion of this,
provided the London, Chatham and
Dover and Southeastern lines on this
side of the channel will furnish their
quota. The proposition is fair and
reasonable. Until some trial of this de-
scription is made, it is idle to speculate
on the contingencies which may occur,
or to enter into details respecting the
character of the permanent structure.
The best form to be adopted, the most
suitable materials, and the mechanical
arrangements for their transport, and
for insuring ventilation, are all matters
which it is quite premature to discuss at
present.
Year: 1874

A French Countess has purchased the
Mount of Olives, and presented it to her
government, and is now erecting a con-
vent on the spot where the Savior is
supposed to have prayed. The prayer
is inscribed on the stone wall around
the court yard in thirty two languages.
The Countess is a lady of immense
wealth, and as queer as she is wealthy.
She lives in an old cottage of oriental
style, and has only tortoise shell cat
and brown dog for her companions.