smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1879

In the Mayors Office to-day there is likely
we hope not of the ridiculous scene, that
marked the opening proceedings in the
charges preferred against Police Commits
sioners Smith, Nichols and Erhardt some
months ago. From the foreshadowing
of Mr.. Wheeler's defence, published in
another column, it appears that the
Commissioners legal advisers are resolved
to test the question of the legality OF the
former refusal to allow the arraigned off,
GERS to appear by counsel should the Mayor
adhere to his past ruling on this point. In
that event an application will bemade to
the Supreme Court for a mandamus re-
straining the Mayor from taking any
further steps in the trial of the charges
until the rights of the accused officer have
been settled by a judicial decision.


1t is probable. that Mayor Cooper will
render these proposed legal proceedings
unnecessary by so far receding from his
former position as to admit Mr.. Wheeler's
right to be heard through counsel after he
has made "a formal reply as public officer
to the questions put to him by the Executive
touching his official conduct. The Mayor
will certainly avoid controversy on this
point if he is wise, and will at once proceed
with his case against the Commissioner,
allowing the latter all the legal rights he
can claim. 1t is evident that the sufficiency
of the charges, as form ulated by the Mayor,
must turn upon the questions first,
whether the funds collected from the men,
bers of the police force for cloth for their
uniforms can be considered in any manner
as public moneys which the Com
missioner receiving the same was bound
to pay over to the city treasury; and next,
whether the advanced price charged for the
cloth, under authority Of the Police Board,
was a fee or perquisite intended for Mr..
Wheeler's use and emolument in violation
of the charter. Unless one or other of
these propositions can be established
the charges as made by the Mayor
will stand chance Of failing. If
the Mayor had ken a plain, common
sense course and arraigned the entire
Police Board for conduct unbecoming pub
lie officers in compelling the members of
the force to purchase cloth from them at a
higher price than they could procure it Of
the merchant, the result might have been
less doubtful.
Year: 1879

The announcement is made that the
Italian government has directed quaran-
tine against vessels from the United States
on account of the existence of yellow fever
in this country. Last year they did the
same; but upon representations made
through the diplomatic authorities the
action was modified. Apparently it only
needs to call the attention of Italian
officials to the fact that the presence of
yellow fever at Memphis has no more rela-
ton to the health of city situated as New
York is than the presence of the plague
on the African coast would have with
any Italian city. They seem not to
understand this, nor to care to inform them
selves in regard to it but they are capable
Of understanding it if it is pointed out,
and our representatives, diplomatic or
consular, in that country must be in some
respects delinquent unless action of this
sort is actually taken against their protest


Especially is this true in view OF the expe-
rience of last year There may be just now
some points in our commercial relations
with Italy ON account OF which that gov
ernment is not unwilling to seize upon any
prelext to stop the traffic in American
goods, rs the English government seized
upon the case of some diseased cattle to
stop a trade with this country which was
ruinous to British land owners. II there is
any point of that nature behind this
Italian quarantine we ought to know it.
Year: 1879

Mr. Stoughton will, perhaps, have to be
counted in the number of reformers who
have assisted little in proving that a
diplomatic system is not a necessary part
of the present relations of great govern
ments. He says that the actual intellectual
labors Of a Minister to Russia from this
country will mot occupy week in year.
For that weeks work, therefore, the govern
ment pays the sum of $17,5OO, which
is more than it is worth. But the
ex-Minister is Of opinion that the social
duties of Plenipotentiary are very impor-
tant, because it is through the performance
of these that he acquires the knowledge
which will enable him to easily settle diff
culties should difficulties arise This theory
of our diplomatic expenditure, therefore, is
that we are sending number Of men to
school ut the national expense-sending
them to school that they may learn an art
which it is very unlikely they will have any
occasion to practise. But when did an am
bassador ever prevent war?
Year: 1879

We print this morning an interesting
letter from Saratoy, on the Volga, the cap
ital of the province of that name. Our cor
respondent writes from the hotbed of
Nihilism in South Russia and gives us
some idea of the immense amount of
dissatisfaction that exists among the
peasant populations, among the so
called Dissenters, and especially among
Cossacks dwelling on the borders OF the
Volga. 1t will be remembered that in April
last large number of the Cossacks Of the
Don we're in open rebellion and inflicted
serious punishment on imperial troops sent
against them The Cossacks of the Volga
are apparently ready to emulate their
brothers of the Don whenever the
time shall have arrived. Nihilism is not
dead; in fact, 1t has hardly commenced to
live, and is gaining strength and conf
dence with every fresh act of persecution
on the part of the government At pres
ent, it is true, we see only the darker fea-
lures of Nihilism acts OF incendiarism,
murder and vengeance-but when the
character and high standing OF the men
and women who lead the movement are
Year: 1879

What is an epidemic? Health authori-
ties and official doctors at Memphis are
cudgelling their brains to satisfy them-
selves with definition of epidemic dis
ease under cover of which they may still
refrain from declaring the fever epidemic
in that city, as if their ridiculous declara-
tion would make things either better or
worse, or as if u declaration which plainly
ignores notorious facts possessed any scien-
tifc or other value They had determined
that ifthe deaths from fever for the week just
ended exceeded the deaths from all other
causes then they would declare the
fever epidemic; otherwise not. Deaths
from ali other causes together were in
excess of the deaths from lever; there
fore the disease was not declared
epidemic. 1t is evident that this makes the
existence of an epidemic disease dependent
upon the activity of other diseases. If
there happen to be one or two deaths less
from acute disease then there is an epi-
demic; if one or two more, then there is not
an epidemic. Thus u hundred persons
might die from fever in one week and there
be no epidemic. and ten deaths might con-
stitute an epidemic in another week if in
this other week only nine died from all
other causes together In point of fact the
yellow fever wGs practically declared cpl
demic in Memphis two weeks ago, as we
noted at the time. On June 10 the corporate
authorities officially recommended that all
persons should leave the place who could get
away, set ON foot measures to remove those
who had not the means to leave, and an
nounced the intention to depopulate the
place if possible. That was the loudest
conceivable declaration that the theory OF
sporadic" cases was no longer tenable, and
that the very air was fatal and now, after
fourteen days, the steps then taken toward
the end so announced have LETT in the place
only u sediment Of population Z; ali the
communications are cut; the city is iso-
lated from the world, save by the connection
of the telegraph, and the doctors are dis
cussing in what circumstances they shall,
can or may declare that the place is in
| tected with epidemic disease.
Year: 1879

THE WEATHER.-Thc meteorological condi-
tions have again become very unsettled west of
the Mississippi River. The rise that took place
in the barometer on Saturday throughout the
West and Northwest has been succeeded by "a
very rapid fall, and now the pressure is below
the mean except on the Western Gulf coast
The disturbance that was moving over the lower
lakes has reached the coast line and is now
passing into the Atlantic off Nova Scotia. The
pressure is highest over the South Atlantic
States. Rain has fallen in the Northwest, over
the lakes and in the South Atlantic and Gulf
States. Thunder showers were also expert
cnccd in many sections of the Middle At
lantic and New England States, but no damage
from them has yet been reported. The tempcra-
ture fell suddenly in the Northwest during Sat
urday night, but il recovered again somewhat
yesterday afternoon IL rose In all the other
sections of the country except over the northern
portion of the lakes, where 1t varied but little.
The winds have been fresh in the central Val
leys and over the lakes and light elsewhere. To
Judge from the present indications the depres-
sion in the West will develop energy as il moves
over the lake regions aud the precipitation will
be great Tornadocs and electrical disturb
anccs are likely to be developed in the
central valley districts and nortlwestward
to the Platte during the next few days.
The weather over the British Islands is sultry
and threatening The weather in New York
and its vicinity to-day will be warm and partly
cloudy, possibly with rains and temporary fall
in teIuy crnture. To-Inorrow il will be warmer
,uid cloudy, with thunder showers.
Year: 1879

taken into consideration it must be ad-
mitted that the Russian government
has to deal not merely with visionaries or
dreamers, but with vast people who have
gradually become keenly alive to the fact
OF their degradation and oppression. IL Is
with no spiSit of hostility to Russia
that these impressions are recorded. The
NATIONS of Europe that have become great
have had to pass through their periods OF
purihcation and enlightenment. and Russia
is apparently about to pass through hers
Year: 1879

THAT WE CAN SUCCESSFULLY compete with
John Bull on his own soil is shown by the fact
that preferred rates are given to American beef
and corn several of the English railways be-
cause the latter convey larger bulk than they
get from the English farmers. The subject has
been brought TO the attention of Parliament
Year: 1879

WITH FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND PEOPLE
visiting Coney Island every week, what As to be
done with the garbage and waste material that
must necessarily accumulate : 1t is question
that concerns the health of the locality.
Year: 1879

The testimony for the prosecution was con-
cuded yesterday In the trial OF William Kelly as one OF
the Manhattan Bank robbers, Charles w. Brooke VINO
named In tho testimony OF Waichman sheveiin on
Wednesday as the lawyer who went to Washington 70
Influence Congress in the interest OF tho roboers hh


dressed the Court He denied that he had ever received
any money from the robbers for such purpose TIA
he had gone to Washington for them. or han any
connection with them excepting a. the rouh'ei OF
Hone Justice Daniels said that there no evidence
against the counsel mere hearsay. william a.
Beach in opening for the prisoner said tnnt hey w &
be ,ie q D. we that Kelly not In the city at the
time of he robbery
Year: 1879

fashionable garment can now be made ny
taking husbands Ulster dyinRit brown cuttnR ON
the breast pockets gathering II behind and sewing ien
cents worth OF black ruching around the neck WIN
OF on. midde-siZed woman can sail INTO
nve-cent store with the air Of a duchess-lithaca
Year: 1879

From the Hagerstown Mail.


The Washington House, the newest
and largest hotel in Hagerstown, oppo-
site the Old Bank, formerly "The
Globe" which was rebuilt and compile
ted in 1855 is now a mass of ruins. 1t
was four stories high, the three upper
ones being occupied as a hotel and the
lower front floor by the Adams Express
Office and Hartles Saloon, on the east
side of the entrance, and by the harness
mandatory of J. Z. CcComas and dry
goods store of Hoffman S Eyeriy on
the west.


The fire broke out about l2 o'clock
and by 1,2 the destruction was com
plete. The flames did not extend be-
yond the house. The night was beau
tifuly bright and calm, and as there
was bountiful supply of water in the
different cisterns there was no danger
of an extension of the flames, at any
time, although the two steamers and a
hand engine did exhaust the supply in
the Public Square, sooner than would
have been the case had the fire engines
been distributed more generally.


The progress of the flames was very
rapid, and had it not been that the
house on the west had slate root, and
the small out-buildings, including the
'Globe" office, were well secured with
49,, ,oof, tbo,o ,ronIl bavn bnnu GREAT
danger. About three-quarters OF an
hour after the fire commenced the cen
tire of the east wall fell out and upon
the back building of Mr. Barbers house,
occupied as part of the store OF Mr.
Gibson, crushing it in. Mr. Gibson had
however before removed all his watches,
iewelry and variety articles, and no
damage was sustained by the accident.
At about noon yesterday the central
portion of the front wall fell out into
Washington street, and as we write the
corners are standing, and likely to fall
any moment, Ropes are stretched across
the street to prevent passage.


LOCALITY OF THE ERE.


The fire was discovered about l-2
o'clock in the closet under the steps, in
tbs first story of the house, leading into
the main building from the back yard,
where kindling wood was kept. Near
this closet and separated only 10y pas
sage, is the liquor cellar OF Hartles sa.
loon, in which was collection OF
liquors. When discovered the stairway
over the closet was on fire and the blaze
ard smoke were bursting up the steps,
to the floor above, upon which are the
offices, parlors and sample rooms, and
cutting off communication above by
means OF the main stairway. OF course
the liquor room added TO the rapidity
of the fire and cut off the main entrance
into the hotel by the stairs leading into
the street. Almost as quick as thought,
it ran up the stairway 10 the stories
above and completely cut off communi-
cation with them. This left as the only
means of escape, back stairway, in the
wing which was unknown to most OF
the guests of the house, and they were
driven, as the only means Of escape, TO
the four ranges OF posts supporting the
porch running along the four stairway s
of the wing. On the west side OF the
main building is the ladies entrance
from the street, which runs up two
flights of stairs and no more. This is
very narrow and was in few minutes
rendered impossible by the heat and
the flames which had spread over from
the main entrance above.
Year: 1879

A MOUNTAIN OF SALT.-There is in
the State of Louisiana mountain of salt
rising out of low marsh to the height
of 40 feet. Specimens of rock salt have
been taken from the base of this noun
tain that is of pure white crystals, with
white exfoliations. The salt mine in
question is on the island of Petit Anne,
a tract of 1900 acres, near the Gulf Of
Mexico The shallowness of the ap-
proach to the island requires the con-
s.ruction of causeway to dep water
before this remarkable salt mine, which
has been opened into the pure rock salt
to depth of 60 feet, can be economical
ly worked. The quantity Of underlying
salt is estimated at at least 1000, 600
tons. The quality of the salt is shown
by analysis to be equal in purity to the
best Liverpool salt.
Year: 1879

JUDGE TRUMBULL has within a day
or two become prominent as the man
likely to be supported by the Democrats
in the Illinois Legislature for United
States Senator, and it is one of discoura-
ging things about the machine that such
a man can be defeat, d by either of the
three who are seeking the Republican
caucus nominal ol.-Tmes.
Year: 1879

THE Republican still opposes the propo-
sition that the Government should pay
back to the citizens of Delaware the
money which the State appropriated To
furnish substitutes TO the army. Della
ware is small, but was forced by some
means to furnish larger number Of men
for the army that any other State accord
ing to her population. Her Governor,
although Democrat, and called by that
paper "disloyal," appointed a lifelong
opponent of that party at the head of the
State militia, while the Adju'ant Gene
rails office was bestowed upon Republi-
can also. The State had also for its
Governor a war Democrat (so-called)
and Republic ar Congress. And its
Legislature acted with SO much wisdom
as to make the States condition enviable
to all the States, many of which reck.
lessly involved their people in immense
debts that were, as the Republican says
paid back to them by the Government
lit pALEI lE Will ilcNcl Dt CoilNlllCtt
that the Government does not owe tn,
State all the money it paid out for sub
sttdtes. 1t was also responsible for til,
thieving Provost Marshal it placed owe
us, who robbed our people of thousand
and robbed the government also. TIL,
government sent him to the penitentiary
where he deserved to be punished bu
with the Congress of the United State
rests the stigma of taking advantage 0
single Congressional District that ha
been robbed.
Year: 1879

New York, March pa fire oc-
CURED at 2 this morning in Lilienthal's
tobacco establishment, in Pearl street.
Three alarms had been sounded, proba-
bly, owing to the narrowness and crook
edness of the street, and the fact that
the elevated railroad. which passes in
front of the building, was likely to him
der the firemen. 1t is still burning at
this hour, and the whole lower portion
of the city is deluged in deep smoke.
Engines on the elevated railroad which
are kept over night south of the place
now burning, all ran the guantlet to
the north of Lilienthal's to be ready
for the days business in any event.
Year: 1879

THE other day the judges of the SUI
preme court of New Hampshire for
mally resolved to forever abstain from
the use of intoxicating drinks. They
must have been good old soakers, to
to render such action necessary. How
ever, there will certainly be no appeal
ing las in King Phillips easel from the
court drunk to the court sober.
Year: 1879

THE democratic party in congress
want to back down, and will do it if
they can find any good place to alight.
There is not democratic leader in
either branch that would not pay a
premium to be kicked into the middle
of next fall, and have all the interven-
ing time blotted out.
Year: 1879

IF congress only had as much sense
as the president, and would make their
work as brief as his message, the entire
nation would willingly vote each mem
ber eighty acres.if he would on it and
90 to blowing,
Year: 1879

Shortly after six O clock last evening
a colored man was driving a COW and
calf down Madison street, and when
near Eighth, the COW seeing a little
girl standing on the curb stone, ran at
her and hooking her up in her horns,
tossed the child clear over her back. The
colored driver seeing the child tossed
into the air ran and caught her in his
arms before she fell on the hard cobhle
stone pavement, which would no doubt
have killed her. The child's name vas
Eva Sullivan, five years of age and re-
sided with her parents at $40 Madison
stree:. The cows horn left considerable
of mark on the little girls back where
it struck her, but she is able 10 be run
ming about to-day. The COW is said tc
belong to Pusey Scott 4 Co.
Year: 1879

The Suasion meeting goes on as usual
this evening, rain or no rain. Great I'M
provements in the matter of ventilation
have Just been made, and the room will
be comfortably cool and the air fresh
Speeches will be made, and the meeting
enlivened by solos, Duets, choir sing
ing, readings and one or more entirely
new speaker, will he on hand. II. W
Morrow will preside.
Year: 1879

The alarm of ire last evening at
o'clock was caused by the cotton takinI
ire in one of the rooms at the Frank
lin Mills, corner Ninth and Walnu
streets. The fire was put out by thu
employees of the mill. The alarm Later
in the evening was also caused by
slight fire in the same place, which was
put out by the Fire Department.
Year: 1879

few days ago cat belonging to Ed
ward Barney, residing at 2ll East Sec,
ond street, returned to its home after
an absence of a year. The cat is over
8 years old and when it returned home
it went into the house and took its &C
customed seat on one of the chairs,
Mr.. Barney has no idea where the cat
has been, and strange to relate it knew
every one in the house. The cat is in
frigh.ful looking condition, and the
supposition is that parties had thought
they had killed it.
Year: 1879

Whatever tends to improve the working of Bessemer steel, now that it is to be more large ly employed than ever in the construction of ships and stcam-boilers, will be welcomed by the practical engineer. The principal obstacle to the production of good, cheap steel plates is the numerous blow holes found in the outer parts of the ingots. Into these holes slag, scale, and small pieces of sand or brick fall, and are rolled into the plate. Even when no foreign body is retained by these holes, the subsequent rolling does not close them Sergius Kern has tested the following methods of overcoming the difficulty O. Compressing the liquid steel after casting; @ hammering the ingots before rolling them, and (3) heating the ingots to a mild welding heat As to the first plan it undoubtedly serves to secure sound ingots but the apparatus for compression is expensive. This objection of cost does not apply to the second plan, for all the apparatus necessary is a steam hammer. But the welding process is the cheapest of the three remedies, and has been found very efficient. The ingets having been covered with sand, are placed, for one and halt to tive hours, in a gas or ordinary relocating furnace until the scale runs off. The surface thus having been superficially welded, the ingOts are immediately and rapidly rolled into plates. Care must be taken not to employ too much heat but this overheating skillful workman can easily prevent.

 WOMEN AS PRISON MANAGERIAL Indian apolis is a woman's prison which is managed in every department by women. The wife of ex-G0vernon Hendricks is on the board of managers, and the superintendent is a Quak- eress, Sarah Smith. All accounts agree that it is one the most admirably managed instit- tutiOns in the country, so we'll managed in fact that Governor Williams in a late report ts the legislature. says that these ladies have, ''as shown by their two reports. trained the inmates Of the institution to habits of industry, practiced rigid economy in every department and kept their expenditures within the appro- priations." This is much more interesting because of the popular idea that women do not understand anything about finances. In this case it is emphatically shown that they have decided tact and ability in this direction, for they were allowed less money than was given on the same basis for the conduct of the mems prison -hilsrdukee iSentiael
Year: 1879

He had given rs such a terrible scare
that resolved 10 be revenged upon him,
and was for cutting off his head al once,
but q party If miners who had gathered
around us begged that he might be laid
across an ant-hill. / told them that
they might dispose of him as they pleas
ed. They carried him to an adjoining
ant-hill and laid him across it; his spine
being broken, he, Of course, could not cs-
cape.


Then ensued u fight. The ants attack
cd him in force and he slaughtered them
by thousands, but they hurled legion up
on legion upon him, and III ess than two
hours all that remained OF the snake was
a beautifully polished skeleton. which
lay across the ant-hill, cleaning in the
sunshine