smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1879

Captain Rhodes, of Esmralda county,
who Is In this city, is owner of what is
known as Rhodes Salt Marsh, but which
is a perfect laboratory of mineral wealth.
The valley contains 414O acres. 1t is
quite level, and is surrounded on all
sides with high volcano mountains. 1t
is situated about fifteen miles west of
Columbus.


In this little valley is a sufficient
amount of salt to supply all the markets
of the United States, If not the whole
world. A foot or two below the surface
is found solid floor of pure rock salt,
as firm and as transparent as ice. In
deed, when the sand that covers the sur
face is stripped off the salt below bears
very close resemblance to field of ice.
In many places little streams of water
bubble up through the mass of salt, and
very frequently deep pools are found,
which look just like the air holes in a
frozen lake.


The salt made at the marsh is perfectly
pure. w hen tract of ground has bee q


stripped of the surface soil the salt water
risea over the bed Of rock salt to the dep.


tn of foot or two. Then crystals of sal
begin to form on the surface of the water


and as they form they slnk to the bot


tom. 1fsalt Is to be Gne, for table use


workmen stir these crystals about with


shovels as they settle to the bottom, thus
breaking them up. For use in working
| silver ore coarse salt is as good as fine,


and the solid formation may he dug up


with picks If necessary, but the loose


crystals are more readily handled, and


as much salt of that KIND Is formed as


can be disposed of.


Not only are there inexhaustible stores
of salt in the little valley, but immense
stores of borax. This borax is of the


finest quality known, and two or three


cents per pound more can be obtained
for st in Europe than for any other borax
sent to that market. Splendid speel-
mems of tincal, or natural crystals Of
borax, are found in the marsh imbed ID
In the clay near the surface. Immense
quantities Of sulphate of magne>ia
(epsom salt) and sulphate Of soda (glau
Der salt) In a pure state are also found.
Nitrate of potassa (saltpetre) ls found,
bat the extent of the deposits Is not
| known.


Common potash is found in great
abundance, and among the curious speci-
maDs to be obtained, are what are called


'cotton ball" (boreate of lime) and f.
brous crystalline borax. Also there Is
found an abundance Of an unknown


mineral. 1t is something described In


none Of the books. 1t does not appear in


the shape of crystals, yet has regular
form of Its own, presenting the appear
anse CT branches of coral. 1t is thought
that this may be some new salt. A guam
ton. Virginia CitJ tNecdda) Enterpris
Year: 1879

IMPROVEMENTS IN DIFFERENT LINES


THE ELEVATED ROAD-RoUTE OF


THE NEW LINE TO CHESTNUT HILL.


Work is progressing rapidly in WIDEN
ing the space between the east and west
tracks of the Reading Railroad, on the
Germantown branch. Men were at work
all day yesterday above Girard avenue,
and in Q few days work will be COM
menced on the track northward from
Green street. The roadbed from Wayne
Station to Tenth street, is now being
widened for the purpose of laying third
track. A quantity Of steel rails for the
new Wayne and Tabor Railroad have
been loaded at Wayne Station, and as
soon as the bridge over the Germantown
Road is completed, track-laying will be
commenced. The iron work for this
bridge is on the ground, but the abut-
ments are not yet finished. The heav-
lest work is at Tabor Station, where for
some distance an embarkment of about
thirty feet is to be constructed.


NEW ROAD TO CHESTNUT HILL.


Already has the entire amount of the
capital stock of the new Germantown
aud Chestnut Hill Road been subscribed.
The Penns, lvania Railroad holds the
controlling interest. The new road will
leave the Connecting Railroad near the
Odd Fellows Cemetery, pass through
Germantown west of the turnpike, and
thence to hestnut Hill. The survey
has been completed and it is proposed to
push the work of construction rapidly
forward.


THE ELEVATED RAILROAD.


Work has been commenced by the
Pennsylvania Railroad in the prepafa-
tory construction of the new elevated
railroad. On Saturday stakes were
driven in the centre of Filbert street as
far east as Twenty-first street, and q
gang of men we're engaged on the west
side of the Schuylkill clearing away and
surveying the site for the proposed
bridge. A bend is to be made in tht
road at Twenty-6rst street for the pur
pose of avoiding the City Gas Works
Year: 1879

L
to mel


"Of course I'll go but wouldn't it be
better for you to tell me something about
yourself before seek Edna? The child
VIII ask thousand questions, AID, p r.
haps, be unwilling to leave her sister for
moment. She knows that this is the
crisis Of the fever, and that everything de-
pends on careful nursing"


5 aunton regarded HIM with q search
ing Stare, and then imr etuously said:


"Before the lord, oser, l could almost
believe that tn, re Is something wrong
here, and that you are in quandary as
10 what course to pursue. 1 am losing
the last grain Of patiencs that is in me-"
he cried, almost furiously. "Words
words words do you think I am to be
put off with them, Luis, when my very
heart is aching to see that dear face which
mas been my beacon star through all the
efiol is have made to make myself rich
for the sake of the smiles it would lavish
on me in time to come! Go--eo-I will
not be tried with another moment"


Loser thought it best TO obey tn i'm
periOus command, and got out of the
room as quickly as he could; but he
paused moment in the hall to review
the position, and reassure himself as to
his power to manage the complication o.
affairs so as 10 bring about q satisfactory
denouement, well knowing that if Staun-
ton got the slightest clew to what had
taken place between Kate and Harry
Conrad be would wreak terrible ven.
geanre on them all. The above we pub.
lish as specimen chapter; but the con
tinuatiOn OF this story will be found only
In the N. Y. Ledger. Ask for the mum
ber dated August 23d, which can now bt
had at any news Office or bookstore. 1
you are not within reach of news office
you can have the Ledger mailed to yol
for one year by sending three dollars t.
Robert Bonner, publisher, 18O William
street, New York.
Year: 1879

TIE Prescott papers are now adv = eating the building of q narrow gauge road from that place to connect with the Southern Pacific at Marico- pa The Enterprise says:

 With Prescott as railway termi- nus, the town would soon increase in wealth and population to a marvel Gus extent. Here would be the depot of supply and transhipment not only for the surrounding country but for MohaFe county and northern Arizona Capitalists could be brought into our midst without the necessity of endur- ing the horrors of buck boards and stages, and at their ease eXamine and invest in our mines. During the summer our friends from Phenlx and Salt River Valley, could in a few hours be brought out of tine heat and dust of the otherwise delightful local hy. and in the winter our people could return lhe visit Flour, grain and fruit could be laid down here frcr, Salt River and the Gila at a moderate cost. and life could he made pleasanter and more comfortable in consequence.
Year: 1879

SEcsETARr SHERMAN has writ ten a letter to John B. Iiasllin, an ex-Congressman, declining to be 2 candidate for the office of Governor of Ohio; but throws cut Lint for the Presidency as follows;

 What | would aspire to in case that public opinion should decide to make me a candidate fer President, would be to unite, in cooperation with the Republican party all the national clements of the country that contributed to. or aided in any way, in the successful vindication of the national authority during the war. l would do this not for the purpose of irritating the South or expressing them in any way, but to assert and maintain the supremacy of the national authority to the full extent of all the powers conferred by the constitution"
Year: 1879

TIE track on portion of q railroad in Colorado, has been laid over a mountain pass, 1C,24O feet above the sea level. IAIs is about the highest point railroad men will ever get to heaven
Year: 1879

The Toronto Mai, which is, we believe,
the Ministerial organ, takes up tho fishery
troubles, and remarks, in substance-Grst,
that If we catch any Canadian fishermen in
our waters in violation of treaty provisions
we may do what we please with them; and,
second, that If the provincial authorities
catch any American fishermen in Dominion
waters acting in accordance with the treaty
stipulations they will do what they please
with these unhappy Yankees and we
already know that they mob them. This is
of course bad joke of the Mail.


But all this talk is merely trifling with a
really important question. We would like
to know whether, when we come to either o
revision of the present fishery stipulations
or to new treaty, the Mail will not agree
with the HERAID that common sense and
convenience require that the two countries
Year: 1879

After turbulent session of two days and
half the Greenback Convention. having
first eliminated Mr.. George p. Jones, who
is perhaps the only able man they have in
the organization, adopted platform con-
tanning nineteen resolutions, took up col
lection, and nominated candidate for
Governor who seems to have appreciated
the farcical nature Of the whole proceeding,
for tho only engagement he would make in
the event of his election, he told the Con-
vention, was "to pardon some men out and
some won't" This speech looks little as
though he thought the most of his political
friends would have need of Executive
clemency.


The whole affair was absurd, and only o
little more than half the districts sent dele
gates, which shows that the voters have too
much sense to bother themselves with o
movement which has ceased 10 move.
Year: 1879

Comptroller Kellys annual report on the
city finances will give satisfaction, we
should say, to all concerned. He shows
decrease in the bonded debt of the city,
during the year ending ON he LIST OF
August, OF over four millions. vhile since
December 81. 1876 the bonded debt has
been decreased nearly eight and half
millions.


The valuation, real and personal, for this
year, shows decrease from last year, not
on the real but on personal estate. The tax
levy is slightly higher than last year by
reason, the Comptroller says, of additional
appropriations made by the Legislature"
and the rate of taxation is also, for the
same reason, slightly higher, as we'll as be-
cause the valuation is less. The rate OF
taxation is, nevertheless, We observe less
than in any year since 1873 except last
year.


On the whole Mr.. Kelly presents an en-
couraging view OF the city's financial con-
dition. He is so good Comptroller that
if his name were only Robinson we should
think he would want to be nominated for
Governor
Year: 1879

In whatever way the present difficulty
regarding the Madison Square Garden may
be settled, it is certain that the people of
of seeing a race which will far excel any
previous event in the annals Of pedestrian
ism. Whether the Ashley or the O'Leary
men get possession of the track it is clear
that Rowell's record here last spring will be
greatly exceeded. If he prove to be the
he will have to do a good deal more than
five hundred miles this time to win, and the
next man will not be twenty-five miles
behind at the finish, as Ennis was. There
never was such material gathered for one
Of these contests as is to-day in this city.
Weston and the BLOWER" whose records
have never been approached, are both on
hand while Rowell. who showed such re-
serve power when he last won that he
seems to-day to have almost as strong
chance of winning as any, is already in
active training and running off the spare
pounds rapidly. Hazael, too, is on the way,
and his work in England makes him far
from q stern man, even with those great
antagonists; while Ennis starting o day
or two early this time to get his stomach
wound up, little Panchot, who beat Ennis
best record, and the Yuma Indian, the dark
horse from the Pacific slope who is said to
have covered three hundred miles in two
days. make up bill promising rich sport,
which is likely to keep the Garden densely
filled from Monday morning till Saturday
night. If O'Leary can get his differences
adjusted in time to start with these famous
travellers, and can bring on his Boston dark
horse too, nothing will be wanting to insure
nearer six hundred miles than five hundred
being done in those trying 142 hours.
Year: 1879

Two persons were arrested at Brighton
Beach the other day for selling pools on o
race course, in violation of the law Of the
State. They gave bail, were discharged,
and that, we suppose, is the last that will
be heard of the case. The moral OF the
story is that the law does not prevent the
act it forbids. These men did sell pools in
spite of the law, as hundreds and thousands
of men do all over the State, and they not
only did sell them but they will sell them
again. In fact, the law against pool selling
might properly be classed with that branch
of the labors of our Legislature entitled,
claws of the State having special reference
to New York city" It is practically against
the sale of pools in this city. and against
proper restrictions and guarantees for
honesty, but is 30 enforced" as to
permit this game in other places. and in
the hands of people who do not object to
practise all sorts of ruses and underhand
devices to get around the law. At Saratoga
and almost everywhere else in the State
pools are sold with impunity, and just out
side the city pools are sold on races that
occur in the city under the auspices of the
Jockey Club, but such pools cannot be sold
in the city. These facts do great injustice
to that organization OF honorable men. Pool
selling is like great many other phases Of
financial venture, and may be conducted
fairly and honorably or in quite other
ways, and the difference between this game
fairly conducted or otherwise is as great as
possible. But the popular taste will in
dulge itself in excitements of this nature
and pools will be sold. Facts seem suffi-
ciently to indicate that the Legislature can
not prevent it. Why should it not then
take all the evil out of practices which it
cannot stop? This it can do. BY a proper
regulation of this practice it will be per-
mitted to the Jockey Club, which will guar
antee the public against abuses; and the
mere fact that the venture is thus brought
into daylight will strip it of the evils that
tend to surround it when it is driven into
holes and corners
Year: 1879

will grasp the Presidency il he thinks he


it, But what have the candidates to do


with that matter-under the constitution !?


Nothing at all. The constitution nowhere
gives a Presidential candidate the au-
thority to take possession of the Of
flee if he shall imagine himself
dent in possession has any other duty to
perform than to hand over the Office at the
appointed time to his successor, declared
by Congress.


1t will not do for the republican leaders
to be talking this kind of nonsense. If
they mean what they are saying then the
only safe thing for the people to do next
year is to sweep them from power
by an overwhelming vote, because
evidently their too long posses
sion Of power has put dangerous
and unconstitutional ideas in their heads.
If they are only talking for bunkum
then they had better take care lest the
voters, jealous of liberty and peace. and
justly resenting such hints of usurpation,
take them to be in earnest and visit upon
them the popular wrath.


When the party in power begins to talk
about needing q general, so that he may
put himself in office and that he may 'keep
down" anybody, that means that they are
considering unconstitutional and extra con-
stitutional methods, which no free people
will or ought to tolerate.
Year: 1879

directly interested-Canada and the United
States--shall treat directly, and not through
the Intervention of third party living
three thousand miles off, There are num-
Der Of matters about which Canada and the
United States could easily come to mutu-
ally advantageous agreement, If they could
treat directly, in a business-like way. Why
is that not the best and the practical way?
Year: 1879

WHAT JOLLY TIME those bouncing babies
had eating bar'ls of crullers and ginger snaps,
sponge cake and such like yesterday! And
they had ice cream, too and sandwiches, and no
end Of other things alike dear and disordering
to infantile stOmachs
Year: 1879

WALL STREET YEsTERDAY.-Stocksw were more
active and steady. Government and railway
bonds were in demand and higher, while State
securities were forgotten. Money was easier,
lending throughout at to 612 per cent on call.
Exchange was dull and steady
Year: 1879

The first time that we saw Peptateuct


he was about as unprepossessing and un'
promising spectacle as could well be
Unsigned.


Father and ], coming down the lane
one day from the grove, where we had


been for autumn leaves, found him stand
ing at the parsonage gate waiting for US
to come up--a bare-headed, bare-footed
ragged young negro, who looked jus,
then entirely out of season and out OF
place. .ss-----=='-z-
Year: 1879

Though many powerful appeals, many
solid arguments, cannot break our aflec-
tions from this earth, the hand of Il depart
ed child can do it. The voice that calls us
to unseen realties-that bids us prepare
for the heavenly land that says from
heigh;s of spiritual bliss and purity, Come
up higher, that voice is the voice that we
love so on earth, and gladly can we rise
and follow it. Behold, then, what little
child can perform for us,through its death
1t makes real and attractive to us that
spiritual world to which it has gone, and
it calls our affections from earth to that
true lie which is the object of all our dis
cpline, our mingled joy and suffering here
upon earth. That little child gone from
its suflerings so early,-gone,


" Gentle and undcfled with blessings on its head
has indeed become very angel of God
for us, and it is calling US to IA more spirit
ual life, and does it to win us. to Heaven.
Then shall we behold already the wisdom
and benevolence of our Father breaking
through the cloud that overshadows us.
Already shall we see that the tie, which
seemed to be dropped and broken, God
has taken up to draw us closer TO Hin, ,and
that it is interviewer with His all-grac iouS
plan for our spiritual profit and perfection
And we can anticipate how it will all be
reconciled, when His own hand shall wipe
away our tears, and the bliss of reunion
shall extract the last drop of bitterness
from "thc cup that our Father hath given
u.s."
Year: 1879

STORIES OF AN ELEPHANT.-Some
years ago there was an elephant of uncom-
mon size and intelligence in the London
Geological Gardens, who was the original
hero of an incident which has since been
related in different ways. lie was as
well known TO the frequenters of the Gar
dens as the bear-pit itself,and was n great
fIvorite with children, to whom he be-
haved with gentleness that was almost
pathetic. At a word from his keeper he
would tenderly wrap his trunk around the
body of any child bold enough to make
the experiment, and lift it gently to his
own broad back, and was evidently de-
lighted at the trust reposed in him. The
nurse-maids and the babies always brought
cakes for this elephant, and sometimes
gingerbread nuts, of when he was partic-
ularly fond. Among his. regular visitors
was Il young man who always gave him
bag of these nuts, and the elephant soon
learned TO know his benefactor. One day
this young gentleman offered TO the eie-
phant II bag of nuts strongly seasoned with
Cayenne pepper, and the big beast unsus-
pectingly opened his mouth, dropped the
nuts into it, and began to MUNICH them up.
ilIo IutOhI wis vi COuIoC Udul DulhOu,hhu
he trumpted aloud in his rage and pain.
Near him stood Il bucket, which he picked
up and handed to his keeper, thereby
signifyng his desire for water. He
drained palful after pailful while his tor
mentor stood near laughing at the sue
cess of his pitiful trick. The keeper of
the elephant, who had been told of what
had occurred, warned tho young man to
depart, but he refused to 60 Suddenly
the elephant, having slaked his thirst


seized the bucket by the handle and threw
it with terrific force ut the head of the
practical Joker, and with SO true an aim
that the missile missed its mark by IL few
inches only. The pail was shivered to
atoms against tree. Had it struck the
man it would have killed him instantly.
The same elephant-we tell the story as
told by his keeper-droppcd an apple,
which rolled into the adjoining stable of II
rhinoceros. By inserting his trunk be-
tween the bars of the partition between
the two structures, he was able to touch
but not to grasp the coveted fruit. He
made repeated efforts to obtain it, but in
vain, and at last apparently abandoned
the enterprise. Suddenly he again thrust
his trunk through the bars, and with n
mighty snort blew the apple violently
against the opposite wall. On its rebound
it came easily within his reach and he ate


it with token Of satisfaction. Whether his
act was the result of reason or chance our


readers may decide for themselves.
Year: 1879

A SHIP OF TIE DEsERT.-A report
comes from the Sierra Mountains of the
discovery of the timbers of stranded
vessel, resembling those Of II Chinese junk,
high up in the mountains, between Miner
al King and the headwatcrs of King River
The sound portions of the timber resemble
camlh + wood and it is said, still retains
faint smell. The fastenings are of cop
per ;the rigging, &c.,are of course all gone.
A number of bones, supposed TO be human,
were also found in the vicinity, and upon
the adjacent slopes there is abundant evil
dence of the previous occupation of the
waters in the shape of shells, as well as
the occasional finding of petriiied fish.


That this valley has at one time been an
inland sea is admitted by geologists, but
that these waters were navigatcd by Celes-
tial seamen one or two thousand years ago
has never been claimed even by the Chi
nese themselves. But these people do claim
TO have been the original discoverers o.
this country, and this find seems to give
color to the claim. 1t has also been claim
ed by them that vessels of theirs have
been wrecked on this coast, and that por-
tions of the crews have returned to China
but that the wreck itself should be located
and that this location should prove to be
in Tulare county, is surely notable fact


inviting the inspection of the curious ant
the solution of the scientific.
Year: 1879

SLATE RooFs 1t is often urged against
slate roofs that they must necessarily be
constructed Of much heavier timber in
order to sustain the extra weight; but the
falacy of this argument is readily seen if
we consider for moment that the timbers
required to sustain shingle roof must be
sufficiently strong enough to carry what
ever snow may fall and remain on its
surface, contingency that need not be
provided for in slate roof, rs the latter
material is impervious to water, and
having no rough surface exposed, ice or
snow cannot accumulate upon it; there
fore, it follows that shinge roofs are
occasionally subject to greater strains than
slate ones A good roof of slate is practi-
caly impershable> lis durability has no
limit, and in many cases where the tim
bers have had to be renewed on account OF
decay the slates have been carefully taken
off and relayed over the new timbers,
whereas the life Of shingle roof, under
the most favorable circumstances, does
not exceed thirty years. A slate roof
seldom takes fire from sparks from your
own chimney or from neighboring fires /;
and the water flowing from the roof to the
cislern during a rain storm is free from
dirt, insects, or decaying wood, and will
retain its purity for much longer period
than water that has first fallen on shin
Gle roof. f.-American BUtIder.S