smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1874

One of our New England exchanges
relates the following: "a body of
water, said to cover an area of two
acres or more, has just been discovered
on the top Of one OF the mountains in
Glatenbury. Some Of the oldest inhab-
itants say that many years ago it was
known to be there and was called the
Lost Pond, and that one day Stephen
Pratt, then of Bennington, vt, and two
other gentlemen we're roaming about in
the then seemingly interminsble forests,
trapping. Happening to have hooks
and lines in their pockets they, deter
mined to see if there wasn't some trout
in the small brook which they came
across. After getting everything in
readiness they threw their hooks into
the little brook, and to their amazement,
as they afterwards expressed it them
selves, it was filed with trout , They
fished along up the stream few rods,
and to their utter astonishment, came
to the pond above mentioned. There
they said the trout took hold too fast
for sport ! They caught more than
they could bring home through the
woods, and were consequently obliged
to leave some, but with determination
that they would visit the pond the next
day. After a long march they finally
reached the road to town, where they
had left theirt team, but greatly fatigued.
They travelled all the next day, but
could not find the pond, and it has not
been discovered until now.
Year: 1874

The story Of Deacon Goodman was
very popular twenty five years ago. He
would sing in his church, though he an
noyed all the congregation. The Dea-
con had a conscience in the matter and
said it was his duty to sing and he
would sing. And he did sing. They
drove him out of one church and he went
to another to hear the same prosecutions.


The law has been invoked in North
Carolina, recently, to stop another good
man who will sing when he can't sing.
William Linkhaw is his name, and he
was indicted for misdemeanor and tried
before Russell. Judge at Robson Supe-
rior Court Defendant was indicted for
disturbing religious congregation. The
evidence, as detailed by several witness
es, was substantially this +: Defendant
is member of the Methodist Church.
He sings in such a way as to disturb
the congregation. At the end of each
verse his voice is heard after the other
singers have ceased. One of the wit
nesses, being requested to describe de-
fendant's singing initiated it by singing
verse in the voice and manner of de.
fendant, which produced burst of pro-
longed and irresistible laughter, convuls-
ing alike the spectators. the bar, the ju-
ry, and the court. 1t was in evidence
that the disturbance occasioned by de-
fendant's singing was decided and seri-
Gus the effect of it was to make one
part of the congregation laugh and the
other mad that the irreligious and friv-
olous enjoyed it as fun, while the seri-
Gus and devout were indignant. 1t was
also in evidence (without objection) that
the congregation had been so much dis
turbed by it that the preacher had de-
clined to sing the hymn, and shut up
the book without singing it that the
presiding elder had refused to preach in
the church on account Of the disturbance
oceasioned by it +; and that on one occa-
sion leading member of the church,
appreciating that there was feeling of
solemnity pervading the congregation in
consequence of the sermon just deliver
ed. and fearing that it would be turned
into ridicule, went to the defendant and
asked him not to sing. 1t also appeared
that on many occasions the church MEM
bers' authorities expostulated with the
defendant about his singing and the dis
turbance growing out of it. To all Of
which be replied "That he would wor-
ship his God. and that as part of his
worship it was his duty to sing" De-
fendant is strict member Of the church
and a man of exemplary department. 1t
was not contended by the State upon the
evidence that he had any intention or
purpose to disturb the congregation, but
on the contrary, it was admitted that he
was eonscientiously taking part in the
religious services. There was verdict
of guilty, judgment, and an appeal by
the defendant.-N T. Observer.
Year: 1874

A correspondent writing from Canon
vile. Oregon, sends the following inter-
esting incident which occurred near that
place: About ten days since Henry
Bland and his wife of Canonville Pre-.
cinct went out into the mountains to
look after their sheep When about
three miles from home his two dogs got
after bear, aud after severe chase sue
oeeded in compelling the bear to climb
tree. About the time that Mr.. Bland
and his wife reached the foot of the tree,
another ferocious bear put in an appear
ance and savagely attacked the dogs in
the immediate presence of Mr.. and Mrs
Bland.


The fight now became animated and
furious, dogs and bear rolling over each
other in the death struggle down steep
mountain into the canyon below. Bland
was armed with Henry rife, but dared
not shoot for fear of killing his dogs.
Now came the question how to rescue
the dogs; only two cartridges were in
the rife. and these had to be used to the
best advantage


Mrs. Bland urged her husband to 90
to the assistance of the dogs, while she,
alone and unarmed, undertook to keep
the ferocious monster up the tree. He
started down into the canyon to where
the conflict was raging, guided by the
growls and yelps of the dog and bear.
He arrived not moment too soon, for
Bruin was evidently getting the best of
it, and would only be pacifed by the
last shot from the now empty rife.


1t was dark when Bland returned to
his wife at the foot of the tree. The
situation was anything but fattering.
The empty rifle was of little use, and
upon the determination of Mrs Bland to
sit up with the bear, he started for home
for more ammunition. The lady being
re enforced by the bleeding dogs now
felt that she was mistress of the situa-
ton. With no fire, far from home, in
the midst of craggy mountains, this in
domitable lady dared to hold at bay one
of the most ferocious monsters of the
forest.


| The bear. not liking his new home,
determined to descend the tree, but our
heroine with stick and the barking Of
the dogs, compelled Bruin to take a So
Der second thought, and, taking up g
position on lower limb. with eyehall:
of fire he stared at the scene below, but
our huntress was not dismayed by the
presence of her horrible companion, bu
stood guard until about 10 o'clock, wher
her husband and another man came t.
her assistance


She then started for home through
the deep canyons and gorges of the
mountains entirely alone, and it was a
midnight when she safely arrived at hel
own dwelling


The next morning. as soon as it wa:
sufficiently light, the bear was shot
He proved to be one of the largest o.
those known as the cinnamon variety.
Year: 1874

At recent tea-party in the High
lands, young man who had been relat-
ing his more than wonderful exploits in
various parts of the globe, was not
little set back by the remark Of an old
traveller: Young man, are you not
ashamed TO talk 50 when there are older
liars at the table?"
Year: 1874

The scandalous purposes Of the ring o
Columbus Alexander malcontents and theil
newspaper abettors have always been ap


parent, but never more so than now. Tt
know just what they are see the columns
of the New York Sun and Tribuns anC
Baltimore Sun since Monday. They be
gin to see that their pet project of placing
this District, financially and politically, il
the hands of receiver" to administer
upon Ae ''estate," is dead in the commit
tee, and they show their teeth in an unmis
taxable manner. They confidently counted
on majority of the committee for theil
corruptly partisan scheme, and having been
deceived, their rage and venom know nc
bounds. The New York Sun impudently
cracks the whip over Senator Allison
shoulders and warns him that If he darsl
to obey his own convictions instead of its
commands it will seal his political doom.
Too late Mr.. Dana, you don't own more
than one member of that committee, and
we doubt whether. he will care to stand
before his colleagues in the House of Rep
resentatives wearing your livery. The
Baltimore Sun. feebly copying the man
ners of its New York pattern, indulges in
low abuse of Senator Stewart while the
New York Tribune is reduced to the mere
parrot-like reiteration of the desires of the
most malignant memorialists, which it calls
public sentiment


Republicans in Congress, are you pre-
20 NIn e
Republican associates who have laboriously,
patiently and judicially endeavored to get
at the truth during these three long months?
Who have spared no effort shielded no
man. failed in no purpose to uncover every
wrong, evil or abuse that was supposed TO
exist? And to accept It, too, at the dicta-
tion of a gang of newspaper harpies who
threaten any man with political death who
dares disobey their commands, and who
inspired this investigation solely, as we
showed at the time, for the political scandal
they might reap from il? We ask you,
Republicans, when you order an investiga-
tion. whether, being responsible for results
you mean to control it yourselves, or
whether you will consent to surrender it
into the hands Of the correspondents of the
Sun and Tribune, to run it as a smut ma
chine for your own political defamation and
defeatf Are you under so many obligations
TO this class for kindly. considerate, and
just treatment in your public lives that you
ore willing to confess that your wisdom,
sagacity and courage are less potent to mold
correct conclusions in District affairs than
the malice and falsehood of papers like the
New York Sun and its kindred brood of
slanderersH


We do not know what results will be
achieved from the deliberations of the COM
mittee, but we do know that one or two of
the pet schepss Of the malcontents and
their newspaper allies are dead. And we
RE9o% further that this fact accounts for
their impotent rage and for their bold and
impudent attempt to apply the lash to the
Republican members of Congress, in the
expectation that they can be forced into rem
dering and ratifying just such verdict as
the blackmailing Sun and its confederates
demand. Ifsny Republican now feels this
lash, he will know for what purpose it is
applied.
Year: 1874

THREATENING THE COMMITTEE


As the end Of the labors of the Joint In
vestigating Committee into the affairs of the
District draws nearer, the slanderers upon
Newspaper Row are becoming nervous and
excited. The men who have been flooding
the country for the last three months with
unfair, malicious distorted reports of what
took place in the committee room, who sup
pressed every word and line in favor of the
District government and enlarged upon
every syllable that told against 1t. are now
endeavoring to obtain from the committee
an Endorsement of all that they have pub
llshed. The anxiety of these persons is
quite natural. If majority of the CON-
mittee, acting as judges in the matter, and
impressed with some degree of responsible
ity, shall fail to look at the testimony from
their point of view and give a verdict
against them, it will, of course, carry with
it their condemnation, and brand them as
willful ISLANDERS and falsifers. From the
written utterances of these gentlemen, it is
evident that they are very uneasy. The
presses which they have SO long used to
strike down the District government they
are now using to sustain themselves


To that end the members of the Joint
Committee are threatened in the cold and
cowardly style with which the public has
been so long familiar. Take, for instance,
the Tribune yesterday. In its Washington
columns it says that certain gentlemen
'have been working with the greatest eau
''tion and secrecy" to influence the CON-
mittee; that 'their names are known, and
publication of them would be far from
pleasant, Now, print the names. Let
US have them. Never mind about the
''pleasantness. And, again. members
''of the committee must understand that so
'fntense is popular feeling that the sug-
"gestion of whitewash In their report
will cause their political death" "Pop-
ular feeling" wheref In the Tribune
Officer Where is the evidence, the
manifestation of itH But the crowning
impudence of the Tribune correspond
ent asserts itself in the following
sentence: There are two or three things
that those who have brought about the in
'yestigstion, and who now desire to see the
ring utterly destroyed, demand" ODE
mand" is good. But who are they who
demanded the investigation Zebulon
White, o reporter of the New York Tri-
bune; A. M. Gibson, of the New York
Sun, and the forty or fifty note-shavers
and obstructionists, whose principal bust
ness In this city has been to prey upon the
poor and the oppressed; who have been
again and again beaten at the polls and in
the courts; who, for the most part, were
slsvers during slavery, and rebels during
rebellion. These men demand that Mr..
Willard, one of our largest property hold
ers; DR.. Blake, one Of our most respected
citizens. shall be incapacitsted from hold
ing office in this city in the future; shall be
condemned as dishonest and unfaithful to
their trust, merely to crafty and sustain q
man whose reputation rests upon the theft
of treaty; who was saved from the county
Jail by legal technicality. The threats Of
these men are simply infamous, disgrace
to journalism, and an insult to the commit.
tee and to Congress.
Year: 1874

GOVERNOR SHEPHERD yesterday sold his
stock in "The Evening Star Newspaper
Company" the remaining members Of the
company buying in his interest in equal
proportions. The price paid is understood
to be at the rate of fifty per cent. premium
on the par value of the stock
Year: 1874

HON WILLIAM a. RICHARDSON


This gentleman, who has just passed
from the Cabinet to the bench of the Court
of Claims, has suffered long and deeply
and silently from most ungenerous attacks
by the opposition, sometimes yclept indie
pendent press Educated to the bar, and
called early to the bench of his native
State, he led quiet, studious life, and soon
acquired an enviable reputation as an au-
thor and jurist.


Never having mixed actively in politics
it was with the greatest reluctance that he
consented to accept, even for few months,
the Office Of Assistant Secretary Of the
Treasury. Perhaps he then distrusted his
ability to cope with the adroit political
managers and unprincipled tricksters with
whom he foresaw that he should be brought
in contact in the Treasury Department.
He at length gave up his own better judg.
ment to the persuasions of his friends.


If his views of finance were not so broad
and comprehensive as some could have
wished. they were, at least, sound, as far as





revenue laws were administered by him, SC
far as he had personal cognizance Of theil
workings, with an eye single to the faith
full collection of the dues eccruing to the
Government.


The great error Of his administration wa:
not either ignorance OF his duties or incapa.
city to perform them. His ignorance was
simply Of the ways of the world Of poll.
tics and laid chiefly in ignoring Newspaper
Row. He not only did not run after the
specials, but he did not even load and fire
the Associated Press guns True, this was
a sin Of omission, but the Secretary proba,
bly, never dreamed of having committed it
until the foolish laugh was raised upon his
proposition to substitute small coins fol
fractional currency. He, no doubt, then
wondered what was the matter with the
boys on the Row. Upon the sound principle
that our approach to the specie basis must
be very gradual, not to create dangerous
revulsion, but that such an approach should
be commenced, and the sooner the better,
his conduct was not only dsfensible, but
praiseworthy. Newspaper Row, however.
never does anything in small way. In
fact, it rather depises the day Of small
things. It laughed the fve-dollar coin
payments to scorn. The great West too.
which enjoys and admires only greatthing.
even TO great fires and great smashes-
Joined in the ridicule without even waiting
to think that it would be perfectly easy tS
increase the iHe-dollar payments of change
to ten, as the coinage would permit, and
much easier and better to do it in that way
than 10 promise great payments in the frs
Year: 1874

We WERE in error yesterday in stating under
the head Of "Capitol and Department" that the
appropriation BY the committee oftbe House for
Gatling guns was for experimental purposes


At the last session Of Congress q small ap-
preparation was made for this purpose and ex-
perimsnts were entered upon by board Of dis
tinguished army officers, which led to the
adoption Of this arm, and an estimate from the
War Department for the number Of guns re-
commended by the board as needed the first Of
July TO commence the armament Of our fortih-
cations. The report Of this board of officers.
which we have before rs, Is, we are assured,
the most exhaustive and thorough on this i'm
portant arm that has beea made In this or any
other country. The trials prove incontestably
the great value Of the Calling gun, and the
necessity that this country be supplied with
them, as has been done by other frst-clsss
Powers. It is to be regretted that the entire
amount estimated has not been approved BY
Year: 1874

THE bill providing for the improvement Of
the mouth of the Mississippi was the subject
of lengthy debate in the House yesterday,
and the Fort st.. Philip canal appeared to be
the fsvorite project as offering the surest and
most permanent relief. Ten or dozen i'm
portant bills were passed.
Year: 1874

The Assistant Secretary of the Treasury,
Mr. Sawyer, will tender his resignation to
the President inasmuch as he wishes to
save Secretary Bristow from any embar-
rassment on his account
Year: 1874

NJ Claiming, as the Los Angeles Water
Company does, the exclusive right to
sell water within the corporate limits
of this city, people wonder why they
are so anxious to place their own crca-
lures in the Mayors and Councimen's
chairs. There arc several reasons why
the company is solicitous on this point,
but one will suffice for the present.
The company fix their own rates for
water and collect the pay for it
monthly in advance. Under the law
no water company has the right to fix
the rates for water at their pleasure.
At its last session the Legislature
amended section 54S of the Civil Code
to read rs follows: t5-


All corporations formed to supply water to
cities anu towns must furnish pure, fresh
water to the inhabitants thereof, for family
uses, SO long as the supply permits, at reas-
enable rates and without distinction of per-
son, upon proper demand therefor; and must
furnish wafer to the extent of their means in
case of fire or other great necessity, free of
charge. The rates to be charged for water
mnst he determined by Commissioners to he
selected rs follows: two by the city and coun-
ty or city and town authorities, or when there
are no city VI town authorities, by the Board
ofSupervisors of the county, and two by the
water company; and in case majority can
not agree to the valuation, the four Commits
sioners must choose q tifh Commissioner; if
they cannot agree upon fiith, then the Coun-
ty Judge of the county must appointsu such nth
person. The decision of the majority of the
Commissioners shall determine the rates to
be charged for water one year and until new
rates are established. The Board of Supervi-
sors or the proper city or town authorities may
prescribe proper rules relating to the delivery
of water not Inconsistent with the laws of the
State. GA.N H#M fH


No fair and equitable disposed Board
of Commissioners would fix the rates
for such water as is furnished Los An
geles at more than one-half the price
people are now required to pay for it.
Herein is found the reason why tie
Water Company can afford to spend
thousands of dollars in securing the
election of a Mayor and Councilmen
who will ignore the law and permit
the continuance of the present rates
for water. If the Water Company's
candidates are beaten at the city cleo
ton by ticket made up of men who
will heed more the einterests of the peo-
pie than the demands of the Water
Company, a Board of Commissioners
will be appointed who will not only
fix the price of water at reasonable
rates but they will see that, iii the lam
guage of the law, "pure, fresh water"
is supplied. 1t is the fear of this JUS
tice that spurs the company to almost
superhuman efforts to defeat Mr..
BEAUDRY and the candidates for Coun-
cilmen who if elected will insist on an
enforcement of the law.
Year: 1874

WITHIN the last forty-eight hours,
a little more than one inch of rain has
fallen in this vicinity. The effect has
been very fine in the country, but in
the city quite the reverse is noticea-
BILE. The streets are converted into
broad lakes and fathomless mud flats.
In many places the high ridge made
by the gas company serves as a dam
to prevent the water running away,
and the depth of water and mud above
the embankment at several points de-
fies the power of implements used in
deep sea soundings. Parties are about
to apply to the Council for license to
keep ferry at several street intersec-
tions, and one party will ask permis-
sion to plant an oyster-bcd in a lake
on Main street, provided he can obtain
from the Water Company the right to
water his own oysters. The present
condition of our streets would disgrace
a Chinese back yard.
Year: 1874

Since the E.Dpress commenced
charging Mr.. BEAUDRY with having
been guilty of criminal act in GER
tain land transaction and announced
it's determination to lay the case be-
fore the Grand Jury for investigation,
we have, on several occasions, asked
Mr.. BEAUDRY to give US statement
of the facts, but he declined to notice
the false and malicious charges until
an opp ortunity was offered to define
himself before the legal tribunal at
which the Express had stated it would
bring him. But rs his maligner con-
tinuei to reiterate its charges without
manifesring the slightest intention to
have them legally Investigated, at the
request of friends he gave US the fol-
lowing, which is all that transpired
between himself and BERNARD
relative to the lot in question:


One day Bernard was in my Office,
when / told him that / was losing five
and eight-tenths acres of land, which
had purchased partly from George
Hansen and partly from the Canal and
Reservoir Co., through the Bishops
having a deed from the city to twenty
acres which Tapped over my land to
that extent. He (Bearnard) then said
that he thought he had a lot also in
cluded in that Bishops 90 acres, which
was granted him during the time Mar
ehassault was Mayor, but as he had
considered it almost worthless, had
paid no attention to it for years; did
not know whether he had the deed, but
knew that action had been had in the
Council granting him the lot. Then /
told him that he could ascertain
whether he had deed ornot, and sug-
gested that by going to the city records
he could settle that fact. He then
stated that he had some difficulty with
the Bishop in regard to the tract of
land occupied by him (Bernard) adj
joining the Catholic Cemetery extern
sion; that the Bishop claimed por-
tion of that land from him; that before
this tronble the Bishop was in the
habit of visiting him and his family,
but since the dispute between them he
had never visited his family nor sa-
luted him.


A few days afterward he came into
my office again, and stated that he had
| found no deed from the city to him, but
had ascertained that the city had taken
action granting him the lot. He said
ne didn't know how to word a petit
tion, and wanted me to draw petit
| tion for him, which / refused to do;
but said that he might get my clerk to
| do it for him, which was done. Ber-
nard agreed to sell me the lot, but
after he had obtained the deed told
him that as he had stated to me that
he placed no value upon the land, if he
would give me deed 1 would pay the