smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1878

Mr.. Editor:


In a communication in this morning q
issue of the Rock Island Union, member
of the council advances as a reason for
recording his vote in opposition to the con
struction by the city of sewer on 18th
street, to carry off the sewage from the
new theatre building-that the residents
of 23rd street were asked by the city
council to pay towards the construction Of
their improvement seventh-ninths of the
entire cost, and that the refusal to bear
the entire expense of an improvement
upon said street was just and sufi-
cient cause for like legislation upon 10th
street. Does Mr., Warnock presume to
persuade the citizens of our city that the
comparison is just one-that there is NOT
an important distinction between the two
which il will not be difficult for the average
citizen to distinguish.


Did not the city council appropriate tc
be exDeDded upon the 23rd sewer the sum
of $740, with no probability that one dol
lar of it would ever be received again by
the city, either as a water rent, or as tax
upon the enhanced value of the property
in the vicinity for the expenditure
If the construction of the sewer had taken
place it would have been made for reasons
other than the returns which would iu
most cases form a satisfactory reason for
making the outlay; what then was the
object in voting such a large amount while
the finances OF the city were insufficient to
meet the demands continually made upon
them-simply this, that by tfre-making OF
that appropriation the expenditure OF
nearly $1,000 would be secured, and
thereby employment furnished to those
who we're both destitute and idle,-that
was the principal incentive which induced
the council to make so liberal an appro-
priation for the benefit of few,


If then the city council was justified
in their acts upon the 23d street matter,
how infinitely greater the reason that the
10th street should be built where $4,000
has been expended by liberal and enter
prising citizen and where the return each
year from the money thus expended by
the city will nearly or quite equal the
total amount of the outlay. We agreed
to make a donation of upwards of 500
TO carry off water from the cellars of q
few of our constituents who were unfor-
tunate enough to have built their houses
above few cisterns of their own digging,
uus "uoEG VIC arc pdlu iUE efcIy ufOD 0I
water for which Mr.. Harper seeks an out
let we find ourselves either too poor in
pocket, or encumbered with determine.
ton to discourage public spirit and indi-
vidual enterprise by taking advantage of
conditions as they exist, and persisting that
Mr.. Harper, having already expended
$4,000, by refusing him our assistance he
shall be compelled to spend yet another
hundred, A MEMBER.
Year: 1878

Ionlgnt at o'clock, the merchants of
this city win meet at Mitchell & Parsons
store to consider the best means for re-
tanning the business of Rock Island, where
it properly belongs-here. It is the duty
Of every business man and property owner
to be there and encourage the move ment
which should succeed, and can if proper
spirit is shown.


While devising means TO retain our local
trade, itshould:be borne in mind that "re-
form begins at home" It's fact sus-
ceptible of proof that merchants in Rock
Island allow their families to trade in
Davenport, when they should prevent it
and could if they SO desired. 1t is equally
we'll known that great many go to Dav
enport who could be restrained from 50
doing bY closer attention to special"
wants of customers. It is also fact that
many people 60 to Davenport not
because they can buy any cheaper, but be-
cause it sounds" little better. The
writer Of this knows Of a property owner
here, who makes his money here, rents his
property here. and is indebted to this COM
munity for euery dollar he as aoorth, yet
goes to Davenport for fancy hose and
clothing, just for style, when if he tried
our own merchants, they could get up bet
ter clothes and sell him just as fne hosiery
and at Is to 20 per cent. less money than
he pays over the river. Again we know
of lady who went to Davenport to buy a
chandelier, after visiting May Bros, and
then told how cheap she had purchased it
when in fact May Bros. would have sold
her the same style for $3.50 less, which
was old and out of date and which they
did not show her, thinking she would moi
care to look at anything not strictly in
fashion. 1t is all Imagination about buy.
ing cheaper in Davenport than here-it
cannot be done. Our merchants can sell
just as cheap and cheaper. They buy al
low and lO,oer than Davenport business
men and they can and do sell for cash
less than Davenport ever dared to do
Then again, admitting for argument sake
that goods can be bought as cheap in Dav.
export as here, or even, in some lines 6
per cent. cheaper, the citizens of this
town, who earn their money here, and
are indebted to the community fol
all they have. should be acilling to pGs
eUen more for their goods an Rock IsldnC
rather than hurt the town by going tt
Davenport. No business man, property
owner, laborer, mechanic, or citizen car
afford to trade in Davenport. The inter
ests of the city demand that the trade o.
this city be retained and as step in tha
direction, let our merchants advertise
their prices. Let the people know wha
you have for sale, and put your prices
down to cash" figures, Show the Dav'
exporters that Rock Island can underseI
any city this side of Chicago, Printer
ink has added largely to the success o
Davenport 1t is not too late for Rocl
Island merchants to try its efficacy. Th,
columns of The ARGUS are not so crowd


ed but what we can find room for local ad


vertising. As the first step, we suggest t


merchants" Advertise
Year: 1878

Frank Miller's Harness Oil and Blacking
is pronounced by the trade generally to be
the best manufactured. The grade Of
these goods is always standard aud theil
reputation unsurpassed anywhere. The
firm is one of the oldest in the country and
has the largest trade in its line in the
country. oWtF
Year: 1878

National Associated Press to the Star.


New YORK, June IA reporter yester-
day found Lieut.. Gov, Dorsheimer slightly
annoyed at the prominence which had been
given to his visit to Schwab, but was quite
willing to talk about his visit. II don't
think, said Mr.. Dorsheimer, "that what are
called upper classes do right in ignoring
the wishes of this large class Of people and
making no effort to understand them. The
antagonism which exists between the
Communist and the capitalist is
born of ignorance of each other
and is dangerous L wish newspapers
would take the trouble to tell their
readers-the truth about such men as Schwab
and his party. He is not so black as paint
ed. He is not, in my opinion, the man to
counsel bloodshed. He talks we'll, and with
certain amount of eloquence, of the hard
ships of the people and their discomfort, at
the same time he Is moderate in language.
The question that seems most debated is the
Year: 1878

eight-hour law. Schwab would make it
legal offense for a man to work more than
eight hours day, or an employer to exact
more than eight hours from employees He
is not apparently greenback advocate. So
far as l could find out he had no knowledge
of any Western outbreak on railroads. He
is bright fellow with fair amount Of good
sense in radical talk"


Citizen Schwab was also interviewed, but
refused to disclose the conversation between
himself and the Lieutenant Governor. 1t
was learned that Mr.. Kingman Page, tall
elderly gentleman, had three times visited
Sehwab, and on Saturday came in company
with the Lieutenant Governor and that
there were but three persons present at the
interview, which lasted over an hour.
Year: 1878

The Snohomi,h star says that the re
ports from the Sultan river mines are
quite favorable. Robert Barrett, one
Of the original proNpectors and discov
errors OF the new bench diggingS, re
ports finding true bed rock IA the old
elevated river bed, and continuous
deposit OF gold down to the bed rock
While the earth is not rich enough to
pay for working with pan or rocker
they regard it as demonstrated that DO
will pay them to work all next sum.
mcr at hydraulic mining, and that the
indications are that 1t viii pay wage,
with ordinary box sluiccs Tins last
point cannot bc fully determined bc-
fore next spring. The mines are So
situated that II it will pay for anyone
to work there next summer it Will af
ford work for several thousand men.
Mr. Cotton and the Barrets feel en-
couagcd to continue their present Sys
tcmatic and thorough prospecting all
this present winter.
Year: 1878




Especial to the Democrat


WASHINGTON, April % Smith seems to be
quietly working up considerable of chance
for confirmation. He does not appear to be
seriously antagonlzed from any quarter at
present He claims that Kellogg will support
him actively, and that Eusts will not oppose
him Eustis himself, however, is non-conl-
initial and does not indicate definitely what
he will do when the nomination is reported
from the committee. My inference Is that he
takes very little personal interest in the
matter and unless moved to exertion by
expressions from his constituents, will let the
thing go by default


Tomorrow promises to be q day of interest
in the House. An effort will certainly he made
to prevent the reference of the Florida con
fnssion TO the Judiciary Committee, and II Is
by no means certain that the two-thirls vote
necessary to suspend the rules can be OBJ
tained The matter, however. will be put In
such shape that members will have to make
| a record on the subject.


The friends Of Hayes express confidence to-
night that the resolution to reopen the case
will fail, and they openly say that forty Dem
| ocrats, at least. will vote against it.
AckIen succeeded yesterday in getting in q
resolution for committee of three to inves-
tigate CaIeasieu matters. The resolution was
referred to the judiciary Committee, and
Aclzlen will exert himself to secure an imme-
diate favorable report. He will be chairman
Of the committee when IT is made up
Year: 1878

Unity.


New YoRK. April 29-From the latest for
eign papers we CLEAN the following Advices
from Berlin state that Chancellor Bismarck
has determined to throw away the liberal
crutches upon which he has leaned for the
last five or six years, and to walk alone upon
a path which. in the opinion of men who be-
lieve Themselves to represent the constitution
and the will of the ma inrityof the German na-
tion, Is bound to lead that nation to disaster
and ruin.


Roughly and briefly stated. the main argyll
ments upon which Prince Bismarck bases
his contemplated change of front are rs fol-
lows: German unity, the snmmum bonatn,
which have resolved to realize, cannot be
achieved as long Us the conscences of several
millions OF Germans are at odds with their
loyalty to the Imperial crown, and with the
potentality OF their obedience to the laws en-
forced upon them by parliamentary major
tiles, consisting of men who hold their re-
ligious tenets in abominaton.


Il have tried the experiment, and 1t has
failed In truly lamentable manner AS
nothing is SO stupid and futile as to persevere
in any special course OF conduct simply be-
cause one has once adoUted 1t under errone-
GUS Impressions. propose to withdraw from
a coerclve policy as far as the German Pa
pists are concerned, thereby removing the
one solid obstacle TO their cooperation with
me in the achievement of German unity.


Moreover, have given free trade u fair





the country commercially, industrially or
financially, am overwhelmed with lamen-
tatiOns respecting the decline of trade and
the decay OF manufacturing enterprise, and
with assurances from the people, for whose
Judgment in such matters I entertain the
highest respect, that partial and moderate
protection will remedy these evils as If by
magic. Therefore | also propose to give pro-
lection chance ameliorating the condition
Of the manufacturing and operative classes,
and of tightening the load which the budget
unquestionably lays on the shoulders of the
nation.


"As certain of the ministers with whom
have hitherto worked on my former platform
will not range themselves by my side in my
new plan, | must rid myself of them and get
others in their places who will carry out my
resolves. The National Liberal arguments
are equally clear and convincing, regarded
from their point Of view.


The influence of the Roman Church recog-
nized and tolerate by the State, is incompat-
ible with the very existence of German unity.
Coming to terms with the Papacy is equva-
lent to digging mine under the German en-
pire which will blow it into fragments one of
these fine days. The Holy See is our best
Fri nd and our worst enemy; ergo, we must
crush it or it will crush us.


10 return to protection from free trade is
to go back to barbarism from civilization.
Free trade may be apparently obnoxious to
certain class interests, but it is beneficial to the
eena III tHnftt IT large. II German industry y
suffer through it that is not the fault of free
trade but of German industry itself, which
is not enterprising, intelligent and active
enough to compete with foreign industry"
Year: 1878

New YORK, April 2S.-Mrs. Elizabeth 'Tilton
has been sick ever since she made her confess
sion, and has been under the care of her
physician. Her sickness was produced. it is
thought, more through excitement than from
any serious physical trouble. On inquiry in
the neighborhood yesterday itewas learned
that she had been out Of the house but once
or twice since her confession was made public
and has admitted but few friends.
Year: 1878

New YORK. April 2S.-At meeting Of the
American Temperance Union held this after
noon in Irving Hall. resolutions were passed
in opposition to the excise bill, and calling
upon the Senate and Governor not to allow it
to become law
Year: 1878

may not commit his country to any disadvan-
tageOus concession.


IT is regarded as possible that the Russians
will occupy Bucharest to-day Sunday under
the pretext that it is a necessary act of pre-
caution to maintain order.
Year: 1878

Professor Henry A. Ward, of Roch-
ester, who recently mounted the cele-


brated Stuttgard mammoth, speaks as
follows, in letter to the Rochester


Democrat. of the habits of the animal:


But by lar the greater mass of the


great herds have left us nothing ex-
cept their bones, teeth and tusks The


number and volume Of these remains,


which are dispersed over this entire
region, is something almost incredible.
Certain islands in the Siberian sea
sea have the soil crowded full of them.
This is particularly the case at the


Laichovian Isles, north of the mouth


of the river Seva. The tusks are so
numerous and are in state of such
excellent preservation that they form
an important article of commerce and
are annually shipped in large quanti-
ties Russia and to Eng land, then to be
employed by the ivory turner in the
same works Us is what may be termed
the living ivory of Asia and Africa.
The preserver in Siberia of these count
less large bones, buried under ground
and frozen in tho ice, has long been
wonder to the inhabitants of the coun-
try, who had no reasonable explana-
ton of their source or origin. With
absurd credulity they attributed them
to gigantic mole, which they thought
burrowed in the ground, living on
roots and only appearing stthe SUR
face daring the darkest nights. To
this creature they gave the name of
which in their language is
q term applied to any burrowing ami,
nal. This name has been Universally
accepted in Europe, but limited to the
species studied by Cuvier, and des-
cribed by bis friend Blumenbach as
Year: 1878

This story is true in every detail "a


milliner of responsibility married dis
sipated tailor, who abused, neglected


and abandoned her. Several years hay-
ing passed withouta clue to his where
abouts. her friends advised divorce and
the acceptance of an advantageous offer
Of marriage. The woman persistently
declined every offer, and when she had
accumulated sufficient sum started off
in the direction her husband was sup
posed to have taken when he left. her.
At Halifax, N. S., she received a slight
clue and took the steamer for Portland,
Me. Thence she followed the trail to
New York city, where she ceased for
many months to hear from him. Finally
she found he was working in Albany,
for which place she Immediately started.
She was about week too late; he had
been discharged for drunkenness.
Spending her days at lucrative work
and her evenings at detective service,
the unwearying wife at length discov-
cred that he was employed by a large
firm in Chicago. She wrote there, and
was answered that her husband had
gone away, uO Ouo kuOW WhOiO. -AsO'
satisfied with this she travelled to Chi,
cago and ransacked every concern inter
ested in the tailoring business there, un


til she met a low-countryman, who
said that her husband, when last heard
from was in Omaha. She wrote there


got no answer, but went on. Then she
heard that he had certainly left for Sar
Francisco, where he had obtained fine
place as cutter in large firm. She o.
course went thither, only to find tha


her husband had been several days away
from work, and was drinking hard. HI
had not even been tohis boarding house
This led her to visit the station-houses


and in one of them she ascertained tha


her husband was in jail for ten days
He was released, aud prevailed upon t
return home, after six years absence
All this occurred eighteen years age, ,ane
to-day the prodigal husband of yore is


strict temperance man in Independent


circumstances, a model husband an


father, and respectable citizen. Z:
Year: 1878




Visitors at New London, Block Island,
or other offour fishing ports,l have no
doubt noticed that at the end of the
bowsprit of the large-sized fishing boats
there is often an iron cage or frame, so
made as. to be safe for man to stand in.
This is the place from which the fisher
man throws the harpoon to catch the
swordfsh; and the swordfshl Is just now
the subject of considerable discussion.
It's ways have at least as much mystery
as those of the shad, salmon, herring, or
any other unaccountables that we have.


Professor G.. B. Goode is studying UP
the matter preparatory to report to
the Government. Some of the interest
ing features of the fish are these: 1t is
found here and there from spring to fall
in theocean on our coast, lying :" asleep
the sailors call it, on the very surface of
the water. Nobody on the American
coast, so far as reported, ever saw a
little swordfish. The smallest recorded
by correspondent of the Forest and
Stream weighed forty-six pounds. They
run up to six hundred pounds. Their
only known breeding ground is in the
Mediterranean. There the same fish are
found weighing. half pound; from
that they go up to very heavy measure
ment. 1t is naturally inferred from
this that all our swordfish are Mediter-
ranean products. Whatmysterious ocean
current guides them over here? Or is
it an instinct that teaches them that
here they will find the mackerel and
menhaden that they feed on? One can
almost imagine that the game of flight
and pursuit kept up by these two starts
at Gibraltar and is run to Block Island
every year. 4 li.6 :. 2 '''''ls3s..t y y.


The swordfsh darts upon school of
its prey and by skillful use of its sword
wounds those that it afterward captures
and eats. Until this season nobody ever
thought of catching it except by har.
poons. This year, however, it has taken
the bats of the trawls-bottom lines :
of the Cape Ann cod fishermen, and
many swordfsh have been caught in
that novel way. What they come up
and. sleep !" for is one of the puzzles of
their nature. They come and 60 as the
mackerel and the menhaden do, and
from that it is naturally concluded that
they spend their time chasing these
small fish. What with sharks, sword
fish, porpoises, bluefsh, sea gulls, eagles
and seines, and all the rest, after them,
the fish of the herring tribe have led
such lives of fight and terror thatlit is
no longer wonder that the movements
of any school of them seem always
guided by.an inherent idiocy. It is less
strange Of them that they are all the
while victims than that, being caught
by millions yearly, they should steadily
increase. They were never more mem
haden on our coast than this yearau Be-
Year: 1878

MY dear boy" said a mother to her
son, as he handed round his plate for
more turkey, this is the fourth time
you have been helped" ~ know,
mother" replied the boy, but that
turkey pecked at me once, and want to
got square with him" He got bis
turkey,
Year: 1878




But bring a clump of blooming snow
| drops into the comfortable temperature
which your apartments keep up in Febru-
ary and you will discover that the snowy
milk-hower, galanthus nivalis, so far from
being scentless, gives out emanations of
sufficient power to oppress your forehead
with heavy weight. A great admirer of
hyacinths, who could not stand their smell,
used to grow them in frames in his garden,
gratifying his passionate fondness of their
beauty by going to look at them twenty
times day. They can also be cultivated
so as to be seen without being smelt, in
malquise or outside greenhouse-a double
window, in fact, with wider space than
usual between the two sashes-provided
the ventilation of the room is independent
of drafts from that direction.


The same remarks apply TO the whole
narcissus genus, to the jonquil, especially,
Beautiful and easy to force as is the lily of
the valley, it is open to the same objection.
Less potent in their influence are the lovely
blue Siberian squill, the bright little scarlet
single Won Tholl tulip, and the dog g's-tooth
violet, both pink and white, (why so
named is mystery), with its pleasing,
mottled foliage, which alone ought to in
sure its acceptance as window bulb, and
the curious fritillary or chess board flower.


The less strong smelling of the winter
towering bulbs, as crocuses in all their
different hues, may be grown in perforated
globular pots, which, in fact, might be
called omnibus flower pots, and which are
not new invention, but probably con-
triyance of the Dutch, for the cultivation
and enjoyment indoors of the early spring
bulbs of which they are so fond.