smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1876

While astronomy reveals to US dis
tances in comparison with which the
sun light pass for next door neighbor,
geology opens up tracts of time, as COM
pared with which the whole historic per-
iod of the world has a claim to antiqui-
ty hardly exceeding.that!of the day be-
fore yesterday. Who shall calculate
the number of ages since the tropical
trees We now burn as coal were waving
in the sun, and casting a shadow over
the landscape? yet the coal measures are
very far from being old, geologically
speaking. According to the most re-
cent lights, the most venerable forma-
tion in the world is the system of Laur-
entian rock, in the neighborhooi of the
river ST. Lawrence, in Canada. At one
point where the river Saugenay inter
sects the range, they attain an elevation
of some 1000 feet including the depth
of the river bed, which amounts to one
hundred fathoms. Their antiquity re-
duces the age of the Alps and the An
des to little more than that of last years
harvest Fossil remains of animal life
were first discovered in those rocks with
in these twenty years, of the little archi-
tects who reared the mountain range
from the sea salts, as similar little build
ers are at this hour elevating the coral
reefs IN other seas.


One of the citizens of Danbury, Conn.
who had just returned from the West,
was telling in Merrill's grocery store of a
narrow escaped he had from terrible
death. He was crossing long railroad
bridge on foot, when he was surprised to
see locomotive coming at a terrific
speed. The bridge was too narrow to
allow of escape on either side, and he did
not dare to jump into the yawning abyss
below. In flash he took in the situa.
tion and formed his plan of action. He
started on a swift run toward the on-com


ing locomotive, and when within a few
feet of il he concentrated all his nerve
and muscle into one effort, and leapet
straight up in the air. The fearful mon


ster shot under him, and hes.. came dowr


on the bridge, saved from death, bu


fearfully shaken up by the descent


There was moment Of deep silence up


on the close of this narrative. Thei


one of the company sighed, and shut "


his knife, and unexpectedly said: :"What'
the use of presence of mind when ma
can lie like''that?"
Year: 1876

The CONDITION OF THE RoAps.-lt IS
no wonder that the country people are SO
generally in favor Of narrow gauge roads,
after such experiences as they have every
vcor with their local roads. AT thiSpa
ticular time, in many parts Of the country,
business is nearly at u stand.Still on ac-
count Of the depth and tOughneSs Of tho
mud. There is no getting through it
with loaded vehicles. 1t is barely posi-.
bic for a stout horse to carry his rider a
few miles without over fatigue.
Just how 1t is in the region Of
country OF which Chicago is the principal
trade centre may be understood by the
following from the Tribune Of that city .


an this city all sorts Of business is
dull; in the banks it is noticed so, and the
clerks, book.keepers and tellerS have only
about half their usual work TO do. In
the mercantile lines OF trade It is equally
dull. 1t is believed there would be a
good county trade in lumber, but the
country roads are impossible and farmers
cannot haul lumber home II they did buy
it; so there is nothing doing, The same
reason that prevents lumber trade-bad
roads-prevents the marketing OF grain.
Thus, with few exceptions, business Is
nearer at a standstill than it has been for
over year"


The New York Bulletin, referring to the
same subject, says that


ut isimFossible 10 exaggerate the effect
OF these storms on general trade. For
ern buyers in this market, one Of the
chief reasons being the uniavorable wealth
er and the condition Of the Western dirt
roads. There have been some buyers
here from the South, but excepting them
business has been limited to what is call.
ed the nearby trade. With favorable
weather there will oi course be a change
for the better"
Year: 1876

The stockholdcrS OF the Benwood Iron
Works have the consolation, such as it is,
Of knowing that this is poor year for
the Nail business. 1t is doubtful whether
the mills will make or lose money for the
next few months. Thus far in 1875 their
profits have been slim enough. 1t is
however good year to build. The de-
preston is "boomerang" in this respect
The producer of yesterday, having sud
denly become consumer, finds his
pensation in the very state Of things that
he lately bewailcd, The philosophy OF evil
is great institution when We only look
at it right. The only trouble Is We are
apt to dio OF before getting accustomed
IN IL.
Year: 1876

OUR Republican friends in the country
will please bear in mind the Republican
mass meeting that is to be held at the
Court House tomorrow afternoon, tor
the purpose Of sending delegates to the
Clarksburg Convention and transacting
such other business as may be considered
necessary and proper after the meeting
assemblies. The meeting is important as
the opening gun Of the campaign in this
county, and all who feel an interest in the
successful organization OF the party in
our midst, with a view to the coming
elections this fall, should lend their pres,
ence tomorrow.
Year: 1876

The order from the War Department
Yesterday transferring the army head
quarters from St, Louis TO Washington
has been amended so far as to direct the
Adjutant General and Inspector General
to report to the General Of the Army.
Year: 1876

The Senate Committee on Territories
to-day agreed to report bill to establish
Pembina territory. The proposed new
territory Is to consist Of that portion Of
the territory Of Dakota which lies north
Of the forty.sixth parallel.
Year: 1876

The Paris correspondent Of the London


Telegraph" writes: 'During the past two
or three days we have had several Of those
singular acts of suicides peculiar to Paris.
Yesterday a former master in the Lycee OF
Lyons jumped from the bridge at Charen-
ton, and his lifeless body was taken from


the river Immediately afterward. He had


made calm preparations for the fatal step,


and just before casting himself into the


water had composed poem to be sung to


the air, eau Clair de la Lune." The SUBJ


stance of the lines was that he had made up


mind to take plunge while the moon


shone clearly into the green wave, in the


hope of speedy and picturesque release


from the miseries of life. At the bottom of


the paper containing the eccentric compost


tion, which he secured on the spot where he


leaped into the river by placing large


stone upon It, he signed his name Angus


tin Fouroadier, and gave Ms address No.


139 Marcadet. Another curious case, that


may turn out to be either an eccentric self


murder or lugubrious joke, has been


brought to light by discovery in the Bols
de Boulogne. One of the keepers of the
celebrated park found on the bank of
largest pond th:re q hat, with q note
in the following terms cat the
moment of quitting this life I de-
sire to be reco ,lciled to all those whom l
have ever either willingly or unconsciously
offended. pray them to pardon me as l
forgive everybody. l pardon Col. Marengo
for having subjected me to torture for six
months and for having placed my feet and
hands in irons and forced me thus to go out
in search of Prussians in field of beet root.
l bequeath my body to the frogs and my
soul to the devil" Several other remarka-
BILE instances of violent death have been
reported. The forest of Montmorency,
which is generally associated in our minas
with the most peaceful scenes, is again the
theatre of one of these crimes, as it is only
about two weeks since the body Of MUIR
dered man was found there, and nothing is
yet known of the persons concerned in the
outrage. This time the facts are no less
startling. A party of pleasure seekers
at large in the extensive woods
were Mortified to come suddenly upon the
dead body swinging to and fro from high
branch. At the horrible sight one Of the
persons tainted, and was obliged to be car
ried away. The corpse was that of a man
about fifty, and seemed to have hung there
for at least fortnight. To complete this |
list of frightful occurrences, may add the |
case of waiter In the Cafe American, on
the Grand Boulevard, who yesterday threw
himself from high window to the paye-
ment of the Boulevard des Italiens, and
fractured his skull. The cause of the rash |
act was loss of 1000 francs at the gaming |
table,"
Year: 1876

A gentleman who was obliged to ride
over the Woonsocket branch of the New
York and New England railroad, and had
been greatly annoyed by having packages
stolen from him in the cars, concluded to
trap the thief. He procured a long,
striped snake, put him in collar box, and
on entering the cars laid II on the seat be-
side him Soon portly old lady came
pulling into the car and took seat be-
side the gentleman in question, who was
apparently absorbed in reading an evening
paper. ltwasn't long before the box dis
appeared under shawl, and her curiosity
soon led her to open the box to look at her
prize, and the snake glidpd into her lap.
The scene can be better imagined than de-
packages.
Year: 1876

With Hayes at the head of the govern
ment Belknap will become the perfection OF
chivalric honor, Robson will scorn to allow
dollar of the public money to slip into the
pockets of middlemen and their friends,
Babcock and Porter will join the Church
and forswear jobs, Chandler will enlist in
the crusade started by Moody and Sankey,
and Boss Shepherd will go into monas-
terry. We are told in the good book that
there is JOY 10 heaven over one sinners that
repenteth more than over ninety and nine
just men who need no repentance. Wash
ington ia not exactly heaven, yet we may
we'll consent to abandon our prosecution OF
sinners and to hold jubilee over their con-
versation when the next natio nal admins
tration shall be inaugurated.
Year: 1876

Now that the He'll gate explosion has
proved successful, let the same means of
annihilating objections be applied to the
old shanty, for the want of better name
called market house. and located at the
corner of Market and Twelfth streets.
Year: 1876

Been in general use for twenty years. Everywhere
proved the most SAFE, SIMPLE, ECONOMICAL,
and EFFICIENT medicines known. They are just
what tine people want saving time and money avert
ng sickness and suffering. Each single specific the
we'll tried prescription of an eminent physician
Year: 1876

New YORK, May Over forty thousand
people visited the scene of the explosion to-
day. The absence OF dangerous injury to
any person was something wonderful when
the rlddled houses in the neighborhOod are
seen. Many bricks were hurled through
the walls within foot or so of
the sleepers' heads. The police have
failed to trace anything that leads
them to suppose that strikers were
the perpetrators of the deed The opinion
Is becoming general that spontaneous COM
bustIon was the cause. The damage, which
Is still only guessed at. consists chiefly OF
broken glass, and wrecks of movable ar
ticles
Year: 1876

nave enueavo oreu TO point out
First. That the fund to arise from all
sales OF public lands must hereafter be very
lneonslderable. Whatever the extent Of the
pubiic domains may be, it is growing less
year by year. and the homestead demands,
by foreign immigrants and by the hundreds
OF thousands of American citizens annual
~ arriving CT their majority, are steadily
increasing. Surely the small driblets re-
naming 10 be actually sold ought to be
conseerated, IN accordance with the condi-
tons set forth in our title deeds, to " schools
and the means OF education" for the perma-
nent and universal benefit of the people


Second. That more aid to common schools
OF better type is needed in every quarter
OF our Union and that it is much wiser to
give to youth assurance and faith in hig
er lite than to provide dungeons for man
hood


Third. That the number of those who are
being thoroughly educated is dispropor-
tlonately small, and that colleges to which
many more OF all the industrial classes
might resort are not only vitality important
but are loudly demanded by all those who
do not hold an education to be baneiul
luxury from which all the INDECENT and in
dustrIous, as so many born Ounces, are to be
excluded in the lump.


Fourth. That. white it is not proposed to
divert any funds from the Treasury that
will not yield fourfold return, the objects
aimed at are more preciOns than gold or
silver. and higher and more universal
education will yoke neither the people nor
the Treasury with poverty.


Finally, may not invoke favor to such
legislation as not infrequently makes men
oetter than the law. that will tend to kin
die national passion to have Americans as
whole become the best educated of any
people in the world, that will attach them
more ardently to free government than to
any other known to mankind, that will IL
s9Ire some ambition 10 excel in the arts of
peace as well as in the arts of war, and
bring forth that wisdom which gives secu-
rlty and progress TO society. and which may
serve to make our native land and its ever
increasing millions of people eminent in the
future annals of time for all the virtues re-
quired to adorn character or race among
the nations of the earth?
Year: 1876

forty-slx States and Territories, or no


enough to furnish one in ten of the ciyi


service OF the United States. Can that b.


considered adequate to the full requirement.


OF 44.O0O,0OO of people, having an annual


increase OF males alone of not less than
800. 600? On the contrary, it is furnishing
sadly inadequate equipment. One thor
oughiy educated boy in thousand is not
enough. 1t will not leayen the whole lump.
we require the seeds of a more advanced
educational culture to be planted where
they Will grow and ultimately be ditfused
over all parts of the land, leaving no Beo-
tian deserts. and. when diffused, that the
benefit shall accrue to all classes of the
community and even to the land itself.


No well-established Institution fears to be
outrun, nor will any one attempt to mono
polize the whole work of higher education
or seek to stand as central luminarv in
whose presence all others must I" pale their
intellectual fire." Education as a monopo-
ly would be the direst and most odious of
all monopolies. But broad and popular
system should disseminate more universally
a higher as well as common school educa-
ton In each and every State. No portion
OF cur country should be left as possible
iuture wilderness of ignorance. Seats of
ample learning on one edge only of the Re-
public would be like a beautiful garden on
one side OF an immense estate with all of
remainder left barren and desolate or thick
set with weeds and brambles.
Year: 1876

The Philadelphia BUIlet5nIhas this statement: "An Indiada pa per, alluding to the death of the man who designed the great seal of that State, remarks that 'any man who would try to make peo- pie believe a full grown buffalo bull would deliberately rush up to a granger who was chopping down a tree at sunrise ought 10 die. But the State seal of Indiana is not ey any means the most re- markable of the devises employed for that purpose. Georgia offers something more astonishing in a picture of an absurd summer house supported by three pillars and guarded by 8 Continental soldier with weak legs; and Ken lucky actually presents the figure of Gen. Washington in the act of holding up 8 friend in order to keep him from falling against a book case in the background. Af- ter this, California's device of Minerva sitting on a stone, while a cinnamon bear nibbles hOr left leg, seems artistic and nice."
Year: 1876

Upon All Fools Day the num- erOuS doctors, surgeons and den lists of Southport. England, were made the victims of an amusing hoax. On that morning each practitioner received by post a letter requiring his attendance at 10 o'clock at a certain residence, where gentleman, whose name was mentioned, desired to consult him about the state of his health or, as in the case of the dentist, to extract a troublesome tooth. In one of two instances the letter took the form of an invitation from one medical gentleman re- questing the presence of a broth CT professional to consult with him over a difficult case at the house in question. About @ score of doctors carriages drove to the spot Indicated. The surprise and disgust of the medical gentlemen may be more easily imagined than described.
Year: 1876

TILDEN will, we think, be the nom-
inee of the st. Louis Convention,
and we think further that he is by far
the most available man for the posi-
tion. With TILDEN as their nominee
the Democrats have the best of the
fight, no matter who the Republicans
may select as their candidate. TIL
DEN will carry New York, and the
confidence that he will do so will give
him strength in States that are con-
sidered doubtful. 1t is admitted by
both sides that in contest as close as
the approaching one, it will be New
York that will decide the struggle. If
there is no mistake about this, TIL
DEN is the man the Democrats should
nominate, for there is certainly no
mistake about it that he will carry
New York bv all immense majority.
Year: 1876

JOHN CHINAMAN is a cunning ami
NAL. He is also patient and persever-
ing. When he cannot move directly
forward he will SO long ways around,
but you will always find him aiming
at the objective point. His peculiar
ity in this respect is illustrated in the
effort to prevent his overrunning this
country. The steamers have been
made uncomfortably hot for him, and
now he comes over on the wings of the
wind. Some four hundred Chinese,
direct from Hong Kong by sail ves-
sells, were landed in San Francisco
few days ago. This is some indication
Of how much in earnest are their
boasted efforts of the Six Companies
to prevent their countrymen from
coming here. Unless Congress inter-
feres the Chinese will continue to flood
this country, but they will come by
sail vessels in place of steamers.
Year: 1876

A few days since the HERALD pub
lished letter from a gentleman at
Santa Monica in which very serious
charges were preferred against the
parties managing the land and other
matters of the village by the sea. 1t
will be remembered that when the
auction sale of lots took place Mr..
Tom FITCH, for the company, an
nounced that purchasers of lots could
rest assured that water in abundance
would be supplied to all. They were
told that the company would at an
early day lay pipes through every
street in the ''city," and that no one
Year: 1876

THE impression seems to be general
that Blaine's sickness on Sunday
morning, just as ne entered church,
was bit of fine acting. We should
regret to think that ne could be capa-
BILE OF STOPPING to such trick, but his
rapid recovery as the hour approached
when it would be necessary to inform
the convention that he had so far
recovered as to be out of danger, and
might be nominated without danger
of the event being followed by his i'm
mediate funeral, affords such strong
grounds for suspicion that people not
over average credulous may be ex-
cused for looking wise and shaking
their heads.
Year: 1876

The San Bernardino Times says:
Yesterday afternoon, while Mathews
mill was In the midst of a tremendous
rush of work, the water all at once
ceased coming down the flume, the
wheel stopped revolving and the ma
chinery came to standstill. There
upon Mr.. Mathews started up the
creek to trace out the cause, and to
his astonishment found mammoth
squaw disporting herself in the fume,
completely damming up the water.
What passed between Uncle Ben and
the aborigine our deponent saith not,
but as the mill is running again we
suppose he persuaded the sportive
damsel to evacuate the flume, and find
some more commodious bathing
place.
Year: 1876

THE Atlas brevity man says: "We
will probably escape the hog cholera
this year" This may be gratifying to
the brevity man, but the Atlas read
ers may take a different view Of the
matter.
Year: 1876

Messrs. Johannsen & Co. have removed
their large furniture warehouse from Ducom-
NUNS building to the building on Main ST.,
near First, formerly occupied by L. Roeder
The public are invited to call at the new es-
tablishment and inspect the elegant lot OF
goods on display which comprises everything
in the line OF furniture and upholstery, from
a pine table and bedroom suit to an elegantly
carved parlor set With largely increased
Messrs. Johannsen & Co hope to keep pace
with fhe growth of their business and give
their customers the best establishment of the
kind in the city
Year: 1876

OBSERVATIONS OF THE ATNosPHxRIo AND
rFRRxsTRIAL VIBRATIONS BIZ THE HxRALD
CORPS.


carefully selected corps Of HERALD special observ
ers was distributed at the various points at which Il
was probable that the atmosphere tho earths
lace would be affected by the explosion Each
was supplied with the necessary apparatus wherewth
TO test the intensity Of the shock and measure the
duration Of the vibration The accompanying cuts
show the nature Of these smple but delicate tosting
apparatus, and illustrate the care with which tho
HERALD has prepared for the description Of tho great
blast and It's effects


no. l-rHK LEvEi.
Year: 1876

Tho observers at Tarrytown, lrviugton and Yonkert
felt very slight trcmor In the earth, but beyond th,
there nothing TO indicate the passage Of any wave
OF vibration. The sensation less iclt on elevated
points than close to tho river the low lands Tho
effects a source Of disappointment to the good
people who dwell by the Hudson Tor they expected
small earthquake.
Year: 1876

Mrs Fuchs, the wife OF the murderer, was committed
to the Raymond street JAIL charge Of ntoxication
for ten days, by Justice Semcr, of Brooklyn yestcr
day. The unfortunate woman pawncd or sold all OF
her available effects, after her release Thursday last
and drank whiskcy TIL she unable 20 take care OF
herself She was quite reconced upon being returned
TO jail IL probable that she will again De given
tho custody OF tho child who Will doubt be sent TO
some benevolent institution.
Year: 1876

1t is to the interest Of every man
that we shall have a fixed and stable
currency. 1t is to the interest of
every man that the agitation of the
financial question shall como to an
end. No man knows under the pres
ent state of things what to do with
his business. AS long as it lasts
you will have periods that you think
are of prosperity, but which will al
ways be followed by periods of great
distress and stagnation of business.
Under the old State-banking law the
people who lost the money in the
period of its existence was the labor
ing man and the farmer. The money
broker didn't lose cent. and won't
now, for he can look out for financial
storms and save himself; but the la
boring man can't do it, and must
suffer when they come. The dollar
of the workingman ought TO be the
same as that of every other man, aDd
we can't have fixed times of business
prosperity until the greenback comes
to be exchangeable for gold, dollar
for dollar. An expansion of the cur
rency means depreciation of its
value, and that is the common sense
and truth Of the matter. This qucs-
ton is one upon which there is room
for great difference of opinion, but |
ask you as a Republican, can you aid,
in your desire for financial relief, in
electing Tilden to the Presidency
and placing the Confederate Demo
cracy in charge of the government !?
I tell you the greenback question
will be solved to your sorrow when
the 106 Confederate Representative
are aided by enough Northern Dem
ocrats to obtain control of the ad-
ministration and the treasury
Should they get that control, you
may put it down for certain that
your debt will be doubled to pay
rebel claims for damages inflicted by
the Union army during the war. If
that comes to pass, these claims must
be paid in greenbacks, and then
they'll not be the popular currency
they are now. You'll curse them, and
they will be deprecated to such an
extent that we'll all go down togeth-
err in one vast abyssmal depth of
bankruptcy, beggary and ruin.