smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1871

was to select trees which were filed with


birds and fire into the mdst of them a:


near as we could: it being dark no pre-


else aim could be taken. but looking up


we could distinguish the dark tree tops


sufficiently well to get an aim On
firing at mass of them they would fly
a short distance and settle again, but as
there were plenty of trees filled with
them, we did not have to run many steps
to get another shot. After every shot


we could hear the birds fall amongst
the universal din, some on the ground
and some in the river. We kept firing at
intervals until midnight, when we gave
up and returned into camp to await for
daylight to pick up the game.


Shortly after daylight, on going over
the ground where they had roasted. it
had the appearance Of having been Wis
ited by a tornado; numbers of trees
with trunks foot or more in diameter,
which grew in a leaning position from
the sides of the mountain. were broken
off near the ground. while thousands of
limbs of all sizes were split from the
trees. This great noise and confusion
continued until three o'clock in the
morning when all became hushed and
silent as death, save now and then the
howl of the wolf, the bark of the fox
and the scream of the wildcat, which
hold high carnival on the OCCASION
Shortly after daylight in the morning
the 'locks commenced reforming. and
started off on their morning foraging ex-
peditions, which extend to hundred
miles or more in every direction, to re
turn in Ike manner as before. This
roost was continued about two weeks,
when they moved off to the north
Near its close it was almost impossible to
enter upon the ground .hey had occupied
in consequence of the m,nure which not
only covered the ground but every stick
and bush. On going over the ground iu
the morning to collect the birds we had
shot during the night. we found many
that were killed and MANNED hy the fail
ing timber. How many We had killed
could not be ascertaiued, as numbers fel
into the river and were carried down the
stream. We brought out, however, 53j
birds, which were as many as we could
carry, While searching
about in laurel thicket for the dead
birds, We came across a pile of peck or
more of gizzards, which had been left
there by some "varmint,' probably
wildcat, which did not appear to relish
them as food.
Year: 1871

The steamer Fanny was coming down
the upper Mississippi, loaded with pig
lead. As she was going over shoal
place the pilot gave the signal to heave
the lead. The only man forward at the
time was green Irishman.


why don't you heave the lead p


ais it to heave the lead your honor
Where to


"Overboard, you blockhead.'
The lrishman snatched up one of the
pigs of lead and threw it overheard; the
mate, in endeavoring to preyent him, lost
his balance and fell INTO the river
P The captain running to the edge of
the deck, asked "Why don't you heave
the lead and sing out how much water
there is


The lead is heaved, your honor, and
the mates gone down to see how much
water there is," responded Pat.
Year: 1871




A letter from Clarksville, Georgia, to
the Germantown Telgraph, contains the
| f,llowing graphic account of a Georgia
pigeon roost which it would, seem eclips-
e the kentucky roost:


This roost occurred in the month of
February; the place selected by the pig
j cons was on the banks of the Chattooga
river, near the confluence with the Tu-
gallo, on the eastern line of this county.
| vhere the mountains rise alb ruptly on
either side; a wilder and more inacces-
sib e place could not have been found in
the United States, Our party consisted
OF four persons, all armed with good
double ba rreled guns ard mounted on
morse Dack. We started about three
O'Clock p. m for the roost. After ford
ing Tngalo we skirted along the break
neck sides of the mountain until we came
within half mile or so Of the beginning
of the roost, which extended over an
area of some five miles or more. Here
we were obliged to leave our horses and
take the rest of the trip on foot. The
,un was now about half an hour high.
and the pigeons had just begun to come
in. AS we were high up on the side of
the mountain on the west side of the
river, our position was an excellent one
to see the innumerable flocks as they
poured over the mountain tops into the
valley As we did not wish to enter the
roost until after sunset, We remained an
hour or go viewing the immense host of
birds which no man could number from
east to west, north and south they came
in focks of all sizes, roaring and rushing
through the air. whirling and sweeping
in every direction.


1t beirg our intention to go near the
centre of the roost and spend the night
there at camp prepared by an old hun
ter of the neighborhood, we started as it
begun to grow little dusk, leaving our
horses securely tied to saplings As our
camp was on the east side of the Chat
tooga we fOrded it on foot, and soon en-
tered the edge of the roost, where there
were myraids of pigeons and myraids
still coming from every direction. As
we were bound for the camp which was
still mile distant. the difficulty was
how to get along, as the numbers on the
trees were so great that there was con-
slant crash of the limbs breaking from
the trees, making it hazardous to skulls
and limbs to pass under them. To
move the pigeons out of the path we had
to resort to firing volleys among them
which had the effect to move them so
that we could pass along with safety
An amusing incident or accident occur
red to one of our party who was walk
ing by the side of the writer; bis name
was George Gable; he. had a pretty
large talkative mouth usually more or
less open, and as it was now early dark
and the pigeons flying in every direction
from the breaking of the timber, one
came like bullet directly into Georges
mouth. and killed itself outright!


After reaching camp and resting
awhile, W. divided into two parties and
began shooting, and all we had to do
Year: 1871

The worst. sold man in the country is
said to live in this valley. For seven
teen years he has been regularly wind
ing his clock every night before retiring
to bed, and, to his utter astonishment,
discovered last week that it was an eight
dan clock.
Year: 1871

CoNGREssIoNAL.--T Republican
Congressional Convention of the Third Cal
ifornia District is to be held June 21st.-
The object in setting it thus early was to
hold it before the State Convention, in
order that there might be no trading, and
for the purpose of naming the strongest
candidate. Evidently the State Conven-
ton will not be held until July, for expert
ence teaches that ga short and lively cam
paign' is always the most efficient. The
Vallejo Recorder on this subject says:


at is thought best to have the several
Congressional candidates make there fight
before the people and secure their dele
gates respectively without reference to
State and local issues. The people demand
man who will best represent them in
Congress-one who will present their claims
as citizens demanding equal protection
with others owing allegiance to our common
flag. This representative should be chos
en- by the free suffrage of the people, be-
cause they believe he will best represent
them in Congress. This cannot be if 8
candidate is forced upon them through
State and county issues"
Year: 1871

G.. G. Bush has returned from San Fran
cisco and is now receiving his stock of new
goods, to which attention is invited through
the medium Of an advertisement in another
column In addition to their Hsual large
stock of groceries, the firm of Bush q Co.
will hereafter keep supply of Agricultural
implements, Hardware &c. Parties wish
ing good bargains will do well to give them
a call, especially those desiring to purchase
goods by wholesale, as they are determin-
ed to sell goods at lower rates than any
house North of Sacramento
Year: 1871

All Ying, who killed one Chinaman and
nearly settled a second one, at Whisky
Greek, about eighteen months ago, and who
has been under indictment for murder for
the past year, was brought to trial last
week, before the District Court. The Dis
trict Attorney and J. S. Follansbee Esq,
appeared for the prosecution, and the
Court appointed J. W. Bracket Esq. to
defend the accused. The trial occupied
several days and resulted in verdict by
the jury, of equity of murder in the first
degree"


The case was difficult one to defend
and in the plea of insanity rested the only
chance to secure acquittal, butth evidence
was deemed insufficient to show that the
accused was Of an unsound mind The
opinion expressed on every hand was that
Mr.. Bracket handled his side of the case
with skill and tact, and that he is not only
well versed in law, but is fluent, logical,
and persuasive speaker.


After the rendering of the verdict,
Judge Rosborough passed sentence ofdeath
upon All Ying, and has set Friday June
I'd as the day on which heexecution shall
take place
Year: 1871

Too SooN-A Sacramento letter, under
date of April 9th, and published in the
Calaveras Chronicle, says:


POLITICALLY; but little is doing, apparently,
although the frequent confabs going on in
the private office of the Secretary Of State
would lead one to suppose that the Haight-
Nichols combination is leaving not stone
unturned to further its ends. The talk on
Governor seems to have simmered down
within the last ten days, there being a
general unanimity in the opinion that the
question was sprung rather too soon. The
prominent candidates remain the same as
mentioned in my last. Occasionally lead
ing Democrats will arrive in town, inter
view the Secretary of State for day or
two and then depart, but of course these
movements can have no connection with
the coming campaign; oh, no. The Re-
publicans are quiescent, there being a
sort of tacit understanding that the party
will remain united, believing that as all the
candidates mentioned are good men,
there is no earthly occasion for disruption
in the ranks"
Year: 1871

CouRTING IN CHURcH.-A young gen
tleman happened to sit at church in the
pew adjoining one in which sat young
lady, for whom he conceived sudden and
violent passion, felt desiraus of entering
into courtship on the spot, but the place
not being suitable for formal declaration,
the exigency suggested the following plan:
He politely handed his neighbor Bible,
open, with pin stuck in the following
verse: Second Epistle of John, verse 7th,
"And now beseech thee, lady, not as
though write new commandment unto
you, but which we had from the be-
ginning, that we love one another" She
returned it with the following: "Second
chapter of Ruth, 10th verse, "Then she
fell on her face and bowed her head to the
gronnd, and said unto him, why have I
grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldst
take notice of me, seeing that am stran-
ger?" He returned the book pointing to
the 18th verse of third Epistle of John,
Having many things to write with paper
and ink, but trust to come unto you and to
speak face to face" From the above in
terview the marriage took place the follow
ing week.
Year: 1871

In this District we will have a hard
''road to travel' to secure Republican
Congressman, therefore precaution should
be taken to select as nominee one who
can help himself. 1t is not only necessary
that our nominee should be staunch Re
publican, and man of decided ability and
good standing with his fellow men, but it
is absolutely necessary that he be capable
of welding an influence from the stump
OF the three gentlemen aspiring to that
position from this District, G. B. DEMO
has decidedly the advantage in that re-
spect During the Lincoln and Grant cam
paigns he "stumped" this State with
positive success. Indeed, so did his fame
as public speaker spread, that demands
for his presence came to the State Central
Committee from all sections of the State, and
whenever he appeared the greatest enthu
siasm in the good cause was aroused =
DEMO is man of unusual ability, an expe-
rieDced Legislator, too-having served
twelve years in the Illinois Legislature,
previous to his coming to this State. All
in all, DEMO is most assuredly the man We
should select to lead US in this District the
approaching campaign


THIRD DISTRICT
Year: 1871

Under the law passed by the last Legis-
lature the Supervisors are required to levy
a special school tax on each School District
having over SIS, 900 worth of taxable prop
erty to raise sum, which together with
the usual amount of public school money,
shall be sufficient to maintain school for
eight months per school year. The law
also requires the Superintendent to furnish
the Supervisors with a statement of the
amount of State and county school money
received by the Districts, and an estimate
Of the cost of running the schools for eight
months, so that the Board may know the
exact amount of money necessary to be
raised by the special tax to make up the
deficiency. The Superintendent made his
statement according to law, several months


o, and fully discharged his duty in the
..aiter, and there his responsibility ceased


On the 10th of August the Board met
and levied a special tax of 60c on the 500
on the property in the Shasta, and 58c on
the 500 in the Millville School District.
The tax so levied should have been entered
by the Auditor on the tax roll against the
property in these Districts exclusively
On the second Monday in November the
law required the Auditor to hand the Tax
Book over to the Collector for the collec-
tion of all taxes entered therein. On ex-
animation the Collector finds that the special
school tax which should have been entered
against the property of Shasta and Mill
vile School Districts, has been carried out
on the Book against property in Shasta
Township No. l" and Millville "Towz-
ship No. {" these Townships embracing
several School Districts. OF course the
levy of this tax outside of the two Districts
named is illegal, not in accordance with the
order of the Supervisors, ard is blunder
which will create great annoyance, and one
which will have to be corrected sooner or
later. As the matter now stands, the Col
lector is placed in an embarrassing situation,
as he is compelled to collect taxes as they
stand on the Book handed over to him by
the Auditor
Year: 1871

AocIDENT.-On Tuesday afternoon, a
teamster by the name of Richard Allison
sustained compound fracture of the leg
under the following circumstances He
was walking by the side of the wagon,
near Terry & Wiser's ranch, and in at
tempting to put on the brake he slipped
and fell, one leg was passed over by the
wagon wheel breaking it as described
A messenger was at once sent to town for
medical assistance, and DIR. Whtcomb,
who is stopping at the Empire Hotel, went
to the relief of the sufferer. The wagon
was loaded for Fort Jones, where we un-
derstand Mr. Allison resides.
Year: 1871

Another Gable. bodied and industrious colored man" has tu!alled ne destiny of his race by com mitting theft of such magnitude that he deems it prudent to run away to escape the State prison. -Senti1el.

 Side by side with islanders like the above we notice Democratic claims to large DOT. tion of the colored vote of the State. This doubt whether the colored man has the in. telligence to know his friends and the manhood to stand by them, is the worst insult the Democracy have ever offered him. ''Politics r says your average Dem ocrat, "what does the nigger care about that Do you suppose he knows or cares which party gave him freedom, the ballot, and all the rest of your stuff and nonsense: Not he; all he cares for is something to eat, something to drink, a shanty to live in and little poultry to-steal These we furn- ish as often us you. 6cif-respeots @ nig gers self-respect Well, we'll If he was human perhaps you'd be right, but he isn't Poverty, crime, jail, State prison, death that's nigger progress, and the sooner he finishes, the better for him and us. tell you, all we have said of your precious col ored brother is the ts~kh, and he knows it. See if he don't own up, plead guilty, con fess judgment and all that, by voting oul ticket as much as he does yours, next April Depend on it, little rum and a little money will go further than all your highfalutin with the nigger [" If there is a colored man in Litchfield county so ignorant or so destitute of self respect as to count himself Democrat, let some one send him the Litchfield Sentine till April, and we will warrant his conver. sion.
Year: 1871

The Republicans are at work and will give good: account of themselves April

 Work on the Rail Road is nearly stop ped in this place on account of the failure of Messrs. Collins and Morehead. The Shepaug Road will be completed long be. fore the Connecticut Western is graded.
Year: 1871

B6r It is not often that we can endorse the action of our present Representative in Congress, especially in his indiscrimi- nate advocacy of land grants. But we think that he was right in voting land to the South Pacific railroad, last week, and that Mesars. Strong and Starkweather were wrong in opposing the bill. The people on that route deserve help as we'll as those on the line of the Union and Central Pa. cifo roads. Nevertheless. Mir. Barnum's affirmative vote is a curious commentary on the fifth resolution of the Democratic State Convention, endorsed by the Demo cratic Congl Convention of this District which commences as follows:

 Resolved-That the appropriation 6s the radical party of nearly two hundred mil lion acres of the public domain to railroad corporations and spectators deserves con densndtion r
Year: 1871

In case recently decided by Dis
trict Judge Tracy, at MT. Pleasant,
upon the question whether certain
special railroad election had been le-
gally ordered, 1t was held by the
Court that, as shown by the evidence,
the Township Trustees had ordered
the election upon the simple fact
that over one-third Of the legal rote,s
of the Township had petitioned
therefor; but that the action Of the
Trustees was illegal, and all subse-
auent proceedings were Illegal, he
cause it did not appear that one-third
Of the resident td1-pdyers Of the TIP.
had signed the petition. In sum.
ming up his Opinion the Judge said


"And before the question of aiding
the construction Of the. railroad as
prayed for by the petitioners can be
re-submitted to the legal voters OF
the Township, II must be ascertained
by legal and competent evidence that
at least one-third Of all the resident
tax-payers OF the Township, whose
nfoperty will be charged with the
payment OF the tax II levied, have
signed the petition"


This Is an important matter, and
especially so at this time to the peo-
pie OF Union and Red Rock Town





ships In this County.
Year: 1871

IT is now quite apparent that no more land
subsidy bills can be passed through the lower
House of the present Congress. For the pext
Congress, which meets on the 4th of next month
we have no fears. The sentiment of the people
in opposition to all land subsidy schemes, is too
emphatic and too well understood to be disre.
garded by the popular branch of Congress, at
least. The Senate is always slow to apprehend
and unwilling, as general thing, to listen to
the voice of the people, and it would not sur
prise any one to have that august body pass ev-
cry one of the subsidy land-grab schemes now
pending and to allow which would despol Uncle
Sam of more than half of his wild acres Not so
with members of the House they owe their ele-
vation to the popular will direct, and their lease
of power is too short-lived to justify them in
turning deaf ear to the popular voice. The
sentiments of the American people have under
gone radical change upon this land subsidy
policy within the past two years, and nothing
has done more to bring about this change of
sentiment and array the masses against these
land grants, than the course now being pursued
by the Central and Union Pacific Railroads in
refusing to pay the interest on the debt to the
Government, and the dog-in the-manger manner
adopted by these companies in holding their
lands and refusing to sell to settlers at fair
PRICES Such conduct has, very naturally, ar
rayed the whole West, at least against all land
subsidy schemes.-Napa Register.
Year: 1871

We doubt if tht spectacle has ever before been
presented of a political party proposing to Sc
ing to undo their own works, and attempting to
prove that their own acts were Infamous, for the
purpose of urging the necessity of their being
lndone. This is the precise position of the
least large portion of it. They inVeigh against
the laws granting subsidies to railroad compa-
pies with bitterness that is well calculated to
deceive one not posted, into the belief that the
laws allowing such assistance to railroads were
the protectors of Black Republican" legisla-
ton, when, as matter of fact they were passed
by the last Democratic Legislature and signed
by Governor Haight. The Anti-raroad Demo-
Gratis contend that the proposition to allow the
people OF towns and counties to vote aid to rail-
road enterprises is outrageous, yet it is the Dem
ocratic party that is responsible for the statute
that allows them to do so. Governor Haight
not only favored the proposition as correct
principle of political economy but suggested, if
he did not himself draft the " fve-per-cent" bill
lkayysvils Appeal.
Year: 1871

GoRDoN, of the Signal, referring to the fact
that some of the Democratic miners in Trinity
employ number of Chinese, wants to know
what kind of a way that is to do. We supposed
that with his knowledge of the facts he would
know that if it was not for the Democrats the
" Heather Chinee' would find but little employ
ment in this section. 1t is necessary for them
to keep number of " Celestals" on hand for
political capital, that's all.
Year: 1871

THE Republicans of this State have come to
the conclusion that the next Governor of this
Commonwealth shall be Republican. The
misrule of the present State Administration
during its existence, has been fairly weighed in
the balances of public criticism and it has been
pronounced by the people deficient in all the ell
ements that constitute integrity, the common
veal of the State, and the capacity to carry out
honest intentions-even if it had honest inten-
tions.-Marin Journal.
Year: 1871

CALIFORNIA ISDUsTRY.-The type, press and
all other material used in the printing of the
West Coast Signal are of California manufacture,
and the exceedingly neat appearance of that pa
perspeaks W lmes to their praise as well as to
the taste and 4bility of the publisher.
Year: 1871

THE distress among the people of France is
said to be increasing. Vessels are being fitted
out in the United States with all possible dis
patch, to carry provisions to the sufferers.
Year: 1871

OSE of the Japanese dignitaries who arrived
in San Francisco last week is said to be Min
lister to reside at Washington. The Union says
this is the first Minister ever sent from Japan to
reside at any foreign court.
Year: 1871

The Grass Valley Gift Concert has been post
poped until March I2th at which time, it is
stated, the drawing will positively take place
Tickets remaining unsold on the day of the
drawing will be Cancelled.
Year: 1871

MILWAUKEE, June 1.-The city Of
Milwaukee turned out almost en-
masse to-day at two pm. to pay their
last earthly respects to the lamented
Chief Mclaughlin. The funeral
Obsequies took place at the Cathedral,
after which the remains were escorted
to the cemetery by the fire depart
ment of the city, a deputatiOn Of the
military and the citizens, over q mile
and a half long. The streets along
the line were crowded with spectators
and friends unable to turn into the
procession.
Year: 1871

Giving comprehensive Review OF Trade in
Memphis, and PRICES CURRENT Of every
article of Merchandise in Market, Domestic
or Foreign, with a variety of COA1IEROIAL
MATTER, Of interest and value to every busi-
ness man and family, and
Year: 1871

THE Indian raid recently upon 8
wagon train in Texas is now said to
have been designed for the capture oi
General Sherman. What the dusky
warriors intended to do with the great
chief is unknown. but it is quite Ger
tain that they would have found ere
long that they had caught most un-
manageable Tartar,