smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1876

An isthmus ship canal, by which vessels
of any size could pass from the Atlantic to
the Pacific Ocean, was an important point in
our national schemes and dreams of COM
mercial grandeur in the days when the prof.
ect for the Suez Canal seemed the vaguest
possible speculation. But the Suez Canal
has been made, an enormous tonnage is
passing through it yearly-while our great
project has almost dropped out of mems
thoughts, and though the government still
maintains some sort of traditional relation to
the great idea it is not likely that an eco
nomical democratic Congress would give
twenty-five cents for all the isthmuses
and the two oceans together. Such is
the consequence Of economy when parties
have it badly with a view to political effect.
1t will not answer to say that the Suez Canal
was built because it was in the soil Of
"effete" and ''unprogressive" Egypt, and
that ours was forgotten because we are so
tremendously progressive and energetic and
wide awake. We may better say that they
had peace and we had war and as we may
always say of such great projects, "These are
imperial works and worthy kings" we
may say here that the Khedive played the
sovereign handsomely in his princely en-
couragement of great enterprise. while we,
the sovereign people, played the same char
acter very meanly in a similar relation
Now, however, the isthmus canal prof.
ect is brought to the attention of
the world in new relations. There
has recently been organized in Paris a
body especially for the preliminary study of
this subject, which body has ostensibly
strictly geographical relations, but the prac-
tical nature of which is guaranteed by the
fact that it's President is M. Ferdinand de
Lesseps, who made the Suez Canal The
Vice President is Vice Admiral Ronciere le
Noury, and the Secretary NJ. Leon Drouil-
let, an engineer. The nucleus of the body
thus formed is committee of the Paris
Geographical Society, which sinvites the CO.
operation of oil other geographical societies
in the world, specifically to determine by
minute study Of the geography of the 18TH
mus at what point and in what conditions it
is possible to make the canal This body
starts, Of course, from the assumption that
the enterprise has not hitherto been effected
because of the contradictions involved in the
numerous surveys made and because of the
impossibility of reconciling the various in
terests related to these surveys, and it fur
ther assumes that the very contradictions in :
volved are an evidence of insufficient study
of the country Its proposition is to Or
ganize, therefore, at present simply for the
thorough geographical study Of the district.
Its labor will certainly have the sympathy
and encouragement of all who desire the
success of the more substantial points of
national progress.
Year: 1876

Commonly the only perceptible effect of
such conspiracies as the great coal combina-
ton is seen in the misery of the poor. But
they have other effects, and those other effects
are now seen in the miseries of the rich
in the sudden poverty of some not used to
it and in the limitation Of the resources Of
persons hitherto opulent Comparatively
little is heard except as it is reported in
the newspapers, when, in the cold and
fierce winter, the dreadful tyranny of the
great railroad corporations and the exactions
of spectators and mine owners grind the
wrctched to the earth. They die in silence in
their frozen garrets and cellars But the New
Jersey Central, the Delaware and Hudson
Canal fall upon evil times, and the world
becomes eloquent with sympathy for the
losses Of innocent share and bond holders
whose oil was invested in these values.


And this is the other end of the history Of
tho great coal combination for the direct
robbery of the poor and the oppres-
sion of every industry by which the
poor might thrive. In tho great scheme Of
the coal combination one of the worst points
of the iniquity was that the transportation
companies really collected royalty on every
ton Of coal consumed in several great cities.
This was put in the form of nm exorbitant
freight but it was none the less a simple
plunder. Allured by the fancy that this
spoil was TO DO gathered forever tho COM
panies neglected those habits of economy
Year: 1876

THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT. un-
finished Washington Monument is now one
hundred and seventy-four feet high. It was
begun in 1S48, more than a quarter of q
century ago, and until this spring it stood
in the centre of an unsightly square of mud,
which is now pleasant park. 1t has cost,
SO for, two hundred and thirty thousand
dollars. Congress, at its last session, voted
two hundred thousand dollars toward its
completion; but q circular Of the Monument
Association informs us that this sum is not
sufficient for the purpose and was not in-
tended, in fact, to complete it, and the
society appeals TO the generous and patriotic
to send in subscriptions, in order that the
shaft may be soon finished. Would it not
be we'll to publish statement of the esti-
mated cost, and the time required to make
On end of this too long delayed work II
this were known no doubt renewed zeal
could be aroused to secure the sum needed,
aside from the gift Of Congress, to finish it.


How much money does the society require
Year: 1876

and thrift which made success possible with
ordinary gains and plunged into extensions
which required these enormous dishonest
gains to support them. Then these gains sud-
denly failed and the companies were left at
the verge of bankruptcy. 1t is the obvious
lesson Of these facts that great combinations
not only oppress the poor but ruin the cor
porations that make them. The present con-
dition of what we call "coal stocks" is the
legitimate consequence of the coal com mbina-
ton. 1t follows that the owners of the great
lines of transportation ore eventually
as much injured by these wicked
and mischievous combinations as are
the coal consumers themselves In
deed, their position is worse; for the loss
to the consumer is distributed over the
whole public-over a population of many
millions; but the loss, when the reaction
comes, tails necessarily upon the few share
holders. In the present condition of joint
stock companies it does not seem possible
for the owners of the lines to so far infu-
ence their management as to be able to pre-
vent these abuses, even if they wished to;
and what, perhaps, is most felt by the own
ers is that while oil the loss falls on them
when loss comes, the great gains do not al
ways get into their pockets Great abuses
in the management of corporations like
these, with ruinous results, and the inca
pacity of shareholders to prevent them.
seem likely to ultimately greatly discourage
all investment in shares Of great corpora
tiOns.
Year: 1876

FATHxr BEcxx, the General of the Jesuits,
is to be made a cardinal, and is the ultrn-
montana candidate to succeed Plus IX- in
the Holy See The antipathy to the Order,
especially in Catholic countries, is almost as
great now as Mt any time since its creation,
and the elevation of the chief OF the Order to
the Papacy might produce results for which
quietly disposed people are scarcely pre-
pared.
Year: 1876

The BATTLE OF HARLEM PLAINS, which oc-
Cured one hundred years ago to-day, was an
event insignificant in itself and in its mill
tary aspects, but important on account of
its influence over the patriot army. year
of inaction after the battle Of Bunker Hill
was followed by the disaster at Brooklyn
Heights. Boston had been evacuated, but
New York was at the mercy of the enemy.
Howe could occupy the city or send his ships
round it at his pleasure. Washington, on
the other hand, could Mother hold 1t nor
svacuate it with safety. To stay was to be
surrounded and probably captured by q
greatly superior force. To go was to carry
insubordination to the extent of mutiny. At
tins juncture the victory at Harlem revived
the dropping spirits of the Americans and
humbled the pride of the British foe, so that
the retreat which followed was neither dis
honorable to the commander-in-chief nor
detrimental " the cause
Year: 1876

ANOTHER TERRIBLE DEATH from hydro
phoba, occasioned by the bite of Spitz dog,
is reported this morning. Medical skill is
unequal to tho treatment of this frightful
disease. Prevention is the only safety, and
This consists mostly in discarding the fa-
yorite SpitZ
Year: 1876

SwNDLING AUCTIoNEER was convicted
yesterday and sent to the State Prison for
Eve years by Recorder Hackett. This exam
pie may have salutary effect upon other
persons engaged in the same business rs
that which led to the downfall Of the dra-
lnntic Simmons
Year: 1876

Eastern and Western Custom Houses.


We should like to ask the Secretary of the
Treasury whether there is any difference in
the management of Eastern and Western
custom houses? The expediency of estab-
fishing custom houses anywhere except upon
the border, and of receiving duties upon i'm
ported goods anywhere except at the port
where they are landed, is doubtful, to say
the least. 1t is certainly wasteful, for under
the system of interior custom houses which
has grown up within few years the gov
ernment is forced to employ several sets Of
officers to do the work which could be done
by one. For instance, goods landed in
New York or Boston, and which could be
examined, appraised and admitted there,
may now be sent in bond to Chicago, st.
Louis, Cincinnati and Memphis, to be therA
appraised and admitted by different sets OF
customs officers; and thus the number Of
office-holders and public servants is need
lessly multiplied.


. But much more serious matter remains.
Every man conversant with custom house
business knows the great difficulty of secur-





the various kinds of imported goods men
who have the requisite skill and honesty.
In New York, Boston, Philadelphia or Bal
timore a large force of competent appraisers
is maintained, and each has a specially.
One is IN expert in silks, another in iron and
steel, another in woollens,, another in other
products. 1t is said that at these Western
custom houses, where the business is just
as various but much less in amount the
Treasury keeps but one or two experts to
examine and appraise all the varieties Of
merchandise brought thither for payment
of duties Evidently this exposes tho
government to risk of loss by under
appraisers; and not only this, but if the
government suffers such loss the Eastern
importer is at even greater disadvantage and
loss as against his Western rival We have
been told that in actual practice it is now
possible to get goods in cheaper, on an
average by ten per cent, in one of our
Western custom houses than in New York
or Boston, and that this very great advan-
tage is sensibly appreciated by the importers
of the city in which this custom house is
placed. It is in truth difference suffi-
ciently great to induce Eastern importers to
remove to the West, for it is great enough to
enable the merchants thus favored to UNDER
sell Eastern importers and control the mar
ket. We call the attention of Secretary
Morrill, to this matter. which involves, if the
report is true, as we have reason to believe it
to be-, both loss to the government and
wrong and loss to Eastern merchants. 1t is
too serious matter. to be neglected A diff
ference of even less than ten per cent in the
duties levied, in favor of Western cities,
would surely sap the very foundations of our
prosperity in New York and destroy large
part of our commerce
Year: 1876

GOVERNOR HAYES is kept busy denying the
charges made against him. This morning
he reiutes the story that he was member of
the American Alliance. Weak inventions of
this kind are scarcely worth contradiction.
Year: 1876

MADAM RUMoR, the only person
seemingly interested in furnishing
us a local item this week, says that
tho Osceolaites are to be treated to
q first class sensation soon, IN the
way of fashionable wedding. We
hope the old lady is not misin-
formed.
Year: 1876

A NOTED wag said; Man is a
mystery, woman mis(s)ery.


One Of our popular saloon
keepers was calght during the
week, dealing IN Illicit goods. The
detective in this case was female,
whether employed by the govern
ment or not, we were unable to
learn. Upon investigation by
Marshal Speed, it was discovered
that the laws Of Arkansas did not
cover the case.
Year: 1876

Charley Freeman, says the Ypsilanti
Sentinel, along back in the thirties, appear
ed for the first time among gang of labor
ers on the Flat Rock & Gibraltar Canal,
and he moved among ordinary men like u
son Of Anak, He looked eight feet high.
at least, and three feet across the shoulders
His arm sprang from his Crest as large as
any middle sized mans body, and tapered
down to hand three inches thick, and
when doubled into fist, as big and hard
as Il rail-splitters maui He gave his aye
at seventeen, and he was growing He
hired for the wages and work of an ordi-
nary hand but when he seized shovel it
went through the clay like breaking-up
plow, and the handle soon came off if the
blade held. An ordinary AK was but a
feather in his hand 1t sank to the eye in
the wood, and the helve splintered. He
dealt out strength by the wholesale, and
he could not weigh out his force in the
measure of ordinary men.


When he stood among gang of laborers
the contrast made them look like children.
The strolling Indians would stare in
amaZement a few moments and then with
a deep ugh p get out Of the sight of
him as fast AS their dignity would let them.
He was put to do the work of three pairs of
oxen. That was removing the trunks of
trees cut in ten or twelve foot lengths out
of the way of the diggers not hitchcd to
them like oxen, to snake them away, but
his right hand under the end, raising it
from the ground, then balancing in across
his left forearm, he shot the saw logs far
to one side with al the ease that skilled
workman piles his split cord wood. And
thus, day after day, the giant moved until
the canal was not built any more.


He appeared again on the boats that
piled along the Huron river, Michigan. He
was the engine and tackle to handle heavy
freight What others could not shove or
roll, he would pick up and carry or toss.
When the heavily ffeighted boat stuck on
the ripples he just stepped out of the stern
and boosted her over. Nobody would
have felt surprised if he had taken the
whole boat and cargo right under his arms
as a woman carries dough tray, and
marched across by land, when they came
to long bends in the river. Nobody ever
said he did this, because they never wanted
to exaggerate his feats, amy more than we
do now.


But navigation did not pay, and that
STOPPED too Some of the 'flncy' heard
Year: 1876

Of the uncelcbrated giant, and took the no.
ton that there was money in him. He
was as simple as a child. AM one toul
lead him. 1t never got through his skull
that he was remarkable Tn" sharpers
meant to keep him so, md speculate on his
prodigious power They ,.aNed him off
eastward At Buffalo they sent him into
4 dock saloon with sixteen hundred
pound anchor under his left arm, just as
chopper carries his AK, to pawn it for
drinks. He got the drinks, and the keeper
was glad to treat him for carrying it out
again. Thus he and his friends taveled
on his muscle to the sea coast, and aross
to England They intended to get a soft
thing on some English champion. They
had too much of Il good thing. \ friendly
sparring as an experiment, with proies-
sOnal boxer showed that ma ch with any
living puci ist was impossible. The giants
face could not be cfcctually reached
Blows on his body might as we'll have been
planted on sandb bag. When his unskilled
maui came down it came with the force Of
Il plie-driver, and no matter what it met
the obstacle went to the earth


BY the ruse Of representing him as large
and strong, but green, they made a match
OF science and skill against power, with
t.oted pugilist. The parties came ON the
ground, but at the first sight of him his
opponent turned away saying 81 came
to fight with large man not with a noun
tain" Second, re:trees and all hands de-
clared the match "oti.


Finding nothing could be made out cf
him, his sharp attendants deserted him.
From Michigan to Liverpool the route had
been one of continued dissipation, and he
had contracted the seeds of dise.se De
serted in Il strange land, he was uncared
for; an object Of awe and curiosity, use
less to anybody else and helpless to care
for himself, he soon died Of consumption
and Was buried in Il pauper's grave.


When Heenen and S ,yres wcr raising
stfch an excitement few years ago there
was some talk Of the sporting fraternity IN
tending to erect for him monument, but
they never did.


Thus perished perhaps the most magni
ficent specimen Of physical manhood that
the United States ever produced. He never
learned letter he never felt a refining in
fiuence he never had Il real friend. His
rapid growth, great size and immens
strength prevented all possible parental
moulding or influence. 1t wLs fortunate
for himself that his birth was in place,
and at Il time, where and when necessity,
We may say, forced him to run to waste.
Year: 1876

Only those who are wide awake now ap-
pear to escape the clutches of the sharpers.
\ few days ago a person was sent TO 4
Philadelphia bank for the purpose of draw
ing money to pay the wages of the hands
in manulactory. Two men stood near
the place where he was engaged in count
lng over the amount he had received, some
81 500. One Of the men remarked to him,
You've dropped dollar note, sir, point
Ing to Il greemhack Of that denomination
lying on the floor. ''All right, sir, was
the reply, Ill just put my foot on it for
the present, which he did, and continued
counting his money. 1t was not until the
sharpcrs learned that they were irving
their game upon ali experienced customer,
that they informed him the dollar note was
dropped by one Of them. Any other than
wide-awake person would have stopped
for the note, and in all probability have
lost the 81 $40.
Year: 1876

The other day there was very
ludicrous scene in the United State Sen
ate. There are some new revolving and
reclining chairs in the Senate, and it is
nothing uncommon for a Senator to lean
back and take his ease Senator McCrecrv,
of Kentucky, happened to be sitting on
the outside fow, when an excitin" debate
occurred on the whisky frauds Whether
he was asleep or not is yet undecided, for
he sleeps when he likes in his chair. But
he fell, and great WAS his fall. Think of
two hundred and forty pounds of Ken
tucky manliness rolling around the floor
Of the Senate Just as Senator Cherman
commenced talking of KenttcY whisky
IN lep y to Senator Gordon. over went tho
liant Democratic Senator After roll
and 4 struggle to regain his feet, he sat
dignifedy in his chair, looked serene,
gized blandly around the Senate Shamber
and galleries, and then shook his big
frame with u hearty, noiseless laugh.
Year: 1876

Mems Christian Association.


The Repubikaner, German newspaper
in New York, has been looking at the posi-
ton which parties occupy at the present
time. and concludes a long article on the
subject with these reflections


The Southern papers are filled with ad-
vertisements of specializing attorneys, soil
citing the prosecution Of claims resulting
from damages done by the United States
during the war. and the prospect which
these lawyers hold out to such claimants" p"
in the event Of the access Of Democratic
Administration, are of such a nature that
they cannot be underrated by the parties
interested. Such signs denote the very es-
sence of the impending national contest.
When Lincoln had been reelected the
collapse Of the southern confederacy took
place almost simultaneously with his rein
auguration, because they were wanting in
the resources necessary to continue the re-
belion for four years longer, until 1868,
ere possible reaction in their favor at the
ballot box in the loyal North could offer
them another opportunity for help from
that quarter. Now, since S65 the people
have been compelled, from considerations
Of safety and self preservation, to maintain
a Republican Administration. This fact has
not since been reversed, but, if possible,
has become more imperative than at that
time. The Democratic partisans are utterly
indifferent as to the price the people would
have to pay for the luxury of a "Democra-
tic Restoration as long as they alone can
reach their purpose
Year: 1876

The writer is led to send this communi-
cation because of the large number of let
ters and calls he is constantly receiving from
persons in great distress, whose experience
is suggested in the foregoing and he feels
that he cannot do kinder service to the
young men outside Of Philadelphia, than to
urge them, for their O,cn sake, to remain
at home, unless they have the positive pro-
mise of something to do when they come to
the city, and come or the purpose of claim
ing the promise.
Year: 1876

There was received on Saturday at the
mint in Philadelphia one Of the largest
Jumps of gold amalgam ever registered in
that building. IL was from Colorado, was
eleven and a half inches high and eighteen
inches IN circumference, and was worth
about $4,000
Year: 1876

Joined article, which appeared in
the local columns of the Helena
Herald on the 10th instant, in
which it was attempted to excite
the fears of the entire community
that the Northern Indians were on
the point of rising:


"The great fear now is that Glib
bon's little command may be eaten
up before Crook arrives. Another
thing is drawing attention, too,
and that is, that the Northern In
dians, on hearing this news, will
break out, as it is known in this
vicinity that there was a great
medicine feast at the, Sweetgrass
Hills a week or two ago between
the Pen d'0reilles, Piegans, Black
feet and Assinabine Sioux. 1t be-
hooyes all our frontier settlements
to look out now and be prepared.
Our military garrisons can do moth
ing. don't believe they are strong
enough to defend the places they
live in; and if by any possibility
the Indians get away with Crook
and Gibbon, then goodbye, John!
and everybody else, for they are
strong enough to clear the country
to the Colombia river"


OF course there was nothing
"diabolical" in this canard-there
was no danger of this exciting
alarm in the settled portions Of
Montana" This was piece Of
legitimate newspaper enterprise.