smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1873

II may be the hight of good breeding never
to be astOnished at anything. In these days
of projects for ship canals through Blue Ridge
tunnels and slack-water navigation over all
sorts of elevations, no scheme of the canal
kind emanating from Washington would as
tOnish us. But for an Out-and-Out transparent
piece of jobbery we think Albany may come
in for a claim to preemnence on bill twice
referred to the Committee on Canals, reported
favOrably and now before the Committee of
the Whole in the Assembly.


For more than two years the inventive
genius of the whole country has been exercised
on the problem of canal navigation in this
State. We have at intervals presented to our
readers descriptions of the more prominent of
these inventions, and extended accounts of
their practical working The Commission that
has in charge the assignment Of a large money
reward for that one of these inventions which
shall best meet the requirements, has as yet
been unable to decide favOrably on the merits
of any. 1t is by no means certain that
the obstacles to perfect success are not
insuperable. A measurable improvement has
however been obtained under what is known
as lIO DtISldu b1HltlllJ III WHICH, d lblt ullNpU
by stationary engines and moving above the
canal, gives tOwage to boats by merely at
taching a clamp. OF the innumerable con-
trivances which have been proposed for trac-
tiOn by means of the sides and bottom of the
canal, we have not room for even mere
enumeration the great majority of the in
ventiOns which place the steam -engine in the
canal boat, propose the use Of the sides or
bottom of the canal as fulcrum. Their mod
els rest on the shelves of the Patent Office
all except one that is in our State Capitol.


Our Legislators at Albany seem to have ie.
nored all this previous research and experi-
ment. One would think that nothing but
horses had ever been tried for propulsion ON
the Erie Canal. Certainly our Assemblymen
could not have heard of any other when they
jumped at the old invention of "crawlerr
on the canal bottom. and under the misnomer
to encourage a system of traction towaee
"upOn the canals of this State" proposed TO
cut off all further encouragement by giving a
monopoly of traction towage to the prOprietors
of one of these ancient c0ntrivances. The
bill undertakes in 30 many words, to give to
certain men, for tho term of twenty -one
years, the exclusive right TO propel boats or
Aaata eR all the canals Of this State with a
Year: 1873

"traction wheel known as the Edward backus
"method, rolling on the bottom OF the canal


We hope it may be sufficient to call atten-
ton to this job TO prevent its proceeding tuf-
ther. Much as we admire enterprise, we
would rather hear that the promoters OF TINS
piece of jobbery were rolling on the bottom OF
the canal by the Backus or any other methoo'
than that the whole State was paying tribute
to their monopoly. The measure is an insult
TO the Commissioners who have the navl-
cation of the canals under consideration. III
proposes an outrage upon the inventors VINO
have expended in many instances their for
tunes as well as their time in endeaVors to
solve the problem of steam on canals. NO
monopoly yet granted by this State, or the
United States, would so thoroughly deprive
the whole community of their rights and In
terest in the water-hghways of New-York.
Year: 1873

The conclusions reached in the Senate Com
mittee, which has just made report on the
Louisiana election case, have been fully
anticipated. This report is partial, touching
only the question of the legality OF the
returns for Presidential Electors all matters
relating to the State Government, Legislature,
and L. S. Senators are temporarily deferred.
The gist of the document is in the discovery
by the Committee that the official returns of
the State were never examined and counted
for Presidential Electors by any Board or by
any person having any authority whatever to
make such an examination and count. Again,
the Committee is positive that the returns
sent to Gov. Warmoth show on their face
the election of the Greeley Electors but that
fact has not been ascertained by competent
authority. Furthermore, the sO-caled certifi-
Gates of certain persons that they had been
deprived of the right to vote are declared to
be no basis whatever for returns; these are
stricken out of the calculations Of the Kellogg
Board as worthless and illegal. The upshOt
of the case is that the Committee thinks that
neither tie Senate, nor the House, nor both III
Convention, have power to canvass the returns
of a State election. We do not see that Louis
lana can have any voice in the Electoral Col
lace
Year: 1873

COSTLY BIZ OF KEIHLAtHMENI'


Congress claims to have saved about a mil
lion and three-quarters by the abolition of the
franking privilege. In an excess of generous
and virtuous enthusiasm over this piece OF re-
trenchment, it now proposes to spend about a
million a year on itself as a reward of merit.
This grotesque piece of fnesse does not
have even the doubtful virtue of COM
pounding for sins one has a mind
to by damning those one 3 not in
clined to. 1t is revenging ones self for
bit of enforced abstinence by taking huge
slice of the forbidden thing. The House bill
for the increase of salaries gives the Presi-
dent, Judges, and Cabinet Ministers a mod
crate addition to their compensation, the Presi-
dents pay being the only one which is made
much larger than it is now. But the great
body of Congressman are to get $4,000 year
additional this will make the aggregate cost
to the Government ,S972,OO0 greater than it is
at this time. To be sure, we are in
formed that the Congressman are to
have no more mileage, stationery, or
other deceptive perquisites by which a stock
of fancy goods may be absorbed under the
item of "sealing-wax and penknives." The
average mileage is $500 per member; the sta
tionery and newspaper item is $3.50 per year /;
and to compensate for this severe economy
the members are to add $1,000 per annum to
their salaries


The dishonest part of this latest scheme Is
not so much in the proposition to increase
salaries as in the direct bribe offered to about
one hundred outgoing members of Congress-
These gentlemen have drawn their mileage;
they have received their newspapers, sta
tionery, toilet soap, and knick-knacks. Why
should they have an addition of $4,000 year
to their pay7 Yet the House bill proposes to
pay them that amount beginning with March
d. 1871 They are to be bribed, III
other words, TO vote for the passage
of this petty piece OF jObbery. Each out
going Congressman is to receive $4,000 to in
duce him to vote for a measure which his
sensitive conscience might revolt at provided
only the reelected members were to reap
its benefits. That is the whole case. Should
this bill pass, it WILL unless we mistake the
temper of the country, be an expensive bit OF
work FOR the men who vote for it, Perhaps
there are enough members who agree i'll this
view of the case the motion to incorporate
the job into an appropriation bill failed yes
terday, by decisive majority.
Year: 1873

Those who desire brief and tersely written bio
graphical sketch of the late HORACE GREELEY with
faithful picture of the great journalist. will find
both in The TRIBUNE ALMANAC for 1873 at the
moderate price of 20 cents. The FIRST unpreoedent
edly large edition has been almost exhausted, but
another will soon be- ready. Over twenty thousand
cODi0s were sold on tho day Of publication.
Year: 1873

It is barely possible there are some gentle
men who are sorry that Oakes Ames has got
back with his little memorandum book. There
seems to be no hope for them in its leaves ;
it makes up the record. 1t is also understood
that Mr.. Ames does not profess to hold
any receipts of dividends signed by Mr..
Colfax. The only additional evidence OF
that sort is probably another receipt from
Senator Patterson, who does not want to see
any more. We shall see what the memOran-
DUN book and to-day will bring forth. OF
one thing we are assured there is a direct re-
statement of the issue between Messrs. Ames
and Colfax, the fateful memoranda substan-
tiating the testimony of the former. The
Vice President may, however, yet prove what
would be equivalent to an alibi. 1t is conf
IDENTIFY asserted that, whatever else comes of
the Credit MObilier investigation, a recon-
mendation for the expulsion of Messrs Oakes
Ames and James Brooks is to be fOrthcOm-
ing This would be an unfair and inadequate
disposition of the case.
Year: 1873

The present cold snap has temporarily abated
a nuisance which threatens to affict the city
unless carefully watched. Broadway Is toler-
ably clean, so are few of the prlncipal
avenues but the greater part OF the city Is
filthy beyond description. Very creditaoie
efforts were made to remove the snow whlch
blocked the streets; but under. the snow is an
accumulated mass of refuse which has worked
its way down through the drifts and now hes
in a frozen stratum on the pavement OF most
of the lateral streets. No serious attempt mas
been made to remove this; and just as soon
as a tbaw comes the mass should be scraped
ND and removed; it win poison the air ana
breed pestilence if permitted to remain with
its reek and nastiness The Street-cleanlng
Bureau has done so well under great diihcui-
ties, we hope to see this serious matter vlgOr-
ously attacked.
Year: 1873

The Recorder yesterday intimated to the
counsel of Rosenzweig that in the event of the
quashing OF the indictment for manslaughter
ne should request the District-Attorney to in
dict for murder. This may not have been
iudicious, but it is certainly encouraging. The
release of this deliberate murderer is asked on
a mere bubble. New evidence shows the man
ought to have been convicted of the more
serious crime, and we hope justice is neither
to be thwarted nor incOmpletely enforced
Year: 1873

There seems to be a division of opinion
among the Utah lawyers as to the justice Of
the legislative acts relating to Territorial
Courts One protest from certain members of
the bar is made up of grave indictments
against the Legislature, chiefly relating to the
establishment of small local courts of cOnsid-
erably wide original jurisdiction. Now we
have a protest against that prOtest-alsO from
lawyers in Utah. The truth of the case is
that the local laws of Utah are pretty much
the same as those of other Territories; but it
does not seem to be safe to let Utah govern
itself as Wyoming or Montana may be gov
erned.
Year: 1873

Senator Pomeroy, in his second denial, is as
explicit as it is possible for him to be.
The charges preferred against him in the Kan
sas Legislature he denOunces as the result Of
a deep and successful conspiracy. lie has
asked for a committee Of inquiry, to be large
Year: 1873

The action of the Senate on the distribution
of the Geneva award establishes that body in
the position that the United States received
the sum awarded, not as trustee for injured
citizens, but as a sovereign power. This ad-
mitted, the process of distribution is consider
ably simphfed. The first question to be met
is that of the indemnifcatioD Of insurance
companies which took war risks during the
Rebellion. The bill, as it passed the Senate,
allows no claim from these companies to be
presented to the Commission unless it shall
be shown that the losses on account of such
risks are in excess of the premiums received
en that account.
Year: 1873

The steamer May ytower will leave the
head of Canal street at six O'Clock this
morning Oh trip to the passes at the
mouth of the river, under the auspices of
the Chamber of Commerce. The excursion
is got up especially for the edifcation of
Postmaster General Creswen, Senators
Cameron and Howe and Governor Straw
and his New Hampshire party and the la
dies of their suite. Mr.. Oglesby and a
committee of the Chamber Of Commerce,
of which General Bussey 10 chairman, have
the arrangements in charge, and We have
no doubt the guests will be well enter
tanned. The trip of these gentlemen under
the circumstances can not but be of benefit
TO the commerce Of this city, since to enlist
the sympathies of two such statesmen as
Cameron and Howe is to secure the aid Of
two of the most able and indefatigable Of
our Senators.
Year: 1873

A very wicked man in Hollidaysburg
having recently been taken i'll and believ
ng he was about to die, told neighbor
that he felt need Of preparation for the
next world, and would like to see some
proper person in regard to II, whereupon
the feeling friend sent for Mr.. jacket, fire
insurance agent.
Year: 1873

The disease Of rohbihg the public seems
to have become constitutional in the ma
ture of the average New Yorker. Not
withstanding the pursuit Of Tweed and
the flight of Connolly. In spite of the in
vestigations which have exposed the in
Vulnerable and interminable rings Of that
afflicted city. rascality seems as rife as
ever. The last case is the contract 10 con-
meet New York and Brooklyn by a magni-
fcent bridge. The commissioners Of the
work are now defending themselves
against charges Of corrup: extrav.
agance and participation in contract
profits. As the names of these men seem
reputable, and the appointments OF great
responsibility, it leads to the apprehension
that everything is rotten in that Denmark.
Even some of the New York papers seem
to weaken in their hopes of reform and
economy. The Times still makes the
fight but from the number Of skiymisbes
Year: 1873

Last evening when our reporter called
at No. ITO Carondelet street, for the pur-
pose of cleaning information for the pub
lie, he was informed by gentleman at an
inner door that the meeting was private
one. Finding that he had met with q
close corporation, or dark lantern arrange
ment our reporter quietly retired, unable
to comprehend how public good could
be accomplished in secret conclave. The
room where the committee met was only
large enough to hold dozen persons, and
the only face We recognized was that Of
Mr.. !. N. Marks, as the cabinet was not
brilliantly lighted. When the committee
performs its labors with open doors the
REPUBLICAN is ready and willing to assist
in the work. but we protest against any
thing like close political corporations.
Such affairs can not depend Oh Us for
assistance.
Year: 1873

We publish in another place this NOM
ing q second address Of the executive COM
mittee of the Protective Association of
Taxpayers of Jefferson. left bank. We
have long had abundant reason to believe
that the local authorities Of Jefferson par
ish, outsi de the limits Of Carrollton. were
unworthy of confidence. Ignorance, cor
ruption. shiftlessness and tavoritism pre-
vail in su ch preponderating force that the
property holders are driven to the neces-
sity of making struggle to save their
property. 1t adds to the turpitude of an
unworthy official that he is Republican.
We look for oppressive and wrongful acts
from Democratic officials; but we can
not afford to permit police jurors.
justices of the peace and deputy
constables to commit larceny, extortion
in Office, or oppression in the name Of Re-
publicanism. No party can be benefited
by any such practices. AS we'll may we
expect the Picoyome to save the country
by publishing libels about Judge Hawkins
as for the police jury of parish TO build
up the Republican party ty making its
secretary a five thousand dollar present
at the expense Of other people.


We hope Governo. Kellogg will make
some inquiries into this matter. and
promptly remove every unworthy official
who has been taking advantage of his
political affiliations to behave badly. If
any members of the Republican party are
found unworthy they should be 1epu-
dated.
Year: 1873

Reports from the surrender of the Mo-
doc chiefs represent that they manifest
great repugnance to be handcufed. but
an apathetic indifference to death. 1t
would really seem that their leader has
very little to live for The collision be-
tween civilization ard barbarism is that
between the vessel of iron and that of
earthenware. The rule of savage warfare
is treachery and murder. When resorted
to. it must be met by inexorable punish
ment Such is the lot of the MOdocs.
Driven from one reserve to another; COM
PEELED to leave their hunting and fishing
grounds-a as important to them. no doubt,
as our farms and countinghouses-it is
not surprising the savages should resist in
their savage way, nor that they should
be pursued, captured and shot for
doing so. Then follow the natural
results Of defeated cause. Treachery
and disaffection among the followers of
the chief. This must have been as keenly
felt by the Modoc chief as his blunted
sensi bilities could allow. The betrayal of
the Modocs by the deserters destroyed all
confidence of successful resistance or of
ultimate escape, and the surrender was
sullen and hopeless These savages are
doomed, and it is best for the pro-
gress and safety of civilization that
they should be. but if Caractacus or
Boadicea or any other British savages
have had heroic speeches put in their
mouths by sympathetic poets long after
all danger from their war spears had
passed away. so at some future period,
when the popular scalps shall set firmly
on the caput, it may be supposed the hero
of the lava beds will be made immortal for
the valor of his conduct and the manner
of his DEATH
Year: 1873

chsritably disposed by means Of playing
cracked violin, harp, triangle, or some
other kind of musical instrument. They
are sent forth in the early morning, after


grudgingly giving them a piece OF common


black bread about three inches square,


which, with the same allowance at night, 10
all the food ever given them.


And the following specimen OF this
cruelty is added:


One of the children is twelve years OF


age. and the son of a farmer IN Calvlello,


Basilcata, Italy. Some one, he says, came
into his fathers house, one night, and TOOK
him from his bed, and the next he remem-
bers was being at sea, with eight other chill
dren from the same neighborbood, in charge
of a strange man whom they were taught 10
call "padrone." and who daily instilled
into their minds the great power he pos
sessed, and the necessity fOr them to obey


him. This man brought them all 10 New


York, and took them to house in Crosby
street, where he lodged them IN cellar,


straw being given them to eleep on, and


without covering. The next day. the boy


says, he was sent into the street with
triangle to play previously y being instructed


what to say if any one questioned him as to
who had sent him out to beg in this man
ner. On returning at night he was beaten
because he did not take home enough
money, and was again thrust down IN the
| cellar. which has been his only habitation,
| with ten others, for the past three years:
| The only food served out was small
square piece of common black bread.
We welcome immigration, and tender


to all the world the protection of our in


stitutions, but it is very sad return for


this hospitality when such a practice as


child stealing and slavery is imported


under the broad invitation. Such seems


the practice:


The children are brought over by persons
| appointed by the conspirators for that pur-
| pose, chief of convoy, who really becomes
| the master or driver. This person Is repre-
sented as the father OF the children, and as


such takes absolute charge, from the time
they are bought or stolen from their native
villages until they are sold to new masters


or "padrOni" in Crosby street.


Very often the merest infants may be
seen in our streets with violin or tam


BORNE, halting wherever they can get a


nickel or crust, and plying their vaga-


bond trade for subsistence May it not


be possible that this slave trade in chill


dren may comprehend our own city with


others? Let the policemen inquire into it.
Year: 1873

'When ignorance is bliss it Is folly to be
wise" but we don't wish the public to be
kept ignorant of the fact that Navra 4
Otiner have just bought an immense stock
OF CHINA. glass and crockeryware at auction,
at less than half price. which they are now
receiving, and offer the benefit OF their
choice to their customers.
Year: 1873

and combats it has on hand, it would
seem impossible to defend its position
and it is feared it must succumb. We
would especially commend to its col
leagues of the World, the Tribune, and the
S,m the propriety of letting up on Lou
islana politics and reinforcing their gal
liant comrade of the Times. The Herald
is at this time exclusively engaged with
foreign countries.
Year: 1873

The key to lock in a Massachusetts,
Jail baving been lost, all the locksmiths IN
town tried in vain to open the door. AS
.ast resort, they turned on burglar from
another cell, who picked the lock without
difficulty.
Year: 1873

single edition of an exchange comes 70
us laden with fifteen items written for this
column. We naturally feel complimented,
and admiring the good taste Of the journal
eelectine matter from us, forgive the ab-
aence of credit due,
Year: 1873

1, has been discovered that the source OF
many skin diseases can be traced to the use
of prime old brown Windsor SOAP which
it made from old and putrid bones. crushed
and ground to powder.
Year: 1873

A correspondent of Land and Water
tells the following about cat: She
was very still, and appeared to be fast
asleep, when suddenly she sprang into
the middle of the room, where she
fixed her feet on limited spot on the
floor, to which her nose was applied,
and closely grasping something she
held in her claws. This continued for
a short time, when the nose was gently
raised, and the visible attention was
directed to the feet, which still contin-
ued their grasp; but after time one
of them was gradually removed and
then the other, at which puss appeared
greatly at loss to imagine whittier
the imaginary object could have gone,
so as to escape her grasp. She looked
IN various objections along the floor
with foolish face of confusion; and
then again her attention was directed
TO the spot on which the feet were first
closely pressed, as if to examine close
ly whether the presumed escape had
been by. sinking through the floor; and
when this seemed unsatisfactory, the
disappointed animal, now widely awake,
retired slowly from the spot; but she
returned more than once to re- examine
the place, as if she found it impossible
to comprehend how an object she had
SO plainly seen and grasped should
have sunk into nothing. Many min
utes elapsed before the cat appeared to
be reconciled to the conviction that
what had been dream was not In
truth q reality.
Year: 1873

It is well known that there exist no
volcanoes on the continent OF Afrlca,
although many are found IN the ada
cent islands of Ascension, Tenerltte,
Lanzerote, etc. That fact give addl-
t1onal interest to discovery just made
of a burning cave in Morocco, not Tar
from the town of Fez. The pit IN
question is designated under the name
Of Beniguazeval. It's orifice is about
ten feet above the ground. and twelve
feet wide; the sheets of fame issue IN
termittently, but what IS remarkable,
always in horizontal direction, as II
driven by bellows through retort,
There is no eruption of stone or lava.
but the fire is driven with such force to
the orifce that it is accompanied with
a loud Kissing noise, while the current
is sufficiently strong to blow away any
thing placed near the opening Inc
researches made to discover the origin
of the phenomenon have led to no re-
suit; but the hypothesis generally ad


mitted is that there exist beds OF coal
IN the mountain, on the side OF when
this cavern is situated, and that the
fuel having become ignited, the com,
bustion is maintained by the draugh'
of air, and will continue so long as the
flames shall fad anything to feea on