smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1876

From the San Francisco Chronicle.


1t was four years ago last winter.
I was coming down with train
loaded with cattle The weather had
been bad for weeks and the snow lay
deep, but was melting off fast in the
warm weather that had lasted nearly
week. The ground was saturated,
and l noticed that things looked
shaky on the mountain. | was feel
ing my way along, thinking the track
might spring, as the bed was wet
and sloppy, when, just as | got around
the point of this ridge, l looked up,
and it seemed to me the whole noun
tain above me had broken loose. For
hundreds of feet wide the hillside
was in motion, and charging down
on me. The slide started 100 yards
above the track and was coming
right down on me like lightning.
Rocks, trees, and snowdrifts plunged
down the face of the mountain with
q laundering roar, and seemed bent
on overwhelming us and burying us
In the canyon thousands of feet be-
low. | was never so close to death
before, although l have had my share
of perils on the road. For 4 moment
l was stupefed, the danger was so
great and escape So hopeless, but only
for a moment. l determined not to
die without an effort, but clapped on
all steam, while the breaks were
thrown off at the same time. You
can see for yourself that the grade is
heavy here, and can believe we made
fast time. The engine seemed to
know her danger, and to gather her.
self for an effort. She leaped, quiv-
ering and snorting, down the grade
in the maddest race l ever saw
Down came the avalanche like light
ming directly upon us, throwing up
clouds of flying snow and splinters
and rock, and away flew the old en-
gine like q thing of life and beauty,
as she was, dragging the cars like the
wind down the grade after her,
abreast the slide. But it seemed
doomed to be all in vain. The ava
lanche came faster every moment. 1t
was almost upon us. The rocks be-


gan to bound against the cars and
over them, and the train was hidden
in a cloud of snow. But we were
flying through the air now; the
wheels seemed never to touch the
rail, and just as I was giving up hope
the engine rushed past that little
point of land just back there where
the little ravine comes down. This
turned the current of the slide, so to
speak, little, and was our salvation
The engine rushed past the point just
as the slide reached the track, and a
big pine, uprooted in the edge of the
avalanche, fell across the next car to
the last one and crushed it. The
track was swept away like a cobwet
in gale, the couplings of the cars
Year: 1876

broke, and the cars fell IN the chasm
left in the wake of the slide and were
carried down the river, a thousand
yards below. What there is left of
them lies there yet. The jerk made
the engine and train jump the track,
but she kept on her feet, and we got
off with a few bruises. That / &C.
count one of the greatest dangers I
ever met in my twenty years of rail
roadinp. .
Year: 1876

Let us now ask the question: How
shall the young make the most of
life? The general answer and the
most valuable one is, "by common
sense and by will power" What
keeps you from throwing yourself
into the lake, or into fire, or from
the roof of the house? This simple
quality of man called common sense
is the nearest and best guardian an
gel of each mortal. Others believe
in other guardian angels. But mas
much as God has given you all this
will power and this common sense it
is almost impertinence in us to de-
mand additional guardian angels from
the same heaven.
Year: 1876

The surging sea Of human life forever onward
And bears to the eternal shore its daily freight of
souls.
Though bravely sails our bark to-day, pale death
And few shall know we ever lived hundred years
from now.
., mighty human brotherhood why fiercely war
and strive,
While Gods great world has ample space for ev-
Broad fields, uncultured and unclaimed are wait


ing for the plow
OF progress that shall make them bloom hundred
years from now.
Why should we try so earnestly in fes short, mar
row span,
On golden stairs to climb so far above our brother
man?


Why blndly at an earthly shrine in slavish hon.
age bow?
Our gold will rust ourselves be dust, hundred
years from now!
Why prize so much the worlds applause? Why


dread SO much its blame?
heeting echo is its voice of censure or of fame
The praise that thrills the heart, the scorn that


dyes with shame the brow,
Will be as long forgotten dreams u hundred years
from now.
patient hearts, that meekly bear your weary load
Of wrongi
earnest hearts, that bravely dare, and. striving,



Press on till perfect peace is won; you will never
dream Of how
You struggled DER lifes thorny road hundred
years from now.
Grand lofty souls who live and toll that freedom,
right and truth
Alone may rule the universe, for you in endless
YOUTH


When mid the blest, with God you rest, the CRATE


full lands shall bow
Above your clay in revrent love hundred years
from now.
Earth's empires rise and fall, o Tme' like break
crs on thy shore
They rush upon thy rocks Of doom, go down, and
no more
The starry wilderness of worlds that gem night S
radiant brow
viii light the skies for other eyes hundred years
from now.
Our Father, to whose sleepess eyes the past and


future stand
An open page, like babes cling to Thy protect


ing hand;
Change, sorrow, death are naught to us if we may


safely bow
Beneath the shadow of Thy throne hundred
years from now


Irish World, Nay 6.
Year: 1876

1t ; llc Hlonlu ol May.
We got that pronunciation when
we were at school; merry was called
merry in any other connection, but
no one ever heard it called anything
but mary in a school girls compost
ton on May.


This Is the month when you SET
the house plants out doors. How
gladly the poor things drink in tho
warm sunshine and inhale the mel
low air, and look up gratefully into
the eyes of the woman, who with her
husbands last summers straw hat on
her head and 4 garden rake in her
hand, bends tenderly over the bud.
ding plants. And how the plants
snuggle up to each other that night
when smiling May puts on her ulster
and draws the cape over the head
and dhrows IN line of hot whisky,
while forty horse power frost, with
q breath like an iceberg, goes waltz
ing around over the fair face Of ma
ture, smelling the beautiful house
plants. And the next morning


Did you ever see woman in cal
leo wrapper, and her hair up in
crimping pins, sit down on a wheel
barrow and cry over large assort-
ment of house plants that had been
out all night without their ulsters?-
Her uncle Georges funeral wasn't a
circumstance. Sing:
Year: 1876

Bat was bitter violet staid:


Fennel come the brighter morrow


If our peas has been delayed?


All the plants her eyes delighted


Never more will cheer her walk.


For the fuschias COR had) are bghted,


You'll ne'er hear her cactus stalk.


You take down the sitting-room
stove this month, also, and then spend
all your May evenings i'll the kitchen,
and doctor cold in your head until
the middle OF June, about which
time it is driven away by the hay
fever, which stays with you until No
vember, brings q hacking cough to
take its place.


This is the month when the chill
dren 90 out into the woods after wild
flowers, and break the best set Of
white-handled knives by taking three
of them out to dig flowers with and
losing them in the woods. They
also leave in the woods the little tin
bucket, one of the best goblets, an
old-fashioned pie plate that had been
in the family thirty-eight years, the
oldest girl leaves her botany, the
youngest boy eats q lot of wild mush-
rooms, and has to be turned wrong
side out to save his life, the Oldest
boy climbs y shell-bark hickory tree
and in consequence has to stay in the
woods until after dark and then came
ambling home Sideways; they all
catch terrific colds and bring home
Year: 1876

THE Dodgeville second nine Of
base ballists got away with the Jun
iors of Mineral Point yesterday to
the tune of l6 to 3. The rain
seemed to take all the stiffening out
Of the Point boys. We understand
they are now satisfied that their
skill at the bat and ball is not suf-
ticient to bring them renown, and
will not play again. Sensible.
Year: 1876

ROTHSCHILD'S circus struck it bad
in Mineral Point. A pelting rain
set in on their entrance to the city,
and continued through most of the
day and night. Under favorable
circumstances they would no doubt
have given very fair entertainment.
Year: 1876

DARLINGTON has been saddeped
by the drowning Of Randall Warden,
aged 20 years, son of Gen. Warden,
at Irving, Kansas, whence he had
gone to attend to business for his
father, who owns mill at that place.
The young man was of exceptional
promise, and his sad death has cast a
gloom over the entire community.
The remains were brought to Dar-
lington and inferred last Wednesday,
with imposing ceremonies. From
the Republican We take the following
account of the accident:


Randall, with friend,was bathing
in the stream below his fathers mill.
They started to swim from shore to
an abutment of the dam. When with
in few feet of the abutment he said
to his companion that he feared he
could not reach it. His friend turned
to help him, but at that instant both
were drawn down by strong under
current. They were seen to 90 down
by men on shore, who hastened, with
boats, to their rescue The other
young mau was,with some difficulty,
saved. Randall came up but once and
then seemed to be standing on the
bottom, but If SO he was not strong
enough to hold his footing, for the
next instant he disappeared under
the water, never to rise again. His
body was found at considerable dis
tance from where he was last seen,
and near where he was first drawn
under.
Year: 1876

OVER THIRTY THOUSAND DEATHS IN NEW YORK


CITY LAST YEAR-oNE THOUSAND THREE


HUNDRED AND EEETY-FIvE MORE THAN IN


1S74-TABULATED STATEMENT OF DISEASES


AND WEEKLY NEUROLOGY.


The reports OF the Board of Health and the Bureau
Of Vital Statistics made TO the Mayor and
Common Council formerly. They rendered
weekly and printed in the Corporation paper in the
statements OF the regular proceedings according TO law
No annual report may be looked for from these depart
ments, nor, indeed from any other Mayor Hall
the last OF the citys chief magistrates who asked for
such report The figures of the mortality record Of
1874 have not yet been gwen in their full
and corrected state 10 the public They are
here subjoined. BY way Of explanation it would
be proper to say in this connection that the report pre-
sented worked out by the HERALDs own reporters
who indebted for to documents and depart
ments TO DR.. Elisha Harris, the Registrar, and Mr
Goldman chief Clerk of the Board Of Health. The hg
speak for themselves and accurate could
be obtained up to yesterday evening


II will be from the tables prepared with the ut
most care, that the mortality Of 1875 up to p. NJ
31st inst exceeds that Of 1874 by 1895 deaths This
is attributable TO different Smallpox and dph-
year than last There have been fewer deaths through
violence in 1878 than in 1874


The following table shows the total weekly mortality
IN each 1874 and 1870
Year: 1876

than HI r fitizens-were tories
Governo ..ea th loose hand, the
reins o. 81 II practical purposes,
the city Americans General
Washing - a-.- -- . - --~1gre that, had II been
attacked, il would have been overcome and the hope
Of American liberty destroyed, lay at Cambridge
watching the operations Of the British. II the
darkest hour OF cause gloomy that only years of
defeat could achieve a victory in the end In the har.
Dor at Boston an expedition fitted out which was
bring CONSERVATION to the doors Of every pat
riot in New York Sir Henry Clinton was in com
mand, and one Sunday morning in January, l776, he
entered the bay and menaced the city Lee in the
city with small escort but without an army, and
Clinton could easily have laid the town In ashes The
inhabitants expected its destruction and all night long
aer his arrival in the harbor busy Transporting
their movables TO place OF safety. The streets were
filed with carts and the North and East rivers with
boats, all heavily laden with merchandise. 1t was
the design Of the British only to capture
the city but 10 take possession OF the Hudson
River as far as Albany and, by commanding it, divide
the colonies into two parts The alarm among the in
habitants OF New York and the ready springing TO
arms OF the people Of Connecticut and New Jersey
seem TO have disconnected Sir Henry, and pretend
ing that he only a visit to Governor Tryop, he
sailed further South and the conflicts about New York.
lheNlsaDlo IL bhe war went on Nerc
in the year. This episode, so slight in itself and yet
raught with important consequences could not be
recalled more tly than at the present moment when
at the threshold OF the Revolutionary memories
which come with the centenary Of American nde
pendenco


A YEAR


But part Of the enjoyment OF the present as these
memories are, we need not conhne our pleasures to
their recollection AS we write the changing bells
announce the death OF 1875 and the birth OF 1874
Everywhere there stir and hustle In the metropolis
and before the impressions OF the HERALD are dry
the early callers will begin their rounds Already
tables spread in every household, and young men
and maidens bedecking themselves for the sober
joty, let us hope, Of all true worshppers at New
Years tide while all give expression TO the wish that


Love and Joy come to you


And to your wassail too,


And God send you happy new year,


happy new year,


And God send TO you happy year.
Year: 1876




The observance of New Years Eve at the Stock Ex-
change OF the usual merry and uproarious charac
ter. Business suspended in the forenoon. In
truth little or no business done, and then followed
a series Of horseplay performances that would have
done discredit to the widest school of unreormed
boys that ever existed. The gallery suspended above
the floor excellent vantage ground for such
spectators felt a natural aversion TO ming
ling in the rough fun carried be-
low Here gentleman could stand with the
consciousness that the silk tile upon his head was
safe and yet enjoy all that of malicious delight
which human nature is prone to indulge in wit
Messing the misfortunes OF others Hats that inno-
ceutly entered ton the heads OF their owners the
y ere the bulls and bears josted and howled in bar
Sarous delight and mischief departed mssbapon as
rushed and ruined as II very Juggernaui had
passed them and If pity did not excite the bosoms
Of the lockers on, profound feeling OF sacred Joy
must have stirred the hearts Of any practical hatters
in the gallery any renovators OF dismanted stove
pipes who "block your hat while you wait for fifty
cents.n All sense of dignity and decorum disappeared
in the hot and furious sport OF the bulls and bears
Mock auctions started and lots in Greenwood
and Calvary cemeteries went up to very high figure.
Tweed stock jumped TO 199, beyond which had
the courage bid Mackerelville active Charley
Ross touched H. after starting at Had the latest
formation been more reliable il might have gone to 22
Whiskey cocktail stock went higher than Kite, and it
scarce on the premises that many OF the lead
ing brokers made frantic rush out upon the
street and found II till they reached Delrzoni-
co.'s Chinese geng such used 10 be commonly
employed in the hotels of former days, brought
by some of the boys and made main occasion OF the
fun OF the day. The President OF the Board raped
his gave and declared that any member caught with
the noisy and abomnabe instrument IN his possession
should suffer the extreme penalty of the law Of
tons. Having said this he solemnly descended from
his chair and with the stern devotion OF old Roman
boldly plunged into the tumultuous mob to
arrest with his hands the impious vio.
lator. A crowd at this side now and that side
the next moment circulated the offending gong 1t
sounded in all quarters Of the room, but it eluded the
grasp Of the exhausted pursucr piunging madly into
this group and that like the harp that seemed to
hang the old Moorish walls This portion OF the
performance was very amusing in ITSELF but the culmi-
mating sport the nnal smashing OF several
shining new silk chimney pots that ventured
the end OF the days amusement Altogether the
brokers and specuators left impression that there is
trile more TO live for than money. AS TeLnyson
says


heath is the end Of life


Why should life all labor be
Year: 1876

cipes Of the hour 'retrenehment and reform 'send
rcn and poor alike away empty after gentle press
ure Of the hand Time was when the democracy and
republican needy constituents wont to "eat,
drink, laugh and be merry at the Mayors receptions
on the first day OF the year.
Year: 1876

The popular notion that New Years calls are an IN
fuon" peculiar to New York is not founded on iact
but al the present day the almost confined TO
this city In many countries, especially in Scotland 1t
was long the practice TO await
Year: 1876

We publish elsewhere, this morning,
communication, signed Franklin" in ref
erence to the action of the Bellows Falls
reform club in voting to admit the playing
OF certain games at their rooms, and to
open the reading room during certain hours
Sunday. While we always listen with re-
spect to the words of our esteemed friend
and correspondent, we must be permitted
to doubt whether he has the best Of the ar
gument in this case. His denunciation
seems to be directed against the playing of
the games, as well as the Sunday opening
of the reading room, and he will parden us
for saying that innocent amusements have
always been considered, and justly so, as
great aids in the way of reform; and, 60,
without regard to the Sunday question, We
think the action of the club was right and
proper. AS to the Sunday question, that
is another matter, but one, however, In
which the argument is not all on one side
but, for the present, we will not discuss
this question.
Year: 1876

Rutland railroad. The Rutland railroad


together with the Addison railroad, is only
some one hundred and thirty-six miles in
length, aud yet the Central Vermont rail-
road company pay an annual rental there
for of two hundred and fifty thousand dol
lars-or about one quarter of the amount
at which we have placed the whole present
valuation of railroad property in this state.
And this two hundred and fifty thousand
dollars represents not the valuation of the
property, but the interest on a fair business
valuation, and on fifty per cent. less than
the valuation placed thereon by the Rut-


land railroad company less than six years
ago.


In the town of Rutland, the reslestate of
railroads constitute about one-fortieth Of
the grand list. Taxes, to be cure, are
raised at the rate of so many cents on the
dollar, but the object aimed at is to raise
a given sum. That given sum will, of
course, necessitate greater or lesser tax,
as the grand list is larger or smaller. We
may not realize that our taxes are smaller
in consequence Of the assessment of rail-
read or other property, but It seems too
plain for argument that they must be So
Ii we wish to raise ten thousand dollars,
it makes a difference TO every tax payer
whether one-fortieth of the taxable proper
ty is placed upon or left off from the grand
list.


The same result follows in towns where
there are no railroads, although to less
extent. They have no reduction in their
local taxes, but it makes difference with
their state taxes, whether million of dol
lars worth of property is required to pay
its share Of the public bufthens, or whether
it shall be entirely exempted therefrom.


But aside from this, the argument adj
dressed to these "back towns" as they are
called, is too absurd 10 require much no.
tice. 1t is said to them, you receive no
benefit from these taxes, you have no rail
roads, therefore join with us in having this
law repealed. AS well might the marble
and slate producers urge that the majority
of towns have no quarries, and, receiving
no benefit from their taxation, should Join
with them in repeating all laws which pro-
vide for their taxation. Then would come
the proprietoIs of saw mills, of furnaces
and founderies, aud the merchants, lawyers
and physicians, all urging the same claim
and the result would be tha: farmers and
school houses-for every town has these
would pay all the taxes. If the claim is n
good one tor the railroads to make, it is
good for every ether kind of business
which is not carried on in every town in
the state.


We trust that it will only be necessary
to place the facts before the people, to
block this little game-but it would not be
the part of prudence to rely upon such
hope. We all know that the passage of
law imposing a tax on railroads was de-
feated four years ago by a trick, and the
desperate efforts resorted to. two years
ago, to defeat the scheme; and we may ex-
pect similar course this year. The peo-
pie should, and will, hold their representa-
tives to a strict accountability in this mat
Year: 1876

ENDEAvoRING TO ESCAPE TAXATION.
We said, few days ago. that we could
hardly believe that any of the railroad man
ayers of this state could be so short sighted,
could pursue so suicidal policy, as to Sc
riously contemplate the repeating of the
law taxing the real estate of railroads,
much less that they could have determined
to approach the next general assembly
with such a project but it would seem
that we were mistaken. Evidence accu-
mulate, that such project is on foot that
there has been "still hunt in this direc-
tion; that primaries were manipulated for
this purpose, and that this combination of
railroad managers believe that they have
secured sufficient power in the legislature
to accomplish their purpose, provided that
the people can be lulled into fancied
security.


In order to justify, or excuse, its repeal,
1t will be urged that no good results have
followed the law, that no apprcciable addi-
tion has been made TO the taxable property
of the state, and that no such reduction of
taxation to the property holders of the
state, as was predicted, has taken place.
This may all be true; but, if so, it is easy
of explanation. The law has been in force
only two years, and the first attempt to as
sess property hereunder was made two
years ago. Either because the law was not
generally understood or from other causes,
the assessment was very loosely made.
For one cause or another, railroad com
pauies have refused to pay their taxes-ln
some cases, because it was assessed to the
wrong party in others on account OF
real or pretended exemption. But little
money has, as yet, found its way into the
treasury, and it is argued from this that
but little ever will. This by no means
follows-,he first taxes that could have
been levied upon such assessment, with any
knowledge of its probable amount, wert
made during the present year, and whether
the amount realized be large or small, it il
too early to judge from experience exactly
what the effect will be.


1t seems evident enough, however, tina
the ultimate result must be felt by all tax
payers. If the appraisal is honestly made
and the taxci honestly assessed an
collected, it must result in a gen
eral reduction of taxation. Look a
the figures. There are three hundre
and fifty miles of railroad in the state
which if appraised at the amount author
lied by the statute would make an assesse
valuation of seven hundred thousand do
lars. Supposing that one hundred mile
thereof represents roads that have bee
built within ten years, and we have tw
hundred and fifty miles of railroad, value
ct half million dollars. To this is to b
added the value of station houses, freigt
depots, engine house, machine shops, etc
etc, a fair valuation of which would be {
much more, giving us at a fair and honel
valuation, present addition to our taxab
property of one million dollars, and to oil
grand list of ten THOUSAND dollars, to
nearly, If not quite, doubled within fe
years.


The estimate is not excessive. Indee'
1t is very faYorablo to the railroads, as wi
@ seen by glance az the situation of Il
Year: 1876

THE little steam engine erected by the Prison Commissioners to force water into the reservoir on the site of the Penitentiary, is 8 complete success. It easily throws 5000 gallons per hour and could throw much more if desired.