smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1876

In the opening of the political campaign for the present year, the state central executive com mittee, referring to the satisfacto- " advancement of our state on the road of political honor and material prosperity under a Dem ocratic administration, desires to invoke tn. continued action of the whole people to secure the perpetuation of condition of af fairs so satisfactory to every pa trioeic citizen.

 In period incredibly short, Arkansas has been redeemed from state of political vassalage and financial bankruptcy to that of a sovereign equal in the Amer ican confederation, happy and prosperous at home, and respect ed abroad. To the people of the state, through their representa- tives, belongs the honor. It only remains for them to act together to perpetuate the blessing. To that end your committee has call ed convention to assemble at the state capital on the 14th day of June next, and urge upon all who have the interests of the state and party at heart, to take part in the effort necessary to make that convention in the fullest sense represent the sentiments and interests of the whole party. As each individual must suffer by the maladininistration of public affairs, so is he under obligations to assist in shaping events so as to secure pare and compc- tent administration.

 Your committee urges prompt action in this matter, first upon the county executive committees. In counties where a call for con vention can not be regularly made from any cause, it is suggested that as many as three members of the party in fair standing in each township might unite Tn 8 joint call for township and county conventions, giving ample notice, and thus effectually organize the party without the intervention of a mass meeting for the selection of al executive committee. As to the exact mode of organizing no positive direction is given; but the hope is strongly indulged that such organization may be eff fected as that the will of the party may be fully reflected in all the conventions-township, county, congressional and state. In such cases do not wait for some one else to act, act yourselves and see that others do.

 It is an important era in our history, and the destiny of the country for years to come is to be determined. The same corrupt uyAasty under which Arkansas suffered so long has now possess ion of every department of the federal government, except the lower house of congress. That is doing faithful work, and Ar kansas has four representatives 10 give her voice expression.

 You will be called to vote not only for candidates for state off ces, but also to appoint delegates to represent you in the National Democratic convention for the purpose of choosing candidates for the highest executive offices of the general government, and with the prospect, for the first time in many years, for giving your preference expression at the general election. The occasion is propitiQus, as we'll as important. Let each member of the party dc his part as an individual, and the beginning at least will be secure.

 SOL. F. CLARK, Chm,

 J. T. TREzEvANT, JR. Sec'ty.
Year: 1876

Gumbs, who lives next door to US,
says aoeekly contemporary, has bought
new dog. He needs new one. His
last dog used to lark all night in the
yard until, in frantic desperation, we
would shy boots and cologne bottles and
furniture at him. But he always went
on worse; and in the morning Gumbs
would come calmly out and gather up
these missiles and carry them into the
house. He has more than twenty pairs
of boots and slippers in his possession
besides chair legs and cakes of soap,
and hair brushes, and match safes. and
towel-racks. And he never had the
manliness to offer to give them back.
On the contrary, be trained that dog to
sit by the front gate and seize us by the
leg when We came ont. apparently tor
the purpose of securing some more
boots. But we poisoned him one plight,
and the next morning Gumbs threw the
carcass over into our yard. We return
ed it. Gumbs returned it. We both
stayed at home that day, and spent the
time handing that dog to one another
over the fence. Then we hired an
Irishman to stand there night and day
to return the deceased to Gumbs' yard.
ThenGumbs also employed an Irishman.
1t was exhilarating work. The corpse
probably traversed that fence six or
seven thousand times in every twenty
four hours. He must have become
familiar with the route, even if be was
dead. At last he wore away with so
much handling, and on the last day the
Irishmen whiled away the hours by
flinging only the tail at each other.
Our Irishmah at last buried the tail,
and resigned. Gumbs' Irishman quar-
relied with ours for burying the tail
without waking" it. And now Gumbs
has got new dog. 1t will be excessive
ly'singular if we do not fish for that dog
some evening soon with Goldfish line
and piece Of beef, and run 1im up all
of a sudden to our window and launch
lin into the sewer.
Year: 1876

w Young Mrs. Burdock asked old
Miss Ann Thropy why little Johnnle
Burdock was like an angel, and Miss L.
said there was not the slightest resem-
blance between them, which was not
the right answer. Now the ladies do
not speak to each other mornings when
hey are sitting the ashes at the fence
lividing their back yards.-Ron'e SENT
lel
Year: 1876

L. 4 man who went for the first
time to play ten pins, kept driving away
at the pins. to the imminent peril of
the boy, who. so far from having any
thing to do III ''setting up, was actively
trying to avoid the balls of the player,
which ratified on all sides Of the pins
without touching them. At length the
man. seeing the predicament the boy
was in. yelled out. as he let drive an
other ball, Stand among the pins, boy.
if you don't want to get hurt
Year: 1876

SHIPwRECKING AS A TgAIE.- Exactly
as there is nothing new under the sun,
SO, We may take it for granted, there is
nothing uncommon or rare, andOwbere
Thomassen attempted and failed, other
men have attempted and succeeded. 1t
is very likely that, as has now been sug-
gested in more than one quarter. the
City of Boston was destroyed in some
such diabolical manner. 1t is seldom
that an Atlantic liner leaves absolutely
no trace of her loss, and Of the City of
Boston not boat or plank has ever
been picked up. Anyway it is tolerably
certain that of the many vessels that
are written of as lost with all hands not
a. few are destroyed by foul means.
Anyone who has been 10 sea only for a
short voyage must know how very un-
likely it is that good ship properly
handled should founder in mid ocean.
A vessel of 2,0e0 tons, if her cargo is
rightly slowed, ought to be able, aud
for all practicable purposes may be as
sumed to be able, to ride out a hurri-
cane. Of course snips may, and often
do go ashore, but that is the fault, or is
may be the misfortune of the Captain,
not the fault of the ship. When. how
ever, we find, as We do, that quite as
many vess-ls 60 down bodily at sea as
are wrecked on the shore, it is impossi-
BILE not to suspect treacnery. OF course
a missing vessel may have come in coll
lision with an iceberg or with mass OF
floating wreck. So, too. for all that
anybody knows, she may have been
taken by pirates; and practically there
is almost as much chance of one catas-
trophe as of the other. Icebergs and
floating wreckage are more common OBJ
jects at sea than are pirates; but, in
known cases, they have seldom destroy
ed a vessel without leaving aoundant
traces of her to be afterward picked up.
| London Examiner.
Year: 1876

V A certain married Maine man is
allowed only $50 month for himself
and wife, all the rest of his in
come being demanded by court to pay
damages to the younn woman whom he
had first thought OF marrying.
Year: 1876

dence that the wholesale litigation
in which we have indulged has been
costly luxury to the taxpayers.
Law is expensive, and prudent persons
will often submit to little injustice rather
than enter the dangerous precincts of the
courts. Comptroller Kelly will act wisely
if he directs the Corporation Counsel to
carefully select from the frightful list of city
actions all cases in which the city has not
good and sufficient defence and then settle
such cases on the best terms he can secure.


The number of suits brought by assessed
parties to vacatc assessments is very large.
This will probably direct the attention OF
Comptroller Kelly to the whole matter OF
assessment bonds and what is called our
bonds now outstanding is, we believe, about
twenty-three million dollars. Mr.. Green
has allowed this fiction Of floating debt"
to run on through his history Of our
financial condition for five years, when,
in fact, considerable portion of it
belongs and should be transferred to the
funded" debt We think the new Comp
troller will find that some five million
dollars Of the so-called assessment bonds"
which are supposed to be returnable to the
city from the property of individuals as
sessed, should be transferred to the "per-
manent debt" of the city. Assessments
on city property and vacated assess
ments will, we believe, reach fully
that amount. But the whole subject
claims Comptroller Kellys early attention.
Our entire system of assessments for inn
provements is wrong. No such thing as as
sessment bonds ought to be known in the
city finances. Mr.. Green is not respon-
sible for the system, it is true; but capa-
bic and earnest Comptroller will not rest
until the system is reformed, and will not
allow the citizens, by jumbled statement
of permanent and temporary" debt, to
be kept in ignorance of their real financial
condition.
Year: 1876

The rapidity with which the depression
that we noticed in the far Northwest Oh
Saturday has changed its position since then
is something very remarkable. Its move
ments have brought it from the vicinity of
Fort Benton, Montana, southeastward
toward Fort Sully in Dakota, thence south
ward into Northern Texas and again north
eastward into the Ohio Valley, which region
it is now traversing. Being on the west
ern side of the Alleghanies its progress
will receive direction from the axis
of that range, and it is probable that q
considerable precipitation in the form of
snow will result from the condensing in
fiuence of the mountains on the humid at
mosphere of the storm centre. While this
snow fall will be heavy on the western slopes
of the Alleghanies it is improbable that we
will experience much of it on the coast, at
least not on that portion southwark of Cape
Cod. The temperature northward of the
lakes and along the ST. Lawrence Valley
continues below zero, while as far south
as st. Louis, except within the storm area
proper, the thermometer records below
freezing point. In the South the weather is
generally cold and, except at few points
along the Gulf coast, is far below the normal
temperature at this season Of the year. Two
centres of high pressure are now in motion
eastward of the Rocky Mountans-one in
Dakota and the other in the St. Lawrence
Valley. The latter is following closely in
the track of the recent storm. and the
former attends the depression in the
Ohio Valley. Snow is now falling at
Keokuk, Chicago, Milwaukee, Grand
Haven, indianapolis and Cairo in the
West; at Detroit, Toledo, Cleveland Erie


Buffalo and Rochester, in the lake region,
and at Toronto and Saugeen in Canada


The formation of heavy ice and snow
blockades are reported from Detroit Rain
has fallen in the Northwest and Southwest
over small areas. The wind velocities are
highest on the northwestern margin Of the
approaching depression, but at a considera-
BILE distance from its centre. They chiefly
flow from the area of high pressure now GEN.
trail in Dakota. The weather in New York
to-day will be slightly warmer and cloudy
OF partly cloudy, with, probably, light snow.
Year: 1876

The long and wasteful contest between
the great railroads is ended, and the public
are deeply interested in the question
whether if the war was justifiable anything
has been gained by the settlement. In
order to ascertain this brief review Of the
situation becomes necessary. The companies
have had repeated difficulties and agreements
ment patched up to secure higher rates
recognized the mileage basis as the only
method of equalization. AS Baltimore was
so much nearer Southern and Southwestern
points this gave to that city discrimina-
ton in her favor varying from fourteen to
twenty-four per cent on both competitive
and local traffic, amounting generally to ten
cents, and when rates were very high to
much more. per hundred pounds less than
New York. AS often as the New York
roads were affected by this in ma
terial loss of trade compacts were
broken and desperate efforts made to restore
the equilibrium. But the invariable result
was the diversion of some portion of the
business from this city and permanent gains
to its Southern rivals. Mr.. Vanderbilt at
length attempted to remove this disturbing
element from railway peace and this in
creasing peril to the business of his line and
the prosperity of New York by proclaiming
that freight from competitive points to and
from tho seaboard and beyond should no
longer be equalized by the same rate per ton
per mile, giving the shorter route the ad-
vantage of less total price, but that with
out regard to distance the final cost to
and through every port to destination
should be the same. To prevent this
the Pennsylvania and the Baltimore
and Ohio have maintained for nearly year
the fiercest and most desperate conflict in
railroad records. 1t ends in victory for the
New York Central and in establishing prin-
ciples of transportation which will confer
the greatest benefits upon New York.


As we understand the agreement all CON-
petitive business to and from the South,
Southwest and West with Europe,
the coast of America and the Brit
Year: 1876

UNcLEAN FASArIcrsM. Every little while
society persuades itself that the days of
licentiousness under the garb Of organized
religion are past, and just as often some
sickening revelation startles respectable
people from their sense of security. The
latest irregularity of this kind is fully re-
ported in another column. Why women in
quiet Missouri village should abase them
selves in fanatical alteration before o mani
fest impostor does not plainly appear, but
tits absolutely certain that if the vital truths
of religion had been faithfully urged upon
the community in which occurred the dis
gusting affair alluded to public sentiment
would have prevented the clerical humbug
from enunciating his disgusting blasphemies.
Churches of every denomination will do
we'll to consider our report in the light of
. warning.
Year: 1876

uge the State with blood. Such reckless
lunatic ought to be Gagged like wild beast.


Those who stand behind and abet this
desperate political gambler and lunatic are
almost as wicked as himself How does this
impudent man dare to act such part?
What emboldens him to hold on to an Office
to which the courts of the State say he has
would convert the State into o scene
of carnage? He ventures to brave the
public opinion of South Carolina,
TO defy its courts of justice, to make insolent
threats against the liberty and life Of
his political competitor, only because he is
supported by federal bayonets, employed
against law and in subversion of right.
President Grant must stand sponsor for his
prot<ge. His atrocious insolence is inspired
from Washington. Our bull-dozed President
is pursuing course ofwhich he will repent.
President Grants own impulses would
never have hurried him into completely
with the law-defying proceedings in South
Carolina. He is misled by the Chambers,
Camerons and hot-headed partisans to
whom he has unwarily given his conf
dence, and who seek to make him the
instruments of their partisan violence.
We call on him to discard these reckless ad-
visers, who are using him as ladder which
they will kick down when they have climbed
on it to the attainment Of their
objects. We respectfully ask him to
take counsel of the safe, moderate,
wise men Of his own party, men
who enjoy the confidence and esteem
of the country. He is soon to retire to pri-
vate life, after long and illustrious career
of public service His sincere we'll
wishers would be sorry to see him go
out Of Office with his reputation
tarnished by acts which law-abiding men of
neither party can defend. The sooner he
abandons Chamberlain the better it will he
for the peace of the country and for his own
tranquility and fame.
Year: 1876

If Comptroller Kelly will look at the
CITY Record-a paper in which the transac-
tions of the city government are convent
emily hidden away from the peoplc-of Oc-
tober 80 last, he will find therein n list of all
actions and proceedings pending in the
Office of the Counsel to the Corporation on
the 3Oth day of September, 1876. The list
is startling one. Thirty columns are de-
voted to the titles Of the actions, including
petitions for relief, to which the city is
party, and the number Of the suits
is in the neighborhood of three thou
sand. This enormous legacy Of liti-
cation comes to us from Comptroller
Kelly's predecessor, and in many in
stances the city is defendant against the
advice Of the Corporation Counsel. No
doubt in numerous cases the city has good
defence and is justified in fighting to the
end, whatever the result may be- But the
judgments that are constantly rendered
against the city and the repeated calls of the
late Comptroller for authority to issue
bonds to pay such judgments are good evil
Year: 1876

The street railway cays of this city are
literally patronized by the public, and the
companies owe to the public correspond
ing degree Of attention. This obligation is
not recognized. More attention is paid to
the amount of dividends that can be paid to
the stockholders than to the proportion of
comfort that can be afforded to the
passengers. At this season of the year
this neglect is specially noticeable No
matter how warmly one may be dressed
trip over any of the lines is taken at the
risk of taking q severe cold. Abernethy
laid down rs an excellent rule of health to
keep the head cool and the feet warm ; but
there is no attention paid to this rule by
these companies. Whatever may be
said of the discomforts experienced in
the railway carriage in England the warm
ing pans of hot water which are provided
for foot rests during winter are grateful
recollections Of all foreign travellers. The
extremities Of the body are the outposts that
must be guarded from cold. The rest can
be thoroughly protected by heavy clothing.
Many cases of rheumatism, pneumonia and
diseases Of similar nature so prevalent in
the winter originate from leaving the indoor
warm temperature and being compelled to
ride for fifteen or more minutes in the freezing
atmosphere of our cars. In other cities
small stoves are used. The only reason that
can be given for their not being used here is
that it prevents the crowding that is SO
profitable to the companies and SO inconven-
lent to the public On many of the steam
railroads an apparatus is adopted which cir
culates heated air around the sides Of the
car, small registers opening beside each seat,
thus keeping the feet ofthe passengers warm.
This device must be practicable for the
street cars. Again, long iron tubes could
be run the length of the cars on either side
on which the feet might rest that could be
filed with hot water at each end of the
route. OF course it will entail expense
upon the companies to provide some such
convenience, but it is duty they owe, and
one which the public should exact.
Year: 1876

THE CIrY HALL CLOCK. What is the mat
ter with the official timepiece of the city !?
OF late it has been out Of order and does not
truthfully inform, but deceives, the thou
sands of people who consult it daily. A
clock that does not tell the time accuntely
is worse than no clock at all. Our City
Hall should not be like the London Monu-
ment, ascribing the great fire of 1866 to the
Catholics, which Pope said


Like a tall bully lifts It's head and lics
Year: 1876

In ANOTHER COLUMN will be found an in
teresting account of the progress being
made at Newton's Channel. 1t is unnec-
essary to assert the importance of appro-
priating the money required for its compile
lion. The simple announcement that one
of the greatest engineering feats of modern
times would be delayed in its accomplish
ment by the want of funds is sufficient.
Year: 1876

IF ANY MAN with a warm heart and full
pocket wants to know how to distinguish
between tramps and destitute workingmen
he can get the desired information from our
article headed "The Sabbath of the
Hungry"
Year: 1876

One inch institutes a square


Special place or double column advertisements
rom ten to twenty per cent.e


Local not ces ten cents per line for the first inser
ion, and five cents per line for every subsequent
Insertion.
Year: 1876

Four dollars appears to be
the regular charge for a dinner
that would be dear at one dol
lar, soda water is retailed at
fifteen cents, eggs at twenty
five cents each, fifty cents for a
sandwich, and the same for a
cup of coffee, and all other prl-
ces in the same outrageous pro-
portion. IF the directors per-
nit such a thing within the
grounds, the enterprise ought to
fail in the most signal manner,
and we believe it will. ROBBIE
ry in the name Of exhibiting
the nations progress ought not
to be permitted, and if it is
longer permitted to continue
the American people ought to
put a stop to it by staying away
from Philadelphia.
Year: 1876

i On Cry, Pa, May 15.-A
J singular phenomenon can nov
be seen in Clarion county, Pa.
within fifty miles of this city.
on. a small stream known a.
Catfish run. For a long time
ithe inhabitants Of that locality


have noticed commotion on
the surface of the water, like


that made by gas bubbling to
the surface. These bubbles have
been seen for many years, but no
particular notice was taken of
them until recently, when the
iquantity of escaping gas In
creased, and the surface Of the
stream for several rods was COW
cred with bubbles. A strong
smell of gas also impregnated
the air in the vicinity.


Last month the place was vis-
tied by several gentlemen who
had heard of the phenomenon.
They became convinced that it
was gas and determined to test
its burning qualities. A bunch
t of rags was obtained at FARM
house and thoroughly saturated
with kerosene. TO this a match
was applied and the burning
ball thrown into the stream.
Before it reached the surface of
the water the gas ignited and
slight explosion followed. Ina
few moments the body of the
gas burned steadily, and in ev-
cry portion of the stream small
flames sprung up where the gas
escaped in moderate quantities.
Since that day the gas has con-
tined to burn, and the area Of
the stream covered by it has in.
creased until now the fires ex-
tend a quarter of a mile up and
down the run.


Catfish run is sluggish
stream bounded on either side
by steep, wooded bluffs. At
night the scene along the burn
ing stream is magnificent. The
fires light up the dark forest, and
sparkle on the waters, making a
spectacle rarely Witnessed. This
stream is contiguous to oil terri
tory, and the only satisfactory
theory Of the source of the gas
is that it arises from petroleum
deposits beneath the water, as
the same phenomenon, although
the gas was in less quantity, has
been noticed on Oil Creek.