smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1875

GENERAL FITz JOHN PORTER has taken the
button off his foil in his combat with our
good Comptroller and stabs savagely at that
trusty official. Here, indeed, will be wit
messed fence worthy of the Hippodrome.
Our upright Comptroller is not the
man to be ''pinked" without making
the point of his smallsword whisk
in agitating proximity to his foemans
vitals. If the fight wakes warm and bad
blood is shed, so much the worse for the man
who bleeds If our jovial Mayor was only
on the ground, armed with fire trumpet
and acting as bottle-holder, the public would
be additionally delighted. The trouble is
all about street openings.
Year: 1875

Pool SE1L1NG.-We are glad to learn that
the Grand Jury proposes to take action on
thi question of pool selling. 1t is bad
business We do not like to see it at Wash
ingten. It is nothing moro than an effort on
the part of the gamblers in politics to "bull
the market" for their own favorites.
Year: 1875

HONESTY IN PoLIT1cs. IF it is to be under
stood, in these preliminary campaigns for the
government Of the democratic party, that
some one democrat elected to Congress is TO
stand out above and beyond his peers as the
especial honest man, and that if he is not
elected to the Office for which he is presented
5y his friends it will ALLEVIATE half million
voters from the organization, the result will,
when the time comes to elect . President,
prove--6ad for Hn dernocratic party
Year: 1875

RAPID TRANSIT. The order given yester-
day by the Supreme Court, General Term,
appointing Messrs. Oliver II. Palmer, John
T. Agnew and e. r. Lawrence, Commission
ers mainly to determine whether Third ave-
nue. is proper route for an elevated rail-
road, is another step forward in rapid transit.
We may expect tremendous efforts on the
part of the horse car company to procure a
negative reply to the question, but as the
line will be for the benefit of the entire city,
and not to suit the exigencies of close cor
poration, we have little doubt that the esti-
mable citizens appointed to decide this ques-
ton will do so fairly and honestly. The
people demand the Third avenue for rapid
transit. 1t is the best as the most obvious
line for such travel, and we hope the Com
missioners will waste no more time than the
law compels in arriving at the only proper
result.
Year: 1875

The WATER SUPPLY.--We give to-day an
account Of some observations from one Of
our reporters made in the district of country
from which the Croton water is drawn. II
must necessarily be Of great interest to the
public At the danger of disgusting the
people with this necessary element Of all its
cookery and even all its potations we pre-
sent the facts as we find them. for it is only
Year: 1875

Washington. IL is part Of this campaign
that Mr.. Kerr should be Speaker. Link by
link we trace this whole canvass for the
Speakership from the nomination Of MIR.
Kerr in the West, until we find its source in
the secret, dark lantern, Know Nothing
councils Of the Tammany lodge on Four
teenth street.


We may try to cloud the truth in these
discussions, but the truth is clear. The
people Of New York saw it in the last cleo
ton Then they we're told by our demo-
cratic friends, and by none of them with so
much ability and eloquence and knowledge
of the facts as the World, that Tammany
Hall was above reproach that these impu-
tations upon its secrecy and its ambition
were partisan ISLANDERS, and that the people
would only be too happy to vindicate the
efforts of its leader, John Kelly, to purify
New York. Well, the people answered the
World by defeating Tammany by large
majority, even though Tammany was
strengthened by the support of Governor
Tilden and by the universal desire among
men without distinction Of party to help the
Governor in his campaign for reform. We
may say that'if this canvass for the Speaker
ship in Washington takes the same shape,
if Governor Tilden and his friends"
force Mr.. Kerr upon the country as
a part of the Tammany programme
for the Presidency, the country, when t
comes to speak on that question, will speak
with the emphasis shown by New York.
This country is coming to the conclusion,
irrevocably that the existence of secret So
cieties controlling our politics is incompati-
BILE with liberty. No matter how much
democrats and republicans may desire to
honor men Of personal character no matter
how much they may respect men as worthy
of respect as Mr. Tilden and Mr. Kerr and
Mr.. Kelly and others, they will do moth
ing to perpetuate this principle. If these
gentlemen are mad enough to believe that
they can gain power in the country by con-
tinuing the political dynasty which began
with the treason of Burr, and which bore
fruit in the rapacity and robbery of Tweed,
they have read the public heart of America
in vain. Tammany Hall must die sooner or
later. If the men in its organization like
Tilden and the rest could only see this
they would cut aloof from the association
and contribute to its destruction. 1t be-
longs to the past. 1t is an excresence,
sore, political cancer. 1t has no place in
any republic which respects democracy. 1t
is because the canvass for the Speakership
in behalf of Mr. Kerr is only part of the
Tammany programme to maintain power
that we oppose that canvass. Unless the
democrats in Washington are brave and dis
Greet enough to arrest Tammany in this
new movement to gain control of the coun-
try they will burden the canvass for the
Presidency as heavily as they burdened the
last campaign when they matched Greeley
against Grant, and compelled him TO carry
the odium and shame Of the Tammany Ring.
Year: 1875

Fortunately the run on the savings banks,
which followed SO naturally the several
failures, seems to have exhausted itself with
out having unnecessarily carried down any
more Of these institutions. There is an in
structed opinion abroad to the effect that
these establishments are all at bottom in
such condition that there would be ulti-
number Of them should 60 down now than
there would be if they should linger on and
fail at later day with ampler deposits.
However this may be- we regard it as for the
moment public advantage that the storm
has passed over This will be hard winter
with the poor of the city ; and its miseries
would be greatly increased if the many poor
persons who believe they have a little pro-
vision made in the banks should find that
source fail them in the bitter emergencies of
cold and hunger. It is to be hoped
that with regard to the banks that
have actually gone all is not lost. With
the case fairly in the hands of the courts we
ought to be able to feel some security in this
respect but it is TO be apprehended that the
courts do not take In cases of this sort pre-
cisely the same view that the public would
take. Courts should be regarded in such
matters as the adversaries Of all persons
related, however remotely, to the swindles
and as the defenders Of the victims 1t does
not seem to be proper that they should have
any inspiration from Albany, for next to
the savings banks the Banking Department
itself will need to be investigated. Through
delinquency, or for some other reason, that
department failed to perform its duty under
the law in regard to them, and is, therefore,


not free Of the charge Of lending its coun-
tenance, ifnot its assistance, TO their practices
against the public Ii the courts act in the
case Of these banks on advice from the de-
partment, investigation. in regard to its rela-
tions with them will prove Intellectual, and
the remedy Of the public against organized
swindling will not be satisfactory.
Year: 1875

COMMISSIONER POTTER gives additional rea-
sons why the laborers on the Public Works
should not have two dollars a day. He asks
the Board Of Aldermen to put themselves
in his place, and then say whether the city
should pay more than the laborers are
willing to take from private contractors. II
he brought his argument, based upon the
great depression in the labor market home
to himself, we believe that great many
Commissioners of Public Works could be
found in New Jersey who would take half
his salary and do all the work.
Year: 1875

The CASE OF MABGAgEr TUoHEY, who met
horrible death from the flames Of burning
kerosene, is strangely complicated by the diff
ferent stories told by the two actors in the
tragedy If the first story told by the woman
is near the truth Patrick Tuohey deserves q
long rope and short shrift Her second
story would acquit him altogether. His own
version differs from both of the victims mar
ratives In addition to all this both were
somewhat the worse for liquor Il is hor-
rible affair throughout.
Year: 1875

The CAUSE on CUBA turned up yesterday in
the Chamber Of Commerce, where commit
tee Of five was appointed to consider the
effect which continuance Of the bloody
struggle in the Gem Of the Antilles would
have upon American commerce. This mat
ter-of-fact way Of looking at subject hitherto
regarded by Americans from sentimental
standpoint is significant The price Of mo-
lasses may move men to frenzy in behalf of
the patriots, whom the slaughter of batch
Of human beings would not rufie in the
slightest. Evidently the insurgent torch is
not nm i1niS fqlspLS
Year: 1875

through impulses excited by the public dis
gust and horror and indignation that we
shall ever get remedy for these evils 1t is
said that for the moment the frost protects
US from the evil Of malarious influences
This is only true with regard to direct ema-
nations from the earth The water holds in
solution the miasma taken up through the
summer and autumn, and the heat Of the
system gives it its effect,
Year: 1875

The experiment is about to
be made of using paper for the


construction wheels for draw
ing-room cars on one of the rail


ways Of New York state. The
advantages of paperS over any
other light material are said by
the inventor of the new wheels
to be as follows: 1t is noise


less; it does not swell or shrink
with the weather; it affords a
stay to the tire and a lateral
support in turning curves; at the
same time it adapts itself to
any trifing inequality of the in
ner surface of the inequality of
which wood or iron fail to do;
and, ,fnally,i seems to be strong
er than amy other material
many times stronger than any
material of the same weight
Of which a wheel can possibly
be made. In these wheels the
usual steel tire with its "rail
fange" is used. Upon the axle,
as a center, two heavy cast-iron
flanges are fastened parallel to
each other at right angles with
the axle, and in the plane of the
diameter. The inside one has
an eight inch radius, the outside
one completely covering the
outer disc, and overlapping the
tire one-half an inch. Through
the compressed paper, from
flange to fange, Me passed
strong bolts of the best iron,
secured by nuts screwed
home" firmly, and near enough
together to hold the paper in its
place without unnecessary cut
ting away of its fiber or weak
ening the fianges.
Year: 1875

/ Tho Origin of Dimp1es.
One morning, in the blossoming May,
! A child was sporting mid the flowers,
ill, wearied out with restless play,
He laid him down to dream away


The long and scorching noontide hours.
At length an angels unseen form
Par ted the air with conscious thrill,
And poised itself, like presence warm,
Above the boy, who was slumbering still.
Never before had so fair thing
Stayed the swift speed Of its shining wing
And, gazing down with wonder rare,
On the beautiful face of the dreamer there,
The angel stopped and kissed the child.
When 10! at the touch the infant smiled.
And. just where the unseen lips had pressed,
A dimple lay in its sweet unrest,
Like ripple walked from its light repose
On streaInlcts breast when the soft wind


blows;


And the angel passed from the sleeping one,
For her mission to earth that day was done.
A fair face bent above the boy
1t must have been the child's own mother;
For never would Such pride and joy
Have lit the face Of any other.
And. while she gaZed, the unquiet air
Grew tremulous with a whispered prayer.
Anon it ceased, and the boy awOkc.
And a smile Of love DER his fea lures broke.
The mother marked. with holy Joy,
The dimpling cheek of The darling boy;
And caught him up, while a warm surprise
Stole like a star to her midnight eyes,
And she whispered low, as she gently smil-


ed,


81 know an angel has kissed my childi'
Year: 1875

The orange crop this season


Promises to be one of the most


important and valuable ever
lgathered. At Bradish John


son and Magnolia the Weld is
Immense, the former having the


fruit Of ten thousand trees for
isale.


At William Smiths place near


Bolivar Point, the golden fruit


is so plentiful and delicious that
it would tempt one almost as
much as to possess a gold mine
The prices of fruit have been
heretofore so much influenced
and damaged by the ring of
fruit-venders as purchasers that
it was difficult for the produ-
GERS to realize any benefit from
the products. We are inform
ed that a movement is now on
foot among the orange growers
to ship the fruit direct to agents
in the North and East, and thus
do away with so many hand
lings that now eat up the prof
Its. As it is now, it passes
through seven or eight distinct
changes before it reaches New
Orleans, and the consequent
offerings by the ring to first
hands is tremendously less than
when placed on sale in New Or
leans. Cheap fruit is a great
desideratum, and the change
contemplated will tend to effect
such an object. We have been
informed that one tree in Cam
erOn Parish produced last year
eight thousand marketable Or
anges, but of course this is re-
markablc, the average yield of
4 well-advanced orchard being
not more than fifteen hundred
to two thousand to the tree.
Plaquimine Parish is one of the
most fruitful in the whole State
of Louisiana, and this year she
will undoubtedly exceed herself
in sugar, rice and orange crops.


- Ne1C Orleans Times.
Year: 1875

The Paris correspondent Of the
London Daily Telegraph writes
to that journal: There is rejoic-
ing in the police over the capture
of a droll scoundrel who has long
given them work to do. This
fellow hung around the Lyons
railway station about evening
time. On catching sight Of a
traveller who looked simple, he
nade acquaintance in lonely
spot, and mysteriously offered to
sell him pateut watch-chains Of
amazing beauty and. incredible
strength. "Try it, said lie; "you
are fine man. but even you
can't break my chain" So the
chain was twisted around the
mans wrist and snapped to-
While he struggled with it the
vender would lay him fat, take
all his valuabl, S and make of. For
years this ruliian has been play
ing his ingenious game, going
sometimes into the country. Que
night lately at the Lyons Railway
he found Il victim. chained him
up, pIundered him and ran away.
But the countryman chanced to
be particularly strong and swift.
He broke the hand cuffs and
caught the thief.
Year: 1875

At the police station: Judge
Ito the pfisoner) You were ar
rested at the very moment you
were taking the portemonaie
from the gentleman's pocket"
The prisoner: eyes, sir; but
[ was going to put it back
My first thought is often bad.
My second is always good
The policeman who arrested
me should have waited for my
second thought"
Year: 1875

The present condition Of Ger
many is not very cOnsOling 10
the advocates of a specie basis.
There they have had that kind
of currency in operation fer
years, and yet We are informed
by the last advices, that 'the
money market has become most
peculiar;' that there is extra
ordinary tightness Of money
there;" that "thc discount mar
ket has advanced to five per
cent. and the bank rate of dis
count is to be advanced The
whole history of the specie ba-
sis currency makes it very evi-
dent that the welfare of the
community is no more assured
by a specie basis system than
any other. 1t depends upon a
wise government administered
for the benefit Of the people
and not in the interest Of the
bankers or bondholders. This
can be arrived at in the use of
such paper money as the green
back secured by the gove.r-
ment, much better than by pIa-
cling dependence upon the ignuS
fatuus of specie basis, which
leaves the people in the very
hour of their distress, as it did
this people i'll 1852.
Year: 1875

It is stated that thirty tons
of salmon were consumed by
the Saratoga hotels this season;
and this rcfutes the theory that
fish are valuable brain food
Hundreds of young men left
Saratoga hotels wearing their
hair parted in the middle as
usual.
Year: 1875

An Illinois paper states that
IN fifteen of its exchanges on
one day it found a statement to
the effect that "the delay in is
suing our paper this week is
owing to all our hands being
down with the chills and fever"
Year: 1875

There is a woman in Milwau.
kee who declared when Cary was
singing in opera at that city that
tights were vulgar. That very
same woman now promenades the
streets in the pull backedest pull
back in town. The Sentinel
says so.
Year: 1875

Florida papers report I'll al
most total failure of the sponge
crop, while Northern free-Iunch
saloon clerks Say that there are
more sponges around this fall
than they ever saw before.
Year: 1875

We have concluded to produce Neigh bor lockwood on Thursday evening, Mar. 18th. If the weather and the travelling do not conspire to fill the house on that night, we shall repeat 1t on some evening of the following week. Perhaps we shall repeat 1t even if the house is filled on the 18th. To the poor fellous who stood all through the performance of Uncle Tom. I wish to announce that we shall have high benches made for that part of the Hall, so that on the next occasion they can sit down and still see over the heads of the people in front. A ventilator in the ridge will admit air; and invite the foul breath''to mingle with the universe B again invite our friends in Lltchfeld to try the experiment of an excursion on the Shepaug once more. The play, Neighbor lockwood. is tremendously long, I con- fess; but 1t is very amusing, very inter esting,. full of character. full of incidents. It always afforded great delight to audi ences in the Old Methodist church, when va had the floor for stage, bedquilts for scenery, and school children for actors. We filled Farmers Hall when We played if five years ago, and We hope to fill our new Hal1 on the 18th. What entertain ment equally good sill you have if you do not come? F. ". G.
Year: 1875

1t seems trife hard in a Democratic

 county like this. and in a year, too, when

 our present high sheriffis to be reelected,

 II heaven so please, that Democrats

 should he as busy as they are making

 things difficult for him. In the first place

 Representative Baldwin, of New Milford,

 would insist on knowing, at the late coun-

 ty meeting. how it happened that the jail

 brought no rent into the county treasury as was the case in old times when he was a county commissioner. And now here comes the Winsted Press, a Democratic journal, making hue and cry about poor old Betsy Wadhams, an insane woman placed in jail long ago when the law or dered that lunatics acquitted from crime on the ground of insanity should be so confined. In 1870 the law was changed. and Betsy Wadhams should have been re- moved to the State Insane Hospital. For some reason not known to us she was not so removed. For the SIX years of the pres- ent sherifs term of office he has received s, week out out of the State Treasury. for her board, and that board has proba- ply cost him less than $1, week. Here is a clean profit of $1OO year, on one lunat- ic prisoner, to careful Democratic official. Now what must this reckless organ of a Liberal Economical Democratic Reform Party do but raise an outcry, as of 8 steam whistle, about this little matter of Betsy Wadhams, within less than three weeks of the nomination and five of the election Its article closes with the following re- marks, intended for Litchfield promiscu- ously, but most unluckily coming home to the high sheriff individually:

 A curious circumstance ill connection with this old lunatic's case is the fact that she ought to be sent to the State Asylum at Middletown. But while.she is in jail she is the charge of the State $500 per week, and if sent to Middletown the ex- penses would be taxed upon the town of Litchfeld, and 1t is scarcely to be wonder ed at that our humanitarian neighbors at the county seat have kept the matter shady. It has however come to the knowl- edge of the State Board of Charities and Corrections, and they promise early mea-. sures to transfer the poor old creature to her proper home.

 Here is a nice prospect. Our public spirited sheriff hardly clears expenses on the jail. now, he says; and. with S300 Ire formed' clean out of his pocket on one little matter, and other reforms threaten ed, how is he to scrape through his three years term even should be nominated and elected? Evidently this Gatling Gun of an editor, who is doing all he can to make the office unproitable by his interference, should favor some plan that will relieve his friend of that branch of his present official work. Relief will no doubt come most effectively in the form of resolu- tions in each of the county conventions, in- stucting their respective nominees, in case of election, to rent the jail to some suit able person, as was formerly done, and pay the rent into the county treasury.
Year: 1875

A terrible disaster happened at Cath olic church in Duane St., New York. on Thursday evening last. The building was crowded by over 2Oo0 persons at a Lent service, when high brick wall of an adjoining building that had been re- gently burnt, was toppled over by the wind upon the roof of the church. A small part of the roof gave way, and with bricks and beams and plaster came tumb- ling down on the heads of the people be- meath. Five persons were killed outright and @ were wounded by the disaster. A terrible stampede of the survivors took place. in the course of which several more people were more or less hurt.
Year: 1875

Early in December. at the very begin ing of winter, appeared our unusual and entirely unexpected visitors. Quietly picking the seeds from the maple branch

 oyer your head but not beyond your reach; foolishly alighting at your feet to gather those that had fallen to the ground; nois- lessly moving among the limbs of your low spruce tree to eat the resinous buds, they keep 8 sharp eye on you; but seem ing to regard you as friend, they neither avoid nor fear you. You never saw them before: you wonder whence and who they they came, and who they are. The Pine Grosbeak, denizen of the cold north, 8 frequent winter visitor in the upper part of Maine, Is almost never seen in Connec- tcut. Why did these beautiful birds make their familiar home among us in December, 1874. Did they know the mer- cury was about to pitch it's tent for the season in the region of zero? Are they weather prophets? or was it the mere ac- cident of no food in their usual haunts, that brought them down to make our ac- quaintance? Whatever may have been the motive that impelled them, let US give thanks for their visit, and invite to call again. Their beauty, their gentle manner, their quiet confidence in man and, may add, in boy, have endealed them to us through the long, cold winter. You need not wait till you can sprinkle salt on their tails. put forth your hand slowly, and you can take him from the branch. He resists with peck; and af- ter moments examination you release him. He fears you no more than before, but alights within your reach. first saw these Grosbeaks in the winter of 1885 or near it. Though accustomed to notice and recognize every bird that visits us, summer or winter, have seen only two individuals from that time till this season of their long soiourn. G.