smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1872

The Boston confaGration' Was the general
theme Of discourse in the New York pulpits last
Sunday, and it is gratifying to see that, with but
one exception, no references we're made to the
peculiar virtue OF Boston and the peculiar vice
Of Chicago, as being the cause of the fire, most
Of the clergymen contenting themselves with
drawing moral lessons from the fire, such as the
fact that the rich are in reality no more inde-
pendent than the poor, and the mutual depend
ence of each upon:the other The one excep-
tion was Rev. Mr. Graham, of the Seventh
Avenue Presbyterian Church, who was inclined
to regard the fire as q visitation Of Divine
wrath, which, Of course, led him to the ineyita-
bic comparison NTH tile Chicago fire. The in
consistency which the comparison involves he
escaped in the following ingenious manner:


It will be providential to the people Of that city II
they remember that Gods honor and Gods truth arc
far more important than the truth and honor and in;
tegrity and intellectually Of Boston or thousand
cities. Boston, with all its morality, no better
than Chicago with MI its wickedness. Here are two
extremes The exceedingly wicked, and the other
remarkable for morality, but for genuine, Godhke
or ChristianliIe religion.


In other words, we presume that Chicago Is TO
understand that, as her loss was fonr times
greater than Boston's, therefore her wickedness
is four times worse than Boston's morality
without any religion figuring in either case' As
usual, We are ahead again.
Year: 1872

can production which is favored by them being
confined to Louisiana, and having capacity of
filling only one-tenth Of the demand Of our
American consumers. These duties bring the
Government some thirty millions Of dollars md:
upwards annually, which the annexation Of
Cuba would obige us to raise by other taxes
To increase the duties from their present rates
Of from ~ to OF cents pound (Which may
be from Is to GO per cent on the invoice price)
to duties equivalent to 100 per cent, or say from
4 to 8 cents per pound, would, US q revenue
measure, affect ourselves more largely than the
Cubans. It would double tile cost Of sugar to
ourselves, and as o protective measure would
stimulate the manufacture Of the inferior and
dearer sugar that can be made from bects, corn,
sorghum, and Louisiana cane. It would lessen
the consumption Of sugar in America but
whether tho decrease in the importation would
be sufficient to lessen the amount Of
our revenue under the increased duty,
only the experiment itself would de-
eide. The two-thirds Of the Cuban product
which is sold in the United States is nine-tenths
Of our supply, SO that the effect upon our prices
would be much more sharp and decisive than
the effect on Cuban prices. While Cuba would
still have the rest Of the world to sell to, we, in
order to prevent Cuban sugar coming to us
through other channels, would have to put the
duties on all foreign sugars up to the game mark.
Cuba would still supply the world, except France
and the small part of Europe where the beet is
made to superscdo the imported article. Prob
ably, therefore, the selling price in Cuba would
not decline at I'LL, or only by shade, while the
purchasing price here would rise By sone-
thing moro than the duty. In short,
in tho increased cost of our sugar,
We would be taxing ourselves forty
to sixty millions year, some portion of which,
how largo could not now bepredicted, would so
to the producers Of beat, sorghum, cane, maple,
and corn sugar here, as "pro6ts" on those in
dustries. The measure would irritate and en-
barrass Cuban sugar planters, and 30 would
ALLEVIATE their sympathies from us, but it could
not possibly prevent them from continuing to
raise sugar at q fair profit, though they would
got fur less than wo would pay for it. Whatever
would appear to tho Cubans like legislating to
impoverish them would, OF course, bind them
more closely to the Spanish throne. The Cubans
can now sec that If they were annexed to the
United States they would send into this country,
FREQ Of duty, the sugar and molasses
on which thirty millions Of duty are now paid,
and would share with American consumers the
profit arising from q cessation of the tax. II
this inducomont cannot win them to an annex
alton policy, it is quite certain that they would
not be Won by a tariff expressly designed to
operate as q hostile measure. OF course, what
their industrial progress, must, at tho same
time, prolong the power Of slavery.
Year: 1872

We publish letter elsewhere from member
of the Board Of Trade, in reply to structures
in our commercial columns on the action or non
action Of the Board in OF fraud like that re-
Gently discovered in the Mum t. Scott Elevators.
The writer takes various exceptions to these
structures. He alleges, for instance, that, since
the Legislature has taken the control Of ware
and lodged it in the hands Of Board Of Com
missioners and other officers appointed by tho
Governor it is not fair to hold the Board respon-
sble for the management Of warehouses. This
may be very true, but the Board OF
Trade is none tho less RESPONSE
bio for the character of its indi-
yidual members, and it is none the less its duty
to clear itself of members who are guilty Of
fraudulent practices, when such practices are
made known and are matters Of general public
information. The writer says, again, that, since
Mum g. Scott have voluntarily retired from the
Board, they cannot be expelled. But they should
not have been allowed to retire voluntarily. It
was due to the general character Of the Board
t0f honesty anu 1u1I-OedH0b LIl4A tAt4 6AI44A
have been expelled, otherwise the hugest swim
dies may be perpetrated hereafter, with perfect
impunity from the public shame Of an expulsion
and its consequent results, BY voluntary retire.
ment. The writer again says: s'No formal COM
plant has been lodged against them upon which
tho Board con act" This may also be true; but
vas it not the duty OF the Board, or some ind-
vidual member Of tho Board, to lodge such
complaint, or, at least, ask for an investigation
OF charges which were matters Of public ru1nor,
and which seriously affected the character Of
the Board? It is true that the State has assumed
tho control Of grain warehouses, and has thereby
relieved the Board Of Trade Of general RESPONSE
bi1ity; but VIC do not SEQ thereby that the Board
is at al relieved from responsibility for the
character Of its members.
Year: 1872

4 leading citizen Of Boston writes to q friead
in this city. in relation to the aid pro1cred from
this and other cities, as follows: 1.-THE news
papers represent the public sentiment here,
on the subject Of taking pecunia1y help
for our poor, better than the action
of the Mayor and official committees does. The
only real argument in favor Of taking the money
is, that, if IRE refuse it will appear as If we are
too proud to do it. Now, flor one, would not
lie too proud to accept the help, if ne really
needed it; for believe in the give and take
method , But the simple fact is, re can well
afford to take care Of the poor here, and the pur-
Doses for which money is most needed are not
those for which aid sent from abroad could
properly be de7ored." We presume this repre-
seats the general opinion Of the citizens of Bos-
ton.
Year: 1872

We visited the grounds of the Asylum a
few days ago. The building location is
about two miles in a northeasterly direction
from this city, on an eminence several hun
dred feet above the surrounding country
and gently slopes to the south and east af
fording {. very fine and extensive view
while on the north and west appears il
stately majesty a high and well wooded
mountain yielding protection as well as
grandeur of appearance. The present road
to the site is quite precipitous-" a hard
road to travel" and to remedy this the COM
mittee have located new road from the
building to Morris Plains station, which is
to be made suitable for a rail and carriage
road so that locomotive can take the
cars direct to the building.


Messrs Coleman s. Bro, the contractors,
have now thirty or forty men engaged in
grading the road, which will be completed
as soon as possible. The road from the
quarry to the site, a distance of half mile,
is almost finished; the grade is sufficient to
dIOW tll6 CdIS iOducu Will StOAc W IcdCu
the building without other power than their
own gravity, while horses will draw the
empty cars back to the quarry.


This quarry, which is known as the Jen-
nings quarry, (from which large quantities
of stone were used in the erection of the
NJ. E. Church and other buildings of this
town, has been consequently penetrated
about three hundred feet. Messrs Coleman
s. Bro. have now from twelve to fifteen men
at work at this place who are engaged in
raising large quantities of stone by means
of derrick erected for that purpose. From
the base of the quarry there has been
large quantity of earth removed and an ex-
cavation made which is about ten feet deeper
than the former one, and penetrates the
quarry one hundred and fifty feet, SO that
the granite is well exposed, and from all
the indications, the stone will be of the best
quality and in abundance.


The committee have now under their en-
ploy twenty men who are engaged laying
Year: 1872

We often read of the mirage of the Af-


rican deserts, and how fainting travellers
are cheered by the sight of fountain,


which turns out to be only a mockery of the


vision. But it is not SO well known that
similar appearances are common on our


great Western Plains. A writer in the Gal
| axy says


One Of the first subjects which addresses


itself to the mind of the stranger on the


plains, particularly if he be of philosophi-


cal or scientific turn Of mind, is the mirage
which is here observed in all its perfection.
/ Many a weary mile of the traveller has been


whiled away in endeavors to account for


the beautiful, changing visions presented by
the mirage.


| Sometimes the distortions are wonderful
and so natural as to deceive the most ex-
perienced eye. Upon one occasion, met q


young officer who had spent several years
on the plains and in the Indian country
He was, on the occasion alluded to, in COM


mand of a detachment of cavalry in pur-
suit of party of Indians who had been


committing depredations on our frontier.
While riding at tho head of his command,


he suddenly discovered, as he thought, a
party of Indians not more than mile dis
tant. The latter seemed to be galloping to-
ward him.


The attention of his men was called to
them, and they pronounced them Indians


on horseback. The " trot'' was sounded,
and the column moved forward to the at
tack. The distance between the attacking


party and the supposed foe was rapidly di-
| minishing, the Indians appearing palmer in
view each moment.


The charge was about to be sounded,


when it was discovered that the supposed
party Of Indians consisted of the decayed
carcasses of half-a-dczen slain buffaloes,
which number had been magnifed by the
mirage, while the peculiar motion impaired
by the latter had given the appearance Of
Indians on horseback.


have seen train OF government wag-
ons, with white canvass covers, moving
through mirage, which, by elevating the
wagons to treble their height, and magnify
ing the size Of the covers, presented the ap-
pearance of a line of large sailing vessels
under full sail, while the usual appearance
of the mirage gave correct likeness of an
immense lake or sea. Sometimes the mir
age has been the cause of frigbtful suffering
ana death, BY its deceptive appearance.
Year: 1872

know what is the matter with somebody OF
other who is said to be suffering from ga
complication of Diseases and above all to
get hard name, Greek or Latin, for some
complaint which sounds altogether too CON-
monplace in plain English. If you will on
ly call a headache Cephalalgia, it acquires
dignity at once, and a patient becomes rath-
er proud of it, So think doctors are gen.
orally welcome in most companies.


In old times, when people were lmore
afraid of the Devil and of witches than they
are now, they liked to have priest or a
minister somewhere near to scare them off
but nowadays, if you could find an old
woman that would ride round the room on
a broomstick, Barnum would build an am
phitheatre to exhibit her in; and if he
could come across young imp with hoofs,
tail and budding horns, Ineal descendant
or one of those demons which the good
people of Gloucester fired at and were fired
at by = for the best part of month togeth-
err in the year 1892, the great Snowman
would have him at any cost for his muse.
um and menagerie. Men are towards, sir,
and are driven by fear as the sovereign mo-
tive. Men are idolaters, and want some
thing to look at and kiss and hug, or throw
themselves down before they always did
they always will and if you don't make ii
Of wood, you must make it of words which
are Just as much used for idols as promissa-
ry notes are used for values. The minis.
ters have a hard time of it without bell and
book and holy water they are dismounted
men in armor since Luther cut their saddle
girths, and you can see they are quietly
taking one piece Of iron after another, until
some of the best of 'em are fighting the
devil mot the geological Devil with the big
D. with the sword Of the Spirit, and pre-
cious little else in the way of weapons oi
offense and defence. But we couldn't get
on without the spiritual brotherhood, what
ever became of our special creeds. There
is a genius for religion, just as there is for
painting or sculpture. 1t is half-sister to
the genius for music, and has some of the
features which remind us of earthly love-
But it lifts us all by its mere presence. To
see good man and here his voice once a
week would be reason enough for building
churches and pulpits. atlantic Monthly for
May.
Year: 1872

To tell man to his face to mind his own
business, would be considered about equal
to knocking him down, or as the French
.man said, ''horizotalizing his perpendicular
ity.a And yet it one of the simplest rules
of right conduct, and the most useful that
makind can adopt in their intercourse with
each other.


There is great deal of the Paul Pry
spirit in the human heart, or wonderful in
quisitiveness in regard to the personal and
private affairs Of friends and neighbors.-
This spirit makes more mischief in the COM
munity than almost any other cause, and
creates more malice, envy and jealousy than
can be overcome in century. Let every
man mind his own business, and therc will
not be half the tioubie In the world that
there Is at present. - 0!ses Branch
Year: 1872

A BILLIoN.-What very great sum is .
billion 4! it is million of millions A mil
lion seems large enough, but million OF
millions how long do you suppose it would
pins minute, if kept at work night and
day, would only make fifty-two million five
hundred and ninety-six thousand pins ayear
and at that rate the mill must work twenty
thousand years without stopping asingle mo-
ment, in order to turn out billion of pins.
1t is beyond our reach to conceive it-and
yet when a billion of years shall have gone,
eternity will seem to have just begun How
important then is the question, "where
shall spend eternity p
Year: 1872

WASHINGTON, April 19.-President Grant
TO- day stuffed the position he holds by send
ing to the House message giving the reasons
which induced the suspension of civil liberty
in portion of the State of South Carolina,
which amounts to nothing less than vindic-
tive and outrageous attack upon portion of
the country he is sworn to defend: The doc
ument bears more Of the impress of the reck.
less assertions OF a stump orator than the mag
unanimous policy of just ruler and from the
extravaeance of the charges it is quite evident
that this state paper is prepared with the view
of engenderng bitter passions to effect the re-
suit of a political campaign. The broad and
shameful charges made agains. the people
which he has, in the opinion of many promi-
nent men OF his own party, oppressed unneces.
sarily is only another proof of the desperate
efforts that are to be made to secure reelection
by arousing hostii'ies. The vindictiveness of
this document caused "a universal feeling of
disgust to pervade the House. and led some of
the Democratic members to stigmatize its as
sertiOns as untrue, and the failure of any of
the Republican side to attempt its vindication
is undOubted evidence OF the want of belief in
the charges and their utter destitutiOn of de-
fence.-W Wash Cor.
Year: 1872

In the reported proceedings of Congress for
Friday, we find another evidence of the impend-
ing dissolution of the Radical party.


The civil service reform bill was called up III
the House, when Judge Bingham. one OF the
ablest Radicals in that body, made prepared
speech against it. .'He declared that such bill
was forbidden by the genius of our institutions
and by the express letter of the Constitution. 1t
was direct interference with the guaranteed
privileges Of every citizen of the United States
It was a miserable spectacle, aai nothing could
be sad to redeem it from absolute contempt"


Ii the measure had originated with the Demo-
Gratis, or they had espoused it one worthy to he
adopted, there would be less in the strong Ian
guage which Judge Bingham used to characterize
his opinion of the bill, to attract our attention


But when we are told by Mr.. Garfield. another
Radical of equally high standing, from the same
State, in a prepared speech IN favor of the bill.
that it began with the President and that it has
been followed up by the President, but to make
myself doubly sure called last evening. with
colleague, the President himself, and conversed
With him on this matter Of civil service reform =
the language Of Judge Bingham becomes of more
than ordinary imp porrance.


He does not profess to be a Liberal Republican,
or favor the Cincinnati Convention. yet he says
from his seat in Congress of pet measure of
Grant and the Administration, ait was misera-
BILE spectacle, and nothing could be said to redeem
II from absolute contempt"


What is this but condemnation of Grant, and
an allegation that he is in want of sufficient
sense to enable him to avoid recommending Q
measure that is deficient, rs Judge Bingham
says that "nothing could redeem it from absolute
contempt"


Banks and Butler followed the lead Of Bing-
ham, and showed their opposition to the bill
Now, will the Commercial tell us where il stands.
Is il for Grant and Garfield; or Bingham, Banks
and Butler, on this question:


But this is not the only question on which the
Radical party is split into two factions. 1t is also
divided hopelessly on the Tariff it is hopelessly
divided on the retention of the income tax il is
hopelessly divided on amnesty; on the suspension
Of the writ Of habeas corpus and the continuance
Of the Ku-Klux law, as we'll as on many other
questions.


A party thu, divided can have no show in q
contest for the Presidency when its most compe-
tent leaders have abandoned it and united in .
movement intended expressly to defeat and dis
solve it. because of the corruption Of its present
managers and their dishonest proclivities.
Year: 1872

The Congregationalist gives timely warn
ing to women, and especially to girls,
about the acquaintances whom they
make in the cars. Speaking of the
pimps and scoundrels, who seem to
grow even more numerous and more
subtitle as our civilization grows older,
it says: On the watch for women as
bad as themselves, or for the young and
unsophisticated, of whom villain
might make q victim, it is next to i'm
possible for young woman to enter the
car unattended without their knowl.
edge. She is fortunate if they make no
more or less cautious approaches to find
out who she is, where she is going, and
whether she will tolerate the familiarity
OF stranger. So numerous are these
men that it is with some peril that n
young woman undertake es long Journey
alone. The peril of those who may be
unfortified by principle, or unacquainted
with the ways of the world, or suscept-
BILE to batteries from smooth tongue,
is great. We know of no help for this
evil but in the watchtulness of parents,
in the uprising of the virtuous against
the vile, and the discretion of those who
are subject to these annoyances and in
suits. 1t is safe for young woman to
repel the familiar advances of smiling
and officious strangers at any time. If
on the road any help is required, there
are public officials to whom it is always
both proper and safe to make applica-
ton.
Year: 1872

The experiments of Sgnor Barelli on
the Alpine tunnel result in showing a
rate of temperature equivalent to one
degree in every ninety one feet of de-
scent, considerable variation from the
results usually obtained. In the report
on the measurement of the tempera-
ture it is stated that when the blast
which opened communication between
the Italian and French works was fired,
the smoke was drifted out at once by a
current which set toward the Italian
end, and which was favored in It's
movement by difference of level of
435 feet in favor of the Italian end.
The shaft, therefore, acts somewhat
like a chimney, and it is to be hoped
this will favor its proper ventilation, q
result most devoutly to be prayed for
by those who have ever made the tran
sit of the Alps by the railway which
passes over the mountains.
Year: 1872

To what use some people would
put an editor. They would have
him say nothing but what is whis-
pered into his ear in the way of
friendly advice. They would not,
for the world, be thought to dictate
the course he should take. They
would distill their own spleen and
malice through his brain. Other
people may have liberty, indepen-
dence of thought or action, but the
editor must please all; and in trying
to do SO he pleases no one. One in
dividual entertained grudge against
another and lie wanted an article
aimed at him. For the ladies there
is not enough about the fashions.
For some men there is too much po-
litical, and not enough for others.
You don't come out strong enough
for some, and rice versa for others.
There is piece of scandal afioat,
and the scandal mongers think it
ought TO be mentioned. Bad poetry
is rejected; and the would-be poets
are mad. Every feeling and passion
is represented. and oil cry for re-
dress. You may have rendered a
great service in various ways; it is all
forgotten in the desire to be gratifed
again. You may be as fond of quiet
as they are but they demand the ex-
citement that you can and must give
them in q paper. Your indepen-
dence they make slavery. Your
brains are for them so much raw ma
terial from which articles for their
consumption are to be hammered
out as long as they will last; and
when incessant labor, by night as
well as by day. has worn you out,
body and mind, you are to be laid
aside, like some old machine, and
another found to supply your place,
Such is the life of the editor of O
daily paper, only the one-tenth part
has not been told. But there is q
remedy for oil these evils. He car
deny himself to all the grumblers
and burn, without reading, the epis
ties unworthy of consideration
"Stop my paper!' is the vengeance
inflicted by angry subscribers. The
editor has only to smile at this and
he is safe.
Year: 1872

The Boston Courier gets off the
following on a cotemporary: cit is a
somewhat stale witticism that the
most enterprising paper is the one
that makes the most hustle. Judging
from the sudden rise in dry goods
since the first issue of the Globe, we
infer that said sheet is already estab-
lished in favor with the fair SEX"
Year: 1872

It is said that womanly despair for
the loss of love endures three
months in the winter and two in the
summer; the second month a lady
becomes interested in the new style
of hair dressing; the third, she burns
her love letter. Twelve months after
she hears of her former lovers mar
riage, and wonders show she could
have loved a man with a red mus
tache."