smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1876

Last Thursday, March the 2d, was day long to be remembered at the National Capital, and in deed the developments which are likely to grow out of the proceed ings on that day inaugurated, promise to show up a record of official corruption and crime never before equaled in a high ofiicia... The impeachment of Secretary of War Belknap, in itself, is not so much a matter of weighty impor. tance as the fact which it reveals. That the corruption, profiigacy, extravaganza and mismanage- ment that has cursed our land for the past few years, should have grown and pervaded the whole country until it has found a natu- ral outgrowth and exponent in one of the high officers of our gov ernment, is the startling truth.

 Corruption, fraud and infidelity to trust seems to be kankering 1 the very souls of the whole pub lie service, and unless halt is called and a purification effected, we cannot long hope to escape the fatal consequences which have always been rocked upon wicked and contaminated nations.

 The time is at hand for our best and purest statesmen to come to the front and rush to the rescue. The people must arouse. This year is our opportunity and it may be our last. This year we elect new officials from lowest to highest and the people must inn prove this chance to call better, purer and more competent men to public service. Let no man re- ceive the suffrages of the people this year unless his whole past life and department, public and private, has been pure and honest, and unless he is amply qualified and capacitated mentally and physically for the position where to he may be called.

 We may this year save the country. But if we let this op- portunity pass; the blackness of the darkness which will settle down upon us and brood dire pes tilence over the polluted remains of our decayed public virtue, causes us to pause and shudder at a contemplation thereof.
Year: 1876

Governor A. H. Garland, of Ar kansas, is leading the race for the successorship of Senator Clayton in the United States Senate.-N. Y. Herald.

 Leading? Why bless you, no body has ever thought of any body else for that position, and there will be no race about it, for the prospect now is that the peo- pie from every county in the state will instruct their members to vote for Garland.
Year: 1876

We notice some of our exchang es are having a good deal to say about the Clarksville congre ssion al convention of 1874. To save our life, we cannot see what tEat convention has to do with the nomination of member of Con- gress from this district this year. So far as any pledges or promls- es then made in favor of future candidates are concerned, we con ceive that no one will be so fool ish as to suppose that such pledg- es are to be regarded by this years convention. That con vention exhausted its powers when it made the nomination of MT. Wiltshire ito attempt or pretend to pledge any candidates the nomination this year, was to transcend it's powers, and could have no binding effect upon the party or convention this year.

 Nothing that that convention did then can give any aspirant now aLy preferred claim, but if any of our contemporaries know of any crooked" dealings then we would like to have them show it up. The war on corruption must be made so hot that ''crook- ed' men will not wish to occupy positions of trust, honor or profit at the hands of their fellow elti- zens.

 Aspirants this year must stand on their merits and we trust the convention will make this the test, and ignore any and all claims based upon pledges made by the convention of 1874.
Year: 1876

From the Beatrlce { 4NcD. EA- press VIC clip the following ex- tract from letter written by gentleman of that state who re- gently visited our town and with whom we had the pleasure of be- coming acquainted. We copy 1t to show what kind of a country other people think we have after visit ing it and seeing for themselves. We are pleased to see that this correspondent takes occasion to correct the very erroneous lm- pression which prevails to great extent in regard to our people. Whatever else may be said of Arkansawyers we hold that it cannot be truthfully charged that they are lacking in hospitality or friendly feelings to all strangers who come among us. We say to all who may read the following letter and think a country of the description therein given will suit them, to come along-come right to Pope county and if the country and the people are not as they are represented to be we will agree to acknowledge that we have exaggerated our attractions. Read what Mir. Pethoud says:

 Little Rock is a very pretty place, full of life and business, claiming about twenty thousand inhabitants and is destined at no distant day to be great city as it is now quite railroad centre. From Little Rock we passed up the Arkansas valley on the Little Rock and Ft. Smith Railway, to Altus in Franklin Go. The. sur face of the country along the line is diversified, being valley, hlll and mountain, valley greatly pre- dominating. To the eye of the traveller this portion of the state appears to be an unbroken forest; but upon passing through it you will find farm houses of all kinds from the humble log hut to the more pretentious cottage nestled down in some snug nook with its acres for tillage from ten acres to the good sized farm. The whole country IS covered with heavy growth of timber consisting of oak of various kinds, pine, asE, hickory, sycamore, gum, sassa, fras, hard maple, cottonwood etc. To person brought up in the Northwest, this timber would alone be sight to see, for tree not over thirty inches in diane ter will shoot up to the enormous height of sixty and seventy feet without limb and straight as an arrow. A great portion of this forest has scarcely any under brush, and the farmers girdle the trees, fence in the ground and gc to farming.

 This valley is preemiuently [ fruit region. Apples, peaches

 pears, grapes etc, grow so luxu

 riently and abundantly that they are comparatively valueless ir their season. Peaches will bcal

 fruit the second year, and apples
Year: 1876

is no uncommon thing Tor peach- es to measure over three and ap- ples over five inches in diameter The soil is reddish cast but very productive in cotton. corn, wheat and oats. One gentleman informed us that he gathered nine hundred bushels of oats from seven acres of ground! Coal of the finest quality abounds in this valley and within the limits of the grant of the l.. R. & Ft. $. R. w. It is not very extensively mined at present, but enough is known to enable anyone to see that it is inexhaustible. In burning it makes a clear, bright light and leaves no cinders.

 The stock of the country is very poor, indeed, their horses being chiefly Indian ponies, their cattle Cherokee stock, and their hogs well there is nothing like them on any portion of the earth "in the heavens above nor in the waters beneath"

 Cattle and hogs were running out and gathering their own liv- ing, for to the hogs it is literally '.root hog or die" Cotton de- mands so much of their time that they give stock little attention, though some planters have good stock of all kinds. The sheep are better, cleaner wooded, healthier looking than ours. Farming is done in d slovenly manner, the farmers using very inferior blows -chiehy one horse-which turn, probably, seven or eight inch furrow three or four inches in depth. It is 6 great wonder na- tura don't rebel and refuse to yield her harvest under such treatment, but she seems to take it as a matter of course and yields them on an average of from twenty five to fifty bushels of corn, and wheat from fifteen to twenty five bushels to the acre. You must bear in mind that this is on an average, some farms un- der good cultivation yielding far more.

 fear I am getting this too long and may crowd your space, though 1 am not half through, but before I close permit me to say one word concerning her peo- pie, to, if possible, dispel some erroneous notions held by the North in regard to them, The general opinion in the North is that they are rude, domineering class of people, that would shoot you for the least provocation, and if you gave them no reason they would seek one. Nothing would be further from the truth! The ease with which they can make a living and lay by little for a rainy day has tendency to make them a little lazy, l believe, but a more hearted, hospitable, social class of people l never saw. They meet you with open arms and hearty welcome, never stop ping to ask you from whence you came, or to what party or church you belong, nor under what ban ner you fought or whether you fought at all. They unhesitating- ly say they want and must have Northern men and Northern en- terprise to develop the resources of their beautiful valley and teach their farmers how to raise the staples of life. Up that valley is a reading community, intelligent and generous, who take, pay for, and read their county papers and profit thereby. There is no surer index to the intelligence of a community, than the financial condition and make up of its home paper. This valley possess es several of these indexes.

 A. J. PETHoUD.
Year: 1876

l 0 lOOh dlbcI LllG iHeSi SSe' VI o'A part of the State, and to study the welfare of our people, is the prov ince of this paper, and in discharge of this duty there is matter which we desire to bring to the attention of our readers in Pope County. We wish also to invite the close attention of our officials whose duty it is to straighten out this matter, to the fact that we shall demand, in the name of the tax payers of this county, an in- vestigation of this matter, and shall expect an adjustment of it to be pushed vigorously through, which will secure justice to those who have been victimlzed.

 The matter which we refer to is, the collection of the taxes for 1872 by one A. s. FOWLER, who then claimed to be Collector. It will readily be remembered that the State Board of Equalization cut down our assessment that year Sixty-five per cent. Notwithstan- ding this reduction, however, Fowler went ahead and collected from all he could, on the full as- sessment.

 We believe he collected about Four thousand dollars before he was enjoincd and stopped. There was about Two thousand dollars of that amount in currency and the rest in county and state scrip something like One thousand dollars each. Of the amount which was collected on real estate there is due those who paid it, q reclamation of 65 per cent. which we suppose would amount to something like Two thousand dol lars. This sum of Two thousand dollars was extorted from the tax payers illegally and unjustly, and they should and MUST have it returned to them. The question is, How to come at it. What Tow

 Ter ever did with it, we do not know. If it was paid to the State, the State should refund the 65 per cent. If it was not paid to the State, what become of it? We know that MT. Fowler got it, and either the State and county, or MT. Fowler and his se- curities should be compelled to refund.

 Fowler had a good bond, and il

 he got away with the money, let

 his bondsmen be required to make it good. We wish to know how this matter stands and we call fol

 light. The matter should have

 been pushed long ago. The peo

 pie would find this Two thousand

 dollars nice aid just now to hell pay this years tax, and we think it a good time to stir this matter up.

 Will some one who is posted t tell us how this matter is-wha l became of the money collected why there has been no return o r the overplus, and what steps arr

 necessary to secure a return of i to those who paid it.

 Since writing the above we hay, : learned that the amount due tn county collected by Fowler wa e turned over by him to one of hi

 bondsmen and IS now perhaps i y the hands of the County Cour r If this be true, it seems that tn t peoples part of this portio r might easily be come at and r' s funded. We hope to see thi Il matter sifted to the bottom 2

 once. It is due the people

 know what has become of the IT money. An elucidation is du V from some source, and we call uI Q on the proper one or ones to giv
Year: 1876

A printer sat in his office chair. his
boots were patched and his coat thread
bare and his face looked weary and
worn with care. While sadly thinking
of business debt, old Morpheus sIowly
round him crept, and before he knew 4
he soundly slept; and sleeping. he
dreamed that he was dead from trouble
and toll his spirit had fed, and NOT even
q cow bell tolled for the peaceful rest of
his cowhide sole. AS he wandered
among the shades, that smoke and
scorch In lower hades, he shortly oh
served an iron door that creaking swung
on hinges ajar, but the entrance was
closed with a red-h hot bar, and satan
hlmsef stood peeping out, and watch
ing 1or travellers thereabout, and thus to
the passing printer spoke


"Come in, my dear, it shall cost you
nothing, and never fear this is the
place where l cook the ones who never
pay their subscription sums for though
In lite they may escape, they will find
when they'r dead it is too late I will
show you the place where I melt them
thin with red-hot chains and SCRAPS of
tin, and also where I comb their heads
with broken glass and melted lead,
and IL OF refreshments they only think,
there's boiling water for them to drink !:
there's the red-hot grindstone to grind
down his nose, and red-hot rings to wear
on his toes, and il they mention they
don't like fire, I'll sew up their mouths
with red hot wire and then, dear sir,
you should see them squirm, while roll
them over and cook to turn"


With these last words the printer
awoke. and thought it all q practical
Joke, but still at times SO real did it
seem, thst he cannot believe it was all q
dream and often he thinks with q
chuckle and grin, Of the fate OF those
who save their tin. and never pay the
Year: 1876

Some of my readers may remember
ph0mme la t0urchette, or the young man
who swallowed fork, and they may be
glad to hear further of this singular case.
We have had two of the kind-the Italian,
Cipriana, and the young clerk, Lcsucr.
Nearly two years ago he was at the table
with some comrades, who were convcrsing
about the Indian jugglers and their trick
of swallowing sword. Lesucr claimed
that it was very simple, and, to prove his
assertion, took fork by the tines and
pushed it down his throat. A spasmodic
contraction of the organs took it from his
fingers and carried it down the passage
into the stomach. For long time efforts
were made to reach the fork by the mouth,
but it was finally asCertained to be in his
stomach, and Lesuer was given up for
lost. He was shown at clinical lectures,
and then went into the country. Areport
came that he was dead, and believe that
| published it as fact. But as Lesuer
did not fail in health, and continued
strong and hearty for over year, some
of the doctors thought that the fork could
he removed. Baron Larrey and Drs.
Liable, Lepere and Prof. Gosselin under
took the operation-begun some weeks
ago. They began by burning down slow
ly to the stomach with caustic, and de-
termining an adhesion of the coat of the
stomach with the outer edges of the hole
thus made with the corrosives. When
this adhesion was complete, an incision
was made in the stomach and the fork
drawn out with forceps. 1t was as black
as ink, but not worn to any extent. Le-
suer is now regarded out of danger =
Paris Letter.
Year: 1876

An old Texas cattlc-man named Sic
pair of hungry thieves to deal with. He
had sold his drove in Chicago ana
pocketcd $1,000 as the proceeds. A
couple of railroad thieves found out he
had large amount OF money, and appar-
emily resolved to get it at any risk The
prize was worth their daring. They tried
all their usual tricks on the old man be-
fore lie LEFT Chicago, but failed to catch
him in any trap. When he had gathered
up his valise and taken a Westward bound
train they followed him. They took seats
behind him in the car, watching their op-
pOrtunity. Just after the Burlington &
Missouri River train left Burlington the
rate of speed was slow, and the old man
was doing in his seat. Now was their
chance if ever. One of the thieves
reached over and seized the old mans
pocket-book from his side pocket, know
ing just where to place his hand on it,
and the other grabbed the valise and ran
one toward the front door and the other
for the rear platform. But the old man
was too wide awake. He drew his pistol
and fired, first at one and then at the
other. One fell in the door of the car
fatally wounded, and the other on the
platform dead. The old man had good
eye for such birds on the wing. They had
his money and all his effects, and it was
evidently their intention to jump the
train. 1t was a bold risk, but it was a
big sum. The train was stopped-the
dead and dying were carried off, and the
Texan cattle drover gave himself up for
examination. Both thieves were well


known on the road, and the train men
are glad they are out of the way. Siebert
was warmly congratulated upon his cer-
tain aim, and will be discharged from
custody without doubt. One Texas cattle
drover is too many for brace of Chicago
thieves ST I03yis ReDubLSc1n
Year: 1876

THE Reese River RereiHe tells Of an
Austin man who was reading story to
his wife tie other night, and came to a
piece of " fine writing" in which the ear
of the heroine was compared to some
"creamy white, pink tinted shell Of
ocean" "By the way, dear" said the
husband, cutting short his reading, that
description of the ear reminds me of your
ear; you have an ear like she'll" 1t
was the first compliment she had received
from him since the early days of their
marriage, and blush OF pride sutfused
her face as she asked: "What kind of a
shell, darling?" "An abalone shell,' he
replied. She had never before heard of
nor seen an abalone shell, but she did not
want to display her ignorance; so she
made up her mind to hunt it up in the
Condensed Treatise of Conchology'' that
ornamented the center-table. Next morn
ing, the first thing she did after her hus-
band had left the house was to hunt up
the description of the abalone shell. She
found it. 1t was described as shell
about the size of an ordinary wagon
wheel. She nursed her wrath during that
day, and when her husband came home
that night she met him at the door with
the el-roller-and now his ear is as big
as an abalone shell, but it looks like a
piece of pounded beef.
Year: 1876

Mr.. EDIToR:-The most important election


which has ever transpired in this country has


tens on, the result of which may change the


destinies of this nation for generations to come.


The work of the past fifteen years may all be


undone by the success of the s'solid South and


their allies Of the North Can any loyal man,


North or South, look on and be indifferent to


the result? Can the men who rejoiced in Un-


ion victories and whose hearts were saddened


at Union defeats, remain away from the polls


in this election?


The civil and religious liberties of the coun-


try hang trembling in the balance, and where


is the Republican who will take upon himself
the responsibility of not voting in this great


contest? Shall the blood of thousand battle
fields be in vain? Shall the contributions which


came up from the people freely, and the mil


lions drawn from them by the government for


the preservation of the Union all be lost? May
God in HIS great mercy forbid it. May the


people arise 10 their might upon the seventh
day of November aud proclaim again in tones
OF thunder that grand old doctrine Of the dec
laration of independence, enunciated by our
revolutionary fathers, that all men are born
equal.


Eternal vigilance is the price Of liberty"
Let this be inscribed upon the banners of the
Republican party. Lot every man work as
never before, aud shoR at the ballot box to the
world, as upon the battle field that the gloriou;
inheritance transmitted to us by our fathers
must and shall be preserved; that we are the
worthy sons of our sires of '76. and that we
will transmit this rich legacy, untarnished, tc
our sons forever. Fl.
Portland Nov. 4, 1876,
Year: 1876

ELECTION BETS.-Betting on election is the
favorte pastime just now among betting men
and with many who do not ordinarily risk
money on uncertainties. Among the novel
wages made is one between gentleman and
lady stopping at the United States Hotel In
case Hayes is elected the gentleman is to wheel
her from the hotel to Congress Square and re-
turn at o'clock in the evening, ram OF shine
Should Tilden be successful the lady agrees to
undertake similar journey with the man as a
passenger.


Two men connected with the earthen ware
pottery on Brattls street have made the fol
lowing wager on the result of the Presidential
election: If Tllden is elected the Republican is
to wheel the Democrat in a wheelbarrow, from
the pottery to Green to Congress, Congress te
Preble, Preble to Portland, Portland to Brattle
If Hayes is elected the Democrat is to do the
wheeling. If either fails to come to time he is
to forfeit the sum Of S.. The show will come
off Thursday between the hours of II and 1
o'clock.


At the pool selling at the United States Sat-
urday evening it was impossible to get an even
bet on Tilden Notwithstanding offers were
made by Hayes men several times. Oae man,
evidently reader of the Argus bought poo
of $40 to $40 that Colorado would go for Til.
den. The Tilden man is now trying to get tht
pool declared off. Three pools of $50 to $2t
were made that Tilden would carry New York
Several other unimportant pools on majorities
in several states were made. Pools will also
be sold this evening.
Year: 1876

TEMPERANCE MEETING The Reform Club
held the largest and most enthusiastic meeting
of the season in Association Hall last evening
Stirring and effective remarks were made by
members of the cub and others The pledge
was presented and fifteen signatures were oh
tanned. Thus tie good Temperance work is rap
idly progressing in our city.
Year: 1876

We can pride ourselves and confidently say that
in the above line of goods we can show the largest
stock in the city, best values and lowest prices,
which are very essential in these times.


Samples gladly given OF cut goods. which can
prove facts. sept4eOd3m
Year: 1876

A recent decision of the United
States Supreme Court dissolves into
thin air all hope Of the payment OF
some s., 300, 900 of township railroad
bonds issued during the past ten
years in Missouri. This decision
is to the effect that the legislative act
under which the issue of bonds
was authorized was unconstitutional,
because assuming TO permit what the
State Constitution prohibited, and
therefore the whole thing is void.
The decision destroys nearly all the
Cass county debt, one third of the
Lafayette county, debt, two-thirds
that of Marion county, and nearly
one-third that of Pike county; and as
the decision comes from the court of
last resort, there would seem to be
no further litigation on the part of
the bondholders possible.


This matter is of interest, we sus-
pect, to some of the New England
life insurance companies, among
whose assets Western county and
township bonds turn up somewhat
numerously. AS we read the titles
of some of the Etna Life's invest
ments, for example, we seem to rec
ognize certain of the very bonds in
validated by this decision. But, the
case is one calculated to be an eye
opener to the Eastern life managers,
trustees, and ffnanciers who have
been tempted by hopes of large in
terest to plant capital but where the
woodbine twineth.
Year: 1876

A correspondent of the Salt Lake
Herald, speaking of the recent report
that the Great Salt Lake is rising,
gives the result of his observations OF
fluctuations of the water. A monu-
ment was put into the lake last Sep
tember, and since that time it is
found that the water of the lake has
risen fourteen inches. In one place,
where the pioneers walked over dry
shod on reef of rocks twenty-six
years ago, the depth of the water is
from eight to eleven feet.
Year: 1876

Would it not be well to detail few citizens
to stay at home on Thursday as a kind Of
guard over the city while all hands are gene
to Philadelphia 10 see the big show and par
ticipate in the celebration of the day!