Jamestown weekly alert. [volume], November 12, 1885, Image 1

About Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925

Image provided by: State Historical Society of North Dakota

                
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MARSHALL McCLURE, Proprietor.
VOL. VIII.
R. TOFLIFI, Pr«t.
3?ai5L
WAY DOWN
—AT-—
SHCENBERG'S
BIG DOUBLE STORE!
GOOD RED FLANNEL AT 20c A YARD.
SPUN WOOL SOX 25c A PAIR.
GOOD COTTON SOX 8c A PAIR.
A Good Lady's Newmarket Coat, to the bottom
of her dress, for $4.50.
Girls' Newmarket Coats at $2 and upwards.
Good Winter Underwear, all Wool, at $1.
Choice Misses' and Ladies' Wool Hose at 25c.
A Splendid line of Dress Goods at 20c a yard.
All Wool Extra Heavy Wide Double Fold Dress
Flannels, in all shades, at 60c a yard.
Splendid Cloaks for $4.50, $5.00, $6.00 & $7.50.
Wool Hoods at 50c and upwards.
Children's all Wool Shirts, Pantlets and Drawers
at 35,,40 and 50 eta.
GOOD BUFFALO OVER-COATS, $1 7.
Men's Splendid Shoes at $1.75.
filegant Children's and Misses' Shoes, all war­
ranted, at $1.50.
If you want Groceries at lower prices than
any house in Jamestown, call and see before
you buy. It will pay you to try
SHCENBERG'S
BIG BARGAIN SALE
BIGGEST BARGAIN
EVER OFFERED!
We Have Just Received 10 Pieces of
TWILLED
Scarlet Flannel,
ALL WOOL,
WHICH WE WILL SELL FOR
25 Cts. PER YARD
Compare it with Anything at 30c to 35c.
O. E. DICKINSON.
W*. C.
WHIT*,
Vice Free.
JAMES DIVER NATIONAL BANK
JAKSTOWK, DAKOTA.
"vaOP Capital $50,000
SURPLUS $5,000
A General Banking and Exchange Business Done
THE NORTH DAKOTA LOAN AND TRUST C9MPANY
A LWAYS UM money on hand to lend on Fetl Bnfale or Chattel Morlg«ge«. Alio buy. at blfhest
"JWl WitmHi Bond.«nd School Bond..
(j MUM ltirar Nnttm-'ti Buk BaUding.)
B. C#OH
WABNOOK, Editor
THE Bismarck Journal reads the riot
act to the democrats of the capital city,
intimating that the party is controlled by
a ring which turns it into the hands of
the republican party at will. The Jour­
nal seems to have fallen into the error
which has brought several democratic
journalistic enterprises in Fargo to an
early grave—that of scolding. It is much
more succcssful to coax a man than to
drive him, and he id mueh more tractable
when you get him there.
IN some things the Press and Dakotaian
of Yankton, is easily satisfied. One of
'hose things is the endorsement the peo­
ple gave the constitution. It is satisfied
with only about one-third of the voting
population of South Dakota caring
enough for the result to go to the polls
and vote, and with about one-fourth of
those who did vote repudiating it. This
is another proof that
"Man wants but little here bciow,
Nor wants that little long."
There is in the states east of the Mis­
sissippi river and north of the Ohio a mil­
lion farms contaiding less than one hun­
dred acres each, and of this number near­
ly one-half contains less than fifty acres
each. in the cultivation of these farms
are engaged three million males. This
would probably give to each person en­
gaged in farming, on the average, about
twenty acres, and it would probably be a
fair estimate to say that an average of
four persons arc supported by every twen­
ty acres of land, or one person to every
five acres. While these small farmers
are plodding along from year to year,
using fertilizers to produce scanty crops,
and making an annual summer campaign
with plow and hoe against weeds and
brambles, there are in Dakota millions of
acres of beautiful lands untouched and
awaiting the coming of the farmers from
the over-crowded East to yield up their
treasures of produce.
ANOTHER sensational divorce case has
come to a sudden and ridiculous termina­
tion, thi9 time in Kansas City. A couple
of years ago a woman with masculine
voice and male attire opened a saloon in
that city and later engaged in the grocery
business passing by the name of Frank
Gray. A short time ago a man named
Green commenced suit against his wife
for a divorce on the ground that she was
too intimate with Frauk Gray, and dur­
ing investigation it *f*rtouna.UMMi iB'nrafc
Gray was a woman, her real name being
Mrs. Alary U. Wolcott, and that she had
a married daughter living in the same
city. Here the curtain falls but the sup­
position is that the estranged husband
and wife "kissed and made up." This
case illustrates to what ridiculous ab­
surdity jealousy sometimes extends. But
for this denouement the wife in this case
would probably have lived and died un­
der a cloud of dishonor and reproach,
though entirely guiltless of wronc, as
hundreds no .doubt equally guiltless have
suffered and lived and died.
There is perhaps no other fascination
so insidious and irresistible as gambling,
and no other dissipation so ruinous in its
course and end. It first loads to neglcct
of business, not so much for the time
spent at the card table as in engrossing
the mind with losses or gains during bus­
iness hours which should be given to bus­
iness. The tendency of speedy gains and
losses is to make men reckless, and reck­
lessness is the precursor of rum. Little
by little th habit of Rambling grows up­
on a person until his thoughts and ener­
gies are wholly engrossed with it. llomc,
however pleasant wife and children,
however dear, cease to be attractiyc, and
their company is abandoned for the asso­
ciations and fascinations of the gambling
room. There is but one class of men who
can afford to be gamblers, and that class
is composed of men who have no ties of
laraily and affection no self-respect to
maintain no friends to honor no busi­
ness to prosecute no aim in life no hope
in death beyond an unmarked grave in
the potter's field no accountability to
God or man for their influence no mem­
ory of mother and the home of childhood.
THE political ptiilosopbets are employ­
ing their genius and racking their brains
in endeavoring to explain the result of
the election last week in Now York.
Each one offers the explanation most
satisfactory to his feelings, and it is ac­
cepted or rejected by otfiers as their feel­
ings may be in the matter. The repub­
licans and democrats agree upon one
point, however, and that is that the mug
wumpa overestimated their own influence
and strength and were overestimated by
both the political parties. Their preten­
sions that they held the balance of po­
litical power in that state have been ex­
posed and shown to be an absurdity and
false pretense by actual demonstration,
and there is now no political party so
poor as to do the mugwump reverence.
That party of kickers will now go into
liquidation, as no political organization
will have any use for its influence.
The result seems to have been produced
more from negative than positive in­
fluences more by the blunders of the re
publican campaign than by tne wisdom
of the democratic canvass and is more
an expression of disgust than one of ap­
proval. The republican leaders made an
egregious blunder in importing the old
"bloody shirt" flyers of other states to
lead the campaign, and the democrats did
the smartest thing of the canvass in al­
lowing them to flaunt the ensanguined
garment without rebuke, knowing that
its effect would 1: a'to solidify the demo­
cratic party and Irive out many of the
more conservative republicans who are
sick and tired of Ighting the war of the
rebellion over an I over again every cam­
paign. The fact might as well be ad­
mitted first as 1 ist that the republican
speakers talked tie .party to death and
the democrats w« by keeping still.
THE
Jamestowi Alert is the freshest
paper in the terri ery on the question of
the governorship of Dakota, It don't
seem to realize tl changed condition of
things.—Fargo imocrat.
The Alert admi is that it requires more
acute perceptive ualities than it posses­
ses to discover th "changed condition of
things" in relaticn to the governorship
of Dakota referre I to by our Fargo con­
temporary in the above. We are aware
that "things are not always what they
seem," but to all tppearanevs Dakota has
the same governo she had a year ago.
We remember the jubilant whoop of the
democrats a year igo was: "The Earth
is ours and the fullness thereof," and it
must be conceded that there was a great
amount of "fullnoBS" in the democratic
ranks about that jime, but the transfer of
the Earth has notiyet been consummated,
especially tiiat part of it embraced in the
map of Dakota territory. We ate not
able to perceive "the changed condition
of things" in relation to the governor­
ship of this territory other than that a
Sonth Dakota man by the name of Zie­
bach now wants the place and the presi­
dent does not seem to want him to have
it.
THE Yankton Press and Dakotaian re­
iterates its stateotyent that Judge Palmer
wrote a letter last winter to Gov. Pierce
while the capital removal bill was pend­
ing in the legislature advising him to
veto it and representing that the people
of the Big Stone and Vermillion valleys
"were opposed to removal of the capital
from Bismarck. The P. and D. says it
is new in possession of evidence that.
Judge Palmer did write such a letter and
that the governor afterwards used it in
defence of bis official action against the
bill, but the source of its information is
under the cover of confidence and cannot
be disclosed until the Injunction of secre­
cy is removed. Judgp Palmer in a print
ed^ircular has denied the fact stated and
Gov. Pierce emphatuklly repudiated the
influence attributed such a letter and
impliedly denied tbj receipt of such a
communication. It has now resolved lt
•oit ^ueation
the bare, unsupported assertion of the
Press and Dakotaian is denied by two
reputable gentlemen who perhaps alone
know whether it is a fact or not.
NEARLY all professions and avocations
have tbeir associations for mutual im­
provement and protection of interests,
and the benefits of these associations to
the interests they are intended to subserve
are great. The legal profession has its
bar associations the physicians their
medical associations men of the various
trades theii unions school teachers their
institutes, but the farmers, the greatest
of all industrial avocations, give the least
attention to associations for mutual bene­
fit and protection of interests. It is by
unity of action and combination of
strength that these various associations
secure necessary legislation. There is
now being organized in many localities
farmers' institutes, which, if properly di­
rected, will be as1 advantageous to that
industry as the associations beiore re­
ferred to are to the interests they repre­
sent. The rock upon which the farmers'
grange movement went to pieces a few
years ago was politics. It was diverted
from its original design by self-seekers
who used the grange to elevate them­
selves into office. No industrial associa­
tion can succeed unless its members are
left free to cast their ballots as the} may
see fit. Neither the church nor any of
the secret benevolent societies could with­
stand an interference with the political
rights and freedom of Its individual mem
bers. But these farmers' institutes can
be made both instructive and profitable
by conference and discussion which will
educate their members in the science, for
science it is.
Now that tbe constitutional election in
South Dakota has disclosed the feeling of
the masses of the people of that section
on the subject, which is shown to be in­
difference to such an extent that only
about one-third of the voters went to the
polls and expressed themselves upon the
subject, the leading democratic papers of
the country are taking an open and
avowed stand against both division of the
territory And admission of the southern
half. The Alert sometime ago anticipa­
ted the apathy of tbe people that would
be shown at the election, and the advan
tage that is now being taken of it against
not only the statehood scheme but divis
of the territory as well. That the
headstrong leaders and ambitious politi­
cians of South Dakota have by rash and
indiscreet haste disclosed tbe weakness of
their statehood scheme, and not only de­
feated that object but rendeied division
of the territory so much more improbable
that it may now be placed in the category
of impossibilities, is apparent from the
following editorial in the St. Paul Globe,
the democratic exponent and organ of the
Northwest, on the subject:
"Dakota has a population of about 400,
000, as was shown by the late census. In
a territory which is so notorious for its
scarcity of women, it is safe to assume
that of the total population fully one
third are male adults and voters. Ac­
cording to this basis there ought to be
somewhere between 100,000 and 150,000
voters in the territory. And yet at the
election held last Tuesday only 26,000
votes were cast. And if it had not been
that a little local interest was manifested
in the election of county commissioners
the probabilities are that the vote would
have been lighter by one-half than it was.
The meaning of all this is that tbe mass
of the people who reside in the territory
had no interest in or sympathy for the
moyement which has been organized to
divide and gain admission for tbe territo
ry as two separate states. When the
people of the territory show such remark­
able indifference to the scheme tbe pro­
jectors of the movement need not expect
outsiders to be agitated to any consider­
able extent in relation to the matter.
"But whatever may be the clispasition of
the people of Dakota in reference to the
question of admission the federal govern­
ment has a duty to perform in respect to
its own interests in the matter, and the
probabilities are that congress will take
up the question of admission, whether an
application be made or not, and will pass
an enabling act whereby the people of the
territory will be required to take the
proper initial steps preparatory to being
invested with the rights of statehood.
When the territory of Dakota was carved
out by the general government it was
done so with the expectation that it would
become a state in due time. That the
rapid growth and development of the ter­
ritory within the last decade have brought
about a realization of this expectation
sooner than was originally anticipated
will be no argument with congress in fa­
vor of a division or dismemberment of
tbe territory. The territory was laid out
with the expectation of making a large
state of it some day. It does not begin to
compare in area with Texas, and yet there
is no probability that Texas will ever be
divided into two or more states. When
the territorial lines of Dakota were fixed
it seemed to congress to be in accordance
with the fitness of things and necessary
to a proper adjustment of the nation's
geographical boundaries as well as a pres­
ervation of the proper equilibrium of its
commercial interests that in time the im­
perial Northwest should have a state to
balance the empire state of ihe South­
west. Thus it is that Dakota is to be the
Texas of this golden northwest section of
the Union.
WE
have nceived a little paper, called
NIL
It
MIL.,
by C. C. Blake.whd seems td be a cross
between a weather crank and a bigoted
skeptic. While admitting that he often
fails in his weather prognostications, he
still professes the most unwavering faith
in the scientific correctness of his theory,
but rejects the bible and the christian
faith because he cannot demonstrate their
propositions with the certainty of a prob­
lem in geometry. His intolerant skeptical
bigotry crops out in publishing and re­
plying to a letter wiitten his daughter by
an old lady who had made her acquaint­
ance at a campmeeting. The letter is
not a model in either orthography or
syntax, but it is in motherly interest and
kindly advice and admonition. There is
not a word nor a sentence in the letter
that does not lead to a higher and better
life, a nobler and purer womanhood, and
yet this bigoted skeptic accuses the writer
of "invading the sanctity of his home"
to, as he expresses it, "contaminate the
minds of my infant children with the last
expiring wail of ancient barbarism." The
following is a specimen extract which
will convey a correct idea of tbe tenor of
the whole cranky screed:
"You claim to know what my chil­
dren should be taught better than I do.
Now if you know so much more than 1
do, why do not you or your church or
your God get to work and tell what will
happen Umorrow, next week or next
year? The ancients proved their divine
missions by prophecies, why do you not
do the same? 1 do not claim to be a
prophet, or to have any divine mission
or assistance from Omnipotence, other
than that which is common to Ae whole
human racc—plebeians as well as priests
and patricians—and yet 1 do mathemat­
ically calculate and tell what the weather
will be for a year or more in advance,
which ls^more than you and your whole
church, with the aid of all tbe gods in
both Christendom and heathendom can
do. Now if your god is so powerful, why
do you not trot him out and make him
tell what he knows'. That is what I do
with my god, and when he runs against
a snag and can go no farther, 1 help him
solve the problem, and thus save his rep­
utation. I flatter iryself that my thirty
years of hard labor, during which I have
discovered the causes which produce and
control the weather, hastdone as much to
amelioiate the condition of my fellow
man as the "ferocious goodness" of any
Methodist prtest this side of sheol has
done."
The only point worthy of mention in
the above extract is the sublime egotism
of the author of it. He places himself
higher in the scale of intelligence than
his god when he says that when his god
"runs against a snag and can go no far­
ther, I help him solve the problem, and
thus save his reputation." The egotism
of the above is only equaled by the bigo
try manifested tbe following extract
from the same screed. Personally ad
dressing himself to the lady who had
written the letter under consideration to
his daughter, he
Fays:
"If you had sense enough to know that
every man makes a God which is but
reflex of his own mind, you would then
see that all the Bibles, Korans, Churches,
eseeeapwaea
•rx^s*^rrr-.:
Greeds and Gods we simply so many man­
ifestations of different opinions, and hence
when you invade another's castle with
your religion, MI are simply trying to
cram your opinion down his throat, which
is the height of egotism, and grossly in­
sulting."
Those who haw read Col. Ingersoll's
lectures will reoogafee in the above some­
thing they have road before, with the ex*
ception—and it is an exception that it
honorable to Ingersoll, too—that he is too
much of a gentleman, a man of too much
sense of respect for woman, to address
such language either directly or indirectly
to a woman. The whole screed of three
columns is made up of bigoted skepticism
in religious matters and disgusting ego­
tism in scientific weather prognostica­
tions. This paper appears to have been
sent us by the publisher, but for what
purpose we know not, but wo take this
method of acknowledging its receipt. If
the screed was designed as a blow at the
christian faith that has stood the inves­
tigation of centuries and persecution by
obloquy, fsgot and flame, it will have no
more force and effect than a little gust
of wind against the Rocky mountain
range. This man asserts that he can fore­
tell the weather for months and a year
in advance by mathematical calculation.
This pre-suppoees unchangeable laws by
which the conditions of the weather are
governed, and this pre-supposes a law
giver. The law-giver must be an intel­
ligence and force above and beyond the
influence of man, else those laws would
be changed by and to suit the various
whims of man, and the very foundation
upon which Mr. Blake bases his mathe­
matical calculations would be destroyed.
That which proves toe much is often
more damaging to a proposition than
that which proves Uo little.
The Dakete Eatraf Law.
The following is a synopsis of the es
tray law of this temtory:
"No one shall take up an estray of the
horse kind, mule, ass, neat cattle, sheep,
hog or goat, unless in the county in which
be or she resides, except in the uninhabit­
ed portion of the territory, at a distance
of ten miles or more from any habitation,
nor between the 1st of October and the
1st of April unless actually trespassing.
Must give notice by. posting in three
public places in said county, or if there
is a newspaper published in said county,
by publishing three times in said paper.
h'
weeks fcfter such porting or advafctWag
the finder shall go before a justice of the
peace within the county, and make affi­
davit to the facts of finding, marks and
advertising, upon which the justice shall
appoint three appraisers who shall ap­
praise said animal or animals, and report
to him, setting forth value, marks, etc.
The justice shall thereupon advertise as
before provided In the case ef the finder.
In case an owner appears he shall pay all
costs and reasonable charges, and if the
owner and finder cannot agree, the jus­
tice shall assess the same, which shall be
final. If the stray is not claimed within
a year, and is not of the appraised value
of more than $60, it shall become the
property of finder. If worth more than
$60 said justice of the peace of the county
shall advertise as before provided, giving
description of animal or animals to be
sold, and naming a day for sale, and when
sold shall pay from the proceeds all costs,
including the reasonable charges for
keeping, and cover the balance into the
county treasury, there to be kept separate
for six months, after which, it not called
for by the owners of strays, to be passed
to the school fund."
A Growing Sasptcien.
The statement of the Grand Forks mur­
derer, Miller, made upon the scaffold ac­
cusing a young man named Rutherford
of the crime is entitled to no more cre­
dence than corroborating circumstances
will bear ont, and it seems from the fol­
lowing to the St. Paul Globe that there is
a growing suspicion of the guilt of Ruth­
erford:
There is a growing impression, especial­
ly about Grand Forks, that the sworn
statement of Miller, just before his execu­
tion and on the gallows Friday, contained
the real facts in regard to the murder of
the Snells, spite of the emphatic de­
nials of Rutherford, and his unquailing
eye as he witnessed tbe taking off of Mil­
ler. It is known that he appeared before
the grand jury and testified against Mil­
ler. He lived within half a mile of the
Knells, and in going to town every day or
two, passed the house of the Snells and
frequently brought out their mail. About
the time of the murder he was hauling
wheat to Inkster with Miller, end pasi
the Snell houae three times a day, and yet
he states that for four days alter the mur­
der he did not notice anything wring
about the house, not missing Miller, nor
observing that there was no fire nor any
signs of iife. He even left mail there one
day during this time. When he did note
the quietude, and found, that the stock in
the stable were suffering from their long
fast, he would not enter the house, bat
looked up other parties and induced them
to go and see what was the matter. He
would not enter the house himself then
nor at the inquest, nor go near it su
Miller speaks of a false mustache, but
Rutherford denies that he had one. It is
said that one has since been found in ha
trunk. These statements are darived
from reliable officials of Grand Fecks
county, and are developing a public sen­
timent strongly adverse to Kuthertord
Miller was hardly more than a boy,
was easily controlled by others.
^SBBSSSBSSSST:
I The following Thanksgiving proclaina'
tien has been issued by Governor Plerae
TERRITORY
OJP
DAKOTA
•, BxsconvnOrnes.
In accordance with a long established
custom tbe president of the United Slates
has set apart Thursday, the 26th day of
November, as a day of national Thanks­
giving and gratitude to Almighty God
for his manifold' blessings during the
year.
The citizens of the territory have more
than ordinary cause for thankfulness.
Though ill fortune has attended some, tbe
masses have been abundantly bleesed.
Peace and plenty are upon the land
and prosperity in all its borders.
It is a season for gratitude, for benevo­
lence, for charity. It is the day for the
prodigal to be welcomed, for differences
to be reconciled, tor injuries to be for­
given.
I recommend therefore that the day
designated by the president, be obsprved
throughout the territory by ceasing frsm.
toil and by appropriate services in church
and home. Let kindly deeds toward-the
suffering and destitute, and tender sym­
pathy for those who are in sickasss and
trouble distinguish our observance of this
gracious time. Forgetting the strifes and
enmities of life let us open wide'the doors
of charity and good will, remembering
that "one touch of nature the
whole world kin,"
Given under my hand and the great seal
of the territory, this sixth day ef
[SEAL.] November, the year of our
Lord one thousand eight hun­
dred and eighty-five.
GlLBEKlf A. PlBKCE.
The Dakota Mirage.
The mirage is a phenomenal illusion so
common in Dakota that they scarcely at­
tract remark from the old settlers. They
are so real in appearance that people un
acciptomed to them are apt to mistake
them for real objects unless some im­
probable or impossible features present
themselves. The following description
given by Berg. Glenn, of the United
States Signal Corpe, at Huron, will give
the readers of the Alert in distant states a
reasonably clear idea of this phenomenon
of the Dakota prairies:
A remarkably distinct mirage was ob­
served in the east from 8 to 8:40 a. m.
The towns of Gavour and Iroquois, dis­
tant respectively tight and eighteen miles
Him»f wrro flwrlt T*
thQUghottlya
train of ears 25
move over a crest of fog In mid-air.
Houses, barns, gram-stacks, and
objects of any considerable size assumed
vast rugged proportions, and appeared
like pieces of ancient ruins surrounded by
disturbed body of water. Soon the dis
turbed surface became calmer, and the
ruins were reflected in the depths.
A detached cluster of sheds and grain
stacks bore a striking resemblance to a
fleet of sail vessels riding at anchor. In
another place there appeared the sem­
blance of an imposing Cathedral, with
its lofty spires reflected beneath
Another object brought to mind a dis­
mantled hull drifting with the tide.
After awhile, along the eastern edge of
this interesting spectacle vast forests
arose, succeeded by towering cliffs, which
by degrees encroached upon the scene
until the banks of a sunlit sheet 9! water
were clearly outlined. This singularly
beautiful illusion gradually disappeared,
until at 8:40 a. m., the face of the coun­
try assumed its normal appearance.
COL NT COMMISSIONERS.
[OFFICIAL.]
Proceedings of board of county com
missioners in session at 10 o'clock a.
Nov. 9th, 1885.
Full board present.
Woodbury in the chair.
Minutes of last meeting read and ap
proved.
On motion, the following bills were al* s,
lowed.
Geo. R. Topliff A Co., wood and
coal to paupers $ 13 00
J. J. Eddy, freight etc., paid 3 45
Grimm, Geiseler A Co., spikes to
road district No. 3
Churchill & Webster, provisions
to paupers
M. McClure, publishing proceed­
ings, blanks and court calendars.
S, A. Shain, boarding paupers....
J. T. Eager, for services in banal
of infant found on Capital Hill,
digging grave etc
J. T. Eager, repairing pomp at
courthouse
M. McClure, balance due him for
publishing tax list 100 00
Mat. Wink, labor on highway
Dist. No. 3 86 25
Will Sturgis, labor on highway
Dist. No. 7 6 45
Mary O'Toole, caring for and
feeding paupers, Mrs. Albert sea
and Mie. BUlmire 52 49
D. C. Buck, provisions for pau­
pers, prisoners etc. 26 23
A. M. HaMead, livery moving
Mrs. Billmire 3 50
On motion, the judges, clerks and asss
ugers of last election were allowed
county orders In payment] for their ssr
•MOT*
On motion board adjourned to meet at
10 o'clock a. m. November 30th, IMS.
L. B. Mm, Andltor.
The work of track-laying 1
on the J. R. V. Tassday aad the jap will
probably be iloaert this
•tr g.
I!'
6 90
18 10
49 SO
44 32
12 50
2 00
II