Oakes weekly Republican., December 20, 1889, Image 3

About Oakes weekly Republican. (Oakes, Dickey County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1898

Image provided by: State Historical Society of North Dakota

                
Some Tight Pinches in the
Arctic.
The "tight pinches" oi an exploring
expedition, and especially those of one
into the Arctic regions, form the most
interesting pa rt of it to most people.
The mishaps and misfortunes of my
party, unfortunately for the literary
part, but fortunately for the physical
comfort of those who composed it,
were not many or very serious. Still
we had a few and heard of many oth
ers while living among the strange na
tives of that desolate region.
The first "pinch" we had came long
before any difficulty was expected, and
was more literally a pinch than we de
sired it to be. It was a pinch of the
ship between two grinding ice-floes,
and for a few minutes we thought we
would be sent to the bottom. But
fortunately the vice-like pressure was
removed.
Our captain had had his attention
withdrawn from the management of
the ship for a short while by a visit
from the captain of a whaler near by.
Both ships were waiting to get through
the ice of Hudson's Straits.
It merely happened at that time
that one ot the leapt skilled seamen
was at the wheel, directing the ships
course. On account of his lack of
marine capabilities he had received
the sobriquet of "the farmer." This
is no sign that he had ever follow
ed the honorable occupation of tilling
the soil, for sailors merely allude to
this as one degree of incapacity in sea
manship, the worst of which, 1
beiieve,
is to be called a marine."
"The farmer" was not one half so
fearful of the ice as our captain was,
ana when he attempted to shoot the
Eothen between two great cakes of ice
that wereureally small floating fields
of that material, the shin brought up
with a thud that nearly up3et all the
people on the deck.
Between the two sea-captains, how
ever, both of them find ice masters
with a long experience in the dange
rous navigation of northern waters,
we managed to clear the ship from her
perilous predicament, although at
one time the ice-pack set in solidly
around lis for a hundred yards.
We could feel the little ship careen,
and the dull grinding of the ice-ton
gues on her bottom sounded like a
distant thunder-storm growling along
the horizon.
After the first Arctic tightpinch was
over, and an examination showed
that none of the ship's planks had
been pinched in two, the conversation
turned on ships being caught in the
Arctic ice-fields, and their slim chances
of escape under unfavorable circum
stances.
Our visiting captain had seen a ship
squeezed so tight that the deck planks
opened wide enough to let the oakum
drop out. But even then the ship
was not lost, for when the pressure
was removed the side planks sprung
back into place, and the leakage was
not so great that it could not be con
trolled until the ship could be repair
ed.
Fortunately for us the ice-pack was
an open one, and it was rather an ac
cident than even bad steering on the
part of "the farmer" that we got into
so much of it, which soon opened and
let us out. Ships have been known to
be caught between two colliding fields
ot ice of many acres in extent, and to
be lifted completely out of the water
by the impact, the uninjured vessel
resting on the field of ice until the
change of ice separated the fields once
more"and she was launched into the
water again, having popped up out of
the water somewhat like a cherry
stone between the thumb and fore
finger of some urchin trying to snap it
at a comrade.
Our second tight pinch was still of
a marine character, but of a less ex
tensive nature. It occurred through
the ignorance of the white men as to
the sea-going qualities of an Eskimo
seal-skin boat, or more properly
scow. This is but sealskin hide
stretched over a laree wooden frame
a little larger than the average sized
life boat, and is one of the most un
steady models of marine architecture
that was ever made by man, civilized
or savage.
Our objective point was an island a
little over two miles from the main
land where we were camped. This
was at an Eskimo village, but as it
was summer the men^were all inland
reindeer-hunting, and uo natives were
left but a few boys and some decrepit
old people. It was the untrustworthy
younger people who, by their repre
sentations, increased our confidence
in the rickety sealskin scow, and de
termined our useing it to get to the
island, which we were anxious to
reach for certain surveying purpos
es.
They evidently believed what they
told us, for two ot them were willing
to go with us. Accordingly they were
enlisted in the crew, which otherwise
consisted of four white men.
It was a beautiful, still day as we
started in the early morning. The
iong swells from the bay looked like
polished glass. Had the weather not
changed, we should had but little
trouble even in the wabbling boat
that bent from side to side as we
walked along its bottom as if it were
in torture with every step, and writh
ina in agony therefrom. The best
effort we could make with the
rough paddles we had could not
force us forward more than a mile an
hour against an incoming tide.
Arctic storms frequently come with
the suddenness of a Dakota blizzard,
and the one that overtook us on that
day, when we were about half way
across to the island, could be seen
coming over the placid water like a
black cloud of destruction, and at a
rate of speed that nearly capsized our
frail structure, which stuck high out
of water like an old-line battle ship.
The two Eskimos sank to the bot
tom of the scow, and were really quite
valuable as ballast, the only use to
which they could be put.
Our course was oblique to the waves
that the high wind soon produced,
and so loose was the framework of
the scow, which was merely bound to­
gether by whalebone strips, that it
took the shape of the water like a loa
of floating sawdust, rather than as a
rigid body, as a boat should do.
The motion was enough to have
made a pirate seasick, but I suppose
the hard work and the peril of the
position prevented our thinking of
such a thing, or we should have been
rendered helpless. Some idea of the
labor we had to perform may be form
ed by the fact that we were three and
a half hours in going the last mile,
although, of course, in so long a time
and with such hard work, some of us
were frequently lying exhausted in the
bottom of the boat, "helping the Es
kimos to keep it from upsetting," as
one member expressed it.
When we reached the island at half
past nine o'clock—having
started from
the mainland at five in the morning—
we were thoroughly exhausted, and
wet to the skin, and threw ourselves
on the beach and hardly stirred for
four or five hours.
It was our first and, probably it is
unnecessary to state, our last trip in
an Eskimo|skin boat, and to this day
it seems marvellous me that it did
not upset in tho high waves. Had it
done so we would have either drown
ed or got to the shore sooner than
we did, for anything could have swam
faster than our clumsy craft.
The records of Arctic exploration
teem with tight pinches in the way of
deprivation of food, and hardly an
expedition is well known that has not
gone through some severe ordeals of
this character. Indeed, it is the piv
ot on which hangs the fact whet her an
Arctic expedition will be well-known
or not more than any other, as many
that have had long series of such mis
fortunes are publicly much better
known than those which have done
more, but .have not any record of
severe and sensational suffering.
I ,am glad to say that our tight
pinches in that way are more inter
esting from the matter by which we
just elude them through the sagacity
of our hunters than in any other way.
Several times they saved us in this
manner, and one of the incidents I
must relate.
We were in camp with not a pound
of meat for the next meal, which I
surely thought was a long way off,
for a fog had settled over everythinc,
so thick a hunter would have had to
stumble over a reindeer to see it at
all.
If the fog had been a little bit thick
er we could have eaten it, or if it had
been a great deal thinner we might
have seen how to get something to
eat but it is just at the right-, stage to
deprive us of a meal either way.
My best hunter, Toolooah, got out
his Winchester rille, however, and
prepared for a hunt which I thought
was folly, but he told me he thought
he would soon get a deer or two. His
opinion was too good to be rejected
off-hand. He harnessed up two dogs
—a step which greatly surprised me,
tor the Eskimo never use dogs in hunt
ing the deer, or had not done so in my
long experience with them—and I
thought the fog was obstacle enough
to overcome without the encumbrance
of dogs.
He disappeared in the fog. A small
boy followed him leading the two
dogs, and then another hunter told
me how they worked in such weather.
The dog's sense of smell is used instead
of the hunter's sense of sight. Going
to the windward ot the game locality
the hunter watches his dogs, and when
their noses gc up into the air he knows
that the game is to the windward,
and he follows in that direction.
When the actions of the dogs warn
him that he is near, and that they
may frighten the game, he leaves the
animals with the boy, and creeps
forward on whatever may be in his
tront. The Eskimo hunting-dog never
barks under these circumstances, but
his whinings and jumpings might be
heard.
In a very few minutes, probably, a
reindeer's form will be made out in a
hazy way, and the hunter can stalk
it so advantageously now that
he has little or no trouble in secur
ing it. The fog at such times is
an assistance. It there is a herd
he wiIl|probablygettwo or three. Too
looah secured three within as many
hours, and thus a threatened disaster
was avoided by as ingenious hunting
as I have ever known.
But one ot our sieges of starvation
alter the sledge journey was over was
really a very tight pinch for even the
Arctic regions, and we all suffered a
great deal, while one person succumb
ed in the vilnage.
It was caused by long-continued
bad weather, making hunting impos
sible. Not but that the Eskimo can
stir out in the fierest storms, but
these storms sometimes drive the
game away so that no amount of
hunting can secure them.
The most harrowing part was to
see the suffering of the children and
the old, for the Eskimo plan of meet
ing these ordeals is the apparently
cruel one of depriving the weak and
decrepit to support'the best hunters,
not from any really selfish reason,
but that they shall be in the best
physical condition to secure relief by
hunting when it is possible to do so.
If one could see and appreciate their
really heroic and constant labor in
terrible storms, going.for days without
sleep, it would be hard to tell who
fared the worst, those who were fed
or those who were not.
The circumstances of this famine
were not different from those of many
others, but they were very real and
severe to us. Fortunately, at the
direst extremity, when for a week we
had had nothing but warlus hide to
eat, the weather cleared, the hunters
of the village secured three walrus,
and the famine was at an end.
FREDERICK SCHWATKA.
WHALES.
They are Inoffensive and Affection
ate by Nature—Their Habits.
A sight of these huge, inoffensive
animals is often to be had during an
Atlantic voyage. They are to® timid
to approach near the steamer. A
peculiarity about these wonderful
creatures is the tail, which is not ver­
tical, as in most-fishes, but level, by
which they are able to reach the sur
face of the water with greater facil
ity for the purpose of respir
ation and such is the strength that
even the largest whales are able with
its assistance to force themselves en
tirely out of the water. The tail is
their only instrument of protection.
With one stroke of it they will send a
large boat with its crew the air and
shatter the wood into a thousand
pieces. Sometimes the animal will
take a perpendicular position in the
water, with the head downwards and
rearing the tail on high beat the waves
with fearful violence. On these occa
sions the sea foams for a wide space
around. This performance is called
by tbe'saifors "job tailing." A whale's
head is about one-third of its body,
and its tongue is a soft, thick mass
which was formerly considered aareat
delicacy of the table, and a right of
royalty. Their blood isred and warm
like a man's and the female suck their
young. A whale has no external oar.
Their sense of hearing is imperfect.
When the skin is removed a small
opening is perceived for the admission
of sound: By a quick preception of
all movements made on the water it
discovers danger at a great distance.
The eyes are small, but the sense of
seeing is acute.
A whale does not attain full arowth
under 25 years, and is said to reach
a very great age. They live in fami
lies rather than herds and are ot a
kindlv nature, with the instinct of
family affection very strongly develop
ed. Whales have no teeth, instead
of which whalebones erow down out
of their upper jaw—[Ocean.
MIKE FINK AND PROUD JOE.
Rough modes of life make rough
mannered men and women.
Never was the truth of this proverb
more fully demonstrated than in the
early history ot the Ohio and Missis
sippi River valleys. Many of the
most reckless frontiersmen oi that
time were descended from families, the
members ot which, in England and
France, have been noteworthy for
their refinement, so soon did the life
of constant hardships and Indian war
fare transform the descendants of gen
tle-bred families in to border pioneers,
whose deeds were hardly less sanguin
ary than those of the savages with
whom they fought.
A noted character among the hunt
ers, flat-boat-men and Indian fighters
of this regiou, eighty years ago, was
Mike Fink,—the Rob Iloyot that then
perilous water-way from Pittsburg
to New Orleans.
For years his
daring deeds and thrill
ing adventures were the tales most
commonly heard round the camp fire,
and in the rude little hamlets of the
Western wilderness.
Born almost within hearing ot the
war-whoop, and reared amid the
bloody and exciting scenes of border
warfare, young Fink grew up as wild,
unrestrained, and almost as
ignorant,
as the panther of his native woods.
Rude and reckless, he was yet brave
and open, equally ready for a frolic or
a fight, andahunterby instinct. Like
many another pioneer youth his rifle
was the pride of his heart, and as he
grew to middle age his wonderful feats
with it gained for him a reputation
as one of the finest marksmen in Amer
ica.
The wild, roving and adventurous
life of the flatboat-men on the West
ern rivers soon attracted the youthful
woodsman. In a short time his prow
ess as a boxer, wrestler and dead shot
had made him "captain" of one of
those broad, low river-craft—the "flat
boat"—peculiar to the river naviga
tion of the West. These odd barges,
propelled mainly by the current, steer
ed by means ot "long sweeps, and man
ned by crews of the dare-devil stamp,
were, in those days, the only method
of freight transportation.
ASyCaptain of a flatboat, Mike soon
became notorious on both rivers.
"The Snappin' Turtle of the Ohio"
and "The Snag of the Mississippi"
were two of his well-known sobriquets,
and he remained "king ot the river"
up to the days when steamboats were
introduced, when the prestige ot the
flatboat-man ceased.
New Orleans was then the only out
let for the prduce of the West, and it
was ndt till after 'weeks, sometimes
months, of toil and exposure, that
the slow-moving scow from the Ohio
could reach .the end of its cruise of
many hundred miles long.
The now noisy channel of a mighty
commerce was then comparatively
lonely and quiet. The settlements
upon its banks were few and small
hostile savages infested the thick cane
brakes and gloomy foreBts that lined
the seemingly interminable shores
and desperate outlaws lay in wait to
rob descending crafts of their valuable
cargoes. It will be seen that the call
ing of a boatman required! not only
its own particular skill and toil, but
also the quickness and nerve of a
ready fighter. It happened on one
occasion, when Mike andhis cumber
some flatboat were creeping down the
Ohio, that he had tied Jup as was
customary, at the little settlement ot
Louisville, to deliver some freight.
On the following morning seven or
eight friendly Indians who were at
th'e landing came aboard with much
dignity and grave curiosity to inspect
the white man's big canoe.
Among the numbsr of visitors was
a stalwart Cherokee, whose haughty
bearing had gained for him the nick
name of "Proud Joe," and who was
conspicuous for his tightly-bound and
gaudily decorated scalp-lock, which
stood erect to the height of nearly ?.
foot upon his head.
Mike, six feet high in moccasins, his
coal blacK hair surmounted by a
bear-skin cap, and his long rifle in his
hand, surveyed the "red varmints"
with great disdain, and as thsy stalk
ed past him to go ashore, impelled by
the reckless spirit of mischief that
had led bim into rash conflicts so
many times before, snatched a feather
from Proud Joe's lofty but splendid
plume.
The insulted Indian leaped ashore,
and with flashing eyes defiantly shook
his fiat at the aggressive boatman,
and Mike in return scornfully declared
that he would "cut off that varmint's
scalp-lock close to his head afore he
lef Kaintuck."
Some minutes later, as the boat
was about to start on its way down
the river, Cherokee Joe was seen
standing on the shore several hundred
yards away, as stiff asastatue, silent
ly watching Mike with such a look of
hatred as only a savage can give.
Mike ordered his crew to push off
from the shore. As the boat swung
into the stream, he cocked his rifle,
took aim at the Indian, and out of
mere bravado fired.
To his own intense astonishment
the Indian fell! Indignant at so wan
on a murder, the peopie were excited
ly gathering to pursue the slayer,
when "Proud Joe" astounded them
by springing to his feet, unhurt.
Wild with passion and furious with
the most vindictive lage, hehurled his
tomahawk with all his strength in the
direction of the retreating boat, pour
ed forth, in Cherokee, a short but fiery
stream of threats against the disap
pearing Mike, and stabbed the very
ail in that direction with his hunting
knife.
Then burying his face in his blanket,
as if ashamed to meet the wondering
gaze of the increasing crowd, he hur
riedly departed and was seen at that
landing no more.
His rage and humiliation were quick
ly understood by the settlers, versed
in savage ways, for there lying upon
the ground where he had stood was
"Proud Joe's" decorated scalp-lock,
which the unerring rifleman, true to
his reckless threat, had cut. clear from
the Indian's head!
It was a wonderful feat, and was
soon heralded far and wide. Mike
had made the greatest shot in his life,
but in doing so he had inflicted upon
Joe the deadliest insult and the most
terrible disgrace that an Indian could
suffer. He had shorn "Proud Joe"
of his scalp-lock, the most sacred sym
bol of dignity and courage which the
red man possessed—the one thing
which a warrior would surrender only
in death, for to lose it without losing
his life stamped him as the most des
pised thing among his race—a cow
ard.
Mike had made his most famous
shot, but in the eyes of an Indian he
had given unpardonable offence. As
an exploit it was murderous, as an in
sult gratuitous.
The reckless "Snappin' Turtle" and
his queer old flatboat drifted slowly
down the river, passing on their long
and tedious route the dreaded refuge
of the land pirates, (Jave-m-rock.
Then the boat floated by the unset
tled and nameless hights of Yicks
burg, wended its lonely way past
melancholy forests, draped in fundral
moss, and after weeks of toil and ex
posure made a landing at a solitary
spot not far above Natchez.
Regardless of possibly hostile sur
roundings, for they were now within
the boundary of the Choctaws and
the Cherokees, the rough but light
hearted boatmen fiddled and frolicked
the evening away, and only went to
rest when the inoonrodehigh. Sound
ly the revellers slept, and the old craft
seemed as lifeless as the silent waters
and still more lonely shore.
Then suddenly without the slightest
warning, or even the movement of a
suspicious shadow the night silence
was broken by a volley of rifle shots,
followed by a terrific war-whoop!
The slumbering "watch" on the
deck ot the flatboat, pierced by a
half a dozen bullets, groaned in his
sleep and died.
Mike and his crew of five or six
boatmen had barely time to draw
their knives and spring out, when sev
en painted savages leaped on the
boat. White men and redskins in
stantly grappled, struggled and fought
with the quickness and terocity of ti
gers.
But the conflict was brief. In two
minutes the savages were worsted.
Three of he seven regained the shore.
Four lay outstretched on the deck,
and along with them two of the boat
men.
Immediately the boat was cut loose,
and pushed out into the current. De
termined to see what tribe the attack
ing savages belonged, Mike ordered
the bodies to be kept on board till
morning.
After sunrise he examined their
bloody blankets, and noticed the
style of tin ir beaded moccasins, their
weapons and their ornaments, but
was undecided whether they were
ChoctawE or Cherokees, until one of
the bodies was turned over by a boat
man, when all doubt was dispelled.
For an instant Mike stood
transfixed with astonishment, then
his loud exclamations of surprise
brought the crew around him in haste.
Upon the lifeless warrior's head there
was but a short, crisp stump of hair—
the scalp-lock was gone!
It was in truth the body of "Proud
Joe," the haughty Cherokee, that was
lying before them, and in that signifi
cant fact the boatmen read a whole
volume of deadly resolve.
The dishonored Indian had sought
and obtained the assistance of his
kinsmen. With the ferocity and per
sistence of bloodhounds, the warriors
had dogged the boat along the river.
Day after day, and week after week,
from the time the boat left Louisville,
they had followed Mike.
Animated by a remorseless and tire
less hatred, they kept up the pursuit,
walding swamps, swimming rivers, and
risking capture by hostile tribes, and
threading more than a thousand
miles of trackless territory, to avenge
the insult of the scalp-lock.
At last the sought-for opportunity
for a night attack had presented itselt,
and they had struck for vengeance—
but in vain.
Mike's greatest shot thus cost the
lives of three boatmen and four Chero
kees.
The wonderful but reckless rifleman
—"the last of the flatboat-men"—
met a tragic fate himself, at length.
He was murdered in a brawl with a
gang of other equally lawless charact
ers. It was a fitting end to an un
worthy career.
GRAND BANQUET.
A Most Notable Catherine in Bos
ton Where Flowed Wit
and Eloquence.
Crover Cleveland, Henry Crady,
Carnegie and Many Others
Present.
Over 400 of the solid business men of Bos
ton and New England crowded thespacious
apartments of Hotel VenDome on the 12th
inst. on the occasion ot the annual ban
quet ot the Boston Merchants' association.
At a round table in the center sat Hon.
Jonathau A. Lane, president ot the asso
ciation. At his right were ex-President
Cleveland and Messrs. H. W. Grady, W. I..
Putnam, P. A. Collins, Jonn Lowoll, Wm.
K. Russell and Leopold Morse, while at
his left were seated Governor Oliver Ames,
Andrew Carnegie, General Clinton B. risk
of New Jersey, and Collector Saltonstall,
all guests of the association. It wasS:l.~
o'clock before President l.ane called
tho attention of the gathering. After
reading a letter of regr)t from .tames Rus
sell Lowel'.'he proceedod in a brief speech
to introduce Governor Ames, who wel
comed the guests of the occasion. When
he mentioned the welcome extended to the
distinguished guests from New York the
assembly greeted the mention with loud
applause. Ames then turned to Cleveland
and said: "If wicked democrats speak as
well of me when 1 retire from ollice as re
publicans do of you, I shall be abundantly
satisfied." This sentiment was loudly
cheered. Lane then.
INTliOUUl-HI) Cl.KVlU.ANl)
as one who, strong in his personality,
would speak strong words tonight which
would be heard all over the land ana across
the sea in behalf of pure politics and those
reforms which are now sweeping all parties
before them. Cleveland was greeted with
long-continued applause, shouts and
cheers, the entire assembly rising and
waving their handkerchiefs and cheering
enthusiastically. Cleveland's address
aroused great enthusiasm, and his points
were greeted with cries of "Good!" and ap
plause. Following Cleveland came Henry
W. Grady, of Georgia, who was warmly re
ceived, and who spoke at some length.
Much applause, considerable laughter, and
tears, too, were evoked by Grady's ad
dress.
ANDIIEW AllNKIilK
was then introduced. Prior to entering
upon the discussion of his topic he referred
to Cleveland as one who history would de
clare had tried to do his duty and who
possessed the respect of the entire country
regardless of party. Hesaid Cleveland had
demonstrated one answer to the question
of his own asking—what to do with ex
presidents. He had shown that one good
thing to do with them was to invite them to
all banquets, and in this connection aques
tion occurred to him—"Why not run them
again?" At this there was a storm of ap
plause, with cries of'"good," "that's so,"
and renewed cheering. Carnegie then pro
ceded to a brief exposition of tlio won
derful progress made by this country
during the past thirty years in com
merce, manufacture and mining, declar
ing that in the last two indnstries
she now leads the worid, while her
credit is first among nations. His ad
drees, which was brief, owing to the late
ness of the hour, was confined almost
wholly to statistics. He took occasion to
say that he did not share the fears of
some that the republic was surrounded by
any serious dangers. He believed nothing
could prevent her from achieving her des
tiny. Carnegie was followed by Hon. W.
L. Putnam, late democratic candidate for
governor of Maine, who spoke briefly.
Trouble Between Farmers and Ele
vator Men.
A special dispatch to the Minneapolis
Journal from Wobster, South Dakota,
dated the 13th inst.,, states that "the ele
vator companies have been buying grain
here by a combine on a 15,'j cent margin,
which was obtained as follows: Five cent
margin, about 4 cents in dockage, 2.'.J cents
in freight, 3 cents on grade, 1 cent commis
sion—total, 15,'J cents. The Reporter and
Farmer "jumped" on them two weeks ago
and accused them of stealing $45,000 from
the farmers by their system of grade, dock
age, etc. Farmers universally commended
the action of the paper and determined to
ship their own grain. On Monday they made
demand for two cars a day for 20 days.
Tuesday cars came all right, but Wednesday
none wore t.o be had. The elevator com
panies took advantage ot the situation
and are trying to drive the farmers off the
market. There was, Wednesday, about
3,000 buBhels of grain stored in barns and
sneds in town, and the farmers owning it
were going to haul it to Watertown, but
Capt. Adams, editor of the Reporter and
Farmer, prevailed on them to wait till
Gen. Manager Miller could be heard from,
because he believed the company, when
they understood the situation, would fur
nish all the cars they wanted. The action
of the elevators has beaten the Milwaukee
road out of some 20,000 or 30,000 bush
ells of grain that was marketed in Water
town, which should have come to Web
ster. The situation is red hot."
The Business Outlook.
R. G. Dun & Co. say but (or one thing
the business reports received the past week
would be exceptionally satisfactory. Un
seasonable weather accounts for the de
pression in one or more branches of busi
ness. Trade in woolen goods, in heavy
boots and shoes, are retarded, and the
anthracite coal trade more seriously. On
the other hand, thereissomecompensation
in the fact that open W9ather has enabled
building operations to be carried on longer
than usual. The holiday trade has also
commenced early, and is of unusual
magnitude. Fears of a monetary difficulty
have faded away, but the market has not
given away as yet, nor have reinforce
ments come from any quarter. The east
is in want of funds the west find in the
phenomenal business activity employ
ment for the large amounts sent thither
and anticipated imports of gold from
Europe has uot yet arrived. Foreign ex
change indeed, is a shade stronger than
a week ago. The treasury has managed to
avoid accumulation and holds $100,000
less than a week ago. Business failures
number iJ90 as compared with total of
31G last week. For the corresponding
week of last year the figures were 303.
Smuggler Captured.
For several years the Puget Sound
country has been infested with an organiz
ed gang of opium smugglers, with head
quarters at Victoria B. C. Although in
spectors have been constantly patrolling
the border and searching all incoming
steamers, only a few ot the smugglers have
been overhauled, and those captured prov
ed nothing but stool-pigeons for the leaders
ot the gang. On the 12th inst., the most
important capture ever made on the coasts
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was effected. Bill Easton, alias "Black
Bill," and Jack Powers, chiel o! the gang,
together with a conduct or on the Northern
Pacific, who acted as a confederate, were
arrested by the United States marshal.
Two hundred and fiftv bales ot opium,
valued at $2,200, were found in their pos
session.
TIIE PRU-12IUPT10N LAWS,
A Communication Pertaining
Thereto From Commissioner
CrofT.
IlKI'AUTMKNT II!-' TIIK I NTKIill II'.,
I.AXH OKIIU-:.
Washington, l'.r.. Ha-, in. iss'.i.
Hon. J. &. Pickier, HouBe of Representa
tives, Sir:—I have had the honor to re
ceive from you, a latter to vour address,
from as. 1'iulay, Esq., dated at Eureka,
S. D., the 22d ult., in reference to final pre
emption proofs, said to be pending in the
Aberdeen district land office, South Dako
ta.
It would appear, therefrom, that certain
persons having prepared their proofs for
making final entry ot their lands, lind
themselves unable, at this time, to pro
cure the in jney with which to make pay
ment therefor, swing to the refusal of the
bunks to make loans, in consequence "of a
rumor that recent legislation would de
feat pre-emption claims in South Dakota.
The rule in this renpect is stated as
follows, viz:
Proof without payment must in no case
be acccDted or received bv registers and
receivers. If this should occur by inadver
tence in any case, additional evidence of
non-alienation and continued residence,
covering date of recoipt of payment-, will
be required before certificate is issued, or
the entry placed on record. See depart
ment circular oi January 1, ISSft, page l.r.
This rulo is prescribed by tue honorable
secretary of the interior pursuant to sta
tute, and is obligatory upon his office and
all subordinates.
The cases to which Mr. I'inla.v's letter
has reference are not yet in this office, and
I have uo information respecting the at
tending circumstances.
A letter under this date will be address
ed to the register and receiver at Aber
deen, calling for a report on the subject,
with the view to afford the parties any re
lief that the law and the facts may be
found to justify.
Very respectfully,
Li:\vik H. Gitiii'i- Com.
T1MKD TO AVKJXK A TRAIN.
A South Dakota Farmer Jailed on
a Serious Charge.
Gunder Gunderson, ot Canton, was ar
rested on the 11th inst. by Murdock Mc
Donald, a private detective in the en-ploy
of the Milwaukee road, for attempting to
wreck the south-bound passenger train.
Gunderson
D'.aced
w?
a 200-pound boulder in
the middle of tho track, and many lives
would have been lost had it not been for
the timely discovery of the obstruction by
the engineer of the Cannon Ball train for
Sioux City. Gunderson lives north of
Canton on a farm through which the Mil
waukee road runs. It seems that away
back in 1SS0 Gunderson sued the Mil
waukee road for payment for a right
of way through his fariu, and was not sat
isfied with the damages awarded him by
the court. Ever since Gunderson lias giv
en the road more or less trouble, two
weeks ago a big boulder was placed on the
track and was discovered by the engineer
of an approaching freight train. McDon
ald, the detective, was Bent out to watch
Gunderson who was suspected of the at
tempted train wrecking, and he was arrest
ed *as the result of evidence collected
against him as the guilty party. The pre
liminary hearing was before Judge Aikers,
who held Gunderson to the grand jury in the
sum of $2,500. In default of bail Gunder
son now languishes in the Minnehaha
county jail.
A Sad Runaway.
A fatal runaway occurred at Kansas
City, Mo., on the 10th inst. One lady was
killed, one injured and the coachman bad
ly hurt. Mrs. Hutty, wife of William Hut
ty, manager of the Western Sash and
Door company, and Mrs. Logan, wife of
the foreman of the same company, togeth
er with two children ot Mrs. Hutty were
driving in a carriage when the breast
strap on one of the horse's harness broke
and they started on a run. In
endeavoring to jump from the carriage
Mre. Hutty's dress caught on the carriage
step and she waB thrown to the pavement,
and her skull fractured. She was removed
to her home where she died in a brief time.
In jumping from the vehicle Mrs. Logan
sustained a fractured leg. The coachman
then slid down from his box to the inside
of the carriage and seized the youngest
child in his arms and jumped from the
vehicle. In alighting on the pavement he
fell and was severely cut about the head,
but the child escaped uninjured.
Disaster at Johnstown, Pa.
During a performace of Uncle Tom's
Cabin at the opera house at Johnstown,
Pa,, on the 10th inst. a cry of fire was
raised, resulting in a terrible rush for life
down a narrow stairs. Ten persons were
instantly crushed to death and probably
75 were very seriously injured. Among the
killed are Mrs. Nester and Geo, Fischhorn,
the latter being a resident of Baltimore.
It was found necessary to turn a stream of
water on the crowd from a fire engine
standing near before the dead and wound
ed could be taken out. The people rushed
from the outside up the narrow stairs and
were crushed bv the crowd forcing its way
to the street.
Twelve persons were found dead on the
stairs.
Among the seriously injured were Chas.
Vaugn. Albert Owens and a man named
Weimer. The alarm was false and there
are many threats against the unknown
man who started it.
Groaning With Plenty.
Several prominent railroad men have
been at Topeka, Kan., endeavoring to de
vise means for the purpose of supplying
freight cars, which are wofully needed to
carrj away great the bulk of freight which
is lyfnft at all the great traffic points await
ing transportation. All of these gentle
men state that never before has there been
such a demand for freight cars. Every uar
owned is in use with the addition of cars'
that could be borrowed, bought or improt
vised for the great traffic. Never haatherVn
been so much freight in transit, and so,,:
great a bulk awaiting transportation. It
is not uncommon to see ordinar/nit can
boarded up lor the transportation "ot
wheat. More corn is now in tra&talt than -v
was ever known before.
A convention will be held in,
city o£ Omaha on Wednesday
Thursday, December
18 antf%9,l,l
for the purpose of uniting the ap
of Kansas, Iowa, North Dfl
South Dakota and NebraAa i-.-,
central prohibition orga^izStioi^^
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