Jasper County Democrat, Volume 6, Number 12, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 June 1903 — THE WEEKLY HISTORIAN [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

THE WEEKLY HISTORIAN

ONE HUNDRED TEARS AGO. “Tom” Paine submitted detailed plans for Iron bridges of 600 feet span to do away with ferries over American rivers. Vaccination was announced as a sure cure for the plague, and a Russian rcientist was sent to Turkey to study its application. Capt. Preble was appointed to command the United States naval sqnadron, then being fitted for European service. Capt. von Bilang was paid $2,000 by the King of Sweden for inventing a swimming machine which it was expected would prove of great practical use. SEVBNTT-FIVB TEARS AGO. The Mexican government ordered expelled Spaniards to leave the country via the Pacific instead of the gnlf coast. The Washington (D. C.) City Council passed an ordinance for the cutting down of thistles, with which the streets of the city, including Pennsylvania avenue, were overgrown. William Clark was appointed treasurer of the United States, the chief justice of New York having declined the place. Jesuit schools were closed throughout France by royal decree, and all academies and colleges were placed under control of the University of Paris.

FIFTY YEARS AGO. George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate was offered to Congress by his heirs for $200,000 cash. A medal was presented tc John P. Hale by United States seamen because of his efforts to abolish flogging in ths navy. A movement was started in Nsw York to equip troops for service with Gen. Santa Ana in Mexico. Gen. Almonte reached New Orleans with assurances that the Mexican dictator would settle the United States boundary dispute without war. FORTY YEARS AGO. A rebel army captain was arrested at Springfield, 111., While recruiting for the Confederate army. Over 400 passengers sailed from San Francisco for New York, paying $240 each for first cabin passage, $165 for second cabin and SSO for steerage. New York longshoremen struck, and the United States quartermaster, general was forced to Employ army deserters In loading government transports under a guard of troops. The rebel army under Gen. R. E. Lee Invaded Pennsylvania and captured Chambersburg, and President Lincoln issued q proclamation calling for 100,000 militia to defend the State. Maysville, Ky., was entered by 250 mounted rebels, who plundered the inhabitants and then withdrew. Beef was quoted at $2 a pound In Richmond, Va.; butter at $3; sherry cobblers at $1.50 each; whisky at $1 a drink; and strawberries at $3 a saucerfuL THIRTY YEARS AGO. Capt Gen. Pietain urged Cuban planters to loan one elate out of every 100 for service In suppressing revolutionists All the secret archives of the Civil War, tool ailing reports of courts martial and the intrigues of politicians and military officials, were reported stolen from the War Department at Washington. The steamship Great Eastern began laying a new Atlantic cable between Valentta bay, Ireland, and Cape Breton Island. The prqper street dress for American women was described by the fashion editors as a “camel’s hair polonaise or redingote over a black skirt, plain Btraw hat, black kid gloves, and black parasol and fan.” Prof. Watson of Michigan University announced the discovery of a new planet in the constellation Ophiuchns. Susan B. Anthony was convicted at Canandaigua, N. Y., of violating the election lawe by voting for President of the United States.

TWBNTI TEARS AGO, The defendants in the famous Star route case at Washington were acquitted by a jury, although it was declared that 50,000,000 ctiizens believed them guilty. Premier Li Hung Chang was notified by France that Chinese Boldiers caught in Tonquin would be shot as pillagers. One hundred snd seventy-eight children were billed in a panic at Sunderland, Eng., started by a child stubbing its toe during a school exhibition. McGeoch, Kveringham & Co., Chicago commission merchants, failed, with estimated liabilities of $2,000,000, as the result of an attempted corner in lard. The Harper high license bill was passed by the Illinois State Senate and signed by Gov. Hamilton. Thirty useless naval vessels, costing a total of $20,000,000, were offered for sale at Washington. Attention, was called to the loose business methods of the United States PostOffice Department, which had resulted in the Star routs frauds. TER TEARS AGO. The first Illinois law for arbitrates of labor disputes was passed by the Stats Legislature. Lehigh Valley Railroad enginemen and trainmen demanded an Increase'ln pay; the International Typographical Union voted to ask a nine-hour workday, and the Mahoning valley Iron manufaetgMM tnstted to lock out their employe*