Vol. 1
No. 7
1873
Devoted to the Best Interests of Young Men & Women , Education, Health, Temperance, Politics, Religion and all that Makes Humanity Better.
In 1873 there was an economic panic
after the failure of the biggest bank in the
U.S. And fallout from an infamous railroad
construction financial scandal (Credit Mobilier). Remember, in the 1800’s “cars”
meant railroad cars.
D.T.
[You are advised to take the following story, not
literally, but as social commentary.]
Taming The Indians.
Peleg Perkins lived in Denver, Colorado.
He was a philanthropist of the most positive
type. Unlike other philanthropists, he did
not use his wonderful genius in promoting
women’s suffrage, anti-cruelty to animals,
teetotalism or any such trivial enterprises.
His philanthropy always bubbled up in
behalf of the poor, pitiable, painted peripatetic Indian. He contended that the Indian
was a human being, and hence, susceptible
of being civilized, Christianized, and
worked over into a useful citizen.
He had not been a resident of Colorado
many months before resolving to put his
philanthropic theory onto practice. He
arranged for a little missionating expedition
among the Utes, who were numerously
encamped in the mountains not far from
Denver. His wife protested, but he was
determined to go, and to go alone and unarmed. Even his faithful old jack-knife,
which for years had carved his plug tobacco
was laid on the shelf.
He kissed his weeping wife and nine children and started for the mountains. Towards night he reached a large encampment
of Utes, who received him with unmistakable demonstrations of delight. They shook
his hand and laughed and danced and sang –
all in their own peculiar language, however,
which Peleg had not yet learned. After a
hearty supper of rare bear meat and boiled
roots, the whole party retired for the night.
He awoke late in the morning, and found
the camp lively enough. Men and women
were moving to and fro and there was evidently some important event at hand. A
large quantity of dry wood had been piled
around the trunk of a green tree. Over
Peleg’s prostrate form stood the two young
chiefs, brandishing their tomahawks and
scalping knives. They seized the bewildered missionary and with strong pieces of
deerskin bound him hand and foot at the
same moment another aborigine, with flint
and steel, touched of the fire.
Let us draw a blanket over the scene that
followed. I only know that his heart-aching
widow is consulting spiritual mediums in
the hope of ascertaining his whereabouts.
But wherever he is, it is certain that Peleg’s
views concerning philanthropy as applied to
the gentle savage are somewhat changed.
Ralph Hoyt.
THE ANTI-MONOPLY WAR.
“Do the Railroads Control the State or Does the
State Control the Railroads?”
The following is from the Illinois
Farmer’s State Convention in Springfield:
The People of this State, in common with
the People of the whole Union, have now a
grave responsibility thrust upon them.
While I concede the necessity of railroads;
while I believe the prosperity of our State
and the nation is most intimately woven
into that of the railroad system, I yet believe that they are fraught with gigantic
evils, and unless we of this generation
continue this contest until we win victory
by forcing these roads to owe their allegiance to State enactment, the time will
come when these corporations will force
the State to own their dictum and do their
bidding.
Already we have near
$250,000,000 of money invested in railroads in this state alone, while its indirect
influence is almost without limit.; while in
the Union we have nearly$4,000,000,000
in the same interest and controlled by a few
men who now control the legislation of
several States.
In this contest, the judiciary are a mighty
power, and it behooves you to look well to
it that you elect men who are in sympathy
with the toiling millions.
No doubt designing men will desire to be
hoisted into power through the excitement
of to-day, but do not be deceived as between an honest man who denies your
faith, and the dishonest man who clings to
it. Take the honest man always.
[Good advice in any election. ]
Guano – Present and Perspective.
Either there is a probable scarcity of
guano in the near future or interested parties are trying to make a “corner in the
market.” Hitherto the supply the world has
been mainly drawn from the sundry tropical islands off the Peruvian coast.
It is about thirty years since the civilized
world began to demand guano. But now the
Peruvian Government looks forward to the
demise of their deposits with dismay. It
seems we must make up our minds that
guano is destined to disappear within the
next ten years from the list of available
fertilizers, but science has already done
much to furnish substitutes
[Guano is bat poop.]
Geneva Lake Herald.
GEO. S. UTTER, ……….. Publisher
J. E. Burton, Editor
One Year Old.
The Herald is one year old to-day. As it
begins the second year of its mission it
desires, first of all, to extend its sincere
thanks to its many true and tried friends and
supporters. We thank you for your patronage, generous subscribers, it has been ample and encouraging. To our advertisers,
we feel to say that you have stood by us
faithfully and continually; few papers have
received more or better support from their
home merchants than the Herald. To our
many kind and gifted contributors, poetic
and otherwise, we say “thank you”, and
trust you will continue.
Temperance Rally at Walker’s Hall.
There will be a grand temperance rally at
Walker’s Hall on Friday evening next. All
are invited, friends and foes of the licensing
question, alike, come out and hear the discussion. General Boyd, Rev. C. Williams
and J. E. Burton are the speakers.
Snow is fifteen inches on the level in the
woods.
Next Tuesday is April fool’s day. Look
out for the fool-killer.
Mr. W. W. Byington is moving his house
from Main St. to the lot recently purchased
on Geneva St.
Those who have purchased the right to
use Forman’s Wood Preservative, will find
it already prepared at Hammersley’s Drug
Store.
Mr. Eugene Sanborn, one of the most
original boys ever raised in Geneva has
gone to Elkhorn to commence life as a
Salesman in a hardware store. We wish
him success.
Mr. Cahoe has sold his place on Dodge
St. for $1000. Bought by two German
gentlemen, who propose to enter the hardware business in town.
We were visited Wednesday night with a
light snow storm.
Dr. F. B. Stone of Elkhorn will occupy
the Baptist pulpit next Sabbath morning.
The Oyster Supper of the sons of Temperance last evening was a success. Attendance fair, supper good, sociability
admirable and receipts about $30.
We judge from appearance that a “Stand –
on – the – corner – and – court – Society”
has been formed in Geneva, and has quite an
active membership.
All will regret to learn of the sad death of
Miss Anna Overton, daughter of Wm. Overton of this place. She was about sixteen and
beloved by all who knew her.
Sporting.
The Trotting on the Lake.
For some time, in the circle of those who
like a good horse, and enjoy fast trotting,
and think they have the fastest trotters in the
county, it was known that a race was on the
tapis, and imminent and only a proper juncture of circumstances were necessary to
precipitate the affair.
Last Saturday that juncture of circumstances occurred – the ice on the lake was in
excellent condition, the weather fair, many
people in town, and the men and horses
ready – and the unanimous opinion of the
interested ones, was, that the time had come
to prove talk, or pay cider, as to the matter
of the fastest equine of Geneva. Accordingly the preliminaries were arranged as follows:
1st. That the race should be open to all
horses that had never made better time than
10:50.
2nd. That the race should be the best two
in three.
3rd. That each should pay $5 entrance
fee, and the winning horse to take the purse.
4th. That the Gate money should go to
pay for the horses killed in the race.
O. Shylock (B.M.) “Maid of Wilderness”
B. George (B.M.) “Swamp Eagle”
K. Little (G.G.) Sleepy Jane”
K. Kossouth (B.M.) “Real Lady”
D. Lake (Calico horse) “Dolly Varden”
1st heat, the animals, all in good condition,
came to the scratch – at the word go – “Dolly Varden” took the lead but was soon overtaken by the Maid, Angel, Jane and Lady,
the Angel did some handsome trotting, but it
was soon evident that Lady was to win the
heat.
The second heat contained nothing that
called for laughter, Dolly on the lead as
usual, the Maid acting badly, stalling at
every snow bank, but the tall stepping was
done by the Angel in this heat.
The third heat was no go, for several reasons. 1st because the horse which it was
most desirable to beat, the “Sorrel Stallion”
had to draw wood and couldn’t come to the
race. But the best reason was that the entrance fees had not been paid and hence
there was no purse to be won, and no one
was anxious to win nothing.
About Post Offices.
When our fathers came west it cost them
25 cents t o send a letter back to old Vermont or New York; and it took weeks to get
there. To-day we can send our letters in
safer forms for three cents, and have them
reach the East in 48 hours. Certainly our P.
O. system stand among the first blessings
of our civilization, and tells us that the
living present is brighter and better than
any spot in the world’s past.
This is verily the people’s century, for it
is theirs to think, to rule, and to enjoy; but
in accepting these numberless privileges, a
duty of great importance remains for us to
keep, lest the proffered blessings prove a
source of evil and expense.
He who will wrong his government in her
generosity to him, by using a second time,
an uncancelled letter stamp, is as truly a
thief as he who steals a horse at night; and
he who folds merchandise in a a paper and
sends it at paper rates, is a smuggler just as
much as he who secretly smuggles liquor
from Canada.
The Liquor League.
Law is a rule of action. In a Republic, all
law is from the will of the governed. While
a law exists therefore, it must be supported,
never resisted. Redress is always at hand,
for the same power that made the law can
unmake or amend it. A true citizen will
allow the enforcement of a bad law until it
can be repealed.
They say a Liquor League exists in Wisconsin. That is all right and is just as legitimate as a Working Man’s League, so long
as it does not oppose or resist any law.
They say this league has money to fight the
Graham Liquor law and defeat its practicability. This is all wrong and endangers the
liberty of every citizen of Wisconsin.
We very much regret that liquor men of
Geneva are at all disposed to talk of defiance. It is a really sad thing to hear an
intelligent dram seller declare that a $1000
is at the disposal of the liquor dealers here
and that they will use it in defeating the law
in the hands of the new Village Board.
If a $1000 from a rebellious league of
wicked men can throttle the law in our
midst, threaten the respectable, peaceable
men in discharge of a solemn duty, silence
the voice of justice, and continue to insult
an already disgusted community, then we
must say farewell to the freedom that
Washington gave us, farewell to the honor
of American citizenship, farewell to the
dignity of Wisconsin law, farewell to peace
and order and the rights of men.
[Special interests groups controlling the laws to
their favor - sounds vaguely familiar.]
The troubles in Louisiana are not yet
ended. This week the feeling has resulted
in horror and bloodshed, over one hundred
colored men have been murdered in the
streets by a mob of whites, many of whom
have fled to Texas to escape punishment. It
is time the U. S. Government insisted upon
decent order and protection of life.
Mr. H. O. Larabee, who has just returned
from quite an eventful trip in Minnesota,
informs us that only one railroad in that
state can be relied upon to “make time” and
it is from Wynona to St. Paul. Roads that
are open one day are drifted full during the
night. He says that hundreds of settlers are
leaving the state or will be at the first opportunity. The severity of the present winter will set back settlement there five years
it is thought, and very much depreciate
property. – Republican
War between England and Russia seems
probable.
Three thousand cases of small pox are
reported in Boston. The disease is making
a greater death percentage than all else
combined. Most of the dead are buried in
the night.
Susan B. Anthony.
The United Stated District Court of New
York has given the lady a discharge from
custody. The court also refused to decide
the right of women to vote and Miss Anthony will now appeal to the U. S. Supreme
court for a final decision. All will be interested in the result.
Independence Hall Bell.
Old Independence Hall Bell, which, ninety-six years ago, woke the stillness of that
immortal summer’s morning, when it rang
out Liberty and Independence to a new
born nation, has been taken down from its
proud position and will hereafter be kept in
the vestibule of the hall; the reason for it is,
the bell is cracked.
The American “Lucretia Borgia.”
The Borgia of this country is Mrs. Lydia
Sherman, of Connecticut, who has been
convicted of the murder of her husband and
sentenced to prison for life. Since her incarceration she confesses to the murder of
eight persons, three husbands and five
children. Poison was her weapon in each
case. The gallows would be more fitting
for a fiend like this than a convenient prison cell.
The Pullman Palace cars are to be provided with safes for the protection of travelers’
valuables.
THE COUNTY SEAT.
Elkhorn, March, 1873
--Wood is coming in lively. Our streets are
full of teams from all directions every day.
Good oak wood is selling from 4 to 5 dollars
per cord.
--Work has been resumed on the new Railroad between here and Geneva. In a few
weeks it will be lively all along the line.
It is to be lamented that our last Congress
allowed so many important bills to remain
undecided. The following are some of the
valuable ones: “The bill for additional land
bounties to soldiers, the agricultural college
land grant, the postal telegraph scheme, the
bill to prevent discrimination in railway
charges, and those for a new election in
Louisiana, the modification of the Jury laws
in Utah.
BUILDING.
The New Hotel,
There is a prospect that our house-builders
will have plenty to do in the coming season.
We hear of several parties who have taken
advantage of the fine sleighing of the past
six or eight months to get things together for
building. Some of our mechanics will probably have a job on the County Poor House.
is a certainty. Parties from Chicago have
purchased the Beamsley property, corner of
Broad and Lake Streets, and propose to put
up a three or four story building, with
basement.
We are informed that the deservedly
popular landlord of the Lake House, Mr.
Geo. Ransford, is to be the landlord of the
new hotel.
BOUNTY.
Mr. Wilson presented the scalp of a wolf
on Wednesday, at the County Clerk’s office,
and claimed the bounty. Mr. Wilson said he
shot the “varmint” near the head of Duck
Lake, on Monday last, with a shotgun.
COUNTY FAIR
The Executive committee of the Walworth
Co. Ag Society are in session this day at the
Court House. There is a large attendance,
nearly every town being represented, and
much interest manifested. The Committee
have rescinded a part of the Annual Meeting
proceedings, and the thirsty patrons of the
Fair may yet be able to purchase a mug of
cider or beer at the Fair Grounds.
DIED. – Elkhorn, of poison, administered
by some wretch unknown, the good dog,
RAPP, age 12 years.
It is a sad duty to write the obituary of a
dear friend and loving companion; but an
occasion like this calls for some expression
of the sorrow that fills the hearts of an entire
household.
Rapp was a lemon-and-white Setter—of
pure blood, or as near as we ever see in this
country—beautiful in form, graceful in
action, of high spirit and rare intellect. He
came to us at one year old and was immediately taken afield where he gave first promise of what he eventually became – the best
dog in the country. [This eulogy went on for an
entire column of the newspaper.]
WISCONSIN ITEMS.
A man named Patterson died of hydrophobia at Racine last week.
Eight new piers have been built by the
Wausau Boom Company during the past
year. The boom now has a capacity for
storing 10,000,000 feet of logs.
Congress.
THE KIDNAPPED CHILDREN.
Our community was aroused some weeks
since, on account of the kidnapping of two
children, Lily and Albert Reek, aged eight
and ten years, respectively,
Now that the romantic story is all concluded and the little children, through vigilance of detectives, again safe at home; we
shall give our readers the main points of
this strange episode.
The story is a sad one, as the ragged garments, filthy appearance and haggard countenances of the children too surely confirm.
It appears that the Uncle of the children,
Geo. Burlingame, was the prime mover; a
so called Judge Dresser from Chicago,
accomplice No. 1, and several misinformed
persons from Geneva village, acted as aids.
The boy was called from Reek school ,in
the Town of Linn, put in a sleigh, his mouth
tied and haste made for the little girl.
At the house the rap was given and the so
called Judge inserted himself against the
door, lest it be closed, while the girl was
captured through fright and force and taken
to the sleigh. They were then driven at high
speed to Harvard, Ill.
Mr. Reek followed in a few hours, on
horse back, getting track of the party, and at
once took out a search warrant for the
house in which they were secreted. The
children were not found and that night were
spirited to Chicago, where the girl was
moved between several homes and the boy
apparently sent to other cities before being
returned to Chicago. But the detectives did
their work and Tuesday last Mr. John Reek
hastened to Chicago and brought home his
children. They are greatly changed and are
certainly objects of pity, being timid and
easily frightened at the approach of every
stranger.
[For the full, interesting story find
Geneva Lake Herald, Mar 22, 1873 at the library.]
Mr. Thomas Barr’s New Home.
We are glad to notice the fact that Genevans have passed the day when everything
which will shelter is good enough for a
residence; only the best, now seems to
answer the demands of our growing and
improved tastes. The class and style of
houses now going up in our town indicate a
great improvement in the matter of architectural beauty and convenience.
Mr. Barr’s new residence on Geneva St.
just east of Centre St., is notable among
these important residences; it is a handsome
two story frame building, with upright and
wing; its proportions are symmetrical, of
modern finish as to cornice, windows and
piazza, and very attractive in its external
appearance.
Internally it is a model of taste, convenience and comfort; the first floor contains a
hall, parlor, sitting room, dining room and
kitchen. The second floor is divided into a
number of large rooms and clothes presses.
When completed in all its parts and details,
it will be one of the neatest and most pleasant and comfortable homes of Geneva.
Mr. John Parshall and Pierce Nelson, the
architects and builders of this house are
entitled to great credit for the workmanship
displayed.
Boys and Girls Department
Boys and girls these long winter evens
like to have something to while away the
time; games are good; puzzles and conundrums are good; singing is good; an occasional evening party is good and all have a
claim upon your attention, but they should
be subordinated to sound history reading,
discussions and original exercises.
We have selected a few puzzles and conundrums which may entertain you a few
hours this coming week.
CONUNDRUMS.
(1) Why are sinners like corn and potatoes?
(2) What grows the less tired the more it
works?
(3) Why is a watch dog larger at night
than he is in the morning?
(4) Why is the letter K like a pig’s tail?
RIDDLES.
(1) This riddle holds high rank among
English poets.
A Lady gave me a gift
which she had not. I received her gift, but
did not take it. She gave it to me, I did not
force it. But if she took it again I would
grieve not.
Consider what it is, but tell
not.
(2) What word of six letters contains six
words besides itself without transposing
any letters?
[Answers in issue next.]