The inter ocean curiosity shop for the year 1883

Chapter C: A. Herrick

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_Answer._—The first ten were added before the adoption of the Constitution, in 1791; the eleventh in 1798, the twelfth in 1804, the thirteenth in 1865, the fourteenth in 1868, and the fifteenth in 1870.

SENATOR SHARON.

MANLY JUNCTION, Iowa.

Please give a brief sketch of Senator Sharon.

A SUBSCRIBER.

_Answer._—William Sharon was born in Smithfield, Ohio, Jan. 9, 1821. After preparing himself for admission to the legal profession he decided to enter the banking business, and upon his removal to Nevada became interested in mining operations. He is at present a trustee of the Bank of California, and has great influence in the business of the Pacific slope. He was United States Senator from Nevada for the term 1875-81.

THREE BLACK FRIDAYS.

ODESSA, Neb.

What was “Black Friday,” and what part did ex-President Grant take
in it?

ED. S. JELLEY.

_Answer._—September 24, 1869, Jay Gould and James Fisk, Jr., attempted to create a corner in the gold market by buying all the gold in the banks of New York City, amounting to $15,000,000. For several days the value of gold rose steadily, and the speculators aimed to carry it from 144 to 200. Friday the whole city was in a ferment, the banks were rapidly selling, gold was at 162½ and still rising. Men became insane and everywhere the wildest excitement raged, for it seemed probable that the business houses must be closed, from ignorance of the prices to be charged for their goods. But in the midst of the panic it was reported that Secretary Boutwell, of the United States Treasury, had thrown $4,000,000 on the market, and at once gold fell, the excitement ceased, leaving Gould and Fisk the winners of $11,000,000. There is no good evidence that President Grant had any connection with the sales. The fact that his brother-in-law was interested in Wall street operations at that time led to the charge against Grant by his enemies. The day noticed above is what is generally referred to as Black Friday in this country, but the term was first used in England, being applied in the first instance to the Friday on which the news reached London that the young Pretender, Charles Edward, had arrived at Derby, creating a terrible panic: and finally to May 11, 1866, when the failure of Overend, Guerney & Co., London, the day before, was followed by a widespread financial ruin.

FORFEITURE OF HOMESTEAD.

CAMARGO, Ill.

Is it absolutely necessary for a homesteader to commence his bona
fide residence on his claim within six months?

G. H. SNEDAKER.

_Answer._—The homestead law contemplates immediate settlement by the claimant upon the land; and section 2,297 of the Revised Statutes declares that if at any time after he has filed his entry affidavit it is shown, to the satisfaction of the receiver of the land office, that the claimant has actually changed his residence, “or abandoned the land for more than six months,” at any time, the land shall revert to the government. “Copps’ American Settlers’ Guide,” page 53, says: “At the expiration of six months from date of entry the homestead party who has not been able to establish a bona fide residence upon the homestead, owing to climatic reasons, must file his affidavit, duly corroborated by two credible witnesses, giving in detail the storms, etc., that rendered it impossible for him to commence residence within six months.” We would add that it is safest to comply with the law, making it unnecessary to appeal to the decree of the General Land Commissioner, a very uncertain resort in cases of this nature.

LIQUOR DRANK IN ILLINOIS.

CARLINVILLE, Ill.

In an argument on the temperance question a few days ago, a public
speaker quoted THE INTER OCEAN as authority for the statement that
there are $60,000,000 worth of liquor drank in Illinois during the
course of a year. 1. Did THE INTER OCEAN say so? If it did, give us
the figures in the Curiosity Shop to prove it. 2. He also said that
this amount was one-third greater than the total value of the wheat
crop of this State. Prove that too.

T. E. D.

_Answer._—The principal facts on which THE INTER OCEAN rests the estimate above quoted are re-stated below once for all. If they can be successfully refuted, let us have that refutation. The following estimate is based on observations made as to the patronage of six Chicago saloons, so long ago as 1877, by the founders of the Citizens’ League. The figures in the first column give the number of persons, male and female, seen to enter these places between 7 o’clock p. m. and midnight; the second column is our own computation of the money paid in, assuming that nothing but beer was called for, at 5 cents a glass, two-thirds of the customers drinking but one glass, and the rest of them averaging only two glasses each; and the third column indicates the probable actual receipts, adding for the ordinary consumption of drinks more costly than beer:

Number Receipts Gross
entering. if beer. receipts.

2,863 $190 $250
2,806 187 250
1,979 132 176
1,820 121 160
1,741 116 155
1,685 112 150

Observe that these are the receipts in saloons where lager beer was the chief drink; that the above figures cover only the five hours after 7 p. m., and that liquors in kegs, bottles, pitchers, and jugs ordered for home use are not taken into account. There are a few establishments dealing chiefly in whisky, brandy, wine, etc., whose receipts are at times nearly double the highest amount above given as the daily average.

To add assurance to the above calculation, one of the most thorough investigators and accurate reporters on THE INTER OCEAN local staff was detailed to ascertain, as nearly as may be, the actual receipts of Chicago saloons. He made the following report:

On the foregoing data a moderate estimate of the gross annual receipts of the 3,750 licensed saloons of Chicago figures as below:

No. of Average daily Receipts
saloons. receipts. for year.

10 $175 $838,750
50 85 1,551,250
100 50 1,825,000
1,000 30 10,950,000
1,000 25 9,125,000
1,090 15 5,967,750
500 10 1,825,000
————— ———————————
3,750 $32,082,750

This schedule does not cover unlicensed saloons, or other places where liquor is sold; the average daily receipts are taken at less rather than more than the probable truth, and yet it charges Chicago, which contains only about one-sixth of the population of the State, with an outlay of over $32,000,000 per annum for spirits, wines, and fermented drinks. It is not so easy to ascertain the number of saloons in the rest of the State and their average daily sales, but data are not wholly wanting. Take the following figures, compiled from a list of high-license towns, where in several instances the number of saloons has been reduced by more than half.

Population. No. of License.
saloons.
Anna 1,500 9 $500
Aurora 13,500 25 500
Apple River 650 2 300
Bloomington 23,000 32 600
Cabery 325 3 400
Carmi 2,500 12 300
Charleston 3,250 6 800
Chandlerville 700 3 500
Chenoa 1,100 5 300
Dongola 700 4 300
Elmwood 1,700 3 800
Galesburg 12,000 18 600
Gillespie 800 8 450
Hillsboro 2,000 3 800
Joliet 14,500 60 500
Kenny 600 2 500
Lamoille 500 1 300
Minier 650 3 300
Mason City 2,000 4 750
Mattoon 7,000 8 800
Moline 9,000 30 300
Mount Morris 900 1 500
Noble 400 1 300
Odell 1,000 2 750
Ohio 400 3 475
Oswego 700 2 300
Paris 5,500 8 800
Rockford 15,000 20 500
Rochelle 2,000 4 433
Savanna 1,500 10 500
Strawn 400 3 300
Tiskilwa 800 2 400
Washburn 500 3 300

In Peoria, Quincy, Rock Island, Galena, Alton, Cairo, Belleville, Springfield, LaSalle, Ottawa, Morris, Kankakee, and low-license towns generally, the number of saloons as compared with population is still greater, averaging but little better than Chicago with its license of only $103, and one saloon to every 160 inhabitants—men, women, and children. Fifty-eight high-license towns of the State, with a population of 189,000, contain 401 saloons, or one to every 470 inhabitants. Make all the allowance that can be reasonably asked for the moderate drinking of the farming classes, and discount, if possible, our estimate for Chicago, and the total cost of liquor drank in Illinois exceeds $60 000 000 per annum. 2. The Illinois crop report for 1882 makes the winter wheat of that year worth $45,472,045 and the spring wheat $1,242,331.

THE DIAMOND.

SHENANDOAH, Iowa.

When, how and by whom were diamonds first discovered? What is the
etymology of the word diamond? How did their value when first
discovered compare with the same now? What is the value of a
one-carat diamond of the finest quality?

R. P. DRAKE.

_Answer._—The discoverer of diamonds is unknown. From references in Exodus it is apparent that the diamond was a precious stone in Egypt in those early times; and even before that it was known in India, where probably it was first obtained. The name is derived from the Greek word _adamas_, meaning “unsubduable,” referring to its hardness, and later was written _diamas_, in Latin. From Pliny, a writer of the first century, we learn that the diamond was regarded as the most valuable of all things, and but few kings even could afford to buy them. But as no means of artificial polishing had been discovered the stone depreciated in value, so that the ruby and emerald became more precious. The discovery by Ludwig van Berquen, in 1476, of a mode of cutting and polishing it, at once returned this gem to the first place among precious stones. The present value of a fine brilliant, weighing one carat, varies from $50 to $100. The rose and table diamonds command much less. Larger diamonds appreciate in value much more rapidly than the ratio of their weight. The Orloff diamond, 193 carats, is valued at $500,000; the Pitt diamond, 136 carats, at $600,000; the Dudley diamond, 254½ carats, at $750,000; while the Kohinoor, for various reasons, although now it weighs but 102½ carats, is estimated to be worth $2,000,000.

AUTHORS OF CERTAIN POEMS.

RANDOLPH, N. Y.

The title of the poem containing the couplet—

“And is this the man, thou vaunting knave,
Thou hast dared to compare with the weeping slave?”

is “The Peasant.” It was written by William Howitt. The author of the poem containing the lines, “I sat alone with my conscience,” etc., is Charles W. Stubbs. It appeared in the _Spectator_ under the title, “The Conscience and Future Judgment.”

LEO BOARDMAN.

GENERAL TOM THUMB.

GRISWOLD, Iowa.

How old was General Tom Thumb when he died? State his real name in
full, and that of his wife; also a few of the principal facts as to
his size, history, etc., and oblige several readers.

A SUBSCRIBER.

_Answer._—The true name of this celebrated dwarf was Charles Heywood Stratton. He was born in Bridgeport, Conn., Jan. 4, 1838, and died at his residence, Middleboro, Mass., July 15, 1883, of apoplexy. The attention of P. T. Barnum, the showman, was first drawn to Stratton in November, 1842, when the midget was about 4 years old. He was then less than 2 feet high, weighed less than 16 pounds, was beautifully formed, a blonde, with ruddy cheeks and mirthful eyes. Barnum introduced him to the public Dec. 8, 1842, by the name of General Tom Thumb; now known the world over. He paid him $3 a week and expenses for himself and his mother for the first four weeks, after which he engaged him for a year at $7 a week, but, as the boy proved a great attraction, he soon raised the wages to $25 a week. In January, 1846, under a contract of $50 a week, Mr. Barnum took him to Europe, where he made a profitable tour through England, France, and Germany. He was presented to Queen Victoria, Louis Phillipe, King William of Prussia (now the German Emperor), and other rulers, who treated him with marked kindness. The next year he returned to Europe for three months. On his return home he proved a greater attraction than ever, and Mr. Barnum says that in twelve days in Philadelphia he received $5,504.91; and in one day at Providence he took in $976.98. In 1857 he took Tom Thumb and Cordelia Howard, famous as little Eva in “Uncle Tom’s Cabin,” to Europe, where these children appeared in humorous characters, creating a furore and gathering a golden harvest. In 1862 Mr. Barnum introduced the two sister midgets, Lavinia and Minnie Warren, to the public, the former of whom young Stratton married before the end of that year. True to his chief instinct Barnum desired to turn the courting and the marriage ceremony to pecuniary account, offering $15,000 to postpone the wedding for a month, and then have it take place in the Academy of Music as an exhibition at so much a seat. To the credit of the bride and groom, they repelled this offer with just indignation, and were married in Grace Church, New York. The public reception at the Metropolitan Hotel, immediately following, was a notable affair. After this, for week after week, the three tiny folks drew crowds of admirers at Barnum’s old museum on the corner where the New York _Herald_ office now stands, the receipts sometimes being over $3,000 a day. Mr. and Mrs. Stratton had a pleasant home at Middleboro, where they spent a large part of their time when not on the stage. They had one child, who died at the age of 2 years and 6 months. Both of them have been noted for sprightly intelligence, and have hosts of friends in all circles of society.

NAPOLEON BONAPARTE.

URBANA, Ill.

Will you please to give a short biography of Napoleon Bonaparte?

NETTIE AYERS.

_Answer._—He was born at Ajaccio, Corsica, Aug. 15, 1769. His mother, a strong and cultured, but severe woman, ruled her household with a rod of iron, and to her the son owed his indomitable will. At ten years of age he was sent to a military school at Brienne, France, and six years later entered the army. In 1792, having taken an active part in the defection in Ajaccio, he was expelled, with the rest of his family, from the city. After several years of brilliant military service Napoleon was made commander of the campaign in Italy, which closed with the treaty of Campo Formio. On the eve of his departure he was married to the beautiful and accomplished Mme. Josephine Beauharnais. The year after the close of the Italian campaign (1797) Napoleon set out for Egypt, designing to investigate its wealth, art treasures and other antiquities, but the expedition proved disastrous and he soon returned to meet a critical state of affairs in France, leaving the army under the command of General Kleber. On Aug. 2, 1802, the French people made Bonaparte First Consul for life, and in the same year received at his hands the famous Code Napoleon, the product of the best legal talent of the nation, and undoubtedly one of the noblest monuments of his administration. It still forms the great body of French law. Two years later, he was proclaimed Emperor. After a remarkable career in war and peace, he sacrificed his heart and highest manhood to his ambition by divorcing his faithful Josephine to form a royal alliance with Maria Louisa, daughter of the Emperor of Austria. The decline of his power soon followed, like a pursuing Nemesis; beginning with the fearful disasters succeeding the burning of Moscow and the ensuing retreat in the midst of a Russian winter, and ending with the disastrous battle of Leipsic, the fall of Paris, his first abdication, and his exile (1814) to the little island of Elba. He escaped to France ten months later; raised another army, and hastened to meet the allies—English, Germans, and Netherlanders—in Belgium, on the fatal field of Waterloo. A few months later and he was a prisoner for life on the desolate island of St. Helena, in custody of Great Britain, where he died of cancer of the stomach May 5, 1821. By almost universal concession he is regarded as the greatest military commander that ever lived. Had his diplomacy been equal to his military genius it is probable that he would have remained to his death, as he was for a period of more than six years, the virtual master of nearly all the civilized States of Continental Europe. In 1840 his mortal remains were carried to France and buried in Paris, the scene of his greatest triumphs as of his final downfall.

WEIGHT OF LUMBER.

DECATUR, Ill.

Please publish a table of the weight per thousand feet, “Chicago
yard measure,” of planed and unplaned boards, flooring, siding,
etc., and do your readers a practical service.

OLD SUBSCRIBER.

_Answer._—The following table is given in the lumber inspection rules printed by the Northwestern Lumberman Publishing Company of this city. It presents the average of the actual weights in the shipment of 20,000,000 feet of lumber during a single season:

Weight in
Description pounds

Boards, 1, 1¼, and 1½ inch thick, surfaced
on one side per thousand ft. 2,102
Boards, 1, 1¼, and 1½ inch thick, surfaced
on two sides 2,068
Boards, 2 inches thick, surfaced on one side 2,000
Flooring, white pine, dressed and matched 1,890
Flooring, 4 inches wide, dressed and matched 1,793
Flooring, hard pine, dressed and matched 2,366
Ship laps, 8 inch 1,711
Ship laps, 10 inch 1,725
Ship laps, 12 inch 1,855
Ceiling, white pine, ⅜ inch 786
Ceiling, hard pine, ⅜ inch 950
Siding 865
Piece stuff, rough 2,560
Piece stuff, surfaced on one side 2,210
Thin, clear 1,380
Ceiling, ⅝ 1,120
Rough boards 2,524
Fence, hard pine 2,910
Fencing, 6 inch 2,433
Shingles, pine, per 1,000 248
Shingles, cedar, per 1,000 203
Lath, dry 502

ST. ANASTASIUS—APOSTLE OF HUNGARY.

Who was called the “Apostle of Hungary,” where was he born, and
when did he live?

W. I. PRATT.

_Answer._—St. Anastasius, surnamed Astric, was born in France, A. D. 954, and died in 1044. He gained great influence over Stephen I., King of Hungary, 997-1038, who intrusted the zealous missionary with almost unlimited powers. These he used with such rare wisdom and spirit that the Hungarians were rapidly converted from paganism. The freedom of all Christian slaves was proclaimed, the political organization of the kingdom was reconstructed, schools were established, and, in fine, Hungary was transformed from barbarism to a state of inchoate Christian civilization. He is honored in history and tradition as the “Apostle of Hungary.”

EXECUTIVE AND DEPARTMENT SALARIES.

AUGUSTA, Kan.

Please give the organization of the President’s household, give the
salaries of its several officers, and state who pays the same. Also
give the organization of each of the departments under the several
members of the President’s Cabinet.

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The inter ocean curiosity shop for the year 1883Chapter C: A. Herrick

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