Saturday, November 9, 2013
Published in the Waukegan Daily Sun, Waukegan, Illinois on Friday, July 16, 1920
Passing of the Horse and the Automobile Age Are Chief Reasons.
Extermination War Help.
There are fewer houseflies than usual nearly everywhere. It is one of the blessings of a summer in which many pessimists seem to imagine they have nothing to be grateful for. There are several reasons not only explaining this relief from the ancient past, but promising greater immunity hereafter.
About half of it, has come from taking thought, and the other half by taking chance. In the former category may be placed the screening of houses, the liberal use of swatters and the elimination of flies, breeding places-measures of an aggressive war of extermination and prevention. Increasing cleanliness indoors and out-of-doors, as part of a general improvement in sanitation has helped mightily. Possibly too, such ultra-scientific methods as using a shade of blue wall paper that the flies particularly abominate have some effect. So much for the one side, for which mankind, not to mention womenkind, may take credit.
The other side has to do with automobiles. It is one of the unforseen and as yet little-appreciated blessings of the gas engine. The automobile, by displacing the horse has tremendously diminished the number of manure piles and thus deprived the fly of his favorite breeding-places. For another thing, the promiscuous scattering about of oil, which is so often held against the automobile, has furthered the good work by killing billions of eggs or maggots that would have otherwise matured into flies.
This is precisely the sort of service the motor boat has performed on water with respect to the mosquito. Accordingly, mosquitoes are getting scarcer along all navigable streams.
Published in the Waukegan News Sun, Waukegan, Illinois on Friday, July 27, 1934
Pet Monkey Is Captured After Upsetting Quiet Lives Of Mike Shelly And Neighbors.
After two days and two nights of terror for the household as well as the stock, all today was serene at the Mike Shelly farm near Wadsworth due to the absence of “Dynamite,” a pet monkey that was captured there last night.
The monkey belongs to George Lodesky, who lives near Gurnee. Lodesky took the monkey to the Shelly farm two days ago. The animal had a collar about the neck and a stout chain tied to it. While no one was looking the monkey unsnapped the chain and fled to the top of the silo.
Then things started to happen. Dynamite first rode the cattle until the beasts were panic stricken and exhausted. Then he jumped to the back of a hog, grabbed it by the ear, and rode it until it was puffing from exhaustion. It rode one hog after another until the stock on the Shelly farm could move no more.
Efforts were made to catch Dynamite and Shelly soon learned that if he didn’t want to be bitten by the monkey it was well to keep out of its way. Shelly armed himself with a pick handle and even the boys around the farm stepped about gingerly with clubs in their hands.
By the end of four hours the chickens were in such a state of terror that the hens quit laying.
Shelly retired to what he thought would be a well earned rest but was soon aroused when he heard a rap at the door. He opened it and discovered the monkey scampering away. Almost hourly through the night the monkey banged at the door and aroused the family.
Yesterday more than 50 neighbors gathered to watch the monkey. They got out of their cars jauntily, but soon took refuge when the monkey charged them. Some locked themselves in their cars. Others hid in the milk house.
Then the monkey found the orchard and proceeded to each tree and shook the green apples to the ground.
By that time young George “Soup” Doyle, Jr., and some other boys cornered the “pet” in the silo and hooked him through the collar. Shelly hurriedly transferred the pet back to its home grounds on the Lodesky farm near Gurnee.
Published in the Illinois Daily Journal, Springfield, Illinois on Monday, March 11, 1850
The folly of playing all manner of strange pranks with lions and tigers has just been illustrated at Chatham, where a young woman, Ellen Bright, accustomed to enter one of the dens of Wombell’s traveling menagerie, and there exhibit to an audience, gaping with astonishment, her tricks with a lion and a tiger confined together, has met with a shocking death. On entering the den for the purpose of going through the usual performances with the lion, she struck the tiger with a small whip, when the animal growled; then after completing part of the performances, she struck the beast again, when, rearing up, it seized her by the throat and inflicted frightful injuries with its fangs. A keeper immediately rushed to her assistance, and by striking the animal a violent blow on the nose with iron bar, succeeded in releasing her; but life was nearly extinct. She was immediately attended by a military surgeon who was present, but died in a few minutes, owing to wounds in the neck and chin, and also to the shock which her system had received from excessive fright. The coroner’s jury testified their dislike of the practice of allowing persons to perform in a den of wild beasts. Thus perished “the Lion Queen,” a victim to one of the remnants of barbarism which society retains for amusement-perhaps also affording a lesson to all invested with “a little brief authority,” Queens and Imperial Caesars included, how dangerous it is to use the whip wantonly, and for mere show of power.-Manchester Exam.
Published in the Illinois Daily Journal, Springfield, Illinois on Saturday, March 30, 1850
Any body who has heard Rory O’Mory’s famous story of the fox, in Lover’s amusing play of that name, will confess that it is not quite equal to the following, which we get from the St. Johnsbury Caledonian, a Vermont paper:
Last week in the town of Newbury, a fox hunter, with two hounds, got upon the tract of a poor fox, which was pursued until the close of the day. Fox found matters were drawing to a desperate crisis with him-and just at this time the whistle of the railroad train was heard, when he struck off in the direction, and approached the track just as the train came up, and leaped it immediately preceding the engine, and the two hounds close in pursuit. Each hound was caught by the wheels of the engine-the foremost lost about a foot of his tail, and the one in the rear was cut off just behind his hips-and off went Fox ‘alone in his glory.’ However improbable this may appear we are assured by a Director of the road that is a fact.”
Published in the Illinois Daily Journal, Springfield,Illinois on Saturday, January 19, 1850
Escape from sudden death.
A few weeks ago a wealthy gentleman from St. Louis, whose life had been miserable by a live tapeworm in his stomach and bowels, visited this city for the purpose of consulting our most distinguished physicians. By the advice of a friend he placed himself in the hands of Dr. Aaron P. Richardson. The doctor put him under medical treatment, and in less than 24 hours, without the least pain or suffering, the patient was relieved of the monster, an entire worm over one hundred feet long!
The gentleman had consulted eminent physicians in the South as well as the North, had taken vast quantities of powerful and nauseating medicines, but the most they did was too bring small portions, only a few feet in length, so that he had nearly despaired of ever being relieved. Finding himself entirely rid off the parasite which had been preying as it were, upon his very vitals, and which must, in a short time, have destroyed his life, he was almost delirious with joy. He has now returned to his family and friends in a perfect state of health.-Boston Atlas.
Saturday, October 19, 2013
Published in the Illinois Daily Journal, Springfield, Illinois on Thursday, March 21, 1850
A dreadful tragedy occurred at Wellesley, La., on the 23d ult. The collector of taxes was compelled to leave his wife and young family alone, over night, while absent on business. The lady knowing that there was considerable money in the house, sent for some of the family of a neighboring blacksmith to stay at the house. Her request was gruffly refused, but a peddler who passed by in the dusk of the evening, consented to allow his dog to remain as a protector.
In the night, the lady was awakened by a disturbance, and on entering the room where the dog was left, she found the animal drawing a man by the throat through the window. The neighbors were alarmed, and, on examination, it was found that the robber, her neighbor the blacksmith, was quite dead.
Saturday, October 19, 2013
Published in the Illinois Daily Journal, Springfield, Illinois on Friday, March 29, 1850
Our Savannah and Charleston exchanges furnish detailed accounts of his snakeship, as seen in Broad river, near Beaufort. The steamer ran within thirty feet of it when it sunk. It was described as being from 125 to 150 feet in length, and portions above the water appeared to be from eight to ten feet across. The color was of a deep glossy brown. His snakeship rose again after the steamer moved off.
Saturday, October 19, 2013
Published in the Illinois Daily Journal, Springfield, Illinois on Friday, March 8, 1850
Hogs have again commenced their depredations upon the side-walks-turning up brick after brick either for amusement or something to eat. It is suggested, in order to protect individual property, that refreshments be furnished hogs at the expense of the city treasury, and that the city fathers provide some way to amuse them other than passing paving ordinances.
Saturday, October 19, 2013
Published in the Illinois Daily Journal, Springfield, Illinois on Friday, June 14, 1850
We are informed by Mr. George F. Hunt, the other day, that about two weeks since, one of his Negro men, while at work on what is known as his “Orchard Place,” was attacked by a large panther. The boy fortunately saw him in time to send off a number of women and children who were working close by. It was while attempting to make his own retreat the attack was made by a spring, the animal lighting on the boy’s shoulder’s seizing at the same time the upper part of his head with his mouth. One of the animal’s tusks fortunately struck the bone just above the eye, causing him to lose the hold he thus had of the boy’s head. The boy fought manfully. In the beginning of action he had a hatchet, in wrestling with his opponent he dropped this. The panther seized him finally, by the calf of the leg, and pulling him up on the ground he brought him to the hatchet again; the boy immediately seized it and soon ended the conflict by splitting the head of his adversary. The panther measured over six feet in length, and was quite fat.-Jell., La., Gaz.
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
Published in the Illinois State Journal, Springfield, Illinois on Monday, January 28, 1850
At the battle of Ourtal, of the French and Algerians, 3,000 camels and 15,000 sheep were captured.