Thursday, January 3, 2013
Published in the Sangamon Journal, Springfield, Illinois on Wednesday, February 21, 1849
The whaling barque Superior, Capt. Royce of Sagharbor, arrived at Honolulu on the 4th Sept. last, with 1,800 barrels of whale oil, which she took in the Arctic Seas. In an account of his successful voyage, furnished the “Friend,” Capt. Royce says:
I entered the Arctic Ocean about the middle of July, and cruised from continent to continent, going as high as lat. 70, and saw whales wherever I went, cutting in my last whale on the 23rd of Aug. and returning through the Behring Straits, on the 28th of the same month. On account of powerful currents, thick fogs, and near vicinity of land and ice, combined with the imperfection of charts, and want of information respecting this region, I found it both difficult and dangerous to get oil, although there was plenty of whales. Hereafter, doubtless, many ships will go there, and I think some provision ought to be made to save the lives of those who go there, should they be cast away. During the entire period of the cruise no ice was seen, the weather was ordinarily pleasant, so that the men could work in light clothing.
In most parts of the Ocean there was good anchorage, from 14 to 35 fathoms, and a part of the time the vessel lay at anchor. The first whale was taken at 12 o’clock at night. It was not difficult “to whale the whole 24 hours; so light was it at midnight it was easy to read the cabin. The whales were quite tame, but quite different from any Captain Royce had ever before taken. He took three different species much resembling the Greenland whale, yielding 160 or 170 barrels; the second was a species called Polar whale, a few of which have been taken on the Northwest coast; and the third a small whale peculiar to that Ocean. The last three whales which were taken yielded over 600 barrels.
The American coast has been explored and found inhabited. Capt. R. discovered that the Asiatic coast was also peopled by numerous tribes of Indians, and he is of the opinion that they are well supplied with valuable furs that could be easily purchased. There are no good charts of the Asiatic coast, unless they are in possession of the Russians. On entering the Straits, seven canoes, containing forty men each, were seen crossing from the American to the Asiatic coast. Capt. Royce did not hold any communication with the Indians, his vessel being only partially armed; and in one instance the Indians showed that they were disposed to make him a hostile visit when becalmed, but a favorable breeze springing up soon carried the vessel beyond the region of danger. The success which has attended the Superior’s cruise will doubtless stimulate others to follow her adventurous track.
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Published in the Waukegan Daily Sun, Waukegan, Illinois on Saturday, May 4, 1907
Catching fish by electricity is the latest in the angling line. The old methods of Izaak Walton must retire to the verdant pines, only don’t let the game warden catch you fishing by electricity. Frank Sharrow, Lew Smith and Henry Cuehlke went to pine lake, thirty miles from Detroit, not long ago. They tied one end of 900 feet of wire to the Detroit United railway trolley feed. Thousands of fish that swam within the electrical zone under the waters were electrocuted and floated to the top, where the men were waiting in a boat. The game warden heard about it, and the men were arrested and fined $11.45 each for unlawful fishing.
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Published in the Waukegan Daily Sun, Waukegan, Illinois on Thursday, August 1, 1907
Pittsburg, Aug. 1. J. William Neff, prominent in political and sporting circles, died suddenly at the finish of an exciting horse race. Neff drove his own entry in the race and just before he reached the end of the course he suddenly drew rein exclaiming “I’m done for,” and expired.
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Published in the Sangamo Journal-, Springfield,Illinois on Thursday, December 9, 1847
A correspondent in California gives us the following specimen of hunting in that region:
“I have seen together in one drove [I may say in safety,] from two to three thousand elk. This was on the Joaquin Bottom. Deer are to be met with at a short distance from the dwellings in any of the valley’s. Antelopes inhabit the plains, and are the wildest of our game.
“We have bears, grisly, brown and black, and the largest in the world, taken together. Many of their hides are larger than the bullocks. A few days ago, when returning from the Sacramento Valley, I fell in with an acquaintance of mine, who informed me, that himself and two other gentlemen, all three first rate lassers [to throw the lasso] went out for sport a short distance into the valley, where there was plenty of clover, and soon discovered a bruin feeding. The men charged upon him on good horses, and each threw his lasso. In an instant the bear was held by the neck and legs by the three. The lasso was made of rawhide, four platt, 3-4ths of in diameter. In this situation, they tumbled the old fellow for a short time, by all the men starting the same way on a full trot, or as near so as possible, for he was too heavy for the three horses to trot with. Once get them well in motion, and they roll over and over like a log of wood. Bruin, after he came to his right recollection, and remembering that he had strength, sprung at once on his hind feet, sat down on his rump, bracing himself with his hind feet, and then with his paws or hands he snapped the lassos as if they had been small twine, and instead of being dragged along, he made a charge upon the enemy, and they had to put spurs to their horses, and get out of his way as speedily as possible. One of the gentlemen had a rifle, and as the bear passed him in pursuit of the others, he fired at him and the ball took effect. The bear retreated to some brush close by, where he was suffered to remain. The gentlemen had all the sport out of him they wanted. His flesh or hide they did not desire. They left for the house with the intention of getting their dogs and with them drive the animal out of the brush; but, in the mean time a few natives had been out gathering berries, and a young squaw approaching the brush, the bear sallied out, and seizing her head in his mouth, crushed it to pieces, all in an instant, and without disturbing her other two companions. They proceeded in the same direction-another squaw and an Indian-he rushed out upon the squaw, killed her; the Indian taking to his heels, the bear followed, overtook and dispatched him also; and then returned to his old retreat, and was found there the next day, dead, from the wound received from the rifle.
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Published in the Sangamo Journal-, Springfield,Illinois on Saturday, August 9, 1834
The story of the late marvelous feast of the Anaconda in the New York Museum, in swallowing a seven quarter blanket, is fully confirmed by the testimony of Mr. Peale, who avers that his snakeship does not appear to be in the least degree inconvenienced by this extraordinary supper. A still more extraordinary story is related by the New York Times. It is as follows:
A number of years ago, a gentleman who had charge of a public Museum in Baltimore, exhibited among his other living curiosities, a couple of beautiful garter snakes. There, is something about a garter snake peculiarly attractive, perhaps from the associations connected with its name. They are the most voracious of all the small sized snake family, and pounce upon their prey like starved hawks. They have a truly French appetite for frogs, and it was upon these slimy amphibians that the garter snakes in question chiefly made their suppers. The keeper of the Museum was one evening giving them their daily rations, when he observed that the big snake was so voracious as to devour all the little snake’s supper. He accordingly separated the two animals by a thin partition, and threw a frog to the younger and weaker of the two. The little snake seized the animal and commenced swallowing it, and had succeeded in bagging its head, fore paws, and the greater part of its body, when the partition was taken away, and the big snake made a dash at the hind legs of the frog, which yet protruded from the mouth of his younger brother. He obtained a heavy grip of these projecting members, and slowly swallowed his way towards the head of his supper companion, who clung sturdily to his savory mouthful.
The heads of the two animals met, and the issue of the struggle for a moment seemed doubtful, when the big snake’s mouth expanded and slowly closed on the head of the small one, and again he went rejoicing on his swallowing course. Slowly but surely he went ahead, the longitudinal dimensions of the young serpent constantly becoming less as they sucked into his maw, until he had swallowed him from nose to tail. After displaying this unnatural preference for their own flesh and blood, the garter snake coiled himself up for his nap, and took a comfortable snooze. The next morning the keeper called to view “the two single gentlemen rolled into one,” when to his astonishment, he found that the younger snake had left his close quarters and was rolling about by the side of his big playmate. The only reasonable way of accounting for the manner in which he had managed to leave his prison house is, that he coiled himself regularly round and left his lodgings by the same door through which he entered them. He could not have backed out for his scales would not have permitted him, nor was an egress in any other manner at all possible. The fate of the poor frog was a matter of grave speculation; but the probability is, that the little snake held fast to him and secured not only a snug night’s lodging, but a hearty supper.
The above account is strictly authentic. We received it from a gentleman who was an eye witness to the transaction. Immediately after its occurrence, he prepared a statement for one of the journals of the day, but he was dissuaded from publishing it on the ground that it was too marvelous to be believed. As the late feat of the Anaconda has opened the eyes of the public to what snakes can do, we publish it as a well substantiated snake story.
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Published in the Waukegan Daily Sun, Waukegan, Illinois on Saturday, August 18, 1906
The young son of Mr. and Mrs. W. E. Renehan, near Wauconda, was kicked and seriously injured recently by a colt which he had been riding. The boy had dismounted when the animal in a frolic tore out of his grasp and turning shot both heels at his head.
One of the hoofs caught the boy on the side of the jaw, knocking out five teeth and inflicting a cut which necessitated the attention of a surgeon. Five stitches were taken to close the wound.
The unfortunate accident will leave a scar which will probably remain with the boy throughout his lifetime.
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Published in the Waukegan Daily Sun, Waukegan, Illinois on Tuesday, July 31, 1906
Driver Saw Freight but Failed to Perceive Approach of Passenger.
Train Leaves But The Reins In His Hands.
Buggy and Man Escape Carnage but Horse id Smashed to Flinders by Passing Flier.
Driving home from Waukegan at midnight last night Lee Metzendorf, of Grayslake, a barber, saw that there was a freight train along the Gurnee crossing on Grand avenue and stopped the rig that he was driving.
However, not perceiving the approach of a passenger train he drove the horse not taken up with the freight and the horse was struck and killed in his tracks. The buggy escaped injury as did the man, but the horse was annihilated and with it the harness.
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Published in the Sangamo Journal, Springfield,Illinois on Saturday, November 24, 1832
On Saturday night, a boy of 13 or 14 years of age, who was climbing on the face of a rock, in the Grange quarry, Edinburgh, in search of a bird’s nest, fell into the deep pool below. His companions ran away calling for help and a crowd soon collected. A house carpenter who was present, ran off to Grange house, and procured a Newfoundland dog. The animal immediately sprang into the pool and made for the place, where the body though under water was still visible. He dived once or twice, and seized the boy’s head, which chanced to be uppermost: he in vain attempted to bring the body ashore, as for if aware of the necessity of using the most gentle treatment to so vulnerable a part, he took so gentle a hold, that the head slipped from him, and the body sunk deeper and deeper at every successive attempt. Again he dived, and appeared on the surface raising the head gently between his fore paws, but again it slipped from his grasp, and sunk deeper than ever. The dog now seemed to take council with himself, he made one or two circles over the place where the body had disappeared, and then dived. He remained under water so long, that the by-standers entertained considerable fears of his safety. At length to the great satisfaction of those present, he appeared holding the corpse by the arm, with his head thrown aside, so as to keep the head of his burden clear above the water, and in this way he bore in to the bank. The body was immediately taken to a house and all exertions and means were used to restore the same animation, but in vain.
The dog would not leave the body, but staid by it, licking the face, and exhibiting his full share of sympathy excited by this melancholy catastrophe. There was not the slightest scratch on the boy’s head or face.
Scotsman.
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Published in the Sangamo Journal-, Springfield,Illinois on Saturday, August 25, 1832
Mrs. Hanson, the wife of Samuel B. Hanson, of this town, aged about 23 was found eight months since to be in a declining state of health, in consequence of what was considered a deranged state of the abdominal and thoracic viscera, originating from Leucorrhoea. The symptoms were such as to warrant the presumption, and she was treated accordingly by several scientific physicians, for something like six months, during which time she gradually declined in health until the system became extremely exhausted and emaciated. About five weeks since it was ascertained that a living creature of some kind, and of considerable magnitude, actually existed in the stomach. this was ascertained by placing the hand on the gastric region, when a vigorous squirming motion was felt through the emaciated integuments, as well as from her own repeated and positive declarations. It was a question in the mind of her physician, whether in the then existing state of exhaustion, the system could sustain the action of medicine of sufficient power to destroy the animal. After some deliberation and consultation with the urgent solicitations of the patient, it was determined to make an effort, which resulted on the fourth day, in the evacuation of an Eel, ten inches long, of the usual thickness. The skin and flesh were denuded considerably by partial digestion, but the form was sufficiently entire to convince the most incredulous of its identity. She is now in a very low state, under all the symptoms of ulceration of the stomach and bowels.
She is supposed to have taken it some years since in drinking from a spring in the evening, at which time she was sensible of swallowing some solid substance of very small dimensions.
[Belfast [Maine] Journal.
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Published in the Sangamon Journal, Springfield,Illinois on Saturday, April 18, 1835
There was a terrific fire in St. Louis on Monday night of last week. It broke out at 12 o’clock, on Market Street, in the Livery Stable owned by Laveille and Morton. All efforts to save buildings were fruitless; and horrible to state, fifty-one horses are supposed to have been burnt with the building. Others were let loose, wild with agony and fright-their manes on fire and presenting a terrific spectacle. To relieve them from suffering, several were shot down. From the stable the fire reached the old Catholic church, which having been abandoned, was used as a warehouse. The walls of this building are along left standing.