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About The Daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1876-1883 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 1, 1883)
!je Vol. xix. Astoria, Oregon, Saturday Morning, September 1, 1883. No. 131. THE PONT EXPRESS. How the Malls Were Carried a few Tears Ago. A. B. Miller, the prime mover, the man "who prepared the "way and kept it in running order from the Missouri to the Pacific, is now a resident of this city, and his hair is only streaked with gray, so fast do things change in the west, fn an early day the firm of Russell, Majors, "Waddel & Co., were among the largest contractors in the United States, rtheir busi ness sometimes amounting to $G, 000,000 annually. Mr. Miller was the "Co.," the youngest member of the firm, and in a great meas ure the life of it. Mails were yery irregular, the stage lines taking a weekly which was some times lost, in fact was extremely fortunate to get through. This was conducted at an enormous cost. There was great rivalry be tween the stage and ocean lines, the latter struggling for contracts for taking the mails from New York by steamer up the western coast. The mail which went over land went by the northern route through New Mexico and Arizona. The contracting firm above men tioned had control of the central route, by Kearney, .Tulesburg, Fort Laramie and Salt Lake. People insisted that this route was impracticable, and the idea of a daily mail over it was pooh-poohed most vigorously. Mr. Miller per suaded his more conservative partners that such a mail could bo carried. From this idea grew the pony express, the fame of which was soon world wide. He was given two months, February and March, 18G1, to equip the line with stock and stations, which he did at a cost of 80,000. It was thought that the line would sup port itself, so the proprietors ex pected to be out not more than the original investment. It could hardly be said that it did pay, but it demonstrated what could be done, and encouraged the railroad and the wire to follow in its wake. Previous to this time there had been limited express lines of the knd, but nothing on so gigantic a scale. Mr. Miller had been over the route enough to know what had been done. He said that Salt Lake could be reached from St. Joe in ten days and the coast in five days more. On April 3d, the ponies were started from each end of the line. Bv this time the confidence of Miller had proved infectious and Russell was just as confident. The steamer company were con fident, too, but not in the same way. So a bet was made. It was a pretty good-sized bet, being over $50,000 a side. The race began and was watched with breathless interest. Station after station was passed. The pony from the ocean and the pony from the valley panted towards each other, with the hundreds of miles between them, melting away. At each station there was another horse saddled and rider ready spurred. The mail bag was tossed from one to the other, and on sped like the wind the fresh horse and rider. One boy on this first trip was lost in a canyon of snow. For four precious hours he wandered. Then he started on with desperate vigor. Another was lost in the Platte; the horse he rode was drowned. But the rider swam out with his mail and footed it to the next station. Here his relief was in waiting, and the flight was taken up again. Would the rider and the horses with their daring and energy win? "Would the accident and the strangeness of the trial makcMhem lose? No one could tell. The days passed. The ponies neared each other,they passed, the riders gave a wild hur rah. On and on; whip and spur. Ten days are gone and the ponies have kept up to the mark Fifteen. At four o'clock the westward bound must be in Sacramento. The noon has passed and the minutes are being counted. Half- past 3. Will the brave rider be oft band? As yet there is no 1 TTTJaI - V .1 . vun omy tmrty minutes to spare Russel wants to double his. bet. Then a cloud of dust is seen, it grows to a speck. The rider waves his hat. The people shout. The pony express has crossed the great American desert. Victory! There is still twenty minutes' grace. This speed was always kept up just as if there were 50,000 at stake daily. It was the same for months. Then the complications of the war turned everything up side down. The riders went to do battle, the stations were abandon ed, contracts went to other hands, and grass grew over the trail. But soon the stage used it and the telegraph line was not far behind, while those who have rushed across the plains by steam know what followed these innovations. The riders of the pony express were all young wiry fallows, whose very love of excitement and dan ger had brought them to the fron tier. In this occupation they had their fill. The individual adven tures would fill a volume. The life, with its exposure and hard ship, was a wearing one. What has become of the riders now is a question. Many of them have fol lowed the frontier and will stay on its fore until they die. Many are dead already. One, named Mur ray, recently died in Salt Lake. From the stripling of the GO's he came to weigh 220 pounds. He made quite a reputation as a des perate character. As one who knew him said: "He got too big to ride a pony, but had a good build for holding up stages." One of the most darinir of the crowd ; rode into Salt Lake from eighty miles this side, through the wildest part of the route. It was a hard task, but the lad was equal to it, doing the work of about four men. He afterward joined the con federate army, and died on a south ern battle-field. These riders were of a class similar to tile cowboys of the pres ent da', ready for a fight or a frolic, and entering either with the determination to make the most of it. The' were loyal to each other and their friends. There was on ly one mail lost by them and that happened to be of little value. It was lost in Egan's canyon, when the rider in charge was attacked by Indians, his horse killed, and he himself wounded. The compa ny tried to get the government to punish the Indians for this, but there was another matter for Uncle Sam to attend to just then. So Miller took seventy-five men, went out and killed a few of the playful savages, and found that they kept out of tne way very nicely forever after. The charges for carrving letter were 85 per ounce or fraction thereof. This j amount, and then a sort of paper known as "Pony Express" was in vented, its best point being that it weighed almost nothing. The contents of an eight page paper could -be written upon it and sent for $2 50. The income of the concern while running averaged $500 per day. Some very valuable docu ments were carried, and in every case arrived in good order. Eng land was at that time having a lit tle argument with China. Reports from the English squadron in Chi nese waters to the home govern ment were carried by this route, it being the quickest and safest. One of these official papers weighed so much that the charges upon it were $135. Chicago Times. The Chinese Foot. The standard foot of the Impe rial Board of Works at Pekin is twelve and a half inches. A cop per foot measure, dated A. D. SI, is still preserved, and is nine and a half inches in length. The width is one inch. The small copper coins, commonly called cash, were made of such a size, ! sometimes, as just to cover an inch i on the foot rule. In the course of two centuries it was found that ! the foot had increased half anj inch, and a difference in the di mensions of musical instruments resulted. Want of harmony was the consequence, and accordingly, in A. D. 274, a new measure ex actly nine inches in length, was made the standard. Among the means employed tor comparing the old and new foot are mention ed the gnomon of official sun dials and the length of certain jade tubes used according to old regu- dations as standards. One of these latter was so adjusted that an men in breadth was equal to the breadth of ten millet seeds. A hundred millet seeds, or ten inches, was the foot. The Chinese foot is really based on the human hand, as is the European foot up on the foot. It strikes the Chi nese as very incongruous when they hear that we measure cloth, woodwork, masonry, etc., which they regard as especially matters for the hand, by the foot. Of the jade tubes above meutioned there were twelve, and these formed the basis for the measurement of liquids and solids 4,000 years ago. They are mentioned in the oldest Chinese documents with the as trolabe, the cycle of sixty yearf, and several of the oldest constella tions. It is likely that they will be found to be an importation from Babylon, and in that case the Chinese foot is based on a Babylonian measure of a span, and should be nine inches in lencth. WW Absolutely Furs. This powder never varies. A marvel o purity, strength, and wholesomoness. More economical thun the ordinary kinds, and cannot be sold in competition with Ute mal tltucle of low test short weight, alum or phosphate powders. Soldonlutn rnnx. Rov al Baking Powdku Co.. l(W Wall-st. X. Y. SOLID GOLD J E-"W E L E. T, Scarf Pins. Chains, Watches, Of every description. Tlte finest stock of Jewelry in Astoria. f3T"AH goods warrantedasrepresented GUSTAV HANSEN, JEWELER. SLACKSMITH AND Horseshoeing Establishment. I HAVE LATELY SECITKED TITE SER vices of a competent horsesuocr from Il linois, and will guarantee satisfaction in that work. Cannery work and general Mack smithing done at reasonable rates. Shop near Kinnev s cannerv. JOHN FEELY. .1. HESS. A. 31. JOHNSON. Astoria Sail Loft. MANUFACTURERS OF SAILS. TENTS, AWNINGS, TARPAULINS, Ami everything else pertaining to our usiness. LowestPrice and Best "Work For your Money, At the Old Stand. Leave j our orders and get j our work uoueaconcc. J. HESS & CO. Astoria, ... Oregon. Vm. EDGAR, Dealer In Cigars, Tobacco and Cigarettes Meerschaum and Brier Pipes, GENUINE ENGLISH CUTLERY Revolvers and Cartridges. DnWMD , I FOIt RHEUMATISM Heuralqia, Sciatica, Lumbaqo, Backache, Soreness of ihe Chest, Gout, Quinsy, Sore Throat, Swell ings and Sprains, Burns and " Scalds, General Bodily Pains, Tooth, Ear and Headache, Frosted Feat and Ears, and all other Pains and Aches. No Preparation on earth tqatls St. Jacou Oil u a safe, sure, simple and cheap External Bemedjr. A tricl entaila but the cojvaraUrely trlalsc outlay of CO Cents, and erery one differ ing with rin can haTo cheap and paitira proof of iUcUltss. Directions in Eleren UuigGsgea. EOLDBYALLBEUQGIBTSAKDDEALEEB IH HEDIOTBE, A. VCGEIiER & CO., Haltimore, 3Zd., jr. 3. A. The costly struggle for; superi ority between guns and armor which has been going on in Eu rope with varying fortunes for a quarter of u century, is one in which the United States long ago ceased to take part. 3By the in expensive process of watching, we have been able to note most of the lessons which nations that keep fully armed against each other only learn through laborious experiment. SYKPTQKSS OF WORfSS. The c?m:,tmnnee- is yrAe nirsl leaden colored, with occasional Hushes of a clr eunt?eriliHl spot on one or both cheeks; the eyes lxconie dull; the pupils dilate; nn azure .semicircle runs along the lower eve-IId : the nose is Irritated, swells, and sometimes bleeds ; a swelling of the uppor lln: occasional henuuene, wuii miniimng or throbbing of the ears; an unusual se cretion of saliva; slimy or furred tongue; breath very foul, particularly in the morn ing; apjtetite variable, sometimes vora cious, with u unawing sensation of the stomach ; at other, entirely gone ; Heeling onins in the stomach; occasional nausea and vomiting; violent pains throughout the abdomen; ikiwcIs Irregular, at times costive; stools slimy, not nnfrequenlly tinged with blood : belly swollen and hnrrt ; urine turbid ; respiration c e.tionally dilll cult and accompanied by hiccouch : cough sometimes dry nnd convulsive; uneasy and Uistuibeu siecp.'wiiiigrinuingoiineieein; temper variable, uiu generally lmiauie. Whenever the above symptoms arc found to exist, DR. C. XcLAXE'S VERMIFUGE will certainly effect a cure. In bnvlng Vermifuge be sure you zcl. the genuine I It. C. 3IcL.ANK'S V12U.MI. FUfiH. manufactured by Fleming ltris.. 21 Wood Street, Pittsburgh, P:u The m -.ket Is full of counterfeits, ion will b. iht if it has the signature of I'irm hiK Urns, and C. McLaiie. If vour Ktorckectwr docs not have the genuine, pleiiso reort to us. x.'iu us a three cent stamp for t ur.n-1-sonie advertising cards. FLEXING BROS., Pittsburgh, Pa. lOSTETTElft jj CELEBRATED Hostctter's Stomach Bitters, by increasinglho vital poircr. and rendering tho physical func tions regular and active, keens tho system in good working order, and protects it against disease r or constipation. Uyy jepu and 1 iv or complaint, nervousness, kidney and rheu matic ailment?, it is invaluable, and it affords a sure defenco again-a malarial fevers, beside. removing all traces pf such disease from the rysiem. For salo by all Druggists and Dealers ( generally. Plumbing and Gas Fitting. LORYEA BKOS. Plumbers, Gas, and Steam Fitters. Jorblng Promptly Attondcd to. A Full Supply of GAS FIXTURES, COCKS, STEAM FIT TINGS, ETC., ALWAYS ON HAND. Cannery, and Steamboat Work a Specialty. Chenamns street, oppclte Dement' Dm; Store, Astoria, Oregon. Will you suffer with Dyspepsia and Liver Complaint ? Shiloh'a Vitalizer is guaranteed to cure you. Sol&byW.E. SW THEGREAT S&- liLnfilAHREitUl, jueraent. K 1ELS AND RESTAURANTS. PARKER HOUSE, II. 15. PARK Kit. Prop., ASTORIA. - - - OREGON. E. P. PARKER. - Managerand Agent. Al.CKOSBY, - - Day Clerk Flill. BOWERS, - - Night Clerk. Jas. DUFFY has the Bar and Billiard room. Pirst Class in all Respects. FREE COACIL TO THE HOUSE. IT IS A FACT -TH.vr iJEFF'3 CHOP HOUSE O.N Concomiy Street is the Best in Town. THAT v hits Always on Hand FRESH Shoul Wafer Hay and East ern Oysters. THAT "JEFF" IS THE BOSS CATERER. THAT lie bai bent Proprietor of the "Aarera Hotel" In Knappton sevea years. OPE? DAY AND NIGHT. PIONEEE RESTATTBANT AND LODGING HOUSE. Refitled throughout : thelTable. supplied with the best : the beds clean and comfort able. A First:class House. lioard by the week, - $5.00 Jie.ois io orucr. .1. G, KOSS, rroprietor. COSMOPOLITAN Chop House and Restaurant. OPEN DAY AND NIGHT. ileitis 25 rentM and upwards. - Proprietor. . - - ASTORIA. 3MJ.V STItF.CT. - 5, S. 2? j& 2 S 22 DKAI.KK IX Hay, Oats, Straw. Lime, Brick, Oemant and Sand Wrtt Delivered to Order, Braying, Teaming and Express Business. Horses and Carriages for Hire. DEALER IX WINES, LIQUORS AND CIGARS. V I5ST CItA.SH 20 BOATS CANNERY SITE FOR SALE. milE PItorEKTY KNOWN AS A. 1. CO.'S JL Net Kacks. adloIninjiFort Canby. 20 23 foot boats. j:ood f;ir IJaker's Bay or up river foiling ; 14 net racks complete ; frontage 200 feet running to deep water; one block on Miore with mess house. This Is the. most convenient place for salmon nets, traps and seines and decidedly the best location on the Columbia river for a salmon cannery. "Will sell for cah or will take stock with satisfactory Fishermen's PacklneCo. REAL ESTATE POH SALE CHAS. H. WILLIAMSON & CO. -VTOW IS THE TIME TO BUY A HOME JL before the Kail Itoad comes. we nave lots for sale m All tne additions in McCIure's lots, ranzin? from one hundred and twenty-five dollars to four thousand dollars. IiiShlvelvswehave two lots 9 and 10 In blk fS that are in a splendid location and easy of access, for SloO.oo each ; also lot 8 in blk 53. which Is trading, for SC00.0O. in Anatrs Astoria we nave a numDer ot fine lots on. or near the Itoadwav travelled by thp stages, for sale at reasonable prices. in .viueritrooK we nave iiuneen (13) iota which we will sell for 350.00 each, to those who will improve We have aNo water front on the river lust below town ; also 100 acres on Young's River Spiles foFSale. In lots to suit purchasers, at market prices Ofllce n Genevelvc Street. Maps of Astoria, complete. Scale 400 feut to an Inch. Price, $10.00 each. For sale bv CHAS. H WILLIAMSON .t CO, NOTICE. NORTHERN PACIFIC RAILROAD, WESTERN DIVISIONS, Oregon Hallway & Navigation Co. Oregon & California Railroad Co. Grai GgleWm at Porttanfl, On ScptemlcrlOtli and 11th. Account completion of the Northern Pa cine It. It, Round Trip Tickets have been placed on sale at all ticket stations at 40 per cent, re duction. Tickets good from Sept. 8th to lSth, both days Inclusive. JOHKHUIR E. P. ROGERS A.L.STOrES ScptotTrafie. Gta'lAg't. Aut SnptTntto 2 IS SI C3 rp 3 coals g . 2 v H . WILLIAM HOWE -DEALER IX Doors, Windows, Blinds, Transoms, Lumber. All kinds of OAK LUMBER, J GLASS, Boat Material, Etc. :. Boats of all Kinds Made to Order. : "Orders from a distance promptly attended to, and satisfaction jjuaranteed in all cases 7 j S. ARNDT & FERCHEN, ASTORIA. - OREGON. The Pioneer Machine Shop BLACKSMITH SHOP4 Boiler Shop All kinds of ENGINE, CANNERY, AKO STEAMBOAT WORK Promptly attended to. A specialty made of repairing CANNERY DIES, FOOT OF LAFAYETTE STREET. ASTORIA IRON WORKS. Bkntox Stbekt, Near Paiiker Houbb, ASTORIA. - OREGON. CEHEBAL MACHINISTS AND BOILER MAKERS. BoilerWork, Steamboat Work and Cannery Work a spe cialty. 0-LJS3E?i:KrG-S , Of all Descriptions made to Order at Short Notice. A. D. "NVass, Prosldent. J. G. Husti.kk, Secretary, I. V. Cask, Treasurer. JOHN Fox, Superintendent. LOEB & CO., JOBBERS IN WINES. LIQUORS, AND CIGARS. AGENTS FOR THE Best San Francisco Houses and Eastern Distilleries. Tumblers Decanters, and All Kinds of Saloon Supplies. fAll Roods sold at San Francisco Prices. MAIN STREET. Opposite Parker House, Astoria, Oregon. BUY THE BEST! BARBOUR'S Irish Flax Salmon Net Threads Woodberry, and Needle Brands, SEINE TWINES. CORK AND LEAD LIKES, Flgli Pounds, WeineH, and Xet Imported to Order. A Lane StocM Mil, FisiLines AND FISH HOOKS. CONSTANTLY ON HAND HENRY DOYLE & CO., 517 and 519, MARKET STREET SAN FRANCISCO. E7Agents for the Pacific Coast. FOARD & STOKES, WE HAVE OPENED AGAIN In Hume's New Building, And are Ready to Supply the Wants of Our Customers. A FULL STOCK OF Fresh Groceries. AND Bracket Work A SPECIALTY. BUSINESS OAKDS. q w. FUiroar, ATTORNEY AT LAW. Rooms 5 and 6, Odd Fellows Building. TCI C. IIOLDKX, ViYPA-R"V -PTTRT.Tn AUCTIONEER, COMMISSION AND IN SURANOE AGENT. JAY TUTTXE, 31. . PHYSICIAN AND SURGEON Office Rooms 1, 2, and 3. Pythian Build In?. Residence Over J. E. Thomas' Drug Store. QELG F. PARKER, SURVEYOR OF Clatsop County, and City of Astoria Office :Chenamu3 street, Y. M. C. A. hall Room No. 8. P P. IIICKS, PENTIST, ASTORIA, - - OREGON Rooms In Allen's building up stalls, corner f Cass and Sqemoco.be stret . J l.A.U01VXiBY, ATTORNEY AT LAW. Cbenainus3-:tTeet, - - ASTORIA, OREGON J J. JOXKS, STAIR BUH.DE1S, Ship and Steamboat Joiner, JK. .f. E. liaFOKCJE, BE5TIST, Room 11, Odd Fellows Building, Astoria, Or. Gas administered for nainles3 extraction of teeth. Q J. CUilTIS, ATTT AT.-LAW. Notary Public. Commissioner of Deeds for California, New York and "Washington Ter ritory. Rooms 3 and 4, Odd Fellows Building, As toria. Oregon. N. B.-Clalms at TYashlneton. D. C and collections a specialty. GEO. I wnKELKK. W. L. BOBB. WHEELER & ROBB. GENERAL REAL ESTATE, INSURANCE, AND COLLECTION AGENTS. Real Estate bousht and sold on Commis sion. Accounts adjusted and Bills collected. Correspondence from abroad solicited. SSOfllcc In Hume's new building, on Sque moqua street, next door to Foard & Stokes. GENERAL STEAMSHIP AGENCY. Bills of Exchange on any Part ol Europg. 1AM AGENT FOR TIE FOLLOWING well known and commodious staamshin lnes. STATE LINE, RED STAR, WHITE STAR, HAMBURG-AMERICAN. DOMINION LINE, NATIONAL, and AMERICAN LINE. Prepaid tickets to or from any European port. For full information as to rates of fare, sailing days, etc, apply to 1. W.UASK. BOZOETH & JOHNS. Real Estate and General Insurance Agents. ASTORIA, - Oregon. WE WRITE POLICIES IN THE WEST ern. State Investment. Harabunr, Bre men and North German Fire Insurance Com panies, and represent the Travelleis' Life and Accident of Hartford, and the New orKJLUe.r. x. We liave tho only complete set of township maps in the county, and nave made arrange ments to receive applications, filings, and final proofs on Homesteads. Preemotloas. Timber Lands, etc.. having all the official blanks tnereior. uur maps can be exam ined In the ofllce, upon the payment of a reasonable fee. We also have for sale city property In As toria and additions, and farms and tide land property. Rents, and other collections made, and loans negotiated. BOZORTH & JOHNS, Grace Church Parish School. Rear of Church Building. THIS SCHOOL WILL EE-OPEN MON day, September 3.1883. Tho moral train ing of the children will be carefully watched, and mnita n. SIWP Kl nninf Tr. nrMIHnr, the ordinary course of study there will be iii.iii uuuun m me eiemenis oi vocal jih Hic, Dronrins and Calisthenics. If found desirable or expedient, classes will be formed In Higher Mathematics, Botany, As tronomy. Advanced Music and Drawing, for which light extra charges will bo made. Terms 2 a month, strictly In advance. OFFICERS. REV. M.D.WILSON. - - Rector MISS ANNIE W. CDRTTS, - Principal MISS M. C. TRENCHARD, - Assistant For further particulars 3pply to REV. if. D. WILSON.