History of America 1884

Mark Twain’s “Huck Finn,” a runaway hit. Missouri. 1884
What do you get when you put a runaway slave and an orphan together, on a makeshift raft and send them down the Mississippi River? The answer is The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain, who has been working away at this sequel to ‘The Adventures of Tom Sawyer’ since 1876.
In the new novel, Tom’s sidekick, ‘Huck’, takes centre stage for an epic escape from “Sivilisation,” accompanied by Jim, a slave with a price on his head. On the way, the two meet a host of zany frontier folks, including a couple of con men who style themselves ‘The Duke of Bridgewater’ and the ‘Dauphin’ and perpetrate a theatrical hoax that they call The Royal Nonesuch. The laughs stop when Huck becomes embroiled in a murderous feud and when he catches his first glimpse of a lynch mob.

Republicans: “Ma, Ma, where’s my Pa?. Washington Sept. 15, 1884.
As the race for president continues to heat up, Republicans have coined a new campaign slogan: ”Ma, Ma, where’s my Pa?“ It is designed to remind voters that the Democrat Grover Cleveland, a 47-year-old bachelor, allegedly fathered an illegitimate child, something that he has not denied.
Cleveland, the Governor of New York, will be opposed in the election by James Blane of Maine, formerly Speaker of the House of Representatives and later a senator.

Maxim shows off his murderous machine. London 1884.
The nightmarish imagery of the last war may soon pale beside the destructive potential of Hiram Maxim’s deadly new machine gun. Maxim, an American electrician working here in London, designed the weapon to use its own recoil to eject, reload and fire rounds. Thus a soldier need only squeeze the trigger to unleash a deadly hail of 600 bullets per minute. European military leaders have shown an intense interest in Maxim’s demonstrations.

“Gone to the White House, ha,ha, ha!“ Washington Nov. 1884
Just as his supporters had predicted, Grover Cleveland will be able to say in March that he has ”Gone to the White House, ha,ha,ha!“ Today’s election returns showed that Cleveland a 47-year-old bachelor had defeated James G. Blane of Maine after one of the most viscous presidential campaigns ever waged.

Sargent causes a scandal with “Mme. X”. Paris, June 1884.
“Detestable! Boring! Curious! Monstrous! These are some of the reactions provoked by John Singer Sergeant’s scandalous ”Portrait de Mme. ****“, unveiled here last month. Sergeant, the young ex-pat painter born in Florence of American parents, departs in this work from the decorous mien usually preferred by his aristocratic patrons in favour of the brash sensuality of this newcomer to the European social scene. The subject of the painting is the wife of an eminent Parisian banker, Madame Gatreau. She is in fact an American whose rumoured liaisons include Dr. Samuel Pozzi, one of the artists closest friends and the subject of one of his portraits.

Indians flee from Riel rebellion in Canada. Montana, July 1885.
With the famous buffalo hunter Gabriel Dumont, a defeated force of Indian and Metis rebels from Canada’s West has taken refuge in Montana. Their political/spiritual leader, Louis Riel, is in Canadian custody, awaiting trial for treason. Dumont of Mixed, French-Canadian and Indian blood, was instrumental in bringing Riel back from exile in the United States to lead the Saskatchewan Metis, a half-breed people, in claiming their political rights. Reil, himself of French, Irish and Indian ancestry, was banished in 1875 for his role in and earlier uprising in the Red River territory of Manitoba. Reil surrendered and Dumont fled to the United States where he joined the Buffalo Bill Wild West Show as an expert marksman.

Attacks on Chinese soar. Wyoming Territory Sept. 30, 1885.
It has not been a good year for those Americans worried about the fate of the nation’s minorities. Anti-Chinese sentiment appears to be running high everywhere.
Unfortunately, more than just ill-will is being vented against the Chinese. Riots, beatings destruction of property and killings are the order of the day. This anti-Chinese sentiment culminated in one of the most savage demonstrations of violence in Wyoming’s history here today.
Resentment is running high even though many of them have lived in Red Rock Springs for a decade, they have not organised into a co-hesive body. What’s more, they are willing to accept lower pay than white miners doing the same job. British and Swedish miners took exception to the Chinese attitude and a fearsome riot broke out . Before the smoke settled, 28 Chinese were dead and at least 15 wounded. Several hundred others were chased out of town.

Memoirs finished General Grant dies at 63. New York July 1885.
One of America’s heroes President Ulysess S. Grant, died here today at the age of 63, his lustre tarnished only a little by the financial scandals that plagued his administration. Large crowds of well-wishers had been strolling past Grant’s quaint cabin of late in hope of catching a glimpse of the ailing former Union general. Grant, who had been at work completing his memoirs, died penniless.

100,000 Workers join national strike. Chicago May 1, 1886
In an impressive display of solidarity, more than 100,000 left jobs across the country today under the rallying cry “Eight-hour day with no cut in pay.” The Federation of Organised Trades and Labour unions, which led the call for a general strike says more than 240,000 will show their support with strikes or slowdowns. Chicago, with 40,000 out and marching in the streets, is the centre of the disruption. But across the country, enclaves of industrialism have exploded like a steam boiler Though often disagreeing the Trades Unions share a distaste for confrontation. After repeated failure of repeated efforts, the federation resolved in December that“ Working men, in their endeavour to reform the prevailing economic conditions, must rely upon themselves and their own power exclusively”.

Bomb shatters Haymarket labour rally. Chicago May 5, 1886.
A bomb exploded in Haymarket Square yesterday, killing one policeman, wounding many and perhaps shattering at its peak the national labour movement for shorter hours. The attack appears to be the work of the Black International, an anarchist offshoot of Karl Marx’s Socialist International. It came as 190,000, workers across the country were ending the fourth day of a vastly successful general strike. As the labour journalist, John Swinton reported two days ago : “it is n eight-hour boom, and we are scoring victory after victory”.

Giant Statue of Liberty dedicated. New York Oct. 1886
From 305 feet above the ground, sculptor Auguste Bartholdi gazed out upon New York harbour. Hundreds of vessels scudded about, their passengers eagerly awaiting the unveiling of Bartholdi’s statue, Liberty enlightening the World, a gift from France to the United States. Within the base of the figures crown, Bartholdi as waiting to pull a cord that would show the world his creation.

Americans in love with magnitude. New York Nov. 19, 1886.
Big things are for men who occupy big countries and big offices Chester Arthur, who died yesterday, once mused after he left the White House, “there does not seem anything else for an ex-president to do but go into the country and raise big pumpkins.” Says Teddy Roosevelt, whose only office is his North Dakota ranch after losing a mayoral bid in New York City, “Like all Americans, I like big things, big prairies big forests big mountains and big everything else.

Indian lands made subject to private use. Washington Feb. 8, 1887
President Cleveland today signed the Dawes Severality Act, which permits the President to supersede Indian governments and to convert traditional, communally owned tribal lands to a private ownership system. More specifically, each Indian family head will receive 160 acres, with lesser amounts going to bachelors women and children. In addition, under this law, each Indian who accepts a land grant will be given full United States citizenship.

Annie Oakley, 27, in Wild West Show. London June 20, 1887.
“What a wonderful little girl” pronounced Queen Victoria today as she accepted a handshake from Annie Oakley. Annie’s sharp shooting tricks have made her the star attraction of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show and the darling of America. At 30 paces they say, Little Sure Shot’ can slice a playing card sideways.

Trusts proliferate, restrict supplies, raise prices, form monopolies. United States 1887
“Like all Americans, I like big things,” says Teddy Roosevelt. Unlike Thomas Jefferson, who liked the small yeoman farmer, businessmen today agree with Roosevelt. As early as 1873, a congressional enquiry warned “the country is fast becoming filled with gigantic corporations wielding and controlling immense aggregations of money and thereby commanding great influence and power.” Congress was prophetic. Five years ago, John D. Rockefeller brought 39 oil firms under the control of nine men holding all the stock “in trust.” Since then, the makers and distributors of cotton oil (1884), linseed oil (1885), sugar, whiskey and cattle (1887) have followed in Standard’s footsteps. Industrialists see in the trust a way to control the rabid competition that undercuts prices and destabilises the business environment.

Worst blizzard in memory hit nation. New England March 14,1888.
By the calendar spring is a week away. But if there are any flowers preparing to bloom, they will have to do it under 50 inches of snow. The worst blizzard in memory grips America as far south as Chesapeake Bay and as far north as Maine. Some 400 people have died since the storm began March 11. Although the Midwest is safe for now, earlier it was buffeted by high winds and extreme cold. Hundreds of deaths were reported in Nebraska, the Dakotas, Minnesota, Montana and Wyoming. Future generations just may call 1888 “The Year of the Great Blizzard”.

Harrison wins despite loss in popular vote. Washington Nov. 6, 1888.
Benjamin Harrison, grandson of a former president , won his own key to the White House today by defeating the current Chief-of-State Grover Cleveland. Harrison lost to Cleveland in the popular vote, 5,444,000 to 5,540,000, in an eight man race. However he won 233 of the electoral votes, far more than needed for election. Cleveland as next with 168 electoral votes. Levi Morton of New York won the Vice-Presidency. The Harrison victory was viewed as something of a surprise, for just last year he lost his bid for re-election to the Senate.

Indian Territory: Wildest land-rush. April 22,1889.
What has become the largest, wildest land rush in American history symbolically “exploded” at noon today, when a government official’s gunshot signalled the opening of Indian Territory to settlers.
It is estimated that over 200,000 land-hungry people along the northern border of Texas and the southern border of Kansas stampeded into the territory when the gun sounded They swarmed across the borders in wagons, hacks and carriages, on bicycles, on horseback and on foot. According to reports received this evening, only 100 settlers have moved into Oklahoma City, while more than 12,000 people arrive d in Guthrie. It is estimated that in the past nine hours, every one of almost two million acres of the Oklahoma District has been claimed and settled.

With steel beams, skyscraper limit soars. Pittsburgh, Penn. 1889.
The Jones and Laughlin Company has begun production o Bessemer steel I-beams, as well as the elevator, will allow urban buildings to soar to unprecedented heights. Steel-frame structures such as the Home Life Insurance and the Tacoma Buildings already exist in Chicago. While there are taller office towers elsewhere in the nation, in principle there is no limit to the height buildings constructed with steel frames can reach.

Jacob Riis shows America “How the Other Half Lives” in squalor. New York, December 1889
“The power of the fact is the mightiest lever of this or any other day” says journalist Jacob Riss, who is using his trade to highlight the plight of the poor on New York’s lower East Side. His illustrated article, How the Other Half Lives is published this month and paints a grim picture of the American slum. “In the tenements,” Riis laments, “all influences make for evil.” “Hotbeds of epidemics” and “nurseries of pauperism and crime, they breed ”40,000 human wrecks“ each year.
Riis, a Danish immigrant with a profound faith in American individualism, has harsh words for the lazy and the deceitful, but offers more than just homilies on the work ethic. He wants to see better enforcement of housing laws; public funding for parks, flower gardens and children’s camps

Edison comes up with Kinetoscope, putting pictures in motion New Jersey, 1889.
The Wizard of Menlo Park, alias Thomas A. Edison, remains busy. “I am experimenting upon an instrument which does for the eye what the phonograph does for the ear” he says. No idle talk. He has invented a Kinetoscope for viewing the strips of film they made with their Kinetograph, which they call a camera for moving pictures.

Nellie Bly circles globe in 72 days. New York Jan. 25, 1890
It took Jules Verne’ mythical Phineas Fogg 80 days to journey around the world, but Nellie Bly has proved he must have tarried. The intrepid reporter, best known for feigning insanity to expose conditions in the Blackwell Island asylum, took just 72 days, 6 hours and 11 minutes to circle the globe. Highlights of her journey, traveled mainly by train and steamship, included a visit with Jules Verne in India and Christmas in Hong Kong. Bly stepped off the Chicago Limited express here in New York almost two days ahead of schedule.

Women unite to seek national sufferage. Washington Feb. 18, 1890.
Casting aside past differences to seek a common goal, the National Women Suffrage Association and the American Woman Suffrage Association merged today to form the National American Woman’s Suffrage Association. Mrs Elizabeth Cady Stanton, aged 73, was elected president. The new association acknowledges that progress has been achieved on the municipal and the state level towards gaining woman’‘s suffrage, but national voting rights have yet to be realised.

New York institutes use of electric chair. New York Aug. 6, 1890
New York state officials threw a switch and instituted a new type of capital punishment today - electrocution. After his lawyer failed to win an appeal against this unusual punishment, convicted axe murderer William Kemmler was strapped to an electric chair and hundreds of volts were sent surging through his body. Electrocution is intended to be a humane alternative to hanging.

Sioux slaughtered at Wounded Knee. South Dakota Dec. 29, 1890.
Those fallen braves, whom the Sioux in their Ghost Dance have urged to rise again, have only been joined by more dead. A terrible massacre is reported at Wounded Knee Creek on the Pine Ridge Reservation. The United States Seventh Cavalry has killed 153 Minneconjou Sioux, half of them women and children. The great leader Big Foot is among the slain.

Hawaiian King Dies; sister ascends the throne. Honolulu Jan. 29,1891
Princess Liliuokalani, sister of King Kalakaua, was proclaimed Queen of Hawaii today in regal ceremonies at Iolani Palace. Liliuokalani had reigned as regent during Kalakaua’s long illness. The king died in his suite at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco, where he had come to seek a cure, nine days ago. His body is being returned aboard the Charleston for royal burial here. The new monarch was educated at the Royal School and she was among the royalty who attended the celebration of the Silver Jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1887. She is an accomplished author and has developed into a respected writer of songs, both in English and Hawaiian.

Louisiana mob kills 11 reputed Mafiosi. Rome, Italy Mar. 1891
The Italian government recalled its minister to the United States today to protest the murder of 11 Italian-American citizens in Louisiana. A mob broke into the New Orleans prison March 14, and executed 11 reputed Mafia members suspected of killing the city’s police chief David C. Hennessey. The mob hunted down 11 of 19 prisoners allegedly involved. Nine were shot and two were hanged. Hennessey was investigating Mafia links when he was assassinated last October.

Gold Rush at Cripple Creek; miners pour in. Colorado, 1891.
State officials say they cannot determine the exact number of gold seekers who have inundated the little settlements of Crede and Cripple Creek during the past year, but they must number in the thousands. While gold and silver miners have worked this state for years, renewed interest was sparked earlier this year when a cowboy, Bob Womack, accidentally discovered what appears to be a mammoth new gold field near ‘Cripple Creek. With the government expected to retain the gold standard, experts predicting that even more fortune hunters will be heading this way.

Rainmaker draws a downpour of cash. Kansas Dec. 1891.
The fortunes of the “rainmaker” Frank Melbourne could rise with his fame. The Interstate Artificial Rain Corporation has been negotiating with the controversial Irishman for the sale of rights to his secret rainmaking process. Melbourne achieved hero status this August, when a half-inch of rain followed the application of his technique around drought-stricken Cheyenne, Wyoming. A week later however, Melbourne failed to chase away the blue skies and sunny weather.

America has “more colours than any rainbow”. New York City 1891.
“ A map of the city ” writes reformer Jacob Riis of New York, “coloured to designate nationalities, would show more stripes than that on a zebra., and more colours than a rainbow.” As the official port of entry for immigrants, New York symbolises the nation’s proclaimed role as haven for the world’s “huddled masses.” Its population is now 40% foreign born, with Italians dominating the lower East side, Irish inhabiting the west, and Jews in the centre. High-growth cities like Brooklyn and Chicago have immigrant populations that equal their total population a decade ago. Three million foreigners came to America in the previous decade. They are coming from different places than in the past. In the 1850‘s the British Isles, Germany and Scandinavia provide 95% of the flow. That figure has dropped to 60%. Italiens who have taken over New York’s fruit trade, arrive at the rate of 30,000 a year. And Jews come by the drove to escape pogroms.
Most of the newcomers, short of money, and eager to settle near their own kind, never leave the great urban melting pots. Relatively rich, the Germans and Scandinavians, have carved thriving farms out of the areas still open in the northern Mid-West and Great Plains. The rest are forced to crowd into run-down sections of New York, Chicago, Boston and Philadelphia

American Poet Walt Whitman, dies. March 26, 1892.
“Each of us inevitable, Each of us limitless”. Walt Whitman wrote these words in praise of the singularity and potential of each person, but they seemed to apply to no individual as truly as to him. The bearded bard of Paumanok, as he referred to his native Long Island , died here today at 73. His sensual exuberant poetry, had once been deemed scandalous and been banned in certain cities. But in recent years Whitman had taken on the benign aura of a benevolent sage.

State Troopers crush Homestead strike. Pennsylvania Nov. 20, 1892
With nine in their ranks dead and their union broke from fighting legal battles, 3,000 workers voted today to end a five- month strike at the Carnegie steel works. Despite vanquishing a 300 man Pinkerton force in July, they return defeated, as non-union men. Strike leaders, many of whom have faced exhausting trials for murder and treason, will find themselves black-listed.
Trouble began in January when Andrew Carnegie’s deputy Henry Clay Frick, a union buster known as the “Coke King,” demanded an 18 to 26% cut in wages. After finding himself hung in effigy, Frick shut the works in June. Some 3,000 unskilled workers joined the 800 Amalgamated mn in a highly organised strike. Early on the morning of July 6, Pinkerton men tried to debark from the barges bringing them to the scene but shots split the air. All day, strikers took pot shots, lobbed dynamite at barges, spread oil in the water and launched a flaming raft towards the intruders. Finally with 20 hit and seven dead, the Pinkertons yielded. Six days later, an efficient state militia opened the plant to strike breakers.

Chicago fair marks 1492 discovery. Oct. 23, 1892
When Columbus sailed the ocean blue in 1492, he neglected to drop anchor in Lake Michigan. That fact has not deterred Chicago from making itself the site of the World Colombian Exposition, a celebration of the discovery of the New World 400 years ago. At this afternoon’s dedication ceremony, Vice President Levi Morton announced to the 100,000 onlookers at Jackson Park, “I dedicate these buildings to a humanity.” And what buildings they are!

Pristine white edifices of a classical design, they surround a beautiful man-made lake and fountain. From the Palace of Fine Art to the Fisheries Building, they represent a triumph in unified design Humankind showed less accord today: after the speech by the Vice President, free refreshments were served, and some people in the crowd resorted to fisticuffs to grab the limited number of sandwiches.

Grover Cleveland regains the presidency. Washington Nov 8, 1892.
Cleveland regained the presidency in today’s election, defeating Benjamin Harrison, the Republican who ousted him from the White house four years ago. In one respect, the two elections were similar,: Neither Harrison in 1888 nor Cleveland this year won a majority of the popular vote, but won by piling up enough of the electoral votes.

Dalton Boys killed while robbing a bank. Kansas Oct. 5, 1892
The tow Dalton brothers Bob and Emmett, were shot dead today when they attempted to rob both the First National and the Condon Banks here. They were well known in the area, having helped themselves to money in several banks and trains. At the time of his death, Bob Dalton had a price of $6,000 on his head, put up by the Southern Pacific Railroad Company. Neighbours say that the brothers came from a respectable family. Bob was said t have been both a chief of police and a marshal, but to have swopped his honour for a life of crime.

U.S. Ends coup in Hawaii. Honolulu Apr 13, 1893
President Cleveland’s emissary, J. H. Blount, ordered United States troops to leave occupied Hawaii soil today, ending a protectorate established four months ago. Men from the cruiser Boston poured ashore on January 15, to “protect American lives and property” according to U.S. Minister John L. Stevens. The action came a day before the committee of safety took possession of the government office building and abrogated the monarchy, forcing Queen Liliuokalani from her throne.

112 m.p.h. Train is world’s fastest. New York, May 10, 1893.
Although some question remains about the exact speed, it can certainly be said that the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad locomotive N. 999 is the fastest vehicle on land or sea. Travelling down a slight grade, the locomotive, which pulled four cars and a tender, was clocked by the conductor at 112.5 mph. This figure has been disputed by those who, working mathematically, say the engine is too small to attain such a speed.

Dvorak: New World. New York Dec. 16, 1893.
To many Americans the New World may no longer seem all that new, but it has inspired in visiting Czech composer Antonin Dvorak a work of exceptional beauty, his Symphony No.9, From the New World. Dvorak, invited to be the director of a conservatory of music, completed the symphony several months after he arrived last year. In that short time he has come under the sway of native American melodies and rhythms. Many listeners ere struck by how the New World seems to allude to Negro spirituals and Indian dances.

Market panic leaves nation in panic. New York City, June 27, 1893.
Stock market weakened by monetary uncertainty, dwindled gold stocks and business failures suffered additional setbacks today in the wake of the abandonment by India of silver coinage. The sudden switch to gold by the government that was the idol of free-silver men the world over promptly sent Western mining stocks and silver itself to new low price levels. With the legal ratio of silver to gold in the United States at 15.98 to 1, the silver dollar is now worth only 60 to 61 cents, and it continues to drop.