too bad it wasn't the NYT ... they had several pertinent snippets in 1894 
(and they have a fantastic facility for searching their historical archive):

http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9402EFD81F31E033A25751C1A9649C94659ED7CF

http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9402EFD61F39E033A25757C1A9609C94659ED7CF

http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9E07E6DD1630E033A25753C1A9629C94659ED7CF


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "wayne Abrahamson" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, February 11, 2009 02:49
Subject: Late 19th century linoleum patterns and newspapers


>I am working on a eastern coastal paddlewheel steamboat that has several 
>square feet of linoleum laid down on the engineroom floorboards. I 
>completed most of the research I needed concerning linoleum, but have one 
>question left to answer: did certain linoleum manufacturers produce only 
>certain types of patterns, and if so, was there some sort of industry 
>catalog. It would be nice if I could match up my linoleum with a certain 
>manufacturer.
> Also, I am concerned mainly about linoleum from the 1890s because we found 
> newspaper under the linoleum that dates to 1894 (Feb. 5th exactly). I was 
> curious if anybody knows 1) if there is any documentation showing how to 
> use newspapers as padding for thin linoleum 2) a good way to access 
> newspaper archives. Some lines on the newspaper state "Kerabergi's (?) 
> party active Belgrade-Feb. 5, 1894 Several demonstrations in favor of the 
> Servian Pretender, Prince Keraberg (?)" Also, "Mr. W.A. Chanler's African 
> expedition Zanzibar-Feb 5 1894 (by cable to the Herald) William Astor 
> Chanler left here to ------". These lines along with others may indicate 
> that it was the New York City newspaper Herald, and it would be nice if I 
> could find these pages in the archives. Any ideas would be greatly 
> appreciated.