RATES OF ADVERTISING. All advertisement* for less than 3 months IS eeot per line for each insertion. Specie I notices one-half additional. All resolutions of Associa tions, communications of a limited or indirida) interest and notice of marriagna and deaths, ex eeeding fire tines, 10 ets. per line. All legal noti ces of every kind, and all Orphans' Court and other Judicial sales, are required by lass to be pub lished in both papers. Editorial Notices 15 ceots per line. All Advertising due after firstinsertion. A liberal discount made to yearly advertisers. 3 moots. 6 months, 1 year One square $ 4.50 $ 6.00 SIO.OO Twe squares 0.00 9.00 10.118 Three squares 3.00 13.00 20.00 One-fourth eoluxnn - 14.05 20.00 35.00 Half column 18.00 25.00 45.00 One oojamo . _ ......... 30.00 45.00 80.00 NCWSPAPK* LAWS.—We would oall the special attention of Post Masters and subscribers to the I.vqEiEKR to the following synopsis of the News paper laws: 1. A Postmaster is required to give notice AJF :'er, (returning a paper does not answer the law) when a subscriber does not take hit paper out of the office, and state the reasons tor its nut being taken,- and a neglect to do so makes the Postmas ter reptoneibl* to the publishers for the payment. 2. Any person who takes a paper from the Post office, whether directed to his name or another, or whether he has subscribed or not is responsible for the pay. 3. If a person orders his paper discontinued, he must pay all arrearages, or the publisher may continue to send it nntil payment is made, and ollect the whole amount, whether it be taken front '*e office or wot. There can be n. legal discontin ucoce until the payment is made. 4. If the subscriber orders his paper to be stopped at a certain time, and the publisher con tioues to seou, the subscriber is bound to pay for it, ij he taket it vut of the Poet Office, The law I' -eeda upon the ground that a man must pay for what be usee. 5. The courts have decided that refusing to take newspapers and periodicals from the Poet office, or removing and having them uncalled for, h prima facia evidence of intentional fraud. ATTORNEYS AT LAW. ALEX. KING, JB., ATTORXEY-AT-LA W, BEDFORD, PA., AH business entrusted to his care will receive prompt and careful attention Office three doors South of the Court House, lately occupied by J. W. Dickarson. nor3C IMMELL AND LJXGENFELTER, ATTORNEYS AT LAW, BKDPORD, PA. j Have formed a partnership in the practice of j the Law, in new brick building near the Lntheran Church. [April 1, 1869-tf j IY|. A. POINTS, ATTORNEY AT LAW, BKDPORD, PA. Respectfully tenders his professional services TO the public. Office in the ISQCI neßui iding, (second floor.) Collections promptly made. [April, 1*69-tf. T3SPY M. ALSIP, 111 ATTORNEY AT LAW, BEDFORD, PA., Will faithfßlly and promptly attend to all busi ness entrusted to his care in Bedford andadjoin ng counties. Military claims, Pensions, back psy, Bounty, Ac. speedily collected. Office witb Mann A Spang, on Juliana street, 2 doors south of the Mongel House. * apl 1, 1869.—tf. T R. DURBORROW, J . ATTORNEY AT LAW, BRSVORD, PA., Will attend promptly to all hesiness intrusted to j hi- i are. Collections made on the shortest no- j tice. He ' s also, a regularly licensed Claim Agent sedwil give special attention to the prosecution . 'til s against the Government for Pensions, Tack T ay, Bounty, Bounty Lands, Ac. Office on Juliana street, one door South of the Inquirer office, and nearly opposite tbe i Mengel House" April 1, 189:tf j S. L. RrSSELL. J. H. LOSGEVECKER Rm USSELL A LONGENECKER, AITTORSETS A COUSSELLORS AT LAW, Bedford, Pa., Wil) attend promptly and faithfully to all busi ness entrusted to their care. Special attention given to collections and the prosecution of claims for Back Pay, Bounty, Pensions, Ac. .■JSP" Office on Juliana street, sonth of tbe Conrt House. Apri l:9:ljr. }• M'D. SHARPS..... E. r. EERH CJ HARPS A KERR, o A TTORS'E i'S-A T-LA W. Will practice in the Courts of Bedford and ad joining counties. All business entrusted to tbeir care will receive careful and prompt attention. Pensions, Bounty, Back Pay, Ac., speedily col lected from the Government. Office on Juliana street, opposite the banking house of Keed A SchelL Bedford, Pa. Apr l:(S9:tf PHYSICIANS. JJR. B. F. HARRY, Respectfully tenders his professional ser vices to the citizens of Bedford and vicinity. Offico an! residence on Pitt Street, in the bnilding formerly occupied by Dr. J. H. Hofius. [Ap'll,69. j MISCELLANEOUS. JACOB BRENNEMAN, V WOODBERRY, PA., CCRIYENER, CONVEYANCER, LICENSED ; CLAIM AGENT, and Ex-Officio JUSTICE OF THE PEACE, B ill attend to all business entrusted into his hands with promptness and despatch. Will remit mon ey by draft to any part uf the country. ITsely j D MANTEL BORDER. PITT STREET, TWO DOORS WEST OP THE BED FORD HOTEL, BEirOHD, PA. WATCHMAKER AND DEALER IN JEWEL RY. SPECTACLES. AC. He keeps on hand a stock of fine Gold and Sil ver Watches, Spectacles of Brilii&nt Double Refin ed Glasses, also Scotch Pebble Glasses. Gold Watch Chains. Breast Pins. Finger Rings, best ! - vality of Gold Pens. He will supply to order any thing in his line not on hand. [apr.2B,'6s. j rv W. CHOUSE, VJm DEALER 7R CIGARS, TOBACCO, PIPES, AC. | On Pitt street one door eaat of Geo. R. Oiter i A Co.'s Store, Bedford, Pa., is now prepared j tc sell by wholesale all kinda of CIGARS. All j orders promptly filled. Persons desiring anything in his line will do weil to give him a call. Bedford April 1./69- p N. HIC KO K , V DENTIST. Office at the old stand in BASE BCILDI.VG, Juliana St.. BEDFORD. All operations pertaining to Surgical and Mechanical Dentistry perlermed with care and WARRANTED. Anceethetice adminietered, tchen detired. Ar t ial teeth interted at, per let, 88.00 and up. As I em detwimined to do a CASH BUSINESS or none, I have reduced the prices for Artificial Teeth of the various kinds. 2t> per cent., ar.d of Gold fillings 33 per cent. This redaction will be utaile only to strictly Cash Patients, and all such will receive prompt attention. ,feb6B \v M LLOYD . BANKER. . rat,tacts a General Banking Business, and makes collections on at! accessible points ia the United States. • JVERNMENT SECURITIES. GOLD. SIL VER, STERLING and CONTINENTAL EXCHANGE bought and sold. U.S. REVEXUS STAMPS of all descriptions always on hand. Accounts of Merchants, Mechanics, Farmers and all other solicited. INTEREST ALLOWED ON TIME DEPOSITS. Jan. 7, '7O. NXCUANGE HOTEL, LI HUNTINGDON, PA. This old establishment having been leased by J. MORRISON, formerly proprietor of tbe Mor rison House, has been entirely renovated and re furnished and supplied with all tbe modern im. provtiQeuts and conveniences necessary to a first- Cats Hotel, The dining room has been removed to the first "Our and is now spacious and airy, and the cham bers are al! well ventilated, and the proprietor wi.l endeavor to make his guests perfectly at bome. Address, J. MORRISON, EXCBASSK HOTHL, Ijulytf _ Huntingdon, Pa pKIVATE BOARDING. Mrs. \. B. TATE has enlarged her residence on •"•Liens street for the purpose of taking borders -weekly or yearly. 3dec4t LUTZ & JORDAN. MB&Uor* atal PraprtHore, gaquim Column. JiO ADVERTISERS: THE BEDFORD INQUIRER. PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY MORNING, BT JOHN LUTZ, OFFICE ON JULIANA STREET, BEDFORD, PA. THE BEST ADVERTISING MEDIUM . J SOUTH- WESTERNPENNSIL VANIA. CIRCULATION OVER 1500. HOME AND FOREIGN ADVERTISE MENTS INSERTED ON REA SONABLE TERMS. A FIRST CLASS NEWSPAPER. TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION: $2.00 PER ANNUM, IN ADVANCE. JOB PRINTING: ALL KINDS OF JOB WORK DONE WITH NEATNESS AND DISPATCH, AND IN THE LATEST k MOST APPROVED STYLE, SUCH AS I POSTERS OF ANY SIZE, CIRCULARS, BUSINESS CARDS WEDDING AND VISITING CARDS, BALL TICKETS, PROGRAMMES, - CONCERT TICKETS, ORDER BOOKS, SEGAR LABELS, RECEIPTS, LEGAL BLANKS, PHOTOGRAPHER'S CARDS, BILL HEADS, LETTER HEADS, PAMPHLETS, PAPER BOOKS, ETC. ETC. ETC. ETC. ETC Oar faeilitiet for doing all kinds of Job Printing are equalled by Terr few establishment* in the country. Orders by mail promptly filled. All letters should be addressed to LUTZ A JORDAN. 3 &ocal ant) i£sr jural flrtospaprr, ZDrbotft) to l>olitirs, <£iniraiion, literature ant) Morals. GOVERNOR'S MESSAGE, To the Senate and House of Representa tives of the Commonwealth of Peun vyhania: GENTLEMEN From the days of William Penn, the great and pious founder of our Commonwealth, it has j been the universal custom of my pre- I deeesscrs, when making their annual communications to the General Assetu -1 bly, to acknowledge their gratitude to | and de|>endenee upon the Great Law- I giver of the Universe. In imitation i of thier noble example, let us earnest ly invoke His blessing and guidance in our efforts to perform the great work of legislation now before us, in such manner as to meet His approbation, as well as that of our commou constitu ents. In transmitting to you the seventy* • ninth annual message since the organ ization of the present state government, it affords me the highest gratification to congratulate you and our fellow-cit izens generally on their enjoying, to an unusual degree, the blessings of health and unstinh-d prosperity; and that our principles and institutions—the pride and tioast of every true hearted patriot —although tried again in the crucible of a heated political contest, the heavings of popular passion, and thecollusion of parties, from which we have just_ emer ged, remain unimpaired and vital in every part. Under such auspicious circumstances you have assembled, for the purpose of I discharging the important dutie-., and : assuming the special responsibilities : which devolve upon you. It is ex-; ! treinely difficult; even with the great est caution in yourdelila-rations, toen ! act laws that will fully meet theexpei 1 -; taiions and approbation of all the peo ple; Out much of this difficulty may lie overcome by avoiding legislation for personal and special interests and not being unmindful of the magnitude of tho interests of the State, and of its rapidly advancing population, wealth and influence to destinies bey ond the reach of human vision. A no bler heritage was never given to man thanthat which wepossess geographical ly and politically of the greatest impor-; tance, an area of more than forty four thousand square miles; diversified with mountains, valleys, plains, rivers; mountains covered with majestic for ests of valuable timber of almost every variety; plains dotted with comforta ble homesteads, and presenting well cultivated farms and luxuriant fields marked by theadvancemcnt of agricul-' ture—the parent, supporter ar.d stimu- j lator of every species of industry, ex- j change and commerce ; bills* and val- i leys with teeming mines of all the va rieties of coai, iron, oil, salt and other minerals; with farmers,manufacturers, mechanics, woolgrowers. coal and iron miners, oil producers, and merchants full of activity and confidence; with, thousands of miles of railroads and ca n,-Us to transfer vast products to mar- h ket, and accommodate the travel of four millions of happy and properous j people. Nor should we be forgetful of education in all its branches, of the publiccharities,prisons, reformatories, : the collection of prtqierly imposed tax es the speedy reduction of the State debt, the preservation of order, and the more certain protection of life, busi ness and property. All these interests and perhaps others of equal importance, demand legislation of the most enligh tened, liberal and comprehensive char acter. In conformity to the requirements of the Constitution, I proceed to invite your attention to such measures as are deemed necessary for your considera tion, and to assure you of my willing ness to share with you the anxieties and resjKtnsibilities of ail legislation calculated to advance the prosperity of the people and the best interests of the Commonwealth. Finances. From the reports of the Auditor: General and State Treasurer, the follow- j ing statement has been carefully pre pared, and exhibits the receipts and ! disbursements for the fiscal year end ing November 30, 1869 : Receipts. Balance in Treasury, Nov 39. 1869 $1,012,926 67 Ordinary receipt# during the fiscal year ending Nov. 3C,1869 !. 5,241,711 28, Total in the Treasury during the year ending Nor. 30. 1869 6.254,636 65 • Disbursements. Ordinary eipeuwspaid during the Tear ending Xov. 30 1869 $2,165,114 27 Loans, 4c redeemed at Treasury 109,041 09 Loans redeemed by the Cim?Biotiera of the Sinking Fund.. 362.762 09 Int'st paid at Treas'y 170,665 74 Interest paid by Com missioners of Sink ing Fund.......... 1,725,587 97 Balance in Trcarary, Nov 30 1869.... 1,400.362 49 It will be observed from the above, : that part of the loans and part of the i interest are paid at the Treasury, and part of both by the Commissioners of j , the Sinking Fund. This produces a; j complication of accounts; which in or- j tier to avoid, and to simplify the finan- : eial statement, I recommend that au- j thority be given hv law to charge the , Commissioners with the whole amount. ! of the State debt, and also with all the ; : money applicable to the payment there of, and that they alone be credited with i all payments on l>oth principal and in ; terest of State debt. Public. Debt. The following is a statement show ing the nature of the indebtedness of; the Commonwealth, on November 30, I860: Funded debt, viz : 6 per cent. 10ad....525.311.150 CO 5 per cent 10an5.... 7,277.384 38 4 j per cent, 10an5.... 112.999 00 Unfunded d' bt. viz.; Rcleif notes in cireulatior.s96 397 00 Interest certificates out standing Interest certificates un claimed 4,448 38 Domestie creditor's cer tificates 44 07 Amount of public debt, Xov 30,'69 32.814.540 95 The public debt NOT. IS6B 33,266,947 13 Deduct the amount redeemed at tbe Treasury, during the year ending Nov 30.1909, viz : 5 per cent loans $472,367 16 Relief notes cancelled.. I 9 60 Public debt XOT. 30,1869 as above. 32,814 540 95 Reduction, of the Public Debt. At the commencement of the present administration in January, 18417, the total outstanding indebtedness ol the State was thirty-seven million, seven hundred and four thousand, four hun dred and nine dollars and seventy-seven cents. Since then, and up to Novem ber 30,18t!9, the sum of four million, eight hundred ami eigh/y-nihe thousand, eight hundred and sixty eight dollars and eighty-two cents have been jmid. and at five per cent., the sum of £244,498 44, in interest, is aunually saved to the Com monwealth. Consequently, the to tal amount of indebtedness of the Com monwealth on November 30, 1869, was thirfy-two million, eight hundred ana fourteen thousand, fre hundretl and for ty dotfars and ninety Jive cents. The reduction during the year end ing November 30, 1869, amounts to * four hundred and seventy-two thousand four hundred and six dollars and eigh teen cents. Assets in Sinking Fund. The assets remaning in the Sinking Fund arc as follows, viz —Bonds ol BEDFORI), PA.. FIUDA Y, J AY. 14 1870. ; the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, six million, three hundred thousaa I dollars. Agreeably to an act date 1 March 30, 1809, the Sinking Fun I Commissioners delivered ail the ooli gations of the Sunbory ahd Erie Rail • road Company, lieing third mortgage bonds, to the Allegheny Valley ltail rbud Company, aud received therefor thirty five second mortgage bonds of ! one hundred thousand dollars each, • making in all three million, five . hun dred thousand dollars, executed by the said Allegheny Valley Railroad Cotll ; pany, and guaranteed by the Pennsyl vania Railroad Company, the North* : ern Central Railroad Company, and the Philadelphia and Erie Railroad Company payable to the Common wealth as follows, viz: The principal of one of said bonds (sloo,ooo} shad be payable each and ev- i cry year beginning January 1,1875, and so continuing annually thereafter until i the said sum of three million,five hun- j dred thousand dollars shall be paid, ; with interest thereon from January 1, i 1872. | The citizens of Pennsylvania have j : always borae taxation not only pa- ' tiently but cheerfully, and they are j still as willing as ever to contribute to ' the pay men tofalltheobligat ions resting ' upon the State, but they expect their j j public servants who are intrusted with ihe management of their affairs, to act j . upon the most prudent and economi- | cal basis. In a word, they demand re- i form in the management of the flnanaci |al affairs of the Slate, and,[as fur as pos : sible, the retrenchment of all unneces sary expenditures. On the 30th of January last, reply ing to a resolution of the Senate, I j sab I : I have the honor to acknowledge the j receipt, through the Clerk ol your Honoroble body, a copy of the follow ing resolution, passed on tiio 12th inst., to wit: "Resolved, That the Governor be re quested to submit some plan to the I ,Bk*ate to secure the State from loss by ; the accumulation of large amounts of; surplus funds in the Treasury. "In reply, I beg leave to direct your j attention to my message of January 8, j 18(W, in which I say, 'the balance now j in the Treasury might be rendered : productive by lieing invested in ilrc bonds of the State, bearing six per cent. interest;*and totheinessageofJan uary 0, ltsGH, where I remark, 'when ever there may be surplus funds in the Treasury, ihey can with safety and benefit to the State, be employed in the 1 purchase of its outstanding bonds, and ; in saving the interest on them which would accumulate prior to their ma-, turity. Since making these suggestions, and j maturely deliberating upon thesubject, I have seen no reason to change my mind in relation thereto ;and now sub mit the same plan, more specifically set forth, based upon the following statement of the loansof the Common wealth, viz; Amount ofeoveolue, loansiucluding bank chnrfer ! loan* and relief note* unrfde mc to request the continuance of legis lative favor for the Adjutant General's department, and that it may be gencr erously supplied with such appropria tions as have been requested by the Adjutant General for that office. An unusual martial activity prevails throughout the State, but more partic ularly in Philadelphia. The encour agement which has been afforded to the uniformed militia has been responded to with alacrity, and is exhibited as follows: In 1866, there were eight vol unteer companies; in 1867, thirty-eight; in 18G8, sixty seven, and in 1869, one hundred and eighty four. No less than one hundred and seven companies were organized during the year ending No vember 30, 1869, of which fifty six are VOL. 43: NO 2.1 | in Philadelphia, and fifty one ,n other | parts of the State. This is a small but efficient and well equipped force l , which, In case of riot, rebellion, or other publicdanger, would be ready at once to imperil itself for the enforcement of the laws, and the protection of the lives and property of the citizens. It is, therefore, desirable that the Legislature should give the volunteers Mien practical aid as would, in some degree, compensate thern for the time and money expended to main tain their organizations, in which the people are as much interested as the volunteers themselves. The report of the Adjutant General will be found a very interesting docu ment, containing much valuable infor mation and many important sugges tions. A careful perusal of its contents and such action thereon, as seems to lie demanded by their iinportanco, is re commended. Gen. D. B. M'Creary has been elected to membership in one of your honorable bodies, and with his last report he closed his career as Adju- General. In losing his valuable services from a position he has so ably filled for more than two years, the hope is indulged that the department will gain an intelligent and devoted friend and an able and efficient advocate in the halls of legislation. Military History. The report of the State Historian is deserving of your careful attention. In it you will find a detailed account of (he operations of his department from its commencement to the present time. The work entrusted to his edre is one of no ordinary character and responsi bility, requiring talents of a high order, patient industry, careful research, and unbiased judgment. The labor to ta> performed is immense, and can only he properly appreciated by those fully ac quainted with its magnitude. It em braces a faithful account of ail the or ganizations of Pennsylvania troops du ring the war of the rebellion ; the col lection and adjustment, in a compre hensive form of each military organi zation, and an unprejudiced description of all military transactions of import ance, so far as the volunteers of this State are concerned, in the camp and in the field, throughout the most ter rific conflict of arms that has ever oc curred in the history of the world.— The propriety of such a work must be apparent to every intelligent citizen of the Commonwealth. Certainly it is due to the citizen soldiers, who offered their lives in the defence of their coun try, that their names should, at least, receive a place in the archives of the state, toward whose honor and glory their gallant deeds have so largely con tributed. The work of the Historian, when completed, will embrace four large oc tavo volumes, in which the name of every Pennsylvania volunteer will have its appropriate place. Two of these volumes are already completed, in a manner highly creditable to the Commonwealth. The third is rapidly progressing, and with a generous ap propriation on the part of your honorable body the entire history will he executed, if not before, soon after the close of the present year. Most yther States are publishing histories similar to this, and it is due to the im portance of the subject, and to the •rctJlt of the State, that Pennsylvania should not be behind in this patriotic undertaking. Home for Disabled Soldiers. There is, prouatiiy, no .Mate in the American Union that has contributed more liberally toward the support of charitable and benevolent institutions tnan that of Pennsylvania. The ap propriations annually made for the uenefit of thesoldiers' orphans' schools, isylums for the deaf and dumb, blind md insane, and many similar worthy stablishments in which the poor, lelpless and otherwise friendless are sired and provided for, reflect great Tedit upon the Legislatures who have lonaied the requisite means for their support. But there is one other insti ution needed, and the claims for which ire more strongly urged by every prin ;iple of humanity and patriotism, than my other now in existence, which lias uot yet received the attention its vast inportance imperatively demands.— Fliis is a home for the soldiers who have "borne the battle" in defence of :he honor, integrity and perpetuity of :he American Union. No men living iave as powerful claims upon the gen erosity and nurturing care of the Com monwealth of Pennsylvania, as those ivho, upon the battle field, fought to protect it from threatened devastation inn (Ksitrucuon, ana who in this patri otic service, endangered their lives, sacrificed their health, lost their limbs, md became enfeebled and disabled for life. And yet we daily see these men, (and who does not blusli to see them?) to whom we owe the preservation of aur government, the homes we enjoy, md almost everything we possess, hobbling about our streets upon crutch es, with missing limbs, and otherwise so enfeebled as to be entirely unfitted tdr any remunerative employment, begging their bread from door to door ur sitting upon the corners of thestreets turning an organ for the few pennies the charitable passer by may feel.disposed to bestow. Everyone of these helpless men, whose patriotic devotion to his country has brought him to this de plorable condition, is a burning re proach to the State for whose welfare he has met the most serious and la mentable of all misfortunes. All of them appeal, by their wounds and des titution, to the people of the Common wealth for that care which, in such contingencies, was promised the soldier of the Union, his widow, and his or phan children. It is time that all such promises should be redeemed. The wounded and helpless soldiers have a claim upon the State which should not and cannot be ignored. And 1 do earn estly recommend in their name, and in th< ;r behalf, that measures be taken by your honorable body, to establish for them a home where they shall lie ain plv provided with the necessary com for of life, and 110 longer be compelled to be pensioners upon the scanty chari ty of the worlu. This a debt the State absolutely owes, and no time should be lost in its honorable liquidation. Insurance Drjxirtment. In two former communicatoins your at tention wa> called to the importance of es tablishing in the State an insurance depart ment similar to those existing in other States. But the Legislature has thus far failed to give the subject that consideration which interests of such magnitude to the people seem to demand. Insurance depart ments in some of the Stan - are regarded of paramount importance, as they effectually guard the interests of the iusured, and through their healthy influence frauds and spurious companies, so common in l'enn-yl vania, are rendered almost impossible. Tht greatest benefits would certainly accrue both to the companies and policy holders as bus alreadv been demonstrated in the States of New York and Ma-sachusetts, where the subject of insurance Las received the most cartful study and attention, and been re duced to a science which commands the ap probation and conGdence of all who set k its "protection. The necessity for such a de partment, with full powers to organize and examine all insurance companies, is sane tioncd by the wisdom of experience. And as I have heretofore remarked, the result oi the protection thus afforded, is, that whilst foreign companies do immense buMuess in this Btate, so little confidence ishad in those of Pennsylvania that their business is almost entirely confined within the State limits; and even here foreign companies maintain an ascendency. To this same defect is at | SUBS CRFPT 10 N TERMS, C& The IHCI-IR R u is published et ery BRIDAT mom ing he following rater: 0n Tear, (in adr&nce,) $2.00 " " (it not paid within tlx moe.)— t3.it " " (if not paid within the year,)... Sd.OC All paper* outside of the county direontinued without notice, at the exp'ration of the time for which the subscription bar been paid. Singleeopiesnf the paper far nUhed, in wrapper*, at five cent* each. Communication* on sub ject* of local or general ntereet, ere respectfully solicited. To ensure at tention fevors of this kind must invariably be accompanied bp the name of the author, not for publication, bat as a guaranty against imposition. All letter* to business of the office should be addressed to L.U t'/j a JORDAN, Bmroae, ?s. fthouxdbc addressed to LU L/I & JORDAN, BRUFOAD, FA. tributable the operations of the number of worthless companies that have suddenly sprung into existence without any solid ba ds, and as suddenly expired to the injury of those whose confidence they obtained, and to the dishonor of the Commonwealth. In view of these facts. I earnestly repeat the recommendation made to the Legisla ture at its last session, that an insurance de partment be established, and a superinten dent appointed by law. who shall have su pervision and control over all insurance com panies allowed to transact business within the State. The community is deeply inier estca in this matter, and demands legislative protection. O-* laws in relation to life insurance com panies are defective and need revision and correction. Without the protection referred to these laws bear unequally upon our own and foreign companies. The latter, being protected by legi-lative enactment, are en abled to transact an immense amount of business within the limits ol this Common wealth, whilst our companies, having no such protection, can do but little in other states. _ The consequence is, that foreign companies can readily afford to pay a li cense of fire hundred dollar* to conduct their extensive operations in Pennsylvania, whilst onr companies would be sorely op pressed by the imposition of the same li cense tax in States where their operations are exceedingly limited. And yet these other States have retaliated upon our license law, by adopting its provisions and demand ing from our companies the same amount of license in each State, that we demand of their companies in ours. This i 3 not on'y oppressive to our own neglected companies. Hut it fails to furnish a iust and equitable revenue from the various companies for the amount of budne's transacted. The tax should be made to bear equally upon all companies, whether home or foreign, and b; adjusted proportionately to the extent of their several operation'. This arrangement would beju'ttoall—oppressive tonone. TTie aholi-hment, therefore, of the license law, :nd the substitution in its place of areason able and equitab'e tax, would meet the ap probation of alt companies, in favor of equal jnd exact justice, whether belonging to this >r any other State. At the same time it would insure a larger income to the Treasu ry. For instance, there are (hirfy-tntn life ri>urancc companies from other States do ing business in Pennsylvania, who each pay i license of five hundred dollars, making the -urn of eighteen thousand and five hundred dollars. Not one of the companies would abject to paying an equal I ax of say one half ! one per cent upon the amount of their business. This, in tne aggregate of the thirty-seven companies, is more than five million:; of dollars, on which a tax of one ialf of one pur eenf. would bo twenty-five Shousaod dollars, increasing the revenue of he State Item this source more than six ftou-and dollars, and at the same time qualizine the tax in accordance with the : usinesa.done and profits received. An effi cient law, establishing an Insurance Depart nent, such as is recommended, would meet his and all matters connected with the sub let of insurance, in all if branches. The Ar on dale Dixatter. The recent disaster in the Avondale Coal Mine, Lot rue county, is still fresh in the uinds of the people. It caused a thrill of lorror to spread throughout the country ; m l even in Europe it has been productive >f the most painful emotions and deepest •orrow lor the sufferers. Women and ehil- Iren who had been accustomed to regard he occupation of the miner as one of ordi nary character, now look upon it as fraught -UN CUF", —. HII relatives sua friends, when about to pursue their perilous occupation, with fearful forebodings. And evin the sturdy miner, himself, trembles at his dangerous calling, and demands greater protection than has hitherto been afforded. The history of this terrible calamity seems 10 be as follows : Early on the morning of ;he f>th of September last, one hundred and right men entered the Avondale .Mine to prosecute th'-ir avocation. None of them mticipated danger as they descended the Fatal shaft; not one supposed that he was ntering a tomb in which he was doomed to >e buried alive. But the destroying angel riovcred over them, and the shaft, construct i 1 principally of combustible materials, hav ing Income ignited from some cause, yet indetermined, was soon a sheet of flame, md huge burning timbers came tumbling from above, choking up with fire and smoke the only avenue of escape. Sensible 6f' their peril, the unfortunate men sought a place 11 safety, but it was not to be found. They .-ried for succor, but uo earthly arm could rive thciu help : hopeless they huddied to gether, and clasped in each others arms, net death >n one of its most frightful and tgonizing forms. V\ tutsi tula iearful scene was transpiring he shaft took fire, and burning with frigbt rul rapidity, was soon reduced to a crumb ling mass. Thousands of men, women and children soon surrounded the place, aod being unable to afford the slightest relief to their suffering friends below, filled the air with lamentation, appalling even to the stoutest hearts. Never before was a scene more heart-rendering witnessed within the limits of this Common wealth, and it is trust jd that through jour prompt and efficient legislative tic ion, another such will never be permitted to occur. , The mines in many cases are constructed at d managed in the most selfish and parsi monious manner, the owners exacting the largest amount of profit from them, from the i. :>>t possible outlay , consequently some of theia, like that of Avondale, are nothing but underground man traps, without any other outlets than wooden chimnies, and these constantly liable to become blazing volcanoes, through which escape is imtiossi b'e. The lives of so useful a class of men as our miners should not. and must not be permitted to be thus sacrificed upon the al ter of human cupidity. Vet a reprehensi ble heglect to give them that protection by law which their valuable services, at best laborious and dangerous, unquestionably de serves,. renders our mining system worse than that of any other country, whilst our mining interests are unequalled by those ol any other part of the word. The most appalling accidents on record have b-en traced to unsate methods of ven tilation, and more especially to the employ ment of furnaces at or near the bottom of the shafts. Where the furnace is need, and the smoke is carried through a wooden chimney, it seems almost certain that, soon er or later, by the inevitable accumulation ot soot or carbon upon the fratne-wotk, it mus ignite from the ascending sparks or from the heat of" the furnace, and a confla gration ensue. To guard against this, it should be made obligatory, if the ventila ting furnace be still allowed, to build the chimnies, the sides of the shaft, and the buildings surrounding it at the top with in combustiblo materials. But even this pre caution is not a sure safeguard, for the tire is liable, at any moment, to communicate with the "fire damp' ! or other gaascus va pors, that, despite of all known means of prevention, will generate in the best tegula ttd mines. The propriety of dispensing en tirely. therefore, with the furnace, has re ceived the serious consideration of scientific miners and engineers, and the fan in that instance, has been substituted, which being worked by machinery at the surface, pro duces a more constant current of air, dis penses it more freely through the gangways and chambers, and. in all respects, accom plishes the object derived -with better effect, and when the shaft- and surface buildings are fire-proof, without the possibility of dan gar. This system of rentilatiftti, with ad vantages so palpably obvious, will, no doubt, be universally adopted. But the very na ture of mining operations subjects them to other dangers. The walLs and roofing of the mines, from the effects ol blasting and oth er causes, frequently give way and fill up the gangways so as to render them hie, as in the more recent calamity at {Continued OK M P"B' )