LANCASTER DAILY INTELLiaENCEB, TUESDAY, AUGUST 8, 1882. jcamdstn Hurlliflenrn. TUKSDAY KVBNINO, AUO. 8, 1883. Usfraiir-lLeglsIatles. Congress adjourns after a very long session, which has not been fruitful of good works. It would not be easy to yoiut to the profit which the country is to reap from the labors of the session The record for the eleht months is very barren. The tariff wanted revision and did not get it ; but a commission has been appointed to consider what should be done about it. Perhaps the commis sion will find out, and perhaps not ; a reasonable opinion anyway would be that Congress might as well , have deter mined the matter without a commis sion's help. If congressmen were fit for their places they surely should know enough to legislate wisely upon questions of taxation ; and they are questions which should be legislated upon promptly. In the expiring hour of the session Mr. Robeson sought to obtain for his party, which bears the responsi bility of the legislation, the credit of a desire to reduce taxation. lie offered u bill which he declared had that purpose. The same bill was pending in the Sen ate. It was a bill which relieved those who did not need relief and continued their burthens upon those who should be helped. It was not a Democratic measure and failed to receive Demo cratic support. We do not recall anything that Con gress has done that has been of more account to the country than its dealing with the subject of taxation. The House has been especially ineffective and slow. .Senator Plumb, complaining of its action uon the appropriation bills, said that notwithstanding the department esti mates had gone before the House com mittees in the beginning of the session, no important appropriation bill had reached the Senate until nearly the close of the fiscal year; the legislative bill came to the Senate on June 10, and the naval bill not until July 13, which was thirteen days after the date on which it was to take effect. The Senate has very good reason to complain of the time the House gives it to consider these import ant appropriation bills and to threaten hereafter to take into its own hands the origination of them. The House has al ways claimed tho privilege of originat ing the appropriation bills, but does not seem to have any exclusive privilege on the subject, and if it can work no faster than it has at this session, it shows itself unfit for the exercise o." the power. But this House is hardly a fair sample of tho efficiency of the lower branch f Congress. It has been afflicted with a miserable speaker aud nearly as miserable leaders on tho side of the majority. It was uot to be predicated that any useful, speedy or diligent work would come from a body presided over by Keifer and led by Robeson. The measure for the retirement of the officers of the army is a fair sample il lustration of the works of this Congress. That bill was introduced and passed to increase the efficiency of the army by putting its inuup-iblc officers on the re tired list. What it really did was to leave the incapable officers on the active list aud to retire all the capable ones that are over sixty-four years of age. The army is not to suffer hereafter from the incapacity of age; hut an officer without arms and legs, or crazy as a bed bug, still retains his place on the active list and is supposed to do his work. In fact, however, he is absent " on leave" aud his labors fall on one of his fellows ot iL-iiiiiwi unuone. inc law re tires him, but at the same time limits the retired list to 400; and the gray beards whom this Congress rushes into it fill it to overflowing. It was very easy to have this embarrassment to the service and to make the bill what it pur ported to be, a measure to increase the efficiency of tho army; it only needed to provide room for tho retirement of all the iucapables ; but Congress was unequal to the effort. Its great work was the river and harlxir appropriation bill. It passed this with decision and great energy. It passed it over the president's veto and over the unanimous objection of the country ; and by this work, as by nearly all its work, is condemned. We are of the opinion that the average efficiency of the police force of this city is not what it should be. Tho work of the force often fails to be what it should be. Probably every city suffers from in efficient, lazy, stupid aud cowardly policemen ; and probably Lancaster's experience is general. At the same time we would like to have it special. We know we have a mayor who attends to his duties zealously and intelligently, aud that the fault is with his instru ments if the police work is not well done. It is not at this date especially that we have had cause to complain of our policemen. It has always been so. We know that our town would never have suffered to any extent from incendiarism if its policemen had always been intelli gent, zeaIou3 and brave. Our comment to-day is especially excited by the really ridiculous conduct of tho police search forMcMulIeu. Tor a week this search has been supposed to exist ; and for a week the boy has been around the town and has several times been within the reach and under the very noses of policemen. They have been told where he was, and baveap proached bis hiding place so stupidly or timidly that he has slipped away from them. The last time was yesterday. On Sunday the young man disported himself in the waters of the Conestoga with other boys of the town. On Monday the mayor was told where he was. Three policemen were detailed for his arrest. They march out to the place in High street and stumble around in the neigh borhood until the lad is warned, and arrive at the house in time to see him fleeing from its back entrance over the adjacent fields. Perhaps these star bear era were only stupid ; but perhaps they were cowardly as well. Either way they did not show themselves fit for their J duty. J It is uow- stated by a dispatch from Chicago that Hilgert, the absconding sagar refiner, forged acceptances on -merchants in that city to the amount of $00,000. The Senate yesterday confirmed General U. S. Grant and William H. Trcscott to be commissioners to negotiate a commer cial treaty with Mexico. Tub president has Biguod tho acts pro viding for deductions from tho tonnage of American vessels, relating to the registra tion of trade-marks, to cbtablish diplomatic relations with Persia, for tho relief of the executors of John W. Forney, and to cor rect the error in the revised statutes relat ing to knit goods. According to tho St. Louis Republican, he intrinsic value of the bronze medals be stowed upon the Old Guard of 300 is about thirteen cents apiece. They arc made of some cheap composition, and enclosed in a thin covering of bronze, on which the fig urehead of Grant and the other devices arc stamped. Is this the reason Beaver does not wear his medal when he appears in public ? In Altooua tho other night, Charles S. Litchman, organizcr-at-largo of the Knights of Labor, declared, "If the report be true that I have read, that one of the political parties of your State relics for its hope of success upon its ability to purchase the votes of workingmen, I say it is a shame and disgrace upon every man who thus sells his birthright." Since the ex posure of his plot, Chairman Cooper is less boastful of his Miecess in getting 70,000 Democratic workingmen to help elcet Beaver. Tiik total value of tho foioigu commerce of the United States during the fiscal year ending June 30th last, includiug both im ports aud exports of merchandise and specie, amounted to$l,56G,859,45G,agaiust $1,075,024,318 during tho preceding fiscal year showing a decrease of $108,164,8G2. Duriug the last fiscal year there was an excess of exports over imports of gold and silver coiu aud bulliou, amounting to tG, 9 10,180, against au excess of imports over exports during tho preceding year of $91,1GS,G50. Wo reprint to-day from tho columus of tuo Now York Herald a resume of tho political situation in this state that has a timely interest and practical value. Tho plan of tho Democratic campaign as indi cated by the chairman of the state com mittee presents features that aro sure to win the hearty co-operation aud approval of party workers in every section of the state, and aud the active and aggres sivo campaign foreshadowed in Mr. Hcn scl's utteracces to the reporter bodes no good li tho demoralized cohorts of the opposition. What is said about tho Labor vote and of Cooper's iusolent boast of manipulating it it to theJDemocratic detri ment fairly expresses the honest sentiment of tho party with regard to that important element. Because tho workingmen were secretly betrayed four years ago it doos not follow that with tho insult of the Cameron chairman still ringing in their care they propose to allow themselves to Imj made a catspaw in the present cam paign. That Hinder is burnt, and the workingmen have learned a valuable les son. Mi:. Daxiei. Westekcott, was so over come by exasperation and the weight of ' blighted affection " that came crushing down upon him in Philadelphia the other night, when tho youug woman ho had been 'bittiug up" with showed him an engagement ring which au other admirer had giveu her, that ho straight-way went off and took a big dose of laudanum with tho avowed purpose of ending his life. Persons skilled in affairs of tho heart state there was unfiling uncommon in this des leralo actiou of Daniel's ; but viewed from a practical standpoint there seem" to have been a score of hotter expedients by which ho might have soothed his wounded feelings and at the same time have brought homo to his faithless sweetheart a consciousness of tho turpitudo of which she had been guilty. In his present ex hausted and disgustod condition moraliz ing on tho subject would probably piove distasteful to the wretched Wcstcrcott, but in case ho should persist in his avowed determination to remove himself from this sphere of sin and sorrow, it is to be hoped ho may be brought to a proper realization of tho folly of such a course. There aro as good fish in the sea, Daniel, as ever were caught, aud if you will just got a bigger and a bettor ring and givo it to tho girl who lives next door you will live to leaiu tho truth of a homely maxim that has a fit application to just such a caso as yours. 1'EHSONAIj. Gukekal. Wallace, tho United States minister to Turkey, has gone to Athens. Emma Tiuinsux positively refuses to sing iu opera. Robert Crockett, a graudsou of Davy Crockett, is publishing a literary papor at DoWitt, Arkansas. Tom Ocihltkee's candidacy for Con gress in the Galveston district, has excited considerable interest among his competi tors. Sauau Bernhardt, in purchasing for her sou tho lease of the Ambigu theatre at Paris, gave 83,000 francs, with 40,000 francs as a half year's rent iu advance. Rev. Samuel Longfellow has resigned the pastorate of the Germantown Unita rian church, and intends devoting his time to writing a biography of his brother, the deceased poet. Dn. Deems, of New York, in 'his Suu day morning sermon, said : " Everybody should try to be beautiful. If I could, I'd be a handsome man ; I hope I shall be a handsome angel." Governor Plaisted, of Maine, has written a long and exhaustive letter ac eentini? the Democratic nomination fm governor, and discussing the issues of the cauvoH. no expresses uimscil comment of re-election. Mrs. Garfield has nnknonrioiiinxi rcroipb iruiu ujh uoraeus Dim culture association of Philadelphia, of tho dress goods manufadtared at Patterson, N. J., from silk grown in fourteen states during the year 1881. She says that it shall be preserved both as an heir-loom and as a memorial. m i Xhlaks Be Needs Carrying. Altooua Tribune, Kcp. It is about time for somebody to give Chairman Hensel, of the Democratic state : .. f xi tir .a. ... .. committeo.a currying. Cooper and McKee 1 nave ootn been severely bandied by able editors, though neither of them seems to be a candidate for anything this year. THE STATE CAMPAIGN. A TALK TflTH CHAIKMAH 0JSH8KX. What Soma ltepresentatlre FoIlUclaus Said to the New York Herald (Jor rcspondeat Bright Dem ocratic Hopes. A correspondent of tho New York Her ald, who has been sent into Pennsylvania to keep au cyo on the campaign here, sends tho following to his paper uudor date of Lancaster Gth iust. It is interest ing aud valuable as showing tho situation as sccu from divergeut standpoints, and tho hopeful viow taken by tho Democratic chairman will have an especial degree of interest for our readers : Tho active campaign begius earlier iu Pennsylvania than in New York, becauso the registry closes on September 7. Un registered persons can vote on election day, but only after groat trouble in get ting affidavits as to their right to Jo so. The chairman of tho three states commit tees havo been busy in tho work of organ ization for a mouth past. Chairmau Win. U. Heusel, of tho Democratic stato com mittee lives iu Laucastor, but has spent almost all his titno in Philadelphia since the headquarters were opened there. Yes terday ho rau up to Lancaster for a Sun day rest. This is evidently a campaign of tho young Democracy. The candidate lor governor is barely thirty-two. Tho candi date for lieutenant governor is not much older. Tho chairman of the state commit tee is only just rising thirty. They say iu Ilarrisburg that he could have been nomi nated with a rush for congrcssman-at-Iarge, but that ho positively refused in tho inter est of tho ticket. It was tho idea to dis tribute tho caudidatcs as far as practicable through tho various sections of tho stato, aud the candidate for lieutenant governor had already been chosen from York, tho adjoining county to this. Mr. Heusel is perhaps doing his paity more good iu his present position tuau uau no been ou tuo ticket. Tho stato committco iu forinor years h:is uot been noted for its great energy. Tho young men who aro now managing it aro putting their shoulders to the wheel iu good earnest, aud, if the ic ports of Democratic assistauco to the Cam erous iu previous campaigus aro truo, probably the party will loso nothing by tho new vigor that is at the head of affairs. Mr. Heusel was asked what tho committee were doing in the way of organization. "Wo are endeavoring," he said) "to build up from the individual voter. Wo are not content to stop with tho couaty committees, but aro organizing by school districts in tho country and by blocks iu tho cities. The county committees consist of members from each of the election dis tricts, aud they iu turn select a worker for each of tho school districts who can be made responsible for the thirty or fifty votes within his immediate bailiwick. These aro put in direct communication with tho central committee, and wo will thus have some 20,000 mon through whom we can reach practically every Democrat in tho stato. We expect to have this or ganization perfected within tho next two weeks, leaving us a fortnight to work in before tho registry. This system, you will remember, was that so successfully adopted by Mr. Tihlen in the Now York campaign of '73." " What response havo you had from tho county committees?" " We hear that tho organization is be ing made thorough and efficient. Thcro is delay iu some counties, owing to tbo late date at which tho couuly conventions are being held, hut in these cases we arc urging the old chairman to go ahead and perfect tho organization, ready to turn it over in good shape to tho committees to bo chosen later. Tho committco iu Phila delphia has been activo since its appoint ment in April, and in Allegheny, winch polls tho next largest Democratic votc.tho new chairmau aud committco will be chosen noxt Tuesday. The Democrats of Philadelphia feel coutideut that they havo signal advantages this year in tho unusual opportunities ollered for a fair aud honest count." " And thoy aro what ?" "Tho Democrats havo gained largely in representation iu tho election hoards. Tho tax office is orgauized ou a non-partisan basis, and wo aro relieved from tho inter ference of 1,200 iioliceincu, who, hereto fore, have becu activo agouls of the Republican party at the polls. Mayor King, elected as a Democrat, but with tho aid of tho reform Republicans, has forbid den the pohco to interfere at tho polls, or iu any way fur tho boneiit of tho ouo sido or the other ; aud ho is iu a position to enforce compliance with his orders. Wo expect to havo a free aud fair ballot in Philadelphia this year, aud that will mean a large increase iu tho Democratic vote." Tlio Toll Tax iu ronnsylraulii. " What is your advantage iu nou-paiti-san tax collectors "' ".Under tho new constitution of this statu the payment of a stato or county tax of fifty cents for a single man aud f.wcuty fivo cents for a married man you see, wo place a premium ou matrimony in Penn sylvania is a necessary qualification be fore voting. The pernicious practice has sprung up iu many communities, especially in tho cities, of party loaders paying these taxes by tho wholesale. Thero h;is been much complaint, and iu this city the complaint has been justified by tho ex posures of judicial investigation that Re publican tax collectors havo given undue advantage to tho politicians of their party. The law requires that this tax shall be paid thirty days before election. Tho tax collector can givo the politicians of his party the opportunity to pay on tho day of election the taxes of delinquent voters, dating hack the receipts to the day re quited by law. "This payment of poll tax in Pennsyl vania is ono of tho heaviest drafts upon the campaign funds of both partios. In tho election of Hoyt tho Republican commit tco of this county paid over $2,000 for the poll tax of Republican voters, and the Democratic committee a considerable sum. The Virginia Readjustee aro endeavoring to secure tho repeal of a similar require ment in that state, because, doubtless, the nauper negro vote costs them in this way too large a sura. In Pennsylvania well-to-do farmers or merchants expect, as a matter of course, that the party will pay this tax for them. It is a part of the con stitution and cannot be easily repealed, but it is likely that tho matter will sooii be brought beforo tho supremo court. Somo of the judges of tho lower courts have hold that tho payraont of tho tax by proxy docs not quality tho voter unless express authority ou his part was sworn. Other judges have held that tho posses sion of a tax receipt is prima facio evi dence that the tax has been paid by the holder, and that the election officers havo not the power to go behind it. Until the matter is finally decided by the court of last resort the election officers will proba bly incline to tho latter view." Tbe Labor Question. "Besides the regular Republican, the Independent, the Democratic and the Pro- hition tickets, the Greenback-Labor party uas aiso a mu sec ot candidates in the field. In the campaign of 1878 this Dartv polled some 70,000 votes, three-fourths of wnicn were undoubtedly drawn from tho Democratic lines. The suspicion is abroad that the Cameron people are putting out a good deal of money in the organization of this party and in securing the influence of local leaders to swell the number of those joining the organization. With such an understanding in advance it would ba easy to manage that Republican members of the party should vote the regular ticket on I election day, and that the deluded Demo l crate should be persuaded to stick by their party to the last. In connection with Cameron leaders through the state I opine that tho Independent vote is largely dis counted by them on the basis of as large a Democratic vote for Armstrong, tbo Labor candidate for governor." " What about tho Labor vote, Mr. Hon- bCl?" "Fears havo been expressed by somo Democrats," said he, "and a boast to that effect has been attributed to Stato Chair man Cooper, that tho Labor movement can bo manipulated to cripple tho Democrats by drawing off proportionately a larger number of them than of Republicans. That was secretly aud successfully done iu 1878. It was successful mainly becauso it was secretly managed. That exjierienco taught tho Democrats n lesson. Not only aro they now forewarned against tho at tempted repetition of it ; but, as Demo cratic workingmen are as independent and loyal as Republican workingmen, our peo ple do uot proposo to bo made cat's paws of for Republican politicians. If tho Labor ticket and Labor movement aro maintained sincerely to tho oud thoir candidates will no doubt poll a considerable voto from both parties, hut if thore is any movo to trado it off or sell it out in the special in terest of the Republicans tho- Democratic workingmen will tako tho alarm and re turn to thoir party. It is entirely too oarlv now to calculato tho chances of the Labor ticket or to fairly judge of the pur poses of tboso who havo put it into tuo field. Nothing ha3 vet been dovclopcd to justify tho charges of bad faith, but after tho experiences of 1S7S the Democrats are suspicious aud alert." The Democratic Ticket. "How has your ticket been rccoived by tho Democrats ?" "Our candidates havo now been boforo tho stato for nearly fivo weeks, aud tho personal charactor and political record of each ef them has hcon absolutely unchal lenged. I moan this without reservation, except that Mr. Pattison has been sneered at as a 'Maryland bantling.' Ho was born in Maryland, whero his father ono of the best known Methodist ministers in tho Philadelphia conference happened to be stationed at tho time. Tho boy was brought to Philadelphia when ho was six years old, and there has lived ever since. Chairmau Cooper, by the way, was born iu Ohio, aud tho Republican candidate for lieutenant governor was also born out of tho stato. No dissatisfaction, with tho ticket is reported from any quarter; no bolt is threatened. I havo never known tho Democratic press to bo so unanimous and hearty. Each of tho candidates is promised a conservative local and personal support from Republicans. Since his nomination Controller Pattison has remained stead fast at his desk, attending regularly to tho important daily duties of the offico. He will, no doubt, bo seen aud heard during tho campaign at somo poiuts, but not to tho neglect of tho duties to which he was elected aud is paid to perform for the city of .Philadelphia. Tho uprightness and consistency with which bo has discharged them will not bo interfered with by any claims upon his time or attention by tho stato committee, uor will ho forget them in his campaign. Ue did not attend the convention which nominated him, ho has not been swerved from his straightforward official course by auy considerations of his candidacy, and ho will do nothing in the campaign to forfeit tho respect which tho dignity and honesty of his public career havo gained for him from peoplo of all parties." A Cameron Viow or Tilings. The couuly of Lancaster is one of tho threo banner Republicau counties of the stato. Its majority is from six thousand to eight thousand. Tho leader of the regular Republican wing in tho county is Mr. John A. Ueistand, editor of the Ex aminer newspaper. When asked to-day what would be tho issue of tho campaign he said : " I have no doubt of the success of the regular ticket. Thoro is great dis organization in all parties just now, but with us organization will bo perfected be foro election day, while tho lack of pur pose and discipline in both tho Democratic aud Independent organizations will bo in creased iu tho interval. Tho refusal of tho Independents to accept tho fair pro position lor union made them is bringing back to us thousands of Republicans who were wavering boforo that." Wolfe polled some 1,500 votes iu this county last year. Ex-Chairniau Brown, of the county committee, says that tho Independent voto will bo no larger this year, although the party has made a thor ough organization of tho county. " Whou brought faco to faco with an issue that threatens a Republicau defeat aud tho surrender of tho state, not only now but in 1884, to tho Democrats, a genuiue Re publicau without personal hatreds or dis appointments," he said, " is not disposed to givo a voto which is really a vote for the Democratic candidates." Au Independent View. Mr. Edwin K. Martin is the leader of the Independents in this section. Uo is a well-to-do young lawyer, without political aspirations in the war of office so far as can be learned. On a recent visit to Lan caster General Beaver paid him a two hours' visit, but his persuasivouess doos not seem to have shaken Mr. Martin's iudepondenco or vigor in behalf of the Stewart ticket. " What do you expect to do by losing tho stato the Republicans?" ho was asked to-day. "Why, wo expect to save tho stato to them," ho eaid. "This Cameron frog pond is so covered with the scum of fraud, proscription and corruption that tho Re publican party is dying from tho malaria of it. Wo will purify tho party of it this year, and next wo can go into the fight again with a party that deserves, no less thau it is able, to v, in success." " Do you expect to poll enough votes to defoat Beaver?" "Undoubtedly. Wo have a strength of a hundred thousand votes now and we will add to that before election day. Wo will poll over fonr thousand votes in this county, for instauco. In Philadelphia and along tho tier of counties whero is Mr. Mitchell's home wo have a still larger and moro active strength. Boaver cannot bo elected." Still, even with these varied views, a remark of Colonel W. B. Fordney, a veteran Democratic lawyer of Lancaster, probably best expresses the situation. "Matters are susper coll," he said, "which may bo interpreted ' No man knows on which sido the beef will finally fall.' A good deal may happen between now and eloction day, aud who will tret the beef de pends upon many things." The most im portant of tho possible contingencies is how many JJemocratic votes can Mr. Cameron's money and Mr. Ilubboll's as sessments manage to buy. Democratic Victory In Alabama. The election for governor, secretary of state, attorney general, superintendent of education, treasurer and auditor and mem bers of the General Assembly was held in Alabama ou Monday. So far no disturb ances in tho state aro reported. The elec tion was very quiet. Democratic success is conceded, mere bas not been much excitement. Very few Renublicans are running for the Legislature. The returns are yet toe meagre to base dispatches on. DlplomaUo changes. Dwight Reed, at present secretary of legation at Madrid, will be made chief of the consular bureau of the state depart ment, in place of Mr. Adee, recently ap pointed thud assistant secretary of state. Mr. Reed is not expected in Washington before December 1st; meantime Gustavus Goward. appointed sscretarv of lemtion at Madrid, will act as chief of the bureau. THE NEWS QE TO-DAY. STKUCK DOWN BX THK UUUTNIKG. Buildings Baraed aad Feraoas lejared ta Various farts ot the Country by tbe Electric Bolt. Tho Presbyterian church spire at Stam ford, Conn., was struck by lightning at 2:30 o'clock Monday afternoon, and by 1 o'clock the whole building was on fixe, when the roof fell in. It is supposed two men perished in tho flames. William Brown, colored, was rescued still alivo in an almost unrccognizablo condition. The adjacent buildiug, tho residenco of Ros wcll Hoyt, was also destroyed, after most of tho luruituro had been saved. The mayor telegraphed to Norwalk for help, aud a steamer arrived in timo to do good work. The loss on tho church, is $33,000. Roswoll Iloyt's loss is $8,000. During tbo sarao storm lightning struck tho straw factory of II. D. White, making threo holes in tho roof, passing down into the offico and stunning and burning James Wallace, tho bookkeeper. Lightning also struck tho residenco of George Roberts, damaging tho building and blistoriug Mr. Roberts' back aud blackening his legs and feet. Uo. is badly hurt. Other mem bers of his family weie stunned and blis tered. Ono of tho summer houso-s on tho bluff, opposite Jauch's hotel, at Long Branch, was struck by lightning duriug the storm. Tho eud of tbo building was torn off, and four persons who lrj.d sought shelter in it wore prostrated, one of them, Police Officer Jnhu Conuors, being seri ously injured. Ho was unconscious for several bourn, and is uow in a critical con dition. A largo barn, owned by William Light, near Ilarrisburg, was struck by lightning and was entirely destroyed, with its con tents, including this year's crops. Lightning struck and destroyed a barn on tho farm of John Ingham, in Warren county, N. J. Tho lightning also struck and damaged a house at Easton, Pa. Much damage was done to crops. Iu the township anil vicinity ot Northampton, adjoining E.istou, gulllies fiom three to ten feet deep wero made iu fields, aud tho streets of the town wero damaged to tho extent of several hundred dollars. Tho entire damage by the storm is roughly estimated at from $5,000 to $G,000. Two terrilio thunder and rain storms visited Scrauluu. Trees wero uprooted and houses unroofed. Many cellars wero flooded. Considerable damage was dono to tho crops. During tho storm last even ing the scaffolding of tho new court house was struck by lightning. Jesse Brown, a colored man, was killed by lightning at Waterford, New York, while he was standing iu a hcu-roost, whithor ho had taken refuge. Lightning struck in three places iu Mid dle town, N. Y. J. C. Mullisou's house was slightly damaged, but tho inmates wero not injured Mrs. McCrea was knocked seuseless iu her houso by a ball of tiro which camo down a lightning rod, en tering an open basemont door. She will recover. A barn on Huston's farm, on tho outskirts of the village, was burned, with $1,200 worth of crops. Tho farm house of B. II. Holbert, near State Hill, six miles south of Middlctown, was set ou fire by lightning, which tore down through the centre of tho building. Seventeen persons wore in tho houso, including twelve boarders from Now York. No ouo was hurt. Damago by Bain In the South. Recent heavy rains at Lynchburg aud throughout southwestern Virginia havo Hooded all tho swollen streams and done great damage to the crops aud other property. There havo been large washouts on tho Norfolk aud Western aud Rich mond and Allegheny railroads, but tho tracks aro now repaired. There was a heavy rain from Moutcrcy, Mexico, to Corpus Christi, Texas, duriug tho whole of Sunday night. A violent hailstorm passed over rJmilulph, Ontario, yesterday afternoon, damaging tho standing crops. Indians With Breech Loaders. Indian Agent Miles telegraphs to tho commissioner of Indian affairs from Reno, in the Indian Territory, uuder date of the 5tb inst., that Indians from that aud tho Kiowa agency "had bought breech-loading guns of tho best pattern from traders at Caldwell, Kansas," aud he asks " what course shall bo pursuod to prevent such dangerous practice?" Tho commission says that overy effort will be mado to cor rect such abuses. Yellow Jack's Onward niiirch. Eighteen new cases of yellow fever ami ouo death were reported in Brownsville, Texa, during tho 21 hours ending Sun day. Tho mayor has buon sick of the dis ease. In Matauioras, Mexico, tbo number of deaths has reached 7. Thcro is au in crease iu tho number of cases, but no fig ures aro given. Tho United States port sur geon at Laredo, Texas, denies that thero aro any cases of yellow fever in that city or viciuity. Mortality from the 11 eat. Tho weather throughout tho United States aud Canada continued very warm yesterday, the temperature at many places rangiug far above t)0 iu tho shade. The death-rate, especially among children, is unusually high, iu consequence of the heat of tho last two weeks. Our Wauderiug Secretaries. Secretary Chandler expects to leavu Washington noxt Monday, in tho United States steamer Tallapoosa, on his tour of inspection of tho northern and eastern navy yards, Scoretary Teller left Wash ington last night for tho West. Ho will go to Illinois and Colorado, and expects to bo absent about threo weeks. AIOKNINU NEWS MISCfcH-AN V. Tbo Itecord oritecent Notable Occurences. Tho boilor of a steam thresher exploded at Kingsvillo, Ontario, killing Frederick Lyons aud doing much damage to property. A keg of powder exploded in tho Dutch coal mine at Washington, Indiana, fatally injuring Goorge Weaver and a boy named Alfred Hamar. The disaster was caused by the boy's carelessness. A train on the East Line railroad was wrecked near Winnsboro, Texas, killing Conductor Fowler, Mail Agent Charles Harper, Express Agent Isaac Rossor, and a passenger named Fetro. Several others wero injured. A fire at George May & Co.'s mills, near North Troy, Vermont, burned over several hundred acres of woodland aud consumed a dwelling occupiod by Albert Frasior. A child in tbe houso was ser iously, if not fatally burned. A fire in Gardiner, 'Maine, Monday do. stroyed about a dozen saw and planing mills, furniture factories, etc., and sixty dwellings, causing a loss estimated at $200,000. Over 300 men are thrown out of employment. It is reported that two lives were lost during the progress of tho fire. The steamship Vandalia, which arrived at New York yesterday from Hamburg, reports having passed seven icebergs dur iug her voyage, "tho smallest of which must have been 100 feet in height." The stato eamp at Lowistowu was thronged with visitors yesterday. Ono death occurred in the camp on Sunday night, but it is said that very few men aro on the sick list, and none of tho cases are serious. The weather was somewhat cooler yesterday, after a light shower. Sals ol Keal Estate. Allan A.Herr &co., real estate and in surance agents, have sold at private sale for Peter Winour, a two-story brick dwell ing, No. 415 West King street, to J. M. Herzog, for $3,500. THE L,ATTEK BNIV Betes Disquisition oa a, Familiar Collo quialism For tbe larauancKB. Lj it proper, or allowable, in writing, or in speaking, to use the words latter, end under circumstances, and especially when applied to a day, a week, a month or a year ? Can any of these divisions of time havo more than ono end ? A rope, a chain, a wire, or a picco of timber may have two ends, but it might be difficult to determine definitely which was tho former and which the latter end of auy of these objects; the caso would be entirely under tho control of circumstances. Wo aro led to these reflec tions from tho fact that wo havo seen linguistic criticism ou tho phrase " latter end," and wo have also seen it used by many respectable authorities. A day, a week, a month and a year have each a beginning and an end ; but as it would be absurd to say aud write about tho former begiuning of any of these periods of timo, it would seem equally ab surd to speak or writo about tho former or latter ends of any of them; for, if they really havo a latter end, thoy must neces sarily havo an end that is not the latter one. Wo remember of being exceedingly amused in our boyhood at au old "for eigner " who was iu the habit of saying " leather end" when ho used this phrase. Perhaps ho could not understand how theso divisions of time could havo a latter end, as contradistinguished from somo other end ; but supposed they might have a leather end. Would it uot be sufficient to writo or to say simply tho eud of tho day, week, month or year ? If wo did not mean abso lutely tho last day of any ot theso periods, wo might qualify it by saying or writing " about" or " near" tho end, as wo do when wo refer to tbo beginning or tho middle of any period of timo. But thcro aro many able and sensible objectors to tho indefinite term " about" under any circumstances. About four or fivo hun dred aro very indefinite terms when used as descrintivo of time, object or place. They leave a- margin of ono hundred iu tho category of inaccuracy, and aro quite as indefinite as latter eud, although less arbitrary, perhaps. Latter days, latter weeks, latter month, or latter years may all be proper, wheu re fer ing to any particular period of time ; because, then phrases allude to the days, weeks, months or years next proceeding tho ends of thoso periods ; but wheu the end has fully come, the termination of tho period seems absolute, and docs not admit such a qualification as "latter," as though thcro was some other end that was not the latter one. Wo know these congitations may all bo more bagatelles, but then such "kinks" will sometimes get into tho miud aud torment it with thoir incessant repetitions, aud wo can no more extract ourselves from them than could Mark Twain from the pertinacious thurapings of his "Horso-car poetry." Wo havo been admonished that "peas planted iu tho latter end of this month will mature beforo frost, "aud wo aro both ered to know exactly when to find that end, aud whether tho month has some other end that is not iho latter ono. Such instruction may bo perfectly satisfactory to that "helter-skelter" kiud of people who are indifferent as to when aud whero, aud how they do a thing, but we would liko to bo a little more precise, because, a singlo day too I a to may throw us just that far beyond tho "frost-line." The calender or absolute end of tho month is on the 31st inst., at 12 o'clock at night that is tho very latest end hut surely tho above in structions do uot refer to that end, aud, if not, when and where, and how aro we to determine tho latter end. Of coiirsc,uobudy would look for it, or expect to find it in tho first, second or third quarters of tho month; neither would auy man of ordinary method, en lowed with precision, locate it in tuo louitu. or last quarter; and yet, perhaps, that is tho very "head and front" of the above instruction. Hut suppose the jieas were planted on tho 29th or 30th of August,although that might he legitimate ly considered tho latter part of tho month, tho end itself could not occur until the 31st, nor is any other end admissible under any circumstances. It iormer aud latter are to be understood as all other dual ex tremes of comparison hard aud soft, high aud low, big aud little, hot and cold they do not become more definite by au ambiguous qualification. Now, this is not an analytical dissertation ou tho struc ture of our local phraseology, nor au or thographical, prosodial, or syntaxieal dis quisition, nor yet a linguistic hypercriti cism uor remotely intended as such it is simply a groping aud floundering amongst the lights aud wrongs " tho sublimu aud tho ridiculous " iu tho cate gory of literary composition and of cpccch. It is a matter of paramount im portance that tho rising generation should know precisely whether au hour, a day, a week, a month, a year, a decade, an epoch, or auy other imaginable period of tune, has more thau ouo end an cud that is latter, and an cud that is not latter. Because, thcro is au Oscar Wildo "among us takin' notes, and faith he'll prent 'em." It would bo an " awful " contingency if this phrase wcio to fall under tho criti cism of Oscar Wildo as one of our absurd " Americanisms." Can-Robeut. LOSING T11KIK EAli. John Conlln litis an Kar Shot On and Joseph Murphy lias One Bit Off. Yesterday afternoon a rather serious al tercation took placo on Locust street be tween John Lonlm and a one-legged man named Jacob Brobst. Tho facts, as re ported to us, aro as follows : Brobst and his wife had been invited to visit a couple of new houses recently erected by Mr. Utziugcr. On coming out of one of the houses thoy encountered Conhn, who was sitting at tho front door. Conliu used very bad languago to Mr. and Mrs. Brobst, which so enraged tho latter that ho struck him over the head with a heavy cano and drew a pis tol on him, fired twice and shot hitn through tho left ear. Dr. Wost haeffor was called and patched up the lacerated ear. Conlin made complaint before Alderman Alex. Donually, charg ing Brobst with felonious assault and battery and carrying concealed deadly weapons. ISrobst was arrested and enter ed bail for a hearing. Ho asserts that ho did not have a pistol in bis possession, but that bo cut Conlin's car open witu a blow from his club after Coulin had grossly in sulted him and his wife. Last evening at Koring's salodb, corner of East Chestnut and Ptum streets, Wm. Nicholson and Joseph Murphy got into a fight. The battle was nip-and-tuck for a while, but finally Nicholson got Murphy's left ear in his mouth and hung on like a terrier, lacerating the. ear in a shocking mauner. This unusual modo of warfare squelched Murphy, and his only consola tion was to make complaint against the victor. Nicholson was arrested, and in default of bail was committed for a further hearing. The Hook and Ladder Company. At a meeting of tbe committee on lire engines and hose, held last evening a reso lution was proposed favoring the selling of the horses used by the hook and ladder company ; the discharge of the driver and tillerman ; the rebuilding of the truck broken at the late fire, and, whenever it shall be needed at a fire, it shall be hauled there by the horses of tbo first engine that reaches the scene. The proposed plan has caused much unfavorable comment. YESTERDAYS STORM. MAKBS BAD WOKK la TUB LOWCK EMD ira-elllac. Basa Jf leasts, Bridges and Crops Swept Away The uuarryvliie Kail road Track Dasaaged A Heavy Flood. The heaviest rain that ever visited the lower end and middle of this eouBty fell yesterday afternoon. It began about two o'clock and poured in torrents until four, and the results aro very serious losses to those living along the streams as well as to all the farming community. A representative of the Intelliuencer repaired to the section which seems to have suffered the heaviest, ami some of the scenes were really terrible In tbo vicini ty of Quarryville all the corn is badly damaged, and in the bottoms is ruined. the tobacco fields are washed over, and in eome places it would be hard to tell that thero had been anything planted. The Quarryville railroad is badly dam aged from Refton down. No trains have been able to run nor will they bo likely to get into Quarryville for several days. At the "Y" all the track is washed off tbe mam line and tho heavy iron bridge is moved at least ten feet from tho stone work, and for one hundred yards above it the switch and main track is clear off the road bed and tho rails badly bent. On that part running out on the Cabeen bank thcro was a very heavy trestle work of the heaviest kiud of timber. It, with the tails, is washed away entirely and tbe stone work is destroyed ; tho road bridge on the public road is also washed away. At this point the water was higher by odds than it has ever been known and not a fence in all tbe meadows around the " Y " is left. George Witmer, whose residenco and farm aro there, is a heavy loser ; his corn is badly damaged, and at his tenant bouse tho truck patch and garden and fences havo all gone down the stream. Just below this is the new branch to the mines and which was abont ready for the ballast. It is almost ruined, the cul verts and bridges', as well as tho embank ments being washed away, and great gut ters torn in the excavations. At the mines tho damage is extensive. Tho worst. .M-fiim to 1m that of tho Mon oxy, whieii ;s managed by John Rowe. The mud d.tut is entirely destroyed, which will lie a --iious loss, as it was ono of tho bcbt in thai, section, aud lad lately iv;u finished. Part of the stable w.is washed away and with it ten fat hogs owned by one of tho em ployes. The entire loss to this man will be over $2,00O; and will bo likely to stop work for somo timo as tho pits are full of water. At New Providence where the railroad coropauy hud put up only a short time ago a first-clas-. M-mo and iron bridge as they supposed, high enough for tho highest water, basjiecn washed away, inis will be a serious loss aud will take some timo to re build it. All along tho road from this point to Quarry villo tho whole of the culverts will have to be overhauled. Tbo bridge at this point was all of first -class work and is the most important on tbe road outside of the big bridges. It was built of red sandstone from Lebanon val ley and. cost at least $6,000. It is a total loss. From New Provideuce to Refton the scene is terrible. All along Big Beaver the tobacco is all drowned out ; all tho corn is ruined, and at Refton the county bridge is washed down to Reynold's mill and has cut its way through the willow trees. The railroad bridge is still stand ing, being somo eight feet higher than the county bridge, but it is very badly dam aged. The houses alongside the bridgo are badly damaged, aud no fences aro left to tell the tale, and the gardens aro a com plete ruin. The corn is gone, and a moro complete scene of desolation could not be found. At New Providence, B. A. SmiUi & Bro., will lose $1,500 in mill feed, and also all their tobacco growing iu tho mea dows. All the tobacco in this village is more or less injured, and tho roads aro all gono but the stones. John Hildobrand's fine place is badly damaged around tbo grounds. Tho largo stone wall is partly swept away, and tho trees near it aie gone. Ilia loss will be heavy. At Shultz's mill tho dam is broken and the lower floor was lloo.led and consider ble oats floated away, as widl as some fenco around the building. At the mines around New Providence tho damage is more serious than wo bad supposed. All the inud dams aro gono aud tho boles are full, Mopping work for some time. Tho men are all looking on and taking in the situation. At Geiger's mines tho voir belonging to Harvey Smith was washed away aud drowncf. All the spring houses aio washed away. On tho Conowiugo all tbe dams aro swept away. This will boa very serious loss. Tho meadows aro all Hooded. All the streams in the lower end wero high and the damago will bo very great and travel will be impeded for several days ; bnt further south the damago dors not seem to be so severe. The rain seems to have been confined to a radius of 10 miles. From Refton to Quarryville wero tho heaviest rain and tbe streams on both sides seem to have all been high. The heavy rain seems to have gone out as far as Rawliusville, where the roads are badly damaged and tho bridges gone on al I the streams. At Smithville we havo reports of muck damage. The lightning struck into the house of Peter Finncfrock, but did no damage. Samuel Miller had considerable loss at his mill at Refton. He says the water was 1 inches higher than it has ever been ; 24 years ago it was just that much lower. Additional ew ol the Sterna. There were several humorous incidents in connection with tbe storm and some aro just as sad. Benjamin Shaub, residing near Quarry villo tells a good story of bis chickens : They were roosting on tho lower rail of a fence near a creek when the water began rising. It gradually became higher aud tho chickens would change their positions until they were on the top one. They did not remain there long until the water took tho feuce away and they perished. A horse aud colt belonging to Jacob Bradly, who resides on Hopkins faraa, at the old Conowingo furnace, were pasturing in a meadow along the Conowingo, when the storm carried both away. The horse wasswept about a mile down the stream, when it succeeded in getting out of tho water. The colt was drowned. At Hopkins mill the race and trunking is gone and tbe dam breast injured. Threo acres of tobacco ou Mr.'Hopkins farm be longing to Abram Sheuk and Benjamin Bleacher was swept away. The loss to the tobacco of Dr. J. H. Deaver, near the Buck, will reach $1,000. E. M. Stauffer, residing at Long's mill, will lose at least (COO worth of tobacco. The breast of the dam at the mill is also torn away. Adam Hoke resides at tho bridge of tho creek aear Green tree. Tho water became so high that Mrs. Hoke had to leave the house with her children and go out on iho railroad to escape drowning. Four cows belonging to David Haraisb, near West Willow, were killed by light ning during the storm. A Carrier's Great Flights Mr. Chas. Homaa, residing on North 4 Queen street, has a carrier pigeon which " flew from Mifflin to Lancaster in nn hnnr and forty-five miaates distance eighty- six miles and if any one can beat this he would like to hear from him. Mr. Hoataa claims it was the best time ever smads be tween the points named.