Pittsburg dispatch. (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, January 12, 1889, Page 4, Image 4

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    THE -PITTSBURG DISPATCH, SATURDAY, JANUARY 12, 1889.
BiWfc
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LSTABLISHED FEBRUARY 8, 1616.
VoL 43, No, 3M. -Entered at Pittsburg Ijst
offlcc, November It, 1S87, as seoona-class matter.
Business Office 97 and99 Filth Avenue.
News Booms and Publishing House 75,
77 and 79 Diamond Street
This paper hating more than Double tho
circulation of any other in the State ouulde
olPhlladclphia, Its adTantngcs as an adver
tising medium will be apparent.
TERMS OF THE DISPATCH
rosTACK ritEi in tue united states.
Daily Dispatch, Due Year. J 800
Daily Dispatch, Per Quarter 100
Dailv Dispatch, One Month W
Daily Dispatch, including Sunday; oae
year 10 00
Daily Dispatch, including Bunday, per
quarter 250
Daily Dispatch, Including Sunday, one
month M
Eckday DisrATCH, oneyear 150
Weekly Dispatch, one year 123
The Daily Dispatch Is delivered by carriers at
15 cents per week, orincludingthebuuday edition,
at SO cents per -week.
PITTSBURG, SATURDAY. JAN. 12, 1SS9.
THE PEBENIOAL QUESTION.
The introduction of a new bill making
further amendments to the street improve
ment act, recalls the fact that we have a
law on that subject, which as yet deserves
to be given the benefit of the doubt as to its
validity. That law, at the time of its
passage, was thought to afford a solution of
the street improvement difficulties; and it
seems rather harsh treatment to have it
condemned in the house of its friends be
fore any decision has been given against it.
It will certainly surprise a good many peo
ple to learn that no improvements are being
made under it. The general impression
has been that the East End sewers, Xegley
avenue and the movement to improve
Center avenue are founded on that act.
If the summary of the provisions contained
in the new bill are correct, it would seem to
be very questionable whether the amend
ments would stand the ordeal oi the
Supreme Court much better than the
present law. "We can hardly see how
after the Pcnn avenue decisions,
legislation which takes away from
a majority in interest the right
to object to improvements in some cases,
and lawsuit in others, would be expected to
stand. 2 or does the intimated abandon
ment of the assessments for benefits which
is not very clear in the report and may be
erroneous improve matters Tcry much.
"While it is undoubtedly the case that in
most instances the benefits correspond to the
foot frontage, there are exceptions. "When
this method was adopted, it was thought to
meet all requirements; and it hardly seems
wise to abandon it without a trial.
There was practical sense in the proposi
tion, made some time ago, to make up a test
case under the present law and send it to
the Supreme Court. It would seem better
to endure the limited ills that might arise
from such a course than fly to others that we
know not of, under the proposed amend
ments. THE CHRONIC DEADLOCK.
The condition of pernicious inactivity to
which the House has reduced itself is in
structive as to the workings of our national
legislative machinery. First an attempt is
made to fix up things so as to give priority
to certain large-sized measure, in favor of
big interests, and it is blocked by the
opponents of the bills. Then another mem
ber chokes off all legislation because he
cannot get his pet measure in ahead of the
rest, and, finally, another carries out the
policy of the member of Parliament in
"Nicholas Nickleby"by objecting to every
thing on general principles. It is well to
bear in mind that ail this arises with refer
ence to special legislation, of which there is
such a mass that it can only go through
under suspension of the ruleB. A very
satisfactory remedy of the difficulty could
be furnished by abolishing all special legis
lation; but, prior to that, the most necessary
reform is to get an improved breed of states
men. NOT "WISE LEGISLATION.
The Ohio Legislature is very strongly set
in the direction of legislative prescription of
charges for public services; and the meas
ures it is considering are certainly radical
enough in their reductions. Bills are before
it reducing railway passenger charges to two
cents a mile, and telephone charges to three
dollars per month. The first rate is not more
radical than the majority of the railroads
could stand, while the second is a very
sweeping cut on the present rates for
telephones.
The vital error of all such bills is that
they do not take into account the fact that
just charges vary with circumstances. Two
cents a mile may be lair enough on through
lines of railway; but on a local road rnnning
into a new section, five cents a mile may not
be more than will pay expenses. Thirty-six
dollars a year may be profitable for many
telephone circuits, but there may be many
cases where twice or thrice that charge on a
few instruments will not more than pay ex
penses, and yield a profit on the cost of
lines and instruments. Those who need
telephones under such cases might save hun
dreds of dollars by them; but such a law
would forbid them from it Hard cases
make bad laws.
THE REGULAR THING.
The decision which is announced as hav
ing been arrived at with regard to the new
Government library building strictly fol
lows the precedents with regard to public
buildings at "Washington. This structure
was originally authorized with the cost lim
ited to $3,000,000; and people looking at our
new 52,000,000 Court House will agree that
this sum ought to furnish an adequate li
brary building. But the architects and con
tractors did not think so, and proceeded to
start the structure on a ten million scale.
This created a row and work was stopped.
Congress now appears to have come to the
conclusion that it is necessary to compromise
with the fellows who set aside the legal
limitation, and it is announced that work is
to go ahead on a 0,000,000 limit This suc
cess of the first violation of the limit may
probably induce the expansionists to amend
their plans so as to make the building cost
520,000,000. After the cost has been doubled
a few times more, there will be no necessity
of troubling anyone about that surplus.
IN THE SAME POSITION.
It is interesting to observe that S. C T.
Dodds, Esq., comes to the front with a
claim that the decision of Judge Barrett
against the Sugar Trust does not affect his
combine, the Standard Oil Trust which he
asserts to be "a union of stockholders and
not of corporations."
Like most of Mr. Dodds deliverances on
the combination question, this has a slight
admixture of accuracy, in connection with
a very large percentage of untruth. The
Standard Oil Trust combines a slight ele
ment of stockholding interests in corpora
tions which it docs not completely own; bnt
the vast bulk of its component parts is made
up of corporations which were combined by
exactly the methods which Judge Barrett so
rigorously dissects.
Supposing the trust to be exclusively
what it claims to be, "a union of stock
holders," there is a veiy decisive statement
of its character, and its position before the
law, in the following extract from Judge
Barrett's decision:
Any combination, the tendency of which is
to prevent competition in its broad and gen
eral sense and to control, and thus, at will,
enhance prices to the detnment of the pub
lic, 's a legal monopoly. And this rulo is ap
plicable to every monopoly, whether the sup
ply be restricted by nature or susceptible of
indefinite production. Fortunately
the law is able to protect itself. And while
further legislation, both preventive and dis
ciplinary, may be suitable to check and pun
ish exceptional wrongs, yet there is existing, to
use the phrase of a distinguished English
judge, "plain law and plain sense" enough to
deal with corporate abuses like the present
abuses which, if allowed to thrive and become
general, must inevitably lead to the oppression
of the people, and ultimately to the subversion
of their political rights.
It would not be strange if the Standard
Oil Trust were able to ignore and over
ride the law, as declared by Judge Barrett
as it has done with other plain principles of
law and equity. But it is of much value
to the people to have its legal status so
clearly defined as it is in the above words.
CAPITAL AS A BOYCOTTEB.
Some of the inside details of the railroad
agreement which are coming out by frag
ments, put the distinguished representatives
of the financial interests at that gathering
in a rather peculiar public light. One of
the covenants is stated to be that, in answer
to a complaint of President Boberts, a
pledge was given that none of the three
banking houses would float any securities
for a new railroad intended to compete with
any of the old lines.
This boycott, as one report correctly
terms it entered into by the greatest repre
sentatives of capital in the laud, puts the
status of railway capital clearly before the
public. It has been frequently pointed out,
and also denied by the representatives of
the Pennsylvania Railroad, that what
trouble existed between the trunk lines was
for the purpose of choking off the South
Pcnn. The truth of that assertion is shown
by the appearance of this remarkable pro
vision in the agreement Ko enterprise,
however legitimate, or however solid its
securities, is to receive the privilege of
negotiating its securities through these
firms, if it exercises its legal right to com
pete with an existing road, and yet some
people claim that these agreements are not
intended to suppress competition!
The boycott of those banking firms named
is not likely to be very destructive of new
railroad enterprises. There are many thou
sands of millions of capital in the country
that are not carried in the vaults of these
bankers. If new enterprises exclude water
from their capitalization and are based on
sound business principles, people will be
ready to invest in them. But the position
of the 2ew York bankers is instructive.
Every merchant, every farmer, every man
ufacturer must take the chances of having
inconvenient competitors; but the great rail
road corporations, with all the strength of
concentrated capital and enjoying public
franchises, must not be expc . to the reg
lative force which is universal to the com
mon people. In the pursuit of that great
goal of privilege for the few, these bankers
resolve, that whatever the needs of any sec
tion for increased railroad facilities, they
will do their best to shut it out from in
vestors if it dares to start a line which will
compete with the favored corporations.
The courts have had something to say
with regard to misguided workingmen who
resort to the boycott It is pertinent to ask
what they will say to this boycott on the
part of great capitalists to sustain watered
stocks and a great railroad combination.
PEorLE in the Eastern cities now have
the chance to buy strawberries at $10 a
quart; but the Sugar Trust's desire to make
the price of the sugar to sweeten the berries
proportionate to that figure, has been sadly
hampered by Judge Barrett
The reckless and rapid manner with
which journalism comments upon events of
the day has often provoked adverse com
ment; but our esteemed cotemporary, the
Minneapolis Pioneer Press, is free from any
such fault in the following announcement:
"A person called "Ward McAllister, living
in the city of New York, has bumptiously
announced that the nnmber of people who
could really be reckoned 'in society' in
Gotham was not greater than four hun
dred." "McAllister's Four Hundred"
having formed one of the topical songs of a
year ago, it will be seen that the Pioneer
Press is totally exempt from the vice of
haste. At this rate there is reason to hope
that some time in the next century it will
attain a qualified degree of light on the sub
ject of the Inter-State Commerce act
The adjournment of the Coroner's in
quest because "we are not well enough
versed in the case," creates our special won
der how they are to become versed in the
case except by continuing the investigation
and hearing the testimony.
Mb. Ciiaules A. AsnBUUNxr.'s defense
of; the Geological Survey, given in the form
of an interview elsewhere, has an undoubted
foundation of truth, so far as the material
results from the work are concerned. "We
do not understand that anyone disputes that
it has been of value in giving information
as to the mineral resources of the State.
But there is some pertinence to the question
whether a work of that sort might not be
finished in a somewhat less period than
fifteen years.
The reported organization of a new
million dollar coke corporation indicates
that someone docs not place much faith in
the tragic representations of the amounts of
money that the coke business has been
losing for the past year.
The police and physicians of Chicago
who have been held up to public contempt
by the exposures of the daring and some
what sensational Times, have sned that
paper for amounts which now reach the neat
total of SI,118.000- The Times is under
stood to be aiming for a total of $20,000,000
before it pays attention to tbs libel matter.
It considers itself past the day of small
things.
Rider Haggaed is reported to be a
Tegetarian in diet Possibly he reserves the
meat to put into his stories. If some of our
American authors could accomplish similar
results it might be well for them to live
strictly on vegetables.
The intimation that Foster and Foraker
have locked horns over Ohio legislation, in
which the Standard Oil Company is inter
ested, and that Foraker is against the
Standard, will not, we fear, reconcile the
Democrats to their pet aversion, the Gover-
have
The Inter-State Commerce Commission
gives the railroads the benefit of some solid
facts in its annual report Let the railroad
magnates and their numerous mouthpieces
read, mark, learn and inwardly digest
Mb. S. C. T. Dodds' claim that the
Standard Oil Trust is not affected by the
Sugar Trust decision, because it is "a union
of stockholders and not of corporations,"
makes it pertinent that the Sugar Trust
made exactly the same claim that it was a j
union of stockholders. But it is in a fair
way of finding out its mistake.
Trie real estate exchange proposition will
be a very good one, if it does not fall into
the common error of making tho organiza
tion one to enhance the cost of the business
at the expense of buyers and sellers.
Judge Cooley's name is mentioned
among those who have given utterance to
the doctrine that "public office is a public
trust" If he can impress upon railroad
officials that their office is a trust, and not
one of the monopoly kind, he would be dis
charging fully the trust for which his office
was created.
The distress of the London Saturday Re
view at President Cleveland's rudeness is
evidently based upon its conviction that
rudeness is something of which its own
nation has a monopoly.
Jay HmiBEiii,. who is now living in
Boston, is reported as saying that he is
pining for the wild, free, upper peninsula.
But the wild, free, upper peninsula has failed
to pine for Jay Hubbell since it defeated
him for Congress, several years ago.
The stock market exhibits a distressing
distrust of the value of the railway Presi
dent's pledge that they will stop cutting
each others" throats.
The attempt to blow up the royal palace
at Madrid, the other day, docs not seem to
he much more successful than a Burlington
Bailroad dynamite plot. Spanish con
spiracies have a bad habit of being most
destructive in the newspaper reports.
PUBLIC PEOPLE PARAGRAPHED.
M. Jules Simon recently declared French
to be the most difficult language in which to
talk nonsense. Yet it has been the diplomatic
language of Europe.
The will of the late Lord Sackville. who left
the bulk of bis fortune to the Queen's maids of
honor, will bo contested by his sister, the
Countess of Derby.
Queen Mary IL and Queen Anne of En
gland were both born in the house of Sir
Mount-Stuart Grant-Duff, at Twickenham, In
which Laurence Oliphaut died.
John Stuart West, now living in England,
served under Mooro and Wellington in the
Peninsula, and afterward in the Kaffir "War.
He now has the munificent pension of a shill
ing a day.
Me. Richard Quay, son of the Pennsyl
vania Senator, is a partner of Senator Cameron
in the ownership of a splendid cattle ranch,
eight miles square, in Mexico. Mr. Coleman
Cameron and Mr. Brewster Cameron are also
in the firm. The Camcrons arc spending tho
winter on the ranch, and Mr. Quay will soon
join them there.
Aiioxa the other petty insults to which the
widowed .Empress Frederick has been sub
jeeted by her eldest son, is tho order recently
published in the Official Gazette depriving'her
of the use of tho imperial crown on her coat
of arms, and decreeing that in future she must
content herself with the attributes of a mere
Queen of Prussia.
A memorial of the late Sir Henry Maine, in
white marble, has been erected in Christ's
Hospital, London. It bears a detailed record
of his long and useful career, and concludes
thns: "This tablet is erected by governors and
former scholars, that for all succeeding genera
tions of 'Bines' it may point the moral 'Suc
cess and glory are the children of hard work
and God's favor.' "
M. Carnot is a first-class carpenter, and can
handle the saw and plane as well as any me
chanic. It was at Chabanals, in the Charente,
where his father possessed a chateau, that ho
learned the trade. Carnot, Sr., insisted that all
bis children should learn some occupation;
"there is no telling." he used to say; "you may
want it some day, for we live in strange times."
So Carnot, Jr., was put to the bench, and, ac
cording to his professor, one M. D. Large, who
is still living, acquitted himself most honor
ably. In memory of this event in his career, M.
Sardin, who was an apprentice at that time,
but is now a master cabinet-maker in the Fau
hours St. Antoine, demanded an audience of
the Chief of the State, and has received a re
ply to the effect that the President will bo
happy to meet his old fellow workman and talk
shop with him a little.
CHAUTAUQUA PROSPEROUS.
Annual Sleeting of the Trustees and Election
of OHIccri.
Special Telegram to tie Dispatch.
Akkon, January U. The annual meeting of
the Chautauqua Assembly Board of Trustees
was held in this city to day, Lewis Miller pre
siding. Bishop Vincent, Chancellor of Chau
tauqua, started from Buffalo, but was beaten
back by storm. The report of Secretary and
Superintendent W. A. Duncan, of Syracuse,
showed receipts for the year of SS3.129: expendi
tures, 863,991; leaving a balance of $19,236, which
was expended for improvements and in buying
additional assembly property. The indebted
ness to-day is $31,759, and in the past year $7,500
mortgages have been paid. The total debt re
duction in five years is $51,674. Secretary Dun
can says the prospects of tho assembly were
never better; that the troubles with lease
holders that resulted in litigation are over, and
that the best feeling now prevails. Ho recom
mends the starting of an endowment fund, that
the burdens of taxes and licenses may be re
duced. Officers were elected as follows: President
Lewis Miller, Akron; Chancellor, Bishop Vin
cent, Buffalo; Vice Presidents, F. H. Itoot, Buf
falo: Clem Studebakcr, South Bend, Ind.; Jacob
Miller, Canton; Secretary and Superintendent
W. A. Duncan, Syracuse, "N. Y.; Treasurer,
E.A. Skinner, Westfield, N. Y'.; Executive
Committee, F. H. Root, C Studebaker, Jacob
Miller, Win. Thomas, J. C. Gilford, J. T. Ed
wards. PLYMOUTH CHURCH EMBARRASSED.
Beccbcr'a Old Congregation Falling In Ar
rears in Its Financial Affairs.
New York, January 1L Tho financial affairs
of Plymouth Church are just now in a critical
condition, and thcro are indications that there
may bo great difficulty in meeting the current
expenses of the society and conducting its mis
sion work. This was strongly brought out at
the annual meeting, last evening. The receipts
during the past year have been only a trifle over
$20,00aand the expenditures have exceeded that
amount by $2,000.
In concluding a long article on the condition
of Mr. Beecher's old church, the Evening Post
says: "In face of this showing. Dr. Abbott, who
was paid $6,500 last year, wants his salarv raised
to $10,000 a year. For Plymouth Church", which
once raised $68,000 from the sale of her pews,
and averaged $10,000 for many j ears, the future
does not look extremely prosperous, in view of
these facts."
TO STIR THE PEOPLE UP.
A Meeting at Old City llnil In Behalf of tho
Exposition rrolect.
At the meeting of life managers of the West
ern Pennsylvania Exposition Society, held in
the Music Hall, Hamilton building, on Tues
day, the following resolution was unanimously
adopted:
That a committee of three be appointed to
arrange for a meeting of the business men of
Western Pennsylvania, to take into consideration
the early completion of the Kxposltlon buildings
and the holding or an exposition this rail.
Tho undersigned, having been appointed sub
committee, do select Old City Hall as the place,
and designate Tuesday, January 15, at 7:45 p.
si., as the time, and earnestly urge all citizens
having an interest in tho welfare of this end
of the State to be present
Signed by Joseph Woodwell, George A.
Berry and William K. Schmcrtz.
nor of Ohio. Standard oil barrels
been useful in Democratic politics.
THE HIGHEST OPINIONS.
Why tho Supreme Conrt Rated as it Did
in tbo Thompson-Rclbcr Oil Gambling
Case Other Interesting Views of Legal
Weight and Worth.
The popular impression went abroad on Mon
day, when the Supreme Court handed down its
decision in theJThompson-Reiber alleged oil
gambling suit that it was favorable to the oil
brokers and speculators and their business.
This, it seems, was an important error on the
part of tho newspapers or the lawyers, or both.
Judge Paxson, who handed down the opinion,
really decided nothing as to the demerits of the
case, but only held that the question covering
the same ought not to have been taken from tho
jury by Court of Common Pleas No. 2 of Alle
gbeny county. His opinion is:
"Wo think it was an error to Withdraw this
case from the jury. It may be that the purchase
of oil was a gambling transaction, and that the
jury might have found it so. But the case
depended upon the oral testimony, and that
was for tho jury. The learned Judge instructed
them that, 'under all the evidence in the case
your verdict must be for the defendant' This
withdrew from the jury the question of the
credibility of the witnesses. It is true tho
testimony tending to show that this was a
gambling transaction came from the plaintiff
himselt At tho same time if, as the plaintiff
testified, this was a bona fide purchase of oil
and the only reason why a full delivery was not
made, was that such delivery was prevented by
the positive instruction of the defendant tho
next morning, to sell tho oil for cash, and the
sale in pursuance of such instructions to the
same party from whom the plaintiff had bought
it there was a question left for the jury. Had
the Instruction of the court been that if the
jury believed from the evidence that there was
no delivery, and no intended delivery, of the
oil, but that it was a mere salo upon a margin
with intent to settlo for 'differences, tbo case
would havo been free from difficulty. As it
stands, we think the question of its being a
wagering transaction should havo been left to
the jury.
Judgment reversed and venire facias de novo
awarded.
Among the other more or less important
opinions was the opinion of Justico Hand on
the appeal of the city of Pittsbnig against tho
Philadelphia Gas Company. The question in
this case is whether the gas pipes of the de
fendant company laid in the streets are subject
to taxation for city purposes, as lands or capi
tal stock. It was claimed that because the city
had authority under the act of 1511 to assess
taxes on all descriptions of property made tax
able for State purposes, that the assessments
of these gas pipes was an assessment of capital
stock.
Justice Hand holds that this act conflicts wi h
the system of taxation adopted by the Com
monwealth since the act of 1841, and says that
the lower court very properly dismissed that
part of tho case with too remark that the bill
and answer disclose no taxation of tho capital
stock as such. The other part of tho caso in
which it was held that tho pipes were the pub
lic works of the corporation, is commented on
onenv oy J ustice nanu. no says it is aiincuit
to define a public works' and a public corpora
tion, but says it is clear that they have "emi
nent domain." The judgment of the lower
court is affirmed.
Justice Green's opinion on B. Wollfs appeal
from the decree of the Orphan's Conrt was
among tho number received yesterday. This
case involved tho sale of one-fifth interest of
Zautzinger Smith in the property called the
"Sunny Slope," which was sold by the Sheriff
on September 4, 1870, and the deed acknowl
edged February 21, 1877. Mrs. Martha Smith,
the mother of Zautzinger Smith, was tho pur
chaser, and the deed was made to her. Tho
purchase money was 52,100. It was claimed
that the property belonged to him by virtue of
a resulting trust. To make out this claim it
was alleged that Mrs. Smith borrowed S2.500
upon a note signed by her sou to pay off a
judgment, and that this monoy was charged as
an advancement by Mrs. Smith against her son,
and was, therefore, to be treated as his
money.
The lower Court decided that a resulting
trust was created. Justice Green says that in
point of fact the money belonged to Sirs.
Smith. The note waspaid on June 8, 1S76. and
the whole amount $2,875 50, including 200 not
in the consideration chanred to Zautzinger
Smith. The payment is held by Justice Green
not to be a judgment to Zautzinger Smith but
to Miller, to whom the note was made, and
therefore could not operate as an advance
ment. When the property was sold by the
Sheriff it was purchased by Mrs. Smith and
paid for by her own money, the decree of tho
lower Court is therefore reversed and tho
record returned for further proceedings.
Justice Williams handed down the opinion In
the case of McFall against the McKeesport and
Yonghiogheny Ice Company, in which a
mechanic's lien was involved. The claim was
for material fnrnUhed for the erection of an
icehouse, on the order of W. J. McMasters.
The defendants denied that McMasters was a
contractor, and alleged that he was a sub-contractor
under A. Inskup, one of tho members
of the corporation, to whom the erection of the
building had been let The plaintiffs replied
that tho contract with Inskup was not bona
fide, but was a device by means of which the
persons named in the bill as owners sought to
charge the corporation $10,000 for a contract
which was being filled for $6,700. Tho point
was that the plaintiffs' right to a lien depended
on whether McMasters' contract was in fact
with Inskup only or with all the owners of the
Icehouse. Justice Williams says it was with
all the owners and therefore reverses the de-
Iviaiuu v tut? luitci uuuib auu uruera a new
trial. .
xne oiner opinions received were oi a minor
importance.
OPPOSED TO A MISSION.
A Priest Who Thinks a Tcmpcranco Heading
Room Breeds Idleness.
Sprelal Telegram to the Dispatch.
Jamaica, L. L, January It Prominent
ladies, members of the local branch of the
Woman's Christian Temperance Union, recent
ly established two reading and coffee rooms to
induce young men and boys to keep away from
saloons. One proved a failure, and was aban
doned. Tho other, at "Dublin." which com
prises the railroad section of the town, was a
success. Last Saturday was stormy, and there
was an unusual number of young men andboys
in Dublin Mission, when Father Hamilton,
curate of St Monica's R. C. Church, suddenly
stepped in. "1 want every Catholic boy in this
place to stand upl" he exclaimed. All but one
arose. "Now, I want every one of you to leave
this place," he continued.
One or two demurred, saying that it was bet
ter for them to spend their timo thero than in a
saloon. Father Hamilton retorted that they
had a church society of their own, which they
might attend. He insisted on the boys leavin"
the place, which they did. The ladies who c
tablished the mission are indignant They say
they will ask Bishop Loughlin to Interfere in
their behalf. Father Hamilton says the mission
Is calculated to breed idleness among the
young men.
A COMPLIMENT FROM AFAR."
IIow a Maino Editor Appreciates and In
dorses The Dispatch.
From the Kennebec Ale., Journal.
An exchango that wo invariably pick out
from among a sea of exchanges which daily
rolls into our sanctum is The Pittsburg Dis
patch. Of course other papers are able and
bright and those nearer at borne we seem more
familiar with but there is something about
The Dispatch which commends it to the good
judgment of the hard-working sanctum editor.
It is keen, bright newsy, varied and able.
Thero is a well balanced arrangement and
studied art in its make-up which shows the
work of a true journalist. In the amount of
news,attractivenessof special articles, ability of
editorials and spirit and snap in all depart
ments, The Dispatch stands away up among
the few great newspapers of the country. Wo
'should feel lost without its daily visits.
Reducing tho Frco List.
Washington, January It After a lengthy
debate, to-day, the Senate placed fresh fish on
the dutiable list at cent a pound. Leather,
oio. scraps, mica ana mica waste were also
struck off the free list The end it the free list
was reached and tho remainder of the bill, the
administrative part is to be read to-morrow.
Bird Is Governor of the Chickasavrs.
WASniNaTONJanuary 11. Secretary Vilas
to-day sent a letter to the two contestants for
Governor of the Chickasaw Nation, W. L. Bird
and William H. Guy, in which he states that as
the former has been legally declared Governor
ho must bo so considered by the Department of
the Interior.
DEATHS OP A DAY.
Colonel Hiram D. Robinson.
Cincinnati, January ll.-Colonel Hiram H.
Robinson died at his home on Gilpin avenue. Hast
Walnut Hills, this afternoon, aged about7S years.
Colonel Robinson was at one time State Librarian
at Columbus, and many years ago was United
States Marshal for the Southern district of Ohio.
He was also editor and principal owner of the
Cincinnati Enquirer In its early days.
MAKING A DEAD SET.
Harrison Being Urged to Call a Special
Session of Congress Against His Wilt
Bpeclal Telegram to the Dispatch. "
Indianapolis, January 10. A dead set for
a special session of the next Congress is being
made by visitors to General Harrison these
past ten days, and it is said thar abundant
epistolary urging in the samo direction is being
brought to bear upon him. The Dakota people
and the Southerners are doing, the heaviest
work in this direction. General Harrison,
it is understood, is anxious to avoid
calling a session if it be possible, and will put
off making his decision about it until the latest
moment He thinks the extra session might
do a great deal more barm than good to tho
party, and as for himself it would be a dread
ful nuisance to have to bother with Congress
beforo ho had got fairly settled in the White
House, and while he was still besieged by the
first rush of the officeseekers. Nevertheless,
he will not hesitate to call a special session if
the present Congress adjourns leaving so much
needed legislation unacted upon that the gen
eral sentiment of the country seems to demand
that tho new Congress be called.
General Harrison has a vast respect for tho
general sentiment of the people as is evidenced
by the newspapors and in other ways. He is a
man who likes to be in touch with prevailing
sentiment of the day, and if the Dakota people
and Southerners only knew what were tbelr
wisest course they would direct their argu
ments upon the newspapers rather than on
uenerai narnson airectiv.
Judge Stratton, of Birmingham, Ala., and his
friend, Mr.Kirtland, called upon General Har
rison to-day, and tho Judge exhibited his scars
received in his famous encounter with the rot
ten eggs of alleged Democrats in Birmingham,
He estimated his damages at a seat on the
bench or a district attorneyship at the very
least, and came away disappointed because ho
got no particular evidence of sympathy from
the President-elect. Both the Southerners said
that they were pleasantly received by General
Harrison, and that from bis conversation they
were convinced that under his administration
the business interests of tho South would tako
a great stride forward.
WEAVER MUST BE TIRED OUT.
Speaker Cnrlisio Has a Flan to Lay the
Dcndlocklst on the Shelf.
Special Tclcjrram to the Dispatch.
Washington, January 11. General Weaver
must be dealt with, and Speaker Carlisle has
proposed a plan which might bo effectivo if it
could be put in operation. It is to do away
with the 5 o'clock adjournment, and to keep
the House in session until General Weaver is
worn out. To hasten the break down of tho
deadlock, the Speaker would make him stand
as teller all the while, though the teller on the
other side would be relieved from time to time.
If General Weaver would ask to be excused
from this service, tho House would refuse to
excuse him. Twenty-four of 48 hours on his
feet the Speaker thinks, would bo enough for
him.
Undoubtedly this would break the deadlock
in a day or two, but the difficulty is that to do
tills the rules must be changed, and General
Weaver can filibuster against the change. The
only amendment to tho rules ho would agree to
would be such as would givo his bill a chance
to bo voted on. Meanwhile there aro a nnmber
of important bills which will, through this de
lav, be comDelled to co over until the next Con
gress for consideration.
In the House to-day Weaver's tactics wero
resumed, but thev were successfully met by
motions of Mr Randall on points of order and
rulings of the Speaker on rights of precedence,
so that a little headway was made. A couple
of conference reports were agreed to. when
General Weaver again asserted his power, and
tho House adjourned till the usual ovening
pension session.
THE COMMISSION EVIL.
It Causes an Outrageous Attempt to Swindle
an Old Illan.
CnicAGO, January It A poor old man who
could neither read nor write, came into the
Central police station this afternoon and told a
story which excited the sympathy and indigna
tion of tho officers. His name is Lawrence
Carr, and he had come from his home in Alcrai,
near Cleveland, and was on his way to join bb
son in Los Angeles, CaL He applied to tho
Lake Shore and Michigan Southern ticket
agent in Cleveland for transportation to Los
Angeles, and was sold a ticket for $52 SO. Ho
reached Chicago to-day and learned there for
tho first timo that his ticket read, "Via North
em Pacific Railroad to Vancouver and by boat
to Los Angeles," an extremely circuitous route,
which would require weeks of travel, entailing
considerable hardship for a feeble old man
this time of year.
Besides these objections ho had only a few
dollars in his pocket, and by no means enongh
to keep him from starving, or the greatest pri
vations, while making this long overland jour
ney and ocean voyage, Tho only motive for the
deception which was practiced upon the old
man, must mnst havo been the $2 commission
which tho Northern Pacific pays to agents.
Officer Junger went with Mr. Carr to the Lako
Shore and Michigan Southern office and pre
sented the caso to tbo proper officials. They
claimed to strongly discountenance such prac
tices on the part of agents. A part of the
money, $42 60, was returned to Mr. Carr, and he
will endeavor with that amount to reach his des
tination. OHIO ODD FELLOWS.
The Returns of the Vote for Stato Grand
Officers.
Special Telegram to the Dispatch.
Findlay, O., January 1L The committee
appointed by F. B. Zay, of this city. Grand
Master of tho Odd Fellows of Ohio, has just
completed the canvass of the returns of the vote
cast by the several lodges in tho Stato for
grand officers, with the following result:
Grand Master, John W. McKlnney, No. 8,
Piqua, 4,337; Aaron McNeil, No. 1, Cincinnati,
1,945,
Deputy Grand Master, Matthew Bartlett, No.
38, Toledo, 3,621; John Little, No. S3, Spring
field, 2,639.
flranrl WnrHpn A. C. Rflolifoll TC" FH AVmn
1,306; D. S. Dryfus, No. 230. Zanesville. 2,131; E.
W. Mosier, No. 581, Lima, 1,029; W. R. Roebuck,
No. 72, Bellefontaine, 976; Casper Wlnket No.
667. Cleveland, 829.
Grand Secretary, W. Chidsey, No. 83, Cincin
nati, 6,231.
Grand Treasurer, L. W. Sherwood, No. 612,
Columbus. 6,249.
Grand Representative. Jacob F. Bnrket, No.
73, FindUy, 2,781; C. L. Young, No. 23, Colum
bus, 3,513.
A BUST OR AN URN.
A Dispute Over the Form of a Monument to
Governor Mifflin.
Special Telegram to the Dispatch.
Lancaster, January 11. The last Legisla
ture appropriated $6,000 for a monument to
mark the last resting place of Thomas Mifflin,
the first Governor of Pennsylvania, whose re
mains lie in the yard of Trinity Lutheran
Church, this city. A commission was appointed
to do the work, and they awarded the contract
to Lowell &. Gruger, who made tho designs.
One had a Dust of the Governor and the other
an urn instead.
The commission and the Governor approved
tho one with the bust and ordered it to be
made. The church vestry wanted the one with
the urn, and because they cannot havo it they
re i-e to allow the monument on their grounds.
The Governor telegraphed to-day to have the
work on the monument stopped for the present.
It will now likely be erected in Harrisburg.
THE BENEDICTINE ARCHABB0T
Will Officiate Instead of Bishop Phclan at a
Dedication To-Morrow.
The Rt Rev. Bishop Richard Phelan is af
flicted with such a severe cold that it has been
impossible for him to leave his room for sev
eral days. He had arranged to bless the new
St Boniface Church, in Reserve township, to
morrow, bat, as he is unable to attend to this
himself, he has appointed tho Rt Rev. Arch
abbot A. Hintenacht, O. S.B.,of,St Vincent's-
This venerable dignitarj will be received at
the Union depot by tho Knights of St George
and all the benevolent societies of tho Kt
Mary's Church, Allegheny; and by several of
the priests of the Order of St. Benedict at 8t
Mary's Church he will be accompanied tb Ro
serve township.
Tho Latest Drop-n-NIckel Machine.
From the New York Sun.
The latest development of inventive genius
in tne way of a drop-a-nickel-ln-tbe-slot ma
chine has just been perfected in London. Over
there tho casual Londoner drops a penny in the
slot and receives a postal card, on which he can
scribble anything that he has forgotten when
he was at his office or home, and drop it into
the nearest box, without further trouble. The
machines are to be Introduced into this coun
try. It is rather odd, by the way, that the de
velopment of this principle, which found its
inception: in the bobtail car, has gone ahead
steadily ever since the cars were objected to.
Law and Order Convention.
Chicago, January 11 Charles C. Bonney, of
tnis city, president or the National Law and
Order League, has issued a call for the seventh''
fl
annual meeting oi tne organization at Boston
r em-nary la ana vj next.
AN UNCONVENTIONAL SENATOR.
Bowon, of Colorado, Enjoys Life, but De
nies That He Is a Poker Sharp.
Special Telegram to the Dispatch.
Washtnoton, January lL-Senator Tom
Bowen has returned to Washington from his
unsuccessful trip to Colorado in search of a
second term in the Senate. He. is quite dis
appointed at the result of tho fight, but takes
his defeat philosophically and says that Colo
rado is a pretty good State to live in after all.
He commends his successful rival, "Ed" Wol
cott, as a man of brains, energy and education,
a bom orator and a man who will be a credit to
the Senate.
In dress, manner and speeches, Mr. Bowen is
the most free and easy, unconventional
member of the Senate, and when he and
Biddleberger go out on the 4tb of March, the
standard of Senatorial dignity will move up
several points in the scale. Mr. Bowen at
tonds the sessions less regularly than any Sen
ator except Biddleberger and Jones, of Ne
vada. He never makes a speech, and seems to
have no great interest iu anyparticular class of
legislation. He is Chairman of the Committee
on Enrolled Bills, which has a very cozy little
room on tho main floor, elegantly furnished,
and in which public business is not pressing.
Here Mr. Bowen spends much of his time
cracking jokes with a few choice friends, and
driving dull care away.
The Senator from the Centennial State has
the reputation of being a wonderful poker
player, but he has always denied this, and
claimed that he is no match at all for such men
as Charlie Farwell and Cush Davi3. However,
Bowen is a genial fellow with a big heart and
a level head, and many people in Washington
beside his colleagues in the Senato will be
sorry to lose such a good friend.
A PROFOUND SENSATION.
Election Frauds In West Virginia to be In
vestigated by a Federal Jury
Special Telegram to the Dispatch.
Pabkersbubq, W. Va., January It There
is every prospect that before the session of tho
United States District Court, which assembled
in this city to-day, adjourns there will be a
largo addition to tho population of the peni
tentiary, among the newcomers being many
gentlemen prominent in both political parties
in this State. Tho grand jury of this court ap
peared before Judge Jackson this morning and
received their instructions regarding the gen
eral ana paipaDie irana at tne recent election.
The court directed the jury to probe the matter
to the bottom, regardless of persons or parties,
and to mako an example of every one who
seemed to bo tainted with crime of electoral
fraud. He said that more than 400 witnesses,
embracing many of the best-known officials and
politicians of the State, bad been summoned to
appear, and tbo efforts of the jury would be
supported by tho Conrt in every possible way.
The instructions of the Court have created a
profound sensation among the politicians, and
the most sensational developments are expect
ed. Among the witnesses aro the editors of
grominent party organs, and chairmen of the
tate and county committees, members of tho
Legislature and candidates for all grades of
offices. It is thought a month will be occupied
in investigations.
'GENE WETHERELL'S FUNERAL.
Laid to Rest by Ills Sorrowing Widow and
Friends at Gloucester.
Special Telegram to the Dispatch.
Gloucester, Mass., January U. Emma
Abbott's husband.was buried here to-day, the
services being held in the Evangelical Congre
gational Church. It had been intended to hold
the services at his mother's house, but so many
friends camo from a distance that it was neces
sary to open the church. Among tho many
floral offerings wero an elegant floral pillow of
white pinks and roses, with "My Husband" in
purpleacross the center, the tribute or affection
from the bereaved widow, and a floral harp
from the Emma Abbott Opera Company, now
in Kansas City. There was a large attendance,
Including a large number of men prominent In
business circles.
The body was buried in a beautiful lot in
Oak Grove Cemetery, recently purchased by
Emma Abbott, to be known as the Wetherell
lot and on which, at an early day, she intends
to erect a costly and beautiful monument
which will be the finest In the city. Miss Ab
bott is nearly prostrated with grief, but must
soon return to Kansas City to fulfill her en
gagements with her company.
A CUTE SCHEME.
Postmasters Resigning to Secnro Demo
cratic Friends a Four-Year Term.
Special Telegram to the Dispatch.
Washington. January 11. Tho President
sent a long list of nominations of postmasters
to the Senate this afternoon. In most cases
they were appointments at offices that bave re
cently become Presidental or where the in
cumbent has resigned. Nearly all of these
nominations, together with a large number
previously sent to the Senate, will be allowed
to die in the pigeon holes of theFostoffice Com
mittee. To confirm them now would result in
keeping a large amount of patronage out of the
hands of President Harrison, and the Senators
are not much disposed to do this.
They have learned that there is an organized
movement among postmasters a'l over the
country to resign in favor of some particular
person who is to be appointed in the hope of
securing a full four years' term. The Senate
Committee are carefully scrutinizing all the
nominations and will hang up all except a few
that are made in good faith and where con
firmation is necessary to the proper perform
ance of the public business.
SALVATIONISTS DISAGREE.
A General Accused by a Frivato ot Malad
ministration of Finances.
Special Telegram to the Dispatch.
Brooklyn, N. Y., January 11. The Brook
lyn contingent of the Salvation Army is all
stirred up over the quarrel of General T. E.
Moore and a discharged private. Maxwell.
Last night Maxwell raised a big hullaballoo at
a meeting of Salvation Army trustees, about
General Moore's maladministration of the
Brooklyn contingent's finances.
After a good bit of crimination and recrimin
ation, General Moore told Maxwell to formulate
his charges or get out ot the meeting. Max
well refused to do either. General Moore
called the police and Maxwell left General
Moore says he will ruin Maxwell at the next
regular meeting of the trustees.
FEARFUL OF THE GREEKS.
A Gift of $50,000 Which Is Being Accepted
Very Gingerly.
Bpeclal Telegram to the Dispatch.
New York, January 11. The trustees of the
Produce Exchange gratuity fund have thanked
William R. Foster very gingerly for the $50,000
which ho sent them yesterday. Mr. Foster
gave the money to help make good the big
losses of the gratuity fund through his son,
now in Canada.
The trustees fear to formally accept this
present They apprehend that it is of the
Grecian kind. They are taking legal advice in
regard to the rights and claims which wonld
still be theirs against Foster, Jr., in case Fos
ter, Sr.'s partial settlement should be accepted.
In the meantime, they kept the $50,000.
News From Jerusalem.
From the New York Sun.l
Mr. Alfred A. Marcus, of Boston, has received
a letter from bis agent in Jerusalem, under
date of Tebeth, December 18, which brings the
happy news that tho very severe drought and
want of rain has been supplied. But the most
extraordinary news is, they ba7e had in the
Holy City storms of rain and snow alternately,
with very short interruptions, and tho cold has
been intense, and If it continues there will be a
great scarcity of every description of pro
visions. The European mail was robbed on the
road from Jaffa to Jerusalem.
Only $1,500 for n 810,000 Husband.
Special Telegram to the Dispatch.
New York, January 1L David Henderson,
of the Anchor steamship lme, was directed by
the Supreme Conrt to-day to indemnify Mrs.
Kate Hogan for the loss of Mr. Hogan, sev
eral months ago. Mr. Hogan was knocked by
a sling into the hold of the steamship Devonia.
He received injuries of which he died. Mrs.
Hogan sued the Anchor line for $10,000. She
got a verdict for $1,500.
They Are AlivaysfWith Us.
Krom the New York Tress. 1
Steve Brodie is going to jump into the
Genesee where Sam Patch died. The worst of
it is that if this fool dies like the other fool,
some other fool will want to try it and there
are always more fools.
General Weaver's Figure.
From the Washington Star.
General Weaver is a dramatic figure these
days. Like the swan that furnishes tne dirge
for his own funeral the General proposes to be
musical as long as he may.
Strange but True.
From tho Providence Journal. 1
General Boulanger has a great past before
him.
AN ENGLISH EETIEW
Of tho Political Events on This Continent
Daring the Year 1SS8.
The London Saturday Review, in comment
ing upon the affairs of the English Govern
ment in North America for the past year, says:
A much more serious matter has been the
failure of the fishery treaty with the United
States. By the exertions of Mr. Chamberlain
and the Canadian delegates, helped by the ap
parent goodwill of President Cleveland's ad
ministration, a convention had been made
which was firmly believed to be acceptable to
both parties to the long-standing dispute. It
would probably have been duly ratified If this
year had not included a Presidental election in
the United States. As President Cleveland Is
a Democrat the Republican majority in the
Senate thought the interests of their party
would be served as representing him as unduly
favorable to Canada and England. The treaty
was therefore rejected, and, as far as we are
concerned, came to an end. It still, however,
played Its part in internal American politics.
Mr. Cleveland, to show that he was not more
mindful of decency and good manners in deal
ing with England than an American who
wishes to remain in politics ought to be, recom
mended a policy of what he called retaliation
against Canada, which also was rejected by the
Senate.
Beforo long Mr. Cleveland had another op
portunity of Bhowingthat he could be rude
enough to please even Mr. James C. Blaine.
Very shortly before the time fixed for the
election of electors, Lord Sackville, the En
glish Minister at Washington, was induced to
write a very imprudent letter of advice to a
correspondent who represented himself as a
citizen of the United States, born a British
subject, In want of guidance as to what he
ought to do with his vote. By an ienoble trick
this letter was published, and the Republicans
made capital out of it against Mr. Cleveland.
When tho President found that ho was being
represented to the Irish voters as too civil to
England because he at first saw nothing to
make a disturbance about he hastened to pnt
himself right by first demanding the recall of
Lord Sackville, and then, without waiting to
allow tho English Government to inquire or
decide, by sending the English Minister his
Eassports. Mr. Cleveland's efforts were barren,
owever. When the election had been held, it
was found that a majority of the States had
voted for his Republican rival, Mr. Harrison.
This Incident and the knowledge that Mr.
Cleveland was favorable to such a rearrange
ment of the United States Tariff as would
practically work for free trade, have given this
election an exceptional interest in England.
WHISKI IS SAFE,
At Least the Members of tho Trust Ap
pear to Think So.
Chicago, January It Whisky Trust stock
has not been depreciated in value by Judge
Barrett's decision in the caso of the people
against the North River Refining Com
pany, otherwise the Sugar Trust of New York.
It appears that the Whisky Trust at this Incep
tion, secured a copy of the charter of the sugar
combination, but that the attorneys picked it
to pieces, removing the weak points and bol
stering it up in anticipation of just such an
emergency as is now presented. Doubtless that
is the reason that the whisky men are so un
concerned. Mr. Abel, of tho Phoenix Dis
tillery Company, speaking of the matter to-day,
said:
"Tho Whisky Trust did not fashion its
charter after that of tho Sugar Trust although
it may be similar. Whether it is like it or not
Is of very little concern to us, as we think
there is little, If any, fear of any law on the
subject reaching us. We are not worried one
bit"
MRS. CLEVELAND'S PORTRAIT.
A movement on Foot to Havo It Placed in
the White House.
Washington, D. C, January IL There is a
project on foot to have a portrait of Mrs.
Cleveland placed in the White Hause. Three
members of the Woman'3 National Press Asso
ciation have the matter in charge and think of
having Mrs. Cleveland painted as she stood re
ceiving New Year's Day. She wore a costume
which captured the hearts of the women, and
her grace and beauty were remarked by every
one as something soon to be missed from tho
White House.
There are portraits of the wives of four
Presidents on the White House walls, Martha
Washington. Mrs. Trier. Mrs. Polk and Mrs.
Hayes the portrait of Mrs. Hayes contributed
by the Woman's Christian Temperance Union
as a recognition of her influenco in the tem
perance cause.
PLEADING FOR FAIR PLAT.
Pittsburgora Ask the Inter-State Commerce
Commission to Enforce the Law.
Special Telegram to the Dispatch.
Washington, January 16. A score or two
of lawyers and witnesses from Pittsburg and
vicinity appeared to-day before the Inter-State
Commerce Commission for the Pennsylvania,
Baltimore and Ohio, and Pittsburg and Lake
Erie Railroads, and for the ImpertafCoal Com
pany. This company claims it shovld have the
benefit of the shorter distance to Lake Erie as
compared with other companies farther from
the lake, but still within the 40-mlle radius.
Hon. John Dalzell represented the Imperial
Coal Company, and made a very able speech,
and Attorneys Stone, Reed, and others repre
sented the railroads. The commission reserves
its decision.
It Was Not a Bridge of Size.
A petition for the dissolution of the East End
Bridge Company was filed yesterday by G. M.
Laugblin, President of tho company. It was
incorporated in 1874 for tho purpose of con
structing and maintaining a bridge across the
Monongahela river from the property of the
Eliza Furnace in the Fourteenth ward to Thir
tieth street on the Southside. No part of the
bridge was ever built
St. Fanl's Ex-Ice Palace.
From the Chicago News.
A tear, like a pearly dewdrop caught
In a lily's perfumed chalice,
Comes into one's eye at every thought
Of St Paul's ex-ice palace.
Harris Will be Senator.
NASnviLiE, January 1L The Democratic
members of tho Legislature held a caucus to
night to nominate a Senatorial candidate. One
ballot was taken, standing: Isham G. Harris.
62; J. D. C. Atkins, 23; John H. Savage, 9. Nec
essary to a Choice, 42.
Superstition and Fact.
from the Punxsutawney Spirit
In Germany it is said to be a sign of ap
proaching good fortune to have a spider spin
his web across your door, but in this country it
is simply a sign that you don't advertise.
FACTS AND FIGURES.
The Arctic whaling 6eason forlS88, which is
about over, resulted in a catch of 1S4 whales,
against 293 last year.
According to the latest report of tho De
partment of Agriculture, there are in this
country 44,000,000 swine.
In 100 years England has aided her merchant
ships to the amount of $275,000,000 and her
private ship yards to the amount of 100,006, MO.
In the single industry of iron and steel in this
county 37,350 men are employed, who receive
every two weeks $939,500 in wages, or $23,487,600
a year.
A law has recently been enacted In the Ger
man Empire prohibiting the use ot tin alloy in
the manufacture of cooking, eating and drink
ing utensils, that contains more than 10 per
cent of lead.
The total carrying capacity of the mercan
tile vessels of this country Is 4.101,915 tons, be
ing an increase of 212,600 tons over 1887. Forty
six per cent of last year's increase was in our
western lake marine.
Stock of wheat in the United Kingdom at
the beginning of the year is officially reported
as about 20,000,000 bushels, the same being
4,000,000 bushels less than some recent estimates.
Stocks of both wheat and flour are returned as
19,377.259 bushels In the British Isles, 11,690,000
bushels on ocean passage, 7,366,000 bushels m
Odessa (all wheat), t17L475 bushels in Paris
and 1,147,660 bushels in Marseilles. Men in the
export trade say the foreign situation is im
provingfwith news of drouth in India, failure
in Australia and smaller yield In Russia than
has been estimated.
The kind of money in the treasury changed
somewhat in the last fiscal ytar. The increased
holdings consisted largely of legal tender noJcs
and credits to the Government In njiral
banks, so there was no disturbance of!flts?r-
dinary circulating medium. Of $862,280,000 of
interest bearing bonds which remained out
standing January 1 18S9, $163,480,000 were held
by the treasury as security for national bank
note circulation and $49,249,000 for deposits ot
public money, leaving only $643,531,000 of Gov
ernment bonds, exclusive of those in the cus
tody of the department
CUB10DS CONDMSATI0S8.
The Czar of Kussia wears a ring im
which Is embedded a piece of the trus cross.
A screech owl was recently found oh the
farm of a Susquehanna county man with the
figures "1876" cut on its beak.
Churchill county, Nevada, is in danger
of breaking in two. A crack has recently ap
peared three feet wide, several miles long, and
how deep no one can find out
The oldest musical society in the world,
the Antlltzgesellscnaf t, celebrated its two hun
dred and seventieth anniversary last week at
St Gall, in Switzerland, with great eclat.
One of Maine's Interesting industries
is at Omeville, where one coneern makes 20
different kinds ot log and board rules and four
different caliper rules. The factory sends ltt
rules all over the world. '
A Maine pine tree recently felled at
Bullen's Mills was 105 feet long, 3 feet 11 inches
on the stump, and the first three cuts of 12 feet
each made L22S feet of sawed boards. The top
of the sixth cut 72 feet from the stump, was 13
inches through.
James Bailey, of Towa, who married hia
second wife two days after the death of tho
first Mrs. Bailey, was the recipient of a coat of
tar and feathers, and succeeded in rubbing off
the last of thetarju3t63 days after the close
of his second honeymoon.
An omnibus run by electricity, the
only one in the world, has made successful
trips in London. It runs on any kind of a
street without the use of rails, while the so
called electric omnibus of Paris is in reality a
train of cars running on a track.
In one-year Frank Davis, a Des Moines
youth, got into jail, broke out, saved two boys
from drowning, discovered and put out a fire,
had his arm broken, stole a horse, shot at a
burglar and put out his brother's eye. H he
lives to grow up he will be a hustler.
In a row at Terre Haute, Ind., a negro
known as "Jasper" was struck on the head by
a bullet fired from a revolver of heavy caliber
held quite near him. The bullet was flattened
by the man's skull and fell to the floor, leaving
only a sore spot on Jasper's head to remind h
that his thick skull had saved his life.
The residents of Hew Brunswick: and
its suburbs havo drganized to kill, capture or
maim an alleged monsterwhich has been carry
ing off all the poultry thereabouts. Some of
the more timid persons aver that it is a llonj
some that it is a wildcat and still others that it
is only the proverbial colored man with a bag.
John Hancock, of "Worth county, Ga.,
says that he can remember when evary mem
ber of the Georgia Legislature was dressed In
homespun. It was in 1829, and the tariff had
caused woolen goods to reach such an exorbi
tant price that tbo Legislature resolved as a
man to buy no more manufactured cloth until
the duty was reduced, and they kept the reso
lution. Last summer a 13-year-old boy, while
pulling fodder on the farm of his father,
George G. Brogdon, of Gwinnett Ga., un
earthed a rock described as "fnll nt imM
This fall Mr. Brogdon had the vein tested by
an experienced miner, who says it is a remark
ably promtsing vein. It Is opened for ten feet
is a foot thick, and will yield from $30 to $50 to
the ton.
The big iron tower in Paris, which is
now in process of being erected, is about two
thirds finished. It will be 934 feet in height
when completed, and the ascent will be accom
plished In elevators in five minutes. At present
the workmen occupy an hour In reaching their
work, and they wear blinders, which prevents
them from seeing anything but the work before
them, as an outlook would produce giddiness.
The chef d'eanvre of the' art treasures
owned by Queen Victoria is her Sevres dessert
set which is kept at Windsor Castle. It is
valued at $250,000. This service was made for
King Louis XVL of France, and was purchased
by King George IV. when Prince Regent The
pound is of gros bleu, with a wonderful gild
ing by the renowed Leguay and exquisite
medallion subjects painted byDodln. It will
scarcely be credited that this almost priceless
service was for many years in dailyuse at
Carlton House and at the Cottage in Windsor
Park for the private table of George IV.. and
during that period 12 pieces disappeared, being
reported as broken.
At a Boston club the other evening
this story was told of a certain eminent Judge,
who was probably about the "nearest" man
in tbo old Bay Stato, and that's saying a good
deal. His thrift had naturally resulted in
wealth, and he owned many houses. In one of
them, a very small one, lived an Irishman who
got behind with his rent The Judge worried
over the matter greatly, and fought for some
property of the tenant that might be attached
for the debt." The poor fellow had nothing
worth attaching except a fine fat pig. and the
law forbade a landlord's attachingapoor man's
only pig. But the Judge wanted roast pig.and.
worse than alt he wanted his rent and so he
thought bard; and the result of his thinking
was a complete and, to him, very successful
solution of the problem. He hunted around
town until ha found a very poor, miser
able little pig, which he bought for almost
nothing. He gave this pig to the Irishman,
who thanked him warmly. Then the Judge
attached the fat pigl
The smuggling of Chinese men and
women from British America into United
States territory is a very lucrative business at
various points along the border from Van
couver to Winnipeg. 11 tho venture fails at
one place it Is renewed at another, and sooner
or later the pilgrims get in. A new trick just
discovered at Whatcom, Wash. T., has almost
taken away the breath of the Federal officials,
for they know that it must have been very suc
cessful fora time. The large number of squaws
coming into the country from British Columbia
finally attracted the attention of an official.
and he took a party of them to jail. On close
inspection it was found that the creatures wero
not squaws at all, but able-bodied Chinamen
who bad painted and otherwise disguised them-
selves so as to resemble the typical Indian
squaw of the frontier. In one instance two
young and rather comely Chinese women cams
across in the garb of American women, but
closely veiled. An ungallant official lifted their
veils and found them ont These girls were
billed through to San Francisco, and were
worth to their owner about $2,000 apiece.
FUJWY MEN'S FANCIES.
Ted "Why do you think Miss Euclid is
of such a very logical turn of mind?
NedShe once tried to prove that I ought to
marry ber.St.Paul Qlobt.
Teacher Samuel, which animal, outside
of man, has the most brains?
Samuel The hog.
Teacher (surprised) The hog?
Hamnel Certainly; he has a hogshead full fit.
Paul Globe.
Lover ;I adore yon, Alice.
Alice (embracing him) Oh, It is sweet!
Lover When shall ire marry?
Alice (haughtily) Never sir. The Count pro
posed to-day, and I accepted him. I was practic
ing on you. St Paul Globe.
Hard on the Trofession. First Actor
Say, Charlie, who Is this Kobtrt Klsmere every
body's talking about?
Second Actor Blamed if I know. There's so
many of them English duffers in the "profesh"
nowadays a fellow can't keep track of half of ;
e'm. Detroit Free Frets.
It was a Jackpot Boston So that's)
Tombstone Bill, is It?
Denver That's BUI, stranger, the smartest cuss
this side o' the Kockies.
Hoston (sarcastically) Do yon raise many Uka
Bill ronnd here?
IJenver Welt I reckon not. Tho last fellow
that raised Bill went dead broke for six months,
Lowell Citizen.
A Serious Trouble. Doctor My poor
man! Yon seem to be la a sad condition. Indeed.
What is your trouble?
Cadaverous Individual Difficulty la swallow
ing. Doctor Does it seem to be due to constriction
of the throat?
Cadaverous Individual No; It's due 'to not
having anything to swallow. Burlington Frtl
Press.
BOTH MISTAKEN.
He stopped in front of a maiden fair
'Twas at a waxworks show
And he said: "How lifelike Is her stare!
How natural her golden hair!
Her cheeks! See what a hue they weart
They actually glow I"
.The maiden opened wide her eyes
"Notonly can they walk,"
She said In evident surprise,
"But now It seams these effigies
Are made in such a wonderous wise
They actually talk!"
Chicago TribUTu.
Experimental Engagement Kings.
Young Alan (confidentially)! want to see some
of your solitaire rings.
Jeweler Engagement rings, I presume.
Young Man-Y-yes, sir.
Jeweler Here's just the thing you want
Alaska stone, roUed plate, and warranted for a
year.
Young Han But I want a real stone.
Jeweler Of course. As 1 was going to say,
we give one of the plated rings along with earh
real stone. They, are exact duplicates. If the
engagement Is a success, it is very easy to sub
stitute the real for the Imitation. Terrs liaut
Express.
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