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THE PITTSBURG DISPATCH, WEDNESDAY,-' JANUARY ""22, 1890.
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ESTABLISHED FEBRUARY S. 1818,
Vol.44. o.319.-Enteredat Pittsburg I'ostoffice.
JJoTember 14, lsi7, as second-class matter.
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PITTSBURG. WEDNESDAY. JAN. 22. 189a
NEW PABZIAMENTABY LAW.
It is rather difficult to understand the
purpose of the parliamentary point which
Speaker Eeed and the Republican majority
carried yesterday against the Democrats in
the House, to the effect that members can
not as a matter of right call for the appoint
ment of tellers. As the minority are still
conceded the right to demand the yeas and
nays, the issue does not seem to be of great
magnitude. But even its unimportance
makes it more siogu lar that the Speaker
should deem it worth while to insist upon a
decision so much at variance with the ordi
nary usage.
The argument of the Speaker to sustain
his ruling is plain enough. It starts first on
the premises, that the rules of the last
House are not binding on the present body.
This may be true enough; although the
custom that both parties have heretofore
adopted of reporting the rules of the preced
ing House puts the responsibility for the
absence of rules on the Republican party to
a very marked degree. The House being
without rules the Speaker argues that the
House must be governed by general parlia
mentary law; and that usage, he claims,
does not require the appointment ot tellers.
But this is just where the Speaker is
wrong. Parliamentary law rests on prece
dent; and the appointment of tellers is just
as clearly recognized by general parlia
mentary custom as the call for a division, or
for the yeas and nays. It is necessary for
the prompt transaction of business in large
bodies where a single count is liable to
error. The chairman of an ordinary meet
ing who should deny a request for tellers
upon a rote of any importance would sub
ject himself to the suspicion of overriding
the will of the assembly.
It hardly seems possible that the Repub
licans have any ulterior point to carry by
the denial of this slight privilege. If they
should attempt any such thine tber wonld
lose a great deal more than they would gain
by it
GOOD WEATHER FOR THE CROI'.
The people of this section stand a fighting
chance of waking up this morning and find
ing themselves surrounded by the rigor of
winter. The perverse elements taking ad
vantage ot the omission of the weather
prophets to formally herald the approach of
a cold wave, have turned loose the chilly
blasts and freezing temperature which
usually usher in the season of real winter.
"Whether this cold snap will be as transitory
as its predecessors is, of course, for time to
show; but hope of an ice crop springs
eternal in the human breast when the win
try winds roar as they did last night So
long as the gas companies provide us with a
good pressure, the public will extend as
warm a welcome as is consistent with the
subject, to weather which will be good for
the growth of this year's ice crop.
THE HOMESTRETCH OF THE RACE.
The race between the feminine globe trot
ters is now to be settled on the homestretch.
Nellie Bly turned up at Sau Francisco yes
terday very nearly on schedule time; but
with tbe snow blockade on the Central
Pacific road, she is forced to take the South
ern Pacific route, involving the expenditure
of nearly two days' more time. Miss Bis
land is two days' out from Liverpool on the
slow steamer Bothnia. It is therefore the
Enowdrifts of the Sierras against the winter
blasts of the Atlantic; the long Southern
route against the tardy Bothnia that will de
cide the important qnestion which of these
two young women can get around the world
the soonest
In the meantime, as the race draws to a
close, different elements of the public are
making ready to adopt various methods of
making fools of themselves over it A cer
tain number of gentlemen presumably in
terested in opposition papers to tbe World
are thinking of sending a swift steamer out
from Halifax to meet the Bothnia and bring
Miss Bisland in ahead of the arrival of that
steamer. The irorfd is of course arranging
to pick its representative up somewhere in
the Southwest, and hnrry her through to
New York by special train. Thousands of
dollars are thus shown to be ready for mere
foolishness, with the result of destroying the
professed value of the journeys, which was
to show how soon the circuit oi the globe
could be made by the regular means of con
veyance. Pittsburg can hardly fail to be
interested in the outcome of a race in which
a Pittsburg girl is the leader; but after the
excitement is over, we will all have periods
of reflection that it was a trivial business.
ABBETT AND BALLOT REFORM.
Governor Abbett, of New Jersey, gives
Governor Hill a dig in a vital part, and
leaves the carefully trimmed attitude of
Governor Campbell, of Ohio, Jar behind, by
a vigorous and thorough advocacy of the bal
lot reform. The position of the three Dem
ocratic Governors leaves the Democratic
party, so iar as these representatives are
concerned, about evenly balanced. One
Governor antagonizes the reform, ope care
fully settles himself on top of the fence and
one supports it more positively than the
other opposes it Governor Abbett's argu
ment on the subject shows careful study of
all its details, and is no inconsiderable con
tribution to the literature of that question.
Its strength lies in tbe fact that it does not
claim that the new devices will insure per
fect honesty; but the contention is that the
secrecy of the ballot, the limitation of ex
penses, and the other details of the reform
will do so much toward decreasing the temp
tation and opportunity of dishonesty as to
constitute a great improvement Governor
Abbett's attitude in the matter offers a de
cided contrast to that ot Governor Hill.
MANNERS OF MILLIONAIRES.
If ever the Czar oi Rnssia resolves to flee
from St Petersburg he will nowhere find a
more congenial and sympathetic atmosphere
than in New York. Of course Mr. Mc
Allister would admit the imperial gentle
man to the sacred circle of his Four Hun
dred. A tyrant is always welcome there,
provided he has the cash. The Czar would
be a useful ally just now to the gorgeous
boxholders of the Metropolitan Opera House
in New York. The elegant creatures, about
whose diamonds and bad manners all Amer
ica has heard so much, are making a strenu
ous attempt to secure the privilege of amus
ing themselves at the expense of the rest of
the audience. They claim the right to talk
as much as they please during the perform
ance. Of late when the conversation in the
boxes has drowned the voices of the singers,
the lovers of music in the parquet
or orchestra, as it is called at the
Metropolitan have manifested their dis
gust by hissing. "We are informed that
the grandees in the boxes have been morti
fied by this public correction. They are
not ashamed of themselves, but angry that
any man paying a mere three dollars for his
seat should have the audacity to rebuke
them.
Upon the whole question the New York
Press publishes a very instructive and en
tertaining series of interviews with million
aires in the boxes, and music lovers in the
parquet The extreme views of the aristo
crats are presented by such men as Banker
Clews and Commodore Elbridge T. Gerry.
The former bluntly gives it as his opinion
that the Opera House was built for the
pleasure of the box holders, that
they have a right to refresh
themselves with conversation when
they please, and that the persons who do
not want to miss a note of the opera and
who object to loud talking in the boxes are
cranks who ought to be ejected. Commodore
Gerry thinks that the people who prefer the
opera to the cackle of aristocrats are a lot
of nobodies, who habitually read their
librettos upside down, and buy seats in the
parquet in the hope of being seen. Of
course the Four Hundred do not occupy the
boxes to be seen of men.
One or two boxholders are weak enough
to admit that the public has some rights
which the plutocrats are bound to respect.
But the majority of the boxholders hold
that they can create as much disturbance as
they please. Why do not they exclude the
public then? The Opera House would have
to be closed if they did, for the public con
tributes more than half the revenue. So
the Four Hundred can do nothing but curse
the pnblic and go on talking, and showing
off their diamonds, their common lack of
clothing and good manners in the alleged
temple of music
HOW TO TAKE DEFEAT.
The reports as to the settlement of the elec
tric light strike given out yesterday, indi
cate that the officials of the Federation of
Labor have taken the easiest method of
backing out of a false position. This was of
course the wisest and best course to take
under the circumstances. When either
haste or misconception gets individuals or
organizations into a mistaken position the
truest wisdom lies in getting out of it by
the shortest cut
The strike itself was of very slight impor
tance numerically, and so far as effecting
any stopping oi operations was concerned
had already scored a failure. As to the
original cause of the strike.it had less provo
cation than the K. of L. strike on the trac
tion road. But, like that movement, it was
important as illustrating th e principle that
the strike is something that should not be
resorted to, except for the most pressing
reasons and not even then without more
than a fighting chance of success.
One feature of both these unsuccessful
strikes deserves the public notice and com
mendation, that is the conservative and
peaceful course of the strikers in both cases.
Tbe traction strike while growing out of
circumstances which were calculated to pro
cure a bitter feeling, was, with one or two
exceptions, marked by good order and the
strikers have accepted their defeat with a
bearing that is admirable. The electric
strike has been equally peaceable, and hav
ing secured the indorsement ot the national
officers of the Federation, those leaders have
shown their readiness to perceive the mis
take and settle the matter by the best agree
ment practicable.
When labor organizations can accept de
feat in this admirable way, they will make
a gain in public confidence that is only less
valuable than victory.
MAYOR PEARSON'S NEW STEP.
Unhappily for us the mayor of a city is
only too often tied down with political ropes
or glued fast to his chair with official
dignity. He cannot spread himself with
any degree of freedom, and the public, ex
cept a small and very vicious portion there
of, see little of him. He sentences ladies
and gentlemen of doubtful antecedents to
the pains ot prison, and signs ordinances,
but beyond that, however desirous he may
be of so doing, a mayor has not many of
ficial opportunities of shining. Mayor
Pearson, of Allegheny, seems to have grown
tired of the road of routine. A day or two
ago he skipped over the gutter of formality,
and took a look for himself at one of Alle
gheny city's curses, her poolrooms. What
he saw impressed him so unfavorably that
he took steps at once to bring the police
into more lively contact with the abuse that
has grown under their noses. The half
grown lads who lounge and pick up bad
habits in the poolrooms will be arrested by
the police hereafter, if Mayor Pearson's
sensible orders are carried out.
But that was not all Mr. Pearson did that
day. He found time to stop a nuisance in
the shape of a basket tied with a forty foot
rope to one of the new Pleasant Valley elec
tric cars. This was the second blow the
Mayor struck at the overgrown lawlessness
of Allegheny's younger citizens. These are
not heroic blows, but a Mayor is not sup
posed to be heroic. The statesmanship re
quired in civic affairs is necessarily of tbe
common sense and common coinage order.
Mayor Pearson deserves credit for his per
sonal vigilance, and he can find lots of
abuses in Allegheny to remedy if he starts
out with a sincere intent to find them.
The petroleum market made a stagger to
reach the $1 OS line yesterday, bnt the parties
who have got oil to sell proceeded to unload,
and sent the price the otrer way. Bulling the
market is bard work when there are so many
fellows with loads to realize upen.
The statement that the Gastle Garden
authorities have detained a young German
emigrant with a hundred dollars in money,
and a lot of valuable baggage, because in
obedience to the advice of friends ho refused
to buy a railroad ticket to Chicago, of the pool
office, affords a remarkable illustration of the
management of that institution. It is also an
exemplification of our peculiar non-enforcement
of law, that the Inter-State Commerce
law forbids pooling and the Castle Garden pool
keeps right along.
The news that Hon. John M. Thomas
will disclose tbe secrets of his checkbook as
bearing upon the Senatorial caucus promises
that something may be shown up fully as in
teresting as that ballot-box forgery scandal.
It is said in behalf of the late Walker
Blaine, that he was never known to lose his
temper. This certainly argues a remarkable
and praiseworthy self-control. Nevertheless
there must be many situations in which contact
with office seekers and politicians would call
for a decided loss ot temper. Sir. Blaine's ad
mirable temper may have teen personally
praiseworthy; but in a public point of view,
there are in politics abundant opportunities for
righteous indignation.
The Sixteenth ward Democrats, in in
dorsing a ticket composed of Bailey, Morrow
and Denniston, sbow themselves to be capable
of conducting city politics on a level superior
to partisanship.
The Portuguese merchants who are
shouting for war with England cannot be deal
ing In English goods. Otherwise they would
perceive that hostilities with Great Britain
might cost their nation a greater loss than a
disputed section of the Dark Continent Dis
cretion is the better part of valor in inter
national affairs more than in individual dis
putes. Pekhats President Harrison will suc
ceed in making a great record for his adminis
tration, if he can take down the pretensions of
the top-lofty Senators a few notches.
Justice Lamab thinks that Justices
Matthews and Wood both died of overwork.
This is strongly against the present crowded
condition of Supreme Court business; but then
it must be set down to tbe credit side of the
account that overwork prevented Justice La
mar from making an exhibition of himself as
the eulogist of Jeff Davis.
After all the other weather prophets
have failed us the country looks forward with
a species of passive despair as to what the
ground hog may do.
The statement that the Ursuline convent
will be offered for sale soon foreshadows the
offer of some very valuable real estate. But,
as the property is probably worth more either
to the diocese or to tbe nuns wbo built it than
to anyone else, the chances for real estate spec
ulation offered by tbe sale are not very great
Nellie Bi.t's foot is on her native shore,
and she is now trying to beat Miss Bisland and
the blizzard to New York.
It appears that those English syndicate
fellows could never have put $5,600,000 into the
American potteries, if they had read the testi
mony before the Ways and Means Committee.
Either the syndicate or tbe testimony must be
all wrong as to the profits of the potteries.
PEOPLE OF PROMINENCE.
Miss Mary Gaeeett Is probably the
wealthiest spinster in the United States, but
sho has not been so generously favored by
nature as by fortune, ana at the ace of 37 still
remains in maiden meditation, heart whole and
fancy free.
Dion Boucicault has written, translated,
or adapted 400 plays. "London Assurance," his
first has been also his best play; it was written
when he was only 18 years old. "Colleen Bawn,"
the most popular of his later plays, was written
in nine days, but tbe plot was taken from Ger
ald Griffin's novel, "The Collegians," it is said.
Boucicault is now 70 years old.
Among the prominent Pittsbnrgers at New
York hotels are G. B. Shallenberger, C. E.
Goddard and wife. V. H. 8mith, Charles H.
Read. H.N. Bishop, W. R. Ewing, and Theo
dore R. Hostetter at the St. James; J. D.
Callery. J. L. Milligan, John &.. Taylor, Charles
E. Spear, E. T. Dravo, L. S. Moore, and Robert
Wardrop are registered at the Fifth Avenu;
L. . Lippman and J. H. Sawyer at the Hoff
man. Miss Matoiaka Gay, the famous wit and
belle of Richmond, Va., is one of the most
brilliant women in Washington this winter.
Miss Gay is a genuine F. F. V., coming, as she
does, in a direct line from Pocahontas, Matoika
being the English of Pocahontas. Her eyes
are dark and glorious in size and color, her
figure tall and stately, her manners fascinating
and her conversation irresistibly bright and
winning.
Edmund Law Rogers, Je., is directly
descended, on one side, from tbe Hon. Thomas
Law, brother of the Earl of Ellenborougb,
Governor General of India, and on the other
from Mrs. Martha Washington and the Calvert
family of Maryland. His great-grandfather,
Colonel Nicholas Rogers, served on General
Washington's staff during too American Revo
lution. Yet this young man. so highly con
nected, and with a millionaire for a father,
adopted the stage as a profession, and for ten
years has been playing small parts at a small
salary. He married an actress, and his stage
name is Leslie Edmunds.
Mark Twain has had the tables turned upon
him, and the prince of professional jokers has
been made the subje :t of an immense practical
joke. At the Authors' Club of New York, so
the story runs, Mark Twain was introduced to
an English visitor, by Henry C. Banner, by
his own name of Clemens, jnst after the editor
of Puck (Bunner) had pointed out tbe famous
humorist to the Englishman as "Mark Twain."
After shaking hands, the Englishman said:
"Mr. Clemens, Mr. Bunner has been trying to
play a joke on me, as an ignorant foreigner, by
telling me that you were Mark Twain, tho
great American humorist and I told him I had
never heard of such a person. Is there an
American humorist named Mark Twain?" Mr.
Clemens said there was a joke on somebody,
but did not seem to appreciate it and the
Englishman is still wondering what the joke
was on Mark Twain.
THE LEHIGH TALLEI ROAD.
A Statement of the Receipts and Expenses
for Ibe Past Yenr.
Philadelphia, January 2L The annual
report of the Lehigh Valley Railroad shows the
operations of the whole system for the past
year have resulted as follows: Transportation
earnings: From coal, $8,647,461 73; miscellaneous
freight $4,309,819 31; passengers, $1,839,729 91;
express and mail, 51,415,367 15; other items,
$160,762 68: income from investments and other
sources, 51,545.912 62: total, $16,649,058 10: cost of
operation, including rentals of leased lines, 811,
393,475 53; net revenue, $5,255,580 87. Against
which has been charged: General expenses, in
terest on floating debt taxes, loss on Morris
Canal, eta. $945,768 22:inrerest bonds (including
interest on guaranteed bonds and stocks), $2,
168,571 40: dividends on preferred and common
stocks. $2,018,201 87; total, $5,132,541 49, leaving
$123,539 38 to be added to tbe credit of the profit
and loss account
Neither the receipts nor expenses of the
Lehigh Vallev Coal Company are included in
the foregoing statement, its accounts being
kept entirely distinct from those of the railroad
company.
The Useless Croakers.
From the Inter Ocean. 1
A Guinea hen and a couple of crows can
drown all tbe bird music in the field and woods.
And so can two or three groan ers and croakers
in a community put a damper on life and busi
ness. Send them to the rear; they never yet
helped themselves or anybody else to anything
that was good.
Cold Comfort.
From tbe Philadelphia Eecord. J
Little Mr. Foraker has been fired out of
politics. Tbe peculiarity of the case consists
in the tact that he has been fired out with his
own gun. Nobody appears to be sorry, unless
it be poor, bewildered Mr. Halstead.
DEATHS OP A DAY.
Mrs. Anna 91. Stiles.
Mrs. Anna M. Stiles, wire of Kev. H. H. Etlles.
pastor of the Forty-third Street Presbyterian
Church, died yesterday afternoon from tbe grip.
A short time ago she had an attack of pneumonia.
Tbe infinenza taking hold of ber produced con
gestion of the brain, from whlcii she died. Mrs.
stiles was the daughter of John K. Renshaw. the
grocer. She was 28 years old, and only recently
married. Her early and sudden demise is deeply
regretted by a large number of friends.
Hon. Amos A. Blsiell.
Locepobt, N. Y., January 21. Hon. Amos A.
Blssell, of this city, father of Special Agent Blssell
of the Treasury Department at Boston, and Law
yer Blssell. of Buffalo, and uncle of Wilson S. Bls
sell, ex-President Cleveland's law partner, died
here this morning, aged S3. He was a great canal
forwarder In the seventies, and owned some CO
boats. He was also a member of the Assembly for
two years.
Ebenczer Bent.
IFrrCIAf. TELIQKAM TO THE DISPiTCtt.l
HAnRISBUitQ, January 21. Ebeneier Bent
brother of Major L. S. Bent, Superintendent of
the Pennsylvania Steel Company, died at Bteelton
last night or heart failure. Mr. Bent who was 69
years old, has been auditor of the company for
ten years. He was born In Qnlncy, Mass., where
his remains will be taken for Interment
THE TOPICAL TALKER.
Rntlicr Lively Music Outside Heaven's
Gates Bliss Hawthorne's Plana K
Dramullo Author' Error Nature Cor.
rected the Poet.
tT is well to be careful in all things.
This season some tableaux vivajxis were
given at a certain house in the East End. It
was a private affair, and very, very high-toned.
The most fashionable orchestra in town was se
cured to furnish the music, without which tab
leaux are not complete. A pretty little pro
gramme was printed. It contained sufficient
information to enable the audience to distin
guish George Washington from Scipio Af rican
us, and the names of the operas from which the
music was selected.
The printers made a mistake abontone of the
musical numbers, attributing it to "Enuinie,"
instead of "Ernanl." The orchestra) followed
the programme, and rehearsed some of the
catchy airs from Jakobowski's tuneful work,
instead of the more sober strains of Verdi's
"Ernanl." Nobody told the leader of the or
chestra of the typographical error.
It was a little inharmonious, therefore, when
the curtain went up and disclosed seven virgins
at the gates ot heaven, while the orchestra
broke out with the jolly thieves' chorus from
"Erminie" you know the thing beginnlng,"We
are jailbirds." The lady manager realized that
something was wrong, and the curtain went
down with a rush, but the orchestra finished
the measure, to the great amusement of tbe
audience.
V
Miss Grace Hawthorne, who has been
making some stir In England in a version
of Sardou's "Theodora," must have designs on
this country, or why does her present agent
think it worth while to ask The Dispatch to
announce that it is almost impossible to buy
flowers in Liverpool because they are all cor
nered by Miss Grace Hawthorne's admirers to
be thrown at her nightly when she appears at
the Shakespeare theater in that city?
Pittsburg has to accept almost anything in
the theatrical way that is thrown to her, and
he would lavish bouquets perhaps on Miss
Hawthorne in anything but "Theodora." That
deadly play we pray to be delivered from. The
slngglsh blood ot Britons may need a strong ir
ritantbut for pity's sake leave "Theodora" at
home when you come here.
V
A dramatic author is no better judge of the
offspring of his brain than other literary
workmen. I remember hearing Bartley Camp
bell's son say his father never thought much
of his "White Slave." He had no particular
Incentive to writing itand when he had finished
it after some 15 days' labor, he did not think he
should ever make use of it. But it was pro
duced and made an instant hit No other play
of Campbell's has made so much money, and to
its coining power the clearanco of the Camp
bell estate from debt which consummation is
likely to occur by next summer is principally
due.
How many seasons it has been on the road I
do not know, but when it was seen here last
year the audiences were immense. The author
did not get much good out of the revenues
from his plays, but his widow and family luck
ily will, nay, they have done already.
V
nature corrected him.
The poet wrote: "The idle wind"
And then be paused not for a rhyme
A bell had rang lie had not dined
And told blm It was dinner time.
But while the poet ate there flew
A Western wind into his den,
And all his paners overthrew.
Bis inkpot also, and his pen.
And when the poet came, he said
Start notl this poet never swore
" The busy wind, ' I'll write Instead,
And study nature more!"
H. J.
A VOCALIST HONORED.
Fitting Testimonial to a Gentleman
Very
Fopnlnr In Fittaborc
Tbe enthusiastic reception oi "The Brigands"
at the Bijou last night was not so much a tri
umph of the Carleton Opera Company as a
tribute to tbe merits of a clever fellow-citizen,
Mr. J. K. Murray, wbo took the role of Falsa
eappa. Still, the performance, as a whole, was
far superior to that of "Nanon" on Monday, a
remaikable improvement being noticeable in
the choruses.
Mr. Murray proved himself to be possessed of
a really fine and well-trained voice. His sing
ing ot the interpolated ballad, "Three Beg
gars," was an excellent piece of vocalization.
Miss Clara Lane was a bewitching Frageoletto,
and sang with her usual sweetness; while Miss
Alice L Carle was a dulcet, and loveable
Fiorella. No doubt Mr. C. A. Bigelow, as
Pielro, showed some "excellent fooling," but
his singing of "Down Went McGinty" in the
garb of an Italian bngana, was somewhat in
congruous. His topical song was laughable,
and almost interminable.
During the second act Mr. Murray was the
recipient of a graceful present In the shape of
a very handsome gold watch. His old friends
in Pittsburg had selected this means of making
known to him their recognition of his worth.
The present was accompanied with an eloquent
address by City Attorney Moreland, and Mr.
Carleton responded for Mr. Murray, who, as he
quaintly pnt it. was "suffering from a lump in
his throat." Floral tributes were also shower
ed upon the stage.
LEADING PAPEE OP" THE 8TATE.
Tho Dispatch a Journal for tho People and
the Home Circle.
Erom the Somerset Democrat.
The Pittsburg; Dispatch is unquestion
ably the leading newspaper of Pennsylvania,
The wonderful popularity of the Sunday edi
tion puts it in the lead of all other Sunday
papers, and it has now a circulation consider
ably over 50.000. Each number is a monster
magazine of choicest pen productions, as well
as an accurate and exhaustive chronicle of cur
rent news. It is a newspaper for the people and
the homo circle.
The daily issue of The Dispatch, which has
ever maintained the lead, will continue to offer
the best things going in the news line. It3 re
liable market reports, vast news-getting' ma
chinery (including leased wires to all the chief
cities), and its earnest, progressive and inde
pendent policy, has earned for it a national rep
utation and made it a household word in West
ern Pennsylvania and Eastern Ohio.
Quite Possible.
Prom tbe Chicago Times, j
Ex-Queen Isabella, of Spain, boasts that she
Is more in debt than any other woman in
Europe. It is barely possible that in this boast
lies the secret of the agitation in favor of a
Republic now going on in Spain.
THOUGHTS ABOUT VARIOUS THINGS.
New York World: Down went Foraker to
tbe bottom of public esteem. But he has been
on a toboggan slide for a couple of years.
Philadelphia Times: Men bavemet politi
cal death by monkeying with tbe ballot boxes
on election day, but Foraker seems to have met
with bis by meddling with an alleged ballot box
before election.
New York Star: It is reported that the
Prince and Princess of Wales will visit this
country iu the spring incognito. There will not
be much incognito about the trio if tbe New
York reporters are in good trim.
Philadelphia Eecord: Not as much liquor
is sold in Kansas as formerly on account of the
high prices at the drug stores. But thn drug
gists of Kansas, who are growing rich under
the policy embodied in the prohibitory law, op
pose its repeal to tbe last man.
Philadelphia Press: Give Mr. Cleveland
a chance. The New York Sun wants the ex
President to answer Mr. Blaine's argument on
protection. By all means, the sooner the bet
ter. He defeated his party two years ago by a
message on the tariff. Perhaps he can do as
much two years hence by writing another now.
New York Press: Portugal, under the pro
tecting wing of France, might easily become a
Republic, especially as Spain is in no condition
to coerce her people and the Portugnese royal
line has been set aside in Brazil. The cable
grams from London about troubles in Oporto
indicate a strong popular tide in the direction
of a popular uprising.
New Yoke Sun: The sensible thing to do
in regard to silver Is to make its use as money
optional between debtors and creditors at the
time they enter into their agreements. Lend
ers now often stipulate for repayment in gold,
and borrowers might equally insist upon the
right to receive silver and pay back silver."
Only tbe contract should be, not for dollars.
but for ounces, and all that tbe Government
need to do, if it lis to do anything, is to issue
against deposits of silver bullion certificates re
deemable in ounces of silver.
DE. M'GLTNN'S LECTURE.
An Able EDort, Which Charmed a Lars:
Aadlenco at Lafayette Hall.
Dr. McGlynn lectured last evening in Lafay
ette Hall under the auspices of the Single Tax
League, His subject was: "The Abolishment
of Poverty."
As a basis he took the preamble of the
Declaration of Independence. "That all
men are endowed by their Creator
equally with the inalienable right to
life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."
Acknowledging that tbe fatherhood of God
and the brotherhood of man was inevitable,
and upon that religious principle the reform
mnst stand. Dr. McGlynn said:
We wonld assert tbe right of man to labor and
enjoy the rights of labor a doctrine that is
essentially tbe doctrine of religion. Be at
tributed tbe present condition of labor and capital
to a violation of Qod's law that ye love ona
anotner.
He spoke of the history of tbe world and
said that the immunity the world bad enjoyed
from war had been not from the acquisition of
mutual rights, but from a surrender of rights
by tho weak to the strong. In striking lan
guage and by forciDle illustration he compared
the chattel slave to tbe industrial slave, and
the condition of the latter wa3 eminently worse
than of the former. For an owner of a $1,000
negro man or woman would take a
physical care of their bodies from a business
point of view, ana if sickness overtook them he
would procure medical assistance and relief if
possible. With the industrial slave, the result
of a monopolization of nature's bounties
by a few capitalists, who permitted
them to live simply, it was very
different. They possessed no market value.
In sickness, as with the Irish landlord, they
were evicted. Morally there was not much
difference, one was as bad as the other. Dr.
McGlvnn thohgbt if the politicians, who are
forever boasting of the abolition of chattel
slavery, would turn from the dead to the living
and assist in the abolition of industrial slavery,
there would be glory iu it for them. His
remedy for all the evils of the present based
upon tbe fatherhood of God and brotherhood
of man, is an equal tax paid into a com
mon treasury. A rental tax for ground which,
no matter bow used, whether for buildings or
for procuring coal, oil or gas. paid into the
common treasury, with which to educate the
masses, give them better schools, libraries,
parks, etc., etc With that system speculation
would be destroyed. Capitalists could not
afford to keep ground and pay a rental tax for
it without using it Coal fields could not be
bought up and controlled for years, thereby
making an artificial scarcity of coal. It would
make compulsory employment of labor. There
would be an increased demand for capital and
labor to work land now unused, so that both
wages and interest would rise. Labor and tbe
products of labor would thus be relieved from
all taxation. Peace and plenty would flow and
happiness reign.
BENEI WATTEES0N COMING.
Pittsbnrgers Afforded nn Opportunity to
Hear tho Editor.
On Thursday evening. January 30, Hon.
Henry Watterson will deliver his lecture on
"Money and Morals," at Old City Hall, under
the auspices of the Pittsburg Press Club. The
great editor's fame as an orator and lecturer
prevents even comment in anticipation of the
quality of the discourse to be delivered next
week. ,
The sale of seats will begin on Saturday
morning at Kleber's.
A Dancing Reception.
The McKelvey mansion in the East End was
ablaze with many lights last evening, resonant
with sweet strains of music, and tbe air was
heavy with the delightful fragrance of choice
flowers. The occasion was a dancing reception,
and the daughter of tbe home. Miss Chrissie,
with Mrs. D. Moore and Miss Barnes, assisted
Mr. and Mrs. McKelvey in dispensing hospital
ity. The ladies were attired in charming
toilets, and in a graceful manner entertained
tho many guests that responded to the invita
tions sent out a few days ago.
Social Chatter.
The dinner-dance, tbe fourth of the series,
will be given to-day instead of the regular day,
Friday, as on that evening tbe assembly ball is
booked. Tbegerman will be danced at tho
residence of Mrs. B. F. Jones, and the other
ladies of the club will give the dinners, as
usual.
At University Hall to-morrow evening,
Othello will be produced by members of the
Curry School of Elocution and Dramatic
Culture, and Mr. and Mrs. Byron W. King. A
musical programme between the acts will be
under the direction of Prof. S. Blssell.
The Woman's Club had, its regular meeting
yesterday afternoon, and its re-elected officers
presided in their variousroles. The constitu
tion, with the slight changes made by the
official ladies last week, was voted on, and a
very pleasant meeting was held.
The Swedish Ladies' National Concert at
Old City HalL to-morrow evening, will Insure
a delightful evening to all who attend the
performance. The Eastern papers indorse the
fair singers in a very complimentary style.
Fob the inmates of Dlxmont, at that institu
tion next Thursday evening, the Haydn Quar
tet, of this city, assisted by Miss Jennie Grey,
soprano, and Miss Jean Abbott, violinist, will
give a very interesting concert
The Supreme Lodge, Order of Solons, will
give a very interesting musical and literary en
tertainment to-night in Lafayette Hall.
Mks. John Doty, formerly Miss Margaret
Shaw, was the guest of honor at a reception
last evening given by Miss Eulie Shaw.
In New Castle this evening at 5 o'clock Miss
Nolie Rose will become the bride of Mr. Oscar
T. Hance, a newspaper man of this city.
Misses Kate and Ada Smith, of Wylie
avenue, will entertain friends this afternoon
with progressive euchre.
Miss McDow, at her parents' home, 195 Fay
ette street, Allegheny, will be married to-day
to Mr. Richard Lowrie.
Mbs. C. L. Magee has returned from her
trip to New York and is once more at home at
the Hotel Duquesne.
THE poverty german will be danced this
evening at the Bailey residence, Cliff street, Al
legheny. To-night Miss Annie Holmes, of Fifth ave
nue, will be wedded to Mr. Augustus Kuhn.
Mrs. George M. Laughlin will leave
shortly for Europe.
The Beggs-Spronl wedding will take place
this evening.
i
A GOOD PLACE TO BUILD SHIP?.
San Francisco Able to Tackle Contracts for
Bis; War Tesiela.
Washington, January 2L Mr. Irving M.
Scott, of the Union Iron Works, San Francis
co, gave some interesting facts to-day before
the House Committee on Naval Aff lira con
cerning tho increased facilities for building
war vessels at that city. The largest battle
ships, he said, those of 10,000 or 12,000 tons,
could be built there.
For the protection of inland ports, Mr. Scott
recommended that the Government's single
turreted monitors be remodeled. If tbe turrets
were removed, and the vessels armed with
disappearing guns of heavy caliber, they would,
he thought, give very efficient protection.
THE HEIGHTS AND THE VALLEY.
He stood in the valley with easier eyes
Turned to tbe peaks where the sunshine lay.
"O, for the heights that are near the skies.
The glorious heights that are far away,"
He cried, as ever his longing grew
To climb the steeps till the heights were won,
And ever a wUd unrest broke through
The daily tasks that must still be done.
"It must be lonely on those fair heights, "
Said the friend he told of his wild desire.
"Better the valley of old delights;"
But the heart of the di earner was all on fire
With the thought of reaching the hills afar,
And he would not tarry with friends of old,
But followed the flash of ambition's (tar.
And climbed up the mountains bleak and cold.
There were rocky places where feet must bleed;
There were awful chasms where danger lay;
Through nights of darkness and'days of need
Toward the peaks he longed for be took his way.
And nearer, nearer the peaks of snow
Each day the climber In raoture drew.
Forgetting the valley that lay below
And the valley friends who were kind and true.
At last the terrible heights were scaled;
Alone on the desolate peaks stood be.
Iu tbe moment of triumph bis courage failed.
And his heart turned valleyward longingly,
O, to bear the voices of trlends again.
To clasp a hand that was warm and trne I
O, to love and be loved, and to share with men
Tbe little Joys that the valley knew !
Hotter the valley with peace and love
Than the desolate belgbt3 some souls attain.
Lonely is life on the tills above
The valley lands and the sunny plain.
What la fame to love 7 Can It satisfy
The longing and lonely hearts of men T
On tbe heights they must hunger and starve and
die
Come bask to.tbe valley of .peace again. , .
EbtnX. Bexfora in louth's Companion.
THE STROLLER'S STORIES.
Odd Opinions and Qaalnt Observations Gath
ered From Curb and Corridor.
TVTK. Pokter 8. Newmteh, of Connells
ville, was at the Hotel Anderson yester
day. He was accompanied by K. Long, a
miller; J. C. Kurtz, Cashier of the Yough
iogheny Bank, and J. M. Dusbane, a mercbant
and general investor of Connellsville. Mr.
Newmyer Is a candidate for the Republican
nomination for Lieutenant Governor, and be
said yesterday that he considered his prospects
flattering. He said to the Stroller:, "I am not
doing much just now. I am waiting, as the
other candidates say, until after the February
elections. It is possible that tbe location of the
nominee for Governor will influence the choice
of the Lieutenant Governor. 1 hardly think,
however, that such will be the case iu this cam
paign. In the first place there are no candi
dates for Governor from the southwestern part
of the Commonwealth. In the second place
the regard usually given in conventions to
geographical location is unreasonable. The
most capable man should be nominated, no
matter from what county he hails. I have seen
the most carefully allotted tickets defeated.
I have not yet begun a canvass for the posi
tion. My prospects, however, are flattering.
I have received kindly letters from all parts of
the. State, and 1 know that I have many warm
friends. My candidacy does not antagonize any
candidate for Governor."
fyjR. Newjiter has some new ideas on tho
Gubernatorial campaign. He said to the
Stroller: "I consider Senator Quay the great
est political leader of the United States. When
I speak thus I refer to him as a politician. He
has no superior in politics in America. 1 think
that the opportunity of Senator Quay's life is
now presented to him. Should he become tbe
compromise candidate for Governor of Penn
sylvania he could be nominated for President
In 1892. I would not be surprised to see him
nominated for Governor. He would sweep the
State. Let him then go into the National con
vention with Pennsylvania back of him, and
the delegates from half the other States, and
his nomination would be assured. No other
man could contest with him. Harrison is a
man who owes his election to Senator Quay
and does not know it. Mr. Blaine will never
run again, as all politicians know. Major Mc
Kinley will not win, for reasons I could tell.
It will be Senator Quay or a Western man.
Our man ought to have it"
Me. Newmyer was accompanied to the city
yesterday by three other Connellsville gen
tlemen: K. Long, tbe big miller; J. 0. Kurtz,
cashier of the Youghiogheny Bank, and Cap
tain J. M. Dushane, the merchant and general
investor. They were in the city on pnvate
business. Mr. Kurtz is a brother of J. B.
Kurtz, one of the candidates for tbe postmas
tership of Connellsville. Another candidate is
Mr. S. H. Dusbane, a son of the Captain.
Judge Harry White, of Indiana, is now in
Washington, and is depended upon to put in a
good word for the son of the man who rescued
blm from Libby prison.
"piM Scanlan, when he came back from
Columbus the other day, with the Randall
Club, ran in out of the rain to his friend"
Maloney. "Mike," be said, "it's the chilliest
town I ever set my two eyes on. It's a bigger
time we can have in the Sixth ward electing a
constable than they can have electing a Gov
ernor in that State 'tother side the river."
Paptain W. W. O'Neil, the big coal opera
tor, who used to live at the Monongahela
House.' yesterday took up his quarters at the
Hotel Duquesne. Captain O'Neil is a cautious
man, and he ate several square meals at Colonel
Wltherow's house before he was satisfied that
was the place he was looking for.
J-Jon. Eugene Iottig, of Chicago, went
through, yesterday morning, en route to
Washington. He is one of the most influential
politicians of the Western metropolis. Mr.
Littig said, anent the present quarrel between
Illinois Senators and the President, that while
Collector of the Fort Clarke was one of the
strongest and best Republicans in the city, the
Republican workers of Chicago had made up
their minds that tbe principles of Jackson must
be adhered to in the case of so important a
federal appointment
Among the people wbo yesterday enjoyed tbe
hospitalities of the Seventh Avenne Hotel
was Edward J. Phillips, wbo is generally known
as one of the most genial men coming to Pitts
burg. He has nothing to win by the general
transition of Federal appointments, and his
expectations for the coming campaign in this
State are all based on an independent stand
point "r A. Delamater, Superintendent of the
Iiinesville Railroad, of Meadville, is at the
Hotel Duquesne. He is a brother to Senator
George Wallace Delamater.
A bwee Mckinley, of New York, is at the
Hotel Anderson. He expects that, after
March 4, 1893. he will be very closely related to
the President of the United States. He bears
a remarkable resemblance to his brother, the
Major.
p H. Connell, of Joliet, 111., and George O.
" Baker, of Des Moines. la., both stock-
holders of tbe Illinois
Steel Company, are at
the Hotel Dnquesne.
T L. Smith, of Johnstown, wbo is connected
' with the Cambria Iron Works as General
Agent is at the Hotel Duquesne.
THE MOUNTAIN QUEEN.
The Sevflckley Valley Clnb Flanges
Into
LI eh l Opera With Snccrss.
As usual at these delightfnl events the Pe
wickley Valley Club's theater was crowded last
night when "Tyrolean.or the Mountain Queen,"
an operetta in four acts, by Charles F. Hanson,
of Boston, was given by the members of the
club. The cast was so large that it Included
almost all the young people in the club,
and the principal characters can only be men
tioned here. They were as follows:
liosalle, Mrs. McDonald: fairy queen. Miss
Murray: Josephine, Mrs. Pease; Mother Grant,
Mrs. Adair; first maid of honor. Miss Waters:
second maid of honor, Mrs. Ollmore; third maid
of honor. Miss Carpenter; fourth maid of honor,
Miss Htlen Carpenter; Gipsy Dick, Mr. F. E.
Richardson: first gipsy, Mr. Waters; second
gipsy. .Mr. Irwin; mountain children, Jessie
Murray and Jennie Kevin.
Tho chorus numbered about SO voices, and a
small band of fairies included tbe following
little ladies: Jessie Kerr,Mazie Madeira,Fannle
Oliver, Susan Williams, Alice Carpenter.Laura
Liggett Nannie Naylor, Ethel Standisb, Bessie
Young and Jennie Knox. These sweet little
fays were led by Miss Chaplin.
The operetta itself is a simple, unpretending
little tbing as far as plot goes but the music is
ot considerably heavier character, and while at
times suggestive of other works, it abounds in
light melodious airs, and choruses of consider
able originality and sonority. The libretto
seems to have been written as librettos usually
are, more for sound tban sense, but it conveys
the simple tale of a village beauty's abduction
by a wicked gipsy and rescue by the friondly
fairies.
Naturally, the first honors go to Mrs. Sharp
McDonald among tbe singers. As Sosalie, the
Tyrolean Queen, she sang and acted with great
art and unflagging spirit Her beautiful so
prano lent a rare brilliancy to tne large amount
of the score that fell to ber qhare. Inadnet
with Mrs. McDonald, in Act 1, Mrs. Pease's
rich contralto voice was heard to great ad
vantage, and indeed all the work allotted to
Mrs. Pease was "sung with much sweetness
of expression and dramatic force. Mrs. Adair's
impersonation of tbe wicked gipsy with tbe
unromantic name was extremely clever.and tbe
singing of soveral others among tbe mortals
was remarkably good. For the chorus, how
ever, we mnst award still higher praise. In the
(-first act especially their singing was excellent.
Tbey kept time wen ana many or choruses
which have been put forward by opera com
panies with big names were not the equals of
this one oi amateurs.
But the fairies completely conquered the
audience. Tbe prettiest children that the
Sewickley Valley has flitted upon tho stage,
with tbe lightness of a zephyr. The sparkle of
tbe tinsel wings and the filmy dresses of ganze
made tbe scene inexpressibly pretty. The
fairies sang sweetly, too, and their queen. Miss
Murray, displayed a volco of goluen quality,
a pure soprano, which, though light,
has abundant carrying power. It may have
been the rustle of fairies' wings. Miss Murray's
rare singing, the bright scenery, or all these
things together, but the conclusion of the
opera had tbe greatest charm for us.
For tbe whole performance, a large and by
no means easy work, Mrs. McDonald is entitled
to great credit.
Bnd for the Conga Country, Though.
From tbe Louisville Courier-Journal.
Cigar smokers think Mr.Huntington's scheme
for putting yonng men into tbe .Congo Free
State . would be a fine thing If he wonld load
his emigrant ships with' cigarette smokers.
OUU MAIL fUrjCfl.
A Tale of Fraud.
To the Editor of The Dispatch:
Each day we read the accounts in our dally
papers of money being obtained by fraud, but
how little thought the most of us give to the
enormous amounts which go out that way each
day; and if we keep account for one year the
amount is large enough to support a great city.
xue writer is cioseiy connected with tbe bank
ing business of the country and has given this
subject special attention during the year which
has just closed, and tne result is surely worthy
of attention. We read an account to-day
wbere some man has obtained a large sum of
money on a forged check or draft, and we of
course wonder bow this man obtained this
check or draft so that he could forge it and
also why the paying teller was so stupid as to
not see that it was a forgery.
Now 1 am going to to tell you just bow it is
done. If you sift these cases of forgery right
to tbe bottom you will find that in nine cases
out of ten these checks and drafts were orig
inally genuine, being drawn and signed by
the proper parties, tbe parties to the fraud
afterward removed the body of the check in
on8 of the dozen or more ways in which It is
very easily done, and then rewrote it f ora much
larger amount but did not touch the signature.
That is just why tbe teller paid It, because he
knew positively that the signature was genuine
and there was, of conrse, nothing about the ap
pearance of tho cheek or draft as the case
might be, to show that it had been raised.
It takes a high degree of skill indeed to imi
tate another man's signature so that the prac
ticed eye of our bank tellers will not detect It;
but a very little practice will enable any one to
raise tbe amount to whfch the check was drawn
so perfectly that it cannot be detected. A
large number of our banxers ana business men
use a machine to cut the amount out of the
body of the check. This.of course, glvesabsolute
protection, but the greatnumbers of houses and
banks wbo do not protect themselves are con
stantly being swindled by this class or forgery.
As business houses of any considerable magni
tude always nave a comfortable balance with
their bankers, ample time and an abundance ot
cash are thus placed at the disposal of the
check raisers. Tbe use of certified checks is
extremely dangerous, unless they are made se
cure against alteration by cutting out the
amount What may result from a neglect to
effectually protect this class of paper is best
explained by the case of C. M. Cunningham,
formerly general agent for the Mutual Life In
surance Company atElmira,N. Y. Cunning
bam had the advantage of a good acquaintance
among the bankers of Elmira, with whom he
had quite heavy transactions. He had estab
lished himself so firmly in their confidence
that one da') last summer he had no difficulty
in cashing a certified check, drawn to his order
by the Mutual Life Insurance Company, which
he had successfully raised from $281 to $22,898.
The especial danger attached to certified
Checks lies in the fact that by the mere act of
certification they are rendered easily negotia
ble, tbe work of alteration being Just as simple
alter certification as before. The Maverick
National Bank, of Boston, one of the largest
financial institutions of that city, was swindled
out of $8,000 a short time since by professional
check raisers. A very respectable appearing
man opened an account at the bank, depositing
some $2,000, which he drew against and replen
ished until he had established his credit With
in a few weeks he deposited a draft for $5,800,
drawn by a Portland bank against a New York
bant and on the next day drew $5,000 against
it. The draft was sent to New York for col
lection, when it was found to have been raised
from the original amount ot $1,700 to $5,8C0.
Before advice had reached Boston the deposi
tor bad closed his account drawing all tbe
balance, and left the city. It is not
long since Edward S. Stokes, of tbe Hoff
man House. New York City, was swindled
out of several thousand dollars by the clever
work of Chicago check raisers. At the
Eleventh Ward Bank, New York City, may be
seen a check which was drawn by Messrs.
Hatch & Foote for $34, and raised to $2,600, so
cleverly done that no one can detect any trace
of the alteration. The readers of The Dis
patch will remember that not long ago the
German-American Bank, at No. 50 Wall street
New York, cashed a certificate of deposit for
$10,000 which had been drawn for $125.
The writer conld relate dozens of other cases
of this kind which have come to his notice in
the past year, and it is a well-known lact that
the majority of firms wbo loss large amounts
in this way keep it from tbe press, not wanting
their customers and the public generally to
know that they have been careless and made a
victim to this kind of fraud. A. L. D.
Pittsburg, January 2L
A Convention of Patentees Proposed.
To the Editor ofTbe Dispatch:
It is highly desirable for the good of the na
tion for a conference of persons interested In
United States patent laws to take place soon,
in order to advocate many much-needed alter
ations in those laws, among others the reduc
tion of Government fees. A surplus profit
over expenses at the Patent Office is not good
i policy. To such a conference, when assembled,
tbe following striking proposition will be sub
mitted: Tbere should be prevision and pro
vision, by legislation' or association, to save
good discoveries made by those who cannot
save them. It is believed that never in tbe
history of man has a more important measure
of law or social arrangement been laid down, or
one fraught with more momentous influence
on tbe future welfare of the denizens ot this
globe we live on.
It does not logically follow that genius must
be wealthy. "You cannot have your cake and
eat it" One cannct devote his life, as in duty
doudu, to me promotion ot nis genius, and at
the same time give all bis time to the acquisi
tion of money. Any intelligent school boy may
kuow that some men of originality die everv
year without being able to give the world the
uuueub ui tjjeu: uiscurenes; tueir originations,
whatever tbe value of them may be, are buried
in their graves and lost forever.
It is suggested that Pittsburg be the place
and early in March the time for said confer
ence. I, the writer, will give gratis to 10 or to
40 of said patentees when met one valuable in
vention each; this X will do for the foil ewing
good reasons: First I am too old and cannot
live long enough to introduce them. Second
'Tis better to let the world have gratis the
labors of my whole life than take the results
into the grave to be lost forever. Third My
discoveries are the best ever made by man.
I ask I demand that this be printed because
it Is for the public good and because there is
not the faintest taint or suspicion of gratuitous
advertising about it. It is a hard world to live
in truly, if a poor old man cannot be allowed
even to give awav the labor of a whole life,
without being required to pay a larger sum
tban he can accumulate. In order to confer a
great benefit on tbe world forever!
Ermine, Pa., January 20. Inventor.
GENERAL HAETRANFrS MONUMENT.
Nearly 80,000 Contributed, and Proposals
for Ic Ereclion to be Recrived.
.'SPECIAL TKLEGKAM TO THE DISFATCB.1
Haerisbubg. January 2L General John A.
Wiley, Commapderof the Second Brigade, was
the only member of the Hartranft Monument
Commission absent from the meeting in this
city to-day. Reports received by the commis
sion show that $5,678 have been subscribed by
members of tbe National Guard toward tbe
erection of a suitable monument to the memory
of General Hartranft and indicate, that tbe
sum of $6,000 will be contributed for that pur
pose before subscriptions cease.
Anotner meeting oi toe commission wui oe
held in Philadelphia, February 20. to receive
proposals for the erection and completion of
the monument, which Is to be of granite and
bronze. The designs shall be based on an esti
mated expenditure of $5,000.
HOW INSURAKCE PAIS.
The Sworn Figures of a Pitlsburg Com
pany, Filed at Albany, N. Y.
rSFZCIAt. TZLIORAM TO TH DISrATCJM
Albany, January 2L Among the reports of
insurance companies for the past year just filed
with the State Department is tbe following:
Western Fire Insurance Company, of Pitts
burg: Admitted assets, $433,177 50. Liabilities
Unpaid losses, $13,633 59; unearned premiums,
$90,767 10; all other liabilities except capital.
$3,943 46; capital stock paid up. $300,000; surplus
beyond all liabilities. $23,029 23: aggregate lia
bilities. $431,383 33. Income Fire premiums,
$143,561 45; marine and inland premiums, $661 26;
all other income, 51,423: total Income, $169,627 60.
Disbursements Fire losses. $118,332 35; divi
dends to stocKhnlders. $18,000; all other ex
penditures, $6,638 69; total disbursements, S18L
979, 12.
CONFIRMED BI THE SENATE.
The First Auditor of tbo Treasury at Last
Off tbe Books.
Washington, January 21. Among the
Fresidental appointments confirmed to-day by
the Senate were the following: Postmasters
Ohio: SamuerMetzler. Wooster; 11 R. Alder
man, Marietta; Nelson Ozler, Mansfield: and
George P. Fisher, of Delaware, to be First
Auditor of the Treasury.
Mr. Fisher's nomination had been bung upon
the Committee on Finance for some time be
cause of certain charges made against him:
bnt the committee to-day unanlmodlly decides
that there was no reason why he should not be
confirmed and so reported to the Senate this
afternoon, with the result above noted.
CUBIOUS COHDENSTIONS.
Of all the aliens who took out letters of
naturalization in England last year only three
were Americans.
A great flight of locusts, believed to
have covered 2.000,000 square miles, recently
crossed the Red Sea from the African shore.
The Massachusetts Savings Bank Com
missioners suggest school savings , banks as a
means of teaching the yonng idea how to save.
A South Chester resident has received a
letter from a friend In Tacoma, Wash., where
be says it costs 50 cents to get shaved and $1 for
a hair-cut.
A teacher near Allentown suspended a
scholar for swearing in Pennsylvania Dutch,
and tbe affair has caused a division in the local
School Board.
During the calendar year of 1889, 109,
140,917 pieces of coin were executed at the,
mints of tbe United States, having a total
value of $58,194,022.
Anchovies have recently been found un
usually plentiful on the southwest ooast of
England, running with smelts, which are also
very large and fine.
A fish delicately flavored, and said by
many to be equal to that of the salmon, is a
great gray trout called tuladi. and is found in
its perfection in Lake Temiscouta, Canada.
An 18-year-old girl who conld speak
little English, was recently sent from Texas to
New York, with a card pinned to her dress
giving her destination.
The Russian Government will begin
next spring to build its 4,500-milo railroad,
across Siberia. This is a big undertaking and
its estimated cost is $220,000,000.
Seized with a somnambulistic fit, Jo
seph Snyder, of Allentown, left a restaurant
whero he had fallen asleep and walked past his
home to Coplaystown, six miles away.
A post mortem examination revealed in
the stomach of a valuable bull terrier that died
suddenly in Revere. Mass., several yards of
string, burned matches and a cigarette holder.
The mild weather in England keeps sea
fishing uncommonly good. Trailing slowly in
deep water witn rod and line and a single book,
great numbers of heavy pollack have been
taken.
A Minneapolis inventor is about to
introduce to the public a slot machine that for
a nickel will present the payer a photograph of
himself in just three minutes from the time be
drops In the fi-cent piece.
Tbe cheapening of aluminium has led
to a proposition to construct arc lamps ot this
material as preferable on account of lightness
and qualities of resisting rust in comparison
with iron, steel or brass for outdoor use.
According to a recent paper read before
the French Academy of Sciences, the temper
ature at the top of the Eiffel Tower is fre
quently much higher than at the ground,
though the contrary, as a rule, is to be ex
pected. A Battle Creek, Mich., man requested
the City Recorder to order all the saloons in
town not to sell him anything to drink. The
Recorder took the sensible drunkard around to
all tbe ginmills. told tbe proprietors to take a
good look at him, and to not sell him budge on
pain of prosecution.
It is a fact well known to pigeon fanci
ers that the two eggs laid by pigeons almost
invariably produce male and female. Some
curious experiments as to which of the eggs
produce the male and which the female have
resulted in showing that the first egg laid is the
female and the second tbe male.
A soluble pigment has been found in
the spines of the South American tree porcu
pine. Theqnill3are tinged with bright yel
low and tipped with dark brown. The yellow
will dissolve in ordinary water, but the brown
resists the solvent action of alcohol and chloro
form, though it yields to ammonia and potash.
Editor O. K. Mohr, of the Slatington
(Pa.) News, has been sorely afflicted. This is
tbe way he describes it in his own paper: "Tbe
editor has at last to succumb, and on Thursday
and Friday suffered from 'grippe,' Saturday
cot married, and on Monday morning got back
to the office all 'O. K., More' spirited than
ever."
A funny story is going the rounds of
the press, of a young lady who found a horse
shoe, and, wishing for good luck, placed it
under her pillow in company with her lalse
teeth. In tbe morning in the hurry of dressing
she substituted the shoe for the teeth and wore
it for some time before the mistake was discov
ered. This storv was told to a voune- ladv visit
ing Meadville, and with great astonishment in
her voice she exclaimed "ana never washed tbe
shoe!" She was evidently more surprised over
the lack of cleanliness than the size of the
girl's month. She was from OH City.
Dr. J. G. Justin, a chemist of Syracuse,
is the inventor of a large dynamite cartridge
that is soon to made at Perryville, Madison
county, N. Y., andno little interest is awakened
in tbe experiment that will take place near
Perryville some day next week. Dr.Jnstin
has been trying to construct a shell by wbich
any amount of dynamite may be fired from an
ordinary cannon without danger of premature
explosion. Tbe shell he has prepared weighs
250 pounds, is 42 inches in length and 9 inches
in diameter. Many capitalists are interested in
the experiment and if the shell is a success It
will doubtless supersede Lieutenant Zollnski's
pneumatic gun.
Henry Kurtz is a man 60 years of age
and lives near Reading. He owns a mustang,
which is named Texter, that at times is very un
ruly and balky. Tho other day some of the old
man's friends made fun of the mustang and its
owner.
Kurtz declared that he could ride tbe
mustang into the barroom of the Kurtz House
and take a drink while seated on its back. A
half dozen men offered to bet that he could not
do it He took every wager, and on the after
noon of tbe same day rode his mustang to the
hotel. There was a crowd present. Texter was
inclined to be balky, but the old man fed him a
few apples and tbe animal walked straightway
into the barroom. He was at the bar in a mo
ment, and Mr. Kurtz took a drink of whisky
amid tbe applause of the crowd.
There is scarcely a daily average at
tendance of 10 in a school population of from
150 to 200 at each village in Alaska. Fifty
thousand rubies are each year appropriated
from the Imperial Treasury of St Petersburg
for aid to tbe church and the support of schools
in Alaska. Part of the church revenues is de
rived from the sale of candles at funerals and
marriages and from tho rent of church prop
erty devoted to secular purposes, which the
Grseco-Kussian Chnrch. under tbe provisions
of tbe treaty, was allowed to retain. This is
not very valuable, however, as a source of rev
enue. The Russian churches amongtbe Aleuts
of tbe seal islands of St. Paul and St George,
In Behrln? Sea are. in great part supported
from contributions of tbe industrious wage
earning people of the3e islands.
A CLUSTER OF BRILLIANTS.
Love and liquor make the world go
ronna.Wasnington Star.
The true humorist never smiles that is,
unless somebody else pays for It Kearney Enter
prise. The whisky manufacturer gets a good
deal of abuse, buthejust takes Hall In and keeps
iM.inghamtan Republican.
Fogg argues that prohibition can't pro
hibit because drunken men are sure to be plenty
full everywhere. Mnghamton Republican.
"I am afraid your retort cut Mr. Chestnut
to the quick."
"Impossible! He Is a Phliaaelphlan." Jfexo
York Sun.
Plenty of Boom Then. Lightpurse Can
I get into the assessor's oHce?
Wellfllled I think so; I have Just brought oat
my tax bill. Boston Herald.
The Necessary Condition. "I will be your
slave my darling; will you marry mel"
"Weltir you promise that I'll consider your
application favorably ."-Boston Herald.
Husband(to extravagant wife) You have
succeeded at last In maklna something out of
me.
Wife I knew I would. What Is it dearest?
Husband -A pauper. EpoeX.
A lecturer has for a subject, "The Coming
Man and What We Owe Him." If brevity is the
soul of a witty lecture, he should call his subject
'The Bill Collector." We are not anxious to
know what he owes him. i'orristoum Herald.
HER REPLT.
The fools are not all dead, said he.
Her answer took him quite aback:
I'm very glad of It said she;
I never did look well In black.
Boston Courier.
Manager Why have you run our tele
graph lines round Philadelphia Instead or directly
through?
Assistant The authorities said It was against
the law to run anything through the city. Stto.
York &un.
"May I inquire your occupation?" asked,,
the doctor.
"I am a clerk on a salary of $rf 50 a month."
"Your ailment sir," said the doctor, with
decision, Is not goat. It Is simply an aggravated
caseofingrowingtoenaU." Chicago Tribune,