'THE PITTSBURG '- DISPATCH. fmiD&l AUGUST .-T2l8Ml igpfflj. ESTABLISHED FEBRUARY S. 1S4C Vol. 4fi.So. 20?. ITntered at Pittsburg Postofflce, November 14, 1SS7, as second-class matter. Business Office Corner Smithfield and Diamond Streets. News Rooms and Publishing House 78 and So Diamond Street, in New Dispatch Building. V. ASTERS ADVERTISING OFFICE, ROOM H, TRIBUNE BUILDING. NEW YORK, where com- ?lete files of THE DISPATCH can always be round, oreign advertisers appreciate the convenience. Home advertisers and friend ofTHE DISPATCH, while In New York, arc also made welcome. THE DISPATCHt recuUrlyon tale at Brentann's, I Union Square, Sew Turk, and V Aw de Z'Opfm, Paris. France, where anymc wAo hat been disap pointed at a hotel neies stand can obtain it. TKRMS OF THE DISPATCH. POSTAGE TREE IX THE UNITED STATES. DAILY Dispatch. One Year. t S 00 Daily Dispatch, Per Quarter. 2 00 Daily DisrATCH, OneMonth 70 Daily DisrATCH, including Sunday, 1 Tear.. 10 00 Daily Dispatch, Including Sunday, 3 m'ths. 2 50 Daily Dispatch, Including Sunday, 1 m'fh.. SO Scxday Dispatch. One Year. 2 50 Weekly Dispatch, One Year. 1 23 The Daily Dispatch Is delivered by carriers at 15 cents per week, or. Including Sunday Edition, at SO cents per week, PITTSBURG. FRIDAY, AUGUST 28.18U1 GRIM-VISAGED DISASTER. The ill-omened wings of disaster have spread in every direction, and have cov ered the -entire surface of the earth. Xo sooner have the telegraph wires finished the record of one calamity than they are again called into requisition to furnish to the public he history of other scenes that make the blood run cold. The latest horror is a railroad wreck in Xorth Caro lina, where, during the dark, mur ky air yesterday morning, a train with eighty-five souls on board plunged sixty-five feet downward into a roaring creek. Twenty were killed out right, nine so seriously injured they will not recover, and twenty more were se verely injured. The cause was spreading of the rails, and possibly could not have been prevented, but as in other disasters there must have been negligence some where. Either the track was not properly inspected by the men employed for that purpose, or the material used by the road was not perfect. Inside of two months there have been no less than twelve railroad disasters causing loss of life. These have occurred both in the old and the new worlds, and in all cases the cause was traced to neglect of proper precaution by employes of the railroads. Other calamitous happenings, such as the collapse of a building in Xew York, are also chargeable to negligence in some particular. The fact that dereliction of duty has been proven, however, has not resulted in the punishment of those who were culpable. Whether this has had much to do with the accidents is a ques tion that can hardly be answered, but it is time that the experiment of punishing for neglect should be tried. It is not believed that those who have been instrumental in the past in Sending to death the victims of the disasters would have been careless if they had foreseen the results, but the time has come when heedlessness of duty should no longer be tolerated. WHAT toll the song be? The writers of songs are not usually con scious of the responsibility they incur. If they were some of them would be silent. Only the hardened criminals whocan mur der rhyme, reason and rhythm in cold blood would keep on composing ballads for theatrical and barrel-organ purposes. At this moment the country is waiting with forced calmness to see what ditty will be the instrument of torture this season. Last year it was "Comrades;" the year be fore "Down Vent McGinty," and, if we remember rightly, "Where Did Tou Get That Hat?" robbed life of more than half its joys in 1838. What docs the future bold in store for us? Is the triumphant carol to bo of the "White Wings" pattern or the "Some Day" stripe; will it be comic or sentimental, the chan son of the soubrette with the blonde curls, or the beloved of the Irish comedian with the red nose? This is a momentous ques tion. Xo laughing matter, surely. Over in X ew York the other day a crazy woman was taken to Bellevue Hospital who per sisted that her name was "Comrades, Com rades, Ever Since We Were Boys," and we are afraid that hers is not the only brain that has been turned by that terrible tune. It is not the theater-going public alone that is interested in this matter; for the popular song is soon wafted far and wide by whistling boys, ground out by organs and pounded in by peripatetic bands. If there were any chance of touching the hearts of the song-writers, we would plead with them to turn their attention to mak ing laws rather than songs for the nation. IMPROVING TRIAL BT JURY. The committee appointed by the Ameri can Bar Association to consider the ex pediency of recommending a change in the present system of making the unani mity of twelve men necessary to a verdict in jury trials, has this report to make to the association at the Saratoga meeting: Kesolvod, That t!io Amerlcnn Bar Associa tion recommend to the bar associations of the States the support of such legislation, or constitutional amendments, as will provide for a verdict by three-fourths of the jury in civil cases. In coming to this conclusion this com mittee of eminent lawyers lias been largely influenced by popular opinion. Men have been gradually losing their ad miration, they say in their report, for trial by jury, and more and more mistrusting its efficiency as a means of doing justice. This feeling springs, they think, more than from any other cause from the fact that the verdict of the jury under the unanim ity rule is so often, in the opinion of both sides, not the justice of the case, .hut a compromise, and because that rule so often produces a mistrial. On the other hand, the committee ad mits that the result of the united wisdom of the jury, if the jury be well selected, is more satisfactory than the judgment of any one man could be in such cases -as are suitable for submission to the jury. And in this admission lies the secret of the un satisfactory working of jury trials. The juries are not well selected. That is to say, many men utterly or partially unfit to judge any cause intelligently are called into the jury box. The best men In the community are generally anxious to avoid jury service, and jurors as a rule do not represent the average intelligence of the population from which they are chosen. If juries could be selected with a view to their ability to understand the case which they were called upon to decide, without regard to political pulls or other baleful influences, then trial by jury would soon recover its lost ground. There are other aspects of the case, and the subject is one which may be debated with advantage to the public. The remedy suggested by the experts of WM the American Bar Association will be opposed by many who dislike changes in the forms of the administration of justice, but it is worth considering under the circumstances. SHERMAN SIZES UP SILVER. It is fortunate for the nation that two such statesmen as Senator Sherman and Malor McEnlev have undertaken to make j the silver question intelligible, and to stem the current of craziness and dishonesty concealed beneath the plausible platitudes of the free silver advocates. Last week Major McKinley ventilated the subject pretty freely. Yesterday that sturdy master of finance, Senator Sherman, threw such a strong light upon the real inwardness of the efforts to upset our monetary system, and upon the disastrous results that must en sue, especially to the laboring man in shop and field, artlzan and farmer, for whose benefit the free silverites pretend their plans are laid, that no one who reads his speech in TheDispatch to-day can doubt its clinching force. Senator Sherman, as the friend of honest money for a generation, its chief defender in times of danger like the present, as a successful Secretary of the Treasury, and still more as a patriotic American full of years and wisdom, is one of the highest authorities, if not the highest, upon matters of finance and politi cal economy that the country con tains. His words are a warning which will command attention far and wide. Democrats as much as Republicans are in terested in choosing the right course in the treatment of silver. Party success not only depends upon it, but also, what is more important to the nation, whether we shall enjoy or not the prosperity which good crops at good prices, fair wages, and industries developing and extending into new fields under the tariff's protection promise to us. It ought not to take much cogitation for sensible and patriotic men to decide after reading Senator Sherman's speech that it is, to use his words, "better to retain the good we have than to embark in a dangerous experiment that may leave all our industries on a silver basis, con stantly falling in value, with gold demon etized, all contracts disturbed, and an In definite issue of treasury notes, limited only by the silver of the world." HELLO! CHEAP TELEPHONES. People who are paying high prices for telephones here will be interested in the advertisement of a New York corpora tion, which proposes to sell Bell tele phones in South America, Mexico and the West Indes, setting forth the terms upon which they will sell the instruments. The advertisement states that for 580 they will sell an outfit consisting of "two Bell tele phones, two Blake transmitters, two mag neto call bells, two hack boards and bat tery boxes, two Lelanche battery cells to operate transmitters, two flexible cords to connect telephone and call bells, one mile of No. 13 galvanized iron wire, 33 pony glass insulators with wooden brackets, 100 feet insulated office wire, spikes for brackets, staples for office wire, screws, etc " By discounts this price may be reduced so that the complete outfit for a private telephone line one mile long, with all the Bell instruments and appli ances, may be obtained for 546 25. This not for rental but sale, so that the fortu nate denizens of countries south of us can own their telephones at a costless than Pittsburgers pay for a yearly lease of an instrument hedged in with all sorts of rules and regulations more or less vexa tious. Some idea of the profits in the telephone business can be gathered from this. Somebody suggests in the New York Morning Advertiser that it would bo a good thing in these days of tank and buzz-saw plays to write a drama around a cablo car going down Broadway. This is rushing things with a Tongeance, for New Yorkers don't expect to see Broadway passable and equipped with a cablo car for heaven knows how long. A drama founded upon Broadway as it is to-day would bo too like an aggra vated variety of the tank play to be novel, and its name would probably bo "Mud!" SosiEwnEKE in the far West Senator Stanford is trying to start a Presidental boom for himself. As yet it has not swelled to any material size, and there seems to be but little danger that the trade winds of the Pacific will succeed in carrying it Eastward over the Rocky Mountains. Secketaky of Wae Proctor does not come up to the standard of George F. Ed munds, whom he is to succeed as United States Senator from Vermont, but he is a good deal better fitted than some of the men who will be his associates to servo the peo ple. Mr. Proctor is a good example of the men of affairs with the money-making fac ulty highly developed, who are dominant in politics on both sides at the present day. THE World's I"air directory have de clined Eiffel's proposition to set up a tower and have accepted an American plan. As far as possible it is desirable that America should turn out the tall features of the Ex position. THE Elmira Gazette thinks that "the growth of a better understanding of Gov ernor II ill, an understanding of the man as. ho is," is advantageous to the gentleman who is Senator and Governor at once. A strong impression exists that a general and accurate comprehension of what Governors Hill is, is the chief bar to his advancement. An American girl has married a Bavarian Count who owns a little brewery. It was her bar'l probably that attracted this small beer aristocrat. Ix New Zealand one man out of every fifty is a jndge or Justice of the peace. Fig uring by comparison with the courts here, thirty-nine of the remaining forty-nine peo ple art) lawyers and tho other ten are bailiffs and constables. No wonder the New Zeal and Government statistics show no exporta tion of any consequence. 3ABAH EEHNHAEDrS NEW SCHEME. A Professional Tour Around tho World With One-Night Engagements. Sak Frakcisco, Aug. 27. To Sarah Bern hardt belongs the credit of projecting the most audacious theatrical scheme on record. The idea is a tour of the world on a specially chartered steamship of not less than 3,000 tons, carrying tho company, scenery, and incidentally freight, to help defray the ex penses, which would bo nearly $1,000 a day. Henry E. Abbey was in close consultation with Mr. Spreckles, ot the Oceanic Steam ship line, on tho subject during his recent visit to this city. It has leaked out that he had almost completed negotiations for the exclusive use of a steamer of the Mariposa type for two years. Mme. Bernhardt has figured that by going around the world it will be possible to play at all the leading cities at the height of the season in each place. The company can live cheaply on shipboard, heavy freight rates on scenery will be avoided, and one night stands be made possible even in the Orient. It is proposod to sail from Havre, touch at leading ports of Portugal and Spain, thence proceed to the Mediterranean along the river, running ashore to visit Ital ian and French cities, Vienna, Buda-Pesth Bucharest. Thence the troupe would go to Paris, Alexandria and Cairo through the Suez Canal, to India, Australia.Cluna.Japan, Vancouvers, San Francisco, the cities of Spanish America, the Argentino Republic, Brazil, Cuba and the eastern coast of the United States. Then crossing the Atlantio the company would finish its tour in London and Pans. A PHILADELPHIA OPINION Upon the Straight-Out Republican Agita tion in Allegheny County. Philadelphia Tbnes.3 A convention calling itself a Straight-Out Republican Convention, and consisting largely of ex-Republican office-holders, met in Pittsburg on Tuesday and nominated, three Republican candidates for Judges of the new court created by the Legislature last winter for Allegheny county. Governor Pattison had already appointed two Repub licans and one Democrat to the new Judge ships, and tho regular party organizations of both parties indorsed the Governor's ap pointees for election, thus taking tho selec tion of the new Judges entirely out of tho Dale of partisanship. The straight-out con vention was too straight-out to do so sens ibleathlng, and nominated three Repub licans, neither of the two appointed by the, Governor and indorsed by both tho regu lar party organizations being among tho number. Tho weakness and folly of the so-called straight-out convention are shown in the reasons given for its action. There was but one valid reason for refusing to support the candidates Indorsed by both parties, and that was their unfitness for the position to which they had been appointed by the Gov ernor, and for which they were placed in regular nomination. No charge of unfitness was brought against them, however, but a mild censuro was visited upon the two Re publicans for having accepted what was termed a mongrel nomination, that is a nomination by two party organizations, with a Democrat for a running mate. In other words, the only sin oi tne regular nun was that it contained one Democrat and had re ceived a Democratio indorsement. The voters of Allegheny county will rightly consider this a fault that is better than most virtues and will cast a practically unanimous vote for the non-rartlsan judic ial ticket. If there is one thing the voters of Pennsylvania have settled it is that they want the Judiciary elevated above the mire of partisan politics and a movement in tho face of this clearly-expressed sentiment is certain to meet with scant favor. The Re publican party leaders in Allegheny county were wise to bow to this sentiment and a movement aimed at their supremacy will need a, better motive than that of opposition to a non-partisan Judiciary to command any respect from any honest citizen. The Alle gheny Straight-ontsand their candidates de serve to be laid out, and they will doubtless get what they deserve. Discussing Glacial Formations. Washingtou; Aug. The general subject of discussion at to-day's session of tho Inter national Congress of Geologists was the gla cial formations of tho pleistocene period, or that following the tertiary period, immedi ately preceding man. HAKES FREQUENTLY BEEN. Nine cradles have been presented to the Duchess of Fife. Mr. Gladstone now appears to have quito regained his usual health. The Hon. Hallam Tennyson, only sur viving son and heir of the Poet Laureate, enters upon his 40th year. General von VerdtdttVernois, who is tho original inventor of the war game, is regarded in Germany as the most scientific soldier in Europe. 'You may," recently said Prince Bis marck, "toll everybody that I would regard any diminution of our corn duties as a na tional misfortune." Mme. Thiers left to her sister, Mile. Dosne, her far-famed collection of strings of pearls, which it took three years to bring to gether, and the price of which was 400,000 francs. The Haitian General, Hippolyte, is about 60 years of age and of coal-black com plexion. He is the son of a college professor of Port au Prince, and is a man of consider able learning and cultivation. Ellen Terry's daughter, who some time since adopted the stngo name of "AUsa Oralg." has definitely resolved to make the stage her profession, and will bo a membor ' of the Lyceum Company next season. Sir Kichabd Temple will, presumably, end his Parliamentary life with this Parlia ment. He has told his South Worcester con stituents that he shall not again contest tho seat, and that he-has no other constituency in view. Sm Henry Pottinger has just leased in Norway what is perhaps the largest sport ing estate in Europe, the area being about tho size of Yorkshire, and the game varying from the elk to the rhypor, while salmon and trout are in abundance. This immense tract includes veld, fiord, moorland, and river, but Is very thinly peopled. One of the distinguished Americans at present in London is Prof. Arthur Sher burne Hardy, the novelist and mathemati cian. Prof. Hardy is well-known as a novel ist in this country also, by the "Wind of Destiny," and by his historical romance, "Passe Rose," Ho is Professor of Mathe matics and English Litoraturo in a Now England University and ho has Just finished two mathematical works. It is reported that the ex-Bev. Hugh O, Pentecost, who recently was a very prom inent evangelical "Evangelist," has an nounced a change in his creed. He 'believes now in no God, no devil, no angel, no im mortality, no soul, no heaven, no hell, no Bible, no church and no state. AU these, he says, are figments of the imagination. It is curious to notice how things disappear from, a man's view when ho gets into a hole. Queen Victoria possesses the oldest watches in the world. She - has two beauti ful little gold ones by Bregnet, that are sup posed to be a hundred years old. They have silver dials and are about the size of a two shilling piece. One is a blind man's watch, the other is a repeater. Both go perfectly and are in constant use. Her Majesty's fav orite watch is a largo plain gold one by Mndge, the English maker. It is about twice as big as an ordinary man's watch. PEOPLE WHO COME AND GO. "Bill" Crosby, of the Anderson Hotel, bronzed, and cheery as usual, has returned .from a three weeks' vacation trip at Cam bridge. He says the water there has pecul iar properties, one effoctof drinking it being it destroys all taste for fermented liquors. In this respect the place is calculated to rival Keeley's place at Dwight, 111. David Eisner, chief of the fire depart ment of Oil City, returned home last night. He has boon here for the past three days en gaged in extinguishing the file at the Cook well. His method was quite successful. W. S. McCarthy, Arthur Shriver, W. J. Walker, W. O. Hoffman and F. Edwards are a party of Cumberland, Md., men who havo run up to tho city for a brief, pleasure trip. They are staying at the Monongahela. Anderson hotel guests last night included C. C. McKinney, of Titusville: Miss N. Sher rard. Principal of tho Washington Female College, and J. T. Leary, a Pennsylvania Railroad man from Fort Wayne. Mrs. L. T. Mason and her daughter, Miss Louise, of Ashville, N. C, stopped over at the Anderson last night. They leave for New York this morning. H. P. Ingraham, of Cleveland, Peter Hitchcock, of Cleveland, and Judge Edwartt Campbell, of Unlontown, aro guests at the Monongahela. Captain Tony Hozlett, of Allegheny, Al bert Burr and J. C. Bergstrosser were among the arrivals from the seaside yesterday. A. IL Medwood, a commercial man from Manchester, was at the Anderson yesterday. He left at night for Cleveland. P. A. McCullough, the Penn avenue druggist, and Dr. J. C. Lang left last evening for a trip to Atlantio City. Mr. and Mrs. C. L. Miller, of Vine street, left yesterday for California, Pa., where they will spend a month. E. E. Latham, superintendent of the plate glass works, Butler, was at the Schlos ser last night. President William Smith, of the Flints, returned last night from a business trip to Watercure. J. M. Warner, the prominent iron man of Philadelphia, is a guest atthe Monongahela. Edward A. Young, of the Duquesne Bank, has gone East on his vacation. Mr. Chisholm, of Cleveland, and Attor ney McKee went East last night. M. H. Hotine left last night for New York and other Eastern points. James Wood, son of John A. Wood, is home from his summer outing. John E. Ford, the Baltimore manager, is at the Monongahela. Mrs. A. E. Hunt was an Eastward pas senger last night. THE STATE LEAGUE FIGHT. ( Letters of Robinson and DalzeU Stir Up a Commotion All Over the State Opinions Vary According to the Point ot"Vlew Interesting Editorial Epitomes. Scranton Republican. The struggle for the presidency of the State League of Republican clubs has taken an unexpected turn through the letter of" Robinson appealing to DalzeU to withdraw and thns avoid a faotional squabble. Mr. Robinson in his letter proposes that both the principals in the contest shall retire in the interest of harmony. Mr. Robinson pro fesses to feel secure with the old organiza tions which were recognized by the Execu tive Committee, but with the admission of the "mushroom" clubs that the DalzeU men are organizing nightly throughout the Western counties ho is bound to be de feated. Robinson's letter may be regarded as a sign of weakness or a bluff according to the standpoint from which it is viewed. That anything will como of tho proposition is extremely improbable and dispatches from Pittsburg report Mr. DalzeU as saying that he is in the fight to the finish and does not propose to get out, for harmony or any other consideration proposed by his op ponents. Whatever motive may have in duced Robinson to make the proposal, it should be promptly accepted by Mr. DalzeU in the interests or the party. The League is, it is true, a matter of small importance in itself and its usefulness remains to be demonstrated, but tha most insignificant matters are often tho occasion of nations going to war and this League business may become an clement of discord to disrupt the party. No one can tell. A Donnybrook Fair. Philadelphia Telcgrapn.j Congressman DalzeU has a sharp tongue in his head, and he has been using it in char acteristic stylo, in reply to the offer of his rival, "Jack" Robinson, to retire from the contest for the Presidency cf the State Re publican League. Sometimes a man can in dulge in this sort of sarcastic literature with profit, and then again he cannot. It may be quite true, as Mr. DalzeU suggests, that Rob inson has only been playing a part in this matter for publio effect. Nevertheless, this contest has undoubtedly resulted in a great deal of harm to the Republican party. The whole thing is not worth such -an undigni fied squabble. Young men in politics should bo taught better practices than those which seem to be prevailing in certain .big circles. If these clubs have any legitimate object it is to make and bring out Republican votes, not to disgust peaceable citizens and drive them away from the organization. Every thing Indicates that the coming Scranton convention will be a regularpolitical Donny brook Fair. If this should be the case no good, but only harm, will come to the Re publican cause. It is time this controversy was ended, and Robinson's suggestion, as re marked yesterday, is one of the most sensi ble things he has yet been guilty of, to put it in that peculiar way. Thinks It "Will Be Harmonious. Sharon Eagle. The leaven of harmony in tho Republican ranks in Pennsylvania is working with satis factory rapidity, and especially since the Stato Convention last woekis.it moro notice able. The only bone of contention of any importance now is the contest for the Presi dency of the Republican League, between the two brilliant Republican leaders, Messrs. DalzeU and Robinson, and indications are that that cloud will bo dissipated before the meeting of the convention in Scranton next month. Not of the Quitting Kind. Erie Times, Robinson writes to DalzeU, suggesting that both withdraw from tho contest for tho Presidency of the Stats League of Republic an Clubs and let some other fellow take the prize someone to bo agreed upon by Rob inson and hisally, the present President of the State League. Such an arrangement he would call a compromise "in the interest of arty harmony." But it is quite likely that alzell will not look at matters in thatlight. He has more than enough delegates among those already elected to swamp Robinson at the Scranton Convention, and if they are de nied admittance the onus of the operation will not rest upon the Western Pennsylva nia candidate. DalzeU never was much of a quitter; "be sure you're right, then go ahead," has been a good enough motto for him, and it is probable that hq will stick to it. Party Success. Bradford Star. Congressman Robinson's proposition to John DalzeU that both withdraw from the contest for President of the Republioan League of Clubs in the interest of harmony, is a manly overture which DalzeU cannot refuse to consider favorably if he Is not actuated by selfish and factitious motives. Robinson truly says that the success of the Republican party is a consideration that should outweigh personal ambition. One Mistaken Kditor. Franklin Press. Hon. John B. Robinson, of Delaware county, who is a candidate for President of the Pennsylvania Republican League, has written a letter to his competitor, Hon. John DalzeU, of Pittsburg, agreelng'to withdraw in favor of a new man if Mr. DalzeU will do likewise. The offer is made in the interest of party harmony and Mr. DalzeU will prob aDly accept. Sick of the Contest. Philadelphia Bulletin.! It is reported that Mr. John DalzeU has de clined to accept the Robinson proposition' and withdrawfrom the contest for tho Presi dency of the Republican State League. We hope that Mr. DalzeU will think better of this. There are very few Republicans who are not sick and tired over the petty squab bling for this office and over the absurd at tempts to magnify its importance. Thinks Jack Is Magnanimous. Wilkcsbarre Record. John B. Robinson, in tho interest of har mony, has written a letter to John DalzeU, proposing that both withdraw from the con test for the Presidency of the League of Re publican Clubs. This is magnanimous on Mr. Robinson's part, for be certainly has the advantage of the present contest whioh, if pressed to a finish, might result in his elec tion. True, Mr. DalzeU lately has improved his chances, but still there is no positive as surance of his succoss nnd therefore he ought to consider Mr. Robinson's proposi tion in the spirit in which it is made. Why not let Mayor Stewart continue in office again for another term? This would be a proper solution of the matter. A Question of Confidence. Dubois Courier. Alate proposition by Hon. John B. Robin son to the Hon. John DalzeU may end the strife between them for the Presidency of the League of Republican Clubs, and prevent possible injury to the party in the State., Tho rivalry between them has grown bitter, and now 'Mr. Robinson, who has moro sup port pledged than Mr. DalzeU, proposes to his opponent that they both withdraw from the field and leave it to others. He asks it professedly in the interest of harmony, and if Mr. DalzeU and his friends have confi dence in what Mr. Robinson says they had better accede. They wUl stand better before the whole people than if they fight and win or lose in a contest destined to injure their party, and their opponent can scarcely bo charged with seeking a mutual retirement through fear of defeat at the Scranton Con vention. The Most Sensible Yet. Norrlstown Herald. Mr. Robinson's proposition to withdraw as a candidate for Chairman is the most sen sible yet emanating from him. He ought not to be discouragod by the refusal of his competitor to acquiesce. Ho can still with draw and prevent a contest, which is certain to end In his defeat, and he should lose no time in taking that course. THE COLLAPSE OP A BBIDGE Burls Two Workmen to Their Death and Injure Several Others. rsprciAii telegbam to the disfatch.i Cumbeslahd, Md., Aug.27. An accident oc curred in this city to-dav which resulted in the death of one man and the injuring of several others. While some workmen were engaged in building the bridge which wUl span the three tracks of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad at Cumberland street it fell with a crush, carrying the mon with it GO feet. John E. Mlnnix, of this city, was Instantly killed nnd Walter Miller, of Paw Paw, W. Va., was futaUy injured. Tho other men es caped with slight injuries. THBEE THOUSAND VETEBANS March In Parade and Gather Around a Camp fire at Indiana, Pa. rSPECIAL TZLEOBAM TO TUB DISPATCn.J Indiana, Pa., Aug. 27. The largest and by far the most successful old soldiers' reunion ever held in Western Pennsylvania was held here to-day. By noon 20,000 old soldiers, citi zens and strangers had gathered here. Judge Harry White extended welcome. The responses were" delivered by several promi nent soldiers. The soldiers formed In parade, which was the largest and finest ever seen In this vicinity. After the 3,000 veterans had paraded over the nrlncinal streets thev marched to the fair grounds, where an excellent dinner hnd been laid out for them by the ladles of the city. The column was formed by the Eleventh Pennsylvania Reserves, Eleventh Pennsylvania Volunteers, FIfey-fltth Penn sylvania Volunteers, Sixty-first Pennsylva nia Volunteers, Sevonty-lourth Pennsylva nia Volunteers, Seventy-eighth Pennsylva nia Volunteers, One Hundred and First Pennsylvania Volunteers, One Hundred and Third Pennsylvania Volunteers, One Hun dred and Fifth Pennsylvania Volunteers, One Hundred and Forty-fifth Pennsylvania Volunteers, Two Hundred and Sixth Penn sylvania Volunteers and the Fourteenth Cavalry. This alternoon was mainly de voted to holding different regimental re unions. The Indiana County Soldiers' Asso ciation also held its reunion, after which the several business sessions of the different as sociations were held. After sapper the col umns again formed for dress parade, when they broke ranks until 7:30, when they gath ered for the last time this year around an old time roaring camp fire, enlivened by story, incident and joke, and perhaps n lit tle of pathos. Among the many from Pitts burg prominent in military circles, were W. F. Bradberry, J. F. Chaltant, P. D. Perch mont.W. J. Glenn, James Shaw, Norman L. Shaw, Colonel Duff, F. S. McBurney, J. N. II. Dougherty, D. Walker, Colonel Dick Coulter and many others. One of the notables pres ent, who received many congratulations, owing to his excellent health and appear ance, was ex Governor Beaver, who made several happy speeches and was the life of a circle around the camp flro to-night. CHILDEEN DISC0VEEEES. They Accidentally Found the Principle for Making Telescopes. St. Louis Globe-Democrat. As in many other cases of discovery that of the telescope appears to have been the re sult of a playful accident. Several stories are told about it, but they are all similar. The one most generally accepted tells how, about the year 1600, just 300 years ago, tho children of Zachariah Jansen, a spec tacle maker, residing at Middleburg, in Holland,' were playing one day in their father's workshop and observed that when they held botween their fingers two spec tacle glasses, one some distance before the other, and looked through them at the weathercock of the church it seemed in verted, but very much nearer to them and greatly increased in size. , Their father, when his attention was called, saw that one of the glases was con vex and the other concave. He made ex periments and ended by fixing such glasses in wooden tubes a few inches long and sell ing them for'curlosities. Another acpount tells us how ono Lipperschelm discovered the telescope inaslmilarmanner. Descartes, however, a cotemporary, gives the credit to James Metius, a glasscutter in Holland, whose brother, a professor of mathematics and a maker of burning glasses and mir rors, hit upon the discovery in the same way that Jansen's children are said to havo done. DEATHS HEBE AND ELSEWHEEE. Ex-Senator S. C. Pomeroy. Samuel Clarke Pomeroy, ex-United States Senator from Kansas, chiefly remembered because of the celebrated bribery scandal in connection with his candidacy for re-election In 1873, died at the residence of Mrs. J. C. Whiten, at Wbltlns vllle, , Maso., yesterday morning, aged 76. Mr. Pomeroy was horn In Southampton, Mass., In 1816, and educated at Amherst College. During the early times of 'bleeding Kansas' ' he was active in the organization of the New Kngland Kmlgrant Aid Company, of which he was the financial agent. In 1854 he conducted a colony to Kansas, which rounded Lawrence, matting the first settlement In that Territory. He was Mayor of Atchison In 18ol. He took a conspicuous part In the organization of the Territory, and In the famine lu 1880-61 he was President of the Relief Committee. He was first elected to the United States Senate In 1661, ana re elected In 1867. He was candidate for a third term In 1873, but charges of bribery being brought before the Kansas Legislature he failed ot re-electlou. It will be remembered by many how Mr. York dis tinguished himself by exposing Pomeroy during the latter's Investigation by the United States Senate about that time; nevertheless the defendant was "whitewashed" by a majority report. When the matter went before tho Kansas courts the Dis trict Attorney entered a nolle prosequi. Never theless Mr. Pomerov's noUMcal nrosDects were blasted, and never afterward re-entered public iiie, uutmaae wasuington ms resilience. Lyman C. Draper, Historian. Lyman C. Draper, for 35 years Secretary of the Wisconsin State Historical Society, died of paralysis Wednesday, aged 70 years. Dr. Draper was born in Erie county, N. Y., In 1815. Part of his boyhood was spent in Springfield, Pa., but he received his common school education at Lockport, N. Y. Here be worked on his father's farm and served as clerk lu village stores. Since then he has devoted his life to the collection or material relat ing to Western hhtoryaud biography, on which subjects he is regarded as an authority. He com pleted his education at Granville College, O. Ho became editor of a newspaper In Pontotoc, Miss., in 1840, and twb years later was clerk in the office of the Erie Canal at Buffalo. He spent the next ten years In historical research, living with a rela tlvo in Philadelphia. He removed to Madison, Wis., in 1853 to become Corresponding Secretary of the State Historical Society, and has been instru mental in securing for It a library of 116,000 vol umes and valuable antiquarian collections. Dur ing a later interval he was Stato Superintendent of Public Instruction. In 1887 he began to devote himself entirely to literature, and was appointed Honorary Secretary for life. Among Ills historical works are "Collections." "The Helping Hand," "The Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence." and "Border Forays and Adventures." Mme. Agar, Actress. JIme. Florence Leonide Agar, a once celebrated French actress, died In Algeria, August 17. She studied classical declamation with the tragedian Rlcourt, and acted first at the little Theater de la Tour d'Auvergne In "Phedre." She iwas the original actress of the wandering youth In Francois Coppe's "Le Passant," first done at the Odeon In lfo). During the siege of Paris Mme. Agar sympathized with tho Insurrectionists, for which reason she was not allowed to remain at the Comedie Francalse, which she had rejoined In 1872. She has been een In Paris quite recentlv, however, for In 1878 she created the role of Mme. Bernard In Augier's "Le3 Fourchambault. " and in 1872 she made a great hit at the Ambigti Comlque as Elizabeth Bo'iftka In "Les Meres JSnnemles, " by Catuile Mcndes. Pletro Rosa, Archceologlst. The death of Pietro Kosa, Italian archaio loglst and Senator, Is announced. Ue wa9 born at Rome, in 1815, of a family related to the great painter of the Seventeenth centnrv, Salvator Kosa. Until 1848 he was the architect of Prlnco Borghese, Napoleon IIL confided to him several works, notably the restoration of the famous Pra-torlan camp at Albano, In 13C0. and tho excavations In the ruins of the palace of the Cxsars In 1861. His Greatest work, the topographic map of ancient atlura. Involved the topographical restoration of all the tombs of the Applan Way and innumerable archaeological and geographical explorations In the Roman Campagna. Mrs. Joseph It. Stauffer. News has reached Scottdale of the death of Mrs. Joseph R. Stauffer, who has been at Lev ansville. Somerset county, for a week. She died snddenly of heart failure. She was the wife of the President of the Scottdale Bank, aud one of the operators of the Dexter Coke Works. Her re mains will be brought home to-day. Obituary Notes. Gkouge W. Veddeb, of Hooslck Falls, N. Y., known as the "lightning artist," died Tuesday night in Boston. ROBEUT T. RAntEV, for vears chief clerk of Carnegie, Phlpps&Co., died Wednesday at Mani tou Springs. CARDINAL BunAQlAI,. apostolical delegate in the republics of San Domingo, Haiti and Vene zuela, Is dead In San Domingo. Lapatktte Harbitv, a leading member of tho Lancaster county bar, died at Lancaster Tuesday morning. He was 40 years old and had been prom inently mentioned for the office of District Judge. Hobeut D. Ray. lata Chief Justice of the Su preme Court of Missouri, died at Carrollton, Mo., Wednesday morning. He was a victim of the grip. Judge Ray was born in Kentucky In 1817 and went to Carrollton in 1S33. GEORGE: Sneeb, ex-Mayor of Des Moines, la., and a pioneer 6f the earliest date, dropped dead In New York Tuesday. Mr. Sneer was born In Wash ington county, Md., 1835, and went to Des Moines with his family in 1848. JULIA JACKSOX, ono of the original colored troupe of Fiske Jubilee Singers, died recently in Englewood, III. She had been an Invalid for sev eral years, hav ing been stricken with paralysis while singing in Europe with the company. Albert Barnett, believed to be the oldest Free Mason In New York State, died at Clayvllle, N. Y., Sunday, lacking less than four months of being 100 ?-earsofage. He was an enthusiastic angler and tunter, and was injured in a railroad accident at the age of 97 years. Bene IIiKSc", the gifted yonng French pianist, is dead at the early age of 21. He was a Parisian and the nephew of M. Wormser, composer of "L'Enrant frodlgu." He was graduated irom tho Paris Con6eratolre with honors, and appeared successfully in London last year. CHRISTIAN W.IBCRKnoLDEB, for 20 years the ticket agent of the Pennsylvania Railroad Com pany at the Union Station In Harrisburg, died sud denly at his home in that city Wednesday. He was bom In Franklin county 07 years ago and was one of the proteges of the late Thomas A. Scott. He fell on the streets from neuralgia of the heart. ODE MAIL POUCH. Another Granite Glacial Giant. To the Editor of The Dispatch: The glacial boulder referred to In Tues day's Dispatch, on the farm of William Whaley, north of New Castle, Pa Is far out rivaled by a granite boulder In Columbiana county, O. This is a monster of the species, and lies on the farm of Benjamin Fepple, two miles south of Leetonla. It is 15 feet and some Inches in one of its dimensions, over 12 feet in another, has a fiat, slanting top and one end Is over S feet high. It is the largest "hardhead" In the State, and, making a fair guess at what may be beneath the ground gurfaoe, its weight may be put- at 120 tons, in anocuer locality, pernaps ono mile east ot this glacial vagrant, on the Bates farm, at the side of a small ravine. Is a group of boulders of nnusual size, general ly pear-shaped, and from S to I feet high, large masses of granite, but completely dwarfed by the colossal specimen In the vi cinity. It is really a considerable section of a gran ite ledge, and was evidently lifted from its bed and transported and deposited at its resting place, without much wear and tear, as it is angnlar with but little of that round-ed-ofl character so common to that kind of rocks. Those were stirring and exciting days when the agencies of nature were in such commotion, that the rocks arose from their stratified beds and Journeyed thousands of miles over valleys and hilltops to take their stations as silent sentinels to testify to what had been, tens of thousands of years later, when man had so advanced as to be able to interpret the testimony. N. Wampum, Pa., August 27. Registration Not Necessary. To the Editor of The Dispatch: In one of the morning papers I notice these words: "Save your vote," and goes on to say Thursday of next week, September 3, is the last day of tho final extra assessment of voters nnder the new law, and so on. Do I understand by this that all voters must now be assessed or not got a vote at the election November next? How is It about one who will become of age after September 3 and he fore November 47 Could such a person have a vote or nott Daily Reader. Pittsbubo, Angust 27. The Constitution of the State provides that you can vote whether registered or not. Taxes Mast Be Paid. To the Kditor of The Dispatch: Will you kindly inform me through tho columns of your valuable paper whether there is any limitation in regard to time of collection of delinquent county taxes. Can the taxes of 10 or 15 years ago be collected now if no notice has been served for that number of yoarsT M. J. Surra. PiTTSBUno, August 27. There is no provision in the Stato law requiring that notice begiven. The statute of limitations does not extend against the State. Boys Want to Be Soldiers. To the Editor of The DIsnatch : Please inform me whether it would be legal for a number or boys over 16 to form a military club to bo called "Tho Marlon Troop." ' COMMAMDEIU Pittsburg, August 27. There is nothing to prevent tho formation ot such a club as is suggested. It can, how ever, occupy no place among the military organizations of the State. He Has a Three-Tailed Fish. To the Editor of The Dispatch: I noticed in your paper this morning an article relative to a fish with a donble tall. Wo have in our aquarium a three-tailed fish. L. M. Hamiltox. Shadyside, August 27. BACK 10 BEICK WALLS. Fresn Air Children Return to Their City Homes With Heavy Hearts. SPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DISPATCH. Meadville, Aug.27. The departure of tho hundred "fresh air" children for their homes, if they have any, in Now York, was almost as interesting as their arrival here some weeks ago. The little ones were in tho main heavy-hearted, and more than one touching soeno was witnessed on tho train that bore them away, as they had made many friends here nnd promises were ex tended that another year would bring them back. In several instances thochildren preforred staying hero with their new mothers, and arrangements will be made to havo some of them adopted, after a confeience by mall with tho managers of the "fund" in New York. COMMENTS ON MILLEE'S ST0EY. Erie Time.- The 20 columns of evidence presented in Tan Pittsburg Dispatch of yes terday, In the "Shoebox" Miller case, will bo accepted by most people as conclusive proof that Miller was innocent of the Clarion connty robbery, for whioh he was convicted, and is, besides, decidedly interesting read ing. It leaves the impression, however, that tho story which comes from Cleveland is also correct, and that prior to the bond rob bery Miller had been something of a crim inal and an associate of thieves and burg lars. Since his rolease from tho Western Penitentiary ho has shown himself to be a man of indomitable will and has evidently tried to lead an honest life; he should be given n helping hand, and themoral support of a good wife is Just the kind of aid he ought to have. Here's hoping that Miss Mosby will not gtfback on the criminal of 12 years ago. Oil City Blizzard: Monday's PittsburoDis patch contained a remarkable article, twenty-ono columns in length, giving the strange story of the man best known as "Shoebox" Miller. As will be remembered, he was convicted of the robbery of John Conners, at Catfish, in Clarion county, in 1881 and sentenced to seven years in the pen itentiary. This story gives in detail all tho evidence necessary to establish beyond a doubt that ho was in Cleveland the night the robbery was commltljed, and that he had nothing to do with it. The details of how he escaped from the penitentiary in a shoebox are also given. The article furnishes a com mentary on the unreliable character of cir cumstantial evidence whioh will not soon be forgotten. Altooa Tribune: Tnn Pittsburg Dis patch yesterday devoted several pages to an exhaustive effort to show that the man known throughout the country as "Shoe box" Miller was unjustly convicted of rob bery, and if there is any virtue in human testimony it makes out its case. It is singu lar, however, that the alibi which is now clearly proven could not bo shown ton years ago when MUler was convicted. If he was innocent, as the narrative printed by The Dispatch seems to show, this fact deserved tho widest publicity, and TnE Dispatch has done a bit of benevolenco which is much to its Credit. Uniontowu Standard: The Pittsburg Dis patch of yesterday nnd to-day endeavors to show tho innocence of .Tame"? W. Miller, more familiarly known as "Shoebox" Miller, by publishing affidavits and confessions of those who are acquainted with the circum stances of the robbery ior which Miller was imprisoned. It i3 claimed that his inno cence Is established and that a member of the gang who perpetrated tho crime made a confession prior to his death. Miller has to a great degree since his relcaso from prison lived down the shame which was heaped upon him. Scraktox Republican: The Pittsburg Dis patch devotes 20 columns to a story in vindi cation of "Shoebox" Miller, who served seven years in the Western Penitentiary for robbery, whoso escape from prison in a shoe box made him famous and whogained addi tional notoriety through th e Mosby-Mitkie-wiei affair. , Kittaknisg Sentinel: The evidence pro cured by "Shoebox MUler," so called, and a reporter of The PrrrSBUito Dispatch, and printed in that paper on" Monday last, Is in our estimation conclusive of his innocence, and makes some very interesting reading. Oil City Derrick: It is undoubtedly gall ing to remain quiet under false aspersions, supposing in this case they are false, but the world is so constituted that vigorous protest is retroactive, and only makes matters worse. Washington Post: A Pittsburg paper has devoted 20 columns to, a defense of "Shoe box" Miller. This Is undoubtedly tho most striking long distance vindication on record. Wheeling News: "Shoebox" Miller may not succeed in establishing his innocence, but he can earn a fortune In any enterpris ing dime museum. -EDUCATIONAL AND SOCIAL. Fourth Day of the County Teachers' Insti tute A Number of Picnics., As the Teachers' Institute draws toward the clcse, the instructors lighten their sotld matter with as mnch amusement as possible. No matter how good' may be the mental faro provided, it does get rather wearisome to sit in a hall every day fora week a nd listen to directions for teaching children and pre venting their falling into bad educational hnbits. The instructors In the Institute realize this, and they try to make their lec tures amnsi'ig as well as instructive, u. nen music is made as prominent a feature as is consistent with a proper carrying out of the purpose for which the institute Is conducted. Yesterday Prof. Ecker played several selec tions on the gre.it pipe organ, for the first time since the institute has been in session, and the teachers evidently enjoyed tho music thoroughly. It was a diversion that can hardly be too highly commended. After the opening exercises yesterday morning. Dr. Hall resumed his general talk on the duties of teachers. He said, in the course of his remarks, that he believed every teacher should be an earnest, conscientious Christian. The Committee on Certificates. Superintendent Hamilton announced tho election of the following Committee on Per manent Certificates: J. D. Anderson, Wil klnsburg; C. D. Coffey, Braddock; Alex. Phil lip, Chartiers; S. P. Hummel, Tarentum, and C D. Cook, Mansfield. In his lecture on how to teach music In an ungraded school, where tho study has never held a place, Prof. Rus sell said : "The teaching ofmusic will soou be compulsory in all the States, and I advise every teacher to learn it, so us to stand a chance of getting better pay. Yon need not bo a singer to teach music. Some of the best teachers I know cannot sing a note." Dr. Maltby wound up the morning session by a very able address on PestallozzL," The afternoon session was opened with an address by Hon. J. Q. Stewart, Deputy State Superintendent, to the directors of Alle gheny county. Mr. Stewa rt is a very fluent, rapid speaker. His enunciation is remarka bly clear and distinct, and, although he eschews commas altogether and makes the pauses after his periods almost unnotlcea ble, every word he utters Is understood by the audience. Mr. Stewart advised the di rectors to pay their teachers decent salaries. He said they could not expect to get flrst olass goods for a nominal price. They should have good schoolhouses, too. No ex pense should be spared in this matter, and everything should be made as bright as pos sible for the teachers. After making sure that they had good teachers, they should en courage them by making their work as pleasant as possible for them. A Few Words for Teachers. id the teachers Mr. Stewart addressed a few pleasant words. He reminded them that the teacher is next to the parent, and that they should be In sympathy with all the tastes and interests of the little ones under their care. In this way, and this alone, could they expect to reach the best results. Dr. Hall then spoke on "A Good School." He said that a good school is like a good egg. It is good nil through. It cannot he half-good. A good s-chool costs money, but then everything that is good costs money everything that is really good. He Indorsed the remark of Mr. Stewart that there must be ontire sympathy between teacher and scholar. Dr. Maltby, in touching on the relations between directors and teachers, said that a kind word given to a teacher in the morning lightened her work for the whole day. Upon which a young lady in tho audience re marked, "That's a fact." In tho course of the sesssion yesterday, County Superintendent Reed, of Beaver, county, announced that tho next meeting of the State Teachers' Association would be held nt Beaver Falls, in July, 1892. He in vited all the teachers of the institute to be in attendance. County Superintendent Ham ilton announced that there would be a meet ing of the School Directors of Allegheny connty In the Court House September 10. This ended the day's session. This will be the last da' of tho institute. Social Chatter. A very Interesting lecture was delivered by Rev. F. Krecker at the Evangelical Church, Fulton street, last night. Mr. Krecker hns been a missionary in Japan, and his lecture was full of anecdotes of tho peculiar country and the people that dwell therein. The lecturer showed himself to have been a keen observer, and he remem bered everything he had seen, apparently. There was a good sized audience. The children of the Catholic Orphan So ciety enjoyed a picnic at tho Glenwood pic nic ground on Seminary Hill yesterday. The sisters of the nsylnm were in charge, and they took with them many of the destitute children of the two cities for the day's out ing as well as the actual members of the asylum. It was a glorious day for the youngsters. The sound of children's fresh voices in Old City mil yesterday gave token that the re hearsals for the Fairies' Carnival, for the benefit of the Homeopathic Hospital, aro proceeding Industriously. There will bo a general rehearsal to-day. An "open meeting" of tho Patriotic Sons of America, of Braddock, will be held next Wednesday evening. Addresses will bo made by County Superintendent of Schools Prof. Hnmilton and Prof. Coffey. The fete of the Wilkinsburg fire depart ment is going along merrily. Tho quiet little borough is in a sUte of high excite ment Just now. The feto is n great success, evidently. The first annual reception of tho Pompeii Club, of Allegheny, will take place at Som ple's Hall Monday evening, September It The Venus Club, of Allegheny, will give its first annual ball Monday, No vcmber, 2, in Masonic Hall. Miss Lily Downey and Miss Mame Connor, of New York, aro guests of friends in tho East End. A BICE EATING MATCH. Fifteen Chinamen Inaugurate a New Con test for Frizes. San Francisco Chronicle. A Chinese rice-eating match seems some thing "new under the Etm." Imagine a long table in the ironing-room of Marchcy's wash house at 243 Minna street. A huge dish of boiled rice In the center nnd 15 bowls of boiled rice close to tho edge of the table. Fifteen bald-pa ted, plgtailed Celestials Stan d in frontor the 15 bowls of boiled rice, and 15 chop sticks are grasped in the right hands and 13 more in the left hands of the 15 Celes tials who stand before the 15 bowls of boiled rice. Fifteen pairs of almond-shaped eyes natch eagerly, hungrily the evory move ment of Marchcy, their patron, who is soon to call time. Marchey is a Chinese sport. He docs not wear a mustache, but ho does carry n cane. He docs not wear n pigtail, but ho does wear civilized habilaments, even to a stand-up collar and a gaudy silk four-in-hand. Beside being an all-around sport, Marchey is proprietor of the laundry in which the wonderful rice-eating contest is to take place. Marchey celebrates all holi days. Last Memorial. Day he bad a fat eating contest, with a grand capital prizo of $2. This year tho capital prizo was the same. Hop Kong, Rum Kee, Tl Jing You, Ti Jing See, Lee Long, Churlio Hop and T'slng Po were tho leading contestants The others could not win, for they had not starved long enough. Tl Jine You had been without food for 24 hours. "Time," or its equivalent in the Mongol tongue, wis at last called out by Marchey, who stood atthe head of tho taole. watch in band. The chopsticks flashed like lighting. As fast as one bowl was emptied another bowful was set before the contestants by ono of the three busy at tendants. For half an hour they ate and not a word broke the stillness. The spec tators, a few or Marchoy's friends, watched in silent amazement. Then the feasters be gan to reel aud stagger, and it was noticea ble that none of the contestants could stand as near the tablo as before. Then they dropped off one after nnother, and sunk ex hausted and almost bursting Into odd cor ners and dilapidated chairs. When the hour was reached only Ti Jing You was'still eat ing. Ho was declared the winner of the capi tal prize. The other contestants had their stomachs full for their pains. GENEEAL BOETHWESTEEN FB0STS. Much Damage Done to Uncut Grain, Ire Forming on the Heads. Miskeapolis, Aug. 27. Special dispatches indicate some damage by frosts to crops at points In the Northwest last night. At Church's Ferry, N. D., the frost did damage to green, uncut grain. Tho thermometer registered 28. Ice was found on tho heads of wheat in many fields. Farmers tried to smudge fires to very large extent, but some think they did not commence soon enough. At St. Vincent it was 32 last night, but there was apparently a much heavier frost than last Saturday "night. About 70 per cent, of the crop is harvested. At Pembina, N. D., it'was 4 below freez ing. Frost injured tho wheat considerable. At Winnipeg, Man., the much feared frost came in rather a formidable shape. The thermometer was from 2 to 5 below f reel ing nil over tho province,- and there can be no doubt that much damage was done. CURIOUS CONDENSATIONS. A mining corporation in the copper re gion of upper Michigan will sink the deepest shaft In the world over 4,000 feet, at least. Becent examinations have shown that tho amount of soot which falls In London each month would require 1,000 horses to cart le away. Probably the rarest stamp in existence has Just been sold in London for 250. It Is an American 5-cent stamp Issued at Brattle boro, Vt., In 1840. Itinerant musicians are not allowed to sojourn in St. Petersburg, and these who aro of foreign nationality are not permitted to pass the frontier of the empire. Coal equaling that of the finest Lehigh. Valley grade has been discovered in Brazil, the veins being from 4 to 25 feet in thickness. The mines are situated at and near Sonora. A stamp collector in Boston, the posses sor of a collection of 12,545 stamps, wished to marry a lady who Is the possessor of tho blue penny stamp of Mauritius, issued in 1S47. It is now the intention of European engi neers to store the waters of the Nile to such an extent as to enable a greater extension of the cotton and sugarcane crops in that re gion. Last October nine women were ap pointed station agents on the elevated rail ways of Brooklyn. They have been sosuo cessfal that the managers will appoint more. During the last month tha total value of British and Irish produce and manufactures exported amounted to 21,945,112, against 24,321,336 in July, 18D0, or a decrease of 9.3 per cent. It is proposed to put up in New York City the largest business building In tho world. It will be constructed of steel, 25 stories high, containing 1,000 offices and cost ing $4,000,000. In Michigan alone it is believed that 5,000,000 bushels of peaches will be gathered this season. The crops of pears and plums promise also to be beautiful in various parts of the country. There is a marble mine, recently located, at Providence, Cache county, Utah, that yields a marble so much like mottled onyx that the difference can only be discovered by the use of chemicals. It 1b said that chocolate is used in the) interior of South America for enrrency, as are cocoannts and egzs. Norway even now uses corn for coin. In India cakes of tea pass as currency, and in China pieces of sUk. It is reported that a nngget of gold in one mass weighing 35 pounds has recently been found In the newly explored gold dis trict in British Guiana, and has been sent to England as a specimen of the auriferous de posits in that country. In Austria it has been found that the) slanting of letters in writing causes curva ture of the spine, due to the position main tained at the table or desk, and a supremo council has recommended that uprignt let ters be cultivated in schooling. A lady living in Torrington, Conn., found a humming bird with Its bill buried half an Inch in one of the wooden posts of the veranda of herhon.se and quite dead. It had evidently darted at a flower close by and struck the post with such velocity that it could not get away. An English naturalist has discovered proofs that tho bedbug was quite common in the armies of the world at least 120 years before the Christian era. and that he was over a sea rover, as the fleets of that dav had their timbers stocked with this breed of nocturnal prowlers. Boston is the only city in the world which preserves an exact Tecord of the pro ceedings of Its Common Council. Every motion, argument nnd remark, no matter how unimportant, is stenographically taken down. The members are, therefore, very careful of their utterances. C P. Bailey, of San Jose, the leading Importer, breeder and dealer of Angora goats In the United States, and who has for years kept a herd of Angoras at Soledad. estimates that his clip of mohair this year will reach 25,000 ponnds, of a value ot$10,000. The total nnmberof goats and kids in Mr, Bailey's different herds is said to amonnt to 10,000. Vegetation in the Alps recedes down ward from year to year. Formerly Alpine roses grow at an altltndo of 7,600 feet. Now they are seldom found higher tnan 500 feet, and are at that height stunted. Beeches have gone down to L200 feot. Various ber ries which once flourished 7.500 feet above sea level, do not grow in higher altitudes now than 5,800 feet. Italy, a country which furnishes Eng land with so largo supply of organ-grinders, has a national law by which the whole Itin erant class, whether peddler, rag merchant, shoeblack, or mnsician. together with a list of others, are required to enter their names on a register, and toobtain a certificate from the local police. Registration maybe re fused to young persons and to suspected characters. The quickest bridge bnilding on record was done by an engineer named Dredge, who, in eight days, put an iron span across the Blackwater Jn Tyrone county, Ireland. It was 74 feet in length. Dredge died before the popular agitation was begun In Phila delphia for a modern bridge across the Schnvlklll at Walnut street. Tnat project was discussed for a quarter of a century. The Schuylkill, nt this point, i deeper than the Bronx and nearly as deep as the Harlem river. Newark has a most eccentric woman. She is old, and Is said to be Just as rich as she is eccentric. Her sole companions aro cats,and the house fairly swarms with them She holds an idea that her feline pets are more honest than men, and, therefore, sh rolls up the money she receives from rents in8mall packa?es and gives them to the cats, savlDg: "Here, pnssy, put this away forme.'' Her home is littered with money, it is said. Under the carpets.in the corners, in rat holes nnd in every conceivable place bills and coins are stuffed. At a recent meeting of the Koyal So ciety of Edinburgh, Dr. A. Bruce read a paper on a case of cyclopia, or single eye, which has como under his notice. There was a single socket for the eye, of a lozenge shape,and situated in the middle of the baso of the forehead. The socket was furnished with two pairs or eyelids, npper and lower. Tho nose was represented by a short process of tissue and skin attached to the forehead above tho medial eye. A microscopic sec tion of the socket showed two rudimentary eyes,with the two rudimentary rotlnas ap parently springing from a single optlo vesicle. PICKINGS FROM PUCK. "I am so glad, my son," said the loving mother of the rising young architect, as she fondly stroked his head, "that yon have done so well. How much .money do you expect to make this year?" "Well, mother. " replied the talented yonng man, "that Is hard to tell, but I am sure of 82400. Yoa see," he continued, gently pressing his mother's hand, "Ihavejustgotanorder for fonr 300 cottages." Smithkins Hello, Doc! "What are you doing? The Doctor Trying to km time. Smlthklns Why don't yoa prescribe for ahat If all is true I read about the girl r Who sports beside the bine, rip-roaring Sea, I guess It's lucky that I staid at home I don't bellevesbe'd hardly look at me. Shippen Clarke (to his employer, leaving the offlco)-Oh, Mr. System, have irt you forgot ten your umbrella? It's raining. - Mr. System Can't help It. I ve made a resolu tion to have one here and one at home, to provide for all emergencies. Now. if I take this, they'll both be at home. Old Mr. Hayrake You city fellows are very sly. Yon come up here and take our pretty girls out sailing and buggy riding; but I notice you never talk none aboat It. Tom de Witt No: when we go to see a girl more than once, the whole village does the talking. He advertised, as a bit of spite, For a nurse for his little kids. And Government-like reserved the right To reject all bids. . Xorth Is it true that you eloped with old Scroggs' daughter? Eaitman That Is Just what I should like to know. North What do you mean? Eastman When I went to bay the railroad tickets the agent wouldn't take a cent and handed me Scroggs' mllca e book. Mrs. Young John, did you succeed in matching that piece of dress goods I gave you thU morning? Mr. Young No; my time was too precious; bat (triumphantly) I've bought enonjrbt of something else to make you a whole gown I &3iMlk yaiiB.' ttt wm
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