U V
, ' ' - ""T",;"' 1 ,.... , 'it' ' " .i - . - . ; . " . , '..".-. z "
VOL. 5.-0. 44.
BY S. B. ROW.
ftlfEIEIWpOTDMSDAY, JUNE 29, 1
I-
J.:
n
MILDLY JUDGE YE OF EACH OTHEB.
Mildly judge ye of each other,
Bo to condemnation slow.
The very beat can have their failings,
Something good the worst can show.
The brilliant son has spots of darkness . .
On his radiant front, they say ;
And the clock tbat never goeth
Speaks correctly twice a day.
"Do not mock your neighbor's weakness,
When his random whims yon see,
tor perhaps he something like it . "
Every day beholds in thee.
Folly leavens all onr natures ;
Roundest metal has its flawi;
And the rigid stoic scorner "-.
Is no wider for his saws. -
Every mortal hn3 hia hobby; . . .
It may foolish seem to yon. .
But, remember ! bright or simple,
You have got your hobby too.
Let a fellow feeling warm you,
When you criticize your friend ;
Honor virtue in its actions.
In yourself its vices mend.' . . t
, Think not those whom mortals honor
Are the best the earth affords.
' For no tongue of praise doth blazon
Forth the deeds that God .rewards. .
There are fish behind in ocean,
Good as ever from it came,
And there are men. unknown, as noble
As the laurelled heirs of fame. -
Mildly judge, then, of each other,
Bo to condemnation slow ;
For the wisest have their failings.
Something good th worst can show
The sun himself has spots of darkness
On his radiant brow, they say ;
And the clock that never goeth
Speaks correctly twice a day.
mm
ooptrigtit SEcrnEP.J
CLE Alt FIELD COUNTY:
OR, REMINISCENCES OF THE PAST.
Whilst the River settlement was increasing
in numbers, similar causes induced the settle
ment of the country near the upper part of
Clearfield creek. The first improvement made
there, above the Forks, was in the year 1707,
when Capt. Edward .Ricketts made a small
clearing and built a cabin on the north side of
the creek, bove the Ox-bow, on Joseph Stew
art's farm. Circumstances, however, prevent
ed him removing his family there before 1801.
He was born near Annapolis, Maryland, in
1736; removed to Pennsylvania in his youth,
and in 1755, when but nineteen years of age,
entered the Army. The defeat of Braddock,
the previous year, had left the defence of the
frontiers in a great measure to the settlers.
Ricketts, being brave and courageous, possess
ed of a frame and constitution which marked
hini out lor a soldier, embraced the first op
lortunity of volunteering in the war then
waged against the Red Men. Apt he was
soon skilled in the mode of Indian warfare,
and bis skill and worth were soon rewarded by
a captain's commission. During the long and
bloody wars that followed, and until the close
of the Revolutionary struggle, Ricketts was
in the field, battling the savage foe, or their
equally cruel allies. When not on the war
path, be engaged himself in making an im
provement in some new spot, where he could
enjoy the howl of the wolf, the shriek of the
wild cat, the fierce scream of the panther, oc
casionally interspersed with the deadly war
whoop of the Indian. These were music to
his ear, and thus, always in advance of civili
zation, he passed frorridacc to place, until we
find him in Warriors-mark Valley, Hunting
don county, then a wilderness; afterwards in
the wild and romantic Tuckahoe, and at last,
when three-score years had stamped the mark
of age upon his brow, following the Indian
trail from Tuckahoe to the uninhabited region
of Clearfield creek, where he made his last
home. Ho disliked labor, was passionately
ond of hunting, and as game grew scarce,
from influx of population and other canses, he
had always changed hfs abode. lie left Tuck
ahoe valley on the Sth of October, 1801, ac
companied by his family. Following the In
dian trail, with his few effects borne upon pack
horses, he reached on the first day the head
waters of Mushannon creek, and there en
camped on one of the wildest spots of that
will region. The next day he reached his
cabin, and found it occupied by the family of
Joseph Leonard, who had bcn staying there
since spring.
Leonard was of Irish descent, and had lived
at Shaver's creek, Huntingdon county, previ
ous to his removal here. Whilst occupying
the Rickett's cabin,he had commenced an
Improvement below the Ox-bow, on the Thom
as Lord property. lie and his two sons are
now numbered with the dead.' He has three
daughters living the wives of Schooley Scott,
Jacob Flegal and Isaac Southard. Tho wife
of Mr. Scott was the- first. white child born in
that part of the county. We know no inci
dents of Leonard's life, but infer, from the
manner in which his name has often been men
tioned, that be was ah unostentatious, inde
pendent and fearless man. ':
These two families were the only settlers in
that section during the' winter of 1801-2.
Their means of subsistence were procured by
the rifle, or packed across tho mountain on
the Indian path, (traces of which are yet to be
ueen,) which left the Juniata river near Cold
Spring, passed through the Three-Spring's
gap, struck the extreme head waters of Mu
shannon creek, and after following it a few
miles, took nearly a direct line for the mouth
of Muddy Run on Clearfield creek. It con
nected with the great trail leading to the Al
legheny River. Ricketts' family at this time
consisted of himself, wife, and an adopted
daughter. He had three married sons, two of
whom James and Isaac lived on French
creek, and Thomas, who lived in Warribrs
mark valley. Isaac and Thomas soon followed
their father to this county. The former lived
on the farm occupied by the late I. Wayrrck
and has now two sons and several daughters
settled near the homestead. Thomas retrain
ed here but a few years, and then went to
French creek. Capt. Ricketts lost the farm
on which he settled, having been ejected by a
Mr. Brown. He afterwards settled ou the
place now owned by Win; W. Wright, where
he died in 1813, in indigent circumstances.
Though his services were long and meri-
f nri nil Q Iia tioiIIiai. nct-nrl iiai rnsfkiirfwl 1 Turn.
Speculation in wild lands induced Daniel
Turner to make his first visit to this county,
to locate surveys. He owned or was interest
ed in the larger part of the surveys in the then
connty of Huntingdon," extending from the
Susquehanna towards Milesburg, and now for
ming a large portion of tho territory of Cen
tre, Cambria and Clearfield counties. Turner
was a surveyor, and united with his other
traits, a spirit of bold and daring speculation.
Of his birth-place or parentage we know noth
ing. He reside in Westmoreland county at
the commencement of the Revolutiary war.
His house was then on the frontier, in a woody
region, with no neighbors near. As was his
habit, he rose one morning, shortly before day
break, to seek his horses, which he knew
were to be found in one of two places, where
they were in the habit of pasturing. Not
finding them in the first place he visited, he
started for the other, on the opposite side of
his house, and on approaching the house, was
horror stricken at the sight of three Indians,
who were stealthily approaching his home,
lie had left his wife and two children asleep.
Knowing the habits of the Indians, he, unper
ceived, hid himself behind a tree, from whence
he watched their movements. The Indians
drew near to the house, and laid down behind
a large log, where they could have a good
view of the door. Every few moments, Tur
ner could see one of the trio cantiously raise
his head above the log', to observe the first
stir about the house. Fearing that his wife,
unconscious of her danger, might make her
appearance at the door and become the victim
ol the savages, Turner resolved on action,
and when one of the Indians again raised bis
head above the log, a bullet, sped with unerr
ing aim, penetrated his brain. Turner rushed
towards the remaining Indians, crying at the
top of his voice, "Here, Tom, Dick and nar
ry, at them ! shoot, boys, shoot!" when the
affrighted savages, fearing they were entrapped,
made good their escape. Turner scalped the
Indian he had shot, took the scalp to Pitts
burgh, where he sold it for $80, placed his
family in a fort, joined the 1st Pennsylvania
regiment, went to Boston, and served faith
fully through the war.
We believe that Turner's first visit to this
county was about the year 1791. As an evi
dence of the anxiety which was then felt to
become possessed of wild lands, there were
several rival surveying parties then on the
ground. One of the leaders, fearing that Tur
ner's men might get ahead of him, stole Tur
ner's chain. But Dan. was not to be balked in
that way. A grape vine, growing near where
the party were, was torn down from the tree
upon which it had climbed, and a branch cut,
as they supposed, the proper length, and made
a substitute for a chain, with which they con
tinued their operations. 3Ioro recent explo
rations, which had become necessary to ascer
tain the work then so imperfectly done, have
shown that the piece of vine used was not
cut too short. . .
Turner lived for some time at Bellefonte,
near where he erected Rock Forge, which was
altcrwards owned by Mr. Bcnner. He was
then in easy circumstances, and had unbound
ed credit. It was then his custom to pay off
his hands on the Saturday night of each week,
which he would do by filling up a half bushel
measure with half dollars, set it on the coun
ter of his store, and then deal out the money
in such quantities as were needed. A mam
moth speculation in wild lands in Kentucky,
brought about financial embarrassment and the
total wreck of Turner's fortune. This in
duced him to remove to and settle on the bead
waters or Clearfield creek, near the Cambria
county line, in the month of April, 1802. ?
(TO EK COSTlXCEn.) '
Heighto Water-Thouchs. Water-troughs
for horses should always be countersunk in
the earth or stable floor, on a level with the
horse's feet. The natural mode of an animal's
drinking is on a level T. ith the stream. Anat
omists will agree that the throat of a horse is
so formed that this position is necessary in or
der that the water should lave those parts of
the throat which particularly need such re
freshment. It may be urged that it is more
convenient for a horse in harness to have the
water brought up to him, instead of his hav
ing to lower his head to the water ; but such
is not the case. When the bearing rein (that
painful relic of barbarism) is unloosed, a horse
has no difficulty in putting his head to the
ground ; witness horses taking their bait, as a
proof, and the heat and pressure of the collar
in drawing, render tho thorough washing and
cooling of the throat more than ever accepta
ble Besides the benefits conferred on horses
and cattle by cutting down the cisterns to a
reasonable proportion, they would be made a
vailablo for the lesser animals.
The deficiency in the revenue of British In
dia is so serious as to require a loan of fiity
millions of dollars.
j r! i's A BACE WITH WOLVES. , : v
,.Of:the many lovely counties bfr New York,
Txone present stronger points' OT attraction to
ibe lover of the picturesque thatithe.heau(iful
fcrfpiiBly-of S r-4 Masses.triS jiy piled
"upen -owe another in -such, ji laagaiQcen t disor
der, as if tossed thero-iv the- -antediluvian
revels of some .of our gigantic "first fathers.
The roads wind broken and uneven through
every variety of hill and dale, on one side not
unfrequently rising i some lofty mountain,
waving with clustering foliage, and vocal with
the song of birds, while on the other descends
os abruptly a bristling precipice, the rugged
horrors of its yawning gulf, half hidden be
neath mantling vines, and only betraying its
great depth by the faint musical tingle of the
htream which it hides in its grim bosom. But,
uninviting, as are the features it presents to
day, to any. but the tourist, sixty years ago so
formidable were the obstacles it . opposed
deemed by the farmer, that when Jacob Wier,
a sturdy Scotchman with a large family of
tow-heads, built a log cabin in that region in
the very heart of a mighty forest.and iustalled
himself and said family, they were not want
ing some of his neighbors to hint, that tho
act qualified him for a straight jacket and a
straw couch in a madman's cell. Jacob only
laughed the croakers to scorn, hewing awaj'
all the while at the huge trees that hemmed
him in on every side, with 'untiring energy
and no small success, and, spite ol prophe
cies, matters prospered with him. The crops
and tho tow heads grew apace the one bring
ing money into Jacob's pocket, the other sun
shine to his dwelling, and, as years went by,
he began to be spoken of with due respect as
a well-to do and thriving man. Nowhere was
a heartier welcome to bo obtained than at Jacob
Wier's. Friend or acquaintance, or passing
stranger, alike were sure of a seat at the hos
pitable board, and a warm nook in the chim
ney corner. And such a chimney! none of
your modcrn,degenerate firc-places,but a vast,
black gulf, yawning almost the length of the
house, and piled up to the very top with huge
logs of hickory and hemlock, that crackled
and blazed as though they enjoyed being burnt.
No wonder hospitality is out of fashion now,
for what man could ask another to take a seat
in the corner of his range ?
. It was in the early spring time of the year
eighteen hundred that our story commences,
when Jacob and his- family were gathered a
round the hearth, as was their wont, after
their plain bnt abundant supper. Bright and
strorvg blazed the fire, casting flickering shaw
ows on the rough ceilings and rougher walls,
flashing redly back from the well scoured pew
ter on the diesser,lighting up the ruddy coun
tenance of old Jacob, and the handsome ono
of six, tall, broad-shouldered and strong limb
ed sons, and finally throwing a whole halo
of light around the spot where sat the tor
ment and the idol of the household, saucy,
daring Kate, Jacob's only daughter. She was
of the tallest height of woman, and her su
perb form, unshackled by the restraints of
art, and all that elasticity and subtlo grade
which nature alone can give. Her features
were noble and regular in outline, her eyes
large, clear, and blue as tho heavens, and her
weitlth of golden hair, that when unbound,
flowed almost to her feet, would have been the
envy and delight of a fashionable hair-dress-cr..
In short, she was a handsome, frank, un
sopUistic11 gfrl, hot in the least resembling
tho mincing" waddling many skirted belles who
walls, r rather truddle through our streets,
with hollow chest, stooping . shoulders, sallow
skinailaabcd with rouge and .lack lustTC eyes
that jsnets us with a cold and calculating stare.
Not was she. indeed, what: could be termed a
proper young lady; for,, her mother dying
eailtuut there bein no Neighbors save the
birds and squirrels, flier education had been
lftlftl
a piano, knew nothing of crotchet work, and
could neither dance or speak bad French.
But the was a good Shot, rode well on horse
back, and was as swift as Camilla herself; be
sides, being deeply versed in the sublime arts
of bread and butter-making.stocking darning,
mending, and all those other feminine myster
ies of which the masculine mind is so pro
foundly ignorant,' yet which tend so greatly
to our comfort and delectation. I am not
prepared to say, either, that she had what the
ladies call good taste in dressing, though it
would be difficult to find a more charming
figure than she presented in her gray, home
spun dress and neat little collar, or at least so
thought Alick Harden, on the eventful eve
ning of which we are writing. Said Alick
was a gay young student, who came to this
wild region to spend his vacation, in hunting
among the mountains, and had nearly finish
ed it by serving as lunch for a huge panther,
when he was fortunately rescued by two of
Jacob's sons.
The wounds he had received were but slight,
and he quickly recovered under Kate's care
ful nursing; but be still lingered unaccounta
bly, though he manifested no disposition to
accompany tho boys on their various excur
sions, seeming to derive a vast amount of a
musement in watching Kate, as she wont a
bout her household duties. This practice was
speedily productive of tho most disastrous
results "; for in the course of two weeks, Kate
three times put buttermilk in the churn, twice
burned the bread to a cinder, and finally set
all their teeth on edge by tho production of a
lemon pie without a particle of sugar in the
composition. Regardless of all these melan
choly events, the audacious Alick still per
sisted in.tnis unaccountable course of conduct,
and had made himself so particularly obnox
ious to Kate that evening by S3 doing, that
ahewas continually blushing from sheer in
dignation, and it was a great relief when her
father bade her get out the porringers and the
pudding, as he was right doivn hungry. Go
ing to the dresser, Kato uncovered a mighty
earthen dish, filled with a delectable goldcn
hued substance, which she forthwith served
out with duo care and deliberation, into nice
bright porringers, and then proceeded to
drown it in a flood of yellow cream. This
done, the fire was to bo raked' down and the
porringers placed on the coals ; and here that
luckless Alick, prompted by his evil eemus,
attemping to assist her, it so happened their
hands got mysteriously entangled ; and I Alick
most ineeniously contrived to upset the por
SSeilffio the fire. "Ha, ha, ha! '' roared
the brethren in chorus, as Alick and Kate
snrang to their feet in dismay ; and "Ila.bal
roared old Jacob, even his gravity being una
ble to withstand the ludicrously frightened
expression of the culprits' faces.
conduced n tfttlipr an "original system by ner
father nTplbrofbers.be was not what is
termed accomftirshedL.fof sho had never seen
;It is too bad," said Kate, greatly provok
ed ; "men are alwaj's so stupid and awkward.'
"Ha, ha!" burst out Dan, tho eldest of the
six, "Kate's fingers are all thumbs lately."
"Her wits are going wool gathering; or
rather flower-gathering," chimed in another,
"ever since Joe, the miller's handsome son,
brought tho last load of flour to the house,
and it took him and Kate all afternoon to put
six bags in the buttery." . .-
"Come here, Kate," said her father, . "and
don't mind those unlicked cubs. You have
more pluck than them all, broad as their shoul
ders are." i , , , . .
"Kate wants a little maple sugar to sweeten
her temper," said Dan. . 'Pity it is so early
in the season." : .
"It is plain you didn't need any of the sap,'
retorted Kato, when you left tho dipper
down in the bush to-night." ;-
" I can't say how that is," anwercd Dan,
"but with all your pluck, you daren't go and
fetch it." . . . :
"I dare and will," answered Kate, now thor
oughly aroused. - .
"Why, Kate, you are crazy," said her fa
ther. "It's more than a quarter of a mile
from here, and the wolves are howling more
than common to-night."
"I don't care," answered Kate, "Go I will,
and bring back the dipper, too ; and then we
will sec who has the most pluck."
In spite of the remonstrances of her father
and the entreaties of tho horror stricken Alick
to be permitted at least to accompany her, the
headstrong girl . persisted in going, and, put
ting on her shawl, hurried down the garden
path, and was quickly lost to sight in the for
est. It was a chilly evening, and the halo that
encircled the moon, and the driving clouds
that not unfrequently obscured her broad disc"
told of a coming storm. A light sncw cover
ed the ground, relieved here and there by oc
casional black patches of mud, and, as it crack
Jed under her feet, Kate would start involunta
rily, and look hastily around, fancying the
tread of some wild animal. In the ghostly
light, the trees seemed to stretch up to a great
er height, and their gnarled branches took
strange, fantastic shapes. Dark clumps of
bushes seemed to her disturbed imagination
crouching figures, ready to spring upon her,
and not unfrequently she paused and held her
breath, thinking she saw the glare of eye balls
in the thicket, or heard the sound of stealthy
breathing close beside her. Then, chiding
herself for weakness, she would hurry on, till
at length the tall slender boles of the maple
trees defined themselves against the sky, and
seizing the dipper, with a sigh of relief, she
turned on her homeward path. She might
have advanced ten steps, when her heart gave
a bound that seemed to send it to her throat,
and then almost ceased to beat, as she stood
listening with such intensity that her very
breathing seemed suspended. Was that the
wind moaning through the branches ? Nearer
and nearer came the long, low, melancholy
sound, and then she Knew she bad to run for
her life ; for she had recognized the howl of
wolves and was sure they were already on
her track. , ,
Kate was a courageous girl, and swift-footed
as an antelope ; but when the yelling pack
burst from the bushes into view, and glancing
over her shoulders as she ran, she saw them
bounding after her, their heads outstretched,
their red tongues lolling from their open
mouths, snapping, growling, and leaping mad
ly up. thirsting and raging for her blood, a
sickening terror took possession of her. Should
her limbs fail ber even for an instant, should
she stumble and fall, she would inevitably be
dragged down and torn to pieces by these rav
enous monsters. Horrible! to have her flesh
rent from her bones and nothing lelt but a
bleaching skeleton to tell of her sad fate. On
they came, close to her heels almost catching
and rending her dress as it flew out in their
grinding teeth, their yelling, savage voices
ever sounding nearer and nearer. Now out
of tho forest and down the garden path, but
her limbs were flagging, and closer and closer
came the hurried panting breaths. She reach
ed the garden gate, the house was close before
her ; but at her shoulder leaped and howled
tho foremost of the pack, his hot breath on
her cheek, and his low growl sounding in her
ears, when suddenly out rushed seven stalwart
figures, shouting and waving flaming brands
around their heads as they came. Panic
stricken, the wolves scoured back to the for
est, and the half fainting girl was conducted,
or rather borne into the cabin, where she soon
recovered from tho more immediate effects of
her fright. , .
Shortly after, Alick and Kate agreed to u
nite their fortunes for life, and frequently
talked of their former mishaps, and Kate's
courage ; but to her dying day, she could
never speak without a shudder of her moo?i
lizht race with the voices.
Montebello. Very Tew maps contain this
place upon which renown has fallen for a sec
ond time in conjunction with the contests be
tween tho armies of Franco and Austria.
Montebcllo is a very insignificant village, and
is so near to Casteggio, that its name is rarely
found In ordinary geographical charts. Cas
teggio is about thirty miles east of Alessan
dria, and fifteen miles west of the Po, while
Montebcllo is but a few minutes walk south
west of Casteggio. Casteggio and vicinity
has been a celebrated battle-ground for more
than two thousand ' years. It is the ancient
Clastidium, and it was here tbat Claudius Mar
cellus won the richest of spoils by vanquish
ing and slaying Viridoniarus, King of the Gas
sta3.v In the Punic wars, it was an important
tnilifary position. It was besieged by Hanni
bal, and might have defied his power, but his
torians tell us that two hundred large pieces
of gold, paid to the commander, Publius Da
rius, "purchased the fortress," a very polite
phraze forexpressing bribery. The stores and
provisions found therein were of the greatest
utility to the Cartbagenians. A spring not far
from Casteggio is still called Fontana d'Anni
bale. It was near Casteggio, on the 9th of
Jane, 1S00, that the great conflict between tbe
French and Austrians took place, which is
known as the battle of Montebcllo, for it was
in the latter little village that the arms of Na
poleon I. finally routed the corps de reserve of
tho enemy .'f ' :
"What make you look so glum, Tom ?"
"Oh I had to enduro a sad trial to my feel
ings." "What on earth was it?" "Why I
had to tie on a pretty girl's bonnet while her
ma was looking on." '
That's so ! Integrity, however rough,'" is
better than smooth dissimulation. ,
MAGNITUDE OF OTJE PUBLIC WOEKS.
It has been fashionable to compare unfavor
ably the works of this country with those of
Europe. To such au extent has this been car
ried that it is not unfrequently said that we
have to look to England or the Continent for
the most of our examples. We are continual
ly told by travellers of the great extent, beau
ty and durability of the continental works, and
of the enormous strength of the English struc
tures. Now it is perfectly true that Europe
can boast of railroads, canals, bridges, and a
queducts unrivalled in the world for beauty
and excellence of workmanship,but it is equal
ly true that America can point to works of u
tility that, in the magnificence of their pro
portions, are not exceeded anywhere.'
The Julian Aqueduct of Rome is two miles
longer than the Croton Aqueduct of New York,
built by John B. Jarvls and Horatio Allen,
but the Croton carries more water than all the
seven aqueducts of Rome put together, and
more than any other aqueduct in the world,and
is longer than any other excepting the Julian.
The Illinois Central Railroad, built by Col.
Mason, is the longest line ever constructed by
one company, and in point of workmanship is
equal to any European road.
The National Road, over the Cumberland
mountains, built by the United States Engi
neer Corps, is more extensive and durable by
far than the Appian way.
The stone arch over Cabin John's Creek, on
the Washington aqueduct, built by Captain
Meigs, is about fifty feet greater span than any
other stone arch in the world, and is more beau
tiful in proportion than the arch over the Oca,
so long celebrated for its magnilicence.
The tunnel built by Mr. Haupt for the Penn
sylvania Railroad, on the summit o.the Alle
gheny mountain, was a more difficult work
than the tunnel under the Thames.
Tho structures on the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad at Harper's Ferry, and beyond the
summit, built by Latrobe ; and the Starrocca
Viaduct on the New York and Erie Railroad,
built by Julius Adams, arc'eqnal in magnifi
cence and excellence of workmanship to any
thing Brunei ever did in Eng'land, or Moran
in France.
Tho Suspension Bridge over tho Niagara
river at Lewiston, built by Major Scrrell, is
1,042 feet 10 inches in one span, and is 43 feet
greater than any other single span in the
world, being nearly twice as great and quite as
strong as Telfords celebrated bridge over the
Menaia Straits in England.
The United States Dry Dock at Brooklyn, is
the largest dry-dock in the world by many
feet. Tho workmanship, done under the di
rection of Mr. M'Alpinc and Gen. Stuart, is
equal if not superior, to anything of the kind
anywhere. The plates of iron used in the
gates of this dock are the largest that had ever
been made up to the time they were rolled.
The flight of combined locks on the Erie Ca
nal at Lockport, built by the State Engineers,
are equalled only in one other place in Chris
tendom Sweden.
The Railroad Suspension Bridge built by
Roebling over the Niagara is within a few feet
of twice the span of Stephen's great Tubular
Bridge in England, the largest structure of the
kind. It is 800 feet in one span, and is two
stories high, the railroad being above the
public highway. Nothing like this exists
anywhere else.
The Light-house on Minot's Lodge being
built by Capt. Alexander, is in a more exposed
situation, and, as far as proceeded with is more
securely bolted together than tho famous Ed
dystone Light-house in England.
The Bridge at Wheeling, built by Charles
Ellet, is exceeded only in span by the Lewis
ton Bridge, and is heavier than it; it is the
second largest span in the world, and is much
more beautiful than the Fribourg Bridge, its
European rival.
In carpentry we are unexcelled in the world.
Such structures in timber as the Drj' docks at
San Francisco and Philadelphia McCulIum's
and Col. Seymour's bridge on the Erie Rail
road and branches; the timber viaducts on
the Catawissa Railroad,builtby Stancliff; Col.
Long's bridges on the various New England
railroads; and Howe's trusses at Harris burg,
have not their equals across the Atlantic.
Then, again, in Europe, many structures
are built that might have been avoided a few
hundred rods of detour would have saved the
great Box tunnel. Now we maintain that tho
location of the Sidell's division, for example,
on the Erie, evinced more skill in avoiding the
necessity of great structures than could bo
shown in building them.
The stones on either corner of the Exchange
in Boston, built by Kodgers, are larger than
any single stone in Cleopatra's needle, and
those now being put tnto the United States
Treasury at AVashington are much heavier than
any stone of Pompey's pillar, or Pyramids of
Egypt.. -:
As to the difficulties of location, there is no
countiy where more science and skill have
been brought to bear than in ours, and it is a
remarkable fact that in point of time, last
year, our average traveling was faster by two
and a half miles per hour than in England,
comparing our principal lines with theirs,
while the charges on the American lines was
but little over half tho English lines.
The reason why these things are not gener
ally known is, that hero we build a great work,
announce its completion in tho same adver
tisement that heralds the opening of the road,
and no more is said about it, except, perhaps,
what may appear in one or two scientific pe
riodicals, where dry fect and inches, stress,
strain and tortion are discussed, and are never
read except by the professional engineer.
While,on tho contrary ,in England and France,
as soon as a great work is built, and while it is
Jbcing erected, pictures by thousands are pub
lished, medals are struck and circulated, glass
models are made, and tho illustrated news
papers show it in every stage of progress and
from every point of view ; the engineer is
knighted, if he is not already of the nobility,
and the fame -of the structure is sent from
land to land ; while with ns,as we have shown,
may be found some of the moit gigantic works
ever undertaken that are passed by and over
without hardly any notice. It is remarkable
that tho best popular description of our own
public works of great magnitude are to bo
found in the journals of France and Germany.
. The Westminster clock, England, has cost
the nation $110,000. Punch says it is a strong
exemplification of tho homely truth, "Time
is money."
Nothing is more odious than the face that
smiles abroad, but flashes fury amid the ca
resses of a tender wife and children.
Al tJBDZ.n Uf X. laJ
number of vertcbratcd animals is estimated at
20,000; about 1,500 species of mammals arc
pretty precisely known, and tbe number may
probably be carried to about 2,000. The num
ber of birds well known is about 4,000 or 5,000
species, and the probable number is about
0,000. The reptiles number about the same
as the mammals 1,500 described species
and thev will piobably reach the number of
2,000. The fishes are more numerous ; there
are from 5,000 to 6,000 species in the muse
ums of Europe, and the number may probably
amount to 8,000 or 10,000. The nnmber of
mollusks already in collections, reaches prob
ably 8,000 or 10,000. There are collections of
marine shells, bivedoc and univalve, which a
mountto 5,000 or 7,000, and collections of
land and flaventile shells which count us 2,000
Thc total number of mollusks would, there
fore, probably exceed 15,000 species. Among
the artculated animals, it is difficult to esti
mate the number of species. There are col
leopterons insects which number 20,000 to
25,000 species ; and it is quite probable that,
by uniting the principal collections of insects,
60,000 or 80,000 species might now be count
ed ; for the whole department of articulata,
comprising the Crustacea, cirrhipeda. tho in-
sects, the red-blooded worms,, the intestinal 5
worms, and the infusoria, as they belong to
this department, the number would already a- '
mount to 100,000 ; and it is believed that tho :
probable number of species actually existing
may be estimated at double that sum. Add to
all these about 10,000 for radiat, evhini, star
fishes, mednsaj and polypi, ard we have about
250,000 species of living animals ; and suppo
sing the number of fossil species to equal -them,
we have, at a very moderate computa
tion, half a million species.
A bogus banking concern, in Ohio, was"
broken up by the Cincinnati police, some of
whom disguised themselves, and under pre- ,
tence of wanting to go into -the operation, ;
were introduced to a man named Wiliams, "
who got up the concern. He explained that !
the Bank was got up by parties iq New York !
and Detroit ; that he, Mr. Williams, was the ;
"banker," and the only person to be known in ,
the matter ; that they paid 165 to Sage &
Co., of Buffalo, New York, for the engraving
of the bills,and that 70,000 had been printed,
at a cost of a quarter of a cent on the dollar ;
that he came lo, Hartford in February last to
open his bank, but that tho want of a few dol
lars "had hitherto prevented his operating.
Mr. Williams said they had everything right
with tho publisher of a certain New York
Counterfeit Detsctor, as they had paid him
nineteen hundred dollars lo quote the money right!
Many readers will recollect a Mrs. Margaret
L. Eaton, formerly Mrs. Purser Timberlake,
the wife of Gen. John II. Eaton, President
Jackson's Secretary of War. Her lame being
a little stained by calumnious reports, she was
not received by other families of other mem-
hers of the Cabinet. Tho generous Old Hero,
believing her wronged,insisted that she should f
be received into company, and the result was
a CabinetTupture, with sad scandal in those
days. Tho Washington papers announce her
third marriage, last week, at tho ripe age of
sixty, to one Signor Antonio Buckiguani, an
Italian dancing master of twenty-two.;
Pitch Phenomenon at Sea. While tho
bark Rolla, of New York, was in the Gulf of
Mexico, on May 4, it passed through a scum
of smoking pitch which extended for several
miles, and emitted a most nauseating odor.
It was supposed by her captain (Mr. Rogers)
to be thrown up by a submarine eruption from
some part of the bottom of the ocean. This, :
wo think, is the true explanation of the phe- -nomenon.
There arc extensive formations of
mineral p itch in Cuba, Trinidad, and other
West India Islands, and no doubt there are beds
of this material under tbe waters of tho gulf.;
The Columbus, Georgia, Enquirer says, sonio
ten or twelve years ago, a man came to that
place, married, amassed considerable fortune,
and exercised the rights of a citizen of the
State and County for a number Of years. , He
finally left suddenly for New Orleans, acd from .
there ho went to Western Texas, in order to.
avoid meeting a former friend, who, he had it
intimated, wished to see him. . Fate, however,
after a time brought the two together, when .
the friend claimed the Columbus man as his
slave, and now holds him as his property.
A poison of any conceivable description
and degree of potency, which has been inten
tionally or accidentally swallowed, may be ren
dered almost instantly harmless by simply
swallowing two gills of sweet oil. A' person
with a very strong constitution should take
nearly twice the quantity. This oil will most
positively neutralize every form of vegetable,
animal or mineral poison with which physi
cians and chemists are acquainted. '
There are tour millions of people in France
who eat no bread. Some eat chestnuts, and
some other kinds of vegetables. The peoplo
of Ireland, for a long time, subsisted mainly
on potatoes. These iacts provo not merely
that there are large numbers in civilized na-.
tions who do not raise their own bread, but
the equally important fact, that they have not
the means of buying it.
A gay young lady was struck by lightning .;
a few days ago, in a field back of New Albany -lud.nd
killed. Her name was Eunice Coop
er, and she was twenty years old. The light- 1
ning, which struck her head demolished her '
bonnet and clothing. . . , . : . .
A man's wife lately died in New York, and
upon exhumation of the body not a trace of
poison was found in it. This is regarded as a
remarkable proof of tho advancement of vir
tue and domestic happiness in that exempla-;
ry city. : . i '
"What object do yon now see I" asked tho '
doctor. Tho young mau hesitated for a few '
moments, and then replied- "It appears like -a
jackass, doctor, but I rather think it il yourl
shadow." , - .
A woman's loot was found recently by tho" '
side of the Genesee river. The Rochester ed-e i
itors are puzzling their brains lo find out what r
has becomo of tho rest of her. i , .
"lam certain, wife, that I ard". Tight and .
thatyoa are wrong; I'lllet .my ears on U. c
"Indeed, husband, you shouldn't carry betting .
to such extreme kne.lhs.,y "
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