One of the moat remarkable evolu
Hon of trade during the Inst four years
ha been the tremendous advancement
wade tiy the products of our blast
furnaces In competition with tbc Eng.
11 Kb product
Education Is making rapid strldca
toward solv'ng the lml an problem In
this country. The Chlcknsaws have,
five colleges and the 0 reeks 10. Tho
Choctaws have no colleges, but have
ltIO common schools In which the
higher branches are taught. The ex
pense of educating the Indians Is
borne by the federal government.
Great Britain produced nearly three
fourths of the new shipping built lust
year. The exact figures, which In
clude the war vessels, aie: For tin?
world, Z.iHT.ri.'tH tons, of which Groat
Britain constructed 1,"t'3.lM tons.
The United Stales Is credited with n
trille less than one-eighth, and the t'ext
of the world with n little more tmiu
one-eighth.
A bill which goes Into effect In
Massachusetts, January, l'-Ht-t, pro
vides for the purchnsc of from 13iH)
to J.'stO ncres In some tract, at a co:t
of not over $25,000 and the expendi
ture of not over $50,000 is permitted
for the erection of buildings for tho
dwellings of the Insane. Thus there
will be a state colony of the Insane,
living in small numbers In separate
cottages. It Is expected that the able
bodied Insane will be set to work on
land, as they are able to do, and this
will be letter for them than being
kept In comparative Idleness.
The present lord chancellor of Kng
land has come In for n rare piece of
good luck. According to historical
usage, a new great seal Is minted
when a new sovereign comes to the
throne, the old one becoming
the property of tho lord chancellor of
the day. It has, however, come to
pass among other results of the
Queen's long reign that the great seal
Is so worn out as to necessitate a new
one. The order for It was given some
time ngo, and the work 'Is now com
pleted. Thus, for the first time In
more than three-score years a great
seal, with nil the historical associa
tions connected with It, reverts to the
ownership of a private Individual.
The cotton manufacturing Industry
of tho south 1b today tho dominant
business of the region; it Is develop
ing as no other Industry In America
has ever developed; it is recognized by
the farmers, as well as by the
banker and the merchant, as essen
tial to the highest development of tho
commercial, financial and agricultural
Interests In the south. It represents
an investment of nearly $150,000,000
against Slil.OuO.OOO ten years ago. In
Its growth the southern farmer sees
the creation of towns and cities,
which furnish a home market for nil
his diversified products and a homo
market for his cotton In competition
with foreign and New England buy
ers, and always to his profit Tho la
boring element sees In the growth of
cotton mills tho rapid Increase In
the demand for. operatives, so that
tens of thousands of people who have
heretofore been compelled to live In
Idleness by reason of the lack of em
ployment now find steady and profit
able work in cotton mills, while the
merchant and the banker sec In It a
broad expansion of southern trade and
a vast increase in the weaii'i of th'.s
section, observes the New York Bun.
In speaking of literature as a career
for the uuihltlonsnsplruntluthe world
of letters, the New' York Times says:
"Style Is the man." It is not the boy.
It is tlie relies of the mature mind,
the embodiment of thought which no
longer stumbles, but walks with sure
feet, and makes for itself a broad and
beautiful path of words. Let those
who urc wondering why their effu
sions do not burst into print at ouee
stop aud consider whether they
reully have anything particular to say
and then whether they have any par
ticular way of saying It. There are
more persons with something to rny
(pcgjuips not something Immortal, but
still worth saying), than there are
with u genuine mastery of literary ex
pression. The latter does not come
by nature; neither does it come with
experience. It conies only by practice,
and not nn easy practice at that. It
was that most literary of nil recent
writers, Robert Lculs (Stevenson, who
said that the man not willing t j spend
a whole afternoon in search of the
right word to express an idea was un
fit for the business of lUeratme
"Style is the man," but tmvui.td tried
out. Let disappointed asplrjuts cou
elder Unit
MY FRIEND.
HT VASOASCT S. SASOSTIR.
Flnner thst ftched snd famine trmtrrAved'j.
Couiniro the face of the foe that braved:
Borrow thnt fainted, and shnme that
blushed ;
Bilonee the bitter complaint that hushed
What do they matterf The world iocs bv,
We still have each other, my friend and 1,
We yet have earh other, on sea or shore,
Con mortal desire a joy the more?
Harper's Dazar.
Just in Time.'
SUPPOSE yon
want me to look
as dowdy ns nn
old Guy I'nwkes,
then!" said Letty
Darrell, pettish-
Vvq ly. to her young
0 Sl,t 0V''r 'IP,r
Zyii'- onr,y breakfast
table. "You're
tvWib. "Iways grunib-
ling If I lay out a
shilling to make myself look nice."
"Nay, nay, dear, don't sny thnt," re
plied her husband. "You know quite
well I grudge you nothing In reason,
and If I could afford It you should have
fifty blue dresses, but you spend near
ly all our ready money nt Tape & Ta
bouret's, and nn Income of f 150 a year
won't stand thnt, you know."
"Oh, lecture mo well, pray do!" re
totted Letty, viciously cracking nn egg.
"I didn't know I'd married n 'screw'
and a Methodist preacher both lu one."
"Letty!" said Frank Darrell, In a
hurt tone.
Letty looked n, little ashamed.
"For the first time In all the years
since we married," continued the hus
bnud, "we owe both butcher ami baker.
Our landlord Is pressing for money,
and two of our lodgers are In arrears,
nut there. 1 can't wnlt to argue the
matter with you. Here's the omnibus."
And for the first time since their
marriage he departed to the city bank
where ho was engaged without giving
his wife a farewell kiss.
Letty silently watched the heavily
laden omnibus, bound citywards, until
It was out of sight. Then her heart
sank.
"He never kissed me!" she sobbed,
"and I do love him so!"
Then she sat down and dried her
eyes, poor loving but wllfal young
wife.
"I'll Just make him a nice little "toad-In-the-hole'
for his tea dinner," she
thought, "and as to that horrid blue
dress thnt has caused all this bother,
why, I'll let Sirs. Thatcher have It.
She offered to give twenty-eight shil
lings for It, so I shall only lose two,
and dear Frank will be pleased, and
then and then "
And the tears began to roll again
down Lctty's checks, ' and a tcuder
smile lighted up her face as she
thoughts! her young husband and the
little new life that was shortly to
brighten up their home.
After her husband was gone she sat
still for some little time pondering
over the events of the morning. At last
a bright idea struck her.
"I'll just run around and see Mrs.
Thatcher about Uiat unlucky b'ue
dress," she thought.
Mrs. Thatcher was the wife o? a
young fellow clerk of Frank Darren's,
and who was as thrifty and economi
cal as Letty was careless and extrava
gant. No sooner thought than done. Mrs.
Darrell arrayed herself in a costume
which, however becoming, was. It
dust be candidly admitted, far too ex
pensive for the wife of a simple bank
clerk, -and, leaving word with Sally
where she was going, set off to pay
her visit
The Important affair of the blue
dress was settled to the satisfaction
of both parties. Letty had never worn
It so Mrs. Thatcher considered she
bad saved two shillings, and Letty was
equally glad to lose two In order to
get back the rest of tho purchase
money.
With the twenty -eight shillings snug
ly In her portemonuale aud with a
lighter heart tho arrived at her own
door.
But how great was her consternation
when Sally opened it to find that dusty
but faithful and hard-working hand
maiden In a state of much excitement,
and wiping away the tears from her
red cheeks with her grimy apron.
"Why, Sally, whut ou earth " be
gan Letty.
But Sully Interrupted her.
"Oh, if you please, ma'am, here's
such a horrid man come Into the
kitchen and sat down and made him
self at home, aud says he won't go till
he's seen master."
"Impertinent wretch!" cried Letty
notly.
"Ob, yes, ma'am, and he's called for
bread and cheese and beer, and says
as we're bound to give it him."
"Tho man must be mad!" ejuculatod
Letty.
"N o, please, ma'am, I don't think
lie's that." replied Sally. "l-I think
there's summut wrong, ma'am."
"1 think so, too, Indeed," said Letty,.
Indignantly, "when people wulk Into
my kitchen and call for refreshments
whether I Invite them or uot I don't
keep a public house."
And Into the kitchen the walked fol
lowed by Sally.
There tat a stout refl-facofl man of
about fifty, eating bread and cheese
und drinking beer out of a jug as If
ho had fasted for a fortnight. He was
attired in an old greeu saootlug coat,
gaudy walstcont and drab trousers,
nnd had a course red cotton handker
chief round his hull neck.,Ou the table
lay a thick stick and u buttered
Wideawake.
"Well, I'm sure!" exclaimed Letty,
completely taken shack, "and who
Bioyj ou be, It you please V"
life
t A -
"I'm Sol Woolgo," said the man,
continuing his fenst; "that's who I
am."
"And who might Sol Woolge be?
said Letty scornfully.
The man, wno had A not unkindly
face, gave Lotty a knowing wink,
which completed her exasperation.
"I'm tho man in possession," ho snld.
"I thought you mightn't like It men
tioned before the servnnt, miss."
" 'Miss!' " said tho young wife, draw
ing herself np, "I am Mrs. Darrell!"
"Beg pardon, mn'nm. Of eonrs I
didn't know the Inge of the party.
Well, I'm put In by Mr. Sharp, tho
landlord, for two-quarlers' rent I'm
the broker's man."
That night the young couple sat long
over their meal, which it must be con
ceded was not a particularly cheerful
one. But the ten did Letty good, and
D.irrcll put the best face he could on
their present trouble, In order to sns
tnln ns much an possible the spirits of
his self-reproachful wife.
At hist the meal, such ns It was, was
concluded, nnd Ixtty had Just risen to
ring the bell for the removal of tho
tea things when the postmnu's knock
resounded through the house.
"A letter from father, perhaps," snld
the young wife drearily, for she know
how hopeless It was to expect aid from
th.it quarter.
Sally entered with the letter a large,
formnl-looking blue document, which
Darrell took mechanically.
"I do not kuow tho writing," he snld;
"it looks like ft lawyer's letter. Can
there lie more trouble In store for us?"
Letty clasped her hands convulsively
together, while her husbnnd opened
tho letter.
"Oh, Letty. dearest, listen!'
And he rend:
Bedford Bow. March 4, ISOS.-SIr:
We have to acqunlnt you with tho de
cease of your maternal uncle, Joseph
Stuart, of Baibndoes. Ills will has
leen since duly proved by the execu
tors.
Our client's will gave ns Instructions
on the realization of his personal es
tate to hand over to you the sum of
500 out of the proceeds of the sale of
certain consols by his executors.
Thnt sum having been plneed In cur
hands by those genlemen we shnUJiave
pleasure In handing over the same to
you If you will favor us with a call at
our office on Thursday next the 0th
Inst., between the hours of 10 a. m.
nnd 4 p. m. We ore, sir, your obedient
servants,
GOLDSTUAW & STOCK.
O Frank, Frank! how provident Inl,"
exclaimed Letty. "Can such good for
tune be true?"
'Yes, denr. It Is certainly true. I'm
sorry for my uncle, though. But still.
ns I never saw him I cannot be 'ex
pected to grieve much or to shod croc
odile tears at his decease. And now I
must go nnd speak to the broker's
man, aud then I'll go around to Mr.
Sharp at once.
Of course Sir. Shnrp (who had been
Indulgent, but really wanted his
money) wns appeased by the sight of
Messrs. Oohlstraw & Stock's letter.
and the broker's man was withdrawn
that very night.
Tho severe lesson wns not lost upon
Letty, who, after all, wns a true-hearted,
estimable little woman, saving for
her one fault over-love for dress.
Chicago Tlmes-nernld.
Notts Canted by Lightning1.
"It Is singular," remarked a man
from New Jersey, who saw from tho
postofflce the lightning strike the flag
staff of the Tract Society's building,
"how tho roar of thunder Is greater
the farther awny tho bolt strikes, if
It strikes anywhere near. Now, that
crash," and bo nodded at the Tract
building, "wns liko the report of a
great gun. If it were nearer It would
be sharper, but more like a rifle's crack
than of a thlrteen-lncher.
"Not long ago the lightning struck
twice within a few yards of me. I took
shelter from rain In at shed out
our way. During the storm I saw Just
outside two prongs of tiro dart Into
tho earth, for all the world like a
serpent's tongue. Each dart was sim
ultaneous with a sound like the sharp
crack of a mighty whip. Then fol
lowed a recedlug roll of thunder fliat
grow greater as It rolled away. That
was a hair-raising experience. On
other occasions I Uave seen the light
ning strike, but nt distances where
the sound followed at distinct Inter
vals, aud the farther away, as I have
said, tho greater was the roar.
"I Imagine a muu struck by lightning
doesn't hear any sound at all."
This was said as seriously as If the
speaker dtdu't recognize the incongru
ity of the remark. New York Mail
and Express.
Clilnata Interpreted.
Klnng aud ho river.
Hal sea.
le north.
Kin capital.
Si west.
Nan south.
Pel white.
Tsln place.
Tien heavenly.
Chu pearl.
Kow mouth (of river, as Hankow).
Honng yellow.
Yaug ocean.
Tse son.
Fu provlnelnl department capital.
Hieu signifies residence of district
ottlclul. Washington Star.
Violin Attaolitnant.
An Englishman has designed a novel
violin, having its sounding chamber
replaced by a small circular drum,
from one edge of which projects a me
tallic bell through which the sound Is
being mounted over the Inner eud of
the bell.
An Opening For Hsforra.
In Madagascar women are not al
lowed to proy. The men do It prob
ably on the theory that they know
what they waut
THE ELECTIONS IN 1900.
OFFICERS BESIDES PRESIDENTIAL
ELECTORS TO BE CHOSEN.
The Con(-rMlonat Contests All lint Ore
gon to Elect RrprenentMtle Ken
turkyi Vacancies Ticket In Michigan
Karljr Kleetlona and Their Influence.
All the States of tho Union, now
forty-live In number, will choose Presi
dential electors and members of Con
gress on November 0, except Oregon,
whose two Congressmen were chosen
on June 4. All the Territories will
elect delegates on the same day, and
the following Stnto elections will also
be held In November:
Connecticut to choose a whole State
ticket.
Colorado, to clioose a successor to
the present Democratic Governor and
Democratic-Populist State officials.
Delaware, a Governor for four years
in place of the Democratic Incumbent.
There U no Lieutenant-Governor III
Delaware.
Idaho, a State ticket for two years.
Illinois, n Stnte ticket for Tour years.
The present ltepnblienn Governor of
Illinois Is uot a candidate for re-election.
Indiana, n Stnto ticket for four years.
Iowa, ft Secretary of State.
Kansas, a Governor nud Stnte ticket
for two years.
Kentucky, through the legal compli
cations arising from the shooting of
Senntor tioebel, n (Jovomor nnd n
Lieutenant-Governor In place of Beck
ham, promoted by Goebel's death to
the Governorship.
Massachusetts, a complete Stnte tick
et for one year.
Sllchlgnu, a State ticket for two
years. The present Governor Is nn In
dependeut, and his nssoclates tu tho
administration are Republicans.
Missouri, n Governor and Stnto offi
cers, over the election of whom there
will be n hard fight. The term of olllce
In Missouri Is four years.
Montana, ft Governor nnd other Stnto
ofl'icers now divided between the Clark
and the Daly tactions of Democrats
Nebraska, which has a Populist Gov
ernor nnd a Popullst-Democrntlc State
administration, will fill nil these
places, besides choosing legislators
who will have the selection of two
United States Senators.
New Hampshire, lu which a Gov
ernor nnd Stnte officers will be chosen.
New York, in which the Governor,
Lleuteunut-Govcinor tnd Stnte offi
cers, ns well ns both branches of the
Legislature, will lie voted for.
North Carolina, In which a Governor
and all State officers will be elected
for tho period of four years, nnd a con
stitutional amendment be submitted
to the voters.
North Dakota, In which ft Governor
and Stnto officers will 1k voted for.
Ohio, In which n Secretary of State
will bo the highest official voted for.
Pennsylvania, In which two Con-1
gressmen-at-lnrgo will bo chosen.
South Carolina. In which a complete
State ticket will bo elected for two
years.
South Dakota, In which n Governor
and Stnte officers will be chosen for a
like period.
Tennessee, In which a Governor,
Treasurer and Auditor will bo voted
for. There Is no Lieutenant-Governor
In Tennessee.
Texas, in which a whole State ticket
Will bo chosen.
Utah, In which a Governor and
State officers will bo chosen. Utah
has not bad a State election since
181)5.
Washington, In which n Governor
and State officers will be elected for
four years. The present administra
tion there Is Populist
West Virginia, In which a Governor
and State officers will be elected for a
like period. Tins present administra
tion of West Virginia is Itepublicnn.
Wisconsin, lu whicli a Governor and
State officers will be elected.
Tho States In which there will be no
general election for State officers this
year are Maryland, Mississippi, Ne
vada, New Jersey and Virginia. The
States which have already held their
State elections aro Rhodo Island,
which chose n Governor and State offi
cers in April; Louisiana, which holds
Irs Stnto election lu the same mouth,
and Oregon, which voted in June.
Tho States which ore to hold elec
tions this year In advance of the No
vember contest for Presidential elec
tors ure Alnbninn, Arkansas, Georgia,
Maine and Vermont Alabama chooses
Its Governor aud State officers In Au
gust, Arkansus chooses a Governor
and Stnte officers In September.
Georgia, in compliance with an old
political custom, chooses Its Governor
and State officers on the first Wednes
day ot October, a month before the
general election. Maine elects a Gov
ernor and other State officers (Maiuo
has no Lieutenant-Governor) on the
second Monday In September. Ver
mont chooses In tho same month, but
a week earlier than Maine, a Govern
or, Lieutenant-Governor, Becretary of
Stato aud Treasurer for the like term
of two yours, and also two Representa
tives In Congress.
It is notleeablo thnt nil tho doubtful
and uncertain States have by degrees
fallen out of tho list of those which
hold preliminary elections, and this
list now Includes only such strong
Democratic States as Alabama, Ar
kansas and Georgia, and such strong
ltepubllcan States us Slalue, Vermont
aud Ithodo Island. By this means the
Indirect Influence of these preliminary
elections on the other doubtful States
Is correspondingly enhanced.
In tho year of the last Presidential
election, 181MI, the State elections were
fewer lu number than this year. Ken
tucky had uo Stute election In 18IMI;
neither did Utah. This year's election
for members of the House of Repre
sentatives will be the last held under
the division of districts now existing,
The census will be completed this year
and the next succeeding Congress will
bo chosen on the bnsls of the appor
tionment following the 1000 census,
nnd there will be a reapportionment
of Presidential electors nt the same
time.
A WHISTLING SPIDER.
Mr. Peters, or Eatt tlrnokflelil, Itogrett the
Behavior of an Accomplished Intect.
Near East Brookfleld, Slnss., H. A.
Peters, one of the owners of the Lash
nway dairy farm on the Spencer rond
while ou his wny to Silencer captured
nn Immense spider of unknowu spe
cies. When Sir. Peters first saw tho spi
der, which was maklug a bee line over
the public highway for East Brook
field, he was so nmnzed nt the sight
thnt he rubbed both eyes several times
before he could realize that the mon
ster was n reality.
Theu, hastily grasping nn empty
glass Jar Peters Jumped from tho
wnirnn nnd was nbout to make tho
stranger a prisoner, when he wns star
tled by the distinctly nndlblo whistle,
emanating from the Insect.
Instantly ft flock of minute fncslm-
lies of the peculiar spider came rush
ing from all directions, clambered up
the legs of the big spider and hid them
selves In the fuzzy hair on Its back.
This was nioro thnn Peters could
stand, especially ns nfter securing her
young, Sirs. Spider assumed a defen
sive attitude.
refers thrust the mouth of the Jnr
over the whole family of spiders nnd
made them prisoners. Hundreds have
since viewed tho monster nud its off
spring, and nil are puzzled.
The body of tho large spider Is ono
and a half inches In length. The body
Is black nnd Is supported by eight pow
erful logs, each two Inches long. Tho
bend Is supplied with powerful-looking
Jaws, from which two feelers, onc-hnlf
Inch In length protrude. Tho bendy
eyes are Jet black.
Intercatlng Owl Story.
Sir. Steve Itltchle. of Balltown, tells
the Observer an Inters! lug story. For
years n family of owls of the lame
horned species hnve made their home
In a big hollow tree near the Itltchle
residence. Recently one of Sir. Ritch
ie's sons succeeded In capturing one
of the young owls. He placed. tin
bird In ft large cage, and It apparently
enjoyed Its captivity. The other day
youug Ritchie concluded to capture
one of the old owls, nnd with this
eud In view he attached a steel trap
to the cage containing tho young bird,
nnd placed the outfit nt the base of
the old hollow tree. When he went
to Investigate next morning he found
thnt one of the old birds had been
caught by the foot In the steel trap.
He also discovered that It had. In somo
manner, succeeded lu getting a rab
bit's head Into the cnge for food for
Its offspring. Tho old owl Ib nn Im
mense specimen nnd has horns nearly
five Inches In length. During the week
young Itltchle succeeded In capturing
tho male owl. The latter visited the
cage containing the young owl, and,
nfter depositing n large iiortlon of rat-
tlesnako for Its food, proceeded to get
caught In the steel trap. Ho Is very
large, nnd Is a pompous old fellow.
At Intervals he blows himself up and
struts liko a turkey gobbler. Bards
town (Ky.) Observer.
New Fact Concerning Wild Iteaita.
A Twenty-ninth Ward public school
teacher, who has a sense of humor,
has culled somo remarkable bits of in
formation from her examination
papers. Questions bearing upon the
hnblts of animals were found to bo
particularly amusing. One small boy
declared. In a fit of poesy, that "tho
Hon Is tho queen of beasts." From
another, more practical, "tho lion has
a great big mouth, and roars some
thing fearful." One evident admirer
of that world-renowued hero, Colonel
Cody, tells us "the buffalo is ouo ani
mal of the temperate cone, which be
longs, to tho Wild Man," and adds:
"The horse Is an nnlmul what plays,
and dilnces ns soon as be bears music."
Another brilliant one gives the somo
what startling Information that "tho
rhinoceros bus a stout nose," and that
"dogs Is a domestic anlmnl, which
chews bones." We nre also told: "Tho
llama Is a benst of burden, nud we get
clothes off Its back." Another animal
evidently In tho clothing business is
tho seal, which, we are informed,
"makes coats." Upon otner subjects
tho answers were quully ns enlighten
ing. The miner, wo learn, "uiways has
a donkey to pull hi in out of the mine,
which Ib full of gns nnd chokes him."
Philadelphia Record.
Fogs In California.
A correspondent explains that tho
word "tulo fog," which is often met
with lu the weather reports of the
California section, is meteorloglcnlly
equivalent to fogs over marshes and
swamps, or the fogs of tho lowlands
or valleys. The "rule" is a species of
bullrush occupying large areas of
swamp nnd overflowed bottom lauds
In California. The "tulo fog" Is es
sentially due to tho cooling by radia
tion during clear nights. At first the
vegetation cools by contnet with the
leaves- nud branches. After this cool
air has settled quietly to the ground
It cools still further by Its own radia
tion aud by contact with the cooling
grass and leaves until fog Is formed.
The particles ot fog then cool by their
own radlutlon, and thus the layer of
cold air grows upward aud the fog
grows higher and higher until a little
after suurlse. Chicago Record.
Jutt Try It for Fun.'
Let any ouo write a word on a pleco
of paper (wheu you ore not looking)
and let 1)1 m plneo a weight uiku It
so that you cannot see whut 'm written.
Yon undertake to tell what Is upon the
paper without touchlug It,
The answer Is that the weight I
upon the papas.
'Siaan i i
KEYSTONE SIf.lt HS CONDENSED
PENSIONS GRANTED.
Burglars Rob t Desl tnd Ellnd Man Electris
Roid Irom Charleroi to Withlnglon.
Pro'iilbitionlsti Opfois Fusion.
Pensions granted last week: Henry F.
Slander, McDonald, $(; David K. Con
rad, llotitzdale, $to: Henry Crimpen
shaw, Glade Kun, $6: renewal, l.aytoit
Morris, l.ectsdale, $6; increase, William
Hakcr, Sliarptburg, $u: James 1J.
I.ccch, McDonald, $io; Joseph Coty,
West Alexander, $io; Robert L. Maroh
nian. Bridge villc, $6; George T. Hartrty,
SpritiKdalc, ?(: Anna E. Brought, Lcw
istown, $4; Frederick Dcyche, Meadvillc,
$6; George Shaffer, West End, $lo; To
bias l'"is!ir, Berlin, $12; Marshall Sil
baugh, Hopewell, $8; Thomas A. Pri
deau, Smith Mill. $15: William F.
Young. McKecsnnrt, $8; Elizabeth Mar
shall, L'niontown, ?8.
Klnborate preparations are being mtde
for the convention of the Western Penn
sylvania Firemen's Association, to be
held at New Kensington. August 14 to
17. The citizens have liberally contrib
uted, nnd at the present time nearly $,5,
500 is in the hands of the treasurer, with)
considerable more to come in. The re
ception committee has already filed en
trances from companies that will nggre-
ftate 3,000 firemen, and the others t3 be
leard from will bring the number to
about 4,000. Preparations are being
made for the entertainment of fully 25,
000 visitors during the convention.
A corps of engineers is at work sur
veying a route for a railroad from Castle
Shannon to a point on the Monongahe'a
& Washington railroad a short distance
below Bcntleysvillc, Washington coun
ty. The course from Castle Shannon is
southeasterly and the region penetrated
is a remarkably fertile one, much of it
being coal-producing territory. The line
is to be about 20 miles in length and it
will really be the only short line to I'itti
burg from the Ellsworth coal works in
the Somerset field.
One of the largest coal deals cv;r
made by a single individual was rcccnt'y
made by John Kerr, of Greensburg, 10
J. M. Steck, representing the river coal
combine. The block sold contains 50,
000 acres, the land optioned being in
Amwell, South Franklin, North Frank
lin, Morris, East and West Finlcy and
Buffalo townships in Washington coun
ty and Washington and Morris town
ships in Greene county.
Some one entered the house of Archi
bald Black, an old man, who is nearly
deaf and blind, living cast of Chicora,
and stole Sjoo in cash, a check for J5,
000 on a Butler bank and some valuable
papers from their place of concealment
behind a loose brick in the chimney
wall. The check was afterwards found
in nn orchard. A barrel of whisky in the
cellar was left untouched.
The Lawrence county commissioners,
have decided not to pay the $2,300 ask
ed for by the I'crkins detective agency,
of I'ittsburg, for work in the John Blcv
ins' murder case. The commissioner
say that they did not hire the Perkins,
people, and never in any way authorized
them to go to work. The refusal lo
pay meets with the general approval of
the citizens.
Application has been made to the gov
ernor by John A. Guiler and E. C. Hig
bee, of Connellsville, and Arthur Lo
rcntz, E. D. Leonard and Hugo I.o
rcntz, of Mcyersdale, for a charter for
the Mcyersdale Brewing Company. Ar
tificial ice-making machinery will also
be installed, and it is said the plant will
cost over $50,000.
In a card Harvey Martin, of New
Castle, People's party candidate for Dis
trict Attorney, 'says: "I am a straight
Republican, have never voted for a
Democrat, never split my ticket, and do
not propose to begin now." He was ti
have been a fusion candidate for the of
fice and it was expected that the Demo
crats would endorse him Saturday.
The Prohibition party of Blair cotvi
ty, which numbers an exceptionally
large voting part of the population, has.
come out with an urgent address re
questing all members of the party to
support their own ticket and platform
at the coming general election, and to
extend no aid whatsoever to any inde
pendent political movements.
A circular has been sent out from the
headquarters of the United Mine Work
ers of America for a convention of or
ganized and unorganized miners to be-.
held in Clearfield on August 9, to de-i
vise ways and means tor assisting tli
miners of the .Maryland district in pr
longing their strike.
While making excavations for a sev
west of Union station, at Pittsburg,
workmen came upon a large quantity
heavy sawed timber, put in place th
years ago in building a canal lock. Tl
timber was in almost a perfect state o
preservation, though it must have been
underground for fully 75 years.
Dr. H. R. Brightbill. Saxton, Bedfori
county, was completely paralyzed by
lightning which struck a tree a few
yards ahead of him while driving. The
horse was transfixed to the spot, and
after much effort the animal was made
to move. Dr. Brightbill is in a serious
condition.
Over 1,200 iron workers employed Lt
the Lebanon works of the American
Iron and Stetl Manufacturing Compary
went on strike Tuesday afternoon in
consequence of posted notices statin -that
from August I the wages of pud
dlers would be reduced from $4 to $jc
a ton.
A movement is on foot to build an
electric rond from Charleroi to Wash
ington. Charleroi will vote $75,000 to
the proposed road, and it is expectof
that Washington will subscribe a like
amount. It is to run through Ellsworth
and over the old National pike to Wash
ington. The postoffice at Yoders, Washington
county, has been discontinued and mail
sent to Hacknevs.
The constructicn ot the big reservoir V
of the Manufacturers' Water Company,
on Quemuhcning creek, which has caus
ed so much excitement in Johnstown,
will be a great undertaking. It will re
quire a year's time to finish the work,
400 men being employed.
At ScrSnton an unknown man attired
in woman's clothes finding little Sarah
Reese alone in her home, tied her to a
chair and cut her hair off close to her
head.
The new cenfes report will show that
Meadville, incH'ding suburbs, has a pop
ulation of over i6.uoo. In i8go the pop
ulation of the city proper was 9,520.
r