A Dynamite Explosion.
Y A terrible disaster occurred neai
Brooks , on the Baltimore & Ohio railroad ,
Sunday morning , about 9 o'clock , resulting
in the death of five men. Tbe railroad
company had been strengthening and wid
ening the tunnel , and at some distance out
side a magazine had been erected , in which
was stored 1,200 pounds of dynamite , to be
used for blasting. , Aboutthe hour named n
freight train had Just passed through the
tunnel and was sidetracked to allow the pas
senger train , over due , to pass. Four ol
, the crew walked back to the- vicinity of the
magazine and were engaged in conversation
with the watchmau , when people t living In
the vicinity were startled by a terrible con
cussion. Houses for fifteen miles around
were shaken to the foundation and windows
v , for a distance ot seven miles were shattered.
Horror-stricken , the people ran from their
houses , and upon investigation it was found
that the dynamite had exploded with fearful
effect ; everything in the vicinity gives evi
dence of the terilic force of the explosion.
Tree were uprooted , huge rocks torn asun
der and telegraph poles for half a mile
prostrated. Nothing remained of the mag
azine , while the five men who were present
were missing.- Portions of their bodies ,
legs , arms , hands and heads have been
picked up half a mile distant , but they were
so badly disfigurcd.as to be totally unrecoc-
nlzable. The cause # f the explosion is
enshrouded in mystery , and as the five men
who might have thrown some light on the
affair are dead , it is quite probable it will
never bo known. Not far from the accident
a gun was found , and it is supposed one of
the victims discharged it , the concussion
causing the dynamite tvcxDlode. Inquest
of the coroner was held and a verdict of ac
cidental death rendered. Great excitement
prevails and hundreds have gone to the
scene of the disaster.
The names of the unfortunate men are as
follows : Geo. Reynolds , engineer ; Robt.
Hammond , watchman , Cumberland , Md. ;
"W. A. Dean , tunnel blacksmith ; H. R.
Burchflcld , helper , both of Cornwalis , Pa.
The Public Debt.
WASHINGTON , November 1. The re
duction of the public , debt during October
was $10,304,798 : decrease of the debt since
June 30 , 1883 , $39,584,470 ; cash in the treas
ury , $604,347,501 ; gold certificates , $83-
328,949 ; silver certificates , $99,519,141 ;
certificates of deposits , $12,520,000 ; re
funding certificates , $32o,850 ; legal-tenders ,
"
$340,681,010 ; fractional currency , $ C-
990,303. Total without interest , $549-
258,259 ; total debt , $1,806,052,995 ; to
tal interest , $9,801,243 ; cash in treas
ury , $304,347,571 ; debt less cash in treas
ury , $1,511,500,737 ; decrease during Octo
ber , $10,304,798 ; decrease since June 30 ,
1883 , $10,584,470 ; current liabilities , inter
est due and unpaid , $2,098,375 ; debt on
which interest has ceased , $4,348,745 ; inter
est thereon , $288,857 ; gold and silver cer
tificates , $182,908,081 ; United States notes
held for redemption of certificates , $12-
020,000 ; cash balance available$101,483,443 ;
total , $364,347,501 ; available assets , cash hi
treasury , $374,348,501.
An Arizona Cloud-Burst.
Tucson ( Arizona ) Citizen.
On Sunday afternoon one of these
curious phenomena of nature occurred
about thirty miles southwest of-Tucson ,
and from the description given by eye
witnesses itwas the largest cloud-burst
ever- known in the country. From
Judge E. D. Ferguson the following
accountwas gathered : On Sunday ho
was returning from a trip to the south
ern part of the country. .At 10 o'clock
he put up at Brown's station to await
dinner and avoid the heat of the day.
The sky all day was cloudless- except a
thunderstorm that was observed travel
ing the summits of "the Santa Catalinas
and disappearing over the Rincons in
northeast. Otherwise not a cloud or a
vapor of any kind was to be seen. The
* sun was shining in all its vigor , and as
he passed to the west his strength and
glory seemed undiminished. At 8
o'clock Judge Ferguson resumed his
journey toward Tucson. He had come
about five miles when his attention was
attracted by a roaring and crackling
toward the west , and looking up he saw
a river of water as big as the Santa
Cruz when it runs through Warner's
mill tail-race , coming toward him.
Telling his driver to halt , they stopped
on top of a little knoll , and watched the
waters as they violently plowed the
desert , tearing up the stones and brush.
They had evidently spent their force.
After the flood had passed by the face
of the country was disfigured , and a
large gutter had been cut across the
valley. The current came down off a
small range of low , rolling hills to the
west. Although the judge and his
companion strained then : eyes in the di
rection from which the water came not
a cloud was to he seen. After the wa
ter had subsided sufficiency to let them
pass they went on. They had hardly-
gone half a mile when , to their aston
ishment , there was another stream
equally as large as the first one. Again
they peered toward the west in hopes
to find some indication of itscourse. ;
Passing on their astonishment was
doubled to .find another , slream , and in
this manner five successive ragingcur-
rents/were crossed. But all then1 re
serve was called forth when four-miles
from where they struck the first stream
they cliscovered a sixth one as large as.
. alLthe others combined. , Its angry waters - ,
ters "were * roaring and -hissing as if
maddened at the resistance they met on
their way from the hills to the desert.
This river was unfordable , and to cross
it was impossible , so they halted on a
knoll and watched it for two or three
hours as it boiled and sizzled and cut a
bed for itself , in some places as deep as
15 feet and over 200 yards wide. It
r
was , not till after sundown that the ]
dared to attempt , a crossing. * Whai
renders it so curious is that not ene al
Brown's .station saw the clouds. Il
may be possible that some hidder
springs were uncorked by some subter
ranean earthquake. At any rate , it It
a great wonder.
i -
Two Notable Graves.
Washington Post.
In secluded parts of Mount Olive
cemetery , far apart from each other ,
however , are graves containing the re-
mams of two people once prominent in
national events , but now apparently
forgotten altogether. One is the grave
ot Mrs. Marie E. Surratt , who was exe
cuted as one of the Abraham Lincoln
conspirators , and the other is that of
the famous Wirtz , the keeper of the
much dreaded Anderson ville prisonpen
during the late war. Visitors to the
cemetery , especially strangers , will
find practically nothing to denote these
once well-known people. Wirtz is
buried under a tall hickory tree , in
which squirrels chatterj and gambol.
Tall , rank weeds and unkempt grass
surround the spot , and the simple in
scription , "Wirtz , " on a tiny block of
marble at the head of the grave , is the
only thing to denote the resting place
of a man once so famous in his peculiar
way and so universally detested.
Mrs. Surratt's grave is equally ob
scure. A ragged boxbush and a glass
jar containing a few withered vines
were the only signs shown yesterday
that even a memory of the unfortunate
woman still survives. A small , plain
headstone , bluntly inscribed : "Mrs.
Mary E. Surratt , " is all to indicate who
the occupant was. There is no date
nor cause of death on the headstone ,
and the lot containing graves of other
members of the family is rank with
weeds and banked with the faded leaves
of autumn.
Mount Olive cemetery was visited by
a large number of strangers yesterday.
The weather was exceedingly fine , and
two ladies , who had learned the loca
tion of Mrs. Surratt's grave , visited it
and expressed regret at its neglected
appearance.- They evidently cherished
friendly recollections of the- poor
woman , for before leaving they pur
chased flowers and placed them upon
her grave. "That sort o' thing , " said
the superintendent of the cemetery to a
reporter of the Post , when the latter ,
who had witnessed the scene , called at
tention to it , "occurs once in a while ,
but not often. "
Great Men's Homes.
Correspondence of the Courier-Journal.
There appears to be so much fatality
about building houses in Washington ,
especially adapted to entertaining , that
it ought to cause a superstitious feeling
among those who contemplate doing so.
Building a fine house here , which
evinced a rapid accumulation of wealth ,
largely contributed to the defeat of Mr
Eobeson in New Jersey , Mr. Windom
experienced the same fats in Minnesota
from the same cause , and both Sena
tors Pendleton , Cameron and Blaine
appear to have been injured in their
respective states by building homes in
Washington. The inference to be
drawn is that men are envious and do
not like to see one another progressing
too rapidly or comfortably in life.
Mr. Seward once gave the following
piece of advice to a gentleman who was
just stepping out of office here , and
who proposed to settle in Washington
and practice law. Said Mr. "Seward :
"Don't do it , unless you are willing to
become a nobody. Never give up your
citizenship in your state , especially as
you cannot acquire it in Washington.
It is right that there should be no citi
zenship here , for the government pays
half the expense of the' city and district ,
and local government would make the
system complex and unsatisfactory , and
as there is no citizenship in the district
every man can retain the privilege of
voting in his state. "
"But , " urged the gentleman , "the
winters of New England are long and
severe , and neither I nor my family
enjoy good health there , but are well in
Washington. "
To this Mr. Seward answered : "Then
spend three or four winter months here ,
but keep your residence at your old
home. If you build here you and your
family will live here from October to
Tun % , and travel' during the summer
season , and your neighbors and old
friends will resent the affront you have
put upon them by your neglect to return
to your former home , so that if you
3ho"uld seek fresh honors from them
they will refuse to support you , and you
svill be regarded as an alien. "
Anecdote of Henry Irving.
McKee Rankin. recently related the
following anecdote about Henry Irving ,
the English actor : It was some years
ago , when Mr. Irving was called in
Dublin to play a heavy part to which he
( vas not accustomed. A poor devil of
an actor had got-drunk , and there was a
vacancy. Irving had to come on early
in the first act. . Now the Dublin gal
lery boy is an institution by himself.
There is nothing like him anywhere , so
[ ar as I know. Conversations between
poung fellows across from one side of
the gallery to the other are spoken in
loud tones and in the distinct hearing
of the actors. Irving is "very. thin , and
when he appeared with a stride , which
is one of the most characteristic things
about him , ' drib of these gallery boys
shouted across to another : "Sav , an'is
; hathim ? ? " I don't know. " ' "No , " was
; he' reply , "them is the young man's
jlothes ; they'll shove him out later
> n. " Irving told me the story himself ,
ind he laughed heartily as he remem-
Dered the details.
The oyster is full grown in about five
rears.
What is Anatto ?
American Agriculturist.
Cheese has fora long time been col
ored with anatto , and of late years i
has'come iriuse , not only in creameries
but in homo dairies , to" give color t <
butter. The increasing use of the sub
stance , especially in winter , naturally
leads many to ask : "What 'is anatto
and'is it harmlessP" The name , whicl
came with the substance from Soutl
America , has a great variety of spell'
ings , besides that given above , which it
the simplest and the one we firsl
learned ; it is given in different books as
annatto , annata , annotta , arnotto , ar-
nota , and so on. The substance is the
product of a small South American tree ,
Bixa orellana , belonging to a small
family to which it gives its name ( Bix-
inese ) , of which we nave no representa
tives. Systematically , the family is
placed near that of the violets- . The tree
rarely exceeds 12 feet in hight , has a
handsome head , and each branch is
terminated by a cluster of flowers of the
color of peach-blossoms. The pods are
at first of a fine rose-color , becoming
brown as they ripen ; they are covered
with bristles and contain numerous
seeds , the important product. Each
seed is surrounded by a dark red pulp ,
to remove which , they are placed in
water and allowed to ferment , with
frequent stirring. When the seeds are
free from- pulp , they are strained out ,
and > the pulp allowed to settle. It is
afterwards placed in kettles , evaporat
ed to a thick paste , which is the anatto
ot commerce. It is made into rolls ,
weighing two to four pounds , whick
are covered with canna leaves and
packed in wicker baskets , or more gen
erally'of late , in boxes. Anatto , when
fresh , has much the consistency
of putty , a dark , brownish-red color ,
and with a somewhat disagree
able odor. It has long been used in
dyeing , though on silks the color is not
very fast. To color common cotton
stuffs of a dull orange , it is often used
in domestic dyeing , with potash as a
mordant. So far as < ve are aware , the
varipus butter colorings in the market
are chiefly , if not entirely , solutions of
anatto , made by the aid of some form
of potash or soda. It seeips better
suited than anything else to give pale
winter butter the color of that made
when the cows have good pasturage.
It is entirely harmless , we think. It
has long been added to chocolate in
South America , for both color and
flavor , and is used by Indian tribes in
that country to paint their bodies. One
writer says that it is about the only
clothing the natives have to protect
them from mesquites and other insects.
The Industrious Baggageman.
Indianapolis Journal.
The dropping of the remark that it
was now rather rough times for bag
gagemen at the Union depot to make
perquisites , so strict was the Union
company as regards the collection of
excess baggage money , called forth
from one .of the baggagemen the. re-
inark :
"That's so ; all there is left now is
the roping of trunks at twenty-five
cents apiece , and we are working that
for all there is in it. We come at the
traveling man with the remark : 'Bet
ter have that trunk roped , ' if it is not
strapped , be the trunk a good or ineffi
cient one. If the fellow nesitates , and
is somewhat green about traveling , we
tell him that the trunk will be carried
at the owner's risk if not properly
roped'and , if that does not bring him ,
we hunt a weak place in the trunk , or
come one of our shaky twists on it , and
tell him we will have to mark it 'bad
order , ' and this generally brings the
quarter. We get only ten cents of it ,
though , the Union railway company
furnishes the rope. This costs
four or five cents , and the other ten
cents goes into the treasury of the poor
Union railway company. "The fact is , "
added the baggageman , "we ought to
have the whole revenue derived from
this source , when the meagre salary
they pay is considered. "
"How many trunks do you rope a
day ? " asked the reporter.
"O , we have gone as high as forty
or fifty , but since George Venn was ap-
Sointed general baggage agent the boys
on't dare to run as strong as they used
to. We don't touch Kansas City or St.
Louis , though. There the boys let the
trunks drop on purpose to burst them
and get a chance to tie them with rope ,
and when they catch one who wears
clothes ' back' salt
good on a 'gray they
them for fifty cents , but at these ' points
I do not think the boys divide'd up with
the Union railway company "
A Delicate Surgical Operation.
The Paris academy of medicine has
been considering the remarkable oper
ation performed by M. Felizet in the
extraction of a spoon from a young
man's stomach. By the use of the
Fauchea tube , introduced through the
mouth , the stomach was first cleansed ,
thus preventing the risk of peritonitis ,
and an incision was then made in the
epigastric region. In order to render
the coat of the stomach easily access
ible , M. Felizet fitted a spherical vessel
containing ether to the end projecting
from the-man's mouth. .This he heated
by immersion in water of. GQ ° . The
ether vapor rushing through the tube
filled the stomach , which , becoming
ilisten ded , was brought forward to the
wound effected by the op orator's knife ,
rhe'spoonj measuring nine inches , was
; hus readily found and extracted.
* i
SHEBOYGAK , Wis. Dr. S. B. Myers
; ays : "I recommend Brown's Iron Bitters
[ or. general debility , loss of appetite and
= vant of strength. "
Now is the time when the chubby reed
3ird dies. [ N. Y. News.
FARM AND HOME ,
Potatoes.
Fanners' Home Journal.
Ilesulta of the seasons experiment *
with potatoes at the Now York Experi
ment Station ? when summed up , indi
cate the following conclusions : Pota
toes invariably produce their tubers
above their feeding roots. Ordinary
cultivation does not.break or injure the
roots of the potatoes while the plant is
growing. The roots require a' cool ,
moist feeding ground , but the tubers do
well in a light , dry surface-soil. A
single eye , under favorable conditions ,
is capable ot producing all the potatoes
that can be expected to grow in a hill.
Whole potatoes planted rarely develop
all their eyes into growth , often no
more vines being made than from a
single eye planted. Using whole seed
for the purpose of increasing thq stalks
or tubers is , therefore , wasteful. If the
whole potato with one good sprout
developed has that sprout injured or
destroyed , several of the other eyes may
push out sprouts 'simultaneously , and
with a large yield of small tubers as the
result. Potatoes repeatedly hilled up
so that an undue proportion of vine is
covered with earth are liable to be
checked in their tuber formation. The
vine that made four fee't of upward
growth , through soil added during the
period of its growth , neither branched
nor thraw out root stalks , and had but
three potatoes , and these were just
above the seed , the largest weighing
two and three-eighths ounces , the others
no larger than peas.
A Merciful Man.
Husbandman.J
A successful farmer made the state
ment that for several years he had
practiced tying up his cattle by "day in
the barn during the fly season , and
turning them out to graze during the
night , and he was satisfied that the
yield of milk was one-third more by so
doing. It was of better quality , and
he could feed one-third more stock on
the same acreage , for the cattle de
stroyed , by stamping , a great deal of
good pasturage. And that his cows
might be protected , he even went so
far as to darken the windows of his
stables with muslin curtains. He was
about to build new barns , and he
should put on blinds , for he considered
them more necessary on his barn windows
dews than on his house. A merciful
man was merciful to his beasts , and this
was a case where it paid.
Roosts for Fowls.
In making roosts for fowls let them
be level ana on a line. If they are so
arranged as to have some of them high
and others low the fowls will crowd to
gether on the higher perches , leaving
the lower ones unoccupied , which is not
only a waste of space but a cause of
sore feet and other ailments , as the
heavier fowls cannot easily get on or off
the perches when they are very high.
The lower they are the better , provided
the coops are ventilated at the top and
warm and dry near the floor.
Hot Weather Needed for Corn.
Experience this year shows that the
warm weather below GO ° really counts
for nothing in maturing the corn crop ,
says the American Cultivator. The
same is true of millet and Hungarian
grass and of grapes ( among fruits ) ,
borne of these are so tender that a
single cold night will apparently retard
their growth for.several days , probably
by suddenly cooling the loose soil ,
which several days of warm weather
will be required to heal again.
Twin Calves.
Western Agriculturist.
Calves born as twins , " when of the
same sex , breed as regularly and read
ily as those which come at a single
birth , , and often inherit the fecundity of
their parents. When , however , a bull
and a heifer calf arrive at one birth the
heifers , in a large proportion of cases ,
never breed. Bulls born along with
heifers do not seem to labor under any
disadvantage in procreating their
species.
This Season's Corn.
Cultivator.
The grains of corn that grow on the
ends of stalks with the tassel will pro
duce new varieties if planted by them
selves. It is in this way that many
curious and sometimes valuable novel
ties are secured. Varities produced
from seed grown this year ought to be
adapted to unfavorable seasons if the
conditions of the seed affect the future
plant , as is generally believed.
A J-arge Yield of Wheat.
A Kansas farmer has : i new method
of putting in wheat , which the American
Cultivator recommends for trial in other
localities. He has a narrow iron wheel
attached behind his drill , which follows
in the drill row and firmly presses the
soil with the seed to a greater depth.
By this method he grows upward of
fifty-six bushels per acre.
"Watermelons for the Million.
On the largest truck farm in the
south , vhich is near New Orleans , 150
lures of watermelons are r
planted. It is said the proprietor
would make money if he only sold the
seeds from the melons raised. 'The de-
nandis great , and prices , , according.to
, he Midland .Farmer , ' range from $ l > to
i > 2 p"er poiind. * * ' " St. *
r " '
* ' - . 1 : ' " ' - 1 1 i > '
„ .
The Pear.
From recent experience the pear
icems likely to take the place of the ap-
ile as the fruit most easily grown. It
las been , the past three years , a more
: ertain bearer than the apple , is less af-
rected by insects , and has no disease ex
cepting blight , which may be kept in.
check by prompt cutting away of affect
ed parts.
The Household.
BAKED BEETS. Wash them perfectly
clean , put in a pan * wi h a little water , !
and bake until they are tender , 'i'ho
time varies with the size of the beet , an
hour ' being small enough allowance for
a b'eet of medium size. When they are
done remove the skin and servo in the
same way that you do boiled beets.
FRIENDLY LOAVES. Boat half a dozen
mealy potatoes \vith a quarter pound of
gruted ham , two eggs , a little "butter
and a little cream , ' taking care not to
make it too moist ; form it into balls or
small loaves , and fry them a nice light-
brown ; they should be fried in butter.
Pile them on a napkin , and serve with
a garnish of fried parsley.
SQUASH. Squash is nmch nicer if a
little flour be added to it while cooking.
Cut it into small pieces , boil until ten
der and rub through a colander ; add a
piece of butter , a little cream and some
flour which lias been mixed smooth in
milk and thoroughly cooked , and boil
again , and just before taking from the
fire stir in the well-beaten yolks of two
eggs.
eggs.MINCE
MINCE MEAT. One pound beef suet
finely chopped , two of rump steak
( slightly broiled ) , three of apples , two
of currants , two of raisins , one nutmeg ,
tablespoonful of cinnamon , rind of two
lemons , quarter of a pound of mixed
candied peel , one pound sugar , two
quarts of cider boiled down to one with
a quart of maple sirup , a glass of rasp
berry jelly , a tcaspoonful of salt.
BUTTERMILK TEA CAKES Two pounds
of flour , one and a half teaspoonful of
baking powder , one-eighth ounce of
bicarbonate of soda and a pinch of salt ;
mix into a firm dough with buttermilk ,
which should be sour , though not .ran
cid. A few currants and a little white
surgar can be added if sweet teacakes
arc wanted. Or , take half a pound of
flour , as much carbonate of soda as
will lie on a quarter of a dollar , double
that quantity of cream of tartar and a
pinch of salt ; make a stiff dough with
buttermilk , knead lightly and roll
about half an inch thick ; bake in
round cakes.
POTATO PANCAKES. Potato pan
cakes make an excellent dish for sup
per. Serve with the same embellish
ments in the way of pickles or sauces
as you would do were the dish you
were offering fried oysters. Grate a
dozen medium-sized potatoes , after
peeling them and washing thoroughly.
Add the yelks of three eggs , a heaping
tablespoonful of flour , and , if. they
seem too diy , a little milk will do to
thin them , with a large teaspoonful of
salt , and lastly the whites of the three
eggs beaten stiff and thoroughly beaten
in with the potatoes. Heat your grid
dle and put butter and lard in equal
proportions on it , and fry the cakes in
it until they are brown. Make them a
r
third larger than the ordinary size of
the pancake.
i
The Standards of Light.
At a late meeting of the French So-
ciete d'Encouragement , M. F.Le Blanc
gave some account of the standards of
light. He asserted that the candles
generally used in Great Britain and
Germany vary greatly in intensity , and
are'of comparatively feeble illuminating
power. The carcel was steady but not
very powerful. Some time ago the star
candles , manufactured in France , were B
equal to one-seventh of the flame of a ;
carcel ; now they had fallen to one-
eight , while the English standard was
only one-ninth ol a carcel , with a
variation of 14 to 15 per cent , between
different samples. The German candle ,
he thought , gave a flame equal to one-
sixth of a carcel. He thought that , in
view of the difficulties and varieties of
the standards , it would be desirable to
adopt the carcel lamp , but the president
did not agree with M. Blanc. Elec
tricians sought a more powerful stand
ard than vthat , and if they did they
would require to adopt platinum wire ,
which gives a light more than eight
times greater than the carcel lamp.
i
A Judicial Conundrum.
This is the question that troubles a
French justice of the peace. A drover
and a buicher in the market adjusting
their accounts went to a tavern to dine
together. During the meal the butcher
took from his pocket a bank note of 100
[ rancs value wherewith to pay the dro-
"
yer , but in handing it over le"t it fall in
a. dish of gravy. He snatched it out ,
and , holding it between the thumb and
forefinger , waved it to and fro to dry it.
The bucher's dog , accepting this move
ment as a friendly invitation , and , lik
ing the smell of the saturated note ,
made a spring at it and swallowed it.
The butcher was furious. "Give me
my money , " he demanded. "Kill the
log and open him. " "Not by a blanked
sight , " replied the drover ; "my dog is
svorth more than 100 francs. " "Then
L owe you nothing. Your dog has col-
[ ected'for you before witnesses. " "My
log is not my cashier. And , beside ,
where is your receipt ? " "The justice
mil have to settle this. " "Let him. "
And now for weeks the justice has vain
ly been seeking law or precedent for
such a case , and the townsmen have
3een on the verge of a riot over it again
md again.
. ' .
The Scotcii Herring Fisheries. ,
The herring fisheries of Scotland em
ploy nearly oOOJOOO people , one-seventh
if the'population. The boats represent
i moneyjvalue , of S3 600,000. ' 2'he an-
lual yield of cured fish has 'risen from
)0,000 ) barrels early in the centurv to
L'J90,000 , and has trebled in fifty years ,
vhile in the same period the value of
.he nets has increased JT5 per cent.
The youth who waltzes well is the one
vho leads the whirled.