' 8TATE XEUIRLATIYIS ItOUfOS.
At Forelmdotccd in a Condenttd Report of
the Nebraska ItgUlature.
SENATE. in the senate on the 21st there
> < vns some discussion over the penitentiary ap
propriation , but it was finally made as report
ed from the tluitncc midways and means com
& inlttce 3100,000.
MeU's bill , 8. F. 47 , amending the Slocumb
# V- law to as to exempt wholesale dealer/ ! from Its
< J- provisions , WHS read a third time And passed.
8. F. 102 , Dolan's memorial and Joint reso
lution to congress , asking tlio amendment of
the homestead and pre-emption laws so as to
relieve settlers from the expense of publish
ing a notice on perfection of title , was passed ,
"whereupon the senate adjourned at 11
o'clock tn order to allow members to get out
on the noon trains. Both houses will recon-
ycnc on Monday at 11 o'clock.
Iv House. lu the house consideration of the
gem-mi appropriation bill In committee of the
whole was finished and the bill reported to pass.
Burr's bill providing for an additional judge
of the second judicial district was passed.
JnTroup offered an amendment to the normal
school appropriation , plying the school § 23,000
for a laboratory , library , cabinet , recitation
looms , rooms for .1 practice school , etc. , but It
was defeated. The amendment was defeated
by u vote ot 88 to JfcJ. and the section was
adopted without change , niakine the appro
priation $40,000. The estimate for the Insane
asylum , $4.800 , was added for water supply ,
making thentiro appropriation § 183,000.
An cvt-nlng session was held , but no busi
ness of Importance was transacted.
SENUTK.In the s-ennte on the 23d senate
file47 was niad a third time and passed. This
bill was Introduced by Mel 7. anil relates to the
If suauce and regulation of license to sell malt
and spirituous liquors by wholesale dealers.
Senate file 103 , joint memorial and resolu
tion relative to repeal of the law by concrcss
requiring homesteaders and pre-emptors to.
publish notice of final proof was read a third
time and passed.
Senate lllc 389 was passed. This bill pro
Tides for the Issuance of county , precinct and
city bonds in certain cases.
Senate file 111 was taken up and read a third
time. Jt amends section 1017 of the code of
civil procecdure , and relates to appeals In cer
tain cases. McSliane ajxtkc briefly against the
bill , sixteen members only voting in the alfirm-
atlve , and there not being a constitutional ma
jority the bill was lost.
Hotrsi : . In the house a number of bills
were read a second time and leferred.
1L < R. 21U , a bill to prevent railroads running
construction trains on Sunday , was recom
mended for indefinite postporement.
H. R a bill requiring railroad corpora
tions to matte annual reports to the auditor of
state regarding affairs ol said corporations ,
ivas considered and reported back for passage.
n R. 19J , a bill relating to militia , was dis
cussed at length , amended and reported for.
passage.
SHXATE. In the. senate on the 24th hilte
weic passed providing for punishment for the
r- crime of embezzlement committed by agents
of insurance companies ; providing for the
abolishment of incorporation of villages in
certain cases.
The greater part of the afternoon session of
thu senate was taken up in discussing and
standing the house bill to regulate the sale
and management of school lands. It was re
ported for passjge as amended.
Senate fileo4 , which relates to the manage
ment , leafe and sale of educational lands , was
taken up nnddiscussed , .iJ. no definite action
! taken.
HOUSE. Ifauy bills passed to second read
s ing and were ret erred.
House loll 233 , relating to legislative appro
priations , which passed the house aud was
amended in the senate and passed , was con
curred in. This bill as amended appropriates
S-10,030 for 'paj ing incidental expenses of the
f legislature.
Senate file 147 , defining the boundaries of
If Dorter count } ' , was read third time and passed
as amended. The name was changed toSheri-
rtan.
rtan.Senate
Senate file 1 Howe's revenue bill was read
the third time aud passtd as amended. The
house amendment makes taxes delinquent on
the 1st of February instead of January 1st , as
provided for in .the b-11 passed by the senate.
Hou e roll 73. relating to railway pioperty
and telegraph lines , and providing that such
property shall be assessed by a board of coun
ty coinini-sioncrs instead of a state board of
equalization , as under the present law , was in
definitely postponed.
Turtle's bill , prohibiting the contracting for
convict labor , was taken up and reported upon
adversely.
II. R. 133 , providing for submitting the
question of calling a constitutional convention
to the people , was read a third time and de
feated.
SENATE. In the senate on the Coth , corres
pondence between lloii. James Laird and the
eommitsioner of agriculture in relation to dis
eases of swine was read and referred.
The bill requiring railroad companies to fur
nish double-decked cars was recommended for
Indefinite postponement by a vote of 22 to 10.
Paul explained his vote for postponement by
saying that he believed If toe bill became a
law railway companies would increase freight
rates in order to make up the extra expense ,
and that shippers and sellers would gain noth
ing bv such a law.
In the senate in the afternoon the greater
r part of the session was takt n up in discussing
the rail wav commission bill , and there was a
l breezy time. The principal light was over va
rious amendments , but no important amend
ments were adopted. The bill was reported
lK for passage.
A communication from the secretary of the
American exhibition at London was read and
referred.
K/ HOUSE In the house the bill to amend
X section 1 , chapter 50 , of the compiled statutes ,
relating to the license and sale of spirituous
liquors , was reported for passage. The fol
f lowing were also favorably acted uponA
bill relating to civil rights ; to prevent the
spread of hog cholera ; regulating the admis
sion of foreign surety couipiuics to do busi
t ness in Nebraska house roll 195 , authorizing
the Incorporation of a detective association ;
a bill for the relief of Peter Prebile : compel
ling insurance companies to repay premiums
upon cancelling of policies ; bouse roll 402 , ap
t propriating moness for payment of officers
h and employis ot the state government ;
Howe's relief.bill ; the bill providing for issu
54- ' ing of bonds in cities of the second class ; a
54fr bill concerning cities and villages.
> House roll 72 , providing for the leasing of
certain lauds belonging to the state of Ne
braska for stock yard purposes , was consider
ed withoutdcfinite action.
SEXATE. In the senate on the 26th the
gambling bill was recommended for passage ,
as was-als > the bill providing for the punish
ment of embezzlement by railway employes.
S. F. 202 , relating to the cremation or burial
of diseacedsiiine , was taken up and reported
for passage.
At the "afternoon session the senate went
into ( fommittec of the whole to consider bills
on the gtutral file and many senate files and
house rolls were reported for passage. A hill
providing that electors express preference for
United States senator at the polls was indefin
itely postponed. The radroad commission
bill was read a third time and passed by a vote
Df 28 to 4.
HOUSE. In the bouse Rice , of Holt , moved
that senate file 14 , fixing tariff on railways , be
engrossed for thiid reading.
House roll 25 , compelling railway companies
to make a full an.l complete annual report of
business ami camings of roads , was read the
third time and passed.
House roll 491 , making appropriations for
paving current expenses of sstate govermnen
tor thu ensuing two years , was passed. The
total amount of the appropriation is $738-
5S3.GO.
The bill for an act to authorize the construr-
tion aud maintenance and provide for the or
ganization and management of a system of re
V formatory aud penal institutions in the state ,
and the detention of criminals was indefi
nitely postponed and a motion to reconsider
was laid on the table.
Bills to prohibit the obstruction of roads and
highways and regulating the fees of county
officers "were .passi d.
SEJCATB. lu the senate on the 27th , under
suspension of the rules , McShane called up
the Omaha city charter bill. It was amended
BO as to conform to the position taken by Sen
ator McShanc aud as agreed upon by confer
ence , and engrossed for third reading !
Bills were passed : Donating lots owned by
the state to the city of Lincoln for market
purposes ; relating to the selling of mortgaged
property on execution ; providing for"punish
ment for the crime of embezzlement by em- ,
ployes on railway trams ; establishing auni- |
form system of textrboolcs in public schools ;
joint resolution thanking RW. . Furnas for
effective work at New Orloanu , and authoriz
ing the purchase of a medal to be presented
to him.
The senntc held a short afternoon session.
A number of bills were considered in ommlt-
tee of the whole and submitted for passage ,
among which was the bill establishing a state
board of hcajth.
HOUSE. In the bouse the bill to maintain
and establish another hospital for the insane
was taken up and passed. Among competi
tors was Norfolk , Grand Island and Columbus.
Norfolk received a majority of all the votes of
the bouse , arid was ordered inserted in the bill
as the place of location.
The bill providing for the establishing of a
normal school school at Red Cloud was con
sidered. Troup moved that the bill be post
poned until it could be printed. The motion
prevailed and the bill is practically killed.
House roll 173 , relating to insurance com
panies , aud amending section 49 , chapter 43
of compiled statutes , was considered. Consid
erable time was occupied in discussing pro
posed amendments , and the more important
provisions of the measure. The bill was in
definitely postponed.
fORTY-XUGHTH CONGRESS.
SENATE.
The senate ou the iilst. resumed
considerat'on of the postodlce appropriation
bill. In the consideration of the postoliice ap
propriation bill , the senate decided to retain in
the bill ( contrary to the recommendation of
the appropriation committee ) the legislative
provision inserted by the house fixing the post-
nge on newspapers s'ent from the. ollice of pub
lication to regular subscribers at one cent per
pound , but cut out the discrimination against
sample copies , making the rate mentioned a
uniform rate for all newspapers sent from the
office of publication whether sample copies or
not
HOUSE.
The only proceedings iuthehouse on the 21st
was the passage of a resolution informing
the senate they were piepared to receive the
senate aud proceed with the Washington
monument exercises in the hall of the house.
Long spoke from the clerk's desk In an im
pressive mauncr which elicited frequent bursts
of applause- His peroration was most elo
quent and was greeted by the multitude with
prolonged cheering. As Long ceased the band
struck up "Columbia , Gem of the Oceau , " and
as the strait s qf the air ended Edmunds intro
duced Hou. John " \V. Daniel , who spoke elo
quently and gracefully , being interrupted
frequently by warm applause.
SENATE.
The senate considered the DCS Moines set
tlers' title bill , and Lspham resumed his re
marks in support of Lis proposed amendment
exempting Irjm the operation of the act such
of the lands as were covered by the joint reso
lution of March 2,1801. and whose titles the
supreme court decided have been rendered
valid by that joint resolution.
The amendment was defeated yeas 31 , nays
24. As it is a senate bill , it now goes to the
house.
Consideration of the postoffice appropriation
bill was then resumed and Frve offered an
amendment appropriating § 800,000 for the
transportation of foreign mails , Including
transportation across the isthmus of Panama.
Agreed to.
Van \Vyck offered an amendment to Frye's
amendment providing that no part of the
money should be paid to any steamship com-
pauy now established and which had been pay
ing "dividends. Rejected.
The senate retained the house provision
permitting jiew-paper articles to be marked
without increased postage. The bill was then
read a third time and passed without division.
It now goes to the house for concurrence or
non-concurrence iu the senate amendment.
HOUSE.
In the house Perkins introduced a bill to
open up the Oklahoma lands for homestead
settlement.
The house then considered the river and har-
jor bill and Long concluded his speech in sup
port of the proposition to reduce the navy ,
tie. was followed by Canuon , Holmau , Towns-
bend , Reed , Randall and others.
Talbot offered an amendment appropriating
§ 178,000 for the completion of a steel cruiser
of not less than 5,000 nor more than 0,000 tons ,
displacement and armament therefor author
ized by act of congress approved August 5 ,
1SS2. Adopted.
The committee then rose , reported the bill
to the house aud it was passed.
SENATE.
Dawes asked unanimous consent to at once
; ake up the bill heretofore introduced by him
to authorize the president to negotiate for the
remaining rights of the Seminole , Creek and
Cherokee Indians to the lauds in Indian ter
ritory.
Unanimous consent was given to take up the
bill and in less than five minutes it was read i
and passed. It now goes to the house for the
action of that body.
The naval appropriation bill was laid before
the senate and referred to the committee on
appropriations , after which a number of pen
sion bills were favorably reported and acted
upon.
The house bill relating to claims of officers
and enlisted men of thu army for lo-s of pri
vate propertv destrovcd in she military service
"
of the United States" was , after slight amend
ment , passed , whereupon the senate adjourned.
HOUSE.
After routine business the house considered
: he river and harbor bill , the pending ques-
; ion being an appeal from the decision of the
chair ruling out the Hennepin canal clause on
a point of order. Decision of the chair was
sustained.
Holmes offered an amendment restricting
ihe'appropriations for the improvement of the
Mississippi river below Cairo to the comple-
; ion of the works at Plum Point and Lake
Providence reaches. Adopted.
Amid a great deal of confusion.a number
of amendments were adopted to the "survey"
section of the bill , and it was not until 9:43
o'clock that the committee rose and reported
the bill. The previous question was ordered
and the house adjourned.
In the senate on the 25th discussion was con
tinued on the army appropriation bill.
On motion of Allison the , senate insfctsd on
ts amendment to strike out the house pro
vision permitting courts maitial to control
heir own hours of session , and the cl.air reap-
)0inted the conference committee already act
ing on the bill.
Van \Vyck moved to amend by extending
; he annual provision to the clerks of all stand-
ng committees.
Finally , after considerable discussion , it be
coming apparent that the bill coidd not be dis-
; osed of. the senate adjourned.
HOUSE.
On motion of Strait the pension bill was
> asscd , with amendments , for the payment of
itizens for supplies furnished the Sioux and
Dakota Indians between 1SGO and 18S2.
Townshend asked unanimous consent to
; ake from the speaker's table for reference to
he committee on appropriations , the postoffice
appropriation bill w ith senate amendments ,
jut Pajson objected.
The house then proiccdcd with considera-
ion of the river and harbor bill. A number
of amendments were loted upon and filibus-
crlng entered upon , which continued till mid
night , when the weary house yielded to an ad
ournmcnt.
SENAT2.
Sewell , from the committee on railroads , re-
> orted favorably the bill already passed by the
1OU&C extending the provisions of the Pacific
ailroad construction act to such roads as may
> e constructed through the Niobrara valley ,
'laced on the ealendar.
Van "Wyck offered an amendment to the Pa-
ific railroad funding bill submitted by Hoar.
? he amendment provides : First , that no
Ivldends shall b2 declared until the interest
upon the bonds shall have been paid ; second ,
hat the consolidation of the Union Pacific ,
with the Kansas and Denver Pacific shall not
be legalized , and , third , that no stock shall be
onsidercd legal for which no money was paid.
The legislative bill was passed as reported
y the senate committee on appropriations ,
he silver bill was then considered , but defi
nite action was not reached.
HOUSE.
Cobb moved to suspend the rules and take
rom the speaker's table for reference to the
ommitteee on public lands the house bill re
pealing the pro eruption , timber culture and
desert land laws , with the senate amendments
thereto. Lost.
Valentine thought he voiced the sentiment
of the people of the west in protesting against
the repeal of these laws. The demand for the
repeal came from two sources railroad cor
porations nnij cattle Jdugs. The former be
cause they could not raise the price of their
lands when the homestead laws are in force ,
and the latter wanted the timber culture act
repealed In order that their herds might roam
over the prairies undisturbed by the settlers.
The sundry civil bill was taken up aud the
clause relating to'an appropriation for the
New Orleans exposition discussed , but no final
action was taken.
SENATE.
In the senate on the 28th Van Wyck called
up the bill providing for the sale of the Sac
and Fox Indian reservation In Nebraska and
Kansas. After a short discussion the bill was
passed.
A house message announcing disagreement
on the legislative , executive and judicial ap
propriation bill was laid before the.senate ,
which insisted on its amendments , and a con
ference committee was appointed.
The naval bill was passed substantially as
reported from the senate committee on appro
priations.
Van Wyck obtained unanimous consent that
the claims bill be temporarily laid aside to
take up the pension bills originating in the
senate and favorably reported from tue com
mittee. These were passed and followed by
the passage of a number of pensions to widows
of oulcers of the army and navy.
HOUSE.
The house proceeded with consideration of
the sundry civil bill.
llorr ollcrcd an amendment providlns that
money appropriated to aid the New Orleans
ixposition bj used first in paying the debts
aud second In paying the premiums awarded
by the exposition. The bill then passed.
Willis moved to suspend the rules and put
upon Its passage the bill appropriating $3,000-
000 for the continuation and completion of the
works desltrnated in the river and harbor law.
The motion was agreed to aud the bill passed ,
100 to 83.
83.UIE
UIE VACIFIC FUNDING BILL.
Features of the measure Introduced , by Sena
tor Hoar.
The Pacific railroad f undinjr bill introduced
in the senate by Hoar differs from the bill on
uimo subject reported from the senate com
mittee on judiciary. It amends the house bill
in several important particulars. Thtsa dif
ferences are substantially as follows : Itflxes
the date for the ascertainment of the indebt
edness of the companies on April , 1880 , in
stead of 1887. and provides that in computing
the indebtedness and deducting therefrom
the amounts in tbo sinking funds , the value
of any bonds in such sinking1 luuds shall be
computed at their market values , and it pro
vides the bonds of redemption are to be deliv
ered to the secretary ot the treasury by the
companies and shall mature at the expiration
ot each six months , beginn n ? with October 1 ,
18W3. The committee bill provides that the
bonds of redemption shall b ar interest at the
rate of three per cent per annum for the time
each bond has to run ( interest on each to bo
payable foml-annuully ) , and that each , bond
-hall be for an equal one hundred and twen-
-leth part of the balance of the debt and in
terest computeJ thereod computed as due
the United States at the time the bond is is
sued. Hoar's bill provides each of the bonds
shall be tor the same sum , which sum shall be
ascertained by addingto the balance of the
indebtedness computed to the tune the bonds
are issued , interest at the iateot three per
rent per annum from thatdateto the siverajre
date of maturity ot the bonds , and dividing :
such aggregate amount by one hundred and
twenty It contains also in addition to these
provisions the Judiciary committee's bill
clause , providing that every disposition of
any stocks , bonds or other securities ot other
corpo niions now owned by the companies ,
whether by saie , pledge , or otherwise , shall bo
reported to the secretary of the interior with
in iMrty days.
: FOR ant. EGAN.
He is the Recipient of n "Machine" Evi
dently Intended- for His Destruction.
Lincoln ( Neb. ) special : A few days ago a
rumor was started that an infernal machine
had been sent to Patrick Egan , president of
the Irish National League of America , while
that gentleman was in attendance at an Irish
ball. A reporter called upon Mr. Fgan to as
certain , the facts , but was then informed-
rumor was groundless. The story was revUed
again and another visit to Mr. Egan devel-
opes the fact that the rumor was not entirely
groundless. Mr. Egan says a few minutes be
fore 10 o'clock a boy , closely muffled and car
rying a market basket , asked permission of
the doorkeeper to pass Into Sample ball ,
where the ball was In progress , to see Mr.
Egan. Being admitted , the boy handed the
basket to Mr. Egan nnd left , running down
the stairs and into the street. Mr. Egan put
the box in the cloak room , "where it was open-
ed a few minutes later by his son. In the bas
ket was a large tin box wrapped in a copy ot
the State Democrat. The cover of the Lor
was carefully raised and inside were found
clock works with a striker at the breech of a
small revolver , cocked , inwhich was a cart
ridge with the powder and ball removed.
Surrounding the revolver , and almost filling-
the box , was a whitish , sandy substance , sup
posed to be dynamite. A portion of the sub
stance has been turned over to Prof. Nichol
son for chemical examination. Egan says he
is positive ho knows where the box came
from , but refuses to make it public. If the
stuff is pronounced to be genuine dynamite
sensational developments will follow.
A. SMOOTH YOUNG
Who Won a Family's Confidence and. TJien
Went for the Wealth.
Baltimore ( Md. ) dispatch : A few weeks ago
a highly intelligent , handsome man , giving
the name of Paul Siober , came .to Mr. George
Garrett's country seat , near this city , and
was given work about the place. So polished
was ho in his manners that ho excited the
sympathy of the family. He had a sweet ,
tender voice , and he pleased Mrs. Garrett by
playing choice operatic music on the piano
and singing. He gave a card to the pretty
daughter of Mr. Garrett , on which ho had
drawn a wreath of forget-me-nots about his
name. "Oh , he's talented , " said Miss Garrett.
He spoke Italian , French , German and also
English fluently. Mr. and Airs. Garrett and
their daughter came to the city last Sunday
and left Sieber and the other hired man on
the p ace. Sieber stupefied the other man
with liquor and then ransacked the house.
Five hundred dollars' worth of jewelry be
longing to Miss Garrett and a lot of valuable
nilverware are missing. The detectives say
Sieber is a variety actor from New York. A
heart pierced with an arrow is tattooed on
one arm.
Send Along the Publications.
Captain Bedford Pirn , the well-known na
val engineer of England , and ex-member of
the British parliament , who has just com
pleted an extended tour of the United States
and Canada , has expressed n desire to send to
the British museum a single copy of every
daily paper in the United ataies and Canala
and also a copy of each weekly. Of the dai
lies he desires a copy of .March 5th and of the
weeklies a copy ot the issue ot the first week
in Marcti. the papers to be addressed to Cap
tain Bedford I'lm. No. 2 Ciown Olhce How ,
Temple E. C. , London , England , it is Captain
Pim'b intention to c assity and bind the pa
pers In volumes by states , provinces and ter
ritories and request the British eovernment
to place them in the public archives ot tbo
museum , where they will be open to inspec
tion by visitors nnd bo carefully preserved.
27i jJTcxt OMahcmx Sloreincnt.
Ono of the largest Oklahoma dcmonstra
tions probably ever held in any one place in
the United States assembled nt Caldwell ,
Kansas , on the 33th , and orgnized the Ca'd-
well Oklahoma colony. Speeches were deliv
ered by Judge Chelson and the Hons. George
K. Sneilmg and George Reilly. lie-solutions
were passed extending a general invitation , to
other colonies to assemble ut Caldwell on the
5th of March to make one gratd movement
iuto the Eden of America. The assemblage
was composed of the most respected citizens
ot thu city and vicinity , consisting of mer
chants , lawyers , doctors , farmers and me
chanics. Xno meeting was characterize ! by
its harmony.
Mr. Crofut declares
, correspondent , i
that Thomas Jefferson , in spite of his
'Jeffersoniab simplicity,11 bought dur '
ing his first term $8,500 worth of red
'
urn.
BREVITIES.
A writer in one of the English tech
nical papers explains how cold air is
the cause of smoke , nnd how care can
reduce it. He weald draw the exist
ing lire to the front of u grille and
place the coals behind ; thus the lire in
the front would burn more rapidly ,
warm the air above , and so prepare
the rising gases for combustion. The
smoke is diminished , as the gases from
the coals at the back rise much more
slowly than when placed upon the fire
and the air partly warmed. For stoves
and boilers , warm air may bo pro
duced for the entire combustion of all
the gases , a result that is beneficial in
many ways.
In order to give some idea of the
progress of agriculture in New South
Wales The Engineer gives the quantity
of land under cultivaton at the close
of 1883 as follows : Wheat , 289,757
acres ; maize , 128.GH4 acres ; barlev ,
5,081 acres ; oats , 17,810 acres ; rye ,
1,140 acres ; potatoes , 14,953 acres ; 'to
bacco , 1,785 acres ; sugar cane , 14.958
acres ; grapevines , 4,378 acres ; or
anges , 7,2o'8 acres ; sown grasses.
wheat , barley and oats , for hay , 178-
503 acres ; same , for cattle. 107,893
acres. Gardens and orchards absorb
17,455 acres , the whole quantity of
land under cultivation eccedin"750 , -
000 acres.
The total cut in the northwestern
lumberregion last year was 2,531,298-
361 feet ot lumber , 1,029,854,300 shin
gles , and 020.080,780 laths. Ihe in
crease over the cut of 1883 was 417-
811,966 feet of lumber , 202,974,03) )
shingles , and 85,799,850 laths. The
stock on hand Dec. 1 aggregated
1,795,708,522 feet of lumber , 424,998-
406 ' shingles , and 310,276,900 laths.
The increase over the total Dec. 1 ,
1883 , is 600,078,686 feet of lumber , 50-
011,556 shingles , and 198.513,700 laths.
The anticipated log supply is placed
at 2,119,866,000 , of which 1,522,500-
000 represent new logs.
According to the annual report of the
department of agriculture , now in
press , the total yield of wheat in tins-
country iu 1884 was 513,000,000 bush
els. of corn 1,795,000,000 bushels , and
of oats 583,000,000 bushels. These are
the largest aggregates ever iccorded ,
the nearest approach on wheat being
made in 1882 when the yield was 504-
000,000 bus'iels. und cm corn in 1880 ,
when 1,754,000,000 bushels were rais
ed. The average yield per acre in
188i is given at 13 bushels for wheat ,
28.5 bushels for corn , and 27.4 bughels
for oats.
"Idunium" is the name proposed by
Prof. Websky for the uieta ! just dis
covered by him as one of the compo
nents of native vandaro of lead. 'llic
mineral is rather : i scarce one , of a
yellow color , and contains several oth
er metals , of which zinc , iron , and
arsenic are among the most prominent.
Idunium resembles vanadium in sev
eral respects , both physically and
Chemically , while the only oxide hith
erto examined forms stable salts with
alkaline bases , anct thus would appear
to possess distinctly acid properties.
Air. E. H. Johnson , president of the
Edison Electric Lighting company , lias
his private residence lighted with
/ candescent lamps. The dynamo is
in the cellar , and it is said to make so
little noise that it can not be heard on
the lloor above. A small engine sup
plies the dynamo , and the exhaust
steam is used in heating the house.
Mr. Johnson's experiments have prov
ed satisfactory , and he promises to
make connection with one or two of
his neighbor's houses for the purpose
of furnishing them with light.
There are no hod-carriers in Ger
many. Bricks are passed from hand
to hand. The higher up the bricklay
ers are the more men'are required lo
toss the bricks. Two men to a story
is about the average , with enough
more to lead from the front of the
building to the place where the bricks
are needed. One may sometimes see
three men on the ground , eight on the
front of the building , and live on the
topmaking sixteen men through whose
[ lands each brick passed before it
reached its place of destination.
The total area under cultivation of
rice in Burmah is reported as 3,640-
000 acres. An average crop all over
the province ought to yield an ex
portable surplus of 988,000 tons of
cargo rice. Although many of the
district officers anticipate a "crop con
siderably above the average , ' it ap
pears better not to estimate lor an ex
portable surplus of more than 975.-
UOO tons , or 104,000 tons below the ,
actual exports of 1882.
Cracks in floors around the moldboard -
board or other parts of a room may
be neatly and permanently filled by
thoroughly soaking newspapers in
paste made ot one pound of flour , three
quarts of water , and atablespoonful of
alum , thoroughly boiled and mixed.
The mixture will be about as thick as
putty , and may be forced into the
cracks with a knife. It will harden
like japier-mache.
A nurseryman asserts that apple
trees which "have straight and upright
tops have roots of a similar character ,
and that those which have low and
spreading tops have bushy roots.
Even the color and peculiar markings
of the bark of some varieties extend
to the roots. The nurseryman is there
fore able to distinguish several varie
ties by their roots alone.
Prof. Austin states that many clay
ind iron sewer pipes and house lead-
srs are pervious to sewer gases. In
ane instance in Jersey City the leader
was so porous that the parlor was ren
dered almost uninhabitable. He rec
ommends that all sewer ' pipes be
thoroughly varnished with shellac.or
soluble glass , or else painted with
tieavy paint.
A kind of cactus has been found in
South America which only shows its
lowers when the wind blows. There
ire little lumps on the stalk from which
; he blossoms protrude , but they go out
jf sight with calm air.
The use of natural gas in Pittsburgh
nanufactories is steadily increasing ,
md now the right has been sold to a
nan who will try to introduce it into
aouses for heating purposes.
The directors of most fair associrt-
; ions have decided to sell no more fam-
ly tickets.
A Preacher ill.Coart.
In the early days of primitive
Methodism , under the labors of one of
our veteran missionaries , a notoriously
bad character got converted. Quito
in harmony with the custom of those
times , ho soon began preaching. On
one occasion ho had a largo crowd qf
people gathered by the wayside , and
to these ho preached furiously. An
officious policeman came up and took
our friend into custody. The news
spread like wildiiro that old'Tom wt > a
locked up for preaching. Had it been
said that it was for poaching no one
would have doubted it , but his preach
ing gave quite a different character to
the affair. On the following morning
the court was crowded to heaV the
trial. The charge was read over , and
the prisoner asked what ho had to say
in reply. Now this man had been in
Hint dock so often that he did not feel
at all concerned ; ho seemed quite at
home. Very quietly folding his arms ,
he addressed the magistrate to the
following effect :
"Gentlemen , do you mean bus
iness ? " '
"Business ! business ! of course we
do."Well
"Well , gentlemen , please excuse me ;
but if you mean business , allow mo to
say that of late : i great change has
come over me , and I never now com
mence any business without iirst p ray-
ins about it ; if you please , we'll pray. "
He did not wait to know whether
the } ' pleased or. not , but with all the
fervor of a new convert poured out his
soul in prayer. Ail in the court and
on the magistrates' bench were deeply
moved , and some to tears. But ho
prayed rather long , and , zrood us it
was , they thought he might now close ;
so the presiding magistrate said in an
undertone :
"That will do ; just stop him. "
The officer , shaking our friend's
sleeve , said , "Stop ; " but he prayed
away. Pulling his sleeve yet more
vigorously , ho said , "Stop man , stop ! "
but he prayed with increasing fervor.
One of the magistrates saw one of
our preachers in the body of the court ,
and calling to him said , "Mr. , you
come and htop htm. " But our dear
old brother enjoyed this novel prayer-
meeting too much to be induced to
stop it ; so he replied loud enough for
all to hear :
"Nay , nay , you've started him ; I
can't stop him. "
However , our friend in the dock
drew his devotions to a close , stood
upon his feet , and , again folding his
anus , said with becoming meekness :
' Now , gentlemen , if you please , I
an ; quite ready for business. "
The prisoner was ordered into the
while the consid
antc-rooni case was
ered.
One of the magistrates , moved to
tears , said :
"We have often had this man before
osbut never under such circumstances.
If this is a sample of the work achiev
ed by the labors of the Primitive
Methodists , I wish them success wher
ever the } ' go. "
"It did not take them long to de
cide that he had broken no law , and
therefore they would very gladly acquit
him.
him."Well
"Well , gentlemen , " paid an officer
of the court , ' -shall we call him in and
say he is acquitted ? " '
"What ? what ! call him in ! No ,
never , or you'll have him on his knees
returning thanks. Let him go out at
a side-tloor , but tell him he is lully at
liberty to carry ou his good work. "
Exchange.
i'eetotalisra.
Nothing is more necessary , in all
important question , than to approach
statistics with the utmost possible
scepticism ; and the statistics- the
teetotaler are the most utterly un
trustworthy of all that we have been
required , with any special care , to ex
amine. It must not be forgotten that
temperance societies are a trade , al
most as lucrative to a large number
jf persons as liquor selling ; and that
paid lectures , converted dnmkards ,
writers of sensational teetotal novels ,
and such like , are not to be regarded
as wholly exempt from human iiuilty.
A.S to the use of alcohol , it must be re
membered that it is scarcely possible
to meet with a perfectly healthy man ,
woman or child. We live in "an ex
clusively artificial state of society.
The hard brain work , especially of a
large class of society is exceedingly
exhausting , and interferes very seri
ously with the ordinary processes of
nutrition , and the like. Excessive
physical labor has the same or a simi
lar effect.
We have not the smallest doubt
that if workingmeu were to take a
moderate quantity of alcohol in a
highly diluted form , such as genuine
lager beer , about three times a day ,
they would be very much healthier ,
able to endure more work , and able
to live on a somewhat smaller quanti
ty of more costly food. If our tem
perance-not teetotal societies would
devote themself to the useful task of
punishing all adulterators of alcoholic
liquors , they would be rendering a
real service to the working cla-ses.
Unfortunately they generally suppose
that anything that makes a man
"drunk" ' is alcohol ; and know nothing
whatever of the difference , chemical
or physiological , between alcohol ami
"
fusil "oils. Our readers , when they
hear ' Dr. Carpenter's" name quoted
as an authority on the teetotal sidu'
must be careful to ascertain which Dr.
Carpenter is meant. The Dr. Carpcu-
; ter , we learn , has found it necessary
to abandon "total abstinence. " The
great advocate of teetotal nonsense is
a Dr. Alfred Carpenter , an excessively
diil'erenct person. American Literary
Churchman.
Chloral.
The choral habit has been attracting
a good deal of attention in England
of late , owing to a divorce suit and
for damage in the higher walks of
life , growing out of overdosing a lady
patient with chloral by a physician ,
and statements which sne made com
promising him after her mind had
been partially destroyed by the opera
tion of the drug. Just uow this
country has a chloral sensation. Rev.
J. Ith-jy Thompson , one of the most
eloquent of Brooklyn's younger clergy
men , has been missing for" ten days
or more , scd his friends have been
extremely anxioua and at thp same
time very mysterious. It transpires
that ho was addicted to the habit ol
taking chloral and that tho. drug had
unsettled his mental faculties to such
an extent as to render him uncon
scious for the time being , of his acts.
A friend of Mr. Thompson snys that
"ho attempted to do too much , and
when ho found that his physical con
stitution was unable to withstand the
mental strain ho had recourse to
chloral. " Christmas day , however ,
Mr. Thompson was discovered in n
Boston hotel and taken to his homo ,
where ho now lies dangerously ill.
The moral of his experience is this :
Never undertake to do too much , but
if you over should find yourself in u
state of nervous exhaustion from over
work , do not huvo recourse to
stimulants or drugs. Rest , cmnplotc
rest , is the only sure remedy foi
overwork , and the only remedy that
will bring the system back to its
normal condition without injury.
Alcohol , opium and chloral should bo
avoided as one would avoid a cholera
laden ship. Hartford Post.
Mexican Outrages.
Murders anil outrages at the hands
of Moxiceti bandits follow in quick
succession en the Texas frontier , says
an Austin telegram to The New York
Herald , and the marudors , having ac
complished either their deeds of bleeder
or their wholesale robberies , cross
over the Rio Grande , and arc secure
under Mexican law from the punish
ment the courts of this state would im
pose. Gov. Ireland has written several
letters of complaint to the department
at Washington , but still killing and
rapine go on unchecked , until now
there seems no protection for the people -
plo of this section at the hands of the
federal authorities. The latest report
of murder and robbery comes form
Carizo Springs this forenoon , and , as
usual , the outlaws took shelter on tho.
other side of the Rio Grande. The
people of that section are now up in
arms , prepared to defend their lives
and their property from further raids.
'
Trouble is'feared , and in view of that
fact Gov. Ireland to-night dispatched
the adjutant general of the state to
the scene. Gen. King takes a force of
Texas rangers along with him to pre
vent bloodshed , and. if possible , to
bring some of tho- more daring
criminals that infest the border to
speedy justice.
Your correspondent" saw the gov
ernor late this evening and he said ,
with marked emphasis : "We arc , now
determined to protect ourselves , aud
no nice distinctions of intornationa
law shall stand in the way of it. These
Mexican depredations must cease.
Men and women arc killed by these
desperadoes on the border in cold blood
and their property stolen before their
eyes , but we are prevented by the ab
sence of a treaty to reach the murder
ers. President Arthur has been advis
ed of this fact. I have been corresponding
pending with Secretary Frelinghuysen.
for many months on the subject , but
all to no purpose. Now that the fed
eral government has failed to give re
lief , Texas will hereafter defend its
citizens along the Rio Grande , oven if
it takes every man in the state and ev
ery dollar in the treasury to do so. "
These bold words of Gov. Ireland arc
full of significance , and foreshadow
the policy which the adjutant general
will pursue. Texas , as one man , will
sustain the governor , and even should
a difficulty arise with Mexico , which
can hardly be avoided now , this state
'
is ready a'nd able to take care of itself.
Lively times on the border are now
certain , and if a crash or collision oc
curs the authorities at Washington
will be held to strict account. The cor
respondence between. Gov. Ireland
and them will probably be published ,
showing that Texas hos been forced
into the defensive attitude it now as
sumes.
RepressingGenms. .
The whirligig of journalism , like
everything else , makes a change , and
the style which used to make the whole
city shudder now falls , if it ever gets
up like the "thud" which long be
came obsolete. Now and then a new
reporter flashes up and undertakes the
old style of some worn out and tired
out and played out brother who , in his
day , was called the "crack reporter of
the staff. " The descriptive man is do
ing space work on a weekly or a maga
zine. How this thought crept over me
the other day as I overheard an old
city editor shattering the hopes and
ambitions of a young man who had
meant well enough , although I did
think he might have worn his reportorial -
orial star under the lappel of his vest ,
as used to be the custom , instead of
trying to flash it up as young men do
a scarf-pin.
"You say here , " said the city editor ,
as he pulled a clay pipe that \r-is black
and strong , "that the evanescent
beauty of the avenue was lured from
her father's mansion by the villain's
sinister smiles. ' Now , my dear fel
low , this is not what 1 want. Besides
my objection to its wordy construction.
I must say that the time when villains
with sinister smiles lured the Chicago
beauty has gone by. The Chicago
girl to speak after the manner of the
gang. id no chump. She knows the
villain as soon as she sees him.
He was here before the fire. You can't
fool a Chicago girl any more with a
sinister smile , or any other kind of a
smile , no matter whether you are : t
villain or not. It is true you may meet
her at the skating rink and buckle on
her skates , and put your arm around
her waist in the g. maze , so to speak.
But to try to lure her away from the
mansion of her father with a sinister
smile and see how quickly she will
drop on you. Why , she will paralyze
you cut you dead" . She is on ; make
no mistake. Strike out 'evanescent
beauty , ' 'lure,1 'villain , ' and 'sinister
smile , ' and say that she consented to
give her hand to the young man whc
had given her and "her father and
'
'mother indisputable proof that he
owned several blocks of stock in Etie
and Lake Shore. And then I would
like you to go down to Fortieth and
Archer avenue and take in a chicken
fight that's to come off in a red bam
that you'll find down there some
"
where" ' * Chicago Herald
