Democratic Sentinel, Volume 3, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 August 1879 — NEWS OF THE WEEK. [ARTICLE]

NEWS OF THE WEEK.

FOREIGN NEWS. Lute tut vices from South Africa report that tho pp&cn negotiation* with llio Zulu* have niado no progress of late. There had been Home light Hkirmishing, but nothing like a battle. Turkey has refused permission to the United states steamer Quin nohang to enter tho Black sea, tho reason of tho refusal being that the voatfel'a tonnage exceo<lß 800. A cable dispatch reports the harvest a Hungary almost an entire failure. A general engagement was fpnght between tho British forces iiialpf ford and the Zulus under Hung GjjjjHrftyo on , the 4th of July. Tho Zulus, were variously estimated at from 10,(XX) to 30,000, surrounded the British troops, S,(XX) strong, who formed a hollow square. The Zulus charged tho square on all four sides. After the Zulus wore broken by tho British fire, they wore pursued by the cavalry and utterly routed. Lord Chelmsford burned and destroyed all the military kraals, and returned to his camp the amc evening. Lord Chelmsford estimates that tho Zulu loss could not have licen less than 1,000 men. The British loss was 10 killed and 53 wounded. Hir Garnot Wolscloy telegraphed from Durban to tbe British war office, on tho Bth of July, as follows: “I havo halted all the reinforcements here, as 1 believe the war is over. Do not send any more men or supplies till you hoar from mo. I expect to moot tho great Zulu chief about tho 16ih inst., and discuss terms of peace with him.” Incendiarism is still prevalent in Russia, in spite of martial law. At Kharkoff tho authorities requiro every house to have a special night wa f otimau, and keep thirty buckets of water in readiness for use. A Paris dispatch says that De Lesseps has issued tho prospectus of the Darien Canal Comtmny. The capital is fixed at 4tX),<HX),(KX) francs. Only 135 francs per share will bo called in the iirst instance. Interest at the rate of 5 per cent, will bo paid on tho actual money received during tho courso of construction. De Less ops estimates an income of 90,(XX),(XX) francs from tho canal, and reckons the shareholders will receiove 11 nor cent per annum. A London dispatch, referring to the battle of Utundi, says: “The official return f tho British losses does not include those among the nativo contingent. The Zulus were compelled to pause by tho heavy fire when they arrived within sixty yards of the British squrae. Lyo-witnosscs differ greatly as to the persistency with which the Zulus pressed the attack. This probably arises from tho various positions from which they witnessed it. Tho most circumstantial narrative shows that tho Zulus catno with a rush in dense masses in the rear of the square, and seemed determined to got to close quarters. Their attack on tho left llai k was not noarly so determined, as that, w as protected by a Gatling gun, which tlio Zulus greatly dread. The estimates of 11 10 Zulu losses vary so greatly as to show that they me pure guessing. The highest is 1,500. The dead were lying thickly all around tho square. ” The Scotch team won (he Elclio challenge shield at tho contest at Wimbledon, England. The Italian Senate has agreed to the bill abolishing the grist tax. The depression of the English cotton districts eon'inues. A lxmdon dispatch say* shorter time and no further reduction of wages are suggested as a remedy. Homo leading facts in connection with tho cotton trade show that in limited companies alone £!, (XX),(XX) has boon lying unproductive for three years; £I3O,(XX) debt lias accrued; 30 por cent, reduction has been made in operatives’ wages; mills arc running on short time, or are closed, and there have boon numerous failures, and a dccreaso of 50 por cent, in the valuo of house property. Protracted wet weather lias not only seriously damaged tho crops in Franco and other parts of Europo, hut flic rains have swollon tlio rivers, and great injury has resulted to property in tho French and Flemish v alloys. Some excitement was caused by an old woman, supposed to bo insane, flinging a Htono at the carriage containing tho King of Spain going to church in Madrid. More tlmn 500 incendiary fires were reported by the Bosnian authorities in the month of Juno. Home of them were very destructive, and one occurred within tlio precincts of the Kremlin, an old imperial palace at Moscow.

DOMB&TIU IN TEL LIU JENOK. 10n~ t. Ex-'J hx Collector K. G. Waldron, of North Arinas, Mass., has been arrested for the embezzlement of SIM),(XX) duriDg 1876 and 1877 while in office. Now Yotk has a largo number of cases of yellow fever at her quarantine, and one death from the disease has taken placo in Brooklyu and one in Hoboken. Tho war against the Jews, which was inaugurated aDd carried on at Saratoga a year or two ago, by Judge Hilton, continues at Coney island, tho famous watering resort noar New York city. This time it is in a quarter where tho Jewish residents of New York city are particularly aimed at. Tramps entered the house of Mr. Charles Crosly, a farmer of Ellington, Chautauqua county, N. Y , during his absence, murdered Mrs. Crosly by olioking her, and then robbed the house of S3O. Mr. Crosly, returning as the scoundrels were about loaving, was shot and beaten about the head, and loft for dead, hut will probably recover. The Empire, Reciprocity and Lake Ontario ilouring-mills, with elevator attached, at Oswego, N. Y., burned last wook. Boss, $150,000: insurance, $83,000. The decision of the lower courts in the case of Cove Bennett and Mrs. Smith, found guilty of murdering the latter’s husband, has been reversed by the Now Jersey Court of Errors and Appeals. The condemned pair will, therefore, have another trial The oil regions of Pennsylvania were visited by a rain-storm of unparalleled fury one day last week. At Butler the flood was the greatest ever known there. Boar creek rose twelve feet in less than two hours, inundating a very large portion of the country. The damago to the Parkor, Earns City and Butler railroad is estimated at $50,000. Several houses along tho creek were washed away. One of them oontained two children, who were drowned. Several railroad bridges were washed away. Along tho Pittsburgh, New Castle and Lake Erie railroad—narrow gauge—in Butler county, the damage was immense. Breakneck creek was swollen to the size of a large river, sweeping away 80!) feet of the road, houses, fences, trees and Jive stock. The wheat harvest had just been finished, and the shocks which had been left standing in the field were carried away by tho torrent and deposited, many of them, in the branohes of trees twelve and fif*

leon feet from tho ground. Two streets in Fetrolia, also in Butler county, wore flooded to the depth of several feet. The* Oil Exchange and Postoffice woro badly damaged. On Bear creek, in tho suburbs of the town, twenty-five oouses were washed away, nearly all of them containing families, who were saved with great difficulty. The scene at this point was very exciting. Hundreds of people were compelled to make to the highlands, a distance of several hundred yards. Mother* with infanta in their arms, men with clothing or articles of furniture on thtir backs, children of both sixes and nearly all ages, all struggling through the raging torront to reach a place of safety, presented a scene seldom witnessed. Strange to say, of this struggling mass of humanity, only two small childron were drowned. Tho total loss by the flood is now estimated at $500,000. West. . , There were 274 deaths in Chicago last week, that number being 131 less than the figures for the corresponding week of last year. Three men were drowned in the bay at San Francisco, last week, by the upsetting of a boat One of the most deplorable and tragic cases of self-slaughter that lias occurred in many days is recorded by tho Chicago papers. Elizalieth, Hannah and Nona Trowbridge, throe maiden sisters, aged respectively 43 40 aud 30 years, lived alone in an elegant mansion in Hyde Park, a suburb of Chicago. Through much brooding over exaggerated or imaginary wrongs and misfortunes, they became so despondent in spirits that tlio three spinsters resolved to end their troubles iu death. The two eldest hanged themselves, Nona assisting in the execution of the job. The latter, however, failed to carry out the final act of the terrible tragedy, which involved the taking of her own life. Instead of this, she set up a pitiful moaning and crying, which attracted the attention of some neighbors, who, upon entering the premises, discovered the two sisters hanging to ropes attached to large ton-penny nails that had been driven into tho walls for the purpose. The Indian news from the West is of a rather lively nature. A Fort Keogh dispatch says an engagement took place near the mouth of Beaver creek, between two companies of troops and Lieut. Clark’s Indian scouts of Miles’ command and 300 hostile Sioux. The troops lost four Indian scouts killed and two soldiers wounded. When Gen. Miles’ main column, which was twelve miles behind, came up, the Indians were pursued a distance of fifteen miles, but made their escape to Sitting Bull’s camp. Joseph Lambert, a woodman, and family, living six miles above Wolf Point Agency, on the Missouri, was attacked by Sioux Indians. Lambert, wife and four oliildren were kilted and scalped. Two other children were seriously wounded, and I cannot recover, and one little girl carried into ! captivity. Lieut. George H. Wright, of the Seventh Infantry, had a brush with the I Indians above Muscleshell, and killed ono Indian.

Chicago elevators contain 3,580,375 bushels of wheat, 3,529,953 bushels of corn, 244,8C4) bushels of oats, 48,804 bushels of rye, and 80,808 bushels of barley, making a grand total of 0,384,799 bushels, against 1,585,262 bushels at this period in 1878. In the case of the suicide of the two Trowbridge sisters, at Chicago, the Coroner’s jury have rendered a verdict to the effect that tho two womon woro insane when they planned and executed the double taking-off, and that tlio surviving sister, being also of unsound mind, is not accountable for her knowledge of anil participation in tlio suicidal preparations. It is reported lhat Sitting Bull, at the iio.vd of B,(KXJ warriors, had left Canada, and moved over to the American side of the line. Old soldiers and frontiersmen are of the opinion that he means mischief, and predict lively times out West this summer. Tho blind horse Sleepy Tom, in a pacing-raco at Chicago last week, glided around the mile track in the remarkable timeof thus proving himself tho fastest pacer iu tho world. One of the most appalling disasters that have ever happened on tlio Milwaukee branch of the Northwestern railway occurred at Warren's Crossing, near Waukogan, 111., on tho 26th of July,^resulting in tho death of live men and the serious injury of several others. As a gravel train, composed of ton flat cars, which had. been engaged in ditching, was backing into the sta'inn to make way for the regular 5:10 express, the flat car iu front of the train struck a cow at the crossing, partially throwing the car from the track, and telescoping Iho balance of the train, with the eqception of one car and tlio engine, which remained upon the track. Nineteen men woro employed open, the train, nearly all of whom were seated or standing upon the car which struck the obstruction. The men were thrown from tho cars, and many of them buried beneath the debris of the wreck. One by one the bodies of tlio dead men woro removod, amid the pitiful cries of the frionds who had assembled at the scene of tbe accident. As they were takon from beneath the cars, the following named were found to bo cold in doath : Anthony Joyoe, section boss; John DugaD, Pat Conners, and Michael Sheridan. The wounded were found to be: Austin Dugan, in a critical condition; Thomas McNulty, recovery doubtful; Henry Burns, Thomas Halligan, conductor, recovery doubtful ; Patrick Sullivan, and Johnny Joyce,

South. Thirty-six new cases of yellow fever and four deaths were reported at Memphis on July 21. The panic-stricken citizens were taking their departure as fast as they could obtain means of conveyance. It was estimated that up to that date over 15,000 people had left the city. The Secretary of War had ordered 1,500 tents to Memphis, and the issue of rations for 10,000 persons for twenty days. St. Louis and other cities and towns along the Mississippi river were thoroughly alarmed, and were taking steps to prevent the introduction of the contagion. Josepli Standing, a Mormon preacher, was recently Bhot and killed by a mob of ten men in Catoosa county, Ga. Five new eases of fever and seven deaths at Memphis on the 22d of July. The exodus of citizens was going on at a rapid rate. Two colored military companies volunteered their services to protect the property of the city. At Memphis nineteen new cases of yellow fever were reported to the Board of Health on the 23d of July. City very quiet, and people leaving as fast as they could get away. It was estimated that there were less than 5,000 people in the city liable to the fever, and this number would be vastly reduced only for the brutal conduct of the railroads in demanding full fare from all refugees. The entire South is now quarantined against the illstarred city. At Owenton, Ky., the jury in the Buford after being out eighteen hours, brought in a verdict of guilty of murder in the first degree, and fixed his punishment at imprisonment in the penitentiary for life. Memphis had eighteen new cases of fpyer and five deaths on July 24,

D. A. January, one of the oldest merchants and most influential citizens of Hi. Louis, Mo., is dead, aged 65. Tlio Directors of tbe St. Louis Mereliauts* Exchange have adopted a resolution according members of the Memphis Chamber of Commerce tho privilege of transaeting business on tho floor of the St. Louis Exchange for ninety dayA The number of new eases of.' yellow fever reported to tbe Memphis Board of Health on July 25 wan eleven; number of deaths, ten. A telegram from Memphis of that date says: “The weather continues warm an! fair, and there is little change in the deep gloom and death like stillness that has prevailed in this community for the last day or two. With the exception of the little hustle attending the departing of steamers and tho few persons quietly making their way to the Memphis and Charleston depot, bow tho only outlet left open, there is but litile evidenco of life are to be seen. The drug clerks, doctors, telegraphors and undertakers alone are kept busy. The fever, at first confined to the Jones avenue and Clay street neighborhood, is now gradually spreading to all parts of the city, and it is only a question of material to work upon for it to appear n any unexpected spot. Of 16,(XX) people remaining in that city, over 12,(XX) are colored.' The colored people are not in favor of the proposed camp scheme, not liking the idea of being removed from tho city.” A Cincinnati dispatch says: “Passengers on steamers from Memphis speak of tho quarantine along the route as the most rigid over heard of. The people are wild in their determination to keep out Yellow Jack. At Hickman, Ky., a passenger on the Vint Shirkle, from Memphis, being fbrbiddon to land, gave tbe officers the slip and got ashore. The people spotted him out and chased him to tho woods with shot-guns.” ASt Louis telegram says the Mayor of that, city had “telegraphed the National Board of Hoalth that yellow-fever refugees from Memphis are arriving in such large numbers that the establishment of a quarantine became necessary. Ho asks that tents and rations for 1 000 persons for thirty days be forwarded at once.” At Memphis, on the 26th of July, thirteen new cases of yellow fever and three deaths were reported to the Board of Health, and on the 27th there were fourteen new cases and nine deaths. The President of the Board of Health had gone so far as to write a proclamation declaring the fever epidemic, but, at the solicitation of a large number of business men, decided not to issue it,. A committee of safety had been appointed to devise measures for the good of the city. The health authorities of Illinois and Missouri are considering the feasibility of maintaining a floating quarantine for refugees. There wore three well-developed eases of fever in New Orleans on the 37tli of July, all of them iu the upper part of the city.

POLITICAL POINTS. The Republicans of Wisconsin held their State Convention at Madison on Wednesday, July 28. J. B. Cassidy, of Rock county, presided. The following candidates lor State offices (all of them being the present incumbents) were placed iu nomination: Por Governor, W. C. Smith; Lieutenant Governor, Jas. M. Bingham; Secretary of State, Hans B. Warner; Treasurer, Richard Guenther; Attorney General, Alexander Wilson; Superintendent of Public Instruction, Wm. C. Whitford. Tlio convention wound up with a jubilee in honor of the twenty-fifth anniversary of tho Republican party in the State, at which speeches of the stalwart order were delivered by Senator Zaoh Chandler, of Michigan; Gen. Garfiold, of Ohio, and others. At tho State Convention of the Republicans of Pennsylvania, held at Harrisburg last week, Samuel Butler was nominated for Treasurer. ? Secretary of tho Treasury Sherman delivered liis inaugural speech iu tho Maine campaign at Portland on the 33d of July. He confined himself almost exclusively to financial topic*. The Grecnbaokers of Mississippi met iu convention at the State capital last week, adopted a platform, appointed an Executive Committee and adjourned. The Republican State Committee of New York met last week, aud fixed upon Saratoga as' the place for the State Convention. Sept 8 was chosen as the time. Kentucky holds an election this year on Aug. 4; California follows suit Sept 8; Maine drops in Sept. 8, and lowa and Ohio, Oct. 7. On Nov. 8 the followingStatos will east their ballots: Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Jersey. New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia aud Wisconsin A Washington dispatch to the Chicago Journal says: “ Senator Blaine writes hero that he will have to cancel his engagements foV Ohio. It seems that the pampaign in Maine promises to be very activo on all sidos, and the Republicans feel that they are far from boiug sure of a victory. Another reason that Mr. Blaine lias for not going to Ohio ie that Gen. Ewing is his cousin, and there exists between them a warm personal friend ship.” The Wisconsin Democrats will hold their State Convention at Madison ou the 9th of September.

WASHINGTON NOTES. A Washington dispatch says the recent order of Secretary Sherman instructing Assistant United States Treasurers to make no discriminations against the silver dollar is undoubtedly intended on the part of Secretary Sherman as a departure from the theory which the treasury from the outset has followed with respect to that coin. The following is the text of this confidential letter to Assistant Treasurers, which has never before been published: Treasury Department, ) Office of the Secretary, I Washinoton, D. C., June 17.1879. j The Bon. James QUjUlan, Treasurer of the United Stales Dear Sir: You are hereby authorized and directed to pay out on public obligations and on advances to disbursing officers, the standard silver dollars the same as other coin or lawful money of the United States. For yonr information and guidance I inclose herewith a copy of a circular on the same subject this day addressed to each national-bank depository. Very respectfully, John Sherman, Secretary. The following is the text of the circular referred to: Sir : You are hereby authorized and directed to pay out on public obligations and on advances to disbursing officers standard silver dollars the same as other coin or lawful money of the United States, a full supply of such dollars being now in the treasury. To secure your bank a full supply for such purpose, the Treasurer of the United States, upon receipt from you of a certificate stating that the sum of SSOO or any multiple thereof has been credited to his account, will send you free of charges for transportation a like amount of standard silver dollars. Very respectfully, John Sherman, Secretary. Gen. Francis A. Walker, Superintendent of the Census, says that the most careful and extensive arrangements have been made to secure absolute accuracy in the taking of the statistics, both of population and of the various industries. He is of opinion that the coming enumeration will show an increase of

10,000,000 of people during the last decade, or an aggregate population of 48,000,000. The computations made at the Bureau of Statistics, but not yet published, for the eleven months ending May 80, 1879, disclose tho fact that for the first time in the history of the country tho exportation of breadstuffs has exceeded in value that of cotton and tobacco, tbe two staples of the South, combined, Tho following are the figures: Breadstuffs $ 192.(KX),«X Cotton 169,100.000 Provisions 107 000.(00 Tobacco.. 27.0' 0,000 Figures furnished by the Commissioner of the General Land Offico show that the amount of public laud entered for homostead settlement in the year ended Juno 80, 1879, was a trille over 6,000,000 acres, or an area a little greater than that of tbe State of New Hampshire, and considerably larger than that of New Jersey. The averago number of acres taken by oach homestead settler, as shown by the entries of the last ten years, is 120. Unsettled public lands iu tbe United States, therefore, x-eceived a population of at least 50,000 during ihe last twelve months under the operation of the Homestead law alone. Tho real accession probably far exceeds 100,(XX) persons. From an unpublished statement made by the Commissioner of tho General Laud Office, it is claimed that the whole number of homestead settlers from tho time the Homestead law wont into operation to June 30, 1878, a period of sixteen years, was 884,848. Allowing 120 acres to each settler, the whole amount of land thus occupied was 46,181,760. This immense domain would make fifteen States as large as Connecticut, is larger by nearly 3,000,000 acres than all Now England, and it exceeds the combined areas of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut,! and New York by an area about equal to that of Delaware. In the number of homestead entries Kansas takes the lead, with 61,034. Minnesota stands next, with 54 ,■ 575, and Nebraska third, with 49,962. Mr. Stoughton, Minister to Russia, has tendered his resignation to the Secretary of State. Secretary Scburz has disposed of the iong-pending quarrel between McGarraban and the New Idria Company for the possession of the great California quicksilver mine. Mr. Schurz holds that tho company’s claim to a patent for the lands known as the Panoche Grande grant, 480 acres, containing the' mine, can not issue, because no one person or company can enter more than 160 acres. The McGarraban claim is cast aside with the remark that the Supremo Court has pronounced it fraudulent. According to Mr. Schtirz, therefore, the magnificent property belongs to the United States. MISCELLANEOUS GLEANINGS. Jules Jack’s house at Courtright, Ontario, was bixrned, a few nights ago, and two children perished. Gen. Grant books himself for arrival at Sau Francisco on the Ist day of October. Letellier, Lieutenant Governor of Quebec, has been dismissed from office. A London dispatch announces that, in consequence of domestic bereavements, Mr. Welsh, Minister of the United States, has resigned, and will sail for home about Aug. 20.