Democratic Sentinel, Volume 8, Number 50, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 January 1885 — Page 2

SljcßeinocrattcSeMtiiitl RENSSELAER, INDIANA. J. W. McEWEN, - Publishes.

NEWS CONDENSED.

Concise Record of the Week. EASTERN. In boarding a moving train in Philadelphia, John McCullough, the actor, slipped from, the platform, and would have been crushed to death had not a colored attendant, who grasped Mr. McCullough’s hand, by a great effort pulled him on board. The -works of the Plymouth Cordage Company, Plymouth, Mass., were burned down, causing a loss of $400,000, on which there is an insurance of $350,000. • Fire destroyed Smith & Hedge’s furniture factory, Newark, N. J.; 1055.525,000. U. S. Grant, Jr., testified in a New YorK court that the day succeeding the collapse of the family banking-house, Ferdinand Ward made to him a full confession of his rascality. Reports from different tobacco sections of Connecticut show a good crop, but indifference on the part of manufacturers to buy until the action of Congress on the Spanish treaty is known. The Rev. Dr. Noah Hunt Schenck, of St. Ann’s Episcopal Church, Brooklyn, died of blood poisoning, resulting from the amputation of a corn. Dr. Tanszky, the well-known expert in insanity, attempted to kill himself and wife in Lexington avenue, New York. His friends have considered him of unsound mind for some time past. A bare-knuckle prize-fight between Jere McCloskey, ot' Mount Pleasant, Pa., and Korser Price, of England, took place near Pittsburgh, Pa., resulting in favor of McCloskey, who knocked his antagonist senseless in the tenth round.

Ex-Gov. Cobourn died at Skoehegan, Me., aged 82 years. He never recovered from u severe attack of illness received whi e attending the electoral college at Augusta.

WESTERN.

.Near Blakesburg, lowa, a party of citizens hanged Pleasant Anderson for thd murder of Christian McAllister. He was lost year acquitted of the crime by a jury in Mahaska County. A fire at Pierre, D. T., caused a loss of 540,000, with $30,000 insurance. The burned structures will not be replaced until spring. Four men were killed by the explosion of a tug-boat in the river at Chicago. A fire at Evansville, Ind., originating in the dry-goods house of Miller Brothers, destroyed property valued at $250,000. The German bark Lisle was wrecked on the California coast, and tho first officer and four seamen were drowned. A package of $8,300 in currency, consigned by a bank in Indianapolis to tho Treasurer of the Unite 1 States, was abstracted 1 etween the express ofliee and the railway station. May Howard, the actress, was declared insane by the authorities at Shelbyville, Ind., and was transferred irotn the home of her sister to the asylum. Her real name is Victoria Dennis.

Reports received at Bozeman, Mont, are to the effect that cattle are starving to death in the Madison and Yellowstone regions. The snow is two feet deep on the level, making it impossible tor the animals to g.t at the grass. A small boy found attached to branches of trees near Rockford, 111., two bags containing counterfeit half-dollars. At Jackson, Mich., a hack containing Jud Crouch, the murderer, was demolished and the horses killed by a locomotive, but the passenger escaped uninjured. The coldest weather recorded there was noted at St. Paul, Minn., on the 2d of January, 36 below zero. Throughout the Northwest the temperature ranged unusually low, marking 55 below at Winnipeg, 45 below at Bismarck, and 40 below at Duluth.

Dr. Shillock, of Chaska, Minn., has been arrested for grave-robbing. His brother and a fellow-student were forced by the Sheriff to abandon a corpse on the road. A mob wrecked the Bristol Tunnel on the Baltimore and Ohio Road, near Lexington, Ohio. Three hundred feet of the structure caved in, compelling a transfer of passengers. The loss to the rail way company is very heavy.

At Buttzville, D. T., the general store of D. H. Buttz was burned. Loss, $28,0Q0; insurance, 815,000. Three horses were killed at Boody, 111., on account of acute glanders. Some mysterious disease has swept off hundreds of cattle in Northern Kansas and Nebraska. John How, one of the Vice Presidents of the Wabash Railroad, and at one time Mayor of St. Louis, died at San Francisco. A police lieutenant of Cincinnati, named Mullen, has been sentenced to one year in jail for imprisoning citizens on the day of the October election in order to . defraud them of their votes. Bishop Gilmour, of Cleveland, some months ago closed St. Prokop’s Bohemian Church for rebellious acts, and placed watchmen in charge. Fifteen women belonging to the congregation last ■ Sunday attacked three policemen with stones and clubs, regaining possession of the parsonage. The low prices prevailing for farm products have brought about a marked revival of mining in the Galena lead region. Hundreds of farmers are prospecting or taking out ore in Illinois and Wisconsin, and two train-loads of dry bore are daily shipped from Highland.

SOUTHERN.

Encke’s comet, on its return trip, was • discovered, on the 2d of January, at Nashville, by E. E. Barnard, of the Vanderbilt University Observatory. Cotton-mill proprietors at Baltimore feel buoyant over future prospects, and all factories will soon be to full operation. Bobbers entered Widow Rooney’s house at Wilmington, Del., believing that she

had $3,000 concealed; and upon denials that she had any such sum, beat her brutally and departed with S3O. It is believed that the woman’s injuries will prove fatal.

A Baltimore dispatch reports that a train which left that city over the Baltimore Central Railroad for Oxford, Pa., was boarded at Rising Sun, Cecil County, Md., by two men, who, by threats of violence, compelled the passengers to surrender their money, watches, and other valuables. The men then jumped from the train, which was running at full speed. The Norwegian bark L6na was wrecked off Hog Island, Va., eight persons losing their lives. Jn a fierce storm and freezing weather the crew clung to the doomed craft for twenty-four hours, but Anally dropped off one by one. The two survivors floated ashore by the aid of some planks. An earthquake shock was felt in the southern portion of Frederick County, Maryland. James G. Scrugham, .teller and assistant cashier of the Lexington City National Bank, Ky., defaulted for S4J,OJO, and fled to Canada. Detectives at Grafton, W. Va., ascertained that the recent wrecking of a passenger train was the work of Mrs. M. Blake, who sought revenge for the arrest of her husband on charge of robbing cars. She confessed her crime.

D. L. Moody has opened revival meetings at Richmond, Va., being rewarded with large congregations. He denies that he ever cherished or expressed sentiments as to Lee and Jackson other than of high respect. The charge originated with a citizen of Richmond named R. D. Core.

News is received from Dallas, Tex., of the sale of the Munsen ranch in the PanHandle and its stock of 75,000 cattle to W. W. Ewing, of Kansas City, for SBOO,OOO.

WASHINGTON.

Representative Bland says that no bill restricting the coinage of silver can pass the House. Senator Vest, who introduced the reso'utidn ordering an investigation into the leases of Indian lands, says the leases wore proCiired throiißh bril ery and fraud. Reports made to the Bureau of Agriculture at Washington place the total oojton production of ti e United States for the year at 5,580,000 bales. The feeding of antagonism between the two houses of Congress is growing more and more bitter. Representatives unite in condemning the efforts of the Senate to usurp the prerogatives of the House, and Senators are stubborn in maintaining what they consider their rights. The discussion over the naval and interstate commerce bills has intensified this feeling.

In reply to the statement of Assistant Secretary Josiyn of the Interior Department that it would be better if the Indians on„the reservations should lease all their lands to cattlemen, in order that they might have an opportunity to learn how to herd cattle for themselves, Col. Boudinot of the Cherokee Nation says that the Indians learn nothing about cattle-herding from the white men who have leased 6,501,080 acres of,lndian lands at less than two cents an acre. Indians do not make good herders, and cowboys are always employed.

There was an increase of $641,384 in the public debt during the month of December. The decrease since June 30, 1884, has been $31,501,864. Following is the official national debt statement issued from the Treasury on the Ist Inst.: Bonds outstandingFour one-half per cents $250,000,000 Four per cents ‘ 734.696,950 Three per cents 194,190,500 Refunding certificates 260,00) Navy pension fund 14,000,000 Total Interest-bearing debt 51,196,147,450 Matured debt $6,993,925 Debt bearing no interest— Legal-tender notes 846,739.256 Certificates of deposit 24,920,000 Gold and silver certificates 257,799,441 Fractional currency 6,971.343 Total without interest $636,430,040 Total debt 1,839,571,415 Total interest 11,452,132 Cash in Treasury 432.475J76 Debt, less cash in Treasury. 1,418,548,371 Increase during December 641,384 Decrease since June 30, 1884 31,501,864 Current liabilitiesinterest due and unpaid $1,688,824 Debt on which interest has ceased.. 6,993.925 Interest thereon 261,055 Gold and silver certificates... 257,799,441 United States notes held for redemption of certificate of deposit 24,920,000 Cash balance available 140,811,929 Total $432,475,176 Available assets— Cash in Treasury $482,475,176 Bonds issued to Pacific Railway Companies, interest payable by United States— Principal outstanding $64,623,512 Interest accrued, not yet paid. 1,938,705 Interest paid by United States 63,099,504 Interest repaid by companies— By transportation service $19,017,341 By cash payments, 5 per cent, net earnings 655,198 Balance of interest paid by United States 43.426,963 Last month the United States mints coined $4,849,958, of which $2,381,165 was standard dollars.

POLITICAL.

The Democrats of Michigan are claiming a Cabinet position for O. M. Barnes.

In the construction which they place upon Gov. Cleveland’s letter to the CivilService Reform Association, says the Washington correspondent of the Chicago Times, Democrats and Republicans are about equally divided, and they are pleased or dissatisfied accordingly. The general tenor of the proclamation is commended by a large portion of both parties, but many officeholders and the Democratic spoilsmen are puzzled to measure the length and breadth of Cleveland’s meaning in the paragraph which declares that there are many persons holding office who have forfeited all just claim to retention because they have used their places for party purposes, and proved themselves offensive partisans and unscrupulous manipulators of local party management. It is claimed that this paragraph opens a wide door through which he may drive out nine-tenths of the emp'oyes of the Government, and that he would not have been so careful to insert it unless it had been his purpose to take advantage of that easy method of displacing Republicans to make room for Democrats. Another class of Democrats approve of the theory of the letter that merit rather than mere party service should be the test of fitness for office, but they question the judgment of Cleveland in committing himself on the subject of civilservice reform to anticipation of his inaug-

ural deliverances upon public questions, and without sufficient reason for discussing the subject at this time. An intimate friend of Mr. Bayard says that it is very doubtful if the Senator will accept a place in the Cabinet President Arthur’s Senatorial boom in New York has collapsed. It is authoritatively announced that he is not a candidate. The seats of Brown and Butterworth, from Ohio,.are to be contested; also the seat 'of Romeis, who beat Hurd. In the latter case the notice has been served. Judge Bradley of the United States Supreme Court seems to have no idea of retiring, and those who hoped to succeed him are likely to be disappointed. The Democratic members of Congress are growing more liberal in the matter of building up tne navy. A Louisiana member is advocating the appropriation of $10,000,000 for new steel-armored vessels, and others are favoring liberal appropriations lor coast defenses.

Taxes will fall due this year on 14,594,406 gallons of whisky. It is denied that the opinion of the Attorney General, if carried into effect, will necessarily extend the bonded period, but the whisky men say that they will be satisfied if the intent of the opinion is carried out. Secretary McCulloch is said to be in favor of extending relief to the whisky interests. Gen. Raum, ex-Com-missioner of Internal Revenue, says that the plan proposed is an easy way out of the difficulty. The United States, he declares, will not lose a dollar of revenue.

MISCELLANEOUS.

President Arthur’s reception at the White House on New Year’s was a brilliant affair. The President was assisted in receiving the guests I y Mrs. McElroy, Mrs. McCulloch, Mrs. Chandler, Mrs. Brewster, and Mrs. Teller. The toilets of the ladies were very elaborate ard together with the uniforms of the military officers and foreign legations made a fine display. The diplomatic corps was first presented, and then the Judges of the Supreme Court and members of both houses of Congress. The army came nejt and the navy, followed by the survivors of the Mexican War and by the Grand Army of the Republie. The Executive Mansion was beautifully decorated. At Albany, Presldent-eldct Cleveland stood at his desk in the Executive Chamber for two hours and shook bands' with a vast multitude of people presented by his military staff. There will be no reduction in postage rates for the ■ present between this country and Mexico The proposed postal treaty has failed fit the Mexican Senate.

There were 366 business failures in the United States last week, an iiicrease of eighty-eight: over the previous week. The appearance of an infectious disease among sheep in the Province of Quebec was met by an order of the Government to slaughter all suffering animals on an allowance .of two-thirds their value. The Phoenix Manufacturing Company's building, at Erie, Pa., and three residences were, burned, causing a loss of $30,000. The Hon. Horatio Seymour’s residence, at Marquette, Mich., was burned, the janitor, who slept in the basement, being suffocated. Two stores, worth $15,000, at Mexico, Mo., and a residence valued at $20,000 in Syracuse, N. Y., were destroyed by Are. The Glen Woolen Mill at North Adams, Mass., was also burned, causing a loss of SIOO,OOO. A powder-mill near Xenia, Ohio, was demolished by an explosion, an employe being blown to pieces. The Irish - Republican National League is out with an address calling on its members to organize and prepare for victories to come. A howl is being raised by the Government of Hayti concerning the occupation by an American company of a guano island which Hayti claims as its own property.

Failures are reported of J. A. Andrews & Co., tobacco dealers, of Cincinnati; Graham, Walls & Co., dry goods merchants, of Crawfordsville, Ind.; Marks Brothers, cigar manufacturers, of East Saginaw, Mich.; Thomas H. Phillips, Jr., a hardware dealer, in Montreal; and Levy, Helneman & Co., lace merchants, of Boston.

American exporters should take warning from the information constantly furnished by the State Department at Washington. The Consul at Londonderry reports a steady decrease in the importation of Indian corn from the United States, on account of damaged cargoes. The Consuls at Jerusalem and Amsterdam complain of manipulations in petroleum by Americans, causing a demand for the Russian product.

FOREIGN.

The marriage of Princess Beatrice to Prince Henry of Battenberg has been fixed for the coming spring. The Chinese army has secured the services of fifty-five German drill sergeants, who are credited with having already made a manifest improvement in the discipline of the troops. Shocks of earthquake were again experienced at Alhama last night, says a Madrid dispatch of Jan. 3. The town is in ruins. A panic prevails among the inhabitants of Antequera, twenty-eight miles northwest of Malaga, where shocks have already been felt. Earthquake shocks were again felt at Granada, Malaga, Nerja, and Algarrobo at night. The panic among the people is unabated. A number of towns and villages have been completely destroyed, and the inhabitants have deserted them. Many persons sleep in railway carriages. A royal decree has been issued ordering that a national subscription for the relief of the sufferers bO taken up. Political circles in London are agitated by a rumor that Germany has opened negotiations with the Government of the Netherlands for the purchase of the Dutch possessions in New Guinea. Henry Turner & Co., calico-printers, of Manchester, and Walter Townend & Co., worsted of Bradford, have failed, the former lor £75,000 and the latter for £70,000. An official dispatch from Tonquin states that the French commander recently defeated 6,000 Chinese troops. . Earl Granville declines to give his consent to the proposal to hold a formal conference on the Egyptian question at Paris. Neither France nor Germany shows any disposition to maintain friendly commercial relations with the United States. France is trying to increase the Ur iff on American cereals, and Germany is now endeavoring to

strike a blow at our petroleum export in the Interest of the Russian oil-wells. The Government railways running from Germany to Russia have given special advantages for the transportation of Russian petroleum, and now it is proposed by Germany to lay a tax upon barrels which contain the American product. A Madrid dispatch says that “anther earthquake shock it reported from the oast of Valencia. So far, 673 corpses have been recovered from the ruins in tlie province of Granada, and 269 in Albania. Subscriptions are being raised for the sufferers."

LATER NEWS ITEMS.

In his message to the Aidermen, Mayor Low, of Brooklyn, states the big bridge does not pay. Public schools in New York City cost $4,000,000 last year. The number of pupils taught*was 271,000. Thomas A. Doyle has entered upon h's seventeenth year as Mayor of Providence, R. I. He reports the municipal debt at $10,090,000, and complains that city property is overvalued $46,000,000 by the General Assembly. Special telegraph reports from various parts of Illinois and Indiana say that the wheat crop is a large one and in good condition. A train on the Indiana, Bloomington and Western Road was thrown into a ditch near Lilly, 111. Twelve persons in the smok-ing-car were bruised or cut. Omaha dispatch: News has been received here, which is believed to be reliable, that the bodies of fourteen men were found, from a point twenty-nine miles west of Valentine to Gordon City, seventy miles west of there, in Northwestern Nebraska. The bodies were found along and near a new railroad grade. The dead men were victims of the recent blizzard, and are supposed to be settlers who were on their way in for supplies from claims they have been locating near the line of a new road to be built next’

season. There was an ice-jam in Grand River, fifteen miles below Grand Rapids, Mich., and the country was flooded for miles, causing a pecuniary loss of not less than $50,000. Hun. dreds of families along the Wabash and White Rivers in Indiana were driven from their homes by the floods. A Congressional committee, headed by Wm. M. Springer, commenced at Cincinnati on the sth inst., an investigation into th i acts of Marshal Wright in the October election. The accused was the first witness, and testified that he appointed thirteen hundred deputes, all of whom were Republicans, and armed with bulldog revolvers, six hundred of those weapons being sent him from New York, he supposed by the Republican National Committee.

Congress reassembled after the holiday recess on Monday, the Sth inst, and both houses began work in earnest. In the Senate a bill was offered by Mr. Beck to create a revenue commission, comprising the Secretary of the Treasury, three Senators, and five members of the House of Representatives, to report necessary changes in the tariff and internal revenue laws. A resolution was introduced and referred exiending the thanks of Congress to the officers and crews of the Greely relief expedition. A communication was received from the Secretary of War, to the •effect that the Government can purchase the Portage Lake Canal, clear of liens, for $350,000. Mr. Maxey presented amendments to the law for leasing Indian lands, providing for the submission of such leases to the Secretary of the Interior., A bill was passed to pay P A. Montgomery, of Memphis. $3,000 for property taken from him and used by the Government during the war. Some discussion concerning the interstate commerce bill followed. In the House of Representatives Mr. Herbert introduced a preamble and resolution calling upon the President to give his reasons for appointing Messrs, hasson and Sanfotd as delegates to the African conference at Berlin. Representative Collins offered a motion to suspend the rules and adopt the resolution making the Senate bill to establish a uniform system of bankruptcy laws a special order for Jan. 22. Mr. Henderson, of lowa, thought that the passage of the Lowell bill might save the country from disaster. Petitions in support of the bill were presented from the business men of St. Louis, New York, and Baltimore. Mr. Willis opposed the measure, saying that its passage would create 5,000 new offices, and would open the door to fraud. Mr. Collins defended the bill against the attack of .Mr. Willis. His motion to suspend the rules and appoint a day for its consideration was, however, lost. Mr. Keifer moved to suspend the rules' and take up the Mexican pension bill. There was an animated discussion, at the conclusion of which the motion was rejected. Mr. Hiscock moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill abolishing the internal revenue tax on tobacco and liquors distilled from fruit. This motion was lost. Mr. Cox, of New York, offered a bill authorizing the use of the Bartholdi Statue as a lighthouse, and another creating the' office of Assistant Chief Signal Officer, to be accompanied with the rank and pay of ColoneL This position, it is understood, is intended for Lieut, Greely. A bill was introduced by Mr. Tucker increasing the number of Judges of the United States Courts; another by Mr. English providing for the issue of one, two and five dollar silver certificates; and another by Mr. Breckenridge creating a River and Harbor Department.

THE MARKETS.

NEW YORK. Beeves $6.50 @ 7.00 Hogs..., 4.25 @5.00 Floub—Extra. 4.00 <al 5.50 Wheat—No. 2 Spring 88 @ .89 No. 2 Redß7 @ .30 COBN—No. 255 @ .58 Oats—White 35 @ .39 POBK—New Mess 12.50 @13.0J CHICAGO. Beeves—Choice to Prime Steers. C. 50 @7.00 Good Shipping 5.50 @ 6.00 Common to Fair 4.00 (<#4.75 Hogs 4.25 @4.75 Flour-Fancy White Winter Ex. 3.75 @4.25 Good to Choice Spring.. 3.25 @3.75 Wheat—No. 2 Spring7B @ .79 No. 2 Red Winter. 77 @ .78 Corn—No. 236 @ .39 Oats—No. 225 @ .28 Rye—No. 252 @ .54 Barley—No. 2 t>o @ .62 Butter—Choice Creamery.;27 @ .29 Fine Dairyl9 @ .20 Cheese—Full Cream.l2 @ .13 Skimmed Flatoß @ .09 Eggs—Fresh .24 @ .25 Potatoes—New, per bu3B @ .40 Poke—Mess11.25 @11.75 Labd 06&@ .07 TOLEDO. Wheat—No. 2 Red. 76 @ .77 Cobn—No. 2' 38 @ .40 Oats—No. 227 @ .29 MILWAUKEE. Wheat—No 2 76 @ .77 Corn—No. 2 46 @ .48 Oats—No. 228 @ .30 Barley—No. 252 @ .54 Pobk—Mess 11.00 @11.50 Lard 6.50 @ 6.75 „ ST. LOUIS. Wheat—No. 2 Redß4 @ .86 Corn—Mixed 32 @ .34 Oats—Mixed: 25 @ .26 RYE 48 @ .49 Pobk—Mess 11.50 @12.00 „ CINCINNATL Wheat—No. 2 Red 79 @ ;81 COBN. 38 @ .40 Oats—Mixed. 29 @ .so Pobk—Mess n. 50 @12.00 Labdo6&@ .07 Floub 4.75 @ 5.25 Wheat—No. 1 Whiteßl @ .83 Cobn—Mixed 88 @ .40 Oats—Na 2 White 29 @ .31 Pobk—Family 12.00 @12.50 ' INDIANAPOLIS. WHEAT—No. 2 Red, New 77 @ .79 Cobn— Mixed 84 @ .Sff Oats— Mixed26 @ .28 EAST LIBERTY. Cattle— Best KSO @ 7.00 Fair c. 50 @ C.OO Common 4.50 @ 5.00 Bogs, 4.50 @4.75 ‘toXKP 4.50 @ 5.00

RAILROADS.

Statistics Showing the Railway Con* struction in This Country During the Past Tear. The number of miles of new railway constructed in the United States during the year 1884, says the Railway Age, would have been pronounced extraordinary if it had been built six years ago, and yet it is small compared with any year since 1878. Our returns, very carefully collected from official sources, show the total of the new main line track added during the year to have been a little under 4.000 miles, which figure may possibly be reached by final returns. This is about 3,000 miles less than that laid in 1883, and about 7,600 miles less than the total reached in the wonderful year 1882. It is also much less than that of the years 1879, ’BO, and 81; but on the other hand it far exceeds the work of 1875, ’76 ’77, and ’7B. Considering the general condition of the country, the new mileage added in the last year was enough; and yet, with the exception of a few parallel and unnecessary lines, it can not be said that railway building has been overdone. In general the roads built were needed for the development qf the regions which they enter, and there is room for a large amount moreof new construction of this character.

The following is our statement of the new mileage added in the different States and Territories, arranged in what may be called the nine natural geographical subdivisions of the country. It should be understood that these figures show main line only, and do not include side tracks, or second tracks, of which many miles have been laid. The intention also is to report only the mileage actually laid down since Jan. 1, 1884, and hence we have thrown out a considerable number of miles officially reported to us as built during the past year, but on which we know the rails to have been laid in 1883, and which were included in the report of that year: TRACK LAID DURING THE YEAR 1884. No. & g States. Lines. No. ~ New England ■ States. Lines. Maine 3 41 Tennessee 6 72 New Hampshire Kentucky 5 40 Vermont 1 4 Missouri BeltMassachusetts... 3 19 Minnesotalo 279 Rhode Islandlowall 279 Connecticutl 11 Missouri 7 118 Eastern Middle— Arkansas 4 32 New York 1 20 Louisiana 4 120 New Jersey 4 191 Kansas BeltPennsylvania ...14 252 Dakota 5 269 Delaware 2 24 Nebraska 7 79 Md. and D. C.... 3 17 Kansas 6 160 Middle Western— Indian Territory West Virginia... 4 70 Texas 4 72 Ohios 105 Colorado BeltIndiana 3 29'Colorado 2 34 Michigan 4 26 Montana .1 9 Illinois 3 40 New Mexico 2 48 Wisconsin 6 224 Utah 2 7 Southern— Wvoming.. Virginia ...8 118 Pacific BeltNorth Carolina.. 5 184 California 5 66 South Carolina.. 1 7 Nevada...• Georgia 8 111 Oregon. 5 218 Florida 8 153 Arizona 1 5 Alabama 6 74 Idaho 2 39 Mississippi 3 246 Washington Ter. 1 62 RECAPITULATION. No. lines. Miles. New England States 8 75 Eastern Middle States 24 332 Middle Western States 25 564 Southern States (east of Mississippi River) 50 1,003 Missouri Belt 36 828 Kansas Belt 22 580 Colorado Belt 7 98 Pacific Belt,’ 14 390 Total in 42 (of the 47) States and Territories.. 186 3,870 It will be seen that the railway mileage was increased during the year in every State except the little, finished commonwealths of New Hampshire and Rhode Island, and the inhospitable mountain land of Nevada, and 'in every Territory except the Indian country, which is still strangely sealed by legislation against the inroads of civilization, and Wyoming, whose mountain wastes offer few inducements to the railway builder. The States and Territories showing the greatest addition to their mileage are lowa and Minnesota, each 279 miles; Dakota, 269; Pennsylvania, 252; Mississippi, 246; "Wisconsin, 224; and Oregon, 218. In the others the increase runs from 4 to 160 miles. The number of lines reported is 186, against 257 last year, and the average extension is only a little over 20 miles to each road.

Eastern MiddleNew York 1 20 New Jersey 4 19! Pennsylvania ...14 252 Delaware 2 24 Md. and D. C.... 3 17

COMPARATIVE RAILWAY MILEAGE FOB TEN YEARS. Miles Total Miles Total Year, built, mileage. Year, built, mileage. 1875 1,712 74,696 1880 7,174 93,454 1876 2,712 76,808 1881 9,789 103,242 1877 2,281 79,089 1882.....-.11,596 114,838 1878 2,687 81,776 1883 6,870 121,592 1879 4,721 86,497 1884 3,870 125,462 It will be seen that in the last ten years our railway mileage has increased more than 51,000 miles, or nearly 70 per cent, and that the total mileage of the United States is now, in round numbers, 125,500 miles. This is an immense and magnificent system, but every coming year will add thousands of miles more until these figures shall have been at least doubled. With a country so vast and rapidly growing as ours, none cun set bounds to the possibility of our railway extension.

IRON AND STEEL.

An Encouraging Outlook. The Age of Steel (St. Louis) publishe over 200 letters from prominent manufacturers, in all parts of the country—furnacemen, dealers in iron-working machinery, steam-engine builders, and editors of trade papers—on the state of trade last year and the prospect for the next six months. Taking the whole country together, the volume of sales in these branches in 1884 does not differ materially from that of 1883. There was, however, a depreciation of values in the neighborhood of 15 per cent., so that the margin of profits and the aggregate of sales were smaller than in 1883. The extensions of plants and improvement of facilities for manufacturing were also less than for the previous year. Manufacturers generally take a hopeful view of the future for the following reasons: The values of raw materials and of manufactured products are now at the lowest point, further depreciation beiug impossible: stocks in the country are unusually light, inquiries for spring delivery are numerous, and the production of pig-iron in the United States during the year was about 10 per cent, less than in 1883. The coke and charcoal furnaces in the South, having an annual productive capacity of 920,000 tons per annum, are not now making above 8,000 tons a week.

Ex-Senator Sharon’s estate, in which Sarah Hill—by the decision of the court, “Mrs. Sharon”—will share, is put down at $4,000,000. Ex-Judge George W. Tyler, Miss Hill's counsel, took the case for onehalf of what might be recovered. Tyler is said to have grown rich taking divorce cases on these terms. A man in York County, Pennsylvania, had his wife arrested for pouring a gallon of molasses on his head. He said he didn’t want his taffy that way. Electric breastpins are. the latest inventions for the benefit of hotel clerks.

A YEAR’S FAILURES.

Tables Showing the Number and Location of Business Troubles of a Twelvemonth. The mercantile agency of R. G. Dun & Co. has issued its annual circular of failures for the year 1884. The compilation of statistics shows the number of failures that have occurred throughout the United States and the Dominion of Canada during thepast year, together with the amount of liabilities, from the circular the following excerpts are made, which wdl be found of interest in business circles: FAILURES FOR 1884. States and Number in Fail- Ain’t of Territories. businese. urea, liabilities. Maine 13,408 231 $875,267 New Hampshire 7.955 96 572,072. Vermont 6,642 48 683,707 , Massachusettsl 390 4,010,791 Boston city.J . 395 6,332,329 Rhode 151 and....... 6,330 136 3,285,269 Connecticut 14,718 169 1,464,396Total Eastern States.. 92,381 1,375 $17,223,831 New York 85,320 706 10,949,894. New York City and Brooklyn 44,860 718 77,875,721 New Jersey2s,l72 119 1,319,339 Pennsylvania 76,730 653 12,340,133 Philadelphia city 23,154 225 6,892,032: Delaware 3,930 27 553,900 Maryland 15,647 112 2,028,189District of Columbia... 3,280 32 896,852

Total Middle States. .278,093 2,592 $112,856,050 Virginia. 14,085 193 2,415,254 West Virginia 7,996 66 605,560 North Carolina 9,714 170 1,441,621 South Carolina 6,487 102 877,065 Georgia 12,180 238 3,412,571 Florida 3,455 44 670,534 Alabama 8,388 68 1,453,311 Mississippi. 9,048 155 3,001,254 Louisiana 10,085 184 5,408,916 Texas 18,774 493 4,365.375. Arkansas 7,092 121 1,149,164 Kentucky. 21,324 219 2,063,265 Tennessee 14,321 238 1,654,861 Total Southern States.. 142,894 2,291 $28,318,557 Ohiol A . ... 552 9,710,039 Cincinnati cityf ’ 112 2,985,882. Indiana 35,835 112 5,775,113. Illinoistl .. 7an 304 5,714,951 Chicago city.f oi,w 329 6,946,986. Michigan 32,481 303 3,786,041 Wisconsin 26,497 170 4,252,470lowa 29,396 412 2,435,653Minnesota 18,164 220 4,510,101 Missouril in non 101 997,041 St. Louis city) *0,j22 6,349,456 Kansas 16,837 97 508,854 Nebraska. 10,344 220 1,400,396 Total Western 5tate5.336,910 8,369 $54,872,983 Indian Territory 351 Oregon 2,642 220 1,457,500Californial 353 2,411,400 San Francisco city ... j 2l ’ s,K> 910 3,755,500Colorado 6,911 139 2,259.385 Nevada 1,320 23 196,800Utah 2,418 36 201,921 New Mexico 1,458 25 189,808 Wyoming 697 2 72,500 Idaho’. 1,531 8 74,000 Dakota 9.370 117 729,642 Montana• 2(294 30 ”353,640 Washington 2,694 143 841,20 ft Arizona 923 25 528,700Alaska 36 /

Total Pacific States ... . and Territories..’... 54,481 1,341 $ 15,071,-996 Grand t0ta1.... ? 904,759 10,968 - Dominion of Canada... 65,994 1,327 19,191,306.; " An instructive comparison is given as be-. tween 1884 and 1883, and 1878, in the following table, which gives a condensed showing of the geographical distribution of the commercial casualties of these years: DISTRIBUTION AND

Number Number STATES. , in • of business, failures. 1884— • ' Easte-n ' tates 92,381 1,375Middle States 278,093 2,592. ■ Southern States 142,894 , 2,291 Western States 336,910 3,369- ‘ Pacificstates and Territories 51,481 " 1,341 Total for the United States 904,759 10,968 Dominion of Canada 65,994 1,327 1878— Eastern States..... 79,765 1,734 Middle States 229,385 8,199 Southern bta-es 96,297 1,415 Western States.... 240,933 3,436 Pacificstates and Territories 28,361 694 Total for the United States 674,741 10,478Dominion of Canada 56,347 1,697 I*B3 Eastern States 90,381 1,197' Middle States'. 262,021 2,136, Southern States 135,159 1,844 Western States 322,877 2,961 Pacificstates and Territories 53,605 1,046 ■ Total for the United States 863,993 9,184 Dominion of Canada 65,452 1,384

Amount Aver’gestates. of lialiabilities. bilities. 1884— Eastern States $17,223,831 $12,526 Middle States-. 112,856,060 43,540 Southern States 28,318,557 12,361 Western States 54,872,083 1 6,212 Pacific States and Territories 13,071,996 9,748 Total for the United States $226,343,427 $20,632 Dominion of Canada $19,191,306 $14,462 1878— Eastern States $35,294,026 $20,354 Middle States 95,293,466 29,788 Southern States, 26,322,961 18,602 Western States« 64,309,503 18,716 Pacific States and Territories 13,463,176 18,967 Total for the United States $234,383,132 $22,369 Dominion of Canada $23,908,677 $14,088 1883— Eastern States $37,861,897 $31,631 Middle States 57,108,534 26,736 Southern States 19,785,607 10,736 Western States 46,878,403 15,832 Pacific States and Territories 11,239,731 10,745 Total for the United States $172,874,172 $18,823 Dominion of Caaada.;,l $15,949,361 $11,524

The record of failures extending over twenty-eight years is grouped together in the statistics from 1857 to 1884, inclusive. They are interesting in that they convey an idea of the relative losses by bad debts in the various years. They are as follows: FAILURES FOR 28 YEARS. „ Amount of Year. Failures. liabilities. 1857 4,932 $291,750,000 1858 4,225 95,949,000 1869 3,913 64,394,000 1860 3,676 79,807,000 1861 6,993 207,210,000 1862 1,652 23,049,000 1863 495 7,899,900 1864 520 8,579,000 1865 530 17,625,000 1866 1,505 53,783,0*0 1867 2,780 96,666,000 1868 2,608 64,694,000 1869 2,799 75,054,054 1870.... 3,546 88,242,000 1871 2,915 85,252,000 1872 4,069 121,056,000 1873 5,183 228,499,900 1874 5,830 155,239,000 1875 7,740 201,000,000 1876 9,092 191,117.000 1877 8,872 190,669,936187810,478 234,383,132 1879 6,658 98,149,0531880 4,735 65,752,000 1881 5,582 81,155.982 1882 6,738 101,647,564 1883 9,184 172,874,172 188410,968 226,343,427

There may be hard times in Massachusetts, but we observe that the deposits in the savings banks of the State were increased during 1884 by a round $10,000,000, mostly in small sums from the wortring masses. • ■ An Indiana couple waited until the ages of 70 and 64 before making up their minds to wed; but, having come to that conclusion, they were so impatient that they rode thirty miles in a snowstorm to get to a clergyman. Benjamin F. Butler denies the statepent that he is about to write a book.