Democratic Sentinel, Volume 10, Number 9, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 April 1886 — WESTERN. [ARTICLE]

WESTERN.

Phil Kumler, District Attorney at Cincinnati, acting under orders of Solicitor General Goode, on tho ~*3d of March filed in the Federal Court at Columbus, a suit to test the validity of the 801 l telephone patents, citing tho defendants to enter appearance by May 1. Insurance agents claim that the losses by fire in Chicago last year consumed more money than was paid in premiums. Should tho citizens of St. Joseph, Mo., subscribe $200,000 toward the stock of the Chicago, Kansas and Nebraska Road, tho Bock Island Company will at once commence the building of four hundred miles of track on its Kansas extension. Harvey Whitehead, a youth of 16, whose parents reside at Bethel, Conn., drowned himself at Durand, 111. No indictment was found against Henry T. Wright, formerly Assistant Postmaster at Racine, who was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment in the penitentiary at Chester, Illinois, lor embezzling $5,000 of Government funds. Since tho decision in the Mackin caso by tho Federal Supreme Court, steps have beeu taken to secure Wright’s release! A. M. Billings, of Chicago, in said to have secured absolute control of the St. Louis, Kansas City and Colorado Railroad Company, in tho interest of tho Atchison and Topeka, which will soon commence work on a northern extension to St. Louis. The flour output at Minneapolis last week reached 90,000 barrels, against 81,000 barrels the preceding week. The decline in wheat has stopped tho free movement of flour.. Near Walker, lowa, a man named Armstrong rushed in front of a train, plaeod his head on tlio rails, and was beheaded by the wheels. Van Northwiek’s paper-bag factory at Batavia, 111., was destroyed by fire, property being destroyed to the amount of $75,000. The Windsor Hotel, a bank, and twenty-seven frame business structures at Salida, Col., were destroyed by fire. The total loss is placed at $120,000, with insurance of $45,000. William M. Smith, of Lexington, 111., formerly Speaker of tho lower house of the Illinois Legislature, and for some time a member of tho Railroad and Warehouse Commission, committed suicido by himself through tlio head. He had been in bud health for several years. The incorporation articles of the Minnesota & Northwestern Railway were placed on file last week in the Circuit Court at Freeport, 111. Tho company proposes to build a line from Chicago to East Dubuque, 111., but will probably continue tho lino to St Paul. Tho capital stock is $5,(10,0( 0. The office of the Argus , at Fargo, Dakota, Skid to liavo been worth $35,001), was totally exanguished by flames. The skeleton of a mastodon has been discovered on a farm near Mattoon, 111., and scientists from tho University of Illinois are expected to superintend the work of exhuming the remains. Teeth four inches square on the face have been taken tip. Mr. Robert L. Downing, an actor of great promise, appears the present week at McYicker’s Theater,' Chicago, in a new play entitled “Vautour, the Exile! ” The Eastern press speaks highly of tha play, and of the star's rendition of the chief l'ole.