Democratic Sentinel, Volume 12, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 February 1888 — Page 6

MURDER MOST FOUL.

A Chicago Millionaire Shot Dead in His Own House by Burglars. He Is Awakened by the Noise Hade by Forcing a Door and Confronts the Intruders. The Latter Fire Two Bullets Into His Body, Either One of Which Would Hare Proved Fatal. ! Chicago special.] Amos J. Snell, the millionaire real estate owner and acknowledged wealthiest landed proprietoron the West bide, was shot dead in the hallway of bis brown-stone residence at the oornerof Ada street ar.l Washington boulevard, Wednesday morn ng, at about 2 o’clock. Two bullets entered his body, one in the brain and the other in the heart. Either wound wouid have produced instant death. He was fouud

AMOS J. SNELL.

where he fell, five hours later, at the head of the front hall stairway, stretched at full Jeugth near the top step, lying in a pool of blood. His pistol, within a lew teet of his head, showed that one shot had been recently fired. <lhe wounds in the head and heart were produced with a 3-i-caliber revolver, and the shots were evidently fired at short range and while the dead man was facing south, thus exposing the left side to the murderer or murderes whio were ransacking his parlors. BURGLARS BECOME MURDERERS. The crime is one of the moot desperate and sensational which have been recorded for years in Chicago criminal annals. It was the direct •outgrowth of an atteiflpt— a successful one—to loot the residence of a wealth? c.tizen, who, in his foolhardy bravery, ran unconsciously into the very arms and revolvers of his desperate visitors. Contrary to the usual sensational and mysterious murder, there is but one theory connected with the crime, and that is that in robbing the house the thieves were surprised by Mr. Snell, and to escape committed murder. Who they are—lor it is generally believed that at least two were concerned in the crime—is not known, and thus far thero is not evon the slightest clew to their identity. The perpetrators of the crime are the only living witnesses of the tragedy, and thus necessarily the work of the police will be slow and in all probability futile, despite the fact that two man are now locked up in the Lake street police station suspected of knowing something of the murder. There were but five persons, besides the thieves, in the mansion when the crime was ■committed—Mr. i-nell, Miss llose Berkstaller, tho < ook, and Ida Bjorns tad t, a Swedish wait-ing-maid. Two grandchildren, Chesttr and Mildred Coffin, were as'.enp on on upper floor. • *: hkaiu) the shots fired. Miss Berkstaller was the only one who was nprisei of the bloody doings below-stairs, she Teing suddenly awakened at about two o’clock by the heavy report of a revolver and hearing loud cries of "Get out 1” “Leave hero 1” Another shot was fired and a moment later four other-* followed in rapid succession. She ran to one of the front windows, and, looking out, sought to call for helm The window-panels were frozen and she was unable to raise it. Keturning to her room, she aroused her companion, Miss Bjornstodt, and informed her in a frightened manner of what she had heard. Again she went to her doorway, calling out loudly, “Mr. tinell. Mr. Snell,” and, receiving no answer, 1 closed her door and went to bed. In answer to the remark that her conduct seemed very cool she said that she thought “Mr. Snell had fired his revolver during his sleep." Quiet being

CRACKING THE SAFE.

restored, the two girls aver that they, after a short conversation about the exciting events of the previous moments, soon fell asleep, and •were not awakened until morning, when the shouts of the coachman apprised them of the murder, STUMBLING OVER THE DEAD BODY. It was about <> :50 o’clock when Henry Winklehook, the family coachman, came from his home to the barn, about titty feet in the rear of the house, and started across the yard toward the kitchen door, it being his custom to start the fires in the morning. As he pushed open the storm-door his eves tell upon the jagged hole in the door leading into the kitchen, and he immediately surmised that a burglary had been committed. The door was locked, but, passing his hand through the aperture, he drew back the bolts and entered the house. The first thing toat met his astonished gaze was the family silverware piled up in a promiscuous heap on the dining-room taole. Without pausing an instant lie hurriedly ascended the stairs to call Mr. Snell and notify him of the burglary. As he reached the landing at the head of the stairway and was about to proceed to the sle« ping-rooms above, his foot struck some obstacle lying on the floor in the hall, and in the dim light he beheld a signt which almost paralyzed him with horror, t ying on his back in a pool of blood,with his white face upturned, .lay the dead body of his master. He was clad only in his night-shirt and trousers, and by his side lay a huge revolver. From two bullet holes, one in the head and the other through the left breast, blood was slowly oozing. Hor:ritied at what he saw, Winkel’book stepped over the prostrate form and rushed up the second flight of stairs, shouting at the same time to awaken the servants who were sleeping on the fourth floor. Hurriedly dressing themselves, the two girls descended to the parlor floor, and after a quick glance attue form of their employer they took possession of the lower part of the house while the coachman ran to the Lake street police station and informed the police of the murder and burglary. DETECTIVES SWARMING ABOUT THE PLACE. Beveral officers were quickly dispatched to the.scene of the tragedy, among them being Lieut. Hei ;aw, chief of detecthas. The body was placed on a stretcher and removed to the

bedroom es the dead man, the police assuming control at everything until the arrival of the Coroner who was immediately summoned. Meanwhile the Central Station detectives were sent for, and on their arrival a careful survey of the premises was made. Upon investigation it was found that the burglars—there were two of them, as the footprints in the snow would indicate—had attempted to force an entrance into the house of George B. Brooks, who lives at 431 Washington boulevard, three doors west of the Snell mansion. The supposition is that they had made a mistake in the house they intended to burglarize, and retracing tneir steps the tell-tale snow clearly showed that they climbed the intervening fences and entered the yard of Mr. fcnell from the rear, climbing the fence elcse by the barm The stO'm door was unfastened, and with a halfinch bit several boles were bored in the thin Eine panel close to the safety latch. With a eavy instrument the weakened spot was broken in. and it was bnt an easy matter for one cf tbem to insert his hand in the opening and pull back the bolt and the latch. Once inside the murderers made their way to Mr. Snell’s office, a small room in the front of the building, facing Washington boulevard, and commenced their work on the safe supposed 1 3 contain Mr. Smell's valuables. CLEVER MEN IN THEIR BCBINEBS. It was here that their work clearly denoted that they were experts in their line of business, Two holes were drilled in the door of the safe iust below the combination Before drilling the second hole clear through, the burglars discovered that the safe was not locked, it being the custom of Mr. Snell to leave the door unfastened, as whatever valuable papers he might have on hand were kept in an inner compartment—a small, soft-metal affair a trifle larger than a cigar-box. The rivets were cleverly removed and the face of the compartment taken off. In this box were 82,000 worth of Cook County warrants and two < hecks, one for 82,507.04, drawn in favor of Mr. Snell by A. J. Stone, his son-in-law. Mr. Stone is the manager of Mr. Snell’s property, and it is his custom to collect all the rents, which he banks in his own name, giving his father-in-law his own personal checks for the amounts. These were taken by the thieves, who next went into the dining-room, and after searching the closets they socured all the silverware, which they p led up in a heap cm the diningroom table so that it_ could easily be carried away in case they were disturbed in their operations. MR. SNELL AWAKENED BY THE NOISE. . A visit was then made to the parlors on the second floor to search for more valuables. The doors of the parlor were fastened, as Mrs. Snell had left lor Milwaukee a sow days before, and for years it has been her custom to lock the parlors whenever she intended to leave the city. A jimmy was applied to the front parlor doors, whicn gave way with a loud crash under the heavy pressure brought to bear on them. It is bolievei that this noise aroused Mr. Snell, who is a very light sleeper and who has for ' ears been on the lookout for midnight marauders. At all events he slipped into his trousers, and, seizing his revolver, started down the stairs m his stocking feet to investigate the cause of the noise. THE Hi ROLARS AT BAY. It is thought that he surprised one of the men in the open doorway, who quickly jumped inside, slamming the door shut behind him. Mr. Snell then fired a shot through the door at the

MR. SNELL FIRES THE FIRST SHOT.

retreating tdief, which was immediately answered by two shots from the inside, one of the bullets burying itself in the plaster in the hall, while the other plowed a short furrow in the woodwork of the door Mr. isnell, who wag a large, powerful man, about 64 years of ago, and perfectly fearless, evidently started through the hall to the rear parlor door t« intercept the flight of the burglars. This piece of daring cost him his life. Tne rear door was opened from the inside by the men seeking to make their escape. SHOOTING THE OLD MAN DOWN. Two shots were fired in rapid succession, both of which took effect in the bo ly of the aged man, who doubtless fell dead. One bullet entered the left side of his head and buried itself in his brain The other entered tlio left breast and passed through the upper part of the heart. The murderers then were cbmpelled to stop over the body of their victim, and doubtless made their way down stairs and out through the kitchen door, as there is no evidence to show that they made their exit by any other door. The bcdy of the murdered man lay in the hall until it was discovered by the coachman about five hours later. HEARD SHOOTING, RUT DID NOT INVESTIGATE. Rosa Berkstailer, the cook, who was awakened by the noise of the shooting, but who had failed to investigate the causo or make an outcry, was interviewed by a Daily News reporter. She is a German girl about 2d years of age, and speaks fairly good English, but with a strong foreign accent.

“I don't know exactly what time it was when I woke up, and heard the shooting," she said, “but I think it was a little after 1 o'clock. I jumped out of bed and ran to the door of my room, and thought I heard Mr. Snell down stairs saying 'Get out!’ 'Get out I’ Then there were three or four more shots fired. I wag terribly frightened and ran to the secon-d-girl's room and woke her up, telling her that 1 thought there was trouble down stairs. While she was getting out of bed I ran back to my own room and endeavored-to open the window, to make an outcry. The sash was frozen fast and I could not move it. I listened a moment, and then, hearing considerable noise in the street, I scraped the frost from the glass and looking out saw several carriages moving up

THE THIEVES RETURN THE FIRE.

and down on the street I heard some one calling out something in a loud voice and once distinctly heard the words ‘Humber 25.’ Then I went back to Ida’s room and n gain said that something was wrong down-stairs and I would go and see if Mr. Hnell was i a his room. I went to the head of the stairs and listened,

but heard nothin* more. I called Mr. Snell's name several times, and would have gone only I knew that Mr. Snell often walked in his sleep, sometimes even carrying his revolver with him. He was always afraid of burglars and would talk of them in bis Bleep. Ida said that I had better not go downstairs, as I might meet Mr Snell in the hall and he might take me for a burglar and shoot me by mistake. I was still very much frightened and so was Ida, bnt after listening at the stairway a few minutes longer, and hearing no more noise, I went back to bed.” THE MURDERED MAN. Amos J. Snell was a native of Little Falls, N. Y.. and was 65 years old He had lived in Chiand vicinity since 1814, and had accumulated a fortune of at least 83,0 Jo,ooo. He was the owner of net less than 400 substantial residences audl business houses on the West Side, many of them of handsome design and exceptionally expensive. As the city grew he Improved his property, and now it is asserted that almost every foot of it is improved and bringing in handsome revenues. Nearly all of his property consists of marble stone fronts, of which he is thought to have owned at least 350. Man vof them are located on Ada, Randolph. Elizabeth. Sheldon, Fulton, and Madison streets, Washington boulevard, Milwaukee avenue, and Ogden avenue. His own residence, corner of Washington boulevard and Ada street, where he was murdered, is one of the handsomest on the drive. He has been known to say that he did not know how

THE FATAL SHOT.

much he was worth, but supposed that it was more than 83,00J,0.X). Be was a close business man, and, although in his later years ho became worth millions, he looked after his cents as carefully as when he was worth but a few hundreds. It mattered not how small the debt one owed to him, if only Si, he made it a practice to collect it when due, and demand it emphitlcilly if it were not promptly forthcoming. Besides the real estate he owned in the city, he possessed large tracts in Jeffersou, Bark Ridge, Schaumberg, and in the State of lowa. PUBLIC SENTIMENT AROUSED. The murder of Mr. Snell seems to be the logical climax of the series of bold, and in many cases desperate, burglaries which have been committed in Chicago. The crime has aroused the people from their supinehess. In every quarter of the city the dreadful tragedy was the chief, and for that matter tho only, topic of cbnversation. In the clubs, at the restaurants. and at the fireside the details of the assassination, as far as known, were canvassed to the minutest degree. The whole system of municipal police and demand for greater home protection were discussed in every direction. But in no locality was the dreadful theme more vigorously handled than in the immeiiate vicinity of Mr. Snell’s residence. Public sentiment was so aroused that the people talked of little else than vigilance committees and frequent holdings of court by Judge Lynch as a panacea for the lawless era that had come upon them. A number of suspicious characters have been arrested by the police, but it ie not believed the guil*y parties have vet been -eeured. More arrests are to follow. The detectiies are absolutely without a clew.

A Diver’s Fight with a Shark.

A diver named Quintreo had a remarliable light with a formidable fish called the boultous or bondro, a kind of shark, which infests the Breton coast, at Douarnenez, the other day. Quintree had a narrow escape. The diver, an old salt, was employed by the Government, and in pursuit of his daily labor duly descended, in a diving apparatus, off the Douarnenez pier for the purpose of lading the foundation of an addition to that structure. While he was at the bottom of the sea the men who were working the airpump in the pontoon boat above were suddenly frightened by feeling the alarm signal. They immediately pulled up and brought a large boultous, nearly eight feet long to the surface. The marine monster’s head formed threequarters of his length, and his under jaws were of immense size. Shortly afterward Quintree came up, his hand on the air-pipe of his helmet and his diving apparatus somewhat damaged. When he went down to his work he had scarcely got to the last rung of the ladder when he saw the sea monster lying between two huge lumps of rock. He had in his hands only his stone chisel and a hammer, and he intended to go up for a crowbar at once, but the fish was too fast for him.

It came toward him through the green water with its enormous jaws wide open. Without losing a moment Quintree managed to wound the animal in the throat with his chisel, and then held it down on a stone while he drew his knife and made a hole in its body through which he passed a rope, and thus sent the fish to the surface. Had it not been for his quickness and dexterity the diver, owing to the rents which the fish would make in his apparatus, would have been drowned and then devoured. As it happened, it was the boultous that was not only defeated but eaten, for its body was divided among the victor and his comrades, who made a c&pit&V.bouillabaisse of its prime parts. —London Telegraph.

“WILLIE Waffrers,” said the teacher, “which is the shortest day in the year?” “Twenty-fust day of December,” said Willie, who was correct as far as the writer knows. “And Tommy Tuff may tell ns which is the longest day,” said the teacher, indulgently. “Sunday,” shouted Tommy.—Philadelphia Chronicle. “I SAY, doctor, was the surgical operation you performed on Monday last a success?” “A success? Why, I should say so. I was paid $250 in advance. ” “And how’s your patient?” “Oh, he’s dead.” A sign in the rooms of a hotel reads as follows: “Indian-clubs and dumb-bells will not be permitted in any of the rooms. Guests in need of exercise can go dcfwn to the kitchen and pound a steak.”

“THE LAND OF CANAAN”

Which the American Horticultural Society Indorses with Enthusiasm. [Special correspondence.] Han Jose, Cab, Jan. 31st, 188& "hen the American Horticultural Society, in session at Cleveland, Omo, last year, voted to hold their eighth annual secs.on at Han Jose, California, they “budded better than they knew. ” T hat ta the universal testimony of the de.egatee here who, by coming, have escaped the terrtbie blizzards raging east of the Rocky Mountains, ana at the same time have come to th 3 spot where Horticulture is on its native heath, and challenges comparison with the world, without fear of the result. Han Jose, where the Association has just held its session, is the county seat of Hanta Clara County, and the center of all the Santa Clara Valley. Its Mexican history dates back over one hundred years, but Mexican history » half-civdized, non-progressive era, Which does not count for much, and no California town has a history worth recording earlier than ’49. It is notable that the spot where San Jose ie located attracted attention at an early date, both from the Mexicans and Americans. The Mexicans were attracted there in 1777, and the Jesuits located a mission at Santa Clara, three miles distant, the same year. When, in 1849, the gold discoveries attracted Americans in large numbers to California, San Jose was instantly recognized as an advantageous point Consequently, the first constitutional convention, which convened at Monterey, the temporary capital, selected San Jose as the capital of the State, and the first California Legislature met in this city. In those early days the capital was a great bone of contention, and San Jose finally lost it; bnt the fact remains that the selection was the unbiased judgment of the early pioneers, while the removal was due to and real-estate influences. The visiting horticulturists heartily indorse the judgment of the early pioneers. We find here a Beautiful and home-like city of 20,000 people, the fifth in size in the State, Wide streets, paved and macadamized; elec-tric-light towers, street railroads, and an electric street railroad nearing completion; churches and schools in abundance; charming drives, and in the city and county combined many more notable points than is ordinarily vouchsafed one locality.

NOTABLE POINTS. •The State Normal School, located in a beautiful tract of land, thirty acres in extent* doBy the city, averages 545 pupils. This institution was visited by the Horticultural Association in a body, as were many other points of interest Here, too, is the Convent of Notre Dame, with two or three hundred pupils. Within two miles is the University of the Pacific, an extensive Methodist institution, with 300 pupils. At Santa Clara, three miles distant, is the famous school of the Jesuit Fathers, with 400 pupils. These, with five jmblic schools, would seem to supply both San Jose and Santa Clara County; but these do not comprise aIL Within the county and twelve mues distant from San Jose is ? Alto, where Senator Stanford is building the Leland Stanford-Junior University, as a monument to his deceased son—an only child, who died while traveling in Europa Senator Stanford has endowed the instition to the extent of #20,000,000, making it financially the strongest institution in the country. With such an endowment there is no doubt it will also be the strongest intellectually when completed, as so magnificently planned. In addition to the university Senator Stanford has here his country seat and world-famous stables, where the finest running and trotting stock in this country is produced. Fifteen hundred acres, over 50J horses, and buildings and employes in proportion, give a fa nt idea of the extent of these stables. A night school for the boys and rational amusement for all are provided on the grounds.

THE LICK TELESCOPE. Many of the Horticulturists enjoyed a delightful drive—albeit there was a thin coat of mud on the road—to Mt Hamilton, twentyfour miles distant This is the site of the Li'ck telescope and observatory. San Jose and vicinity seem to have been especially favored by public enterprises. James Lick, a Pennsylvania bachelor, was attracted to California by the gold fever of ’49, and, as the saying goes, he “struck it rich.” His mining work and investments were especially dor lunate. He lived, personally, in a very parsimonious manner, and his increasing fortune was never diminished by any luxury for himself. In spite of such a life, he provided in his will to turn his great property over to trustees for public institutions; and the greatest of all was $700,000, which was to be devoted to this observatory. The lenses for the telescope were only put in place a few weeks ago, though it is twelve years since Lick’s death, and eight years since the work of building the observatory wai vigorously begun. San Jose iB but ninety feet, wh lo the observatory is over ~000 feet above the sea level. It is literally A monument to the founder, for his remains lie under the marble pier, which, thanks to his liberality, supports the most powerful telescope in the world. The visit to Mt Hamilton was one which every one enjoyed. This trip will be a pilgrimage for visitors to San Jose for all time, and fitly so, for the great telescope is one of the wonders of the world. In fac&i it is bringing scientific men to see it from distant foreign countries, as well as from all portions of our own. QUICKSILVER MINES. Twelve miles from San Jose we find the New Almaden quicksilver mines, which have no equal in the world save the Almaden mines in Spain. The existence of this rich ore was known to the Spaniards in 1824, but it was not until 1864 that work was systematically begun. No gold mines in the State have proved so uniformly productive, and the net earnings of these mines are between three and four million dollars per year. The mines have penetrated 2,500 feet’ below the surface of the earth, and are still going. The plant, or machinery for carrying on the great work, is something tremendous, and well worthy a long journey to inspect Deposits of asphalt found in the county afford San Jose cheap sidewalks and fine street paving. It will in time vie with Washington in asphalt pavement, and this, too, without the importation from foreign lauds, as was the case at the National Capital. The parks and pleasant drives properly come under the head of “notable points,” but in reality they are too numerous to notice in detail. lon simply cannot go in any direction from San Jose without finding attractive drives, and some of thorn are positively enchanting. THE HORTICULTURAL ASSOCIATION. It was really difficult to secure a full attendance upon the Horticultural Association, so many were engaged in out-door roamings and sight-seeing. It was such a marked contrast to hovering over huge fires or wading in snow encased in buffalo overcoats, that the delegates seemed to want to make ttie most of their time by enjoying the open air or visiting the horticultural fair, which was in progress. Still there was much interest in the proceedings, and an interchange of information and experience which cannot fail to be valuable to all in attendance. - - The sessions were presided over by Parker Earle, of Cob Jen, 111., and continued for three days. President Earle’s annual address contained the following explanation of why they were here: It was nearly fifty years ago that I had my first dream of a horticultural paradise, as I read, in the good old Bible story, the report of that exploring oommittee which Moses sent out to search the land of Canaan, and spy out its resources and “to bring back the fruit of the land.” Now, Moses being the wisest of his race, and the greatsst leader of men, did not ask i is committees to brfcig back samples of the graiu, the merino wool, the short staple cotton, or the best breeds of live stock, Short Horns or Jerseys, but simply to bring back the fruit of the land. For Moses seemed to know that the country which could grow the best fruits was the very best country for the chosen people of the Lora to emigrate to. And when this first

horticultural deputation returned laden with the figs, the pomegranates, and the great cluster of grapes from the hanks of the brook of Lachoi, that the two men Lore on a staff between them—and 1 know that that cluster of grapes reached from the on the men’s shoulders nearly to the ground, tor my moth ors great Bible pictured it that way—then Moses and Aaron and Caleb and the few wise men of Israel wanted to go up and possess the land, notwithstanding the sons cf Anak dwolt there, SDd the other tribes of like great stature, but the mass of the people of Israel were igndtsnt, and did not appreciate this horticultural exhi - mtion and the promise of the better liie that was poas.ble in a fruit-growing country, but they grumbled and rebelled, and they aileuffered the righteous penalty for tbe.r neglect of such a nobie opportunity. But X well remember the longing with which I considered t_>&t enormous bunch of grapes and the impulse I had to go and find a country where tney grow grapes in big clusters.

THE LAND OF CANAAN. And so a few of us horticultural dreamers nave come oyer the great fertile plains and across the thirsty deserts, and have climbed the gigantic walls which fortify you against invasion, to test for ourselves the climate and the frmta of this earthly paradise. We think we like the land and the fruits thereof, and shall make a good report of them to ail the chosen people qi Israel. My friends of the land of Canaan, we are glad that we came. We are glad to be with you and to see the welcome which shines in all your faces. We come as fruit growers, and gardeners, and forest planters, and builders of homes, to greet our brethren in a land whose conditions of culture we have long envied We have come to study these new condition's for ourselves; to gain new ideas which we may apply where our surroundings a.e less favorable ; to compare views as to many questions regarding which we have a common interest, and to drink with you at the fountains of enthusi« asm which have inspired you to so many bril- , enterprises ail along this golden coast. dne .President also urged congressional legislation to prevent wanton destruction of forests, and tue discussion which ensued showed a strong sentiment in favor of such a coarse, and resolutions requesting legislation were adopted. A paper from J. M. bmith. of Wisconsin, favored fertilizing the soil, hut the discussion which followed showed there was no such necessity in California Mr. Wilcox said the soil of a great part of Hanta Clara Couniy was inexhaustible. In boring artesian welis it had been lound that a good garden soil extended to a depth of over five hundred feet. Five crops of alfalfa could be produced in one year without materially diminishing the production. As much as eighty-five bushels of wheat had been raised to the acre, but small fruits, eta, were found to be more valuable, and people quit raising wheat. He had raised, he said, 1,000 pounds of onion seed from two acres. At various stages of the proceedings there were similar developments, showing that the labor and care required for the produetion of fruit in the East was very much more than in California, and the Californians, being on thsir native heath, clinched their arguments by citations and illustrations of practical experience.

AT HORTICULTURAL HAT.T. The people of Han Jose have erected a permanent building, 80 feet wide by 166 leet long, in which to make the Citrus and Horticultural "exhibits. The proceedings of the National Association were made especially interesting by having a Citrus Fair in progress At Horticultural Hall at the same time. Though held at the most unfavorable time of the year the Eastern visitors were greatly astonished at what they sfiw. Santa Clara County does not make great pretensions to being a citrus region, because the people frankly say they can make more money oat of less perishable fruit, but the exhibit here this week shows that it is a citrus region without assuming to be. There are several canning factories here, and so while citrus fruits grow in the county in considerable quantities, the staples are prunes, apricots, pears, peaches, cherries, figs, olives, eta The exhibit of these truits, canned or dx'ied, or both, was something astonishing. Of the smaller fruits, strawberries, raspberries, eta, titye production is large, and especially of strawberries. Ninetenthß of all the strawberries in the State are grown in this county, two crops a year being secured, the market time ranging from May to January. There was also an exhibit of almonds, English walnuts, pecans, and other varieties of nuts, all produced in profusion in Santa Clara Valley. A pyramid of vegetables rising twentyfive feet high, and comaining 150 to 200 pound squashes and 100-ponnd heels (as large in circumference as a man’s body), attracted a good deal of attention from the Eastern visitors. To enumerate all the attractions of the exhibit would require a volume, but it was a happy tribute to place before the National Horticultural Association. THE TEMPERATURE. San Jose proposes to let her light shine, and has an energetic Board of Trade, whose rooms are constantly open to supply visitors with all kinds of information relative to lands, prices, products, eta One of ihe most comprehensive little volumes I have seen is issued by this Board for general circulation, descriptive of Santa Clara County. In talking with the Secretary, Mr. Edward B. Lewis, he showed me the following thermometr:cal record: The highest temperature during 1886 was 92 degrees at 11 o’clock, June 8; and the lowest was 28 degrees above zero on Jan. 4, at 7 a. m. The highest for 1887 was 89 degrees at 3:30 p. m., June 19; and the lowest was 28 degrees above zero on Jan. 28. at 7 a. in. They take their observations four times a day, and every day in the year, and these figures are not the average , but the actual highest and lowest points reached during the years named. Mr. Lewis told me that the price of land in the county ranged from S4O to SSOO per acre, according to location and amount of improvement There is, of course land held at lower and also at higher figures, but I give an average range. To realize 10 per cent interest on SI,OOO from the products of a single acre is quite moderate, and oftentimes double that amount is produced. In sac, five acres, well handled, will support a family. The Horticultural Association did not conclude its session here, but adjourned to meet at Riverside, in the southern part of the State, on February 6, and in the meantime the delegates will roam about viewing other wonders as well as the products of Santa Clara Valley, though these have nearly filled their capacity to the utmost limit.

An Unkind Retort.

Sardanapnlus Jones, of Austin. Texas, married an old maid for her money. She was distressingly ugly, but her bank account was healthy. As soon as Sardanapalus got his hand on the money, he began to spend it in a reckless manner. Mrs. Joqes remonstrated. She said: “It’s shameful the way you squander my money. In a few years I shall be entirely ruined. ” “Ruined in a few years!” exclaimed Jones, brutally; “why, confound it, you were an old ruin before I married you. ” A four-teak-old boy who has been in the habit of repeating a formulated prayer every evening, surprised his parents the other night by saying: “O God, I wish you would make the trees walk.” When remonstrated with for his singular request he replied; “You say God can do anything and I want to see the trees walk, and I shan’t pray for anything else until they do.” A succession of direful shrieks was heard on the first floor. Fond mother—- “ What is the matter with Billy?” Colored servant—“ Please, mam, he is crying for annder plate ob preserves.” “He can’t 1 ave anymore. He has had four already.” “Dem is de berry ones he ii whoopin’ about. He’s all swolled up."