Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 12, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 April 1893 — Page 5

SOMEWHAT STRANGE.

ACCIDENTS AND INCIDENTS OF EVERYDAY MFE. Queer Facts and Thrilling Adventures Which Show That Truth la Stranger Than Fiction. “It is not often that an engineer stays on his seat in the face of a collision if he has a chance to jump,” said an old railroad man. “When he doesn’t jump it’s because he hasn’t time. I remember once when an engineer was metaphorically frozen to his seat. I was on the engine at the time. See these gray hairs,” ana he pushed back his hat. “I got them all in about two minutes. It happened on the Indianapolis division of the Pennsylvania line. I was in charge of the fast mail train No. 7, and Charley Mann, as good an engineer as ever took hold of a throttle, was hauling us. No. 7is a fast train, anyhow, but that night we were late out of Columbus, and I tell you we were splitting the wind. Having nothing else to do I climbed over to the engineer and asked Charley to let me run her awhile, and he pushed over to give me room. Everything went as lovely as a May-day dance until we started down the hill. Suddenly a red light showed up ahead of us on the track. The awfulness of that minute I can never describe. ‘We are gone, Charley 1’ I yelled to the engineer behind me. ‘There’s a flat car ahead of us. See that red light.’ “Charley saw it and started to get down. I yelled to him not to do it; that we might escape death, but if we jumped from that engine, running at least eighty miles an hour, we would be killed sure. I shut ofl the steam, and, throwing on the air-brake, began ‘plugging* her. The wheels reversed, but she rode over the sand as if there was none on the track. Charley clung to m$ with wide-staring eyes, and I honestly believe he was praying. Nearer, nearer we rushed to that fatal light—and dashed post it. Soon we had stopped, and I called the fireman to go back, with me and ascertain what it was. He could not move, and when I pulled him from his sejjt he was as stiff as a poker, and It was sevffal seconds before he could utter a sound. The poor fellow was paralysed with fear, and it was a long time before ho recovered. What was the red light doing there? A fool agent had come up the track to flag a train following us and had left his red light near the rails. When I meet him I never felt so much like murdering a man in my life.”

A peculiar accident in which a cow and a fast-flying locomotive figured prominently happened on the Metropolitan Branch Baltimore and Ohio railroad, near Terra Cotta, a few days ago. The locomotive, the Chicago limited engine 840, piloted by Peter Yaeger, the famous “fast runner” engineer, noted for, his thirty-eight minute trip from Baltimore to this city with fire engines at the time of the Patent Office fire, was on one of his fast runs. When nearing this place two cows were on the track. As the second one got off it was caught in a cramped position at the end of a standing box oar and was struck by the locomotive in such a way that its tail was cut off as cleverly as could be within three inches of its body and thrown a hundred feet away, leaving the cow otherwise unhurt. The tail is in the possession of Alexandra Johnson, the Baltimore and Ohio yardmaster. He has been railroading for twenty-five years, but says this was something phenomenal and vows he will send it with its history to the world’s fair if he can find a place for it. The owner of the cow has already claimed damages, but •whether for the value of the tail or compensation for his trouble in keeping flies off the unfortunate animal during the coming summer is not yet known to the officials of the railroad.

Sib William Dalby, the noted English specialist in aural surgery, makes public a remarkable series of facts regarding the influence of emotions upon the senses. He mentioned a lady who, standing before the toilet table and looking through the door into the dressingroom, saw in a mirror the reflection of her husband in the act of cutting his throat. From that moment she was absolutely deaf. Similarly a sudden loss hearing happened to a young married lady who was suddenly brought face to face with her dead husband at a time when she believed him to be quite well and when she was going to meet him after a long absence. On various occasions Sir William Dalby has noted the remarkable effects produced upon, the hearing by emotional influences, not Ofily by great mental shocks, but by ipmtal strata. He has known not only rudden grief, but also overwhelming joy, instantly to make a person quite deaf, has known the sense of smell to be lost by strong emotional influence and with this the s&nsc of taste. French lovers sometimes resort to bold expedients to circumvent the law yyhicji forbids marriage without eqnserff; of the parents of Doth the Bride and groom, even though the couple be each fifty jears old. A case before the courts is that of tEe sun of a distinguished General and the daughter of a wealthy Martinique couple, who had separated. The father of the bride gave his conseht, but the ippthqr refused* A clause of the law provides that if a parent has disappeared and four persons swear to the fact consent may bo waived. The groom produced four persons who swore that his prospective mother-in-law was nowhere to be found. The marriage then took place privately. A friend who met the mother the other day, informed her that she had a charming son-in-law. - Indignant at the trick played on her, she asks the courts to declare the marriage void and punish all concerned. When the Government relief boat paid its semi-monthly visit to the lighthouse at Roches Douvres. on the Breton coast, some weeks ago, the officers found one of the two lightkeepers in a halfstarved and almost wholly insane condition, and in one of the two rooms in the lighthouse the dead and decomposed body of the othor keeper. It was learned that almost a fortnight before the assistant keeper had fallen down the stairs and was instantly killed. The survivor made signals of distress, but not a vessel came near the lighthouse, and for the two weeks subsequently he had to keep by him the body of his dead companion, for he feared that if he threw it into the sea he might be accused of murder. He scarce ate or slept while waiting for the relief boat and vainly making signals for help He kept the light burning at nignt, but his terrible experience almost killed him. C. M. Sawyeb, cashier of the Dexter, (Me.) National Bank, possesses a very peculiar faculty for telling the weight of things off-hand. *He cannot explain what the power is, but that he can exercise it correctly there can be no doubt. Numerous instances of its use are told. One is that a merchant was one day preparing to weigh a boxful of old copper •craps, all shapes and stass thrown In at

hap-hazard. Just then Mr. Sawyer stepped into his store. Seeing the box and the scales be remarked: “You needn’t weight that, for I can tall you to an ounce just what it weighs. The thought came to me just as I came in the door that that box an dcontents weighed just 378 pounds.” The dealer was not prepared to adopt this mode of weighing without verifying it, so he put the box on the scales, and it tipped the beam at exactly the weight named. A remarkable family record is that of Thomas and Catherine Smith, who moved to Coles county, 111., in 1830 and settled near Janesville. Both of them died in February, 1865. They left fifteen children, fourteen of whom are still living. Twelve of them have grandchildren and three have great-grand-children. Counting the whole generation from the parents down there are now 236 persons living, as given in the following recapitulation: Fourteen children, 71 grandchildren, 112 great-grand-children, and 9 great-great-grand-chil-dren. Some curious figures bearing on longevity are published by the vicar of Sandhurst, England, iu a periodical called Gloucestershire Notes and Queries. He says that during the last half-century he finds in his parish registers 68 persons who died between the ages of 80 and 90, and 16 between 90 and 100 years of age. Of these, 8 were 95 years and upwards, and 32 were 85 and upwards. Of the former, one was 99 and another, 100. The centenarian was one Hannah Hancock, who died in 1859. Out of the 16 persons over 90, 12 were females. Antone. Nelson, a Colorado cowboy, lassooed an eagle a few days ago. Nelson, was riding over the praire on his little cow-pony with his lasso tied to his saddle, when he saw the eagle flying ahead of him quite close to the ground. He started his pony on a run towards the bird, and when a short distance away threw his rope, which settled over the eagle’s neck and under one wing, and he succeeded in getting the bird to the ranch-house alive. The eagle measured eight feet from tip to tip of its wings. A RESIDENT of a New Jersey village had his watch in soak for three weeks winter in a peculiar way. He dropped it into the millpond, in about six feet of water, and during the night the pond froze over. Three weeks later, when the ice had gone and it was possible to drain the pond and search the bottom, the watch was found. It had a waterproof case, and, having been dropped in the water at half past nine, it had stopped at half past four after running seven hours under water. It is running as usual now. Thousands of dead crows lie upon the ground under the trees on the mountain east of Frush Valley, beyond McKnight’s Gap, Penn. This place has been a roosting place for crows for many years. The unusually severe winter and the deep snow have killed the birds. There are said to be tons upon tons of dead crows on the mountain at this famous roosting place. The coldness has blinded many of them so they cannot find any food. Mrs. Mary Slack, of Cleveland, attended a funeral in Woodland Cemetery, and took a seat in the corner of the vault, where she fell asleep. The mourners departed, the vault was locked, and awoke at three o’clock in the morning. Her cries alarmed the guard, and it was thought that one of the bodies entombed the previous day had come to life. She was released and sent home in an undertaker’s wagon, and became quite ill. Lieutenant Smoiloff of the Russian Army has trained the falcon to carry messages in lien of the pigeon. The falcon has several advantages over tho ordinary carrier. A pigeon easily flies ICO leagues at a speed of eight to ten leagues an hour, but a falcon can as easily cover fifteen leagues an hour for fifteen hours, whereas the pigeon rarely accomplishes such a feat. A blind beggar, in the streets of Paris, bore on his breast a picture representing indistinctly an earthquake or an explosion of fire-damp. A gentleman stopped and kindly questioned the poor beggar. “Tell me, my good man, in what country that catastrope occurred of which you have been the victim. “I can’t tell. I bought the painting at an auction sale.”

The First Use of Gas.

Great was the amazement of all Europe when, at about the close of the last century, William Murdoch discovered that gas could be used for illuminating purposes. So little was the invention understood by those who had not seen it in use that even the great and wise men (?) of the British Parliament, laughed at the idea. “How can there be light without a wick ? ” said one member of that august body with a wink and a knowing nod. Even the great Sir Humphrey Davy ridiculed the jdga of. lighting towns find cities with gas. ifeohe day asked Murdoch, “Do you mean to use the dome ol §t. Paul’s ror your gas peter ? ” Sir Walter Scott also made merry of the gas idea and of the coming attempt to ‘‘illuminate London with smoke from a tar factory.” When the House of Commons was finally lighted with the new illuminant the architect and custodian of the building, who imagined that the gas ran as fire through the pipes, insisted that they be removed several inches from the wall to prevent the building from taking fire! Several distinguished members were also observed carefully touching the pipes with their gloved’ fingers and then smelling of them to see if they could detect the odor of- burnt leather. The first shop in London lighted by gas was one of which a Mr. Ackerman, a German, was the proprietor. The shop was on the Strand, and the date was 1810. One of theladiosof rank who often visited the Ackerman shop was so delighted with the brilliancy of a gas jet on one of the counters that she requested the proprietor to let her take it home for the evening, promising- to return it safe and sound on the morrow. Although many lay clay claim to the honor of being the first to introduce gas for practical purposes, all the glory there is in it should be accorded to Murdoch, who was, no doubt, the original discoverer of the' art.—[St. Louis Republic.

Gray-Haired at Sixteen.

“What cauSed my hair to turn gray so early in life, did you ask?” said the genial Mr.. Anderson in the rotunda of the Southern in answer to a question. “When I was a lad of sixteen years it was common sport to coast down Morgan street to the Lwee. In February of that year there was a sleet and a snow storm similar to this, and many small and some larger boys were enjoying the sport of dying down that steep declivity. I tools

a turn and had borrowed a sled for the purpose. Lying on my stomach, the sled was given a start by a comrade and it fairly flew down the slippery track. As the sled neared the foot of Morgan street, across which a train was passing, I heard the puff, the puff an engine, and knowing I was rushing toward it like the wind, my presence of mind forsook me and I lost all control of the sled. Shutting my eyes And clinching the sled tighter with my hands while I breathed a good-bye to all my friends, concionsness left me, and when it returned I was lying on a bench in one of the saloons on the levee and a crowd of men and boys were grouped around me, I was unhurt, having passed under the car at such a rate of speed that the trucks failed to catch me. Upon rising from tho bench and glancing in tho mirror over the bar, I noticed that my hair, formerly so black and gloss/, had turned to almost snowy whiteness.”—[St. Louis Republic.^

“TOURNAMENT OF ROSES.”

An Annual Southern California Festival. The “Tournament of Roses” is given every year; it might be called a floral thanksgiving, as the idea which suggested the festival was the coming of the winter flowers and the ripening of the orangep. It is essentially a children’s day; and the young folks are encouraged to take part in it. For weeks beforehand the tournament is talked of, and the fortunate owners of pony-carriages and carts are vying with one another in the elaboration of designs to compete for the prizes offered to the vehicles showing the most beautiful and artistic floral decoration. Prizes are given also for the various races of ponies, horses, and burros, —one prize being for the last burro to arrive in a slow race. Finally the day—the first of the new year—arrives. Early in the morning the E recession forms. The boys and girls on orseback, their steeds garlanded with flowers, join the master of ceremonies. The band plays gaily ; and they wend their way to the park, where the tournament is to b$ Ijpld The grand stand is already packed with men, women, and children, nnd in front is a heaping pile of oranges and flowers, free to all. Finally the master of ceremonies rings a bell, the young folks stand back, and the track is cleared. The first event is a revival of an old Italian and Spanish sport, played in the fifteenth century, and known as “tilting at tho ring.” Rings a little larger than a napkia-ring are suspended at intervals over the course, and the “knights” charge upon them at full speed, endeavoring to carry off as many rings on their long lances as they can. The one taking the greatest number is declared the victor. Shouts and cheers greet the knights, some of whom often are descendants of the oldest Spanish families in the State, next comes the hurdle-race or trenchjumping, by fine California thoroughbreds. “Can it be, as I have heard, that a calla-lily hurdle is used?” we have heafd asked. Quite possible, for the men now drag across the track a veritable hedge of the white flowers—to Eastern eyes the most remarkable hurdle a horse ever jumped. The bell rings, and away go the racers. They clear the hurdle in graceful leaps, and sweep past the grand stand with a clatter of hoofs and a jangle of silver trappings from the old Mexican saddles, spurs and bits. The third event is a race in which the young folks are particularly interested. Two fine greyhounds—“ Mouse” and her grandson “Junior”—have challenged the fastest race-horse in Pasadena. Mouse is bedecked with a huge collar of red geraniums (the “colors” of the club to which she belongs), and looks up, blinking and winking very hard, as much as to soy, “I have run away from this horse on many a hunt, and don’t propose to be defeated before all these people.” All is ready. The track on both sides is crowded with eager faces. “Go!” shouts the starter. Around comes the race-horse, “Daisy,” and as she crosses the line with hardly a glance at her old companions, Mouse and Junior are slipped, and they dash away amid a chorus of oheers and shouts. The horse skims along like a bird, but close beside her are the two dogs, moving like machines. Around the course they go, Junior ahead, barking and thinking it great sport, while old Mouse hangs at the quarter, looking up every few moments to see why Daisy does not go faster. Louder grow the shouts as the competitors pass around the great cirole. Boys and girls crowd upon the track, and the cry goes up that the dogs are ahead. A moment later, horse ana dogs come rushing across the line, the latter well in advance. As every one knows that the fastest horse cannot run away from a greyhound, the defeat of Daisy is considered no disgrace. While the dogs are being congratulated and the kennel of fox-hounas beneath the graud stand is howling and baying a welcome, the open space within the track is cleared for the polo-teams, and for an hour they give an exciting exhibition of their manly sport—[St Nicholas.

Easter Kisses In Russia

There arc records of very many curious Easter customs. In Russia, every female even a princess, must submit to be kissed by the lowest boor who presents her with an egg; but in some parts of England a stilt more curious, and if possible, more senseless custom prevailed * *‘A chair, gayly decked with ribbons and artificial flowers, is placed in front of some inn or house of public resort, upon the seat of which is a raw egg. The chair is attended to by a number of gayly-dressed damsels, who seize upon any man passing, and, despite his kicking and struggles, seat him with n good hard bounce upon the egg. He is then grasped by a dozen strong hands and lifted bodily, chair and all, In the air, above the heads of the assembled bystanders, lowered, and raised again. This is repeated three times. Instead of being allowed to depart, however he is embraced, perforce, and kissed by every one of the attendant graces.—[New York Journal.

The Ruin of an Aztec City.

Colonel JohDStone, former editor ol the Gazette, and William Condon, a experienced prospector returned from the mountains twenty-five miles northwest of Phoenix, Arizonia, arid reported the discovery of the ruins of an old Aztec city different from any before discovered. Among the many hieroglyphics are drawings of men, and on an oval-shaped stone is a serpent, cross and anchor. Around these ruins is a stone wall or fortification in a state of decay. The place indicates that there were at least 00,000 inhabitant*. The country in the vicinity h mountainous aqd has been little ‘proupeoted.—[St. Louis Republic.

TOGS FOR LITTLE TOTS.

HOW CHILDREN’S GARMENTS CAN BE MADE. By Utilizing; Old Material* Which Are Worn or Soiled In Parts the Little Folks Can Be Clothed Tastefully and Economically. Experience or an Expert. New York correspondence:

OME women who ■ ■ * realize the possii bllltles the dyeing J and oleaning processes afford, will Indulge In the rlchL eat and most delipPK cate fabrics, and that they are gWfflssSi. not only the betdressed therejye. for, but that they are actually economical When

they do buy a new gown It will be of a light color, and usually of some novelty goods of the best quality. Light undress leather shoes that have served their summer or evening use go Into the black bag, and In oourse of time come out blaok. And this woman smiles when she is called extravagant for having such fine shoes and so many of them. As a matter of faot, she almost as seldom buys a new pair as she throws an old one away. Tnle woman never runs to cheap passementeries and embioldery. Now and then she appears with a piece of really beautiful embroidery or genuine metal bead work. Well, you see, that sort of thing will clean; cheap stuff won’t, and It isn’t so very expensive when you oonslder, perhaps, that it costs a few cents a yard, and Is the only expense for her “new dress,” except the making. All the rest came out of that trunk that is still left full of bundles and boxes, each labeled and full of possibilities. This same woman keeps a book. She

COMFORTABLE AND PRETTY.

has so many different things of various lengths, colors and materials that she might forget her own resources. The book Is full of plans for costumes. For instanoe, she writes: Empire gown, yellow foundation skirt, pale yellow and rose-pink, striped crepe over, bolero jacket of strawberry velvet, lined with cream silk, bertha of cream erepe, and sleeves of same caught up with yellow and rose-pink, narrow ribbon to match stripes. The riDbon was all that had to be gotten for that dress, and the combination was a new one, the different materials coming from as many previous uses. Another time-worn expedient for utilizing old materials which are worn or soiled In Darts Is to make them over tor children's garments. Some of my readers may Infer from these Illustrations that I am leading up to that method, but the garments are described so that each jean be made at home, and the maker can suit her own taste and purse with most of them in the souroe of her nfeterlals. The pretty crocheted Jaoket which the babe of the Initial wears Is made of white zephyr wool and trimmed with a pink border. The jacket is begun at the bottom of the back above tho colored border by foundation loops of the required length, and then crocheted back and forth, one single crochet and one loop. The single crochets are put In every second foundation loop, then in every loop. At the top each part is crocheted alone, but attention must be paid to the pointed opening. When the fronts are finished about eight rows are

A MIMIC SAILOR.

crocheted to the neck, which forms the loundation for the sailor collar. In every loop must be put two single crochets, and this must be continued to the outer edge of the collar, which Is crocheted in one with the Jacket From there the fronts and back are continued in addition to the collar. The border is composed of five rows of pink and six of white zephyr. Careful attention must be given to the corners where the stitches are gained. When the back and fronts are done they are Joined, commencing four inches from the bottom, but sufficient space should be left for the -sleeve. The latter is crocheted around and around into this opening, and the border is the same as that on the Jacket The last row of the white le made of picots, and the same edge Is put all around the Jacket It is tied with a string and tassels of pink zephyr. The string Is made of chain stitches and is twelve and a half Inches In length. A dress for a little girl of four or five, having a blouse at once easy to make and comfortable to the wearer, Is to be seen in the next sketch. It is of tartan cloth In red and blue with straw-col-ored stripes. The blouse is red cloth embroidered with straw-colored twist. It is particularly suitable for Bchool wear. Sailors’ suits are so often selected for small boys that there is little of novelty In them, but they always have a dressy look, while appearing as they are, entirely serviceable. It must be this fact that leads so many mothers, who would almost faint at the thought of having their sons upon the water, to make imitation Jack Tats of their dear little fel-

lows. The blouse of the one shown has seams only under the arms, and is put on over the head and gathered at the wrist with an elastto. As will be seen from the illustration, the blouse has a slit below the collar, which is buttoned invisibly, and prevents its being torn in putting on. The oollar is loose and can be buttoned to the neck band; the plastron is loose also and fastens to the blouse with tiny buttons underneath tho oollar. This arrangement affords a chanoe to have a variety of collars and plastrons. The trousers are trimmed with gold buttons. There is a dress for a little girl from four to eight years old in the fourth picture, and Dlue woolen stuff would be a good material for it, with the yoke and

DRESSILY GARBED FOR PLAY.

sleeves of red and blue plaid. It ts more dressy than my other example of the mixture of tartan and plain material, being a little moro elaborate, but not much mote difficult to make. It would be equally as pretty If velvet took the place of the plaid In the yoke and sleeves, but tho velvot should be black or several shades darker than the woolen goods. Tho length of her skirt is over to be the dear little maid's woe. Tho tot of today is as particular that her Groonaway shall sweep the ground as the ohild a little older Is that her skirts shall be well abyve her anklo3. A llttlo later she will want them longer again, then she will begin to plan misery for herself and want long dressos, and when she gets them and has to stay in them she will beseech the powers of fashion to relieve h"r from her thraUdopi. Bpt what does the tot \ h w about that. For the little maid who rebels against a Greenaway, a dear little cloak is made for just this soafon. The broad-walsted bodice fits smoothly and Is a little short-walstod. The skirt, of tho eloak falls full from It to just below the knees. The sleeves are full and loose and end at the wrist in a round cuff. Any soft oashmere In bright rod or clear green is the proper goods. The bodice is embroidered stiff, with close black braiding. The skirt and sleeves are accordion pleated, and the cuffs are braided to match the bodice. The latter Is lined with a bright, conti ast ng silk, if green has been ohoson for the coat, or with blaok, if red is tho color. With the cloak the dearest little bonnet, just like the old-fashioned pictures, can be worn; one that fits close about tho face and that has a couple of quaint bows at the

A CHILD'S SPRING COAT.

top and the bottom In the back, to say nothing of the one under the chin. Tho bonnet should match the color of tho cloak. The little feet should have solid and low-heeled shoes, and the stockings must, of course, be black, and warm, that the ankles may not be cold. Copyright, 1898.

A Nation of Stair-Climbers.

I jailed upon American friends in Berlin at that hour when solid midnight sets in here (six o'clock), and when, in response to a ring, the heavy iron door opened with a soft click, there were revealed a few steps, and beyond there was darkness I did not know on what story my friend dwelt, having only the dumber of the house. After striking several matches it appeared that those sought did not dwell on the first or second floors. More matches were struck, and at last the name appeared/ There was nothing to say about so strapge an adventure. It is the way of the town. One has to get the hang of dark stairways or stay in first-class hotels. A residence is not a house, but a series of apartments, connected and separate frcrn other. There is a common stairway, and it is guarded by a porter, who watches the one front door, behind which, at various elevations, are half a dozen well-estab-lished families. There are probably four floors, with room for a family, perhaps two of them, on each floor. You come to an iron and glass door, say fifteen feet high, and ring a bell. You are at once under inspection from the lodge of the invisible porter and if he regards you as eligible he pulls a lever or turns a crank and the Bpring latch is withdrawn. Then you ascend to the floor where your friends are at home and ring another bell and you can enter a private hall, though often on this hall there are several parties who merely know each other as neighbors. This is the way to concentrate population and encourage architecture. 1 know a young man who has not been in Berlin long, and has a fancy for counting the steps he climbs to see his friends. The number of steps ranges from fifty-three to one hundred and eleven. The average height of eligible apartments is about seventy steps. There are fine accommodations in abundance at the height of one hundred and twenty-five steps. The mother who starts to get a sleepy boy out of bed these mornings may be said to have a rousing time. —Philadelphia Times.

SUGAR TRUST PROFITS.

THEY WARRANT AN INCREASE OF DIVIDENDS. ffhe Earnings on the Actual Capital of the American Sugar Ur (In pry Company Amount to About SO Per Cent.—Unholy Protection. Profits Are Enormous. Willett & Gray’s Sugar Trade Journal says: “At a meeting of the board of directors of the American Sugar Refining Company, held March 7, tho following were unanimously adopted; “Whkreaß, The earnings of the company during the past quarter warrant an Increase of dividend on the common stock; and “Whereas, Since the annual report of the treasurer to stockholders on Dec. 1, 1892, received from the corporations whose stock is held by this company (for the year ending March 1, 1898), render unnecessary for working capital tho further retention of the surplus earnings of 1891 and 1892, as shown by the annual report: “Resolved, That there bo paid a quarterly dividend of 3 per cent, on the common stock, and in addition there be paid an extra dividend of 10 per cent, on the common stock from the surplus earnings of 1891 and 1892, and that a dividend of 13} per cent, be paid on that portion of the preferred, stock of the company which is entitled to quarterly dividends. all tho above dividends being payablo on April 2 to stockholders of record March 13, when tho tranfer books will be closed, to reopen on April 2.” In addition to tho above resolution, the statement is authorized that the company, on March 1, after providing for all these dividends, has a surplus of net earnings of 85,000,000 in the treasury. Notwithstanding that more than one-half of tho $75,000,000 stock (one-half common and one-half preferred) is water, yet the holders of common stock certificates will receive on April 2 a dividend of 13 per cent, with the promise of 9 per cent, more before the close of the year, besides a share In the surplus enrnings (already $5,000,0001 tint can, ijnd may, Increase the dividends 15 or 20 per cent. more. Deducting that part of the profits.made In 1891, it Isovldent that this giant trust cleared, In 1892, after investing tens of millions of dollars in reflfierics and properties, at throe times their actual value, about $15,000,000, equal to about 33 per cent, on the common and 7 per cent, on the preferred stock, or 20 per cent on tho whole stock. Taking out the water, tho earnings on the actual capital appear to be about 40 per cent. Rut common stock which gets tho greater part of tho profits is earning about 06 per cent, on the actual capital back of It. The holders of original trust certificates can step Into the office at tho end of each year and draw out two-thirds as much as they put In, without diminishing the original investment. Isn't It splendid? and all because McKinley gave the trust free raw sugar and a duty of £ cent per pound on refined sugar. As the trust refine* over 3,000,000,000 pounds per year and collects the full half cent on every pound from the American people, this duty Is worth over $15,000,000 a yoar to It. This was an entire gratuity from McKinley. Big refiners have stated under oath that sugar can be refined as cheaply here as anywhere. The cost of refining Is about £ cent per pound. During 1892 granulated sugar sold for about 1J cents more per pound khan raw (96 per cent, centrifugal). If this Is not legalized robbery, by what term shall it lie known? It Is no wonder that McKinley finds hosts of friends In and out of the Home Market Club who are ready to. contribute a few thousand dollars to help him out of his present financial difficulty. They could afford to buy Central Park, build a magnificent palace In it, and donate it all to their tariff benefactor. If McKinley had made a bargain with, the manufacturers (like the Hawaiian sugar oarons have done in regard to sugar bounties with the Hawaiian planters) that he should receive one-half of all of the protection monopoly profits made under his bill, he would now be the wealthiest man in the world and would be the first billionaire. It was a shame that he neglected the people and made his bill In the Interests of trusts; it will be scandalous if he now accepts financial assistance from any manufacturer or representative of a monopoly benefited by his tariff bill.

The Fox and the Geese.

The Philadelphia Record contains a suggestive cartoon. Two geese labeled “Silver Purchase Democrat" and “Enormous Appropriation Democrat” are carelessly approaching a fox, lying on its back as if dead. The fox Is labeled “High Protection.” The cartoon is entitled “The geese that think the fox is dead,” and is intended as an object lesson for Democrats. The idea is a good one and expresses a truth which may be more conspicuous to the Democrats after they have made, or tried to make, a tariff bill on the lines of the Chicago platform. But it comes with poor grace from a newspaper that advocated new duties on sugar, tea, and coffee, and the leaving of protective tariff duties an “textile fabrics of every description, products of iron and steel, earthenware, glassware, etc.” (all of which articles by the way, are manufactured in Philadelphia), because “tariff beneficiaries whose interests deserve consideration” are not in favor of a “ruthless cutting of protective duties.” No, the high protection fox is not dead, and he lives at the same old quarters and does business in the tame way.

Iron Ore Trust.

The reported completion of arrangements for a combination of the producers of iron ore in the lake region will not be overlooked by the revisers of the tariff in the Fiftythird Congress. The recent discovery of large bodies of fine ore that can be taken out at a small cost have led manufacturers to expect some reduction of price. The combination agreement is designed to prevent any such effect of this addition to the

mining area. The revised tariff should contain no paragraph lmpoo> ing a duty on Iron ora— New Yort Times.

Tariff Reform Methods.

The following is the second of a series of open letters now being addressed to President Cleveland hf Thomas G. Shearman. The first letter simply asked permission to address a number of letters to Mr. Cleveland, with the idea that they bt made public. Mr. Cleveland, in giving consent, stated that he regarded Mr. Shearman as well versed in the tariff question and capable of giving valuable suggestions. At Mr. Cleveland’s suggestion the letters are given to the public at the same time they are given to him through the columns of the New York Times. Dear Sib: In pursuance of the plan upproved by yon In our reoent correspondence, 1 beir to submit to you some preliminary oaofederations with regard to tho general work of tariff reform, reserving questions of methods and details for subsequent letters. The first necessity of the great work of reform, to which the Amerloan people have called you bv suoh an Impressive majority, la that It should be thorough. It may be considered that the neoessltles of Government revenue created by tho reckless extra vagauoo, if not actual corruption, of the last protectionist Congress,have mado It Impracticable at the present time to construct anew tariff upon a perfectly eottnd basts. It may be admitted, Indeed, that aa Ideal revenue tariff lias been made Impracticable for the next four years. At all events. It Is certain that the nearest approach to the standard of a tariff for revenue only which oan be made at the next aoenlon of Congress roust be a tariff which seourea the largest public revenue with tho smallest private gain. Unless taxes are restored on sugar, too and coffee, It eoems evident that no adequate revenue oan be raised without Imposing a large number of duties which would nave some element of bo- called ••protection" In them, and therefore Inerease the profit of some Individuals at the oxpense of the community at lanra. Hut whatever tariff taxes have been repealed ought to remain repealed. The framers of the McKinley tariff, In their greediness for prohibitory duties for purposes of private gala, oaused this nation to take a long stride toward the broadest free trade, and, believing this to he the ultimate result at which we should aha. I am not disposed to advise any step backward, simply for the sake of banishing all elements of protection from the tariff. • • • All that is therefore practicable just now. from any point of view. Is the abolition of taxes upon crude materials for manufacture and the reduction of other protective taxes to that point whtoh will put the largest propertlon of suoh taxes luto the public pnrse and the smallest proportion Into private puraea. The only dancer to the oause of tariff reform lies In the possibility that a timid and unwlae conservatism may prevent the fulfillment of those pledges upon which the people hare justly relied and that some weak compromise may be adopted which will do little or no good, will disappoint tho rightful expectations of the majority, and will lead tho people to aeek relief from oppresalao In disastrous experiments. Tho danger of the present political situation lies in the depressed and discouraged coudttlon of the farmors and planters of the West and South. For some years past they have net had good prices for their crops, except when, by reaion of some disaster, those orope were small, llotli wheat and cotton have been selling until recently at the lowest prloee ever known to the present generation, and multitudes of small farmers aud planters are nowJu a condition of poverty of which the prosperous jumble of the East have absolutely no coneepNotlilng Is moro natural or more Inevitable than that, under the olroumstanoes, millions of liouest and faithful tollers, driven almost to despair, should ostch at any political strew which promises relief. It the party to whtoh the American people have now committed the charge of tliotr Government deeanot devise some measure whlnh will bring speedy relief to tho farmers and planters, the people will certainly oall Into power some other party which will promise such relief. Hut It Is entirely In the power of Congress to lift this heavy burden from the agricultural classes, and to restore prosperity to them and to the whole country. There Is but one way In which It can be done, and that la by a prompt and large reduetton of duties upon foreign ImlK>rt«—so lsrge as to strike down the Chineno wall whleh Is now erected against Importations from Europe, our best customer, and ao prompt aa to give admission to those goods, In line and generous measure, long before the Congressional elections of IHM come wound. For the only way In which the prices of farmers' products can be increased without lessening their production, and therefore the only way In whiob the aggregate Income of American farmers and plan tors can bo Increased, ts by opening our door* ti> an' Immense lnoroaae of Importations, every dollar's worth of whtoh will be paid for immediately by the export of Amerloan farm products. < Dot us now, while retaining all the freetrade features of the McKinley tariff, add to them free trade In raw materials ana s Istge reduction in the duties upon manufactured goods, and we shall bring snout an tnareaae of neoess&ry Importations, which will pay for aa Immense lnoreose In our exports of wheat, corn, cotton and provisions. This will enable the planters of the Bontb to raise a larger crop than ever, and yet to recure for It the same price per pound which they are now getting for their small orop. It will raise the prloe of wheat IS or 90 cents a bnshel and raise the prices of all other farm products. On the other hand, it will reduce the cost of manufactured goods, aud thus give to the fanners and planters the advantage of higher prioes for everything which they sell end lower the prioes for everything which they buy. It will solve the problem In which they are Interested, and will not merely hold the vote gained In the last election, but bring In thquaaipls of voters who have thus far held aloof from usl - . Nor will such policy be attended with the least danger to the great manufacturing Interests. Very likely a few conoems, which are now making an annual profit of to or go per cent, upon their capital, ruay have to be content with 10 per cent., hut this Is no cause tor lamentation. The great mass of manufacture Considered from a merely politloa! point of view, the expediency of such a course la obvious. The only persohs who could even ncetend to suffer any injury from it are t* be found In a limited part of New England, a little district of New York, and the State of Pennsylvania. Almost without exocptlon these- pervane did everything within their power to- detest yon and the oause whloh yon represent at the recent election. No consideration which aauid be shown to them would bare the slightest effect In gaining their votes or Influence. Titer have oarrled all New England, except Connecticut, against any tariff reform whatever: they bold Pennsylvania firmly, but overywfibre else they are powerless for any purpose. Yon have everything to gain In the West and South by a courageous and thorough reform e t tho tariff. You have everything to lorn there If you fall to accomplish such a reform, and It la mere waste of time to attempt to conciliate the protectionist fanatics ol the Northeast. Yours very respectfully, Thomas g. Brauanax.

Unholy "Protection."

It would be hard to frame a severer indictment of the protective system than Senator George F. Hoar of Massachusetts has just drawn in a tribute to his long-time colleague, Henry L. Dawes, who retires from Congress after eighteen years of service in the House arid another eighteen in the Senate. Says Mr. Hoar: “Probably no Massachusetts interest has failed of obtaining such legislation as those concerned have desired. He (Mr. Dawes) has contented himself with securing for the interests that he represented all that they desired. In every Massachusetts factory there has been at least one man who has been accustomed to depend upon Mr. Dawes to see that his interests were cared for in nar tional legislation, and on whose steadfast support Mr. Dawes, in his turn, could always depend when it was needed. ” Mr. Hoar depicts Mr. Dawes as representing, during bis long service in the Capitol, net the masses of the people in Massachusetts, but the owners of the factories; and as virtually making bargains with them tor which he got them such rates of profit as they wanted through tariff legislation, while they saw that men were sent to the nominating conventions and to the Legislature who would continue him in- office when his term expired. We have never seen so open an exposure of the system. —New York Evening Post. Freedom to trade is as mach a natural right as freedom to produce, for as the value of tbe thing made depends upon what the producer can get for it, any hindrance to its free exchange reduces its value, tbuß depriving the producer of part of the result of bis labor.—St Louis Courier.