Rensselaer Democrat, Volume 1, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 May 1898 — Page 2

TO RENSSWR DEMOCRAT. SHIELDS & DILLEY, Publishers. RENSSELAER, INDIAN*.

MOB HANGED A NEGRO

HE HAD THROWN A BOY OFF A TRAIN. " ■ W Joe Mitchell, a Colored Brakeman, Seized from Officers Taking Him to Jail and Hung Near Hives, Tenn.— Dynamite Kites for Cnba. Lynched by a Mob. yf Joe Mitchell, a colored brakeman on the Illinois Central Railroad, whs lynched at Hives, Tenn., by a mob. Henry Gardner, a 17-year-old boy from Dyersburg, Tenn., boarded the train at Rives for the purpose of going home. He was picked up after the train had left, near- the depot, with both legs ground off by the car wheels. Before he died he said that Mitchell shoved him off the train. Mitchell was arrested at Newbern on the charge of committing the deed. While being conveyed to jail at Union City he was taken off the train at Rives by a mob and lynched in the woods near by. The officers declined to give him up at first, but the mol. threatened to fire the depot and then riddle the man with bullets as he escaped. It was then that they wrested him front the officers and started outside with him, A rope was ready, and without giving him time to pray they swung him up to u tree near the depot, and he hung until daylight. Kite* to Drop Dynamite. William E. Eddy_o£ Bayonne, N. J. whose kites have been experimented with at Madison barracks, Sacketts Harbor, N. Y., by Lieut. Wise of the Ninth infantry, has invented a sliding messenger kite, which carries dynamite up the string. Mr. Eddy says he believes Lieut. Wise, now at Tampa, Fla., has a supply of his kites and camera apparatus ready for the exploration of the enemy’s encampment as soon as the army invades Cuba. Inventor Eddy states that the messengei kite is still in an exfieriinental state. Five ascensions have been made by it at Ba yonne. The kite carried a lighted lantern up the string and dropped it as an experiment, instead of dynamite, If the Government co-operates with Mr. Eddy is the use of this invention large portable dynamite kites will bo at once constructed for use in Cuba. He proposes to automatically drop seventy-two pounds of dynamite at the distance of a mile. Eddy says after the United States forces land in Cuba ami lay siege to Havana it would be an easy matter to send up the kites and reduce Morro castle.

Race for the Pennant. Following is the standing of ths ciubi tn the Natioual Base-ball league: W. L. W. L. Cincinnati . .20 7 Chicago 14 14 Cleveland ...20 9 Philadelphia .10 14 Boston .....18 11 Brooklyn ....10 14 New Y0rk...17 10 St. Louis 9 If Baltimore ... 14 9 Louisville ... 9 21 Pittsburg ...15 14 Washington . 0 21 Following is the standing of the clubs in the Western League: W. L. W. L. Indianapolis .19 0 Milwaukee ..14 It St. Paul ... .22 7 Minneapolis .10 If . Columbus ...15 11 Detroit 8 2( Kansas City .15 11 Omaha 5 21 Hold-Up on the Santa Fe. Information has been received fron: Belen, N. M., a small station on the Santa Fe, that the Santa Fe train No. 21, the south-bound California express, had beer held up by bandits, who boarded the trait at Belen and compelled the engineer tc bring it to a stop about five miles south of that station. They gained entrance tc the express car and threw the through safe out into a ditch, where, with the aid of dynamite, they blew it open and pocketed the contents. Just how much money they got is not known. The robbers escaped on horse's that were in waiting So far as is known none of the passengers were molested.

NEWS NUGGETS.

It 18 understood that the deal for tin Consolidation of the plug tobacco sac tones in the United States bus fuller through. A tornado in the Red River valley Texas, killed two persons, injured eleven dearly destroyed the town of Bhvenuii and damaged property to the extent of SIOO,000. At Lorain, Ohio, during a celebration ol the supposed naval victory, a hose cart it a procession ran over two men. I’etei Snyder was killed and an unknown mar fatally injured. The caw of James H. SonthalK nt St Paul, Minn., charged with floating SSOO, 000 worth of fraudulent time checks, hat been transferred from the United State* to the Minnesota court. About 3,000 persons took part in a riot which lasted two hours at Bliowunipoor ninety-nine miles east of Dynagphoor. British India. Many of the rioters won Injured, and they were finaHy dispersed by the police. Hugh B. Jones of the firm of Harris & Jones, lumber deniers in San Francisco Cal., filed his petition in insolvency. H( owes $89,841.74. His assets consist ol personal property valued at $42,913.28 •nd real estate valued at $6,(125. At public sale at Concordia, Kan., Special Master Hiram P. Dillon sold tlx Central branch road, running frem Wat errille west to its western limits, Inclnd Ing the branch to Washington and th« Troaser branch, from* Concordia north tc the Nebraska line. There was but out Ibid, that of T. Jefferson Coolidge, Jr„ and Oliver Ames of Boston, to whom the road .was knocked down for $1,017,500. The residence of Senator Mason ol JHinois, at 1432 CMuipitt street, Washing ton, was entered by burglars and jew wiry to the value of nearly $4,000 was stolen. The Vuitcd States Supreme Court has decided convicthxu* under the oleomargarine laws of Pennsylvania and New Hampshire to be invalid, thus holding the laws unconstitutional. Reports from a dosc« or more comities 1n north Texas, the wheat l>elt of the State, are that fuljy one-half the crop was destroyed by a recent tornado and the Severe rains mid winds tint followed. , Other grain suffered correspondingly.

TOWN FIRE SWEPT.

BailneM Section of Attleboro, Mu*., la Destroyed. The business portion of the town of Attleboro, Mass., thirty-one miles southwest of Boston, burned early Wednesday morning. The loss runs up into the millions. In three hours seventeeh jewelry manufacturing concerns were burned out, nearly thirty buildings all told. The .fire started at 12:15 in the morning in the watch case factory of J. M. Bates, and in an hour sixteen buildings were destroyed;' entailing a loss of 11,000,000. At 2:30 the flames were spreading rapidly and the whole of the center of the town was doomed. Taunton, Fall River and New Bedford were appealed to for help. The fire apparatus at hand was wholly inadequate to the task before it. At 3 o’clock three more large jewelry factories were in flames and the conflagration was as far from being subdued as an hour before. Fire engines arrived in the town over the road from the surrounding towns and two engines were sent over from Providence on a special train, sixteen miles away. Fall River and Taunton also sent engines on special trains. Attleboro is the largest cheap jewelry manufacturing town in the world, and it stands second only to Providence, R. 1., in the manufacture of costly jewelry. The factories employ thousands of people, who are thrown out of work by the fire. The population is 20,000, half of whom work in the factories. Fully 5,000 people living outside the town are also employed in the shops. Nearly all the manufacturers have branches in New York, Chicago and St. Louis.

TORNADO SWEEPS NEBRASKA.

Several Towns in Its Course Are Partly Demolished. A tornado passed over a section of Nebraska Tuesday afternoon with disastrous results. While all towns for a radius of fifty miles from Albion were more or less damaged, Wood River seems to have suffered most. Many houses were destroyed and several persons hurt, and everybody took to storm cellars. The railway station was partially destroyed. A number of tornadoes seemed to be passing at the same time, and debris of building was flying in every direction. A heavy train ran before the terrific gale for thirty miles without steam, so high was the wind. At Albion the cyclone passed high, but it unroofed seven buildings and several persons were hurt by falling timbers. Cyclone conditions prevailed for three hours. Fears are entertained that great damage was done in the country. At Franklin, ten houses were totally blown to pieces, and many people hurt, but no deaths resulted. The balloon-like cloud cameHbouncing along like a great rubber cone. The roar of a hurricane preceded it. Many people witnessed its crossing of t'he Republican river before it reached the city. It struck the water squarely and threw eolumns of spray a hundred feet in the air. The dry bed of the river could be seen for some distance.

YEAR’S PRODUCTION OF WHEAT.

Government Gives Tables of Compar* ieons for the World. The monthly statement of finance and commerce issued by the bureau of statistics contains a series of interesting tables on the world’s wheat production, supply and distribution. They show the wheat crop of the world last year at only 2,139,549,1(38 bushels, against 2,430,497,000 in 1896, 2,540,494,000 in 1895 and 1,676,651,000 ip 1894, the world’s crop of 1897 being smaller than that of any year since 1890, while the 1897 crop in the United States is reported as larger than in any year since 1891. A table showing farm prices of wheat in the United States during a term of years gives the average farm price of wheat in 1897 as the high, est, with three exceptions, since 1883, the exceptional years being 1888, 1890 and 1891. A table of freight rates on wheat shows that the average rate by rail from Chicago to New York has fallen from 16.5 cents a bushel in 1886 to 12.32 cents in 1807, and that the rates by lake and canal feii in the same period and between the same points from 8.71 cents a bushel to 4.35 cents a bushel, while in the same period the rate from St. Louis to New Orleans in Iwilk by barges fell from 6.5 cents a bushel to 4.88 cents. The import duties of various countries on wheat are shown to be: Austria-Hun-gary, 19.5 cents a bushel; United States, 25 cents; ' Germany, 22.7 cents, with treaty countries, and 32.3 cents with other countries; France, 36.8 cents; Italy, 36.8 cents, end Portugal, 58.7 cents a bushel. Tables quoted from the reports of the Department of Agriculture estimate the-wheat in farmers’ hands in the United States, March 1, 1898, at 121,320,500 bushels, against 88,149,072 bushels at the corresponding date last year, and 74,909,790 bushels on March 1, 1895.

FORTUNES OF GOLD DUG OUT.

Klondike Arrival Says $25,000,000 Will Come on First Boats. The latest arrival in Seattle from Dawson is J. G. Wilson. He says that $25,000,000 in gold will be brought out via St. Michael on the first boats. The bulk of it will be owned by between 100 and 125 men. Alexander McDonald alone will have nearly $3,000,000. The news of the Spanish war had not reached Dawson when Wilson left. Wilson left the northern gold city April 17. He reports that the last boat that went down Thirty Mile river was wrecked, and that all of the passengers were drowned. The identity of the vessel is unknown.

Price of Bread Goes Up.

Bread which has been retailing in Chicago for 5 cents a loaf now costs 6 cents. Tills agreement was signed by one-fourth of the bakers of Chicago at a secret meeting. The Cause of the advance in prices is the increase in price of wheat T'he agreement compels the bakers to sell one-pound loaves at 6 cents and twopound loaves at 12 cents until further notice. There are 200,000 loaves of bread used daily in Chicago, so that the retail purchasers will pay $2,000 per day more for bread.

Sparks from the Wires.

Enormous damage bos been done by the flqods in Arkansas. The levee at Sherrill, Ark., broke, and the town wgs inundated. Eugene V. Debs is making an effort tn found a social democracy colony in Kansas. * Members of the New York stock exchange have undertaken to organize a regiment of Infantry. w The Hebrews of Philadelphia gave a charity ball the other night. The net proceeds were more than $17,000. '

A TANGLED SKEIN

MRS. ALEXANDER

CHAPTER IV. Egerton’s words took Dorothy so completely by surprise that for some time she was unable to think clearly. Even the next morning, when she opened her eyes, her first feeling was painful confusion. She longed to hear what Mabel thought of the wonderful event —she must.tell Mabel;,Mr. Egerton would not mind that; but to every one else she would be niute—no one would know of his rejection. But Egerton was by no means anxious to conceal the fact that he had offered himself—his old name, his fine estate, his large investments —to this young, insignificant girl—“a mere nobody”—as the Dowager, Mrs. Callauder, was wont to remark. He did not present himself as early as usual at “The Knoll” the next day, but meeting Standish, who had been strolling on the pier at an hour when it was chiefly in the possession of ancient mariners, he passed his arm through that of Standish with unusual familiarity, saying, “I was on my way to have a little talk with Callander. Will you come with me?” “Yes, if you like; you’ll be rather clever If you get him to talk.” They approached the Knoll, at the gate of which they met Colonel Callander. He greeted them with more animation than usual. Egerton told them of his proposal to Dorothy and her rejection of him. He begged the two to assist him in inducing her to change her miud. This Colonel Callander readily consented to do, but Paul Standish did not show any great eagerness to exert any influence on the mind of his ward. “The only person to whom I feel inclined to confide so important a piece of intelligence,” said the Colonel finally, “is to my mother. It is right she should know, especially as it is probable we shall leave Dorothy under her care when we go away.” “Go away! Who is going away?” cried Egerton sharply, with a keen glance like a stab. “Don't suppose I am going to do anything desperate,” said Callander, with a grave smile. “Mrs. Callander and I talk of going abroad for a month or two. I want to have a look at the battlefields on the French frontier, and to go on into Switzerland. Of course Dorothy will stay here.” The trio dispersed, Standi'sh proceeding along the beach to a long spit which stretched far into the waters. Meanwhile Callander and Egerton walked slowly toward the hotel where the Dowager had established herself. Here, Egerton left him. When Colonel Callander was ushered into his mother’s sitting room he found her as usual richly and elaborately dressed, and knitting a huge coverlet, while Miss Boothby, her companion, read aloud. She gave a cold straight unresponsive hand to her son. “I hope you are all right after your long day in the open air?” he said, as he drew a chair near her work table. “Thank you. I am as usual. I get little sleep. My mind is too anxious to permit of repose!” “That’s bad,” said Colonel Callander, vaguely. “You need not stay, Miss Boothby,” said the Dowager. "I wish to converse with my son.” The meek companion rose with a smile and disappeared. “I came to ask you if you have any commands, as I think of going up to town to-morrow. I want to arrange one or two matters before going north.” “North! Why, where are you going now?” querulously. “Mabel and I think of taking a trip through the Highlands, or to Switzerland. I think she wants a change as much as 1 do.” “There I agree with you,” observed Mrs. Callander, significantly. “She has had a worn, distressed look ever since—l mean, for a considerable time.” “You think so?” said her son, with a quick, fiery flash from his dark eyes—a warning which even his mother dared not disregard. “I trust she has no cause for distress or anxiety—at all events she seems to consider the panacea for her ills is a quiet journey with me.” “I am sincerely glad to hear it,” with pointed emphasis—“pray, when do you start?” “Early next week. May I jisk what your plans are?” “If you are going away there is no particular object in my remaining. I don’t suppose„even when you return I shall see much of you.” “There is no reason why we should not be as much together as you like,” returned the Colonel dryly. “However, if you are comfortable here, and don’t mlpd staying, I should be glad if you would, because,” he stopped and seemed to have lost the thread of his discourse —his eyes wandering to the window, and evidently preoccupied with some distant object visible to the inner sense. “Well!” said his mother at last, looking up from her knitting with some surprise, “why do you wish me to stay ?” Her son looked at her with a bewildered aspect, and then passing his hand over his brow, exclaimed: “I beg your pardon! 1 forgot what I was saying! I wished you to stay, because Mabel and I intend to be away about six weeks or so, and Dorothy will be here alone—that would be of no consequence, but Egerton has just proposed to me for her. It seems that Dorothy refused him, but he very wisely will not take a girl’s first no. So he begs to be allowed opportunities of pressing his suit—and ” “Refused him!” said Mrs. Callander, in a high key. “She mnst be ont of her mind! He is a match for an earl’s daughter. Why, it will be quite a distinguished connection. Of course she will accept him! she must. Dorothy has her tempers, and Is altogether wanting In a knowledge of what she owes to as, but I always thought there was some moral worth in

her.” “Ultimately she will do as she likes, but Egerton ought to have a fair chance. Now if you are here he can see her with you, under your chaperonage, and Henrietta .will probably also stay—otherwise"*—“-he paused. “I never hesitate to sacrifice myself on the altar of duty,” said Mrs. Callander, in a lofty tone, “or for the good of others, for I capnot say I owe any duty to your sister-in-law, but if it is an accommodate you, my dear son, I will remain until you return.” “You see there are no relations or friends to whom we can send Dorothy.” ‘T am quite aware of that,” put in his mother, sharply. Callander did not heed her. “And,” he continued, “even if Standish could stay on here, he could not be the sort of protection you can be.” "Nor do I suppose it likely he will remain while you are away,” remarked Mrs. Callander, sweetly. “Mother!” he cried, “do you know how cruel you are? Do you know that my life is bound up in Mabel’s! in Mabel’s love and truth. Nothing you say touches my faith in her—yet—yet—you torment me. She is—she always will be spotlessin the eyes of all men.” He sprang up and paced to and *-o rapidly. with occasional fierc, cestnrei “Spotless! my dear Herncrt! I should hope so!” returned Mrs. Callander, with the obtuseness of a hard, unsympathetic woman. “Do you think I meant anything beyond the necessity of attending to appearances? When a man like Mr. Standish—a man of the world in the worst sense—is seen morning, noon and night, with a young woman whom some people consider handsome, why ” “Be silent!” he exclaimed, harshly, turning to face her, with such wrath in his eyes that even the unimaginative old woman cowered for a moment. “Understand me! unless you cease to insult me by harping on these hideous possibilities I will never see your face again! I should have broken with you before, but that I dreaded that Mabel should be outraged by knowledge of the reason why I dropped all intercourse with my mother. Could you think that sweet, simple soul could ever be drawn from her children—from me? Is such a possibility comprehensible to you?” There was keen pain as well as burning indignation in his tone. “The wickedness of the unregenerate heart is unfathomable,” said his mother, severely, “and I greatly fear Mabel does not know where to look for strength. It’s impossible to say where unguarded beginnings may lead ppor weak creatures, and your wife, though an amiable woman, is no doubt easily influenced, in short, not what yon- would call a person of strong character.” “No, she is not! How should I have got on with a woman of strong character?— I say, mother—enough of this. I feel my head dizzy! If we are to be friends-—” “I will never speak to you on the subject again,” said his mother, with an injured and dignified air. “I have done my duty, my conscience is clear. I have not left you in ignorance! Now, as regards Dorothy ” ' Callander was again pacing to and fro—his head bent down, lips moving slightly—as if forming unuttered words. Then, with an effort, he repeated as he paused opposite her —“Dorothy!—Ay! We must not forget Dorothy. Will you stay here and let Egerton come to and fra, and see her under your auspices?” “I shall be happy to further an alliance calculated to reflect credit Sn you and yours, Herbert!”

CHAPTER V. Colonel Callander had not looked so well since he returned from India as the morning he started for London. He undertook various commissions for his sister-in-law, but his wife said she wanted nothing. “I have everything I want, and more than I deserve,” she added, as.she kissed her husband tenderly at parting. Standish had gone to dine and sleep at a country house at some distance. So the sisters had a very tranquil day, its only disturbance being a visit from the Dowager, who came in unwonted good humor. In the evening, a little to Dorothy’s dismay, Miss Oakeley walked in, just before dinner, to have a little talk, she said, accompanied by Egerton and Majors St. John, who was, Miss Oakeley thought, im. mensely struck with her, whereas St. John was equally sure he had made a profound impression on Mis< Oakeley, and was, in consideration of her endowments, disposed to encourage her attentions. The sisters were sitting together in sympathetic sjjepce at that most witching hour, “the gloaming.” Dorothy had of course told Mabel of the declaration with which Egerton had startled her, and was somewhat surprised at the manner in which Mabel had received her confidence. She was not amazed, she murmured something about his being nice and interesting, and a good match, then she added, “Are you quite sure that you could not like him, dear?” “Yes, quite sure,” was Dorothy’s prompt reply. “I ueed to like him ever, so much better before. I cannot think what put it into his head to imagine he. wants to marry me.” “I don’t think it is so extraordinary,” said Mabel, and dropped the subject. White Miss Oakeley held forth with animation about a concert she was getting up and Major St. John put in a word at Intervals, Egerton moved across the room to where Dorothy was sitting, and said in a low tone: “I ought not perhaps to tresspass upon yon, but I want to aak pardon for my precipitancy. Will you forget my ill-judged haste and let ms come and gb on the old terms? I will not offend again; not, at least, till I fancy I may do so with less ehanee of rebuke. I may never reach that happy conviction, but let ■» try.” iX - -.-

“I have no right to interfere with your coming or going,” said Dorothy softly, “but I do not like to give your any annoyance, and I do not think I ehall change.” Here both were called to share the consultation, which was rather noisy, and ended in an appointment for Dorothy to practice with Miss Oakeley at noon the following day. Then she declared she would be late for dinner, a crime her aunt would never forgive. “There is a very amusing article on the ‘Aesthetics of Dress’ in. one of the magazines,” said Egerton. “I forgot it, but if you will let me bring it over this evening I’ll read it to you”—he stood with his back to Dorothy, speaking to her sister. “Oh! yes, certainly—thgnk you!” she returned, with a little nervous catch in her voice—raising her eyes to his and then dropping them quickly. “Oh! Mabel dear! Why did you let him come?” cried Dorothy, as soon as the door was closed. “I should have enjoyed a nice, quiet evening, and above all I don’t want him.” “How could I refuse?” asked Mabel, pressing her hands together. “He had asked Herbert and Paul to let him come and try his ehan-ee, and Herbert told me.” “What? did Paul agree to this?” cried Dorothy—a kind of sharp cry—“l thought he knew me betterr’ “Well, dearest, you know you are not obliged to marry him.” “I am quite aware of that,” said Dorothy with decision, “but I object to be teased.” Egerton did not fail to keep his promise. He was more than usually keeping under the strain of cynicism that often tinged his talk. He read aloud well, and his comments on the paper when he had finished it were amusing, the reminiscences it evoked of the various fine ladies, mistresses of the art of dress, interesting; he addressed most of his conversation to Mabel, who said little, lying back among her sofa cushions as if weary, while Dorothy worked diligently at a highly ornamental pinafdle for her little niece, which was a blessed occupation for her eyes. At length, after a short pause, Egerton exclaimed in an altered voice: “I am afraid I am boring you, Mrs. Callander. You are 13qking awfully ill.” “It is that horrid neuralgia!” cried Dorothy, laying down her work and going to her sister. “She has been suffering all day—would you like to go to bed, Mabel?” “Let me try mesmerism!” urged Egerton. “She’ll have an awfully bad nighty Miss Wynn. I’ll make a few passes. You’ll see how soon the look of pain will leave her.” “I don’t half like it!” said Dorothy doubtfully. Egerton came and stood beside the sofa, his eyes fixed on Mabel, who did not make the slightest resistance. Slowly passing his hand over her face in the fashion usual with mesmerizers, the tired eyes gradually closed, the pained, contracted expression passed from her face, and she slept the peaceful sleep of an infant. “It is wonderful,” whispered Dorothy, who felt an indescribable impulse of pity and tenderness toward the gentle, loving sister who seemed so mysteriously oppressed—the tears were in her eyes, and her voice faltered as she added: “I wish you could give me this power, tiliat 1 might enable her to rest! she stems so helpless.” “She is,” returned Egerton in a deep tone full of feeling. “But unless you have the power I could not give it you. I did not know I possessed it till that strange mystic Bohemian Gratin I told you about, whom I knew some years ago at Prague, assured me 1 had it and made me experiment on some of her people. I am half ashamed of it. I would never use my power save to give physical relief. There is a prejudice against it, too. Perhaps it would be as well not to inform Mrs. Callander, for instance, that I was able to give your sister some repose.” “Oh, certainly not!” cried Dorothy. “The less said the better, people are so illnatured. I hoi>e my dear sister will not Went your aid any more. I shall sit and watch her till sjje wakes, and so I must say good-night now.” * (To be continued.)

THREE GREAT SPEAKERS.

Clay, Blaine and Reed—The Famous (Statesmen Contrasted. Third in the succession of the great speakers of the National House is Thomas Brackett Heed, who Is again at the head of the Representatives. Henry Clay, James G. Blaine and Mr. Recd—these three stand out like mountain peaks In the long line of the speakers of the House. Clay and Blaine were each men of famous personal magnetism. Tales of the peculiar power they exerted on men who came within their aurora are so multitudinous that they seem almost legendary. Certainly a very large part of their supremacy among- men was due to this Btrangct force. Both Clay and Blaine were dreamers. A certain Oriental imagina: tlon was a dominant note In each. Reed, on the other hand, while to many a very attractive personality, does not rule men by any subtlety of personal magnetism. He is notably careless of effect In manner. He Is rugged as a cliff. While be is witlml a man of big kindness of heart, be often Is relentless as a serpent In his stinging sarcasm. He reigns by the sheer largeness of his uncompromising and unanswerable manhood. All three of these speakers have been too pronounced to be President To day and Blaine the Presidecy was the most daring ambition. But both at critical moments lost it; Clay because of his high principle In writing the unpopular Texas' letter about which be said, “I bad rather be right than be President;” and Blaine because of a sudden concert of trifling atoms against him which all together made an obstacle he could not,clear. To Reed, however, the Presidency is no such magnet. But, though the question of the Presidency seems to Interest him but little, perhaps, for that reason, he Is In some roaring convention the more likely bo be singled out for It. Americans are a race who love a man, and at times this admiration for sheer manhood becomes an Idolatry with them.—lllustrated American. - The largest telegraph office in the world is in the general postoffice building, London, over three thousand oper abort being employed. _ .

CONGRESS

Considerable progress was made in ths Senate on Wednesday in the reading of the war revenue bill, which included, naturally, the consideration of the amendments proposed by the committee. Through the influence of Mr. Gorman (Dem., Md.) the imprisonment penalty was stricken out of some of the sections relating to violatioiih of the stamp tax. After an extended Rebate, part of which occupied the secret legislative session, the conference report on the bill suspending certain parts of the existing law relating to the purchase of supplies by the war department was adopted., The.billpermittihg officers of the regular army to accept staff appointments in the volunteer army without losing their rank or place in the regular service was also passed. An urgent deficiency bill, carrying $8,437,032, mostly for pensions, was agreed on by the House Commitee on Appropriations, and immediately reported to the House, which passed it without debate. The bill carries $8,070,872 for payment of pensions and other items of small amounts, including expenses of United States courts and clerical force and printing for the war and navy departments. While several important paragraphs in the war revenue measure were passed over on Thursday for future consideration, excellent progress was made by the Senate in the consideration'of the bill. Two-thirds of the measure has been read, the committee amendments generally having been agreed to. The proposition to place a stump tax upon proprietary articles and perfumeries now in stock aroused a lively discussion. It was regarded as retroactive legislation and as such was opposed by many Senators. After debate, confined to the proposition to send the labor arbitration bill to conference, in which many members participated, a roll call of the House upon agreeing to the Senate amendments, thereby affecting the bill’s passage, was ordered, resulting in yeas 219, nays 4. After experiencing a brief political tilt, precipitated by a personal political explanation from Mr. Tongue (Rep., Ore.), the House adjourned until Monday. Soon after the Senate convened on Friday Mr. Hale (Maine), chairman of the Committee on Naval Affairs, favorably reported from the committee the House joint resolution providing for the organization and enrollment of an auxiliary naval force which shall form an inner line of defense. An amendment by the Senate committee provides that the force shall not exceed 3,000 men. The resolution was passed. The Senate resumed consideration of the war revenue bill, and Mr. Daniel of Virginia spoke for two hours on the measure. He supported the bill, but opposed the bond feature and stamp tax, and said the corporations should bear a larger share of the taxation. Mr. McEnery (La.) proposed an amendment to the paragraph of the bill plneing a tax upon all corporations not specifically designated, providing that the law should not apply to “limited liability commercial partnerships or corporations and companies or corporations.of limited liability conducting planting or farming business or preparing for market products of the soil.” For five hours on Monday the Senate had the war revenue measure under discussion. The entire time was occupied by Mr. Chilton (Dem., Tex.), Mr. Lodge (Rep., Mass.) and Mr. Turley (Dem., Tenn.). While Mr. Lodge confined himself to a discussion of the proposed tax on corporations and bank deposits, strongly urging that such taxes be not imposed, Mr. Chilton and Mr. Turley covered pretty fully the general features of the bilk No action of any kind was taken upon the bill. The day in the House was devoted chiefly to the consideration of District of Columbia legislation. Two bills of minor importance affecting the volunteer military was passed. A bill authorizing the construction of a railway bridge across the Missonri river at Quindaro, Kan., by the Kansas City, Northeastern and Gulf Railway Company was passed. The Senate spent most of the day Tuesday in discussion of the war revenue measure. Paragraphs relating to corporation taxes were under consideration, Speeches were made by Mr. Frye of Maine, Mr. Platt of Couneslicut, and Mr, Lindsey of Kentucky.

Russia in Business on a Big Seale.

Some people have an idea that Napoleon’s words, that “the scepter of Europe has passed into the hands of the czar,” may be fulfilled in the not distant future. Russia Is eertainly playing a big hand these days, but she may be humiliated again, as she was onee before in her history. But what a clash there would lie if Russia and Gyeat Britain should come in collision!— Wilkesbarre Record.

Want a Wall Paper Factory.

With the view of encouraging the manufacture of paper hangings the Austrian government will donate the land for the buildings, together with immunity from all imposts, custom dues, etc. Austria has no factories of the kind, and the annual vfflue of hangings Imported is $2,000,000, despite a duty of $4.50 i>er hundredweight.

Substitutes for India-Rubber.

Combinations of linseed oil, peanut, rape or mustard oil with sulphur form rubber-Mke substances which are said to be largely nsed In the manufacture of india-rubber compounds. Pure, unvulcanized India-rubber will float, nearly submerged in water, while the old substitutes, being slightly heavier in proportion to their bulk, sink.

This and That.

Soap was first manufactured in Britain in 1524. A. traveler can now go around the world in fifty days. M requires half a day to sing the national hymn of China. A fine ostrich is calcaiuted -to yield' $2,000 worth of feathers. The game of chess is taught In all the Australian public schools. . . New Zealand contains at present 42,- - *