Rensselaer Republican, Volume 17, Number 14, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 December 1884 — GENERAL. [ARTICLE]

GENERAL.

During November the fire losses in the United States amounted to $7,000,000, nnd for eleven months of 1884 the loss is placed at $101,000,000. There were 296 failures in the United States reported during the week, against 237 in the preceeding week, and 246, 247, and 169 in the corresponding weeks of 1883, 1882, and 1881, respectively. About 84 per cent, were those of small traders whose capital was less than $5,000. The general commercial situation throughout the United States during the past week as reported by telegraph to Bradstreet’s shows no material evidences of improvement. In the face of the continued depression, the somewhat surprising fact is noted that at several important points the general feeling in trade circles is mbre buoyant, and that greater confidence exists in the outlook for business in the new year. Tangible data for this view are not furnished. .. .Solomon Forres and Joso Manuel Soto were .executed at Salinas, Cal., for murdering a Chinaman; and Cook Teets, a blind man was hanged at Owen Sound, Ontario, for killing his wife to secure the insurance on her life.... Twelve Chinamen are supposed to have been drowned in an attempt to make their way along the coast from Foul Bay, British Columbia, to Washington Territory. The New York Sun, in a significant double-leaded editorial, discusses the question of “Our Coming National Currency,” nnd reaches the conclusion that the national bank currency must go, and give place to a Government currency of coin and paper money. The article notes carefully the rapid decrease of the national bank circulation, and the more rapid increase in coin and coin certificates, and says: , "This will give us, by 1891,'a grand total of t 1 .136,000,000 of government currency against not more than $100,000,000, and probably less, supplied by the banks. Of course, much may happen to modify or prevent this result The conduct of men cannot be predicted so confidently as that of inanimate things. The legal tenders may be redeemed and withdrawn, the coinage of silver dollars may be suspended and the supply of gold may be diminished at the mines or be drained away to foreign countries. The decrease of national bank circulation may, on the other hand, be checked by favoring legislation, but the probabilities are greatly against these events, and, as we said at the outset, it is much more likely that national bank notes will be driven out of use altogether, and their place taken by an exclusively Government currency.” George Sntder, of Darrtown, Ont, killed his aged mother with a shovel and buried herein a ravine, to obtain SIOO which he had paid her os interest on a mortgage. ... .Fire destroyed $50,000 worth of property at West Randolph, Vt.; Butterfield & Crabb’s saw-mill at Alpena, Mich., with 275,000 feet of lumber; loss, $35,000.