Rensselaer Republican, Volume 18, Number 47, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 July 1886 — Page 7

ARMY ANECDOTES.

Bold Boy> of loth Belligerent* Tell oi Battles, Ballets, Bayonets, and Boiled Beans. Soldiers and Sailors’ Stirring Stories of Solid Shot and Screaming Shells.

Bring Back the Paat. BT JAMES FRANK!.!* FITTS. [Grand Army of the Republic.] I- i Bring back those stirring scenes again— For now the fjulaeS feebler beat, Age follows us with quicker feet, f While here and there Gray clouds tho hair, And old wounds throb with later pain. . Tho eands of life run lower now, All seamed with wrinkles mauy a brow, The eyes are dimmer, weak the voice That rung above tho battle's noise; Aye,' not so sure the foot that led In Death'B red path among tho dead. Time flies apace, years Bpeed away, ■ ■ , , And In the dull peace of to-day The past almost seems like a lie, Its glories but as empty dreams Of restless nights, wheu transient gleams The bayonet, shadowy banners fly, And ghostly thunders fill the sky 1 - 11. Bring back the past! Our cheeks shall glow, Our hearts bound high with soldier’s pride, When, like the Alpine torrent’s flow Upon the placid-vales below, Swift Memory ranges far and wide. And brighter eyes than ours shall gleam While we recount the thrilling theme— So like a wild and somber dream 1— Of how three hundred thousand died In fevered camp and prison cell, By land and sea in battle's bell; Of how wo marched and fought amain, With weary toil and bitter pain, To save a nation crucified I Brins back the twenty years asone Like some new-risen, burning dawn— And gather, comrades, round the fire. With homely fare of camp to cheer. The while we bring those days of ire With song and tale among us here— Though tattered flags are laid away, Though swords are red with rust to-day, And sleep the echoes of the fray. 111. Bring back the past t Who would not be Ouce more a trooper blithe aud free. In blue and yellow gayly dressed, As good a rider as the best, And mounted on the fleetest gray That ever threw the miles away ? Now is the lioiir; the foe is nigh— I see the guidons waving high, I hear the shout, the ringingchcer Of gallant lads who know not fear, The thunderous roar, the muskets’ crash, As on, straight on, our squadrons dash— I see the angry cloud of smoke Cloven with fire like lightning’s stroke, As on, straight on, -we madly ride, Knee fast to knee, and side by side, With sabers swinging overhead, The living riding with the dead 1 An(l rout the foe, as roaring ride At flood the pobbles scatters wide. IV. Or when the long lines of the blue " Were forming close behind the wood, And each of that six thousand knew That lfe was meant for powder’s food, When hrtarse-tongued batteries crowned the height, When sang'the bugle for the fight— Oh! wfiq would be elsewhere that day? What craven heart would shun that fray? See how the brave battalions force The wood upon their bloody course! How the lines waver! How they stand And form again, while.stem command, 'Steady, men, steady—forward, men!” — Rings aud repeats ; and yet again, With humming, shrieking death o’erhead, Aud Stumbling over comrades dead, Death hissing low, death frowning black In front—behind, a bloody track— Oh! gallant lads—they turn not back I The wood is passed—the flaming hill Is right before; the lines are thin— Oh I hearts of iron, can ye win— Have ye the unconquerable will? Hark! hark ! Oh, hear the shout that stirs The blood as hurricane the firs, And see the blue-clad billows roll Around, above, upon the knoll, While to the rear the Bignal runs With waving flag—“ We’ve got the gong I" One says—l mind me well the day, At Murfreesboro, I line Was sorely crowded by the gray; And, more than any divyiion, mine Was worn anil wasted. Why, tho way They slaughtered us there from flank and front Seems almost too dreadful now to say, And we never could have borne the brunt Of that attack three minutes more, I will be sworn. Just then a roar Came from our right, and then a shell Burst right amongst the Johnnies. Well, Such music I never heard before! A battery had galloped close to our line, TJulimbered and. gone to work: and fine, I promise you, was the work they wrought On the yelling, charging gray backs,'caught In such storms of-shell and showers, of grape That, shattered and mangled, they fled from tho scrape, v, «. a i For the noble boys of tho artillery 1 VI. Room in our circle!—let the fire, In honor of those- who come, blaze higher, Aud the cheer be merrier stili, for these Are tho lads of old who on all the seas Upheld the Hag and struck stout blows To save it and keep it, until its foes Had fled the waters. A welcome large To the men of the Wabash and bold Kearsarge, Monitor, Hartford, and all the rest— Welcome, welcome, each sailor guest t ■» vn. Yea, bring the years of war agone Before us like some brilliant dawn— Bring back the past! Old blood will stir To tell of those brave days that were, « : And boyhood’s wondering eyes shall gleam The while we speak the breathless theme Of weary inarch and prison pen,. Of all who came not home again, Of all who fought by.land and sea For Union and for Liberty., ■' Lockport. N. Y.

The Battle of Gettysburg'. \V. H. Tompkins, of Altoona, lowa, -given the following interesting sketch of the battle of Gettysburg in a late number of tTie the Soldiers' Advocate. It will be read with interest: .. As you know, the battle of Gettysburg was fought on the Ist, 2d, and 3d, and part •of ihe 4th of July, 1803. After the battle of Chaneellorsville our corps—A. P. Hill’s —was left to watch Hooker at Fredericksburg while Lee moved with Longstreet’s corps and a part of Ewell’s to th£ Shenandoah Valley, We remained in front of Hooker until we were satisfied that Lee was well on the way north. Finding that Hooker woe on the move we were ordered to take up our line of march to Warrenton. We crossed the ' Potomac at the Point of Rocks and Shepardstown, and after a great deal of hard marching, very unexpectedly, at least to the boys, ran into the advance of a part of Hooker’s army, but being well trained we were not surprised, and after some hard fighting drove them before us to the historic held of Gettysburg; and here I will say, by the way of parenthesis, that it has always been the opinion of the survivors of the battle, who were engage drin the first day’s fight, that if I»ee ; hud 'uot called a halt we would have •taken the Heights,that day. On the second day's fight my battery was, placed on our right, but with the exceptidh of Bome heavy Cannonading we were not engaged in battle until about 11 o’clock; we were then ordered forward to shell the Federal forces while our infantry took up an advanced position and then the battle of Cts commenced. Believing that Gettyswas the most terrible as well as the .turning battle of the war (as I believe with all truth), the roar of artillery was the most -terrific I ever heard. Our boys, though veterans, Beemed to quail before the terrible rain of shot and shell in our midst. Although the order came to charge and •take heights by storm, our brave boys, who

had never been known to hesitate when ordered, seerped reluctant to move, but when all was 1 ready, with the well-known yell, they rushed forth with that impetuosity of men determined to do or die. Three different times were we forced to retire, shattered, torn, and bleeding, only to rally and again make the attempt to capture the works or break the lines on the now historic Ronud Top. Once we gained a footing on the little Round. Top, broke the lines of the Federals, but for the want of support were forced to retreat (and such a retreat); out of about a thousand young men engaged in that charge only about half reached a place of shelter, only to be called on to again face death. At the close of the second day’s fight my battery, on roll call, out of ninety-two men, had forty-seven to answer to their names, the other forty-live being either killed or wounded. After fighting two days, one without eating from four until nine o’clock, we were further from taking the heights than ever. Early the next morning, July 4, we were again called on to repeat the previous day’s work, but we were discouraged, disheartened, and almost demoralized. The Army of Northern Virginia had never known what it was to be whipped, and almost considered themselves invincible. Wo again moved forward, only to be shot down and at last to retreat, but we again rallied aud after one more effort were compelled to give up the contest. My battery had fired six hundred rounds from ench gun aud were out of ammunition, all our commissioned officers killed or wounded. only twenty-eight sound men out of ninety-six, and only by borrowing a few frqju another battery were we able to man our guns. Now commenced the retreat in earnest, a race between Meade and Lee for old Virginia. Men perishing for want of rations, worn out with fighting, discouraged and compelled to retreat through a country where a few days before we uad marched in triumph was humiliating. Meade’s cavalry outmarched us, got between us and the pontoon bridges, and for awhile it seemed that we would be compelled to give up; but the Federals were either too badly crippled or did not know our strength, or that we were comparatively out of ammunition. At length we retook the river passes, after lying at Hagerstown for a week. Mv corps crossed the river into Virginia at Williamsport, some of the teams being lost in the rapid current while crossing, jlso two men; being hard pressed, we did not have the time to try to save them. After crossing, we were formed on the Virginia heights, and opened an artillery duel across the river, so as to protect the rear. We lost several men by this unnecessary action. The Federals being too badly crippled to attempt to follow us on our own ground, as we were now at home, we could choose our own position, but we continued'! to retreat until we reached Culpeper Court House, where we went into camp for a few days, and finally crossed the Rapidan and took up our permanent camp. We were cast down, bnt not subdued—could still show a bold front, and had we been again led forth we would as willingly have tried it over again. Our confidence in our commander was unbounded; we believed that he could make no mistake, if the government at Richmond would let him pursue his own course, but that it would not do, and we were left to become careless by inactivity. Many of the men were discouraged, yet determined to stick a 9 long as there was hope. Thus ended a campaign, which opened at Chaucellorsville with so much promise, in disaster and failure. We were crippled and could never recover from the battle of Gettysburg. Never more were we to be able to act as a whole on the offensive.

A Woman Soldier. In conversation with Mr. Joseph N. Allen, of No. 88 Fifth street, Brooklyn, a veteran of the war of the rebellion, who was a member of Company I, Second Regiment Michigan Infantry, concerning the petition of Mrs. S. E. Seeley, of lowa, for a pension for disabilities resulting from service during the war, says the Grand Army Gazette, he related the following curious and interesting stoiy concerning the lady and her claim: “Among those enlisting in Compapy F of my regiment at the first call for troops in 1861 was a delicate-looking youth, answering to the name of Franklin Thompson, who was mustered into the United States service for three years- After serving two years, and doing all the duties of an enlisted man, going through the different battles of First Bull Run and in the advance on Richmond in 1862 under McClellan, it was discovered that Thompson was a woman .- When Thompson first applied to W. R. Morse, who was recruiting Company F for the Second Regiment to serve three months, under the first call for troops in 1861, he was rejected because he did not reach the requisite height. Later, however,* when the three months’ men returned and were asked to re- enlist for three years, many dropped out. We were then rendezvoused at Fort Wayne, Detroit, and volunteers were asked for. Among the first to respond was Frank, who was accepted. He was faithful and brave, and gained all hearts by his cheerful, obliging activity and good sense. He and I became comrades and warm friends. He stood guard, did police work and fatigue duty and (trilled with the rest of us, but was never an expert with the musket. He said his father was a New Brunswick farmer, a mixture of Scotch and Irish, and his mother an Englishwoman. In 1862, Colonel Poe, who commanded the regiment, detailed Frank as mail carrier,-in which position he remained until he loft the regiment. After leaving the regiment Thompson resumed feminine attire and entered Oberlin College-and studied for a time, and then married a Mr. Seeley, whp had known her from infancy, and is now a resident of lowa. This bill, now pending before Congress, is to grant her, in her married name, Mrs. S. ■ E. Seeley, formerly Franklin Thompson, private, of Company F, Second Michigan Infantry, a pension for disabilities, resulting from service during the years she was my comrade and friend in the army. I need hardly add that I was the most surprised of all to learn that she was a woman, for I never suspected it* Mrs. Seeley is also the authoress of the book ‘Nurse and Spy,’ which is an account of her adventures while a soldier.” We are glad to note that her application for pension has been granted. Grant on Bragg. It was known that Mr. Davis had visited Bragg on Missionary Ridge a short time before my reaching Chattanooga, suyS Gen. Grant in the Century. It was reported and believed that he had come out to reconcile a serious difference between Bragg and Longstreet, and, finding this difficult to do, planned the campaign against Knoxville, to be conducted by the latter geueral. 1 had known both Bragg and Longstreet before the war—the latter very well. We had been three years at West Point together, and, after my graduation, for a time in the same regiment. Then we served together in the Mexican War. I knew Bragg in Mexico, and met him occasionally subsequeutlv. I could well understand how there might be an irreconcilable difference between them. Bragg was a remarkably intelligent and well-informed man, professionally and otherwise. He was also thoroughly upright. But he was possessed of an irascible temper, and was naturally disputatious.

A man of the highest moral charnetersand the most “ correct habits, yet in ’ the old army .he was in frequent trouble. As a subordinate be was always on the lookout to catch his commanding officer infringing ujion his prerogatives, as a post cpmmander he was equally vigilant to detect the slightest infringement of the most trivial order. I have heard in the old army an anecdote told characteristic of Bragg. On one occasion, when stationed at a post of several companies commanded by a field officer, he was himself commanding one of the companies and nt the same time acting Post Quartermaster and Commissary. He was a First Lieutenant at the time, but his Captain was detached on other dntv. As commander of the company be made a requisition upon the Quartermaster —himself—for something he wanted. As Quartermaster he declined to fill the requisition and indorsed on the back of it his reason for so doing. As company commander he responded to this, urging that his requisition called for nothing but what he was entitled to, nnd that it was the duty of the Quartermaster to fill it. The Quartermaster still persisted that he was right. In this condition’of affairs Bragg referred the whole matter to the commanding officer. The latter, when ho saw the nature of the matter referred, exclaimed: “My God! Mr. Bragg, you have quarreled with every 1 officer iu the army, aud now you are quarreling with yourself.”

Just Missed Bull Run. I was mustered into tho Fourth Michigan Volunteers, John Randolph, of Mexican war fame, Captain. I served four years. We began army life at Washington, nnd soon crossed into the sacred State of Virginia. Our first move was a dash at Cloud's Mills, where we captured 1,500 barrels of flour. We were kept busy looking after the railroads and the rebels. In this way we were used until the day of the battle of Bull Ruu. Of this day, my diary thus reads: ——‘——— We arrived at Fairfax Station in good time, and soon had the deep cuts filled, so that on Sunday, July 21, 1801, three trains of cars from Alexandria, Va., arrived there with supplies for the boys at the front. At this time we were detailing men to load the cars, when an order came to Col. Woodbury to have the regiment fall into line and double-quick to Fairfax Court House, four miles north. When the bugle souuded to rally we fell into line and the order was read. The next order was, “By the right flank, right face, double quick, march! “We were not long reaching the Court House. On arriving there an order qame that we remain until General Patterson came up with his thirty thousand, to relieve the fighting men at the front, or Bull Run, but he never put in his appearance. In the afternoon we were ordered down the road to prevent the army stragglers from retreating. But you might as well try to stop a raging torrent as to stop them. The first we saw going to the rear were the red tape, or White House gentry, making for Washington at the rate of ten knots per hour, with their coat-tails flying to the breeze, and their horses at their best, and they plying the rattan at everv jump, and hallooing at the top of their voices. Next after the horsemen came the vehicles of every description, laden with beaten, demoralized humanity. Next came the stragglers; we aided many" of these. We saw from this point much of that mournful pageant, our defeated army hurrying back from the field of their defeat. We were next double-quicked to our old quarters near Washington, at the brick yard. Thus have I detailed a few of the events and scenes which we witnessed in the immediate vicinity of the first battle of Bull Run, as taken from my diary. , It shows that the soldier’s life is not all glory or glorious.— Chicago Ledger.

A Night in Libby Prison. It was November 5, 1863, and some of the prisoners had got into a row about some bread which they had got from the guard in exchange for a pair of shoes. A free fist tight resulted, iu which a goodly number took part. During the thickest of it in marched the officer of the guard aud a tile of soldiers. He ordered us into ranks, four deep. He then placed a guard over'us, giving him the following orders: “Shoot the first man offering to leave the ranks, sit down, or speak. AljpfW no. man to leave the ranks under whatever. Cock your gun, Bn'!” The guard obeyed. The officer and soldiers departed.' The guard -left with us then let the hammer of' his gun down, threw his gun over his shoulder, and paced up and down iu our front. Soon one of our men rested his hands upon his knees and bent forward. The guard suffered it. Others followed. No response from the guard. One sat down, and then another. The guard walked his beat with steady pace, and never a word. All sat down. Suddenly there was a quick step on the stair. Every man endeavored to be in line but in vain. He discovered that we had been allowed liberties, although hardly sure what. He. acid sternly to our guard. “Johnny, I did not expect this of you.” Johnny hung his head and uttered not a word. After a severe reprimand he forgave him. We did not sit down anymore while Johnny was on guard for fear of harm to him. The next guard was a good fellow and allowed us to sit a part of the time, he watching at the head of the stairs and giving us the signal so we could be up in time. The. next guard was rigidly strict, and we were kept standing his watch uutil six o’clock. Should like to hear from the first Johnny: ’ . E. J. Best. Connersville, Wis. Marching By a Sleeping Army. The Confederate army under Price had been on the march four days, and on October 3, previous to the attack on "Corinth, bivouacked by the roadside. A Union force marching for Corinth passed this sleeping army without recognition. It is probable that they were heard passing, but those resting supposed it was a portion of their own army. The orders to the Union soldiers were to make no noise—not to speak above a whisper, and to allow no clanking or rattling of arms. Great was the astonishment of the Johnnies in the morning to learn that the Union force vesterdayin their rear was now at Corinth, aud that they had actually allowed an enemy under arms to march within a few steps of and pass unmolested. An anecdote furnished us by an eye-wit*' ness serves to illustrate the real ignorance of their own immediate neighbors on bosh sides. A Union soldier thought to steal a blanket, and, slippingonTof“the ranks, approached the sleeping soldiers, supposing them “soldiers of the blue.” What was his surprise upon raising the blanket to see thatfhe sold'iefflbcneath it 'were ‘‘wearing the gray.” He spread down the blankot noiselessly and made his wav out of their camp and into onr ranks again. He then informed his comrades in a whisper that the camp they were marching by was what they would be fighting before night. This division of our army reached Corinth and wheeled into line just as the attack began upon that place. This achievement was probably not excelled daring the war for lucky conception and boldness of execu-

tion.

Greencasfle, Missouri*

PIERCED BY BULLETS.

Mr. and Mrs. Cearob, an Agf/d Couple, Living Near JaneavilJe, Wis., Shot to Death. The Murderer, an Alleged Farm-lnind, Then Robs the House aud Disappears. [Janesville (Wis.) special.] Another terrible crime has been added to the criminal record of Rook County, the brutality of which is scarcely equaled in the history of bloody deeds, This city was thrown into a terrible state of excitement this morning over a horrible murder which has just come to light. Mr. Hieiry Search and his aged wife resided two and one-half miles southwest of the city on a farm. Mr. .Search wns 70 years old and his wife about 65. They lived alone, nnd had in their employ a boy about 10 years old. Saturday night the boy, who resides in this city, went home for lh? first time since he has been working for Search. This morning he went to work as usual, and on going out to the barn he found Ihe body of Mr. Search lying under one of the cows, as if he had been in the act of milking when he fell. The boy thought he had fallen in a fit, as he was subject to such spells. He immediately ran to the house, some forty rods distant, to inform the old lady. He called, but. received no reply. He opened the stairway door and called, but received no answer. He then looked in the dining-room, and saw her dead body lying on the floor. , He i formed one of the neighbors, and Dr. Henry Palmer and Marshal Hogan were soon at the scene of the tragedy. On examination of the body of Mr. Search it was found that he had been shot in the back of the neck. A 32-caliber ball was found at the base of the brain. Mrs. Search was evidently shot with the same revolver, the ball entering just under the right eye and passing through the head. Roth shots must have produced almost instant death. Mr. Search was quite well-to-do, and it was generally known that he kept his money in the house. The object of the murderer Was evidently money. The bureau drawers were ransacked and money taken, but how much cannot be determined. Tpey failed to find $475 in gold. Suspicion rests upon a farm-hand named Edward W. Moore, who has been employed by fanners in the same neighborhood, and who suddenly disappeared, going to Chicago. Moore was paid off Friday. He bought a revolver two weeks ago of the same-size ball as those used in the murder.

Tho First of His Series of Lectures a Decided Success—His References to Conservatism Loudly Applauded. [Cable dispatch from London.] Twenty-three years ago Mr. Beecher spoke at Exeter Hall. There fras a lively time, because he preached anti-slavery to an unsympathetic audience. Richard Cobden shook him by the hand when it was over, and said that no man had ever been able to cow and subdue an English audience as Beecher had done. Thomas Scott presided at that meeting, a brown-bearded man of 45. To-night the Bame Thomas Scott, now City Chamberlain of London and a white - bearded mad nearly 70, presided in the same hall. There was no lack of sympathy in the audience that greeted Mr. Beecher this lime, except in so far as some exception was taken by some white-neck-clothed gentlemen to his unorthodox characterization of some generally accepted religous beliefs. There was some little exception, of a political character, which was drowned by thunders of applause, when he intimated that the Conservatives were marked by “dull, watery, and sluggish brains, but that God never made them to be the fathers of progress.” He went on: “They were very useful as crags on the way down-hill, but they have never been known to draw anything up hill.” It may have been an audience of Liberal sympathies. At any rate it applauded every reference he made 4 to the progress that the United States had made under a liberal democratic form of particularly when he said: “The common schools and the church are the stomach-of America; and wheu a man goes in there, whether he be a Dutchman or an Irishman, be is bound to come out an American. You are educating society from the top, we are educating it irom the bottom. TVe are not departing from democratic government. AVe are endeavoring to educate 60,000,000 of men in the way of conducting a government.” L v Beecher, among them being several hundred clergymen. On the platform, among others, were Can op Farrar, the Revs. Simon, Parker, Gidding, and Haweis. l>e- , sides a large American contingent. Hundreds crowded around after the lecture to shake hands with Mr. Beecher and tell him that they had heard him twenty-three years ago. The first English lecture of Beecher was unquestionably a big success.

Terrible Suffering Among the People of Labrador and Newfoundland. [St. Johns (N. F.) telegram.) A terrible state of want exists among the people all along the northern coast of this island and in Labrador. For 300 miles off from the coast (he ice is firm, and its presence keeps the temperature constantly at the freezing point. From Cape Bauld, Newfoundland, to Cape’ Mugford, on the Labrador const, there is one solid barrier of ice. No fishing has been possible. The fish-oil works are all idle, and the stored; oil is being u*ed for fuel. A large number of starving fishermen from Indian Harbor and Sandwich Bay have just arrived to implore food from the Government, and assistance for friends left behind. Two of the men died here last night shortly after their arrival. They had a terrible time getting here, having crossed the strait on floating ice. With September the winter sets in, and the frost will not then be out of the ground from last winter. On account of the lateness of the season no crops have been] planted, and for several weeks the unfortu- '- nafce people have been living off of their_ domestic afiimals.

A Manitoba Mall-Coacb Set Upon by Boad Agent* and SCO,OOO Taken Therefrom. (Winnipeg (Man.) special.] - Six mounted and masked highwaymen robbed her Majesty’s mail-coach twentyfive miles south of Humboldt Station,, obtaining $20,000 from the mail-bags. The coach had left Qu’Appelle Friday. It is reported that the driver was killed. The coach contained two passengers. It is supposed to be the work of Montana road agents. Mounted police are scouring the country in search of the highwaymen,

J. A. ROBERT.

BEECHER IN LONDON.

STARVING TO DEATH.

BIG HIGHWAY ROBBERY.

CONDITION OF THE CROPS.

The Decline in the Condition of Spring Wheat ai Compared with Last Tear. Winter Wheat ‘ Area—Tletd of Oats and Barley Lower—lllinois • Corn Prospects. A supplemental crop statement issued by the Agricultural Department at Washington says that the increase in the 1 corn urea in seven years has keen about 20 per cent., and the present area is about 75,00(1,000 acres. The increase is rapid in the more recently settled Western States. Settler, find the demand for wheat fixed and little variable, except that the world's supply affects the demand everywhere, while the demand for corn is elastic, and may be doubled with prices sufficiently low. Wheat is the sport of speculators, while com has seldom been cornered. Of Bpring wheat the report says: The condition of spring wheat has declined from 91.5 in June to 83.3, In consequence of high temperature, drying winds, nnd want of rain. Last year the average condition was 9ii in July, and in consequence of high temperstnre at a critical period, fell to 80 at the time of harvesting. Thu apparent depreciation In June is 15 points, but it would be a serious error to apply that reduction to the 145,000,000 bushels of spring wheat harvested, which represented a condition of 80 at harvesting—only 3 points above tho present condition. Should there be no further reduction the present condition shonld insure about 130.000,010 bushels. The loss of vitality so early in the season exposes the crop to further injuries by the heats of July nnd August, and renders it highly probable that the average condition nt harvest may be still lower. With favorable weather in July and August increased condition may be maintained, though the chances are confessedly against it. Making allowance for this probability, a judicious and reasonable interpretation of the July report of winter and spring wheat would show a prospect for an increase of about 80,000,000 bushels abdve the official estimate for 1885. The threshing of winter wheat and the meteorological conditions of the next two months may easily add 10,000,000 to these figures, or subtract quite as large an amount. The winter-wheat area already assures nearly enough for home consumption and Beed. The average exportation of wheat and flour for the last five years has been 116,000,000 bushels. The present expectation favors a product nearly sufficient for this rate of exportation, in addition to consumption. The exports of the last year are some million bushels less than this average. The surplus will probably be ample, therefore, for any foreign demand likely to arise. The distribution of the last year Is as follows: F.stimated consumption, food, 271,000,000; seed, 51,474,900. Exports from preliminary statement, 93,590,020. Total, 416,071,520. Crop of 1885, 357.112,0'J0. Drawn from crop of 1884, 58,959,520. The visible supply has been decreased during the year about 13,000,100 bushels, leaving about 46,000.000 bushels to come from the surplus in the hands of the farmers. The condition of oats is lower than in any former July report since 1879, when the yield averaged 25 bushels per acre. The present condit’on is 88.8 against 87 in July of that year. The average of rye is 95.6 against 87 last year. The condition of barley averages 89.7 against 92 last July and 98 iu Julv of the previous year,

DEATH’S CRASH.

Seven Persons Lose Their Lives Near Columbia, Term., in a Fearful Railroad Collision. A Number of Italians Maimed or Silled Near Bridgeport, Ooun., in a Similar Disaster. [Nashville (Tenn.) special.] A special engine coming north collided with the regular train on the Louisville and Nashville Railroad near Duck River, fortyeight miles south of Nashville, and seven men were instantly killed. The collision occurred in a deep cut with a sharp curve, making it impossible to see each other. Both engines are a total wreck. Tiie following is a list of the killed: Henry Lauman, engineer of the accommodation train; Robert Brown, fireman of the accommodation train; Thnd Beech, engineer of engine No. 519; Pat King, fireman of engine No. 519; Monroe Wilson, baggagemaSter; A. P. Robertson, of Louisville, Ky., a passenger agent, formerly a ticket agent of the Louisville & Nashville Road at Nashville; Henry Whittemer. There were only two passengers injured. The sight is most horrible, the bodies being tom to pieces and scalded by the escaping steam. As soon as the terrible news reached Columbia every available conveyance that could.be secured was en route to the accident. There were between fifteen and twenty passengers in the ladies’ coach, who were uninjured. Engine 519 exploded, throwing the tender 150 feet. Robertson was instantly killed, being disemboweled by a piece of iron. Henry Whittemer was found with a flag in his hand, wedged between the locomotive and the side of the cut. The train was running at a speed of forty miles an hour at the time of the collision. - t Fatal Railway Disaster In Connecticut. [Bridgeport (Ct.) dispatch,] The Boston express on the New Haven road, which left New York at 11 a. m., collided to-day with a gravel train on which a large number of Italian laborers were riding. There is bnt one track at the place where the accident occurred. The gravel train had the right of way, and the signal Was set accordingly. The engineer of the express failed to observe the signal. Ephraim Slayback, engineer of the express; jumped to the ground and received serions injuries. The fireman also jnmped, bnt escaped injury. Two Italians, one named Michael Ross, were killed and six were seriously hurt. One bad his skull crashed in, and it is thought he will die. All were more or less hurt internally. Slayback was arrested on a charge of manslaughter.

FIRE LOSSES.

The Big Figures for the Last Six Months. The extraordinary losses by fire in this country during the last six months are beginning to attract attention. The total losses, where the property in each case was valued at SIOO,OOO and upward, amount to $22,903,000, divided as follows: January, $6,787,000; Februarv, $1,535,000; March, $5,444,000; April, $2,857,000; May, sl.810,000; June, $1,705,000; July (to date) $1,955,000—the aggregate representing twofifths of the entire losses by large and small fires for the first six months, which are estimated at $53,900,000, or $3,000,000 in excess of the losses daring the same period of last year. -- ■ ~—

M. Depasse heads a movement in Paris to raise a 2,000,000 franc monument commemorative of the French Revolution. The monument wto be on the ruins of the Tuileriea..—General'Custer’s widow went to see Buffalo Bill’s Wild West at Staten Island the other day, and had a talk with Mr. Cody, and was much pleased with the show. •' Martin Holloway, brother of the most famous man of pills ever known on this pill-shaped world, is to be made a knight by the British Queen.

INDIANA STATE NEWS.

—Uniform' Rank No. 6, Knights of Pythias, of Kokomo, winners in the prise drill at Toronto, Cs., was o*ganlz*d in I*Bo, with A. N. Grant ae Captain, and sixteen men in line. Col. I. E. Kirk, Capt. C- A. Jay, and the present commander, 11. C. Davis, have succeeded each other as commanders in the order named. This fiamous division has won prizes as follows: Ari Lafayette, in 1881, third prize, $150; at Detroit, in 1882, second prize, $300; at Bt. Louis, in 1884, first prize, SSOO, and SSOO for best military appearance, and commander’s prize, a gold ring; the August following they won first prize, SSOO, at Cleveland, and have just returned from Toronto with the big SI,OOO prize, making in all $3,000 won on fields of contest. Commander Dari* has been offered SI,OOO to go to Philadelphia with his division and give three exhibition drills in that city in October. The record is one of w hich Kokomo, and the entire State may well feel proud. —Patents were issned to Indianians recently as follows: William L, Ames, Terre Hante, cork extractor; William R. Fowler, Lafayette, milk cooler; Jacob Gearhard, New Salem, tile kiln; Natbnn Harris, Wabash, railway gate; Leonidas C. Howden, Lawrence, wire-fence machine; Edith A. Marsh. New Albany, egg beater; Edward D. Meagher, assignor to Economist Plow Company, South fiend, sulky plow; Henry H. and C. W. Olds, Martinsville, book-case; James Owens, assignor of one-half to 8. Durr, Russellville, cutting attachment for plow; Thomas Toske, Richmond, pocket cigarette machine; John S. Zeller, South fiend, plow. —Rev. Adrian Foote died at the residence of his son-in-law, in Rochester, at the advanced age of 99 years and 3 months, Mr. Foote wafr the oldest Baptist minister in the United States. He leave a wife, who is over 80 year old, and three children. Mr. Foote was torn at Pittsfield, Mass., April 2, 1787, graduated from the Theological College at Hamilton, N. Y., about 1819, and began preaching the next year. Having become seperanuated several years ago, he retired, and led a quiet life. —Recently at Bunker Hill, a shocking accident occurred. The 13-months-old child of a section boss on the Wabash Railway, fell head foremost in a small lard can containing about two quarts of water, and died in about three minutes from strangulation. The mother had only just finished cleaning the husband s dinner-pail, arid poured the residue of the water into the can; she stepped outside for a few moments, returning to find the child dead. —A man at Lafayette has a genuine curiosity in the shape of a four-legged chicken, batched a short time since. The legs and feet are perfectly formed, and are attached to the bo# the same as any fourfooted beast. ’ Sometimes the chick walks upon one pair of legs and sometimes on the other, and when in a hurry, or frightened, goes on all fours. It was hatched from what was supposed to be a doubleyolked egg. —The remains of a girl 7 years old were picked up in the lake, near Michigan City, recently. The child was clothed in a redchecked calico dress and checked gingham apron. The hair was gone from the head, and the body gave every indication of having been in the water many days. It is thought the Corpse is that of a girl who has been missing from St. Joseph, Mich., for a month past. —The surveyor recently appointed to ascertain the probable cost of a levee at Lawrenceburg says that a sixty-two foot levee can be built around that city, from the junction at Hardentown to the foothills southwest of town, for $45,000. A seventy-three foot levee, built over the same route, would cost SIOO,OOO. No action has as yet been taken upon the rer— —— —The Lafayette City Council has ordered the corporation attorney to proceed against the street railroad company to compel them to vacate the streets as a means of compelling the company to repair their tracks, and thus save the city from possible damages on account of the condition of the highways. —A tremendous flow of water has been struck at the North Vernon gas well, at .a depth of 1,500 feet, and the work has been stopped on account of the impossibility of forcing the drill further. The company are much encouraged, and propose sinking another well near the location of the present one. V —While ihrathing wheat on a farm four miles south of Wabash, a new separator, worth S7OO, and a quantity of grain wetp destroyed by fire, which originated fro® § hot box. In endelvoring to save the property, a man was dnngeionsly burned. The loss is about SI,OOO. —The Grand Lodge of the German order of Harugari will meet in Terre Hante on August 4? The local order has made extensive preparations for meeting and entertaining their grand officers, and tho Indies and gentlemen who will accompany them. : '. —A farmer, about 50 year of age, committed suicide at bis fnrm two miles from Windfall recently, by banging himself with a leather strap to the limb of a small oak tree in a corn-field. Domestic and financial troubles are supposed to have caused the act. " J M —The Lafayette oil well is down to a depth of 1,066 feet, with no indications of either oil or gas. There is now a solid twoinch stream of water flowing from it—eight gallons per minute—which will probably be utilized by the paper-mill company. —A handsome colored girl of 17, a domestic in the family of Judge Mellctt, committed suicide at New Castle recently, by taking arsenic. She bought The drug at a drug store, saying-it was wanted for the. purpose of killing rats.' —Farmers in Clark County are pitying $1.25, and dinner for men during harvest, and in spite of the alleged idleness of many people, are unable to procure enough hands. —The National Association of the Local Preachers of the Methodißt Episcopal Church will meet in Fort Wayne September 12 to 14. • ■ 1 • • -'. in--.. •