Rensselaer Republican, Volume 19, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 December 1886 — INDIANA STATE NEWS. [ARTICLE]

INDIANA STATE NEWS.

Residents in Dubois County are greatly cxciied ov<rthe development of a rich alive r mine near Back Shoals, on the east fork of While lUver. The discovery of silver dates back to the beginning of the present century, when, according to an old story. James G. Wynne, who was locating a farm near Havesville. discovered silver ore in rich quantities. He went East to interest speculators in the venture, but they ref need to assist bim. He came back to his “find,” hut was taken ill with a malignant fever and died two days after his return. No one eared to investigate the story until two years ago, when John Smith became interested in the matter and begata prospecting at Bnck Shoals. He discovered ore in largo quantities and had many specimens analyzed, yielding more or less silver. Two weeks ago he sent specimens to Indianapolis to be assayed, the result showing silver in paying quantities. He at once leased the land about liis own little property, and is now preparing a car-load of the ore to send to St. Louis to be smelted. Buck Shoals is situated in a mountainous region. The vein is said to be very easy of access. —The annual reports of the Board of Directors and the Superintendent of the Blind Asylum, which have been submitted to the Governor, state that the estimated value of real estate of the institution is $43,562.28, and personal property, $17,160. The amount appropriated for the current support of tho asylum by the last Legislature was $27,000. Of this, $23,892 has been expended, leaving a balance of $3,108. The total amount of revenue is $28,463.27, and total disbursements, $25,888.07, leaving a total unexpended balance of $3,574.60. The attendance has exceeded that of any previous year, having been 120— sixty males and seventy females. The number of new pupils enrolled during the year was sixteen. The Superintendent states that according to the last census there were in the United States 48,928 blind people, or 1,000 for every 1,000,000 of the population. Of these 26,748 were males and 22,180 females. In Indiana there are 500 children of school age who are blind. —The annual report of the Indiana Hospital for the Insane for the year ending October 31, has been filed with the Governor. There wns a daily average of 1,542 insane inhabitants, whose maintenance cost $l6O per capita. In addition to this about $75,000 was expended for repairs, clothing, etc. The number of deaths in the institution was 103. Superintendent Fletcher says this showing will compare favorably w ith any institution in the world. The hospital contains 300 more patients than its actual capacity. The number of insane in poor-houses is fifty-three, besides 390 idiots. The completion of the new hospital at once is therefore urged. —’The Indiana cattle plagno has reached Harrison County, and reports from the southern part of the county show that large numbers of animals have died of the disease. Aaron Wolfe, living a few miles south of C’orydou, has lost some fine cattle, and be says that they died in a few hoars after the first symptoms of sickness had been noticed. In one instance a heifer, apparently free from disease, having eaten as usual during the day, laid down iu the evening and died within two hours. Mr. Wolfe says his' son skinned one of the animals, and that he has since been sick of fever, and thinks the sickness was caused by contagion. —Hog cholera made its appearance among the hogs of Adams, Wells, and Allen counties early last fall, and has continued with slight abatement and change of locality up to the present time. The aggregate loss in the three counties from this disease in the past four months is in excess of anything of the kind ever before known. No remedy has yet been discovered, and farmers with afflicted hogs are discouraged. - —A company has been formed at Alexandria for the purpose of drilling for pas, under the title of the Alexandria Mining Association, with E. B. Chamness President and E. B. McMahan Secretary* Sufficient stock has been subscribed to assure the success of the enterprise, and bids for the work are being received, but no contract will be made until the organization is complete, which will he in a few days. —Morton Post, G. A. of Terre Hante, "has passeOesbluironir' tffgttig the CrenSM ' Assembly to appropriate $200,000 for the erection of a soldiers’ monument in Circle Park, Indianapolis, and asking the separation of the Soldiers’ Orphans’ Home from the Asylum for Feeble-minded Children. They also suggest that a system of-indus-trial education should be introduced in the home established for the orphans. —A peculiarity of the hog disease that has been so prevalent in LaPorte County for some time is that the intestines of ail the dead hogs are literally filled with worms of from one to six inches in length. Many farmers think tho disease is quite different from the cholera that 'has visited the county in former times. —John Herman, of Culver’s station, was trying to leach a boar to perform the tricks of the learned hog in the circus side-show, when his koarship turned madly on him, threw hinpdown, and so tore his flesh with his sharp tusks and inflicted injuries over all parts of his body that he will probably die. —A natural gas company, with a capital stock of $25,090, has been organized at Logansport, with Senator Shroyer and George B. Forgy at the head. All the jtock was subscribed in a few hours after the papers were prepared. *—Rev. Amos Stout, of Madison, has accepted a call to the pastorate of the Baptist Church at Lawrenceburg. —Mr. T. J. Hildreth, formerly an employe in the Wabash shop at Fort Wayne* and afterward General Secretary of the railroad department of the Y. M. C. A. at Rochester, N. Y„ has been offered the General Secretaryship of the Y. M. C. A. of Winona, Wis. —The sec6nd section of a freight train on the Monon line ran into the first section at Ladoga. The result was a demolished engine and several oars. The engineer and fireman were slightly injured. —The Indiana Knights of Labor have organized a State Assembly. • * * .. •