Rensselaer Union, Volume 7, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 January 1875 — Page 2

RENSSELAER UNION. JAMES * IF.ALKY, Proprietor*. RENSSELAER. - INDIANA.

THE NEWS.

Another Resolution in SpainEnd of the Republic. Dot Alphonso, Son of Ex-Queen Isabella, Proclaimed King. Onditiom of the Public Debt January 1. Atty.*Gen. Williams Sustains the. Louisiana Returning Board. Sudden Death of Gerrit Smith in New York City. .A«oibf.r Ucdsioß ii He Tiltoißeeclier Siit-The Bill of Pwtiwlin Re fused. <&m. Sheridan Goes to New Orleans Under Confidential Instructions. Other Interesting News Items. FOKEIGN. Madrid dispatches of the 31st ult. announce the collapse of the Spanish Republic and • that Alphonso had been proclaimed King of Spain by the army and navy, and that the people had gladly acquiesced in the movement The King had announced his Cabinet, and had telegraphed to the Pope asking his blessing and promising like his ancestors to defend the of the Holy See. Gen. Campos had entered Valencia at the head of the troopa that were sent to oppose him when he pronounced for Alphonso. The new Ministry had telegraphed to Cuba directing the Cap-tain-General to proclaim to the army there the accession of King Alphonso. Dispatches of the Ist say that Gen. Dorregaray had laid down his arms and that other prominent Carlist leaders were about to give in their adhesion to King Alphonso, and the Spanish Ambassador at Paris had resigned and the Duke de Montpehsier and the Orleans Princes had congratulated Don Alphonso upon his accession to the Spanish throne. Mrs. J. Lothrop Motley, the wife of the American historian, died in London on the Ist. A London dispatch of the morning of the Ist says that 60,000 colliers in South Wales . had struck work in consequence of a reduction in wages. *' The death of the English Duke of Montrose is announced, and also the decease of the eminent Communist M. Ledru Rollin. In consequence of a very heavy fall of snow ■ on the SUlh and 31et ult. all the railroads iu Austria were blockaded and travel was sus--pended. ----- A Constantinople dispatch of the 31st ult. says 25,000 persons have perished from starvation in the city of Adana alone. A London dispat ch of the 2d says that King Alphonso would speedily be recognized by European powers. He had granted amnesty to all Carlists, and had been tendered the support oLCastelar, Martos, Admiral Topete and other well-known Republicans. The blessing —of the Poj>e asked for by the King had been sent through the Papal Nuncio in Madrid. The Swiss, Austrian and Belgian Governments, according to the London Tinies of the 2d, had adopted stringent measures against the importation of American potatoes “infected with Colorado beetle.” Garibaldi has declined the national grant for his relief, because of the conditibiUljU Italian finances. ’.DOMESTIC. In the investigation in New York on the 28th before the sub-committee of the House Ways and Means Committee, concerning the subsidy business of the Pacific Mail Steamship Company, evidence was produced showing that Wk. 8. King, Postmaster of the .House of Representatives, had, in May last, drawn from a New York bank $115,000 of the funds deposited, by Irwin, on a cheek signed by the latter. According to the report of the State Treas urer and State Anditor of Minnesota the receipts of the year have been $1.112.512.52, and the expenditures $1,148,059.90. Balance in the Treasury $183,151.04, against $215,398.35 at the end of the year 1873. A report on the 28th that Gen. Emory had been superseded by Gen. Terry wds not confirmed on the 29th and is probably incorrect. Gen. Sheridan left Chicago on the evening of the 27th for New; Orleans, under instructions to hold kimself in readiness, in the event of an uprising against the Kellogg Government, to assume immediate commend of the Government foraes and carry ouf. instructions .con-fidentially-ent him. 4. The opera-house and other buildings in Ottawa, DI., were destroyed by fire on the morning of ibe 29th. Loss nearly SIOO,OOO. In the Pacific Mail investigation in New York on the 30th ult. the Secretary of the Brooklyn Trust Company testified that John G. Schumaker, Congressman for the Second Near York District, had received in payments and credit the sum of $275,000 of the amount disbursed by the agents of the Pacific Mail ■ Company. Rufus Hatch stated before the eommittee that he wished to introduce cer- ; tain witnesses to show that Irwin’s intention i in coming back from Europe was to break up : the Pacific Mail Company. John Goodman was hanged at Ottawa. Ohio, on the 30th ult,, for the murder in April last of Mr. and Mrs. Joha Haywood, an aged couple living on a farm Wear Columbus Grove. A party of Indians, belonging to Spotted Tail’s band, have reported a gang of twenty- • one miners encamped in the Black Hills. They weft not molested, but the fact of their intrusion reported to Indian Agent Howard. The internal revenue receipts fpr the month of December were $8,984,630. For the fiscal year to Dec. 31, $52,273,430. Great excitement was caused at Vinita, I. T., on the Ist by a report that 200 well-armed Hoss, or Piu, Indians were Starching on that

place with a viqw of attacking the town. The cause of the disturbance is said to have grown out of party feeling, the Ross party not favoring a Territorial government, while the Downing, or opposition, party were in favor of the Territorial organisation. Nearly all the white people had left Vinita on tire Ist 'While walking on the streets in New Ori leans on the night of the 31st ult. in company w ith a friend, Fabius McKay Jhinn (colored), Assistant United States Appraiser, was shot in the side and almost instantly killed. Conservatives say the sboobng was accidental. Tub public debt statement Jan. 1 is as folIowa; —•"?'" . Slf per cent, bonds... .. $1,1 57,085.100 Five per cent, bonds 5>56.525.20* Total coin bonds . $1,713.616.300 T»wnirnT»ficyTebf“ 77^777... 14,678.000 Matured debt ... 19.122,390 Legal-tender notes 882.072.317 Certificates of deposit 41,280.000 Fractional currency.... 7 46.390.598 Coin cvrttfiOTes?. 7.7 23.540.600 Interest 39.724.477 Total debt. $2,280,348,682 Cash in Treasure— Coin $82,587,449 Currency::.... 18.952,982 Special deposits held for “the redemption of certificates es •deposit, as provided by law ...: 41,200,000 Total in Treasury $137,740,381 Debt less cash in Trea5ury52,142,598,302 Increase during December 3,659,967 Decrease since June 30, 1874 489.939 Bonds issued to the Pacific Railway Companies, interest"*payable in lawful money, principal outstanding . rr77T.~... — 164,623,512 Interest accrued and not yer pa id. 1.939.705 Interest paid by the United States. 34.325,396 Ifltcrert repaid by the transportation of mails, etc 5,601,888 Balance of interest paid'by United States 18,723,558 Bubpouias were served on the 2d on witnesses in the Til ton-Beecher suit, and a panel ofsoo jurors drawn. In the Pacific Mail iavestigatlon, on the..3d, Henry Clews, a Director, testified that no knowledge came to the Board of Directors, as a Board, of the mouey spent to procure the subsidy until after it became a law, and when they did learn the fact It was a matter of surprise to them. A. L. Phelps testified that Stockwell told him that money was being spent in Washington. Stockwell also said he supposed Irwin would have to be sent out of the country if an investigation, into the matter should be instituted. Phelps thought this was in September, 1872. PERSONAL. Gerrit Smith, the philanthropist, died in New York' on the 28th, from a combinedattack of apoplexy arid paralysis. Mr. Smith was seventy-seven-years-old. Gov. Beveridge, of Illinois, received information on the 28tb that G. W. L. Smith, who was kidnaped in Massac County, 111., some months ago, and taken to Tennessee, where, it was alleged, he had committed a murder, had been released. The general term of the City Court of Brooklyn, Judges Neilson and Reynolds on the bench, have given a decision reversing the order of Judge McCue which required Mr. Tilton to furnish Mr. Beecher a bill of particulars 1’ 1 fit .the. former.. agaiuaLthe lattey. The Freemasons Bi New York gave King Kalakaua a reception on the night of the 30th ult. A large number wer<*present. Ex-Gov. Warmoth had a preliminary examination. 011 th e 30th on'the charge of murder • for killing D. C. Byerly, in New Orleans, and was discharged from custody. A Wash ingtou , telegram of the Ist says Vice-President Wilson had arrived in that city and intended to preside over the Senate during the, remainder of-.the session. The funeral of the late Gerrit Smith occurred at his home in Teterboro, N. Y., on the 31st. Gen. Morgan L. Smith, of Bloomington, 111., died recently at a hotel in Brooklyn, N. Y. His remains were taken to Washington, D. C. After settling up the affairs of the late James Fisk his estate is left in debt to the amount of $178,7xX). Rumors of the resignation of Gen. Spinner and other officers of the Treasury Department are denied by Washington dispatches of the 3d. At the time of his death Gerrit Smith was worth $1,250,000. His charities during his life were of an equal amount. —— Capt. E. B. Ward, a prominent and wealthy citi zen of Detroit, died of. apoplexy in that city on the 2d, aged sixty-four. His estate is estimated al $10,000,000. POLITICAL.

In a dispatch dated New Orleans, Dec. 25, I ‘‘The wrong just perpetrated by . the Returning Board against the people of ! Louisiana is a more crowning infamy than ; the action of the Lynch Returning Board." ! He adds that “ resistance to the national authority, represented by a large portion of the j army and naval fleet sustaining the usurpaI tion and stifling the voice of the people,»has , never been meditated.” In the C abiuet meeting in IV ashihgton on the 29th Atty.-Gen. IVilliams emphatically reiterated his opinion that there was a necessity for the Government to sustain the re- : port 'of the Louisiana Election Returning | Board at all hazards, and that its decision is right in law and in fact. “ The Mississippi Democratic State Contention has been postponed from Jan. S xo April 7. The Congressional subcommittee to inves,tigate Louisiana affairs held its first sessdou in New Orleans on the 30th. The Vicksburg committee reached that place of the 30th. Samuel J. Tilden was inaugurated as Governor of New York on the Ist, in the presence of a large concourse of citizens. The Connecticut Republican State Convention is to be held on the 20th inst. New Orleans dispatches of the 3d say two I Republican members of the Louisiana Legis- ; lature had been kidnaped by the Conservatives to prevent their being present at the i organisation of that body on the 4th7 Gov. Kellogg had submitted a letter to the Congressional Investigating Committee proposing that they decide the question of the dis- i puted election of 1872. and offering to submit ! to whatever verdict they might render. * I

Postoffice Expenses To Be Reduced.

Washington. Dec. 28. The I’ostniastpr-General will soon send to all Postmasters of leading cities a circular, of which the following is an extract : “ The increasing deficiency in the Posb office Department is assuming such proportions as to demand a strict and rigid effort to reduce expenses, with a view to curtail this great deficiency. One of the largest items in the annual expenditures of this department, is the expenses of the Postoffices. This, bpon examination, is found to differ very materially in«

offices of the same class which are influenced by the same condition of service. The appropriations for these expenditures for the fiscal year are $3,250,000 The expenditures at the present rate will be $3,840,000, leaving a deficit of $90,000. I have determined upon an investigation of all the offices, to be made by agents of the Postoffice Department who arc thoroughly versed in alj the details of Postoffice Work and requirement, with a view of discovering the. afitlount necessary to be appropriated for the next ensuing year. , “ In connection with this, I deemit advisable to reorganize the clerical force of all the offices of the higher grade, systematizing the labor and basing the compensation of the.clerks upon the quality and amount of the service performed and introducing a system of appointments and promotions that will enable you to reduce the force and expenses to the lowest limit, and increasing the efficiency of the service to the greatest extent; while at. the same time the pay to individual clerks may be increased if increase is demanded. This reorganization is absolutely necessary to carry out the object proposed, and will receive the attention of the agents detailed for the examination of the offices.” The Postmaster-General suggests to "Postmasters that they forthwith submit a draft of such a scheme of organization of,their respective offices as they may think necessary.

Report of the Paymaster-General of the Army.

Washington, Dec. 29. The Paymaster-General of the army in his report for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1874, gives the following statement of receipts and disbursements: Balance on hand at the beginning of the fiscal year (July 1, 1873).....'... $2,152,991 81 Received during the fiscal year from the Treasury.... ... ..."...,14,241,096 12 Received from soldiers’ deposits.... 346,609 56 Received from other sources 697,043 91 T0ta1517,437,741 43 Disbursed to the army 511,782,168 86 Disbursed to the military academy.. 195,928 47 Disbursed ou Treasury certificates. .1,284,733 11 Total disbursementssl3,262,B3o 44 Surplus funds deposited in the Treasury 837,794 85 Paymasters' collections deposited in the Treasury 697,442 30 Balance in hands of Paymasters June 30, 1874, to be accounted for in next report ~ 2,639,673 81 Total... The. number of re-enlistments during the last year has 'been 1,400 more than during the previous fiscal year. During the fiscal year ending June 30,1874, there were 2,600 less desertions than during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1873. A little of this reduction is due to the diminutioijof the number of enlisted men, but it is fair to presume that a large share of it is owing to the increasing contentment with the service by the full operation of the acts of May 15, 1872, for gradual increase of pay and for soldiers’ deposits. The Paymaster-General recommends to favorable consideration an annuity ’scheme for officers of the army, first presented by Gen. J. B. Fry, of the Adjutant-General’sDepartment. Under it, officers could, by making certain monthly deductions from their pay,secure to their widows, heirs, oi nominees a monthly annuity which will commence on the death of the officer. It is contemplated that the operation shall in the end be a safe one for the Government, and shall involve no loss to the Treasury; It contemplates that the War Department shall have power to prescribe from time to time the rules and tables to be employed in the execution of the plan. I’he average annual mortality of officers of the United States army during the last fifty years (including deaths in war) has been 24.1 per 1,000.

New Mail Arrangements With Canada.

4 Washington, Dec. 29. For the purpose of placing communication by post between the United States and Dominion of Canada upon the most liberal and advantageous basis, the following arrangements have been agreed upon, to be carried into effect on the Ist ot January, 1875, or as soon thereafter as the necessary measures can be perfected for putting them into operation: First— Unification of the postal systems of the two countries in respect to correspondence exchanged between them; each country to forward aud deliver, free of charge, corresponds nc.e of all -kinds, written-and -printed. received from the other, which correspondence must in all cases be prepaid at the established d omeetic rates of the count ry of origin. .Second—Each country will transmit the domestic mails of the other in closed pouches through its territory, free of charge, bv its ordinary mail rou tea. Third— No account shall be kept between the Postoffice Departments of the two countries in regard to international correspondence of aaiv kind exchanged between them; each department retaining for its exclusive use all the postage it collects on mail matter sent to the other for delivery. 2'ourl&-:It is understood to be the desire and intention of eur respective Po«toffice Departments that the provisions of this agreement shall extend to an international money-order exchange as soon as practicable. Fifth— The provisions of this agreement, as far as relates to the rate of letter postage, will be carried iutv effect on the Ist dav of February. 1875. Six/A—AU provisions of existing postal conventions iucon-iistent with this arrangement are hereby abrogated. i« nth— Formal articles, embodying the provisions of this' agreement, shall be prepared for execution as soon as possible. (Signed) ' W. H. Gritfm. Deputy Postmaster-General, Canada, acting for and subject to the approval of the PostmasterGeneral of Canada. Marsham. Jewell. Postmaster-General.

A man paid hie first visit to Baltimore a few days ago, and invited a lady ac quaintance to visit a theater with him. The lady accepted the invitation, and the < young man, following the crowd, walked up to the ticket-office, laid down a fifty■cent note for his ticket, and turning to fas companion said to her, “ The price is fifty cents.” The lady happened to have her porte-monnaie with her, and, appreciating the situation, drew from it a fiftyceut note, and her gallant companion passed it in with his money, and, obtaining two tickets, handed oae of them to her, which she quietly accepted, and passed in after her beau. : About the Ist of December every year i a man has called at the office of Burden * & Son, the great iron manufacturers of ; Troy, and demanded one-fifth of the ■ profits of the preceding twelve months. I He brings account books, etc., and beI lieves he is a member of the firm. This year he was earlier than usual with his demand, and was so boisterous that the police removed him to the insane asylum* —A Boston lady took her little four-year-old down town on the horse-cars, and the man who loves children took the little one on his knee. On the return trip the seats were all taken. No gentleman moved. “ Moder,” said brighteyes, “ ain’t somebody wid nossin in their laps going to take me up?’’ There was a scramble for that precious one.

A Bare-Back Rider.

Caleb Harris, of Hudson, Mich., bears oil the palm from all competitors in the during and romantic feat of bare-back ridijag. He.left Buffalo on the 7th inst., with two car loads of cows, purchased near Hudson, and destined for the fine dairy farms of Madison County, in this State. In the early part of the evening the long stock train stopped at Fairport, as Mr. Harris supposed, for supper, and he embraced the opportunity to look after the welfare of his stock, which was in the forward end of the train. Finding all in good order he was about returning to the rear of the train when unexpectedly the train started, and so rapidly that he deemed it hazardous to attempt to get on the caboose when it should reach him. Resolved not to be left he mounted the train at the risk of life and limb and commenced walking back to the caboose, whemhe fell and came near sliding off io the ground. He now resolved tb make a virtue of necessity and ride to the next station “on deck.” After braving the storm and cold and wind a few moments he feared he might freeze to death in that exposed position, and, finding a trap-door on the deck of the sheep car on which he stood, he decided to “go below” .and seek more comfortable quarters among his wooly fellow-travelers. Here he was foiled again, for the door, firmly fastened with ice or iron, refused to yield to his attempts to force it open. The only remaining chance was to “ turn in” with his horned passengers snugly stowed away with*' every sitting taken,” as it seemed to aiy observer. It was short, quick work. The scuttldxw'as lifted and he alighted on the back of a frisky young Durham. She objected to his rude intrusion in her quiet coach and commenced to kick. She squirmed and twisted and fidgeted till, finding all her efforts futile, she began to “ bellow.” It was no use. The frightened animal was in a tight place and our hero was master of the situation and fully determined to hold out and to hold on. Time seemed long, but on thundered the train. At length they ar rived in Syracuse, where our friend found a release from his cattle-car “ Pullman,” to the joy no less of his companions in the caboose than of himself, and congratulates himself as the champion bare-back rider of the world, having ridden fifty miles in three hours on the unsaddled back of a cow.—Roch•e*ter(N. F.) Democrat.

A Conscience-Stricken Man.

George Peters, who has kept a hotel in Annville township, Lebanon County, Pa., for many years, attempted to commit suicide for the third time recently, by hanging himself on Sunday. He has since delivered himself up to the Sheriff of the county, and declares that his repeated attempts to make way with himself are prompted by remorse, He confessed that he murdered his first wife sixteen years ago. She was found one morning in 1858 in the hotel barn, lying under a horse in one of the stalls. Her skull was crushed, and it was supposed that she had been kicked to death by the horse. That be deliberately killed her. There had been a misunderstanding between them for some time, owing to frequent long visits of Mrs. Peters’ relatives to their house, against whiefi Mr. Peters strongly protested. On the day of the tragedy a brother of Mrs. Peters was expected rft the hotel, and she was making great preparations for his entertainment, against her husband’s wishes. -She went to the barn to catch some chickens. Her husband followed her, and as she was stooping over to seize a chicken she had penned up in a stall he struck her over the head with a pitchfork handle. She fell to the floor and never spoke afterward. Horrified at what he had done, he dragged the body of his wife to a stall occupied by a horse, and placed it there, to give color to the theory that she had been kicked to death. The plan worked as desired, and no suspicion ever arose that there had been foul play. Peters married again some years afterward, and says that he subsequently told his second wife the particulars of the crime. Peters has always been looked upon as a good citizen, and is quite wealthy. The greatest excitement prevails in the community over the extraordinary revelation. — Washington Star. .... - '—-

He Lost the Wager.

A man from the interior who had never seen a steam heating apparatus such as is used in wholesale houses, factories, .etc., of this city, entered a Jefferson avenue business establishment yesterday for the purpose of making a purchase. Seeing a lot of men standing around a “ steam box,” and being naturally inquisitive, hefralked up to the group to ascertain what caused them to gather around the pipes. One of the salesmen, noticing that the customer’s curiosity was aroused, determined to have a little sport at his expense. ,He accordingly made a wager for the cigars that not one in the whole party could lift the “ box” four inches from the floor, at the same time eying his prospective victim in an Inviting manner. The boys comprehended the object of the xvager at once and stepped back to await the result. “Lift that thing,” he exclaimed, raising his powerful arms to show how much muscle he possessed, “do you think that a man who can raise a wagon-box can’t lift that air machine four inches from the floor? Why, I can throw it on my shoulder and never say boo.” Turning to the salesman who proposed the wager he shook hands with him in token of accepting the bet and placed himself in position. In the meantime one of the salesmen had turned on a full head of steam, acd the man grasped the heated tubes. That was all. He emitted ono frantic yell and started for the man who had concocted the plan. But he changed his mind, cast a rueful look at his smarting hands and then joined in the general laugh; but it must be confessed that his hilarity was a little forced. He paid the wager, however, and quitted the establishment with a profound sense of the philosophical depth of that man’s mind who first discovered that “it is never safe to bet on another man’s game.”— Detroit Free Press.

A Bad Manager.

What a picture for “ those about to marry” is thus given in the Saturday Review of a wife who is a bad manager: “ Her is always stained with’the droppings of her teacup, and she has no intermediate state between untidiness and finery. She puts on her best clothes for a morning walk, and keeps nothing for her visiting days. Her piano always wants tuning, and she never remembers the date of the tax-collector’s visits. She forgets her gloves or her card-case till she has arrived at the hall door, and

when they are brought the gloves always want buttons, and there are no cards in the case. She never learns the rate of postage, and writes her foreign letters after the mail has gone out. A drive in a cab involves a tfght about the fare, and she brushes the muddy wheel with her dress in getting out. She expects her servants to do everything without instructions, and usually speaks of them as -‘w retches.’ While she exacts obsequious respect from them, she talks before them of their shortcomings. She gives them needless trouble by her laziness or carelessness, and, while she does nothing for their comfort, expects them to studv hers constantly. She will thoughtlessly ring them up to the top of the house to put on the coals which are in the scuttle beside her chair, and will heedlessly send them three or four errands when a little forethought on her part would have made one enough. She never interests herself in their welfare, hardly knows their names, never spares them when they are ill, or thinks of h*w she may save them trouble. She provides no wholesome literature for their leisure reading, and does not inquire after the proper investment of their little savings. Their wages are always in arrear, and she habitually tempts their honesty by leaving her purse or her letters lying about, and yet frequently suspects them without cause. She charges them with theft and untruthfulness on the smallest grounds, and constantly fancies that they are looking at her through the keyhole or listening behind the door. She is indignant when they give her notice, and refuses them a character when she finds that they cannot compel her to give them one. She knows nothing of them after they leave her, and never concerns herself to get them places. She expects them both to be up before her in the morning and also to sit up late for her at night. If she is ill they must attend her like nurses, rise to her call at .all hours of the night, and work for her in every respect as if they loved her.”

What Might Have Happened.

Through the courtesy of one of our subscribers we are enabled to give the following account of a thrilling occurrence on the line of- the Marquette, Houghton & Ontonagon Railroad, in the copper-mining region at the head of Lake Superior. The letter was written by a young man well known here, formerly in the employ of the New York Central Railroad in this city: ' “'Ontonagon, Dec. 16, 1874. “Dear : There is nothing new to write regarding business. All branches are dull, with no prospect of improvementjbefore spring. But the principal reason for my writing was to tell you what happened to Johnny K . (He used to run on the Central, you remember.) He was pushing one of our big, heavy snow-plows over the road with a sixty-ton engine, such as we have to use here on account of the heavy grades, and had just started down a very long and heavy grade near ‘ Michigamee.’ You know how they have to run. Well, John had just let her out for what she was worth, when, on turning a short curve, he saw, about a quarter of a mile ahead, a four-horse team hitched to a sleigh that was caught in the track somehow. The men in charge seemingly made frantic efforts to get the sleigh loose, but at last gave it up, and, to Johnny’s surprise, they all ran off as hard as they could go across the fields. “ Jack threw her over as soon as they came in sight, but the old thing was going too fast to allow brakes to hold her. Then he opened his whistle and “made her howl.” At that the horses began to get restive and scared, and at last gave a plunge altogether that started the sleigh —just in time for the engine to graze it as it went by—the horses starting off on the run, but were caught by the man in charge. As soon as Johnny stopped he went to find out if any hurt had been done, and you may guess how he felt when he learned that the sleigh was loaded with 800 pounds of nitro-glycer-ine, just from the magazine at Michigamee—enough to start a ycung railroad in the moon if Jack had struck it.” — Rochester Express.

Insect-Catching Plants.

The interesting facts lately ascertained with respect to the habits of in-sect-eatihg plants have induced among naturalists a closer examination of kindred tendencies wherein their existence has been hinted in the construction or the circumstances of any species of the vegetable kingdom. At the December meeting of the St. Louis Academy, Prof. Riley, State Entomologist, exhibited some flowers of the Physianthus a species of the Asdepidacece or milkweeds, which had captured a number of sphinx-moths (Dielephila lineata) by their tongues. In this plant, as ifi many of the Asclepidaceas, the stigma is curiously reflexed and cleft. Thus when insects thrust their tongues into the flowers in search of honey it often happens that the intruding member penetrates one of these clefts, and its owner finds it im ; possible to draw it out again. In short, he is caught in a trap, and must depart leaving his tongue, that essential organ of his existence, behind him or stay with it and perish. Either way it seems death to the hapless prisoner. In a large number of cases Mr. Riley found that insects chose to wrench themselves away, leaving the tips of their tongues laden with their spoil of pollen in the miserable jaws or clefts of the stigmas. These torn and broken limbs remaining in the teeth of the flowers furnish quite as convincing evidence of their murderous intentions as Would the presence of the entire bodies of their captives. The question now remaining for naturalists to solve is, How do the inseets caught by the Asclepidaceas, or milk-weeds, inure to the benefits of the plants? In Europe it has been discovered that the common oleander catches inseets in the same manner. What purpose in the economy of the plant do these captures serve? That is the query next in order. — Chicago Tribune. —A very good-looking young lady entered the Central Station yesterday, and. walking up to the Sergeant, she said: “ I want a policeman.” As soon ashe could recover from his surprise be said l : “ Well, there are five widowers and seven young men left—have you any choice?” She was very indignant as she explained that she wanted an officer to gp and help take care of an insane woman. — Detroit Free Press. . “ Give us,” says the New Hampshire Workingman's Advocate, “the man with brown hands, smut on his nose and sweat on his forehead.” All right—sent him last night; also a woman with a long chin and a wart on her nose to keep him happy.— Detroit Free Press.

FACTS AND FIGURES.

—lt is estimated that but one in 50,000,000 railway passengers is killed. As a much greater proportion of those who stay at home die in their beds it is claimed that it is safer to travel on the railroad than to go to bed at home. —Over 300 trees and more than 800 woody species of plants are believed to be embraced in the flora of the United States, and of the trees 250 species are. tolerably abundant in one region or another, 120 of them growing to a large size. appears from statistics prepared by the Massachusetts State Board of Education that the cost of education per pupil, in the State incorporated academies is nearly $35 per year, while in the private academies it is only $33. In the Boston Latin School the cost is $l7O per pupil. r —The earnings of the BalLmore ct Ohio Railroad the past year were $14,947,420 • expenses, $9,416,650.67; net earning $5,670,626.20. The expense of working the road is stated to be 57 8-100 per cent, upon the earnings, showing a decrease of 2 64-100 per cent, compared with the previous year. The surplus fund of the company on the 30th of September, 1874. was $32,144,160.15. —ln one of my previous letters I gave an account of the value and the destination of the dead leaves of Paris. I have just learned what the mud of Paris is worth. In its crude state it is valued at $120,000 per annum, but when prepared for manure it sells at prices ranging from sixty cents to one dollar for a cubic yard, and is worth $600,000 for the annual product. The bidders to whom it is adjudged must pay for sweeping the streets and for removing all accumulated filth under the surveillance of the authorities. Several thousand persons are employed in that service. In 1823 the Paris dirt was sold for 75,000 francs ($15,000); in 1831 the purchasers paid over $31,000; in 1845 the value had risen to $160,000. — Paris Correspondence Philadelphia Press. —lt is said that probably about 60,000,000 or 70,000,000 codfish are taken from the sea annually around the shores of Nerwfoundland. But even that quantity seems small when we consider that the cod yields something like 3,500,000 each season, and that 8,000,000 have been found in the roe of a single cod. Other fish, though not equaling the cod, are ■wonderfully productive. A herring six or seven pounds in weight is provided with 30,000 ova. As ter making all reasonable allowances, for the destruction of the eggs and the young, it has been calculated that in three years a single pair of herring would produce 154,000,000. Buffon said that if a pair of herring were left to breed and multiply undisturbed for twenty years, they would yield a fish bulk equal to the globe on which we live. The cod far surpasses the herring in fecundity. Were it not that vast numbers of the eggs are destroyed, fish would so multiply as to fill the waters completely.— Scientific Ameri—He was going up Jefferson avenue, in Detroit, sachel in hand, when he saw an old hat on the walk. He deviated considerably from his course, stopped close to the hat, and drew back and kicked with all his might. Some boys gathered around him as he sat in the doorway holding his foot land grating his teeth and weaving his body to and fro, and they explained to him that he never should kick old hats in a strange town. —Another man to be hangedjin Pennsylvania. No State can stand this drain on its population.

THE MARKETS.

NEW YORK. BEEF CATTLESIO.OO @513.00 , HOGS—Dressed 8.75 @ 9.00 Live 6.87 l / 2 @ 7.12>/£ ' SHEEP—Live 5.00 @ 6.50 ' COTTON—Middlingl4%@ .14& FLOUR—Good to choice 5.00 @ 5.60 WHEAT—No. 2 Chicago 1.11 @ 1.14 CORN—Western Mixedßß @ .89 OATS—Western Mixed 69 @ .7114 RYE 94 @ .95 BARLEY —Western... 1.45 @ 1.50 PORK—New Mess 20.50 @ 20.62J4 LARD—Prime Steaml3%@ .13% CHEESE WOOL —Domestic Fldece43 @ .65 CHICAGO. BEEVES—Choice $5.75 @ $6.10 G00d.......... 5.00 @ 5.50 Medium 4.25 @ 4.75 Butchers’ Stock 2.75 @ 4.25 Stock Cattle 2.60 @ 3.75 HOGS —Live—Good to Choice.. 6.75 @ 7.10 SHEEP—Good to Choice 4.75 @ 5.75 BUTTER—Choice Yellow3o @ .37 EGGS—Fresh 24 @ .25 CHEESE—New York Factory.. .15 @ .15% Western Factory... -14%@ .15 FLOUR —White Winter Extra.. 4.25 @ 6.50 Spring Extra 4.00 @ 4.60 GRAIN —Wheat—Spring, No. 2. ,90y@ .90% Corn—No. 2, New6s%@ .65% Oats—No. 252%@ .53% Rye—No. 298 @ .99 ) Barley—No. 2 1.24 @ 1.24% PORK —Mees, New 18.70 @ 18.80 LARD 7...'« 13.10 @ 13.15 WOOxj—Tub-washed4s @ .57 Fleece, washed4o @ .48 Fleece, unwashed 27 @ .36 LUMBER—First Clear 52.00 @ 55.00 Second Clear. 46.00 @ 50.00 Common Boards.... 11.00 @12.00' Fencing 12.00 @ 13.00' “A” Shingles 3.00 @ 3.25 Lath... 2.00 @ 2.25 CINCINNATI. FLOUR—Family, New .. $4.60 @ $5.10 WHEAT—Red 1.08 @ 1.10 CORN—New. 69 @ .70 OATS6O @ .62 RYE 1.08 @ 1.10 BARLEY—No. 2 1.27 @ 1.27%. PORK—Mess 18.75 @ 19.00 LARD 13%@ .14 ST. LOUIS. BEEF CATTLE—Fair to choice $4.50 @ $6.25 HOGS—Live 6.50 @ 7.10 FLOUR—FaII XX 4.50 @ 4.65 WHEAT—No. 2Red Winter.... 1.06 @ 1.06% CORN—No. 2 New 64 @ .66 OATS—No. 257 @ .58% RYE—No. 199 @I.OO BARLEY—No. 2 1.25 @ 1.30 PORK—Mess... 19.25 @ 19.50 LARDI3 @ .13% MILWAUKEE. FLOUR—Spring XX $5.25 @ $5.50 WHEAT—Spring No. 194 @ .94% “ No. 290%@ .90% CORN-No. 267 @ .68 OATS—No. 251 @ .51% RYE—No. 195%@ .90 BARNEY—No. 2 1.26%@ 1.27 CLEVELAND. WHEAT—No. 1 Red $1.11%@ sl.lff ” No 2 Red 1.05%@ 1.06 CORN—New7I @ .7» OATS—No. 157%@ .58 DETROIT. WHEAT—Extra..; $1.14%@ $1.15 C0RN...,.., 70%@ 70% OATS... 54 « .56% DRESSED HOGS 7.75 @ 8.20 TOLEDO. * WHEAT—Amber Michigan sl.lO @ $1.10% No. 2 Red 1.0» @ 1.09% CORN—High Mixed, New69%@ .70 OATS—No. 256%a. .57 BUFFALO. BEEF CATTLE... $4.75 @56.15 HOGS—Live..... 7.00 @ 7.25 SHEEP—Live 4.50 @ 600 EAST LIBERTY. ? CATTLE—Beet, $6.50 @s7 09 Medium 5.50 @ 5.75 HOGS—Yorkers. 700 @ 7.15 Philadelphia ,50 @ 7.75 SHEEP—Beet... 6.25 @ 650 "