Omaha Daily Bee Newspaper, December 5, 1887, Page 4

THE DAILY BEE. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. TERMS OF £UBSCRIPTION. pally Morning Edition) including Sunday By, One Year [N . The Fiftieth Congress. At noon to-duy the fiftieth congress will assemble. The democratic caucus, having chosen Mr. Carlisie f tion as speaker of the house, the w of organization can be speedily accom- plished. Mr. Reed, of Maine, will aguin receive the republican vote for the speakership. In the senate the or- ganization is alrendy complete, and in- terest in the first day's session of that body will relate to the Indiana, West Virginia and Florida contests, and es- pecially to the first of the A com- mittee of the causus of democratic sen- ators held Saturday evening reported #1000 For 8ix Months or Three Months ;. The Omaba Sunday Bek, walled to any ad- dress, One Year OMANA OFFICE. NO. 14 AND NEW YOIK Greicx, Room ING. WASHINGTON ORFICE, TEENTH STRE CORF All_comminnic No. 513 Fotnr news and e addressed to the TOR OF THE Brk. BUSINESS LETTERS: All business addressed to THE BEE PUBLISHING vOrably Sivins - PNUTd OMANA. DEAfts, checks and postotiiee orders to | favorably to - seating Turpie and Ve made pryable to the order of the company. advised that the democrats act together as a unit in support of this view. The intention of re- publican senators regarding these con- tests is only a matter of conjecture. The new congress assembles under imstances which. give it grent im- ance, and its proceedings will be tehed by the country with unusual interest. The first session will doubt- less be prolonged far into next summer, and promises to be an active and strong one. Whatis the prospectof accom- plishing such legislation as the country hopes for and requires for reducing tax- ation, diminishing the excessive reve- nues of the government, and providing for a wise employment of the surplus on nd ? vershadow all The Bec Putlishing Company, Proprietors, E. ROSEWATER, THE DAILY BEI Sworn Statement of Circulation, & Btate of Nehraska, Il . County of Douglas, (%% e k, secretary of The Ree Pub- | wy ¥, does solerinly swear that the of the Daily fee for the week L was as follows Sworn to and subscribed in my presence this 8 day of December, A, D, 157, N. . FEIL, These questions SEAL) Notary Public hers in the public mind, and Ll R are very far in advance of . T K, being first duly sworn, de- | all others in their importan & and says that heis secretary of The Bee | B G Verots. . Mah-of toth ishing company, that the actial average ¥ cireulation the Daily -Tiee for scoguize the vrgent necessity the month of December, 186, 13,25 copios: wopptio. v Cahbayceni for January, o cop for Feb- ion to effect these objects, T 57, 14108 copiess for March, 1€ it thaad 0 Fda T TOAT, L 1 N copiee) for, it but theve is a wide divergence of vic b 147 copt for Augrist, 157, 14,0 K57, 14,740 0| for 'November, 1 77 coples: 'for June, 18 1 s to methods, Can these be brought 14 cop into,accord upon any measure that will omplish the desived end? The very general opinion is that it will be found extremely difficult, if not impossible to do this. ¢ The actual democratic majority in the house is only eleven, and the party is not a unit on the question of revenue re- form. The strength of the faction op- posed to any. extensive interfereuce with the tariff is not certainly known, but is eclaimed to be twenty-five or thirty. If it shall prove to be one-half of the least of these numbers it will be strong enough assuming thatperhaps not more than half a dozen republicans de- cline to act with their party, to p nt any revenue legislation objectionable to THE Mexican railways have agreedto | i, There is no doubt that the leader pool. Mexico needs an ‘‘inter-stato | of this faction is fully determined to as- COmerce gomm of some kind. | sort himself in this as he did in the last two congresses. He has been ominously ignored by the revenue reform leaders, and he has been equally careful to avoid them. + Reports of proposed conferences between Me. Carlisle and Mr. Randall are shown to have had no foundation. The policies of these iecaders, there is every reason to believe, wiil be found s hostile as ever. Theve is greal possi- Dbility that an effort will be made to ex- clude the latter from the party couneils, which could serve only to intensify the nothing likie | hostility. Such is the situation at the e th beginning of the new congress, and it is certainly an unpromising one, There is really loss reason to expect wise rovenue legislation, of this con- gress than there was of the last,in which the democerats had a majority of forty, and in which, also, they had leaders who will be absent from the fiftieth congress. The only respect in which the conditions are changed is the fact that the presidential election is nearer, but it is not apparent that this consideration is exerting any influence upon those democrats in congress who have hitherto opposed the will of the majorvity. GEO. B. TZSCHI'CK. £worn to and subscribed in my presence this 84 day of December, A. D. 1857, SEA ONE of the luxuries of life enjoy residents of Los Angeles, is coal at $16 per ton. THr gentleman from Indiana, Mr, Tarpie, is evidently wondering what a day will bring forth, SENATOR RIDDLEBE L whose ears are little shorter than Cleveland's mes- sage, holds the key to the situation. It appears that Honest Georga Timme has again shown his hand in ass Cadet Taylor in his jobbery and job office. A GOOD time is coming for the farm- ers. There isa decided upward ten- dency in the price of agricultural pro- ducts. Sp———————— ONE of the ‘“‘eyo-witnosses” to the Haddock murder has been proven to be a blind man. Yet there keeping Sioux City before CLINTON B. FIsK, of New Jersey, will be the prohibition candidate for presi- dent. This is strictly a geographical selection. The idea is to carry New Jorsey SATURDAY last, all the Nebraska delegation had arrived in Washington except Jim Laird. He was busy having himself interviewed along the line, and will be on hand to-day. THE committee for locating the next national republican convention should have an eye to the golden mean. Omaha is the embodiment of that term, geographically speaking. —_— AGO authorities have made little ss in solving the problem of how to light their town without bankrupting the city. The gas companies formed “trust” and immediately wanted the earth. The Crisis Safely Passed. The French republic is on a more stable and secure basis to-day than it has ever been before. There has been an attestation of loyalty to the republi- can system, and a vindieation of patriot- . which have gone very farto remove all the doubt that was entertained r gording the fitness of the French peoy; for republican government and a sinec ity of their devotion tothat kind of gov- ernment, What was universally vegarded as a perilous erisis, involving almost any political possibility, has boen cly possed, Except a few noisy dem- strations in the strects of Paris, readily suppressed by the vigilance and first democratic congressional caucus, | frmnness of General Saussicr, there was with nothing more lhllll. the omml of nothing to disturb the tranquility door-keeper at stake, gives cheering | of the nation or disturb the promise of what may be expected when | yegular progress of the people’s affairs, the momentous business of the session The assembling of the national congress begins. at Versailles on Saturday was signalized TWO Syracuse papers hn;'.n imitatea | by no vxt}ranr«linnryuiroumhmncos. The the example of the New York Herald | intervening time since the resignation and raised their price. There seoms to | ©f M- Grevy had been fully oceupied by be a general desire on the part of enst- | the various leaders in a careful survey ern papers to adopt the same course. | Of the situation and a thoughtful can- They have had all the experiénce they | V088 of the cum.hnuns surrounding the want in the “Cheap John" business. men most prominent for the succession. The result was the selection of a candi- date upon whom the republicans could unite and who was elected on the sec- ond ballot by a majority so decisive as to effectually silence all opposition. The prompt accomplishment of this was IT must have been a painful picture to Mr. Blaine, who was in Paris, to sce & president named and elected within twenty-four hours. He probably thought that at least all republics were not un- grateful, — A ROUGH-AND-TUMBLE fight in the on THE mayor of Bradford, Pa., has been fined for keeping nitro-glycerine within the city limits; the mayor of Dublin has been sentenced to jail for two months by the tory government; the mayor ol Lin- coln, this state, has just been released [ due in no small degree to the from jail—and the mayor's ofice has | patriotic course of some of the lost dignity. leaders, conspicuously Ferry and De Freycinet, who publicly aban- Tre New York T¥mes, referving to the several cities that will urge their claims for the next national republican con- vention, says that the ambitious west- ern cit! meaning Omaha and Minne- apolis, “are secking only for some way of booming themsclves.” We know nothing of the motive that inspives the application of Minneapolis, but we de- sire to assure our esteemed contempo- rary thut Omaha is actuated by no such selfish feeling as it aseribed to her. She will make her application from a con- vietion that it will be to the ad of the republican party to hold its na- Adonal convention in this western me- tropolis, and also for the reason that s) believes the party owes this considera- | to doned all personal claim; the inter- est of the republic. It was a eritical juncture when men of unscrupulous ambition might have brought on the most calamitous consequences by sceke ing their personal ends at the sacrifice of every other consideration, and those who patriotically rejected the oppor- tunity have earned the right to an hon- orable fame greater than the presi- dency, gained by unworthy means, could possibly have bestowed. Carnot, the new president of France, has not been greatly distinguished in the national councils, but he scems to be known and respected as a man pos- ssing all the qualifications necessary successful performance of the tion to the great west, of which | executive duties. While never having Omuha is the most rep been an uctive politician,he has achieved ative and progressive city. The [ reputation as a wise and prudent finan- Times is further assured that | cier, and France at this time has use for Omaha does not need to have recourse 10 any extraneous means of this sory 1o give it & boom. In an entively legiti- wate way ivis enjoying o most satisfg- tory progress, with the certainty of con- tinuivg its onward march, whether the repuiiican convention shall come hLere the talent of such a man. He will prob- ably have no dificulty in forming a ministry that will be entirely acceptas ble to the country. The popularity of his election will be a stroug inducement to aspiring politicians to become identi- fiod with his administration, which, it is believed, will be earnestly directed to or go to some less desirable eity. conserving the peace and welfare of the nation. With a most honorable ances- try. identified with republicanism. and himself most thoroughly of that political faith, President Carnot, supported by the confidence of the great majority of the people of France, has the oppor- tunity to fix move firmly the foundations of the republic, and in all respects to advance the interests and welfare of his country. The friends of republican government everywhere are to be con- gratulated upon the peaceful and prompt termination of the crisis in France. Is It Political Blackmail? The old wgter-sonked Douglas street raft is eviffently anxious to make It is presumed that in the recently rejuvenated concern has become almost worthless and isa drug in the Omaha market. wagant bills for election tickets campaign documents must be paid. vy man who was a candidate or who ever intimated that he might be a can- e, is, it appears, liable to an assess ment. Dr. George Roberts, of Creighton, candidate for regent of the state uni- versity, was assessed $50. Mr. Rober had already contributed to his county campaign fund, and knowing that the oftice of regent was merely honorar; with neither salary nor compensation, concluded he would not pay into the state campaign fund the amount de- manded, The committee finally made a sight draft on him, which he refused to honor. Under ordinary — cireumstances this would have ended the matter. But Cadet Taylor, the old Nel ka pionecr who has spent about twelve months of his life in this state laboring for the mpaign fund, writes the following suggestive letter: 2 Owmana, Neb., Nov, 25, 1887.-Dr. Geor Roberts, Creighton, Neb.—Dear Weare advised by the state central comnittee that ve not only failea to pay your of expenses, but within a day or two de upon you has been returned un- Hy this action you compel others to pay your debts. 50 unusual that, hefore commenting on in the Republican wesshall be very ad to have your explanation. Very re- spectfully, Caver Tyyron How long, proy. has Cadot Taylor been th rentr long ago, we wonde didtherepublican paviy of thisstate com- mission the Oinaha Reprblacan or the se retary of its company to lov kmail wpon republicans who d fo years in our state? Why did M. Roberts have any “‘share of campnign cxpenses™ if he 0 his county's fund? Why aud how did he compel others to pay hisdebts? And even if Mr. Roberts was moratly responsible for the umount claimed by the committee, why shoul Cadet Taylor threaten to “*comment’ his readerless paper, if it were not for the designed purpose of blackmailing Mr. Roberts? If the republican state eentral com- mittee is in collusion with n gang of reckless politicians and foundering business men, its members had better call n halt. The party cannot afford to bleed its candidates with suspicious threats of “‘comment” because they re- fuse to pay un excessive and unjust as- sessment. Tostal Sérvic Postinaster General thinks there is need of reform in the postal service, especially in regard to the compensation of thivd-class postmas- ters. If the business of such an offic amounts to, say $5,000, the postmaster must bear all expenses, and there will be left, for himself only what remains of his salarvy of $1,900. If the business is only $100 more, the postmaster, who will then belong to the ond class, re- ceives $2,000 net for his services, the vernment paying all expenses, A third-class postmaster must often pay out of his salary move than half for as- sistance and office rent, besides doing large part of the work himself. This is manifestly an unjust arrangement. The postmaster general advises a re- classification. He would operate all offices whose recvipts aggregate #3,000 orless as fourth-class offices now managed. All over that figure he would make aried offices, with the expenses paid by the governmient. The pay of postmasters of this class would, of course, be proportioned to the amount of business done. Offices of this class might be separated into two divi- sions, those whose business amounts to more than #30,000 constituting the first, and those from $3,000 to $30,000 the ondclass. On this plan the upper salaried offices would number 118, the lower 1471, and the third, or commission oftices, 53,845, Another important recommendation is that the government should erect the buildings for these 1,471 middle-class offices, all built alike and expressly for the postal service. This looks like a v reasonable suggestion. As this class of oflices are now operated they are often found not only in strange but also very inconvenient locations, according to the whim or convenience of the postmuster. The People's Favorite. The SUNDAY BEE of yesterday w: not only a complete ne wper, but it was a model of journalistic enterprise. Sixteen pages containing fresh and original comment from the pens of some of the most popular writers of tha day; carefully selected miscellany; a full and complete narration of all local happen- ingsi special state telegrams from all parts of Nebraska and lowa; news from all parts of this continent by special service and Associated press,—with the first page filled with special cablegrams from all the news centers of the old world, . The SUNDAY BEE compares as a news- paper with auy publication in the west, and so far distances its drowsy compet- itors that compurison is & uscless task. It was a great undertaking on the part of the BEE to attempt to handle the cablograms of the New York Herald. Yet the money was expended and the thousands of readers of the BEE are served each morning with the cable- grams that appear the same day in the New York Herald. This and other enterprises are the marked advantages possessed by the THE OMAHA DAILY BEE: MONDAY, DEOEMBEB 5, 1887 BEE, which have caused it to stand at the head of western newspapers, Tae Burlington began its fast train service yesterday between Chicago and Denver by the way of Omaha. This will, necessarily, be followed by equally as fast time on the part of the other roads between Chicago and Omaha, This gratifying change is not due &0 much to the Burlington folks as it is to Tom Potter, vice president of the Union Pacific. Mr. Potter, by decreasing the time between Omuha, Denver and San Francisco over his road, forced the Burlington to follow suit. Mr. Potter enterprise is appreciated by the public. Had he taken charge of the Union Pa- cifie years ago that vond would long ago have been brought out of the mire. Mr. Potter is a man of nerve, judgment and prompt and decisive action, and is proving a very valuable acquisition to the Union Pacific, THE only objection that has been raised against locating the national re- publican convention in Omaha is the inability to properly accommodate the guests. This is a mistake, as the Ne- braska committee will show upon its ar- rival in Washington. Omaha can find quarters for every one who attends the convention. Every delegate can be as- signed a room before the date of the convention and the exposition building can be easi thrown into one large room for the accommodation of the con- vention itself. It is generally conceded that Omaha stands a good show of secur- ing the prize. She has influential friends all through the west at work in her behalf, AN ordi cas passed by the coun- cil some time ago for the regulation of the construction of sidewalks in the business center. The intention was that the sidewalks should be of uniform grade and of darable matevial, and that old and dilapidated wulks should be re- placed with new on The ordinance so far iz a dead-letter. The authorities should at once see that it is strictly en- forced all along the line, and that tl walks putina condition to corre- spond with the paved streets, STATE JOTTING! The wild boy of the Nemaha hottoms has been given a well earned rest. Iis eseapades are a trifle woolly. T)mlg(' county will give $200 fora beiel interview with the fire bug who burned the Platte river vailroad bridge. Omaha is threatencd with another “aiv line,” the latest direct to Mexico., Tt will.eventually pavallel that built to Yanlkton. . K. O'Sullivan, assistant postmaster of st Point, is!booked for several weary weeks of pain with a broken log for a ‘partner. The express messengers on the Elk- horn Valley road sun from Missouri Valley to Sturgis, Dak., a distance of 550 milee, without rest. “Hurrah for Omaha,™ heartily shouts the Holdrege Nugfoet, coupling it with a hope that the metvopolis will capture the national republiean convention. Homer. in Dakota county, is an active vival of Ponea in perpeivating coal finds. 1t is believed to have a continua- tion of the Omuha find of Thanksgiving. 1886, i The dashing and handsome wife of the editor of the Palmyra Pilot is the latest “mysterious disappearance.” 1t is feared she has made away with Ne- braska €ity’s wild boy. The famous Second regiment-band of Nebraska City is no_more. The mem- bers grew weary of blowing in both money and wind'to give the city n sil- ver cornet. The last toot in Chicago broke their burdened horns. T'he city of Beatrice has been thrown into political chaos by the announce- ment that Senator Paddock wants to represent her in the national republican convention. The brigadiersof the rank and file are dy combining to cap- ture the “power and prestige™ of the position. Columbus reports that the niggardly economy of the Union Pu the maimed ns of the ny with greatest for Aaron Cue, who was erippled for life by a snow plow last winter and given a job as crossing watchman, had his wages catdown from $40 to $25. It is u clear case ofstarve or resign Johnny Price, a slippery son of Yorlk, who forged the name of his father and others to notes, and relieved bankers and money lenders of $20,000, was run down in Kansas and escarted home. He has had a wild time on the proceeds of his penmanship, and will now rest and recuperate in Lincoln, His people are among the best in Yor The canning facto at Blair closed a profitable scason with ¢ of 308,000 cans of splendid corn, 246,000 of peas, 136,000 of tomatoes, and of beans, pumpkins and apples sufficiont to swell the total to 834,000 cans. The value of the goods packed is 367,500, and two-thirds of the stock has been d. The factory has been a suce ond anticipations, profitable alike ners, owners and employes. Willie Innes, a budding genius of whe built & gun out of gas pipe 1 the breach into his skull, two ago, died early last week and s buried Monday., His death eaused a deep foeling of sadness and sym the schools were suspended to” gi Fh\ ates an opportunity to attend the uneral, and beecome fmprossed with the uncertaintics of life in the midst of powder and guns. A score or more candle lights of de- moeracy display uncommon levity in the midst of death. They affect **I-told-you- 50 pressions and point to the huge mujority of Judge Maxwell as a warn- ing to the party to put up better timber or retire from business, Tho fact is that Judge Maxwell proved to be an ir- resistible jurist, who stood by the interests of the mimy as against the few, and democrats as well as republ cans attested their vegard for his work by their votes. Mr. O'Day sacrificed himself for the sake of party, without the slightest expegtation of being elected. His ability and integrity en- titles hi mto respectful treatment in the house of his friends. H. R. Crouch teaches in a district school in Gage county. What he lacks in brains and manliness he makes up with the gud. Last week he inau- gurated the cmmmmf system and un- mercifully beat a small boy for missing in his spelling lesson. The boy’s body was frightfully bruised and cut, It is almost beyond belief that the inhuman hounds of the sixties are yet abroad in a land where hemp grows luxuriantly from tree tops. Cronch will likely es- cape with a slight fine, but the father of the beaten boy will ‘not increase Mis stock ofself-respect and neighborly regard if he permits that incarnate cur to crawl out of the county with a sound carcass. “Qmaha is a great city,” in the opinion has record of the North Bend Flail, “and its con- temperaries on the American continent may as well admit the fact that it is a strong and earnest competitor to the title of emporium of the west. It is en- joying a steady and sturdy growth that is astounding, and the visitor of a year ago is lost when he treads its magnifi- cent marts of to-day, The buildings now being erected are all of metropolitan height, style and finish, and its busi- ness men take great pride in what they flatter themselves is to be the queen city of the west. The state may well be proud of its first city and_glovy in its well-deserved prosperity.” The Creighton Pioneer reports that Dr. George Robert, regent-cleet on the republican ticket, was assessed $50 for campaign expenses by the state central committee. The doctor preferred con= tributing to the county campaign andso informed the commiitee. Some time after the committee drew on him for the amount, but he declined to honor the draft. Now comes the Omaha Republican through Cadet Taylor with the following threat and letter, dated SOmaha. Nov. 28, 1887: Wearendvised by the state central committee that you have not only failed to pay your share of campaign expenses, but within a_day or two a draft made upon you has been returned unpaid. By this action you compel others to pay your debts. Thi is 80 unusual, that, before commenting thereon in the Republican, we ghall be very glad to have your explanation.” Plattsmouth is not ambitious to rival braska City as a sensation and wild boy center. Hor warm blood flounders through modest veins, and revolts at pica headlines and naked notoriety. This explains the slow-mule pace of de- tails of a recent astounding occurence in that city. The ice gorge sbove last” week, it appears, reduced Plattsmouth to a narrow gurgling cam. For several days an unusual commotion was noticed in the waters on the river front. but no atten- was paid to is until late Thursday cning, when a monster of unsightly sh ]n‘ crawled on the sandbar and made for the shore. The people around the depot were pavalyzed with fear, and for minutes that seemed hours the gazed immovable at the slimy, quiver ing beast. Suddenly the cry of “devil- fish ™ avose. broke the spell-bound peo- ple. and away to the hills the n. Slowly the devil-fish, for such’it ap- reared to be, approached the shore. its huge tentacles, yards in length, smiting nd sand for something to de- The rviver bank at this point is about fifteen feet high. fringed with railroad tracks, water-tank and depot. Up to this bank the amphibious monster had fair weather sailing. A huge eye, as large asan alderman’s head after'an all night’s session, glared with demon- like joy from the center of its circula v. Up to the precipitous bank it came and whooped the rubbish and rab- ble out of its path like a young cyclone. The huge arms circled or busly in the rd irc air, and fell upon the trac! and plat- form, scattering boxes and barrows right and left. At this moment the crowd on the hillsides, renlizing that a benefactor was near, opened its throat, and with a mighty effort that shook the valleys and rattled the windows in Ore- apolis, cried out, '“The depot is doomed.” Meanwhile the monster vig- orously whirled its dukes in search of a grip on the tottering tinder-box. The suckers pulled and snapped, but cap- tured only cadaverous cockroaches and cobwebs, musty volumes of Missouri river rates and decayed editorinl passes, The cry of unshackied joy rolled down with irresistible fury on the writhing beast, chilled its efforts and laid it flat on the bar, a mass of lifeless flesh or fish, covering half an acre of ground. For hours after no one ven- tured near the spot. Finally Dr. Cook secuved a posse of brave men and, avmed with axes and abres and lamps, marched to the river, followed by a wondering erowd. They dissected the beast in a few hours and found, to their profound regret, that the plans and spec- iications for a new depot LR lowed by the beast and, lodging ina vital spot, caused death. The hide of the monstér, with its fringe of moss ana barnacles, was captured by William Neville and will be cured and presented to the democratic club of the county, while the tentacles will be stuffed and presented to the enlightened and pro- gressive managers of the B. & M. Mr. M. O'Rourke has been secured at great cxpense to patch up the rentson the levee and remove all traces of the last futile attack on acorporation carbuncle, which now promises to rot and rile the residents for generation R, The Telegraph. The Epoch, Another advantage is the lowering of rates. This suggests a charge made agmnst the Western Union, which its friends have failed suc- cessfully to meet. Its stock has been wiatered by the issue of large stock div- idends till it has reached an cnormous sum. Its nominal capital is at least three times the cost of its plant. This ces it possible for the company to maintain high rates, and yet appear to pay only reasonable dividends. 1f com- peting lines could be run successfully, this might be prevented; but it can never be done. History proves tha such enterprises ave destined to be ab- sorbed by their great rival after a short struggle for existence. The rates charged by the Western Union are monopaly and ot competitivo The, rates. re much higher than the prices ged for equivalent work in Europe According to the best estimates, we about twice as much to send telegraph messages as is paid in England.© The nee between our rates for tele- grams and those paidon the continent of Europe is still greater. Also local and personal discriminations prevail here, but do not exist there. One im- portant result of this is that the tele- phis used much less generally in this country than it is in Europe. ll:'r(ln its business is near all commerci there, it is largely al as well. Viewing the subject from the social standpoint, the building of competing lines 1nvolves a serious waste of capital, which can be prevented by the estab- lishment of a government monopoly. In gpite of many points of excellence n the present system, it must be admit- led that a strong indictment has been presented against it. It fails in several ways to render the best possible servicy to the whole community. The outer against private monopoly in this case is largely justified from tho history of the concern. Its past record will not bear honest scrutiny. Itis capable of becom- ing the source of political corruption. ‘Would the evils be increased should the government buy outthe Western Union company at afair price, and add per- haps 20,000 officials to the present num- ber of government employes? If we had a civil service organized and adminis- tered according to scientific principles, the answer would not be difficult. s it is, the situation furnishes an argument in favor of a thorouhgoing reform of the civil service, so that,if it should become necessary, the government may be able o resume new functions, Dr. Pierce’s “Pellets”—the original “Little Liver Pills (sugar-coated)—cure sick and bilious headache, soure stowuch and biligus attacks, By druggists, PEARL FISHING IN THE EAST. A Porilous Industry on the Austral- {an Coast. VALUES AND SIZES OF PEARLS. A Natural Curiosity~Methods of Na- tives and Europeans—Artie ficial Formation of Pearls. PerTI, W. Australig, Oct. 1, 1887.— nt industry of wesicrn Au- ) The number of vessels fishing off the northwest coast of Australia has been increasing rapidly during the last few years, and there are prolific banks there in abundance, on wlich are found the shell oyster, the shell of which is principally valuable for the mother-of- pearl of which it is composed, and the small oyster, which is the true pearl- beare The larger kind is from six to ten inches in diameter, and the pair of shells weigh from two to four pounds, or sometimes more. These oysters not infrequently contain pearls, but it is for their shells that they are sought. true pearl-bearing oyster is scarcely larger than an eastern oyster, and the sheil is of very little value. Single pearls have been found on this coast valued at 87,500 and $3,500, but the most curious pearl discovery that has been made, either here or elsewhere, w made on this coast a few years ago, when the now famous “erude austealis,” or southern cross pearl was revealed. This is a perfect ural cross of nine pearls, all in one piece. The finder of this unprecedented gem was, as often happens, unaware of its value, and sold it for $100. The pur- chaser considered himself fortunate when he was offered $2,000 by four gen- tlemen in Perth. They sent the cuvi- osity to England and had it mounted and exhibited in the recent colonial and Indian exhibition in London, where it attracted a great deal of notice, and was offered for sale atjthe advanced price of $50.000. Whether a purchaser has yet been found for it is not known. The exhibi- tors hoped that his holiness, the pope. might consider it his duty to become the possessor of so marvelious a natural reproduction of the holy tree; and per- haps some pious devotee may before now have puychased it for a jubilee of- fering to the pontiff. Curiously enough the largest single pear 1 on vecord has recently changed hands on the death of its proprietor, Beresford Hope, an English member of the parlinment. This gem, which, till the discovery of the Southern Cro was the most valuable pearl known. weighs no less than three ounces, is two inches aud an inch and a half in diame- ter. Pearls are not valuable in modern days as they used to be in modern times. Tlieve is a pretty story told in the Tal- mud which illustrates the fact in the very earliest days they were considered the most preciois of all gems. This is not, however., to be wondered at, when it is remembered that all the gems which in modern times e eclipsed the pearl, owe n great part of their beauty to the skill with which they are cut and polished, while the beauty of a pearl is purely natural. Pearl fishing has been going on_dur- ing the last few all around the north coast, off Port Darwin, in Torres straits and off the coasts of mnorthern Queensland generally, but just lately the fisheries off the western coast have been coming into higher favor, and boats have been arriving there from the other parts of Australiaand from & pore. Mr. Streeter, the famous jewe of Bond street and Cornhill in London, f had a boat there for the r or two, and only toward the st year or the beginning of this lost one of his sons, who was engaged in the pursuit of pearls. These new comers have introduced the use of the diving-dress, in which white men descend to collect the shells, but & large part of the fishing is still cavried on by Austrailian nat who are very good at diving and can stay under water for along time. Most of the boats which hoast of a diving dress ave strong lugger-rigged ecraft of seven or eight tons burden, built for the most part in Sidney. They are gencrally manned by seven men, one of whom combines the funetions of "skipper and diver. He goes down to the bottom.and one of the crew ps hold of the signal rope. or deep sea fishing, of course, the diving-dress is of a very great advan- tage, but the price of the outfit is con- siderable, and on the shatlower banks at any rate the natives do very well, These, of course, wear no sort of clothes, but dive to the bottom, carry- ing with them a sack or basket in which to collect the shells, They can stay down for a full minute, and sometimes longer, and they occupy their time in busily loading the receptacle they have brought down with shells. In this they make a good deal of use of their toes, with which they can pick things up with marvellous dexterity. Their great tocs ean bo moved out from their feet us easily ns a white man's thumb from his hand, and this is the in which they habitually pick up any small object off the ground, thus saving themselves the trouble of stoop- ing. Fho lito isa very trying one, owing to the great pressure of the water at the depths to which they have to descend. Sharks also introduce a formidable ele- ment of risk, and a pearl-diver’s life iz rely, if ever, a long one. The poor fellows get so little for it, too, that one cannot but pity them. On the coasts of India the diver gots one- fourth part of the produce of his lubor, but not so the poor West Anustralian, though for the matter of that he would be no serap the better off if he did, but rather the worse, for,hav- ing no idea beyond the beasts of the field what to do with money, he would assuredly spend it all either in drink or , both of which would be most in- jurious to him. The éxport of the pearl shells from Western Australia during the year of 1885 was valued at over $217,000, and the pearls for the same r were worth whout $75,000, Probably the take last year was considerably larger, but this Year it will be very small indeed, for Yust April, just at the end of the fishing season,a most terrible catastrophe over- took the whole of the fleet of boats which was fishing off the coast in_the neigh- borhood of Roeburn and Cossack. A hurricane of the very violent and local type known as a “cock-eyed Imh.': or by the native name of * Willy Willy," dispersed the fleet and sank nearly all the boats, Some six and twenty boats, most of them luggers, and laden with ghells, were lost, and a considerable number of white men, with as many as 140 native Australians, were drowned. The business of getting the pearls ont of the oysters is o tolerably disagre ble one. The oysters are ) ewn into large vessels and left to die, when the shells open of their awn necord. o shells are then removed, but the oysters themselves ave left in buckets till they become decomposed, when they are well stirred. The pearls sink to the bottom, and the remaimder is poured off, 1t may be readily inferved that the odor in the camps of pearl-seekers is more powerful than pleasant. The innumerable flies, sand-flies and mosquitoos that swarm around do not tend 10 mako the u borhood more soothing to the If the end of the pearl's connec with the oyster is offensive to our nos- trils, the beginning of it is supposed to b not less offensive to the excellent bivalve itself. The pearl has its origin in the efforts of the oyster to protect itself from the irititation caused by the presence of some foreizn body between the shell and its mantle, as the soft skin of the oyster is technically termed, The foreign mat may, perhaps, in some instances, be a grain of \:uus< but is be- lieved to be more often either a parasite of some kind, or, perhaps, an egg belongi to' the oyster he i To mitigate the suffering caused by this vexations intruder, the oys- ter deposits therein a coating of the same material as that of which the shell is composed, and when once this process has begun, it continues till in time the pearl grows large enough to kill the oyster. If this occurs the shells open of their own accord. The pearl is soon lost to man. This danger and others that attend the lives of oysters, even in their deepsea home, makes it inadvisable to leave the bank too long untished, though. of course. so long ny the oyster continues to live the older they are, the larger the pearls they contain. Tt is thus a matter of doubt ut what age it is most advisable that oys- ters should be fished for, but the ge eral opinion heve seems to be that they are at their best, on the average, when four years old If the au‘:u'\ is hu d in the soft sub- atance of the oyster. it is round or pearl- shaped generally, and is enlled o pear, or if very small. a “seed pearl.’™ If, on the other hand, one side of the pearl is adhering to the shell, while the oth g round, it is called a “button pearl.” Sometimes a boring parasite makes its wiy through the shell, but before it gets quite through the oyster feels the irritati ich it causes, and deposits rly matter on the shell itself, his is called o pearl blister. These are often found of curious shapes, but they ave not of great value, except as curiositios. Linnmus, the “father of naturalists received the honor of knighthood for demonstrating the possibility of artifi- cially inducing the formation of pearls in the peurl bearing mussel. But, as has been the case with other Buropean inventions of which we ve thought a good deal, it has since turned out that John Chinaman_has been doing this thing for a couple thousand years or so. The Uhinese method is to take the mus- el from the viver, carefully force the shells a little way apart and insert be- tween the mantle of the oyster and one of the shells a few little pellets of clay, tiny pearls or foreign bodies of some kind. When this has been done the is turned over, and the poor fel- low is obliged tosubmit to a similar un- comfortable process on his other side. He is then put back intoa pond whero he is kept well and tat by a diet more nourishing than nice. After a fow months, or sometimes a year or two he is again taken from his hed, his pearls are taken out and he is eaten. e iy A Blood-Thirsty Engineer. Philadelphin Record: *“When the Chesapeke & Ohio road was built,” said a veteran brakeman, “an old Scotch en- gineer, let us call him Mclntosh, was the first engineer employed. He had the reputation of eccentricity, and be- gan to sustain itby killingand erippling his brakemen, He would whistle nn slow up for a dog, throw his lever over 1o keep from killing a cow, but when he felt ugly he would kill a brakeman without losing a breath. When T went on the rond five years ngo he had ac- quired the name of ‘Devil Mace’ and the ‘Man Killor’ everywhere, and the train master had hard work to get a erew when Mac was in the engine. He had a fine locomotive, and could pull as big a train up the New ri grades as any man. He had killed, it was said, an cven dozen men when I was put on the crew of Beb Jenkins, as brave a con- ductor as you ever heard of. “Mae was engineer, and one day dur- ing one of the fights at a station (hy the wiy, Jenkins would stop his train to fight a man) 1incurred Mac’s ill will by accidental knocking down an old friend of his. He had it in for me, and when he made a stop would give me Jots of trouble. T was front brakeman then, and tended to switches and coup- lings. Mac had seemingly reformed, as he had made no breaks for some time, and Jenking eried out in horror when he saw me narrowly escape being crushed by a sudden crash of the cars while making a coupling. ‘Mac's after you,” he snid. Then he told me what 10 do and the old demon’s plan. When Mac wanted to kill a man he would wait till he had been making a coupling. Then he would stop just near the place or come back too lnu-‘L till he got the tkeman vattled, and finally the man would stay in to put the pin down. Mac would come back slowly till he thought he had his v m, and then with a fiend- ish laugh and a full head he would send his engine back, and four times out of five would kill or maim his man. T was naturally scaved. but tricd to do my work as usual. He eaught me only n bruise. As once, but it was boose, Jenk hobbled into the ¢ 4d-vevolver in my hand and said: *1f ho s you, kill him.” I only needed st and was able to work Mae was anxiou he kept his back with my e to get home, and the wa engine pufling up grades ns he climbed toward the glieny's was wonderful, We had side-t for an express (it was n moonlight night), and in trying to get out too quickly the train b With an oath I was divected to hurry up. I did not hurry, and, after seve times backing up, Mac came with o rush and wight my avm, erushing it and taking off that fing Summoning all my nerve I walked to the engine and told him that he must die, pulling my gun. The old man went down on his knees on the eab floor and prayed for my forgive- ness, pleading anaccident. He besought me in the n of his daughter, his only chilll, his Mary, for his life, and I relented. The boys carvied me back and put me in the caboose, for 1 had fainted from the shock and lossof hlood He lived, but [ never did amy more work on that road, - A Fine Rat Story. New York World: About two v ago Prank Kleindimst, then proprietor of the Ligonicr he t Ligo P pair of white rats, shington friend, He htin his pets und had ala constructed for thom, In a sho) s they began to multiply and his pets soon nuin sove entics, One dark night some friends broke open the and sct them all free. The vats fled in all dire and the town is now overrun with of all colors and shades. The 5 are indignant, antd they are loud in de- n the gift of tools great ¢ nouncing the individual who liberated the rodents bt s i L T R N PSRRI ey