News and Notes by Editor

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, Cal. · Sep 28, 1882

News and Notes.

By Editor

—At Sevenford, County Mayo, Ireland, a thousand ejectment decrees have been issued against the tenants of one estate.

—The town of Susanville, Cal., was nearly destroyed by fire on the 23rd inst. It is supposed to have been the work of an incendiary.

—A contract has been signed for the laying of a telegraph cable between Lisbon, Portugal, and the United States, touching at the Azores.

—Heavy floods have occurred in Northern Italy. The city of Trent is submerged. Verona is also inundated. Very many houses have been carried away. No loss of life is reported.

—At every station on the Russian railroads is a grievance book, in which the traveler may inscribe his wrongs in any language he likes, and which is periodically read by the authorities.

—On a recent Sunday, the visitors at Ridgeway Park, a summer resort near Philadelphia, drank $3,300 worth of beer. That is, they paid that much for beer; it was really worth nothing.

—Vast prairie fires have been raging in Western Nebraska. The heavy cattle ranges are in the devastated section, and unless rain comes, great loss is expected. Two men were fatally burned.

—Dispatches from the South say that the yellow fever epidemic shows no decrease. At Brownsville, Tex., the river has driven many citizens from their homes. A large part of the city is inundated.

—A considerable part of Iceland is suffering from famine, and there seems to be no means of getting relief. An extremely cold winter, followed by a summer in which the crops were scanty has caused the loss of most of the live-stock.

—Several companies of troops have been ordered to Fort Douglas, near Salt Lake, Utah. It is intimated that the reason for strengthening the forces at Fort Douglas is anticipated trouble from the Mormons during the approaching election, which is to be under the supervision of the Utah Commissioners.

—An applicant for naturalization, who appeared before a judge in San Francisco, in response to the question, "Do you believe in a Republican form of government?" replied, "No, sir; I don't believe in any goverment except my church." When the question was repeated, the same answer was given, and his application was denied.

—The papers contain the account of the carrying off of a little child who was playing near her home in Brooklyn, N. Y. After three days, during which time the police searched in vain, the child was accidentally found by a private citizen. For many reasons, besides the danger of kidnapping, the street is an unsafe place for children.

—It has been deemed a fact worthy of telegraphing across the continent, and probably to Europe, that President Arthur, in default of other conveyance, actually rode in a lumber wagon, and the chronicler adds that "the President was not ashamed to be seen in his traveling rig." If he had been, Americans would have good cause to be ashamed of him.

—The heaviest rain-storm that has been known for many years has prevailed in the East, for several days. Bridges, houses, and railroad tracks have been washed away, and travel has been suspended. The storm seems to have been most severe in Eastern New York and New Jersey. It is impossible to make any estimate of the amount of damage done.

—We have received a circular from the Warner Astronomical Observatory, in regard to the new comet, and stating as a "significant fact" that two comets were discovered on the same day. In the absence of any further information we are left to suppose that the only thing of which it is significant is that two men chanced to be on the lookout for comets at the same time.

—Secretary Teller has decided that the Indian police may be furnished with revolvers for the better enforcement of their official authority, but the custom of supplying them with the best improved breech-loading rifles will be discontinued. No rifles and no fixed ammunition for breech-loaders will hereafter be placed in the hands of any Indians, by the department. This decision will commend itself to the good sense of all.

—The liquor dealers in the East are becoming alarmed, and, strange to say, the cause of their alarm is the rapid increase of prohibition, which they say is powerless against the liquor traffic. The Liquor Dealers Convention of Illinois conclude that they will favor a license system which shall make the trade respectable. As soon as they have succeeded in making the liquor traffic respectable, we will inform our readers of the fact.

—The Married Woman's Property Bill, which has recently passed both houses of Parliament, repeals the provisions of the common law which made the husband absolute owner of his wife's property. A married woman can now hold and dispose of property, and make contracts, as if she were a single woman. The Independent, speaking of this advance over the old law of England, which made a woman in reality the slave of her husband, predicts that this growth will continue until women are politically enfranchised and vote on the same basis as men.