p. 227 | ITEMS OF NEWS

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · May 19, 1881

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 7, No. 19.

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ITEMS OF NEWS.

—Mrs. Garfield is seriously ill of a low, typhoid fever.

—Good Friday is now a legal holiday in Maryland.

—The population of Berlin, according to the last census, is 1,122,385.

—Prof. Swift, of Rochester, N. Y., discovered a new comet on the 1st inst.

—The mobs in South Russia are attacking the students as well as the Jews.

—Cincinnati, following the example of Chicago, is going to adopt the cable system of railroads.

—Large tracts of forest in eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey, have been destroyed by fire.

—The Nevada City stage was robbed near Smartsville, Cal., May 9. None of the passengers were molested.

—The Chinese of New York city subscribed $2,000 to aid in the prosecution of a murderer of one of their countrymen.

—In a fight with road agents near Nieburn, Neb., May 14, Lieutenant Samuel A. Cherry, of the 5th Cavalry, was killed.

—At Astroff, Russia, 6,000 railway workmen are homeless and starving, owing to incompetency and disorganization of the railway authorities.

—A petition to Congress for the abolition of advance payments of wages to seamen is being numerously signed in New York, and other seaports.

—Over 4,000 immigrants arrived in Chicago, May 12, and most of them will go to Western towns and farms. This is the largest day's arrival on record.

—A London dispatch states that a letter from Rome says the police discovered a plot to assassinate the king. The members of the International Society are suspected.

—The Baldwin Locomotive Company, of Philadelphia, has just contracted for the building of 200 locomotives for the Mexican National Narrow-gauge railroad. The total value of the contract is $1,500,000.

—A Chicago dispatch says four car loads of Los Angeles oranges reached there Wednesday, May 11. They were in good condition, and sold readily at from $5.00 to $6.00 a box. The trade promises to be good.

—In La Plata county, Colorado, a ranch was attacked, May 5, and 150 head of cattle driven off, and three ranchmen, named Thumb, Smith, and May, were killed. It is not known who were the attacking party.

—The American Tract Society's annual report for 1880, shows donations and legacies of $105,000, and book sales of $256,000. The gross receipts are $397,000. Two million pages of printed matter were issued during the year.

—The Norwegian and Swedish Consul at New York confirms the cable dispatch, that a contract has been closed with a steamship line in Hull, England, to bring 80,000 emigrants from those countries to the United States, principally settlers for the farming lands in the West.

—A dispatch from Vicksburg, Mississippi, May 13, says: “A break has occurred in the levee at Alsatia, Louisiana, about 200 yards wide, and is spreading rapidly. The water is running through with great velocity, and there is but little prospect of closing the break. The damage will be heavy.”

—A very rich strike has been made at Willow Springs, in Eastern Oregon, in the discovery of a narrow vein of quartz. About 300 pounds yielded $160, and one piece of quartz, weighing twenty-five pounds, is said to be nearly half gold. Three pans of decomposed matter from the ledge yielded $165.

—At Brownsburg, Ind., a Catholic priest named Donovan, was excommunicated by Bishop Chatard for refusing to raise money to pay a church debt. He closed the church for two months, and resumed services, saying, “We will report directly to the heavenly throne, without asking for the mediation of that fellow at Vincennes.”

—The terms of the ukase lessening the peasants' rents are now finally settled. The ukase will apply to 3,700,000 peasants, who will be relieved of a considerable portion of their annual payments on account of land, while all accumulated arrears will be remitted. All proprietors who have not yet arranged the selling of holdings to the peasants will be compelled to do so by the 3d of June.

—Gen. Melikoff, commanding at St. Petersburg; Dabaza, Minister of Finances; Nicolai, Minister of Public Instruction, and Giers, Minister of Foreign Affairs, all tendered their resignations to the Emperor, May 12. The Czar, after a short consideration, accepted Gen. Melikoff's resignation. This seems to indicate absolutism, and a fresh Nihilist outbreak will probably be the next thing in order.

—A new cattle-car has been constructed, so that each animal has an apartment to itself. By a mechanical contrivance, which is operated from the end of the car, the cattle can be fed and watered in their stalls, all at the same time, and as often as necessary, the feed being stored in the top of the car. The use of such cars as these, will be for the interest of cattle dealers, and serve the ends of humanity.

—For some time there has been an “unpleasantness” in the U. S. Senate, mainly to determine, as the Times has it, “whether Conkling or Garfield would be president.” And it appearing that the latter is likely to hold the office, Conkling and his colleague, Platt, have resigned. People are fast becoming disgusted with the ways of politicians who endeavor to lead the nation for their own personal benefit. The notoriety which the Ex-Senators are making for themselves is very cheap.

—The work of eviction among the settlers in Tulare Co., Cal., still continues. Up to May 10, Deputy Sheriff Dunlap had dispossessed seven settlers of their homes. O. C. Jackson, of Sacramento, was placed in possession of these places, as representative of the Southern Pacific railroad. The settlers, however, seem to be of the disposition that if they cannot live on their places, nobody else shall. Accordingly, Mr. Jackson does not enjoy his new possessions very much. It is reported that he did not remain on any of his newly acquired ranches, but invariably left in company with the Marshal's party, never allowing the settlers to become acquainted with their new neighbor.

—Governor Overton, of the Chickasaw Nation, has gathered together an army of 300 men, and has issued an order that Texas cattle-raisers and white men generally must leave the country before June 1st, or force will be used. A similar situation prevails in the Choctaw Nation. The trouble in the Chickasaw Nation is said to have grown out of the refusal of the Texans to pay more than 12½ cents per head for grazing cattle therein, Governor Overton demanding 25 cents per head. In the Choctaw Nation the trouble is chiefly in regard to the law allowing white men to live in that country, the Indians holding that nearly all the white population are there without proper authority.

—After several fights, France has succeeded in convincing Tunis that it needs protection, and the Bey has generously accepted of France as his protector. The treaty of peace assures to France the right to occupy positions which the French military authorities may deem necessary for the maintenance of order and security of the frontier and the coast. France has granted the Bey security of person and dynasty, and the maintenance of actually existing treaties between the Regency and European Powers. The Bey is not to conclude any new International Convention without a previous understanding with France. The other powers seem to feel a little dissatisfaction at the course France has taken.

—In the Baptist Conference at Dixon, Cal., May 11, the question was asked whether or not the Association has the power to refuse fellowship with a church false to its profession and unsound in its faith. Dr. Kalloch replied that there was no clause in the Constitution of the Convention authorizing it to do so, and if any Convention had such a clause, it would cease to be a Baptist organization. In consequence of this, a paper was presented at the next session, by several delegates, stating that their convictions of what constitutes purity and efficiency of Christian life and work, were so radically opposed to those entertained by a large element composing that body, that, as it was impossible for them to harmonize, they wished all who sympathized with them to withdraw and form a separate Convention. Accordingly, delegates representing 12 churches assembled across the street, and effected a new organization.