SECULAR NEWS | AdventAI

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Jun 14, 1877

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 3, No. 24.

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SECULAR NEWS.

—There were 71 deaths from small-pox in London last week.

—Much damage has been done in the city of Florence, (Neb.), by a recent tornado.

—The Tribune says $106,000,000 worth of liquor is consumed in New York each year.

—The Cuban insurgents have burned over a million dollars' worth of sugar and sugar plantations this spring.

—Ten thousand sheep lie dead around Desert springs, 26 miles beyond Mojave, on the road to Nevada.

—It is stated that if the liquor shops in Philadelphia were placed side by side they would extend ten miles.

—Professor Palmieri states that Mount Vesuvius has been in an unusual state of agitation for some days, showing at night fire at the mouth of the new crater.

—A large waterspout recently broke near Bell Creek, in Elkhorn valley, Nebraska, flooding everything for miles to a depth of twelve feet, and doing considerable damage.

—Europe is now taking surprising quantities of American fruit. The purchases amount to over $2,500,000 worth since last June, compared with $600,000 worth in the same period the year before.

—The daily requisitions upon the Postmaster General for postage stamps and stamped envelopes lately show a steady increase, indicative of a marked revival of business throughout the country.

—The Sheriff of Mecca is said to have placed the treasures of the holy shrine, the accumulated money gifts from pilgrims, at the Sultan's disposal. The treasures aggregate 200,000,000 piasters, $4,000,000.

—According to the research of an eminent German naturalist, our earth has at some time been inhabited by 155,000 kinds of animals, of which 20,000 are now extinct, while the other 135,000 still exist.

—The Roumanian army ready for actual fighting numbers 55,000 regulars. There are also five or six thousand militia under arms and available for field service, and 5000 regulars employed in non-combatant duties.

—The rule that prevails in Germany is, if a person is injured on a railroad, and subsequently dies from the injuries received, the occurrence is not deemed a railway accident unless death occurs within twenty-four hours.

—If the suits against the St. Louis whisky ring are pressed it is said that $500,000 will find its way into the treasury.

—Reports from north-western Iowa respecting the grasshoppers are far more encouraging than was expected; and it is thought that the damage already done will not prevent the securing of a large crop of grain.

—It is reported that the highest point yet attained by any railroad will be reached on the summit of the La Veta pass, in the Sangre de Cristo mountains, by the south-western extension of the Denver and Rio Grande railway. The altitude of the summit is 9,340 feet.

—The first regular telephonic line has been put in operation between the place of business of C. Williams, Jr., Boston, Mass., and his residence in Somerville, a distance of about three miles. It is said that it works well, and that conversation can be carried on by it nearly as well as if those conversing were in the same room.

—It is announced that Belgium is to make a movement for exploring Central Africa, with a view of assisting in its civilization. Two expeditions are to start, one from Loanda toward the East, and the other from Zanzibar toward the West, and are to be comprised of fifteen hundred men, of whom one-half are to be negro porters.

—A special from Copenhagen, Denmark, says: “The anniversary of the granting of the Constitution was celebrated June 5. The crowd, estimated at 20,000 persons, marched through the streets in an excited state of political feeling. Precautions were taken against riotous demonstrations. Before the king's residence the police were strengthened and a part of the garrison were confined to their barracks.”

—The Widcombe suspension bridge at Bath, Eng., fell June 6. There were about one hundred persons standing on the bridge at the time of the accident. They were plunged into the stream, which was about seven feet deep. Boats from the shore were immediately set at work rescuing the living and searching for the dead. It is estimated that about twelve persons were killed, and fifty-one injured, some fatally.

—A contract awarded by the Turkish Government to a single corporation in Rhode Island is said to involve the enormous sum of $17,000,000. The Providence Tool Company is employing 2500 men and manufacturing 6000 Martini-Henry rifles a day. The Packing Box Company at South Hadley Falls makes 20,000 boxes a year for a Providence corporation, and in these, rifles are packed for shipment to Turkey.

—Mount Carmel, Ill., a thriving town of about 3000 inhabitants, was struck by a tornado, on the 5th of June. The duration of the wind did not exceed two minutes, but the rain continued to fall for some time after the cyclone passed. The velocity of the wind was estimated at 150 miles per hour. During its prevalence the air was filled with flying roofs, windows, doors, lumber, rails, clothing, etc. Men, women and children were blown helplessly about, some a distance of four hundred feet, killing and wounding many. The best part of the town is destroyed. About seventy families are rendered homeless.

—The Hercules Powder Works, between the Almshouse and Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, were totally destroyed, June 8, by an explosion of nitro-glycerine. There were five white men and thirteen Chinamen employed in the works, and they had prepared a charge of 500 pounds of nitro-glycerine and deposited it in the soda tanks in readiness for its manufacture into powder. The men left the building, and had reached a point fifty yards distant when the explosion occurred. They were all thrown violently to the ground. It was truly a wonderful escape from death. Considerable damage was done in the adjacent country.

—A disastrous fire occurred on the night of the 7th, at Bridgeport, Conn. The main building burned was 280 feet long, 50 wide and four and a half stories high. While volunteers were removing goods from the office the back and front walls of a one-story structure suddenly, and without warning, fell out, leaving the two highest walls unsupported. The one adjoining the office leaned outward, and fell upon the roof of the office, crushing through to the basement and burying those within. At the same time the east end wall also fell, carrying the fire into a wing 110 feet long and 50 wide. This was also completely destroyed, together with the engine and boiler room adjoining. The number of lives lost is reported as being eleven.