SECULAR | AdventAI

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Mar 20, 1884

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 10, No. 12.

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SECULAR.

—Woman suffrage has again been defeated in the Massachusetts Legislature.

—A petty thief in the jail at San Jose, Cal., killed his Chinese cell-mate one night last week.

—Last week five men were killed by a caving bank on the Baker City, Oregon, branch railroad.

—Great damage has been caused by the breaking of levees around Roberts Island, San Joaquin County, Cal.

—The richest man in the world is W. H. Vanderbilt of New York. Assets, over $200,000,000; yearly income, $12,000,000.

—The trial train of the new fast system between Chicago and Omaha, made 300 miles, to Ottumwa, Iowa, in seven hours.

—By the new fast mail trains from New York to Omaha the time between the oceans has been shortened twenty-four hours.

—The breaking of the Grand Levee, at Bayou Sara, La., on the 14th inst., deluged the richest sugar-producing section of the State.

In San Francisco, on the 10th inst., seven Chinamen were arrested for selling meat in violation of the Sunday retailing ordinance.

—A snow-slide in little Cottonwood District, Utah, on the 7th inst., killed twelve persons and carried away the new Emma Mine works.

—The Northern Pacific Railroad will put on a through Portland train from St. Paul, connecting with the Milwaukee fast mail train.

—In Tonquin, the French troops have occupied Bacuninh. The Chinese loss is said to have been heavy, both in men and war material.

—Petaluma, Cal., took a right view of the great Eastern "slogging" show. Only fifteen persons turned out to witness the performance.

—A marvel: Congress is asked to incorporate the Spokane Falls and Cour d'Alene Railroad Co., W. T., and, strange to say, no subsidy is asked.

—The Reno, Nev., Journal says: "The snow on the mountain a few miles above Poeville is from 50 to 100 feet deep, and packed as hard as ice."

—There seems to be more danger of the Lasker resolutions creating trouble between political parties in Germany than between that Government and the United States.

—San Francisco's third murder within two weeks occurred on the night of the 13th inst. The victim, named Wigfall, and the criminal, named Williams, were both colored men.

—Prentiss Teller, the young cash clerk of the Pacific Express Co., at St. Louis, who recently absconded, has been captured at Milwaukee, with nearly $90,000 in his possession.

—The first passenger train since the floods started east from Los Angeles last Friday, but had to lay over at Colton on account of the general demoralization on the road in the vicinity of Yuma.

—An aged couple in Monroe, La., named Rodgers, were murdered by two men to whom they extended hospitality. The murderers failed to secure any money, which was concealed in a mattress.

—A disastrous explosion occurred in a coal mine at Pocahontas, Tazewell, Co., Va., last week, causing the death of 150 men, greatly damaging the works of the mine and houses in the vicinity.

—A destructive prairie fire, originating from locomotive sparks, near Kinsley, Kansas, on the 10th inst., destroyed several dwellings and much ranch property. A Mrs. Matheny was burned to death.

—Fifty-five thousand photographs of Col. Sude-kein's murderer have been circulated throughout Russia. A reward of 10,000 roubles is offered for his capture and 5,000 roubles for information leading to his arrest.

—The N. Y. Herald thinks a rigid enforcement of the laws by our customs officials would put a stop to the exportation of dynamite explosives for use by the enemies of friendly Governments. It asks, Are we at war with England?

—Mississippi is having her share of flood. The water is breaking through the levees, and flooding many plantations. In the Sunflower and Yazoo bottoms, the damage is said to be greater than during the great floods of last year.

—Five train-robbers escaped from jail at Silver City N. M., on the 9th inst., and being overtaken by a posse, two of them were shot and two captured and hanged. The other one, who killed a citizen, had, at last report eluded the pursuers.

—The sponge fisheries on the coasts of Florida and Bahama Islands are said to be overworked, on account of the heavy demand for the article, and the sponges not being allowed time to grow to a large size, the supply is becoming scarce and the prices high.

—The proposed scheme of a confederation of European nations for the suppression of socialism, it is feared will fail, because little Switzerland declines to join it. The council of that Government holds that socialists are amenable to the regular criminal laws, and that is sufficient.

—Chancellor Bismarck appeared in the Reichstag on the 13th inst., and disclaimed any intention to rupture the friendly relations between Germany and the United States. He simply declined to be "an enemy's postman." He claims that Prussia prevented the recognition of the Southern Confederacy by the European powers.

—Another decisive battle occurred near Suakim, Soudan, on the 13th inst., between the British forces under General Graham and the rebels under Osman Digna. The Arabs fought desperately, but were badly defeated, losing about 2,000 killed, and the wounded are estimated at nearly 6,000. The British loss was over 200 in killed and wounded.

—A dispatch from Mandalay, Burmah, says the Shans, a native hill tribe in the north, have revolted and are devastating the lower plains. They have invested the town of Bahamo, from which the English and American missionaries have fled. The missionaries report that several villages in the vicinity of Bhamo have been sacked and burned.

—A farmer residing near Armiston, Alabama, last week bought some Chicago beef in town, for the purpose of giving it a trial. At dinner his wife and three children ate heartily of the meat, and in a short time afterward were all suddenly taken sick and died within a few minutes of each other. The father, not feeling well, had not eaten any of the meat.

—OTTAWA, March 13.—The bill recently passed by the British Columbia Parliament, granting Captain J. C. Ainsworth of Oakland, Cal., and his associates 750,000 acres of land in the Kootnai region, was officially approved by the Dominion Government today. This grant is given in consideration of the grantees establishing a line of rail and steamboat communication connecting the Canadian Pacific Railroad with the Columbia river.