SECULAR | AdventAI

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · May 13, 1886

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 12, No. 18.

SECULAR.

—Over 1,300 acres of watermelons have been planted near Lodi, San Joaquin County, Cal.

—A fire at Fairview, Erie County, Pa., May 3, destroyed property to the amount of $100,000.

—It is stated that Mormons from the Territories are settling in the northern part of Chihuahua, Mexico.

—An iron tower, 984 feet high, is to be erected on the grounds of the coming Paris International Exhibition.

—A New York banker and broker estimates that American citizens will this year spend $70,000,000 in pleasuring in Europe.

—May 1 a feud of long standing in the African M. E. Church of Columbia, S. C., resulted in bloodshed. Several men were shot; one fatally.

—May 6, a cyclone swept over a part of McHenry County, Ill. Three persons were killed, and several seriously injured. Much property was destroyed.

—It is officially announced that the cholera has appeared in Venice and Vicenza, Italy. Several cases and some deaths are reported in these places daily.

—Since his recent capture and escape, Geronimo and his band have killed nineteen persons and taken captive one young girl, whose fate is worse than death.

—May 3 an explosion of nitro-glycerine, at Pinole, Cal., killed one white man and two Chinamen, besides destroying about five thousand dollars' worth of property.

—A fire in Honolulu, H. I., April 18, burned the entire Chinese quarter of the city, destroying property to the amount of $1,500,000. The burned area is about sixty acres.

—The oldest merchantman afloat is supposed to be the bark True Love. This vessel was built in London, England, in 1764—122 years ago—and is still in active service.

—Joseph D. Weeks, expert and special agent of the Census Bureau, estimates that the laboring people of the United States lost $13,003,866 through strikes and lockouts, during 1885.

—It is stated that a band of Mexican soldiers crossed into Texas on the 1st inst., 200 miles below El Paso, and drove back into Mexico 275 head of cattle belonging to the ranch of J. C. McComb, of Presidio County, Texas.

—The strike on the Gould system has been declared at an end, and all the men who could obtain employment have returned to work. The new men employed during the strike are not to be discharged to make room for the ex-strikers.

—The official journal of the Greek ministry says: "As long as the pressure of the ultimatum of the Powers is allowed to remain, Greece will not dismiss a single soldier from the army now mobilized." France excepted, the Powers have withdrawn their ministers from Athens, and have ordered a blockade of all Grecian ports. War seems probable.

—Dr. Casanova, a Corsican archæologist, has discovered archives which show that Christopher Columbus was born in the town of Calvi, in Corsica, and emigrated to Genoa. President Grevy has examined the evidence and is satisfied of its authority. May 23, commemorative inscriptions will be placed on the house in which Columbus was born.

—The amount of coal in the Pittsburg region is estimated by Professor Lesley, of Pennsylvania Geological Survey, at 30,000,000,000 tons. About 11,000,000 tons are now taken annually from this bed, of which two-thirds are bituminous coal, and one-third anthracite. Professor Lesley believes that the oil and gas supply will practically cease ten or twenty years hence.

—Parts of Kansas and Missouri were visited May 6 by a terrible rain-storm. Fifty-four panes of glass were broken in the windows of an express train by hail near Florence, Kan. Some of the stones measured four inches in diameter. At Nevada, Mo., the damage to streets, culverts, and buildings is estimated at $10,000. Much damage was done at other points in both States.

—The rebellion in Burmah seems to be gathering strength. A recent dispatch states that the insurgents have got possession of Mandalay and destroyed by fire no less than 4,000 houses. Lord Dufferin has been asked for reinforcements, but dare not reduce the force at his disposal for fear of an uprising in India. Preparations are being made in England to dispatch large reinforcements to India.

—Mormon Cannon, who has fled from Salt Lake City to escape imprisonment for bigamy, is said to be hiding in Arizona.

—Herr Most says of New York Anarchists: "We are not behind our friends in Chicago. We have our bombs and revolvers as well as they, and you will see them fly and go off in the streets of New York before long, perhaps; but anyhow at any time when the police give us provocation."

—Telegrams from St. Petersburg and Odessa give startling accounts of the progress made by the Nihilists. Wholesale arrests have been made within a week at Alushta, Nopo-Tcherkask, and Odessa. So grave are police reports that the Czar has been advised not to delay his return to St. Petersburg.

—Bradstreet's estimates that 325,000 men have taken part in the short-hour movement. About 175,000 have struck; 15,000 have received concessions without striking, and some 45,000 have gained their ends by striking. The report adds: "The outlook for an early or general clearing up of the industrial disturbances is not bright."

—Labor difficulties still continue throughout the East, and in all the large cities there is more or less agitation. Employés are generally demanding fewer hours and in many cases an increase in wages In some instances their demands have been complied with, and they have continued or resumed work; in other cases new hands have been employed, and the strikers are now idle; such is the fact in the Brooklyn sugar refineries. In some few instances manufacturers have anticipated strikes by closing their works. This was done May 4 by all the furniture factories in Baltimore with but one exception. On the 3d and 4th inst. the weavers and other employés in the silk industry at Jersey City and Hoboken struck for more pay and fewer hours; about four thousand persons are out of employment. Ten thousand men are also out at Cincinnati, their demand being for only eight hours.

—From May 3 to 5 Chicago and Milwaukee were the scenes of serious rioting. On the 3d a party of Socialists attempted to take possession of the McCormick Reaper Works, at Chicago, but the mob was repulsed by the police. One officer was shot in the hand, and several of the rioters were injured in the conflict. On the 4th 200 officers attempted to put an end to a boisterous Socialist meeting, when they were fiercely attacked by the mob, and two dynamite bombs were thrown between the first two ranks of officers and immediately exploded, killing one and fatally wounding others. The officers at once drew their revolvers and fired several volleys into the mob, which dispersed in every direction. About twenty wounded Socialists were immediately arrested. Forty-four wounded officers are in the hospitals. On the 5th the mob raided a drug store and also a liquor store, drinking and carrying away the liquor. Milwaukee was also the scene of riot on the 5th, and several collisions between the rioters and the civil authorities supported by the State militia took place. In one or two instances the militia were compelled to fire upon the mob and seven persons were killed. Numerous arrests have been made and quiet has been restored in both of these cities.