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International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Feb 17, 1890

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 16, No. 7.

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SECULAR.

—Nine men were killed by a trestle falling at Cascade, Or., on the 2d inst.

—The town of Calistoga, Cal., has raised saloon licenses from $20 to $100 per quarter.

—A young express clerk at Dallas, Texas, recently disappeared, carrying with him $35,000 in greenbacks.

—Recent warm rains in Northern California and Southern Oregon threaten an increase of disastrous floods.

—The Humanitarian Soup House, in Oakland, Cal., has about one hundred and fifty applicants for lunch every day.

—An English firm has contracted for a lot of Egyptian mummies to be ground up and used for fertilizing purposes.

—A dispatch from Oakley, Kan., of the 6th inst., reported heavy snow-storms throughout the western part of the State.

—A convention is in session in Melbourne, called for the purpose of forming a federation of all the colonies of Australia.

—In Lake County, Cal., between Lakeport and Bartlett Springs, snow on the mountains is said to be fourteen feet deep.

—The contested election for the governorship of West Virginia has been decided in favor of Fleming, the Democratic candidate.

—So far 150 car loads of Southern California oranges have been shipped this season over the Santa Fe road, for Eastern markets.

—The centennial celebration of the inauguration of the Federal Judiciary was held in New York on the 4th inst. Ex-President Cleveland presided.

—Influenza is rampant in the City of Mexico, causing so many deaths that a sufficient number of hearses cannot be obtained to attend the funerals.

—An explosion in a colliery at Abersychan, England, on the 7th inst., caused a dreadful loss of life. At last accounts, 175 dead bodies had been taken out.

—The U. S. Supreme Court has affirmed the constitutionality of the Edmunds-Tucker test oath for Idaho, which is intended to prevent Mormons from voting.

—The flood at Portland, Or., generally demoralized the railroad traffic for a few days. There was also great loss of goods in stores in the lower portions of the city.

—The petroleum supply of Pennsylvania is on the decline, while the demand is ever on the increase. In a year or two, at most, prices will hang upon new discoveries.

—The great libel suit of Parnell against the London Times, which has excited English politics for a long time, has been compromised, the Times paying Mr. Parnell $25,000.

—A Vienna dispatch reports the arrest of one Panitza, said to be connected with a plot to assassinate Archduke Ferdinand and the leading Ministers, and proclaim a regency.

—A recent Antwerp dispatch says: "There was a great robbery on the steamer La Plata on her voyage from Buenos Ayres to this port, $170,000 in specie and bonds being stolen."

—At last reports there seemed to be no prospect that the Oregon division of the Southern Pacific Railroad will soon be opened, owing to a continuation of snow and land-slides.

—At Ashland, Or., the Central Hotel, which for several days had been seriously threatened with the flood, was, on the 4th inst., destroyed by fire. A lamp explosion was the cause.

—The Kentucky University, at Lexington, has just opened its doors to women, owing to the efforts of the Kentucky Equal Rights Association. It has now twenty young women enrolled.

—Pittsburg, Pa., records another natural-gas explosion, February 4. This time it was in the Duquesne Steel Works, and caused the death of two persons, and injury of several others.

—The Samoan treaty, negotiated last summer by representatives of the United States, England, and Germany, was ratified by the U. S. Senate on the 4th inst. There were but twelve dissenting voices.

—Notwithstanding the constantly-accumulating evidence that pork is unfit for food, there is an ever-increasing demand for it. The pack of the present season is estimated at a million hogs more than last season.

—A recent earthquake shock has caused quite a change in the flow of several artesian wells in Orange County, Cal.; some that were almost dry began to flow freely, while some heavy flowing wells are almost dry.

—The German emperor is apparently trying to kill the Socialists with kindness, and is getting applause from all quarters. Some critics, however, intimate that his good decrees are only on account of the coming elections.

—Two snow-slides occurred on Lion Mountain, Mont., which caused the destruction of valuable mining property belonging to the Hecla Consolidated Company, and fairly burying the whole mining town of Hecla in snow.

—Secretary Blaine's family has just suffered its fourth bereavement in two months. First, Mr. Blaine's brother died; then Mrs. Blaine's sister; after her the son, Walter, and last, on the 2d inst., a daughter, named Mrs. Coppinger.

—Russia has ordered two large iron-clad frigates to be built in England, to be provided with the biggest engines and the heaviest Krupp guns. Four of the greatest firms in Europe estimated for the contract, but the czar insisted that the ships should be built in England.

—Henry George, the noted advocate of a single tax (and that a tax on the value of land), has returned to San Francisco, after an absence of several years in the East and in Europe. His theory commands a very large and respectful attention, both at home and abroad.

—The Willamette Valley, Oregon, has been subjected to disastrous floods. The bridge, which cost $50,000, fell on the 6th inst. The schools were closed on account of the storm, and railroad docks were washed away.

—On the 3d inst., the Secretary of the Navy appointed a commission to investigate the needs of the navy, and to suggest improvements.

—Dispatches of the 7th inst. report severe snow-storms and gales in Western Pennsylvania, Minnesota, and Manitoba. At Connelsville, Pa., the National Locomotive Works were destroyed; and at Blairsville a large glass factory was demolished by the gale, and two members of the firm were killed.

—Sir E. J. Monson, the British Minister to Greece, to whom, as arbitrator, was referred the dispute between the United States and Denmark, arising from the Butterfield's claim for damages for vessels lost near St. Thomas, West Indies, many years ago, has decided in favor of Denmark on all the points involved.

—Lucia Zarate, the little Mexican "midget" who has been on exhibition in all parts of the world, died at Truckee, January 21, and was taken to San Francisco for interment. The little lady was twenty-seven years old, twenty-six inches high, and it is said never weighed over five pounds. She spoke four languages.

—Near Malta Bend, Mo., a whole family, consisting of father, mother, two daughters, and three sons, have been attacked with something like hydrophobia. No reason for this conclusion can be given except that they drank milk from a cow which had been bitten by a rabid dog; the cow had afterward shown signs of being affected, and was killed.

—Twelve to eighteen inches of snow is reported in the western end of Wyoming Territory. The snow has crusted, and with the freezing of the water holes, cattle, sheep, and horses are perishing all over the range. Horses have worn their hoofs to the quick trying to beat through the crusted snow. Cattle and sheep are helpless; game has been driven from the mountains, and antelope have been killed within the city limits of Evanstown.

—Marquis de Mores is the leader of the anti-Jew party in France. In a recent review he claims that a few thousand Jews, who control the finances of the country, actually control the government. They bribe the clerks and secretaries of the public bureaus, who are poorly paid otherwise, and even bribe members of the Chamber of Deputies. The marquis claims that it was this influence that defeated the Boulanger party last fall in the general election.

—To add to the troubles of the Oregon and California railroad, on account of snow-storms, there comes a report of an immense land-slide in what is called Cow Creek Canyon, in Oregon. The report says that the trees are standing on the slide the same as they were when it started from the mountain summit. The water is backed up in the canyon for a distance of three miles, and is from fifty to seventy-five feet deep. Tunnel No. 3 is completely buried in the water.

—A remarkable phenomenon occurred in the vicinity of Nanking, China, January 7, 10 A. M. When the weather was bright, there was suddenly heard a rushing noise, as of the water, when two large, black clouds appeared, and they soon enveloped everything like a thick fog. The two black clouds appeared to be fighting, at the sight of which the waters were much disturbed, and the river was full of large waves. The two huge clouds eventually reached a place called Tsit Li-chow, when they burst asunder, making a very loud report. During the disturbance many boats were destroyed, and over one hundred people were drowned, and more than fifty were picked up in an exhausted condition by the Chinese Life-preserving Association. Those who lost their lives were buried by the authorities. A long strip of the river-bank has also caved in.