Secular News by Editor

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Oct 2, 1879

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 5, No. 37.

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Secular News

By Editor

—The yellow fever continues to afflict Memphis.

—A serious quarrel is growing between Germany and Japan.

—The work of tunneling the Hudson river at Jersy City has commenced.

—The breach in the Democratic party in New York is constantly widening.

—A chalk cliff has been discovered about six miles from Spokan Falls, Washington Territory.

—A fire in Belfast, Ireland, Sept 24, destroyed several important business houses; loss, nearly half a million.

—The San Francisco Call says there are confined in the jail of that city eleven men and one boy charged with murder.

—President Hayes is having a pleasant time on his trip through the country. He was specially well received by the citizens of Kansas.

—Russian official messengers state that 2987 fires occurred in Russia during August, causing damage to property to the amount of 20,000,000 roubles—about $8,000,000.

—The New York Tribune has been figuring the amount of Southern repudiations, which foot up about $300,000,000. "Repudiation" sounds better than some other words.

—A piece of ordnance has been made at Turin which throws a projectile weighing a ton, with a charge of 500 pounds of powder. It is 34 feet long, with 18 inches caliber.

—In the suit of the United States against Samuel J. Tilden for income tax, the Judge denied the motion of Tilden's counsel for a bill of particulars, as being unreasonable in such a case.

—Denis Kearney, after promising to burn Gen. Grant in effigy, twice tried to get an interview; but the General very properly let him know that he did not care a FIG for Denis.

—It is reported that the object of the late meeting of Andrassy and Bismarck was to maintain peace in Europe by a strong alliance, and to gradually separate Russia from the rest of Europe.

—Deep boring in Oakland, Cal., shows the following formation from the surface: Sand, 55 feet; blue clay (hard pan), 35 feet; marine shells, 4 feet; blue clay, 29 feet; below which is quicksand of unknown depth.

—Captain Metzgar, of the American steamer Newbern, was arrested at Mazatlan, Mexico, on the 18th, on a charge of smuggling. As there appears to be no chance to maintain the charge, the object of the arrest is a mystery.

—John Henry Puleston, member of Parliament, has sailed from Liverpool for Philadelphia on a brief visit to the United States, to investigate subjects connected with agriculture in America in its relation to British interests.

—The Chinese Ambassador and suite have gone to Livadia to visit the Czar and exchange ratifications of the treaty between Russia and China, by which the latter acquires Kuldja. The Ambassador will then return to China, leaving the permanent mission at St. Petersburg under one of his present staff.

—There is a great deal of just complaint of the terrorism by which party triumphs are obtained in the South; but we know of nothing worse than the murderous state of things prevailing in Fall River, Mass., where a poor man dare not do a days work to keep his family from starving for fear his life will be taken.

—The Post Office Agent at Atlanta has been telegraphed concerning the case of the shooting of the Postmaster at Blackville, S. C., that it requires immediate attention. The Postmaster-General will abolish the office if the Postmaster is not safe while performing his duties, and is not protected by the authorities.

—At 2:20, on the morning of Sept. 26th, a fire broke out on Sherman street, Deadwood City, and, following that thoroughfare, swept everything before it on Lee, Main, Gold, Wall, Patton and William streets, and several residences on Central Avenue. Fanned by a light breeze and having nothing to contend with except a very inefficient Fire Department, everything was at the mercy of the flames. Less than half a score of pronounced fire-proof warehouses withstood the severe test. The buildings being mostly of wood and poorly constructed, they burned like so much chaff. The fire spread with such wonderful rapidity that any attempt at saving anything would have been useless. All along its course terrific explosions of gun-powder, petroleum, liquor, etc., were heard, and buildings were blown to atoms. The hillsides were almost a solid sheet of flame. About 175 buildings were destroyed, and nearly 2000 persons deprived of homes. The loss is estimated to be nearly $3,000,000.