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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1892-02-19, Page 1mann. te the choice I: they itirely thown. r Drees I made, rill re - w Miu • Mr. OCOU • Jt f Win- n last ta well. B o de - e. sit and felting • party- • Cune week, chosen pent in he 6th L e and xewaya tee be - cannot a cut - d gen- nshine ne woo 'Flesh - a, few • last e fro- t.—At siid homes colts- They et bas - on of ar the placed The "Sehocii pet on rteth- was eting ?et& e came• very still, Wm. If of a fo• r'. oatiy uhle did rush- Itin.d- aka e for , act ht we m- end a for this (eyed rmer reed iting at - /01.13 is Ma- rried i. her ther the ct- I of- iSab- ant a a t a ltry- ecL bent • nie He itior sby- red- oti- by a- • eld ing last the ting to sest ting all tope tivc tary fr TWENTY-THIRD YEAR. WHOLE NUMBER 1,262. SEAFORTH, FRIDAY, FEBRTIJARY 19,1892. oLloAN BROS. Publishers. $1. a Year, in Advance. COLORADO SKETCHES. (Written for the ETI1*ITOR. 1 LETTER No. V. Since writing my hint letter I have been to RO nets. I was in Walsenburg and was taking a walk one day when it occurred to me to walk to Rouse, some seaeh miles oway. I aterted,was caught up to by a Mexi- can with a four horse team, and got a ride about two thirds of the way, but had to walk all the way back in the snow and mad. lhouae is a much larger camp than Ptetou. In fact it is quite a town, though it /seems queer to think of a town consistiog almott wholly of red cottages. The Superintend- ent's house in this camp is a rather pretty, niodern frame house, and is, I am told, very handsomely fitted up inside. Most of the other buildings, exclusive of those immedi- ately connected with the mines, are of un - planed, unpaiuted boards, or dugouts. or a kind of permanent tent made of boards and canvas. There are no tadoons in the camp proper, I believe they are prohibited by the company, but there are plenty on its bord- ers, and, from what I saw of them, I am quite inelined to believe the bad things I have heard of them. Two or three of those places have dance halls in connection. While in the camp I visited one of the en- gine rooms and had an opportunity of "get- ting on" to the mode of transporting the coal from where it is mined to the railroad trains by which it is shipped. Over the railroad tracks is a long trestle work, in the middle of which is a chute, under which the railroad cars are placed to be loaded. On this trestle work there are two tramways, one from each pit extending front away un- derground, where they are fed by other tramways and inclined planes, fo the chute at the centre of the trestle work. The motive power in each case is furnished by an engine operating & cable or an endless chain, the connecting link of which is the train of little coal earth You flee a train of these miniature ears come gliding out of the mine quite rapidly, with a man perched on the rear of the last °sr. When they come near the chute an electric bell rings in the engine house and the engine stops. Then the man unhooks the cable from the end of his train and the cars are pushed one by one to the chute and emptied. As fast as they are emptied they are pushed onto a awitch, which, instead of beiug on one side of the principal line, is underneath it. When the seen or boy in charge of the train has ite sufficient number of empties he makes up Z. .1.1#=.r.frin the ne, the ork at the the all, the end .nto tain ion, eve iere on it, and so it is cbnnected in my mind with all I have heard about mining and miners, prospecting and prospectors. In view of this fact 1 have taken this title as a peg on which to hang a wift of anecdotes and re- marks which I hope will prove, at least, in- tereating to my readers. Last fall two men struck a vein right up near the top of the mountain, a surface as- say which yielded at the rate of $10,- 000 to the ton. As $125 to the ton will pay for mining, it will be seen that Oh is pretty valuable property. A company has been formed, and the mine, which is called " The Coyote" is being worked already I believe. Two or three other men have struck claims said to be equal to, if not better t'nan this, and if "The _Coyote" turtle out as well as it is expected to they wilt be able to pocket a comfortable little Sum eaoh for their property. As soon as the Coyote assay was announced, crowds of course, flocked to Silver Mountain. Soon the whole mountain was staked out in claims ; there was ik tal Ic of wonderful speci- mens being found, and everybody that I staked a claim and chipped a rock thought he was going to make a fortune, sure. I know one gentleman who sold out a claim for fifteen dollars. He was told more than Once how fo hish he was. It turned out to be worth—what do you think' Well, the fact of the matter is, it turned out to be worthlers, and he was in fifteen dollars. Proapecting, like gambling, becomes a Bert of levet lab pastion,and few who get the fever can give their attention to anything else. They become disgusted and go to something else, and by the time they have money enough for another grub stake they are wild to be off again to the mountains. It is a hard rough, brutish life, yet few prospectors ever reach the dezzling wealth they strive for. More than Once in thin State it has happened that a prospector went down seve- ral feet, then got disgusted ; and gave up. Some other prospector came along, looked at the hole, dug down or bleated down a couple more feet and struck it rich." It is sadd that the Bassick mine, the richest silver mine in the State, was struck this way. It is a well-known fact that old Bar -- sick paid the lest five dollars he had in the world to have his specimens assayed, money which was the product of his own and his wife's hard labor, and next day he was a rich man. As soon as he found out he was wealthy he started out to gamble and has squandered at poker a large part of his for- tune, but has sufficient fixed hard and fast in his wifes name to keep them both in comfort to the end of their days, besides 'what his share in the mine yields him. Prospeetieg, like cards, is "mighty- on - saran," for though a man may he a good mineralogitt he can never be sure of what he has got till it is assayed. I guess if rnost proepectors had dug as many wells as they have prospect holes they would have more stoney to ahow for it. There was one old man around here who had a unique way of prospecting. He was a devout spiritualist and had a little willow stick with a prong sticking out from it, which he believed was a sure indicator. He would go aloug with this little stick held between the first fingers of his hands, and wherever the prong curled down he would dig. I have seen some of his prospect holes, and he must have bad to do some very tough digging. But in epite of every failure he still kept on and never seemed to lose hope. He died at last hav- ing never found the coveted riches. Poor, deluded old man. Whether he kept his faith in the little piece of willow to the last or died broken-hearted I cannot say. Many have laughed at his foible. I did myself the first time I heard of him. _ But now I never think of the old man but with pity. There is another queer old man connected with Silver Mountain about svhoni I must tell you. He is from the Eastern States somewhere, but probably of Russian or Polish extraction, as his name ends in " obski." He has lived alone in a hut on the mountain for a number of yeats, and men who have talked with -him say be is "as crazy as a June bug" whatever degree of insanity that may indicate. If his brain is cracked his voice is not, for a friend of mine told me he had the finest, most reson- ant voice he ever heard. Old K— used to have a flock of goati and dreseed in soot - skins tvith the hair on the outside, which made him look about as outlandish as it was possible to look, but now he has sold his goats sad is putting the money into his mine as fast as he can. For li-- has a theory in regard to mining Silver Mountain. He believes that the mountain is of volcanic origin, and that at the time of the eruption it WM cast up as a molten mass. Further, he believes that all the mineral would, in this state, naturally flow together so that there is a great trunk line, so to speak, of silver eonfewhere in the *entre of the moon- tairi;•and the veins thiehhaye beea.found are simply small offshoots from the great cen- tral vein. He has calculated by some pro- em; not made public the whereabouts of this central vein, and having begun in a Ideep gulch or crack in the mountain, is tun- nelling through the rock. When he ,gets itarted he fairly raves about his expeoted wealth. He firmly hell -twee - that. he Will have so much he won't have the slightest Idea how to spend it elle'an t isalready revelling in antitipation of it f be thalks he has about reached thestein aWtI' thatiery soon he will be pioking and billeting out great masses of pure silver just ' as coal is taken out. He says he has enough money left to buy provisions for another year, and then if he doesn't strike it he will go and work in the coal mines., till he getS eciree more. THE WANDERER. Two -Rowed vs.. Six -Rowed Barley. DEAR EXPOSITOR.—I read your rtnuarks in reference to Thomas E. Hays' large yield of two -rowed barley. I am afraid you -have allowed yourself to be too much impressed with Mr. Hays' ideas. It looks very much as if he had converted you into the belief that growing two rowed barley would be- come profitable. Your coliversion,however, does not appear to be genuine. You very wisely use a great many " ifs " in expreesing your opinions. Two -rowed barley was quite a factor in the politics of the country before the /ant general election. The Government, with the aid of a subsidised press, tried hard to convince the farmers that the Mc- Kinley bill would prove a blessing in dis- guise; that the demand for two -rowed bar- ley in England was unlimited; that it was far more patriotic, and that it would 'prove far more profitable, than growing the six - rowed for the American market. In order to encourage this fad the Government wag good enough to provide the seed at $2 per bushel. Thomas E. Hays being a first-class farm- er, and having developed into a good Tory, and being an out -aid -out supporter of the Government, doubtless did his very best to prove the experiment a success, and suc- ceeded in reusing 50 bushels of bright barley weighing 56 pounds to the bushel, but why does Tommy not inform your readers what price he got for it. There is one thing cer- tain he would not call the land, the yield and the weight any less than they are. Al- low me to give a little of my experience in barley. Although still a young man, from 1849 to the spring of 1852, I had charge of the granaries of one of the largest grain firma in Leith, Scotland. My business was to see that the grain was kept in good con- dition, and to furnish the samples by which it was sold in the Edinburgh. and Glasgow markets. As the firm dealt largely in bar- ley, I had a good opportunity of knowing something about it. After coming to thie country I naturally drifted into the grain business. Thirty-three years ago, when I went to Seaforth there was more two -rowed grown than any other kind. At this time buyers mixed all together, and ahipped it to Buffelo,and eold it on its merits. Maltsters complained badly about ita being mixed,and began offering a big premium for the six - rowed. Buyers then began keeping the two varieties separate. The six -rowed sold like hot cakes and there was no demand for the two -rowed. At this time John Logan had 1,000 bus bels that was grown near Bruce - field, the finest two -rowed I had ever seen in either this or the old country. It was perfectly -white, and weighed 58 pounds to the bushel. Its intrinsic value was so great that I was tempted to buy it on speculation at 52 centa, thiuking that some cute Yankee that was a judge would give a fancy price for it. It was shipped to Albany and sold at a price that netted 32 cents. This convinced me that it was like oastieg pearls before swine to offer the Yankees two -rowed barley. About this time John McMillan brought in a large load of dark, two rowed. He was offered 45 cents, but would not sell at this price. After giving the buyers an old -fashioned lecture on barley, he took it home and fed it. The English market was just as near and free to its then as now, and there were al- most as many men engaged in the export trecle, bnt none of them were ever tempted to "speer the price of two -rowed barley." Hence the reason farmers had to give up growing it, and they will have to do so again before they are much older. • In making your comments you assume that two rowed will yield on an average 15 bushels per acre more than the six -rowed, and that it makes much better feed for stock, You then jump at the °endue sion : " if " every farmer could grow barley equal to our mutual friend, Thomas E. Hays, it will command a better price in the English market than we formerly got for the six rowed. This is a perfect delusion. You don't appear to know that for two or three years barley sold in the Seaforth mar- ket from $1 up to $135, nearly per bushel more than our friend can sell his choice s imple at to -day. For ten long years the price ranged from 75 cents to 85 cents. After the duty was increased from 10 cents to 16 cent, the price for the next ten years ran from 60 cents to 75 cents Rarely has ever good, bright, malting barley gone below 50 or 60 cents. The McKinley bill has reduced the price to 40 and 50 cents. Uofortunately every farmer has not been as successful as Mr. Hays in raising a good crop. Take the case of Andy Monteith, who has a fine farm, and who has been a good Tory since long before our friend Mr. Bays was born, and whose reputation is as old as the county of Perth. Mr. Monteith only raised 25 bushels per acre, arid it was sold in the Stratford market at 40 cents. Nine -tenths of the two -rowed grown in this section sold at from 35 to 45 cents. Two - rowed is twice as liable to stain as the six - rowed. The color sometimes enhances the value 20 cents per bushel. This fact is greatly in favor of growing six -rowed, be- sides it can all be marketed at home. The other has either to be shipped abroad or fed at home. Practical feeders like Mr. Hays all declare that barley is the most worthless grain that can be used for feed. There is no compariaon between barley and peas for feed, one bushel of peas being worth two of barley for feeding purposes. Peas this sea- son have yieldedas much to the acre as bar- ley, and have sold from 58 to 65 cents; bane ley has sold at from 35 to 45 cents, and is now unsalable. Under present circum- stances no sensible farmer would think of growing barley for either feed or profit. It Is no uneemmouthing ,to find farmers who hive raised from 45 to 50 boatels to the acre. Geo. JaRrey, a Downie farmer, raised 55 boshels Of six -rowed to the acre, which he • sold at 40 cents. .Forites 'Edwards, a neigh- bor, raised 53 bushels it year Or two ago that he sold** 624- dents, the price aftsrivards going up to 70 cents. You see our friend's yield is nothing to make a sang about, neither is the price, Mr. Hays would have had just as good a yield of six -rowed, and with a free market in the United States, No. 1, 2 and 3 would net the farmer to -day from 70 cents to 80 cents according to quality, and none of it would sell so low that it would pay to feed it. Great Scott, surely our friend is not feeding hisosbow samp/e. If he is, further proof is not needed to prove the fraud the Govern - went perpetrated on the farmers when they ;Induced them with promises of high prices, to sow two -rowed barley to counteract the effects of the McKinley bill. No doubt all good Tories, and all silly Grits esitevere for)* enough to pitY$2 fotileeda gatreit an ex** chance. The exparinnsht 'hale been tr*�4 and has failetla * Vilecklie the grag as in tha;leilitigtdf OS' , d mi t title di die beedtirin ostillttiCrable year fprgrowing two -rowed. You will ad- niitait ought alio to be a favorable one to sell it. We have only a small surplus of less then One million bushels. There have been poOr crops all ever .Europe and the 'exports from Russia have. been •prohibited. Still, England, whose dematid we were told was uolimited at high- peices,doee net want what little we have got -at over 45 c.ents. If this price is all it is worth in a year of scarcity, what is it likely to be worth in years of plenty in Europe with Russia exporting freely, and Ontario having her usual yearly surplus of 12 to 15 millions to dispose of, the same as she has had for the last 25 or 30 years? Why,it would not pay the freight and charges. Our natnral advantages in growing barley are so great, that with a free market in the Stetet, it would become by far the most profitable grain crop Ontario farmers could grow. It only takes from one cent to five cents per bushel to place the entire crop in the large cities where it is malted,whereas it costs the Western farmers, where the bulk •of their crop is raised, 20 cents to place theirs in the same poeitioa ; besides, on ac- count of soil and climate our barley is in- trinsically worth 15 cents per bushel more than theirs. Such being the case,how much better would it be for as to compete with them at home, than 60 have to compote with them and all the rest of the world besides in the English market. It is strange that the farmers are au blind to their own inter- est' as to riliply the boodle to preyent their own prosperity. Yours, • JAKES PRINGLE. fits ATTIORD, February 8th, 1852. Canada. • There are 598 vacant houses in Ottawa. —It is expected that Hamilton's rate of taxation will be 19 mills on the dollar. --A number of Hamilton boys were the other day fined $1 each and , costa for coast- ing on the streets. —Henry Thomas, of Princeton, has pur- chased 50 acres of land in Burford for $2,500. —James Lookert and Miss Cochrane, of Princeton, whose united ages are only 36 years were married the other day. —Hull Bros., of Calgary, shipped in 1891 1,00$ head of (rattle to the coast cities, be- sides supplying their own stores at Calgary. —A cylinder weighing 18,000 pounds, was cast at Kingston Friday, for the new R. and 0. steamer, Montreal. —The first twenty miles of the Gatineau Valley Railway are now open to passenger traffic. —An organized attempt to break out of the Montreal jail was surprised by the guards en Friday. —Four new type -setting machines will •be placed in the Governn-.ent printing bureau. —The late W. Coe, of Madoc, left an es- tate of $100,000. He was originally worth $500,000. Toronto masons refuse to handle stone from the Point Ann quarriee, as it is dressed by non-union laborers. —J. B. Pattulle,son of Registrar Pattullo, of Woodstock, has been admitted to the law firm of C. J. Holman & Co., Toronto. —Rev. Dr. Torrance, Guelph, has been secretary of the School Board since.:1857. He has also been inspector for 37 yeah. —Councillor Harwood, of Woodstock, died Friday evening at Detroit, where he had gone for medical treatment. —A young men claiming to be a brother of Mr. Devlin, M. P.' is under arrest in Montreal, charged withattempting to pass forged cheques. —The chatred remains of Louis Levy, the Canadian Who met 'a frightful death in the ill-fated Hotel Royal, New York, have been interred at Hamilton. —Mr. John McLerie, Grand Trunk Rail- way station. agent at Chatham, died sudden- ly tFriday. He was etricken with apoplexy while in his office. —Mr. Flavelle,of Lindsay, won the Grand Challenge Cup at the Manitoba curling bonspiel which closed at Winnipeg last Fri- day night. —The estate of the late Col. Gillmore, formerly clerk of the Legislative Assembly, is estimated at $31,000, and is left entirely to C. H. Thompson. —Rev. Manley Benson, Toronto, is invit- ed to the pastorate of the Dominion church, Ottawa. He has, it is said, expressed his willingness to go to Ottawa. —A shipment of two fine Clydesdale horses is being made from Peterboro to Bathgate, Dakota, by Robert Grandy 'of that place. —Canadian dogs made almost a clean sweep of the prizes given for dumber, field and cocker spaniels at the Chicago bench show last week. —Honorable Isabel Stanley, daughter of Lord Stanley, broke her arm on Thursday while playing hockey on the lake in Govern- ment house grounds Ottawa. —Mr. W. B. Myles has reoovered from his recent illness, and will assumes the manage- ment of the Hamilton and Dundee railway on April 1st. —Coasting is the rage of the hour in Hamilton, and nightly, hundreds of young people °limb the various hills for the pleasure of a flying trip down the slope. For several years coasting has been prohib- ited by the civic authorities. This season the Council declared in favor of allowing the young people the use of certain streets for their fun'which, however, is likely to be marred by a recent sad occurence. A wo- man nented Webster, was knooked down at the crossing of Ray and Queen streets by a toboggan. She fell heavily On her head and since then she has bees rav- ing. She had to be taken to the asylum for the insane. An action against the city will be the outcome of the affair. —Mr. Robert Barber, sr., who has been a respected resident of Heysville, W terloo county, for over 50 years, died on Tu sda,y, 9th inst. He leaves a widow and family. —John Granger, aged 40, attempte sui- cide at Ingersoll Friday. The razor w • a too dull to enable him to complete the jo in a satisfactory manner. He will pull th ough. —John W. Adams,of Perth, while g tting up to kindle a fire, received a par lytic stroke and died. He was aged 89 ears. He settled in Perth in 1816. — Natural gas has been struck at igh- gate by Messrs. Scott, at a depth of 91 feet. Flow very strong. They will utilize it for fuel in their large flouring mills. — Fireman Jordan, of the Michiga Cen- tral Railway, was scalded from head t, foot at St. Thomas, bust Friday night, by an ex- ploded flue on a locomotive. —At Selkirk last Friday night the grist mill belonging to Mr. W. L. Woks was totally destroyed by fire, supposed t have originated tl3 inate200.by a spark from the fu nace. Lo —Five bottles of old Scotch whisky were stolen from Mr. J. A. Doyle's store in &m- itten Friday night. The thief brok the window, and took the bottles out. lie must have been thirsty. —Mrs.Webster, the woman who is a_leged to have lost her reaaon as the resul of a coasting accident, and whose husba d is seeing the oity of Hamilton for darna ea, is in the city hospital there. —It is reported that Samuel Goose, the Indian witness againat Bertram in the Hes- lop murder case, hal skipped out, a 'd is supposed to be making for the Am dean side. —John Allen, of the Scotch block,G orge- town, got his hands and feet badly f ozen. His physician found ihrecetsary to a pu- tate both hands. It is probable th t the feet will have to be amputated also. —Trinity University Corporation, of Tor- onto, has declined t� lengthen its brae year arts course to four years, but favors the extension of the divinity course from two to three years. —Mrs. Orr, 107 years of age, an inmate of the House of Industry in Kingston, says she was born on the ocean while coming from England' to Canada. She is well educated, and practised medicine for a long time., —The blizzerd on Taesday nigh, 9th inst, was by far the worst storm experi need in Halifax for many years. Two w men had narrow escapee from perishing in now drifts, being reacued by the police. —F. W. Schwendinnann, ex -reeve of Dray- ton, has exchanged all his property in that village for a 150 -acre farm within three miles of the city of Hamilton, whete he purpoaes moving in the course of a few weeks. — S. J:Carver, who for 32 years was postmaster of Peterboro, died Wednesday last week at his home in North Monahan, aged 90 years. He received his app int - melds from Lord Metcalfe, and acted as ost- master until 071. — It is stated that under the will of the late James Maclairen, Ottawa, his two eons. David and John MacLaren, were appointed executors, and are to hold the position for • five years. The estate is valued at from $7- 000,000 to 38,000,000. — Mrs. Grieve, who died at the residence of Mrs. Walter. Linton, Galt, on Friday, 5theianrse.t., was in her. 94th year. Her father at the time of his death was aged 94 years, and her grandfather, when he 96y —W. B. Wood, M.P.P. for North Brant, at the approaching session of the Ontario Legislature intends to introduce a bit to make it impossible for any municipality to grant a bonus to any industry under i any circumstances whatever. —Jeremiah Driscoll, reeve of Sandwich East, while returning from Windsor Wed- nesday evening was struck, while attempt- ing to cross the track, by an express train and instantly killed. The horses be drove escaped unhurt. —At the -last meeting of the West Lemb• ton Agricultural Society Robert •Montgom- ery, of Enniskillen, was made an hon4rary member of the society. Mr. Montgoinery has been a member ,of the society ter 21 years. . —B. Gunby, of the township of Nelson, Halton county, had his barn strult by lightning on Sunday night, 7th inst. I The barn is a fine big one. The building escaped destruction, but two fat cattle were killed by the lightning. —Metiers.- McWilliams & Morrison, of Toronto, are negotiating for the purchese of part of the Glencoe Agricultural Werke, for the purpose of starting a factory fo0 the manufacture of baskets, barrel hoops, veneere, etc. They will employ about I fifty hands. — The second annual convention of the Brotherhood of St. Andrew in Canada open- ed at Toronto on Friday last. Between 400 and 500 delegates were Vreeent front all parte of the Dominion. Officera were elect- ed for the year, R. V. Rogers, Q. C., King- ston. being chosen president. —George Goodhand, theese makee, has issued a writ against the • East Zorra and Blandford Cheese Company, to receiver $900 salary which he claims is withheld, The defence is that the plaintiff did not make first-class sheen as agreed. The case will be tried at the spring assizes. — A burglary took place at Innetkip the other night. Two cool-headed individuals forced an entrance into the residence of Charles Saunby while he and Mrs. Seunby were absent at a tea -meeting. They secured aewceolitray.idarable amount of silverware and j —Six prisoners plotted to escape last Fri- day night from jail in Montreal, but the scheme was revealed by one of the k)arty, who described where a large knife and bunch of keys were concealed by the plot- ters. The ringleader is a prisoner ieho is wanted in Chicago. — The annual meeting of the Canadian Press Association, to be held in Ottawa on March 3rd and 4th, promises to be unesually interesting. The local newspaper men are preparing a programme of entertainment for President Pattullo and the "press gang "to include a reception by the Governor Gener- al and a banquet at the Russell House. —The convention of Young Men's ,Chris- tian Aseociations held at London last week proved very interesting and was well attend- ed. A number of subjects were intelligently discussed. Through the kindness of a leading citizen the delegates were treated: to a aleighride around the city. Previous to the ride they were fortified with an excellent repast, served in the gymnasium of Victoria hall by the ladies. • —A mysterious death has taken place at Ceastleton. On test Sunday morning i little child, the youngest daughter of Mr. I John Robinson, boot and shoe maker, died after being ill only eight hours. Suspicions were aroused on account of the child dying SO suddealy and mysteriously and later on a laudanum bottle, partly filled, was foland to be missing. The father said he woald call in a physician and have an examination. The wife, the child's stepmother, then said she had given the child leudannm. She would not say how much, and; se Rhe had either thrown away or destroyed the bottle, they could not assertain how Much had been given. The remains will be disinterred and the stomach removed for analhsis. No at - reete have as yet been made. —The telephone line between Windeor and Chatham will shortly be changed' to a metallic circuit, doing away with the annoy- ance of induction from the electric railway and light wires. The telephone business in Windsor has increased considerably during the past year. —H. P. Moore, proprietor of the Acton Free Preen, is about erecting a handsome publishing house, which will become one of the striking features of that village. Mr. Moore is the proud poteessor of the most artistically printed newspaper in Canada, and it is fitting that it should be *estheti- cally housed. —A large temperance delegation waited upon the Woodstock council and asked that the number of liquor licenses he reduced from 14 to 9, The council, after a long dis- cussion passed a by-law •making the min- imum limit the same as now, 14. Much disappointment is felt by the temperance petiole. —An interesting character pissed away at "Maple Lodge," West Oxford, on Satur- day, 6th inst., in the person of Sarah, relict of the late Wm. Thompson.' in the 105th year of her age. The death of this centen- arian was not unexpected, but up to a few days ago she was as healthy and active as a woman of 60. —The Heslop residence in Amager town- ship, emu. Dundee, remains as it was on the night of the murder. The basket upon which Mr. Heslop's head rested when his wife and daughter reached him, after his life had been taken, is still in the same spot, and nothing will be touched until the trial is concluded. --William Gilmour, an old veteran of the Indian mutiny and the American civil war, started from Stratford to walk' to Montreal, in the hope of finding his son, a distance of nearly 400 miles. At Valois he was found Thursday morning by the conductor of the Rigaud train, badly frozen. The man is 84 years old and is in a wretched plight. —On Saturday, 6th inst., hire. Joshua Shantz, of Haysville, died and Was buried it the cemetery between Hamburg and Wilmot Centre the following Wednetday. Mrs. Shantz leaves a husband anld grown-up family to mourn their loss. She resided ontrhac farm on which she died for fiftyetwte yea —James Scott,Eratnosa,near Guelph is giv- ing up farming. He has rented his place to Robt. Richardson for ten yesral, at 2360 per annum. It is 150 acres of fine land, 115 of which is workable, the remainder being pasture land and fifteen acres of swamp. There is a good bank barn and stone house, and the farm is in a good atate of culti- vation. —The oil ship which was buened in mid - ocean Wit month is found to have been the Loodianns'a Nova Scotia clipper which left New York December 31 with refined petroleum. She watt commanded by Captain Boyd, and had a crew of 38 men, all of whom were lost. • Bennett, Smith & Sons, of Windsor, Nova Scotia, were the ownere and the vessel was insured for $40,000. —Mrs. Stone, wife of Mr. F. W. Stone, Guelph, well-known Hereford breeder, and an old resident of the city, bi dead. She was noted for her benefactions l to the poor and afflicted. She was married to Mr. Stone in the Township of Puslinch some 50 years ago, and celebrated her 50th wedding anniversary on the 3rd inst. —Edward Petit, who formerly lived in Southwold, Dunwich and Aylmer, was kill- ed recently near Reese, Michigan, to which place he removed three years ago. He was driving a load of fodder to a new home 40 miles north, when he fell asleep; the horses left the road, the load upset aud the man we& buried underneath, having hie reek brolren. —Mr, Wm. Carter, aged 86 yeare, died in Kingston on Friday night. He was the oldeot Mason in Frontenac, having been initated in 1831, on the Island of Jers47. In 1844, when Sir John Macdonald was elehted for the first time, Mr. Carter, who was a large and powerful man, carried him upon his shoulders up Pkincess etreet. Mr. Carter afterwards became a Liberal. —Edward Mcliebon, aged 77, died on Thersday at Belleville. His father was for several years sheriff of Prinee Edward county. Deceased for a number of years conducted businets in °thaws., lie was never married, and voted for the first time in his life for Messrs, J. Hurley and J. K. McGregor, . two Reformers, iduring the recent municipal contest, although he had alweya been a Conservative. —Dr. Oronhyatekha dedicated a new I. 0. F. hall in Sarnia the other evening. About 500 guests were present at the interesting ceremony. • The Sarnia Court has 130 mem- bers in good standing. The receipts during the year from all sources were $2,732.90 at thedast andit of the book.; the insurance held by the members amounted to 3324,000; 85 mbers were insured for $1,000, 24 for $2O00, and 17 for 33,000. 4 -Mr. Thomas Brown, of near Montreal, the well known farmer, breeder and im- porter of Ayrshire cattle, went last autumn to Scotland to make further purchases of his favorite breed of cattle. The other day his friends in Petite Cote received a letter from the person with whom he is staying in Scotland, stating that Mr. Brown was at thelpoint oi death, the doctors having given pp all hope for his recovery. ' —On Wednesday night, last week, the death of Mr. C. H. Weterous, or., of Brant- ford, head of the Waterous Engine Works Company, occurred at his residence in Eagle Place, a suburb of that city. Deceased was 78 years of age, and one of the most highly esteemed citizens of Brantford. He was born at Burlington, Vermont. , He came to Brantford in 1848, and established the pres- ent works, which employes aboht 300 men. —Thomas Couch, one of the °Meet and merit esteemed residents of Guelph, is dead. He was the treasurer and member of the board of deacons of the Second Baptiet Church, He was identified with the Bap- tist cause in the city 'fot a longer time than any other person, having united with the orieinal Baptist Church 36 years ago. He - mai one of the members of the old Philhar- monic Society, and for seventeen years led the choir in the old Baptist Church. —A very strange and startling ,event took place near Freeport, a small village near Berlin, on Tuesday night last , week. Mr. John Gamen and wife, of FreePort, attend- ed the revival meetings on Tneeiday night in the old Mennonite church, near Preston. During their trip to Preston the moon was shining beautifully clear, but on their leaving for home it was obscured by heavy, darks clouds which threw everything into darkneas. Their hbree was a laealthy bay, 12 years of age. They had got about half way home, when ;suddenly, without the slighted warning, 4he clouds buret and im- mediately everything was thrown into daz- t sling brightness. For a moment the horse 4tood still as if paralyzed with fear, and then with a shudder fell over and was stone deed in an instant. The neighbors helped the aotonished couple home, and the next Morning the horse was buried. An event of • this order has never taken place near this district before, and it is the sole topic of convereation in the little village. —The funeral of Mrs. Youtig, relict of the lute Archibald Young, took place on Mon- day of last week, frem the residence of her sen -in-law, Chas. Mackenzie, M. P. P., Sar- nia, and was lareely attended. Deceased was a native of Scotland. She died last Friday at the advanced age of 82. Two daughters and three sons survive her, Mrs. Chas. MacKenzie, Sarnia, and Mrs. Roy, Detroit; William'David and Henry, who reside in the Selkirk district, Manitoba. —A novel curling match was played on the Caledonia rink, Montreal, on Saturday evening, between a rink of four brothers: A. C. and G. H. Hutchison, of Montreal; and W. M. and Dr. G. Hutchison, of Ot- tawa, against a rink composed of the eldest son of each of the four brothers. Besicits the four eldest sons taking part in the game there is a rink of the younger one, who are prepared to play a game. with any rink of jeniore who wish to tackle them • —The oldest incorporated city in Canada DS St. John, . New Brunswick, incorporated May 18th, 1785, Other dates are as fol lovrs : Toronto, March 6th, 1834; Quebec and Montreal, June 25th, 1840'Halifax, April 10th, 1841 ; Kingston, May 18th, 1846; Hemilfon, June 9th, 1846; Frederic- ton, March 30th,1848 ; London and Ottawa, January 'lst. 1855; Charlottetown, April 15th, 1855 ; Victoria, August 2nd, 1862; Winnipeg, November 8th 1873. —Mr. James McLaren, the millionaire lumberman, and president of the Bank of Ottawa, died on Wednesday evening, 10th int., at Buckingham, at the age of 74 years. He was a brother of Rev. Alexander McLaren, of the Presbyterian church, and Rf V. Dr. McLaren professor of theology in Knox College. de was the first and only president of the Bank of Ottawa. He leavee a widow and seven children, and his estate is supposed to be worth • between $5,000,000, and 36,000,000. —Mr. Montgomery G. Smith, an old and reispected resident of Lucan. died on Sun- day, 7th inst., after a very brief illness. Mr. Smith was amongst those who were call - MI to the front during the Fenian raid of 1866, where he contracted a severe cold, which settled in his limbs, leaving him a total cripple for the remainder of his life. Five years ago Lucan was visited by the late lion. Sir John A. McDonald, who from that date took a real interest in Mr. Smith, which resulted in the securing of a pension for hint, which he received annually since, until his death. 1 --Jerry Driacoll, a well.to-do fernier of Sandwich Bart, was instantly killed by the emit -bound express on the Michigan Central Railroad late Wednesday night last week. Driscoll was on his way home from Windsor, and et the crossing where he met his death there is such a dense woods that it is impos- sible to see a train approaching from the west. He must have been instantly killed, as his body was found on the pilot • of tht engine. The wagon was wrecked, but the horses were not harmed in the least. He lived on a farm three-quarters of a mile frOrn where he met his death. i—Last Friday a young woman named Catharine Rhodes appeared in the Toronto Pence Court, charged with altering end uttering Dominion Bank bills. As Blink ex - in into them from three-eighths to half an pets had for some time noticed bills corn - inch shorter than the ordinery bill, it W46 aupposed to be an accident until there ap- peared to be some system in the affair and investigation showed that pieces had been skilfully cut out of different bills and used to manufacture new ones Catharine Rhodes is the daughter of a Toronto laborer. She wet remanded by the Police Magistrate. —Robert E. McLean, s in of Mr. R. Mc- Lean, of Lucite, died in Toronto on Thurs- day, 4th inst. Deceased was attending the Veterinary College in Toronto, where he contracted a severe attack of typhoid fever, from which he died at the early age of 21 years, 1 month. The young man was a general favorite in the village and was be- loved by all who knew hi -n. The funeral, which took place on Saturday, was headed by two lodges of the Canadian Order of Forest- ers, of which the deceased was a member. The body wat interred at St. James' Ceme- tery, Biddthph, by the Rev. R. H. Shaw, Rector of Holy Trinity, Lucan. t—In future postage at the rate of one cent per two ouncts must be prepaid by the • publishers on all Canadien newspapers sent to subscribers in Eogland, Scotland or Ire - laid. This is, practically, an expoet duty of po per cent. or more on Canadian news- papers, and there ceo be but one result. There will be a considerable falling off in circulation in the Old Country, where colon- ial newspapers are of much importance as a means of educating intending emigrants to the greater 'opportunities afforded in the newer countries for young men and young wemen. • Such a move by the Postoffice Department can only serve tie discourage what it is in the interests of the country to premote. -a-While Charles Saunby and family, of Initerkip, were partaking of the sumptuous supper provided at the village Presbyterian tea -meeting Monday, a couple of cool bur- glers were ransacking the house. The visi- tors drove up to the gate with a team and one of the party, picking up the axe at the gate, smashed in the kitchen window. Every room in the house was visited, with the result that the following articles are re- ported' missing: Silver water pitcher, ailver •pickle cruet, with blue glass, a pair of gold brecelets, two brooches, two sets of ear- rings and a dozen silver forks and spoons. The burglars drove off in the direction of Woodstock. —Rev. J. Davidson, M. A., minor canon of St. Alban'e Toronto, and rector of 061 - borne, died suddenly in Toronto, Saturday, of heart failure. He had been attending the convention of the Brotherhood of St. Andrews, and took part in the morning ses- sion. At noon, not feeling well, he left, end was driven to Dr. Cameron'e office, where he almost instantly expired. Rev. John C. Davidson, rectcr of St. John's, Peterboroehits son, was presiding over the convention when new of his father's death was brought to the hall. Another son, N. Ferrer Davidson, barrister, was addressing the meeting. The body was -taken to Col- borne, accompanied by the three sons and • two daughters Deceased was 60 years of age, and leaves a family of three sone and for daughters. • —At Shakespeare, Saturday, Mr. Jacob Weber left his team untied on the road for a few mintuen to make a call, when they started off on their own hook down toward@ the railroad. Paying no attention to the whistle of the express train going west,they claimed half the road, diuthed on and got over the track safe, but the cow catcher was too smart for the hind bob of the sleigh, which got badly smashed. "By jinks," said Jake, "tbat'. a smart team, but I will tie them tht next time I visit Shakespeare." —Dr. De ahnnt, of Millbank, was on the eve of rem, ving to Port Elgin, when his Millbank friends rallied around him, and by persuasion and advice were succesefal in getting hindto reconsider the matter and remain. • Perth Items. Mr. Wm. Buckingham, of Stratford, is IU with eryeipelas of the face. —Milver on has a flourishing literary and debating so atty. —Mr. Jo n Somerville, of Clark, Dakota, is home viei ing his parents in St. Marys. —Twent -three commercial travellers were regis red at the Hicks House, Mit- chell, on M misty, last week. —A Mies Stephenson, who attended the Model school, Mitchell, a year ago, died last week. —The Perth Sunday Scheel Aasociatioa will meet in Stratford on the 24th and 25th of this month. —Meoirs. G. G. McPherson, John Way and Henry Doering have been re -appointed license commissioners for North Perth. —Mr. CI Lynde died very suddenly in Mitchell on Wednesday, lest week. He was in his 83rd year. —Mr. James Doyle left Dublin last week to take up his residence in Minneapolis, Minneeota. —Mr. Wr . Lochead has been appointed Secretary o the Elam cheese factory, at a salary of abut $100. —Mr. Henry Doering, of Mornington, Inatitute, hich met in Toronto, recently. was a delefvrte of the North Perth Farmers' —Mr. ani Mrs. Wm. Fraser, of Strat- ford, celebr ted their golden wedding on the 10th int. —The Mrkton saw mill has taken in a stock of abeut 250,000 feet of logs. Sawing was begin last week. —James piokson, of Donegal recently disposed of a horse to a Seaforth buyer for $150. He balanced the scales at 1,734 pounds. —Henry McNichol, of Donegal, had the misfortune to have his right leg broken while loading loge in the woods one day lately. I —Mr. Sainuel Towle, of St. Marys, who had his leg amputated, recently, is lying - in a very low condition with no hope of his recovery. —The Michell town constable had eight or nine of tlheir prominent citizens before the police megietrate on Thursday for fast driving over' the iron bridge. . —James Elliot, a workman at Hay's ele- vator, Listowel, has had the good fortune to _ receive $6,00 and interest, on the first in- stalment of p legacy he has fallen heir to, and will get more in the future. —Ernestolines, son the Hee. J. W. Holmes, of tratfords en his 'way to school Monday, me a runaway home and cutter, which he ve y pluckily succeeded in bring- ing to a hali • —A very serious accident happened to Miss F. Povr 11, at the rink, in St. Marys, if on Saturday veiling, Some person dropped a handkerc ief onthe ice on which her skate caughtl, and the force of the fall ren- dered her unConscious. —Mrs, Edward Cornish, formany years st resident of Russeldale, died recently at her home in thatylace. She was a resident at Fullerton Corners about the year 1855, Al- ways kind and motherly, she was loved wherever known. --Mr. F. Anderson, of Fullerton, had a bee to cut wood, at which were about sixty workers, who labored so diligently that 40 cords of wood were disposed of. A good sup- per and a dance at night finished the bee very agreeably. —Mrs Hezekiah Towle, of near Kintore, died a few dais ago, in her 51st year, Her death was very sudden. She had a large circle of friends and was much respected by them. Mrs. Towle was an enthusiastic Conservative and great admirer of Sir John A. McDonald. —Miss Clara, a daughter of John Steven- son, of Elena, was teaching in Grand Valley, county of Wellington, and died very sud- denly of he *rt disease on Wedneeday eight, 3rd inst. She performed her duties rip usual during the day, but was taken suddgnly ill that night —By a vigorous kick froro another horse, a colt belonging to Mr. S. Radcliffe, of Blanshard, sustained an ugly flesh wound, the flesh being torn eight inches in length. A veterinary surgeon was summoned, who attended to the injuries and the animal's life has been saved. —The other day in Stratford a little girl, named Footwinkler, was catching on sleighs for a ride, and when jumping off one she was knocked down and the horse tramp- led on one of her ankles. She was carried home, and though her ankle was much swollen it was found that no bones were broken. —One day, about two weeks ago, Mr. McNicol, of the 8th concession of Elma,went to the woods to work and soon after, in fell- ing a tree, got his leg broken. He was from three to four o'clock in getting to the house, when a doctor was sent for, who on coming, set the injured member, and he is now nicely improving. —Eli Perkins was greeted with s. good audience at his lecture room in Li4owe1, a few nights ago, attraeted by his fame ss a humorist. The opiniona of his hearers vary considerably, some were immensely amused with the lecture and his methods if putting it, others were totally- unable to see any- thing of any account in the performance. - ---In Dezember last, a young man named Charles Cryne hired a rig from Messrs. Scott & Brothers, of Stratford. He refused to pay for it, and also for some damages which had befallen it while in his care, amounting in all to $6 25. He was arrested and brought before the magistrate on Thurs- day, last week, and it cost him in all $12 to settle the hill. —Mr; Robert Smith conducted the even- ing services in the Methodist church, at Monkton, on Sunday, 7th bat., taking as his text the last clause of Timothy, 1 and 18, and an editorial from an American news- paper anent the recent Chilien negotiations. He preached an unique, and at the same time an interesting and practical sermon on war. `--Ex-reeve John McMillan, of Arnulree, received a pleasant eurprise, the other even- ing, in the thape of a number of friends as- sembling at his residence and presenting him with a gold headed cane, as a token of the high respect and sincere appreciation which the people laave for his services during the long Fielded which he has mingled actively in the public affairs of the township ofNorth Essthope, --One night lately' Mr. Dingman, of Pal- merston, had his dwelling house destroyed by fire, with all the contents. The cause of the fire _is unknown. Mr. Dingman's wife being ill for some time past, the family had a narrow escape from being burned to death. The fire brigade got the new engine out, but it was too late to do any good. The town has two engines, but they don't seem to be of mach account when there is a firs on imid.