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The Huron Expositor, 1886-07-23, Page 116, and argY Ha partment. 1PLETE THE Tradeh AL !" acAN PRINTRa [ed fast in cedorlat ice. Also aed Stripes, ce Effects, ale, FAULI GOODS AND Mlle. HOUSE, the high esteem - held by them. — Is buying sheep for . He will ship MC esides cattle for the --The farmers areall it will be savedwell e spring crops, widde badly.—Mr. Davii LI Mr. John Hooey', ming te live in town. hear, is S250 and it ; a fine location. We Lr is coming .to ilt make a good cit., aclerson is putting* in front of his ro4, ald much to the haw Fenton has boa Sound District lit .rt of it. Therei.& mdridge, which heit- with and thinks*. —The water in the Jas.. Irelanc1it in the oatmeal mill, does, owing to the —John Brethour sati treed. from a visit th ',John Ritchie, oar :ent, paid us a flying grave. ha.rgains for cash int. is. Several lines at 970 Budge, of Auburn, it vacation —M Me. nosh, lost a valnahk. Thomas Atkinson of a Dakota on bullrings , alias"York' bs n awn, leaving hehishit Rev. G. Law vai relatives in Mager& ke delivered an alt the Orangemen lot' eh was over-erowdei ill will be closedfrr rkley is homefres itrarner season. -400. ucldenly ill wk./let:ow lay train on the Itit sold 150 ticketair I2th inst. We Wet bays come home* nt away.—Sat0111 day at the ehessebr tipment of the 11111110 ke 13th.—The akar 1_Stewart will be Ow able to be aboutageli ler, while going Ii receiving aft e knee. irawanosh. EFS. —Mrs, Wm. Me sident ofWa , Blyth for some Mk join her husband."'" since spring. I2th of July, was e number of la& loyal brethren ; r.—Basil., son of to to Dakota on -a rning if the land a had charge of PP cd there by H Mr. Alitchell's , —Sydney Nailhre _ icks, ia not ex church was crowd a. the usualminietor ber of the learners hi rks for this it, who left for T Burma eif Ind , an old and away last Thurs awan had a small r evening, July I is working for S, a Cooper, wha bab being coupled to Jay last. They d we wish theta LcGowan met & day which wig iously. While ,.ladder giving i to terra fl rr sw bruises ancl Cr i' . • - - , . . .. . • - . , • • - 1 EIGHTEENTH YEAR. WHOLE NUMBER 971. SEAFORTI-I, FRIDAY, JULY 23, 1886. {McLEAN BROS. Publishers. $1.50 a Year, in Advance. JUST OPENED GUT —AT THE- Cheap 0 ash Store, .!; S_.43.P MYT Press Goads, Prints, Corsets, _. Bustles, Buttons, Mantle Ornaments, Silk Gloves, Dress Muslins, Ginghams, Hoop Skirts, Parasols, • Dress Clasps, Mantle Silks, eotton Hose, —AND A GREAT MANY— N EiIW C4- 00 S, leo numerous to mention. Call and see them, a,t the Cheap Cash Store —0E— Hoffman & Company, Cardno's Block, Seaforth. NOTICE. Our Monthly Faahion Sheet just to hand, and those wanting one will please _ call and get one before the supply runs out. From Portage la Prairie to Birtle. BIRTLE, Manitoba, July lst, 1886. A favorable opportunity occurring on the 301h of June, I boarded one of the handsome coaches of the Manitoba and Northwestern railway for the purpose of taking a trip of 130 miles to Birtle, which has often been described as one of the loveliest spots in this great North- westea,nd I have not been disappointed. The day was warm and clear with a fine southern breeze floating across the rich wheat fields of Lakeside and Burnside. Such a day as to cause one to lean back, in the seat and forgetting worldly men and worldly ways, scheming politicians and ubiquitous candidates, to solemnly meditate on the future of 'a, country so richly endowed with all that tends to satisfy man's wants, as is this fair Pro- vince of Manitoba. As the train sped on past wide reaching plain, rolling hill and wooded valley, watered by stream and lake, visions of thriving towns and proud cities passed in review before the active mind. Neepawa, Minnedosa and Birtle are but in their infancy; this vast country just awakening from the sleep of centuries is beginning to dimly behold its destiny. The elements of Empire here, _ Are plastic yet and warm; - The chaos of a mighty world , Is rounding into form." The Manitoba and :Northwestern rail- way traverses one of the best and most desirable districts of Manitoba and the Northwest, oecupying as it does to a, great extent the route marked out for the Canadian Pacific railway, though the latter, for reasons of policy and a desire to shut out a powerful southern competi- tor,was constructed farther to the south, some of the settlements along this line are among the earliest in Manitoba. The pioneers had spied out the land and settling down in the best parts thereof, patiently awaited the coming of the iron horse. They waited too long, many, sick from hope deferred and the disap- pointments of hopes raised by surveys of projected railways,left the country when the prize, so long delayed, was swiftly nearing them. Those who have remaiu- ed wilt now reap their reward. On reaching Strathelair station a Portage cattle buyer came aboard and the scribe fastened on him with recteless tenacity. This part of the country Is thickly set- tled back to the Riding Mountains about twelve miles. The fanners are well to do and buy readily the best heifers obtainable, with the intention of increasing their herds as rapidly as possible. The cattle are mainly well bred, well kept and good beef stock. The buyer had run across a treasure in the shape of a wild, active High- land steer with long shaggy hair like a buffalo, whhh could clear a fence higher than a man's head, could not be run down by a horse and required the ser- vices of a couple of boys to keep_him lo- cated in the settlement. He will be converted .into meat as soon as his owner has had the value of his money in amusement out of him. The numerous poplar bluffs afford cattle shelter from the summer suns and winter blasts, rich meadow lands furnish a sufficient pas- ture, white pond holes and hay bays, contribute water, wallowing places and winter food. Small patches of land with a suspicion of alkali are occasional- ly passed, but as the grass grows richly aver them they are not of much mo- ment. In such places when ditches are dug the alkali draining from the sur- rounding patch forms a white covering on the sides of the ditch. This is a proof that the treatment advised for such spots—namely, to dig a hole or ditch and the alkali would drain off the land and into it—is well worthy of a trial. However, there is in reality so little of such land that it does not call for urgent trentment, and when it shall, manure and ditches will speedily remove this little drawback. I have purposely men- tioned this matter, as an acre patch found in a square mile or more would be in the eyes of some criticsia severe draw- back tp a district Where the bowers of wild roses fill the air with sweetness, where the royal tiger lily, the wild suu- flower, the blue bell, wild strawberry, and innumerable blue, red, purple, yel- low, and every other hued wild flower carpet the prairie with flower beds of color, Wild cherries, buffalo and cran- berries, plums and raspberries, and many other wild fruits grow in pro- fusion in this new, northland. Away back over the Riding Mountains, north of Strathclair, lies the lovely Lake Dauphin country, and although a, lona road to travel, a number of the Stratli- clair farmers have already taken up sec- oud homesteads there. Wild pea vines were there two feet high. The stock buyer informed me that a party near the station had struck,what they believed to be petroleutn out in that district, 150 miles north of -Strathclair. They brought back samples of a black, bad - smelling substance, said to be petroleum. A friendof the writer, a minister, with a companion from Winnipeg, pene- trated into the Lake Dauphin country from Gladstone, a distance of about 70 miles. He described it as one of the most beautiful park -like countries he had ever seen—swelling undulations, well trinuned copse and bluff, crystal lakelets with pebble shores, reedy -pond holes covered with wila geese, ducks and other water fowl, emerald glades and wide grassy meadows, cover opening —An ex -student of the Agricul- tural College, Guelph, now employed near Eden Mills, made loud professions of Ms abilities as a, fisherman. Some persons, however, had so little faith in his attainments in this line, that they made a wager that a young lady of the neighborhood could oafish him, he how- ever, to catch six to her one. :The re- sult was that the young woman caught nine fislaone of which was a trout weigh- ing a pound and a half, while the ex - student caught six shiners. —The annual meeting of the share- holders of the Bank of Commerce was held at Toronto on Tuesday, last week, when a yearly dividend of 7 per cent. was declared. Senator McMaster retired from the presidency, owing to advanced age. The directors were increased from eight to ten. The new members of the Board elected were Henry W. Darling, President of the Board of Trade; Geo. A. Cox, Peterborough, and John L. Davidson, of Davidson & Hay, whole- sale grocers, Toronto. At a subsequent meeting of the Directors, Mr. Darling was elected President. —Dr. Cale, of Ethel, had. quite a run- away last week. He was taking his horse into Wm. Simpson's yard and left hint in order to shut the gate. The horse took fright and started off into the orchard. After making two• or three circuits round the trees, the animal was brought to bay. He sustained a few slight scratchea in the frolic, but the buggy was badly wrecked. —We regret to record the death of one of the pioneers of the township of Stanley, at 63 years of age. Mrs. Don- ald Campbell, of the village of Bayfield, died suddenly of heart disease on the morning of July 5th, about eight o'clock. She had been in her usual health. On Sunday evening she Complained of pains in her hands and arms, but the doctor thought nothing was serious. On Mon- day morning she complained of faint- ness. Her daughter went for a drink for her, and came back to find her insen- sible, and in a few minutes she was dead. Deceased was a, native of Bread - ethane, Perthshire Scotland, and one of a large family. She was married in June, 1842, at the age of nineteen, emi- grated with her husband in July follow- ing, and arrived in due time in the town - shin of Dremmond, in Lanark county, where she remained. two years, her hus- band following the trade of a wea,ver. In, 1844 they moved west and located on the third eoncession of Stanley, then the "forest piimmval." They passed through many hardehips and trials incident to pioneer life, and overcoming these, found themselves in easy circumstances. They remained on the farm till 1878, when they removed to the village of Bit -field, where she, her husband and ties of Shoal Lake and Russell. The town lies sloping upethe south bank of the valley, Which here is about half a mile wide and appears to maintain through all its windings a respectable width, it enters the Assiniboine valley twelve miles south-east. The river flows between the town and the north bank, on which is situated the station grounds of the Manitoba and Northwestern Rail- way. Below the town half a mile the Bird Tail (Birtle is a. pleasant corruption of this name), is dammed for the pur- pose of water power, and backing up the valley past the town, widens out into a small lake which affords to the inhabi- tants, these most delightful of pastimes —rowing and. Bailing. A number of boats are moored around the banks, but paddles are more freely used than oars to provoke an "ashen breeze." At the dam a large grist mill, run by water, supplies the district with flour. The surplus water flowing over the barrier in a beautiful cascade,forma, with the over- hanging bushes and rushing water below, a most°beautiful spot. Below the dam boating may be indulged in, with an added zest of shooting an occasional rapid being thrown in. The ever present pike inhabits the swifter current below and the deeper waters above the mill, affording to those so inclined a chance to handle the rod. The mill dam serves a double purpose. It collects and floats the innumerable saw logs which have been floated down during the spring freshets from the Riding Mountains, 35 miles to the north north-east. A large saw mill, operated by Mr. Cummings, converts the logs into square timber, lumber and laths. The quality of the lumber, though not equal to that of Rat Portage, is anything but poor, and it is used almost entirely in the construction of the town. It is mainly. spruce, of a fair grain and comparatively free from knots considering its size, which is about medium. It is more adapted for coarser work in houses,but on being planed presents a smoot, clean, white surface. One of the first things which strike a visitor on entering the valley at Birtle is the large number of smooth boulders, which, imbedded In a conglomerated layer, of hard, gravelly -material, project through and above the rich black soil overlaying. When broken and roughly faced they expose a grayish -blue granitic surface, and make excellent building material. They occur more particularly in beds, but are distributed to a greater or less extent along the whole valley. The gravelly subsoil forms the best of cellars and foundations, and when exca- vated is invaluable on the road being rapidly constructed through the town, The surface of the valley bottom is un- even, hollows and hills alternating. THE TORRENS SYSTEM. up and form the horizon. Roads also lead Ito Beulah, Fort Pelly, and other points both north and south. The station _grounds of the Manitoba and North- western railway are placed on the north- ern bank of the valley, ahnost behind Mr. Leacock's place. This will be the end of a division and the round -house at Solsgirth removed thereto. Abundance of good water has been struck at a depth of twenty feet. 'Depot freight sheds and other houses will be constructed forth- with. An immigrant shed, neat and commodious, has already been construct- ed on the grounds, while grading and track laying on the main line is being pushed on toward the Assinihoine cross- ing, 38 miles northwest. J. daughter resided. She was a genial and vistas and over closing hills, enchanted kind woman, a faithful and loving wife, their eyes 1 and macre this country a a tender and indulgent mother. She Mecca to which their feet ever turn. leaves two brothers and a sister—Gregor They piled their vehicle with ducks, McGregor, Maleohn McGregor, and geese and prairie chicken, while snap Mrs. R. Hunter:: also a family of six shots at fleeing deer, and the startled sons and two daughters, an married ex- growl of an occasional bear, lent en ex- cept the youngest <laughter, and nine citing interest to their sport and waked teen grandchildren-. Her son, Peter up their dogs to action. On the Riding Campbell, lives the Srd concession el Mountain', north of Strathclair, a large Stanley ; three sons are in business in quantity of timber has been destroyed • Winnipeg, one daughter lives near Port- by recent fires, and explorers are out far age la Prairie, a.nd one son in Nevada, United States. Her husband still sur- vives to mourn the loss of a beloved and faithful partner. On looking around Deputy Registrar Martin was interviewed and kindly ex- plained the workings of the new Tor - rens Land Act in such a clear manner that in a few minutes the scribe thought he knew more .about it than his well trained teacher did. There is one great objection to the Act which the writer soon saw, and that is, Winnipeg is the only real registry office in the Province under thia Act. Every transfer, every little registration of facts, every document coming under its working has to be made in, or sent te Winnipeg, causing unnecessary delay and expense. These registrations could be as readily and thoroughly made at Birtle for all practi- cal purposes. From what can be gathered the farmers are beginning to kick " strongly against the present system, and depend on it if there is not a changernade a row will result. Birtle possesses a number of hand- some residences beautifully situated, both in the valley and on its banks above. The late residence of Lawrence Herchmer, Esq., now Commissioner of Mounted Police at Regina, is a fine large mansion with well laid out grounds on the steep bank just overlooking the river. Mrs. Herchrner, who was the very life of Birtle Society, has left a yoid in the townspeople's hearts hard to fill. Mr. Leacock chose a beautiful site over- looking the town for his medieval caste- lated cottage. Qne of the local officials has a fine house on southern hill, while nearly opposite on a spur of the northern upland Mayor Crawford's resi- dence commands a magnificent view up and down the valley of the Bird Tail. Business has received a great impetus in the town since the advent of the rail- way. Several fine blocks are being built, particularly a large solid stone structure toaccommodate Mr. Manwaring's general store. Birtle is fairly well supplied with general stores, tinshops, saddlers, drug store, law offices, jewelry store, black- smith and wagon shops, agricultural im-- plement storehouses, liveries and hotels. The cause of education is represented by a large, handsome three-storey etone edi- fice—the upper storey constituting aca- demy'hall, the middle one occupied as a public school, and the basement for general purposes—probably soon to be converted into a lock-up. Birtle will do well to avoid the ex- pense into Which other towns have too readily rushed. The expenditure to be made is necessary to connect the town with the optiosite flank of the river and railway station by shorter routes than the present round -about road across the mill pond to the east by grade and bridge. The drives around Birtle are particu- larly romantic. The Solsgirth road climbs the slope in an easterly direction and swinging around to the north-east on the banCa.bove,keeps the valley well in view for miles. Bluffs of timber and smaller bushes afford a relief to the eye in every direction. The road leading to Birtle Landing on the Assiniboine river, fol- lows the valley for a distance of a couple of miles, then turning abruptly to the north, enters a deep, well -wooded gorge, and surmounting the level above by a interested firms to ascertain the extent steep grade, winds away across the prat - of the claniage. rie past bluff and hollow, until far off in THE TOWN. •the distance the misty blue banks of the Birtle is the county town of the coun- Assiniboine and Qu'Appelle Valleys rise Canada. Hon. E. Blake is summering hant, Massachusetts. —Oweu Sound -will use electric light for its streets. —A heavy hail storm visited Toronto on Saturday afternoon. Some of the streets were flooded. —The Knights of Labor will hold a grand demonstration in Woodstock on Friday, August 13th. —Dr. John S. King, of Toronto, has been re-elected Supreme Prelate of the Knights of Pythias. — The two united Presbyterian churches of Walkerton have extended a call to Rev. Dr. James, of Paris. —John H. Fairbank, M. P. for East Lambton, has been lucky enough to strike another good oil well in Sarnia township. at Na- -A man named Bobby, driver of a bakery cart, was killed by lightning in Toronto, during the storm of Saturday afternoon. —Miss Ida Joy, the well-known artist of Tilsonburg, has gone to St. Paul, Minnesota, where she will make her future home. - —The Lieutenant -Governor is to be petitioned to enlarge the. limits of the town of Galt to the extent of five hun- dred and sixty three acres. —The Catholics of Thamesville have subscribed upwards of $3,000 for a new church which Father McKean intends to erect in the spring of 1887: —A Toronto daily says : There wasn't a Union Jack in the big Knights of _Pythias' procession. What were the Canadian divisions thinking about? — Thursday last week in Ottawa a fire started by children playing with matches totally destroyed the dwelling and out -buildings of Robt. Winthrop. —The residence of Mr. D. Watson, of Kerry, Watson & Co., Montreal, was burglarized list week and over $1,000 worth of jewelry and other effects stolen. —The First -Presbyterian church of Brantford, by a vote of 102 to 24, has decided to introduce the use of instru- mental music in the public eervices. — Four hundred and fifty British im- migrants arrived at Montreal Monday, sixty of them being boys from the Car- dinal Manning Orphanage in London. — Offenders against the Scott Act in Carleton and adjacent counties are being well looked after, conviction being ob- tained and heavy fines imposed in_a great ing and an unpretending, modest nature, who kept many ignorant of his real character. He was rather a recluse in his habits, but he was deeply loved by those who were iettmate with him. The success of the institution over which he presided was greatly due to his efforts and ability. — A. despatch from Regina States that a number of white desperadoes robbed the mail at Salt Plains and carried off $30,000 of registered matter. The Mount- ed Police are on the track of the rob- bers. —Hon. L. Sackville West, the British Minister at Washington, is in Ottawa, and is the guest of Lord and Lady Lans- downe for a few weeks. It is supposed that his visit has some connection with the fishery trouble. —On Monday of last week Mr. John J. Paine, of the 9th concession Caradoc, caught in a trap a large bald-headed eagle, which measured six feet from tip to tip. The bird has been purchased by a gentleman in Strathroy. —The work of deepening the channel of the St. Lawrence at Montreal goes steadily on. From the progress made it is expected:that the full depth of 271/ feet will be completed early next year. —So great was the enthusiasm created by the Rev. Mr. Chiniquy, at a meeting in Chalmers' church, Kincardine town- ship, that a young lady drew a bracelet off her arm and laid it as an offering on the collection plate. —The Rev. A. J. Belt, who has been Church of England minister of Arthur for the past four years, has received a unanimous call from the Harriston con- gregation, which he has decided to ac- cept. —Mr. Donald McKay, son of the late Mr. Angus McKay, concession 5, West Zerra, has just been elected to the Sen- ate of the State of Oregon. Donald is a pushing business man of Portland, in that state. —Galt papers record the death of two early pioneers during last week, Mr. Wm. G. Batters and Mr. David P. Lee. Both were widely known, and as widely respected. Mr. Batters was in his 67th year, and Mr. Lee was in his 74th year. —Miss Ida F. Joy, artist, late of Til- sonburg, has, through her solicitors, en- tered an action for $500 against Mr. J. C. Patterson, M. Essex, the price of a portrait of Bishop Walsh, painted by Miss Joy on the order of Mr. Patterson. —Advices from Newfoundland show that the shore cod fishing there is very backward. The large fish exporting houses have each decided to send a steamer to the Labrador coast to load plime fish and sail direct for the Medi- terranean markets. —When D. S. Burk, a Fergus butcher, was killing a lainb the animal gave a lurch and the knife slipped, inflicting a fearful gash in the ankle of the butcher's son, Willie. An artery was severed and the lad almost bled to death. —Last Saturday in Montreal while six men were at work with " jacks " raising a house the building collapsed and fell against a strong shed. Four of the men were seriously injured, and all *the con - many cases. tents of the house were destroyed, as well as the building itself. —Mr. Joseph Squire, of Mose, north —John Welsh, a 12 -year-old son of of Longwoods, was struck by lightning Thomas Welsh, of the 4th line, Ade - Tuesday night last week and seri- ously injured while sitting on his ver- anda. —A. W. Barte, a Toronto hotel -keep- er, has been fined $20 by the Police Magistrate, for refusing to admit the Ontario License Inspector into his bar. —Rev. T. A. Cassidy, M. A., of Niag- ara Falls, has been chosen by the Mis- sionary Board of the Methodist church to go to Japan as associate missionary with Rev. Dr. Eloy. —Mrs. Wm. Richardson, of Chicago, who came to Hamilton with hr ;husband on the Knights of Pythias'excursion last week, died rather suddenly on Satur- day. —John Campbell and Harry Coyne, of Mount Forest, were last Saturday, each fined $50 and costs for offences against the Scott Act, by Police Magis- trate Lowes. —Dr. Norris, Reeve of Omemee, died on Sunday morning after a very short illness. Deceased was a prominent citizen and very active member in the county council. —Mr. James Brown, of Sangeen, father of Professor Brown, of Guelph Agricultural College, died on Thursday morning, 8th inst., at the age of 74 years. —Wm. Kinsella, a moulder, employed in the stove foundry of Bowes, -Jamieson & Co., Hamilton, upset a pot of molton iron into his boot -and was frightfully burned. He will probably lose his foot. —The crops in Eastern Quebec appear to be in better condition than they are in the West. It is expected that the yield of everything, except hay, which is light, will be above the average. —Front the Ayr Recorder :—Died, in Plattsville, at the tender age of three months, the Star newspaper. Much re- gretted by those who had paid a year'a subscription. —Lightning struck the barn of Dun- can Smith, Euphemia, Tuesday night of last week, and it was burned, together with adjoining sheds, 15 tons of hay and valuable farm implements. —Chatham Knights of Labor will have a monster celebration on the civic holi- day in that town. Arrangements will be made for excursions from St.Thomas, London, Detroit, Port Huron and other points. - —Prior to the removal of the family of Rev. J. S. ROSS, M. A., from Tit- sonburg to Dundas, Mrs. Ross was pre- sented by the ladies of the Methodist congregation with a handsome peramou- lator. on him by I/r. Vail, assisted by Dr. Logie, and about two quarts of matter was taken from his ,breast: The pa- tient was relieved at once, and shortly afterwards was removed to his home, started on a sketching excursion up the Ottawa, and has now been missing for a week. His cap and canoe have been found in a stream known as the Chalk river,and everything leads to the belief and by last accounts is fast regaining that the unfortunate gentleman has come 1 his strepgth, and bids fair to recover to an'utimely ench completely. —It is stated that Mr. Duncan Sin- clair, a respectable farmer of Thames River, near London, attended the camp meeting recently held in his neighbor- hood under the auspices of the Free Will Methodists. Be took an active part in the services. lhe excitement proved. too great for him, and it was found necessary to remove him to the London asylum. —The Rev. Duncan Anderson, for the last 32 years pastor of the Presbyterian church of Levis, Quebec is about to re- tire from active ministry, owing to failing health. Far many years he was chaplain to the Imperial troops at that place, and for two decades he occupied the position of Presbytery clerk. He was also widely known as a scholar, poet and ornithologist. —Reports Of terrible distress come from different parts of Newfoundland. A man committed suicide because he could not procure food for his starving children. A deputation of starving men waited on the Governor with a piteous appeal for work. They declared they did not want to be driven by famine and poverty into a breach of the peace. It was a question of life or death with them. —" It is an ill wind that blows no- body good," and this dry summer has just suited the brick -makers. Steven- son & Muma, of Druinbo, are turning out large quantities. On Saturday last Mr. Peter Lawrason, moulder for Mr. Muma, turned out 8,000 bricks in less than eight hours. This is considered big work, as 8,000 is considered a day's work of 10 hours. —The Inland Revenue Department is now repaying to the persons who took out licenses under the Dominion Li- cense Act the amount of the fees they paid in during the two years the Act was alleged to be in force. There were about 200 licenses taken out and $10 paid on each license. Some of the li- censees are grumbling because the Gov- ernment does not ,pay them interest on the money. —A despatch from Omaha says: Dandy County Bank, of Benkleman, Nebraska, failed. Belzer, the president, fled to Canada, and took with him about $100,000 in funds and securities. Busi- ness men and farmers feel the loss great- ly, as many have lost the last dollar they had. Belzer transferred all his available property to his wife before leaving. Many eastern banks and firms lose heavily. —Three leurglaries were committed ip Palmerston the other night. The storeS broken into were those of Mrs. Elliott, Mr. Lynch and Messrs. Wooldridge & Co. Mrs. Elliott was the greatest suf- ferer by the acts of the depredators. Among the property stolen were seven watches which had been left for repairs, two new silver watches, her own gold watch, and a gold watch belonging to her daughter, besides rings, etc. —Mr. James Kerr, brick and tile manufacturer of Ailsa Craig, met with a sad and fatal accident on Saclurday after- noon 10th inst. While in the act of oil- ing the tile machine the sleeve of his shirt caught in the cogs. and his arm and body were.drawn in until they stopped the machine. He was with difficulty ex- tricated. His spine was broken and his ribs crushed. He died a few hours after- wards. He leaves a wife and nine children. —After ten months incessant boring, and with an expenditure of over $3,000, Messrs. Waterous, of Brantford, have been successful in striking natural gas in the boring on their premises at a depth of 1,122 feet. The boring is about It inches in diameter. A com- munication pipe was sunk and a highly inflammable gas ignited and kept burning for some time. After the perseverance and energy displayed by the firm they are to be congratulated upon their suc- cess. —Wednesday afternoon'14th inst., as the Wellington, Grey and Bruce accom- modation train was slowly pulling out of the Grand Trunk station at Hamilton a woman carrying a valise made a frantic effort to board the last car. As she did so she dropped the valise, missed her hold of the car and fell down on the edge ef the platform, and hada narrow escape of rolliug on to the track. The train was stopped and she was taken on board none the worse. —Mr. John Hammersley, one of the oldest residents of Puslinch, died on Fri- day last. The deceased settled. in the township 55 years ago. He arrived at Guelph in 1831, and his first day's work there was chopping trees where the Mercury Office DOW Stands. He was ap- pointed the first Clerk of the old Revi- sion Court in Puslinch, was township clerk for seven years, Assessor for five years, treasurer for eight years. and was Ca.ptaiti of the Militia in 1837, ander Col. Kirkby. —At Ingersoll, on Sunday last, a young man and woman were out walk- ing when a second young man appeared on the scene and accused the other of taking his girl from him. Lomftalk and hard language followed, and finally the two repaired to the rear of an adjacent —Mr. J. W. Yeatman, for many years Principal of the Montgomery Bell Academy, Nashville, Tennessee, died last week of heart disease. He was a graduate of Toronto University. He was a man of fine intellectual train - laide township, was struck by lightning and rendered insensible while playing near a haystack last week. His younger brother was also stunned, but both will probably recover. —During a late storm It frame cattle shed filled with hay,on the faxen of John McGregor, 7th concession, Westminster, wes struck by an electric bolt and burn- ed, entailing a loss of $500. By the efforts of the neighbors the barn and other buildings were saved. —A district assembly of the Knights of Labor has lueen organized at St. Thomas. The new district embraces the whole of Western Canada from Port Dover and Kincardine. Delegates from 40 assemblies were present, and there will be about 50 assemblies in the dis-, trict. —James O'Shea, who escaped from the asylum at Toronto on the 28th June, was caught by Chief Wilson, of Inger- soll, near Mount Elgin, on Wednesday of last week, and taken back to the asylutn. An open penknife was found fixed ingeniously in the seam of his coat. —A collision occurred at four onlock Mouday morning near Strath roy, be- tween the east -bound express from Point Edward, and some freight -ears which had been left standing on the track. The freight cars were demolished, and the engineer and baggageman of the express were severely injured. —An able-bodied and well-to-do young man appeared in court at Prescott last week, and pleaded to be allowed to escape payment for a watch, on the ground that he was only a boy when he bought it. Hard-hearted spectators al- leged that he must have been only a baby, and questioned if he would ever be anything dee. —The Christian Winds points out that the net increase iri membership for the year in the Methodist Conference so far held • is as follows • Toronto, 2,328; London, 1,077; Niagara, 2,031 ; Guelph, 1,005; Bay of Quinte, 1,288; Mon- treal, 1,858—a total net increase in these six conferences of nearly 10,000, or near- ly 20 per cent. in two years. —Mr. James Kirk, of the township of Moore, in Lambton county, had a deli- cate operation performed on himself about two weeks ago. He was taken sick last winter and was told he had an attack of pleuromonia. His condition didmot seem to change and he kept gradually sinking until he was thought to be going into consumption, and was advised to go to California. and see what a change of climate would do toward re- storing his health. He consulted Dr. Vail, of Sarnia, aboutthreeweeks ago, and after examination the doctor con- cluded his chest was filled with pus and its removal would be necessary. The sick man stayed at Sarnia for about a week, when an operation was performed —In the year 1881, Mr. 'Thomas Mit- chell, a farmer near Ayr, picked two stray heads of an apparently new varie- ty of wheat from a neighbor's field. As the strange saanple seemed. to possess good qualities, Mr. Mitchell determined to experiment with them, and sow the grain. He did so and last year the pro- duct of those two heads amounted to 25 bushels besides various quantities dis- posed of to other farmers. This year Mr. Mitchell has sown 16 acres of the new variety, which he has named the " Garfield.' It is hardy, white and e early, and seems well adapted to the climate and soil. —Since the foolhardy adventuremade a week ago, of running the Niagara rapids in a barrel, quite a number of other intending adventurers have come to light. A man named Geo. W. White was investigating the rapids with the intention of "swimming through them with a cork suit. It is also announced that a trip is shottly to be macle through the same waters by some unknown in a boat, A prominent citizen proposes to establish a company to be known as the "Maid of Rapicle Barrel Company," the object being to furnish barrels to parties desiring to take an excursion through the whirlpool by water for $1 each. barn, where the matter was settled with —Mr. Chas. Robertson, of Kincardine, a cousin of Hon. Alex. Mackenzie, died. a short time ago, within a few months of 70 years of age. He was born at Strath 'Tay, Perthshire, Scotland, in Deeember, 1816, and came to Canada in 1845. He settled on a splendid farm in the town- ship of Wellesley, Waterloo county, the same year. In 1869 his wife died on the homestead. Six years later he sold his valuable property of 200 acres, and moved to Kincardine. Although a pro- nouncod Liberal in politics, possessing marked intelligence, and an excellent education, he never aspired to any pub- lic position. —A dastardly attempt was made to wreck the Canada Atlantic special train, bringing the Ottawa Orangemen home from Kingston on Tuesday morning last week. Soon after the train passed Alexandria the engineer noticed an ob- struction ou the track a short distance ahead, and was able to stop in time, bringing up abou t20 yards from the obsta- cle, which proved to be a tie laid across the rails and secured with boulders at. each end, as well as being firmly bound with ropes. The obstruction was hiddea by a curve in the road until the train was very close. There were between 400 and 500 persons on the train. The • sudden stoppage threw many from their seats, and caused a good deal of alarm, but no one was hurt. —While the heavy thunder storm, which passed over Ottawa, last Friday afternoon, was at its height, five men and one woman were eating their dinner in a stable on the Chaudiere, when the electric fluid passed through their midst, giving each a severe shock, but, fortu- nately, doing no other damage. A man named Doyle, standing at the door, was first struck and -thrown down, and three men sitting down inside the stable were next thrown on the floor. The light— ning was then attracted by a tin can, from which the woman and her husband _were drinking, at the back of the stable. The can was knoeked 30 feet through the back door into the yard, while the woman was rendered insensible for about half an hour, sustaining no further in- jury, however. —The stable and outbuildings belong- ing to Wm. Graham license commission- er, at Stnith's Falls, were burned on the morning of the 13th inst. The fire start- ed about one o'clock, and was evidently the work of an incendiary. The build- ings were totally destroyed, together with a horse and other contents. Loss about $1,000. In endeavoring to save the horse Mr. Graham was so seriously burnt that he now lies in a critical con- dition. There is as yet no clue to the incendiary. Mr. Gralfam is the party through whom informations have been given to the Lieeuse Inspector of breaches /N of the Scott et in the two cases now proceeding, and there is a strong im- pression that the deed was instigated by interested parties for the purpose of in- timidating witnesses. A large reward will be offered for information leading to the discovery of the criminal. —A few days ago John Mooney, of Erin, cut his foot so badly while chop- ping that he could not leave his bed. To be crippled was bad enough at anytime, but what troubled John moat was the fact that his wedding day was fixed, and now an indefinite stay in the proceedings loomed up. However, the bride -elect, daughter of Mr. John McDonald, a neighboring farmer, was a true -hearted girl, entering into matrimony from the best of all motives, pure and unalloyed affection, and the groom being unahle to go to her, she went to him, and the mar- riage ceremony was performed on Dom- inion Day, the date arranged, while he lay helpless upon his touch. —A stranger strolled into a camp meeting near Oakville the other day and became profoundly interested in the pro- ceedings. The earnest prayers and sweet hymns appeared to affect him fists. The victor then walked off with deeply. He was soon kneeling with the girl, who, during the encounter, had been walking up and down the sidewalk opposite where the fight was proceeding. —Mr. Wm. Blair, a Scottish artist, is supposed to have been drowned up the Ottawa some ten days ago. Mr. Blair, who had been for about twelve months in Ottawa, visiting among his friends, is about 30 years of age, of independent means, very highly educated. and of ar- tistic ability. His native place was Kincardine, although he had been ab- sent a number of yetsrs, having spent his time iu travelling. Not long ago he others, and in due course was talk upon for his experience. He startled the worshippers by a confession that he had murdered a manin Chicago. De- tective Reburn, of Toronto, inadvertent- ly beard of this confession, and so 1118.11 - aged matters that the man went to No, 1 Police Station on Saturday and gave himself up. He was registered as Samuel Luttrell, clerk, no residence. The super- intendent of the Chicago Police was communicated with, and replied that he hall no record of the murder which Lut- trell claims to have committed. ' tit ti tt 44 t't • ;