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A respectable young farmer of Texa? recently committed suicide on account ol grief at tlie death of a mule to which he was passionately attached. Mules are fiequently the causes of affliction, but not usually of affliction of a tender nature, and the case of a mule which caused suicide from affection is ceitainly unique. Ic Southwest Virginia there are thirteen counties where the roar of the railway has never yet been heard, and the people live in ignorance of the events of the outside world. Very little money ^-1- ? i? Af-fl A? circulates among mem, uiu jjiwutw ui tlie farm being used as the medium of exchange in most business transactions. Mr. "Wi'Iiana Bender, of Cincinnati, has been sent to a sanitarium bccause of the little eccentricity of throwing in the fire a package containing over $40,000 in government bonds. William had been on a prolonged bender, and he fancied some of his relations were seeking hi3 wealth; hence he is now in bonds as a lunatic. The transfusion of blood from a healthy patient to a dying one has been employed occasionally for many years, and often with good results, but the infusion of warm salt water into the arteries is something new, and, its complete success in a recent case in Bellevue hospital, New York, will bring it into general notice as an acceptable substitute for blood transfusion. The city of Albany's two-hundredth anniversary will be celebrated July 2*2, 18SG. On that day in 168G the city's charter was received, and the event was duly celebrated on the 2Gth by her 1,200 inhabitants. In 178G the ceuteDnial celebration was held. Albany is one of the oldest cities in the Union, and pro poses to hold a celebration worthy her history and her advance in population and industry. The governors of the thirteen original States and the mayors of cities that are over 100 years old will be invited to participate. The passion for relics has curious phases. Sticks and stones, grass and weeds are common forms of gratification of the relic-hunters; articles of personal apparel, furniture, and chips are other means enjoyed. A cat-o'-nine-tails is certaiulv unique and would not be supposedly a desired relic, but after the iherift at Chester, Del., had performed his duty of chastising two offenders at the whipping-post, a New York gentleman purchased the cat o'-nine-tails for $o and carried it off with him as a memento of tfte occasion. Undoubtedly one of the motives for our Northern neighbors spending $250,000,000 in the building of the Canadian Pacific railway, much of which money was furnished by the capitalists of Great Britain, is in the conveyance of troops for the defense of the Dominion, and, in fact, to furnish a line for the shipment of stores by the imperial government for its naval stations on the Pacific coast, as well as for the conveyance of troops should trouble in the East prevent their being forwarded through the Suez canal, or by t heordinary channel of commerce. Great Britain now has a railway for the transportation of her troops to the East over a road owned and controlled by Englishmen. The water boy who goes through the passenger trains in Connecticut,with his pail of water and tray of tumblers, offer* ? ? ' ^ *\nnnan/vAra l a lug xrue uiiuks iu an iuc ? a survival of the war period. During the Civil war thousands of sick and wounded soldiers passed through the State on their way home to be nursed, and many of them, their canteens being empty, longed in vain for a draught of cool water. The late J. F. Trumbull,of Stonington, who was in the legislature at the time, having ridden on a train in which were home-returning soldiers and noticing their distress on account of their inability to get water, at once pushed a law through the legislature providing that all railroads in the State must carry water boys on their passenger trains. The statute still remains in force. A m.in who has the cramps and sends in haste for the doctor is naturally a good deal astonished if the doctor, hav ing found him rolling iu great pain on the sofa, a:id having felt of his pulse, falls to culling him soundly on both sides of his head, and pulling his nose powerfully, and slapping his face. An ailing person in Paterson, X. J., recently, who alleges that, he received treatment of this sort from a physisian whom he had called to treat him for cramps, caused the physician's arrest; but the law did nothing to the physician, because he proved that the patient did not have cramps, but hysteria, and that cuffing is an old-fashioned and excellent treatment for that complaint. Iu the case in point the cuffing made the patient angry, changcd the current o] his thoughts, and left him deeply offended, to be sure, but without hysteria and without even the delusion that h< had cramps. ' * Vanf Va el- TTw.tl/I fl-m'Q fVlftf X 11X2 XX V A. VI U AAtl IH.W k/.?j a ?4?Mt bright red stockings are condemned bj Dr. Edson. Several persons wlio liav< worn tliem have complained recently that painful sores appeared on their fee and legs. The doctor purchased a lo of the stockings at different stores ant anal) zed them. He said that they wen all found to contain arsenic and anti mony. The arsenic is one of the in gredients of the dye, and the antimon; is used to fix the color. The arsenic cai be easily extracted .from the stocking after it is dyed, but it is so cheap tha the manufacturers do not care to tab the trouble. The poisonous brigh red stockings are all made iu Saxony en 1 were found on sa'e in the best retai stores of the city. The proprietors have been directed to take them out of stock at once. If the order is not obeyed, I)r. Kdson says he will prosecute any one I caught selling hose cf this kind. The ! offenders will be charged with selling ' poison without a label, as that, according to the doctor, is the only statute that covers the offense. There is a man in Xcvada named Angela Cardclia, who claims to be the strongest in the world. He is an Italian, aged thirty-eight, and stands five j feet ten inches, weighing 108 pounds. * * * - it- iiritll llim frtl* lip 111S Sirengiu. was uuiu Wifcu .... ? had no athletic training. He differs from other men chiefly in the osseous structure. Although not of unusual i size, his spinal column is double th?j ordinary width, and his bones and joints are made on a similarly large and generous scale. He has lifted a . man 200 pounds with the middle finger of his right hand. The man stood with one foot on the floor, his arms outstretched, his hands grasped by two persons to balance his body. Cardelia then stooped down and placed the third finger of his j j right hand under the man's foot, and | j with scarcely any perceptible effort j raised him on a table near at hand. Once two powerful men waylaid Cardelia with intent to thrash him, but he seized one in each hand and hammered j them together until life was nearly knocked out of them. Ilis strength is inherited, for he says his father was more powerful than himself. A new mania which bids fair to have as great a run as the spelling matches' of a few years ago has appeared in some sections of the country. It is the "pro- i nouueing match." The contests are conI ducted somewhat like the spelling ? ci/ioo orp phnsnn and referees i LLItt Lis ilt/O. UIUVJO Mi W WMWWN... ? are appointed, who have before them copies of Webster and Worcester unabridged. A word pronounced by either authority i8 considered correct. The test words, which have previously been chosen, are spelled by some one selected for that purpose, and those entered foT i the fray pronounce them ?or at least I they try to. When any one fails he sirs I down, the word is pronounced correctly and another word is given out to the next person. When any dispute arises it is immediately referred to the referees. If the word is not understood it may be 1 written down on a blackboard, and the contestant may ask to have it defined. At a recent match in an Ohio town some thirty-five contestants above the average skill and ability in this regard were put down on a list of about 2u0 words, the j most ot them m every-aay use. nmuug the words which were missed were dismay, sacerdotal, equable, presume, courtesy, harass, amateur, suffice, voluminous, infantile, oleomargarine, apotheosis, tonsolitis, brooch, Arab, bravado, exhibit, piquant, wan, almond, condolence, comely, effusive, blithe, etc. There are probably very few persons who j can attend a contest of this nature without obtaining considerable valuable information concerning their own language. The Christmas Carols. George Moore, the eminent English philanthropist, began life in extreme j poverty. His biographer, Samuel Smiles, | j gives a pitiful account of his crying iu | J the streets of London, bccause ne naa no ; friends and could not find work. His j middle life was passed in weli-earned j affluence, and hi3 last years were spent i i in the grand oM castle of the ancient : j Percys, which he had gazed upon in awe j in boyhood, and which his great wealth ! at last enabled him to purchase for a i home. Ilis moral life was a succession j of growths. He was exposed to great i temptations in youth, but when he came to feel that the tendency of his life was wrong in any direction, he arrested the wrong course by prompt decision. It was these decisions, these constant j turnings from evil courses into life's best j ways, that led him at last to a career of j 'worldly success, piety and philanthropy. J He thus describes one of the dangerous : periods of his first apprenticeship: "My master gave way to drinking,and set before me a bad example. I lodged in the public house nearly all the time, and saw nothing but wickedness and ' drinking. I played cards almost every i nicrht. I sometimes played the who e | night through. Gambling was my passion, and it might have been my ruin." It was Christmas morning. The apprentice lad had spent the night at the ! card-table. lie had retired lung after i midnight, with a conscience ill at ease, ! and the prospect of dismissal from his j master's service before him. Suddenly I bis ear was arrested by strains of music. I The gray light was breaking, and the i | waits, as is the custom in England, were abroad playing cards. The music brought before his mind, like a vision, his old home, the future dangers of his present course, and, in contrast with his own eclipsed life, the luminous Bethlehem story. "Getter thoughts,"hesays, 4'cameover me with the sweet carols. I felt over! whelmed with remorse and penitence. I j thought ot my dear father, and feared that I might break his heart and brin^ I his grey hairs in sorrow to the grave. I ' "it ? J3 i resolved to give up cara-piaymg uuu | gambling. This resolve I firmly carried 1 j out.'' - : Many years passed, and George Moore's [ ' life became an expression of gratitude to God for the grace that he had given him at these critical periods of youth. ' "George Moore's Christmasea" became a ; famous feature of London's charities, and he himself had learned to sini; in spirit the refraiu: "Let's hasten to adore Hitn, ' i I ot'.i hasten to adore Him, r 1 Let's hasten to adoro Hitn, _ - Christ, our Lord!" - i [ Why ? Oh, why should the spirit of mortal e'er t utter, } One word 'gainst the "beautiful snow?" When a fellow can take his best girl in a 3 I "cutter" Through the city and country to go. I What matter if passed the ball season | When a fellow has plenty of chink? rr To complain of dull times thero's no reason When there's festival joy tit the rink. * Oh, why is the spirit or anglers uiscresseu ' If the season lor fishing is dead? t In the festival stew he might now invest 2 And go fishing for oysters instead. For all of our ills there is some compensation, & 'Tis a rule that will work t'other way; Though editors nre pleased with much con' densation, 11 They stiil have "the devil to pay." i RIOT AT COAL MINES. Non-Unionists Attacked by a Body of Masked Men. Several Men Injured and a Locomotive Wrecked. Pittsburg (Penn.) dispatches describe another riot among the striking coal miners along tho Monongahela river, which resulted in probably fatal injuries to Newton Campbell and serious injuries to several other nonunion workman. The riot occurred at the Pine Run mine, owned and operatad by James Lynn & Son, located in tho second pool, three miles above MeKeesport. For - 1 some weeks seventy non-union men nave ua-n | at work there for two anil a half cents per , busheL At l> o'clock a. m. 15'j strikers, wear- , ing masks anil arrayed in grotesque costumes j started out from their rendezvous near the [ mine. Half a mile below the mine they mot i Newton Campbell, a driver, on his way to , work. lie refused to return homo when ; ordered, whcivupon several men pounced j upon him, knocked him down, kicked and trampled on him, and then loft him bruised, j bleeding and unconscious. He was found several hours afterward conscious, but still j unable to ai 1 himself. The desperate strikers marched on toward the mine, where they met lifte?n miners on their road to work. The latter wisely returned homo, thus escaping injury. Soon afterward another squad of workmen appeared, and they were commanded to return heme. Richard Hall, more bold than his fellows, defied the masked strikers and attempted to enter the mine. ''Halt!" cried one of the strikers.but Hall kept on his way. Then ono of the masked men rushed at him with a club and struck a blow at his head, but the club fell upon his shoulder. He was partially stunned by the blow, but managed to get back to his comrades, who left at once for the residence of .Superintendent James O'Neil. The strikers alf=o assailed and beat Samuel Morford and James Dorford. The pit boss, William Menford, was also attacked and knocked down. The superintendent and a number of men, on being informed of the action of the strik- j ers, boarded an engine and started for the j scene of trouble. When the strikers saw the 1 smoke rising from the little locomotive they j ran down the track and opened several j switches and blockaded the track. The en- : gine was thrown from the track and wrecked, but its passengers escaped injury. Mr. O'Neil, surprised at such a large body of men, offered no resistance. The strikers eel-1 ebrated their victory with a yell and disappeared almost as suddenly as they had come. Later in th-3 day fifty non-union m?n entered the mine and continued their workwithout interruption. Word was sent to Sheriff Gray, who went to the mine with a po3?e, arriving there at 1U o'clock. All was quiet then,however, and the sheriff's force returned to Pittsburg. About twenty of the strikers, notwithstanding their masks, were recognized, and their names were given to tho superintendent. Warrants had boon issued for their arrest. . The strikers were becoming i desperate, and the families of the miners who were at work had been alarmed for their safety. It was feared that the riot would be renewed if the non-union men attempted to go to work. LATER NEWS." ! A second body?that of Martin M. Gold. I schraidt, of New York?ha3 just been burned j in the new crematory at Fresh Pond, Long i Island. Ax explosion of natural gas in Cannon3" j burg, Penn., completely destroyed the large | frame residence of Wesley Greer. The oc j cupanls of the building?Sir. Greer, his wife ; and two small children?were blown from j bjd into a lot thirty feet away, but none j were fatally injured. A tornado of small dimensions but great power'8wept through Chester, 111., and the | jail being directly in its narrow path, that 1 structure was damaged to the extent of ?21),- | COO, while three men?a keeper and two i convicts?were fatally injured. Two colored men?Nelson Stewart and Anderson Davis?were hanged at Charlotte, N. C., on the 9th for robbing a house on Septem- ! ber 21 last. I Four men were instantly killed and a fifth j fatally injured by the caving in of a sewer at J Akron, Ohio. The interior department received information from the governor of Alaska that the public lands were being stripped of timber, ' without legal authority, for exportation purposes. and steps have been taken to 6top the depredation. At the thirteent h annual convention of the American Public Health association, held a few days since in Washington, various sanitary measures were discussed. Delegates frcm all parts of the United States and Canada were present in WashingAt^annirv af fnnnnol CUQCIAn tun au tiiu v|/oaui^ wt uuu iuvit uuuuu? uouutvu of the Federation of Organized Trades and Labor unions. A sewer in Chester, Penn., in which a number of men were at work, caved in the other afternoon, and buried four of them, killing Thomas McTamany and seriously injuring the remaining three. According to the provisions of the will of John L. Nowborry, Ihe Chicago public library is to come into possession of about $2,500,000. The sheriff's officers made a descent upon the ranch of Manuel Delgardo, a Mexican residing near Ea?le Pass, Texas, and long suspected of harboring horse thieves and smuggler.?. Delgardo and two other Mexicans were killed. Sam Fowler (colored), imprisoned at i Kenton, Tenn., for setting on fire and rob. bing a store, wa> taken out of jail by a crowd and hanged. A general order ha? been issued from the I headquarters of the Grand Army of the ReI public in Washington city, informing tho | members of that organization that WashI ington has been selected as the site of tho j proposed G. A. R. monument to General Grant. President Cleveland and cabinet, with the diplomatic corps and many other prominent ollicials, attended sMemn re piiem : mass for the repose of the soul of the lata i King Alfonso, of S;?ain,:' celebrated at St. ! Matthew's Church, Washington. Forty Servians have been shot for muti; lating themselves by blowing their trigger j lingers oft' and otherwis: injuring themselves I to escape military service. Germany is to build a ship canal between the Baltic, the Klba and the North sea. The cost will bo about $40,000,000. The Servians have renewed the war with Bulgaria. A revolting story con^s from Rome, Italy. At the trial of a butcher named Tozzi, his wife, son and daughter, for the murder of another butcher, tin son confessed that the bo ly of the victim had been cut into pieces, and tha blood boile l into black puddings, which were s old in t ho shop. NEWSY GLEANINGS Tni- H(>hrp.\v nonnlation of New York * 50,000. A Pittsburgh entomologist lias 50,000 butterflies. The Am> rioan colony in Paris numbers about 3,0JU persons. The personal expenses of the sultan are $12,000,UU0 per year. . A colony of Scots, with a capital of $250,j COO, is on the way to Florida. There are $100,000 worth of flowers in the White House conservatories. Many Australian wool growers shear their sheep by machinery driven by steam. Halk ui' this year's cotton crop in the South his beaa by white labor. NEWS SUMMARY, Eastern and middle State** Two women were fatally injured and three houses destroyed by an explosion of natural gas in Pittsburg, Penn. Many families were r&scued with difficulty from the burning buildings. Six children, bitten by a mad dog in Newark, N. J., have been seut to Paris for treatment by M. Pasteur, the French scientist whose recent discovery of a euro for hydrophobia has been heralded to the world. In response to a cablo message from Newark, M. Pasteur replied that if thsre was danger to send the children immediately. Public con- J tributions of money were made to send tlie I six unfortunate children to Paris. Upon a test case, the issu9 of which ha3 i long been awaited with interest, Judge Sim- j onten has decided at Harrisburg, Penn., that ! the State law prohibiting the manufacture I of oleomargarine is constitutional. two of the mon employed on cne lugooac j which was blown up at New York were not on board at the tima of the explosion, leav- j ing the number of victims at four. Five men were seriously and others | slightly injured by a collision of cars on the Brooklyn bridge. The accident was due to the failure of a grip to hold the cable which runs the trains. WniLE five workmen were descending a shaft of the new New York aqueduct near Sins Sing, a heavy wooden crosstroe fell upon them, instantly killing four and fata!ly injuring i he fifth. By a similar accident a few weeks previously three min met their death. O.v the day after five men were killed while at work on the New York aqueduct another accident occurred, resulting in the death o! one man and serious injuries to a second. South and West. Fearixg a Mormon outbreak at Salt Lake City, the government ordered a body of United State.; troops to proceed immediately to the stronghold of polygamy. The Mormons are reported to be holding secret meet ings and to contemplate an insurroction. Over 550 Scandinavians who have settled in the West have returned to their native land on one steamer to spend the holidays. A prairie fire in tho vicinity or Burton, Kansas, spread over an area of thirty miles, destroying a great amount of stacked hay, grain and other property. Several persons were fatally burned. Dr. Lyon'S and his fourteen-year olddaughter were murdered in their home at Tyne Creek, Mo., by an imbecile named Williams, who was immediately afterward shot dead by the doctor's son. Three colored men wore handed a few days slnco in the Gates county <N. C.) jail, their crime baing the robbery of a country store last September. A Chicago company has just received an rttvlni' frtr 9. >,')0 flfli) nrninrls of dl'B5Sed beef for the French army.r The contract involves tbo slaughter of 25,000 cattle. A heavy fall of snow has greatly impeded railivad travel in portions of the West. n aMhlng-ton* At a preliminary caucus of Republican Senators in Washington, on the 4th, upon motion of Mr. Edmunrls the nomination of a successor to the late Vice-President Hondricks as president pro tern, of the Senate was unanimously tendered to Senator-elect Logan, but Mr. Logan declined tho proffered honor, saving that ho could be more useful on the floor of the Sonate. Speaker Carlisle has received a long letter from Samuel J. Tiklen, urging tho necessity of proper legislation looking to the strengthening of our sea coast defences. . Mr. Tilden says that the i rope'"ty exposed to destruction by hostile naval invasion is worth live thousand millions, an 1 that to leave ourselves defenseless in order to reduce the cost of whisky is a solecism. The President has appointed James W. Porch, of Missouri, to be United States consul-general at Mexico; Van V. Richardson to be United States marshal for the eastern district of North Carolina; William J. Tinnin to be surveyor of customs at San Francisco; .Tam3s E. Tucker to be a-sistant appraiser of merchandise at San Frnncisco; Henry O. Kent to be naval officer of customs, district of Boston and Cbarlestown, Mass.; Nathaniel Newburg to be appraisar of merchandise, port of Cincinnati; Thomas J. nami.ion, ot Washington Territory, to be United States marshal for the Territory of Washington. The report of the supervising special agent, Louis G. Martin, to the secretary of the treasury, shows that through the efforts of the special agents there has been paid into the treasury during the past fiscal year $8.0,318, as follows: On account of seizures, $10,231; fine3 and penalties, $14,470; suits, $33,01)8; duties, $772, 2j2, and miscellaneous, $312. The President has made the following additional appointments: United States attorneys?John E. McComb for the eastern district of Texas; Thomas P. Murphy for the northern district of Iowa. Receivers of public moneys?John Montgomery of Idaho at Oxford, Idaho; Tyreo H. Bell of Idaho at Visalia. Cal Registers of land j office?Frank W. Beane of Utah at ' Oxford, Idaho: Henry Lockharfc, of New | Mexico, at Santa Fe. Supervising inspector of stuam vessels?William L. Daly for the Eighth district, with headquarters at Detroit. John Sherman, to be president of the Senate: John U. Carlisle, to ba speaker of the House; the bill making members of the Cabinet eligible to the Presidential succession speedily to become a law, and Thomas B. Reed, of Maine, to be the minority leader ! in the House?such, in brief, was the chief i result of the various caucuses held by the j members of the two houses of the Forty-ninth , fYmcrrna^ All the old Officers Of th'3 HOUSO, j except the chaplain, were renominated by I the Democratic caucus. For chaplain, Rov. ! W. H. Milburn, the blind preacher of Chicaj go, was chosen. During the past fiscal year the netrevenue of the government was $323,01)0,7015, a decrease of $34,82.1,103 over the previous year, and Jthe expenditure was $2150,226,935, or $10,10U,09i) greater than that of the year before. The secretary of the treasury ha3 trans' mitted to Congress the estimates of appro! priations required for the fiscal year ending June.'H), 1887. The total amount estimated a* required for all expanses of the government ij $3o9,.'589,552, which is $13,678,158 more than j the sum called for in the estimates sulmittod j last year, and $50,820,710 more than the agj gregate of appropriations for the present fiscal year.. As the Democrats have a large majority in the Virginia legislature, th?ir selection in caucus of ( ongressman Daniel to succeed United States Senator Mahona was equivalent to an election. Foreign. j Prince Alexander, of Bulgaria,demands i a war indemnity of $8,40U,UOO from Servia. I There are indications that the new Sa i gasta cabinet in Spain cannot survive, anu lhat it will bv? succeeded by a liberal minis! try undor General Lopez Domingue*. A (JALE terrific in its efTeot has raged for J two clays at Aspinwa.Il. Sixteen vessels wore j lost, two with all on board,and much damage ! was done to the wharves and railroad propI erty. j The armistice between Servia and Bulgaria has beon renewed until January 13. A census at Berlin just taken shows a population of l,31<y\!!>2, an increase of 201), 0U(. since 1SS0. Bv a coalition of the conservatives and Parnellites tiiey will have a slight majority over the liberals?Gladstone's party?in the j new British parliament. A general docree of amnesty to Spanish I -'.l.'tinDl on,l rt*VQ4 nfTAndors Iia3 be6U Silled by (,Nueen Christina. _ PROMIN E NTP? OPL E. General Logan expects to raako fortune and famo out of his new bo uk. Senator Edmunds reads books iu most of the modern European languages. Vox ItANKE.the distinguished German historian, was ninety years old recently. The tlireo daughters of tho late Francis A. Drexel, of Philadelphia, are worth $4,000,00(J each. It pays to be president of France. Grevy, who is said to be very close, draws $240,000 a year. Congressman Green, of North Carolina, owns the largest vineyard cast of tho Sierra | Nevadas. i Sunset Cox and George H. Fcndloton have : both written homo that they enjoy their diplomatic posts immensely. The Chinese minister at "Washington is soon to give a ball, which, as it is the lirst ol the kind, is looked forward to as a novelty. S. nator Stanford intends to add enough muii.'y to his great university nt Palo Alto, Ca:., to make its total endowment at least ' fSOj'JQOjOOO. WILLIAM E 7MDERBILT. Sudden Death of the Richest Man in America. Suc:umbing to a Stroke of Apoplexy in his Library. William H. Vanderbilt, tho great railroad magnate an:l richest man in America, if not in the world, was stricken with apoplexy a few minutes after 2 o'clock p. M., on the 8th., and died almost instantly. He was in the library of his residence in Fifth avenue, New York, at the time, and was sitting in his easy chair and conversing with Mr. Robert Garrett, president of the Baltimore and Ohio Railway, and up to the very moment of the attack was apparently in his usual health and spirits. Not a hint or a moment's warning did either he or his family have that his health was in so precarious a condition. Ho was stretched dead on the floor at his guest's feet almost as suddenly as though his brain had been pierced by a riflo bullet. Since 1881, when ho suffered a shock of paralysis, not long after the sale of 250,000 shares of New York Central, his health had been a matter of almost constant solicitude with his family, but for several months recently he had been better and brighter. He frequently spoke of the improvement himself, an l was often congratulated upon his hearty appearance. He clung tenaciously to life, and often said I of late that by the time he was sixty-five he [ would be rejuvenated and set out on another | long life He was sixty-four when he died, j Mr. Garrett arrived at Mr. Vauderbilt's ! house about half an hour aftor Mr. Vanderj bilt had left the luncheon table. He was at once shown into the library, where Mr. Van! derbilt received him. It was thou about a quarter to 2 o'clock. Mr. Vanderbilt and Mr. Garrett talked for about half an hour on the relations of their respective railroad systems anl the new Slaten Island projcct of the Baltimore and Ohio. The talk having thus drifted to Staten Island, Mr. Vanderbilt spoke of his early manhood there and tho Vanderbilt property there. He was talking of the Vanderbilt family tomb and mausoleum when Mr. Garrett noticed that his voice became thick and indistinct. Glancing quickly up, ho saw that-the muscles of the face were twitching violently, and at the same moment Mr. Vanderbilt, with an effort to articulate which ended in a gasp, started to a half standing position,and pitched heavily forward with his l ace downward. Mr. Garrett started up an 1 caught him in his arms and eased his fall to the floor, catching a cushion at the same time from off the sofa and putting it under the dying man's head. Mr. Ganvtt then rang an electric bell, which summoned Louis. Mr. Vanc'erbilt's valet. TT~ 11 .. / -! t\r\y*rrrk Vnn/lorhilt". AJlrt Mr X1U t'illicu ?Ul . vvwa Jju ? unuw* v**? ??? ? Twombly. It was then thought that Mr. Vanderbilt was in a fainting lit only, and his wife and daughters were so informed. Dr. J. W. MeLano, tho family physician, and other doctors were called in, but they could do nothing, as the vital spark was extinguished. Dr. McT.ane said that tho cause of Mr. Vanderbilt-'s death was clearly apoplexy. He had never before manifesto 1 any symptoms of an apoplectic tendency, however, and tho attack was a complete surprise to tho doctor. It merely showed, h> said, that the blood vessels of tho brain had become brittle, and under the stimulus of a hearty meal and of animated conversation one "of them had broken. Mr. Vanderbilt's Career. William Henry Vanderbilt was born in Brunswick, New Jersey, Ala}* 1, 1S21, and was therefore sixty-four years and seven mouths old. His father, at the time of his birth, was owner and in command of astcamboatrunning to New York. The family soon removed to New York city, where, and in Staten Island, William attended the public schools, finishing his education at the Columbia Grammar school. At eighteen he entered as a clerk the 1 ouseof Drew, Robinson & Co., a leading firm of bankers and I stock brokers of the period. At the end of two years his business aptitude was so great that the firm offered him a junior partnership. Remaining until two years thereafter, his health failed him in consequence of closo application. He then purchased seventy-five acres of land on Staten Island, which was soon increased to 350, and went to work farming. During the first year of this activity he was chosen receiver of the Staten Island railroad, and after two years of hard work, having restored its finances to a sound condition, he was elected its president. His father was a large stockholder in this road, but, as is well understood, lent no adventitious aid to his cider son's career. Aftsr a few years of Lard work on his farm and in the railroad o I lice, Mr. Vanderbiit went to Europe, in consequence of the precarious condition of his brother Georges health. He remained with him until his death, a period of several months, when ho returned to Staten Island and his farm, not engaging any further in railroad administration until 1S04, when he became, by his father's desire and the election of the corporation, vice-president of the Now York and Harlem railroad. For twenty-two years preceding the assumption of this position Mr. Vanderbiit was to all intents and purposes a practical and hardworking farmer, tilling his own land, marketing its produce, and attending personally tn the farm labors. His father slowly learneti to lean upon his business judgment, but the son did not attempt any special figure in the market or as a financier. He married in iS-ti Miss Kissam. daughter of a well known Brooklyn physician, by whom he has had eight children, four boys and fonr girls. His Staten Island life was a healthy and hard working one. He generally rose very earl3'?about 4 or 5 in the morniug?coming to the city on market business, and often returning by 7 to take the plow or join his hands m the harvest fields. Ho was then, as always, a hard worker, a shrewd manager and trader. Commodore Vanderbiit's plans were working to full fruition when the oldest son was summoned to his ail. After assuming executive control of tho Harlem ho was, in ISO"), elected vice president of the New York and Hudson River railroad. During the five years that followed his entrance into railroad affairs Mr. Vanderbilt was probably tho hardest working executive in the country. He made himself familiar with overv detail of administration, personally examining o:\ch mile of the great system under his charge, and becoming acquainted with the nature of every man's duties and work and wages, and the relations they bore to all others employed by the corporations he controlled. In pursunnce of his father's plan of concentrating tho great interests he pos^esse 1 in his family's bands, his son William was named in the articles as first vice-president of the New York Contral railroad?that is, of the consolidated r. imis. This consolidation involved at the time an investment of at , least 100,000,00 ), a majority of which was I owned and controlled by tho Vanderbiit family. At the death of his father, in 1S77, , Mr. Vanderbilt was elected president or tne ; New York Central, the Lake Shore and the i Michigan Central railroads, positions which I he hold until when, in his (?2d year, lie deliberately retired from the active control oi 1 tlieso corporations, providing for the Van I derbilt direction, however, in thf persons of his sons and sons-in-law who are active as directors. Mr. Vanderbilt was a man of strong nnc stalwart frame and build, being nearly sn feet in height, and largo in proportion. H< was a sturdy-looking man, direct in speech, and in manner. He was fond of horses, a( one time owning Maud 8., and his stalwart figure behind a toam of thoroughbreds waso familiar sight on the boulevards of the metropolis. Mr. Vanderbilt was regarded as ono of the richest men in the world, and the impression was not far wrong. Ho was richer than any single member of the Rothschild family, and although the Duko of Westminster is cred> ted with being worth ?200,000,000 his iat.ntA nnvs him 0?lV about tWO pel cent. Last year Mr. Vanderbilt lielc , 000,0; 0 of 4 per cent, bonds, but later re I duced it to ?3">,0')0,000 of '<]}4 percent, gov eminent securities. It is said that heownoc at least $75,000,000 in government bonds. Hi valued his house in Fifth avenue, with it: art treasures, at i-'J,001,000. His ordinary , household expenses were ?200,000 a year. It is estimated that Mr. Vanderbilt wai worth $200,000,0 '0, although his investment! i depreciated last year. His income was cal ciliated as follows: $2,"72,000 a year fron ; government bonds: $7,.'i04.00> from railroat 1 stocks ami bonds; *070,'j'>5 Irom misce'laneou securities; making a total of over $10,000,000 a year, or $28,000 a day, $1,200 an hour or $19.75 a minute. THE NAVY DEPARTMENT. Summary of Secretary Wkitney'a Flr?t Annual Hcport. The first half of the first annual report of William C. Whitney, secretary of the navy, comprises briefly the usual routine of . the ,1 _ ? ~4?t? ^ irflftH an/4 Utjptw l/LUCJUt uuicaus LSJk IUD uocai J VUl Oiiuing June 30, 188-3. After describing the location of the different squadrons, he draws A doleful picture of our navy yards. It appears that this property, "aggregating in value some fifty million dollars," is falling rapidly into a condition of extreme decay. The report Bays: "If it is the policy of Congress to maintain the navy-yards as shipyards, workshops, or depots of supply, it is manifest that the work of putting the buildings, wharves and other appurtenauces^in proper repair should be undertaken at once, and should bo kept up from year to year, as the only alternative must bo the abandonment of all this property to waste and ruin." The net amount drawn by the department on warrants during the last fiscal year was $13,337,807.72, leaving a balance ot $1,0*8,075.00, which with the amouut unexpended in the hands of pay officers, leaves an aggregate unexpended balance of $2,353,645.75. The money spent this year is $997,755.54 less than the net amount drawn in the fiscal year ending June 30,1884. Tho navy estimates to be presented to Congress for the next fiscal year amount to $35,104,005.15, in which sum are embraced estimates for new oojects, not those ordinarily for the service, amounting to ? Hi, 009,050.24, leaving for the customary purposes of the service $10,034,744.01. They embrace: For increase of tho navy $10,503,770; for the completion and armament of the doubieturretoi monitors, $4,202,056, and for public works and improvements at the yards and stations, $4,268,337.41. Mr. Whitney dovotes considerable space to a history of his controversy with John Roach, already familiar to tho public. The secretary favors changing the whole system so long in vogue and compelling the dopartmant hereafter to mature all plans and specifications thoroughly before advertising for contracts. He has adopted this plan already in preparing for the construction of the two additional cruisers and two gunboats, at a cost of nearly $5,000,000, authorized by tho last session o? Congress. Attention is drawn to the importance other countries attach to the torpedo-boat as a branch of naval warfare by a tabular statement of those possessed and in process of construction. The United States have none; England has 1'2'J, and 55 mora ordered; Russia has 131, and 14 ordered; France has 82, and S7 ordered: Germany has U. and 61 ordered, aud even China has 5, and 10 more ordered. The last half of Mr. Whitney's report is devoted to a reviow of what he calls longstanding abuses in the navy, and to suggesting remedies. He reviews the history ot our naval construction since the war. From 1S6S to tbo present time over seventy-five millions have been spent oa construction, repair and ordnance of vessels, for which we have practically nothing to show. We have not a single vessel afloat that could encounter the ships of any important power. This, the report says, has baeu chiefly because i nnrcolvoc r\f 1 hoi QfMPn- I omruenaauon ot ms preuoceoswi buuu nuwuiity bo given the judges of the United State* courts to sentence in their discretion prisoners convicted of first offences to such reformatories or graded prisons 03 may be selected by the attorney-general He nlso suggests (he advisability of building jails at each place in the county where United States courts are held. The necessity of building a government penitentiary where nil persons convicted of United States offencos could be confined, is strongly urged Such convicts, he says, could be employed in the manufacture of supDiies exclusively for the government, which would assist in making the institution self-sustaining. He renews the recommendation of his predecessor that the number of witi-.essas which the United States shall be required to summon and pay for any defendant shall not ex- | cued four, except in capital cases, un'ess their materiality and importance are first approved and certified to by the district attorney. He also adopts the views of his predecessor on the subject of criminal procedure, and says that it is of the highost imEortance that the pleadings in criminal c ises e simplified, a uniform system of challenge provided, and the whole proceedings shorn of the technical objections and number!es3 dila- , tory motions that can now bo interposed to J nreveut a speedy trial upon the merits. The attorney-general suggests the propriety of erecting on the grounds adjoining tho department of justice a proper building for the accommodation, in addition to that department, of tho supreme court and other proper courts and commissions of the United States. FARM PRICES OF CROPS, Flff iires From t^c Dorcmbcr Report of jlie Agricultural Department* The crop reports of the department of ag- J riculture for December gives tho farm prices | of the principal crops. The increase of tho I product of corn has reduced tho average , value of the crop to thirty-three cents per bushel. The average va.'ue of tho previous crop in December was thirty-six cents. Tho reductioff is largest in the Ohio valley and in j tho Southern States. West of tlie Mississip1 pi the increase of st ick feeding has corrected the tendency to extremely low prices. Tho J average in Missouri is twenty-six cents, tho ' same as last year. In Kansas it is 24 instead of 22 last year. In Iowa 24 instead of 23, in Nebraska l'J instead of 18. It is 23 cents in Dakota, two cents lower than last year; :>J > in Minnesota, ono cent lower; Illinois 25, Ini fii'mm a.) Ohio ;>2. Michigan :>4, Kentucky 35: 1 Pennsylvania 4!>. New York 5S. J Conip irod with former prices corn values ' are very low. For the proceeding five years, nearly all under average in pro iuction. the 3 average farm value was -14.? cents per bushel, > and for the proceeding ten years 4.'.0 cents. The prico of wheat, though still low, is conI siderably above last December's average, : which was sixty-five cents. 3 " s A LI0fl_L003E, i Attacking: Hh Keeper and Killed by an Elephant. Bolivar, the largest elephant now in captivity, the other afternoon had a terrific encounter with the Nubian lion Prince, at 1 the winter quarters of Forepaugh's menagerie, Philadelphia, when 1 the lion, va'.uod at $2,000, was killed. I The trainer had entered the cage with the . beast. Prince was in an ugly mood and . attacked hiiu, and in endeavoring to ] escape the trainer loosened the bars of a the cage and fell out. The lion bounded out 3 after him, clearing his body as it Jay on th j tan-covered ground. lie did not turn back, however, but pursued his way through 3 the ring barn and entered the open door of ? the elephant-house. Bolivar stood nodding . whore lie was chained to a stake near the j door. The lion attacked him and an encounj ter ensuod, which ended in the lion being g 1 crushed to death. - ' . * , v 7-" '-.''A m INTERIOR DEPARTMENT. ] Summary of Secretary Lamar's Pitio4 Vnnwlr P nnArf 1'llOU xcanj Akcp;iM Th8 Indian Question, Publie Lands, Timber Presarvationi Etc, '4 The secretary of tha interior begins his annual report with a review of the Apache troubles in Arizona. For a settlement of the Apache question he concludes that the recommendation of the commissioner of Indian affairs that the less guilty of the rebel* lious Chiricahuas should be transported to an island in the Pacific ocean, as a penal colony, to earn their own living by fishing, stock raising, etc., or sent to the military prison at Fort Leavenworth, merits consideration. They certainly should be ' . ^ removed during tha coming winter to some place where they can be more securely guarded. . The trouble with Indians in the Indian Territory, growing out of the Indian leases - ? to cattlemen, is detailed at considerable ' length. The privilege of occupying these lands for grazing purposes was not opened to public competition. The Indians left to themselves, wore easily induced to convey profitable privileges at rates far below the real value thereof. While many of the Indiana favored the leasing of their lands for graz- * in? Dumoses. others opposed such use of their reservations, and refused to participate in the making of the alleged leases, or to accept any share of the money received thereunder. 1 SuiHcient influence, however, seams to have been brought to bear upo^a majority of the respective tribes to induce them to enter into the arrangements mado. The secretary adds: "In my judgment, not the least amona uch influences were the encouragements and * persuasion of the respective Indian agents, . or some of th?m at least; and in many instances I fear they have shared in the profit* of these speculative transactions. I now have . the satisfaction to state that the reservation ' j is entirely free from cattlemen and their herds. ; The fact that a large amount of land is, in consequence, l/ini waste is recognized. The * secretary thinks tne land should be used, but is opposed to tho lease; to cattlemen. The estate of the sixty-seven different "domesticated dependent nations'' includes 134,- -V 000,003 acres of land, worth $1 au ' ''& acre; $17,003,0)0 in funds, beside the annuities, which, on account of the * uncertainty and indefiuiteness of some of them, cannot be accurately calculated beyond each year, and other property in ponies, sheep, cattle, industrial im? * A? ? * ? C /ifimn.T fnr fVincd wo imve uuu a*unvu . ? ific improvements! of the age in ship-building and armoring. A naval vessel now is a product of science. Each part of her is absorbing the exclusive study of scientific men. We have madu no provision for keeping pace wicii this march of science, and nence can show nothing of power in modern naval warfare. Our educational groundwork is years behind the age." DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, '? he Annual Ilcport of Attorney-Gen* crai Garland. The annual report to Congress of Attorney General Garland gives a detailed and succinct statement of the operations of that department during the past year, including the business of the supreme court, the court of claims, and the court of commissioners of Alabama claims. He discusses the various plans suggested for the relief of the courts, and endorses the general features of the Davis bill for the establishment of a court of appeals, or intermediate court,as best adapte d for the purpose. That measure, however, does not, to his mind, cover the case, and he suggests a plan based on that bill, tho main features of which were incorporated in the President's message to Cougrc-ss with his commendation. The attorney-general treats at length on the subject of prison reform, and repeats tho rec piemenis, oiu. jluo wsv ui nations is over $6,000,001) a year. To advance theinterosta of tbe Indians, the secretary recommends that a portion of every reservation bo divided up into separate tracts of suitable size for farms, to be -? allotted to each individual as his sole and separate estate Provision should be made against the power (until after a time limited) of selling or mortgaging the same, or even leasing it to any but Indians living within the same reservation. Provision should be made that the Indian accepting a patent for his land shall not thereby forfeit any of his rights as a member of his trib?,nor the protection an I benefit which the laws of the United States extend to the Indiana generally. The existing reservations, when entirely out of pronortion to the number of Indians thereon, would be reduced with the consent of the In* dians, and upon just and fair term}; and tha policy of placing by patent tha titles to these diminished reservations as fully under tha protection of the courts as are titles of all others of our people to their lands is favored. The portion cut off should be subject to sale and the proceeds invested for the benefit of the Indians. The secretary is of the opinion that the service could be greatly improved by the appointment of a commission of iiot exceeding six men, three to be selected from the officers of the army, whose duty it shall be to visit each of tbe reservations and investigate the condition, peculiar circumstances, and needs of the Indians. Perhaps the commission might be empowered to obtain the consent of the Indians to such changes as the measures proposed would involve. The secretary asserts that tha scheme of removing all the tribes to three or four reservations is impracticable. He concludes this matter by saying: "It is my duty to say that I do not believe any measures of the government or efforts of philanthropy will of themselves solve the Indian problem, but that the Christian re* ligion must and will be the chief instrumentality (through its pure and holy influence! upou individual character, moralsand aspirations) to regenerate and uplift this race from its present condition to a higher and noblei destiny." During the year the cash sales of the pub lie land have amounted to 3,912,450 acres, while the miscellaneous sales amount to 20,995,513 acres, which include 7,415,885 homestead entries, 4,715,005 timber culture entries, and 3,558,^11 railroad selections. Tha cash receipts from these sales amounted to $8,619,598. The amount of laud on hand 4 - " * J-?~Af A I a ol*a suDjecu do iurure (u^jjuouiy uuloiuo vl ^kujumi is 600,772,654, of which 176,000,U00 acres will be required to satisfy old railroad land grants. A very large part of the remainder is desert and mountainous. The preservation of the timber on government lands is asubifict that occupies a prominent place in the secretary's report. He re?. commends that where timber lands hare baen surveyed and plots filed, each subdivision of the laud should be examined, and the timber appraisod at its full value, and the values of the subdivisions aiarked on the plots. In the future surveys the surveyors should be required to appraise the timber and mark the values of the subdivisions on the plots. Then, after rcsarving one section in four of the timber lands, the balancj should bo sold at publio auction as the secretary of tho interior may direct, but in no case for less than tho api praised value. By subjecting the lands to I appraisement and public sale their true value will bd obtained. When the real value is paid the interest of the purchaser will guard against waste. Duringthe year !S84 the mining products of tho country were as follows: Gold, >$0,)5u0,!)00: silver, 54S.800.000; copner. S17.789.087; pig iron, ?73,761,634; coalj S14-'J,7S!5,578; petro'eum. ?i5w,-170,^4; vaiua ui a!l the other mineral pro lucts of tlie United Status for the saino year $77,708,4M7; value of the entire mineral product of the country, $11:5.104,620. For the preservation of the Yellowstone Parle, the e tablishment of a court within the park, with exclusive jurisdiction over all misdemeanors, and with pow;r to examine and to hold to bail in all casos of felonies tc lj ) trie 1 in the nearest court having criminal jurisdiction is recommonded. The secretary conclu Jos by recommending that a national university should be established at Washington by combining, as integral p irts of an institution, all the various commission.*, bureaus, and divisions ol the executive departments at Washington, which have for th^ir object tho proje-'ution of scientific research. THE TREASURER'S REPORT. Statistic* A';ont the Contents of the National I*uck< tbook. Tho annual report of Mr. C. N. Jordan, treasurer of the United St stes, shows that the net revenue of the gov. r.im9nt during the JO ... a til <?/v! ? ?oa last fiscal year was ?.:>; ,u m, iv.j, vi ?w*,829,163 less tha:i that oi the preceding year, while the expenditure was *280,226,935, or $10, ICO,greater than tliat of the preceding year. The surplus available for the reduction of the public debt at the close of the fiscal year was therefore $40,929,834 less than was available on July 1, 1834. The assets, according to the new form of statement, September :J0, 18S5, were ?574,708,2.50, or an increase of #5;),018,007, over 1S84; the liabilities were $380,381,777?an increase of $10,210,591 over 1834, and the balance $194, o26,47S?an increase of $44,?01,416 over 1SS4. During the same period thero has beon an increase of $33,403,033 in the gold assets of $22,093,010 in the silver assets, $0,775,423 in ' the legal tender assets, $171,li84 in national . bank notes, ar.d $1,147,107 in national bank deposits. Tlia "bullion fund," or deposits in the mints, were on the 30th of Juno of this year $W<,504,629, as against $141,04S,008 on June 30, lSi'4. i The amount; of fractional coin hold in the treasury is $-31,236,591).49, and the. treasurer recommends the appeal of the redemption j law as to these and the minor coins.