University of South Carolina Libraries
BY E. B. MUEEAY & CO. ANDERSON, S. C, TH?BSDAY MOENING, MAY 6, 1880._VOLUME XV.-NO. 43. SETTER THAN BUTTER. What Farmer Alken Knows About Oleo? margarine. Washington, D. C. April 17, 1880. To the Editor of the News and Courier : Can you and your readers endure the in? fliction of a few more ideas upon the sub? ject of Oieomargarine ? Don't protest ; for be the dose palatable or nauseating, it is an established fact that in all the science of dietetics there is n? more en? ergetic commercial product than Oleomar? garine. a Daring the past winter, butter dealers in the District of Columbia, Washington City and elsewhere have been arrested for selling real butter upon the allegation that it was oleomargarine. This induced the introduction of a bill into Congress to appoint a commission of five scientific men to examine and test, wherever found and by every possible scientific appliance, all substances known to be, or supposed to be used in the production of any possi? ble Compound that has been or may be - hereafter imposed upon the public con? sumers as a substitute for natural butter, and-so far as possible recommend to Con-1 gress what legation is necessary to pro tect the honest dealer and the innocent I consumer. And;for this purpose four! " thousand dollars is asked to be appropri ated, A snug little sporting fund for a ] scientific tasting committee to spend in j*. their jaunts about the country looking! fo&^tyioargarine. And I venture to ^g^Kesfc, that if they would only tak9 their /#p?ne)\fir8t through the South and taste ^srvast deal of the stuff bartered for by our country merchants, they would without! hesitation advise our people to buy oleo-1 MiargBwine^every time." Weif, this bill was referred to the com-1 mrttee.?nagriculture, and by it to a sub , ^W^twt ?t which I am a member. OnrBrst step was to go to headquarters I and investigate the manufacture of the article; so we went to New York, and] there we found a concern in which more than half a mill ion dollars had been in ves-1 ted, turning out more than fifty thousand pounds of oleomargarine daily, manufac- j tu red after tho identical process as that] previously reported from Baltimore, but of course upon a tenfold largerscale. -There are something more than two I thousand beeves killed daily at the slaugh ter houses in New York city, and they average nearly one hundred pounds of I fat each, beside the kidney fat which can* I not be used in this manufactory, because, I as vet^it is impossible to divest it of it* tallowy taste. But all the remaining fat is daily sold, and delivered twice a day to this"Commercial Manufacturing Com- I paoy,'* (the style of the company making oleomargarine,) who pay three cents per pound more for the fat than the same I article brought in market anterior to the establishment of this manufactory. At] ?uit time- it brought three and a j half ceola-per.pound, now it brings six and a I . naif. A.bout thirty-fire per cent of this fat is oleomargarine, forty-five per cent. I tallow, ten per cent. Stearine, and the ] balance waste. Of course a chemical analysis- would show a great many other J remaining ingredients, sack&8palmatin, j arackin, captylin, &c., &c., that nobody I understands but a chemist. I simply | S've the proportion of oleomargarine, tal- ] w, Stearine and waste, which together ] make up that compound known as beef fat. I Now, if the cattle growers of the North ? west and Texas only knew that this man ufactory was adding at least three dollars to the value of every average beef killed in New York,and that the butchers there were growing rich at the rate of six thou- J sand dollars per day, I imagine they ?would begin to look into this matter. This entire amount , of oleomargarine is daily deposited with that well known and immense house of H. K. Thurber & Co., who are the sole agents of the Com- ] raercial Manufacturing Company, and who assured me they sold it as fast as it ] was now manufactured for home consump-1 tioh. This house once did an immense trade in butter, but to-day they don't en courage consignments of butter, prefer- ] ring to handle the oleomargarine, which ] is sold and consumed at home as rapidly as it can be made. More than a dozen years ago an emi? nent French chemist, M. Mege, asked] himself the question, Where does the fat come from that is found, in . milk which makes butter? He suspected that It was absorbed from the animal tissues, and be? gan a series of experiments to test it. He treated some pieces of clean beef suet with carbonate of potash and pepsine from the stomach of a sheep, and found . that the fat was in this way easily sepa? rated from the cellular tissues. This fat was drawn off, and cooled and found to harden or congeal. It was then subjec? ted to hydraulic pressure, by which means Stearine and tasteless oil was ob? tained. Ten ponnds of this oil was mixed with four pints of milk and three pints of water and churned. The result was an unusual quantity of a substance that in taste and consistency resembled butter. When freed from its water it was found to keep an indefinite time. It was eaten, found palatable, and by continued ex? periment was found to be a perfectly wholesome article of diet. Mege at once brought this product to the attention of the public by patenting his process of man? ufacturing; money was subscribed, com* paniee were formed, and by 1874 seven manufactories were established in France, employing over four hundred hands. The French Government to-day recognize it . as a legitimate article of commerce, and the French chemists pronounce it as more wholesome than the unsavory and rancid butter so freely bought and sold among the common people of that country. These tacts I copy from the Encyclope? dia Britannica, which is, of course, stan? dard authority. In 1878 Mr. Jas. Wilson, of New York, purchased the patent for the manufacture of. oleomargarine in the United States, and has since that time established thir? teen factories throughout the Union; the largest being in New York, where they employ two hundred hands in reliefs, the work beginning five minutes after 12 o'clock Monday morning and not stop? ping for a moment until five minutes be? fore 12 Saturday night. All the tat this company can buy is converted into tal? low , stearine and oil, and if they cannot during the week manufacture all the oil into oleomargarine, the balance is barrel? led and shipped to Liverpool, where it is churned into oleomargarine. The stea? rine is shipped in hogsheads to ali parts of the worla, and used chiefly by candle and confectionery manufacturers. The tallow, of course, is sold and the waste goes into the offal of the city. The president of the board of health of New York City has informed the com? mittee that he has frequently examined the material and the product of this man? ufactory, and he considers oleomarga? rine palatable and wholesome, and a most valuable article of food." I append the written statements of some oi the most eminent chemists in the United States concerning oleomargarine. Prof. Henry Morton, of Hoboken, New Jersey, says: "I am able to say with confidence that it contains nothing what? ever which is injurious as an article of diet, but on the contrary is essentially identical with the best fresh butter." Prof. 8. W. Johnsen, of Yale College, writes: ''Made according to the specifi? cations of Mege it cannot fail to yield a product that is entirely attractive and wholesome as food, and one that is for all ordinary culinary and nutritive pur? poses the full equivalent of good butter made from cream. ,* * * * It has the same appearance under the microscope, and in chemical composition differs from butter not in the nature, but only in the proportions of its compo? nents." Professor S. C. Caldwell, of Cornell University, New York, writes: "When made after the Mege patent oleomarga? rine when nsed in reasonable quantity is a perfectly wholesome article of food. ***** It cannot com? pete with fine butter, but will prove a public benefit in driving poor butter out of the market." Professor H. A. Mott, Jr., analytical and consulting chemist of the Commer? cial Manufacturing Company, writes: "I am clearly of the opinion that the pro? duct called oleomargarine butter is essen? tially identical with butter made from cream. * * * * * * It is destined to supplant the inferior grades of butter, and be plaqed side by side with the best product of the cream? ery." I have many more testimonials before me from men of eminence in Northern colleges who have witnessed the manufac? ture and analyzed the product, who testi? fy similarly to the above concerning oleo? margarine. But why cite any more. I have "proved the pudding by chewing the bag," and confess I am amazed at the I magnitude of this enterprise. It is an ! established industry, and it would be as easy to stop the traue in any other arti? cle of commerce as to prevent the manu facture of oleomargarine. A half mil- { lion of pounds are produced, sold, bought and eaten in the United States every day. Such a fact speaks for itself. The produce | commission merchants of New York, and the dairymen in their leagues all over the North are combating it, and denoun? cing it as the product of dead horses, and diseased beeves, &a, &c, all of which is as idle as darting straws against the wind. There are to-day eight millions of dollars invested in the manufacture of oleomar? garine in the United States, and this in? vestment belongs to men of as much push and energy as can be found in Yankee land, and it pays them handsome divi? dend. Their product is sold at twenty cents per pound, and can neither be dis? tinguished by the palate nor the olfacto? ries from creamery butter that commands; ninety cents per pound. How legislation is to remedy the imaginary evil is beyond I my ken. I might write you much more of how II have heard friends denounce this pro? duct who never saw it, but sat and ate it ] by another name; how I have seen men en? joy, as they thought, the delicious butter j while I knew they were eating oleomar? garine, and above all, I might write you now I was impressod during my recent visit to Gotham by the endless wealth of that mammoth city, of their utter I orance of our condition, of the almost j Solute destitution of principle in the itics of those people, and how little the NRthern capitalist (in my judgment) contributes to the maintenance of the general Government But I must for ear, for I have already, I fear, bored you. Very respectfully, D. Wyatt Aiken. Sleeping a life Away. Nathan. G. Vrooman, au employee of the Central Hudson Railroad, residing near the city of Schenectady, is sleeping his life away. Six years ago he received a sunstroke, and ever since he has com? plained of dizziness. On the 15th of February he was compelled to quit work and take to his bed on account of severe pains in his head. He at once fell asleep and continued in this condition almost without interruption, day and night, for three weeks and two days. His Bleep appeared to be .natural, and his breath? ing was not labored as in certain diseases of the brain. When aroused he seemed very morose and disinclined to converse, so that it was with the greatest difficulty any information concerning his feelings j could be drawn from him. He desired above all things to be let alone and not disturbed. His appetite during this time was very fair. He ate, on alternate, days, enough to support life in. an inactive state. But each time, as soon as his food was disposed of, he would at once relapse j into his former apathy. What, is a little singular in his case, there was at no time any symptom of fever or inflammation or delirium, nor of any material increase of the temperature of the body which would indicate auy deep-seated disease; nor any paralysis or disturbance of vision. At the end of the twenty-three days he awoke and became communicative. He was not suffering from any pains, but was weak. His appetite was voracious, and it was then supposed that he would soon recover his strength and return to his 'work. Ten days later he became sleepy and again took his bud, where he is at present in about the same condition as at first. Day and night he sleeps without any fever, and refused to take auy food. When he awakes from-his sleep, it is with the greatest difficulty he can be . made to-talk. It is only by perseverance in-questioning that ?. "yes" or a "no" can be got out of him in reply. He de? sires to be allowed to .sleep. His friends are getting anxious about him, as it is now two weeks since he tasted food, and still his 3leep continues, with no material change in his condition or symptoms. He is a single man, aged about thirty five years, hardworking, sober and indus? trious, and the main support of a widow? ed sinter, with whom he resides. Death must ensue in a short time, but the case is so remarkable as to excite the wonder and interest of the physicians in that section. The doctors are unable to give an explanation of the man's somnolency. ?Syracuse Courier. Drinking too Much.?Children are not apt to believe they drink too much water, and yet they do. When you come in the house, panting and thirsty from play, ycu will take a tumbler of water, and drink it down as fast as you can, and then rush out to resume play, and, perhaps repeat the drink. Now the next time you feel thirety, try this ex? periment: Take a goblet, and slowly sip it, before it is half gone your thirst will be fully quenched, and you will feel bet? ter for having drank only that which you need. And again, we are all apt to acquire the habit of drinking while eat? ing our meals. Animals don't do it, and it is hurtful to us. Nature gives us all the saliva we need; and if any one will chew his food slowly and thoroughly, and not take a swallow of drink until through eating, the desire to do so will leave, and he will require only a few sips of water,-tea or coffee, ?after the meal is finished. This practice, too, will do won? ders in the way of keeping off indiges? tion, dyspepsia and sickness.?Golden Days. ? Invest your funds carefully and in? telligently. Beware of the brilliant bub? bles that are blown up to tempt ingenious speculators. KALLOCH'S KILLING. Particulars of tho. Murder of Chairlcs De Young, Editor of the San Francisco Chronicle. San Francisco, April 23. Just before 3 o'clock last evening Charles De Young entered the business office of the Chronicle, on the ground floor, corner of Kearney and Bush streets, and stood talking to some gentlemen, leaning against the counter. Directly the door opened, J. M. Kalloch entered, and drawing a pistol, without, as far as could be learned, speaking a word., began firing at De Young. The latter turned and ran through the gate of the counter to a desk inside, Kalloch firing at him as he ran. On reaching the desk, De Young turned to face his opponent, with a pistol in his hand, when Kalloch, lean? ing over the counter, fired again, the ball striking De Young in the mouth, Kal? loch then started for the door. De Young raised his pistol as if to fire, but apparently his strength failed him, for the pistol was not discharged. Sinking backward, he fell on the floor. Bystand? ers ran to his assistance, but the ball had evidently pierced his brain, and in a few moments he expired. As Kalloch ran out of the door, he was seized by a citi? zen and at the same moment an officer came up, took him into custody and con? ducted him to the city prison, whe re he was IScked up. The news flew through the city like wind. In a few moments the sti'oet in the vicinity of the Chronicle office was crowded with people, eager to learn the particulars. Policemen were at once stationed at the doors of the office to keep out the inquisitive crowd, and only personal friends and reporters were admitted. In-the rear office M. H. De Young, brother of the deceased, reclined on a lounge, surrounded by friends, evi? dently overcome by the tragedy, but with dry eyes and calm. He was not present at the time of the shooting, hav ng left home after dinner a few minutes later than Charles. The deceased lay on his back on the floor, his face and breast dabbled in blood, eyes closed and face bearing the calm expression noticeable in the case of those dying from shot wounds. Only one wound was round on his person, although at least four shots were fired by Kalloch?two having pierced the glass door and partition of the office, and the third lodged in the window casing. Young Kalloch on being arrested was, as the arresting officer remarked: "The coolest man I ever saw." He still car? ried the smoking pistol in his hand, which he surrendered to the officer. On his way to the station-house he observed strict reticence, and on being shown to his cell positively refused to have any in? tercourse whatever with representatives of the press. In the absence of any ex? planations from the assassin of the cause, the act is generally understood to bo at? tributable to the pamphlet: which has re? cently been circulated about the city at? tacking Mayor Kalloch, father of De Young's slayer. During a recent visit East it is believed the deceased devoted a great deal of attention to gathering up matters regarding the past life of Mayor Kalloch for the presumed purpose either of using it at the expected trial of the deceased on the charge of 'hooting Kal loch last August, or making it subserve journalistic purposes. The pamphlet above referred to was a document of some sixty pages, and recounted the details of the Kalloch scandal in Boston and other matters of a scandalous nature. The pamphlet was anonymous, but young Kalloch evidently considered that the deceased was responsible for its publicity, and acted accordingly. another statement. A San Francisco special Bays the kill ? ing of Charles De Young by J. M. Kal? loch in the Chronicle office last night has produced a sensation which has rarely been equalled. The young man had been on a debauch for several days past;, drinking very heavily, and had made fre? quent threats of his intention to "fix this De Youngs," but no attention was paid him, as it was simply regarded as tho vaporing of a drunken man. His boast* ing was regarded with more indifference from the fact that since the shooting of his father last August he has boasted from time to time that De Young would feel his vengeance. De Young, who heard of this, did not pay the slightest attention to the reports, and, as he al? ways went armed, possesses undoubted courage and was usually quick in his movements, his friends were not at all alarmed for his safety. One of the im? mediate causes of the tragedy that start? led and shocked the city last night is be? lieved to be the recent appearance in this city of a pamphlet entitled "The Only Full Report of the Trial of J. S. Kalloch on the Charge of Adultery." The pam? phlet contained a portrait of Kalloch and the woman with whom he was said to be intimaf, and pretended to give a full history of the affair, the doings of the | church, Kalloch'8 pulpit experience, arrest, arraignment, trial and the result. Its imprint was?"Boston: Ederhein & Co., 1857," but it was generally regarded, with how much truth it is now impossi? ble to say, that its reappearance was due to De Young, who was known to have gone East some time ago to hunt up the facts in the career of Kalloch. The pamphlet was extensively circulated, and the Kalloch party were wrought to quite a state of desperation. De Young con? tinued his ". Igorous assaults on Kalloch, and, as the time for his trial for the shoot? ing of the Mayor drew near, he became more aggressive, and Kalloch's friends became correspondingly exasperated.? There is no doubt that the young man was egged on more or less by desperate characters, who have recently had such set-backs as the arrest of Kearney and the talk of impeaching Mayor Kalloch, that they took advantage of hi* boasting and condition to put him up to the deed. The Wbrkingmen make no effort to dis? guise their feeling over the result, and are gathered in groups this morning ear? nestly discussing the situation. De Young's aged mother, between whom and her son an unsually strong affection existed, is prostrated by the shock of her son's murder. That the end is not yet is generally be? lieved. De Young's brothers are cour? ageous, aud more blood will be spilled before the end. Great sympathy for her is felt everywhere, and, although De Young was most cordially hated, his love for his mother was one of the redeem? ing features in him, and many words of sympathy are expressed. THE EXCITEMENT. Another Bpeciai from San Francisco says the shooting of De Young by young Kalloch last night has created such ex? citement in this city as has never been equalled before even at the moat stormy period of our history. It exceeds in vio? lence the storm of public passion and agitation that succeeded the shooting of Mayor Kalloch by Do Young in August last, and it has increased to-day to such an extent that no one can foretell what the ultimate consequences will be. The feeling against the party of which Mayor Kalloch and Kearney are the leaders has been growing stronger of late, and this assassination has infuriated the people so that the Mayor's life is not considered safe from public vengeance. Threats are freely expressed against him and the en? tire Sand-lot party. Young Kalloch is in prison, and is closely guarded. the remains taken home. When the Coroner's wagon bearing De Young turned from Kearney into Market street the crowd made a rush that had the appearance ot being directed at the wagon. It might have oeen merely tho natural surge of the concourse following the wagon on meeting the crowd gather? ed on Market street, but the police view? ing it as an attempt at violence, used their clubs freely, beating back the crowd, and inflicting severe punishment on some of the most forward. Aside from this incident, there has been no sign of vio? lence and no reason for the services of the police, except in keeping back the press. Large throngs still linger around the Chronicle office and at the main and branch offices of the Calo and at the Morgue, quietly discussing the affair and waiting with usual morbid interest to hear any further particulars obtainable. Charles De Young was formerly a Cincinnatian. He removed from there just before the war and settled in San Francisco, where he became a compos? itor. De Young continued a type setter until 1869, when he began publishing a little paper called the Dramatic Chronicle, which was used as a programme in the various theaters of the city. It was suc? cessful, and he soon turned it into a reg? ular morning paper, associating with him in its publication his brother, M. H. De Young. The paper was personal and violent in tone, and quickly attracted at? tention. De Young himself was bitterly assailed, and from one end of the year to the other, was in hot water that was in? cessantly changing and growing warmer. The paper prospered, and in its peculiar way acquired a great deal of influence. People who attacked De Young found him an unrelenting and an unforgiving foe, and it used to be not an uncommon question of the day, "Well, has any one shot De Young to-day ?" But he never was shot; he was fearless and was known to be always armed, and his character in that way was pretty generally known. He shot at an-reporter of the Chronicle one night in front of the postoffice, the provocation having been almost precisely similar to that which appears to have prompted the shooting of Kalloch. Tbe reporter, whose name was Benjamin F. Napthaly, had started an obscure ihecc, in which he defamed and abused De Young's family, and De Yonng took the earliest opportunity to revenge himself. Both were bad shots, and no injury re? sulted to either. Subsequently, Judge Deloa Lake, whom De Young had at? tacked most unsparingly for improper conduct on the bench, shot at him on California street, near the corner of Montgomery, but missed him, and De Young, in turn, shot at the Judge and missed, too. He has had numerous escapes of the kind; indeed, if report speaks truly, he has not always escaped entirely, but he has always shown little or no hesitation in taking publicly the consequences of anything that appeared in the Chronicle. The De Young family consisted of three brothers?Charles, Gustavus and Michael?their mother and one sister. They came originally from Louisiana, and Mrs. De Young is now in her eightieth year. She has always enjoyed the reputation of being a most estimable and worthy woman, and her children, particularly Charles De Young, were noted for their devotion to her. A Curious Revelation. Gen. James Steedman, who is supposed to have saved the Federal army in Chick amauga from annihilation, and whose cotton, poker and other exploits in Au? gusta, after the war, are still matters of remembrance, is now a leading poli? tician and excellent talker. He has been indulging lately in reminiscences which are very racy and not infrequently "important if true." He declares, among other things, that while he was in command at Chattanooga he was visited by the notorious Parson Brownlow, who became his guest. One day while changing their underclothing the parson exhibited to him a most singular birthmark on his body. It was a perfectly formed enake, not coiled nor yet extended, but curved as serpents are often seen. It was of a red color, and with every feature bo dis? tinct that the indentations for the eyes were plainly, visible. Said the General: "Physiologists, I presume, can readily explain the cause of the mark, but I am at a loss to understand how his whole nature Decame so serpen? tine as it was. Venomous, vindictive and cunning, he had as much snake as nature in his composition." The head of the snake in question was just under the parson's left breast. The body of the reptile extended down over his ribs, and was about six or eight inches long. We refer physiologists and the curious generally, not to speak of Gen. Steed man, to Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes' startling, learned and ingenious novel called Eime Venner. The heroine of the romance had, physically and mentally, the characteristics of the ophidian tribe, and yet enough of a sublime spiritual nature akin to the noblest humanity to seek escape from the dreadful thrall of her birth-mark. There was no pictured serpent upon her iair, lissome shape and delicate skin, but the blood itself seemed to have been corrupted and the mind dis? torted. Possibly Parson Brownlow suf? fered from similar causes similarly broughr, about. The difference, however, between him and Elsie Venner was most pronounced. Tbe poor girl recognized the spell that was upon her and sought I to be emancipated from it. The uncan I ny man apparently gloried in his kin? ship to the reptile whose form is the ear? liest type of the infernal presence. It is not a little significant that the head of Brownlow's snake rested vindictively and luridly in that spot which is the dwelling place of the heart, a muscle commonly supposed to contain and originate affec? tions or hates, as the cose shall be a wholesome or perverted one. Of course, vre allude to this matter as a phenome? non, and advise all who would pursue the subject in its minute metaphysical relations to read Dr. Holmes' wonderful work.?Augusta Chronicle and Constitu? tionalist. _ Timely Caution.?Genuine Hop Bitters are put up in square panelea, amber-colored bottles, wit!; white label on one side printed in black letters, and green hop cluster and on the other side yellow paper with red letters ; revenue stamp over the cork. This is the only form in which genuine Hop Bitters are put up, and the sole right to make, sell and use them is granted to the Hop Bit? ters M'f g Co., of Rochester N. Y., and Toronto, Ont., by pntcnts, copyright and trade mark. All others put up in any other way or by any one else, claiming to be like it or pretending to contain hops, by whatever names they may be called, are bogus and unfit for use, and only put up to sell and cheat the people on the credit and popularity of Hop Bit? tere. ? There are now six telegraph cables connecting the Uuited States with Eu? rope. The Great Feature of the Century. The engineering achievements of this century, beyond a question, are those for which it rill be most famous and longest remembered. Theologians and philoso? phers may split hairs about metaphysical science, but they will all join in the cele? bration of what the engineers have done for modern progress. The past fifty years hnve been tho mo?t fruitful in the whole history of engineer? ing, and, therefore, the review of its ac? complishments in that time, given in a recent address by Mr. William Henry Barlow, the President of the Institution of Civil Engineers of England, has a gen? eral interest. When that institution was chartered in 1828, the question of trans? portation was one of great urgency. The canals, which dated in England from about the year 1758, had increased to a length exceeding 3,000 miles, but they were inadequate to the commercial needs of the country. In the United States the Erie Canal had been opened in 1825, and had been hailed as an engineering feat of astonishing magnitude; and about the same time lesser canals had been con? structed in other States. Both here and in England much attention was bestowed on turnpike roads during the first quarter of the century. The steam locomotive was then only in its early experimental stages. In 1830, however, the Liverpool and Manchester Railway was opened, and George Ste phenson's predictions regarding the value of locomotives for tractive power began to be realized. So great was the want of improved methods of transportation, that the spread of the railway system was rap? id, far beyond even Stepnenson's expecta? tion. In his address to the British Asso? ciation in 1875, forty-five years after, Sir Jno. Hawkshaw estimated the total length of railroads then existing at 160,000 miles, and the total capital invested in them at $16,000,000,000. Since that time railroad extension has Sone on throughout the world, though uring the last five years, owing to the prevailing business depression, the prog? ress has not been so rapid as it was just previously. Yet even in England, which already seemed well supplied with rail* ways, the increase in miles was more than two thousand between 1870 and 1880; and the railway traffic has nearly quad? rupled in twenty-five years. With us, from 1872, the year when railways were built with such astonishing rapidity, reaching 7,340 miles of new construc? tions, up to last year, there was a decline in the progress; but 1879 witnessed the addition of 4,430 miles of rail, and 1880 promises to be one of the most active years we have ever known in the business. The total mileage of railway in the United' States, was, at the beginning of 1880,86, 263 miles, or one mile of railroad for ev? ery 574 inhabitants, a ratio greatly in excess of that of Europe, which has one mile of railroad to every 3,300 persons. Outside the new railroads to be built in the United States, there is field errough for railroad extension in Asia and Africa. China has as yet no railroads. Japan has only begun to lay them, and Africa is al? most without railways for the 350,000,000 inhabitants Mr. Braasey gives that conti? nent South America, also, still only supplied to a very limited extent, and in Central Asia they must be vastly extended. Steam navigation has had nearly its whole growth within the last fifty years. It is true there were 344 steam vessels in existence in 1828, but they were of an average of only about ninety tons each, and were chiefly employed in river and coasting traffic. Ocean steam navigation had not yet been attempted, and not till 1838 did the successful voyages of the Si? rius and Great Western make it an ac? complished fact. Before 1836, the largest ships afloat were between 800 and 900 tons burden and about 220 horse power. Now the Cunard steamship Servia is of 7,500 tons, and 10,000 horse power, while the Inflexible of the British navy has a tonnage of 11,600 tons, and its engines a power of 8,000 horses, and the Italia of the Italian navy will be of 13,200 tons burden and 18,000 horse power. The telegraph, which was at first brought into practical use in this country in 1844, between Washington and Baltimore, em? ployed 400,000 miles of wire as long ago as 1875. Since that time its extension under the sea and on land has been enor? mous. The employment of gas as a means of illumination was only beginning fifty years ago, but now the capital invested in the London Gas Works alone amounts to $60,000,000, and in the whole United Kingdom it amounts to $200,000,000. And these are only a few of the engi? neering achievements of the half cen? tury. Mr. Barlow estimates the total capital invested in engineering works du? ring that time at $17,500,000,000, or about $350,000,000 annually. Of this vast sum nineteen-twentietns belong to railways, steamships, docks, harbors and telegraphs, all of which are directed to improving and extending tho means of transport for passengers and merchan? dise, and the communication of intelli? gence. The great feature of the last half cen? tury, therefore, has been the improve? ment of the methods of transportation, in obedience to the urgent demand made by commerce for new and swifter means of intercourse.?New York Sun. An Old Virginia Giant.?The allu? sion of a recent letter of your Louisiana correspondent to the old Revolutionary giant hero, Peter Francisco, revives many traditions and reminiscences of the won? derful performances and daring deeds of that extraordinary man. My father re? cently deceased at the advanced age of ninety, well remembered him, having frequently seen him in his native County of Buckingham, and related many anec-' dotes of his striking and perilous adven? tures and hair-breadth escapes as he heard the recital fall from tr lips of tbe giant himself. He described him as six feet one inch in height, his weight 260 j pounds, his complexion dark and swarthy, features bold and manly, and I his hands aud feet uncommonly large, his thumbs being as large as an ordinary man's wrist. Such was his personal strength that he could easily shoulder a cannon that weighed 1,100 pounds, and he had seen hiir take a man in his right hand, pass over the floor and dance his head against the ceiling with as much ease as if he had been a doll baby. The man's weight was 195 pounds. Partak? ing of the patriotic enthusiasm of the times, he entered the American revolu? tionary army at the age of sixteen. He was present at the storming of Stony Point, and was the first soldier, after Major Gibbon, who entered the fortress, on which occasion ho received a bayonet wound in tho thigh. He was at Brandy wine, Monmouth and other battles at the North, and was transferred to the South under General Greene, where he was en? gaged in the actions of the Cowpens, Camden, Guilford Court House, &c. He was so brave and possessed such confi? dence in his prowess that he was posi? tively fearless. He used a sword with a blade five feet long, which he could wield like a feather, and every swords? man who came within reach of him paid the forfeit of his life.?I'rom a Letter in , the Petersburg Appeal. Bates and Iiis Crime. A quiet enough man when Bober,but dangerous and violent when drinking! Married at eighteen, he is separated from his wife a month later. A boon compan? ion is shot in a drunken brawl. Time rolls on. Christmas eve comes and at a dancing party, while under the influence of liquor, he murders a young man of hi* acquaintance. This is the brief history of Wm. S. Bates, who was executed at Barnweli on Friday. It is the tale of drink! drink I drink! from the sad be? ginning to the awful ending. Whiskey caused him to abandon his wife, whiskey prevented him from having any honora? ble occupation, whiskey brought him to the gallows. And there are hundreds of young men who read this who will be saved from the fate of Bates, if saved they are, by the mercy of Providence, not hf anything they do to avoid or avert it. They excite themselves with j whiskey as he did. They habitually I carry deadly weapons, as he did. They j Why should they feel confident that the paths which for others lead to shame and death shall for them be the ways to mere mirthfulness and sport I Bates did not dream that he would end his days upon the scaffold. When sober be was quiet enough. Liqour developed the latent ferocity of his character, as it arouses the lurking passions in every liv? ing man and woman. At the best times it is difficult for many of us to .preserve the supremacy of heart and brain over what seem to be animal instincts and brute desires. To drink is to unloose what is dangerous and bind fast what in eleva? ting and pure. Around us in every direc? tion, in this State and in adjoining States, there are instances of ruin and death in? duced by tippling. Where blood is not shed, more than blood is spilt, and the soul is in bondage while the bod; is free. For one man who Like Bates kills an ac? quaintance at a dance there are thous? ands who murder what is best in them? selves. They kill their young hopes, destroy their talent, murder their fruitful opportunities. And they will not be warned in time. Each one thankn God! that he is not as other men are, but it needs not the eye of Deity to see that, sooner or later, his undoing will be as theirs. There is nevertheless an awak? ening of the moral sense in the people of South Carolina on the subject of drinking intoxicating liquors. The conviction and execution of Bates are the proof of it. For the first time in our recollection, in this State, drunkenness has not been re? garded as an extenuation of an offence. To provide oneself with the instruments of death and do that which will inevita? bly prompt their use is an aggravatiion of tbe crime. The saddest phase of the Black vi lie murder was the part played by Borne of the young women who were at the dance where the murderous shot was fired. One of them saw that Bates was drunk, re? peated on the trial the curses and threats which fell from his lips, and, while he was in this condition, foul in body and soul, consented to dauce with him. Was there none to save this young Carolina girl from this reproach? Is not such tolera? tion of drunkenness by our young women an encouragement to tipplers to confirm themselves in their debasing habits? Again we ssy, it is to the women of South Carolina that the State must look for aid. As long as they give the tippler as much consideration as they give to him who is always sober, the most powerful means of suppressing in? temperance remains unused. Nay ! so long as they place the drunkard on the same plane with him who is resolutely abstemious, they encourage drinking, and are in some measure, responsible for its far-reaching degradation and hydra-head? ed sin!?Newt and Courier. The Old-Fashioned Girl.?She flourished thirty or forty years ago. She was a little girl until she was fifteen. She used to help her mother wash the dishes and keep the kitchen tidy, and she had an ambition to make pies so nicely that papa could not tell the difference between them and mamma's, and she j could fry griddle cakes at ten years of age and darn '-er own stockings before she was twelve, to say nothing of knit? ting them herself. She never said "I can't" and "I don't want to" to her mother when asked to leave her play, or run up stairs or down on an errand, because she had not been brought up in that way. Obedience was a cardinal virtue in the ;old-faabioned girl. She rose in the morning when she was called, went out into the garden and saw the dew on the grass, and if she lived in the country she fed the chickens and hunted up the eggs for breakfast. We do not suppose she had her hair in curl papers, or crimping pins, or had it "banged" over her forehead, and her flounces were no trouble to her. She learned to sew by making natch work, and we dare say she could do an "over and over" seam as well as nine tenth of the grown up women do now? adays. Tbe old-fashioned little girl * did not frow into a young lady and talk about er beaux before she was in her teens, and was not fancying a hero in every plow boy she met. She learned the solid accomplishments as she grew up. She was taught the art of cookingand housekeeping. When she got a husband she knew how to cook him a dinner. She did not think she knew as much as her mother, and that her judgment was as good as her grandmother's. And if there be an old-fashioned lit? tle girl in the world to-day, may heaven bless ber, and keep her, and raise up others like her. Sold Himself.?A Correctionville farmer sold a load of corn at that town the other day. When it was weighed he slyly stepped on the scales, and then drove off to unload. When the wagon was weighed he took good care not to be in it, and congratulated himself that he had cheated the buyer in good shape. The grain dealer called him in and after figuring up the load, paid him in full. As the farmer buttoued up his coat to go out, the buyer kindly asked him to amoke with him, and then talked over the crops and the price of ihogs, and the likelihood of the Maple Valley railroad building up that way, till the farmer I fairly squirmed in his chair with uneasi? ness about his chores at home. j At last he could stand it no longer, and said he must go. The dealer quiet? ly said that was not to be thought of; that he had bought the farmer at full weight, and paid him his own price, and that he would insist on doing as he pleased with own property. The raiser of corn saw that he had in? deed sold himself, fti one sense at least. He acknowledged his cheat and compro? mised the affair. Now when ho markets graiu he don't stand on the scales.? Sioux City (Ta.) Journal. ? It is in the nature of men and things that education, no less than reli fion, must be personally experienced to e of the largest benefit. have murderous impulses, Carrying Pistols. A good deal has been written and spoken of late against the habit of carry? ing concealed weapons, and we hope that the crusade that is being gotten up against it will not stop until it has effected its purpose, if not in abolishing it, at least in placing it under the ban of the moral sentiment of the community. Pistols are the concealed, deadly weapons which we are striking at, and we may as well call them by their right names. We don't mean bowie knives or sling shots or sword canes, or anything of the kind; it is the pistol, and nothing but the pistol. That is the corner stone, the foundation of the whole difficulty, and we can drive that instrument of death from the pockets of our people, the object of the quiet, orderly and law-abiding citizens will have been accomplished. Various plans and measures have been suggested for the suppression of this relic of a semi-barbarous age, but thus far none of them have been successful. The en? actment of laws, with pains and penalties annexed, have been tried to some extent without accomplishing the desired object. There are some popular, respectable vices, in dealing with which our actions belie our words, and there are many at this time preaching law and order, and con? demning the vices and bloody affiays which are prevailing to such a fearful extent, with pistols in their pockets, ready to resent the first real or fancied insult with a bullet. What is the use of trying to effect a reform in this respect by stringent laws and penal enactments, when a Targe number of those who make our laws indulge in the luxury themselves and vote to put down the practice with a pistol in their pocket? The Marlborough Planter, becoming disgusted with many plans and failures to stop this nefarious practice, suggests a new remedy, which we feel very much tempted to endorse. It despairs of stop? ping the evil, and proposes to make those who indulge in it pay for the privilege. Its proposition is to license the practice, and make it a source of revenue. If it can't be stopped, it might be regulated, and we can't see any better way to do it than by adopting the Planter's proposition. The pistol is the fruitful source of much of the expenses on the sessions side of our Courts, and it is nothing but right that those who help to provide expensive work should help to foot the bill. The follow? ing is the proposition of the Planter, which we commend to the attention of the public in general, and the members of the next General Assembly in particu? lar: " It has been suggested that a good way to meet the emergency, without passing a ' straightout' prohibitory law against car? rying concealed weapons, is for the next Legislature to pass an act requiring all persons wanting to carry pistols and bow ies to apply to the clerk of court for a li? cense for the year. And all who are caught with a pistol not having a license ? to be in the shape of a silver-plated badge to be worn on the front of the coat and to be paid for by the person taking out the license?shall pay a fine of not less than one hundred or more than three hundred dollars, half of which shall go to the informer. We think the suggestion is a good one. We may then know, when in a crowd, who has a pistol and who has not, without a fear of being shot to death for some fancied wrong."? Columbia Yeo man. Tour Ministers' Sons. A story has been going the rounds of the papers for several years, and was republished recently in regard to four young men, sons of ministers, alleged to have oeen killed by one shell at the sec? ond Manassas. The following true ac? count of the deaths of the parties men? tioned, and of the incident which is the groundwork of the story, is from the pen of one who lay between two of those who were killed, but who with another com? rade similarly situated escaped unhurt: Thomas Carey Duncan, fourth son of Professor David Duncan of Wofford Col? lege, and member of Company K, Pal? metto Sharpshooters, was killed in one of the battles before Richmond. He breathed his last in the arms of his friend and comrade, James Jerman Palmer.? Horace Asbury McSwain, son of Rev. W. A. McSwain of the South Carolina Conference, was killed at second Manas? sas. McSwain was a few yards in front of the regular line cheering the men when he was struck in the right side by a piece of shell. After being hit he lived, perhaps, twenty minutes. I was with him when the cruel iron entered his manly breast. I beard the last words he uttered. For some reason, the regiment was ordered to stop. While lying down, a shell exploded immediately over Com? pany K. This shell killed Tbeodotus LeGrand Capers, youngest son of Bishop Capers; Wbitefoord Andrew Smith, only son of Dr. Whitefoord Smith, of Wofford College; James Jerman Palmer, son of Dr. John S. Palmer, of St. Stephen's Par? ish, Ob^eston County; Richard Watson, of FairUeld County, and David Bearden, of Spartan burg County, Sergeant Mitchell, Company K. and three Geor? gians were wounded by the same shell. Duncan, Palmer and Capers graduated at Wofford College in 1860. McSwain and Smith were undergraduates. John Easterling Walker, son of Rev. Charles Walker, of South Carolina Conference, and George Allen Kirkland, son of Rev. Wm. Kirkland, of the South Carolina Conference, were wounded in this battle, but in another part of the field. These gentlemen were members of Company "K.," Palmetto Sharpshooters. Company K, P. S. S., was commanded successively by Capt. Joseph Walker, (afterward colonel of P. S. S. command? ing Jenkins' Brigade on the Maryland campaign,) Capt. John H. Evins, (now member of Congress,) Capt. H. H. Thomson, (who lost a leg at Sharpsburg) and was disbanded at Appomattox under the captaincy of John H. Blassingamc, now treasurer of Spartanburg County. In the summer of 1862 Wofford College had thirteen sons in Company K, P. S. S. Only three survive. Private Company K, P. S. S. The First Gun that Jeff Davis Fired.?Uncle Ike was sweeping out the office Wednesday morning when he was interrupted by a darkey who entered and said: "Good morn', Uncle Ike, ain't you gwine ter see Gin'ral Grant arribe ter day. De 'siety a powerful big meetin' las' nite, an' we 'eluded to take part in de' ception." "I like ter see de Gin'ral, Jim, but bizness am too pressin' dis time a-yeah." "I's 'Bprised at you, Uncle Ike. I tinks dat it am de duty ob ebery culled pusson ter tak' in de 'ception ter day." "How'a dat?" "Kase he freed us niggers." Did'nt do no sich fing/'said Ike, drop? ping his broom. "Who was it den ?" "It was de fus' gun dat Jeff Davis flashed set us free. Ef he hadn't flashed dat gun we'd a-nebber bin free niggers t?r day.^_ ? No kissing by telephone for us. We prefer to take the electricity direct from the battery. Boys on the Farm. " Why don't you say a <rood word in the papers for us boys?" asked one of the neighbor's boys as he came into the room where I was busy writing. "What is the matter now, Guy?" I asked. "Nothing in particular," he answered. " Don't tell me! I know better! Boys don't wear such solemncholy faces for 'nothing in particular.' Come, out with it I" " Well, then, it isn't any one thing in particular, it is everything put together that makes me so mad. I want to get somebody to write a whole book about how grown folks treat boys. I tell you ?and I want you to put it in the paper? that boys have a hard time of it on the farm. We are hauled out of bed before sunrise to milk tbe cows, cut tbe wood and do forty other things that nobody else wants to do. I wouldn't mind the work if we ever got any thanks for what we do, or ever had anything we could call our own. No matter how much we do, or how well we do it, grown folks are al? ways finding fault. I wonder if they ex? pect us to know how to do everything just right. I guess the men have forgot? ten that they were boys once. Then the old folks never think that we boys like to have something of our own. There's father now, he is always complaining be? cause I don't take any interest in the farm. How can I take any interest in the farm or anything about it? He never gave me an interest in anything. I never Had anything of my own in my life except r ab bite, and the first time they got into the garden my rabbits had to go. Last year I wanted some chickens of my own, some pure-blooded ones, you know, but he wouldu't hear a word of it. Then I begged for a little piece of ground where I might raise what I pleased. Do you suppose I got it? Not much! And now to top off with, he wouldn't let me go to school this winter; says I've got enough learning for a farmer, as if I ever expect? ed to be a farmer! I hate the old farm, and I'll not stay on it a day after I am of age! If father wanted to make a farm? er of me, he took a mighty queer way to doit." "Well, well, Guy! that will do for once. Please take these letters to the office for me, and I'll think over what you have said." And I did think the matter over until I came to the conclusion that there was a good deal more truth than poetry in Guy's boyish outburst. Like his father, a good many men take a " mighty queer " way to make farmers of their boys. They show the boys only the hardest, most dis? agreeable, most barren side of farm life, and then wonder why it is that their sons leave the farm the first chance they get. If you want your boys to " stick to the farm," stick the farm to the boys. Teach them to like the farm and farming so well that they will have no desire to leave the old home until they leave for homes of their own. You can do this by making homes attractive, by taking pains to show them the bright side of farm life, and by showing them that a man can be a farmer and a gentleman too. Provide your boys with good books, magazines, agricultural works and papers; and instead of sitting in the corner during the long winter evenings, and bewailing the failure of one crop, predicting the failure of another next season, ana de? claring that " farming don't pay and a farmer's life is a slave's life," read with your boys, study with them, and play chess, backgammon and checkers with them, and yon would feel all the better for the fun.?Prairie Farmer. The Bad and Prevailing Habit of Swearing. It may be a grievous truth, but is true that very many of men and women are addicted to the use of expletives, some of which are profane, some simply silly, some in bad taste, some meaningless, and all unnecessary if you critizise them closely. Many men use oaths which are terrible on their intensity and bitterness, and yet their utterers have no feelings which need such language. They will condemn people to everlasting torment, curse their eyes, and call down the direst judgments of Heaven on persons who cause them slight annoyance, and when anything goes wrong with them they will curse and swear like pirates; and yet really they would do no man any harm, and as to sending anybody's soul to hell, their lives would be miserable if they thought they had done it. It is plain, therefore, that swearing gen? erally is only a habit into which men fall, and that it by no means indicates that they are profane in their thought or dis? posed to arrogate to themselves the divine function of passing eternal judgment on their fellows. ?The exclamations ex? pressive of wonder or delight or indigna? tion which women so freely use, and which serve the purpose of a safety valve for their feelings, and the darns and gollys of the boys, are, in their essence, about the same. Of course it is foolish to use them, and their employment is in bad taste. They do not strengthen the speech, for they have lost any real mean? ing ; their free and careless use has de? stroyed the force they may once have had. If men always had at their tongues' ends the fit words to express their ideas and feelings, they probably would not swear bo much. But when the right word doesn't come easily, an oath is handy for emphasis. That is about all there is in swearing. It can't be defended, for it is a bad habit; and oaths, beyond question, great? ly disfigure speech, which is most effec? tive when it is calmest and simplest. Yet that men took to swearing in a very early period of their developments, is Erobably unquestionable; and that they ave gone on in the practice, however civilized they have become, is a truth everybody's experience sustain. Chris? tians, or those who nominally profess Christianity, often swear as much as the heathens, and probably there was not more swearing before our era than there is now. We nave even retained some of the pagan oaths in their exact form, and to others we have given new forms learned under Christianity, while we have manufactured for ourselves an orig? inal Bupply.?New York Sun. ? A St. Louis girl figures out that she knows perhaps one hundred young men, in round numbers. Of these she thinks she knows about thirty intimately, and of these thirty there are not more than four whom she would consent to marry for love or money on the spur of the 'moment. It may not be a pleasant way of putting it, but what she says is that, taking a hundred young men as they come and go, only one out of every twen? ty-five can be set down as unobjection? able and able to make a living for him? self and a wife. This leads the newly married editor of tbe Philadelphia Times to gravely declare that a useless young woman does stand a chance of growing up to something or another, but a use ! less young man doesn't do that, by any i sort of accident. Young men have got to make a change in themselves in some way; they are liable to be wanted for something besides partners for the next waltz.