The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1828-07-16
MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

! an acCiVe memper OF The New York H0rtlcultu
raj Society, brought US as dozen gooseberries,
decidedly the largest and finest we have ever
SEEM One of them measured upwards of three
and half inches in circumference.
N. Y. Statesman.
FIRE. Fifteen buildings were destroyed by
fire at New York on Friday, and not less than
60 poor families burnt out There were two
other alarms of fire in the course of the day.
Four Rope Walks were destroyed by fire at
Brooklyn in the evening of the same day
The steamboat Albany arrived at that place
on Sunday, in 10 hours and As minutes from
New York, including stops This is said to be
the shortest passage ever made up the river.
The independence arrived ten minutes after.
SINGULAR WIN. Some time ago Mr..
Thorpe, of Cornwall, advertised a reward of an
annuity of EGO year, for life, to any one who
would undertake to live seven years under
ground, without seeing any thing human, and
to let his hair and beard grow during the whole
time. Apartments were prepared under ground
very commodious, with as many books as the
occupier pleased, and provision served from
MIR. Thorpes own table whenever the recluse
wanted convenience he was to ring bell, and
it was to be provided for him. Singular as this
residence may appear, an occupier offered him.
self and is now in the second year of his pro-
baton. He is laboring man, and has wife
| There having been various reports, and of
course some Misrepresentation, with regard to
the late decision of the Supreme Court of Err
rors, at Lltchfield, in the of .4tlc00d " VEL
ton, we have taken some pains to ascertain the
precise ground Of that decision and we are in
formed, it was neither more nor less than this,
that person who diSbelieueS his 0ccountabiLitu
to God, IN a future state, is an incompetent
witness. We hope and trust, that there are no
Religionists in this State, to whom such doc
trine will be offensve.-HartfordC ourant
! Miss Theodosia Wells, daughter of the late
Judge Wells of Boston, aged 81 years, was
burnt to death on the night of the 9th ult
She had been sitting up late with her sister
ant nephew, who had arrived that day on a
visit. She was left alone, and it is supposed
that her sleeve caught fire from the candle, and
as she was bect to fits, it is thought her fright
may have brought one on, preventing her from
distinguishing the fire until her clothes were
burnt off. She lived but few hours after the
accident.
| On the 9th ult a man of the name of
Charles Shippy, was bitten, on the end of fin
ger, by rattlesnake, in Blakely township Luz
erne Co. Pa) In less than ten minutes he was
speechless. Various remedies were applied to
destroy the effects of the poison, one of which,
as related by the Wilkesbarre Democrat, ap-
finger was inserted into fowl, which died in
about ten minutes in consequence ofthe poison"
The man was living the day after he was bitten
with every prospect of doing well.
| ENORMOUS SPIDERS. In the Brazils, the
spider reaches an enormous size, with different
habits from those of Europe 1t stretches its
web from tree to tree, and no longer appears a
solitary insect; many hundreds live together,
and form nets of such strength, that you may
often see bird of the size of swallow, quite
exhausted with struggling, and ready to fall
prey to its indefatigable enemy.
MAKING THE MOST OF LAND. Capt. James
Perkins of Essex, (Mass) raised, last season
on an acre and a half of land, 70 bushels of In
dian corn, 20 bushels of potatos, 40 bushels of
winter apples, so bushels of turnips, 2 loads of
squashes, and bushels of beans One third of
the land alluded to consisted of grayelly knobs
In 1896 the whole was planted with Indian
corn.
| SWINE. An Ohio Farmer recommends Goals
as useful in fattening hogs. After giving his
hogs small quantity daily, say two pieces to
each, about the size of a hens egg, they dis
continued roofing, were more quiet, and appear
ed to fatten faster. He omitted the coal few
days and they commenced roofing he gave it
again, and they ceased to root. He supposes
that the coal corrects the morbid fluid in the
search Of fresh earth. Hogs in summer should
a: all times have water in which they can wal
low, and they will encrust themselves with a
coating of mud, so as to prevent their being
troubled with yermin.
A New CASE. A new and curious question
has arisen under policy of insurance against
fire, upon some building in the county of Essex,
which was lately struck by lightning, and very
considerably damaged, though it did not take
fire; and the question is, whether the insurers,
( in common fire policy, are liable for this dam
age. The case opens very tempting field of
| legal and philosophical discussion, as whether
electricity is frs, according to the common ac-
ceptation of this term and if it be so, whether
the damage is SO directly the effect of this fire
in the clouds, as to render the underwriters re-
sponsible, &c. sc. &c.-BOSt0R Bulletin.
MELANCHOLY ACCIDENT. At Portsmouth,
on Monday, the 9TH inst as John Orde Creigh-
ton, Esq. Of the United States Navy, Command
or of the Navy Yard al Portsmouth, and Mr..
| Nathaniel Lyde, Purser on that station, were
riding in a gig, with two horses, through one
of the principal streets, the horses took fright
and dashing the gig against pump, threw both
them in dreadful manner. Mr.. Lyde expired
about II clock the same night. Capt Creigh-
ton was much injured by wounds in his head,
the dislocation of his shoulder, &c.-l6id
The toad is said to be voracous DESTROYER
of cockr0aches. A correspondent informed us
that two or three toads were placed in kitch-
en- for night, and thatupon examination in the
morning they were found completely gorged
with these troublesome vermn. Such is their
sagacity that they viii frequently jump to the
height of II and Is inches on the wall, to secure
their victim, in which employment they seldom
miss their aim. Goldsmith describes them as
being peculiarly fond of ants, flies and other
minor insects, so much so that they will leave
their retreat in open day, when tempted with a
rich feast of these.-BerkS Journal.
The United States Bank has declared diyi.
dend of three and half per cent, for the last
six months.
A FAMILY. In the pine woods of Wilkinson
! county. a connle were. In 1906. mnrrind-the