Washington telegraph., 1852-12-29
SUag Boats on the Mississippi.

The Philadelphia american notes the
fact that snag boats are once more to be set
to work clearing the Mississippi and other
Western rivers Of those dangerous obstruc-
tions caused by fallen trees At the last
session Of Congress $l50,000 was appropri-
ated for this purpose 1t is true the amount
is altogether disproportioned to the immen-
sity of the work required to be DONE but, in
view Of the entire neglect Of those great
Western highways of late years, it is per-
haps source OF congratulation that any ap-
preparation was made at all.
According to a Congressional report on
the steam marine Of the United States, the
number of steamboats, lost Oh the Western
rivers, as far as could be ascertained, down to
and including the year 1849, was 1876, of
which 40 were by snagging. As regards
the amount OF property lost by these 419
disasters, we have no statistics in separate
form, but it may be judged of by the fact
that in the loss of the whole 1876 boats the
loss of property was s., ,643, 791 on the boats,
and 1868, $40 on the cargoes, or in the
aggregate $lS,342,339.
In one year, ending July I, 1851. there
were 60 steamboats, lost on Western waters,
and tnat year was one in which fewer disas-
ters took place than has occurred for long
while Although the number of steamers
on the Western rivers and lakes is but one
sixth greater than the number on the ocean
coast Of the United States, the number of
disasters is nearly four-ffths greater In
fact, the proportion of boats lost there to
those actually built in those regions is A l-2
per cent as is shown by the following fig
ures which we quote from the report men,
toned The boats built at the West prior
to the year 1919 numbered 1866, and the
number OF boats lost by disaster, as stated
above, 1856. The loss of life by those acci-
dents is not known, but it was very great.
In view Of these facts, it is source of
great pleasure to know that Congress- at its
last session, returned to the proper course
in this matter and it is sincerely to be hoped
that at the approaching session it will be
still more considerate of the public interest,
and make more adequate appropriation.
CURE FOR THE CRoUP-Dr Forbes, of
Boston, relates in late number of the Med
ical Journal, case in which severe attack
OF Group was cured by the application of
sponges wrung out Of hot water to the throat,
together with water treatment, which he de-
scribes as follows:
Soon after making the first application of
sponges to the throat, wrapped the child
in woolen blanket wrung out in warm wa
ter as substitute for a warm bath, and gave
twenty drops of the wine of antimony in
little sweetened water, which she swallowed
with difficulty. persevered in the applica-
tion Of the hot moist sponges for an hour,
when the child was so much relieved that
ventured to leave it.
These applications were continued through
the night, and in the morning the child was
we'll
1t will never do to trife with this terrible
disease, The quicker the remedies are ap-
piled the better Instead of antimonv, we
would recommend small quantities of alum
water given every ten or fifteen minutes un-
til the child vomits