Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-03-11
LOGAN MATTERS.

LocAE MATTERS.
DEED or BARDARIsM was enacted on Monday
ing last between and two o'clock by several persons
number not known but supposed to be from four ten
which will be considered ~ belonging rather to some of
the centuries considerably our rear than to the better
half Of the boosted nineenth We refer to the forcble
seizure from its place ofdeposte shed at the Wash
ington Monument Of abock Of marble sent hither from
Rome as tribute 2 thememory cf WASHINGTON, by the
Pontif, and intended become part Of the edfce now
erecting to signaze hknamc an6 glory. It originally
stood il the Temple Of Concord at ome was of beautiful
texture and had for its dimensions length of three feet
height OF eighteen inches and thic Of ten
The account we hear matte is this That at about
the time above mentioned everal suddenly surrounded
the watchbox Of the night watchman and passed cord
such as is used for clothes lines around the box and
piled several stones against the door calling to the
within that if he keptqnie he would not be injured At
the same time they pasted piece, Of newspaper the
two three window wore ags tha commanded the par
ticuar shed ccpianing fated block, as to prevent
the watchman fsom ee9g their operations They then
removed one Of Zoe s1 fron Of the place where the
block stood, and, psg and out by the opening,
ried it off by placing IN tead-cart used about the
premises. Cloksto .ssed the block from Deseret,
less than quarter Of mile of, and pitched it over
the steep bank upon the river beach, where they enjoyed
favorable opportunity Of breaking it up undiscovered,
which they did All this went on, it seems, without
effective remonsrance from the watchman although he
had with him double -barlled gum loaded with buck
shot, and the operations atSthe shed within easy
shot As for the pasng on the windows, there was
thing in that for they slide and down like the sashes
of an omnibus. A#
These proceedings, the watchmaA says took place at
half one but he gave not of it to the family
residing at the Monument until four Vor these and other
similar reasons he has been suspended
meeting of the Board took place ysterday, at which
it was determined to offer reward of OBJ hundred dollars
for the discovery of the perpetrators.
THE LECTURE at the Smithsonian Institution on Mon
day evening, by Dr. SMITH, was honored usual by
full audience Before, however the lectd proper
entered on Professor HENRY, of the Insuhn embraced
the opportunity to correct erroneous impression that
had gone abroad to the strength and security Of the
main building Of the Smithsonian edfce. So far rom
being insufficient asserted in quarters ithad
been submitted to the careful examination Of competent
architect who pronounced the exterior Of the buidng
sound and secure but expressed himself cOntrarwiss
to the wood work Of the interior That however has
been removed and its place supplied by brick and
structures The building will also be reproof except
only the seats and wood work Of the roof bu. his
be looked upon nearly by of its covering
of slate There is capacious cisern always capable Of
supplying alarge quantity of water.
In to the question why the building las bten
50 long in completion Prof Henry replied by saying
came from motives of wise economy. The object vas
to make the building BETTER and that had been atnd
In consequence further of this wise delay the tmt of
the completion of the building there will bs surplus Of
$l50000, and oil debts paid indeed, Of the fund Of
242 600 set apart for the building, $780, 0C0 now
hand The building will be finished within four Ave
months from the present tme certainly within this year.
DR.. Smiths lecture Illumination. Several let
ters had been addressed him subjects connected
with the lectures which he would notice and answer
+bao IN in lie rave.
specimens Of three several species of combustion in all
which the principle prevailed that matter what might
be the degree Of the heat evolved by any burning body
solid LIQUID gaseous, the degree of light depends
the amount Of solid matter consuned The three coats
or 6lnas that compose all lghtgiying combustion xsre
then described, and the general theory of gasmakng
explained Prof Smith produced an ordinary gasmeter
to show the principles upon which it acts in registering
the amount of gas consumed We were somewhat sur
prsed to find the principles SO intricate In the course
Of this branch of his remarks he stated that the daily
consumption of coal for gas in Washington 600 bs
which give out from 900 to 600 cubic feet Of IL
Illuminating gas very interesting series gradation
of the methods Of obtaining illumination were then placed
in line beginning with the pitchpine torch, next the
wick in saucer of greese then the tslow candle, the
wax stearine common coal-gas, the Drummond, and
lastly the electric light 1t was instructive to behold
how each of these ecpsed its predecessor until the full
blaze of the electric illumination not only consigned the
Drummond to nvisiby, but bansbed night ITSELF and
for time restored the white and pleasant light of day
With this the lecture concluded the explanation and dis
play Of the Fresne light having been reserved for this
evening An exhibition Of the two lights the Drummond
and the Electric we're then made from the north
of the hall casting their bright beams over great por
tion ofthe city. p<ses
METROPOLITAN RAILRoAp.-The regular monthly meet
ING was held Yesterday afternoon After receiving the
renors of the Hagerstown Frederick and home surveys,
the BOARD examined various maps and plans submitted
by the Engineers More time asked by the survey
ing parties charged with the work near town to prepare
their estimates which were necessarily delayed by the
iuclement weather and snow-storm of the week before
Last Two weeks more allowed them for the purpose
The Board made the important order of directing survey
Of route to and through Washington, with view to
eonpexon with the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
GUANO. .r
The late Convention of Southern Planters represent
ing the States of Alabama, Virginia, South Carolns,
and Georgia. which convened at Columbia adopted,
aong Others the following resolution, which intro
duce as the subject is receiving the attention of
Congress:
Resoioed That this association unite the suggestion
Of the Virginia Agricultural Association upon the sub
e,t of Guano and that committee be appointed by the
to wait upon the Executive of the United States
request such steps may be within the sphere OF the
and may be deemed advisable and proper to
relieve the planting interest from the present monopoly
which will enlarge the consumption Of the article.
COMMITTEES.
Hon. r. F. w. ALLsToSSh of South Carolina. .
]. D. d. De Bow, Of Louisiana.
Hon. ROBERT TooMBs, of Georgia
EDMUND RUFFIN, Of Virginia
Gov II. w. COLLIER, of Alabama.
DR.. W. c. DANIEL, of Georgia. ~
AaERIpAN TELEoR.pH CoNrEpERArIoS-Th associa-