The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1855-01-17


I'll may be recollccted By ourreaders that We
i last summer mentioned the fact that there was
/ in Virginia an association of ladies, under tht
title of the Virginia Mount Vernon association
There object is to raise funds for the purchase
Of Mount Vernon. The Richmond papers con
tain copies Of correspondence between Mr.
b John II. Gilmer, on behalf Of the ladies, ant
Mr.. John A. Washington, the present proprle
tor of Mount Vernon. Mr.. ]. A. Washington
, declares himself entirely unwilling that the oil
homestead should pass from his possession, I'm
less to the State Of Virginia or the 9. States
I The reasons assigned have much force: one !
that, as private possession, in the dispersion
of families and changes of fortune, it might b'
: converted to uses inconsistent with the venera
ton due to the memory and character OF hin
with whose life it is SO intimately connected
He further says, much as | admire and rever
ence the many graces and virtues that adorl
the ladies of my native State, cannot consen
to be instrumental in the erection of the grace
full monument designed BY their patriotism ane
Illustrative of it, but which, at the same time
would commemorate the degeneracy OF mysel
:, and the men of our land Mr.. Washington was
further urged on tie subject, but did not fee
himself at liberty to change his views.
The Houston correspondent the Galveston
News pays the following well merited compli-
ment to three of our former fellow citizens:
''The present is time Of expectancy in
Houston--many changes all for the better, we
hope, are to occur on new years day. Our
principal hotel, 'sthe CAPITOL" is to change
hands, and altho' its present keeper col. Hadley,
\ has won for it good name-a great improve
ment is anticipated under the management Of
its new proprietor, H. VanBibber, esq. This
gentleman has for fourteen years kept a first
class hotel at Shreveport, atwhlch place he was
emnently successful. He will be aided in this
place by two Of his sons, each Of whom have
| families and have been raised tothe business in
which they now embark in our town. Both
/ the father and sons seem to possess in an emf
nent degree that essential pgredientin the com
position of tavern keeper, disposition to
please, and willingness to make efforts to rem
der themselves agreeable. Under their aus
pices we predict that the Capitol will become
favorte resting place with the travelling public.
4 The citizens Of Houston are extremely fortu-
nate in having such competent hosts as the
Messrs. VanBbber, who will undoubtedly sue
coed in their efforts to give satisfaction.
The story that the administration, in its de-
sire for acquiring insular possessions, has
bought the Galapagos islands for three millions
of dollars. is generally doubted. The Wash
ington Union, however, copied ard published
the statement without comment. The Galapa
COS group includes the islands known as Chat
ham, Marlborough, James, Darlington Charles,
Hood, Bindless and Abingdon. The islands
belong to the departmental Guayaquil, in tile
republic of Ecuador. They are in the Pacific,
$50 miles from Guayaquil, and between 10
4om south latitude and 400 north latitude. and
in between 900 and $50 west longitude They
are of volcanic origin and sterile and rocky
Numerous craters are found in all the islands.
The rumor that they contain rich deposits of
guano is scarcely credible, as no aquatic birds
have been near the islands. The principal oc
cupants of the islands have been convicts sent
from Quito and Guayaquil, who are employed
in catching fish and turtles.
It is violation of law says the Washington
Star, and subjects the offender to fine of FIVE
dollars, if the receiver refuses to pay letter pos
tage, to inclose or conceal letter or any other
thing, Except bills and receipts for subscrip-
ton, or to make any memorandum in writing
or to print any word or communication, after
its publication, upon any newspaper, pamphlet,
magazine, book, or other printed matter. Any
memorandum in writing, or any article Of prn-
ted matter, other than the name and address
of the person to whom it is to be sent, subjects
the package to letter postage. So do the words
"with respects Of the author, or sender" &C.,
often written upon the blank leaves Of books,
under the impression by many that simple
compliments Of this kind may be thus trans
mitted through the mail without subjecting the
packet to additional postage.
The Galveston News states that the snagboat
sent by the State of Louisiana, for the improve
ment Of the navigation of the Sabine river, has
proved entirely insufficient to effect the re-
moval ola single log and that the manner in
which the snags had been cut had rendered the
navigation decidedly more dangerous than it
was before Well, this is only another speci-
men of the manner in which the present demo
cratic executive Of Louisiana executes the law.
The most valuable crop raised in the United
States, is that of Indian corn, estimated in 1850
at two hundred and ninety six millions of dol i
lars; being nearly three times as valuable as
the wheat crop, and more than three times as
valuable as that of cotton Six times as many
acres of land are devoted to corn as are given
to cotton, and three times as much to wheat
The value of butter made annually in the u
States exceeds fifty millions of dollars
Mr.. Dezeng, of Geneva N. Y, has invented