Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1860-02-24

Ir0f. WISE, the Dall OOnlst, mas puDllSneC
an offer in the San Francisco papers, pro
posing to make an aerial voyage to the At
lantic seaboard, if the necessary sum can be
raised. "-E
The great comet of 1856, which was sup
posed to be the omen preceding the abdica.
tion Of the Emperor Charles V. of Spain, is
expected to re appear this year. Probably
it now comes as an omen of the abdication
of Mr.. Buchanan. G- t-+
The Grand Trunk Railway Company have
nearly 5000 box and platform ears in use
for transporting freight; and the Portland
Company are engaged in building 200 more.
Placed in one train, they would extend a
a distance of 25 miles.
Nicholas Longworth has now in his cellar
460, 900 bottles Of wine. When it is remem
bered that there are two or three other large
manufacturers in Cincinnati, some idea may
be formed of the extent to which the grape
is cultivated in that vicinity.
Tie annual statement of marine disasters
on the lakes for 1859, shows the total loss
by steam to be $1,000, 1O0-an increase
upon the losses of 1858 of S2s7 1868: Total
loss of life in 1859, 105-being decrease
VI ~ AioAh oho Pio'louS year.
Governor Wise is in luck. At the annual
distribution of the pictures of the 'sOosmo-
politan Art association on Tuesday eve
ming last, Herring's famous painting of the
'Village Blacksmith" fell to him. 1t is a
rich work of art, worth some 5000.
The following statistics of the members
of churches who are owners of slaves have
recently been given: Methodists, 213, 1000 ;
Preebyterians, 1900; Baptist, 125,OOO
Reformed Baptists, 100000; Episcopalians,
$4,000, and of all other denominations,
$4,000. .....
Paraguay, which has just got out of her
trouble with US, is getting into one with
England. She is Insignificant in population
and power, but has such immense advan-
tages in her out-cf the-way location that
she can fight the strongest army in the
world for several months-that is, until
they can get at her.
There are at present about 800 workmen
engaged upon the Bergen IN. j. Tunnel,
both night and day, and the work is rapidly
approaching completion. 1t is expected that
the rock, the entire length of the tunnel
about 1880 feet-will be removed by the lst
of April, and in two months after, the work
will be completed.
Brownsville, Texas, dates to the 5th inst.
state that an American steamer, and also
the forces under command of Col. Ford, had
been fired upon by Mexicans bearing their
national flag. Col. Ford had crossed the
river in pursuit of the enemy, and border
war was considered inevitable. 1t is also
stated that the people of Matamoras sympa-
thize with Cortinas.
A crazy man, named Patrick Mauds, was
hung at Newark, New Jersey, the other day.
When the Sheriff notified him that he ha d
but a shcrt time to live, he laughed, and
told the Sheriff he wanted half an hour to
make a speech, as he had something to say.
The speech affords unmistakable evidence Of
his insanity. He was executed for the murder
Of his sister in May last.
The new dime has been issued from the
mint. 1t differs from the old coinage. The
Goddess of Liberty is in sitting position,
as on the old coin, but instead of the encir-
cling stars, there are the words Omitted
States Of America The words Gone
Dime," on the other side of the coin, are in
a wreath of cereals, instead of the old fash
ioned wreath OF leaves. The new coin is
very pretty.
At Hawesville, KY, the 9th inst, Il. A..
Davidson went into Duncan & Brothers store
with lighted bomb iu basket of eggs
The bomb exploded, blowing the store to
pieces, and wounding the Messrs. Duncan,
Hon. VIM. Sterritt, James Reading, and Mr..
Bennett, some of them mortally, including
Davidson. 1t is supposed that Davidson
intended to kill Ste: rltt, in consequence of
former difficulty with him.