The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-12-23
THE CYCLONE IN INDIA.

100000 Lives Lost I'm One District.
From Calcutta paper
Every day brings intelligence of fresh
mistortunes. In one district alone (Dia-
mond Harbor,) and the country between
it and Calcutta, it has been computed that
not less than five thoucand souls have been
drowned by the land flood of the storm
waves. Great exertions are made by the
Calcutta community to organize system of
relief for the survivors of the dreadful Wis.,
itation. A steamer had heen chartered to
convey medicines, blankets, rice and water
to the Diamond Harbor district.
The following statement of tho destruc
ton to life and landed property in the
town and suburbs of Calcutta, is cleaned
from reports submitted by the superinten-
dents of the different divisions to the
deputy commissioner of police, Captain
Reveley: Observation-Disclosures killed, Al :;
ditto wounded, -; puckah houses occu.
pied by natives damaged, l, 1888 ditto de
stroyed, IS; katcha ditto destroyed, &c.
4l2; Europeans killed, 2; ditto wounded,
5; ditto houses damaged, 1929; ditto
destroyed, 90.
.. The lieutenant governor OF Bengal was
to leave Darjeerling on the 10th for CAL
cutta, when it was hoped that no time
would be lost in organizing strong estab-
Ashment, placed under efficient supervis-
ion, for the removal of the carcasses of
men and cattle, which are scattered all
over the portions of the southern part of
Calcutta visited by the gale; and for the
removal also of the dead communicating
the air on the banks of the river and on
its waters
OF the thirty-two inland steamers and
flats at Calcutta, nineteen are complete
wrecks, and the remaining thirteen seri-
ously injured. OF the thirty tug steam
ers, ten are completely destroyed, two
very seriously injured, and the remaining
eighteen at work as before. Such a de-
strdction of shipping property, we believe,
has never before been equalled. ...
Proposed Amendment to the Revenue
Law.
The recommendations in the important
report of the Commissioner of Internal
Revenue are understood to be approved
by the Secretary of the Treasury. They
are principally: =
1. That the tax on distilled spirits be not re-
duced one iota. w
,. That the tax on the whole tobacco pro-
duct be laid on the leaf
8. That if it be not, that the tax on cigars
be laid on an dd udlorena scale.
4. That a tax of one-half of one per cent be
levied on scales of merchandise and products
which amount to 81 ZOO, 000, 600 q wear. and
which would yield S55000, 600 of revenue. M
5. That the Reciprocity Treaty with Canada
be rescinded, because it lets in vast amount
of coal-this year half o million-free of rev.
enue duty and free of the excise duty of three
and q half cents ton, and because it draws
away from us to Canada vast quantities of corn
this year four and quarter millions of BUSH
els-to be distilled into spirits and smuggled
back here in fraud of our revenue, and because
it tempts the fraudulent expectation to Canada
Of our tobacco in the leaf-this year S1 .2s7. 600
worth there TO be manufactured into cigars
and smuggled back over the frontier.
6. That to save revenue the business of as.
saying gold and silver be done bv the Govern.
ment, and not at private establishments and
that the present license fee for assaying he
made so large as to be prohibitory. =,
Z, That crude petroleum be taxed two or
three cents gallon, and the tax on refined
reduced to fourteen or fifteen cents. ,r s-
9. That the tax on publications be laid on
the press work and binding. p, En-.
3. That the tariff ON iron, particularly on
rails OF which 120, 900 tons were imported
from Great Britain last year, should be raised
at least dollar and q half ton. Bal. ~.
10. To make the test of the yearly income
derived from real estate its rental value.
IL. To provide for summary and inexpensive
processes to recover small penalties, and pro-
cure forfeitures Of small lots of contraband
goods,