The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-03-31
NEWS AMI 0rHBR ITEMS.

a.
-Tanners, sss using petroleum in pre-
pairing their testher. II 10 said they find
itQuite as good for that purpose as fish
oil, which Is generally used.
j. 1T is stated on good authority that
there are not twenty houses to let in the
city of Brooklyn, and ia that part Of
the city which was before called Williams
burg, not half as many.
The States of Maine and Missouri,
which were admitted as members of the
Union together, ratified the amendment
to the Constitution abolishing slavery on
the same day.
Counting whites, Cinnamon and Dig
ger Indians, the population of California is
about 100000. Of these about 600 are in
the Insane Asylum, and about the same
numer in the State Prison. gt
The Dubuque Times states that Mr..
Chaplin, engineer from Chicago, has made
soundings of the river at Dubuque, pre-
paratory to making proposals for the con-
struction of bridge from Dubuque to
Dunleith.
Detroit boasts ola Working .Women's
Protective Union, which has been instru-
mental in improving the social and indus
trial condition of the large class of females
in that city who obtain living By other
employments beside homework. no
"A wealthy citizen of Rochester, N Y,
proposes to furnish a lot and 100000 in
money if the capital Of New York is re-
moved to Rochester, and New York city
offers to give its new Court House, in the
Park, for the State Capital, if the State
will remove its seat of government down
from Albany.
"A correspondent of the Portsmouth
Chronicle, writing from Norfolk, Virginia,
says the great iron.clad Dictator carries
only two guns, draws twenty-one feet of
water, runs less than seven knots on hour
at sea, and cost two millions, +" and that "if
she was to take on board all that the con-
tract required, she would sink alongside
the wharf"
The Manitowoc, Wis, papers say
young girl in that place, named Mary
Moore, having heard that arsenic was
good for the complexion, procured some at
a drug store, and before it could be ascer-
tanned what she had taken, the poison had
done its work too surely to be counter
acted, and the girl died in great agony.
The master mechanics of Indianapolis
have formed an organization in view of the
next seasons business. They have adj
vanced their rates in view of high prices.
Brick are worth $14 per thousand; brick
in the wall ST to $40, masons' measure
ment. Journeymen masons chagre s.
per day, labobers 81; sand is 1925 per
DAD, and lime Soc per bushel. r
"A man in Madison county, Illinois,
after considerable experiment, has pro-
duced ten pounds of silk equal to what is
imported from France and Italy, from
one hundred and twenty thousand coooons.
He has estimated the cost and profits, and
is now prepared to enter into the silk bust
ness quite extensively. His last seasons
produce has been on exhibition in Saint
Louis. gta a.I --.9aE.
The grave Of Calhoun, in St. Philips
churchyard, is but tomb made of brick,
surmounted by slab Of marble, upon
which is the single word Calhoun"
Small bushes grow around, which had the
appearance OF being lately trimmed. Shells
have struck all around it, and fragment
has taken off a portion from the marble
slab which covers all that remains of the
first secessionist. .n.
Not long since, a married couple in
Pennington, Van Buren, County, Iowa,
early one morning found COW and calf
in their lot; the COW had collar on with
note attached, saying the COW should be
taken care of till called for. Some nights
afterwards a basket was found at their
door containing an infant about q week
old, and note saying the baby was own
er Of the COW.
Mr.. George G. Hitchcock, of New
Preston, Conn.,, has sold his famous colt
Surplus, to Mr.. Thorne, of New York,
for $4,000. Surplus is called by horse
men the fastest trotter Of his age in the
country, If not in the world. He is said
to have trotted mile on the ice this win
ter in 2:20. At four large fairs he has
taken first premiums.
The new issue of fractional currency.
of the denomination of twenty-five cents,
is now ready for distribution. 1t is upon
thick paper, and the engraving gives it
the appearance of one Of the Government
rofn ,f