The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1868-01-25
Varieties.


Referring to the rumors of a possible
breaking away of Niagara Falls, the New York
Post says: What will the tourists do? Where
will all the bridal parties go? To whom Will
the dusky red man and woman sell their use.
less but ornamental moccasins, pin cushions
and mimic canoes? What substitute will tho
traditional American traveller in Europe end
for his-Talk of your Alpsl Wait till you see
our Niagara Falls, sir!' These and other equal
ly momentous questions of the future natural.
ly present themselves in this gloomy prospect
of destruction"
The Montreal Witness quotes d recent
item in this paper on the profitable nature OF
the spruce gum business in this Stats, and
adds the following amusing piece Of informs-
tion: "This gum is Canada balsam, of which
any quantity might be gathered in Canada"
Our contemporary would seem not to be very
well up in his botany if he does not know
spruce from fir, or "chawing" gum from
CAnads balsam.
The Union Pacific railroad will be COM
pleted to the summit of the Black Hills in a
few days. This is the highest point on the
road, being an elevation Of eight thousand
two hundred aud eighty feet above the level OF
tho sea. The headquarters of the Union Pa
cific railroad engineer department are sstab-
ished at Fort Sanders
"A marine wonder in the shape OF a crab
Is the latest discovery in Alaska. This crus-
taceen, which inhabits the waters of Cooks
Inlet and Prince Williams Sound, is not an
ordinary specimnn of the crab family. 1t
measures full six feet from tip to tip of Its
claws; its legs are the size of q mans wrist,
and its meat is said to be palatable. A Rus
sian sea captain, rejoicing in the pleasantly
sounding name of Lemauskefsky, caught eight
of these monsters recently, and had hard work
to get three Of them into barrel.
Exclusive of reprints, the number OF new
books, pamphlets and other publications, issu.
cd in England during the past year, was near
ly four thousand. A century and half ago
the average was only ninety year, or,
In round figures, less than five thousand
three hundred for the first ffty-seven years Of
the eighteenth century.
The Denver Tribune, of recent date, says
Chief Engineer Case of the Denver Pacific
Railway and Telegraph Company, returned
from the line of the road yesterday, having 10
Gated it from Denver to Pine Bluff, and max
ing distance of one hundred and fifteen
miles, or about the same as line to Cheyenne
would be. This line saves very heavy grading
and would put us in closer connection with
the Eas- than one striking the Union Pacific
at a more western point. The General finds
good grade-one entirely satisfactory.
The Southern Arizonian, Of Dec. 2l, re-
ports that two wagon trains have recently
been attacked by Indians near Camp Grant.
One of the trains was loaded with commissa-
ry stores. 7rlaH
The Santa Fe Gazette Of the 4th instant
publishes petition from the people of south,
ern Colorado, asking the Congress of the Unl-
ted States to reinstate Conejos district as "A
part Of New Mexico. The Gazette SAYS:
"Those counties never should have been de-
tached. The people and all their habits, Gus
toms and religion and language are of our
people, and the separation was unnatural in
the highest degree. We say, therefore, let the
Conejos be returned 70 New Mexico, an act
that would be highly gratifying to those inter
ested, and not in the least prejudicial to the
territory of Colorado"
"A young man in Philadelphia, named
John Higelin, shot himself the other day,
in the street, before the door of young wo-
man for whom he had conceived an aroent
passion, which was not reciprocated. He had
gone to the house, and had been heard oy an
inmate. after knocking at the front door, to
sav. .Mary. will you have me? If you don't
nromise to have me, you win never see me
again. No answer being returned, he shot
himself, infictins serious though perhaps
no, fatal wound in the breast. He was taken
10 the hospital, where, at his request, tina
Young woman visited him, and had so little
sympathy tor him that she said he was fool
ish fellow to shoot himself for any girl She
was about right there. rH rfl.4 rH
President Cook, of the Massachuretts Ag.
ricultural College, has given scholarship
worth about two hundred dollars year, to
young Brown, who recently "chiselled" few
sephomores of Amherst College. Tho eallan I
young fellow has also received as testimoni-
al handsome revolver. 1t is pleasant to sea
pluck so well rewarded.