The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1869-02-26


Further advices from Mexico represent dis
graceful state Of affairs In the capital. Serlo ID
fegeds is reported to b against progress. For.
cigners, especially Americans. are strongly Of
the opinion that the Government Is imbecile,
that Ministers are corruptly making money and
sending Il to foreign countries. Gen. Rosccrans
had attempted TO influence the Government to
take measures for the improvement Of the coun-
try, which he looks upon as In suffering con-
tition. It-is reported that Engiishmen and
Americans are negotiating In the United States
to take Mexican territory in consideration there
Of
San Franeisco has had grand wedding the
bride being the daughter Of merchant known
rs the "Grand King" and the groom the son
ola leading physician. The trousscau cost
$4,000, and the presents, besides $4,000
from the father. were valued at $50, 900. Fine
clothes were abundant.
It was recently stated In open court that
Commodore Vanderbilt once made ten million
dollars by one days operations-thc largest
sum probably ever made In the same time Dy .
single individual. 20. .n.,
Almost every new machine put In practical
use, instead Of decreasing the force OF laborers,
increases II by developing new branches Of in
dustry. A firm in New York, engaged In man
ufacturing paper collar boxes, employed = new
" invented machine for cutting the pssteboarl
In proper shape. Instead OF discharging the
several hands whose work this machine accom-
plished, the employer soon found that these
hands were needed in new objectionable max
ING of another kind Of box for tobacco, which
the machine itself originated by its facility in
cutting pasteboard into all conceivable shapes.
A Washington Correspondent describing the
disinterment Of Mrs. Surratt ut Washington
on Monday, says that the box containing the
remains was Of rough pine boards. Upon the
top was strip Of wood painted upon II in black
letters. The box was opened. and although the
body was somewhat decomposed, II was not Of
fensive The dress. CATERS and black silk, low
ut the neck, was all In q perfect state Of pres
eryation. The hair was also perfectly preserved
and did not seem to have been disarrangcd in
the least. A steel arrow pin, with which Annie
Surratt fastened the bow about her mothers
neck Just before she was led TO execution, was
also in place. A lock Of hair was clipped of
for Annie Surntt at her own request. Upon
examining Mrs. Surratt's feet Il was discovered
that the rope with which her feet were tied just
before the drop fell had disappeared, and this at
first occassioLc Cd some remark, but those who
witnessed the execution will that when Mrs.
Surratt was cut down, the rope became loosened
and il was thrown aside.
A duel was fought at New Orlca ps recently
between Louis Z Moussier and +. +. lawson.
The weapons were small swords, and the meet
4. =. haIn tIa In, tha
presence of two or three hundred soldiers.
Lawson was killed, the sword Of his antagonist
having passed through his heart. Moussier
was arrested, but subsequently released.
Mr.. Ira Atwood Of st. Adams was saving
wood at his door with circular saw, on Friday
last, when the driving wheel broke and 1t Is
supposed the pieces struck him, by which he
was thrown across the saw, and when discover
ell he was sawed almost entirely through the
lower portion Of his body. lie lived but few
minutes after the accident.
Elder Knapp, the noted revivalist, has made
Q grand land speculation in California. lie
bought 1900 acres Of land for $4,000, and
another spcculator gave him $4,000 In gold
for his bargain. The elder considers this q
special providence, as the land first, and the
gold afterwards, were offered to him without
his seeking.
The wcalthicst man in America Is young
Stephens, son Of the late Edwin A. Stephens,
who when he reaches his majority will be worth
$3.50, 900, by the advance OF his estate In
New Jerseo.
The recent strange cases Of hydrophobi' in
New York have been investigated by prominent
physicians, and they have come to the conclu-
sion that the bite Of dog enragcd Is as poison
Gus as that of one that is rabtd. Dogs are just
rs likely ~ 20 bad in the winter months rs dur
the heated term. K,
Gov. Bullock Of Georgia has been exculpatcd
by n Legislative investigating committee from
the guilt Of any wilful misconduct in the man.
agcment Of the funds Of the State.
Much to the surprise Of the congregation as
semblcd at Plymouth Church last Sabbath MORN
ing, Mr.. Bcccher appeared Mt his usual hour
and took seat on the platform. lie did not
preach, however, but offered up the opening
PRAYER, after which he made q few remarks,
saying that no one knows what II Is to suffer
until he reads what the papers say about him.
The press had pronounced him dangerously i'll,
which was untrue. He thought II strange that
he should be denied the right to have cold
three DAYS unmOlestel. He saw no occasion
for the newspaper fraternity to hunt man
down because he happened to have cold. II
was bad enough 10 suffer intrusion without be-
ing misreprescnted. lie was happy to announce
that his health was good, and that he would
preach as usual ON the following Sunday.
A meeting Of officers Of the Army Of the Po-
tomac, presided over by General Mcclellan,
was held in New York yesterday, when II was
decided that the grand reunion should take
place on the 9Th day Of July next, In New York
city.
A great chicken-fght is in progress at Nor.
folk, Virginia, between North Carolina and
Virginia fowls. The Journal OF that city do
votes column to the list Of entries and dcs-
cription of the first of ten fights.
The Chicago grain elevators arc said to har-
Dor 10000 rats apiece, and II is estimated that
these verinin eat up $4,000 worth OF grain
annually. There Is, consequently, u loud call
for the inyentisn Of a rat.proof building.
The Sunday Times says: That in Boston they
drive their yelocipedes 10 fast that, every coils.
ion results in the total disappearance Of both
riders and machines. No fragments arc ever
found.
It II said that the reason why the Chinese
are SO unalterably opposed to railroads is the
peculiar burial system which prevails there. AS
there are no public cemeteries the dead are in
TERED wherever II is most convenient, and ow-
ing to the great antiquity Of the empire the ter
ritory has become one vast burial ground. Ii
would be almost impossible TO find route for q
railroad that would not disturb some graves, and
this the Chinese would by no means permit.
A doctor In Meridcn, Conn.,, visits his pa
tents on o vclocipede. II Is 30 gentle that he
leaves Il without hitching.
A venerable lady recently brought to Concord
Mass, silver dollar, which she had kept for
thirty-five years, to change Il for currency, and
found Il counterfeit She had enjoyed long
delusion.
Il is stated that out Of 100000 Catholics in
the city Of New York only 100000 Of them
could 90 to church for want Of places Of worship.
More than 2O0, 900 people came over from Eu-
rope during the past year, and fully 10000 OF