The Portland daily press., 1870-05-27

followed byrumors Of a similar attempt to as
sassinate the Pope. The design is said to
have been "to throw bomb at his carriage,
blowing him into the air, together with the
TWO cardinals in attendance, at the same mo-
ment spring mines under the barracks OF
Clmarra, Ravenna and st. Agatha, near the
Vatican"
The steamtug Little Queen collapsed hue
the other dav near Vicksburg, while COM
mittee of the Mississippi Legislature was
aboard making an examination of the threat
ened cutoff known as Grants canal. None
ofthe honorables received any serious in
juries.
The Concord Railroad war is exciting much
comment, the general impression being that
the new board of directors will find it diff
cult matter to get possession of the road be-
fore the expiration OF the contract with the
Northern road. The serving of an injunction
took everybody by surprise, and is regarded as
the sharpest thing done during the contlover-
sy. Public opinion in Concord is largely on
the side of the Stearns- Mnot management
and much satisfaction is expressed that the
iih0 "SooAiA ihNC d QCiSdts
Columbus, KY, suffered severely on Satur-
day last by fire which broke out about II
o'clock in the forenoon in the business por-
ton of the city, and the flames extending
eastwardly and northwardly, up the river.
swept everything before them. Between for
| ty and sixty buildings were destroyed, with
| much of their contents. Nearly all the struc-
lures were frame, and light breeze blowing
rendered stoppage of the confagraton impos-
sble. There seems to have been scarcity of
fire apparatus, the only streams available be-
ing from the pumps of two steamboats,, which
had but little effect on the flames. There was
very little insurance on the property destroy
ed. A large number of people are rendered
houseless and homeless, and it is blessing
TO them that the disaster befell them in these
warm summer times, else fearful suffering
must be the result.
There were some mysterious movements in
the vicinity of ColliDgwood, Can, the first OF
the week, which caused futtering among
the nervous Canadians. The provisions, DE.
which were denied a passage through the
Sault Ste. Marie Canal, and were landed from
the Chcora were hurried across the portage
to the Lake Superior shore as fast as possible
and a steamer with the Northern Pacific rail-
road officials on board, which went through
the canal, increased the excitement and caus-
ed extra precautions of safety to be taken. A
tug captain who arrived at Detroit Saturday
reports that several days since tug and two
| oil propaorc TO 1a fro,,, rro
passed through the Straits of Mackinaw, an(
that they had ON board about 2OO or 800 men
The destination of these mysterious craft.
was unknown, and all sorts of surmises wer
INDUCED in concerning them. The men ma,
have been miners, but it is hardly probable
that so large number would be conveyed t,
Lake Superior in one lot. Another solution
{ | is, t1at they were Fenians, and were intend
ed for raid on the Canadian troops at tn
Sault and elsewhere.
The ship Mariane was sighted in distress
May 7, in the Indian Ocean. She was board
ed, when it was found that twenty-one of he
crew had died from starvation, and the re.
mander was in dying condition.
The explosion on board bark Asterias, of
Lands End, was caused by the carelessness O
the mate, who thinking the matches wer.
open, went below with lighted candle. The
foul air in the hold ignited, and the deck was
literally blown to atoms. The crew of the
vessel were all negroes, and several were bad
ly injured.
A new church is proposed in Newark, N
j., to be built upon the latest improved plans
The main floor will have four alsles and II.
pews There will be a gallery around th,
whole church with twenty-nine square com
partments or stage boxes for families, each ca
pable of holding twelve chairs, with tables il
the centre for hats and books. The aristo
cratic warshipers can thus perform their de-
votions apart from the common throng.