Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1871-11-21
ALEXANDRIA GAZETTE

DAYS and Sd TURDA|S, at Sir Dollars per-
Gnisi4n1.
The MUsuRooM The system 50 successful
!y pract!ced hy the Parisiars for several years
past Of propa eating the mushroom, and thus
insuring a constant and fresh supply OF this
delicious csculent, has been introduced in the
gardens of the Executive Mansion in this city
by Mr.. T. p Hoover. under the direction OF
General Babcock Superintendent OF Public
Buildings and Grounds Mr.. Hoover has paid
great deal Of attention to this subject, and
has for the last two years been experimenting
in San Francisco, where he was very successful
in raising the mushroom BY means Of spawn.
There is no dclicacy that combines to the same
extent the best qualities of the animal and veg
etabIe Kingdom, and none that Is more tho,
roughly appreciated by the bon rlvant and
epicure. Heretofore the mushroom could on
ly be obtained in its purity III certain seasons,
and We were compelled to rely almost entirely
upon the cauucd preparations. aud even then
doubts were entertained as to It's genulnencSS,
the wild species vtten containing specimens
that were poi>onnus. The bed planted by Mr..
Hoover is in Il nuuri>hing condition, and We
understand that he has also supplied the Ar
hnyton and y Ornicy' with Il similar arrange
mcnt in their cellars The cost of construction
and plantiug The bcd is only about one hundred
dollars from which an almost unlimited sup
plv Of this desirable vegetable can he obtained
and multiplied indefinitely by spawn at Il trItl
ing expenditures Ater the bed Is prepared
and the spawn Is procured there Is very little
additional expense, lnaSmuch AS the proper de-
gree of heat is derived from the furnace or
steam with which the buildings are warmed.
They only require Il certain degree OF heat and
H.. nd ] Shpu1 n
be surprised ifthc system were generally adopt
ed By the leading hotels throughout the conn
try Washington Islryram- Phh'lclrhn
Press.
A WREcKER. The New York Sun has a
letter from st. Johns, \. f., describing the
capture Of an old hermit commonly called
'Barnacle Bill" \ short time ago the Al
bion was lost off the reefs Of Chance Cove. a
search for the bodies oi'thc vessels company,
seventeen in number. resulted in only one be.
ing found. Magistrate Mcconnell and officer
Curry, with Il posse, made descent upon the
hut of IN old rccluse and rcpntcd .wreckeI
offormcr times. called ''Barnaclc Bill. The
door was broken open, and the old savage over
powered and handcuffed The account,
highly coored one. continues:
a visit to the interior Of Barnacle Bill 5
cabin revealed the most appalling sight. De
tcctive Curry, on removing Il curtain which dl-
vidcd the wreckcrs bed from 4 chamber OF
horrors, exclaimed, My God what is this
on bchnllng heap of mangled corp>eS on the
floor. Fingers wrists and ears, cut and torn
from the bodies Of women, evidently to pro-
cure the rings and other jcwelry. lay around.
Two soiled silk dresses were tolued beside the
bodies. In all there we're nine corpscs. only
one of which has been as yet identified by DE
tective Curry as that Of 4 young lady who be-
longed to Il wealthy family in the Bay OF Is
lands. Coroner Burton left on board the tus
Victoria. which will return on Monday, with
the prisoner, detectives and dead bodies. The
news has almost created Il panic Ill this city,
where the passengers OF the Inflated Albion
were so well known.
REMARKABLE-Thc Rocky Mountain News
mentions the following singular clrcum>tance:--
A man named Miles Maullin was shot by his
sister-inlaw four months ago at Il farmhouse ON
Cherry Creek, few miles above Denver city.
He has been attcndcdby Dr.. McClcElnd, of Den
yer, who states that the ball entered the body
at the fourth dorsal vertcbrH, ,Sererlng the Spln-
al cord, and passed iuto the right lung, causing
complete loss of sensation and motion below
that point, embracing 1T least tw0thlrdS or the
BODY. Iu this condition he has remained, with
no noticeable change, except the formation OF
several ulcers upon the legs and hips, with no
prospect of recovery Remarkable as it may
appear he has all the time good appetite,
and also good mental ability, ST. that he has
been able to transact any kind of business. Ills
case is unprecedented rs to the length OF time
he has survived his terrible Injuries. 1t has
seldom been recorded that similar cases sur
vivel the injuries more than thirty days. lie
is said to be slowly declining although the
bn ball
and the lung which was perforated is appar-
cutIy sound. How long he may live, it is at
present impossible to prognoSiicate.
4 PHoToGRApHlC Story An illustration
Of the fact that a would. be bitter is often the
worst bitten of all comes from Reese river, Cali
fornia. 4 man entered the Office of the photo
grapher in that place aud wanted single pic
ture taken. The artist named his price, which
happened to be about double the amount the
stranger possessed. So, after considerable ban
ter, the visitor proposed to have halilength
picture taken for half price. This WAS agreed
to, and the subject paid his money, aud adopt
ed what he considered to be an exceedingly
graceful and pleasing attitude. The usual opc-
ratlonS were gone through with, and soon
ilrSt-ratc picture. consisting OF hnc view OF
the subject from the wstbaud down. was finish
ed and delivered to the waiting customer.
There was no mistake; it was half:lcngth pic
ture for half price; and after delivering himself
ola few exclamation points, the customer walk,
ed off, believing probably, that he had paid
we'll Tor 4 view of his boots even at halt price.
CHEAP CASA farmer living four mile and
half from Mattoon, in Illinois, while boring
well in his door yard, at the depth of twenty
feet liberated a flow of gas. \ pipe was pro
cured and inserted in the well, projecting above
the ground several feet, and the gas was gnlted
has been plainly visible from Mat toon ut night.
This gas is described as pure hydrogen, almost
without smell, atfording Il bright light and CIV
ing out intense heat 1t appears TO be much
better adapted for heating and illuminating
purposes than that which has been found IN the