The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1871-07-20
NO. 20.
MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS


| lars damages in each case, have been
commenced against Jersey City news
paper. The proprietor is delighted at
the exalted estimate put upon the influ-
ence of his journal.
A French paper publishes a curious
report that although the Mont Gents
tunnel has been pierced, and locomotives
passed through it, there is still some
doubt as to its being open to travel for
some time to come. The trouble is in
the ventilation of the tunnel. The
smoke evolved from the locomotives is
not driven out. Out of three engine
drivers who were employed on the
trip through the tunnel, two died OF
sutfocation, and the third was restored
to life with great difficulty.
The Chicago Times likens Chicago to
the man who earned dollar, or just as
much as and no more than it cost him
to live. He might live the six working
days, but the seventh, the Sabbath, he
must work or cease to live. The Times
says: "Now, every man who has capital
invested in Chicago, is in exactly this
situation. The average profit which his
capital will earn at the present time,does
not exceed five and half per cent. per
annum; and five and half per cent.
per annum is exactly what government,
of one kind or another, takes away, in
the shape of taxes, from all capital in
vested in Chicago"
Collaborating quartz and silver ore of
great richness have been discovt red near
the Buckskin Mountains in Utah, about
four hundred miles southeast of Salt
Lake City. The district was visited
many years ago by Mormon mission
aries, who carried home glowing ac-
counts of its richness in gold. The
country cannot be explored, however,
except by large parties, as hostile In
dians are numerous and active there
abouts. A Salt Lake paper is of the
opinion that this is undoubtedly the
region whence the gold is to be brought
to pave the streets of that city in pur-
suance of prophecy.
Western papers seem to vie with each
other in telling the biggest snake stories.
An Arkansas paper notes the killing
of snake IS feet long and % inches in
circumference. Then Missouri paper
comes along with snake 26 feet long
and SO inches in circumference. But
not to be outdone, the Kansas Statesman
puts in its claim for the snake champion
ship by giving an account of o snake
80 feet long and As inches around the
body, covered with scales like fish, and
having yellowish, sulphureous tint and
smell. But now comes along Chicago
paper and says they have snake 400
feet long and 200 feet round the tip of
the TAIL and asks, as mathematical
problem, how much it will measure
round the waist.
The United States army comprises at
the present time about 10000 men, di-
vided into forty regiments, of which ten
are cavalry and five artillery. 1t oecu-
pies more than 800 military posts, and
includes 2,277 commissioned officers.
The highest salary paid to an officer,
that of Gen. Sherman, is $l3, 800; the
lowest, paid to second lieutenants, is
81 400 year. The Quartermaster's De-
partment buys annually about 100000
bushels of corn and oats, 125,000 cords
of wood, 10000 tons of coal, and moves
100000 tons of army stores. There are
25,000 horses, mules, and oxen in the ar
my; some of the army wagon routes re-
quire 800 miles of hauling in a straight
line. The Military Academy at West
Point costs 100000 year. besides this
institution, there is a school of artillery
at Fort Monroe, and torpedo school at
Willetts Point, N. Y. On the 10Th Of
June 1926 soldiers widows were Oh
the rolls of the United States Pension
. Office.
, Complaints have been made that de-
faced and mutilated currency remitted
to the United States Treasury for re-
demption has been subjected to unjust
} deductions for "short" packages; but an
investigation into the matter has shown
that the "overs" discovered in money
redeemed and counted in the Treasury
have been greater than the "shorts."
That is, more packages have been found
to contain a greater sum than was re-
presented than q less sum, and more
, money has been returned to the senders
in addition to the amounts claimed than
has been deducted from the returns to
those whose packages proved short. 1t
has also been found that some persons
who are in the habit of sending currency
for redemption are habitually incorrect
: in their count; and that those who have
} repeatedly made mistakes against them
selves, which have been corrected by the
counters, are the ones who make the
loudest complaints when "shorts" are
fastened upon them.
} A curious story is told of the discovery
: of the Amador mine, now the richest in
the world. The mine was first COM
/ menced by Vermonter named Hay
, ward, who was soon after Joined by
l another Vermonter named Chamber
= laine. Chamberlaine at last became
l discouraged, and Hayward stuck to it,
but his men all left him, and he was Oh
: the point of starvation. He then went
i. to Chamberlaine for some money, but
, was refused, but before he closed the in
, terview Chamberlaine gave him $4,000,
e all he had in the world. "Take it, old
8 fellow" he said, with California hearth
ness; "do your best" With this money
: Hayward recommended, and he had
4 worked until it was all spent, and his
f men were reduced to bag of beans for
3 nourishment, when to the gloom OF hope
: the precious ore blazed suddenly up.
S When the mine was paying $4,000 a
{: month, Hayward made over to his friend
J, one perfect third of it. Chamberlaine
|. retired upon 81, 900, and moved East
r to educate his children, Hayward buy
u ing back the whole. Finally, even Hay
g ward grew tired and sold out the mine
r to stock company, of which General
d Cotton is president. The mine will