The Portland daily press., 1872-03-06

raising as much money the law allowed
though the Democratic orator opposed it with
eloquence. When the able report of the
School Committee was read, few Democratic
retrogradists, with more brass than brains,
cried out, 'burn it."
In the election of town officers the Republic
cans were triumphant, as follows: G. w.
Plummer, Moderator; S. H. Chandler, Town
Clerk; o. C. Nelson E. M. Morgan, and N.
Rideout, Selectmen; B. w. Merrill, Collector
and Treasurer; NJ. c. Pendexter, the third
member of the S. S. Committee. All Repub-
licans except Nelson, Independently
Town debt-S250O. ~
The COUNTRY NOT D1sARMED.-Gen. Dyer,
Chief of the Ordnance Bureau in conversation
states that the government has at present in its
arsenals the following arms: Springfield,
breech-loaders, Aliens patent, calibre 49, 2202;
cadet model of 1866 80, 1888; model of
1866, 1O,9O6; model of 1868, 1896; model of
1870, 1,076: total breech-loaders, 1888. Of
muzzle leaders it has new Springfield muskets
made at that arsenal, 355,37S; cleaned and re-
paired, Al, 1903; Enfield, 50, $50; other manufac-
lures, 81, 1853; in all of ordinary muskets, 561,-
go; of which, however, only the 355,37S new
Springfelds will be retained, if good oppor-
tunity to sell be offered. Besides these, we have
on hand 62,720 breech loading earbines, princi-
pally of the Sharpe and Spencer patterns; also
Ii, $50 Colt and Remington revolvers. General
Dyer stated that in 1866 he obtained authority
from Secretary Stanton to alter q, 600 Spring
field muskets to breech leaders, on the Allen
patent of that date. This was finally increased
to 100000. The army was furnished with these
altered guns. A further improvement was pat
ented in 1868, and the 1866 guns was thus rem
dered obsolete. When the French war broke
out the regular army was furnished with the
1868 guns, and those of the first pattern stored
in arsenals, minus those lost or used, and a few
small parcels furnished the Territories and sur
veying parties. These were the ones sold. Not
gun was altered to breech leaders while the
sales were being made The reason why it.was
determined by the War Department not to is
sue-as Senator Sehurz suggested in debate
might have been done,-these guns to the mil
itia, was the fact that three varieties of breech-
leaders were then being tested by the Ordnance
Bureau, and the one decided to be best, it was
decided shonld alone be issued When that de-
cision is made, there is the store of 355, 900
new muskets to be altered into the accepted
pattern. AT present the regular army has the
patent OF 1868, and there are on hand 1892
guns of that and later pattern. Gen. Dyer
thinks these figures disprove the charge of dis
arming the country.
A ST.. JOHN, N. b., correspondent of the New
York Sun tells strange story of the disease
suffering and death which prevails throughout
small place in Gloucester county, N. B., call
ed Tracadie. The popular distemper has been
known to the physicians for long time, but
they have been baffled in efforts to counteract
and eradicate it. According to the correspond
ent the disease is the genuine ancient leprosy,
which was communicated to the vicinity years
and years ago by the wrecking of an infected
vessel from the Levant on the Tracadie shore.
At any rate all the Tracadians have it, and,
singularly enough, are not able to transfer it to
any other persons or localities, which would
seem to be fortunate for said persons and locali-
ties. The symptoms of the disease are peculiar,
not to say startling The patient begins by ex-
periencing burning fever and racking ague, a
stiffness and weakness in the joints heavi-
ness in the chest, rushings of blood to the head,
and many other sensations of languor. The
most remarkable symptom, however, is an ut
ter insensibility to pain. The latter, which
might seem at first to be sweet BOOM may be
readily seen to be disadvantage when it is
considered that the invalids are in the habit of
burning and freezing off their hands and feet
without knowing it. The latter stages of the
malady are attended by frightful and disgust
ing manifestations, and finally death super
venes and rids the victim of his greatest curse
life. If this story be wholly correct, the real
estate market in Tracadie must be singularly
devoid of fluctuations.
LATE ADvIcEs from Buenos Ayres give fur
Their particulars in regard to the massacre by
the Tandil Sepoys last winter. 1t appears that
early on New Years morning, the inhabitants
were alarmed by shouts and cries of ''Death
to all foreigners" proceeding from a crowd of
from 80 to 100 men, who assaulted the prison
and overpowered the guard. An italian hap
pened to be passing at the time and was
trampled to death under their horses feet
About mile from the plaza they came upon a
| troop of bullocks, carts and drivers and muir
dered nine of the drivers, who were Basques, be
sides wounding two natives. Taking the road to-
wards Buenos Ayres, they killed a pulpero and
his servant, after which they divided into two
bands, and murdered twenty more basques, in
Guiding several helpless children. Afterward
they proceeded in the direction of Santa Ma
rlna, at which place they were overtaken by
the neighbors and national guards, who shot
SIX or seven of the malefactors and captured
as many more. The details of the atrocities
are designated by the Buenos Ayres Standard
as of too revolving character to be published
The cause of the outbreak is considered per-
fecty incomprehensiblea and it rivals in its horror
the very similar massacre of Glencoe When
the last steamer sailed, Gov. Costro had called
out the military, and no further trouble was
anticipated.
FRENCH MATTERs.-Late Paris advices say
crisis of some sort is imminent. The impress
sion seems to be that the Orleans party is going
to make coup detat. The generals and the
regiments who are to act are mentioned. The
rumor is still more positive that the Bonapart-
lists have their plans perfected. The discomfort
of the army has reached almost to disaffection.
Theirs, especially, is the object of their hatred,
for he will listen to nobody. Marshal McMa-
hon and Gen. De Cissey are now no more heed
ed than the most obscure foreigner upon the
question of halting the army in the woods
around Paris. Obligatory military service,
which the army demands, will be nominally the
law; but there is to be many exceptions The
law will remain substantially as it is. The
army is almost hostile to the present organiza-
ton of the staff. The government is opposed
to any change in it. The army thinks Marshal
Bazaine is traitor. Theirs pays him the great
est honors. Bonapartists seem to have the army
in their power Marshals Bazaine Canrobert
Valiant, De la Moskowa, Edgar Ney, General
Fleury, Prossard, Legendre and Paliko are all
in Paris. The government in Versailles is sur
rounded by camps which are filled with hostile
soldiers and it could easily be overturned. The
police and urban military are to man in favor
of the Empire. Nobody in Paris would fight
against the Emperor or against anything else.
A CoRREspoNDENT of the Chicago Tribune
gives us some interesting gossip about people in
Washington. Mrs. Williams, wife of the
United States Attorney General, is about the
medium size, not far from forty years of age,
and has light eyes, a good figure and very vi
vacious and inviting address, Williams him
self is a man of common sense, and an excel
lent legal mind. He yields decisive pen, and
never puts his foot enormously anywhere.
Boutwell, has shrewd, economical, New Eng
land wife, who takes care that the vanties of
this world shall not consume his substance.
The rich men of the cabinet are Delano, whom
some allege worth million, and Fish, whose