The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1873-10-04
Items Of Interest.

The latest California papers bring the
important intelligence from Australia va.
Honoldlu, that the Captain Of Her British
Majestys steamer Basilisk has taken pos
session Of New Guinea in the name Of the
Queen. No details are given. The pos
session OF this island, one Of the largest in
the world, teeming with every variety Of
material and vegetable product, occupied
by three distinct races Of men, numbering
several millions intersected in every direc-
ton by navigable rivers, and having every
graduation Of climate, is Of more than or
dinary Importance, as it virtually gives to
England the command Of the South Pacific
and China seas, and must have very i'm
portant influence in augmenting her east
ern commerce. The only country that now
has foothold in that region is Spain,
which holds the Philippine Islands.
AN APPEAL FOR AID.
The following appeal was issued from
Shreveport, La, Tuesday morning, with
request that the entire press of country
viii copy it
SHREVEPORT, La, Sept 30 1873.
To Our FELLOW CITIZENS The yellow
fever epidemic that has already swept
away more than 400 Of this community is
still raging with unabatec fury IN our
midst We have now at least 700 sick Of
all ages, sexes, colors and nationalities, all
Of whom, from the peculiar character Of
the disease, require constant and skillful
nursing. In addition to this, there are hun
dreds Of people left without a cent and
without employment. Among these are
many women and children. All of them
must, for the present, be provided for and
fed by the Howard Association, for there
is no work to do and no money TO be had.
The destitution in our midst is as heart
rending as the disease, and both are fear
full The drain upon the funds of the as
sociation has thus been enormous, and the
liberal aid sent us by our sister cities is
nearly exhausted Under these painful
circumstances we are forced to make this
general appeal to the country for addition
al aid. We have people among us suffer
ing, in want, and dying, from all sections
of the Union, and from ali nations, and we
feel that the great public heart will respond
TO this appeal. extorted by the most dire
necessity. Our own resources are nearly
exhausted. The well are broken down,
the poor are threatened with actual star
walton, the sick are deprived Of the com
monest comforts humanity can offer them
We appeal not only to our fellow w-country-
men but to our fellow-men for aid signed
L. X. SIMMONS,
President Howard Association
ID. B. MARTIN,
Vics-Pres. Howard Association.
ID. p. FENNER, nj. ID.
THos. j. ALLEN, Nj. ID.
j. 5. CUTLEPF, Nj. ID.
MIcKENsoN DALsEEL, ID. ID.
GEORGE A. PIKE.
TaE sewing machine interests are great
ly exercised over an alleged discovery
among the English patents. II is said that
patent has been found dated July ~,
1870, granted by the British Government
to Thomas Paint, numbered I,764, for a
sewing machine having all the essential
features Of the American invention a
horizontal table support, a perpendicular
oscillating needle-bar, an eye-pointed nee
die, q perfect horizontal automatic feed an
upper tension for spacing the stitches, a
"take-up" to tighten them, and a spool
on the top Of the arm. This can be easily
verified, as there are copies Of the English
patents at our public libraries. Ii is sup
posed to invalidate all the early American
patents by priority If invention. II cor
rectly stated, it passes belief that such a
record should have So long remained un-
discovered. .-Ner Yoh Tribune
NEW STATES
There are several projects on foot for
changes in State lines and the formation Of
new States. While the slate is being made
up we think it will be well to discuss the
matter Of dividing New Mexico, and uni
ting that portion south II the Jornada del
MuertO, to the extreme western counties
Of Texas Both of these sections are geo
graphically marked out by nature for an
nexation. The two northwestern counties
of Texas are hundreds Of miles from the
other settled portions Of the State, while
the Jornada is made dividing line by ma
ture. The northern portion Of territory
has very little sympathy with our prosper
ity and progress, and the Santa Fe ring
only look upon us as a sort of dependency,
and gives us virtually no rights or power
in the Legislature Of the territory. The
Borderer.
THE BRITISH CLAIMS.
| NEW YORK, Oct 1.-The whole numbeI
Of claims submitted to the American AID
BRUSH mlXeu CDNnIillSSiOn Was 4JO, tne
, claimants making reclamation, in the az
gregate, Of the enormous sum Of $95, 600,
600. OF these claims only lSl were al
lowed, the gross sum Of which awards
reaches 81, ,929, ,236. 1t appears by an ex
animation Of the claims which were favor
ably considered that the awards were only
! made against the United States in case
where property was taken, used, or appro
priated by the authorities Of the Unitet
} States, and in cases of the illegal imprison
ment Of British subjects during the lat
} war.
OLD DINAH, . colored Iaundress, passes
t Just criticism on fashion when, one day
: in a gossipping mood, when she asked
> 'Wha' do you tink o dem panyahs wha
I de ladies' wear ahind Of 'em r. "W,
( think they are very ugly" we replied
. 'sReckon dey am r she exclaimed; ''wh.
4 If them mir things growed dere, dey'e hAv
I'll de doctors in Boston cutting Of EN-
!, off IL il took barrel Of noriform y
: a' itr