Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1873-02-12

tion. known as the Polynesian Land and
Commercial company, has recently pur'
chased 100000 acres Of land in the Navi-
gators Islands, including the harbor Of
pango. Paugo, the only land-locked harbor
in the Pacific islands, aud the key to the
whole group. Thecompany intend to make
this trading aud coaliug station for the
San Francisco and Australia aud New
Zealand line Of steamers, and also to en-
rage in the cultivation Of sea.island cotton,
for which the soil and climate are admira-
bly, adapted. Some English capitalists
were contemplating the purchase OF these
islands, but the American company had
got the start Of them
-Presidont Grant, accompanied by See
rotary Robson, visited Wilmington, Del,
last week, where be bad most cordial re-
coption. Mayor Semms met the President
on board Of the special ear conveying him.
and made an address Of welcome. The
President replied alt gives me great
Measure TO visit Wilmington, the chlel
commercial manufacturing city of Delaware
especially as tho invitation to do so is not a
partisan one it will give Inc greater pleas
ure to visit your manufacturing establish
ments aud to accept the hospitality OF your
citizens" In the forenoon a procession
was formed headed by Gov. Pinder and
visited the public SCHOOLS. A levee was
Iaftcrward held at the board Of trade rooms.
AZ o'clock the citizens banquet took
place at the Institute hall, four hundred
quests participating, and at one in the morn
/ ing the President left amid saIyos Of
artillery.
1t is just now mooted question
whether or not steam pipes will set fire to
wood work in contact with or near them.
\ very warm question has been going on
in New York for some time, the fireman
shal ADD some others affirming that the
steam pipes grow hotter when the fires are
banked, and can become so intensly hot by
the decomposition and combustion Of gases
as to set fire to the surrounding wood work.
Others say this theory is not true. Some
body asked Prof Tyndall what he thought
about it, and the professor said that he had
no opinion on the subject, and told the en-
quirer that the way to decide the question
, was to let Prof Draper, who has the ap-
paratus to do it with, try an experiment tc
test it. The suggestion is more satisiac.
tory one to the common mind than one
which the professor made for testing tho
e efficacy of prayer, and it is to be hoped
81 that the experiment will be tried.
The Office of the Springfield RepaJli
g can had narrow escape from destruction
t by fire last Monday night. The block ad
s joining, in which was the Merchants
= Union Express Company and the cfioe o
the Massachusetts, Mutual Life IDsuranc
j, Company, were partially destroyed. Th
IS Republican building was damaged by fall
i lug walls and is somewhat scorched, bu
i the paper appeared as usual the next day
II The intense heat drove the composition
from their quarters for time, but the
soon returned. The loss by the fire is nc
O heavy, considering the property damage
and it seems trifing in comparison wit
n, that which was threatened, We hearth
@ congratulate the proprietors and employC
~ OIL the RePH5iicaR on their deliverenC
from serious loss and the many sui
h scribers Of the Republican hereabouts thu
4 the pleasant light Of its fresh and news
columns was not Withdrawn from then
Ne even for a day.
It --Sepator Upton has brought in bi
u proposing topay Mary L. Walker $1,000
out of the conscience fund Of the Unite
n States Treasury for what she did for Il
r. country during the war. This DR.. Walk
,e I'VE speak Of her frankly, because, thoul
TO she is a woman, she dresses in mans cloth
&c was during the war humbug, Dor
ne and nuisance. The only useful omplo
N ment that we ever knew her to be engagr
ne in was when Gen. Thomas gave her som
H. thing to do as spy but we doubt if h
t services in that capacity we're of mu
i. value, and besides, she has been paid t
It's them. If giving her $4,000 out of t
at conscience fund-and why the conscien
he fund and not the regular appropriation
nd the war department-would put an end
her claims and professions, there might
IN. reason for it but we trust that no bill (
ke her benefit will pass without some provisi
N, for the suppression Of the beneficiary. L
Inf Mary E. Walker is, mildly speaking,
PC fraud.
ty -" Dividends" to the extent of
or- hundred and forty-fye per cent. within
ia year or two, were what the Credit Mobil
va Senators and Congressman " bought VIII
'as they invested in Ames stock, at the til
es. when his company "wanted more friends
to Congress" These splendid dividends We
ng paid out Of the proceeds of the governm,
he bounty to the Union Pacific Rairo.
to The sbrewd Congressman who bougf
lis them first denied that they had " bougt
ed them, and then, when confronted with tn
checks, receipts, letters and accounts,
we the Office of the sergeant-at.arms, viii
p, prove that they did buy" notwithstandi
for their denial, ask "why" they should I
cd have the privilege to "buy" into such
gh good, fat thing. Suppose one of Treasu
er. Spinner's clerks should offer to sell to
mes Senator or Representative a twenty tn,
for rand dollar package of greenbacks"
yer 1920" would the Senator ask "why"
ing should not " buy" into that " investment
ire, And if not, what is the difference betw,
has the Credit Mobilicr" operation and
Of supposed treasury offerl
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