The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1874-07-18
TOPICS OF THE TIMES.

In an ordinary piano there are fifteen
kinds of wood, namely: Pine, maple. spruce,
cherry, walnut. whitewood, apple, birch,
mahogany, ebony, holly, cedar, beech, aud
! rosewood, from Honduras, Ceylon, England
and South America. There are used of the
! metals, iron, steel, brass, white metal, gun
metal and lead. There are in an instru-
ment of seven and halfoctaves PA strings,
making a total length of 7S7 feet of white
(covering) wire. Snch a piano will weigh
from 600 to 1000 pounds.
The number OF railroad ties in present
use in the United States is 100000 000 A
cut of 200 ties to the acre is above the aver
age, requiring the product of 75O, 900 acres
of well timbered land to furnish the supply.
Railroad ties last about five years; 30,oO0,-
| 900 ties are used annually for repairs. The
rsanliufaeture of rolling stock dispoSeR of
$50, 600 acres and a fully supply of 100000
acres more every year. Our railroads are
stripping the country at the rate OF 1,0OO,-
0O0 acres per annum.
The Boston correspondent of the Spring
field Republican thinks the nomination OF
Mr.. CASTOR for Governor of Massachusetts,.
by the Democrats is certain, and adds
.' But it is so evident that that they ought
~ dO bClCSis bilCiC W NC oc1aC
talk Of nominating Charles Francis Adams,
who could so easily be elected over any
Republican candidate, and who could then,
perhaps, step into the Senate for the long
term, leaving another Lieutenant-Gov
in the chair"
1t will cost sixty million of francs and
three years labor to fortify Paris against
foreign enemies. The line o. defence is to
be pushed as far as Versailles and Monte
mercy. so that an invading army would
henceforth have to form belt OF 120 in
stead of 60 miles. The advanced forts will
be four to six miles distant, and the inter-
vening spaces will be covered by the cross
fire of powerful artillery. The circle Of
| out-works will thus be sufficiently large to
enable the army to subsist and move outside
of the city itself. and at the same time suf-
| ficiently circumscribed to prevent an enemy
| from taking up position between two
forts.
The Hungarians are said to be the only
people in Europe whose national hymn con-
templates the possibility of the utter de-
structiOn of their nation. After saying that
it is impossible that SO much patriotism
should fail of success, that so many heroic
hearts should have died for their fatherland
in vain, that the better days must come
after which so many devout souls yearn, the
poet (Rorosmarty) adds:
Or the. shall come, ii there must come. glorious
death, when over its grave stands lion in blood
And the tomb into whici nation sinks the people
surround; and in the eyes Of millions is seen the
tear of sorrow
The Chicago Tribune repeats a rumor,
without, however, giving the source from
which it was obtained, that the question
whether America is to have cardinal at
Rome or not has at length been settled.
The rumor is to the effect that the honor
will be conferred upon James A. MacMas-
Journal The 7fsbuas 7tl refers TO sris faet:
not generally understood, that this clerical
dignity is not necessarily given to ordained
priests, not few members of the sacred
college having risen no Ii h in holy orders
than deacon. There are cardinal bishops,
cardinal priests and cardinal deacons, and
of the latter class are are some of the most
distinguished Of the cardinals. Cardinal
Antonell, one of the most notable princes
of the church, is only a cardinal deacon.
and instances might be given where laymen
have been made deacons and Immediately
thereafter made cardinals. 1t is therefore
not impossible that the rumored dignity
may await Mr.. MacMaster, although 1T
must be admitted that it seems highly i'm
probable.