The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1874-03-07
TOPICS OF THE TIMES.

a bill of some importance was passed at
the close of last week by the House of Rep
resentatives, relating to the public lands.
It gives quarter section of land to any
person, who, within eight years, shall have
planted one-fourth of it with trees, and
kept them in good condition, and it reduces
the term of residence required Of a home
stead settler by two years, where one-eighth
of the land has been planted with trees,
and cultivated. In the course Of the. debate
witAss- satorestiug orle--lI y saa xssGe ot
cutting, the land in the United States now
yielding trees for heavy timber would be
entirely stripped. The bill isa modification
of an existing law. It shortens the time
from ten to eight years, but allows the trees
to be planted ten acres each year, and
reduces the fees from 1924 to $14. The bill
is asked for by a very great number OF
petitioners, and Western members say the
privileges it gives will be much appreciated.
The two machines which best exhibit
what the ingenuity of man can do are the
watch and the railroad engine. That a
machine SO small that you may cover it
with your fingers in the palm OF your hand
should be so exquisitely constructed that it
reduces the element of time almost to
absolute accuracy, in spite of contractions
and expansions of cold and heat-so firmly
put together that it feels no disturbance of
jars in the train, jolts in carriages, nor the
endless motions of ones person, riding,
running, rowing, jumping-so strong and
firm, and yet to be made of parts as fine as
a hair and far more supple-must excite
admiration in every one who reflects upon
the great difficulties to be overcome, and
how nearly they are entirely vanquished.
There are some who regard the railroad
engine as still more wonderful. The per-
fection to which 1t is now brought makes it
a marvel which no familiarity seems in the
least to diminish. The tremendous power
which it generates, the capacity of draught,
the speed it attains, it's perfect docility, the
ease with which it does its complicated
work, have no parallel among human inven-
tions.-Nat. Car Builder.
For many years the reader, of news head
ed "South America" might have been
astonished not to find that one or two
rebellions or counter-rebellions were making
hopeful progress or were about to be sup
pressed within few weeks. Cuba seems
lately to have entered upon the same course
of making history. For. the four years
since the breaking ont Of the rebellion in
that island, hardly mail has come from
Havana without the intelligence that the
rebels were upon the point of surrendering.
Now accompanying the proclamation of the
new Captain-general, comes another predic-
ton, a,little more modest than nsaaal, to tho
effect that the rebels may possibly hold out
six months longer. ae
We have observed no remarkable change
in affairs there to warrant any prediction
on either side. The rebellion in the eastern
department seems to be about as earnest
and strong as it has ever been. The rebels,
though few have the advantage of being
united, while each successive Captain-gen-
eral has begun to suppress the rebellion in
earnest only to find his efforts embarrassed
by divisions in the rear We see no indica-
tions of a change now.