Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-04-16

Published regularly on TU ESDAYS, THURS
DAYS and SATURDAYS, at FIVE DOLLARS
PER ANNUM, payable in advance. j..
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CALIFORNIA. PROSPECTS. The San Francis
CO Chronicle paints the following bright hued
picture of California's prospects during the
ccming year:
"ln business, as 10 nature, the spring fore
casts the year, aud Judging by present appear
auces an unusually favorable year awaits the
farmer, the merchant, the artisan, the miner,
and the manufacturer. The abundant rains of
winter have almost placed the growing wheat
crops beyond the risk of failure: The area of
land sown is everywhere increased, 10 some
places doubled, and the prospective yield is es-
timated at 80, 0OO, 900 centals. worth $6O,000,-
600. The rain has also benefited the miners
and large increase 10 the yield Of gold is an
tcipated. The spring trade over all portions
Of the State is opening with unusual promise.
The number Of country buyers from all parts of
the coast is very large, and the demand for
goods in San Francisco is active beyond prece
dent. A lively trade In teas with Chicago, st.
Louis, and other Eastern centres, has sprung
up siuce the beginning of the year, and cofees
have been sent by our merchants as far as Phil
adep phia. Even rice is finding its way East
over the railroad. The quantity Of salmon pack
Gu lulS seaSOu VIII UC uIty pei Ccut dicdu VI
last year, and the manufacture OF case goods
for the Euglish and Eastern markets will show
a similar development The manufacture of
boots and shoes will be much larger than last
year. aud many new enterprises, including
factory for the production of rubber goods, are
about being started. Everywhere new buildings
are springing up, and are being rented as fast
as completed Money is abundant our import
aud export trade is large and flourshing, and
everything forecasts year of plenty and pros
perlty.
DEATH OF FREDDY COMBS. The coroner of
New York city was called on on Friday last to
hold an Inquest on the body of Freddy Coombs,
who died at tenement house in that city,
aged 73 years, on Thursday evening. Old
Freddy's quaint costume, the garb of Revo-
lutiouary soldier, knee breeches three corner
ed hat, large steel shoe buckles, and wearing
long white hair hanging down over his should
ers, his handsome face, and happy smile will
be remembered we'll by many who used to see
him wandering through the streets, the corri-
doris of the Capitol and Departments, and the
aisles of the theaters in Washington and on
King street in this city trying to sell his books
and photographs He bore a striking resemb
lance to Benjamin Frapklin, and claimed to be
the inventor of the camera obscura electric
telegraph, and steam wagon; dressed 10 knee
breeches buckskin coat, and three cornered
hat, aud travelled from city to city vending his
little wares. For some weeks last summer he
held high carnival at the corner OF Seventh
street and Pennsylvania avenue, showing his
electrical apparatus. He was long resident
of California, where he was known to every
one, and was always treated pleasantly and
kindly MIR. Coombs died Of heart disease.
He was born in England.
Tue MYSTERY OF THE DAUPIN.-A certain
mystery has always shrouded the death of
Louis XVI's miserable son. No chapter in
the grim annals of the revolution is more revolt
Ing than that which records the slow torment by
which the vulgar tyrants Of the committee Of
public safety wore the life out of their wretch
ed little prisoner. After being used most vile
ly as an instrument of mortal tortue against
his happy mother, the boy was given over to
the shoemaker Simon, and for months lies
perishng" says Carlyle, with rather mis-
placed sarcasm, ''amiud squalor and darkness,
lamcntably, so as none but poor factory child.
ren and the like are wont to perish, and not to
be lamented." In this misery, however. as all
the world, believed at the time, the Dauphn
did die, aud the revolutionary government at
tempted 10 place the fact beyond dispute by
drawing up formal and authenticated docu-
ments certifying his death and burial. The
rights of the House of Bourbon then passed to
the brothers of Louis XVI--to the childless
Comte de Province, aftcrward Louis XVIII,
and to the Comte d'Arnois who succeeded his
brother as Charles X, and whose grandson,
the posthumous SOD Of the Due de Berr, IS
now the object of Legitimist aspirations. LON
dom 1IneS
THE SLEEPING CAR MoNoPoLY.-The Pull
man Palace Car Company enjoy the monopoly
of their special business on all the railroads of
the United States aud they are now extending
their operations 10 Europe. Like all great mo-
nopolies they do many things not exactly fair
to the public or their own employees. They
employ upwards of one thousand conductors,
of one hundred dollars in cash, as security for
the honest performance of his duty. On the
aggregate amount, 100000, the company pay
no interest This sum at six per cent. yields
this immense monopoly sum OF $6, OOO per
year The Pullman Car Company should RENE
dy this, and be as just as the gas company mo-
uopoes Of the country who pay seven per cent.
on gas meter deposits. Iu the Legislature of
Illinois bill has just been introduced to pre-
vent unjust discrimination and extortlon by the
Pullman Palace Car Company, and other COM
rauies running sleeping coaches on the railway
lines in that State, and flx reasonable maxi
mum rates for the same. The sleeplug car ar
rangement however, with their excellent at
tendance is a great boon to travellers on long
journeys. s.-Bah. Sun.
DETERMINED ACTION. In Mount Vernon, L.
linos, Mrs. Wilson, accompanied by her sister
in-law, Mrs. Watson, went to drug store the
other day and demanded the prescription upon
which, 10 consequence of prohibtory law, her
husband had been in the habit of obtaining IL
quor. The clerk refused to give it up, but ad-
vised her to 60 to the doctor who issued it and
have him revoke it. Mrs. Wilson then told
him that if he did not give up the prescription