Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1874-05-29

were but thirty-slN newspapers published
in all the land. In View Hampshire, one !;
Massachusetts, six; Rhode Island, two !;
Connecticut. four; New York, tour; Penn
sylvania, nine Maryland, two; Virginia,
two North Carolina, two South Carroll
ma, three and Georgia, one.
In 1870 we had 1895 weekly newspapers,
with circulation of 10, ,594, ,643. We had,
at the same time, GA daily papers, with
circulation of 2,60l, ,547; 107 tri-weekly
newspapers, making with the monthly and
quarterly publications a grand total of
5S71, with a circulation Of 20, ,S42, 475, and
the enormous aggregate of 1,5OS, ,54S, $50
copies issued annually.
The history of the newspaper press in
this country, and Of its steady advance
ment and magnificent success, would be
but the history Of the country ITSELF De-
Tending, educating or leading public opin-
ion, it has, as a rule, been found in the ad-
vance in all measures of progress and re-
form, and who so bold as to venture TO con-
lecture how much this country is to-day
| indebted 10 this agency, fostered, encou-
ragged, and protected by the people and the
Government as il has been in the past, for
our national greatness, property and re-
renown These weekly newspapers, let
me add, reaching as they do every fireside,
every workshop, every abode of civilized
life, and shedding their rays of intelligence
even in the remote and waste places not
penetrated by other means or agencies Of
education and information, exert an infiu-
ence at once too powerful TO be neglected,
and Of far too much national Importance
not to command and receive the respectful
consideration of the representatives of the
American people.
Mr.. Packer is one of the most modest
and retiring, yet one Of the most industri-
Gus and useful publicists. His opinions
are those of his constituents he speaks
clearly and forcibly upon every important
subject, and distinguished donors await
him in the near future. PHILADELPHIA Al
Dag City Item, of the 24th May.
AMONG other business the following,
which is of Importance to the membership,
was transacted by the Grand Lodge of
Pennsylvania, /. .. o. F.. at its sessions
iu Philadelphia
Brother Otto Schoetter, the First Noble
Grand Of Wurtemberg Lodge, No. i, Of
Germany, and also Grand Secretary of the
Grand Lodge of the German Empire, was
introduced to the body.
Resolutions OF thanks to the retiring
Grand Master were passed, and $500 ap-
propriated TO procure suitable testimoni-
al.
A resolution providing for four special
sessions of the Grand Lodge to be held dur
ing the year in different portions of the
State for the admission of new members
and conferring the Grand Lodge degree,
was submitted and referred.
Resolutions to appoint committee Of
seven to revise the constitution of the Grand
Lodge and Subordinate Lodges; to ap-
point historiographer 10 write the early
history Of the order in Pennsylvania {; rela-
tive to the founding of an asylum for aged
Odd Fellows, preventing District Deputy
Grand Masters from acting as agents in
furnishing lodges with regalia or other par
aphernalia and instrucling the Grand
Representatives to procure legislation by
the Grand Lodge of the United States de-
finins the responsibility Of subordinate
lodges to each other in granting aid to
brothers other than sick or funeral benefits,
were adopted.
The appropriations for the current year
were all approved as reported by the Fin
ance Committee, except that for the salary
of the Grand Secretary, which was in
creased to 81, 800.
The resolution appended to the report,
fixing the per capita tax at ten cents per
term for each member, being under con-
sideration. a motion TO strike out ten cents
and insert eight was offered, which led to
a long and animated discussion. The vote
being taken on the amendment, it was lost,
and The original resolution, making the per
capita tax ten cents, was adopted by large
majority.
The committee to whom was referred
the subject of the Centennial Celebration
submitted report, recommending that IN
view of the fact that the Grand Lodge OF
the United States had been invited to hold
its session in Philadelphia in 1876, some
demonstration suitable to the occasion
should be arranged, and suggest that
public parade and general reunion of the
order from all parts of the country be made
one of the principal features.
Resolutions recommending subordinate
lodges to assess their members two cents
per week, to be set aside as a fund for the
erection Of Temple. were adopted.
Dispensations were granted to all lodges
who desire to do so, to parade in regalia on
on Decoration day.
John Romick and brother were at work
in field on side Hill near Williamsburg,
on Friday afternoon last. They had gone
there with a two-horse team with the wa
gon loaded with potatoes and had locked
the wagon, unhitched the horses and were
working them. a six-year-oid daughter
of John Romick, baby and two boys of
his brother, commenced playing in the
wagon. After some time, the lock of the
wagon became lOosened, and the wagon
started down the hill. The boys managed
to lump out without injury but the others