The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1875-08-03

A genuine American crocodile has
been found and killed in Florida 1t
measured IA feet in length, and is in the
possession of Prof Ward, of the Syra-
cuse University The existence in Amer
ica Of any approach to the crocodile near
er than the alligator has heretofore been
disputed.
The Liverpool Post doesn't mind the
victory won by the American Rifle
Team, but objects to the Yankees car.
rying off so much bullion from Ireland,
(which that country can ill afford to
lose" 1t estimates the American win
nings in bets al Sl50,000
There is an encouraging piece Of news
from Europe, to the effect that Russia
and Germany "intend to grant military
furIoughs on large scale next year."
and that Austria will probably follow
their example, in order to prove "that
the alliance between the three Emper-
ors is worth something"
A summary OF losses of fire insurance
companies for the first six months of
the year shows that they aggregate
more than the entire losses for 1874 =
The losses this year have fallen not up
on great cities, but upon country towns,
on property destroyed in which the in
surance companies have paid about S26-
100000.
Counterfeits Of the fifty cent fractional
currency are in circulation. They can
he told from the genuine by obs erving
the embossed die between the signature
Of John Allison, Register, and F E
Spinner, Treasurer. In the genuine the
circle Of dots can be seen distinctly, but
in the counterfeit the die appears with a
scolloped edge and a heavy black snr-
rounding.
Notwithstanding the immense indem-
nifty paid ny France to Germany, there is
a deficiency in the German Budget for
the presentyea estimated at $5.000,000
The public revenue of the empire, $780,
451, 900, is inadequate to meet the de-
mands on the treasury, and new taxes are
proposed The interest on the debt OF the
empire is about 81 .000, 600 per year.
The policy OF contraction has been
chosen to benefit the money lenders, the
National Banks and all OF those who
thrive off the misfortunes of others, until
now trade is paralyzed, business is at a
stand still, the laboring men are out OF
employ yment, their families starving and
ragged, and no one can foresee what the
end will be. -
The historical Chateau Of Vaux, which
was built by the great Intendant of Fl
nance. FOuquet, in the reign Of Louis
XIV, has just been knocked down to a
sugar refner for about 100000. To
build his chateau and make his park Fo-
quet had to sweep away several villages,
and palace and gardens cost him the
enormous sum of1S,0O 900 liFres (now-
aduys 35,o00,0oOE)
The Detroit News says that Frank
Blair had promising future before him
when young man, but deplores that his
life vas "failure." And yet there are
probably writers on Detroit newspapers
who will never be United States Senators
nor Major Generals in the army, nor res
cue State from Observation-Disclosures
NeUs.
A project is on foot Of laying gutta
percha tube, six inches in diameter, a,
the bottom - the ocean from Trinity
Bay, Newfoundland, to Valencia, Ire
land, through which metal cylinders, a
foot in length, containing letters, papers,
and packages Of the size usually inclu-
ded in third class mail matter, are to be
drawn by pneumatic pressure,th air be-
ing exhausted at one end and forced in
at the other. The tube is TO be laid in
the same manner as the Atlantic cable
A Long Branch correspondent says
II saw Mrs. Algernon Sartoris, nee
Nellie Grant, on the balcony Of the
Presidential mansion this afternoon
She was looking pale and wan, but ra-
diant smile Of seeming happiness rested
upon her pleasant, kindly ceuntenance
We think great deal of the little lady
here; none but the poor in this village
know her many past acts of charity and
benevolence to both white and black. -
Her babe is fine boy, resembling much
its good little mother"
The Japanese ambassadors to Eu-
rope we're greatly amused at the sight
of piano. In describing it on their
return home one of them said, at was
great trunk set on three legs A wo-
man sits in front of this and tickling q
sort of tail it has with her toe, produ-
ces variety Of sounds by beating rap
idly with her fingers on number OF
little bits Of ivory in front of it." Ii q
piano and woman makes such an i'm,
preston on him, what would he say il
he saw hand organ and monkey.
A drop of perspiration has caused a
terrible explosion in the Pyrotechnie
School at Toulon. A naval lieutenant
was filing bottle with dynamite, gun
cotton, and phosphate of calcium, and
the story is that drop of perspiration
from his forehead falling, under certain
conditions, on matter not explosive
without coming into contact with water,
produced the catastrophe. At any rate,
three persons were killed on the spot
Another proof of the danger Of water
Simon BoufIard, the famous rag pick
ers' banker of Paris, is dead. He was
over so, and for more than 40 years had
pursued his calling of lending money to
rag -pickers at Is per cent interest, taking
whatever rags they might possess as Sc,
curity. In this way he had amassed 8
fortune of several thousand pounds His
only companions were cat and a mon
key, and when found dead the cat was
playing with his head and the monkey
had on his cap and spectacles Having
no relatives, Simon's fortune goes to tht
State.