The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1875-11-18
TIMELY TOPICS.

TIMELY IOIlCS.
THE public debt was reduced about
four millions during the month of Oc-
tobcr.
THE Frecdmans Bank at Washington
has commenced paying to dcposilors the
twenty per cent. dividend decided on
some weeks ago.
GEN. GARFIELD says that he intends
to move n repeal Of the law increasing the
postage upon newspapers as soon as con
grcss assemblies.
THEY have recently had the seventh
annual cat show in the Crystal Palace,
London The highest priced cat was val
ued by its owner at $50, 600, but itdidn't
get the first prize. "Tommy Dodd, aged
nine years, valued at $500 was the win
ncr. There were over five hundred cats
exhibited.
COFFEE drinkers will please remember
that the crop reports do not hold out any
comforting assurances. A falling off has
been reported all around. Of old Java
there is a considerable falling Off Rio
shows still more marked diminution,
though there is some coffee of the pre-
vious crop left over. The islands near
Java show decrease of about fifty per
cent. in production.
IT is a significant fact that the gram
trade of New York has fallen off this year
1S,772,5 $40 bushels as compared with last
wear, while the delivery at Baltimore is
greater than last last. Philadelphia also
shows gain. When our southern rail
way system is made what it ought to be,
Charleston, Port Royal and Savannah will
export more grain, flour and meat than
any other Atlantic cities.
PEOPLE who write letters will find in
struction in the facts shown in the report
of the dead letter Office last year. Some
3,GiO,797 letters went astray, mainly
through carclessness in directing. There
was taken out of these letters the aston
ishingly large sum of S3,5OO,OOO. All OF
this was returned to its owners with the
exception of 100000, which remains as
profit to the Post-ofcc Department.
FITzROY, believed to have been chief
in the organization of the whiskey ring
at st. Louis, went into court Tuesday,
and, to the dismay of his counsel, pleaded
guilty to all the counts in the Indictment
against himself Thorpe, a late store
keeper, also threw himself on the mercy
of the court. This action is considered
at st. Louis as the most significant epl-
sodc in the downfall of the once formid-
able underground organization.
A COMPARATIVE analysis of the public
debt statement published shows de-
crease in legal tenders during the last
month of S705, 900. and in fractional cur
rcncy of 100000. The Treasury bal
ancc increased nearly $ll 100000. The
fvc-twenties of 1862 have disappeared
from the interest bearing debt, having
been absorbed by the new iivcs. The
SlO,O0O,O 900 of 1864 bonds called in, leave
but about $l2,O0O,0OO of the new iives
not taken. There are about SS,OOO,OO
of the new '6is still outstanding, and
they will be called in before the 10Th
inst.
SAYS an English paper: A sample of
condensed milk, weighing about one hun
hundred pounds, was exhibited ut the
rooms of the Society of Arts and an in
tcrcsting experiment made thereon. This
mammonth piece of solified fluid was
prepared by Hooker's process. 1t had
been exposed to the action of the air Tor
four wears and three months, yet its
quality was 50 excellent that in Il few
minutes it was resolved, by churning,
into good fresh butter. This trial was
only one of a series made at the lntcrna-
tional Exhibition, South Kensington, and
elsewhere. In each case the same salts
factory result was obtained.
LARGE quantities of provisions are go,
ing to Cuba. The City of Vera Cruz took
ont n full load, and two extra steamer,
leave for the same destination In con
sequence of the arrival in Havana of one
hundred and fifty thousand troops, it il
surmised that the provisions are intended
for them. The cereals taken out includ,
rice and wheat in vast quantities, an'
when the seven thousand more Spanisl
troops land, it is supposed that the ex
port of breadstuffs will be doubled. AL
steamers which have recently sailed 70
Havana have been packed as far as satet.
would admit. The demand for space il
steamers, billed to leave within the mex
two weeks, is greater than the capacit.
of the vessels. In consequence, severa
extra steamers will leave within tn
fortnight.
VALUE OF BOoKs.-So precious Wer
books in the dark ages that donations
them are recorded as acts ofsignal genel
osity, deserving perpetual generosity |
$50 the king of Northumberland CAV
500 acres of land for one book cOntainln