The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1875-07-22
EDITORIAL NOTES.

crate brass band.
The Democracy Of Indiana county
have nominated Ex-Governor Bigler for
Governor, and the Ex-Governor tells
them that tiny personal desires shall
not interfere with my duty to my party
and my State"
Peter B. Sweeney, one of New York's
big thieves will return from Paris, un-
der an agreement between his counsel
and the District Attorney, whereby
Sweeney agrees to give bail in the sum
of S150,000 to meet the indictments
against him.
Europe has FIVE millions Of soldiers
all ready for fighting, with fifteen
thousand cannon and a million and a
quarter of horses; its united fleets con-
sist of 2,039 vessels, manned by $780,
600 sailors and carrying fifteen thousand
guns. The cost of these immense arma-
ments is five hundred and sixty mil
lions of dollars annually, three.fifths of
the amount being consecrated to the
armies.
BY recent Act of Congress twenty
five cadet engineers, U. s. Navy are to
be appointed by the Secretary OF the
Navy annually on the recommendation
of the Academic Board, under whose
supervisors and direction the competi-
tive examination is held in September
at the Naval Academy. The appoint
ment is not within the patronage of any
member Of Congress, but may be Sc
cured by any smart boy possessing
ambition and self-reliance enough to
help himself, The plan is one which
cannot fail to work well, inasmuch as
the rigid examination of the boald will
leave no douot of the aspirant's qualifi-
cations, and each boy will stand upon
his own merits, 7ith no favors to ex
pect and no patron at his back.-Eric
Dispatch.
The residence OF James Mcmillan,
at Warren, Pa, was partially destroyed
by fire on Monday morning last week
The house was occupied by Mr.. J. H.
Bowman and family, and Miss Fanny
and Mr.. Robert McMullan. Mr.. B.
and child had narrow escape.
Through great exertions on the part of
the citizens and fire department por-
tion of the furniture, and clothing of
the family were saved. Mr.. Bowman
had just returned from Pittsburg with
over 81 100 which, as the banks were
closed, he placed in a closet with a
quantity of silver ware with which it
was destroyed. The fire was caused
by the explosion of a lamp. The house
was valued a $4,000 but was insured
for $4,000. Insurance on furniture
$1,000.
The New York Times speaking of the
potato says: Of all products of the soil
there are none, except perhaps few
cereals, whose cultivation ought to be
better understood than that Of the
potato. 1t is the most valuable of our
vegetables, and the most generally
grown, and it is also the one which has
been often affected by serious disaster.
1t is; however, at intervals during the
current century that the potato crops
have suffered most. In 1922 much
loss was felt by the potatoes rotting
almost as soon as they were out of the
ground. In 1881 and 1888 the "taint"
destroyed the crops. In lS45 and fol-
lowing years murraln, or "potato
disease" as it was specifically called led
to famine and much suffering. During
recent years dry rot, aphldes, fungi, or
some unknown cause has, affected the
potatoes, and in macy instances des.
troyed them. Three centuries nearly
have passed since this vegetable was in
troduced into Europe, and although
there are recorded instances where the
supply was almost ruined by frosts, it is
chiefly within the last fifty years only
that it has failed from disease. Whether
the art of cultivating the potato has
been lost; whether we have imprecepti-
bly, glided into methods of culture that
are not suitable; or whether any change
has come over the plant itself, are ques-
tions undetermined. But there seems
little room for doubt that the subject is
one which deserves the most Careful at
tention of practical agriculturiSts and
men of science. 1t is one which so in
timately affects the interests of the COM
munity generally that it cannot easily
receive too much consideration.
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New York, July 16-The JOINT COM
IL