Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-04-19

considered ia Committee OF the Whole, after
which the Senate adjourned.
| la The House oil Representatives a bill ex-
tending the time for the construction oil the
Texas aud Pacific Railway was introduced. ln
the Alabama contested election a unanimous
report was submitted against the claim of the
contestant, Bromberg, and 10 favor of the sit
ting member, Harason, and it was adopted. A
majority aud minority report from the same
committee was presented III the Florida con-
tested election casc-that of Walls against
F.n!ay-buI no vote was taken. The Washing
ton, Cincinnati and St. Louis Railroad bill was
made the special order for Tuesday, May 2.
and number OF other bills were Introduced
and appropgiately referred. A bill was nitro
duced for The relief Of the Washington and
Ohio Railroad Company. Al the evening SEES
STOP the bill to trausier tic Indian Bureau 10
the War Department was considered.
SPARE THAT TREE-Peope scarcely realize
tho immense consumption Of our forests annu-
ay ana that the demand for lumber, railroad
ties ami fuel is far in excess of the annual
crow il of forest trees. lu the New York
World we fad few statistics Oh this subject
which deserve TO be studied. For ralroan ties
alone the cuu4trY annually requires "a, $50, 900
cubic feet, equal to RS, 5l5 cords OF wood, to
supply whic' a. least 1000 OUO cords OF stand
iug timber have 10 be cut wo. NJ t. Maury
estimates the annual YIELD of the Virginia for
ests at about fifty cords III acre. So that about
30 900 acres OF woodland arc yearly cleared to
suprty cur railroads with ties. This is de-
uand that will iucrease rapidly, as railroad
building is one OF our special enterprises. 10
some places it is evidently regarded as az
amuScmcn.-the more the building the more
the fun.
About sc, 900, 900 cords of wood, denudlng
perhaps GU, 200 acres, are annually consumed
as fuel. lroo tuuudrles use up about 500
acres Of fuel in the farm OF charcoal Ia year.
The annual Consumption of the country ID
IuuIncr Is 10000 100000 feet, representing
1000 900 acres. Twenty five million acres OF
wo ii were dos ,oyci t. fAnce the cOuOtry,
aud it r, uuire- ab III . 800 OUU annully to keep
the fcrcss 10 repair. Tnc total annual con
sumption of forests is about 500 900 acres.
Our forest lands are estimated $50, 900 OOO
arr. 5, % hat al the prc>eLt rate .! cunsump-
ton they will last less tban 100 years.
After making allowance, for the growth of
tiub1 il, tia; time, We SIC no way BY which
| the newt bic eau be avtriGG-thc OblltcritlOn
OF our forests at 90 distant day. Such will be
| tie case upess the country Is aroused 10 the
importance Of tree culture without delay. ln
| some places frivolous attempts have been made
10 this direction. Bat the result Is 100 insight
fcaut to be mcntIoued in the problem how 10
| keep ahead of toresT consumption. That a
general systematic plan will be adopted and car
ried out W. have 40 reason to doubt, but 1t will
not become Of moment unti! the general scarcity
| OF wood Tor the various uses 0f our CIVILIZATION
shall have become serious TheD We will begin
the practice of that economy which ought to
prevail now, and the putting in operation OF a
tree culture equal to the cxigency.
| LEGENDS OF GENESIS.-Mr. George Smith,
who had charge OF the expedition sent 10 As
syria by the London Telegraph, has been BUSH
| y engaged since his return in arranging the
Inscriptions he found buried 10 Chaldcao and
Assyriau mounds. With several small pieces
iu the British museum collection, he has sue
cecdcd in obtaining continuous series of le-
gends giving the history Of the world from the
creation DOVE to some period alter the fall OF
man. Linkei with some OF these he also
| found other legends on primitive history. iu-
Guiding the story Of the building of the tower
of Babel and OF the confusion Of tongues.
Smith will publish iuI account and trausla-
ton Of these Genesis legends In arcceut let
ter to the Telegraph, he says
The narrative on the Assyran tablets com
mcnccs With description of the period before
tho world was created when there existed
chaos Of confusion. The chaos is presided over
| by a female power named Tlsal4t and Tiamat,
corresponding TO the Thalatth Of Berosus; but
as it proceeds the As-yrIan account agrees rath.
er with the Bible than with the short account
from Berosus We are told, 10 the inscription.
of the fall of the celestial being who appears 10
correspond to Satan. 10 his ambition he raises
his hand agaln>t the sanctuary of the God or
Heaven and the description of Him is really
magnificent. This rebellion leads to a war 10
Heaven and the conquest oil the powers OF evil,
the gods IN due course creating the universe 10
apes, as in the Mos lie narrative, surveying
each sep of the work and pronouncing it good.
The Irvine wrk eliminates 10 the creation OF
mao, whnis Ma e upright and free from evil,
aud endowed By the gods with the noble facul.
ty of speech The Deity then delivers a long
address to the unwl created belog, lnstrucing
him all his duties and privileges, and pointing
out the glory of his state. But this condition
of blessing does not las; long before mao, yield.
ing to temptation, fall; and the Deity then
pro ounces upon him terrible curse, iuvokiog
on his mead all the evils which have since al
u cted humanity.
The WILL OF BISHOP JoHNs.-The last
will and testament of the late Bishop John
Johns was admitted to probate in the County
Court Of Fairfax couuty.oo the 18th inst. HE
property is bequcathed as follows: The farm
near the Seminary. on which he resided, is left
to bis single daughter (who is also the residusry
legater of his pc soua estatc;) ! farm on West
river, Maryland, he divides between his two
sons, Arthur and keusay; an interest 10 farm
in Orange county, he gives to his daughter.
Mrs. Pey,ou; and SIS 900 in bonds and stocks,
he divides between his wife, his sou, John
Johos, jr., of Richmond, aod his daughter,
Mrs. Mason. He also gives some minor lcga
cieS, including one Of 800 % his faithful ser
want Albert" The pr;s nal property is dlvld-
ed am, ing Mrs and Mis- has, except some