The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-05-12
News and Other Items.


Mr. Bovee, the distinguished opponent of
capital punishment, is about Ito canvass Con-
necticut, with view to the passage of law
forbidding the death penalty.
Messrs. Jarrett and Palmer, will, Oh June 1st.
begin an attempt to travel from Jersey City to
San Francisco in S4 hours by rail. The train,
composed of the fastest engine on the Penn
sylvana Railroad, No. 100, one express car
one parlor car and one Pullman palace car, is
to start at o'clock in the morning and cross
the Mississippi before midnight Of the same
day. The first continuous run Is to be from
New York to Pittsburgh, 4i4 miles in 10 hours.
The next stopping place Is Chicago, and the
New York journals are to be delivered in Chi
cago for:once on the day of publication. After
leaving Chicago the train is to stop only at
Omaha and Ogden, reaching San Francisco on
Sunday, the start having been on Thursday,
the time for dinner. There can be only twenty
passengers, each to have ticket in the form Of
a book, by 2 1-2inches, with covers of solid
silver, engraved;aud embossed. The fare is
$500. "
The Alabama papers are indulging in some
very excusable self-gratulation lover the prom
Using condition of the Industries ofithe state.
ing progress in a single direction. The North
Alabama road in nine months of 1928 for
warded 451 carloads of coal. Last year this
transportation business had grown to 2769 car
loads, and this years figures win be consider
ably larger. These are the statistics of but
single road, and other lines can make an
equally favorable exhibit. THE growth of the
local industries of all kinds is still further
shown by the fact that the proportion of north
to south-bound tonnage on the road mentioned
in 1873 was only 26. 75 per cent; or in other
words nearly three-fourths came to Alabama
from the West and one fourth was sent from
Alabama in return. In 1874 the north Ibound
tonnage increased to 30.14 per cent. ;lin:1S75to
Al. Al per cent, and this year it. will be about
half The resources of the Estate are being de-
veloped at an encouraging rate land prosperity
is not great was ahead.
A London correspondent understands that
the reason why the Queen did not read her own
speech at the opening of Parliment is that she
is now unable.to read without glasses, and it
was thought that the sight of the sovereign in
spectacles would look little unmaiestic.
The Chinese question is beginning to excite
great interest in British Columbia. A de-
spatch from there says a resolution passed the
house without debate, declaring it expedieut
that the government take steps to prevent the
province from being overrun by the Chinese. to
the Injury of the whte.population.
At a meeting of the Germans in New York.
Wednesday night, it was stated that associa-
tons had been formed in all the states, to insist
at the next fall election. that the German Ian.
guage be taught in the common schools. 1s
The bricklayers employed at the western end
of the new Lackawanna tunnel. refused to 20
to work Wednesday, because the contractor
had stored 400 pounds of ''rend rock" powder
few feet from where they worked
Over one hundred railroad and steamboat
companies have agreed to carry delegates to
the national Democratic convention, at half
rates and others win join the arrangements.
George, only son of Jonas Barker of Frank
lin. N. H., aged q years, was drowned yester-
day afternoon in a trout pond. .ruf-tu
The dwelling of Slas Spenk. 10 East Green
wich, Conn.,, was entered by false keys We'd
nesdav evening while the family were absent,
and robbed of $500 in money and $3.50 in notes.
The residence of Chester Pike of Cornish, N.
H., situated near the village of Windsor. Vt,
was entirely destroyed yesterday morning by
fire caused by defective chimney. Loss $780,
900; insurance $11 900. .,,r {. d. s e.s,-
In Newport, yesterday morning. Mrs. A. III.
Carson committed suicide by shooting herself
with revolver. She was the victim of a felo-
nious outrage some months ago, and has since
been wholly or partially insane. -glrs5.
A letter from Havana reports severe battle
in Remedies county between the insurgents and
inv tho laik ia
feated, with the loss of most of their artillery
and between FIVE and six hundred men killed,
wounded and prisoners. f.os....,f..
Working women in France on an average
earn but little more than half the wages earned
by men.
The San Francisco Bulletin says that there
are about two and a half million acres Of wheat
maturing for harvest in that state, the largest
acreage ever sown there. It estimates the pro-
duct at about 100000 bushels, against 3O,-
24S.571 in 1874
A stay of execution for an Traditional week
was granted by Judge Dillon in the Mckee and
Mcguire cases at st. Louis, Wednesday, but
Mckee was required to give an additional bond
of S25, 90 and Mcguire $1,000 Mckee and his
counsel stated in court that there was a reas-
enable prospect that bis sentence would be
commuted.
Terre Haute Ind, needs missionaries, as
they arrange for, advertise and play base ball
matches on Sunday.
Experiments as to the penetrating power Of
colored light show that the blues are not visi-
BILE half a league off, and should not be used as
lighthouse signals. White, red and green
lights can be seen the farthest. The green
looks like white light when seen at distance
and should be used only in contrast.
Mrs. Lucas. sister Of Mr.. John Bright, Mrs.
Parker of Dundee, and Mother Stewart have
been selected by the women of England as del
egates to the Women's Convention on the tenn
perance question, which meets in Philadelphia