The Portland daily press., 1877-02-13
News and Other Items.

A kentucky man recently hanged himself IN
an ice-house. He knew where he would keep
Mardi Gras means Shrove Tuesday. or the
day before Lent. That is why the New York
ers will celebrate it the Wednesday after Eas-
ter.
Barely, the French astronomer, discovered
new comet on the 9Th in right ascension II
hours 13 minutes, declension 10 37i SOUTH daily
motion plus minute "A seconds in right ascen-
sion and plus 80 y in declination. The comet
has brilliant, round nucleus.
The South Carolina state conference of the
African Methodist church was in session at Co
lumbia when the news came that the electoral
commission had decided in fav or Of the Hayes
electors in Florida. The only way for the dar-
kies to express their excited feelings was by
singing "Hold the Fort for Hayes and Wheel
err
The English medical journals ara again dis
cussing the subject of color blindness, and give
statistics which show it surprisingly wide
spread. At Edinburgh, over II per cent. of the
persons examined were affected; in England.
from to II per cent. in Prussia. 1875 per cent;
and in Russia and Sweden the percentage is
said to be much higher. The colors which
cause the most trouble are unfortunately, red
and green, those used for signals on both land
and water.
Nearly 100000 Germans are settled in some
40 counties of Texas. particularly Conal and
Guadalupe, and they are highly successful as
sgrculturists. In nearly every instance they
began as day laborers, and have now comforta-
homes full grain houses, and barns finer than
tbarr Tho r%of
county, SO far, has been more developed, and
along the Cibolo there are a number of splen-
did farms, and some of the largest houses of
Galveston get almost their whole support from
them.
Among the projects recently considered for
shortening the ocean passage between Europe
and America is that of constructing railway
across Newfoundland, connecting with swift
steamers on each side, thus shortening the
ocean passage several days. as the train from
the island would only occupy three days. An
other project, which would shorten the passage
about one half, is that of building railroad
from New Glasgow, N. S., to Whitehaven, the
most easterly point on the continent and about
1000 miles from New York, by which the ocean
voyage would be shortened to five days.
Bessie Turner is making strenuous effort to
get position on the dramatic stage, and re-.
Gently concluded contract with the manager
of the Halifax theatre through a New York
theatrical agency. The next day the managers
courage, like that of Bob Acres, oozed out at
his fingers ends, and he implored the agency
to destroy the fatal bond. Bessie was easily
persuaded and the smsnager falling upon his
bended knees, with fattering tongue and trem
bling limbs, expressed his fervent gratitude to
| the gracious and invisible power which had be-
/ friended him.
The Savannah News tells the story that
| some children playing in an old cemetery there
i recently knocked the dirt about with sticks
| and brought to light gold ring, which il
seems had been buried with some member OF
the Anderson family. The removal of bodies
recently brought the ring out aud it was lost
on the surface till the children found it,. Oh
the inside OF the ring, in legible English text
was the inscription: II. W. to E. c., 1769-1OS
years ago-Henry Wayne to Elizabeth Cliff.
ford; the ring being none other than the wed.
ding ring of the grandmother of Col E. G.
Anderson of Savannah. 1t was returned to
him.
The city authorities of Chicago have deter
mined upon an energetic system of sanitary
measures tor the purpose of stamping out the
scarlet fever and diphtheria, which have be-
come fearfuly prevalent in that city. A spec
ial corps of sanitary policem an has been organ
lied, who, under the direction of the commits
soner of health, are required to make thorough
work in taking coguizance of every infected 10
cality, and and in removing everything having
the remotest tendency to spread the infection
On the 9th there were 30 cases of scarlet fever
IA OF scarlatlna and IL of diphtheria. Git has
been found that the diseases exist chiefly in the
filthy and destitute quarters of the city-iu
dark, damp Easements, whose inhabitants, de-
void of almost everything, are well nigh upon
the verge of despair. The health department
has made arrangements with the relief and aid
society for supply of clothing for those peol
| persons who will be obliged, on account of con
tagous diseases, to destroy much of that which
| they have at present.