Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1877-01-04
CURRENT PARAGRAPHS.

A RECENT fire in Toxic, Japan, de-
stroyed over 5000 houses, in value ex-
ceeding $10,OoO,OO0.
A LARGE number of vessels were de-
stroyed, and over sixty persons are known
to have persisted during recent severe
storm along the English and Scottish
coast.
Coz, the well=known Boston forger,
who, in 1874, was sentenced to the Massa-
chusetts State Prison for eight years, com
mitted suicide, few days ago, by taking
murIatic acid and Paris green.
A CONVENT near Toilette, Canada, was
burned Christmas night, and thirteen per-
sons, nearly all children, perished in the
flames. The building was a two-story
brick building, and was occupied by Sis
ters of Charity, fifty lady boarders, and
some fifty charity children and infrm
persons.
a BRILLIANT meteor was observed in
portions of Kansas, Northern Missouri,
Southern Iowa, Central Illinois, Indiana,
Ohio, etc, a few evenings ago. 1t moved
across the sky, resembling a comet with
a long and luminous tail. 1t moved
rapidly and exploded with loud report,
in some places, being apparently split up
into innumerable fragments.
A PACKAGE sent from the National
Treasury Department. in Washington, di-
rected to Chicago National Bank, and
containing about $4,000 in currency,
was recently distracted and another pack
age substituted therefor, which Was
found, on its reaching Chicago, to con-
tain brown tissue paper cut in the form
of greenbacks and bank notes.
THE following letter from the Mikado
Of Japan has been presented to President
Grant by the Japanese Minister:
To His Excellency the President of the United
States, Gen. Ulysses 5. Grant:
GREAT AND GOOD FRIEND-NoW that the great
Exposition in honor of the one hundredth wear of
Your Excel encys National Government has been
successful, | write to congratulate you and the
people over whom you preside. From my subjects
III the bnlled states L nave lcard nOtnlng but
words OF kindness in regard to the manner
i'll which they have been treated, and as [ be
lieye recent intercourse between our countries
will have tendency to strengthen the friend hip
already existing, | would here express sincere
hope that the coming century viii not only wit
ness continued progress and prosperity of your
Nation in all branches of industry, but also prove
an era of peace. This will be handed to you in
D, rson by my Minister, residing near your Gov
ernment, who has been directed to emphasize my
very friendly congratulations
Toxic, first ,ay of the tenth month of the ninth
year of Meiji.
(Signed MUTsUHITo.
A RECENT Washington Associated
Press dispatch gives an account of an in
terview with President Grant, in the
course of which he is represented as say
ing that he mad no personal knowledge of
a Democratic armed conspiracy South or
West He had information of organized
rifle companies. outside of State militia
but he was not apprehensive of armed
collisions in connection with the Presi-
dency, no -matter what might be the
fears of others. 1t seemed to him that
the people desired only fair count of
the Electoral vote in the Southern CON
tested States, in order to he satisfied of the
result. The reports of the several COM
mittees now there would shed light on the
true condition of affairs, and have a ten
dency to solve the existing difficulties. 1t
was certainly desirable to establish the
actual fact Of the election of either HAYES
or Tilden, for neither could feel
satisfied if any doubt remained of
his election, because, in such a
case, his position as President would not
command the requisite general support
The President remarked that no one could
suppose that he had any connection with
or relation to the declaration as to who was
elected. That was not matter for him to
determine. He was anxious for the coming
of the 4th of March, when hewould gladly
give way to his successor and be free from
official care, and before establishing
himself at his old home in Galena, Ill.,,
he purposed making voyage. to the
West Indies, visiting Havana and other
points of interest He had deferred his
voyage to Europe till June. The Presi-
dent, recurring to the recent election, re-
marked that he should promptly recog-
nize whoever should be declared his sue
cessor. With this his political feelings
would have nothing to do. -....--
IT is curious. fact that the trade dol
lar, which, six months ago, would not be
taken even at discount of ten per cent
on the Pacific slope, is now at premium
Of three per cent. A San Francisco bro
ker thus explains the situation: " The
trade dollar is simply piece of refined
and stamped bullion, and is so looked
upon by dealers. The price of this
piece of money! or rather its valuation, is
fixed by the price of silver in London. If
silver tum bles, then down go the trades
with it; and if silver goes up, the trade
dollars follow. The reason of the trade
dollar scare last spring was owing wholly
to the condition of the London silver
market, and the great uncertainty then
existing as to the effect of the demonetiz-
ing of silver by Germany to the amount
of several hundreds of millions. AS soon
as the price went down here they were
eagerly bought up by spectators and
held for the China and India trade, and
suddenly they disappeared from circula-
ton. Now the coin has in a large meas
ure been shipped, and the rise in silver
and the appreciated value of trades led
people to inquire for them again. Should
silver continue to rise in London, the
trades will command a slight premium
suit in every one of them being exported
e TIN