The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1877-10-09
She 9ailg Arsns>
ROCK ISLAND. ILLINOIS
ROCK ISLAND.
Items OF Interest.

Recent reports show that agriculture
makes no progress in the French colonies
of Martinique, Guadaloupe and Cayenne.
Hearing was suddenly acquired by John
Burt of Grown Point, N. Y, by an explo-
sion in mine. He had been deaf and
dumb since his birth. He is now slowly
learning to talk.
Prot. Bells telephone is meeting with
favor in England 1t has been tried with
success in some Of the Cornish mines.
The statement is made that it will speedily
find its way into all the mnes in Great
Britain
The discovery Of planet is announced
by Palisa, Get. = It's position is one r..
aud 4 N. right ascension; deeiination,
north. 10 deg. as u. 1t is OF the eleventh
ma gnitude, SO says the Secretary Of Sulith
sonian Institute.
W. d Pink, writing from Leigh. Lanca-
SHIRE England, inquiries in Notes and
Queries whether anything is known of the
American branch of the Wyvill family.
which, since IVA. should have Inherited
this baronetcy, and the existence of which
prevents the title vesting in Mr. Wyvill of
Constable Burton.
George Stephenson, magnificent engi-
neer and good man, Is to have his memory
honored at Chesterfield by the erection Of
great hall, the foundation stone of VIII ich
is to be laid by the Marquis of Harrington.
The hall will cost about 100000. and is to
be used for purposes of higher education,
special arrangements having been made
tor science and art teaching.
The republic Of Guatemala is the first
state which has made the trade in wine
and spirits government monopoly. From
the let Of January, 1878, private iEdivid-
uals are prohibited, according to a decree
OF the government, recently promulgated,
from importing vine and spirits into that
country, aud from the LIST of July following
the whole of the business passes into the
hands of the government.
A German geological gazette announces
that in the caves of Pappenheim, near
Solenhofen, Ernst Haeberlein has dis
covered a second specimen of the
drchCe0pteTyr biographical, the first speci-
men of this extraordinary bird of the ante
diluvian era having been found by him
nearly twenty years ago. The second
specimen is much more complete, lis head
being very well preserved. This curious
fossil, long a subject OF study for natural
lists is half reptile, half bird From traces
left on the stones, displaying clearly the
wings and vertebre, it is proved that this
animal had genuine tail like that of a
mole, as long as its body, formed by
twenty diminishing vertebr8 covered with
feathers
The engineer iu-chiei Of the Australian
colony Of Victoria has during the past two
years MADE tour OF the world 20 examine
the railway system of all countries. The
result is given in an elaborate report. He
is Of opinion shat our ordinary passenger
cars are decidedly inferior to English first
class carriages, specially in long journeys.
The want Of support for the head and
shoulders, the draughts and chills which
from one window will sweep over fifty or
sixty passengers, are all drawbacks to the
American system. Again, the newsboys
and hawkers passing up and down become
an insuferabie nuisance. On the other
hand, there is no doubt but that the Amer.
lean cars do give great facilities for col
lecting aud examining tickets, and conse.
Quently do save many delays"