The Portland daily press., 1877-03-30
News and Other Items,

The Rev. DIR. John Cumming Of London
says that the world, and Europe especially, is
at this moment upon the eve of the greatest
catastrophe which has ever happened in the
history of mankind.
1t is not often that a.snddsn shock is fatal 50
quickly as in the case of a Nevada man tbs
other day. He had been heavy drinker. He
entered saloon and called for glass of liquor.
The bar keeper gave him a glass Of water and
he drank it. A moment afterward he fell dead
on the floor.
Senator-elect Stanley Matthews was once ed
itor of the Herald, the first anti-slavery daily
newspaper published in Cincinnati. He sue.
ceeded its founder, DR.. Bailey, who sabse-
quently established the National Era at Wash
ington. His wife is a sister of Mrs. Watterson,
the mother of Henry Watterson, Of the Louis
vile Courier-J ournal.
The San Francisco supervisors having refus-
ed payment to the Spring Valley water COM
pany, pending the result of litigation, the COM
pany has notified the board that unless imme-
date steps are taken toward settlement for
the past supply, water will be cut off from the
city main except for use in the extiDguishment
of fires.
1t is mentioned as matter of interest that
Gen. Ignatieff and his wife are fervent home-
opathists, and that the General has placed him.
self and his eyes under the care of Hermann,
an American homeopathic doctor, who nhaa
acquired lately such prodigious reputation
in Paris that enthusiasts call him Phomme aus
miracles.
Discovery has just been made at Eure,
France, of young woman whom her parents
have kept confined in cavern for nineteen
years, during which time she has been fed only
on the refuse of vegetables and stale bread.
The unfortunate creature has lost nearly all
semblance of humanity and had completely lost
the power of speech, ,utteriDg only unintelligible
groans and cries. An investigation has been
commenced.
According to the Turf, Field and Farm, the
Nebraska farmers have begun the domestica-
ton of the buffalo. The wild animsls, while
Young, are introduced among herds of the tame
stock, only one or two at time. Half aud
auaIter breeds are found to be very hardy, and
ip the yield of milk the cows raised of mixed
stock give even more than the average yield Of
rich milk. The experiment promises well, as
the endurance of the wild animals is impaired
to the domestic stock.
At a Russian hotel you are obliged to stipu-
late for bed linen, pillows, blankets and towels,
or else you pay extra for them. as the landlord
assumes that you carry these articles with you.
This has been the custom of the country from
time i'm mmemorisl, and has produced among
certain Russians a Curious kind Of tastidsous-
ness. They strongly dislike using sheets,
blankets and towels which are in cettsin eensa
public property, just as we should object to put
ting on clothes which have already been worn
by other people.
A correspondent of the Chicago Tribune says
that in January, 1867, Mrs. A. A. Daily was
elected director of the First National Bank OF
Huntington, Ind, aud January, 1874, Mrs. =
1. Purviance-wife Of former president, now
deceased-was elected director Of the same
bank, both of whom still retain the otice' a
few weeks since the board of directors sppo'nt'
ed Miss Frank McGrew assistant cashier oil tns
above bank, which probably entities t-as IN
the election of lady direcsors-to the claim OF
being first to adopt the innovation.