St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1878-05-24

are SO many beehives. The Travellers
has paid already some two hundred
thousand dollars on marine losses with
in few years past, but it is to be
hoped, for the sake of the thousands
who are now trusting themselves to the
briny deep, that its Exposition business
this summer will be all clear profit.
Altogether, this company has paid
over thirty thousand accident claims,
amounting to almost three millions OF
dollars, and yet it grows larger and
stronger every year.
1t looks little as though, in spite of
all the recent pacific announcements,
Russia felt that her chances were good
for more fighting before the present
European troubles are settled. Beside
the mysterious Cimbria whose maneu-
verings about the coast of Maine under
command of Russian officers, the Herald
states that Russian agents have charter
ed seventeen other American steamers
for an indefinite period. Add to these
facts the further one that rifles are being
turned out for them by the hundred
thousand at Providence, and we have
state of things which justifies suspi-
cion that the MuscOvites mean business.
Those who read my letters last year
will recollect the description of the first
New York Bench show of dogs and of
the great success which it had. The
second annual show is now in pro-
gress and is more extensive than before,
the entries of "dog-fesh" numbering
over a thousand. Beside the regular
assortment of hunting dogs there is
tremendous congregation of the little
pets, the pugs, poOdles, and terriers of
high life, whose temporary confinement
is in many instances rendered enduI-
able by the constant attentions of their
proud and devoted mistresses. About
$4,000 will be distributed as prizes
among the winning animals of the vari-
Gus classes.
The most exciting and successful
whale fight ever known in these parts
took place last week in Raritan bay, OH
the neighbOring Jersey coast. Some
oystermen, seeing what they took for
part of wreck floating in the water,
investigated it, and found it to be one
of these big fish which had strayed from
its haunts and was swimming slowly
up and down in the shoal water. One
of the men holder than the rest. tried
to stab it with an oyster-knife, and
nearly got swamped fol his pains. Later
an AK was procured and several blows
dealt upon the head of the monster by
the excited fishermen, who by this time
had become reckless of danger. But
even this heroic treatment seemed to
have little effect beyond enraging the
fnpmIHa hla which wnnIn N n
doubtedly have escaped but for its get
ting aground near the shore. Here it
was soon dispatched, measured, and |
found to be about forty feet in length |
and nine in thickness. 1t is estimated
that 8 900 worth of oil will he got out |
of its carcass.
O'Leary the pedestrian is back from
England loaded with honors and the
more substantial trophies of his trip, |
including the grand belt, to compete for
which his voyage was undertaken, and |
a magnificent clock of gold, bronze and
marble, presented by his admirers in
Dublin, besides nearly "a ZOO in money.
The belt is massive affair of silver and |
enamelled gold, bearing appropriate in
scriptiOns. To make this prize his I'M
disputed property, OLeary must win |
two more matches against the first chal-
lengers who put up the required stake.
OLeary states that during the six long
days of his great London walk he took
no solid food whatever, and lost four
Teen pounds in weight. When walking
he grips a corn-cOb in each hand to alb
sOrb its moisture and give it something
to hold.
And now that tests of physical en-
durance have become the rage, lady
singer belonging to one of our city
chOirs announces that she will soon ac-
cOmplish publicly the feat of singing
three consecutive hours without rest.
She had a private rehearsal of this per-
Torrance two or three days since, and
is said to have gone through with the
appointed task without difficulty. Large
crowds will be attracted to this novel
concert.
1t is not such Improbable business,
this selling out big railroad. George
T. Curtis, who officiated as referee for
the recent sale of the Erie, has just been
awarded $l3,500 for this service, and
he did not hurt himself with hard work
in the matter either. He claimed $780,
900. RADIx.