The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-01-14

1oreey mines 10 belgium. Inc ore aS snip
~ will contain minimum Of 80 per cent of
.nc. and the prices obtained are satisfactory.
Augusta Chronicle and Consttutionalst: A
80 years since O broker In this city had mn
order for Mexican dollars, and knowing that
. merchant had 500 In that coin, offered him
e,Ao for It, which was refused. day or two
soo the same broker bought 100 Mexican dol
Ira for a fraction over $50.
state Consols opened yesterday ut 611s,
,,ent down to COZ at the Exchange and GO on
The street, and closed easy at 81 4 d162 against
sqlI@G2sS on Saturday last. Premium Bonds
dosed weak at 3O1sM3O5s, against 3l140131H
| N Saturday. The sales at the Exchange
. vere 100000 Of State Consols and S71,gOO Of
| Premium Bonds.
The total railway interest of this country,
| Il Is estimated, represents value of sG,OOO,-
M0,OOO, that of Great Britain So, 300, 900, 900,
(3ermany 81 ,0OO, 100000, and France 81 200 600,
DO. In 1880 there were only % miles Of rail-
way In operation In the United States, which
/ n ten years had increased to 2,S1s miles. In
1850 the number of miles was s,021, which
during the next ten years increased to 3O,635.
| The number OF miles in 1878 was TAO.
The figures representing the Insurance
business of the United States, il correctly
given 10 the publications made by the various
papers In this interest, are absolutely over
whelming The life insurance companies
hold s4oO,Ooo,O00 in trust, and pay $50, 100000
annually for deaths, and their obligations are
out to pay 81, 900, 000,0 600, held by 100000 fam
lilies. The fire insurance companies pay more
than $5O,oO0,OOO every year for property de-
stroyed by fires, and then marine and accl-
dent Insurance are to be added to the list
Over 1000 year is paid In New York |
city for municipal salaries alone. In 1860 the |
amount required for the same purpose was |
SS,8OO,0OO. 1t IL believed that the sum can |
now be reduced to 100000 without impair |
Ing the efficiency Of the city government |
The reduction Is strongly urged In view OF |
the fact that the taxes are 80 great that mer- |
chants complain they cannot make any
money. The profit on their business all goes |
10 the tax collector. The wealthy real estate |
owners are uniting In movement to secure |
. marked reduction in the municipal appro-
The report of the registers in bankruptcy |
Tor the past year does not present figures
very pleasant for contemplation. The total
liabilities OF the bankrupts for this period |
amounted to $219.3s7 1917 70 and their assets
to S53,s00,624 80. But whereas the assets
were "a per cent Of the liabilities only $780,
1881, or slightly more than ~ per cent we're
paid In dividends, while the costs of mar
Bhais, registers, etc. amounted to $2,G55,-
i67 31-that is, the United States court OIL
Ders take one-third OF the bankrupt's prop
srty, and give the creditors only two-thirds.
These officials alone seem to have prospered
BY these misfortunes.
The Railroad Gazette says the life of steel |
rails on trunk line is said to be turning out |
70 be from five to ten years, and the wear of |
The rails bought OF late years indicates that |
The shorter rather than the longer period /
named will be their average life. The traffic
IS probably four or five times as great as the
Iverage of American railroads. but still the
wear Is more rapid than WAS expected. and
more so, indeed than experience with the
rails first laid gave reason to expect. That
Die now as they used to be, and the roads are
to see the necessity of making and
insisting upon the fulfllment OF certain
'retty strict specifications as to the quality
the steel In the rails delivered to them
Hitherto there seems to have been no very
efinite idea Of the qualities required for the
most durable rail; but there begins to be
ONE knowledge on the subject.
The Philadelphia Record directs attention
the significant fact that the consular fees
t Liverpool on an American ship are four
lines as great as those charged on British
nip OF the same tonnage by British consuls
Q indicating the line of action which should
9 pursued by Congress in seeking to pro-
note the foreign trade Of the country, and
dds that 'the American consular service has
cen used as an asylum for decayed poIiti-
ians instead OF being, as of right 1t should he
q ally and source Of strength in encour-
ging and extending our foreign commerce.
q this way the shipping business Of the ma
Ion has really been taxed in the interest of
ne politicians. The one thing needed to
ring about q permanent revival of our shin
ing interests is to throw down all artificial
indrances, go that American shipping mer-
hants will be able to compete on equal terms
Nth their European rivals"
Numismatists, Of whom there are goodly
lumber, professional and amateur, look with
vely interest for the release, now that re-
umption has come, OF a large number OF
pins that have long reposed in stockings,
nd that are in great demand by collectors
Philadelphia expert gives the Times of that
ty the value to collectors Of rare United
tates coins:
VI the United States silver dollars. the
ollar Of 1894 Is worth $50; Of 1904.
70; 1885, IS; 1888, $40; 1889, $40; 1851, $40;
~, $40; 1854, S.; 1856, SIS; 1858, $50. All
lher dates bring only 81 Is to So. Half-dol-
'rs OF 1876 and 1897 are very rare and worth
ON S25 to SIS, according to condition. The
~, 1915 and 1886. milled edge, and 1852 half
Dnars are much in demand. and IL fine