The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-06-11

nobody more popular, and afterward
there was nobody more unpopular than
Sergeant Hoff. He with his own hand
slew twenty-seven Germans during the
first six weeks of the seige. His gallantry
was rewarded by praise lavished in his
regimental order Of the day and in q gen.
eral order of day, and the Legion of
Honor was bestowed on him. The Min
lister of War told him it was very impor-
tant that dispatch should reach Mar
shal Bazaine and offered him $4,000 to
undertake the mission. It was perilous.
He staked his head on success. 1t was
easier for him than for many French
men-he was an Alsacian and spoke Ger
man we'll. He faid to the Minister OF
War: II accept the mission, but I re-
fuse the money" Howl after howl of in
dignation went up when it was found
Sergeant Hotf had disappeared. 1t was
said that he had always been Prussian
spy and was now traitor The govern
ment gave the keynote to these howls
to save Hoff's life if he were discovered
is he passed through the enemy's lines.
He safely reached Bazaine. The war
over he was made keeper of Vendome
Column. The keeper of the Triumphal
Arch died the other day, and Sergeant
Hoff, to the delight ofthe Parisians, has
been appointed to the vacant place.
A New York paper has an article in
regard to the proposed plan of General
Fremont, Governor of Arizona, to extend
the Gulf of California by tapping the
northern end and letting it run into and
fill up the great Colorado Desert. 1t
seems that the sediment carried down
for ages by the great river Colorado mt
last collected at what was then its mouth,
in sufficient quantity to dam off the
northern arm of the Gulf of California
from any connection with the ocean.
The water in this unfed reservoir then
slowly evaporated, leaving dry basin
100 miles by thirty, and this, together
with the surrounding slopes, soon be-
came "bladeless desolation," while
the river turning southwark found en-
trance to tile gulf many miles below.
Between this arid waste and the present
head of the gulf lies some thirty miles
soft earth, Just lifted above sea-level.
and through this Governor Fremont pro-
poses to cut his canal. It is highway
Of commerce that is now contemplated,
but originally the main object aimed ut
by pouring the desert full of water was
to restore the natural harmonies which
had been disturbed by the drying up of
the sea. Human remains prove that the
desert was lately fertile, and an old
Spanish map is mentioned which places
the boundaries of the gulf far beyond
their present positions.
Mr.. Mccormick, Commissioner-Gen-
eral from the United States to the Paris
Exposition, is engaged in dispatching
the diplomas and medals recently re-
ceived from Paris to the fortunate eXhib-
itors. The latter are of gold, those
silver and bronze not having yet arrived.
They are about two inches broad, weigh
three ounces, and are worth $50. On the
diverse side is the medallion of q female,
the head of the republic of France, in
scribed "Republique Franchise" On
the reverse are the figure of fame, with
the legend, Exposition Universelle In
ternational de 1873" A youth beside
the figure holds tablet, upon which. .is
engraved the name of the exhibitor.
There are l4O of these, and with each
goes a diploma. The latter are hello
types eighteen by twenty inches. The
upper sections contains an allegory of
Peace and Fame clasping the hand of an
artisan at the foot of a throne. The lower
portion is inscribed, Exposition Uni
verselle de 1878. LIE Jury Internationale
dies Recompenses de cerne une Medille
Dor" with the name ofexhibitor, group,
etc. There are 225 silver medals, 200
bronze and about 200 certificates of merit,
which is the lowest prize given. Mr.. R.
r. Hit, secretary of the American Lega-
ton at Paris, says that the principal
officers of the French government are
very enthusiastic over the character and
conduct of the American department of
the Exposition.