The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1879-05-29
TIMELY TOPICS.

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,.. TIMELY TOPICS.
The California Constitutional Conven-
tion was in session l57 days. and cost
several hundred. thousand dollars. The
session was to have been limited to 100
days, but 1t was Impossible to complete
the work within that time, and $780,
600 more than was apportioned for the
purpose was consumed for the pay of the
members and the conventions running
expenses. l'A'.'l9.h
When the mills blew up at Minnea-
polls, Mimi, there was a question as to
whether or not the insurance companies
should pay the damage. They claimed
that the mills were destroyed by the ex-
plosion, and as the insurance was against
fire they refused to pay. The owners of
the mills held that fire was the cause of
the explosion Ex Governor Washburn
proved that fire had been seen before
the explosion. The trial lasted week,
but the jury only took ten minutes to
bring in verdict against the companies
for the full amount, with interest.
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According to recent official statements,
the land appropriated to fruit growing
in the United States is $4,000 acres.
Upon this there flourish liz, 600, 900 apple
trees, % ,000, 900 pear trees, ll3, ,270,000
peach trees and l4l, ,26O, 900 grapevines.
The total value OF the fruit crop through
out the United States is set down at
1896, ,219, 700, an amount equal to half
the value of the average wheat crop of
the country. Toward thai large sum
apples are held to contribute $50, 400. 900,
pears Sl4. 10000, peaches SAL, 1876. 900,
grapes SO. 2.llS,OOO, Strawberries S5,O0O,-
600 and other fruit $40, $4,000.
Concerning the charges of the express
companies the american CulttUdtor says: |:
"The express companies in their exorbi-
ant charges fail to realize, or ut lea fail
to be governed by the fact, that in all
other branches of business. both private
and corporate, profits are largely re-
duced. The public demand lower rates
in accordance with the times. Mana
gers of express companies should not de-
lay making reasonable reduction in
their charges, and without forcing un-
healthy competition, or creating public
discomfort by a grasping and selfish
policy" ...... ...... ...-
A poor Hungarian lately showed II
black pearl to Pesth jeweler, and beg
ged him to value it and give him what
he could for it. He was told that the
pearl was of great value, and that he
would better take it to Biederman, of vi
emma, which he did. and was naturally
asked where he had obtained possession
of such rarity. The Hungarian an
swered that he had got it from the valet
of the late Count Louis Batthyani. 1t
turned out that it was one of three black
were stolen from the English crown, and
which were for long time vainly sought
for, it being at that time supposed that
these were the only three black pearls in
existence. The British Government has
bought the black pearl for $4,000.
The following "points" are given by
the Rural Ne,O Yorker to persons buying
horses: An intended purchaser should
have the horse brought out before him,
and watch the animal as he stands at
rest. If the owner is continually start
ing the horse into motion, and urging
him to show off, something may be
suspected because it is when horse is
at perfect rest that'his weak points are
divulged. If the horse be sound he will
stand square on his limbs, without NOV
| ing any of them, the feet being placed fiat
upon the ground and all his legs plump
and naturally posed. If one foot be
| THROWN forward, and the toe pointing
| to the ground. and the heel raised, or if
the foot be lifted from the ground, and
the weight taken from it, disease or ten
derness may be suspected"
In conformity with the engagement
entered into by France and Germany in
| 1871 to keep up the tombs of soldiers
buried in their respective territories, the
French government has taken action in
| l,43S communes, situated in thirty-siX
departments. and containing the re-
mains of 81, 1896 victims of the war; 81
$50 French and 2l,S76 German soldiers
| have separate sepulture, while 27,66l
bodies, whose nationality could not be
positively distinguished, have common
graves. municipalities and private COM
mittees have erected 349 monuments,
families eighty-eight,and Germany sixty
nine. The French government has con-
structed twenty-five large ossuaries,
with imposing ornaments, at an expense
been 2,287 1896 francs, and there will be
IN annual vote for the conservation of
| the graves and memorials.
The Washington Post has an account
of the manner in which the new ten
dollar certificates are printed by the
Rureau of Engraving and Printing
THE certificates, like greenbacks, re-
quire two distinct plate impressions,
one for the back and the other for the
face. AS the plate printers can only
average about $50 impressions per day,
| this is the slowest part of the work. In
order to prepare the sheets for the first
impression, they have to be wet down
and subjected to heavy pressure for
ten hours. The impressions are then
taken, and the sheets are placed in a dry
box and subjected to intense heat. They
are then ready for examination, when all
the imperfect sheets are thrown out.
The edges are then trimmed by ma
chinery. Each of these machines en-
| ploys two persons, who can complete
about $4,000 impressions per day. The
sheets are then sent to the surface presses
to have the seal and the date imprinted
These machines each turn out on an
average $4,000 impressions per day
They are then sent to the numbering
division, where each machine averages
1000 impressions per day. The backs
are usually printed first and go through