Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1879-12-06


THE announcement is made that Edi-
son has at last brought to successful
conclusion his experiments upon the
electric light, and that Christmas pub
lie exhibition of his discovery will be
made at MenlO Park, every house in
which he promises to illuminate with
electric jets. The result will be awaited
with much interest, and if, as is claimed,
he has indeed discovered practicable
means of subdividing the electric light,
the day is close at hand when it will
supplant gas and all the means of illu-
minatiOn now in use.
SECRETARY SHERMAN has approved an
order issued by Treasurer Gilfllan with
reference to the redemption of national
bank notes. A year ago an order was is
sued compelling banks which sent in
notes for redemption to prepay express
charges. This had the effect of prevent
ing notes unfit for circulation being
sent i'm, and the consequence has been
that the paper money now in circula-
tiOn, particularly in the West, is in very
bad order, and a great deal of it really
unfit for use. 1t has been thought best,
therefore, to modify the rule, and the
order has gone out that the express
charges ON money sent in for redemp-
ton will be paid by the government out
of the per cent redemption fund, in
case such money is mutilated or other
wise unfit for circulation. In case the
notes are found in packages that are al
ready fit for circulation, the express
charges upon the entire remittance will
be deducted from the package. The
Treasurer's object is to rid the country
of WORKOUT money, but at the same time
prevent notes that are fit for circulation
being sent in.
THE annual report of the general sup
erintendent of the life saving servic,
shows that at the close of the fiscal year
the establishment embraced 172 stations
of which 1876 were on the Atlantic, 80 OF
the lakes and ON the Pacific. Within
the limits of the operation of the service
there were PIG disasters to vessels. Thu
number of persons ON board these vessels
were 2,107, of whom 2,O49 were saved anC
So lost. There were succOred at station.
81 shipwrecked persons, aggregate. Thu
number of persons brought ashore from
wrecked vessels by life saving appliance
of stations was 412. In addition the lift
saving crews assisted off when stranded
got out of dangerous positions and pilot
ed to places of safety, SO vessels. TIKI
estimated value of the whole number O
vessels involved was $1,922,276, and c.
their cargOes $965,61O, making the tOta
value of property in peril $685., 1856. O
this amount $l,445,OS6. was saved ant
$1,442, 800 lost. The number Of disaster!
involving total loss of vessels was "a
The number of disasters to vessels, 21'
is greater than that of any previous year
the highest former number having beer
III. The report closes with an exhibit
of the efficacy of life saving stations, &
special instance given having reference
to the lakes. 1t is shown that on these
waters the loss of life in 1876, when there
were no life saving stations, was l Out
of 81 persons on board vessels suffering
disasters, or one out of every five casual
ties. In 1877 IL stations were in opera
ton a portion of the year, to which II
were added in the latter part. As re-
suit only 1Out of every 6OpersOns imper
rilled was lost, or one out of every siz
casualties. In 1878, the number of sta
tiOns was further increased and the los:
of life was reduced to one out of every
102 persons imperilled or one out Of
every eleven casualties. All this time
the stations were crippled by the in
sufficiency of the arrangements for thu
proper maintenance of crews. This be.
ing remedied by the act of June IS, 1878
in 1879 the loss of life sank to one out O.
every PIG persons imperilled, or one Ou
of every 81 casualties. 1t is further
shown that since the commencement O
the present fiscal year, up to the date OF
the report, including an unusually ca
lamitOuS autumn in this regiOn,61 disas
tiers have occurred within the field Of
life saving operations on the lakes, Their,
being on board the vessels involved, 46t
persons, of whom only one was lost.