The New Orleans daily Democrat., 1880-03-24
CURRENT TOPICS.
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Old LANDMARKS DESTROYED.
| In England and other European countries tho
people have a great reverence for old build
ings. which are. as q rule. carefully protected
| In this country. however. tho march Of progress
oversteps these evidences OF tho handiwork OF
our ancestors. and they must make way for
more commodious ediflces. built according to
| modern ideas Of grandeur. comfort or con-
venience. This spirit OF Improvement" is
particularly noticeable In church congrega-
| tions. The papers state that only few weeks
| ago the oldest church In Maryland. and proba-
bly, In the United States. located In tho village
OF Stevensville. Kent Island. was demolished
| to give place to q larger and more imposing
building. The venerable structure was erected In
| 1850. with brick brought from England. and up TO
within few years has been In uninterrupted
use as place Of worship. Coming still nearer
home We are told that the famous old Alamo
Church. at San Antonio where Crockett. Bowie
and Travis. along with their heroic companions.
were massacreed In 1886. after being embel-
lished with a lot Of fancy finishing touches"
according to the progressive notions Of the
green grocer into whose hands the venerable
structure has fallen, is devoted to the practical
purpose Of storing hay. corn. bacon and other
similar products.
THE POPULATION OF Fn ANcE.
The French Minister of Agri culture. In his
estimates OF the population OF France, Axes
the figures at 81. 600 900. OF whom about one
third live in cities. and fraction over one
half. ls.0es00o. are engaged In agricultural
pursuits. In the various professions we fnd
1881 600. and II 800 beggars and tramps. Navi-
cation and commerce employ 3.ss700o. and
workmen In the various trades foot UP 9.274ooo.
There are 2.l5l.ooO bondholders. although We
~ inf I'D hath knIS
or otherwise. OF that unhappy class who have
nothing whatever to do France has, according
to the enumeration above given. Just 10000
enough. In all conscience. to create deal OF
mischief. II the old story about Satan and his
idle hands 10 not q fgment Of some poetic
imagination. II the French authorities did
not have such a summary way Of dealing with
agitators France would be an excellent place
for the employment OF the peculiar talents Of
Denis Kearney. Those 100000 bondholders
would be Just the men for him to 60 for In An
outdoor Grafton.
NEW OCEAN TELEGRAPH CABLES.
Mr.. Norvin Green. president of the Western
Union Telegraph Company. recently inquired
Of Mr. J. B. Weaver. the manager Of the Anglo
American Gable Company. whether the latter
company was likely to lay another cable during
the coming summer ito meet the largely in
creasing business. to which reply was re-
ceived stating that the cable company was now
negotiating the contract for two cables-one
from Valentia to Hearts Content. with new
form Of outer covering for It's better protection
In deep sea. and the second from Placentia to
Sydney. touching at st. Pierre. containing at
least three conducting wires, with an excep-
tionally heavy outer covering. weighing seven
tons per knot. and the shore ends Of heavier
type. With these additional cable facilities
added to the competing land lines the public
may reasonably look for important reductions
In telegraphic rates throughout the world.
THE FRENCH AT YORKTOWN.
A meeting Of prominent French residents of
New York was held recently for the purpose of
taking action in reference to the centepnial