The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1880-08-27
MANKATO FREE PRESS.
GOSSIP OF THE DAY.

ave have" says the London Spectator,
"eNpended twenty millions aud have lost hum
dre,ls Of valuable lives in an endeavOr To fight
Russia without declaring war ON her, and tine
total result IL that the name of the Afghan
Amccr il Ahdurrahinan instead of Sherc Ali"
FLYING IN the air, like perpetual motion. has
perennial charm for tho mind Of man. The
Now York Herald gives page on the subject,
reviewing the experiments which have been
made from time to time, and recording the dis
asters which have unifomally oyertaken the
highest hopes Of inventions. The views Of Mr..
Edison on the subject art given; and perhaps,
when NJ has conquered the earth electrically
and otherwise, this daring speculatorwill mount
upon wings aud make the air his domain.
II il exactly half century this summer
since the first locomotive was built in this coul-
try, the first which were used being imported.
The locomotive In question, a queer looking,
trnnkless affair, with upright boiler, no cab, six
inch inclined cylinder of sixteen inch stroke and
four driving wheels, was constructed at the
West Point foundry. II was named the Z" Best
Friend Of Charleston" and shipped there by
sea October, 1880, for use on the Charleston
and Hamburg railroad.
EDISON has been interviewed, and says that
his new lamp will soon b. ready for the mar
kct; he has machinery to turn out l,200 per
dien; they will cost 50 cents each. and will last
with ordinary usage six months. He has cam
yassed portion Of New York citv, and finds
that the merchants and manufacturers are
ready to corporate. The cost Of the "plant "
for the manufacture OF electricity il less than
one-half the sum required for gas. The Now
electrical engine il 80 far q success. Edison
claims that it will draw heavier loads on u
steep grade at higher rate OF speed than the
ordinary locomotive. He il building engines
for trial on the Pennsylvania road.
On. PRINcE thinks that the Sunday evening
parade ought to be dispensed with at West Point.
lie says that whatever the exigencies Of war
may justify, Christian civilian can nee no rea-
son for military parade ~ an element Of acad.
emical study ON the Lords Day. He alsu
thinks that profane swearing should be made a
penal offence in the army. There IL no vice t.
which military men are, NJ q class, more largely
addicted An effort has been made to convict
Gen. Washington Of this vice in one instance.
Admitting (what IL very doubtfuD that he did
Use the name Of God in emphasizing Il COM
mand, DIR. Prince argues that there may be &C.
casions when II Is the highest reverence to call
God TO witness that one IN in earnest and is
speaking aud acting in His fear and presence.
BATouM IL greatly changed for the better
snce its annexation by Russia Under Turkish
rule II consisted Of wretched ruins, three u
L aNL1 a,NIf
tihcations. Now the town Ia divided into
quarters and proprietors have begun the work
Of building. Here and there fine stone houses
may already I've seen. Bricks and tiles art
brought all the way from Marseilles. As tn thu
draining Of tho marshes, channel has already
been made for tho flow Of their water into the
sea. The drained lands, not TO mention the
Improvement Of the climate, which III general
il not very salubrious at Batoum, have enriched
the town with considerable quantity Of arabic
soil. Moreover, large quantity OF clay has
thus been exposed, suitable for the manufac'
turr Of brick and tiles.
THE London N,qrS has printed reports OF
the actual expenditures Of candidates for par
lament, both successful and unsuccessful, IL
| the late general election. The amount pub
lished as officially expended is f792,sl0 by $50
candidates. A. there are 652 members Of tho
| house, aud half a. many candidates again a.
| members, il il probable that the expenses die
not fall far short Of II million and half ster
| ling The official expenses Of members OF ON
| congress at any one election ir not nearly "
| large; but our elections come ofteneI, and w
have to bear the added expense of state, munic
| ipal and judicial elections, TO say nothing OF
| the great cost of presidential elections every
fuuI sraIs, which moro money Indnoctl,
than directly. II is doubtful whether the Bit
ish people are worse of than those Of III,
United Statcb III the matter Of election expenses
but they have nothing to boast Of on the scor,
| Of purity.
| Cart. EADs il now in California. He stil
sticks 10 il that his railroad across the isthlnu
| will b. preferable TO q canal First, ship rail
way can be constructed for one-fourth the
cost Of q tido-level canal, and One-half the COS
! of canal with locks; second, II can be- con
strlicted In very much less time; third, where
ever canal il practicable railway il equal!
practicable, and at many points upon the 18th
mus railway can be built where the construc
| ton of q canal would be out of the question
fourth, railway can be enlarged from time II
| time TO meet the wants of commerce, at com
paratiyely small expense; fifth, vessels can be
transported upon the railway much more rapid!
than through the canal, and with equal safety
sixth, transportation by rail will be attended D.!
no delays-the railway will accommodate com
merce, and not prove an impeachment to 1t, n
in case OF the canal with locks; seventh, ~ thu
Investment would be smaller, the tolls ant
charges would be greatly reduced.
The contrast between the British and Amer
can system Of railroads Ii very remarkable
| The mileage Of the former IL only 1866 miles
the latter sc, i97. The cost Of the former IL -,
5s5, OOO, 900, double our funded national deb
and close upon the total of the English debt
| The cost Of our system in operation TO De
cember 81, 1879, IL placed by Mr.. Poor O
"A, ,0OO.OO0 on 1922 miles, or 1873, 900,
| 600 on the whole System Of &c, i97 miles. Tn,
| difference in the average cost per mile il ver.
great-in Great Britain S202, 900 per mile; il
| the United States $50, 900 average per mile. TIT
gross earnings, ON the other hand, arc direct.
reversed. The British lines, Oh 1866 miles
last year took in SS0s, 00O,0O0 The lines of tn
United States, Oh Si,2i2 miles in full operation
last year, took in 1929, 600. The proportion
| of passengers to freight on the former il create
than in this county, though only so Der cent
OF tho whole earnings. The operating OK
penses ia Great Britvin average 81 per cent; il
the United States $40 per cent.
The public at large have no adequate concep
| ton Of the extent 10 ehich American manufac
lures and products are entering and monopo
lizing foreign markets. A recent dispatch from
the Consul Of the United States ut Gcneyi
shows that American beef and live stock hav,
penetrated even az far ~ that region. and tina
the value Of choice cattle raised in large nutu
beers in Switzerland for the Paris and Frenci
markets has been sensibly diminished by impor
tations from America. Preserved meats ant
fruits from the United States are 40 we'll estab
lished and advertised, he says, that they ma!
be loft 10 take care Of themselves. Butter ant
cheese could be sold in much larger quantities
in Central and Southern Europe, and
profitable market for the more nutritious
! brands of American tiOur could be fOund