The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1880-12-19
LOCAL MATTERS.

your households it is looked forward to as
the happiest and merricst day in the whole
year They look forward to its coming
with delight and pleasure anticipating
that old Santa Claus will come and bring
them beautiful and useful presents. They
expect something; and there is no parent so
poor as not to be able to CRAFTY the yearn-
Ing desire Of their youthful hearts, and
they should see that they are not disap-
pointed. If you are not able to make
valuable and costly presents to them, give
them something else--and before purchas-
ing presents consult the advertisements of
The BULLETIN.
The Johnson County Journal, with
malice aforethought, gives publicity to the
following concerning brother of the quill,
whose presence in this city VIC chronicled
a few days ago: "The editor of the Vienna
Times was in Cairo Wednesday, guest at
the Planters House. At night he repaired
to a room up stairs which had been assign
ed him, and on retiring he blew the gas out
instead Of turning it off. Some time after
wards porter was called up stairs, who
found the distinguished quill-driver almost
unconscious and his room full of gas Had
it not been for the timely arrival of the
porter, he would now be where the wood
biretwineth and the whangdoodle mourneth
not. Our contemporary used to know bet
ter, but he has lately married. He erred
very much in not taking his wife or
guardian with him"
The old superstition that Friday was
an unluciy day tor travelling, as well as
for everything else, set some of the
New York railroad conductors to watching
and taking notes, The result Of their OBJ
servations show that Of the passengers on
the New York division of the Pennsylvania
railroad, Is per cent are carried on Friday,
while there is an average of II per cent
carried on each Of the other five week days.
In other words, there is falling off on
Fridays of nearly one-elghth as compared
with the average Of other days, The days
Of heaviest travel are approximately Mon
day with 10 per cent, and Saturday with
IS per cent, there being many persons go
ing to and returning from business on those
days. The percentages shown on other
week days are On Tuesday, 1925;
Wednesday, 1915; Thursday, 16, and Fri
day, Is.
"A decision which will have the effect
of reducing the postage expense of the legal
fraternity has been made by the postal au.
thorlties at Washington. 1t has been a
common custom for lawyers and court Off
Gals to send writs through the mails upon
which they prepaid regular letter postage.
By request of the clerk of court, New
England postmaster recently submitted a
blank writ, signed and sealed, by
the clerk, to the post-of-
fee department for classification.
The answer came that documents either in
blank or "fi,led out in writing with matter
which Is the appropriate filling thereof
might be sent at the rates charged for
third.class matter. This will be interest
ing to the legal brigade in Cairo and else
where, but it will not be appreciated by
the poor fellow pursued with writs and
duns.
The following statement of facts con-
corning the Illinois Central railroad will
prove of interest to quite all of our readers:
The road was chartered February II, 1851,
and since that time has been source of
considerable revenue to the state. The
road was put in operation from Chicago to
Kensington, fourteen miles, in 1852 The
company now operates l,4O7.37 miles of
road, of which 1,O6l.sS miles are within
this state; last year 6437 miles were con-
structed. The man lines extends from
Cairo to East Dubuque (455.72 miles), and
from Chicago to Csntralia (s497S miles.
The capital stock is $29,000,OOO The
company has funded debt of $l2,096,-
900, the total liabilities being
al 100000. The road equipment
comprises 2l3 engines, 172 passenger, ex-
press and mai cars, and 5,l73 freight cars.
Last year 3,777 persons were employed, to
whom were paid $2,O65, 544.56 in salaries.
During the same time 2,091 ,S92 passengers
and 2,494,7sl tons of freight were carried
by the road. The total income Of the road
from all sources was $7,S54. 1881, and Of
this amount $G,226,s25 90 came from the
Illinois branches. The operating expenses
and taxes were $4,39700G 40, Additional
expenses, $2,s92.607. Interest on debt,
rentals, etc, 1,l52,607. During the year
G per cent. dividend amounting to 81 ,140-
~ i h,l, e., tl.