Connecticut western news., 1880-05-05

ing the diphtheria as spreading In the Novornoskoosk district hundreds of children have been attacked. A detach- ment of doctors and nurses has been sent to the affected villages.
 A boiler in the mill of c. W. Dun bar, ten miles from Memphis, Mo-, ex- ploded, demolishing the mill and killing the proprietor and two other men. ! Reports of distress in the eastern parts of the province of Nova Scotia, particularly in Cape Breton, owing to scarcity of fodder for cattle, continue to reach Halifax. In some cases seed is fed to cattle to keep them alive, while in other cases cattle were being killed, as the farmers have nothing to give them to eat
 A dispatch from Ghuznee, Afghani- stan, says General stewart again engaged the enemy on the 20th of April. The en- emy numbered 5000, known as Moosh- kealum's army After two hours fighting they were defeated, with a loss of 400 killed and wounded. The British loss amounted only to two killed and nine wounded. l-. ..
 The London 7Fmes's dispatch from | Calcutta says While the reports of
 
 official intelligence has reached India that he is suffering from some dangerous malady, and attempts are being made to tay the disease by sacrificing virgins.
 WASHINGTON ITEMS.
 A bill was introduced in the Senate by MT. Morgan providing that if any person holding an office of trust or profit under the United States at the time of his appointment as elector, or at the time he attempts to vote as such, shall attempt to exercise the powers of an elector he shall be disqualified from holding any office and be fined not less than $5, ,000 nor more than $20,O00, and imprisoned at hard labor for not less than five nor more than ten years. If any person not an elector shall cast vote as such he is to be liable to the same punishment. If two or more per sons conspire to commit or aid any per son to commit the crime they are to be liable to the same punishment.
 The House Committee on Mining has instructed Mr. Stevenson to report favorably the bill prepared by the Land Commissioners to provide for the survey and disposal of mineral lands. The only material amendment proposed is ill rela- tion to the size of mining claims. The bill proposed that mining claim located after the first day should equal but not exceed square of 99O feet on the side. The amendment increases 1t to 1920 feet. s.s
 Before the Committee on Coinage Senator Hill, of Colorado, urged the claims of Denver as fit place for the establish ment of a mint, on account of the abun- dant production of the precious metals and the cheapness of coal and labor. He remarked further that in the smelting and refining works in Denver upwards of forty tons of sulphuric acid-an i'm portant essential in the coinage of money was wasted daily, which could be util- ized if a mint were located there.
 The attention of Secretary Schurz was recently called by Commissioner Williamson to the withdrawals of mine ral land made under the direction of Sec retary Delano, together with request that the present practice of throwing the burden of proof upon agricultural claim ants be reversed. After careful con- sideration Secretary Schurz has notified the Commissioner that he approves his recommendations, and a circular has been prepared requiring Registers and Re- ceivers to carry them out The inten- ton is that public lands which are in fact agricultural are to be occupied and purchased without oppressive conditions, and to prevent lands which are in fact valuable for minerals being taken except under the special laws applicable thereto.
 A bill was reported to the House by MT. Thomas providing that no judgment or decree rendered by United States Courts shall constitute lien upon the real estate owned by the judgment debtor at the date of such judgment un- less copy, duly authenticated, shall, within thirty days, be filed for record with the officer authorized to record deeds in the county where the real estate is situated. The bill further provides that the neglect of the recorder to file shall notprevent the judgment from operating, and also that the judgment shall consti- tute lien upon property acquired after the rendition of judgment. Judgments rendered against corporations are not in- cluded in the bill.
 Secretary Sherman read statements before meeting of the Cabinet showing the financial condition of the Treasury He estimates that the surplus receipts during April will aggregate from $10,- 000,0O to 12,000,00O. The report that men-of-war were to be dispatched to Canadian waters to protect the American fishery interests was pronounced fabri- cation by Secretary Evarts.