The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-02-25
GENERAL SECULAR NEWS.
Domestic.

legacies and gifts last year, most of which was
designated to special objects One of the gifts
was $4,000 for the purchase of books
The will of Henry E. Robinson of
California, who died recently at Yonkers, leaves
$4,000 for destitute San Francisco women and
children $4,000 to the New York Institute for
the blind, $4,000 to the American Female Guar
dian Society, and the remainder of his property
to legatees. The estate was valued at $3.50, 600
The exodus of the colored people from
the South to Kansas still continues The points
OF destination are Topeka and Parsons Those
coming from the States bordering on the Missis-
slppi river land at the former, and those from
Eexas at the latter place.
The growth and prosperity of Cali
fornia are marvellous, and afford striking illus
tration of the natural resources of the country.
and the enterprise of our people Last year the
export of wheat amounted to 500 900 900. Over
100000 gallons of native wine were sold out
OF the State from its vineyards, and $50 vessels
were built at its shipyards, while its mines
yielded $26,000000 of silver and gold. And all
this from State only thirty years old
The rains and melting SHOWS of last
week were followed by swollen streams through
out large portion of the Western States. doing
much injury. At Cincinnati on Monday, the
10th inst, the Ohio was within three feet of the
great rise of 1876 the cellars in the lower part
of the city were flooded and in Newport and
Coylngton on the opposite shore the water was
well up IN the first story of the houses along
the river. AT Nashville on the same dav nearly
oOo families were driven from their homes by
an lnundation of the Cumberland River: and
thousands of acres along many Western rivers
were submerged and much property damaged or
swept away.-Pres6yterian Banner.
There are said to be thirteen news
unfinished NV
Armstrong of the Hampton Institute. saws he
cannot ind more than eight OF these three
are published IN the North; and the aggregate
circulation of them all is not more than five
thousand That is hardly an encouraging show
ing.
1t is said that the Jews have become
aroused because of the general disregard by their
own people, OF the seventh day Sabbath-not
more than one in nine of the nominal Jews OBJ
serving it A society has been formed to pro
mote Its better observance.
The court has fully decided that the
man freeman, who killed his child at Pocasset,
mass, ABOUT year ago, was and is insane. But
1t is further said that the insanity is not the re-
suit OF religious ecstasy, but of the excessive use
OF tobacco, which had resulted in the derange
ment OF his entire nervous system.
The comparative force of gunpowder
and dynamite was discussed by two miners at
Innka, Cal They agreed, as a test, to explode
certain quantities of the substances under two
Planks, the friend of gunpowder to stand on the
dynamite plank and the friend of dynamite ON
tne other The trial was made In the presence
OF an interesting crowd of spectators IT reanIt
ed In broken leg for the man who was lifted
ten feet INTO the air by the dynamite, and un-
counted bruises for the one whom the gunpow
der threw against the trunk of a tree.
1t has been estimated that It costs
the Government about twenty five hundred dol.
lars and two lives to kill an Indiani 1t would
De interesting to know how much it would cost
70 tram every Indian boy and girl TO useful in
dustry' and make good citizens Of them.
De Lesseps has eight working parties
over $50 men-surveying the isthm1s for the
inter oceanic canal. ~ ~
Foreign.
-Garda, the man who. when Nono-
leon returned from Elba, hoisted the tri-coiorsd
nag on the Iullerles while the palace was still
occupied by Royal Guards, has lust died at
iurln Napoleon raised him to his staff and bs
fought at Waterloo. ii0
-IheSheik-ul-Islam has called on the
Constantlnople authorities to prevent the wear.
ing Oh Paris boots low dresses, and transnarent
wells by Mussulman women. He also connIains
OF cafes being frequented by men in the hours Of
ieiiBlOub service.
>. Coffee Palaces, as an antidote to the
nquor saloons, are coming widely into favor in
Europe. A company has been formed at Am
sterdam with capital of SIS 900. and one has
oeen opened there at cost Of S17,5OO.
What awful punishments are inflicted
IN Russia for small offences An archbishop and
TWO bishops, whose sole crime was Connected
with the sect OF Old Believers, have been in CON
hnement In fortress in the Province of Vladi-
MIR between IL and rs years The arcbbisbon
mas Deen In prison for the longer and one of the
9lshops for the shorter period. The GoIos 81
ot' feterSburg, for calling attention to the case
anu venturlng the supposition that the prisoners
had oeen forgotten, was deprived by the minis
Ter OF the interior of the right of publishing adj
vertisements for month A revolution oSngbt
TO come-if nothing less will avail-to remedv
such terrible abuse Of power
In Japan there are already a number
OF government schools, and thew are increas;no,
Inc school system was organized by Englisb. |
men and Americans and in Toxic (for4orI,, /
call Yeddo) the English language is fangbt - /
some Of the schools Industrial schools oboge
oe pee established, and, as the opposition of the
ora ieudal party to the new order Of things is |
iast diminishing it is likely that Japan will soon
Oe provided with school system rivalino tbat
OF the western nations in completeness China
VIII not 50 readily accept European and Ameri. |
CSn Iueas u has very ancient school system |
oils own but there are indications Of q breakin,
up OF Chinese eXclusiveness and an introdrct;oS |