Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1880-04-22
Straps and fatts.

- Artemus Ward once commenced lec-
ture by saying: Ladies and gentlemen,
possess gigantic intellect, but haven't it
with me-"
- An examination of the calendar of Con-
gress shows that there are one thousand and
nineteen bills reported favorably from COM
mittees and awaiting action, and there are at
least one hundred more in the hands of COM
mittees ready to report.
= A lady in Baltimore, beguiled by Con-
gresham Al iken's oleomargarine letter, bought
some of the stuff for home consumption. She
says none of tho family would or could eat it,
and it was sent to the kitchen at hazardous
venture.
The Chicago Times is reported to have
made contract with Montreal firm for
thousand tons of printing paper, finding it
cheaper to pay the freight and duties than to
submit to the prices charged in the American
market.
A suit which is pending in the United
States Court at Chicago, has brought out the
astounding fact that oleomargarine, which is
never quoted in the market and which is not
kept by any merchant as such, has sale in
this country of 9S,0OO,0OO pounds per annum.
- There has not been death in the old
family of J. w. Mize, Sheriff of Sumter
county, Ga, in 63 years, and he has 8 un-
cles and 3 aunts whose united ages are 63O
years. His uncles, his cousins, and his aunts
number, all1told, 156 that live in Sumter
county.
- Hart, the negro who won the last great
walking match, making the best time on
70 hut1 fyyo
age. He is neither large nor small, tall nor
short, and his hips and legs are only of
moderate size but his style of walking is
almost perfect, and his roomy chest is always
held well out. He is a lawyer by profession.
The State of Delaware is about to be
placed under the ban for her failure to make
provision for the education of her negro popu-
lation The only law on the subject is one
which taxes the negroes themselves to support
their own schools. This tax raises but nom-
inal sum, and hence the colored man and
brother goes without an education.
- The famous Island No. 10 in the Missis-
sippi River, which was three miles long, and
which, during the war, contained two or
three fertile plantations and on which the
Confederates erected earthworks to obstruct
the passage of the Federal gunbosts, has been
entirely swept away by the river, and the
present island is only sandbank, overgrown
with cotton wood and willows.
The centennial anniversary of the battle
of Yorktown, to occur next year, is attracting
interest among the French at home, as we'll
as in this country. A crack regiment of
French troops will probably be sent from
France to participate in the celebration and to
recall the memories of the active and valua.
BILE assistance rendered to the American cause
in the siege of Yorktown, by the French navy
under Count de Grasse.
There are said to be 10,131 newspapers
in America, with daily circulation of g.
54O,156; weekly and semi-weekly, 13,511,-
424; monthly, 3,62595S The total issues
for year are 1886, ,473,592 copies, which
would make pile of newspapers 81 miles
high. Placing them, touching each other, in
line, they will reach 1884 miles, being
Al times around the earth and FIVE times the
distance from the earth to the moon. To
priut one issue it is estimated that 2,99S, 49,
900 types are used, requiring the handling of
2,173, ,499, ,S49. .696,0O0 types.
speaking of the National Volunteer Mi
litia bill now pending in Congress, Mr.. Scales,
of North CAROLINA, of the House committee
having the bill in charge, informed cores
pondent that the bill provides that the officers
shall be appointed by the Governor and re-
port to him, but of course when they are call
ed out to repel invasion, &C., they will have
to conform to the army regulations of the
United States. The bill was reported rather
as the basis for some action by Congress than
because it embodied the views of the mem
bers of the committee The committee, how
ever, agree that something should be done,
and that very speedily.
Forest fires have been raging in the vicin.
ity of Petersburg for more than week, and
at latest advices were uncomfortable. Barns
and stables in large numbers have been de-
stroysd, and in many instances farmers have
lostall their crops. Horses, farming imple-
ments and number of cabins have been
burned, ths occupants barely escaping with
their lives The destruction of cord-woo and
timber is immense. In Prince George coun.
ty the fire has been very destructive, invading
orchards and destroying hundreds Of fruit
trees 1t is feared that unless heavy and
early rain occurs. the fire will destroy the
railroad bridges and telegraph poles, thereby
impeding travel and cutting off telegraphic
communication.
The Whitaker investigation at West
Point continues, but nothing satisfactory has
been developed Commander Lazalle, of the
Corps of Cadets. few days ago, testified be-
fore the Court of inquiry that he had made
as thorough an investigation as possible of the
alleged outrage on Whitaker when it was first
reported, but was not able to ascertain who
were the perpetrators. He was Of opinion
that Whitaker mutlated himself. He thought
that Whitaker's handwriting resembled that
Of the so-called note of warning, and that
Whitaker could have freed himself from his
bonds if he had tried before he was found.
He said that if there we're reasons why 9TH
ers should have committed the outrage to
drive Whitaker away, there were equally
strong reasons why he should have done it
himself to stay, as witness understood that he
was steadily falling back in his studies.
The New York Tribune makes the fol-
lowing comparison of the amounts received
by prominent ministers and actors Beecher
gets $4,000; Edwin Booth, 100000 year.
DR.. Hall Of Fifth avenue, and DR.. Dix, of
Trinity, get $4,000; while E. A. Sothron
earns over $4,000 as Lord Dundreary, and
John G. Owen plays thirty weeks annually
for 100000. Talmage breaches for $4,000,
and Joe Jefferson plays forty weeks as Rip
Van Winkle and earns sl20,000. The schol.
ary and gifted DR.. Storre has $40, 1000 salary,
and Maggie Mitchell earns $4,000 to $50,-