The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1880-03-09
CURRENT TOPICS.
MN. nyAnTs,s musEuM.

OF OOmm6rC8 q letter was read from Hon. w.
M. Evarts, Secretary Of State. In relation to the
efforts now being made TO extend the export
trade Of the United States among the nations OF
the remote East" Mr.. Evarts suggests that II
there Is not any adequate system by which
samples OF goods In demand by the Eastern
and African nations can be inspected by Ameri-
can producers. II might DO we'll to open n sort
OF industrial museum In whi,h samples Of the
goods desired by those nations. obtained by tho
United States consuls In them. might DO OK
hibited Tor the inspection and benefit OF manu-
faeturers. The consuls report that frequently
eonslgnments to those markets. mHdo at great
expense, do not respond to the traditional
tastes and wants Of the people to whom they
are offered" hence the desirability OF the mu-
scum. Mr.. warts invited the chamber to mako
suggestions In the matter. and assured tho CO.
operation Of the State Department.
0oLD FROM TA1IINas.
II Ia stated that such time as Mr.. Edison can
spare from his electric light labors he tevotes
to the perfeoting Of q plan for obtaining gold
out OF orc already used and cast away by
miners. md known ~ "taflings." Both minors
and assayers know that there Is certain
amount OK the precious metal left IN these tail
lnas when cast of. but u process BY which the
metal may be proltaby secured Mr.. Edison
This process he claims to have invented. and
he has 80 we'll satisfied number Of mining
engineers and capitalists that his claim Ia we'll
founded, that company has already been or
ganIzed to work over tho taIlngs cast Of at the
furnaces Of tho great mines. II Is further
stated that this company has contracted for and
secured 10000 tons Of this product among the
mining districts OF Virginia City aud Lsadville.
The process by which Mr.. Edison proposes 10
obtain the gold lis as yet q secret. II Ia said.
however. that quicksilver enters largely into
the process. as do also. In lesser degree. oxide
OF lend. carbonate OF soda, charcoal dust and
powdered Rlass.
A pMAHrH or SMALL CHANGE.
Tho lack OF fractional currency In the West
In causing much complaint It Ia stated by the
Cincinnati Commercial that In many places
small silver coin is so rare that people have to
use postage stamps for ehnnge. In answer to
these complaints Treasurer Gl1Allan says that
he II not to blame because the silver change In
I'm the vauls OF the TREASURY instead OF In CIR
culation. as there WIS no appropriation to pay
the expenses OK its shipment. People who
want fractional or other silver can obtain It. in
exchange for legal tender notes by paying the
express charges ut the government contract
rates. which are three mills per mile on every
$500 or fractional part thereof. There was In
the treasury vaults on the fifth instant a.! .ooo
900 In fractional silver out OF $50. 100000 coined
II Is to be hoped that our wise legislators at
Washington will be able to speedily devise
some method OF relieving the public want In
this very important matter. When 30 many
appropriations are being advocated one In this
direction might be In order. ga
CRIME AT WASHINGTON.
~ N.,{s,
able picture OF lawlessness and crime at the
national capital which is attributable mainly to
Its non. punishment by ignorant or packed
juries Of professional hsngers-on about the
courts. Notorious murderers now parade
the streets unframed. and burglars and worse
criminals escape through the aid Of pardon
brokers. Nearly one third OF the population OF
the District OF Columbia Is eolored. and much
Of II IL OF the worse kind. During the days OF
the Shepherd Babcock ring thousands were at
tracted to the capital by the promise Of plenty
OF work and high wages. They got both
at the expense Of the taxpayers. and were con-
verted iAto voters to uphold the plundering sys-
tom OF Boss Shepherd and his crowd. After
the territorial government was abolished
these blacks chung to Washington. prefer
ring to exc out precarious existence rather
than perform honest labor on the neighboring
farms In Virginia and Maryland. where en-
ployment was constantly offered The women
especially would not consent to move away
from their social ties. aad the men would not
30 without their wives. Consequently they
have lived from hand to mouth. thievinR has
become common among them. and their chill
dren have grown up In idleness and vice and
crime In the midst OF costly schools and
churches.
MINES or PRECIOUS METALS.
In lecture before the New York Academy Of
Sciences Prof Newberry discussed the present
and future aspect OF our gold and silver mines.
He said that from the arrival Of Columbus until
the beginning OF the present century It is esti-
mated that silver to the value Of five billions
and gold to the value OF nearly two hundred
millions OF dollars were produced. The dis
covery OF the ComBtoek lode. he remarked. with
Its great wealth. started the first great excite
ment In mining interests. When tho rush to
the gold fields In 1s47. 1s4s and 1s49 took place
there was excitement among the adventurous
who hocked there. but none In the great body Of
the public they left behind. With the discovery
OF silver veins It WAS different Here the pick
and the shovel and tho pan OF the gold seeker
were OF no use. 1t became necessary to have
recourse to elaborate mechanical appliances.
to organize companies. to elect directors and
presidents and send out superintendents. And
thousands OF companies we're organized. and
In most cases the superintendent chosen were
sons. or nephews. or cousins OF the presi-
dents or dlrectors-men who knew nothing OF
the work they were to superintend." Keep
Ing this fact In view. It is not wonderful that
all. or nearly all. such companies were fail
ures Then the reaction followed and there
are men now. said the lecturer. who would re-
gard 1t as an insult to their intelligence II you
asked them to purchase a share n q silver
mining company Yet these mines. In the
opinion OF Prot Newberry. are an inheritance
from which for An indefinite period. we may
continue to draw wealth, II to their working
We apply skill and knowledge.
REMOVAL.
THE GLADNEY STILL
r.