The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1881-01-20
San Francisco, January 1e-A

attacked by Indians on Friday even
ing, about fourteen miles from Fort
Cummings. The bodies of the driver
three men and one woman, passengers
were found mutilated and burned.
The bodies were removed to Fort
Cummings, Troops are in pursuit.
The Indians are supposed to have
numbered about forty.
In the palmy days of free and easy
land grants large slices from the pub
lie domain were given to companies
for building wagon roads i'll the Far
West, under the pretence that such
roads were needed for military trans
portation. Some of these roads are
like the one described by Longfellow
in his "Hyperion," which began in
broad and smooth causeway, but grew
narrower and rougher, and finally
ended in squirrel track and ran up
tree. A highway of this sort exists in
Oregon. 1t has absorbed 861 40 acres
of land, but is of small account to the
Government or the public. Secretary
Schurz has had an investigation made
and recommends Congress to take
measures for bringing the company to
terms. Meanwhile he refuses to issue
any more land patents to the con-
cern.-Mc Keau Miner.
The struggle for the Senatorial
prize still continues unabated at Har-
risburg. In the vote in each house
separately on Tuesday, no one seems
TO have had an advantage over the ac-
ton of the caucuses. Yesterday the
houses met in joint convention to de.
eide the matter which will be awaited
with interest. From the last view of
the situation, a dark horse seems to
cast his shadow over the coming event
The regular Republican caucus nomi-
nee, Oliver, lacked thirty votes of the
number necessary for a choice, which
number will need to come from the
Grow faction or the ranks of the Dem.
ocrats. Taking either horn of the di.
lenma, Mr.. Oliver seems to be out
while as Grow lacks greater number
OF votes than Oliver, which must come
from the Oliver men or the Democrats,
the conclusion is naturally reached as
we have intimated, that dark horse
must ultimately carry off the prize.
Who is the dark horse?
The approaching census ordered in
England by Government, which
frightens all the old maids out of their
wits, has no terrors for Mr.. Pears, the
great London soap manufacturer, who
offers to assist gratis in enabling the
Government to do its wicked work.
The printed form of the census to be
distributed throughout the kingdom
will cost about one hundred thousand
pounds, wallpaper, stamps, delivery,
and all included. Now Mr.. Pears, who
mas not realized his immense fortune
by sitting quietly in his sore with his
eyes shut,appreciates the vast publicity
acquired by the census, and asks why
he should not share it; and so he pro-
poses to undertake the whole expense
OF the census document on the sole
condition of being allowed to print
his advertisement with the woodcut
of "you dirty boy" upon the back of
the paper. 1t is not stated whether
the offer has been accepted, but it is
generally believed that the govern
ment will be afraid of Il wrong appli
cation by the public of the motto.
The New York Tribune tells a
queer story, without indorsing it how
ever of an old man in Harlem, who it
is said, was almost a victim of internal
combustion few days ago. He was
suffering from rheumatism, and was
told that kerosene oil taken internally
would relieve him. He swallowed a
wine. glass full, and soon feeling bet
ter, filled his pipe for a comfortable
smoke AS he lighted it he saw blue
flame playing between the match and
his lips, and felt a singing sensation
within his mouth and throat. Hastily
blowing on the match, his breath
ignited, and ribbon OF the flame ex-
tended distance of a yard from his
lips, while the burning within in
creased. He Immediately closed his
mouth, and placed his fingers on his
nostrils, thus eXtinguishing the flames.
He sbelieves that but for his presence
of mind he would have met horrible
death. Some of the neighbors believe
so too; Others are skeptical about the
occurrence. This is what might be
called tough story.
The LUMBER TRADE.-The follow
ing in reference to the lumber trade,
is an extract from the Clinton Repub-
Hcon, of January II: There has reen
a good trade during the year $780, at
remunerative prices, but the low water
prevented the getting in of stock. The
shores of the Susquehanna for hun
dreds of miles were lined with logs
aggregating probably one hundred
feet. a late freshet brought these logs
in close proximity to Lock Haven and
Williamsport and about $4,000, 900
were got into the booms, but a cold
snap closed the river, and additional
expense has been incurred in securing
these logs against a break up. The