Morris tribune., 1881-01-06

northwestern states.
THE Ponca investigating commission
will go west at once and endeavor to get at
the bottom of this tedious business. Itwas
appointed Mt the solicitation of eastern
sympathiserS, and it is said Secretary Schurs
looks upon it as a piece of sentimentalism.
THE Dakota legislature will convene at
Gankton on the llth of January. One of
the leading topics for discussion will be
the various projects for dividing the terri
tory and the admission of the major por-
as Il state, or of admission without divis-
ion.
On the first of January the United States
treasury disbursed over twenty four millions
of dollars for principal and interest of the
public debt, resulting in material relief to
the money market which had been in strin
gent condition during the month of De-
cember.
The cotton crop of the South for 1879
amounted to 5.757 900 bales of 45O pounds
each. and it is believed the crop Of 1880
will be still larger, though less than two per
cent of the area of the cotton states is now
under cultivation. The value of the raw
cotton crop is about $3.50 900. 900, and its
value, when spun. is just twice as much.
SECRETARY THOMPSON, who has
assumed the presidency of the American
section of the Panama canal company, says
he is an American To the backbone, and
shall see to it that neither the principles of
the Monroe doctrine nor the obligations of
the country shall be violated by the con-
Struction of the Panama canal.
AT the last session Of the legislature of
California. a commission was appointed to
select suitable locality for a State hospi-
tai for consumptives. After having visited
4 large number of places in the state. and
finding at all of them many climatic ad-
vantages, the commission finally reported
IN favor of Atlas Peak, in Napa county. The
mean temperature at that point for July is
- degrees, and for January "a degrees.
The rapidly approaching completion of
the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe and
Southern Pacific line of railroad to the
Pacific has led to calculation of the rela-
tive distance between that line and the old
Union and Central Pacific line, and it is
found that the Union Pacific route is
shorter from all important points east of
IA alrI-1 bn Sf-
ern ternini of the two roads by from 295
miles at Kansas City to ST miles at Boston,
JESSE JAMES, of the Missouri gang of
train robbers. according to the Denver
Tribune, was recently in that city re-
porter of the paper interviewed the desper-
ado. but was ignorant of his identity until
he had left for parts unknown. The other
day Jesse was reported to be working in a
mine near Leadville, but no attempt was
made to arrest him. The Jameses seem to
be somewhat ubiquitous. as they are fire.
quently reported in different places at the
same time, but it is noticeable that they are
not seen in Minnesota.
y
tion of making the best lager beer in the
world. The amount manufactured in 1885,
was 800. 900 barrels, very large increase
over any previous year, and it is estimated
that 600, 600 will be manufacturedin in 1881
The Best" company over 5000 barrels
an increase of 90, 900 over 1880. The large1
companies use $50 900 tons of ice, that i.
stored at an expense of sixty cents per ton
Chicago drinks more of this beer than Mil
waukee, and it has become so famous tina
it is found in every large city in the Unitet
States, and large quantities of it are bottle'
for the export trade.
ANOTHER public institution has beel
going wrong for long time, without the
knowledge of outsiders, or even the stat
authorities. An Investigation of the Onon
daga county penitentiary at Syracuse, Ney
state prisoners are incarcerated for crime
not punishable by Imprisonment at Au
burn or Sing Sing. This created grea
sensation owing to the disclosure of fearfu
cruelties to prisoners. All manner of in
struments of torture seem to have been il
vogue in the prison unbeknown to anyone
except its officials.
THE late storm extended over nearly tn
whole country, and in some sections of tn
East and South the weather was the coldes
ever known. Snow fell at New Orleans
Charleston, Vicksburg. Augusta, Dallas
Mobile, Galveston, and throughout tn
South. from one to ten inches in depth
and the mercury, for the first time in man
places, went below zero, entailing grea
deal of discomfort, if not actual sufferin
among people who were not so we'll prepare
as northern people are to Withstand an ic
atmosphere. But here no casualties al
reported, but the occurrence will be Ion
remembered in the land of the orange an
magnolia.
JUDGE HUGHES, of the United State
circuit court, in suit at Richmond, ren
dered decision to the effect that the mer
failure of life insurance company is proc
that its operations have been conducted
fraudulent manner if the failure is not ez
planned by some great casualty, such q
widespread pestilenee, or sudden fnan
cial convulsion or physical calamity q
would not say that the failure created th
presumption of moral turpitude in the maj
ayers of the company, but he did affirl
that it did of constructive fraud-that is,
that financial imbecility, of recklessness
extravaganza, or that gross negligen,
which is equivalent in its consequences
fraud, and which a court is bound to regal
rs constructive fraud. 49,, -.,--
THE decline of American. shipping is st
a fruitful topic of discussion, but no rem
dies are proposed which seem to be accep
able. The facts regarding the decline a
certainly discouraging. Only twenty -thr
ships and barks and sailing vessels we
built in the United States last year. Du
ing the past five years Great Britain b