The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-05-07
NEWS NOTES.

The population of Chicago has increased
20 per cent in 10 years, and membership in
the churches only II per cent.
No fewer than fifty-three dereliets were
sighted and reported to Lloyds, in January,
in the north Atlantic. They are source
of great danger, the more so that they are
so aften waterlogged and almost flush with
the surface.
Cars on several of the San Francisco
street railroads are moved by wire cables,
but this if only done where the grade is so
steep that horses cannot well be used. The
system is now to be tried on a level route
in Chicago.
In the past sixteen years the British
Indian budget has shown a deficit sixteen
times, and the sum total of the deficits in
the past four financial years reached over
S100,000.000. Military expenditures have
absorbed As per cent of the revenue.
The Aldermen of Toronto are audacious
in their knavery. They have appropriated
$23, 900 out of the city treasury for the pur
pose of providing specimen blocks of
pavement and the sites designated for this
paving are all in front Of property owned
by Aldermen or other Ring officials.
Letter paper of a different color for
every day in the week is now in vogue in
the fashionable society of Paris. For Mon
day pale green is the proper thing, for
Tuesday red, Wednesday demands dark
gray, Thursday blue, Friday white, Satur-
day straw color, and Sunday a delicate
mauve.
Prof Pickering of Harvard college, in
formed some alarmed New Englanders
that no uneasiness is felt among profes-
sional astronomers about the effect on hui
man affairs of any onjunetion of planets.
There is no reason to suppose that such
conjunctions are attended by any peculiar
terrestrial phenomena
A French abbe fifteen wears ago one of
the most popular pulpit orators in Monre-
al, committed crime while drunk. The
only witness turned the event to account
by blackmailing the clergyman, who sub
mitted a while to the eXtortiOn, but finally
fled to this country. Lately he returned
to Montreal confessed his own guilt, and
exposed the blackmailer.
Let me 90 home and bear the blessed
tidings to my unbelieving wife" said
man wearing many pocketed ulster, who
had just professed religion at a New Jersey
revival meeting. Let me out! let me out!
I've got salvationn' But suspicious de
tective unloaded him of three watches and
five pOcketbOoks that he had taken from
mourners around the anxious seat.
The removal of old Cetywayo from the
fort where he had been held in such close
captivity is said to have been accomplished
entirely under the advice of Bishop COlen-
so, who, knowing the Zulu character well,
scruples not to affirm that the very con
trary means to insure the faithful allegiance
of as brave nation as ever appeared on
the face of the earth should have been
adopted. "A ceremonial of talk would
have done more he thinks. to conciliate
the Zulus than the Imprisonment of Getty
wayo.
The London Sportsman having published
q report that the American Paine had as
serted that he was the only expert pistol
shot in Europe, and would like to find some
body who would meet him in that descrip
ton of workmanship, the Sporting G0zette
of Vienna replies with letter from Joseph
Schulhoff, a well-known sporting man of
that city, who challenges Paine to a pistol
match at 400 PAGES for Fl 600, and says that
he has long sought man who is willing to
enter such match with him, and doesn't
care from what part OF the world he comes.
The Adventists used to hold that in
view of the early end of the world, church
was improper. In 1S45 a
simple declaration of their belief in the sec
ond coming of Christ was formulated.
The Second Advent Christian Association,
which is the principal Advent body, has
Just held convention at Worcester, Mass.
and on this occasion fuller statement of
principles was adopted. The peculiar
points are that the finally impenitent will
be destroyed, that the coming of Christ is
near athand, and that the earth will be
made over for the future abode of the
saints.