Morning journal and courier., 1881-05-10


 From reports published in Ldnd some idea of the depreciation of arable land in Eng land may be gained. The reports include sixteen counties, and contain trustworthy in formation about one-half of the agricultural area of the kingdom. Good land in Lincoln shire, which used to rent at from six to eight dollars an acre, is now going begging at from three to five. The eastern and midland counties are still worse of. In Leicester shire things are not quite so bad, but still the land only brings in one-half of what it returned five years ago. On the edge of Salisbury Plain there is 8 large estate, which is deserted by the tenants, and the land is now covered with weeds. In the neighbor- hood landlords are glad to let their farms on a lease for term of years, getting no rent at all for the first year, and thereafter &C., cepting reduction of fifty per cent from what they used to receive Wet seasons and American competition are given as causes of this state of things .
 |. Under tho recently enacted prohibition laws in North Carolina the authorities are having lively time in keeping up with those who seek to evade the law. In Tran sylvania county there is prohibition, but in the township on the opposite side of the river prohibition does not prevail. The way the officers are euchred is as follows: Two ropes are stretched from the prohibition side to the non prohibition side. Between the ropes a basket Is suspended on sliders, with other ropes attached to each side. When a fellow on the prohibition side wants drink he goes down to the river and sounds coach horn kept there for the purpose, and the fellow on the opposite side halls him and asks what he will have. The order comes back for the de- sired drink, which is generally plain whiskey and a little ice. This is put in the basket on the other side and rapidly transferred to the prohibition side before the ice in it has time to melt and the drink is taken out and the price put in the basket, which is hauled back.
 suit has been commenced at Oshkosh, Wisconsin, which has for it's cause rather unique exhibition of certain kind of Thu hotel of Oshkosh was totally destroyed by fire. Four persons in the hotel at the time lost their lives. Among the number was Mrs. s. B. Paige, the wife of wealthy 1um- herman and capitalist, who occupied suite of rooms on one of the upper floors. While the hotel was burning Paige appeared on the scene, and just about the same time his wife was seen at one of the upper windows fran tically crying for help. Volumes of smoke issued from the windows of her room While the crowd was standing aghast, utterly helpless, MT. Paige offered $5,OOO reward to anybody who would res- cue his wife's body, whether alive or dead. Charles Rief, the Assistant Fire Chief of the town, rushed up the steps at the risk of his life and soon returned with the ifeless body of the unfortunate woman, who had been smothered before help reached her. Paige was so grief stricken that he said noth- ing about the reward at the time or since. He made his arrangements to depart from Oshkosh for Davenport, Iowa, where he will in future reside. Previous to his departure he was served with 8 summons in suit brought by Rief to recover the $5,0oO re- ward offered by him for the rescue of his wife's body.