The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1882-10-11
FACTS AND COMMENTS.

This will be the greatest railroad
building year on record. Already,
since the lst of January, nearly six
thousand miles of new road have been
built in the United States. During
the corresponding period last year
$3.50 miles had been constructed, and
that was regarded as great things.
The frozen bodies of Dc Long and
his ten companions of the lost jean
nctte arc to be brought home in cast
iron collins especially made forthem in
New York. The collins are lined with
felt. ground cork, ETC., Ivy which the
bodies will be kept from the outward
air. Being frozen they are cNpcctcdto
change into adiposene or waXy tissue,
the features always preserving their
natural expression. The baskets have
been shipped to st. Petersburg.
An article called fertilizing moss is
offered in New York to take the place
of soil in raising plants. The dis
covcrer is a Frenchman, Alfred Du-
mesnil, a scientific horticulturiSt. 1t
is claimed that "thiS wonderful dis
covery by which plants may be cul-
tivated without earth, or with earth
in combination with the moss, bids
fair to completely rcvolutioniZc pres
cnt methods in the house culture of
flowers" \ great variety of plants,
it is said. have been experimental
upon in this way, and even vegetables
raised from the seed to maturity.
In France it frequently happens that
a murderer is not only sentenced to
death but required to pay a heavy fine
to the relations Of his victim. These
fines are inflicted by the Judges. y
few years ago Il man named Armand,
of Bordeaux, was tried for attempting
to murder his servant. The jury ac-
uuittcd him, but the bench, having
their doubts about the matter, sen
fenced him to pay $4,000 to the ser
want, and the court Of Cassadon up
held the curious decision. Prince
Pierre Bonaparte, when acquitted OF
the murder of Victor Noir, the jour
nalist, in 1870, was made to pay $4,000
damages to his victims mother. Only
a few months ago man who killed
another in a duel was obliged to pay
his antagonists widow $1,000, beside
undergoing Il years Imprisonment.
4 farmer who has irritatel the
hills of South Euclid, o., for some
wears in pursuit OF Il living, dug from
the earth a crop which pans out more
to the square inch than any OF his
previous agricultural efforts. He was
engaged in making an excavation on
the site of an ancient corn-crlb, and
while so doing unearthcd rust-eaten,
iron tca-kettle of the pattern which
found favor with those of Il halI-gcn-
Grafton ago. The kettle contained cop
per, silver and gold coins. principally
from the American minis, with Il few
Canadian pieces, amounting i'll all to
something over $500. None OF the
coins bore date later than 1859. The
farm was formerly owned by a man
named Wilson, who sold out and moved
West early in the COS. 1t is possible
that Wilson or some other tenant, be-
coming fearful of Southern invasion,
made 4 plant of his available capital.
The tithing house is still in activ"
use in Salt Lake City, and through it
S500,OO a year is collected by the
Mormon officials. This comes mostly
from the poor, according to Il CORE
spondent of the st. Louis Globe-Demo-
c3ut, and nobody knows to what use it
is put, although many had their sur
misses when they found that Brigham
Young, although not entitled to any
salary, died worth several millions.
The rich evade their tithes in a variety
of ways; the poor must pay them or
they are subjected to trouble and
ANNOYANCE. When they have paid
their tithes they are not out OF debt to
the church. They must contribute
when called upon to the erection OF
new buildings, or do anything else
which the priesthood may demand,
Better starvc your body than your
SOUL" and away goes the last bushel
of corn, or the last sheep, or the last