St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1882-02-18
| SOUTHERN GLEANINGS.

ness in Chicago. He purchased Spanish
grant in 1872 and laid out village. 1t is
1ourishing place, with wide streets, shaded
by orange trees, and has high character
of residents. Major Norris has grove Of
II 600 trees, from which he gathered 100000
oranges in 1879. 1t will produce millions in
time.
A new system of gold mining has been
introduced in Georgia, what is called
vacuum dredging boat having been success
fully tried on Chestatee River. 1t is designed
to raise the gravel from the beds Of rivers,
washing the sand and separating the gold
from it. At recent trial the boat raised
this sand by the vacuum system at the rate
of from two to four tons every five minutes.
The sand was rapidly washed automatically
! in sIuice boxes, and the gold collected in
quick silver. As a result Of three hours
work 5000 worth of gold was secured. The
expense was not more than $l2. The sand
was found to be very rich, and it is said
there is enough in the rivers in Georgia to
keep fifty boats busy for fifty years.
Three cranks are digging for hidden
treasure near Eufaula, Ala, confident that
they will soon be rewarded for all their
work. They have line drawn around the
mouth of the well, which they call the
charmed circle, within which they will not
talk for fear the gold of which they are in
search will sink deeper in the earth. Sew
eral thousand people have visited them since
they began their foolish labors.
Some time ago little son of Mrs.
Cooper, of Nashville, Tenn, fell from
train on which he was stealing ride and
broke his arm, which was afterward ampu-
| tated. Rev. Mr.. Lcftwich, pastor OF a
Methodist Episcopal Church, took occasion
to hold mp young Cooper as a model bad
bow, and assaed his character in Il most
merciless manner. Mrs. Cooper and her
granddaughter were greatly incen>ed and
expressed Il determination to cowhide the
minister.
The Galveston Ntm:s says: MIR. A.
Cert, who made the experiment of shipping
beef and mutton to the New York markets
in refrigerator cars, has returned from New
York. The experiment was a success, the
meat arriving at destination in perfect con-
dition. MIR. Cert is already purchasing
! large lots of cattle and sheep to make an
other experiment on larger scale. Should
| the latter be as successful as the former, he
will at once establish slaughter houses in
this city and 90 into the business perma-
| nently.
The tallest peak on Buffalo Mountain,
| in East Tennessee, known as White Rock
| Peak on account of its peculiar formation,
| being a ledge Of white rock which lowered
several hundred feet recently fell with a ter
rife crash which was heard for several miles
around, and the whole surrounding country
was overwhelmed with terror. 1t is said
| that when the crash first occurred people
congregated and prayed to be delivered
| from the falling mountains. The heavy rain.
| fall of the past few weeks had undermined
| it.
Twelve years ago Brooks County
| (Ga farmer invested S3)--his entire capital
in orange trees. With the surplus from
his little crop he bought more trees, and to-
| day,as a result of orange culture, he is worth
| $25.0O0
Reports from all parts of Alabama in
dictate that agriculture will be very success
| full this year. The wheat, vine and orchard
areas are wider than ever before.
In the next two years the railroad
companies are expected to expend over
| $l5, 200, 200 in Mississippi. in building new
roads and in relaying and improving those
now in operation.
The Attorney General of Texas is
seeking data upon which to bring forfeiture
suits against railroad companies that have
| failed to make their annual reports to the
| Comptroller.
Red snappers and Spanish mackerel
are being canned on the Gulf coast. 1t will
| be some time, however, before they will be
| plentiful i'm the markets.
Oranges can be raised all over Flori-
da, but pine-apples can only be raised in the
south section. Pine-apples will give fruit
| from the seed in eighteen months, and will
| be in full bearing in two years.
A child was born in South Georgia
few DAYS since with its entrails, heart, liver
| and lungs on the outside of its body, no
skull, hands and feet webbed, eyes as
large as an ox's and one ear as large as an
elephants.
The annual report of the Attorney
General of Texas says the indictments for
1881 numbered II $50, 1924 OF which were
misdemeanors. There were 2,ll1 felony
trials with $50 convictions; death penal
ties and II life .imprisonments, 5,Os7 mis-
demeanor trials with 3,4s7 convictions.
There were 343 indictments for murder and
| 70 convictions. The Attorney-General Is OF
the opinion that crime is alarmingly on the
increase.
The acreage of wheat sown over East
Tennessee is unusally large, and the pros
meet for an excellent crop was never more
encouraging.
The increase of the taxable value OF
all property in Alabama for the year 1881
was ST., OO0, 900 over that of the preceding