Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1882-08-25
MATTERS AND THINGS.

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manner.
II is intimatcd that the Pittsburg iron man
ufacturers have decided to make the present
struggleewith their men final one, and have |
agreed TO fight the Amalgamatcd association
to the death. II so, the contest will he long
and bitter one.
The United States Treasury vaults now
contain ninety million silver dollars, and the
deposit is increasing at the rate of three mil |
lions month, two millions being contributed
| by the mints, which store their product
there because there is nothing else to he done
with ii.
A prolific State is Arkansas Jesse Bunch
of Clark county has twcnty-thrce children,
and Goodiu Dcston of the same county,
twcnly-onc lively progeny.
NJ Saint Paul has offered the French
academy of medicine sum of $4,000 to
found prize for the discovery of cure for
diphlhcria, the competition to be open to
world, and not confined to the medical pro-
fcssion.
The first shipment of Russian petroleum
from the oil wells in the province of Baku
was sent to the European market on July 81
by the English steamer Alfred. The Amcri-
can company which operates these wells will
hereafter cndeavor to compete with the
American petroleum, which has hitherto con-
trolled the foreign trade.
Sir Curtis Lampson, Vcrmontcr by birth
who is head of great fur house in London
has invented a new method Of utilizing clcc.
tricity in preparing seaskins. The skin is
'fed" over a knifc-odge bar, above which is
stretched a fine platinum wire which, raised
to Il white heat by an electric current, meets
the longer hairs which rise above the under
fur, and mows them down.
A curious fact in connection with instana-
neous photography has lately been noticed
In the photograph of vehicle drawn by a
trOtting horse, all the parts are very distinct
ly shown except the wheels, which are less
distinct in their upper part than in their low
err The reason is the mathematical one that
the spokcs of a wheel have n much greater
velocity when at the upper part than when
the cNtrcmitics are near the gtound
Although thee is grea, deal of talk about
prohibition in several Western States, but
little has been said on that issue in the east,
except in Pennsylvania There is an effort
in the Keystone State to bring the matter
into prominence this Fall, and the presence
of the new issue serves as a fresh cDmplica-
ton. The managers OF the prohibition in
; tcrcst are seeking to find out how candidates
for the Legislature would stand on a bill Civ
ing the people the right to vote on the main
question. II is found, somewhat to the sur
prise OF the public, that most candidates who
have been approached are ready to vote in
| al at.t.l
The value of the farms of the United States
is estimated ut nine thousand, six hundred
and fifteen million dollars, nearly as much as
both the railways and manufactures together.
= This estimate does not include farm build
ngs or stock. Ii these were added, the
; total would he much more than that of both
i railways and manufactures Moreover, the
, value Of the farm products for 1850, nearly
II two thousand Millions justiies much
higher valuation OF the farm property. In
/ Guiding the stock. buildings. implements.
. and all that may fairly he included under
the head of farm property, the value probably
IL exceeds twice that OF both railways and man
3 ufactures
"a There lisa suspicion that the publication o
If cheap books has reduced the usefulness o
" public libraries somewhat, as many people
y who formerly depended upon libraries 70
~ reading matter prefer TO eXpcnd few cent
for Il volume of desired work rather thai
= take the trouble to draw the book from TIN
>, library The Boston Public Library ha'
~ -, 900 less calls for books last year than tn
&c year before, and -, 900 less for periodicals
g although more than $4,000 new volume
err were added to the collection, making the to
he tai number, 404 22l. The regulations of tn
a. library have been made somewhat more slrin
Ii gent, and it is possible that the annoyanc
is OF red tape has kept many patrons of the Il
lie brary away.
According to the reports of the secretary @
C. the treasury the National debt averaged, Jun
RS 80, last, per capita, S3l.7a, with an averag
p interest charge of 81 90 per capita, The ia
It's blcs show the highest average of debt o
H. June 30, 1865 (S1G.9s) and of interest o
ly June 30, 1866, (s412). The lower average
r. are not entirely due to the diminished debt
lp The population since 1865 has increased lift
Or per cent, and the average rate of interest Ina
n been reduced from about six aud lhree-tcnth
per cent to less than rour per cent.
ed Herbert l.. Coris Of Cambridge University
C. England, who, on the eth ultimo, at III
'le Crystal Palace track, rode bicycle again.
IN time, twenty miles in 59m., 81 4-5s,, bein
III the first time the feat Of covering that di,
ne lance within the hour las been accomplish
lis cd, has Just beat his own record. August
.ir in II twenty -mlcs race with the Hon. 10
.c- Keith. Falconer. the fifty miles champion,
re the SurbitOn grounds, won in Ohm ~ Id
er that is / Dos, or about thirty whine yart
gain. Cortis rode an "lnvincibe' (Amer
can Yae). and kci,h-Falconer rode Hun
her, the two most noted racing machine
ed built.
'' An interesting commercial experiment
na to be made in England, which, if successful
N. will make the inland city of Manchester
Or. seaport. The transformation will be accom-
of plished 10y means of a canal or in reality Il
Nv deepening of a river so as to admit the It'd
n, The river is the lrwcll, small unclean
int stream, which flows through Manchester
the Merscy, seven miles below Liverpoc
thirty.scvcn miles in length. The work
ON estimated to cost about so, 900, 900 and d
for tailed estimates and sulveysare to be made
nd once. The London Times says "Once III
am is accomplished and the whole affair is sill
m,r ply Il question OF money and little straigl
-, cning here and there-lhe American cott'
1a' ships with their forty millions of freight, al
,ro the return vessels, with manufactured goo
are to II like amount, may come and go witho
On hindrancc.
'rk The submarine vessel now being construC
,cs ed at Bucharest, it is claimed, will accol
plish what no other submarine craft has ev
been found equal to. The plan Contemplat
Jay II vessel capable OF moving under water
cX- twelve hours without any renewal Of a
are Steam is the motor employed, and the spe
Il, reckoned upon is greater than that attain
u by sailing vessels Practically, the manag
~ ment consists in simply sinking the vessel
n ~ opening certain valves, but its return to t
act A. nIoo,r;o I'LL, Which 10 IN hc stumbled wi
IN -. S'N>'''N