The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1883-07-05
The decrease of the National debt fol
the month of June was over SIS, 000,0 CO.

The decrease of the National debt for |
5he month of June was over $lS, 100000.
While the steamer Daphne was being |
on the River Clyde Tuesday, she |
capsized soon after leaving the ways, pre-
nearly 200 persons into the river,
1t is thought that fully 100 persons lost
their lives The catastrophe has caused
intense excitement.
Sidney Gilchrist Thomas, of basic pro-
cess fame, in the presence of several iron
and steel men of Pittsburgh. on the Goth
inst, said that had he visited the Bessemer
plant of the Pittsburgh Steel Casting
Company six months earlier it would have
saved him six pence per ton on 200, 900 tons
per year, or $25, 600, by adopting but one
of their Improvements.
1t is generally conceded that President
Arthur's administration is rapidly growing
in public confidence, and this has caused
suggestions from numerous influential
sources that the probability Of his being
the Republican nominee for 1884 IS very
strong Arthur and Lincoln are looked up
on as good ticket, with Judge Gresham
as favorite reserve for the second place.
The calculation made at the Post Office
Department shows only one registered let
ter in 13, 900 is lost The number of reg
istered letters and packages mailed in the
last fiscal year was 9,267 ,922, and the reg
istry fees paid $S4l, 49S. The number of
money orders issued during the year was
S,797 ,312, costing in fees 81, 1884. The
total amount of money transmitted by mo-
ney orders last year was $l20,OO0,00O.
The Bourbon leaders are just now con-
sidering how they can hold a State Con-
vention without committing some foolish
ness. The most popular plan seems to be
to meet and adjourn. without doing any
thing more than electing new State Com
mittee and urging to organization. All
.'isms" must be ignored, says one of the
organs, which means that the negro queS
ton must be let alone and nothing the Re
adjusters have done be disturbed.
The Goth of June was the twentieth AL
niversary OF the State of West Virginia,
A. [. Boreman, its first Governor having
been inaugurated into Office June 20, 1868.
The Wheeling Register, Il Democratic
journal, says this was the elimination OF
an ambition which had been lurking i'll the
population of West Virginia for thirty
years OF more, but it was reserved for a
IN
tunity which the people seized upon with
a keener sense of expediency than of scru-
pulous constitutional proprieties.
The barbed wire decision in st. Louis,
upsetting the Washburn and Moons pat
ents. has borne it's first fruits in Il propO-
sltion from the members of the combina-
tion formed by the owners of the patents
to reduce royalties, whose amount is near
ly half the present cost OF barbed wire,
and barbed wire is to-day the chief cost OF
turning western plains into grazing
grounds. Bessemer steel, which has cheap
ened railroads SO greatly, would have
cheapened barbed wire fencing equally if
it were not for the royalties eXacted by the
patents.
One of the most deadly and terrible of
diseases, Asiatic cholera, has broken out
in Il virulent form at Damietta, Egypt.
1t was imported from India and fears are
entertained of its spread westward until
Cairo is reached, where the English army
is located. Every precaution is being used
but should the efforts to stay it prove un-
successful, it's spread to Great Britain is
not impossible. Its virulence may be
judged from the fact that on Tuesday last,
it caused at Damietta the death of 113 out
of total population of 10000, and at
Mansooreh, the day following - persons
were fatally affected.
The american Manufacturer says: The
British Board of Trade Returns for May
are regarded by English exchanges as de-
increase of $4,000 tons on the exports of
iron and steel in April. The total is some
5000 tons below the figures for May, 1882,
but in that month there were shipped
$1,000 tons of iron and steel to the United
States, while last month the exports to the
States was but 60,SS1 tons. The returns
for the first five months of this year are
l24,756 tons less than in the corresponding
period of las year, but 225, 929 tons more
than from January to May, 1881. The
statements Of values are less satisfactory.
Warrants were issued in Richmond on
Friday for the payment of $25, 600, the first
interest due OH the new Riddleberger
bonds and which was due on the first of
the month. These bonds are now sought
after at "a, although Judge Bond IS decision
in the Baltimore and Ohio injunction case
held back funding to great extent. and
kept the Riddles down to less than 81 for
two weeks. The treasurer also paid out
$40, 154. l3 the same day as interest due to
the schools and colleges of the State. In
addition there were turned over to the
State Board of Education $4,000 Oh ac-
count of arrearages to the public schools.
Democratic statesmen and democratic
organs are significantly silent on the ques-
ton of free trade. A few months ago there
were indications that it would be paral
mount plank in their next national platI
form. and that the issue of free trade OF
protection would be distinctly presented
in the election of Speaker Of the House OF
Representatives All this has blown over.
Carlisle is substantially retired from the
contest, and Randall would seem to have
the race his own way. In Virginia,
the effort will be made to eliminate the
question from the fall contest, as not per-
tinent to State pOlitics.-the real motive
being that the Bourbon leaders know that
the people are against them on the tariff
issue. In State and National matters
everything looks discouraging and even
disheartening for the Democratic party.
Several of the Northern papers and their
correspondents are demanding the removal
of U. S. District Attorney, d. Sheffey
Lewis, for acting as the second of w. C.
Elan, Esq, in the late duel with Mr.
Bierne. This is the mereSt nonsense. Mr..
Lewis is a high-toned, gallant gentleman,
but has very little sympathy with the duel
ing code. Under the circumstances of the
late duel, he could not. from hui
name standpoint. have acted differ
emily. When all the facts are known,
honorable gentlemen, north and south,
and of both DartieS will commend his