The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-01-15
OF GENERAL INTEREST.

but some Will hanker after STEAMBOAT
with iron boilers in preference. Chicago
Inter Ocean.
George Hackett, OF Taunton, Mass,
while driving, struck slack telegraph
wire and lost several of his front teeth.
Boston Transcript
"A steam fire engine company went
from Miff1intown, Pa, to Lewistown by
rail at their own expense to extinguish
fire. and were compelled to pay toll on
crossing the bridges Philadelphia
Press
Because Juror in New York sug-
gested to his brethren that they flip a
cent to see whether they would convict
or acquit the defendant, the Judge dis
missed the jury and ordered new trial.
N y San.
Tho most useless article in the way
of weapon ever invented is the pistol.
In nine cases in ten when it goes off
it kills the wrong man. Having one
handy has been the cause of many a
murder. Chicago Inter Ocean.
To settle quarrel relative to the
presidency of an association, Henry
Gutter and John Murphy, of Flushing,
L. l., fought six rounds, under the Mar
quis of Queensberry rules. Both men
were badly punished, and the fight was
declared a draw. Y Times.
While two boys were rolling a
barrel of shellac along factory floor
in Lynn, Mass, recently, it strangely
exploded, hurting the boys, blowing
out the windows and burning the hair
and clothing of man who was passing
on the street. Boston Herald.
Great Britain is the only country
in Europe which has no forestry schools
On the Continent there are numerous
excellent and well-established schools
of that character, where everything
that appertains to trees is taught by ac-
complished teachers. N T. Tribune.
The Dakota Constitutional Com
vention at Sioux Falls recently
settled the woman-suffrage ques-
ton by adopting a provision allow
ing women TO vote at school elections
solely, and granting them the right to
hold office pertaining to school govern
ment--C Chicago Nea0S.
The English sparrows, which are
eaten in Philadelphia for reed birds, are
considered as being great delicacy
The flesh of the sparrow is darker than
that of the reed-bfrd, but the Philadel.
phia cooks say that only those who have
never eaten anything but reed-birds can
tell the difference. Philadelphia Record.
"A blooming young widow of Wayne
County, N. Y, was to have been married
few days ago. The feast was spread
and the guests were on hand, but the
bridegroom failed to come to time.
Three days afterward the young man ex-
planned that his father, who objected to
the match, had hidden his wedding
clothes, even TO his underclothing.-
Buffalo Express.
Louisiana boys take young knocking
birds just before they can fly and sell
them to New Orleans creoles for ten or
fifteen cents a piece. The creoles sell
them to German or Italian retail deal
ers for fifty cents and the dealers, main
ly pedlers, receive three and four dollars
for them in the North. The pedlers say
that rich people do net buy birds; they
prefer dogs. 0, Rcaystne,
The engineer of an express train on
the Hudson River Railroad had pecu-
liar experience with lightning recently.
AT New Hamburg he encountered a
heavy rainstorm, and as he pulled his
head into the cab lightning struck the
track, and for several seconds the fluid
revolved on the driving wheels on both
sides of the engine At every reyolu-
ton the fluid would burst with crack,
sending out a shower of sparks. For
over half an hour he felt a singing,
burning sensation on the check Troy
IN Y Times.
Sir Thomas Wade, after residence
of upward of twenty Years in Peking,
believes its population to be less than
half million; and a French physician,
who has made systematic observations,
estimates it at 100000 Yet the geog-
raphy books give it at 100000. Al
the junction OF the Han River with the
Yangtsze are two cities, Han-yang- fu
and Wu-chang-fu, and an enormous
perpetual fair, Hankow. The popula-
ton of these has been set down at 81
DOC, 900, but from a visit to the spot Sir
L. Wade estimates it at about half 8
million. Chicago Herald.
"A big walnut log from an out-of.
the-way part of France arrived in New
York few days ago. 1t was twelve
feet long and nine feet in diameter, and
it is said to weigh nearly TWENTY-FIVE
tons. 1t cost the owners 500 to bring
it across the ocean, and $40 more tC
have it tr1lcked some little distance to 9
veneer mill. task which kept si1
horses busy for thirty hours There
was only one derrick lighter in the
harbor with which the monster LOG
could be handled. The log is said tC
be worth, as it stands. 81, 900, or Sc, 00(
when cut into veneers.-N. Y. Neps.
Among the curious things exhibited
at the Louisville Southern Exhibition
were thirteen medalliens or castings Of
iron representing Christ and the Twelve
Apostles. These were cast from native
ores nearly one hundred years ago al
the old Bellewood Furnace, upon the
Cumberland River, in Eastern Ten
nessee, in molds made of green sandstone
Considering the rudeness of method,
and the infancy of art in that section
and time, they have finish, smeothness
and polish that is remarkable The
delineation of features. the eyes, brow
chin, ETC., are nearly if not quite equaI
to the very best grade of chisel work
Louisville Coarier-Journdl.
Miss Regina Anderson, the young
girl rescued from the Mormons az New
York by her sister, says her home neal
Stockholm, in Sweden, was visited by s
Mormon missionary, who painted to heI
in the most glowing colors the advan
tages she would derive from exchanging
her humble lot for home among the
Mormons. He told me-" she says
that the weather in Utah was always
pleasant, that every kind of fruit grew
in the streets, and that nobody
lived there but rich men, q greal
many of whom were unmarried anC
wanted wives. He told me that hus
band was awaiting me among his PEG
pie, and said he owned big coal mine
lived In q palace. and owned dozer