Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1884-11-27

| that section prclc1 q mia Wlntcr.-C. d.
IatlGr.
A THYINa WINTER PREDICTED That
we are going to have trying winter ap-
pears not to be questioned in any direction.
So many thousands of workiugmcr arc now
out of empl oyment- and the number Is like
| " to he increaacd--that unless a wonderful
reaction shall take place in business, vast
amount of distress must prevail. The vari'
Gus benevolent Associations are making ac-
tive preparations TO meet the emergency,
and no doubt, all that can, will be done for
the alienation of suffering that is certain to
come. AS natural consequence of this
probable distress there will be many appeals
made to the Benevolent, and these appeals
will be responded to. This would be well
where the recipients are known to be wor-
thy, but inliscriminatc almsgiving is really
not charity.
BALTIMORE, MD.
Bro. CHARLrE.--
Dear Sir:-Thc day after the election
about ten thousand c1;lcs landed here They
have been in that bleak, and arid region, up
Salt River, for % wears. They were queer
looking fellows they look ike so many rip
Van Winh.c's. These uncouth looking
crnnks beng in exile so loug, lost a great
deal of their civiity, and behaved very I'M
becomingly, being ju,lant over their free
dom again, they yelled, hal'oocd, threw
tin pans, carried Old hrooms, and banners
| with singular notices, and queer designs ON
them. They wanted work, but preferred
sweeping to any other; SO they visited the
postoiice, and give the employees grand
sercnadc, which was not very Agreeable. at
is fun for you boys, but it is death to u.s. SO
a little soircc took place, and the police took
them il. Peace and quiet now pre-
walls. Cleveland is elected; "lIow is that
for high 2" Yours &c.
"YES!" II. S.
FooD FOR REaLECrIoN-Th corporation
of Mechanicstown raises annua'ly about
$275 tax on real estate at Is cents on the
300. This shows an assessment of about
$!S3,00D.
This assessment we know to be very low
ard will assume believing that we are not
far out of the way, that in the matter of Fire
Insurance, it does not vary materially from
these ii cures; that is, if every house assessed
| in this town is insured, the total amount of
the policies would about equal the assess
ment for borough purposes. To allow am
pie margin however, let us r"dlcc the
amour: by 10 per cent. this viii leave US
$lG5, 900 Now let US assume that for every
{ 00U in real estate insured there are $50
in personal property, certainly II sufficiently
low estimate. including rs it does, all stocks
in trade This amounts to S+l 900 making
q total Of $206,O0o, say 100000 represents
the aggregate of all policies hcll in the Dor
| ough of Mechanicstown.
Let us now assume that the average rate
| of percentage Of insurance rs the basis OF the
premium note is Q per cent. again ccrtHinly
low enough; this would make the preminsn
notes held against US $l3, 800. On this
amount allow the average rate to be per
cent. per nnnu.a, assurclly a safe assuinp-
I ton, and we have as The total amount an
nualy sent out of this town to pay fire in
surance 5000.
We shall, in this article, go no further than
to call attention to the fact, that during our
residence of fourteen years in this town, the
aggregate loss by fire does not exceed $4,000,
and the total number OF fires is three.
If we have misstated facts, or if we have
been able to set any one thinking, we shall
be very well pleased to give such persons
space in THE CLARION. either to correct or
discuss the figures given and the IDEAS sugg-
gestcd. We have, really, written with that
end in view.
TIE ENGLISH SPARROW The English
sparrow-so called from having been i'm
ported into this country from England-is
as abundant on the continent as in the
British isles It.has been declared nuts
ance here, and long since was regarded as
nuisance there In Germany each farmer is
required to present annually, to the local
authorities. one hundred scalps, for which a
bounty is paid. They are destructive to
grain and to fruit, and drive away Other
birds from the habitations of men. They
are said to equal the reed bird as broil, and
this is about the only good attending them
-Four and twenty black birds baked in a
pie" would not be superior to an equal
number of sparrows. They are likewise good
on toast and are esteemed in the restau-
rants, which pay literally for them. This is
the season for focklng, and during the WIN
ter, especially when there is snow upon the
ground, they may be trapped in great NUM-
bers Let traps be set for them in all thei1
haunts throughout the winter, and in this
way they can be eXterminated, or their num-
bers greatly reduced and like the rabbit, the
squirrel, and other game, contribute largely
to the sustenance of those who chose to APP
propriate them to table use.