Morning journal and courier., 1884-09-23
G SEPTEMBER 8, 1884.

!; ll;-.eitaes extent When this gun tried oaturday 1t sent 8 Hve-ounce ball from three hundred to five hundred yards. The myste- nous force which propelled the balls was contained in an iron cylinder about five feet in length, connected with the gun by an iron wire tube, 3-16 of an inch in diameter some half dozen discharges were made, the results as described being by no means start ling. To show the penetrating power of the weapon steel shot was fired at three-ineh spruce blanks, placed directly before the gun. The shot passed through one plank and lodged in the second. Nothing very stu pendous about this
 Of the six hundred million pounds of to- baeco grown in this country this season three hundred millions will be manufactured into chewing and smoking tobacco and snu8 The number of manufactures in this country are to be counted by thousands The tobacco nanufactories proper are about one thousand, but of cigar manufactures the number reaches more than sixteen thousand New York and Pennsylvania have each about four thousand, Illinois and Ohio about fifteen hundred each none of the other States reach ing in number so high as a thousand
 Within few months past markings have been seen on the surface of the planet Venus which even so cautious an astronomer as Professor Young has declared give promise that we may be able to learn something con- corning the poles, the mountains, the conti- nents and the seas of that distant world MT. Trouvelot has discovered what he regards as probably the snow-clad summits of noun tains thrust up through the cloudy atmos- phere in the neighborhood of it's poles. The mountains, if they exist, must be of amazing height, and it is doubted whether Trouvelot has correctly interpreted what he saw Yet that he did see some peculiar feature of the plaIet-that he did get glimpse, though an obscure one, into this far-away world-the astronomers do not question
 Philadelphia judge has just decided that drug clerk who puts up poisonous prepara- tions under physicians prescription is not liable. for emitting to mark them as poison He holds that the statue requiring such Ja- bels was enacted to prevent mistakes in the sale of noxious drugs, to prevent their ma
 
 aid in the detection of criminals, but that it was not designed to overcome the ignorance or reeklessness of recipients of legitimate prescriptions. Otherwise, it is urged that every compound containing infnitesimal quantities of poison would have to be la belled in such way as to alarm nervous pa tients, and be destructive of medical science Tn the ease at isa1Ie a woman had diad from taking strychnine pills in a foolhardy con test with another as to who should consume the most. The drug clerk was charged with involuntary manslaughter, but, as it was held that he was not bound to label the box ''poison," he was discharged.
 It is said that there are good reasons for believing that MT. Merton, our minister to Paris, will be made secretary of the treasury. He was strongly urged for the place when President Garfield was forming his cabinet and President Arthur was among those who urged his selection for the place. MT. Nor ton, it is believed, is still desirous of direct ing the treasury, and as his time of service next, his friends assert that he would prefer to wind up his official term as the head of the Treasury department. The fact that Mir. Morton has deferred his proposed return to the United States for two weeks has been cited as an indication that he is not consid- cred in this connection by the President, but there are many who place very differ ent interpretation upon this action, and see in it a purpose on the part of MT Morton to accept the vacant portfolio. These persons argue that had he not been invited to accept the secretaryship he would have carried out his intention to return home, but having de- cided to succeed Judge Folger he has simply deferred his departure from France in order to properly close up his official and personal affairs at Paris before vacating his diploma tic office