The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1885-10-23
A Fall in Silver.

A slight depression in the money mar
kets of this country was caused on
Friday of last week by the sudden
withdrawal from circulation of large
amount of specie in Milwaukee. 1t
caused quite furry and alarm at the
time, but it is to be hoped that it will
soon be restored, and no permanent
evil results follow. The circumstances
were:
Alexander Hibbard, sixteen-year-
old Jefferson street operator on small
change. had practiced various feats of
prestidigitation until he became quite
expert. He could not duplicate the
tricks of the late Signor Ritz, or
Heller, but could manipulate his hands
SO dextrously as to perform many de-
ceptions for the amusement and won
derment of the boarders where he
lived. He is also said to be great
Joker and full of fun. Soon after din
ner Friday he took silver dollar from
his pocket-not the regulation "buz-
zard' dollar, containing 4129 grains
of silver and worth 100 cents, but the
larger ..trade" dollar, APO grains.
worth eighty-tive cents--and essayed
to make it vanish, in which effort he
succeeded only too we'll. Giving it
dextrous flip upward, he caught it in
his mouth, Intending to drop it in his
sleeve unperceived, prefacing the per-
formance with the remark: "Here goes
for Waukeshan'
So far everything went according to
programme, but when he attempted
to pass the dollar to his sleeve-which
he did with remarkable promptness,
not caring whether the trick was dis
covered CT not-he found that the
large coin had slipped down his eso-
phagus or trachea, presumably the
former. and was, ''though lost to sight
to memory dear" The show was ad-
journed size die, and various physicians
summoned, none of whom could get
their instruments on to the piece, al
though they probed industriously and
scientifically for a long time.
1t is very peculiar case, although
not entirely without Il parallel. 1t is
on record that Il man once swallowed
a five-tranc piece, which is nearly as
large as IL trade dollar, and it passed
into the lntestines; and people have at
various times swallowed sets of
artificial teeth, ESQ ''they say, and
therefore it does not seem likely that
the termination of this accident will
prove fatal, especially as silver will
not corrode and cause blood poison
ing Still it is not II pleasant thing to be
carrying around in the body when SO
much can be bought for IS cents now
a-days, and besides, the Government
wants to call them in and remelt them
as soon as practicable.
IT. ia almost unneoasSarv to odd that
we hope the lad will not suffer any
thing more than short period of pain
and fright, and that no severe surgical
operation will be necessary There is
one thing about it. While the silver
dollar is where it is, it is comparatively
safe from the burglar who is doing
business in this city, as he has not
yet used stomach pump in his prac-
tice
For long time it was a question
whether d person could catch Il base
ball thrown from the top OF the Wash
ington monument. At last profess
sional baseball catcher made up his
mind to try it. The first attempt was
unsuccessful. In fact, they all were;
but the catcher, nevertheless, dis
played great deal of pluck When
the ball first touched his hands, the
force drove him about three feet into
the ground, and thought for a moment
that the tower had fallen over on him.
Kind friends disinterred him. and he
tried it again He has been out of the
hospital for several weeks now, but it
is doubtful whether he will be able to
catch for his nine this season.-PecE's
Sun.