Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1885-12-04
MICH
NOTES OF THE DAY.


THE December Century will contain
two or three papers of general interest
relating to the war, viz, /. A descrip-
ton by Captain John Ericsson of the
construction and work of the monitors,
illustrated strikingly by pictures Of
these vessels in action. ,. "!he Loss
of the Moniter, graphic description
BY a survivor, Francis ID, Butts and 3.
The Private History of Il Campaign
that Failed - by Mark Twain, being his
personal experience (and not altogether
an untypical one,) of war in MisSouriin
1861, with war-maps 10y the author and
illustrations by Kemble. I'm the Jan
nary number will appear a fully il
Illustrated paper by Gen. John Pope on
his campaign agaiDst Lee in North
Virginia. The confederate side will be
described by Gen. Longstreet in the
February number, where Gen. Grlnt' ;
fourth paper will probably appear
OK Sept. 4 Commissioner Black of
the pension Office made a ruling refuS-
ing TO allow applications for pension
increases where the records of the wal
department showed that the applicant
was a deserter The commissioner has
furnished an explanation of the intent
of the ruling. He says the ruling was
in ,trict accordance with the law and
only seeks to confine the work of adju
dicaton TO those claims whose beneiici-
aries have clean records. So far, how
ever, from operating as stumbling
block it will tend TO expedite business
as the adjutant general has shown his
willingness to remove from his records
all charge, of desertiou which have
been found u be merely technical anc
in several instances this has been done
Immediately on proper presentation
vi the case by the pension Office.
iHE will of Louis David Rel, made
n Regina jail Nov. 9, has Teen given
rat. 1t is a long, rambling document
and consist mainly of expressions Of
faith in the catholic church and sup.
plications Tor the forgiveness of all
whom he ha, wronged or offended. lie
''pardons all who have prosecuted
him, not emitting those who sentenced
him 10 death NO mention is made OF
any property he closed with an adj
monition TO his wife to bring their chill
dren up in Christian manner and says
he leaves them neither old or silver,
but trusts that God inspires the truly
paternal blessing which he gives them.
SENATOR NANWYCK of Nebraska,
says he will introduce at the coming
session of congress bill to raise the
pension of soldiers and widows 10 Sl2
per month. They are now receiving
IS. He will also push his bill 10 pen
sion all honorably discharged union
soldiers who are dependent upon daily
wages and who are not now on the
pension rolls. He will alsI push his
bill to comocl all land grant railroads
10 pay taxes on their lands Immediately
upon confirmation OF their grants. AT
present they only pay taxes upon lands
as rapidly as it is patented TO them.
STATISTICS presented to the national
butter, cheese and egg association,
which recently assembled in Chicago,
show that in 1854 there was over $780,.
Goa. 90 invested in mich cows n the
country The tremendousness Of the
ii ures is better made apparent by
comparison with the united banking
capital of the country, which is nearly
$4,000. 900 less than this showing
The amount Of money which changes
hands owing TO speculation is almos'
iucalculable in amount. Washington
GLADDEN. states that on Wall street
alone the amount OF wealth transferred
in the questionable operations there in
one year aggregates $50. 100000. ii
Is query worthy OF reelection whether
our growing labor troubles do not
spring from seed sown just here.
An improvement has been made on
the Bessemer steel process at the Edgar
Thompson steel works in PittsbIrg,
which it is said. will have the effect OF
making Besse ner steel equal in quality
to crucible steel about one-tenth the
price. Bes,emer steel can be produced
at a cost of cent to cent and hall
pound, while that made in crucibles
costs at least IL cents pound.
VEsUvIoUs must be a very accommO-
dating volcano. Regularly at the be-
ginning OF every winter. when the pro-
prictors of Naples hostclrieS are desr-
Gus of attracting travellers from Ameri.
ca and from the north of Europe in
that direction, Vesuvivs begins to belch
forth lava-at least, reports of spec
tacular pc ,formance by the old volcano
are spread over the world.