Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1888-12-28

order placing the employ ees of the rail-
way mail department under civil SER
vice rules, all appointments to tie
positions Of clerks hereafter will be by
competitive examination under the
civil service rules, vnless the order be
revoked by President Harrison. Full
details as - methods OF application
and the steps necessary TO be taken can
be obtained by writing to the Civil
Service Commission, Washington, DC.
The first eclipse of 80 comes on Jan
uary lst There will be five during
the year, three of the sun and two of
the moon. The total eclipse of the sun
New Years day will be visible to the
larger portions of North and from the
North Pacific Ocean In this portion
of the country at third hour and
nineteenth minute, reaching the mid
die before sunset. If the day is clear
the sight will be good one for our
people.
There are 6l0, go children of school
age in Michigan, and 453, 9l5 or 7S per
cent Of the whole number attend the
schools-public or priyate-the average
of the school years being II months.
There are 1886 teachers employed,
the number regularly required being
lO,l9S, or teacher for every fl pupils
There are 1918 school houses, and the
wages of male teachers average $i5.35
per month. an increase of 81 cents over
1856; of female teachers. 81 10 per
month, an increase of % cents. The
wages aggregate was - go, 740.S0, an
increase of Sll3. S.G2, 1856 OF this |
sum $685., 664, O6 was paid to male and /
5000, 066.75 to female teachers.
The sixteenth animal session OF the
Michigan grange commenced in repre- !
sentative hall, at Lansing, last week |
with some three hundred delegates |
present. Worthy Master Thomas
Mars, of Berrien county, in his annual
address congratulated the delegates on
the tlOurishing condition Of the order
During the year seven subordinate |
lodges have been established, and four
have been reinstated. A more system
attic lecture system, whereby a greater
number of farmers could he reached,
was recommended, and the system of
trusts and combines was earnestly at
tackled. The master referred to them
as species Of highway robbery. He adj
vocatcd energetic and immediate ac-
ton to the end that legislative enact
ment might be secured whereby they
would be entirely suppressed. The adj
dress also recommended the establish
ment at Detroit of an arm of the order
for the protection and lettering of the
farm products of northeastern Michi-
gan. At last years meeting the land
plaster question was referred to exec
utive committee, who now report that
they have been unable to make salts
factory contracts. Resolutions were f.
adopted ndorsing the mortgage tax |
law, fayoring more rigid economy in !
penal and state institutions, aud en-
dorsing the Governors veto of the last |
University appropriation PiIl.
In the editorial column of the Gratiot
Journal, under date of Dec. DIST, az
pears a brief allusion to the fact of the
Gratot and Isabella Mutual ms. Cc. /
closing mp its affairs preparatory to
going out Of business entirely. It far
ther states this result was predicted
years ago and is due to its unfortunate
choice of secretaries for years. AS
happen to be one of the persons refer
ed to possably a brief statement of facts |
uncolored by personal spite may not be
entirely out of order Correctly stated, |
the facts are these: Up to the year /
1856 the financial condition of the COM
pany was such as to be entirly salts /
fac tory to its patrons and its average
assessments were only "a triiie over
twenty cents per hundred dollars at
risk. It's management under secretary
JOhnsous administration was of such
a nature rs to furnish reasons for a
very hdtteriug notice from the com
missioner Of Insurance, after personal
examination of its officers by special ex-
aminer Walker, of the ms rance
bureau. Since that date disasterous
series of conflagations continuing for
three successive years have so impaired
Is reserves as to decide the board Of (
directors to close up its affairs and no
longer carry on the business It's man
ayers WHICH the Journal plcases to term
inefficient, are such representative men
of the county; as Hon. G. II. Morse,
Darius Reid, VIM. Long, 5. c. Robinson, |
!. w. DOane. and L. y. Johnson, all |
prominent business men equal in in
telligence and integrity to the self styled |
prophetic editor of the Journal, whose
wonderful business sagaSity and finan-