Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1890-09-25
NOTES AND COMMENTS.

In its record of moving incidents by
flood and field, 1890 has far outstripped
its memorable predecessor. This year,
however, Europe seems to be principal
sufferer; In other words, calamities have
Travelled eastwardly.
PEcAN nut farming is one of the grow
ing industries of the Gulf States. After
the trees have begun to bear, they in
volve no labor or expense, and yield,
it is said, an income of from $500 to
81, 900 an acre, according to the quality
of the nuts.
ACCORDING to statistics contained in a
recent report of the Interstate Commerce
Commission, 7O4, TAB persons were en-
ployed on all the railways in the United
States during the present fiscal year. OF
these, 1879 were killed while on duty,
and 20, 03O manned.
ACCORDING to the returns of the new
census for 1890, the existing gross in
debtedness of the several counties of the
various States of the Union is $145, 693. =
$40, toward which the amounts held in
sinking funds, cash, and other resources
are $50, 46S, 955, leaving $115, 224, SS5 as
the actual debts not provided for. The
annual interest charge is 81, 7,31s,374
A YOUNG woman holds the position of
conductor on one of the railroads in Col
orado, and gives entire satisfaction. She
collects fares and punches tickets like a
man; but when it comes to putting some
fellow off because of his failure to comply
with the requirements of the railroad
company, it Is her custom to call on a
man to do the work, and brakesmen and
passengers are equally willing to assist
her.
FOLLOWING the determination of the
buffalo, another American character is
about to take to its heels through the
dust of the dead ages. In July only
10000 sealskins had been taken, and the
seal rookeries were almost abandoned.
Poachers are killing off the females of all
ages, and an authority predicts that un-
less Behring Sea is closed for three
months the seal will have become ex-
tinct.
BEHRING SEA is swarming with seal
pirates, says Mr.. William Palmer, of the
National Museum, who has returned
from special mission to that sea. The
poachers shoot the seals in the water and
succeed in getting only one out of every
four they kill Their victims are mostly
females, and the result is still more un-
favorable to the continued existence of
the seal. The pirates have killed about
0,000 this year, he thinks-an enormous
waste of valuable animal.
A COOPERATIVE community of dozen
families is to be founded by business
men of Chicago at Evanston on the lake
shore. Twelve houses are to be built
around court, and clubhouse at one
end of the court which shall contain a
complete kitchen and laundry, and all
the buildings will be lighted and heated
from the same plant. The work of all
sorts is to be done in common; each per-
son investing So, 900 becomes a partner
and equal owner, besides having his
own lot.
THE Canadian experimental farms are
said not to be very helpful to agricultur-
lists. On the contrary, they have q dis
couraging effect. When q farmer of
moderate means visits one of these farms
he sees a large number of dwelling
houses, barns, stables, etc., erected at
enormous cost. He sees valuable horses,
a large staff of men and 'fancy farming"
on a large scale. He concludes that if
such costly luxuries are necessary in
order to make farming pay he cannot af-
ford them, and he gives up agriculture
to try something else.
A RECENT number of the New York
Independent contains letters from large
number of the most prominent railway
officials of this country describing the
rules of the several companies respecting
the drinking habits of their employees.
From these letters it appears that on
nearly all first class railways it is against
the rule for a man to take liquor while
on duty. If man is known to be intox-
ioated when off duty, he is liable to dis
charge. In general those men have the
preference who are reputed to be non
drinkers.
OF the great civilized nations the
United Kingdom heads the list in den
sity of population, having $40 inhabi-
tants to the square mile. Taking the
three divisions of the kingdom separately,
ihC attOulO lluS. EuSlullu anu
Wales, 492 to the square mile; Ireland
147; Scotland, 135. The other great
countries follow the United Kingdom in
this order: Italy, 264 to the square mile;
Germany, 221; France, 1877; Austro-
Hungary, ,167; Spain, sS; Russia in Eu-
rope, AZ; the United States, II. If the
smaller civilized nations be taken into
the account the United Kingdom loses
its primacy in this direction. Belgium
has $50 inhabitants to the square mile,
and the Netherlands 352.
HERE is pretty lively collection to
have in one Jail at the same time: The
Cincinnati Jail now contains eight muir
derers who are awaiting trial. They are
William Frey, for having shot and killed
his nephew, Harry Strassen on August
20 while fooling with a gun; Charles
White (colored), who fatally stabbed
Bob Burley, another colored man, dur
inga quarrel, on the night of August 90 :;
Henry Pritchard, for choppng off the
heads of two colorcd men on the 2Sth of
last November; William PEBBLES, for
stabbing to death Blatchford March, a
popular young Cincinnati artist, on
August 20; John Hahn, who killed
Jerry Day, newspaper carrier, on the
9th of last August; Gustave Raabe, who
shot George o. Goden, Sunday, August
"a William Mara, who three years ago
killed Cocky Smith, and Ed Mccarthy,
who killed Charles Hefferman, August
29.
ACCORDING to London authority, those
who make interesting calculations as to