The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1894-05-05
NOTES AND COMMENTS.


travellers, the operation Of railways
and street railways, the business of
hack-drivers and livery-stable-keep-
ers, the selling OF drugs and medi-
cines, and other works OF necessity
and charity.
THE potato, SO long a staple food,
has developed almost innumerable
varieties. Forty are easily disting-
uishable, there being manyothers with
slight and almost imperceptible diff
ferences. There are nineteen varieties
Of the white in America, eighteen in
Germany ,twenty-six in Great Britain,
and thirty-two in France.
ONE thousand and sixty persons
were killed i'm coal mines I'm Great
Britain during last year ana sixty
five persons in metalliferous mines,
both numbers being above the yearly
average. The quantity OF mineral
raised from the mines during the year
was lT9, 0O7 SIS tons, n considerable
decrease compared with the previous
year.
A BosToN broker writing home from
Italy says that the straits to which
some of the noble families there are
now reduced by the hard times are
enough to bring tears TO the eyes of
even man OF business. One OF his
experiences was in making purchases
fiom n Marquis in Florence who had
nothing left but household furniture
and coat OF arms, his everyday
coat being much the worse for wear
and tear.
THE thirty-nine gunners on the ac-
tive list of the navyinclude eight or ten
grizzled old boys who saw all or part
of the civil war, and have outlived
by twenty years the type OF guns with
which the navy did Its last fighting.
Two-thirds of the gunners on the re-
tired list are veterans OF the civil war.
Many OF the gunners have II record
for service OF from one to twelve years
as boys enlisted for one duty or an
other As such they grew up to the
service of gunnery. The gunner ranks
as II warrant officer, and draws from
$26 to 500 per month, with an i'm
crease for longevity service.
CONGRESSMAN MCCLEARy, OF Mime
sofa, is the schoolmaster of the House.
He was for many years professor of
political science IN the Minnesota
State Normal School, and has written
number of schoolbooks that are
widely used. lie had long been i'm
terested in politics in theoretical
way, but his election to Congress was
totally unexpected. As State insti-
tute conductor, he had occasion to
travel all over the State twice year,
and to this fact and to the acquain-
tance which IL gave him he owes his
seat In Congress. He was one OF the
few men in the House who were
elected contrary to their own wishes.
THE Russian Government seems
bent on developing its grain interests
to the fullest possible extent, and
apparently is determined that no
other country shall compete on equal
terms I'm the markets that may be
reasonably considered within Russia =
natural commercial realm. An in
stance Of the policy OF national ag-
grandizement in the world y marts IL
afforded by the progress and growth
OF Odessa, on the Black Sea. Less
than century ago Odessa was only
II Tartar village dominsSed by Turk
ish citadel. II is now, says the Rail
road Gazette. one Of the most import
ant entrcpots OF the worlds com
merce in grains, and its influence
upon the wheat trade has direct
bearing on the markets OF the world
THE statistics relative to the cx-
penditures OF the chief European
countries upon their armies and
navies become more significant when
il is remembered that the money
thus spent is borrowed money. or
all the European governments that
OF England IL the only one which, 40
to speak, is paying it's way. The re-
mainder are living on loans. As
consequence they are all augmenting
their national debts. Between 1870
and 1887 the national debt Of France
was increased by l2,OO0 900 francs,
that Of Russia by II 900, 900. that Of
Italy by 3, l82, ,0OO, 900, that OF Aus
tria-Hungary by 4,0l9, 0O0, 600, that
OF Germany by something like the
same sum, that Of Spain by 1900
900, 900 and so on. Even the smallest
states are heavy borrowers, Belgium
having added almost as much to her.
obligations as Spain, while the Rou-
manian debt has been augmented 10
the extent Of 7Ol ,OOO, 600, that Of
Servia TO the extent Of 2I1 OOO, 900
and that Of Greece TO the extent Of
pc, ,OOO, OOG.
COOPERATIVE housekeeping is TO
be tried i'm Chicago, for the benefit Of
married men with small incomes.
Mrs. Colcman-Stuckcrt is TO build n
5000. 900 cooperative home that will
cover one entire block in Hyde Park
The colony will consist Of forty-four
houses on fOrty-six lots, with com
mon lawn laundry, Kitchen, furnace.