The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-07-24
Unusual Scarcity of Mack
crel This Season.
Silver and Other Mineral
Products of the Country.
An Account Of Hot Wave That Is
Enough to Make One Sizzle.

Here in Rhode Island we get as rule
fsh enough for all our needs. Tho waters
of the bay and the ocean have thus far
furnished plentiful supply and will in
all probability do so for the future. And
yet with this near.at-hand supply always
ready, large quantity OF fish, such as
msckerel, caught at different points is
sold here regularly. The mackerel Is
particularly popular and it is of interest
to note that just at present there is but a
very iimitef supply in the market. A
wholesale dealer told the Gossiper that
he does not remember when mackcrel
were so scarce. A few, he adds, have
been caught of Halifax, some off Block
Island, but only enough for the local
market and limited quantity OF Cape
Cod.
All told. the catch he says is but a
small fraction of what IT usually is, and
this has lod 10 the existing scarcity. He
does not apprehend, however, that there
will be any marked increase In price be-
cause as he explains the people will pay
so much for mackerel and no more. Lad
the scarcity cvme during the lenten sea-
son matters would be different and the
price might go kiting up TO twenty-five,
or thirty cents pound or even higher.
For the present, however, with the clam
bake in full bloom the scarcity OF mack
ercl isn't likely to have very depressing
effect upon the fish eaters of Rho5e
Island.
From the impessioned, impudent and
often impious speeches OF the Popuiists
and Silverites now holding forth at st.
Louis one would be led to believe that
the silver mines constituted the great
II n Of q bs an m
tonal prosperity is dependent upon their
protsction and coming OF their product
into dollars one-half of which Will be
fat money. An examination OF the
official returns for the year 1890
shows, however, bow insignificant
silver Is when compared with the Vast
total value OF other minerals produced In
these United States. Soft coal leads the
list, the value OF the quantity mined last
year being S115, 700, 600; next comes pig
iron with sl05, 100, O00, then anthracite
roal, So, 000, J0J: petroleum., sof,o6e, ee3ii
copper, s3S, 600, 600; building stone, sS,-
6O0. GOO: silver. S3l, ,9c0, 900: natural gas.
$4,000, 600; lead, $40, 800, 900, a total of
$5S2, 900, COO. OF the aggregate, silver rep
resen.s less than one-eighteenth and 1t
may be noted that the single Item OF pig
iron represents moro than three times
the total value OF all the silver mines.
Even copper leads silver by nearly
and the copper miners have formed no
party for the purpose OF forcing the free
coinage of their products on the country
although on basis OF actual value, they
would have far more reason for doing so
than those who are clamoring for the res
toTatior OF the white metal -
We have Raj what we call scorching
weather horea bouts during the past two
q lxwn.. snAI hsaf a
for down right sizzling heat we ure "not
In It" With Australia. Providence
genfleman has Just received letter from
q relative in that iar-of land in which
an account of the int anse and life
destroying torrid temperature is given.
The writer declares that In tho inland
townships the inba abitanis are panic
stricken. and their alarm is taking
supersiitious form. In some places the
remarkable spectacle was presented OF
Australian magpies. known rs the widest
of birds, taxing shelter among bafn yard
fowls To escape the fierce heat. They
seemed dGzed and stupetied snd were
perfectly Indifferent to the presence OF
human beings
As Indicating the fercouess OF the
heat, the writer saws that a despatch was
received from a place called Nyngan, say
lug that the mosquitoes there were being
killed by the heat. Further ON he says
that a thormometer hung in the shade at
the coolest point OF the river Darling,
which Is tho largest stream IN New South
Wales, registered 107 degrees as tho
lowest point reached, and this was during
the coolies. part OF che night, whilc dur
ing the heat of the cay l29 degrees was
the poin; touched. This was not for
single day, but . regular thing for %
days. Daring this same period in the
city OF Adelaide the heat one day reached
AZ degree.