Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1896-08-15
CHRONICLE
JOSEPH KUBLER PUBLISHER

JOSEPH KUBLER PUBLISHER
The extent of the work to be done in
Improving the navigation of the Mis-
sissippi river is disclosed In the latest
annual report of Major Hamburg, in
charge OF work on the hannel between
the Illinois and Ohio. According to this
report, 2.979 snags were removed during
the year. The work OF the snag boats
never ends. Next year as many or o
snags will have to be removed In order
to insure safety in navigation. Major
Hamburg reports that in the work OF
destroying the cause of which snags
are the effect the a boat crews had
destroyed within the year 19,64S leaning
trees.
Germany is fast turning out its older
generals, thirty-two have been forced
70 retire within a year, which beats the
record. The average age of n brigade
commander is SO years, to 81 In the
French army. where the average age OF
all ranks is higher than I'm the German.
No German brigadier Is more that 56,
while thirty French brigadiers are over
81. German cavalry colonies average
IS years 4 months. only seven being over
80, while the French officers In the same
army average 50 years 5 months, fifty
three c~olonels being over 50.
Foreign books are admitted free of
duty in all cases In sixty-nine countries
out of 10 whose laws a V been inves-
tigated by NJ. lie Soudier. In thirteen
others unbound books are free, but there
is a duty on the binding. In twenty
eight countries books pay duty. though
I'm eight of them exceptions are made
In favor of books intended for teaching.
In most cases the duties are very slight,
hardly interfering with importations.
In China the customs duties on the
books imported by missionaries is a cent
Or two a pound on the weight.
In France, Il seems, that there Is a
strong superstition that the operas of
Ambrose Thomas bring some sort of i'll
luck. The Paris opera Comique and
the Theater des Arts at Rouen were
burned on the night of the performance
of "Mignon" in which it may be reco-
lctltu IL Ire SCtIlt dNludllN cCNdhS "
Grand Opera, Paris, was burned IN the
night Of a performance of Hamlet"
Ambrose Thomas himself was well
aware of the superstition, and used
laughingly TO declare that he was lucky
In other ways.
William Palmer, an engineer Of Mid
dletown, n. Y, while riding on a bicy-
Cla a fauv 1a We a en along a ny th Of
the Delaware and Hudson canal, at
tempted to pass one of the canal boat
mules, when the animal wheeled sud
denly and let drive his heels. which
caught the cicyclist, precipitating him
with his wheel In ten feet of water.
After a hard struggle by the captain
and crew of the ana o "a Mr.. Palmer
was fished out in an exhausted condi-
ton.
The United States consul at Havre,
France, recently sent home some sam.
pies of new textile fabrics, which were
exhibited at the state department in
Washington. They were woven from the
fbers Of peat, which, as they proved,
can be bleached to whiteness and will
then take any dye. These fabrics are
sfhANa W ~ ~ ~
the fact that they have antiseptic quail.
ties which will prevent them from har.
boring disease germs.
- ~----
The gold brick industry is anguish
ing at present. but in Idaho an old trick
is being revived. Recently at Idaho
Falls a young man presented to a bank
a ball of amalgam, asking them to
weigh and send to the mint on his ac-
count. AS the stuff looked well the
bankers did not hesitate to advance a
small sum of money on it. The ball of
"amalgam.' however was an iron ball
well covered with gold.
-
The most expensive and extensive
wine cellar In the world is owned by the
RounAnian government. A railway
tunnel $500 feet long, situated between
Galtaz and Barbosh, could not be used
for railway purposes because of it's in
fcrior construction. It's cost was nearly
1000, 600 francs. 1t was leased to a wine
dealer, who has turned it into an i'm
mense and excellent wine cellar.
There Is considerable risk incurred in
shoeing vicious horses, both to the
blacksmith and to the horse itself. To
remove this risk altogether an Austria
liam has invented a sort of wooden cage
the sides and top of which are padded.
The horse is led in. the door is fastened,
and the cage is then turned completely
upside down, the animal resting on its
back with its feet up.
A 5-year-old boy in Dover, N. H., was
taken to a dentist and had three teeth
extracted. He behaved so nicely that
the dentist gave the boy a dime as he
was leaving the office. That dime
bought the boy some candy, and when
the boy wanted some money for fire.
crackers for the Fourth, with genuine
Yankee instinct, he tool himself to the
dentist to ask to have some teeth ex-
tracted.
One of the most advanced. countries
under the sun is New Zealand, where
they propose to create an old age PEN
sion fund, allowing $3.50 a week to every
person who reaches 65, by taxing public
amusements. This idea Is still being
seriously agitated in England, although
they have settled there upon no source
of funds
"Marmaduke" In London Truth asks
II it is not time that the custom of bury
ing murderers in unconsecrated ground
should cease? "When the criminal has
paid the extreme penalty Of the law. Il
is ludicrous for the state to pretend that
1t can I'm any a affect him In the next
world; whilst, even II 1t were In its
power, 1t would be abominable to do so.
The decree Of the italian government
Indefinitely extending the time of the
copyright of Rossini's Barber of Sc
vile" has been declared by a parlia.
mentary commission as contrary to law
and void. The final decision rests with
the full house of parliament.
The number of unmuzzled dogs seized
I'm the streets of London tive Febru.