The herald., 1898-12-23
NOTES OF THE DAY

Zurich, Switzerland, says that American
goods are making rapid headway IN Swift
zerland, especially machinery, tools, hard
ware and similar lines, and are rapidly sup
planting Swiss and other European manu-
factures. Swiss watches are suffering from
the competition of American watches in all
parts of the world. Japan furnishes the
latest illustration. Until a few years ago
Swiss manufacturers had practical monop-
DIV in Japan, but they have been nearly
driven out by the competition Of the Amerl-
can watch.
A London magician, Maskelyne, who has
given entertainments many years at Egyp-
tian hall, kept up an offer Of $25OO reward
flor duplicate of his box, which man gets
lin and out of mysteriously. A clever me-
chanic solved the problem and demanded
the money, but Maskelyne refused to pay,
as he claimed that, though this did the work
of his, the mechanism was different. He
would not disclose his own in court, how
lever, and the jury rendered a verdict against
him.
The ''first and only American newspaper
published in the capital of Cuba" is the
Havana Advertiser and Weekly Gazette,
Just established. The little paper contains
good deal of Cuban news in an attractive
form and it has several columns Of adver
tising. One significant paragraph of news
is: Gail pictures of Spanish royal personages
found in Cuba are being collected by order
of Capt Gen. Blanco for shipment to
lSpain.'
North Carolina, which pays pension to
Confederate army veterans that are in need,
finds that but one in fifteen of the known
survivors in the state are on the pension
list. Applicants for aid are fewer each year
instead of increasing constantly, as is the
case with Federal pensioners. Texas will
vote on constitutional amendment per
mitting the state to pay similar pension to
Confederate veterans at a special election
next month.
With few exceptions, all the great indus
tries and branches of commerce in Germany
show a phenomenal expansion during the
last decade. For example, the tonnage Of
steamships belonging to Hamburg, which in
1875 was S8,l73, was in 1879 48l, ,699. Those
belonging to Bremen increased in the same
time from 65,070 to 226,00O, while the ton
mage Of sailing vessels belonging to these
ports has since risen over go per cent.
| A fashionable London doctor, whose
mornings are fully occupied in paying visits
to his many patients, has succeeded in eff
fecting a decided economy. He may be seer
driving through west end squares eating
his breakfast in his brougham. His morn
ing meal is nicely packed in hamper. A
wooden flap is in front of his carriage. This
| is propped up and the table spread. The
doctor thus eats comfortably and at leisure
A year ago German schoolmaster, Mr.
Engler, was convicted by criminal court of
some act of immortality. Not long ago he
died insane and an autopsy showed that he
was doubtless morally irresponsible at the
time the offense was committed With Ger
man thoroughness new trial was ordered
and the dead man has recently been acquit-
ted in due form. =
The great Armstrong shipbuilding yards
of England have just turned, out the most
remarkable vessel afoat. 1t is giant ice
crusher to be used in. keeping open the trade
routes of the Baltic sea in winter. Ice
crushing boats are used in several of the
harbors on the great, lakes in this country
but they are insignificant when compared
in size and power to this giant
The women of Smith Center, Kan, have
organized library club and are resolved
to build house in which to install it. With
this end in view they have established a
store, where they offer for sale "Mrs
Waites' bread, Mrs. Detweiler's noodles
Mrs. Smiths potato chips, Mrs. Slagle's
doughnuts, Mrs. Ahlborn's cokies, Mrs. Du
gan's cream puffs."