The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-06-17
FACTS IN FEW LINES

them as letter thief telltales are short
ly to appear in Paris.
In the course of a murder trial at
Cape Town recently the defendant, IN
aged Malay trader, admitted that he
had twenty-seven wives.
The value of the diamonds in the
United States is estimated to be $780,
OOO,0OO. OF this amount S17O,OOO,OOO
worth are owned by residents of New
York.
London claims during the past year
to have had fewer murders and fewer
burglaries than In previous years.
There has also been no case of murder
In which there was failure to bring the
perpetrator to book.
Warned by the great destruction Of
literary treasures in the Turin fire, the
Italian minister of public instruction
has ordered that in the new national
library at Florence all important man
uscripts shall be placed in a special
room.
Russia bought from the United States
In 1908 nearly $20,00O,OOO worth OF
goods, which is double the average Of
previous Years. and sold the United
States nearly $4,000 0 worth, which
is an increase of 80 per cent over pre-
vtous years.
i The Cuban government has ceased
negotiations with q Chicago contractor
for he raising of the Maine, blown up
six years g In the harbor of Havana.
The contractor failed to sign u contract
or furnish Il guarantee that he would
do the work.
New Orleans reports the best building
prospects ever known in that city.
Plans are definitely adopted for struc-
lures which will cost more than S6,OOO,-
600, the largest single undertaking be-
ing a hotel which will represent the in
%vestnent of about $1,000 600.
AS a means of defense for women In
case of attack from a rutian a stiletto
hatpin is about to be placed on the Eu-
ropean market. 1t is made of fine steel
that will bend but not break, has O
fine, hardened point and a handle with
| which to grasp it as n weapon.
John Shumaker, aged seventy years,
Of Newcastle, Pa, is held to be the
oldest active fireman in the United
States. He has been a fireman since
he was fourteen years Of age and has
always maintained q deep interest In
the business of fighting the flames.
French tobacco raisers in 1900 and
1901 received $166 and $40 per ton,
while for foreign tobacco the admins
tration paiG 500 per ton in 1000 and
S262 in 1901. In 1898 $40, or exactly
double the price of home raised tobac-
co, was paid for the foreign article.
Lloyd's returns show that during
1903 the total addition to the steam
tonnage of the United Kingdom was
1,0OS, I56 tons gross and of sailing ton
mage 1850. About $50 per cent Of
the tonnage consists of new vessels
nearly all built in the United Kingdom.
TIL police department of New York
has issued ORDERS that Il stenographer
shall be sent to take in full all speech
es made in public by known ana
chists. The reports will be filed in the
department records md will be used IL
commenced
Considerable attention has been paid
during late years to the buoying and
lighting of the upper st. Lawrence I'M
til today a good, clear channel with
fourteen feet Of water at any season Is
clearly marked all the way from
Kingston to Montreal. Modern gas
buoys burning acetylene gas light the
channel at all needed points.
NV ~,-,J, a ,:.:1 49, -. rn--,I- n
alarmingly on the increase. In 1900
the number was 434; in 1901 it was
525; in 1902, 564, and in 1903, G61.
Whereas the population in this time
has increased only 80 per cent the rate
of increase in suicides Is IS per cent.
In 1900 there We're % suicides to every
100000 of population. In 1903 the
number was 81.
England is the best customer France
has in the wood market. That coun-
try also buys woods of Sweden, Nor
way. Russia and Finland. The coun-
try of purchase depends very largely
upon price. The countries above men
toned which sell the most cheaply get
the business Of England, whose ships
are in every port ready to load with
any kind Of freight for a return trip.
international balloon ascents, both
manned and unnamed, were made in
November and December, 1903, in
many European countries, the British
islands excepted, and kite observations
were also made at the Blue Hill OBJ
servatory in this country. The highest
attitudes attained We're: Trappes, near
Paris, 10000 and 1880 meters, and
Itteyille, near Paris. 1920 and 1O.SOO
meters. At Zurich the balloons reached
5000 and 1000 meters. sa. 81
According to a Philadelphia physi-
clan, in q generation or two the Japs
will average the same stature as Euro
peans. 1t is only their legs that are
short, he Says, and this comes from
their habit of sitting in cramped posi-
ton on the floor. Western customs arc
being adopted, and he thinks the little
brown men will soon lengthen out. OF
course some of his brother physicians
p%oohpooh this notion. They point out
that chairs are almost unknown among
HindooS, who on the whole are rather