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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 1, 1880)
October, 1880. tttE WEST SHORE. X 201 GENERAL ALBERT J. MYER, We present herewith an engraving of Gen. Albert J. Myer, Chief of the Signal Service Bureau, who died on the 24th ult at Buffalo. Geo. Myer wai known all over the country, although very few inew hit face. lie waa better known at " Old Probabilitioe," a familiar cognomen applied to the official representative of the Signal Bureau. Thii diatinguiahed officer waa born at Newburg, in the State of New York, in 1829. He graduated at Hobart Col lego, at Geneva, in that State, in 1847. After applying himself to the atudy of medicine, he took the degree of M. D. at the Univeraity of Buffalo in 1851; and in 1854 he waa appointed Assistant Surgeon in the United States army. He served in the medical department until the breaking out of the oivil war, when he was appointed Chief Signal offioer. He con tinued in the service until the olose of the war, and received the brevet rank of Lieutenant Colonel, Colonel and Brigadier-General of Vol unteers. In 1800 Gen. Myer was placed at the head of the Signal Service of the regular Army, and in 1870 he was charged with the taking of meteorological observations at the military posts and other points in the oountry. It was largely owing to Gen. Myer's executive ability, soieutifio knowledge and capacity for mastering details that the Signal Servioe of the United States has suooeeded in rosching its present oondition of usefulness. African Explorers Killed. Long before its exploration shall be achieved, Africa is likely to prove the graveyard of many of the most en terprising and brave men of the times. The Loudon Standard, in commenting upon the sad uowa which had boen recoivod at Zanzibar of the murder of Capt Carter and Mr. Cadonhead, remarks that it adds two more victims to the Inns list of those who have sacrificed their lives in the interest of African exploration. Hitherto disease and not violenoe lias been the cause of the fatality which has overtaken so many of the explorers of tho dark onntinent. Kroin the facts which have reached us it would, however, appear that the gallant pioneers whose loss we have to deplore met their death at the hands of a ohief named Wramho. But, as the expedition which they oommanded was, at the latest date, in the oountry of a roblier king called Meroambo, not far from Ijike Tan ganyika, the name has, in all probability, been altered in telegraphing. Messrs. Cartor and Cadenhead, though Englishmen, were employed under the auapioea of the Belgian branoh of the International Society for tiie exploration of Africa, The leading object of the expedition sent out under its auapioea is not so much geo graphical discovery as the establishment of cen ters of oivilixing inlluenoe and oommeroe at various point of the interior. The first of these station wa founded in August, 1870, by M. Gambler at Karema, on the eastern shore of Uke Tanganyika, 140 mile south of Ujiji. In December M. Cambier was joined by Messrs. Popelin and Carter with the Indian elephant, of which only on remained. Another rein foroement, constituting the fourth expedition, uuder Messrs. Burdo, Rogers and Cadenhead, wa far on it way when last heard of, and wa tanguin of soon communicating with Mr. Stan ley. Tb latter, by the aid of steam launohea, i endeavoring to ascend the Congo, which, amid so many perils, he dososnded three years ago. The introduction of elephant into Afri can exploration was a great step in edvanoe, and it wa fondly believed that one of the ohief dillionltie in the path of travel had at last been overcome. Tug National Park. It appear that th natural wouJars ot tho Yellowstone National park have made a strong impression upon Secre tary Schure, who recently, with Gen. Crook for a companion, made a horsobaok tour through the region. He has expressed great indignation at the dopredations that are annually perpetrated there. In the park game is very abundant, and includes elk, deer, antelope, bears, and other animals; but the gamekeopera provided by th Government are iusutlioient to prevent the wholosale destruction of hunters, who are killing the animals merely for their skins. The entire unwholesome brood of ouriosity hunters is also inlliotiug muoh injury by removing treasures which would have exooediug value to intelligent Ralfii Waldo Kmkrson, Our distinguished onnntryman oontemplate another, and, in hi belief, final, visit to England next year, Th London correspondent of th Manchester Guar dian says Mr, Emerson ha been moved to do this ohiefly by what h ha heard of th declin ing health ot Mr, Carlyle, between whom and himself then ha been, ever lino they first met, the deepest sympathy and affection, Mr, Emerson i also anxious to mak th acquain tance of several distinguished Englishmen, oon apiououa among whom is Cardiual Newman, whom he characterise a "th most religious man in England," As a proof of th growing favor of Mr. Emerson's writings, it may u men tioned that a well-known publishing house md- A 'J WW 1. AoourAXT has bren experimenting in Florida with palmetto for making paper with svsh grat ifying suooe, that they will build 20 paper ills in varum part ot in hum. TIIE LATE ALBERT J. MYER, OF TUB SIGNAL SERVICE BUREAU. tonrist. Around th geysers and other springs in the park there are many rare apeoimens of etalsgmito and coralline depositions, which have required age for their formation, all of which are liable to b injured or carried away by the vandals. The Secretary has expressed regret that proper action wa not taken long ago for th preservation of the park, and it is hi fiurpos to urge upon Congress th requisite egislation for tb prevention of th depreda tion which are despoiling it of many of It beauties. W bop something efficient will be don at th earliest moment, for a further delay of fir or ten year might work irreparable in jury. Our forest are dofaosd and in sours of destruction by th spoiler. Iot a mak an earnest (Hurt to keep their ruth lee hand off of tb National park. Till laU Mis Adelaide Neflson, instead of having been born In Saragassa, Spain, in 1W0, really wis born la Lsads, England, Maroh 3, 1 841. Her real nam wa Elisabeth Ana Brown, and her mother, who 1 still living, is gypsy. Itates th Uius ot cheap edition ot them, about which it will negotiate with Mr. Emerson on th occasion of hi visit to London, Impkovxhkht or tiii Urrn Missouri. Ws learn from th Helena Indtptndttd of th 2d lost, that about 70 mo are bow tmployed by th Government in making Improvement la th npper Missouri river, near lauphan' Rapid, and It is informed that hereafter there will be little difficulty In navigating th stream until quits laU la th fall Boat bev already transported to Benton about 0,0" 10 ton ot freight, and som 2,000 tons more will, it I hoped, be brought up th river before th season close. This lis proved so far as tioelUnt season for freighting, and th river 1 two ft higher than it wa at th aam tint but ysar. M MMMMMMM,. M. Oamrktta (peak very fast la pobli Most mso pronoo.no but about 180 word minnU, but M. GambetU talk at th rat of 235smlnuts, stMsMtekitafefftf". j.t.
