Willamette farmer., May 19, 1876, Page 3, Image 3

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WILLAMKTTE FARMER.
LJSEfdL IflfOFTION.
The Uses of Tannery Refuse.
. The Journal of the Society of Aria describes
'' b number of uses which an be made of tannery
refae. The refuse consists of untanned dried
pelt or glue pieces, fleshings, hair, lime deposit,
and spent tan. The glne pieces are used for
two purposes, the principal of which is the man
ufacture of gelatin and isinglass. For this in
dustry thousands of tons of the scraps are sold.
The dry nntanned portions find their seoond
utilization in paper making, and they are al-o
nscd for the manufacture of peckers or ham
mem, for knocking to and fro the ever-flying
shuttle. Ordinary size is made from the flesh
refuse of the hide, and is ex enslvely used by
paper bangers, cotton spinners (to give firm
ness to the thread), and carpet manufacturers.
As to the hair, there has been little demand for
it since speculative builders have discovered a
mode by which ceilings can be made to retain
their positions for a time without its usn. Un
happily the demand for cheapness has stimula
ted the makers of inferior clothing and blan
keting to mix hair with wool, thus rendermg
the f.brio heavy without in any way adding to
its warmth-retaining capacity. Hair is also
used in the fabrication ot horse cloths and rail
way rugs, and, s' range to add, the cheap (so
called) sealskin jackets largely sold in England
are made from the same material.
A profitable use for spent tan, other than as
fuel, remains yet to be discovered. Lit big says
that it is valnable as a manure when wholly
rotten ; some have tried to turn it into charcoal,
and to light their tanneries with its gas", bnt the
results have not been very satisfactory. A new
process for using this refuse instead of char
coal in the manufacture of tin plates has lately
been tried in Wales, and seems likely to be ad
vantageous and useful.
The lime grounds or deposit, although not
used for the purpose, is an excellent manure.
It contains a mixture of salt, blood, lime, and
gelatin. Its analysis is as follows: Moisture,
54.05, organic matter, 6.80, silica, 2 65. iron
and alumina, 0.84, phosphate of lime, 1.85, car
bonate of lime, 12.12, caustic lime, 17.44, com
mon salt, 4.05; total. 100.
Hints for Practice.
Glne holds more firmly when applied to ths
fibers out across than to a cut parallel to the
fibers.
Soaking wood at 80 to 100 degs. O. in linseed
oil for two or three days increases its resistance
to fracture. It is believed that the increased
toughness is due to increase of the density of
the wood.
Tasteful ornaments may be made of natural
leaves and sprays artificially frosted. This is
done by means of powdered glass, which can
easily be obtained by pounding some bits of
glass with a heavy hammer, care being taken
to protect the eyes against flying splinters.
Dip the objects in thin gum water and shake
the powdered glass over tbem. When dry,
handsome banquets can be arranged.
Gi.uk frequently cracks because of the dry
ness of the air in rooms warmed by stoves.
An Ans'rian contemporary recommends the
addition of a little chloride of calcium to glue to
prevent this disagreeable propeity of oracking.
Chloride of cajeium is so deliquescent a salt
that it attracts enough moisture to prevent the
glue from cracking. Qlue thus prepared will
adhere to glass, metal, etc, and can, it is said,
be used for putting on labels without danger of
their dropping off.
Thk Housekeeper gives the following sugges
tions for utilizing old tin cans. Take off the
top of the can, punch holes on opposite sides
near the rim, put in a wire bail,- and you have
a little bucket, which may serve for a paint
not. to keen nails in. or other handy purposes.
Take off the top, cut to the proper shape, and
fasten on a handle by means of a screw through
a bole in the bottom, and a useful scoop may
be made. A saucepan for small messes may be
made by cutting down a can, leaving a strip to
- be bent at right angles, and turned round a
stick, to serve as a handle. A coarse grater
for crackers, etc., is easily formed from a piece
of tin fastened to a board. The boles in the
grater should be made with an old three-cornered
file.
Keep Coal Under Cover.
That most of the true bituminous coals (Eng
lish and American) are subject to spontaneous
combustion when in bulk, and under favorable
circumstances, is well known, and even when
lying in large heaps, exposed to the atmosphere,
there is certain waste and deterioration that
takes place, attributed to a slow combustion.
The waste of fuel, however, exposed to air, de
pends on its igniting temperature. Experi
ments by Oreenamann, at Tamo itz, in Ger
many, have proved conclusively that an ex
posure of bituminous coal in heaps to the ac
tion of the weather for a period varying from
two weeks to a year results in a large percen
, tage of Iobs. This loss is in the nature of a
slow or incomplete combustion ; it is greater and
more rapid in large heaps than in small, and is
also fa voted by the greater or less state of sub
division of the coal, large fragments losing
proportionably less than smaller ones. The
loss varies from five to 25 per oent. Varren
trapp also gives the following test: "A quan
tity of pulverized coal (bituminous) was placed
in a tight vessel, through which a current
of air could be drawn. The vessel and air
were brought to a temperature of 280 deg
Fabr, and the air, after passing through the
apparatus, was caused to babble through
certain chemical preparations which had the
property of retaining and rendering visible
carbonio acid. Under these circumstances the
carbon of the coal was ultimately removed by
thecbemical solution of the air as carbonic
acid, sbowiDg conclusively that a true combus
tion had taken place. This combustion is so
complete that in three months nothing but
ashes remain."
FnoTooRAPBT as a Detective. Recent at
tempts at forgery, by the alteration of dates
and amounts of written checks and drafts, have
resulted in investigation aa to bow erased wiit
ing may be rendered visible. Various cheml-
cat processes, more or less effioacious, have been
suggested, but the simplest process yet devised
seems to be the photographing of the suspected
'paper. This is founded on the fact that cer
tain colorless or feebly colored substances,
while very slightly affecting the eye, act power
fully upon the sensitive film in the camera.
Photographers are aware that a photographio
.proof marly effaced through age may, by pho
tography, be reproduoed with all its primitive
detail and intensity. Generally all yellowish
stains may thus be brought out; and peroxide
of iron in the imallest proportion, so as to be
practically imperceptible to the eye, gives
roofs of great clearness. Common ink, says
. Gobeit, to whomjiaflae the credit of the sag
gestion, is a compound of tannin and oxide of
iron. Now it matters little what chemioal
means are used to remove ink marks; for how
aver carefully Ube .chemical be applied, some
traoea of peroxide of iron are sure to be left
.. either on the surface or In the substance at the
paper. It is only neoestaxy, therefore, to
photograph the sheet, and to enlarge it besides
to bring out U the proof the effaced writing in
an entirely legible oradittos.
Domestic EcofiopY-
Practical Hints for Inexperienced House
keepers.
I can truly sympathize with all the army of
women, wives of men of moderate means in our
conntry, who have ever belorn tbem the prob
lem to solve, "How can we spread a table three
times a day with food palatable, nutritious and
economical ? "
Having had 25 years' experience in, the vari
ous duties of the wife, mother, housekeeper,
provider, cook, laundress and common seam
stress, I shall be glad to say a word of encour
agement and help to the young experimenter
in all these complicated duties.
It is all very well for men to tell us that women
cannot cook. Whei. a man attempts cooking
he makes a business of it; he spends years in
learning the art; and then be must have an as
sistant to wait npon him; must have the beat
ma'erials at hand and the proper utensils to
work with; and, finally, he will expect to be
well paid for his services. Don't condemn
women as cooks until they have had a fair trial.
There are certain general pricciples in cook
ing, as in other arts, which should be learned,
and the knowledge of these will make all de
tails easy. We will make cake the especial
theme of this paper.
The best flour should be used in cake mak
ing; indeed, there is no economy in using cheap
flour for any purpose. The best sugar for all
plain cake is the coffee A. It is cheaper and
better than the granulated for common use.
For making very delicate cakes the pulverized
should be used, being careful to get pure sugar;
it is apt to be adulterated greatly. Eggs should
be kept in a oool place; they beat much better
to be cold. Do not try to make cake with but
ter which is unfit for table use. It is not neo
essary to have the very best; good roll butter,
having no bad taste, should be used. RecipeB
can often be changed without failure, if, for
any reason, all the materials called for are not
at band. To venture upon this, however, you
must act upon fixed principles. If you have
but two eggs and the reo'pe calls for three, leave
out a third of your butter and a little of your
flour; the coke will be good. If your butter is
short, leave out sn egg.
It Is often inconvenient to weigh all the in
gredients; therefore, in giving recipes, I shall,
if po-sible, give measures only. Roll sugar
before measuring it; fill the cup even full, be
ing careful not to pack the sug-r. Flour should
be silted first and then placed lightly in the
measure. Use for a measure a oup wbioh will
contain just one half pint of water. For a
measuring spoon use an ordintry silver plated
spoon. A spoonful means even full not heaped.
Three teaspoons rounded full of baking powder
is the general rule for a quart of flour; this
must always be mixed very thoroughly with the
flour, dry. If your recipe is an old one, and
says cream of tartar and soda, you oan gener
ally substitute baking powder in its place. If
you prefer to use the cream of tartar and soda,
the soda must be dUsolvtd in water and the
oream of tartar mixed with the flour, drv. If
?our recipe says "sweet milk," use water in
ts place; tbe cake will be whiter and quite as
good. To compound a nice cake two persons
should, if possible, be engaged in the work;
bnt we will suppose the young cook alone.
First see to your fire; this should be started
at least an hour before tbe oven is needed, so
that the bottom of the oven may be well heated
and the heat steady. The baking is of the
greatest importance, and should be carefully
provided for. Read your reoipe and place all J
Place your butter where it will soften, but not
melt Have the baklne Dans readv: Dlaoe a
piece of paper in the bottom and batter this
and the sides of the pan carefully. The shape
of tbe pan is immaterial, but it should be deeD
and not bright new tin. An earthen dish should
be used for mixing cake. Now break the eggs,
separating the whites from the yolks with great
care; beat tbe yolks a few minutes, then the
whites, till a fine, stiff froth is formed. Set the
dish containing the whites in a cool place, and
on no acoount disturb it until it is needed.
Now put the butter and sugar together and beat
or stir with the hand till the mass is light and
soft, then add the yolks, spioes, or flavorings;
then the water, then the whites of the
eggs and flour, alternating the flour
and eggs, till all is well stirred to
gether; remove the band and put the cake in
the pans with a spoon. If, for any reason, tbe
oven is not quite ready the cake may wait, if
plaoed in a cool place, till tbe oven is all ready.
After it is placed in tbe oven it should not be
moved without great care. Don't open the
door for inspection too often.
If the oven thould be too hot place a few
nails under the pan and put a paper over the
oake; remove a cover from the top of tbo stove,
bat do not open the oven doo, The drafts, of
course, mast be closed; tuey'.s&ould always,
during the process of baking,".be partially
closed. To learn when the cake'.'H done pierce
the loaf with a broom straw; if the straw comes
out dry and clean it is done. If you have any
doubt, however, leave it in longer.
The above are general directions for all the
ordinary kinds of cake. For fruit cake some
speoial directions are needed. The fruit must
be washed and dried; raisins stoned and
chopped; flour dusted over the fruit and then
put into the mixture, just before it is put into
tbe pans. Cor. Chicago Tribune.
Qood HclTH-
Poisoned Stockings.
The Utica Observer of March 4th gives, the
following particulars in regard to a little four
year old boy of that city who suddenly became
seriously ill. His physician, on observing his
stockings, said at once that his sickness was
probably due to his stockings, which were
died broicn, as the doctor throught by the use
of picric acid. We quote the balance of the
story as follows: Last Sunday the little fellow
put on a pair of brown woolen Etookings.
Yesterday morning he was taken very ill. He
commenced retohlng and vomiting, and a
yellowish hne oommenoJd spreading all over
bis body. When Dr. Tefft was called the little
fellow was suffering great pain. Dr. Tefft con
fesses that after an examination he was unable
to see why the boy should be sick until his eyes
fell on the boy's brown stockings, wbeu the
thought flashed over him that the newspapers
were probably right, and that there was poison
in tbem. He had them removed at onoe, and
fonnd that the boy's legs were fairly yellow.
He then had the mother taste the stockings,
and she declared they were very bitter. The
mystery of the poor little fellow's illness was
explained.
Dr. Tefft, on reading upon the subject of
picrio add, fonnd that it would produce the
same symptoms as those exhibited by tbe boy.
This morning tbe stockings were subjected to
thorough feat. Apieoswasout from one of
tbem and plaoed in not water for a moment.'
Then placing it between the teeth a very bitter
taste wee perceptible, so Utter that it irritated
the end of the tongue. The pair of stooliog
was then placed in the water. On wringing
them the water immediately became dis
oolored, assuming a yellowish tinge which could
not I e mistaken. There is no doubt that th
picrio acid in tbe matter used to color the stock
ing produoed the boy's sickness. At one time
the little fellow was very near death, but he is
now r covering. His ye-terday's attack was
his first serious illness, bnt it is noted that
during the time he has worn the stockings he
has been affl cted with diarrhea, headache and
stomich ache.
The stockings were not cheap pair. They
were as nicely made and of as nice a shade as
any. But their efftcts are dangerous. This
piorio acid is not used alone for purely brown
stockings. It is also used to dye striped hose
in which that color appears. But all brown
stockings are not p lisuned. Some of them are
manulaotured by nonest dealers who disdain to
... !... .. .. hIa-i. nnij nil Awniinf nt Ita nli-on.
luanti uti u& fjiviiu . -- hji-
ness, became they know Us deadly effeois.
There is one sure te-t to apply to detect ita
presence. Stockings dyed with it, placed be
tween the teeth end against(the tongue, impart
a bitter taste wbioh oannot be mis'aken. Indies
or others about to purchase brown stookings
would do well to apply this test before buyiug.
The Increasing Use of Opium.
The custom house returns show that the
quantity of opium Annually imported into the
U ulted States is ten times greater than it was 30
years ago.
The quantity consumed for medicinal pur
poses has kept Bttady and regular pace with
the growth of population, while the inorease in
the use of opium as a stimulant has been, and
is, greatly in excess. ' "
A well known pbysioian reports that he had
talked with several of the most intelligent
apothecaries, who told him that "the nse ot
opium had greatly inoreased, especially among
women." The reason given was, that doctors
were prescribing it more generally to their
patients, and thus the habit was acquired.
In tbe Edinburgh Medical Journal, Dr.
Mirnet, lecturer on materia medico at Surgeon's
ball, Eiiiuburgh, sounds a note of warning, im
pelled thereto by three coses of opium eating,
all starting from physicians' prescription,
which came before him within a few weeks.
It becomes a very serious question, in the
face of such faote, now; best to guard against
the indicreet prescribing of opiates.
It would be well If opium were confined ex
clusively to the forms in which it is generally
known; but, unfortunately it is not, and bere
in lies the great danger. Under the treacher
ous guise of soothing sprups, elixirs, pain kill
ers, nervous antidotes, and a long list ot nos
trums, it creates an appetite that by frequent
indulgence almost inevitably ends in a oon
firmed habit. Still worse, it is prescribed by
charlatans as a remedy for the core of person
who are addicted to opium eating. There is
no means of ascertaining the quantity of such
nostrums disposed of yearly, and the extent to
which opium is employed in their manufacture
can only be conjectured. Tbe fact that there
are so-called .remedies for the correction or
cure of the habit affords a significant proof of
the extent to whiob It prevails. One ' 'remedy ' '
for the eradication of this disease consisted of
a dear solution of sulphate of morphia, col
ored and sweetened. No definite directions as
to quantity were given, but a dose, containing
aoout two grains ot suipnaie oi morpnia, was
BY UV U1D UttllDUl.
"when suffdrinc from
ession and other
symptoms." '$ .ffijrt
The editor of the.VJ?amrflftioaJ Re
porter, in a recent slteMfith.U subject, re
marks that there ifl-ufa'jftUlvBo.lrnehTDnotic
which is innocent. HfiiVho sjttds, wnutt,ver is
tried, opium and pHloral should be religiously
reserved for 'th'oseijcaseji of positive disease
where sleep is indioatedi 'f '
f 'i i irf v
KeepitiipifwVWarm.
Never go to bed 'pith oold feet. Never try (b
sleep without, being perfectly certain that ybu
will be able tbjeeepthem warm. Tolie one
night with cold feet gives such a strain to the
system as will be 'Jolt seriously, perhaps end
ing in a fli of siokcess. '. S
Gold feet shows - an unbalanced circulation.
The very best thing to dojw to warm them by
exercise, if that be prabjisable. If not, try
dipping them in hot anapold water, alternately,
two or three times) andf'.tneri using vigorous
friction. If that does not warm tbem and keep
them warm, heat tbem before the fire, drying
tbem thoroughly, and then'.corroot your habits,
or improve your health, for be sure that one or
the other is wrong, or p rbv . ' ilb
With all the rest, if yo , a bard bed,
with cotton sheets, in a co ,. j, put on an
extra oovering over tbe fei is very con
venient to have a "foot oan. ter," just wide
enough to cover tke top of the bsd and about
a yard deep. This may be made of some light
material (perhaps the remains of some pretty
dress), filled with cotton, like a "comforter,"
and tacked wi.'h. same harmonious color.
During tbe day this may be thrown over the
foot-board, and erread over the bed at night.
The advantage ot this is to secure light oover
ing for the fee: without -overburdening tbe
remainder of the body.
If you use a hct brick or hot iron, put it in
the bed a little beforehand, and then when re
tiring remove it. To sleep with the feet in con
tact with ithasatendency to make the feet ten
der. But better thai both of these, and to be wod
with or without mem, is the foot blanket. This
may be a squareyard of domestio flannel, or
two yards folded ot Swiss flannel, or anything
else you like thrt is warm enough, only have
it nice and cleat. Fold this around your feet
and ankles befo-e you put them into tbe boil.
If not very cold this will often warm them,
especially if ytu have used friction; and it
warm, it will rjiaveut their becoming cold by
contact with toe cold sheets. It keeps the
warm air arouul them. It does not make tbe
feet tender, anc it is far more convenient thau
the hot brick o-soaps tone. Try it, and if you
are troubled win cold feet you will be likely to
keep it by you hereafter. Whatever you use,
always lie lull eugth. To "curl up" hinders
free circulation Herald of Health.
A (old Twisted Rail.
In tbe blaokanitb shop of the Cambria iron
works, severalemployees, under the direction
of Mr, D. N. Tones, mechanical engineer of
that inoorporaion, have just oonoluded twist
ing one of the iteel rails manufactured at tbe
industry, by ray of experimenting upon it.
One end was listened permanently, ana at tbe
other caatini similar to sn ordinary capstan
head was fitted on. By means of levers tbe
twiating was done gradually, tbe rail being
cold, and thi' operatives gave it nearly nine
turns before gting through. The rail was so
uniform in qntlity aa to leave it almost impos
sible for the ere to delect the least irregularity
in the entire kegth, end there was not the sign
of a flaw in air portion of it. As an indica
tion of the exollence ol manufacture of the steel
rails tamed cat by the Cambria works this test
is a most eaUfaetory one, sod a great many
persons haveeeen led by curiosity to see the
one whieb we experimented npon. JoWot
(Pa.) Tribu.
I Bees-
The Extractor.
, At the recent meeting of the Nortbeastei n bee
keepers' association, H. A. Burch took ground
against the use of the extractor as follows:
It is not necessary to enumerate the evil con-sequenoi-s
which have attended the use of the
houey extractor on an extensive scale in the
productlou i'f surplus hooey, as they must be
natent to all. The vast amounts of raw, nn
riptned extracted honey, together with the
sugar and glucose that is sold lor honey, hav
ing nearly ruined the sale of the liquid article
and lessened tbe price of all honey, there re
mains but one alternative that will give us anv
relief, viz: To secure our surplus in the comb
in such a manner that it will command a ready
sale at a fair price. To secure this end it must
be stored in neat and attractive packages, hold
ing from two and one-balf to four pounds, gross
Wright. The glass box, weighing two and a
bait pound-i. we have found to be much the
most profitable, since we have been able to
secure jui-t as nuny pounds of honov, as by
raiding the larger sized packages. When it
shall beoome generally known that j'ist as many
pounds of comb honey can be obtained In any
seasun. in small glass boxes, as can be secured
iu liquid form with an extractor, it seems to us
that our honey extractors will go out of general
use. We are often askei this question: "Is
not an extractor a necessary adjunct to an api
ary, wbon run to box honey ?" We oan con
ceive of no possible u-e for it, except to empty
combs from hives in which the bees have died
iu winter. One handled swarms that are run
to extracted honey will keep an apiarian busy
for four months of the year to produce the
honey and six more to sell it; while three times
that number can be ruu to tbe little boxes with
le-8 labor in the production, and not mure than
one-Bixth the labor is required for marketing it.
Such at least is our on experience, and we
have tested both systems pretty thoroughly.
To insure this most desirable rmult, the shal
low frame of not more than eight and one-balf
inches in depth, the small hive of 1,500 (or
Us) onbio inches oipacity, and prolifio Italian
queens are indisp-nsable requisites.
PoiJlthy Yrd.
Picking off Feathers.
M. Eras. Jr.: What la the cause and remedy. If any,
where chickens pick tbe feathera off each o'hei? Some
of my fowls are looking nileerable from that cause, and
not nnly mlue but oluers complain or the same thing.
A hen will stand and pick tha feathers from the neck
nf a rooster, and he will stand and appear to like It,
and the same with each other. I notice i it more wheo
they were penned In during stormy weathtr; not so
ranch aluce they can get out and ran. It Is the first
time I have been troubled In that way.
OlUBLES Lxe.
Forest City, Maroh 37th.
The habit is acquired In various ways; gen
erally when condned iu close quarters without
occupation. After a feather is plucked and
swallowed by aooident the taste is acquired,
especially daring moult, when feathers are filled
ul.li.hlnod. The wattles of the oook mav be
'torn or otherwise oaused to bleed, and the hens
picking at tbe blood on tbe feathers soon ac
quire the habit ot pluoking and eating the
feathers.
RemedyGive them something to engage
their attention. Tie up a bundle of grain- or
hay and place-In thg,pen to give thorn exerolse
in picking at-it. Anoint the place on the cock
berH thev niok at the feathers -villf coal tar,
ir Inrd and carbolio Dowdor. or any nauseous
compound. ' My remedy is to place u 'aen wjth
tnls name in n teparme peu wuu jjukubuiuub
game hen, anathe latter very soon onres ner
of any desire to eat feathers. Rural Press.
Which Breed for Profit?
Yuat breeder of thoremghbrod fowls In the
country dies not have the question asked a
dotn, and perhaps a hundred times in the
course of the year "whioti breed shall I keep
for profit?" In many instances this is a -liffl-oult
question to give a t proper and sensible
reply to but under consideration of certain
circumstances and facta, wn will give one
solnt'on of the question asked. Taking it for
granted, that before making your oboice you
have poBtod yourself on the different varieties,
their excellences, as well as their drawbacks,
you will arrive nt tbe conclusion, that for
profit yon wish egg-producers more than you
do fowls snitf d for market purposes, and that
it is universally admitted that the small breeds
far excel the larger varieties in this essential
point. Of the small breeds, after years of expe
rience, I place tbe Leghorns nt tbe bead of the
list, and tbe White No. 1. I have bred them in
nil ways, and under all circaaist inoes; in close
confinement, in moderate sized yards, and ot
liberty on the farm, and with proper care I
find them to do equally well. By actuil exper
iment, I find them fully fifty per cent, more
profitable; that is, on twenty per oent. less feed,
they prod ioed in value, thirty per cent, more
e?gs; and this trial was at a time when I had
not loss than twenty varieties in my yard (that
covered many-acres) and was made from an
entirelv unbiased standpoint, and taking sev
eral years in succession, the result was the
same. From one'yard of 16 White Leghorns,
pnllets and hens In their first year, from March
1st to September 1st, I received 1,690 eggs, an
average of 10G eggs to each hen, for six months.
Tbe eggs were sold at prices ranging from
25 cents to 75 cents per dozen, and realized
over $75. at an expense of less than $10 for
fMwl. Thev were confined in a barn cellar lGx
20 feet, and their only "run" was a small area
of 20x3 feet between the barn and tbe yard
fence. The feed consisted of scraps and refuse
from tbe table, plenty of green food from the
garden and fresh water, with whole wheat as a
substantial. No obicks were raised, and
besides tbe egg's sold as above, there were used
tbe quantity usually needed in a small ramuy,
ot whiob no account was taken. Actual exper
iments under other ciroumstancs show the
same favorabl results trials having been
made with both larger and smaller flocks.
Were I not trespassing on your space I might
give a dozen experiments of a similar kind,
with items of debit and credit in lull.
Another material point to the fanoier in
favor of White Leghorns is, that if proper oare
is exercised in mating for breeding, no one
variety will produce so large a percentage of
saleable birds, and at snob highly remunera
tive prioes. F, P. J- in Fancier's Journal.
Tebbitoby or Pembina. The Senate Com
mittee on Territories has agreed to report a
bill to establish the Territory of Pembina, the
proposed new Territory to consist of tbe por
tion of the present Territory of Dakota wbioh
lies north of tbe 46th parallel. The Legisla
ture of Dakota has several times memorialized
Congress to divide it in this way, for tbe rea
son that the inhabitants of tbe Pembina region,
In order to transact business wiib the officers
and courts at the capital, Yankton, are com
pelled to travel, by tbe nearest practicable
route, a distance of from 1,000 to 1,500 mile,
If tbe new Territory is established, Dakota
will be left with larger population then it
contained at tbe time ot its organization.
Secret Societies.
Rev. Mr. Orosh, in a foot note fo psgs 19 of
his "Mentor in tbe Granges," says: "Societies
really secret are those whose officers and mem
bers, places and times of neetlnp, are un
known, and whose proceedings are kept con
cealed from tbe world, such as the Vthmge
richt of Germany, which existed bttween the
9th and 17th centuries, but even its existenoe
was concealed until the 13th century; the RosU
crucians, between tbe 14th and 17th oentury;
the Carbonari, whose existence beoame known
only in 1820; and the Rlumlnatl. supposed to
havo been formed abont 177G. The principles,
aims, etc., of some of these are yet in obsour
ity. These, then, have bet n truly 'secret so
cieties;' but Oild Follows, Masons and others,
so called, are at most mero affiliated bod
ies, meeting in private, ns would any sooial
party which desired freedom from intrusion.
As well call churches, cabinets, senates, boards
of directors, nud families, ' secret churches,'
'secret families,' etc., because they hold pri
vate mating?, and bate secrets."
Acain, on page 22, under the head of "Early
Christianity." be says: Religion itself, which
derives its name from the fact that it binds men
together, tends tothe formation of suchoompiots
between fellow-believers and fellow-worshlp-rjers.
as well as between tbem and the B-ing wor
shipped; and the individual worship or com
munion is df signed to be secret, while most
churches bave some fecrets pertaining to the
discipline of members, or correspondence with
other churches. Jesus especially enjoined se
crecy in progress, tasting and alms-giving, and
some of bis instructions to bis disciples, if not
of theirs to new converts, were given in secret.
The persecution of the early churches in
Judea, frequently required grat privaoy and
precaution in meeting tor worsnip. ine tw
man rulers testified that the early Christians
met sometimes and ate a meal in oommon be
fore daybreak probably tbe communion meal.
And it is undoubted that when Christianity
spread abroad, psgau persecutions also required
the eaily Christians to meet secretly for social
worrhip. The immense caverns called "cata
combs," under Rome, wore tbe place of these
worshipping assemblies of the Church of Rome.
Here, with proper guards on the watch, they
were comparatively safe; for, if disturbed, they
could easily elude their pursuers in the dark
ness and intricate windings of the labyrinthine
passages. And when mingling among the
heathen crowds of the city abve, they had
signs of recognition known to the faithful
only; among which was that of tbe cross, so
capable of being made in a multitude ot ways
to esoape observation and elude detection by
the uninitiated.
WehaveBome remains of this "unwritten
language" these signs and tokens in tbe
worshm ot I no llmitn uatnouc cnuroo, says
tbe Protestant Martineaux, in his "Ra
tionale of IMigious Enquiry." "When we
ask the use of lights that tram during tne
mass, how can we fail to think of the secret
worship of the early Christians assembled at
the dead ot night, in some vault beyond the
eye of obervation? When we wonder at the
pantomimio character of its services, its long
Eassnges of gesticulation, are we not carried
ack to the times when tbe quick ear ot the
informer and persecutor lurked near, and de
votion, finding words an unsafe vehlole of
thought, invented the symbolic language, whioh
oonld be read only by tbe initiated eye?"
Their seoret signs and signals secured them,
from imposition on the one hand, and from
deteolion by their persecutors on the other..
And thus eaoh church, whether a Bingle house
hold or many united, was what would now be
called a " secret society;" that is, an organiza
tion based on great prinoiplcsjted in common, -pledged
to mutual aid and "support, using -"-
cret signs for mutual recognition and seoret
symbols for instruction, and meeting in private
for the exercise of their rites and ceremonies.
Great Bridge Enterprise.
This appears to be an age of stupendous en
terprises in the way of bridge building. No
sooner is ono work ot this kind completed tban
we have multiplied projects for others, eaoh
more difficult and daring tban its predecessor.
The biidge now iu process of construction be
tween New York and Brooklyn is the most
formidable work of the kind yet undertaken.
Since the inception of this enterprise numerous
others have been started or suggested iu various
parts of the country. It is now in contempla
tion to build a seoond bridge to conneot -New
York with its suburban population on the west
ern shore of Long Island, a few miles above
that which will soon span the EaBt river from
the City Hall park.
There is also another for whioh a contract has
just been let, whloh is to cross tbe Hudson at
I'ougbkeepsie by five spans of C20 feet eaoh.
This will be what is termed nn undergrade or
deck bridge, having railway tracks above and a
carriiige way below. Its tola! length will be
4,500 test. Tbe erection ot the structure is un
derstood to be a preliminary step to the pro.
posed opening of n new line of railroad be
tween New York and Chidgo, which, it is
affirmed, will bo but 921 miles in length, or 59
miles shorter than the shortest existing route,
A gigau io new bridge is also about to bo
built aero a the St. Ltwrenco at Montreal, to
accommodate t I et cars, carriages and foot
passcugers, as well as railroad traffic. A viaduct
4,800 feet long, in 20 spanB, will conduct from
Hherbrnoke street to the river, five spans of
COO feet eaoh will cross tbe rivor to St. Helen's
island, which will be traversed by a viaduot
with 20 spans of 120 feet each, while 12 spans
will cross the unnavigable obanoel south of the
island making the total length of tbo bridge
10,200 feat, or nearly two miles. The bridge
will cross tbe navigable river channel at an
elevation ol 130 feetabive tbe waterl
Tbe longest Iron bridge in the United Btates
is tbe St. Charles bridge over tbe Missouri
river, wbioh, with its seven spans and opposite
river approaches, is 0,535 feet in length. The
greatest engineering difficulty which had to be
uncounted in planuing this structure, was tbe
strength required for its central piers, tbe
caissons for constructing which had to be carried
downffrom 51 to 70 feet through water, quick
sand, large boulders and heavy imbedded drift
wood, and planted with sufficient firmness to
resist freshet rise of 40 feet, with a current
of nine and a halt miles an hour of flood speed,
often carrying floating islands 300 feet in diam
eter and drawing 20 feet of water. All these
diffieullies bave been overoomeat nearly double
the estimated cast, however, and the bridge
now stands as one of tbe proudest monuments
of successful American engineering.
Tasr bave been making it more than tropic
ally warm for Col. Bteinberger, at Samoa.
Late advices received by the schooner Ada May,
which arrived bere on the 12th lost., give the
impression that the downfall of the late Premier
ot Samoa war, occasioned rather by tbe jeal
ousy of certain foreign representatives than by
any fault or- misstep on tbe part of Bteinberger.
Considerable sympathy Is felt tor the ingenious
end ambitious stateeman of the cannibal Ulande
in hU adversity.
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