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VOL. 8.
OREGON CITY, OREGON, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 1873.
NO. 4.
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State Board of Equalization.
UEPOBT OF TnE HOARD TO MS EXCEL
LENCY, C.OVEKNOK GROVER SOME
V ALU A RLE HINTS I5ECOMMEXDATIOX
THAT ALL COUNTY OFFICERS BE SAL
ARIED AND TUAT FEES BE AROLISIIEI)
PIFI'ICCLTIES WHICH EMBARRASS
THE HOARD RULES FOR COUNTY
BOARI'-i AND FOR ASSESSORS.
Office State ISoaroof Equaltza- )
tion, Nov. 1, 1S7:$. J
To H:'i Eccellency L. F. (1 rarer,
Chernov of OreionSm: The law
makes itiihe duty of this Board to j
cornmuiScate with you "in relation
to the Assessment ami collection ot
revenue" In compliance therewith
we are gratified to be able to sav
that thev'i has been a positive, though
partial, improvement, at least in the
manner iu wliich the result" of the
Q work of assessing has been prepared
for the' examination of the Board.
Instead of various sized and unsuita
ble books, and in some cases only
sheets oi. paper loosely fastened to
gether, arid all more or less differing
from the form prescribed by law,
which b.'fore comprised the record
of the Stn'e assessment, this year the
assessment rolls are uniform in ap
pearance, strongly and neatly bound
in volumes, and measurably after the
tabular form require 1 by law.
For the first time in the assess
ment of the State, the different kinds
of property are shown in detail in
different columns. This is chiefly
due to the! measures adopted at the
last session of the Board to accom
plish such ,an end.
We re-r?et to observe that too
mmy of tlW Assesors are inefficient,
e ther through incompetency or d's
inclinatiov.i to do their duty in t'.ie
manner directed by the law. Their
Ctieglect or E kilure in the performance
of their o'laidal service is shown in
the under valuation of property;
carelessness- in not balancing each
page of the assessment roll, so that
the addition of the sum total of the
column of 'gross values;" a disre
gard of the proper manner of quali
fying a taxpayer when rendering an
account of liis property, and indebt
edness, in not administering the oath
in the form of an aOMavit setting
forth the item- of taxable -property,
as well as indebtedness, instead of a
verbal oatUj; deducting exemption
from the assessment of real instead
of peroM d . .property. Battue most
serious inoijicicney rf Assessors is
in assessing property far below its
Aork, although t!ie complete cash
va'u iti;n is vet to be readied.
We are sensible of the ungracious
ness of the work that is assigned us,
that the more evidently we may do
our part the more may prejudice and
sdf-interest disparage anil misjudge.
Yet we have no choice other than to
do our dntv to the best of ourknowl-
e.K'e an 1 ability, am
1 leave the re
nit tf
the determination
of experi-
It is one of the objects of good
government that its burdens should
i borne equally by all that no one
should be compelled to sustain more
thau a just proportion of it expen
ses. When all property is complete
ly listed at the true value, inequality
and nnfairr.ess in taxation will be
no longer experienced, ami the less
the expense of government the less
should be the tax. The accomplish- ;
inent of an object so desirable and
beneficial as a reduction of the ratio
of taxes cau only be attained by a
full ami complete exhibit of all the
assessable property of the State at
it actual cash valuation as the law
requires. The more numerous the
sources of rlvenwe the easier is the
obligation of the taxpayer fullijled.
. The larger the amount of assessable
property the less will be the rate of
txes the givler t!i- relief from that
ob.irthen. To illustrate: if the tax
able property of the State could be
returned at e hundred millions of
dollars which the Board estimates
to be nearest the cash valuation than
the amount actually returneu
there would be no necessity for a
further continuance of the State tax
at rive and a half mills, as it could
safely be red iced under such cir
cumstances to less than one half that
figure, with a corresponding reduc
tion in the taxation for county pur
poses. It is suggested that incompetency '
is the cause oi iuelliciency in Asses
sors that under the present system
no better ability can be obtained
without increased compensation. In
view of future legislation, we would
advise that Assessors lie paid an an
nual salary sullicient to insure that
talent and competency so essential
for a position ;of such importance.
There is no c.oi nty official whose in
telligent and energetic service com
prehends more beneficial results, or
whose duties ire of move vital con
sequence. The term of office should
"be extended to at least a period of
four years to make the incumbent
more independent of interested in
fluences, and to enable him to secure
to the public the value of his experi
ence. .
In connection with the subject of
taxation ,ye would further suggest
the advisibility of paying all county
ofiicials by a stated yearly salary, ita-
' stead of by fee as at present, and
that the fees for services be collected
as usual and transferred to the Coun
ty Treasury. "Vfe are as.sured that
after paving liberal compensation for
the very best ability there would re
main in the Treasury, under such an
arrangement, iq a majority of the
counties a largo surplus of money
with wliich to liquidate county lia
bilities and thus relieve the oppres
siveness of county taxation, It
would also be a movement in the
. right direction and-a help to the tax
o
actual cash! value, lhose assessors
who have IVrinitted themselves to
be guided 1.- the rules framed by
the Board fr that purpose have
more sat isi.etorilv performed their
payer to consolidate rather than in
crease the the number of oflices.
The necessary legislation should be
procured that would require the
number of positions of a similar class
to be consolidated into one, especial
ly in counties wdiere there are city
franchises, so that in such counties
there would need to but one Asses
sor, one Collector, one Treasurer for
county, city, and perhaps school dis
trict purposes.
The Board was very considerably
displayed in the work of equalization,
in the first instance by the inaccura
cies and incompleteness of the great
er number of the assessment rolls.
the correction of which occupied a
good deal of time and attention, and
in the second place this session was
prolonged by the failure on the part
of some of the counties in the trans
mission of their assessment rolls,
several of which were not received
until late iu the month of October.
Additional rules have been form
ulated for Assessors which it is
hoped may render their duties more
intelligible and secure greater effi
ciency of service.
Some of the connty boards of
equalization have misintepreted the.
law under which they act, and while
they were in session for the fall
period of the term, they sat to hear
and answer complaints only, and did
not " examine and correct the assess
ment rolls of their respective coun
ties," or " increase or reduce the val
uation of property assessed," where
such action was necessary as the law
provides. Attention has been called
to this omission in the performance
of their duties with the hope that
hereafter greater efficiency will be
manifested on their part, for without
it the labors of the State Board are
largely increased and to some extent
ren-.l e red mi ga t o ry .
The revenue system of the State is
very defective. Its thorough amend
ment is of the first importance. The
necessity of the case is so imperious
as to demand a complete revision of
these laws as soon as possible. They
were enacted from time to time with
out reference to the present system
of equalization, and the State and
county Boards of Equalization seem
to have been created without regard
to the revenue laws, and consequent
ly difficulties are constantly arising
to retard and embarrass the action
of those organizations in the exercise
of their functions.
The j lowers of the State Board
should- be enlarged or made more
definite. The number of its mem
1a.vs should be in "reast'd to at least
live one from each judicial district
which would have a tendency to
dace the Board in possession oi in
creased local knowledge for the more
satisfactory performance of its duties,
more certainly insure a quorum at all
times during its session, and in the
wider division of its labors secure a
much greater efficiency.
It v.:as undoubtedly the intention
of the Legislature, in making it the
duty of the Assessors to deduct from
the taxable propel ty of the taxpayer
his indebtedness within the State
that the indebtedness so deducted,
in the form of obligations to pay in
the possession of the creditor, should
be subject to taxation as the. proper
ty of the creditor. If otherwise, the
law is invidious and unjust, and
should be repealed, as many of our
merchants, having liabilities due
elsewhere, are precluded from the
leneiit of the law. The Board have
therefore directed Assessors here
after in all cases not to deduct in
debtedness unless the names of the
creditors are given. It was com
pelled to this course as a matter of
right to the State and to the taxpay
er' as well as justice to those who
are excluded from taking advantage
of the law, and more particularly be
cause of the enormous amount of in
debtedness appearing as an oil'set to
assessments. The aggregate indebted
ness throughout the State, which
taxpayers have the benefit of,
amounts to .1:3,021,111, while the
column of "money, notes and ac
counts," where said indebtedness
should appear, aggregates only $9,
U:;i),f'.72, which is too sufficiently sig
nificant of itself to need futher com
ment. The assessable property of the
State for the present rear was return
ed at o7,bS:2,Oil. "Deducting in
debtedness and exemption amount
ing to 810,982,532, the total taxable
pronerty amounted to 810,700,109.
The result of equalization increases
this sum to -15,088,924 91.
With the exception of Multnomah
connty, the assessments in the out
side or border counties were nearer
a cash valuation than in the counties
situated in the "Willamette valley,
which include the more desirable
and valuable lands, because of culti
vation and convenient means of
transportation of products to mar
kets of exchange. The assessments
of agricultural lands generally, with
the exception of five counties, were
so palpably below the actual valua
tion as to make an equalization, by
an additional per centage on the
gross assessment, a matter of the
sheerest justice. So imperfect ami
unfair have been some of the assess
ments, that lands for which 820 per
acre have been offered and declined,
have been assessed at 88 per acre;
and in no county in the Willamette
valley, have the agricultural lands
been assessed at any figures approx
imating a cash valuation, bnt as
there was no assessment in a single
instance approximating a cash val
uation of such property, no increase
could be made, the Board having to
do only with the equalization of as
sessments. These facts must be
borne in consideration in reviewing
the work of the Board in the matter
of equalization.
For the first time in the statistics
of the State there is an exhibit of the
number and value of the different
kinds of live stock. It affords grat-
vSfiedntfrmati?n- The more i
the L PToJts of a country
and "Star" " itS
H,6 conntitt'east of the moun
tains the assessment of live stock
generally approaehed ' nearer the
cash value than elsewhere, save in
the one county already named. In
three of the chiefest agricultural
counties of the State, convenient to
water and railroad transportation,
the average assessment of cattle was
from 4,8 9b to 811 50 per head; while
in the two extreme southern counties,
Jackson and Josephine, the average
exceeded 810 per head; in the conn
ties of Clatsop and Columbia 819 50
and .21 98 respectively; and in Ba
ker, Grant an! Wascocounties, from
815 CG to 817 50.
In equalizing, the assessments of
the lands belonging to the" grants to
wagon road companies, comprising
4S1.502 acres, tile Board took into
consideration the fact that they were
withheld from present settlement for
speculative purposes, and deemed
that the Government price, 81 25, at
which they were assessed in one
county, although at a higher price in
another, was a proper assessment for
such lands, excepting those in Was
co county, which were equalized at
40 cents, on account of their remote
ness and inferior character of soil.
The lands of the European and Ore
gon Land Company, embracing 192,
514 acres, were likewise viewed as
lul l for speculative purposes, and
their a-sessment was e pialized to
the highest assessment 81 50 in
the central counties, and in other
localities at 81 25 per acre. Some of
the lands of the railroad grant have
been sold at much higher figures;
they were all conveyed to the present
company at 81 25 'per acre, and are
held for sale at a price beyond that
rate.
In conclusion, we have the honor
to submit the accompanying tabular
statements as part of this report. It
is believed that they contain valua
ble statistical infoi matiou that may
be useful in the future, in legis
lating and otherwise; at all events
they will serve to show in part the
labors of the Board in the duties of
equalization:
Exhibit "A " is a table of the acre
age, average value per ncre, and
gross value of land, exclusive of
grants to corporations, in each coun
ty of the State, and per cent, of in
crease after equalization. It shows
an aggregate oi :-,5S9,:i91: acres,, and
the assessed value of 819,010,508,
with the value as equalized of 822,
220.381 50.
Exhibit B " is a table of the
number and gross and average val
ues of stock in each county of the
State, and per cent, of increase after
equalization. It gives 05. 789 horses;
assessed value, 82.589,(517; equalized
value, 8o.OSO,227; cattle, 232. 132;
assessed value, 83, 410,910; equalized
value, 83,783,001; sheep, 388.241;
assessed value, 8905,401; equalized
value, 81,011,199; swine, 72.825; as
sessed value, 8115,011; equalized
value, 212,354.
Exhibit "C" is a table of the
property of corporations showing
description of property owned by
each company, the assessed value
thereof, the per centage added or
deducted, and the equalized value.
This exhibit gives 4273a miles of tel
egraph line; assessed value. 827,950;
equalized value, 842,750; 257? miles
of railroad, equalized atiro.MJ.j bb.oi
per mile, or 81,494,500; 192,514 acres
of land of European and Oregon
Land Company; assessed value,
8140, 099 93; equalized' value, 82GS.
121 49; 585,502 acres of lands of
wagon road companies; assessed val
ue, 8305,401; equalized value, 8477,
925. Exhibit "B" is a table of the ag
gregates of property in each county
of the State, w ith the values assessed
and equalized, showing the total
taxable property of the State as
equalized to be 815,088,025 91.
All of which is respectfully sub
mitted, N. H. Gates.
Geo. L. Curry,
W. F. Alexander.
RULES TOR COUNTY HOARDS OF EQUALI
ZATION. Bule 1. The County Board of
Equalization of the several counties
in this State are requested to cause
a certified copy of the assessment
roll of their respective counties, af
ter equalization by them, to be for
warded at the expense of the county,
to the Secretary of State, before the
second Monday in September of each
year, for the examination and action
of the State Board of Equalization.
And the collection of taxes should
not proceed until said rolls have
been examined and passed upon by
the State Board of Equalization,
w hich, in all cases will be done with
out delay.
Bale 2. In order that the present
inequality in the assessed value of
real and 'personal estate, in the va
rious counties of the State, may be
remedied, and the subsequent labors
of this Board facilitated, the County
Boards of Equalization are recom
mended to enforce the rule that the
actual salable cash value shall, in all
cases, be the standard assessment of
both ' real and personal property.
The root of the inequality complain
ed of, is in the arbitrary standard of
appraisement fixed by Assessors,
more or less below cash value.
Bule 3. The Assessors have been
required to add up all the columns
of the assessment rolls and show the
arro-ie-ates. The County Boards are
requested to see that this duty is not
neglected by the Assessors .
Rule 4. The County Board of
Equalization are required by law "to
examine and correct the assessment
roll of their respective counties and
to increase and reduce the valuation
of property assessed,", and not alone
to sit, hear and determine complaints
of over valuations."
Rule 5. Assessment ' rolls, after
equalization by County Boards must
be transmitted to the Secretary of
State on or before the first day of
October, or the Assessor or Clerk,
as the case may be, will be proceed
ed against for a failure to perform
his duties as reqnired by law.
Rule 0. That ' the State may re
ceive its due proportion of the tax
on property omitted to be assessed
by the Assessor, and afterwards found
and taxed by the Collector, it is di
rected that tiie County Boards cause
the Secretary of State to be notified
by the Collectors on the completion
of each year's collections, of the
amount of the assessment and col
lection. Rule 7. To insure, the improve
ment of the system of assessment,
the County Boards are requested to
cause the Assessors to conform to
the rules arid regulations framed by
the State Board for their observance
in disdiarge of their duty, with more
strictness than heretofore.
RULES FOR ASSESSORS.
Rule 1. Connty Assessors are re
quired by law to commence their
service on the first day of March,
and a failure to do so, or to complete
without delay the assessment of their
counties and return their assessment
rolls to the County Boards before
the first Monday in August, is not
only contrary to the law which they
have sworn to observe, but seriously
embarrasses and delays the work of
the County and State Boards of
Equalization.
Rule 2. It is essential that the
assessment rolls of the various coun
ties should be alike in form and style
and in order to insure this the Sec
retary of State will transmit three
blank assessment rolls to each county
and the Assessor is enjoined to ob
serve the form, and make his entries
in accordance therewith.
Rule 3. The assessment of every
piece of property assessed must be
placed in some appropriate column
of values before it is placed in the
column denominated "gross value of
all property,", in order that each
page or the assessment roll shall
show that the sum total of the col
umns of values, w hen added together
equal and correspond with the ag
gregate column of "gross value of
all property," and each Assessor is
required, to add up the columns of
his assessment roll, and prove in
this manner, that each page balances
before presenting it to the County
Board of Equalization.
Rule 4. To avoid the numerous
omissions now maile in the assess
ment of real estate, Assessors are re
quired to procure the maps, as the
law directs, of the real estate in their
respective counties, showing the ac
tual present owner of each town lot,
and tract land of which the title
has passed from the United States
or the State of Oregon.
Rule 5. Xo taxpayer's name
should appear in different places on
the same roll, but all his property
should bo assessed continuously af
ter the entry. of his name.
Rule 0. The description of real
estate on the assessment roll should
show the section or part of section,
the township, range, the number of
acres, the cash value of each piece
or parcel, and the total value.
Rule 7. Town and city lots must
be described by the number of lot
and bhx k, with the name of the place
and must be assessed separately from
other real estate, and the cash, value
of each lot or part of lot be entered
by itself in the appropriate column
and the cash value of the improve
meats upon each lot, must be enter
ed separately in tha column of "value
of improvements."
Rule 8. Mills, canals, mining
ditches, telegraph lines, railroads,
etc., must be assessed at their cash
value, and entered in the assessment
roll in the column denominated "val
ue of all improvements." ;
Rule 9. Assessors must require
names of creditors and the sums due
to them to be given, in all cases
where the indebtedness within the
State is to be deducted from the tax
payers' taxable property, or the said
indebtedness must not otherwise be
allowed. And the said creditor or
creditors must be assessed for the
amount due them in case they have
made no previous return of the same
in their statement of taxable proper-
ty.
Rule 10. When a taxpayer owns
taxable property in two or more
counties, he should have the benefit
of his indebtedness, after naming his
creditors, in proportion to his taxa
ble property.
Rule 11. On entering upon the
discharge of their duties, the As
sessor shall furnish by mail or other
method, to each taxpayer within
their respective counties, a blank
form, substantially as follows requir
ing the said taxpayer to fill or
cause to be filled the blanks in
said form with a true statement re
sponsive to each question therein,
and the Assessor shall give reasona
ble notice of the day or days when he
will be in a stated precinct to receive
the said statements of property and
administer the oath to the taxpayer,
which said statements and affidavits
shall be preserved by tne Assesor,
and turned over to his successor in
office.
form. .
Statement of assessable property
of (name of taxpayer) in the county
of , Oregon, for the year 187-.
Description vf Real Estate. If ag
ricultural land, state section or part
of section, township and range and
number of acres?.
If Town or C 'iti'- Property. Num
ber of lot, lots orparts of lots, block
and name of town or city? ,
' Description of Personal Property.
If merchandise, goods or implements
state what? If money, notes or ac
counts, .state what? If household
fnrniture, . watches or pleasure car
riages, state what? - - :
:r-
COURTESY OF BANCROFT LIBRARY,
Stork.- Horses, how many? Cat
tle, how many? Sheep, how many?
Swine, how many?
If any other species of property,
not heretofore enumerated, state
what?
. If indebted within the State, state
to whom, and in what amount?
State of Oregon,
County of
,1
ss.
I , do solemnly swear that
the foregoing list includes all my
real and personal property within
the State of Oregon, and that the
statement of my indebtedness, here
to appended, is true, and that no
part thereof has been deducted from
my assessment in any other county
in the State.
Subscribed and
me this day of
sworn to before
, A. D. 187-.
, Assessor.
" Rule "12: The Assessor as Boon as
he receives a statement of any taxa
ble .property situated in - another
county, must make a copy of such
statement for each county in w hich
tho same is situated, and transmit
the same by mail or express to the
Assessor of the proper county, who
must assess the same a3 other taxa
ble property.
Rule 13. The Assessor must col
lect the taxes on moveable personal
property in the following cases:
1. When from any cause he be
lieves that the person who owns or
controls', the property is about to re
move or dispose of such property,
whereby the tax may become delin
quent; 2. When, in the exercise of a sound
discretion, he believes that the pay
ment of tho tax depends on its im
mediate collection.
Rule 14. The Assessor is govern
ed as to the amount of taxes to be by
him collected on moveable property,
by the State and county rate of the
previous year. ,
Rule 15. In assessing property,
due regard should be had to locality
nearness to market and to all partic
ulars affecting the salable cash value
of the same, and in all cases the
standard of valuation both of real
and personal property shall be the
actual cash value.
Rule 10. The Assessor shall de
duct the 8300 exemption allowed by
law only from the personal property
of householders, and to be allowed
to householders only, and not to bu
siness firms, and where the personal
property is less than 8300, the
amount noted on the roll should on
ly epual the amount of such persoual
property.
Rule 17. The Assessor himself
and not the assessed, should be the
judge of values by personal inspec
tion, whenever practicable.
Rule. 18. The capital stock and
other property, of all banking and
other companies, were not otherwise
more convenient, should be assessed
to each company in its corporate
name.
Rule 19. In cases whore parties
are bondsmen or sureites for others,
such obligation do not constitute an
indebtedness to be allowed as a set
off against taxation.
Rule 29. Assessors are reminded
that the law requires them, to collect
the poll tax as it is assessed.
Rule 21. The law makes it the
duty of the State Board of Equaliza
tion, in case "there is reason to be
lieve that any Assessor has failed or
refused to do any of the duties im
posed upon him by law," to "make a
thorough investigation, and if, "after
such investigation, it appears to said
Board that such officer has failed or
refused to fully discharge the duties
of his office, the Board shall certify
the fact to the District Attorney,"
etc.
A ""Vitness IVho tlocs to Funeral.
We clip from the Manchester Times
the following testimony of a witness
on the Tichborne case, who seemed
to have a dismal line of duty to fol
low: '
George Idickman, an undertaker,
living in Mile End Road, said: I
formerly lived at Waping, and know
Arthur Orton. He had lighter hair
than the defendant. During the last
trial I was brought here-to see the
defendant, who I was told was Orton.
but I found he was not Orton. Ar
thur's upper lip protruded much.
Dr. Kenealy Were there any
marks upon his face? It was marked
with the smallpox.
Looking at the defendant's hands
do they remind you of Arthur's? Xo,
thev are much smaller. '.
What kind of a walk has Arthur?
A "slobering" kind of walk.
What kind of a voice? Gruff; quite
different to the defendant's.
Is the defendant at all like your
friend? Xosir.
. Cross-examination bv Mr. Hawk
ins; I last saw my old friend in 1852
or 1853. The defendant's voice is
unlike that of any of the Ortons.
Arthur and Edmund were very much
the same size. I don't know if Ed
mund wore ear-rings or pockmarked.
Where were .you when you last
saw Arthur? On the pier-head at
Wapping. I was waiting for a funer
al at the time; I sometimes attend
the same funeral a dozen times.
Laughter.
Do you, how is that? Laughter.
Do you want to Know .'
Yes. Very well then. Laughter.
I go to measure, don'
t 1?
Laugh -
ter, J
Well? Next I go with the coffin,
don't I? Increased laughter.
Well? Next,' I go with the pall,
don't I? Great laughter..
Well ? Next, I go to bury, don't
I ? Greater laughter.
'- Well? And sometimes I have got
to go for the money, haven't I?Roars
of laughter. J
Mr. Hawkins: Very well. Ton may
go Mr. Hickman. Laughter. J
The Sultan-mother is about to pre
sentdon't blush sixty Krnpp guns
to the Turkish War Department. ;
General News Items.
The mint at San Francisco coined
nearly 830,000 in dimes since the 1st
instant. . Next week they, will com
mence on half dollars.
A vessel of 300 tons ' burthen, has
been chartered to take a cargo of
California golden syrup from San
Francisco direct to Hamburg.
It is rumored that R. C. McCorm
icks, Territorial Delegate from Ari
zona, will soon marry the daughter
j of Senator Thurman, of Ohio.
i.
Several adults have, died of scarlet
fever within a few days. The disease
is still very prevalent and very fatal
amongst children in San Francico.
Mr. D. C. Beaty, of Olymnia, has
been appointed farmer in charge of
thePuyallup Indian Reservation, ;at
the head of Tacoma Bay, vice B. Bar
low. Laura Keene the once famous act
ress, is reported to have died atMont
clair, N. J. on the 0th. She had for
some time past been suffering from
consumption.
Rev. Mr. Minley, who went out to
Africa in 1809, has returned. He
thinks he converted one heathen, but
isn't sure, as the convert would insist
on keeping a fighting dog.
A Washington dispatch of Novem
ber 5th announces the death in that
city the night before, of Brigadier
General Delafield, who had been on
the retired list since 1800.
Advice from Eureka, Hurnbolt
County, represent that there is great
excitement at that place over the dis
covery of diamonds on boulder Creek
about thirty mdes from town.
Senator Kellv arrived in Washing
ton Thursday, the 23d, only ten days
from Oregon. He is in good health
aud spirits, and is looking for a resi
dence this Winter. His family are
in Massachusetts.
The Utah Northern Narrow-gauge
Road is being extended from Brig
ham City, its former terminus,, to
Ogden. Track-laying is now pro
gressing rapidly, and will probably
be complete in one month. ' :
J. W. Pattent, clerk iii the Fost
Office, cousin of Senator Sargent,
and Herriek, another clerk, have
been arrested for- stealing money
from the Post Office. They are in
custody of the U. S. Marshal. The
amount taken is not stated.
A special to the . New York Post
says: The Government is anqdy se
cured against loss by the suspension
of the First National Bank, and Jay
Cooke & Co., but will lose by Clewes
Habecht &. Co. probably less than
a hundred thousand dollars.
f "
Tho North Pacific Railroad Com
pany claim 2,088,000 acres of land in
Washington Territory ami Oregon,
and 5,120,000 in Dakota. They also
claim now to have 558 miles of road
built, of which 105; miles are in
Washington Territory and, 200 miles
in Dakota and the remainder in Min
nesota. Col. Kimble, Inspector of Indian
Affairs, has suspended Gen. -R. II.
Milroy, Superintendent of Indian
Affairs in Washington Territory, and
appointed Marshall Bliun, Superin
tendent, temporarily, during an in
spection, which we understand will
be made into the affairs of the De
partment. The obsequies of Mrs. Mary Cus
tis Leej .widow of the late General
Robert E. Lee, took place on the 8th
in Memorial Chapel, Lexington. Her
three sons, W. F. Lee, Custis Lee
and Robert E. Lee, and her daugh
ter were present, besides a large
concourse of friends. The remains
were deposited by the side of
those of her husband in the Memori
alroom. Mrs. Lee was 70 years of
age. Business entirely suspended,
and many places were draped in
mourning.
Looking at the Bull's-Eye. The
power of the human eye, as exercised
by woman over man, is, doubtless,
irresistible, but when a man imag
ines that his own eye can exert the
same influence over the lower creation
and that he has only to gaze fixedly
on a wild beast to subdue its feroeitj
he occasionally miscalculates his
chances. Thus, a professor in Ver
mont, who was a firm believer in the
power of the human eye, realized the
truth of the doctrine to his sorrow.
Determined to convince the skeptics
of its truth, he selected a ferocious
bull who was the terror of the neigh
borhood as the object of his experi
ment. The result was not altogether
successful. Surrounded by a retin
ue of disbelievers, ihe scientific gen
tleman sauntered into the pasture
where the thoughtful bull was peace
fully grazing. He fixed upon that
bull his eagle eyes, but the bull
quailed not, neither did it retire in-melo-dramatic
order, but the last
thing seen of the professor was his
arclueological form tossed twenty
seven feet into the air aud coming
down on the other side of the fence.
His physical injuries were slight but
his faith in scientific mesmerism as
illustrated in bulls has been greatly
weakened.
Dreams of an Edttor. The slowly-starving
editor of a paper in Biat
tleboro, -Vt., drops into poetry as
follows. "
We had sweet dreams the other night
When all around was still ;
We dreamed we saw a host of folks !
Pay up their printers .
We wish the dream would come to pass,
And our empty pockets fill
Tar da ntup a te'diddle dum,
Te tump te diddle dill.
. ' '
"Husband, where shall I get the
ticking for our, new feather bed?"
."Any place where you can get ihe
tick." . ,
Lost by Rail.
a newly married man's disagree
able adventure. . , , O
From the Sj.ringfield (Mass.) Republican
One of those sad exhibitions of hu
man passion and suffering -which
never appeal in. vain for synvpathy
cast a gloom oyer the depot in this
city on Saturday. A young man had
daringly wooed and won his unap
proachable blissfulness; the wedding
raiment was prepared and paid for;
the bridal tour marked out; Saturday
morning he ignorantly promised to
provide provisions and drv goods;
she to love, honor and 1 "be gay."
Then they took the smallest compart
ment in a draw ing room car, bound
West; but, just before it started the
groom rushed over to the Massasoit
House, and came back as the last car
of the train containing his bride w ent
out of the depot. A panic seemed to
break out of his countenance, but
with an awful yell, he hurled his
umbrella, like a patent bsrkoner, and
plunged into the crowd. The first
leap brought him to one of those
compound milking stools promiscu
ously scattered about the depot, and
over he fell headlong against a woman
in a leap frog attitude, fixing her
shoe. She with undescribable sud
denness, kicked up her heels, and
dove into the railroad track; while
howling and clawing dreadfully, her
assailant brought the point of: his
umbrella with fearful violance upon
the gouty toe of an old gentleman,
who instantly shook off his wife and
daughters, and began to utter tho
most appalling oaths. Meantime, the
report circulated like lightning that
Our young man was a Northampton
maniac escaped from bis keejer
and we immediately climbed into a
passenger car to meditate;. Terror
stricken women alternately smoothed
their bonnet strings and wrung their
hands; wdiile several pale, resolute
men seized sticks of wood from an
engine, and gazed about wth horrible
intensity. The train was nearly to
the bridge when, with exaggerated
leaps and gleaming eyes, the youth
bound toward the waiting men shout
ing to the train; ''Hold on!" in tones
that made the refreshiaent room
windows wink. An instant of sus
pense, and he was in their grasp.
"The old Harry 1" fairly shrieked
the youth; "let me go; O! .Miss
no, my wife. Thunder and .furies!
Stop pinching 1113 hands." ,
"Poor thing, how he raves," said
the ladies, and a small man wdio had
been behind them now rushed to the
prisoner and grabbed his coat. It
tore, and our friend, now fully alive
to his surroundings, wrenched him
self from his captors and caught the
little man by his hair. It was a w ig,
and came off so suddenly, and left
such a shining poll, that everybody
supposed he was scalped. Clapping
both hands to his head, the small
man ran like a deer toward .Main
street, and our. hero after him, flour
ishing the wig in his hand. A stam
pede instantly ensued, and nobody
knows what might have happened.
At this juncture a friend of the sup
posed maniac entered, the depot and
greeted the matrimonial beginner.
People held their breaths for an in
stant, but there was no ontcry, and
presently the true state of thing was
noised aout. The young man lias
gon out West, but the folks at the
depot don't- tell what they know
about maniacs. - ':
.
Looking Through the Keyhole. (
- .. . Evening Post. . . .
A young man. once .thought , he
would ike to write, things for ihe
newspapers, so he went to see a man
who had a paper, and'who was fond
of publishing stories about what
people did in their own houses.
This man told him to go" to a certain
"house, and to jieerj in the keyhole,
and then come back, and tell him
what he saw.: And lie gave him
some paper and a pencil to w rite it
down, so that he would not forget
it when lie came back. The young
man was very glad, and went off to
put. his eye to the keyhole.i Bat the
gentleman who , lived in the house
heard a noise, and looking out of the
window saw this young man with his
eye to the keyhole. So lie walked
out cautiously and kicked the young
man down the steps of his house.
He had on very heavy boots, which
hurt the young man very much.! The
person who owned the paper, when
he heard the young man's story,
laughed at him, and told him he
should get used. to that if he wanted
to make money by writing for him,
and he showed him a pad which all
his young men w ore when on what
he called special duty. The pad was
fixed so that when anybody kicked
the voung men they would not bo
hurt! 1 ut the - gentleman's boots
bruised this one sd ninch that he got
disgusted and went out to work in
the fields, for he thought he did
not care about writing things any
moTe for the paper. ! '
The man, who answered an adver
tisement to the following effect,
says his curiosity is satisfied:
"If you would learn how to make
home happy, send a postage stamp
and twenty-five cents to P. O. Box,
No. , Cincinnati."
He did send the necessary cash.
and soon "received the answer:
"If you are as big a fool as we
think you must be for giving us
your money, you can make home
happy' by leaving it and going West
by yourself." Hearth arid1 Home.
Stands Up. A "darsted rival" of
the West, states that the editor of
the was kicked last Saturday
and now stands up to do his scissor-
Jerusha Peck, a maiden miser of
Riverside, Conn., died recently hav
ing old which 6i had hoarded for
thirty years. ' ..
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