Newspapers / Charlotte Messenger (Charlotte, N.C.) / May 7, 1887, edition 1 / Page 1
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THE CHARLOTTE MESSENG VOL. 111. NO. 42. THE Charlotte Messenger IS PUBLISHED Every Saturday, AT CHARLOTTE, N. C. In the Interests of the Colored People of the Country. Able and well-known writers will contrib ute to its columns from different parte of the country, and it will contain the latest Gen eral News of the day. The Messenger is a first clas6 newspaper and will not allow personal abuse in its col umns. It is not sectarian or partisan, but independent—pealing fairly by all. It re serves the right to criticise the shortcomings of all public officials—commending the worthy, and recommending for election such men as in its opinion are best suited to serve the interests of the people. It is intended to supply the long felt need of a newspaper to advocate the rights and defend the interests of the Negro-American, especially in the Piedmont section* of the Carolina*. SUBSCRIPTIONS: (Ahtnys tn Advance.) 1 year - - $1 50 8 months - - 100 0 months ... 75 4 months - - 50 3 months - - - 40 Address, W.C. BMITH, Charlotte NC, President Chauncey M. Dcpew is test* ?ng the various methods for heating and lighting the ears of the New York Central Railroad’s lines without danger from fire in the event, of accidents. Experiments are being made with clpctric lighting ma chines, stored-up gas and hot-water ap paratus, and doubtless some efficient, practical system will grow out. of the in genuity expended on these essays. A train has already been successfully run from Boston to the Grand Central Depot, in New York, thoroughly heated for 240 miles by the Martin steam heating ap paratus and lighted by electricity. The California Legislature has appro priated $15,000 for the improvement of the Yoscmite Valley. New trails will he opened, and the mountain streams will be stocked with fish, that tourists may have the pleasnre of fishing with thehope of catching something. The mountain trout can only be caught by an Indian. It is hi* secret. A Citizen pf New Orleans recently found a rat’s nest in which were eight sleek little rats. Nest and all weie placed in a pail of water, which was ear ned fifty feet from the original locality of the nest. Fretty soon the mother rut came back, saw that her home had bean broken up, and in an instant had discov ered the pail, into which she plunged to rescue her already drowned little ones. In speaking of the “anaesthetic bullet," which is said to have been invented re cently by a German, and which will render wounded men unconscious for twelve hours, the Portland Prm says that “but one thing is lacking to com plete the usefulness of this original prin ciple in the art of war. The rifles from which these bullets are to be fired should he furnished with needle-pointed bay onets through which hypodermic injec tions of morphine may be administered to the soldiers of the enemy who may fall in tho way of a German bayonet charge.” A Bocheport(Mo.) lady has in her hen nery quite a curiosity in the shape of a young chieknn which was hatched from what is known as a double egg. It has four perfectly formed legs and feet and t.wo heads pointing opposite to each other, but only one body. In eating only one hill pecks the food at one time, and one head seems almost lifeless when the other chirps. In running around the hen house, however, the two heads do not always agree, one head and pair of legs trying to go to the right, the other heading for teh left. i Formosa is one of the dark spots of the earth. We know neyt to nothing about it and what we do know is unfavorable. Popular fancy peoples it with a barbar nua race of a most degraded and danger ous type. Piracy and cannibalism arc alluded to as among the more sportive diversions of the natives. But the march of the ages is affecting this singular, out of the way region as well as other places. The island is tributary to China, and of late years it has been in charge of Lin Min Oman, a very energetic governor. Memorializing the throne tinder date ot July 20th last, he stated that he had been able that year to bring into subjection over 400 villages, that 70,000 people have embraced civilization, and that ovei 20,000 acres of land earlier brought unde l cultivation, hut aince abandoned, have been reclaimed. He is providing the island with an elaborate aystem of coast defence, and proposes to introduce rail roads and telegraph lines. The foreiga commerce of the island ie rapidly in creasing. k FRIEND'S HAND IN MINE, LADS Sometimes 'tin May, lad*, She sky soft and bright; IVc sing on our way, lads, With brave hearts and light But May cannot last, lads; With great clouds rolled, The skies are o’ercast, lads. The world turns cold. A friend's band in mine, lad*, A kind hand and true, In rough ways and dark day*— It helps a man through. We’ve small gifts to give, lads. A poor purse to show, But what man can live, lad*, With naught to bestow? A word of brave cheer, lad*, A warm grasp and strong, Bents all your gear, lade, To help hearts along. A friend’s hand in mine, lad*, A kind hand and trtte, In rough ways ahd dark day*— It helps a man through. Do what you can, lads, And do it with might; God isn’t inan, lads, To judge by the sight. Pence pounds outweigh, lads, When wills are right good. And, oh! to hear Him say, lads, “ He's done >vhat he could.” A friend’s hand in mine, lads, A kind hand and true, In rough ways and dark days— It helps a man through. —Frederic Isingbridge. ME BOX IN THE CORNER. It is some years since I was slalion mnstrr, baggage-agent, telegraph-oper itor and ticket-seller at a little village near tome valuable oil wells. The station-house sas quite a distance from the unpre tentious thoroughfare that had grown up in a day, and my duties were so arduous that I had scarcely leisure for a weekly litting to a certain mansion on the hill a here dwelt Ellen Morris, my promised wife. In fact, it was with the hope of rssening the distance between us that I lad undertaken the.e quadruple duties. The day had been gloomy, and toward he afternoon ominous roils of thunder protended a storm. Colonel Holloway, the well known treasurer of the oil company, bad been in he village several days. About one ’’clock he came hurriedly into the office with a package, which he laid upon my lesk, saying: “Take rare of that, Bowen, till to norrow. I'm going up the road.” The commission was not an unusual >ne, and my safe was one of Marvin’s >est. Icounted themonev, which footed ip into the thousands, placed it in the zfficial envelope, affixed the seals, and leposited it in the safe. As I turned iway from the lock, a voice at the door mid: “Say, mister, can you tell me the way o the post-office?” A sort of shock went through me at :he unexpected presence that seemed to rave dropped down from nowhere, and I •eplied, irritably: “You could not miss it if you tried. Seep straight ahead.” Soon large drops of rain came down -hen faster and more furiously, until •he air was one vast 6hcet of water, ind little rivers leaped madly along the piilies and culverts. Forked lightning rept pace with the pealing thunder, ana leaven’s own artillery seemed let loose. Anything m ire dismal or dreary could lot well be imagined, and gradually the oneliness grew oppressive. Every strag gler had fled to shelter, and the usual dlert had deserted the platform. But I esolutely set to work at the dry statistics if the station-books, with an occasional ■all to the wires, which were ticking like nad, so fierce was the electric current. It was near five o’clock when a long freight train came lumbering by, switched iff a car or two, then dragged its slow ength onward. This created a brief di rersion, then once more I was deserted. The next passenger train was not due .ill ten o’clock. I lit the lamps and re ligncd myself with questionable patience x) the intervening hours. An agreeable nterruption came in the form of my nipper, which was brought in a water proof basket by a sort of jsck-at-all rades whom we called Jake. Shaking limself like a great dog, he “’lowed here wa’n’t much more water left up tender nohow.” “I hope not, indeed,” I said, glad of he sound of a human voice. "Jake!” ( called, as he left the office, “come jack as soon as you can—l may want you." I had a vague idea of dispatching ionic sort of report to Ellen that I had lot been entirely washed away,"and ob aining similar comfort as to her own .’ate. 1 little thought I should really iced him. I think I am not by nature more imid than other men, but as the dis nal evening dosed i.i I took from m_, iesk two revolvers krpt ready for po<- lilile emergencies, and laid one upon the leak where I was making freight en ries, and the other on the table where :he electric battery stood. At inter vals a fresh package for the night ex press was brought by some dripping larricr, who deposited it, got his re ceipt. hung alsmt for a few moments, then hastened away to more comfort »hle quarter*. Still the rain poured in torrents. It, must have been nearly nine o’clock when a wagon, hurriedly driven, sud denly stopped at the platform. In a mo ment the door was flung open, and I raw s small ambulance well kuowu about the rillage. Two men sprang out, awl, with the aid of the driver and his assistant, proceeded to lift out a box which from its CHARLOTTE, N. C. SATURDAY, MAY 7, 1887 dimensions could contain only one kind pf freight, to wit, the remains of a hu man being. Carefully placing this box in a remote torner of the room, near other boxes iwaiting transportation, the driver and his man returned to their wagoD, while the two strangers approached the desk to inter their ghastly freight. They wore •lonchcd huts and were very wet. They uroduccd a death certificate of one John Slate, who had died at a farmhouse sev eral miles away, of a non-contagious com plaint, and was to be shipped to friends down the road. This was all. There was nothing singular about it, and yet, when the door closed upon the strangers and I was again alone, or worse than alone, a fc ling of awe came over me. Clearly the storm had somewhat unstrung me. Only one hour till the train was due, after which I could turn in for the Dight. A loader pcnl of thunder shook the house, and fiercer flashed the lightning. Minute after minute went by, and each seemed an age. The roar and din of the elements only deepened the gloom inside, where the uncertain kerosene darkened the shadows. Suddenly, to my overstrained nerves, the ceaseless clicking of the wires seemed to say: “Watch the box I Watch the box! Watch the box!” Asa particular strain of melody will at times repeat itself in the mind, and obstinately keep time to every movement, till One is well nigh distracted, so this refrain began to en chain every sense: “Watch the box! Watch the box! Watch the box I” Till now my depressed spirits were due only to the solitude and the storm. No sus picion of evil or danger had tormented me. Peering more closely into the ding} corner I saw only the ordinary pine box, with what seemed to be a square paper, or placard, on the side facing me. Prob ably the address, bungingly adjusted on the side instead of the top, or else a stain of mud from the late rough ride. At all events, I was not curious enough to ap proach more nearly the ghostly visitant. Then minutes had crept by, when a muffled noise in the dark corner distinct ly sounded above the pelting rain drops, while, as if to mock at my quickened fears, the wires continued their monot onous warning: “Watch the box! Watch the box I Watch the box!” T did watch the box, and as by inspiration 1 grasppd the situation. There was indeed a man in the box, but. not a dead one. A living man, who had boldly lent himself to a plot to rob or murder me, perhaps both. I remembered the straggler j»ho had surprised me while at the safe, several hours before. He had doubtless followed Colonel Holloway and witnessed the money transaction. Quick and fast flew my thoughts in the startled endeavor to grasp some plan of action. Single handed I was no match for any man, hav ing recently recovered from an attack of malarial fever. This one in the box (if indeed there were ope) must mean to se cure his prize before the train was due, and escape the consequences. He must have accomplices, and these were doubt less on watch, waiting either to give or receive a signal. At least it was not probable that he would undertake the job alone, and the fact that he had con federates had already appeared. Perhaps the sight of my pistols had de layed the attack. Perhaps some part of their plan had miscarried and caused de lay. At all events I must he cool. I fancied I saw his eyes through the dark patch on the box. I was almost sure he was slowly lifting the lid. There was no help near, and much might be done in the time still to elapse before the train wa6 due. Quietly walking to the battery, I feigned to take a message. In reality I sent one to the conductor of the on-com ing express, as the only device whereby I could secure assistance, and this would doubtless be too late. Yet it was all that I could do just now. With every sense on the alert, I arose to secrete my keys if possible, when the door burst open, and Frank Morris, my future brother-in-law, rushed in,followed by a huge dog that was Ellen’s special pet and attendant. “Confound yousaid Frank, splutter ing about, and shaking himself ns vigor ously as the dog. “I'll be blowed if ever I go on such another fool's errand as this.” “Why, you are pretty well ‘blowed now,’ I Said, with a poor attempt to be funny, but immensely relieved. “I never was so glad to sec anybody in my life!” and I meant it. ‘ ‘There it is, ”he said; “make much of it,” as he cleverly flipped a little white missive over to me. “Such hilling and cooing I never want to see again. Reg ular spoons, by Jove I Can’t go to sleep till she knows you haven’t been melted, or washed away, or something. And Cato must come along to sec that her pre cious brother doesn't get lost. I'gh! Lie down, over there, old fellow!” Then tome he said: “Here, help me out of this wet thing.” But I was engrossed, just then, and ridding himself of theoffendinggarment, the broad-shouldered young athlete strode about in mock impatience. “Heavens! what a night!” he ex claimed. “Whnt time does your train pass? Ten? Just threo minutes. I guess I’ll stay; but we’ll have that young dam sel floating down here if she doesn't hear pretty soon. Hello, Cato! What’s the matter?” aa the dog gave a low growl. “Wist’* that in the corner, Bowen !” The dog continued to growl and look suspiciously about as the young fellow rattled on. “That,” I said, “is a dead man.” “Humph!” he laughed. “Jolly-good company for such a night. I say, Bowen, you’ve got a nice toy there,” and be took up the pistol that lay on the table. Mean while I had scrawled on apiece of |i*per, which I quietly placed near the pistol: “The man in the box is a burglar. Be ready for on attack.” “Oho! that’s the game!” he said, aloud, and instantly strode across the room, as c Cato sprang*up and barked furiously at t the box. Simultaneously the top of the -] box flew up, and uttering a shrill whistle v the man sprang to a sitting posture, n while through the wide flung door the other two ruffians appeared with pistols 9 cocked. At once there begar. a deadly ( struggle. The dog had leaped upon the i 5 box and knocked the “dead” man’s pis- i * tol out of his hand, as Frank shouted, J “Tsho, Cato!” unwilling that the dog 0 should tear him to pieces, but wishing to keep him at bay. “Your keys!” yelled the other men; 1 ‘‘or by heavens you'll drop!” a Instantly closing in, man to man, the ' fierce struggle went on amid shouts, J curses and pistol shots. “Call off your cursed dog!” screamed 0 the “dead” man continually. The encounter, which had occupied h scarcely a minute, was at its deadliest, o both Frank and I endeavoring to disarm n rather than kill, when the whistle of the o train sounded, and in another moment 2 the conductor and his men were among u us. d ‘ ‘Seize that scoundrel!” shouted Frank, I breathlessly, indicating the man in the box. “Here. Cato!” and the obedient to animal unwillingly retired, but continued * his savage growls. ® At thi3 juncture my man fell heavily to t the floor, wounded in the leg, find titter- ( ing groans arid impreeations. It was 1 quick w-ork to secure the men, and Jake, ® who opportunely reappeared, was sent to 0 summon the village police. Some of the ® passengers, impatient at the delay, had got wind of the adventure, and now r crowded into the station in no little ex- t citemcnt. The box was found to have a t false side piece, next the wall, which was 6 easily pushed down by the man inside, [ for greater comfort in his cramped posi- f tion; and there were beside a number of i air-holes. It Was the moving of this n side-panel that caused the muflled noise I 1 I had heard. p I w-as questioned in all possible ways, ii and the curiosity of the passengers was ti fully gratified amid the clamor of the t prisoners who continually swore at each other. a “What did you wait so long for?” said 1 one of them glaring at the ‘‘dead" m in. t “What was your hurry?” retorted the e other, sarcastically. r It was plain from the quarrel which a ensued that the sight of my pistols, and v my evident uneasiness, together with the I effect of the fearful storm, had unsettled c the fellow'3 plan and robbed him of his e presence of mind. While puzzling as to v the safest course, the sudden entrance of e Frank and the dog had precipitated the t catastrophe. 6 The men were conducted to the County Jail, and I was the hero of the i hour, although I could not claim much s credit for personal valor in the matter. ‘ Was it fate or Providence that befriend- o ed me? But for my presentiment, or n whatever it was, I should have urged f Frank's immediate return to my anxious q betrothed. But for her loving anxiety t he never would have come down on such p a night. But for the dog one of us must s have been killed. And first of all, but d for the instinctive sense of danger the p telegraph wires would never have spoken a a warning to my excited fancy; and this t manifest feeling of apprehension, though p I strove hard to conceal it, held the man c in the box at bay. ii The practical result of the episode was * a more commodious station-house, and b more men on duty. My salary was raised; but eventually I gave up the sit uation because my wife could never feel satisfied to have me perform night work after the fearful experience I have related. As to Frank, he is not backward with ! explosive English whenever the subject ‘ is mentioned, and no amount of persua- J sion could ever reconcile Cato to the old station-house. —Frank Lmlie't. _ ® l Powder Magazines. A New Tork Sun article describing ( the powder magazines in the New Jersey f mountains owned by the United States, ( says: The magazines are placed so far apart that should one of them explode the others would be in no danger. In ( handling the powder more care is taken ( than is customary or economical in a i ( powder mill. When a car load of the j , sensitive stuff is backed up to the door of j ( the magazine, a heavy canvas covering i is thrown over the stone platform in front ! of the door. The men who are to store j the powder then put on rubber shoes,and | each barrel is carefully carried to its place in a wheelbarrow. The barrels are never j rolled or allowed to come in contact with stone or iron, although there are no nails used in their construction, and scarcely any possibility of a spark being struck. In the magazine the barrels are arranged in row's, two abreast and four or five bar rels high. Each tier rests on light skids of pine wood, and between the rows are wide aisles which arc kept scrupulously, swept. When the temperature is lower . outdoors than in the magazine, the door* are thrown open and the ventilators loos- J ened for a couple of hours during the middle of the day. At such times a watchman with a big revolver in his belt ; prow ls incessantly around the building. At other times he and his comrades simi larly armed arc intrusted with the po licing of the grounds. The Curious Kermes Oak. The Botanical Gardens, London, have succeeded in cultivating the curious Kcrmes oak which, when punctured by one of the coceus insects, produce* the : ancient, blood red dye supposed to have been used by Moses to tint the hangings of the tabernacle. The Kermes oak is a dwarf, bushy shrub, somewhat resembling a holly, and grows profusely in Bpain.— Philadelphia Call. gCIBWngg AND INDUSTRIAL. A map showing the distribution of fog on the various parts of the earth has just been published by Admiral T. dc Bort. The observations upoa which it is based were made at 1,600 land and 112,000 marine stations. • A French traveler recently discovered some bee-hives in a gigantic eucalyptus tree in Australia. The honey was strongly scented with the perfume of the flowers of the tree; and Prof. Thomas Karaman, who has examined it, believes it to have medicinal properties. A German inquirer has, it is stated, taken four heads of hair of equal weight, ! and then proceeded to count the indi- j vidual hairs. One (red) was found to j . contain 90,000 hairs; another (black), , 108,000; a third (brown) had 109,000, and the fourth (blonde) 140,000. A committee on lighting the Paris Ex hibition of 1889 has reported favorably on a plan for the use of every known means of illumination. The total amount of light to be furnished is estimated at 1 2,850,000 standard candles, said to be 1 upward of five times the intensity pro duced by the whole of the gas lamps of Paris.” The most healthful temperature for the human body ta live in, guys a writer in the Scientific. American , is about seventy degrees Fahrenheit. The more rooms that are kept heated in a house, the less draughts will be found. Especially heat , the halls; it. will not take much more coal, and will avoid forcing your heaters or stoves, and enable you to keep easy 1 fires. A new industry in the South has developed another use for pine needles beside that of spreading an aromatic odor 1 through the embroidered covering of a fine pillow*. One product of the pine < needles is a remarkably strong oil that ■ possesses many medicinal virtues. Another is pine wool, which is bleached, dyed and woven. The wool is a fleecy brown mass, possessing a pleasant odor, which given it value as a moth destroyer when used ns a carpet lining. A strong, cheap f matting is made from the wool, useful . for halls, stairways and offices. The Engineering jVeics, in the course of a long article on the substitution of steam heat for stove heat in railway cars, show s j that no more than from 2$ to per cent, of the locomotive’s supply of steam is re quired for heating the average train. It adds that this quantity can be obtained without reducing the load, increasing the heating surface, decreasing the speed or decreasing the loss by radiation. It is only necessary to push the fires a little when the locomotive is on a level or down a grade, and to use steam that can be spared while the train is resting at stations. N. 8. Bhalrr, in a lengthy article in i Scribner's on ‘ ‘The Stability of the Farth, ” sums up his considerations as follows: “ The continent of North America north of Mexico seems, from historic as well as natural evidence, to be in the main free from any considerable danger of earth quakes, which are uecessarilv destructive to architecture. Nevertheless, a large part of its surface appears to be liable to shocks which, though slight, may be very destructive to life and property, if we presist in our present flimsy methods of arcitectural construction. Good for tune has given us a tolerably safe abiding place for our race in this country. We can almost everywhere safely put our trust in it, provided we are willing to take some care as to methods of constructing buildings.” Cosmopolitan San Francisco. Ban Francisco has many admirers and but few haters, writes Edward Roberts in the New* York Post. In some respects it is the most interesting city in America to visit, whatever it may be to live in. The interesting features arc varied and many, and all visitors are impressed with the unlikeness of the place to any other American city. Every nationality seems to be represented: China in one quarter, Italy in another, Germany here, France there. You can dine in the restaurant ol any country as inclination prompts, served by an almond-eyed Celestial or by a courteous Frenchman; and if tired of wandering in quarters that apparently are not in America at all, you have but to turn the corner and walk a block to find | everything as American as heart could I wish. I think, and indeed know, that 1 | should never enjoy living in San Fran cisco, and I am equally sure that my visits | to it will never be otherwise than agree* i able. The city, like Paris, for instance, ! has a liveliness and buoyancy that quick I ens one’s sense of enjoyment; and then, I too, the climate is invigorating, and j one secs more flowers sold on the street ; corners than he has been accustomed tc in our staid old Eastern cities, that would be shocked, I fear, if they had to coun tcnance all the gayctlesof San F rancisco. It is far from being an eminently propel place, this city of which I write. Many of its people go to church, but as many more do not, and the plat es of amusement j have the most liberal patronage. There are vast numbers of underground concert and beer saloons, where the air is hot and foul, and from which one hears bolster* j i ous music anti shouts of noisy applause j Such places are called “dives;” and then j presence gives to San Francisco many of ; the characteristics of mining towns in Colorado. The theatres of the city, art as a rule, dingy in appearance and unnt j tractive, the only exceptions being the Baldwin and the Alcazar, two play houses where one feels at home ami if | : able to enjoy much comfort. But th« ! \ plays presented at all the theatres art ; equal to theje given in the East. - —. ♦ - ■ ■ —— i; t German papers have account* of a k wonderful remedy against hydrophobia, ' | said to hayc lwon in |>o«.*©ssioa of a fam ■! ily at Piza, in Holland, for over a cen- I tury. Terms. $1.50 per Annum. Single Copy 5 cents. WINGS FOR HOSTS. My heart hath taken wing* for home; Away! away! it cannot stay. My heart hath tak*c wings for home, Nor all that’s test of Greece or Roma Can st.p its sway. My heart hath taken wings for home. ▲wayl My heart hath taken wings for home, Oh, swallow, swallow, lead the wayl Oh, little bird, fly north with me, I have a home beside the sea Where thou canst sing and play— s My heart hath taken wing* for home. Away! My heart hath taken wings for home;. But thou, Oh little bird, wilt stay; Thou hast thy little ones with then here, Thy mate floats with thee through the clear Italian depths of day; My heart hath taken wing* for home, Away! My heart hath taken wings forhom*. Away! away! it cannot stay. One spring from Brunelleschi's dome, To Venice by the Adrian foam, Then westward be my way, My heart hath taken wings for home, Away I —Dennis F. McCarthy HUMOR OF THE DAY. One acre enough—Especially if it bs a tender corn.— Siftings. A hostler may be a notorious rascal, and yet be truthfully called a stable man. Boston Budget. Doctors who can speak only one lan guage seem to understand a great many different tongues.— Statesman. An exchange says that when one is caught in a burning hotel he should keep cool. It is a great truth.— Judge. “Say, do you think it’s true that red headed girls are quick-tempered?” “Urn —ah—suppose you ask one of them about it?”— Pittsburg Dispatch. Pretty School Teacher—“Thomas,state some of the beauties of education.” Thomas (oldest boy in school)—School ma'ams. — New York Sun. “Do you rectify mistakes here?” asked a gentleman as he stepped into a drug store. “Yes, sir, we do, if the patient is still alive,” replied the urbane clerk. An agricultural exchange informs us at what “time in the moon to plant corn.” In this section farmers prefer to plant their corn in the earth.— Philadelphia CalU “Another terrible washout,” remarked Semaphore. “Where?” asked the superin tendent, “Down at. the Chinese laundry.” And the superintendent said he did hate a fool. — Burdette. The biggest, woman in the world is in a Philadelphia dime museum. Bh* weighs 747 pounds. This lady had s husband once, but she sat on him and the neighbors were obliged to bury him between two sheets of paper.— Burlington Free Press. A Chicago man swallowed ft SI,OOO United Btate3 bond to save it from a burglar, and the comptroller has refused to issue a duplicate to him. We don’t see why the comptroUer could be ex pected to do otherwise. The Chicago man is in SI,OOO. — Boston Post. A Washington paper says the Presi dent has not altered any in his manner since his marriage; that when he is in introduced to any one he simply shakes hands, bows, smiles, speaks a few words, and passes on. There was a rumor going round that he twisted his friend’s arm, threw a back somerset, and yelled de fiantly.— Life. Earthquakes at Sea. Somebody who has been investigating the subject says that the chief effect of an earthquake on the ocean is the rising of a great sea wave, sometimes very large, as, for examgle, sixty feet high at Lis bon in 1761, also eighty feet at Calloa in 1724, and 200 feet at Lupatka in 1737. These waves are often more destructive on land than the actual shocks—the influx usually preceded by an overflow, which, in fact, acts aa a warning. One of the most remarkable effects is the distance to which these waves are propagated as “great waves,” for example, right across the Pacific. Thus most large earthquakes ou the east or west coast of the Pacific produce waves which are recorded on the opposite coast about twenty-four hours after. It is asserted that, as to predic tion of earthquakes nothing certain is yet known, but in many cases there are no ticeable changes in springs and wells pre ceding the event. One useful warning, however, is remarked as obviously possi ble—namely: the report of an actual 1 earthquake on the one side of the Pacific could be at once telegmphed to the other side, thus giving twenty-four hours’ no tice of the probable advent of a great sea wave. _____ Making a Balky Horse Go. “I always lose my patience when I see a man beftt a balky horse,” said ft driver the other day. “The horse has a little sense and the man not quit© as much. There are a dozen ways to make a balky horse pull without beating him ; such as i putting a handful of dirt in his mouth, I tying a handkerchief around his front leg, etc. Anything will do that attracts a horse's attention, for it seems he hasn’t the faculty of fixing it upon more than one thing at a time.”— Philadelphia Call. Lanrcst Pieee of Cork in the World. L« antng against the wall, inclosed in a wooden frame, in ft Murray street store, stand* a slab of cork 8 feet lopg by 7 feet wide, and from li to 2 inches in thickness. Ovcr.the slab of cork hangs these words: 1 ; THIS 18 THE LARGEST PIECS OF CORK *. , ; IN THE WORLD. The Cork came from Portugal. —Nett York Sun. ER.
Charlotte Messenger (Charlotte, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
May 7, 1887, edition 1
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