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ante ptltitrg flaiiiifllcr. J. TIN SLTO, HoHENRT, ILLINOIS. THE HEWS CONDENSED. TBK KAST. *|St» •mpfmridn of the Continental lift In- eisraaee Compftoy, of New York, involves the Interests of about 70,000 policy-holders. The officer* of the company attribute the euspen- sicrn to the general shrinkage in real estate, and stocks and bonds. With judicious man­ agement and curtailed expenses the officers ftHInk the policy-holders will not lose amthing eventually. The statement for 1875 showed liabilities. $5,587,827 ; assets, $6,294,371; leav- a surplus of .f 756,544. The income for iliti number of policies ™s. tuaned for the year, 6 070, making the number of policies issued 74,170. A SERIOUS accident occurred a few days ago OB the New Jersey Midland railruad, A freight tmtn fell through the trestle and bridge-work at Hawthorn, N. J., the engine and tender landing end-foremost upon the Erie track, and the asm tumbling in a pile upon them. The engineer, the fireman, and three brakemen were fatally injured, and the conductor had bcth legs broken. . THE entire Board of Excise of New York city was arrested last week on the complaint of fr liquor-dealer, who charges then with a vicla- fcion of the Excise law, in granting li­ censee for sale of spirituous liquors to the proprietors of eating-bouses-- At St Jobr8bury, Vt, a few mornings since, Frank Johnson, Charles Putney and Joseph Heon were excavating for a paper- mill, and placed some rend-rock powder to dry tinder a stove in the basement. While they were at work on the first floor, the explosive ignited, blew the building (twenty feet square) into kindling-wood, and hurled the men sky­ ward. Heon was denuded of his clothing, and filled with splinters, and may die. Johnson and Putney will recover. AN infernal machine of some kind, inclosed in a flimsy Saratoga trunk, exploded in the baggage-car of an express train from Philadel­ phia to New York, over the Pennsylvania road, last week. The trunk was fortunately on the top of a pile of baggage, and no damage was done, beyond scattering the trunka and pros­ trating the baggage men. The car was set on fire, but soon extinguished. Parts of the ma­ chine were found in the wreck, consisting of a small pistol and fragments of clock-work. The pistol was discharge! into some inflamma­ ble substance that was entirely consumed Edward S, St ekes, who was convicted of shoot­ ing James Fisk, Jr., was released, cn the 28th nit., from the Auburn prison, his term of sen­ tence having expired. A TBAIN from Scranton, Pa., consisting of seventeen can, was run into by a coal train a mile and a half north of the Goldsboro station, on the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western railroad, a few evenings since. One car was trarnod and two telescoped. Nine persons were killed and twenty-six wounded. THE recent collision on the Delaware, Lack­ awanna and Western railway, in Pennsylvania, tuns out to have been a more serious affair than first reports indicated. Hie casualties number nine passengers killed and twenty-six seriously injured, some of whom, it is feared, cannot recover. As usual, the accident was the result of carelessness, a coal train running into the passenger train... The amount of grain in sight in the United States and Canada, on the 28th nit., was 10,440,- 056 bushels of wheat, 10,008,858 bushels of corn, 3,257,085 bushels of oats, 869,544 bushels of rye, and 8,243,245 bushels of barley. A PHILADELPHIA telegram says the Centen­ nial Board of Finance have resolved to offer at public auction, on the 30th of November, all the buildings erected from their funds. The structures to come under the hammer are the Main building and its annexes, Carriage build­ ing, the annexes of Machinery hall, Shoe and leather building,, Photograph annex, Art an­ nex, Judges' hall, Agricultural hall, Batter and Cheese building, Pomologies! hall, Wagon building, barracks sua. mess houses jmrOaaodflnnMB, and other* ofleis THE WEST. Govs. PTLLSBUEY of Minnesota, Kirkwood of Iowa, Hardin of Missouri, Osborn of Kansas, Pennington of Dakota, Garber of Nebraska, and several eminent professors and gentlemen met at Omaha, Neb., last week, for the purpose of discussing the modes and means of ridding the country of grasshoppers. A committee of three was appointed to collect and issue a pamphlet discussing all the more practical means ba?ed on experience in the destruction of grasshoppere. The following resolutions were passed: 1. That St will be wise and politic for the Legisla­ tures of the States and Territories most deeply in­ terested to enact a law offering a bounty per bushel for the collection and destruction of eggs and un­ fledged insects. 2. That the several Legislatures authorize local taxation for the purpose of systematized efforts in the way of ditching, burning, etc.; we also suggest the repeal of the game laws, or a modification of them to prevent the destruction of birds which feed on insects; tiie prevention of prairie-fires un­ til a suitable lime for tlie destruction of young grasshoppers by firing tfle grass, and the encourage­ ment of tree-culture for pfeajoting xsoieture ana harboring birds. 3. We recommend tr."4-, as ri? as possible, a sur­ vey be made of each State during the eoming win­ ter to ascertain those portions of each county in which eggg are most thickly laid ; further, that we deem it the duty of the National Government to make some effort to destroy or counteract the great pest, and thus prevent its injuries. We recom­ mend the attachment of a special Commissioner to one of the Government surveys sent annually to the West, and that $25,000 be appropriated for the purpose of paying the expenses of the Com­ mission. The President of the convention was re- Jnested to draw up and present to the Presi-ent of the United States a letter setting forth the urgc-ut necessity of action by the General Government in behalf of the sections ravaged. • • • -The trial in Chicago of Alexander Sullivan for the murder of Francis II an ford has re­ sulted in a disagreement of the jury.,.. A shocking calamity occurred last week in Iowa county, Iowa. Sylvester Starkweather was at work in his field a mile and a half dis- twit from Lis house, and Mrs. Starkweather was at work in a yard near by, and had left her children, two little girls aged 3 and 5 yean", up TOUTS. She had not been out in the yard long mien she noticed smoke issuing from the windows, and the upper part of the house m names. She frantically rushed to the house and up the stairs through stifling smoke, but when she reached the upper floor the heat and «^^,,.W6^\fi0,m,ten8e ^at slje was overcome •ham ,F0m her children, who were of their hcmble death, eecape was attended by fatal in- juries, the fire burning her clothes from off her body, and even the leather shoes upon her feet to a crumblmg crisp. Her two children were so nearly consumed in the flames that only charred fragments were found. A 8 WELii-iNFOKMED business11 man is (juoted at Milwaukee as estimating that the yield of wheat iu Minnesota this year has not arf^ed 16,000,000 bushels, and that the quantity for export will not exceed 11,000,000 bushels. In Iowa, he says, there will not be a bushel for export, the farmers having no more than they need for home use and for seed A Fort Bandall telegram reports: "A duel between two Indians occurred at Standing Rock Agency. One of them was killed. Four shots each were exchanged, two of them taking effect, one in the breast, the other in the head. Henry rifles were the chosen weapons. It was a regular white man's duel. They quarreled over beef No person could recognize the body, and by whom it was put there is a mystery. CHICAGO elevators, aa per official flgurSr, contain 2,295,460 bushels of wheat; 1,943,532 bushels of corn; 634,856 bushels of oats; 194,- 438 bushels of rye, and 916,181 bushels of bar­ ley. making a grand total of 5,983,967 bushels, against 3,755.414 bushels at this period last year A false alarm of "fire" created a panic in a Chinese theater in San Francisco, a few nights ago. The building was crowded, and a rush was made for the single means of exit, and many were trampled down in the con­ fusion, The police dragged out twenty dead bodies and about the same number of wounded. The Chineae refused to render any assist­ ance, and the performers continued play­ ing until stopped by the police Sitting Bull has been heard from again, this time as an applicant for peace and provisions at Fort Peck. The secret of this magnani­ mous willingness to be forgiven and fed is found in the fact that S. B. has recently re­ ceived a severe drubbing at the hands of Col. Miles' command, who overtook the hostiles at Cedar creek c" the 21st o* Guiuuei'. tmu for two days fought and chased them sixty miles in the direction of Fort Peck. There the Indians separated into two parties, and the next heard of Sitting Bull was a message that he was " coming in." THIS SOUTH. A DISPATCH from Little Bock, Ark., says that three Methodist ministers, while riding a circuit in Pope county, were shot from the brush by two illicit distillers named Hughes and Hale. It is believed they sigtcck the ministers for revenue officers and Marshals coming to arrest them. One of the ministers was mortally wounded, and died two hours after being shot. The other two were seriously, if not mortally, wounded. I» Perrytown, Miss., one night last week, a Mr. 8tur£ivant, his wife, and three children were murdered in their beds, and the house brrned to conceal the deed. Two negroes who planned and executed this crime were cap­ tured, one hung and the other shot in attempt­ ing to escape. Two confederates are still at large, but can hardly escape arrest. Many colored citizens assisted in the capture, and were with difficulty prevented from throwing the prisoners into the burning embers. , WILLIAM HAWTHOBNE, of Hagerstown, Md. aged 72 years, was killed the other day at that place by his son-in-law, Thomas Stevens. The latter was quarreling with his wife, and while attempting to eject him from his house Haw­ thorne received fatal wounds. WASHINGTON. PRESIDENT GBANT has set apart Thursday, Nov. 30, as a day of thanksgiving and prayer, as will be seen by the following proclamation: By the President of the United States of America a proclamation: From year to year we have been accustomed to pause in our daily pursuits and set apart a time to offer our thanks to Almighty God for special bless­ ings He has vouchsafed to ue, with our prayers for a continuance thereof. We have at this time ecmal reason to be thankful for His con­ tinued protection and for the many material blessings which His bounty has bestowed. In addition to these favors accorded to us as indi­ viduals, we have especial occasion to express our hearty thanks to Almighty God that by His provi­ dence and guidance our Government, established a century ago, has been enaoled to fulfill the purpose of its founders, in offering an asylum to the people of every race, necuring civil and religious liberty to all within its borders, and meting out to every indi­ vidual alike justice and equality before the law. It is, moreover, especially our duty to offer our humble prayers to the Father of all mercies for a continuance of His divine favor to us as a nation ' and as individuals. By reason of all these con­ siderations. I, Ulysses S. Grant, President of the United States, do recommend to the people of the United States to devote the 30th day of November next to the expression of their thanks and prayers to Almighty God, and, laying aside their dailv avocations and all secular occupations, to assemble in their respective places of worship and observe such day as a day of thanksgiving and rest. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my h^nd and caused the seal of the United States to be af­ fixed. Dono at the city of Wsshington, this 26th day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and seventy-six, and of the inde­ pendence of the United States of America the one hundred and first. [L. 8.] U. S. GBANT. By the President: ̂ HAMILTON FISH, Secretary of State. According to a report just made by the Post- offioe Department, the number ef letters de­ livered during the past yea is 288,418,765; number collected, 234,230,582. About 109,000, - 000 newspapers were also collected and deliv­ ered in the same time. The cost per piece for this work is given at 8 13-100 mills. There are at the present time eighty-seven letter-carrier offices, with 2,269 carriers. The service is now declared to be more than self-sustaining. GEOBGE WILLIAM BIKNEY and his son, Arthur B., have been appointed Attorney and Assist­ ant Attorney for the District of Columbia. * THE number of postal-cards issued during the month of October was 23,116,000, being an increase of 2,977,500, or nearly 15 per cent., over issues of October of last year. This is the largest issue of cards occurring in any one month since the introduction of cards some three years ago. PRESIDENT GBANT, says a Washington cor­ respondent, has been shaking hands with an average of 2,000 Centennial visitors daily un­ til his right shoulder is very nearly out of joint. He has given up, and now refuses to see anybody bnt official visitors. The vandals who climb all over the White House, and who have to be watched to prevent them from gauging the furniture for relics complain ex­ citedly over this seclusion. THE public debt statement of the United States Treasurer shows a reduction of i3,388,- 139 during the month of October. Appended are the official figures: Six t>er cent bonds $ 984.999.660 Five per cent bonds...... 712,320.400 148,594, being 25,889 inoreaMkjjji six years, and 9,021 more than the Stat* otnsus taken last year. The work was done by 1x0 policemen in two days, and the compilation in two days more. at a' cost of * $66. The number of buildings ft 23,580 A Philadelphia telegram of (||| let inst. says: " The total cash admissions to the Centennial during the past week were 666,0215. The ca*h receipts for the week were 1381,054. The Ex­ hibition has been open 184 daM, and during that time the total number of OMh admissions has been 6,924,463, and the receipts in cash have been $3,279,483,25. The total number of admissions, cash and free, has been 8,453,923. It is considered certain that the financial BILO- ceBs of the Exhibition will be such as to admit of the payment of at least 75 per cent, on the stock subscribed.' FOREIGN. - GBBAT distress prevails in Mofttenegro, not­ withstanding the military suoOiMses, because of the necessity of maintaining a large num­ ber of - Tefugees. It is rA*vw4«.j there are 10,000 houseless refugees dying of starvation in the mountains around Deugrad. A LONDON telegram announces THE return of the British Arctio expedition, under Capt. Nares, comprising the steamera Alert and Dis­ covery. Their progress to the North Pole was found to be impracticable. Capt. Nares re­ ports that no land could be discovered to the northward of the highest latitude reached, namely, 83 degrees, 2!) minutes, but in other respects the expedition was stxssessfa! ... A sever© cyclone recently passed over the Cen­ tral American States. The town of Managra. in Nicaragua, was inundated. About 400 houses were blown down, The inhabitants bad to climb on the top of their houses to pre­ vent being washed away by the flood. Many were drowned by the houses falling. The total damage is estimated at about $2,000,000. Hie town of Blanfieid, on the Mosquito coast, in Nicaragua, also experienced the hurri­ cane. Over 300 houses were blown down. The same storm passed over the lake of Nicaragua, causing an immense amount of damage. The Commodore Adams, a lake steamer, was lost. The loss on the coffee crops is estimated at $3,000,000. About twenty lives were leet. The whole district is completely flooded A telegram from Vienna reports that Prince Auersperg, President of the Aus­ trian Council, replying in the Reiohrath to the iaterpellations on the Eastern question, de­ clared that Austria's policy was, above every­ thing, to maintain peace. Consequently any aspiration toward tho acquisition of foreign territory was out of the question. ADVICES from Kingston, Jamaica, report the severest hurricane ever experienced, at Grand Cayman island, lasting three days. One hun­ dred and seventy houses and a large number of fruit trees were destroyed. A portion of the island was submerged and a number of cattle were washed away. A SEVKBE engagement was fought between the Turks and Servians on Sanday, Oct. 29. The Turks attacked the heights of Djunis. The Servian artillery, irritated at Gen. Tcher- nayeff's deprecatory manner, refund to fight, and abandoned their positions despite the efforts of the Bussian officers, A body of Russian volunteers defended the heights des-f perately, half of their number being killed. The Turks carried their positions, cutting the Servian army in two. After the fall of Djunis, Gen. Tchemayeff with his staff and part of the army retreated to Bag an. THE Pope, having desired to divide the Archbishopric of Lyons (Prance) Into two dioceses without the assent of the French Government, the latter has issued a decree forbidding such a division A dispatch from Halifax, N. S., reports that an American schooner, with all hands, was recently lost on the west end of Sable island. Ffore bodies had washed ashore. THERE is trouble in the Nova ernment, and the resignation of nent member is anticipated. ticulty is of a personal Blade, the American Spiritualistic {humbug, who was ai rested in London a short nmc ago, has been sentenced to three months'Imprison­ ment at hard labor... .Advices from tile interior of Cuba describe the effects of the ate hurri­ cane as very disastrous. The sucar crop, which promised to be exceptionally Abundant, will be much reduced.... A dispatpfaMMot Bel­ grade says an order has been readlnra©Streets throughout the day calling on all able-bodied men to report themselves for immediate ser­ vice. The Turks lack transportation, and can therefore advance but slowly. THE great maritime canal connecting Am­ sterdam with the German ocean was opened on the 1st inst. with imposing ceremonies, at which the King, members of the Cabinet, and foreign representatives were present. The canal is sixteen miles long, and lias at the sea end a harbor covering 250 acres. pro mi- Total coin, bonds H, 697,820,100 Lawful money debt $ 14.000,000 Matured debt 2,513,240 l.e>al lenders 867,601,408 Certificates of deposit..... 40,670,000 Fractional currency 28,555,478 Ooln certificates S3,183,100 Total without interest 470,109,986 Total debt .$2,188,943,328 Total interest 84,473,564 Cash in Treasury: Coin $75,967,027 Currency 112,901,828 - Special deposits held for re­ demption of certificates ' of deposit 40,670,000 Total in Treasury. 124,533,354 PABTBES engaged in digging a grave n the graveyard at Bloomingvburg, Fulton county, Ind., a few days since, unearthed the remains ef a man that had recently been buried in an upright position, without coffin or box. The body was put in a box and deoentiy interred. Debt leas cash in the Treasury $2,092,266,575 Decrease of debt during October 3,:-.88,i39 Decrease since June 30,1876 ' 10,MO,908 Bonds issued to the Pacific Railway Companies, interest payable in lawful money : Principal outhtan ding...... 64,623,912 I iterest accrucd and not yet paid 1,292,470 Interest pud by the United States 82,080,218 Interest repaid by transportation 01 mails, etc. 6,990,306 Balance of interest pud by United States 35,089,012 GENERAL. A DISPATCH from Annapolis, Md., says that "Cadet Midshipman B. B. Cockle, of Illinois, a third-class man, who refused to testify in the investigation of the case of the ' hazers,' has been dismissed from the Naval Academy. This is the ninth cadet who has been dismissed for the same offense within less than two weeks. Cadets inside, who witnessed the 'hazing,' are ™t aa stubborn as ever not t > testify." The whole third class, it still aDpears, will have to be dismissed.' CHARLES MADISON, who left New York, July 8, to cress the ocean in a dory, has probably been lost. When two days out he had his main boom broken, and on July 16 he boarded the British schooner Tempest, where he remained about ten nunutes, aha later on he boarded the snip tseethoyen, and provisioned his little craft lor the continuation of his voyage, since whioh time nothing has been heard from him. THE population of Buffalo, N. Y., as taken by the police authorities and Just reported, is Mental Differences Between Han and Woman. Sir George Campbell, M. P., who pre­ sided over the section of Economic Science and Statistics of the British Association, touched in his opening ad­ dress upon a great variety of topics, and among others gave his views as to the difference between the mental qualities of men and women. He said: " As re­ gards the education and employment cf women, is not there great room for sci entific inquiry on the question how far the mind of woman differs from that of man ? Is there not, in fact, a very con­ siderable mental difference between man and woman, just as there is a consider­ able bodily difference ? Is not woman, to some extent, at least, a different creature from man, so that we may in some sort predicate that under certain conditions a man will act in one way and a woman will act in another wa\. in the same manner (though not in tiie same degj^e) as we can predicate that a dog will act in one way and a cat in another? To some degree I am inclined to think that there is some natural difference, and that this difference must betaken in­ to account in determining the treatment, the employmennt, and the functions of women. It is because I thoroughly sympathize with the desire of so many women of the middle classes to find useful and honorable employment for themselves that I think scientific inquiry into the economic capacities of the creature woman most necessary. If we can once solve that part of the problem, the rest will be comparatively easy. I feel sure that there are many functions, whether they depend on nimbleness of finger, sympathy «f heart, or quickness of intellect, for which women are espe­ cially fitted, while there are other* for which their nature is less fitted, and in respect of which they will do well to avoid an unequal rivalry with man." Drinking Places in Our Lir^e Cities. New York, with a population approx­ imating 1,000,000, has 8,700 saloons, or one to every 175 of its inhabitants. Chi­ cago, naughty, wicked Chicago, with nearly 500,000 population, has about 2,000 saloons, or one to every 250 in­ habitants. Boston, with 300,000 in­ habitants, has only 1,200 saloons, or one to every 291 inhabitants. Cincin­ nati, with about 325,000 population, and its large German beer-drinking element, comes pretty close to Balti­ more, with 2,100 saloons, or one to every 155 inhabitants, and Philadelphia show?, with a population of about 800,000, 2,700 saloons, or one to every 206 of its inhabitants. ANEW INTENTION. Th* "Automatic Welcome"--A OMfcl Mechanical Appliance that no newspa­ per Office Should be Without. [From the Burlington Hawk-Eye.] The Hawk-Eye has just got into its new editorial rooms, and it is proud to say that it has the finest, most comfort­ able, complete and convenient editorial rooms in America, They are finished off with a little invention which will be of untold value to the profession of journalism when it is generally adopted, and we know that it will rapidly come into universal use as soon as its merits are understood and appreciated. "We believe it is fully equal, in all that the term implies, to the famous Bogardeas Kicker, less liable to get out of order, and less easily detected by casual visit­ ors. It is known fts " IMTiddlecrib's Au­ tomatic Welcome." The sanctum is on the same floor as the news-room, being separated from ii by a partition, in which is cut a large window, easily opened by an automatic arrangement. The editor's table is placed in front of that window and near the head of the stairs, and on the side of the table next the window, directly opposite the ed­ itor, the visitor's chair is placed. It has an inviting look about it, and its entire appearance is guileless and common­ place, But the strip of floor on which the chair rests is a deception and a fraud. It is an endless chain, like the floor of a horse-power, and is operated at will by the editor, who lias merely to touch a spring in the floor to set it in motion. Its operation can best be un­ derstood by personal inspection. Yesterday morning, about 10 o'clock, Mr. Bostwick came in with a funny story to tell. He naturally flopped down in the chair that had the strongest appearance of belonging to some one else, and began in his usual happy vein: " I've got the richest thing--oh ! ha, ha, ha 1--the best thing--oh! by George! I can't--oh! ha, ha, ha! Oh! it's too good! Oh! by George, the richest thing! Oh! it's too loud! You must never tell where you got--oh, by George! I can't do it! It's too good! You know--oh, ha, ha, ha, oh, he, he, he ! You know the--oh, by George, I ca--" Here the editor touched the spring, a nail-grab under the bottom of the chair reached swiftly up and caught Mr. Bost­ wick by the cushion of his pants, the window flew up, and the noiseless belt of floor gliding on its course bore the astonished Mr. Bostwick through the window out into the news-room, half way down to the cases, where he was re­ ceived with great applause by the de­ lighted compositors. The window had slammed down as soon as he passed through, and when the editorial foot was withdrawn from the spring and the chair dropped and the nail-grab resumed its accustomed place, young Mr. Bost­ wick found himself so Kind of out of the sanctum, like it might be, that he went slowly and dejectedly down the stairs, as it were, while amazement sat upon his brow, like. The next casual visitor was Mr. J. Alexis Flaxeter, the critic. He had a copy of the Hawk-Eye in his hand, with all the typographical errors marked in red ink, and his face was so wreathed in smiles that it was impossible to tell where his mouth ended and his eyes be­ gan. He took the vacant chair and spread the paper out before him, cover­ ing up the editor's manuscript. "My keen vision and delicate sense of accu­ racy," he said, "are the greatest crosses of my life. Things that you never see are mountains in my sight. Now here, you see, is a " The spring clicked softly, like an echo to the impatient movement of the editor's foot, the nail- grab took hold like a bull-dog helping a Burlington troubadour over the garden fence, the chair shot back througlf the window like a meteor, and the window came down with a slam that sounded like a wooden giant getting off the shortest bit of pro­ fanity known to man; and all was silent again. Mr. Flaxeter sat very close to the frosted window, staring blankly at the clouded glass, seeing nothing that he could offer as any explanation of what he would have firmly believed was a land-slide, had he not heard the editor, safe in his guarded den, softly whist­ ling, " We shall meet, but we shall miss him." Then there was a brief interval of quiet in the sanctum, and a rustling of raiment was heard on the stairs. A lovely woman entered and stood unawed in the editorial presence. The E. P., on its part, was rather nervous and un­ comfortable. The lovely woman seated herself in the fatal chair. She slapped her little grip-sack on the table and opened her little subscription book. She said"I am soliciting cash con­ tributions--strictly, exclusively, and peremptorily cash contributions--to pay off the church debt, and buy an organ for the Mission Church of the Forlorn Strangers, and I expect " There are times when occasion demands great ef­ fort. The editor bowed his head, and, after one brief spasm of remorse, felt for the secret spring. The window went up like a charm ; the reckless nail-grab hung back for a second, as if held by a feeling of innate delicacy, and then it shut its eyes and smothered its pity and reached up and took a death-like hold on a roll of able and influential newspa­ pers and a net-work of string and tape, and the cavalcade backed out into the news-room with colors flying. The stopped just before the familiar spirit who was washing the f<$rms, and as the lovely woman gazed at the inky face she shrieked, "Merciful heavens, where am I?" and was borne down the gloomy stairway unconscious, while the printers whose cases were nearest the wicked window heard the editor singing, as it might be to himself, " Dearest sis­ ter, thou hast left us." Shocking Scene at a Grave. The Scranton (Pa.) Republican says: "A shocking scene occurred at a funeral which took place in one of the suburbs of this city a few days ago. There was a large attendance, and the immediate relatives of the deceased were so over­ come by sorrow that the burial was left to the care of some friends who volun­ teered their services in paying the last sad tribute to the dead. Numbers gathered around the grave to see the coffin lowered, but the men having charge were so intoxicated that it was clumsily done. Before the first spade­ ful of earth was thrown on the coffin one of the party fell into the grave and could not extricate himself. A com­ panion, no better off than he, attempted to rescue him, but he also fell into the grave, and there both struggled in vain until some of the sober attendants, who were shocked and justly indignant* at the occurrence, lifted the drunken pair out, and, pushing them aside, kept them '==--!--=====-- ILLINOIS ITEMS. 4 THE Peoria Board of Trade have been invited to contribute toward the secur­ ing of a through line of road from that city to Detroit. It is to be done by building a line of twelve miles from Butler, Ind. AT Peoria, early last StrnOay morning, during a thunder-storm, the bonded warehouse of A. a 3. Wooler was struck by lightning and burned to the ground. Loss between $6,000 and §8,000 ; covered by insurance. About 160 barrels of liquer were destroyed. Miss FANNIE MOKNIOHT, of Jackson­ ville, a beautiful blonde of sweet 16, took the wild freak into her head the other day of running away from home. The object was to earn her own living and have some fun. Dressed in boy's clothes, she made her way to St. Louis in company with a younger brother, who jumped the train as it was crossing the bridge for fear the police would catch them, after vainly endeavoring to per­ suade her to follow him. At the Union Depot she fell into the hands of a friendly policeman, who took her to the Chief's office after she had voluntarily told of her disgust. Her parents are highly respectable and well-to-do peo­ ple, and the freak originated purely in reading wild novels and romances. A TEBBBXJIS accident is reported from Maroa, whereby a bride may lose her life. It was the ocoasion of the festivi­ ties supplemental to the marriage of Frank Sclienck, of that place, to Miss Longstreefc, of Middletown, Ohio. Mr. Schenck had just arrived with his bride, and the parents of the groom had pre­ pared supper and a reception. The guests were seated at the table when one of the waiters accidentally knocked a gasoline lamp from its socket, and it fell on the shoulder of the bride, and exploded, scattering the burning fluid. Before the flames could be extinguished her clothing was burned from her chest, her hair was nearly all consumed, and the flesh on her face, neck, chest and arms was burned frightfully. Mrs. Sar­ gent was sitting next the bride, and her face and left hand were seriously burned in trying to extinguish the flames. The groom was badly burned on the hands, as also one or two others. The State Treasury. From the forthcomingbiennial report of Hon. Thomas S. Kidgway, State Treasurer, the following figures, show­ ing the amount of the. State debt out­ standing, are token: The debt not due oonsists of the following items: Thirty-five refunded stock bonds due after 1876 $ 85,000 261 refunded stock bonds due after 1877.. 361,000 23 Normal University bonds, due after 1879 . 23 000 86 Thornton loan bonds, due after 1879.. 86',0(J0 61 war-loan bonds of $1,000 each, due after 1879 51,000 110 war-loan bonds of 9600 each, dne after 1879 55,000 363 war-loan bonds of $100 each, due after 1879 86,800 Total $1,468,466 The following items show the debt which is due, and whioh lias been so proclaimed by the Governor, but which has not been presented for payment: New internal improvement stock $ 6,085.74 One old internal improvement bend 1,000.00 One revenue deficit bond 1,000.00 Thirteen canal bonds 13,000.00 Two bonds of internal stock 2,136.00 Total $23,221.74 Thus the total outstanding debt of the State of Illinois on Oct. 1, 1876, is $1,481,667.74 It is supposed the over due bonds have been lost or destroyed nevertheless it must be borne on the books. The small amount of State debt must be a source of great satisfaction to all Hlinoisians. During the past two years the follow­ ing bonded debt has been paid and can- osiod • 249 revenue deficit bonds $249,000.00 1 new internal improvement bond 804.36 Total $249,304.35 One pf the most significant features of the repoot is that in relation to the local bond fund which represents the payments made for interest on the local debts of towns, counties, etc., which debts are registered in the State Audi- tor's office. This account shows as fol­ lows :» Balance on hand Dec 1, 1876 .$ 121,291.98 Receipts at the treasury to the credit of this fund from Dec. 1, 1876, to Sept. 30, 1876 2,386,484.31 Total $2,906,726.29 Payments made of interest for the two years 2,608,623.40 Balance in treasury Oct. 1,1876 .$ 380,162.89 These figures sh*w that the people of the State are paying $1,250,000 a year for interest alone on that small part of the local debt of the State whioh is registered. Dr. Cyrus Thomas, State Entomol­ ogist, has presented at the executive office his report for the official years 1875 and 1876. It consists of about 350 pages of closely-wtitten cap paper, and he kindly remarks that there are 250 pages yet to be presented. From the report of the State Board of Agriculture for the present year, which is now in preparation, it appears that during the twenty-throe years from 1853 to 1875 inclusive, the department has offered in cash premiums $230,335. It has also offered as premiums eighty gold and 5,197 silver medals, and 908 di­ plomas. The Telegraph in Africa. It is proposed to carry a wire to the cape across the African continent. There is at present telegraphic communica­ tion from Alexandria to Khartoum, a distance of 1,100 miles, and surveys have already been made to its contin- uence to Oondokoro. From Khartoum to Delagoa bay, where the South African lines terminate northward, is only about 2,600 miles--shorter than existing lines on the other three oontinents. The route would lead under the Victoria Nyassa and Tanganyika lakes, and thence down the Shire and Zambesi rivers to the sea, where a short ocean line would connect it with Delagoa bay or Port Natal. A branch would go from Ujiji to Zanzibar. BITTEN BY A TARANTULA. A. Strong Man's Struggle with the Deadly Poison. , [From the Pueblo (Col.) clieftain.] Dan Sheppard, a workman on the South Pueblo water-works ditch, at the St. Charles, was bitten by a tarantula on the evening of Friday last, in such a manner as to result almost fatally. On the rught in question Mr. Sneppard was sleeping in a cabin on the " Gray back ranch,' near where the Rio Grande railway crosses the St. Charles. He had made his bed on the floor, and ̂ scarcely gone to sleep when he felt some­ thing pinch his shoulder and then run across his face. He tried to catch it with his hand, but it escaped him. Se­ vere pains beginning to shoot from the shoulder, Mr, Sheppard became 0011- vinced that he had been bitten by ft tarantula. He then ran up the track to Mr. M. T. Robinson's, about three- quarters of a mile distant, in the hope of getting some whisky to use as an an­ tidote, but unfortunately Mr. Robinson had no whisky on Imnd. He the?w£ turned down the track and went to the house of Mr. Neece, near where he was bitten. Sheppard is a stout, powerful man, but by this time he was nearly ex­ hausted. The pain had passed from his shoulder down his left side, until his whole body was affected, and ho was in a state of the most excruciating agony. Mr. Neece hurried to Mr. Howard's, half a mile up the St. Charles, and in­ formed him of the occurrence. Mr. Howard immediately mounted his horse and galloped to Pueblo, eight miles dis­ tant, for a supply of whisky. In the meantime Sheppard returned to his cabin, and in a short time, from the ac­ tion of the poison, he became almost insensible, and his body, head and limbs became frightfully swollen. In just two hours and a half from this time he was bitten. Mr. Howard arrived with the whisky. ̂ The poisoned man was now in a very critical condition, unable to move, and evidently at the very gates of death. The whisky was immediately adminis­ tered, and he speedily revived. About a quart was given him, when, as Shep­ pard himself says, he began to feel him­ self the strongest man in Colorado, and it was with difficulty that four men could hold him. It soon became evi­ dent that the 'whisky would prove an effectual antidote to the tarantula poison. Mr. Sheppard is now recovering rap­ idly, and though he is still weak, and has lost some thirty pounds in weight, there is but little doubt that in a week or so he will be all right again. Lightning in a Camp. A camp of soldiers was lately struck by lightning in France, and the result is a good instance of the effectiveness of points to attract the electric fluid. The tents were full of men and arms, and the cots had iron frames. In one tent,three men were killed and seven wounded, all but one being struck either in both legs or on the right leg. That one was struck in the right eye. In another tent where four men were wounded, the charge entered by both legs or the left one. Some men were thrown out of their beds, or turned over in them. The uniforms of the soldiers were perforated, and showed spots whioh are said to be "sul­ phurized." One of these will be analyzed. The most significant part of the occurrence is the escape of a tent which stood near the telegraph line. A soldier standing in front of it was struck, but the tent escaped, the electric cur­ rent passing to the telegraph, where it broke a dozen poles. It is thought from this that camps may be protected by being surrounded with lines of wire sur­ mounted with points, and well connected with the earth. Wonders of Mechanism. A crowd of people were standing around the Corliss engine, Machinery Hall, at the Centennial, the other day, watching and admiring it, when a man stepped from among them and took from his pocket a tin box, and open­ ing it took out what appeared to be an exceedingly diminutive alcohol lamp, and, placing it on the corner of the platform, lighted it. Then it began to buzz something as a humming-bird might if only small enough, and, upon close examination, it was found to be a perfect stcf.m-engine in full motion, hav­ ing for its foundation a 25-cent gold piece. It was composed of gold, steel and platinum, the fly-wheel being three- fourths of an inch in diameter, and the stroke one-twenty-fourth of an inch, and its full weight seven grains. A magni­ fying glass had to be used to see it dis­ tinctly. THE MARKETS. NEW YORK. BEEVES 7 60 10 60 Hoos 5 70 @ 5 90 OOTTON llj^ lljtf FLoua--Superfine Western 4 25 @ 5 00 WHEAT--NO. 2 Chicago 1 26 @ 1 28 OOBN--Western Mixed............. 68 0 ^61 OATS--No. 2 Chicago 46 <9 48 ' BY*--Western....A 78 @ 88 PORK--New Mess .....17 06 @17 25 LABD--Steam 10 OHIOAOO. BZXVKB--Choice Graded Steers.... 5 00 @ 5 25 Choice Natives 4 40 @ 4 76 Cows and Heifers 2 40 3 60 Good Second-class Steers. 3 60 @ 3 80 Medium to Fair 4 00 4 25 Hoos--live 6 TK) @5 90 FfcOtJH--Fancy White Winter...... 6 75 7 60 Good to Choice (spring ex.. 6 00 (A 6 60 WHIAT--No. 2 Spring, New 1 11 ® l 12 No. 3 Spring 101 #102 OOKN--No. 2 42 & 43 OATS--No. 2 82 # 33 RYE--No. 2 60 Q 61 BARLEY--No. 2, New 8:) @ 81 BUTTER--Creamery 30 & 35 EGOS--Fresh 22 @ 23 PORK--Mess 15 60 Q16 00 LABD 9^9 ST. LOUIS. WHEAT--No. 2 Red Fall. . 1 21 <& 1 22 CORN--Western Mixed. 40 O 41 OATS--No. 2 30 FT 31 RYK--No. 2 68 (Ss 69 PORK--MeM 17 00 @17 25 LABD 9^ Hoos..... 5 20 @ 5 75 CATTLE 2 25 @ 4 90 MILWAUKEE. WHEAT--No. 1 1 19 1 20 No. 2 113 @ 1 14 OOBN--No. 2.. 45 @ 46 OATS--No. 2 '... 31 @ 32 RYE 61 @ 62 BARLEY--No. 2 84 @ 85 CINOINNATL WHEAT 1 15 @ 1 28 CORN 48 @ 49 OATS 30 @ 37 RYE 69 @ 60 PO»K--Mess 16 60 @16 76 LARD 9?4@ 10 W TOLEDO. WHEAT--Extra. 1 30 @ 1 31 Amber 1 22 @ 1 23 CORN 47 @ 48 OATS -NO. 2.. 32 @ 34 EAST LIBERTY, PA. Hoas--Yorkers 4 45 @ 5 65 Philadelphia* 6 00 @ 6 16 C ATTLE--Best. 6 0 0 @ 6 4 0 Medium. 4 00 ® 4 60 3 2 6 @ 4 7 6