SEhe JRt̂ firrj fjlaindtaler. J. YA.N 8LYKE, PTBURBEB. McHENRY, - ILLINOIS. AttBICDLTOlUi* AA1I DOMESTIC. Around the Firm. SUEL FOOTER, of Muscatine, Iowa, in an address on the subject of tree-plant- names the following deciduous trees in the order of their value, for planting at the West, namely--European larch, black-wal&ut, white ash, and white wil low. LAYING HENS.--To get hens to lay have a warm room, feed potatoes with corn meal, bone meal, scraps of meat, cabbage-head to pick at, onions, turnips, etc. Change the food occasionally, giv ing limo in water, egg shells, crushed shells, bgme, with ashes and road dost to roll ijju Now THE STUMPS.--THE Home a-nd Fapm «ays: The easiest way to get rid of stumps of trees is to bore a hole in the top, say one or two inches, and gfght inches deep. Put in the hole from one to two ounces of saltpeter, fill the hole with water, and plug up tight. In the spring take out the plug, pour in a gill of kerosene oil, and set fire to it. The stamp will burn entirely up, 6ven to the smallest roots. GOOD home judges understand the importance of the foot. It should be of medium size, either extreme being suggestive of disease. It should be longer at the ground surface than broad, Hie heel neither very high nor very low. The outer surface of the hoof should be smooth, the slant about fifty degrees, "tad-the frog large, elastic and healthy- looking. The latter must never be tempered with. Nature knows how im portant this cushion is, and she will make it just as the animal needs. FARMERS, raise more strawberries, set them oat this spring, plant them six inches apart, and in rows lour feet wide. Make the land rich. Set out four or five tows ten rods long. Put the shields on the two-horse plow, and tend them with that. They are just as easily raised as corn. Ladies, u e your influence to have this matter attended to this spring, assist in setting out the plants if de sired ; you are sure to win. The reason the farmer was so discouraged about raising strawberries was that he always planted them in beds, and the ground got foul with weeds and grass, and so hard and solid tnat we just gave it up as a bad job. THE M&me Farmer says : If one is on a tolerably good farm and is practis ing what is known as " mixed husband ry," a few cows, a few sheep, a pair of oxen, a horse, an orchard, a patch of corn, wheat, potatoes, etc., and is in dustrious and prudent, nothing in the future is surer than that he will not only get a living, but will be surrounded with the comforts and needed luxuries of life. Or, if he desires to try his hand at special farming, he may promise him self the same success in sheep husbandry, dairying;, fruit-growing or stock-farm ing/ though more capital, both in cash aad.fcsfeina, will be required in. ppe«i*l farming than in mixed husbandry. HEADING DOWN TREES.--Sometimes a tree of weak, straggling growth in the orchard or nursery, is headed down early in spring with a view of renovating it and producing a healthy, compact head by a new growth from the lower part. This often has a good effect, pro viding the tree is strong enough to bear the shock of such severe discipline. If the tree is naturally of strong constitu tion and has only been cnecked in the growth by temporary causes, it is prob able that the desired effect will be pro duced ; but, if the tree is constitutional ly diseased, it will probably grow to the same size as before cutting down, and then cease. A feeble stock in the nursery, if budded with a vigorous sort, will often make a vigorous growth for ene or two years--perhaps until sold-- after which, to the great disappointment of the purchaser, it is impossible to produoe a further growth. An experi enced fruit grower has said thatf- " If a stock wi|l not make a good tree without graf ting* it will not with it." 0 About the HOUM. TO KK-FASTEN the loose handles of knives and forks, make a cement of com mon brick dust and resin melted to gether. TOOTHACHE CURE.--For toothache proceeding from a hollow tooth, cotton saturated with a mixture of spirits of niter and powered alum will be found to afford relief. AN ink-stand was turned over upon a white tablecloth; a servant threw over it a mixture of salt and pepper plentifully, and all traces of it disappeared. Make a note of this. RELIEF FOR CHAPPED HANDS.--TO three ounces of melted mutton tallow add one ounce of glycerine and two table-spoonfuls alcohol oamphor, stir ring all slowly until it becomes a smooth cream. To CUBAN SH/VKRWA RE. -- Common whiting and alcohol is as good an arti cle for the purpose as can be found, say an ounce of each, or the whiting with out the alcohol, used with a woelen rag, is very nice; wet the silver before scouring. To WASH SILK HANDKERCHIEFS--Wash them in cold rain water with a little curd soap, then rinse in rain water (cold), slightly colored with stone blue, wring well, and stretch them out on a mattress, tacking them out tightly. To WASH WHITE-STRIPED STOCKINGS. - a jelly, the night before it is wanted, of the best yellow soap ; wash the stockings in warm water with a little 3 lit in it, using the jelly instead of soap; rinse in clear water, also with a little salt in it; wring as dry as possible, and dry quickly. POLISHING TINS.--First rub your tins with a damp cloth, then take dry flour and rub it on with your hands, and after ward take an old newspaper and rub the flour off, and the tins will shine as well as if half an hour had been spent in rub bing them with brick-dust or powder, which spoils the hands. IF onions are sliced and kept in a iok-room, they will absorb all the a-} mospheric poison. They should be changed every hour. In the room of A small-pox patient they blister and de compose very rapidly, but will prevent the spread of the disease. Their appli cation has also proved effectual in the case of snake-bite. YEAST AND HOKE MADE BREAD.-- Boil one pound of good flour, a quarter of a pound of moist sugar, and half an ounce of salt, in two gallons of water, for an hour. When nearly cold, bottle and cork it closely. It will be fit for use in twenty-four hours, and one pint will make eighteen pounds of bread. STARCH.--Take one tablespoonfol of starch, and put with it a tea-spoonfed of clear prepared gum, add a lump of loaf sugar and a pinch of salt. Mix with cold water, stir till smooth, add suffi cient boiling water to make it clear, and of the proper consistency, and stir a wax candle round it once or twice. To REMOVE MOLD STAINS FROM BOOKS WITHOUT INJURING THE PAPER.--The Scientific American gives the following directions: "1. Wet with pure, clean, water. 2. Soak in a dilute solution of bleaching powder. 3. Pass through water made sour to taste by muriatic acid. 4, Soak in pure water until all traces of acid are removed, and dry. It is not necessary to pay that this opera tion requires careful manipulation. You ixiay try, instead, exposing the moistened paper to the fumes of burning sulphur, which is a good bleaching agent, and then passing it through water and dry ing." * Sonthirest Winds and Fruit Trees. At a recent meeting in Chicago of the Nursery and Tree-Planters' Protective Association, Mr. H. W. S. Cleveland read an elaborate paper on the deleterious influence of southwest winds on fruit trees, which he regarded as one of the most terrible enemies with which the horticulturist has to contend. In 1843, in New Jersey, he first noticed that all his peach trees had a lean to the north east and the branches a trend in the same direction. This was due to the fact that during the season of early growth in April, May and June, while the wood was full of sap and the young shoots had not acquired the elasticity of mature wood, the wind was often blow ing for several days from the southwest, holding them in constrained position till they had lost the power of recovery. He next observed that other trees were simi larly affected, especially willows and silver poplars, and that it was confined to no part of the country, but that it was easy in traveling to tell the points of the compass by the trend of the trees in exposed situations, which was invaria bly toward the northeast. The mere mechanical injury to the foliage is a serious evil, but the worst effects are those which come from its absorption of moisture and vitality. Grapes that flourish in Southern Italy and California conld not be raised in the same latitude in New Jersey except under glass. Com ing to Chicago he noticed that the whole region on the eastern side of Lake Mich igan, even as far north as Grand Trav erse, was the home of the peach, and the grape, and of many varieties of forest trees and shrubs, while on the west aide their .culture was almost as impossible as that of exotics. The feature which the east shore has in common with Southern Italy, California, etc., is, that the southern wind before reaching it must pass over a great body of water, and, instead of^parching vegetation with it fiery heat, it comes laden with the moisture it has absorbed from the ocean or lake, and wherever this condition of things exist, the same result is found. Therefore, other circumstances being equal, a situation having a large body of water lying to the south and west pos sesses very great advantages for the growing of fruits and delicate trees. As only a small portion of fruit-growere can avail themselves of such a situation, the question of vital interest is whether other means of protection cqnnot be found. Observation and experiment show that a complete shelter from the southwest wind is all that is necessary. The remedy for the evil lies in forest planting, and in so placing our orohards as to receive protection by woods, and, if possible, hills also, on the side from which the danger oomes. Another measure of protection from the drying effects of both wind and sun is mulching, by which term is meant a great deal more than is oommonly un derstood by it. Leaves, chip dirt, dirt- stuff, straw, cornstalks, tan-bark, or any refuse vegetable matter may be used with equal success. They should be applied to the depth of six or eight inches. The result will be that the soil underneath will be kept moist, and will be filled with / le fibrous roots just as it is in the woods under the natural mulch ing of leaves which cover thejapround. The parching of the foliage will be no longer seen, but on the contrary the leaves will preserve their verdure and the growth be much more luxuriant. Minnesota Tree-Planting. The State Forestry Association awarded some 300 premiums for tree-planting last year. The awards include $800 in silver and copper medals, struck by dies and machinery manufactured here, subscrip tions to newspapers, and for one family in eaoh prairie county along its line a free pass for this year from the St. Paul and Pacific Railroad Company. Fari bault is the banner county, 1,804,776 trees being planted in that county dur ing the year. The Delano premium of $50 was awarded to George F. Pixley, of Martin county, who planted 79,200 trees, of which 52,765 are reported in healthy growth. The Hon. George L. Becker planted 60,000 on his farm in Stevens county. Returns received, be ing from fifty counties, show over 1,500,000 trees planted in the State on Arbor day, May 1, and over 10,000,000 during the season. One man alone set out 15,411 cuttings on Arbor day, of which over 13,000 survive. One lad of 14 years planted Arbor day 7,500 cut tings, and another of 11 years 5,280, of which last 2,937 are now growing healthily. Most of the trees planted are Cottonwood and white willow, but large plantations have been started of maples, larch, white oak, walnut, etc.--St. Paul l*kmeeir. ' THE newest article made of iron is a "oast-iron grandmother," not a term of reproach, but a machine for darning hoae. BFCFORE ASHTABULA. |mu Memorable Railroad AwW ̂ Shocking Record. {From the Chicago Timw.] Ashtabula's awful page in the hMtff.t of railroad disasters will not speedily be forgotten. In the number of its dead and maimed it stands alone. In its cu- molation of horrors it is pre-eminent. There was death by fire, by water, by steam, and in the crush of wrecking matter. Men were freezing on the edge of flames; burning as the ice-cold brook glided by and the snow-drifts hung over head; drowning and an ice bridge al most within grasp. Until greed for rlivulandR on watered stock shall again leave a trap open, through which death's valley may be more easily reached, Ash tabula will live in men's memories as the worst of all tragedies o£ the rail. The list is a long one. It does not show, as it is not in the nature of things that it should, as great loss of life as that attending shipwreck and violent work ings of the natural elements, but it is sufficiently deadly, and all the more dis tressing that with ordinary caution it should have been avoided in many eases. Of the more recent rail accidents, Chicago has best reason to remember the terrible collision on the Chicago and Alton road, when the carelessness of a freight-train conductor resulted' in the sudden and awful death of a number of estimable residents of this city. Next to the Sag horror, in which Chicago had a near and painful interest, the Angola, of all recent railroad disasters, is best remembered because of the terrible loss of life attending it. It occurred in the middle of December, 1867, at the Big Sisters bridge, near Angola, on the Lake Shore road. Abo at the hour of noon the New York express was thundering east from Cleveland. Near the bridge a rail had been snapped by the frost. The engine and two passenger-cars were hurled over an embankment and into a chasm fifty feet below. Crushed almost to splinters by the crash, the wreck im mediately took fire. Seventy persons were crushed, burned, and drowned, and some forty more received injuries of various degrees of severity. Many of the bodies were burned past all recogni tion, and not a few found a last resting- place in the bottom of the creek into which the train had been hurled. The Norwalk accident, if such it may be called, was long one of melancholy oelebritv. It occurred in May, 1853, on the New York and New Haven railroad. At Norwalk the road crosses a small in let of Long Island scund by a draw bridge. Its approach from New York is around a short curve, and the signal of the open draw was at that time a ball at a masthead. This signal was in posi tion, indicating that the draw was open, and, therefore, that the engine should come to a full stop. The train for Bos ton was driving ahead at tremendous speed. The engineer saw the ball at the masthead, but did not comprehend its import. He was a stranger, making his first run, and no one bad thought to in struct him in the language of this par ticular signal. At full speed the engine dashed around the curve, the hand on its throttle all unconscious of the com ing danger, ^he ourve„ rounded, the awful fact of the open draw flashed ttjxm the engineer, but the slacking of speed was of no avail. Its momentum carried the locomotive almost entirely aoross the chasm, the passenger coaches following; all speedily to be dropped into the depths of the inlet wl ose waters closed over forty-six bodies sacrificed to the carelessness of the company's servant The warning was not unheeded. Con necticut passed a law requiring that all trains should come to a dead halt imme diately before crossing a bridge in which there was a draw. Among the first disasters succeeding the introduction of the railroad system into the country the most noteworthy was in Noveniber, 1833, 'when a train on the old Camden and Amboy road was thrown from the track and fourteen per sons, all but two of those in the cars rolled down the embankment, were in- fared. The occurrence is the more memorable in that John Quinoy Adams was a passenger. The accident, near Detroit, on the Great Western road, in 1854, was one of the most melancholy of that day. An emigrant train ran" into some gravel cars, was thrown down an embankment, and two of the cars crowded with emi grants, telescoped. All the passengers were injured, and forty-six were killed. The accident occurred in November, before there was necessity for heating the cars, or the wreck would undoubt edly have taken fire, and many who es caped with injuries might have been numbered with the dead. For a long time the Erie road had a most fortunate, but entirely deserved, reputation. ' Its reoord was pre-emi nently blood-stained, but it was madt up, for the most part, of minor acci dents. Twice on this road Port Jervis was the scene of sad fatal accidents. In '58 a train was thrown from the track at this point by a broken rail, and in the crash attending the fall down the em bankment, six persons were killed and fifty more or less injured. Again in '68 near Car's Rock a broken rail hurled the cars down the rook-ribbed side of the mountain, and in the crash twenty; four persons were killed and eighty wounded. The disaster on the North Pennsyl vania road near Philadelphia, in 1856, was one of the most distressing, as it was one of the least excusable, of which we have record. Over a thousand Sunday- school children were returning Jrom a picnic. Heavily laden, the train wa3 somewhat delayed, an important circum stance, when it is remembered that the road had but a single track. The con ductor knew that a regular train was upon the track and had the right to it, but he thought he eould make another station before switching. Fatal blun der ! The trains collided and tele scoped. In three cars the children were crushed to death. Upon the mass of debris the remaining cars were piled, and from the ruined locomotive fire was communicated to the heap. Sixty-five children perished, and 100 persons were iujurea. The conductor escaped the immediate consequences of his awful carelessness, only to die by his own hand when he realized the extent of the ruin he had wrought. In any recital, however brief and in adequate, of the railroad disasters of this continent, the affair at New Ham burg cannot be forgotten, for the hero- i eagineer who went down with ass hand upon the lever and re fused to desert the foot-board when his life might thereby be saved has been sung iar and near. In a terrible storm on the night of the 6th of February, rr J was moving south on the Hudson River railroad. It was disabled on the bridge near New Hamburg, and came to a halt. An express from New York, unwarned of the danc> r, came dashing on, striking the wrecked train on the bri4ge. An oil car was smashed, its ignited contents being flattered far and wide over the bridge, which, weak ened by the shock and devouring flamep, gave way, precipitating a portion of the train upon the ice, whence it quickly sunk to the bottom of the river. Twen- ty-one lives were lost in this horrible catastrophe. The Ashtabula horror has incited the local historian of St. Louis to recall'the particulars of the catastrophe at the Gas conade bridge, on the Missouri Pacific railroad, in 1855. The road had been hastily eonstructcd to meet a requirement of the charter as to the time of complet ion. Its opening was being celebrated by an exonrsioa train from St. Louis and some of the way stations. When at Herman, seven mites from the Gasconade, the ex cursionists numbered about, 800. Among them were military companies from St. Louis, bands of music, and all the per sons of local distinction who, in the earlier days, always assisted at lailway excursions. Judge Treat, now of the United States bench, was of the number. Just before the bridge was reached a tremendous rain-storm set in. As the structure was temporary some fear* were expressed to tlie chief engineer of the road, who accompanied the excur sionists, as to its ability to sustain the great weight which would be imposed by the exoursion train. He laughed at these feats as groundless; but that it would have been the part of wisdom to heed them was poon demonstrated. When the head of the train reached the second pier of the bridge it gave way, the locomotive, seven passenger cars and a baggage coach being dropped thirty feet to the muddy river below. Thirty persona were killed, and among them some of the best known and most highly respected residents of St. Louis, and seventy were injured. The confident engineer perished in the ruins of the bridge upon whose strength and safety he had, substantially, wagered his life. How few railroad disasters are really accidents ! Intelligence in the directory and vigilance in the service, timely ex penditure in repairs, and less greed for dividends, might have prevented many that have occurred, and are real pre ventives for others that, unless there is more watchfulness and less covetous- ness, must inevitably occur. How to Woo the Orowsy (iod. Thousands of persons suffer from wakefulness who in other respects enjoy good health. Dr. Cooke lays down the theory that in numerous cases of sleep lessness it is only necessary to breathe very slowly and quietly for a few min utes to secure refreshing sleep. Tak ing note of Dr. Cooke's idea, the Medi cal Exatn&ner says : " Certainly, when •the . meoBtroilablj' active, as# so preventing sleep, we have ascer tained from patients whose observation was worth trusting that the breathing was quiok and short, and they have found they became more disposed to sleep by breathing slowly. This sup ports Dr. Cooke's practice, but at other times his plan quite failed. It is cer tainly worth anyone's while who is oc casionally sleepless to give it a trial. In doing so they should breathe very quiet ly, rather deeply and at long intervals, but not long enough to cause the least feeding of uneasiness." Unprecedented Cold Weather in tin South. In Texas snow has fallen to the depth of from six to eighteen inches, crushing in roofs and freezing numbers of horses and cattle to death. A negro froze to death in Houston, and one in Dallas. In Louisiana trains have been snow bound, and a negrp froze to death at Shroveport. In Mississippi members of the Legislature were snow-bound, and for days no quorum could be had. Per sons have crossed the river on the ice at Vicksburg for the first time in the history of that section. In Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia, the snow and cold are unprecedented. In Georgia and South Carolina sleet has been very destructive to trees, telegraph lines, etc. School Hygiene. The New York Medico Legal Society have adopted these recommendations of their committee on school hygiene, as follows : That the minimum age of ad mission to public schools be 6 years, in stead of 4 ; that the maximum attend ance at school for children under 8 years of age be made three hours per day, with saltable intermissions; that provision be made by law for medical inspection and supervision of schools to secure en forcement of sanitary laws; that large playgrounds should be furnished for the children, and that schools should be built where adequate space is to be had to insure light, ventilation and play ground. Protecting French Physicians. A proposition of some importance to American medical men and surgeons of all sorts is now before the French Sen ate. Its object is to prohibit all foreign physicians, surgeons, dentists and apoth ecaries from practising in France unless they go through the curriculum pre scribed by the examining boards in the French schools, the said course taking, we believe, about six years to complete. This is a new form of "protection," and it particulaily concerns American den tists, who have long been regarded as the best in the world, and not a few of whom have earned in Frauce and on the contiueut both fame and fortune. A RUSSIAN officer has just invented,an ingenious projectile which will attract attention. The sczaroch, as it is called, is an elongated shell, the head of wlricii is completely spherical. When fired the sczaroch leaves the gun like an or dinary shell, but when it bursts tb<< cylindrical part alone flies into pieces, the spherical head continuing its flight toward the infantry, usually massed be yorad the artillery. ILLINOIS LBUISLATURE^ l THURSDAY, Jan. 11.--SKHATK. --In thtfftinale little business wu done, and few bills of general importance •were introduced, among which were the following: By Mr. Ware, for the erection of a new penitentiary in Soutbern Illinois; by Mr. Marshall, to allow townships to make such arrange ment with the County Board for the support of paupers as may seem desirable; by Mr. Rainey, defining exemptions under the Revenue law. If or sr..--In the House little else was done than he introduction of bills and resolutions; among which are the following: By Mr. Albright, to regu late the practioe of medicine and surgery ; by Mr bibb, tr, amend the Township Insurance law ; by Mr. Kastoo. to remedy defective foreclosures ; by Mr. «io<Hirioh, for the protection of miners and con tractors in their claims aga^ust mining corporations; by Mr. Hurd, amending Road law giving super visors ou appeal cases $2.60 per day; by Mr. Jack, Mr. Lathner, to exempt all land"occupied by pub. lie roads from taxation; by Mr. Mer- ritt, to regulate charges on sleeping cars, making companies common carriers, and flxiug their charges for berths at $1: also for •he support of married women separated from their husbands; by Mr. Pinney, to amend the In terest '-.vw so as to fix the rate of interest at 7 per cent.; by Air. Rors, an appropriation bill for feeble minded institutions appropriates $?2,0iX) for ordinary exp nsi-a by Mr. ltowett, lor re funding county and city railroad debt; by Mr. Washburne, making United States silver coin a legal tender m Illinois to any amount; by Mr. Smith, of Sangamon, a resolution fer a special committee to consider the propriety of establishing a uniform system of text books In the public schools; by Mr. Crocker, to provide for a Hoard of Fish Commissioners, and for the encourage ment of iish culture. FRIDAY, Jan. 12.--SENA TE.--Tho Sonata transacted no business, bnt met and adjourned to Monday morning.... A resolution by Mr. Joalyn, similar to that In tho House, looking to ihe erection of an addition to the Joliet penitentiary, and mak ing inquiries as to cost, etc., was adopted. HorsK.--In the House, Mr. Granger presented a resolution calling on the Penitentiary Commission ers to report whether there is an existing necessity for additional penitentiary room, and, if so, to re port as to the cost of erecting additional prison room for 600 prisoners, and if the work can be economically performed by convict labor.... A pe tition from the Supervisors of McHenry county for amendments to the Revenue law was presented. . Adjourned to Monday p. in. MONDAY, Jan. 15.--SENATE.--Resolutions looking toward the construction of an elevator in the Capitol, and inquiring the cost of buildings to acoommodate 250 additional inmates in the Klgln Insane Asylum, wore passed On motion of Mr. Kehoe, the President was empowered to appoint a private secretary... Mr. Mills introduced a bill compelling banks organized in this State to make quarterly reports, wliich WHS read a first time Air. Parish introduced a bill making sil ver receivable for taxes or private debts in the Stale, which was ordered to a second reading and referred to the Finance Committee ...iur May- borne offered a resolution, which was adopted, calling ou the Trustees of Elgin Insaco Asylum for estimate of cost and tha practicability of erecting an addition to said asylum, with capacity for 250 pa tients .. .Mr. Marshall Introduced the following bills; Makiug silver coins of the United States legal ten der for taxes or debts due the State; making fur ther appropriations for the Copperas creek dam : to authorize the Canal Commissioners to construct other locks and dams upon the Illinois river, and to appropriate money for the same The standing committees of the Senate were announced. Wo give the names of the Chairmen only; Judiciary, Archer; Judicial Department, Krom ; Railroads, Plnmb; Warehouses, Robinson; Finance, Hoener; Revenue, Hanna; Expenses of tho General Assembly, Shutt; Municipalities, Kehoe; Insurance, McDowell; Corporations, Hodges ; Bauks and Banking, Haines ; State Char itable and Educational Institutions, .Jones; l'enal and Reformatory Institutions, Glassford ; Public Buildings and ©rounds, Shut t; Education, Ware; Canals and Rivers, Lee; Appropriations, Parish; Agriculture and Drainage, Fraulz; Horticulture, Brink ; Mines and Mining, Rainey; Manufactures, Bnehler ; County and rownshlfiOruani/.ation, Har old ; Fees and Salaries, Herdman ; Printing. South- worth ; Military Affairs, Delany; Roads, High ways and Bridges, Brown; Federal Relations, Arntzen; Elections. Dearborn; State Library, Thompson ; Enrolled and Eugrossod Bills, Siuith; Qeology and Science, Scott; Miscellany. Brewer. HOOSK.--The House met, called the roll, and Immediately adjourned without transacting any business. ceeded to election ot United States Senator. Mr. Whitney nominated John A. uogan; John M. Palmer was nominated by Mr. Dearborn; Wm. B. Anderson was nominated by Mr. Parish, and E. B. Washburn#,!):? Mr. Buehler. A vote we s then taken with the following result: Logan, 20; Palmer, 22; Anderson, 7. Washburne. 1. John.C. Haines|voted blank. Lieut. Gov. Bhuinan. in the chair, de clared that the Senate h^d made no choice.... Mr. Evans, of Kane, introduced a bill for the pro tection of inmates of lunatic asylums. It secures to the inmates of insane asylums the right of the individuality of private correspondence, providing that their letters shall not be subject to cen sorship, and that stationery and postage- stamps shall be furnished them, and free privi lege of mailing their letters Mr. Castle introduced a resolution for the appointment of a commission of three to examine the feasibility of adopting the principles of t^e revenue system of Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana, and whether it Gould be done without alteration of tha constitu tion cf Illinois Mr. Robinson introduced a bill appropriating $72,000 a year for the next two years for the Asylum for Feeble-Minded Children at Liu- coin. Housfi.--The session of ih6 Rotue wm mainly devo'ed to the presentation of candidates for United Slates Senator. John A, Logan was nominated by Mr. Morrison, of Morgan; John M. Palmer by Mr. Harrington, of Kane, and Judge ,l)i*yid Davis by Sir. Herron, of Bureau. The bait oting. after a few remarks by the members, proceeded as follows: Logan. 77; Palmer, A7; Davis 7; Lathrop 1 A few bills were introduced, aftei which the fcpeaber announced the standing com mittees, the Chairmen of which are as follows: Judiciary, Morrison; Judicial Department, Sher man ; Corporations, Black: Railroads, Granger; Warehouses, Kedzie; Commerce, Roche; Finance, Goodrich; Mines and Mining, Boj dston ; Fees and Salaries, Easton; Appro)) rial ions, Hopkins; Peni tentiary, Kowett; Municipal Affairs, Baldwin; Education, Heslett; State Institutions, Mitchell; Public Charities, Westfall; Public Buildings and Grounds, Lindsoy; Reveuue, Matthews; Bunks and Banking, Koplin; t ownship Organization, Lati mer; Agriculture and Horticulture, Oakwood; Canal and Rivers, James; Manufactures, Brown ing; Eleotions, Winter; State and Municipal In debtedness, Thompson; Insurance, Crooker; Claims, Dewey; Militia, Evans ; Retrenchment, Taggart; Geological Survey. Ross; Federal Relations, Meal; Printing, Sittlg; Roads and Highways, Bartholow; Kxecutive Department, Zepp; Drainage, Fox ; Con tingent Expenses, Tice ; Rules, Shaw ; Miscellane ous, byers ; State Library. Secrist; Enrolled Bills, Nevitt; Fish and Game, Budlong. WEDNESDAY, Jan. 17.--SKNATS.--ID tho Sen ate a bill was introduced for the improvement of the Kankakee river, providing for the construction of a dam and two locks, so as to provide navigation from its junction with the Illinois and Michigan canal. The amount to be appropriated is left blank in the bill. HOUSF..--Several bills were introduced in the House,of which the following were mast important: By Mr. Fritts, to amend election law to iix pay of clerks and judges at $2 per day; by Mr. Graham, to amend jury law so that in cities petit juries may be selected from adjacent county townships; by Mr. Heslet, to facilitate drainage of over flowed lands, and making highway com missioners a board of drainage commis sioners ; by Mr. Kearney, to provide for organiza tion of State militia, and establish a code therefor; by Mr. Mitchell, to authorize election of two polioe magistrates in cities of 20.103; by Mr. Moore, to amend township insurance law by allowing risks of $5,000 instead of $3,000, as now; by Mr. Ramsey, to protect people from empiricism In medicine; by Mr. Smitb, of Cook, a bill for an act to amend the law of real property. SENATOKIAI. ELECTION.--At 12 o'clook the two houses met in joint convention, and proceeded to ballot for United States Senator, with the follow ing result: Firnt Ballot--Logan, 97; Palmer, 89; Anderson, 7 ; Davis, 8; Washburne, 1; La throp, 1; Parish, J. Seeond Raflvl--Logan, Palmer. 88; >ndersou, 7; Davis, 8 ; Washburne, 1; Lathrop, 1: Parish, 1. After the second ballot an adjournment was had until 3 p. m.. at which time tho following ballots wer< cast: Third Ballot-Lagan. P8; Palmer, 89; Ander son, 7; Davis, 7; Washburne, 2; Parish, J. Fourth Ballot--Logan, 100; Palmer, 8*: Anderson, 7; Davis, 7; Haines, 1 ; Parish, 1. Fifth Ballot-- Same as fourth ballot. Sixth Ballot--Logan, 100; Palmer, 89; Anderson, 7 ; Davis, 6: Haines, 1; Parish, 1. Counterfeit Currency. The Philadelphia Ledger says: "Over a million of dollars in counterfeit cur rency i.as been destroyed in Washing ton, and the plates on which it was ex« - outed melted down. We have not th< statistics showing what proportion we: fractional. No doubt, however, a greater er part of it was paper representing leei th iu a dollar. The industry thus exhib* ite l in fraud is thus shown to be s# large as to indicate the prostitution t#<; mi ushievous purposes of the labor enfl ingenuity of a very great number of persons. Already, in the counterfeiting of coin, the rogues are at work, though it is safe to say that the same labor ap-< plied to honest purposes would be more ° remunerative." All Sorts. ABOUT half of Boston's $500,000,0M of property is said to be mortgaged. A siw American opera has been pro duced at Brussels, and wc arc tcld it was enthusiastically received. The author is Mrs. Corinne Young, and the opera is based on the story of Evangeline. THE Chinese are the most silent of al the races of mankind, and aocount fer their taciturnity on the ground that they never mind anybody's business but their own. FLORIDA has a young lady Neuralgia Dimple. Her mother found it on a medicine bottle, and was caj>- tivated with it, which reminds one ot what a gaudy name Vermifuge Johnso* wonld be for a boy. BUTTER made from suet is used in tbA Massachusetts State Workhouse, and m Similar institutions throughout New En gland. It is said, too, that the articla is liirgely bought by keepers of faahioa- able hotels for (poking purposes. THB first stone of a grand T>nti*mal museum for Amsterdam, in which tho collections, hitherto dispersed, of the Trippenhuis, the Van der Hoof Ms- seuin, and the Stadhaus are to be united, was laid in that city a few weeks ago. EX-SURGEON GENERAL FRANCIS, of MM British army in India, writes warmly an favor of cold tea as superior to any al coholic or malt beverage when sustained physical vigor is requisite, overlooking entirely the about equally strong elaiw of medicated dish-water. NOT far from Salzburg, Austria, is a great mountain which consists of noth ing but beautiful marble. The stone masons cut out blocks and columns of it, take them to the great city, and build palaces of them, while the chips are used to make playing marbles for the young folks. STOP smoking. It is stated as a faot that a cigar contains acetic, formio, butyric, valeric, proprionic, prussic and carbolic acids, creosote, ammonia, sul phuretted hydrogen, pyridine, viridine, picoline, nicotine, rubidine, cabbaging and several other things whieh aro not healthy. THE fur trade of Petersburg, Va., has lately grows into great proportions,, and forms one of ths most important branches of business. Beavers, foxes, muskrats, minks, coons, and rabbits furnish the largest quantity of pelts, and it is surprising to know how many of these animals are killed in the vi cinity. WHO says that the fires of patriotism are smoldering ? A patriot in Rut land, Vt., did his whole duty on elec tion day. He not only voted, but he traded horses nine times during the day, and at nightfall had the same horse won which he started at dawn. He also had $45 in cash, a watch worth $25, a double barreled shot-gun, and four bushels of potatoes. A FARMER measured the water con sumed daily by a lot of cattle one hot summer. As it had to be pumped for thf rn, the quantity used was easily as certained. The result of his observa tions was that thirty-six head of cattle consumed daily about 900 gallons of water. According to this estimate the supply of water amounted to about twenty-five gallons per head. .LONDON IS, at present, unusually afflicted with small-pox. The three ho» pitals at Hampstead, Homerton, and Stoekvell, devoted to thifj disease ftfQ full, and ddntain in the Aggregate 6,000 patients. In the fever hospital at Honeston, accommodating! 300, has been devoted to the sick with small-pos, and others in Fulham and Deptfora are now being built for the purpose. THE city of Mtuiioli has hitherto had a bad reputation as regards healthiness and its death rata has been exceptionally high. The Town Council have now *e- solved that if that state of things con tinue it shall, at all events, not be their fault, and improvements of every kind are being planned with this view. A new central slaaghter-heuse is the first of these which has been accomplished. DR. HARRT SPRY, of the East India Company, speaking of the graceful car riage of Hindoo girls, believes that the exercise of carrying small vessels of water on the head without using the hands to balance might be introduced advantageously into boarding-schools and private families, and that it would entirely supersede the present machinery of dumb-bells, caliathenios, skipping*- ropes, etc. IT is an interesting fact that our word daughter, when traced back through the Greek (hvgater to its sonreo in the Sanscrit duhitri, is found to be equiva lent to milkmaid, showing that it was the duty cf the Indian maidens to milk the cows. It was no doubt considered a highly honorable office, since the cow, the most valuable animal to a pastoral people, soon came to be endowed with supernatural attributes. Rumored Massacre of a Rossiaa Army The Russian forces occupying the re gions recently conquered in Central Asia are so remote from bases of sup plies and reinforcements that they must be in constant danger from natives. Their position is not unlike that of the soldiers stationed in Sitting Bull's coun try, exposed to surprise and massacre whenever the aborigines may gather a superior foroe. The fact lends plausi bility to the "report which comes from Constantinople to the effect that a largt ^Russian army in Turkestan had sufiered _ the fate of Caster, being overpowered and exterminated in an uprising of the natives. The latter, like our Sioux, are born warriors, and hate the invaders of their country with immeasurable intens ity But if the story is oonfltmed, the victorious natives will not long enjoy their victory in peaoe. Russia never re linquishes conquered •erritory, and means will bo speedily round to rega:a the lost ground and infiiot terrible pun ishment upon the rebels.