The daily constitutionalist. (Augusta, Ga.) 185?-1875, July 28, 1875, Image 1

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Old Series—" Vol. 25. No. 122. For our South Carolina Department, Timon contributes a splendid missive, in which there will be found some ex cellent advice to the planters of the South. A letter from Warrenton gives some interesting particulars of the efforts of the Young Men’s Christian Association, of Augusta, in that county. The mem bers of the Y. M. C. A. are in earnest, and earnestness, in religion and every thing else, works wonders. It may be remembered that during the storm at Buda-Pesth, some weeks ago, it was stated that ice of several inches in thickness formed upon the house-tops. Advices from Geneva, giving details of a recent atmospheric disturbance, represent that a similar phenomenon occurred in Switzerland. A very sparkling and welcome letter from London adorns our first page this morning. Sweltering in a hot office and constantly annoyed by mosquitoes, our mind travels across the waste of waters to the mighty English capital, and how we do wish we could have a little holiday, plenty of money, and a famous ride through Hyde Park ! We regret to learn that a war of races is probable in the Parish of East Feliciana, La. Whenever the negroes engage in hostilities with the whites they have always been disastrously re pulsed. No doubt, Radical demagogues are at the bottom of this miserable business, who will lead their black dupes into a trap and then leave them to the mercy of the exasperated white population. The manufacturing business in Eng land seems to be in a state of anarchy. When only six mills, in one locality, out of a total of 162, are working, the outlook is ominous for capital and labor alike. The fools and fanatics who helped destroy Southern institutions, here and abroad, are being repaid for their rascality—and the end is not yet! - —i • i> Times have changed at Northern wa tering places. Col. Clisby, of the Ma con Telegraph, condenses a long letter from Saratoga, as follows : “ No beau ty—no belles—no eligible parties—no prizes in the matrimonial lottery—sin gle ladies ancient—beaux with grizzled heads or wigs, or slightly bald. Shock ing times—light purses—patched shoes —no style. Colored waiters ‘never seed sich times ” —quarters very scarce and, as for fifty cents and dollars, never to be seen. Niggers all on the Ohio platform and down on contraction. Hotel tables light on chickens and ice cream.” The announcement yesterday morn ing of the suspension of Duncan, Sher man & Cos., produced much comment in the city. The failure of no other house in New York could have created more surprise, for everybody supposed it was well nigh invulnerable. We can readily believe the stories of the sensation the announcement made in New York. The firm had extensive ramifications and connections all over the world, and thefe is no telling who will be pulled down by its collapse. It will be re memDer*d that the house had much to do with the building of the Macon and Brunswick Railroad, and we have heard it lost hsavil/ 011 that investment. We resu) ue our publication of Geor gia crop news this morning. The ex tracts from various country papers are discouraging, indeed. But day before yesterday many counties were visited by rains. There was a rain from Sparta east to the Savannah river, embracing an area of three counties abreast, whilst along the line of the Central Railroad, from the Oconee to the Sa vannah, covering an area of twenty miles right and left, glorious showers fell. In the immediate vicinity of our city, we had enough to freshen vegeta tion, though not a sufficiency to rein vigorate it. The atmosphere Tuesday night and yesterday was perfectly de lightful in comparison with what it was last week. A gossipy letter from New York to the News and Courier represents that ex-Senator Fenton whittles down the Presidential possibilities to Wash burne and Bristow, on the Republican side, and Tilden, Bayard and Gaston, on the Democratic. The same corre spondence, noting that the Veteran Corps of the 14th Regiment of New York National Guard refuses to frater nize with Southern soldiers, states that the Brooklyn Eagle “goes for” this vet eran concern with warmth. It advises them that they are of no account what ever, and that nobody cares whether they like ex-Confederates or hate them. They will go to Philadelphia, the Eagle reminds them, “in a sectional and hog gish humor, to take that place in the line which ex-Confederate General Jo seph E. Johnston, the grand marshal of the day, may choose to assign them.” When they get there they will “find the woods full of Southerners, who have invited the Northerners to take part; men on either side belonging to organ izations formed in the Revolution, and entitled to celebrate the Centennial of it—not men who think that a family difference is a thing to nurse, to be proud of and blate about vdien the whole family, reunited and reconciled, has assembled round the grandfather’s hearthstone to celebrate the past and pledge the future.” Minor Telegi-ams. Syracuse, July 27.—Mrs. Celia Bur leigh, of woman’s suffrage fame, is dead. Cincinnati, July 27.—The Board of Education elected Pendleton by accla mation, a member of the Board of Man agers of the Public Library. "Washington, July 27.—Jas. Gilfillan has been appointed Chief Clerk of the Treasury Department. ®l)f lailn (Eonstitutianalist. FROM NEW YORK. downfall of a great firm. Suspension of Duncan, Sherman & Cos. Cotton Speculation and Wild Cat Railroads the Cause of Discomfit ure—Great Excitement in New York. New York, July 27.—Duncan, Sher man & Cos., suspended this morning. This suspension causes great excite ment in Wall street. The doors of Duncan, Sherman & Cos., were closed at 11:25 o’clock. Only in a general way can the causes of sus pension be ascertained. It is admitted that the house has lost very largely on cotton, in fact that is the principal source of loss. Involvements with va rious railroad enterprises, old and new, also entailed losses. The liabilities are understood to be between five and six millions. Mr. Duncan re turned from Europe about two weeks ago,and has since been making a careful examination of his assets, and finds they are largely inadequate. He re solved to endeavor to get new cash capital, and, having failed to do so, de termined that it was best to suspend and make a general assignment for the benefit of all creditors. The indebted ness is distributed all over this coun try and Europe, a considerable amount being in the forms of letters of credit held by travellers. The house was founded in 1850, by Alexander Duncan, Watts Sherman and W. Butler Duncan. The latter is the head of the present house. The present firm has been in operation about ten years. Great sympathy is expressed for the firm, particularly for Mr. W. Butler Duncan. The credit of the house was good up to the hour of suspension, and had Mr. Duncan chosen to avail himself of this his house need not have suspended. The greatest excitement prevailed in the lower part of the city. As soon as the rumor of suspension began to be circulated, large crowds of people soon collected, a majority of whom, however, were attracted about their office. Many attempts were made to gain admission to the building, but the doors remained obstinately closed. Even a telegraph messenger boy was unable to gain ad mittance until he bethought him of the back entrance on Pine street, and even then he wa9 compelled to hand in his dispatch through an iron grating inside. The numerous clerks could be seen at their desks busily engaged with their books, but entrance was denied to all. At one o’clock there was still much excitement in the neighborhood of the banking house, but no new developments of importance had occurred. It is under stood that a full statement of the affairs of the house is in preparation. The Firm’s Statement. The following announcement has just been made by Duncan, Sherman & Cos.: “ A careful examination of our business and affairs shows us most unexpectedly that, through loss and misfortune, our available assets are so reduced that we are compelled to go into liquidation. We reached this conclusion with the deepest regret; but the fact is that, up to the very latest moment, our unexampled credit having remained unimpaired, would have com pelled us, if we continued business, Hazard new obligations and receive new confidences, which we were not willing to assume. For the protection of all our creditors without distinction or preference, we have this day made a general assignment to Hon. Win. D. Shipman, of this city, whose address for all matters connected with our affairs will be at our late banking house No. 11 Nassau street. [Signed.] Duncan, Sherman & Cos. Cotton Dealers in a Flurry, but Not Demoralized—European Losses—A Full Statement Deferred—Judge Shipman in Possession. New York, July 27.—The failure of Duncan, Sherman & Cos. caused at first much excitement among dealers at the Cotton Exchange, as operations of the firm in cotton were known to have been very heavy. As the house is said to hold a large amount of cotton in Liv erpool, it is feared the failure will seriously affect the market on the other side. Most of their cot ton contracts in this city were settled, however, before their failure and the depression which it caused in the market here, was due to discounting the probable depression in Liverpool. At a late hour this after noon it had been impossible to obtain a complete or partial list of the credi tors of Duncan, Sherman & Cos. The names of the principal creditors were declined for publication, as a submis sion of the names of a few out of the many who are interested in the failure would, in the estimation of the firm, be neither of use to the creditors as a body or to those principally inter ested. Some time will elapse before it will be possible to submit a detailed statement of the condition of the house. The assets can only be guessed at, but they will be much less than the liabilities. About three-fifths of the debts of the firm are held abroad. Mr. Duncan is said to be deeply af fected by the misfortune which has overtaken the house, but he was to-day personally occupied with his counsel, and otherwise engaged in adjusting his affairs preparatory to definitely announcing to his creditors the condition of the house. At 3 o’clock Judge Shipman, as assignee, took pos session of all books and papers in the banking house. The Erie railway is no way affected by the failure, as its ac count with Duncan, Sherman & Cos. was closed six months ago. Charleston Untouched. Charleston, July 27.—There are no losses in Charleston by the failure of Duncan, Sherman & Cos. Comment of the Evening Post. • New York. July 27.—The Post’s third edition money article says, in the foreign exchange market, the best opinion is that not more than £~t 5,000 bills of the house of Duncan, Sherman Cos. are outstanding and unaccepted, it being the dull season with them, a good part of their exchange business having been made on cotton. As to their assets, it is feared that a large part of them will be found to consist of Southern securities, as well as of other roads like the Atlantic and Great Western, which have but doubtful value iu the market. CHATTAN OOGA. A Cotton Market to be Established. Chattanooga, July 27. — An effort is on foot among the principal business men to establish a cotton market here. A meeting was held to-night in that direction in which much interest was manifested, but adjourned without def inite action until Friday night. Santa Anna is 77 years old. .A.UGTJ9TA., GA., WEDNESDAY - MORNING, JURY 28. 1875. FOREIGN DISPATCHES. Marlr e Disaster--Manufacturing Crisis in England—The Russian Conference —Singular Details of the Geneva Storm. London, July 27.—The ship Stuart Haheman, from Bombay, was wrecked. Five of her crew arrived at St. Helena; the remainder, 38, were drowned. The survivors were thirteen days at sea in an open boat when rescued. Right Rev. Conuop Therlwall, Bishop of St. Davids, is dead. The Manchester Guardian says an alarming state of things prevails at Oldham, only 6 out of 162 mills belong ing to the Employers Association are working. St. Petersburg, July 27.—The Golos announces upon semi-official authority that the Government has not abandon ed its idea of having a session of con ference on usages of war at St. Peters burg. It says all the powers, except England, have accepted invitations to participate and the conference will meet in the Spring of 1876. New York, July 27. A Ge neva letter states that the storm of the 7th instant there was literally an ice storm, accompanied by a cyclone, which, lasting not over fifteen minutes at midnight, wrecked every window and skylight, smashed in roofs and did incalculable damage. The suburbs suf fered terribly also, all crops being de stroyed. The ice fell in masses. Plimsol Snubbed—Approval of the Spanish Constitution. London, July 27. —The House, by a vote of 173 to 19, agreed to give Gov ernment bills precedence to-morrow. This shoves Plimsol’s bill over. Madrid, July 27.—The Constitutional Committee have approved the whole draft of the new constitution. A sub committee will discuss with Ministers to-day the question of conceding to the West Indian colonies the right of rep resentation in the Assembly when the war in Cuba shall have terminated. Crop Prospects. London, July 27.—The Daily News says the partial relapse in the corn markets yesterday following the com plete change of weather indicates a re vival of hopes respecting the harvest which the persistent rain of the pre vious three weeks seemed wholly to forbid. The Mark Lane Express, of this week, says the average rise iu wheat since last week has been fully 4s. here and in France. Here much grain has been prostrated by heavy wind and rain. Should the weather continue fine the crops may not suffer much in yield whatever may be the result as to quantity. A return to former low rates seems to be impossible with stocks so near exhaustion, but millers are not likely to purchase freely at high rates while there is a possibility of an im proved prospect. Parliament Notes. In the House of Commons this after noon, Mr. Disraeli, in reply to Mr. Dillwyn, refused to give precedence te Mr. Plimsol’s Shipping Bill, which, he said, despite its motives, would only aggravate the evils it intended to rem edy, besides it would require too much time in consideration. The bill of Sir Charles Adderly, President of the Board of Trade, would give the Gov ernment more rapid and direct action in stoppiug ships from sailing. FROM WASHINGTON. Yellow Fever Still Raging at Bai*- rancas and Broken Out at Fort Pickens. Washington, July 27. —Commodore Cooper telegraphs to the Navy Depart ment that he fears there is some local cause for yellow fever at Barrancas. Surgeon General Beall received the following from Key West: “There was one death from fever yesterday, a relapse during convalescence. Only one new case reported during the last twelve days. Thermometer, 89.” Reports received by Surgeon General Barnes, United States Army, from Brevet Major General Brannon, com manding at Fort Barrancas, Fla., and George M. Sternberg, Post Surgeon there, show that the yellow fever is raging at that place. On the 21st inst. there were six cases, and on the morning of the 22d, fifteen. The com manding officer on that day asked au thority to hire as many nurses as might be necessary for the fever pa tients, and expressed the opinion (that every one there would have the fever who bad not had it before. The Sur geon General, in reply, telegraphed him: “Hire as many nurses as you may need. Any assistance this office can give you is at your disposal.” On the 21st the command was moved from Fort Barrancas to Fort F ’tens, and six new cases were reported from the latter place on the 22d, making in all 20 sick there, one with the black vomit. Oa the 23d seven new cases and one death were reported from Fort Pickens. On the morning of the 24th thirty-nine cases were reported at Fort Barrancas, one very low and two dan gerously sick. The sick were well cared for, and there was no panic. One assistant surgeon from New Orleans arrived on that day, and two more had been ordered to the post by the depart ment commander. Later in the day forty-six cases were reported, but no officers were among them. The wife of Lieut. Ingalls and his child were at tacked that day, but there were no deaths. Fifty-three cases were re ported up to 6 p. m. of the 26th inst., and four deaths, among the latter Col. Randall’s child. No officers had then been attacked. Mrs. Bran nan, the wife of the commanding officer, was taken sick on that day.— The patients were having all they need ed. Three additional physicians and a hospital steward arrived from New Or leans on the evening of the 25th. No cases had been reported from Fort Pickens since the morning of the 25th. This morning the Surgeon General re ceived the following telegram from Post Surgeon Sternberg : “ Fort Barrancas, July 27, 1875. “ Taken sick—One officer, Lieutenant Deshler, two children, and five enlisted men. Died —Three enlisted men and one child. Remaining under treatment —One officer, 27 enlisted men, one of ficer’s wife, Mrs. Ingalls, seven laun dresses and servants and thirteen chil dren.” Bristow and New at Loggerheads— Miners Pouring into the Black Hills. There is a growing trouble between Secretary Bristow and Treasurer New regarding the employes in the office of the Treasurer. Prof. Janney telegraphs the Secreta ry of the Interior he has found gold in paying quantities in the Black Hills and a good head of water amply suffi cient for washing purposes. He reports that miners are pouring into the Hills from all directions, | LETTER FROM LONDON. Gossip of the Great City—The “Dull Season.” Roller-Skating Musical Notes—The Queen of Song—Sir Charles Dilke— Vivisection Lovely Faces and Superb Horsemanship- Cricket and Blue Dresses. [European Correspondence of the Consti tutionalist.l London, July 8, 1875. Thinking that perhaps when your readers had nothing better to do, they might find a little gossip from this side of the Atlantic of interest, I send a short letter, hoping to beguile a few spare moments for them. London, this season, is said to be dull, but, judging from the crowds in the Park, the numerous garden parties, dinners, balls, etc., I find myself won dering what the full meaning of a gay season would be. The present mania of the fashionable world is for the rol ler skating, so much the rage in Amer ica a year or two since. The gardens, “Prince’s,” arranged for this purpose are quite beautiful. A band of music, comfortable chairs, chatting with one’s friends, and watching the skaters con stitute the enjoyment of the discreet portion of the assemblage—those who have no wish to disgrace themselves publicly, or who have learned by sad experience that “all things are not what they seem,” especially the deceptive appearance of ease with which roller skating lures the unsuspecting to their downfall. It is very select, and mem bers can only take one lady in at a time. London is filled this year with the very best of musical artists, at the head of which, in my opinion, stands the incomparable Patti. In Gounod’s opera of “Romeo and Juliet” her act ing, singing and beautiful toilettes, and above all her own mignonne beauty, are without a rival. Signor Nicolini as “Romeo” is very successful. He affects, as far as possible, Mario’s style and gestures, and although rather like him in appearance, cannot com pare with him in voice, nor can we ex pect two such voices to delight the world, within one age. In Parliament there seems to be little of interest going on just now. I was introduced not long since to the chief of Radicals, Sir Charles Dilke, and am sorry to be obliged to confess that he is a very agreeable, interesting man, despite his principles, with which we of the South have but little sym pathy. He contemplates another visit to America in September, and will go through to Japan. He is a much younger man than I thought him, and very fine-looking. The Vivisection bill, now before Parliament, is of great interest to the members of the “ Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals,” and proper restrictions placed upon the practice would have, no doubt a very wholesome ef fect. Of course, public feeling is much divided on the subject, and there are some, who, like the Baroness Burde t | Courts, think it should be prohibited | altogether, and I am not sure I do not agree with her, for it does seem but a question of “might over right.” Be sides wtiK’li, after oo very mi*uy rears of vivisection, during which animals have been tortured for man’s benefit, sufficient knowledge must have been attaiued to allow us to dispense with further experiments. We might gen erously absolve the animal world from its obligation to bear more tortures from us. There are many lovely faces to be seen in the drive, but where an Eng lish woman holds her own, as a rule, against all comers is on horseback. There she is in her element. The best riders in the “Row” this season are, however, mirabile diccu —a Dutch girl and an American ! which proves that there are exceptions to every rule. An American lady, weli known in New York fashionable circles, is just at pre sent in great distress owing to the loss of all her diamonds, valued at £15,000, besides other valuables. A French maid is supposed to be the thief. Next week the annual cricket match between Eton and Harrow will be played, which is the signal for many to disperse, for the remainder of the sum mer, to the continent, Scotland and the seaside. The cricket ground gene rally presents a lively scene, the lady champions of Eaton being dressed in sky blue; those of Harrow in dark blue. I regret to say, however, that the sen timent is not strictly adhered to, a3 the Eton colors generally predominate, ow ing to the fact of the light blue being the more becoming to the fair English faces. But my letter has assumed volumi nous proportions, so that I will bring it to an end. Wanderer. A CHAPTER OF ACCIDENTS. Railroad Smashes—Singular Catastro phe at a Funeral—Fatal Boiler Ex plosion. Cincinnati, July 27.—The Express train bound East on the Marietta and Cincinnati Road, fell in a culvert near Zaleski. A fireman was killed. The passengers were unhurt. Globeville, Mich , July 27.—A boiler explosion killed two persons. The en gineer was fatally hurt. St. Paul, July 27. — A mixed train of 22 cars on the Northern Pacific Road went through a bridge over the Missis sippi river at Brainard. Five persons were killed outright. The bridge was 80 feet high. New York, July 27.— During a fear ful thunder storm yesterday afternoon a bolt of lightning struck the carriage of Capt. Johnson’s funeral, knocking the driver from the box and fataliy in juring him, throwing Miss Drew and other members of the family into the road, but without serious damage. The French Assembly. Versailles, July 27.— The Assembly to-day, by a large majority, decided to proceed to a third reading of the bill organizing the Senate, the final debate on which is fixed for Monday next. The consideration of the Budget will be resumed to-morrow. The permanent committee to sit dur ing the recess will be appointed on Thursday. Melancholy, but true! The water melon season has opened. Spilking was heard wildly shouting for “cholera mixture” last night, maddened by the unfailing response of Mrs. S., “There ! I told you so.” Pittsburg has an “Anti-Treating Society,” whose members are never allowed to invite anyone to step up and smile. As for declining when anyone else does the inviting, that’s quite an other thing, you know. There are 800,000 acres of soil in India underjute cultivation. THE OTHER SIDE. The New England Idea Again. [Chicago Tribune.] The Memphis Avalanche, in reply to a recent article in the Chicago Tribune showing that much of the present trou ble iu the South is due to the fact that only half the people are at work while the other half live upon them, so that there is no surplus of product, says that the people of Tennessee have taken their hands out of their pockets and gone to work. This is a very general statement. We would like the the Avalanche to be more explicit.— Have the planters of Tennessee, espe cially of the western section of the State, gone to work ? Have they put their hands to the plow ? Are they in the fields at labor with all their might ? Are they picking, baling and hauling cotton to the market themselves. The Northern farmer is iu the field from sunrise to sunset. His hand is on the plow, the hoe, and the shovel. He him self plants and reaps. He operates the mowing-machine and thresher. He does not ride horseback with an um brella to protect himself from the sun and lounge about watching others work. He works himself. Now will the Ava lanche, which is a truthful paper, inform u$ whether the Tennessee planters are at work with their hands, like the Northern farmers ? If they are, then is that State on the high road to wealth and prosperity. While in New England all persons work who can work, in the South one half the people work and the other half, as a rule, live upon them, thus de stroying the surplus of production each year. To this proposition many of the Southern papers take objection. We have already quoted from the Memphis Avalanche a statement that the whites of Tennessee are going to work, and now comes the Augusta {Ga.)'Sentinel with a statement which is evidently intended to be a clincher. The argument, however, is a very old and stale one, the fallacy in which has been shown over and over again. The Sentinel takes the ninth census, and comparing six of the Southern States with the six New England States, finds that in proportion to population, New , England has a larger percentage of pau pers and criminals, and hence argues , that the South is more industrious and less vicious than New England. The absurdity of this statement is of course apparent by a comparison of the fruits of labor of all kinds in the two sec tions. Placing the results of agricultu ral and mechanical labor, of mental i and intellectual labor, of commerce and the arts and sciences, side by side, no one but a lunatic would dream of cast ing a balance in favor of those South ern States. The surplus is immensely : overwhelming in favor of New England. The South has but a small surplus of , product. New England has a large one which goes into savings banks, into investments of all kinds, and into pub- , lie charities. But says the Sentinel: The six Southern States, with one-fourth more population, have only one-fourth as many paupers as Now England. Georgia has a population of 1,184,000; Massachu setts. 1,457,000. Georgia has 2,181 paupers; Massachusett-i has 8,036-273,000 more pop ulation, four times as Hiimy Pa‘JPeija nd has a population of 187,900; Rhode Island 217,000. Florida has 147 paupers; icianu has 1.046—30,000 more popu lation (17 por cent ), 899 more paupers vouu percent). With regard to crime, we find that in the New England States, with their population of 3,475,000, there were 3,967 per sons in prison on the Ist day of .June, 1870, in the six Southern States named, with a population or 4,404,000. there were 3,165 persons in prison. With 1,000,000 less popu lation New England had 802 more crimi nals—and criminals are called the traits ol idleness. Massachusetts, with her 1,4d7,000 people, had 2,526 criminals, while Georgia, with 1,184,000 people, had 737 criminals. The figures are probably correct But what occasions this disproportion? Has the Seetinel not yet found out that the great tide of foreign emigration sets in to New England and New York, and that while the industrious and en terprising emigrants take their little money and go West, settling down all over Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, lowa, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, and the Territories, the lazy, the weak, the thriftless, do-less, and vicious—in other words, the paupers and the materials of pauperism and criminals —immediately settle down in the large cities, and there they stay and feed and prey upon the communi ty. There is no power sufficient to move them. They live upon the chari ty aud taxes of society. They live as beggars and tramps, and eventually those who do not drift into the alms house become thieves, and pickpockets, and burglars, if not worse, and drift into the bridewells and penitentiaries, and, whether in the almshouse, or bridewell, or penitentiary, become a burden upon the State. These classes do not go to the South because they would starve to death there. There is no surplus of product there, and no or ganized charities for the support of the helpless and thriftless classes. It is only where there is a surplus of product that they can live and be supported at the cost of the general commu nity. Hence the Northern cities are now running over with this scum of the European cities, pour ing in every year in increasing num bers, because it knows it can be sup ported in idleness. But does not the Sentinel see that the very argument it has adduced only goes to prove the statement we have made? The New England people not only work and sup port themselves, but they produce a sufficient surplus every year to take care of these indolent, indigent, and vicious classes which Europe sends over by ship-loads, and which fasten themselves upon the Northern cities like leeches. By the Sentinel s own showing, the Southern States have one fourth as many paupers as New England and these paupers belong to the native population, born and bred upon South ern soil. What would the South do if, as in the case of New England, thous ands of paupers and criminals were emptied upon her shores every year from European almshouses and peni tentiaries, the offscourings or the Eu ropean cities mixed in with the indus trial classes? This is where the argu ment of the Sentinel leads. In such a case the confusion and distress grow ing out of the lack of labor at the South would be immensely increased, and both life and property would become more insecure. Do not let an unsuccessful first at tempt discourage you. The first time Gildersleeve fired a gun he put the powder on the top of the bullet, and look at him to-day. If upon the initial endeavor you fall short of the object you have in view, repeat the effort, make another trial, once more.— lnter- Ocean. __ The Rev. Dr. Parker, of Boston, is defending the character of Judas Isca riot, and some editor will presently stand up and say that Parker and pirate Kidd are the only two great men America has ever produced.— Detroit Free Press. PHILOSOPHY OF STORMS. The Unsolved Problems of the At mosphere—Predicting Weather by the Year a Possibility of Science- Interesting Correspondence Be tween Professors Wise and Henry. [New York He /aid.] Philadelphia, July 21, 1875,—Profes sor John Wise, of this city, is best known to the general public as an aero naut, probably, but he has a better claim for fame than that of a mere balloonist; he is an experienced mete orologist. He is a scientific aeronaut, a sincere and patient student of the laws of the atmosphere. All his ascen sions are for purposes of study, not to perform on a trapeze or hang by his heels over the heads of an open mouthed, wondering crowd. He is a more devout believer than ever in the easterly current, and, old man as he is, it is his dream to some day find means to build a balloon which will take him swiftly and safely across the Atlantic; a great feat, which will convince the skeptical world of the truth of his theory as firmly as his less brilliant accomplishments have already con vinced him. Prof. Wise’s Letter. Philadelphia, June 28,1875. Prof. Henry, Sec’y Smithsonian Institu tion, Washington. D. C.: Dear Sir : From observed facts and conditions of the atmosphere during my aerial soundings, I have reason to believe that our atmospheric phenome na are the result of outside pressure by planetary perturbations—that is to say, that the ether of space pushed aside by the movement of adjacent planets, causes action on the elastic shell of our globe—l mean, its atmos phere. Is it not questionable whether, in our storms, the incipient cause is upris ing or down-pushing air? Certain it is that when any portion of our atmos phere is pushed inward there must fol low a correlative outward flow at an other place. This will be followed by a wave motion passing over basins and highlands differently heated, causing condensations and rarefactions, and give rise to vortices, pressure, and suc tions, and these give rise to water spouts, cloud-bursts, thunder-gusts, and storms in general. If our earth is spherical and has a constant, regular motion, and constant Equator heat and Polar cold, we should have constant climatic seasons—l mean constant repetitions of yearly weather. Our yearly weather differing much one year from the other, we are compelled to look for the cause outside of our atmosphere. The perturbations made by Mars and Venus on our earth’s shell would go a little way to account for the irregularity of our years and seasons. These large bodies moving through a resisting medium must pro duce waves and ripples in it and cause climatic perturbations in the atmos pheres subjected to their action. My main object in writing to you is to have you suggest some method by by which I could test this theory. The barometer will not alone do it, though it did appear while up in au annulus of cumuli with Dr. Chas. C. Cresson a few weeks ago that in a close observation of our horizon lines and the fluctuation of our aneroiu, a neavlug process of atmosphere was going on, like a spas modic breathing. We were all this time nearly over the same spot on the earth. We were at the time 7,000 feet high, aud the air was quite warm. We were pushed gradually out of this annulus and downward, so that fifty pounds of ballast did not save us from a plunge to the earth. I know how assiduously you study to promote the science of meteorology, and having drawn my earliest inspira tions of its investigations from your teachings, you will excuse me in draw ing your attention in your multifarious duties for advice or suggestion as to the best method of observation to this interesting subject. We ought to learn to “ probability ” the year-weath er, as we now do the day-weather.— There must be isobarometric and iso thermal gauges iu the photosphere, as there are in our atmosphere. Truly your friend and fellow-citizen, John Wise. Professor Henry’s Letter. Smithsonian Institution, ( Washington, July 16,1875. \ John Wise, Esq., Philadelphia: Sik : In reply to your letter of the 28th of June, received during ray ab sence, I have to say that there are tw :> great causes of meteorological pheno mena. The first is that of the relative position of the sun and earth in space, or in other words, the variable eccen tricity of the earth’s orbit, and also the change in the earth’s perihelion in re gard to the different seasons of the year. Changes, however, due to these causes are of a secular character, and are imperceptible from year to year, and only give rise to effects which are perceptible in geological periods. The next elass of phenomena are those due to the obliquity of the earth’s axis produc ing Summer and Winter. Nearly all the other phenomena can be explained in a general way by the distribution of land and water on the surface of the earth, the former being heated by the direct rays of the sun with six times the ra pidity of the latter, giving rise to up ward and downward currents and per turbations, tending to disturb the reg ular flow of air which would take place on* the surface of a globe entirely cov ered with water. That the attraction of the sun and moon and even the plan ets must have some influence on the serial covering of the earth must be admitted from all analogy; but whether these actions produce any change in the amount of rain or in the direction of the wind has not yet been deter mined. All speculations as to the effect of our earth’s motion through the ethe rial medium is of too indefinite a char acter to be made use of in the way of deductions, which may serve as guides to investigation. If the earth produced any disturbance upon the etherial medium in its passage through it, the effect would be observed in astronomi cal observations ; but nothing of this kind has as yet been discovered. I think the theory of an uprising spout in the case of our thunder storms has been fully established. You have your self stated in some of your earlier ob servations that your balloon was caught in a vortex, carried upward, and thrown off to the side ; caught up again and again thrown out, if I mis take not. The fall of your balloon un der a cloud was probably due to a dif ference of specific gravity of the air in that position. I would advise that you continue to carefully observe phenomena, irrespec tive of any hypothesis, and publish the results. Facts will always stand the test of time, and will ever be in demand as food for speculation. Very truly yours, Joseph Henry, Secretary Smithsonian Institution. GEORGIA CROP NEWS. Rain at Last. We are gratified to report heavy rains along the Central Railroad from beyond Milieu aud extending nearly to No. 3. Parties from the Ogeechee re port rain in that section yesterday. The indications now are that we will have a good rain, which has been so much needed, within the next few days. —Savannah Neivs. The Weather. We have held this paragraph open as long as possible, with the hope of being able to report a good rain. There were several apparent attempts at showers yesterday, all of which were unsuccessful. The clouds contined to thicken all the afternoon, however, and about half past eight o’clock it began to thunder and lightning. At about ten o’clock a slow but steady rain be gan to fall, which is kept up till the present writing—midnight. We hope it will continue until the hot ground is cooled and soaked, and parching, crisped vegetation thoroughly revived. —Macon Telegraph. Rain at Perry. From a gentleman who came up from Perry yesterday we learn that that town was refreshed by a pleasant shower of rain, which fell during the afternoon. The shower did not extend very far this side of Perry.— Maccm Telegraph. The Drouth in Jackson. From all the facts we are able to gather, speaking in “general terms,” the crop prospects are still very en couraging. While this is true, we re gret to learn that in some sections of Jackson, Gwinnett and the counties ad joining the drouth has been so severe as to preclude the possibility of more than a “half crop,” if that. Accounts of this nature, however, are frequently exaggerated, and we are induced to hope for better things yet.— Forrest News. Half a Crop of Cotton. The crops are fearfully injured by the drouth. Many farmers say it will be almost impossible to make a half crop of cotton. This is bad news, for if the planters ever needed a crop, they do now.— Thomasville Times. Skidaway Island. The Savannah News says great dis tress prevails among the colored peo ple planting on Skidaway Island, in consequence of the drouth which has destroyed nearly their entire crop and left them in a state of destitution. Columbus and That Vicinitv. The Columbus Enquirer-Sun says that since the Ist day of June only 2.72 inches of raid have fallen in Columbus, against 11.43 inches for the same peri od last year. Not a drop the last week, the week before eighty-eight hund redths of one inch, and the week still preceding ninety-five hundredths of an inch. A really good rain has not beeu enjoyed since the Ist of May. In con sequence, crops of both corn and cotton are suffering terribly, and this is not only the condition of things in this section, but all i-vei the South. Unless we get rain soon the corn will be ruined. The stalks are now shriveling, badly, and cotton is shedding squares and bolls. Flatter ing prospects are being dissipated daily, and gloomy views succeding. Every thing is indeed in a critical condition. Rains coming at proper times will ef fect much improvement, but planters are now very despondent and consider that the ruin in many cases is remedi less. The river above the City Mills is lower than we have seen it for several years. The water coming over the City Mills’ dam is only about thirty-five feet wide, the dam showing all the rest of the way. Rocks can be seen in places where they were never supposed to be. Gloomy News from Decatur. The crop prospect in Decatur county is gloomy indeed. Many farmers have had no rain for eleven weeks, and the whole county is now famishing for it. Corn is burnt up and whole fields of cotton would burn like a dry prairie were a match applied. The sweet potato crop will be short, as the parched weather has prevented the planting of “slips” or vines. With the present prospects the crops of Decatur will this year be a total failure.— Bainbridge Democrat. The Thermometer at 106 in Jasper. The Jasper county Banner declares the thermometer rose in that office to 102 degrees from 2 to 4 p. m. on Satur day, and at 8 p. m. stood at 104 de grees. Is the editor a salamander ? Jasper claims 30,000 bushels of wheat as the yield of the present year. Fish Boiled to Death. Reports of heat and drought multi ply. The corn crop, and even the cot ton crop, is endangered by the hot, rainless days. From Florida, from Columbus, from Augusta, and from be tween, comes a desire for rain. But of all the stories of hot weather, the fol lowing, from the Columbus Enquirer, is the hardest to believe : In a lagoon near Shorter’s depot, on the Western Railroad of Alaba, it is re ported on reliable authority that the water has become so boated by the sun’s rays that the fish are dying.— Some fifteen bushels of trout—some weighing two pounds—perch, and black fish were floating on the surface on Monday. A short time ago a party muddied these waters and caught some three hundred pounds of fish in a very short time. Our truck gardens are in a pitiable condition for the want of rain. All kinds of vegetables are being parched. —Savannah Advertiser. Oh, for a rain. We are suffering in the flesh for want of a good shower. The farmers are beginning to look des perate.— Cuthbert Appeal. How He Resisted Temptation.— A member of a colored Church in \ icks burg was the other evening conversing earnestly with an acquaintance, and seeking to have him change into better paths, but the friend said that he was too often tempted to permit him to be come a Christian. “War’s yer backbone, dat ye can t rose up and stand temptation!” ex claimed the good man. “I was dat way myself once. Right in dis here town I had a chance to steal a pa’r o’ boots— mighty nice ones, too. Nobody was dar to see me, and I reached out my hand and de debbil said take ’em. Den a good sperit whispered fur me to let dem boots alone.” “And didfft you take ’em?” “No, sah—not much. I took a pa’r o’ cheap shoes off de shelf and left dem boots alone'” -New Series—Vol. 3. JNTo. 167. WEALTH OF THE SECTIONS. ♦ ♦ I Some Pacts and Pig-urea—llow the South May Become Rich and Pow erful. (Nashville Union and American.] A correspondent of the New York Evening Post has condensed the census statistics in regard to the wealth of the country. The average personal wealth throughout the whole United States and Territories is §772, and the wealth per capita in the various States is as follows : In Alabama, §202; Arkansas §322; California, §1,097; Connecticut, §1,441; Delaware, §777; Florida, §234; Georgia, §226; Illinois, §835; Indiana, §754; lowa, §600; Kansas, §506; Ken tucky, §431; Louisiana, §454; Maine, §555; Maryland, §824; Massachusetts, §1,463; Michigan, §605; Minnesota, §513; Mississippi, §252; Missouri, §746; Nebraska, §435; Nevada, §530; New Hampshire, §793; New York, §1,481; North Carolina, §243; Ohio, §838; Ore gon, §596; Pennsylvania, §1,081; Rhode Island, §1,366; South Carolina, §294; Tennessee, §395; Texas, 194; Vermont, §811; Virginia, §334; West Virginia, §431; Wisconsin, §659. The above figures do injustice to the South in two ways ; 1. They divide the estimated proper ty of the white population equally with four million freedmen, which obviously reduces very much the average wealth held by each person considered as a whole. 2. These freedmen had been acquired as property by the white citizens of the South quite as much as any property held in the non-slaveholding States. The loss of this wealth by emancipa tion has no compensation in fact or in figures, as shown by the United States census of 1870. Make fair allowance for losses by the war, by emancipation, and by carpet-bag rule from 1865 to 1870, and the wonder is that the white citizens of the South had left as much wealth as the census credits them with, Our farms and farming lands are put in at very low prices compared with those in New York, which has a greater amount of capital per capita than any other State in the Union. Her city property is also estimated at prices far above what it can be sold for at this time. With good management, the South may soon become the richest section of the United States, according to the number of its inhabitants, because its resources are the best. Its true policy is to concentrate values by spinning cotton into thread worth twice as much per pound as the raw material, thereby diminishing the cost of transportation, withdrawing labor from cotton culture, and counteracting the tendency to over production. We should have no land lying idle on which grass will grow to keep sheep, cattle, horses, mules and hogs. A good article of farm stock sells high in all the East ern and Northern States, and beyond reasonable doubt, the mild climate of the South presents very favorable op portunities for raising grass, corn, cow peas, and stock feed of every kind. As long as water runs in the South, grass will grow. Wealth grows as naturally as any agricultural plant; and it is mainly from this source that our in dustry must recuperate its damaged fortunes. Let the soil, rain and sun shine do more work for the public good. These we have at our doors, ready for use, without waiting for un certain immigrants, and foreign capital. Wealth and independence come as every man learns to tote his own skil let. It makes him a Hercules in achive ment, developing self-reliance, econo my, and indomitable energy. — in WIT AND WISDOM. Subsided—Spelling matches. There is no antidote to aconite. Standing collars are getting higher. Ouida lives in grand style in Flor ence. The Graphic calls him Geo. H. Pen dulum. A white turtle at Key West weighs 300 pounds. A belle at Saratoga wears diamonds on her shoes. The devil is most devilish when he is respectable. Beautiful villas along the Hudson are for sale at one-third their value. A Wisconsin school teacher puts her scholars at readiug newspapers. Miss Sidney Cowell, who is Mrs. Giddens, is said to be another Lotta. A Graphic correspondent says he has not seen a pretty woman at Sara toga. Texas boasts anew paper called the Thunderbolt. Rather a flash name, isn’t it? Volunteers to the front, Gen. How ard says that missionaries are wanted in Alaska. The death rate of babies in New York is 86 a day. According to a Kansas paper, the New York World is “the subsidized mouthpiece of a kid glove oligarchy.” The State of Illinois presents this ex traordinary paradox: A diocese with out a Bishop, and a Bishop without, a diocese. Fechter’s attack of heart disease is said to be due to the fact that the man ager of the Royal Theatre, of Montreal, cheated him. The Scotia, the last side-wheeler of the Cunard Line, has been withdrawn, as too expensive and too easily disor dered to be worth keeping. How are the mighty fallen, when a Boston paper describes the weapons of amatory warfare in the shape of fan flirtations with all that that implies. A Brooklyn reporter, writing about a rabid cur, said that “an unknown wo man and several othor dogs were bit ten.” How demoralizing the late trial has been! It is said that red pepper, thrown on a hot meeting-house stove during a session of the Saints, will turn their thoughts away from Zion about as quick as anything. The Marquis d’Hautpoul, who sacri ficed his life in the inundations, was found naked, with one finger cut off. On that finger he always wore a very valuable ring. The Sultan of Turkey has eight hun dred wives, and every time Brigham Young thinks of it, he gives his poor little sixty-three partners a glance of contempt and pity. Foreigners are astonished that the country has not yet illuminated at large in honor of the birth of Grant’s grand-baby. Break a bottle of whiskey on deck. That will do. “Has Donaldson gone up ?” asks the Herald. We think it is universally ac knowledged that he has—the great question would appear to be whether he has come down again.