The daily constitutionalist. (Augusta, Ga.) 185?-1875, July 29, 1875, Image 1

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Old Series--Vol. 25. No. 122. THE CONSTITUTIONALIST. Jas. G. Bailie, Francis Cogin, Geo. T. Jackson, PROPRIETORS. TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION. Daily, one year * lO 00 <> months 6 00 " s months 260 Tr 1-Weekly, one year 6 oo " s months 260 Weekly. one year 2 oo " 6 months l on Single copies, 5 cents, lo news dealers, 2% cents. , „ On and after this date (April 21, 1875 J all editions of the Constitutionalist will be sent free of postage. Subscriptions must in all cases be paid in advance. The paper will be discontinued at the expiration of the time paid for. Advertisements must be paid for when hand ed in, unless otherwise stipulated. G>rrespondence invited from all sources, and valuable special news paid for if used. Rejected communications will not be return ed, and no notice taken of anonymous commu nications, or articles written on both sides. __ Money may be remitted at our risk by Ex press or postal order. Ali letters should be addressed to H. C. STEVENSON, Manager, Augusta, Ga. Oor letter from Sullivan’s Island gives many interesting Revolutionary reminiscences, its present appearance, and how the people are summering upon that historic ground. We think the news from Fort Bar rancas and that viciuity is a little bet ter this morning. At least it is no worse. Five deaths occurred yester day, whilst the only new case reported was that of the Chief Surgeon, Dr. Sternberg. The Chevalier Forney has gone to Russia to engineer the Czar into the Centennial. As our going depends upon the Czar being there, we hope he will be successful, though we don’t much like being thus constructively mixed up with Forney. In our South Carolina correspondence will be found marvelous stories o * the late liail-storm, the condition of the crops, and interesting news of Carolina matters generally. They are suffering for rain in many sections. But we do believe our friends over the river are better off than we are. The troubles in the British cotton mills continue to spread. The sus pension of more than fifty are re ported. It is a collision of capital and labor, traceable to the hard times which prevail in England. We regret to hear of the derangement of these mills. It looks serious, and we are afraid fore bodes no good for the future of the growing cotton crop. The latest vagary of H. Whisnaut Grady, is to elect Charles J. Jenkins Chancellor of the University, and then raze the office to a sort of figure head. Let him remain in his comfortable quar ters on the Sand Hills and go up to the University semi-occasionally, like an Army Inspector General. Asa Univer sity runner Colonel Whisnaut is not a success. He had better start something else. We are glad to see that the press of the State almost universally endorse our nomination of Jefferson Davis for Chancellor of the University of Georgia. Mr. Christy thinks that Mr. Davis would decline it because the salary is not sufficient. No doubt any other great man competent to fill the office would refuse it on that ground. But what the Trustees ought to do is to raise the salary large enough to secure a mau who would not only earn it, but more besides. The suspension of Duncan, Sherman & Cos. produced a great deal of com ment all over the United States yester day. In our owu city much anxiety was felt to know what would be the effect on the country—would it stand another panic like that of Jay Cooke & Cos.? We think not. It was a totally different concern. Its chief business was gamb ling in cotton, and such houses have little connection, as a rule, with strictly mercantile lirms. Besides, there is not enough life and energy in this country at this time to get up a genera! panic. The House of Commons had up the Shipping Bill again yesterday, and passed Sir Charles Adderley’s mea sure to its second reading. Although Plimsoll made an ass of himself, he at least succeeded in arousing public in terest to the extent of demanding a law protecting passengers from going to sea upon rotten hulks, commanded by incompetent officers. As Great Britain now does our business almost exclu sively on the ocean we have a direct interest in this matter. Indeed, we are as much concerned as Liverpool and Dublin. Under the heading “ The Georgia Drouth,” we publish all the news re ceived from the crop situation up to last night. The extracts were taken from papers published on Tuesday and yesterday, and hence are late. The crops are indeed in a deplorable con dition. The late scorching hot sun has played havoc with what was, up to ten days ago, the finest prospects we have had in ten years. There were heavy, densely black clouds around the horizon yesterday afternoon and Light, and we hope to have more favorable reports to-day. A gentleman from Madison reports a fine rain there Mon day. ____________ Bequest to the Widow of Stonewall Jackson. —The Washington Sunday Ga zette learns that a donation was made at his decease, by will, by a certain rich citizen of Memphis, of SIO,OOO to the widow of Stonewall Jackson, of which she is much in need. The donation was made some three years ago, end the estate is amply able to pay it in .cash, and have a surplus left after pay ing all indebtedness. The Gazette in quires why the bequest is not paid over. _ Twenty-Three Grains of Arsenic. Louisville, July 28.— Twenty-three grains of arsenic were found in Jack son’s stomach. (the fails (Constitutionalist. DUNCAN, SHERMAN k CO. Further Details of Their Failure — Letters of Credit Issued to Travelers All Right—Drexel on the Failure- Transfer of $385,000 Just in Time — No Effect in Europe. New York, July 28.—William Butler Duncan says in regard to persons now abroad who have Duncan, Sherman & Co.’s letters of credit, he will assure all friends of such parties that every ar rangement has already been made to prevent them from experiencing trouble. They are all right. Neither they nor their friends have any occasion to bor row trouble. They are in such a situa tion that they can move hither and thither, precisely the same as if nothing had happened. Drexel, Morgan & Cos. said to a Herald reporter: “It has been known that Duncan, Sherman & Cos. have been largely engaged in cotton transactions, their agent in London being Mr. Kitch en, of Collie & Cos., who placed all cot ton shipped by the firm, making his sales of cotton to arrive to spinners in England and on the continent. Within the last four weeks cotton has fallen off about three cents per pound. Now, supposing that they had 25,000 bales in transit, not a large amount for them, but a heavy amount for other firms, their loss would be about $375,000, cer tainly not enough to send them under. But we hear that they are also largely interested in Mobile and Ohio, Atlantic and Great Western, and slightly in Erie.” It is stated that among the heaviest losers is the Mexican Consul at this port, whose individual and consulate funds were on deposit with the sus pended firm. London, July 28.—The suspension of of Duncan, Sherman & Cos., has no ap preciable effect on the general market here. Thirty-one mills closed at Dun dee, and 12,000 persons are out of em ployment. New York, July 28. —On Monday last Mrs. Sarah M. G. Sherman, widow of Wm. Butler Duncan, of the firm of Dunean, Sherman & Cos., made a trans fer of real estate in this city to A. Duncan, amounting to $385,000. The President of the Bank of the State of New York, where the suspended firm kept their accounts, says that the suspension of the firm had caused him much surprise, as no intimation, in any shape, had been given to the officers of the bank when they opened that the suspension was contemplated. He thought he could say that his bank held some three hun dred thousand or four hundred thou sand dollars of securities of Duncan, Sherman & Cos., all of which was avail able stock. London, July 28. — A dispatch from Paris says the failure of Duncan, Sher man & Cos. has spread consternation among the Americans in that city. • The Rothschilds gave notice early to day that they would not honor the credits of the firm. They even at tempted to recover moneys which were paid to-day at their house here before it was aware of the failure. Their agent took a gentleman, who refused to refund before Minister Wasbburne, who supported the latter in his refusal. The feeling among Americans is very bitter. THE SHIPPING BILL. Sir Charles Adderley’s Bill Passed Its First Reading. London, July 28.—1n the Commons this afternoon, Sir Charles Adderley, President of the Board of Trade, intro duced a bill further to empower the Board of Trade to prevent unseawor thy vessels from sailing. In presenting the measure he stated that Plimsoll’s bill was not acceptable to the Govern ment, because based on wrong princi ples. Here he was interrupted by cries of “ No.” Continuing his remarks, he said the bill was also objectionable be cause, besides punishing offenders, it actually takes upon itself the conduct of the marine service. The act of 1872 already empowers the Government to stop unseaworthy ships. Since then 958 vessels had been stopped, of which 515 were found to be unsea worthy. The present bill was intended to strengthen and facilitate the more rapid and direct action, and provide a sufficient number of officers to effect ually detain unseaworthy ships. It also allows a fourth part of the crew to demand a survey. Finally it was merely an earnest of fuller legislation next session. Mr. Sullivan thought the lead liue provision for storing grain should be engrafted in the bill. Mr. Roebuck denied that the bili would satisfy the country. He advocated continuing the consideration of Pliinsoll’s bill. Va rious other members followed, more or less censuring the bill, while wishing to extricate the Government from its diffi culty. Finally the bill passed its first reading. The second reading is fixed for Friday morning. MINNESO i A REFTJBLICAN CON VENTION. Nomination of John G. Pillsbury for Governor—A Hard Money Platform. St. Paul, July 28. — The Republican State Convention met to-day. Large attendance. John G. Tillsbury was nominated for Governor. The ticket nominated is regarded as a victory of the regulars, or Ramsey men, over the Davis faction. Every candidate nomi nated was a strong friend of Ramsey during the Senatorial contest last Win ter. No nomination for Chief Justice of the Supreme Court was made. The convention, instead of so doing, adopted resolutions expressing the be lief that the choice of judges should not be a party matter, and recommend ing a return of the present incumbent, Judge James Gillfau. The general resolutions reaffirm the principles of the Republican party; favor that financial policy which keeps in view the return to specie payments; hold to a tariff strictly for revenue, and would regard a third term a dan gerous innovation. Floods and Storms in Ohio and Indi ana. Cincinnati, July 28.—A dispatch from Cambridge City, Ind., says rains the past few days have been falling almost constantly and have greatly damaged crops in that vicinity. Farmers are discouraged. A tornado through Switzerland county, Ind,, prostrated the growing crops. The wheat crop is believed to be lost in Urbana county, Ohio, also in Fayette county. Heavy rains last week caused it either to rot or sprout. Minor Telegrams. Vienna, July 28.—The Insurgent bands at Neunesime and Belik have been dispersed by the Turks. London, July 28. — Freeman won the Goodwood stakes. .A.UGrTJST-A_, GbX.. THURSDAY MORNING, JURY 29. 1875. FOREIGN DISPATCHES. Suspension of More British Cotton Mills—Rapidly Spreading. London, July 28.—Fifty mills closed in Ashton and 8,000 operatives ousted. Both employers and operatives have held meetings and resolved not to yield. If the Holdham strikes should extend to all the mills in that district, 30,000 persons will be out of employ ment. The trial of Alexander and Wil liam Collie, of the late firm of Alexan der Collie & Cos., on the charge of ob taining money under false pretenses, began at Guildhall this morning, but upon the conclusion of to-day’s pro ceedings it was adjourned for a week. From Spain. Madrid, July 28. —It has been de cided that the colonies shall be govern ed by special laws, and have represen tation in the Cortes. Colonial elections will be regulated by a special system, which will be enacted at the proper time. The bombardment of Scudeurgel continues. It is reported that the Car lists there have mutinied aud spiked their guns. Burning of a Glasgow Cotton Mill. Glasgow, July 28.—Grant’s Cotton Mills of this city have been burned. Several girls and two firemen were severely burned. Three hundred em ployes effected their escape with much difficulty. Loss half million. The Chevalier Forney Going to See Czar. Berlin, July 28. —Col. Forney goes to St. Petersburg by way of Austria and Hungary. The object of his journey is to induce Russia to participate iu the Philadelphia exhibition. The American Team at Woolwich. London, July 28.—The American team, with Major General McCurdo, visited Woolwich arsenal to-day. They were received by Colonel F. A. Camp bell, the retiring Superintendent, Col. Younghusbaud. his successor, Deputy Assistant Superintendent R. S. Fraser, inventor of heavy guns, and Colonels Lyons, Field and Gordon, who accom panied them through the works. The visitors had an opportunity of witness ing the manufacture of eighty-ton guns. Every facility and courtesy was shown them by the officers of the in stitution. The Goodwood Cup. London, July 28.—The Goodwood Gup was won by Freeman, Bertram 2d, Escort 3d. The finish was very excit ing. Escort was the favorite. Moody and Sankey. Messrs. Moody and Sankey are mak ing a tour in the north of Wales. On Monday next they will assist at the laying of the corner-stone of a Presby terian church at Roseth, near Wrex ham. The French Assembly. Versailles, July 28.— The proposed list of members of the permanent com mittee consists of 13 deputies of the Right and 11 of the Left. M. Raoul Duval intends iu the As sembly to ask the Government why the indemnity due French citizens for losses sustained by them iu the United State, during the late war, has not been paid, while the claims of other foreign ers have been settled. EADS’ JETTIES. Proclamation by President Grant. Washington, July 28.—The following Executive order was issued yesterday: Execuiive Mansion, July 27th, 1875. Orders.—lu conformity to provisions contained in the River and Harbor act, approved March 3d, 1875, granting to James B. Eads and his associates, au thority to use for the construction of jetties at the mouth of the Mississippi river, any materials on the public lands of the United States that shall be suitable for, and may be needed in, said works, under such regulations as the Secretary of war shall prescribe, it is hereby or dered and directed : 1. That the general supervision of all matters properly appertaining to the grant therein made is placed iu the office of Engineers. Maj. C. B. Com stock is detailed by the Secretary of War under the provisions of the said act to report to him the depth of water and width of channel secured and maintained from time to time in said channel, together with such other in formation as the Secretary of War may direct. 2. The protection of the in terests of the United States, so far as the taking of material is concerned, the said Eads and his associates shall, prior to taking material from any public lauds, obtain authority to do so from the Secretary of War, their ap plication specifying the kinds and amounts of material they wish to take from each sub-division of the public lands, and they shall at once cease from such taking on being notified that the authority is withdrawn. 3. Protection of the interests of the United States, so far as structures are concerned, said Eads and his associ ates and contractors are authorized to erect at their own expense such shops, dwellings, storehouses and wharves on the military reservation at the mouth of the Mississippi as may be necessary for the prosecution of work, ands jall furnish a list and plan showing the lo cation of the same to the Secretary of War ; but these shall be erected in such a way and at such places as not un necessarily to interfere with the navi gation or any other interest in which the United States is concerned, where of the Secretary of War shall be the judge. At his direction any such struc ture shall be at once removed. 4. Protection of James B. Eads’ in terest. No person save said Eads and his contractors shall erect any build ing, tent or other habitation on the military reservation at the mouth of the Mississippi river. Any person so doing may be sumarily ejected by the United States Marshal or his Deputy; but, as authority has already been given to James B. Eads by the Secre tary of War to collect the material aforesaid until he should be fur nished with the regulations, as now herein given, the said Eads is author ized to continue collecting materials under that authority until the Ist day of September, 1875, after which time these regulations will go into effect. (Signed) U. S. Grant. THE YELLOW FEVER AT BARRAN CAS, The News a Little Better—No New Cases at Fort Pickens—Dr. Stern berg Down, Washington, July 28.—Commodore Cooper reports no cases of yellow fever at the navy yard or villages in the vici nity. Five deaths at Barrancas. Dr. Sternberg is down. No new cases from Fort Piekens the past 36 hours. FROM WASHINGTON. Capital News and Notes. Washington, July 28.—The Syndi cate has the option till November 15th to take the remaining forty-eight and one-half million five per cent, loan un der the Funding act. Bristow has called in $14,890,200 of 5-20 bonds. Interest ceases on the 28th October. This call includes all out standing bonds issued under the act of February 25th, 1862. Ex-Chief Clerk Avery was arrested on a warrant from St. Louis, and re leased on $5,000 bail, i J The amount of the indemnity from Spain growing out of the capture of the Yirginius, has been received by this Government, and is ready for distribu tion. Claimants to any share therein should address the Department of State. Baron Scholesser, the German Am bassador to the United States, will soon return to Washington. MORE HEAVY FAILURES. A New York and a Philadelphia Su gar House Goes Down. New York, July 28. — The Commer cial Warehouse Company has failed. Cause, heavy advances on Cuban crops, which early x’ains destroyed. The house also advanced largely on rail road securities, which depreciated. Li abilities, one million and a half. It is stated that the assets of the Commer- | cial Warehouse Company will foot up four million. Philadelphia, July 28.—John Mason & Cos., a sugar house, suspended. Lia bilities, $200,000. “ Ten Years in the Priesthood.” Philadelphia, July 28. —Ex-Priest Gerdeinann lectured to night to an au dience numbering two thousand per sons. Subject: “ Ten Years in the Priesthood.” It was thought by many that there would be trouble by the Catholics of the city, and the authori- ! ties took all precaution to preserve or der. The lecture was a protest against the manner in which the lecturer said Priests and Bishops control the poor people of their flock. He explained his course in leaving the priesthood and said that he thought of the matter for three years before he took the step The Irish Protestants were present in force, and everything paused off quietly. i ■ i Tlie Indian Commission. Long Branch, July 28. —The Board of Indian Commissioners met here to-day. The session was chiefly devoted to a review of the work of the standing committee for the last quarter, and a specially rigid scrutiny of the work done by the purchasing commissions. Also the adoption of new methods for prevention of frauds in the future de livery of beef, flour and other supplies. Fall River Manufacturers. Fall River, Mass., July 28. —The manufacturers declined meeting the delegates of the operatives, the dele gates being composed of outside par ties, each treasurer or agent being ■willing to consult with liis owu opera tives. I Assassination of the Cherokee Chief Ross. St. Louis, July 28. —A special from Springfield, Mo., says it is reported there that Wm. P. Ross, principal Chief of Cherokee Indians, and a candidate for re-election to that position, was as sassinated yesterday fcly a party of Downing men. $2.94 ON THE SIOO. Why Real Estate is Dull iu New York. [N. Y. Herald. July 21] The taxpayers of New York will have to pay the tux collector this year two dollars and ninety four cents on every one hundred dollars’ worth of property they possess. That is to say, a man who owns a house assessed at thirty thousand dollars will be com pelled to pay to the city eight hundred and eighty-two dollars, If his house is mortgaged for fifteen thousand dol lars his account will stand about as follows : Interest on $15,000 mortgage... $1,050 City tax 882 Insurance 152 Rates 20 Repairs and decay, one per cent.. 300 Total $2,403 A house of this assessable value would rent at two thousand two hun dred dollars a year, or, at an outside figure, say two thousand four hundred dollars. The owner has sunk the money he has paid down between the purchase price and the mortgage, and hence loses the interest on that sum. If the house cost thirty-eight thousand dollars he has paid twenty-thi’ee thou sand dollars in cash. The interest on this amount, if he had invested it at seven per cent., would have been $1,610. To have rented the house at the out side figure would have cost him in ad dition to his interest, seven hundred and ninety dollars a year. For the privilege of owning the house, under our present ruinous rate of taxation, he loses about sixteen hundred dollars a year. How a Young Man’s Money Goes. [Fort Wayne Gazette.] A young man in this city, whom we have known since his early childhood, told us yesterday that he had taken pains to keep quite a correct account of his unnecessary expenses from the 4th day of July, 1874, to the 4th day of July, 1875. The first item that ap peared on the list was cigars. During the year he said that he had smoked not less than eight cigars each day, which amounted to 2,920, and that the cost of the same was eight cents each on an average, which amounted to $233.60, and that the length of the same, if laid out in a straight line, would reach about 7,200 feet, and that the smoke in exhausting the weed would fill several storehouses ; further, that, the liquor drank would amount to about ninety-one gallons in one year— enough to drown a street commissioner or a member of the common council. The amount of tobacco he used would fill a common beef barrel, and sicken an entire township. The amount of the unnecessary expenditure would have fed twenty-five families for the entire year. __ * A Handsome Birthday Gift.— United States Senator Robertson, of South Carolina, is at the Warm Springs with his family, ineffiding a son who has been at Georgetown College. Monday was the young man’s twenty-first birth day, and on raising his plate at break fast he found a check from his father for slo,ooo.— Staunton ( Va.) Vindicator. A pointed joke—Butting a bent pin in the schoolmaster’s chair. I PUTS, CALLS AND STRADDLES | SNARES OF WALL STREET SHAR PERS. A Description of the Game of Specu lation, and Some Account of the Men Who Are In It—A Warning to Ambi tious Speculators. Imperial Correspondence of the Philadel phia Times.] New York. July 24. “Howto Speculate Without Risk!” ‘Puts,” “Calls,” “Straddles,” and “Double Privileges!” Such are the head-lines in whole columns of adver tisements in our city journals. Now, I want to expose one of the most bare faced swindles connected with Wall street, and it will be no fault of the Times if any of its readers are captured by the “put and call” brokers in Goth am. The newspapers have generally lit these gentry alone, because their fp'vertising patronage has been liberal. The press, iu fact, have been their con federates, inasmuch as without the use of their columns the disgraceful btisi 4*ss must long ere this have eoine to .shell a disastrous end. But such publicity was given last week to the damage the brokers were doing to a worthy class as workingwo men, that to longer tolerate these' gen try, aud permit them to flout their gild ed signs iu tho faces of the whole com munity as “bankers,” would be to acquiesce in a public shame. What is a “put?” For the benefit of the uninitiated I will explain. It is a privilege to deliver a certain stock at a given future time at a certain price, generally 3 or 4 per cent, beyond its market value at the time of the nego tiation. For this privilege sums are charged varying from SIOO to S3OO ac cording to the time and nature of the contract. Now, this is a very tempting form of gambling, say, for example, that Rock Island is selling at 105, and a person believing it much too dear, can buy the privilege for 60 days of putting it at 100—100 shares of stock, representing in money slo,soo—and all this for SIOO and the' broker’s commis sion. If, then, Mr. Tracy, the president, dies, or Mr. Vanderbilt is thrown out of his wagon in Harlem lane, or any other important event happens, down goes the stock to 90 or 96. In that case the buyer of the “put” takes iu his stock at the lower figures, and pockets the difference between that and the higher price. All this looks very well on paper, but there are sev eral reasons why the poor dupes are reminded of the thimble-rig game of “Now you see it—now you don’t!” In the first place the brokers are nearly all of the “confidence” class, and gen erally buy and sell puts and calls on straw men, whom they represent as reputable, but who, upon a decline or rise in the market of three per cent., would incontinently fail; and, in that case, all that is left is a printed con tract in which the owner is plainly written down an ass. In the next place a stagnant and unfluctuating stock market, where prices do not change two per cent, in a month, is often to be contended with, and in that (svent the money is surely sunk. The dupe, however, is induced to invest once more, on some confidential “point” in regard to some stock by which he can surely get his money back. The “call” is exactly opposite to the “put.” The broker agrees to give the buyer the privilege of calling a stock, say Pacific Mail, at such a figure iu thirty or sixty days. Pacific is selling at 40, for example. A call will be sold at 45 for sixty days for one per cent., or, with commissions, $106.25. If the stock goes to 50, and the odds are fifty to one it won’t, the purchaser of the call makes five hundred dollars, les9 his outlay, aud double commissions for buying and selling—in other words, about $375. If the stock vibrates be tween forty and forty-one dollars per share, or goes down, the poor moth who has been fluttering’'about the candle of speculation for thirty or sixty days finds his financial wings singed to the extent of his investment in the call. All of the risks besides are incurred, as in the case of the put, bad faith, straw men, etc., etc. Now for the “ straddle ” or “ double privilege.” It takes a small-sized capitalist for these ventures. The other inducements were for shop boys, clerks and sewing women; these “ straddles ” are for petty storekeep ers who have an ambitious itching to become speculators, and to be known on ’Change. These straddles cost from three to five hundred dollars, ac cording to the stock desired. They are called “ double privileges ” because they embrace both a put and call.— Take again the familiar instance of Pacific Mail. It is selling at 40. A straddle can be bought at the market price, say, for four per cent., or four hundred dollars. This is for the privi lege of putting it at 40, or for calling it at the same price within sixty days.— Now the stock has to go to 36 on the down course before you ever get your money back, or to 44 on the upward tack, and then any error iu judgment in buying in your stock at the decline, or selling it out at the advance, is fatal to the speculation. Figures, however, are paraded before the public iu the newspapers to show how much Smith and Jones made in one month by buy ing privileges, and exceptional ad vances and declines are cited to make their arguments plausible. The Times’ readers, it is to be hoped, will not be misled by any such sophistry. The principal dealers in these privi leges formerly were such capitalists as Russel Sage, Daniel Drew, Stephen Al den, Dick Schell and Jay Gould. Near ly all have failed or gone out of the business, but Russel Sage and the no torious Gould. In the panic of ’73 Al den failed, and Dick Sohell went back on all of his contracts. When tho lat ter was approached by a poor dupe, who asked him to redeem one of iris New York Central “calls,” Schell said : “I have no money ; why I even find to borrow my wife’s carriage to ride down town this morning!” Sublime audaci ty! His indebtedness for $2,500 was sold one month ago by the same poor victim for $25. Daniel Drew has re tired from active speculation, and it is rumored he is comparatively poor. Stephen Alden is bankrupt, and none of the big fish swim, except Sage and Gould. The former, while President of the Pacific Mail Steamship Company, was censured by Rufus Ratch, the cele brated managing director, for leaving his duties in the board to go outside to sign “puts and calls.” Jay Gould still sells his privileges, but is considered to be in the whole sale business. Retail firms go to liis house, at the corner of Fifth avenue and Forty-seventh street, in the morn ing and bargain with him for privileges on one, two or three thousand shares. He makes a discount to these petty brokers, and they in turn split up the puts and calls into one hundred share lots and peddle them out to their cus- tomers at a profit. It is a notorious fact that when Gould or Sage have sold a large number of puts or calls on a certain stock, they manipulate the mar ket so that there will be no fluctuations of any account until the time of the privileges expire. Their great wealth permits them to do this. Now for the small fry. There are probably a hundred of these in Wall, Broad, New street and Exchange place. Their circulars flood the country; they even publish small newspapers, which are scattered broadcast over the land, doing Heaven knows how much mis chief. A young Cuban, only 16 years of age, was arrested the other day, at No. 0 Wall street, for defrauding a poor woman in a stock privilege. He made a defense that he was a minor, and was discharged by the Judge. The Presi dent of the Stock Exchange, Major George W. McLean, received a letter from a poor shop girl residing in Phila delphia, begging him to try and recov er for her $106.25, all her savings, which had been invested iu a “call” in one of these offices. She had called for months iu vain for her hard earned money. The governing committee of the Stock Exchange have tried to put a stop to the practice of selling puts and calls by their members, but iu vain. They, however, in their own body, have thrown some safeguards around the practice. Froth ingham, Tumbridge & Cos., and many minor firms are now the leaders in furnishing cheap puts and calls to the masses. Why, they will even sell a chance on twenty-five or fifty shares of stock if you only waut to tickle the bubble of speculation and not pick it wholly. Bulwer wrote that “a broker is a man who makes an income out of other people’s funds, a gleaner of stray extravagance; aud by doing the public the honor of living upon them may fairly be termed a little sort of State minister in his way.” Now I would suggest that some of these parties should do the State some service upon tho pleasant islands adjoining Manhat tan, and thus be prevented from fol lowing out their business, which is nothing more or less than deluding the unwary and trading upon the credulity of a mass of gullible fools who never die, and one of whom is bom every minute. Tlie Soda Fountain Boy. [Detroit Free Press.] He was rinsing the glasses when the old lady entered the store. It was hot weather, and the soda fountain looked so tempting that she conquered her avarice and walked over and told the boy that she would take a glass. “Do you wish for a fly iu it?” he in quired in a wisper. “A fly! grashus ! no !” she replied, a look of disgust on her face. “Just as you say, madam,” he went on as he drew some lemon syrup. “Peo ple are so different in tastes, you know. Borne object to flies and some don’t. I’ll mix some pineapple syrup with this lemon, aud now will you have a great deal of gas and a little water, or a great deal of water and little gas ?” “I’m pretty thirsty,” she said. “Well, then you want more water than gas, and there won’t be so much danger of an explosion.” “Explosion ?” she queried. “That was the word, madam. We have had but few such accidents here this Summer, aud I truly hope that we may have no more.” “Does soda water blow up folks?” “That depends on the state of their health. Some people could stand here and drink all day, while others might get the glass tipped up this way, and boom ! they’d go !” “Bust?” “Ycs’m—fly into a thousand pieces. You never saw a human being explode, did you?” “Mercy, no!” “Well, you don’t have the least warn ing. They may be laughing or talking, and all at once the store is filled with false hair, monogram garters, bustles, corsets, feet, teeth aud rolled plate jewelry. It makes a great muss around here, and if we hadn’t three of the smartest negroes in town to pick up and sweep out we’d have to shut up the store for a whole afternoon after an explosion.” He stood with the glass in his hand agitating the syrup and waiting, and she said : “I didn’t suppose it was dangerous stuff.” “Well, as I told you, it depends on the state of the system. If your liver is torpid and your digestion impaired, one glass of soda water would blow you higher than Gilderoy’s kite, aud the coroner would be lucky to find as much as your spectacles to hold an in quest on. If your system is all right you might drink a hundred glasses aud feel no disastrous effects. Now, then, you’ll have a good deal of water and but little gas, eh?” She made a deprecatory motion, and asked: “How’s the stuff made?” “Well, I can’t go on and explain all the process. There's marble dust, acid, gas, sugar-coated pills, giant powder, cologne water and kerosene all mixed together and then distilled. The dis tilled liquid is placed in a retort, where a chemical action separates it. and the gas forces it up separate pipes.” “Kerosene and pills!” she gasped. “That’s what I said, madam. You look innoeent and honest, and I hope you won’t say anything about it. I tend this fountain in order to support a widowed mother and seven father less children. If you should say any thing, I’d be discharged, and if I were ,j discharged, I should commit suicide. You’ll have plenty of water, eh ?” “No, sir, I won’t,” she replied. “Do you suppose I’d drink acids and kero sene ?” “Not in their crude state, madam ; but this process ” “I don’t care for the process!” she snapped ; “I wouldn’t touch the stuff!” “It is a mild beverage, madam, and the doc ” “Well, J don’t want any. When Igo to swallowing tar and lard and kero sene, you'll know it! S’posen I’d (Rank some and exploded!” “Don’t mention it!” he whispered. “Don’t speak of it!” “I’m sorry for you, young man, but there’s a constable living right in sight of our house, and I think—l—l !” “You’ll drive me to a suicide’s grave, you mean !” S|he lowered her spectacles, took a long look at him, and went out without replying. It is .easy to see where the present fashion of ladies’ skirts is leading to.— Sooner or later one leg is certain to en franchise itself, and the Goddess of Liberty will stand confessed, — Harris burg Patriot, Tricshin® have lately been found for the first time in the flesh of a wild boar, killed in the Hartz Mountains, Germa ny. Hitherto this parasite has been supposed to be confined to the domes ticated animal. JNfew Series—Vol. 3* TsTo. 169. THE GEORGIA DROUTH. Appalling Accounts from the Crops—A Universal Prayer for Rain—-Corn and Cotton Dead and Dying. We gather from the Georgia press received yesterday the extracts found below. It will be seen that up to the time they were printed, Tuesday and Wednesday, the crops were suffering terribly for rain. From the indications of the clouds at the time we write it is hoped that the prolonged drouth will soon be ended. Unless rain falls during the week, there is no telliug what will be the consequences. Richmond County. Above the city the drouth has con tinued for fifteen days. Corn and cot ton, all the smaller vegetables, and even the trees in the forest, are parched and withered. The farmers vehe mently insist they will not make over two-thirds of a crop even if they get rain shortly. A black cloud, heavily charged with electricity, passed down the river, on the south side of the city, at five o’clock yesterday afternoon, and bore indications that the earth under neath was blessed with a flue rain. Up to that hour that portion of the coun try was as bad off as on our northern and western sides. The Long Continued Drouth. For two months hardly any rain lias fallen in this section. For the same time last year over twelve inches fell ; this season there has not been three. What little came has been very partial. It may have been plentiful at one place, but on all sides the weather has been so hot as to quickly dry up all the moist ure and blister and scorch all vegeta tion. The thermometer has averaged five to six degrees higher than last sea son, and for the past few evenings it has been eleven degrees higher. It has been unchanged in this regard as the fare at a Columbus hotel or boarding house, where you are fur nished only with staple dishes. Yes terday the clouds collected, and the dim-muttering thunder was heard all around, but no rains came. If the drouth continues, starvation will stare this section in the face, as crops will be ruined. Cotton is shedding as fast as it can ; corn looks as if it had been boiled until all the life had gone out. Small trees are dying for the want of moisture. A gentleman who rode into the country Sunday says he saw at least five hundred dead trees. In coming out of the court-house yard yesterday we noticed that the leaves, twisted and browned, were falling as thickly as during the Fall. Farmers are very gloomy. For three weeks, now, no rain has fallen, and the heat has been more intense than any Sum mer since the war.— Columbus Enquirer. Tlie Weaker and Crops. Excepting a very slight shower last night, we have had no raiti for more than a week past, and the weather has been very hoc, the thermometer exceed ing ninety every day. This weather is telling very disastrously on tho crops. One of the best farmers in the county, living west of the city, gives it as his candid opinion that crops are not as promising as they were this time last j year. We learn that in the Southeast j portion of the county the drought is serious and crops are almost ruined.— Milledgeville Recorder. Tlie Cry for Rain. The dryness iu Griffin and through out most of the county is becoming distressing. From farmers all around here comes a cry for rain. Crops are suffering. In many places it is feared they have been materially damaged. A good general rain now would remedy the evil, aud probably undo the mis chief of the drouth; but if it does not come the injury to the crops is great. ; Farmers say one more good rain will make the corn, but if this rain does not come that the crop will be con siderably short of their anticipations, i The melon crop is suffering considera bly. In the city everything is pain fully dry and covered with dust. Rain is needed ali around us. The air has grown thick and heavy. A good, long, gentle raiu would set matters all right. It would iuspiro the farmers with new hope and spirit, and would add to the city a charm of which it is now destitute. Ou Saturday and Sun day afternoons showers fell at Mrs. Johnson’s place, on the edge of tho city. Some of our planters declare that the crops are being injured hund reds of dollars daily. —Griffin News. Scorching Weather. In our last issue we reported crops iu splendid condition. This was true then. But a great change has been going on. It was then very warm and dry. The weather is now absolutely hot, and the earth seems to be parching. The re sult is that crops have been failing rapidly, especially corn, which suffers more than cotton. If we do not get rain within a few days, both corn and cotton will be cut off to a large extent. Garden vegetables are burning up, and fruits are roasting on the trees.— Athens Watchman. Rain. We are still without rain enough to take the starch out of a linen coat. — The streets are as dry as though no rain had fallen iu a month. Other sec tions, however, have been more fortun ate. Vineville had a good shower on Monday afternoon. Water ran in the jroads, and stood for some time in the furrows in the fields. A little farther out there was a severe storm, accom panied by heavy wind. It was particu larly severe on Mr. W. S. Brantley’s place, near tho Laboratory. There the wind was very heavy. Two chimneys on this place were blown down, fences and trees were prostrated and other damage done. A gentleman who was in Atlanta Monday afternoon says they had quite a heavy storm up there. Another reports a fall of hail a few miles up the Macon and Western Road, A young lady who came up from MarsUallville yesterday evening says they had a refreshing rain at that place Monday evening. A colored man who arrived yesterday from Jasper says from Clinton to Walnut creek there were signs that a good rain had fallen the night before. Beyond Clinton there was not enough rain to do any good.-- Macon Telegraph. Tlie Crops on Skidaway Island. We learn from Peter Johnson, an in dustrious old colored man, who is plant ing on Skidaway Island, that the whole crop in that section is burned up by the excessive drouth. The corn is almost entirely ruined, and it is estimated will uot yield more than a bushel to the acre, when the average in past seasons has been ten bushels. potato and pea crops have been abandoned, and tlie condition of the small farmers on the island, is deplorable, as they are without means for existence m: to pay their rent. It is too late now to hope for any material good from rain, and the outlook for these tenants is indeed gloomy. In the language of Peter, they can only “look to the author of all goodness to temper the wind to the shorn lamb,” and hope for kindly con sideration, in their distress, from those who have escaped such misfortune. — Savannah News. Wilkinson County. At this writing the bright crop pros pect of a week ago lias become gloomy on account of dry weather. The al most daily showers with which some localities have been visited recently had caused the corn and cotton to ob tain a splendid growth and give prom ise of an abundant yield, and the drouth that set in about ten or twelve days ago has told fearfully upon their growth and thrifty appearance, and the farmer views the prospect of making a good crop with gloom and despond ency.—Southron. Sprinkle at Columbus—Show ers Else where. Yesterday afternoon, about 6 o’clock, a slight sprinkle of rain, not enough to measure, fell on Columbus. Seasonable showers descended on the line of the Mobile and Girard Railroad, between Colbert and Seale, and between the lat ter point and Fort Mitchell. Five miles southeast and south of Columbus good rains are reported, extending as far as McElvey’s, ten miles of the city. Some seemed to fall north and northeast of us. We aro also told that good corn crops have been made in Chattahoochee and Marion counties. The oldest inhabitant is coming to the front with recollections. He says this is the most protracted drouth he has known in Juno and Jilly since 1818. He has no memoranda and depends solely on his memory. Of course he is correct. Five miles southeast of the city was visited last afternoon by a considerable wind, hail and rain storm.— Times. ~ !*► WIT AND WISDOM, A blonde-haired man and his money are soon parted in the middle. An Indianapolis boy, who has eighty boils, has quit sliding down the banis ters. Why is a solar eclipse like a woman whipping her boy? Because it is a hid ing of the sun. It was a Connecticut editor who wrote, “Is there a balm in Gilead?” and read next day, “Is there a barn in Guilford?” Cincinnati’s despair was turned to delirious joy on learning that the seiz ure of its whiskey did not include an analysis of it. —lndianapolis Herald. It’s now explained why the Prince of Wales needed so much money for his Indian trip. He expects to fight the tiger, you know. Mark Twain : Where’s the best place you can have a boil ? Give it up? Why, on some other fellow, of course. A Rhode Island man has invented a new lawn game. Thirteen girls kiss a man thirteen times each during the play. If the Carlists will permit themselves to be licked around the country this way they needn’t hope for any sympa thy in the United States. When a young man is far, far from home amid gay company, such a trifle as his collar button flying off will hurt him more than to break a leg. A synod of the Roman Catholic clergy, of the diocese of Liverpool, have enjoined their clergy against the use in the church services of music having a theatrical tendency. “If Jones undertake to pull my ears,” said a loud-mouthed fellow on a street corner, “he will just have his hands full, now.” The crowd looked at the man’s ears and thought so. It is declared to be a good ground cf divorce for a woman to tie her husband to agate post during a violent thunder storm, with a patent lightning rod hitched to his spinal column. When you see a man in a hay field suddenly jump from the grouud, fall down and roll over, spring up and rush for the barn, you may bet your last dollar that something besides sun stroke ails him. A cruel joke at the expense of those ladies who are perpetually striving to gain a hearing in the press has been go ing the round of literary circles, to the effect that “they look much better in muslin than in priut.” “ The Emperors of Russia and Ger many seem to understand each other thoroughly.” This is very significant. It shows that the tutors who instructed them in the languages didn’t fool away any time. —Louisville Courier-Journal. The California Farmer (edited by Col. J. L. L. F. Warren, formerly of Boston,) estimates the value of the crops in that State at $50,000,000, and that this vast sum is wholly squander ed In the use of tobacco and liquors by the inhabitants. Poor women ! When they wear loose, ample skirts, everybody con demns their extravagance. Now that the pretty and graceful tie-back skirt comes in, the newspapers call it inde cent. Why, it’s the prettiest thing in the way of dress since Eve left Eden, and what’s the use of howling abtsut it? — Exchange. An ancient darkey was observed gathering up a basket of bones in rear of a boarding house the other day, and when asked what use he intended to put them to, he replied : “Dere’s lot o’ Northern chaps walkin’ around heah an’ axing for relics of de war, an’ Ize gwine to please de crowd if it takes all the beef benes from out doah in Vicksburg.— Vicksburg Herald. Recently three young men came all the way from Boston to Long Blanch to see Anna Louise Cary in the surf. They carried small Russia leather car pet-bags, and wore plain black clothes, with waistcoats buttoned up to the throat, and turn-down collars; had pale high brows, deeply furrowed by lines of thought, phosphorescent eyes, and divided publio opinion at the Branch as to whether they were disguised grass hopper sufferers or theological stu dents. —Brooklyn Argus. Elections occur this year in the fol lowing order: Kentucky Monday, August 2 California Wednesday, September 1 Arkansas Monday, September G Maine Monday, September 13 lowa Tuesday, October 12 Ohio. Tuesday, October 12 Virginia Tuesday, November 2 Kansas Tuesday, November 2 Maryland .Tuesday, November 2 Massachusetts.. .Tuesday, November 2 Mississippi..... - Tuesday, November 2 Minnesota...... .Tuesday, November 2 Missouri Tuesday, November 2 New York ..Tuesday, November 2 New Jersey..... .Tuesday, November 2 Pennsylvania... .Tuesday, November 2 Texas .Tuesday, December 7