AMERICAN.

Clutha Leader, Volume XVI, Issue 832, 27 June 1890, Page 3

AMERICAN.

The Mexican Congress passed a law on May 28 abolishing the various systems of coinage now used in that country, and establishing a decimal system. W. E. B. Dubois, a negro, carried off the first of the Boylaton prizes for declamation at Harvard College on May 9. The leading Chicago breweries have been purchased by an English syndicate and consolidated. The price payed down was 10,000,000d01. An extensive gold(ield has been discovered near Auroa, on the Elowah River, Dalenga County, Georgia. Sixty-seven well-to-do farmers from Holland have arrived at Mercede, California, where they propose to form a colony. They brought with them horses and farming implements. The Rev. Stephen Barrett, pastor of St. Stephen's Roman Catholic Church, Chicago, was shot mortally by a man named Pat Reidy, the latter being insane from di'ink at' the time. The Chenango (New York) Poor House was burned on May 8. Thirty of its inmates perished in the flames. The grand Spring Palace at Forthworth, Texas, was burned to the ground on May 30. A splendid ball was progressing at the time. It is estimated that six persons were. burned to death, but fears are entertained that ; there is a greater number. : The Tariff Bill was finally passed by the Lower House of Congress on May 21, after some debate and much confusion. The first amendment, on which a separate vote was demanded, was changing the phraseology of. tin plate. The clause was adopted by a narrow margin — ayes, 150 ; noes, 140. The amendment providing that the duty on woollen and worsted yarns valued at, not more than 30c per lb shall- be two and_a-half times the duty on unwashed wool of the first class and 35 per cent, ad val., was rejected. The bill now fixes the duty at twice the duty on washed wool of the first class and 35 per cent, ad valorem. The amendment providing that on woollen and worsted goods, and all manufactured wool and worsted not otherwise provided for, unless not more than 30c per lb, there shall be imposed a duty of three times the duty imposed per lb of unwashed wool .of the first class and 40 per cent, ad valorem was rejected — ayes, 143 ; hoes, 141. This leaves the duty at twice the duty on unwashed wool and 40 per .cent.. ad valorem, The presi-

dent has expressed an opinion to the effect that it was a mistake for Congress to revoke the duty on sugar, and also deprecated the increase of duty on carpet wools. , He will probably send in a strong message before the Tariff Bill is finally disposed of. The Tongue Point* Insane Asylum, near Montreal, caught fire about 10 o'clock on the morning of May 6, and at 2 the same afternoon was reduced to ruins. A detachment of fire brigades from Montreal did good service, but all to no purpose. The fire originated ia the middle wing of the structure. Terrible scenes followed its discovery. It is said that fully 220 patients { perished in the flames, with seven of the nuns who Svere in attendance on the insane. No power on earth could have checked the flames. At the windows were maniacs peering through the bars, . grinning and jabbering until, enveloped by flames, they were compelled to release their hold, and dropped back to. an awful death. The grounds presented a scene never to be forgotten. Upon the. wet grass, huddled together under cover of blankets, or wandering through the grounds wifeh faces untouched by the horror of the time, were those of the unfortunates who had been taken from the burning building. Some lay down with old quilts for pillows or hummed airs which breathed a spirit of happiness. More than a thousand helpless creatures were gathered together within the enclosure, guarded by only one man. One young girl in the midst of drizzling rain sat at a piano in the grounds and played sweet music while the flames raged above her. The buildings cost one million dollars, and was insured for 300,000d01. The report of the special commission appointed by the French Government to inquire into completing the Panama Canal has been given to the public. The commission says the canal can be completed on the lock system for 900,000,000 f. It is estimated that the receipts for the first four years after completion will be, say, 38,000,000 f per year ; from the fourth to the twelfth year, 50,000,000 f; and thereafter at 61,000,000 f per annum ; the cost being 10,000,000 f per annum. The commission report that half the material of the old company is in good condition and can be used for the continuance of the work, and recommends, as the best solution of the financial question, that the maritime states guarantee interest on the capital 900,000,000 f required for the completion of this great enterprise. It was announced on the isthmus on May 10 that the commission of engineers sent out by the liquidator of the Panama Canal Company had decided uponadopting the lock system for completing the work, and that Lieutenant Wise would make the necessary arrangements with the colonial government. Excavations will recommence on the canal as soon as the preliminaries are satisfactorily settled. The report of the French Panama Committee on the geological character of the route qf the canal says the whole distance will have to be cut through im permiable soil, and the water in the reservoirs is not subject to diminution. The surveyors proved that precautions could not be taken to counteract the evil effect of earthquakes. In. consequence of this l-f.port canal shares dropped 14f in Paris on May 25, and are now quoted at 28f. This shattered the last hopes of the company.