AMERICAN ITEMS;

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1758, 4 February 1888, Page 2

AMERICAN ITEMS;

One hundred destitute Turks, a new class erf immigrants, were landed at Uaatle Garden, New York, on December 24th. The Booiftlists have secured complete oontrol of the JSnightg of. Labor organisation m Chicago, outvoting the Conservative members by 8 to 1. Summervllla, South Carolina, was again visited by earthquake, Jan. 12th. The shook was felt throughout the State and Georgia, I inspiring the utmost terror. Daring the entire year of 1887 the debt of the United States was diminished by 111,701,600d015, the largest reduo'iouo being made m June and November, when payment! on that account aggregated 16,852,000301 l »B.die,888 ) O00dolB W pigtiTel7.

A Bill has been introduced into the New ) York Legislature, which provides that no person, allged to bi insane shall be committed to a lunatic asylum, publio or private, except after trial before a jury. It was framed by the Society for Promoting the Welfare of the Insane. •, New York papers are pal lishing glowing accounts abou r . di3ooveriea of gold m Trans* > vaal, So th Africa. The oorrespondeats say that California and Australia m 'heir flush times will be eclipsed by the discoveries and output of gold m the South Afrioan country, and that at no distant date. An exodm of German Socialists to Amerioa I is looked for daring the month of January, 1 1888. The movement will be made under pressure from Bismarok, who is doing his beßt to stamp oat socialism m the Fatherland. Suoh an immigration will probably lead to nome speoial legislation by the United State! Congress. J. H. Stiggles, an American capitalist, pro* poses to build a railway from Quebeo to the east coast of Labradc r, and place a fleet of fast vessels on the Atlantic He thinks this would solve the question of quiok transit to and from Europe, claiming that the passage could be made from Labrador to England m three and a half days. Fifty millions of dollars are required to build the Tehnantepeo ship railway. As this sum oannot, except with difficulty, be raised m the United States, a Commissioner is now on his way to London with a view of inducing capitalists there to subscribe a portion. The Company will be run under a oharter obtained from the State of New York. I The last spike m the Overhnd railway traok oonneoting Oregon with California, was driven eir-©eeeraber-17th at Ashland, Oregon. At 5.3 p.m., as so m as the first blow of a silver sledge was to a golden spike, the bells and steam whittles along the coast and m San Franoisoo— 4oo miles away— gave forth joyful Bounds. This result was aohieved by electrioal connection previously made.