THE GATHERER.

Marlborough Daily Times, Volume II, Issue 118, 7 May 1880, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE GATHERER.

SLAUGHTER OF MEXICANS BY THE APACHES. Bridadier-Gencral Ord has forwarded to he United States War Department a letter written by Lieut. George W. Baylor, comlanding a detachment of Company C of the ’rentier Battalion, Texas Volunteers, which ives a detailed account of the outrages ommitted by Apache Indians, under Chief r ictoria, after Major Morrow’s pursuit of tie band into Mexico. The letter says The Indians—probably 200 in number—ame down about 50 miles due west of r sleta, Texas, and camped in the Canelaria Mountains, a group of peaks suraunded by open plains. They had splendid rater, grass, plenty of game, and probably rtended to winter, but a party of 15 lexicans, the best citizens of Carisal, findig a trail, followed it, and were led into an mbuscade and killed. The scene of the onflict was perfectly horrible. I saw in one ttle parapet which the beleagured Mexicans ad hastily thrown up, seven men piled up l a space six feet by seven. The Indians ad shown great cunning, The trail passed low place between, and commanded by, ireo rocky peaks. The Mexicans were red upon from one side just as they reached ic crest of the mountains. They had vidently dismounted and run into the rocks n the opposite side, when the Indians egan killing the horses that the Mexicans ad tied, and opened fire on them from early overhead and from a peak out on one ide. They were all killed. A letter written by them asking for help was found utside of their breastworks, and near the odies of two men, who had evidently ttempted to escape, but were riddled by alls. Thirty-five more men, nearly the ntire fighting force of Carisal, went _ out to )ok for their kindred, and the Indians so ranaged to drive them into the same [aughter-pen, and eleven of them were killed ear° the same spot. Three ran some disance, and their bodies were not found. Ve buried twenty-six, and there are still ireo missing. We found ten saddles of the ead men hidden in the rocks. The muzzle>ading guns and swords were all broken, [lowing that Victoria is well supplied with rms. ’

A BRAVE SERVANT. A servant named Emma Twigg, being left 1 charge of a lonely house near Matlock, on 'ebruary 3, greatly distinguished herself by er resolute resistance to two robbers who ried to plunder the residence. At the utset one of the two ruffians, who called at he house on some frivolous pretext,, flung he girl down the stairs with such violence hat she was more than half stunned. Reovering herself, Emma Twigg ran out and ung away the keys of the room where the ichest property was contained, when she let the second of the robbers and had a esperate struggle with him. The misreant overpowered her, beat her violently, nelt on her chest and half strangled while hreatening her with a knife, in hopes of udiug the keys she had so effectually put ut of his way. However, Emma Twigg lade such a good fight for it, that finally oth men,-alarmed by a noise they heard, lade off, and the girl was just able to truggle to a neighbour’s house and say omething about * tramps’ before she fainted way. The result of her courageous con.uct was that the plunder, to the value of ver £3O, collected by the thieves, was not arried off by them; while from her statement and description—though she was so xievously injured that she had to take to ier bed —the two ruffians were speedily pprehended.

THE GOLDEN WEDDING OF A BISHOP. The ‘ New Zealand Church News ’ gives tarticulars of the remarkable celebration of he Golden Wedding of the Primate and Jrs. Harper, which took place at Christihurch. The day began with a Thanksgiving Service, and celebration of Holy communion in the chapel of Christ’s College, amid circnmstances of singular lappiness and tokens of Divine blessing, uch as rarely fall to the lot of the most ortunato in this life. The Primate, with /ery Rev. the Dean of Christchurch, the /en. Archdeacon Dudley, and the Rev. Canon Cotterill, occupied the stalls in the lanctuary. In the body of the chapel seats vere allotted to Mrs. Harper with her sons md daughters and their families. Of these, ve believe no lesss than 75 were present, )ut of a total number of S2, the youngest son md eldest graiul-chlld being absent in Bngland. A number of the clergy were dso in the chapel, and other friends. The ;ervice, which was a simple choral one, was ;onducted throughout by the Venerable Archdeacon Harper and the Rev. Walter rlarper, tho two sons of the Primate who ire in holy orders, assisted by a small mrpliced choir of boys, of whom the najority were grandsons of the Primate. Afterwards the Bishop received the sacranent at the hands of his two sons. In the ifternoon the Primate and Mrs. Harper mtertained between 500 and GOO friends. Presents were numerous. The ladies of Canterbury gave the aged couple a splendid lilver gilt tea service, and their family >resented them with a beautiful testimonial n the form of a picture, measuring sft. Sin. n length, framed in a setting of New Zeaand woods, and containing photographs of ;he Primate and Mrs Harper, their eldest md youngest sons, who are unmarried, and ;heir other sons and daughters, with their ’amilies—B4 portraits in all. On the top of ;he frame on a silver gilt plate, which is surmounted by a mitre, the following inicription may be read : —‘To the Bishop and Mrs. Harper, on tno 50th anniversary of ;heir wedding day, from 22 sons and laughters, and GO grand children in token of ;hcir thankfulness and love. De.o 'jr alias. ’ 3f courso, tho usual wedding cake was cut n the midst of hosts of friends.

GROWTH AND EXPENSES OF TRAMWAYS. From a primitive tramroad at a colliery the railways spread over the world may be said to have] been derived, but a few years ago a tramway was not to be found in an English town or upon a public road. Since 1870 they have extended prodigiously throughout the country. In that period 233 miles have been laid down in England and Wales, at a cost of £2,870,462, exclusive of the outlay on horses, engines, and cars. When it is remembered that lands or houses have rarely to be purchased, and that the works are of the simplest kind, it appears almost incredible that to adapt a street or road to the use of a tramway needs an average expenditure of £12,320 per mile. But if the tramways in towns are alone considered, the rate per mile is far higher. On less than six miles in Liverpool the sum of £171,000 was expended. It cost one company in London £320,000 to construct 20J miles of tramway; while j another expended the enormous sum of £761,000 on 32£ miles, or nearly double tire average rate. Including all expenses, the capital laid out on the above tramways amounted to £3,489,386. The tramways in Scotland have been more cheaply constructed, as the cost of 42;j miles was £490,523, or an average of £11,400 per mile, and all the lines, it should be remembered, are in towns or surburban districts. The Irish tramways are nearly at the same rate, 45 miles costing £498,330. In Great Britain there were altogether 321 £ miles open at the end of last Jline, involving an outlay of £4,561,547 before a passenger could be carried. As the maintenance of way costs about £60,000 per annum, it may be said that the line cannot bo kept in order without a disbursement of £2OO yearly on every mile of its length. There is, however, another side of the account. In the last year alone about 150,000,000 passengers were conveyed in the cars, and their fares amounted to £1,159, 535. If this sum could be divided, the shareholders would have no reason to grumble; but when the expenses are deducted only £193,040 is available for dividends, or no more than 4 per cent, on the capital.—‘Architect.,