AMERICAN SUMMARY. San Francisco, November 16.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 427, 11 December 1889, Page 4

AMERICAN SUMMARY. San Francisco, November 16.

An unexpected shortage in the Brazilian coffee crop had sent up the price in New York rapidly on November 15th. Some excitement has been caused by a reported gieat find of gold in Wostern North Carolina. Experta declare that the gold shows itself in the same way and \3 as plentiful as it was in California. Eva Ingersoll, daughter of Colonel Robert G. Ingersoll, the notorious agnostic, was married in New York on the 13th of November to Walston H. Brown, a local lawyer. There was no religious ceremony. The parties simply agreed in the presence of witnesses to b&come man and wife, and sealed the contract by feigning the necessary paper?. The time by rail from San Francisco to New York has been shortened ten hours. The words "of America" have been dropped from the Knights of Labour, making the organisation world wide. A syndicate of London capitalists have paid #12,000,000 for the Associated Breweries of St. Louis. The money to meet the first payment of 10 per cent, was cabled from London, November 9th. The terms of the transfer are a payment of §7,000,000 in cash and an additional tf 5, 000,000 in first mortgage bonds on the property sold. The Associated Breweries aro sixteen in number, but do not include the huge properties of Letnpe and Anheuser. The Vanderbiltss have contributed $750,000 to aid in fixing the World's FailExhibition in New York. This makes the total pledges so far about $3,500,000. Proclamations introducing North Dakota and South Dakota into the sisterhood of states were formally issued by President Harrison on Nov. 2. The article of prohibition, submitted separately in each state, was adopted in both. This is the first instance in the history of the National Government of twin States, the two Dakotas, ontcring the union at the same time. Up to November let, the public debt had I been reduced $9,104,853 72 since October Ist, and §15,695,944 21 since June 30th, I 1889. A terrible vendetta ia being waged in the vicinity of Milton, West Virginia, between the McCoy and Hat/ield - Blumfield families. Tito McCoys ore entrenched, and 250 of their opponents had determined to move on their fastnesses and exterminate the objects of their hatred root and branch,

Annie Price, called the Irish giantess, and said to be the largest woman in the world, died at Barnum's, New York, October 26. The body weighed 500 pounds, and took sixteen men to handle it.

A VIRGINIA TRAGEDY. A dispatch from Brownsburg, Va., Novomber Bth, mentions a most sanguinary affair. Dr. Z. J. Walker, a member of the State Board of Medical Examiners, residing ! at Brownsburg, charged Henry Miller, an elderly farmer, with having insulted his wife. Walker threatened to kill Millor and the latter had Walker arrested. When the case was called, the Magistrates' Court was crowded with frienda of the parties. Walker was ordered under bonds, but refused to give them. At this juncture a window was thrown open and four pistols dtopped into the Courtroom. Then the trouble began. Miller was instantly killed, it is said by Walker, with a knife. Mra Walker was shot and killed. Walker wad shot twice and fatally wounded. Daniel Miller, son of the farmer, was killed by a bullet, and Will, another son, was shot through the body. Samuol Weaver was shot badly and cut in the neck. A sheriff" and posse came on the scene, and stopped further bloodshed. Tho result of the elections tor Stato officers, which took place in several of the Eastern States on November sth, has slightly dumbfounded our political world, on account of democratic victories in Administration strongholds. Where the Democrats failed of complete success, they reduced Republican majorities to a mere trifle. In New York the democratic victory was sweeping. Not only was the State carried by 25,000 majority, but ten members of the Legislature were gained. This is what is called an "oil year "in politics ; and Republican journals console themselves with tho reflection that tho partial turn-over has no special significance, but is only a natural, and not unprecedented, reaction following the Presidential year. Democratic papers, on tho contrary, hail the figures as evidence of a general change of public opinion to exPresident Cleveland's views in favour of tariff reform ; also as a protest against pledge-breaking by the Administration, and for its removal of Democratic office-holders, contrary to usage, before their terms of office had expired. Non-paitisan journals find in the result in lowa — always heretofore counted safe for the Republicans—a kick against prohibition and " paternalism " generally in government. Legal prohibition had obtained in this State for several years past, and the retrogression in general business was so great that the people had beccme alarmed.

THE CATHOLIC CENTENNIAL. The Centennial celebration held in Baltimore for three day?, commencing November 11th, commemorating the establishment of tho hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States in 1789, attracted widespread attention as being really a congress of tho poople of that faith in America. There were 1,200 delegates. Every state and territory was represented, and the leading dignitaries of tho church, not only of the United States, bub of Canada and Mexico, were present. When the name of the Pope was mentioned there was great cheering and swinging of hats by the delegates, and this incident beinj; cabled to Rome, tho Pontiff, through Cardinal Rampolla, wired hia blessing to all the membei's of the Congress. Daniel Dougherty, of New York, a prominent politician and ornate orator, made the opening address, in which he said that the discovery of America, its subsequent progress, and all that was good and great in the history of the United States, is due to Romanism. Without tho Romish Church, America to-day would be unknown. His speech was received with tremendous enthusiasm. A committee waited upon President Harrison with a lequesfc that he be present at the deliberations of the Congress. The President said, in reply, that while he appreciated the compliment, his official duties would pre\ent him being present, but he would attend the opening of the Catholic University in Baltimore on November 14th. While, of course, many resolutions were introduced looking to the strengthening and liberalising of the system of the Roman Catholic Church in America, probably the most radical among them all was one lifting the ban from secret societies, excepting the Masonic order, and a strops effort is being made to include this, and so make the privilege complote.

SPANISH AMERICA AND THE WEST INDIES. South America?i advices received afc New York, November Bth, say that small-pox has carried off nearly one-third the population of the Falkland Islands. The Opotica Silver Mines, of Honduras, recently iloated in London, are now working 2,000 men, mostly natives. A number of white men left for New York for these mines on November 9th. The mines are 5 miles north of the railway line from Amakala to Puerto Cortez. The first sod of the Nicaragua"Canal was officially turned, Nov. 10th, in the presence of the Governor and staff and all the foreign consuls. Peruvian Government has ordered additional railways from the rich wine-growing districts of Moquegua to the port of 110.

CANADIAN AFFAIRS. The Steamship Company which connects with the railway at Vancouver has given notification that after November 22nd it will stop steamers. The Canadian Pacific has (October 29th) just given out contracts for the construction of three steel steamers to bo put on tho Canadian - China route. Sir William Pearce'a firm do not get the contract as was understood it should, but a rival Glasgow firm was chosen instead. The .sudden stopping of the trans-Pacific line temporarily, at leasfc,will embarrass the Canadian - Pacific railway. Later despatches, however, put a different face on this matter by the statement that only the three Cunaders chartered two years ago stop running on tho date mentioned, and tho other steamers which have been on the route since tho inception of the service will continue making fortnightly trips. It is further stated that tho Canadian -Pacific has made another big purchase, and now owns, instead of leasing, Sir William Pearco's steamships. Information was received ab Ottawa, October 31st, that tho first-class twin-screw armour-plated barbette ship Warspite, of 8,500 tons and 10,000 horso power, with ten guns, would shortly replace the Swiftsure as flagship of the North Pacific station. The Warspite is of the same class as the Benbow, Collingwood, and Camperdown. She is said to be a triumph ot naval architecture. Her speed is the best, and she carries a complement of between 400 and 500 men, Staff-Commander (1888) Clifford Bawden. A large public meeting assembled afc Toronto on October 31st to hear an address by Erastus Wiman in favour of commercial union between the Canadas and the United States. Professor Goldvrin Smith occupied a jconspicous place on the platform. Referring to the results of tho hostile tariffs between the two coun-

tries, he said that it accounted indirectly for the armed cruisers in the Pacific waters. He concluded by asking the young Liberals to do all in their power to secure the utmost freedom of ti-ade between the two countries, as Canada had never since profited as she did under the reciprocity treaty abrogated in 1854. After Wiman eat down, a Mr Oberly asked some pertinent questions, which threw the meeting into disorder lasting some time. Later despatches say tho Dominion Government is becoming alarmed at the hold the agitation in favour of closer trade relatione, and in somo quarters, political union with tho United Statos, is gaining on the country. It ie believed by the authorities in Ottawa that a now treaty with tho United States, embracing all the international disputes between the American Government and Canada now pending, will be negotiated by Sir Julian Pauncefort, the British Minister at Washington, within six months, he having full power to settle all these questions, a fact that is regarded by the Washington Government with much favour. Herotof'orenegotiations have been greatly impeded owing to the laxity and want of interest on the parts of the Colonial Ofh'ce in London. Colonel Tilton, Canadian Deputy Minister of Fisheries, left Ottawa. Tho " Standard," Ultramontane paper published in Montreal, says ; •• Despite Great Britain's protest tho French Canadians would send 5,O'K) Zouaves to tight for the Pope against Italy," on the temporalities question.