NEWS BY THE MAIL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2290, 8 December 1891, Page 4

NEWS BY THE MAIL.

A telegram from the Japanese Government was received at Washington D. 0., on November 16th, giving an iccount of the earthquake which occurred in Japan on October 26th. The report mys that 600 persona were killed, 9000 injured, 75,000 houses totally destroyed and 12,000 houses totally destroyed, and 12,000 badly damaged. The earthquake was confined almost entirely to the prefectories of Aicki and Giffe. Sta Ijiotical returns for November 10th for the Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C., make the maize crop this year one of the largest in volume ever recorded. The rate of the yield is slightly above an average of twenty-six bushels to the acre. An undertaker, Mr F. Rogers, was arrested in Chicago on November 10th for crooked practice in disposing of bodies. He is accused of systematically making one coffin do double duty, and also of holding a contract to inter the deceased inmates of the public institution for dependent children. He saved himself expense by hiding the bodies one at a time in the costly linings of massive caskets provided for wealthy customers. The Chinese Societies in San Francisco are engaged at present in a bloody conlict, and killing is the order of the day. i'he “ High binders,” as their braves are lied, are kept busy, and are getting high prices for heads. About seven miles from the town of Austin, Minnesota, there is a section of oimbered land, of which a pack of wolves have taken possession and become ravenous enough to attack passers-by. On October 28th they fell upon a four-year-old boy and a six-year-old girl, belonging to Jerrard Jensen, and the little victims were quickly torn to pieces and devoured. Then the neighbours thought it was time to get rid of such ferocious ueighbours, which they did by hunting ohem in a battue,and destroying the whole pack. The preliraimary organisation of the Brazil and New York Steamship Company has been effected. The steamships will be supplemented by a line of sailing vessels. The company will be organised under the laws of West Virginia, with a capital of three millions.

On the afternoon of November Bth a terrible explosion of gas occurred in No. 1 shaft of the Susquehanna Coal mine, Wanticoke, Pa. Thei’e were but fourteen men at work in the mines, the day being Sunday. Of this number six were instantly killed, and several injured, four of whom have since died. The accident was caused by the explosion of a safety lamp.

There has been an immense destruction of farming property by forest fires in Dakota, aided by a tremendous wind storm. In some places, on November 2nd, the farmers were literally fighting cor their homes. At a place called Huron ffie Riverside cemetery was burnt out, the ire having got among the wooden tombs md monuments.

A disease called “ black diphtheria ” has broken out in a Norwegian settlement, tlarrison country, lowa. The victims were dying in every direction. The place was surrounded by a cordon sanitaire, and a terrible state of affairs existed.

Tormented by some mischievous boy a Chinese “ high binder ” or bravo, ran v muck in the streets of San Francisco on November 7th, during which he shot and billed two police officers and seriously wounded two citizens. He was finally stopped in his career by a courageous person throwing an overcoat over his iiead, arrested, and taken to the station house.

The Montreal Star of October 28th, has a cable from London to the effect that arrangements have been completed between the Canadian Pacific Railway Company and the British Directors of a transport. for a trial of the Canadian Pacific road as a route for the transportation of Imperial troops. The trial will take place in December next, when detachments of about 700 marines and sailors with officers, will be exchanged between Halifax, Nova Scotia and Vancouver, 8.C., and vice versa.

Sir Geo. Baden Powell and Dr Geo. Dawson, the Behring Sea Commissioners, arrived at Ottawa on their return on October 20th. The former made the remark to an interviewer that in the interest of the seal fisheries he considered a settlement could be arrived at in five minutes, but how long it may take if politics for election purposes were introduced he did not know.

All the naval dockyards in the United States are filled with men, busy furnishing up old men of war. Work is going or Jay and night and Sundays. The prevalent idea is that Government intend to make a naval demonstration in the roadstead at Valparaiso, Chili. In spite of the drizzling rain, fully 2000 people participated in the demonstration at Chicago on November Bth, in honor of Parsons, Spies, Eagle, Fisher, and Ling, the Anarchists whe suffered death four years ago in the same city. One floral offering had the legend in German : “ Though dead, they still live. Anarchy.” The Charter of the Pan-American Railway Company was filed on October 29 th at Austin, Texas. The line is run 240 miles, from Victoria to Brownsville, on the Rio Grande. The proposed capital is 3,000,000d015. This is the supposed inception of a big enterprise to extend the road eventually through Mexico to South America.

Arrangements have been made to build a railway between Los Angelos, California, and Salt Lake City, Utah. There is a gap of 340 miles to bridge, at a cost of 5,000,000, dollars but the money has been raised, and the road will be completed in time to take people from Los Angelos to the World’s Fair.

A decision was given in the New York Court of Appeal on October 27th by which the will of the late Governor Samuel F. Tilden was set aside, the trust made void, and the immense estate is to be divided amongst the heirs. There will be some twelve million, of dollars to be distributed. Great surprise is expressed in legal and other circles at this result. Tilden was considered one of the soundest aud most careful lawyers in Now York Estate, and the wonder is that he could not draw so simple a document as a will that would carry out his wishes after death. The decision deprives New York of a free library and reading room.