m 
MOORE'S RURAL NEW-YOB KER: AN AGRICULTURAL AND FAMILY NEWSPAPER, 
“EXCELSIOR!” 
THE RURAL FOR 1855. 
Having nearly completed our arrangements, 
we can safely announce that the Sixth Volume 
of the Rural New-Yorker will, extraordinaries 
excepted, far surpass either of its predecessors, 
in both Contexts and Aitearanck. To redeem 
this pledge, no reasonable effort or expense will 
be wantiug, for we are determined to render the 
paper more and more worthy its extensive Na¬ 
tional Circulation. In a word,—while we gladly 
extend the hand of fellowship to our contempo¬ 
raries, for there is room for all,—we shall strive 
to make the Rural by far the best Agricultural, 
Literary and Family Newspaper published.— 
Thus believing and intending, we frankly ask 
the kind offices of each and every reader who 
can consistently lend a portion of influence in 
support of this publication. Please read the 
annexed announcements. 
OVER $700 IN CASH PREMIUMS! 
Post-Masters, Agents, Subscribers, 
And others who wish to benefit themselves, 
and promote the interests of community, are 
respectfully invited to note a brief announce 
ment,— one which is, we confidently believe, 
most worthy their best attention. After bend¬ 
ing low in grateful acknowledgment to Post- 
Masters, their Assistants, Agents and Subscri¬ 
bers, whose exercise of influence has enabled 
us to render Moore’s Rural New Yorker the 
first Journal of its class in Circulation, Influ¬ 
ence and Popularity, we desire to communicate, 
in a few words, the substance of a Prize List 
which far exceeds, in both numbers and value, any 
of its predecessors. Relying upon ads rather 
than » cords, we proceed without circumlocution 
or palaver, to invite your attention to the fol¬ 
lowing splendid list of OVER 
$700 ITV CASH 
PREMIUMS FOR SUBSCRIBERS 
ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS forthe largest list of Yearly 
Subscribers to the Rural New-Yorker —the payment to 
be remitted according to our Club terms, previous to the 
1st day of February, 1855. 
EIGHTY DOLLARS for the next (eecontl) largest iist, 
as above specified. 
SEVENTY DOLLARS for the third list. 
SIXTY DOLLARS for the fourth list. 
FIFTY DOLLARS for the 6fth list 
FORTY DOLLARS for the sixth list. 
THIRTY DOLLARS for the seventh list. 
TWENTY-FIVE DOLLARS for the eighth list. 
TWENTY DOLLARS for the ninth list. 
TEN DOLLARS to each of the Jive persons sendint? 'v,, 
10th, llth, 12th, 13th, and 14th lists, as above. 
FIVE DOLLARS to each of the five persons sending the 
15th, 16th, 17th, 18th, and 19th lists. S 
THREE DOLLARS to each of the six persons sending 
the 20th, 21st, 22d, 23d, 24th, and 2oth lists. g ! 
13 'f" We also otTer the following very liberal list of 
CHRISTMAS CASH PREMIUMS. 
ROCHESTER, DECEMBER 16, 1854. 
SPECIAL NOTICES-TO AGENTS, &C. 
Agents.—A ny person so disposed can act us agent 
for the Rural New Yorker,— and all who remit accord¬ 
ing to terms will be entitled to premiums, &c. 
FSN Those who are furnishing clubs, (20 to 60 copies,) 
can send on the names and money of such persons as do 
not wish to wait, and complete their lists afterwards. 
Tub Rural is published strictly upon the cash 
system— sent no longer than paid for—end all orders 
should be in accordance with terms. 
In remitting for clubs, please semi Bank Bills, or 
Drafts on New York (deducting the exchange,) instead of 
Ghecks or Certificates of Deposit on local banks. 
tNT Lv writing us, please be particular to give your P. 
O. address correctly—tlie name of your Post Office (not 
Town,) County and State. Write all names plainly. 
Those wishing their papers changed from one ad¬ 
dress to another, should give the names of both Post 
Offices—the former address, as well as the one desired. 
CW Western Monet is at preseut almost unsalable 
in this city, and we therefore request Western friends and 
agents to remit Eastern money— or drafts on Buffalo or 
New York, less the cost of exchange. 
W° Specimen numbers of the Rural cheerfully for¬ 
warded to all disposed to aid in augmenting its circulation. 
We will send to your own, or the address of friends, all 
the necessary documents—extra numbers, show bills, pros¬ 
pectuses, &c. It will afford us pleasure to respond to all 
requests in this line. 
Explanatory. 
Though we have received no special com¬ 
plaints concerning the matter, we feel bound to 
state, in justice to ourselves and readers, that 
the inferior paper upon which several numbers 
of the Rural have been printed of late, was 
used from necessity and not choice. The break¬ 
ing of machinery in the paper-mill from which 
we are usually supplied, first obliged us to use 
such paper as could be obtained elsewhere; 
then, when all was right at the mill, the great 
snow storm interfered with transportation, and 
hence, although there is an abundance of good 
Rural print on tlie road, we are again com¬ 
pelled to use an inferior article. This is most 
provoking—ten times more so to us than our 
readers, we presume—yet "what can’t be 
cured must be endured.” 
- While voluntarily at the confessional, we 
will explain another unavoidable imperfection. 
An esteemed friend and contributor calls our 
attention to several typographical errors in 
two last numbers of Rural —adding that "such 
things should not occur in a model paper, about 
harvest time.” We beg to assure him, and all 
others interested, that nothing but severe and 
dangerous illness in our family has caused in¬ 
attention to many matters, for some weeks— 
FIFTY DOLLARS for the largest list of subscribers to 
the Rural New-Yorker, sent in or mailed accordine to amon g others, the revising of proof, personal 
omterms, on or before the 26th day of December ensuing, attention to correspondence, <fec. Under the 
OLLARS for the next largest list, as 
THIRTY-FIVE 
above. 
TWENTY-FIVE DOLLARS for the next list. 
FIFTEEN DOLLARS for the next list. 
TEN DOLLARS for the next list. 
FIVE DOLLARS for the next list. 
XZ3T Persons competing for Christmas Premiums are 
not excluded from the February prizes, so that one person- 
may secure Owe Hundred and Fifty Dollars, in Cash 
another One Hundred and Fifteen Dollars, &c. 
[In order to give Post Masters, Local Agents, &c., a fair 
and equal chance, traveling agents, post-ridersand citizens 
of Rochester are excluded from competition for any of the 
above Premiums.] 1 
SPECIFIC PREMIUMS. 
In order to reward every person who may aid in ex¬ 
tending the circulation of the Rural New-Yorkrk, we 
circumstances, we trust this allusion to private 
affairs is excusable,—and that as we are yet 
watching, even while penning this, those who 
are expecting to hear from us by letter will 
take tbe will for the deed, and that other short¬ 
comings will be overlooked. 
Congressional 
N. Y. City vs. Country Newspapers. 
The Rural New-Yorker, a Rochester paper, 
is the best specimen of a country newspaper 
that we are acquainted with. Our own sub 
scription list in Western New York is material 
ly curtailed by the circulation of so able a rival 
journal. —New York Independent. 
Considering the able and respectable source 
whence it emanates, the above may be regarded 
as highly complimentary. And when it is re 
membered that the people of Gotham, and es 
pecially the editors and publishers thereof, very 
generally regard New York as all (or the only 
place in) America—like the French who speak 
of Paris as France—we may well feel proud 
that the Rural is pronounced “tho best speci¬ 
men of a country newspaper” with which our 
intelligent contemporary is acquainted; for we 
reckon that tantamount to saying it is the best 
outside, or at least west of, the Metropolis. Yet 
we do not altogether fancy the off-hand, conde¬ 
scending manner in which we are ranked at the 
head of country newspapers. “Best specimen 
of a country newspaper,” indeed !—as though a 
paper published elsewhere, could not possibly 
equal those “ got up” within sight and hearing 
of the Park and Points. 
Now, for the enlightenment of those who re¬ 
gard New York city as “ all the world and the 
rest of mankind”—and its newspapers as the 
most popular and widely circulated in the land 
—we will state a few facts proving that at least 
one inland city, located right in the “Rural 
Districts,” is not in all respects inferior to the 
great einpoi-ium. 
Tlie writer is “acquainted with” a weekly 
newspaper published in this city, and started 
less than five years ago, which it is believed (on 
good authority) already surpasses in circula¬ 
tion, with only two exceptions, any hebdominal 
issued in the city of New York,—and its sub¬ 
scription list exceeds, by from ten to fifteen 
thousand, that of either of some twenty of the 
prominent Political, Literary and Religious 
journals of said city, several of which have been 
established from ten to thirty years, and all of 
which claim, and are supposed to enjoy, exten¬ 
sive patronage, as they certainly do in the mat¬ 
ter of advertising. The terms of the “ Roches¬ 
ter paper” to which we refer are $2 a year, and 
its lowest club rate $1,25, (not a “dollar pa¬ 
per,” if you please,) and yet in one week within 
tlie present year it had a bona fide accession of 
over seven thousand subscribers —a much larger 
number than was ever reported as received in 
an equal length of time by the Tribune, the 
most successful of all the New York weeklies 
There are other items in which it is in advance of 
many city periodicals—among which general 
report places quality of matter, (especially in 
purity, reliability, and usefulness or adaptability 
to the wants and interests of the country,) and 
style, or mechanical appearance. 
— These remarks are made in the most 
friendly spirit toward our New York contempo¬ 
raries. We only wish to intimate, without the 
least boasting or exaggeration, that some tilings 
can be done here as veil, if not even better, than 
in New York. 
The President’s Message. 
Congress was in session only a portion of 
last week, having adjourned from Thursday 
over to Monday. In the Senate Mr. Bright, of 
Offer to such as do not compete for any of the "preceding Indiana, was elected President, in place of 
?*' 8ubficHb<;r8 Atchison, resigned. The latter gentleman was 
THREE DOLLARS, in Books, or a handsomely bound vo ^ the Vice President’s salary during the 
volume of the Rural for 1854, for thirty subscribers _, • , ,, , . 
m .... , fcUDfcrioers. time he occupied the chair. The same standing 
To every one remitting for twenty copies ($25.) an extra » 
copy of the Rural and either volume of the wool Grower committees as last year were continued for the 
and Stock Register— or. The Horticulturist for 1856. 
The same premium to every one remitting for fifteen 
copies, ($20,)—for ten copies ($16.) 
To every one remitting for six copies ($10,) an extra 
copy of the Rural, or the Horticulturist for 1865. 
For $5 we will send three copies of tlie Rural, and 
either vol. of the Wool Grower and Stock Register. 
For $4 we will send one copy of the Rural, and either 
Putnam's, Harper's, the Knickerbocker, Lady's Book, or 
Graham'a Magazine for one year. 
For $3, wo will send a copy each of the Rural and the 
Horticulturist for 1856. 
$300 MORS 
Asa further inducement to the friends and Agents of 
tlie Rural, we make the following liberal offer™ addition 
to above Premiums : 
To each of the one hundred perrons who shall send us 
after this date, (Dec. 15,) tho first clubs of ten or more 
subscribers, accompanied with the money according to 
terms, we will give a handsomely bound volume of the 
Rural New-Yorker for 1854—the cash prize of which is 
$3, and which will sell for that in almost any locality.— 
To those who cannot conveniently get the hound volume 
—as it will have to he called for or sent by Express, or 
otherwise outside tlie mail—we will give the Rural vol¬ 
ume unbound, and the sixth and seventh volumes of the 
Wool Grower and Stock Register. Remember 
lhat this offer is in addition to all other Premiums? 
All competitors for premiums are expected to adhere 
strictly to the following 
TERMS, IN ADVANCE: 
Two Dollars a Year. Three Copies, one year, $6— 
Six Copies for $10— Ten copies for $16— FifteenCopies for 
$20 —'twenty Copies for $25, and any additional number at 
the same rale. As we arc obliged to pre-pay Ameri¬ 
can postage, owr lowest Club price to Canadian subscribers 
is $1,60 per copy. _^#;3 To facilitate mailing, we prefer 
sending Club papers to one address at each post office, but 
the names of subscribers will be written on the papers if de¬ 
sired. Club papers sent to different post offices, mid names 
can be sent in at different times, llills of all specie paying 
Banks received at par on subscription. 
$3T Specimen numbers, show-bills, prospectuses, Ac., 
sent free to all disposed to compete for the Premiums, or 
who desire to extend the circulation of the New-Yorker. 
Subscription money, property enclosed, may be mailed at 
our risk, if addressed to J). J). T- MOORE 
Oct1864. Rochester, N. y. 
.Moore’s Rural NEW-YoKKKKhasbeeomeaglantamong 
its kind. With a subscription verging fast to 30,000, and 
with a conductor who knows howto polish it with every 
grace of the art, and how to accomplish it with the best 
talent of the age —it is not surprising that it is now the 
leading agricultural paper of the country .—Christian Ado. 
present session. The bill of the last session to 
relinquish to Wisconsin certain saline lands 
therein was taken up. The House amendment 
thereto was agreed to, and the bill passed. 
Mr. Dodge gave notice of a bill to continue 
improvements on Des Moines river rapids, and 
Mr. Cass of a bill for the construction of a 
channel over St. Clair Flats. 
House.— Reports of the Secretaries were re¬ 
ceived and ordered printed. 
Mr. Sollaes offered a resolution that the 
President be called upon for information in re¬ 
gard to the conference at Ostend of the Amer¬ 
ican Ministers in Europe—referred to a com¬ 
mittee. The River and Harbor bill, vetoed by 
the President at the last session, was taken up, 
and the question being put, Will the House 
pass the bill, tbe President’s veto to the con 
trary notwithstanding, it was decided in the 
negative—yeas 95, nays 80—the constitutional 
majority of two-thirds being required. The 
standing committees of last session were con¬ 
tinued. Some other business and notices of 
bills were introduced, and the House adjourn- 
dover to Monday. 
Synopsis of the Navy Report. 
According to tho Report of the Secretary of 
the Navy, the Home Squadron consists of one 
frigate, two sloops, and two steamers ; tlie Bra¬ 
zil Squadron, of one frigate, one brig, one sloop, 
one steamer, and one store ship ; the African 
Squadron, of one frigate, one brig, and two 
sloops; the Mediterranean Squadron, of one 
sailing and one steam frigate, and two sloops 
the East India Squadron consists of three steam 
frigates, three sloops, and three store ships, 
these, two steamers, one sloop, and the store 
ships are on the way home. The Pacific 
Squadron consists of one frigate, one steamer 
three sloops, and two store ships. 
The estimates for the support of the Navy and Marine 
corps for the year ending June 30, 1856, and for all other 
objects coming under the control of this Department, ai 
in the aggregate.$16,241,931 63 
From which deduct special objects, includ¬ 
ing transportation of the mail in sleam- 
« hi P s . 7,324,634 22 
The President’s message seems to have given 
general satisfaction, and its moderate conserva¬ 
tive tone and spirit are commended by all pru¬ 
dent and right thinking men. There are some 
public prints and some private individuals, as 
there always are, who find fault; one class 
criticising its literary character, another dis¬ 
senting from its political views, and others com¬ 
plaining because it breathes no spirit of filli- 
busterism and aggression. The only point 
which really seems to lie open to juBt criticism 
is tbe untenable defence of the Greytown affair 
In addition to the points given last week, we 
would add, that the President declines to ne¬ 
gotiate with foreign powers in regard to the 
protection of neutral property on the basis of 
relinquishing the practice of privateering in 
time of war, for the following, it seems to us, 
conclusive reasons: 
If it were adopted as an international rule 
the commerce of a nation having comparatively 
a small naval force would be very much at the 
mercy of its enemy in case of war with a power 
of decided naval superiority. The bare state¬ 
ment of the c edition in which the United 
States would be placed after having surrender¬ 
ed the right to resort to privateers in the event 
of a war with a beligerant of naval supremacy, 
will show that this Government could never 
listen to such a proposition. 
Tho Navy of the first maritime power in 
Europe is at least ten times as large as that of 
the United States. Tho foreign commerce of 
the two countries is nearly equal and about 
equally exposed to hostile depredations. 
“ In war between that power and the United 
States without resort on our part to our mer¬ 
cantile marine, the means of our enemy to in¬ 
flict injury upon our commerce would be ten. 
fold greater than ours to retaliate. Wo could 
not extricate our country from this unequal con¬ 
dition with such an enemy, unless we at once 
departed from our present peaceful policy and 
become a great naval power. 
Should the leading powers of Europe,” 
adds the President, “ concur in proposing, as a 
rule of international law, to exempt private 
property upon the ocean from seizure by public 
armed cruizers as well as by privateers, the United 
States will readily meet them upon that broad 
ground,” 
ftrta irrfritm. 
-Mount Hood, in Oregon, is by actual 
measurement 18,371 feet high. 
"P 10 great snowstorm made sad havoc at 
Keene, N. Hampshire, blowing down barns, Ac. 
-The Chesapeke and Ohio Canal is frozen 
up, and navigation is closed for the season. 
--A fire occurred at Akron, Ohio, Dec. 7th, 
which consumed an entire square. Loss $20,000! 
-A couple of loaded canal boats were lost 
on Oneida lake, near Constantia, on tho 3d inst. 
The Detroit Advertiser of Monday week 
reports John G. Saxe, the poet, at Chicago dan¬ 
gerously ill. 
. ——The agricultural produce of this season 
in Ireland will realize £10,000,000 sterling 
above that of last year. 
-The revenue of the Island of Cuba for 
the past month has increased $46,827 over that 
of the same period last year. 
-A mine of block tin, yielding, it is said, 
eighty per cent, of pure ore, has been discovered 
in Upsber county, Va. 
~ ^ evtrs * n Newark, N. J., are desirous 
of building a Synagogue. There are two hun¬ 
dred Jewish families in Newark. 
-The Governor General of Cuba has re¬ 
fused a request of the planters to disband the 
black soldiers. 
—A premium bale of hackled hemp ex¬ 
hibited at the Liberty, Mo., Fair, was sold at 
the rate of $225 per ton. 
A barn at Chittenango, containing twen¬ 
ty bead of cattle, was broken down by the snow 
and eleven cattle killed. 
Loaves for the support of the Navy and 
Marine corps.$8,917,297 81 
The estimate for the preseut fiscal year for tlie support of 
the Navy and Marine corps, was.$8,301,171 19 
The total amount drawn from the Treasury 
during tlie fiscal year ending June 30, 1854, 
as exhibited by the statement of appropria¬ 
tions for tlie Navy service, prepared J.y the 
Second Comptroller of tho Treasury, was.11,750,230 32 
From which deduct re-payraents. 948,391 04 
Government Expenses. —The enormously in¬ 
creased expenses of the Federal'Government 
since its establishment, have quite out-run the 
calculations of prudent men. In the act of De¬ 
cember 23d, 1791, the amount appropriated for 
the civil list of the United States was $328,653. 
Gen. Alexander Hamilton, then Secretary of 
the Treasury, submitted his estimate to tlie 
House of Bepresentatives for the ensuing year 
in tbe following amounts:—For the Civil List, 
$328,653; Extraordinaries, $197,119 ; War De¬ 
partment, $532,449; making a total of $1,058,221. 
The actual expenditures of the (government 
for tlie past year were $75,354,630, of which 
amount there was expended on the Civil List 
$4,649,384,98 ; War Department, $11,733,629,48; 
Redemption of the Public Debt, $24,336,580,66, 
and the balance under other appropriations. 
Gives as the total expenditure for all objects 
underthe control of the Navy Department, 10,801,84 5 28 
But of this amount there was expended for 
special objects, the sum of.3,910,012 29 
Leaving the legitimate expenditures for the 
support of the Navy and Marino corps for 
the year ending June 30,1854.$6,891,832 99 
There are, however, outstanding claims to be 
paid out of the appropriation for the fiscal year 
1853-54. The Secretary recommends an in 
crease of the Navy, and re-organization of tho 
Department 
Deficit in Canal Tolls.— The tolls of tha 
New York canals have fallen off sadly during 
the past season, and present a deficit below 
those of the preceding of over four hundred thou¬ 
sand dollars. Last year they reached the figure 
of $3,132,914, while in this they only came up 
to $2,706,432. If the enlargement is speedily 
completed, our canals may expect to win back 
a large portion of the trade of which they have 
been despoiled by the railroads; but if the snail 
pace of the last ten years is kept up for the fu¬ 
ture, the glory of tlie great ditch will’soon have 
departed forever. 
An excellent letter from our Albany Corres¬ 
pondent web received too late for this nnmber. 
The President urges for an increase of the 
army the very just and cogent reasons, the 
shocking massacres practised upon the emi¬ 
grants and frontier settlements by the Indians. 
Out-going officers, the President says, not 
unfrequently carry away books and papers be 
longing to their respective offices, on the plea 
that they are private papers; and he recom¬ 
mends the passage of a law rendering such an 
act a penal offence, as frauds and peculations 
are often concealed by such acts, and all proofs 
of them thus lost to the government. 
The message approves the setting aside of a 
portion of the public domain as a reward to 
faithful service in time ©f war, but it gives a 
cold shoulder to the donating of public lands 
to railroad monopolies, closing with a summary 
of our rights and duties as citizens, and an in¬ 
vocation of the blessing of the Almighty upon 
the deliberations of Congress. 
We have concluded thus to notice the mes¬ 
sage, and give abstracts of some of the most 
interesting public documents, rather than occu¬ 
py our columns by publishing them in full 
Railroad Casualties. 
— + 
The recent severe snow storm has been preg¬ 
nant with disasters to the railroads, using up 
their locomotive power in a manner quite dis¬ 
tasteful to stockholders, sick with hope deferred 
while waiting for a dividend. On Monday the 
5th inst. five locomotives came in collision on 
the Syracuse and Binghampton railroad, smash 
ing them badly. The train from Syracuse, 
drawn by tbe engines, was proceeding south, 
and when near Jamesville ran into two loeorao 
tives with a snow plow attached, which were 
standing on the track and rendered invisible by 
the blinding storm. On the 6th inst. two trains 
on the Central straight-line road, between this 
city and Syracuse, came in collision near Clyde 
causing a great amount of damage, but fortu¬ 
nately injuring no one. Each train was drawn 
by two locomotives, and the one going west 
was behind time, unknown to the conductor, in 
consequence of the stoppage of his time-piece. 
Double tracks would obviate these risky and 
ruinous collisions, and it is to be hoped the 
Central at least will complete theirs next season. 
Kansas Election.— The recent election held 
in Kansas Territory for the purpose of choosing 
a delegate to Congress, has resulted in a pro- 
slavery triumph. General Whitfield, the so- 
called “ Squatter,” but really the slavery can¬ 
didate, has been elected by a large majority.— 
It is asserted that a great number of Missou¬ 
rians, in favor of Southern Institutions, passed 
over into tho territory for tlie purpose of voting. 
Those exceedingly wise politicians who a few 
months ago declared, both in and out of Con¬ 
gress, that Kansas must from the very nature 
of things be a free territory, have shown them 
selves about as far-seeing as owls at noonday. 
Official Canvass.— The Board of State Can¬ 
vassers have at last settled the question as to 
who is Governor, by publishing the official re¬ 
turns as follows :—The plurality of votes for 
Myron H. Clark, for Governor, is 309 ; Henry 
J. Raymond, Lieut. Governor, 28,533 ; Henry 
Fitzuugh, Canal Commissioner, 35,796; Nor¬ 
wood Bowne, Inspector of State Prisons, 29,162. 
All these were candidates on the regular Whig 
ticket, which is therefore successful. 
Several literary notices and other articles, 
and a number of advertisements, necessarily 
deferred until next week. 
- TIlc Judge of Probate at Cincinnati, dur¬ 
ing the last eleven months has issued 3,260 mar¬ 
riage licenses,—an average of 271 per month. 
-A large number of canal boats are frozen 
up in the canal near Syracuse, and they will 
undoubtedly have to lay over for the winter. 
-— Gavazzi lectures dressed in a robe on 
which thero is the representation of an open 
bible embroidered on the breast. 
-John Mitchell, in a letter to a Know- 
Nothing friend, threatens to leave the country 
if the Know-Nothing8are not stopped! 
-The Iowa Telegraph states that no less 
than thirty thousand emigrants have crossed the 
ferry at Burlington, since the first of September. 
-Miss Duffy, aged 18, was found dead ii. 
her bed on Monday morning of last week, in 
Troy. Supposed to have died from appoplexy. 
-N. P.Willis was able, at the last accounts, 
to be thrown over his horse’s head, ride home 
afterwards, and write an account of his sensa¬ 
tions for the Home Journal. 
—— The President’s Message was telegraph¬ 
ed, by the Morse line, through from New York 
to Buffalo—dropping at intermediate offices—in 
five hours and thirty minutes. 
-Essender and Stanley, two police officers 
of Baltimore, have been arrested for seizin^ a 
black boy as a vagrant, and selling him as a slave 
to a farmer in Carrol county. 
-A sturgeon was recently caught near 
Stockton, Cal., and exhibited on the levee, which 
weighed three hundred and fifty-four pounds, 
and measured nine feet eight inches. 
-It is stated that there are 800,000,000 hu¬ 
man beings who use tobacco, and that the world 
produces annually 4,480,000,000 lbs. of this fas¬ 
cinating and poisonous weed. 
-James J. Strange, in a letter to the Buffa¬ 
lo Republic, says Beaver Island furnishes to 
steamers 20,000 cords of wood yearly, and that 
the annual sale of fish amounts to $174,000. 
-The schooner R. R. Johnson, loaded 
with wheat, went ashore at Fairport, Lake 
Erie, on the 4th of Dec. She broke in two, and 
went down with all hands, eight in number. 
-Among tlie articles imported from foreign 
countries recently at New York, were 1,940 bags 
of copper coin, each bag containing a thousand 
pieces, making nearly 2,000,000 bits of metal. 
I he Detroit Daily I inies of Friday week 
was printed on a half sheet. Paper is scarce in 
Detroit, and its winter stock was on board the 
May Flower, which sunk a few days ago. 
-Two demijohns filled with water, were 
expressed to Boston recently for two New Bed¬ 
ford ladies who wore stopping temporarily in the 
“City of Notions,” and found it impossible to 
drink the Cochituatc. 
83gT Tlie Providence Journal says that John 
Howland (who died a week or two since) was 
the last revolutionary pensioner in that city, 
and “ it is believed that no soldier of the revo¬ 
lution now remains in Providence. There are 
but five pensioners in the State, except widow's. 
One, Mr. Hazard, of Newport, ninety-nine years 
and eight months old, has w'orked in his garden 
daily the last summer.” 
A letter from Col. Totten, chief engineer 
of the Panama Railroad, states that the^work 
will be concluded in January. He says : “ I 
am ashamed that so much has been expended 
in overcoming so little, and take no credit for 
any engineering science displayed on the W'ork. 
The difficulties have been of another nature, 
and do not show themselves on the line.” 
The surveys of public lands in Oregon 
and Washington Territories are being prosecu¬ 
ted with energy. Indications of extensive min¬ 
eral resources are presented in both. It is be¬ 
lieved (hey will be able to afford an abundant 
supply of coal to our steam vessels in the Pa¬ 
cific. There are no agricultural lands on the 
globe superior to them. 
E ln the removal of a mound recently at 
ictady, for the continuance of Lafayette 
street, twenty-nine human skulls and parts of 
skeletons were found in it. From the fact that 
military buttons were also found, and that a 
barrack was located near tlie spot during the 
Revolution, it is thought to have boon a burial 
place for soldiers. 
The supervisors of Schuyler county in¬ 
stituted a suit to stay tlie Commissioners from 
erecting the County Buildings on the site deed¬ 
ed to the county by Charles Cook. Various ar¬ 
guments were urged by the Board, but Judge 
Shanklaud 'overruled them all, and declared 
against the application. 
BSf* Proposals have been issued by tho Cu¬ 
ban government for a contract for 20,000 square 
yaraa (the Spanish vara is thirty-three English 
inches) of Boston granite blocks, for paving tbe 
streets of Havana, for the payment of wdiich 
the government will be responsible. 
The American Home Missionary Society 
Deeds funds; its treasury is exhausted, and it 
desires greatly to enlarge its operations in Kan¬ 
sas and Nebraska, and on the Pacific coast and 
elsewhere, but has not the means. 
