claimant upon the land; and section 2,297 of the Revised Statutes
declares that if at any time after he has filed his entry affidavit
it is shown, to the satisfaction of the receiver of the land office,
that the claimant has actually changed his residence, “or abandoned
the land for more than six months,” at any time, the land shall
revert to the government. “Copps’ American Settlers’ Guide,” page
53, says: “At the expiration of six months from date of entry the
homestead party who has not been able to establish a bona fide
residence upon the homestead, owing to climatic reasons, must file
his affidavit, duly corroborated by two credible witnesses, giving
in detail the storms, etc., that rendered it impossible for him to
commence residence within six months.” We would add that it is safest
to comply with the law, making it unnecessary to appeal to the decree
of the General Land Commissioner, a very uncertain resort in cases of
this nature.
LIQUOR DRANK IN ILLINOIS.
CARLINVILLE, Ill.
In an argument on the temperance question a few days ago, a public
speaker quoted THE INTER OCEAN as authority for the statement that
there are $60,000,000 worth of liquor drank in Illinois during the
course of a year. 1. Did THE INTER OCEAN say so? If it did, give us
the figures in the Curiosity Shop to prove it. 2. He also said that
this amount was one-third greater than the total value of the wheat
crop of this State. Prove that too.
T. E. D.
_Answer._—The principal facts on which THE INTER OCEAN rests the
estimate above quoted are re-stated below once for all. If they can
be successfully refuted, let us have that refutation. The following
estimate is based on observations made as to the patronage of
six Chicago saloons, so long ago as 1877, by the founders of the
Citizens’ League. The figures in the first column give the number
of persons, male and female, seen to enter these places between 7
o’clock p. m. and midnight; the second column is our own computation
of the money paid in, assuming that nothing but beer was called for,
at 5 cents a glass, two-thirds of the customers drinking but one
glass, and the rest of them averaging only two glasses each; and the
third column indicates the probable actual receipts, adding for the
ordinary consumption of drinks more costly than beer:
Number Receipts Gross
entering. if beer. receipts.
2,863 $190 $250
2,806 187 250
1,979 132 176
1,820 121 160
1,741 116 155
1,685 112 150
Observe that these are the receipts in saloons where lager beer was
the chief drink; that the above figures cover only the five hours
after 7 p. m., and that liquors in kegs, bottles, pitchers, and jugs
ordered for home use are not taken into account. There are a few
establishments dealing chiefly in whisky, brandy, wine, etc., whose
receipts are at times nearly double the highest amount above given as
the daily average.
To add assurance to the above calculation, one of the most thorough
investigators and accurate reporters on THE INTER OCEAN local staff
was detailed to ascertain, as nearly as may be, the actual receipts
of Chicago saloons. He made the following report:
—————————+—————————+——————————————————————————————
|Average |
No. of |receipts |
Saloons | per | REMARKS.
| day. |
—————————+—————————+——————————————————————————————
10 | $150 |Chapin & Gore’s, Monroe st.;
| or | Hannah & Hogg, Madison st.;
| $200 | Batchelder’s, Mahler & Gale.
—————————+—————————+——————————————————————————————
50 | $75 |“Dutch” Henry, House of David,
| or | Hansen’s, Dunhams, and
| $100 | Chapin & Gore’s branches,
| | and dens on “the Levee.”
—————————+—————————+——————————————————————————————
100 | $50 |The ordinary down-town saloons
| | and very good saloons
| | in outlying districts.
—————————+—————————+——————————————————————————————
2,000 | $30 |Decent saloons in extreme
or | and | north, south, and west portions
over | $25 | of city, Rolling Mill and
| | Stock Yards districts; mostly
| | beer trade.
—————————+—————————+——————————————————————————————
1,000 | $15 |The same as the above, with
to | to | smaller trade, or houses in
1,200 | $20 | hard neighborhoods, with no
| | legitimate trade, but which
| | wait for victims to be
| | “steered” into them.
—————————+—————————+——————————————————————————————
300 | $10 |Little German beer saloons in
to | | sparsely settled districts,
500 | | containing simply an ice-box
| | and a keg of beer. Do a
| | “can” trade mostly.
—————————+—————————+——————————————————————————————
On the foregoing data a moderate estimate of the gross annual
receipts of the 3,750 licensed saloons of Chicago figures as below:
No. of Average daily Receipts
saloons. receipts. for year.
10 $175 $838,750
50 85 1,551,250
100 50 1,825,000
1,000 30 10,950,000
1,000 25 9,125,000
1,090 15 5,967,750
500 10 1,825,000
————— ———————————
3,750 $32,082,750
This schedule does not cover unlicensed saloons, or other places
where liquor is sold; the average daily receipts are taken at less
rather than more than the probable truth, and yet it charges Chicago,
which contains only about one-sixth of the population of the State,
with an outlay of over $32,000,000 per annum for spirits, wines,
and fermented drinks. It is not so easy to ascertain the number of
saloons in the rest of the State and their average daily sales, but
data are not wholly wanting. Take the following figures, compiled
from a list of high-license towns, where in several instances the
number of saloons has been reduced by more than half.
Population. No. of License.
saloons.
Anna 1,500 9 $500
Aurora 13,500 25 500
Apple River 650 2 300
Bloomington 23,000 32 600
Cabery 325 3 400
Carmi 2,500 12 300
Charleston 3,250 6 800
Chandlerville 700 3 500
Chenoa 1,100 5 300
Dongola 700 4 300
Elmwood 1,700 3 800
Galesburg 12,000 18 600
Gillespie 800 8 450
Hillsboro 2,000 3 800
Joliet 14,500 60 500
Kenny 600 2 500
Lamoille 500 1 300
Minier 650 3 300
Mason City 2,000 4 750
Mattoon 7,000 8 800
Moline 9,000 30 300
Mount Morris 900 1 500
Noble 400 1 300
Odell 1,000 2 750
Ohio 400 3 475
Oswego 700 2 300
Paris 5,500 8 800
Rockford 15,000 20 500
Rochelle 2,000 4 433
Savanna 1,500 10 500
Strawn 400 3 300
Tiskilwa 800 2 400
Washburn 500 3 300
In Peoria, Quincy, Rock Island, Galena, Alton, Cairo, Belleville,
Springfield, LaSalle, Ottawa, Morris, Kankakee, and low-license
towns generally, the number of saloons as compared with population
is still greater, averaging but little better than Chicago with its
license of only $103, and one saloon to every 160 inhabitants—men,
women, and children. Fifty-eight high-license towns of the State,
with a population of 189,000, contain 401 saloons, or one to every
470 inhabitants. Make all the allowance that can be reasonably asked
for the moderate drinking of the farming classes, and discount, if
possible, our estimate for Chicago, and the total cost of liquor
drank in Illinois exceeds $60 000 000 per annum. 2. The Illinois crop
report for 1882 makes the winter wheat of that year worth $45,472,045
and the spring wheat $1,242,331.
THE DIAMOND.
SHENANDOAH, Iowa.
When, how and by whom were diamonds first discovered? What is the
etymology of the word diamond? How did their value when first
discovered compare with the same now? What is the value of a
one-carat diamond of the finest quality?
R. P. DRAKE.
_Answer._—The discoverer of diamonds is unknown. From references
in Exodus it is apparent that the diamond was a precious stone in
Egypt in those early times; and even before that it was known in
India, where probably it was first obtained. The name is derived from
the Greek word _adamas_, meaning “unsubduable,” referring to its
hardness, and later was written _diamas_, in Latin. From Pliny, a
writer of the first century, we learn that the diamond was regarded
as the most valuable of all things, and but few kings even could
afford to buy them. But as no means of artificial polishing had been
discovered the stone depreciated in value, so that the ruby and
emerald became more precious. The discovery by Ludwig van Berquen, in
1476, of a mode of cutting and polishing it, at once returned this
gem to the first place among precious stones. The present value of a
fine brilliant, weighing one carat, varies from $50 to $100. The rose
and table diamonds command much less. Larger diamonds appreciate in
value much more rapidly than the ratio of their weight. The Orloff
diamond, 193 carats, is valued at $500,000; the Pitt diamond, 136
carats, at $600,000; the Dudley diamond, 254½ carats, at $750,000;
while the Kohinoor, for various reasons, although now it weighs but
102½ carats, is estimated to be worth $2,000,000.
AUTHORS OF CERTAIN POEMS.
RANDOLPH, N. Y.
The title of the poem containing the couplet—
“And is this the man, thou vaunting knave,
Thou hast dared to compare with the weeping slave?”
is “The Peasant.” It was written by William Howitt. The author of the
poem containing the lines, “I sat alone with my conscience,” etc., is
Charles W. Stubbs. It appeared in the _Spectator_ under the title,
“The Conscience and Future Judgment.”
LEO BOARDMAN.
GENERAL TOM THUMB.
GRISWOLD, Iowa.
How old was General Tom Thumb when he died? State his real name in
full, and that of his wife; also a few of the principal facts as to
his size, history, etc., and oblige several readers.
A SUBSCRIBER.
_Answer._—The true name of this celebrated dwarf was Charles Heywood
Stratton. He was born in Bridgeport, Conn., Jan. 4, 1838, and died
at his residence, Middleboro, Mass., July 15, 1883, of apoplexy.
The attention of P. T. Barnum, the showman, was first drawn to
Stratton in November, 1842, when the midget was about 4 years old.
He was then less than 2 feet high, weighed less than 16 pounds, was
beautifully formed, a blonde, with ruddy cheeks and mirthful eyes.
Barnum introduced him to the public Dec. 8, 1842, by the name of
General Tom Thumb; now known the world over. He paid him $3 a week
and expenses for himself and his mother for the first four weeks,
after which he engaged him for a year at $7 a week, but, as the boy
proved a great attraction, he soon raised the wages to $25 a week. In
January, 1846, under a contract of $50 a week, Mr. Barnum took him
to Europe, where he made a profitable tour through England, France,
and Germany. He was presented to Queen Victoria, Louis Phillipe,
King William of Prussia (now the German Emperor), and other rulers,
who treated him with marked kindness. The next year he returned to
Europe for three months. On his return home he proved a greater
attraction than ever, and Mr. Barnum says that in twelve days in
Philadelphia he received $5,504.91; and in one day at Providence
he took in $976.98. In 1857 he took Tom Thumb and Cordelia Howard,
famous as little Eva in “Uncle Tom’s Cabin,” to Europe, where these
children appeared in humorous characters, creating a furore and
gathering a golden harvest. In 1862 Mr. Barnum introduced the two
sister midgets, Lavinia and Minnie Warren, to the public, the former
of whom young Stratton married before the end of that year. True
to his chief instinct Barnum desired to turn the courting and the
marriage ceremony to pecuniary account, offering $15,000 to postpone
the wedding for a month, and then have it take place in the Academy
of Music as an exhibition at so much a seat. To the credit of the
bride and groom, they repelled this offer with just indignation, and
were married in Grace Church, New York. The public reception at the
Metropolitan Hotel, immediately following, was a notable affair.
After this, for week after week, the three tiny folks drew crowds
of admirers at Barnum’s old museum on the corner where the New York
_Herald_ office now stands, the receipts sometimes being over $3,000
a day. Mr. and Mrs. Stratton had a pleasant home at Middleboro, where
they spent a large part of their time when not on the stage. They had
one child, who died at the age of 2 years and 6 months. Both of them
have been noted for sprightly intelligence, and have hosts of friends
in all circles of society.
NAPOLEON BONAPARTE.
URBANA, Ill.
Will you please to give a short biography of Napoleon Bonaparte?
NETTIE AYERS.
_Answer._—He was born at Ajaccio, Corsica, Aug. 15, 1769. His mother,
a strong and cultured, but severe woman, ruled her household with a
rod of iron, and to her the son owed his indomitable will. At ten
years of age he was sent to a military school at Brienne, France, and
six years later entered the army. In 1792, having taken an active
part in the defection in Ajaccio, he was expelled, with the rest of
his family, from the city. After several years of brilliant military
service Napoleon was made commander of the campaign in Italy, which
closed with the treaty of Campo Formio. On the eve of his departure
he was married to the beautiful and accomplished Mme. Josephine
Beauharnais. The year after the close of the Italian campaign (1797)
Napoleon set out for Egypt, designing to investigate its wealth, art
treasures and other antiquities, but the expedition proved disastrous
and he soon returned to meet a critical state of affairs in France,
leaving the army under the command of General Kleber. On Aug. 2,
1802, the French people made Bonaparte First Consul for life, and in
the same year received at his hands the famous Code Napoleon, the
product of the best legal talent of the nation, and undoubtedly one
of the noblest monuments of his administration. It still forms the
great body of French law. Two years later, he was proclaimed Emperor.
After a remarkable career in war and peace, he sacrificed his heart
and highest manhood to his ambition by divorcing his faithful
Josephine to form a royal alliance with Maria Louisa, daughter of the
Emperor of Austria. The decline of his power soon followed, like a
pursuing Nemesis; beginning with the fearful disasters succeeding
the burning of Moscow and the ensuing retreat in the midst of a
Russian winter, and ending with the disastrous battle of Leipsic,
the fall of Paris, his first abdication, and his exile (1814) to the
little island of Elba. He escaped to France ten months later; raised
another army, and hastened to meet the allies—English, Germans, and
Netherlanders—in Belgium, on the fatal field of Waterloo. A few
months later and he was a prisoner for life on the desolate island
of St. Helena, in custody of Great Britain, where he died of cancer
of the stomach May 5, 1821. By almost universal concession he is
regarded as the greatest military commander that ever lived. Had his
diplomacy been equal to his military genius it is probable that he
would have remained to his death, as he was for a period of more than
six years, the virtual master of nearly all the civilized States of
Continental Europe. In 1840 his mortal remains were carried to France
and buried in Paris, the scene of his greatest triumphs as of his
final downfall.
WEIGHT OF LUMBER.
DECATUR, Ill.
Please publish a table of the weight per thousand feet, “Chicago
yard measure,” of planed and unplaned boards, flooring, siding,
etc., and do your readers a practical service.
OLD SUBSCRIBER.
_Answer._—The following table is given in the lumber inspection rules
printed by the Northwestern Lumberman Publishing Company of this
city. It presents the average of the actual weights in the shipment
of 20,000,000 feet of lumber during a single season:
Weight in
Description pounds
Boards, 1, 1¼, and 1½ inch thick, surfaced
on one side per thousand ft. 2,102
Boards, 1, 1¼, and 1½ inch thick, surfaced
on two sides 2,068
Boards, 2 inches thick, surfaced on one side 2,000
Flooring, white pine, dressed and matched 1,890
Flooring, 4 inches wide, dressed and matched 1,793
Flooring, hard pine, dressed and matched 2,366
Ship laps, 8 inch 1,711
Ship laps, 10 inch 1,725
Ship laps, 12 inch 1,855
Ceiling, white pine, ⅜ inch 786
Ceiling, hard pine, ⅜ inch 950
Siding 865
Piece stuff, rough 2,560
Piece stuff, surfaced on one side 2,210
Thin, clear 1,380
Ceiling, ⅝ 1,120
Rough boards 2,524
Fence, hard pine 2,910
Fencing, 6 inch 2,433
Shingles, pine, per 1,000 248
Shingles, cedar, per 1,000 203
Lath, dry 502
ST. ANASTASIUS—APOSTLE OF HUNGARY.
Who was called the “Apostle of Hungary,” where was he born, and
when did he live?
W. I. PRATT.
_Answer._—St. Anastasius, surnamed Astric, was born in France, A.
D. 954, and died in 1044. He gained great influence over Stephen
I., King of Hungary, 997-1038, who intrusted the zealous missionary
with almost unlimited powers. These he used with such rare wisdom
and spirit that the Hungarians were rapidly converted from paganism.
The freedom of all Christian slaves was proclaimed, the political
organization of the kingdom was reconstructed, schools were
established, and, in fine, Hungary was transformed from barbarism to
a state of inchoate Christian civilization. He is honored in history
and tradition as the “Apostle of Hungary.”
EXECUTIVE AND DEPARTMENT SALARIES.
AUGUSTA, Kan.
Please give the organization of the President’s household, give the
salaries of its several officers, and state who pays the same. Also
give the organization of each of the departments under the several
members of the President’s Cabinet.
C. H. M.
_Answer._—The President’s salary is $50,000 a year. The organization
of the executive office gives him a private secretary, with salary
of $3,250; assistant secretary, $2,250; two executive clerks, each
$2,000; stenographer, $1,800; five other clerks, severally $1,200,
$1,400, and $1,800; steward, $1,800; usher, $1,400; five messengers,
each $1,200; four doorkeepers, each $1,200; watchman, $900;
furnace-keeper, $864.
The principal officers of the Department of State are: Secretary of
State, salary, $8,000; Assistant Secretary, $4,500; Second Assistant,
$3,500; Third Assistant, $3,500; Chief Clerk, $2,750; Examiner of
Claims, $3,500; Chief of Diplomatic Bureau, $2,100; Chief of Consular
Bureau, $2,100; Chief of Indexes and Archives, $2,100; Chief of
Bureau of Accounts, $2,100; Librarian, $2,100; Translator, $2,100.
There are thirty-nine clerks with salaries ranging from $1,800 down
to $900; a proof-reader, $1,300; a lithographer, $1,200; chief
engineer, $1,200; assistant engineer, $1,000; messengers, watchmen,
laborers, and firemen, in all twenty-four, ranging from $1,000 down
to $660.
The Treasury Department is one of the most, perhaps the most
important and laborious department of the government. The Secretary’s
salary is $8,000, the Assistant Secretary receives $4,500; Second
Assistant Secretary, $4,500; Chief Clerk, $2,700; First Comptroller,
$5,000; Second Comptroller, $5,000; Commissioner of Customs, $4,000;
First, Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Auditors, each,
$3,600; Treasurer of the United States, $6,000; Assistant Treasurer,
$3,600; Register of the Treasury, $4,000; Comptroller of the
Currency, $5,000; Commissioner of Internal Revenue, $6,000; Solicitor
of Internal Revenue, $4,500; Solicitor of the Treasury, $4,500;
Director of the Mint, $4,500; Chief of Bureau of Engraving and
Printing, $4,500; Chief of Bureau of Statistics, $2,400; Supervising
Architect, $4,500; Superintendent of United States Coast Survey,
$6,000; Chairman of Lighthouse Board, $4,000; Superintendent of
Life-saving Service, $4,000; Inspector General of Steamboats, $3,500;
Chief of Appointment Division, $2,500; Chief of Warrant Division,
$2,750; Chief of Public Moneys Division, $2,500; Chief of Customs
Division, $2,750. The subordinate officers and employes under the
above chief officers of the Treasury number many thousands, varying
in number with the emergencies of the service. The total official
list of this department for all parts of the country, including
collectors of customs and internal revenue and their employes, covers
195 octavo pages, with from sixty to ninety-six names on a page.
The Department of the Interior is organized as follows: Secretary
of the Interior, salary, $8,000; Assistant Secretary, $3,500; Chief
Clerk, $2,750; Assistant Attorney General, $5,000; Commissioner
of General Land Office, $4,000; Commissioner of Pensions, $5,000;
Commissioner of Patents, $4,500; Commissioner of Indian Affairs,
$4,000; Commissioner of Education, $3,000; Director of Geological
Survey, $6,000; Superintendent of Census, $5,000. Other officers and
employes in all parts of the country, but mainly at Washington, vary
in number from time to time, more perhaps than those of any other
department, ranging from about 7,500 to about 9,000, with salaries
from $3,000 down to $600.
The Secretary of War receives $8,000 a year; Chief Clerk, $2,500;
Adjutant General, $5,500; Inspector General, $5,500; Quartermaster
General, $5,500; Commissary General, $5,500; Surgeon General, $5,500;
Chief Medical Purveyor, $4,200; Judge Advocate General, $5,500;
Chief of Engineers, $5,500; Chief Signal Officer, $5,500; Chief of
Ordnance, $5,500. The complete official list of the department at
present embraces about 4,000 names, with salaries from $3,000 to $660.
The Secretary of the Navy receives $8,000; Chief Clerk, $2,500;
Judge Advocate General, $4,500; Chiefs of the Bureaus of yards and
docks, navigation, ordnance, provisions and clothing, medicine
and surgery, equipment and recruiting, construction and repair,
steam-engineering, each $5,000; Commandant of navy yard, $4,500; Pay
Inspector, $3,000; Commandant of Marine Corps, $4,500; Superintendent
of Naval Observatory, $5,000; Superintendent of Nautical Almanac,
$3,500; Chief Signal Officer, $3,500; Hydrographer, $3,500. The total
official list of the Navy numbers now about 2,800, with salaries from
$3,000 to $660.
The Postmaster General receives $8,000; the First, Second and Third
Assistants, each $3,500; Superintendent of Foreign Mails, $3,000;
Assistant Attorney General for Postoffice Department, $4,000;
Superintendent of Money-order System, $3,000. The total official list
for employes at Washington numbers about 5,000, with salaries ranging
from those already given down to $660 a year.
The Department of Justice is organized with Attorney General, salary,
$8,000; Solicitor General, $7,000; First Assistant Attorney General,
$5,000; Second Assistant Attorney General, $5,000. There are about
fifty clerks, copyists, messengers, laborers, etc., at salaries from
$2,200 to $660.
WHEN THE SEASONS BEGIN.
WENONA, Ill.
To end an argument, please inform us, through Our Curiosity Shop,
when summer begins.
C. M. TURNER.
_Answer._—The civil or tropical year, the one commonly used in
the measure of time, is the period which elapses from the sun’s
appearance on one of the tropical circles to its return to the same.
It varies very slightly, and has a mean length of 365 days, 5 hours,
48 minutes, and 49.7 seconds. Astronomically considered, the four
seasons begin at the equinoctial or the solstitial points. The summer
solstice is the meridian, passing through the point where the sun
touches the tropic of cancer; the winter solstice is the meridian
passing through the point where it touches the tropic of capricorn;
and the equinoctial points are the points at which the sun’s path or
equinoctial crosses the celestial equator. All these points shift,
according to very exact astronomical laws, from year to year; and so
the precise times when the seasons begin are matters of the nicest
mathematical calculations. For example, last year the seasons began
as follows:
Winter began Dec. 21, 1881, at 10:52 a. m. and lasted 90 days, 1
hour, and 10 minutes.
Spring began March 21, 1882, at 12:02 p. m. and lasted 91d, 20h, and
4m.
Summer began June 21, 1882, at 8:06 a. m. and lasted 93d, 14h, and
23m.
Winter began Dec. 21, 1882, at 4:45 p. m. and lasted 89d, 18h, and
16m.
The beginning of the seasons this year are given as follows:
Winter began Dec. 21, 1882, at 4:45 p. m. and lasted 88 days, and 54
minutes.
Spring began March 20, 1883, at 5:39 p. m. and lasted 92d, 20h, and
14m.
Summer began June 21, 1883, at 1:53 p. m. and lasts 93d, 14h, and 35m.
Winter will begin Dec. 21, 1883, at 10:44 a. m. and last 89d, 16h,
and 16m.
HENRY CLAY.
HOOSIER, Pa.
Please give me an account of Henry Clay and his descendants.
A SUBSCRIBER.