Quad-City Times from Davenport, Iowa • 6

EN0EM0US LOSSES. DAVEXPORT DEMOCRAT. f-JTD TBI DAVMTTO-T OASJRTS. WAR DOGS HUZZLEP. SOME INTERNATIONAL DISPUTES SETTLED BY ARBITRATION.

whtch demands that railway charges shall be so low as to be uuremunwra-tive. Too low charges Invariably re-Bult in the speedy impairment of railway seivice through the physical deterioration of road bed and equipment, and the reduction of the elli-cfency of the safeguards against accident usually provided, thus materially increasing the danger to lile and property. The expenses due to handling trafilc and moving trains are much less elastic the plains know what to expect Hereafter this will be true of those who have lived half a lifetime without feeling a real bard frost. City councila here and there have been trying to check the common habit of the people, that of expectorating wherever they may be and regardless of what they hit. This has brought some of the doctors to the front.

They say that the laws of health do not urgently demand an iron clad rule against spitting. It is asserted by some of the New York physicians that there are no cases on record in which consumption has been contracted by direct contact with a consumptive patient. This is disputed, but take it for granted. There are enough other grounds to warrant ail that Las been done or may be done common decency, for instance. RAILROAD LOSSES, The farmers who are getting too low prices for their corn; the workingmen who have had their wages cut down or their hours of labor reduced, sometimes both; the manufacturers who find only a dull demand for their goods owing to a general Inability to buy, all agree that they have fallen into hard lines.

It is true, unfortunately. But these Interests and classes are not the only ones to suffer from the depression that has spread over the country. The railroads have felt the effect of reduced earnings to a deplorable degree. During the past four years some of the largest and best managed railroads in the we6t have been compelled to reduce the number of their employes at least one third. This is true of the Bock Island, of the Milwaukee St.

Paul, and of the Chicago, Burlington Quincy. The last named railroad, from sheer force of circumstances, lowered its number of employes from 3G.434 to 24,213. This is not all, for of those who remained there have been smaller wages. This great question of railroad losses is one to deliberately think about at this time when there is a movement to drive the railroads which have not yet gone there, into bankruptcy. A fair and thoughtfai article prepared by one who is not a manager of railroads, appears on this page ot The Democrat.

The writer will be recognized as the superintendent of the federal census of IH'M, one who has studied the economic condition closely. Mr. Porter's article gives some very impressive facts and they deserve the close attention of those who are willing to look impartially into the merits of the case on triab GOOD ROADS AND GOOD JAILS. The Burlington Hawkeye has been taking part in the local discussion about the comparative merits of roads and si bject which is to come before the Business Men's association at its next meeting. Our down the river contemporary says: "Davenport needs a new jail, but it needs good roads much more.

Perhaps the construction of public highways, by giving work to the unemployed, will decrease the necessity for an enlarged jail. At all events, good roads will give dissatisfied Davenporters a chance to move out ot town and dissatisfied ruraiists an opportunity to move in. There is this to be said about Davenport's decision: improved highways are wealth producers; jails are not." This is a subject on which a great deal may be said, and the farmers as well as the townspeople are 6aying it. The discussion is to be encouraged, as all discussions of proper subjects are. If the building of the jail tends to interest the people of Scott county in highway improvement, and it certainly appears to have that effect, then the taxpayers can afford to invest $50,000 in public buildings every year.

It has required a long time to get the good roads matter squarely before the people most concerned. It is attracting attention all over the country and is bound to do so increasingly. ITHE QVESTIOJi OF QUESTIONS. At the past week's meeting of the Clinton city council a petition was presented from the socialistic labor party asking that the council find some means wheieby work can be furnished the unemployed. The matter was referred to a committee and this committee will confer with the board of supervisors.

The problem that is receiving attention in Clinton county, is one that is facing the authorities in every one of the 99 counties in Iowa. What kind ot work can be done in dead winter with the ground frozen a foot deep? City councils and boards of supervisors are justified, in common with all right-thinking people, in stretching the law to the utmost in the way of providing work. It becomes almost a matter of self-protection lor them to do this, while they have no warrant for acting as charity organizations, except in cases M-IIONT-KU. ON HER SICKNE6S. DEATH, AND MUMMYIFICATION.

Her Royal Connection Treatment In III-ae Cantoiuary Arrangement with En-btlmrre-Manner of Embalming Bestowal of Amnleta and Scarab. Davenport has an Academy of Sciences which contains numerous articles of great interest. Prominent among the collections of its museum is a veritable Egyptian mummy. It is a mummy of the better class, the body of a woman in a suspended state of decomposition, a mummy, which if not Indeed of the royal blood, yet of royal connections, that of a person who in life as in death, waB by high social connections under the shadow of Fharaon-lc Influences, entitled to careful attention at the hands of the embalmers, which, in a large measure, accounts for her presence among us today. Her name fo far as it may be fairly spelt out, though the attending hieroglyphics are not as plainly exact as a student might wish them to be, was Ma-Hont-ku; and if one might be permitted to venture a guess, was at the time of her death not more than twenty or twenty-five years of age at the farthest.

On her arrival at the Academy museum, under the generous auspices of ex-Mayor Ficke, it was for some time an open question as to whether she might be unwrapped and a more intimate acquaintance of the court lady who, without great improbability, has slept in her close fitting wraps since the days of the dear queen Hatasou, might be accomplished. But as is now understood among the Academy officials, that interesting ceremony, whether wisely or not, has been idenfintely postponed Hence much of the speculation as to the close chronology and strict social relations of this visitor from the tair land of Khem, may as well be cast to one side. One thing, however, is certain, Na-Hont-Ku Bickened and died. Of her high standing no reasonable doubt need arise. The style of her tomb preparation bears witness of that.

That every possible means were invoked to defeat the disease that as-Bailed her admits of no doubt. Among her people, as has been the case during long centuries past among pagans and Christians, it was plainly believed that all human ailments were the direct result of satanic interference, that if one sickened, then without doubt, had spirits of evil entered the blood, brain, intestines, or invaded the vitals and created much pain and disturbance with the view of destroying mind, body and soul. Without such diabolical interference, it was argued, that no one need die. Among the Egyptians and those who followed them in. explaining the Almighty intent, it was firmly declared that it was not the will of the Almighty Ea, the merciful Father, that any of his children should perish; that if they perished at all, their death was clearly occasioned through the deep and insatiate hatred of Set, the sworn enemy of Ka and his offspring.

If their bodies could be de" stroyed, then their ba and their ka, their Bouls and their doubles, would be destroyed also and forever. When, then, Ma-Hont-ku fell sick and the palace became alarmed at her condition, healing aid was called in. A sorcerer, or exorcist was invoked. He came with his amulets, his relics, and mixtures, and at once determined the cause and the seat of the difficulty. He concocted curatives, made swift applications, applied saintly relics, prayed long and loud; stamped his feet, and in the name of the powers of earth, air and heaven commanded the cessation of satanic worriment of the 6ick one, and the immediate departure of the foul spirit of evil that the patient might find rest and recuperation Sometimes sufferers seemed to become partially purged, and sometimes health was restored, greatly to the honor of the evictor of devils; but as often happened, the imps of evil were obstinate.

If indeed they were driven from one part of the body, they yet took firmer hold and did fiercer work in another part, defying all effort, all holy relics, all scolding, entreating, and threatening, all pleading and prayer, until at last the sorcerer retired from the field pronouncing the disorder incurable. Yet was there another chance. Ttere were doctors about who treated cases upon a different plan. They knew of the effects of botanic and mineral preparations upon the sickened body, and sometimes worked cures of Importance alter the exorcist had given the patient over to death. Such a healer was called, tie found Na-Hent-ku ia a very low state, and gravely lamented that he had not been sooner called, yet, in order to appear to be doing something, prepared some doses to be given, gave some directions to the attendants, and retired from the chamber, knowing full well that there was no hope In the case.

Despite, then, of ail effort of the sorcerer or doctor, or the council of doctors, for there were such in those days, the fair patient died, and her winged 6ouI, her ba, betook itself to region and society jof the eternal gods to abide for a time! Deep mourning brevaded the palace. Lamentations wre heard far and near. Women disheveled their hair; raiment was thrown into disorder: dust heaped upon heads and upon garments; no bathing or cleansing of person was had, for the blessed Na-Hont-ku lay pulseless in death. Her bou! had departed, her mind lost its light. Yet was their sorrow not hopeless They sat in ashes but saw light farther on.

Set had Indeed conquered, but his victory was short. They knew that if her body were amply embalmed and securely preserved in the tomb until the resurrection day, her ba would return and health resume sway in the blest land beyond, where evil came not and lite had no end. In faithful pursuance of this comforting belief, at the end of five dayB her mortal remains were taken to the embalmers to be so treated as to be placed beyond the reach of decay. The embalmers of Eaypt were not only specialists in their art, but had also some knowledge of human diseases and ailments. While they fitted the body to withstand the ravages of time.

her family for a while, and within 70 days from the date of her death, was laced in the tomb, the 'Eternal there haply to remain with her to be now and then visited by her departed ba, which abode with the gods in the land far remote haply to await the great resurrection morn when it would come and repossess her body, which would then resume its youthtnl yltaiity and beauty. D. R. FEBRUARY MAGAZINES- Harper's. In current literature there is no better piece of entertaining descriptive writing than the opening ar tide in this magazine.

The Coronation of the Czar, by Richard Harding Davis. Octave Thanet has a fine bicycle story, The Stout Miss Hopkins's Bicycle. Other features are: Lincoln's Home Life in Washington, by Leslie J. Perry; The Awakening of a Nation (Mexico), by Charles F. Lummis; Hy-geia in Manhattan, by Richard Wheat-ley; The President of the Orange Free State, by Poultney Bigelow; Composers and by Rev.

H. R. Haweis; Architecture and Modern Life, by Thomas Hastings. The Midland Monthly. Mrs.

Nellie Grant Sartoris forms the frontespiece and invites attention to the article Neilie Sartoris and Her Children, by Juliette M. Babbitt. Hon. B. F.

Gue's Saner on John Brown and his Iowa 'riends invests an old subject with new interest, the illustrations and facsimile letters adding much effect. Some additional. features are: A Sojourner's Impressions of Berlin, by Adeliza Daniels; Jamaica, the Land of Romance, by Allan Eric; A Pioneer Editor's Experience, by John M. Bralnard; Across the Country in a Van, by Mary Avis Scott. The Century.

The Mid-Winter number and a notable one. Mr. Crawford's Story, A Rose of Yesterday, is concluded, and the other series of Dr. Mitchell and Gen. Porter go on.

Some of the complete articles are: Places in New York, by Mrs. Schuyler Van RensBlaer; Monotypes, by William A. Coffin; The Battle of Copenhagen, by Capt. Alfred T. Mahan; In the Desert with the Bedouin, by R.

Talbot Kelly; A Tropic Climb, another article on Jamaica, by Julian Hawthorne; Why the Confederacy Failed, the opinions of seven general officers on both 6ides. The New England. John Coleman Adams opens the number with an article on William Hamilton Gibson, one of the first of American artists, introducing many illustrations. PaperB of more than general interest are: Notes on the Medical History of the Pilgrim Fathers, by Dr. E.

E. Cornwall; The Perkins Institution and Massachusetts school for the blind, by Samuel Eliot; Litchfield, Connecticut, illustrated, by William L. Adam; A Yankee Lord, by Fred E. Keay; A story of Shirley Place, by Ida Ayres. Outing.

A bit of perilous adventure begins the number, Under the Snow, by WilMam B. Cameron; another northern story is 'Way Beyon' de Saskatchewan, by T. G. Randall. Some more good things are: Sara B.

Kennedy's Southern story, Redcoat and Continental; The Wheel in Cuba, by C. F. Sweeney; Grouse Shooting in the Snow, by R. B. Buckham: Horn and Hound in Louisiana, by Andrews Wilkinson; Crosscountry in Southern California, by H.

C. Tinsley; Striking a Tarpon, by J. D. Peabody; Recent Experiments in Infantry Bicycle Corps, by Lieut. J.

A. M088. The Review of Reviews. The editorial review of the progress of the world is always the best and moBt indepenent comment to be found in monthly periodicals. Rudyard Kipling is made the the subject ot a candid critique by Charles D.

Lanier; Browning and the Larger Public is treated in one phase by Dean Farrer and in another by F. Herbert Stead; there is a complete character sketch of the late Gen. Francis Walker by JoBeph A Spencer. Scribner's. The most novel thing in the number Is the appearance of C.

D. Gibson as the writer of notes which accompany his sketches. The contents include: A Great Hotel, by Jesse L. Williams; The City Magistrates' Couits, by Robert C. Cornell; The Last Plan-tagenet, by Senator Lodge; and three short stories, beside the third and fourth chapters of Soldier's of Fortune, Richard Harding Davis's serial.

Lippincott. The complete novel is Under the Pacific, by II. New. It takes the reader to a part of the world he has probably never heard of. The number includes the articles: South Forida Since the Freeze, by R.

G. Robinson: The Dignity of Humor Signs, by Agnes Carr Sage; The Southern Side of the Industrial Question, by Francis A. Doughty; Marrying in the Fifteenth Century, by Emily B. Stone. The Bookman.

This literary maga. zine has made a place for itself and is filling it most acceptably. The 10 departments, all well filled, are: Chronicle and Comment, Poetry, The Reader, London Letter, Paris Letter, Reviews of New Books, Novel Notes, The Bookman's Table, Among the Libraries, and The Book Mart. Art Interchange. There is another superb floral frieze, a combination of Violets and Bride Roses; a second color plate is A Holland Landscape printed in Delft blue.

Pictorial attractions are: A Head ot a Young Woman, from the Louvre; The Infancy of Christ, Sheep in the Dune. The text is varied and of interest to all cultivated readers. St. Nicholas. Some of the many attractions are: A Siberian Scare, by George Kennan; The Birthplace of President Lincoln, by G.

II. Yenowme; Willie and Tad Lincoln, by Julia Taft Bayne; Ah Gau's New Year's Celebration; An Alarm of Fire by Telegraph, by C. T. Hill. Resources ot Texas, The lieutenant governor of Texas, at the opening ot the legislature of that state recently, declared that Texas had 25,000,000 acres of virgin pine forests, and more granite than New Hampshire; that she produced more cotton than any other two of the southern states, more corn than Illinois, and more rice than South Carolina.

And he might have added more liars than California and more Hades than the real place. Minneapolis Journal. Made a Fortune by Politics. That politics make some men and break others is witnessed in the case of Controller Eckles. He was an Illinois lawyer with a moderate practice when appointed controller of the -currency.

He has already won fame and is on the road to fortune, tor when he leaves office on March 4 he will become president of a trust company here at a salary of $25,000 a year. New York Tribune. The Seeley Savages. Hartman of Montana delivered a body blow when, the house having under discussion the Indian appropriation bill, he offered an amendment providing for an appropriation ot for the education and civilization of the "Seeley savages of the Manhattan reservation." Chicago Chronicle. What Altgeld Did.

The Altgeld administration in Illinois succeeded even better in emptying the treasury than the penitentiaries. There are a few convicts left in the latter, whom the model governor did not pardon, but there is not a dollar left in the former. Burlington Hawk' eye. SUNDAY EDITION. X.

W. RICHARDSON Editor 8 DAY. JANUAKY 31. 1837. TEB DAVEITTOBT DEMOCBAT If poblUhod erry cj.

Th Ermxixa Esmox witli Sunday morning Uu la dallrered to cltj lubaertbera at lo notitimk. Bv mall a at the rate tor orter parlodi. Bckdat Kditiow. ty mall fl.ao a year tBsatOKirnra Enrnow It dellTerod in tola 117 at lo ceuU a ww. By mall 93 a year.

Ion Uonmxa asd Ertxrya EnmoNi drllrered to one addrni at IS ceoU a week. Wikklt Editiox. by mail a year. Bejected eommuDlcattoua will Dot be returned BBlew lUu-pa to prepay pottage are received dTertain rate wiu be on appll- caUon. Entered at rostofflce, Dtpcport, Iowa, aa aeeond-elas mall mjt.

EIGHT PAGES The country has bad during the past week all the Ice palace experience It want. It has been rather costly. Davenport's special charter will stay It baa been tried long enough to prove that no general charter could be an Improvement. Idaho' new United States senator is cattleman. The dignified New England mem bera will be afraid to shake bands with him; but then they are lowly getting used to new things.

Senator Unllom of Illinois ought to know a snub when be Eees one, though perhaps by this time they are getting familiar to bim. His cabinet prospects liave been badly frost bitten. The leading newspaper opponents of the Arbitration treaty are the Mew York Sun and the Chicago Tribune, and these happen to be the very two American journals that prefer fighting to peace. Davenport has the shortest delln quent tax llet of any city of equal size, or any where near it, in Iowa. The meaning iB that property owners here Eay their bills before they become de-nquent.

The railroads say they could haul the Immense crop of western corn to the seaboard, and also for shorter distances, if they were permitted to pool. But right here is where the corn growers enter an exception. There are those who object to dancing for chanty. their scruples will be satisfied by a compromise on whist. At all events three thousand BostonianB have decided to try It.

They will meet in one of the largest auditoriums in that city on the 12th of November. One of the railroads on South Dakota that running from Watertown to Huron has not been able to move a train for a month on account of heavy snows. The last trip made was on the 3d of Januaiy. All sorts of expedients have been resorted to in the way of delivering the mails. The quoted price of votes in the Washington legislature is 500.

This la the amount wanted and offered according to the statement of one of the state senators out there. It was spurn" ed; but whether on moral grounds or in the hope of a higher bid the dispatches fall to state. The governors of nine western states have agreed among themselves to attend a banquet to be given by the Marquette club of Chicago on the 12th of February. Gov. Drake is down for a response to this toast: "Iowa They Said She was Doubtful." The feast is to be a republican celebration.

A few days since Gen. S. 13. Buckner of Kentucky, was the guest in Washington of Senator rainier. Taking his 8eat in the gallery.

Gen. Buckner heard Senator Daniel of Virginia, deliver an earnest free silver speech. This made a distinguished trio a presidential ticket and the temporary chairman of the Chicago convention. If Hanna can enforce his order "stopping all political agitation," he will accomplish a monumental piece of good work. The business interests of the entire country have been praying for that very thing ever since the first Tuesday in Mo vember.

The wonder is that it required so much valuable time for Hanna to see the point. Up to date the Davenport Business Men's association is one of the very few organizations in Iowa to declare in favor of the speedy ratification of the Arbitration treaty now pending in the enate. But all over the country simi lar action has been taken, and the list of eminent jurists who have favored the measure begins with the chief justice ot the United States supreme court. eveii'uaurjcey a. uepew, evi Morion, 1 a J.vnd Whitelaw lieid, and several more Hew Yoikers want to go to London and hobnob with the prince of Walts and bis set.

There are many more rich Americans who are willing to pledge themselves in advance to spend In a social way 5 to 10 times the compensation connected with theambassa-dorship, if that would secure to them the appointment. The commission agent ef the agn cultural department who is stationed In London Eays, and furnishes the statistics to prove it, that American cat-. tie command a much higher price in the English meat -consuming country than those from South America, Canada, or any other country. This is not only true at some particular season, but it is true the year round. When it comes to sheep the South American countries stand first in the quality of the mutton they furnish.

Orange growing in Florida has become decidedly uncertain. Two years ago they had a freeze down there which destroyed Eome four million boxes of oranges. Worse than this it killed the trees, and practically all of them for ZOO miles south of Jacksonville, trees that had been growing and bearing for 80 years and more. The gardens were blighted, and everything that grows oat of the ground except the pine trees got caught. The past week another northern blizzard a wept over the penin sula state, and it is feared that the young trees planted since 1S95 have had produced the death of the subject in hand for the benefit ot the living.

The preparation of the body was in part a post mortem study. At the door of their house the relatives rested and laid down the body. Arrangements were to be entered upon. A list ot the prices of articles that wero to enter Intd the work ws to be considered In connection with the quantity and quality of the goodo there selected. The embalmers bad the right to provide everything needful or desirable.

They had linens of various kinds, Lln ens only were used in embalming the dead. They had amulets, chArms, scarabs, and coarse and fine jewelry. They had glass eyes to be set in the outer face-mask9, and pertinent chapters from the Book of the Dead to be enclosed in the wrappings. These things had to be well considered and jjtted down by the scribe. In ordinary there were but three styles of embalming good, better, best.

The first was efficient, but cheap. Common people were entitled to embalmment, but they could expect nothing fine. A forty days' bath in strong nat-tron, some salting, and some very coarse sacking was the extent of their outfit. The second class commanded attention to the extent of about 8390; and the upper classes to a preparation costing a whole 6ilver talent, or about $1,180, as we reckon money; but this sum could be increased indefinitely in case of royalty or superior wealth. Burial customs have not so very much changed since the days of Na-Hont-ku.

Wealth yet fixes the standard. Na-Hont-ku being of royal connection in sotLe way or other, to what extent no one can tell till her wraps are examined, and maybe not then, 6ince evidence that they robbed royal tombs be tore Moses' day, and re-wrapped the mummies, looted of their luxuriance, is common enough; yet it may be safe to say tnat within the forty days that her body remained in the hands ot the embalmers her preparement was ample. Preliminaries having been settled the body was delivered over to the embalmers and the relatives and attendants departed. Tha disrobed body was laid upon the ground. First came the scribe who with his stylus, and upon the left side of the subject, and be-neatn thb last rio, marked the place and extent ot an incision to be made.

M'ext the dissector with his keen Ethiopian flint knife made the opening, then fled for his life, it being considered a capital crime to in any way deface the person ot the children of Ra. In this case it was only a by play in which the missiles and curses hurled at the fleeing dissector portended no harm. Over the aperture the all-seeing eye of virgin born Osiris was painted. An operator then inserted his hand through the aperature and drew forth the iutestines, vitals, liver, and spleen, leaving only the heart and the kidneys. Thetse were carefully examined and cleaned with palm oil and cedar, and strong aromatics in order to prepare them to be returned to the cavity, or put in Canopic vases to be placed in the tomb with the deceased.

By use of a long crooked Dronze probe the region of thb brain was invaded and scull well scooped out. The brains were mixed up with the viscera after thorough treat ment. The cavities were then filled with a preparation of powdered myrrh, cinnamon, cassia, oil of cedar and other aromatic and preservative spices and drugs. With needle and tnread the aperture was securely closed, the body well salted, then plunged in a bath of natron, sodium cabonate, for a ppace of five weeks. This treatment destroyed all adipose tissue, leaving little but muscle and bones.

Hair, eyebrows, and nails were slightly discolored, but all well preserved. The embalmers' work having been done, the well oiled body passed into the hands of the wrappers, who proceeded to apply linen cloths, bands, shrouds, and tapes. The irregularities of the body were padded by means of linen cloths folded and treated with prepared bitumen, and the body was then swathed with narrow cloth. Over this came a piece of fine linen, reaching Irom the top ot the head to the bottom of the feet, on which was re corded the name of some great priest of the time, or eome sort of personal cartouche. Over this came two covers of narrow wrappings skillfully adjusted and waxed.

Folds were secured with pieces of waxed tape. Then followed another long shroud carefully secured by short, narrow bands, followed by another long, narrow, band, bound round the body several times. During all this wrapping the bandages were kept slightly wetted, the better to conform to the contour of the body and padding applied here and there, to preserve its proper shape. Powdered natron was often sprinkled about the wrappings as a thorough preservative from decay. Some of the bands were striped in different widths near the selveges in indigo blue, and very tew wraps were fringed at the ends.

Over her heart a royal scarab was placed within the wraps as a sure protection against the influence of spirits of evil, and at different points sacred amulets and efficacious charms were deposited together with texts from the religious writings to accelerate pious influences. Each hand held a. scarab of her dynastic connection; the eyebrows and eyelashes were treated with a dark powder, and her finger nails with henna. Over all the wraps and bandages a fine sere-cloth was drawn and well fixed In its place by bits of tape, the loose ends of which were Becurely gummed down. The outer envelope was of a coarse material like modern sacking.

The name of the dead, if any was given, was on the second wrap. The finest fabric was next to the last that was applied. Speaking of fineness of fabric employed, the quality varied. It was stated of old that the Egyptian invented weaving fine linens. Just how tine they succeeded in producing them will never be known.

It is not to be presumed that tney made use ot the finest for mummy wraps any more than we use our finest loom work in preparing our dead tor the grave. Their weaving was unique. Thewaip and the welt were ever unequal in count of threads to the square inch, the former exceeding the latter twice, thrice, sometimes four times, though in all cases the selveges were firmly and evenly formed. As a rule the thread of good mummy cloths was finely and evenly spun, often showing two threads twisted together in the warp, the weft thread being singie. Some samples show 96 threads of warp to 41 of weft to the square inch.

Others 96 to 34; 120 to 40; 140 to 64; 152 to 71; and the fiuest yet mentioned, so far as we know, shows 270 double threaded, or 540 single threaded warp to 110 threaded weft to the inch. This by no means indicates that it was the finest of their fabrics in linen, since that was not in fair probability used for cerements. So far as we know the finest woven linen of modern times counts about 640 threads to the inch, warp and weft uniform in count. Such find no place among grave clothes. The Egyptian with his rude hand loom, may have woven as t)nely or finer, but if bo the samples have been destroyed.

It is only the mummying art, (mummy cornea from the Persian word mum, meaning wax,) that has preserved to us the sample mentioned. Having passed through the hands of the embalmers and wrappers, the mummied form of Na-Hont-ku, properly masked and perfumed, was returned to THE CONDITION OF AFFAIRS AGAINST RAILROADS. Hundreds of Thousands of Men Thrown Out of Work Steady Lowering of Kevenne From Freight and Passenger TruHlc A Story In Figures. Robert P. Porter in the New York Sun.

The latest general calance sheet of the railways of the United States gives us a total valuation rif railway property close to twelve thousand millions of dollars and over one hundred and eighty thousand miles of road. Next to our farms, whose value aggregates thirteen thousand millions, these great properties will form, at the close of the century, the most valuable assets of the republic. The capital invested in our manufactures is less than half that invested in railways, and yet the condition of our manufactures, if we may judge from the frequent tariff agitation, seems to command much more public attention. The construction of these great systems ot transportation has played an important, if not the most important, part in the progress of the nation during the last half century. By the ex tension of these railways population has been distributed, large areas of country have been opened to cultivation, cities built, manufactures developed, foreign trade increased and the varied products of our vast domain brought irom tropical and frigid zones to the temperate region of densest population.

In short the laying of the track and the penetration ot the locomotive have kept time with the building of the nation itself. Within the last few weeks the ways and means committees have granted hearings at Washington to those representing our several industries. In read ing the published testimony one is struck with the deplorable accounts given of the condition of many branches of manufacture. Low tariff and cheap foreign labor have played havoc with American labor and production. That is undoubtedly true.

And the remedy asked for Is increased protection a duty sufficient to enable the American manufacturer to pay a living wage and compete with foreign rivals. While not occupying the public mind to any thing like the same extent as the manufacturer, the American railroad is in as bad, if nut in a worse plight. If congress would only extend its hearings to railways, the stories of the recent tariff hearings could be repeated with emphasis on a larger and even more impressive scale. There would be accounts of loss of earnings, reduction ot rates below the paying point, actual 1ob8 on passenger traffic, deterioration of roadbed, reduction in the number of employes, others working half time, receiverships, foreclosure sales, practically half of this enormous investment bringing noreturns.and the blight of insolvency steadily settling down upon our entire system. The losses and disasters arising from these conditions have been widespread and far-reaching.

In the first place, it is undoubtedly true that ho other industry is so large a business carried on upon so small a banking account. A railway company is a great distributor, not only ot passengers and freight, but also of money. As fast as its earnings come in they go out again. First, we have the army of direct employes, which reached nearly 875,000 a few years ago, but has been reduced fully 100,000. With continued prosperity our railway system would have today furnished direct employment to at least 1,000,000 employed.

This, however, gives but an imperfect idea of the number employed indirectly, that is, in car shops and locomotive works and equipment shops ot ail kinds, blast furnaces, rail mills, and a myriad industries dependent upon the railways for their prosperity. As the percentage of increase in equipment has? been reduced from 10 per cent in 1890 to an actual decrease in 1895, it may be safely assumed that thousands indirectly engaged have been thrown out ot employment. A perusal of the statistics of railways as compiled by the United States government 6hows conclusively that under existing conditions most of our railways are running behind, and the few that are apparently holding their own are far irom hopeful for the future. Economical management is one thing, but forcod econom ics can only result in a deterioration of the property. or a tew years some ot our older railways can thus economize, but it is only by continued and liberal expenditure of money that track, roadbed, bridges, equipment, and rolling stock can be kept up to date and in eood running order.

The loss to labor has been enormous, and it is important that railway employes ot all grades should study this side of the question. With freight and passenger rates less than those of European countries, where labor receives about half the American rates, how long will our railways be able to tide along with reduced forces and three quarter time? Un less the decline in receipts is stopped, wages must be reduced, and then the trouble will begin, lakmg an army of 200,000 men out of active employment in one occupation is a pretty serious business. That means an annual loss iu wages alone of not less than 8150,000,000. Here wa have the direct lose. The indirect loss comes from the irreparable injury to the properties by reason of not keeping them up, ultimately entailing additional losses.

The reduction of rates between 1890 and 1895 represents a loss of revenue of over 8100.000,000815,500,000 in passenger traffic and 87,000,000 in freight traffic. Of course, this sum was re mitted to the people of the United States, but the question is, can the people afford to force an industry in which nearly one-fifth, or 20 per cent, of the total wealth of the country is invested to a point where nearly half the stock and bonds pay nothing in dividend and interest, and the current expenses must be reduced below the safety point. This is the problem the people will Boon have to face in relation to our railways. Should we carry these facts back to 1887, we have a loss to the railways of about 8150,000,000. That is if the same rate for passenger and for freight existed in 1895 as in 1887, the receipts from these two sources would have been that much in excess of what they actually were In 1895.

1 am officially informed that freight rates for 18 will average even lower than in 1895 The loss of dividends and of interest on bonds brings hardships to hundreds of thousands of people of limited means who have invested in these securities. This is no less severe than the loss of work and wages to the laborer. The latest report shows that 70 per cent, or over two-thirds (an aggregate of nearly of all the outstanding stock of these corporations paid nothing in 1895. The same is true ot 17 per cent of the bonds. A careful study of these railway budgets would bring out the appalling fact that probably half of these investments are non-productive certainly five thousand millions of them.

The gloomy list of non-divided paying stocks has ot late years been gaining from about 60 per cent 10 years ago to upward ot 70 per cent now. While this decrease of rates has been going on, the cost of running trains has not similarly decreased, and herein lies the danger. In commenting on this, H. T. Newcomb, of the United States agricultural department, says in an admirable article in the Journal of the American Statistical association: "These statistics of decreasing returns to investors, financial disaster and widespread insolvency clearly indicate that the present railway charges are not too high, unless it is desirable to reduce all railway corporations to a uniform condition of hopeless bank Nearly a llundrr.l In the Ust Great llrlt-aln ana tli I'nltPil States Ilavn Taken the Lrf-atl The Movement Iotlorted by Other Nation.

Tho treaty signed by Secretary Olnoy and Embassador Pauuoofoto may be regarded its the outgrowth of a series of arbitration treaties between Great Britain and the United States. No less than nine disputes between tho two countricn have been nettled in this way. Tho firct was iu reference to tho St. Croix river and lakn boundaries. Tho matter wa referred iu 181U to throe commissioner! and their finding was nocepted by th two nations.

Two years later a dispiito over the restoration of slaves in possession of tho British at tho tinio of thn ratification of the treaty of Ghent wan submitted to the emperor of Russia. I lo decided iu favor of the United State, and (treat Britain paid us $1. 20 1,000. The king of the Net herlauds umpired a boundary dispute for the two countries In 1S57. His derision was not Batisfao-tory to Irni'li Sam.

but the matter was BmiOalily not I led. The next arbitration treaty was over the value of the slaves who captured the nhiii Creole in failed to a British poll and were there set free. America won in this- a-c. In IHliU the Hudson ay and I'uget sound claims were submitted to arbitration, and was paid to those companies as a result. Tho niiwt important tribunal o' its kind was the one that sal at Ui neva in and sillied the Alabama claims, awarding I he American government $15,000,000.

Three oiher dispute between the two countries were submitted to arbitration the year. One was about claims arising out of our civil war. The commission awarded Groat Britain i'HSO. 000. The San Juan controversy was decided by the emperor of Germany in our favor.

The third dispute was over the Nova Scotia fisheries, Great Britain receiving 000,000. In 1891 long pending controversy over the Bering seu fisheries was settled by arbitration. Some 70 other international disputes have been submitted to arbitration since 1816, und in fully half of the cases either the United Slates or Grout Britain was party to the controversy. We have had three sueh settlements with Peru, two with Costa Kicn, two with Colombia, four with Spain, two with Denmark, two with Mexico and one each with France. Portugal, Chile, Paraguay, Ecuador, Venezuela, Haiti und Marocco.

Great Britain has been Rim ilarly interested in three eases with Fiance, three with Portugal, two with Bni7.il, one with Spain, one with Peru, one with Nicarauga and oue with Li beria. These disputes were all settled amicably, and except in one or two cas' the finding of the arbitration romniis sion was accepted by both parties to tlm controversy. Uncle. Sam and John Bull have also had hand in the amicable settlement, of a number of th international dilli-culties, but in a different way England decided a controversy for France ami Mexico iu lS.T.t. The disputed Ismndaiy claims of Italy and Switzerland in is4 were decided in Italy's favor" by a representative of this country ut Rome.

In the same year representatives of the British government settled a dispute between China and Japan and another between Persia and Afghanistan A second controversy between China and Japan was submitted to ex-President Grant for arbitration in 1 H79. About the same time, or a little later, Chile got into trouble with two countries Colombia and Argentine Republic on different matters, and Uncle Sam was called on. He decided one case iu 1BS0 and the other the following year, both satisfactorily to the parties to tho controversy. A representative of tho British government acted as arl iter for two African natious in 1 and four years Inter war between lie shah of Persia and the emir of Afghanistan was avert ed in a similar manner, both accepting the decision of the British referee. President Cleveland settled a boundary dis pnte during his first administration between Nicaragua and Costa ltica, and President Harrison fixed the boundary between Brazil and one of the provinces of Argentina.

Great Britain has decided several di pntes between tho United States and other countries, some iu our favor and soino against us. In 1S70 President Grant refereed a dispute between Grei Britain and Portugal and decided in i vor of the little country. The list of nations that have submit ted to arbitration includes nearly ever one of importance in tho world sid tho countries named, there are Genua ny, Turkey, Greece, Hollaud, Russia, Belgium and Bolivia. The notable ex ptions are Austria-Hungary and th two countries ruled by King Oscar, who has been selected for final umpire in the disputes to be nettled under the arbitration treaty now before the United States senate. St.

Louis PERSONALITIES. W. IX Whitney's children, it is ad, are still wholly unreconciled to his marriage. Lord Salisbury turns the scale at 252 pounds. Mr.

Gladstone, on tho other hand, weighs less than 117 pounds. There are now only two ex-judges in England. Theso surviving ex-occupants of the bench are Lord Field and Sir Edward Fry. Two names that recently appeared iu the records of transfers of real estate in Rochester wero those of Educated M. Learned and Christ Auiboni.

A French Canadian couple, Louis and his wife, now living in St. Paul, recently celebrated the eightieth auni versary of their marriage. The husband is 107 years of age, and his wife is 101. Jean de Iteszkc, the famous tenor, is a rich man and is said to have made 95, 000 on his racing stable alone last year. His artistic career has been crowned with enough achiovementa to satisfy any man.

Tho late Judgo Elmer S. Dundy of tho federal court for tho district of Nebraska at one timo had himself carried to court while suffering with a broken leg to prevent another judge from trying the case. President Diaz, since his recent fifth inauguration, has been on a tour of the country. It was a triumphal tour, for everywhere the popular president wa received with great acclaim by assem bled thousands. The celebrated Professor Agassiz, when offered a higher salary if he would remove to another position than the one he was so laboriously and faithfully filling, replied, "I cannot afford towaat my time making money.

Mr. Swinburne's mother, who waa buried in the lovely little cemetery of Bonchurch recently, was a very charming and delightful woman. Even at her advanced age she was considerably over 80 she preserved a keen lntret In Utocatura and art. than those incurred for keepiug up the quality of the track, rolling stock, and signalling apparatus; and when de- pleted revenuos enforse upon railway1 managers the necessity of immediate i rptrpiinnment th Inttnr ara tniur lilrulu to suffer. The interstate commerce commission statistics 6how that this is just what did happen, and that in one year oT great retieuchment over 51 pei cent of the reductions were taken from expenditures incident to the maintenance of way, structures, and tq uipment, though these combined constituted less than 37 per cent of the total cost, of operation.

The following table showB clearly that rates are being steadily reduced: Hpveuuf? Ifpvenue for icis.stmunr ton of fic't per mile. per nil.e. 18IX) V.IU7 (Wilts IHM't 2.U2 cents wilt 18J a.rjfi cents cent I "93 a.Uc"Uls IWH 1.9 ti cent cell I liS cuuts And a further reduction for 1790. With the exception of 1894, passenger rates reached their lowest iu 1895, while freight rates, Bave for a small rally in 1892, are Bteadily coming down. When compared with foreign countries, our rates are indeed low.

it is said that it the Pennsylvania Kailroad company could secure the same rates as the London and Northwestern company the annual earnings would be increased 812,000,000. George li. Blauch-ard, in his recent testimony before the interstate commerce committee of the senate, said that had uur railways collected the lowest of the European charges, we would have received 8370, 000,000 more than we did receive. This calculation was based on the figures of 1892. The figures of 189i, which are lower for the United States, would make a greater difference.

The impartial stuuent of these data must be struck with the necessity of commercial as well as industrial reconstruction. The census reports of 1888 and 1890 and the statistics of the interstate commerce commission, all ot which are uuitorm, together with the valuable reports of II. V. 1'oor, give us matetiai on which to base a thorough inquiry. The presidents and other ofli cers who have charge of these great properties ehould have the same opportunity to be heard as the manufacturing industries.

So far as I can learn, there is no desire on the part of railway managers to generally raise rates. Theie is, howevtr, a widespread belief that rock bottom prices have been reached, and that anything, even the merest sha'ie lower, will bo absolutely ruinous. -The people of the United State-, including the million who should be directly engaged in transportation, the shippers and the ruauu faclurers, might as well realize now as when destruction has set in that our railway system cannot lose another of income in 10 years -an aveiage of 815,000,000 a year without sweeping down with it the very interests which sustain these roa ls. The iact is, another twis-t or so in the downward direction will simply kill the goose that lays the golden tggs. W.nen the revenues of railwaysare msuUi lent to keep up the propeities, to pay the legitimate interest, to give even a small return oa the 6tock, to pay American wages to the employes, to give erap.oy-ment to an increasing number of people instead of to a smaller number, allied industries must languish.

And tne industries dependent upon rail ways are numerous and take a wide range. The case against the railways is a familiar one. Those who realize these new conditions have no excuses or apologies for past mismanagement nor ior the methods by wbicn some of these roads were builr. Whatever maybe said of those wh built railways far in advance of population or for purposes other than legitimate trade, we have, on the other hand, equally to blame the cities and towns and counties and individuals who were readv to mortgage the future to help along the work. In a large measure the wind and the water ana the fraud have been squeezed out of these prop erties.

In their place new and honestly acquired capital in the shape of enfoiced loans fr in bondhold ers and forced ussessment of stockholders has been invested. Foreclosures, the sheriff, and the courts have wiped out much of the inflated values, and new capital, with reorganiz ition for business purposes, has followed. Surely no oue will deny that the consolidation and changes, say of the last decade, have been beneficial. There 18 more uniform action than ever before. Butter business principles prevail.

The public have never been 60 well and so cheaply served as now. Considering the hard times, the discharges, the reduced time, there has never existed better feeling between the railway employes and the otlicers than at present. The loss of of income in five yeare must have been a staggering blow. A continuation of this sort of thing would simply destroy much of our wealth and a-rest the progress of the republic, it is Important that the people of the United States should realize this situation. The facts herein brought out should be borne in mind fn any discussion ot the railway problem, whether for the purpose of state legislation, for the modification of our interstate commerce act, or for the purpose of giving additional employment and more steady wages to the million that should be directly employed by our railway system, and to the additional hundreds of thousands who, under normal conditions, should be kept busy in the allied industries.

To ignore these facts will work a great injury and place aildition-af obstacles fn the way of a return to prosperity. STAGE GLINTS. Madelino Merli expects shortly to produce a play on the Cuban war. E. M.

Alfrieud and A. C. Wheeler's new play is scheduled for production in February. Clay Clement is at work on a roman-tio comedy to bo called "A Southern Gentleman. Howard P.

Taylor is said to bave received two offers for his new play, "Society Shadows," produced at the Savoy theater, New York. Marguerite Sylva of Herbert Beer-bohm Tree's company will remain in New York to appear, it is said, in com-io opera at the Casino. Mary Mannering, the new leading lady of the New York Lyceum company, was professionally known iu England as Florence Friend. Louis N. Parker, the famous English playwright, has arrived in New York from London to supervise the American production of a new play.

Mrs. Adelaide Herrmann, wife of the late Profe-sor Alexander Herrmann, be declined a testimonial benefit performance which was offered to her by friends. Mrs. Henry E. Abbey will return to the stage aa Florence Gerard at the London Strand theater in John Sleeper Clarke'- revival of "The Prodigal Father." Pauline O.

Bust of Boston and Dora Davidson of Charles Frobman'a forces ham written a drama entitled "An Exchange of IderjK-" The play treat of theoaopby. ot sheer destitution. But the question recurs; it is forcing itself home in all the larger cities ot the at this particular time. How can what most humane Dereons want to san rlnnn ho accomplished? A WORD. "Buttery." A very well known and highly honored word, and is generally supposed to be well understood as meaning a place in every well ordered household for miscellaneous provisions suited to the wants of the inner man, particularly for butter.

The conclusion is erroneous. The word has no such derivation. Oriirinallv it had nothing to do with the bovine product. It is a corruption of the old Middle English word, botelrie, or butlery, a small room set apart for bottles; the butler 's-bottler's-room where the bottled stores of family beer were kept and handed out across the 'butlery bar, which bar was a narrow shelf upon the top of the half door or 'butlery-hatch' upon which the beer mugs were served out. The room was what is now currently known, in name largely, Bince many a modern butler's pantry has neither bot tles or butler about, as the butler's pantry.

But as butter went with bread, and as a slice of buttered bread was a close companion of a mug of cool, foaming beer; so, as the bottles left their racks to reappear no more in the bottle room, and though the butler, to a very large extent, was dropped from the list of family servants, the necessary and useful bread and butter maintained their ground; hence by an easy shift of a single letter the change uuuerj mio ouuery was reaaiiy accomplished. Another instance of the survival of the fittest. a Been ftruit been kUIed. Of course the Florida growers are not the only victims cold wave, but the cattlemen on they also took note of the causes that X'. 1 -a..