The Pontypridd Chronicle and Workman's News

A little boy named Cook has been drowned in a pit of water in Boughton, Chester. A fire broke out the other night in the buildings connected with the salt works at Bex. Considerable damage has been done, and work has to be sus- pended in consequence.

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r. TOPICS OF uti, WEEK. ,f A# one o* two magistrates appear unable to I roa&d t&fr absolute nedjssity of either muzzling I' dogs or leading them in snch a way as to have them «axier perfect coatro], it may bo well to draw further attention lo the awful conse- quence* which 90 often follow the attack of a rabid animal. It is still argued try a few ob- etinate people that hydrophobia ia ugtally the result of fright, and if that were really so M. result of fright, and if that were really so M. Pasteur's treatment would, of course, be absurd ) in the extreme. But repeated instances have •hown that the dreaded disease has ho obonec- tion whatever with nervous apprehension. The fact that everybody doetf not go mad who has been bitten by a rabid ddg' is no more a proof that there is nothing serious to bci dreaded from such an attack thdn is thd fact that some peo- ple may come into contact without result, with a person suffering from a bigfaly-rafoctious fever. The case to which w* wtitrid wsw direct notice is that which has Occupied Inattention of a coroner's jury. Charles Williamson was bittett by a toad dog ftxily eleven months ago, and fe tfie wonnd waa at cauterised, the man gave himself no further concert about the matter, I There cannofoe'adoubt as to the condition of the ;aiaitnar,w £ U6ttv^ 'subsequently destroyed, for a (arrfaige iiog and s&Veral catf which were bitten at the'time'« stated to havejteoo me rabid. The developmant of hy- drophobia &fter so lob| in itftbHat ks eleven montts is eztrdmely'iUre( if |tot indeed alto* gethek unknown aiixttlft appalling'suffering of the victim eeem to have befen eVeo more in- tense than usual It required five Men to hold down the dying man, andiii^ barking was hor- rible tohear. Surely no sentimental considera- tions, lor the comfort of dogs ishouilfl induce anyone to expose his fellow creatures to the risk of such a death as that described ia eourt the other day.

To colomal works of the Gas light and Coke Company at Beckton, which 'have been visited by the members of the Institute of Mechanical Enfineers; afford a remarkable illustration of tne rapidity with which certain new industries have developed in thler country during ft time within the theiUory of lnen still living. In fact, there are a good many men yet to the fore who can remember when the streets of London were lighted with oil, and when the homely rushlight was a popular ilia- minant The demand for the brilliant product of coaUgacuhowever. is now so enormous that the Gas Light and Coke Company done consume annually nearly two million tons of coal in its manufacture. The works at Beckton are the largest of their kind in the world, and, as one of the Belgian delegates to the Mechanical Engineert Conference remarked, the company produce enough gas to light all Belgium. There is storage for no less than eleven million cubic feet of gas at the Beckton Works. Amongst the chief causes of the rapid development of the gas manufacture have undoubtedly been the j important discoveries that have been made for the utilisation of the waste products of the coal carbonised in the process of gas manufac- ture. These products, IB fact, are in the aggre- §ate as valuable as the original coal which pro- uces them. Possibly the time may not be far distant when sugar will be produced in con- siderable quantities from the coal used at our various gasworks. The Mechanical Engineers were shown samples of the aqueous saccharine which the Gas Light and Coke Company have succeeded in extracting from coal. This pro- duct has sweetening properties many times greater than those of ordinary sugar, but un- fortunately the cost of its production is at pre- sent too serious to permit of its utilisation as a substitute for sugar. The Germans, however, are making experiments which they hope will result in greatly cheapening the process of ex- traction. Considering the great value of the various products of the coal used by the gas companies, it is strange that they do not see their way clear to a considerable reduction in the price of gas. The Plymouth Gas Company, notwithstanding that they are farther away from the coalfields than the London companies, charge only one and tenpence per thousand feet for gas, and yet pay the maximum dividend. I

THERE are some old-fashioned people even now who decline to travel on a railway because of the risks they are supposed to run. What that risk is may be seen in the General Report of the Board of Trade on the railway accidents which occurred in the United Kingdom during the year 1885. From this report we learn that the total number of passenger journeys, ex- clusive of journeys by season-ticket holders, was 697,213,031 for the year 1886, or 2.221,171 more than in the previous year. Calculated on these figures, the proportions of passengers killed and injured during the year from all causes, were in round numbers 1 in 6,835,421 killed, and 1 in 617,549 injured." This is more favourable even than the returns for 1884, when the proportion,. were i in 5,148,088 killed, and 1 in 466,124 in. i jured. It would be interesting to compare these figures with a return of accidents to passengers .1 in the pre-railway days, but it is at least certain that the comparison would be immensely in favour of the present mode of travelling. We must bear in mind,too,that many accidents occui to persons through their own fault entirely, and that the railway management is absolutely free from responsibility respecting them. The large decrease in the number of accidents is attri- buted by the Board of Trade to the continued care and attention of the officers and servants of the railway companies, to the laying of addi- tional lines of way, the enlarging and rearrang- ing of stations, the extention of the interlock- ing and block systems, the adoption—as yet only experimentally-of electrical contrivances for the prevention of mistakes in block working, and, lastly, the larger use of continuous brakes on passenger trains." This is an official eulo- gium with which both the railway companies and the public have every reason to be satis- fied. From the public point of view it is most satisfactory to find that so much has been done during the past year to increase the security of satisfactory to find that so much has been done during the past year to increase the security of railway travelling, and the figures which we have quoted show that marked success has re- sulted from the improvements effected. Wo learn, however, that much remains to be accom- plished. The block system, which is so condu- cive to safety, has been only partially adopted and in Ireland, according to the Board of Trade. the progress made in this respect is far from I satisfactory. Then it has been ascertained! that in some cases accidents might have been prevented or their effects mitigated had trains been fitted with quickly-acting continuoui brakes." Still, the immunity from accident has been remarkable, and the public may be coc- tent to know that the process of improvement i is still going on. i

NEWS IN BRIEF. Paris contains over 42,000 "artists" of all grades. Count Menabrea, the Italian Ambassador, has left for Switzerland and Savoy on leave of absence. The Emperor ofeRussia has sent 40,000 roubles to the Pasteur Institute, the total subscription to which now amounts t > £ 04,000. Forty houses have been destroyed by fire at Bourg St. Augustin. The loss is not yet known. Several persons are reported to be injured. The American war vessel Mohican is about to proceed to Auckland and Samoa in connection with the Commission for the settlement of Samoan at: airs. A New York telegram announces that the town of Hares, in Sonora (Mexico), is reported to have been swept away by floods. The population numbered 700. A MtMet of geH, reeiatly found bf Mine Chinese ninort ia Sierra oounty, Cei, woignod lS&Nt, and old for 36,000 dels, aaid to said to be the third argeaf ever found. Th* flag officer's good servfee pensioU of je300a rear, vacant by the death of Admiral Sir William King Hull, lias boon conferred upM Admiral the Hon. A. A. L. P. Cochrane, C. B. j The Chief Constable of Hull (Major Gilbert) has resigned his position, having been appointed a dill- trict superintendent of the Metropolitan Police by I Sir Charles Warren, at a salary of £ 800 per annum. At Carlsruhe, the other day a four-storeyed house, which was approaching completion, collapsed and buried the workmen, killing a good many. At the instance of the Public l'rosecntor (he architect has been arrested. Mr. Wilson Barrett has been entertained at Hull at a public luncheon—about one hundred ladies and gentlemen being present--and a testimonial pre- sented to him. Sir Albert Romt, M.P.presided upon the occasion. The pot*on in the colouring matter of a red silk handkerchief, used by a young man in Broadliead, Wik, to wrap ever a wound in his arm, so, affected hit whole system that his. condition was a few days ago reported precarioua M. do Beaufort's "Life of 1'Abbe Liszt," which is to be issued shortly will tell the story of the ael. venturoua li/c of ihe matttro from the cradle to tlie grave, and will contain information that has hitherto been inaccessible to English readers. A Pierre (I)Mkoiti) jary has a new name for suicide. At a recent coroner's inquest the jury brought in the following verdict: We, the jury, do find that she came to her death by felonious intent to hereafter dwell in the happy hunting-ground." The wife of a miller at Peterborough hasbeen safely detitered'41 tfiree childsenat a birth. One has sinoc died, but tha ether two, with the mother, are doing wet]. This is the second birth of triplets at Peter- borough within about six months. A selection ef Ptincipal Tulloch's sermons is in the press, contisting +t discourses preached at St Andrew's, at Edinburgh, before the General Assem- bly, and before the Queen at Balmoral, and in Crathie Church. Hessra Blackwood are to be the publishers. MiM Ktte Greeaaway hat been at work on a series of designs to illustrate wtory by Bret Harte, entitled "The Queen of the Pirate Isle." The re- productions are to be made in colours by Mr. Edward Evan a The book will be issued shortly by Messra Chatto and Windus. A Vienna correspondent telegraphs that one of the saltiest of Austrian journalists, Leo Druxer, thirtyk-flve years of age, has been killed by acci- dentally falling out of the window of his hotel at lnteclakew. If is supposed that he had a fit of somnambulism. Some comment has been occasioned by the omis- sion of the name, of Mr. Somers Vine from the re- cent shower of honours There is reason, however, to believe that the general agent of the Colonial and Indian Exhibition will receive the offer of knight- hood at the new year. According to a native newspaper, a leading Japaa- pso manufacturer is about to submit to the English book dealers a series of Japanese picture books for children with an English text. The first issue is entitled "Hanasaki Jiji" (the old man who made the (Jéad tree blossom). By the revised Royal Warrants which, says a cor- respondent, will be issued to the public shortly, second lieutenant-colonelcies will be abolished, and there will be a similar order respecting junior majors. The command of all regiments will, in future, be retained for not less than seven years. At Caermurphy, the village school has • been broken into, during the absence of the master, who is on his holidays. The windows were smashed, and the maps and furniture were broken and rendered wholly useless. It is stated that the schoolmaster had not been on good terms with his neighbours. The other evening a very heavy storm occurred at Cambridge, and nearly an inch and a half of rain was registered as falling within three hours in the town. Some of the country districts had a more severe experience, especially about Cottenham, and the conveyance of garden produce to market was stopped. A New York correspondent telegrapha:— Mr. Irving has been entertained at Newport by Mr. Bancroft, the historian, who introduced himself cheerfully as nearer ninety than eighty years old. He discussed Shakespeare with Mr. Irving with much animation, contrasting Mr. Irving's Hamlet with Talma's, that he saw in Paris sixty years ago. Mr. Simon M'Auliffe, an owner of salmon weirs on the Shannon, has been prosecuted before the magistrates at Knock, at the instance of the Limerick Fishery Conservators, for offences against i the Fishery Laws, the allegation being that the defendant had fished his weirs during the close sea- son. The offences were proved by special bailiffs, and the defendant was fined X70 and costs. At Dublin, Superintendent Thorpe charged Wil- liam Coleman, who had charge of a traction engine with having, when he was passing by the engine, maliciously opened a steam valve, and caused him severe hurt, by a jet of steam and smoke which shot out striking him in the face and chest. A sergeant in his company was scalded. As the accused did not appear, a warrant was issued for his apprehen- sion. Sir John Kirk has now arrived in England from Zanzibar. Although no definite arrangement ha* been made, it is considered as morally certain that he will not return to his old post. A rearrangnient of the consular staff at Zanzibar will in that event take place, and it is not improbable that an important appointment will be offered to Mr. Joseph Thomson, whom circumstances have made exceptionally fami- liar with this region of Africa. A cabman named Minnett has died in the Royal Infirmary, Liverpool, from terrible injuries sustained in Lime Street Station. On separating from some comrades on the rank he said he was going a long journey. He then went into Lime Street Station, leaped on the line as a London train was coming in, and was lying down in the line when the engine jauglit him. He sustained terrible injuries, one hand being severed at the wrist. Nine of the crew of the steamer Sydenham, of Newcastle, which was run down off North Birlings by the screw-steamer Lovaine, of North Sliielda have arrived at Shields. The collision took place at night, during a dense fog. The Lovaine struck the Sydenham forward on the port side, cutting her down to the water's edge. A man named Clarke was killed by the decks blowing up, and Captain Ilobson, ,of the Sydenham, narrowly escaped through remaining on his vessel to the last moment. Up to the present no trace had been obtained of the missing young German woman, Mrs. Barens, or her little girl Annie Barens. The police are trying very hard to trace the whole of Baren's movements, not only since the time at which he alleges he threw his wife and child over Lambeth Bridge, but alsc before. It is known that he has had the revolver found upon him for a considerable time, and it is considered singular that when he was found under I a bush at Pecklmm one chamber has been dia- charged. Anglers in many parts of Yorkshire have lately been complaining of the great destruction of fish caused by otters, and in order to put a stop to the depredations of these animals the Ivendal Otter, Hunt Club accepted an invitation to visit the vari- ous rivers of the county. Mr. Wilson, of Dellam Tower, High Sheriff of Westmoreland, is master of the pack, which, under the charge of "Bobby," the huntsman, has had a large following in the field. The Wharfedale district is now being worked. I The largest otter killed up to the present scaled 281b. At the last meeting of the Bangor and Beaumaris Boartl of Guardians it was reported that the extra- ordinary audit directed by the Local Government Board into the accounts of Hugh T. Roberts, the rate collector for the parish of Bangor, showed de- falcations approximating £ 1,200. A moiety of this would be covered by the sureties given by iloberts, and to cover the deficiency a special rate of 3s. 6d. would be required. It was stated that there was still no clue to the whereabouts of Roberts, .who ab- sconded three months ago. A warrant is out against him. At the Police Court, Newport (Mon.) Thomas Lynch, proprietor of the Universal Club, has been charged with selling beer without a license. The town clerk prosecuted, and produced evidence show- ing that defendant five weeks since started one of the worst kinds of unlicensed drinking houses, under: the name of a club, where people sang, danced, and shouted all night long, so that the immediate neighbourhood could get no sleep, and complained tothe police. A decoy was used, and was supplied with beer early on Sunday morning. The police followed and found twenty men there, two being drunk. The Bench fined the defendant jEoO or one jnonth.

FACTS AND FANCIES. A Boy's First BeL-Alphabet. When is a plant to be drvaded more than a oak- teg ?—Whca it ie madder. "Much remains unsung," as a torn cat said whea brickbat cut short his serenade. How 91ay a man be known from a fatigue dogt One wears trousers, the other pants. Why is a kiss liks a rumour ? Because it goea from mouth to mouth. When is a lover like a tailor ?—When he presaet his suit. A wit being asked, on the failure of a bank, "Were you net upset?" replied, "No, I only lost my balancc." 14 So you prefer my medicines to those of Dr. Pilsbury ?" said a pliysiciaa to a patient, who re- plied, Och, indade, docthor dear, ye're a dale better than th' other ould humbug 1" Sober passenger, angrily: "Look where you deN IDAn1" Tipaypaaaenger, apologetically: Y-yea i do.; the tr- trouble is to—hie—step where I look." Dear Tim,—I am sending you my old coat by parcels post. I have cut off the buttons, because it will make it lighter. You will find them in the breast pocket.- Yourfl, &c., Pat." There are menny things in the Bible that we kan't komprehend so thare iz in the life and adven- tures ov a kockroach; therefore let us set down an# not git agitated. Different sounds travel with different velocity. A eajl to dinner will run over a ten-acre lot in a moment and a half, while a summons to return tt work talfes from five to fight minutes. Do you play whist ? they asked a venerable member of the Gothic Club, Richmond, at a country house where he wae stopping reueatty. 44 Play wlustI" indignantly retorted the veteran. H Why# it's the business of tnjr life 1 tt "You've destroyed my peace of mind, Betsy, said a desponding lover to a trtiant lass. It cant you maoii. harm, John, for Itwas an amaiiqf small piece you had, any way," answered Betsy. An Englishman who was travelling in America was druck", by the Universal application of the term "gentleman" in that. country, and inquired of aft American friend who really were "gentlemen'" 18 the States. Wal, I guess every one who iW* a, lady I" was the reply. Scene—Scotch smallware shop. Good-looking young widow, to haughty school-board inspector, who is constantly hunting her truant children infa school: Aum beginin' tae think, sirr, it's no' th* bairns sae muckle ye're comin' efter; it's maa&* Precipitate exit of school-board intpector. ONLY A DUDE. It was only a dude who came up to-day, Then a gust of wind came and blew it away White were its hands as the December snow, It Wanted to stay, but the wind made it go. Only a dude, with its cane in its mouth, And it choked on the knob as the wind blew it sovtlft Pale was its forehead and slim were its pants j They were made from a garter of one of his auntfc Only a dude, in the height of his pride, And it tripped Oil a hair, and it feU down and die* We searched in its pockets for money in vain, It bad no more money than the poor thing had brtlt It was only a dude, and they laid it away Robed in a tape-line, it's deeping to-day Only a dude, and | sleeps in the ground, And will rest tiU old Gabriel screeches around. AT A MINSTREL PERFORMANCE, The following jokes were propounded at the New York Academy of Music on the occasion pf a recent amateur minstrel performance. Yes, Sam, I ;got home late agin de odder night, an' my mudder she say, 'Cliile, wliar you been out so late agin dia yeie home late agin de odder night, an' my mudder she say, leldle, wliar you been out so late agin dia yeie night?' *l'se been out callin'on a lady,' 1 save. 1 Well, chile, why don't you come home 'fore mill night? she says. 4 'Kase I couldn't get away be- fore. 'Kase de lady were a-settin' on my hat, anf I was too' mueh of a gemman to call her tention to to circumstance,' I says. 'Well, now, honey,' ab* 881' 'Jil look-a-yere, tn' you 'member dis now, GIt you git leff out! Next time you visits a lady, jio keep your hat off yo' lap.' I.. a man driyW a waggoa down South Fifth Avenue dis yere morn, ing, when a shutter New off ob a buildin' an' knocked de waggon speechless." Interlocutor: "Oh, no. you don't mean the wanoo. J You mean that tbe. shutter knocked the driver of the waggon speech- teaa. You couldn't knock a waggon speechless.* "Dafa whar you's wrong. Dis yere shutter jts- flew off de buildin', an' didn't touch de drivah no. whar. I seen it knock de waggon speechless, It knows what I sees, I reckon—'deed I does I lutes- locutor: "But it's impossible to knock a waggo* speechless I Well, it knocked de tongue out. de waggon. I seen it do it. An' de shutter war tried for it in de court." Interlocutor: Whatdi# they do with the shutter in the court f Dey hung it—dat's what dey done wid it 1" Interlock tor: "What for?" "Jis' for a blind.H I'.e beeai a-boardin' wid a grass widder lately." Interlocu- tor: How did you know she was a grass widoyP "'Cause her husband died wid hay-fever." HE HOPED FOR THE BEST. Mrs. Jones had joined a French class, and wae telling her husband how well she was getting along. "I am afraid," he said, that is nothing but- 'spasm.' I've known people before who ifoul* tackle a foreign language, expecting to know all about it in a month, and by the time they coutt translate The son of the baker has the loaf of bre»4 jf the daughter of the gardener,' or some such rank nonsense as that, and had bought a few pounde worth of foreign books, their enthusiasm would die away like the morning mist" But that's not th% case with me," replied Mrs. Jones confidently .t I am progressing splendidly. Professor Crapaud sayfc that in a short time I ought to begin to think French, and, when one can accomplish that, pro- gress is always rapid." "Well," said Jones, with &L sigh, I don't want to interpose any objections, of course, and if you can learn to think in French It shall be glad of it. It's something you have never- been able to do in English." DISCOVERY OF THE MISSING LINK. They can talk all they please about their great scientists, said a railway-brakeman to a Chicago reporter, as he stepped between two freight-cars and made his arms go up in the air "but I did some- thing the other day that Darwin, Haeckel, Huxley. and all them evolutionist fellers never could d9. with all their larnin'. We were runnin' along witfc. about thirty cars, when our train broke in two see tions. We stopped 'em, an' were goin' to couple up again, when we found we couldn't do it. Some- thing was gone. Wait a minute,' says I to the conductor and then I skipped out and ran baek along the track. It was then that I did what the crack scientists have never been able to do.' "Whg& was that ?' I found the missin' link 1'" NOT QUITE SUCCESSFUL. There is a celebrated oculist, an exceedingly plain, not to say ugly, man, in New York who tells a story about himself. He had a patient once, an old lady, who had been blind for a great many years. After a long and trying operation, he succeeded in restor- ing her sight. When the bandage was removed, he stood by. "Well, madam, can you see ?" he asked. Oh, how deHghtful I the old lady cried. lean see I can see perfectly. Doctor, what a handsome man you are!" The old lady's daughter looked Mamma, I fear the operation has not been quitfe. successful." ONE WAY TO ESTIMATE GREATNESS. The following is told in Bishop WilberforceV Diary. At a luncheon close to Halsemere. new which Tennyson had a residence, aMr.X. told t- following conversation that passed between a. stranger and a resident: Mr. Tennyson lives here, does he not?" "Yes, he does." "He is a great man I* I I Well, I don't well know what you call great j he*, keeps only one man-servant, and he doesn't sleep in the house!"

Play is good while it is play. Creaking carts last longest. Often shooting hits the mark.' Love can no more be hid than a cough. Water does not remain in the mountains, nOt vengeance in great minds. It is by working in the smithy that one becomee a smith. The soup that boils too much loses its flavour. More belongs to dancing than a pair of dancing sh les. Sweet is the music of the flute to him who kaa never beard the prattle of his own children.