Local Brevities

                  From Friday's Daily Argus

David Russel is building a large store at Willis.

John Gotts is building a new harness shop in Willis.

John Hewens, of Augusta, had a calf killed by lightning recently.

Wm. Luxton has bought the cigar store of Guy Coe in Saline.

James Hanby and son, of Northfield, have received a new saw mill outfit.

H. S. Holmes, of Chelsea, shipped 62,000 pounds of wool to Boston on Wednesday.

Prof. R. H. Kempf is planning to give summer courses in piano instruction in Chelsea.

Ypsilanti, Chelsea and Grass Lake are to have the advantage of free rural mail delivery.

John McKinnon and Fred Jerry have purchased the hardware stock of S. H. Maher in Saline.

Josephine, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Murray, of Dexter township, died July 8, aged 11 years.

Cards are out announcing the marriage, July 19, of Frank Pardon, and Marie, the daughter of Frederick Giese.

Dexter is to have a new town hall and specifications have been adopted. New are lights for the village of Dexter are being put up.

R. H. Alexander killed the champion rattler of the season Monday morning in Hiram Pierce's marsh. It had 22 rattles in its tail. - Chelsea Herald.

William Hammel, the Main st. barber, has a young crow in his shop, who is practicing to swollow or hide razors, hair brushes and other movable property.

The Chelsea schools paid $5,090 for teachers' salaries last year and $249.90 for free text books. H. S. Holmes and R. S. Armstrong have been re-elected trustees and a tax of $5,000 has been voted.

The assessed valuation of Ypsilanti is $3,027,275 which is $50,125 more than last year. This is about three-sevenths of the assessed valuation of Ann Arbor. The city taxes in Ypsilanti varies from $9.50 to $10.80 per $1,000 valuation.

During the first six months of Circuit Court Commissioner William H. Murray's official term he received 23 complaints to recover possession, two petitions to dissolve attachments and he issued one injunction. This is a good showing at the beginning of his term.

The 10th German-American day of Washtenaw county will be held in Saline Thursday, Aug. 17. At 3 o'clock in the afternoon speeches will be delivered in the Arbeiter Park by Editor Eugne J. Helber, of Ann Arbor, Congressman Henry C. Smith, of Adrian, and Charlres Werner, of Detroit.

During the past year the receipts of the Ypsilanti post office have been $15,492.26 and the expenses were $10,670.10. There were 564,070 stamps and 227,860 envelopes, postal cards and wrappers sold. There were 6,124 money orders issued amounting to $31,365.33 and 6,048 money orders paid amounting to $53,664.98.

John Wotzke went to Detroit yesterday to meet his sister who has just come over from Germany. She is the mother of 20 children of whom 16 are living. She has four married children in this county and eight married children in Germany and four who are single. They are all in business and prospering. She has 44 grandchildren and eight great grandchildren.

The well know tenor, Jay C. Taylor, of Broadway Hill, is expected home on Sunday from a nine months' successful season with the Andrews Opera Co. It is to be hoped that before he leaves on his next season's engagement the people of Ann Arbor will be privileged to again hear him. His singing is much appreciated by his old friends and neighbors.

The jury in the assault an battery case in Ypsilanti of James Godfrey vs. George Enlge, disagreed. Both principals are well known among the businessmen. Engle, who is a dealer in wood and coal, became involved with Godfrey in a discussion over a load of hay and ended the matter, it is said, by his striking Godfrey in the face. A second trial of the case is being held today.

John Smith, of Kingsley st, who owns a farm in Northfield, says that his wheat like that of his neighbors will be very poor. There are 20 acres of barley on his farm which is in splendid condition. He has never seen a finer appearing piece of barley. His corn, oats and potatoes are also promising. Mr. Smith thinks that farmers, with the exception of wheat, will have good crops this year.

At the annual meeting of the Ann Arbor Turn Verein the following officers were elected : Ottmar Eberbach, first sprecher; Christian Gauss, second sprecher; Fred Biermann, first turnwart; Charles Rettich, second turnwart; Albert William Sorg, recording secretay ; Charles Dietas, corresponding secretary William Arnold, treasurer; Conrad Schneider, cashier; Conrad Schneider, zeugwart; John Fischer, color bearer; secretary for Relief Park, Conard Schneider. The society's finances are in a very satisfactory condition.

                      From Saturday's Daily Argus.

Charles Kajuska is having a 1,200 house built on W. Madison st.

A very pleasant lawn social was held by the Trinity Lutheran church last evening.

Florist Goodhue says the squirrels eat the pansy blossoms in Forest Hill cemetery and they are fond of them.

The store of William A. Prout near Pinckney was burglarized Thursday night of $20 worth of shoes and clothing.

The plate glass for the new window in the Haller block on the southeast corner of Main and Liberty sts., was put into place this afternoon.

Prof. Robert B. Davidson, of the Divinity School of Chicago University will preach in the Congregational church tomorrow, Sunday morning.

Jackson is happy over the fact that it is to have a Sunday evening collection of mail after Oct. 1. Ann Arbor has had such a collection for a year and a half.

Secretary F. E. Mills, of the Washtenaw Fair is preparing the premium book for publication. It will be of particular interest as it may embody some new features.

George Spathelf, Jr., closed his shop for a few minutes this morning on account of the arrival of Miss Spathelf who will visit in the family for some time, weight 8 1/2 pounds.

The supreme tent of Maccabees, the Ladies of the Maccabees and the uniformed rank of Maccabees hold their meetings in Port Huron next, week from July 17 to 22 inclusive.

The last frame building in the business portion, of Chelsea, burned Thursday evening. It was owned by David B. Taylor, N. J. Noyes and F. Staffan. Mr. Taylor's law library was also burned.

E. P. Kinne, of Ypsilanti, arrived yesterday and will spend the summer at Albion cottage. Mr. Kinne is a junior in the engineering department of the University of Michigan. - Petoskey Resorter.

Cyrus M. Starks, of Webster, was in the city today, called here by a notice that he had a note to pay, which was a surprise to him as he had no notes out. The note turned out to be the note of another man.

A summer law student from Ohio has struck hard luck. A few days after he entered he was taken down with the measles, and since he has recovered his eyes are so bad that he is unable to study.

Don A. Stark, the hero of Aguadores, received his first pension check yesterday. It was at the rate of $30 a month and included back pension. He has protested as his rating should be from $36 to $40 a month.

A Mooreville correspondent of the Saline Observer says: "Asa Sanford met with a sad accident the Fourth while firing off a re-loaded roman candle, It exploded in his face and the doctor fears that he will lose his sight.

George H. Purchase, of Detroit, known there as Pingree's spellbinder and among his Owosso friends as "Fatty, " is an old Dexter boy. He is a very genial man, never cast down no matter how discouraging the outlook may be.

Glen V. Mills, the directory publisher, has added to his library the latest Boston, Mass,. directory. It contains 16 pages of names of the Smith family with over 2,304 individual names. There are over 100 John Smiths in the crowd.

The Owosso Gas Co. will begin the work of laying new mains on several streets as soon as the rains are ended. Many new improvements will be started at the gas works as soon as Sedgwick Dean arrives from Ann Arbor. - Owosso American.

Miss Elizabeth Campbell and Miss Minnie Davis will furnish special music at the Y. W. C. A. rooms tomorrow afternoon at 3:30. We desire as many members as possible to come and a cordial invitation is extended to all who are not members.

Church services at St. Andrews church tomorrow: Rev. Henry Tatlock, rector; Rev. Henry P. Horton, assistant; 7:30 a. m., Holy Communion; 10:30 a. m., morning prayer, litany and sermon; 12 m., Sunday school; 5 p. m, evening prayer.

The funeral services of Horace A. Wilkerson, of Dundee, will be held tomorrow afternoon at 2 o'clock at his late residence. Friends from Ann Arbor who desire to attend the funeral can leave on the Ann Arbor road at 10:25 a. m., returning leaving Dundee at 7 p. m.

Fr. John Joseph McCabe has returned from Port Huron in order to celebrate high mass at St. Patrick's church, Northfield, tomorrow morning at 10:30 o'clock. Rev. Fr. DuMouchel, professor of rhetoric in Sandwich college. Ontario, will preach the sermon. A beautiful gold chalice will be presented to Fr. McCabe by his many friends in Northfield.

In the case of Clark Hawes of the St. James, vs. John Rose, of W. Ann st. , the defendant's attorney A. J. Sawyer has filed a plea and notice. It says that if there was a hook projecting out five feet from the ground which his alleged injured the plaintiff, it has projected for the past 20 years and has now received a right to do so by prescription.

A. Grand, of Ypsilanti, appeared at the county treasurer's office yesterday with an order for $6.54 for English sparrows. While paying it County Treasurer Mann remarked that Mr. Grand had done pretty well. He replied : "That's nothing, I got last year from $10 to $12 a day. " In answer to the question how he secured his birds he made no reply.

The will of Eleanor Batty, of Saline, was admitted to probate yesterday. The entire estate consisting principally of 80 acres of land valued at $2,500 is bequeathed to Ashley B. Vandusen, an invalid nephew The latter was nominated as executor in the will, but by his resignation his wife Agnes was made administratrix with the will annexed. John Gillen and Edward Hauser were appointed appraisers and commissioners on claims. 

William K. Childs, secretary of the Washtenaw Mutual Fire Insurance Co., is not favorable to the proposed rural free mail delivery. Mr. Childs is frank and honest in the expression of his convictions. He said: "I am not in favor of rural free mail delivery. This government is going crazy to establish salaried positions. The people in the country like to come to town for their mail. I think the city mail delivery might be curtailed with advantage. "

Christian Helber, the carpenter of W. Huron st, yesterday completed a barn 30 by 36 feet for Charles Jahenke, of Lodi. Mr. Helber says that the crops in Lodi are looking well with the exception of wheat. The later, however, has a very plump berry and he thinks many farmers will be disappointed in getting a larger crop than they expected. The wheat heads are so full that they shell easily. The wheat will be heavy. The oat crop is usually fine.

Mrs. Bune, who has been in Ann Arbor for several weeks and had part of her stomach removed, came home last Saturday. Mrs. J. Johnson, Mrs. Emma Wheeler and others, carried in a surprise for her, and loaded her table with flowers and other good things, then arranged the house as if for company and disappeared, for the family to welcome back the wife and mother, who had almost, you may say, come back from the grave. It is needless to say that it was a happy family meeting. - Dundee Reporter.

Notary Public Eugene Oesterlin formerly traveled in the interests of a binder company in Saginaw and Huron county. In speaking of the roads in that county in earlier times he said an old stage coach used to run from Saginaw to Sebewaing. The road was across a sand prairie. The grass was very high and during the summer it was cut and raked into the road. The horse flies were as bad on these trips that they had to keep the doors of the coach closed in spite of the heat to protect themselves. The horses of the stage coach were covered with blood by being bitten so badly by the flies.

Henry Kyer, of Seattle, the representative of the Chicago & Northwestern system, for Oregon, Washington. Vancouver and Alaska, the guest of his parents Mr. and Mrs. N. J. Kyer expects to return west tomorrow night. Mr. Kyer says business is looking up. Real estate in Seattle is worth 50 per cent more than in 1893. The great rush to Alaska is over as going there means hard work. Many people believed the gold was easy to get and 50,000 people went there last year where 5,000 will go in this year. Ha thinks the gold output of Alaska this year will be $20,000,000. Many valuable discoveries have been made and there are great possibilities in the north, but going there means hard work and great privations. Mr. Kyer looks well and prosperous.

                  From Monday's Daily Argus.

John Bower, of Northfield, has enlisted under Col. Gardener and will do service in the Philippines.

Funeral Director F. J. Muehlig has a fine new ambulance. It was built by Walker & Co. and delivered this morning.

Mack & Co. have sold their wool stored at Ann Arbor, Bridgewater and Manchester. It will be shipped to Milwaukee, Wis., and Louisville, Ky.

Hon. James O'Donnell, of Jackson is out in an open letter announcing himself as a candidate for governor on the republican ticket on a platform of reduced state expenses.

The Ann Arbor road yesterday sold from this city 77 tickets to Toledo and 63 for the "Fish" train. There are many inquiries as the special excursion to the north which leaves July 27.

Car No. 22, of the D. Y. & A. A. railroad recently made a mile in 58 1/2 seconds on the section between Wayne and Ypsilanti. This is at a rate of 63 miles per hour. - Ypsilanti Sentinel.

Architect S. C. Falkinburg, of Detroit, has prepared plans for a two story brick residence for Henry R. Scoville, Ypsilanti. It will have all modern improvements. Cost, $6,000.

Marshal Gerstner made complaint this afternoon before Justice Duffy against William Binder, Richard Kearns, Frank G. McCaffrey and Jeremiah Collins for keeping their saloons open on Sunday.

A. Grant, of Ypsilanti, called again at the treasurers office this afternoon this time with an order for the bounty on 280 sparrows. In answer to Treasurer Mann's question how he succeeded in killing so many sparrows Mr. Grant said he poisoned them.

Saturday was the first day for the collection of city taxes and between $1,300 and $1,400 was paid to City Treasurer Luick. The money is coming in still faster today. The first person to pay taxes was Supervisor Jacob Fischer of the Third war.

Saturday morning shortly after 2 o'clock, one of the night watchmen saw a light in the Bazaarette, a variety store on Congress st., Ypsilanti, and immediately went for assistance. Before the place could be surrounded, however, the thieves made their escape.

Prof. Geo. P. Coler will take for his subject at the Y. M. C. A. men's meeting tomorrow afternoon, "Do your Best." Prof. Coler is an interesting speaker as many can testify. His talk tomorrow will be well worth hearing. All men are invited to come and hear him. Song service at 2:45.

Three men, giving their names as Frank Miller, James A. Murphy and Frank Cavenaugh, were arrested in Chelsea charged with burglarizing the Sproul store at Anderson. They had in their possession two revolvers and several pair of shoes. They were taken to Pinckney and from there to Howell Saturday afternoon.

Last Saturday Mrs. L. C. Goodrich was called to Flat Rock by a telegram which informed her that her father Jonathan Sprague had suffered a stroke of apoplexy. She took the 10:45 car for Detroit and went from there to Flat Rock. Yesterday she returned bringing her father with her. His affliction did not prove to be apoplexy but a sort of general breaking down due to his extreme age. He is 81 years old. Mr. and Mrs. Sprague make their home with their daughter, Mrs. L. C. Goodrich.

The Ann Arbor Elks have received a most urgent invitation from the Detroit lodge of Elks to attend the Elks' Carnival or "Street Fair" which will be held in that city Aug. 21 to Sept. 2. The entire length of Washington ave. will be devoted to the entertainment and it is expected to be the "Greatest Show on Earth. " One day will be nominated "Ann Arbor Day" and the local lodge will attend in a body. In the evening a social session will be given in honor of the Ann Arbor Elks. A meeting of the lodge will be held Friday evening, July 21, to make the necessary date and further arrangements to attend.