Vol. Xxiv

Witli ttiis sMie tbe Coukikr conunen ces ta twiMity-fourth volume. It i gflttlng WjBll along in years but is stil olimbing liighcr and liigher on the roiu tc prosperily. We have no big prouiises to make wit tlie new yer; no great stories to teil o the past or present. The Couiuer doe its best to keep even with the demands o the timt'8 in the newspaper line. All th home and county news is told in its co umus, and told in a way Uiat gives lif and spice to the narration. And if th Adventista don't have their way an knock this exrthly footstool all into "Da vy Jones's locker," we shall keep right o n the sanie patb. So here'a oor hand for auother year Iladn't you botter grasp it? Our article lnt week on"GagExtor tions," opened the eyes of a great man; people la regard to that question, and tli Comnion Council has come manfully to the Wratch and taken ; the Corporation by the Ihroat, saying to it that the city iimt be furnished with i;ls at as low a price as private consumers fret it. Gas StOCk nOW eau bc bought ot par in Anti Arbor. W. B. Thompson, of Lenawee county, isSecond Assistant Postmastcr-General at WashliiRton.lmvingbcen recently advanced from superintendent of the railway mail service. In this latter position he brought the complicated system of railway mail distrtbution to its present perfection. His reportó, the last one of which lies before us, show that rapid improvements in efficiency and promptness have been making during the past few years. It was tilt}' yeara since the mails began to be transponed by the railroadsand now tlicy are carried on 117,160 miles of road. The cost is $15,012,603, or an average of $12.81 per raile. 3 öw -r1"'"' d h i-hcc, umi in 1664 tbcv handled 4,519,671,900 pieces of mail. Their percentage of correct distribution was 99.97 + . This shows how well that vast work has been directed by Mr. Thompson, and we ave jflad to hear of his promotion.