That Great Contemp.

In the last issue of our self-esteemed Coütemporary, the Rejrister, is an article proving how silly an egotlst can be. The anide roferred to is the oue wherein the geod quulitles of itself is lauded and those of tg neighbors derided. It tells how many more items a certain issue of that paper contained tlian any of the other journals of the city. The figures given entitlo their author to a chroiuu for being so expert - uslng multiplication for himself and subtraction for liis neighbors. The Register claimed 60 local items, 41 personáis, 49 university, and enough other mlscellaneous to make 170 local news items. Perhaps it may interest the people to know where our modern journalistic Hercules obtained so much local news. It is a fact that the Coorieb is issued on Wednesday and our contemp. on Thursday. It is a fact that whenever the Courier is a little late our contemp. is a little late also. It is a fact that when an error appears in an initial or date in the Courier it is promptly reproduced In our contemp. the following d,iy. It is also a fact, that in carefully scanning the "crack" issue of our contemp. so much bragged about, the sources of its immense enterprise lo obtaining those local items, are found to be as follows, and we invite a comparison of the two papers to prove our woids true: Items taken from theCoüRiBR 82 " " " " Bemocrat (previoua week) s " " Argus (prev. week) 2 Cllotou Local... 1 " " " Ypsllanti eut1nel 1 " " " Wliltmore Lak e Bun 1 " " Adnan Press 1 1 " " " Delrult l'ost 1 " " " " A Military Circular 1 Toll Of the 17 remaining items, 8 were twoliners, fivo three liners, and the other four probably handed In by some one. Of the 41 personáis there were: Taken from tlie Coürikr u " Deint rul (prevlous week( 10 " " Argus (prevlous week).... 8 Total uu me reuiHiunig unie can probiioly b( accounted for In soine similar marnier. Of the 49 L'niversity items there were Slolen from the Argonaut 2i " " Chronloie u " " " Detroit Evening Ñews 14 Total Tí 80 inucli for the nuniber of itenis. Now, as to the real valué or quality, for strange as may seem, some people look to that point. This eau best be illustrated by reference to the artiele npon the apportionment of primary school nionev for this county. The Couhier pnblUhed 1 table, set in Nonpareil type, giviug the iinount apportioned to each township in the county, together with the nuiuber of school children in each township. Our self-esteemed contemp. cast this valuable inforination ofl' with chree liiiei (not having time piobably, to put it In type after the Courur had been issued). And tliis is a fair sample of other " items." Our friend seems to think a bare announcement of 11 tlilug all that is necessary, and seeks to fill the columns of his paper as a railroad contractor does a siuk hole, with " anything to fill up." Now, as to amount of local, editorlil and county news, given by the two papers, since a coinparison is souuht. The COL'RIEK gave In the Issue 'referred to 1,880 lines, the Register only 1,430 lines or 450 less than the Coürier, makiug in hragadooio of aliout 10,(10() piu's of composition. Aside from thut the Courikk is set in Brevier type, the Register in Bourgeois type, making another difleience in favor of the Coürier of about 5,000 em's. That is the way to get at the amount of matter given in h paper. The number of items is nothing to judge byFor instance, a paper might manufacture au alleged " local " thus : " Gov. Alger bas sent us his decoratiou day proclamation," as the Register did, instead of publishing the proclaruation as the Courier did. As to correctnes8, the newspaper is not published that does not make mistakes, and our contemp. is no better thiiu its neighbors in this respect. As to conciseness, as above shown, papers can be too cbneise. The people are aftcr the news, and a mere statement of a Tact Is not always sntisfactory news. As to tlie appreciation of the public, the Coübier has no objection to our contemp's bragging all he chooses. Assertions are ofteu one thing, facts often quite another. We are satistied, In fact gratified at the way in which the Coürier is received and paid for by tbe public. It isn't given away for the sake of obtaining a circulation. But the bombastlc utterances of our self-esteemed neighbor reminds one of the old, old story of the f rog meeting the elephant, and imagining itself a beast of noble proporlions cominenced swellin-r up until it burst its hide. In this instance, however, there will be no danger of bursting, for the epidermis is so culloused over with conceit and envy, that no point has yet been made sufflciently sharp to puncture it. Self-praisc, is cotidemnation, saitli a good book. The contract for the ercction of the new jail building has been let to Walker Bros. and Gates & Gates, the foriner the masonry, the latter the carpen tery. II the jail símil be erected upon the old site the cost is to be $4,900, but if upon any of the new sites proposed the pi ice will be $4,795. The reasons for this difterence is in the fact that there will have tobe so much grading done upon the old site. The committee feels quite sure that a change will be made and a better location be secuied. The work is to be completed by October lst, and the conditions are such that the contraetors will foifeit $10 per day for every day in excese of that time. The contractors are to recelve at any time 85 per cent. of the ainount they may have put In the structure, and they are to secure each payment by 11 lire insurance policy upon the building for the iimount paid, until the building sliall have been accepted by the supervisors. This leaves upwards of $9,000 to pay for the steel gratings and cells, an amount which will be fully needed If a ñrst-class job is secured. Tlie plans are admirable, and the new building will be a credit to the county, for a cheap one. E. B. Tyler has been retired from the express agency at Dexter, after a continuous service of 39 years, on a yearly pension of $500. This is an act of generosity of the American Express Co. that is well deserved. Mr. Tyler has been a faithful and efficiënt official, always at his post, and now that old age has come upon hlm he is not left helpless. In sonie Instances corporations have souls, after all. There are not many places the size of Dexter where the actual commissions on the business transacted would amouut to the yearly pension given Mr. Tyler.