was Mrs. J.H. South,
of Bureau Co., Ills.

Mrs. Holcomb, daughter of the murdered millionaire Crouch, of Michigan,
has committed suicide. There is some suspicion that she knew something
about the murder.

A nihilist proclamation has been issued threatening the Czar. There is
much anxiety at Gatschina palace. It is now said the Czar's injury in
the shoulder the other day was caused by a bullet.

The United States Consul General at Cairo reports the deaths by the
cholera epidemic at from 65,000 to 70,000. A member of the international
tribunal says there are still from one to three fatal cases each day.

The Gould system of railroads is about to establish a telegraph school
at St. Louis, with a view not only to educating operators, but of
selecting pupils from the acclimated people along the Southwestern
lines.

The Catholic convent at Belleville, Ill., took fire from the furnace
Saturday evening, and in an hour was reduced to ashes. Sixty pupils made
desperate efforts to escape, some of them leaping from the windows.
Twenty-seven lives were lost.

The Secretary of State at Springfield has issued papers of incorporation
to Col. Wood's museum, at Chicago, with a capital stock of $100,000. The
Colonel is said to have secured a lease of his old stand on Randolph
street, and the Olympic Theatre.

Henry Villard closed his business career by handing over to assignees
his mansion on Madison square and other property, with instructions to
dispose of the same, pay a mortgage of $200,000, and discharge any
indebtedness to the Oregon Railway Company, the residue to be given to
his wife.

The directors of the Northern Pacific road held a meeting in New York,
on Friday, of last week. A letter was read from Henry Villard, resigning
the presidency of the company because of nervous prostration and in
deference to the interests of the stockholders. The resignation was
accepted, and a special election was ordered to choose a successor. The
directors voted Mr. Villard $10,000 per annum for his services. Vice
President Oakes reported the line in first-class order except one
hundred miles near the junction west of Helena. It is understood that
the Oregon Navigation company will reduce its dividends to 8 per cent.
The Oregon Transcontinental has raised $3,000,000 in Boston with which
to lift its floating debt.

MARKETS

MARKET REPORTS.

OFFICE OF THE PRAIRIE FARMER,
CHICAGO. Jan 8, 1884.

FINANCIAL AND COMMERCIAL.