Local News: The drought which has prevailed since the present month set in, was broken by a decidedly welcome fall of rain on Monday afternoon.

Sunday last was the hottest day of the season thus far. It was without doubt, a roaster, the mercury reaching at one time during the afternoon as high as 96 in the shade.
The general impression among farmers is that the oat crop will fall considerably short of last year’s harvest, the recent great heat and drought having ripened it too fast, while a large percentage of it has been smitten with rust.

Mr. Sam Armstrong last week completed his contract of the brick work of the Shawville roller mill, which has now assumed rather gigantic as well as imposing proportions. The structure contains something over 130,000 bricks and is symmetrically as well as substantially put together. The job of putting on the roof was commenced this week and is being rushed with all possible expedition. As soon as this is finished, the interior of the building will be got in readiness for the machinery.

There is some talk of changing the venue of Mrs. Sparling’s trial from Bryson to Hull. There would be considerable advantage in a move of this kind. The criminal court will not again sit in Bryson til May 20, 1900 and thus the woman will have to wait till then for her trial and then she may be found not guilty. By bringing her to Hull, her case could be disposed of at the autumn sitting of the criminal court there. Besides, it is feared that no matter how strong any evidence may be against a prisoner, a hanging will never occur in Pontiac. There seems to be a free and easy feeling amongst the people there of “give another chance,” or “she’ll never do it again,” and the jury seems to be affected by it.

Gold has been discovered close by Kazabazua in a small creek running out by the side of a large mountain. The discoverer has sent samples to Ottawa to be analyzed and if it is found in paying quantities, work will undoubtedly be commenced immediately.

Messrs. Gillies’ Bros. sent up some men and teams this week to the Crow River Limit.

The Observer says Mr. John Ostrom, the well-known mine owner and lumber merchant of Calumet Island has decided to remove to Pembroke and take up his residence there. They have purchased Mr. J.H. Bromley’s residence on Commercial Street, the price paid being $2,000. Mr. Ostrom and wife and daughter, will not remove to Pembroke till next March.

Mr. Charles Moore, who has recently returned from the Yukon, says there is no truth in the rumoured failure of Alex McDonald, the “King of the Klondike.”

The Ottawa Citizen of Wednesday last says: From all parts of the north and west the calls for more labour are pouring in. Five thousand men are wanted for the Rainy River in new Ontario, in the Pigeon River district and Manitoba. The classes of labouring men are railroad men, shantymen, harvesters, teamsters and in short, any able bodied worker who is in search of employment.

Dan Fairbairn, the engineer of the “Imperial Limited,” who was killed in the collision Tuesday morning near Sudbury was a hero. A few years ago Fairbairn, when nearing a big trestle on the north shore of Lake Superior, discovered it to be on fire. His fireman jumped and escaped with slight injuries. Fairbairn remembered the precious lives behind him, stopped long enough to reverse the engine, which, with the baggage car, plunged from its dizzy height, and the engineer barely escaped. The passengers, realizing the value of his service, gave him a handsome testimonial.

Ad: Wanted immediately: a blacksmith with good experience for a general jobbing shop.