Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, January 18, 1873, Page 8

8 1E CHICAGO DAILY 'RIBUNE: S URDAY, JANUARY 18, 1873, ~»THE POSTAL TELEGRAPH SCHEME. Relations of the Federal Government fa the Telographic Service of tho Country. A Comprehensive Statemont by the Hon. David A, Wells, Nrw Yonr, Jan, 17,—8omo time in Boptom- Yomber laat tho Weatern Union Tolograph r‘Com- ‘pany, baving in.viow the ciroumstanco that soonor or Intor the question of the rolation of tho telegraphio sorvico of the country to the Fadoral Government would soriously occupy tho atton- tlon alike of Congress and the pnlsfo proforrod 8 roquest through thoir Prosidont, Wm. Orton Esq., to tho Hon, David A. Wolls, lato Spnnln‘ Oommissioner of tho Rovenuo, that he would taleo up and Inyestigato . the wholo subjoct, and prepare such n comprohonsive stntomont 23 _in his judgment tho combinod facts and olroumstanoos might soom to warrant. Tho -concluding paragraph of tho lettor addressed to Mr, Wolls cloarly indicatos_the spirit in which tha Woatorn Union dosfrod the investigation mhould be conducted in furthorsnco of such investigation : Al information in possosnion of tho Westorn Union Company will bo placed without resorve at your disposal, but in €0 dolng the Company would disclaim in advanee any intention or de- siro to anticlpato or influonco the conclusions, TThoy ask nothing but whnt in right. Thoy trust that they shall not bo obliged, through tho oxor- olso of superior powor in tho hands of, the Fed- eral Government, tosubmit to anything which is wrong,” In pursuance of this roquest, Mr. Wells un- dertook the invostigation, and his report, om- Yodying a full and popular, but sclentific, dis- ouesion of the wholo subjeot, Las just boon subnitted, and, by pormission of tho Committeo on Appropriations of the Houso of Roprcsonta- ddves, has beon filed by the Westorn Union Company as o part of the caso by thom submitted totho donsidoration of Congross, tho wholo forming a thick pamphlot, which will, undoubt- edly, tako its placo with the formor 'roports of the samo author, as a substantial contribution to our economic and industrial litoraturo. Mr, Wolls, in the outsot, roviews tho origin, dovolopient, and present condition of the tolo- graphic syatom of the United States, and clearly westablishos tho following important facts : 1. That, unlike the railrond systom of tho country, tho tolegraphin tho United Btates, with the oxcoption of & _emall Congressional appro- priation to enablo Professor Morso to test his Invention, has recoived substantially no favors from the publio, or tho_ Fedoral Govornment, ‘but, on tho contrary, and in opposition to tho ctico of allothercountries, has hoonaubeocwd rom tho vory first to onorous National and Btato taxation, tho taxes ‘pnm to tho Fodoral “Govornmont alono, from 1805 to 1870, Laving boon in oxcess of 51,600,000, That having boon thus loft oxolusively to privato ontorprise, tho ‘tolograph has developod mora rapidly and to a comparatively groator extont, than in any othor country, thoro bsing one mile of wiro to ovn;i 222 porsons in the United Btates, as compar with one to ovory 631 in Europo, while the ratio of mossagen transmitted is ono to overy threo fi:mnu in tho formor, and ong to ovory niue in e Iatter. As illustrating, furthor- more, what the tolegraph is doing uns der o {freo eystom, attontion is asked to tho fact that if at tho progont time wo wore to computo all the news wattor delivored by the - Amorican tolograph to the Amorican press, ag eoparatoly transmitted to each nfmp" 1t would comprise an aggrogate equal to all thie dospatohes of ovory kind out over all the tolographs of the wnr’ld within & given period solected for com- parison. 8. That since tho consolidntion of the various lins, in 1866, to form tho Western Union, nob » singlo your has elapsod in which thero Lag not been a marked reduction of rates by this Com- pany, the recent oflicial assortion of tho Post- mastor Genernl to tho contrary, so that ot the prosent time the nverage sum charged for the transmission of mesanges i8 not in ex- ¢o86 of one-half that required in 1866 for similar service; and as & contribution to oconomio scionce attontion is asked to the circumstances that tho aversge charge at which telographio ‘messages are now transmitted in tho %Jn ted Btatos for tho public Is lees than the avorago * cost for doing oquivalent worls in 1866, although since that poriod thero has boon a wmarked ad- wancs in the wagos of employcs in almost overy fla%ulmunr. of sorvico, and vory great incresse in the cost of wire, telegraphic™ poles, and some other materinls. 4, Tho valuoof tolographic stock, ae an invast- mont, {8 shown by the fact that from 1866 to 1872 the ngfirefinl,n dividonds paid to tho stool- holders_and the soveral companies has not oqualled 2 Em’ cont por apnum. Dm—lné,-i the Inst fiscal yoar the apparent net proflis of the West- orn Union Company wore $2,790,000, or loss than 7 per cont_on_ihe capital ; but out of this ok gain or profit the Company constructod or purchinsed ovor 16,000 miles of wire additionnl, all of which was nearly as ‘csgontinl to tho nc- commodation of the business and local intorosts of the country as was tho oxpendituros, Dot included in tho surplus of 980,000 during the same timo, for tho ‘matutonanco and repnir of lines’ proviously ox- isting ; andif it be roplied that tho amount thus derived from receipts and oxpended for im- provemonte and construction roprosonta profits oqually with the dividends paid directly to the stockkiolders, it is sufticient snuwer that if it bo 60, it I8 & mem that, up to tho prosont timo, has acorued wholly to {ho publie, and not to' tho stockbolders ; and that for an indofinite futuro alarge annunl exponditure for similar purposes will bo nboolutely indisponeable. Coming noxt to the considoration of the quoation of Tedoral intorferonco with tho tolograph, Mr. Walls submits the fol- fowing points Undor the hend of diroct cost hio shows tho probable immediato expendi- {ure to bo met by tho National Treasury would bo from £60,000,000 to £70,000,000. Thio absurdi- ty of tho cstimato submitted by the Postmaator oneral in his recont report,—that all thoexisting lines of the country could be replaced for aboul $12,000,000,—Is shown by tho fact that fully that ,8um haa boen oxpouded for so much only of tho exlsting telographic systom of tho United Statos a8 haa beon constructad since 1868, and that the cost of such Jabor and material a8 would bore- quired in any prosont construction Liag not since experionced any docline, but, on the contrary, in_somo respects hms been augmontod, To meot this necossary largo ox- onditure a new uational loan would pmbmb]x ave Lo bo suthorized, Tho Govornment woul o again placod in the position of o borrower, the whola nocossitating & _now issuo of bonds, new syndicates, new suspicions of partisan an Federal gutronagn and commissions, and an unavoidable further continuance of that intor« feronce with tho _financial interests of tho country which s slroady givon to_ the Troasury Department & power and an influence which the fromers. of _tho Constilution mnever an- ticipated or intended. But that idea of maling tho tolograph any moro than tho Post Offico self-supporting [n the hands of the ‘Govornmant, doos not roally entor into the plana of those who advocate the schemo of Fedoral in- terference. It is to be called to mind that in ono of tho carliost, billsbrought boforo Congross, and earncstly advocated, it waa meriously proposed tho fstriolly ngricultural Intorosts, tho ‘frols hrouglt out by thie recont investigation in Now Hampshire, which sliow that in ona of its moat fortilo, ani At tho samo timo favorably sltuatod ditriols In rospoct fo markets, Rookingham County, Lo prosont aversgo annual tex for Btato, county, and locol purposos, apportionod to onch farm prmluuln% on an_averago an anntal praduct of 8880.40, is about £60 ; in- cluding nationn! tnxes, divect and ndiroct, ap- ]vroxlmntnly, $100, causing a continual deoroaso n tho valuo of allroal proporty, and n steady decline In vo{mln(lom or that othor ciroura- stance that, to-day, the futuro title ta no incon- sidorable part of tho real estato of one entire Stato, Sonth Carolina, bids fair to boa ttlo do- rived from tho Bhorlff for sales in dofanlt of ability on the J"‘" of tho land ownors to pay the taxos nracesod upon them. Burely, In viow of wuch facts as those, ia" o mattar worthy the mont sorlons consldoration to Toth Cougross and tho pooplo whothior thoro nre any circumatances sliort of tho proscryation of the national honor' or exius tonco which oan justify the smallost partiolo of inerenso of tho welght'of any oxisting national burdon. Dut granting that the pooplo ara in prosout aud urgent nood of grulnr nud cheapor telo- grnphio facilities, 3ir. Wolls noxt puts the 3uoauou whothor tho ends sought for are in any lograo likely to bo obtained undor the Rovorn- ‘And iho auswor to this, ho cinims, I fuily found in tho paot and prosont rocordof tho business which “tho Governmont s l\lrnndfmnnnpolizml and assorts, nfter do- taiting 1o littlo of spocifio ovidonce, fhat wore any individunl or corporation to undortako to do business in tho samo dilatory, oxponsivo, and voxntious mothod ns tho Govermment of tho United States to-dny discharges all of its func- tions baving rolation Lo tho production, distrib tion, nud consumption of tho country, thoir o {stonco, no far ag publio patronngo wau concern- od, woldbo oxcoedingly limited. Aud yet ft in undor just such_circumatances that the publio aro nsked to soriously consider the oxpedioncy of {ransforring the ontiro tolegraph systom of the country to an agency whoso {rrnmmt businosa capacity Is utlerly inadequato to the propor dis- chargo of ils presont business responsibilitics. Btk n moro gorious objection than any othor tothe schemo of Iedoral interforence with tho tolograph is to bo found in tho fact thnt such n polley is in dircot nntagonism with the theory on which tho Govornment itself hiae boon founded. Woaron nation of 40,000,000, mprmsnntln‘z almoat ovel natlonality an humnn varioty, ond in thirty yoara wo shall probably numbor 100,000,0000. " The sron of Gountry Inliablted ombracos oxtromos of over 2,600 mlles in_direct diatance, whilo the diver- sity of character ond intorost nmong tho pooplo of tho difforent sections, growing out of diffor- ences of soil, climate, pursuits, and education, is grontor comparatively than the distances by which thoy are soparatod. Langunge excoptod, tho difforent States of Europe do not diffor so much nmong thomsclvos a8 New York differs to-dny from Toxns, or South Carolina from Colifornia, = Tho problem of grenicot moment, therefors, pro- sonted to us ns a nation in to harmonizo ‘theso varied and conflioting_intorosts sud unite them a1l under ono firm and stable Government. Tho solution of a similar problom has boon essayed bofore in old Romo and in modern Austrin and Tursin under conditions of the most contralizad Tmperialism ;_but its attempt under o Ropublic, With univorsal suffrago, and with no standing army, i8 somothing for which, apart from our own exporionce, there hias boon no precodent for succoss. Whethor those who framod our Con- stitution wore mon of suporior wisdom, snd cloarly foreanw the conditions under which their work was to bo tosted, isa mattor whichitis horo unnocessary to discuss; but that thoy origi- nated or adopted tho only theory under which our past success hag boen mainly dopondent seems cortaln, ond that waa that, while it is tho essential fonturo of every impe- rinl and centralized Government Lo think for, act for, rnd, 08 far ag possiblo, direct tho pur- suits, and oyon the crecds and amusements of tho people, it is, on the contrary, the oseence of a Topublic, comnposed of a union of Separato and indepondent Btatos, fo concorn itself na littlo a8 pogsible with tho internal affairs of tho nation, and to do nothing whatever for the peo- Dlo which the poople theimsolvos aro willing or Ccapablo of doing for thomeolves. And, it this thory bo corroct, the conclusion is irrosistible, that ' mensuro liko tho ono contomplated, of absorbing and operating tho tolograph by’ tho Govornment, is & stop away from ropublican- ism and towards impoerinlism, to bo especially resistod by all those who beliove that whatever thore is_of dangor threatening tho stability of our institutions is duc mainly to thoe tendency of tho Tedoral Government to cnlargo the sphora of its functions, nnd to excrcise powers that were originally nover entrusted to it, Tho incroaso of Fedoral patronage *incident to tho adoption of tho moasure under considoration constitutes o furthor most striking illustration in tho samo dircction. Tho number of oflices and agents, other than soldiers and sailors and omployes in the Government workebops, who aro aro At prosent in direct recopt of compensa- tion for sorvices from the National Tronsury, is estimated nt upward of 60,000, tho number ongagod in the Post Ofice Dopartment alono hufiwg 44,655, all of whom, and 18 many otlors g by roason of vociul relations hayve o communi- ty of intercst, togothor with all such as,under our gystom of rotation in ofiice, are expectants of offico, and may, 08 all oxperienco shows, bo reliod on to support any policy or any nom- ination which sny Administration _controlling their official oxistonce may favor undor the plea of publio utility or novessity. Under such cir- oumatances, it is now proposed to augniont the number of recipionts of Federal patronago by oronting some 20,000 or 25,000 additional oflices. Undor the prosont systom, tho Yamln(ury in- toreats of the Companies imperativoly restrain them from favoring any )]mrby or interost. In addition to this, thorois always the impoending poril and droad of heayy money ponsitios ro- covorable at law for any bronch of trust or neg- leot of duty, and how ofton judgment is ren- dored for orrors acknowledgod by the complain- suts to bo unintentional, "tho records of tho courts sbundantly testify. A Qovernmontal sgstnm on the contrary, which, as in tho Dost Ofeo, will ‘mssumo ' mo ro- sponsibility ‘for tho dishonesty, incompo- tonoy, aud miatakes of its sgents, and ono moreovor in which 1its ngnnl!A know that thoir btation and salary, if not their pormanence fn oflice, i8 moro dépondent on tho fayor of supe- riors than on good bolavior, canbut bo prove- cative of carelossuess and indiierenco. Diffor- ing from communications by mall, thoro can bo 1o socrots oxeopt through tho usc of ciphors to those who operato tlie tolograph, and, when ro- sponeibility is lonsonod, the temptation toviolato rivacy will most assuredly bo incroased, Are tho morican peoplo ready to accopt tho idoea that all thiat paescs over thio wircs, both ab tho time of transmission and even thereafter, is liable to bo inapeotod and usod by the lingiog officials who may @l the Dopariments ot Washington? Tor & paragraph in the Government bill ronds that the originnls of all messnges shall bo trans- mitted to Washington to be presorved for rofor- ence, Aro the public willing to placo furthor ment ngonc(y. that tho Govornmont should construct tolograph 1ines and work therm in connoction with the Post Offico ot o uniform rate of throo conta por mes- 8850, —0 ?repoulllnn then equally as tho ono now vocatod equivalent to snying”that tho neces- gity of affording to the pooplo of tha United Btates chesper tefograph servieo Is so imperative and ~ opparent as to domand that the Government sball annually 2dd to the alroady hosvy burden of taxation a Isrge additional burden in order that so_dosira- ‘ble s result mey bo offectad. But it does not goom to havo rocurred to those gontlomen, whosa bosoms awoll so rondily with tho tdoa of dovern- mont philauthrophy, that the Government Las nover anything to ivo to tho people in tho way of pecuniary aid or bounty othor than it has pro- viously taken from tho peoplo undor somo form of taxation, with somo 8 por cont additions! to sy for tho oout of ko taking; and ngain, that if Yw is to bo an accopted principle of our pational polley that tho ~Governmont is to furnish to the poeoplo such things 84 are noknowlodged to bo mocossary, it stands to reason that such sorvico slould com- menco with thoso things which aro of primo nocoasity rather than thaso whicharo socondary, and that food, raiment, sholtor, aud education holong to tho firat olasy, and m\ognpbln Borvico to the latter. It may bo, however, thai to somo tho nddition of some six to twelvo milllons to tho prosont aunual expendituroof throo hundred millions will up{mnr inuignificant in comparison with tho rosults promisod or anticipated, if Hhioro bo suoh. . 3r. Wellu onll attontion to tho ptartling faot that ot tho prosont time tho ratio of inoreaso In our national oxpendituros for what may ba called tho Civil Bervico, i8 in . excons of that of any of tho Governments of the old world, and ginico 1864 haa boen on the averngo an oxcess of 8 por cont per sunum, whilo during the same poriod the ratio of in- crense of population had not beon equal to § per cont per anuum; and also as |llustrating the iriiuence of tho presont burden of tazation on facilitios in tho way of the exerclso of the prorog- ativo alroady claimed to bo possessed by com= ‘mittoos of Congress, of taling possession and using such records, a claim nowadays different in priuciplo from tho ux)uning and reeding of lotters entrusted to the Post Oflice, and for the rosistanco to which the manlinoss and intogrity of the oflicors of the oxisting telograph “ve ns Yot provad tho only offectun) obstaclo? On the the Continont of Liurope thero s not a Govern- mont that doos not regard tho telograph as an adjunct of tho polico, and which docs not claim and probably exercise tho powor of interfering with the transmission of any mes- snge which it may rogard as flrojudicm to ita own intercsts; and oven in Lnglaud, liberal as hor Govornment is in comparigon with thaso ‘upon tho Continent, the right to dolay or with- hold telograms for the Yruas hiag boon clalmed and oxorcised by hor oficials within n very ro- cent poriod. In an oxcitlng 1{?“““1 oontost, fiko ‘that whioh tho country hns just passod through, can it bo doubted that tho” telograph, it in possosslon of tho Governmont, would bo wused for political purposes for tho porpotuation of its own Awwor or_for tho nssistuno of ita frionds; And, oven if this should not ho the caso, and tho Gevornmont should koop itself immaculato, tho vur{’tmt that ovory groat facilitios for tho uso of tho tolegraph for partisan purposes existed, and that detoction wag almost impossible, would of itsolf bo prove- entivo of such & dlstrust as would 1imit tho uso of the wirea for political corrospondonce almost exclnaively to those in sympathy with the exist- ing Administration. Burpouo, turthermore, in t1% hoat and. excilement of o national polifical contost, in which the rosult was acknowledged to bo cloo and doubiful, & genoral eusplcion should bo oxcited, groundloss, r otherwise, that tho tolograph had Loon, or was likely to bo, wsbd Dy an Adminlstration for il own politi- cal udventage ;; would not, from that vory momont, tho ufility, nay, even the continuanco, of the system as & wholo Lo {mpaired or totally intorruptod? A fino coppor wiro carrled from "tho lino down & crack of tho taln{{rnrh polo to tho ground offeotually Intor- rupts tho current, Troes fall convonlontly in tho wooda In many differont localilios, and al- though thoro aro Inatrumonts whioh will onablo boy sitting in the contral offico to dotormino within a half & milo the location gf & breakin a line of folograpie wire stratohing ovor o dis- tance of from 200 to 800 miles and upward, thore can be little informatlon got out of tuch fnutru~ monts whon nolhln’ romning of o clroult but & numorous dotachod fragmonts, Tho proposod Govornment syatom malkon nll othor = tolograph compotition unlawlul, and proscribos punishmont [ fiuio for over oftonco of “traus~ mitting or rocol vh}:f meanages without oficlal pormlasion. ow, whon wo consldor that within tho clrolon of population aud busls noes which omploy tho tolograph, Itn use s dail hannmlnimom common nnd famiiar; that hosfdos the public offices for tho transmission of mossagos from town to town and from oity io uh.j'. tho telographic Instrument hns bocomo tho indiapensablo ndjunct of overy police statlon, firo alnrm, slock and produce oxchange and wn- dorwrltors’ oty for (o roporting aud rolisf of vossols 3 that [ tho free hand of railway ofil- clals 1t rogulates the movemont of ovory train, and {n those of morchants and manufac- turora it communloatos botwoon tho oftlco of sale nnd places of Yrofluctlom that it is alroady sold a8 toy for chlldron to play with, and tliat the {mprovomontsof every yoar tend more and moro to atmplify nud oxtonil fts oporation and ngonoy, does it not bocomo obvious that the proposas Govornment control of sch an instrumentality ombracou n groak muuy moro intoronts than those reprosouted by the Post Offico? 'And, further, thnt to keop that control oxclusive, will require n systom of lay nnd coplonago 6o forelgn to our pooplo that ractically it can novor bo oxeouted, Indeed, it s much tho samo thing as if the Governmont, for tho ronson that it desired to uso tho powor of stoam for tho oxclueive transmission of tho mails, should mako itsuse for all othor pur- poncs n matter subjoct to offlcial permission. ivil sorvice reform and C tho Yo~ straint of great moncyed monopolies aro things much talked-of of lato n8 among tho no- cousition of our national situstion s but what civil sorvico roform or any other benefloinl re- form is to bo oxpestod in national affalrs, if the Govornment {8 to be invested with the rosch of powar ovor tha business, waalth, politics and preau of tho country, ns this schemo contomplates ; or what the rostraining influenco on monopolios whon the Govornment has become tho monopo- list, and hns added to tho patronsge which it now possoescs all that portains to tho corpora~ tions which it propoaca to digost nnd nesimilate. In it too much to aflirm that'sn Administration once in powor with such influoncos ab its control and disposition, could moke its tonuro of oxistonce commonsurato only with its inolination? Ihe true idoa of Olvil Borvico Roform, that only one which will ever prove offactive, ia to bo found In carrying out tho orlginal Hmm:ly that tho Fodoral Govorn- mont shoul Vo rostricted to tho most limited sphoro of action consistont with its own safoty and oxistenco, and in roducing tho pnh'onfl;o at ita diaposnl to the minimum, and not in firat incrensing tho amount of patronngo and thon making rules to |, provont abuse in its distribution—n procoss vory ke proying to bo led into temptn- tion, and to bo dolivored at tho samo time from its influence, Whethor, thoreforo, under tho scheme of Fedoral intorforonco, diract or indirect, the people aro likely to obtain mora ofliclent and choaper polographio faclitios whother it I8 n necossity for the Sannl Borvico to control oxclusivoly the wires for its own pur- poscs, or whothor tho intorest of any partioular company are lkoly to be in- Jurlously effectod, “aro all aliko questions of minor importanco, innsmuch 08 tho real uostion involved,tho ono beforo whichall othora shrink into comparative insignificanco is, Will tho pooplo, consent to tho inauguration of a policy on the part of tho Foderal Govornment which rovives the old medimyal doctrine of tho necossity of Blate intorforonco with tho pursults and businoss of = tho pooplo, and overy stop in the enrrying out of which i a doparture from ropublicanism am{ nn, appronch towards dospotism and mon- avchy In rogerd tothe Hubbard proposition, Mr. Wolls shows that in this, 88 in thocaso of the proposition of the Postmastor General, tho thing primarily sought for is Fedoral interforonce, and that, too, in & sphoro of business which in no dogreo portains to the functions of s Ropub- Tican Htato ; but apsrt from this ciroumstance, which alone ought to furnish & sufficient reason for uncompromising opposition on the part of all these who beliovo in holding the Toderal Govornmont slrictly to its original basis, the simple, impartinf statoment of tha proposal of Mr. Hubbard, would soom of itsolf to conetitute tho most unanswerable argumont sgainst - its_indorsomont end sccoptance that could possibly b presonted. Mr. Hubbard says, in tho outsot, to the Governmont: * If you will assume nll the oxponses of tho sorvice, othor than_ what dopond on the more operating and maintaining of tho wires, nomely, ofilcos and thelr equipmants, sultablo and sufli- clont for operators, instruments and batterim ¢ ol tho stations; all clorks, bookkeopers, and messengor service, all fuol, lights, siomps, paper, and envelopes, nllow us to use the various Post Oflico facilltios we msy roquire, rolievo us from nll State sud locnl taxes, collect sll monoys, and lLand over tho samo tb ua less fivo conts por mosngo ; froo us a8 Government sgents from all rosponsibility to the people for oll mistakes and braach of trust, apd we will undortake to transmit mes- sagos at rates somowhat cheaper than st proa- ont, And, as _if this _ woro nob onough, tho bills last reportod provide for omaling ont and. dostroying tho proporty and franchises of all oxisting companics by im- posing o tax of b conts on oach despateli sont Gvor any linea othor than those belonging to the postal telograph. That oxisting companios, rolieved from euch burdens and endowed with guch privileges ag Mr. Hubbard proposos, would bo .bl’., to offor urrml reductions in rates cannot bo doubted, and, if _so, then Mr. Hubbard would seom to bo dobarred from claiming that his pro- posal offers any moro_favorable basis to the Government for negotiating for the ostablish- mont of cheaper ratos than would be offered by tho organizations nlready performing the gervice. Ho theroforo, in reslity, ~aske tho Govornment to take o position which no froo Governmont ought over to_allow itself to o placed in, namely : that of deciding botween two E{lvnlu partios, representing oqually pri- vato Intorests, which one it will favor and which it will orush. Nay, moro; Lo calls upon tho Government to go furthor, and place itselt in opposition to those com- banon and _orgenizations who, whon hio tolegraph business was an_oxperiment, undortook the risk and oxtonded its favor an bounty to othor partien who, now that succoss has been won, aro wmm¥ 10 ontor into the posgesaion and onjoyment of othor men's labor. Tho capital of the postal tnlagrnph is fixod ab 920,000,000, but as the Committoo on Appropria- tions havo feported to tho Houso during the gremmt seneton that it would roquire st least 75,000,000 to carry out the schomo of a Govorn- ment tololgrnph occupyin, aubstantinll tho samo fiold as the postal tolegraph, it isdif- flonlt to rosiat the inforenco that the advocatos of tho lattor schomo have some othor object in viow than the sccommodstion of tho pub- e, What that object is readily suggesta itsolf whon it is consldored thnt the imposition of the digoriminating tax of b centa virtually put it into the Housoe for the postal tolegraph to dictate its own terms on which it would consent to purchass and absorb tho property of all tho othor companics. In concluslon, Mr. Wella claims that whon this whole quostion of Fedaral interforonco with tho telegraph is fu“€ undoratood by tho peoplo, thora will bo no doubt on which side tle frisnds of a truly freo Govornmont and tho opponents of ofticial contralization will make hasto to array {hemsolven, FIRES. Destruction of Property at various Places Yesterdaye OepAn Rarips, Jan, 17.—A firo at Kossuth, Towa, yeutords{, donmflod a drug storo owned by Dr. O. Ohiliroe, and o harness shop. Tho Joss on the drug storo is $3,800 ; iusured for $1,800. Tho loss on tho -harnoss ts].mp 18 $200 ; insured for 8140, New Yonx, Jan, 17.—There was a small panic at tho Bt. Donis Hotol last night, caused bya fire in ono of Lhe rooms, which, however, occa- slonea but slight damoge, and was soon exiin- guishod. A fire in Jones' dry gonda catablishmont, in Eighth avenuo, Inst ovonlg, dcatrus'ud Qwra]xorty ‘wortl 925,000 ; insurod for 200,000, Sixty-fivo poople wero thrown out of employmant. “Special Deapateh to The Chicago Tribune., ALvLIANOE, O., Jan, 17.—The 8t, James Hotel ownad by D. Bouorbool, was totnily dostroyed by fire this ovoning. Loas, 7,000 ;" Insurod for 4,000 in tho Columbiana County Mutusl, Lhoro Las been no one living in the homse for six wooks, and it {8 supposod to have boon sot on fire by & nogro, Who was scon coming oub of tho louso atter tho firo way discovorad. Ho way captured and, fmt fu jal, uBUQUE, Jan, 17.—A firo at Cherokoo, Iowa, this moruing, dontroyed MoLane's Hote}, fogath or with most of the guosts' baggage. Though tho oftizens woro promptly on hand, their Iabors woro unavatling, and in o sliort timo the build- ing was & massof ruins. Tho loss s about 819,000{) insurod for #3,600 in the Continental, snd probably $2,600 in tho Hartford City. SR Rnilrond Nows, CugyenNg, Jan. 17.—The Choyenne, Iron Mountain & Pagiflo Railrond_Company bis been yeorganizod, Dr. 11, Latham Is Presidont, and Govoruor J, A, Oampboll, Vico Prosidont. ' Tho booka of tho Company will be opon in o fow days. ¥ Spectal Deapateh to The Chicago Tribine, Dunuque, Jaun, 17.—In nnnnn?nnnnn of the troublo hetwoon tho Southern Miunorota Rail- rond and _Its omployas, growing out of tho fact that tho Company in fn arronrs to thom for alx montho' back pay, whicls tho Rocelver, MoElrath, who was appointed by the Court nt 8t Paul, when the rond was forced into bankruptoy, hing no authority to sottlo, tho omrloyus havo {sauod a ocironlar lottor warning tho “public agatust travelling over the rond, and forbidding n"f“" neora running locomotivon, so that up to to- night ovm’ylmn[ilhom Jina boon at o standsyill. Tijo Compuny, howovor, aunouncos its Inions {lon of running n train to-night, and has ordored tho arrost of any ouo aitompling to provont thom doing no,” Much difficulty and Incon- vauienco doubtices will bo oxporioncod until an amicablo understanding is arrived at. Mearemts, 'Tonn,, Jan, 17.—The stookholders of the Mumphis, Bino Bluff & Shrovéport Rall- rond hold o ineoting at Hopefiold, Arlt,, to-day. TFroaik 8, Davin, Prosldent of tho First Nationnd Donl, prosidod. Aftor a Inrgo numbor of spocchen by prominont capitalists, tho mooting adjourncd to 13th Inat., when Dircotors will bo olacted, B ¥ i STATE LEGISLATURES. WISCONSIN, Spectal Despatch to The Chicago Tribuna, MapigoX, Jan. 17.—DBoth Housos, nftor & short gonsion to-day, without doing much of contc- T\‘lmm‘ ndfourncd to Nonday m‘unh)gfi Ay Pucadny is designod for the vote on United Stntos Honator, littlo will bo dono Ul tho middla of tho woolt, g SENATE. Messrs. Corzhauson, Nolson, Holloway, and Prutt_woro npgnlnlcd 'n Spocial Committoo on ropoaling tho Sonate bill for tho excmption of cartain property from taxation. The Assombly Joint resolution, cutting off all now bueinosn af- tor Fob. b, wasmndo s special ordor for 11 o'clock Weodneadny noxt. Tho Joint Committes to invostigato tho Sol- diors’ Orphans' Homo woro suthorized to ap- oint a clork, and fho Borgoant-at-Arms to serve o nocossary papors, Bills woro introducod (that_rolating to ap- poals was _lsmissod) to mmond tho statuton 80 sa to roquiro tho canvoyanco of proporty bo- longing to adocensed porson, which ho would hevo baon roquired to convoy if Hvlni; to ap- Bwprllm 304,600 for an Industrisl School for oys ot Waukesha, bolng $37,00 for curront ox- ‘ponsas for the ensuing yoar, snd the balance for ormanont improvomonts; to _appropriato 45,790 for tho Stato Prison at Waupuu, of which $256,000 is for current oxpendon aud ro- nirs ; to require copies of all thy Bupremo Jourt roports to bo furnished cacts United Btatos District Judge of tho State. . A bill to provide for 5ivlng notict by publica- tion to unknown defendants in sctions in rola- tion to roal estato or title theroto was passod. ASSEMBLY. Tho ropors, of Ionry Coleman, Lumber In- spector, dated at Chippow, Talls, showod B,480,- 155 feot of lumbor, 18,253,160 Inth, 45,000 pick- ots, 800,000 shinglés, manufactured in’ Lumbor District No, 6. A rosolution making tho clection of United Statos Senator tho spocinl order for Tuesday morning next was adoplod. Arenolution was offored, and roferred to tho Committes on Fedcral Relations, strongly pro- tosting agatnnt tho Soldiers’ Land Bounty bill now bofore Congress, and instructing our Soua- tors to oppose it, for reagons sob forthin tho following form of proamblo: Formor axperionce has domonstrated that land war- rants, so lssucd, aro almost iuvariably bought up by Eastorn capitalists, known aa ¢ land ehorks,” for nom- innt slims, and tho best lands, through thelr sgents, a0 "ontcrod ond held for tho purposes of speonlation, to tho reat dotrlment of tho interests of the West, compelling actual sotlern to tako lands of poorer quality or go further away from the centres nImflleznuun, and walt longer for the ndvantagesand privioges of soclety, thus virtu- ally annulling tho wiso provistous of tho’ Homestend act, whereby nctusl ettlors, tho hardy plonoer, and ea- g::hu ‘soldlors, have the opportunily of securlng the # of public lands ot o trifing cost, thoroby greatly oncouraging tho eottlomont aud the’ bullding up of school _districts, towns, villagos, and_citics, and e doveloping with great rapidity the resources of our now territory, and {ncreasing the matorlal wealth of the wholo nation. Attor somo dobate, it was reforred to the Com- mitteo on Foderal Rolations, whero one in fayor of tho said bill has beon alroady sout. ‘Bills were introduced to provide for annoxing to and oxoluding torritory from citics, towns, and villages, and o uito cltics, towns, and vil- Iages ; to reponl the laws axnmf)lhlg property from {nxation, oxcopling that bofonging to tho Btato, countios, or municipalitics ; to amond Chaptor 84, Rovised Btatuts, so a8 to allow Town Bonrds, whoro ‘the . county system of caring for the poor is adoptod, to oxpend monay for temporary rolicf, and obarge it to the county; fix tho salarics of District Attornoys ab nob less than 8600, in counties excoeding 5,000 population ; to limib the agos at which boys can bo committed to tho Industrial School at Waukesha to from 10 to 15 onrd, : ¥ The Joint Logislative Committeo to investl- ato mattors relative to tho Soldiors' Orphans' Homo filvo notice that they will meot on Thurs- dny sud Fridey next, and persons having knowl- edge of nng ‘mismanagemont on the part of the Trusteos, Suporintondont, or_omployes, aro in- Jited to make the facts known to tho Commit- toe, in porson or by lettor, INDIANA, Special Lespatch to The Chicago Tribune, BENATE, Ixpianarous, Ind,, Jan. 17.—A resolution of inquiry was adopted by the Senato, this morn- ing, looking to tho taxation of agents from other Statos selling goods b{ samplo in this Stato, A Standing Jommittee on Mines and Mining was authorized. Now bills wera introduced, prolibiting from Jolding oflics any porson in the habit of using intoxicoting liqudra; to prevont minors from playing billlsrds in lquor saloons. “he remninder of tho morning sosslon was oc- cupled in tho ronding of Houso bills tho firal, and tho Senate bills o Accond time. A mation to appoint a standing Committeo on woman suffrage was lost—aycs, 17; nays, 25. The Committee on Public Buildings” was in- structed to make n thorough exainination of the Capito! building and roport what shall bo dono sbout it, A tesolution was nflo{)tcd calling upon tho Lake Shoro & Michigan Itailrond for the stato- ments of its buuinoss and profits. The charter of this rond, like that of the Terro Hante, con- taing a claufo providing thist 16 per cont of all peofits ball bo puid into the Bohiool fund, and ;?Iq“mng tho oflicors to filo a statoment annu- y. noURE In tho Ifouso the Committeo on tho Ju- dicinry have, bogan tho work of plaughlor amongst tho billg roforred to thom, four or flvo falling undor their inoxorable honds. *Chig morning the timo was occupied In & large part with the consideration of tho Commilteo roports of Mr, Butterworth's bill toincrease tho oware of Notra Damo under thelr special char- or of 1844, so_that thoy may hold real estato to tho extont of $300,000. It was finally recommit- tod, with instructions to amond 80 that thoy shall hiold all tho real estato thoy now have, pro- vidod the smount doos not excoed $300,000, ‘fho concurrent rceolution instrucling tho Committoos of tho two houses on Bouovolont Institutions to proparo tho suggestions of tho Govoruor as to ordoting two additional Insnno Hospitals, and dividing tho State into districts, wau adoptod—nyoes, 80 ; nays, 1, Ao trvo Louses mot In joint Convontion at 2 o'clock this aftornoon to’ hear addrossos from tho roprosentatives of tho National Womana Snlrrm:"o Assooiation, The Conyention was ad- drossed by Mra, IL M. T. Cutler, of Illinols, and Mrs, M. V, Longldy, of Cincinnati. Mra, Bwaul, of tho Sinte Buffrago Associstion, thought that the institution had not beon trento: with propor respect, in not being connullod by the former. 3 —t——— MICHIGAN, LaNsiNG, Mich,, Jan, 17.—The fenate Agrl- cultural College Committce roported to-duy, favoring an npm‘osrluuon to that institution of $66,000, bolng §18,000 moro than reeommonded by ox-Govornor Baldwin, tho samo boing for tho Prosidont's house and groon-houso, Govornor Dagley's suggostion of an Agrioultural Collogo sohiool of techuology waa favorably considerad, but no rocommondation was made by the Com- mitteo. ‘Uho Bonate adopted o vosolition favor- ing tho publication of tho documontary history ot lollgam, a8 suggosted by tho Pinoor o- cloty. . ’l'im Sonate, by a vote of 20 to 4, adopted tho fizlul rosolution favoring tho catablishmont of a ational Park on Macltnao Island, according to tho bill of Honator Lerry, now boforo the United Statos Bonnte. Tho House, in Committes of tho Whole, thls attornoon, agraud to tho following preamblo and rasolntions ¢ Witengag, Tho Prosident of the Unitod Htates, In tio Interest of eheny (ranportntfon, aud i view of tho growing conunerce of tho great’ West, haa called the Rttention of Uongross to thie importanco of cousiruct- ing slip canals from the Wost to tho East, for (lie bet- fer transportation of tho surplus producty of the Weslern granaries, Resolved, '"That the Legislature most cordlally indorsa {his feature of tho annial measnge of Prosldent Grant, bolioying, 8s wo do, that the carly construction of & lans for carrying out | fow auch canala would bo n groat sourco of reliof to tha Tapidly increasing commerco of.tho Btates of the Northweat, Ttewolued, Ty the Sonnto snd THouno of Represontu, tivon of thio Blale of Michigan, ihab our Senators and Tioprosenlatives In Congraan o o ucsted to uso their Tillvoned. 10 Broguto i AppropHalion for {ho Aurvoy of n Michigan Hbip Omil from momo point on tno castorn_Alioro of Lako Michigan to somo point on Lako Erlo or Lake 1iuron ‘Resolved, That 11is Excollonoy tho Governor bo ro- quieatod to'tranamit copioa of tho_foregolug pronmblo and rosolutionn 1o each of our Benators snd Ropre- nontativos In Congross, . — ARKANSAS, Lartee Rocx, Ark., Jan, 17.—Bills wora intro- duced in both Houges to-day making County Clovks Roglstrara, Tho Clotk, by this bill, fs roquivod to register any ono at any timo who will talo tho oath, nnd hio bas no discration. Anothor unsuccossful ballot for United Biates Honator to-day resulted as follows: Dornoy, 40 Qarland, 853 Dowon, 20; McDonald 5 Wolshiro, 1. Tt o'thought tho contest will bo dotormined to-morrow, and that elthor Dorsoy or Garland will bo olected. R e LOUISIANA. New Onueans, Jon, 17.—Tho Fusion Loglala- ture ballotod for Unitod States Bonator. No eloction. — NEW YORK, a AtpAxy, N. Y., Jun. 17.—Next Wodnosday ovening has beon np&olutul\ by tho Legislaturo for the elcotion of o Unted States Senator. P i FLORIDA. TavzAmasszs, Jon, 17.—In the Loglolature éalurdny, o Civil Rights Dill, simtlar to that ol onator Bumner's, wag mado tho spoclal order for to-dny, Tho Senato bns confirmed the nom- inationy of Stato ofiicors. FOREIGN. FRANCE, " Pants, Jan, 17.—Deolgaoy, Ministor of War, has writton o lottor to Marshal MoMabon, pro- Dibiting tho ciroulntion of Bonaparto addrésos in tho barrack of tho Fronch troops, and urging the noyoro punichmont of porsons’ fonnd dis- tributing unch paporn. Paws, Jun, 17.—The Committeo of Thirty, to-doy, nfter long dobato agroed to tho pro: amblo'of tho constltutional project reported by the sub-Committeo, which declares that the Assombly Iutuqrnlly resorves to itsell constitu- tional nower. Tho voto stood 20 yoos t0 3 nays, The adoption of ths Ernnmblo i8 regarded as a victory for tho Rii: t, as the quortion of o monarchy or a ropublio {s left untouchod. IWorld Special, Loxpoy, Jan, 17.—Princo Napoleon nuthorizoa mo to say that ho will abatain from all intrignes oithor in his own belalf or for Napolson IV. Whon his rights a8 a Fronch citizen oro rocog- nized ho will adhore to the Republic. Loxpox, Jan. 18.—Tho London Morning Post to-day announces that Princo Napoleon refurng to Bwitzorland and takes no [‘mrt in political manifostations, 1o snys ho dosires only to gain his lawsuit ngainst the Governmont of Iranto for his oxpulsion from that country; that he lna no protontions to tho throne, and doos not favor tho Reguncy, ond that he submits to the Govern- ment which Franco approves. s Sel el _.SPAIN, Mapnip, Jan. 17.~Congross has nprointnd a special commission on tho nbolition of slavery. The Porto Rico mombors of tho commission are avowed abolitionists. The Ministor of Marino has introduced in tho Cortos o bill abolishing conseription for tha naval soryico. Bonor Gomez has boon elocted firat Vico Prosl- dent of Cougross. ITALY. Rouz, Jan, 17.—Princo Humbort has doclared to his father, King Victor Emanul, that ho will Tonyo Itsly if the lattor declaros his marrisgo with tho Countoas Marifiori legal. ik GERMANY, Benuy, Jan, 17.—Tho number of emigrants who loft the port of Bremen for the United Statos, Iask yoar, was 80,000, Emigration from ‘Hamburg, during the ssmo timo, 50,000, SAMANA BAY. Advorse Comments on tho Nogotin« tions with San Domingo~The Flag of the Now Nation—Further Detnils of the Convention. Special Despateh to The Chicago Tribune. New Yong, Jan. 17.—Thoe foothold obtained in San Domingo by a company of Noew York sud Bonton capitalists givas riaa ta anmo commenta of on ndveras charactor, Tho poninsnin coded to thom ombracos 240 square miles, &0 it follows of nocossity that thoy would not pay 150,000 in ~ gold por yoar, oxcopt in view of fature Inrge ncquisitlons of torritory. Many persons suspect that somo international difficul- ty will soon follow thia purchinso, and thoy point to troublo betweon France andItaly onono side, and Grocco on tho other, regarding tho Laurium mines In Greoce, which woro purchased and dovolopod by & compeny of Fronchmen and Itolinns who haevo beon dospoiled by the na- tives. Tho IHerald says: 1t is abaurd to spoak of o vast trade with St. Domingo, One little stoamer making monthly_trips does tho princi- al trado with tho United Staten, Thora i3 hard: y any othor. Tho Company gponks of aprospectivatrado smounting to hundrads of millions. This ig ridiculous. San Domingo bas scarcely any production in iteclf, Howover rich tho soil may be, thove is not tholabor, nor do wo thinl it can bo_cairied thers to mako tho soil roductive. Then it is an orror to say that tho Toland has o commanding position for frade with tho Antflles and South Amorice. It lies on tho outor vergo of tho whole group, andis not pra%m'ly in the track of commorce.” Tho Uompany, howover, sy thoy will mako Samona victually & fres port, eud gradually ‘absorD all the trade of the Woat Indics. Gov- ornor Fabens has posted tho Gumpm)y'u‘flnq‘n\t Snmana, and the stonmebip Tyboo, at Pior No. 4, North River, floats the same omblem from hor foro, It i8 a combination of thie Dominican and United Statcs flags. From cdgo to edgo soross its contre, lengthwise and oross- wise, is n brond white band, di- other perts. d corner is the union jack, and whito stars. ‘The upper right- is red, the lowor right bitio, and tho and corner rod. 'The negotiations \With Baoz for tho purchaso of Samana extondod through two waoks. _Audionces wora givon daily in the Exooutive Palace, tho hours being from 8:80 o, m £o 4:30 p. m., with o intormission for dunor. " The negotiotions wore eonducted in Spsnich, aud during their progress the Commis- sionors had no_roltions of iutimacy with tho membors of the Governmont, living” on board viaiig tho flag futo four In tho uppor loft-hau & bluo fiold tho ship, ond not seeing tho Dom founs oxcopt in businces hours. Whon the mogotintions woro _comploted, and the froaty ratified, tho Prosident gave & grnnd ball in bonor of {ho Commitsioners, yho Soturned tho compliment by o dinner on tho Tybee. %Sevorsl times the nogotintions wore menrly brokon off, On one oceasion tho Comniseioners rotirad to Lhoir steamer, got up steam, blow tholr whistlo, and wero nearly off, and thon they wero recalled. Whothor tho Dominioans wero fright- enod by tho stoam whistle is not known, but tho negatiations woro rosumed, and fiually the Pres- idont and his Ministors ratified tho contract, It wns thon reforrod to the Sonnto, —whioh comprises nino mombers. The Honate dio- oungod tho Convention savoral days, dur- ing which tbo mombors of tho Qoverument wore invited boforo that body to explain the varlous provisions of tho trealy. Tho result of theso de‘lmumflcnn way the ratification by tho Souato. That branch of the Govornmont agrood with tho Exeoutivo, that n lroa!?', which was gneh an innovation on the laws of tho country, and which granted auch unusual aud oxtraordi- nary powora to o private compnny, should not bo finally and wholly carriod into oifoct without its Tatiiiontlon by tho pooplo ot tho yolls, This has doubtlesn been nccomlfllnhod beforo the hrosent dato, Porhaps nino-tonths of tho popu- Jation, altogottior ahout 240,000, aro wioddcatad and Ignorant. Tho voters of ~this clans avo oxpoctad to havo no opinfon but to voto &4 thelr suporlors divoet. ~Tho educatod and woalthier clasnon faver the schemo and thorofors tho Company have no doubt that the Convontion will bo overwholmingly ratifiod nt tho polls. (Lo_the Adtociated L'ress,) New Yok, Jau. 17.—Tho Secrotary of tho Samann Bay Company soya that it i stipulated with tho Dominioan Uoyarnment that the Com- pany in to }ymhmt itsolf from outside iuterfor- onep, but_tho Company counts upon tlio sym= {)l“l)’ and aid of Foroign Govornmonts, sud not leir opposition. The umrnuy will first doclure Samana Bay a freo port to tho wholo world, A Washington dospateh to the Jlerald tates that Cougressmon considor tho Hsmaus Day soliomo fmpracticable, and the Teytion Ministor thinks tho Amorlcan ‘purchosers Wil find that tho{l have mado o bad slvunnlnnon, boing fit for nothing but & nayal station. A mooling of tho mombors of the Bamans Day Compnn{ will be liold on Monday, when tho ro- ort of tho Commissionors just arrlved from ian Domingo will bo prosontod, permanont offl- cora choson, snd tho futura plans of tho Come pany porfootod, New Yonit, Jan. 17,—~Tho' Tribuna publishes the nupplumnntnry tronty for tholoago of Bamann Day to tho Amorican Company. It provdos that tho offoctive capital of tho Compnny must bo 8800,000 In currout monoy of tho United States divided into 8,000 sharos of tho valuo of 8100 onch; Dbut naid capltal and sivros may Do in- crongod from timo to timo by a Yoto of not loss than tho two-thirds part of tho oapital exiating at tho time, BSald incronso shnil roprosent tho valuo of the proporty and lm= Frammun(a of tho Company, which has power o fix its own valuo from timo to timo, and to roprogont 1t by lsnuo of bonds or shores in- lcllrnl!y paid, or of both, provided tho firat vale untion” g0 mnde ntter the organization of tho Comgnny doos ot oxcoed $20,000,000 capital and 510,000,000 bonds. Tho treaty 18 to bo sub- mitted to tho popular sanction of tho Dominioan Govornmont. RAILROAD ACCIDENTS. Soveral Minor Casunltics, and Scveral Narrow Eacapes from Wholesale Claughters Covunmsus, 0., Jan, 17.—Tho § o'clock accom- modation on tho Littl Miami Raiirond, this morning, jwmpod the track whon nbout two miles wost of this iy, 'I'wo cars containing passen- gors woro rolled ovor twice, throwing tho pas- wougers about promisouously, nnd compolling thom to male thelr oxit through tho windows, but no ono was vory serlously hurt, Those who woro braised aro:~ Beorotary of State Wikoff, Roprosontativen Hnldorman, Shanks, and Oron, and Sonator J. Q, Bmith, nnd alady, A dofece tive roil was {lio causo of the nccldont. PoRTLAND, Mo, Jan, 17.—-Yostorday, near Wolls'villago, o countruction {rain contalning & gong of labovers wag thrown off the tracle nagnfuat a rock and broken in two, Twonty or thirty mon aro roported moro or logs injurod. Speetal Despateh to The Chicago Tribune, CEpAR RArios, Tows, Jau, 17.—A froight train was thrown from the track by s brokon rail, near Tortram, Jown, to-dny. Tan caro of stock wara Qitched. Tho bresk causod a dolny of wbout ton Tours to the pussenger train, Throo or four head of cattlo wore Iillod. No porson was in- od. « ‘Speetat Deapatch to The Cliieago Tribune, TFont WAYNE, fnd.,, Jan. 17.—Yostordsy aftor- neon the Enuunngur train east, nonr Antwerp, 005, o the Wrtiass Tallkasd, thn off tho track: supposod to have beon caused by tho washing away of the road-bod. Tlo ontiro “train loft tha rails. Tho conductor and brakeman wora gori- ously injured, tho lattor probably fatally. Nopas- songers were Reriously injurod, though somo woro burned. The escapo from o foss of Tito was miraculous, ng tho train was runsing at o bigh rato of spoed at tho timo, Tho wreck was specdily cleared, ond traing aro now running regularly. nipaEront, Conn., Jan. 17.—A spacial train from Now Milford, for Bridgeport, op tho Housa- tonic Road, this morniug, was precipitated into o wash-out nonr Lanosvillo, tho wator having forced ita way neross tha track under tho frost. Tho ongino and tondor crosscd safoly, but tho Iinggago and ono. pussonger car foll through. Tl baggage-mastor was tho only person injured, and ho not sovorely, Tho carly moruing train from Conaan had o liko casualty, but no ono was Injured. AvrexTOWN, Pa., Jun, 17.—The westorn ox- rogs tratn, which loft Eagt Ponneylvania Junc- fon nt half-past 7 o'clock this morhing, nerrow- 1y oscaped a torrible accldont, Tho train had Yoaohod n point moar Dubbs' Mills, whon the track suddenly ssnk to s dopth of fiftecn feot. Two mon who were engaged in repniring tho track had their logs broken. Travel wasnok dolayed by the accident. TyrusviLie, Ps., Jan, 17.—A speciol to the Herald says an nccidont ocourred on the Alle- g}mny Valloy Railroad st noon to-dny, near orub Grass, Tho sleoping oar on tho train from Pittsburgh this morning _jumpod tho {rack, and was vruclxts,\tntod into the river. A. M. Rittor, of Pittsburgh, John M. Rick, Oil Qity, and Charles Cornell, Oil City, wero badl injived, ond threo othors elightly injured, nmonf whom was Snsexlntundunt (opburn, of the Qil Crook Railrond. HopsoN, N. Y., Jan, 17.—The bridgo over Btockport Oreek, on the Hudson River Railrond, was carried away by floating ice this afternoon, All upward-hound traing havo boenstopped here, It will requiro somo time to rocomstruct tho bridgo. rains for the West aro being run. via Chathan. i < " rd NEW YORK. New Yorg, Jan. 17.—Tho levying of tonnage dnrR on Amorican Btoamers nlnnine botweon roman dna e united Btatos DAYLas bOOW stopped by Gormany, tho samo_course wag adopted at tho Now York Custom House yostor- day, by ordor of the Beorotary of the Troasury. At o mooting of the coal producers, held hero yosterday, active measures wero taken for the {otal supprossion of tho middlomon, who aro charged with acoumulating and selling coal, to the prejudice of not only tho producers, but the ~ publio. tocit undorstanding was reach that tho great companios shall conso to bo active compotitors, and, shll estab~ lish an avorago wholosalo prico of about 35 per ton for conl -carly this year. Iencoforth he principal companios will soll small “quantitios aa clmnpg' a5 they will thoso of 1,000 tons. Noth- Ing wa# douo, howover, looking tos combina- tion of thoe trado. Rev. W. 0. Clark has beon oxpolled from the Now Yorl Conforonce of tho Mothodist Church for catrying on & lottory ostonsibly for the bonefit of n nussion house and froo reading- yoom. Mr. Clark continues to serve s churcl of his own in Brooklyn, and is apparently suc- coasful. 'A etorch-laden canal-bost ot Glen Cove, Long Toland, was sunk by tho ico last night. Lo, £20,000. B Tn tho Twoed trinl, this morniug, o numboer of warrants and vouchers wero rond, tho counsel Tor Twood objocting inn_numbor’ of instances. Davidson, the zafe man, tostified to doing worlk Tor tho city in 1870, and prosonting Lills to Woodward. One clalm of 916,949 was raised on warrant to throg times that amount, bub he only gob o cheok for tho firsh named sum. Ho had no_ businoss denlings with Tweed. Garvoy, tho Ting _plasteror, was callod for by tho prosecution. - Ho idontified tho warsants, and ropeated gomo of hiu tostimony given in the Hall trial, showing that the billa were advanced fraudulently. About the timo of tho disappoar- anco of tho vonchors, witness wont with Ingor- goll eoross to Tweed's ofica, Ingeraoll went in first, and aftcr o fow minutes called bim in. Aftor somo convorsation, witnces sad to Twoed, “Wnatam Ltodo?" for ho was droadfully ex- citod, and thie dofondant answered, *If anyhody askes’gou, toll them you paid no mozey to anybody | oxcopt Watuon,” and that was Lig Inst intorviow with ‘I'weed, This wan o fow daya bofore they got him to loave the country. Garvoy taptified that ho told Wood- ward thore were 00,000, due him for work for Pwwaad ot Groomwich, and $50,000 cash advanced to I'weed in two pums of 510,000 and 910,000, whicls, with other sums worked in, mado o total of about £805,000. It wns eeltled that tho wit- nots should make out hls bills, so that 85 por cont of thom would pay him, o indorsed warrants tothe amountof §110,000, and secoptod an amount of £300,000, The witness diggod acellar for Comptroller Connolly's house and hiad tho plans for building, snd thus sooured 110,000, His bills wore arranged by Ingersoll, Woodward, and Wateon, and whon tho ‘monoy \aa obtained, Wondward mado tho doposit in tho Brondway Bank in favor of Twoad, Garvey will bo cross-examinod on Mondsy. A great crowd is oxpected. THE MARYLAND BORGIA. Youtordny?s Procecdings in the Whar- ton Poisonlug Cases Ansavoris, Md., Jau, 17.—In tho Wharlon trind, to-duy, Mrs. VanNosa tostified ehe was sout, for (o attond hor husbaud, who was sick at the homo of Mrs, Wharton, 8ho mrived on B-umln". June 24, and sat up with hor husband that night. ‘Fhe noxt morning ho was much, bat- tor, aud aeked for somo ton and toast, Mrs, Wharton and Busan Jacobs brought theso in, Ho drank the ten, and in about fitteen minutes was wado doadly sick, 1Io vomitod continually, In conversation witlt Mra, Wharton that ovening, tho ook o soat on n sofs by mo, and commoneed tatking ubout VanNoss' kinduoss to bor, Sho asked mo if ho had over told of hor affairs, or that his lifo wan insured ? ll? alator, Drs, Lriok, brought the milk for Doutor. Boforo handing It to him sho tasted it, aud sald, ¢'It is an bitter s gall” Mrs. Wharton jumped from her goat on the sofa by o, and sakd, * I will gob somo that s frosh.,” tho roturned with » pitchor, tho contonts of which My, Lriol tasted and Sml\ulmcm\ to bo pwoot, aud tho physiclan wed it. I noxt saw Mra. . Whutton ot tho sldeboard. lieard the rattle of n paper, out of which _she was, shaking something and oaw her put the papor in hor pocket au move off. On Nonday, Yan Ness oxprossod & de- wiro for beof tea, I wont to tho Litchen whore it was warmed, 'Tho toa was brought from tho collar, I warmed it inaoup. Mra, Warton sug- seatod that I should put BQmo oxbrach of oqjery sood Into Into it, and brought ma somo for that nrposo. Blie tool it from the kitchien cuphoard. . Van Norn drank o littlo of this ton, and In n short time bocamo vory alck and vom! violontly, It attorwnrds ecnmd necessary 10 flvn VanNosn prussle ncid, and the wituens ound Mra, Whorton atanding at tho ond of tha tablo holding the spoon_and wine glass contaln— ing n littlo water in hor hand. Blio asked mo tol Tot hor havo the bottle and sho would pour they modlcino. I gavo it to Lor. Mrs, Whartom: gtood with hor ok to mo while sha mixed: the mediciue. Bho then ‘inu it 1o mo,, and I took it to VanNens, 1fo awallowad it, 5 romarking n & joking way, “ You have Doisoned’ me} it burns niy mouth.,” Mra, Wharton was: standing just without tho room ni tho door whon this romark wns mado, : Aftor & briof cross-oxaminntion of Mra, Van Noss, Dootor Cliow wag wne pib on th ntnnd, Tio said: M{lnnlnlon of Van Ness' conditlon on Bnburday in that it was due to tho influcnco of strychnin, ourt adjourned, _— SUDDEN DEATH. Donlol Ryan, on Irfshman, sgod about 45 yoors, fell doad while passing in front of No. 544 Hubbard street, at Lwlf-past 8 o'clock last even- ing. His body was oonveyed to his late resl- denco, No. 400 Becond streot, by fwa polico ofileers who witnessed his suddon death. Ho loaves n, widow, but no childran, It s the opir.~ fon of the physiclan who oxamined tho remains that Iifo was terminated by tho Lurating of o Dlood-vosrol. — - Xco Perils on the Misslssippl. g1, Louts, Jan, 17.—Jamos A. Smith, ico donlor, and son Stophon, woro culting ico'noar ono of tho bridge piora when the jce-gorg start= od to-dny, 'Thoy oach seized o plank and started for the ohoro, but, boforo reaching it, tho oldor Bmith thonght he would bo anfer on a. Yln.lform they had boen using in thoir ico oute Ing oporationy, aud returncd toit. Tho son: fio" safely neliore, but tho fathor wns carried own with tha gorgo and was in imminent peril of heing crushod by tho ico. His son followed down tho loveo withi o friond, and whon opposite tho dooks, noarly two miles from their starling polnt, thoy found & ekif which thoy pushcd out ovor tho ico, and aftor o sover and dangosoust strugglo, foochgd Bmith ot tho hioad of! Arnopal Tsland, rescued him from: his portious . position, nnd bronght: him on shoro. Fivo minutos altor ho was ree- oued tho platform on which ho had been was dashed to pigcos. T'hroo stone-cuttors wero at worl on the bridge plors when tha fco broko, nnd wora com) ellod to yomain thoro until 9 o'clock to-night. Thoy woro takon off by o lug, Tho gorge was almout ontircly sun out ahout 7 o'clock, and since thou only seatioring cskes of ico havo boon flonting pust the city, All the wharf boats and forry landings ara crowd. od upon tho loveo, wmoro or loss, snd gomo of them will bo roturned to tholr places with great diffculty, a8 tho rivor is now falling nimoat a8 rapidly as it. rosoduring tho nftornoon, Liyor-mon say ihe. riso whioh earried ico out was fully 11 feet. Tho dumage, 8o far as known, is_tho cuttine: down of tho tow-boat Wild Duck, lying ab. tho foot of _Morrimac streot, ~ South. S, Loufs, ond sinking o barga ladon: with 600 tons of iron oro I)olanglnF to the. gtoamor Comot. Tho Wild Duck lics in fifteon. foot of water, and can bo raised. The beliof is. {hat all the gorges botween horo and* Cairg will: o carriod out to-night, and navigation b6 re- sumed t0-mOSTOW, Weathor somowhat milder to-night, but stilh froozing hard. T e Mysterious Disappoarance. IxprAnAvoLts, Jan. 17.—W. A. Monefl, of the: firmn of Monoft & Brothor, moroliauts, of Brook.: Iyn, Morgan Conuty, lntoly disspponred, and. cantot bo found. ilo had sbout 5600 on lus. orson. His brothor passed throngxh this clt; his morning, in sorch of Lim, for Illinols an Tows. Ho had boen married but four days. MARRIED. OLARK—QUA—On Tuosday, Jan. 7, TR 'A‘wunl’fi-l\ll at., Now York, by the_Rev. George H. Hopworth ang Thomas ‘Armitago,. Dy Johin BLs Clark, of Ohicago, 11, and Loulso Qua,. stop-daughtor of 1. V. Ranney, Al DIED. FRUOR AL 1106 Tulnd-av.. Jan. 10, Bliss Cathectae. 00, tondscan loarn partioulars by addressing *Bhel- don,* 163 Fourth-av. Pir-Doston and Philadolphia ppora plosso copy. BOWEN _Tho funora of Mrs. Ohiauncey T. Bomoo il ako plsea trom tha rosidonga of Colonal James 1T, e hgm v, on Blonday noxt, af 130'0lock oo, " Durial at Gracaland. MOYNIIAN. Mign dary Morihan, at tho sosldoaco oS ol will Toavo hor 1ato recidonco Sunday, Ja 10, 80108, m. s i ORANDALL-In this clty, Jan. 19, 1873, ot Lis rest. d AN P rtav., Joha 0. Crandall, of “dropay, sgod 03 yonrs. at tho aidonco: . AUCTIONSALES, ... By WM. A. BUTTERS & CO., WM, A, BUTTERS & (O, AUCTIONBERS, (ESTABLISHED JANUARY, 1850). Qffica and Salesraoms, Nos, 66 and 57 South Canal-st., Will kold Weekly Salos throughout th yéar 1873, Hondore WAL FRND Whrors. }3"‘%\u3§55.-uouifl‘ ‘CARRIAGES, AND IIAR- Thursdays—DRY GOODS, OLOTHING, HATS, ke, ArinedasatTOUSEIOLL GOODS AND GENERAL MERGIANDISE, 'Gath advancos mado on recolpt of Morohandiso, Coue slgaments rolloltod, BUTIERS & CO. Rogular Baturdey’s Balo_at 55 and 57 South Oaalst. C8aturday, Jan. 18, o6 9,; colack, of: HOUSEHOLD GOODS AND OTHER MEROHANDISE, 12 PIANO FORTES, NEW AND SECOND-HAND. A ATITCT IO, QaTUESDAY, Juv. 2, ot 10 olock, a4 vud 7 St Caualal \yyr, A, DUTTERS & CO., Auctioncors. Great Catalogue Sale CARRIAGES, Tgp Byziss, Rorkaays, Phaclons, Open Bugaies, Culges, Deuble and Single Harness, Sleigh and Carriage Robgs, AT AT CTLIOR, On WEDNESDAY, Jan d'elock Oarrlago Depository, Nos. 36, 37,30 and 31 ‘West Washington-st., noar cornor Canal-st., Chieago. £ Balo poremptary for cash. Every Onrdago guaran- tead, WM. A. BUTTERS & 00., Auctlonzors. By HARRISON & CO. THE BANKRUPT SALE At 370 WABABH-AV,, of Walches, Jowelvy, and Plated Ware, Wil b continued this aftornoon at 1 o'clock, at which timo tho Slock, Safe, Show Casts, Fixtures ead Furniiute, bt d dle: f cost, REGULAR SATURDAY'S BALE OF NEW AND SECOND-HAND FURNITURE, Onrpfll!,‘lzllflVfll. 32“ ;lv\\fl:‘[lho.itr":l-:llnl‘co lot of Cliry- ot omens, Aol Kving Machison. B e HARRISEN &0 1813, salo commencing ot 1¢ 0., Auctloneors, 5 Sonth Cana By GEO. P, GORE & CO. 22, 24 and 26 I2ast Randolph-st, AT AUCTION, OHATTEL MORTGAGI BALE OF HOUSEHOLD FURNITURE, Oarpots, Btoves, &o., Romovod from Wabash-av, Also, to closn, fur whom it may concurn, 16 Hat 14 Parlor Dorks, 35 Contro Tablos Traos W. G, Grackory, Yollow and ooking- ham Ware, Glussware, Druasels and Wool Carpots, and 45 Bowing Maohinos in porfoot running order, on Saturday, Jen, 18, at DN o ORE & 0., Auctionoo GENERAL AUCTION EVERY SATURDAY, Of Horaos, Wagons, Buggios, Bloighs, Har- ness, Cows, ata, Comrgongio® 4k 104 Wy &Y 9 ARGk BOAE AISBOATY