Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, January 19, 1874, Page 2

PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS. Aunual Roport of {ho Board of Stato Com- nissioners of Publie Charilics. Tho Ingane Hospitalss-Institutions for ilie Blind, and. tho Doaf anil Dupib. Soldlers® Orphhns® omce--Yormal Unl- versities~e-Tridusirial Univorsity=--- Institution for Feoble- Minded Chiliren. County' Jails and Alns-Eouses. Following is tho nannual report of tho Board of Stato Commissionars of Publle Ounrities, for the yoar 1878, proparad by Dr, F. H. Wincs. It is 80 Intoresting document, now that the abolitlon of tho Doards of various iustilutions is bolng considored ¢ / To Hia Excellency John L, Devertdge, Governor of the Stala'af llinors : { Sin: Wo havoe tho honor to mske to you tho followiug brief raportof the actjon of this Board daring tho past year. Tho dutios of the Board, under the law, aro: firat, Lho visitation and inspeetion of tho Stato Tustitutions ; and, second, tho visitation and in- spection of County Juils avd Almshouses, I —THE STATE JNSTITUTIONS. ‘Al of the public lustititions of tbls Statohave baon visited ofticially 5y us,individually or jolatly, na roquired by law, twico during the yesr. Wo have found thom: gonorally In a condition of of- fleioncyhighly croditable to tho officors and Truiitoss, ad- houorablo to the Stato, Wo are of the opjuton that Tow, if any, States of the Uniou_hsvoe greator reason for just pride in thapir pablic Inetitutions than tho Stato of Iili- nols, , . THE YARIOUS BUILDING-ENTERPRISES &o gonerously provided for by the liborality of ¢ho Gouprat Aswembly oro 1n_ s satléfactory stato of forwardnogs, The Industrinl University Building, at Ojamprign, is comploted, dedicat- od, and ocoupied. At Anua, the north wing of tho Southern Tnsano Iospital las also been comploted, and opouod for tho reception of potients, ‘Tho snmo may bo said of the dining- room sud_hospital-building of the Institution for tho Education of tho Doaf aud Dimb, at' Jacksonville, The achool-building for the denf and dumb has not ‘muds much progross above the foundation. ‘The Eye and Ear Infirmary, at Chicago, hns laid tho foundation of its new building, aud no more. The contre building of thio Inslitution for tho Education of the Blind at Jacksonville, is waderroof. The Northern Insanc Hospital, at Elgin, has contracted for tlio complotionof tho ontire building, and the whole will probably bo roady for occupancy by thio Tniddle of Tioxt summor. At Carbondale, the plnstorors are ndw at work in the now edifico designed for the use of the Southorn Normal University. - The Insane Hospital, at Jackson- villo, lLas orceted this year & carpen- tor-shop ond an icc-houso. and s partially . comploted a now fllter, bosides fnishing and furnishing the chapel, A small frame building, used as a dormitory and wash-room for.mals pupils, has beeu erested by the School for. Feoble-Ainded Children, at Jack- sonville, At Normal, the Normal University has put in now boilors, and mado the long-contom- plated improvemonts in the appsratus for hoat- mg aud vontilation. % TIE AGOREGATE COST »f tho building dono by the State Institutions Turing. the past year considerably exceeds B400,000, At most of these institutions other minor improvements have been mada, swhich wo ‘orbear mientioning in detail. The Lrustees of tho SORTHERN INSANE TOSPITAL 1ontracted for the orection of the south wing {uring. the year 1873, in advanco of tho appro- sriation for that purpose becoming due ; and and, on the-lst of last Docember, orders on the Trensurer of chat institution cutstanding, boar- ing 6 per cont interest from date, and payablo.. April 1, 1874, to the amount of £81,249,27, Tho total intereat ou theso or- ders will. slightly exceod $2,000. We think that this transuaction, though there may ba no law for it, will dimiuish the cost of ercoting tho 1lospital, besides seouring its completion from six to niue'months earlier than would otherwise be possible, ‘The Trustces confidently, oxpect to have it ready for tho reception of patients on or before the 18c of next.Sep:ombor; and wo regard tho carly use of that Hospilal by tho insane of ‘the State as of more valua to the public than the smouut of the interest. T'he centro bullding of.tho EOUTHERY INSANE JOSPITAL % would have boen substantinlly completed by this time but for a clerical (or typographical) error in the appropriation act, which was, understood by ail partios to'make an appropriation of $0),- 000, puyablo ous of ‘tho lovy of 1872; but, by somo blunder, the act . was’ finully printed and passed with the year 1873 substituted ‘for' 1872; which has necossitated an unforescon jand unin- tondoed delay in tho eraction of the coutre build- ing, . 8 v %\'n think that tho Ianguage of (he 4th seotion of the aet croating this Board, obliges us to call the attention of your Excolloucy to the fact that the contruet mado by tho Trustees of the . INBTITUTION FOR THE DEAY AND DUMD, for the eroction. ol & school-buildiug, chupel, diniug-room, and Lospital, oxceeds the apvro- printion mado for that purpose by $18,782, which wo regard as unauthorized. _he Iriwtoes, in theic roport, say that they hopo to meet all obligations incutred on theso buildings without furtlior aid from the State; ‘but, ingsmuchy as wo know of no funds now in pozsession’of tho Institution, or likely to como into its possession, suificiont in amount’ for this ‘purposo, sod aé the diversion of the current ex- ense-npproprintion to ather purposes {s for- idden, both by the Constitution and by the laws, wo prosumo thut this statoment meaus nothing moro than that they have provided, in their contract, for the cessetion of work upon the chapel and school-building whenover the fund alreudy appropriuted is oxhausted, Wa also call your Excollency’s attention to tho fact thint thio new boiler-houso and heating ap- paratus have boen alroady erccted, and tho money expended on tliis account, ‘which tho ‘Trustees, in thejr report, suy that d\ey obtained by nogotiating with private parties, without ex- pense to the lnstitution or the Siato fact, beon druwu out of the Btuto Ticusury. On the other hand, it gizer us pleasiro to state that the plans adopted for the orection of additional buildings by this Institution have ‘been matorially altored fro.a the original design, and that tho altorations obviato, in n great degreo, tho criticism upon the formor plans con- tained 1n our last report. Iosteud of creating ane building, with wings eufolding the rear building, the Trustces huve laid the tourndation ol » school-building and chapol at a distance and entirely detached from all the presont build- ings, thus securing a better organization of tho Institution, greater security agaiust fice, nnd o result ayery way more satisfuctory. We are also highly plonsed” with tho boiler-houso, boilers, and hioating apparatus. With regard to tho | Lo .. BINANCIAL MANAGEMENT and conditlon of tho Stawe Insiuitions, we have to veport that, in consequonce of unavaidablo delay ou tho part of some of them in replying to a schedule of questiony submitted by us, we are gompelled to poptpono for a hort time tho specinl statoment gulled for by & resolution of the ITouo of Repreacntatives adopted at its last secsion, but will have 1t rendy ns soon u pos- wbla. i We find that, in two of tho Inesno Hospltals of the Stats, a doilclency exists ot presont, wmouuting, in tho Northern, 10 §11,290.84, on curient expense nccouut ; and, In tha Southern, to £10,006.84, upon building und” furnfshing so- count, ‘Tho Tntter dofigicnoy hasarisenin consaquonce of the Uuilding Commissioners falling to'ualk, at the Inat eeusion of the Genoral “Assembly, 'for 10,000, then duo to v, Shiunick, the coutract. realized; byt wé aro loss donfident of it than shoy, nuloss a furthor approprintion for eurtent oxponsos 18 made at the prosont session. BEVERAL NEW APTROPRIATIONS are roquostod At the hauds of tho Gbhoral As- sombly at ita prosont scssion, whiolt have boen roforrad to us by tho Trustees for Indorsemont and romark, THE NORTRERY HOSPITAL FOTL TRE INSANE naska an approvrintion of §3,000 for” furnishin tho lowor story of tho north wing for the nso o! pationts, o8 #oon aa it shall be vacated Ly tho officorn, on the nom‘)lnuun of tho contro build- mg; 84,000 with which to build a rofrigoratin g smoka-houdo for ‘the storage of fingtle and por- inhablo supplies,—tha only placo for such storago at present boing the basoments undot the wards and av additionsl nppropristion for current ox- penscs, for tho maintonance of 225 additionnl pationts, to date from the complotion and oceu- panoy of tho konth wing, On tho supposition thnt the Loglslaturo scos fit to make any furthor appropriations to any of tho State Inatitutions ab_ita proscpt session, wo approve all tese ro- quosts, partiouldily that for s onrrent-oxponse appropilatign, without which the south wlug canot bo used 'bofore the spring or summer of 1875, . THE HOUTIERN INSANE HOSPITAL roquosts an appropriation of $00,100.84, in thir- teon items, as follows? #178—10 phy off indeblednoss. Secohd—T0 inish dump and res Third ~To erect pump-houso, Fourth—T6 aeat ol fuinish chapel, 1 Fofth~o bxtend sowers and bulld cisiorns Tor holding and Wlizing BOWOTS «uevvesss Suxllhl For Larn, ice-houso, and vogetablo COll8Fuveeas derensrsensnsesniserases Seventh—Aditional furnifure for north Wing Ewghth—For fencin and improving gronnds, Niith—Nakling road along right of way from Auna to Hospltal., .. $16,000,84 3,000.00 10,000,00 th—Ta crect coal-l 6,500,00 foimdi carponter-shop, engine-shop, o and tool seissansene sesans L Tuelyth—For udditiona stock, éarriago, snd VOB, ostnsarscerestasiinesass covareans 3,300,00 T benthF ok iibrary, musioal insiranionts, B0 QINAOMOnBLessereses ,000,00 .Total, $06,100,84 OF ‘these ltoms, all, oxcopt tho sixth, cighth, and ninth, have our unqualified. approval, Tho sixth_ item might, wo thiuk, bo somowhat re- ducéd in_nmount; and the elghth nnd niuth, thogh desirablo, and porhaps necossary, might bo postponed uutil anothor yoar. We Lositato to spenk dolinitely, bocause we do mot know what tho tesources of the Stato at prosent are. ‘I'ho othor ftoms will commond themseclyes to any Cotnmittes of tho Logislature which may vistt the institution, Tho amount nsked for shops and machinery is probably fess than ought to bo asked aud ranted. € OF tno doficloncy of $10,100.84, $10,000 Is duo for furnituro, Lo purchase of this furniture way b necessity in _ordor to onable the institn. tion to open, Tlus amount has been tem- porarily porrowed from the contre building funa, but will require to be roplaced. We nro informed by the Supermtondont of.the INSTITUTION ¥OR THE EDUCATION OF THE RLIND that an appropriation, wo do not know of what amount, will bo needed for lmuun; and furnisa- ing the new centre building, Tho 'fruetecs have not communicatod with ns upon the subject. Lho application of the . SOUTHELN NORMAL UNIVERSITY for £10,000 for foncing and E:‘kdmg i probably reasonablo and just; but we think that a smallor appropriation for this purpose would answer for tho present year, and that the institution is in moro pressing veed of a library sud apparatus, in order to muat tho end of its creation, than-of funds to bo oxpended in exterual ornamenta~ tion. Wo Liopa that the Genoral Avsembly will Do able and willing to appropriste & proper amount for theso objects, TOE BOLDIENS' ORPHANS' HOXNE wishes 15,000 for rofuraishiug the building and for outeido improvomonts. A _carefully-pro- )mmd ostimate has been suomitied to us oy the T'rustoes, as follows: Bedsteads, beds, and bedding..eessses Carpets aud maiting, Furnishing chapel Sehool-desks. . Kilchen and dinin Constructing cistor Hog-pens and cattl Totak... . $16,207,75 That & large amount of new furniture is groat- Iy needed oy tbis institution wo kuow to bo the caso from our porronnl inspoction and_obsorva- tion. Whettier all that is asked is judisponsably required, we aro not prepared to say. Wo do uot know, bowover, at prosent, where to cut the estimate, if at all; for the reason that, nt tho time of our last visit to'tho Homo, tho ofticors were abseut at Chicago, ascurtaining the prices of furniture, ota., and wo bad no u{)portunny for consultation with thom, or fur close and ‘accurate examina-, tionof the degres of dilapidation of the furmture now in the building ; whicl we rogrot. - Wa renow all the recommendations concerning appropriatious now pending bolore the Generat Ausombly, contained in our last roport, All the rongons therein sot forth for the eunlargoment and permanent establishment of the INSTITOTION FOR FEEDLE-MINDED ONILDIEX still exist, with undiminished forco, With regard to the INDUSTIVAL UNIVERSITY, o congratulats that institution and tho State that the clearer viow of their mutual relations. secured by the logislation of last sossion affurds asolid bisis for confidonce on the part of thio Logislature in voting whatover approprintious Tor its ‘succossful ‘muinteuauco tho :Assombly moy deem to bo ncosssary aud judicious,- The Uuiversity, we baliove, noods somo small-appro-, priations’ 1ot yob formally asked - of the'Assem- l)]y 3 but the 'Urusteos have not decidoed whathor; to make any further application for funds at this sossion, nor, if so, in what amount or of what cheracier. SOME OTHER NEW LEGISLATION concorning some of the iustitutious will probably be required before long, if not immediately. To pravent misunderstandings and conflict. between the threo Inuano Hospitals of the 8tate, somo 'plan neads to bo apreed upon for deter- wmining to which of the three applications for ad- mission from the soveral counties should origi- nelly bo goat ; -and . also, in caso of trausfors of patients from ono to_another, by whose author- ity, and in what mode, nnd at whoso oxpouse, sucelt trunsfors should Lo mude. Sinco tho appointment by your Excolloncy of Prustees for tho two Southiorn institutions,—tho Iusane Hospital and the Normal Umiversity,-— wo that tho Building Commission herotoforo ap- pointed might now bo very well dispensod-with, sud thus thoe couflict of junsdiction likely. to arise botwoen auch & Cominission aud the Trus- tees bo avoided. 'Iho Trustees can easily.dis- churge all the dutles mvolved in tho complotion of the buildings, and thus the oxpense of the Commission, which is cousiderable, be saved to the Btato, - Oune point in the managomont' of. the Soldiors’ Orphans' llomo roquired notice, we thiunk, namely : the latge number of inmates, of ‘both sexes, but especiully girls, abovo the legul- ago at which the- fuw- directs 'their agischarge. We Lknow the diticulty and delicacy of tho subjoct 3 but'we bolievo that, if the law it right, it should be more rigidiy enforced thau it now is ; ' aad, it wrong, it suould be amended, It is not oboyed. Wo also bellove that the mtorost of the orphan children in the lomo demands constaut, intelli- cut, discrimiunating offort on tho part of tho frustees to find bhomes in privato families tor ag'many of them a4 pousible, ' I'o thne end, wo recommiend that tho Trustees bo authovized and vequired to appoint a competont Visting Agont, upon whom' the duty of searching for suitable homes shall devolve, under their direc~ tion. Buch' an oflicer mught be of very grent sorvice in many ways, in proveating imposition upor: the institition snd upon the State, and in obtaining situations and employment tor the in: mutes whon discunrged. We know that tho chil- dren in the Home nre woll cared for and kindly tronted; but uo institution life can supply the lacic of those porsoual attachments und endenr- ments which form tho clinrw und valuo of life in the fumily, .8 087075 1,285.00 1,000,00 476,00 I1,—THI COUNTY INSTITUTIONS, Tha Inw creating " this Bourd contomplates an annunl visitation of the County Jails and Alms- houses of the State, and n roport to the Logislu- turo upon thoir condition aud manngeniont. Our cxperience in the disoharge ‘of this duty has conviuced us of tho wisdom und necossity of such ihspeotion by State nuthoiity, ' The reanlts have beon valuable it the correction of abuses and the improved troatmont of thy mnmates. Wo vogard this, in fact, as tho MONT IMPORTANT FUNOTION of tho Board, At the samo time, the amount of Javor requisito to Its porformance is groater than any opo without porsonsl oxperionce of it can imagine, aud (ho Commlssjoners have not folt Justified (without compensation for their loss of time, and tho 1ujury done to thele privato busi- noss by fraquens und protracted absouces from hiomo) in fully complying with the letter of the statuto ; bus have compliod with its spirit or, on his contruot for the erection of the, noypth it of which' Nabiuty this Bond had und | could huvo no iuformatlon, in "tho absence of auy statemont of the saino on the part of the said Commissioners, The deficioncy at Elgin has arison during the yoear, but 1 lurgely oilsot by the amount of fuel aud otber supplies for the ‘winter alrcady pur- chased and now on band 3 and the Suporpiniend- ‘ent and ‘Lruntecs antivipate that, by ecconomy, this deficlency can be wiped out before next De- gombes, Wo hiope that whis oxpoctution mny be by dovolving thus duty for tho ' present upon the Bocrotary of the Bunrd, who las spent all the time whiol could bo spared from other oficial du~ Ues, duriug cho past year, in the woik of county vistation, I'he Doard hopes to submit to thie noxt Genernl Awsombly what they beliove Will prove to Lo the most accurate, comprohens alve, and thorough report upon this subject ovor progouted to any Logislature in any State, "Tho Seototary’ of the Board, under our dlroo- thon, Ling also”spont conxldorable timo, durlug the yoar, in the minute examination of the Ac- éounta and’ books of tho aovoral Btato Tnstitn- tions, with a view to nunnrmq F“"‘"“ heerrdvy and uniformity In them, ospoaially in THE FINANCIAL REOORDA, 2 This work I8 not vot completad, but we think that, by the cloeo of tho prosent yoar, wo shnll bo able to seccuro such a degros of aystom and oxaotnoss in tho accounts of all them as will en- ablo s to akd a olaar and Lritivorthy oxlnbit of ovorylhing portnining to thoir finansial man- agoment—thelr roceipts, expenditutes, balancos, and labilitios, during sud ot the eud of enoli quarter, {f mnot of overy month. Tho voluo ~ of buch thorough ovorsight in the mattor of oxponding suoh vast anms of monay, espeoinlly of publio funds, cannot he quostionod. \Vh{lu tho books aro gonerally well kept, thore are somo oxoeptions to the rule, and mucfl romaina to be done bhofore Lhey can bo commonded, 88 n wholo, without rosetvo. TN CONOLUSION, the Bonrd desire to oxpross tholr high apprecia- tion of tho intorest In the work of’- tho Board and of the Biate Inatitutions manifosted by your Excollonoy. Wao shall endoavor to continue to morit your approval, and that of the Goneral Assombly, All of ‘which 18 respoectfully submitted, 8. pl. Crunon, Lrosidont ; Z. B. LAawsox, J. C, Connus, Commissionors, Attost : Fnep. H. Wises, Becrolary, PENITENTIARY INVESTIGATION What tho Senato Committee Learned by Their Visit to Joliet, They Consider the Death of the Convict Williams an Unfortunate Affair. And Take Oconsion to Commend the Prison Management, « Special Disvateh to The Chigago Tribune. Berixeriewp, Ill, Jan, 17.—Mr, Henry, Ohair~ man of the Committeo, mado a writton report of the investigation of tho affairs of the Peni- tontiary, which was signed by.all of tho Commit- too except Mr, Short and Mr, Cummings, absont, and Mr. Sayer, who was not at.Joliet, and who could nok concur in the roport of tho Committeo by reading theovidonco taken before the Coroner's Jury. ‘Lhe report was signed by othormembors of tho Committes who wero not at Joliot, nor had rend the testimony beforo the Coroner's jury. The testimony taken before the Committee waa NEITHER UNDER OATIL NOR NEDUCED TO WRITING, ‘Tho first two-thirds of the roport is occupicd with flattoring adjectives concorning the disci~ pline and governmont of tho fustitution. It con- tinues in cailing the Willinms death a vory un- fortunate affair ; in saying that he died after tho fourth immorsion from -rapturo of tho heart caused by his over-sxortion in resisting the ofticors ; in saying that he ‘Lo had tho heart dis- ouse, aud that Dr. Mason ought to bave oxnm- ived im more carofully belore ordering the bath, Mr. Palmer moved that tho.report of the Committee aud tho evidenco tendered botore tho Coroucr’s jury bo printed, on which o long discussion took place, in which the:friends of the Committeo and of the Pouitontiary wade all manner of objeotions.to -tho printing, and many dilatory specches, Ar. Reynolds, u» memboer of the Committec, admitted, a5 did others, tuat the ofticinls were MORE TO. DLAME THAN TIE.REPORT MADE OUT ; that the Committoo did not call auyboedy bofore thom, but invited by resolution thuse wiio bad a mind to conte boforo thom and say what they chose to say, but'wore not-thoroughly examined on account of want of power in tho Comnuitoo to require the same, + THE LEAK IN TIE INVESTIGATION, 80 the memuers of tho Committes said, was tho fuck that the Commitieo was not .a joint committeo, and that thoy did not have the power to do otherwiso than make a suporfiosl 1eport, Mr, Palmor replied that it would bo impropor for him to tt.t3 on the floor that he was begged hob to muko bis 1csolution calling for tho iuvestigation of o jont comnutteo, .and that ho was encreated to treat the mattor AY CHARITABLY AS POSBIBLE, but baving beon beaten in the outset ho cannot pass by such s report a8 ‘the ono presented, for it was contrary to tho fow facts tho'Committes did derive from tho ez-parie investigation hud bo- foro the Coroner’s jury. OTUER SPEEONES, Mossrs. Whiting, Oanfield, onry, Reynolds, aud Hampton objected to the priuting Qu the ground of exponse. Mr. Loo supported the report of the Commit- too In a goneral roviow of the facts, and called for a thorough royiow 'by tho Sonate of the quostion, aud was in fayor of printing. THE REPORT. . Tho following is the text of the Committeo’s roport : To the Honorable John Early, President of the Senate : Your Committes on Foual ' Insututions, in pursuanco of a resolution passed'on tho 10th doy :0f Junuury, 1874, which 18 as follows : **lo- solved by tho Bouate that tho Cowmittes on Penal "Institutions” be requosted, at as early a period a8 iy consistont with their other dutios, to vieit the State Penitoutiary at Joliet,. and re- port tho rosult of their obsoryations in 10gard to the managemont- of that jnstitution 10 this body," 1espectfally report aa follows : ‘Lhut by virtue of tho authority above named, your Committeo procecded on tha 12th of Janu- ury, 1874, to the City of Joliot, and looked care- fuilly iufo tho condition of iho Btate Prion, Ench member selecied his own line of. inspec- tion in reforouce to the ordor, discipline, and general management of the institution. This wothod of examtnation was pwsued until the mewmbors woro sutistied, Aftor the Comumitteo bad thus looked over the institution and oxum- inod tho books and papers relative to its fnunces siuco May 10, 1878, they assombled ac tha Iub- ertson House and organized. TiLE CONTRACTS FOR SUTPLIES made by tho Cowmmissionors were carofully ex- amined ; testimouy was heard respoecting those contracts as.to syhotlier thoy wore advantageous or'otborwiso to the Stato, All tho moans ivithin tue powor of the Commltteo were used to ascor- taiu tho financial coudition of the institution. Your Committee gave special_attoution to tho subjoct of governmont of convicts, owing to tuo chaiges of mbumaunity toward prisoners -prefor- red against some of the ofiicers, which oLarges wero made by public jouruals, and beoauso of the DEATH OF ONE IENRY WILLIANS, a convict, while being bached in the bath-room, the Committeo carefully sought all the iight up- on theso matters within their reach, They called ovry wiluens thoy could find, in and out of tho prison, whose testimony promised any aid in sheddin, light on thoso subjeos, After closing tlus mvo-tigvtirn, your committeo are convinced ‘b tho dtate Prienis conducted witts tinouctal sLill and ebility, rhe iustitution i8 conducted ou a casly busis, There is now an excoss of varnings over cynenees of $14,040,88,. tho cash on hand, which is mio.e fully sot forth in tho statpments Liorowith submitted, marked A, B,C. Tho--coutracts sinco- the 10th of last May, have been made on advantrgeons torms to the State, THE BANITARY CONDITION of the prison is of tho highest ordor, OClonuli- noss is ono of ‘the striking features observable 1 every department, Convicts are. woll fed and well‘elothed, and superior ventllation and sower- age afford on tho one biaud pure air-and on the other hand the mouns of thio escape of all nox- iows aud unwholesame matter, THE LOSPITAL ADVANTAGES aro ample and complete, atfordiug to the sick the Jargest means of comforb consistont with privon life, Buperior advantngos for convicts aro aiforded for INTELLECTUAL ENTERTAINMENT. A lbrary ot ovor 3,000 volumes is here for the usu of Lficuu people, The publis journals are within tho renoh of every conviet who desires to reud them, - ‘lhe moral and religious alvantages afforded are worthy of 'commont. ~Bervices are held at the chapel in the prison onco each week, sohool {8 tanght Ly tho Chaplain in which thuse aro instructod who desire to improve thelr edu- cation, THE GOVERNMENT OF THE INSTITUTION seems oxcollont, Implicis obedionco to tho rules and rogulations, botu by convict and ollicor or omploye, is mado & matier of firat importance. Nour 1,200 convicts are in prison hero, Thoy bava boen gathered in from the various haunts of vioo and the -ranks of the lawless over the Btate, T'o coutrol and discipline these porsons soquires u dogras of skill, firmuess, and ability atoly possossed by any ono, Notwithstanding those dilieultios, order 18 mointajued, Inhnman aud vindictivo punishmouts are not counte- uanced or inlicted ; no more punishment i ad- winistered thay soems necessiry to correct tho disobedience, - Flrmuess and kinduess toward the prisoner on tho part of tho olicers or em- ployos aro, implicitly demandod, aud imuncdiato T INI CNICAGU DRILY IRIDUNET MONDAYe JANUAKY I9, 1874, 'obadienco by tho subnltern or convict ts roquiroed. . TitE WILLIAMS oARE. Yonr Committos hro eatisfled that Henry Will- 1nme, thoe convidt, camo to his doath in the bath~ room of the Panitontiary, on or about tho 1%th diy Docembor, 1873, {mmodintely altor baln, immorsed tho fourth timo, 'This convict hn ropresonted that o lind no grip or power in his hands, aud on thiot account was unable to work. 1o was “therofore roporied at sick-call to the Burgoon on'the morning provious to his doath, Upon oxamination the Hurgeon bedama sntinflod that bo was foigning, and as & romody thoreforo directod him to bo bathod, The tomporaturo of thé batli-wator was just 54 dogrees. ‘Tho con- viot on'tho doy of liis death was taken to tho buth-room, and by the Liolp‘of thres or four con- ‘viots, tho officers immorsed him twico, At onch immorsion tho deceasod resistéd with all his forco, Ho at ono timo olung with hia hands hold of the eldo of the buth-tub with auch forco thnt it roquired poarly all tho strongth of another prisoner to loose him, Ho was thon _ordored to put on his clothing, whioh ho rofuscd to do, but stood in n sullon and dofiant attitude at the moment tho Deputy Wardon, Hall, camo 1nto the bath-room and ordered tho prisoner to dross, Tho ¥rlnmlur ‘st refused, and Hall directod him to be immersod agnin,’ and it _was done twice, the prisonor roslsting with' sll his forco a8 bofors, ‘When taken out tho lnst timo hosat onthe ed7oof tho bath tub, blew the wator out of his mouth nnd noso, brenthod Loavity & fow times, thon lenued over on the floor, aud woas ‘carried and laid on the tablo, and then oxpired almost immo- dintely, Tho Hospital SBtoward came in shortly, and aitomptod to rosuscitato tho decossod. Tho Prison’ Physician, Dr. Mason, held & poste mortom oxamination upon tho body of tho de- consed, and, not having the monns to oxamino the bonrt undgr a microscopo, sont it to a sur- geon in Chicagd for the purposo of porforming the oporation. T'he opinfon of the Committeo in, that tho conviet \J;llinms bad o disouse of tho heart, not dlscoverablo without careful ex- amination of an experlenced physician, while ho was Hvln% Tho groat physical effort he mado fu reslsting the officers when bnlhlnf; him in pursuance of the dhection of the [ hyal- cinn, caused rupture of the heart, of whiali he died, The Commisslonors had, several monthy prevlnue, abolished the buth as s punishmens. Tlhie Physician used the bath in-throo cages, viz, : with folgned Inennicy and delf-abuso, Tn this iustanco it was ordored as a troatment for {eigned sickness, ‘Ihis convict was liablo at any time, from oxoitemont or unusual muscular ox- ortion, or from botl, to havodied. It Is the songo of this Committoo that the bath should not bo administored unless tho Surgeon be prosont, ‘Ihe Warden was not prosont ab the prison whon the occwrrence transpired, and necossarily the supervision_of the order and its oxecution dovolved upon Doputy-Warden Hall. Whilo, technically, tho officer. mny ‘have gono a stop too farin ordering tho bath, aftor Lis en- tinnce into the bath-room, yot thoro is, in the Judgmeut of the Committes, no ground for lurther consure, and it is dus to theso mon, ‘HAll and Sleoper, to an{ that both of them are offi- clont nnd skillful oflicors, and that there was no intention on their part to treat Williams, tho deceased, with rigor or cruclty, 'The Comtitteo bellovo that it was, to sny the lenst, indiscreet on the part of Dr. Mason to subject the prisoner to the bath with- out baving made a moro thorough examination a8 to tho condition of bis vital orgnng, and that ho and tho Commissionera of the Ponitentiary committed a grave mistako in not demanding at once a Coronor's inquest to be hold on the spot. All of which is rospoctfully submitted. [Sigued] G.'W. HENRY, Chairman, 1. 8. WiLL1axsoN, GEeorat GUNDLACH, Ly W. H. Snerpanp, i Jony Cusey, CuanLES Vonis, Jouy CUNNINGUAM, W..B. HunpLey, Tiroaas 8, CASEY, E. A. Wircox, 0. M. FennEeLy, .~ J. B, REYNOLDS, TRISON FINANOES A synopais of the financial part of the Com- missionots’ roport, covering tho period from May 16 to Doc, 31, 1873, is as follows : .Debit, including balanee of May 10, eash from cgu(melnw, and an ostimalod “amount, $80,- Crodit from formoer management, from book accounts, aud cash on hand, $94,601,82, Leaving o balance in favor of the prosent managomont of :314,040.33, Tho earnings for the timo specified havo beeon $137,977.01 ; and the expenses $128,930.68, lenv- ing nagpxcoss of cnmmgvs ovar uxpensos of $14,= 040.88." Tho receipts for tho timo specified were $190,728,04, aud "the oxpenditures $140,708.41, leaving a balanco 1n eash on hand of 350,019.63, TIE PRINTING QUESTION. Tho disoussion on printing the report of tho Committeo was condomned by Mr. McGrath, who condemued the Warden of the Penitentiary, and the character of the invostigation aud ro- port of the Committoe, Ha eaid a personal lot- ter from Dr. Millor, of Chicago, urging that Williams eamo to hia'death by a congostive chill caused by the Larbarous punisbmont inflicted. Not culy Dr. Miller, but othor competent wit- nesses would testify, if required, that tho denth was nothing less than ‘murder, and he believed that the conduct of the oflicers of the Peniton- tinry, sud tha character of tho'investigation waa o stain upon the good namo of the Btate. A POSTPONEMENT, On motion of Mr. Donohte, tho further con- sideration of the report was postponed till Tues- day aiterngon. Then the Houso resolution an- thorizing a joint Committee to thoroughly in- vestigate tho matter, with full powers, will bo taken up and perhaps passed. 4 Mout Excclient Discipline.y? ] Prouta Counrr, Jau, 10, 1874, To the Editor of The Chicago Tribuns : Bin: A good many of your ronders in this ‘part of tho 8tato would like to know what aro the prospects in respect to' further investigation of tho Penitentiary wator-cure business. The Coroner's jury said Williams was **thoroughly Dathed ;" which all adwmit, excopt Williams, and oven ho, by his silenco, scems to give nssent, Now, lot inquiry be equally * thorough,” so that other Btates may copy the ‘‘most excollont dis: clpline ™ of our Ponitentiary, as well as our now patent method of conducting Coroner's inquests, Lot ambitious - young medi- cal students _take notice thnt the humane Dr. DMason, when the ¢ sick mun was brought to bim for examiuation, in- dulgod in no suich nonsonso as using n &totho- #eopa or feeling tho pulse, but douvled back the man’s hands, and, . secing that thoy came for- ward again, instosd of remaining benl hkea bar of lead, pronounced him. woll, After n night on the nnked stoue floor of * the solitary," tho conviet still declaros bo is unwoll. * What is Lis history 7 " asls the philosophical doctor, “Ifa is a notorions horso-thicf.” ““I'hon give him tho cold bath | * 8o they gave him four.baptisms, and goodness knows how many more. they would have given Dim, ouly thut tho fourth plunge finishod his torm in Joliot, and sent him across tho Styx without tho nid of Charou's bont, The Corouor's jury infor from all the circum- staucos that, {€ Williams had keou alive and in good hoalth, he wouldn't hnve boon dond, Tho outrageous conductof tho coyvict in clutehing at the siles of the bath is only equaled by the fotly of other drowning men, who provorbially “catol atutraws,” ; All this may be * most oxcollent dlscipline ;™ and the advice, ** Bury the man and go about your busincss,” may be economical in the mattor of timo and whitewash ; but, it Dr, Borgh should eatob a lot of Now York utulllo-raughu applylng thnt sort of disoipline to a balky horse, he would mako it warw for thom. » 6 ginwves Yelvm To the Editor of The Chicago T'ribune: Sin: I enrneatly hope tho prison investigation may go on without interruption until the guilty porsons aro proved guilty, and punished as thoy dosorve, I bhave -often shudderod while resding the deecription of the jail in Charles Reade's ook, “ Never Too Late to Moud,” but always thought tho institutions of that kind in this country were far from moreiless condugtors suoh us “HaweaV and his assoclates, Yonrs, @, Qutoauo, Jan, 17, 1874 “ 700 THIN.” o the Editor o T'he Chicugo Tribune: Bmt: Inyourissuo of Jau. 4 appoared the following : *¢The saying, * It's too thin,’ s ot o vulgarisn, Bhoridun Xnowles puts it {n the wouth of Alabeo, in the pluy of *Roseof Ara. gon.'” Allow mo to inform you that tho ime mortal Wiltinm Shokspearo is the anthar, Thus, in King Houry VIIL, Act B, Bceno 2, wo have Bishap Gardiner’s thattering speoch to the King, sud Bluft King Hal's roply, viz, ¢ b ‘Yon were ever good ot sudden commendatlons, Bishop of Winchster, Lut know, I come uot o hear snch flalterics now, aud il my presonce Flioy ara (00 tints utid baso 10 Ll offéuso, o mo youl canmiot reach,—olc,, efo, Ionor to whom honor iu due, Nosuos Tux Younoxzs, 1 0RicAgo, Jan, 10, 16Th B 3 \ 4 THE GOAL QUESTION, Bistory of tho Troubles fn the Penne sylvania Region. The Laboring Men va. The Corporations. A Complste Resume of the Whole Difficulty. Spectal Corresnondence of The Chicaao Tridune, Torravive, Scbuylkill Co,, Penn,, Jon, 15, 1674, Onco rgain a Iarge portion of the Anthrnoite- Conl Rogion is in a stato of susponsion. Nearly ovory colliery In what Is known a8 the lowor or Behuylkill section is already idle, and the pros- poct at this writing 1s, that, by Monday noxt, the last will bavo cossed oporating, Inssmuch ng wo ship from hera about 6,600,000 tons of conl annually, or a trifle less than ono-third of the ontire product of hard or anthracite coal of tho wholo country, tho.imporeance of this fact will Lo apparont at a glanco, For the purposo’.of imparting ‘s thorough knowledge of tho causes that hgve led to tho prosont susponsion, and the many strikes and **lockouts"” that havo preceded it, it will bo necossary to go back o fow yoars, and briefly rofer to the origin and records of the Lwo contes- tants,—tho Union and the corporations. BUDDIVIBIONS OF “THE ANTHRACITE REGION. There ate four subdivisions of the Anthracite- Conl Rogion, known respectively as tho Schuyl- kill’ Reglon, which comprlses all of -Sohuyl- kill, Northumberland, and Columbin Countios; the Lohigh Region, . including the whole of Carbon sand tho eox- {remo southorn portion of Luzorno; tha Wilkesbarro or Wyoming Reglon, cofined to Contral Luzorno; and tho Lunckawaona or Beranton Roglon, of Uppor Luzorno, WIENE THE COAL 18 BHIPPED, - Bhipmenta from the Schuylkill Rogion aro all mado ovor the lino of tho Philadelphia & Read- ing Road and via tho Bchuytkill Canal to Plhiladolphia, excopting & vory small portion, which fluds its way south from Northumberland County via the Northorn Central Railroad, Tho product of the'Wyomiug -aud Lebigh scctions goes over tho Lohigh ‘Valloy and the Lohigh & Susquebinuna (the latter lensed to the Contral Tailroad of Now Jorsay) Rallroads to New York ; and that of the Lackawanus region is sent to murket .by the Delaware, Lackawanna & West- ern Railroad Company, the Delaware & Hudson Caval aud Rotlrond Company's, and the Penn- sylvania Conl Company's linos, A.RETROSPECT, Time was when thoso Companies had nothing in common, excepting, of course, n-novor-fail- ing disposition, like' all other corpnrations, to squeezo every dollar they could out of both pro- ducer and consumer. *They fought bitterly. with oach othor for the control ot tho markets, and oach was over ready, whon the opportunity was offered, .o take all.possible advantage of.tho other. - Occasionally oporators made a profit out of these quarrels ; the producer avd consumor wore never the gainers by them, OROANIZATION OF THE UNION. It was'in 1808 that the first strong offort was ‘made to organize & union among the men. Prior to that timo there had been attempts in that airection; but, up to tho year moutioned, all had proved futilo. In that year, at z little borough call ed 8t. Clair, situated Bome 8 miles northenst of Pottsvillo, the men, under the leadership of Jolin Reney, who fs still their Excoutive Head, brought nto beiug the tirst branch of what is now ono of the most compact and numoricaliy and financially powerful trades-organizations on tha continent. TUE MINEUS' AND LABORERS' BENEVOLENT ASS0~ CIATION. Thero wero at that {ime many *local fights in progress betwoen the oporstors and men, Dur- ing tho war tho oporators had amuseed Immeanse sums of monoy, coul having brought the fanciest of prices, and for- somo timo after ‘its closo it was lughly dpwfltn\sh‘n, but at-this time pricos were going down, and the ‘operators sought to balance tho losses thus inourred by taking from tho men & portion ‘of -their earn- ings,—n procecding to which . the men- very naturally aud vehomently objocted. -T'his was tho case in almost all paits of tho coal-rogions, and thjs it was that caused the epitit of Union- ism go to spread - that, bofore the oclase of the year 1808, there wero at lenst 60,000 men ourolled 1n the now organization, Theu came TIE EIGHT-HOUR STRIKE i in which the Unions, attor & prolonged and se- wvere struggle, were beaten, though they did suc- cocd in foreing from tho operators oue more im- ortant concession, tho recoguttion of what is WD B8 TIUE DASIS 8YSTEM, By tho bisis is moeant the- fixing of a cortnin figure at which a stipulated rato of wages is to be paid, If a ton of coul brings that figure at the poiut seleotod trom which ~to estimate, then tho rogular rute ié paid; and, for every 3 cents advance in prico per ton at that point, 1 cont additional is ailowed, That ls, the miner gots 1 cont of every 3 cents ndvance in the prico of conl per ton-above the busis-figuro, fixed at a f’nw below which it is held that coal should not 0 sold, Tho basis for ‘Sohuylkill was firet fixod at 83, When one year's work had been done at thaf brais, tho operators complained thnt thoy wero uuablo to continuo at that prico, and propnsod a1eduction. Again'the men objeoted, aud again there followad & striko, a longand bitfor contbut, during which the men were reduced almost to starvation, and many an operator went under the hammor, THE DITTER STRIKE, This-fight resulted in the reduction of the basls to 22,75, which worked well onough for a whilo; but, whou tho yeriod - for which it had been adopted reached an end, a further reduc- tion waa asled, and then came tho costliest and most bittorly-contosted strike that bas over oo- curred in America. Al tho while that the mo; and the individual oporators bad been thus quar- roling with one another, to the almost total do- struction of tho latter, and tho subjection of tho former to & condition closely approaching pau- perigm, TUE RAILROAD COMPANIES had been schoming together, instend of against one anothor as thoeretofore, They loaned 1m- monse sums of monoy to thoso of tho operators into whose faces failure was grimly staring, taling mortgages on tho operatious s scourity ; and, whon the Sher{ff did come, thoy bought thom in undor authority of charters sneukod through the Logislature, the provisious of which woro unknown even- to tho mon who votod for thom. Thoy formed A HORT OF LEAGUE with ono another, ostensibly eiding with the operators, but rnlfly‘landmg them on to- their ruin ; aud, when their plais were well matured, gove the public to know that thu{ intended to strike a death-blow to *the wicked Union," And in 1870 they set about itin downright- earnokt, too, 'Their object was to make the stoppage above mentioned - general ono by * Jocling out ™ all hands, and by rofusing cars, and chiurging EXCESSIVE DATES OF TOLL to'those of the employots who were willing to accode to tho claims of thelr men, ~ By following theso tactics, it did not take the combination long to brenk tho back-bone of the union, or at losst render it temporarily poworless, and farcod moembers to their” kneos in mup- plication for mneroy ; nor-to becoue osBeagory of all the colllerios worth .owning, They were cited to appoar before the Judiclary Committen of the Houato of the 'State, to show under what authority the; ehurged'&u for car- r{lugaton of coal Joss than alundrod miles, thatit cost less than $2 to mine; but they wuce coeded in evading that question by cunningly clmngln{,vthe character of the examination into an inquiry a8 to the powers and privileges: of I'vades-Untons, 5 TIHE EXAMINATION WAB A FARQE from'boginuivg to oud, and only rbsulted in proving that “corporations have s power and right to oppress tho puoyle that even the Btate daro not finln!uy. Tinally, driven to it, the men submitted to arbitration before Judge Elwell, under the ruling of which work was resumed n & still lower basia than that offered them prior to tho begluning of the trouble, Ho woll sntisflod wero the corporations with the victory that concort of action had onabled them to win; that thoy cawe togother again in the spring of last yoar, with tho object of testing thelr power iu another direction ; and it must bo. coijfossod that the rosult of that coming togethgr hns been much . moro eatisfaatory, to g oosumuuitios at loask, than apytbing thoy nd ever- Rmvluualy succoeded in acgomp}ishiny fixe h Thoy fixe ¢ AN ARDITRARY RATE QF PRIOED, and dividod tho probablo dgmand into ps many portiona as thoro aro transporting componies, nesigning to oach the priviloge of supplying s pro ratn share. By adlering to this plan thoy 0vo succeedod {n maintaining a stoady markot At remunerativo, though not oxorbitant, pricos, and Lridging ‘the panio without eerlous loss to any of tho iutorewts involved. Though tho bnsis was but 2,60, - the mat liad comparatively steady work, sud oarned in the aggrogate much moro thon has boon their fortuno 1 provious yenra; thojudlvidual opora~ tors—such of thom es bave thus far sucogeded in keeplng out of tho vornclous maw of the mnnuuoly—[;‘toupnmd; and the Company, in ad« dition to making 2 d ‘ VABTIMTTOVEMENTS in both tholr trausporting and mining facilitios, have boon'ablo to dcclars thots nsual dividonds, aud in some caes to lay nsido raspootably-uized rosoryo funds, Nor have wo roason to boliove thnt the consumors havo boon losers by tho new srangomont; on tho contraryy wo kiow that, both for manufncturing and dumestio purposos, THE PRIOES OF COAL, by Xf,n’“n of their gamoucss during all the mionths of the year, have beon much moro sat- isfactory to purobinsors than updor:tho system, or rather want of systom, proviously [)ruvnillng‘ At tho cloko of tho lnsf yoar, tho Minors® Ex- ccutive Committoo mot nud discussed, the busls quostion in all its bearings, tpking into nccount tho stringonoy of the money-market and all athor mcidental oircumstancos, TIE CONCLUBION REAGHED was, that the timo had arrived whon thoy might sntoly nsk -an ‘incroare of wages. Accordinigly, thoy callod for tho £2.60.busls for miners niid 8276 for Inborers, which -was the samo na jast yoat ; but asked that thoe figures of & pircular lesued monthly by tho Xoading Compauy bo usod.in fixing-tho'basis, Herotoforo it Lias boon the paoiico to drayw from a wheol, {n which are pluced the names of all .the operators, five names, lach of these five furnishes AN AVERAGE OF THE TRIOES Lo has rocelved for bis coal” during tho month, and from.the fivo a gonoral avorago is struclt, upon which the -moen are paid, Lho olroulars sjiokon of, howoyer, always fix arbitruty priges, at from 5-to 16 por cent above the average got- ton ag_above which fact Induced tho meu to bo- lave, that THEY MAVE BEEN DRERAUDED, hioneo their domand of **'73 ¥nsis aud Circular prices.” When tho operators mot (tho Com- mitteo of the mon) at thio oilico of tho Philndel- phia & Reading Railway Company tliey objected to the men’s proposition, and offercd iustead tho samo bnsiy with 10 per cont reduction on coutract prices, Mr, Gowen, Presidont of tho Philadolphia & Reading Railrond Company, who was.prosent, gaid ho was sorry to Love buen called upou, and-was not at the timo prepared to give an _opinion ns to' what wages ought.tobe{ and, la doforeuce to his intimation, an ndjournment took pluco. Ou last Uhurgday tlhie tiwo Committeos and Mr. Gowen again mot in this city, aud at thiat meetin, Mr. Gowon'road a lotto} which ho hnd prepared, recommanding a plan for the sottlomont of the difforances betweou thom, PRESIDENT.JOWEN'S ULTIMATDM, This lottor proposed : Zirst—The basis to bo oxsetly tho ssme In oll respects aa that of 187J, with tuls oxcoption: thut, when the price of conl at Port Carbou shall bo less than $2,60 per ,tho rato of wuges shall dechino ot the rata of 1 por «ont for overy 8 cont decline in price below $2,60, until $2.25 s renclied, which sum of $2.25 shall bo tho mix- iz for tho year 1874, Secorkd—Tho monthly prices at Port Carbon_to bo ascertained In the sinie munuer as they wero in 1875, In support of the proposition, he had to offer the srgument contained in,the following par~ agraph: . In view of {he crippled condition of many manufac- furing Interesty, the sloppags of now raflway-cots struction, tho geuoral ghrinkuge of values resulling irom the fiuancial piufc of 1873, sud the exceptionaily mild weatlior of. s presout winter,—all of which will exert somo influence upon tho coul-trade,—it seems 10 ioro than common prudence to provide for tho pos~ sible contingoucy of lower prices for nest year and, should such low pricos .obtain, - it would 1ot only be monifestly unjust for the workingmen to expect the samo rate of wages o was paid whe conl Lrought Lot ter prices, but it would Us uttorly jmpossible for the coal-operators to puy it, Therefore, I have suggeated that, ns coal recedes - below $2,60, wages shall decline oxactly n tho same proportion us they advance whew coul rises above §2.60, © TUE OPERATORI— who, your correypondont is asured, nover en- tortalued any expootation that their proposition to reduce.10 per cent would be accoptod—imme- dintaly agrond to Alr.. Gowen's plan of boitle= ment; but tho hands of the committea of min- ecis woro _tied, they hl.v‘lug beou iustructed by their constituonts to “take wo less hiboral terms thon thoso of their own propo~ .6al, 1 ‘I'hey, however, took a copy of Mr. dowen's lottor, which, togsther with that of tho oporators indorsing it, they had priuted in cireular form, and transmitted to ench of tha several districls of which their Associn- tion s composed, to be voted ‘upon ‘directly by tho members. Lho circular neithor advocated nor objected to the mnew proposition, but lett' the matlor wholly in the lpnds of the mon {hemselves, with a few cau- tionary .words agaiust procipitate action. Ly tho foilowing evening tle vote Lnd beon taken, and in every [natanco it was 5 A UNAKIMOUS RETECTION of the compromise terms (so-called), . accom- pauied by instructions to the Committee not to abato - their original proposnl, oxceptiug as rogards the Circular prices, which cluim thoy aro content for the prosent to forego. Thoro is to bo anothior meotivg on Saturday nest, when tho voto of the Association will be oflicially nn- nounced, and wo shall then know for u cortainty whether wo'sre to huve another long strike, +Bo much for the situstion ; now for a glance at tho MANIFEST INTENTIQNS of Prosldent Goweén.—manifest at least to all who feol like taking tho troublo to look for the motive of his mancuvering,—and tho proba- bilities. That thoro will be no extended striie, if ho ean help it, we aro fully assured. While ho knew that his_proposition would bo rejected whau ho mado it, o did not intend thnt its ro- Jection should terminate in ‘anything more than o shiort stoppage. TUE QUANTITY OF COAL, All the retail coul-yards i the city aro_over staokod ; many fiiruacos and rolling-willy, which aro amonfix the coal-operatois® best eustomers, ure still.idlo ; the winter bua beou, and promuscs Lo continuo, & vory mild ono ; and at Port Rick- mond . lo Lias stocked moro than 90,000 tons of ufi. MNr. Gowen wants the spring trade o opon wit . AN EMPTY MARKET, and all those thlngs are aguinst it if tho men continue working a8 usunl; heugo his pro- grawmme i8 o put off & gottlement until all_ the tock is disposed of, and tho Goming of Bpring and the opening of navigation give, vigor to the domand. TFivst he gains o wook by adjourning tho Philadelphia mooting; then ho gamns more timo by mnsiug o proposition which ho kuow must be submitted to the.men, aud which he kuew equally us woll would be rejected. By pursuing thoue tactics ko can easily succeed in consuming the whale of January and February, whou it will bo an easy matter to call the Come mitteos togothor agaln, snd recommond thut, **n4 the trude bogius with o bottor aspoct than ho bad auticiputed,” eto. (tho pricos at which it will begin were practically decided upon two woulks ago st the moes- ivg of the largo companios in Now York), the operators cpu affora to. pay the rates asko Ly tho Assooiation, -and, lest the Uppor Region should get control” of the markot, had botter concedo the point and rosume at onco, THE. AGTION OF TUE MEN, It moy bo that tho ourtainly rath< or ariogant bomring of * the mon, who are uite tlushed with the consclousnoss of having plethorio purses, a full treasury, & powerful Union, aud the sympnathy of the public generally, will Lifluonco tho Yrosi- dout of the Rending. uumpuufi to muko o display of his stubboruness, of which quality be hay no melguiticant ‘share, In “that “event, we shall Live good reason to, approkiond G MOST BERIOUS REBULTS, * My, Gowen has proven that he can be vindic~ tivo When ho chooses ; ho is a man- of superior executivo abllity, aud is. bucked by one of the wealtbiost corporations in the country, Such o man, so uugporml, is ao ugly onstomor to deal with when he becomes Lolligoront, a fact this community hus Emd da arlyto learn, less, we caunot beliavo that UE WILL ‘“LooR.0pr"” for an indofinlfe period 10,000 Workingmon, causs logseu that in the aggregate may rouch milliona to tho buslnoss mon of ks commuuity, aud ai- low the ruuning,stock of a grent railroad to lio idlo, moroly to gain a polut that, according Lo Lis own ressoning, will ‘be of utterly no advan- tugo to thuso ho representy, anve in the event of 4 coutingency that ke considery barely possibla, g lnrm«:nfi HECTIONS, o oxcepting Bohuylkill, are at peace, In wome the torwy of 1878 huve boon dofinitely decided upon, aud in the othors tho omployers huvo ae® yob aviuced ne disporition to lower thom. Of gourss thoy are mot working - up to the full cupacity,—thoy nevor do that at this soasoun of' tho yoar,—but all tho coal unoed Novertho ———————— djftoront purpose. Thoy twero called in the intorest of the NATIONAL MINERS' ARBOOTATION, rocontly oigamzed at Youngstown, 0., with which contral body tho differont Miners' Unionar in all purts of tha country are rapidly connecte ing thomaolvos. The hondqunrtors of the Nae tionnl Asnoclation will bo eatablished at Clovo- land; and, with John Sinoy, of Hchuylkil '(‘)mmly, “hg thelr I‘rnahh{r'nt‘ ngd ?’Iuhl} Jnmos, an enorgotio Young Buotohman, Y of Braidwood, 111, aa ttiokr Bodrolary, to guida them, thero is overy roason to bollsve thnt thoy will, [n n very shori Limo, booomo aecond only to tho Gmnfirm in point of numorloal strength, Already thoy havo brancl organizations in somo ton or o dozon Btates (including colored minors omployed fn Tenucskoo and Alabama), aud o momborship of about 160,000, Jusrioe. THE BOORVILLE BRIDGE. Completion of n Grent Epgincers s ing Work. Faots and Figures Relative to Its Con= strnotion. Correspondence of The Chicaao Tribune, 8£DALIA, Mo,, Jau, 11, 1874, Tho great fron railway bridgo, built' for the Missourl, Kansas & Texos Tailway Company : agross tho Missourl River at Boonvillo,—tho laut link in tho important highway leading from ghwnxo,h tho cattle-rango and cotton-fields of © ‘oxas, E . G WAR COMPLETED YESTERDAY, ready for railwoy-trafile, and soveral trains pasg- ed ovor it,~tho flrst boing o spoolal train_cons veying a largo party of the officors of tho road, and-many prominent Indios and gontlemen from- Bodalir and Boonville. As tho bridgo, with tho rallway of which it forms a purt, s of groat im~ portanco to the intorests of your city, and as tho bridgo iteplt waa built by Ohicago mon, a fow dtems concorning its construction may not bo un- intoroating to your readers. THE FIRST SURVEYS for tho bridgo wore mde in-the fall of 1870, un- der tho old Tebo & Noosho Railroad organiza- tion, by Gen. W. 8. 8mith, of Maywood. Theso- plans contemplated a ** high bridgo,”—the botew tom-chord to Lave boon 50 foet above higl-wator mark, Bubsequently, when tho Missouri, Kausas & Toxas Mailway Company docided to make n connection with Chicago vin Boonville and -Han~ mnibal, the work of building.the railway and tho bridgo dovolved upon O, .B. Gunn, Chief En- glucor, who, after o caroful examination of tho proposed bridge-site, and taling into considora~ ton nll tho interosts to bo accommodatad, do- fi{fif&l to abandon the.iden of o lugh’ bridge, nnd A DRAW:DIDOE inatond. Homnde phins und cstimatos accord- ingly, and, 1 tho fall of "1871, entorad' ‘into o coutract, on bohall of the Missouri, Kansas & Toxus Itnilway, with tho Ametican Bridgo Come pany, of Chicago, to bulld the rubstructuro com~ pléte, icady to roceivo the supéretructure; sod in TFebrdary, 1878, ho made auothor contract withitho entno patics, to.build sud complote tho superstrueture; tho whole to ba rendy to cfoss trang Jan. 1, 1874, Owing to the poculinr pro= fila’of the bottam of the river, ho decided to build three of-the nine piera aud abutments on which the m'xl\mutru_cmm wos to rest, of iron oylinders fillod with inasonry, and with magsonry lca-bronkers, The other wix piors wera to bo of tho vory best quality of hummer-dressed ma- sonry. Gen, Bmith was nppointed to take immediate chargo of construction on the part of tho Rau- way Company, and W, G, . Coolidge took. activo clinrge on the part of the American Bridge Com- pany. .However, owing to various .causos, but little wos done uatil the epring of 1873, ADOUT TEN MONTHS AGO, when operations commonced on alarge scals, with tho determination of all coucorned to come plote tho eutize structute within contract-:ims, With what zeal, energy, and ontorprise the work has sinco been prosecuted, the completion of thio wagnlusns struciire, and “its” opening forws trafio, within ton days of the timo fixed nearly a year ago, will abuudautly tostify. ¢ The dutticulties attending tho buildi manent bridge substructuro in tho :Mizsouri River avo well kuown to all engincers ramitine with tho eccontricities of * that” treachérous stream, Unlike tho dlissiesiopi above 'its cone (uence with tho Missouti, whors a foundation upon piles, well protec od with o riprap, forms a busis for permauent.work, TIE TREACHENOUS QUICKBANDS of the turbid Missouri aro shifted about at.tho merdy of a rapid current, often causing & scour of several feot in dopth in a few hours, render- ing any foundation unstuble, unless based upon tho bed-rook, mauy feob below tho bed of tho tivor. E Under tho old process of sinking coffer-dams, aud pumping them clear of sand and water, tha sinking of a plor in the Missourl Rivor to a depth of B0 or 75 feot would have beon an impoani{:il- ity. Fortunately,” modern engineoriug scicuco nud skill have provided a means in THE PNEUMATIC PROOESS, by which piers can now be suulk to great dopths, and" founded safoly upon the Led-rock, below any possiblo scour, But, with all_tho Lest ap- plinuces of. modorn eugineering, it requiros a vast amount of skill, cuorgy, experionco, and braius, to meet, and . successfully overcome, tho mauy obstacles to be encountered in the con- struction of #o grand o work. ~ All these wore supplied by the Amorican Bx’ld({a ~Oompany in the porson of W, G. Cuolidge, thoir Bugiueer, and Lhe soveral Oversoors and Foremon under him, This young and talented engineer had the entire management of all the intorests of the American Bridge Company, and upon him do- volved the rospousibility of orgaunizing forces, building varges -and “steam-dorricks, placing machinery, bandling and sinking the imwensa oylindors and caissons, building the masonry, snd Jast, but not not least, tho raising and plac- ing in position of tho mussive iron superstriic~ turo, That all this was dono in #o shoit a time, with the loss of but & single lifo by accident, shows with what of por- OARE AND BKILT, this gront work was accowplished ; and tho mag. nificent siructuro sfanas to-day # proud monu- mort to the ontorprige of the Railway Company, which has farnishod tho *sinevs of war ;" tho Amorican Beidga Company, which -bas exconted the work with such tidelity ; and the enginoers who linve plonned and ‘superintended its con- struction. 1t is safo to say that no finer struc- tute spaus any American river. : I give tho following statistics concerning it : AMOUNT OF JMATERIAL USED, Firat.clasa masoury, cubio yard Uoncrete, cuble yards. Riprap, cublo yards Cust-iron cyliuder, tons, Foundation-piles, lincal Wrought and cast-won u substructiro, e Wrought and cast-iron in suporsiructire, TIE BUPENSTRUCTURE is o Post patont diugonul trusg— feet 'With a total length of.. ‘T'wo fixed spuus, each,, . Three fixed #pans, cuch, 225 Draw spans, tolal length 36 North approsch span,. V84 A hoavily-laden frel tht-tmln upon & span of 258 feot, causod & deflection of 111-16 inches, A fn]rmn( tout of cach span will bo made this week. Z The publio and all parties’ intorosted ara to ba aongratuluted upon tho successful complotion and inauguration of TIUIS GREAT ENTERPRISE, It is undoratood that a Pullmun car will soon be put Il‘\Ym‘ the line fiom Chicago to Qalveston, vin tho Missoyrl, Kansns & Texas Rallway, crogse ing tho Mississipid River at Ilaunibal, and tha Miasouri River at Boouvillo, to run through both ways without change, YEHITAS, it SRR A GOLDEN WEDDING. - L, Stophenson, Co,, 1L, Jan, 16, 1874, 2 the Edftor of T'he Chicago Tribune : Bmt: On tho ovoning of Thursday, the 15th {ust., by invitation about 800 guosts assemblod at tho Leua Hotel to colebrato the ‘Golden Wed- ding of the proprictor and his wife, Mr, and Mra. .David B. Packer. The aged and worthy pair woro prosentod With & splendid gold-headed eano, speotaoles, thimblos, sob of furs, gloves, .hats, gold-pieces, and muny other articles too ‘numerous to montion. Dr, Byora mado the pro- sentatlon with an appropriate poom, which ' was xoplhl?‘:’lszzul;y Dr. Nuramore in bohalf of - tho host and 3 4 Unclo Dan " and his wifo camo to - try whan both they and the oou:’l‘x‘y aafilfil;fifixg. Loy kopt a hotol in louosha about thirty-tive * is boing ® pald for just a8 b was paid for lnst yoar, Thore is no truth In the’ Assgoiatod Press roports of Tuesdsy and Wod- nosduy, annouucivg the probability of s goneral suspension in tho Wilkenbarre section,” Tho woutivgy thereln roforsed to woxo for a far Jfor tho laat few yoars in this plage. yoars ago, and afterwnrds moved to this county, .where thoy have siuco resided,—part of tho tima on a farm in the noighborhood of Winslow, but DBoing t‘l‘xui. ojdinarily ploasaut afair, . mnmmuxi verually roy 1uo¢n¢lt the woddiug waa