Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, February 28, 1874, Page 2

him constantly, strengthe: fervent in THE CHICAGO DAILY TRIBUNE: SATURDAY. FEBRUARY 28, 1874 -_— #{ elsowhers montiomed, and wera $1,016,308.03, exclusivo | terest, it was eemed best for {he Company fo sectro’ entrance of zhe road into the city and its i ) ! Ly imme- departure of his father, the priests were with ing him by prayer, and cncouraging him to die in the faithi. He was his devotions, and partook of the sacrament in sincerity, and seemed to be thor- oughly prepared to meet his God. THE JULTMEN. The Sheriff reached the jail about 8 o'clock in the morning, and at once et to work to make out tho passes for those who were {0 wiiness the oxecution, and, when this was done, to collect 1ogether tha following named jurymen; W. B. Werden, Waukegan; J. K, Etler, Avon; H. Helmbolz, Waukegan; A. L. Hendee, Avon: T. Goodbury, Shields; L. Perrian, Waukegan; L. Moecr, Vernon; J. Murphy, Shielda; J. Rocech, Wankegan; J. C. Soutkwick, Wauke- gan; Geo. Bowler. Physicians: 0. S. Mason, Wankegan ; C. N. Bond, Labertyville. It was not a very dificalt undertaking to find theso gentlemen, s they wero all anxious to sca {le hunging, and came without any attachments issned for them. TIE GALLOVS. 7 " After arranging thesa preliminaries, Sheriff Dardett went tolook at the * gallows” and to try it, that any possibility of a mishap might be ‘averted. A portion of the gallows—ono end of the xope -was on the' second floor, sud tho remainder Between the ceiling and_ the roof, The rope ran throngh a hole in the cemms;md passed throngh a pulle, which was sitacbed to one of the raft- ers. At the upper end was sbout 300 poutds of fron—an anvilandeeveraldumb-bells. Thoweight was held up by a cord, which was lod down to the Toot of the stairs, on the eecond foor, snd was tied 10 8 post about fiftcen fect from whero Raf- ferty was to stapd, ‘This cord wes to be cut, and the weight being released thereby, would drop sbout eight fect. The - arrangement was some- what difierent from the ordinary suspension gal- lowe, but the privciple was the same. Suflicient &lack was allowed to give » fall of about three ect. - e inspection concluded, the Sheriff left the Court-Honse, and a8 soon ss be made his ap- pearance on the uuteide, he was surrounded by grecds peoplo who were anxlous to sceure ad- mission cards, 5 Shenf Bartlett is by nature obliging, bat, & bis capacity of Lake County Nemesis. is sterd a8 an ancient Roman. Ho can understand a journalist’s desire to be present at s hanging be- sause, viewed from s professional standpoint, it Tfurnishes matter for first-class news, but Alr ‘Bartleit cannot see any reason why average citi- 7ens ehould go to extreme lengthe that they might witness tho artistic strangulation of a fel- low-being. TIE_PRESS. The press of the United States waa very plon- Lifully represented. Some young men from Chicago and Milwankeo, who nover wrote a nowepaper paragraph in their lives, attempted to paim themsclves off on the Sheriff as bona fide reporters. Mr. Bartlett's acquaintance with the resl article rendered him imperions to as- saults of this kind, and it was only through ob- taiving recognition from the older Tepori- ers that. somo green hands from the twi- light journals ~ wero fnally edmitted. One fellow eaid that he represented the Chris- tian Adcocate, of this city. Another was from the Interior, and still another from the Street Gaztte. . Tho Sheriff, howover, refused to rec- ognize any of the foregoing as religions papers, and, if they wero orthodos, be thought their raorals would hardly be improved by witnessing the execution of an unhappy crimin: L A the morning sdvauced, tho crowd’ kept augmenting, the surrounding townships sending in their reepective contingeuts, andtho trains coming north and south bearing with them bun- dreds snxious 1o see how human nature could look death in the face. . SPTLIOUS DOCTONS. - In sddition to the bogus newspaper bores, the Bheriff had also to do battle against a host of spurious doctors, bath of divinity and of medi- cine. The number of Rafferty’s blood-relations 2k sppesred to be liko tho sands of the lake | shore. Iu short, no d"die was leit untried that might soften the official heart to grant *‘the Lit of writing” that wonld give the possessor there- of entrance into what; for the nomce, might be termed ““the valley of the shadow of death.” THE DAY. And never did a moro lovely dsy dawn mpon such ghestly work. It wastoo mild for winter, but the unmelted snow lying sround the Courte Honee square reminded the beholders that Epring was yet far away. Tho sun shone down in all tho splendor of an unclouded sky, and the gentle breezes scemed to be chantiug & soft re- nuiem for the doomed mortal whose spirit a8 £0 800D 0 be relensed from the thraldom of its clay. Friday, Feb. 27, did noresemble what is tormed in the parlance of slang ‘s anging day.” There was po wilainous gloom Phost 12 Frue, fhe criminal, catching cursory glance through bis bars of the besuty of tho outer world, might havo felt amore regretif in the elightest degree a lover of nature than he would tave felt bad the day hbeen one of wild tempest and driving rain. Doubtless Christo- pler Rafferty was not disturbed by any reflec- tions of that nature, and it may have been that his sight was furned inward, revesling the ainfuluess of his heart spd lighting that somevhst callous organ to the glory of truo repentanco. Still, to an unprejudiced observer i¢ appesrad somewhat hard that o strong young man, in all the flush of full blood 1d gient musele, should be led forth to die, mnxgersr though he was, when Nature hersclf seemed to ptociaim, by the beanty of her smile, ihat life avd not grim mortality was the promise shat slte held forth to the frail children of the 2arth. Great was the fecling of disappuintment among the fast-swelling concourss of sensation- bunters mustered outside of the building, when Is became. generally known that the Sheriff would, under no pretenso whatever, sdmit Taore spectators than the jury, the rcporters, the ergy, the court oflicers, and the doctors. OPEN SESAME. Tho tallsman by which admission was gained to the court-room—facing the ghastly rope—was 18 follews ¢ Adnit {he besrer fo court-room. P G, H. BABTLETT, Sherifl. The foregoing words are simplo enough, but many an outsider yesterdsy noon would willing- !y have exclunged a valuable note, with Alr. 3pinner's peculiar autograph cograven thereon Tora plain slip of pager, bearing that modes| iegend, BTEATEGT. 1In order toavoid the Loiher to which L was subjected by candidates for the dread arcoa of the exccution, the Sheriff hit npon a brilliant pieco of strategy. He selected the genuiue re- porters snd doctors from among the crowd of applicants and locked them safely tp in the Grand Jury room, where they were kopt nnder sirict guard a few minutes before the fate- ful bour. He also caused the jail to be cleared of every person who was not privileged to wit- ness the tragedy, and, eversthing having been mada clear, he_conducted tlie chosen few who were favored with reserved xeats into the court- room snd proceeded to snnonnce to the fated culprit that his momenis in this world woro nuwnbered. THE OROWD OUTSIDE. By this time the mob of spectetors withont tho Gouri-Houso bad swollen to immeuse propor— tions. It was & curious array. All sges and Doth soxes wero represented. Very many lu- nsao, respectabls citizens stood amid that ihrong of gaping creaturos, drawn there by the horzible fascinstion of what humanitarisys Sronld term “a judicial murder.” They etood there epell-bound, or changed, swayed, snd surged liks & tumultuons sea, gazing intent) or stupidly, as the case might be, on the blan whits wall of the institution which serves Lake County for a templo of justico, A few @pocial policemen, armed Wit clubs, ‘and Jooking very important and overwhelmingly, paced the couri-yard and kept the mob aligne in ffont of tho chief building, which faces the Ouicnt, There were about 700 persons gathered there, THE PRISONED IN HIS CELL. When Sheriff Bartlelt, afior lesving the court- room, proceoded to ibe condemned man's cell o foand_him engaged i prayer, attended by the Rev. Father Gavin, of Waukegan, aud the Tev. Father Dunne, of St. Mary's Parishy Chi- cago. The ofiicer waited until tho clergymen ceased thieir religious exercises. Raflerty ross from bis knoes and looked toward the grated oor. Be sawthe Sherifl standing ontside, at- tended by the Jailer and other functionaries, AMr. Bartlott eaid: * Chris, the hour haa como— ars you roady P The doomed murderer replied, in = steady voice, “ 1AM READY.” ‘Thie heavy door was swung open, and, attend- eJ on either side by the Romsu Catholic_cloric, Ralerty stepped from Lis place of confinement iurp the corridor. 'The Sheriff and wo ofticers formed behind the prigoner. Mr. Hennebery, thio clerical student,and Jailer Douglass, precede: i, THE LINE OF MARCH - fed throngh the Jail residonce, aud, just bofora conching the stalrway lasding to thie fatal floor, 1he sad procession encountersd Mrs. Douglas, the Jailer's wifo, aud her two daughters. The 614 1ady shook hiauds with * Clris,” who warmly fetarned the pressurc, but 5aid nothing. The ho wers weeping and deatbly pale, at- 5;1?‘:&":.; speukl,) bus omotion choked They shricked in female their utterance. i fashion, and fied o sn adjoining room. Bafferty’s__ naturally pale theck flushed at this evidence of human sympathy. Father Givin handed him 4n ebopy ;orucifix, which he rossed to Lis lips; and shen, with & beariug | | that might have done credit to_ ¢ the bravest of the braso,” when he wae shot in the Garden of tho Luzembourg, this humble felon MOUNTED THE FATAL STAIRS. There was no besitation, no tremor. The com- pressed iips and flashing eyo showed 8 mind not unaware of the awful situation, but also showed 2 determunation that, exhibited in an honorable cauge, might bave won the poor wretch sho sustained it & niche in the templo of fame. OX THE SCAFFOLD. Finally the placo of final catastrophe was reached, and. Christopher, Rafferty saw the ropa that was to siranglo his life awsy. A chair was laced for him bencath the noose, and he took Jis Soat with & calmuces that was truly astonish- ing. The clergymen coutinued their spiritual Iministrations, but Lho responses of the prisoner were not aloud. Ho cougbed strongly twice, and his dark, glowing eyes surveyed tho ecrowd sssombled in tho couri-room {o witness his fearfal fate, In thst momont even, tuose who felt that Lhis doom was just could not help fecling & respect for the un- fortunato young man who was the possesaor of & courage at once 80 conspicuous and so freo from bravado. Several voices murmured, * He is going to dis game!™ and fome exclaimed, « With all his crime, Raflerty is brave fellow.” o much does the animal gift of courago appeal to the Intent savage in every human broast. THE COURT-BOOM. Tuo followiog disgram _will show the rclative ‘position of all parties at thia moment : P r 2 i Spectators. ) 3t Raflorty: P, priest: §, Sherli—at the foot of the stairway; D, doctors; T, le. HOW HE L0OKED. Raferty, having answered sotto voce afew questions addressed to him by his spiritual ad- visers, preserved silence and scanned the per- sous bofors him with what nppeared to be the mostcriticsl observation. He looked remark- ably well, although a liktie pale from the efects of long-continued confinement. Ho was clean ehaven, snd_his dark hair was parted in military fashion, Dall tbading s forehead by.no means “villainously low.” _Rafferty’s worst featuro wag his_mouth, which was large and somewhat coarse in oxpression. Beyond this, thers was ‘nothing of the human gorilla sbout him, despito all that has been written to the contrary. THE DEATH WABLANT. The Sheriff procecded to read the death war- rant, aa followa: N “Tlio People of tho State of Tllisois vs, Christophor Rafferty. Indlctment for murder. “Now come £aid people by Reed, State's Attorney, and the s8id defendAnt, iu his own praper person, a4 well a6 by Small, his counsel, also comes, and ihereupon the haid defendant enters his motion in arrest of judgment berein, and, after arguments of counscl, e Court being fully advised as to #aid defendant’s ‘motion, formally entered for s new {rinl berein, and a0 85 to eald dcledant’s motion in' ar- rest of judgment, overrules each of said motions, io - which decision of the Court the said defendant excepts. And the defendent, saying nothing further why tho judgment of the Court should not now be pronounced, it i3 ondered that you, Christopher Rsfferty, e, by’ the Sherif of Lake Cointy, taken from the bar of this Court to the common jail'of eaid county, from whence you came, and from thence on the 20th day of December, 1873, within the walls of said jail orwithin the yard or in~ closure adjoining #aid jail, between the rising of the sunand ibo going down' thereof, on sald day, to the Place of execution, and that sou then snd thero bo Danged by the neck until you are dead. LISTENING TO THE READING. During the reading of the document, Rafferty clozed Lils eyes once or twice, and seemed to Dreathe Leavily. - Ho also_firmly compressed his Lips several times, thus indicating bis determina- tion to maintain » bold demeanor. At every word bis courage appeared to increase rather thon diminish. ~ Perhaps the sight of so many faces that showed. little or no _sympathy with Dim may have roused some pridefnl foeling in %is ruggod breast, or, perhaps, ho liked better 10 leave the world, 1js glance beut on & crowd of Sellow-mortals than to perih in view of a * beg- garly areay of empty benches." The Sheriff next read the decision of the Supreme Court, affirming the judgmen: of the lowar court 3nd te order fixiog the 27th day of Febroary a8 tho day on which thio judgment was to be carried ont. : Tho eyes of the condemned msan remained on the crucifix shile th Sheriff was reading, the priests offaring & proyer, and he Tepeating it. ! NOTILING TO BAY. At tho conclusion, the Sheriff folded up the document, and, advancing toward Rafferty, said to him: * Do you wish to say anything?” . Rafferty looked him in the eye and replied, in firm voice, ** 1 have nothing to say, sir.” THE ¥INAL PREPARATIONS, Ho was_then requested to stand up, and did s0. After kissing tho Crucifix, he handed it to Father Gavin, who offered o prayer while tho Sherifl wns _binding tho murderor's legs togethor. The pinioning of arms followed; the crucifix was sgain kiesed, and anothor prayer offered. His oyes were closed most of the timo, but twice he opened them and lookod calmly aud fearleasly at 1he pectators, who contemplated the scene in Dreathless silence. . His arms baving been socurely fastened, tho Shorift and Deputy Lincoln shook hands ' with im. % Father Govin st this moment whispered to him, and Rafforty replied in s similar manner. Tho Sheriff then placed a shroud over the victim, and, when his hesd appeared, ho looked a8 collocted and serene a8 if going to bed. A white muslin cow] was next adjusted, sod whilo it wos being pinned to the shroud Rafferty sighed auditly twice. THE LAST PRAYEE. Fathor Gavin now prayed sloud, asking tho God of gooduess aud of mercy to remove all guilt of past offenses, aud to regard His ser- vaat, Chriatopber, apd grant bim s full dischiarge from all his 8ins ; to renew whet hsd been cor- Tupted by ein, and to make him a member of the Ghureh, and fo lot him partake of redemption, and to sdmit him to the sacrament of raconcilia® tion. THE END. The word * Amen ” bad been uttered but s gecond when the Sheriff cut tha ropo, and Raf- ferty wea suddenly jerked up about five foet, He fell three, his feet coming within cight inches of the floor. shirond, and, taking out his watch, began count- ing the pulse of the suspended man. Many of the apectators rushed toward the door, paving no attention to the Sheriff, who requested them {o keep their sents, Their demeanor wes simply atrocious, the majority appesring to have no ‘moro feeling than po many brutes. There were only two bodily movements noticed, —a drawing up of tho legs and a feeble gasp. He probably suffered littlo pain. @ THE PULSATIONS during the first minute were 70: the sucoRd, 64: third, G0; fourth, 63; fifth, 60; sixth, 50; seventh, 44; eighth, 40; ninth, 33; tenth, 23! Ten minutes and thirty scconds after cutting the rope, beating was imperceptible, and Raffer- ty was dead. His neck was not broken by the fall; be was strangled. : ‘TUE BoDY. . The rope ¥as cut at eeven minutes of 1 | o'clock, aud the body was allowed to.hang un- 1l twenty-bwo minutes afer 1. It was then cut down and placed in a handsome mahogany cofiin, the_plate on the lid of which omtasoed tho simple inscription, * Christophor fTerty ; aged 25 years." ) msu e caried tho coffin_ down-stairs, and when the Court-House doors wers thrown open, and tho multitude outside saw what was coming, ‘many of them hited their hats. Proceded by the priests, the coffin was borue through a lane of lgcople {0 8 hearse waiting at the fook of the walk. Tho crowd followed to the Church of the Im- maculate Qonception, two blocks distant, the sidewnlk on either gido of the street being crowded with men, women, and children. After the burial-gervice isd been eaid, the spectators dispersed to comment apun the execntion. THE LAST EFFORT OF THE CURIOUS. Anumber of those who did not go to the church attempted to force their wayinto the iy posxibly to get a Jook st the rope, but they dit not succeed. Had thoy gained admittance they would hsve been disappointed, siuce it W8S cut station, As ¢oon 28 the body fell, Dr. Maxon Iifted the' ' into small pieces and carried off by lovers of relics. THE BURIAL. The body was brought to Chieago by Mr. Raflerty in the evening, and taken to his deso- Iate home south of Douglas nvenuo. between Lauarel and Ullman streots. % family will hold & * wake ” until Sundsy morn- ing, when the remains will be burledin Cal- vary. —_— HISTORY OF THE CASE. It is customary in the report of the hanging of 8 criminal to accompany tho account of the Iast ead scenos Wwith & full resume of the cireum- stances copnected with the crime and a bio- graphical notice of the decessed. Inthis cas Bowevor, tho history of tho crime and of the criminal become, by repetition, simply an oft- told tale, with the particulars of which all aro familisr, snd it will bo necessary to give but & brief glance st tho sct for which Raferty paid the death-penalty, and the circom- stances consequent upon ita committal THE MORDER. Rafferty was one of those men whom liquor thoroughly demoralized, and, on more than one occasion during the fourtcen years be lived in Chicago, his quarrelsomoness, induced by drinking, brought him within the pale of the law. Onthe 34 of August he was *wanted” at the Bridgeport Station for an sasault com- mitted upon David O'Donovan, and Oficer Scanlan was sent by Bergt. Hood, of that with s wamrsut to make the arrest. The officer departed, accompanied by Ofticer O'Mears. Rafferty was found at Mra, O'Brien's saloon, No. 1466 South Halsted street, and the warrsnt was read to bim. He exprossod & willingness o go with the officer, asked for leave to go for his coar, which was granted, turned on the oficers, shot O'Seara dead, and engaged in a death-stragglo Witk Scanlan, whom Le tried to shoot, sud from whom ke succeeded iu breaking loose. TuE AuzEsT. At the Coroner's inquest a verdict criminating Rafferty for the murder of O'Mearawas returned, and the search for the criminal, who had “{umnnd tho town,” was rewarded on the dsy following with his arrest while walking on the canal tow-path in the direction of Joliot. THE FIRST TRIAL of {bo prisoner commenced ab the Criminal Court of Cook County on the Sth of September, 1873, and on the day following the jury Teturned averdict of guilty, with the death-seutence, which was pronouncad by Judge f'rea on the 14th of September, who sat the day for sarrying it into .| effect as the 4th ot Octobar, 1872, THE FIOST SUFEUSEDEAS. Prisoner's connsel, failing to geb & new trisl granted by Judge Treo, took his exceptions to the trial bofore Judge MeAllister, of the Bu- prome Court, Who granted supersodess, and ultimately the Suprome Court grauted A NEW TRIAL, which oponed on the 4th of Fobruary, 1873, &t Waukegan, the prisoner having abtaimed a change of-venne to Lake County. This trial ro- sulted, as the first, in a vardict of guilty, and the sentencing of the prisoncr to desth, the day of Lis haugiog baing fixed at tho 7tk 'of diason, 1619, Gncho26th of Febroary Mr, Small oo- taino ANOTHER SUPERBEDEAS, and in October last the Supreme Conrt granted Raerty his THIRD TRIAL, This trlal, which sl took piace at Waakegsn, opened on the 25th of November ast, and after lasting teu days resulted in the third conviction, and sonLencing to death of the prisoner, the 26th of Decembor baing fixod b3 the day of execation. On that duy evoryibing was ready at Wonkogan for the carrying into offect of the sentence, but the seouring the day hefore by Kafferty's attor- ney of YET ANOTIER SUPERSEDEAS agaw deferred the legal homicide, and left the thrice-doomod man room to hope that escapa from the consequence of Lils crime was yet with- inthe bounds of possibllity. On the 26th of January, tho application for s fourth trial waa argued bofore the Supreme Court by Mr, Small and State's-Attorney Reod, snd taken under ad- visement by the court. On the 3lst of January, the court decided that the sentenco of the court below should be confirmed, and fixed the 27th doy of Fabruary (sesterday) oatho day for carry- ing the sentence futo effect. After this decision of the Supreme Court, the prisoner began to appreciate the gravity of his offense, and the ex- trome improbability of his escaping the death- penalty. His statemont to our reporter, on tho Gth of Fobruary, is & proof that hohad pretty well lost faith in " all legal _resources, and was looked upon by some 28 o bid for a be ter fecling toward him on the part of the public, with & view to obtaining their influcnce towards & pardon or commutation of scutence. THIS STATEMEST, which was rather unexpected at the time,—Raf- ferty having always proved a vory dry subject to newspaper mon,—ect forth the chain of circum- stances leading to the arrest in the same light as nd already been published in Tie TRIBUSE. Tho variation from the story, as originally be- Hieved from the accounts already told, began at the scene in Ars O'Brien’s _ealoon, whers the shooting took place. Tho new vorsion of facts, as supplled in tho statement, charged that Rafferty looked at the warrant in'tho hands of Officer Scanlan, ssw {bat it was not signed, and mado up his mind that to arrest him would be illegal, and that he Lad s right to resist such arrest; that, ac- cordingly, he drew his revolver and moved for the door, threatoning to shoot any one who tried to provent Lis ogress; that O'Meara felt for his pistol, grabbed Lim, and etruck him with a slung- &hot, &fter which ho (Rafferty) fired ond 0'Mears fell. The rest of the statement rocounted the tusele with Scanfan, and the prisoner's eacape and final arrest in pretty much the same way a8 it bad alrendy been described. THE IMPLESSION CREATED by the statement that the priconer was beaten by Officer 0'Meara when he firad tho fatal shot was differently_received in different localitios. In Bridgeport it was at onco takon 8a_gospol, and then, more tnan ever, it was decided that the “poor boy" should mo: suller death, i Bridgeport could help it. As the days drew near that ome on which Eafferty was to dio, that strange intercst which the publio take in doomed men grew mors and moro intense. Tho Jail was thronged with visitors of all classcs and ages sud of both soxes, The Bridgeport rough, with a *“pop” gecreted in bis panté-pockes and & pop-bottle of whisky shoved into his book to had aver to the condemned; the orderly ~ citizen, the _praying ma- tron, “the curious _all classes crowded into the jail “to see Chris,” and with most of his visitors, inside or owside his circle of nc- qul\liutunm, he was ready to exchange = friendly word. THE REMOVAL. At Inst there came to such visitors a day of dissppointment. On tho33d of this month they made thelr call, inquired for “ Chris,” and wera informed by Jailor Folz that they might ccase their calls, for the subject of their visitation had Dbeen that morning transferred to Waukegan, and they could &eo bim pevermore. With the echo of the last word ringing ominously in their ears, they returned {0 Bridzeport, and conveyed the mournfll intelligence of Rafferty’s depart- ure, which created a deep impression in {he lo- cality. There was but one hope Isft. THE GOVERNOE and his views with regard to capital punishment ‘were already too well known to allow those who vet hoped 10 save Raflerty to place faith in aught else than the strongest kind of a petition for mercy, They started to work to get up such a petition for a commutation of sentence as, by renson of the force of its signers’ Tames, might win the Governor over to a more leinent view of Tafferty’s offense than he took of Driver's and Perteet’s. The affair was' taken in hand by leading Irish citizens, who secured the names of ‘many leading citizens, including the Mayor and a largo number of Aldermen, and took the peti- tion fo the Governor in porson. AN OPPOSITION PETITION, got up in the Journal office and signed by the several editora and r:E:flen! of that paper aud by some other journalists, praying that Rafferty might be hanged, was also forwarded to Spring- field. As was generally expected, the Governor carried out the determination which he had previously evinced of not allowing outside pres- sure or his own kindly feclings to causo bim to interferein a docieion which had been arrived at after fair trial in the courts. In hisdotermina~ tion not to interfere he was sustained upani- mously by the.press of tho city. Whatover may Lave been the shortoomings of Chris Rafferty, it must be acknowl- edged that'in his demeanor since his frst incarceration he has been quiet, tractable, and unassuming, quite devoid of any of thoso disa- greeable traits of character which the unedn- cated murderer, with a view of being lionized, too frequently afects, and that, if hus previous life was open to criticism, the dignity aud calm courage which characterized its closing £cene tuade amends for the evil that had gone before. ———— ANOTHER EXECUTION. Jacxsosvitre, N. Y., Feb. 27.—William Keene, the murderer of Valentine, was hanged s moraing. Hoscknowledged committing the m er, RAILROAD NEWS. " Annual Report of the C, B, The friends of the . & Q. Road. The Net Earnings Amount to $4,970,458, Eafnings of the Branch Roads, and Their Utility, What Has Been Done in the Land Department, President Walker on Ilinois Rail- road Legislation. He Does Not Think the Stockholders Have Anything to Fear. . The Chicago Extersion of the Baltimore & Ohio. Jay Gould Said to Have Control of the Union Pacifte, CHICAGO, BURLINGTON & QUINCY, At the annual meeting of tho atockholders of the Chicago, Bulington & Quincy Railrosd Company beld in tho offico of tho Company in this city, Wednosday, Feb. 25, C. 8. Colton was sppointed Chairman; and L. O, Goddard, Sec- retary. After tho reading and adoption of the various reports of the officors in chargo of the r08d and the various departments, the following TWELVE DIRECTORS woro unanimously elected: Erastus Corning, Jobn C. Green, James F. Joy, Chauncey 8. Col- ton, Nathaniel Thayer, John M. Forbes, Sidnoy Dortlett, John W. Brooks, John N. A. Griswold, John N. Denison, John A. Burcham, and James M. Walker, THE PRESIDENT'S REPORT gives a fall history of the doings of the road snd its branches during the past year, and rends as follows : T the Stockholders of the Chicago, Burlingten & Quin- ¢y Railroad Company : On’tho 1st dsy of Jafiuary, 1673, your Company fook poascasion of the rallrozd, braniches, and other property of the Burlington & Missouri River Bafiroad Company, and assumed its iavilities and tho contzol of its affairs, During the year that road has been managed and operated 84 & part of the road of this Company, No report was published of the resuits of tho busi- nexi of that Toad for the year 18723 and the last roport of this Company covered only the fast elght montha of that yéar. It will be nocessary, therefore, now to givo puch statements, not heretofore made, as will furnish 1o the stockholders the mueans of instituling a com- om of tho results of the busiuess on the entire 0 for the yesrs of 1872 and 1873, RECEIPTS AND YXPENDITURES, The following 18 & statement of the enilrs gross ro~ “‘I‘: and expenditures of this Company for the year ending Dec. 31, 1875 From frelgh £,035,348.78 From eny 2,5716,061.25 From mall and misceilaneoy 598,814.68 ¥rom Durlington bridge tolls 193,001.21 “Total recaipls... $11,405,225.9 erating expent sivo of taxes, £6,181,510.18 cas patd, o '250,250,64—$ 6,434,707.82 Leaving not _earnings for 180 year..,.e..ns $ 4,970,458.10 Interest accrued and paid on bonds during the year, 1,066,300.22 Leaviog a belance of ... $ 5,004,157.88 Out of which has been paid dividend No. 3.........31,350,127.53 Out of which has boen paid dividend No. 26,. + 1,326,642.75 Out of which has been paid rent of track and depot.. 51,4374 Out of which has been paid interest snd exchange... 109,807.78—8 TH,075,30 Loaving of net earnings for tho year over overy labil- 2y, $ 260,082.58 To which sdd’ surpius commencement of the YeAT..eonn erssesnee 3,514,272.16 §3,774,854.74 Doduct interest on bonds g sccrued but not called for prior to Jan. 1, 1873, but Bince paid..l.iieesienns 253,755.74 And thera stands fo the credit of {ncoms account. o §3,520,699,00 The amount credited (o sinking fund faken from carnings of previous year i 5 $1,7,74,88 And this, added to income credits, ‘mukes tha amount of surplus earn~ ings. $ 4,700,343.83 The eapital stock of the Burlington & Missourl Ris- er Railrosd Compony on the 1at of January, inst., was $€.552,652,76. The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Rallroad Com- pny increased its caputal duridg the year by the sme of certificates to tho amount of $1,230,400, to fake the co of the seme smount of sock hield by it in the urlington & Missouri River Railroad Company, ang ‘which was cancoled, and ihe outstanding certiicates of atock in that Company reduced by the like amount ; and has also fssued, in addition thereto, 137 shares, all which were used in the sdjustment'of Dividend No, 2. Thiese additions carry the stock of this Com, $19,857,000, and make the capital stock in Compabies sn aggregata of $26,429,662.76. DUBLINGTON & MIsSOUDL, Tho number of miles of Burlington & Missourl River Raflroad aperated in 1873 was the same as fnthe pro- ceding yesr, sud the gross earnings on that z0ad for 1872 were $3,040,448,25, and on the road of your Com- pany, $7,630,408,78, making an sggrogate of §10,670,- 857,03, ‘The operating cxpenscs on the former wero y to e two $1,729,721,38, or 56 89-100 per cent of the gross earn— ings; and, including taxes, $1,775,924.75, or 684-100 per cent, On the latter, the operating ezpenses were $4,629,07487, or 60 G7-100 per cent of gross earnings ; sud, Includiog taxes, §4,943,181.33, or G4 77-100 per cent of gross smount earned. From the first above stalements it will appear that the gross earnings for she yesr now closed svers $11,405,225.92, 28 against $10,670,857.03 for the previous year, OPEEATING KIPENSRS. ‘The operating evxpenses were $8,181,514.18, cxclusive of taxes, and, including tazes, $6,434,767.83; while for the previous year, aside from taxes, they were $6,35 and, including taxes, $3,718,106.13. In other n ihereaso of gross earnings in the last year words, of $734,368.89, and a decrease in the smount of operat- ing exenses, exclusive of taxes, of. $177,562.07, and, including taxes, $29,838.51, and a clear net gain in tho ustness of the year over that of tlio previous one of $074.10L15: ¥ Thie operating expenses for the two years will com- pare as follows : ‘For 1872 they were 59 69100 per cent exclusiveof taxes, and, inciuding taxes, 63 95-100 per ceat of tha gross earnings ; while for 1873 they wera 54 19-100 per yer cent without taxes, and 56 41-100 per cent with tazes, Had ¢ not been for tho loss by fire Lerein subso- acntly mentioned, there would have been s atill fur- Ker reluction of operating. expenres of bout 2 per cent. Xt 15 hoped that if 0 conslderabls Josses are et with in the succeeding yesr, the operating expenses ‘may be reduced atill furiher. From the foregotug exklbit 1t Wil bo seen that the nct earnings of the road for the year above opersting expenses, taxes, interest on all the bonda of the two Companies, and on bonds of all tho branch roads of the ¥ Companies, in Tows =nd Ilinbis, have been 30 78-100 per cent on the combined capital stock of the Compnies, ss it stands at the date hereof. Tn May o fire occurred at Aurors, in which the car sliops, supply store, and otlier wooden structures of tbe Company, were destroyed, together with a quanti- 13 of lumber for the munufacture and repsiz of cars, and a large amount of supplles or the use of the road, 'Asids from the insurance received, this loss amounted t0$224,331.07, and is {ncluded in the above statement of operating oxpenses. 1f webad mot met with this loss, e ot earnings ovr operating expentes sud taxea would havo reached $5,194,650.17 with & et gain 9F 31196350, and 11 84100 pex kot e fh eapital stoc It will te seen that tho interest pald on all branch bonds is charged out iho same ms tho interest on _the boud of this Company. Atten- ton is called to tho matter of inferest on these branch bonds, for the Teason that in previous yoars some part of (he intereat on the bouds of these Foads has been charged to construction, because of the ‘unfinished condition thoy were in at the time the Com- pany took possession of them. ‘Tho gross earnings of the Burlington & Missouri River Haflroad and its branches for the yesr have ‘een $3,152,233.93, an increase over thoso of the pre- ceding year of §111,785.70. The actual increase, how- ever, 1s greater than is shown by this statoment; for in thie statement of earnings for 1572 is included an allowatice In the division of joint earnings made by this Company to tho Burlington & Missourl River Railroad Company for businesa brought by it to this Toad. The operating expensea for the Surlington & Mis- souri River Railroad nud branches for e yesr were | 1arge by reason of ths exiensiv renswals sad repairs of taxes, and G0 79-100 pur cent of the gross’ earni Toaving fue. amount of ot exriings upon that read ok $1,3%5,835.76, BRANCH BOADS, Attention s called to the Lranch’ roads, ' Thers has Deen & gradual and steady increase in the business of the branch roads, so-called, bath in Towa and Illinols In Iilinols, for the year ending April 30, 1872, the esrnings on fhe branch roads then in operation aunounted to £661,939,71 ; and tho entire carnings of the Company upon tho branch road business to $1.713,603.05. Ou the same branches, for the year now closed, the earnings have been $305,166.40 ; nnd the entire earningy upon this branch business in Lilinois, $2,019,989.27, The'carniogs on the branchos of the Burlington & Missourd River Railroad n Zowa, for the yar, have boen $157,48.24. Tho entire esrnings of the Company oa the butinees of ail the branch rosds, both in Towa and Illinols, including those Jocal to tho branches themselves and on tho maln line, have amounted fo $3,487,477,70, and 33 percont of $ho entire grass earnings'of {he Company on freight and psssengors, Tho miscellneous carnings ars not in- cluded or ‘apportioned to the branches n the above statement ; bur if included, it would uot materially vary the comparative results, e proportion of operating expenses chargeablo to thoee branches in Ilinoia ks been $751,52%0.79; in Towa (eatimnted), $122,129.64 ; in all, $513,639.43, 77 65-100 per ceni of tho gross earnings thereon. Aguln: Thecarnings on the branclies and Main Line to and from branches, in 1871, are 83, operating expensca on_the brauchés are $a73,659.43 operating expenscs on Main line on brauch busiuess, $1,290,108.35; total operating cxpenses on branch Dusiness, $2,153,767.78 ; net earniogs on branch busi- ness in Tilinois and Towa, $1,303,500 The statements will show to some extent the bearing these branches hovo upon the valuo of your property. Whien it 18 understood that these branclies wizo by or mainly 60, by otlicr parties, and in_fnterests hostils 1o those of your road, and that they coatrol so largo a0 amount of business as these statements show, tie stockholders can well appreclate the extent to which the DLusiuess of the road would havo been affected, had not_this Company come into the owncrship of control of tnem, Tt will be scen that these branches gather up and fafluenco 100 large an smount of business to bo lost without eeriously impairing the property of the Com- Dany ; and It 8 ceri3ia tLatif thegs brauches wero ot 0w in the ownership or control of this Company, this business would have been lost to it, or would have been Toceived under such strong competition ss to Luve Deen substaunially valueless, Besides, i€ these branch- s, Teacsing your line at thirteen diiferent poiuts, as they do, wera now in other coutrol, and cotnpetitors, insiead’of contributors, the effect would be that nearly tho entire business of the Compans, both that from thie branches and that coming directly into the main line, would bo under such strong competition 2 to Jeavo but small profit, and at many points none st all, sbove the cost of transportation, Some of these branches, both for thelr local busi- ness and for the amount_coutributed o the main line, 2 would be expected, are taors vaiuable than othcrs; But, takivg ther a8’ a whole, the resultshows that ihe’ policy of your Company, in reference to their acquisition, Las been o sound aud judicious one, “Thero bavo been operated during the year, of the Burlington & Missouri Ruver Raflroad and Branches, 443 miles, aud the gross earnings thereon have been at the rato of $7,115,65 per milo: sud of the Chicago, Burlington & 'Quincy Roxd, 825 miles, .on which tho earnings have been at the fate of §10,003.63 per mile, The entire earnings collacted and_ distributed over the whole line and branches, show sn average of $3,994,65 per mile. YEAR'S TONNAGE. The whole tonnage of the line fox the year smonnted of which there were of through 196,314 tans ., 875,875 tons . .1,649,052 tons t, ‘The earnlngs upon through freigh - centa per mile, Tpon local {relght, 2 45100 conts Jer mile, Total number of passengera carried during the year, Fastward... Total tiumber of pas: year, Westwazd, and season tickets, was 3 0X3-1000 cents, NEW CONNECTIONS, with Western ronds have been New connactio) ‘made during the year, The Missouri, Kansas & Texas Road, about 8§00 miles in length, has been completed to Hanuibal, with which your road makes connection, presently, over the Quincy, Aiton & 6t, Louis Road, between Quincy and Hannibal, a distance of about 3§ miles. From this copnection, though made late in the year, a very considerable business Lia already grown up, xnd, prospectively, this Road is regarded as smong the best of the Western connections of your line. By an srrangement with the Kansas City, St, Joseph & Council Blufis and the St. Joseph & Topeka Rail- road Companies, your line {s brought into connection ‘with the Atchison, To) & Santa Fe Ruad, now about 500 miles in lnn{v.h, e Atchison & Nebraska Road, about 150 milea loug. and the Central Branch of the Tnion Pacific, 100 miles in length, at Atchisor, by which it is holed that tho busiuess of your road Wil be largely increased. ‘The business interchanged with the Nebrasks Roids, especlally the Burlington & Mirsouri River Road in Ncbraska, has grown rapidly during the year, The quantity and quality of the wheat crop of Ne- brasks, sud the great number of Texas and native cattle fed in that State, cannot foil to make this st~ named road a veluablo feeder, and perhaps the very best with which your road makes cotinoction, CONSTATCTION AGGOTST. The construction nccount bas becn increased by the addition of §752,832.15; equipment account by $67 707.07. The principal items in the lucreass of these accounts aro: For cost of steel tail {n oxcess of cost of iron, {n Tiiinois .. $163,520.69 For costof sicel 5, in ows, .. 85,340.82 Butldings in Tilinols, p sbiops ac Aurora. In Tows. For new side-tr: ', been laid something over 17 milea. An it Is probable that nolarge sddit 10 the equipment during the ensulng year, or to tho buildings upon the linc, and, 8 it is not expected that any unusual or new construction is to be undertaken, the construction accoutit for the ensuing sear whl, i3 all probability, Le less than it has been in any previous year, zqUIpNEST. At the commencement of the winter, the track of the rosd was, and still is, in excellent cohdition,—better, pectiaps, than ever before,—oming, among otuer thiugs, 1o the larger amount of steel rail in the track, and tne absence of soverely cold weathier ; and this, notwith~ standing the expenditures for repiirs Lave been much less during tho year than in tho previoas on: There bavo béen Iafd of teel rail during the year, fn Tows, 21,30 miles, and in 11linois 44,17 miles, making & “total ‘number of miles of stcel ruils now fn the track 199,74 miles. A5 stated, there has also been constructed 17,57 milos of new siddtrack, much of which was in the Chicago yards. e have been rebullt 7,130 feat of wooden bridg~ ing ; 5,086 feet of itin Illinois, on the main line be- tween Peoria and Burlington, and 1,447 feet in Jows, & Inrge portion of which amount was carried away by the floods of the year. One hundred wooden bridges or culverts have been Slled or zeplaced with masonry on the Burlington & Dissourd River Railrosd in Tows, moking 1,03 mlles of Wooden bridges taken out during the year, the cost of 211 which has been charged o Tepairs, except tho Aum of $3,778.81, which is for the cxcess of the costof masonry aud ron over wood, ‘The total length of the main lino and branches is 2,58 miles. Total amount of double or second track, L5 miles, Total amount of eldo track oh the rusd, 215.40 milea. 1t 18 hoped tiiat the cost of maintensnce of irack for the ensulng year wili bo still Jess than it Das been during the ono now closed. Tuere hus been brought inta the equipment of this Company, since the Last report, tho entira equipment of the Burlington & Missourl Biver Railroad. In ud- dition tzereto, there bave been coustructed during to Fear: 2 passcnger coaches, and T destroyed by fire; § Laggoge, mall, and oxpress cars, ond 1 desiroyed by fire; 564 frolght cars, and 13 ddstroyed by fire; 4 new Way cars, and 60 new platform and. coal cars. Ten nevw engines bave been purchased during the year, ‘The present equipment of the Company is as follows : Engines, 283 ; passenger cars, 1107 poy car, 1; bag- gage, mall, and express cars, 635 freight cars, 4,183 ; Tlatform snd coal cars, 1,661 way cars, 115 ; refriger- ator car, 1; dump ears, 40 ; wrecking aud tool care, 4 pilo-driver, 1; band cars, 407 ; rublie cars, S57. The repalrs upon cars and’ locomotives’ have been well kept up, and the end of the yoar finds tho entire equipuent 1h s good a condition, and i¢ ls thought beteer, than 1t w3 at the commencement of tho year, LAND DEPADTHENT, It wil bo rocoliccted that_there wero grants of land ‘made by the General Government to the Burlington & Sfissourd River Mailroad Company, to aid in tie con- struction of their road in Towa. “Under tho scveral Congressional and Legislativelacta ‘making thieso grant, there has been & large smount of litigation accasioned by pre-emption, homestesd, and swsmp-land claime, o-called, and ' it hea required much time and considerable expenditure to settls tho Tights of different parties to tue land supposed o be covered by thiese grants. These dlsputes are Dot yet ended, nor is it possible at prosent to state with certatnty whiat will be the re- Ruft in somo of the peadiog sulte. 3 The total number of acras, however, which the Com- pany may expect to realize under these grants may b Btated, with a near approach o accuracy, at 359,703.45 acres, Of this smount thers aro affectod by umsettled claima (but to which it is hoped the Company will be Successful {n establishing §i5 title) ss follows : dcree, Acres, By homestead settlers. 00 By pre-emption settl 6,000 By Mills County... 14,000 —— 26,600 ZLeaving undisputed.... ... 339,198.45 There bave boen sold of thess fan Jan. 1. 1673.... Lesa canceled entries Leaving... 5 at an averageof §I1923, per scre, aggregating in amount, £2,416,556.78, There remsins o be sold, if the title to all the lauds ahall be made good, 157,006.73 scres, which at the samo rate per acre would realize the sum of $1,871,99.24. The price sbove named is ot perbiaps an over-estimate of the value of the un- 80l lands, since the rates at which these lands have ‘been £oid have constantiy uppreciated. For lands sold prior {0 and Juring the yesr 1870 an aversgo of $l144 per ncre was realizod, whils for those aold in 1673 $12.51 per acre was obtaied. Should this estimated vaiue be made good for the Iand yet unsold, there will bo_ received from the entire gTant the gross sum of §4,283,348.02. The land has mainly been sold on & eredit of ten years, under contracts baaring intercat'st the rate of 6 ‘per cent per aunum, sod imposing npon the purchaser the poyment of ail tazes subsequent 10 the sale, In oniler that the Gompany zhould be relieved of the bur- den of taxstion on the lauds &8 soon sa practicable, &nd the fand derivabls ffom them te made to bear in’ tha earliest posaible sale. A Lard Dopartment was ac~ cordingly organized, and every ffort mado to bring 40 landa to tho favorablo nofice of purchasers, both in this country and in Europe, Tho rapidity and the price at which salea have been made have fully realized overy ressonsblo expects- n. This result, however, has not been reached withont vory considerable expenditure, Prior to April 1, 1970, at which timo the linds wers first brought into the market, there had been expended in examining, sur- Teying, sppraising tho laads, eic,, 7,355 ponses’ of Land Department 'since time, §19 ‘These expenses, apportioned upon the grosa amount of lands_sold, including canceled entrics (for the amonnts forfelted upon them more than make guod the sums expended upon the lands covercd therely), leav- ing the unxold lands free, makes the average sxpense 87 65-100 centa per acre on lands sold_during the four years, and 7 32100 per cent upon tho amount of sales. REORIPTS AND ESPENSES. There have been paid for taxea on tho whole grant, £123,693.41, which, apportioned cn the lands sold, leav- ing balance of grant free, gives an average amount of 568-100 cents per acre, and 4 69-1C0 per cent on the amount of sack sales. Tho amount of expenses and tazes apportioned on tho lands sold, leaving uasold Jands free of charge, gives an average of $L43 per acre for lands $0ld, sad 131100 per cont ou the gross smount of salcs, Tho total expenses of the land grant to date, includ- ing preliminary expenses Prior {0 April 1, 1870, above mentioned, and all taxes paid, s $414,428.77, an over- oge per acre upon the wholo graat of SL.15,and pon lands sold, leaving balanco of prant free, or $2.01 per acre, Since all the machinery ncesiary for o sal of these lands has beon orgunized, and I now operation, eved that the cosh per acte for tho sl of the Balanca of the lsad will bo ikt The gross amount of recalpts of this department bavo been as follows & Principal 1$290,390.51 BAT,04147 Interest. Tovn lots. 279563 Total. . From whicl and taxes as above.. Leaving balance Amount paid over fund..... Bills receival g g, 5.8 1t will be observed that there hus besn expended in tho ualo of lands, payment of taxes, etc., only $07,- 337,30 of the amount received on account of principal of the purchaas money of lands 01d, the balanca hav- ing been received on ccount of intekest. The net procecds from tho grant are pledged to the payment of principal and futerest of $5,058,350 of whatare designated in this report ss Burlington & Miseouri River 7 per cent land-grant and rosd-mort- gago bonds, by the terms of the mortgage secuzing the same, shid are to bo paid over o the Trustces in thut morigage, who are also tho castodians of the sink- 10g fund for that purposs. Attentlon 18 called t0 portion of the report of the Land Commissfoner herewith published, which will &ive you more in detail the trausactions of tho Land Department for each year sinca lts organizatiou, BONDED INDEDTEDNESS. The capital stock of tne Burlington & Mis- souri River Rsflroxd Company sud branches has been increased during the year by the conversion of bonds, $457,000, By the issuo of stock previously subscribed and fully paid up dur- ing the year, §3,250. In all, $305,280. ‘Tis Increase, Liowever, has been counterbalanced, and s furtlier ro- uction {n the stock of that Compatiy made, by the re- tirement andcancelation of $1,230,400 in certilicates theretafore Leld by this Company, aud for which its o stock was substituted, as previously stated In this zeport, Tha bonded indebtednoss of that Company bas beca reduced §357,000 by Hue conversion into stock as above stated, i Tho' capital stock of the Chieago, Burlington & Quincy Ruilroad Company Lisa been increassd $1,244,~ 100 by the subsiitition of its own for the stack of the Burlington & Miesouri Riser Rallroad Compouy, canceled as nbov, and the issus of 137 sbares in addil tion, used in'the adjustment of Dividend No. 25, as also hareinbefore stated, The bonded indebtedness of this Company has been eased $19,000 by the exchango of that zmount of 7 per cent miortgago-bonds of July, 1873, for a ke amount of its Ottaws, Oswego & ¥ox River Valley Branch bonds, and $27,650 by the fssue of its plain 7 pex cont bonds in th adjustment of fractions under thie distribution of bonds, made for the purpose of cqualizing the stock of the two Companies, as of the lat of December, 1872, PROPERTY AND LIABILITIES, A summary statement taken from tho Tressurer's report showa that the entire property, of whatsoever Xind, and liatlitiea of the Gompany, on Dec. 31, 1673, were as follo Permanent wmvestment.. $58,060,454.34 Capital stock. 429,562,256 Bonded liabili Northern Cross ot L bearing interost 10,7000« Amount ~ dus_bondh Northern Cross Road, aa per settiement with them.. 256,206.95 Amouut of bills and accounta payable over bills and ace counts receivabieand cash, Leaving surplus of. ..., BURPLUS ACOOTNTS, Sinking fund... 3 1,130,744.08 locomo sccount,. . 3,620,599,00 Tolalundivided earnings.$ 4,700,343.68 $ 5,281,162.00 Profit and los: 391,570.98 Burplus fund, . 250,472 § 5,261,10.00 TLLINOIS BAILIOAD LEGISLATION. Mang of the etockholders bavo been apprshensive of injury to their property by reason of legisiation fu Iili- nois Feiating o the freight and passonger tariffe on the roads of that State. - It is true that litigation his been occasioned by that act, but it is not thought that itwillbe of a seriously injurious character in its re- sult. On principle, v well as. by suthority, it {s now understood that tho propesty of astockhoider in s rail- road company ia 38 fmuch private property as thongh of a different kind, and entirely individual in ita char- acter; and {bat, oqually with other and individusl property, it is entitled 1o the protection and_security thrown_around it by the safeguards of tho Constliu~ tion. Your Directors beliove, that while it is truo in Teference to such corporate and private propezty that the State moy regulate lts uwse and tho manmer thereof, o far o8 the pescs, good order, health, comfort, and safely of the piblic are concern it is nono the less true that it cannot go beyon this and abridge or take sway the right of tho railroad company 10 operste its Toad, and fo fix, ndjust, and collect reasonable tolls and chiarges for transportation thereon. Theso rights, snd tho money intested In order €0 their use and exercise, aro privato_property, aud not to be destroyed or fmpaired by legirlation without the consent of the owner. So vitalsnd fufi. damental fs this principle under every just adminis- tration of law, that it cannot be supposed that it will ultimately be distegarded, either in Stats or Federal legislation, Tho stockholders, therefore, moy be assured that, Boyond the expensd aud inconvenfence arising from this legislation, thero {a and can be no ultimato danger 1o their proporty from the enactment of the lawa ro- ferred o, or othiers of simbiar nature, On tlio other Dand, good, doubless, will resuit from the disvuzsion of the relative rights of torporate and other individual property. Abuscs which have grown up in tae rupld development of the raflroad systems of the conntry will be corrected ; more economical mansgement. of rafl- x0ad property will bo had, which will be alike benefi- cial to the general public, the shipper, s the stock- Tolder ; the Intimats relition of railroad Intercst to the agricultural, commercial, ond ofher great nterests of the State, will be better understood, and it will bo scen that the one cannot bo interfered with withont the others being tn like manner affected ; and that the former cannot be destroyed and the others madn- tained. - THX PANIG, In concluding this review of ths year’s bustness, it 18 proper to cail attention to the fact that, by reason of the financial erisis of eptember, and -the consequent impossibility to obtain currency in fue Wost to move business, the live-stock traiic of the road was completely blocked, and so ccatinued for » considerable time. Tho movement of grain and the other businces of tho road w8 in like manner affect ed, but not to the same extent, The influenco of this aational calamity continued {0 weigh upon_the busi- Dess of your road fo the end of the year. It dimin~ ished ita volume, snd, to a corresponding extent, Hmit- ed the earnings of the Company. It may also be stated that in the country tributary o the line of your rond the harvests of the lnat year were not 1s sbun- dant es those of the previous one, though perhaps of an average yleld. In consequence of low prices in tho ‘macket and the carcity of money, much of tho crop of 1872 was auill waiting shipment swhen the new crop of laat year was being gathiered, so thst there Is now in the coustry as much grain 0 be transported to market as thero was last year at this time. Forall this thero is 4 demand, aud st such remuverstive pricea as rondess it certatn fhat It will come out. _ Cattle, to come forward during the yesr, are in grester numbers toan in the last; and thersisno rcason to supposs that the hog crop, which waa large fn the year now closed, will bo Tess for tho ensuing year, As transportstion into the country must and will increase with the amount carried out, there is every Teazon to expect that the business of your road will be 23 large and 3s profitable for the coming year sa it has Dbeen for the past. Indeed It is confidently belicved that tho gross esrnings will be gresterand the expen- ditures leas. All of which is respectfully submitted, J. of, WaLxzz, President, —_— MISOELLANEOUS. BALTIMORE, PITTSBURGE & CHICAGO. The annual meeting of the Directors and stockholders of the Baltimore, Pittsburgh & Chicago Ruilroad, which is the Chicago exten- sion of the Baltimora & Obio, was bold yestor- day morning at 10 o'clook, the Precident of the road, Walter C. Quincy, and the following Di- Tectors being present: ‘Daniel A. Jones, Wil iam Keysor, George R, Deunis, Charles 3. Gul- baytgon, Howard Priestly, and James Walsh. Wiiliam Wing, the Secretary, was absent, and James Waleh was elected Secretary pro tem, The minutes of last meeting were read and adopted. ) The President stated that 230 miles of the rond are slready graded, tixty-four of which aro ironed and traios runding thoroon, making a connection between the Cin- cinnati, Hamilton & Dayton and the Lake Eria Exccutive Commities of the roxd is in the city Division of the Baltimore & Obio Hailroads. The for the parpose of making arzangements for the disto complation. ‘ommittce on By-Law: i i gy i e s submitted their e stockholders’ meeting, over whi Jones prexided, the followins wery. :Ef;f ’lg{ zectors for thres years: William Koyuor, Johy Tyreelly and, Jues Walsh. —Willam. Fepser sod W. C. Quincy were appointed committea {0 confer ~ witly the managera of tho Illinois Central Rallroad in regard to the proposed junction with that rosd &t Sixtiety streer, to mako arrangements for the right of way. 'Tho Exccutlve Committeo will remain i fha e for some tims to confer Jith sll parties utercated in the road, aud get the i “"1‘-'{,‘“1"“ ’ ;, 8 work fairly e_following officers wore nnani eleatod : Waltor 0: Quincs. Dresideat s Shond I0. Tjams, Treasurer ; Willlam Wing, rolary ; aud James L. Bandolph, Chiet Engineer, 7 © GNION PACIFIC PREIGUT M4’ Tho Gonaral Freight dgonts of tha Chleago, Burliogton & Quincy, tho Chicago, Bock Istand & Pacitic, and the Chicago & Northwestorn o rosds, held o consultation yesterday with Mir. J. C. Stubbs, the Geueral Froight Agent of the Union Pacific Railroad, who bas Jjust arriveq bers from Omasha with propositions from Ar, Vining, the General Froight Agent of the Unioy Pactfic Railroad, for % peacesbla sottlemcat of tho, prosent fieight dillouliy batmoen thess roads. A3 the emissary of Mr. Vining was not az. thorized to concedo pro-rata fates, and s the Ghicago roads refuse to submit to anything elso then equal pro-raty rates, mothing was recomplished, and 3Ir. Stubbs hus gone back sgain to Omaba to ses what JIr. Vining is going to do about it. generally expected that the difticulty will by souled in favor of Chicsgo within. sweaty-fous 2 ours. . THE PENNSYLVANIA COMPANY, ¥ Soms of the Geveral Ticket Agouls in this eity : have received lottors from Now York infortiing thom that the Pennsyivania Company hus redac ed passenger rates from Now Yark to Bt Lows to €22, '[his rate is the sume as charzed from New York to Chi cago, sud, if truo, will discriminste largely in favor of St. Louis. Mr. F. R. Meyer, the General Tickot Agont of the Peunsylvania Com- peor, who is at ‘present in this city, states that e bas no information ot such fact, and believes the statement to bo a hoax. i AT GOULD, 1t is rumored in railway circles thst Jay Gonl: formerly President of the Lrio Railioad, mdd partuer of tho Iate James Fisk, has purchased & controlling_interest iu the Union ¥acific Rail- oad, and that ho will soon take an active part in its management. THE MISHISSIPPI CENTRAL. Mr. A, Mx:chellhsuperintuudent of the Illinofs Central Railroed. hias roceived a dispatch inform- ing him that the break in the Mississipp Cen- tral Railroad Lins been repaired, and that trains will run through sgsin $o New Orlcans as unnal, CHICAGO & LAXE ITUROY RATLUOAD, Correspondence of The Chicago Tribune. Lansixo, Mich., fob. 26.—President {Villiam L. Bancroft, of the Chicayo & Lake Huron Rail- Toad, Las negotiated the bonds of that road in Europe, and tho rond will be completod from Flint to.this city this yeor, SMELLING THE BUTTER. An Olcomurgarine Incldent in Calic fornia. From the San Francisco Bulletin, Yesterday aftornoon an athictic individual waa noticed sliding along Montgomery street, with an anxions eyo peering inquisitively into tho window of overy eating-house which Lo pass- ed. He was ovidently a man whoso choica in gastronomical mattors was govorned solely by tho quantity of meat, vegatables,and liguidy gir- en in exchange for a stipulaicd sum. Finally Die appeared to be ratisficd with the indncoments Deld out in & long bill of fare which, tacked tos carcass of matton in frout of awindor, fluttered in the breoze and informed the hunger-hauuted passer-by that four dishes conld be hsd withln for 25 conts. ‘Tho man went in and in s few moments was tackling a elim meal with vigorous avidicy. After finishing his alloted four plates, with the excoption of & fow slices of bread, his aye fell upon a small plato of butsor, whioh i iy hurry 1o had evidently not noticed beforo, He was about to plunge bis kuife into tho btter whea somethiug pecaliar in ity appearanco causod him to pause, and whild pausing he took oceasion to reffoct. Buddenly he reachied forwardand laking the small butter-plato between his fingor au thumb he beld it toward the light and examinel its ccntents for noarly s minute, He next held it to his nose aud suuffed its savor three suo- ceseive times withi a puzzled expression of coun- tenance. p All this time the ‘reataarant-kecper was standing immediatoly bobud the butter sa- alyzer,watching him attentively, and his faco wa indicative of rage and disgust. “ Perhaps.you dow’t liko that butter 7 was his firat remark, semi-interrogatively, Tha man at the sable simply laid down the but- ter, and turned round with an_inquiring expres sion on his visago ; but ho said noshing. “ Perhaps you don't like that butter [ Yelld the rostaurant man, in a somewhat Eavagoly ex- clamatory tone. .1 don’t kuow, 2s yot—Lho fatt is, T haven't tried it." *“Wall, you looked at it as if you thoughl something ‘waa the matter with it. ~Now, 1f you have got any remarks to make about that butter, you can make 'em right here."” I waa simply examining tho peculiar w;ear» ance of tho oleaginous compound,” replied tas man at the tablo; and he spoke with exaspers ating coomess, '*‘Choso blue streaks impart ta the article a variogated appearance which somes what excited my curiosity.s Biue streaks, 1 Delieve, ure convidered a novelty in butter ; ata they not 2" The restrurant-keeper was somewhat _takes back by tho calm roply of the othor, but he re- covered himself sutliciently to remark: I t Blue stroaky oro always in god butter 8t . TR 4 | i ; ; | this scason of the year, Sou musi Le one of &o?' d——d up-country lunatics nos to know o ‘The restauratenr paused for a moment, and then resumed in o threatening manoer : “You must understand that I don't sliow no man to come to this rostaurant and go snufin’ around the butcer; no well-bred maa ‘il do it." H 1 spproximated that buttar to my nose sim- ply to ascertain 1f thoso biue strenks made soy 3 particular difference in the smell: I ¢hink that. & tho stresks make na very remarkable differenca f in the smell ; in fact, Tam of the opinion that g if any difference at all is occzsloned, it 18 ¢ § tually for the better. As far sa smelliog the but- £ ter i8 concerned, 1 hold that, kaving psid for the article, 1 have & perfect right to amell of it, sud should do it aguin ir I thought it atall noceseary; but L do not think it je. 1 smelled that gressy % substance 1n this instance mercly to ascertain f & it was the new article of conunerce called oleo- margarine. 1 bavo satistied myself thac it i oleomargarine, and having thus arrived st a eal- isfactory conclusion in reganl to tho master, I ehall have no occasion o emell of it again.’ Here the frigid customer doposited o quarter on the table aud tarned to go. Before ho could reach thio door, however, tht restaurant-keeper, excited to an uncontrollsbls pitch of fronzy by the speaker's lash remark, | elled vociferously : “It's an infernal lie! I keep none of yout ball butter in this house. You lio if you sa & sir! I can lick the man who says €0, sir! I'csa lick him now!" and he smote his guest updn Lo nose. ¥ Tn another instant the gaest, fortifled, doubt- less, by hiu recent substantinl meal, launcted Lis Tight botween the other's eycs snd Janded him under the noarest fable, stunged sud senseless. There was a clash of gmes, & mat- tle of steel forks, snd a dash of butter dishes sccompanying the last maneuver, bub etill tha restaurant-keeper lay withous apparent lifo or ‘motion. ‘The guest surveyed him for » moment, aod then, lifting tho plate of butter for s fourtl time 10 his nose, wmels it dehberately, laid it down, and doparted, remarking a8 e went aut: * 1638 oleomnrgarine, and ho mistake I H i { i i h { Semmes. From the Mobile Reglater. As a strong evidenc of T aeet of timo iz bealing old animosities, we note the receipt DY Admirs| B. Semmes of an invitation from & Post of the Grand Army of tho Kepublic at Bowe, N. Y., to delivor 8 lecture at that place this winter, {07 tlio benefit of the " Grasestone Fund.” TBe letter snys : -+ The cruiss of the Alabsms, o any thing that in your judgment would be of i2- torest, would be acceptable, and that the peopis E i of Gentral New York would’ extond to you 3 0t dial welcome,” We are confident that tho A miral would be much pleased to assist in com- mémorating the gallant dead of the Union myi but Ex-Confedorates have been rocome:ractes right out of their boots since those events mihl o to work pro! ;] to be commeruorated, aad all bard to make an_honest livin miral is DO exception to this rule, he canndt spare the time for 8o long & journey. 3 —Lumbermon estimato there will be put in ‘:l the Biack tiver and its tributaries the orefe winter 125,000,000 fest of logs, and that the of putting in will be $1 per 1,000 less thsa winter.—La Crotss Republican E