Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, December 31, 1876, Page 4

e s 3 DECE]![BER’ 31, 1876—SIXTEE. 'PAGES, The Tribwmue, TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION. I ADVAXCE~POSTAGE PREPAID AT THIS OFFICE. 1] , postpaids: 1 year. $12.00 L Bt ayekr) per month, g Malled to any address four weeks for 1.00 Bupday Edi Aterary aod Rell; Sidp sty Baltio e} o -Weekly, postpaid. 1 &P B T R tonth.e ? 50 WERELY EDITION, POSTPAID. One cOpy. per year.. $, '{.g Ted ¥ Club of twenty. 20,00 Postage prepaid. ‘Specimen coples sent free. T,::;vrenl. delay and mistakes, be sure and give Post- Office sddress in fall, including State and County. Remittances msy be made either by draft, express, Post-Ofice orcer, or in yegistered letiers, at our risk. 7ERMS TO CITY SUBSCRIBERS. Dafly, delt eered, Sundsy excepted, 25 cents per week. Dadly, delivered, Sunday included, 30 cents per week " THE TRIBUNE COMPANY, Corner Madironsnd Desrborn-sts.. Chicago, Ll TRIBUNE BUILDING DIRECTOEY. Rooms. Occupanis. 1. CHARTER OAK LIFE (Insurance Dep't.). 2. TO RENT. STIN & WALLACE. J. T. DALE. t SUGE“WATCH-CASE MAN'E'G COMPANTY. 5. ROBBINS & APPLETON. 6. KEWYOI}KWATCE,OOMI'AH\'. T NO%. A J BROWN. W.BOBDINS . BT & TYRRELL. 10, CHABTER OAR LIFE Loua Dept ) -] )CHILD & BLACI N. 13> RENAY E BEELYE. W. D, COOPER. 3615, JAMES MORGAN. R. W. !!RIDGR- 16, CENTENNIAL FUBLISHING COMPANY. 17. M. D. HARDIN. #8-19. D. K. PEARSONS & CO. 20, BUTCHIXSON & LUFP. = TO RENT. 5 25 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF. 24. MANAGING EDITOR. 25. ASSOCIATE EDITOBS. 20 L.C. FABLE. - ., W J. Bm‘lg‘ & CO. LIAM BROSS. 2 R XOCROSS. J. A MCELDOWNEY. 30 REDPATH LYCEUM BUREAU. 31, COMMERCIAL SDITOR. = W. W. DEXTER. 3. GEORGE L. THATCEER. 35. NIGHT EDITOR. 56 CITY EDITOR. Offices In the Bullding to rent by W. C. DOW. Boom 8. ——e. SOCIETY MEETINGS. 304 No. 78, 1. 0, of . S. of T.—Pub- s of SEicery ab o bl carser Lasule 50 Adams-sta. The brethren of this Lodge ss well 1% of the sister Jodges are invited, with their ladies and. Trieads, o asteud the public fostallation of our ofi- S ad cateriainment. on Yonday night, Jan. 1, 3t 5730 aharp. of he Presi 0D Y EIFRMAN, . WEYL, Committee. ASONIC.—Tohin Sheville, 330, Wil deliver bis lec- “rcemasonsy'In (e Orient, and How L e tne Lodss me.;dum" e 45 “Eendmark Fo. .F. and A, M. 5 ‘und Thirty-seventhiet.. o2 Vridsy evening. i’i"’;{}:‘x}fi" mfig‘m o AD WIOE, s . er B Ao "N¥RON HARRIS, See. UTLER CHAPTER. NO. ORDER OF THE ERUTERY STA Fubuc Ruallstion of omcers i Caahy I, corner of Msdison and Robey-sts., man Hall, co Wednesday eveuire, Jan. 3, 1677, st 8 c'clock. Friends F $h¢ ordir are Cordislly [Svited to attend. . By order of theWorthy Metion: © . A, BROWY, Secretary. APOLLO LODGE. NO. 642, A. F. AND A. M.—At 2 liegular Commuafeation the followiuk ofticers were Instalicd 107 th= ens toyear: WM M. A e, W Thomas NelllyJ. W, I 1 Thomai 5 i towards. L. losenbauim, - McClelland. APOLLO T, KNIGHTS TEMPLAR— Attention. Sir Knighta! Stated Conclave at Asylum, 74 and 75 Monroe-si.. on Tnesdsy cvening next, Jaa. 2 forthe transaction of buslness. ' All Sir Knights cour- y order of A e DUNLOP, Becorder. COMMANDER! YAX RESSSELAER GEAXD LODGE OF FERFEC- i i‘;‘g&.‘fi;fl;{‘ o5 Tharsday eventog ness o Work'on e Fourth and Firsh By order of E. P 1 L G, ~ ED. GOODALE, Grand Secrei DUAXE LODGE, No. 11, L O. 0. F.. %ill holda putilc instalistion of officers at thelr hall. 112 Ran- gnfllvh_-dll.' Tl‘llfligly;l\':zil -‘yfl{!fi‘fi-‘a}’m. Brothers of . s coralan g S MR ToPRINS, See. D.C. CRFGIER LODGE, No. 643, A. F. and A. B.— The instaiiation of ofticers will occar Wednesdsy eve- Biog, Jan, 3, 8t220 Milwaukee-av. Members earnestly Tequiested t'be prescat. and visltiag brethren cordislly welcome: . . GOLDEX RULE LODGE, No. 72& A. F. and A. M. —‘\‘Cfgllfl ?Tflngfi"“ vrllibe )l‘l‘ild on 1r'lnuday g!- SN, Jun, 2 L3500 sharp. | ABGHAL reporte spd other Tmortant businas 0 A AACKADTEN, Seor CALEDONIAN CLUB—The regular monthly meeting wil be hield uext Tuesday eveningat8 o'clsck in the committee-rooms of the Scotch Churcl, corner of Ad- pms cad Sangamon gta, All members requested to 8- . GEORGE T. OAG, Acting Fourifi Chieftain. WAUBANSIA LODGE. No. 160, A. F. and A. 3.— “The annuai election of ofiicers of the above Lodse will 1ake place at their inll Thursdsy Ev SUNDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1876. Greenbacks at the New York Gold Ex- change on Saturday ruled at 933@93%. In our special dispatches this morning will be found full particulers of the Lake Shore disaster, which, instead of having been ex- sggerated in the first reports, as was hoped had been the case, proves to have been one of the most awful railway accidents that has ever occurred. As will be seen from the report in the city columns of Tre TRBUKE this morning, the result of the conference of the Judges upon the subject was an affirmation of the right of the County Recorder to appoint his own assistants, since he is officially responsi- ble for their sction. The international walking-match at Lon- dor, between Daxtzr, O'LeaRy, of Chicago, champion- of America, and Wriraxe House, the English champion, terminated -yesterday in the breaking gown and consequent with- drawal from the contest of O'LEary. His case furnishes another illustration of the in- evitable collapse that follows overtraining ond overtazation of the muscular power. e —— Taz TRIBUNE of to-morrow will contain a complete review of the trade, commerce, and manufactures of Chicsgo for the year 1876, carefully compiled from “accurate sources, and which will be found invalusble to the merchants, manufacturers, shippers, and business men of the Northwest. Dealers and others desiring to procare it will con- sult their own interests by sending in their orders promptl; Notwithstanding the homilies and satires that have been aimed at it, the custom of re- ceiving and making New-Year's calls will be to-morrow perhaps more generally observed in this city than for several seasons. In the columus of Tae Trmose this morning will ‘be found lists of about five thousand ladies’ who will be at home, to be, in the aggregate, be recipients of, say, about ten times five ousand calls. There will be mare hilarity, 1ore of 2 good time, more nonsense, mors sbuse of livery-stable horses and of young geutlemen's stomachs, than on any other dsy of all the year. And, nest morning, there will be more hesdache sbouttown. But who on 1st of January lets thought of the next mbrning put a wet blanket on the happy New Year he promises himself, and which. now Tae Tarsuxz wishes its readers all ? The Chicsgo producs markets were mod- erately active Saturday, and steadier. Mess pork closed unchanged, at $17.00 for January 2nd $17.30 for February, Lard closed a shade easier, at $11.10@11.12} for Jauuary and $11.273@11.30 for February. Mests were steady, at Gic for new shoulders, boxed, Sjc for do short-ribs, and 9¢ for do short-clears. Highwines were fc-lower, at $81.06% per eellon. Flour wes in good demand and fixm. ‘Wheat closed Jo lower, at $1.25} for January and $1.273 for February. Corn closed @3¢ Iower, at 44c for January and 493c for Masy. Oats closed 3clower, at 34c for January and 384tcYor Febrnary. Rye#was steady, ab 72¢. Barley closed quiet, at 663c for January and 673c for Febrnary. Hogs were 20c per 100 Ibs higher, at $6.00@6.75. Cattle were firm, 8t $2.75@5.75. Sheep were nomjnal, ot $3.00@4.75. One hundred dollars in gold would buy $107.00 in greenbacks at the close. A;mmg the victims of the Lske Shore Railroad disaster, few will be mourned by a wider circle of friends thronghout the North- west than Mr. P. P. Buss, of this city, 50 well and widely known through hiE«Gospel- song services, which have been scarce less effective in the work of religions revival, in which he had long been engsged with Maj. ‘WarTee, than were those of Mr. SaNkEY in his work with Mr. Moopy. Mr. Brss was en routs to this city to take part in the re- vival services st the Tabernacle. Himself and his wife and two children all perished in the disaster at Ashtabula. \ . By the decision of Judge Gany, rendered yesterday in the Mixe Evans case and ré- ported in snother column, there was placed in Evans’ path another serions obstacle that must be surmounted before he can capture the office of South Town Collector. Judge Ganry’s decision was, that the plea that Evaxsis a defaulter, and therefore ineligible, is good, and 'that, until it be adjudicated npon the proofs, the Supervisor cannot law- fully approve Evaxs’ bond, ;Until his bond be approved, under the injunction granted on application of the Citizens' Association, County Clerk Lres caunot deliver the Col- lector's books. So the matter will rest until the question whether Evaxs be a defaulter is settled by the verdict of a jury. T —— The Democracy, or at least a large portion of the Democratic politicians,—those who ‘want office and honors, and whosa hopes for these depend on TrupEN being made Presi- dent,—will meet in their States on the 8th of January to declare that TrpEN must be ingugurated. Why the &th of Janusry should be selected for such gatherings it will be difficult to tel. ~When AxpREw JAck- soN was defeated for the Presidency, he did not declars war, nor propose war, nor counsel violenca; he submitted, and appesled to the people, four years later, with success, The 8th of January is the anniversary of the battle of New Orleans,— the triumph of the Union forces. over the British invader. There was nothing in that event that breathed of civil war, or threat- “ened the destruction of the forms of law or of the Consfitution. There was nothing in the victory at New Orleans over a foreign foe to suggest that its'anniversary or that the name of JacesoN should be used to give countenance to a declaration that the Presi- dency must be seized, and'a defented candi- date declared President by force. These Conventions will be held ‘nominally all over the country, but the great hurrahing will take place in New York, Ohio, Indiana, and Qhio. Will any man not intent on wvio- lence, insurrection, and Mexicanism, state what these Conventions are to e held for? ‘What are they to ask or recommend? Can they do anything but threaten violence? And iu that whom will they representsave the officeseckers? Conventions to %hreaten civil war unless Tripex be made President can have no effect save to silence that con- servatism to which the country looks for a lawful and peaceful determination of the whole business. . THE BATLROAD HORROR. The public has hardly recovered from the horrible recital of the burning theatre in Brooklyn and of the burning convent in Can- ada, with the awful destruction of men and women in the one case, andof little children in the other, before another even more frightful calamity cecurs, in which, although fewer lives were destroyed thanat Brooklyn, there is an element of terror more awful to contemplate. The victims at Brook- 1yn met deathin only one form, that of firs, —and iy is altogether probable that their physical sufferings were but momentary, suffocation saving' them the horrible pangs of burning alive. In the latler case, how- ever, death came in four different and fear- ful shapes,—crushing, freezing, drowning, and burning. A heavy passenger train of eleven coaches, dragged by two engines through the snowdrifts, is slowly crossing an iron bridge in Eastern Ohio on the shore of the laks, in the midst of a blinding snow-storm, over a frozen creek seventy feet below. The passengers are almost at the station, when suddenly the structure gives way and the whole train is precipitated down that awfal distance and piled up in the creek ina heap of ruin, the passengers maimed, '| and mangled, and jammed into the wreck of iron and wood. Asif this wege not enough, the ice in the creek is broken,'and the biting wieds, dyiving snow, and freezingly cold water add their terrora. As if this were not enough, the heap of splintered material, piled high above the surface of the creek, takes fire, so that many who were wounded, and under more favorable cir- cumstances mighty have been extricated from the wreck and recsived surgical attention, - were exposed to death by freezing, drowning, or burning. In the latter case, there was' no relief from torture by suffocation. They were compelled to un- dergo the most fearful pange before death ended their sufferings. There seemed to have beenno element of horror lacking to make this calamity one' of the most terrible that has ever occurred in the annals of rail- road disasters in this country or alsewhere, As yet we have received no intelligence as to the particular canse of the disaster. All that is known is that the bridge, as in the case of all iron bridges which break, gave way suddenly and completely, involving everything in utter rain, and this, although the train with its double engines was prob- ably not much heavier than many freight trains that daily pass overthis bridge, and was goingslowly, sothat the weight was notsprung upon it with a sudden jerk. There must come n time, kowever, in the caso of every iron bridge, when the constant wear and tear and the successive imposition of heavy weights upon it, day after day, must prove too much, and at such a time a single enging and train may smash through it, slthough it may have been tested with s string of loco- motives reaching its entire length. There must be an end to every bridge, and the only question is whether this fact should necessa- rily involve loss of life. It will be a guestion fora jury to determine whether this and other bridges on theline of the Yeke Shore Road have been regularly examined by com- petent mechanics, as the regulations of the road preseribe. It ehould of course also be the duty of this jury to inquireas to this par- ticular bridge, when and bow it was construct. ed, wkether therewere any defects in its con- struction, and whether, at the time of the accident, it was a bridge of the average strength and durability, which had been weakened by the constant pressure to which it had been subjécted. The same jury should also inquire whether railroad companies are justified in exposing the lives of people by nsing stoves in their cars, when other and 1 less dangerous modes of heating can be used 50 easily. There are many other questions which will suggest themselves in fixing the responsibility of this terrible disaster. There is responsibility somewhere, and that re- sponsibility should be fixed without délay. It would almost be a matter of gratification conld wo share in the belief of some clergy- men that the responsibility rests with the Almighty, and that this burning, drowning, freezing, maiming, and manglingof & hundred or more human beings was a- special Provi- dence to punish sinners. This would ob- viate the necessity of juries and investiga- tions, and free us from the terrible suspicion that human carelessness or negligence may have caused this disaster, and we could rest satisfied with the reflection thatho amount of human precaution could have averted ths determination of the Almighty to interfers with His own laws for the sake of destroy- ing these poor victims. Our faith in such a doctrine being rather weak, however, and believing that there has been some human infraction of some general law of Nature kmnown to science in this case, it now xe- mains to discover, if possible, what it was, and to provide remedies for the future, both by punishing the negligent parties, if there were such, and’'by building & better and stronger bridge in the place of the one that suddenly hurled so many victims to destruction. . THE END OF THE YEAR. Sunday is a good day for ending an old year,—much better than for beginning a new year on the modern plan. We presume that most thinking people, unless they forget the date, involuntarily turn back over thereceding period that can never be recalléd, to remem- ber with satisfaction the pleasant things that have happened and dwell as lightly as possi- ble upon the disagreeable experiences. The leisure of a holiday affords ample time for this sort of introspective retrospection, and perhaps the hours between church cannct be more profitably employed than by casting up & sort of moral sccount, with the errors of the year on the debit side and its charities on the credit side. . Fortunately, this sort of thing cannot be done by proxy ; every fellow must balance his own books, and wmake the bost of the result. The year for the world has been eventful enough, though there have been no great na- tional revolutions to startle future readers of history. .For the United States it has been a Centennial year. It was ushered in with the booming of cannon, fizzing of rockets, and the whang-bang of various inventions of Chi- nese deviltry.- The manufacturers of bunt- ing have done an extrgordinary business in red, white, and blue, done up in the star- spangled banner, and may congratulate themselves upon the addition of a new star to the galaxy, which shines at the rate of two TUnited States. Senators, one Representative, and three Electoral votes for President that the Democrats want to dispute. Centennial celebrations were so numerous that they be- gan to pall somewhat, but most of us may have the consolation that we shall not live to be bored with a repetition thereof. The grand celebration of sll—the Philadelphia Exhibition—has been a magnificent success, as international exhibitions go; it is admitted to have been a valuable educational agent in bringing our people faca other countries, and it was a triumph in that it exhibited a national progress of one hun- dred years that would bear comparison with that of nations who can almost trace the Dar- winian theory by their traditions. But, after all the fuss and fenthers, the Centennial year has almost slunk awsy, and to-morrow we must take up the banner and motio of ¢ Ex-’ celsior ! " 2 ; The yegr has been chiefly memorable in- a national way for & Presidential election that has strained the supports of our Constitution more severely than any previous one. Un- fortunately, we cannot dismiss this trial with the old year. For ninety years the Ameri- can statesmen have been confrontéd with the defects of our organic law relative to determining the result of a° choice for Chief Magistrate, and they -have evaded the responsibility of caring them be- cause the issue has never been so close as to Jjeopardize the country. 'And now the trial has come and found wus unprepared. It remains for the statesmen of the present day to compess within the short space of ‘a few weeks what their predecessors have neglected for nearly one hundred years. The respon- sibility is increased by this concentration and immediate necessity, but it is all the greater on that account;. the Congress of to-day ‘must supply tho deficiencies of all its prede- cessors, and give us a law which will fairly avert the menace of an internecine war that would render the Centennial year the closing year of the Republic. The people who assemble to-night to watch the old year'out and the new year in should pray as well as watch, and their supplications should be mainly directed to the hope of apeaceful solution of the national troubles that threat- en us. The rest of the world has done as well gs’ could be expected. Turkey has bothered the Europesns more than a little, and the Bashi-Bazouks have recalled the barbarisms of the dark ages in this enlightened. nine- teenth century ; ‘but, on the whole, the civ- ilized world has been singularly free from strife and bloodshed, and many of the na- tions have progressed notably in the line of greater personsl’freedom and better self- government. Commercially ‘we have all traveled in the same boat. With us. it has been at_once a year of plenty ‘and a year of trial. . The products of our land have been abundant, but the depression of industry, lack of confidence, and the dearth of specu- lation have left hard times still on our hands. ‘We were in a fair way to make our escape from- the slough, till the politicians put us by the ears and clogged the business of the couniry -to watch the outcome ‘of their struggle. Our national credit is at the best, our currency is approxi- mating par, our exports- are increasing, and we are on theroad to 8 speedy resumption of commercial prosperity if the politicians will give us a peaceful Republic and an im- proved civil service. . i ‘We publish in another colamn a necrologi- cal review, which recalls the people of emi- nence who sought the ‘mysteries of future life during the expiring year. To thiose who ‘have parted with loved ones of their own, all the eminence that listcomprises will notrep- resent the pangs they have suffered, nor all the glory of their fame equal the precious immortality of a silent tear dropped upon an obscure grave. But to-morrow we must let the dead bury their dead, and look out into the new lifa that & new yoar brings, Though to face with the manners and industries of leap-year expires to-night, to-morrow i8 still the Iladies’ day - with us, snd the merry .jingle of gleigh-bells and the pretty clatter of woman’s .welcome will usherin a propitious year to all who choose to make it s0. In ons of those New- Year’s greetings which it js the custom in England to send to friends, and which has this year found its way across the water, oc- curs the following sentiment, which we may commend alike to all rexes, ages, and con-- ditions: ‘Then, friend, whate'er to thee is sent In this year's conrse, 8o be content, And thoi shalt find it prove to be A New Year fraught with good to thee. CHICAGO FIRES AND INSURANCE. Chicago has paid pretty dearly for the con- flagration of 1871. Besides the direct loss, the larger part of which was sustained by Chicago people from insufficient insurance ond the bankruptey of insurance companies, thers were consequential damages, such a8 the increased rates for labor and material in rebuilding, and the exorbitant premiums de- manded by the insurance’ companies that continued in business. Itis high time that the Chicago people be relieved of all neces- sity for contributing a bonus to insurance companies for the common misfortune of five years ago. The annual report of the Fire Department which has just been made reminds us that Chicago has earned a right to demand the most favorable fire-insurance rates that are made in this country. The business men are now in a position to insist ‘upon & proper consideration of this claim, and resent every refusal to admit it The current report of the Fire Department shows that the total number of fires during the year was only 474, and resulted in a total loss of less than $389,820,—a loss which is smaller in bulk than the insurance compsanies may reasonably anticipate from a single fire in a large commeraal city. This assertion is confirmed by the fact that there was insurance smounting to $3,272,800 on the property attacked by fire, in which the total actual loss wns less than one-ninth of that sum. Of the actusl loss of $389,820, the insurance companies probably did not pay more than $250,000, which represents their entire loss in Chicago during the year. ‘We have not the exact fignreg before us of the business done in Chicago by the in. surance companies; but the total amount of insurance is probably not less than $250,- 000,000, and the amount of premiums paid thereon between $2,500,000 and $3,000,000. The receipts for the year 1875 were $2,571,- 250. It # a fair guess that the loss of the companies does not exceed one-tenth of the money they received from the Chicago peo- plein premiums. Thisis doing a pretty good business. A comparison of the total loss with the number of fires and the value of ths proper- ty threatened attests the admirable efficiency of our Fire Department. Within the last two or three years, and under the direction of Chief with such assistance as Gen. Smazzr afforded for atime in the way of practical suggestions, the discipline of the departmeny has undergone n thorough revolution. Mr. BeNNeR himself is & man of excellent habits, & skilled and experienced fireman, a competent judge of the gualifica- tions and conduct of his subordinates, and a conscientious worker. He has emancipated his department more fully than ever befors from the dictation of the local politicians, and there have been no complaints to make of the promptness, energy, or judgment with which the fires have been s0 successfully fought. The most marked improvement has been in the fire-ularm service, the efficiency of which" has been increased 500 per cent within the last two years, and which is Dbeing further extended and perfected all the time. This is the most important branch of the service, since upon its work- ings depends the promptness of response to the alarms. The service now includes twenly-nine' fire-engines, five chemical en- gines, thirty-two hose-carts, eight hook-and- ladder trucks ; and the personnel of the force consists of the Chief, seven Assistants, and 844 men. There is probably no other Fire Department in the United States that can render more efficient service in proportion to the demands made upon it ; and the only _improvement in connection with it which we would suggest 1is some thorough system of holding inquests, under direction of the Chief, on the cause of the fires, and the more efficient co-operation of the police in Leeping the approaches clear and the field of operation undisturbed while fires are in actual progress, To the trustworthy excellence of the Fire Department must be addedthe sweeping five- ordinance, which has now been in force three years, prohibiting the erection of frame buildings anywhere within the city limits; the building ordinance, which ‘has been pre- pared with great care; and the water-sys- tem, with its two lake tunmels and two pumping-works, that ¢hallenges comparison. ‘With these safeguards against the spread of conflagrations, and the constantly-increasing number of brick and stone buildings as preventives against the outbreak of fires, Chicsgo may fairly exact immunity from extortion on the part of the insurance companies, and demaund the lowest rates commensurate with the emount of business’ done. The companies cannot afford to ignore this demand, for Chieago is in & position to help itself. The time has come when there is capital in this city that may e safely and profitsbly invested in the insurance business, omifting the business errors and false principles on which “home” companies were formerdy organized. With an increased semse of protection and a con- tinuance of hard times, people will also con- clude that they can better afford to carry part of their own insurance than pay high rates on full insurance. A decressoin the risk shounld be promptly followed by a de- crease -of. rates, and probably insurance sta- tistics will fail to make many more favorable exhibits then a loss of a quarter of a million dollars in a year out of a total insurance of SEEO,DOO,DOO, bringing the insurance com- panies a revenue of at least $2,500,000, and probably more. o . A correspondent of the London Zémes calls the attention of that paper @ a horrible con- dition of things in the suburbs of London. It appears that certain parties are in the habit of leesing grounds in the outskirts of the city, inclosing them, and then sdmitting the public at so much per head to witness steeple-chases. The stieple-chase, innocent enough in itself, is made the cover, however, for the most disgusting orgier. The grounds are held in possession by saloon-keepers and gamblers. All the villainy of London empties itself into these grounds on the steeplechase days, and fleeces, robs, and steals indiscriminately from the public. As a picture of English life, we copy the follow- ing extract from the correspondent’s com- munication: * 2 1 shonld say that it a rake had been dragged through the lowest purlieus of London it would Bbave been {mposaible to collect a more horrible crowd than those who thus defiled a suburb almost withina stonc's throw of the Home Office itself. Amid this surging mass thege Waa not one artisan to be seen. - There wero swarms of mere lade, 2 fow draggle-tailed women connected with the drinking booths, gs many more whoze painted faces betrayed their trude, onc or two gentlemen; and, 28 T eaw them, I wondered Lot they would relish such a scene outside their own park gates, within the sound of their children's ears, or if they. ever think that countenarcing *‘gate meetingd by their presence lowers them to the level of those %ho flocked srcund thelr carriages.to stare ot those they termed the **swells.” . Does it, I8ay, ever occur o thom that this leveling down may one day lead to the ugly rush go® often alluded to by the clags who hate them? It fs, I confess, 8 matter of astonishment to me that while 3. CUAXBERLALY, the member for Birmingham, and the megistracy of Manchester, Sheffield, .Leeds, and the Manx Tsland, are trying to cotnteract the drink-trade, it never occurs to them how itls stimulated by such places as these. Why, at every one of them huge drinking-booths are set up, and it may, with perfect truth, be said, so universal now arethese ** gate meetings; " that nearly every meadow around London is one vast public-house, where drink ie daily supplied by the acre, and where every course but an honest one is resorted to as a means of living. The London Z¥mes has deemed the com- plaint of its correspondent sufficiently im- portant to devote a long and earnest edito- rial to it, calling upon the magistrates to revoke the licenses of these liquor sellers and gamblers, and demanding that no more shall be issued for such purposes. THE CITY TAX BILLS. “ ‘We published a few days ago the draft of & bill prepared by Mr. FRaxk Avaus, having for its object the collection of the unpaid city taxes for the years 1872, 1873, and 1874. We yesterday published the ‘draft of a bill prepared by Mr. Exriorr ANrHONY, Corpora- tion Counsel, for a like purpose. There is nothing inconsistent in these two bills; they both seek the same end and by substan- tially the ssme means, though' the bill pro- posed by Mr. ANTHONY embraces several por- visions not contained in the other. Divested of their technicalties, these measures pro- vide: That the City Council be authorized to certify to the County Clerk the total amount of taxes needed by the city to meet all the appropriations by the City Council for the years 1872,1873, and 1874 ; that all the prop- erty, real ‘and personal, assessed in-thoss years be taxed at & rate sufficient to produce the whole sum of the taxrolls for those years. That the city authorities ghall there- upon certify to the Clerk all the pay- ments heretofors made on the tazes for those years, which sums shall be credited against the tax levied under this act. Briefly, the bill proposes to re-levy all the taxes for those years on all the property in the city, and then, crediting all those who have paid the taxes, proceed directly under the law to collect all the unpaid back taxes. At first this measure looks ag if throwing a net over all the real and personal property in the city, as well that which has paid the taxes as that which is delinguent, involving the whole in* a cloud of unpaid tsxes; but the bill removes all trouble on'this score by pro- viding for an immediate credit of all taxes paid provious to 1875, leaving the delinguent property alone under the permanent lien for such unpaid taxes. Those who have paid the taxes for these years will be put atno expense or cost, and will have no cloud put upon their titles by this relevy of three years'taxes. It will be the delinquent prop- erty alone that will be subjected to the ac- cumulated lien of all unpaid city taxes prior to the year 1875. The bill contains provision for the en- forced collection of unpaid taxes on personal property, and especially upon shares of in- ocorporated companies ; it authorizes the Col- lectors to demand of all corporations a certified list of the shares held by each stock- holder, and where the taxis unpaid to sell the interest of the owner in such shares to pay the tax due'thereon. . The eleventh sec- tion of the bill is prepared with a special view of meeting tex-fighters. It provides that no tax levied under the law shall be de- clared void or be set aside in consequence of any error, omission, irregularity, mistake, or informality in ‘the proceedings of either assessment, levy, or collection, % any stage of the transactions relating to these back taxes, and declares thatno judgment for tax shall be refused because of any’ objection of technical character. Italso provides that no injunction, or other proceeding, shall be issued by any court to restrain the gale of land for taxes, or any other procseding for the collection of taxes, or to set aside the levy of taxes, unless the person applying therefor shall first pay to the Collector of Taxes the amount of all city taves remaining due and unpaid at the time. A new provision in the bill is that no deed of conveyange of any real estate on which theése back taxes remain unpaid shall be re- ceived of racord by the Recorder of Deeds, unless there shall be indorsed on such deed by the County Treasurer these words: ¢ All city taxes prior to the year 1875 paid.” To admit such deed to record without such indorsement is to subject the Recorder of Deeds o a penalty of §100. ‘This is a strin- gent provision, which, if made a law and sustained by the Courts, will; compel the paymentof all these back taxes or. forever prohibit any record of transfer of title to the property on which the tax is due, or the record of any conveyance under trust-deeds. Sec. 17 of the proposed bill provides that no appeul shall be allowed from any judgment for these back taxes, nor shall any writ of error from such judgment operate as a super- sedess, unless the party applying therefor shall deposit with the County Collector an amount of money equal to the amount of the judgment and costs. . This is the general scope of the bill, and the provisions evidently, if carried out, will result in the collection of all the back and unpaid taxes on real estate in this city. Sach a result is especially desirable. It will rescus the City Government from its present wretched financial difficulties. It will relieve the city from an enormons 'cost for annual interest on the certificates representing these unpaid taxes. It will enable the city to pay gll these outstanding certificates, and free it from the reproach of ovebdue and protested poper. It will enable the city to replace all the special finds it has borrowed and used, end which of necessity must be paid in time. It will abolish the long-estab- lished practice of kiting to which the Mayor and Comptroller have been comipelled to resort. Having cleared up the unfortunate wrecks of the past, under the restrictions of law, the city cannot again fall into discredit. The amount of these unpaid taxes when col- lected will pay off every floating lisbility of the city except for the current year. The callection of thesa taxes will be a deliver- ance to taxpsyers generall. The ag- gregate of the uncollected faxes is equal .to a deficiency of nearly $8,000,000 in the Treasury. That sum of debt will have to be paid by a direct levy upon the whole property in the city or by alevy to reach the property which owes this tax. Righty per cent of the property in the city has paid jts tax; the other 20 per cent owes this deficiency. Shall it be collected from the property which owes the ‘ax, or f.r?m the public generally, who have paid their share of the tax? This bill is intended to com- pel those who owe this tax to pay it, and the messure therefore will have tho hearty sup- port of every taxpayer in the city. | All the other cities in the State are in the sdme difficulty that Chicago is, and are .nll interested in having Tegislstion authorizing them to collect back taxes. There will be 8 genersl consultation, and for that purpose theso bills have been propared.” When the measure shall be matured, it will be present- ed in the name of the united cities of the Stata to the Legislature, where it will pros- sibly meet with no objection. THAT BOARDING-HOUSE BILL. Mr. Moopy is fortunately a practical Christian. He goes for the substance and not for the shadow. He is very orthodox”™ in his belief,~no sharpest-sighted critic has yet fanlted him in thatrespect; but he holds that religion is more than the learning to re- peat the catechism or the assenting to a care- fully-drown creed. In the New Testament, he admires James as well as Pavr; thatlevel- headgd Janes,who insisted that a faith which had no works was very corpselike. Paun said, as it were, that milk was an admirable article of diet; and so numerous ‘‘believers ” went mound displaying & white lignid which they called milk, and of which they drank copious draughts. Now, said . Jawes, just set. a few -quarts of your “milk” over night, and let wus see how much cream can be skimmed from it in the morning. If it raises no cream don’t bring the article around here. *Show me thy faith without thy works, and X will show. thee my faith by my works.” Plainly, Mr. Moody’s reading has been'in that part of the New Testament, for, last Thursday, he came down in the noon prayer-meeting with a hard hit at the merely theoretical and sen- timental converts, whose repentance was principally immaginary. ‘There were many such, he said, in these days, in whose con- version he had but littlé faith. They liked to go With the current, which just now hap- pens to set in the direction of the Taber- nacle; but soon these special services-will cease, and then it will appear whether they have any real Christiad principle. d then he gave a telling illustration, as : Before quoting his illustration, Bowever, it must be premised that Mr. Moopx has not been living in Chicago for fifteen or eighteen years in vain. He has seen things, and knownmen. Heisaware that the cityis full of hotels and boarding-houses; that a large percentage of the populationhasa week- ly board-bill to pay; that impecunious clerks occupy third, fourth, and fifth-story rooms; that young married couples, with their for- tunes yet to make, prefer having a good-sized front chamber to keeping house; and that old couples, whose children have grown up, are addicted to a'similar practice. = And so he felt sure that, among the thousands then before him, there were a host of boarders. He knew, too, what the besetting sin of many boarders is, to-wit.: not to be prompt in.paying their bills; and some- times not, to pay, them at all! And now, said the thoughtful and practical Brother Moopx to himself, **These boarders are professing to be penitent for their sins. They have been thronging the Tabernacle and haunting the inquiry-meetings, knd tes- tifying among the converts. I . wonder Whether they have works as well as faith ;' ‘whether they read Jaaes on justification as carefully as they do Pavr; whether, profess- ing to have made their peace with God, they have taken pains also to make peace with their landlady. -I shouldn't wonder if they had forgotten all about this latter considera- tion. People are apt to do precisely that thing. They repent of &n, but they cling to sins. Their idea of religion is unpractical and sentimental,—mere poetry, music, ex- citement, and gush. I must come down up- on that style of converts.” 5 " And he did come down on them. Fasten- ing his eye on some supposed dilinquent in the audience; he thus ‘publicly impaled the misersble mar : ““Hereisa man claiming to be a convert, and he hasn’t paid that board-bill which he has besn owing for some time, when he knows that he could have raised the money for it if he had chosen. He is cheating some poor widow, it may be, ont of her living, and yet calling himself a disciple of Jesus CrrisT.” That was en arrow dan- gerous to shoot into a Chicago audience. It was certain to hit some one. Likely as not it would wound many. Let us hope that it did, and with good moral effect. But it was just like Mr. Mooy to discharge it whizzin, g @ito the crowd. He has his quiver of such arrows. It was only carry- ing out the same principle which he spplied to' that Ohio fugitive from justice, who, pro- fessing to be penitent for his theft, was sent ‘back to make restitution and to take his ten years of imprisonment. Mr. Moopy’s idea of religion is the true one; it cats deep, like the Gospel which he preaches, and kmows no distinction of sinners. Boerd-bils must be paid by his converts, or he will not acknowl- edge them. Of course other classes of professed peni- tents will take' the hint, without the neces- sity of their being named by Mr. Moopy. Bogrding-housa keepers are sometimes sin- ners as well as their boarders. They have a dubious reputation with the landlords, and also with the butchers and grocers. If any of them have been converted, their old land- lords—out of whose houses they have moved in arrears for rent, and to whom they have mever paid a penny since—will be very glad to hear‘ of it -to have them ““bring forth fruits meet for repent- snce.” And all the old debtors, whose cred. itors have long waited in vain and in despair for the glad sight of & ‘payment, should hail this new departure, and prove their faith by their works. It would be an excellent ides to have it included also in the Pprogramme of those who call themselves *reclaimed back- sliders.” Backsliding, they sny; often com- menfu at just such a point of dishonesty, and is perpetuated by persistence init. One of the ministers ot that same noon-meeting very pertinently remarked that a professed Christian who had committed an immorality !mckinthepmwns in great danger of try- ing to substitute activity in a revival for ze- Pentance for that ein; especially if it in- volved .the necessity. . of confession and xapn_n}fiog’ He would pray and eshort, visit abhd converse, hoping to do 50 much good a8 to balance or. wipe out that yet unconfessed wrong? But; said this Plain-spoken minister, the Bible 8ays: “He that confesseth and forsnketh. shall find mercy,” and covering up past sin, on what- ever pretense, will avail nc one, be he. pro- fessed sinner, or saint, or even minister of praise nor condemn the peculiar religions doctrines preached at the Moopy Tabernacle; bat it is i L] our duty to support sound morality, and it is o privilege of which we cheerfully avail our. selves, to commend those of every religious faith who are in earnest to promoto a revival of righteousness. Alas! how much such s revivel is everywhere necded —— TEE YEAR ‘We print below, arranged under appropriate beads, alist of the prominent men and women of the world, in all departments of life and labor, who have died during ihe year wWhich is TOW 50 near itg close, While the catalogue does Dot include 50 many prominent names s in. some previous years, there are many great ofes passed away who will be long remembered. Ths 1ist s 28 follows: POLITICAL WORLD, Hippolyte Dussard, French statesmen; AL Deak, Hungarian statesman; H. H. Stark- ‘weather, member of Congress from Connecti- cut; Gino Cupponi, Italian ktatesman; Reveray Johnson, ‘Maryland; = Ex-Gov. and Senator Trusten Polk, Missouri; M. Amable Ricard, Minlster of the Interior, France; Count Ap- ponyi, statesman, Austria; Santa Anna, Mexi- co; Casimir Perier, France; Edward Young Parsons, member of Congress from Kentucky; Allan T. Caperton, United States Senator, ‘West Virginia; M. C. Kerr, Speaker House of Representatives; Robert Barawell Rhett, Sr,, South Carolina; Gen. Rufus King, New York; George A. Trenholm, ex-Secretary Treasury Confederacy; Frank Preston Blair, 8r, Mary- land. & EX-MEMDERS OF CONGRESS. Asron Harding, Kentucky; -Barton North Carolina; Luther C. Peck, New York; T. J: D. Fuller, Maine; D. P. Brewster, New York;: A. W. Venable, North Carlling; Archibald Dix- on; Kentocky; John A. Searing, New York; Francis B. Fay, Massachusetts; Ransom H. Gil- lett, New York; James Knox, Illinols; F. 0. J, Smith, Maine; Ex-United States SenatorJ. W. Nye, Nevada; Ex-Vice-President John C. Breck- E}:(ndge; Ex-Senator Jesse V. Bright, of In- 8 3 ROYALTY AND NOBILITY. Prince Bagratian Monchrausky, Rusala; Earl Howe, England; tne Viscount of Galway, Ireland; Grand Duchess. Marie Nicolaincase, sister of the Russian Emperor; Prince Dorla, Italy; Earl of Shefield, England; Princess fsabella, Portugal; Abdnl Aziz, Sultan of Turkey; Quecn Dowsger Josephine, Sweden; Duke George of Mecklenburg-Strelitz; Hus- sien Avol Pashs, Turkish Minister of War; Rusched Pasha, Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs; ex-Sultan Murad V..of Turkey; Duke di Gallfera, Italy; Countess .Adele Andrassy, Vienna; Prince Frederic Willlam of Hesse; Duke of Saldanha, Portugal; Dachess D’Aosta, wife of Amadeus of Italy, ex-King of Spain; Princess Marie de Bourbon, Austria. THE ARMT. Maj. Charles Downes Jordan, U. 8. A.; Gen. Gordon Granger, U. 8. A.: Gen. H. G. A. Tay- lor, senior Genmeral English srmy; Genm. Edward von Pencker, German army; Gen. Budritzki, German army; Gen. Pel,- com- manding Dutch army in Acheen; Col. Charles Chesney, English army; Gen. Camille Cremer, French army; Brigadier-General. Muirhead, U. 8. A.; Quartermaster-General Treadwell Moore, T. 8. A.; Gen. Willlam Rose Mgusfield, English army; Gen. George A. Custer, U. 8. A.; Briga- dier-General Osborne Cross, U. S. A.; M. Jeff Thompson, ex-General Confederate army; Brax- ton Bragg, ey-General C. 8. A.; Gen. Sir Jobn Bell, English army; James A. Hardie, In- spector-General U. 8. A. g THE NAVY, Commodore Stephen Decatur, U. 8. N.; Ad- miral Krabbe, Rossfan Marine Minister; Ad- miral Stringham; U. 8. N.; Commodore Victér Randolph, ex-Confederate Navy; Capt. Augus- tus Baldwin, U. 8. N.; Commodore G. R. Bar- 1y, U. 8. N.; Rear-Admiral Benic, French Navy; Vice-Admiral Reynard, French Navy; Resr-Ad- miral Alexander M.> P¢ U. 8.N.; Com- ‘modore Paul Shirley, 4 e Judge Peter Ganzewa $2Albary, N. Y.; Sam- uel F. Lyman, Proggs . Massachusetts; Herr Ruthemann,’ of Jurisprudence at. Zurich; George D. Justice of the Su- preme Court, New Y : Johh Taslor Cole- anch, England; the " Justice of Arizona; the Rt.-Hon. James ‘Whiteside, Lord Chief Justice of Jreland; ex-Judga Charles Moran, Detroit; William J. Haskett; New York; Judge Edward J. Warren, North Carolina. - . THEOLOGY. Jonathan B. Condit, Auburn (N. Y.) Theo- logical Seminary; E. H. Sears, Unitarian cler- gyman, Weston, Mass.; Dr. F. Rogers, Episco- pal, New York; William C. Child, D. D., Baptist, Boston; Prof. Pfarner Lang, Lheolqghm, Zurich; Horace Bushnell, author, New York; Cardinal Maximilian Larnockzy; the Archbishop of Salz- ‘burg; Orestes A. Brownson, theological writer; Willlam B. Sprague, Presbyterian clergyman and.author; Rt.-Rev. Apollinar Serrgno, Bishop of Havana; Edward Field, Lord Bishop of New- foundland ; R¢.-Rev. Bishop Cummins, Reformed Episcopal Church, Kentucky; Dr.J. C. Bodwell, Hartford Theological Institnte; Georze B. Ba- con, D. D., Cvngregsflonfl; Bishop Edmund S. Janes, ML E. Church; Rt.-Rev. Dr. A. R. P. ' Venables, Lord Bishop of Nassau; George ‘Whipple, Secretary American Missionary Board; Henry Waterman, Eplscopal, Providence, R. L3 Simeon H. Calhoun, missionary to Syria; Car- Ginal Patrizi; Cardinal Antonelli; J. D. Will- ismson, D. D., Universalist, Ohfo: J. 3. Has- well, D. D., Baptist -missionary at Burmah; Samuel D. Waddy, D. D., Wesleyan Methodist; Richard Fuller, D. D., Baptist, Baltimore; Joha Price Durbin, D. D., Corresponding Secretary M. E. Missionary Soclety. . -MEDICINE. Samuel G. Howe, Boston; Sir David Dum- breck, physician to Queen Victoria; Abraham Metz, oculist aod aurist, Masillon, O. ;. Gabriel Andral, Parls; Samuel B. Barlow, New York; Prof. John Busteed; William W.. Huli, New York; Maximilian Joseph Chelius, Heidelberg, George B. Windship (* the Strong Man "), Bos- ton; William W. Morland, Boston; Julius S. Sheband, New York. SCIENCE AND EDUCATION. AL Adolphe Pictet, inventor.of the percus- slon ehel}; George Powlett Scrope, English geol- ogist; Dr. Richard King, Polar traveler: Evan Leigh, "England, inventor of the steamship screw; Baron Segnler, Fronce; Dr. Tellkampf, Professor of Political Economy, Breslau; Adolph ‘Theodore Brongufart, France; Dr. Bosworth, Professor of Anglo-Saxon, Oxford: Prof. Will- iam A. Stearns, Amberst College; Prof. George Allen, Untversity ot Pennsylvania; Prof. Chris- tlan Lassen, European Sanskritist; President Stearns, of Amherst College;. Julius Helnrich Petermang, Orientalist, Germany; M. Walows- ki, political economgist; France; Edward W. Lane, Orientalist, gland; George Smith, Asgyrian explorer; Prof. Charles Daviess, math- ematiclan: Prof. E. 8. Sdell, Amherst College; Friedrich Wilhelm Ritschl, Professor of Latin, University of Leipzig; the Rev. Amos Delos g;fidle{), ex—\l;m{enor of Latin, Amheérst; the v. Dr. Nathaniel H. Grifin, ex-Professor Williams College. s © JOURNALISM. Moritz Scheffer, ploneer German Jjournalist of the West; James Anthony, Sacramento Union ; A. M. Holbrook, New Orleans. Pieayune; Edward Anthony, New Bedford (Mass.) Stgnd- ard; William B. Reed; New York World; W. ‘W. Maynard, Council Bluffa Non; 7 8.8, Chatterton, Ithaca (N. Y.) Republican; James Alexatider, New Haven. (Conn.) Commontealth ; ~ William 8. Rahlnsan.}“wmgwn "]; Judge Claggett, Keokuk Con¥itution 7 George A. Ben- edict, Cleveland Herald; Willlam W, Gleun, Baltimore Gazette; Josiah A. Harris, fqunder Cleveland . Herald; Joseph Warren, Buffalo Courigr ; Jobm F. Cleveland, New York Zyibuns; Charles H. Hunt, New York Times; George M: Dallas Bloss, Cincinnati Enguir COMMERCIAL BUSINEs3, | G Timothy Dodd, theoldest. merchant H P. Leverich, Président Bank of N:;BOY.:‘;E! David Snow, President. National Bank of tne Republic, Bostony Lovett H. Bowker, President Hopkinton PMass.) Bank; David Torpance, Pree 1dent Bank ot Montreal; Shadrack Gillett, De-