Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, January 2, 1880, Page 6

‘6 _ SAN FRANCISCO. The Retirement of J. C. Flood, and Its Effect on the “ "Market. Some Outside Bullion-Producing Mines Unknown to Fame, 1 ‘ Mining § Superintendents---What They Should Be, and What ‘They Too Often Are. . How the Smash Affocts Various Classes of Speonlators---A Dull Obristmas ---Tho Theatres, Spectal Correspondence of The Chicago Tritune. BAN Francrsco, Dec, 2.—There have veen péiods during the Inst week In which it seemed fs though the bottom had actuully fallen out of tho Comstocks, What with fresh nesesamenta, the diminution of the Eureka dividends, the un- expectedly meagre surplus carried over by the Ophir Company, and the talk bout once more dlooding the Savage and Hale & Norcross mines, Stockholders, and brokers, too, became utterly demoratized, and men who hed held on aud ‘weathered all previous breaks suceumbed to the terrible storm of this lost sennisht. . When Union rank below £10, nnd Sierm Nevada below 2y, oven the stoutest-hvarted qualled; nnd men who hnd-coppered all the predictions of disaster by buying stocks felt ns though thelr Christmas would be a terribly-dismal holiday-senson, No sone who knows anything at all about Union and Slerra Nevada doubts fora tnomont of the ex- Istenee of ore-bodles in both those mines; but the public here got so badly seared that the fact of Mr. Flood hnuving disposed of hls Comstock interests to his partners, Mesers. Fair and MacKay, bns been interpreted us Indienting that the great lode was * gone up.” ‘That Mr, Flood, who hus long been anxtous to retire, should have avalled himself of the annu- olsettling-up period to privately MHquldate his mining Interests, ought to surprise nobody fae millur with the fact that a year ago he was actus ally out of stocks, and only went in ngain at tho solicitation of his purtners. As the resident partuer fn this city, he has had to benr the brunt of all the nbuge and contumely heaperd habltu- ally upon men of large power and means; and, considering that he hind worked hard and Jong enough, he bas simply withdrawn from tho un- envinble position so long pccupied by him, From the smash which follawed the eemi-oftelnl announcement of his retirement, {t would eeem asthough those who had howled most persiat- ently nguinst the * one-man power” had become fearful lest it might be followed by a no-man power, Every stock on tho ist folt the shock; Bnd ft is really lamentable that Investors In mer- Atorious Bodie and other outside mincs should have the value of tholr property temporarily depreciated by an entirely extrancous ¢lrcum- stance. At any rate, Buch being tho cuse, investors at n distance will rather shun listed properties for tho future. There are many first- class mines, both in Nevada and California, which are not, and never have been,-lsted on tho Boards; and T propose, in this and-in future Jetters, to give your renders somo iden of tho comparatively unknown mineral wealth of those two States, Every county in Nevada contains good mines, many of which ship bullion regularly, without anybody but the owners, and Wells, Fargo & Co., ‘being any the wiser for it. Among these Is the Alexander Mine, in Grantaville, Nye County, in thesouthwertern portion of Neviada,—rencbed by stage from Wadsworth, whence it ts distant 120 gniles, As far buck ag 1607 the Alexunder was ‘worked by an Enstern company, which spent about $100,000 In developing the property, They ran one tunnel for a distunee exceeding 700 feet, eutting the vein, und disclosing an ore-channet of about 200 feet in with, showing a well-defined Hmestone forination to the west, with porphyry on tho cust aide, Another tunnel, started at it depth ahout 169 fect below, wns abandoned after Raving boen vm in, some 800 or 400 feet, They also ran several smaller tunnels in tho bills; but, Tucking adequate capital to continue working, thoy abandoned the property; und, under the ‘United States laws of 1875, the claims were relu- cated by miners, and soli by them to tho present Buoewal owner, Messrs. J, 8. Cooper and M. an Pedra. Although these gentlemen, for con- ‘venieuco sake, Incorporated the Alexander as 0 stock compnny, with 60,000 shires, and hend- quarteragin the Sufe-Deposit Building In this esty, yet the property is tt close corporation, and there In no ktock for sue, When commencing ritions, they disposed of some 8,000 shares working capital among tholr friends, tho pro- eecds from which, toyether with the bullion. Product of tho mine, have enabled them to put up a _twenty-stump iil, together with two of ‘hite's rotary furnnees und a rovelying dry- Kiln. ‘The necessity of a mill Deeame upparent a3soon ns thoy sturted some fifty fect south, in the old working tunnel. They at that point on- countered tt body of $60 ore, which thoy hud. to have worked at a custom-mill nt an expense for hauling und nililing of from $15 to M0 per ton, Bince tho completion of thelr own mill In De- cember, 1878, they have been enabled to mill the ore for 20.4 por ton; but the quantity of ore fn sight—cstimited Ly eonservntively-disposed penens a8 100,000 tone—lits rendered neceasm at the milling capacit: doubled. Steps are now belng taken to that end, and by the nlddle: of January it is expected that the forty-stump mill will be ut work, crushing some eighty tons of ore per diein, Tho nssny-certificntes go from. to per ton, and the’ averse milling \Basays aro Wout $40 to the ton. The Superine ‘tendent reports that. from 20,000 to 60,000 tans of ore are at this moment bulkheaded up, sad that Dear the busu of the hill he has encountered 4 breast of ore some sixty fect wide by thirty fect hilgh,—so that thore would seem to be plenty of work ubead for the enlarged mill, The claim consists of the old American looster location, — 1,000 by 600 feet —which, toxether with the mill. ulte, Is held under United States patents also, of the Honanza und Silver Piluce elufins to the south, and of the parallel Cooper claim to, the — cust, all oy fee to which the title 18 perfect, From the eroppings to the fourth level is nbout 00 feet, and down to this polit the oru Is all chloride, while tho tfth Tovel, ubout 400 fect down, shows heavy 6u phurets, and the winze from this level, seventy=- two feet deep, carries ore to the bottom, A tow of water Interrupted work fn this winze, 1s, with tho enormous muss of org above, tt was deemed useless for the present to expend tirge sums for hoisting machinery and pumps at IEE ul Al the ores are rousted. The base fs with tracings of gold. Since the mill started, the av- erage shipments huve aggregated some &40,000 por months and, aa those ure to be lirgcly iu crensed with the nuded milling enpueity, the ‘Susmpag y oxpects to cominence paying regulir dividends fi tho course of 1880.) Despite the Jarge amount of work done, no assessments have been fovied, and, with tho ‘lnrye bulllon-yivtd, none are to he looked for, Adjucent to the Aloxnnder tro two other chime belonuing to the ebief owners in that mine, und on which a smull Amount Of prospeeting hug shown highly entii- fantory reaults, Whon the Battlo-Mountaine Austin nAcTOMeAnUiE Une shall be completed, passonyers for Grantavillc will leave the curs ut Austin, Ntty-tlye miles distant from the tage-route Iying along the fe River Valle: intntsville is only aniles distant fron tho Reeso River, ts then, 4s"ono mine whieh tn the {ist twelve monthy bas ehipped some $50,000 In bullion, and which Is, nevertheless, unknown even to thousands of ‘portions in this clty. Another Novada Uullion producer ua yet on nannllor gente, 18 the Duy Sliver Mine, aituated in Ensterh Nevuda, near the western doundary of Utah, This ming his be Jargoly developed by muans of tunnels, drifts, winzes, slopes, cle, The muin tunnel having deen run fn dlstunce of over 80 feet, ore waa <ucountared, and i wiz was Hunk ton depth of thirty-cight feet bencuth the tunnel-level, equivalent toa depth of 40) feet below the sure Juco, t has been run from tho bottan of the winze over Wty feot.all in ore, the assays of which have ringed from #0267 to £001.81, anil which Is now being milled at the Raymund & fly Mil nt Bulllonville, ‘The vein ts Cully eight feck wide, aud both the ore-house and the dump are led to repletion with ory which experts clain will ayerige $200 to the ton. At present only ubout tiftecn tons a diy aro being extracted, but it seems highly probable that tla quantity will be fucreased atan carly dute. Should the ex- pectations at predout entertained of the Duy bo ‘Veriticd, it will become ony of tho largest Hull- Jon-produvers on tho Const. ‘The Duy ipa. prnue teal exempliticution of tho necessity of looking detore you choosy your Mining Buperintendunt. The two men who preceded the present Superin- tendent reported the Duy to be an utterly worth: Joss mine, und went so fur ne to an that iu ore Was to be found even in the nelyhborhood, The Probability that, undor the qua ees of tha press ent Superintendent, A. 8. Gould, tha min will wbortly be pluced on a dividend-paying buss, demonutratca the Importance of buving some- thing inore than a “gentlemanty and gonlal” THAN Bs OVorscer, au tenis 0 urgonoy of appointing competent Super- dntendonts cannot be brought too tran iy bee fore Kastorn People, capecially new, when so Tugny Arizony mines sre being ‘purchused by Rustorn capitalists, who aro thoniwelves untas nullur with the details of worklug mies, and therefore necessurily dependent o a considera- ble extent on those bey. appoint to duperintend operations for thuin, 4 appoint as Superintendents thelr coudns, or friends.—men who have probsbl mado'y failure in wome other branch uf busl- Dess, und who are sent down ou 6 salary of froin S50 to 8400 a month, in onder to wet ft 9 MIne— ite Reese ue AIX although nephews, mM often the purchasers, i start. These men are generally good-natured, clever fellows, whose firat cnro is to sectre for themselves pleasant quarters, a spanking team, and all the Ittle oterteras whieh condico to comfort Inn more or leas laolated mining-camp, They mean to do well, but, being for tha most. part Inoexperiencel, hnve to leave the direction of tho working of the ming ta the foreman, who Inuy or mony not be Mt competent perton, Tho Superintendent, having no special interest. in economnizing, and Incking experience, fs apt to wilt until the vory last momont fn purchasing supplics, and consequently his principals may Inve to. pay 60 per cent more than was neccssnty for thelr wood and othor needful matorinl, In rmining amine uscless expenditure fs often tha precursor of fallure; and, if to this bo ndded a predilection on the part of the Superintendent fur wine, women, and (te fallure is almost a foregone cone clusion. ‘There are over a score of mines in Nevada and Arizona where prey might have peld well havo resulted in 9 from Just kuch causes ns these. Speuking of Arizona reminds meof some rich disenverles Intely made there, in the Swisshetm District, situnted on tho grand mineral belt of tho Slerrn Madre, inn direct magnetic course with Bodle and the Comstock. Tho Swisshelmn District. whieh {s about thirty-fve miles rouths east of Tucson and about thirty miles north of the Sonora line, was discovered by a cousin of Mrs. Jane Grey Swisshebn, the well-known writer. The carbonates of lend encountered thore from the eroppings down, whHo posscas- ing tho same characteristics 18 those of Leadville, are fur richer than those of the now famous Colorado camp. Ina mine there recently pur chased by the Messrs, Larlinore, of the Central Flevator Companys St. Louis, there nre indien- tions of the vein for 1,100 fect guing frum $60 to 00 to tho ton, and gpeciinen pieces have nesuyed between $2,000 and $3,000 to the ton, Althatigh: the open cutand-three shafts an this property: are nut down over twenty feet, yet the experts who iad two separate Investigitions ot tho mine eonortl that there was more than cnough ore In sight to pay for the purehnse-money,— $155,000, ‘Wood and water for reductlon-purposes ure reported as abundant. There is a rtream within three miles, aad himbor (s hanled from the Chirleuhuns, some aixteon miles distant. The ores could be both smelted and milled, bu a understood that the Messrs. Larlinore will pitt tip a furnaee for amelting, that helo less costly than uml, The vein is frem four to twelve feet wide, and the mine bits falr soon to be a dividend-paying property, As might be expected, It is ontirely 1 close corporation, the whole mine being owned by tive persons, From another portion of Arizonn,—one almost bordering on Califarn{a,—to-wit: the Siiver Dis- trlet,situnted forty miles north of Ytrme and four miles cust of the Colorado Hiver, thera are nso most. favornble accounts, An expert who res vently visited the Tron Cap group of mines there reports having found an. elght-foot ledge all in pay-ore, the croppings assaying from $40 per upwards, nud golng ag high 13 $2,200 to the ton, ‘There are at present some 200 tons of ore onthe dump; and, when the road now any construeted to connect with theCastleDome Rond shall have been completed, hauling the suppiies: will be a matter of even less difficulty than at present, where wood from tho banks of tho river can be purchased nt from $2 to $3 2 cord. Tn fact, for cheap working, the Iron Cap mines will probably carry off the palm over those of any other Arizonn properties, owing to thelr proxim- ity’ to the raflroud, whieh fs of course the base of supplies, The chlef owner in thls property Is umterstood to be United States Surveyor-Gen- er Wagner; and, with careful management, the Iron Cap witl doubtless turn out another of those steady bullfon-producers of which tho ute sine £0 little and the Stock-Boards abso- utely nothing. Betwee find 300 miles from Silver District je nnother mine of excellent promise, viz.: the Tvanpab, on Alueka Hill, Clarke District, Sun Hernaniine Coumuty. The Ivanpah—which {3 ly tho most southerly mine of any prom- eit Callfornta—fs nit cloven miles from oe Nevada boundery-line, and but ive miles distant from tho company's mill and the custom mi. It Is. being ipl developed by means of n shaft sunk on the Jedgo from an old tunnel xomo eeventy-five feet below the surface. ‘The shuft is now down some ninety feet, Buy 165 fect from tho surface; and, na depth (s attained, the le igo. is found to Inerenso in width und rich> ness, Some of the first-class ore crushed nt the Company's mill hus netted over $1,100 to the ton, tho seeond-clies ore tilling &H0. The mill bus yuluablo water-righta, and fs separated by a guod road from tho mine. Itis stated that the workings show i well-detined fisgure-vein in dolerite imestone from eust to west to tho ex. tent of over 2,000 fect; and the fact of Robert. Sherwood, the cnpitullst of this city, bavin nsautued control of this property, nugurs wel for {ts future, Tho tirgt tullion-shipment. is expected hero within a fortnight; and bullion talks n good deal more effective than by bigh quotations for non-producing mines listed on the Boards, It is little more than a month ngo that Hale & Norcross, on the mere unollicilal report of 1 atrike, was quoted nt $23 a share, To-day tt is. $5, and hard to sell nt that. It is sald that a well-know broker in the Big Board, und a great fitvorit In society, hus been aftiicted with too much Halo & Noreross, und thut, whereas his worldly possessions two years ago mounted well up into the bundreds of thousands, thoy now seareely exceed $20,000. At nil ovents, this whilam-favored bachelor has disposed of his house and stables; and doing this at a period when everything Is go depressed 8 at present, naturally ‘gives color to tho impression that the sule was not wholly in yoluntary one, It ‘8 strange to note tho various moods assumed by thess who have suite Tn this ]nat most disastrous break of ull, One man, who Is currently reported as huving Tost soveral millions, walks tha streets, frest, Juunty, and cheerful ns over, and with ruther tnore jewelry than aunt displayed.. Questioned about stocks, he turns the conversation on to horses, or tho storms which have heen sweeping, tornido-llke, over the Bay, Anothor, whom no ono ever sus- peuted of boing a millionaire, gues around dole- ually complaining to everybody that ho has lost winillfon, and that San Francisco's sun hus get. A third, after usking you whether you cannot holp tim to mnuke good a call for $1,000 uddltion- al margin from his broker, and recelving a neg> ative reply, winds up with, “Say, Just lend mo four bits, will you?” A fourth, who probably never had 1 share of Btock in his life, will tell you, gleefully rubbing his hands, that bo sold in utoher at the top of tho market; and muy, in the axuberunce of bis feelings, Invite you to come and take 9 drink with him. Should ye unwarily accept, yot must not be surprised ff, after returning from tho bar, this lucky speculu- tor should contidentlally tell you, The fact ts, 1 wanted to get a few presents for Christinus, and I see I'ye come out without my pocket- book, You couldn't Jond mo $5 till to-morrow imorning, could you?" ‘The most aggravating, however, of the Individunla to be met with in tho Immediate vielnily of the Stock-Exchange is the portly, well-fed individual who bas really been lucky enough to sell out atthe top of tho market, and who crows, vhnntleleer-tke, over hihi own perapleaelty, with a ioud perstency toutly Jarring on the curd of those tess tortunute, THe knew what wis coming, No foollng hf with stories of ore In Union or Sierm Novada,—wildcats both of "em, That's tho list of the Comstuck, you but,—vte, tte, Agulnst these tire the quiet, xelf-poasexsed nen who, when questioned as tothe pittuition, tes which dire fall- will reply, ealinly, elt, Vin not afratd. O01 come, 1d to anything ke euch a drop fa this, T would ee Vt have bought wl those stocks on the list brenk; but Ive ot vem safo in my drawer ut the Safe-Deposit Bullding, and Tyu0ss Hit bo able to get ont with a protte before slx months.” Ina community dike this, whore met fved on constant excitement, and where a month {nu the atock-murket $9 n life-time to many, sitch inen, who malntuln thelr equanimity. unrudled, aire rare, aud Hono the tesa welcome on thnt uc- count, ‘The bulk of the communtty—those whose ten, or twenty, or fftyeshure lots ga to constitute “tha murket "—ure prorat demorulized, They can geo nd ray of Hyht in tho mining borl- zon} and thoy certuinly do thelr best to mike the worst of thonituation, A stringo feature, too, fs, that whercua, during the progress of grout Mull movements, there are nlwiys Abundance of telegrams from Virginia City announcing fresh strikes and improvements in winzes, vte., dure dig such on durk, dreary spell iu the present there f4 nbsolutely no news from the Comstock, except the meagro olliclal reporia sent down every Baturday cyoning, and whieh very few peopl read, Viowed Ina practical light, one cane hot Dut shato the oplitons of some of the, mot wealthy men in thhy city,—viz.; that the Btock- Jionrds are mn ntiiost unmixed ovil—tlways ox- uggerating either in one sense or tho othe: onubling “cats,” which are ttle better thi awindlers, to get out on the pubife, wid hinier- ing the development of some meritorioud oul- sido propertics, which must, forscoth, go down to almost nothing because tho rest of the ie euing down. If, 04 the bears now wert will ‘be the cuso, the now Legislature regulate the overnmont of the Btouk-Hourds so us ta render usincss thereln Linpracticable, legitimate enters juice will bo benefited rathor thin injured, nnd he resources of this city will, be less uifectually dratited than bas hitherto been the case, Thy heavy rainy of tho Inst few weeks, promlas ing as thoy do a season of ‘Bimopertty for Callfor- nix, ought to moke this Christinns one of the brightest: and inoat duyote uf festive seusone, Yet, on the contrary, all fs gloom and depresas Thy toy-exhibition at the Mechanics’ Pavillon te hosing money, the storekeepers uro compile ing, wd the thentros ure burely hale filled. It fa tue the thentreg_ bave not been olfering any: rent attractions. Byron's “Courtship” wie found go weak w piece that it hi with- ul to drawn tet night from the taldwin stage. ‘Tho da wera voted stupld, the plot was adjudged Tuch tov thin, nud the situations wore cole denned as ridiculous tind iogical, so that, wl though Misa Jelfroys-Lowls und Silas Hevel, O'Nelll, Morriaon, and Bishop did the best thoy” could with their purta, they were uuably to gave the pleco, The Christus spectacle, “Tho New Babylon," will to-morrow night; ound ite produeti« will give Miss Luwis and Str, O'Neill a brief se: son at Food. ‘Those oceupylog leudlag posi tlons ut tho Buldwin bore are worked ulinoat 18 hard withe members of the Hoston Museuns troupe,—the Bunduy'-orontag performance here taking the plice of the Wednesday niutines thore, Some luading uctors, on tholr arrival here, have sought t put down these Suuday pore forntunces; but the tnunagor'’s urgent, tht Sunday wlwayes brings the best hous of thy week, gencrally overcome” all scruples. At tho Californlu, tho Hibernian patrioue drama of “Tusbuvoguo™ bas falled to draw, although thy mmcetinis held last ‘Tuesday in ald of tho sufferin irish was woll uttendod and followed by Mborit subscriptions, Great preparations baye been niude for the Christuias pleco, °Tho Seven Ble ters,” which will Introduce a number of Kustern artivte, Attho Standund, Hermuna bus com. menoed bis preatidigitation verformauces. The progented it THE CHICAGO magician has brought back In fatety a little pot dog belonging to Miss Jeffreys-Lowis, and whi has now almost mado the tour of the world, Locke's Hush-Strect Thentro, the Colville troupe fre doing moderately well with “Pit-Pag”" and “TMue-Beard.” Manager Locke has always plenty of trong in tho fire, Hip Inteat venture fs nt bric-n-hrag store, which would do woll enough: ifone-half of tho eons eutering the place ought anything, This ts, howover, far from ning the cuae,—so that Mr, Locke's only conso- lation is to speuk of all tho notable persons who have visited the establishment, and to pope for better times after Jun. 1, 1850. GH. He VOICE OF THE PEOPLE. Me Lends Them Al ‘Tn the Kaltor of The Chieago Tribune, Cnicaao, Inn. L—Roeferring to the notice of certain postal-eard writers, permit me to soy that thore has been in the rooms of the Literary and Scientific Associntion tr Morrison, White- aides County, IIL, for nearly a year, a postal- ecard on whieh a young gentleman who is clerk in an Insurance office in this efty has written fy aelent and beautifnl hand 7,000 words without the ull of a ginss. The presentation of tho card to the Aasoutition was notleod quite fully by the focal papers, und tt seems stn OS that the gen- tlemen who elalm to have their names made famous by 3.000 or 4,000 words have not scen tho accounts, The card Is on publie exhibition, how- ever, nnd may be scen by any visitor. NE Wilo SAW It. ‘Wants the iver Filled Up. ‘Th the Editor of The Chicago Tribune, Crrcano, Jan, 1,—T once saw an old gentleman looking curnestly for his handkerchief. which he held tightly grasped in hfs hand. My old fathor would often nsk for his spectacles when they were perghed on the extreme tip of his nose, The moral of which 18, there aro many things lying directly before our cyca which we don't see. There fs not 2 business mon in Chicngo who hus not at some time lost time, paticnce, and money at the bridges, Millions baye been spent on the river, yet {t stil remains at obstacle ant wnulsance. As yet no one has proposed an ef fectual remedy. There It Js, right before your nose, 0 rudical, final, and the only one. Fill it up. That can be done, as the Lake Park was done, for nothing. Chicago has outgrown its uae forthe river. 1t fs now only a stumbling-block and n hindrance to the development of the city. Calimet is the proper harbor, and can be made a gond one at asmuall expense, The clevators and manufnetories on the banks of our malodorous streain would stilt be avalluble by rall, and need not beremoved, The removnl of the limber. yards so fur to the south would remoye the one great danger that slways mennees us. 10 mantfactorica, elevators, and other industries that would cluster at South Chicago would hasten the growth of this efty ar tho great me- tropolis of the American Continent by twenty years. The sito of tho river could be trang. formed Into chain of small parks, that would be an agreeable breathing spiwve jn the crowded elty, and, if thickly planted with trees, a protec- tion from the southwest winds. Many other benefits would ensue, but Tleave to THe ‘TniuuNeE to state them, as 1 nim sure, now | have given you tho stigestion, so on- lightened a Journal as ‘Tie Tinune will at once see nll the advantages that will acrue from fol- lowlng my suggestion. Clvil-Service Reform. Tothe lor of the Chicago Tribune. Cricaqco, Jan. 1.—Allow me spnco for a few Mnes on a subject, tho vital importance of which your paper seems to comprehend In Its fullest scope. Tmenn, *Ciyll-Service Reform.” To be brief thla time, my personal experience, which Ja by no means mengre, compeld mo to widely disagree with you on the manner in which any reform at all 1s possible in this direction in this country. Aro you not barking up the wrong tree,” or, rather, are you not trying to anve the tree by attempting to brush the bugs from the Jeaves whila you tire giving sustennnee to the worm that Is gnawing nt the root? Whut is the use of your Inalsting on Congressional enact- ments and thofr enforcement by 1 political Bx- ecutlye? My reasoning goes this; Tho Cl Service-abuslng Congressman and Senntor are nominated and eleeted by conventions cone trolled by the Tanchinory of Civll-Service- abusing “County and Court Clerks, Re- corders, County and City ‘Trensurers, Sheriffs, | members of — the Legisinture, Mayors, Aldermen, and Constables of Congres- sional districts, Ail of these officials are nomi- nated and elected by conventions run in tholr interest. by delegates, the majority of whom are hungry and “liying awake of nights" for a chance to abuse the Clyil Service by obtaining apbolutiaents under these city and county ofti- cinis thits nominated und clected by their fulth- Tul abuse of the Civil-Servico refortn principles: of their party. Is it not ridieutous for you to expect Congressmen and Senntors, who havo clumbered to their places by the whuse of tho Clvil Service, to reform thnt service by publis enactment? Js tho fret to ba wondered nt that these ambitious polltical iricksters, from Consta- ble to Be or whose ambition “rows by what it feeds on,” mildly greet your efforts for reform with ridiento?. Tho only way for you to render effective service to the cause of *Ciyil-Service Heform" is by opposing the election of “Civil- eryico abusers from the rvot up. Commeneos with the Constables and end with the Senators, You have thus fur taken hold of the wrong end of the rope, oO. B ‘The Interoceanta Cannl. ‘Tuthe Editur of ‘The Chicago Tritune, Boston, Mass, Dee, 2.—The delegates to the Paria Congress to decide upon tho best route for nship-canal across the American Isthmus hid not beeu Jn scssion many days before they saw, with few exceptions, that the only canal which would come up to the requirements of the com- merce of navigation of the present and the fut- ure Rhould be a canal without locks and without au tunnel if possible, And so, after a fortnight of the most exhaustive work, the Congress voted in favor of Punainn as tho only place thus far known where such (t canal could be constructed, Tho two delegnutes of the Government of the United States of America, Admiral Ammen and Engineer Menocu, representing tho ininority of tho Congress, strongly opposed the wisdom of tho decision of tho mnjority, and claim that a cunal with locks by the Nicaragua route 1s tho most ilyantageous, The difference of opinion and ‘can ensally be expluined, very doubtful if an agree ment, if on half-way meeting, can for B® long timo be reached, The Puris Congress started from the oufaide, while those two Aincr= ican delegutes started from the Inaide, ‘They In- sisted upon utilizing interior waters, na tho Luke of Nicaragus for thut route, or the Chigres River for the Panna route, tor feeding the hich they considered necessury for the The majority of the members ot the Paria Congress, on the contrary, wished If possl- Dle to build a cant ony tide lovel which would take the sult water of tho Atlantic and Pacitie Ovenns, and be, Uke that of Buvz, 1 tuere river p connect those two sets. They wished to get away from the water of the Inland rivera and streams If this could be dong, and not to make uso of them, Tt fs fortumite that M. Ferdinind do Lessops is to arrive at tho [sthmus at tho thine of tho grontest recorded overtlow of those rivers, for he will be able to see and Judge hls plien at ite very worst; and certainty If he makes up bis own tind that at tile-lovel canal thoro is impricti- able, he will be tha first person to say go, and this will leave the feld open to those who wish to experiment mpon a cnnol with locks, I do not belleve that M. do Pouers, will tuke tho respon. sibility OF puting himavif ut the bead of n com pany to bulld w lock eannl, for, while ho. admits that It can casily be done, ns a feat of engineering, be toca not think It would bo of nnietical uae when completed, from tho physteal Impossibility of sending the necoauary” vesols per day through it, It would nat be safe to make ‘the locks much less than 1,000 fect In length for the ships of the future, and it can cusily be calotilated that to pass a ship through any one of those locks, supposing {t to he ulviys ta perfeot order, must tuke considerable thma, tmagine, then, that there ure soventeen of thom, and what could tho great vessels of our world do? How many from tho Atlantis te the Pacitle, and view versa, could pigs along tho canal por day?) There ty no sense ti attempting to nuke a false ceonomy by reducing the line sicxt expense of hullding the cami by tenor twenty mnifilons of dolliva in fuyer of ong which will bo of no use when completed. Tho dulo- wutes of the Uulted States Goyerninent above mentioned buve been doing thig, white at the sumo time they sorigletely Undereatinuite the necessitry lengths of tho locks und tho timo of pasango fora veaxel, The canal, to bo of nny use, must offer treo elveulation, like that of Suez, mi even If It cont tivice the sti expenled in bulldl connects tho Mediterrancun and ited Seas,— 2200,000,000, hist: Of 8100,000,000,—it ought to De, 4 far us Cale calowlitions go, a better invest= dent, It will not be worth constructing at all unless dong for tho futura—that ty to say, It er be a river, without locks and without 1 unnel, In tho present aspect of tho canal question nothing ean be done until we heur from 31, do Leaeps, who has invited an interiational eom- inigsion Of engineers to go over the ground of Bunn with: hin, and seo if 4 tide-teyel cannl there ia not more diticute thn he belleves, he concludes that [t ean be built thors, it ts ore than probable that tile grad ia money will be Hberally responded ta by his countrymen next year, and tho work be begun, Wo Ainerl- cans certainly owe hin debt of gratitude for his Rarars and pluck in undertaking a work from which we muat guln the greatest advan ‘tuge. NATUAN APPLETON. ‘ The Irteh Beller Fund. ‘To the Editur uf ‘The Chlenga ‘Tribune, Cincago, Jan, 1.—Thero fy no nutlon or poople who condolo with suffering bununity more thun the Anwericans, Their vigilant oyes and symipa> thotic natures are ever alert to suifuring bum ity, whethor in their own or foreign lands, Wo have barely onded our charitable hibors at howe, caused by local plague, when the ery of Uistreas from acrogs the Atluntio from Irelund fs watted to our eary, portruying in tho most pitin= Dio language the wants snd suderinga of the serfect tyrant lundlurds, And wylu the Amer yg that which TRIBUNE: FRIDAY, JANUARY 1880. fean people, withoit regard to nottonality, creed, or scot, turn tholr attention enstwant, All over the American Continent mass-meetings are being held, and every appeal forald fa reaponited toby tho generous American heart nnd pitrae, eneh person giving proportioned to hia or her menns, without un fiquiry as to tho test mens tho fund enn bo appropriated to. secure a pore manent relief, nfter the present dlatress ts alle- vinted. Thavo carefully read in THe THinwNe for the past two months every comment, every: Apecch reported of tho varlous meetings, the dc- acription of the tmpoverished, nnd tho villainous lnws under which the Irish people tre oppressed, tho most explicit, clenr, and conelse dese! lot being that contained in tho lettor of tho 3 Hon. Joseph Medill read at tho McCor- mick Hull meeting, which deseribed the condition, law, and the gencral tho statoof that alileted country; but In no pare teilnr or statement published have 7 read ur heard one solltary suggestion as to how the con. dition of those poverty-stricken subjects could he battered by or with tho ald of the large suns. of money that are now being ralsed and col- lected for tho aforesntt object. [a this money collected to bo. sent over to Ireland (after the immediate wants are satinted) to bo distributed pro rata among those unfortunates to pity tho Heerulng rents into. the treasury of despotic Inndlonia, tyrants in the City of Landon, and, 50, soon ns tho samo fs exhuusted, the tenantry of Treland not one fota the better? If auch were the caxe [would at ance denounee and discour- nge the entire movement, exeept so far na it re~ luted to tho winter amt present distress, ‘There iano guarantes but there miy be a recurrence of tho suine atate of affairs so goon as the find Js exhntisted, notwithstiuding the efforts of Mr. Farnell and his colaborers. We nll have our serious dovbts as to the per- sunsion by legislation or othorwise of Mr, thir- nell to force or conx the Frglish landlords into the theory, in his measures published, to sell or irrender tholy donning, Then when this mensure fs a failure, what next? Resort to revolution? No. ‘That has been demonstrated ug futile in ‘88 and "48, not> withstanling tho recent strategy and the tine equinted ability of tho movers In tho great cause, Ttonly hyrdened and embittered the oppressors’ shearta and added nnother ball tothe fron fet. teny and so remained until Gladstone and Joh Bright extended o helping hiod, For thirty years, 1, of my own knowledge, and through varlous sources of information, know that thousands of dollars are sent: amually by friends and relatives from this country to nasist the poor tenants of Ireland, And where did It o? Intotho English landlord's pockets, Wo finve here in America various colomzation focle= ties, encouraging the eettling up of und utilizing: the milllons of dormant ueres in_tho great Mis- alsuippl, Mixsourt, and Colorado Valleys, besides ‘Texus und the Valley of the Sierrus; ind why not upproprinte a portion of this large fund now Dalry calered for transporting those stricken people hither, buy vp those Innds nt the nominal prices at which thoy can be had, start them on tholr firat yeur in free America where every man Js tho lord’of his own cistle? 1 think we enn better care for thelr wants at home than Intrust: our funds on Engliat soll, supporting English amp, pride, and deapotism, In the State of Toxts wlone there is suiliclent arable land noc. cupied and uncultivated to hold four thnes the population of England and Ireland. . AMERICAN. Weaver's Soldiers’ Itt, Ta the Editor of The Chicago Tribune, Crrcaag, Jun, 1—Sinee Gen. Weaver hns as- summed the championship of tho poor soldier and Introduced fn Congress hia famous bill for re- Nef, Lhnve watched with considerable Interest tosee how far the old veterans would indorse this raid upon the public Treasury, and nm grat- fied to learn that but fow have forwarded poti- tions praying tho pnssuge of this act. Belleving our loved and cherished institutions to be in danger, we volunteered our eervices, not only to protect and preserve that work of our forces futhors, but our own Inilependence nnd freedom ns well; andin so doing I hud not supposed there was a mercenury net wnderlnying the whole, It would seem, from the position tulen by Gen, Weaver, that patriotism was a thing un- known among tho volunteers, and that the love of contry saved and perpetuated by bla sacri- flees were nil to be compensated by the further distribution of's ainall pecuniary considorition, —1 charge that could safely be imide, should his pln meot n hearty response from. the cliss In whose interest the bill claims to bave beon prepared Without tho moral afd and material support forwarded tho soldler by the home workers, be would have won but few victories. A Stone River, Chickamauga, Sherman's murch to the gen, tho Wilderness, and Appomattox, would nover have flusbod thelr nows wlony tho wires, cleutrifying © whole people, Gen. Weaver, if his object be one of justice und cquity, should so frame his bill as to oxtend to tho artisan, mechanfe, nnd day Inbarer the simo benefits he seoks Ly It to bestow upon the volunteer: for thelr compensation was the sume depreciated currency, and their services no less valuable in tho common euttse, + a. onerous Government war not slow ta recog- nize the merit of the soldier, and to roward hin for hig misfortunes by passing pension bills most lberal in thelr provisions and benetits, In_ fact: adopting them ns wurds of the Nation. True, it may be sitld that all did not come within tho provisions of these acts, and that such, wlthough toking tho extra huzard and risk of army life, duties, and exposures, yet reeclyed Jess compen- sution than the homo toler; but ft must, not be forgotten thnt, after a very wenernl oniistinent had’ taken place, the soldier's wages were Inerensed, and — that i@ wis not omude the subject of sharp udyances for life neces- garles borne by the mechunfe and laborer. No, Gen. Weaver, do not so insult. our patriotism, or nttempt, by the passage of this act, to tuke away from us the proud consciousness that In our hinnble way the arm of our Government war strengthoned, and our Nutlonal perpetuity made nn established fact, by at this Inte dny bringin forward # bill mercenary in ita motives, and expect us to Indorse, and prity the General Gov- soeye to make usa donation in the form In+ ented, Itmuy be that Gen. Weaver bas no further object or motive than that set forth in his bil; hut pardon me if I view tho whole matter Ina different light. Tho old sollor is yota po in the land, and his voto ton needy politiclan. very nd, Tt 4s well known that the circulation of Uncle Sam’ golden cigles converted the constituency of (en, Weaver, and left him without a following. What more niturnel than that he should attempt to reguin hls popularity by Introducing and ad- younting tho passage of a DI, with the expecta- tlon thut the old veterans will rally to bls sup- port and besiege sa ieee for [t8 passuge, thus giving to this retiring statesinnn gome Httle rreattiro and capital upon whieh be enn claim ‘nvthor political prefermont? The General Government fulited its part of the vontriet, and we hive no further domand to make, Aye, It did more; ave to us t Pension act, both honornble toftand the framers there- of, and thousands upon thousands of ita wards ure dill: Fouplng its benotlta, We are not only satiated that ample Justice has been. done ua, but sutistled with our’ position us it Natior istled with ottr home prosperity and develop inonts satisfied with resumption and the henesite alrendy felt, and to follow te nan people; und ulgo autiailed that that{ pernicious and delusive theory advocated Hy the Oreenbuckors 14 fast passing away, and that it and its wdvecates will soon be known in our coungils no more forever, Standing by tholr cltlzenship, und the rights and Institutions thoy fought to preserve, tho old yot- erana will leave bulldozing and its attendant fruuds upon a free people to parties represented by 0 Gureelon und a Weaver. C.C, MERKICK, ‘Woll Street vs, ‘The West. TM the Kdltur of The Chicago Tribune, Huntinaton, Ind., Dee. 27.—During the dark and memorable anys of 18H the Controller of the Currency, In a pamphlet of © Inatructions and Suggestions" to tha National banks, strongly urged, umong other things, “tho hourding of Kol.” From that day to the present tho strug, gle on tho part of the goldites to appreciute Ita value hus never censed, With voln at 235 the “suggestion” fell Nat; i may baye looked panicky to tho casunl obaerver, but tho know. Ing ones saw Wall streot looming up buck of that edict, a8 prominent as a sore thumb, or as plain as if (ta digniuture was attuchod intend of tho Controller's; and the consequence was not A sluglo bank in tho United States patd the least attention to the “suggestion.” Tho idea of 0 business man of ordinary ca paelty, dealing Iu money for 0 livelihood, © pigeon-holing” 84,000 cain interest recelved on $100,000 United States bonds, when be could sel) it for over $17,000 curroney, and Invost thatgum funedintely in ua good 10 per cent se- euritics ua the world afforded, was nb- surd on its fuce, and very wisely repudiates Noweyor preposterous these “suggestion: yay. bing to 14 now, thoy wero 11 strict accord with tho serles of outriged folsted upon the ciple through tho dictation of the Anuncial jobbers and cutthrovta of Wall street, who were Wways on tho alert, doyiiing some plan to wring: tho ditference between 40 and 100 out of the products of labor, No bunien their grinding, fapsuing, gutting diapoaitions could Invent wis eft unteled, Euch viait- of tho Tronsury ollicials to Wall stroot was invariably followed by a uhane of program; no sooner would tho toiling millions dequleses, and by thelr utinost endeavors try to pt alii to mect the now requir ts than some other and wore milous, tore tie was devised und applied, “Tho tale of bricks" nist bo fortheonipg “without the atriw.” Your after year tho crushing process oes on, until overs wheel in New England censed to revelye, the try in every furnace fn Pennsylvania Ja quenchod, every industry para. lyzed, the country teens With tramps and Communists, the prostration complete, with ut- ter desolution on every hand. No sooner would, ninun gither toguther means wherewith ty ob- tain the comforts of Ife, than some now tax was aided to wrengh It from lin, or depreciate the value of the products of his Tabor, until thoy: cunsed Lo yield a inulntcnanes for bis furntly, The prospect for a gener war in Europe, with uctund hostilitica between two grout Pow ed tt bope i the bosoms of tho bus- demand ut reniuneritive prives for the products of the soll would eprine ‘up and on wble thet to rd thonwelves of the incubus 80 wullng to tha divtepon dant. With new ditt tifused inte the brawny armg ao Jong Huw aime Hetloaa, thoy’ were uuw bared tu tho broiling sumsmer’s heat wad Inured to with. stand tho wintry binst. Tho unwilling soll was compelled to yiolt a double portion; yea, 0 thousand-fold; and tho entire product poured Into the Natlonal Treasury to onable hor to re= turn to Wall street dollirs of triplo value to those It wrong from her In tho darkest hours of tho Natlon‘a adversity, With gimuntio efforts und tncensing toll, the difference between 40—tho cost—nnd 100—tho prescnt price-hns leon paid, with Oper cent ntercat on ench S100 In gold for sixteen years, Notwithstanding overy burden that tho Ingenn ty of tho bloodthirsty vampires could posalbly itivent ta Increngo tho difficulty of pays ing It, it waa necomplished; the vast army of tramps fed and clothed—without one dollar being contributed by Wall strect—for ten yours; our wives and little ones dented tho commonest necessnries of life, whilo the nes at that thoroughfare cooled tholr wines ed brows by the eenshore, or made the tour of Europe or tho world rolling in wealth and luxury, all the while endeavoring to depreciate neurrency the best the world ever enw, made Ro by blows that ring in tho ears of all nyttor With hands raised in “holy horror,’ t “remonetize ailver," sitys Wall street, “ Burope will return our bonda, tho entire shinning of the world will be ongrged In transporting gold from ourshores, and nothing left us but worthless rigs." “Send them over,’ days the mighty West, “we will take care of thom; and right well has she done so, Seo tho dally press for a rthor particuiirs of tho drain of gold from our shores, Now, ns we are entoring tho threshold of the good thice at hand, wo hear the murmuriig: of the coming tempest once more, ‘The Controller he Currenuy, forerunner of the Seeretur of the Treasury, has paid tho tsuil visit to Wall str Tho National banks are nguin advised to “hoard, gold. Theao "suggestions" ro up in the | President's messnyo and Seeretary’s roport, another Indication. The jnaytinte ‘tends are ones toro on the war- pau khulrat ing forthe fresh Hfe-blood Infused Into the veins of commerce, in spite of the most overwhelming, wiidcsprend, and crushing disag- ter tht over befel the nitions of the earth, For fifteen or. moro yenrs we have absorbed 0 continuous shrinkage in values, with tho ery ringing in our cars, udding to our bitterness anit wo; © You are not prosperotg, and never car ‘be until you demonetize ellyer, wipe out the Na- tional bank-notes, and retire the greenbuclks. Adopt goldas naingle standard, for that Is the only god we worship, and we would compel the Nutlon, no matter how extensive aur commerce or needs may be, to. worship only that,—nothing more. Shall we doff ott new attire, choke back tho feeling thit. the guod time has at Inst dawned, and suuteh the coveted morsel from. the lips of our children, quictly submit. and pour out the Mhation at the feet of Wall street? Lot us use avery moral siusion in our power,— entrent, plead, coax, beg thon to “let well enough alone.” Failing in that, let us nt them, “shovel and tongs,” ind wipe the heartless Wretches—ns thoy would our all—from the face of the curth. LEGAL-TENDER. Some Mistending Asertions of Mr, Iublee About the Currency of England aud France. To the Editor of The Chicago Irtbune, DAnavitty, N. Y., Dee. 2.—An editerial ar tlele in your paper of the 2ith Inst, alleges that the stability and safety of tho eurrency of England depend wholly, or echictly, onthe clr ctimstance that the notes of tho Bank of En- gland are by law mado a legal-tender, The stuvility nnd safety of tho currency of France, where thore is no legal-tender paper, had, however, to be necounted for, and you ex- plain tho phonomenon by asserting that it is duce golely to the lirge amount of allyer which that country uses a6 money, In both of these assertions I belleve that you are mistaken, and I doubt not you will allow mo to give a brief statement in your columns of tho grounds for this opinion. 1. In regard to the notes of the Bank of England. With tho exception of £15,000,000,— being 1 sum which tho British Government owes: to the bank,—for every note which ft issucs the bank fs required to hold x corresponding amount of gold in its vaults, It redcems Its notes in gold on presentation,and a note, once redeomed, 13 de- Btroved, for the reason that, baving drawn from the bank tho gold It represented, Rta function Is ended. It must bo destroyed in order to muln- tun the equilibrium batween tho gold held by: the bank and its notes. Herein Iles the radicul difference betwoen our greenbucks and the notes: of the Bank of England. It 18 trie that since Jast Jununury the liw requires that the green- back shall bo redeemed at the United Btates ‘reusury on presentation, but it provides no certain “method by whieh the ‘Treasury shull Tuintain a stipply of enh for, such purposes It docs not speolty that any fixed relation shnll be maintained between the amount of coin kept, for redemption purposes ind the amount of greenbucks In circulation; und it does requtro that the greonbuck, when redeoined, instead of being destroyed shrill be ngnin put in cirentation, When « £10 note of tho Bunk of Englund Is re- deemed there ure £10 legs of gold In tho bani, but a corresponding suin of its pnper circulation Js ennecleds; when a $60 greenback Is redeemed, undor our present system, $50 of tho caln roe demption fund has been withdrawn from the 'freasury, but the amount of preenbacks his not been reduced one cent. The next minute tho $50 greenback may again be put In cireula- ton and presented for redemption a second thine. In other words, the note of the Bank of En- gland isu gold certificate, It muy be sald that the greenbuek ig also 0 Hold certiiiente, because tho holdor of one mny obtain the gold for Itat present by upplying at the Treasury, But there Is this most Important difference in the nature of tha two kinds of paper: when the gold re- swerve in tho bank decreases thore (sa corre- menue deerease fn the amount of notes in elreutution. On tho contrary, when tho coln re- serve In our Treasury decreases thore ty no dlminntion of the volume of greonbacks, ‘They are vw iixed quantity bearlug no detinit relution to tho redemption fund. It (a, therefore, alwire possible that the coin in the YVreasury nay exhausted, and the xreenbacks ngaln beoonie wn Inconvertible and therefore w diseredited, fluc tunting, and deprecinted currenes, Such weons tngency Is, indeed, Mnevitabe, L hetleve, unless we adopt mensnres to retain the lirge stock of old now in the country and tlewing in, by giv: ine itn texitimate place and employment in our dinnnelal system. Teonclude, therefore, that it Ja not the legul- tender quality of the Bunk of England notes that gives stability to the Rogie eurruney, but the security afforded for thelr prompt and sure redemption in gold; by the: mulntenance of a detinit and certaln relution between the nmount of tho outstanding notes and the gold held by tho bank for redemption purposes, js it the cmployment of u lurge amount of ail- yer ulves atubility and safety to tho flunneial system of France? ‘Tho hest authorities answer no, Lhave before mo coples of the Journal Offctel deta Republique Franceiee—the oilleiil paper of France in whieh all its laws and public docu. ments are authoritatively published—for tho Mth and Stat of Februnry, 1879, eontuliiing the Teport dubmitted to the Chamber of Doputles bi the Commission appointed to report on a bill nitifying certain modifications of the Monetary Convention between the Stites known us tho Latin Unlon, which had been recommended by in conference of delegutes froin thoso States. One of the modifications proposed was tho continued suepension of the colmige of silver five-fning picces, the equivalent of our allver dollar, ‘The report IWitlong aid ablo one, and contiing a great amount of ynluable information respect~ ing the cotnage of the various countrics of tho h. ‘Tho Commission that prepared {t ine eluded the best fin anelal tatont of the French A: bly. The report was unanimously up- pry 1, anid it fs Culr to masume that it is pretty Bee wuthority in regucd to tanelal mutters tn nunice, Tustend of wanartin with Tor Tipu that tho stublity and ,enfety of tho tinunces of Friico hive beon due to the large amount of sliver elreulating as money in that eountry, the Commbaton dechire that Brinee has maintained nsound etivrency, in apite of ler allver, by keep fog on hand such i stock of gold that they have been able to float thelr depreciated silver by making it convertible lute gold, 1 tranalate a fow sentences from tho report on this polnt ag rollows: itwne thu that tho Latin Union decided to Halt and (hen to snspond the coinnue Of tlyg-fruny pieces. Gold would otherwia have rabidly daappanred und We should thereby have Jost thy amuunt of dhe ditter= Save hotween gol nnd wilver, wn averive of 15 por cuntun, 4. With the undard a ution bs oubte perhaps ties Sxponud un daticloncy oF mutaltig eur Toncy, but it fs hevitanlo Uhut [t wilt expert the one uf Qe two whieh dns the er uf exchange, spat LNG HoUbI standard Iw dita neconmurily Fo: duced tow stigle one, wid Nery, bimotuite at Brat nadie Hwa f tn the muou Pilani we the mena We countries, ‘hte ts whut hea Happened te Rusalu, Austria, und (uly, If wo aru lesa oxpoxed tu thesw dls: tuaters than tho other putions under the fegime of the dnubly auandard It ta besitos wy, ee add ve cea aun stock nutes avon al uvtalonnenent Wor) dnt thal aie veritable ctreutation tx in reality a 1 om t ihe cae lant pag nents, which aru not mado tn paper, oF enna, ure Uiuctunl with gold. hus we hive nat yet sulvred touch frum the depreciation Uf allver. Our fve-frane places clreulato nat only tn tha Latin Union, buteven fn Englund, Holand, and Spat, ut thulr conventional vulue becduse Uf te known tut n be exchutnced in @rance Jor gold na remdlly wu lury coli Cun thus by uxeluaed thw country haviue tio state guid Mundard. | Howover, Ih nik pAcvarary ta dbuniniute the fuce hut we wre lees dine rt 40 the tuetuatons Uf tie pricy of allyor procation thai ure the countries with thy Hd standart. Ag alruady sald, this report was ununimousty adopted. Jt forms tho bugis of tho tinanolal pof- ley of France, Now it distinctly declares that Fronce bas mointained her taunciul Pan aad not by the uid of silver, but by that of gold. Tt nowhere Intimates that hor large volnuge of all- yor hug been un advantage, but, on thu contrary, dasorte that, notwithatunding her wilver, she his protected herself by nM eollde approvistonne- ment d'or." Ain J not Juatified in opposing this wuthorita~ tive official statement to the explanation offered by Tw Tutuune, aud pronounclug the latter unfounded and erroneous? . The fuanelul mamégement of tho French Gov- cernment and of the Bunk of Friney since the war with Germany hus excited the udiniratian of the world. Hut thorv fs nothing tn it which gives auy countonunve to tho polioy of those who pro- poko to malutain a permancnt legal-tondor greonbuck circulation, such us wo buyo at prea- ent, lu thle country. Immediately after the war - Franco begun preparing for resumption by ue oumulutiie Tue luiavet atuuk of pulduotd i any country In the world: then by limiting, and Mnally suspending altogothor, tho colnaze of silver, Resumption waa oMeinily reached on the Jat of January, 1878, though practienlly much enriler, and resimption in France cons sisted in tho nbolitlon of al Ieqni-tender: paper and tho establishinent of got nnd silver us the only loguletender, while silver is kept ut par with grat by esis vare that the aupply of ‘ho Intter shall be ninintained sufictently binge tocnnable persons holding French silver to exe chanre It nt its nominal valite for gold. ‘Thur, in tho Innginge of the report above quoted “Pho veritable efroutation [s in reality a elreul fon of gold.” Ttiato maintain such 9 elreula. tion that the French Government hag decided that, for the present, thore shill be no furthor addition made to their silver colnage, Horace Rupues. AMUSEMENTS. FAIRFAX.'? Bartley Campbell's lutest dramatic venture, “Falrfax,” was produced nt the Park Thentro, Now York, on Monday ovening lust. Ite plot is simple, A young girl marries a worthless drunkard, who, Ina rage becnuse sho will not give him money, shoota himself. Bho pre- stimes tint he {8 dend, resumes her muiden name, and {s courted by n wonlthy widower, who proposes marriage, and is Accepted, ‘not having discovered — her former condition of iif. A — tramp had sseen = tha = pot, Ss shoot =—shimself, and just before the wedling day ho appears and demands of the girl that sho holp him to rob the rich lover's house, and on her re- fural he denounces her as amunteress, ‘The sot had not dled of bis wounds, but had tuken hime self nway, ‘This gets to the cursof the rich lover, and thon comes tho turning partot tho phiy in tho bndeqvor of tho two to make the course of tric love run smooth. The first hus band, however, conveniently died of yellow- fover after the lovers haye had an ngonizing time of ft, and all then ends well, From tho tone of the New York press we should sny that Turtley had secured another Popular, although searcely an artiste success. “ Falrfnx,” tho Sun giys, 18 vigorously senso. tlomitl, highly melodramatic, and atrongly put together. Tho stury 14 revented with great in- genuity, find such inherent wenknesses as it pos- sessed are concealed and evaded with much art. But not n seene passes that fs not marred by some nfelielty of apeceh or netton, or some. il-starred perversion of taste or comtnon xense in the treatinent. Notwithstanding these defects, it Interests one atronuly by tho vigor of [ts ap. peal to the emotions thit are nearest within endl, tuned If are story-telling Is often the moat cf Teetlve, tt 1s impossible to. resent tho Imposition when one bis discovered that It Is such.” From the World we learn that The pleco fs for tho most part ably constructed, the dintoy ts bright and erisp, and the comedy element is reflned and well subdned, relleving ‘without overpowering: tho pathetic and mefodramatic portions,” The Trine, on tho other hand, thinks * The peraonr ntlonnl types; the plot {s bullt on nn old und the pleco ia written in effusive and sural prose. In brief, the pleco fs tho thentricnl display of complicdtions consequent Upon a prepostcrous liek of frankness and come mon sense, and of tho dissatisfaction resultant from delayed nuptlals. There are muds for which such 1 spectacle my chance to pos- Bess an absorbing interest, Sumo peoe ply nro enally pleased. It {8 one of he many pliys which, starting from u confused basis, strgin after aturtllag situn- Hons through the medium of Mlogieal meehan- und that the wish to gee *how It will turn that any spectator cn “Tho play," anys. the Tinea, is nnother exumple of Mr. Cainp- bell’s weakness anil strength, or, to use n better term, of his immature power." Mr. Campbell ws culled before the curtain at the end of the third act, and made n brief specch, LOCAL THEATRES, Theatrical manugers 2 round are jubtiant over tho business of yeaterday. Probably more inoney was actuully tuken In At Haverty's where tho Rice Surprise Party are playing, than at any otber house, On Christmas Day it was suid thelr recelpts wero close upon $3,000, while those of yesterduy were fully $200 better, The Florences, appearing In the afternoon In" Tho Mighty Dol- Jury" and In tho oyentng in the new comedy of “A Million,” obtatned tholr share of recogni- tion, Atnight thoy pluyed to tho capacity of the house. Mr.Joe Murphy with his “Shaun Ihuo' mannged to hoist out stand- ing.room only” nt tho doors of Hooley's; while ttle | Minnis = Patmer and | her “Rourding School” made many hundreds happy. The Olymple, where Ming. Itenta's Minstrels ore holding forth, carne in fora share of tho general prosperity, and so did the West: Bide Acudenty of Music, which was crowded to tho door during each performunce, PIANO RECITAL. Mr. Henry G, Hanchett, the well-known planist of Hoston, will glvo a recital at Hershey Hall this ovening, with tho following program: Not ‘chwoter iat, minor, Op. 8, earan Ue | sesseesereesesChopity § sessngpeceeseLABEt T ICT wero a bind, Pwould lly to thea Hurenraltes Fin ey +Honsolt iia 8 {Eade Uibiajen OW zt No.2, ¢ sseseereedtubinatoln -————— DRAMATIC NOTES. Tn the forthenming tour of Edwin Booth, Mr, Gustavus Levick will support him, The old Charles Streot Theatre, Baltimore, is tobe torn down, having been deelured danger- ous, Charley Dianchett fs in town. , Ho produces hinsclf with tho Intest scents accessories in the way of tailoring. On Bunday night tho Rico Surprise Party close thoir engagement at Haverly's; on Monday tho C, 0. 6." Pinafore" appears. Mr. C. 1. Atwood, tho agent for Calllor's “Banker's Daughter ompittiy, laintown, Tho troupe nppear at Hooley's un Monday next. Bandtnann at MoVicker’s begins an cuguge- monton Monday. During hia tirst weeks ho will aypent ns Hetrlet, Romeo, Shylock, and Richard Jan. 10 will be tho protablo date for, the pro- duction of Edguy Fuweett’s new ply, A Figo Pens ut the Union Square Thontre, Now ork, The Belford benefit at the London Lyceum, on tho 10th inst, together with the subserlptions in ald of the worthy but destitute actor, realized ‘thu sum of £1,000, ‘A Toston paper says that W, E. Sherldan has ugreed to goto London with Mr, and Str, Mos igo Rankin to play «te Paraon tn "Tne Dane ites," at tho Sadlor’s Wells Thentre, M. Horeules, the young and nstontahing athlete now with tho Surprise Party, has introduced seve eral new feutires in his net, Considering his Dbulld, tho little fellow's agility 14 remurkable. Tho report that Messra. J. M. Til and Denman Thompson were nexatinting for the murchise of tho Huston Guiety Thentre |s without founda ton, and 40 fa the rumor that Mr. J. IL Haverly Id enidenvoriiug to seguro the lenis of the Globe Thoutro, of tho sumo clty. The Boston Herald sayst “Silas Elizaboth MeEtroy, of Bandmann's company, bus brought an vetlon nguinst 8, D, Howling aid A. 1 die cobs, proprietors of the Narragansett Hotel at Fall Hlver, Sater $5,000 duinuges for Injuries recelved Int falllng down-staira,.” ‘Tennyson, 18 a dramatist, 6 unfortunate. Tia “ Falcon,” dt onesnct comedy recently produced at tho St. James Thentre, with Mr und Mrs, Kendal In ‘tho leading pita, and tremely fuvernbly wuspices, proved a fal Tho aublout of tho tth day, tho and feco {4 the ninth no of thorefure the forty-fifth story, of tho * Decameron,” Leg Ricochets dn Divorce,” 1 new comedy by | rol- Bernard Lopes, producen recently at to | sfeme Theatre Franeals, dents with the blstory ota tidy who, thanks to divores, his had three: hosbands, aud is xo Involved that nobody but the tuither—s0 tho (erlaitn aays—can comprehend tho numerous tnbrogiios ja which Bic and thoy we mixed up during tho latter two-thirds of tho play. Tt ts doubtful {¢ Misa Ellon Cummens, who Is traveling with Lawrence Birrett's company, will go to Marshall, Tex., to testify agulust Jim Cure rio for tho Inurder of 1. C, Porter, Sho told reportor in Wheellng last week that the tragedy: inspired her intud with a sensation of horror, fron which sho hag not becn able to free herself, and bho docs not wish to revive tho lnpressions yt visit to tho Beene, " Iusides,” whe mild, ‘tho trial willbe w mere mutter of form, and there {sno use humnoring such a furco In tho name of Jaw." In the course of a recent visit to M. Sardou arringemunts were muide by Mr. Hunvroft fur securing tho right of adapting * Duntel Rochat" to the English atage, My the toring of the bur- qin Mr, Tuncroft will have the gale right in tho Tepresentation of BM, Sardou's fortheouing. play throughout Great Hritala for the term of ive. yours, the tight for the United States havin; von secured by Mr. Bumnucl French, tho wetl- known theutrleal publisher, ‘Tho play will not be printed, Altogether, M, Surdou received for these privileges alone tho luno gum of £2,000, one-half of which amount will, wa belleve, be forfolted if, after reuding tho manuscript, these ontlemen should for any reugon desire to reschid holr contract. It Is Nut Childs, thoy say, who fs the author of the thoatrical agent's experiences now. being published in the Boston Jerald. In hls lust urti- clu be saya Of tha negro’s condition tu the Souths * Passing to Memphis, tho story of the neyro’s condition, as fur ia the thoatres are concerned, fy fully defined. ‘There iu a spuce murked off, divided, separated from the rest of the audi- torlum, It iw in tho upperinost gw ey thors tho negro inust alt, or nowherd. But ‘tity space hus ita comforta, ia tho pu ery, and it ts upholstered with a view tomuch'more cuse than uny other part of the sear crea tec arena Ba virele. | bugidel ak pu 0 rigidly the volur rule wus enforood. Yury band: some womeh—fine brineta wo should call them In the North—wore obliged to sit In this inclos- uro inthe gallery, and one evening I waa mire prised to seo a very lovely young Indy, whose hair war light-brown, whora tyes wero: bhic, whose ovory fentiire wis na vold of negro charnater. latled ns the face of Clytic,—yes, [wns more thin, murprixed, | was shocked,—to reo hor refused nd- inission to the parynel door, © indignantly asked the renson why tho refusal was made, att reecived for nn anawor: | * Sho hns negro blood in her, al wo know Jt, lf you don't” Then, if any one bad naked mo the old Abolition-tines question: * Would you marry a pepreesy IT would have sald: *Yeat a dozon of thom If 1 could tnd thoin like that ono you havo rofused to adm! RELIGIOUS. FIRST CONGREGATIONAL. ‘Tho annual meeting of tho First Congregntion- Allat Church was held Wednesday ovening, tho Rov. E. P. Goodwin presiding. The Prudential Committee reported 13 denths during the year, There wore recolved by letter 64; by profession of faith, 67, During the same time 63 were dis- missod; 4 names were strickon off to corrcot old errors; 6 persons were excommunicated; ands united clsowhere without lettors from thie church. Tho Increase was, thorefore, 111; the loss, 70; Ieaving anet gnin of 96. Tho church wns congratulated upon the Pentecost-Stebbins meetings In the enrly part of the yenr, which re- sulted in ndeelded gain in memborship; and on tho sitccera of the mission on tho corner of Polk street and Western ayenuc, which now his uttendants, ‘Two othor missions have been started,—one on Mnilison street and Callfornia avenue, and the othor on Lake streot and Albany avenue, The report was adopted. The Clerk reported that at tho closo of 1873 thore wasn membership of 1,175, of whom 404 wore males and 711 femules, Tho membership Ja now 1,210,473 males and 737 femnles, The re- port showed sevonty-nine names of persons who hud for several yeurs been upon the absenteo list, and {t was resolved that such namea should be drupped from the roll, ‘Tho Trensurer reported that $4407 had been reeviyed for dliferent benevolent purposes dur- ing the yenr, most of which had been dlebursed. From infscelluncous resources tho receipts were Som; for Building Pund, sion Chureh it Tillnots Btate Mis~ Association; $3 Church Missions, $575: Poor Fund, $357; deceased ministers! $48; American Bonrd of Foreign Mis- # Home Misston Society, $101;, Amer- jean Missionary Association, $474; monthly con- gert, $120; American Sunday-Sehool Onion, $246; Western Eduention Soclety, $168; Y. M. CL Ay $61, Total, $4407, The report of tho Visitor ehowed that 700 gar- menta hud been distributed, oxchusive of Chriat- ming gifts; 173 visits and 54 calls mude; and $374,75 placed at the disposal of the Vialtor for eburch benevolent. purposes, ‘The Superintendent of the Sabbath-school re- ported that it Included 74 classes. During 1878 thore were connected with the schoo! as schol- ars, tetchers, or oflicors 1,200 Persons, and tho present rey ular memberghtp ig B8l; Of Whot 221 ure inthe infunt cligs, 74 In the intermedinte, 382 In the ninin school, 120 in the Bible clisses; 46 tenchers, and 8 officers, The average attend fittce during the yenr was 50. During the year $1,802 was received from the Chureh Committee, individual subse ae: euld of and Subbuth-school collections, all of which ba n expended except $415. Thy report was pled, sind the election of allicers of tho schoo), etofore hid, wis confirmed, wehurech decided to take tha West Lake street school under its proteoting wing, and clected Mr. Pedduck Superintendent and Mr. Glogs Assistant Superintendent, A schedule of Henevolences siinilur to that of last yoar was adopted without debate, Tho Clerk was Instructed tocast tho unant- mons ballot of the meeting for tho followin officers, who served Just year: Dencons, C.K Cates, T. M. Avery; Clerk, J. W. Sykes; ‘Trense urer, E. BP. Rice; Auditor, Albert Page. A committes of five was appointed by the Chur to report the names of six members of tho Prudential Committeo and four membors of the Subbuth-echool Advisory Committee, The choice fell upon Mark Ayres, 1, G. BIUh Nathan Smith, D. 8. Munge: ly for the Prudentin! Committec, and Robert Petti+ bone, Mra. Frefsncr, A.8. Hopkins, and E. P, Rice for. tho Advisory Committee, The report was adopted, tho persons elected, and the mcot- 3 . ead, ry und J. 1. Peubod ing adjourned, — FOURTH PRESBYTERIAN. The Fourth Presbyterian Church, corner of Cass and Superior streets, held {ts annual mect- ing Wedneadny evening for the election of offers and to hear tho report of its Treasurer. Aftortho usual Wednesday evening prayer-mecting, the report of the Treasurer, Mr. C, H. Mulliken, was read, Tho total receipts for tho year were $14,708, und the expenses ut othe BUG, There was fy balance in tho Treasury of about $200, showing thut tho church patd all its expenses during the yenr, and bad 4 amull surplus to commence the new yer with. ‘This is a titving exhibit In ttiese days of heavy church debt, and speaks well for the tmmnmagoment of affairs, The cati- mated income for 1880 {a $10,000, while the ex- penses for tho samme time will bo about $2240, Which willleave a balance next New-Your's of ©. The Trensurer of tho Bonevolent Fund, Mr, LG, Yoo, Foported that the sum of $5,033 had beon collected for benevolont purposes dur- {ng tho year, of which wil but about $200 had been oxpended, The thanks of tho congregation were extended to the Treasurer of tho Souicty, Mr. Mulliken, to Mr. Yoo, and also to the Bonrd of Trustees for the manner in which they had managed tho church’s affairs, * The election of Trustees resulted in tho choice of. E. Culver, H. W, Bishop, It. Halt MeCor= mick, F. W, Crosby, and 1. @. You, ‘hig {san entirely now Bourd, with tho exception of Mr, McCormick. Tho members of the old Dourd wenoraully declined u re-election. Mr. B.D. Mu- ruder wis Fe. President, Mr, Henjumin ougias Viee-Prasident, and Mr, Philip Leu Sou retary. The hour boing late, it was deolded to postpone the aalo of pews until u future dute, of whieb due notice will be given. TITE DIOCESE OF CHICAGO. Nono of tho Cuthollo clergy of this city hud heard anything furthor yesterday regarding tho futuro Bishop of Chicago, Tho delay in the an- nouncement {8 so curious that it hua given riso to much speculation, Tim Tripcxe published two or three days agon dispatch from Mr. Bfo- Masters, of the Now York Freeman's Journal, 6 porgon whose authority on stich pointa stands very high, to the offect that Bishop Fechan, of hi Nashville’ wus nob to bo transferred here, but that auino startling intelligence hud been re- eelved by him—MeMasters—which he was not ut that timo at liberty to announce, What that Intelligence 13, fy the thing whieh ta puzzling Chienyo people juat now, The Impression fa guinin granu that this secret Intelligence 16 that the Popo hus allowed the pricats of the dloceso to pructieally select thelr own Bishop. It will be remembored iL, put= terningaftor tho custom of the Continental Cuth- olle Church, tho pricets of this diocese mot Inat year und deaignated, threo persons ag “ most worthy,” worthicr," and “worthy of the Oillee Of Bishop, wud sont the names on to Home. Subsequently, tho ishops, who had been In the habit, under the old system of things when America consisted of missionary dlocescs, of Teeommending Dishops to the Homan See, bad thelr meeting, nud gent on tholr three naminas tions, thoy looking, of course, with much disfavor on this attempt of the priests to assert thelr new rights. Itls conaidered not unitkely that the Popo has decided to take ong of tho gerons nomlnated by tho priests, possibly Dr. Mesfullen, tnd that this 1s the innovution—tho startling ine teligence which Mr, MeSaxtor was not prepared the othor day to make public, BETIUANY CHURCH, Tho annuul meoting of.the Bethany Congre- gational Church was held Wednesday ovening. Trewsuror Watson reported that $121 had been collected and distributed to various cbaritios during the year, Tho clerk's report showed tho present membership to be 147; that 17 had been recelyed lust, your and Tdlamisied, Bince the establishment ‘of the church, Oct, 1, 1 hd been reoolved and 18alsnlssod, “Th the Rey. Mr, ‘Towle, reportad prvached 101 sermons and made over 600 culls, 10 felt encouraged nt the church getting on so wall, aul tho choir being go well cstabllahed, Ho urged the cultivation of sociality, sv as to make tholr soclubles successful, ‘The Commit teoon Manual submitted « partial. report, and wero granted furthor time, ‘Tho completed parte ure to be lookod over by @ special commit= eoat ive. An election far deacons resulted In tho selection of Messrs. Pilgrom, Waldburst, und Ostrander, LEAVITT STREET CITUNCH, Tho Socioty of the Leavitt Street Congrega- tional Church concluded thoir annual business at an adjourned inceting beld Wednesday ovens ing. A yoto of thanks wus given tho young ladica who held two faira which nettod $106. The guestion of buying the lot paohuing. the chureb on which to erect a new bulldisg wus then discussed, tho Bourd of Trusteca having recommended the purcuse. ‘The price asked is 2,000, which wus cunsidercd tou bigh for a twenty-tlye-foot lot, The matter was laid on the table for futuro conalderation, Tho Trust pregonted resolutions, which were unaniinoubly ee ed, providing for tho election unuually of a joul-Estuta and bullding Comumittea to cdllect money and invest it in bonds until they secured rm the winount necesaury to buy a lot and erect o churvh thercon., Nothing wus duck a to music for the vothing year, — NEW ENGLAND ender, The sociuty of tho Now England Congregation- al Church held an udjourned necting Wednesday evening, Me. W. 8, Dickinson presiding, Of the do- Acionvy for 187) of $1,000, {t was roported that all but $200 bad boen plodged. Aft and very Pero eaerens uf the. ery full of choir or procuntor, or uoither, it was decided ta appropriate $1,400 fur a ohvir during the your wi to-day, the appropriution beiag remaining $300 af hehe ty Red anim asete WLOY. - fig then udjourdod, a Ce ee cranewamerd <8 Hop Bittera nos exhaust ang deatroy, restores, ares tad Tuukea new, Seaton Bek . ienle tickets, . ul |