Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, April 18, 1880, Page 4

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Chicago, DL —e POSTAGE. * at the Poxt-Office at Chicago, I, as Second- Buiget we Forthe benefit of our patrons who desire to seud stagle coples of THE TRIBCNE through the mail, we give herewith the transient rate of postage: ‘ Domestic, Fight and Twelve Page Paper. bixteen Pace Paper....... Fight and ‘Twelve Page Pape binteen Page Paper TRIBUNE BRANCH OFFICES. (CAGO TRIBUNE has established branch ofieer tories receipt of subscriptions and advertise- follows: . , NEW YORE—Hoom 29 Tribune Building. F.'T.Mo- Fappgx, Manager. fi yet GLASGOW, Scotlané—Allan's American News Agency. SI Renfeld-t LONDON, Eng.—Ameriesn Exchange, 449 Strand. SOCIETY MEETINGS. APOLLO COMMANDERY, NO. L ENIGHTS EMPLAR—Speciul Conclave Tuesday afternoon, wea Ais aS O'clock, ‘The Order of the Tempis Sul be conferred. Stated Conclave at 8 orelocs sans i embers of Apollo must appear, Visiting sir Knights are ‘alwuys welcome. ‘The Mon- Visit rt Friday nicht drill squads will meet on their Fespective evenings at 1:30 Otlock sharp. ‘By order of the Eminent Commander, a swe, aaa! RINTHIAN CHAPTER, NO. @, tA. M.—Special eorromtlans Monday evenins, Apri i mt the hours Cee ee ret each Convocation.” Vistas Jompanions are always welcome, By order of. JOHN 0. DICKERSON, Secretary. teas z Regular Convocation Thursday evening, April 2, 1880, atso'clock. Work on the 31.) MYRON HARRIS, Secretary. DhuSimed Puiniatchs aro reqvosted to meet Gelsior Hall, corner Washington and Clark-six, on Wednesday evening, Aprii2l. at 8 oclock, for drill. A prompt atlendance is requested. By order of the ptaln. D.C. CREGIER LODGE, NO, 63,.A.F. and A. M.— Regular Communication Wednesday evening, April #1, at 8c'clock sharp, for important business and work, ¥ jiallv invited. By order of the SW. JOHN GINOCHIO, secretary. ATTENTION.—AN ‘Ex- LAFAYETTE CHAPTER, NO.2 B. A. M.—Hall 78 Monroe-st.—Ststed Convocation Monday evening, Aprils atgo'clock for work on RA Degree. Visit- pan: icome._ By 0: ing companions weet x FOUSY TH, MEHL P. WM. J. BRYAR, Secretars. ORIENTAL CONSISTORY, S.. P.. Re, 8°, 82— pec iy ‘Thursday April 2% The Otder of Inspector, Laquiitor, Commander will be conferred. Byorderot 1 one ae sc, GILL, W. BARNARD, Si9, . ‘Com.-in-Chiet. Grund Secretary. . HOME LODGE 58, F. & A. M.—S) Communtca- ‘don wil be Beld at their hall, 131-18 Twenty-second- ut., Wednesday evening, April 21, 1880, at 8 o'clock, for important work. Alembers and’ visitors cordially in- vited. J. e?- WESTEERVELT, ‘Secretary. ST. BERNARD COMMANDERY, No. 3, K. T— Busted Conclave Wednesday evening, April 2L at 3 SFR iSaatd Commanders one By crier ot of Su Sommsnt only. NO. D. a. CARE, Commander, 3.0, DICKERSON, Record GOLDEN RULE LODGE, NO. 75, A. F. and A. M— Stared Communication Tuesday evening, April 20. 1s), atgo'clock sharp. Impurtant work. Visitors always ‘By order sigs sacs ‘D. GOODMAN, Secretary. ier. SUNDAY, APRIL 18, 1850. Tue French Catholic Bishops continue their protests against the enforcement of the decrees against the religious orders, * THERe are now in Russia awaiting trans- portation to the penal estublishments of Siberia some 20,000 persons, mostly political offenders. Tue Lanterne, Red Republican organ of | Paris, publishes a sensational telegram from St. Petersburg stating that poison was recently dis- covered in the food offered to the Czar. Tae Indian Appropriation bill, amended by the addition of a clause abolishing the Indian Commission, passed the House yesterday by a gool majority. The vote had no party signifi- cance. ‘Tue County Convention held at Fremont, ., the home of President Hayes, yesterday, se- lected five delegates to the Republican State Convention and instructed them for Senator Blaine. A NEWSPAPER proprietor had a dispute with his business manager at Kichmond, Va.. yesterday, which culminated in the business manager recefving an ‘ugly scalp wound from a pistol-shot. ‘THE Aide-de-Camp and groom who saved Princess Louise when she was thrown froma sleigh last winter will receive a gold watch each from Queen Victoria in recognition of their services on the occasion. =—_—_—_ Isuncrants continue to arrive in large numbers every day. They come from Ireland, Germany, Scandinavia, Finland, England, and now it is reported that 6,000 Magyars have. left their homes in Hungary for this country. THE city detectives yesterday arrested a party named Graham or McElrath,'who is sus- pected of having been connected with a robbery in Southerif Llinois some nine months ago. He is also suspected of belng concerned in a rob- bery which occurred at Mt, Pulaski last May. Aw unusually severe storm prevailed last Right in the Sicrra regions of California and Aevada. Trains on the Union Pacific Road were effectually blockaded by snow-slides, and the ut- most efforts of the train-men could notextricate them until last evening. The weather isremark- ably severe for the seuson. Tuere will be a conference of the Irish Home-Rule membersin Dublin before Parlia- ment meets, to arrange pluns and to adopt a policy of action. It is thought that the ,Irish members will hold themselves aloof from all parties, offering an independent support to that party which will yield most to their demands. SeveRAL rich veins of gold are said to have been discovered in the State of Georgia. The reports are causing the usual rush of ad- venturers and speculators to the vicinity of the discoveries. Another report hus it that spec- ulators from this city have struck a bonanza in the shape of arich gold mine neéar Ashland, in the Lake Superior region. 3 Gey. Banks’ course in attending the Mas- gachusetts Republican Convention and taking such active part in behalf of Gen. Grant is rather severely criticised asa violation of the Civil-Service rules. The friends of the General, however, say that only those who are not en- tirely blameless themsclves have complained. It cannot be that they mean Secretary Sherman. ‘Taree -was another balloon accident yes- terday. An aeronaut having ascended from Lindell Park,. St. Louis, had risen some forty feet when a sudden gust of wind blew the ap- paratus agaitist two largo trees. The gas-bag burst and. the instrument was thrown to the ground. The Valloonist escaped’ with a fow slight bruises. ScornanD will be represented in the next House of Cummons by about fifty-tive Liberals tw five Tories, but in the House of Lords it will be represented by tifteen Tories and one Liberul. ‘This is accounted for very easily. Tho members of the Commons are choseu-by the voters, the gepresentative Peers by the Scotch Lords, who, THE CHICAGO 'TRIBUN SUNDAY, APRIL 18, ike the Bourbons, neither learn nor forget. Among the Peers who fafled of reflection is the Manguis of Queensbury, who recently created a sensation by publicly renouncing all belief in the Christian religion. sCuriously enough, the Marquis has a brother, Lord Archibald Douglas, who is a Roman Catholic missionary priest. ‘Tre storm which was reported to have done considerable damage in the neighborhood of Wheeling, W. Va., was fur more extensive and disastrous than first reported. It swopt over Southern Ohio, Southern Indiana, and Northern Kentacky, tearing up trees, leveling fences, ‘blowing down houses and/barns, and causing much damage generally. Only one person is re- ported to have been killed by {ts effects so far. Four of the employés of the Vulcan Iron ‘Works of St. Louis have been arrested for con- spiracy in inciting thelr brother workmen to strike at a time when 2 strike would lead to the lossof considerable valuable material to their employers. The arrested men are also charged with urging the others to violate their contracts. It is thought that the evidence is strong enough to convict the accused of the charges preferred. ‘THEne seems to be no doubt that Tilden will obtain a solid delegation from New York State to the Cincinnati Convention. There are already selected enough delegates to the Syra- cuse Convention favorable to Tilden to ‘insure’ this. "The rumors about his accepting a nomina- tiom-are as contradictory as ewer, but it is safe to say that the old man will not give up as long as thore is the slightest possible chance of his election. AN explosion occurred near San Francisco yesterday involving serious loss of life. “It ap- pears that acareless workman, while packing mining,cartridges in a box, struck one of them with a hammer, causing it to ignite, and 5,000 pounds of giant powder exploded in consequence. ‘About thirty persons, including fifteen China- men, were killed. Trees were torn up in the vicinity, and the windows of houses three miles away were shatterod to pieces. ee KEARNEY will either have to go to jai! or leave San Francisco fora season. Judge Freo- lon, of the Superior Court of that city, has con- firmed the decision of the lower Court. The only resort left to Kearney now is to obtaina writ of habeas corpus from the Supreme Court of California; but, as it will take some time be- fore the application for the writ can be heard, it is said that Denis, anticipating the action of the Superior Court, has flod the State. ee A FAEMER named Myles, residing near Marshall, UL, became jealous of a bachelor boarder. Returning home about 5 o'clock Fri- day evening, he fond his wife and the boarder sitting suspiciously close toeach other. Warn- ing the offender what he was about to do, he fired three shots from a revolver. The shots proved instantly fatal. The murderer quietly waited tobe arrested, and is now an inmate of the Marshall County Jail. The woman in the case is oyer 50, and a grandmother. ————— A FIENDISH murder is reported from Mal- den, Mass, A 4-year-old girl was seen to enter a neighbor's house Friday afternoon, and no trace of her whereabouts could be discovered till yesterday morning, when the dead body was found on the railroad track, where it had evi- dently been placed to make it- appear that she had been killed by being run over. There were some wounds in the head, however, which must have been intlicted by’blows, and the discovery of blood-stained clothes in the neighbor's house’ led to the arrest of the occupant. Tue Rev. Dr. Locke suggests, in a com- munication published elsewhere, that the man- agement of St. Luke's Hospital would probably be willing to assume the responsibilities of a Home for Incurables under certain conditions. The suggestion is worthy of the consideratie of those who are engaged in organizing this new charity, St. Luke's Hospital 1s widely known as one of the most liberul and one of the best-managed institutions of its kind in the country. It has the confidence and good will of the community. If a separate house can be pro- cured in the neighborhood of the hospital to be used exclusively for the care of incurable in- valids, the experience of the St. Luke's physi- cians, matrons, and visitors, and the saving in the expense of a new and separate organization may be made powerful adjuncts in putting tho Home for Incurabie’ upon an enduring founda- ton. : Mn. Jony Buricut is on a visit to Mr. Glad- | stone at Hawarden, where the veteran leaders are doubtless mapping out plans for the future. The general impression now is, that Gladstone will be offered the Premiership, but is not so cer- tain that he will accept. In any case he will undoubtedly have considerable to say as to, the personnel of the next Cabinet, which it is surmised will be strongly Radical. ‘The moderate Liberal or Whig M. P.’s have been considerably lessened by the recent elections, and it fs not likely that they will very largely in- fluence the action of the next Ministry. Among the surprises of the times may be mentioned the fact that one of the most influential Liberal -Journals, the Spectator, urges the appointment of Sir Charles Dilke toa Cabinet position. Tho unmarried members of the Royal fumily—and for that matter the married ones—cannot re- gard such a suggestion with satisfaction. Re- Publican ideas are evidently spreading in En- gland. : REPRESENTATION IN CONGRESS. It is proverbial that in this country the large cities are represented in Congress by men of far inferiot capacity to those sent by more rural districts, That this has been true in the past is hardly questioned, and that itis true now is largely admitted. ‘This is greatly due to the character of themachinery by which party nominations for Congress are governed. In the rural districts the constit- uency embraces a wider'extent; instead ‘of being concentrated, as in cities, in a-few wards, the district extends over several counties; the people of those districts take an active interest in the selection of a Repre- sentative, and in contests the best men—the most competent men—are generally selected. In the cities but few of the public take any partin the selection of candidates for Con- gress; it is managed by avery few persons, The main-consideration is who will pay the most for the nomination. A minority party may nominate a respectable and’ competent person as a candidate without price; but a nomination by the majority party generally has to be paid for liberally. It ,is the under- standing that for many years' Democratic candidates for Congress in New York City are assessed from $10,000 to $20,000 each, and upon payment thereof are nominated and elected by Tammany without any further trouble. Very few of the great men of the country who have figured in Congress have been chosen by the large cities. Noone of those who, having ween in Congress, subsequently filled the Executive chair, represented a large city. The majority were selected from small rural towns or districts. The few who control Congressional nominations in large cities are not of. the class who seek for men of ability; they prefer men who can furnish the means to run the primaries and pack the conventions, This city is entitled tothree Representatives in Congress, and after the coming term will be entitled tofour. It is time that Chicago, against whom the entire transportation inter- ests and all the great monopolists-and capital- ists of the Eastare combined, should be fepre- sented at Washington by men of experience, ability. and that influence which is always exercised in legislative bodies by men of general intelligence. We arenot questioning the wisdom or ability of our presentrepresent- ation in the House of Representatives; we are simply stating a general proposition to which every sensible man will give his cordial as- sent. ‘The man who ought to be chosen to represent a city like Chicago in Congress should not go there as a pupil going. to school; he should understand his. duties be- fore he goes there; he should know thy his- tory of his country, of.his State, and of his city thoroughly; he should understand her business, understand: her wants, and the rie- cessities of her geographical and commer: cial and manufacturing location and possi- bilities. He should understand thoroughly the intricacies of the greatest of all econom- ical questions in which this city is interested, and that is the transportation question. He should be selected because of his knowledge of all these matters, and because without such knowledge he will be-of no more use as a Representative than if he were a wooden man. He need not be an orator, though that snould not be an objection; but in’ dddition to his own knowledge he should have the ability to make that knowledge of practical benefit to the city by using it in obtaining or controlling legislation to protect and promote ‘the best interests of the city. A city repre- sented in Congress -by three men of this character, having that confidence and re- spect at home which ability, intelligence, and integrity will always inspire, would have a weight and exercise a power in Congress wholly beyond the reach of the average class of men elected in large cities. At the elec- tion in November next three members of the House: of Representatives will have to be chosen by the voters of this city, and it will be well worth the struggle if ‘the general public would so unite that both parties in selecting candidates would nominate men of the character and qualifications suitable for the office, and who if elected would not only hold the office but also fill it, THE MICHIGAN AVENUE PAVEMENT. The South Park Commissioners are being urged to adopt the pavement of cedar blocks laid upon a solid flagstone foundation for the improvement of the Michigan avenue boulevard. This would be about the most stupid - selection that it would be possible to make, They might as well take the Beigian pavement ot great stone blocks. ‘The cedar blocks are unquestionably the best material that can be used in laying the Nicolson pave-- ment, and we are inclined to regard the flag- stone foundation as a usefal adjunct so far as durability is concerned, though there has as yet been no sufficient test of this plan. But Michigan avenue, in its character as a boulevard, will not need, and should not have, the same sort of pavement as a busi- ness thoroughfare. The heavy teaming will be excluded, and the street will be used for light vehicles and for pleasure-driving. It would lose its'character and attractiveness with wooden blocks laid on a solid stone foundation. The hard resistance to the horses’ feet, the jar to the light buggies and éarriages, the shaking-up of the people who ride, and the noise to the people who live upon the street, are all serious objections to the adoption of such a pavement for a park- way. Itis natural perhaps that the persons who own and exploit this particular process for laying’ the block pavement should urge its adoption in their own interest, but that’ fact would not furnish the Park Commis- sioners with an excuse for yielding to their importunities. Any such pavement on Mich-. igan avenue would ‘give almost universal dissatisfaction. Tizz Trione has no de- sire to indicate just what kind of pavement shall be selected, but itshould'certainly be in Keeping with the purpose for which Michi- gan avenue has been transferred to the Park Commissioners,—a roadway for light driving. The gravel pavement which was originally laid on Michigan avenue lasted some twelve or thirteen years in tolerably good condition. though the street was open to heavy traflic’ during all that time;and though there was no system of repairs. A good gravel road is certainly one of the pleasantest to ride and drive over, and the park system of cleaning, sprinkling, and repairing, together with the exclusion of trucks and business vehicles, would insure a long duration. Perhaps 3 macadam foundation might belaid for the gravel surface to good advantage, or it may be that crushed granit or asphalt com- position may be found more desirable. In any case, however, the street should not be paved like a business thoroughfare. A VERY SAD CASE. Mr. Ben Hill, of Georgia, following the recent example of his fellow-statesinan Disraeli of England, has appealed to the country. The only difference is that Dis- raeli’s appeal was national, while Hill’s is personal. Disraeli found his party was harassed by a determined opposition; so he caused Parliament to be dissolved, wrote a letter, and threw himself upon the mercies of the public. Hill is persecuted in his per- son, beset by women and newspaper-corre- spondents, and generally “broke up”; it isn’t in his power to dismiss Congress, as he @vould like to do, but he has availed himself of the inalienable right, tliough not less stupid performance, of the American citizen to publish a letter. The result in Hill’s case is likely to be much the same as in Disraeli’s case,—public condemnation and personal niortification. Hill, of Georgia, has an idea that the pres- ent session of Congress was organized for the express purpose of breaking down his eminent position before the people and his vast influence over the affairs of the Western World. He says he was notified as long ago as December that “a combination had been formed to work up a scandal against him in Washington.” Ever since, innumerable wives of apocryphal Potiphars have been hanging on to the skirts of his coat. Women have masqueraded in the disguise of Sen- ators’ wives to allure him from the straight and narrow path of virtue which he has al- ways trodden. The Republican party has levied assessments in order to get up a fund for the maintenance of bad, designing women to traduce and Dlackinail him. His warm Southern nature has been sofely tempted, and his great personal beauty has made him an attractive object for the adventuresses en- gaged in pursuing him. But Hill has been firm,—a modern Stoic, so to speak,—defiant as to the men and a perfect ogre as to the women, ‘The case is a very sad one at best. A’man pursued by designing women is always an object of public commiseration. The trouble is, that, notwithstanding Hill’s marvelous «self-control, it is not clear how he is going toescape, The great majority of men feel that discretion is the better part of valor in all feminine complications, and are willing to strike their colors and‘make unconditional surrender when one woman pursues, How Hill is going to contend against a whole colony of women, each one of them sighing and languishing for the consolation of his fascinating company, and all leagued to- gether to blast his reputation in case he scorns them, is a problem that he must solve with methods heretofore undiscovered. Most of the great men of ancient and modern times, and many of recent and contempora- neous eminence, have fallen victims to snares that were not nearly as dangeraus as those that Hill says have been laid for him. He says that he will die rather than yield, and we fear that is the only alternative for him. 5 E The saddest feature in this sad case, how- ever, seems to be the implication of the news: paper-correspondents in this infamous plot against Senator Ilill’s virtue. In describing the gang of conspirators against him, he says: “Many of these, wretches are corre spondents of newspapets,” and adds in a horribly significant manner, “many of them control lewd women, and furnish wine and luxuries in profusion.” This is a& terrible reyelation. It is a reflection upon thé morals of journalisin as2 profession, Most people, Judging ‘from the long columns. of matter that are telegraphed every day from Wash- ington, have been of the opinion that the newspaper-corréspondents are a diligent, hard-working set-of:men, who earn their living literally bythe sweat of their brow when Congress prolongs its sessions into the summer season. ’ It has been thefpabit of the profession generally to pity the poor devils who are obliged to listen to Congressional speeches, and sit up all night to write out the news which they have been all day col- lecting. “Aud now Hill tells the world they are an idle and disreputable set of fellows, who revel in wing. and luxuries ‘and consort with lewd women, No newspaper is so de- praved as to defend anything of this kind. Whatis tobe done? It will not do to send new men to Washington, for they might not have the heroic power of resistance that Hill has developed; in that case they would soon be contaminated and be as. bad as the rest. ‘The only course that seems open to the news- papers is to cut off Washington correspond- ence altogether. This would be aradical de- parture, but perhaps the people would find some compensation in being relieved of the necessity of reading the stupid proceedings of the most uninteresting Congress that has convened these many years. But the morals of the Washington news- Paper men are only incidental, after all, to the main question suggested by Senator Hills persecution. Though Hill is by all odds the most attractive figure on the Sena- torial side of ‘the Capitol, there may be other and weaker men who have been and are be- ing subjected to the same terrible tempta- tions that have maile his life miserable and threatened the original purity of his compo- sition. This view of the case gives the affair a National importance. It |. possible that public morality could survive the shock of Hill’s fall, but, when it is remembered that some 400 Congressmen, more or less,—not to speak of the innumerable hosts of Depart- ment officeholders,—are in danger, it is time to take. some preventive measures. ..The only thorough and radical plan ‘hat occurs to us at first thought is to exclude from the. entire District of Columbia everything in the shape of petticoats. It is very evident from Senator Hijl’s touching appeal to the American people on this sub- ject that he will not be safe under any other circumstances; and, if n man of his fortitude and self-denial must turn to the country for protection against womankind, what hope is there that weaker mortals can escape so long as the feminine arts of fascination and in- trigue shall be given unbridled license in Washington? It is only general and sweep- ing prohibitory legislation, declaring the soil of the National Capital sacred from the inva- sions of all women,—say under 60 years of age,—that will meet the necessities of the case. If there is nothing unconstitutional about this suggestion, and Mr. Hill can judge of this, he should improve the first day for the introduction of new bills to move the passage of this law for the protection of Con- gressional Josephs, ‘ THE OPERATIC OUTLOOK FOR NEXT SKA- . 80N. Events are already shaping themselves at the East: in a manner to indicate a livelier and more legitimate season of opera, both Italian and English, next year, than we have had for a long time, and it is a noticeable fact that the managers are already in the field making their arrangements and applying for dates, From the present outlook it appears probeble that there will be two Italian troupes and one English certainly, with a possibility of one or two more. The most definit arrangement yet made is that of Col. Mapleson, who has secured a five years? lease of the Academy of Music in New York, without any pecuniary consideration on his part, which is equivalent to a subsidy from the stockholder# -By his agreement he binds himself to give operas for a season of ten weeks, beginning Oct. 12 and closing Dec. 25, each year until 1886, with the privi- lege of one matinée each week, the only con- ditions binding upon him being to give first- class performances ana not to give per- formances elsewhere in New York during the five years. The stockholders reserve 200 seats, which they have always done, pay all the expenses of lighting, heating, and clean- ing, and charge no rent,—a concession which has never been made before, and generous enough to warrant Col. Mapleson in equip- ping his next season’s troupe in first-class shape. Hehasmadea good start towards this by signing contracts with A{me. Nilsson, Mme. Gerster, Mile, Valleria, and Sigs. Campanini and Galassi. If the remainder of the troupe is filled out on this basis we shall be likely to have Italian opera given in this country as it hasnot been seen since 1865, But Col. Mapleson is not to have the ‘field uncontested. Some of the wealthiest New Yorkers, including James A. Roose- velt, W. K. Vanderbilt, Cornelius Vander- bilt,. Pierrepont Morgan, George. Henry Warren, George Peabody Wetmore, and others equally solid, have incorporated them- selves under the title of the. ‘ Metro- politan Opera-House Company, Limited, of New York.” The amount of cap- ital stock is fixed at $600,000 and the ex- istence of the Company limited to fifty years. More than one-half the stock was placed on the first day’s opening of the books, which is more than the amount fixed by law as neces- sary to warrant operations. A site further up town than the Academy has been selected, andwe understand from inside sources that it will be built on property controlled by the Vanderbilts, and that the scheme includes not only the erection of s handsome opera- house, but other business fiprovements in connection with it, so that the’ house shall rest upon a commercial basis, which is a pretty sound idea, Nothing has been made public as to the . musical designs of the man- agemént, or what the management will be, but ‘there are rumors in the air of a pos- sible organization of a troupe where all the singers are of good average merit, after the manner of ‘the companies in the large Gérman clties, instead of using up the money necessary for a good ensemble in paying a star, and of the em- ployment of some such leader as Theodore Thomas or Dr. Damrosch to bring out the jJeading German and best Italian operas, It would at least be a novel experiment, and one which many musical people would like to see tried and pitted against the conven- tional star system, Meanwhile Strakosch, seeing what is in the wind, and thoroughly satisfied with his losses during the past season, which have been Wry heavy, has backed entirely out of Italian opera and joined *hands with his old partner, Mr. Hess, for an English opera season upon an exten- sive scale. It is reported that they are now considering propositions. from four prima donnas, Miss Kellogg, Minnie Hauck, Marie Rozé, and Miss Gaylord, the Jeading Indy of the Carl Rosa troupe. The latter would bes strong acquisition, as she has proved'to be a first-class “artist, and: is an American singer, but it is extreniely doubtful whether Carl Rosa would part with her, especially as it is within the possibilities that he wilt bring his own troupe here next sea- son. Of the other three, any one would be available, but any two would quarrel, though two managers of the experience and staying qualities of Hess and Strakosch ought to be able to handle half-a-dozen warring vocalists, There is material enough afloat to make a very strong English troupe, dnd one which might even compete with the Italians, Judging from all these signa the opera season of 1890-’81 will be a yery lively one, and will give .the public some enjoyable music, Whether it will. be ‘profitable re~ mains to be seen. ‘The seascn which has just closed has been notoriously unprofita- ble for nearly every one concerned, though business was booming, money was plenty, and every prospect was flattering for a great financial success, It seems to make little difference, however, to impresarios whether they gain or lose, as they reappear every season with cheerful announcements and tosy promises, and with as much confidence and satisfaction as if the public were pouring money into their pockets. —— eS) A DANGEROUS NUISANCE, Oné of the greatest and most dangerous of nuisances tolerated in this city is the practice of men and boys climbing‘upon outgoing and incoming freight and passenger railroad trains and riding in from or out to the sub- urbs. This practice is not limited to the trains of any one road, but is common to all. It takes piace every day and at all hours, but is especially general on the trains going out in-the afternoon or evening. These ‘persons are employed in the business -centres..of the city, and seek cheap and speedy means to get from their distant homes to their place of employment and to get back to their-homes atnight. Thousands come into the city from all points south, southwest, west, and north- west every morning. When the trains come within the city limits these persons jump upon them, and, hanging on, ride down town as far as they desire and then jump off In the same way at night they line the roads to eatch outgoing trains .and geta free ride out. This, however, is not the only form of the nuisance. - Gangs of boys infest all the roads atthe various points within the city limits. Taking advantage of the slow rate of speed and the frequent stoppages, these youngsters swarm upon the trains,—particularly freight- trains,—and ride backward ‘and forward up and down the road asa sort of amusement. The fact thatthe mortality as well asthe num- ber of amputations resulting from this prac- tice is very great,—a hulf-dozen deaths and a dozen amputated limbs a week—does not seem to arrest or even check the nuisance. The boy or man who makes this a practice seems toargue that, because he is not killed and has not had his arm or his leg taken off aftar a week’s or a month’s experience, nothing of the kind is likely to happen tohim. As one of these chaps put the case when remon- strated with: “Ihave ridden’ on them cars every day for three months, and I have not been killed once.” The. killings and mutila- tions that do occur are attributed to the ig- norance and carelesness of the unfortunates, who had. not become as expert as those who have not been killed once. We ‘believe thereis an ordinance of the city imposing a fine for this practice, but the ordinance is rarely if ever enforced. It is ‘time that it should be, but it must be en- forced by the railroad companies, The vig- orous arrest and punishment of a score of these offenders every day for a month would probably have the effect of breaking up the dangerous practice. .Somethmg might also be done in the way of fencing in the tracks, 80 as to exclude persons from the roadway, and thus render it more difficult for these lads and other persons to board and climb upon these trains. ‘The practices we have described are general upon all the roads, and some vigorous steps ought to be taken to break them up, and if {is possible that a con- ference between the railway officers and the eity authorities might result in some success- ful scheme for that purpose. ASTRONOMICAL, & Chicago (Trrpune olfice), north latitude 41 deg. 52m. 573.; west longitude, 42m. 18s. from Wush- ington, and 5h. 50m. 30s. from Greenwich. The sybjoined table shows the time of set- ting of the moon's lower timb, and the official time for lighting the first street-lamp In each cir- cuit In this elty, during the coming week, unless ordered sooner on account of bad weather. Also the following times for extinguishing the first lamp: Da; Moon sets. Tight. Extinguish. April 78. 4 0:10 a. m.° 3:40 a. m. da 35 a. mM. 1:00 a. m. 1:23 a,m. 3: none. none. noue. none. P. 1:10 p.m. 00 p.m. 254% p.m. 1:10 p.m. an ‘The sun’s upper limb rises Monday at 5h. 12!4m. a.m, Souths at lh. 53m. 56.03.a.m. Setsat 6h. 46m. p. m. The sun’s upper limb rises Friday at 5:0634 a. ™m. Souths at lh. 58m, 07.5s.a.m. Sets at 6h. 514m. p.m, Sidereal time Thursday noon, 2h. 4m. 38.22. The moon will be full next Saturday at5 o'clock in the evening, and vnly 35 hours distant from the time of perigee. Hence théefull moon of this month will be a more brilliant one than the avorage, though rather low down, being in 17% degrecs of south declination. “Tuesday evening she will be near Uranus, to the south- cast of the planet. Mercury now rises before the sun, and {s with Jupiter this morning, the greater planet rising at 4:19 a. m., with Mercury but little juore than the breadth of the full moon to the south of Jupiter. Mercury will attain his greatest west- ern elongation—-27 degrees—on the morning of the 26th inst. Jupiter will south Thursday at 10:14 8. m., rising at 4:01 8. m. Venus will rise the same morning at 4:26, and south at 10:39; she 4s slowly appronching superior conjunction. Mars is now fn the feet of Gemini. Last Sat- urday he was 2! degrees north from Mu, of the third magnitude. Thursday next he will south at 4:23 p. m., and set at five minutes after mid- night. Saturo is near the sun, rising Thursday at 4:50 a.m.and southing at 11:15 a.m. Saturn and Jupiter will soon be fine objects for telescopic study before sunrise. Uranus will south Thursday at 8:23 p. m.; and his distance from Rho Leonis will then be half a degree east and half a degree north; or due northeast about one and @ half times the diameter of the full moon: - D.P. Todd, of the United States Naval Ob- servatory at Washington, has published the results of observations made by him during the last transit of Mercury, May 6, 1878, His meas- ures of the planet give an angular diameter of 8.604 seconds of arc, corresponding to 4,781 kilo- metres or 2971 miles, if the solar par allax be taken as 881 seconds. Since this result was arrived at it seems Probable that the solar parallax is not more than 8.8 seconds, which would increase Todd’s figures by about three anda half miles, go that we may consider 2,975 miles as being approxi- mately the diameter of Mercury. The angular value deduced is almost precisely the same as obtained by Kaiser in 1865. Mr. Todd sought thoroughly for a satellite to Mercury, but found none, though the conditions rendered it proba- ble that such an object would have been de- tected if not less than forty miles in diameter. ——— E. F. Waters, editor of the Boston Ad- vertiser, said, at the late Grant: ‘caucus at Worces- ter, that he had taken pains to inquire into the report thnt the “machine” was working -for Grant. He denied that stich was the case, and added: From one of Gen. Grant's most intimate personal friends he had learned that, in a letter wnitten to that gentleman as late as March 22, Gen. Grant's only allusion: to the Presidential question was that on his arrival at New Orleans, to which place he was then pound, “ Public opin- jon will be so framed that I shall ‘know what my duty is.” —————— CrxcrxxAr'seems to be tapidly resolving itself into a musical bear-garden. Out of tho recent colossal wrangle, which resulted in the loss of Mr. Thomas to the Musical College, have grown several smaller bit just as heated con- troversies. The Enquirer devotes more or less Space every day to abuse of Mr. Thomas, and the other papers defend him. He is accused of - maltreating his players, and Straightway appear gards from the musicians affirming and denying it. Mr. Whiting, the organist at the Music-Hall, is writing letters charging that he was not awarded fair ‘play in the selection of the prize composition, and Dudley Buck’s friends savage- lv retort; while the usually placid Otto Singer, one of the judges, talks’ back flercety to Whiting. The Hnguirer man says that the Gazette man has been promised a nice place in New York by Thomas, and the Gazette man says itisn’t so; andstill another charges George Ward Nichols with surreptitiously finding out the con- tents of sealed envelopes, etc., eto.,ad libitum and ad nauseam. Meanwhile its strikes the out- side world that it would be more creditabis to the inmates of the bear-garden if they would keep quiet until the close of thelr Festival, and then let the dirty-linen business commence. At present the wrangling ie unseemly, if not inde- cent, and tends to hurt tho Festival. ————— $$ Tue New York correspondent of the Phil- adelphia Ledger speaks plainly of the effect of some of the recent Treasury operations on Wall streot. He says: If Congress has any respect for the feelings of stock-spoculators, on any. regard for the good name of Mr. Sherman, it will at once tuke up and pass the joint resolution offered day before esterday by Mr. Chaimers, of Mississippi, mak- ied it obligatory upon the latter to give a week's notice of his bond purchases, and also to specify exactly the amount to be purchased. Through- outthe whole morning jus usual on Wednes- days) the entire “street” was on the anxious bench, andevery other man ycu met wus in- quiring “what you thought about it.” In other words, “ whether the Secretary owl buy one million, ora million and ¢ half, or two mill- ions?” These interrogatories were diversified with abuse of the Secretary for his alley pe a of the money market, and for giv! certain brokers an alleged advantage, by per- mitting them to know his attentions in advance. For bisown sake the Secretary might be par- doned if he went out of his way a little to urge the age of the resolution. Of course there is not the shadow of evidence to support the al- legation that unybody in or out of Wall street is cognizant of his intentions until the bonds are actually accepted, but the insinuations against him must be none the less annuying, and thare is no reason, therefore, why Congress should continue to expose him to them. Cox. Bos InceRsouL introduced his new lecture, * What Must We Do to Be Saved?” in Boston on Wednesday evening with the follow- ing remarks on the Rev. Joseph Cook: . Whenever I think about donkeys 8; I always think of the answers made to Ingersoll by the clergy of the United States. Standing at the head of the tribe is the Kev. Ananias Cook, of the City of Boston. And right here let me say one’ word personal to myself. Rev. Joseph Cook has taken upon himself to say upon one occasion that Iwas iu favor of the dissemi- nation of obscene literature. When he made that statement he wrote across the forehead of his reputation the word “Liar.” He is alow and in- famous man. ‘Meanness cannot descend below the level of him who would endeavor to destroy the reputation of another because he could not answer his argument. I despise, I execrate, with every drop ot my blood, any men or woman who,would stain with lust the sweet! and inno- cent heart of youth. J depise with all my power any man who would be e1 directly or in- directly in the dissemination of anything that ‘was not absolutely pure. ‘Tue difficulty in the way of making Mon- treal a centre is, they say, that vessels cannot obtain return freightsto the West. This ob- jection is perhaps illusory, inasmuch as any city that can afford the best facilities for re- ceiving and shipping grain to Europe will Speedily attract buyers from the West, unless, indeed, the tariff should prevent... Buffalo merchants complain bitterly of the desorimina- tions against the Erie Canal made by the State Government on account of railroad influences. A strong movement {s making in favor of add- ing one foot to the depth of the canal by build- ing up the banks And the locks. 5 $< Nexr to haying the delegates to a Couven- tion, the best fun lies in “claiming’? fhem. Hence the third-term champions have been particularly sotive in regard to Kane Courty. * But the correspondent of the Chicago Journal gays: The County Convention was composed of forty-one Grant men and fifty-eight Blatae men. The delegates to the State Convention, thirteen in number, stand eight for Blaine aad five for Grant, The Grant men are Evans, Pow- ell, Woolcott, Maybourne, and Ravin. It is proper, to say, however, that at least one of these as a decided leaning towards Blaine, and may go that way when the time comes; —————— Ix the preliminary caucus of Edmunds men, heid before the meeting of the Massachu- setts State Convention, Mr. Claflin expressed the hopethat the anti-Grant and anti-Blaine resolu- tion might be adopted.’ “We shall elect Ed- munds delegates,” he said, “but I want to con- demn offensive candidates as well; and though it may seem opposition to harmony, yet itis a stand for principle, and I do not think Massa- chusetts ever suffers when it stands for princi- ple.” a Tue story runs that Mr. Michaelis, the German editor, has been Induced to enlist in the third-term boom by a promise of an gppoint- ment as Minister to some remote foreign Court. ‘The story is doubtless a fabrication. No serv- ice of that or any other kind would be necessary to induce every voter in Chicago, of all parties, to cordially urge the Government to give the gentleman an appointment of that character. a ——_ THE public was informed yesterday that Gallatin County was “ solid” for the third term, but tho fact that Gallatin County is compara- uvely small potatoes in the State Convention ‘was suppressed, Gallatin has but two delegates, and has been uniformly Democratic since the Bepublicgn party was founded. <a Onrtienpity Brigadier legislation will some day be remembered vengefully by North pekoes, Montana, and Idaho.—Fargo (D. T.) ‘The Northern Pacific will at some future day be the great highway through four or six new Stalwart Republican States, ‘THe farmers generally don’t seem to have tho yearning desire for a third term that was promised for them. No agricultural State has as yet declured on that side. a Senator Locan has at last started toward his coal-mine, which, is said to be really a re- markable piece of property. PERSONALS. The man who first invented sleep doesn’t seem to have given babies their share of that useful article, - “We shall see whether or not Gladstone will be able to prevent those horrid American horses from winning.”—-Princess Beatrice. Gen. Spinner says'there are lots of fine girls in the Treasury. We have never been there, but will bet big money that the old man is correct, An exchange says that Rosa Bonheur and Sarah Bernhardt were both, when girls, appren- ticed to adressmaker. We presume Sarah was used as a model for shrouds. ? Short novel for bachelors: On Sunday John Petrie, a well-to-do citizen of Baltimore, aged 51, married Celia Crehan, a comely miss of 2, and on Tuestay hung himself. ; Victoria, the Indian Ohief, is a sun-wor shiner. If the old man was to take up his resi- cane | in Chicago some spring we are. afraid his uttendunce on religious service hates would be quite We would again remind Anna Dickinson and Gail Hamilton that it is time for them to a and settle down. One-third of leap-year is already gone, and they are still purs: br giddy and flirtuous career. see Dr. Dio Lewis weighs “208 pounds, Per- haps he can make people believe he attained that weight by strict attention-to the diet of bran and cold water that he so cordially recom- mended to the general public, but we doubt it. An enthusiastic Boston paper says Mary Anderson is “standing, plete il the topmost round of the ladder of histrionic fame.” If the editor had described Mary's sripet Magen hs item would have been more rea le, although bl; areas ig possibly not so The exchanges are all passing aro} und a magnificent spring lie to the offect that, during 8 hail-storm at Columbus, Ga., Sunday, a rat at- tempted to run across the street and’ was killed by one of ie Maer missiles. We can cordially recommend this story to such journals not yet published it, : oe oe A scientist says: “Tho skulls of African negroes are dolichoocephalic, aoe cephalic, - prognathous, plathrhine, ‘ and’ meso- seme, while the Adamese are ‘brachycephalic, microcephalio, mesognathous, mesorhine, and megaseme.” Peruse this carefully, gentle read- gas then feel of your head to see if it is so. ‘ary Clemmer, in.one of her letters Washington, says that Samuel Rowleg ene an her that after he had made an unugually savage attack upon Blaine, he always expected and re. ceived an immediate invitation to ‘dinner on his appearance in Washington. From whut “Mary says about Blaine forther along in the letter, it is evident that sho expected © hungry about the time ft appeared in print, be . About this season of the Year edifp always on the lookout for poems about a coming in, although why vessel-owners «= resort to lyrics at a time when they Ought to figuring on freight rates is more than we bey see. A nice little ship-come-in rhyme fis us yesterday, the first stanza being ag follonn’? 1 am patiently wai s Brom over the distana seats? O™IDE ta fe JUDGE BREESE, ‘The Sale sf His Library Continnss * The sale of the late Judge Breese's td Wwasresumed yesterday afternoon at the of Mr. Melville W. Futler, and something 4? $900 was added, in the course of two or hid hours, to the $100 taken in a week agu owt literary executors have already received for a portton of the library than the Lerislat was asked for the whole of it, and are.nat nd glad that they concluded to sell at auction, sale will be continued next Saturday’ ‘aftern; at 2 o'clock and weekly thereafter untie” large library 18 disposed of at the best tt? that cun be obtained. A few notable pags were aisposed of yesterday, but the pric only moderate,—much leas th: oe only mone jan theaverage of g Ouite as valuable 2 work, in one Sense, z of the books included in ‘yesterday's piiabag sisted of two volumes of Breese's reporis nf, Supreme Court,—original edition, ‘1851,~and the continuation of the same. The rst, pine? ut Kaskaskia, contained all the Supreme wee reports from "1819 to 1830, while repouts ¢ similar period at this day would filaneeeor® of ‘four or five large volumes a year, Tote. Judge Breese contributed no small amount the type-setting and other manual labor nat ‘dent a their publication, Independent of the task of arrangement and composi tinuation contained the repocu: qo aeeoom 1834, The two volumes went to J. the insignificant sum of $3. LN. nold bought the House Journal, Isc volume, for 50 cents, his interest’in the book arising from the fuct that he satin the Lesin® ture that yeur. The Law Institute paid $15) for tour volumes of the Senate Journal and'tw, of the House, $13.50 for Craueh’s reporta, nino volumes, and $825 for one volume of the G2? fornia Messaxe and Correspondence, and yolume of the Debates in Convention of Cal. fornia. J.E.Smith paid $34.85 for volumes of English reports, Moak's W. H. Moore went in rather heavily on the tex books and treatises. Burr's ‘tWo yok umes,—a rather valuable book,—went to AA, Rowley for $3, and Chase's trial, one volume— algo quite valuable,—to J. E. Smith for 32 ‘The Smithsonian Contribution to Knowl ‘one. volume, went to Dr. Lune forg8. Special Interes attaches to this volume from the fact of Judge Breese having been the Chairman of the Com. mittee to whom the credit is due of having so much towards founding the Institution. Thomas Hoyne EourEt one volume of Speeches of Public Men of Illinois for Ra, Mr, Moore another volume for $115, and Mr Baker two volumes for $120. It was from they speeches that Judge Breese intended to collars his materials for a history of the State, and’te possessors congratulate themselves that the rick store of information is now in their possesaion, Mr. W. F. Poole, of the Public Library, paugit one yolume of the Astronomical. at Washington—very rare indeed—for and took it off to ‘the Li ar r, the close of the sale. The last’ sale of the day, of Mankind, one volume, va; made to Mr. Hoyne for $i. The interest a taching to the unsold books should attract [eenerattoodenos nextdermnae” ' TEMPORARILY IN TROUBLE, ‘The German Book and News Company, It isn’t everybody who can keep an extra ira in the fire—particularly if that iron bea jour. halistic experiment—and succeed. The German Book and News;Company has had a little expert. ence in that line—too much experience, in fact, and too meagre returns,—and the not unnatural outcome of it all was to seek and find raposs in the embrace of an assignee. The usust papers were filed Fagin in the Becor- ers office, formally things over to Justus Kiliun, who — already. . hey an extinct bank or two.on his hand, buf who can probably tind time to attend to something in the literury line. The assignment was mado by H. Enderis, Swiss’ Consul and President of the POMEEA and August Blettner, its Secre- tary. The liabilities footed up $27,312, mostly is small amounts due to creditors in this city, Sie waukee, St. Louis, Philadelphia, New York, sad elsewhere. Culver, Page & Troyne, for instance, were down for $7; Bradner, Smith & Co, for $42; S. Zickel & Co., New York, for $552; the In- ternational News Company, New York, for $26; aud Cameron, Amberg & Co., for $3— most of the remaining creditors being: in the same general line of business. The tail end of the schedule, however, showed that the Company was indebted to H. Enderis himsetf for $8,084; to A. Knobel for $1,173; snd that the Europeaa accounts footed up $1,760. a THE SCHEDULE OF ASSETS showed an inventory of stationery and blk books, put in at $8,406, books, put in at § outstanding accounts to the probable valué: $1,500, and two notes signed by .A. Knobel acd guaranteed by Richard Michaelis, for swelling the aes robable ussets to $225 A upon Mr. Enderis brought forth.an. admisio from that gontleman that the Deutsche JWarte- a religious paper which the Compuny has tes | eee ri woken a constant drain upon fe nancial resources of the concern, or, to. pus it in his own See phrase, a “big elephant on our hands.” For the purpose of ser the alike, and this Protecting the interests of all, it stead of leaving’ it possible for. sous onectreditor to get in ahead of the. rest ad clamp down on things and hold them, it bd been decided to turn the thing over tom Assignee. The business, he added, would sil becarriedon at the old stand, and in a shat time the tomporary financial inconvenient which made this step necessary would disappesr, and everything would be ag it once was before the Company started out into the businessof publishing a religious newspaper. The pom he added, had been gold to obel for $800, the probability was that Michrelis would go with him. In explanation of the $306 ftem, Mr. Enderis said it which he into from time to time. As the | largest creditor of the Company, he could, had “he beet so dis; |, have taken everything there wis and let the others stand their chances, Buthis desire was to protect all the creditors, aad heuce the relegation of the Company and Its affairs into the hands of an Assignee. THE COUNTY-BUILDING. (Pre Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Paid $8,027 for 1879 taxes., Tue County Treasurer paid over $119,000 1879 taxes to tho City Treasurer. oe Frask KUNKEL, who owed Alvis B. Newbee $10, and was put in jail because he did pay th scheduled out yesterday under the Inwitent Debtors’ act. 2 Nora day passes but some of the Property taxes of 1979 and 1sr4 are collected represented: movey sod it is thought that at least $50,000 more will be gathered in from this source. Joun Watsu and Peter Kelley, who assaulted William Rigdon, tried to get Gut of jail 00.8 habeas corpus, but, after listening to the testi- mony, Judge Smith remanded them. see Jupaz Jasmson satin the Criminal Court s few moments yesterday afternoon to fnist uP the business of the May ‘term. He grantet bt new trinl'to Paddy Moore, convicted of burglary. Moore then pleaded guilty, and was sentenced tq two years in Joliet. Dare A.sury has finally been secured in the'case ot the Alllwaukee avenue robbers, In all © _— were fifty-six peremptory challen; SO bythe prosecution Bnd ‘ehireyenine’ by ede fe ate a ‘ense, and thirty-seven excused for Care will iuy. Selected look like honest met cele without doubt rid the community of the cee brated quartet. The trial occupy WO three daya. Taene have been complaints on the partat prisoners lately about sewer gas in the jail, OF atmosphere at times being very offensive; sy also about, the condition of, the water- Pipes i the debtors’ department, it being impossible tt keep the buckets clean. The Committee 00: and Jail Accounts inspected the institution cently, and yesterday decided to recomm the making of some improvements. ‘The waite pipes will be fixed up, and tho pipes connect =f the closets run up through the roof soas to allo the gusto escape, The work should be oor menced and completed without delay, for t4 atmosphere in the Jail is continually £oh occasionally stifling. ea oh THE JOINT COMMIPTER met in the afternoon, and took Building matters. After some talk, it was decided price a mene fot six weeks for ainting and glazing. o Commissioners Stewart and Coburn thoagtt it would be better to advertise for three mon? a8 glass was high now, and would be lower Dr fore it was necessary to begin the Work 4 motion for three months, however, was ¥O ‘The matter of vault-doors, ctc., WAS postpanet indetinitly, the’ manufacturers, on_ mol fon of Commissioner Wheeler, being allowed two. mest in which to amend their bids, and being reqtyi, ed to exhibit their locks and doors {0 8 Bring place, where their merits and demerits conl’'™. seen. Architect Egan reported that the state according to the new plans, would cost Sexton had already done $2,410 worth of work: So the total cost would be $23,100. it be ‘ton, who was present, was asked tba would give up his present contract and aod new one.’ I{c suld ne would if paid seven Sting hulf cents a pound for the iron used, saeco the ornamental work. The price under, ths truct is five cents-a pound, not faciuding: ‘ ornamental work. aig & ‘This proposition wns discussed, but pending.” decision the Committee adjourned. ap Coast? adverti® bias for the