Evening Star Newspaper, November 24, 1883, Page 2

b 4 we ee ee ae DISTRICT PUBLIC WORKS. SUPPLY, SEWEBAGE, &C. WATER REPURL OF CAPT. R. L. HOXIE. fN¥ERESTING AND IMPORTANT EXHIBIT. ‘The tacreased Water Supply—The Pro- pesed Reserveir, Lake and National | Park on Rock Creek. ne Malor Ly¢ ner oF} +f | } | A. | | ¢ honor to ss during submit herewith | the year ending June oth, 18s Suwmaxy Statey PRAT FS, APPRO- | ; Were being grad: reason the estimat creased over those of last year. nd was small It became necessary to lay a number of mains at the cost of such rty owners as were willing to pay for just as the aller sewers are now laid ler “the permit system. No appropriation Wailable, and nothing else could be done. It is hoped that het rit y not be neces sery. ‘The a: us position of the water fund. to which the Cmted St contributes ch pays for all daw nents Hecessitated by res te eee to other its own work its own work ts~all at the ‘oltunbia, without aid r z District of ( from the United Stat siew growth. sree rous effort has been made during the past year to repress the unnocessary waste of Potomae water, and thereby raise the level of the distribution to the nigh grounds, which deprived of it. A rigid tion was undertaken and house-to-| is still n su and the Poto- evations that nee the District of a was first laid A meas- the distributing rese1 have not isited by i Colu nbia 36-inch 1 ment of the flow voir durin Bolus Yuomudep Joousug ‘LT wonduospa 00 00'S, 00 00 O00'W0E ms | “SHIVUION “ON We} OF pepniouty Amount of special last report, pled per cent improve ion of the 8 | .03. Amount | yutstanding unpaid $ per cent um- evision of completed last rict treasury of ars, principal and int n that thetax yet coil nent toseeure the outstanding nent boads, to the redemption ‘There has been littlegto then, except to wait for | y up, and to ward ofall Special ix of which it is ple do in this mat is ike the arrears of gen- tment for the District of | ty depends upon and these them some e all tor complaint and over- Japs all doubtful ground. ‘They are urged in the Interest of the ly of delinquents as opposed to the ayers. The are eases advocated by jawyers of a nding. retained, how- ever. by ot! ate mainly” advo- cated by ts whose o¢ is form of interveuii treasury, who are interested in preventi payment of the tax, and not all of w Ferupulous as to the forms of intervention by | which the ission. This was quite evic ision was in pro- gress. In was ha Deoks In mation was ob which © informatio: payer of =. s the tax. which b reduction of and H 1 tor such pretende It is probable that as long as this infuence es the tax will be. p very slowly. It | dl by enforciay the liens aud | selling the property unless further legislation shall provide the means of conveying a satis- y title te purcha Where these liens sold to third parties a further com- xists. Upon the revision of the tax represent there was tendered to the holder of eaci: hen a drawback certilicate to the amount of the corresponding reduetion in the tax, to make good the difference between the amount of the tax named on the face of the lien certiticate and the amount of the revised tax. These drawback certificates are receivable in payment of certain taxes, aud thelr redemption is Otherwise prov for. When accepted by the holders of Len certitic: , the len certid- cate is corrected ace ly. Holders of cer- tain of these liens still refuse to accept the drawbacks, and to permit the correction of the Jien Certificates, because the drawback Is ten- dered to the amount only of the reduction in the tax, and no interest is allowed upon this amount from date of lien to date of revision. ‘These uncorrected lien certiticates therefore re- main outstandis m. 0. Roome, clerk in sessuents, is transmitted herewith. THe WATER SUPPLY. Summary statement of receipts, expenditures, £¢., of te Water departnent srom July 1, 188, to Sune 3, 1333. Recerrrs, Water rents® Water tax . Water taps 22025771 Water permits, ac ‘Total $65,459.57 | 16,812.47 | 2,193.00 | 2188.73 £8, $25, bouds outstlndlug, $6,000, EXPENDIT OMee .... essai Tey Washington and George pipe distribu work, contiz: $107 9805 ipe distribution. =< 16,500 feet. ummary statement h diameter, “ B-inch diameter S 6 and ¢-Iuch diameter .. = Fire piugs so Bydrants 316 | aps . ‘47 ‘Water t 21,110 | There is new on | fund to justify a 1 * Norz.—Teretofore the water rents have tect eollectibie tp January for the calendar year, in wl- Yanoe. 1a January, 1883, rents were collectible fur | Mx months only. On July 1, 1883, tao new “water i Fea” commenced, corresponaiey 19 the fiscal year, id a sufficient surplus Leral expeuditure for laying | paid for at a fixed price per wi the 24 hours, commencing at € .. on June 26ti, 1833, ption was 24,314.715 gallons.” The ppression of waste has thus reduced ly consumption to aloat what It was xcept In conseqnence of some ze of the flow for repairs. etc., no complaints are now recetved from water takers. This happy state of affairs can only be maintaine dby eternal vigilance and the expendi- ture of m If the law can be rigidly en- forced, the fines and penalties will pay the cost of inspection, and these are required by law to be deposited to the credit of the water fand. The inspection of dwelling houses is unpleasant alike to inspectors and inspected. It is that the greater part of the waste isdue to care- les therthan to criminal Intention; but ‘ssness is criminal in view of its con- sequences, THE WATER METER QVESTION. Ifa meter could be di wed which should be sufficiently cheap, reliable enough for such a purpose, and free from the inenbus of a royalty te some patentee, it would be a pleasant substi- tute for the peripatetic inspector. The object of Such a meter would be to record the actual flow of water into each pre y and night; not with ay in proportion ‘umption of water, but for the purpose anequitable distribution. A reason- able amount, say 100 gallons per capita, per diem, would be assigned as the proper tion for general use, and for thi ly, thing less than this, the prese it, would be charged. For an: ‘ond this limit, prohibitory rates would be charged. so proportioned that, for a small excess the price ofa luxury would be . and for any unreasonable waste, a penalty would be exacted. This limit would depend upon the quantity of water available, and would be fixed so as to permit the use of all that could be supphed at the proper eleva- tion. When water is measured like gas, to be Hon, irrespective is encouraged tity, a hurtful parsimo: the poorer ck When nothing is to y saving, within the limit assigned, ssary quantity of water will be con- bat t! gallons to all of the 21,600 water-t District of Columbia, leaving 14.200,000 gallons of the present daily ‘supply. The public build- ings and reservations, street hydrants, fire-p and fountains would draw largely upon this, but the net result of sueh a distribution would be the visiting of unfamiliar altitudes by the rising water and great comfort In the upper stories. It is bel that the necessary meter has not yet be nted. In thé meauwhile. the work of bringing an in- creased supply to the high grounds is under contract and will essity for the of the mn of the k Creek alternative line of supply bia. THE ALTERNATIVE LINE OF SUPPLY. It is a well recognized principle among en- inecrs, who have en attention to the subject er supply, that no large city should be de- pendent upon a single aqueduct. An aiterna- tive line of snpply is required to meet the con- tingeneies of damage or obstruction, which may cut off the supy le line. Mr. Isaac Newton, ip his recent report upon the New “It cannot be urged oft such great and con- mnitude as New York aqueduct oniy. No al importance in christendom is so dependent upon a single engmecring struc- ture.” This opinion is endorsed by the emi- nent engineers who have been consulted with respect to the new line of supply projected for New York. The principle applies with great force to the capital eity of the nation. ot Washington, an alternative line of sugply, pos nx peculiar advantages. is affurded by the valley of Rock Creek. A large reservoir can be constructed In the lower part of this val- which will store the rainfall of about five square miles, the area drained by. , and will give to Washington from alone, In the dryest years, a daily 26,000,000 gallons of water—rather present consumption—at an ele- ecure the present pressure 2 At rger snpply could be drawn from this reservoir if delivered only to the lower levels of the city. The Rock Creek basin. is an ad:nirable catchment area contain- ing no mannfactories, or otherdangerons sources of water pollation which are common in the gathering ground for the water supply of nearly all larger cities. The close proximity of this reservoir to the city would obviate the neces- sity tor long conduits of any description—the great factor of cost In all systems of water works. The water would be stored where it could be delivered directly into the mains for distribution throuchout the city, The great size and depth of the reservoir would admir- ably adapt itto the office of a subsiding basin ring the water. as wellastothat of a stor- reservoir. Suitable legislation, similar to the “Rivers pollution acts,” of other countries, would protect the water from any possible source of pollution in the fature. The dam would be of masonry on a rock foundation, about twelve hundred feet in length, and one hundred and fifty feet extreme height at the middle part. Masonry dams of greater height are now in use for similar purposes, and still greater ones are projected. It would be wide enough on top, say thirty-two feet, for a car- riage-way, with fuotwalk on either side, and would contain about 190,000 cubic yards of ma- sonry. The reservoir would flow about thirteen hundred acres of land. which is nearly all of it worthless for any other purpose, being preeipi- tous, rocky hillside, covered with thickets of laurel and small timber. With it, certain mill Tights would have to be purchased. jam can be constructed of conerete and brick masonry, at a cost of. .......355,000 00 Connection with existing system of distribution and spillway will cost asing should not rely upon it other city about cereevesseses 30,000 00 are Worth aceeauewazs + 65,000 00 Total cost of alternativeline of water supply trom Rock Creek..........$950,000 00 Alter a time it would be necessary to perfect this iine by connecting the upper end of the Teservoir directly with the Great Falls of tne Potomac by combined tunnel and canal. By this line there may be assured to the capital 500,000,000 gallons of water per diem. The fu- ture will need it. It ouglit to be secured before | any bona tide manufacturing interest absorbs all the water at the Great Falls. THE PROPOSED ROCK CREEK PARK. In former reports the site of this reservoir has been indicated, as shown upon the accompany- ing map. It forms a small lake with bold, rocky shores, and with wooded hills on its border, rising two hundred and fifty teet above it. The outline fs pictureayne, the shores being deeply indented. The exposed face of the dam can be made to prescnt a fine architectural effect with- out additional cost. A narrow margin about the lake, following perhaps the contour, one hundred and sixty feet above tide, or fifteen feet above the lake, would suffice to create a ‘k of great natural beauty, with the lake as its central feature. The whole drainage area of Rock creek within the District of Columbia is shown by tke shaded lines on the map. It land can be had at a fair valnation a fon of this might be taken for the park. If not, the land on the border, nearly as worthless as that for tie lake Itself, will serve the purpose— or this may be dispensed with altogether, as tho luke will sudica. DRAINAGE AND SEWERAGE. Work on bunstiary intercepting sewers pro- preesos slowly. The firstans second sections has made it a thing of | are completed. The third section is completed to wituin about two hundred feet of the end. ‘Ti® Rock creek section ts progressing rapidly, with fair promise of speedy completion. Onthe fourth section the work Is tied up. In the last annual report of the Commissioners of the Dis- trict of Columbia, the attention of Congress was called to this work as fullows: “It 1s probable that the slo rate of progress is due fo the competition among bidders, which puts the price of work at a minimum, and to the inadequacy of email annual appropriations. The reduct of rates of pa; competition makes the contractor apprehensive of loss, and engenders a mistaken econowy. The amount of each annual appropriation ‘ill not justity the purchase of sucii an outfit as would be war- ranted by the immediate appropriation of the whole cost of tie work, all to be expended under one contract. To meet the latter objec- tion in the case of the fourth section, the work was adyertised to include the expenditure of such appropriation as might be made eu- sui ‘ar, and the contract 60 drawn.” Under this contract. work das been done to the amount of the appropriation of 182, and a part of the appropriation of 1883. In this con- u the work is arrested by an opinion of the controller adverse to the legality of the contract, Prior to this the contractor had been suspended because of the slow rate of progress made, and the bondsmen had been called upon to complete the work. It will now be neces- sary to await the action of Congress to remove the obstacle presented by the decision of the rst controller. The limited appropriation for lateral sewers available last year has been expended Inthe con- struction ofa number of small sewers throughout thecity, principally d vd to remedy existing detects in the old ones, and in such work of re- construction of the old sewers as might properly be classed with new work. With such meager provision tor the extension of these sewers it is impossible to construct them as rapidly as they are needed in the progress of the work of im- provement. Such as are constructed must be of the larger sizes, the pipe sewers being left to the effurts of property owners under the permit system. This system, which provides the ma- terial by purchase out’ of appropriations for the purpose, and defrays the cost of the work from a voluntary tund contributed by such of the beneticiaries as are driven to this extremity is complained of asahardship. The few pay the cost and the many profit by It. Some who woud not object to paying a uniform tax, even greater than the amount they thus contribute, do object to being indirectly robbed by parsimonious neighbors who will pay no share of the cost, yet share the beneilt. They urge the propriety aspecial tax to meet the case. There is no provision of law for such a tax; but this or a larger annua! appropriation is needed. A tax of one toliar per Hneal foot upon all property bordering on a sewer, Irrespective of the size ot the sewer, would pay a reasonable proportion of the cost to be incarved in laying it, and would be strictly equitable. NEITHER JUST NOR SENSIBLE. There is neither justice nor common sense In taxing property in proportion to the size of the sewer adjacent to it. All sewers of each drain- age area, from the smallest branch to the larg- est main sewer, are of equal importance to each premises. All are but parts of one common system required by all premises alike. A mod- erate and uniform tax would be useful in limit- ing the extension of the sewers to the localities lly needing them. The tax suggested of one ww per front foot would defray a larger pro- 2 dol portion of the cost than is now paid by Inter- ested parties under the much-disliked permit system. The worst feature of the latter is the ‘position it creates to throw aside all system- atic plans for drainage and return to the chaos of indiscriminate drainage from which several portions of Washington are still suffering. Re- quests are numerous and urgent for permission to make temporary arrangements in opposition to the sewer plans, because of the hardship in- volved in adherence to the plans, under the permit system. It is useless to explain that a sewer designed for a certain area cannot be made to carry the drainaze trom two or three times that area; that it is necessary to prevent the first encroachment, because otherwise no good reason can be given for preventing an- other. Each applicant sees only his own case, and cannot be convinced that he is one ot a legion who would make all plans of no avail. THE REPAIR OF THE OLD SEWERS can hardly keep pace with their disintegration, so small a fund is available for this work. There are shown herewith a number of sections of the principal main sewer of Georgetown. These in- dicate the dilapidated and dangerous condition into which the sewer had fallen, and the char- acter of the work necessary to restore it. The arch was yery much distorted and cracked A number of bricks had fallen out, and at one point a man-hole had fallen through, The floor had been washed away in many places with por- tions of the side walls, and large cavities had been formed inthe bottom and atthe sides. ‘This sewer is generally ata great depth below the surface, and follows the natural valley line through private property. passing under a num- ber of buildings. To rebuild it from the surface would have been very expensive and trouble- some, because of interference with private prop- erty. To abandon the line would necessitate the construction ot anew oneand the addi- tional cost of demolishing the old sewer and making property secure above it and of trans- ferring all drainage to the new line. The old sewer has been made secure and modernized as far as the work has progressed. Originally a D shaped sewer, with flat floor of plank or dry rubble, the shape has been changed to the oval required for the combined system of sewerage, and the requisite capacity has been reserved. ‘The cavities were filled with gravel, the invert was lald with trap rock blocks on a foundation of concrete; a four-inch brick arch was turned below the old arch, and the space between these was filled with concrete, rammed hard. The cost has been about $20 per lineal foot, and it is estimated that $30,000 will be re- quired to complete the work. The inverts of all the old sewers are wearing out rapidly and must be replaced. In every part of the city where pipe sewers have been laid fora number of years portions of them are found more or less obstructed by the roots of trees, in some instances quite filled with them. The pipes were laid without In the leakaye from the joints ned the ground beneath them and the ‘ht of the covering earth in the trench forced the pipe down irregularly tnto the softened ground, A small amount of settlement sufficed to open the Joints, and the fine roots of trees found ready access to the Interior. Here thet grew and multiplied rapidly, arresting and coi- Tecting sand and clay brought in by storms until the pipe was completely choked up and a section of it looked like a section of a large flower pot in which a plant has been growing for a long time. These roots are sometimes cut out with suitable tools, but the only sure cure is to dig up the pipes and relay them. It is feared that a very cousiderable expense must. be incurred upon this account. It is because of this state of affairs, which was early alscovered, that all pipe sewers are now laid upon a foun- dation of concrete and in a bed of cement _mor- tar. The concrete is carried up at the sides of the pipe and rammed hard between the pipe and the sides of the excavation. The top of the Joint is carefully sealed over with cement. No settlement er lateral change of position can occur, and the joints remain tight. FOLLY OF CONSTRUCTING SEWERS OF SMALL Caracity. The most prominent fact presented by the table is the great discrepancy between the in- crease of cost and the increase of capacity with the increase in the size of these sewers. Taking the two extremes, the twelve inch pipe and the large circular sewer on Boundary street, twenty-two feet in diameter, it Is seen thal while the cost of the large sewer is less than fifty-one times that of the pipe, the capacity of the one fs nearly tour thousand timesthat of the other. From this point of view it seems folly to construct a sewer whose capacity to carry an storms that may occur shall be at all doubt! As recently as the 5th of August, 1878, a rain- fall ot 2 inches in 40 minutes occurred here, a rate of $ inches per hour. It ruptured the largest main sewer of Washington, the old Tiberareh. Fora di: of 500 feet the brick arch, 18 inches in thicki and having a span ot 30 teet, was lifted bodily and broken at the hannches and at the crown. Fortunately it fell with the subsiding water into place again, the fractured edges projecting halt way into the sewer. The sectional area of Tiber sewer is here 220 square feet. Ifthe arch had fallen in and obstructed the water way, a torrent of 3,000 cubic feet per second would have been thrown upon Pennsylvania avenue. Allof the sewers in this table are destgned to carry off two inches of rainfall per hour from the areas which they drain, when running quite fall of water. All except the large circular sewer of Boun street (Nos. 24 to 27) are intended to run full bore, when occasion requires. The latter carries too large a body of water to be so treated, and is designed as a covered caual, the storm water running only to the height of the spring line of the arch. With the foregoing assumption, the sewers of medium size may run at times quite full, and those of minaller size may run under a si! head, subjected at such times to an in! nal which they are fitted to sustain. The largest sizes will never be filled by any such foundation ot any kil upon. firm ground. process of time soft a storm as we hi TeCOT safety Increases with the s! the quantity of any of. The margin of of the sewer and ter Carried, and therefore with the relative importarive of this considera- tion. 4 It is well known that asthe area of a water- shed increases, the tion of rainfall thereon which will reach the sewers or water course diminishes, because time. is required to get there, and during that time absorption and evap- oration are at work to dissipate the water. Various formule tie been proposed to give the law governing t! be proporti drain. Is loss. so that sewers might joned to the areas which they are to They are necessarjly empirical, and the observed phenomeng upod which they rest can- not possibly compris all te conditions that will be met with in practice. to check th They serve, however, @ results of such local assumptions as are necessary in d-aling with any locality. That of Mr. Burkil Zeigler rests uponiong and caretul observation: q equals r Into ¢ into the fourth root of s divided by a in which r may be taken as the maximum depth of rainfall per hour to be expected, and q as the corresponding depth per hour which wilt reach the sewer; c is a constant varying from .31 to seguals the general fall In feet per thousand t of the water-shed; a equals the area of the water- shed. applied to the tour large sections of Boundary sewer with the assumption of a max- imum rain- co-efficient fall of three inches per hour anda | of .% adapted to the future condi- | tion of thisarea, it gives the following compara- tive results: No, 24. Nos, 2%, 26. No, 27. Capacity in cubic feet per second (Kutter) the sewe: feet per second (Burk- Ut Zeigler. 2 And beyond this is a large factor of safety, as the full size of the sewer would carry, in emer- gencies, do cost The met now laid i 1307 2466 4150 r in cubic 1500 2054 4322 uble these quantities. AND CAPACITY OF THE SEWERS. ‘hod of construction of all sewers in the District of Columbia, from a 12-inch pipe to the large sewer in Boundary street, twenty-two feet in diameter, is shown upon the accompanying sheet of diagrams. The following table gives the details of cost and capacity of Details of all of them: the Sewers of Washington.—See Dia- be Geyze akg Eere G2 3 Ee: fa 8 ge 8 Bi fee Be i 8 z F Doni most posimoay: ¢ Ri) Rati g ad UT tad gad 1809 - soy QuENb B18 28/6 #ie o, as|5 sige 2 |2 p03 Pel 2 ai nenepnszss 23/6 | HaRSSaNCRRS™ ais : -. t 83|5 2 |e 3/8 reas we Las 6P'0Ls 896 Ts'098 T9198 Ps 2 ‘Ths folk vation and refi 1 eos per cubic yi 15 cents per cubleyard. Bri pORS Cone! prices have been assumed: Exca- ing, 40 cents per cubic yard, from pee cates sore. from 6 to 18; 80 cents 18 to 27. Jreuung surp {usearth, ick masonry, Tete, $4.50 per cublo yard’ “trap Took, 2,5, 2, and 27 excavation is measured ‘THE QUESTION OF DUPLICATE SyVERS. Boundary-street sewer is not intended to carry sewage. For many years it will bea fresh- water channel, and afterwards an overflow sewer for the county when Washington extends over it. All other sewers are designed to carry both storm son obtains water and house drainage. No rea- here for more than one system for both. The separate system, requiring duplicate sewers, is persistently urged tor universal plication. ‘As usually applied, it were better | | | | named the exceptional system, for it takes care of the rade hal and lets the storm water take care of iteelf. Whenever in small towns an open water-course is available, and old-fashioned genes intersecting the streets can be tolerated convey the storm water to this natural chan- nel, the exceptional system has its proper appli- cation. Wherever a city is of sufficient import- ance to Justify the convenience of removing storm water from the surface of the streets, the drains must be made of such size that the ordi- nary dry-weather flow of sewers—the water supply of the city—can be taken into these drains without any increase of capacity, to- gether with the storm water. It is not possible to compute their dimensions more closely, and, if it were, the difference in cost would be ab- | sardiy insigniticant. THE “LITTLE MOLE FOR THE KITTEN” SYSTEM. These sewer drains can be quite as well adapted | to the conveyance of sewaze as are the small pipes of the so-called separate system. The sew- drains at any point, and separated trom the storm water whenever it is necessary. No addi- tionai cost is required for making one system of sewers serve this double purpose. It has even been found better and cheaper in reco! old sewers to adapt them to the combined sys tem, for the cost would have beea the same to make them storm sewers only, and to this would have been added the cost of a separate for sewage. These patented s) ally urged for any market that can be found for them, and when personal interests obscure the Judgment it is not strange that professional opinion lends its influence. Similar hallucina- tions have misled the wisest of men. It is re- lated of Sir Isaac Newton, that having a pet cat which was permitted to share the solituae of his study, he hada hole cut in the bottom of the door to give her tree entrance and exit. Missing her from the 8 udy for a few days he was in- formed that tle trouble was—a kitten; and starting suddenly from one of those reveries to which ‘science owes so much, he exclaimed, “Well, cut a little hole for the kitten!” I submit herewith tables showing the con- tracts for supplies fur the District of Columb and the details of work done under contract. an by hired labor, in connection with drainage and sewerage and water supply. Very respectfully, R. L. Hoxtg, Captain Engineers, U. 8. A. shyt dail LETTER FROM NEW YORK. ‘Miss Moss? Wedding—Fvacuation Day— The Wonderful Dioramic Coterie— The Ciubs—Roscoe Conkling J: the Operatic War—Joachim is Com ing—Arnold and Massey—Mr. Irving in High Comedy, Etc. Special Correspondence of Tae EVENING STAR, New York, November 28. Miss Moss’ wedding was somewhat shoddy, but very exciting. Over 6,000 people were crowded into St. Patrick's cathedral and 2,000 more were stationed outside. Only 3,000 invi- tations were issued, but the affair was so well en up before hand and the contracting parties so well known, that an army of sight- seers attended the event. Miss Moss has re- cently become a convert to the church, and, as the fact was well known to all the parishioners of St. Patrick’s cathedral, every one connected with the church, even in the smallest degree, made it a point to attend. Maurice B. Flynn, who married Miss Moss, is a politician of rather ordinary standing, but a well known man about. town and a good-hearted and generous liver. He is a member of the New York and the Man- hattan clubs; is a bosom friend of Hubert Thompson's, and has represented his district in the assembly twice. All his club friends and many politiclans attended his marriage and the reception given afterwards at Mra. Moss’ house. Mrs. Moss was in her giory. He. daughters are marrying very well, and ft is almost entirely due to her tact in managingthem. Her oldest daughter married Lester Wallack’s favorite son, and another Is engaged to young Hayes, son of the President of the Fifth National bank. The girls have been in society a good deal and are very popular, Though Mr. Moss is man- ager of Wallack’s theater, his family have little to do with actors and actresses aside from those connected with the family by marriage, EVACUATION DAY. There isto bea tremendous crowd here on Evacuation Day. Full 30,000 men will be inline and the parade of steamboats 1s expected to be six or eight miles ong. Preparations are mak- ing for the reception ot several hundred thou- sand guests. The few vacant hotel rooms have already been telezraphed for; boarding-houses have left their addresses at hotel count: that late comers may be supplied, and me als, banners and mementoes of all sorts are being tdrned out in great quantities. Many of the larger dry goods shops along Broadway have sold the privileges of their windows for sums varying from $5 to $30, and all sorts of grand stands, including trucks with seats arranged in form of pyramids, are building. Of course, there must be some stupidity in an affair of such mag- nitude as the Evacuation Day celebration. The committee has made a mistake, and they find at this late day that itis impossible for them to rectify it. It will be almost impossible for the majority of sight-seers to. witness both the steamboat and street parades. Both start at 9 o'clock in the morning, or at least both are ad- vertised to start at that time, put the chances are that the street parade willbe delayed an hour or two on account of the vast bodies of men the committee will be oblized to handle. Big: parades in New York arealmost always late, and tuese will probably be no exception to the rule. On the other hand, the steamboat proces- sion will start promptly, as it will be necessary to catch the tide on theebb. If an observer takes up a position on one of the piers on the North river anywhere below Canal street before half-past eight in tie morning he will be able to watch the steamboat parade for an hour, and then by rushing over to Broadway be In time to catch the street procession as it comes down from up town. It will take the head of the pro- cession an hour to get downto Canal street, even if it starts in time, which, as I say, is iin- probable, and there will be still time for ener- getic and vigorous sight-seers to take in the whole show. On the night of Evacuation Day dinners will be given by the Knickerbocker, the Manhattan and the St. Nicholas clubs and the St. Nicholas Society, and by a number of gentlemen who describe themselves as the “Most Prominent Descendants of New Yorkers who Resided Here in 1783." Everybody anticipates a Jolly sort of a holiday on Monday except the Anglo-maniacs, who are Just at this moment in a decidedly unenviable position, Nobody cares for dudes or Anzlo-maniacs now. The spirit of ’83 has ‘taken possession ot us, and we thirst again for British gore. THE WONDERFUL DIORAMIC COTERIE. T suppose nobody will ve surprised to hear that the “Wonderland Dioramic Coterle” is on deck. Everybody knew that It would show up at the proper moment; the only question was what name it would assume. There is an originality about this name which will attract the popular eye. The ‘Coterie” gives an accu- rate, natural and lifelike picture of Henry Vil- lard’s Yellowstone excursion, includi living representatives of the dukes, earls and noble- men as they appeared when they went out on the Northern Pacific to drive the last spike. The “Coterie” will give a melo-drama to be called the “Flower of the Yellowstone.” The hero ig the Earl of Ingleside, and his wife. who is known as “the Countess Lady Edith Brans- comb.” The ‘aughty earl falls in love with a beautiful Indian maiden on the plains, and pats up a job with some red Indians to murder “the Lady Countess,” his wife,-in order that he may marry the Piute squaw. It is a thrilling and exciting drama, but Iam happy to say that it turns out all right in the end. The ‘“Coterie” will be in Washington in about a month. ROSCOE CONKLING JOINS A CLUB, There has been quite asplurge in the member- ship of the New York and Manhattan c'ubs. Ros- coe Conkling has just Joined the New York. anda. number of new members have been taken into the Manhattan. These clubsare largely political, and the Increased membership has much to do with the sudden craze among iho! and well con- nected men to enter politics. The Manhattan club is the stronghold of New York democracy. it ta rather far down town now, but a ago it was considered too far uptown. It has ® commodions club house at 15th street and 5th nue, and has a cuisine which is not sur- passed by any other club in New York. Many men ed Delo the heavy betting, and went home $50,000 odd win- ner, Ho isa card night init. Every has no real player by nature, and glories age can be afterwards diverted from these sewer | in all business dealings. Aside from the amuse- ment he gets from cards, he 1s a solid financial | gainer. He is a steady winner, and the best | | Poker and whist player in town. THE OPE! IC FARCE GOF8 on. Mapleson claims that he is making money, Abbey asserts positively that he is doing the | | same, and both men are losing at the rate of | thousands of dollars Aweek. Each blackgards the | other for giving away free tickets, and both the | Metropolitan and the Academy of Music are | “papered” from one end to the other. Abbey undoubtedly gives the best opera as far as en- semble is concerned, but Mapleson has Patti, and | sheis a host in herself, Then again the Academy isinore popular and much cheaper than the Met- | ropolitan Opera House. All the old families at- tend the old establishment—the Beekman's, Livingstons, Cuttings, Belmonts, Astérs, De Lanceys, Tenures, Travers and Van Renslaers. Twombleys, others of the “newly rich” are rents of the new aad more ex- | The feeting between the rival ihusiastic ad ‘ive house. Y (managers is no less than between the people { d the rival operas. As long as the Thea who att money holds out the war will continue. there will be a blow ap, and in all provabi will have to spend a season or two wit r though ag millions, will get weary of throwing #o much money inte an enterprise’ without any probability of return. A SOCIETY YOUNG MAN. Young Gardner S. Howland, a society man who recently decided to adopt the staze, has | not met with the success he anticipated. How- | land comes of a very good family, and has been an amateur here for several years. At one time , it was said he was enzaged to Carrie Astor. He | is slight and jélly and has the theatrical craze | In its most violent form. When his father de- | cided that it was time for him to do sometiing the youth went to Manager Daly and asked for | @ position in his company. He got it on account of society. The first thing Daty did was to send | him ont on the road with one of his tray companies. In the course of time Mr. Howla arrived in Boston. He took a small part “The Passing Regiment,” and was uamerelfully guyed. The critics cut him up terribly, not | knowing who he was, but It had no effect what- ever upon young Mr. Howland. He went on acting in the company and then came back to New York and was given a small part in “Girls | and Boys,” a new play Mr. Daly Is zviug to pro- duce siortly. Mr, Howland’s acting at rehear- sals was go bad that Mr. Daly has taken him from the company and substituted Mr. Yorke Stevens. Probably Mr. Howland will have to go out on the road again. There ig no chance forany Mrs. Langtry business fora man. A beautiful woman may make her fortune with- out any dramatic ability, but a man must de- pend on his own merits. Mr. Howland ts very much cut up about his unfortunate position in the New York company, but he is going to stick to the work resolutely. JOACHIM IS COMING TO AMERICA. Tamrather sorry, as we shail be treated to an immense amount of gush over the violinist on his arrival. Already we are told that he is the greatest viollnist on the face of the earth, and preliminary puffing is the order of the day. The public has been told so often about the “greatest violinist” that it is becoming sus- nicious. Of course ail musicians know who Joachim is, but the majority of people who will pay $1a head to hear him will have to depend onthe paper. When Weiniawski came over ho was heralded as the “King of the Violinists.” e Bull had before that been “dubbed with the y the announcements which preceded the ar- rival of Romen; Wilhelm. Ole Buil was by far the most pop- ular of the violinists who came to America. This is undoubtedly because his name is neither delusive nor snare-like, The most innocent and confiding American could pronounce. it without changing color. i JOUN SWINTON’S PAPER. Mr. John Swinton is banging along with his paper Ina bland, independent and self-satisfied way. He grows larger and redder every day and seems possessed with contentment. No- body knows mucn about the paper. It comes | out when Mr. Swinton feels tuclined to publish it, and is invariably composed of the opiaious of | Mr. Swinton and one or two of his aids. does not pretend to print the news, he simply advances his Ideas. 1t is smalland cheap. The general opinion is that the economist leader He made a mistake when he left £7,000 a year on | The Sun to start a paper of hisown. Sirewd estimates of this mistake place it at about $3,000 this year. GERALD MASSEY AND MATTHEW- ARNOLD will go back to England little richer in pocket, but with a funds of invective against America which will probably be amusing when given in their “Impressions.” Thus far, the two English lecturers have been rather conspicuous for their unkind attitudes towards each other. Arnold's treatment of Massey has been that of asovereign toward a serf, and Massey has revenged him- self by advertising In all the city papers that people beyond the third row of Chickering hall were able to hear what he said. Tiis violent statement was leveled at the head of Arnold, whose volce isquite inaudible at twenty feet from the stage. The tact cannot be denied that Matthew Arnold is not an impressive speaker. Itis an inhospitable thing to say to one who has come over to make money out of us, but Mr. Arnold looks like a girl dressed In man's clothing attempting to address an audience while suffering trom a violent cold. The attend- ance at Mr. Massey's lectures has been yery slight; his first effort was before less than half a hundred people in a building that could accom- modate two thousand. Mr. Arnold lectured to two thousand, but only fifty heard him. He gave a trite, but somewhat hackneyed plea tor “the science of sweetness and light” and a vio- lent denunciation of Huxley, Tyndall and Dar- win. I shall be sorry for Mr. Massey and Mr. | Arnota when they go to the flery, untamed west. MR. IRVING IN HIGH COMEDY. Mr. Irving’s appearance in light comedy at the Star theater showed that actor in a particularly unfavorable and unfortunate light. Mr. Irving can act tragedy or low comedy, but when it comes to high comedy acting he is about as bad an actor as F have ever seen. His efurts to assume a sprightly and a gay manuer, and to portray the graces of a society man of the last century, were awkward in the extreme. His dancing in the court minuet was positively gro- tesque; he found it impossible to dance, and compromised it with a sort of erratic stride combined with Salvint'’s strat in his own limp. The effect was not felicitous. Irving's manner- isms are more prominent and offensive than when he first appeared here. oe ‘THE POINT OF VIEW. A Timely Suggestion from a Street Corner Philosopher—How the Decay of the City May be Arrested. He stood in front of a restaurant, his cigar placed at the approved upward angie, and his slender cane cocked in the air. His air de- termined his status at once, as certainly as though he had been labeled “germs human; species, song and dance.” “This is a rotten town,” he remarked. in that clenched-teeth fashion, made necessary by the Tule that prevails among his species, never to let the cigar descend from the angle at which it is placed in the mouth. “Rotten!” exclaimed a Star reporter. “Yes: its the meanest town in the country, and don't you forget it. You never saw a town where the gambling houses were closed that the business didn’t get rotten.” The oracle, having thus expressed himself, ceased speaking with a “jack-in-the-box” sud- denneas that led the reporter to believe that he was to betavored with no more chunks of wis- dom and he was about to leave, musing sorrow- fully upon the cae bak the city, when the cigar was rolled by a quick motion of the lps to the other side of the oracle’s mouth and he pro- ceeded: ‘It’s the sporting men that makes busi- ness lively inatown. I am told that $1,500a week go out of this town to Alexandria, because there ain’t any faro banks here and there is faro banks there. A car-lead ef sporting men go down there every Sunday. There ain't nothing Variety don't pay nero, nor legitimate either jon’t pay nor mi 7 People won't spend no money. There ain't anything that will draw a full house. Look at the “Silver King”—turned away ple in every other city, and here it opened toa house ‘that wasn't a quarter full. its a rotten town. This ought to bea free town. The capital of the country ought to be free, but people are like slaves. There never will be nothing here until the gambling houses are open and men find it to their interest to come here. The Comuaissioners in this town construe the law to suit themselves. There ain't no use of kicking. If people voted here it would be different. If the Commissioners say a man's got to go to jail pepsin ig There ain't no use kicking. Yes, vrienae Polly ry the malady of the us 4 and prescribed @ remedy, the glided ‘into the crowd on the to farther ob- me title, but they were all pushed to the wall | Then we were told that | Romensi was a mere fiddler compare with | LITERARY NOTES. THE RAV: By Epean ALLex Por Minstrated Gustave Doms. With Comment by Faunund Stedman, New York: Harper & Brothers W fugton: Robert Beall, @. A Whitaker Unquestionably the most imposing and at- tractive holiday book Ssved so far this year Is this sumptuous follo volume. So familiar isthe poe: to all readers of the English lane suage that any new interest in Its appearance at the 7 time must attach not eo much to y side of the bo and the garb in w | these respects the py pains and no exp which both t be antly made exp were amen th ed pencil nds of med, th their be and as an t Which the pouk-waking is DOW carried in the uited OF THE JEANNETTE. Th e sian. Warslulnggton ow. recon Hoagutou, Milian & ex bs The ter of these two lange and beautl- fully priuted volumes ts sufficient]; their title. The story they tell ts not pleasant; the experiences of tho il!-fa dition have been so fully described b papers of the period that the matn facts are widely and well known; but the pathetic his- tory as now presented to the public o nevertheless to find a wide clrcle of rew The account as given here Is very com andt trative is most Interesting trom the first page to the last. It is indeed at o honor to its author and a record of se! Ing heroism of which any age and any well be proud. In points of typozraphil- cal appearauce, illustrations, &c., the narrative Ie E'S COMEDIE DPOEMS. oT xt Miscorical and Bx- Guaxr Ware. In tion Bowtons . Wasluuyctou: Wan. Ballam- aI3. MR, Be t We see no reason why this should not be one of the most popular editions of Shakespeare's works ever published, particularly with per- Sons of moderate means. Mr. White Is so gen- erally recognized as an authority on Shake- speare that his Interpretations of the great bard will probably be accepted without ques- tion,—for common use, at least. In addition iabor s in editing the text, Mr. White con- e8 a general introduction, witha of the poet's life. He also prefixes ea y with a brief fntr known about its o1 plete glossar notes. The and the ty; to have b fair quality. THE HYMNS OF MARTIN LUTITER. Sat to thelr Je Dey dios what Version. dited oa, Sous, Washingtont duction, giving what ts iuruishes @ com- alent form of foot- ce a. and in the eo: umes are of convenient size, Pogtaphy is good, althouxh, as was xpected, the paper is thin, but of & Son. Quite appropriate to the present interest in the life aud works of the Me eT comes: this handsome edition of his famous hymns, the value of which 1s heightened considerably by the intelligent and judicious I2hors of the edi. tors. It is intended as a memorial voluine of the four hundredth anniversary of Luther's birthday, and will be prized by niany as well on that account as for its literary interest, which Is by no means inconsiderable. TOR. A Novel. By Mrs. Avexacpre, New York: Monry ta The Wor Holt & Co, Waslinzion: A. Brentano & Co. Staste Verner, a charming E girl, ts left an heiress by her stepfather, who appoints his half-brother, Hormuz Kharapet, an East Indian, and two native zlishmen executors of his will. The two latter ignore their trast and neglect their ward, while the former falls in love with her and tries to win her hand and heart. His passion is not returned, however, | whereupon he plots ber death by poison, In the hope of secu fortune, Happiy a deliverer appears at the right time in the person of Dr. Brooke, who saves her from the clutches of the brutal oriental viulnin by marrying her himself. story, which, told in Mf taining way, constitute: Hour Series. A WOMAMS REASON. | A ur OL" N Howe, hor of “A era Tn Boston: James RB. Oscvod & Co. Kober} Beall. One car of Mr. Howell's stories ia the nat- ural and life-like way in which his characters are drawn. This attractive quality and the ex+ cellent literary style which marks all his writings makes them ervedly popular, But azalast these great merits - must he set the rather provoking fact that the ex- pectations formed in the beginning of bis stories are rarely realized at the close, and that he has @ way of leaving unsolved the problems which he is all the while making us think he means to settle. These defects are observable In “A Woman's Reason,” and will probably disappoint the reader somewhat; but on the whole it Ise bright, pleasant story, tuil of nice touches, and can hardly fail to add to the already ‘high reputation of its author. TEE charters Buchel Away cus New van Deal Mead & Co, Wusldugtou: Wr, Ballantyne & Son, The Sombre Rivals are griefand death, aud the story told by Mr. Roe is about the late war be- tween the states. It is full of thriliing Interest, and contains descriptions of scenes and incidents that are said by participants to be singularly life-like and vivid. Mr. Roe was himself a sol- dier, and, like most of those who shouldered thelr muskets, he pays tribute both to the valor and the integrity of purpose of his late foes, Although not a great novelist, Mr. Roe’s work is always clean and earnest, and extremely pop- ular as well. Evidence onthe latter point ig farnished by the fact that over twenty thousand coples of this story were ordered before it came trom the press. The 5th and 6th volumes of G. P. Putnam's Sons’ ~‘Topics of the Time” series, lately issued, take rank with the best of the group to which they belong. The first named comprises an ex- cellent selection of articles on “Questions of Belict,” In which the opinions of some of the ablest living thinkers are set forth, while vole ume 6 contains papers on “Art and Literature,” by such writers #3 John Stuart Blackie, Stanley Lane-Poole, Frederick Wedmore, and otner well known contributors to the leading Eng- lsh periodicals. Both are well worth readit and preserving. Received through Kot We are indebted to The Century company for @ neatly printed and bound volume containing the articles on the “Christian League of Connecticut,” contributed to that magazine some time since by Rev. Dr. Washington Giad- den. The good sense and liberality of Dr. Gladden's views commanded tor them wide at- tention when they first appeared. and their publication in t forts may fairly be re- garded as a pubiic benefit. From G. P. Putnam's Sons, through Robert Beall, we have a neat pamphiet edition of “Health Notes,” by Prof. Burt G. Wilder, of Cornell University. These “Notes” form the basis of the series of lectures on Hygiene deliv- ered by Professor Wilder each year before the students of that institution, and containso valuable hints and suggestions briefly and plain- ly stated that they deserve to be widely cirou- lated. ‘The same house sends us, throngh the Bren- tanos, a copy of Dr. W. G. Thompson's interest- ing and valuable little brochure on Training Schools for Nurses, which, in addition to giving an account of the origin of those useful institu- tions, and showing the need of them, contains descriptive notes of the twenty-two leading schools in the United States. Mr. J. G. Hertwig of this city has recently published a pamphlet on “Sunday Laws,” seo has been favorably received the press, peed = ‘of the coun- nm. Houghton Mifflin & Co., bave lately issued in new and revised form the gear ediren geet sand of Richardson's “Primer of American erature,” fllustrated with well executed wood cut portraits of twelve American authors. ————— Tunes. nadonelsis dolls that could be made to Afew ago 01 open oF ‘shut the eyes orcry oreay “mamma were considered Bovelties. Now dolls are on exhilition which sing ‘Wait tt! the clouds roll by Jennie,” ete. .