Evening Star Newspaper, December 8, 1883, Page 2

THE NEW NORTHWES ITS RESOURCES, CLIMATE, TOPOGRAPHY, AND PROSPECTIVE GROWTH. THE ADVANCE OF THE “RUSTLERS.” Raitorial Correspondence of Tae EveNtya Stan. St Paci. Miys., Nov. 8. We have made the trip over the Northern Pa- Cifle railroad. from St. Paul to Portland. and Over its affiliated rail and steamboat routes in Oregon and Washinton Territory, and returned to this point without getting “snowed up” or Meeting with any of the delays, accidents, or discomforts, that were predicted taking so late in the sessun to cross the moun- taius in this northero beavy grades of the titude over the temporary zix-zaz in November has been even sinoother than the Pleasant one out in October. The weather this side of the Cascaie mountains has been perfect, theair ciear and of a sparkling champazany In the driet time si our passage Westward a great deal of work has been done upon the ruad. There seemed to ve no signs of that dangerous retreachment in expendi- tures forthe improvement and completion of the readand forth? safety of the passengers talked of ia Wal! street. Some 1.39) mea were at work beyond the Mullan pass ballusting the Only portion of the road that has not yet been cked. At ‘arrison. the junction of the Utaii Northern railroad with tle Northern Paciti where, when we went out. there was 0 shanty or two, and the two railroad conip held their passenger stations and t ¢ In old railroad cars stand:ng on swite' alittle town had sprung up, aod a larce Inen were working day and nurht in the Struction of aspacious passeuger station and freight depot. THE MULLAN TUNNEL 3.850 feet in lenzth, at the raain divide of the “Roelies,” had been completed, and we game through it November 4 (ours being the second train to make tire passaze), thus avoiding the tedious and somewhat hazardous thouzh grandly picturesque zig-zay up the steep- Grade track (in so} et to the mile) to the top oi the puss This tunnel throazh the main divide of the Rocky 00 Northern Pacifie road. is Sea,—2.500 feet lowerthan the ofthe Union Pacific ri d the highest elevation on the ¢ The tunne! is mai some places loo: Ing heavy S$ tunnel as eisewhere up done in the moxt substant: the exception of the short road bevord Mullan’s p: eady reterred to ud the temporary tracks over tle pass at th uvénished Rozeman tunnel. there ts nothins in traveling its 2.000 miles rail to sugvest to the passenger that he is » over a new road. And the equipment of t! Pacitie. ek. but in equir- vision for the comfort of the p: ens 1s not only surprisingly compl for a new road thro: Savaze wilderness and over the great mountain ranyes of the country but in most respects it surp anything that the oldest and wealthiest lines can Show. One can take passage at St. Paul in a Pullman sleeper having all the latest improvements mreale (75 cents each) le-surely dining car, avoiding the badiy cooked “twenty oad eating houses, greatly to t Bis digestion, and travel comf 2.200 miles to Portiand, Oreron, without z of cars, or delay to re-weigh or transfer bag- gage. THE SURPRISES OF THE NEW NORTHWEST But the character of the construction and equipment of thisroad is only one of the sur- prises of this amazing new nor t. In fact. one has to reconstruct all his preconceived Notions of this region If Proctor Kaott were to come out here he would tind that all the wild exagzeration of his burlesque upon the pretensions of the new northwest is gettingto be Sober fact; only the progressive boom lias now got so far west of Duluth as to make that thrifty place figure on the map as an eastern elty. so to spea':. Here are St. Paul and Min- Reapolis. witp populations already of 80,000 or 90,000 each, and which probably in another de- cade will grow to be ore city with a combined population of halfa million. Then wz further West we strike the immense current of emizra- tion pouring into Dakota by every fine = and which has increased the population territory in twenty years from less than fifteen hundred to 325.000 in Iss3. AN UNKNOWN COUNTRY. How littie is known east of the character of this new country. and Marvelous growth shown by the fact that Harper's School Geogra- phy” (series of 1882) describes it as follows: “Dagota—Dakota ts an organized territory with @small population It Ls better adapted to grazing than agriculture. It ts crossed by tue of the North Pacific ruiiroad. ~The Bad Lands are a large @esolate tract in the sourhw Yankton, a Smal! town on the Missouri, ts the capital.” It Is not much wonder that the Dakotans are riled over these *statistics” in a standard text book, concerning their boomins territory In 1882, when Dakote was thus et a@country covered largely by bad dest not tit tor much but yraziny been established that the Terri nd at it had already ory is the best and largest uatura! wheat-growing region on the continent. it not in the worid Iso, that the quality of the wheat Is of th . the “Dak ta Hard Wheat. No. 1," taki first fanh wite the exacting Minneapoli the whea: district of Dakota is uot conti the great eighty-mile wide v:; of th fiver of the North. where the bonanza f x the | just | north, | | Cascade il soon be flooded, and th to push on in somewhat diminished yol- ume into Montana. Idaho. Washington Ter- ritery, Oregon and the Puget Sound region. The question comes up as to the stability of this srowth. There are those who hold that it is a e musiiroom affair, and cannot be intained away up here to the forth, close to vizzard milis. But the same was lof Chicagu twenty years ago, when that city had the effrontery to set up rivalry with aker city of St. nis St, Louis had such ex- t position, geographical- junction of great navigable ¢0,—away to the north of the central line of western travel and busi- —had no sort of show in the way of rival- The growth of Chicago was declared to be speculative bubble, kept afloat for the time nz by borrowed eastern money, and the in- evitable collapse, it was sald, would soon leave the aspiring city a sort of deserted villaze in its native swamps. But Chicayo has gone on grow- ine in this "mushroom" way. and bas so far sur- passed St. Louis in pepulation and business it is Mkely w the Manitoba | prosperity that its rival has lost all interest in tracks above thetunnelinz work. The return trip | the census reports. THE ADVANCE OF THE “RUSTLERS.” The same resties¢, speculative people that raised Chicago bodily out of the mud, and re- created it again and again out of the ashes, and then pushed on further northwest to the Mis- sissippi and leveled the hills and filled up the valleys to make room for St. Paul with Its busy population of 80.000, and as soon as that task was well under way moved a step further north and converted the great falls of St. Anthony into a mill-race to make Minneapolis the biggest flour factory in the world. with a duplicate population to that of St. Paul,—these are the same “rustlers” that are now overrunniog Dakota, building up railroad towns, river towns, valley towns, and starting wheat tarma, raising elevators, and Laie generally to that Territory fultill its manifest des- of supplying the larger part of the 0.000 bushels of wheat reqnired annu- keep the Minneapolis mills going. finished they will soon be pushing fur- ‘ t towards the Pacitle coast. Who can, what limits to put to the growth of this new northwest inthe next twenty years with such men to the front? What developments they will make of the great mining and grazing re- gions of Montana, of the vast bunch-grass wheat lands of central Oregon and Washington Ter- ritory, of the wonderful timber lands and grass lands of the “Webfeet” country, west of the Mountains, and what new Chicagos they will build on the Columbia river, on Puget Sound, or away up Alaska way? Who can tell here the line of northern progress will be draw Already the Northero Pacitie has lost its distinction as the most northerly road. The Canadian Pacific is making Its way across the continent some hundreds of iniles yet farther Where fs the North, a To drop into Pope: Ask heres the Northt At York "tis op the Tweed, and, at the Orcades: and there, enland, Zembia, OF the Lord knows where. . N. t at job 0 ——_—++-____ LETTER FROM NEW YORK. New York Millionaires in Social Lite— ‘Their Traits in jiness Life—Their Love of Art—Leading Actresses “Our? —The Cricket Outlook—The Bijou ‘Theater—New Year’s in New York— Old Comedics—Exit the Minstrels, Etc. Special Correspondence of Taz EvEstsa Stan. New Yorks, Dec. 7. Henry Villard is beginning to branch out as a Society man. Thus far, he has not been a pro- nounced success, but he is fired with the same enthusiasm his financial operations. He has a wife and daushter. who dress modestly, and who attend him whenever he appears in public. They go to | the Metropolitan Opera house regularly, and are di | probably the plain ed women in the au- dience. The daughter isa fresh looking girl, | about 18 years of age, and of a retiring disposi- | tion, i | in a social*way. jof them all Is J | repeated every das or two. New York millionaires do not amount to much Perhaps the least pretentious Jim” Keene. He is a quiet little man. and his wildest ideas of dissipation are embodied in an evening spent at Delmonico’s, drinking sadly with one or two Wall street men. | The report that Mr. Keene has gone up Is At least four times | @ week the Wall street reporters come up to the | daily newspaper offices with rumors to the effect | that the California speculator has once more lost his grip. Then various inquiries are set on foot | and interviews with the triends of Mr. Keene | three days ago it was said that Keene was long | ppear the rext day in all the papers. Only | 30.000 shares of Oregon and Transcontinental This was immediately after a sharp ine of the stock, and the conclusion was | jumped to at once that Mr. Keene had gone | Keene find | Jw | K to pleces. The reason that rumors about such ready credence is based wild and “reckless style of There is not a man in Ho str that takes such risks as James R. vne. He came here from California some Years ago on a special car, with $5,000,000. He said when he arrived that he had come to break Jay Gould on his speculatin rs. The threat has not been carried out, but eene has undoubtedly been on the polat of failure haifa dozen times within that period. He was obliged at one time to sel! his pictures, his country hoase, and even now his family is in Europe for economy's sake. Just before the re- verses beeome too strong for him to resist, some lucky turn in the market makes him a heavy winner and he Is put on his teet again Keene possesses the happy faculty of swimming with the tide No matter bow quick the changes | may be, he invariably gets in the swim before it cultivate their fields of forty or more square | mies, area bu. cevers a large pro 53.000 square miles) of the Territor ‘much all of the land east of the i river and a large amouut west of that Tiver in the Sioux reservation, as yet unde. ¥eloped. While the ure ne of the Northern the main attention. o1 scale of th: farming operations there, a swarm of immigrants have been pouring into ce and sout era Dakota uiong the rch “Ji Sioux and Missouri Rive~ valley: and over the altmost equally tertile roliin and have dotted tue their tiny shanty nones wheat. Haifa dozen competing railroad system are xridironing the Jertitory with Unes and laterals with such ity that in a ear or two the Daseta fr: st of the Missouri river at least than ten miles from market for the! 1 nave attrac yuut of the enormous railroad eo specu hi s are beiny state’ and many of them willnever get beyond a village growth, they @re all sur of a fair degree of prosperity as the centers of rch farming communities ‘Tie imm gTation into Lakota is largely from the paraile east, and ‘6 m. vod deal of active, i at youngmen. Theaesult isa populat of imoense pus: and euersy that Rever be conateat the utmost bulties of the been developed. tition amoug the my upall over Dakota finest churelies, seu Ss and hoases, the best busivess facilities, The School bouses. especially, cc to the front In all these Dakota towns The pretty little town of Clark, in ceutra! Dakota, fifteen months old, has a schoc . for Territory” shall have the hard!y be surpassed any wl: SOME OF THE BOOMING ¢ Yankton, on the extreme y, on the Missouri river, set down by the geographer as the ieading town aml a small one ut that, isoniy one of ascore of busy competing points in southern, ceatral, and northern Da- kote claiming to have special elements of per- manevt prosperity,—Sioux Fails, with its fine Water power and inexhaustible quarries of stone re in the country. PIES OF DAKOTA. uthern line of the <coun- and Jamestown Chamberlain, iF advuntaveous Positions on the Missuuri river tu benefit by Fai'rvada planned trom fh) nto the black Hii!-, Deadwood, the center ot the mining re- gion of Dakota, and Furcu. the Looming city of the great Red river valley, with its electric lights, street cars, opera house, ht news- papers, four banks, water works, fre depart- Ment of five companies, manufactures, ele- vaters, &¢. THE COURSE OF EMPIRE TAKES iTS WAY COX SIDERABLY NORTH OF WEST. On account of the convenience and compara- tive cheapness of access, and as affording the Jast opportunity to et fertile, easily cultivated government lands under tne pre-emption, home- stead and tree-claim acts, the rush of emigra- tioa is now mainly to Dakota, but, at the rate it 1s pouring in, that territory, immense as it is, on the rick Pierre and &i bet is too late. He jumps from one side of the market to the other with an agility that isa continual surprise to the heavy uramipulators on the street, and takes outside flyers with the same recklessness that characterize his opera- ns Instucks. For instance when petroleum fan to loom up on a speculative horizon last summer, the first_man to dip into it was Jim Keene. Re went in so heavily that he practi- cally manipulated ‘the market, and when the fever had settled down oil men’ said_positively that Keene was at least $500,000 ahead. He takes biy risks, and asaresult makes big pro- tits, but there is always a chance that he will be wiped out of existence by a sudden siump in stocks. MILLIONAIRES AND PAINTINGS. Keene’s love for paintings and the arts Is not pronvunced and he has none of the affectations that characterize Vanderbilt. The Commodore's son poses continually as apatronof the fine arts and talks about nothing but his horses and his pictures, [tis difficult to engaye Vander- ilt in any cuuversation in which there is any suggestion of tinancial matters. The Vander- Uiits propose to open the season this year as tiey closed it last’ year, by a ball at the 53d- tiwansion. Provably both Mr. Twombiey's and William H. Vanderbilt’s houses will be used for the oceaston. [t will not be a fancy dress ball, but in point of numbers and miscellaneous | character will more closely resemble a charity than anything else Itisat the Vanderbilts | balis that the various cliques of New York s0- | ciety forget their differences ond meet on com- dwelling | mon ground. There isa sort of tacit azree- ment that all social differences shall be lala vhen attending the biow ovts of New ’s richest family. Speaking of millionaires reminds me of Mr. Duff. of Boston. who ts becoming an habitue of the cinbs and cafes of New York. He isthe man whom Hutchinson was ciarged with swindling out of a million dollars. Hutchinson afterwards returned 700.000 of it, and Duff then began to operate on the street for himselt. fam told that he has not been very snecessful beauty of design and excellence of plan, can | ‘bus far, and his appearance certainiy indicates that he Is not floating on the top wave of suc- cess. He is a tall man with round shoulders, receding forehead and chin, and a scraggly black beard. His manners are gentle and re- uring. He is usualiy regarded as belonging to the lamb species. MISS COGHLAN AND MISS HILY.. There is a row in Wallack’s theater. Miss Coghlan, the leading woman, it Is said, is be- coming snappishly Jealous of Caroline Hill. Caroline Hill is the wife of Robert Kelsey, who is now considered the handsomest man on the American stage. Miss Hill is a pretty little blonde. vivacions and clever. Her acting in “Moths” the only play In which she has ap- peared in this country, has created a great deal of talk, She easily took the honors of the even- ing away from Miss Coghlan, thouzh the latter favorite had a much better part. Nobody dreamed that Miss Coghlan would become Jeai- ous of Miss Hill for the first week or two, but asthe play went on and the applause and flowers for Miss Hiil increased every night, while those for Rose grew beautifully leas, the leading lady began to make di- verse personal remarks about the new aspirant. The fact is people like Miss Hill because she is fresh and vigorous and pretty. Rose Coghian ts rather a handsome woman, but she is becoming passe, and we have seen her act so much there is no novelty about It. Miss Hill has gone to Chicago, where her husband is now playing, and Miss Coghlan has been taken out of the cast for a rest. Hostilities are for the time suspended. Meanwhile the and I ting It gut. The dudes, Angioabalacs sed crab tian, who bare bo Wag socially that has characterized | Gould promised to send him | kina freight car at the expiration ot two | 1b been staunch friends of Miss Coghla over in a body to Miss Hill. is because Miss Hill Is more English than Miss Coghlan Rose came over with Lydia Thompson's bur- lesqu» troupe a good many years ago, and she has been identified with Wallack’s theater so long that people forget that she is not of Ameri- can birth. Miss Hill is treshly. yizorously and aggressively English In everything that she does and says. It is the fashion to worship things that are English now, and hence the enthusiasm for Caroline Hill. THE CRICKET OUTLOOK. The outlook for cricketing this year is not half So encouraging as it has been for the last two or three seasons. It is said that the Australian eleven will come again in the spring, and that Lord Harris’ English cricketers will arive here at the same time. If that is the case the Aus- tralians and the Englishmen will have to fzht it out between them, because there Is no eleven In America that can compete with either one of them. It would be possible perhaps to make up a fairscratch team by chosing the best players from the various American elevens, which would zive Lord Harris’ mena rub, but none of the existing elevens can mect them. Cricketing isa Little too slow for Americans and will never be a3 popular ‘as base ball. ANOTHER NEW THEATER. The Bijou theater has finally been opened. The most Interesting things about the theater 80 far are the costumes of the girls on the stage and the series of suits among the managers and owners of the theater. In the first place Mr, Edwin E. Rice, w the manager of the troupe ot players, sues Mesars. Myer§ & Barton, the lessees of the theater, and they in turn sue the owner of the property, who has in his turn en- tered asuit against his son. The result will provebly be bankruptcy for ail hands concerned. it would be much cheaper.to turn the place over to the lawyers at once. Mr. Rice sues the lessees pecause they promised to have the build- ing ready for his company on September 24th. They were not ready until December. In the meanwhile Mr. Rice was oblized to pay his salaries just as thouch his troupe were perform- ing Miles & Barton sue the owngr because he made them put up 80,000. tor repairs, where he had formerly promised to ask for only 20,000, and they also sue him for delaying the com- pletion ofthe building. The owner. whose name is Frederick James, anticipating trouble of this fort, passed hia property over into the hands of his son some time ago and now wants it back again. The son rather enjoys holding the prop- | erty and won't give ‘t back to the old man, and | is secretly eguing on the managers who have in- stituted the other suits. Thetheater was opened with a performance for the first time in English j of Offenbach’s Orpheus.” It has beer translated with an entiredisregard for the original mean- ing of the opera. and the resnuit isa bewildering creation of lurid puns, antique jokes, ‘chest- Duts” and slang. NEW YEAR'S DAY IN NEW YORK. There is no doubt that New Year Day calling isathing of the past. There will be practically none of it done this year, except among a few of the enthusiasts who stick to traditions. The custom grew to be such an appalling nuisance that people in selt-defense were fored to abolish it Everybody called on everybody else that they had known or heard of on New Year Day. The resuit was that people who kept a hospitable house were over-run by a miscel- | laneous crowd of young men, halt of whom | were entire strangers to them. It is usually | the way in New York when a fashion once be- comes fairly started it is run into the ground, | and then forever abandoned. Calling on New | Year day, if kept within limits, would be an | agreeable and unobdjectionable custom, but run | to excess it is a nuisance. OLD COMEDIES. Mr. Wallack, whenever he is undecided con- cerning the policy of his theater, resorts to what are called old comedies. One of these, the | Road to Ruln,” was produced on Monday | | nicht. The house was filled with people who | would no more think of missing one of these “Revivals” than they would think of missing a | charity ball. They are tne saine people who turn out for the rsaol for Scand...” “She Stoops to Conquer,” ‘Nx = too Lat » to Mend,” | and the other stilted plays of the same sort, | which are brouzht up regularly by Mr. Wallack. It is noticeable that the tirst night of these | plays is always a success, but the succeeding | performances are presented toa house that is, Tarely more than half tilled. That is simply be- | cause the mass of theater-goers do not care a snap for the old comedies. The ‘Road to Ruin,” for instance, is to the play-goer of 1883 @ stilted, unnatural and wearing play as it Is possible to conceive. Beside it our modern melodramas and comedies are works of genus. EXIT THE MINSTRELS. The San Francisco Minstrels have moved out bay and ba: of Backus took the strongest element of popu- | larity away from this famous troupe of minstrels, and thouzh Birch, the remaining partner, | worked hard to keep up the standard and excel- lence of the organization, the attendance grad- | | ually sunk away until it was necessary to take | | the troupe out onthe road. The little hall on Broadway which has for so many years been a favorite amusement place to thousands of New Yorkers, goes into the hands of others, and our | favorite minstrel troupe is zone forever. It isa sadder thing than it may at first appear to the | | Casual reader. . are going } ff i * Alas?? Written for Tae Evestse Stan. The autumn storm beats o'er the vine-clad hall; ‘The autumn leaves are dead, the rain-drops fall; ‘The autumn leaves tly to the window sill, Within Is soft and warm, without ts hard and chill. She sits alone; ‘tis twilight; she {s fair. The fire flame makes gold the nut brown hatr, ‘The hands are soft and white, the mellow glow Hath caught the sad sweet smile, “Ah, friend 1} know It cannot be.” The rain-drops fall, the leaves are gone, ‘The storm beats o'er the hall and she’s not won. y. P. CARTER, WASHINGTON ASA RAILWAY CE TER. Chicago, Norfolk Be Washington Air- Line. From the Cincinnati Enquirer. Last spring a special party, composed of Danish and English capitalists representing 150,000,000, arrived at Baltimore, and after having completed arrangements set out for Nortolk and points along Chesapeake bay, with a view of determini he advisability of build- ing an air-line betw Chicago and the coast. The English own considerable real estate in Virginia and North Carolina, mostly mineral and forest lands. At Chicago both Danish and | English people have a large amount of capital invested, both in real estate and business. The | idea was to erect large grain elevators at New- ort News or a point opposite Hampton roads, ut the Chesapeake and Ohio ana Nortolk aud Western people prevented this move, they having immense elevators at those seaports. At last it was determined to locate at Norfolk and buildan air-iine between thereand Chicayo, with branches to Washington and Richmond, and to this end matters are now under way Among the surveys made the one selected is almoet an air-line route between the terminals. The road leaving Chicago takesa south-easterly course. passing throuzh Fort Wayne, Ind. Columbus, Ohio; Parkersburg, W. Va.; Staun- ton and Petersburg, Va.. thence to Norfolk. The branch lines to Richmond and Washington will leave the main line at Petersburg, and another branch will be built from Parkersburg, Va., airect to Washington. The profile of the Une is now being made in Philadelphia, prepara- tory to letting the work. The officers of the company will be at Walnut place. Philadelphia, until the road is complete, when the general offices will be located at Chicago. It is the in- tention of those interested to make Norfolk an export point, and the company will build large grain elevators there and improve the harbor. The road connecting Lake Michigan and the Atlantic Ocean by a direct line must open a new | field for manufacturers and shippers, as it will | be the shortest road to the sea, and open up trafic between Norfolk and Chicago that has heretofore gone to Baltimore, New York and Philadelphia. The object of the harbor improvement is to divert the grain and other export trade from New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore, and no doubt will, at least toa considerable extent. The Danes ere represented by Mr. Ferdinandi Hanson and the English by Wm. Adair, both of whour are well known in New York. It ts in- tended to have preliminaries arranged sv that the line will be let for contract by April of next ye 1 ear. This is not a line mapped out on paper or a Wildcat scheme created by landor mineral speculators, but an enterprise long under con- sideratien by men ot means, and the enterprise will doubtless be a success. Of the proposed line, however, the Huntington Interests speak adversely. One of its agents recently said: “The line would uot be built, as it could rot be sustained, and that the country could not sup- port such a road at the present; besides, Hunt- ington bad the trade in hand, and would hold it.” Such an opinion, however, is merely the thought of one Sppmed toa rival line. The game was aaid of the Cincinnati Southern when {t was first proposed to build the road, and now those who were then loud, in denouncing the}. scheme, are first in praising the ei 5 With $150,000,000 capital such men as are ited in the scheme there can be no Soubt as to its success. xaxe from New York. The death | { CITY AND DISTRICT. THE CHILDRENS CHRISTMAS CLUB. The Idea Eagerly Embraced—Various Movements, Plans and Suggestions— A Good Time Coming for the Poor Children, The publication in THe Star of last Saturday of Mias Sargent’s description of the Christmas Club, of Portiand. Me., wasso effective in directing attention to the condition of the poor, and their Joyless state, at the merriest season ot the year. that already several Christmas clubs have been formed, and are actively carrying out the plan of organization and work suzyested by Miss Sargent. Within a few hours after the publica- tion In THE Star a Children’s Christmas Club was formed ata meeting of the officers and teachers of the new church (xwedenborian) Sunday school. and on the following Sunday nearly every scholarjoinedtheclub. Thechildrea of St. Andrew's P.E Sunday school, wide-awake in good works, determined Sunday morning to ae up their Christmas festivities for the bene- it of the poor children in the northwest section ofthe city. A Christmas club was formed, with Mr. R. Koss Perry as president. The club is open to every one connected with the church and Sunday school, irrespective of age or sex. membership fee was fixed at tencents. Th Christinas club idea promptly met with favor, aiso amoung a number of young people, wh have formed a Children’s Christuias Club, as has been stated in THE Srak, under the direction of | Miss West, daurchter of Commissioner West, and Miss Waite, daughter of Chief Justice Waite. Among membersare Miss NellieArthur,daughter of the President, and the list of juvenile mem- bers contains many names well known in this city. This club gives signs of a most active life. The members have entered into the work heartily and have received many kind offers of ald from persons interested in its success. Mr. Staples has given the club the use of Willar hail. It is proposed to increase the membership to at least one hundred. A General Committee Suggested. ‘To the Editor of Tae EVENING STAR: Ella S. Sargent’s account of “The Children’s Christmas Club,” and your teeling and timely editorial thereon, published in last Saturday’s Star, have. I am eure. received heartfelt atten- tion from many of your readers. Every child, and every parent, tov, within our city, able to contribute anything, will, no doubt, be glad to marshal themselves under one banner, it not {nto one club. and give to the poor children of the District such a Christmas as they have never seen in all their iives. No greater joy, nor more tender and touching sermon of Him who came to Bethlehem and the World in the dear Christ- mas time can be curried to the hearts of the shivering and hungry little oues than bs de- 8cribed in the histury of tue formation and work of the “Children’s Club” at Portland. It seems to we that to make so important a movement a success there should be or; one general head or committee, and that under it the city should be divided Into, say four dis- tricts, with proper sub-committees to look after them and to get them in thoro orden. A yeneral committee is suzgested be- cause it will insure an uniform system of invi- tation distribution, &c., throuzhout the city. and the district system necessary in order to avoid duplication of iuvitations aud to insure as nearly as possiblethat every poor child in the city will be remembered. Contributions would undoubtedly have tu be distributed from different points in the city, because it would be diticult, if not impossible, on account of the larse number to be looked after, to find one place from which all could be served without reat trouble and confusion. Ifthe city should e divided into four distriets—which seems guite enough—let there be that many places of distribution. The Christmas dinners with their Christmas trees should not be forgotten. They cuuld be spread in roouy halls ur school rooms. which ought to be bad for this purpose for the askiag. Let us give the children who have happy Christuas times an opportunity to bring the same joyous reality which they have ex- perienced, to their poorer brothers and sisters, and then with Tiny Tim, we will have heart to say “God bless us every one,” A. Washington, D. C., Dec. 5, 1883. East Washington Upon The Children’s Christmas Club, To the Editor of Taz Eventse Star: The reproducing of the plan of the “Child- ren’s Christmas Club” from St. Nicholas in last Saturday’s issue of your paper cannot be praised too highly, and xour editorial commending the organization of such a cnaritable club In Wash- ington and offering space in your valuable paper for communications from the citizens making Suggestions as to a plan of action, thus Inauzu- rating this Christlan movement yourself, is a worthy and charitable action of itself, deserving the thanks of all Christian people of the Dis- trict, and also of the poor. This work is God’s work, and every person old enough and capable of understanding the object of this contemplated organization should enter into the spirit of it heartily to the extent of their power and means. Do you not think the plan of action Is to organize throuzh the medium of the unday schools of the District of Columbiainto districts—say six— one in Georgetown, northwest, north, south and East Washington, and Uniontown, respac- tively—all Sunday school children and others Interested in the movement in these respective localities shall unite in organizing one club for each locality named. and from the six clubs shall be formed an executive club, composed of a delegation from each and all of the six clubs, to consist wholly of adult members, who shall have the exclusive manazement of arranging the festival for the children of the poor. and also the ininor details necessary to effect this object, such as assigning the duties to the differ- ent receiving clubs and disbursing all funds, overseeing all the work, engaging a hall, issu- ing invitations, &¢., &e. Now, having ot ganized and prepared for work, the next thing to be done is to find the | worthy objects of our beneficent purpose, and should not the medium ot this branch of the work be through the Associated Charities, the Young Men's Christian Association, and the various temperance organizations of this District. Have such of these organizations as can and wiil do so, repurt to the executive club such names of children as they deem worthy and in need of the contemplated aid. Having found the children, the next action is to cluthe them and make preparation for the festival. Would it uct be well to have all the poor children invited tu gu to the rooms of the Associated Charities, where ali contributions of wearing apparel will be sent for distribution, to be supplied with such clothing as they need to make a presenta- ble appearance, and for inspection of personal appearance? Each child shall go to execu- tive headquarters to receive his printed invita- tion and such instructions as to where the clothing will be fuund, and when and where the | festival will be held. The largest hall—say, Lincoln hall—should be procurcd; invitations issued to each guest, and the balance over, to the seating capacity of the hall, to the more prominent pergons inter- ested from each of the six districts. "br engage several halls—say, one ball to two districts— and Issue invitations to all members and to the guests of the occasion. Arrange an order of exercises froin the talent of the city to make the evening entertaining, and after the enter- tainment have the guests of the evening pass | | out before the staxe and receive @ ba of cao- | Commission, connecting the parks on either dies, nuts, oranges, &¢., and a smail gift of re- meibrance. Perhaps tables could be arranzed at several halls to give the children suca a Christinas dinner as they never dreamed of. Cannot these orcanizations be effected at once and work begun, the Executive club or- ganized and set to work and this glorious char- Itable object consumunated, if this or sume other pian be feasible aud determined upon. May the whole Christian people ofthe District of Co- lumbia unite as one body and adopt such plaos 4s will establish this contemplated day of feast and rejoicing for the children of the poor. [ feel sure East Washington wili fall into line of action if the other sections will co-operate. see by the papers that your seeds were sown in food ground and are pecans) of good results in the organization of a club among the most in- fluential and wealthy people of the District. May the good work go on. East WASHINGTON. ‘The Poor Help the Poor. ‘To the Editor of THe EvENiNe svar: We feel that the work of the Christmas Ciub, described in the Saturday Star. is most fitting- ly a work to be accomplished mainly by happy children, guided by their parents and teache! But we grown-ups desire to engage to the ex. tent of offering a mite whenever we can. Please accept $1 from a very poor Moruer ap DavGHTER. Hondeau. Written for Tae EvExta Sran, I loved her once, and thought her true,— ‘A witch, with eyes cule blue; e Bur took her dainty hand knelt beside her on the strand, hyT earthward blew Fond heart! how can I say adteu? ‘These bitter tears my eyes Dodew, For even now at altar grand, For time-tor aye—asd}: sotto T loved her once. * aS ‘Washington, Noy, 96, 1883. ache NEXT YEAR°’S APPROPRIATIONS. Estimates of Amounts to be Expended im and About the District. CHANGES MADE BY THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY IN THE DISTRICT BSTIMATES—AP- PROPRIATIONS ASKED FOR PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS—THE RIVER FRONT IMPROVE- MENT, &C. The revision by the Secretary of the Treasury of the estimates submitted to him by the Dis- | trict Commissioners of the expenditures for the | District covernment during the next fiscal year | makes no change in the total amount of esti- mates, which is $3.625.373.47, including #186,349 for the water department. The Secretary. iow- | ever, recommends an addition of #65.800 to the | sum estimated by the Commissioners for the fovernment hospital for the insane, which sum is balanced by decreasing other estimates as fol- | lows: Salary of Engineer Commissioner, $237.50; salary of the surveyor, $3,000; salary of one | market master. 91,200; health department. 86,780; | Work on sundry avenues and streets, 54.582 50. | The item to make the Engineer Commissioner's | Salary equal to 5.000 is reduced $237.50, on the supposition that the present Engineer Com- | missioner will be retained. His army pay and allowance for the fiscal year will amount to | $4,076, leaving only $924 necessary to make his salary $5.000. The estimate in the engineer's | office for salary of the surveyor. 8,000, and the | provision requiring all fees collected by him to be paid Into the Treasury to the credit of the District of Columbia, are omitted. One market master. to be employed at the Center market, al $1,200, is also omitted. THE DISTRICT GOVERNMENT. The estimates for the salaries and contingent expenses include $21.344 for the Executive of- the Collector's office, £16.500 fur the Auditor's | Office, $8,792 for the Attorney's office, 22.700 for j the Sinking Fund office. $2.500 for the Coro- ner’s office, 42.450 tor the Engineer department and $5.00 for miscellaneous expenses. For the Folice department total appropria- tions of $331,000 are axked,which include $15,000 for the erection of a new sixth precinet station, £3.00 for the erection of a stable in the drat precinct for vane and ambulances, for one night Inspector at an increased salary of $1,500, nine j Hentenants at increased s@lary of 21.320, | twenty sergeants at $1,140, eizhty privates of | $900 class, privates of €1.080 class, seven- teen station keepers at €720. horses for twenty |two members of the force, at $240 each for forage. THE PUBLIC SCHOOL FUND. For public schools $478.340 is asked, for sala- ries, rent, repairs and general maintenance, | and £66,000 fur new butidings. In relation to | the public schools the Secretary says: The esti- niate of the Commissioners for expenses of pub- | lie schools is nor such ‘an itemized statement and estimate” as seems to be required by the act | of June 11, 1878. (20 stats.. 104.) The prices to be paid teachers and janitors are not stated, nor does the estimate for new buildings give any in- {formation as to bow many buildings it is pro- ‘a to erect. what is to be the cost of each, o: where they are to be located The law re- quires that the money anpropriated each year for school purposes shall be divided between the white and colored schouls in the proportion that | the number of white children in the District be- | tween the ages of six and seventeen years bears to the number of colored children between those | ages, (sections 281 and 306. Revised Stats . D.C.) This department has asked. in connection with | | the settlement of the Commissioners’ accounts, | for statements showing the amount to which | each class of schuols was entitled, and the ex- | Penditures op behalf of each; but so far no | statements as requested have been furuished. | Iv is suggested that so long as the present law | remains in force it would be better if the esti- mates and appropriations should show the amounts to be expended on account of each class of schools. Most of the older three-story school buildings have wooden stairways and landings, and in case of fre during school hours the lives of the inmates would be in great peril thereby. It is deemed by this department of the first importance that iron be substituted for wood In these stairways and landings, and it is recommended that provision be made therefor by taking the amount necessary to effect the | change from the estimate for new buildings, | if it cannot be spared trom any other fund. MISCELLANEOUS. For the Washington asylum 252,735 is asked, ‘tor the retorm school, $32,800; Georgetown | almshouse. 21,800; government insane hospital, 112,000; transportation of paupers and pris- bia bospitat, $15,000; Industrial Hume school, | $15,000; care of streets, &c., $158,000; lighting | Streets, $109,000; fire department, $116,440: tel- ephone service, 440; Police Court. 218: health department, $36,200; water department, | $136,349. PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS. The Secretary also asks for $10,000 for the Im- provement of the White House grounds, $8,500 | forreservations on North and South Carolina | avenues east; for improvement of reservation 17 and site of old canal, $20,000; improving Sew- | ard Place, $10,000; fur care, repair and refur- | Cleausing and caring for the springs which sup- ply the White House, Capitol, War, State and Navy departments, $2,500; for continumg the | Coustruction of the War, Navy and State depart- | meat buiding, $500,000; for elevators and repairs | to the Winder building, $7,200; total estimates ment, $671, THE WY YARD, RIVER FRONT, &C. Unuing dredging of channel, $141,000. For re- $123,000. Capitol and grounds, $138.7U8. For gas and electric lighting of the Capitol | and grounds, $27,000. Repairs and improve- ments at City hall) 2,000. partment, as follows: At hospital tor the insane, 400; deaf and dumb asylum, $5,000; Howard University, @3,000; total for public works under luterior” department, 038.608. For the National Museum it is proposed to erect an additional brick museum building (tire-proot ) for chemical, geologicaiand mineralogical coliections, at a cost of 2260.00, and small brick storaxe buildings to cost 210,000. At the Reform School the sum of $14,000 is asked for the erect.on of home tor small boys ana a chapel. For the purciase of au additional tract of land at the Soidiers’ Home $15,000 is asked. For the continuation of the river front improvement $1,000,00u, and for harbor umprove- | ments at Washington and Georgetown $60,000. | For Fort Foote $50.000 is asked, and Fort Wash- ington $50,000. es THE SIXTH STREET BRIDGE. An as Completion of a Fine &mprovement by the Baltimore and Potomac Kailroad Company—fhe View from the Top of the New Structure, The Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Com- Pany completed, on Saturday, the construction | of the bridge across 6th street, near the fish | Side of the street, and obviating the necessity | of persons crossing the dangerous network of tracks which occupy that part of the street, | when driving to and fro. The bride is a hand- some iron structure, supported upon massive stone abutments, with terraces sluping off at | either side, and adds greatly to the appear- j ance of the park, by relieving the monvtony | ot a dead level. “It is one hundred and ten feet loug, extending across the street in one arched span sixteen and a half feet above the pavement, allowing ample réom for the trains to pass under, Either end of the span rests | upou a stone abutment, with long wing-walis extending @ hundred and forty feet up and down | 6in street. The approaches to the bridge are | formed of earthworks, with a bed of gravel eighteen inches thick’ on the driveway. The | terraces sloping on either side to the level of the park are sodded, and it is intended in the | spring to plaat them with shrubbery and flowers. | ‘ihe grade from the park to the bridge is easy, being but 53g feet to the hundred. ‘The drive- | woy of the bridge is 30 feet wide, witn a foot- wk five feet wide on either side, and at each end are two handsome cut-granite columns, surmounted each witha large iamp. At the euds of the wing-walls are slmuar columns and lamps. The bridge is heavy and substantial, but artistic in design, costing about $50,000 and 14 quite attractive in @ppearance. Large crowds have been to see it every day since its completion and people driving through the park find it very convenient. Hackigen driving strangers about to see the city have already learned to stop here to give their ‘patrons the advantage of the elevation to get a ood view of the park, extending through the | fice. $13,500 for the Assessor's office, $17.30 for | ners, $3,000; relief of the poor, $15,000, Colum- | | since correct nishing ot the Executive Mansion €25.000: tor | | for buildings and grounds under the War depart- | 0. For the Washington navy yard, for continu- |i ing yard wall, erecting machine shop and con- | construction of Interior department building, | For repairs and maintenance of the | improvements at | | the various institutions under the Interior de- | the widow of Nathaniel Greene. | tanist of the National Museum, visited the y the base of the Washington monu Bureau of Engraving and Print the Agricuitural grounds, and t A tangle among the trees, throuch t sonian grounds: through the new then converging into one a drive fountain up to the brid Ti aca paths diverge and wint on in their crooked way towards the Cay The bride unites t whieh have been ef tersecting raiiroad trs most commanding pr in mar Smit i] and, when surrounded « nt some ext nM vbfectionable. fea: view. ure, Harewood Park and the New Reser- voir. To the Editor of Tax Eventne Stan: The reservoir for addition: the city located in the depres of Howard University now under contract and w villtorm a beautifal lake of outline, about half a mile in len or seventy acres of area will a pected, be embraced in, and ture of the park, sup pected way, an element of beauty, th of which s heretofore been so piored. It isto be hoped, too, of the engineer conten latcement as will s plareround conver be aceomplished by « now & goverument re- in extent—and the ti: | tween it and the site of ing the former, ing point of ¥ extended, the reservoir The fin | fitting portal of made easily ac | the city. The few additiona: acres ti have to be acquired in order to unite ag ima’ sol.date the divisions would be [adapted for the pu Zovlovical gardens and woud appropriation — Public ment of sj Philade largest in this country and in maznitude in the worid. « ay) the main entrance to “Fairmount park's greatest attrac c veir at the bound gineer must have presente —of sihservin with the incons ail the natural r compassed—e prospects, embow glens aud grottos d cony to are cut into t ted, iu ord For a me complished here! “Harewood” 4 petent dire gran the © al design. a port Inn aud excellence o ation with t achievements in this ted of creative old citles of Europe. And to secure completion, designs should be cai early day. Se —— Civil Action in Case of Death. To the Editor of Tae Evesiss Star This is the heading of a par: on page 19 of the last annual report of the Commissioners tor this District And their re commendation to Congress cannot be te commended. It ts in the foliowing Lan, “The Commissioners ask Cou. Ss to the propriety of abolishing the common law rule that still prevails in this District, d the right to recover damaes in acivi! action fo thedeata ofa perso. cuased by the wrongtul or negligent act of ancther To allow dam in such cases, with or without a maximum ¢ by statute. seems to be the tendency of 1m levisiation, and is most of the stat Congress has considered bills of this ter, and committees of buth | than once acted favorably on have failed to meet with eoncarrent reason alone that y | | uses tia! the two houses. and tort rmits 7 party ininced, if escapes with his life. and denies it to sonal representatives suing on behaif 0 widow and children if he does not survive absurdity of the common law bas d in the s! ps, why st allowed to remain longer here a diszrace to the nation, as our citizens have no power over the sub Xx. ¥.Z Is This the “New Education’ To the Fajtor of Tre Evesne Sram: The history of our own country has been ove of the most attractive and kelpf the studies pursued in the put | While the best teachers ev improved the methods, and, nota’ city, are presenting the subject with much telligence and discrimination, the book-makers with them, and the ideal have not kept book tor | tory ts not yet out This would ap inners in United States bis- | have taken published * 8. History.” “entitled “Hy Q. “If a woman went to Fleep du these sermons what was done to wake her? The brushed her nose with a il, fastened to a rod. . “Who said. Oh mein kivs up!” Hurrah for King Dutchinan,” ete. Q. “How many steps fi Bunker Hill monument? Q. “Who made a fortune smuggling tea in molasses horsheads?” Ans. “Jolin Haneock.” Q. *What little yiri, two years vid, exp! Hell Gat Q. “What people introduced the doughuutinto | the United States?” in the stair case of the ing when he beard of What became of it? linen shirt, and kept th shred: of Lexingte le wore a tow- until it was worn to He had none other to wear.” Q. “What did General Hull disy of distress at Detroi?” (May be, Old Pat's unwashed shirt.) Q. “With whom was when he invented the cotton-gi Q. “What President, while yet a mere an unbroken colt to death?” Ans. Washington.” Q. “What did a poor schoolmaster do on the spot where Cincinnati now stands?" (For lwea- ven's sake, what? Q. “Upon what was General Pike sitting when he was blown up?” (Here the answer is ob- vious.) Q. “In what part of the body was each Amer. iean wounded at the battle of New Orleau: Ans. “In the head.” Q. “Isa negro a colored man?" Ani is @ white man a colored man rode rge | “Yes : | Q. “What 1s a white negro called?” Ans. | “an Albino.” TEACHER. Not Quite So Old. To the Editor of Tar Evexto Stan: In your iasue of Tuesday, December 4th, it is stated that the wood found in the excavation, | fear the Casino, was pronounced to belong to the quartenary formation. it is not more than | amonth ago that Prot. L. F. Ward. fossil bo- | cinity. and after a thorough examination re- ported the wood to be nothing more or lessthan agrowth of yo pines and cedars, ail through that neighborhood fitteen years in a valiey which was filled .n by dumps of clay. sand, old pieces of stone, china, puts, bones and old iron, or anything. Now, it seems that these trees have grown to be as old as the human face: the stones will be, recognized as relics of the stone age, and the jaw bone of a mule,asthe | inferior maxilla of a Cave-bear, mastodo , &e. and with specimens here and there of antedilu- vian pottery. The reports of these two scien- tific bodies are wide thousands of years. Wi’ th. apart, to the extent of | ‘hich is right? “ICHTHYOSAURUS.” Mrs. Ruth Everett, of Salt Lake City, sa that the Utah women who sigued the Delltion tanic garden to the itol on the one hand. and stretching out caroane the Smithsonian and Agricultural grounds and Monument lot to the river on the other. This affords an extensive and beautiful drive. The gravel paths and car- riage “we commencing at the park back of the White House and State depurtinent, with a thousand turns and angles, wind long the » in some future day, they into a lake- to Congress protesting against any further bres lon upon polygamy did so ‘under coer- Maggie Sheehan, a servant girl at a residence street, New York, late on Monday aight detected a burgiar on the stairway with a liver under his arm. There was a rustle | Mifflin & Co. | most | the heart of any little Aby Wo 2 tre Borne Ty wand R Cite RE dertaking was | the intr te Mr tions and Ltn! arran, has & " as his two pre £ Mistakes and Thoproprietias mene ASseeh By mR Co” Washingt k seems to be constructed on down by Gen. Sptr arer, to on as, in body any thing’ tt contains @ ¢ many th and a every b ethe to impres: se and value 6) 4S taken apen bimsei? etouping together a large s from the vat thinker and rt will have this ef a nan hardly be doubt seful purpose, the inclinat his voluminous through writings PEN MCTURFS 9) FICTORIAN AD- MS New ¥ n's Sous. Wash This pretty tittie . Which constitues the rd of “The Literary Life” series, edited by otains Ttaining skelches noi 1835. Balw Disraett, Bronte, Harriet Martinesu, vf Christmastide comes doth old and young ae ¥ souvenirs for the Juve- —the problem and a maxi- approach Ss of the bh m of ¢ due appropriateness in iy " ‘ e st turn suitable marking This the yey are beth ronding to the sentiment, shelves of th wil show. In this di an be graritied, and the ¥ purse accomme- ons folio exp uxively e gaudily (luminated toy- aps the volame for bors and giris which ily combines the solid qualities of a ¢ work with the showy attractions ov G. P Putnam's Sons, wt Beall. ft contains The book, mu very fine pa: nied by forty-f is altogether a in charact from , but in mane whter i as any one 1 and adven- them in “The iward Grees, ular with wh ver onportanity tons of the book hitaker from the pub- Shepard.) whieh are two ts, add to its Interest rather than ship as well om ‘ Japa rt to its beauty. what of the same order is the showily profusely iustrated bogs entitied . by Harry W. French, the several books of the same wf which—“Oar Boys in India”—the present volume is a sort ot sequel nit the story of the shipwreck and subsequent es of Scott and Paul Clayton is given and a winuten of detail vividness of at almoxt mak young reader imagine Limself one of the ps The eve rouble “Rodiey Fam send their young friends, just in time for the holidays.—this time the En: branch of it, —with an Interesti g account « triy easant scenes and nv plac her country. The narrative, y whieh ts told with spirit and vivacity, bending ina happy manner entertainment with Inatrue tion, is accompanied by a number of dMustre tion T less creditable, and handsome! prin a: Hourhton, Mifflin & Cog Washin allautyne & Son.) It would be difficult to find a more deligntfal book fer Little folks than the daintily Mastrated “Poems for Children.” by Celia Thaxter, re- ce'ved through Robert Beall from Honiton, Miss Thaxter, who ts on ring of Our winor poets, thing she does for “admirers. Printed with tinted hed by drawings that are full of artistic her present offering is a singularly at- e one. BEC: 2 wton: Wm. Ba Pe tractiv A bound volume of “Wide-Awake,” such 9s the publishers have sent out, would make isd or girl not fortunate enough to get that ch z periodical in serial form. Thesgreat charms of this magazine are its infinite variety as to matter and the beauty which would do credit to @ tious publication. far more pre “Worthington’s Annus! for 1884” Is @ won- derful combination of amusement, instruction and beauty, blended ina way that wil! surely capture beth the heart and the eye of whateo- ever little boy or girl may see it. Similar in churacter and hardly less attractive as “Chatters box Junior,” from the same publisher, through Robert Beall. Both volumes are profasely tus trated, the former veing made particularly at- tractive by @ number of very pretty colored plates. “How the Rain Sprites were Freed,” by Davida, Coit, (published by D. Lothrop & Co., Boston,) tells with much delicate feeling how two little German children. each tn its own way, set out to fad where the rain comes from, why they did it, and how they succeeded in their queer under- taking. Mr. Robert Beall, the well known bookseller, has issued a new and beautifully illustrated Christmas Catalogue, which is not only a com- plete index to the best holiday literature but ee Caos enough in itself te make it worth keeping for its own sake.