Evening Star Newspaper, January 26, 1884, Page 2

== atti SATURDAY, JANUARY 26, 188i/-DOUBLE SHEET. r¥Y AND DISTRICT. HE RIVER FRONT. ‘The Great Public Landing of the Near Euture. THE STREET— WAS IT EVER ese THE CONTEST OVER RIPARIAN RIGHTS IN FavoR OF THE UNITED | STAG x D BY THE Dr Teict as. hes betwee’ 1 grounds, t distance 1 Hit and th det i thirty feet ight at P street. ran in irregular brewlth of Wa line 1808, Ww side of he ne 50 feet of what is now Wate: old shipyard. whieh was betwe 1th str south, wholly . between the bluit it betore or about 1 1889), permit- ad ll up to it the wall and titled to claim fro hundred a sea wi rth on the street side. hey were shows that the fi! to the street. Li was small in proportion er down the river, bet Land M streets, Water street was from 200 feet in width, i800. T nd t nares lower er street was NGL tC in width. The est pa vt or street w: M and N streets, where the fa cove upto near the north lin t. It was on the broad M. that CI d there w Water, must be alan It Is neserted in rezard to th Int © Tec nt Maury WHat D. Tt must be consider Settles public ian vserved on the Potomac front. and that the strip of land to make it on, between the private squares and the river. | . “Water street” was given to it in On June 24 of that Water street” should zn of the plan of ms which tain facts point he owner. T e rotted down ne was then buil ed, in 1521, it i. ~ Both of then became dilapidates . to time, but amounted to little, commer . until, In 1851, they fell | into the hands of George Page, who built th re which, with repaire and additions, is how owned by the Potomac steamboat company. The one below N street rotted down, and was rebuilt by Bull, Falling egain into one Wapidution, it was rebuilt in 1825 by An- | Bartle. with the aid of $250 donated by orporation. (See ordinance of August ) In the same year Bradley's wharf, loth street. was finished. It became the steaintwat wharf. Two steamboats were put on the Potomac that year, and the number in- | from time to time. River commerce jadecided impulse. Between 1995 and 1830 x number of wharves were erected, and whardl 2 the Potomac became val- | utter + that the doctrine of whart- | urtenant to the lots on the rstreet seems to have been publicly proclaimed by a | and Was inet by a most the part of Peter Force of the common council. | party procured any deti: action from | Peter Force was elected mayor in , was re-elected in 1838. It was f tration that the line of the wharves | Vigorous Sand street was settled, under ot the surveyor, Eliott. No! was made, however, of the, claim of the lot owners and the conflicting | claims of the United States. The controversy | was reopened In 1846 in the councils, and stronz report in favor of the U.S. claim, writ ten by Peter Force. was made by Messrs.’ Halli- | day. Van Riswick and others. In May, 1848, | Congress passed an act forbidding private per- fons to occupy any portion of the public etreets for private purposes. Soon after, 1860, the city ensleavored to establish its right to Tiver front, and in 1868 the engineer S. army in charge of the public build- | ings and grounds in Washington entered upon the policy of granting revocable licenses to un- occupied portions of the river front, 80 ar to prevent the seizure of them by private parties under pretext of riparian rights. In 1875 a litigation was entered into by the “riparian” claimants for the purpose of testing the levulity of their claims. It is in view of the termination of this litigation 1n favor of the U. 5. that the Commisstonersask Congressto trans. fer to the District the rights of the United States, ‘and to empower the Commissioners to regulate the use of the Washington harbor by ships and boats. ———_se. The Awateur Printers, ‘To the Filitor of Tre Evestxe Stam: Typo” ts right in what he says in regard to “bark-attie” printing shops. Foreman in the < business, who |s under heavy office « ud has @ faiuily to support. it is sim le to : these “amateur led to discuntinue 8 account of the by these fledge- ACHICAL PRINTER, The Work of Relief. Editor of Tae Ev Will you ple 5G Stan give space In your valuable tion of a little light upon the the Associated Charities and the posi- upied by some of its members. For two udging from ol ‘ation and experience. tion of this District has been ignorant of tsof this District. have been un- otion to its charitable work 1 who have needed a friend + Whenever possible, of emplos- reliet,” i of its constitut prompt relief of cases : its own fu when and object of the Associated Char- | ties, or of th t intelligent Christian | rn and women, identified with the society and | | ving in all y ding service | en competent to fill intetlizenee offices, the t of the employer THE PRESIDENTIAL SUCCESSION. More Light Upom the Question. My pathetic appeal, made in THE Srar, that my favorite section, 146 of the Revised Statutes, should not be authoritatively declared uncon- stitutional after remaining on the statute books since 1792, and settling official precedence on | state occasions, (which, strange to say, is liter- all the use which has been made of it up to date), hashad its effect in some directions. Rep- resentative Tucker has told me that on looking again, recently, over the debates in the conven- tion which formed the constitution, as detailed in the Madison papers, he is convinced that when the statesmen who took part In that con- vention left it to Congress to direct what officer should fill the place of President when, for any cause, there should be no President and no Vice President, that they had In view that e President of the Senate ‘and Speaker of the of Representatives would probably be tu succeed in such a contingency. fi ng is what was riday, papers, Vol, Presiden fin t 1 2 den id a. ti the time of electing a Presti n observed t yotay thls, as worded, wou! nd moved to sute removed, OF a P lone what she contd’ 1 the friend. ties has bee: wad but for them they starved and frozen in silence. vi er from the ke a balm in night have hored under dis- Y assured amon More aud better sr to do rimination on account 0 its members have fed the ‘d the naked, when other re- They have visited the ir affiiction, and e them with courage, faith, and hope for the future. For supplying temporal | wants they have been censured by some, and | others have complained occastonally because re- | 1 st been given instantly when a yisitor ary hgs taken time to prevent the | onest nioney for the benefit of P unworth: The society has seldom been ng the people.” Since dispensation of relief to the needy izen Committee” the “Associated had nothing to fear trom that charge. THE RELIEF COMMITTEE. For promptness, its system for relieving the needy will compare favorabiy with that adopted by the “citizens committe Feeling that It Would be right under the circumstances that a very worthy family, without fuel or food, rent due, and no money, should be helped from the “eitiz friend applied for them to a CD in charge of funds, at one ocloch on Fri: . It appearing that the method adopted by the citizens’ committee for relieving distress was thought to be more efficient and editious than that adopted by the associated charities. it could hardly be expected that any one would doubt for a moment the probability of an immediate re pnse, but Saturdi 1 tt ot most the GAs. in t evil genius rf thought tl e intrusion of at there mily would be t er, who couid 0 wait, and she could get il Monday. on, a ine informed the visitor lessing lad not come, ‘and, | $0- that aid from any | sould havetuld him, FEDRCARY AND MA id by those qual . or she > poor, ng funds when the spasmodic nin is over the sey. sociated ¢ in the past, to vi erin their subdivisions, who f th w go toa general vifice, with or without vd to listen to and relieve including those from the state may FE not ed Charitie: j their time | y or hope its Without | of to remember it when mak! tributions for the poor, the may be sustained in its seli-sacrificing effurts for the zood of the needy. Should the citizens or any of the churches hink that the police can assist the poor more promptiy, more w dittously, that t ave nore time in which to | | Investigate the unworthy, that they are better calculated to inspire the deserving with fulth, hope and couraye for the future than the | friendly visitors whose names are on their | church books, by all means let thei make the j police the almoners of their bounts, but don't | et them be censured for their delay in doing it, | when the Nery few men who are doing this work | are overtaxed and unable to meet the demand promptly of “six hundr Telief’ (Star) and i Westigation and *citi- | zens,” don't. please don't, send’ applicants to the | Associated Charities for relief and then censure the society If they fail to receive aid, if you with uold the necessary means. M. AL = ces The Boys on the Printing Office Tax. To the Editor of Tue Evrxtxo Stan: Tn response to a call for their opinions, and in answer to “Typo” in last night's Srar, “the boys” will speak thelr mind on the printing Mce tax question. The “back-attic” printing offices do get a little work, but what is it? Necessarily small, for their presses and offices reso diminutive, and at necessarily reduced applicants waiting for | a ely, more eMciently or expe- | ¥ it seemed to be an objection to the provision with some that, according to the process estab- lished for choosing the | be difficulty in effecting it at other than the fixed periods; with others that the legislature ained In the temporary appointment to of the United States. to be at liberty to appoint others than such. On the motion of Mr. Randolph, as amended, it passed in the aflirmative. VIEWS OF SPEAKER CARLISLE. The fact that when the clause was finally in- corporated in the Constitution the words “United States” were omitted in the power dele- gated to Congress to name an officer to fill the vacancy when there should be neither President | or Vice President, makes it appear to some statesmen of to-day that it was not intended to restrict the cioice to officers ot the United States, While others, among whom are Senator Beck and Speaker Carlisle, think that the word “officer” was Intended to be understood as im- | plying that an officer of the United States would | be chosen of course. It had not then been de- cided, as it ‘subsequently has been more than once, that no Senator or Representative is an officer of the United States, (The present Attorney General, It will be re- | membered, made a decision to this effect in 1883 with rezard to the political assessments made | under the anspices of Representative Jay Hub- | bell, who, since the election of that year, has not | held any office.) After the debate above quoted the following took place in the same convention when the third section of the Constitution, “the Vice P Senate,” being then considered: Mr. Gerry opposed this regulation, and _ said: | “We might as well put the President himself at the head of the legislature. ‘The close intimacy | that must subsist between the President and Vice President makes it absolutely improper. He was against having any Vice President. Mr. Gouyeneur Morris. **The Viea” President then will be the first heir-apparent that ever d his father. Ifthere should. be no Vice resident the tent of the Senate would be temporary sued me thing.” coupled with the fact that Mr. Gerry Ss one ot these who, when the law now in why the Presi r of the House in the nstitutionas coastrued as in- amers of the clause in q Would be put in the line o Shert er Mr. Morris made the tion above quoted, If the Vice Pr of the Sens S ndoiph concurred in the oppos use, Williams ob: n to rrved that such an oMfcer as of Vice Presi ‘hits of the Se 1 the legisiati Which, us well as the judict- ht to be kept as separate as it mixed too m ecuti verthelesa, when the question was put in me debate, “Shall the Vice President be ‘o President of the Senate?” it pa the affirinative ina vote by states—New J and Maryland alone voting no. Neitherof those two states have ever had one of their citizens elected President or Vice President. It issomewhat of a colneidence that Elbridge rry, Who, a8 above quoted, in the constitu- tional convention opposed having any such offi cer as Vice President in the proposed new gov- | ernment, and who did not sizn the Constitution as , should have dic holding the very office ot Vice President, whose creation he had opposed. How chang son these same statesmen had reason to their views as to the infrequency of an y offering for a Vice President to give cin the Senate is Instanced by the following extract from the Journal of Senator Maclay, of Pennsylvania, under date June 28th, 178. He sa This day the Pennsylvanta de- lecution had the ice President and sof the eheral covernment to din- The Chief Justice and Vice Presiaent did notattend. The three Secretaries were with The discourse before dinner turned on the doing business in the Senate. Tt was varked that as every question of moment was only by a inajority of one, or for the most part by the casting vote of the President, it might be as well to vest the whole senatorial | vr in the President of the Senate.” ere Was during the memorable deadlock tn enate during its spectal session in the ing of 1881 cause for a similar suggestion. SENATORIAL JEALOUS Y. The first Senate manifested not a little Jealously of their rights in regard to the style to be assumed by their presiding officer, and demanded of John Adams that when he signed any act of the Senate. he should do so not as e President, but as President of the Senate. enator Maclay said to him in the Senate chamber, in reference to this, “Sir, we know you not as Vice President within this house. As President of the Senate only do we kaow you. As President of the Senate only can you sign or authenticate any act of this body.” A few days later Mr. Adams rose and thus addressed the Senate: ‘I have since the other day when the matter of my signing was talked of in the Senate, examined the Constitution. I am placed here bythe people. To part with the styie given me isa dereliction of my right. It is belag etomy trust. Vice President is my title, and it is a point I will insist upon. He, after looking over the bill in hand, told the Senate “with great positiveness,” saya the chronicler, that he would sign it as Vice Presi- dent of the United States and President of the Senate. Mr. Ellsworth declared himself satisfied with that way ofsigning it. Mr. Strong got up and thought it should be Vice President alone. Mr. Maclay, incommenting on this in his journal, says: ‘This is certainly a most egregious insult to any deliberative body.” ss GRUNDY. ——_——_+ee—______ ‘The Millionaire. rates, for they must compete with professional canvassers, rexular patronage of business men, “union” workmen and steam presses. Take a lawyer's brief for example: $2 pages; 100 copies. The job ts much more likely to be given 7 a man than to a hoy, and perhaps the printer has an ment with the legal gentleman to do all his work—small forms as well as those too large for an amateur press ora ‘‘back-attic” office, the type-setting ts far easier for the fessional workman, the costs them just the same and the printing is done sizteen pages ata time! The entire press-work is accom- plished in saytwo hours at the outside, as against thirty-two, or at least sixteen evening’s work by the industrious lad! What fair-minded Person grudges him his hard-earned mite, and what other check is there on the print where is there another anti-monopoly industry? No wonder the profeasional offices hate us, and the busi- ness men give us a job now and then when they have one small enough. And if we are enter- prising enough to print a half-dozen packs of visiting cards and buy ourselves a sign, there is patronage for the card seller and ‘the inter. Our pressea and type have all to ht to commence with, too, and there is more patronage for the business men. Not half of the amatear offices set up ever pay for themselves, and fully a third are supported en- tirely by the young typo’s father's or older brother's custom. “Slop-shops” is good. It is because the printers cannot charge exhorbitant prices oa small jobs, on account of our existence and competition, that we are sought to be crushed by this heavy tax. Jan. 25, 1884. ONE OF THE Bors. Written for Ta Evento Stan. ‘The rich man with his lots and lands, And piles of bonds and stocks, And credit that great sums And gold ‘neath ponderous locks; ‘With millions that have come with age ‘And grooved his brow with care, And tested his ambition’s gage, Is called a millionaire. But with tt all he bas bis fears, ‘Though cautious, shrewd, and brave; His money will not bribe the years ‘That push him to the grave, ‘Then analyze tt as you will, And view it here and there, ‘The old man may his coffers fll— Youth is the millionaire, —JEROME BURNETT. —-o- —_____ Coals of Fire. ‘From the Philadelphia News, An up-town grammar school boy became so obstreperous yesterday that his teacher, new in her vocation, ap and pretty, determined to try the plan of keeping him in. After she sat with grim determination until it became dark, and then she let him depart. What was her astonishment at the gate to find the youth awaiting her. He her with, ‘It's too dark for @ young lady to be alone on the streets. Will you allow me to see you home?” ——— Bills amounting to €1,250,000 for damages done by the Union armies in the civil war have been Introduced into the present Congress, “THE BEAUTIES OF WASHINGTON | streams are passed, and springs which quench TERRITORY.” Its Climate, Topography, Botany, &c. PECULIAR FRAVURFROF THE COUNTRY—THR PU- GET SOUND Reomwk—TRIP THROUGH & WaASH- INGTON TERRITORY FOREST. The address delivered by Mr. John P. Brown, of the Agricultural @epartment, before the Dis- trict Horticultural dociety upon “The Beauties of Washington Territory,” was an exceedingly interesting and tnstructive recital of his obser- vations in a visit tothat territory in the inter- ests of forestry. Leaving Washington in April last, when the ice arid snow had not disappeared, he found on the Pacific coast far north of this | citya mild and eguable climate, with roses blooming Inthe cveatest profusion in every | yard. Atter dxplaiwing how it was that the | horthwest coast gained this equable climate | throughout the year by the operation of the | wari Japan eurrent, he proceeded to a descrip- tion of the country and of that notable feature. PUGET SOUND. Unlike the Atlantic, the Pacific coast is re- markably barren of fine harbors. The entire coast of California has but one that Is first-clas: | Oregon but one—the Columbia river, while | Washington p es Gray's Harbor and Puget | Sound, and British Columbia has Port Moody— the terminus of the Canadian Pacific ratlroad— over in winter. Thus, of the Pa- ors, the largest, deepest, safest, by all means and by farthe best, is the’ great ‘inland sea called Puxet Sound. ecutive, there would | ‘They wished it | esident shall be ex-officio president of the | r, Which would amount to | Entered from the oceanthrough the Straits of | Fuca, connected with the Alaskan waters by the Gull of Georgia (between the Island of Van- | couver and the main land of British Columbia). divided “into innumerable channels, passes | coves, bays, and harbors by grand archipelaz | peninsulas, and various indentations of the hore, deep—in places measuring an hundred | fathoms—set with magnificent bays and har- bors, having excellent holding ground ot six to | eight fathoms; great in extent—having full | eighteen hundred miles of shore line—yet so | narrow that both shores may be seen at all) | ti | nes; protected by high lands and for unds_and peninsulas, so that itis navigated | with the most perfect safety by the frailest craft, | yet so free from sunken rocks, bars, and ob- structions that the largest vessels of the world’s | commerce may ride in any of its prominent. wa- ters—yea, It would accommodate the combined | fleets of the world and furnish them masts and coal or load them with lumber. An Indian canoe may traverse its entire length, a stern-wheel steamboat navigate its whole course, so smooth and like a river Js its | surtace, yet In case of sudden storms a safe har- bor may be found in twenty minutes Grand in forest and mountain scenery, the snow-clad peaks of the olympic mass of moun- tains upon the west seeming but a dozen miles away, yet in reality sixty or more. The ‘rrecular peaks of the distant Cascade Tange, far above the low laying clouds of mist, with mounts Baker and Ranier ever in view from some part of the sound, the one 11,100, the other 14,440 feet in height, landmarks that | guide the mariner at sea and interest the trav- soft. | in a horizontal direction for ten or twenty feet, | our thirst, the water pure, clean, sweet and One snake was seen, a small harmless kind. Not a poisonous reptile or plant, it is said, exists west of the Cascade Mountain: And thus, after-a long day’s laborious strug- gle, we accomplished oursix miles’ Journey at 19 o'clock, new time, and I assure you we enjoyed our hot supper, if it was very rough fare. TRE BOTANY OF Wasnt RITORY. Vine maple (acer circinatum) is abundant in the rich bottom lands, a small growing tree of great beauty equalling any of the Japanese | maples which we so caretully import. The sap , is sometimes drawn off for making isnot inferior to our maple syrup. Li sensitive people, loth to come in immediate. tact with rude or distasteful persons, the vine maple shies off from other coarser growths, s also seeks the light. It is thus apt to start of then suddenly rising to an upricht position in several small branches, the horizontal portion becoming cevered with moss, sends out roots allalony its length, and thus really becomes a Toot stem. In autumn the leaves become gor- geous In their coioring, all shades ot crimson and gold, splashed and striped according to the amount of light it Las received to perfect the shading. I never saw an insect of avy kind on beautiful member of the maple family Salmon berries, so called from their color, are peculiar to this moist climate. Shaped like a th i very large raspberry, growing on bushes six to | eight feet in height, very prolific, of a singula flavor unlike all other small fruits, liked by ne, distasteful to many, it forms the principal dessert for two months for bears, birds, Indians and those of the white race who are fond of them. Huckleberries are abundant, the high bush acid sort; cranberries, in. the ‘beaver marshes, are plentiful, of small size, dark color, but of excellent flavor. : FLOWERS. Honeysuckles, the yellow trumpet, of a seml- | upright habit, !s occasionally met with; but no vines proper were seen in the country; no wild grape, ivy, ampelopsis or other plant with ten- trils for attaching itself to trees. Wild roses of eeveral varieties are in the greatest profusion along the sand sloughs, more particularly near tic so saturated with salt that few plants survive. | On the hills of Hoods canal, in the vicinity of | Port Townsend, and about Olympia, the capital, three localities ot circumscribed limits, I found the most magnificent rhododendrons. No wild flower that it has ever been my fortune to see can at all compare with It. As handsomely marked as the finest orchid, the smooth, glossy foliage. of richest shades of green, set off its beauty in perfection. A handsome little creeping, and sometimes pendant, vine, called mountain tea, is quite common, overhanging the banks of ravines, on moist, rocky places, and would make a splendid basket plant. There are afew pralries in western Washing- ton, but of smallextent. Instead of being grassy these are, many of them, fern covered. Comas (scilla excnlentum), the noted food plant of the Indian, that the earlier explorers purchased to take the place of their exhausted supplies, an edible bulb three-fourths of an inch in diameter, | eler by land, while the thousand beautiful islands, all differing in appearance, roujh, rag- ed, rocky, bold precipices in some, high tower- | ing hills, approaching mountains, in others, while some are low-lying, flat, sandy or alluvial tracts covered with grass, pastured by flocks of sheep and herds of cattle. Again, some are so | | dense with forest growth that thirty years’ resi- dence has onlyi,caused small openings to be | made for farme and homes, while a few are | pratries, diversified with orchards and groves of natural trees No such body of water exists elsewhere on the globe, and none of greater importance to future commerce. Qn a direct line between the | #reat cities of the continent with Japan, China a ed to connect the a with ocean great uilway systems of Am tion om the Wacitic. Near the fishing coast of Mask » north Pacitie ocean, it wnuist bec sof the whaling and Surrounded by the Amoriea, i iron, t quanti nd advant ii tie: zes, and farmore, it i ibe, Gae of the world’s com nanufacwiring enter: TOPOGRAPHY! OF THE T . | Alarge portion of Washi | mountainous, as the abrupt elevated r j the Ca: with its lateral spurs; larg war mountain mass smpic; | rolling table lands, as the Spokane plateau, or rough rocky hill dmnds,as are many of the islands of the sound. ‘A portion, small com- pared with the entire area, yet large in fact, is of river and creek bottums, beaver marshes and both tide and fresh water marsh lands. The Cascade range, extending through the Territory in a direction with the magnetic ie. north 22!¢ degives east, occupying al- ntire space between the 121 and 123 is cut entirely through by the Colum- pr and partly by the Cowlitz. Snoqual- mie, Natchess and Skagit rivers, forming passes of low elevation, decreasing in’ height toward the north. By this important mountain range the Territory is divided into two entirely dis- ct climatic districts. The Olympic mountains occupy the great peninsula between Hood's canal, Straits of Juan | de Fuca and the Pacifle ocean. ‘They are lan unexplored, show chtd on the summits, he timbered on the slopes, a very rough and irreg- ular mountain mas he vicinity of Mount Ranier is characterized by mountain spars and canyons, the former cov- cred with fir and cedar timber, the latter ysuid- ine the melting snow from the glaciers to the flowing rivers. be nd as each season cuts deeper and deeper it reyeals along the precipit- ous sides the. pu of vast coal beds that otherwise would never have been suspected. Upon the blow, near the coal mines of Carbo- nado, 400 feet above tne river, and on the top of an almost perpendicular wall, a mighty cedar had fallen, one-third its body projecting over the bluff; on this I climbed and thus secured a view, unobstructed by the surrounding forest growth, which was superb. A little water fall leaps by a succession of cascades from 20 to 60 feet each, to the river below, whileat the toot is seen the beautiful stream, rapidly whirling along over the rocks, its waters clear as crystal except when white with foam from pouring over the masses ot rock that have fallen from the rocky sides of the canyon. The gorge, the winding river, the tall eyer- greens, form a picture worthy of Bierstadt. Op- posite are the various tunnels. penetrating the coal beds, and from here are shipped vast quan- tities of coal to the “bunkers” at Tacoma, where, loaded into ships and steamers, it is taken to San Francisco. | IN THE FOREST. T once made a trip through the forest region, the direct distance being but six miles, but it required fifteen hours to accomplish the journey. Starting at 4a. m. witha roll of Dlankets and | two days’ provisions strapped on our backs, | through marsh and wet river bottoms, over | rouzh hills and ravines, all densely timbered, passing some of the largest cedars, reaching upward from 200 to 250 feet in height, and from 8 to 12 feet diameter, also magnificent fir trees, straight as ay arrow, 120 feet to the first limbs, and trom 15 to 24 fe¢t in circumference; besides hemlock and othex trees of somewhat lesser pre- tensions, yet gl fine timber, ranging trom twenty to fifty million feet of lumber per square mile. Among the, undergrowth were ferns of large size, five to six feetin height, gracefully curving outward; the devils club, a straight, upright stick, three-fourths of an inch diameter, and four to eight feet high, thickly covered with fine needle-like points, aad surmounted by a whorl of very large ambrejla-like leaves, also covered with apie: It is very troublesome to penetrate; aaal ling along over sree n logs an oatohing anything for @ support, one gras these devil's ‘clube, when the mae ae filled with innumerable irritating prickles, GP LOOKING FOR BEARS. Bears are in: gredt numbers; we saw many tracks and deps, id | ‘ing for game; it was as much as do to look out a route for travel; th pe anes 16 Oo] len timber wae 1; in ceivable situation, of all meee a in of decay; we step on one; it fala to under our welght. it sprung from thousand years ago, and has probably trate for three centuries, for trees about it fully of that age that have since it fell? Another, covered with moss lants, yet sound asa dollar, has evidence of ‘aving lain in this position for fifty years. Again We cross a di narrow canyon on a mighty monarch that but yesterday. Not arod of ground is passed over bat is a mase of fallen timber, at times flat u| the ground, we climb over; again laying across others, we tall upon hands and knees to crawl among the moss and ferns beneath. Seldom can we see any distance aliead, and are con- stantly taking sizht with pocket-compass, asthe sun is obscured by clouds all day. Frequent with aspike a foot in helght, haying a raceme | of handsome, large, blue flowers, and the lady slipper, formerly abundant, but now nearly ex- tinct, in the timber regions of the middie states, mong the principal flowers of these prai- 2 ries. Here and there a shallow lake is filled with | water lilies (nebiium luteuin) and a number ot wuatic plants. The swamps are filled with crab apples, but the fruit, the size of peas, 1s per- fectly worthless. Alder, birch, dogwood, are found here; the latter bright with white’ flowers much larger than our variety; and the elder, which here grows to bea ‘d tree. LETTER FROM N Mrs. Astor's Ball—Their Sily The French Ball—The Bunco Men— The Police Captains’ Dinner—Decep- tion” at Wallack’s, Etc. ‘Special Correspondence of Tur Eve New Yo 3 Mrs. William Astor's ball on Monday night, in honor of the centennial of th Jacob Astor in America, was high! The most wonderful success of all was ach’ by the silver service, however. This is a mercial country, and the fact that any fas even the Astors, can afford to dispiay worth of silver, is of absorbing in! from this the entertainment was in ever tig ve the reputat omplished entert ew York, as they are certainiy the to’ family in the city ties are su | i Ina hand) acry i y, and wast ren and th family ofsomewhat h sticklers for the proprie the word. every sense leader ew York y untarn! ne, generous tho 'y with th world. Astors are ne: z that does not appertain te ive quiet but blooded hor exterlors of their mansi sober on 5th uvenu y y of ing into great financial schemes of any sort, cept those involved in the pureliase and sale of Teal estate, and have no liking for sport. Some years ago Mr. Astor became fond of race hors and was fora short time a prominent owner of Mooded Stock and a popular member of several | turf clubs. He ran his horses for the sport of | the thing and did little betting, if any at all ‘The people had unlimited contidence in him and followed his horses through thick and thin, be- cause they believed they were honestly run. One day Mr. Astor found that horse descended to a game in which the hor wer jonal bookmakers in a set of s. Thereupon he promptly withirew every one of his horses from the turf, and gave up the sport forever. It was only a showt time after that another stalwart citizen, August Belmont, followed the same course as | Mr. Astor. It is claimed by a great many peo- | ple that the Astors are endeavoring to. set up a} sort of aristocracy in America and that their ex- | clusiveness is simply the forerunner of a kind of snobbish scale of social distinctions. Neverthe- less, the majority of good citizens understand that it is a good thing to have in a population so varied cosmopolitan and unnianageable as that of New York @ clique of old famil- ies whose highest ambition it 1s to racing had gambling: ot ies uphold the good name ot their own blood ana that of the city. The ball Monday night was attended by about nine hundred people. Every invitation had, of course, been accepted. Par- ties of guests Came from Washington, Philadel phia and Boston. The Vanderbiits, both father and son, their wives, daughters and children, attended in one massive brood. It was a proud , moment for the Vanderbilt family. It was a thing for which they haye been scheming for years and years, and they were repaid for all their trouble by the entrance to this the most exclusive house in New York. As William H. sauntered throuzh the rooms, looking mild and y. and smiling geat!y on his surroundings, presented a picture of perfect contentment. William has reason to be ied. It was only afew years ago when his father worked asa deckhand on a steamboat and his mother kept a | sailors lodging house on the Raritan canal at New Brunswick. New Jersey. Now he owns a e common In nlight reaches A pretty bright mimulus is q the gravelly hills, where a little n. nal large ce as a frui like our red bud, it ts tied on and pink flo re the . with its winter; § ful ferns ed in beauty any that are see Songs. old Written for Tar Evestye Isat by the "Mid th Whenay a Singer out of sight. "Twas no great master’s aria, But only a stmple lay ‘That sweet voice softly warbled,— ‘was a bar of “Nelly Grey.” What golden memories wakened At that old song's simple straint ‘The weary years ure vanished, And I'm a child again, Across the parple mountains ‘My vagrant thoughts have fown,— Tsee a cottage “neath a hill, With roses wild ce'r-grown, And at the open window ‘Two voices, young and gay, Blend in the ‘The song of “Nelly Grey. While in the mooubeam’s silvery light ‘The rose-tree’s shadows dani Ah, what,—have I been dreamin’ ark! she sings “We met by Chance.” *Twas on the river's mossy bank We sang that olden lay; ‘Twas in the merry month of June— Can I forget that day? The hawthorns were tn blossom When he breathed that old, old tale, ‘That is ever new;—but she’s singing now eof the Mi wk Vale, those old-time songs! th With a pleasure born of p: And take Us from our present cares chiidhood’s joys again, happy scenes of long ago, When our youthful hearts were light— But, the lights are out,—it’s growing cold,— And she's warbling, low, “Good Night.” —Dora Danworr. stir the heart Washtagton, Jan. 21, 3. =e. The Snow Law. ‘To the Editor of Tux EVENING Star: As opinions in regard to the proposed new snow law seem to differ, let me present and try to answer the following question: “What is the cheapest and most effective method of keeping our sidewalks free from snow?” 1, Let the whole city be judiciously divided into a proper number of districts—say forty or more. 2. Let the superintendent of the police, under the authority and directions of the District Commissioners, be required to select one or more reliable men in each district, who shall be required to clear all the snow from the side- walks in his district, as soon as daylight will permit, after a snow-storm, when so ordered by the superintendent of police. 3. Let each otf these sub-superintendents of streets have a fired fee for each time he may thus clean the sidewalks, and be paid from the funds of the District. upon the voucher of the superintendent of police. 4. Let additional expense be added pro rata to the tax of all property-owners thereby benefited. The undersigned believes that the execution of such a law would give universal satisfaction, Inasmuch as the sidewalks would thus be well cleaned, ina uniform manner, at the least posal- ble expense. Yours, &c., Z. Ricuarps, ———___* 93 __“_ The Snow Law Again, To the Editor of Tar EvEnrxe Star: Chief among the absurdities in the proposed ‘new snow law is that lineal foot affair and that two cent affair. What isa lineal foot of pave- ment? Is ft to be reckoned latitudinally or longitudinally? If reckoned parallel with the building line then the hardship is obvious, as some have, ‘like our own,” twelve feet front, others ranging from twenty to forty feet front- age. So if it be reckoned from building line to curb the same discrepancy will appear, the width of pavements ing from eight to forty feet. Now, will they w! business it is please show their fellow-citizens how this eaid snow is to be Giear "Anything stort of that would be oppres. lear. of we ‘oppres- sive. Now, if you will have the snow measured do adopt some practical method of measure- ment which minds can comprehend. Say the superficial eed at one cent a yard juare, which would amply compensate the labor, and that labor paid out of the fine Im- posed in such cases. x. obese ns, Bangs and Boys. From the Middletown Transcript. “Ah,” said the nice young man with bangs, as the little boy let him in the other evening, ‘Ah, my little man, is your sister at home?” “Yes, he’s at home, but she ain't expecting you.” yw do you know she Isn’t expecting me Tense heard her tell ma that you're too mean to hirea horse and sleigh, ana she didn’t expect to seen it of you while the snow lasted.” The Uttle boy is now saddest when he sits. picture gallery, a big house, a lot of fast hor half a dozen Tailroads, 200,000,000, and is ad- into the best cireie of New is only one thing more for William H. to do—zive a couple of millions to the poor. | THE FRENCH BALL | went off this year without sing any deaths sough there were two re or two of arres so much as or being singed cabmen. It is settled fact that everybody who leaves of Music after the Fr ab. In former years there have been impecunions young men who rm hin wine with th They liv ir worldly {walking home. f nday night eve rwise it was ne , to hand conflict with some , Who stoud ina to a thiree hundred around the door rademy and seize their victims as they came out. In all seriousness it is important that the police get the cabmen in subjection. They are as unruly and ruugh a set of black- ds uscan be found anywhere in the city. d,and been otherwise injured 'by these hunzry Jebus looklag for prey in the early hours of the morning. The ball of the Cercle Francais @ 1’ Harmonie is always the best French ball of the season. The society is very large, and they spend money freely in preparing for their aunual festivity. The fact generally passes notice in the whirl of the ball that agreat many respectable people attend merely for the experience of the thing. All the members of the society—and nearly ali of them are respectable—bring their wives and such of their daughters as are old enough to stand the strain of the annual ball. They always pr one o'clock. A more wildly improper affair n the Harmonie on Monday night has never been given in New York. THE BUNCO MEN. Yesterday's papers contained no less than three separate and distinct stories of the opera- tions of bunco men in New York. Ti gen- lemen divide with the police the honor of con- ‘Their numbers inere rapidly, and they have arrived at such a point now that they monopo- lize the attention of the police, and yet the po- lee are utterly unable to cope with them. The laws do not provide punishment for their crimes. All the cases that appeared in the papers yesterday morning showed conclusively that even the best efforts of re- spectable citizens, backed by the strongest evi- dence of crime and praiseworthy efforts on the part of the police, will not suffice to secure the | Conviction of clever bunco steerers. The diff. culty im every case is the timidity and reticence on the part of the victims. It will be admitted | withogt hesitation that aman who is taken in y buneo men must be more or less ofa fool,and | @ fool is the most difficult of all creatures to deal with in court. The bunco men really get a Yery strong hold on their victims through the vickedneas of the said victim. A good deacon comes to New York. His soul ts filled with piety and joy and his pocket with money. He falls in with a slick, well-fed, gay and clever bunco man. The bunco man takes him in, A few moments later the bunco man shows the deacon a game by which, he is told, he can make a thousand dollars by risking one hun- dred. The countryman knows that it isa skin game, but he expects to make money out of It. So he goes merrily ahead. Right here observe that he is as wicked as the bunco man himself. He is trying to get money without earning it legitimately. One of them talls by the way- side; it is never the bunco man. After all I won- der if a philosopher could not evolve the theory that bunco men are more of a blessing than a curse. One thing 1s certain, their victims are always either foolish or dishonest. Bunco men make @ good living, dress well, eat well, and seem and contented. There are not a few little ‘8 at which they can turn their hands, and they are tied close together in the bonds of brotherhood. The bunco men fit , thea | a man has had his coat torn, his hit | as the bali is quite disreputable | auettoncer, take told that after all, even If be di be has made a good purchase. In the end he is badgered and bullied into baying the stuff. When he opens the box be finds the cigars The less running saction of this kind. these shops not s upon good victims. Then ¢ Iealwayr a chance to pick a neighboring and the company is cholce and agree unco men are proverb ially good fellows. THE POLICE DIN dinner of the police captains of New York at Delmonico’s the other alght was one of the jolliest feasts that body of public officials has ever had. As a rule the police captains are tdesagainst him, are the rankest kind known to the name. cigar swindiers clear about € expenses. on @ little tra The » men who att much impressed by a good dinner, Most ot h t from t avast majority some yea te md him, whe nowA t ward endent be which was produced at V night, will shortly be wit This ts the habit of the Wallackian management. For the past two years they have dove notuing but pro- duce pieces at spasmodic intervais, ouly to take them off without warning after they have ran ten days or two weeks. The effect has been that the theater has slowly driven away its old hatrons, until now Moss. Mr. Wallack’s partner, eclares that they think of giving it up as @ stock theater and ret They have not struck a s v7 that the treasury hi usly depleted. All this despite the fact that tt is a famous thea- ter, has an admirable company, and was for many years the leading theater of America. There is not an actress to-day who is so enjoy- able in certain roles as Rose Coghlan. She is as excellent in melodrama as in comedy, and she would bring good tortune to aay he the world if properly man: seenis to have e knack of managing @ erip. DRAMATIC. Thureday irawn, m0 THE MIDWINTER SEASON— WHERE THE STARS ARE—TH pW PLAY OF “CLAUDIAN”—KUEA's SUCCESS, ETC. — “The White Slave” will be shown at the I next week. der’s colored minstrels Monday night. — The At ment in St at Ford's company bein an engage nday tt opera com ht in Kansas City, and the for three weeks. Miss Nordica made a de opera the other night in Ne | Louis ded hit in Malian Actors’ Pui prior to his dea — Clara Morris 5 it in the cold northwest, Paul to-night od out, yor and common council at its The house was sold in alyauce a week with the m ahead. —Mr. Irving's enga the largest dramatic en that cl $36,164. —The theatrical taste of Paris is evi by the fact that “The Stranglers of Paris a run of over 150 nights at the tin. It is the scene of Sara Bernhardt’s present triumph. —Josephine Yorke has left Mapleson’s com- | pany, and will soon be heard in English opera or concert. She is a Cincinuat! girl, —The auction sale of season eats for the Cincinnati opera festival during tw: tinuance realized 7: the amount was in the shape of p: for choice ot seats. —It is said that Mr. W; pleased with “Confusion” that he has Stetson an offer that will enable him t in it. —Minnie Hauk’s special car, naz her, and built in the style of Patt ment in Chicaro was ment ever played in The receipts for the furtnight were ndham is so well made trolling the metro 5. re are only fonr finished and sent to her in the we: things to be affald of in New York. They are | | —Ithea's business on the \ n cireuit has fair women, American beer, wlicemen and pe, henomi: 30) ichet-buye bunco men.” He who succeeds in threading the | Cen Penominal. Tn so oe thorny maze of our streets without encounter- | *tood in line all mizht. and, Place the ad- ing any of these pitfalls is a happy man. The | Y&ce sale was over £1,400. ; bunco ‘men improve in eMciency every day.| — The advance sale of se s for Maple- son's week at Heuck’s New Opera house has realized over $14,000. | —*The Love Chase” at the Star theater. in New York, on Monday night, was of espectal interest, the occasion being the metropolitan debut of Miss Emma Latham, a Californian ac- | tress of some repute. Few ‘debutantes have | appeared under such tavorable circumstances. She was pronounced a success. —J.K. Emmet opened a three weeks’ en- | gagement at the Fourteenth Street last Monday night, presenting for the first time in New York the latest addition to the Fritz series, Fritz, the Bohemian,” from the Kean, dramatic critic of the Buffalo Courier. — Mary Anderson has now been on the stage eight years. The last number of the London Theater, edited by Clement Scott, who is classed as the foremost dramatic critic in London, devotes a long article to her, and the frontis- piece is a beautiful portrait of the actress. —The term of Mrs. Langtry’s sojourn with “A Wife's Peril” at the Fifth Avenue ends to- night. Her success financially is very creat, and with a variance in criticism of her work, must prove entirely satisfactory to her. She will depart from New York tn no sense dimin- ished but rather aggrandized. — Twelve amateur dramatic societies have subscribed capital to erect in New York city a theater suitable for their performances. A site within a block of Broadway, above 23d street, is in view, andit is pro) that building oper- ations shall begin ‘not later than May ‘The seating capacity will be about 700, and commo- dious dressing rooms and conveniences of every description will be provided, — There were several important openings in Philadelphia this week, and tragedy ts being hicago, into all sorts of gituations with ease nd grace. ive If one ted them inl = little ore and n dollars he makes it by becoming a stool- ata“ box racket.” This game aes old one, but etill very profitable. A swindler rents a store on Broadway or some other popu- lous thoronghfare, hangs out an auctioneers sign, geta up on the aoa begins ao oi cigars at a surprising speed. ey are cheap cigars, bought at some auction for fity or sixty cents abox. In front of the auctioneer holds up a box of Victorias,” and they are knocked down to one of thestool-pigeons fora dollar abox. Thegreen- horn looks on inamazement. He knows the gen- uine cigars are worth fourteen a box. He stands In open-mouthed astonishment as box after box is knocked down to the well-dressed men around him. Then the auctioneer casts his eye on him and he makes a bid himself. By hearsed competition they run the price boxes up eo that the countryman bids up matte ne begeed onereane Then he trips w merrily to the desk to buy his box of cigars. an‘ is asked for $40. He protests, and says,that the fugrees with’ blin, but eaye they are ‘ons sold agrees with him, says are only lots of ten bo: and xeseach. He = ayer is roughly expostulated L. crowd, whom he never suspects OF being in colinsion with the re- the a8 presented at three houses. Mapleson’s — company made a entree at the Academy in “Aida” on Mong night. Patti led Conduc- tor Arditi to the footlights when the principals were called, and pointed to him asthe hero of the occasion. — the senior partner of the Brooks and Dick- son dramatic firm arrived from England. A New York Mirror reporter managed to havea quiet talk saggy og fice “The Present time attracting the ‘most attention in London,” aaid he, “4s Wiison Barrett's Claudian.’ It tation cost him ly mounted and acted, or more absorbing, I nave seldom seen. I tried toarrange with him for an Ameri- can tour next season, but he is doing so well in he “Princess Ida’ we in America. It is better than ‘Patience’ or ‘Iolanthe.’” — Booth presented his great impersonation of Richelies at the Walnut theater, Philadelphia, and he was givena welcome day. Lawrence Darvett apetos da Rimini” at the Opera and attentive audience on ‘the Hon. George H. ceived. — Margaret Mather played Julict atl this week’ at the Arch, iia. She had several call¢ on Monday night. The press ee her much improved since former vi scen- ery is liberally applandea. to house before a large Monday. Of course Boker's play was well re-