The New York Herald Newspaper, February 3, 1873, Page 3

OUR DANGEROUS SEWERS, What the Engineer of Sewer ' Construction Says. Whole Sections on Line of Water Courses Have Settled, Carrying Down “eon DIAGRAM OF THE IMPROVED SEWER SYSTEM. One Hundred Miles of Old Sewers Little Better Than Stagnant Cesspodls. BAD CASES LAST YEAR REMEDIED. ———. A New System of Collective Sewers, Two and a Walf Miles on the North River and Three anda Quarter Miles on the East River, to Render All the City Below Canal Street Pure and Free from Inunda- tions—Description of This Sewer. Underground Drainage in the Uptown Districts. Having already devoted considerable space in the HERALD to an exposure of the dangerous con- dition of the sewers of the city in a sanitary point ot view, it may not be out of place to again refer to the subject. Previous articles covered the in- vestigations of Dr. Stiles and Engineer Ingram, of the Board of Health, and the reporter of the HERALD, and their publication produced a profound sensation among property owners and the officials of the city. Still the subject is not exhausted, and the object of the present article is to exhibit the work performed by the Chief Engineer ofthe Sewer Department with a view to the cor- rection of abuses caused by the imperfect construc- tion of old sewers. The Health authorities bear testimony to the fact that the present Department of Public Works is energetically at work reforming the sewer system. With a view ofgetting an idea of the extent of the labor of the Public Works Depart- ment upon the sewers a reporter of the HERALD called upon Engineer Stevenson Towle, who has cnarge of sewers, and in a conversation with him that gentleman gave the’ following statement of the work performed by his department :— Under the Department of Public works the sur- veys of the old system of sewers, commenced with the view of remedying their defects, have pro- Bressed steadily and sere canee during the past ear. <A large number of the old sewers built be- fore 1849 were oil WITHOUT MANTOLES or any other way of entering them from the sur- face, and in many instances no maps or records could be found to give any idea of their construc- tion. The streets had, therefore, to be excavated and the sewers broken into before an examination eould be made to ascertain their location, condi- tion and requirements. In this way the causes of many cases of obstruction have been found and re- moved, Under the old mode of construction the \ sewerage Was extended without regard to any sys- tem or reguiarity as to sizes. Sewers were built piecemeal as necessity required, o! all shapes and Bizes, and careful study is required betore a com- prehensive plan of relief can be made. Over ONE HUNDRED MILES OF OLD SEWERS have been surveyed, and a very large ipl hs found to be little better than elongated cesspools filled with soiled deposit, oftentimes of the most offensive kind and the accumulation of years, In- stead of being conduits for the discharge of the refuse of dweilings, these sewers were in reality but receptacies for it, and rather: than being aids to health, were fruitful sources of sickness and disease, From @ careful examination of the oid sewers, [am convinced that their evil condition arises mainly from their want of grade, bad work- manship and size. THE SIZKS OF THESE OLD SEWERS are often out of ili proportion to the service re- quired of them, being of several times greater ca- Peay than can be kept tree from deposit with the imited amount of sewerage flowing through them. Some are five feet in diameter, receiving drainage that in awount is scarcely sufficient to keep a sewer Of a8 many inches iree from deposit. his 4imited tow, spread over the broad bottom of a large sewer, loses much of the power necessary to carry off the heavier matter, which is deposited over the bottom until the sewer is filled. The same amount ot sewerage flowing in a sewer of the proper size and shape to secure the greatest depth ol flow would carry off all the solid matter velore it had time to deposit or emit foul gases, In the construction of these sewers there seems to have been a total disregard of the fixed law of hydrau- lics, that the velocity of flow of a fluid isin pro- portion to the hydraulic mean depth, From this the result is that in the old sewers , THE FLOW IS LITTLE MORE THAN STAGNATION. The outlets having been builtn made ground, ‘without the proper precautione having been taken to secure a firm foundation, the sewers for some distance back from their mouths have sunk below low water to such an ¢xtent as to cut off all chance of any portion of the sewerage being floated eff, or the fowl gases escaping; so that at each Vise of the tide and with every drop of water | pntering the sewer an equal amount of FOUL AIR IS DISPLACED and forced Dack through the house connections into dwelt with such force as to pass any trap that has yet been invented for its exclusion. Fur- thermore, from the depth below tide of these sunken sewers, the weight of water at high tide resists the discharge of storm falls, so that at the commence- ment of a bald shower, should the tide be at the food, the rapid Influx ofrain water produces action similar to that of an hydraulic ram, with such force that the weak aud rotten structures are unable to resist when the strain is brought upon them. Several have been known to burst from this cause. IMPROPER WORKMANSHIP, Another great reason, satd Mr. Towle, of so many failures among the oid sewers was the practice of building them with dry or porous bottom, which, by allowing the ‘liquid part of the sewage to leak out, left the solid matter without fluid to float it orf, besides saturating the ground to an extent highly detricnental to health, The ground adjacent to the sewer thus saturated bark cide @ Ylelded to the pressure avove, and the sewer became displaced and broken, Sewers even when of proper size and form, if not coustructed with great care and of the ~ best materials, are soon acted upon by the power- dul acids of sewerage, and their destruction be- / comes only a question of time, hastened by the im- perfect manner in which plumbers connect drains with them. Many instances are found where connecting drains from houses extend entirely across and block up the sewer in such @ way as to very soon completely obstruct it by accumulating solid particies at these points. Occasiomally sew- ers have been built by the owners of property or ether private parties, whieh, although in use and representing 80 much sewerage, aye 0 wretchedly made, of the most objectionable shapes and, from mistaken economy, of cheap material of poor qual- ity that they do not deserve the name of drains, The regate of these is large, but work of this , kind 18 nd Jonger allowed in the public streets Without tae supervision of the proper authorities, In certain eri tes of the city the ground hav- ing béen made on the sites of old pouds, marshes and water courses, whole regions have settled, carrying down the houses upon them, the streets, ‘with teir pavements and the sewers, Some such are Centre street, over the old Collect nd; Canal street, West Twenty-third atrect and ‘ochers, and the district lying between Greene, Sul- livan, Canal and Broome streets. In the last named section the streets have been repeatediy regraded and repaired and the sewers rebuilt a8 the new roadways were formed. The present sewer in Grand street lies upon what was once the wurlace of the street, and in excavating several pavements are met with at different depths, as is » lso the case in other parts of the city. Often sewers were made to discharge into others of less espacity and to follow extremely tortuous routes to their outlets, Among many BAD CASES REMEDTED within the last few years are given the following :— ‘The sewer in Oak street, between James and Oil- ‘er streets, was built at a grade so low that it was fee from tide water but two hours outor the twenty-four, cutting of the free discharge of the louse drainage. An egg-shaped sewer, built at higher grade, has teen sul te pi The Centré street sewer, between Canal and b Froome streets, affords a case ol gross neglect or dishonesty, the sewer having been built lower at bo} centre of the block than at its point of dis- rge. ‘the sewer, in consequence, was filed with solid Matter, which could only be removed at great ex- pense by hand labor. A sewer on a uniforin grade ‘Was buiit to replace the old one, ‘The terminations of Fifth avenue at Harlem hiver, aritcoraee te Forty-eichth and Fifty-first streets at Hudson River, and J1s8th street at Har- zem River; aiso West Twelfth street, between West street and Hudson River, and Thirty-lourth street, | Between Eleventh avenue and Hudson River, are cases Where the sewers were built on made ground without proper foundation, and their mouths ob- structed by the extension of the streets beyond em. All were much out of grade, and the last two had . NEW YORK HERAED, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 1873—TRIPLE SHEET. ~ sunk so much that the tops of the manholes had gone down to high wuter line and the body of the sewers some ey below. In all of these cases the sewers have been rebuilt and on se- it city of the sewer. It has been rebuilt on a heavy pile and timber foundation. b The Fulton street sewer, between West strect and Hudson River, obstructed at its mouth, sunken and diled With, mud, has been rebuilt and ex . Alteration and extension of sewers in th avenue, Thirty-ninth street, Ninth avenue, tieth street and tenth avenue. ‘The sewer'in Thirty-ninth street, between Eighth and Ninth avenues, receives the draii trom some 130 acres of surface, in addition to the over: flow and discharge from the distributing reservoir in Fifth aven r of houses on Fighth ne owner AES occupants avenue frequently complained of overfow irom the sewer, during peer storms, flooding the cel- Jars te the injury of tueir health and property. On @ survey and examination of the whole sewerage district the overflowing of the Eighth avenue sewer was ascertained to be owing to the incapagity of the main sewerin Thirty-ninth street, between Eighth and Ninth avenues, and in Tenth avenue, between Fortieth and Forty-second streets, te carry off the water contributed by the branch sewers of the large area drained, To remedy these defects, and to save rebuildin, the entire’ maim sewer from the Forty-secen street outlet to Thirty-fifth street and Kighth avenue, a new sewer of the bropey fapacity for draining the entire area included in_ the district was constructed irom the outlet sewer in Forty- second street, through Tenth avenue to Fortieth street, intercepting the Fortieth and Forty-first streets sewers, and leaving the original sewer in ‘Tenth avenue to do the work for which it was first intended, Next, the sewer in Fortieth street was extended across Eighth avenue, taking in the Eighth avenue running north and the Fortieth street sewer east of Bighth avenue. Some forty-seven acres ef drainage was by this alteration diverted trom the main sewer at Thirty-ninth street and was carried direct to: the new sewer in Tenth avenue, and thence to the main outlet in Forty-second street. No complaints have since been made, although very heavy rains have tested the euiiciency of these alterations, The sewer in West Nineteenth street, between Sixth and Seventh avenues, which had been built im separate sections, on di ing grades and ir- regular depths, leaving along piece of the sewer lower than its outlet at- Sixth avenue, has been rectified by connecting the depressed end with the deeper sewer west of Seventh avenue. DRAINAGE OF WASHINGTON MARKET. For along time it had been noticed that Wash- ington market was exceedingly damp, and very disagreeable odors arose from the floor, although a drain was said to exist beneath it. An cxamina- tlon showed that the drain was useless, being broken in some places and stopped up in others, -and the whole of the ground upon which the market stands was saturated with the waste from the fish stands and others using ice boxes, forming, with refuse which had accumulated, a putrid mass of mud, full of all the results of decay and decomposition. The matter was taken in hand immediately, and the whole market has been recently sewered—the work having been rapidly prosecuted, mainly at night. The condition of the market now gives great satisfaction, and the difference in the state of the atmosphere has been noticed by numerous frequenters, who are not aware of the improve- meat of the drainage, Outlet sewer in Seventeenth street, at Hudson River, and in) Eleventh avenue to Twenty-third street, with bfanches. This work, now nearly completed, is designed to give a direct outlet of proper size to the large district iyi between ‘ourteenth and Fortieth streets and Fifth avenue and the Hudson River. The contract for this work also includes the alteration and rebuilding of the defective sewers in the adjoining streets. By intercepting and collecting the discharge of numerous sewers having independent outlets along the river front the foul state of the water around the lower portion of the city will be con- fined to the present limits, A similar work has been completed for the dis- trict extending from Twenty-sixth to Fortieth street and from Fifth avenue to the East River. This, together with the overflow lately built in the large sewers in that neighborhood, have re- moved the causes of fooded cellars, formerly com- plained of in that district. f The outlet is located in Thirty-third street at the East River, with a collective sewer in First avenue, insuring the same advantage of clean water in the slips as on the other side of the city, and plans are prepared for extending this work the whole citys A large portion of the large sewer, six by eight feet, in Thirty-iourth street, between First and Second avenues, which had caved in from bad form and workmanship, was rebuilt; and, sim- ilarly,-the sewer in Seventy-fourth street, between Fifth avenue and the East River. During the past year have also been rebuilt the sewers in Second avenue, between Seventy-eighth and Seventy-ninth streets: Fifty-sixth street, be- tween Fifth and Sixth avenues and between Tenth and Eleventh avenues; Forty-sixth street, between First avenue and the Kast River, and others of less extent, owing partly to defective materials and workmanship, and partly to the fact of having been laid before the streets were graded. The original surface of the ground being at a greater depth below the established, garde than it Was possibie to put the sewers, the weight of the filling when. thrown in to LS the street had the etfect of crushing or otherwise injuring them. While the first cost of laying is less before the street is flied in the ultimate cost will be much greater; and, for the reasons just stated, the sewers must eventually be taken up and relaid, A large number of impertectiy constructed re- ceiving basins and culverts “wave been repaired and rebuilt. In 1872 seventymine basins have had the new head, forined of a sfgie piece of granite, substituted for the old style of head, in several jeces. Almost all of the old square man-hole heads, built of several pieces of stone, covered with iron plates, whith were always liable to dis- lacement, and continually td into the sewer, ave been replaced by solid iron heads and covers. Plans have been made for the alterations now most needed, which are principally in the business streets and crowded thoroughiares, and the work should be done systematically and not by piece- meal, The cost vf the imprevements will be directly assessable upon the property benefited. Under the present contract law the award would have to be made to the lowest bidder jor the work, who might be wholly unfit for the undertak- ing, aad there would be a repetition of the great faconvenience and vexatious delays which the publie Das experienced for the last three years by the alterations in progress to the old sewers be- tween Fourteenth and Twenty-third streets, Tenth ‘avenue and North River. In all repairs and alterations to sewers it is found almost impossible to estimate the extent or cost of such without incurring a preliminary ex- pense nearly equal to the final cost of the improve- ment, and no responsible contractor cares to bid on such work without first knowing exactly what is to be done. It is advisable that the present law should be changed, so as to allow the work to be done by day’s work or by contract only to respon- sible parties, THE COST OF CLEANING SEWERS. The ual price of cleaning sewers by hand 1s about $2 560 per load, and while under a good sewer system solid deposits should be carnied of with the flow, the city has been yearly paying from $27,000 to $46,000 per year to remove them. It is notorious that persons who, under the old Tammany régime had the contracts for cleaning these sewers, find- ing it protitable to remove the deposits at $2 50 per load, were in the habit of putting obstructions in the sewers witn a view of creating solid deposits, The present Commissioner of Public Works has, hewever, puta stop to ail this, and last year re- duced the cost o1 cleaning the sewers to $14,412 against $44,690 for the year 187). The following table furnished by Engineer Towle shows the com- parative cost of cleaning brick and pipe sewers from 1867 10 1871 inclusive. The water supply having increased last year, the department has rée- sorted to the flushing process, and two or three nights per week the water eerie hydrants have been let into the sewers, reducing the expense of Oleaning for the year to $14,000:— end of each year, and Amount for each year se) rately trom 1865 to 1871 inclusive :— ‘t = | "yeaq “UsT| WOM ‘susnay “oad “UsT, “altel “apex ay) Guysnp epON synsquog uo YIbUIT 103‘98 16L9°%8 12%‘SOL FOL'LE ‘68 ‘Wad “UIT 1m0L 169° ry AND NOUM LOf 400q YOUT f0 pug Ww ase uz unowy “01-6 £8% ‘OB¥IOMEs JO STTUT 18103 SOI-2 99 ‘sIOMeS Odyd SOOT’6T SIZ ‘810MOS JOTIG—:soITUH U} I0 ~ |B Bi |" ze |f pegogegoggeyoye | IO pup SBS88888 [oro COLLECTING SEWERS, ‘The department have recently had careful sur- veys made of the sewers on the river fronts, and it has been discovered that vast benefits would re- sult from the construction of large collecting kew- ers along the river fronts trom the Battery to Four teenth street. These are intended to intercept the present crosstown sewers, that are badly clogged wing to an insufficiency of outlet accommodation, It 18 proposed to build these sewers along West street on the west side and South street on the east side. At the Battery they will be ten by seven feet, and be redu in size as they ad- vance northward. The lars per mile, and, as the distance on the North River is two and a kaif miles and on the East River three and a quarter miles, the aapenne to the property owners benefited by it willbe a mere nominal sum individ . The Department intends to build these sewers by piecemeal as the new dock system pi Ls the Dock De- partment construct @ bulkhead they will cut off the present drainage and run out to the bulkhead, and these collecting sewers must be built to take their places, Appeneet is a drawing of one of these sewers. is believed that they will be found superior to any ever constructed in this city. Many of the sewers now being put down in various perks of the city ,are built after this 1 Of dif- ferent sizes, to accommodate themselves to the atreet. Overflows at high water marks will be put in at, Rector, Vesey and Canal streets, 80 as to carry off the flow of the greatest storm. Engineer Towle believes that these sewers, properly and carefully constructed, will be most effectual in freeing all the sewers below Fourteenth street, and in preventing the igoaing of Washington Fulton markets and cellars in the lower wards, which takes place on the oceasion of nearly every heavy rain. They will be valuable also in the event of means being devised in the future to utilize the solids that find oe in the sewers. All that will be necessary will be the erection at the discharge points of immense receiving reservoirs, into which will collect the solids flushed out from the sewers. By steam power the solids can be removed from these reservoirs and discharged into vessels for shipment to the factory for working it up into fer- tilzers, at an expense of ten cents per load, or a saving of $2 40 per load oes the present mode of cleat the sewers by hand. DRAINING THE WATER COURSES. » The sanitary authorities have frequently reported upon the uptown water courses as breeders of fever and ague and other “‘ills that flesh is heir to,”’ but they have been unable to do more than recom- mend underground drainage as a remedy. Mr. Towle represents that there is at present under way or finished eight miles of this underground drainage, the principal sections being as follows :— ‘That pertion bounded by Fifty-sixth and Sixty- sixth streets, Fourth and Fifth avenues (com- pie ;, that portion bounded by Seventy-third and Fighty-third streets and Fifth avenue an. the East River (completed) ; that portion bounded by Fifty- ninth and Sixty-eighth streets, Eighth and Ninth avenues (in progress), and that portion bounded by Seventy-third and hath streets and Eighth av- enue to the North River (in progress). These un- derground drains are about three feet wide by four feet high, and are located below the sewerage and below the grade of house cellars, gnd it is believed that they will most effectually remove the malaria caused by these stagnant watercourses, REFERENCES TO DIAGRAM. A—Brick arch 6f sewer. B—Brickwork arch of sewer. C—Concrete. D—Three course plank foundation. E—Cap timber.’ F—Piles. " WEATHER REPORT. Wark DEPARTMENT, | OFFICE OF THE CHIEF SIGNAL OFFICER, WASHINGTON, D. C., Feb, 3—1 A. M. Synopsis for the Past Twenty-four Hours. / The barometer has fallen north and west of the Ohio Valley, with rising temperature, winds back- ing to fresh and brisk southwesterly and south- easterly, and increasing cloudiness. Clear weather generally continues over New England, with light to fresh southwesterly and southeasterly winds; and over the South Atidntic and Gulf States, east of the Mississippi, with light easterly winds and cloudy weather, and light easterly to southerly winds are now prevailing over Tennessee and entucky. ne . Probabilities. From the Ohio Valley to the Upper Lakes, North- west and Missouri, falling barometer, rising temperature, fresh and brisk southeasterly and southwesterly winds, cloudy weather gnd snoy, excepting rain for probably the southern portions of Missouri, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio, From Kentucky southward to the Gulf, falling barom- eter, rising temperature, light and fresh easterly and southerly winds, cloudy weather and rain areas. For the South Atlan- tic States, light and fresh easterly and southerly winds, and generally cloudy weather. For the Middle States, falling barometer, rising temperature, fresh and occasionally brisk south- easterly and southerly winds, and generally cloudy weather, with probably areas of light snow over the Lower Lake region. For New England, winds backing to light and fresh, southerly and probably southeasterly, and partly cloudy weather. Midnight telegraphic reports from Western Gulf States and Kansas not yet received, The Weather in This City Yesterday. The following record will show the changes in the temperature for the past twenty-four hours in comparison with the corresponding day of last ear, 28 indicated by the thermometer at Hudnut’s harmacy, HERALD Building :— 1872, 1873, 1872, . 1873, 19 15 3:30 P.M 32 17 17 il 30 16 21 8 . “4 2 n WP, 12 perature yesterday.. 2B wae catty THE ICE IN THE RIVERS, — Yesterday was unquestionably the severest day Of the season to the ferryboats on the North and East rivers, The Yersey City ferryboats made trips only every half hour and at longer intervals in the evening. Quite a field of ice foated down and extended from the New York side about one third the distance across the river. The Hoboken ferryboats danced jig and reel alter Dately on approaching the New York side. This ‘wus the only amusement afforded to the passen- gers, who Lig were within jumping dis- tance of the bridge, but had to back out again, owing to the heavy masses of ice piled in the slips. The slips at Cortlandt, Chambers, Barclay and Des- brosses streets were alike in this respect The Fulton and other East River ferry boats were delayed considerably by the ice, which was carried up in large masses by tide, and it was not with- out great difficulty that the slips were entered during the afternoon. Ne serious accident hap- pened, but a large outiay from the funds of the ferr; companies charged to tre repairing account will be necessary during the ensuing week. . ™= WEATHER IN CALIFORNIA. SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 2, 1873. ae a4 ; e948 a | FEeoee Le Sek pt pe | be | secre Fal lsat | ERE |afale| | geedes |Fe5ce |e" | 3 g2e588 - % efits | Seneg [IPEGH| 1 gusres 5 a P 212885 | canal | Gph eagees |ceeee l= 8 Per | o2 eres gee | ztefs Beesn 2bS | AES&S gfe g | ES8es |F &S: Soke & jap i A 2 H gout E AP, ateg © == ‘ERE Le ga . Gat ges 38 § Mr. Towle also furnishes the following table, showing the extent of sewerage in the city at the ‘ The rain storm continues in most portions of the interior of the State. The weather in this city is clondy and cold, with occasional showers. The | . farmers’ prospects never were better, BARTHQUAKE SHOOK IN SAN FRANCISCO, SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 2, 1873, A light shock of earthquake was experienced in this vicinity at half-past three o’clock this after- noon, lasting about five seconds, There was no damage done, nor was the shock felt by people in streets. VICE PRESIDENT OOLPAX, He Delivérs a Lecture on T and is Heartily Cheered. by BautTimore, Md., Feb, 2, 1873, Vice President Colfax delivered an address on temperance this afternoon in Masonic Temple to an immense and enthusiastic audience. Mr. Col- fax, in coming on the platiorm, was greeted with hearty cheers, erance, THE 8ST. ALBANS RAID. os Was it Concocted in Canada, as Well as the Pilot to Assassinate Abraham Lin- colnt Sr. ALBANS, V!., Jan. 30, 1873, To THE EpiToR oF THE HERALD. I notice among the despatches of the Associated Press one from Montreal, P. Q., to the effect that the testimony of certain witnesses, lately taken in Montreal, in relation to the claims against the British government on account of “the St. Albaps raid,” to use the language of the despatch, “is completely at variance with the report that said scheme was concocted in Canada, and esthb- lishes the entire ignerance of the authori- ties respecting. the designs of the raiders.’”’ Now, I beg to say, a8 counsel for the claimants, being personally present at the taking of the testimony, that the person who made the above statements, or kis informant, is grossly ignorant of the testimony taken, or otherwise. he has wantonly misstated the facts, The above quo- tation is far from the truth. The testimony on be- half of the British government was entirely con- firmatory of what many knew before, and the British government, by their Colonial Secretary, Hon. Edward Cardwell, in a letter to Lord Monk, under date of April 1, 1865, therein admit that the raid was concocted in Canada, and, to use Mr. Cardwell’s words, “that they (the raiders) did accordingly receive from Mr. Clay, in Canada, instructions for the attack which they afterwards made upon St. Albans, and were furnished by him, in Canada, with money for that purpose, and that they did, in fact, proceed from Canada to St. Albans on a belligerent ex- pedition under these instructions.” in confirmation of Mr. Cardweill’s statement one of the witnesses testified that J, Wilkes Booth and Joun H. Surratt were in Montreal, the former a little before and the latter just after Presi- dent Lincoln’s assassination, in secret com- munication with George §. Sanders and other Southern emissaties, leaving no doubt in the mind of any person that the assassination of Mr. Lincoln was likewise “concocted” in Canada. I need hardly say that it appeared that “the authorities” were not entirely ignorant ‘“re- specting the designs of the raiders.” I know of no reagon for such misstatements at this time, un- less perhaps it may be thought necessary to insure the success of certain parties from Canada now at Washington striving to bring. about a renewal o1 the former reciprecity treaty between the two gov- ernments, Who would now gladly ignore ‘‘their record” during our late war. Yours respectfully, sens E. A. SOWLES, THE Partiedlars RE MARSHAL'S REPORT. and Causes of the Last Montn’s Fires. Fire Marshal McSpedon makes the following report on fires for the month ending, January 31, 1873:— ring the month, involving @ loss of Beeson which S4au5n) "wan on stock amd $86,875 building. The amount of uninsured loss was $es'a0 on stock ‘and $1,550 on buildings, making a total of Hite total amount of Insuranee was $2,067,570, of which THE CUBAN CAUSE. How the Edgar Stuart Recently Ran the Spanish Blockade. Colonel Aguero and Captain Som- mers in New York. Shippmg Arms, Ammunition and Clothing— Meeting the Stuart at Aspinwall—Landing the Cargo at Night—Arrival at Key West—An Enthusiastic Reception— The Insurgents’ Prospects—The Blockade Runner at Baltimore. The arrival in this city yesterday morning of Colonel Aguero, commanding the expedition’ re- cently landed on he coastt of Cuba from the steamer Edgar Stuart, and of Captain Sommers, who was in charge of the successful blockade runner, caused much satisfaction among the many sympa. thizers ef the insurgents in “the Ever Faithful Isle” in this vicinity, whe were advised of the fact, and these gentlemen received the ackrowledgment due them for the eminent service which they have ren- dered the cause. A HERALD representative called upon these officials last evening, from whom he learned the story of the Edgar Stuart’s late voyage, together with the many ineidents attending it, which are exceedingly interesting. Colonel Aguero and Captain Sommers seem to be fitting persons to conduct to a successful issue a blockade-running expedition of this nature. Firm in their faith of the insurgents’ ultimately achiev- ing their independence, their work in the re- ‘spective channels through which it has been directed has been with a will and determination seldom equalled, if ever surpassed. Colonel Aguero, of the Cuban army and the special agent of the insurgents in this country, is a fine speci- men of the old Castfian type, and his whole bear- ing and demeanor indicates thata fitting selection nas been made in appointing him to the delicate and dificult work intended to be accomplished by President Cespedes. Fully six feet and one or two inches In height, he has the move- ments of aleader and would not stop at any ob- stacle to insure success, Captain Sommers, com- manding the Stuart, is a Dane by birth and about thirty-six years of age, His record is a good one as a naval oficer in the United States service, having served in our navy from the breaking out of the late rebellion in 1861 until 1868, ‘“‘where,” as he says, “he was engaged in catching blockade runners, but now he is doing a little business of that kind himself.” His face, actions and conversation denote the intelligent officer, and his various Cuban commands of this nature include the steamers Annie, George B. Upton, Webster, Hornet and the Stuart. NO VIOLATION OF NEUTRALITY LAWS. Captain Sommers, in beginning the narration of the late little successful trip to the coast of Cuba, avows that they did not desire to commit any vio- lation of our neutrality laws, claiming that the “stores” they landed, even if some of such were 3 teras, where a severe gale. was ¢ Heavy ice was met coming up the chedeneeeat eal but ly the United States revenue cutte Colfax was breaking her wa: Sp to the city, Facey Captain Sommers ‘ollowed le broken trac! ee the vessel will remain until thoroughly r r THE INSURGENTS’ PROSPECTS, Colonel Aguero says that the feelinz of resistanca in the Cuban army i8 greater than ever, and thinka that within fiiteew. mouths the Spanish power in = island will be overthrown. From the informatio in his possession this conclusion is deduced. Ever: successful expedition to the Island gives the courage and causes defection in the Spanish forces, With belligerent rights from Presideng Grant the independence of Cuba could be estab< lished within six menths. . THE EDGAR STUART'S RECORD, The Edgar Stuart, Colonel Aguero says, ran thi blockade last year fourteen times, but was not able to land on these occasions more than twenty. three men, 107 rifles, 9,000 cartri 3 and some clothing. she was pursued three different days by\ Spanish men-of-war, being under fire twice, from the steamship Clara and the gunboat juito,) then only 300 yards distant. In these several pur¢ suits the Mosquito was wrecked and the Clara and Selaye disabled, She was chased from Kingston, Jamaica, two entire days, where she had run th blockade maintained by the man-of-war -Fraucesco de Borgia, Her escape at time was made without changing her course. CHINA. Imperial Arrangements for the Vindica< tion of the Divine Right. The Foreign Ambassadors and the Audienca Question—Court Influences and the Re- gency—Financiering with India. Suanawak, Dec. 15, 1872, The official Gazette of Pekin is still full of orders! cension to the throne in February next. One edict reads as follows:— i The Emperor hag now reigned for eleven year: He has been assisted in the government by hi Imperial kindred and Ministers of State. And no that the Imperial marriage has just been consum. mated it is a fitting time to bestow some token of Imperial favor on these faithiul servants, in honot of that event. Prince Tun will henceforth be allowed to use ® chair with four bearers in’ the Imperial city. He is exempted from his duties as one of the heads of the Imperia? body guard, &c., and his son Tsatlien is raised to the rank of High Honorary State Supporter Duke (feng en fu kwo kung). Prince Kung has assisted in the conduct of affairs for many years, and has rendered most valuable services. So lott ago as the eleventh year and eleventh month of Hienfeng, an order was issued commanding that the title of Chin Wang (Prince of the Blood) be hereditary im his family forever; but he so persistently declined the honor that further consideration or the subject was deferred till, His Majesty should @assume the reins of government. | The Emperor's marriage has already beem celebrated, and as the time of his ascension’ draws near, it is therefore ordered that the titie of, Chin Wang be made hereditary in the jamily 0: Prince Kung forever. * * * Wensiang, a grand Secretary and member of the Grand Council, ig allowed to use a chair with two bearers in the Im- perial or Forbidden City. Paoyua, a Junior Guar+ dian of the Heir Apparent and President of one of the Boards, is appointed a Senior Guardian of thot Heir Apparent (a mere title); and Presidents Shen Kwel-fen and Li Hung-tsao are made Junior Guardians of the Heir Apparent. The above titles are ponrereee in commemoration of His Majesty’s marriage. Another fs to the effect that all thé Princes and Ministers of State who took part in the celebra- munitions of war, without men, is not a violation of any law but a municipal law of Spain. LEAVING NEW YORK. On the 11th of December last the party, consist- ing of Captain Sommers, Mates Charles Olsen and Anson Risley, two engineers and twelve men, six- teen in all, left this city in the steamer Henry Chauncey for Aspinwall. Accompanying them were Colonel Aguero, his son and four Cubans, the former having in charge the stores and merchandise designed to be carried to the insurgents. Without incident the Chauncey arrived at Aspinwall on the 19th of that month, when the “goods” were transferred to the Stuart, where she had been awaiting the arrival of this party. It was the intention of the leaders that, all circumstances being favorable, they should start upon their mission on the 20th, in order to reach the shores of Cuba upon Christmas Day, that occa- s10n being one when merry-making monopolizes the attention of all, and the look-outs on the coast might not be so watchful as at other times. The machinery of the Stuart not being fully in order prevented this, and the time was passed until the morning of the 265th before all was in readiness. Before departure there were shipped several additional men, materially aug- menting the crew. And here it is proper to state that ali the men under Captain Sommers were fully advised of the character of the voyage upon which they had embarked, and in every bosom was found @ Willing heart. OFF FOR CUBA. At six o'clock A. M., Christmas Day, the Edgar Stuart, with brave men on deck, and capable offi- cers and competent leaders at their side, and with the sinews of war in the hold, left Aspinwall for Point Lono and Porto Aguero. The weather was fine, but the passage was purposely a long one, that the vessel might not reach her destination until the Ist of January, as at that time the nights were dark and Spanish cruisers could more easily be avoided. The passage also enabled the Captain to put the Stuart In blockade running trim, which was fully done. The steamer went within a cable length of the shore, wnen Colonel Aguero, who had fully prepared for the event, sent messengers to the land with despatches to communicate the pleasing intelligence that the.expected aid had arrived, Then the Stuart, not to be “caught napping,” proceeded to» sea and “hove to,” Awaiting until the next night they returned, when there were found 600 stalwart insurgents ready to receive the munitions ‘of war designed for them, Within six hours, by means of rafts shipped on _ the steamer for the purpose, there was landed at this point one- half the Stuart’s cargo, consisting of 500 Reming- ton rifles, 500 Spencer rifies, 500 hand grenades, 700,000 percussion caps, 200,000 cartridges, two tons of powder, 300 full sets of equipments, 200 blankets. 200 machetes, large quantities of surgi- cal instruments, several medicine chests and many barrels of provisions. All the boxes were broken before the conteats were sent ashore, as it is impracticable to take bulky articles up among the mountains. All the materials were quickly despatched into the interior, being carried ina canvas fitted to long staves, ‘a load” being that quantity which twelve men could carry. This, of course, refers to thgarms, but the smaller articies had purposely beermput up in New York in boxes of such weight that one man could easily manage and carry a long distance witheut becoming ex- hausted. This part of the mission being successfully accomplished, - Colonel Aguero sent messengers from Point Lono, through the courtesy of the pilots, to Porto Aguero that the Stuart pugs be expecte on the following night, the 3d, at which time they arrived and meeting welcome friends to the num- ber of 100, dischayged the remainder of the cargo without accident, Dot leaving even @ percussion cap on board. i SAILING FOR KEY WEST. Their mission ended, and Colonel Aguero having communicated with the leading officers of the Cu- ban army, the Stuart prepared for a run to Key leaving Port Aguero ou the morning -of the Jan hen ten miles off shore a Spanish en, but did net molest them. The steamer coasted along the shore six: er eight miles distantjrom Cape Macey, on the southeast of the island, Yo Cape Crus, continuing westward, when, within eleven miles of the Cape Of San Antonio, $1,061,970 was On stock and $1,005,600 on buildings. The | her machtuery broke dewn, and the gallant Siimber of fires in which loss was less than $10 was42; | Stuart was almost driven’ on the hostile between $100 and $1,000, 21; between $1.00) and $5.00, | coast, a heavy gale from the north and north- $20,000, 5; between $20,000 and $50,000, 2; over $50,000, 2. ‘Comparative statement of fires, loss and insurance for 272, i’ sonia SLM Wa) January, I ‘i x ML, January, 1878. be 40.503 21057570 The following were the principal causes of fires :—Care- Jessness of occupants and employes, hildren play- ing with fire and matches, 2; defective flues and heating 7; foul chimneys, 17; aalights setting fire to d 'e- \d curtains, 7; hot coals taliing trom grates ; incendiary, 3 imps, explosion ; overheated stoves, furnaces, flues and - pontaneous combustion of oily rags, &c.,3; 8; and the remainder originated from a ental causes. arrested January 6, charged to set fire to ‘premises No, p under — $10,000 Dowling; Katman Lippe, arrested of setting fire to the premises occu- nd $7 Nassau street, was dis- ret; Isidor Filber, arrested on pes, I Rovascoriained, variety of acid William H. Kidd, rested on ‘firing premises 668 Third avenue Jahuary 26, and Samuel Rubin, arrested gn charge of Oring premises M East Broadway January J, were severally held to answer. THE HOBOKEN HOMICIDE. Rumor that the Body Was Identified— The Rumor Untrue and the Victim Still Unknown. A rumor was afloat in Hoboken yesterday after- noon that the body of the murdered man had been identified by @ Mra. Fitzpatrick and three boys as a vender of patent medicines. The report, however, lacked foundation, inasmuch as the man whom the woman supposed the victim to be was found by Chief Donavap. The unfortunate de- ceased, therefore, still remains unidentified, and ho cle to the assassing has yet bey obtaine west coming up. Under canvas she made good headway, arriving at Key West on the morn- ing of the 13th of January without further acci- dent. Fourteen days were required to repair the broken machinery. There was no trouble experi- enced here upon the steamer’s arrival with the au- thorities, although many questions were asked by the officials regarding her mission, to all of which Captain Sommers replied, as above stated, that he had committed “no violation of the neutrality laws.” RECEPTION BY CUBAN LABORERS, The reception of the officers and crew of the steamer at Key West by the seven or eight hundred Cubans living there and depending upon their daily support by making cigars was extremely cordial. ‘To show their devotion to the cause of independence they held a mass meeting and made the occasion a holiday, Over five hundred came down to the point where the Stuart was lying, and, after inspecting the vessel, a subscription was taken up, and acer presented Colonel ws hae in aid of the cause, $7,000 in money and clothing of all charac- ter, sufficient in quanuty to make the aggregate collection $20,000, Many indiVidual instances of patriotism were noticed, showing conclusively that the poorer workmen among the outcasts 0! Cuba have such faith m the success of the insure gents’ fight that they are willing to give sites nearly all of their worldly possessions, In m4 connection it must be remarked that Coleone, Aguero has now in his possession, from the gence agency in Key West to the general agency ot ti cause in New York, a document showin: tha! - same poor laborers have sent here—in a jaition to the above sum—$40,000, to be devoted to the same purpose, REY WEST TO BALTIMORE. est on the 24th ultimo and ‘The Stuart left Key ey Re on tl Wag experienced uals ber agrival 9 Cape Mat: tion of the La eh marriage on the 16th inst. be raised one grade; that the minor officials be honor- ably recorded once; that two silver ingots, one ounce in weight, be given to each of the chair at- tendants, and one ingot to each of the lamp-bearers and other followers. FOREIGN DIPLOMACY AND THE AUDIENCE QUESTION. The audience question will probably: be the first to engage the attention of the new Emperor and the diplomatic corps. It is said that the French Minister will lead off and that the British, Ameri- can, Russian and German Ministers will follow. It is generally supposed that the demands of the foreign Ministers will be complied with. THE REGENCY. Although the Bperor will assume the personal control of affairs in February, the Empress Dowager, Prince Kung and the other ‘Ministers ot State wilt no doubt continue to exercise considerable power tull His Majesty has reached a more mature age. He is now only seventeen years old. 3 Edward Jones, private in Her British Majesty's Tenth regiment of infantry, stationed at Hong Kong, who was indicted at that place for the wil- ful murder of Matthew Graham, a soldier in the same regiment, was brought to trial on the 4th of November, He was acquitted on the ground of insanity. FINANCE AND TRADE WITH INDIA. The China Mail states that the failure of Messrs. Joshua & Co., at genes; is more serious than was at first supposed, and that it will injuriously affect Hong Kong. The Chinese Coolie Traffic. The Straits Observer, Singapore, East Indies, of the 21st of November, reports the consequences of the traffic in Chinese colies to that point thus:— There are accounts of a vessel having arrived in Singapore roads the Ldap ate 0 Cede; be 1,470 Chinese emigrants to this sacred isle. When is this influx to cease? A new set of buildings will be re- quired on the pauper hospital grounds to accom- modate the new arrivals. There will be scarcely elbow room for any one else than Celestials in the place if things go on at this rate. If civil strife were allowed as at Klang, &c., the population could be thinned by one tribe exterminating another. Emigration of Coolies by Wholesale to Central America. {From the Shanghae Budget, Nov. 14.] A special correspondent, dating at Macao, writes to us as follows :— Tam informed, on most reliable authority, of the dimiculties now being raised by the Governor, which, if true, as they appear to be, will display great Inconsistency on the part of His Excellency, combined witha system which cannot but tend to the selfish advantage of individuals rather than to the good name of the colony—I allude to his having granted new facilities to native emigration from Macao tg Costa Rica. Has Viscount de San Januario thought over the heavy responsibility that he incurs with his own government by authorizing and allowing @ steamer to ship coolles to a country where these latter have not the slightest guarantee of any kind? or is it that he considers this a matter whicl fe is justi- fled in overlooking? If the Governor of Macao and ‘Timor has such powers from his government that he can, of his own accord, solve questions of such magnitude, and under such circumstances, it 1s his duty to make the fact public through the medium of the official Gazette that the emigration to Costa Rica isopento all, Again, it is the duty of a liberal government to give the greatest publicity to all its acty, and not to proceed in the above manner; and the matter assumes additional importance if, as is rumored among the community, the privilege has been granted to a certain emigration agent whose name has recently been mixed ap in no very creditable manner with a shipment of coolles from the port of Swatow. His Excellency lays himself open to serious repri- mand should he allow the steamer Glensannox to leave for Costa Rica, and it is to be trusted that he will calmly meditate over so serious a step, and satisfy public opinion, which has been justly aroused, by not allowing any vessel to load cooiles for a port where their hardships and sufferings must be of the most lamentable description. Should His Excellency be 8o ill-advised as to ad- here to what appears to be his present intention, I shall communicate further un the subject. ALGERIA. French Official Reports trom the Afria can Colony—Exportation of Breadstuffs to Italy. The French Minister of the Interior has just ree ceived the following official report from Algeria— the latest authentic news from the African colony of the Republic :— The smallpox ts decr drought ag or to the tural operations. The ‘ula vidi Cheikn, ing in Algiers, but the great prejudice of agricul- who are hee ban apts ested their intention of profiting by the Jen ncodecs which has been accorded them, ‘At Oran agricultural labors are being continued on the coast, but in the south the farmers are be- ginning to be uneasy at the scarcity of water. ‘The latest news from th extreme south an- nounces that Si Caddour ben Hamza has separated from his uncles, Si Lala and Si Kddin, and has reached Touat, with a view to keep himself aloof from the negotiations opened with his oR ‘i ‘Agricultural @perations are carried on in Con- atuntine under more favorable conditions than in the two other provinces. The price of cereais has augmented sensibly, in consequence of the consid- erable exportation jor Italy. ‘The tribes of Djidieli, which had consented to an exchange of territory with a view to European colonization, have been removed without any aim culty. Some robberies attended by violence have been committed to the south of Biskra. , The authorities are on the trace of the culprits. LAURA D, PAIR AGAIB, San FRANCISCO, Cal., Feb, 2, 1873, Laura D. Fair has secured 4 hall in Stockton, and |. Will inflict a lecture on the people of that city on “Wolves im the Fold” some day this weeks and edicts in relation tothe Emperor’s formal as< | .