The New York Herald Newspaper, December 12, 1874, Page 3

“A LIVELY SHAKE.” An Earthquake in the Upper Part of the City. UNSTEADY REAL ESTATE. The Shock in Westchester and New Jersey. ALONG THE HUDSON. Experiences of the Tremor in the City and Vicinity. PREVIOUS LOCAL SHAKES. On Thursday evening of this week, at half-past ten o’clock—an hour early for the great buik of ‘busy citizens, but quite late to suburban residents of the new wards and the neighboring villages— there was felt and heard in the upper parts of the city and through all the county of Westchester, with the Jersey Palisades district, along the west- ernshore of the Hudson in Rockland county, and as far north as Peekskill and east as Greenwich, Conn., a distinct earthquake | wbock, People in bed and asleep were suddenly awakened—jumping up startled, confounded and Mmgutened. They neard, as they told HERALD re- porters yesterday, sounds in the night stillness as though a long, heavy railway train had passed under their houses, from north southwardly, shaking the walls, making pictures § and mirrors swing from their - hangings and rattling the tins and dishes in the pantries, For a moment after the vibration, which 1s variously estimated to have lasted from three seconds to a minute, all was still as death, Then chickens clapped their wings, cocks crowed, dogs barked ana horses neighed with fright at the | Strange experience, The tremor was very dis- tinct and startling at Washington Heights. At Harlem only tew noticed it In sergen Heights it wakened light sleepers, ana through all Westchester it seems to have had con- siderable iorce, so as in some cases to have thrown down stoves and furniture, crack ceilings, and Make chandeliers swing and dishes jingle on pan- try stelves. People thought it due to some local cause, guessed It was a powder, or gus or steam explosion, till, on comparing notes yesterday morning, they found {rom its extent that they had Telt what, in other parts of the world, is dreaded as a plague. THE SHOCK AT WASHINGTON HEIGHTS, A gentieman who resides in & romantic region Of the Heights thus describes his experiences ot the shock:—I was leaving my library about twenty-minutes past ten o’clock, having finished some memoirs I had been preparing for some ‘time past,; when, just as I was turning the handle of the door—having previously extin- guished the light—I was suddenly startled by a strange and undefinable sound. 1 did not Opep the door, being almost spellbound, for had never heard anything to resemble the Pecultar and unearthly noise which grated on my ears. In a twinkling I lighted my lamp, and, @rawing aside the curtains, peered through tue Window tuto the lawn only to see gloom and darkness, which, doubtless, seemed intensified by the awiul rumbling, which now sounded like a Mgbtning train running through a tuniel under my house, For a few moments I was pertectly thunaerstruck, and, hastily closing the curtains, ‘Was about to rush I know not where, when in came rushing tue members of my !amily seemingly petrified with fright. Mina, all this happened in much less time than I nave taken to tellit. And now with the intention of calming the dread- ful apprehensions which had taken possession of my relatives and triends, | ventared the opinion, With apparent indifference, that the sound must have proceeded from the passing of an express trainonthe Hudson River Railroad, but I had lived too long tn the neighborhood and had become too familiar with the noise which @ locomotive and a train of cars generally make, to know that the dreadiul rumbling, which, by the way, did not Jast longer than thirty or forty seconds, was produced by other causes. I quieted my family as best 1 could, and, after repeated assurances that there was nothing wrong, induced them to retire. Isubsequently visited my outhouses, and in going through the stables found the borses all standing and by no means in a calm tempera- ment. They had evidently been aroused, and seemed to be much disturbed, Although the sound was almost indescribable I cer- tainly never heard anything so distinct. At frst it resembled the sound generally produced by # team of horses trotting over frozen snow, then suddenly swelling forth, it resembled a peal of thunder, finally culminating in something like the roll of a thousand drums in the march of the God of Battle. Nobody was hurt, however, in my im- Mediate vicinity, nor was any damage done to buildings in the neighboring, but oncoming to town on the morning train | found that the pro- minent topic of conversation was the shock of the night before. more distinctness in other parts of the county, but Ihave not heard that any catastropie has oc. curred in consequence. As the sound died away it resembled the passage of @ train rushing across @ distant bridge, From the various statements I have heard I am inclined to believe that the sound heard taroughout the county was produced by an earthquake. Tradition gives no account of any similar disturbance in this partof the State; but wonders, you know, occur ail the time. Much coneternation was caused at Spuyten Duyvil, and in several houses lights were kept | burning nearly all might in anticipation of a re- | newal of the shock. A MERCHANT TELLS THE STORY. Mr. E. L. Hyatt, & carpet dealer, in Canal street, ‘who lives at Fort Washington, heard what he sup- posed to be a thanderclap, ana thought it was a natura! result of the storm which had been on since the night before. He was dozing at the time, and paid no particular attention to it, When he went down stairs, however, he was sur- prised at hearing ‘rom his family that the nouse had been considerably shaken, and they had all experienced a sort of rocking sensation, which astonished them. They had run to the windows and opened them, but heard nothing turtuer. Movable objects in the house had rattled perceptibly and the family had been to Some extent alarmed. He quieted their fears by telling them it was nothing more than @ clap of thunder. A servant in the house had been so Seared that she rashed out into the grounds adjoining and could hardiy be induced to resume ber work. She thought that it was some- thing more than @ mere thonderclap, and sald it was prolonged to a great extent. Mr. Hyatt could not be induced to believe that it was reaily an earthquake, but told a@ reporter of the HERALD that he still believed it was asimple thunderclap, wnich had been more than ordinarily strong. He was ledto this beilef from the fact that the night before he had noticed signs of @ coming storm and thought this was the result of it. Everybody in his neighborhood, how- ever, insisted that an eartnquake had visited the place and were all seared, more or less, His house had sot been damaged as reported, Evervthing ‘Waa left in its place and nothing broken. From ali be had heard, however, he had been visited more lightly than any one in the neighborhood. He did not think it impossible that it might have been an earthquake, but was still disposed to think it ‘was something else, Biastings had been going op for some time, day and night, in the new Bergen Hili Tunnel, very nearly opposite hia place, and he considered that an unusual Dlast might possibly have excited the commotion described py some, The blasts were stated to be 1 understand it was heard with | | { | other explosive material of the kind. Painful | | crack. | a continuous low rumbling like “the rolling of a} NEW YORK HERALD, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12, 1874.-WITH SUPPLEMENT. 3 at all times very etrong, and he had often heard them across the river. As the earthquake was Stated to have been more strongly felt on the other side of the river he thought it not at all im- Possible that the real cause of the supposed earth- quake was @ blast of unusual strength. ANOTHER ACCOUNT FROM WASHINGTON HEIGHTS Mr. Rignal I. Woodward, who lives on Washing- ton Heights and does business tn Worth street, States that he distinctly \eard the earthquake and felt it, He was at frat disposed to believe he heard thunder tm the far distance, bat when the shock became so prolonged he instinctively knew that he was experiencing an earthquake and that he was in personal danger, He, however, wag im- mediately conscious that no action was necessary or of use and remained passive while the rambling sound went on and the rocking decreased in strength and intensity. That it was an earthquake, Mr. Woodward has not the slightest particle of doubt, and no one who was awake could il to peronive it. The noise and the sen- gation of rocking were both distinctly perceptible, and no Clap of thunder ever either felt like it or sounded in a similar manner, A SOUTH AMERICAN TESTIFIES. Mr. Suppartes, a resident of Washington Heights, Pronounced it to be unauestionably an earth- quake, though not of the severest kind. accompanied by rocking and rambling, wis in earthquake countries was always taken to be a serious sign. He hao lived in south America ip an earthquake country for many years and be was perfectly familiar with the phenomena of earthquakes, and his opinion was, {tlerefore, en- titled to more than usual weight, He became Col gclous Of the fact that an earthquake had hap- pened immediately upon feeling tbe peculiar mo- tion of the earth under ms feet. This was succeeded by the noise, which was separate and distinct from the quaking, one succeeding the | other, however, at almost an instant’s interval, The noise in this case Was more perceptible than the motion, which was contrary to the rule in South America, where the motion was the most serious feature of the earthquake. He believed, however, that a slight degree of increase in the force would have been sufficient to have damagea property, A moment before the time the air was rectly quiet and the storm was clearing up. Twas simply imposeible that a thunderciap should have happened in the midst of this peace tn tae | air, The noise and motion were subterranean, ALONG THE HARLEM ROAD, Along the Harlem road the excitement was in- tense yesterday, and the great theme of discus- sion seemed to be the question whether it was an earthquake or an explosion which had created such great alarm on the previous nigot. Of | course, there were no two persons who agreed as | to the duration of the shock, while some were 1n- chmed to the opinion that it must have beech an earthquake ; others felt certain | that it must have been an _ explosion | of nitro-glycerine, or powder, or some Tumors were also Current all day that ail sorts of explosions had occurred, One man [elt sure there had been an explosion at Haverstraw, the sound 0! which had awakened the sleepers on Thursday night; the other felt positive that iL was at Port chester where the jeariul calamity had oocurred, the third had quite a different § theory to explain this mysterious shock, and it was very dificult to come to any definite conclusion. However, as the day wore on and there came no news peany, explo- sion the conviction gained ground that it must have deen an earthquake and nothing eise, In- quiries elicited the fact that the shock was heard almost all the way from Tremont to Pawling. AT FORDHAM there seemed to be scarcely anybody who had felt it. At almost all the other way stations between Tremont and Pawling, at Willtamsbridge, West Mount Vernon, Brownville, Tuckahoe, Scarsdale, Hartsdale, White Pisins, Kensico, Pleasantville, Chappaqua, the home of Horace Greeley; Mount Kisco, Katonah, &c., the shock | was heard distinctly. Most violent it seems to have been at West Mount Vernon, White Piains, Kensico, Mount Kisco and Katonan, AT WHITE PLAINS there was a marriage feast going on when the dull thud was heard, and the consternation which en- | sued can easily be imagined, At first the bridal.| party thought that @ cannon had _ been | discharged in their honor, but when this assumption proved to be erroneous, everybody | rasued tito the street to see what was the mat- ter, ‘Jvs an explosion!” “It’s thunaer!” “It's an earthquake!” These were the wild exclama- tions waich burst from the lips of the frightened | revellers. Subsequently, when the first excite- | ment had subsidea, they all laughed at this unex. | pected intermezzo and returned to their enjoy- ments. THROWN OUT OF BED. The road master, Mr. Eggleston, was awakened | by the report, and thought at first that the loco- motive in the engine house, near by, must have exploded. 1t was also stated yesterday that Mr. Eggieston was thrown out of bed vy the snock, but as ne could not be found yesterday this asser- tion could not be verified, Another state- ment was to the effect that the rector of the Episcopal church in White Plains was roused by the shock, and found that his son had fallen out oi bed. Similar accidents | must have occurred to others if popular report is to be credited. Mr. John L. Schilleman, who lives near Broad- way in White Piains, thought the shock proceeded from west to east. He was up atthe time, and, as he was not easily frighteued, he re- frained {rom making a disturbance. 1t sounded to him “like the rumbling of a very heavy wagon on rough ground, only very much stronger, of course. His house snook, his windows rattled, and Mr. Schiijlemen firsc inclined to the belief that it was an explosion. However, subsequently he made up nis mind that it was not au explosion, but an eurthqaake. A GOOD SHAKING 1N BED. One of the conductors of the Harlem Railway, | Jamieson, who spent Thursday night at the Ora- | Wwampum Hotel, at White Plains, says that he | was in bed at the time, but was roused by the shock It shook his bed vio- lently, unul ke made up his mind that, the bed was no longer @ safe resting place. He got up, and so violent Was the tremor that he ex- pected every moment to see the co:mney topple | over. He dressed himself inthe greatest hurry, | but by the time he had finished his toilet the great | cannonade from below was over. 1]t sounded very | much like the first report of an explusion and then died away slowly, ‘ike the rumbitng of | thunder.” In bis judgment {i must nave lasted three-quarters of a minute. Mr, Stephen O. Albro, who lives in Broadway, White Piains, says that he began to appreciate the uncertainty of real estate when, at hali-past ten on Thursday night, his house began to shake to its very foundations. His lamps rattled tre- mendously and his crockery began to caper about. He thought the snock lasted fully one minute, A CRACKED CEILING. At Patrick Farreil’s house, in White Plains, the effects of the shock are yet visible in a tremen- dous crack in the ceiling of a room on the second story. The nouse isa two story irame building, and Mr. Farrell was in mortal fear of seeing it tumbie to pieces that very night. However, the crack in the ceiling ig th: only damage he sus- | tained, with the exception of the “scare,’? | and that was probably worse than the His next-door neighbor was read- ing, when the lamp on the table began | to manifest a remarkable toclination to dance all | by itselt. This rather alarmed him, as he 18 no Spiritualist and did not think that it was @ spook, e describes the sound as a doubie explosion, the | second teport being lighter than the first, and ag heavy cart over a rough road,” and he estimates its duration at half@ minute. Hudson, the watchman at the Court House at White Plains, came running out of it in breathless haste, declaring that the Court House was threat- ening to tamble down, it shook so fearfully. Here, in front of the Court House, the scene was one of great excitement. Eye witnesses say that the men came rushing out en déshabille from the neighboring hotels, and that many seemed to be absolutely terrified by the earthquake. AT HARRISON the shock was also piainly felt, Mr, Charles N, Buoth, an intelligent gentleman, who lives on the Old Portchester road, Was in bed and just in that sweet doze that precedes sleep, when he was rudeiy awakened by the rumbling grumble of the earth, He got up to see if his aged and ieeble | mother-in-law was perfectly saie, and as he | waiked across the floor it trembled plainly under nis feet.‘ The windows shook violently, and the very ornaments on the mantel- iece struck Up @ lively rattle. His wife was so rightened that she felt quite {aint and tll after the shock had subsided. He thought the sound trav- elied from west to cast, and his first impression was that it Was caused by an explosion like the last glycerine explosion at Yonkers, Another resideat of Harrison says that the sbock secmed to come from tne north; that tt awakened the_ sleepers, made the dogs bark and frightened the very chickens, 80 that they flapped their wings, Mr. F. A. Abbott’s house was shaken to its foundation, and the chandeiiers, windows, &c., vibrated perceptibiy. Several of the family were up reading and sewing and were greatly startied by the shock, which seemed “ike a bolt of low, rumbling thunder.” Strange to say, many of the neighbors heard nothing of it, provably because it travelled tn a particular line. AT WILLIAMSBRIDGE @ German described the report as being exactly like the shocks of earthquake which he had ex- perienced in italy and Switzerland. He enter- tained great fear that his house would topple over, and the terror of the women and children ‘was quite generally noticed. As Katonah several window ses were smashed in Green’s Hotel, and tne eeper found in the morning ali his ‘wine giasse: t. At Mount Kisco Mr. Miller, who resides on Maple avenue, said nis windows began to rattle all of judden, his stove to shake, and his wife was “‘iriglitened to death.” The sound seemed to him to travel in a southeasterly direc: tion. He thought that it must have been terrible, for the dogs—who generally did not bark at the tnieves—set up a doleful elling. At Greenburg Mr. George R. Hopkins stated that he thought his chimney was coming down to pay him @ little visit, and everything in the room, down to the matchbox, seemed to have @ dancing fit, For hall a minute he and bis wife were almost lyzed with fear. At Mr. David Verplanck’s house, in Greenburg, the kettlo was broken and the stove 3 upset. AT MOUNT KISCO. _ Mr SW, Gritith, who resides in Main street, said the vibration of the earth was so severe that the dishes rattled in his closets and the ladies were 80 frightened that they jumped out of bed. The sound was like that of a “dead, dull thud” and “as though the earth had opened,” He never had heard anything like this terrific shock in his | iife. At West Mount Vernon a German | told @ rather funny story. He said he was up | Stairs at the time, and ran down stairs to see what wasthe matter. His wife, who was down | stairs, ran up stairs, and they met on the stairs | and looked at one another, and, seeing that they were both safe and sound, “they embraced one | another” affectionately and thanked God “for this wonderful delivery.” ALONG THE HUDSON RIVER. In the various towns and Villages along the west shore of the Hadson Kiver the siock was remark- | abiy distinct, and in addition to producing in | many instances gastric disturbance similar to that cause by rolling of a) ship, it left unmistakable evidences of the fact that “things under the th” are in @ decidedly unsettled condition. Nearly all agree that the subterranean disturbance occurred about a quarter-past ten, or from that to nalf- past ten o’clock. Itis described by several with Whom the writer conversed a8 at first resem- | bing @ terrific explosion, Jpmedionsiy Buc. | ceeded by a loud roth! ing noise and &@ genera! shaking of the earth, caused houses to vibrate like oa tee stoning generat constern: oR among the people, many of whom were already in bed, while many | others were in the act of retiring ior the mght Not a@ few, especially those of the female sex, were so terrified that they sat up all night in the belief that the world was really coming to an end, POLICE ORDERED OUT. At Yonkers the earthquake was observed about | twenty minutes past ten, and was felt in nearly | every portion of that city. Sergeant Austin was } in command at Police Headquarters when the ominous noise commenced, and _ he, believing that a new ouliding now bein; erected | immediately in the rear had fatlen, instantly | ordered the panerve pINCOR to be called up. By the time the men had thrown on their coats and were standing in front of the desk awaiting | orders, however, the indications of impend- ing disaster had totally disappeared. One of the mounted patrol, while in the ex- treme norther! jortion of the city, | rocking of the earth, which appeared to terrify his horse to sucht an extent as to render the beast unmanageable for some minutes. A large number of people who had been witnessing a dramatic per- formance at Radford Hall were in the act of leav- ing the building wien the unaccountable shaking took place, and the beliei that the hali was about to tumble down caused tne crowd to make a pre- cipttate exit, A most intelligent lady residing in Vineyard avenue, and who requested that her name might be omitted, in a conversation with the writer yesterday afternoon, sai I retired about ten o'clock last night, and in a short time alterward | heard what | at first thought was A DREADFUL EXPLOSION. Arumpling noise immediately followed, the bed shook violently, and the house vibrated as though | @ railroad train was passing near or over It. I | could not account for it, and now can only compare it to earthquake shocks which I have felt in Europe, and especially in Melbourne, Australia, where we were residing in 1855, There. ag you will perhaps recoilect, several houses at Sandridge, near Meibourne, were rocked from their foundations, causing oss of life; tne shipping in the port of Melbourne was also very much damaged, and captains arriving there aiter- | ward reported that the shock had been distinctl; felt at sea. I was not only dreadfully frightened last night, but I also became seriously indisposed.”” Mr. W. W. Law, also residing at Yonkers, says | that he heard and felt the earthquake most per- ceptibly. It seemed to be from north to south, and was so remarkably strong that the earth shook visibly for a considerable space of time. It wis | like @ prolonged thunderciap underneath the earth, and rumbled of, losing itseli apparentiy in the iar distance. It was easily dis- | tinguishable from thunder overhead, in fact there could be no mistaking one from the other, and his impression that it was an earthquake was im mediate and terrilying, for the earth moved per- ceptibly under foot, 80 that Walking was a@ matter of difficulty and a sensation of uncertainty ac- companied it. The impression was general | that the commotion was occasioned by | an earthquake. Everybody in Yonkers, he says, leit it, and the place was shaken very considera. biy, 80 much 80 that windows were heard to rattle, dishes to move, and some of the residents of the | houses said that they felt the edifices in which they were change place very perceptibiy, TUMBLING REAL ESTATE. The residents of Riverdale also jelt the shake of real estate, which one gentleman says lasted for | about filteen seconds. Av first the sound resembled that caused by a heavy wagon goingover frozen ground. Anotier gentleman said it appeared as | Uheugh the root ot lis house was falling, tue crash being pot unlike a nitro-glycerine explosion. ‘The | occupants of every house in the vicinity were | thoroughly slarmed at the strange ana unusual oc- curence. TERROR IN HASTINGS. It would be impossivle to fully portray the sur- prise and terror of the people living at Hastings when the alarming crash was heard in that vil- lage. It was at first thought that the large sugar refining house oO! Messrs. Hopke & Co, had been demolished by an _ explosion of some sort, and in this belief scores of the inhabitants rushed into the streets clad in their SE oy, many of them carrying lighted lamps to aid them in ascertaining the character and extent o! the supposed disas- ter. The shock at this place threw down a part of @ loose stone wall On the premises Of a gentleman named Thomas. BELLS RUNG. At Dobtys Ferry (or Greenvurg) the subterra- nean commotion was also painiully perceptibie. Many of the houses were violently shaken, tle force being 80 great as to ring the bells in tae resi. | dence of Mr. D. 0. Bradley, cuusing great conster- | nation to the startled inmates, The people of Irvington were also startied by the shock, which rocked the houses of both rich and poor, creating almost @ panic 1M that portion of the village contiguous to the Hudson River Ratiroad. Several bricks of a chimney on the residence of Mr. Alexander Calder were displaced | and thrown down the flue by the vibration of the house, TARRYTOWN TREMBLING. At Tarrytown the earthquake was, perhaps, more distinctly felt than at any other place on whe Hudson River. A gentleman named Kendall re- siding there says that the commotion seemed to run {rom northeast to southwest, followed by a | current of warm air. Mr. Frank Vincent, who re- | sides on a beautiful plateau overlooking the Hud- sou River, says that he haa just retired when he | heard a terrific noise, Which be at first thought was @ collision of trains on the railroad and a consequent explosion of boilers, The | house vibrated to such an extent as to | move @ clock on a mantelpiece in one of the servants’ rooms. John Knapp, a guard in the employ of the Hudson River Raflroad Company, says :—‘‘I got to bed ata little before ten o'clock, and had just dozed off when I was awakened by the shock. I thought the whole house was moving bodily, as though it was rolling over something; in another second there was a different motion, as though both sides of the house were caving in. My wife was scared and sprung out of bed, saying, | to him the | fipaily accented tt, remarking as he waiked off, | | county from Mamaroneck. and the houses in some tinct as any of the frightened people could give, and 1 to the effect that he was sound asleep when he was awakened by s great noise, and, not know- ing what to make of it, he called up his wile and asked her wbat she supposed was tne matter with the house, as iteeemed to have the St. Vitus dance, About the time Mrs. Peter opened her eyes a second shock came, and that goud soul said it must be # heavy ireight train broke loose; but = then @ crash of crockery came, and Peter, as e said, knew the Lord was in the wind. Alter some conversation be admitted that he was formerly @ school teacher in the col- ored school in Mulberry street, New York, and had & great fondness ior astronomy. He said he was a great student of the HERALD and feit muca interest in the transit of Venus; So much so that ne had bought ali of the cuts and maps that would in the least give him light on the subject, and now he wanced to be en- lightened on the subject of this. to nim, new phe. nomena. fis interlocutor could only suggest | idea that Venus had gotten out of the regular patn of her transit and carromed on nis house, The astronomer | stood amazed tor a moment at the idea, but | “That it Was Wondertui what the Almighty could do when He tried.” THY SHAKE ON THE WIRES. At the raliway stanon people who did not an- derstan’ the situation had congregrated for tn- formation, and it was vouchsaled them by the rosy cheeked lass wro _ offici- ates in the telegraph office attached to the station, Her statement was to the effect that the battery in her office was heavily surcharged, and that itexpioded during the nifht and ex- ended its force in breaking the neighbors’ dishes, he found her office in coulusion in the morning, and could account for it inno other way. Little credence, however, was given to the story, but when an old gentleman who stated that he wasan old travelier, vegan to relate his adventures, every ear was openea to him; and when, in conclusion, be remarked that it was his opinion that an eruption had taken place in South America, aud that it was so great as to disturb that part of the dirt upon which we tread, he was at once set down for a learned man and bis story belteved. The shock was felt for several miles up the iustances were terribly shaken and the inhabi- | tants badly frightenea; but there was no damage to property done. On the trains passing through the shaken county the earthquake was the sole topic Oj conversation. Many believed in its ex- istence and seemed inclined to the opinion that the end was not yet, Those, however, who did | not eel the shock concluded that it was either a big sell or afanciful idea in the brains of those who pro‘essed to have been alarmed by it. THE SHOCK IN ROCKLAND COUNTY, In the populous village of Nyack, Rockland county, on the west bank of the Hudson, the earthquake was perceptibly felt, shortly before ten o'clock, on Thursday evening. Tne earth shook and heaved in a manner never betore known to the oldest inhabitants, causing houses vo rock on their jonndavons, displacing ceilings and breaking crockery and glassware in several Instances. The terrified people rushed into the streets in large numbers, many of them dressed only in their night clothing, all of them paintully apprehensive of some awiul impending calamity, At Kockland Lake, Piermont and other portions ch the oan the same alarming shock was expe- rienced. At the latter place a wealthy gentleman was in bed at the time the shock was felt and described it a8 something well calculated to disturp the nervous system of the most stolid indi- vidual. He says he has expertencea earthquakes in the West Indies, and is theretore positive that the shock felt in his section on Thursday night was nothing more nor less than a genuine earth- aake. He left Piermont at an early hour yester- lay Morning, consequently had no opportanity of | comparing notes with his neighbors; but he is confident no damage was done to buildings or property of any kind. ON THE PALISADES, The night was not dark. It was cloudy all around; but here and there long rifts told, if not of a bright moon, at least of a goodly stariight out behind, The wind, if there was any, had died away, Suddenly there was @ low rumbie, so | gentile and steady that one hardiy noticed | it Then; it quickened a little, and geting louder and yet louder, started ‘the tired wife, who slept over her sewing. *What’s that? as she rises suddenly. “What’s that? Why, what is | it? Why, it’s an earthquake |!” “Oh, no,’ re- sponded the husband, “it’s only Kitty moving her | bed acrose the foor.”” They step into the hail to the toot of the stairs and ask, ‘Kitty, did you move your bed then? “No, sir; { was on my knees SAYING MY PRAYERS, and the house shook under me!” They were sobered, for the wife was positive the house shook, and he was, too, jor that matter. What in the | world was it? Lighting a lantern and catching up & revolver he went down stairs and through from Toom toroom. What good was th« revolver? To shoot an earthquake? Weill, he didn’t yet know, but the neighborhood had been much burglarized, | He went over the house and cellar; all was 8e- | cure. Still, not sach a great while ago @ neigu- | bor’s house, in which three men lay sieeping, was entered, @ heavy iron sate wheeled noiselessly out | and down the road almost a bundred yards, | and “cracked.” xsarly fo the evening he had seen @ low fire smouldering in a neighbor. ing field. Was this some new concoction of the devilish villains? He goes out and around the house. There is nothing strange. The nignt is yet still and not uark. The brigat city lights in the southeast, and here and there in some upper window on the Palisades side, or far oif in the valley @ small gas jet or smaller night glim, and the dim outlines of the houses and lawns—these | all look natural enough. He guesses it isn’t mach, ana re in and up to his room. The Bally- heelan maid had donned her gown and was there with the wife, both demanding an explanation, and evidently not to be trifled with. He went at it as well as he could. It must have been one of | the powder houses down under tue biuit, It must have blown up and SHOOK THE OLD PALISADES rock in this fashion. That’s what it was!’ “No, it wasn’t; it was an earthquake! I’m sure of it!’ said the wife. “Well, may be so,” he was not | much up on earthquakes, and didn’t know, “It isn’t much of an earthquake, anyhow, for it didn’t smash any crockery,"’ he persisted, “Weill, it shook the house, any way, for I could feel my bed shake |?’ ‘And so could I,” chimed in Ballyheelan, At last they quieted and went off to sleep. He had pulled out his watch within a minute after the noise and noted the hour—twenty-three minutes past ten. Asnearly ashe could judge the rumbling haa lasted about three seconds, and was loudest at the last. AT TENAFLY, The inhabitants of Tenafly at twenty-six minutes past ten, were startled by a vivient vioration of their dwellings, accompanied by a rumbling noise, Mike that of a massive wai falling to the ground. The windows and crockery rattled, and the occu- pants ran in various directions to see what por- tions had suddenly fallen. There was no oscillation or swnying. The vibration lasted five seconds, Periect silence succeeded the shock for a minute, when the dogs bevan barking violently. The evening was calm and dark, PREVIOUS LOCAL EARTHQUAKES, ‘WHAT'S THAT ?? I said, ‘Why, the chimney must have fallen across the house.’ and the next thing I said, ‘t | suppose oneol our locomotives has expioded;’ the | concussion jasted five or six seconds.” In College | avenue the shock was also experienced. One man | said it sounded at first as though men were drag- | ging ®& heavy box over bare boards, ana | then the plates and dishes commenced to rattle, | until be thought the whole nouse was coming | down about his ears. In the nouse oi F. H. Wal- | cott, at North Tarrytown, the earthqu7ke awoke | him, he at first thinking that some person was | drawing the stove across the floor. The water in | the little urn on top of the stove was thrown out | by the vibration, which also caused the windows | to rattle, COMMOTION IN SING SING. At Sing Sing the people thought that ‘Wes’? Alien, a convict, had at last put bis threat of blow- ing up the prison with nitro-giycerine into execu. tion, and some of the citizens commenced to arm themselves, preparatory to @ general exodus of the jaiibirds. The shock was also felt at Peeks- kil, where it was accompanied by a general shaking of houses, but, beyond alarming the peo- ple generally, no damage is reported. A WHOLE TOWN TURNING OUT. At Mount Vernon, when the shock was felt, the inhabitants believed that burglars had effected an | entrance into the bank and exploded tne sale. Mr. John Berry, a prominent merchant of that place, says that the noise resembied that made by & train ol cars running over tue tops of the nouses, | He aiso says the whole town turned out, not knowing what had taken place. Atome oi the hotels some of the occupants were THROWN OUT OF THEIR BEDS by the concussion, which so alarmed the pro- prietor that he sounded a general police alarm, which had the effect of speedily collecting the whole torce of night watchmen, together with hundreds of citizens, around the only banking es- tablishment in the village. The shock was also perceptible at Eastchester, near the margin of Long Island Sound. A gentleman living here describes the earthquake as a rumbling noise, similar to that made by o heavy velucie being drawn over the piazza of bis residence, The | noise, which at first appeared like an explosion, continued for several seconds, The earthquake visited Fordham also, where & general shaking of dwellings caused no little amount of alarm among the Twenty-fourth ward- ers, Atthe residence of Mr. Jonn B. Haskin one of the inmates, # young gentleman, was thrown out of bed by the concussion, while articles of byouterte resting on the dressing cases were scate tered upon the floor by the shock. } WOMEN FRIGHTENED. At NéW Rochelle the shock was, some of the inhabitants expressed {t, very great, though many of them declared they had not feitit. In an interview with some of the townspeople the HERALD reporter iearned that no damege to property had occurred beyond the break- Ing of: large. amount of crockery and glass re. The shocl however, pro- duced a “kind of @ sort of nervous feeling,” 88 one old gentieman called tt, among the women folk that they will not soon get over. In the town of Mamaroneck, distant three and a half miles from New kochelle, the shock was also alarming. One of the townspeopie, and, by the way, quite & character, by nawe Peter 8 Ewell, color deep brunette, guided the LimRALD representative through labyriotnian maves of mud to the end that he might find some one intelligent enough to give a definite idea of what had actually occurred, Peter's story, however, 18 about as clear and dis- Though far away from volcanoes, and in the sober temperate zone, New York and her neigh- borbood is not wholly deprived of the peculiar sensation by which an earthquake demunstrates the lack of absolute stability even in real estate, This locality can boast of no houses thrown down or cities destroyed by terrestrial tremor, but her | history has yet its positive record of | several shakes within the period since the | acquisition of Oahfornia, It might be} suggested that we had taken her tendency to up- | heaval when we conquered our entire Republic | of Mexico, and that we did not entirely surrender | that when the forces of General Scott leit her | scorching plains. More likely, however, earth- quakes have happened here bejore the era of the Shaw press and the lightning telegraph. A shock ‘was felt in New York city on the 8th o! September, 1948, which, though distinct, did uo further damage | than to crack a lew walls and nauseate some | sickly stomachs. Northern New York felt a little quake on the 18th of March, 1853 At Builalo and some other places a shock was felt October 23, 1857, New England was shaken in | ce a lively manner October 22, 1869. On Satur- jay evening, June 25, 1870, alter a mild day, the thermometor rose suddenly. Presently a low rumbling noise was hi like a heavy distant blast; houses trembled and windows ratcled in alt the eastern pagal of the city, below Fourteenth street. People thought a gas house had blown up or some such accident had occurred, genuine eartnquake, though in very confined space. Next morning, about seven’ o'clock, & similar shock was felt in Brooklyn, The whole region from Cleveland to New York, Montreal and Bangor Was quite thoroughly shaken October 20, 1870, The tremor seemed to progress trom south to north, according to the majority of the reports, though Some Observers thought tt nad its motion | it was a in the opposite direction. In this city furniture was upset by the shock and solid brick buildings tottered as though they might fall, Long and Staten islands and New Jersey had a similar ex- perience. On the 19th of June, 1871, the farmers heard the sound as of heavy trains of wagons driven rapidly over cobble pavement, and their houses Were violently shaken, in some places breaking china and glass ware. Westchester, Long Island, Connecticut and Maine had another shake, With @ northward current, July 11, 1872 So late as November 25, Essex county, Massa- chusetts, had its shake, perhaps the response of Mother Earth to the late political convulsion, A Stone Mansion Trembling Like a Leaf. BRONXVILLE, Westchester county, Dec, 11, 1874, To THE EDITOR Ov THR HERALD:— Last night, about half-past ten o'clock, after we had just retired to bed, we were suddenly startled by a heavy shock Of an earthquake, which’ shook our substantial stone mansion to its very founda- tion. The shock lasted about twenty seconds, during which time we distinctly felt the vibration. My house, perhaps one of the most substantial structures in Westchester county, and which withstood, with the greatest ease, the tremendous shock of a thunderbolt, which struck its whole front during a thunder. storm last summer, Was last night trembling like an oak leaf, creating a general rattling of crock- ery, stoves and other movable objects. It } to |p | \ Pe Fetroigum, gallou any monition, The noise it producea was of @ very pecullar nature ana very difficult to describe. To me it seemed as if some person above our room was trying to play carrousel with the bedstead, table and chairs. lasted about ten seconds, Then ali of a sudden it seemed to jump below our room, and then followed the unearthly, underground rumbiing sound pecu- liar to earthquakes, graguails, fading away autii it appeared like very distant thunder. Tne whole phenomenon lasted about twenty seconds. The oscillation seemed to travel from north to south. Everybody 10 our house leit the same effect, some becoming posts frigntened, particularly our cook, Mary Noonan, who thought “the last day of Jiagment had cum.” Although I have not yet been out of my room this morning I have learned that the effect of the earthquake was felt to that extent all over | | | Bronxvilie, In one of my neighoors’ houses (Mr. Sterling) the shock Wis 80 severe that the tea kettle came tumbling | down the stove, to the great consternation of the inmates 01 the room, and | also understand that | the fence enclosing the premises of Dr. smith and | Mr. Bacon has been somewhat damaged. Await- ing furtuer developments through your valuabie Journal, L remain, yours very respectiully, GEORGE F, MEYER, COMMERCE AND i MIGRATION. Report of the National Bureau of Sta- tistics—Our Trade with Canada—How We Supply Her with Her Exports for Europe—The Emigration Current=—De- fects in the Law of Customs. WASHINGTON, Dec. 11, 1874, The report of the Chief of the Bureau of Statis- tics has the following table, containing a com- parative statement of immigration by countries | ethnologically grouped for the tour fiscal years, | from July 1, 1870, to Jane 30, 1874:— Countries Ethnologtcal —— Year ended Froupetl. ig is7i, ABT. Si i England, Scotland, Wales. *85,455 84.:04 89,482 | Ireiand + 87489 68732 T7,54k Teutoni any, Alie tria, Netherlands. + 88,431 147,200 159,247 97,623, Scandinavian: Sweden, Norway, Denmark 22,132 28,575 85,481 19,178 Latin: Belgium, Switze land, France, — Ital: Spath, Portugal 9,833 19,860 28,981 21,894 Sclavonic: Russia, Voi 1.208 2641 (4.808 (5,755 | China. +. 7185 TS$ 20,292 13,776 British’ Norta’ “American province 47,082 40,176 87,871 82.960 Spanish and" ‘Portuguese Colonies: Mexico, south 1,500 ago 321,350 404,500 459,803 30 Total immigrants... ... * 16,04: 339 eat 3 815, 2 ot this number were reported as from “ur Britain, not specified.” n regard to trade with Canada the report says, though the published statements of the Bureau In reg larly of our exports by water, are near!, the whole toreign trade of the country, and parucu- y accurate, yet it | has hitherto been tound impracticavle, i bot impossible, to obtain full returns of merchandise exported to the | provinces of Ontario and Quebec. The f: long known | and deplored, is the more to be regretted now, when our commercial relations with the Dominion of Chanda @x- | cite much discussion, and will soon, no doubt, engage | the serious attention’ of the senate of the’ United rhe returus from several custom houses on the Canadian border are nocessarily detective, owing to the want ot legislation requ.riug persons exporting merchandtse by land conveyance to file manitests of such merchandise and produce with the Collector of the Customs of that district on the border across which the articles pass Into the foreign country, as is now required in the cute of all exports {o foreign countries in vessels, * From the detailed statements by provinces and ports, ‘as well as by articles and values, prepared by the Com: missioner of Customs of the Leminion, the undersigned bas been able to add to the stated value of articles em- braced in the returns of collcctors of customs of the dis- fricts of Vermont and Niagara, ihe official dgures ob- tained from Canada, which fignres are puvlished in the statement of domestic exports contained in the aunual report of the Bureau on Commerce and Navigation. tor the fiscal 1874, and algo inthe | monthly report for | August, 1874 The total value of the articles omitted as above stated amounts, in the fiscal year 1874, to $10,200,059", Canadian or specie values, and to $11,424,086 in United States currency, computed ‘at the average premium on gold in that year, ‘The export of specie in the same period amounts to $3,619,508 as appears by the statements of this bureau, while the Canadian imports show but $2,235,987; the former sum is. however, believed to be correct, the fig- ures having been furnished by the agent ot the express company which conveyed the specie to Montreal, and verifled by the undersigned. In reciting the forecomg occasion to state that the fault does not whoily, or even chiefly, rest with the transportation companies, whose principal officers, on the contrary, protess a willingness to aid the bureau in the collection of tuli and accurate Gata in regard to our exports to Canada; but iv is due to | decrease of $1,5:6,8us 75. | prevaile! during the greater part | state of the business of the ‘country. is not excessive. | companies, whose earmngs facts the ite add takes | the neglect of the shippers or consigners ot merchandise | furnish full intormation as to the kinds, quantities and values of the articles so shipped to Canada, and upon whom, it is hereby recommended, a peualiy for such neglect should be linposed. : . * ee os Among other defects in existing laws which render it difficult to obtain full and accurate statistics may be mentioned those under which it is sought to collect and blish Information pertaining to the .ollowing sub- a Fee The' coastwise movement ot vessels of the United lates. Secona—The products of the fisheries, taken by Ameri- can fishermen and brought into the United states. Third—The immigrauion into and the emigration trom the United States. First—Coasting trade.—The published statistics of the coasiwise navigation inciude only partial movements of vessels which may come within the provisions of the act or February 18, 1793, requirlug entry or clear made under cériain circumstances, as, tor i the vessel has foreign goods 01 board above a tain valuo, and under certain conditions, or enter: irom or clears for a port in nother great coasting d trict. Since these movements comprise vut a smal pa of the trade from port to port in the United states, it will be readily seen that the statements published by the Bureau embrace but a small pars of the coastwise ton- nage movement. Socond—Fisheries.—With respect to products of the fish- cries taken by American vessels and fishermen, collectors are able to turnish official returns of the catch of those vessels only which, by the act of 1793, above mentioned, are required to make enwy on their return trom a fishing voyage: a&, for Instance, vessels licensed for carrying on the fisheries re\urning from a. voyage under @ license to touch or trale at a foreign place. it is impossible, therefore, to obtain under the present laws accurate data in regard to the products of fish aken in the Waters ou our coasi, which form the rincipai part of that important mariime inuastry. The Statements of this industry, published by the Hurean, are mainly collected in the tew custom districts trom which returns are received. by the personal efforts of the collectors, unaided by the requirement: Third—[mmigration and emirati immigration are derived trom the 1 custom houses of the couitry by masters of vessels, tn pursuance of section 12, act of March 3, 1365 dince this provision of law 1s not construed to extend to cars and other land vehicles the same difficuicy is experienced in ie regard tothe immigration into the United States througn | the Northorn border ports from Canada, and from Europe through Canaaa, as bas already been indicated ‘with respect to exports to Canada in railway cars, The tmportance of such legislation as will enable the Bureau to obtain with greater accuracy the details of thus influx of persons of foreign birth will appear when it is stated that the immigration into the United States, through the district of Huron ulone, exceeds that of any port in the United States, except New York. By assidu- ous and earnest effort on the part of the Bureau the officers of customs on the northern border have been in. | duced to give 10 the subject their personal aitention and have succeeded tn obiacting, wih approximate ac- curacy, the namber of allen passengers who enter the United’states, in cars through their respective districts . . The foregoing defects in iegis ation are also submitted for the consideration and action of Congress. Lhe im- portance of being able to obtain and publish accurate statements of the above subjects induces @ hope that Congress will atan early day give them such atventio ‘as Will result in providing eflectuai remedies tor the im- portant detects above indicated. It appears that during the year ending June 30, 1871, there were exported trom the Uitied States to Belgtu 17,384,603 gallons of refined petroleum, valued at $4.295,.3., The published trade statements of Belgiam tor the ye: 1871 (a period of six months la consumption into that country trom all foreign coun as 13,614.00 kilogrammes of “oil ocher than for tal se,” vaiued at 14,990, 000f., or 4, 289,00 ga lons, valued 2,996,000 (United States measure and vaige), which, fro the high price per gallon, would appear to include a considerable amount of oil other than pe‘roieum. ‘The amount of petroleum and corn exporved trom this country to Ireland is given below in the second co.um: the amount imported into Ireland from all other coun. tries is shown in ge ast coiumn—each for the two years ended, June 30, Indian corn, bushels. 23,877,766 27,105,939 oe htiT Ae 13,964,713 é ‘t of domestic breadstuffs . The following is a statemen exported from the ports of Chicago, Decrolt, Milwaukee, Port Huron and Toledo to the provinces of Quebec and Ontario, Dominion of Canada, during the fiscal year ending June 99, 187 fan Gorn. oust 2.841.204 $1,270, Woeat bushel! 972 ry | baaae* | Wheat dour, vbis) Other breadstaffs| Wheat. bushels. Wheat flour, bbis| Other breadstaffs Total value... .. Otner breadstuds Total value. 388, Out of TA8TH bushels of Indian corm vr maize @ Tuledo, Ohio, a |) Articles, Quantity.| Value, i) euantiey Indian corn, bush| 1.438.847) $756,961) 5,122,319 Wheat, bushels,.) 478,175) 051,206)) 8,477 904 Wheat flour, bbls =| = | 32,316) ported to the ‘provinces of Quebec, Oniarig a (OF the fiscal year enaed June 30, 1873. 7, were exported from the ports of Chic: ledo and Port Haron, to the enna named. Tt also appears from the Canadian statistical report that dur~ is Period there were exported frou the Dominion i ofanada to roreign countries 6.242,976 bushels ot Indian. corn, not the product of the Dominion: hence it is ta ‘© presume that it was the Biter ot the United state in the report of the Chief of the Bureau mad essor last year the had devoted much 1872 to the tion ‘of the cost and condition of labor branches and in tl countries whiel with similar industri the United stac to un Ghereby. he had made but little pr compilation of a special report thereon. uring the last year, however, the data thus personally collected, supplemented by Information whieh he has more re: cently obtained, in regard to the rates of wages and the cost of living in the principal countries of Europe, have been In large part prepared for the press, and will be completed betore the close of the ensuing session of | er; Congress. His inqairtes are now directed to the colleo- tion of facts in reterence to labor and the cost of sub. sistence In the United Sintes aud the neighboring Brit- ish Provinces, with a view to comparison With siuliar | came like @ flash of jumhtning, withou data already obtained from the Old World, itests filed in the | THE ERIE RA'LWAY. Report of President Jew tt o the Board of Dis rectors—A Decrease of Eor.i.gi—Reduce tion of the Floa:'ng !ebt—The Enro- pean Liabilitie-—A / righter Future Annovnced. Atamecting of the Board of Directors of tne Erie Railway Company, held at the office of the company, on Thursday, December 10, 1878, the President submitted a statement substantially as follows, which the Board ordered to be prepared for the use of the stockholders :— To tue Dinectors:— A comparative statoment of the gross earnings for the fiscal years ending the wth of >epiem 875 and 18°4, shows ® decrease of $1.415,7 7 75, a comparative state: ment of the net earnings for the same periods show @ 75. ‘The actual net earnings for the fiscal year ending the S0th of september, 1874, were 9.035, 160 44, as shown by the following siatement :— $9,714,110 4,025,951 ‘Miscellaneous. . Working expenses— Genera) expenses. Transportation de] Road department. Rolling stock department, Net revenue over working expenses, - $5,085,160 The decrease in the gross earnings | year 1874, ag compared with the et" 1374, 18 attributabie to the gen- eral depression of the business of tue country whicn the year, aud which continues to such an extent as to reduce materially the quantity of the traffic over the road, well as the rates which can be maintained for its transportation. A comparative statement of the working expenses for the same fiscal periods shows a decrease of $76,904. The decrease in the earnings, in view of the Giscrganised my opinion it is less than has been realized by other depend so largely upon transportation of freigh!, The decrease in the ex- penses was not In a ratio equal io the decrease in earnings. The service required of the company was Not reduced in that ratio.” ihe recuction of earnings was attributable as much to the reduction in the rate of compensation as in the reduction of quantities, Without Involving of permitting a reduction in the ex- enses to the same extent. In my judgment, there ts nothing in these comparative resuits which should have the least tendency to discourage the «directors or stoek- holders of the company; but that, on the contrary, there is much to give confidence in the gre .t strengtl and al- most inexhaustible resources of the road. It needs simply time, integrity and permaneucy in its manage- ment to develop results which cannot be otherwise than satisfactory to its patrons and proprietors, ‘The entire interest and rentals payable by the company ig Sepremoer 3’, L874, exclusive of that rr t Of the $15,0:0,000 1 second consali- Baked mortgage bonds. the final disposition of which was made by Mr, Gra; $4 005,900 per annum while in Lonion, amounted to in currency, equal to $353,825 per Month. For the ensuing year tere will have to oe added to the above amount the Interest on these $13,001.00) of bon REDUCTION OF THE DEBT. On taking charge of the road, on the Ith day of ay last, [found the service to soine extent disorganized. The depressed condition of i's business, the persistent attempts to depreciate and discreait the company aud the uncertainty of its manag:ment ai) had their effect upon the Various departinents of the service and ren- dered the introduction of reiorms and econo- mies more difficult than under ordinary circum- Stances. would have been realized. jut they are ex i4 introduced, and are being felt in the results of the working of the road. Un the Ist of suly the doating debt of the company was $2,344,298. On the Ist of the present month it was $1,521,0. duction, by payments to that dite’ out of the earn’ of $323,283, which has since been further reduced ii sum of eae leaving, as the present debt, the sum of $1,621,015 on! BUSINESS DR"RESSION. During the fall and early winter months of 1873 the effects of the panic and subsequent depression of busi- ness were but little felt on the traiic of this or of either of the great lines connecting the ast and West; indeed the trattic over the road of this company fog the months of July, August, September and Uctober, 1873, was unu- sually large, while during the corresponding months of the present year the depression has been more serious than experienced since the decline com- menced; but by economies systematically intro- duced and persisted in very satisfactory results have ben reached. I have no doubt the same economies cau be maintained; and that with a largely increased earnings, results satisfactory to all parties In interest will be realized. Although the monthly purchase of | material, made through the Supp'y Vepartment of the service does not control the monthiy expenses, the amount purchased must be paid for, and in the end must. be absorbed in the expense, or in some other account, A comparative statement of the transactions of that ¢epartment for the months of July, August, September and October for the years 1573 and is71, shows the follow- ing results — i - s «i jonths, favor o} 4 Xn iy . $315,912 196,203 Augns 331,440 214,647 Septe: 804,237 373, 160 October. eee 213,011 Totals. al }526, 306 1,364, . $837,835 A comparative statement of the earnings and expenses for the saine months suows the following results:— EARNINGS. Months. 3. 1874. Juy 781,893 $1,515,379 $239,513 AURIS. 7 1,546,174 Hasso Seitembe: 9,763 1,505,138 74h October 1,525,629 1,677,095 * 147,633 Totals 311,063 $6,374,688 $996,358 “EXPENSES. Months. 1873, 1874. Decrease. uly. i $1,185. 409 $154,498 1,059,852 154817 3 AGS. 9 303,254 October 1,907,498 1,025,342 182,152 -$5,036,436 $4,301,754 ‘$794,722 OPERATING EXPENSES TO THE RAR WINGS. J ‘August. — September. Percene Lervent. Per cent, 66 7-10 71 1-10 66 1-10 68 5.10 61 +10 61 lle 1 8:10 eS me - = 6 7-10 5 —being @ rease in earnings of $956,344, and in ex- penses of $794,722. and being a working expense for the month of July of 76 6-10 per cent; tor August, of 68 510 er cent; for September, of 64 410 per cent; for Octo- ber, of 61 140 per cent. Considering the low rate at which all the traffic of the country i: now being tran: ported, the reduction made in the expenses, and ih Comparative low rate of percentage at which tho rou ig beiag worked, the results must be satisfactory. As the business of the country: revives, and the movement of its traffic becomes more. active, the percentage of expenses to the earnings can be reduced ; in other words, the road is now equal to a largety incre: trafic, without any corresponaing in- crease of expense. For example, (he expenses are now lower than they have been at any period of the service since my connection with the company. although the transportation receipts compare tavorably with those for the like period for either of the last four years, as ‘wi)l appear from the following statement :— COMPARATIVE STATEMENT—TRANSPORTATION RECEIPTS. Daily erage. First week, December, 187 s7utea First week, December, 1872 ‘2’ 607 First week, December, 187 70,910» First week, December, 1874. 7 4 BRIGHTER FUTURE. ‘That the business of the coeatey will revive no one can entertain a serions doubt. It may be delayed by causes not now foreseen, and to remedy which no provi- sion can be made; but @ revival must and will take ps and with that revival the trafic and earnings ot he company must largely increase. If, under the ad- verse circumstances and general depression of the past fiscal year, it can make an earmng of $18,598,898, would” it unreasonable, even. with its pre- sent facilities, when business becomes active and | | | 1) ive the imports for | tries. |g rates remunverative, to anticipate an earning of 24,000,000 per annum? But suppose we are limited to 21000, 000 and the expenses are not reduced below 62 Der cent, a net revenue of $8,360,000 would be the result, &n amount sufficient to discharge the entire Interest and im | rental accounts and leave a balance of $3,199,100 to be applied in such way as the directors or stockholaers might direct. I believe the estimate of the carnings is within what may reasonably be anticipated under or- inary circumstances, and that the percentage of ex- es may be Kept within such limits as will produce substantially rosults as above indicated. THR STERL Bal Believing that there js great nomy in the use of steel rails instead of fron, I have, since this Board took charge of the property of the company, purchased 6,000 tons thereof, using iron only so tar as necessary to ex- haast that on hand and to keep the track in repair but al entirely for renewals T believe this to be sound policy. and hope ft will have the approval of the Board. ‘he roadway and equipment is daily being improved. RUROPRAN ULARILITIEG, Mr, Gray, a member of the Board, who was sent to, London as the agent of the company, to take charge of the company’s interests in that city, and as tar as poasi- ble to adjust all unsettied accounts between the com- pany and the parties there with whom we had any usiness transactions, and to receive the possession of the bonds or other assets of the company whieh might remain undisposed of, is now present, and will make his report, before which I be to con- Ee the Board upon the fact that we now now the very Worst. Ali outstexding Habilities in rope have been extinguished. We nave nm bilities in that quarter, except those which canbe made upon us by our bond and shareholders. We hive no complications which can embarrass us in selecting such agents as the interests of the company may nate as roper. While this is the case abr we ave same cause for 1c congratulation at home, We know. the entire liabilities of the com- pany, what they are and. where. they are. fhe extent of our floating debt, and that, com itis very limited. We have tested the earning the road under the most unfavorable circumstances, the Tesult of all of which, in my Judgment, develops that the company, by whomsoever Managed (tf honestly and conn al peo ahaa to the public confi- nee. fespec Ly a = is ‘4, JEWETT, President TENNESSEE SENATORSHIP, NASBVILLE, Deo, 7, 1874. Px-President Andrew Johnson has arrived here from his home in East Tennessee, and has put up at his old favorite caravansary, the Maxwell House. Mr. Johnson reached Nashville under aifficuities, having to ferry Tennessee River in @ remarkably frail bark; called in these parts a “dugout.” AS ustial his visit is significant. He is here to take observations of the Senatorial feki. He 1s in excellent healtn and in better spirits and thinks he 18 certain to be the tof Brownlow, He counts confidently upon the members irom East Tennessee, thirty in number, giving bim their entire strength, and thinks ti is no doubt but that he will get tiirty more in Mi die and West ‘Tennessee, Gn the joint pallot he asserts, he will receive sixty votes, which will give him nine majority, filty-one votes being req bag minent candl- The followin, . the more pro dates now Mention tn’ conuectlon atorship:—Governor oats Andrew Johnson, General W, H. B, Bali, W. H. Stepnens, Hon. Colonel Jonn Savage, Hon. James D, Porter, nor elece ‘and Colone! Gustavus A, Henry, | It is hard to predict at the present time, untess | Johnson ts not decetved th regard to his strength, who ts to fill the importaut position of United | States Senator.