The New York Herald Newspaper, February 14, 1875, Page 6

6 JACK FROST. four Arctic Visitor's Freaks in the City. — ‘BURSTING WATER PIPES. » !Timely Suggestions to Suf- : fering Housekeepers. IFREEZING HYDRANTS [Discomforts to Citizens—Dangers j from Fire. {BLOCKADING THE RIVERS. |The Ice Record of Yester- day---Floe On! |\HUDSON FUR FISHERY \Polar. Guests on Their to Albany. Way , Mong tne many evils and inconveniences con- j@equent upon the winter season few are more jseverely felt or more intimatety brought home to every inhabitant of @ great city like New York (shan those arising {rom a stoppage in the daily jpupply of water through the freezing up of the ‘pipes. Yet every winter this trouble has to be ‘endured at a@ loss of not only patience, but jalso «6at)68)~—s considerable cost in actual dollars and cents. Owing to the extreme severity Of the present season this inconvenience has been elt in a far greater degree, and over a much more ‘extended area than ever before. If the stoppage of the supply of water alone was the oaly trouble there would not be much to complain of, for the quantity of water requisite for temporary use might be obtained ‘rom an obliging and sympathiz- ‘ing neighbor. botthere are other alter troubies hat force themselves on the notice of the nouse- holder, which cannot be borne with the same amount of patience. These are brought about by a deluge of water, which suddenly and without warn- ing flooas their apartments, spoiling carpets, ceil- ings and furniture. It is then discovered for ine first time that the water pipes have vursted. A littie care and an examination wade previously would Dave prevented all the mischief, but now the only remedy is to seek a plumber, whose bills, by the ‘way. are no inconsiderable item in the househoid- ‘er’s expenses, notwithstanding the {act tnat to him and his carelessness originally is all the trouble to be attributed. : THE ANNOYANCE AND EXPENSE consequent on the bursting of pipes ia not alone suffered by the dwellers in the meanest tenement house, but is felt in the dwellings of wealthy peo- ple, All are alike maae to feel its depressing tn- uence, while the expense is equally an item to the one as to the other. The present system of Placing water pipes in houses appears to be dt- fective, while the material employed in their con- struction seems also, in the majority of instances, quite unsuited to the necessities ot the case, THE BEST MATERIAL. From inquiries carefully made it appears that Jead pipe is the most generally used for water | pipes. From actual experiments it has been de- termined that these pipes will open or crack under & pressure of 1,400 to 1,600 pounds to’the square inch. Cast iron, however, resists up to 15,000 pounds and wrought iron 25,000 to 40,000 pounds. it can, therefore, be readily determined which are ‘the best pipes for use. it appears, aiso, that the bursting of the pipes is not caused, as is the popular theory, when the water, which has be- come irozen, begins to thaw; bat at the point at which the water has fallen toa temperature of twenty-eight degrees. Then tne ice, which has been previoualy formed, expands with force suf- ficient to cause acrack. This is not noticed at the time, and the scarcity of water is considered to be the only evil to be obviated, and, as it is generally some time before the leak can be stopped, the natural consequence is ruin to furni- ture and fittings in addition to rendering the apart. | ments below the floor where the accident happens untenantable icr the next tew days. Another | feature attending this pecuilar trial to the nerves | and patience of the suiferers is that the outpour- ing of the water almost invariably bappens in the night time, thus allowing full play to its insinua- tung and penetrating powers jor severai hours | ‘before it 18 discovered. ALL THIS TROUBLE might be avoided if occupants of houses would but.exercise an occasional supervision of these | vital parts o! the fixtures in their dwellings, for it | is useless to expect anything like conscientious work on the pam of the plumbers, as their only aim is to secure to themselves a job, In very many instances, when a house is butld- ing, the conducting pipesieading from the mains to the houses are laid under ground, only a few inches beneath the surface, and are thue exposed to the fuli action of the irost, while in carrying the pipes up through the house they are placed close | vo the outer walls and are thus still exposed to | the action of the weather when a sudden falling | of the temperature occurs. This is more espe- pecially the case in corver houses, which, by | Teason of their situation are more exposed to the | ‘Weather. A PREVENTIVE. It has long beeu @ question with many people | how and in what manner they can prevent @ re- | currence of this mitherto yearly break in domes- | tic comiort. ‘the general opinion, however, ap- | pears to be that the pipes might to be rendered | perfectly saie and the water prevented from ireeging in them by encasing them in a covering | Of ieltor some other substance of a non-conduc- | tive nature, iu Northern Prussia, {or instance, where | the tewperature during tae winter is very low the peopie build boxes around their water pipes and pack these in wito borse manure, and it is seldom that One ears oO! such & thing a8 & bursted |. pipe. The Engtisn peovie also, on tne approach of | the winter season, tuke measures to prevent any | accident happening in (heir houses trom the causes rejerred to vy encasig all the pipes in wrappings of bay, straw or canvas, In St. Petersourg, in Russia, on the estadiisiment of the present sys. | tem Of waterworks, great damage Was anticipaced | by the peopie irom (he action of tue frost on the | pipes, Lol wm tue sirects und in the bouses, but by } AN DEPHRIAL UEASE iasned at the time, eve y teuant or occupant of a house was required to cover eyery hydraut or pipe with @ thick essing of ieit. ' Instructions were | issued at tue same time how this work was to be dope, and officers were duly appointed whose duties consisted only in making doiuiciilary visits to see that the reqairetients of the decree were compli¢d with to toe fullest extent. The result | has bee that accidents irom the bursting of | frozen pipes in buat city are very iew. ] in New York, however, tt is uot to be expected that the peopie can be cumpelied to take any pre- cautions in @ Matier such as this, Woich concerns their own convenience and pocket alone. Such a law coald be enjorced under an autocratic govern. ment, but not uuder a Repaobiic such as Wis. SUGGESTION: which could be made 0: practical benefit, however, might be drawn up under the direction of the Departunent of Buildings, and circulated through every house in the city, as to the best methods that could be adopied by the residents, not only in preventing the nuisance, bub also aa to the best way to proceed to tuaw out the pipes when once frozen. ve, in the first place, to abandon everything chance, and when tne pipes freeze to cali in & plumber, This individual is always provided with a small portable apparatus, ye 1d of Which be can Jorce 4 jet of sveain into # pipe, ot ahdet time remedy ine aimeulty: Of course this is expensive, but itis the plumopef’s barvest. ‘The practice of jetting the water run from the tap, although it sometimes prevents iregzing, is nou always effectual and Is at best # clumsy and waste- {ol Method of avoiding the trouble, Ln sore cases, too, by the accidental stopping of a drain throug ‘Which the water thus lest vo run is exvected to be tty Of, the attempted cure becomes worse an the disease. A CHRMIST'S OPINION. ‘The mere Act of turming Of as4Wwd-COCK Often pier | fraugnt with probability of no tnconsiderable | of fire. ‘That there is @ possibility even | of such @ difMicuity arising ought by some | meaus to be guarded against, for Wf ao | dieastroas as that weich in 1872 swept over Cul | at actual fires, it took as long as thirty minutes | besore water’ could | pair, $0 toat bad wfire happened at this time in this district, the consequences likely to | nave occurred are not dificult to imag. ine. Hera, it will be remembered, are | every | The ‘As itis at present the only way seems to | ts hundreds of dollars of damage, and yet there are those too negligent to give it a thougit. Severe as have been some of our recent winters this 18 even more 80, and housekeepers who, pei haps, have nos experienced a deaith of water on ‘count of the warm atmosphere of their residences for @ dozen years now realize hat the frost even penetrates their domi Where so miny persons are interested in the sub- ject how to prevent the freezing of pipes and how be consiae: ed frivolous or opportune, With this view of the case in the interest of the housekeep- visited @ chemist of the Buard of Health and obtained bis views on the sub- ject. He stated what is well known to all experienced persona, that the only Way to prevent water freezing is to keep it in coustant motion by allowing it to run. Water ireezes @t thirty-two degrees Fahrenheit; but water may be kept in liquid form even if the soil or air surrounding the iron or lead pipes are below the thirty-two degrees. Science does nos give us any chemical property that will prevent water treezing 10 pipes, but it does give ua @ way Ol re- ducing congealed water to @ liquid form. ALF & PINT OF ALCOHOL poured into a pipe will reduce the ice in the pipes oO} @ medium sized house, if endicuiar or inclined so that alco here the treezing occurs at horizontal poin the pipe even alcohol fails, as the ice forces the spire back. Another remedy te sulphuric acid, which can only be used successfully in lead pipes, however, as itis liable to corrode the iron pipes and endanger the joints, Sulphuric acid accomplishes the work much quicker (han alconol, Dut #8 1b 18 4 poison it should only be used in case o} emergency, and care should be takeu to keep 16 out of the reach of ignorant servants who do not understand it. The water in each case should be allowed to run for some time alter the pipes are thawed oat, to pre- vent the use oi water containing tnese chemical agents, The great difficulty, this gentleman 8, 18 that this winter tne irost has peaetrated go far into the earth as to freeze the water in the pipes connecting those of te house with the street main. AS to the best kind of pipes to resist frost, the Professor stated that there is litle, difference between lead and iron. Both conduct heat and cold more than rubber and some other materials. The giass-lined pipe if it once treezes iy useless, as it breaks easuy. Water will contract to about thirty-eight degrees on being cooled, and irom thas point it will expand to the Ireezing point, and on betng cooled further, to soliditica- tion, 80 that the ice takes @ larger space than the water, and causing the bursting of pipes and ail the damage attending upou it, Salt, as ts weil known, is also beneficial iu reducing ice to liquid form. ‘It has an afMnity to the water wich can only be satisied by getting into liquid form; but it makes the water cold, In the case of & mixture of alcohol or sulphuric acid with water heat is engenaered, and consequeatly the waver thaws, VIEWS OF A PRACTICAL PLUMBER, With a view to learn how pipes should be in- serted tn a building to guard againsi (reeging, the reporter called upon Mr. P. Meade, ‘Of No. 60 Centre street, wLo has been a practical plumber jor fiiteen or sixteen years, He attributed the great cause of freezing of pipes to the jact that the conuections between the’ main and the bouse pipes are not placed low enongh in tne ground to escape the frost, Ifthe street matn ts not four feet below the surface tne connecting pipe'should be bent or depressed 80 as to be four leet beneath the surface of the street at tie point where it enters the building. 111t ts possible to have the malp stopcock aid waste pipe under the surface o1 tne groand in tue cellar, the water tu the upright pipes in the building will be emptied by open g the faucets, and thus it will be impos- sible to have frozen pipes. If the pipes are correctly laid and the cocks on the various floors are opened, even with horizontal pipes between the floors there will not ve leit m them enough water to freeze and burst them. About two years and a half ago orders were isiued by the Department of Public Works ior plumbers, when toey found @ pipe connecting with the muin | hearer the suriace than sour leet, to depress 11 to buat depth, and aul licensed plumbers are supposed vo do.60; bat THE HOUSE OWNER OFTRN OBJECTS to the extra cost of from $5 to $10. They usually lay the street mains about three feet below tue surface ; but the flow of water in them is so scrong that even if the frost peuetraies to that depth yhey will not ireeze, The smaller pipes, where tuere isslower motion of the water, of course, freeze. At the foot of each pipe running up trom the cellar or basement tnere should ve &@ stop and waste cock on each line of supply pipe, 80 as to cut it off separately. Mr. Meade stated that plumbers rarely select tne piace for the pipes, as that devolves upon the architect; but wien they are leit to their own dis- cretion they are supposed to run them as near to the flues as possible, or wherever they wul be les+ | liable to ireeze. in supply pipes tuere is little chance | jor a plumber to put them im 80 as to bave them to thaw them our 18 one tat cannot at this crisis | ers @ representative of the HERALD yesterday | | Ing to keep them , but, of course, they could hot be done tals st the tune, OF THE DEPA! | | | THR RU RTMENT 1m reward to the use of hydrants im winter are a8 follows \ First—Make no tests by opening ® hydrant in case of fire. ‘Second—After using & hydrant be sure to shyt off all the water, “if tho water lg not shut of compleiiy supply is Kept an the pipe above the gate aud {recaing ete Third—After shytting off the water throw @ handful of | salt into ihe hydrdut. this will inake 8 Dring o1 LY | water that may Hot drain off uot likely to treeze, vr Fourthaeiore leaving the hydrant "be sure and fasten 1 e cover securely. | MAloticeraare ‘roquired see that these rules aro ob- served’ but it is made the ospocial duty "oi company pom mansers 0) ome us they ‘h eo Shore } with by their men, cach on gine will cary, with it, in some convenient form atow fismasuis of salt. ‘The chief engineer said during the conversation whtch was held with him that he ts strongiy in favor of introduction of hydrants of a similar pattern to those nowim use by the Chicago fire- men. These he considers to be the best Jor all purposes ever introduced, especially in so lar fas the arrangement for allowing the waste water to escape from tne barrel of the hydrent is concerned, Another advantage is that the water can be turned off from the main pipe itself, and the hydrant be taken up Without interfering with the supply to the district. In those in use here this is not the case, and the water has to be warned, off from a whole section beiore any hydrant can be taken from its place. ‘The ar- Tangemens for carrying away waste water in those now in use 18 defective, and oiten allows the whole of a _ barret he valve to get filled up. He had found tes Ae ‘the nydrante, he said, this winter filled with ice up to the very top. UC @ Case It rhaps af hour and a half to get it Into working order, “Tne following table will show the gumober of hydrants sound irogep during De- ‘cember, January and February up to date, to- gether ‘with the time occupied in thawing them Out. These were in the cases of fires to which the engines were called :— of time in crossing the ferries, the di Mfcuity of moving vessels and the frequent suspension of navigation, can only be estimated by hunareds of thousands of dollars annually. Any successful method of breaking up or preventing the accumu. lation of ice in the harbor and in the East and North rivers would be a great public benefaction and would certainly reap for its inventor a well deserved fortune. ‘The greater part of that ice which gathers in the harbor and the rivers and so obstructs the water as to interfere with the working of the ferries is formed in the Upper Hudson and earned down by the -tides and winds into the harbor, Lower Bay and East River; for when- ever there has occurred a natural blockade of ice in the Hudson River above the city, the har- bor, it has been noticed, was quite free-of obstruc- tions by ice, and has remained so as long a8 the Hudson contiaued so closed up, and this, too, in the coldest winters, Avy tce which may form tn the harbor, and such an occurrence can only take place during such weather as we were compelled to suffer recently, is immediately carried out to 8ea, passing the Narrows before 1% has gained suf- ficient atrength or thickness to be at all destruc” tive. ‘There have been vartous methods proposed of FREEING THE RIVERS ie from ice blockades, one of which was the employ- ment of large steam tugs fitted up after the fashion of battering rams, to steam about and cut through whenever a bridge was formed ; but such reliefs could at the best.be only temporary and the idea was abandoned as being too expensive. One plan, which appears to be feasibie, is that proposed by Mr. Peter Voorhis, wno,.as far back as 4 Fire, Company. Mind CE hoa Me 6—278 Washinxton st... 7-95 and 95 Maiden lane. 7-93 and 9% Maiden jane. 8162 Water si id 116 Ei a CED a Sat SueK cmc 7 hh a 385 Kighth aven: 9-335 kaghth avenue Y—242 Canal street. 9—24z Canal street 942 Ounal street. 9-74 ann sireet 9—74 Ann street. 9-1) Ann street, Aun street. eS Racca tee 9 Ann street. 9 —422 Third aven 9.—42z Third avenue. 10.—Blind ssvium. 10.—Bhnd Asylum. 1y.—Bund Asyluin.. 2. 10.—Blind asylum. 10.105 cast Uouston sire 3, In regard to the thirty uew large hydrants here referred to, Chief Engineer Bates said that he considered tiem, $0 Jar, practically a iailure. They might, however, work betier during the summer. lt Was founda that on inspection 01 them that thirteen Were {rozen and nine were found to be | useless. Commissioner Van Nort had been in- | jormed of the condition ol! afiaii but what that department uad done or intéhded to do he did not know, but he thought tmat some provision ought to be made in some Way, 80 that, at ali times aud in ail seasons, water might ve obtained tor use in case of fire, otnerwise the fire- men, Well organized as they are, would be useiess to stop the ravages of the lames. WHAT OOMMISSIONSR VAN NORT SAYS ON THE SUB- JECT, An explanation of the reported bad condition of the fire hydraacs was sougnt from Commissioner Van Nort, under whose charge they are. He stated that so Jar as he knew the facilities | allorded to the fire companies were greater in See Eorutak ee Bek eu roa SENESE Pos uameNeSH x eooon New York than in any ether city of the world, 50 far as water 18 concerned. Tere always is and there always will be, he thought, some little troupe during tue winter jrom the ireezing of some of the valves get out ol order that he may soon have another order, unless he puts i Cocks that have no waste | attacped to draw off Lhe water, or i horizontal | pipes BENDS THEM TO FORM TRAPS in which the water will collect. The common cock, #4 @ matter oi course, when turned off, aoes not discharge the water 1n tue pipes above, but | tue waste cock aliows it ail to run down and out | through the waste pipe connecung with the water | closet or sewer. If it 18 neeessary to lay pipes under | floors it should be done with a gradual descent toward the stopcock and they should be well stpapped or hooked to the-beams. so tnat water | cannot coliect 10 traps anddreeze. Maat is the great | fault with plumbers. They never pay sufficient attention to this, and the first cold snap bursts tie ipes. Another point should be observed by jousekeepers. When the water is turned off in the cellar or basemeat and the siopcocks on the various floors are opened, the janitor or house- keeper should blow into the pipe on the upper | floor, This wu force out what littie water may remain in traps (if not very large) totreeze. Tus may seem odu, but it will have this effect, and thus a little “biowing dowo” on the part of a wile may have 4 better effect in preventing pipes [reez- ing tian, “BLOWING UP HER HUSBAND or the landiord can have after the damage has been done. The waste pipes to carry off water should be iwid with the same care, so as to get the incline toward the ground. Tue house con- | nections shoud always be covered with warm, | fine earth, as it is jess liabie to freeze. Mr. Meade reports that plulaoers flod tue frost this winter more severe than it has been since 1867. ins winter it hes penetrated three feet and in wet ground as far as four leet. | ‘Tue above suggestions may have the eifect of giv- ing Lousekeepers sume hints as to how Ww avoid frozen pipes and how to thaw them oat, conse- queatly they are worthy of Caretui perusal by even those Who may find that much of the iniorma- tion given tuey already are jamilar wita, VIRB HYDRANTS. Another branch oi this same subject to which too muci atiention cannot ve paid, for it fs amount ot danger, is the difficulty experienced of late tn obtaining water irom the dre nydrante ali over the city ior the Service ol the engines in case fire were to break oul in some of tue more densely built districts of the city the most serious consé- quences might ensue if water were unattainabie except alter long delay. A confiayration equaliy cago and the ove that visited Boston in 1873 mignt easily occur, the only diference iikely to resuit being that the actual damage would far exceed in amount the monetary loss occasioned by these two fires put vogetuer. The distress and incunven- lence to the dwellers in the densely populated houses in this city cam scarcely be estimated if such @ disaster were to occur, and yet, under ex- isting Conditions, tt is an event not at all impossl- bie or even improbable. The reports irom every fire that has occurred during the past six weeks or more show that great dimicuity has been experienced by the firemen in optaining water from the hydrants with which tO operate agaiust the flames, and tnat it | was only got alier tue hydrants had been caretully | thawed ont, Tuls has, of course, required more | or jess time in each case, but 1m some instances, be obtained. in otner in- | stances where a Visit was made, under orders o1 the Chief Bngweer, to each of te new large hydrani# on the line of Church street with two steam engines aud @ {ull | complement of mien, nearly afi were found frozen, requiring from seven minutes each to one hour @nd seventeen minutes work upou them beiore | hey conid be thawed out and Water made to how in suffictent quantity for use. Others were found to be utterly useless throbgn being out of re- sitaated a great number of the jargest wholeswie ary goods houses and storage warehouses, con- taining all kinds of light and easily inflammable fabrics, aud of immense bulk and value. Avout toe seule couditon of things exists allover whe city according to information obtained irom CHIEF ENGINEER BATES, who says that five minutes or more have been lost by every engine in thawing out hydrants at fire before they could be put to work. ehiel Engineer, when a to snggest a remedy for this rming e of affairs, or some possible method whereby we blocking Up | of the hydrants with ice might be prevented stated that he conid not do so, ior he left ali that | sort of thing to the Fire Commissioners and the | Engineer of the Department of Public Works, | whose duty it is to see to the hydrants being kept in proper order, He said the diMcuity to be en- | countered mostiy arises irom we vaives becom- ing frozen vy the percoimtion of the water through the leather securing them, which could not then be moved. Every engine is pro- vided, he said, with @ flexible india ruvber tuve | which they can connect with tue boiler of the en- | gine, and then insert it down the hydrant through | the nozzle and turn on @ jet of steam which meits | | the ice and jew the valve work free, This, of | course, i# & mater of time, and the delay ing thereirom might result most | disastrousiy, .oT a fire Would have just so long to be get more headway. He did not taink (t would Ol any use lo encase the pipes or the hydrant in lelt or Other non set from ‘our to five feet ubuer the sariace, and it is the frost that penetrates the ground to ths depth, even, that causes the The resistance of the felt would be too smail to give any practical resut, Solar as he kuew lo said the engine Companies generaily visited tue bydraute in theu district, and Were eaucayor- | over one hour to thaw them, and nine wer trouble. | in the hydrants, vut that is a difficulty that could be remedied in # very few minutes | it the firemen would go toe proper way to work. He would undertake, he said, to thaw out any of the hydrants in the city | in less than five minutes, There had been no more trouble this year than dunug the last one, and every (bing that can ve done 18 done to keep the hydrants in good working urder, ‘Trouble in | pole Cases arose irom the iact wat the hydrants | had to be piaced only three or’ four feet under | ground, and im some instances at a distance of only @ coupie of feet from tue | cellars of they adjoming houses, This allowed tue frost tq penetrate to tue valves quicker than usual; out there was no difficulty even in such a case in securing @ flow o: water within a few moments. THE CHIEF ENGINEER SPEAKS. Chief Engineer Tracy, of the Depar: nt of Pub- | lic Works, said he had received the [@mwing com- | piaint Irom tue Fire Commissioners ygBterday :— Heapduanrens Fine REMENT, New Yorn. Febel3, 1875, Be. Soe ‘M. Van Nowz, Commissioner of Public vor! 5iu—ihe chief of this department, In a communica tion made to the Board of Commissioners on the 10th inst. complains that the new fire hydrants erected on the line of Chambers street for the use of this depart- ment are in such @ condition as prevent their bein, Or auy service in case of fire during the catreme. cold weuther. He reporis that on the 22d wit. the hydrant im front of wuane Fark was and on | the 2d inst.. at the fire at treet, he was deprived of the u e of the hydrants in tront of Nos, 9 and 106 Coambers street, for the same reason. On the | 3d inst an examination was made of all large ‘hydrants on We line of Church street, and the report shows that thirteen were frozen, requiring trom seven minutes to fouad to be useless for the reason that the valve wheels were | broken. Tam direeted, oy the Commissioners tall your atten- tion to these tadia, and to request that some action be | taken by which these hydrants can be brought into | service When needed by this department. Very respect. | fully, W. P, WilTE, becretary, Mr. Tracy referred this communication to his assistant, Mr. G. W. Birdsall, who .made the fol- lowing report oo the matter, which was forwarded to the Fire Department:— Dxraurannt oF Punuig Wores, » Feb. 13, 1876, nication of the Fire {in regard to the large Lydrants on each side of Chureh street, between Canal aud Fulton street and also on Mndson street, between Chambers ai Duane streets, | would respecttuliy report:— dhe above large hydrants were placed last year as an extra supply of hydrants, all the toriner ones being lett u place. We have repeatedly, during the extreme coll ¢ co val Valves will necessarily stick more or less with frost, This is the first intimation we have had from the Fire Departwent as to any of these hydrants peing out of order, and we are recelving trom tt sngineer of iranis Out of order t ir men during the week preceding. All the reat were in order, and only four of the valve wheeis have Leen injured since the hydrants were 3 We are now thawing oat the few tl were frozen on top, caused by/tlie breaking of the valves, und they will ait be in good order to-day for use, only requiring the application of steam to warin up the iarge valves before they are opened. With this precaution ail of hydrants can be used without breaking the val Wheels. Respecttully yours, W. sIRDoALL, Mr. Tracy thought that the fauit found with the hydrauts by the Fire Department had veen greauy eXageerated. He had men always goimg round Whose sole business it is to look after and keep the pydrants m proper repair, and he did not fee how it Was possinle for any one of them to become 80 irozen a8 to require anything like the time stated to thaw them out, In Tegard W those reported as useless by the fire engineers, be had to say that it was only the wheels operating the valves, which by some means | had become broken, ‘Ihese, he toought, must have been broken by the firemen or otners trying to force them rouad When they found tuey would not Work easily—instead Of putung down their thawing pipe in connection witn the engine and with which they were aii provided, He thought it was a job xot up in the interest of some patent or other by finding fault with those now in use. The thirty new hydrants put down on the line Of Church street were pat in at President Perley’s suggestion, and are ol extra capacity, being also Otted with two nozzies—one vi five inches and one three umches in diameter, The supply | Pipe to these liydrauts (rom the main is six inches in Glamever—the main being tweaty incnes. | ‘This ineures @ Ligh pressure ud an immense fow of water. The old hydrants, or those of the oid pattern, are ie! stili standing i tieir old places, 60 that li one ls sound frozen they couia without | doubt find the wext one ready Ww go to work with wile the other was be- | ing thawed out. He also stated that the barrels of the hydrants were kept as | {ar as possible packed with salt, im order to pre- | vent their freezing. The weather this year had been excessively severe, but be had received no complajnt irom the Fire Department during tye | winter, except the above, which were not of any | moment. He did not toink there need be any | aiarm felt by the citizens of a conflagration spread: wrough @ scarcity of water, & - ICE IN THE RIVERS, | | would say, “no nothing.” 1867, conceived the idea of blockading the Upper Hudson by means of a series of rafts, @ descrip- tion of which ts as follows:— It 18 proposed to build the rafts of square white pine logs, laid one foot apart in crib work, of dimensions of about 80 feet in length, 40 feet in breadth and 15 feet in height, securely bolted to- gether and clad on the up river end with boner iron, and each raft secured by anchors and chains of suMicient strength and weight. It was proposed to piace these obstrugsions in position at the frst appearance of ice and securely anchor them. As soon as the ice gains sufficient strength to hold its Own weight in the tideway it wili form across the river completely, and so continue, constituting a complete blockade, together with the obstractors, until the ice will have melted away to such a con- dition ag to ensure its entire dissolution after the crushing up necessary In its passage by the ob- stractors and before it could reach tue city. The tide in the East River changeg from ebb to flood tide trom one to two hours befoie the change takes place in the Hudson River; consequently tne ice is carried rapidly around the Battery into the East River to the {ull capacity of the channel to receive it, At allseagons of the year the ebb tides in the Hudson run longer and faster than the food tide, and more especially in the winter and spring season, in consequence of prevailing uorth- erly and westerly winds and freshets. The ice made in the livers and bays of Tappan and Haverstraw Is carried down by the difference ju tide and the prevailing north winds in Acai. § and is the cause Of all the damage tothe docks, vessels and business of New Yors city. OFF THE BATTERY. During the early morning of yesterday the boats of the various ferries ran irregularly. The great ice field of Friday, which had formed so success{ul gud strong an ice bridge, had been swept away down the Bay by she afternoon ebb tide and was broken up in various ways, Many of its temnants, however, unwilling to give up the fight with the ferry and tug boats, came up again late at night and waged very successful war, so successful, in- deed, that neither the South nor the Hamilton ferry did anything of much account during the night. The ice remained packed avout Gov- | ernor’s Island and Buttermilk Channel in very huge blocks, and these the ferryboats jound It very diMealt work to make @ way through. At seven | o'clock in the evening the passage of these boats had been suspended, and, leariul of the experi- ences of the previous nignts, Rot a trip was run until six o'clock yesterday morning, when the river was comparatively clear of large ice. Tugboats rushe in where ferryboats feared to venture. Their sharp prows and power- jul action push them through where the heavy, lumbering, broad ierryboat could not make way. ‘be boats which ran op these two ferries nad by no meaus easy work of it, for they became in each instance blocked up with ice, Which Was coming round from the North River in great quantities at the time, and it took themon an average from two to three hours to make each trip o; less than halfa mile. The generality of the ice which im- peded sbem Was Siduli, bul the current was fow- log with great velocity, and this, added to the ‘weight Of the ice, made the boaw almost unman.- ageable, They kept bravely on, however, id waile their trips were only a vexation and an an- noyance to those on board, yet the company triea to do its duty. AN ICE-BOUND RIVER,. At this time the ice extended, without a oreak, looking up tue Kast River as far as the eye could see, all White and glistening, At @ distance it looked like one great sheet, but near by it was Jess threatening and aii broken up into small pieces, some of which had become hummocks, the ice having piled up upon the foaung pieces so as to give \uem the appearance 01 diminutive ice- beigs. The Wail street ferry, which had given up business entirely on Friday, yesterday succeeded in making very lengthy pussages. No regular time Was consumed, but the passage generally occupied about hail ap hour or so, At noon, while the ice Was coming up in greater quantities, the task of crossing was still more difficult, ana two Or Lhree trips were not made in less wan loriy- five minutes. The same causes operaied at Fulton ferry, and up to noon the boats had been running very irregularly and at intervais of from ten minutes tO BA hour, some Of the trips being excessively long and difficult. she boats were often swept out of their way by large floes and the strengto of the tide, whica now @nd then they could not avoid encountering, spite of the pre- cauitons which che pilots took uot to become en- angled in anything of the kind. The Mineola had the worst luck. phe came vut of her sip justas au extraorainarily large cake Was passing up the river, The pilot, finaing he couid in no Way avoid 1t, went bravely to work to smash it up. After tiree ineffectual attempts, in which he went at the ice with jull force ana made no impression, he gave up the job, and evidentiy became resigned, aud the floe carried the boat up the river. Toe great muss o/ ice travelled steadily up the river Until it reached the slips of the Fulton ferry (brooklyn side), and crushed up against tne piers with such force that the ice piled up on itself to the height of fully eht or nine ieet. ‘the noise made Was like distant thunder, anda so great that the people aroanu the spot felt afraid, no doupt, that the whole jerryhouse would be carried away. The mass, after rising aud remaining poised for a time, sell back in the water. In the meantime the two boats in the Brooklyn slips became prisoners and could mot move out from their pusitiens. The Fuiton leit New Yor« in the meanwhile, bat could not force her way across and returned to the piace which she had leit. The Mineola in the meanwhile, finding sbe could not tand at Fulton jerry, Went up to Catharine slip witu her loaa, ANOTHER BRIDGB. The ice now presented @ clean, clear, unbroken suriace, stretching trom the Martins’ stores on the Brooklyn side to the New York bridge wower. Men and boys congregated around, wondering and discussing Whether it would be safe to try a trip across. It seemed to be the general opinion that the ice Would not do, and nobody ventured upon it. Jt was evidently Weaker than tne day beiore, and would provably not have borne much weight, The sun nad been upon it along tume and it iooked somewhat porous. A MISSMANAGED FERRY, On the upper ierries the general detention was some filteen or twenty minutes longer than the average Wiips in fair weather. The longest and most tiresome passage was that of the Koosevelt street and Williamsburg route, which, tedious at @ny time, was made triply #0 yesterday as the trips Were avout three Wines theif usual duration, Bad ag this terry 18 during.tne day, however, during the night it is simply shockingly managed, A HERALD reporter had occasion to cross on Fri- day night at about midnight. ‘There had been no boat Aince Dall past Len o'clock. It appears the reason Of this Was that whfle Guring the day we boats gre under the orders of @ Super: intendent, “during the nights the pilots are Tespomsiwe to no one, and ruo wa they feel in the humor, it was evident that at the time the HERALD reporter paid his fare the pilot was notin the humor, The apvarently | writer Wahdered up and down the deck disconso- | lately. The water at the ime Was quite Clear, aud | over (rom Brooklyn the lights shone and twinkled init, The writer weat up on the pilot's deck to take @ vetler look; no pilot Was in bis wheel- | house, He weut down again, looked in vhe en- gine roolm—ho engineer; im the fire room—no fre- Wiau on buwrd; nu deck bands; 4s Colonel seliers Wonuering what it all meant the reporter looked in @ litve forward cabin, and Was rogaiea by the sight oi pilot, en- wipeer, fireman, deck bands and ovhers, ali deeply engaged in the Uiscussion Of # game Of poker. Ihe re bout staYied at hai-past twelve, and then the pilot CONDITION OF APFAIR® ON THE VARIOUS Fen- | UUlY lett Of because he was @ winner on ® “iuil —— ui It Was very interesting right turougb, BIES—THE FLOLS BREAKING UP—ARCTIO The Sound Yoais have had Jeariul tines lately, VISITORS. | Te most Wieck Of (be Continental has been oF The experiences of this winter are a su™ficient proof that the damage to the interest of the city | ond State at large by the actual breakage of vos rey, publisoed, bot Ail Lhe OLbers have also Bul fered severeiy, ‘The Granite Stave, wineh left say- brook, Conn, at two o’ctuc yetarsal aiternoon, only Arrived last nigit, and a number of others have been detained ty # Guration of Lares times | sels, docks, &c., by the ice, the detention aud loss | au ordinary Urip. The palm of peed, however, NEW YORK ‘HERALD, SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1875+QUADRUPLE SHEET. must be awarded to the Sound boat Norwalk, # freight boat, whose usual tripfrom Nor- walk 18 nine hours, which arrivea here yesterday alter being out five days, all these report that ‘the tee in the Sound is worse-thun it has been for ory bast. Some Of the lines find the barrier at the ead of the Sound impassavle and are forwarding their freight by railroad at railroad rates, It is not believed ‘that the ice besween Sund’s Point and Riker’s isiaud will be passable in less than @ week oro. There is no doubt that some of the Sound boats will adopt the outside pas: sage. THE NORTH RIVER. At no time since the commencement of the present icy era hag the North Kiver presented & more picturesque. arance than during 1 wnale of seatoniery roughout the day @ light ree! mM the southwest, carrying Biltne doating ioe to the New York “sbofo: There 16 was heaped up in the s) bemming in vessels and rendering navigation jt AD impossibility. ‘The floes extended two-thirds of the Way across the river, and on the sersey side there was a wide ribbon of clear water, where all kinds of cratt could mancwuvre with safety. For the first time in severaldays various sai vessels dotted the rface’ of the river, they careiully avoided. ing in with the icy barrier, whose outer edge was only a few hondred feet irom the Jersey shore. The scene on the New “York side was almost a repetition of the past two ‘ Gays, except that persons living in the nelghbor- hood of the piers have become habituated to tne Presence of the ice. At the foot of Thirtieth stree about one P. M., men and boys were skating a sliding upon the ice, even the centre of the river. The ice was broken Into floes of a few yards panera, with occasional larger fields. Numbers of ASPIRANTS FOR IMMORTALITY emnsed themselves by jumping trom one oake to another until the limit of the floe was reached. Several of these dartug voyagers were carried some distance up the river belore they were able to re- turn toland. During the food tide the river pre- sented a very grotesque appearance. The general effect was of # huge plougied field cut up in all directions by roads and loo! tpatha. To heighten the illusion the ice was piled up in fantastic shapes, resembiing hedges and stacks of coro, while tn one instance a tolerably fainsul copy of the typical New England barn was presented. About balf-past one a miniature palace floated siowly up the river, attracting much attention from the crowds of observers on the wharves. The sun was shining brighuy at the time, and as ite rays fell upon berg one was forced to call to mind the famous paiace of the Empress of all the Russias, built complete from solid ice. It was @ very beautilul and picturesque sight, and hun- dreds 01 people stopped on the piers to witness it, SEALS IN THE RIVER, Two disttnguishea ioreigners visited the city with yesterday's food tide, As a large cake o! ice ‘Was passing up the river at the foot of Twenty- eighth street two large seals were seen disport- ing themselves upon its sitppery suriace. For. several days seals have been reported in the lower bay, but it is believed they have never before attempted to ascend the Hudson. One venerable, gray-haired skipper, who witnessed this unprece- dented event, shook his bead solemnly and prophesied a long duration of cold weatuer. THR FERRIES have run with tolerable regularity, and the Forry- second street boats successiully recommenced their trips yesterday morning. At the Twenty- third street Jerry the accumulation of ice in the shps precluded the possibility of making reguiar passages, and the boats were taken of. One of them, the James Fisk, Jr., was employed ag a tug auring the day, and towed @ Dumber of barges and lighters up and down the river, The Hoboken ferries ran very well, notably so from Christopher street, which line has never veen entirely biockaded since the be- ginning of the ice, At two o’ciock P, M, the Chan- cellor ‘Livingston was stove 10 uear the slarooard addle box and was laid up two hours tu the Lio- Boken sup. At twenty minutes before four o'clock the Secaucus, of the Barclay street line, started from Hoboken, and when within a few hundred feet of the New York side she was caught in a lurge floe, after having Cut @ passage nearly througu it, Three different attacks were made before a channel could be forced, and jor a lew minutes the passengers looked biankly ot each other, Jearing @ repeti- tion of the Wehawken' fate on Friday, when five hours were consumed in making a landing. The Gelay, however, was but sight. Yesterday vas 3 “gailing day’? much curiosity was maniiested by numbers of people to see how the ocean steamers would manage to escape irom the icy bonds which imprisoned them in the siips. The White Star steamer Baltic leit at noon, meet- ing with no dificuity watever. The other steamers foliowed suit, and the lookers-on at the wharves were cheated of their anwicipated tun, The ice affects the barges and lighters more than any other crait, Lage quantities of freight awaiting transportation bave accumulated alung the North River iront, but 1t 18 hoped it may ail be despatched within the next two-days, have been comparatively ew. Tne steamer New- port, of the Fall River line, is laid up for repairs, and a printed notice has been posted declining to receive freignt. The Newport reached the city on Wednesaay last badly damaged. Tie agent of the Providence line reiuses to receive freignt, and the boats are lyimg idle. Much inconvenience has been caused by the withdrawal of tue steamer from pier No. 8, connecting With the Southern Raliroad of New Jersey. Passengers, in consequence, must go by way of Farmingdale, on the New Jersey Railroad. IN THE BAY the condition of affairs was worse than at any time during the winter, ‘The pilots wno came up to the city yesterday morning made reports which iudicate an utterly uupreceaenied accumulation | ofice. ‘Tugs which went down Friday evening re- fused to return until daylight. several of the pas have had their ears and bands frozen. But ttle call is made now upon outgoing pilots, as shipowners ao not care to risk the chance of jerlous damage to their vessels, which would be inevitabie should they attemp' the present condition of the Bay. | porter calied upon the chief oficer of the White | Star steamer Belgic, watch arrived at her pier | about eleven o’ciock yesterday morning. Tus gentleman represented the lower bay as being dull O1 Doaling ice, generally broken up in compar- auvely small cakes. In several instances, now- ever, the Belgic was obliged, under a press of Steam, to cut tarough large fives of a foot or more in thickness, The ice in the Bay seemed rotten and spungy. The captain of @ small coasting ‘schooner, recently arrived, mentioued to the re- porter that from Cape May nearly up to Neversink an apparently sulid mass of ice eXtended for sey- eral miles trom the Jersey coast. This immense foe extended 80 far out to sea that frequently in order to avold it the schooner Was obliged to run entirely out of signt of land, - NAVIGATION IN THE SOUND, The condition of the river opposite Whitestone and at Fort Schuyler as compared with Thursday was lar more favorable to navization, there being all day & good channel through the ice, Tugboats with barges .n tow steamed aiong with but litte apparent difficulty. None of the coastwise steam- ers Were sighted up to tate hour, and it 14 prob- able that they remained in port, anticipating @ still more javorabie condition Of affairs. Captain Springer, of the steamer City of Fitchburg, from New Bedfora, reported:— “We leit at half-past seven .P. M., Thurs day, and found thick ice in the river | and plenty of broken drift ice im the bay; | comparatively clear water was found untll nearly | up to Little Gull light; thick snow storm from ten | o’clock until tour o’ciock this morning; waistle going all the time; irom the Gull to New Haven heavy ice, thence to Sand’s Pomt light tee; trom Sand’s Point to Mell Gate thick, heavy ice and the Gate Fall Saw no Iretgat or passenger steamer going either way, exce; e Cit ew ford, Bouma Kast.” i if THE REVENUE STEAMER GRANT. The United States revenue cutter Grant was forced to leave her moorings off Communipaw, and is now moored near the Narragansett sveam- ship whart, on the North Kiver. ICE YACHTING. Casualties | THE NEW HAMBURG CLUB IN BAD LUCK— SPLENDID ICE BUT NO WIND—A SORUB RACE | FOR THE NON-ACTIVE MEMBERS—PROPOSED EXCURSION TO ALBANY. New Hamevne, N. Y., Feb. 13, 1875, Tt was the intention of the New Hamburg Ice Yacht Club to decide three important races to-day. Such was the announcement of Commodore Grin- neil last night, and everytifiug pointed to the realization of the hope that Old Boreas would send them @ steady and fair breeze, as this alone was desired to make the occa | sion 6 brilliant success. The result, how- ever, proves the precarious nature of the sport, "ns | the morning broke gentie as a day in April, and Until two o'clock there was hardly air sufficient | to blow out @ candle, Then it puffed so lightly | from the westward that but one event of minor interest Was decided, ‘his ts looked upon as very | unfortunate by the members of the club, as the | ice is in the most magnificent condition. Far down the river, even beyond Newburg, nine miles away, and up this noble stream to Milton, four mies distant, the suriace of the crystal plain 1s a8 smooth and glittering as @ mirror. Without cracks, air holes or weak places, it is in that per- fect state to present the torilling pastime of ice yachting iM its most attractive form. Notwithstanding the uniavorable nature of the morning the members of the club gathered early at the river side and prepared their voats for Whatever might tun ap, Soom the graceful things Nad all sali set and their owners awaited | patiently for breege. One, two,. three and even sour hours passed and still disappointment stared them in the face. It was now dinner time, and | the owners repaired to their homes, hoping | that the afternoon might be more favoravie | for the sport. Ali the morning Uommodore Grinnell was two miles up the river, opposite his residence, earnestiy hoping for a precious pug vo get bis three voats—tne Fiysng Cloud, vat aud Whil—down to the slarcing point Half @ dozen umes he essayed the {2% bat failure was the re- auit, Abt last the lightest possibic air from tne ‘Tee yaonts’ the middle of the dore’s com! ‘This officta) leit bia txrge boat, tn Flying Giouf, al river with the upon arrival there ensued tation, ry thing was perlect but the wind. Never were ice- achismen 80 put out, Tuey wished and whistle@ for a breeae, but it rei ded not. However, there was @ gentle air stirring, and the little boat cou'd get along with it on the smooth surface, an: that Was some consolation, This then was the result of the conference:—The non-active mem- bers should be allowed to name & boat and the captains would sail them to win, the prizes being @ silver gobiet and valuable registering thermom- eter. The boats thus Dathed com; the fol- lowing :— Boat, ‘The regatta committee consisted of Messrs, Henry Van Wyck, Charlies Van Anden and 0, Hasbrouck. ‘The course was irom the little fagstaf opposite the steam dock to another of Barnegat y, three miles up the river, and return, to be sailed over twice, thus mal the distance twelve miles, At 2:4: he boats being previously aligned according to the vositious Grawn, the Regatta Uommittee, men thoroughly conversant with their duties, left nothing to be desired in the manner they sent them on their eurney ‘he Whiff was most fancied at the start, ut the wind waseven too light for her to show the qualities of speed she possesses, Despite the drawbacks the sight was nt fn an in- stant they were gliding over the gilttering sur- face, bus not with that wonderial rapidity usual when the wind ia strong and steady. The sight of getting away was witnessed by & ree crowd, strikingly exemplifying the popularity Of the sport in this vicinity. ing the headquar- ters of the pastime, 1t has that E t number-of ad- mirers its thrilling character demands, ‘The racey though tame, was interesting. As the boats ap~ staffs at eiti proached tne er end of the course tue rh lee Of the racers gliding over the ice ty music, which was ted with cueers Ue ita ieah Sy ailiy it Fenda ie sae 2 roun e stakeboat aa foliow: Fi % out vive +3 2 0 inte Thus the Puff won the first Pere the silver gob- let, and the Whit the regis re thermometer, the former making the twelve miles in 39m, 30a, nd the latter in 42m. The character of the wind may be better imagined than descrived when it 1s known that the Whiff! made the same journey one week ago in 28m. 30s, A scrab race o1 the larger boats present, com- prising the Zero, Peter Leroy ; Bertie, Geurge Law- 800; Phantom, Z F. Van Wyck; Zephyr, J, R. Laws 800; Zig Zag, Jacob Leroy, ‘and Scena, William Leroy, was attempted, but the light air suddent aied to almost a calm and the matter was unw! ingly abandoned. The ice yachtsmen are not despondent. This day's experience ig an old story with them, be- fore the ice leaves them, if it snows not, there will be many merry reunions botn with the club here and that vigorous organization at Pough- Keepsie. Already the New Hamburg genuemen are contemplating @ trip to Aloany with their en- tire fleet. Lhey only await a thaw of suiticient duration to melt the snow now on the ice on the Upper Hudson, when tuey will leave under snort notice jor that city. Should such a journey b taken the members of the association are pri ised a lively reception. YALE'S ROWING OREW. Puff... .-. Whitt. A SAD ACCIDENT BEFALS ITS BEST OARSMAN. - New Haven, Conn., Feb, 13, 1875, ‘The accident which occurred yesterday to Mr. Wood, of the Scientific Schoo! of Yale College, by Which that gentteman, while coasting near the College campus, broke one of his legs, has disablea one of the beat boating men Yale ever produced. On him as an experienced hand at the oar was Captain Cook relying for assistance next July. Mr. Wood's physician gays that his boating duys are over and that the severe fracture of his leg de- mands great care if he expecta to recover {ts use, Fears were entertained at one time thay amputee tion would be necessary, butf happily they are now dispels . ‘ood, since nis entrance {nto the Sctentifio School tn 1872, has been noted for his excellent boating ability, and bas pulled with several vic- torious crews. In 1874 he was promoted to the University crew, and his fine rowing at Saratog: Won lor him the confidence of Captain Cook, who considered him the best boating man in college, His logs at this time is irreparable. The accident | to Mr. Wood and the suspension last Wednesday 0 three sophomores deprives tne college of four fine men, rendering the prospects for Yale's next University crew gloomy and boating men ae- spondent, LOTOS CLUB RECEPTION. The Lotos Club held @ pleasant little reception last night in the club house in Irving piace. There was @ goodly company present, composed solely of the steruer sex. A number of invitations Dad been sent out and some few notable people attended, The word reception is of course only used for want of a better one to characterige something less than formal but more than com- monpiace. A number of members granted sneir services to make the evening as enjoyable as pom sivle, Mr. Howard Paul, fresh from one of hig mysterious trips, gave several excellent sketches and songs, and came out of the ordeal in his usual happy manner after several encores. W. J. Florence also gave some comic recitations in Lan- cashire Irish, & sort of compound brogue, waich, of course, were weli received. Several of the more musical mémbers sang and played, played and sang, while the assembiy taiked und talked, and smoked aad drank and ate, and did all manuer of things which are usually supposed to be pleasant, There could be no dovbt that everybody taought he was having @ jolly time. There was also a little collation served, which was sans céremonie, but quite toothsome. The main attraction was the solution of the Samouar, which has been bussting the members of the ciuo for some time, and whic! was found to signily a Russian tea urn, from which tea was served to all present in glasses, & la Russe, It was generally voted a succtss, though it was remarkable that the majority did not pass their glasses a@ second time for the innocent bever- age. Altogether the reception was a succeas, THE BALL SEASON. Neither the Lenten season nor the miserably cold wedther seems to have any effect upon tne de- votees of Terpsichore if one. may judge from the number of balls announced for the present week. Among the most important of them is that to be given by the Eighty-fourth regiment to-morrow evening at Irving Hall. Tuesday evening a ball will be given at the Academy of Music in aid of the fund of the United Hebrew Charities and under the management of the Purim Association, It is promised that nearly all of our leaaing Jewish residents will be repiesented on the committee, ‘The same evening there will be a mask bail at the Germania Assembly Rooms under the auspices of the Concordia Maennerchor. The Fidelia Quartet Club will gtve their ball at the National Assembly Kooms, in West Forty- fourth street, on the evening of the 16th inst, while # St. Valentine’s keitiedrum 1s announced for to-morrow evening and Wednesday forenoon im the armory o1 the Seventy-first regiment. This affair wu be in aid of the Samaritan Home for the Aged. fhe grand annual charity ball of the Sociw Alsacionne Lorraine, wid be held in irving Hall on Weanesday evening, February 17, and promises to be one of the most enjoyable social events of the season. The proceeds of the entertainment are for the benefit of Alsatian emigrants in dis- tress, and will be prudently oxpended for their Felie/, under the direction of the worthy president Of vue society, Mr. Joseph Strauss, and "his asso- claves in the management. . At Tammany Hail, on the 27th tnst., the ball of peed employés of Dodds’ Express Company will be eld. The Grand Opera ball, which will take place at the Academy o#Music on Wedneaday evening, February 2, will be the last fancy dress reunion of the season. The event is bat distinguisned patronage, and .the proceeds will be voted toward ine establishment of @ school of art in this city. The whole affair will be directly onder the mavagement of M. Henri Duchatel, former! superintendent of the “Grands Bals d’Upera,’” Paris, Three new troupes oi French dancers will appear, and there will be @ divertissement and tableau by 100 coryphees, entitled “La Danse des Insects.” Severa: other novelties will we intro- duced, THE CUSTOM HOUSE. Yesterday in the gloomy corridors of the Custom House Tom Hood's strange lines of the “Haunted House” came quickly to mind, commencing :— And over all there bung # oloud of tear, A sense of mystery the spirit daunted, &c., for groups stoods in the shadows discussing the “viack ist’ soon to be made public. The Assistant Collector told the HERALD reporter ft was possible tue names would be ready by Monday, or else de- ferrea for special reasons. in the meautime gos mp would reign supreme a8 to te names to ve Bub’ mitted, ‘On,the 25th inst. there will be sold by Messrs, Bur: dett & Dennis, auctioncers, 16.000 choice Havanese cigars, Beized by the cusvoins oficers muggied. 4 pull once mere for Uncle Sam's watchiul oficials VERDIOT AGAINST A JERSEY BRIDGB COMPANY. Some time ago the bridge orossing tho Passaiq at North Belleville passed out of the hauds of @ Private corporation into the ownership of the counties of Essex and Bergen, tye commissioners for the brid; 3,000, To this sum th into the Kasex county courts on an app cialined $6,000, Yesterday the suit was deotded the jury dading @ verdict for the ootpany | Wostward revived the hopes of ali hands, ana the | $3,100