The New York Herald Newspaper, March 8, 1875, Page 3

THE PUBLIC WORKS Necessity for Vigorous Prosecution of Up- town Improvements, GREEN’S OBSTRUCTIVENESS. New Streets Demanded to Provide for | Dwellings of Increasing Population =| NEW YORK HERALD, MONDAY, MARCE 8, 1875.—WITH SUPPLEMENT. out under the direction of the Commissioners of | the Central Park, as, in fact, all tuat portién of | the city north of y-minth street was laid out by them under powers granted them by the Leg: islature from time 10 time, beginning with the year 1659. The applications to the Supreme Court jor the acquisiuon of the land for the several streets and avenoes, parks a laces were made by the Central Park Commission througn their Comptroller, Andrew H. Green, These projected improvements aud the benefits they would conier Were heraldeo and enlogized in elaborate repurts published by the Park Commission. In December, 1805, Mr. Green, 10 aD official report, whico he made 4s Comptrolier of the Centra: Park, pre- dicted that by the year 1850 the population of the city would be 2,000,000, Has this prediction been realized ‘hus far’ if not why has 1% not been? The anticipations and hopes of the property owners, engendered by the adoption of plans lor improvements and by the acquisition of the necessary iands, for which heavy assess | ments have been paid, pave ‘been ut- terly disappointed by the failure 10 Between LABORERS. | WORK FOR UNEMPLOYED Property Owners, Who Pay the Bills, Urgent | for the Work to Progress. | In the letter of resignation of Mr. Van Nort, the late Commissioner of Public Works, he calls the attention of the Mayor to the communications suomitted by him regarding the more important dbjects which had of late attracted the aitention bf the department, ana in which the future pros- perity and growth of the city is largely centred. Among tnese objects were the im- Proveménts in the upper portion of the city, The communications were originally submitted be‘ore Mayor Wickham had entered Upon the duties of bis office, and with a view to bis inteliigent appreciation of the exact condition bf the public works snould he desire to aubmit any recommendations or theories concerning them. He did not see fit, however, In nis inaug- ore] Message to make any allusion to them, and &s a resuit the caretully prepared and exhaustive discussion of these important topics by Mr, Van Nort, whose long experience in the department enables nim to speak with intelligence and author- ity, fas not heretofore been made public. The tollowing is the full textof the communication on UPTOWN IMPROVEMENTS, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS, COMMISSIONERS’ OFFICE, Room 10, CiTy HALL. Bon, Witttam H. WickHAM, Mayor-elect of the city of New York:— DgaR Sir—I desire to present for your consider- ation a brief review of the present condition of up- town improvements and my views as to the neces- sity of & more systematic and vigorous prosecu- tion of the same than has been or could be had during the first three years under existing laws and combinauon.of circumstances. : Among our intelligent citizens, and especially smong property owners, there 1s no diversity of opinion as to the commanding necessity of a more Fapid prosecution of street improvements. ‘ney all agree that the effect of our lassitude in this respect 1s the principal cause of the migration of our population and wealth to the neighboring regivns of New Jersey, Long Jsiand and West- chester county. Of the entire area of the city west and north of the Central Park, which is capa- ble of accommodating a population of at leass 1,000,000, less than ten per cent is available ior decupation, because it 1s without streets, except Dn paper, and witueut sewerage or otner peces- vary improvements. Tne patural consequence is acen in the difference in the rate of increase of population between this city and the netghbor- ing counties of New Jersey and Lovg Isiand, From 1860 to 1870 the increase of popuiation in Sew York was sixteen percen', wuile in Kings county and in the vofder counties o1 New Jersey it was sixty per cent; and the difference in tne Increasgo! actual wealth is even greater. From | the best injormation and Statistics to be obtained It lg evident that the aiversion of population and wealth from tne city to its suburbs has been gieater auring the past three years than at any previous period, simply because the rate of progress in improvements has been less than ever veiore, When compared with the demands of the population. Of tne cust of street improvements to be made in the district between Filty-ninth ana 155th streets, only a smail portion is to be borne by the City, and the buik of it wil! be assessed on the propert;. Tais fact snould effectually correct tne Jalse impression, created principally by the efforts of the Finance Department, that these improve. ments will involve apy Considerable increase to & permanent city dgbt. But even though the cost to the city were greater than it will aciualjly be, it would still be a gaimer by the execution of these works, by the consequent enhancement of value of taxable property and a corresponding tucrease inrevenve, This increase in taxable values would be so great that, aliowing for a liberal increase in municipal expenditures, the rate ot taxation could sull be materiaily reduced, thus making every inaividual taxpayer throuznout the city a gainer by the improvements. ‘This prediction of the prospective growth of wealth isnot a mere mat- ter of speculation or surmise, but ts amply war- tanted by stauistics of past experience. Fiom 1860 to 1873 the tax valuation of property north o1 Fortieth street was increased from $42,743,000 $0 $23,081,000, or more than 550 per cent, During the same period the increase in valuation south of Fortieth sireet was less than 100 per cent, This increase of uptown values was due to such im. provements as have actually been made and to ‘the promises of tne Central Park Commissioners that the whole system of uptown improvements &@s adopted by them should be speedily prose- cuted. How much greater would it have teen if these promises had deen fuifllied and the many thousand yet vacant building iots were made available for occupation? Yet the efforts ot tie Department of Public Works to push forward the aptown street improvements have met with the most strenuous OFPOSITION FROM TOE FINANCE DEPARTMENT, and this, also, in the face of the most earnest re- quests for progress on the part of the property owners, who are to pay, and are anxious to pay for them. By the familiar cry that their prosecu- ticn would involve a large increase in the city debt, the Comptroller bas succceded in enlisting tue sympathy of those who merely take a su. perficial view of the matter, and have not the inclination or capacity for sufMicieat in vestigation to discover, nor the foresight to” perceive ihe material advantages to puolic as Well as private interests o1 a move liberal policy in public improvements, and are eitner wilfully or heipiessly ignorant of the fact that the costs of these improvements are almost entirely borne by the property adjoining them and cannot ve charged to the permanent debt of the city. The owners of vacant uptown property have very substantial reasons ior denauding that their sireets and avenues be improved, though they are to be aasessed lor the cost, They are now paying taxes on property which is entirely unproductive, If they could butid upon and occupy or lect their jands they couid better afford to pay double their present taxes. They have paid heavy sssess- ments for the opening of stree 8 and avenues which he still uutoucbed and for parks which as yetexist in pame alone. The Jollowing ts a list of some of the assessments paid during the last ex Jears by property owners vorth of Filty-ninth Street, principally in the wess side district, be- tween Fiity-ninth and 155th streets, west and north of Central Park :-— LIST OF ASB: rey bade ska: Am't As Description of Improvement, | Date of Con | resserl “on prmation. | Property, Opening Arch at 8th, av, and ‘Seth Bt. tieee vee .|Feb, 28, 1868) Opening piace’ 'at “ith & i DON BE. .s ese ee May 29, 1869 Opening coulevard from io Wdoth st, - «| sume 15, 1868 Opening 7th av. above ith at...| sume 24, 1d Opening GU av. above Livth st...| jam, 20, 186 or Ovening Riverside Park and ave ui Aug. 2, 1872) 3,104,479 0 June 28, 187) 896,693 Oyening place a q aveuue.... * «1 Dee, 22, 187. 76,930 1g place at béth st. and Yth ne. osesveeseene seee|Jume 8 187: 26,120 icholas aud Hing Mav batian street May 21, 1865) 967,525 | Opening High Bridge Park, . dot. 1B tet] 24,811 Opening ovlevard north oi A : June 3, 1873) 514,997 N'S PROMISE! ots were planned and laid progress their promised improvements, ity-Dinth and 155th streets tnere are twenty- eigiic miles Of cross streets and thirtven miles of | avenues which have been condemne! and pur- chased by the city lor public use, tue property owners paying into the Clty treasury the muilions oF doliars assessed upon tnem jor the taking of these lands, but upon which no work has yet veen aone to make them streets and avenues iM lact as wella>inname. fhe Riverside ana Morningside avenues and parks, Which cost the property Owners over $4,090,000, are sill in a condition as Primitive as the remotest wilderness on tua con- tment, it would be neither favoritism or geuer- osity, but simply justice to the property owners who have paid their assersments and are paying heavy taxes, to go on with the improvements and pur it im their po-er wo make ier property remunerative by ouilaiog upon it, Had this been done we Would oe in @ Jair way of realizing Mr. Green’s prea‘ction of the growth of popuiation, anditcan yet be realized if anew depariure is taken that will do away witn the hindrances aud overcome the adverse influences that nave for the past three yeurs existed, restoring contidence among the real estaie owners aud capitalists, a more rapid progress in unprovemen's and the DEVELOPMENT OF OUR UNOCCUPIED TKRRITORY. Unnecessary delay ip tue prosecuuion of im- provements for Which assessments are to be ievicd Causes pecuniary 1os8 to the city vy delaying te coliection of assessments and increasing the tem- porary or agses-ment jund debt, and the amount Of interest on the game. Delays in the coutirma- tion Of #rese-sments, such us have uccurred cur. ing the past three years, uve te same effect, Section 1 Oi chapter 508 of the Laws ol 1801 1e- quires toe Buaia of Revision and Correction ot AssessMENtA $0 pass upon all as-essment sists Within tuirty days irom the time they are recetved by that Board, aud provides that in case of the failure of the Board ty uct within such time, ibe Assessment shail ue considered confirmed and Placed in the oands ol ths Coliector of Assoss- ments for collection. This provisiou of law has | been totaily disregarded. Ln some instances years — nave interveued between the certification of the | Act Of an improvement ana the receipt of the assessment list by the Collector of Asse-sments, A brie review ot the legislation in relation to | street improvements generally, aud particularly im relation to uptown improvements, Will aesixt you iu arriving at @ correct estimate o1 the ubsta- cles #od adverse influences Which Dave comvined to retard progress. Buch successive charter jor tuis city haa con:erred upon the Common Council the power to order the impruvement of streets and avenues by resolution and ordinance, direc! Ing voe proper executive uepartinent to do the work, abu any deviation irom this iundamental | rule whico hus been mude in favor of the Comnis- Sioners of the Central Purk or avy other braun of the city government Was by special enaciment, Pitor 10 the passage of the charter of 1870 ine Street Commissioner ana the Croton Aqueduct Department were the executive authorities who carried out the ordinances of the Common Gouncil in relution to street improvements, and under that act the Department ot Public Varks suc- Ceedeu Lo all their powers and duties. l'ne lollowing several acts authorized the Commissioners ol the Central Park to lay out aud make IMPROVEMENTS IN THE UPPER PART OF THR CITY, ingependent ul the Gommon Counell or anv other authority, Chapter 363 of the Laws oi 185) di- rected the Comunsstuners of the Ceutral Purk to Jay Out aud regulate Seventh avenue uorth of 110th street Lo tue Width Of 150 leet; chapter 275 o; the Laws 0: 1664, amending the avove ac., extended the power grunted to tue Commissioner's $0 far as tu ineiude the grading, sewering and paving o1 the avenue in sucit Mauner ux Ley mighc deew expe- dieut; chapter 06s ol the Laws oi 1865 provided fur ihe Widening ana Imp. oving of sixth aveuue horiu of 110th street in whe sume manuer as Seventh avenue; chapter 565 of the Laws vf 1865 directed the Comwissioners of the Veutral Park to jay out and improve tue Boulevara or puv- he rive, and to lay out streets, * roaus, avenues, paras aod places and ww improve the same at their discretivl in all that part of tne city Burth oO loin sirvet; chapter 867, of ths Laws 01 1868, directed tue Comuilssioners to lay out aud improve the avenue St. Nicuoias, and to wioen, exiend aud improve Maunatian street; aba empuwered thew lo carly va all suca im- provemeuts by day’s work or contract as they migat ceem expeoleat, Under cuup'er 6v7, of tue Laws Of 1:67, tue€ Commissioners o1 the Central Patk were auiorzed and directed to lay out streets, avenues, parks and places ju the ulstr.ct Known us tue West side, iying west ol the Kighto uvenue a0) ve Weed Filty-iuth aud 155(0 streets, agua oy Guaprer 238, Of tae Laws Ol 1858, there Were added tne power to reguiate, grade, pave and Otherwise improve aby steel, avenue or Toad voUndiUg Aud surrounving any pudas square or piace su jald out iu tuis werict. By chapler 872, OF tie Lass of 1872, the powers and du.ies vented in the Department of Parks, the successor of the Central Park Commission, Mm relation tv stiecis, ruads and avenves north of Fity-nipth sireet, Were trausierred \o aud vested in the De- partment of Pubuc Works. Al the time O1 this \rausier the grading and perstructure ui Sixth avenue, horth ol Livtu street, Rad veen completed, und te umprovement of the DSeveuth avenue, the Boulevard, Biehih avenue, Nicholas wud Teuth avenues, uortn of 165th street, were ip progress. Luese Works were ever: gelicaily prosecutea loward completion under my uirection. Toe organization aud personne of the engineering, cierical aud .avoriny ierce ewMp.oyed Ou them, a3 It Was h@buey gown irom the Venvral Park Commission to the Depariment ot Parks, aed {tum that to tus department, was Kept imiuct, except that it was grauually reauced iu numbers #s the s@Veral Works aDproached completion, ine lumprovement of Riverside uvenue and ie a nues g the Morningside Park was also hand and contiuued until the passage of tne charter, Aprii 8, Isis, by which = (section 17, division = N lu, us awended by chapter Laws of 1873)" the authoricy to order tae iniprovement of all streets and avenues reverted to the Common Counc, Whereupon i immediately ordered a suspension or tne work, that tuero migut be no c.use ior questioning the segality of Lue assessments for tue same, AN oruipance was suusequently auvpted vy the Cummou Council directing (m8 Gcpartmenc to proceed wiih the work, but bi Jate mayor lulltd to approve this orcinauce, hodipy 10 O18 Message that the provisivas vt tue charter were so -oscure cn tis SULject as Lo leave at doubuiul wuether 1ae Common Council waa any coutrol over these aveuues. Since the passage oF tne chatter of i073 vo surther legisiation nas been hag ou tho suvjec:, Hutwitastanding my eMorts of last Willer, ata UO lurtner work has beep done on ‘hese avenues. rhe imp ovement 18 esseutiat to the cevelopment of tie West side, and all real | OF IMagiuary cause for douvi us to the authority to curry removed, ou aud compicte the work should ve WORK ACUOMPLISHED, | Meantime the aepartinent has used all posaible | despatcn consistent with ecunumy im ihe prosecue Un of the works commenced Unuer tne bark ad- IuMistraion aud trausierred vy tue act OL 187. ‘the Bowevard, irom Futy-pinth street to loth street; sevenvii avenue, irom livcu siveet to the Harlem Kiver; avenue St. Nicholas, .ron Liotn street ro 150th street, aud Tenth avesue, trom doth to 19400 street, Mave veen completed; 165UR Bireer, irum avenue ~t. Nicholas to tue Judson KLVel, are Near cumpletion, Lhe roadways have been constructed on the Teliord-McAcam plau and are universally admired. Under ordinauces of tue Commou Cvuncli, seventy-second street, irom Eivgutn avenue to the hiveyside Drive, ana 145th street, frum seventh avenue to tue Bouevard, | Nave also been macavamized and work Is in prow. | ress on Niuth avenue, irom 12dd to 126th street, | aud on 12zd street, srom Yentn avenue to the Kiversice Drive. By chapter 62501 the laws of As73, a0 ACt passed by the Lexisiature at the im- | mediate insagation of the property owners, Mr. Crary, the President “ot the — Kast ! Association, veing a Memver of by and baving the bill in cuarge, ib Was nade mandatory on this Depart- mene 10 proceed wit the constraction of the eastern Bowievard, which emoraces the tulluwing aVeuues und streets:—Avenue A, iTotu Filty-sev- enth to Eigaiy-siXtn street, ahd irom Liéth street tu tue Muriem Kiver: avenue b, irom seveuty- Niuth to bighty-siXtn strees; Tenth avenue, irom 110:h street to Manhattan street enty-second street, irom avenue A to Futon w e; Seventy: DINth street, irom avenue A to avenue Bb; biguiy. S1X6N street, Irom avenue A to avenue B; Nivety- Sixth street, tom Firat avenue to Filth uvenue: Kiverside drive, 110ta street, rom First avenue to 116th sireet, irom avenue A to Sixth avenue, and 1246u Street, Irom Avenue A to Sixth avenue. THis work las been energetically prosecatea at several points; on avenue A, irom Seventy-fi.tn street to Eight.-sixtn street; on seventy-second street, jrom avenue A to Lexingion avenue 110th sirect, frum Third aveuue to sev. enth avenue, and on 116tn street, fiom ‘ihird avenue to Eignth avenue the Telord sac. avam roadway fis already finished and open to Iravel. ‘the heavy rock ‘cucting on 110th street, West Of Highth avenue, is well advanced, At tie preseut ra‘e Of progress the entire work included in the Eastern Boulevard act can oe cumpleted in the course of » The prosecution of this work has inet the favor and commendauon of the property owners.on the east side, as i has | greauly ephancea the character and vaiue of the procerty it Us entire eust side territory, whicn had never belore been favored with any liberal Measures 01 improvements. The Work accom- pushed under the direction of this depaitueut | since June, 1872, on the improvements transierred | to its coutrol irom the vepartment of Pubic Paiks, On the Works authorized by ihe Hustern Boulevard act and on the Macadam roadways | MMon Council, way ve sunimed | up as foLow leve. and # hall miles of streets, roads and avenues have been graded, curved, guttercd and flagged aud finished with the Lellora- Macavam roadway, covering an area ol 474,114 | square yerds, Seven and one-nail miles ol strecin aud avenues are how im process Of being graded | e and Macadamized, the roadways of which cover | area of 229,849 square vards, PARK APPROACHES AND BOULEVARDS. You will ooserve that the Eastern Boulevard im- | provement connects by lateral streets, with all riage entrances to the Central Park on the With the Boulevard by 110th street and Sixth avenue drive by ilstn street anc 124th street. Without tt the population on the eust side would have Lo proper means of access to the Central Park, and the West side drives. It Jorms Ube connecting link ip a network o! pleasure drives twenty-eight mies in extent, Making a complete cireuit of that part of the island be- tween Fiity-sevenih and 155th streets and exiend- ing northward to 194th street, planned and exe- cuted with careful study of the topography and natural advantages Of the terri‘ory it emuraced, The works above aescribed have becn treated separateiy from other street improvements, oe- cause they jorm @ distinct class have been prosecuted on @ unilorm and harmonious sys- tem, and are more or less iatimately con- nected with cach otoer. This is nut the case with ordinary contract work, car- ried on under ordinances of the Common Council. These ordimancea rarely cover an im- provement of more ‘han oue or two blocks of any Street or avenue, whether it ve regulating and grading, curbing and guttering, fugeing, paving or sewerng; tiey are in’roduced and adopted without anv general plan and without much ref- erence to each other, | have always considered it my Guty to execute them with all possivle des- patch, but vexatious delays due to the pecuiarity O! our contract system are often unayoidabie, especially when the co-operation of the Finance Department js entirely wanting. COMPTROLLER GREEN'S ACTION, During my administration tne Comptroller has repeatedty nuiified tue ordinances of tne Com- mon Council and the approval of tre Mayor by Withholding nis approval of the sureties on ole tracts jor reasops other than tuose affecting the suMciency of the sureties, thas assuming aud ¢x- ercisiug & veto powel More absoluie than that vested in the Mayor. Whena measure is vetoed by the Mayor it goes back to the Common Counctl for reconsideration aod may be passed over the veto. Buttue Common Cuuncil vas po olcial cognizance of this arbitrary action of the Comp- troller, Tue law certainly never iniended to give the Comptroller such power, and its assumption is In violation of the principles 01 democratic gov- ernment. Imerely mention tnis as an evidence of the hindrances to the prosecution of public im- provements which we have been compelled to en- couuter, SUMMARY OF WORK EXECUTED. The Jollowing tg 4 suwmury of this class of work executed under ordinances of the Common Councu during the years 1 1873 und = lsi4:— Nineteen miies of streets regulated and graded; 18 iiles of Streets curved, wuttered and farged; 53 miles Of streets paved with Stone block pavement; 32 iniles OF sewers built; 10 miles oO; underground draius constructed; 16-10 miles of culverts uult; B41 receiving basins oullt. DIPROVEMENTS IMMEDIATELY REQUIRED. For your consideration I submit herewito a prief statement of the improvements Which, m my opin- lon, are most immediaiely required to supplement | | | the work alveady accomptisoed aud to oven to our epuiation the DOW Unoccapied and inaccessioie lands Which are most desiravle lor settiement, as Well as afford agequate facidities of communicaion jor the present population Pirst—In tie west side district bounded by Filty-n:ath street, E.ghth | avenue, 165th street and Hudson River. [ne ta- provement Of tne Riverside Drive, irom Seven- ; ty-second to 129th sirects, and of the avenues and stieeta bounding the Morningside Park to be dove on the same plan as the improvement 01 the Boulevard and other uplowa drives; the | rading, curving anu flagging ol Kieventh avenue, | rom Filty-nintn street to its intersection with ihe Souievard at l0sth street. ‘Yo atloru communica- tun, more especiaily lor business purposes, be- tween the sectious east aud West of the Central Park, the lolluwing streets connecting with the traneverse roads across the Park should ve im- Toved :—siXty-¥IXIN street to pe graded om dightn avenue to the Souevard, ana paved trom Eighth avenue co ihe Huitson River; Seventy-ninth street te be graded irom the Boulevard to the dud- son River and paved from Kighth avenue to the river; Eiguty-sixtu sireet to be carried across the Riverside Park by a sunken roadway or tunnel and to be paved from Highth avenus to Tweiltn avenuc; Minety-sixth street io be graded and yered Irom Eighth avénue to the Huuson River, ‘or the purpose of connecting tne Boulevard and tbe Riversive drive With the carriage enirances and drives of the Central Park snd with the Museum of Natural History, now being coustructed on Manhattan square, Seventy- seventn street, — Eigoty-tirst —strect and 100th street, irom Eigntfavenue to the Riverside arive snouid be giaded where pot uiready done and finisiied wita Peliord-Macadam roadway. The new diagonal street ruuniug irom the Boulevard at 136th sirect wo Tenth avenne, at 145th street should be graded anu macadam.zed to connect these two great drives, The muprovement of 145tn street, Dow Dearly Complete irom Sixtn ave- nue to the boulevard, shouldbe cununued from the Boulevard to the Hudson Kiver, in order to give access to the river im that vielnity. Second—in the east side vistrict, east o! Eighth avenue add north ot Filty-niuta street, the street Improvements are Weil advanced, expecially since the prosecution of the eastern Boulevard im- provement. tiurd—|n the district Dorth of 165th street, the Kingsoridve road is tue main avenue vi access to the .ower part 01 tne city, ‘The legal proceedings lor wideulng and straightening il, in accordance with the plan adopte: vy the Commissioners of the Central ..ark, have jately veen altirmed by legislative enactment. It should be at once im- proved and couyeried trom a rough abd nar:ow Touaway into @ Dioad and smooth ave- nue. | As = 158tn sbreet is ine oniy street in tne vicinity of Carmansvilie with acvessible grades tor heavy trafic to and Irom the Hudson River, 1¢ shoud be immediately graded @ud paved irom Kingsoridge road to the caver, Hieveutn avenue, from 165th street to its 1uterse tion with Kingsbrioge 1vad, shoud ve improved, anu the impr. Vemeut of Tenta avenue snvuld be coutinued irom its preseut termination at 194th sireet around lort George Hill to its intersection witu Eleven avenue. In wood Strect, Irom Kings- briage road to the Hudson River; Dycamau street, liom Kingsoridge rvuad to Tenin avenue; 173d street anu 13660 or 190th Street, trom Kingsbridge Toad tu ieuth avenue, snuurd wlso be improved. By chapter 512, Laws ol 1872, autnority was given tO improve 155tn street east from avenus St. Nichvlas. This expe diture will be @ large oue, and, hotwitustanuing toe improvement is une greatly needed aud the adjaceut property owners are aDXious Jor the prosecution of the same, sult on account of the expense and the tronoled and unsettled Gundition vi our city dnances, { have hesitated to commence ti.e work, As belore remarked, the moneys expended by this ueparimenpt upon sireet improvements are hot chargeable io the junded debt o1 the city, but Une city 18 reimbarsed tor these outlays by the cul- lection of assessinents, Tie CURRENT EXPENDITURES OF THE DBPARTMENT for wa ntcnance o! streets, sewers, Croton pipes, aqueduct, reservoirs, public buildings onlices, 10¢ Iizhting the city with gas, ior ihe care Ol alt other puolic works and propery unger its charge aua lor salaries of employés are provided jor oul OF the aMOUMLs annually raiseo by tax. ‘The only elass ot expenditures that are a charge on the junded aebt of the city are toose ior ine improvement of the Croton water pipe system, the alterations of the aqueduct, the construction vi storage reservvirs and tue reconstruction of old sewers, Ine jollowing are tne expenditures under this head during the last tnree years :— In 187 $1,609,612 In 1873. 1,804,311 | In 1874 to December 1 1,883,822 MUERT Ls diseguaccaveisespeectvoukes¢, SAREERE | AS an offset to this expenditure the Department Nas coilected and paid into the City Treasury tue following amounts of Trevenue:— 1n 1872—Fur Croton water reut, penal- UES UND VAPB..ecceseccee veversseseees $1,366,645 For sewer and vault permits, sales of Old Materisis, KC. ...00 6 oe 94,155 In 1873—For Croton water rent, pepale UCS ANA CAPE... cece eee ee + tenes 1,428,981 For sewer and vault permits, sales of vid materiais, &. 117,329 In 1874, to Decen water rent, penalties 1,253,889 For sewer aud vault permits, sules of Old MALEIIAIS, KC... eee 80,772 $4,371,723 Add to this nnexpended balances of ap- eer returned to tne General Making a total of... - $4,699,323 This statemeut shows that the expenditures of the Department of Public Works on account ol the junded debt lor tnree years, exceed the amounts paid into the treasury by tue department during the same period by only $137,923 25. THE UNEMPLOYED LABORERS. ‘Lam unwiliing to conciude this communication Without toucuing upon another aspect to ims question of the prosecution uf pubic improve- ments—one that the taxpayer is reluctant to con- tempiate. In every large city, # co: siderable por: tion of the working class depends upon public Works for employment and support. ia thts city it uumbers many Caousands why have made New York thet’ home either irom choice or uecessity, the yreat majority not possessing the means 10 seek otuer fields Of lavor were they inclined to do 80. ‘T218 Class Of Our population Is rapidiy ivereas- Jong, hotwithstaudiug the vecrease in (he aenand for labor Which 1s caused by the ialling of in Uae | To gress ofimprovements. Pauperisu aud ull the social vis walen foliow tu its trai, will ve the nevitadie consequence Uo we do not provide employment Jor the thousands of now idle hands, It 18 useless to Say that vy the employment of large numbers of Men On public Works We are encouraging the growth of this popuiation. itis now here, des manding Work aud suppor, OG We muUSt lace the question, Whether we shail sapport tie unem- ployed poor py public and private charity, suv- jecting tuem to the debasing influences o1 en- Jorced idieness and vagrancy, or whether we shall give them tbe opporvulity to earn their bread by honest toil, Exigeucies have arisen When governments have ound It necessary to in- Vent new methvds of eraployment jorstue idle and | starving—to underiake Works Woich were not of them-eives considered necessary. We are under no such necessity. We pave pleity of improve- ments to make, Which should ana inust be done; not at the expense of the city either, but at the expense of property owners, who are anxious vhat the work be dune, and are ready and wiling to boar the expense. ihe subject of the estab lishment Ol a uniiorm rate of Wages to be paid by all the depariments of the city government tor labor Is one to which | respectiuhy call your at- tention at tiis time. By the law 01 1870 it 18 mado | | the progress of | and out Of the slips being the most diMcult, & punishable offence to require more than eight | hours work per day of men employed in puolic | works without ext acompensation, [he rate of Wages paid laboring men in this department dpon my accession to tt was $2 6u per day, or flity cents per dav higher than at paid by the Park Department. fimmediaely reduced it to $2 per day, hotwithstandiug there war at that time @ large demand for laboring men throughout the city depattments. Nas since greatly decreased, $2 per day 12 still the estabiisbed rate in this and other departments ot the city government for similar work. This is a Subject for consideration, and must soouer or later pe met end dealt with, {know of no time better than now, Some days since a committee of wealthy and influential pr-perty hoiders waited upon we ot- ficially in relation to the subject of pubic Improve- ments and the rates of wages paid the working- men. By vheir reso!utions aud remarks it was unmistakable that they jeit that the city should pay n» higher rate of wages taun that pari by pri- vate employers, and recommendea that the wages be reduced at the same time rnat public improve. ments be progress: “thac.’? to quote their own lauguage, “it Was unjust toward the city, whose nOuc Works wero kept back (or a waut of niore ands; UNiUSE to Tle LAXpayers, Decause they Were made to pay a double price ior What they got, and cruelly urjust toward the thousands vo! unem- ployed men Who, equally wiling, have an equal Tight to share With the oivers in such work as the city has to do,” and, in conclusion, toey asked that men be employed on pudlic works as tuey employed eisewnere by the hour, paytog them the saine rates as they are paid by contractors and on private works. The large number o: property owners mith whom we are necessarily daily broaght in contact express a universal desire to have the puviic improvemen's progress, being willing to pay for the same, but at the same time feel that, 1 Consideration of the Immense number ol workingmen unemployed, & reducnon in the price of wages should be had. This subject, as unpopular as it may be irom a political standpoint, must be met, and Lam unavle to see, 1D view OL ail the attending circumstance :s, how it can be obvi- ated at this time ana suil fiud bread jor the unemployed. Alter long and caretul consWeration Ihave come to the conciusion that, in order to protect the imterests of the city, the property | THE LAWYERS’ BATTLE. Althougn tne demaud jor labor | owners and the laboring classes, some concert of | action should ve tad by the heads o: ail the differ ent departments of the city government, whereby & schedule Ol Wages may be arranged and agreed Upon Jor the laboring classes that will restore confidence among the property owners, warrant pudlic improvements and give Work and bread to the starving and unemployed, Thave written you at considerabie length on the | subject ol puviic improvements that you may fly undelstuna their origin and progress, their pri ent cond.tiun and the causes which nave produce: the unrortunate delays and partial suapeusion of the work, and that you may !ully realize tne ne- cessities of our city ih tais matter time. tthe present Thave jatth to believe that your meoming wil have the power and possess come Or remuve tie Obstacies 1n the way of progress, aud will be guided by an en- Mgitened poiicy with regard to public improve- ments Guat will bring a rescoration of coutidence among Capitalists ana unite all in aiding to place and keep the city of New York where soe is justly entitled to be as the metropolis of the Western Western Hemisphere,and the foremost among the great clues of the worid. Very respectfully, GEORG. M, VAN NURT, Commissioner of Pubic Works. New York, Dec. 15, 1574. NOT GREEN'S LOBBYIST. A CARD FROM MR. SIMON STERNE. To THE EDITOR oF THE HERALD:— Jono B. Haskin a few days ago made sta.ements betore an aldermanic committee in substance as Jollows:—That Mr. Green employed me to louby Jor him at Albany in the spring of 1874 anu paid me theretor $1,600, and that the redrafting by me of the Annexation act was a pretext for such em- Ployment. This 1s wholly untiue. Mr. Green never employed nor retained me in any manner nor lor avy purpose what-oever. Mr. Ottenaorfer, as Chairman ol the committee of the Supervisors on the annexed district requestea the Corporation Counsel to have some one appointed to redralt the Annexation bill jor tue purpose of properly. ad- justing the relations o1 the new city district to the city cepartments—to give it just representation and, avove al', to prevent several sinister and per- nicious bills, Intended ‘or the depletion of the City Treasury under pretext of being amendments or the Annexation bill, irom vecoming laws. At the request of Mr. Andrews, the assistant Cor- poration counse!, | redrew (ne Annexation bill of 1873, submitted 1t to the Lezisiature, argued the same beiore t.e committee, had it reported and prevented the passage of Mr. Cauldweil’s bill, which would have extended his office ol Super: visor of Morrisania for a considerable period and would have given him and lis irienas an oppor. tunity to manulacture Cluims against tne city. aiso prevented Mr. Haskin’s bill trom becoming a law by showing to Governor Dix the pernicious purpose it bad In view to compel the payment of @ certain sum of money by the city lor & scnoul- house, which Mr. Haskin, as | understand, with- Out autnority of law, constructed tor Schoot vis- titst No. 1 of West Farms, aud which was at the time the subject of a bitter }tigation in the Sec. ond aistrict of the Supreme Court, That the loter- ference with the scuemes of these worthies, Mase Kin and Cauldwell, earned me their rancor 1s natu- raland expected. In tue matter ofa provision tor Maps alone, Which the Canidwell dul required the city to make, giving Iimear leet of the Jarms in the annexed flisirtet, and which I caused to pe stricken ow, | Saved tue city at least a halt mull- jon o1 dollars, and at the last moment, upon the flual passage of tre bili through the Senate, | dis- covered that in the committee Mr. Cauluwell had iuseried & provision to reinstate the Assisiant Al- deren tor our city, Tne deieat of that scheme Was a saving o: about $7),000 per year to the City. Theretore, Whatever money 1 received trom tue city Was but a small percentage indeed jor tne saving | caused from the rapacity of the very men Who very naturally pow tiau /ault with un employ. ment which was effective in the staying of tneir hands. Mr, Haskin’s statement alone coulu not have temp'ed me to this repiy. Ido not think it needed auy. but Mr. Cauldwell bas seen fit to cium tnac IT told him that 1 represented tne Comptroller. I tola him distinetly that I Tepresented the Law Department oi New York aud 16 ts Utterly untrue that at that or aay other time | represented or said that J represented the Comptrolier, 1 did no jodoying o: any Kind, Arguing important public measures belore legis- lative committees 1s atrictiy gonoracie protes- sional employment, and [ nad to go to Albany to do that work smply because tne committees | would not come to this city to hear my arguments, It is untrue that the Herring-Vauld» ell bill de came a iaw. My bill became te law with some of the suagestions o: Mr. Heritng accepted by me, and the unamended sections of the old iaw rein- corporated, Shouid the aldermanic committee retily desire to Know the truta ol this matter I shall ve giad to give it to them, or they can get it trom Governor Dix, Mr. Ottendorter, Senators Robertson, Fox, Gross ana Weodin and Assembly- men Blumenthal, Coughiin, &c., of last year’s As- sembly. Respectiuily, DIMON STERNE, New York, March 6, 1875, | THE TRAGEDY IN JOHNSTOWN, N. Y. PARTICULARS OF THE MURDER OF A PROMINENT BUSINESS MAN IN A BANKING HOUSE. {From the Aibapy Journal, March 6.) Spectal despatches from Johnstown give briefly the particulars of a terrible tragedy which oc- curred there last night, in which Mr. Edwara Yost, &@ prominent mercuant of the place, who was sleeping in Hays & Wells’ Bank, was brutally | murdered in his bed, robbed of his valuables and the bed alterward set on fire in an ineffectual at- tempt to hide the crime, The body of the unfor- tunate man, when found early thts morning, was burned beyond recoguition, but the circumstances leave no doubt oO: Is identity. 50 iar as earned there is no ciew to the perpetrators of the deed, though we understand thata horse and sleigh were stoien from the neighborhuod during the night, and the inference is that they were used by the murderer to make good iis escape. An in- quest upon the bovy of the murdered man was in progress tis jorenoon, ¢ Jonxstows, March 6, 1875. Edward Yost,a Prominent business man of this village, was tound dead in his room thi: orning, and the i ona all point to a tou) imu having been per- |. Mr. Yost was place ot bust- 8 WAS NeXt door to tlays & Wells nk. Heh been accustomed to sleep in the bank, and Was seen to gy into the Liulding avout twelve u'clock last night ‘This morning smoke was seen issuing irom the window of the bank buibting and an entrance was immediately when it w: Yost uad been d burned as to be sion of Mr. Yost, are t to a most fendish yb the bank, Post-mortem examination of the body of the murdered nan has just been concluded, A severe contusion Was discovered on the back of the Het was tound just above the richt car, and traced the bran at the too ot the head.’ The Siadly burned The apression prevails that petrators of the deed were knowing to Mr. Yost's ile th him $6.0 in. mon gold waten Aiamond pin val t $200. The OK Wis tO with the mo: ‘one. The in+ § been adjourned until + THE ICE IN THE RIVERS. The North River terryboats experienced constd- erable diMculty yesterday by the floating ice. It seems that it has begun moving down irom up the river in large fields, Some of the boats were over double their time in making trips, the working in The Forty-second street boats managed to make but Jew trips during the day, while the Hoboken, Jersey City aud Twenty-third street ierryboats had to go @ great distance out of their way to get clear ol the heavy cakes. Tne steamsnip com- panies on the Jersey sive Of the river are naking great preparations tor the security of their sey- eral piers that are liable to damage in case of a ireshet irom above. AS yet inere 18 very little fice in the Bast River, but che tides will probably carry some of the foe: round the Batvesy aud up tue Fives. en Who Shall Decide if the Jury Disagree? THE CONFLICT OF AGES. The Future Occupants of the Witness Box. BETTING ON THE VERDICT. All looks well for the opening of Judge Netlson’s court at eleven o'clock this morning and a tail jury box. The list of casualties is not large, as the Court has now been in session for more than two months aad but two jJurymen have been affected—one fainted ior a few minutes and tne other got too much bile on the stomach. Bets are Offered that the man who /ainted will not give a severe verdict for anybody, and that the man with the bile will be strongly opinionated one way or the other, in order to be consistent with his temperament. A good deal ts being said about people being sick and tired of the trial, but tick- ets of admission to the court room ar demand now as when the jury was qualified. There are several show days to come. BEECHER AS A LECTURER, There wil! be Mr. Beecher himsel! a week or two on the stand, explaining and responding four hours aday. He can command $1 50a ticket for every much 10 | sriai a long time, andl always supposed from ita myatery on his mind. As Frank Moulton was the most wosuccessiul secret keeper Lhat numan na ture has to do with, Bowen 18 the most eminently successiul. He not only obeys the Scriptural in- junction, not to let bis leit hand know what nit | fight hand doeth, but his jeitear does mot walk of with the contents of the other, There he sits on Sundays and at Friday night prayer meetings, biandiy listening to the discourse. apparently oo- vious o1 the fact that Mr. Beecuer’s |awyers have already orought im among the conspirators and charged that he, Bowen, threw the lrst stone, [tts setdom iM social nistory that a man cap take so mysterious a place as this. Mr. Bowen's position in the drama js uke that of tne Ghost in “Hawlet,’”” aoout wnose existence some layers have been so doabtiul that they do pot present it im foem at all, but bave the invocation to Hamlet uddressed from behind the scenes, This js true of Buwen, excep! that, instead of meditatiog the Ghost and saying “Swear,” he heara wiih wreat indiference tne large part of the country thundering “swear” ai Dim, and he don't “swear’’ worth @ penny. lithe verdict isrenderes wilithe jury know Muchabout the case? Will anyboay know muenr about this extraordinary puzzle, since Bowen holds the key and retuses to univck it. Mr. Bow en’s position is atonce graceiul and irri He lets gentiemen of the press come to see expresses Nis rezret that be must be silent ane refers them to the columas 01 the /ndependent, tor the prodigious success of that paper he thinks o} More consequence than the small matter under discussion ou Long Isiand Heignts, THIS TRIAL 13 SO BAFFLING that a large school of peopie exist under the belief that Tilton and Beecher, as a purely intel: lectual performance, devised this trial together in oraer to extract the whole truth about modern society. Some of tne more radical of these de- luded folks think that the Brooklyn trial is a reaj estate movement with some reference tu the East River brid, A prominent politician at the Fifth Avenue Hotel yesterday said ;— “Weil, [nave deen pondering over this Beecher | length and fuss that it must have some great eco- | nomical use, but I never could tell just what. | Now I know it is designed to snow us our lecture he gives, and if ne is on the stand four | hours a day for ten days his personal work in the trial will be equal to Jorty lectures of one hour each, ‘This number of Jectures would pro- duce $25,000. How ishe to get his money back? Atthe same time he bas $100,000 as forieit if he does not lecture very weil. Again, there is the jury of twelve men paid $2 a day for actual service. If the trial lasts four months each juryman will be entitled to $160, & contemptible sum considering the demand made upon their time by the common jaw. Several gentiemen of this jury are taken away from a lucrative business, and yet there seems no mode of compensating them beyond the ordinary al- lotment of a jury which sits three days ora | Week, Pernaps the plaintiff, who protesses | to desire no damages, will divide with the | jury it he succeeds. The length of the trial is an | extraordinary draught upon the mental and | physical energies of the counsel, threo or four of | | whom are men always in request to try the richest | cases at civillaw, Mr. Evarts was RETAINED BY ANDREW JOHNSON, and yet all his work, with the United States for an | audience and the Capitol of the country for a | court room, took less than the time already spent in the Brooklyn City Court. During tne great tral among those who will honor the court with their preseuce could be mentioned the names of many of the prominent | heads of Piymouth church, who will doubtless appear on the witness stand. There will be a complete picture gallery of tne Plymouth society beiore the case ts decided. There will be Pastor or rather “Brother” Halliday (as Judge Fuilerton sarcastically remarked), a majority of the dea- cous, all of the Investigating Committee, the Brooklyn editors, some of the Brooklyn politicians, and perhaps the unfinished towers of the great bridge will be subpcenacd, as tney overlook both | etties and ought to know something. The Legislature, desirous of giving the country a lirst rate show, 1s now considering tne question of permitting MRS. TILTON TO TESTIFY. In that event who shall say that the trial is with- out its results? Not even the woman’s rights so- cleties, of which Beecher and Tilton were presi- dents, ever contemplated so great a reform as to permit a rival husband and wife to sauce each other under oath in open court. After the celebrated defenaant has arrayed his phalanx and made bis argument plain to the ex. tent of probably several thousands of pages of testimony, the rebuttal comes on. Of course, the rebuttal will be in the ratio of the defence. The rebuttal must see the deience “several better,” or goupio a bailoon. This will pe chapter 3, or, as Victor Hugo would have it, “Book 4.” Among the witnesses for the rebuttal are ex- pected to be Florence Tilton, against whom there can be no opposition on any ground, legal or social, if her and mother have previously told their story, Then Frank Carpenter, the artist, who is expected to paint the great trial, and callit, “The Conflict ol Ages—Si xiy-lour against 1hirty-nine—H. W. B. vs. T, T."’—will state what he knows about tripar- tite covenants. Perhaps Mrs. Bradshaw will again go on the stand and give the remainder of her story, which, it1s said, she omitted upon her first examination as not being relevant by the rules of evidence. Possibly Joseph Richards will be recalied for the rebuttal if Mrs. Tilton has in the meantime testitied. We torget to say that Pastor Halliday will most undoubtedly go upon the stand, In a lew days the Senate will have adjonrned, and there will be nothing leit of tne government of the United States but the Supieme Court and the President, and what will we ao before the upon a stubvora fight tor its reputation against tae charges of ‘ruton, bub that a distinguished admirer of Mr. Beecher has also taken steps to publish a biograpny of she Piymoutn pastor, 38 complete and periect | a8 that of the lives of Danie: Webster and Samuel i Johnson, Perhaps this ts the same author wno published a sketch Of Mr, Beecher in one of the jew England monthiies tn the early part of the | year 1867. He may, pussibiy, be uselul to us as de- | fining | MR. BEECHER'S CREED, | «What is religion? says this author, “Mr, | Beecher says, Religion 1s a slow, lavortous, self- couducted education of the whoe man from grossness to refinement, from sickliness to heaith, from ignorance to knowledge, irom selushhess to justice, irom justice to nobieness, from cowardice {0 valor, In treating this topic, whatever he may pray or read or assent to, ne produces Causes and effect— nothing else. Regeperation he does uot represent to be some of the mysterious, miraculous tugs exerted Upon a man trom without, DUL the man’s Own act Wholly and always in every stage of nis nit only resvlveu Personal ‘theodore | social demoralization, just as a long, period of Crédit Moviher and other investigations in Con- gress have shown us our political and floancial demoralization, The peopie became alarmed at What they iound out and turned one party out ot power. Now Congress has adjourned and the people are turning the mirror upon themselves and showlog what atrogance, egousm and super. iciality he em med in our society, and eve in the churches, which have become as rich and overgrown as the rings and corporations,” COUNSEL IN DAILY CONFERENCE. cK, there 1s @ private consultation held by the numer- ous counsel for Rey. Henry Ward Beccher, at which the ling of action for the ensuing tilt in the leual arena ts teviewed, revised and revamped by the combined talent assembled, 80 as to meet the latest exigencies that the case presents, These meetings are held in room No, 8 in the large iron building on the corner of Court and Monlague streets. The most prompt in attena- | ance at these important consuitations are General Benjamin F. Tracy, tne uth ful clerk of Plymouth churcn; Thomas G@ | Shearman, the energetic and prematureiy bald Hil and ex-Judge Porter. Mr. Evarts pute in an appearance rather late at these meet- | ingo and frequently absents himsell, being con- tented to learn irom his associates the result of | their conclusions and guide his course by bis owe judgment thereon. ‘The defendant rarely absents himself irom the caucus in which he 18 50 pro- foundty concerned. Indeed, he is found to be of in- | Valnaple assistance by nis counsel, anu his able and | comprehensive mind has learned many points 1a law and the logic 0. events since the commence- ment of nis trial Aiter the adjournment of the ; court there is another brief cousultation at the | Same place, when toe might work oi the junior | attorneys 18 mapped out and sudpenas are | Prepared tor the impending witnesses who | are to coniront and coniound the prosecution, | The witnesses for the detence will be as tive to one compared with those calied tor tue prosecution, The extraordinary ramifications and intricate | labyrinths 01 the cabai of 1uflueace which vibrates social, political and ecciesiustical ilie from the centre to the periphery in and about ‘the two’? civies would form a curious record in itself, aside | Jrom the matin question, tue ixsue involvea. Nor | 18 the case confined to the mecropolitan district, | Jor not @ day passes that a lawyer does not put in an appearance in some city, town of hamlet, re- | mote from the scandatized municipality of | churches, armed with legal summons jor wit- nesses. THE JURORS AND THEIR COMPENSATION. The jurors complain that while the Court 18 very considerate in the treatment of them tueir losses are great by reason ol their protracted detention from business’ at this particular season of the year. They are now paid at the rate of $2 per day and one meal—dinner. Judge Neilson nas in- formed them trom the bench that they would re- ceive extra compensation as soon as the Board of Supervisors acted upon the matter. It 1s custom. | ary, in protracted trials such a8 the present, to | Duy jurors extra allowance when they are ; Pecuniary losers by detention from their busi- | ness. People will talk about the bias of jurors | despite the cautions of the Court. “It can’t be | Reiped,” said a citize ‘and there is no use | in attempting to gag ussion On this subject. There is One Man on that jury who will stand out | for Mr. Beecher, Iam wiiling to stake ali | am | Werth.” “I Know another juror who is also a | Beecher man,” remarked another Brookiynite, “Yor a relative of his told me that he was a warm admirer of bis.” This may be all nonsense, as the jae ao Not converse with any one on the sub ject | TICKETS TAKEN AT THE DOOR, i | , Hereaiter all season tickets, or passes marke | “to ve retained,” will be taken up at the aoor of room No. zl—the Judges’ chambers of Part 2 of + the City Court—the same as ail otner tickets of admission, ‘The reason for so doing lies in the fact that there are so many of these tickets out that the Judge finds it necessary to take tnis | measure in order tv decrease the number of ap- plicants, wnich can only be done by Jollowing this course. Tickets will, therefore, de surrendered when demanded by the oMicer at the dour, no mat- ter what may be written on the lace of the pass. This does not, however, apply to reporters’ tickets; they remain good duriug the trial. THE PRINCE IMPERIAL. | During the evening of Tuesday, February 23, a | grand banquet was given by the officers of the | | progiess.’’ Such was Mr. Beecher sketched, with | lus OWn approval ho doubt, in the Atlantic Monthly jor January, 1567, Such a stamp ol man oi course receives the symputhy ol a wide iatituae of human kind, ue must feel how vital it is to the vindica- tion of his gospei that he shoutd fully vindicate his ive (rom (he aspersions of ‘Tilton, Moulton and the rest. | On the other hana Mr. Tilton has shown that ne “WEARS NO SACKCLOTH AND ASHES,’ and meditates a reappearance in public iue after this comeuy at Jaw sail be done. Last Friday night ve attended a lecture with two o1 bis coun- sel, at Stemway Hull, where Miss Auna Dickiusoa jooked (rom cue Outstte Within and eXposed the dis #dVAnlages of the married relai.on to the Woman, Mr. ‘Lilton was the observed of all observers there. Jt has been said that nis long legs are responsibie Jor the great heigut of Nis ordins; Dut Chis is a sian- der, lor Wien he Sat down and nis legs were coiled up underneata him he was still a nead oigner than any standing person in the hall, its in est in the lecture, nis kindling eye aad Jog face showed (hat the man meant to mount the Tosirum again “when this cruel was Is over.” This country, 1i seems, 18 divided into five grt social parties:—Plymouth chureh and tts colonies in aifferens parts of the country; Theodore Tilton, his counsei ant jong-legged men with swords and battle axes; Frank slourton and tne bon vivants; Mrs. Ttiton’s admirers, aud, Muaily, those numer- ous Wretches Who would like to put all tne aiore- | Satd parties on a fleet of tive distinct raits and | Scuttie them aiter the fashion of tne French revo- lutionary oublieties. BETTING ON THE RESULT. Pools are stil being sold in divers sporting circles On the result o1 the trial. In addition to betting ou the verdict bets are now mude ou the Judge's health and the appearance of smailpox in the court and the thinning out o1 the jury by cholera morbus, 5%. Vitus’ dance, diopsy aud de- linum tremens. A serious rumor jis foating around the court room that that vottie of sherry to whica each juror is supposed to be entitled has not been | lorthcoming, but that the whole number of sev | eral hundred dozens will be assembied ia one | place when ihe verdict comes to be made up, aud | Vhat “the tweive meu good and troe” will then | enter upon such a spree as bas not been known since the days of the primitive Church, THE OTHER HENRY, Henry ©. Bowen has not \urned up his cards. He fs willing to bet on a& bitnd hand, oecause no- body Knows what is under it. Mr. Bowen always gels better in Health and spirits When he bas a Royal Artillery to Prince Lous Napoleon at their splendid messroom in the Royal Artillery bar- racks, Woolwich. The messroom, when lighted up, presented & brilliant appearance, particularly as the massive and handsome trophies and gilts or plate belonging to the regiment were placed on the tables. The Priuce arrived in the garrisop about seven o’clock, and among those invited were the Duc de Bassano, Comte lary, the Marquie de Bassano, Comte de Labedoyére, Baron Corvisart, ‘M. Pietri, M. Filon and Lieutenant Gen»ral SirJ. L. A. Simmons, K. C, B., KR. E., Governor of tae Royal Military Academy, Woolwicn, through which tne Prince has recently passed so successiully. Such ts the esteem and regard evinced toward the Prince by the officers of the Koyai Artillery that, notwith- standing the immense size of their messroom, they Were compelled, from want o1 space, to ab- stain irom inviting any private irieuds—in iact, to limit the privilege of dining to officers o! the Royal Artillery belonging to the garrison, Major Geveral C. L. D’Aguilar, C. 8., comm: 6 oi the garrison and district, presided, and tue Prince oc- cupied @ seat on bis right. Geueral D’Aguliar, 1n proposing the toast of the evening, said :—I rise to propose to you the health of the guest wno has honored us with is presence thisevening. (Uheers.) Iam sure | need not say to whom f allage—(cheers)—and when | mention tne name of His Imperial Hignness the Priuce Im- periai—(loud cheers)—the name will, | know, evoke your most hearty feelings o! regard. | give is Uhe toast of “tis Imperial Highness the Prince imperial.” ‘The toast was drank most enthusias- tically, the band playing ‘Partaot pour la Syrie.” THK PRINCE'S REPLY—A “FAMILY OF GUNNERS.” ‘rhe Prince Imperial rose almost immediately, and, When the cheering subsided. said—General D’aguilar ana officers of the Koval Regiment of Artillery, | thank you tor the Kind words you have just spoken and the hearty manner in which you have received the mention oi my name. (Cheers.) LT hope thac the officers of the Royal Artiliery will allow me still to consider myself as belonging to their corps. (Cheers.) Thanks to the vospituity oft England, 1 have been enabled to carry on tne traditions of my family of gunners, (Uheers.) Not having been able to compileie my education in my native country, | am proud of paving nad for cou. panions men Who have fought with us so bravely on many a field of battie, (Loud and proionged cheers.) At ali events, I never can forget tne two years | have spent in this garrison, or 1ail 10 esti mate highly honor of belonging to a cor Whose motto ts “Udique quo fas et gloria dueunt,’ (Much cheering.) A CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE PRINCE'S EXAMINA: TION. A London correspondeut, writing on the 24th of Feoruary, —Last nights banquet to Prince Napoleon Lows reminds me ol @ singular tailure on the part of His Imperial Highness in tho exam ination tarough whien he recently passed with such great cclat, Mle was nov the first in Freneh. A Yorksnitreman—or, at any rate, a Nortn coun try man—i6 said to have beaten fim 10 that lau guage, and especially in French grammar, THE SULTAN OFFENDED BY ALFONSO. {From the Manchester Examiner and Times, Feb, 25.] The Porte has instructed its representatives at foreign courts to request the governments to which they are accredited to obtain, through their respective Ministers at Madrid, explanativas irom the Spanish government of the diplomatic i regularity which the Porte maintains has veen committed by including the Prince ot Roawanta amoog the sovereigns and other heads ot tue dependent States to whom Don Alionso adare<sed letters axuouncing bis accession to the throne of Spain. ‘Tne Porte deciares that until a satisiaciory explanation has been offered tne ietier 6) Le Suiiao, Irom Don Alionse, wiil not be auswered, and the expected Minister Irom Madrid will not be received ab Constantinopic iu tis oMeial cw pacity.