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

6 * BROOKLYN DISPUTES. The Projector of tho East River Bridge Answers His Accusers. UR. WILLIAM ¢. KINGSLEY'S DEFENCE. Estimates That Fell Far Short of a Necessary Outlay. ‘The Fast River Bridge is, naturally enough, a subject of anxious thought to the people of Brooklyn, Nobouy among them who owns a corner lot or any other lot but feels that when the structure is completed his property will jap abundred per cent in value. This may or may not bea delusion, but certain it is the Brooklyn folks are very sensitive on the bridge question. They are extremely eager to see it finished, and they are jnst now wondering, if it is to cost so much as is’stated, when will itever be done? There are many respecta- dle people who maintain that the conduct of the bridge management has been honest, able and efficient; that the expense so far incurred has been necessary and un- avoidable, that the original estimates were based on no experience of any Hike undertaking and were found by Practical test to be entirely at fault in several grave particulars, They also contend that the real magnitude of the work hus been greatly under- rated and that the two great towers, as they ‘ppear to the eye, have not swallowed up all the | $5,000,000 said to have been expended. The founda- tions at the New York side, sunk eighty-two feet below | forbidding all fur the surface, the labor and expense of which few specta- tors take into account when gazing up at the lofty stoue pier, cost over $1,000.000, and everybody will remem- ber at whata sacrifice of life these foundations wore wccomplished, W. C, KINGSLEY’S SIDE OF THR STORY, As the Hmnap seeks only the truth in regard to these so-called Brooklyn jobs and is ever willing to open its coluinns to both sides of any public controversy, it cheerfully allows Mr. William C. Kingsley to state his side of the case, A Huraxp reporter met Mr. Kingsley at the Brooklyn Club yesterday and had his views at some length in reply to the charges made against him, He said he thought himself the best abused man in Brooklyn, though, judging from his candid unconcern, he appeared in no way disturbed by the abuse. Ho stands over six feet, a well proportioned, athletic man, full of vigor, and, it might be said, of youth, for Mr. Kingsley is not yet forty years old. There is & certain air of the rural districts about the cut of his clothes, the frankness of bis speech and the heartiness of his manner. He fas nothing of the looks of one who was constantly plotting schemes of fraud, and he is rather too open and Ingenuous for a conspirator or even a wirepuller, “Tho statement is wrong,” he observed, “that { have lived in Brooklyh only seven years. Ihave been here over eighteen years andI have been a contractor about twenty, or since I was nineteen years old.” Having NEW YORK HERALD, SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1875.-QUADRUPLE SHEET. ume to complete and likely to pay only small dividends to 18 stockholders in the first years of its existence, ‘Still t was a great siep forward to have enlisted the sympathies and support of so many solid and responsible citizens of both communities The next step was to lay tho matter before the Logtslature and ask for ap pria- tion, The building of a bridge across the East River to secure the closer union of the two cities belon, to that class of works that make a fair claim upon the as- Sistance of the government. They are outside the ca- pacity and disposition of private capital, which secks more remunerative investments, The Legislature passed an act authorizing an appropriation of $5,000,000 | by the two cities, and thereafter we went to work.’ It was then the United States government rposed and demanded that the floor of the bridge should be ele- vated Ove feet higher than was orginally intended. ‘This necessitated a further elevation of the towers, and | & consequent increase ip the bulk of stone and masonry. ‘Then, again, to make the bridge tully available for the purposes meditated it was decided to increase its width five feet, This involved an addition to the suspended superstracture of 3,500 tons, to meet which required a corresponding increase of strength in the towers. Thus you will see how Mr, Roebling’s original estimate was exceeded, EXCEEDING THE ESTIMATES. | _Revorter—How do you explain the immense ¢x- cess over the original estimates. | Mir. Kinastzy—Mr. Roebling’ estimate of the cost | of the bridge was $7,000,000. His son’s later estimate was $10,500,000, Mr. Roebling estimated that the two tower foundations of the bridge would cost, for Brook- lyn, $356,400; for New York, 87, Well, these foundations have involved an expen: f about $1,500, if | bud the nor any- nt be of 000, I could give you tho exact fiaui records convenient. Neither Mr. Roebiin, body else gould determine what the sinking these fou: tions. guide him. The work was of omparatively new and | untried nature, It was on a scale of unprecedented mag- | nitude on this continent. In the caisson at St, Louis | they never had more than sixteen men at work at oue | We bave had ) y-five. In the forty minutes was as long as a velow at a stretch without danger were paying men $2 @ day then for | about two and a half hours’ iabor, We were cou- frouted vy many and serious obstacles, As the caisson was being sunk it would strike, perhaps, on the side next the river, upon a rock projecting inwards, and iher advanee until removed, wide the caisson would be impossible, to ge into the water, and to blast it | time. | New York caisson | man could rea‘ to his life, Wi attack it from 43 we slould hi from the inside would be to endanger the caisson, perhaps to low it up entirely, so we were compelled io bring in a peculiar style of hydraulic machinery to get rid of these obstructions, some of which might weigh ‘from twenty to thirty — tons. Mr. Roebling enters no item in his estimates as to the | cost of right of way on both gides of the river. It was not the business of an engineer to appraise real estate, but the directors have ascertained by consulting the assessors’ books in Brooklyn and New York that the | real estate necessary to be condemned will foot up in value abuut $3,500,000, He put down engines and ina- chinery at $40,000. The two engines alone employed | at both piers for hoisting stone | to speak of the sixteen condensing engines used at the work in the calssons and costing $2,500 cach, In the expense attending the purchase of real estate on | the river fronts and in the rear of the piers he fell short of the actual $250,000. ‘The engineering stem of $150,000 is clearly | short of what it should be for an undertaking 80 great and one that we can hardly expect vo sce completed within less than ten years from the day it was begun,” Mr, Kingsley controverted, among other statements, one to the effet that ft was prejudicial to the bridge in- terests to have fifteen private subscribers in control of the Board, by being able at-any time to outvote and neutralize the power of the six members who repre- sented the two citiesyof Brooklyn and New York. They lad given that matter long and serious con and they finally concluded, to avoid any suc happened to the New York County Court Hous a better the leading control of the bridge interests should not be intruated to politicians, but rather to private cit- izons of character und standing. THE RING PROSECUTIONS. made this correction of a statement, which he cou- | fidered was set afloat to make it appear he wasan | rap COURSE MR. PARSONS INTENDS TO TAKE. “dyenturer in Brooklyn, Mr. Kingsley proceeded to | yustorday morning a reporter of the Henan called stigmatize the abase levelled against him as the off- | upon Mr, John E. Parsons, of the law firm of Man & spring of personal and political malice, “Mr. Barnes, | pargona, of No, 66 Wall strcet, to obtain trom him an who made the report of the Committee of Fifty,” ho | indication of the methods he proposed to adopt in the Continued, “insinuating charges of dishonest dealing | investigation of the frauds alleged to be perpetrated against meas General Superintendent of the bridge, was formerly an associate of mine in the ownership of the Eagle. He was very anxious to get into the bridge direction, and as there was no stock to be had at the time I sold him $10,000 worth of myown. He wanted to be a director of the bridge, that his game, as he said, might go down to his great grandchildren associated with the most gigantic undertaking of modern times, He also nted to be Mayor, and I honestly worked to secure him the nomination, as I beheved at the time he would | make a good enterprising head of the city government, bat others in the party held a different opinion, and he was rejected, He has ever since held me responsible for his defeat, and hence these malicious and lying @tories he publishes day after day concerning me.” A SLAP AT THE TAXPAYERS? ASSOCIATION, Mr. Kinggley next proceeded to call in question the motives of the Taxpayers’ Association, Some of them | fhe deomed honest and uonorable men, but the con- trolling spirits were a set of disappointed office-seekers, doing their best to malign the characters of those who chanced to have the reputation of being successful. “Why don’t they come out,” he cried, “and show their hands? They are but sneaks and cowards, hiding their charges away from the light and running to the Attorney General, imploring him to come and help them out in their dastardly persecution. I am ready to meet them at any time, but the hypocrites are afraid, What is to prevent them, if they think they have any just cause of action, from going to work at once, without waiting for the Atiorney General, and having me indicted by the Grand Jury? No; ali they want is to raise the cry of ‘Fraud,’ have an,action brought, and excite sufficient odium in the public mind against the znen to whom they are hostile.” THE PIFTERN PRR CENT COMPENSATION, Rerorrsx—How do you explain the fifieen per cent of compensation you are accused of having claime contrary to the resolution of the Executive Cor mittee? Mr. Kivaetry—The Board at@first wanted me to take | a salary fur my services as rai Superintendeut. [ declined to do so, informing them that my time and gervices were worth more than the salary; that I was a contractor, and a8 such, never accustomed to accept Salaries; that I took large risks, and that all I desired | wus to be put on the same footing in regard to the work as the contractors under the United States government, all of whoim were receiving fifteen per cent on the cost of the material furnished and placed in position. The contractor of the Post Office in New York had fifteen The contractor of the Chicago the contractors of other buildings such Al are compensated in @ ference between Post Office like maaner, But the’ Before any of the mone lature could ve $500,000 of stock set Bhould be paid up. All the m sible to raise wax about $225 work might proceed, 1 took 1 this amount aud the $500,000, the law were {ulfilie!. It was Directors that | should r amount of expenditure: \6- the Pp 000, In order that the elt the balance between nt then the terms of agreed by the Board of ve fifteen per centon the incurred according to their resolution after the foundations had reached three feet above high water mark. The compensation then on on expenditure of $1,174,000 was $175,000, Some time subsequently, at a meeting of the Board, tne question of compensation was up Jor discussion, and many of the directors gave it as their opinion that fifleen per cent was too large a figare. Then I agreed to accept five per ceut provided the Board would take ail over $100,000 of bridge stock that I held off my bands, They were in justice bound to do this, as I consented to take almost half the pri- vate stock ata me when nobody could be got to :, vest in itand when work on the bridge could not be carried on nor the legislative appropriawon made avail- | abie unless the $600,000 of private sto was taken up. ‘The Board agreed lo my proposition, and then I turned over $50,000 tu the company as the excess of compen- | sation bewween five and fifteen percent The Commit- tee of Fifty said they found the word “fifteen” erased and “five” substituted on the books. The explanation of that {s easy enough. After the agreement made with the Board it was deemed unnecessary to pass anew reso- lution, and it was simply ordered that the alteration of the word “fifteen” to “five’’ in the original resolution would be sufficient, Rerortex—What answer do you make to the charge of having an interest in the quarries that supply stone for the bridge? Mr, Kixusiey—A very brief answer. I never had an interest, directly or indirectly, in any quarry imemy Life, Reponter—Have you an interest in the sawmill and lomber company that is said to furnish lumber and timber supplies for the bridge ? Mr. Kinosigy—None whatever. That sawmill was established some twenty years ago, and not, aa has been stated, concurrently with the’ building of the ‘vridge. 1b ‘Is true, however, that { had an interest in the purchase of some reai estate on which the sawmill happens to stand. Several of us bought it, believing it to be a safe investment, as {t bad a frontage of about 1,100 feet on the Gowanus Canal. Jt was no more nor for ali the stone he supplied dressed and | | upon the people of Brooklyn by the Ring of that city, Mr. Parsons said that any matter in which it is sup- posed there has been rascality will come under my ob- servation, and will be carefully and thorouguly looked into. Brooklyn know a great deal better than I. alleged there has been any rascality about the construc- | tion of reservoirs, sewers, pavements or the Bridge, I shall doubtless receive the statements of all the parties interested and carefully consider and report on each branch of the subject, ho are the parties from whom you expect state- | ments?” the reporter asked. | “1 don’t know yet who they are,” replied Mr. Par- sons, ‘The statements already published,” continued Mr. Parsons, ‘‘are correct ouly so fur ag they say my opinion is destred upon the subject of whether there is any probable cause of action, AllI have to say about | | | the statement that I am to endeavor to ascertain | whether there is any good reason why Corporation Counsel De Witt should not be employed in the prob- abie prosecution is that it may be implied, | from the commanication I received from the At- toruey General, that I am to take into consideration who shall prosecute the supposed offenders, I don’t exactly know when [ shall commence operations. I | only assume that there are certain persons in Brooklyn | | who feel interested in having an investigation made, aud 1 depend upon them to furnish me all the evidence Until they do this I shail not stir in the matter, | how jong it would take him to make the investigation; it might take a day and it might last through a year. He declined to give his personal opinion upon the sub- | ject. } BROOKLYN'S TROUBLES. REPLY OF CORPORATION COUNSEL DE WITT TO THE MAYOR—PROGRESS OF CIVIL SUITS. | Yesterday Corporation Counsel De Witt replied to | the communication of His Honor, Mayor Hunter, re- | gpecting the deiay in the prosecution of the alleged de- | jinquent officials, Fire Commissioner McLaughlin, ex- ‘Tax Collector Badeau and ex-City Treasurer Sprague, | Subjoined is the text of the reply:— Ovricr oF THR ConPoRATION CouxsEt, | Crry Hatt, Brookiyn, Nov. 13, 1875. To How. Joux W. Huxrex, Mayor of the City of Brook- Siz—I amin receipt of your remarkable communica- tion of the 9th inst. It says:— “La September last { addressed the following official note to you:—'Mayor’s Oilice, City Hall, Brooklyn, September 20, 1875,’ and then it proceeds to give a copy of a note asking about the cases of Badeau, Sprague and McLaughlin, and it closes with a demand for a reply to the first note ina style that would indi- cate that a reply bad been withheld, This language clearly gmports that on, September 20 you delivered to me @ note of the effect stated, to which you very seriously desired an official answer. Such is not the fact. You handed me the note quoted ten days after {te date, on September 30, without even having in- closed it in ah envelope, at a moment when we had, had a full and sutisfictory conference on the subject matter of its contents, and you gave me fully to understaud what indoed was paient from the facts that its delivery was mere formality designed to justify the publi which either had taken or was to take place. Every- body familiar with the facts know that the cases to which you allude have been prosecuted with more rapidity and rigor than apy other public cases which bave ever come into the courts of this State. The case of McLaughlin, in which a judgment has been rendered in favor of the city, that is now secured by an indemnity bond on the appeal, is now submitted to the General Term of the City Court, points to be anded in so that the Court may render its decision be- fore the close of the present termn, | The case of Badeau hag been continu proceed- ing, ina variety of forms calculated to secure the { terest of tue city, for the last year without any inte: mission. You surely know the fact that the case of Spragne is finally closed in favor of the city, and that we have in | our possession property aud securities guiliclent to cover the city’s loss. | all the civil litigation arising from the plunderings of the city through the Tax Otfice and the Treasury D J partment have been within the last two years. coi ducted to a successful issue, while all the parailel or thal prosecutions conducted through the State officers have been attended by success to the plunderors, Re- spectfully yours, WILLIAM ©. DE WITT, Corporation Counsel. Mayor Bunter will address, it ts said, another nove to the prosceuting officer of the city upon the same sub- Ject in a few days, THE BROOKLYN BUDGET. The Aldermanic Committee on the Budget met yes- terday and considered the estimates for 1876 The ap- propriation for the Board of City Works was fixed at $080,000, The tax budget, after all alterations Lave been made, amounts to $5,012,108. LONG ISLAND CITY'S TREASURER. | | Jess than an ordinary investment in the hope of its be- ing ® successful one. Now, out of $400,000 worth of Jainber found necessary tor the work on the bridge, in | the caissons and elsewhere, the sawmill and lumber | pany you refer to supplied only $40,000 worth, | rest was bad from T. M. Mayhew, No. 117 Wall and one othe ¢ | cannot just now recall CONCEPTION OF THR BRIDGR w did you come Ww be connected with on oar INGSLEY—The subject of building a bridge across the Kast River has been talked of in Brooklyn for the last twenty years. 1 took an project like any other citizen; but while it appeared a ouary echeme to moat people it looked @ feasible and practicable one to me, While others were merely talking of 1t | set vo work to try and realize it infact. I bad drawings made at my Own expense, persistence auccooded in Interestibg prominent citizens of New York aud Brooklyn Inthe enterprise. It was plainly seen at the beginiing that i aver be, sopomn- » gocure suflicient private cap) undertake work : jayulving considerable The street; Jonathan Beers, in Pearl sir work of such vast muguitude, interest inthe | and after much | District Attorney Downing has served notice apon the counsel for Mr. John Horan, Treasurer of Long Island City, that his trial on the indictments found against him by the Grand Jury at the October term of the Queens county Court of Oyer and Terminer will be | commenced before the Court of Sessions, Judge Arm- strong presiding, on Wednesday next, There are three distinet charges against Mr. Horan—embezzlement in appropriating to his own ase moneys belonging to the city; misdemeanor, in the improper retention of per- centages, and misdemeanor tn failare to credit the city ao With the proper amount of interest moneys countants who investigated hig affairs commenced theif labors on the Ist ot June and ended on the 30th, in- clusive, ‘They report thnt they found only one book of original entry of cash receipts, and this extended over only a short pe- riod. Subsequently the entries were made from loose | slips, in grows, the names of the persons from whom | the taxes wero received being ouitved from the jour- nal. Notwithstanding every effort the original data could not be obtained, and tbe investigation was much Hindered in consequence. The amounts credited to the city as received for interest and percentage fall far short of that which the face of the receipts show was paid to the Treasurer. Mr, Horan claims to have re- tained certain percentages under the authority of reso- lutions passed by the Common Council, but they ay the amount of such percentages was not shown Ib the books, The amount claimed to have been received for interest is $5,936 29; for percentages, $4,028 65; total, $7,964 4. The Treasurer was at all times largely in arrears in the amount which suould have been | placed to the credit of the city, and in some instances checks were made where no warrants had been issued, THE CORN CROP, EXTENT AND LOCATION OF THE CORN GROWING REGION—VALUE OF THE CROP FoR 1875— THE CEREAL AS AN ELEMENT OF WEALTH AND PROSPERITY TO THE NATION, Greruxy, Col, Nov, 7, 1875. It must be now conceded that the corn crop of the present year is the largest ever grown. The opening of | the season was uncommonly favorable for ploughing and | jplunting, and the area planted was much larger than | usual; first, because the crop of 1874 was short, and it was absolutely necessary to supply the deficiency that the stock of cattle, sheep and hogs of the country wag no precedent to | | markets of the world. To | cost $40,000 each, not | outlay by about | What those subjects are the people who live in | If it ts | Mr. Parsons said, in conclusion, that he did not know | might be made profitable, and further, that the large | breadth of ground sown in white wheat the previous | full, and which, largely winter killed, might be utilized, When the corn crop of the country is spoken of ina commercial sense the whole of the United States is not considered as producing it, but only that part which yields a surplus, and which enters, notably, into the | THE CORN AREA, then, only embraces about three-quarters of Illinois, half of Missouri and Iowa and the eastern por- tions of Kansas and Nebraska Although Ohio and In- diana grow a great deal of corn, as well as a limited, but exceedingly choice, portion of Kentucky, it is doubtful whether these sections produce a surplus, or at least any other surplus than 18 required in neighbor- ing States, and particularly in the cotton planting State. The corn area mentioned is about 150 miles | wide, from north to south, and 600 miles long, from | east to west, through the centre of which runs the fortievh parallel, Much corn ts grown north and south | of this belt, but the yield is less and it gradually do- | creases each way, till it ceases to be grown in high, | frosty tatitudes and beneath the flery sun of the | tropics. West of the State of Missouri the boundary | | lines of this belt are deflected southward, correspoud- | ing to the gradaal increase of the elevation marked by | | the descent of the rivers that rise in the Rocky Moun- | tains, The numbor of corn conngies within the States | above named is not far from 125—that is, which are | now in genera! cultivation, but there are as many as | twenty-five more tobe added hereafter, and thus we | have 160 counties, equal in extent to Indiana and II nois, unequatied anywhere else in the world tor pro- ducing this grain, Indeed, it is not iikely that there is any region in Europe, Africa or Asia twice as large | which has a like capacity. ‘THS TOTAL CORN CROP of the State of lilinois is estimated for the present year at the enormous amount of 300,000,000 bushels. ‘The rest of the region named will probably produce two-thirds as much, making a total of 600,000,000 of | bushels. Now, since as much as the two-thirds named will be required for feeding purposes and home uge, the amount Hiincis has raised must be considered as the surplus crop of the whole country, and as the price in Chicago ranges steadily at about fifty cents a bushel, the sum of §150,000,000 must be considered as added this year to our national wealth, and also as a sound capital on which mercantile, manulacturiag and other | business can be done. A But this estimate, when differently considered, 1s too low. The 200,000,000 bushels of corn not inciuded in the surplus ts to assume other forms and finally to become | another surplus, [linois has long taken the lead in furnishing fat cattle, largely in the way of feeding | those raised in other States. Now, Kansas, Missourt, Iowa and Nebraska are engaging in this business, and many counties are this full feeuing each from 5,000 to 8,000 head, In the future that whole corn region is to | become a vast feeding ground, where the cattle grown on the immense ranges of the plains will be stall fed for nearby and distant city markets. Further, the commercial colamns of the Hernan | from time to time give an exbibit of the gross amount of pork, bacon and lard received at the various trade centres, all of which are derived from corn, Three- | quarters of the wool produced in the United States 13 | made from corn, and almost all the mutton, A large | part of the ‘dairy stock is qustained at least | | six months of the year on corn in some shape, and the poultry and eggs worth millions of dollars are derived almost wholly from corn, In the Westand in | the South and to a considerable extent in the East, | horses and mules are fed on corn; indeed, much the larger part of the work teams of the United States were raised on corn and by it they are sustained, [t is en- | tirely safe, therefore, to estimate | THE VALUE OP THE SURPLUS | of the corn crop of 1875, and which appears {n various forms of created wealth, at not less than $50,000,000. Properly this represents a raw material, the value of | which is to be largely increased by huinan labor, by | transportation, including commercial exchanges, by manufacturing aud manipulation, and also by forming a basis for agreat variety of industrial pursuits and enterprises, so that this corn crop contains within itself an accumulative force, To those who study the wealth of nations, who com- | are different countries, these facts may be suggestive, cngland possesses vast wealth, but a corn crop furms no element of it, and the civilization, culture and power of other European nations have nu ‘basis in the golden cereal, nor bas any other country on which the } sun shines. ‘It is grown, it is true, but im most limited | quantities. The Arab turns away from the bread with | disdi and the hard-working peasant of Ireland, of | Germany and France eat it rather than starve. A | | Roman legion never passed a field of corn, nor did the triumphant armies of Alexander, Powerful as were many of the aucient nations, learned and rich as are | the modern ones, neither one nor the other of them | possessed, nor yet possess, aresource, centring within | ‘itself so many elements of comfort for the poor and of | wealth for tlie middle class and riches for the enter- prising, as our crop of Iudian corn. WESTWARD FREIGHTS ADVANCED. The trank lines to the West have agreed to advance freight rates, commencing to-morrow, The advance will be made on a basis of fifty per cent above those of | | the past few months. In defence of this advance it is claimed that freights at preseut are unusually low, and besides an advance is usual as severe weather ay proaches. dt is understood among the general freight agents that the adopted schedule will be strictly ad- hered to. The fotlowing is the schedule of rates to the principal points of suipment:— ‘ First. Second, Third. Fourth. Special. 5 0 60 4 35 Chicago, 111 5 1 Cincinnats, 7m 64 62 31 Cleveland, Ohio.... 49 46 39 23 Columbus, Ohio... 60 56 a8 28 Fort Wayne, Ind... 65 a 62 30 GrandRapids, Mich. 75 0 60 85 Indianapolis, Ind.. 71 66 oT 33 Lousville, Ky..... 86 61 7 a Logansport, Ind... 71 66 56 83 Milwankee, Wia.... 75 70. 60 86 fenn....120 110 95 87 Teon 103 95 82 50 “” 85 29 1 79 49 advance, it is understood, has no connection with the recently reported compact between the Lake Shore, Michigan Central and Fort Wayne roads, NEWARK SAVINGS BANK SCARE. ‘The run on the Dime Savings Bank, of Newark, con- tinued yesterday, and was met by prompt payments, At four o’clock, the regulur hour for closing, the crowd | was unabated. Then the President announced that the bank would reopen as usual at soven o’clock.in tho | evening. Upward of $70,000 were paid during the day. No doubts are felt of their ability to hotd out to Tho sworn statement of the bank nd of the run. that it has ample funds to meet all demands It + $1,414,988 02 + 995,176 00 | Loans on collaterals, + 117,200 00 | Accrued interest. + 64,538 66 | Real estate. see 89,030 14 | Cash on hand. + 59,295 45 + $2,740,187 17 + 2,649,377 06 Surplus. a + $90,810 11 The bank reopened last evening at seven o'clock, but ouly for the reveipt of deposite, MR, PHELPS’ APPOINTMENT. Speculation has been rife for some time past as to who District Attorney Phelps would appoint as the new Assistant District Attorney. Mr. Phelps has selected Mr. Horace Russell to fill the vacant Assistant wistrict Attorneyship, and that gentleman received the appoint ment yesterday. The assistants, consequently, will stand for the coming throe years as (ollows:—George W. Lyons, Daniel G, Rollins, Henry ¥. Herring, of the Wostchester district; Joseph Bell and Horace F, Rus- J. Moses H. Clark, the chief clerk, and bis sess ant, George F. Doremus, will retain their places, POST OFFICE ROBBER, Chief of Police Whitney, of Bayonne, N. J., has ob- tained testimony against the burglar, William Johnson, who was found croaching in the cellar of the Bergen Point Post Office on Wednesday night, that will unm doubtedly connect him with the robberios of the Post Offices at Hudson City and Greenville, A complete set of burglar’s tools was found in possession of the pris. oner. He is now in the Mudson County Jail, and declines to make any statement. He siys he belongs to Jersey City, but refuses to give any further aduress | régime, testified as to the practice of taking instalments | on license fees and giving receipts therefor, | fine was paid, | Mr | gage bonds of stock to the amount of their bonds, which | stock is to be attached to and not to be separated from E THE COMMITTEE ON CRIME. SENTENCED PRISONERS WHO NEVER REACHED THE PENITENTIARY—POLICE NEGLIGENCE AND IMBECILITY—DEALING WITH THE BRYAN MURDERS IN BROOME STREET. The Committee on Crime resumed its session yester- day moruing at the City Hall, Mr, Campbell presiding. ‘Tho session was very long and a vast ‘amount of testi- mony, much of it trivial, was taken, Warden Fox, of the Blackwell's Island Penitentiary, testified that four prisoners, duly sentenced, since February, 1874—George Schillinger, Charles H, Clark, Margaret Englevert and Ellen Cutler—never reached that breezy abode, Ex-Excise Commissioner Nachtman gave some voluminous but extremely uninteresting testimony in regard to the management of affairs while he was Com- missioner, He gave it as his opinion that the stringent enforcement of the Sanday law would not lessen crime, 1n 1867, when !t was enforced, there was more drunkenness than now, A great deal of time was wasted in his examination, Mr. James B, Freeman, chief clerk under the old Excise Board, and assistant clerk under the present From his testimony it becomes apparent why so many places of bad repute flourish under the nose of the excise au- thorities, It appears that a keoper of a house of ill-repute applies for a license and pays, say $50, on account. The license is refused, but as the $60 is not returned ME CONTINUES BUSINESS UNMOURSTED, whilo the full fee would probably have been $150. Mr. Saulsbury, one of Mr. Townsend’s clerks, sub- mitted a list of sixty-four fines remitted since January, 1873, and another list of thirty fines, in regard to which itdid not appear from the books of the Special Ses- sions whether they had been paid or remitted; out of 260 cases sent to the General Sessions from the Special Sessions no action was taken in 111, and no indictments procured, These lists were submitted to be embodied in the record of the committee's proceedings, APTER RECESS. Mr, Townsend remarked that since Jane last two very well known gentlemen—Mr. Thompson, of Boston, and Mr, Griswold—had mysteriously disappeared in this city, He said in Philadelphia @ tremendous fuss was made over the loss of a child, while here no strong effort was made to trace the whereabouts of a man like Mr. Griswold, one of the most respected citizens of New York. With the permission of the committee he would again enter upon the investigation of the police force, to show the causes of its inefficiency, Before resuming this branch of inquiry, however, Mr. Jones, Assistant Clerk of the Special Sessions, Was recalled,’ He stated that since January 1, 1873, 1,692 fines were imposed in the Sessions, out of which 335 were remitted. ‘Twenty- three thousand eight hundred and sixty-three dollars accrued to the treasury from these fines, The men who did not reach the Penitentiary wero duly sen- tenced, Mr. Townsend submitted the papers in the case of Joseph Burr, arrested and indicted tor “backing” lot- tery policy books, This was a felony, but the District Attorney Sent the papers back to the Special Sessions, with directions ‘0 TRY THE CASE AS A MISDEMBANOR, whereby Burr got oif with $500 fine instead’ of being ent to State Prison, which might have been if tried on an indictment for felony. Mr. Jones simply looked the papers and acknowledged that such was the actual state of things. In the case of Michel Murray, who pleaded guilty of afelony—namely, of keeping a gambling saloon—Mr, Townsend showed that he was only fined $600, which Officer Shollard, who was first called in at the dis- covery of the Ry'an murders in Broome street, in Jan- uary, 1874, described tne appearance of the Victims, Ryan and his sister, the bioody marks, &, at great length, but giving no new facts not repeatedly reported in the Hsranp with regard to that | mysterious tragedy. The evident drift of Townsend's questions was to prove by the bloody marks on the roof, the robbery ot Ryan’s watcti, the failure of the police in finding any instru- ment beyond a small penknife, with which the victims could not possibly lave butchered themselves in the manner they were butchered, that this was not a case of suicide, but of murder, and that the police only palmed it off as a suicide because they were too grossly incapable or too negligent to establish the proofs of murder, The officer's testimony also showed that the ody of Ryan was removed by order of the police, in direct violation of the law, which says that no body with marks of violence should be touched before the Coroner bad viewed it, A damning admission of this witness was that the rooms of the Burke family, who lived on the same floor, and whose conduct appeared to be somewhat suspicious, WERK NOT RVEN SEARCHED BY TIM. Officer Wilson, who went into the house with the preceding witness, corroborated his testimony if its principal outlines.” +He also described minutely every detail of the affair as developed in the investigation ade by him and his tellow-oflficers. The officer, adopting the theory that Nicolas Ryan first cut his | sister's throat and then killed himself, thought he might have gone on to the roof atter killing his sister, and, his heart failing him, returned to the third floor to accomplish his self-destruction, He could see no evidences of a struggle. Mr. Townsend, after a at extended examination, reproached the witness with having made a very care- but less examination of the premises, &c, A 8 he stoutly asserted that he had done all could. Mr. Townsend asked bim if Captain | Hedden, undeg whose orders he acted, did not | direct all his energies to prove that it wasa suicide | | and not a murder, but the officer, who was evidently | well under discipline, replied that he could not say. Ho | admitted, however, that the case was taken out of his | own hands, altuongh he was the one most familiar with | i | it, If he had found the knife with which the wounds were inflicted he could bave said that it was a murder and asuicide, but ho did not find it. As to the pen- knife found, \t could not have inflicted the wounds on account of its smallness. Miss Mary Ann O’Brien, who figured prominently as | a Witness at the time of the inquest, and who found | Ryan’s vest on the roof, was also subjected to a long and most tedious examination, which failed to bring out any interesting facts, The committee adjourned till Wednesday morning, at eleven o'clock, NEW JERSEY MIDLAND RAILROAD, ‘The New Jersey Midland Railroad bondholders are | going to meet again to consider another plan of reor. ganization. ° It is proposed by the new plan, after the foreclosure and purchase of the road by the first mort- gage bondholders, that the Board of Directors of tho | new company shall be authorized to make a first mort- gage debt not to exceed $350,000, to be used only in paying the receiver's certificates authorized by the Chancellor. of New Jersey, provided the cortiti- | cates shall be issued to' keep the road in | order and pay for rights of way and nec- rolling stock, but no further sum i be issued than shall be sufficient to pay said cer- ates actually issued, or the necessary expenditures for which they were authorized, There shall be issued to the holders of the present first mortgage bonds new | donde for the amount, of their bonds, with accrued interest to the date of reorganization, The plan pro- poses an iasne to the holders of the present frst mort- said bonds, and which shall control the company. of the new directors shall be the owner $10,000 of the first mortgage bunds. KILLED BY HIS CARELESSNESS, Michael Dwyer, an old tfackman in the employ of the Pennsylvania: Railroad at Newark, had his skull crushed in yesterday through his own carelessness, ag ig alleged. It appears that early in the morning he went with a gang to work on the track at East Newark. On the approach ofa train the boss gave the word to moveoff. “Dwyer delayed just long enough to be struck by the locomotive and shot into the air nearly as high asthe funnel. He fell heavily, and when picked up it was found that his skull was fractured and that he had sustained other injuries. He was removed to St. Michael’s Hospital, with no prospect of his recovery. He is unmarried and lived in Thomas street, BROOKLYN EVENING SCHOOLS. ‘There are 4,669 persons in attendance at the Brook. lyn evening public echools, Three-fourths of the pupils are males. ‘The numbor of colored people in at- tendance at the three schools set apart for them is 169, THE BIBLE IN THE SCHOOLS, Tho Bible war in the New Jersey schools has only commenced, The exclusion of the Bible from the pub» lic school at Union Hill 1s to be followed by a similar movement of the Board of Education of Bull’s Ferry, where a majority of the school trustees have already an- nounced themselves in favor of the exclusion. There is some excitement in West Hoboken over the report that the Board of Education tn that place intend to follow the example of the Union Hill Board. Mr, Meyer, who leads the movement, has written # letter defending the course he bas taken, PUBLIC SCHOOL SCANDALS. The report of the special committee appointed to tn- vestigate the extravagance and frauds in the Boare of Education of Jersey City will be presented at the next meeting of the Board. The main charges proferred by Mr. Hollins have been sustained, while the minor charges will be set aside as frivolous. The ae in relation to the illegal purchase of heaters will be ig- nored, as the case is before the courts, EMIGRANT SWINDLERS. Two unknown confidence men swindled a young Swede, named J, Nordstein, out of $230, on Friday afternoon, by inducing him to exchange that amount for a bogus United States bond. The victim was about to take passage for Europe in the steamer Baltic whea he was accosted the ewil THE SCANDAL REVIVAL MRS, MOULTON'’S RECENT ACTION—WHAT LEAD= ING MEMBERS OF PLYMOUTH CHURCH S4X— 18 SHE BACKED BY ANY ONE? The action of the Association of New York and Brooklyn Congregational Ministers in appointing & Committeo to investigate the charges against Mr. Beecher; the action of Judge Moore, of the Brooklyn Court of Sessions, in ordering the taking of the testi- mony of Mr. and Mrs Richards and others, and the de- mand made by Mrs. Moulton for the calling of a council of churches to consider the mattors at issue between her and Plymouth’ church aud its pastor, have visibly ‘roused the members of the church. The policy of the pastor is, a8 he announced a few nights ago, silence; but in this all the members do not join him, It is not atall likely, however, that the church will take any action toward calling a church council in the face of Mr. Beecher's injunction to silence, But Mrs. Moulton may secure the calling of an ex-parte council, intended to have its effect upon public opinion. Yesterday an effort was made by a Heranp reporter to ascertain the views of leading members of Plymouth church as to Mrs. Moulton’s action, with the following result, It will be seen that all the gentlemen are very guarded in their utterances except Mr, Murray:— Thomas G. Shearman stated that he could not ex- Press an opinion -as to the feeling of the members on Mrs, Moulton’s application, and as an officer of the the church it would be manifestly improper for him to do so, if ho knew, until the matter came before the church, He supposed that Plymotth church would take some action on her letter; but the members at- tached but little importance to her action, She had an opportunity a few days ago when before the church to be heard on all poimts she complained of. For his own part he did not exactly know what griovances she now wants redressed, Usher Cauldwell, of PI uth church, stated that he had not participated in tl eoting that Lge og Mrs. Moulton’s name from the rolls, and really knew noth- ing of the sentiment of the congregation, His own opinion was that the church would take no action nor pay any attention to HER DEMAND FOR A COUNCIL. Deacon J, H. Hawkins stated that he could not sur- mise the probable action of thechurch in the prem- ises, The church had voted very largely in the major- ity to drop her name from the rolls, but he lad no means of knowing what she felt it necessary to do in view of her letter published yesterday. He had con- sulted with none of the members on the subject. Mr. Cleaveland, of the Christian Union, was found at his desk. He, too, was indisposed to indicate the prob- able policy of Plymouth church, He had not taken a prominent part in the church ase ings, and while at the prayer meeting the other night left early, aud con- sequently had no opportunity to ascertain the views of members. Jacob B, Murray, the usher of Mr. Beecher’s church, talked very freely on the subject. He believed the church would pay no attention to the request of Mrs Moulton. his, in his opinion, was merely another effort on the part of the ministers opposed to Mr. Beecher to stir up the scandal, They might do their worst, they would gurely fail The ministers, be be- lieved, wore BEMIND MRS. MOULTON in the matter, and Drs. Storrs and Budington, he be- lieved, were the prime movers, Storrs was the head devil, and a devil was bad enough any time, but a devil in the pulpit was the worst of all. ‘Why,’ said he, “Budington’s own congregation are down upon him, and he’li have to leave, owing to his course. He ad- mitted to John Hall that he would have to quit and get out, Storrs has got to get out of Brooklyn, too; ho knows it, and 1s hesitating about the call to New York. These parties who are attempting vo tear down Mr, Beecher I want to see do their utmost. Let them go abead; it 1s time they were dead; they can’t hurt him, though, and the quicker they are buried the better. If a thousand persons swore he was guilty [ wouldu’t believe them ; it 1s utterly, 2 gga for him to commit the sin charged to him. The perjurers like Tilton, Moulton, Loader and Mra. Moulton will be ax- sed, and the time will como when ali who now doubt r, Beecher’s purity will admit it, The hand of Provi- dence, I believe, ia working in this matter, and God intends that Mr, Beecher shall be a more popular man than he has ever been. Let the preachers go ahead, they can’t damage Plymouth charch with perjurers like Tilton, Moulton aud Loader; I believe that Bowen, too, {8 a pexjurer, if we could only prove it, That was A SINGULAR PROCERDING, to order the recording of the testimony of Richards and his wife and Mrs, haw. But let it come; let the whole thing come out; let them perjure themselves who are determined to crush Mr, Beecher. It will be of no avail to them or the preachers who stand behind these conspirators.” Several of the gentlemen seen expressed the belief that Mrs, Moulton was acting by advice of her husband, Frank, in her correspondence with the church. General Pryor, her counsel, most emphatically denies 8; reports that Frank Moulton has been out of the city for some time, and is still absent; that he has made no attempt to direct her course, and that she acting of her own volition and under advico of counsel. THE SHERIFF IN WALL STREET. Last evening, toward dusk, an exciting seene took place in the banking office of Barnard & Co., dealers in government stocks and money changers. Some time ago, it appears, a Mr. Lane had deposited with Mr. Bar- nard $2,000, which he was unable to repay, although frequently called upon to do so. Finally he put the matter in the hands of counsel, who obtained a judg- ment against Barnard and placed an execution in tho bands of the Sheriff. When the deputy sheriffs went to seize the place they found Barnard fn and told him their errand. Without losing an ‘instant he made a dash for the money exhibited in his office window. The Sheriff's officers, however, seized his hands and captured the booty. Some very emphatic language was used before the oflicers had completed their levy. The money setzed in gold and notes aggregated $100. It may be remem- bered that Mr. Barnard was arrested for having in his possession some of the stolen Dancer bons, but was discharged by Police Justice Wandell. BURGLARIES IN WESTCHESTER. Within the past few days several burglaries have been committed in the upper portion of Westchester county, causing not a little anxiety among the residents of that section, and who are at present puzzled to devise some means of better security for life and property. On Thursday night the residence of Win- throp Raymond, a farmer living at Mount Kisco, was forcibly entered and his gold watch, together with $100 in money, abstracted from the sleeping apartment occupied by himself and wif It appears that Mr. Raymond had lately employed a Swede, known only by the name of John, and this fel- ow while hauling wood on the preceding day selected aheavy club, remarking to a fellow workman that it would be “a good thing for a man to defend himself with,” As this piece of wood was found in the farmer's bedroom next morning the identity of the intruder was clearly indicated. The Swede, however, had left the neighborhood before the discovery was made. On the same night the house of another farmer, named Robert Flewellen, also living in the vicinity of Mount Kisco, was feloniously entered and robbed of Jewelry and ‘wearing apparoi valued at $200. The property was taken from apartments in which lay the sleeping family, who were undisturbed by the plun- derers, The burglars bad forced their way in through a witidow, and bofore going away took pains to leave every windvw on the ground floor open. ‘The last but Ported ae rpetrated on Pri- y night at the nouse of Seeley tindebury, near .Katonah, where the marauders, alter forcing the lock of a door, ransacked the premises, carrying away with them a quantity of wearing apparel, several buffalo robes and stiverware valued at about $250. Itis be- lieved that the burglary was committed by tramps, TEMPERANCE CRUSADERS, For several days past a number of ladies of New Jor- sey have been holding in Newark a Christian Women’s Temperance Convention, Before adjourning on Friday night they appointed a committee of two—Mrs. Harris, of Newark, and Miss Raymond, of Jersey City—to proceed to Philadelphia and enter @ protest against the sale of liquor in the Park during the Cen- tennial Exhibition, and also against the opening of the Exhibition on the Sabbath. A similar committee was appointed to carry similar protests before the New Jer- sey State Agricultural Society, The Convention re- solved itself into a union and chose the following off. cers for the ensuing year:—Mrs. Mary K. Denman, of Newark, President; Miss Jennie Ayres, of Rahway and Mrs. Brundage, of Newark, Recording Secretari Mrs. Clark, of Jersey City, Corresponding Secretary; Miss Julia Barker, of Rahway, Treasurer, CENTRAL PARK DESPOTISM. “qo,rum Eprror ov rum Hunann:— 1am much pleased to see that your paper has taken the above matter in hand, and [ hope that this matter will be rectified. 1. The Park was originally intended fora pleasure ground, and it was supposed wo could wander here and there, even on the grass, 2 We were at liberty to cross any path or drive, with due care, of course, All are now at beck and call of the police, apart from the oternal signboards, “Keap off the grass.” 1 admit that the shrubbery should be guarded, bat not the gfass. I maintain that no injury could be done by walking upon it, Wo are confined to the bard and beaten paths of asphalt, and on such bless the con- tractors, Then, again, we aro told not to cross certain drives, &¢,, and are often obliged to make a grand détour ‘until one imagines himself Theseus ia the labyrinth of the Minotaur. I presume the only privileged partios are Ryan, of the Dairy, and bis cown” gir, ¢ ‘Bay, give us freedom in our Park. Let us try the experiment, Hyde Park, of London, has free grass, same, | ope the people will raise their voices in thi matter and follow your lead, Lam, sir, your obedient servant, JOHN “BANGLES, New Yous, Noy, 18, 1876. demand the | MORK AMERICAN STEAMSHIPS. The Panama Railroad—A New Richmond in the Field. Ata meoting of the directors of the Panama Railroad, held yesterday, to take into consideration the ques tion of building @ line of steamers to run botween New York and Aspinwall and Panama and San Francisco, the following report and resolutions were adopted :;— New York, Nov. 13, 1875, To THe Boarp ov DimecTors ov TH Raitroap Company :— GunrLemen—The undersigned, appointed on the 27th of October last as a committee to report, as early as practicable, what arrangements can be made to secure the necessary steamers to form a.line, in connection with the railroad of this company, between, New York and San Francisco, and what, {n our opinion, would be the expenses and’ receipts of such steamers, and to recommend the mode of forming said line and how to provide the necessary funds, report as follows :— Your committee are of the opiuion that the intereste of the company would be promoted by its owning and operating steamers necessury to run tri-monthly between New York and San Francisco and a line trom Panama to Central America, which would require Bteamers as follows:—Botween New York and Aspin- wall, three steamers; between Panama and San Fran- cisco, five steamers; Panama and Central America, two, Total, ten, Cost of line:—Eight steamers for through line, at about $425,000 each, $3,400,000; two steamers, Panama and Central American route, @b bigeye each—$400,000, Total, ten steamers as $8,800,000. The company own wharves at Aspinwall and Panama, a machine shop in Aspinwall, steam tugs and Jaunches to lighter freight and ngers, and all that is necessary for the line except the steam We have estimated ‘for first fron propellers as follow: Those for the line to San Francisco (eight), capable of commodating 200 cabin and 300 steerage passengers and 2,500 tons of freight. Those to Central America for the accommodation of thirty cabin passengers and 1,: tons of freight. On inquiry we cannot ascertain that more than two or three steamers, all ready built and suitable for the main line, could be purchased or char- tered, Even thoge are not just what would be desired. It is easy to find steamers suitable to run to Central America, as they not required to be of American build and can be purchased when required. On the 8d inst, your committee addressed a letter to the Pacific Mail Steamship Company, of which we annex copy, and we beliove we expressed the sentiments of this in said letter, No answer to said communication has. been received from the Pacitio Mail -Steamship Company. We applied to dif- ferent shipbuilders and asked for a proposition to furnish this company with the eight steamers required and received the proposals which are annexed to this report, If the ships are to be built we can make one trip each month on and after July next, two trips in September and three in December of next ye: qT company will be able to procure the smaller steamers a3 soon a3 desired, ESTIMATED RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURES. We have obtained all the information possible to en- able us to form acorrect judgment as to the probable expenditures and receipts, and have had to aid us @ knowledge of the receipts and expenses of the steamers in the line of the Pacific Mail Company. We are satia- fied that our estimates are safe and we shouid look for better results than our estimates would indicate. We estimate that the steamers in a round trip be tween New York aud San Francisco would each Teooive at least $100,000, Total expenses not exceeding $60,000, net operations of each round trip, $50,000. Three trips each month would give at least an estimated profit of $150,000 per month, or por annum, $1,800,000, We recommend the company to provide means to raise funds for the purchase of the ships as follows:—Issue $4,000,000 of bonds, at seven - por cent guaranteed interest, making $400,000 payable January 1, 1880, and $400,000 each year thereafter, making the last’ bonds due January 1, 1589, Unt! January 1, 1879, three years, set apart $400,000 each year of the net earnings to provide an insurance fund to replace ships that may be lost. We believe this amount would be more than ample for this purpose, By deducting interest on the bonds, 0,000, and 100,000 for the three years for insurance fund, and after three years $400,000 on the principal, would requre Lege gel annum, which would leave $1,120,000 to be divided among t @ stockholders in addition to our ech earnings, Weare certain from the offers we ave received that we can place all the bonds necessary at par, and recommend that the bonds be subscribed for befure wo incur the habilities in the purchaso of the ships. We are satistied the bonds can all be subscribed for without delay when the company has decided to purchase the ships, We further recommend that the usual dividend of twelve per cent shall be continued from the earnings of the railroad until the ships are completed, and dividends increased from additional earnings by the steamers. In making estimates of the earnings we have not taken into consid- eration the earnings of the two small steam- ers from Panama to Central America, which we haye no doubt would be con- siderable, and would: furnish the railroad and through Steamers with a large amount of bigh-priced freight, Neither have we mated the increase of earnings of the railroad by the increase of business over it. In conclusion your committee would recom- mend the adoption of the following RESOLUTIONS: Resolved, That s committee, consisting of Messrs. Garri- Burke and T. W. Park son, Francklyn, President of the Panama Com this company, botw line between Panama and Central America, but uo sach con- tracts to be binding on this company until the same is rati~ fied by the Board of Directors ‘the same is drawn up im ‘m. Resslvod, That the company will Issue tts bonds and secare fhe, same, by « mortgage. on ite, property ta the amount $4,000,000, payable $400,000 on the first day of January, 1880, ‘and’ $400,000 each first day of January there after until the ‘whole are paid; said bonds to bear semi-annual interest at the rate of seven percent per an- Burn, payable in United States legal tender currency; at the ofiies of the company, in the elty of New York, prov ded this resolution shail not be enforeod until after a contract is come cluded for the purchase of the steamers, or a portion of them, mentioned in the first resolution. . K, GARRISON, CHARLES G. FRANCKLYN. JOHN N. BURKE. A LETTER TO THE PACIFICO MAIL COMPANY. The following is a copy of the letter-referred to im the foregoing report:— New York, Nov. 3, 1875. To THe Pacirio Mai, Stramsuir Company, New Yor« :— GentLemey—On the 27th ult. the Board of Directors of this company unanimously resolved that the interests of the Panama company would be best served by hav ing one interest and one management in a line between New York and San Francisco, and that such a line could be operated more economically and satisfactorily than can be done by two companies with two separate interests, and also, by a resolution of the same meet- ing, appointed the undersigned a committee to report as early as practicable what arrangements can be made to sectire the necessary steamers to form tho said line and what in their opinion would be the expenses and receipts of the steamers to be used on the said line, with recommendations as to the mode of forming the said line, &e. Ip may not be mproper in this place to say that the forogol action of this company was taken from no hostile feeling whatever to the Pacific Mail Steamship Company, or to the Union Pacific Railroad Company, or to any competing line by land or sea, but was taken simply jn the interest of the Panama company alone. Before making the report this committee, in view of the expressed determination of their company, wish to know of the Pacific Mail Steamship Company if it is anxious or willing to sell any of its steamers, and thie committee would lik nything you desire to say with regard to the formation of said line, The contemplated line 1s not Intended as an opposi- tion to any existing line, because we beli there is business enough for two sem{-monthly lines at least via the isthmus een New York and San Francisco, If the Pacific Mail Com; shall desire to continue their present line after this.company puts one on, we do nos doubt that the two can workin harmony. — If, however, the Pacific Mail Company are desirous of selling, this company wishes to give them an opportunity to do so before contracting clsewhere, and, as the committee are anxious to report at an early day, will your com- vany favor us with an early reply and oblige, yours ve Meapoottully, CK. GARRISON ©. G, FRANCKLYN, J. N. BURKE, WHAT THE STEAMSHIP BUILDERS SAY, Mr, Roach in his reply, referred to in the foregoing report, offers to duplicate the Colima, of the Pacifie Mail line, fwlly equipped and furnished, for $425,000, and to deliver one of said steamers in six months and ‘one on each month thereafter, He will also make « change, without extra charge, in the éngines, whereby ten per cent can be saved in fuel and an increase of speed be secured, with a consumption of only twenty or twenty-two tons of coal per day. He also agrees to receive in payment half the amount in cash and the other half in the bonds of the company. Messrs. N. M, Cramp & Co,, of Philadelphia, offer to build the beeen for ‘$450,000, and guarantee economy and spec President Park, {n conversation with our reporter, stated that it was his intention to make the a contracts at once and proceed with tho building of the steamers as rapidly as possible, having the unqualified support of his Board of Directors and means abundant for the purpose, RAISE THE TRACKS. ‘The inaction of the Jersey City authoritles in failing to meet the Pennsylvania Railroad officials on the quom tion of raising the tracks bas created groat indignation, Colonel Scott assured the city authorities that if they roe upon'a plan by the end of October the work ound te commenced immediately and would be com- leted by the Ist of May noxt year, in timo for the Bedvenstl traffic. Now the work will have to be post poned for @ year, MANGLED ON THE RAIL, At half-past nine o'clock last night a freight trais and a passenger train were passing each other at the Barrow street crossing of the Pennsylvania Railroad, in Jersey City, when the engincer of the passenges train felt a jerk, as if the locomotive jumped the track, The train was stopped and the body of a man wat found lying on the track, with the head completel; severed. The body was identified as that of a m nated Collins, and it is supposed he was an employt of the railroad companys