The New York Herald Newspaper, December 15, 1876, Page 8

8 TIE LESSON OF FIRE. Fire Marshal Keady’s Report on the Brooklyn Theatre. THE M AGEMENT CENSURED The Last Funerals—The Re- lief Movement. THE CORONER’S INQUEST. There wasa perceptible decrease tn the number of | visitors to the ruins of the Brooklyn Theatre yesver- day, and it ts evident that public curiosity begins to | be sated with the horrible details of the ecatastro- | phe, Workmen continued to search among tho rub- Dish, but no more rematns were found and no prop- | erty except the battered and burned remants of an | operagiass, Theside wail adjoining Dicter’s was found, | when the workmen arrived yesterday, to havo setvied | imward about an inch and a balt during the might, | The wali had been on the previous day torn down to | the level of Dieter's building, and now it ts thought it | Will have to be razed tothe ground. Scaffolding was | erected yesterday and other preparations made for | taking down the dangerous wall, and unless great | caution 8 used thore will be another search for mangled bodies under its ruins. Lt was decided to per- mit the end wall to stand for the present as it is con- sidered safe, THE FIRE MARSHAL'S REPORT. Patrick Keady, Fire Marshal of Brooklyn, presented to the Board of Police and Excise yesterday morning his report of the fire. After reviewing the testimony of the various witnesses examined by him since the calamity, and which has already been publisned, Mr. | Keady gives bis optnions and conclusions in relation to the fire as follows;— FORMER FIRES, First.--There were two separate and distinct fires in that building only a short time previous to the fire of the oth inst.” One took place on the 25th of Novetbor . ik acurtain in the bex oflice, and was suflicient cause more oF jess ol a paure among the audience, | many of whom stood up to leave, Whe other took piace in or about a rubber gas pipe on the stage a iow weeks before. I cannot say that the lessees of the building knew of these tires personally, but their employés did. THE MANAGEMENT CENSORED, Second. —Proper precautions against tire do not seem. been taken by Shook & Palmer or their em- pioyes atter theac two warnings, They did not seo thai such Jacilities as were provided by the owners of the butiding for the extinguishment of fires were kept in proper order and ready tor immediate use. Lt sews | @ Was a lire nydrant or “Gre plug” on or near the | , OU It does Hot appear that there was any fire s¢ attached to iton the night of the tre, or that any ot the employ és knew how to use itor that they at- tempted to use 1 Tnird.—There seemed to be a want of discipline among the stage hands as to what they should do in such cases. Instead ot giving the alartn immediately to the Police or Firg Departinont, they attempted to suppress the flames fith w pote. There was a dre en- gine, ono of the best and quickest in the city, within éwo short blocks of that that theatre, but the firemen Soro not notified until the flames bad gained too mueh headway. Immediate notice to the sire Department Wg the first step necessary in case of fire; but this does not seem to have been Understood by the empioyés of the Brooklyn Theatre. THE ACTORS’ AYPEAL DISASTROUS. Fourth, seems to me it the audience bad teen notitiod when the fire was first discovered by the stage hands they could have got ont of the building safely. ‘The omission to do this aiscreetiy made the panic all the greater when the people saw the tire, The effect Of the request of the actors to the audience to sit down inay be construed in two ways. Some who were there claim that it prevenied a greater panic; others that the delay caused thereby increased the loss of lite. However well meant, 1 think the eflect of sucn advice on this occasion was very disastrous, both to the au dience and the actors themselves, MEANS OF EXIT, Fifth, —"The means of exit from the gallery,’? while good enough for ordinary purposes and better than is how furnished 1 other public buildings in New York and Brooklyn, were not good enough in case of fire or panic. The means of exit trom the other parts of the Louse were good, Had it been otherwise the loss of lite would haye been greater than itis, One witness, Mr. Charies F. Dougherty, who wasn the gallery, got out through a small window used for ventilation, aud ¢ last man to leave thereahve, He ple wonld not have had time to exeape the james if there bad been two stairs on each Bid of the gallery instead of one. CAUSE OF THE FIRR, Sizth,—The fire was caused by the borders (a portion of the scenery) taking fire trom the border lights. These lights were covered with tin on the side facing nd with wire netting on the other side, Phere ought to be now a thorough over- hauling of all our public buildings, schools, academies, hospitals, theatres and places ot large assemolages, It be dove a moment too soon, If this 18 Bot done, nose of the firein the y last, when cighteen persona were burmed to death, be lost. Accompanying the report is also am oficial list ot the aead. Two hundred and eighty-four bodies or parts of bodies recovere: in all, Just what the number ‘of those missing is nobody Kuowa, THE LAST FUNERALS. The body of John FE, Cumberson, the man in chargo of the “ilies” of the Brooklyn Theatre, and who, from the effects of injuries received in fighting the fire, died atthe Long Island College Hospital on Sunday, was bu yestorday from his late restdence, No. 134 Prospect street. The employés of the Brooklyn and the New Fark theatres attended in a body. Thero were many handsome floral tributes and a fair repres sentation of actors was present. The interment was made in Cy press Hilis Cemetery. The tu F. Smythe and Mrs. 8. T. Simp- fon mother and daughter, who peyished together in the flames, took piace yesterday afternoon trom their lato ce, No. M1 Sands street, Brooklyn. Tue old dy was a widow, and the husband of her daugnter is now at soa ona Voyage fi South America to Nor- folk, Va. The faneral was delayed some time in hopes that he would arrive in time to attend it, The bodies of the two ladies were so badly charred when found that they were identified only by iragments of their under. garinents, These wero the last victims of the great fro remain- ing to be buried. A CURIOUS INCIDENT. The remains of Join W. Jennings, one of the vic- tims to the fire, were buried in the cemetery ot his Jamily, squebogue, L, 1. The services were hela in the Sigeplo church at Riverhead, and were attended by a large number. During the services in the ceme- tery tho mother of the deceased fei! and broke her leg. A MOTH. Mes. Mary Still, of Ni t, South Brook- lyn, identified the remains of her son Danio last week, ‘nd was plunged into the most profound grief, Her yorrow was rendered intolerable when, on sending for ber son Robert, who lived in the Eastern District, soe learned that he too had visited the theatre on chat fatal night, The unhappy mother was unablo tot © remains of her second son, although sbe never ave up her search until the unknown dead were laid Ta tho frozen Doworn of tho carth on s aturday last, MISTAKEN IDENTIFICATION, Among the heretofore unwritten incidents attendant spon the terrible destruction of ite und its entatied | borrors at the Brooklyn Theatre, on Tuesday, Decem- | * ber , the following is one which will be read with im- i:—On the evening of the fatal day a young gen- siting the theatre and wit Dessing the play wo Orphans.” He did not return to bis bome that night, and the family were greatly alarmed the next day ou learning of the aw.nl Westraction of barman lite at the playhouse, to which they were conlident be had gone, Late in'the atter- | noon of Wednesday, the day atter the holocaust, the | sister of the ‘iwissing " gentieman visited” the | 4 Morgue, on Willoughby street, and the mar- | ket, op Adams street, in company with | a friend, and inthe Jatter building discovered, to her | to be the charred reniains ot The chiet means of recog. bition m th was agold ring onthe hittlo | Unger of the supposed lost one, Une requisite permit | for the surrender of tho remains was obtaiued from yho Corover and the body was taken to the home of Ihe bereaved relatives. No oxpeuse was spared by the family to give a suitable funeral to deceased, and $400 was expended thereon, The services, which’ were largely attenaed, were bighly impressive, and the fe A Was the subject o; a hand- The rowains were mterred on last Frt- yinthe family plot in Greenwood Cometery, On | tho following evening the door bell of the house of mourning in Lafayette av was rung, and when tho sumtnons was wered monuentar ‘error hold the domestic spelibound, a6 it were. Tiere stood, in apparent health and vigorous maun- dood, the one mourned as dead and believed to wave deen decently interred, Rapid explanation ensued, from whieh it appeared that alter leaving bis home oo Torsday eveuing it occurred to him to make a business visit to some town In the western part of the State, ho being employed as a commercial traveiler. Acting upon the impulse of the moment he took bis departu from Brookiyn and duly pertorm: his mission, turning but fo find that Nis family had belreved they had paid gre jast tribute of respect to bis moftal remains, itis highly prebabie that many mistakes have been made by persons in their efforts to recog- nize the ared vietitns of the late cainmity, a cir- cumstanée which the foregoing incident would appear to illustrate, TUF INquaer. Promptly av iat o'clock inst night the Jurors were in hel eat the Board of Supervisors’ room, in the lyn Court House, The general public seems NEW YORK HERALD, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1876—TRIPLE SHEET. to take no interest in the investigation, for, although the room was open, not more | three spectators were present Cot entered a mtnute later, and opened the proceedings by swearing James B, LaHow, collector im the Brooklyn Gaslight Company, who presented a set of plans whieh he had made yesterday from his memory Of the theatre a: there severai years ago. Mr. MeLean suggested to the Corover that, as the architect who drew the original vith them, it would be as siniss a witness who relied upon memory and architect who butlt tbe edifice. TUR ANCHITEOT’S EVIDENCE, Thomas R, Jackson, architect, ot Youkers, was ac- cordingly called and sworn, He asked permission to read a statement he had prepared, sod, no objection drew from his pocket gy voluminons roll of manuscript, which he proceeded to read and which was merely recapitulation of testimony already published In relation to the plans of the butiding and the materials whieb bad entered into its coustruction. pect to menns of egress from the gal- lery, Mr, Jackson said be had made the proportioning of lobbies, corridors and. stairways a specialty, and alter jong study of people moving in the street and elsewhere, bad arrived at what he considered a sate basis—that of 15 mebes of width to every 100 seats in the house, 12}¢ feet for 1,000, 50 leet tor 4,000 portion wi this pro- suiticient if the doors and fobbies corre- was sufficient to empty any Louse with only tes in five minutes; the Brookiyn Theatre's © ih excess of this estimate; the gallery persons, Who could get ont in'two minutes tateway, and allowing two minutes for them ethe later, they would reach the street in hi, when the Louse gout, and iWrelation to lery were not into the to tray four minutes; on the opening was packed, be bad uned the people g the Louse was emptied in five minut the criticism that the stairs from the gi Straight, witness quoted irom a pamphlet on theatres, written by Eyre M. Shaw, & military man and ebiet of the Loudon fire brigade, in which it was stated that stairw at + OF even at acute angles are than straight ones, and — that Mw would even be well to build stairways in alternate directrons—first right and then jelt; it w ec plan the states from the Brooklyn 1 consimcted; on the whole burned building was one of ¢ not know of any theatre in the country whieh cqnailed it in point ef coufort and sutery; witness knew bat two theatres im the country which had brick walls between the staga und the anditortum around the curtain opening except the Acad-. Tho New York Academy bot after it was destroyed not revonstructed, If the emy of Music in Broo! used to have such a w and rebuilt the wall was building were to be reconstructed on the same site wit- ness did not think he could improve upon its stairways. In reply to 9 question as to what sort of a building he would erect if he were given a carte blanche as to ex- pepses, witness said he would have g house divided into (ire distinct compartments by brick walls—one Should be devoted to stage purposes, one to the audience andthe third should contain the lobbies aud stair- cases. He would also have a scene rout shut off from tho stage with iron doors, and in that room should be | carefully locked up every bit of scenery not required upon the stage upon any given might: “But who,” he added, “could afford to erect such a building, who could afford to bire it and who could afforg to attend ity’? Witness stated that when tho theatre was built be had provided a two and a balf inch fire hyvrant and filty feet of hose behind the scenes and a one-inch pipe up to the carpenter shop, with a fauces to which a hose was titted, ONK OF THE OWNERS, ' Abner C. Koeny was tho next witness sworn, He was one of the owners of the unlucky building; 1t8 es- timated cost was $65,000, but It really cost $127,000, on count of its bemg constructed in a much better man- uer and of better material than was at first in. tended. The greater part of Mr, Keeny’s tes: tmooy related to details im regard to the construction and management of the theatre, which have already been fully examined into by the Fire Marshal ana published. He stated that ne change had been made in the building since its construction that he knew of. A CONTRADICTION. Mr. Harry Beam corrected the previous witness on that point; Messrs, Shook & Palaer, he said, had (wo woeks before removed nine chairs trom either side of tho parquet and had twoadditiong! aisles cat through tho seats of tho balcony, 0 as to relieve the middle aisle from pressure, THE GALLERY ATAIRS. Samuel Booth, a pfactical builder and ex-Mayor of Brooklyn, testified that he had built many edifices in that city; be had seen the theatre when it was being built, and be should regard the means of egress from the main floor and dress circle as particularly good; IL think the egress from the gallery was very bad, inas- much as tt had but one door six feet wide, whereas the doorway on the floor below was ten tee. wide, and the one lower still was more than ten foes wide. He thought 3t was lamentable that tbere was no hand rail; there should have been a hanging rai! small enough for the hand to grasp; be thought the exit from the gallery could have been very much improved, and disagreed With the idea of Mr. Shaw that a stair- case 1s saler with aturn at rigbt angles; when a man comes down statrs and is thcown against a brick wall witpess was inclined to think be would not nave so good a chance for his life as he would if @ stairway Were belore him. Adjourned to this evening. SAN FRANCISCO MINSTRELS BRNKFIY. These ingenious individuals devoted the entire pro- coeds of their elegant cntertainment yesterday aiter- noon for the boneilt of the Brooklyn sufferers, with the following official resuit:— Gross receipts «ft matinee, December 14,..,.....$64 50 For Birch, Watbold and Backus, Per HUNTER, Treasarer, THK NOWERY THKATRE Bi The Old Drury, always ambitions ig well when charitable things are undertaken, furnishes the follow- ing figures for the day and evening performances yes- terday for the benefit of the Brooklyn relief tund Matinee. Night... TOtA)......esccccecrer WM. ROBBINS, Proprietor. ‘THE BENEFIT AT HILL'S THRATRE. The benefit at Harry lili's Cheatre yesterday after- noon, to swell the fund for the suflerers by the B: lyn fire, was an exceedingly interesting entertainment, To enliven the proceedings, the services of a largo band were engaged, and ull the arrangements were well carried out. The opening hour was devoted to singing, dancing and club swinging, both by members oPthe company and volunteers, while a subsianuial stage was being fitted for tho boxers. Meinty and Bowies wero the first pair announced, who made three very protty rounds, Billy Edwards and bis broth: Warry tollowing with their usual scientilic display. Vatsy Hogan (who shortly leaves for Cali fornia) and Jobnny Saunders noxt met and ‘con. fused”? each other through a bout worth witnessing. ‘A diversion wns then inade by the Devonshire wrest- lers, Elis and Browning, much to tho delight ot every- body, when there was’ more sparring, the wind up belng by Kelly and ‘*fhe Mouso” through threo merry rounds, LETTER PROM HARRY HILL, tHe Herao:— I herewith on you nty-five dollars ($75), the gross receipts of “my neo benefit the sufferers ot the Brooklyn Sire, xiven at my theatre this To tur Eprron atternoon, As the Executive Kellet Committee (vrobably owing to the duties of the same natare elsewhere) did uot put in appearance to receive the money { thought that you were the best party to receive it on their behalf. “Lam sorry the amount is not larger, but as there were several other benefits to-day for the eat good Asean be expected. vor toe cali attention to the tact ‘onr paper, and let the committee At their immediate disposal New York, Dec, 14, 1878, ‘ The Mayor of Rochester bas written to Mayor Schroeder, of Brooklyn, for information concerning those left’ destitute by the fire, There are parties in his city who wish (o give an enter ainment for their benefit. Mr. Benjamin B, Sherman, Treasurer of the New York Committee, acknowledges the fo:lowing subserip- tions to the Brooklyn Retief Fund;— Brown Brothers & Ct ; Drexel, Morgan & Co., , Blise & $100; 1 & W. Seeman & i, August Belmont & Co., $100; George A. & Brothers, $100; Arnold,’Constavie & Co, $100; Hurper Brothers, g50; F. A. Palmer, $50; Tab: eock Br $50; Joxtwh M. Fisher, $40; Samuel S. Smith, $26; GC. W. Bliss, ry Woodward, Baldwin & Co, 1, $25; Edward E, Poor Oy erick 3, Taylor, $25, Upham & Tucker, $255 Hin & Vai $25; Jacob Bendell, $25} David Dows & lerman Stutzer, $50; ward Anoa Hazeltine, $25; Teitt, Griv- Harding, Colby Lewis Brost & Co, rong & Go., 350 beck & Ketcham, $50; H. Hobart, $25; ‘Aldrich, Iddons & Clitton, $25; | Badgley Mead, $25! Schultz, Southwek «| Co, $23; Rogers, Peet & © $25; Goddard Brothers, $25; Harris Par- Fs ; Herskind, jam Brinkerhotl, $ Lester Porter Broth 2 $20; Peters, $10, Jones & Ryder, 910 ¥. & Co, $5; Hams Rees e goort $5; Gi. is6 Camila Strassburger, Pietffer & Co., $2 $25; 1 ancisee, $000, Total, $4,158. A GENEROUS CONTRIAUTION. The following telegrams passed to-day between Miss Camilla Urso, San Francisco, and the New York Re. liet Commitree:-~ Vreviously acknowledged, $1,158 Sax Fraxetsco, Dee, 1%, 1876, Byssamis Stenwax, Treasurer Mechanies’ Bank, New York = Have telegeaphod you this day £900, currency, wross re- geipts of my concert yesterday tor Brooklyn relief innd, Please vckuowledze by telegraph, CAMILLA USO, New Youn, Dee. 14, 1870. ce Hotel, San Francisco : teed colin rucecds of your first concert, which jonate for the reliet of anflorers by the Brooklyn fire, vs been received, Your generosity is as highly apprect ated hers asthe result proves yonr talents te be in san Francisco, In the name of tnodrods of a hearts, accept the thanks of the New Yurk itiee, YD ASPINWALL, Chairman, Bexsamin B. Smee, Treasures AKOOKLYN MRLM Received at Mayor's Office... Rereived by Daniel Chauncey Brooklyn Guild and Uni Miss Camita Unso, Total. , WHAT PHILADELPHIA 18 DOING. Prvapenema, Dec. 14, 1876, The results of the benefit performances atthe Wal- not, the Arch and the Chestnut Street theatres, in ard of the euflerers: by the Brooklyn fire, have been very flattering to the liberality of Philadel. phia = playgoers and = managers. The receipts at these three theatres alone were $2,700, it existed when be was employed | sed in this country; | | the rapid dismiesal of the audience. | stage was made alter inspecting tho front of tho house. in addition to which Mr. Goodwin, the enterprising lessee of the Walnut Street Theatre, gives his personal ebeck for $100, The Kiralfy Brothers and their com- pany tendered a matinge performance this afternoon at their handsome little theatre, at which there was a ood attendance, the receipts. from which will © ubout $400 or $500 more, To-morrow atter- noo the Gri Central Variety Theatre will give all the proceeds to the fund, and in the eveuing the Eleventh Street Opera House minstrel performance will be for the same worthy object, On Saturday the Arch Street Opera House, where Sweatnam’s Minstrels perform, will aiso do }ts share ip the good work, while it 1s understood that Mr. Fox, of the American Pheatre, will give the entire proceeds of the week to the rehet fund. Altogether the sum to be raised im this city will be a very considerable one. arisen among the managers ‘ome discussion bi this city. tis son was ber only’ support the poor lady is very mueb in ueed. The other man- agers will probably come around to this conclusion, for the reason that they know that if this lady receives the mopey it will be well bestowed, while if It is sent to Brooklyn to be divided among so many others it | may not be so well applied. The Brooklyn calamity has caused a falling off in tho | | andiences at places of amnsement here, and bas awakened the buildin tors, Who, In compliance wiih a recent ordinance of councils, are making an 1- spection of ali the theatres for the purpose of ascer- taming the dangers of fire and the means of escape, GUARDING THE FIRE DEMON. THE OLYMPIC, UNION SQUARE, FIFTH AVENUE AND EAGLE THEATRES EXAMINED YESTER- DAY, The Inspectors from the Department of Buildings resumed their inbors yesterday. Those inspecten were the Olympic, the Fitth Avenue, the Eagle and the Union Square theatres, The first visited was the Olympic Theatre, situated on Broadway, between Mousion and Bleecker streets, The gallery is large, and will bold about 700 people. From tho gallery there js only one means of egress, and, though the | stairway leading from there is wide, It has several bends and turns. The inspectors do not consider that this is saffcient, In case of a crush the passage way might become blocked, and, there being no other way of getting out, the danger to those remaining behind would be serious, From this gallery, or family circle, the inspectors will recommend that another stairway be made. The location of it will be deser- mined after consultation with the architect's plans. From the balcony, or dress circle, also, thero is only one way of getting out This part of the house is emptied by,one short and broad flight of stairs leading to the main entrance on Broadway. The inspectors will recommend, also, that from this tier another pas- sage be cut for additional sccurity. The paranct is reached by about half a dozen wide steps down from tho vestibule. This was deemed amply suflicient for A visit to the Here retorms and improvements will be necessary, One entrance conducts {rom Crosby street through a short passage way downatew stepsto the stage, This is not considered sufiiciens A private door, however, Jeads into the auditorium through a short, narrow passage, which could bo used. A separate way for those in the dressing rooms and employed in the flies will be eccommended by the inspectors, The theatre 18 well provided with apparatus to extinguish fire both before and behind the curtain, and it is thought that with the improvements referred to the theatre will be yertectly sate, USION BQUARE THEATRE, A visit was made to tbe Union Square Thoatre again yesterday to see how the work was progressing on the improvements volunteered by Messra& Shook & Pal- mer, or suggested by the inspectors, In addition to (be two means of exit already in existence from the gallery, a third one is now being completed. This seads irom the family circle on the west gide across an iron piatiorm into a building on Broadw: leased by the managers, and then on to the street, fourth mesns of escapo will also be bad to the roof of the building next 10 the hotel and through the hotel to et, While a fifth will lead from tbe gallery, on side, 10 the roof of Connor’s billiara room, into whieh a'passage will be made leading to the strect, When these are completed there will be five separate means of getting to the sidewaiks, Ap additional pas- sage is now being cut through from-the balcony into the leased building. “This passage will be five fect wide and will open on Broadway, making threo separate ways of leaving the theatre trom this ter. Within the Fast few a new passage, four feet wide, from the parquet, on the easterly side of the box olfice, was opened, ana yesterday Mr. Shook explained that he in- tended to cut still another opening on the west side, Making altogether three irom the lower part of the honse. With these additional improvements the cal- culation 18 that they can get a full audience into the street in (we anda half minutes, The sage over the procenium arch is to be completely separated from th auditorium by 4 corrugatéd iron partinon. i THE FIFTH AVENUE TH¥ATRE, The Fitth Avenue Theatre was next inspected, The gallery will seat about 600 people. Five aisles lead trom ‘the seats and those atsies lead to doors at the hoad of two wide fights of stairs emptying into the On the balcony tho situation is nearly similar, This, too, will svat 364 people, The aisles lead by three wide doors to the corridors and stairs, } A window on the east sido looks on to the root of aa adjoining building which conld be used if necessary. Aprivate entrance trom the private box on this tr lends into the Gilsey building. The roof of the large balcony in trontot the theatre could also Le mado available for escape, and a passage from the ladies’ toilet room | 10 ‘Mroadway, The inspectors found fault with the narrowness of the aisles on either side und will recommend that they be widened They will aiso advise that printed notices be plainly displayed, informing the audience how tho private pacsuges, in case of danger, may be seached. The purquet seats 630 persons, aud opens through three wide doors into the vestibule, There is also a private passage from the boxes on tho cast side Tunnidg into the Gulsey building on Broadway. The ingpectors say (hat the side aisles in the parquet arc too narrow and intend to recommend thet they be made wider, The bouge was found to be well supptiod with fire extinguishers, both behind and before the the footlights. The stage 18 forty-two feet deep, and all the Ty not used in the play at night 1s stored away in a separate brick building adjoining, A brick wall running to the rvof separates the stage [rom the auditorium, }ixit from the stage may be made under the stage to the root, or by the passage at the back of ino private boxes on the parquet tier. The main exit from the stage leads to Twenty-ninth street, ihe inspectors will recommend additional precautions re- garding egress from tho dressing rooms. On the top, or wardrobe room floor, there is a fire escape to the roof of au adjoining building. On the next floor the Inspectors intend to advise the cutting of a separate passage, so that those occupying the rooms thereon. may be able to got ont withont going up or down the stairs. THE AGL TIRATRE, The next visit was to the Eagle Tuentre, situated on Sixth avenuo, between Thirty-second and Thirty-third streets ‘ihe means of getting from the gailery were by two stairs leading duwn to the street. Three win- dows on the south side conld be mado available if ro- quired for escape to the roof of tho next butiding. The second circle is emptied through two wide doors open- gon Stairs leading almost to the door. Advautage the stairs irom the upper tier. The manager’ co 18, moreover, on this tour, aod the windows in it look out on the Sixth avenne.’ The parq ‘et has two wide doors opening into the vestibule, and only a few steps from the sidewalk, Tho stage {6 separated from the auditorium by a brick wall ronuing cleur to the roof of the bu:lding, The gas arrange ments for the top lights in tho ies were pronounced excellent, Instead of the rabber tube almost inyari- ably used, throngh which to feed the burners, there is an iron pipe witch can be moved in any way required. Tho main exit trot the stage is through a building to Thirty-third street, and another, under the stage, to Sixthavenne. egarding this theatre the inspectors say they bave nothing to recommend to render it eater than what it 16, F IY NROOKLTS. Tho Brooklyn Aldermanic committee for the tnves- tigation ofthe means of egress from public builaings continued tts Invors yesterday, Alibough the com- mittce had agreed to begin work at ten o'clock Mt was hall-past elover before it started out, aud three bours were spent inthe New Park Theatre, the first piace vistted, THK XBW PARK THEATRE, Tho manager was very courteous and appeared to be Acquainted with the members of the committee, A number of now buckois and shining axes wore ex- bibuied as evidences ol ul preperation tomire. The Stairway Jending from Fulton street to the first floor of the theatro was found to bo nine icot wide, and ihe stairs leading from thence to the gallery were found to be very long And tortuous and only four and one-half feet wide, Tie manager is about tocut a door from the gallery through the end wall of the building, so that persons can incase of emergency step ont upon the roofs of the adjoining houses on Fulton strect, The establishment was found well provided with tire pumps and hose. OOLRY’S, Hooley’s Opora House was visited yesterday by the committee, Many changes and improvements were suggested, and the management promised to make them at once whore possidie, TAKING PRECAUTIONS IN sKRSBY. ‘the Jersey City Board of Fire Commissioners adopted a resolution yesterday that the Board, a as aCommitieo of the Whole, shall visit the diffe places‘ omuasement in the city aud ascertain whether ny provisions have been made against fire, A pet Hon is to be sént to the Legisiature for the passage of a general jaw ip relation to theatres, churches and other buildings, to the end that the proprictors, lessees: oF (rusices thereof may be compelled to adopt neces- sary precautions for the safety of the public, AN ALLEGED FORGER ARRESTED. George 8. V. Howerd, late Secretary of the Jersey City Forry Company, was arrested yesterday alter. boon on thecharge of forgery. It is alleged that he signed the name of bis méther-in law, Mrs. Clowes, to anoto for $100 and induced a Mr. Norris to cash it. When the matter came to light led to New York, but was traced from piace to place till Lo was cap- tured, He was committed for examination, TWICE SAVED. A Bark’s Orew Picked Up in Mid-Atlantic, THE HEATH PARK AND CIRCASSIAN Wreck of the Rescuing Ship on Montauk Point. ——_—_-—_—__— STORIES OF THE CREWS. ——<$ The romance of a seafaring life occasionally receives | rude shocks. The scene in the smoking room of the | Satior’s Homo last evening where two dozen men of | the crews of the wrecked vessels, Heath Park aud Cir- | cassiau, were silently and dejoctediy sitting, was | certainly of a character to deter almost any one trom | ing for permission to “sling his hainmock tor- | ward,” The bark Heath Park, of Dundee, Cap- | | tain. Smith and a crow ot leven men left | Perth Amboy for Liverpool, with a cargo of siate on the | winds were experienced from the start, and when two | ith of November, | days orft ana about 200 miles off Montauk Potata ieak | | | | Heavy weather and head | was discovered. ‘The peculiar natare of the cargo pre- vented the exact location of the leak from being dis- covered, The pumps were manned and, the wind | boing favorable, the exptain decided to hold his course. | On the foarth day out the water bad gained so much that signals of distress were set, and tho captain | feared that he would haye to abandon the vessel. Two | days inter tho ship Circassian, Captain Williams, | from Liverpoo! to Now York, bove in sight and | noticed the signals of the Heath Park, Captain Smith decided to leave bis vessel, and after making hus condition known to Captain Willams took | boat and boarded the Circassian, This, was about 800 miles of Montauk, latitude 37 min. | 10 sec., longtitude 62 min. 30 seo, After abandoning the Heath Park, a gale sprang up and the Circassian continued her course under shortened satl. Captain } Smith ts of the opioion that the Heath Park certainly | foundered during tho gale, The gale continued and tho Circassian bore on her ,course. On Sun- ; day night o pilot was taken on board, The gale continued throughout Monday with | great violence, snow and hail t2lting and°freezing to the rigging. The snow was so thick that {t was almost impossible to see the vessel’s length ahead. About eleven o'clock that evening tho Circassian struck on the outer bar of Ay rg mom The sea was very heavy and swept tho decks fore and ait. She soon was driven over the bar aud struck again, bows on, about 400 feet from the shore. THE RESCUR, Life Saving Station No. 10 is situated almost imme- diately opposite the point where the Circassian struck, and a8 800n as she was discovered by the men on duty every eflort was made to rescue the crow. The first boat launched was almost immediately swamped, anda second attempt proved as ineffectual, A rocket was then thrown and a line successfully stretched trom vessel to shore. Another and another followed, until there were three ropes trom ship to shore. ‘These were to be used only us a last means of rescue, all others failiuy. The sea moderated at this time sufficiently to launch boats, and after some hours the men wore safely lande Every caro was taken of them, and last evening the greater part of the crew arrived in this city. Through this double shipwreck pot a ‘lie was lost, nota man disabled, although some of the men are severely ipostbitten. Thero are cireumstancesj in the Joss of the Circassian that call for investigation, and, as it will_be seen below, an investigation 1s intendod by the British Consul, The shore of Long Island at the place of tho disaster shoals very gradually, and it seems that a proper use of the lead might have warned Captain Williams of the approaching danger. THE CREWS. The men of the crows of botn vessels, to the number of twenty-six, are at the Chorry street Sailors’ Homo, Some of them are trostbitten, but none of them will be disabled. They speak, considering the hardship of their case, rather cheerfully, They havo saved only the clothes they stood in at the timo of the disaster, Everything possible is done for them by F. Alexander, the Superintendent of the Home, and they will be kept there at the expense of tho British Consul until they either are sont home or findemploymont. Their names aro NWATH PARK. J, B gs H. Frazer, Thomas Rogers, Edward gherty, Pet Dou: er Burns, 'R. Ross, J. Neeison, J. ae- | Corcoran, £, Ewens, J. lish hee i CIRCASSTAN. John Clors, John Stacey, J. Williams, M. Madigan, H, Alton, J. Baker, J. Doriing, Charles Layrane, Jono Phelan, M. Jimminny, John Canning, John Wood, Thomas Grower, George Bennett, Jonn Feron, W. Bar- ney. THM CAPTAIN'S STATEMENT, Captain Smith, of the bark Heath Park, of Dunde farnishes the following statement in regard to the di aster :—Sailed from Perth Amboy November 25 with a cargo of slate for Londov, Had fino weather to tho 27th, on which date we had a heavy westerly gale, with high seas, ehip being under lower topsail and foresail, shipping large quantities of water, which washed away. bulwarks. 28th, found the ship leaking; shortened sail, that all hands might xo to tho pumps, but not- withstanding «ll oar efforts the leak gained on us. 29th, gale moderated somewhat, tho crew still at th pumps, vessel at this timo making eleven ine of water per hour. 30th, the sull continuing and the leak increasing every mo- ment; four P. M., a sail coming in — sight, an ing there was no possible chance of saving the versel, decided to abandon her; bore down for the ves- sel in sight and found her to be the sbip Circassian, Captain Williams, trom Liverpool for New York. Ca) tain Williams kindly consented to lay by us until wo could be translerred to his vessol, which was safoly accompfished. When wo ft she had threo tect of Water in the held, An hour afterward a heavy gale sprang up from the eastward, obliging the Cir- cassian to be put under three lower topsaila. at mid- night the wind suddenly shifted to a gale from the westward, causing the ship to be hove to under lower maintopsail, as it was dangerous to run the ship under the circumstances, Do not think the Heath Park would Ilve throagh iast mentioned gales. When wo abandoned her were in latitude 87 deg. 10 min. longitude 62 deg. 30 min. * Captain Smith desires to express his thanks to Cap. tain Williams and officers of the Circassian tor their kindness to himself and crew while on board his vessel, No one saved anything bat what they stood in, A CIRCASSIAN SAILOR'S STORY. i John Close, who seemed the most intelligent of the seamen found ut the Sailors’ Home in Cherry strect, gave, 1D answer te the reporter's questions, his yer. | ston of the long and rongh voyage and its final catas- trophe. Ills story is of intorest as painting the pic. ture from a forecastio point of view, and may be of value as shedding somo light on the condnet of the voynge and the causes ot the wreck. As nearly as possible ho bas been left to tell the story in his own words, omitting or restating whatever Would be unintelligible | or too technical to bo generaily interesting, He is a | young sailor, twent: of Age, sixteen of which he spent rt se: as ho expressed te raved as an abte-bodied seam twang “Lshippod botore the mast on the ship Cireassian, which left Liverpool on the 6th of November last, There wore twenty-three of us in the forecastic, vesides i} | the petty officers, the mates and the cs imal, Most of the torecaatle hands were worthless fellows as | men, bardly a doren of the lot fit for duty; bricklayer s | tinkers, coopers, painters and such like. I was in the (rst mate’s watch, and not more than seven of us wero able to tako their trick at the wheel; besides being so hard worked, owing to the rough weather, thut we were pretty well tired out before we got Lait way across. Tt was Was protty thick and blowing teavily, with bead winds a «good tee of the way; bat when we sighted | the Heath Park the wind was not so high, though | there was a heavy sea renning., This was on the atier- noon of the Both of November, and were running along at the time with a far wind, when a torsmast hand sung out that a bark to loeward was flying a flag of distress, As soon as the captain saw that the ‘ bark was lying (his fay he gave orders toheay to andthe bark ran up unger our stern, going close bawied, Ail that we could Wnuorstand was thatthe captain of the bark was chouting something, which we made out to be that he was asking ue to stand by, for he Was in a sinking congition, ‘Then the barks shou aboad of us to Windward and lowered the two bouts whieh belonged to it, and came polling up tons. Wo jet own a bowliue aod puiled up the men in the boats ope al HOthCT, As SOOD As the first hoat ‘Was emptiod she was dropped astern and soon went adrift, bDeowuse her “painter” broke. The other boat we hoisted on board and saved all the crew with part oft their out Was seven o'clock in the evening belore we got them all aboard, and then we kept off ou our course again. We were then abouts 500 or 600 miles to the eastward of Montauk Point and nothing of note happened to us, though tue Wweathor continued storiny, till We took Mi the pilot last Sunday night at nine y'clock. We wero then rurning in ander three topeatis, and the next morning (Monday) wo sct ali the sailwe had, with a fur wind tor port Through the day the wind was unsteady, but genurally fair, and ns carrying all sail, when about eight o'clock ny it Came up Very thick. 700 LATE WITH THE LEAD, We held on, though, with considerable sail bent, till about balf-past ten o'clock, When ibe order was given to attach lead to the line for the purpose of sound- ing. As we were setting about it Captain Smith, of the Heath Pork, called out to Captain Williams, «his | use, Captain,’ or something of that sort, “the | ship's xsuore.””' Then we turned to and hauled the | jib dows and all the head sais and braced the yards tu starbourd, tho object being to tsrow the smip’s | head off the shor Alierward wo went down nto the hold aud got outa cask of soda and a bale of fags, Which we threw overboard, It took a coud while, more than an hour, to get these articles out of the ' in the o three rockets, and the third went over us. We were going to launch one of our boats, but they mado Motions to us {roi sbore not to try it, as it would. be toe dangerous, About eleven o'clock In the morning (Tucaday) the surt jell somewhat and the | Iifenoat came off to us. They sent her off seven times: during the day and carried all hands off, though we lost everything exeept what we had on our backs. The pilot and & portion of both crews went of on the first return trip trom the wreck, and in the course of the others the captain and crew of the bark were brought ashore. Captain Williams, of the Circassian, and his maies om whet, oilicers were the last to the ship. We were kindly tceated at the sion and transported here to the cits, where we have rather a show, tor few of us seamen bave any money and aved almost nothing irom the wreeic,”? This story was told with apparent honesty and ac- curacy, but it isof course necessarily imperfect, and cannot be accepted as an absolutely correct version of the incidents detailed. THE STEWARD OF THR HPATH PARK, Edward Do: rty, steward of the Heath Park, gat in the Satior me last night amoung a number of seamen whose weather beaten iaces told, like his own, of the tria's and fatigues they had prssed through. Vo the reporter, who inquired if the crow had suffered much, the steward repijed only by au eloqueut glance over the worn visages around him, which bore traces of tor and anwiety easy to interpret. The narrative of the disaster which he farnished, and which was sub- | stantially corroborated by his shipmates, was as tol- lows :— On Saturday, November 25, the Heath Park sot sail trom Perth Amboy with a crew of twelve men all told, We were bound for dom, and the vessel was freighted very neavily with a cargo of slate, The wind wens fair and we made good beadway during the after. noou, 80 that at nigntiall wo were out of sight of lau At about six bells the wind began to freahen, and be- fore long it was blowing a regular gale. The sea rose, too, and the vessel went seudding through the durk- ness with nota strip of canvass on her bat two low topsails at the fore and maip, Ail through the might storm kept up, ant at times we were alrard that some of the inasts would snap und yo by the board, The rathines and shrouds even were stramed and joosened by the wiad, aud some of the biocks and cordage caught in the blast came rattling down on Kk Or were blown away. That was adresdful nici and every hand on board that vessel was glad enough to seo the sun rise wext morning, It was not a cold Wind that was blowing, but It was sharp and biting, and althqugh the swell was not as heavy as at first the gale didn’t abate a jot. It was Sunday imorning and most of us were on deck, for thera was no teliing how soon we all might have pleuty to do, when the carpenter, who haa been sounting the pumps, went att and reported aleak. This would be anything but cheering news at any ume, but in such was still mare disheartening. Of course we work to find out where the leak had been sprung, but on account ot tho nature of the cargo wo could ouly discover that it was somewhere amidships. on souuding again the water wns reported to “be gaining rapidly in the hola, and all bands were sent to the pumps We all ieit shat we wore in a fix, for tho wind was with as and making headway against it was not to be thought of. In this way Sunday and Monday passed. We worked at tho pumps day and night, while the vessel scudded on with all caayas lowered and we daro not make moro sail for fear we couldn't take it off again. On Tuesday moraoing, when we were all tired out and wore hoping that we had stopped the leak, the pumps were sounded nd the water was found to be stil gaining headway. jeed, it began to gain on us so rapidly in spite of all we could do, that the captain determined that the sbip could be saved only at the expense of the cargo. From that time one watch was continially | occupied at the puinps while the other was engaged in throwing tes overboard. All through tho day we worked bard, and lato in the alternoon the wind mod- eruted a little, and the vessel, lightened by the loss of so much freight, began to rise higher im the water, Just a little vofore sundown some of the erow shouted “Sail bo!’’ and off on our starboard beam we all saw a vessel passing under little canvas but making good headway. We all felt more confident at this time of weathering the gale, and we hoped to bring the vessel salely through by working a little longer at the pumps and lightening her of more of her cargo. We all looked for this, bat when the gale rose again and the sea ran high, sometimes washing the deck and seattering the spray over us, as Wo tolled at the pumps, we began to jose heart, We had been able to snatch only three hours’ sleep out of the twonty-tour, and we wero all worn out with work and exhausted trom want of rest. it was a matter otf life and death though, jabored at the pumps with a will and flung ah the slate as quickly as it could bo raised out of the ul A FIGHT FOR 11¥R, Two dreadful days passed, and on Thursday after- noon we wero striving as best wo could, to keep up in spite of weakoess and fatigue, when, at about half- past three o'clock, we sighted a vessel. The captain had mado up his mind before this to abandun the Heath Park, and the signals of distress were already floatiog from the mast head. For a moment the pumps were forgotien, and God only knows how Teheved every 801 felt when we saw the strange vessel alter her course and bear down upon us She was the Circassian, and when we had spoken her and let ber captain know the plight we were in he lJaid toto tuke us on board. The boats were then lowered with some diMeu-ty, for the sea was rough, but we huddled ourselves in them and were glad to push off trom the Heath Park, although we left everything wo bad in the world on board ot lick. Once om the Circassian she resumed her course, and after a few Uays, as we were near- ing land, a pilot was taken on board. Tho wind bad been fresh all along, but on Monduy evening the sky darkened anda yale barst upon the vessel. However, canvass was lowered and wo kept on our way. Night set in with a fall of snow, which in Whoae of two became so heavy that nothing could be seen a ship’s length away. The wind roared through the rigging and drove the frozen sleet in the faces of all the crew and almost blinded them. At about five minutes to eleven a sharp grinding noise was heard beneath the vessel’s keel and the next moment we were aground, WHAT THE BRITISH CONSUL SAYS, A Hxxarp reporter.called on Mr. FE. M. Archibald, the British Consal, last evening to ascertain what bad been done and what would be done in reference to the shipwrecked men of the two vessels, the Heath Park and the Circassian, now at the Sailors’ Homo in Cherry street. Mr. Archibald kuew very little about tho circumstances of the case. His attention was called to the fact of tho shipwreck {from having read it in the Hxnatpd a day or two ago. Yesterday morning he received a telegram trom Captain Smith, of the Heath Park, dated at Bridge hampton, stating that he and his men were there des- titare and asking for rolief. Archibald directed a reply to be immediately sent Smith sushor- izing Bim to draw on the fur necessary pia Consulate expenses of transportation to this city Very soon afterward Mr. Archibald received another telegram of tho same purport, but this time from Mr. Popponhusen, of the Long Island Raiiread, and asking if the Consulate would pay tho expense of transporting the men to this city, to which Mr. Archibald also replied yes. Upon which’ Mr. Pop. penhusen brought tho shipwrecked and destitute sailors from Bridgehampton to New York, where thoy wero taken to tho saliors’ boarding houso in Cherry st set ll their expenses being sustainea by,the Con- sulate, Tho officers of the Consulate were kept so busy all day yesterday in making out the necessary papers tor the accommodation of the sailors that the investiga- tion into the cause of the disaster was not begun. It, however, will be begun to-day. BROOKLY $8 RAPID TRANSIT. A meeting of the Aldermanic Committee on Raik roads was held in the Common Council Chamber yes- terday for the purposo of considering the petition of tho Elevated Railway Company for a change of route through De Kalb avenue. Alderman Rowley desired to know whether the means was forthcoming to build the road, as resolutions giving the right to constract the road over certain streets bad been twice voted by | the Common Council and had been vetoed by the Mayor, Mr. J.L. Nostrand, on behalf of tne com. pany, stated that capitalists were ready to build it as svon ag there was proper authority granted for its construction, A letter from Chiet Engineer Adams, of the Department of City Works, was read in answer to a series of questions asked by the secretary of tho Transit Company. The engineer states that a struc- ture built im accordanco with the goneral plin Indicated by the company in a model and specitications referred to would “possess ample strength, [18 capacity as a double track road could equal any double track road in all our sim- iar grades. It would be as sate any elevated road now in use to my knowleage.”” Phelps said that $50,000, required by the Common Council as one of tho been deposited by the company. r said he would accept the decision of the engineer as to the strength of the structure as by the plan designed by Mr. Van Nostrand. lt is pro- poxed to build the ratiroad fourteen feet above tho street roadway and to have it supported by iron col- mos. Tho company will, if they carry out their promises, butld the first mile within eight months and throw miles within a year, ‘The commitice adjvurned, to meet agein on Monday, CAVALRY FOR JERSEY. Several cavalry veterans of the late war held a meet. ing yesterday in Jorsey City and resolved to organize @ eavairy company to be incorporated Jn tho Stute militia, Sixty-ve pames were placed ov the roi, lt Was reseived (0 send a committee to wait ou Governor Bedle in relation tothe matter, The movement wits originated by Captain Joba L. Cleary. A CHARITY THIEF, Lawrence Campbell, who said was a marble worker, residing in East Fifteenth strect, was ar- raigned at the Washington Place Police Court yester- day to answer a charge of swindlicg preferred against him by Mra, Rose Campbell, of No. 62 West Thirteenth streot Mrs, Campbell stated that the prisoner called at her residence, and after stating that he was coliect- sng a tund for the venctit ot a poor widow with four ehiidren handed Mrs. Campbell a subscription paper porting to bave been signed vy a number of utabdlo citizens, Mrs, Campbell gave him tfiy 18, Dut ON Lis leaving the house suspected, trom his actions, thatshe Had been swindied, and called Odloor Telivy, of the Fitteenth precinet, who pursued and captared him, On being arrested the prisoner tore up the subscription, paper and threw it in the gutter. Alter lodging his prisoner in tho station house the cor returned to the spot where Campbell had hold, for we had to rig Ups sorbet tacking to hift them out, We bad no orders to anything more Out, and they Were now letting off rockets afid hive lights from the sore, In the morning they shos off torn np tho jist and gathered up the trayments, put them togetifer and produced them belore Judge Bixby esterday, Uampbeil pteaded ‘not guilty,’ wus was eld tor trial im default of $500 bail THE POOR AND THE WINTER, IDLB WORKINGMEN TROOPING TO THE ALMB- HOUSZ—BROOKLYN'S DESTITOTION, ‘The indications are that the distress among the poor in this city and Brookiya will be very great during the coming winter, The Hxna.p bas shown to what extremity the laboring class has already been re- duced by the hard times, and every day that passes seems butto add tothe numberof applicants for re- lef, not merely at the private charitable institutions but at the police courts, where men, willing to work but unable to get work to do,.and who are ‘too proud to beg and too honest to steal,” aro only too glad te be sent to the Islaud, where they can find foo¢ and shelyer for the winter, Iu the ten day house of the Tombs ’risou tweaty-four able-bodied mea waited yesterday morning to be taken to the Work- bouse, ‘hey all had the same pitiful story to wil of wantand misery. Some of them were native Amer- icans. -A Herano reporter interviewed a few of them, Eaward Nolan said he bad been twenty-flwe years in the country, wasa tailor by trade, and had been idle for three months. He worked forsome time for Meyer & Son, ot Brooklyn. Laurence Farrel, also @ tailor, said he had been idle since July last Thomas Meehan, of No, 72 Mott street, a garden vhirt ats in America, bad pot been able to get work: tor five months, Francis Lumberg, a German, said he was a tailor, ond Was drives to applying to the Court for roliet be cause he could get no employment, James Brady, a bricklayer, said he had been out of work for (wo months, aud Edward Dano, a painter, told the same story. A yery respectable looking middle-aged man, with fringe of white beard encircling his melancholy ti and who gave bis name as Tuomas Holmes, said had un unable to get anything to do at his trade of making shves tor three months. His son had sup. ported him during that time, but he, too, was now out of employment, Warden Quinn, of the prison, aud the matron, Miss Flora Fos\er, say they never knew of so much disiress in the city belore, YOVERTY IN BROOKLYS. There are upward of 20,000 laboring men end mes chanics out of employment in Brooklyn, and the prospect of a change sor the better 1 tar irom encour: aging, “Phere ix no hope for any work before spring,” 18 the often repeated expression of officials, both city and county, when approached by the idlers who are constautiy appealing for work. The tadies of the sev- eral churches are reorganizing their sewing societies aud are solictiing cast-off clothing wherewith to cloibe the poor, ‘The St. Vincent de Paul Society conferences report the ontlook for the season as oue of great misery, and they are exerting themselvca to obtain means to relieve the immediate necessitics of their fellow beings in distress. The Soci zi for Im. proving the Condition of the Poor has a large ia- crease of applicants already on their books. On December 20 We Commissioners of Charities will bontp to issue their weekly supplies to the destituie, Eual person desiring relief will be required to answer certain questions before the Commissioner for the district in which the applicant resides. The case will then be reterred to u Volunteer Visitor, who will report as 40 the worthiness of the case before it will be given. MAYOR SCURQEDER’B VIEWS. Mayor Schroeder, in speaking of the general distress among the working classes, suid, yesterday, that he had tound, in Brookiyn, whole families on the verge of starvation, “Tho wealthy, ven those in m ate circumstances,’’ His Honor said, “should make traordinary efforts to relieve tho dreadiul suflerin; the poor. [ believe that between $300,000 and $: must be raised, Three out of every four of tho un- skilled laborers-of Brooklyn have been out of em. ployment tor tho past two winters, and have pawned or sold everything they had. One widow had re. ceived no hetp, except from ber poor neighbors. Liv. ing in a tenement house, sick, with four little cbildron she had lett as furniture a baby’s chair, a stove ana a kettle or two. Somo bedding was on the floor, but there were no shoes and pot enough clothing to. cover their bodies. When the case ‘was uiscovered there was not a morsel of food inthe house. A man whom I helped last winter writes a letter to me, saying that he had to sené his children to school without any foad yesterday. He says that his tamily, consisting of tour children, himself and his wife, must perish unless something 1s done for them." X= of BROOKLYN'S PUBLIC CHARITIES. The Kings county Commissioners ofCharity have just presented their annual report to the Board of Supervisors During the fixcal year they have re, lieved, temporarily, 56.418 persons, The persons re- llevea were apportioned as tollows:—In the alms house, 2,805; 1m the hospital, 4,270; ii the lunatic asylum, 1,080, and outdoor poor, 45,253 ‘For the year 1875 the number cared for in the institutions was 7,923; cost of supplies, $200,521 24. During the year ending July 31, 1876, the number cared for was 8,155, and the outlay for supplies was 177,256 29— ditlerence in favor of the year 1876 of $23,264 95, wit! the additional average number of 232 inmates. In the asylu.a departmout tho patients are overcrowded, bot this condition of affairs will be of short duration, The now Hospital for Jucurables will soon be in reudie ness for tho reception of a large number of pationis. The Commisstofers’ say:—'‘It is becoming a serious question to consider how long it will bo before meas- ures will have to be taken to provide additional accom. modaiions for this afflicted class. In a population of 600,000 people we bave an average number of 80vu por- sons who are classed a3 insane. In other words, sixtven in every 10,000.01 our enumerated population are under treatment for lunacy. With a knowledge of the past yearly increaso we doubt not that witht the ext decade not less than 12,000 of those untortunates will be consigned to the care of the county authorities. These figures do not reach those of Great Britain, however. Statistics show that thei tho proportion is 26 in every 10,000. Yet the ratio 18 increasing here, more especially in the seaboard cities, which should warn us to anticipate the necossities consequent upon them.’? ‘The Commissioners urze that a change should be made, ‘in the mberest of common decency,” in the manner of burying the pauper deau. The groun now used for tunis purpose should be increased by at least fifteen acres, and the whole should be ‘enclosed in a substantial mannor.”’ Inthe matter of distribut- ing reltet to the outdoor poor the experiment of volun- eer visitors to applicants for aid will be tried by the Commissioners during the winser, WORK FOR THE NEEDY. To tas Epitor ov tux Herap:— Aristotle’s opinion of the pyramids of Egypt is that they were erected “to keop the people well em- ployed."? Would it not be a good idea if we could dis- cover some similar employment for the destituto of our metropolis? Our streets and avenues aro at pres- ent in a disreputable condition and a disgrace to the city; they are sadly in need of repairing and cleaning, aad labor could be obtained at reduced rates. 1 regret to say that Mr. Strakosch’s philanthropic enterpriso has thoroughly been immersed in cold water, else here undoubtedly would have beon employment for myriads of workmen. WwW. t A PLAN FOR RELIEF, New York, Deo, 18, 1876. To tux Epitor oy tHe Heraty:— Why is there no general response to such piteous pleading for help against a world of starvation? Your columns, filled with heartronding accounts of tho ter- ribie condition of the poor classes, ought @rtainly to be able to bring forth {rom the American nation tn general such aid as will justity theirrights to expend such enormous sams on objecta gratifying their pleasures momentarily, and depriving thousands and thousands of families of the merest neces- sitios of Tho Americans have acquired a reputation of boing lavish. The mean- ing there is differeut to what 1 should like to place upon it bere in this country, What bottor expression could be used now than that they sbould lavish their “waste pennies” on tnose who, with hungry mouths, go despairingly from day to day asking a po! Justice to cominit them to prison for humanity's guke. “Ha- manity’s sake!’ What a derision |Vasting these herd working, honest feliows among a throng of felons who will stamp their infamy upon them and then agai coming out of th sou, where, when seeking employment, will they give reterences as to the period spent during the winter? Let me cite you two com- Parisous, which may be of use to the community at largo (should the nation not be active and cuaritable enough) to keep these poor wretches irom prison:—In England there is a certain charitable institation, whieh, when lacking in funds, distributes sealed boxes to ladies, who quietly and simply take a chair and seat themselves in all the pt pal streeta of London ana citaims forthe suffering. This 1 tho “Hospital Saturday.’ Most of those who li visited London will remember seeing tho boxes played on almost every corner, and but lew passers by going on unueeding. Thia ts for a charitable instita- tion, What shoulu it be here fora starving mass? Another instance and more to the point In st, Petersburg, Russia, at the outbreak of the war sympathy for tho wounded manifestly exhibited thas g0 begging for help Streets, on church steps, ID cales aud r but manufacturers and shopkeopers, aod in 1 those who had employés adopted a method of fo blo aid worthy of the greatest praise, and sug- gesting a sequel here for & more pressing and national cause, ‘this method was simply to deduct so mach a week ou each workman’s or employés wages and remit the bulk sum to the society tor tho relief of the wounded, Don't you think that ap bo made to the worki classes here might tend to have the wame effect? °F sincerely hope so, and trust that the plan may ha ao THE PUBLIC HEALTH ASSOCIATION, Mr. James C. Bayles read an exhaustive and inter- esting paper last night before the Now York Pabiic Health Asgociation, at No, 12 West Thirty-first street, presided over by Professor Chandlor. The paper wag ‘on service pipes and water gervice in city bonuses, and was divided Into Uve headings: -—First, materiala for service pipes; eecond, piping and water distribetion: third, protection of service pipes trom trost; iourth, the necessary precautions against unbealthtal con: ditions resulting Irom a stoppage of water, and, fitth the disporai of leakage and overfiow, service pipes should be putas deep as possible under the surtace to prevent the water ia them being Iron, TI of water to tevementand other huuses bas been the = of causing much Sickness ani should bo-avoided Tureo-Servian Serviens \ not only did an thi