The New York Herald Newspaper, January 14, 1877, Page 14

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14, SPANNING THE RIVER. The Proposed Bridge Across Black- well’s Island. — Past History and Present Condition of the Work. The prospect of the beginning of work upon the bridge between New York and Long Island via Black- well’s Isiand as an “intermediate”? will not be long de- layed, and the history of the earliest proposition for | spanning the East River dates back far enough to be worthy of consideration now that the bridge project is no longer mythical. ‘THe PIKST BRIDGE PROJECT, Thomas Fope, in 1810, proposed to erect what he catied a ‘flying pendant bridge” between New York and Brooklyn, to start trom a point between the old Fly Market (Maiden lane) and Beekman street, then about | the most distant or ‘up town” locality. He publisned his plan in 1821, bat was regarded by eapitalists sim- ply as an impractical theorist, andthe two-oared barges and single-masted gailboata used in communi- cation between New York aud Brooklyn were esteemed far more desirable than the erection of a briage, even upon Thomas Pope’s plan. EARLY NAVIGATION. The flatboats were of avout twenty tons burden, Without cabin or other shelter, and their lauding piace was at the old Fiy Market slip. Hell Gate was navi- | gated by large, flat-bottomed scows, manwuvred by two men with sweeps, Staten island was reacked by two-masted “bunker voats,” of about twenty tons capacity, The little encouragement given to Pope in bis bridge building scheme was also due to the fact that Fulton’s steamboat idea was just then promising of success, and yet it is somewhat flattering to the memory of his idea toat the present Brookiyn Bridge 1 within a stone’s throw of where Pope intended his “landing place”? sixty-six years ago, TUK BLACKWELLS ISLAND BRIDGE, The project of building the bridge to connect upper New York with Long lsiand was origiually started by certain prominent politicians, with a sprinkling of mer- chants and oupitalisis, about ten years ago, under the ame of the New York aod Loug island Bridge Com- pauy.’”” The charter was passed April 10, 1867, the capita) Block being fixed at $2,000,000, The corporators Sppearing in the charter were Robert Bonner, G, G. Howland, John ‘. Conover, G. Lee Knap, H. Sanford Spofford, George 8. Wrights Wilham Turnbull, Jobn B. Green, Archibald Bliss, James Barclay, Stephen C. Walker, Augustus Silliman, William F. Laimbeer, H. Vanderwater, Isaac D. Col- man, Jobn L. Brown, B, 8. Halsey, Henry Wooley, L. D. Pettee, Oliver Charlick, A.W. Lockwood, A. W Winants, Joh MoBride Davidson, Herman 7, Living- ston, George Clark, Daniel C. Duzenberry, Thomas W. Griffen, Charles Chamberlain, Benjamin Jones, Philo 8. Ely, Charles W, Goddard, William Miner, Jacob M. Long, George Wilkes and Phineas L, Tyler. Aceording to the charter the Work wus to have boen commenced within two years, but po specific time was xed tor its ullimate completion, An amendment to | (nis charter passed April 12, 1871, which empowered | the company to “acquire and use land under water for piers,” &c., and to recerve “donations” of property, Which they coult dispose of as they saw it for the Denclit of the company, and to take and dispose of ull land or water rights, ’This amendment also fixed a time tor the completion of the bridge—the 1st of June, 13879. A NICE JOB SPOILED, The attempt wasatulure, No plans were cousid- ered, ulthougn several were submitted, and jt is as- sorted by those who clam to know thatthe whole Luing Was simply a job put up at the instanee of Henry | Gouet, at whose’ instance the clause relating to “ao: a- tions” of property was inserted in thy amended cbar- ter for the purpose of acquiring valuable water frouts | und choice lots for the especial benedt of’ bimself and irienus, A NEW CHAPTER. ln June, 1872, over live years after the passage of Gene's charter, another was graated the New York and Long Island Bridge Company, but shghtly dissim- iar to the amended charter issued to the former | company, coutaiming the same stupulations as to limita. tionof time for the compietion of the bridge, “dona. us” of land, acquisition of water fronts, & ‘he corporators of the present company are Prosper Wetmore, Blaze 1. Harsell, George F. Carman, J. Madis Blackwell, Thomas D. Robinson, Benjamin . Hiteheock, Auron A, Degraw, Willian Herrick, Benjamin W, Downing, Walker Vents, Daniel Garrison, James Jacks, Lenry M: Onderdonk, William R. Dyer, Rovert M. aham, Joun 8. Marcy, Oliver Ctarlick (wince deceasea), J. Lawrence Smith,’ Henry ©. Plutt, Charles Holet, Lyman B, Smith, J, Heury Perkins and | others, Who these “others” are the charter goes bot specity, ‘ New York and Queens counties are given the privi- lege of purchasing the bridge by paying the corporation the cost and thirty-three and ove-third per ceat in ad- dition, providing the bridge 1s thrown open tree to the public. The Board of Consulting Engineers loc and issued specifications for plans a year ago, Board consists of General J. G. Barnard, General Q A, Giltwore, and civil engineer O, Chanute, with Mr, C. C. Schneider as assistant to the Bourd, THE BRIDGE. ‘The proposed site for the bri as decided by the “engineers, is irom the toot o1 se’ y-seventh or Sev- euty-eighth strect, Hust Kiver, to Ravenswood, on the Long Island shore, a stort distance below tbe westerly point of Huilet’s Cove, the lanaiig place of the Har Jem aud New York Nav On the New York ‘shore twill begin at Fourth avenue, with the tracks of the Harlem Railroad by a 00 feet lony, in the vicinity of Seventy-third street, to the crossing of Lexington avenue, Here an iron | structure is to be erected, which will curve to the cen- ire of the biocks Letweon ‘seventy-sixth und Seventy- seventh streets, Whence 1 will Continue eastward to the west bank’ of the western channel of tho Bust River, The actual levgth of the approach ov the New York side will be 4,680 feet. Wherever the suriace upprouct to the bridge crosses an avenue spans of 100 feet clear aro to be provided, so that uo imterrup. tion to trafic is appretiended, ‘The plau provides for a sing across the west chapnei (from we New York shore to Blackwell's Island) of 734 feet, while the structure cross the Aslaud will be about 700 leet long. inere will also be a single span across the east chunnel to the Long Is Jand city terminus of tue bridge, 618 feet long in the clear, Wine the approach to the’ bridge on the Long | Island vill be 3,900 feet long, avout three-quarters | of amile. There are to be two doubio steam elevators | for fout passengers as near as possible to the termina. tion of the Jong span, The bridge is designed to accommodate a singio track railway, exiending over its entire length, which willoccupy a width of fourteen tect, but provision is to be mude tor a second track, without materially in- tertering with the current use of the bridze. Two roadways lor carriages are to extend from Third ave- | nue tu the bigh grouud on the Long Isiand side, each ten feet wide, and also two sidewalks, each five feet wide, to extend either alongsiae or overbead of the main carringe ways or the railway. ‘The maxitoum grade of the bridge ts to be 2 2-10 feet | per 100, or 116 feet per mile, on the approaches on both the New York and Long Islunu sides, and level across | Blackwell's Island, the centre point, In each of the long spans the lowest part of the bridge will be 135 feet clear above mean high tide at the middie of the river, ‘This height is the same os that provided in the Brovkiyn Bridge, The towers of the bridge across Blackwell's Ixiand will be considerably less above the toadway than its sister structure to connect New York { aud Brooklyn. Across the long spans @nd along Blackwell's Island | the roadway for carriages will be ou the same Hor as | | | | the railway, which nece-sitates a total available width of roudway'of thirty-four tect. The foundations of the abutments are to consist of musoury from the ved ro K to & boight of at least teu feet above mean high water, Avove this itis at pres ent uncertain whether? the mason work will be con- Woued of towers of cast iron, Wrought trou or milled | iron used, rit PLANS. The plans submitted to the consideration of the | Board of Engineers are mine in number, and their de- signers, With the nature of their plans, areas tol- | for the Detroit (Mich.) sion bridge. } Clark: Vhiladelphia—Hinged ai (Captain ‘James B. Kads’ patent) jonry Fiad & Co,, St Louls—Derrick bridge. ch | A, Lucius, New York—Truss bridge. | Waiter J. Morriv, New York—Rigid suspension | bridge, EW. Serrell & Son, New York—Suspension bridge, | cables con: posed of wrought iton links, | Charles Macdunald, for the Delaware Bridge Com- papy—Canti lever bridge. G. A. Karwiso, Poiladelphia—Hinged arch, L. W. Wright, Brooklyn—Lattice bridge, The consideration of the several plaus 18 now nearly completed und the Buord of Engineers will probaviy report :ts selection at the meeting of the Board of Di- rectors of the company, in about two weeks. Prizes are to be given to the designers of the three best plans, $1,000 to the lirst, $600 Lo the second and $260 to the whird. THE SLURPY LONG ISLANDELS, It ts a romarkabi t, a8 Mr. K. secretary of Lue company Observed Lo rier, that the larmers apd others living Heino,” as hejormed it, are stolidly imdilerent to the undertaking.” As Mr. Grabam = pithily ree marked;—''i! you were w bold a »:\pence before their eyes with a gold dollar vebind the sixpence tacy would jollar in their eagerness Lo grab the vix- rabam, the IkRALD Free ou the THE FINANCIAL OUTLOOK. When the plon ior the bridge 18 selected then the Moris of the ofticers of the conpany Wi!l be devoted to ring the wecessary funds. Ab presen there pb Coca tut 'ei0,000 ‘bubscribed, aud large expenditure | one of those trustees (and the Board seems pretty | lormity, together with the delay that nignt follow from | quate strain. NEW YORK have been incurred in surveying, mapping, deciding the merits of the plang, && Mr. Graham bas every confidence in the success of th erprise When once jt is fairly under way, It belived by the managers of the several of whom own large tracts of prope Long Island terminus, that the value of property the: would be doubled oy the completion of the bridge, as t would afford immense facilities to the market gar deners and other ple who ure now often com- pelled to journey all th y to Brooklyn in order to obtain quick transportation, ‘Tne assistant of the Bourd of Engineers believes that the whole work on the bridge could be tinished in two years. The residents of Long Island City and of the upper portion of New York are greatly in {avor of the projec}, aud al jously awaiting the fulfliment of the promise m: by the engineers to begin work during the coming sumim: ‘There eeems to Bo doubt that Thomas Pope’s idea of a downtown bridge may become ap actual fact up- town, where, in hig days, the thickly wooded hills of | Manbatan nd were the unexplored precincts which neither commerce vor people demanded, aud when ‘periauger” navigation was acceptabie, and the trop hearted Commodoré earned an honest living by h Vanderbilt terry from the growing metropolis to the bright green bills of Staten Island. THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE, SHALL THE WIRES BE MANUFACTURED OF BES- | SEMER OR CRUCIBLE STEEL ?—AN OPINION FROM ONE OF THE TRUSTEES-—-LETTER OF ABRAM 8. HEWITT, The perplexing question which the trustees of the New York and Brooklyn Bridge buve now to decide is the Kind of steel wire to ve uscd im the cables, The price of the contract for this material will be from $500,000 te $1,000,000; but the present consideration is not so much one of economy as of durable construc- tion A representative of the HeraLp yesterday called upon Mr. Thomas Kinsella, a member of the Board, when the following conversation ensued relative to the great undertaking:— “Sir, Kinsella, have you read the interview with Mr, Ail published in this moruing’s Huxatp concerning the steel to be aged In the cables ot the New York and | Brooklyn Bridget” | “Yes, I have read all that bas appeared in the Henao on tits subject.” “How did the interview of this morning trike you?” “1, in common with, I think, most of the trustees, do not take a very great interest in the controversy between the engineers, because in the muin they are | at issue upon questivns of detail and not on vital is sues, AS between the opinions of one engineer and | another 1 stand by our own engineers, The great point is ag to the kind of steel to be used in the manus facture of the wire, aud on that question I read Mr, Hill’s pamphlet witnagreat deal of interest. 1am evenly divided) who believes that we ought to use cru- cible steel.” THR QUESTION OF SUPERIOR STKE. “What are your reasons for this preterence?” “Well,” replied Mr. Kinsella, ‘the crucible stecl is admittedly a higher grade, and don’t think we can aflord to use any but the highest grado of steel at « | pape ot the work so important, The diffyrence in price is Bot very great; the competition between the mann- fuciurers of crucible steel is -harp and close and the trustees huve a cerminty ol wetting steel of the best sort ut the lowest price. From uli 1 can learn trom experts ubout Bessemer stee!, it cannot be mude of 4 unilorm | quality; aud the cost of udequate tests to insure uui- failure in doimg 80, would, in my judgment, make this | steel as costly u8 that admitted ww be a better steel. 1, | for one, do not Waut to tuke uny risks, and while I shall | be entirely coutent and satisfea to be overruled, I | want to put mysell right on the record.’ Yhat 18 the difference in price between the Bosse- mer steel, under Koebiing’s bid, and the price of the crucible steel offered—the aggregate uinount ¥”” “Between $150,000 und $200,000; and, im a‘work which will cost $13,000,000, 1 think we shouid take no risk in order to save upon the total cust a proportion- ately smail amount of money, “iVhut do you think of Geveral Slocum’s proposition in reply to the Secretary of War, to uppomt au engineer to test the wire supphed, in case the coutract is given to the Roeblings?”” “Well, 1 think It ig & preposterous notion. It seems to bethe habit of our time to run tu the federal yov- ernment tor everythin: If the trustees of the bridge caunot select an eng if one be uecessury, they | might as Well turh over tho whole business to the Louisiana Roturning Board.” BEFORE THY BOARD, “What will be the nature of tac proceedings in the next meeting of the Buurd of irustees?”” “1 huve oot been iniormed veyoud that they are going to consider the bids received tor the wire. [ Should not wouuer, ‘however, if the Comptroller's resolution were reconsidered, because it hus not becn | politic toact upon it, Still £ do nov kuow, and huve talked with no ong upon tue subject,”” Kinsella, how do you regard Comptroller motion to reinvite bids for Bessemer sic@ thought it scarcely fair, inas:nuch asthe Roeb- lings haa bid once. Taeir proposition is kuewn, and tue rival bidder will of course bid a traction lower, which leaves (he Roeblings out. If veheve, however, that we will get very few vids for Bessemer steel wire, us it will Bot come up to the character of the material demanded,” “Do you presuine that there will be any delay in the work o! coustruction op accouut of this debate con- cerning the material 1”? © guarded ugalust that in the purchase of wire now being delivered, aud in the manipulating of fo will secure the prolimimary traming, Abere is ample time for the delivery of tue wire.” MR. URWITT’S LETTER, Wasursuroy City, D. G., Jun. 8, 1877. Hon. Henry C. Mexray, President:— My DEAk SiR—1 bog leuve to acknowledge the recoipt of your juyor of the Sth inst inclosiug a copy of ine proceedings of the Broukiyn Bridge in regurd to the contract of cable wire, At possibie I will eadeavur to attend the meeting oo Thursday uext, bus being in great doubt as to my ability to leave here I deem 1 my duty to address this letter to you, to be laid belure the trustees in the event of my absence, lt seems to ime that the primary question to be decided vy the trustees 18 whether they will rely upon the inspection provided jor in the specification in order to secure (he quality of wire required lor the cables. If they intend to rely upon tue specifications and the bond of the contractor, thea the contract should be awarded to the lowest bidder, wiubout regard to the process by which the steel is muanutac. tured ; 1 other words, #o long as this material 1s stcel, aud it Will stand the tests provided for tn the specilica- tions and & proper inspection is secured, Lbe duty of the trustees 1s discharged when they award the con- tract to the lowest bidder, It appears by (Ge minutes of the Executive Commit- tee that the low fit bia was made by the John A. Roev- ling’s Son’s Couipany, on a sampie murked **R,” at 6% cents per pound. The kivd ot steel which this bia pro- poses to furnish 18 not stuted im the printed table of bids, liter irom the reportot the Chiel Engineer, dated December 18, 1876, tat this wire wus made from Bessemer steel, although | do pot Had anything jn the papers submitted to me which of tho two samples fure nisbed by that company was made from Bessomer steel, Neither du 1 understand that they limit tnem- selves to any special kind of steel, but simpiy propose to deliver 3,400 tous of steel wire Which will’ in ali re spects conlurm to the specitications and be subjected to the tests therem provided tor. It this view of the state of the case be correct I do not sev Low the trustees can do otherwise than award the contract to the John A. Ruebling’s Sons’ Company, in cage they decide to award it at ull, In this event, however, in view ul the personal rela- tion of the Chic! Engmeer to the stockholders of that company, and for the protection of tue honurable repu- tation Which he deservediy enjoys, it seems to ine | that it willbe the imperative duty of the trustees (0 | provide for inspection of the Wire entirely independent | O the supervision and coutrol of the Chie: Kugiteer. | In this particular 1 have po doubt J oly anticipate a request which delicacy und a sense of propricty would have Jed Dim to make to the trustees, i But there still remains the tinal question Whether the | shght comitort | certain patura: genulity which survives even when | peut for the assistance of the charitable public in re- HERALD, SUNDAY, JAN Siemans-Martin process in molting, in which air is blown into the mass of steel. * ‘So fur ag 1 can see, therelore, a proper regara for the public safety requires that tbe trustees ebould either stipulate on the contract that Bessemer steel should | notbe employed tor the manufacture of the wire, or | it mployed the wire should be sy! to dite ferent and more ample tests than are provided for in | the existing specitiations, Those teéts should be made aipeers having bo relations to the contractors, in to protect the trustees and its officers from hos- tile criticism. . Ifthe engincers thus employed should come to th nciusion that it Is DOL idle Lo Vide suitable 4 convenient tests for Bessemer steel, ur if the bid- ders sbi ve unwilling to take contract subject to she tests recommended by the engimeers, then | am clearly of the opinion that the trustees should adver- tise over tor bids, either limiting the material to either crucible or Siemans-Martin steel or admitting Besse- mer steel with such tests as the present state of knowl- edge of that material may prescribe, Un the other band if the John A, Roeblin; Company will consent to the application of such nbie tests for the Bessemer steel, in addition to those prescribed in the existing specifications, it seems to me clear that the contract should be awarded to t 5 except in the contingency tat the vest authorities should conciude that vo adequate tests can be provided tor Bessemer steel when it 18 to be used for wire in the cabi y the yt pena bridg ‘Winle upon ih s paint 1 do not venture to express & decided opinion, I confess that 1 bave such grave doubts that | would not venture to record my vote in | favor of Bessemer steel upon the tests now provided | for in the specifications, und | am convinced that the apparent evonomy involved mm the use o! wire made from this material should uot weigh against the rest involved in its use, unless it cup be more carefully n it now appears to be, in view of the con- hich I deem it my duty to subnet to you rough trustees. | have the honor to be, very respectfully, your ovedient servant, ABRAM 8, HEWITT. PICTURES OF POVERTY. AMONG THE BAXTER STREFT TENEMENT HOUSES—CaSZ8 OF DESTITUTION—EFFORTS OF THE ST. JOHN'S GUILD. it has been well said that one-half the world knows not how the other half lives, and it might be udded bow it languishes and—dies, Betweon the Fifth avd. nue mansion aud the Baxter street tonement there is but slight kinship, Their conceras run differently, aud the concerns of the Buxter street tenement are the greater of the two, Tho large theorvticul charity of the many does not reach them; the curtailed and limited efforts of a few carnest people bring them some solace und assuagement, There aro somo grim, des- porate battles fought against confronting paverty that ‘oue seldom hears of, and “breusting the blows of cir- cumstance”’ is not an unknown heroism inside of many | thresholds where gaunt destitution stands sentinel. A day spent with one of the visiting agents of a char. itable institution would be likely to bring bomo these | prepositionsto any observer. THROUGH DESTITUTE HOMKs, Yesterday a HkRALD representative accompanied one of these gentlemen on bis mission und saw some cases where ‘the shocks of doom’ must indeed bave been felt, ‘fhe tirat place visited was a tenement house in Worth street, not very far from large stores and marts of commerce, There were so:ne bad cases of destitu- tion within ita walls, In one instance the head of the family baa been a sailor, but was now stricken down by iliness. He had known some rough weather, and his ship bad been tossed in flerce gales, but he was now prostrated by juflammatory rheumatism, and his we bad to look to the muintenance of the household. | A dificult task enough it was, There wore six childron, the eldest only thirteen years of age, and then by reg- ular gradations down to the youngest child, which was only a yearold. The effort to rise superior to fate was apparent, Nearly everything bad been suerificed, but the endeavor to maintain cleanliness and decepcy and seli-respect up- peared to have been unremitting and _persis- tent. The children were cleanly looking and | heulthy, but the stove of the trail tenement held a | slender fire indeed, and a pilo of pawn tickets ac- | counted for the scant furnishing of that humblo bhome- stead, In the next room the case was infinitely worse. It waa a small angular room with hardly any light, aod with a fireless stove in the centre, A heap of rags ina corner answered tor bedding aud bedclothes, and three rugged children told the tale that their mother was out | in quest of something Wherewith to live. The men and women “with huivealy compassion in their hwarts,’? who have wept over “Litile Joe's’? death might well | drop a tear over this harder {ato of living, SOME DISTRESSING CASES, A large tenement house in Mulberry street contained many cases of dire disiress und want, In one instance there was a soiltary woman in a miserable apartment. The stove held no fire, the bedstead was empty and fever and ague had paralyzed the weak occupant of the place. She was tottering toward the grave; but the timely charity of the visiting agent brought her some Close by a widow, with two children, gat belore a miserable fire. She was ul with diphthe- tia, und bad scarcely energy enough to express ber gratitude for the relief ullorded her. In another apartment (a: mere ecupbemism to describe the den in which he lived) aa aged man sat crouching over a stove im which a fire had been recently liguted, The stove bad been a stranger toa Ore fora long time, but the chilluess of ihe misery had at all events been dissipated, for a ton of coul had been delivered that morning, Tue old man knew not his benefactor, but his nison lacked nothing of sincerity im consequence, A partuer in bis trouble Was an aged woman, whose chict trouble was nt of some scunt bed ciothing, und there was bo- niece whose leg had been broken and who in equence was a burden instead of a support to the Mopoverished household. SUNSHINE THROUGH THK CLOUDY, | And so on, throughout the whole range of destitu- tion. There were degrees in it, but in all cases it wus Keen, bitter and oppressive. These were not cases of misery brought about by intemperance; on the con- trary It was lor the most part the absolute lack of em. ployment that had paralyzed the bumble economy of such homes. [un various ways, too, were these shocks of fortune encouatercd. Some met them despair- ingly; others with brave resolves and present en- deavors. Scrupulous cleanliness was the rule in many of these wretchet tenements, ‘The floor scrubbed to almost periect whiteness, the little ornu- ments on the chimmey piece and the cheap prints or wood cuts on the walls natural etic = taste «which ihe antugon- ism’ of distress could not altogether vun- quish, Nor were many of them without somo streak of sunshine in their desolation, Where the sanguine Irish temperameat had an abiding place it flashed out now and again In spite of all lets aod bin- drances, und the kindly, Lospitabie zeal of that portion 01 the world’s family Was superior to the terrible dis- trevs which bore so bard against it. Tue broken chair, proflerod with inherent cuartesy. und kindliness, tho apple tendered from the basket which had been dis. played on the street corner valnly—those and other little marks of consideration showed that there is a | poverty bolds sway, Amoug these poor pcoplo, it may be added, the bencvolent ministrations of Sy John’s Guild are weil appreciated, FULTON MARKKT SOUP KITCHKN, At the Fulton Market Kitchen, in a basement cor- ner of Front wd Beek mun streets, the nuinber of the poor daily fed is avout 500. The supplies are turnished | by the Fulton Market peoffe, who contribute from tae businuss belonging to each, Men, women and children are the recipients of this charity, as many us 200 children in one day getting a meal. ‘Tt is proposed to imcrease the supplics of stock, as the applicants for soup continue ‘o 1ucrease 19 numbers, THE EAST SIDE POOR. Rev. D. M. McCaffrey, rector of the Protestant Epis. | copal Chureh of Our Savior, bas written an earnest ap- | specitivations provided for are suincient to secure the deiivety of the wire of & suitably quality, provided it | be made from Bessemer steel. My knowledge of that | material leads me to the conclusion tbat the spectiica- | tions do not afford sullicient protection against the de- | livery of stranas of wire of unsuitwole quality, if they | are made from Bessemer steel The peculiariy of that | waterial 18 thatit 18 apt to Lave weak spots of which | (here 18 uo external indication, “This pecutiarity 1 | provably due to the euclosure of bubbles of wir in the mnass oj tue material oF possibly im the oxidation of miuute particles of the material while the alr is_Leing driven into the mass under high pressure. 1t wil readily be seen (hat no amount o: visual mspection cau | determine in what part of the ingot, the rod, or strand of wire such delects will occur. It is true, bowevor, that a test within certain limits 18 applied by the strain to whieh tue rod is subjected iu beg drawn invo Wire, and in the course of my ob- | servation of the drawing of Bessemer rods l inve ree | Wily seon them Droak wuder apparently very inad. Uniortunately, however, the strain thus produced is not suflicient to’ develop all the detecia, Tudoed, it sometiines happens Chat it 1s just within the breaking limit ot the wire whieh, having tuus been Subjected to a test beyoud its clastic hii, will subse> queutly break at a joad mueb less than that which it has already sustained, I (he view here presented be correct there would appear to be no safety 1m the ye Of the Bessemor wire, ‘unless every straud should be ted for Its entire length to & test adequate to 6 fitness for use iy wcable. Now, te specili- provide that “vue ring tp every lorty siall ve tested by cuvting Of a piece of wire sixty feut 1 Cat weight sba'l be applied so as Wo ind.catette sirength 4 of Wite, until a strain of 1,000 pounds i | Inasmuch ay the other tests upply only to | ces Sixteen inehes lung, Which, lor Bessemer siecl, may be said to be HO test atall, itimay ve sasely ase | sumed that tue specilications do not provide tor aay tosts of entire strands, except such ay will be applied | ww the actual laying of the wire op the cables. It this last was 4 suflisient test then ail the other tests are un. | fevessary and InVOIVe @ Leedless expense. Butnoen- | giueer would be satistied with this tinal test, and hence | the necessity of preliainary trials, Now L think i can | Safely assert that a Wat applied to ity feet cut trom | ove coil in forty, each at least $00 jeot long, is | suifcieut and proper teat to be apply to Bessomer | wire, in View of the peculiarities of that material and | its mode of manufacture, On the other hand It is gen- erally sale to say that such u test would be suiliciout aud proper it tue #leol Were mado of the erucivic or | | ter:— | tor the year 1876, RECKIPTS. Collections from members during tho past year... rs coves $52,024 60 Collections since the organizatio 382,470 OU licving the wants and distresses of the east side poor, Mr, McCalfrey bas already made some progress in this ood work, a» may be seen froin the following let- To tux Epiror or the HRRALD— Since my last acknowledgment of January 64 have received the foliowiug sums from the r Hera PROVISION FOR THE ISLAND. ‘The Commissioners of Charities and Correction held aspecial mecting yesterday afternoon and opened and | accepted bids to the amount of $200,000 for general fupphes for the various institutions under the charge. The following is the annual report of Sergeant Lef- ferts, Presilent of the Police Mutual Aid Assvciation, DISNUMSEMENTS. Paid to the proper ciulmants ot deceased Monbers during the past y ++ $52,324 50 ‘The associmtion has lost members by death during the vo mouths, th hus been collected during that tie and pard tou widows and orphan chiluren of deceaged members, the sum of $452,470, amounting to $169 50 tor gach men- Ver who bas Lelonged 10 the association since its or- ganization, | continued to use her tll tic took to steamboating. | Joud up with melons and | sente TANDERBILTS EARLY DATS, | cenit etree Interesting Personal Recollections of the Old Boatman. HIS TRIALS AND SUCCESSES. Hotel Keeping and Steamboat- ing Combined. STERN METHOD OF REARING CHILDKEN. ——$—— Exizazeratows, N.J., Jan. 10, 1877. Hore, where people from Long Island settled in 1664, live many old people wh> remember the advent of Captain Vanderbilt, In the environs lives one Sander son, an old stage contractor, who was ruined by the Commodore selling out one end of a stuge line without taking bim tuto his confidence. At Newark resid the Wright family, whose head went into East River steam- boating with Vanderbilt in opposition to the regular Providence line, ‘*He was too much tor ine,” old Mr, Wright used to say; ‘he nearly turned my hair white, We were losing money band over band in the Lexing- ton until I said:—*For Gou’s sake, Vanderbilt, stop! we are both ruimed already.’ ‘Keep steady,’ answered Vanderbdiit, ‘I tell you Ill fetch ’em directly.’ He | did fetch ‘em to a setilement, but he never got Wright into any such desperate business any more.” HIS FIRST WIPR AND MOTHER, Phoebe Hand, bis mother, from wbom he derived his force of character, was a native of Scotch Plains, N. J., where Genera! Hand, of tho Revolutionary war, and others lived, She was probably of Scoich Covenauier vivod, as that region was settled after Claverbouse’s massacre of the Camcroniang, She remembered tho | Revolutionary War, which raged flercest in this part o¢ Jersey, and stopped, to a great degree, both production and education. Sho was, therefore, very poor and | worked as a housemaid irom place to place on Staten | Island ontil ste attracted Vanderbilt's father at Port | Richmond, She bad bavds like Mer son, and that natural dropping of the under lip which added to the intense scorniuiness Vanaerbilt’s face could express, 1f Phabe Hand was Scotch, then Vanderbilt was of the Diended racea, Dutch and Scotch, whence the sons of Livingston and Hamilton drew their patience and enterprise, His wile, Sophia Johnson, was of a Port Richmond family, there being several sisters. They were poor, but partially educated, and old people at Port Rich- mond say that Sopbia Vanderbilt, when a girl, went out toseck housework, Like bis mother, bis wife kepta sort of watermen’s and oystermen’s tavern. ‘They were both frugal and laborious to take advantage { of the siender opportunities, FIRST PKRIAUGER, Captain Abel Hatfeld, who inhabits the oldest hou: iu New Jersey, where bis jamily have bad an uninte! rupted freenoldof 210 yours, knew Vanderbilt trom boyhood, and bas kept intimate relations with him since they were watermen inthe Kills, He said to ane correspondent, sitting in lis old farm house on Ehzabetn Creek ‘— Vanderbilt's first vessel was built at Belleville, on the Pussaic, und was called by him the Swiltsure. He took bis wile, while they were engaged, to see this Sloop, rowing and sailing ber all the way from Port | Richmond, Staten lesand, “He next built the Dread, You can get ap idea from | these names of bis sell-imputed type of character, His rst vessel was the Swiftsure, then the Dread, and his first steamer was toe Beliona—to beat, to iutim)- date, to make war, ‘He lost the Dread off Whitehall,” continued Cap- tain Hatfield, **Noching before of since ever mortuted him like that. she sank from being over sparrod, He took her over to Brooklyn and amended ber and He msde in the Dread the only ocean run 1 ever heard of ag @ cousting captain; tor, you kbow, he Was no seaman atall, He was a waterman, a river captain and a shipping merchant until be took to railroads, aud nothing more, The trip 1 speak of he mude to the coast of North Caroliva, to Currituck, to produce, ’ Jake Van Duzer went along with another vessel, and they got aground, By remarkable exertions Vanderbilt floated his sioop olf, got to sea and sold his cargo in New York, while tho others suffered a total loss in their venture. “He was a most determined mun in those days,’’ said Captain Hatfleld, “but not very popular. “He wus too stern and cut people off suappishly, If ne did not want to answer a question be never minded one’s leelings. We never expected that he would be a millionuare, but we aiways admitted his go- Ahead force, Ho carried a scar to his graye made on his breast by a pole which wore into the flesh. He was poling to beat Jake Van Duzer tur pagsengers up through Muttermik Channel, to reach Whitehal: ivalry aroused all bis powers, and thatis why he made such a terrible starter of opposition liacs. “Ho heard, just alter the war of 1812, that two Brit- ash vessels bud arrived inside Sandy Hook. At that time nls brother-in-law, De Forrest, owned half his vossel, Vanderbilt got some barrels of cider, cooked fresh provisions, frat, becr, &c., and started to trade with the British sailors. He was ahead of all competi- tors and disp of his supplies; but he fatigued Do Forrest so much that tho latier said, when they got to Whitenall nderbiit, I want to seil my halt in this sloop right away; and I want the cash, too,’ Thi: incensed Vanderbilt, and he turned right about ona aiied to Staten Island, where bis mother lived. Sho raked about and gave him $250; trom the Johnsons family, his wite’s kin, he got most of the remainder, Next moratng he appeareu before De Forrest. ‘There,’ he suid, ‘take the $500 tor your balf, ‘Ihe boat’s mine, I'l! have no more partners.’ ” HIS FAMILY FROM LONG ISLAND, Mr. J. J, Clute, aged seventy, 18 the historian of Staten nd and lives at Castleton, He is the justice who took Aaron Barr’shand in his, when dying, and @od the fallen statesimun’s name to a depusitjon for a pension, says that the Vanderbilts were not | original Staten Island people, but Long Islanders, I find the following curious confirmation of tb ot in Henry Ondergouk’s ‘Revolutionary Inciaents of Queons County ;"— When General Howe landed from Staten Island on Long Island, August 22, with 15,000 troops, he first struck the American rifle regiment under Colonel Hand. The next day Cornwallis planted a battery near Flazbush church, ‘somewhat west of Jeremiah Van. nd’sriflemen picked off the gunners. | wiore Vanderbilt, as we have seen, married a aud.) The Hon, John Vanderbilt, of Flatbush, pre- ‘a fue bell imported trom Holland” to the Ri formed Daten church at that place in 1796. Cornelius Vanderbilt was vorn abous that time, when Brooklyn | had only eighty Ireeholdere, and uo steam ferryboat was to cross the East River tor yet eightecu years. Captain John Vanderbilt, who ran opposition to Gibbons on the Raritan and to Stevens on the North River, is suid to have been no relative of Cornelius— not a brother, as others allege. THE RELATION OF GIRBOSS TO VANDERBILT. Vanderbilv’s steam navigation life centres around Eligabeth City aga starting pomt, A ferry, originally kept by 2 Frenchman, had existed from Elizabeth Poiut | to New York since the colonization of New Jersey by Philip Carteret. ‘Lhe terry property and good will b longed to Thomas Gibbons, a wealthy planter of Savan- nuh, Gi, at the imesteam navigation was introduced, but he had leased the right to run it for a term of years to Colonel Aarou Ogden, the classmate and bosom friena of Auran Burr. Fulton & Co, having conveyed the right to run steamboats from New York to Brunswick through the Kills to Jon R. and R. J, Live ingston, these buiit the steamer Rariian, 130 by 20 feot, und put her on the line, paying Ogden lor touching at the peint the sume be would have received from pas- But Ogden wanted to make more money by | , how nearly expiring, and Givbona wanted to recover tne lease or force a partnership with Og- den. Gibbons was reputed to be worth $1,000,000; he was a Jawyer and Princeton graduate, whose wile had refused to accompany him to the North. With an phils rd, temper, fire-eating propensities, and | an appetite that exceeded anything known among the ker Puritans of Elizabethtown, Gibbons looked with envy upon Ogden, who had reiused longer to commute with the Livingstons and had bait a steam perimuger at North Belleville N. J, (above Newark), called the Sea Horse. The engines were built by Daniel Dod, of Elizabeth; the hall by: Cornelius Jeruluman, At Belleville, also, Vanderdit had ordered | his sloop, the Switisare, some years before, Afraid | torun his boat to New York, whero sue was liable | to seizure for infriugement of monopoly, Oguen | ran her from Elizabeth Poot to Jersey City, ex changing bis New York passengers at Bediou’s islaud ty a team or horse boat cailed the Substituwion, Beng now Governor of New Jersey Ogden imfluenced the paseage of an act to shut the Livingstons out of New Jersey waters, and making liable to seizure und coulls- cation t boat, the Raritan, which had cost $26,000, A trial eusued before the whole Legislature. Ogden, Samuel L. Southard and Hopkinson wrgued the former's case againat Thomas Addis Emmitt for tho Livingstons, and Ogden was beaten on his own soil. He had, meantime, been “posted” by the furious Gib- bons jor refusing to enter ba eta on such terme as the jutter demandod. They were townstuen, and the excitement ran nigh. To intensity it Ogden bought for ten years exciua:ve rights trom the Living- stons to run stcam vessels between the Point aud New York. He began by fighting monopoly and ended a monopolist, It was at this stage of the battle of cross purposes that Gibbons found Cornelius Vanderbilt, He had ordered two steamers, the Bellona and the Stowdinger, jn 1816. Tne former stuck fast in her slip at Staten Island and could pot be extricated, Vanderbilt, just of age, stood on the pler and said that be'd be damned tf | ‘he couidu’t get her out, Ho pleased Gibbons by his efficiency and was taken for captain, Uibvons, owning a yood deal of Jersey land south of Ehaveth Point, built a new road across the marshes, Vhrew over a toating bridge and ran trom Quarantine Stacion, Staten Isiand, over wn old ferry lease, to Elizabeth, He exchanged bis passengers at the mouth Kills, Litigation followed with Ogden, Gibvous pleading his own case, ried it up from court to Court, abd foal.y tu the Supreme Court of tue United ARY 14, I877.-QUADRUPLE SHEET, — States in 1824, when he won the inestimable victory of free navization in steakn, and opeved it for the compe tition of kind, Im the course of this contest tween Ogden and Gibbons Vice President Tompkins and Noah Brows conceded certain ferry rights to Gib- bons. Vanderbilt, who married in 1813, lived a part ota year in the uito-ridden marehes pear Gib- bons’ uew rege at, Elizabethpert, ‘the Beliona and Ogden’s boat, the Atalanta, were daily objects, going and coming over tho Kiils, The former was com- pleted in 1817, and ber wheelhouse ornaments ure now exhivited in Vanderbilt’s office, Wasningtou place. Nason Ogden failed, and had to be provided for by the creation of a customs district at Jersey City, ‘Thomas Gibbons ded in New York. His son, Wiilta Gibbons, built 4 residence #t Bottle Hill, near Madiso: N. J.. which Daniel Drew purchased for the Di Theological Seminary. Thus do the lives of gre projectors cross their orbits in a century. INTERESTING ANECDOTES OF VANDERBILT. very httle mone; thau did he running opposition, She lent him the money he required on many an important occasion, saying a few years ago:— “He couldn’t pay for the salt we used.” Mre, Vunderbiit logt her sanity tor a briet period, but recovered it betore her death, and left among her children quite a sum of money. “Cornelius,” the oid tady at the table, when one of the boys being peeled off, “you can’t ex- pect your children to be as talented a3 you are,” “Tdon't like the Johnson in ‘em, answered the Commodore. A geutieman who visited New Dorp, where be nad a farm, heard the Commodore exercising some murine despotism upo: eldest son, “Vanderbilt, children airaid of you; {t won't do,’? He employed his brother Jacob as a captain, but one day, seeing that he had purchased a machine to clean knives and forks, swore that be should be discharged: Seeing that the Commodore was merciless avout tt, Van Duzer, bis brother-iw-law said:— “Cornelius, if you discharge Jake, don’t you ever dare to speak to me again or cross my doorsiil,”’ He never succeeded with bis steumships on the Euro- pean pazsagé, beciuse he kept the table living so lean and poor, Ev made his cruise, was personaliy reguiated as to sup- pss by himsi jaunching stick on the blocks, declared that she wouldn’t go to sea in it, but she did. He fed the peo- | ple good enough for their meagre expectations on the Living frugally bimselt on tea and | isthmus line, fruit, he thought the World was Ted too much. His sea c\ptalns, Who stuck to him with great fidelity, got the most meagre wages. He examined his accounts with a memory und 4 severity tbat was the great secret of his accumulations, Favors were seldom shown to any one, With equal biuntness a very old Metuodist cap. tain, Whom be employed, sent him word in a danger- ous iliness he bad : * “Tell him that | say he must repent or he'll be damned!” in carly life he was quite gallant and bis sea cap. tains were jeulous of him, He seldom ussented to any request with eituer speech or courtesy, but did a tayor without saying he would, A friend ‘said to him of a grandson; “Vanderbilt, that's a yery well behaved young man, You ought to do sumethi: for bim,"* “t know him better than you do," said the Commo- dore. **And, sure enough,’ added the relator, “the young fellow didu’t turp out much,” ‘His movber and wife had religious conclusions of their hives. His mother was asked by a gentleman if | she hadn’t her trunk packed to make the Norton Star excursion, “My trunk as packed for a longer journey than that,” she unswered, solemnly. This was repeated to Vun- derbilt, and tears came to his eyes, He stopped to see her as he returned, beng set ashore tor that purpose. He also thought very wuch of bis wiie’s sister, Jano Robbins. When tho New Jersey Kailroaa was opened to Hightstown an accident happened by tho train siriking a stump. Vanderbilt’s ribs were broken and one of them driven into bis body, so us to make itg| probable that he was internally injured. He looked out of the window and saw a cabin, | “Tuke me over there,” be exclaimed. He sentat onco for Jane Robbins and Dr. Linsly, Linsly wanted to bring in Dr. Mott as associate piysician, “No,” suid Vanderbilt, **Nobody else.’? At Jine’s death he showed emotion and pressed the hand of a gentleman at his side, His bodily powers continued to his seventicth year, He said to Cuptain Hetworth, in 186 “fet’s pull unis yaw! ont to thut yacht yonder.” “I'm done pulling oars,” said Hetworth, “Get in,” said the Commodore; “Ili take you out’? And he sculled like a boy, at seventy-one. He woult not fusure his vessels, thinking It a ‘waste of money: For that reason the government was about to reject the Ariel ag a mail and treasure ship. “What's the matter?" said Vanderbilt, “tin insure the treasare, ’” His New York residences wore Stone street and East Broadway. He drove down Nassau street every morn- ing to his office on Bowing Green with a pair of five horses toa buggy. Later ip life his office was trans- ferred to his Wushington place residence, where lived Waruel, tor forty yenrs tia bookkeeper, “TL could take $100,090 in bonds from him,’? said Wardol, ‘and be wouldn't know it.” His rel‘gious nature was neglected, Ho. went oc- casionally to church, and one Sunday, with a friend, stopped ut the Littie Dutch Reformed church of Port Ricumond, where the De Groots, Van Pelts and other captains lie buried. Alter listening a whilo he whis- pered to his iriend, "That's extra good preaching, ”? His love for horses was induced by u bet he mado about 1820 that he could produce a wiles an hour, and he won the movey, Horse talk had fascination for him as tor General Grant, aud Harker, his lucky friend. is said to have got his “points” in tinauce by entertaining the Commodore with horse talk, Yethe waschary about helping people to bo rich, gud -particulurly bis relatives, He worked for ‘one or two motives only, among which were love ot gain, rivalry and, sometimes, resentment, He bar- gained hard end sold without chailering, He built the Vanderbilt to break up Collins, whom, be said, had lied about him at Washington. She was an elephant on bis hunds and he gave her to Mr. Lincoln, an inter- | view having been arratiged by *Pet’? Halstead, ot Newark, his inan of ail work. Lincoln said, ‘Com; modore, I didn’t Know you had such a fine pair of biuck eyes.” Ju politics he was a Clay man as long as Henry Clay lived, and used to play cards with Clay in Washington, He said that the government cheated him in the war, and he would have no more dealings with It on credit. When George Law had the l’residential mania and was indorsed by the Peonsylvania Legislature, Van- derbilt was put up by Haistead, Hetileid and others as New Jersey's enudidate. He had 4 response written to the legisiutive committee. Huistead wanted to change some things in 1th at. IL don’t wantthe Presidency, but I want to burst George Law. Take that to Bennett, of the Heratp, to publish it.?? IIS GosPxL, He believed that man must labor, keep his word and credit, be trank yet prudent and guard his appetites, to attain success, There was nothing sinister about him, but yet he was a eps and a satirist ou bis fol- low man’s rectitude. He hid a selfish gospel, a short code and httle or no mervy. Whatwe had to admire io him was his contidence and consistency and the work he left behind him, He was a financier and man of business more nearly than arailroad man. 1t was not ball so great a work to consolidate and complete the New Yurk Central | Railroad as to provide funds and fight off attacks upoa 1s credit and recurities. Every woment of the aay for years the shrowdest schemers in Wall street were planning now to rob Vanderbilt of his fortune, could not expect a particic ot money or assistance from a living soul if they should ever get him down, He would not give his coniluence even to his relutive. And therefore Vanderbilt, ever. ou guard, becume himself | merciless aud a cynic, if he was uot mady so origin- ally. Tho genial side of bis character, however, some- times came out in conversation or ‘repartee, and be did one large charity for a Methodist college im a war- overriden State. Goth Vanderbilt, a bull for all his later life, and Drew, a beur forever, foundgd Metho- dist institutions. These men were provably persoual rememberers of Wesiey, had heard their mothers speak of Whitetield, und had, perhaps, known Asbury. They mark in their’ eventiul lives the vast compass ft Mothodism rum its beginning in tho elds and frohe | tiers to 118 Metropolitan and cosmopolitan power. URNTURY PLANT, Cornelius Vander vilt was born 23, 1704, on the most appropriate spot for the ushering ‘in of such a spirit in North America, Island, under the heights, a few rods trom the shore, and within sight of tho whole inner bay, from the Narrows to the Palisader, The cottage !s not now stundinug. It was a small trame structure, tts gable pointing, Duten fashion, to the road which ran pust the front yurd along the north shore of the island, ‘Two large villages Lave since grown ap in the vicinity, the nearest catied Stapleton. At that day the pilots of the smail youag city lived mamly on staten Lsind, and these were the only residenis of acifve character, as a forest covered tire lolty heights and the marshy kills aud basing were not open to agriculture, ing the Revolutionary War, whose _ hero, Washington, was now President of the United States, Staten Island had veen a royal and tory camp, filled with Governor Frankita’s retugees froin Jersey, aud the city of Perth Amboy, at the other eud of the isiand, bad been New Jersey, About the time of Vanderoiit's birth a stage road to Puiladelphia passed through Staten Island, Another began at Hiizavethport, about #ix tiles from the Vanderoilt cottage, and tue commerce O: the Workd was beginning to ud the way from the tortuous and shoal channel of the Deiaware through the rocky gates of New York. ‘The young Dutchman ‘was thus brought into the world at the dawn of a great century and in sight of its principal theatre, 1U8 JUVENILE WORLD. As he looked out trom the windows of his father’s cottage he could see the clamp ot New York, and not one object that now remains except ihe Duich church, -recently our Post Ofiice, and St. Yaul’s was prominent iu the View. ‘Trinity church, ag it now exists, was uot th Brooklyn Herguts were almost bare. Jersey City had not commeneed, but there was a hudule of old houses on Bergen Hill, The terry boats were periaugers, pulled by oar or worked by horses and sails, We bad no ships-ol-war to speuk of, no steam- ‘boats Whatever, no torts of any note, and the popula- tion of New York city was but 70,000, From thts beginning Vanderbilt lived to see the vir- tual completion of the whole inland, river and railroad system of America—75,000 niles of rai, the Missitaipp: itself jettied, the ecean cabled, the deciine of both American aod foreign shipping, the opening of the Suez Canal aud the Pacifle Kuilrond, He lived to sce Staten Island mse and decay, The Ouly rusiroad across (hat island (abouttwelve milte) was wid this man, “you are making your | the North Star, in which be | His wile, sveing this vessel av the | jorse to Walk five | o,?? suid Vanderbilt, “you shan’t dot an { or cross He | Lt was on the slope of staton | od, bi almost a court city, | nearly rivalling New York, aud it was tho capital of | died at Port Richmond in 1836, forty seare pro. baldi resided withi few rods of Vi it's Darts vi and made candles for bi: men, > nor Meneet, The latter was nearly killed at the explo- sion Vanderbilt's ferry steamer Westfield in 1572, ‘The year Vandertilt was born the government resolved. to build @ navy owing to the depredations)ot the Alge- | rines, and when he was six: vcars'old we, had 4,000 ea- | hsted seamen and about #00 guns. By tho time be was @ young man we had 100,000 registered seamen in the United States, und were the terror of the seas, Van- derbiit has seen the great commodores of our navy the water front of h:s futher’s house, ready lor baitie, und he helped bring sm the prizes, He knew Robert Fufton < ‘sight, who died when he was twenty yours old, aud he knew every hasuales of New York from Nick Siddie and Jacob r to Jay Cooke and Jay Gould. Garle RIVER PIRACY S{MPLIFIED. | A SHORE OF HANDSOME HOUSES RENDERED AC- CESSIBLE TO ROBBERS—WORTHLESS RIVER POLICE. , i | The Long Island shore, extending from the Hunter's Point Canal,to. Bowery Bay, facing on the East Rivers including Ravenswood and Astoria, offers many adiwir- able sites tor residences. This fact is appreciated, and many geutlem@ of wealth have built handsome res!- dences along the coast, which they inhabit not only as | summer resorts but as dwellings to be occupted during the entire year. With all tho pleasant attributes of the vicinity, tt cannot be denied that the houses, as they are now de- fended, ure remarkably easy of access by thieves trom the river or even from the shore road, Among the humerous handsome abodes along this shore are those ot Messrs, Sanford, Hillier, Comb, Langman, P, Free- man, Brooks, Joba G. Freeman, Luyster, Wylie, Wy- nants, Nelson, Harris, Stevens, Pinney, Blackwell and Halsey. The plots of ground on which these and otber dwellings not pamed are built, with possibly two | or threg exceptions, border directly at the water’s edge | and extend back to the road called Vernon avenue, which is a distance of at least 200 feet, These lots vary in width, butall have a considerable frontage on the East River. From the dwellings to the water slope beauti+ | Jul lawns, which are adorned with trees and ghrub- bery, aud in thesummer season they present delight fully picturesque appearances. Buatthese same trees and shrubbery might furnish ample means of concesl- went to a large number of robbers, who would find it necessary to steal their way from a boat on tho river | to any of the houses, should it bo necessary to uso stealthy means in approaching the dwelling, which now, ull admit, itis not, The houses stand from sixty | to pinety feet from the water ana are further from the road than the river, ? ‘THE RIVER FRONT OPEN, foot of the lawn, in a few instances, are wooden fences, and s¢verat of these are surmounted with pickets of the samo material, But the fences are not bujlt at the base of every lawn; and even where they are erected, though they stund from six to ning tect in height, arobber who had the slightest experi. ence, with the prospect of a rich ‘crib’? ouly a few feet beyond, and who anticipated no interference until the desired goal was reached, would have no difficulty Whatever 1u scaling one of them. Aa alert cumber conid put hituself from the river bank between the fence and the house in Jess than,sixty seconds, aud where there 1s no fence » walk to the bouse is simple enongh. At the CONVENIENT STAIRWAYS, Nearly all the tamilies residing along this shore own | bouts of some description aud have boathuuse: abe the bauk, on top or near the top of the river wal (which 18 built of stone), with a thght of stairs leading down to the water to assist them in reaching their vessels with facility. A man or party of men landing atthe foot of these steps would encounter no obstacle to prevent their cary ascent ol the steps which would bring them into the boathouse. Such a plan ot action could be readily carried out at low water, when the top of the river wall 13 about eight feet trom the sur- fuce of the water. At high tide the steps would not be required, as the water Is then only abogt two feet tym the top of the wall. r fr There is a saying which gives people to understand that there 1s no use in locking doors to keep out rob- bers. It may be true that the people of Astoria and Ravenswood carefully bolt and lock their doors and windows beiore retiring at night; but, if the maxim be | true, burgiars will effect un entrance into one oi these houses if they are not prevented from getting close | enough to it, There 18 no doubt that a crowd of rut- s succeeded in éntering Mr. Hiiler’s house a week ahd itis probubly a fair assumption that, if not the same party, another will endeavor to rob some other residence in the same neighborhood alter they consider the little obstruction experienced by Party No. 1 and the eusy meuns of escape trom the shore, THE POLICH CORPS. To ascertain something of the police system of | Long Isiand City a HERALD reporter culled at the First | precinet station house, or Police Headquarters, ut Ax- toria, yesterday, and learned from Sergeant Darcy, who Was in charge, some interesting facts, The ser. geant said that Long Island City embraced an rea of ground about six miles long by over three miles wide, bounded on the south by Newtown Creek aud on the | north by Bowery Bay. This district 14 divided into two | precincts, the First extecding trom the Hanter’s | Pot Canal to Bowery Bay, avd 18 probably 200 per cunt larger than the Second. The entire ery is guarued | by one captain, two sergeants, two acting sergeants | and thirty men, seven of whom are detailed fo. special duty. No patrolman has 4 post of less than a tnile and aquarter in length, while several have beats of three miles to patrol. Inthe First. preciuct the tirst post, trom the extreme northern portion of the city, Tuns west to Newtown avenue, one mile and a hail. ‘The second post takes in Main street to Fulton, ong mile anda balf, The third post, where the recent rob- beries have been made, extends trom Falton down | Vernon avenue to Webster avenue, a inileand a quarter. ‘Phe fourth post runs trom Webster avenue down Vernon avenue, to Tenth sir to Hunter’s Point, takiug ta the Ruvenswood sbore'road. s'rom Pot Cove to the northern extremity of the city there 1s no officer, ‘There are but twelve regular patrolmen in the First recinct, It will thus be seen that the number of poy icemen in the place is laughably inadequate toa proper guarding of the:peace. ‘Take, for example, the vicinity of Mr. Hillier’s house, The houses thereabout stand over 125 feet from Vernon avenue. The officer on duty on that beat post of nearly a mile and a halfin length. on the ‘enue, and {8 not allowed to cnter the garde! of the residents unless he notices something suspicious going on jn one of them, Assuming that he was pass- ing Mr. Hillier’s gate during the time that the masked burglars were ransacking the house, it is highly prob- able that be would have seen nothing, beg so far away. Even hud a shot been fired within the house, shui up as it was, 1 16 doubtful that the report would have been heard on the road. 1t caunot be expected thata policeman on Vernon avenue should see every small craft that goes up and down the mver on an or- dinarily dark might. There are oulya few places where the oflicer approaches the shore within 200 feet, ‘There are si ull coves running into the shore, and burgiars in a buat who were aware of the move- monts of the police could easily secrete themselves until the patrolman had passed the place who desired to land, To any one visiting the shore it ve comes at once apparent that a lar,er guard 1s essential to protect the intereats of the residents, LACK OP PROTECTION ON THE RIVER, It seems hardly possible that a shore police could do ail that was required in a case Hike thatof the attack on Mr. Hallier’s fumity, There is no river police oa the Long Island. coait, but Police Captain Woods is ardently advocating the introduction of one to cruise | along the shores ot Ravenswood and Astoria, at leas: He says that only a small boat 18 required, abo the size of the launch used at the Hell Gate gover ment works, but without it river pirates can come and go almost as they please. The New York police bout | Seneca, which cruises in the Ease River, has no juris+ diction’ in Long Islands waters, and at present the Long Island river frout 1s literally upprotected, ‘The reporter, a few days ago, had a short con- versation with Mr. Richard Sanford, who resides in the next house to Mr. Hillier, when that gentlemen adinitted the houses along the ‘shore were very puorly protected from thieves who came by the rive je said that the people in the neighvorhood had o| talked about taking extra precauuons against such an attack, but did no more, He could not say What steps would now be taken, THE PREDOMINATING FEAR. Perhaps a fair illustration of the etfect that the con- duot of the recent masquerading party bus had on the | people ot Astoria can be had in qn old gentleman whow | the reporter passed after he left Mr, Santoru’s house, | The reporter was making his way, in the face of the | Whistling east wind, Ubrougk the driving, sieety rain which was descending and being blown along at a | piercing rate, with hat well pulled down over the eyes vo keep it firmly on the bead, and with overcoat closely buttoned about tte cars, When ho hove in Bight of the old gentioman alluded to. ‘The old gentleman, on | seeing a stranger, grasped his umbrella tghtel 1, | a the two passed each other, the old gentleman eyed | the writer suspiciously, and brought the umbrella, which the wind would not admit of bis spreading, up against his shoulver, as if it were agun, and seemed to Prepare to tire on the first evidence of anatinck, It occurred to the reporter that the old gentleman had | lately been studying up the manual of arms, tp antici. pation of an attack, and imagined that he held in his hand the newly purchased and already much used gun when ho met the reporter. BETRAYING HIS TRUST. Charles Bergman, who said he had no particular Fesidence and was a varnisher by trade, was arraigned vetore Justice Utterbourg, at the Washingwon Place Court yesterday, vy Oiicer Kenney, of the Eighth precinct, charged with stealing 1,500 cigara, value $40, and an overcoat, trom his former employer, John W. Campbell, of No, 141 East Eighth street, The coat was found in bis possession when urrested. He was bold Jor trial in detauit of $1,000 bai OF A TREASURY OFFICIAL, Visit esate eeu prop ty. ely a aat be Mr. Tingle, Supervising Special Agont ot the United 01 east) Shore ferry to New York, 1 y Years the island enjoyed grewt prosperity, and was btn Treasury Deparvaons, wae 10 Now York yopuans the home of the Cunards, Duncans, Lows and | 4Y, but for what purpose is not understood. itis other notable famines, but of late the agues bave much prejadiced tts ren! ostute aad the Commodore bas sel- dom visited 1, Athong the men who lived there in his nhood were Vice President Tompkins, after ff the villages is gumed, wud Awron Burr | particular branch of the serv! thought, however, that the Secretary of the Treasury has deapatcbed his chief ageuts to the Northern ports to consult with the special treasury agents in regard to sinugkling and other matters connected with thi of ’

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