The New York Herald Newspaper, April 6, 1877, Page 4

THE STATE CAPITAL. Progress Made with Brooklyn's Reform Bill, SAVINGS BANKS AGAIN. . A Measure for Their Supervision and Organization, “OLD SALT” IN A ROW. Atsayy, April 5, 1877. ‘This was an unimportant day im either house. The bill of Mr. Bradley’s reducing the Brooklyn Commis- sloncrs from three to one nead, was progressed in Com- mittee ot the Whole, and bas every likelibood of veing passed, The chief point Bradley mado was that it was just a8 propor and consistent to have three Speake: of the House or three presidents of a bank, as to have three heads of # city department. The special order tm the Senate to-day was postponed till to-morrow, A SAVINGS BANK TULL. In Committee of the Whole Senator Baaden’s bil, Telative to savings bauks was discussed and recom- mended to a third reading. As this bili ts of very great ynterest to a muititude of people in New York city who put their earnings in savings banks, I give it here in full, and it reads as tollows:— Sxevi0x 1.—Section 33 uf Chupter $71 of the laws of 1875, entitled “An act to conform the charters of ull savinus Duhks or institutions tor savings to a unitoruiity of powers, rights and Habilities, aud to provide for the orzauisation of savings hunks, for cheir supervision and tor the administra- * "passed May 17, 1875, is hereby follow he duty of the truste the rate of interest or div upon the deposits tore vi a profits rorporation after deducting necessary and reserving such amount as the trustees may dient us u surpius fund for the security of deposit. tothe athount of fifteen per cent of their deposits, ¢ irostees of any such corporation are hereby uuthorized vradually to sccumulate und hold, 10 me : cney or loss in ite budiness from m of Its. securities or otherwise; , that the trustees of nny such may classify their see, 3B. sorporutio po the tien character, awount and dui corparation, an. regula in such manner that each depositor shall recel Ty sip proportion of interest or dividends w: elas t It shall be unlawful any it tor ‘exeopt any semi: third day of any month, of the three days of the month may upon them for tne whale of the pe- so deposited or withdrawn. No divi- nds or interest shall be declared credited or paid except the wathorit f the board of trastess, duly'en- nw tered upon the hereon record: yeus and nays uy and whenever any interest or dividend ty in oxcens of the faterest penring to or profits the credit of the corporation, the trustees voting for such dividend shall be jointly und severally lable to the corporstion for the amount of such excess so declared and credited, Andit shall be the daty of the trustees of any such corporation whose surplus amounts to fifteen per cent Of ity deposits, at least ouce in three years, to divide equita- tly the accumulxtion beyond such authorized surplus ax an extra dividend to depositors, in excess of the reguinr divi- dends hereinbefore authorisud. section 34 of said act is hereby amended so as to per cont of surplus held b; ni aying stocks wud bouds shail not be estimated above ti F value or above their market value if below pur; its bonds and mort gises on which | the ure Bo arrears of interest for 's longer period than six months shall be estimated t their fuce, und its real estate at wot re cost. Con- ‘or bonds mortgages as for'six months or more, and con 0 . ¥4.—In determining th any savings bank, its inte and he may chan; m time to cording as he may obtain other and farther informa- tion, Src. 3. Section 36 of said act is hereby amended so as us toliow: make » report in writing to th Bankiug Department, and in suc! I pre- scribe, of iteconditious on the morning of the first days of January und July vreceding. cd, Section 45 of naid set is hereby amended s0 as to jail be the duty of the trustees of every sav. such Ings bank, by a committee of not less than three o! trustees, on or abont the first day of Janunry and J ach yeur, to thoroughly examine the boo! uesets of such savings a the state: to the sup lirst of ¥ ry and July in each yeur al minxtion und shall be. veri majority of the trustees maki ation, nothing herein contained shall be construed ax probiviting the trustees of any savings bank from requiring such ex @minations at such other times uy they shull prescribe. DEFEATING RAPID TRANSIT, The Railroad Committee of the Assembly concluded this afternoon to report adversely the bill in favor of Fapid transit, Mr. Stephen O'Hare dissenting. justify- ing my hopes that he would act an honest and inde- pendent part, and the people will remember him for it, Put down all the rest of the committee, and I shall give their histories m a day or two as being ‘governed and ied’? by the atrect railroad compunies.’ Why snould these fellows from the coun- ‘try presume to say what is right and proper tor New York city? Lot ussee if they con stand up against the avalanche of public opinion. THE SINKING FUND BILL, The bill relative to the sinking iund commissions wus discussed at length in the Committee of Cities of the Assembly, and those who spoke agatast it were William Allen Butler, Jobo 8. Starfhn, C. H. Malloy and Wheeler Powell. Those who spoke im its favor wero Edward Fitch, 0. B. Potter, William H. Webb and George Op- dyke. Mr. Butler showed that there was an evident ubconstitutionality in appointing the Chief Justice of the Superior Court one ot the appointing power, Mr, Potter argued in favor of the bill, but was interrupted by Mr. Fish, who considered that the bill was in evi- dept need of amendment, and he would ask another day for its consideration in committee, COPPER AND PISTOLS NOT NEEDED. ‘The chief teaturo of to-day’s debate m the Assembly was the remark of Major Gere that found invuriavly voting in the interest of this cor- poration or that, Olid Alvord replied that he who Made the observation wag a foul-mouthed liar, but the disparity of years betweeen the men saves us from the occurrence of any tragic result. Major Gere was one of the most gullant offivers inthearmy. He is a gentlemon of means to whom the salary ot a legisiator 1s a trifle, and 1D this session and the last he bas always showu himself a friend of the people and of good government. Mr. Alvord’s insult will go for what it is worth, und that js the end of 1, GAME LAWS, The House was in seasion ull the evening on Brown’s Dill relative to the Gam HOIST OX THEIR OWN PETARD. The repubitcun Senators having agreed to suspend the rulo requiring executive sessions to be held only On certain duys in the month, it was supposed Gov- ernor Robinson would be induced to send in a nomina- tion for Superintendent of Public Works, but the Gov- ernor, as he mformed your correspondent to-day, says he i8 resolved not to send in apy name, and bis reasons ure very clear and cogent. He says that there are only three week leit betore tho naviga- tion of the canals opens. In that time he thinks a Dew superintendent would have no decent show of de- monstrating the Wisdom aud utility of the constitn- tionalamenument abolishing the Canal Commissioners gad substituting an engineer in their place. said also that from his ti urs’ experience on the Canul Board he was satisfied that to make this tentative trial of a new superintendent, with all that it implied, the appointment of deputy engincers, deputy collectors and deputies in other ways, should have a reasonable amount of time accorded to it, and this he thought was not given, He considered, and with some focling ex- pressed himself upon the maiter, that the Chic! Magis. tzate of the State of New York should bave been treated with a little more courtesy by the Senate, Dim personally it was a matter of Indifference how u @ acted, but as Governor of New Y. State the mere office he thought should have been deemed of some consideration, NOMINATIONS. The Senate, attwelve o'clock, went into executive session, when the following nominations of the Gov- ernor were confirmed :—Edwaurd Tootill to be Harbor Master of the port of New York; James M. Oakley, of Qu county, and David W. Judd, of Richmond county, to be Commissioners of Quarantine, THE NEW CAPITOL. A SCATHING MINORI1Y REPORT OF THE CAPITOL COMMISSION—THE MAJORITY MISLEADING THE LEGISLATURE—MILLIONS AND MILLIONS MORE MONEY WANTED. ALBasy, April 5, 1 The following report of the minority of the Finance Committee on the New Capitol was presonted to the Sonate to-day :— ‘The undersigned, a minority of the Finance Com- , Submit the following report with rolerence to jestion relerred to it sr apo bamely;— "i r the new Capitol shoula be constructed ac. H ede ¢ xiatiog pee and, if not, what modifica- Core i air Judgmeat should’ be made” That they find im the report of the majority BO consideration plana, excopt with roierence of s change of style in extension of the jngle point of it of view it presents but one fae of a question upon which the testimony Uelore tho stent, ot least, con- The undersigned, however, do not assumo to Solgnentes oy ineereee ene ame a question of ’ ectural preperetion, tel Jett in obscurity 10 to First—They ae the : ba ro i rs tbat cost of completi pew wader the present plaids, exclusive the domo and approaches, would, according to tbe bids received igom responsible contractors, with ample security, be @ hitle over $3,500,000, and thas of this amount $2,200,000, oF two-thirds of all, is re- ired for the imterior work. ‘The more im- portant chan; fn nlp ng ah pennies tne as of the building vy the present commissioners ve been in the interior, The occasion for these changes was set forth in a report lavt year given to the Senate. Briefly, 1% was stated that the commission found the walls improperly constructed aod incoa- venient, uncouth, awkward and poor, yet extr: Frrangements and style of work in the sembly chambers, the Court of Appeals and in tho corridors, staircases and approaches of the building. No attempt has been made to show your committes that theae charges were in any manner unfounded or exaggerated. During the iast year DEPECTIVE WALLS bave been removed and sound oues built in their Place, and various arches, piers and other structures necessary to make the buildiug safe aud strong buve been erected. Your committee was promised by coun- sel appearing be:ore it that some of the more import- ant of the changes would be shown to be unnecessary, undesirable, even objectionabio aud wholly extravi gant Li an attemps was made to fulfil these promises itentirely failed, The undersigned aro satisiied irom persoval examination and the general testimony of experts that ail changes bave been generally to the advantage of the butiding and the credit of tho com- mismon which bas red them. RTANT FIGURES Annexed to the report of the majority a statement of @ comparative coat 1s given as follows :— Cost of completion of building as per pres- eut design... $4,386,837 76 Cost of terrace... 851,007 00 237,484 76 245,222 00 Difference in favor of old pian. + $992,212 76 This statement, without quuitication or explanation, The terrace referred to ig placed on feet above the grade of aajoining streets, woich shall be less formidable, both in appearance and fact, than & straight, uninterrupted stairs of sixty steps as was contemplated in the plans It is @ tentative study of one of several methods of accomplishing that object, and hus hot been considered, certainly uot approved vy tue commission, The commission was of opmion that some expedient of the kind would be found necessary henever the buildings in front of the Capitol should bo removed, und in compliance with tbe law of 1876 a report of ita cost was procured, If nothing of tue kind ig needed, us t# assumed in the estimate of the cost of proceeding under the old plans, or i! uveded 1% 18 thought that a less costly structure will answer the the item should be removed trom @ statement of the cost alike for botn viang ‘This alone would make the comparative stutement more tavoraSle to the new plan by the sum oi $850,000, Furtbermore, it should be understood by (he Senate that the comparative statement neither tukes account of the obligations of outstanding con- tracts jor supplies and work upon the building nor of the expense that must be incurred in taking down the work which would bo made useless by the proposed RETURN TO THE OLD PLAN AGAIN, It should be known that while.the two sides of this 4 aro presented as equally authentic, and al- the commitice was promised trustworthiness of the estimate of completing the building accordug to the old plans woula be proved by bids trom respousi- ble parties, no such bids have been presented, and their value depends entirely on the judgment an accuracy of tbe architect, who, in 1867, and again in 1869, estimated the cost of the entire buliding, dome and approaches included, at less than $4,000,000, the outlay upon it baving now already exceeded $7,000,000, MISLEADING TUE LEGISLATURE, Finally, that this comparative statement of coat may be seen in its true light, 1t should be known that, with Teference to the pew plan, it 14 not based on the lowest Dids received, these in some cases having been sot aside by the commission on account of intor- Maulities, which muy be corrected. Accepting these bids, tho amount given as the cost of gowg' on with the pew plans would be turtber reduced vy more than $100,000, .he minority therejore feel safe 1u assuming that the state- ment which the majority has adupted should rank with many others which heretofore irom time to time have led the: Legislature so widely astray. 1t is us- serted by tu? majority of the committee that there ‘Was Do authority given the New Capitol Commission to make avy changes in the style of architecture of the building, but just what the can only be interred ite Jaw of 1875 required approval by the commis sion of the completed pluns and spec.fiations, There Were no such plang in existence at tbut time. They had to be prepared, and were so prepared ate In 1875 ‘and were not completed until January 17, 1874, a8 ap- pears by the report of the Commissioners to the Sen- ‘ate lust year. ‘These, when complete, the commission did not approve Now. plans were’ then, thereiore, necessarily prepared, in which extensive changes were Proposed in all paris of the building uot yet actually constructed, These new plans were luid by the com- Legislature aud roceived its un- xcept the compuratively unim- portant part of them against which as invoiving the change of style the remonsirance of certain architects bad veen received. ‘ue question of approving th part of the new plans was by the act of 157 referred to the Land Commission and the Govern, and by them it was finally and legally determined. Inthe Judgment of the undersigned the commission has not exceeded its authority, but bas rendered the State ser- Vice of great value in OVERCOMING GLARING DEFECTS of portions of the old plans, and in laying before the Legislature in 1876 an estimate of the total cost of com- plcving the butlding, which is pow verified by actual ids from competent contractors, secured by proper bonds, so that whether this work 13 hercaiter done in part or entirely by contract, the State has, for the frat ume in its history, the assurance of knowing what it will cost. Ip view of the fact, moreover, that a revern to the old plan would involve the loss of a large ex- penaltare for work already done upon the upper story of the building during the past yeur, the recommenda- tion of the majority 18 clearly too abwolute tu be recon- ciled with a truly economicai policy. The undgysigued bave confidence im the ability of the present commission to deal wisely with the architectu- Tal question ag with all others, and to it they revom- mend that the whole matter be again referred, 3. H. HAMMOND. I concur generally in the above, but do not wish to be regarded as expressing coutidence in the estimates of the costs of completing the building mado by either of the disagreeing architects. On the contrary, 1 am satisiied that the building complete in every way will cost at least $10,000,000 more than has already been expended, Neither do I wish to be considered as con- curring or upproving the new plan for the exterior ot the building. It is # question of architectural taste, And my opinion concerning such a matter is worthy of no consideration, JOHN C, JACOBS, INSURANCE INVESTIGATION. MR, ENGLISH’S EVIDENCE CONTRADICTED-—MR. FURBER EXPLAINS THE RELATIONS OF THE UNI- VERSAL WITH SEVERAL OTHER COMPANIES— FACTS NOT DISCOVERABLE IN COMPANY LEDGERS. ’ Aupany, April 5, 1877. The Insurance Committee resumed its investigation at hall-past nine this morning. Previous to tho re. sumption of the testimony the committee went into executive session, and it is understood thas Mr. #loya Jones made @ notice to discontinue the investigation and make a report. What was the result of the motion is unknown, Senator Hammond also appeared before the executive session and made a statement in refuta- tion of the charges contained in the testimony of Stephen Engitsh. SENATOR HAMMOND’S EXPLANATION, Mr. Hammond also appeared in open sossion and de- manded another hearing, which should go to the pub- lic, and at his own request was sworn. He recounted Mr, English’s ovidence as already printed, and said the Dill referred to was drafted by himself, persovally, im February or March, 1875; it reached the Committee of tho Whole, and was discussed at great length, both then and on the third reading; the bill passed the House; the committee of the Senate made a report, but it was defeated in the Senate; tho bill was not m tho handwriting of Mr. Muller, bat in the writing of a person who then officiated as my clerk; Mr, Engiish says traly that be abused mo tn bis paper and distrib- uted thousanus of copies throughout tho State; in 1876 I introduced the bill in the Senate, and {twas there passed by a vote of 24; the libel against Mr. English in the Genova Gazette was not written by me; the suit which be brought was withdrawn by Mr. Engliah’s counsel without svlicitation [rom me; no arrangement was ever made by me or to iny knowledge for his with- drawal of the suit; in short, so far as I am concerned, the statement of Mr. English is entirely false, MR, FORDER RECALLED, Mr, Furber’s testimony was continued as follows:— When the Gaardian went into the hands of a receiver there were about 5,000 policies, including those it held for the oiner three companies; there about $5,000,000 of insurance; the reserve was not Intact; we have not wade up the reserve on the’ presume tho per centum of reserve on the policies which remained intact was about seventy-five per cen’ the detects in the Guardian which wo had not dis- covered conaisted of losses by death to the amount of about $200,000; the proofs were probably in tho office but were not shown me; they were marked off on the policy register, but I did not see thom; other losses ‘wero vpon shrinkage of amount ot premium notes; I bad not t to test their premium ledgor; joss from this source was about 275.000; nu more time was tuken in the 1vestization because it was necessary for the Guardiaa to make its statement to the Insurance Departmout within atew Gay: he reason the Uni- vereal Wua interested ty save the Guardian was because tt was salo for us to assume oighty per cent of its out- standing obligations on the 1st of January, 1874; of the eighty per ceat of the reserve, $2,400,000 was paid over to us whew the contract was made with the agreo- ment that the remainder sbould 4 the when the reserve the obligations was i. reserve was not actually paid over, because certain Cpengproeeiete! or aon eters be turned over, & they wore Cy ree companies; the cor- Featnent ot tbe sibedile of obligations had been veri- fled by tho guardian’s books, but it was found to be tmoorrect afterward; there had been over $200,C0) of reserve op policies scratched off the books as paid up policios which were not paid up, and whieh remained ® liability against Py po these wore paid up for probably $400,000 or $500,000, SENATOR TOULY’S RUMOK, At this point Senator Tobey appeared and said, in regard to the statement of Btagoee Knglish, that ho (Mr, Tobey) did pot know Mr, Miller’s handw: $ that be did not remember to bave made apy suc mark, and if ne did make it be it ba mere bumor. GUARDIAN AND UNIVERSAL. Mr. Farber’s testimony resamed—Tbe lostructions to agents of the Universal in regard to the change of policics was to atute the facis clearly and truibiully, und be bad sent circulars to ail the policy holders of the North America, suggesting to them to beware of ov. improper statements from agents, and to change only if they thought i to their own best. interest; where misrepresentations were made es the Universal policy would be seat back North America policy returned; the North Ame! when witness became connected with it m October, 1874, bad $5,612,000 assets; among them, $215,000, agents’ bal- ances; $160,000, cemimulation of commissions; 102,000, bills receivable; $49,000, suspense account; 9, scrip redemption (money paid tor redeeming scrip); there had veen $100,000 of this scrip issued ; $17,000, judgments aguinst agents; $65,000 in Stand- ard Insurance Company stock, Which wes, in tact, worth $25,000; uf these $520,000 proved bad, only $35,000 bas been reahzed _ since tbat amount; there remained $5,087,000 deducting these bed assets; tho com- pany had outstanding, bills vayavle, $147,000, Jeaving $4,940,000 of assets which the company’ had and which was supposed to be good; during the ime since I went in | received premiums and interest $1,906,000; amount disbursed on death losses $797,000, $497,000 matured losses, $29,000 annuities aud $2,603,000 in secured policies, a total ot $3,930,000, which leave $2,976,000; 1 passed over to Receiver 734,000 1n assets as follows;—Cash, $4,700; bond und mortgage, $1,210,000; tire insurance, $22,000; bills receivable, $10,000; reai estate (at least), $891,000; United States stock, $905,001; premium on the stock, $10,800; Broeklyn bonds, $27,000; furniture, $12,52: temporary loans, $8,376; suspense account, $8,7 Premium Joans, $402,000; Virginia bouds, $12,000; Mobile Savings Bank, $939; H. N, Morgan, $2,500; premium notes on Standard Losurance policies, $2,463 ; loss on same company’s stock, $4,000; premiums, Joans on government securitios, policies on Streeter’s horses, $2,573; 1.5. Morgau & Co., $682; agents’ bal- ance, $9,163; approximate total, $2,734, | FIGHTING THE USURY LAW, Witness found also $2,000,000 of mortgages given to the company by Jobn McCool, claimed to be usurious because of a bonus of $200,000 paid by Mr, McCoy! to the lormer president, Mr. Morgan; witness had suc- eeedea in securing the property represented by the mortgages, notwithstanding the Usury law, by paying Jobu McCoo! $25,000 for au actual conveyance of the property; by this means he had relieved the company of the tuint of usury, FACTS NOT SHOWN ON THE COMPANY'S BOOKS, The books of the Guardian Company probably would Dot have positively disclosed all the liubilities of the company on their policies, the Superintendent of In- surance probably could uot by avy exumination dis- cover ull ihe liabilities; witness, to remedy that, would require every company to keep exact copies of every kind of policy issued; thore bad beou an examination of the Guardian by the Superintendent during tho previous sumer; be went over their register und in- ‘Vestigal the reinsurance of the ows and Orphans’ and Reserve Mutual policies in tho Guardian; these statements were easily di coverable by the examiner, and certain dal found there were corrected by the Superintendent; none of the books of the Guardian Compuny were ever handed over to the Universal; tive or six officers of the Universal becamo directors of tho Guargian, but the latter continued its business dependently; tho Uni- versal men did not bave a majority of the Board of the Guardian’s directors until the transfer. MR, FURBER’S PAY, When I became connected with the Univers 1865, 1 had the management of the agent: tract was made giving mea salary of $2, aud two and one-half per cent on its premium receipts; 1 worked undor that contract till 1867, when the wos made $6,000, and @ percentage of two and one-half upon the net receipts, all expenses to be paid out of it; this termi- pated in May, 1876; under that contract 1 have re- ceived all tho money I have received, excopt my salary in the North America; as the total result of those two contracts I received from all the companies which I had to do with in the State for eleven years aud five months $205,500 less my outgoes; this was all, either as profits upon contracts or otherwise, something less thun $16,000 @ year; the North Amorica remsgred the Government Security’s aud the Standard’s ‘policies the Standard was a stock mutual company; tue Gu’ ‘ernment Security had reimsured its policies before ti North America; remsured both of taem; N. D, Mo: gun was president of the North America; ove of ni suns Was secretary and another was actuury; witness became president and retaimed nis convection in the Universal and the Guardian; all the Morgan family then went out; there was no consideration paid ton their going except a loan by me of $95,000 to Mrs, Morgan, for which the company gave her certain bud claims. FURBER AND THE CHARTER OAK COMPANY. As to the Charter Gak Company Mr, Furber testified that in October, 1875, he wus introduced to E. Wig- gin, of Boston, as a gentleman authorized by tuo Cuurter Ouk to negotiate or the sale of $125,000 of tho capital stock of that company; it having been unfor- tupate for three or four yeurs in ite investments, Mr. Waikley, tho president, ‘having invested over a mil jon of its bonds in the Connecticut Valley Railrow tne Connecticut Superintendent of Insurance had tu- sisted un a change im its management; Mr. Wig- gin raid he was authorized to sell the stock; witness inquired about everything connected with the matter; Wiggm said he _ bad agreed to @ . certain gentleman — $20,000 1 relation to tne transaction; certain cupitalists in Boston wanted coutrol of certain railroads Irom Long Istand to New Hampsnire, the Connecticut Vulley being one of the three roads composing tbe proposed line; they wanted to get the secund mortgage bucds, and so control the road; Mr. Wiggin was then intro- duced to Mr. J. C, Horton, who guid he could obtain ‘he purchase of those bonds for a commission of $20,000; that arrangement teil through, the other cap- Halists having dropped 10; bat Mr. Wiggin had met the ollicers of the Charter Oak Company, and the propoposition for a sale of the company’s stock yrew out of this meeting, Mr. Horton thought be Ought to have his commission, as control of the Char- ter Ouk would carry contro! oi the railroad; the wit- news urged Mr. Wiggin that be must live up to even a bud bargain ; Witness did not know Mr. Horton by name until some weeks afterward; the interview Jed to wit- ness’ purchase of tho Charter Oak stock; after col Sultation with the Superintendent of the company as to its aflairs the Superintendent said the company had its full tour per cent reserve, but some of tho Items were hard to pass at their face, and $500,000 would make the company all right; witness paid $115 0 share for $136,000 worth of stock; the $500,000 was pur im ‘ A REAL RSTATR LOAN, Mr. Edward Mathews owned certain real estate at the cornor of Broadway and Rector streets, which wus appraised at $1,825,000; it was subject to mortgag amounting to $626,000; Mr, Mathews made a mi gage lor $800,000 upon the same property to the Char. ter Oak Insurance Company; he recetved $300,000 in money for it, leaving the $500,000 that wus needed to muke the Charter uk good; my pay forthe mortgages was simply @ commission Of seven und a per cent upon the receipts of the Charter Ouk Company; the receipis aro over $2,000,000 a year; the compact for this com mission 18 cancelled when the amount I have advanced 1¥ returned to ie; Witness, upon making the arrangement, became fivancial manuger and Mr, Wig- gin became president of the Charter Uak, + A LAPSED POLICY HISTORY, Julius Hillborn, of New York, testified that upon an application to the New York Lite for a loan of $70,000 oF $75,000 un real estate be was required to take out u policy tor $60,000, trom whieh they deducted the pre- mium of some $2,200, and charged him over $700 tor the search of tie title to his property; when he touud himself unable to keep up the premiuins he asked surrender his policy tor a paid up one, but they jusod to give 1 until jo another premium. pa ment, Which Would have amounted to more than the amount of money to be puid on the surrender; the transaction was With Mr. Beers, Mr. Barton and’ tho general ugent; at the expiration of the tirst year he had aitowed the poricy to lapse. A recess was then tuken unui four o’clock. RXPENSE OP THK EQUITABLE BUILDIXG, After the recess Thoodore Weston tustilied that he ‘Wags architect of the Equitable Building; the work was commenced in May, 1874, and wus completed im July, 1976; the Jeuses commenced in May, 1875; the origi: nal office of the Kquitablo was separated’ {rom the main building and its completion was delayed; there is bo restaurant im tho butiding; Deimonico’s adjoms it; the actual expense of putting up the main building was avout $1,500,000, melding the laud; the wddi- tonal building cost avout $1,000,000 ; witness received @salary of $15,000 per year; the preliminary pians were drawn by Mr. Kendall; he bad not complcted the plans before the building was commenced; tho iter nal arrangements were lett eutirely to tuo preliminary, drawing; there was no percentage paid upon any of the material, to my knowledge; furuished a statemont of expenditures to the Building Committee of the Equitable at almost every meoting; Mr, Lambert was chairman of this commiitee; they lad mneetings three times a week; tho plans wore submitted to tuem, and the contracts'wore made by their direction upon esti- mutes made by wit Upon the iarger contracts bids were advertised oi all payments were made by approval of the committee; Siiman & Cheney were the contractors for the stone; they bid $08,000, f think; 1% was the lowest bid of seventeen; 1. rang litUe over $3 per cubic toot upou the granite actually furnished; the granite was measured by myseli; no commission of consideration was paid ou the contract; the contractor for masonry work, who cut gh ono, was T, 'T. Sinith; his work was let in th way, at $18 per 1,000 foot of brick und $9, or about that, for setting the granite; that included pay for every thing; he was paid nothing more; no one else received auy gratuity on account of the contract; he did the fireproof wail in the interior and the plastering; for the first he received torty or filty cents and lor the last forty-two cents per square yard; Morton and Chesley did the carpenter work at $66,000; no gratuity nor commission was allowed yone on any work; @ number of contracts mude for the elevators, for the boilers, tor the collar, for taking down the old building and for ovner pu she entire work cost about $1,000,000, and upon It Do bonus or commission was paid to avy one, nenhor to ollicers, directors, nor any one else; the granite contractors furnished about $1,600 worth of work for Mr. Hyde, subsequently; this was used in "NEW YORK HERALD, FRIDAY, APRIL 6, 1877-TRIPLY SHEET Mr. bene brverys bedgre 3 Island; Mr. Calvert Vaux was arehit use, i adjourned until Tuesday, The committeo then LIFE INSURANCE NOTES. ‘Tne newly appointed receiver of ‘the World Mutual Life Insurance Company, Mf, Rosendale, of Albany, has not yet arrived tn this city. Insurance Superin- indent Sinyth, to whom the office was tendered, de- clined it because of a previous recommendation which he had made, Tho main duties devolving upon the receiver is that of defending some suits fer death claima and the prosecution of an action jately instituted against the New Jersey Mutual for a balance on a re- insurance contract, It appoars that according to the agreement the World Mutual was to pay to the New Jersey company eighty per cent of reserve such risks as the tatter retusured, The World in 1876 red in valuable securities more than enough to cover the conditions, and en settlemeut was made in Decumber last there was a balance in its favor of ‘The New Jersey gave over ‘a number of mortgages in liquidation of this balance, which are said to be deticient to the full claim by about $15,000, Property of the New Jersey Mutual w: tached in Wasbington, where there js no receiver ap- pol ated and the action was commenced about three wooks wince. Receiver Grace, of the Continental, has been com- polled to delay the prosecution of several important suits in the interests of the policy holders, because of the uncertainty which the action of the Attorney Gen- eral has thrown about bis tenure of office. Judge Westbrook is expected to give a decision next woel and if the appointment of another receiver is mado it will be carried to the Court of Appoals and the proper person designated as soon as possibile. ‘The suit of Charles A, Birnie and Samuel F, Prontiss, trastecs of the Aldine Publishing Company, o! th city, against the President and directors of sho Insur. ance Company otf North America, was continued yes. terduy im the Kings County Supreme Court, before Judge Pratt. The amount claimed from the various in- surance companies, thirty-three in all, $86,000. Mr. James Sutton, president of the Aldine Company, testified as to the extont of the business of the company, the arrangement of the buildings burned, and testified further that he learned that a commitice of three had beon ap inted by the agents of tho different companies in which the company had insured, and that a committee wus ap- pointed for each of the two builtings, and the loss in each would be settled upon a different basis, Jobo Corr, 5 Pee and publisher, and the ap- praiser appointed by the Aldine Company, testi! as to the selection of dir. Pollard, the third arbitrator, and as to going throngh tne stock. The case is still on. FILTHY STREETS. HILLS OF GARBAGE AND PILES OF DIRT ROT- TING IN FRONT OF PULL TENEMENT HOUSES, In the matter of street cleaning New York is the most wretchedly kept Jarge city of the world. During the severity of our sem|-Arctic winters garbage and dust are left near tho sidewalks of back streets—most frequently in the viernity of fully occupied tenement houses—and there they are frozen into a solid masa. A snow storm comes on, covering the heap, upon the top of which new deposits are made from the sur_ rounding houses, and in the course of time whole cartloads of dirt become solid as arock, And so it remains till the rains and thaws of a turdy spring re- veal the hideous mounds of filth which disfigure ‘many of our back streets and pollute the atmesphere by the vapors and life-destroying gases which they emit, At the beginning of the winter a little activity and energy on the part of tho Street Cleaning Bureau would havo ficed to prevent this frightful evil; but after the ‘eets had been for weeks neglected they presented almost as great a difficulty to clean up as did the ‘Augean siubles of mythological fume In the cities of England and Scotiand all the houses are provided with ash pits, somewhere couveniently placed at the rear of them, into which ashes and house reluse ate thrown, These deposits of dirt ure period- ically emptied by the city dusteart man; and it must ve confessed that while this operation is going on tho olfactory and ocular senses are more grossly offended than has ever been the case, oven 10 the back streets of Now York. The chief difference betweon London and New York is that over there they hoard up their discase-breeding warbago and ashes bebind the house, while here we dump them down near the sidewalk ‘curbstone. Our method has at least the advantage of v dirt; the British method possesses not recommend it, Thus, when the streets of this me- tropolis are reasovably well cured for, we know that the city is thorougnly cleay, but in London their nicely kept thorougufares do not guarantee the people against miasmatic fever resuiting from the festering Hilto that 1s piled away behind the houses, IN FIVTY-SECOND STRERT. i A correspondent writes to the HxKap as follows:— ‘So Tax Kvitox ov Tak Hxnatp:— Tt avenues. I hud occasion to pass through thut section ye day, found it dreadiully filthy, aud was tuiurmed by t wi hut the garbage and usties had not been moved from the street since jast October, which statement I firmly believed, ux convineing evidences. confronted the statement, 1 rewily was surprised how so much could huve been plied up in so shurt w time, On euch m the curb o th « 0 feet high, fev the processes of dec from these pile through them ‘Ww imagined. ‘The fat-rende: establishments in operatic when compared with it, AsiI stopped, pom viewed the field I could not possitly suppress the sentence of the old nursery rhyme, “is this not @ pretty dish” tor public servants, well educated, well treated und iL “set belore their kings?” It mi occu! wll the work done more efficiently me one to complain of; Lut us it now stands we ure helpless and without hope. ‘The detaulter, court und execu- tive aro a local trinity which may do anything in its line or nothing, just as it wills, which cannot be impenched tor olther an uhder exercise of its authority o for negligence, CITIZEN, rrece se A VISIT TO THK NEIGHBORMOOD. The locality alluded to im this communication was visited yesterday and found to correspond in every parcel to the description given it excepting as to ue bodies of dead animals, Perbups the HeraLp man lato in the day to see any of these canine oF feline victims of youthful cruelty that frequently garnish tho streets in front of densely populated districts; the for- eign chiffoniers, who do in this Northern clime a good deal of the nasty but uselul work performed in low Jatitudes by the buzzards, must have beem on tho Beene ut av early hour. May be it was better that these things wero ont of sight, for the nauseous look- ing fly-blown sausages that dangled in the window of butcher’s shop near by were of thet selves almost enough im appearance to give a healthy man the jaundice That portion of West Fifty-second street visited (between Ninth and Tenth avenues) was found to be partially covered by haif thawed accumulations of gurbage and dirt to a height of over two feet in some places, On the north side of the street some wall Wagons were recklessly moored among the muck; ow the south side 1s a row of four story tenement houses trom which the dirt was dumped in piles before the doors, Occasionally pas- gage ways might be noticed cut between adjacent mounds, so thut in the dry season dirty children eould scramble their way across the street. But Fitty-second street ot the only one that is in @ trightiul condition, Twenty-ninth street, between Second aud Third avenues, is nearly as bad, und 80, too, afe many other places that might be cited for the in- formation of Now york’s Rip Van Winkle Bureau of Street Cleaning, and to the horror of the more etvilized portions of the city’s inhabitants, arrived too POLICE JURISDICTION, In relation to the question of police jurisdiction first started by the arrest of Grenville P. Snelling by Captain Williams, of the Twenty-ninth procinet, the following communication wi ot by the Police Com- missioners to the Department of Parks yesterday :— New Yous, April 6, 1877. am R. Mantix, President Board of furk Commin \m directed by th Board ct Police to acknowledge jeation of March 24, relative to Snelling tor velocipede riding, rawith ® gupy of the report of Capenin nm and also wcopy of the opinion of the Counsel to the Bowrd upon the sume. The Board desires ne to state that it concurs as to the right of “e within the exclusive jarisdict: el ment of Puvlic Parks, and further force the laws and ordinances of the erty and to arrest tor vivlations of the same, should the offence be committed wil diction of any other und the Board of thavine power to ar arrest all offenders against jaw, their jurisdiction, considering it to be the honest interest of Upsisiutive, ennetente. that el county of New ‘ork alfurds no piace of rot ulator vi " Scr HAWLEY, Ul ey HORTICULTURAL EXHIBITIONS, At a meeting of the Executive Committee of the Now York Horticultural Society, held in this city yesterday aftornoon, R. B. Parsons, of Flushing, in the chair, it was decided that the exhibition of follage plants, Liege Me &e., should be held onthe 29th, 30th and Sist of May; a roso and strawberry show in June, and a general exhibition tn Seprember—all to bo held in Gilmore’s Garaen. ‘The Recording Secrotary will forward to purtios intending to contribute to either exhibition the necessary blanks fur application for pace, &c., Upon receipt of their desire to that effect, The list of premiums for the May exhibition i Hberal and takes an extensive range over the kingdom. INSECT WAR ON ORANGES, The Pungolo, of Naples, of March 22, states that the orange plantations ut Meta and Piano di Sorrento have been invaded by an insect which attacks the fruit branches and leaves, Professor Pepe believes that this scourge is the Phyti laspi floreacens, and Professor Targioni, Director of the Zoulogical Cabinet in the POLITICAL SOIENCE. ADDRESS BEFORE THE ASSOCIATION BY MR. HORACE WHITE—SOME SUGGESTIONS OF BE- FORM. At a meeting of the Political Science association at the Filth Avenue Hotel last evening, Mr. Horaco White, of Chicago, delivered an address upon the vari- ‘ous phases of political reform. Mr. White said that twenty-five years ago, or even Jess, wo boasted that our country was leading the world in the paths of political science, and such was Undoubtedly the fact, But there has been a change Whatever Elijah Poyram may claim to the contrary, it 1s no longer true that we are in tne van of human Progress. ‘he world has been advancing in the direc- tion of free institations, but has not been following our lead, It must bo admitted that'we have to some extent lost reputation abroad, even among republi- cans, and especially since the close of the war. So marked has beon our decadence that it 1s common to ascribe the looseness and iawlessness that have sincd prevailed to the war itself as a provoking eause, But war is, of all things to the world, a schvol of discipline, order, method, self-restraint and respon- sibility, Tne million or more of men who served in the war are to-day tho more Conservative and sober part of tho communities where they reside, and are the better for having served in it, If we have taken the Goddess of Liberty on a dobuuch, as there Is some rea- sou to apprehend, it is not because we sent vast armies into the fleld to display courage and self-denial and to exercise for some years the highest attributes of hu- man nature. The American plan of government was cast in iron mould eighty-seven yoars ago, It embraced the awk- wurd parts of the Britisn system of tho time of George TIL, without the healing clement that has worked so wonderful a change tm those islands since that time, ‘Thut is, it embraced the principle of an executive inde- pendent of the Legisiature and of two branchos of the Legislature independent of the Executive and of each other, and all irresponsible to the people except at cortain fixed periods, when they might be punished for any mischief they have been engaged In, but only after the mischief has been irrep- erably done, Great Britain, on the other hand, has diepeused with ber independent exccutive cnurely, though retaining tho outward sembiance thereof, an has brought the executive and tue legisiature into a state of fusion so perfect that any disagreement be- tween thom results in on immediate rocoustruction ot their parts oo the basis of harmony aud in strict acccrdance with the popular will, Such a government ig more truly republican then any in which an in ¥ indent execut' Emperor or Pri ident, more repablican because it Fegisters public opinion more speed: ly and with lecs friction than Posmbie under our sys- tem. Wo commenced by Ming a king and Senate tor four and six years respectively, and we continue so to this day. England, on the other hand, has gradually pushed her king and Senate to one side and incorporated the body politic in the House of Commons, This 1s what is called responsible govern- ment, and this it is whieh is drawing the whole world after it, instead of our fusblon of rotating, tripartite government. This principle of rotation and fixed torms finds its last and most hateful expression in the civil service as at presont constituted, which is mainly responsible fur our loss of roputation in the world and which now calls so loudjy tor reform, THR NRW ADMINISTRATION, Mr. White passed a wartn encomiam on President Hayes’ efforts for this reform, and said that although he was so peculiarly constituted that be could not seo the justice of casting Mr, Tilden’s votes out of the Loutsiana ballot boxes, he should not be behind any- body in zeal to sustain him in all right courses, and especially im this course, If civil service re- form is wrecked now, We may never see it success- fully launched again. Its emies are watcning tor some opportunity, no matter what, to Mr, Hayes and bis Cabinet in pieces, The Speaker hoped that chis association would help to beat them off. No reform would be possible in any diroction until the jungle of the civil service, which now cwoxes and be- ‘Wilders public opinion, is torn up, Our plan of government is routed in the prejudices of noaracentury, yet the pubiic tuith tm its virtues has Jately received a severe shock—the Electoral College, the very axle of the coach, came ueur breaking and spilling the whole load,’ This woud Scem to be a favorable time for re-examining the nature of the structure, The speaker believed that some tentative steps might be taken looking toward responsible governmont—as, for instauce, making the members of the Cabmet ez-oficio members ot tho House of Represontatives, thus bringing the Ex- ecative iuto closer relations with tae people, to say nothing of the bettor facilities which would thus be afforded for transacting public business. This ject was seriously discussed in Congress ten or twelve years ago, and was rejected on tho ground that tho xecutive, as the dispenser of government patronage, would thereby acquire an increased intluence over Congressmen, lf politics is to continue to bo tho art of distributing prize money no reform need be expected from ® mere change of constitutional metuods. But if the peipoipieg of raveering are Teally to be luid aside, as there t: rood ghana to hop the door wili soon be open to political science, an then it {8 not too much to expect that Americans will take it up and put themselves, if not in advance of the world, at least abreast of its most enlightened spirit, “SWILL” MILK AGAIN, HORRIBLE CONDITION OF AN UPTOWN COW BHED—EIGHTEEN MILCH COWS FED ON “‘SWILL”—EXPOSURE TO INSIDIOUS POISON- ING, While Mr. Borgh and his officers were investigating last Wednesday the circumstances of the death of a horse bolonging to William MeGloan, of Ninety-third street, near Eighth avenue, they discovered that this man had eighteen milch cows on his prem‘ses, all of which were in a sickly condition. Yesterday afternoon Mr, T. W. Hartflcid, Mr. Bergh’s superintendent, accompanied by a HrraLp reporter, visfted the ‘place for investigation, The residence of McGloan and the cow sheds, all frame structures of the feeblest character, stand in the centre of a lot a short distance from the street. Thero are two cow sheds adjoining each other, each being 17x12, and in each eight cows aro housed, thus giving a width of three feet foreach animal. Tho sheds wero in the very fiithiest condition, and greeablo stench emanated from them. Tho cows them- selves were covered with the floor slime, and se¢med to bo oither sick or bulf starved, if their protrading ‘bones and fleshless bodies could be considered a crite- rion vy which to judge, Superintendent Hartfeld sought to examine the food given tothe cows, but there was nothing to be seen except the remains of a barrel of grains, which smelt very sour, One of the workmen about the place said that the cows were fed on graiws, meal and bran, and that in a few weeks they would be all turned out on the grass in the vacant lots adjacent, The Superintendent took somo of the grains with him to use in cvidence as to the quality of the feed givon to the cows, SWILL MILK. In reply to questions by the reporter the workman statod that McGloan suyplics miik to families down town as far as Forty-second street, and that a number of fainihes in the neighvornood call at McGioan’s house for milk every morning and evening. William MeGloan has been lyimg sick in bed for some days past, and could not therefore be arrested either on the charge of cruelty to tho horse or on account of the condition of the cows, but his son William and one of the workmen, Francis Kelly, were arrested and taken terday before Judge Mozgan, ut the Harlom Polico Sours, where complaints were preferred against them, McGloan was held under $600 bail on the charge of cruelty to the detunct horse, and Kelly under $300 bail on the charge of feeding the cows with “swill.”” In the testitnony given bolore the court it was stated by Mr. Berg’s officer that he actually caught the man Kelly in the making of the *“swill,” thus cluding all possibility of uu evasion on that point. The work- mab Was discovered in the act of mixing garbage with some of the grains, and thus manulacturing the dan- gerous compound, RAW SORES, Dr. Ewing, of the Bourd of Health, visited McGloan’s place yesterday afternoon, und, on examination, found that two of the cows had raw sores a toot square on their sboulders. From this one fact alone an idea may ve formed of the sanitary condition of the sixteen others in such a pen as that in which they bave been housed all winter. The Doctor ordered the stable to be thoroughly cleansed and the drains dug up and cleared, It was also ascertained that the horse had been in a horrible condition before he died, all the feet being cut and bleeding and one foot rotting olf, MR, NKROM ON HULL FIGHTS, ‘rhe reporter had 4 conversation with Mr. Bergh rela- tive to this cage, and the great huinanitarian spoke strongly of the danzor to children from the milk of cows fed on “will” and other material that poisons the animal’s system, Death, especially to children, said Mr, Bergh, is not unfrequently the result of the *+gwill”” imposition upon the public, and the 8. P, C, A. Society worked hard to discover cases of this sort. Mr. Bergh then, with indignation expressed on his counte- nance, drew the reporter's attention to a bull fight that had been advertised to take place in Savaunab, Ga. He sald that, according to the Southeru paper ho had scen, the bull fight should by this time have taken place, but be bad just now sent on a telegraw to Savan- nah, directing the Society for the Prevention of Crucity to Animals ju that town to protest in the very strong. st manner aga’ the recurrence of such a@ brutal and demoralizing exhibition. “These people,’’ said Mr. Bergh, ‘took good care not to come to Now York to present such a monstrous outrage to the publi Never, while | live, atall events,’ continued Mr. Berg! “shail there be seen a degrading spectacle of that character in this city or its vicinity,” WICKED UNDERTAKING. James Murray, twonty-one yoars of age, was ar- Taignod at the Essex Market Police Court yesterday, charged with stealing an overcoat containing money Maseum oft Natural History ot Florence, to whom M, Pepe bad submitted some specimens, is of the same opinion, Uniortunately the remedies are difficult of application from an undertaker’s office on tho corner of Gow peur street’ and Rust Broadway. the prisoner was held in $600 bail, +— 2 ——— GRANT INTERVIEWED. THE EX-PRESIDENT GIVES HIS VIEWS OF THE SOUTHERN QUESTION--HE FAVORS HAMPTOY AND NICHOLLS AND THE WITHDRAWAL OD THE TROOPS. (From the St, Louis Globe-Democrat, April 3] Yesterday morning a Globe- Democrat reporter called at the Lindell and sent up bis curd to ex-President Grant, who fora few days is quartered at that hotel. The amiable underling who waltzed up stairs with the pasteboard returned with tho message that “the Gen- eral hadn’t had his breakfast yet, and didn’t wish to be interviewed on anempty stomach. He would, how- ever, be pleased to receive the extractor of private opinions a Iittle later—say in am bour’s time,” At ten the General was again made aware that the Western scribe was anxious to commence inquisitorial opera- tions. “Tell him to come up when this lady goes down.” The lady vaaished, and to! the reporter was in the ex-Prosidential presepcd and that of Mrs, Grant. There wasa brief greeting anda shaking of hands. General Grant doesn’t clasp hands with the greatest possible fervor, but it was a square shake tor allthat, And he didn’t say, ‘Will you take a seat?’? but sat down by the window, and the flend of the note book drew up a chair and opened his interrogatorial batteries on the section of our national history before him. “How do you like the return to private life, General?” “Very much. After sixteen years of pub- he life I fect @ need of rest from olficial duty and a desire to have a little quict time, and now I can have 11” ‘But the sixteen years must have fiitted rapidly awa; you wore always busy— time couldn’t have dragged, Did the years of public service seem long or short?” ‘Well, sixteen zen, “How ure you going to spend the immediate future, | mean??? “I ghall spend a fow days bere and at Galena and Cleveland, and the East, ‘Then go to Kurope; trave) around. May stay as long as two years; muy uot stay so long; perbaps only stay ashort time—it depends on the news | receive from the East—and come back to settle’ dewn with my fain- uy.”? “Where do you expect to locate on your re- turn?” ‘I shall anaerce deal, a great part of my time, at Gulena, want to enjoy myself with my family at home; y go here and go there, but have no plans laid out 7 canfiot tell now just what [ shall do, Have no iden.” “But when are you going to write that book, those memoirs, that ato being told of?” “What book's that?” “Why, the papers havo it that you are going to write a your personal rec Jections of the war, the memoirs of a commander gen- eral and President, that shall supply the missing links and many deficiencies of the various war histories ‘that wo have had published so far and——.’* The re- porter was goiug to rehearse the chapter headings of tne prophesied book, wen tho General said:—Ob, I’m not going to write any book. There are books enough ulready.”’ ‘*Plenty as far as number goes; but they each and all seem to have gaps—to leave open questions, “A man with your opportunities for knowl- edge might clear up and elucidate onco and tor all,’* “anybody can write a book. {could myself, for th matter, perhaps; but I assure youl haven’t had t least thought about such a thing. Can’t tell what may be in the future”? ‘Didn’t the papers havo apy foundation for the statement, then?” “1 can’t tell as to that, Papers gucss at things oc- casionally, You ought to know more about that,” The subject of memoirs was dropped, “What do you think of Mr, Hayes’ Southern poliey??? “I think it 1s good policy. I,am very anxious to sce wis color line divided, so that the ques- tion becomes more ono of parties and loss of color or race.” Here Mrs. Grant asked—‘Divide the color Mine? What do you mean?” ‘Break up the distinc. tion of color, so that a party is not compo: whites or all culored people.’’ *Haye whites ored in each party?” queried the lady. ‘Tho Gen asyented to tho remark. ‘Do youthink Mr, Hayes will withdraw the troops from South Carolina and Louisiana ?”’ ‘I expect him to, I should have done so had I stayed in office, Not take the troops all away probably, bat relieve them of their present duty, for neither the Chamberlain vor Packard gov- ernment can bo sustained without the show of military authority, and in this free country, and wo long alter quict hus been restored everywhere else, the exercise of military authority in civil matters ig repugnant to the people; and so, whon the troops are gone, the Nicholis and Hampton governments will rulo as matters of acquiescence on the part of the people of those two States,” **Will those two rules be Tecognized, do you suppose?” ‘Not officially and formally, 1 don’ belleve they will; but tacitly und actually that they will bé accepted by the peopiel do expect.’ “What kind of a show will the repuvlicana of those States have under the Nicholls and Hampton régimes? 1s itn wise measure to withdraw the troops? Your own experience tn this direction was a little the other way, wasn’t it?’? “Well, yes, it was rather that way. Ishould believe in the use of troops if there were any outrages calling for tt, and, as you know, | believe in using them with a vim uch times; bat] think, with a reasonable degree of moderation, the Nicholls and Hampton governments ought to get along without any trouble trom tl other side.” @ difficulties in South Carolina and Louisia: are about all of the old war trouble thi are they not?” “Yes, that’s about ail.”? that Alabama and Georgia and one or two other South- ern Stutes get along so wellgcompared to the rest??? “Phey are manufacturing, busy States. Northora skilled labor and capital aro invited in, Labor 1s re spected, and all goes right. Make labor respectod in Louisiana and South Carolina and the political eld will soon be clear of trouble,”? “Speaking otf labor, the idea of civil service retorm seems to have come the attempt to pick out the best men by examination, You hadall that once in our” “Yes, but that isn’t civil it is only a means to place the appuintments in tl hanas of those who wish to have them made according to their ideas of fit. ness—to reform this man out and the other man Into office.” “Tue principle works Well across the water. Take the English civil service, for example.” “But there they have the system of reward or promotion by merit, and each employé feols himself a part of the governmental organszation, Here it is only our second best men who enter the public service, A man who has the ability to run a railroad or a manutacturing establishment isn’t going to accept acierkship, Our mode of appointment is good enough. The people elect the Senators and Representatives, and they prin- cipally appoint or suggest the appointment of the various public servants. I think, though, eact Senator or Representative ought to hold himself responsible for the conduct of his wards in office, think that would be "a good thing” This was about all the conversation that pussed on political matters. Tho reporter veutured to inquire how the ex-President, who scemed to bo talk- ing frecly enough on the present occasion, had ever gacquired the reputation of a man who wos careful of his words, bat before the Gencral could reply Mrs. Grant spoke up:—“Why, no! Any one who knows the Genora! will tell you that ho is quite the reverse; that he is quite free with bis friends,” a remark in which the General appeared to tuily coincide, Then the chat turned oa social lite in the White House. Mra. Grant sald whe bad spent a very happy eight years in that dwelling. The reporter suggested this was perbaps owing to a naturally happy temperament, “Oh no,’ said the lady, “it was owing to the pleasant surroundings,” "Will Mrs. Hayes make a wocil success of it in Washington ?? Vell, sha doesn’t have to enter to the fullest extent into the so- cloty life of the capital; merely to attend partics, balls, receptions, &e., to which she apd her husband are vited, That's all I ever did. She will make a very mach liked and respected lady for the White House, but | don’t imagine that she will be the inspirer of great deal ui society party life, She’s pious, a me: ber of the Methodist Charch, strictly brought up,” guid U.S. G. There was a rap at the door, and the amiable atility entered with a lady’s card, The re- porter made his adieux and departed, PASTOR MCAPSRAY'S CASE. The Rev. D. M. McCaffray’s case was up‘at the Fifty- seventh Street Court yesterday, Judge Smith held the pastor in $700 bail. Mr, Edward Malloy, of No, 220 East Seventy-cighth street, went bail for the reverend gentleman, There was but a siim attendance of terested friends present, the Leavitis being absent. An officer was detailed to apprise them of the Judge’s decision, bat, upon arriv. ing at No, 798 Second avenue, the late residence of the enraged husband and the ussiultea wile, he tound they had moved. iis inquiries failed to find out the pres t abode of the complainants in the kissing case, The papers in the case are to bo sent to the District Attorney and placed in the hands of the Grand Jury. A MADMAN'S FANCY. Jobn O’Brien was brought before Justice Somier, in Brooklyn, yesterday, ona charge of attempting te shoot Officer Smith, of the Ninth sub-precinct, The prisoner had no provocation, aud it becamo apparent during the oxamination 1m court that the unfortanate man was a lunatic, Justice Semler made application to District Attorney Britton to have O’Brien piacec where he could do no barm to bimselt or others, The peculiar phase of O’Brien’s madness 1s a belie! that the police have entered into a conspiracy to take his life, Which is looked on in some quarters as not so un reasonable, in view of the way the citizen’s heads have been hammered by the pubhié club swingers, A DESPERATE RUFFIAN, Charles Hammond, a youth eightoon years of age, Met a colored woman named Annie Robinson in South Fifth avenue, on Wednesday night, and demanded money from her. She refused to give it to him, and he thereupon knocked her down and snatchod twenty- five conts from her hand. Hammond was arrested by Officer Mulligan, of the Eighth precin brought be fore Judge Otterbourg, at Jefferson ket Potice Court, yesterday, and held in $2,500 ball to answer ea achargo of highway robbery. BROOKLYN BURGLARIES, The residence of John Fagan, No, 151 Summit streey was entered vy burglars and robbed of $700 early yes. teruay morning. ‘The apartments of John ‘Schaifle, at No. 931 Broade though the years were busy, of our tine now—in competit: your time, didn’t service reform, Way, were onterod by a burglar at ab oarly hour yess | torday muruing aud robbed of $148 worth of dowels,