The New York Herald Newspaper, December 23, 1878, Page 4

4 STORM WARRIORS. Work of the Life Saving Service on the New Jersey Coast. DANGERS OF THE SURF. of Coun ted reas BEAUTIES AND DEFECTS OF THE SYSTEM. Suggestions Which the Government Would Do Well to Heed, Porn Puxasant, N. J., Dec. 21, 1878. On the New Jersey coast from Cape May to Squan wail ssion of low beaches, tringing the surf and divided from each other by in- lets, some of considerable magnitude. These beaches are dotted thickly with the blackened extends a ot which ave timbers of vessels which the relentless surf and treacherous 5) have converted into shapeless hulks. At every step one mee! shastly me mente of this kind, and can re understand the dread that mariners once had of the Jersey coast. At extend out for miles, stretching forth their artos like the devil fish in quest of prey. With dense mists and deep water on either side of them as wuxiliaries, they lie in wait for vessels and bewildered within their grasp aship is pounded to gnition and her mutilated fragments the inlets bai masters. ¢ pieces beyond re are strewn along the beach. partially drawn and the terrors of the manner diminished by the Life Saving Service that the gov- ernment has established in their vieinity. Every foot coust is constantly patrolled by sleepless guardians—the police of the surt—more vigilant and more trustworthy perhaps than the blue coated officers of the great cities. A vessel ap- proaching too near the dangerous coast on a dark night receives an instant warning from the Coston light of the faithful sentry. At the first signal of distress out rushes a stanch boat into the foaming breakers and stout hearts and sinewy arms speed torwani to the r All admire the brave firemen who are ready at a moment's warning to do battle ot that extensive with their dread enemy when the lurid glow is on the midnight sky. No less praise is due to the danntless men who fear not to encounter the angry surge and risk their lives to kaye others, fucing death in one of its most terrible forms, The triumphs of the National Lifeboat Asso- ciation of England have been chronicled in verse, and volumes have been written about the battles waged agaiust the Goodwin sands by the Ramsgate, Mar- gate and Deal crews. But noble as have been the exertions of these men, ayreater meed of praise is due to the surfmen of the Jersey coast. In the wildest storm the English life boat men kuow that their craft is self-righting and self bailing and can live in any sea. The surf boat is quite another thing; noth- ing but the most consummate skill and long ex- can keep it afloat in “broken water.” It difiers only from the ordinary ship boat in having sharp lines. Once capsized it caunot right itself, and the crew would be obliged to get ashore the best way they could, Here is one fatal defect in the Life Saving Service. equip a craft combining the best qualities of the English life boat and the surf boat—one that is self- sf and self-bailing and that ean be managed readily in shoal water. The majority of the boats now in use endanger the lives of their crews in a sea of excessive fury, like that which beats across the shoals of this coast in a northeast gale. The government, however, has evinced such a lively interest in the Life Saving Service and has made such commendable progress toward the desired yoal of efficiency that it is likely this question of vital importance will, in course of time, be satisfactorily answered. THE LIFE, SAVING STATION the seaside may freqnently uding red building, placed perience less Summer pass by a small, unp visitors close to the surf, and may, perhaps, mistake it for an | Sitting beside a weather beaien fisherman in a vehicle ordinary boat house. ‘This is the home of the storm warriors for seven months of the year—from Sep- tember to April. The house is substantially built in order to resist the # storms to which it is ex- posed, and within there is the lines as or ‘The lower floor is divided into two rooms—one containing all the life saving apparatus, the other being the kitchen, dining A stair- eping apartment above. The ew of six men and is solely re- aithfal discharge sam order and clean- board a msn-of-war, reception room and library case leads to the on er selects the ¢ r the sible f f their duties, n aceustomed versed in all its old sea captains who have made voyages to every port in the world, and grizzied fish- ermen. The strictest discipline is required of the crew, and each has his duties marked out for him. Among these crews may be to the surf from childhood, found n capricious moods In the boat room the main object of interest is the surf boat mounted on its carriage ready for instant use, Ad f oars, cork jackets for | the crew, buckets ax hets are constuntly kept in the boat. On a hand wagon ide it is piled th mortar apparatus—the breeches bu: haw: whip, mortar line, send an y, the r and crotch. At one end of the room are the mortar and its box of balls, and above them swings the metallic lifecar. Merriman life suits are Lun: s, to be used principally when it is necessa n through the surf to establish communication with a vessel. Closets are filled with ammunition, rockets, Coston lights, spare lit dicine chest, and all around are gr’ « signal flags of the stations and the international ¢ A etnall but well selected library is not the least interesting feature of the ste- tion, When the houses were first built the crews suffered much discomfort from the cold, a8 the keen Diast penetrated through t chinks and t |, « triph and windows { CREW AT WorK a wild, stormy night, with a north. ' L urfon shore, and through the dark n be seen but the white foam Gung Wpon the bewh ¢ ‘The patrol peers out anxiously eaward it pe h iskin coat more closely sroand him while the ay aimost blinds Lim. Sud- denly there is the gleam of a rocket aud be catches @ glimpse of a siup's lights, He answers the « his red Coston to notity the shipwrecke that aid is close at hand. He loses no time ing the station and arousing the ‘ew. Theft questions are asked by the keeper:—“How vessel lie, inshore or Offshore In what y bilged (futl of wate workir a the “How is the sea ifthe ve i) ele to the rt thought reach with @ line mthe mortar; but if,as is more generally the case, sho strikes On an outer bur, the doors of the om are flung open aul the boat and wagon are out. HM may be that the vessel has shore 8 mile or two from the station. ‘Then there ix a long and weary pull of the heavy wagon, the wind threat- ening to overturn it and the boat every me ment and the wheels sinking in the wet sand. When, after « Jong struggle, they reach the point opposite the 1, the boat is lifted « un down hi é apart in 5 val more easily taken off. The crew then buckle on their armor—the cork jackets; the two bow men jump in their Places and the captain watches # fave oppor: tunity to launch the boat, He keeps his on the outer rollers, and when thete is a momentary lull be tween the huge breakers, gives the signal. The boat is run out, the rest of the crew clamber into their places, and, last of all, the captain ix at is post with the steering oar, They have passed the inner line of the surf in an i stunt. Then comes th ntest of skill and fuck syainet the broken seas, ‘The captain weps @ watehful eye on his enemies around fud does not allow any of them to tank him, He at to leeward of the vessel in distress and veh n uf enough to be protected trom the the vessel, which acts as a sort of b case should be, end it is barely possibl ts obliged to approach the vessel to windward, the anchor is cast and the boat draws near slowly and cautiously, ster , one of the crew payiteg out (he anchor When a heavy sew coues, the headed toward it and is allowed to aN WOE bo bao WW. OL aA a Mo Their fangs are now | It is certainly possible to construct and | | Watches, as follows | lessens the danger of parting it, | It was a long, laboric | enfliciently to permit th mentary lull, a “slateb,”’ as the surfmen call it. The return to shore with the reseued people is fully aa dangerous as the start. The huge waves follow after their escaped prey, and the risk of the boat running head foremost before a “comber” is very great, as she iiust fll or capsize instantly if she is not check: The crew are obliged to hold the boat back until there is a favorable chance to run in ashore. F CHE MORTAR EN OPERATION. If the veasel strikes close to the shore, so that she can be reach by a line, the hand wagon, loaded with the mortar and its apparatus, is run down to the beach, The sand anchor is fastened down, the crotech—two planks about twelve feet long—is ad- justed and the mortar placed in position, The first and second shots tay fail, either from the force of the wind, miscalculation of the distance or the part- ing of the line attached to the ball. When commn- nication is at last established with the wreck the crew on board haul on the line, and in a short time the whip and hawser are ready for work, The breeches buoy is sent over the hawser to the vessel, a man steps into it and is securely fastened, the crew on shore pull in the whip, and 1h a few seconds the man is beside them, The life car apparatus is manazed iw the same manner, acar being capable of holding six grown people. A board is attached to the line after communication is established with the wreck, giving the following in- structions iu English and French to the shipwrecked A COLEELEELE SILI IEEE PELE PPLELEDETE UEPETELEDE DOLE 2E the block { ne lower uiast. Tt then to the best place yon can find. 3 Soe that the rope in the block runs ? fal to shore. Tt frequently happens that the shipwrecked er’ will do nothing toward assisting m the rescue of their own lives. It is astonishing to find what intense ii- norauce and stupidity prevail on such occasions. Masters and mates should be obliged to. inake them: selves acquainted with the working of the life seviny ‘atus, as they sometimes render th er us of ew useless by thoir neglect to obey v them. to sunrise, and during the day r be dark aud threatening. It ed into five nset to 6 P, M., 6 to 10, 10 to 2 A. M., 2 to 6 to sunrise. Two men leave the station, lanterns in hand. One proceeds ‘h to the limits of his district, and the other south. Both must wait at the end of their routes until they are joined by the patrols from the adjoin- ing stations. Thus an unbroken line of seutries guards the coast, and the mariner rests more easily when he knows that he will be warned when he ap- proaches the point of danger, and that there are stout hearts prepared to go to bis rescue should he be cast awa IN THE OLDEN TIE. The merit of this admirable system of vigilance may be appreciated when one contrasts it with the unguarded condition of the coast formerly, and the terrible loss of lite and property that oc every year on this coast. Then a ship might beat to pieces in the crnel breakers, and her cre d passengers perish within a short distance of the shore. As an instance, the packet ship Powhatan went ashore | about twenty years ago on the beach below Barnegat Inlet. e strack close to the shore and soon went to pieces. Over three hundred lives were lost, not one of the crew or passengers escaping. On the saine ght the brig Manhattan went ashore on the same beach, only one man reaching the shore alive. He wandered up and down the inhospitable beach | in a blinding snow storm and perished before assistance reached him. When the tirst government houses were built many years ago, and they were few and far between, no crews were attached to them and they were practically useless. There were all the ap- pliances for the rescue of shipwrecked mariners, but uo one to work them. The first gun was fired in the Saving Service nearly twenty-nine years ago, as may be seen from the following insc medal in the possession of Captain Chadwick, keeper of station Ore terest teOsE se sOtELE Lede tOTE LE TE TEE DLO TE Ebtb beer N Vita selicilus ausis verrata sented to M y A the firing by bin nen ball carryin: men, women a uan Beach, New Jerse $suow storm on the 12th d Deven rete re renete se LOVEE TOTO Te ness tt tt ng te teet bbee THE LIFE SAVING SERVICE AND THE UNDERWRITERS, | ‘The vigilant lookout maintained at p t by the government crews renders it impossible for'ma: to run their vessels purposely ashore without being detected. Instances are not rare when au old ship, | heavily insured and ballasted with some worthless | stuff, has been wrecked on the Jersey coast, the un- derwriters being the only victims. Whatever opinions people along the shore might have of snch nefarions | work, there was no means of proving the guilt of the | parties, The log book of the government station | keeper is now a fatal telltale, should such an attempt be made. Again, more vessels are warned of danger | on approaching too close to the shore by the patrols | than those which are wrecked. In many cases a coasting vessel has struck on the shoals of one of the inlets and the crew of the adjoining station have got her olf sately, even waen her captain was about to abandon her. Some of the work ascribed to tin Coast Wrecking Company oy this coast was actually done by the lifeboat men, accOrding to the statements of many residents not connected with the service. of January, 1 For such work the life saving crews receive not even the thanks of those whose property they rescue from the grasp of the shoals. THE STATIONS. arney n Cape May to Point i ted and the means onveyance limited and primitive, Comma- a with mainland is often difficult, and when there is a snc: of storms the crews of some of the stations are cut off from the land effectually as if they were on board a lightship, ‘There are very few residents on the beaches besides the life saving men, and these few are skilful tax- idermists, adepts in'the art of stuffing. The stories told by these toilers of the seaare indeed wonderful, which belongs to some unknown species of the genue w: drawn by an unfortunate quadruped who xeems to have been raisedon sand and seaweel, the «harp wind cutting into one's face like a knife, I have heard narratives more wonderful than those related to the “Pacha of Many Tales.” Unhappily for the truth of them, facts | show that eases of rescue of shipwrec | crews were few and far between before the i meut houses were built. Even then the abs: regular crews wus severely felt, and wit! paraging th impossible, on service, As Superinten i real lifeboat crew, capable of splendid service in the terrible hours © cannot be impro- vised, and no terms cau overstate the importance of having at command for such seasons crews carefully trained to their heroie work and skilled by long drill aball traly «a: in the use of the life-saving apparatus.” The Lite Saving Se m exhibited at the | Centennial is placed at Cape Mas rt house, and is known a No. 40, | Hand, an experienced surfiwan. The distinguishing | ) feature of this station is the gun presented to the government by the iGeneral. It throws ¥ cylindrical projectile with rounded ends, in which in fitted a rubber washer, to which the line is attac! | | The rubber preveuts too great a strain on the line and This gun will throw Two miles above Cape ‘we Hildreth, keeper. a model house, everything connected service being in perfect urder. At Two Mil No. 38, Thomas L. Van Winkle, keeper, a tresh sup ply of bedding is needed. Bix miles above Cape May is Turtle Gut Station, No. 37, Elijah Hand, keeper. This is a very danger: ous inlet, constantly changing aud forming new | the shot with line 615 yards, is Station No. 39, ¢ shoale, On October 25, during the terrible storm that raged along the coast that night, the crew we to the aysistanee ot the schooner H. T. Potter, whi at some distance from the static task to pull the surf be through the soft, wet sand to t point opposite the stranded vessel. They took off the shipwrecked crew in safety, with the exception of two, who were drowned betore the vessel struck, At Hereford Inlet, another bad point on the coast, 3, close to the lighthouse. Duriog the the surf swept across the beach and moved the house off its underpinning, carrying it buck more than fiiteen he old yovernn house, whieh stood moved and crasbed agaimst the station. y no other damage was done. The crew, with Keeper Uresse, had just returned from a wreck, and were compellgt to take again to the surf boat to save themselves. ‘They found shelter in the lighthouse until the mm to retury to the station. eeper K. ©. Holmes and bis t extensive and perilous dis- beach, had run ashot and its carriage At Stone Horbor, No. impossible for a single crew to attend to it. Another | station ix sadly needed at the north point of this miber 10 an oyster schooner from Patchogue, L. » Minnie Still, Captain Silabe—ran ashore two miles north of the station, K ft and his crew dragged the bout on its carriage through the wet swnd all the distance, and notwithstauding the men were almost extat they launched the boat, reached the schooner and took off the four men board. The patrol of this station is a very long and a Two men start from the hotise at the same time, one going south over four miles and the other north about three aud a halt miles, Ina heavy gale the sea rushes over the beach, cutting deep gullies or “glades”’ and eudaugering the lives o1 the patrolmen. A long sail of nearly eight miles on the ‘Thorough fare,’ an arm of the sea that extends inside the beach from May to Point Pleasant, brought me to Townsend's niet, No. 34 station, Keeper Henry G, Willetts. The shonls of this inlet are the terror of | bursted at the first trial. | cut the boat. | keeper, the boat is in admirable condition. | for the boat to capsize in all ¢ ng vessels, There have been fourteen wrecks at tuis point within the last seven winters, five resulting in the total loss of the vessels. ‘The crews were res by the Life Saving Service men in every instance, Coasters making from Atlantic City often get in too close here, and should there be je blow ing th any kine hunces of eseape are very #li PH RNGLISH LIFEBOAT. Near the station isa house containing an English lifeboat. She isa very handsome and well equipped craft, but of as much practical benefit on this coust as un irow-clad, Shouid snch a ponderous ark of de- liverance get on the savd at the edge of the surt, or on a shoal, the surf boat would baye to go to the res- cue of her crew protty much the same as if a schooner was ashore, Bes he requires adouble crew to 41d never luAnage glish lifeboat is an ainirable institution in the waters for which it ts designed, but on such a low, flat coust and shoal water as that of New Jersey she is worthless. IMPROVEMENTS SEEDED. Sap oo, ames Govan’ ®) 38 biaiom, Non man her, as six wieldy craft, ‘The E Keeper Sayres. This house is very much exposed during a high tide and heavy gale. The is the case with Station No. Keeper Corson, on the north side of Corson’s Inle ‘The beach is being constantly washed away, and the house is ever in danger. At Station No. 31, on Peek’s Beach, Keeper Stiles, the beat s id be one-third lighter im order to be eficient, This is @ serious detect in the most of the surf boats at the government bonuses of this district. They are so heavy that they can searcely be managed with safety by a erew of six men. During the great October gale the schooner Sarah Clark, from Greenport, L. L, went ashore near this station, She lost two of her crew before she and the rest, four in number, were taken off treme difficulty by the erew of AG station. Beesley's, Station No. 30, Keeper , the house is well located. Great Egg Harbor Inlet is close by, and the bar opposite the station runs out over two miles. Before the erew were placed at this point there were numerous wrecks. ‘The surf boat is not long enough for its purpose, being a little over ve fect. On the beach between Great Egg Harbor and Absecom Injets there are three stations :— Keeper Casto; No. 28, Keeper Eldridge, and Keeper Bowen. The boats at these stations y heavy, too sharp in the bows and too full inclined to run with a heavy to, qualities which endanger the lives of the crews. K Fildridge uses a bag of sand as ballast in the stern ot his boat to prevent her from dipping her bows too low in the breakers. Last winter he sent two men off in Merriman life suits toe a piece of wreck that was floating about a quarter of a mile from shore. They went through the surt in safety, found no one on the k, which consisted of the masts and crosstrees of and returned without the slightest dimi- i Atluntic City the dreaded Brigantine 1 northward, On the other side of Abse- , Keeper Turner, A BUSH FOR A STRANDED BARK, On December 6 the bark Wilhelmina, of Quebec, Captain Walsh, with a cargo of 4,000 empty oil bar- relx, from Antwerp for Philadelphia, struck on the Brigantine Shoals. She was discovered by the patrol about half-past two o'clock in the morning. The crews of three stations, eager to be the first on board, got their boats out immediately. The boat wagon of No. 25, un old, dilapidated affair, broke down after leaving the house, and the crew were obliged to haul the boat to the water inside the inlet and to pull along distance to Little Exg Inlet. This boat has the same detect of being too sharp in the bows, as T have mentioned about the stations on the beach below. ‘The crew of this station have on unusually hard tisk. The constant washing away of the beach on the north side of the inlet converted the Spot on which No, 26 stood into a shoal, and the crew have now a patrol of over nine miles. The greater portion of the apparatus is old and worn ont. A new Ret of cars, and especially a long steering oar, is needed. Across the new inlet on a small beach which the surf is constantly diminishing in size, is station No. v4, Keeper Gaskill. This crew were first at the wreck of the bark Wilhelmina, which struck near the station. They took the crew off the wreck about two imiles from shore, except a few that insisted upon saving their effects in the ship's boats. These would have been lost had not. the crew of the next. station above reached them before they got to the “broken water” inshore, The captain of the bark, accordin: to the statements of the yoverniment crew, display: a most unaccountable ignorance of the coast. He said he mistook Little Fgg and Absecom lights for those of the Capes, and was surprised to find the Lite Saving Service stations on the coast, although they were marked down on the charts. A RESCUED PORKER. Among the lives saved from the bark was a sorry specimen of a pores, which the life saving crew pur- chased from the captain. They soon had reason to regret their purchase, as his porcine highness took unwarrantable liberties with an oilskin coat and a sail which he found near the house, evidently thinking that they were placed there for his dinner. He also tyrannized over a pet dog of the crew, turn- ing him out of his warm bed and taking possession of it without even a grunt of apology. NARROW ESCAPE. Crossing Little Egg Inlet, a very rough piece of water for a small boat, I reached station No. 23, Keeper James B. Ryder. The boat wagon at this house is very poor, the wheels and body narrow and liable to chafe the boat.\ This is the most dangerous patrol on the coast. The beach is so flat that a high tide sweeps over it. Two winters ago one of the crew, while patrolling the beach, was caught by the tide ina deep “glade” and narrowly escaped being swept out to sea. He lost his lamp and part of his clothing, and got back to the station in an exhausted condition. Another patrol was “‘treed”’ on a sandbill about a month ago, and the crew were obliged to go to his rescue in their surfboat. honse is situated more than half a mile from the surf, {the labor entailed upon six men dragging a heavy t and wagon, weighing over a ton, may easily be imagined. There were eight wrecks in the inlet last winter. When the bark Wilhelmina went ashore the crew of this station had to pull three miles through the surf to go to the reseue of the shipwrecked mariners. There should be a larger crew at this point. culty Shoais com Inlet is Station No. LONG BRACH. Passing the ranges which the government has placed on shore to enable vessels to enter the Little Kgg Inlet safely, and which have proved utterly worthless, although each, a dry goods box placed on three poles, cost $40, the Station No. 22, Keeper Bond, was reached. The kee here, who bears a close resemblance to the late William Cullen Bryznt, was entirely satistied with his boat and wagon. Keeper Sprague, of the next station, No. 21, Ship Bottom, said his boat had not spring enough in the bottom. At Station No. 20, Keeper G. Crane, the boat was old and leaky, the bottom haying beon started and repaired with shore timbers, It is a five- oared boat and can ouly take five men ashore with its own crew. Keeper P. Martin, of Station No. 19. Harvey Cedars, las a good boat with stout wagon. During the last October gule the schooner William Collyer, of Providence, R. L, came ashore and the crew, five in number, were saved by the breeches buoy. At station No, 18, Keeper Grimne, the boat is very heavy, but not so sharp in the bows as others on thecoast below. Pifteeu persons can be taken off a wreck at one time in this boat. The bar running close to the shore enables the crew in case ot a wreck to use the mor- tar. ° At Station No. 17,on the south side of Barnegat Keeper Ridgeway, the mortar is in bad condi- tion and daugerous. The Signal Service occupies room iu the building, thereby cramping the already meagre accommodations of the crew. ‘Three vessels went ashore on the Barnegat shoals this winter—the schooner Carleton, October 27; the schooner Lady November 1, and the sloop Eliza Dunn, Noveru- . All these were got off safely by the ‘crew of this station aud without such assistance they would have been wrecked beyond doubt. BETWEEN BARNEGAT AND POINT PLEASANT. North of Barnegat the beach is not so fat and wrecks generally strike close to shore. At Static No. 16, Keeper Chambers, the boat is old and pate Ouly two balls are left for the mortar. The govern. ment sent another boat there this winter, but she Keeper Penn, of Station No. 15, Forked Kiver, has @ sound boat, but heavy and with a straight keel. This boat can take twenty persons ashore besides its own crew. Keeper Joseph F, Reed, of Station No. 14, Island Beach, has a small five-oared boat and a narrow wagon, the wheel of which cuts the boat. A supply of bedding 1 needed here. Another fiye-oared boat, of the Tom's River model, is at Station No. 13, Keeper Stephen Bills. The wagou has been raised somewhat, but the wheels still The (1 a ball with line 400 yards against the wind. At Station No. 12, Green Island, William P. chade ee. 6 keeper hax placed a cork feuder around it, thereby reducing the chances of capsizing. Captain Chadwick is of the opinion that a cork fender placed around a boat, and underneath it a rubber belt tilled with air, will render it impossivle ny sea. In order to prevent wa, bow down, he sug- bi Tho greatest have to guard against is when with the sea, like a horse taking the bit in his teeth. Should she sne- coed her stern is flung high into the air and in an instant she is bottom upward. It is all im- portant that the govern t should examine closely into this question of a self-righting surf boat. goeater number of the bouts Ihave seen are better calculated ia w heavy sea to drown their own crews than to assist others, A drill of heaving the line and working the breeches buoy showed remarable profi- ciency on the part of the crew. Keeper Miller, of Station No. 11, Swan Point, has a very heavy boat, ant Keeper Fleming, of Station No. 10, Point Pleas- ant, has one of the best boats on the coust—squaro Dott, with snficient sheer to be handled qnickly in the surf. The wagon is unnecessarily heavy, con- sidering that the crew have to pull it across a steep sand bill to reach the surf. DRILLS. The following regulations for drill govern all the stations along this coast:— Monday—Exercise with surf boat, ‘Tne-day—Hand leads, Wodnesday—Mortar, life car and breeches buoy. Friday—Moerriman life suits and resuscitation. the boat tries to ru Suturday—Cleaning apparatus. DEFECTS TO Hk REMEDIED. Besides the question of a self-righ bailing xurt boat there are others to » eovernt tion of t) nt may be sacks prov atrols, in which they must carry their Coston lights, are of such poor material (common oileloth) that after being used a half dozen times they are full of holes and let in the rain on wet nights, They also destroy @ large quantity of lights by fraying the fuses. A belt with a hoister attacned, like that in which @ navy revolver is , woud be far preferable to the rac iron rings attached to the life car not run as smoothly and efficiently as a ull’s eye” or i) and they are liable chafe the The Herriuen suites are generally poor material that in the thirty every suit was in @ drawn. wi bi to su stations I lave visited near! leaky coudition, The signal flags are certainly more ornamental than neeful, as in the thick weather they comnot be distingnished beyond a very short. dit tance, aud a4 they cost the governwent about $150 @ the money might have b applied to better pur: pose, A small storéhoute built ap at the end of each station would enable the ) preserve & reater degree of cleanliness nest i {ave more room for thelr apparatus, The numere experiments with mortar liar generally re- suited so far in Inmbering the honses with coil# of conderuned lines. A fleet of condemned boats was sent up to Tom's Hiver last summer, and yet this winter they have been distributed along the const, although no keeper would risk the lives of hfs crow om One thing fs very necessary to attain efivieney in the wvice—the crew showd be inereased by the ad- Attn ors man, When the autf boat zoes off to « obs, yp ros, rrott gun at this station can | tecied, and should shipwrecked poaple be brought ashore in an exhausted condition there is no one at the station to have everything in readiness to receive them. Besides, ‘tional man would be of in- calalable service in launching and landing the boat. A horse attached to each station would also be of reat service and the cost co waly trifling. (he noble work done by the Life Saving Service aud the generous interest taken in it cannot but result in providing it with everything calc: to render it efiicient in ull its appointments. MRS. STEWART’S CHARITY, THE DIRECTORS OF THE MOUNT SINAI HOSPITAL FINALLY REJECT HER DONATION—A SECRET MEETING, ‘The Board of Directors of the Mount Sinai Hospital met yesterday morning at ten o'clock, in the parlors of the institution, to discuss the proper course to pursue regarding the offer of Mrs. Stewart to douate to them $500 through Judge Hilton, As this is one of the principal of the Jewish charitable missions in the city great imterest attached to the action of those who haye charge of its management, and ever since the present excitement began it has beer looked forward to with some impatience by the ma- jority of the Hebrews. The chief patrons of the Mount Sinai Hospital represent the richest and most aristocratic caste in their society, but the minor subseribers are scattered all over the United States, and their constant liberality demon- strates how warm a place in the affection and grati- tude of the multitude this noble charity upies, Fresh evidence of this fact is found in the spon- taneity with which proffers of money have lately been. made, with the avowed purpose of making up for the Joss which might be incurred by refusing to accept the gift just mentioned. At Cincinnati the Hebrew congregations have declared with unanimity that they will not permit the Mount Sinai Hospital to use the $500 from Mrs. Stewart, but that they themselves refund it to Judge Hilton uuless the New York congregations anticipate thom in the display of a proper and elevated spirit. |The Jews in other cities have been equally prompt in ‘signifying to their brethren kere the united impulse of their communt- ies. POLICY AS WELL AS PRIDR. The directors of the hospital believe that to accept the contribution from Judge Hilton now would be a most unwise and impolitic act. It would, they believe, repress the sympathies of a large number of people who are among the most valned friends of the charity, and it would materially affect its income for the coming year, ata time, too, when all is needed that can be obtained for such a | work. During the year which is nearly ended the hospital has received but a very small proportion of its support from the Christian cr non-religious pub- {1 muy $1,000 was appropriated from the county funds. Since, therefore, it must depend almost en- tirely upon the race for its maintenance, they do not feel that there is the slightest motive of interest to induce them to forbear rejecting the sum in question. What was said in the meeting yesterday was jealously gnarded from publicity. Every one pres- eut was pledged to absolute secrecy. Mr. Adolph Hallgarten, the president, occupied the chair, Among those who spoke were Mr. H. Aronson, the vice presi- dent; Mr, Samuel Shafer, the treasurer, and Mr. Harmon H. Nathan. One director announced that he bad received $700 for the reinbursement of the institution for the sacrifice of Mrs. Stewart’s con- tribution. Mr. Louis Stix said that he had secured sixteen new meiabers, representing at the lowest éstimate the interest on $3,900, and some of them were wealthy enough to swell the yearly income much more than that. A FORMAL DECLINATION. During the session a good deal of earnest debate was had. A committee was appointed to draft a resolution on the subject of the donation, and while they were deliberating in a separate room an inter- mission was taken ay the other directors. About one o’clock the Board again assembled, with closed doors, and the report of the committee was received. After considerable comment it was adopted, While ull detailed information was denied to the press the reporter of the HERALD was given to understand, in # suanner which could not be mistaken, that the pur- port of the resolution was a final refusal of Judge Hilton's check, It was ordered that a note be ad- dressed to him to-day conveying this information. | The directors would not permit it to be published until after it should reach Judge Hiltoy. They con- sidered this prohibition @ simple courtesy due to him, A JEWISH NEWSPAPER’S ADVICE. [From the Reformer and Jewish Times, Dec. 20.] In view of the fact that Mr. Hilton’s insult to the Jewish people in the matter of the Grand Union Hotel scandal has deprived the firm: of A. T. Stewart & Co. of all Jewish custom and thereby seriously in- jured its business, many people are inclined to re- | gard this sudden act of liberality on the part of Mrs. Stewart as a bid for forgiveness and favor. Others think that, in requiring the treasurers of the socie- ties to which Mrs, Siewart offers to contribute to call upon him for the money, Mr. Hilton has pur- posely undertaken to add a disagreeable condition to Mrs. Stewart's charitable offer. Vor one of these two reasons 4 large number of our co-religionists think that the directors of the asylum are right in firmly but politely declining Mrs. Stewart's contribution. We do not concur in this view of the case. The directors of the three societies are simply trastees of charitable institutions, and they have no rivht to allow their personal prejudices, cithe or as members of @ race, to prevent them from forming their duty. In their official capacities th are the guardians of the widow and the orphan, and they would do a wrong to them if they allowed them- selves to stand between them and the benefits to be derived from Mrs. Stewart's offered contribution, It may appear to them undignified to accept money through Mr. Hilton after Mr. Hilton's behavior; it daay unpleasant for them to come in contact with Mr. Hilton in any way, but there is something more than dignity at stake: there is a question of duty; and the duty of the guardians of a charitable trust clearly is to take allthe money they cau get for charitable purposes as long as the money is not known to have been improperly gained. EVERY MAN HIS OWN LOCOMOTIVE. [From the Philadelphia Record.] The newspaper carrier who serves papers to the attendants in the permanent exhibition building goes his rounds at the rate of twelve miles an hour. He travels on machines not unlike roller skates, which are called pedomotors, according to the inventor, Mr. J. H. Hobbs, an architect on Walnut street, above Fifth. The day is not far distant when the whole city will be on wheels, when pedestrians will be skim- ming through the streets at the rate of ten miles an hour without any more effort than is now put forth in perambulating half that distance. The pedomotor consists of four tough, light wooden wheels, supplied with an outer rim of tough india rubber. These wheels are secured to a frame the shape of the toot, whi is strapped to the pedal extremities in the usual man- uer. Unilil oller skates, the wheels of these little vehicles ere not under, but are placed on each side of the foot, thus giving the wearer @ good standing as well as a solid footing. The rear wheels are three inches in diameter, while those in front are but two and a half inches. This gives the foot # slight incline, and when in motion has much to do in im- the pedestrian forward. pe a from the with a slight curl toward the ground, is a piece of casting termed the pusher, which is simply used in mounting the elevation or steep incline, From t tre of the heel a sinall brass wheel extends bac: ward, serving as a guide as well as a brake. The whole scarcely turns the scale at a pound weight, in using them no more effort is required than in ordinary walking. The wearer steps with his regular stride, and is amazed to find himself skimming over the ground so rapidly with so little muscular efiort. Mr. Hobbs explains the mystery, of the rapid movement as follows: —A man whose stride is thirty-two inches will traverge forty-eight inches, or one-half further, with the motor. This is because the body is in constant motion. For in- stance, says he, the traveller starts, and while he raises one foot to step be continues rapidly onward until the foot is set down aud the other raised to make another step. This gives him more momen- tum, and away he goes over two miles in the same time it wonld take him to accomplish a mile with the feet. No effort of the body is required for their use, a8 in skates. The traveller attuply plants one foot before the other and finds himself whizzed along at a lively rate. PARDONED TOO LATE. {Columbus correspondence Cleveland Plaindealer.) John Smith was pardoned by Governor Bishop Friday, and the republican papers throughout the State had another chance to give our good old Goy- ernor @ slap in the face for his clemency and kind heart. Sinith came from Wood county three years ayo with a sentence of fifteen years hanging to his nd a future dark with the gloom of despair and death staring at bim from the portals of the prison, However common and yulgar his appellation would indicate him to be the man's personal appear. ance was such as to impress all that he was one of brome ¢ within the walls of that huge workshop “had seen better days.” During the past year be has suffered much from constimption, and it was for the reason that he had not loug to live that the Go pardoned him, lay evening, when MeWhorter hauded the yp fellow his read it, kissed it and the his the long-looked-for pardon chute in his ay his body was putin arongh pine with the yaree ribaidry of the jal ser. vice and but one mourner, Nature, who dropped sweet tears from heaven in @soft and gentle rain. Last evening a lady, richly dressed and heavily veiled, called at the prison, and exercising her right as the wife of the deceased vonviet, had the body dis. interred and de Lp with if for her he in Wood lowly the remains of the poor con vumty, Ww mptive will probably be laid away in their last ude Llaves and as individuals | NEW YORK HERALD, MONDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1878.-TRIPLE SHEET. OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS Results of an Investigation of the Buildings. FOUL ODORS AND POISONOUS EMAWATIONS. Serious Effects of Bad Ventilation and Imperfect Heating. ALTERNATE FREEZING AND ROASTING, Neglect and Ignorance of the Janitor ‘The bad sanitary condition of the public schools, to which the HenaLp has heretofore alluded, is hap- pily attracting public attention to such wn extent as will probubly bring about the necessary improye- ments. As the mutter is one of. the highest impor- tance to the physical wellbeing of the children of the city, and one upon which depends the continued success of a system which has excited the just ad- miration of all interested in education, we publish below the results of a careful investigation by a phy- sician, who has made a study of the subject and whose visits were made without previous notice to -teachers or janitors. GRAMMAR SCHOOL No. 18, In the primary department of this school—in East Fifty-first street—there are four classes in the main assembly room, separated by movable screens. The average attendance in each class is sixty-five, crowding the room very inconyeniently, and were it not for the occasional change of classes the condition of the chil- dren would be simply intolerable. In the rear of the room are placed, the ‘gallery classes.’ The seats are arranged upon a platform sloping trom the floor and reaching to the windows. Upon the upper tier of this sloping platform the youngest children are seated. Lower down are the larger children, who are exposed to the direct current of air from the stairs leading to the yard, while the little ones cooped up on the upper benches are shivering from the cold draughts pouring directly on their heads and should- ers from the lowered sashes. ‘At the opposite end of the room the seats are close to the radiators, so close, indeed, are they that the little ones are literally roasted. It was pitiful to see them on this chilly day, with their countenances flushed from the dangerous rise of temperature, in- ducing irritation of the brain and depression of the neryous system. Under such a forcing process it is impossible that the brain and nervous systems can escape serious injury. On the ground floor there are four class rooms totally unfit for the purpose. One of these has generally an attendance of over one hun- dred, although on this occasion there were somewhat fewer, owing to a recent transfer of pupils The heating is 0 defective that upon ex- umination the temperature was found to vary from 65 degrees to over 75 degrees. No general record is taken. ‘The children are packed as closely as possible in these rooms. As to the floor and air space as required by the provisions of the bylaws of the Board of Edneation, no attention what- over is paid, the reason given being that tt is impoxe sible under the present packing system. ‘As regards the work of the janitor, Mr. John Ryan, that speaks for itself. This functionary mukes the fires and does very little else that he ‘can possibly avoid doing. He and his assistants commence sweep- ing the playgrounds between oue and two o’clock— long before the children are dismissed —raising clouds ot dust aud halt smothering the little ones in the ground class rooms. The teachers condemn in wn- measured terms this shameful practice, which seems to have no other object but to save a little of the jani- tor’s time and trouble, Another of the ground class rooms in this departwent is very impertectly lighted, and ona gloomy day the figures on the biackboard conld not be seen without a dangerous straining of the eyes. GRAMMAR SCHOOL No, 69, This is a new building, in West Fitty-fourth street, between Sixth and Seveath avenues, and was opened in the latter part of 1876. ‘There are the usual number of classes in the as- sembly room, The children in the gallery classes: are in the same condition as in the other schools— are dangerously close to the radiators on the one side and exposed to the draughts from the open win- dows on the other. The thermometer in this depart- ment seems to be at a discount, as no record what- ever is tuken of the temperature. The ventilating tio or apparatus scoms to be as useless here as glse= Wuere, ‘Lhe only apparent means tor renewing tuc ex- lausted oxygen is vy the open windows. In regard to the water closets there is no improvement iu con- struction or management. They are in the usual oid sanitary condition. The urinals are constructed of wood, being plain wooden troughs, without lining or cover, No means have been taken to prevent the foul odors and poisonous emanations from entering the adjacent class rooms. In fine, the defects oi the old buildings have been repeated, and the opportunity which this new bnild- ing presented for introducing new and improved sanitary appliances has been neglected, GRAMMAR SCHOOL No, 32. ‘This school is situated in West Thirty-fifth street, near Ninth avenue. There are the usual number of Classes in the assembly room. The temperature is not regularly taken, aud the only means of ventilation are the windows and doors, As in the other departinents the heat is unequally distributed, is as low as 60 degrees, in others over 70 de- grees. In the class room on the ground floor ad- jacent to the water closets the air was intolerable. Several pupils were absent on the “sick list.” The play room on this bright sunny day was dark and gloomy, so much so that it wax with difficulty one could inake his way through the children, ‘The janitor, Michael Conboy, is very negligent in the performance of his duties: his idea of closnliness is unique, “marvellously low,” a5 a teacher remarked. Abunaant evidence of this fact was given by the dirty yard, the filthy condition of the water closets and the | disgusting odor arising from them. A gentleman, resi- dent of the neighburhuod, who happened to be pres- ent at this time, took a peep at them and soon beat a hasty retreat, saying that “nothing short of a persoval inspection would have satisfied him as to their cou- dition.” GRAMMAR SCHOOL NO. ‘There are eighteen school house, located at 418 West Twenty-cighth street. The gallery classes are very badly lighted. On this bright day the rooms were dark and cheerless, The 33—PRIMALY DEPARTMENT. playground, where from four to five hundred chil- | dren were assembled, was badly lighted and ventilated, ‘Pheclosets are in the same Condition as in the last school visited, In one of the rooms the day before this visit the temperature was as low as 56 de- grees. The record of temperature in this school is not kept, us the Principal thought 1t useless to do so under the present circumstances. janitor, Reynolds, is responsible, or the heating ap- ‘paratus i# at fault, i€ an open question, but whatever se may be the children should not be allowed PRIMARY SCHOOL, NO. ‘This is an oll building in Greenwich street. The attendance is not large, but the rooms are inadequate and totally unfit for school purposes. The aase yoom is badly lighted, and it is here the y assemble. The children lal Aiffivulties, aud the visual organs ave put upoi painful strain, a in all kinds of weather this exer cise must be gone through with in accordance with tho requirements of tne grade, ‘The building is heated by coal and wood stoves, and in consequence the temperature varies a good deal and the heating of the rooms is vnsatisfactor The janitress, Mra. Konny, as the principal said, does the best she can under the circuinstances, i the clean yard aud floors, ideas compare orably with those in char, buildings. me » of larger GRAMMAR SCHOOL NO. 70. ‘The building dccupied by this school is in East Seventy-fitth street, uear Third avenne, ‘Che average duily attendence here is about 1,100 pupiis, divided into twenty classes, with fourteen class rooms. The ramped condition and defective construction of this tly opended new school were at once apparent. First—On entering assembly room when four classes were assembled, Second—lu the inoperative, inefficient character of the ventilators, Third—In the dangerous character of the giris’ stair- case, Which is of wood, about a yard wide and walled up to the ceiling on both sides, and down which 500 gitls have to go for exit. Fourth- badly lighted rooms, where, on stormy days, the child t ra for h some of the led, for want of space, to sit Clore Was sitting with ratiator, his face » While a window im Hately over his head was open, beiig the only mea ilation). Siath—Ln th lation in some rooms (#: sitating the in others the beating in of the rain if the windows are open When it storms, Serenth-It the sinaliness of the playgrounds, which do not allow over about one sqttare loot of ground space for cwh pupil attending, and thus de- priving the greater munber of the children of the bonetit of muy recess at ali. digit tue deficiency of wardrobes and screens; In some rooms it | sses and ten class roots inthis | Whether the | | effect mach per ei oo the childrens’ , batg and lunches necessarily being piled 1 be nl ne hee on benches. There was apparent neglect and dereliction of duty ov the part of the janitor, O'Neill, in the record of the tempera- tureof the rooms, as shown by the slate, which niarked from sixty-six degrees by thermometer dowa to as low as forty-six degrees for the forenoon, Ninth—li the’ pestilential, old-fashioned, unlined wooden troughs tor urinals. GRAMMAR SCHOOL NO, 4 ‘This school honse is in East Beventy-ninth street near Third aveune, A few years ago so-called im provements were made to this building which a1 wholly inadequate. The same defects and deficienci as those mainsii to the Reve ty ip sia school are Ang genoral way apparent ere—bad ventilation, dark rooms, cramped space for class rooms snd re- cess yrounds; no record kept of the temper- ature, wh at times is so hot, ranging up to cighty degrees, that windows’ have to be thrown wide open; at others so cold that, to use the words of one of the teachers, a shawl or cloak is necessary. This shows that the janitor, John Pye, does not pay suficient attention to his duties in regard to the heating. Thore is the same bad arrangement of the radiators and inoperative ventilators, But here, worse than in Seventy-fitth street, the poisonous effects of sewer gas are more apparent, at least in on room on the ground floor adjoining the wator closets, where the teacher became so ill that the prin cipal was obliged to remoye her to auoth sr room, and the teacher succeeding and relieving her in that room wax then at home sick from the same cianse, In that room and the one overhead there was 4 great deal of headache and sore throat among the pupil» five being Uhen absent from the upper and sev- from the lower room on this account. time the doors are opened communica betw these water closets and the narrow ing stairway leading into the crowded parts of this butld- ing a Herce current of air, laden is sucked up into the build! Y premises permeated with them. strange that much complaint of headache and dizai- uess is made by teachers as well as pupils. For want of wardrobes the children’s wraps are strewn along the floor under their seats and desks, and in many cases the seats are so +h that the chil- dren's feet dangle without touching the floor. Ia two of the gullery classes the seats are so arranged that the teachers are frequently obliged to station themselves on the flank of side of their class for the relief of their eyes and to enable them to see their upils, one of these teacher's eyes being very much congested ag a result of this bad’ arrangeiment. GRAMMAR SCHOOL NO, 37, In this building, which stands in East Eighty: seventh street, near Fourth avenue, there is about the same amount of space for an average daily at- tendunce of about seven hundred children as in the other two schools with over half as many moro euch, and consequently not so bad @ state of affairs. The building, too, scems better arranged for venti- Jation and Pape and in one of the rooms the radiator was perched on a dais, which was a relicf to the children obliged to sit near it. The ventilators, by actual test under most favorable circumstances, with windows and doors wide open and an empty room, showed scarcely a perceptible current ot movement of air, One of the teachers remarked that “she did not see what ‘O.’ and ‘S.,’ meaning ‘open’ and ‘shut,’ were put on these ventilators for, as they never think of touching them.” ‘The writer saw dirty stairways and passages here, but Janitor Gallager was not in sight. GRAMMAR SCHOOL NO. 8. At No. 66 Grand street, where this school is lo- cated, the same overcrowded condition exists as in the other schools—the same useless ventilators and badly arranged radiators and steam piping. ‘The gallery class room, in which from 215 to 250 children are daily crammed for hours, ix so dark that gas is needed even in ordinary weather and is only un- necessary during part of the sunniest days. Chil- dren constantly complain of their eyes and the bad light The room forming the east wing of this gal- lery is immediately over the boys’ water closet; that forming the west wing is over the girls’ water closet, and both are constantly befouled with the stenches arising through the floor, the walls and in at the windows and doors—being absolutely enveloped in the vrata | vapors arising from these necexsaries— that of the boys being the worst, and on this occa- sion in a state of filth too disgusting even to hint at, From these closets the gases escape into the foul, damp, dungeon-like so eulled playgrounds. From the east wing class room this disgusting closet could be seen through openings in the floor, The Vice Principal, who occupied it, has been in: valided since June lust with sewer gas poisoning, which has resulted finally in spinal meningitis. A patch of roofing under and almost up to thé south windows of this room was filthy with accumulations of rubbish and garbage No record is kept of the thermometer, although it is observed from time to time by the teachers. On thix occasion it was at 56, 59 an“ 60 degrees in different parts of the building, but it often runs down to 46. rees. Janitor Scan- lon has uot been long in this school, GRAMMAR SCHOOL NO. 13, Owing to the crammed condition of this school, at No. 239 East Houston street, the Principal has re- fused over nine hundred applications for admission in about three months. Here again, as in the other schools, were larger numbers of small children seated on high benches, their legs uncomfo: dangling in the air—the same bad arrangement of radiators and inoperative ventilators, the same complaint of dark rooms. The sixth grade fnagaald class room is 80 bad that it is utterly impossible for the teacher to see the boys’ faces, and for her there is no relief, as the exercises require her to be constantly at the black board facing her elass. Her only relief is in wearing a@ paper mask over ber eye Here again, a draught draws through that is a constant menace to the health of the teacher, who, of course, must stand and endure it, GRAMMAR SCHOOL NO, 36—PRIMARY DEPARTMENT. No, 710 East Ninth street, the teacher in 13, ground floor, looked wretchedly sick and asked to be relieved. The cause was apparent, Her situation could not be worse if her class room were right inside either of the abominable, beastly closets: ed which it is surrounded, Nothing could be more sickening, disgusting and ‘ting than this vile hole in which un average of about seventy chil- dren and @ competent teacher are daily assembled and compelled to remain many hours. It is the very t of cruel, barbarous neglect and oppression. The windows of room No. 11 (the only means of ventilation) are only nine feet trom the water closets of a large tenement building in the rear. Here the atmosphere is intolerably offensive, especially in rainy weather. Janitor Murdoch adopts contrary times for his sweeping hour—commencing usually at one o'clock—sniting his own convenience ra! than that of the teachers and pupils, and over- whelming them with dust while in class, against all protest. th foul gases from fg, whi GRAMMAR SCROOT No, 22, Janitor Wade, of this sebool, in Stanton street, ad~ mits that he flushes out the’ water closets usally only every two days, whereas it should properly bo done after each recess and dismissal, There ix no excuse for this culpable neglect of 4 simple and easy duty, consisting merely in the drawing und replacing of a valve. There were apparent indications that they had not been cleaned out for days. He udmitted, upon close questioning, that he did not make a pr: tire of cleaning out the urinals after each recess, as he is expected to do, notwithstanding these closets are the only resort of nearly two thousand children daily. As an instance of this man’s estimate of sani- tavy conditions, when asked what state these closcts were then in, he replied, “They are sweet.” ‘This building is superior to the others, and, exce; in a sanitary point, very tolerable indeed. The chil- dren’s benches, however, night be better propor. tioned to the ages of their occupants, to the relict of scores of little ones who may be seen sitting throuzit tedious class hours with legs dangling and no rest for their feet. GRAMMAR SCHOOL No. 25, ‘The building No. 240 Fifth street is occupied by this school. The gallery class room here requires the light of ten gas burners in cloudy weather. A stable is within about six feet of the wing class room, which is a great nuisance and renders this otherwise good room the most objectionable in the whol school. The closets are in the usnal condition, t urinals being of unmasked wood, the seats without covering and the same precarious, irregular flushing and cleansing. It is evident from the inspection that there is ur- gentand imperative necessity for more school room in primary departments. How this need is to be met or how the overcrowding of class rooms is to be ree lieved and the attending evils mitigated, if not radi- cally removed, are problems that call immediately tor solution and speedy action. The erection of i dependent primary schools, however desirable, is @ matter of the future, the mere contemplation of which cannot meet the ‘present necessitics of tho schools, A slight relaxation of the rules and a» change in the time of holding the sessions would eut and prompt relief in the mora crowded districts, where lundreds of children are now daily refused aduissio: Short sessions in the lower grades of primary do partments and schools would do much to meet this contingency. The present law requires two sessions a day, but there are no good reasons why the School Bourd should not overcome this technicality by authorising # daily distnissal of classes in the lower rades soon after entering upon the second session, ‘Two desirable results would ensue from such an ars rangement. The little children would be relieved from the strained, crammed condition and vitiated air of the class room. The room space thus created uld be utilized either for the accommodation of the older children or for the admission of new pupils fom the afternoon session. ‘The question was asked of some of the inost experis enced principals in this department whether the plow of admitting new classes ot children in the afternoon would be practicable aud advisable, especially in crowded districts? The question and suyy) ery instance met with approval. Ax a 1icasu instant relief the value of the suggestion is All present overcrowding of pupils in atte: crowding out of new applicants could thus at onea and without additional expen overcome, and also without interfering with the present status of teache ers’ salaries, A WOMAN'S DEVOTION, {From the Pall Matt Gazette.) We learn that a poor fellow named Moreau, whose jaw, nose and two eyes were carried away by the splinter of a shell at the battle of Bapaume, in Janus ary, 1871, has just been ablo to leave the Val-de-Grace, and to return home to his native village, not cured, but wonderfully patched up, He has « metallia mask, provided with eyes, @ false nose and a dental arrany t which allows him to mastieate, It ap- pears that this unfortiuate gunner before joining the Army of the North was engaged to be married. my ee Ee arcana after what hat happened he would be rejected, bat this was uot the case, Morcau Las returned home to his wite, ,