The New York Herald Newspaper, January 16, 1879, Page 5

AMERICAN COTTON GOODS, Progress of Manufactures in the United States. INTERESTING DETAILS AND STATISTICS. _ Comparative Merit of Native and Foreign Fabrics. PROSPECTS FOR AN INCREASED MARKET. Below will be found an array of highly instructive figures, carefully prepared by # competent and rec- ognized expert, showing the history of American cotton ufactures.. ‘They demonstrate how fully the mill owners of this country have recovered from the prostrating effects of the war, and how rapidly and efficiently they are now crowding their trans- atlantic rivals in the markets of the world:— L. Statistics as toeprogresa of, cotton manufactures in the Unit set Ha cotton spindles in 1860, 1870 States First—Number of and 1878? ‘Second—Number of yards produced in 1860, 1870 and 1878? Tuird—Pounds of yarn and yards of cloth, with values, exported year by year from beginning of export trade to present date? ‘Present production, per laborer em- glean’ as compared with same ten years ago? inancisl history of cotton manufactures in the United States :— First—Capital invested in 1860, 1870 and 1878? Second—Supposed average returns on capital? Third—Is the export trade, as conducted at present, remunerative, and, if so, why do not manufacturers in the home trade, with a protec- ign of 30 or 40 per cent, realize immediate for- nes’ ‘TIL Injormation regerding the following subjects:— @. Do Amerivau manut rouce stc- cessfully the finest qualities of cotton cloths, or do they still confine their attention to low and medium qualities? : bo, How is it wipronee America compares, with England in regard to cost of production? ce. Is cotton machinery now usually made at bien wy if so, is it as cheap as English ma- ner a How doen the cost of labor compare, keepin; in view the undoubtedly superior intelligence of the average American Boag ved e, What is the com: on between English and inerican cotton gt in regard to their popu- in foreign markets? J. Is the export trade expected to increase? o. Dibra the circumstances that retard its wth? A. What foreign markets are the most hopeful? j. What 1s the purport of the consular reports in reply to the recent government circular? ke it is the present current of opinion among manufacturers in regard to the tariff? Are they becoming more indifferent to protection, now that they, find themselves able to compete with England in foreign markets? Any iniormftion which casts light upon these questions :-— First—Whether America will soon be able to supply the whole of her own requirements in cotton manufactures? Second—Whether her competition with England in foreign markets is likely to continue to grow to important dimensions? ANSWERS.—STATISTICS ARE GIVEN WOR YEARS ENDING JUNE 30. L First—Spinning spindles :— 1860 (census). 1870 (census). 1878 (estimated) o + 10,500,000 Second—Statistics of yards of cloth produced ‘were untrustworthy until the census of 1870. Comparison may best be made upon the pounds of cotton consumed by the factorics the years mentioned. The average number of yards per pound of product (i. ¢., of cotton used, less waste in using) at each period 1. being approximately known, 4 fair compara ive statement of yards may be deduced as follows: —~ * 1860, 1870. 1878. Cotton “ cons'd in pounds, ross— no} . dodu: 415,000,000 396,000,000 698,000,000 Product— cloth, yarn, &c. Equal re 846,000,000 840,000,000 580,000,000 Yard yards. 1,200,000,000 1,445,000,000 2,637,000,000 is per pound... 34g 4g 45 ‘Third—Statistics sought by this inquiry are in- complete, Exports of cotton goods before the civil war were stated in published reports by and value, and only from the ports of jew York and Boston. These, comprising more a ary per cent of ks) foaee were :— Thess “exports nearly ceased during the war period (1862-1865) and revived why after its close. Inconsiderable until 1876, they have since. increased rapidly. The rate of increase in quan- tity and_ agureuato value, and of their in a © pI per pound since 1870, is shown in the following: — |. $2, 146] $1,391) $3,537 2,625) 620) 3,145) 2,029) 7,870 in the yoar of largest export (1874) per cent of the Sroductiipe How —Attaint to only 65 small in ‘comparison with the 78 per cent ex- ported of Enyland’s larger production. ‘Ten years (three years after the close of the war) exceasive inflation of au tere. It is deemablo currenc; vailed, causing inflation of prices, of a cost ob ving! and of tho+ cust of manufacturing in ail dep: ents, Tmn- provements in procvayes, machinery, skill, speed, goats of product and increased ‘production to he hands employed, all conspicuous in the last fow years, had then made but little progress. Factory statistics of that yoar (1868) are very in- pericet. ‘The production per laborer then em- | joyed can ly be extim: and because of @ abnormal and | | liar conditions then oxist- ing, would ve DOIN unsstintectoey tnd none Bat in 1860 cotion manufacture was profit able, end under normal conditions of cur. rency, trade and peace. The exports of that | PO year wore nearly the same in valuo as those of 1874. The present production per laborer employed, as compared with the same in the auie kind of production in 1860, as found from mill records, is 50 a; cent more in the coarser fabrica and 60 to per cent more in the finer, while the labor cost per pound is redueed only 22 to 30 per cont and the wookly scmnings ot op- eratives are 10 to 25 per cent larger now than in 1860, and the cost of their living (of the samo x now ie 1808 and 1876, an interval of 38 years, the vost of labor ond of product was re. duced 40 por eval and, erative was increased 830 per cent. First—Capital inyexted:— the production per op- $98,000,000 14d m) 0 turns on capital:— por cent 7 per vent per cent Et cars pre- coling and following 1870 than in that year, in Which business wag quite unfavorable.) Third Tho ex trade, ux ai preseut con- duet is Femunerative, else it would not he cou- | tinued ant increnaing in volume from year to | your. crore ate not exported by or on acconnt of ir manufacturers,* They are merechauts for the profit of duty of “30 or 40 per vent’ is in ho sense protective to the production of goods for foreign markets, except as ita stimulus to production has chea; cost of production by excessive home competition, Goods produced tor rt bear Prices as like goods produced hone le. luction exceeds home con- jumption and the excess seeks: This excess sufllces to depress tie pric: whole ao smerohants find iF fo: ot the whole production bei e mon level, aud that low cuough to be indopen- dent of “protection,” as it is low onough to com- fully in foreiga pete success neutral markets with je writin the above T lewrn that ompany haw ‘bese and. stil way veun sxecption, consis pra goods to elestor with facvory results, NEW YORK HERALD, THURSDAY, JANUARY 16, 1879,-TRIPLE SHEKT. bf the cheapest pro luctions, haying equal merit, of other countries, it follows that goods produced for the “Lome trade’ of protection by customs duty. Prices oLey the law ot supply ind dentend, aud, in these howe conditions, irrespective of the tariff. The duty neither he!ps nor hinders the profit or loss of manufacturers at the proseyt tame, I, a. Ainerican manufacturers do not produce the finest qualities of cotton cloth, such as muslins, fine cumbrics, &c., mot because they cannot (finer thread having been spun here than any ever produced by uuchinery in England), but be- cause the available markets for such cloths would not snstain # manufacture of suffieent magni- tude to be profitable. The average count or num- ber of yarn produced ts about 2, some five or six numbers coarser than the average of Englund'simmense production, Some mills spin up to Nos, 60 and 80, thou, boy fa but few that spin finer than No. . There isa ton- dency in NewZngland to the production of fer goods, but such a change ix of slow growth and present conditions are unfavorable to its prog~ Tess. It is generally fia Ning that the produc tion of cloth finer than No, 35 still needs protec- tion against the competition of foreign goods in our home markets. , o. It is supposed, indeed it seems to be demon- strated, that America is now muking ell cotton joods of the coarser sorts at less cust of pro- juction than the cost of the same goods in Eng- lund a few months ago, prior to the recent severe reductions in wages, bul cannot*yet produce very fine goods as profitably. c. From 18%8 to 1815 probably 40 per cent of the cotton machinery set up anew was imported. ‘The capacity of the home machine shops was not thus sufficient to supply the sudden demand for new and enlarging mulls. ring the last three ears 75 RB cent or more hus been made at ome. @ home shops build all kinds of machi) used in cotton miils, and can put any portions of it, except mules and roving fraines (possibly these also) into the home mills at a cost than the cost of importation from Eng- land. Home built machinery of nearly all kinas is preferred to that trom England, as better adapted to American operatives and management. There is at present very little demand for new machinery; the shops are not fully employed; labor and materials are cheap; hence tue very low cost at which it can be produced, d. ‘The cost of labor of equal skill, intelligence and efficiency was cheaper to the employer in the United Staies (North and South) than in Englind before the reductions of wages made there dur- ing the ee year. In ignorance of the wages now paid in England one cannot state a compari- son. It should be remembered, however, that even when the American cost to the employer was less the earnings of the American opratives were larger, from the larger production to the e. The increasing preference for American cot- ton goods over Enjlish goo.is of the same appar- ent grades, wherever the tormer have been in- troduced and become kuown to consumers in foreign markets, bears evidence of the relative merit, Jf. The ex trade has increased in the last threes years at an aycrage rate of about 60 per cent yearly in quantity and 36 por cent in value. There is. no apparent reason ‘why it suould not further increase, and such increase may be expected unless home demand shall con- sulue so nearly the whole production us to ud- vance prices above the exporting points or unless Yepelled by cheaper goods of equal quality trom other countries. The break in the trade of the United States with foreign markets caused by the war, the desertion of the foreign field by Americun merchants and American productions, which field has been fully ‘occupied by European’ merchants, with a glut of European productions, makes necessary. the re- establishment of American houses und agencies to recover the lost ground, However successful this is to be, the recovery, when others have su much the advauce, requires time, well directed and vigorous effort, new direction of capital and commercial enterprise, for its accomplishment. In the meantime it is to be supposed tliatcotton goods will be» produced in & a of better (purer) quality and at cheaper cost than they ave been, and that other countries will share in the competition to supply the commercial world with cotton yoods. ‘the cheapest goods of equal value will ultimately command the markets, g. Tho chiet retarding circumstance is that mehtioned in the last auswer—tho necessity for rocovering place in markets alreaiy occupied by competitors, and of iutroducing goods where they have-not been’ known tor many yeurs—of re- estublishing trade. A, China, British India, South America, Africa, Canada, Australia, Jupan and ports ot the Medi- terrangam., With some murkets the trade in American cotton goods-is ut present conducted chiefly through Manchester pend. of course ut disadvantage compared with direct trade. ‘j. The writer has veen no general statement of the purport of the consular reports, but expects oncto be presented at the coming session of Con- gress. k. Cotton manufacturers generally, and with not many exceptions, the principle of a peargeye turiff aa favorable to the promotion of oie industries and the uational welfare, though indifferent to it in respect of their own busine except in sustaining the price of the finer produc- tions. Among them are some of the heartiest opponents of # protective tariff, and all of them see that 8 high duty on mill supplies and ma- chinery has been a burden upon, rather than a help to, their own enterprises in all lives that have become independent of protection. First—The United States ure now able to supply all her requirements of cotton goods that cau be profitably made at home. The value of all cotton pie imported in the year 1872-3 was stated to $29,752,116. In the year 1877-8 it was $19,080,737. Of the latter the statistics show of “yards colored and uncolored”’—i. ¢., goods that paid a specific duty per square yard ond were worth 25 cents or less per yard—a value of $2,260,901; of hosiery, drawers, &c., @ value of $4,682,245; and of “other goods"—i, e., goods pay- ing an ad valorem duty of 35 per cent, suc! fine musiins, cambrics and fancy fabrics, princi- pally from France and Switzerland—a value of $12,131,590. Second—Such answer as can be made will be found in the answer to inquiry IL. / Bostox, Janu. 14, 1879. ¥. NOUBBE. DISTRESS IN AMERICA. To Tar Eprror oF Tux Hematp:— Your London correspondent draws a gloomy pic- ture of the distressful poverty with which England is afllicted. By way of special illustration he singles out the following cuses:—“A tailor is seen who, in good times, with the aid of his wife, earns $4 50 a week. Now he lives in a room fourteen fvet by eight, his wife and children crouching around the fire and no furnituro but # mattress. A clerk is visited who had been @ commercial traveller, Six months ago he was told there was no longer any commerce which could be coaxed by travelling. Now, watch, furniture and all have gone, because two baby boys had to be fed, and there was not a chair or table in the room. Another case was that of a small draper. All his furniture gone, ouly @ lot of coal which some Xind friends had sent the morning wy informant called.” ‘The remedy proposed by your correspou- dent is emigration to this country. “To this sugges- tion your editorial columns lend their powerful ad- vocacy. 1s this country, then, in so flourishing acon- dition that the starving poor of the old country will find relief so soou as ti set foot in this count ot abundance, botir ork snd money? Yet in the same papor which contained so strange an invitation I read, among other indications of the miseries of poverty in this city, an account @ man who had been an actor and a manager of theatres lying dead on the floor of s room devoid of furniture, and sit- ting by him sons with their wives and faynilics, | hardiy'able to carn enough tood for the support of Hite aud unable to pay the «: ses of the burial of thoir dead futher. Lread also of a journeyman painter named Samuel Owens, who, with his wife, “after a day of hunger and despondency, had croucked down by the fire aud sought to warm their hearts by the ruddy blaze; but.while the flickeriug light brought comfort to their eyes their ears were assailed by the itcous moans of three little childreu.”” jexs to state that these are but sampies, accidentally brought to light, of @ prevailing state of distress and verty. . 1 phi supplement them witha case of which I am personall, uizant, and although at present it is not 80 bat ieany, of those quoted it bids fair to be- come so, It is thatof an English gentleman, mar- ried, who, in his own country, was wout to move in the best society, of unblemisiied reputation and great literary attainments. He has resided a considerable time in this country, and hitherto has found no dith- enity in earning his liveli But the general deluge has at last reached him, and, unable to obtain any literary or other employ ment, he is at this mo- ment without coal or wood and without the means of procuring them. AN ENGLISH RES! NT IN AND WELL WISHER OF THIS COUNTRY. HER LORD AND MASTER. Officer Quigley was arraigned before the Police Commissioners yesterday, when Thomas Dalton an- folded the following narrative:—Ho had occupied a room in the house of Mr. Carroll, of No, 479 Second avenue, He is a widower, and was living there with his little boy on December 2 .On lay Curroll fell to,, beating his wile, a it was in” which he frequently and Dalton called in Patrolinan Quigley. hota pene Fania 4 ae Looe afrest, and when nex ount of we atiair appeared in the HkvaLp, ho accused Dalkon of ghay anton the informatiou, This the other denied, but the upshot of it all wae booms bn clubbed and arrested him, 4 Heuce (hee omp' the stand yesterday he Wahen Carroll waa called to tried to whitewash the officer, and denied having beaten his wife. ‘Tho latter, a timid, retiring little woman, in evident fear of her lord and master, tried to shield him 4s much as possible, but the testimony was forced frgm her that Ke had thrown @ buitle of potash at her, had turbidden the servant to give her any food, under pain of dismissal, aad that she had not tas tok 7 bar | that day, The, Commissioners reserved their decision, and the néxt scene in the cave Was tranecepred to the stairway of the tral Ofice, Where Curroll turned ferociously uy his wife and upbraided her for not swearing What be had told her to. The poor woman had to seek the vro- tection of the wccused ofliver on her way home, "une even mmose independent | THE GREAT FIRK. Guarding the Ruins and Count- ing the Losses. BROADWAY IMPEDED. About Two Million Dollars Swept Away. The ruins of the Brooks Brothers building, at Broadway and Grand street, destroyed by fire on Tuesday evening, attracted a vast throng of people all yesterday. A large force of police had to main- tain a strict fire line, more especially us there was | imminent danger of the falling of the western end of the wall on the Grand strect side, and which partially crumbled the night before. Three engines and about thirty flremen were on the scene up till mid- night, und the streams of water which were played upon the smoking ruins and the still blazing rem- nanteof the valuable stock engulfed by the flames, were kept up incessantly. During the night the water, which had been steadily directed at the northern end of the Broadway front, froze, and yesterday it presented a picturesque appearance of ‘silver spray encrusting the. blackened and gutted ruins, From the statements of the turned-out ten- ants of the building it now appears that tho edifice has for many years been considered an unsafe one, particularly for the storage of $1,500,00 worth of highly inflammable wares. A member of the firm of Howard, Sanger & Go., said ,that the greatest difi- culty had been experienced in placing their in- surances, for the building was thoroughly tabooed by the insurance companies, It covered four lots, and ‘was so constructed that if a fire broke out in the mid- dle the whgle “trap”—and that, he said, was all it really was—must go down. Atone time there was a wall in the centre, which aflorded sonte protection, but it was pulled down and some iron posts were put ‘up instead. BROADWAY TRAFFIC INTERRUPTED. Broadway traffic was considerably interrupted by the still continuing fire. While the conflagration of tho building proper had reached its mit jets of fire were blazing in the interior amid smoking embers from the gas supply pipes, dry timber,and from piles of dry goods and fancy goods. At the same time the steam from’ the puffing engincs completely filled the air, The Broadway stages on their way up town had to pass up Mercer street us far as Broome, and could only then turn back into Broadway, and on their way down they were crowded off Broadway at Howarg street and had to pass down Mercer street, The Grand street cars had to stop at Broadway or at Crosby streot, and the passengers, provided with transfer tickets, were forced to scufflo through the multitude of spectators in order to obtain their trans- fer. Mercer street was thus for the distance between Howard and Canal, turned into a narrow Broadway, and the crush of vehicles was so great that the stages were very much delayed in. passing through. ‘The Fire Department displayed great energy and vig- ilance in coping with the remnant of the fro, and Commissioncrs King and Gorman, Chicts Bates and Shea, the Fire Marshal, Superintendent Wilson of the Fire Patrol and others were on duty during the greater portion of the day. None of these officials had to offer any reliable theory as to the cause of the conflagration, except the general impression that the building, with its vast quantity of inflammable ma terial, had been ready for years to blaze up into a de~ structive fire at the dropping of a match. The offi- cial investigation’ of the immediate cause will bo robably opened to-day by the Fire Marshal, who Pas already summoned before him all the persons liable to shed suy light upon it. ‘THE DEAD FIREMAN. ‘The gallant fireman, Jolin Reilly, who was crushed under the tailing ruins, bad been nearly ton years in the service of the department, and his sad doath in the pertorthance of his ps4 caused great sorrow and rofound sympathy amid the ranks of his comrades. Reity leaves w widow and five children, He was one of the most courageous and unflinching members of the Fire Department bn occasions like that of ‘Tuesday night, and was known among many of his comrades in bis batallion us “Black Jack.” Com- missionor King said, yesterday, that Dennis Doran (who was also given up as fatally injured, but who, according to the pliysicians of Bellevue Hospital, will now surely recover), and the two other fire- men were foritmately saved because at the first sound of the crumbling wall they precipi- tately fled. But leilly, who was with them, iu a mo- inentary forgetfulness of the peril of his ‘position, looked up to see if 1t was really to be something seri- ous, “and that,” Commissioner King added, “killed him.” A horrible sensation was produced yesterday morning by the very of some portious of the Tungs and heart of the dead fireman among the smok- ing ruins. Reilly was in the prime of life, about forty years old, and resided in Deluucey street, whence he will probably be buried to-morrow or Saturday, THE INSURANCES—$ 1,345,459, The insurances foot up $1,348,459, while the net loas over and the insurance is stated to be nearly $500,000, The following are the insurances of | dcclared he would see no one. Howard, Sanger & Co., fancy goods dealers who place their loss at about $000,002" 3 ON sTOcK. Faneuil Hall...... $5,000 Firemen’s Fund... 2,500 National, Hartford. 5,000 Boylston, Boston.. 5,000 + 6,009 Merchant, Newark, 5,000 5,000 Butfalo, Buffalo... 5,000 5,000 Knickerbocker 5,000 6,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 Queen... 15,000 5,000 New England, Bos. 5,000 Peabody, Baltim’re 5,009 Neptune, Boston.. 5,000 Washington, Bos.. 5,000 Ins. Co, of Penn, 6,000 First National. “ 5,000 Boston Underw’rs. 5,000 Lycoming Commerce, Alb’ny 2,500 Hope... seeeee American, Newark. 5,000 Atlantic, Prov. La Caisse General. 15,000 Hainburg-Mag .... 5,000 Willtamsburg City 6,000 Cincinnati, Ohio... 5,000 Enterprise, Ohio.. Commercial Adriatic . Merchants’, Prov.. Autity.. Shawmut, Boston., Mercantile, Ohio... Lamar North German, Ins. Co. of N. A. Rehef ..... Orient........ Home, Newark Commercial Mutu’l 10,000 Penusylvania. Emporiuin........ 5,000 Toledo...... Mechanics’, Bowt'n Virginia State... Equitable, Tenn. Sterling...... Roger Williams. Fireman's, Ohio Northwest & ) 20,000 5,000 ard, N, J, Am. Cen., St. Louis Alliance, Bos' ton .. Frauklia, ‘Total ¥u Knickerbocker Casualty, yl: Jetlerson, St. Louis, office fur Fireme wud, office furnit Alliance, Boston, glass and fanlight. 1,100 00 Scottish Commereiai, oflice furniture 2,500 00 Western, Cauada, office furniture, 3,000 00 Total + 812,450 65 The ‘mean co a er & Co., realy made clothing manutuctitrers, wore as fol- lows, their loss being stated at $600,000:— UK, Citizens’ Conny 1,000 Goi. U 5 6,000 Continental, 35,000 Bayle. 6,000 Parragu 000 Proukiin.... 5,000 Guardian, London, 25,000 Hamilton. ....eeee Hamburg-Bremen. Man “4 Mech. and Traders’ re | » Edind'g Woastehestors. 6.16 5,000 Niagara. cess. 6,000 Willimmnaburg Gity. 10,000 N, British aud Mer, 10,000 atnn, Hartiord... 6,000 Phenix, Brooklyn. 10,000 Aanerican, Boston, 5,000 Queen, London.... 10,000 American, Puiladel 5,000 Com’nw'ith,Bost'n 4,000 Boylston, Boston, . 6,000 Conn, Harton... 5,000 National, Baltimore 2,500 Kq. F. & M., Prov.. 5,000 Newark Mutual... 6,000 Budlalo-German.... 2,600 New Hampshire... 6,000 Fire Ase’n, Phila, 10,000 North Am., Boston 5,000 Firemen’s, Newark 5,000 N.W, National, Mil, 2,600 Firemen’s, Bait'r., 6,000 Penn,,Philadeiphia 6,000 Franklin, Phiia.... 5,000 People's, Newark... 5,000. Girard, Phila...... 2,000 Prov, Wash., Prov. 6,000 Gionn’s Falls, N. Y. 6,000 Roeh,-German. 5, wo Hartford, Hartford, 10,000 Revere, Boston b,000 Ins, Co. Of Ne Aves. 6,000 Sa BP. & My, Maas 5,00 ALB. & M., Boston, 10,000 ‘Ceutovia, Philadel. 6,000 Mer. Mar., Doston. MD Western, Torouto., 2,600 Meriden, Conn pend ‘Total, | decline to answer any questions or make any state- ON FURNITURE AND FIXTURES. German, Baltimore Mercantile, Boston. Montauk, Brooklyn. Total,...... phase sacencsscenpeceseaeaunet ‘The loss of Edwin Bates & Co., who were Just about Moving to the St, Nicholas hotel building, is reported as als y. While their insurance was $2 they estimate the value of their stock and fixtu! eaga The following are their insurances in de- ail :— Northern, Engl’d..$20,000 Phenix, Brooklyn.,$10,000 Imperial, England. 20,000 Globe. . ° 6,000 Phenix, Brooklyn. 10,000 Suteguard, Home, New York,. 20,000 St. Nicholas, Manhattan, N.Y... 5,000 Ni Phoenix, Hartford. 10,000 Sun Mutual, N. ¥.. 10,000 German American, | BEECHER AS A MONEY AKER, , How the Great Preacher Harned Two Millions of Dollars, i had HR laa * DETATLED HSHMATE OF HIS RECELPYS, a Magnificent Results’ of Thiity Years’ wim 10,000 , ( { Guatdien, England -6,000 | Intellectual Labor. National.......... 6,000 | Loudon Asstiranve. 10,000 : #2tna, Hartford..., 10,000 Home, New York, ‘Tot 18,000 The announcement made by Rev. Henry Ward Beecher that the pew rentals of his church had aggregated in the neighborhood of a million dollars took many people by surprise, and it wos not until they turned to the printed record that they could realize the startling reality, But if Mr. Beecher has thus far been monumentally successful in filling the cofters of the corporation of which he is the head and anim#ting spirit, his own personal reward has ‘The building, which, from its ave, general ricketi- ness and uusate condition, had a much smaller value than its great size and fine situation would have in- dicated, wes only insuted for $153,000—its value be- ing not placed ut much overs quarier of a million. ‘The following were tho insurances on the building :— Safeguard. +$10,009 Citizens’. $10,000 Guapdian 5.00) | eon greater and even more remarkable yet. It has peek phe Bloo9 | Becn said that, like other men of yenius, Mr, Beocher Firemen’ 5,000 | is chronically hard up, and that the pull of the dun Standard, is not entirely unfamiliar to the Beccherian gong. Of this bad fact the distinguished divine makes no secret, Indeed, in a characteristically jolly way he makes light of it and never allows his own money maiters to worry him an iota or keep him on a ‘The following is a recapitulation of aggregate losses ragged edge for a moment. and insurances, cents being omitied. owaia, eanigices Rg tyed ein too ik With the possibie exception of the late Daniel Web- Naumberg, Kx ster, to whom money was as dross aud debt a chrouic Sauer & 435,000 115,000 | fact, iv may be doubted if any American ever made thee mci pie money so rapidiy or spent it 48 easily as Houry Ward Beecher. Iu round figures he has handled, out- Totals... 3 side of the funds of his church; not less than a ‘To the aboye enumeration ot joss added the damages iufilcted upon the building, 134 and 136 Grand street, at the co street, amounting to about $5,000, caused by faul- ing of the wall, and a slight loss imilicted upon Messrs. Benedict, Hall & Co., wholesale boot and hoe dealers, on the upper floor of the same building, ali of whose windows were shuttered, and whose premises reccived other light injuries. A DELICATE TASK REMAINING. In addition to the oficial investgution of the Fire Marshal, which is to settle the immediate cause ot the firo, and more e: pecially the question whether it be the work of an iucendiary, as was believed by some persons yesterday, another inrportant and delicate task remains—namely, the removal of the still stand- ing Browiway aud Grand ,strect walls of the gutted edifice. Commissioner King said yesterday that the Fire Departinent should not be lett to do this work, for if they crushed the walls in with their ladders and brought them dowa suddenly the adjacent prop- exty might be injured. He was of the opinion tuat the Building Department must take this business iu hhund and carefully remove the walls piecemeal. It is certain that until these smoking walls come down a standing menace remains to lite aud property. Any violent gale that might spring up would surely cuuse them to tall over. ‘A feature of the fire was the good service donc by the employés of the American District Telegraph round millioa of dollars, and yet if he were unfor- tunately to dic to-day it is dbubtful if his estate, after his debts were paid, would net $50,000 in cash. In hisearly ministerial days he lived on eharity toa certain extent—that is, he preached in churches wna- ble to pay his salary, and, as he often stated in public, he was @ bencficiary of the American Home Mission Society, without whose aid neither he nor his charge could haye lived. His saiury, when he became pastor of Plymouth Church, was at. first $1,200, although it wes soon theroufter raised to $1,500. As the church and society grew and prospered the first effort made was remembered, and it was not long before he received the then handsome salary of $5,000. In fact, it would be a fair average to bay that Mr. Beccher's compensation during his first Brooklyn decade was $5,000 per annum, which sum includes what he may have received at meetings and as presents. By this time he was quite populax as a lecturer before ly- ceums, mercantile associations and general socic- Soimpany. Both Howard, Sauyer & Co. and ihe Pu- | ties. Like Dr. Chapin, Dr. Thompson, Purko citte bank were subsertbers,"aud their watchmen | enjamin and others, Mr. Beecher ‘was very were accustomed to seud signals to the nearest dis- | oy 4 tn qe. F . trict office at stated intervals duratg the night. When | #4 to, Jecture | for what Dr. Chapin called A-M-E”—i. ¢., “Fifty dollars and my expenses.” Engagements poured in rapidly, and he soon foun that the only way in which he could restrain the rush for his services was to raise his rate to $75 a lecture, But after a while even that resort failed and he raisod to $100, which sum was cheertully paid by associations, that found it an easy métter to make from $500 to $1,090 by the operation. A low estimate of Mr. Beecher’s lecture receipts in the frst ten years of his Brooklyn lite is $2,000 per year. Puting his pulpit income at $5,000 a year and his lecture receipts at $2,000, it is clear that he made not less than $7,009, or $70,000 in the decade from these two sources, the fire began an alarua wes at once wired to the oilice, und the inspector, captain of patrol, rounds- mau, assisiant manayer anda number of patrolmen hurried to the building. Assistant Manager Hilton aad Patfoluan Thompson made their way into How- ard, Sanger & Co.'s establishment wud set to removing the books of the concern. In the confusion and tumult of the moment their work was necessarily slow, bat they succeeded in saving ali the valuable papers and accounts and getting them clear of the, building. At the first alarm the members of the dit- ferent firms in the building were telegraphed to from the district office, and this enabled several of them to be on hand and personally superintend the re- moval of such books as coukdl be reached. A largé piece of cloth, blown from the fire, was icked up yesterday morning in front of Commodore Nicholson s residence, in the Brooklyn Navy bi Attached to it was a card on which was the tollow- ing:—‘Description of cloth, Style of garment." ‘The relic has been carefully preserved avd will be placed in the Navy Yard Lyceum among the many other curiositics. THE SECOND DECADE, But the second term of ten years developed the young man’s money making taculty still more sur- risingly. His people knew the necessity of keeping Tietr pantor comitrtatjle if thes cared to ‘keep him at all. Boston offered him the old Park Street Chureh und New York was willing to build him a great taber- nacle centrally located, where st: rs as well as residents might have the pleasure of listening to his eloquent ministrations. A serics of revivals ana several mistortuacs conspired to keep Mr. Beecher in gee ; W. 8. O'BRIEN'S BROTHER, Brooklyn, whore his salary’was graduylly increused — aud averaged during the second decade ‘the cheer- TWO SHORT AND VERY UNSATISYACTORY INTER-| ful sum of $10,000 per um. This was the term of his greatest activity, when VIEWS. [From the San Francisco Chronicle, Jan. 9.] A Chronicle reporter called yesterday upon Con O'Connor, the private secretary to Vlood & O'Brien, with a view of ascertaining it that gentleman hed anything to impart which would tend to throw any light upon the identity of P. 8. O’Brien, the in, dividual who, it is alleged, claizns to be a brother to the deceased millionnaire, Upon being acquainted with the reporter’s identity and business, Mr. O’Con- nor politely replied:—"———, why do you put such questions tome ? I don’t know anything about the famity of W. S, O’Brien, nor can I say who ! the ——- P. S. O’Brien is, for I never heard of him be- fore, but Iam —— sick to-day and you must excuse me.” The reporter called next at the hotel where the mysterious O'Briens are staying. On making inquiry at the clerk's devk he was told that P. S. O'Brien was at hamo in his room. in company with his wite and daughter, but that he was sick and had “I have not even scen tiem myself,” said the clerk, “The two ladies stay closely within their rooms, and if they receive any visitors at all they do not come to tie office, but must go directly to tho pate as Reangee bya phy wpe 1 Dottore. bat iO no! iow his name or the hours at whi 8 calls. You Chvonicie repprters are the only persons | ¢epted from the pastor, but that his salary.should who have applied wt this desk tor an iaterview with | remain at $20,000, aud it docs. Mr. Beecher’s lectur- the O'Brivas.” ing popularity took a sudden rise, and under skilful ‘Nevertheless the xoporter sent up"his card and re. | Manipulation his ihcomne has av not jess than ceived in reply a message that Mrs. O'Brien would | $15,000. Somo years it was not quite that fgure, but sce him. | At door of the room he was me: by | im others it excoeded it by a very large «mount. Mes. O'Brion, a stately looking brunette, some thirty- 2, DELCHED'S LITERARY LAvons. five years of age, of refined aud quict mauners, who | | Although there has never been # time in Mr. said to him, agier learning the object of bis cali Beecher’s busy life when he waa not “at” some “Sir, my husvand is quite iil with pneumonia, Ce cian Caen ere in need of my constant. attention, #0 I must perforce | his settlement in brooklyn cannot ettectively be con- sidered in the estimate of his pecuniary successes. The lynx-eyed Henry C. Bowen saw the money there was in the pastor wt a vyory early date, and, after paying hiny Li for several years as the “star” contributor to the Independent, made him editor of tuat political-roligious weekly at a haudsome salary. About this time Mr. Robert Bonner was one of Mr. Beechor's greatest admirers and most stanch supporters. Ho in vain endeavored to capture him as a story writer, but succeeded in securing a number of uct lied “Star Papers, by a Man Who Keeps His Eyes aud Ears Open,” for which, it is sad he paid the writer $200 each. B; means of shrewd diplomacy and @ magnificent ot Mr. Bonner Anally induced Mr. Bescher to write for le he preached political sermons, sermons on the war, sermons on the dignity of man, sermons that from his standpoint taught men how toeserve the State, Naturally the one, fed the other, and Mr. Beecher’s services in the lecture fivid were in ins creased domand. Hoe prepared several apropos to te excitement of the time, and went from State to State sowing liberal seed in fatlow ground, and making money rapidly. He made not less than $5,000 4 year, and probably much more, by lecturing in the second terin of ten yours. It was during this time, also, that he went to Europe, faced the British mobs and earned the gratitude of the nation. For that the thanks of the government and empty compli- ment of a few brevets in the army for his son, Having been the pastor of the leading Congrega- tional church tor twenty years and having carried the corporation which he served through a period of financial depression, it was but natural that his people made him participate in their exceptional prosperity. It was argued that as Mr. Beecher's preaching: put in the Plymouth treasury from $50,000 ‘to $60,000 a year, it was but fuir that he should have at loast $20,000 4 year as ry. His friends said he could easily make three or four times that sum by lecturing, and the society unanimously voted him $20,000 a year. That sum he has averaged in ‘the past ien years. A few seasons back he requested the society to reduco his salary to $15,000, but Tom Shearman made a point in his be- half by voting that # donation of $5,000 should be ac- ment concerning his affairs. But whea Mr. O’Brien Tecovers it is probable that I may then have some- thing to say,” ‘And the indy, with a dignified bow, bade tho re- porter good afternoon. WHO THEY ALL Anr. The identity of the mysterious O’Brien trio was subse quently waravelled and tuily established by the Cen ‘ce reporter. ‘The two ladies are in tect the wire an daughter, respectively, of the resuscitated P. 5. O'Brien, the only brother ot the deceased million naire. it seems he did not die in Baltimore in the latter part of 1861, as was reported and currently be- lieved for a period of long years, but now, at tho eleventh hotr, turns up in this city alive, end to the | the Ledger the New England story of “Norwood.” utter astonishment and cousternation of those who | It Was the hardest, because the longest had previously thought him deat. Miss Pauline | #4 most regularly — exacting, work Mr. O'Brien, the younger of the two mysterious ladies | Beecher hud ever undertaken. Sti for it he received Mr. Bonner's check for $25,000, and, on dit, that liberal doucears to Mrs. Beechor were given for her persistency in keeping Henry up to his work. From this time on the editorial peg, the couteibutor’s penelt, the hyfut book maker's sclosors and iho compiler’s pastopot Were part aud parcel of Mr, Boecher’s regular outit. whose movements have been watched and criticised so much lately, resided at tie Grand Hocel some four years ago with her mother, and was often seen riding in the Golden Gate Park and on the Clif! Hoare road in company with her uncle, W. 8. O'Brien, who ap- peared to regard her in the light of a favorite nigce She is afige looking girl, some twenty years of and well known in Sau Francisco society, being quite & belle, aud rejoicing in the sobriquet Of the “Irish Beauty.” She is further described as a person of winning manners, who feet voice and sings superbly. ‘THN LIFE OF CHTUST. When the “great, and good" Mr, Bowen and his Loney vecame two there was an opportunity for the jatter in a paper eailed the Church Union, it was pur- chased and put in stock company as the Christian Union, Me, Beecher's salary was $10,000, and he was given one-alf the paper. About this time Ford & Co, conceived the idea of Beecker's “Life of Chi ne aud made hint an oiler of $10,000 for the book a large copyright. He took the check and wrote one volume, (ruin the sules of which he reulized largely also. Then cume the ‘Tilton mers, and tho aid afforded in one Way or another was not less than $100,000, The "Lite of Christ” dragyed slowly on, in- volving the distress of the publishers and wide- sproau discontent of all who had purchased the tlest volume and waited for the second. It is no part of the motive of this review to treat of the ‘hate of Christ” other than as one of the elenteats ot Mr. LURK IN THR KHARON HOUSE. Atter W. 8. O'Brien purchased the Sharon mansion M Joloman, bis own sister and s widow, together with her chiklren, afd Mrs. O'Brien, a her's widow-—as it wax then generally supposed— end her daughter Pauline went there and took up their home, But the family wes not a happy one, for Mra. Coleman, who acted’ as hotsekeeper, did not agree with Mrs. O'brien, and the two lived under the same root in elegant misery, ouly speaking to one thet when in the presence of their guevts or of Me, 0% Un one ovceasion Pauline was taken ill and Mr, O'Brien coming home tountd his sister-in-law in the det of carrying come refreshments up #tairs to her rooms, He inquired where the servant was, and ers wonderfal money making faculty, iis O'brien replied that there Was vone who would | receipts from that source were in the neighborhood her, whereupon her broth law hired | of $16,000, v domestic, Who was detailed expressly to at AN EXTRAQRDINARY LECTURE SEASON, tend to the wants of Mrs. O'Brien her dh An cuterprising Dostou f @ moncpolized Mr, lu the spring of Jast year the mother and Beecher in the last two years, and they iarimed hin set oul On & pleasant tour of Europe, it bei t in the lecture fivid to iminexse profits, Under ranged for Mr, O' Ry on to meet them in New Yi Y management he has travetled from Maino fo Cal- but eresthe time «pointed had arrived 1 mia, lectured all over the country aud reused ailed ray VT died. This sis f tives as many offers as ho ageupted, Leis within OM FECL)! OL the snd intelligunce, 1 to any that afr, Beecher has profited by this ity wnd registered themselves at the Grand nt Hot less titan $90,000, and he is yet in the Hotel, euriy days of his (our, W. §. O'BRIEN'S Willy WECAPITULATION, ma this brie’ and cursory review of @ great man's ‘uiary progress [t will be seen that Le is one of a jon as amaker, if not @ saver, of the one thing Mr, O'Brien, prior to his decoave, had given them considerable Money with which to detray their ex. peuses, aud on their return to San Praneisco his rela- tives found that, according to the terms of his will, Pauline was to receive $300,000, the sume sum that was bequeathed to each of his othor nieces and nephews, but in the event of her death without luw- ful issue the legacy should be equally divitied between the children of his own sisters, thus leaving his sis- ter-indaw out in the cold. ‘This evidently did not please the latter iady, and some three montis ayo she aud her daughter disappeared from her hotel aud no one had the faintest idea of their whoreabouts, Iu the light of recent events it would seem that at the time referred to, ater holding a consultation with an attorney, they had departed post Laste in seareh of P. 8. O'Brien, and found him at Raleigh, N. ©. Since needitl. ‘Tubniated the estimate is as follows: $60,000 100,000) Lectures second ten years, Lectures third ten yours... Novel of “Norwood” Copyright aud sales of the death of W. 8. O'Brien Mra, O Brion and Pauline | “Life of Chitist sce cece ees $10,000 have been at swords’ points with Mre, Coleman, the Cuprsians and swles * ot bitterness of the old family feud inereaaing in Het of COTE ec ce ceccecececeeweesceeeee 6,000 pape It is yet & mvoted question a8 to whether ——e 15,000 or not W. 8. O'Brion was in his litetime aware of the | Editorial and journalistic work for thirty fact that bis brvther was uot dead, YOUB age cee eee cece seeeees ene «+ 100,000 to pay off the churel debt. ‘Then the pastor was | yrem service ho received no compensation except | rmons, books, Lymn books, yriglate, & ty Yeurns. Aid during tho trial and tor expensed. cengeness:8795,000 aera! public, Mr, Jeecher may have ‘There ave always tidbits for the i Mr. Beocher is not likely to Ot hix carliest receipts was a for $10,000 in the Equitable Life In- i # fair assumption that ia quay ways he has approciated the generosity of an affectionate flock, #8) tuat im row. nummbers he may be credited with baying made and received not less than $4,000,0W since be put his foot in Brooklyn, thirty odd years-ago. That he’ has spent bis earnings freely is well known, He has a suall army of relatives dep largely on his bowuty. So hus his wite, Father, another, sistera, brothers, children, grandehildren, friends, parishioners aud strangers nave been, are and always willbe recipients of his generosity, He owns atair but not # inegnificent house on Colum Dia Ucights and o farm: in Peckskill. On the latter he ently Lut for himselt and all his sons, war d single, # grand residence that cost a fortune, wud so long as he lives will be @ resort for swarms of frie Hin interest in the Christian Union is not ex pecially valuable, wud, ia fact, his oe reimunerative property is that ‘rom whieh wil bis inoncy has been coined-—his active, fertile braan, backed by a stardy physique that has cnduved a strain greater than that ordinarily borne by a score ot men. Obviously Mr. Beecher us an ker is & ounmental success, RIVERSIDE IMPROVEMENT 5,000 100,000 we do not kuow. favored clergyman, « v9 , ENGINEER FRANELIN's £EPLY TO THE CHARGES MADE BY THE COMMISSION OF ENGINEERS APe POINTED TO EXAMINE THE WORE. , Superinténding Engineer ‘Lhomas Franklin, of the Riverside avenue improvement, furnished to the Com- misrioners of the Park Department yesterday am ac- count of his siewardship, This action was taken im accordange with a resolution offered by President Wennau a few weeks ago, calling upon Mr, Franklin to show cause why he should not be removed from his position for alleged neplect of duty. It will be remembered that Commissioncr Lane brought charges against the contractors of Aiverside avepue, aud a com- mission of thrve engineers was uppointed to examine and report upon the work—namely, Messrs. Bogart, Worthen and Haywell. This report was rendered thive weeks ago, and was adverse to the contractors and reflected severely upon Engineer Franklin. THE SPECKFICATIONS CRITICTSED, Mr. Franklin opens bis exhaustive defence by stating that he took charge of the work on Riverside avenue on the 13th of March, 1873. “I reeeived the specifications accompanying,the contract as my hide in superintending the work. These specifications I found to be ernde in their character, confused in statemcat and verbose to an extrome degree. In ad- dition to this the topographical surveys upon which the plans and specitications were based were inacen- rate, making ita mutter of impossibility to conform the work to the lines isid down on tue plan, while the details of the plan itset were. lett in @ large measure undefined and obscure. In fact, the con- tract could uot have been carried out at all had it not been for the sav clause in the agreement between the contractors and the depart- meut, by which it was agreed upon by both parties that the engineer appointed by the department should in all cases deturmine the amount or the quality of the several kinds of work to be paid for under the contract, and determine all questions in relution to lines, levels and dimensions of work.” *# A SHOT AT ThE EXAMDO RS. Mr. Franklin next ovilicises the report of the Commission of Civil Enyincers, with the tory remark that they were unduly influenced in their action by Commissioner Laue. “Out of the 224 paragraphs conteincd in the contract,” he says, “twenty-seven is tie tolal number referred to (in the report of the eniucers), leaving nearly two hun- dred paragraphs thut they ud not time to notuce at a.” * * * “Out of ihe twenty-seven paragraphs they assume to have examined about half meet with their unqualified approval.” * * MR. FRANKLIN INDORSED. Mr. Franklin neat takes up serintim the severai clauses mentioned it the Examining Engineers’ re- port, and detends himself from the strictures of the Comnyssion ot Engineers, * desirous,” Le says, “that the whole business siould be clearly un- derstood by the public, lrequested that some disin- terested parties sould seiect: irom the American So- ciety of Civil Engineers us many of the most exainent members of thai organization us was deemed neces- sury to cxamixe this work In person, wilh the speci! cations and the report of experts before them, and ex- press a cendid opinion.” Mr. Franklin then proceeds to cull attention to thre reports of these gentlemen. One of them, Mr. J. 2. Bacon, says the work was well done and “in accordance with the latitude of the specidicatious.” ‘The other two report us follows:— New Yous, Oct. # Dayttt, Jacksox, Esq., Auditor Finance Dopartmer Six—The undorsigacd were requested to materials furnished under the contri of Riverside avenue, ond the work that conteact wader the aj Franklin, and to report the material iurmished for th avence, aud iso thelr op FmMunence of the work done, spiric wad intent of the contrnet beon carried out by the euginegr in work, i z duly examined the work ao of the’ weather woud peru that is to say ation was essarily contie- to what was In sightabove ground, the severs frost pro- venting any exnmination of foundution—aid bnving also examfued the plans wader which the work was originally cyntructed for, and also the c! whieh in the exercise of hisdiseretion the engineer has original design formed thetuseiv pursua rvivion of dmyginevr ‘five opinion as to the fines is ure and 6 work done and mutorials noor, subsit the following tena ‘They find that neither In the mater the work done has the ou:cinocr regurded pleted; bus in the untinisued condition of to ba &n ample murcm in the es for any resetting, relining, of relay perfect materiuis, whici, iy tie very 4 posed, as it will bd, to the elements, will become «. botore ft cau ve accepted as finish contract, aiid th vements. 0 e uocensary inay nyt be made before its aceuptane completed work in accordance with the terms of U treet. ‘ ‘The changes made in the original design of the parapel Lace considered es judicious und ‘apparently ivede 4 (4 sound discrotion, wad aot in the interest ors. chan, wot the orig nig them, it could be expected to be. it iv seen in an unfiulahed hud unpro- tweied state dud to great disadvantage, and little defects be magnitied wiiet would divappedr in the completed work without cutaliing any injary to its permanence oF stability. The stone fed by the exeavution is not of the first quaiity. This was well known before entering tuto the evutract, bus its use wus allowed Ly the specitice: ion: a With this proviso we are of the opinion that the mar terials furnisied are every way suited to tnake good wi permanent work in accordance with the spirit of the evn. y , ract. US W. ADA) New York, Jan. 14, 1879. WILLIAM J. MCALPINE, The report was reveived and ordered to be printed in pamphlet torm, aud « copy presented to each eom- missioner, PAYING TO ikHAR MASS. To tux Eptror or 1H Henatp:— » Will you allow me a space in the columns of your journal to make public an outrage perpetrated on ast Sunday morning, the 12th of January? My daughter, a young lady of seventeen years, went to the Church of the Epiphany, in Second avenue (Dr, Burtsell, pastor), in order to assist atthe eight o'clock mass, but finding that she was somewhat late de- termined to remain and hoar the subsequent mass, which was to follow immediately. She remained seated in the pew which she bad occupied during the preceding service, When one of the doorkeepers ap- proached her and demanded fifteen cents for her seat, She replied that she was not able to accede to his demand a# ple was not provided with tae money, He ordered her to loave the church, aud on het retus- ing to do #0 he placed his arms around ber waist and dragged her on ter kuces out of the pew into the gallery tm the presence of several oo The young lady was so aifected by th! rutal treatment a to be quite ML, ‘This is wot the first ont has been perpetrated by the doors keepers of the Ciureh of the Epiphany. What ean people do who are obliged by their religion to attend masa? Tf they be not provided with the money to pay for & sout they are subjected to the insults und villaa- us treatuient of Lhe imorant men who ave doorkeep- Those wha are tot in a position to purchase a seat are not even allowed within the doors of this rel—I believe it to be an exceptional case—nor are n allowed to stand without paytag. You can dye for yourself how bad an effect this must pro- duce on young persona, We bear from the lips of our pastors of the virtue of charity and we are exhorted to put the same most sscred virtue in practice, Would not those exhortations acquixe more torce if those officials of their own appointing were to exbibit # little of that virtue toward the members of the congrogation ? Mr, Editor, will you not by a few words from your powertal pen use Your influence to stop these abuses, which are of constant ecourrente and of which wo shall have no redress without your aid? Trusting ‘ou Will afford me a plice in your columns, Iau, “at sir, most respecttully yours, TRUTH. SUPPORTING THE SUGAR TARIFF, ‘The sugar refining firms of Havemeyer, Kastwick ©o., Havemeyer Bros. & Co., 0. W. Durant & Son, Dick & Meyer, Moller, Sierck & Co, and Wihtjen & Harms baye signed @ memorial to Congress, waiving all previous indivi precerences and wniting ta support of the tariff #gar, a8 reported by the Somaiities of Ways Moans, and urying its ao tance by Congre . “Pits tent esta sieloa one LAr all re tefiners; rate of du fining grades on the raw material weed grades from No, vodued another duy ou ad tow, 18 Dutch standard to No. 10; auvther ow sugar,