The New York Herald Newspaper, January 20, 1879, Page 3

WASHINGTON. ‘The Struggle in Congress for Free Ships. —* EXTRAVAGANT DEMANDS OF SHIPBUILDERS. ceetemenninteestaeereerie “Opposition of Ocean Subsidy Advocates to the Existing Law. THE ARMY REORGANIZATION BILL. Amount Required to Pay Arrears of Pensions. “FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT. ‘Wasnincton, Jan, 19, 1879, - AMEBICAN’ REGISTRY FOR FOREIGN BUILT SHIPS— HOW OCEAN SUBSIDIES ARE DEFEATED BY THE EXISTING’ LAW—EXTRAVAGANT DEMANDS OF AMERICAN SHIPBUILDERS AND THE PROBABLE RESULT. ‘The Maine and Pennsylvania men who so vigor, ously oppose the movement to grant American reg- istry to ships owned by American citizens, no matter where they are built, are striking fortoo much. They insist upon the total exclusion of foreign built ships of all kinds, and on this, if the two houses ever vote on it, they will be beaten; not only because they claim a close monopoly, which has become repug- nant to the general sense of justice, but also because good many men who would like to see ocean sub- ‘sidies granted have discovered that the House will + vote no such aid without at the same time giving free registry to all ships owned by American citizens. Ocean subsidies, under the present registry laws, are, as everybody here now understands, not grants for the encoursgement of commerce, open to all citi” zens alike who choose to perform the service, but simply gifts to one or two steamship bMfiders, who, shaving a monopoly under the law, put the subsidy . into their pockets just as certainly as though their names were in tho bill. Having a close monopoly, it is but natural that these Philadelphia men do not turn out as good ships as they would have to if an American citizen were allowed to buy a .steam- ship where he pleases. The Philadelphia ‘men argue that they can and do build as chesply as any builders in Europe; in which case it would be supposed that American owners and buyers would not complain, because it is undoubt- edly more convenient for a merchant to have his . ship built here under his eyes than across the Atlan- tic. But the fact is that the American monopolist * does not build as goodand stanch a steamer. Having the market exclusively to himself, he is not com- * pelled to do his best. Hence frequent complaints that where these home built steamers run on the same line and in competition with foreign lines, they are found to eat up a large share of ‘the profits in repairs. San Francisco reports ~ assert that one of the most celebrated and finest of the China line cost so much in money and time to , Pepair, after her first voyage, as to place her at a very . Serious disadvantage as against the foreign built ships of other lines. ‘Those who demand free registry for ships owned by Americans do so, therefore, not because they want | perversely to buy their ships abroad, but because they would like to see American builders compelled by competition to build as good and solid ships as , foreigners. Nobody doubts that American ship- » builders’ can build as cheap and as staunch stesmers as torcigners; the serious complaint is that ' they do not; but that they skimp their work because * they enjoy a monopoly under an antiquated law, and are able to say to an American who would like to set up a steamship line:—‘‘You must buy your steamers. ‘of us and take such vessels as we choose to sell you, or you shall not establish your enterprise at all.” , If the shipbuilders were only a little moderate in their demands they might easily succeed in keeping the market they have so long monopolized. They insist upon nothing less than the absolute exclusion from registry of all vessels which they do not buld. If they would be content with a tariff on ships of twenty-five or thirty per cent they could get that, for many of the advocates of free reg- * istry would support such a measure, which would at . least. operate as a check upon the charges of the workmanship of the American shipbuilding monopo- lists. A bill granting registry to all ships owned by American citizens, but laying a duty of thirty per cent ad valorem on ships of foreign build, when they take register and hoist the flag, if it were introduced and supported by the Philadelphia builders, would probably get the support of the free ship men and become a law. If this does not happen, however, the day is not far off when @ bill admitting all ships owned by Americans to registry on proof of their ownership will become a law. The advocates of ocean subsidies here aro of two classes; one consists of the agents of Phila- elphia steamship builders who are looking fora job, and to whom the extension of American commerce, 8o much talked of, means only that Congress shal) provide fat subsidies which they, holding the mo- Lopoly of ship building, will pocket, less the expense of their lobby. If Congress should grant free registry to American owned ships the lively interest these fentlemen feel in the extension of American com- merce would measurably die out and their lobby would disappear. ‘The other class friendly to ocean subsidies consists of merchants and others, Northern and Southern men, who have a legitimate interest in the increase of our commerce, and who argue that as foreign nations pay largely for the maintenance of steamship lines our government is in ® manner compelled, for a time at least, to follow their example. But these persons would ike to buy their ships as cheaply as possible; their fintorests aro in favor of'fres registry, and they begin to see that, whether the enemies of monopoly are strong enough to pass a free registry law or not, they are, at any rate, strong enough to prevent the passago of ocean subsidies until free registry is granted. Hence it is to their interest to support a free registry law whenever the question comes fairly before Congress. Whether it willdo so at this session is doubtful, but the shipbuilders ought to see that the days of their monopoly are numbered, and if they are wise they would compromise on & tariff on foreign ships, for which they would get the support of a good many freo registry men. FROM OUR REGULAR CORRESPONDENT. Wastrxcton, Jan. 19, 1879, THE BURNSIDE ARMY REORGANIZATION BILL, The Patont bill pending in the Senate will probably Occupy several days of the session this week. When it is disposed of Senator Burnside will endeavor to have the Army Reorganization bill taken up and dis. 1 Posed of. It is the intention of the House com- mitteo which has charge ‘of the bill to await the action of tho Senate. Already two bills proposing a reorganization of the army havo passed the House and been shelved in the Sen- ate. General Banning, the chairman of the special eommitteo in the House, says that more is expected from the Senate, now that a committee of its own body has been charged with the duty of preparing an army bill, and that it will be courteous to let that body dispose of the bill before urging the House to take it up. “ THE ARREARS OF PENSIONS BIL—CHANCE OF VETO FROM THE PRESIDENT. Members of the House Appropriation Committee Yous that $30,000,000 is the lowest cstimate that has been furnished the committee of the amount neces- sary to provide for the paymont of pension arrears if the bill now before the President should be signed. It is stated that the Secretary of the Troasury is got- ting all the information that can bo furnished, not only by the Pension Bureau, but by oxperts in pen- sion claims as to the amount that would be pecessary and one of the experts has placed the amount that would be required to pay the arrears as high as $75,000,000. ‘The tact that no one in the Pension Bu- Yeau can definitely estimate the sum has alarmed the Secretary, and further investigation shows that the wording of the bill is such that thousands of pen- sioners would, under strict construction of it, be, entitled each toa large sum. In view of these facts there is @ strong probability that the President will vete it, and in doing so will call attention to manifest ambiguities in tho wording of the act, as the reason for declining to sign a bill which would draw from the Treasury such an enormous sum, General Rico, chairman of the House Committee on Pensions, who originated the bill, says that the bill as passed was not the bill perfected by him, and admits that it is defective in not making the cases intended to be benefited more specific. He thinks if the President should veto it for the reasons above given, that a bill remedying the defects will be promptly reported, and that the amount required to pay the cases contemplated will not exceed $20,000,000, GENERAL WASHINGTON DESPATCHES. Wasuinartoy, Jan. 19, 1879. TROUBLE IN TRE INDIAN OFFICE. Owing to a difference of opinion regarding the transaction of certain business of the Indian Office, Mr. William M. Leeds, the chief clerk of that office, has been suspended from duty for thirty days, dur- ing which time there will be an investigation into the existing difficulties. The authorities at the In- terior Department are very reticent concerning the affair. Rumors were in circulation that other offi- cials belonging to this office were in trouble, but this is positively denied by the higher officials of the department. PETITIONS POURING INTO CONGRESS, Since the decision of the Supreme Court of the United States sustaining the Anti-Polygamy law of Congress as applicable to Utah there has been an in- crease of petitions from women in all parts of the country asking Congress to make effective the Anti- Polygamy law of 1862. The Committees on the Judiciary have charge of the subject. Petitions are also received in increased number asking for the prevention of the adulteration of sugars and other sweets, and also for the prevention of the adulteration of food. ALABAMA ELECTION TROUBLES—ARREST OF UNITED STATES OFFICIAIS—CONFLICT BETWEEN FEDERAL AND STATE COURTS. Information has deen received at the Department of Justice of the arrest by warrant of State or muni- cipal authority in Alabama, of United States Dis- trict Attorney Mayer and United States Mar- shal Turner, the latter being now in jail, and the former having been released on @ writ of habeas corpus issued by United States Dis- trict Judge Bruce. The circumstances are that a municipal or State court in Selma issued subponas to District Attorney Mayer, Marshal Turner and Mr. Dimmock, Clerk of the Court, commanding them to appear and bring before it the ballot boxes and ballots used in the clections of last November. These ballot boxes and ballots-were at the time iu question being used by the Grand Jury of the United States Circuit Court, sitting at Montgomery, as evidence in certain cases therein, pending the finding of indict- ments for violations of the election laws of the United States. The State Court assumed that they were re- quired by it at Selma for similar uses in certain cases of violation of the State election laws. ‘Lhe officers made due return to the process served upon them, to the effect that the ballot boxes and ballots were not in their possession or under their personal control, but were in the custody of the United States Cireuit Court. When the process had been thus returned to the State Court the Judge of the latter instantly issued writs of attachment for the bodies of Mayer and Turner, and directed their commitment for contempt. District Attorney Mayer at this juncture telegraphed to Attorney General Devens for instructions, and was advised to prepare himself for a releaso under a writ of habeas corpus, in the event of the execution of the threat to arrest him. This he did, and being arrested at Huntsville last Saturday, whither he had gone in attend- ance on his official” duty, he was released on a writ issued by Judge Bruce. But Marshal Turner, who was not thus forearmed, was arrested and committed to jail. At the latest ac- counts. he was yet in custody, and, under the laws of the State regulating commitments for contempt of the State courts, would re- main in confinement for five days, sub- ject to immediate recommitment as soon as released for another five days so long as the con- tempt rests against him. Meanwhile the «ballot boxes and ballots remain in possession of the Court, and the case in which they are to be used as evidence has been adjourned until April. THE NEW YORK NOMINATIONS—AN ADMINISTRA- TION VIEW. The Republican of to-morrow will print the follow- ing upon the subject of tho New York nomina- tions :— It is now very generally conceded that the New York Custom House nominations will be eventually confirmed. No action will be had in the premises, however, until after a reply has been received from Collector Arthur by the Senate Conference Committee to the charges alleged against him in the Executive Message sent to the Senate last Wednesday. These charges are capable of ready and satisfactory explanation in the opinion of Senator Conkling and his friends, and if they are so explained the rejection of the pending nominations of Messrs, Merritt, Burt and Graham may ensue. But it is confidently believed in administration circles that they cannot be so easily answered or dis- posed of. Amoug them is an explicit charge that owing General Arthur's remissness the government lost $375,000 per annum of customs duties on kid gloves, $3,000,000 per annum on ‘silks and $6,000,000 on sugars. Although itis proper to add that a portion of this loss on sugars is not directly chargeable to the New York Custom House. SECTIONAL AGITATION. SPECIMEN EVIDENCE UPON WHICH MR. BLATNE’S INVESTIGATION RESOLUTION WAS FOUNDED— A CONGRESSIONAL CONTEST IN MISSISSIPPI-- THE CANDIDATES AND THEIR PRINCIPLES. LETTER OF A SUCCESSFUL TO A DEFEATED CAN- DIDATE. Wasurnaton, Jan. 18, 1879. In the course of the Senate debate on the Southern investigations resolution’Senator Blaine cited, to show intimidation, a letter of Reuben Davis, of Mississippi, who ran as an independent candidate against H. L, Muldrow, democrat, at the last election. Mr. Blaine said: I have on my desk @ letter published by Reuben Davis, of Mississippi, known to all yentlemen who aro familiar with the history of the epoch about the opening of the rebellion as a very extreme Southern man, a man who was in a persecuting spirit of mind toward everything North. He was among those that stoned the prophets. There was no man who went so far and stayed so long in bitterness on this question as he; and yet he’ publishes over his own signature that when he attempted to run as an inde- pendent candidate against. the democratic organiza- tion in Mississippi at the late clection he was hooted and not permitted even to address the public; not pretending to run as a republican, but running as an i dent greenback candidate, and they would not permit him to be heard, Mr. Davis has since then given formal notice that he will contest Mr. Muldrow’s right to a seat in Congress, and Mr. Muldrow hus made his formal re- ply, the conclusion of which is in the following words, which seem to give some very good reasons why the negro vote did not go to Mr. Davis:— MR. MULDROW'S STATEMENT, Having answered specifically all your statements or suggestions of the grounds upon which you propose to contest with me as aforesaid Leome now to state as cifteally as RT ye oom the grounds upon which I rest the validity of my election. You will therefore take notice that the evidence will incontest- ably show :— irst—~That I received & majority of over three thousand legal votes cast at an election, fair, poxco- able and free from intimidation and frand, Second—That even upon your assumption that ‘olored voter in the district was a republican a ti-democrat, and that it was impossible for him to be induced to vote for a democrat except by intimidation and force, I was and ought to have been elected over you by 1,000 majority, inasmuch as the so-called anti-democratic voters are in a minority in the district of one thousand or more, THE NEGNO VorE, In this connection I shall bring evidence to show that it is neither impossible nor illegal for a colored man to change his political principles, and that many of them «re inclined to vote the democratic ticket, as is shown by your evidence before the Senate Committee which investigated the election of 1875 in Mississippi. A) Phird—I state and am prepared to show that there are and cogent reasons well calculated to influence many of the colored voters to cast their ballots for ne and against you; and in illustration I } will show that some of your friends urged that you had been a better democrat than I, referred to the fact of my aes ot the position of District Attorney under orn, a republican Governor, to prove it. Surely upon’ the hypothesis with which you attempt to present your case this argument did not tend to influence this class of people to vote for you and against me. . I will show that you were not the nominee of the republicans and that your speeches against the negro race had been more violent and abusive than any democrat in that district, and I will also show t! their attention was called to the fact that you had before a Congressional committee under the solemn sanction of an oath thus spoken of the colored race:— Ithink the negro is by nature dishonest; I think the nogro hy nature dostitute of all ideas of i nd f think ‘apable of being induced to it any crime, iol especially if ho was encouraged by bud n. This is my opinion of the negro, And I will further show that when these facts were disclosed to the colored voters of the district it did not require any intimidation or bulldozing to keep large numbers of them from yoting for you, who had publicly and in your sworn testimony denounced hem as dishonest and cheating, ungrateful and super- stitious, “capable of any crime however violent,"’ and incapable of virtue; nor that it was impossible to in- duce them to vote voluntarily for me, who had never assailed them, but had ever recognized the rights and privileges conferred upon them by Jaw. Indeed, after all you had said and done, had the colored vote been given solid for you it would have proved all you had charged against their intelligence and independence, ‘THE WHITE VOTE. I will show that while the colored voters were thus influenced in large numbers to vote against you, considerations equally urgent united and concen: trated the white yoters in my support. I had not only received the nomination of the democratic party for whien you had been two years before an mnsuc- cesstul candidate, and which you were understood by the pecple to be anxious to receive this year, but it was deemed important for other than party reasous {as 1 shall prove) that you should not be elected to represent the people of that district in Congress, They saw that notwithstanding you were obnox- ious to a large class of intelligent and inde- pendent colored men, and notwithstanding your protest against being considered an ally of the republican party, yon were actively sup- ported by # class of republicans regarded as enemies to the peace and prosperity of the people of Missis- sippi; men who had been characterized in your sworn testimony as “mean, low, \dirty white men, who are capable ot selling themselves and their honor for the sake of having the opportunity to plunder honest men;"” they saw these men, whom ou had under oath thus denounced, some of them by name, active in their efforts to throw to you the solid vote of the negroes of that district. They were convinced that your election would serve as a feeder to the hopes of these men, that Mississippi might again be given over to their rapacity and plunder. This conviction has been confirmed by your course since the election in reproducing the oft-refuted charges of fraud and violence which the men whom you have heretofore denounced when defeated were wont to bring against the Southern people—charges which have been recently caught from your lips or pen by Southern revilers to feed the morbid appe- tite of those who flourish upon keeping alive sec- tional animosity and hatred against your people. I will show that these charges are unfounded, and that you canvassed the district fully and spoke in every county at various places—perhaps more than any man who was ever before a candidate for Con- gress in Mississippi_where you ventilated your views with your accustomed freedom and vigor. Your speeches were received quietly by the people, except in two or three instances when you were interrupted afew moments by manifestations of disapprobation, which were neither nor calculated to in- timidate either the speaker ot his supporters. Iwill further show that of all the public men in Mississippi you have the least right to complain of violence or intimidation. ‘And, in conelusion, I hereby notify you that before this contest is ended I shall refute the charges which the false “information” of designing men, whose political existence depends on slandering the South, has misled and betrayed you into making against a people to whom you and I should be bound by ties of gratitude for the many exalted stations and high honors they have so generously sage uy ve = A MAN IN IT. (From the Oswego (N. Y.) Palladium, 3.0. 18.] On Wednesday last the fojlowing Associated Press despatch was printed in the Palladium:— New York, Jan. 15, 1879. ‘The Metropolitan Elevated Railway is packing its rails with sand, tar and cotton to lessen the noise, having paid Mrs. Walton, the inventor, $10,000 for the invention. She isa boarding house keeper in this city. And thereby depends a tale. Mr. Harry S. Davis, a native of this city, but now engaged in business in New York, boards with Mrs. Walton. On a lazy sum- mer day last season Mrs. Walton asked him if he didn’t want to make a speculation, and proceeded to unfold a plan for deadening the noize of the elevated railroad, She related that when 4 little girl her father's house was situated on the same block with @ blacksmith shop, which became so great a Muisance that upon application of the residents in that locality he was ordered to remove his shop. Her father went to the blacksmith and told him that he could fix him so he needn't move. Thereupon he placed the anvils in a box filled with sand and other iaterial, the blacksmith closed up his doors, the noise c and it was a couple of weeks before tho pte mas knew that the smith had not moved out. She then disclosed to Mr. Davis a plan for enclos- ing the guard rail of the elevated roads in # box filled with sand, tar and cotton. Mr. Davis procured a caveat, showed the invention to the Metropolitan El- evated Railroad Company and they applied it to a couple of blocks of their track. <A short time later the company represented that they had previously discovered the same method, and it was found that they had filed a caveat subsequent to Mr. Davis. He thereupon filed a no- tice of interference. Subsequently au arrangement was reached whereby the company covenanted to adopt the patent, protect it from litigation, pay $1,000 down, another $1,000 when it should be applied to a mile of their track and another when it should be applied on the entire line, and Mrs. Walton to have half the income from its application to other roads. Mr. Davis, we understand, is entitled to half of the moneys derived from the introduction on the Metro- politan and half of Mrs. Waiton’s interest in the royalty, or a quarter of the royalty. The invention is said to work like a charm, and will probably be in demand for all elevated roads. Edison experimented for some time to devise = way to stop this kind of noise and yave up the attempt. MORE ELECTRIC TRIUMPHS, [From the Boston Advertiser.] Negotiations which have been in progress for some days between Mr. Wesley W. Gary, the inventor of the magnetic motor, and gentlemen representing acombination of Boston and New York capitalists, were yesterday concluded, the necessary papers signed and gteps taken toward the formation of a stock company for tho introduction, on a large scale, of the magneto-electtic machine for gene- rating electricity for the electric light, for telr- graphing without the use of the battery and for other purposes. A cash payment of a large sum was mado to Mr. Gary, and he is to receive one-half of tiie stock of the company. The capital is ample, and the ge tlemeri interes! include several quite prominent capitalists at present connected with | enter- prises in this city and New York. | Before the papers were signed experts were brought in and the princi- ple upon which Mr, Gary's inventions are founded was demonstrated to their entire satisfaction. With the mode? with which Mr. Gary has experimented to scour the best method for electricity for the light, and also to telegraph without the use of the battery, saost remarkable results have been ob- tained. Mr. Gary is to superintend the work of building th chines, and work is to be begun at once, in w well-equipped shop in this city, upon the build: ing of large machines for practical use, When the charter is obtained, the company is organized and the inventor is amply secured in his patents a full and technical description ot these later inventions will be permitted und the publication of the names of the leading capitalists in the combination allowed. Mr. Gary has given his attention of late entirely to the development of the magneto-electric machines, and the motor has meanwhile been untouched, With this the new company has no concern, PROSPERITY. {From the San Francisco Alta, Jan. 11.) Wo are pleased to note the rapid settlement of Ari- zona, During the past year General Willcox, ¢ mander of the Department of Arizona, has so d tributed his troops that not only have the Indians been properly guarded, but ample protection has been afforded miners and settlers. Two posts have been established by General Willcox south of Camps Bowie and Lowell, thereby opening up aul mivere @ part of Arizona hitherto al known even to prospectors. Already ri min have been found and the valleys are being settled this section of the Territory. While the posts referred to—Camps John A. Rucker and Huach’ uard the frontior bordering on Sonora, they foster and protect the rapidly increasing industries springing up under this new order of irs. The people of the Terri- tory aro justly grateful to Gene eox, who, since assuming command, has been repeatedly over the ‘Territory, familiarizing himself with the wants of the people of all classes, ‘The good results already ob- tained attest his sound judgment in the disposition of his command, and his ‘prompt action in lending subsistence stores to the Indian Agent at San Carlos, thereby averting an outbreak, shows that he will not hesitate at ta measure or to assume the responsi- Vility for anything necessary to maintain peace in Arizona, We congratulate the people of the Territory in having a military commander so fully alive to their interests and so energetic and prompt to pro- | tect them. It is with satisfaction that we record the fact of new settloments, new discoverivs of mincral wealth, new Post offices, new roads and general pros- erity, instead of Indian raids, murders and rob- Betton. The judicious location and general activity, coupled with constant vigilant scouting of the troops have maintained peace, and Arizona, feeling it, pros- “THE MOONSHINERS. Habits and Customs of a Peculiar People. ONE HUNDRED YEARS BEHIND THE AGE. Primitive Industrial Operations and Manner of Living, res VIOLATIONS OF THE REVENUE LAW | we he ee How Whiskey Is Made and Concealed in the Mountains, peed Wasurxeror, Jan. 18, 1879, It isa noteworthy fact that the Commissioner of Internal Revenue still continues his vigorous efforts toward the suppression of violations of the revenue laws in the mountain sections of the South. We see frequent reports from raiding parties uf revenue officers in the States of Tennessee, Kentucky, the Carolinas, Arkansas, &c., and almost every re- port winds up by saying that a death blow has been dealt in the section raided and that no further violation is expected. But aftera section is raided, distilleries torn up, the men ar- rested and general consternation effected, there is the ghost of Banquo still, The fact is that from the foundation of the world Nature has conspired against Commissioner Raum and his faithful officers by building wild, rugged and impenetrable mountain chains over a great portion of the South. The people who inhabit theso wild districts are an uncultivated but hardy class of mountaineers, who live in a style peculiarly backwoodish. The nat- ural scenery around them is of the most sublime character. They build their dwellings in the hol- lows or in deep coves and mountain glens. Here and there a lonely cabin stands high up a steep hillside, resting on the toundation its builder hes dug in the hill, Leaping, dashing, gurgling streams of water abound, The creeks and rivers that flow down rugged mountain gorges or leap from high bluffs in laughing cataracts are lined with wildernesses of laurel and low growth trees. The mountains and ridges are covered with forests of oak, hickory, pine, poplar, chestnut, &c. Drumming pheasants, squeaking ground squirrels, busy pigeons, barking gray squirrels, slimy reptiles, torest birds and game in- habit these sylvan retreats. In them the trees, rocks, decaying logs, &c., are grown mossy-gray from age and the ceaseless shade which covers them. Human voices seldom wake these lonely wilds, except an oc- casional hunter who seeks the black bear, the deer or wild turkey. INDUSTRIES OF THE SECTION. The citizens of these mountain sections live by cultivating scanty crops of corn, wheat, buckwheat, oats, potatoes, sugar cane, cotton, flax, tobacco, &c. These are cultivated on steep hillsides-or in the narrow vales and coves of the mountains. ‘ The traveller is often led to wonder how these hardy people manage to cultivate such steep, rugged land, and to gather their crops from it. They do all the work on such places with the hoe. No beast could stand to pull a plough on such steep, dan gerous lands. The wheat is sowed down and” the land dug up with the hoe. Hills are dug for corn, tobacco, &c., and the weeds are kept out by constant hocing. Wagons are seldom used in gathering crops, except it be in places where it is possible to reach the fields by winding and circuit- ous routes. In such cases the wagon is loaded, and, to prevent its too rapid descent, a log or the Jap of a trep is tied on to be dragged behind. Where wagons cainot be used the grain is carried down by turns or is pitched from past to post until it lands at the foot of the hill. Sleds are much used for drawing grain, wood, &c., down the hillsides. They are drawn on the naked earth, and when not descending a hill are very cumbersome. The manner of threshing out wheat, buckwheat, &c., is to beat it out with flails or trample it out by riding horses around in a circle on a pile of sheaves. This where a thresher cannot be hauled. A limited number of stage roads have been built over these wild mountains, but they are few and far between. Narrow trails that creep around difficult passes and near frightful chasms are seen oftener than w: roads. ‘Mills for grinding grain are of the rndest patterns imaginable. They are plain structures of undressed logs covered with clapboards and floored with puncheons or undressed planks laid down loose, The fixtures are a hopper, pair of millstones, meal box, water wheel and a mill race made in whole or in part by laying dug out logs end to end on trestles. The grain is brought to the mills in re driblets by the men and boys, who carry it on their backs in quantities ranging from a peck to a bushe ‘The bread most used is that made fro’ corn meal, baked in “pones” or “dodgers.” Over are alone used for baking, as stoves are not in us Wheat bread is neld a rarity and is only used on special occasions. It is baked into biscuits, crust for nd sweetbread, The everlasting “buckwheat cake” is much used, Cattle, hogs and sheep are al- lowed to range at liberty over the woodlands and “old fields.” Milch cows wear bells that jingle in a peculiar, musical way as the cows nip the grass or browse over the hills. It a sheep is wanted for mutton the flock is searched for inthe woodland by the mountaineer, bearing @ rifle on his shoulder and a knife in his belt. Hogs root fora living. When the forest trees yield acorns and chestnuts in abundance the porker soon gets sufficiently fat to be driven home to the slaughter. When the chestnuts fall to the ground happy mountain boys and girls gather them by the bushel and barter them at the stores for “store goods.” ‘Thus the world gets the most of its supply of chestnuts, THE DOMICILES, ‘The dwellings in which these people live are plain log structures, covered with the universal clap boards. No sawed lumber is used in their construc- tion, except for making doors, shutters and laying floors, framing doors and windows. &c. These huts or cabins usually contain only one room, especially ig the family is small, When wore room becomes necessary to shelter the family an | addition is made at the side or end or an adjoin- ing house is built. Chimneys are universally built on the outside of the houses asa means of econo- mizing space. The fireplices are built from three to five feet wide. Into these wide fireplaces large sticks ot wood are piled for blazing, crackling fires in winter time. Around thes» fires the housewives do their cooking, and by their light they see to knit the famil sock#, mend the family clothing, spin the wool an flax and weave the cloth which is to keep the family warm. The father sits near the fire cobbling the shoes of his family. The children, perhaps, amuse themselves by looking at the pictures in the lust year’s almanac or turning the leaves of a speller reader, if they are fortunate enough to own on he light of the fire. The turniture of one of tude dwellings consists of a tew plain chairs, a , two or three beds, a spinning wheel, a limited mber of cooking vessels and, it it be the weaving season, & loom Lyng | in the midst. If a house has a loft its floor is laid of plank, and it is reached ascending a stepladder which leads throngh a scuttle hole, Arownd the walls and to the joi: of the room are hung numbers of homespun articles of dress, hanks ‘of yarn, bunches of rings of dried pumpkin, — b of soos and bunches of medicinal herbs. s from the fact that wardrobes are a unknown to the mountain style of arch: prevailing style is to make a single door on the front, ‘one window ut the back and one also at the end of the dwelling. All the members of a family sleep in one room, when convenient. The boys are usually put the lott to sleep where the family ix too large to be accomtuodated on the first floor. Brital partios usually occupy the lott or “the bed behind the door.” ‘Trundle beds for the children are kept beneath the larger beds and drawn out when bedtime arrives, TAR PRE The females wear ly a cloth and sumbonnets of calico. Extras are eeldoi worn, The same dress usually answers for home duties, attending church—“meeting,” as they term it—visiting, attending funerals, going to the st j trade, &c. In summer time all parties go “bal footed.” In winter they wear homemade pes or brogans bought from the country stores. The dress of the men fs very plain. No fi ia indulged in, Asuit of blue jeans cloth, homemade, and a pair of boots, with paper collar and woo! hat, is the highest finish looked for. ‘The corn crops, when gathered, are stored in log cribs with little square window, used as a cut about four feet athe ground, Smbkehou for hanging bacon, are made of undressed logs and have no floors except the earth, On this # fire is kept burning for several days after hanging the bacon, in order to “smoke” it. As apologies for barns square log pens ate built, with lofts laid of poles. in these lofts are stored hay, oats and fodder, cattle avd horses stand in the stable while the mows of hay and oats above serve forthe hens to mike nests in and to roost upon. Each family has a rifle, ana about the doors of the cabins stand troops of hun; tlogs. Hunting foxes, edons; uM, squirtels, Fabbits, and ocvasionall; deer also Dy bear, t# in as a means of 9 an for the’ more‘ substantial beneuie which the game brings in the way of food. The meats of the coon, oposstm, squirrel, rabbit, &e., are all valued highly. EDUCATIONAL PACILITIES, These people have very limited means of educa- tion. The two or three months’ school which come every few years are poorly conducted affairs and are poorly attended by the children, The school- houses are in keeping with houses of other kinds— mient and rudely made Their furniture consists of slab seats, made of ¢ hewed on the face and mounted on legs made of round pe driven in auger holes bored near the ends of the slabs. placing broad planks on wooden the wall in an inclined position near the fireplace during the recitation of a lesson, ing aud reading are simply repeated who looks on the books during the recitation, There is no ‘drill switch of black gum or some flexible wood is con- stantly ied by the teacher, #8 the policeman car- ries his to punish violstors. At the present rato of progress in mental culture these people will remain ignorant for many generations. SUPERSTITIONS, are filled with superstition and are guided ) eat mumber of signs, &e. On Good Friday they plant ns. Watermelon seeds are planted on May, before sunrise. Potatoes prow « when planted on the ‘dark of the moon.’ pegs driven in The teacher sits Corn grows tall when planted on the “light of the moon.” If a house is covered on t light of the moon’ the bosrdx do not. lay smoothly, but cup up and pull of, ‘There will be as many snows durin winter as there are fogs in Augugt. It the hornets build their nests near _ the ground, or if the corn husks are very thick a hard winter will follow. When a large amount ot fresh dirt remains after the burial of a corpse some inom ber of the family will soon also be buried. To turn back ufter starting on a journey is bad luck, except a cross mark be made on the ground, If a whippoor- will sits on the door step at night to sing one of the family will die. The Sabbath day is regarded more as a suitable time to go on errands, make visits, gossip, &ec., than ax a day for worship. MAPLE SUGAR—SOCIAL INTERCOURSE, ‘The sugar maple ubounds in the forests, and from it is made maple sugar and syrup. The manner of making maple sugar has ith romantic charms, A camp is built in the “sugar tree grove,” and kettles tor boiling the sap are hang on poles. 1 troughs are placed at the roots of the sugar tree for catchin, ree by reason of a small auger hole having been bored one or two inches deep into its body, Into this hole is placed a xpile for con- veying the sap into the trough below. Buxom females and romping boys and young men yather the sap trom the troughs in vessels and carry it to the kettles. The sugar camp at night, during the boiling season, is the resort for fun-loving young people, who mest to enjoy themselves by playing % love songs, romping and filling th the echoes of their mirth. ‘The social intercourse of these people is of a type peculiar and romantic. ‘They dance on slab floors, and in brogan shoes or homemade . “The ‘party’ 18 the most universal social institution. It is @ meeting of youngsters for the purpose of playing social ‘yumes which lead to great deal of kissing, romping, love making, &c. ‘These meetings continue, gencrally, all night. ‘The mountain fiddicr is an indispensable element in all social life. He plays all tunes from memory. A small number of favorites constitute his list. -“Ar- kansas Traveller,” “Old Kentuck,” “Cumberland Gap,” &c., are among the fayorites. Afavorite sport among the men is the shooting match. The prize most generally contended for is either a beef, a mutton, a turkey or a purse of money. The match always occurs at some secluded place in the forest. Each sportsman comes on the ground provided with his own outfit, which consists of a rifle gun and the necessary material for loading it, and also a board made black by being slightly burned on the outside. A white paper, the size of @ man’s hand, is tacked on this board. ‘This paper has a fork cut in it from the lower end, and the point of this fork rests on a cross mark on the board. ‘This is the centre. The six best shots out of éleven usually win. It the prize i beef the hind quarters constitute the “first choice;” fore quarters, ‘second i hide and tallow, “third choice,” Each choice’ is shot for separately. Matches are made at ten, twenty-five, forty and'sixty paces. ‘Ten-pace inaiches are made “offhand,” the longer ranges with rests. ‘The position of shooting from a rest is by laying flat upon the ground and resting the rifle upon a chunk 0 fwood so as to steady it. Experienced marks- men often drive centre, and very close meaguring is required to decide whose ballis winner. Fighting often occurs over these decisions. Very little money ever finds its way into the mountain wilds. Among the marketable products are egys, butter, ginsang, chestnuts, the furs of animals, Xc. SOME OF THE AMUSEMENTS. These people are vindictive and desperate in an encounter. They are muscular and do not hesitate to knock down and drag out unscrupulously when a free fight occurs. A free use of intoxicating drinks often adds to the mischievous dispositions of the mountaineers, and they commit some horrible deeds. No species of devittry seems too bad for them at such times. ‘hey visit churches and fight during services; cut-the saddles and bridles and shear the manes and tails of the horses hitched on the grounds. If the coat tail of a pious brother who sits inside the church happens to be near a crack in the wall it is quietly pulled through and clipped off for sport. Citizens often find their wagons tumbling down for want of linchpins, which have been stolen out, or they find a wheel taken of and hid away. Stall stones are placed under men's saddles, or the saddles are taken off and placed back, horn behind, &c. Books.are seldom read and newspapers never reach these wild places. Almanacs obtain a general circu- lation, since they are gostless and give directions as to the seasons, the weather and the cures of ail the ills that flesh is heir to. VIOLATIONS OF THE REVENUE LAWS, ‘These uneducated, superstitions, vindictive people m to take @ peculiar pleasure in violating th ue laws of the government. More than one cause for this conduct exists. They are the children of a race of distillers of spirituous liquors. The pioncers of these wilds made and drank whiskey aud brandy in ante-bellum days, und it is natural supposition that their children have contracted both the habit of making and the love of drinking these intoxicating beverages. Now that times are hard they are unable to at the enormous revenue rates, the liquor they so well. They are also pecuniarily unable to mply with the revenue laws in setting up distil- leries ; b rippling stream of water in mountain where they can manufacture, undis ered, enough for home consumption. And no peor were ever so well qualified to carry into execu- tion such a determination. They — consider the cxecution of the revenue laws = by the officers of the government as a dastardly wicked species of persecution, and they are ready to oppose this persecution with the same patriotic zeal which would characterize them ina battic for their country’s liberty. Ignorant, they cannot see the ne- cessity for a government tax on ‘spirituous liquors, and they listen to every demagogue who prates to them of their great wrongs. The leaders in these violations of law are the hardest and most desperate characters in the mountains. PRIMITIVE DISTILLERIES. ‘They band together and select a spot for building a distillery far out in a dark, secluded ravine, where no human eye unfriendly to their cause is likely to look upon them. With vows of secrecy these hardy woodnien dispel the shumbers of the wildest haunts they can reach by felling trees and erecting a rude log house, if such it can be properly termed, Its walls are unehinked, its roof made of clapboards, its floor of mother earth and its doorway unfuced and unprovided with a shut- ter. The fixtnres—still, cap and worm, tubs, &c.—are carried to the spot under cover of night. A rough furnace, into which the still is to be fitted, is erected near the centre of the building. The “mash tubs © placed around the walls. Meal and fruit are carried steaithily by the moonshiners and placed in the tubs for fermentation. This generally requires six to ten days, and during this time every article which can be moved—the still, cap and worm, & are hid away and the still house is deserted, When still beer is placed in @ still and boiled the steam arising from it is lensed in the still. cap aud renus out throngh the still worm, ‘This still worn is a copper pipe made into a cofl and placed in atub called a fake stand. Into the flake stand rans acontinuons stream of cold water conveyed to it by a long trough. ‘This fact makes it necessary that a dis- tillory be built ona stream of running ‘water, with sufticient fall to convey it by means of wooden tronghs into the flake stand. The first fluid which is produced by the distillation of the beer is called “singlin nd is again placed in the stiil for a second boiling. This second boiling isealled “doubling” and the fluid produced is pure whiskey or brandy. When the tubs of still beer have attained to the proper stage of fermentation all the moonshiners gather in wud “suake out’ the hidden still, aud commence to makearun. Pickets are placed out to guard every approach, If all thingy move on successfully aud the run is completed the whiskey 1s at on ried » cave or hollow log, other ‘The still and all its ap- vied away aud secreted vo run ot beer, shiners in disposing At mary dt that the article kept ina yet: its exact whe tx is only ted few. When a jug or bottletul is trusted few" is approached on arty wanting his vessels filled is . an absolute denial of atl v bouts is made, On the other hi fo be loyal to the “ that are dark" he is only required to adv requisite funds and await results without asking ‘Then the wily moonushiner departs with nd after a time returns with them filled. Where he goes for the article remains a profound Even the revenue vs fail to find nine out of every ten kegs which are hid, ‘The ones that are hid ave unearthed at yreat risk of | THE Tal ‘The life of a revenue offic press these I ait t rinentat ‘The mancuyres sa hardone. ‘To sup- 6 movements gnarled with the greatest eaut! They are men used to toil and are quainted with all the trails ond thickets and caves in the mountains. ‘To surprise them at their work the officers must make long and fatigning forced marches in order to pounce upon them about the dawn day, when py are most likely to be drowsy from loss of sleep and the free use of newly made whiskey. ‘The fridniship of bad men has been compared to Srope of sand, and there ix no exception to the rule in this case. Lf these violators were never to dis- agreo the officers would scarcely ever find out their haunts. When rts of the oj tion of violators reach the collector's office & lob of section is made and a guide hired, if possible, When the proper time halves of logs | Writing desks are made by | nd bus his classes approach and | * in reading. A | | arrives a “raid” sets ont on s forced march. If & friend of the moonshiuers finds out what is on he leaps into some by-path, cuts across and scales mountains in order to give the alarm of danger before the raiding y shall arrive. If this does not happen there is a proba- bility that pickets will be out guarding every approach to the distill To avoid the possibility of running into these pickets the officers clamber over rugged binfls and ridges, in order to approach t the spot by unexpected routes. If a watchdog heara | the footsteps of the officers as they creep through the fields or woodlands, a howl is set up an swered all along the line until the entire community of dogs are barking vigorously. When this barking of dogs begins every mother’s son of the entire moonshine tribe is at once on the wateh, and it the real danger is discovered, horns are blown, and guns fired, to give the alarm to those engaged at the | distillery, To avoid detection from all these various: sou the officers must travel through unbroken forests, avoiding roads altogether, and endure great hardships in order to effect a complete surprise, If @ successful raid is made and an attempt on Sn eee of the officers to carry the captured still, whiskey, | &c.. ontot the mountains, the moonshiners scatter the alarm in all directions, and if a force of sufticient strength can be mustered to | outnumber that of the revenue collector a pursuit is made, the object of which is to recapture the articles seized and the prisoners if any have been arrested, Yor feur of injuring their own men these rescuing parties never fire into a party of officers bearing privoners, except it be to tite into the air in order to confuse the guards and thus create an op- portunity for the escape of the prisoners. ‘THE GUIDES. It is extremely difficult to procure the services of reliable guides in this work, as men who live near cnough the infested sections to understand the trails, paths and winding mountain roads are too apprehen- sive of harm atthe hands of the vengeful moon- shiner. And theso fears are well grounded, No form of retribution seems too severe for this class of men to visit on the: mies, ‘The man who betrays their haunts may expect his stock killed or his building set on fire by night. If an officer leaves his horse hitched, in order to make a search in the woods one foot, it is possible that he will find his animal's throat cut when he returns to it. There is a class of roving and totally irresponsible men about these mountain neighborhoods who have no scruples at violations ot law. If a bill of indictment is found against one of these he evades arrest by shying about from house to house; scouting in the woods by day and sleeping at night where it seems safest for him to do so, In the search for distilleries, if guides cannot be obtained, the oflicers must trust to their own skill in locating them. Certain ppints always guide them in these searches through wild, unfrequented moun- tains. If a rivulet of running water is found coming down from a very obscure, dark and wild ravine, it is closely examined for traces of still slop, or for the path ‘which men would make in passing to and from a distillery. Hogs are always kept near these institutions to consume the still slop, and_ their squealings often betray their whereabouts. The hog? path also leads to the retreat of the moonshiner. Another guide is the smell of still-beer, slop, &c., arising trom the works. At night the fire keps burning under the still often leads to a discovery. EXPEDIENTS OF THE MOONSHINERS. The persistent violator will resort to many devices before he will suffer defeat. If a still is destroyed \ and another not be had with which to replace it it often occurs that common cooking pots are used for stilling and gun-barrels are substituted for still worms. Men sometimes still in their cellars, kitchens. or smokehouses. Wooden boxes, lined with zine, are often used for stills. Pro- fessional tinkers go about these mountains, who make a business of patching up stills which have become burned out or have been cut to pieces by the axe of the revenue collector. It is sometimes thought that this brush whiskey is of a superior kind, owing to the absence of adulteration. This is an erroneous idea, as this whiskey is always made in agreat numry and is improperly distilled. A GENERAL SMASH. When a moonshine distillery is found by the co lector in these wildernesses of underbrush, laurel thickets, &c.,a general smash is made of it, since it would be impossible to save the property to the Lg ernment. The still is cut to pieces with an axe. The hoops are cut trom the tubs and the still-beer al- lowed to run out. When the work of destruction is over the hogs run, squealing, to the feast of flowing eer. In sections where these violations go on undis- turbed for any considerable length of time the most wretched state of social anarchy results. The fiuid is peddled out at cheap figures. Men and boys be- come dissipated to an ‘alarming extent, Public meet- ings are annoyed by free fights. Stillhouse broila and moonlight murders arecommon. High hopes are generally entertained that the present Commis- sioner, Mr. Raum, will, by his manifest energy, break up this lawlessness in the mountainous dis- tricts of the country; yet it will be a wonder if this is accomplished permanently without the aid of a considerable force of regular scouts kept in the field constautly. ROUGH PASSAGE OF THE ALGERIA, The Cunard steamship Algeria arrived at her wharf in Jersey City yesterday morning. Her passage was one of the roughest in the experience of her officers, and resulted in serious damage to the ship anda narrow escape from loss of life. On Saturday, the lth inst., the wind was blowing a terrific gale, which during the night increased in violence, break ng over the veusel’s decks and washing sway everything that was moveable. Toward mid- night tne wates carried away the forward companionway, and, later, a part of the bridge was swept away by a violent sea. There were upon the bridge at the time the chief officer and a seaman both lashed fast, and, fortunately for them, the part of the bridge on which they were standing remained intact. A seaman was swept to the side of the ship, but caught a rope and was saved. The port anchor was torn from its fastenings and stove a hole in the upper deck. One of the boats was carried away and another was crushed to atoms. AN AGED WIDOWS PROPERTY. Mre. Frederika Roth is an aged widow, of Newark, She is in her seventy-third year, a German by birth, speaks English very imperfectly and is un- able to read it at all. Chancellor Runyon has just granted an. application, made by her, re- straining Weinhard Hilderbrandt, his wife Catherine M. Hilderbrandt, and Mrs. Mary Bowman, from disposing of a piece of property, valued at $7,000, now in Hilderbrandt’s possession and which Mrs. Roth claims as ber prop: erty kept from her through fraud. In her petition to the Chancellor she alleges that Hildebrandt, whe is a real estate agent and auctioneer, obtained pos session of the property by fraudulent misrepresents tions, getting Mrs, Roth to sign papers which she knew nothing about, which proved to be entirely different from what he represented, and that he has collected and kept the rents, and is now using apart of the property as his residence. Mrs. Ida "4 married daughter of Mrs. Roth, testifies incorrobora tion of her mother’s allegation: CIty NEWS ITEMS. ‘The New York City Insurance Com, had of but $3,000 on the Brooks building, instead $13,000 as reported. An officer of the Eleventh precinct saw smoke and flames issue from the second floor of the premises Nos. 60 and 62 Clinton street yesterday and forced his way into the building aud suc im extine guishing the flames, which had only ignited scattered shavings. The place where the fire originated ig oc- cnpied as a cabinet factory by Herman ‘The damage caused will not exceed $25. The discovered upon the floor large wads of paper saturated with kerosene, several ot which he carried to the station house for the information * the Fire Marshal. SUBURBAN NOTES. Alice Kane, wife of Michael Kane, a laborer, resid ing at N ‘Tillary street, Brooklyn, caused the asband on Saturday night on a charge of striking he » howd with a bar of iron and inflicting a severe wound, The prisoner was up at the Washington street station house to await examination before Judge Walsh, The committee of citizens recently appointed Mayor Hopper, of Jersey City, to devise « form government more economical than the present, have decided (o recommend to the Legislature a reduction in the number of local officers; to abolish the civil district courts and to reduce salaries in all ments, Ata public meeting this week the committes will offer thetr report to the city at large for their approval. arre: GENERAL LOGAN'S TRIUMPH. [From the Chicago Inter-Ocean, January 16.) General Logan das made a campaign characteriatio of him—daring, earnest, aggressive. He has forced the fighting and has uncovered ambuscades which, it not detected, might have proven fatal to his suc He has compelled secret enemies to show nselves, and forved those who hoped to pull the th wires against him without becoming known to stand out in the sunlight, where the people could look at them. The eiection. of General Logan will be welcomed with more general satisfaction throughout the country, perha than = that of any other man who has mentioned nm for office for years, All over the United States the contest in Illinois has excited a degree of interest seldom felt in stich a canvess. It has been made the subject of editorials in the press from New York to San Francisco, and from Maine to the Gulf; ands most significant fact is that, opt in aewspapers of vestionable republicanism, nearly every party paper taken strong ground in favor of General 1's election, the people meanwhile show! their deep interest by writing letters in his praise from all ports of the Union. ‘Tho Znter-Ovean does not stop to account for this wide popularity. It is sufficient to know that it exists, and that asene timent so general should bo respected. It shows General Logan to be possessed of abilities which the nuisses recognize and admire, and which they deem, particularly desirable at this time in the Senate of the United States, After ail there ate tinres when th courageous expression and manly utterance of a fears. less representative are more eloquent than the soft phrasing and dialectic palaver of the dilettanti and: man wi who infest politica,