The Sun.
London, England, 1866-10-08 00:00:00

MISCELLANEOUS AMERICAN NEWS.

Private advices at Nevf York from Mexico state
that San Luis Potosi is being evacuated by the
Imperialists. The Liberals were fast arming new
troops. Americans were constantly arriving and
swelling the ranks of the Liberal army, and every
effort is being made, and with much success, to
promptly pay for shipments in coin or merchandise.
Large orders had been forwarded to the agent of
the Republic in the United States, mostly for heavy
artillery and ammunition, for both the Gulf and
Pacific coasts. The Liberals will immediately for-
tify all important seaports.

The case arising out of the seizure by the Ameri-
can Government of seven vessels at Liverpool as the
property of the Confederates was brought before
the Right Ilon. Dr. Lushington on the 2d instant,

on Notice of a Motion by the defendant, Mr. Chas.
Kahn Prioleau, in respect of damages and costs of
three vessels—the Penguin, the Owl, and the Lark
—and on an application of release as to the other
four—the Wasp, the Badger, the Fox, and the
Ariel. The case, after being argued by Mr. Mill-
ward, Q.C., on behalf of the plaintiff, was ordered
by his lordship to stand over to Michaelmas Term,
the American Government giving security for the
damages claimed. Both parties were to go before
the Registrar to fix the amount of security to be
given, unless the sum could be agreed upon.

The President concluded his disastrous elec-
tioneering tour, arriving at Washington on the
evening of the 15th September. On the previous
day a terrible calamity added to the gloom of his
failure. When passing through Johnstown a crowd
assembled to greet his arrival. But their joy at
welcoming the party was suddenly cut short, and
the whole place converted into a house of mourning
by one of the most calamitous accidents that ever
befel a community. The railroad at this place runs
on the north bank of the old canal (now dry), about
30 feet from its channel. The canal was bridged
over for several rods in front of the spot where the

train stopped, and was used as a platform for busi-
ness. A bridge for crossing one of the streets and two
raised sidewalks were improvised. In consequence
of being klightly elevated above the ground between
the bank of the canal and the cars, the audience
could obtain a tolerably fair view of the rear plat-
form of the train on which the President and others
were standing, and, therefore, crowded on it in a
mass so dense that there was no standing room left
unoccupied. Just as the train was about to move
away, and those on the bridge and around the
depot were rending the air with cheers for Johnson,
Grant, and Farragut, an awful crash rose above the
roar of the huzzas that startled all within hearing,
and silenced many voices for ever. The timbers in
the centre of the bridge, fully a foot square, sud-
denly snapped in twain, precipitating every soul on
it to the bottom of the canal, a distance of at least
fifteen feet. The balance of the sidewalks and
platform over the canal came down with the bridge,
and filled the bottom of the canal with timbers, planks,
and the struggling mass of men, women, and chil-

dren, all hurled together in an inextricable confu-

sion. Those on the bank between the now yawning
gulf and the railroad track were frightened into a
stampede, and added to the confusion by scream-
ing, yelling, and trampling each other into the mud
in their frantic efforts to escape. A more fright-
ful scene; ;was scarcely ever witnessed. A few
moments sufficed to reveal what had actually tran-
spired. Men, women, children, fathers, mothers,
husbands, wires, sons and daughters were now
rushing in every direction, seeking relatives and
friends, and crying aloud with grief and terror. As
soon as the sinking falling debris had settled to the
bottom those in the neigbourhood sprang to the bed
of the canal by scores, and commenced assisting those
least hurt to extricate themselves, and to pull away
the rubbish and timber that had covered and
confined the others. As the bridge broke in the
centre its two halves formed an inclined plane, along
which all were slid with lightning speed, and pitched
on the top of those who stood in the middle and wen t
down first. Probably not less than four hundred
persons were on the main bridge, and one thousand

on the whole structure. The killed were mainly

crushed to death by those who fell upon them ; but
few were hurt.by the timbers or planks. Splinters
darkened the air in every direction, and caused a
large proportion of the flesh cuts and contusions.
From the manner in which the mass of people was
precipitated, struggling, clutching, and grasping to
the ground beneath, a great many arms and legs
were broken. The women generally fell head fore-
most, owing to their inflated style of clothing ; and
their contusions were chiefly confined to the head, face,
and shoulders. One remarkable fact was that no in-
fants or small children were known to be hurt in

the slightest, although many infants were among
those who fell to the bottom, and still a larger num-
ber of both sexes ranging from six to ten years of

age. v As soon as partial order could be restored
lines were formed to protect the sufferers from the
outside pressure of the crowd, and to extricate them
from the wreck of the bridge and platform. One man
was found dead, with a huge beam resting across his
neck, and his eyes protruding from their sockets.
A large delegation of Pennsylvanians, headed by
Senator Cowan and Representative Ancona, are
in Washington, engaged in consultations with the
President and heads of departments, with reference
to such a distribution of the Executive patronage in
that State as will operate beneficially apon the pre-
sent canvass. Senator Cowan has had several in-
terviews with the President; and Mr. Ancona was
also closeted with him. The result is that the fol-
lowing important Philadelphia appointments have
been agreed upon :—William Milward, Director of
Mint, formerly member of Congress and United
States Marshal under President Lincoln ; Treasurer
of the Mint, Chambers M'Kibbin ; Postmaster,
Charles M. Hall, vice C. Walborn, removed ; Naval
Officer, J. R. Flanigan.
Baron Hock, a well-known Austrian writer and
politician, has just completed a work of eight hun-
dred pages octavo on the financial and political af-
fairs of the United States. It is now in press by one
of the publishing houses of Vienna, and will probably
be out within a. month. He was for some years
collector of customs at the port of Trieste ; has sub-
sequently held several eminent positions under the
Austrian Government, and is regarded as the chief
adviser for the re-establishment of the financial af-
fairs of Austria. The work of which we speak has
been some time in preparation, the author having
had placed at his disposal statistics from all parts of
the country. It is divided into six parts, with an
elaborate appendix. Among the subjects treated
will be financial legislation and administration,
duties, indirect taxes, land taxes, public lands, the
postal system, the mint, and other sources of public
income, national and State ; the national and State
debts, tariff, banks, and general statistics. The
work is well calculated to circulate in Germany a
just idea of the development of the United States
in national wealth. Each of the six parts will con-
tain an historical analysis and critical review of the
progress made in that department, both from a
popular point of view and as regards its relation to
political economy. Baron Hock is the author,
among other standard publications, of one on the
financial administration of France, and another on
public taxes and debts. The present work will be
useful in disseminating correct information in Eu-
rope as to the monetary affairs and general con-
dition of the United States, and might even be
translated with advantage in America.
Nei: xtract the following notice from the Phila-
deilV,hlnquirer:—" DISAPPEARED.—On the 10th
September, a gentleman residing iu the suburbs, 35
years old, five feet six inches high, weighing one
hundred and thirty to one hundred and forty pounds,
with light complexion, full whiskers and mustacl:e,
near-sighted, and with a habit of leaning forward
while walking; came to this city on business, having
$2,000 with him. He then wore a dark frock coat,
light pants and straw hat, linen duster, and had a
sufferer
black
t rarvoem
l 1 in gbag with him. He was a great
asthmatic attacks_ sometimes becom-
ing delirious from them. He WE% last seen at Third
and Chesnut streets, at six p.m., that day. Chief
Detective Franklin will pay liberally for any infor-
mation of him."
It is understood that the office of Commissioner
of the Revenue will, during the present month, be
at the Custom House of New York. The following
letter of instructions has been addressed to that