The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1854-11-08
Correspondence of the Ashland Union.1
FROM NEW YORK.
NEW YoRK Nov 4 LIZ

AN Ono nniuSi VI dn eAcltinS poIitlcal
canvass this city has been startled by the
announcement of the sudden and almost
simultaneous decease of several of our
prominent merchants, professional men,
and other residents, by a disease resem-
bling cholera. As in zach instance, the
attack occurred Immediately after the
party had partaken of a lunch or supper
of oysters, and the symptoms were alike
in all cases, it is the universal belief that
some poisonous property in these she'll
fish was the cause of the malady. This
superstition is confirmed by information
from Baltimore, where oysters and crabs
of the Chesapeake seem to have produced
similar effects. Among the citizens
who have fallen victims to this strange
disorder, are Edwin Williams, an emf
nent statesman and forcible newspaper
writer; James Foster, Jr., Esq, q
wealthy shipping merchant, formerly
principal proprietor of the old Dram
attic Sine of New York and Liverpool
packet ships, embracing the "Sheri-
dan, " the "Garrick," the "Rorcius >
and the "Siddons " and better known
in the fashionable world as "Count Eos
ter" the musical d~iIettazate John II.
Cornell, Esq, Cashier of the Mechanics
Banking Association, a most estimable
man; Robert Smith, Esq, formerly
Alderman of the 9Th ward, and Morris
H. Davidson, a respectable member of
the New York Bar. There have also
been two deaths in Orange county, in
consequence of eating oysters, and many
persons in this city, Brooklyn, Williams
burgh and Hoboken, have suffered severe
ly from cramps, and cholera morbus
superinduced by the same cause All
the parties whose names 1 have mention
ed we're alive and well six days ago
most of them were elderly men, their
ages ranging from fifty to sixty. Mr.
Cornell / think was in his ffty-sixth
year, and Mr.. Foster about the same age.
Something akin to a panic has, as you
may suppose, been created by this sad
visitation. Oysters arc prescribed, and
the large and profitable city trade in
these articles is literally brought to a
stand still. No more fries, or stews, or
broils, or dozens raw. The oyster stands
are deserted; the sacri6cial knives are
getting rusty, the bivalves are permitted
to rest in their beds undisturbed, and
thousands upon thousands of the sala-
cious delicacies that last week would
have retailed at two dollars a hundred,
are now absolutely Totting on the hands
of their purchasers. / undertaud that
Mr.. Chiffon, the analytical chemist, who
is supposed to know everything from
the cause of the milk in the cocoanut to
the ingredients of Pcase's candy, has
been asked to examine into the "phe-
nomenal condition of the Shrewsberrys,"
and East Rivers" and report there
upon. The oyster vendors are deeply
interested in a speedy solution of the
problem, and 1 have no doubt that the
euesLiou-twere7 the oysters of 1854
poisonous ?" will lead to a controversy
as exciting and profound, as that on the
great saltpetre difficulty.
As the seventh of November approach
es the complexities of the political can
vass become more intricate and puzzling.
Even the Reform Party are not too i'm
maculate to dabble a little in the trick
cry of electioneering- Sehell, the "hard"
candidate for Mayor, has been induced
to withdraw in favor of Wilson G..
Hunt, the standard bearer of the Re-
formers, who is now, the nominee Of
three organizations. The Know-Noth-
ings are divided On the Majoralty, and
j. S. Herrick, the Wing candidate cx-
poets to get the votes of half the mem
bers of the order of this city. The
Germans support, Fernando Wood, as
the representative of the liquor interest,
aud he has played his cards so adroitly
in both sections of the democratic party,
that his election would not surprise me,
although I think Herrick's chances are
better than his. John III. White, the
President Of the Crystal Palace Associa-
ton is the Wing candidate for Recorder,
and as he will undoubtedly receive the
whole Known Nothing vote, his success is
nearly certain. There is not a municipal
Office in the gift of the people to which
there are not at least four aspirants. In
such a crossfre of factions, and with
such a variety of special interests involv-
ed in the contest, it is difficult to frame a
scheme of probabilities worthy of any
confidence.
In the case of Alderman Barr, versus
Henry Erben, the jury have disagreed.
Mr.. Erben, as foreman of a late Grand
Jury, assisted in presenting Mr.. Barr as
guilty of corruption and malfeasance,
whereupon the Alderman sued for dam
ages. 1t is understood that nine of the
jury were in favor of a verdict for the
plaintiff for &c cents.
Several vessels from Europe have re-
Gently arrived at Quarantine with cholera
on board. The E. P. Stronger, from
Havre, lost twenty-three of her passen-
gers and crew, on the voyage from Havre,
and the South Carolinian, fifty on her
-o- Co.., Po4tordo- Roth xaasale ~.