The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-01-18

srEh break would involve transit pment OF
goods and passengers, and certain outlay for
Noripg the former afd feeding the latter, and
would further stimulate the Lake trade OF the
port WI ere it occurred. Buffalo seems to have.
pursued her object quietly, aud t. have succeed
ed. There is break there, caused by the meet
ing Of the FEET 81 inch and the feet 10 ioch
gauges; and it seems that Erie determined to
have a break too. Hence her determination to
resist the laying OF the feet 10 inch gauge,
which would have given us q continuous aud
unbroken line from Buffalo to Cleveland,
through Erie Now, this quarrel about breaks
is as easily settled the question of law IL we
divest ourselves OF local bias and start from
| general principles. The interest of the whole
should override those of the part; aud it is OBJ
viously to the interest of the whole country, as
well as of the travelling community that rail-
| road lines should be as direct aud as uubroken
as possible. Taking this principle as our guide,
and apply ing it to the great line of travel from
| New York to Cleveland, we find that from this
| city to Buffalo the gauge adopted is the usual
| New York gauge Of feet 81 inches, from
Buffalo to the Pennsy lvania State line feet
| 10, from the Pennsylvania State line to Erie
it has been hitherto feet, and from Erie west
ward the feet 10 inch gauge again prevails.
Now, with these facts before us, every one eau
see that the change dictated by the interest of
travellers and the community at large was the
substitution ofhe feet 10 inch gauge for that of
SIX feet on the 10 miles Of road between Erie and
the State line. This alteration made, there
would have been but one break between New
10 miles, or even double that distance from
Buffalo, we should have advocated the re-
moval of the feet 81 inch gauge on that
route also that there should have been no break
whatever on the line. But we need not point to
the impossbility of making such a change on
road $50 miles long 1.-THE Buffalonians i'm
ported the A foot 10 inch gauge, and employed
it on the western branch of the line for the
actual purpose of making break at their city
as the Erians insnuate. then they were guilty
OF the meanness of postponiDg public and gen.
eral to petty and local interests. But the
mischief is done, asd we cannot now repair it,
All that we can now do is to prevent a similar
instance of narrow mindedness on the part of an
other city interfering with the rapidity and
cheapness OF our travel to the West. This,
we cannot help saying, is the undisguised
aim of the Erians. They cannot help the
break at Buffalo, or hinder transhipment
of freight and passengers at that place.
The delay. inconvenience and expense, which
o fresh break at Erie would occasion would by
no means lessen the delay, inconvenience and
expense, now caused by the break at Buffalo. On
the contrary, second transhipment at so short
distance would seriously injure that route to
the West. Nothing earthly would be gained by
it. The net result Of its establishment would
be annoyance and cost to the community at
large, and petty gain to few spectators at
Erie.
We are, therefore, impelled to the conclusion
that the Erians are as wrong in principle as they
are mAnifestly culpable in their practice. Both
ason and law are against them We shall be
better able to vindicate the former when we see
the action taken by the Legislature at Harris
burg. The latter must at all hazards be vindi-
Gated at once. The very fact of the arrest OF
a United States Marshal will do incalculable
injury if it be not promptly avenged. We can
neither understand nor excuse any further delay
on the part of Congress.
APPEALS TO HUMANITY, CHARITY. AND BENE-
voLENCE.-Within the last few months an unu-
sually large number OF public and private
sppeGs have been made to us on behalf of dis
Nsesa persons of one kind or another. We
have had appeals for shipwrecked Mariners
houseless unfortunates victims of public calam-
ity and private misfortune; some in the unob-
trusive garb of an humble letter or q verbal
tale Of sorrow, others in the more ostentatious
shape of printed circular. The following is
sample of the latter =
CIRCULAR.
Minutes OF an adjourned meeting OF citizens and
friends Of Wright Laniers Johnson (of the late
drm OF Wright, Laniers Co.. sufferers by the burn
Ing Of La Fargo Hotel, met pursuant to adjournm
IL 1854
SIMON LELAND Esq, chairman OF the former
meeting, called the Getting to order and statex, that
business engagements would prevent him from occu-
pyiDg the chair ut the meeting.
Whereupon he nominated Capt. Thomas T. Fer
ris, Of the New York City Guard to the chair, who
DIR. Quin, Secretary Of the former meeting. being
absent, the meeting proceeded to "A election OF
Secretary, when W, H. Draper was nominated and
elected.
Preston H. HODGEs, chairman Of the committee
Of five appointed at the last meeting presented the
following report
That the families Of the above named sufferers
needed assistance, and recommended the appoint.
ment Of committee Of fifty persons to solicit aid in
their behalf.
The hotel keepers will take up subscription
among themselves.
On motion the report was adopted, and the COM
mistes discharged
The SECRET AIRY then read letter from John Hir-
gins 4 Co., No. As Broad street. enclosing a check
for s25, In aid Of Wright, Laniers l. johnson.
On motion, 1t was voted that conmittee OF 6ftv
per-ons be appointed to solicit subscriptions in aid
OF Charles Wright, Sterling Lanier, Sidney G. Lanisr
and Peter J. johnson, Of the late firm Of Wright.
Laniers Co, in the erection OF new hotel and to
relieve the present necessities of their families
, Inc following gentlemen were then appon ted
that committee =
Simeon L.lsod............ Ne ropo'itsn Hotel
Curtis Judsop. ........... .Judsous Hotel