Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1854-12-21

CITY M1ELLlGENCE.
SrAzLrrs wEsrxss wmps The two greatest
sights In Washington this winter are Sankey's In
dian Panorama, Odd Fellows Hall, and the Dying
| Gladiator. One Is native subject the other for.
eign; both are In the highest style of art While
each work Is admirable, American feeling must
we think, incline TO favor the painting. Great in
terest Is now impaired TO the panorama by the lee
ture of the artist
The DYING GLADIATOR need say no more
than that this admirable work Is still on exhibition
at Morisons Building 4 Ia street Ii needs no
comments--the beauty of the work Is too appa
rent Of itselffor US to endeavor to point il out
Go and see it, and you win not fail to admire It.
WE have in type the proceedings Of the case
before Magistrate Dom, yesterday, in the false
prctence case, which win appear tomorrow. The
case having been adjourned till this p NJ at four
o'clock We intend giving the final decision Of
the magistrate upon the case, with the evidence.
BooKsl Books The man at the Union Book
Store Is actually giving away books to all who come
there. He has all sorts Of books, and is doing 81
smashing business" Of course all who want to
make Christmas present will go to this modern
Union Book Store, No. 474 Pennsylvania avenue.
Ladies FAIRS. The ladies' Of the Navy Yard
Baptist church, holding fair at Anacostia Hall,
the proceeds Of which are to go to the church.
They have the Harmonious and Amphions this
evening, and rich treat may be expected.
The ladies Of Ryland chapel open their fair at
Island Hall this evening, and their proceeds are to
be disposed of In the same manner.
The ladies Of Union chapel are also holding
fair at Farnham's Hail. and we urge our citizens to
90 to one, IL not all the above, and aid them in
generous manner In the result they are laborng 80
nobly to attain.
CENTRE MARKET, Washington, December 2l.--
Prices-beefcattle, "a SO 9 IS 90 per cwt retail,
10 II liz cents per pound Pork hogs, 81 90
per cwt. retail, 10 IL cents per h. Mutton,
10 IL cents per ID. Ham aud sausages, each 10 IL
cents per lb. Turkeys, 81 90 q 81 90. Chickens,
so rs cents per pair. Butter, rs to 40 cts. per
lb. Cheese, IA a 16 cts. per ID. Eggs, 81 to 40
cts. per dozen. Potatoes, 81 81 per busheL Hay,
81 90 a 81 IS per cwt Straw, rs cents per cwt.
Wood--pine, "a rs per cord hard, 80 rs.
The market was good one to-day purchasers
were quick and marketmen busy. Beef cattle
4
their last quotations. Hay and straw had declined
very little, and wood had rather an upward ten
dency.
Gas WoRKs.-We are pleased to see that the
Washington Gas Light Company have greatly In
creased their facilities for supplying the city with
gas, by the erection Of a Mammoth Gas Holder, on
K street. in the First ward. 1t is beautiful
structure, and reflects much credit on the compa-
ny, who, while they thus ornament that section Of
the city, erect monument Of their own liberality
The contract for building the gasometer was given
to the late Jos. H. Amer of Philadelphia in which
city the various parts were prepared for cree
ton, under the immediate direction Of Geo, w.
Kraft and Thos. Greer, who designed the whole
apparatus, introducing many valuable improve
ments. aa9 sst seaf a 8
The gasomcter is Of the telescope pattern, II
Is 95 feet diameter, and 40 feet deep.
The inner section Is 90 feet 9 inches diameter,
and 20 feet high with hydraulic cup Is inches
deep. There is 1860 sheets of Nos. 10 and IL
iron in the sides and crown, joined together with
button and fat-head rivets. The frame Is COM
posed Of three strong rings of angle iron, 20 T
iron legs, for support Of the sdes, and 20 trussed
rafters, also of iron to sustain the weight of the
crown-thecrownan raftcrs being securely nveted
together. a.sy
The outer section is 95 feet diameter, and 30
feet high, and has no other bracing than the rings
necessary to keep it cylindrical. Its counterbal
anced by 10 weights equal to $4,000 pounds
which, with the necessary chains, wheels, stands,
&c, add greatly to the beauty of the guide frame.
The guide frame consists Of 10 trigon towers,
each tower formed Of three sections Of columns,
each section having Gothic panels, and surmounted
by an entablature. On the upper extablature or
cap the Orders rest bracing the whole frame
work firmly together
The process of erection commenced the middle
Of May last, under the personal direction Of Mr..
Kraf, and early In August both sections were com
pleted, though the erection Of the towers sus-
pended on account Of the non-arrivd of the cast
ings.
During the heavy thunder storm of August 10,
the outer section together with the scsfoding, In
all about thirty tons weight, was lifted bodily twelve
feet In the air and thrown eighty feet from It's for
mer position, falling with perfect crash on the
crown Of the inner section. But strange to tell,
the improved trussed rafters, intended to support
the crown, performed their duty so perfectly that
not one Of them received the slightest damage, and
the crown sheets themselves being but little In
jured, while the outer section was rendered per
feet wreck, being so completely destroyed as 10
make II necessary TO take IL entirely to pieces;
this was done, and the parts all made perfect and
ready TO put together again within week after
the occurrence the loss amounting 10 about $500.
The value of the trusscd ~fter was here made
manifest for had the crown given way the inner
section would also have been destroyed, pnd in
stead of loss Of $780, it would probably have been
as many Thousand. Let our readers for moment
look at the immense size Of fhe crown Of this gas
holder--nincty three feet six inches diameter and
yet twenty raers Of this construction have proved