The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-07-05
NEW YORK CORRESPONDENCE.
NEW York, June 20, 1855

New YORK, June 20, 1855.
To the Editor Of the National Era:
The liquor dealers are out with a circular ap
pealing to their brethren, throughout the State
to subscribe $4,000 toward publishing, in this
city, daily newspaper devoted to their interest
- - has promised to subscribe $4,000
whenever the sum first named shall have been
raised, provided he has charge of the newspa
per in question. He is one of the thousands Of
rich, ambitious vulgarians, who are now spring
ing up all over the country, and who WILL if we
don't look out for them, get controlling infu-
ence in the State and National Legislatures.
One of the strangest things in this city is the
extreme difficulty with which many people be.
come acquainted with the most ordinary items
of intelligence. In spite of the multitude OF
newspapers printed here, there are thousands
whose minds it is impossible to impregnate with
the smallest item of current information. These
are mostly foreigners, unable to read English,
or any other language, probably, as there are
newspapers here in all the leading European
tongues. One of the most remarkable illustra-
tons of this fact is just now exhibited in huge
list, placarded on the walls of the Post Office, of
unpaid letters deposited in the office, and there
remaining since the prepayment act went into
force. The Post Office authorities made extra
ordinary efforts to have the fact of this change
taking place universally known, and the news
papers, in each language, seconded their efforts
by repeated cautions. Yet, in spite of all this,
there were deposited, between the 9th and 10Th
of the present month, toetUe or fifteen hundred
unpaid letters; that is, above one hundred
daily.
The investigation by the fre-marshal, in re-
gard to a fire occurring last week in a pyro-
technic establishment in Maiden lane, where
Mr.. Philip Jeanneret lost his life resulted in
establishing, beyond all doubt, the fact, that
certain species of fireworks are liable to spon-
taneous combustion. Several fires, before &C.
curing in stores of this nature, were suspected
OF originating from that cause; but no steps
were taken to prevent the continued practice
of the storage of very large quantities within
the business districts of the city. Hereafter,
it is probable that regulation will be adopted,
obliging the dealers in fireworks to sell by sam
pie, and to keep their stocks at place where
life and property will be less endangered.
The city papers record, among the ephemera
of local intelligence" the decease of hero.
This was not General of the Allied armies, fall
ing at the head of his division, in charge
upon the Russian works; nor was it Musco-
vie trumpeter, sounding his horn on the para
pet of an English parallel, and tumbling, rid
died with musket balls, into ditch, as the cost
of his temerity. The hero in this case was a
humble lrishman, of the name of Thomas Mag
hareen, thirty-hve years of age, upon whose
body the coroner lately held an inquest and as
certained that he came to his death from severe
burns, received in his strenuous endeavors to
extinguish the burning clothes of small boy,
who, venturing near bonfire, became enveloped