The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-01-15
The News.

publication.
The News.
By telegraph from Washington we learn that the
special committee Of the Senate on the P4cid, Rail
road met on Saturday to considerable plans proposed
by Senators Rusk and Douglas. It is understood
the project of the latter gentleman was finally de-
Ae mined on, and that report will be made to the
Bsnate recommending its adoption. Three routes
are provided for, viz. q southern route, from the
western border Of Texas to the Pacific; central
enc from the western border of Miss uni or Iowa to
San Francisco; and nortt ern from the western
border of Wisconsin or Minnesota to the navigable
waters Of the Pacific in Oregon or Washington Ter
Eitory. The bill sets apart alternate sections OF
land for ten miles on each side Of the route and
doubts the minimum price of the reserved sections
and authorizes mail contract for fifteen years from
The COMPLETELY of the road, at rate not exceeding
three hundred dollars per mile. The bill also
authorizes tie Secretaries of War and Navy to make
contracts for the transportation of government sup
plies for the same period, and makes other i'm
portant regulations For full details see telegraph
We give in another part of so.dayis paper an in
te9estng account Of the Mesquite tree and is
gum fom the pen of Captain r. B. Marcy. This
tree ia variety OF the acacia, and constitutes vast
tracts u woodland between the twenty-sixth and
thirty sixth parallels of north latitude and Ia des
tired TO become highly valuable to settlers in the
regions where il abounds. The timber is very du-
sable as a building material is excellent for Are
wood, and the tree emits gum, when incisio1s are
made in it's baik very similar, and not in the least
inferior in its properties, to the best gum arabic.
We give elsewhere an interesting account of the
loss Of the wi alsship City, as r.l.ted by Captain
Clifford, who has arrived at New Bedford. The die.
aster occurred the 9Th Of September, in Saghaan
Bay, ten miles north of Cape Golovatch. The Cap.
tain ar crew we're received at the Russian village
OF PetrOwsky, 10 Siberia, with every mark Of KIND.
ness and supplied With food, shelter and clothing,
until they wsre enabled to leave for home in the
ship SyIen Queen, OF Fairhaven.
A very large meeting of the most influential men,
hers of the Bar was held on Saturday in the court
room Of the Common Pleas, to do honor to the
memory Of those gentlemen Of the profession wac
perishsd in the wreck Of the steamship Arctic.
Most eloquent speeches were made by Messrs B. F.
Butler, ID. d. Lord, E. j. Burr, Charles A. Peab,
Charles 0'Conor, and James 7. Brady, full reports
Of which will be found in another part Of todlys
paper.
very important decision was rendered in the
Supreme Court on Satu' day, by Judge Roosevelt, on
contract for the sale Of real estste, where tie
party purchasing did MT conform to the terms of
the agreement as regards time. The Judge re-
marked that person selling real estate has the
same right to make punctuaHty in time as he has
sufflcency in amount, o condition precedent in
carrying out contracts In accordance with this
view, he directed the contract to be cancelled.
Resolutions were offered al the Southern Convex.
ton, at New Orleang, on the 18th inst. de Caring
Abe acquisition OF Cuba necessary to the protection
Of the commerce of the South, and urging upou
Congress immediate action on the subject. A
reciprocal treaty between Spain and Mexico, for
Me repeal OF laws suppressipg the slave trade was
also recommended. Both resolutions we're referred
The steamship Northern Light, with dates from
Ban Francisco to De-. %, arrived at New Orleans
enE the 18Th inst She brings 5000 900 in specie for
New York. We learn that about one half of the
own of VaDacito was destroyed by fire on the 22d
nit. Flour was selling at slt per barrel, lard No..
bacon 13ic. and hams l6c per ID.
We published yesterday brief te,egraphic de-
spa'ch from New Orleans stating that the ste I'M
ship Prometheus had arrived at that port, with
California dates to December 2lsh. The despatch
states that the markets in California were very
dun. The crops are said TO be abundant. No rain
had fallen to benefit the mining interest
Our despatch from New Orleans, Of ths 18th
instant states that the cotton market was unchang
ed, and that the sales for that day amounted 10
5000 bales, and for the week, 900.
MEAT AND DRINK FOR THE PooR.-We hope
that the starving poor Of this city will wait
patiently until those measures now in progress
for their relief shall be completed. We hear of
several splendid balls and parties, full dress
and calico, under way; and the dancers are
making every preparation to give these balls
such character as will materially increase the
quantity OF soup to be dispensed to the poor
They are getting up silk and velvet, as well as
calico parties, and we may expect to see all the
richest styles of dress-all the newest patterns
of jewelry-all the most delicate European
laces-- all the most expensive exotics for bou-
quets-all the luxuries of the season for the
suppers, including any amount of champagne
and all the new dances polkas, mazurkas, and
the German cotillon.
After the dresses have been admired--thc
jewelry inspected-the perfume of the flowers
inhaled--the laces criticised-the polkas polk
ed, the mzurkas finished, the German wound
up, and the suppers Of cold duck and cham
payne duly dcvoured-thc poor people will re.
ceive the surplus in soup.
Therefore we say, let the starving poor wait
patiently, for the fashionable people have taken
the matter in hand, and they arc to bo danced
out Of their misery.