New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-04-06
CITY ITEM&


fact tie whole United States, spread itself for a
general Notification, this city had its fob relieved Of its
| universal time.pece. The City Hall cupola was
visited by fire. attributed to sbyrockets, serpents
splitting DEVILS and other pyrotechne inceusiarios
during which the metropolitan clock was most eilectn
ally wound Up. Since then, New-York has never
known its proper dnnerbour, has always been late in
getting to bed, and equally late 10 getting up Yester
day. however, the new clock which has been so long
expected, GOT 10 work. and though il lacks the lum
rated face which lent such charm to tho old one still
the hands moved regularly around, and told the hour
with to'eIable degree Of correctness. The present
dials are black ones, with bronze numerals, which will
be exchanged for glass plates soon as they eau be
obtained from England. Why is necessary to send
acroi the water Tor ground lass dial we are unable
TO conceive but such the decision of the city fathers
and for the present must be content with those we
have After ALL the faces are not 80 very bad, and
they are far pfasanter TO gaze upon than the I'M
sielty Iuirs which have 30 long crowned the top OF
| the Han. Next week, Madame Justice is be en-
| thIoned.
Coon PRIDAY.-To-day being Good Friday some Of
the Courts will not be session. Yesterday the Supreme
Court Special Term, Superior Court Trial and Special
Terms and the Court Ct Common Pleas, Adjourned to
! Monday.
| The NEW York Posr-OfFIcE-The Committee Of
tie House of Representatives will visit this city next
week 10 examine the condition Of the ewYork Post
Office Department.
TRIAL OF FIRE BELLs.--A considerable crowd
was collected In the City Hall Park yesterday TO COM
pare the San Francisco fire bell with the in use
here. The San Francisco bell was manufactured ia
Sheffield, England, and Is composed of cas-steeL Its
weight is about 900 pounds its diameter at the mouth
is Elk feet, ard the hammer weighs 100 pounds. The
City Hall bell is about four times heavy, and the
sound of course, is in proportion to its size The
San FranSco bell has been rased to within ten feet Of
the City ball bell, and occupies the same frame. In
order to fairly test them the bells were struck alter
Datey when it found that the caststeel bell bears
no comparison to the other in tone TIE sound 10 less
prolonged and cannot be heard more then half as far
as tie oIher Nevertheless it ia conceded to be vary
excellent bell for s SIZE and viii DOUBT prove equal
to the requirements of the city for which is designed
1t sill be rung again this afternoon. uaz5 fsea
CULTIVATION AT THE OPEsIs0 OF A GERMAN
ScHooL.-Mr Adolphus Lonee opened last Monday,
bis Few school, No. 2i6 West Thiry.eigbth street,
near Ninth avenue. Tie building Is vary spacious
and well adapted for school. DIR. Foersch, we'll
known German orator, was invited to address the
numerous audience and he delivered an excellent
speech in which he exhorted the parents to give their
CHILDREN true education, that they may be enabled to
become useful and enlightened American citizens The
Directca OF the school, Mr.. Lange, then submitted his
plap after which the audience inspected the building
with which they appeared much pleased.
SYuFrDIPPISG IN NEw.YoRK CrrY.-A graphic
.l,o1 - 81 ria
few days ago, OF the disgusting practice Of "snu-
dippipg," 80 extensively in vogue among women Of
ali claste,s in the Southern States. People from the
North, travelling through Virginia, the Carolinas,
Georgia. and Alabsms have been astonshed at behold
ing the oren snd mattsroffact method of INDUCING in
tat seeing pretty young girls, lovely ladies', married
women and single sitting in circles formed expressly
fer this purpose. Each snuff dipPer aas her bottle and
swsb stick, or box and mop, from and by which she
conveys the filthy dust TO her lips, and them with.
drawing the mop perhaps passes il along to her
neiehbor as an act of delicate attention. Without
doubt this habit of multiplying would be far more
urseemly than that Of tobacco-cbewng, ii pra ,eed
by men, and when it is considered that women only
have adopted it, one hardly repress shudder Of
! disgust
Many of our readers viii be surprised to learn that
|
peiLeous habit Ia confined to the females of The South
We have 10 record the fact based upon careful nves
tisaton that ii is more less secretly in practice
opg the women of our city, aud to quito con-
siderable extent The article used for this purpoee is
the oldfssbioDed yelov Scotch snuff, OF which four
times as much is consumed in this way by the women
Of New-Ycrk as for the detion of the olfactory Or
gan by all the snu takers of both Certain to-
| he hava tah-
lished reputation for the particular quality of stuff
which they manu- acture aad cell the greater portion
of the amour. lere consumed With them and their
custom ers the practice is called digging" nead of
dipping" and those who slaves 20 II go by the
title of " dieeers"-a pane that certainly most
appropriate II intended to convey the idea Of analogy
between their habits and those OF the Digger Indians
who, of all wrecbed and barbsrous Iibes, live on the
most unnatural and oaihsome diet.
The votaIies of snuff. clswiDg are not confined to
! any particclsr class Of the women Of New-York.
Though probably it Is most prevalent among the poorer
and uneducaied females yet all the sellers agree that
large part Of the demand q from genteel and
bph bred ladies' In the fashionable walks of life.
Fen ales Of all ages are among their customers. Girls
of the town are often addicted to this of snuff,
finding in il smulant soothing and enduring in
its effects than the liquors with which they seek to
drown their misery and shame. The combination Of
the various snuiis Il kept trade secret by the
iactures, but about 20 par cent is made up Of salt,
pearlasb, and other pungent substances, which add
flavor and stimulating power to the article Hundreds
Of women buy their snuff under the petense of clean
ing their teeth, and is claimed by the dealers that all
their digging customers, old young, have their
teeth in remaikab sound and lustrous condition.
How the practice came 30 extensively spread IN