The Portland daily press., 1862-12-04

InOindS DlCJlNuD. LOT uTuuktullesS anu us
turbance, was fined 50 and costs. Committed.
MERCANTILE LIBRARY ASSOCIATION Lee
TURE.-The Introductory lecture of the course
before the Mercantile Library Association was
delivered in the new City Hall last evening
by Rev. DIR. Bellows of New York. The hall
was filled to its utmost capacity, and the large
audience testified their appreciation of the
lecture by repeated tokens of applause.
The lecture was, indeed, an admirable one.
The views of the lecturer upon our institu-
tions, and upon the magnitude of the present
contest; his comments upon the conduct of
those who are continually finding fault with
the persons at the head of the Government; !;
his quiet vein Of sarcasm on the course pur-
sued by England and France, and the hopeful
manner in which he expressed himself as to
the result of the contest, ELECTED great ap-
plause. He avowed himself in favor Of the
proclamation, and was decidedly in favor of
strangling the giant commissary," as he ex-
pressed it, who was raising supplies for the
rebel army, while it was engaged in killing the
Northern men. The first of January, he
thought, would do this, and forever kill slav
cry in this country. The heartiest applause
of the evening greeted this portion of the lee
ture.
DR.. Bellows closed his lecture with some
eloquent remarks upon the condition of our
hospitals, and made an earnest appeal for all
to do what they could to keep the Sanitary
Commission supplied with needed wooden un-
derclothing for the sick and wounded soldiers.
Rev. VIM. III. Milburn, "the blind preacher"
will deliver the next lecture, on Wednesday
evening, Dec. 10th.
We congratulate the Association upon the
auspicuous manner in which the present
course of lectures has been inaugurated.
Recommendations o'clock yesterday
morning a fire broke out in two storied
building on Cumberland, between Washington
and North streets. BY the prompt and
efficient aid of the Fire Department, the fire
was subdued before it had made great pro-
gress in the building. No. threw the first
stream on the fire, playing through 100 feet of
hose.
This was one Of the boldest attempts at in
cendiarism that We have ever seen. The
building was set on fire in three places on the
lower flower, and shavings were piled round
in some half dozen places in order to help
burn the house The plastering had been cut
away in three places, and shavings tucked in
behind the laths, while train of shavings was
placed from them all along the floor. 1t seems
as if the incendiary had determined there
should be no failure in his nefarious project
SO completely had he gone to work.
The building was owned by Patrick Ward,
but was under mortgage to Messrs. Wood
bury & Harris, which would expire in few
days, and also to Mr.. p. McGlincky. Messrs
w. d H., we understand, had insurance upon
the building, which will cover the loss.
The upper part of the house was occupied
by George Harris and Brigdet Ready. The
fire was discovered by them, they being awak-
ened by the smoke, which was suffocating
them. A few moments later and they would
have been suffocated TO death. We hope a
strict investigation of this case will be made,
and the incendiary, if possible, be detected
and punished.