The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1866-07-12
Crock Ne TO Sleep Mother
To the Editors Of the Ecening Posi-.

r
Bachelor table the other night considerable
indignation was manifested and a commit
tee was appointed to examine the records
prepare defence, and submit report to
the editors of the E0ening P0st. AS friend
of the authoress of this beautiful song w,
ask who has pretended to settle this ques
ton in favor of Mr. Ball and, then, We
would like to hear what Mr.. Balls claims
are.
liz the Boston Post of the 18th ultimo ap
peared an item, stating that ''the widow O
Paul Akers the sculptor whose song Crock
Me to Sleep Mother" was so we'll known
has married again, her new husband being
a Mr. Allen of Washington city"
In the same paper of the 23d this appears
'The authoress of Crock Me to Sleep, mo
ther, is young lady of New York who
has no present intention of changing her
name, newspaper paragraph to the con-
trary Notwithstanding"
In the Boston Transcript of the oath ult,
an article appeared, crediting Mrs. Allen, OF
Washington, with the song, and in the
same paper of the Goth we find the follow
ing
can item in recent issue of your paper
gave to the widow of Paul Akers (wko has
been lately married to a Mr. Allen of Wash
iugton) the credit of having written that
beautiful song Rock me to Sleep Mother"
In justice to the authoress of that piece,
Miss Alger, of New York; beg you will
make correction. Like the contro versy
over the authorship of Nothing to wear, y
this has been long since decided and what
ever the private circles of others friends may
desire, no claims but Miss Ayers has been
allowed by the pubic"
The boston Gazette, in its Sunday issue,
said
"a QUESTION OF AUTHoRsHIP.-A cores
pondent Of the Transcript claims for Miss
Alger, of New York, the authorship of the
song, Crock Me to Sleep Mother" a soug
the real authorship of which is we'll worth
a moderate battle to support. Mrs Akers
was, unquestionably, the author of it. 1t
| appeared in the Portland IrGnScrip when
Mrs. A.; we think, was connected with that
office, and when the question of authorship
was mooted in Washington some months
since, the editor Of the Transcript showed
us the original manuscript, previous to cop
ying for the press, with all its alterations,
interlineations, and tranpositions, giving in
disputable evidence, we conceive, of author
ship: We at least shall regard it so until
the original and the date of the other is pro-
duced for comparison -
To which reply was made that ''Miss AL
gers poem was published two years before
Mrs Aker's," and that view of what pur-
ported to be original manuscript was not
very conclusive evidence of authorship
since no less than four other parties would
share the same thing. The Gazotte writer
thinks the question worth moderate bat
tie, !" but we are willing to indulge in the
biggest kind of fight in support of the side
which we consider that of right and Justice.
Now Mr. Ball speak up s.,
Chairman of Committee.
Fifth avenue, June "a 1866.
FROM ANOTHER CORRESPONDENT
Not settled" yet sin favor" of any gen
tleman for now have before me a letter
from our good and trustworthy Shillaber,
of the Boston Saturday Evr@jng Gazette,
written last year, in reply to my inquiry
respecting the authorship Of the song "Rock
me to sleep Mother"-and he says "it was
written by Mrs. Akers." This lady is
personal friend of Mr.. S, and has long
been known as a writer under the nom de
plume of 'FIorence Percy"
Yours, in behalf of my sex,
SoPHY w. KENT.
274 Degraw street, Brooklyn.
Cheat Confagration in Portland Maine
"a Distance of l 1-2 miles long and
quarter OF Mile wide burned over
PORTLAND, July 5.
The fire caught in the building above the
sugar-house, on Commercial street, and has
swept northerly through that street into
wooden buildings between Centre and Cros
streets consuming everything as it goes
LATER
The fire has completely swept through the
city, destroying everything in its track, so
completely that the lines of the streets can
hardly be traced, for space one and half
miles long by a quarter of a mile wide =
Many neutrality-suspicious. fifty, We're blown
up to check the flames, but the inhabitants
could scarcely do more than fee with their
families to the upper part Of the city, SAYING
such goods as they could carry
The Custom House being fire proof, es-
| capped, though greatly damaged. The court
records IN the upper story, are probably de-
stroyed.
The splendid city and county building
on Congress street, which was nearly fire
proof, was considered safe, and it was piled
full offurniture by the neighboring resi-
dents, and then it was swept away with all
It's contents Half the city is DESTROYED, and
that half Includes nearly all the business
portion, excepting the eavy business in
Commercial street. All the banks and news
paper offices are burned. But three prin-
ting Offices are left. AIlthe ieweIrv estab
lishments, wholesale dry goods stores. sew
eral churches, the telegraph Offices nearly
all the stationery stores, and the majority
OF the business places are DESTROYED.
The lire is still raging below Cumberland
street, working back to the westward, the
wind having changed. Capt. Henry In
man has telegraphed for 1900 tents to &C
commodate the houseless families.
| ADDITIONAL PARTICULARS
PORTLAND, Me, July Give car loads
OF provisions came down from Boston last
night, and are being distributed to the peo
pie "A hre company, eighty strong, from
abroad, nave been working all night on the
ruins. Large amounts of supplies have
come In from various places; they were
greatly needed Most of the pro vision
stores had been burned There was hardly
anything left to be bought, and our people
were mostly living on bread alone.
The Athenae um Library was DESTROYED
The city buildings and Custom House
blazed up again this morning, and occa-
stoned alarm. The city was in darkness
last night, owing to the gas being cut off
A rain is falling now, but it is scare ely
needed, as the flames were so fierce that all
vegetation is burned to the ground.
The First and Second National Banks
securities and funds are all saved and there
is no doubt in regard to any of the others
Ira 7. Harrington should be added to the
list OF clothing dealers who have suffered.
The brass work establishment of L. Crock
EFT was not burned, as reported.
The tremendous exertions to save Wins
II lnAU a IlnlaIn,s IL