Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1866-04-26

fected, and grand and comprehensive
plan arranged for prosecuting the good
work with Vigor. Men and women
were everywhere bestirring themselves,
and aiming at nothing less than total
annihilation of the traffic in alcoholic
liquors.
He alluded to the campaign in Mas
achusetts, where the friends of tempe
rance had achieved signal triumph in
getting decision from the United
States Supreme Court, to the effect that
a United States license, under the rev.
enue law, did not authorize the selling
of liquor where the sale was prohibited
by the local laws of the States. In Bos-
ton and other places in Massachusetts,
the liquor dealers were closing their es-
Establishments. He also alluded to the
fact that the principal liquor dealers in
Boston had formed an association for
insuring dealers rgainst losses from
prosecutions, and here he believed they
had sustained great losses. 1t was, in
the opinion of the speaker, in the power
Of the friends Of the cause in all the
New England States, at least, to secure
effective prohibitory statutes by State
legislation, and by active cooperation
so concentrate public opinion that the
prohibltory laws shall be faithfully ex-
ecuted.
Chief Justice Chase informed friend
Of the speaker that the recent decision
of the Supreme Court alluded to, was
approved Of by all the Judges.
Rev. Mr.. Seaver of this town followed
the speaker in a brief, but most elo-
quent and stirring address. He ven
tured to differ from DR.. Barrows on one
point. He believed less alcoholic liquor
was drunk now than at any previous
time, because of its dilution, or "exten-
sion" in water, to which, however,
quick poison was added, by way Of COM
pleting the counterfeit We were soon
to have among US, said Mr.. Seaver, a
temperance lecturer more eloquent than
himself, or the speaker who had just
preceded him, in the form of cholera.
The intemperate drinker was sure VIC
tim. When the cholera once took pos
session of him, death was sure to fol-
low.
TEE AsPTNwALL EXPLOSION fol-
lowing extract from letter written by
gentleman, known to many of our cit
liens, and now residing in Aspinwall,
svill be read with interest
"You will recollect that I predicted
and felt sure that something would hap
pen to us, upon the taking place Of a
certain event. 1t came upon Us on
Tuesday the Sd inst, in the shape of an
explosion Of an English steamer at the
wharf in front of the freight house.
The European arrived alongside of the
r. E. Co.'S wharf on the I'd and COM
menced disCharging her cargo. Nearly
al the local freight had been delivered
when about o'clock a. m. of the Sd, a
terrific explosion occurred on board,
which tore away the upper parts of the
ship and blew several large plates off
the side. The wharf-some 100 feet
long-was literally torn to pieces; the
superstructure was completely demol-
ished. The ship and wharf both caught
fire, and the latter was saved from entire
destruction only by the exertions of citi-
gems, by means of the fire engines, re-
gardless Of the risk incurred from an
other and second explosion. The R. r.
Co.'s splendid freight house is left pile
of ruins. Almost every house in the
place suffered more or less. Many lives
were lost. The strangest thing is, that
no white person in the Company's service
was killed, although had it occurred ten
minutes later several OF our people
would have lost their lives. Forum
ately the train, about starting for Pana-
ma, was delayed over it's time, and the
clerks were not all in their offices, or all
would have perished. | was in the bag
gage car with my box Of money, going
to Panama to pay off, when the explo-
sion took place; but, being behind the
door, was not stunned by it. Captain
Burnham, (who is well known to our
citizens here as lately connected with
the Provost Marshals office,) had he
hesitated one second, must, from his po-
sition, have been killed on the spot. He
must have formed bis conclusions, as to
his danger, quickly and have acted up
on them instantly. He looked up and
saw the immense iron roof falling, and
made one great jump for his life on to
the top of the Car before him-over it
! and into window on the other side.
Two seconds would have been too late.
Three men attempted to do the same
thing and were crushed.
The shock was a terrific one. The
| cries of distress which arose immedi-
ately after were truly awful. truly
hope it may never fall to my lot to Wit
ness another such q spapa