The Ebensburg Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1865-1871, 1866-04-05
OUR JOHNorowN LETTER.

LIKE LION-SINGULAR FREAKS OF TOR
NAro-sLAUGHTER-HoU DECLARED PUB.
LIo NUIsANcEs-ssMovINa-DA AND "Mo-
v1NGs"-rEMPERANoE REFoRM-THE EIGHT
HOUR LAW, &C., &C.
JoHNsTowN, Apri2 2, 1866.
The month of March came to close on
Saturday in one of the fercest storms ever
witnessed here. Its most disastrous eff
fects were confined, SO far as I have been
able to learn, to narrow course or track
on Yoder's Hill, just above Kernville. A
dense black cloud enveloped this hill, and
slowly rolled along its crest, accompanied
by noises popularly ascribed to pandemo-
mum. The bright sun, following in its
wake, revealed the hill entirely stripped
of the gigantic trees which had success.
fully defed the storms of century to up
root. For a space of several hundred
feet in width and half mile in length,
not tree was left standing! The roof
of barn which stood in the course of the
tornado was taken up and whirled great
distance. Persons living along the river
state that the cloud III the end appeared
to roll eff the hill down into the river,
causing great jets of water to arise to the
hight of one hundred feet in the air.
Our city fathers, in view of the possi-
bility of the cholera making its appear
ance here the coming season, have declared
all slaughter houses within the boundaries
of our five wards to be public nuisances.
This decision has created quite futter
among our butchers, by reason that nearly
all their slaughter houses are built within
the limits designated. Petitions are be-
ing circulated by the butchers praying
that the ordinance be rescinded, but in
view of the fact that these houses are
nuisances within the limits of town,
they will probably amount to nothing.
This is "moving day." and our streets
are literally filed with fittings. Several
hundred families will change their places
of abode before evening, and the tradi-
tional number of seedlings will doubtless
be INDUCED in. Rents have advanced
considerably latterly, and tenant houses
are very scarce.
Police business was brisk on Friday and
Saturday last. Several Ceases" were dis
posed of, among which were-three per-
sons fined for stopping teams on street
crossings, two accommodated with lodg-
iugs for the night in the lookup for
indulging in over-doses of lightning whis-
Ky, others jugged for disorderly conduct,
&C., &c, Several of our leading citizens
have had to step up to the Captains Office
aud settle, one for violating a section in
the condensed code" with reference to
propelling wheelbarrows on the sidewalk,
another for permitting meat to De sold at
his own private market house during
regular market hours, and still another
who had neglected taking out permit
for the use Of the sidewalk in putting
shutters to his storeroon. These latter
cases included some of the wealthiest citi-
zens in town, which would go to show that
the police make no discrimination as be-
tween broadcloth and rags.
The temperance question is being vio-
lently agitated here just at present, and
call is made for meeting in the Metho-
dist church, to take measures to bring
about a reform in this respect. Opposi-
ton will be offered to the granting of H.
censes by the Court to all persons except
such as keep de facto public houses, and
the number of these, if the demonstrators
have their way, will be limited to the few
thought really necessary to accommodate
the travelling public.
The bill providing that eight hours
shall constitute days labor throughout
the State, has passed the House of Rep
resentatives by the vote of SO yeas to IA
nays. This is measure which interests
every mechanic and laboring man, and I
am of opinion that the Press has failed
to bestow upon it the attention which it
deserves. 1t is notorious that the labor
ing man and mechanic are oyerworked.
They are obliged to toll from early morn
till late in the evening for the pittance
which is required to support them, and
then, returning home tired and worn-out,
they seek, not the pleasures of the do
mestic circle or of society, but their beds,
that they may renew their wasted ener-
gies for the morrow's task This never
ending routine has the inevitable effect of
sinking these men in time to the level of
mere machines, capable only of perform
ing given task in given time. For
4 L. &C A. alass. 4 II