The Portland daily press., 1867-07-25

Luu an CIy LiTe-StedT100Gt hdclng-the
Labor movement t-Gansbling- Steamboat
Excursions.
,sa New YoRK, July p, s57.
To the Editor Of the Press:
An unusual degree of quiet prevails in the
city. Suicides occur every day, and as they
are expected occurrences, little surprise is ex-
hibted. The approach Of dog-day is deemed
favorable 10 this fatality. There is no crisis
in Wall Street. Gold sticks steady to IFS
malk, and the brokers have their usual daily
excitement and wranges. The amusement
World is somewhat lulled, and there is moth
ing new In theatricals. Even the newspapers
are hard pushed tor news, and the Tribune,
Herald, Times, World, and other mammoth
dalies are putting through the usual summer
dullness. Greeley has been appointed Minis
ter to Austria by the President, but he says
he don't want to leave The country. We do
not blame him, for his farm in Westchester is
now in its beauty, and the trout pond is full
of attraction for the philosopher. Bennett Is
ruralizing at his mansion on the Hudson
He is now raving because the Government
does not remove the rocks in Hell Gate
which the World says is on account of his
advancing age and obesity in view of the ne
cessiS for wide passage through that ave
nue..
Racing ON the Hudson prevails, and is an
interesting pastime to persons who like to he
"blowed up" We have the information that
the steamer Vitchard the other day, when
she carried a,.number of prominent New York
gentlemen" up the river who were bound to
Saratoga, run from West Point to Newburgh,
10 miles in 20 and 1-2 minutes, or at the rate
oil nearly thirty miles an houri Timid peo-
pie take the railroad.
What is called the cooper ative movement
among mechanics and laboring men, is max
ing great advances in New York. They gen
orally bring employers to their terms. There
are three housebuilding associations here and
one in Brooklyn, where houses are built and
bought for men of small means who join the
association and pay regular monthly due
own. Cooperative stores are also becoming
numerous, where the members buy provisions
at a small advance from first cost. No doubt
the interests of labor are advanced by these
means. Men are taught to rely on their own
resources, to practice economy and resist tue
rapacious demands of landlords and specula-
tors. ....a'
Gambling, one of the sins of great magni-
tude characte,izing the present. age all over
the world, is also the great sin of New York.
In Europe it is bad enough, but in this coun-
try it is desperation itself. A short distance
out Of Broadway, many are the fine houses
which the outside world would be slow to be-
lieve contain all the inside adornments oi
gambling hells. Heavy curtains hide the sum
shIne-massive furniture of walnut and vel
tempt the desperate victim. Here "gentle-
men" meet--here fortunes are lost and won
by the shuffling of card. Some of the visi-
tors have been in the penite ntiary, some Of
them are men Of business down town, and 9th
ers are pickpockets and rascals Of varied de-
gree. Pride bushes despair at ruin, and sue
cess tempts to come tomorrow. There are
said to be 5000 professional gamblers in New
York, of the first water. But down below
this upper strata may be seen the monstrous
vice. There are 6,oOO gambling hells in Gel
lars and crazy tenements where even the beg
gar stakes his last penny. Then there are the
policy" shops, which, although lotteries are
interdicted by the laws of the State, exist to
the number OF some 1000. The clubs, too,
permit gambling; and when taken into view,
are the money chances at billiards and the
enormous bettings at the race-courses. a pro-
per idea may be formed of the extent OF the
gambling mania of the present age. 1t is es-
timated that at the regular gambling places
the average amount changing hands every
night in New York, the year through, is $780,
600. Some people think the world is craving
better, Perhaps it is SO; but we should like
to see some of these fostering spots of sin
somewhat abated.
Steamboat excursions to the various points
within one days reach of the city, on the
Hudson, on the Sound.down the har6or, are
all the 90. The members of the Masonic
fraternity seem 10 be enjoying themselves
greatly in this way. Whole Lodges go, carry
inc their families and provisions for the day.
The other day, 500 Spiritualists went on an
excursion to Fort Lee, accompanied by the
celebrated Andrew Jackson Davis. The Ger
mans have their pastimes Sunday, when they
are oil 10 the parks and groves for fresh air
Central Park now overfiows with visitors, and
In fact, all the rural retreats in the vicinity
are sought after for few days recreation and
full enjoyment otthe potent medicine of green
fields, hurmuring brooks, shady dells and
leafcovered forests. NASSAU.
"A pamphlet that retails in Paris for four