The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-08-24
GENERALITIES.
.sNInrk Twnin,s,, Latest.


MARK Twain" in assuming his editorial du-
ties on the Buffalo Express, offers the following
observations
Il am simply going to do my plain, unpre-
tending duty, when | cannot get out of it. |
shall work diligently and honestly and faithfully
at all times and upon all occasions, when priva-
ton and want shall compel me to do it. shall
not make use of slang or vulgarity upon any
occasion or under any circumstance and shall
never use profanity except in discussing house
rent and taxes. Indeed, upon second thought,
| will not even use it then, for it is unchrstian,
inelegant, and degrading-though, to speak
truly, do not see how house-rent and taxes are
going to be discussed worth cent without it,"
strange Accident I'm Troy.
The Troy Times of Saturday evening says
During the progress of the baseball games on
the lawmakers grounds, it has been customary
for numbers of boys to secure positions outside
of the grounds where they can witness the play.
Yesterday afternoon, as usual, a crowd of them
climbed the fences and trees in the vicinity of
the grounds to view the game. Among Others
was one named Everett Perkins, who took u
position on the limb of tree. Becoming eX-
cited during the progress of the game, he lost
his balance, and fell from the tree on picket
fence, a distance of fifteen feet Two of the
pickets penetrated the lads right thigh, one of
them going directly through and protruding from
the opposite side. The poor boy hung for a few
minutes on the fence, and was taken down by
the bystanders, some of whom notified DR..
Mclean, who dressed the wounds. They are not
dangerous.
The Detroit River Tunnel.
Preliminary soundings for the Detroit river
tunnel are in progress. The result arrived at is
that the project is entirely feasible. 1t was
found, after several trials Immediately below
the city, that a crossing could be effected, but
the earth was not entirely firm for the entire
distance, and as perfect safety was regarded as
an Indispensable requisite the routes in ques-
tion were virtually abandoned. SoundiRgs in
the upper part of the city nearly opposite the
Milwaukee elevator are entirely satisfactory, so
far as concerns the nature of the ground. One
slight objection, however, is found in the fact
that the channel of the river at that point is
very near the Canadian shore, and soundings
are still in progress, with view of finding an
equally desirable crossing where the channel
runs nearer the middle. During the investga-
tions in some cases the depth of fifty feet below
the river bed has been reached.
Millionaire Pauper.
The Paddington London) Poor Law Guar
dians have been investigating the case of Mr.
Wood the millionaire who was brought to the
workhouse by the failure of Overend, Gurney
& Co. He was originally Manchester manu-
facturer, and, after accumulating a large for
tune, retired into private life. Dissatisfied with
the monOtony of retirement, he went to Lon
don. Here he became prominent director of
the Marylebone Bank, and when that affair col
lapsed he was served with writ for E150000
andlthus became beggared. He then went to
the Southern States OF America, where he again
succeeded in acquiring large fortune, every
penny of which he lost during the American
civil war. Returning to London, success again
followed his efforts but his spirit of enterprise
died out with his last failure, which was caused
by the stoppage of Messrs. Overend, Gurney tS
Co.'S concern. There is no doubt of the accd-
racy of this narrative.
President Grants Travels.
The Chicago Tribune says:-
When Grants presence was needed during the
eight long years of the war, and of the peris of
reconstructions, was he ever absent from his
post? Did he ever seek the capital for promo
ton, or come to it at all from the time he en-
tered the army as Regimental Staff Quarter
master until he was called there as General-in-
Chief of all our armies? Did his stars or staff
then figure at the watering-places? Never. The
elements of his success were then military. He
moved freely among all his officers and men
from Sherman, Mcpherson, and Sheridan down
to surgeons, quartermasters and privates. He
studied the problem in all its parts and made no
mistakes. His problem now is a financial, in
dustral, and political one. He is moving among
men of business, of industry and who, through
these resources, have earned their summer
months for leisure. He sees very great num-
ber of them. And, if he learns nothing else he
at least learns them. He does well and wisely
Before we find fault with it, let us see what evil
comes from it,
Bankrupt State Prison.
The Illinois penitentiary is bankrupt. Accord
ing to the best information it is possible to OBJ
managed institution, its liabilities Mt the present
time exceed its total assets by at least $12 600.
The establishment is in debt over $3.50 000 and
is adding to the Indebtedness every day.
There are upward of 1900 convicts in the
prison. The warden is said to Consider" that
convict's labor is worth at least one dollar
day. 1t is very low estimate, when the wages
paid for the commonest labor, requiring no skill
or experience, are at least two dollars a day.
Many OF the convicts are mechanics whose
labor, out OF the penitentiary, would readily
command from two to four or five dollars day.
But suppose the average labor of 1900 conyicts
is worth no more than dollar a day for each;
the establishment then should be in the receipt
OF $1,000 day, or S3l, 200 a month (of twenty
six days., or 1874, 400 year. The expenses of
the establishment under the administration of
the present warden, are said to be $24 600 a
month, which is about one-third more
than the expenses under the previous warden
Mr. Dornblaser, and something more than dou-
BILE the expenses, for about the same number of
convicts, when Mr. Buckmaster was the man
ager. But even with the unnecessary expendi-
ture of @24,O 600 a month, the establishment
according to the wardens own estimate of the
value of convict labor, ought to be realizing
net profit of $7200 a month"; or $50, 400 a year
Instead of that, it is running up debt, for the
taxpayers of the State to pay, of something
over quarter of a million dollars year. In
deed, one of those amazing financiers the
managing commissioners" thinks it will re-
quire $4,000 year to carry on the establish
ment upon the present system. Chicago Times.
M. sto fo.