Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1869-02-02
Letter from the Keystone State.

Mr.. Cover 1T has occur red TO me
that q short letter about affairs III
Philadelphia might not be unintereat>
ing to your readers. Some OF the
latter have lived here, and doubtless
feel an affectionate interest ID the
grand old city, ard if tho others don't
care TO read about anything or any
place so remote from Grant County,
they can pass this letter by, for hap
PLY the Herald always contains such
a variety of good reading matter that
every one may choose and be suited.
We have had thus far, an extraor-
dinarily mild winter here, with
scarcely any snow Proprietors Of
skating Kinks and sleighs are in
great dangersof becoming bankrupt.
With the exception of perhaps a week
about Christmas time, there has been
but very few freezing days. Consid-
cradle anxiety is felt lest we shall
have to drink our Schuylkill water
next Summer without ice in It. But
the shiveriDg poor, OF whom there
arc a multitude even in this city OF
5rotherIy love, rejoice, and the rich
est could scarcely murmar at the
bright sunny we .ther aud dry pave
ments.
OF murders aud disastrous fires
there has been superabnnda' O. OF
late, and the popular taste for the
sensational has been more than sa-
lated by the frequent recurrence OF
these horrors. The notorious Hill
murder case was not yet disposed OF,
when "another murder" was shouted
BY the Lewsboys; aud q Ettle more
han week ago . fire destroyed the
finest block OF marble stores on Chest
nut Street which is equivalent TO
saying the finest in the United States
and the charred bodies OF the sales
men who slept in one Of the stores
have been exhumed from the ruins.
rhe origin OF this fire is still wrapt
in mystery. A loud report first call
cd attention 10 it, about one O'Clock
at night. Various theories have
preached to account for it. The first
idea was that burglars had blown open
one of the safes, but the latter were
afterward found intact. Then it was
currently reported that the boiler
used for heating the building in which
the FIRE originated had exploded ; but
further explorations disproved this.
1t only remained then to suppose that
the main gas pipe had burst, but la
ter investigation seems TO have rem
dered this hypothesis also nntenahlo.
| And so the matter rests.
Trade is rather dull, as usual at this
season, but. the merchants look for>
ward to good business in the spring
Blythe way, western merchants can
buy many kinds of goods to far great
err advantage here than in New York,
and it is strange that SO many go
ninety.miIes further to purchase ar
ticles which are mafanpfactured and
first sold in this city, The great
and constant growth Of the city has
surprised me more than anythin e
: | have seen here. The population
is now estimated at 100000, and the
number of houses is about los. 000.-
There were j, S39 houses erected last
year. which is far greater than tht
, number built by our more noisy and
pretentious neighbor. New York.
Gen. Grant has paid us several
visits. On New Years day be re,
ceived the citizens in Independence
Hall-the old room so rich with mem
cries of the Revelation, the fatntl
of the Republic, and chief among
them, Washington. The walls hung
with paintings Of those old heroes
and the statues, antique furniture
and relics which are there sacred
preserved, carried The mind back t.
that first grand struggle which Sc
curediour indendence whie the pres
ence of the little mod 1t o ing mar
who stood in the center ana received
the homage and hand>shakes Of hi
grateful tello citizens, brought viz
idly to mind the nations last gigau,
tic contest--its second rth. Wash
ipgton, the great cen raj figure Of The
former; Grant the ilustrious hero o.
the latter. These were the thought.
that naturally suggested themselves
as 1 greeted the General on that 0c-
casion.
] might say something Of Philade!'
phia aud Pennsylvania politics, bu
they are intricate subjects and not
likely TO interest the Hera!d readers
Besides this letter is alredy attaining
an.unexpected length.
DR. John S Lewis is slll here, but
vii probably return to Potosl with
in week or two. John was one ot
hundred and fifty young doctors
whom the Jefferson Medical College
turued out last spring, and though
undou btedly better qualified than
most Of his class to enter at once into
practice, he determined, with COM
mendable perseverance,, to take an
additional course, in order to fit him.
self as thoroughly as possible. He
has talked some of locating in Chica>
go, but wherever he goes, his talents,
energy, and estimable character will
ensure HIM q we'll deserved success.
Very truly yours,
! Philadelphia, Jan IS, 1899. wB REED
Comparison of our Present Rulers with
Former Statesmen.
A popular delusion prevails in re>