The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1869-01-28

ALTOONA Cry Ian o5 I

Friend 0Ids-On Thursday night last oc
CURED one OF the most terrific fires that evel
happened IN this city. The large and com
modi"us freight car shop belonging the Pa
n. n. Co.-a building erected in the form o
an Il, one wing being about 600 feet and the
o'ner ABOUT 400 feet long by some 10 or so
Ieet Wlde-was set on FIRE by some fend in
human shape, between the hours of / and
II O'Clock on the night in question, and with
Its contents was totally DESTROYED. At the
time OF the lire there were in the shop twelve
or htteen new cars, worth some eight hun
dred or thousand dollars each. besides seven
other cars laden with merchandise, bacon,
lard, leather. coal and sand. These cars
and all they contained, together with the
lumber, tools and machinery contained in
the building, were also consumed, while sew
eral buildings adjacent, belonging to other
PSrtles, were moro or less injured. The
Company's loss is estimated at 500 ,000.-
They have Otiersd reward of S. 900 for the
arrest of the mscreant who communicated
the fire, and the city authorities have offered
an additional reward Of $500 for the arrest
and conviction of any one guilty of incendi-
| arism within the corporate limits. As Is
! usual on such occasions here, there was con-
siderable pilfering and stealing going on in
other parts of the city while the fire was
raging. One lady lost valuable sewing
machine, and several others who had not ta-
ken the precaution to secure their doors
found themselves minus bans, bread. butter
and other articles on The following morning.
The fire department, as usual, were prompt
ly on the scene, and worked with a will and
determination worthy of all praise The
cltlz,n in the vicinity of the copflagration
are In great measure indebted to the brave
and gallant hremen for the preservation of
their properties.
On Thursday evening some one of the
ilsht-hngered gentry effected an entrance by
the back way into the sewing room Of Mrs
Mcclellan, but finding there was little Of
value excepting portions of dress pattern
lying around loose he coufiscated it and a
considerable quantity Of dress trimmings,
besides small sum of money which he found
ID drawer, and.then made his exit by the
way he had entered.
The last "Altoona Vindicator," by way of
amusement, no doubt, pitches into the City
Council with perfect looseaess, for not being
as Democratic as he could desire I think the
eaItor Is prcsumng too far on the gulibility of
his readers If he imagines for moment that
the dose he gave them last week will be swal-
lowed as good Democratic doctrine IL is true
the majority OF the Council are democrats but
they are none the less men of integrity and in
dependence, who know their rights and their
duties, and dare maintain the one and perform
the other without fear, favor affection. When !
sworn into Office they were to know ne party or !
sect, or do aught else Incompatible with the |
best interests of the entire city. Their first |
duty was to elect Solicitor and for this posi-
ZION tGo legal gentlemen were named. One of |
thee was known TO the majority of Council /
as man OF enlarged views and great legal |
abilities. The other may be his peer in all re |
spects, but he was not so well known. Conse- |
quently the one that WIS known to he compe |
tent was chosen to Ill the position. And that |
this was light even the 'Vindicator'' man /
should be Wiling 20 admit, as his own cas- will /
illustrate. He has suit in Court, and has |
the right 10 select an attorney to plead his /
cause. Which would he employ one known |
to be competent, or one of whom nothing was /
known2 The City Solicitor is not a party |
man, SO far as know. He has not identified |
himself with any party, and few men possess a
better legal record or more gentlemanly ttri-
butes That tho present incumbent is q demo
crat and gcntl eman is beyond question, but |
that is no reason why the ''E indicator" man |
should lash himself into a fury over the fact |
that the Council has saw fit to stop the pay of |
all incompetent official. NOr does it argue very /
much for his intelligence when he says that
some of the best minds" in the city doubt that |
the Council has the power 10 stop the pay OF
OF an officer. Any man with common sense
who has ever read the charter cannot for mo
ment doubt that Council Possesses that very
power. But the fFindicator." i" with streaming
eyes and accents wild, exclaims that the city
is in the hands of the Phistines or Republi
cans. Rather efthanded compliment to his |
Honor the Mayor, who has general supervision
over all our municipal affairs. The Council,
being the first elected under the city charter,
had much to contend with, but l think they
have done a great deal towards bringing order |
out of chaos. 1tis possible, however, that they
have not nor could not do onythng that would |
meet the appreciation of the ''N indicator man
| could nevertheless, if the ocvuson required it,
show much good that the present Council has |
accomplished and if future Councils pursue the |
same commendable course the progress and !
prosperity of our new city will be ensured
The inueudoes of the "Vindicator' contain |
other filings which 1 shall pass by for the pre-
sent It certainly affords pleasure to /
find fnult in any way with the democratic
gan OF the city, and 1 trust shall never have |
occasion to Go so again.
Quite sensation was created among the |
"loiists" here by a communication in the Phil |
adclphia Sunday Mercury over the non de plume
of Allen" On! Lord, but it did cause a rat
Ting among the dry bones. Bowie knives and
pistols were greatly in vogue with those who
were hurt. The ''culied 4emmen" who had
their names associated with the white trash
were not a little indignant at the insult.
Yours, &C., I. l NJ.