The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1869-05-13

JonNsTowu. Nav 30 Ieel

JoRNsTowH. May 10. 1869.
| Dear FresM01-Ws read in the Bibls
that David numbered the people, but Il
doesn't say anything about numbering the
houses. In this respect Johnstown il ahead
for the Council lately passed an ordinance
for numbering all the houses iE this city
As own no house, if you should ever come
to town you can find my residence by in
| quiring for No. It appeared to he sin
in old times to number the people, but our
committee on orr giTal sin and sinners think
1t is no crime to number the houses. We
hGre q committee of that kind, but not in
the Council, who think they have found the
| ueTum 0TiDiordid of original sin, which are
found in the IIadicus COc,tlus. Having erad-
icated this sin in themselves they are ex-
tending their labors to Others, and when
through this they will try their hands on
the Canada thistle. Sl0ader is no. included.
The Council have also been changing the
name of q street. When the Dibert estate
was laid out. one of the new streets was
named after Rev. Knox, one of the heirs by
marriage. 1t is rumored that q member OF
Council, who could not purchase lot from
that estate as cheap if he had been
member of the last Legislature. took pious
notion to immortalize the name Of Grant !;
hence he got an ordinance passed changing
Knor street to Grant street. Whether the
GniHas was 10 degrade Grant or Knox is
not pre- C sely known, but as the street is not
yet graded it has in this way bt en- degraded,
aad thsre is some feeling up on the subject.
Sundry individuals not known to our Gig
liant police took . notion few nights ago
to commemorate the anniversary of rowdy-
ism, and proceeded, during the dark hours,
to break a marble slab for John PArke
worth $25, tear the cave spouting from the
residence of David Creed, and carry away
the sign of DR.. john Fry. They should be
brought up standing before the Committee
on o. S.
The noxious weed. ycleped "bargain and
sale" which fourished 80 l1xuriously in the
Legislature of Pennsylvania last winter, is
extending it's ramifcaLions to places of less
4Ote than the State Capitol, and it Is not
uncommon to hear Of treachery, per6dy.
fraud and peculAtion carried on on very small
scale. Five dollars will buy many a mans
good will nowadays, and there appears to
be no remedy but to jpin our order, where
"brotherly love" continues. The cid Greek
maxim, Griokti Seauton, seems to be forgot
ten in the dsingeniousness of modern days.
Since the adjournment of Congress Hon.
Danisl j. Morrrll is again seen traversiDg
our streets daily. Although political OPP
ponsnt, it may be said without fear Of sue
cessful contradiction, that he ia the cleverest
iron master in the land. He speaks to all
alike and wishes all well. There is no re-
served pride or selfish exclusivensss in his
bosom. Hence his popularity. He is for
midable political opponent, but a clever
man.
All the taxes imposed this year upon our
citiEsns, taken in the aggregate, will amount
to more than six per cent. of the assessed
valuation. The taxes will be enormous this
year, while the price of all articles of food is
high and wages low. There will be de-
mand for labor. but it will not be adequate
ly compensated. and the result will be hard
times. 1t will not. however, affect your
correspondent. as he has been subsisting on
half rations for the last ten years.
Nature is beginning to assume cheerful
aspect. The fruit trees are in full bloom
and the tender foliage is beginning to clothe
the trees in summers verours. Chirping
birds are seeking their mates and the woods
rssound with choral symphonies. The
broad panorama of love and beauty now
spread before the eye makes the heart
long for that blissful shore where flowers
ever bloom, anthems ever swell and slam
deTs never come.
Turning from the scenes of Darure to the
nurseries of art, we find the common school
the leading Institution. but not what it used
be. Out OF twelve hundred children attend
ing school in our borough, about five hun
dred are in the primary schools, learning to
spell and read monosyllAbles about three
huD dred are in the second grade and as
many in the third grade or primary gram
mar schools. This leaves but one hundred
for the rolls of the grammar and high schools
about seventy for the grammar ana thirty
for the high. And even IN these nothing
| but the common branches is taught. The
average cost Of instruction per month IN the
| primary schools is thirty cents per pupil
| In the grammar school the cost Is about one
dollar per capita, and in the high school
| two dollars. This does not include outside
expenses. The aggregate cost per month
| for teaching is six hundred and forty dollars
"A little over half dollar per scholar.
Turning agein from schools to places Of
| amusement, we venture the assertion that
! the theatres have taken in more money in
| six months than was paid for education in
| one year, and that the eating and drinking
saloons have taken in more in six months
| than has been paid for education In six years,
! while teachers are not more than able to
| paw the debts that have been honestly con-
| tracted. and during the Vacations will be
| compelled 10 Subsist, like the gods, on am
| 6rosiG and nectar. Yet from the notices al
ready placarded about town 1t appears that
! the business in the line of amusements is
rapidly increasing. HInc lilac tdchrynGe.
| There is lower class OF amusemenIs, to
which we must refer. OLe of these anuse :
| ments is riding the velocipeds, which seems
to have supplanted the base ball. Another
is shooting of "dorgs," which is INDUCED i'll
| by our police, mauger the ordinance against
shooting in the borough. A third is talk
ing about ones nsighbors, Judging others
! motives meddliDQ with others business
acting the censor, the spy. the pi"ap, and the
| inquisitor. All these amusements are prac-
siced with much gusto. Even friends prac-
tice just for friendships sake.
Turning from the world, let us take q
peep at the churches. In few months all
our churches will be completed. The Uni
ted Brethren church will be dedicated on
next Sunday. The German Lutheran church
| il nm 10 the caves and ready for the roof no