Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1870-11-16
SAN FRANCISCO LETTER.
fyaox ous REGULAR cosRrrospxSr.l
mKRCANrII.E LIBRARY TX.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Evils
IAN AaTROLOGER-IN GRIEF
-~THANKsGsvING DAY-TuE
.ALTAn AFTER ACKERS0N.

Now that tile alercalltlie lIlDTaTy
is free from debt, Its friends hope that
a more economical and sensible policy
will govern its future administration
than has been pursued in the past, for
otherwise it will most certainly be
again overtaken by pecuniary cmbar-
rassments. 1t will not do for the AS
ISOLATION to rely OH a succession Of
corrupt Legislatures, ready to violate
the fundamental law for its relief. One
infraction Of the Constitution has
opened a floodgate for evil, and if the
managers Of the Mercantile Library
think that the experiment can DO re-
peated for their benefit In the course
of a few years, it is just as well that
they should learn now that public
opinion will not tolerate such another.
Ex,ravaguut Management.
The management Of the Mercantile
Library Is characterized by eXtrav-
agance AMI incompetcncy. 1t has en-
unnecessary staff of high salaried Of
ficials. a fashionable Secretary who
draws 5000 per month, and an Gcner-
ally be found at his post from II toll
each dry, is not an indispensable ad'
jumct to such an Institution. And 1t
also seems that $1,000 per month for
s~alarics-aS much rs the assured income
Of the Associations far too large II
sum to pay for clerical labor. The
work of the Mechanics Institution Is
done by q Librarian aud assistant, ut q
cost not exceeding $3.50 per month.
The Mercantile Library has n Secre-
tary. Librarian, Assistant Librarian,
| Second Assistant Librarian IN the ma
razino room. Collector, Janitor, and a
Chinaman or two. It's subscription
list /, absorbed by salaries, and 1t has
to depend OIL the small rents 1t rc-
ceiyes and an occasional $50 paid for
the use of the hail for income to meet
It's other expenses. These latter
amount to an additional $1,000 per
| month. so that on q liberal estimate
| the Association falls behind hand from
800 to $50 each week. Unless there
| Is a reform the Library will be $1,000
In debt by the end Of next year.
Thc Mechanics Institute.
The management Of the Mechanics
Institute Is In pleasing contrast to that
Of its library rival. Instead Of putting
up MI expensive building that coll
stantly dcpreclates in value, In an ont
of the way portion of the city, they
contcntcd themselves with q plain
| structure, IN a good location, and had
| IN Y to the fact that the center Of
business is constantly moving SOUTH
ward. The result is that while the
Mercantile Library cdiilce would not
fetch fifty per cent OH cost, il offered
mt sale, the Mechanics building and
lot would realize thirty per cent. on
| original expenditure, almost any time.
Indeed. an advance OF $780, 600 OIL first
cost was recently offered privately by
Il business firm.
Tho Next Intrstrinl Exhibition.
The Mechanics Institute is already
making preparations for its next in
| dustrial exhibition. which Is to take
place in August, 1871. Circulars have
| been sent 10 Australia and China in
viting competition from those coun-
tries, and it IS expected they will res
pond by forwarding samples Of their
products. The Institute is sill some
thousands In debt, but the coming Fair
| will lift 1t out.
An AstroIogcr in GrisC.
Simon NJ. Cohen, the secondhand
| clo~thes-dealcr who turned astrologer,
| and afterwards added medicine and
surgery to his other requirements. has
been arrested on n charge Of murder.
his victim being Il young woman who
sought to hide the evidence Of her
shame by q resort to Restellism. No
one supposes that Cohen will be con-
yicted, or If he is, 1t will be All cxcep-
ton to the rule. JosSclyn, Of abortion
fame, still practices his ncfarious
quackery in the city, and a prominent
medical man, who caused tile death of
an estlmable young lady from Oakland
some eighteen months ago by the Use
of Instruments, has not yet. been
brought to trial. Cohen Il II Of the
most tlieying impoStOrs Of the day,
and n striking example Of the fact that
charlatanism and ~ei(rontery lay better
than honest labor. In bS he had an
old clothes establishment on kcarny
street, but finding that lie was not
likely to become 4 Reese or 4 Hayward
at the business, he concluded to go into
the prophetic line, ami opened an as
trological and planet-rulins emporium
next door to that abode of grace, the
Young Mems Christian Association
Rooms, OH California street. One morn
Ing he came down town ami saw n sight
that his prophetic soul had anticipated
by ample insurance. lie then fitted
| up a suite of rooms in magnificent
| style on Hardie Place, neal kearny
street, advertised largely, and WINS soon
rewarded by plenty Of custom. Now
his time Is so much occupied that those
| who desire al interview must 20 to his
Office, pay the fee. and learn from the
liveried servant what day and hour he
will be disengaged.
Tho Alta nfier Ackcrson.
One of the, editors Of the .IRd, hav-
Ing a personal dislike to Chief Engin-
Ger Ackerson, Of the Fire Department,
Is following him mp through the COL
umns of that paper with n rindictirc
pertinacity that is making the Chief
more friends than any amount Of eulo-
| glums would have done. Sixty tons Of
hay stored IN Il finder box OIL the city
front, caught fire on Friday night, and
it was a triumph Of fremanship that
half a dozen blocks were not burnt
down. All the engines OF the Pacific
| Coast could not have saved the build
Ing In which the fire originated. Ten
| minutes after the alarm was struck, 1t
reminded me- more thru anything else
of one of Elder Knapp's descriptions
of the place set apart for departed sin-
ners. Yet the ,lI comes out next
morning with a fierce attack OIL Ackcr-
sons competency. aud it has since re-
turned to the assault with the regular
80 of tonnr tn his bittcrs. Every