Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1871-04-07
DuBuouE, April'4tl; 1877.

UCCh shfC "USVhUA"S ePAo y
weeks past, and, taking a square
look at the status of municipal af-
fairs in Dubuque, it was a subject
worthy the thoughtful consideration
of every citizen interested in its
welfare. The financial affairs of
Dubuque and its reputation abroad
require that it should have differ
emit administration than heretofore.
As is well known the Democrats
have been largely in majority at the
polls; in this election, however, there
are other questions besides those Of
mere party interest that have had a
controlling influence; the city is
pretty well divided between bond
holders and anti-bondholders, or in
other words, there is a ring oompo-
sed Of bondholders, and those in
their interest, who by chicanery,
succeeded in getting a good many
thousand dollars worth of city
bonds in their hands at seventy-five
cents below par, and wish, if they
can get the administration Of city
affairs in position to suit them
selves, to force the city into taking
up these bonds at par; on the other
hand there is party which is de-
termined to make the scheme a fail
ure. The speculation looked real
fat for the bondholders' ring before
election, but the result of the cleo
ton has SO effectually broken the
"bloated bondholder's'' backbone
that he will never walk straight
again. 1t was the old story of filthy
lucre pitted against all honor, hon
esty and manly feeling. Ex-Mayor
Knight, at the head of the Demo-
cratic ticket, was in the interest of
the former, and received a deserved
defeat; last year he received the lar
gest majority ever given to any man
in Dubuque, 1882 majority for may
or, but this election is beaten by
Judge Burt by ss7 majority, and
the Republicans have also elected
four out of five aldermen, so the city
council will stand six Republicans
and four Democrats.
The election passed off very qui-
etly-unusually quiet for Dubuque
but at night, when the returns be-
gan to come in, the streets were
thronged with citizens discussing
the result, and the editorial rooms
of the Herald and Times were liter
ally packed. When the actual re-
suit was known, there was such
scene of congratulation as is rarely
seen among Dubuque Republicans.
The Germania Band was called out,
and a large crowd of citizens ac-
companied it to the residence Of
Mayor Burt, where they gave the
newly elected mayor three rousing
cheers and a serenade, which he &C
knowledged, and they proceeded on
their way serenading and cheering
the newly elected candidates for the
better portion of the night.
Now that the election is over, it
is hardly worth while to say much
about the caucuses, conventions and
other preliminaries to this grand f.
male. But little worthy of note &C.
Cured in any of them. The worst
feature was the caucuses, which, if
the one we attended was a sample
of them, all were disgusting. ar
The improvements which are 60
ing forward this season in the build
ing line, will do away with some Of
the old landmarks of the city. The
Alhambra saloon, one Of the Oldest
buildings in the city, is to be torn
down, and a fine brick building
erected in it's stead, which we hope
will be appropriated to better uses
than the old time domicile of the
name very poetical in
it's tradition, but loses every shadow
of poesy amid the beer kegs and de-
canters of the saloon Alhambra.
Our ideas of the metropolitan
dignity of Dubuque were somewhat
heightened when accosted some time
since by an enterprising bootblack,
with "D'ye want yer boots shined
to-day, mister?'' We hardly thought
Dubuque had reached the era of
bootblacks, but it seems she has,
and not only this, but things even
more exalted. Dubuque now boasts
a varieties troupe, which came all
the way from the city of St. Louis,
to settle among us permanently, and
crafty the tastes Of our citizens for
the dramatic and musical, and add
to our metropolitan stature. They
giving entertainments
last week at the Atheneum, under
the name of Key City Varieties.
Those who have attended say the
performances are somewhat after
the style of the "model artists"
There is a bar kept in the hall, where
the "boys" can get drinks or cigars
the performances. Any one
who goes there is bound to enjoy
himself; the lady performers have