The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-02-23

WashingtoH's Birthday.
The anniversary Of the birthday Oh
Washington was more generally and entnu-
siastically celebrated in this city and in other
places yesterday than for many years past.
American bunting foated in abundance from
the public and many private edihces; the
military and civic displays were all conducted
in manner remarkable for their regard for
order and the public peace, the principal
thoroughfares were lively with the music
OF the many bands business generally
was suspended, and the private celebrations
were spirited and patriotic. We are glad to
notice this revival in the method of commence
rating the "Day we celebrate, and wish there
were more festal days of the kind in this
country. In this respect we are far behind
other and older nations, the natural spirit OF
enterprise and go-aheadativeness character
istic OF the American people keeping them
almost continually in the laborious work Of
money-making or attaining some difficult
political goal. But 1t is time we surrendered
little of this ceaseless toll to that degree of
relaxation which sooner or later nature
demands ere she finally succumbs, and all the
struggles, ambitions, riches and glories of life
are ended in premature tomb. We want
more holidays. GAN work and no play makes
Jack a dull boy" This is as true of the
American character as that of any other
nationality, and we hope our legislators will
not lose an opportunity to make legal
| holiday whenever 1t can be done with
propriety.
| One noticeable and significant feature in
the demonstration yesterday In honor of the
anniversary Of the birthday of Washington
was the display of bunting on the shipping in
the harbor and vicinity, especially upon the
rigging of the Cunard, White Star, Inman,
National, Anchor. Guion and other lines of
English steamers. This might be taken as
evidence that the entente cordi0le between the
United States and Great Britain had not been
disturbed on account of the irritation in regard
| to the Alabama claims. The French TRANS
atlantic line steamer st. Laurent, as we'll as
the steamers of the Bremen and Hamburg
lines, were also suffused with bunting. The
| same entente c0rdiaIe seems to exist between
the United States and the rest of the maritime
portions of mankind as with John Bull.
End of tho Snow Blockade on the Pacific
| Railroad.
| Concerning the late terrible snow blockade
| of the Pacific Railroad, or of that division Of
it known as the Union Pacific, which extends
| from Great Salt Lake eastward to Omaha, we
publish very interesting special despatch
this morning from Laramie City. The Western
division, extending from Salt Lake to Sacra-
mento Valley, California, known as the Central
Pacific Railroad, has also suffered severely
from these snow blockades, though not to the
extent of the Eastern division. Laramie City
is situated on the eastern flank of the great
Rocky Mountain chain, and the blockades to
which our correspondent refers have mainly
occurred on the summit levels, or in the deep
valleys, or canyons, of that vast mountainous
system between Laramie and Great Salt Lake.
| The important fact communicated in our
Laramie despatch is that the blockade is
| broken, and that trains are now running
through from Sacramento to Omaha, or that
from New York to San Francisco the way is
| now open.
1t appears from our correspondents state
ments that the Union Pacific Company were
by no means sufficiently prepared to fight the
unexpected and unusually heavy snow storms
and drifts which have prevailed from the Great
Plains into the Sierra Nevada Mountains this
winter, and from December to the middle of
February; and that, in short, the heavy losses
resulting to the company from trains and time
freight delayed by these snow blockades, and
| from engines disabled and passenger cars
ruined or damaged, and from the general sus-
| pension of the business of the line, are losses
largely due to the bad management of the
company and the incompetency or want of dis
cipline of its servants in charge of the road
and its trains. We have the same complaints
from other quarters, and, unless the company
can produce satisfactory defence the judg-
ment of the public will be according to the
prevailing evidence on the subject. To the
public, in any event, statement is due from
the company as to the why and wherefore of
these detentions of passengers and freight from
| these snow blookades.
| Side shows Of n Presidential Campaign.
As the period for the quadrennial adj
vent of the Presidential circus begins to
approach the side shows are putting in an
appearance, and with the aid of clap-trap and
buffoonery are amusing the people until the
grand performances, the regular ground and
lofty tumbling, commence. These side shows
are variously designated by the titles of the