The Weekly Washington telegraph., 1872-01-10

are thronged with great crowds. Base
ball is also favorite Sunday pastime
hundreds of young men devoting theil
time to tossing the spheroid and bruis,
ing each others fingers.
The New Orleans fire department i,
famous all over the country-famou.
for few creditable achievements and
characteristics, and for a great many
dlscreditable ones. II is famous At
this period chiefly as being the only
independent or volunteer fire organi.
zation in any Of the large cities. They
are proud Of this exclusive distinction.
They eXult in the fact that, while
every other city Of note has abolished
the volunteer and instituted the paid
system, they are still permitted TO
run NIT der masheen' simply for the
glory of the thing. They regard it
rs a testimony of their worihiness and
efficiency. Singular enough, the citi,
zens share the same feelings and enter.
tain the same notions Of this relic of
old fogyism; and it is more than idle
to attempt to argue differently with
them. To venture doubt as to the
superiority of the New Orleans fire
department over any other is voted
rank hcresy and a reflection on tie
former, or an invidious comparison Of
it to the paid system, is to subject one
to a storm of abuse, if one does not
actuaIIy get broken head or black eve
for bis pains. To belong to a city fire
company is esteemed an honor and dis
iinction that few young men forcgo,
when opportunity offers.
The New Orleans fireman is an en-.
igma we have tried in vain TO solve.
Without pay, without reward other
than empty plaudits, without hope Of
promotion or future benefits, heneglects
business abandons flmily, and rushes
forth in storm or sunshine, day or night,
to perform herculean tasks, endure
hardships and encounter perils. There
must surely be a strange fascination in
such life.
An effort was made in the CITY
Council, a short time since, to do away
with the present fire department, and
institute the paid system. But there
was such an outcry against what was
regarded an innovation upon old GUS
toms that the attempt proved abortive.
1t Is doubtful, even If the Council were
to decree it, if paid organization could
be successfully established 1t would
encounter bitter prejudice and opposi-
ton from the populace at large, and the
present firemen would be 50 embitterel
aad enraged that the lives of the ldno,
vators would be in constant peril.
One noticeable feature of this city is
absence of pennies. The shop>koepers
scorn to receive them in any sums
large or small. Even this coniempt
for the honored penny is carried into
the custom house. The amiable ecn>
tlemon who presides over the stamp
department of the postofice, on two
occasions pocketed two cents that RIGHT,
fully belonged to us as change. Before
dealing with him again we inquired
why things were thusly, and were in.
formed that it was only small part
of the general system of fleeing stran.
gers and bucolic gentlemen inaururated
and practised by the ring Of thieves
that preside over the custom house.
For the third time the modest stamp
clerk sought to play his "nice little
game" On our demonstrating against
the imposition, and demanding the
change, he coolly and impudently re.
torted that he didn't suppose anybody
wanted to be incumbercd with such
trash as pennies!
a visitor to the Crescent City can
not fail to note the large number of
twowheeled vehicles on the streets.
Tn, lumber wagons, express wagons
buthers', milk mems, furniture and
coal carts, etc, are all constructed with
a dsalitv Of vbesl, Tb;s : 1cpo NTH