Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1872-10-31

Correspondence of the Yorkville Enquirer.
LETTER FROM "DOwN EAST"
Boston, MASS, October %, 1872.
After another severe tussle with old "Rheu-
mates" Hunkidori is himself again and,
although l came off second best in the scrim-
mage, am able to be around. The weather
being tolerably comfortable for Sightseeing,
we will take a walk over to Berkeley street
and look at the
INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
And Society of Natural History, which was
founded for the purpose of giving instruction
in applied science and the industrial arts.
The cabinet Of this society, which is very
rich in many branches of natural history, is
open to the public for several hours every
Wednesday and Saturday, and these opportu.
mites are availed of by large numbers of
strangers and residents. An excellent library
is connected with the institution, and many
interesting lectures upon various topics are
delivered during the season for that kind of
entertainment Connected with the institu.
tion there is museum containing large COL
lection of photographs, prints, casts and draw
ings, to illustrate architecture; models, of
various kinds, to give practical instruction in
geometry, mechanics and building; various
patterns of machinery, to illustrate mechan-
ical movements; models of mining machinery,
and a great variety of other useful articles.
This school provides six courses of study
mechanical engineering, civil and topograph-
ical engineering, chemistry, geology and
mining engineering, building and architecture,
and science and literature, and there are at
present 264 students, from different parts of
the United States, in attendance. Degrees
and diplomas are conferred upon graduates
according to the course of studies pursued.
This institution is doing much useful work.
The building is an excellent structure of
pressed brick, is one hundred and fifty feet
long, one hundred feet wide and eighty.fve
feet high. The basement floor is devoted to
chemistry and its appliances. The first floor
contains the officers rooms, lecture rooms,
museum, and laboratories in the second story
are FIVE lecture rooms, and large hall 95 by
65 feet; and above are other lecture rooms,
museums, studies for the tutors and another
large hall the whole being an interesting and
entertaining place for persons interested in the
above sciences, .....
AN OLD CHURCH. '' :" -"
The old South Church, the oldest in this
city, and probably the oldest in the United
States, is one of the landmarks of Boston. It
is situated on Washington street, the principal
fashionable and business thoroughfare of the
city, and is said to have been the third Con!
gregational Society established here. The
society was organized in 1869, and the first
building erected for worship was in the same
year. This is perhaps the most noted church
in the United States, and is internally very
quaint and interesting. 1t has sounding
board over the pulpit, high-box pews and a
double tier Of galleries, and its whole appear.
ance attracts the visitors attention and natur-
ally leads him to inquire into its history. A
tablet high upon the Washington street side
gives briefly the main facts. The Old South
is often mentioned in the history of this city
before and during the Revolution. History
tells us that in this church Joseph Warren
stood and delivered his fearless Grafton on the
anniversary of the massacre ofMsrch 5, ITO,
in defiance of the threats of those in authority,
and in the presence of an armed soldiery. In
this church were held the series of meetings
that eliminated in the destruction Of the de.
tested tea, on which the colonists determined
not to pay tax. In 1775, the British SOL
diers, desiring to insult those by whom they
were so cordially hated, but whom they held
so completely in their power, occupied this
meeting house as a riding-school and grog-
shop, and as place for cavalry drill. THERE'S
an ancient custom, that Of preaching an "elec.
ton Sermon" in this church, which is kept up
to this time AS soon as the two branches Of the
Legislature meet each year, and are organized,
the Governor is notified that the general
court Qegislature) is ready to attend Divine
service,' the procession is formed and the
members of the State government march to
this church to hear sermon delivered by
minister designated by the preceding legisla-
ture. ..... ...
A new sensation, which is now the topic Of
general conversation, has entirely overshad.
owed every other subject, and may not prove
uninteresting to your readers, 80 I will tell
you about .a.....
THE HORSE DIsTEMPER,
Or catarrhal fever" which has prevailed to
80 great an extent in Canada and the State
of New York. This disease has made its ap-
pearance in this city, though not 30 fatally,
perhaps, as in some other places. There is
nothing talked of here now but the horse dis.
ease, and almost every man one meets, in
stead of asking after your health, inquiries in
stead-"How's your horse?" The disease is
epidemic and is spreading rapidly. No class
of horses seems to be exempt, and cases are
daily multiplied with astonishing rapidity.
Almost every horse seen on the streets shows
evidences of the, disease in the discharge Of
an offensive mucus, accompanied by blood,
from the nostrils and mouth. The horses be-
come suddenly weak and scarcely able to
stand, and those that succumb to the inAu-
ence Of the disease lay down in their stalls
and in the streets and die without apparent