The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1873-01-25
Letter from Washingto,s.


Never before in the past ten years certain,
and doubtless never, has the Capital of the ma
ton been SO free from communicating influences
as at present. Before and during the war, and
since, until within year past, gambling and
other houses of debauchery and crime have
been in full blast, and many victim has there
been ensnared. The authorities here have been
compelled to greater or less extent, for self
protection, to conform to the customs of the
old aristocratic slaveholding regime, and have
reluctantly succumbed. 1t was manifest the
last session of Congress that a most powerful
moral support from Congressman and others,
high in power would be given to a radical re-
form, and the authorities here took courage To
that end, the chief of police, Major Richards,
with his force made a raid upon the gambling
houses, capturing in many instances, all the
paraphernalia for gambling operations, together
with the principals of these dens, who were
glad to forfeit bail and leave. Next came, with
the assistance of the temperance people, an at
tempt to most rigidly enforce the license law
which prohibits the sale of intoxicating drinks
after IL o'clock at night (week days. and Sun
days. While your correspondent regrets to say
for time it did not succeed, since Congress
convened it is an exceedingly difficult matter
for any one to obtain liquor here in violation of
the existing laws. 1t is question, however,
whether the force of habit for drinking ire
spective of municipal regulation, may not be
so strong, that after Congress adjourns the
restaurants may not be again thrown open day,
nights and Sundays.
The women met in convention at Lincoln
Hall on Thursday and Friday last. DIR. Mary
E. Walker was dressed as she usually is, with
high neck corsage sacque, falling to the knees,
and parts of the same. Her dress was of blue
black cloth. Her dark hair fell in ringlets
without ornaments of any kind. Mrs. Cady
Stanton wore black silk dress, with double
sklrt-entrain. Her white hair was deliberately
frizzed in front and done up in a braided CHG
non tied with black ribbon. She is still in
mourning for her father. Susan B. Anthony
wore double skirted black silk dress that was
of the usual length for walking dress. Her
hair was done up in coil, and her head without
ornaments. Mrs. Gage, of Fayetteville, N. Y,
was dressed in colors, with bright-red scarf
around her neck. Her prematurely white hair
was frizzed and chignoned and Sflzsmented
with light-blue ribbon. The lesser lights of
various ages were also in attendance, and
dressed in colors, some gaily and richly. The
old arguments were gone over with by all the
speakers, except Dr. Walker, as will be seen by
her "Memorial Bilr' introduced into the Senate
by Senator Caldwell, of Kansas, on Thursday.
The receipts of horned cattle at Chicago, dur
ing the past year, amounted to 6o4075 head,
worth SiI 900 900, an increase of nearly 80 per
cent. over last year. Of hogs, 3,262,6E3 were
received the value of which was 33,5O0,O 900,
3IO,211 sheep worth $950,000, 12,145 horses
worth $1,000, OOO,-total value $7695O, 900.
Chicago has long since taken the laurels OF
Cincinnati in the hog trade, and has become
the great Porkopolis of the world. But while
its commercial ascendency is so great it yields
the palm to st. Louis in manufacturing. A
great manufacturing city is far more faithful
in finding employment for enterprise and labor
than a commercial city. 1t is the old problem
of New York and Philadelphia repeated
The experience of Philadelphia indicates
that the ravages of the smallpox may be
greatly restricted if not entirely prevented by
proper sanitary regulations taken in time Dur
ing 1872 there were about $500 deaths from the
disease in that city, but they were confined
mostly to one or two districts, one ofwkich was
very filthy, and the other noted for neglect or
refusal to vaccinate.
The question of transportation is moving a
determined popular feeling. The crops, last
year, could not be marketed on account of the
unnecessarily high rates charged by the rail-
road companies. The consequence is that the
western farmers are suffering theevils ofpoverty
in the midst of plenty OF products in demand
eastward. The people are demanding leglsla-
tive influence, and the railroads are forming
powerful combinations to defeat it, They have
bought up some of the State legislatures, and
now the people appeal to Congress. 1t was to
meeG CnlS ueIuduu tudb MT. yer lIdiucu
his bill for the regulation of the internal com
MERGE of the country. 1t is but a question OF
time whether the national authority is appllca-
BILE to this grievance.
The precious metals are being produced in
full quantities; the aggregate of 1872 bengS3,
652,SS4 greater than last year. California,
though it has greatly declined from former
figures, still leads the column of auriterous
States reporting Sl9,O49,O9S; Nevada, S25, 54S,-
S11 Oregon, ST ,9O5, O35; Washington, S226,O5l /;
Idaho, So, 514990; Montana, $4,442, l35, Utah,
So, 521, 900 Arizona, l53,777 Colorado, $4,000,
1855 Mexico, $535,072; British Columbia, 81 ,
5O,O75 total $62, 239 ,6l4. The real aggregate
is supposed to be at least $70,000,0 900. The
Siena, Nevada, still holds the palm over the
Rocky Mountains in the gold and silver yield.
Our manufactures now produce an annual
value of between five and six billions of dol
lars, or more than double our national debt.
They give employment to q millions OF opera
tives and support about three eighths of our
population. Our cotton manufacture. now
amount to over $2OO,O0O,O 900, having grown
from $14,O0O,0 600 in forty years. We have about
5000 wooden mills scattered over the whole
country, and producing fabrics worth about
$175, 100000. Great Britain is still ahead of us
in fine tissues, steamships, iron, earthen ware,
chemicals, and in few other branches, in
which we have not yet acquired experience.
We have beaten her in carpets, boots and shoes,
harness, furniture, carriages, tools, cars, ma
chinery, and in q host of other articles ofprime
necessity to the masses. Her commerce is
largely foreign or colonial, while ours is mostly
domestic. LIFE.