The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1873-05-03
Letter from Washis,gt0n.

WASHINGTON, d. c., April 20, 1873
The weather for the past three weeks has
been anything but pleasant With the excep-
ton of one or two days the murcury has been
above so degrees above zero. Several morn
ings frost has been discovered which is un-
common in this climate at this season of the
year. Dry-goods men are complaining bitter
ly of dull season, and fear that they will be
compelled to summer over the most of their
spring goods.
II would seem that all clerks in the several
Government Depts drawing salaries ranging
from 81 200 to 81 500 per annum, are able to get
along without running in debt. Strange tosay
it is not the case. More than one-third are
living beyond their income. it is general
complaint among landlords, grocers and dry
goods men that too great portion the clerks
are poor pay and with many business men it
is quite sufficient in order to refuse an appli
cant credit, to know that he or she is gov
eminent clerk. On one occasion, young man
of family, a government clerk, who had settled
in the northern part of the city, near hard
ware store on Seventh street, needed pound
of nails and had no money to buy them. The
thought struck him, that position worth 81,
200 per annum, would warrant asking credit Of
six cents. He therefore went to his neighbor
the hardware dealer, and bought the nails, OBJ
serving after the nails were put up, that he had
not the change, and was informed that it made
no difference, that he could pay for them when
he called again. The young man, on leaving,
incidentally remarked, in assuring his credi-
tor that he would certainly remember to call
in and pay it, that he was a government clerk
"What," was the reply, ''are you clerk in one
of the Departments? / rather think you had
better leave the nails"
The files Of the Agricultural Department
note special wheat enterprise of Mr.. Charles
Reed, near Knights Landing, Yolo county
California. This gentleman has now 1000
Of oicin xyh
this land was from five to ten feet under water,
being late swamp. 1t has been reclaimed,
and will probably yield $50, 900 bushels, worth
at $l.2O per bushel, $IS0,0OO. This is quite a
handsome return for a single years enterprise.
The present indications are that the Caifor-
MIA crop of 1873 will be about 90,00OOOO bush
els or equal to last years crop. California pa
pers talk very complacently of supplying the
whole world with bread.
John Tyler, Jr son of eX-President Tyler
has been in Washington since before the In
auguraton. What his business is here, no one
can tell except to get an office. He is man
of about fifty, tall and spare, apparently re-
duced in health and means. He has around
him lot of hangers-on whose social habits are
anything but praise worthy.
The late census is not altogether reliable in
its statistics of church membership. For in
stance it assigns membership of 6,528, 200 to
the various branches of Methodism, about dou-
Ole the Lruc aggregate DIS SHOWN Dy Jue RECORDS
of the denominations themselves. The Meth
edist population of the country, however, in
Guiding children, and "lobby members" gen
orally, amounts to about 100000, or one
fourth of the whole population. The member
ship Of the Catholic church is put down at less
than 100000, or less than one-tepth of the
whole, and this is probably an under state
ment.
In 1851 we consumed All ,65S tons of railroad
;rop Of yvhi oh fboo
fourths-were imported. In 1872 we consumed
1904, 591 tons of which $4,000 tons-nearly
two-thirds-were native manufacture. Thus
in eighteen years we have nearly reversed the
proportions of our iron consumption. Great as
has been our increase in the consumption of
iron our production has advanced at still more
rapid strides. An industrial civilization is far
more solid and steady than one built merely
upon commerce and exchange.
We have now ,9l7 National Banks with an
aggregate capital of 1851 ,551,Sll. They own
992 millions of dollars, and hold 22S millions
of reserves. OF the latter SO millions are in le-
gal tender notes or "green-b backs" represent
ing the direct obligations of the Government;
l6 millions are gold and silver; 93 millions are
in balances held by redecming agencies at the
great money centers; 10 millions are in notes OF
other banks, available for immediate use. They
hold in their vaults, 400 millions of Govern
ment bonds, upon which they could immedi
ately realize that amount upon an emergency.
They have also 90S millions of loans and dis
counts, sum nearly equal to their total liza
bilities, which in short time, could be made
available. These safe guards against general
panic and disaster have lately been put to a
severe test, and have been sufficient to arrest
the most reckless and corrup REORGANIZATION for
demoralizing the public credit. Besides all
this their circulation is secured by bonds de-
posted in the IT, S. Treasury. The perfect Sc
curity of.our monetory system is a matter of
daily congratulation among thoughtful bust
ness men, especially those who remember the |
wild cat state bank currency of former years.
LIFE.