New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-08-23

s5o. TAO
Mr. Phillips. the Actuary of the Equitable
:, 80 Assurance Company, makes els ewhere
IN l.-e.o,,s rosnopse to adverse publications.
rt'o roIatve merits of the mutual and the JOINT
stock systems of insurance are at ISSUE as
we'll as those of different companies
The first of the quarterly reports called for
by the Mayor has been forwarded oy the
commissioners of Charities and Correction.
These gentlemen are as prompt In detailing
tbe reforms accomplished as they were in in
stituting them when first placed in office.
We continue to-day our sketches of the
suburban life of New-York, and open to our
readers glimpses of some of the pleasant
homes in Westminster County, along the
Hudson River Harlem, and New-Haven Rail
roads. All these places properly belong to
the metropolis, and will be encompassed be-
fore long within the eity's boundaries.
On the third page of THE TRIBUNE, to-day,
we print most interesting chapter OF West
ern Exploration. The two expeditions which
are now penetrating the wild and romantic
regions of the Far West are among the most
UNIQUE which have ever been undertaken IN
the United States. Their reports, prepared for
popular reading in our columns, are as enter
tanning as a Persian tale.
A note from Commissioner Van Mort calls
orr attention to the fact that the pavement
repairs making in Broad-st. are not with
Guidet patent blocks, as THE TRIBUNE was
lately misled into stating, but with Belgian
"blocks.n This form of stone pavements and
the New-York asphalt pavement are the only
ones now used to repair the old wooden and
concrete pavements.
Our special correspondent among the Grang-
ers gives some particulars this morning touch-
ing the political bearings of the Farmers
movement and shows the dangers which the
new organization must expect to face wnen IL
fairly tries conclusions with the money OF the
railroads. The Farmers have all the strength
of numbers and the sympathy of the puDiic,
and are thrice armed in having their quarrei
lust but they have not yet conquered
II ia refreshing to turn away from the
scandals of the Vienna Exhibition and study
those features of the American display at the
great show which have really done credit to
our country. The machinery department.
though not as large as it should nave Deeh,
illustrates our characteristic ingenuity, and
one of our special correspondents, In letter
printed to-day, describes several OF the most
noteworthy contrivances. The series of Illus
trated letters of which this forms part will
be continued
The problem Of the South after all is the
labor problem when that is once settled, the
worst of the other difficulties will right them
selves. correspondent in Louisiana tells
us something to-day about the sugar planta-
tons. 1t will be seen from his letter that the
condition of the field hands is not very en-
couraging; the freed people as a class are
idle and improvident, and sore vexation to
the planter. Nevertheless the prospects are
not altogether bad, and it will surprise most
people to learn that the experiment of import
ing laborers from Spain has been tried with
marked success.
Lagrave, who was brought from France on
criminal charges, under the extradition treaty,
has been released from arrest under that in
dictment and rearrested on summons for
debt. The curious plea is now made that
having been illegally brought here, Lagrave is
under the protection of the Government until
it returns him to France, where to all intents
and purposes in law he now is, and cannot be
legally arrested on a civil suit. This nice
question Judge Daniels is to decide in few
DAYS. The case of Carl Vogt, whose extra
dition to Brussels was refused, and who is
i. in iuiIs il
He has fed hither, and can be sued wherever
caught.
Our Washington correspondent sends US an
account of talk with Secretary Richardson.
If the Secretary follows our advice he will
cease to talk about his coin balance AS to
the control that he says he has and ought to
have over the business and finances of the
country, we have some recollection of the
way in which that power was exercised less
than year ago, when few favored gamblers
in gold and stocks made fortunes by their
knowledge in advance of Others that eight
millions of Treasury gold and greenbacks
were to be poured into Wall Street the following
week. When we consider our financial system
we can never sufficiently admire the felicity
of our condition.
Evidently criminal carelessness precipitated
the dreadful calamity in West Eleventh-st.
yesterday afternoon, by which eight men were
killed and greater number seriously wounded
The building was undergoing interior altera-
tons, and all the supporting beams and rafters
of the walls of the upper stories had been re-
moved. Without these necessary supports the
walls, weakened also by the late rains, gave
way, and in falling crushed the beams of
the lower stories and buried the workmen
in the cellars. It is too early and the accounts