New-York tribune., 1874-12-21


70 protect the city from fire. - Mr. Beecher aud
Miss Proctor exchanged congratnlaory letters over the
result OF the suit against Mr.. MOulton. E- police
captain in Brooklyn shot by reporter accidentally
== Gold. 11la. 1i1l III. Gold value OF the legal
tender dollar. 80 710 cents.
On our third page will be found some par
ticulars of the wonderful discoveries of silver
in the Comstock lode. Making all due allow
ance for the expanding hopes of the mine
owners, it yet appears certain that an un-
parallelcd success is within easy reach, and
that they have ut last pierced the heart of
the silver mountain.
The receipts Of THE TRIBUNE dollar sub
scription in aid of the Kansas and Nebraska
sufferers on Saturday amounted to $552 70,
while the total proceeds thus far of the dollar
subscription are sSSO6 90. The daily re-
ceipts are increasing rather than diminishing.
and promise to continue to do so until after
the Holidays.
A letter to TIE TRIBUNE from Mr.. Robert
Dale Owen, and our Philadelphia correspond
ence on tho subject of Katie King, on our
second page, fill out tho details of this story
of imposture. The more fully the facts are
related, the more incredible does it appear
that men possessed of moro than average
reasoning powers should be 80 easily deluded.
One of those strong, compact statements OF
first principles, which sometimes form the most
effective kind of argument without really un-
dertaking to argue at all, will be found in the
brief letter from David A. Wells. elsewhere
printed, on the question of taxing mortgages.
When Mr.. Wells is through with it there
really seems to be nothing left of the ques-
ton.
Bad as are some of the features OF the
financial measures agreed upon by the Repub-
lican Senatorial Caucus, they do not over
shadow the great gain Of q resolution to
resume specie payments within four years.
This bill Is likely to have large majority in
the Senate, but its fate in the House is doubt
full. The promptness with which harmony has
been secured among Republican Senators
occasions surprise, as il was feared that their
differences On this subject were lrrcconcllablc
| Governor-elect Tilden on Saturday gave ex-
preston to some important views on the State
canals His well-knOwn antaeOnism to the
Canal Board aud bis prominence as Rail
"road lawyer" have been misconstrued by
some into opposition to canals and strong
favoritism for railways, but it will be seen
that Oh the contrary he is a strong advocate
of steam on the canals, which he thinks Will
revolutionize the course of trade and prevent
It's diversion from this city. lie favored
Il fi.op will ha oh
Mayor elect Wickham has doubtless begun
to realize the trouble his election has brought
him. He will hardly be gratifed, therefore,
to learn that by will one Don BlancO has de-
vsed him infinite embarrassment. One pro-
vision Of his curious will, admitted to probate
on Saturday, leaves $1,000 to be divided by
the Mayor among the most INDECENT widows
of the city and another $1,000 to the poor in
the New-YOrk prisons. The testatOr must
have had o high estimate of the coming
Mayors Judgment, and certainly very queer
one OF his duties.
Some dissatisfaction has been expressed at
the delay in the trial of the indictments
against Michael Norton, Thomas Conan, and
John J. Walsh, the Ring County Court
house Commissioners. They returned from
their compulsory Punishment just before the
election, and labored vigorously In aid of the
Administration ticket, and this gave rise to
rumors that they were protected by Ad-
mnistratiOn officials. Other facts, however,
are stated elsewhere in explanation Of the
delay, and an intimatiOn given that there are
to be other arrests on other indictments.
The extent and violence of the first snow
storm of the season are tho subject OF very
full description in our local columns. The
breaking of telegraph wires over Large por-
ton of the city is cause of unusual danger,
since in case of o fire the usual means of
summoning tho engines are wanting. Occa-
sions of this sort bring up anew the question
whether it is not possible to have the wires
buried under the pavements, out of the reach
of injury from storm or malice. The expense
of such work, though considerable. would be
trihing compared with the loss that is possible
if q great fire gains headway.
Book making would not appear to be among
tho industries that have fallen off during the
past year, judging from the increased receipts
under the system Of copyrights, as reported
by the Librarian Of Congress. In fact our
National library 10 growing with copyrighted
and purchased books at so rapid rate that
the time is in sight when either it will elbow
Congress out of the Capitol or have to pile
up its volumes out of doors. Under these
circumstances Mr.. Spofford very naturally
urges the need of separate establishment,
and if the present were at all o fit time for
uutying the public purse-strings, he would be
entitled to hearing