Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1874-07-10

And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way 70 dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!"
TERRIBLE DAY.
The 3Oth of June will be long re-
membered as a day of appalling
blackness in the Departments at
Washington, for no such scenes were
ever witnessed there before. Con
grcss having reduced the appropria-
tons, some five or six hundred en-
ployes had to be dismissed; and it
not being known upon whom the axe
would fall all were apprehensive and
troubled except those whose political
support was ofthe strongest, or whose
special talent made their services in
dispensiblc. Heretofore, when large
numbers have been retired, il has
been on change Of administration,
and the victims have had six months
warning Of their dangcr-time to ar
range for other employment, and to
brace their minds to meet the calam-
ity. But now the bill had but just
passed, and only a few days elapsed
for consideration, so all were UMPIRE
pared and unfortifed. The calamity
was nearly as sudden as the bursting
of the Mill River reservoir, and in an
instant the means Of support of more
than three hundred families were
washed away by the ink that flowed
from the pens of a half dozen Secre-
taries of Departments. The victims
are mostly poor, because it is usually
the poor who have no friends and in
fluence, and because nothing but pow
erty could ever have induced most of
these people to accept positions in
these miserable Departments. Many
ladies tainted, and hundreds were in
tears. The halls were thronged with
the unfortunate, wringing their hands
and with friends who were question
ing and condoling. There is no 9th
err employment for these people here,
and after paying their debts they will
have no money to pay their fare else
where, so that the case, except no
lives were lost, is much like second
Mill River disaster, and curses will
follow the engineers whose heartless-
ness caused the break. A much less
sweeping reduction, with longer no.
tice, and provision not to have va
cancics caused by death aud resigna-
ton filled, would have answered ev-
cry purpose but buncombe.
Mr.. Hale after chewing the end of
reflection a few days, decided that
the Post Office was not healthy sit
uation, and declined, preferring rest
and recreation to Cabinet honors and
labors.
Mr.. Savillc retires from the chief
clcrkship of the Treasury, and is
succeeded by Mr.. w. 0. Avery, of
the Internal Revenue Office.
Mr.. Conant, of the Warrant Di-
vision, succeeds Assistant Secretary
Sawyer. Conant is yerypopular, and
unless his promotion turns his head
and impels him to attempt some as
astonishing thing, he will get along
well enough, but the effort to aston
ish ruins many good fellows.
Vanderbilt, known as "lying Van
derbilt," is also out.
St. Louis being red hot for the re-
moval of the Capitol thence, the APP
pointmcnt of a man from that city
to the new Commission for the gov
ernment of Washington is regarded
as the heaviest Blo,c to the interests
of this city that could be given.
A commission to wind up the
Frecdman's Bank will soon be APP
pointed, and there is much competi-
ton for places on it.
Miss Edes, whom the gossips had
engaged to marry the Vice-President,
returned from Europe last week
looking young, and not all depressed
that the story of the gossips proved
untrue.
Over twenty-one million have been
expended to beautify this city
within three years, and still bone
burning nuisance, which poisons the
air and creates an intolerable stencil
at the White House and Treasury.
and the leading hotels, is allowed to
60 on in full blast within fifty rods OF
Wizards and one hundred of the
White House, and nobody dreams
that this is not the finest city in the