The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1875-04-14
Our NEW YORK LETTER.


NEW YORK, April 18th, 1875.
THE TRIUMPH OF MONOPOLY.
In "a former letter Of this series,
| congratulated nv readers upon
their d~eliverance from the clutches of
the express companies-the most
odious monopoly that curses the
country, except the telegraph. The
action Of Congress in inslituting the
parcels system was what gave the
people relief. Under that law, a
package of anything that could safe
ly go in q mail bag, weighing not
more than four pounds, was taken
anywhere for a rate per ounce that
made it possible 10 order books,
small articles Of dry goods, and
many other things by mail at less
than half the rates of the graspins
express companies.
The effect upon the business of the
country was immediate and benef-
cial. The people ordered books,
small parcels of dry doods, etc,
three times as frequently as before
and the system was found to work
admirably.
OF course the express companies
did not like it, for they were losing
the most profitable part Of their bust
ness. They knew exactly how to do
lt, and they did it. They had a lob
in Washington, and al the close
of the session a bill was struggled
through that doubled the postage on
merchandise parcels, binding the
people hand aud foot, and turning
them over to the tender mercies Of
their natural enemies. And the
p~ostofice department g now find
no authority whatever for mitigating
any portion Of the injury, and so We
must make up u minds 20 sweat
till the next Congress sits.
The merchants and publishers Of
New York are suffering intolerably
from this villainous law and the
rulings that sustain it, for it knocks
the parcels business out Of the city
altogether. Possibly the next Con-
gross will give us relief, and possibly
not. In the meantime, the people
to make themselves heard in
ihematter. 1t is an outrage that so
great a boon should be taken from
us at the bidding of two or three
blosted corporations. 1t was infa-
nous in Congress to permit such
an outrage as the passage Of the
bill.
THE DEATH OF A GAMBLER.
The morning papers announce the
death of Johnny Hill, better known
in New York as Cooley Keys"
Cooley was one of the characters Of
the great city. Originally q mechanic,
be become a gambler early in life and
ran the usual C Of men in that
profession. He owned mIny gam
bling houses and made large gains of
money thereby. But of late years
be has taken the wrong side Of the
table, and has lost as rapidly as be
formerly made. His chief claim to
distinction was his dress. lie was,
probably, The best dressed man 10
New York. He never wore q pair
Of boots more than one day, his shirt
fronts were'made in Paris at a cost
Of $3.50 per dozen, and he bought
gloves in quantities of $500 and
$4,000, wearing never less than four or
lire pairs a day. Cooley was a picture
on Broadway. But be died poor, as
all such men do. Thousands and
hundreds Of thousands poured
through his hands, but what comes
over the DEVILS back goes under his
belly. lie died in a garnet, in AFFECT
misery, with but the barest necessa-
ries OF life, and was buried as a pau
per. lie had his little day of fierce
pleasure and then came his night.
And what a night! As poor Cooley
lay upon his wretched cot, in the
pains of mortal sickness, | wonder if
he did not think it would have been
better for him if be had followed his
original business of brass casting
and lived and died a decent man.
Precious little comfort could a dying
man get out of memories Of a life
made up Of cards, prostitutes and fine
clothes.