davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
, 1876-12-03
THE GAS CONTROVERSY.

Wa observe malicious disposition on the
part of certain persons and papers to repre-
sent The TRIBUNE as having caused the Com
mon Council to refuse the offer OF the West
Side Gas Company toj furnish strcet-light
through three-feet burners at 50 per 1,ooo;
whereas the truth is TIE TRIBUNE advised
the Council to accept the proposition. A
short recital Of the facts may not be out OF
place.
So long as the Gas Companies insisted
upon charging the old price for gas and re-
tanning the ive-foot burner, TIE TRIBUNE
denounced it as extortion, and advised the
adoption of any measures deemed legal to
reduce the expense of lighting the streets.
The financial condition of the city was such
that the existing expenditure for gas could
not be supported; the money was not to be
had to pay the bills.
When the Reform Council came into con-
troll Of the City Legislature last May LEE
TRIBUNE pressed on their attention the OBJ
vious necessity of taking active steps to force
down the price and cost of gas to the Munlc-
ipal Corporation. resolution was ADOPT
ed by the Council calling on the Law Depart
ment for information as to the existing con-
tracts with the Gas Companies, and for legal
opinion as to whether those contracts, IN ai
their rigor and wrongfulness, were binding IN
law on the city until the end of the ton years.
in 1879. The Law Department presented
very strong legal argument, citing numerous
casos 10 show that the Companies could not
force the city to continue paying e1oroatant
rates. The TRIBUNE, of course, stood by the
interests Of the taxpayers in the controversy
The Mayor and Council needed no urging,
as they were Just as anxious to make large
retrenchment in the expenditure Tor gas as
any of their constituents.
After many interviews and much talk be-
tween the Mayor and Gas Committee on the
one side, and the representatives OF the das
companies On the other, the South-Side Com
| pony YVES induced to offer reduction OF $1
ner 1000 feet from its contract price OF
! So. 50, to light and shut off by the new
| tima.card. and to allow q substitution OF
three for the dve-foot burners, from given
date until next April. TIE TRIBUNE advised
the MAYOR and Council to accept the offer
which they did, without requiring much
urging, as these were their own terms.
Shortly after this, Mr.. BILLINGS also made
| an offer to the Council to throw of 81 pei
! .oo0 feet from his contract price Of So, tt
light by the new timetable, and to allow thf
dye.foot to be changed into three-foot burn
| ers.
About TINT time,-last Of September,-th'
bids for lighting the West Side with oil
lamps we're opened and talked over. THz
TR1pusE made careful comparison of tht
relative cost of oil by the most responsible
bids and BILLINGS offer Of gas at 90, to b.
consumed through three-foot burners. and
, 1876-12-03

The country will soon know which candl-
date will be declared to have received 1S5
Electoral votes On the morning after the
election it was known that TtlDEN would
lave 184 and HAYES lGs. At the end OF
nearly three weeks South Carolina gave
HIVES her seven votes, raising him to 173-
It may be set down as certain that Florida
has voted for him, making his count 1T.
And now comes the critical part Of the mat
ter. It is tolcrably certain that number OF
thebulldozed precincts In Louisiana will be
rejected. The casting out of these may elect
seven of the Republican Electors, but not the
eighth, who is far behind all his associates on
the Republican ticket, These seven votes
would raise HAYES to 1874, and if the eighth
man, BREWSTER, ran some 5000 be-
hind, is beaten, then e1-Goy. W1cK1UFE, who
il highest on the other ticket, will be elected,
and, in that case, his vote makes TnoEN
President The scales balance almost by
tue weight of straw.
, 1876-12-03

The alacrity with which JoHS AloRR1ssEx
offers to return their money to the holders OF
tickets in his pools on the election IS easily
understood. The Honorable JOHN Will re-
turn the money upon payment of his COM
missions as bookseller, which would amount,
it is estimated, to about 100000. Should
the bets be declared Is off, y according to the
rules he would be entitled to no commls-
sions. And it is already, according to the
New York Tribune, coming to be understood
that MoRR1ssEY himself and other Democrats
who have staked heaviest on TnDEN IN the
pools will insist that their bets were on the
votes actually cast, and not upon the returns
as canyassed BY Returning Board' and tha'
it will be set up" to have it SO ruled as TO
f1n roDfG
, 1876-12-03

The complications in South Carolina were
thickened yesterday by tho action OF
two colored Republican members OF
the Legislature in going over to the
Bump. Assembly. Both Legislatures were
still in session, but it begins to
look as though that bar1 of money was
to play prominent part in the solution
of the very much mixed situation in
South Carolina To further, if possible,
1nuddle matters, WALLACE, Speaker of the
Rump Legislature, yesterday applied to the
Supreme Court of the State for mandamus
upon MAckEx, Speaker Of the House. to COM
Del him to deliver to the Bump
Legislature, to be canvassed, the returns
of the election for Governor. Application
has also been made to the same Court for
wit of quo .rayranto against the H4fEs
Electors, requiring them to appear and show
BY what right they assume to exercise the
Office of Presidential Electors-that Is, to
fetch the question Of their election before
thzt Court
, 1876-12-03

The Chicago produce markets were GEN.
e1slly easier Saturday, and with less doing.
Mess pork closed lie per bn lower, at
$15.o24@15.s5 for December and S16.oo
@lG.o74 for January. Lard closed 1oc per
100 lbs lower, 1t S9.s5@9.s74 for Decem-
ber and $9.9o@9.9oA for January. Meats
we1o shade easier, at 6sc for new shout
ders, boxed, SIC for do short-ribs, and s3c
for do short-clears. Highwines were steady
1t $l.o6 per gallon Flour was IN fair de-
naand and firm. Wheat closed 1c lower,
at 81 -14x for December and $1.15ss for Janu-
, 1876-12-03

plenty Of good grass, but II the grass Is sonrb.
wants crushed bones, and good farmers iplprov.
his condition with allowances Of ''mealies.n a,
Indian corn. He would, however, in suitable In
calitcs, yield very large profit except for one cr
cumstance,-the great amount Of room that he ~.
auires- Sixty acres bird is a very large allow.
ance. even for profitable stock. According to II.
statements published by Messrs. HARr1ye and
MosExruA1, it takes GOO acres to feed 80 hi,d.
comfortably; and those acres, even ii prsctlc.]]v
valueesB, must be fenced In with wire, 1T cost a,
some R500. The bird cannot jump, and
makes no effort to cross the fencing. bnt
it seems certain that he will not bear confinement
close enough to prevent his enjoying healthy
amount OF his customary exercise. OF coprs.
while feathers yielded from EGO to E{0 pound
the profits were enormous; but in the present dav
when the average value, according to Official ~.
turns is f5 IS per pound, the farmer must content
himself, even though he grows ostriches, with
moderate returns in cash. He can get pound Of
feathers year from each bird, and, BY the late,
statistics, is pretty sure Of f5 pound all round.
but e40O year, though good yield in such q 10.
t cality from 600 acres is not enough to make dIa
mond hunters quit their avocations. Still, as tha
land is usually fenced of from farm LOO large tn
be cultivated, and food costs little and the profit
Is received in cash. the rearing of ostsiehes mar be
considered fairly established and yery curiou,
industry.
| There is source Of consolation to the Ia,
! dies that, inasmuch as the ostrich feather il a
| sine qua non, the domestication may make
them cheaper. But there is possibility Of
disappointment after all, in suggestion that
the Spectator throws out, that the ostrich
may not keep his best feathers in q state Of
partial domestication. In that case woman.
hood will hive to be content with the worst
feathers, which in any event cannot be worse
looking than the hnts on which they ar
| worn,
, 1876-12-03
NEW YORK AND CHICAG0-THE GRAIN
TRADE.

The New York Bulletin is trying to make
cut a case against Commodore VANDEnBHr's
recent policy Of coercing uniform through
rate to the seaboard, by comparing the grain
receipts for thirty weeks Of this year, ending
Oct. IL, with the receipts during the cor
responding time in 1873. It shows that
New York's percentage Of the whole trade
was 5s,G in 1873, and only 4G.8 this year,
while the percentage of trade enjoyed by
Baltimore and Philadelphia has nearly
doubled within tile same time. It also shows
that, notwithstanding this decline in general
for New York, the business by rail shows On
increase from 90 GOO. 900 bushels III 1873 to
81, $50, 600 this year (during the same period),
while the canal shipments from Buffalo were
| only Ell, 350, 900 bushels from May to Nov.
\, 1876, as against 47,s40,ooo bushels from
May IL to Nov. i, 1873, or eleven
| days' shorter time. On this state
of facts it charges that the policy assumed
by VANDERBILT, professedly in the interest
of New York, is really intended to perma-
nently cripple the canal trnde so as to give
the railroads the power to control the trade
and dictate the rites.
This argument looks plausible on the show
ing, but the omissions when supplied prove
that it is fallaeious. The decline Of the
New York trade began long before WANDER
p1Lr adopted the present policy, and was
frightfully accelerated by his pooling with
the Philadelphia and Baltimore railroads on
mileage basis; since he abandoned this
false basis, the figures show that he has in
creased New York's grain trade over SO pei
cent as compared with the railroad traffic OF
1873. We admit that it would probably be
better for both Chicago and New York il
the railroads were doing business al
rates which would afford them q
reasonable profit, and give the lake
trade. life, but it would also be worse
for both cities if any compromise were made
whereby the railroad rates would be deter
mined by the mileage. The experience witt
the pool year ago demonstrated this. Th'
falling-off in New York's grain trade bega1
with the bnd management of the New Yorl
canals and the excessive local charges fol
handling in New York. Mr.. VAxDKnpua
ought not to be Held responsible for thes
things. It is not likely that the railroad wa
will be continued long enough to occasio,
tho abandonment OF the Erie Canal. but
, 1876-12-03

The seventeenth anniversary Of the mar
tvrdom of tho heroic old JOHN Brown, whose
soul is still marching on, and who, as one
who dared and died for his fellow-men, will
hold his place in history when the whole
rsce Of slave-drivers has been forgotten, Was
celebrated at Plymouth Church yesterday,
"a full report of which will be
found in another column. Only seventeen
years have elapsed since under the forms Of
law be Was srangled like dog, at the dicta-
ton Of the slnveocracy, cruel as it was Cow
ardlv; and already the slaveoc1acy is no
more. and in an the land no man has the
temerity to apologize for it. Verify, JoHa
BRogS's soul has marched on.
, 1876-12-03
TuE CASE OF FLORIDA.

At last the result of the election In tlof1oa'
though not officially announced, remains no
LONGER in doubt, and the conflicting claifns
set mn on either side to the Electoral vote OF
the State nav be regarded as settled by the
facts as finally ascertained. There remains
little doubt but that frauds were practlceo
upon both sides. But there IS Just n'ue
doubt that the Democratic managers, THANKS
to their characteristic proficiency IN 1ne ar'
of stealing elections, distanced all CON-
netitors. as from time out Of mind Demo-
cratic managers have uniformly done III con-
tests of that sort. If the Returning Board is
to throw out votes on the ground OF 1rauus
and irregularities, they must begin BY reject
ing the entire poll Of Manatee County, "nere
there was no registration, no proclamation oi
election, and no Clerk appointed, but where,
without notice to anybody, q sort OF informal
ballot was taken, resulting in 236 Democrat'c
majority; and that Of itself, granting the
claims of the Democrats as to frauds IN Ke~
publican precincts, would give the ELECTORAL
vote Of the State to HAYES.
With regard to the Alachua cases, as TO
which the Democratic claim was that only
a1G votes were polled while 531 were re-
turned, it has been proved by such prepon-
detance of testimony as would prevail IN the
courts anywhere that the number OF votes
returned was cast, and that the return OF 53l
votes. signed by two of the regularly-ap-
pointed inspectors Of election, should be
accepted as conclusive as against that made
bv couple of county officers. For the
| rest, the Democratic charges OF fraud III
| voting non-registered men and convlcts IN
Duyal County are Offset by the Democratic
frauds and violence in Jackson County; and
nothing is clearer than that the At
tempt to eliminate oil frauds on both
sides would be q bootless undertak-
ing. Equally clear, however, is 1t that'
vera all frauds eliminated, the majority
for HAYES would be considerably greater
than upon count of all the votes actually
cast, Whether the Returning Board under
takes to cast out votes upon charges OF trauo
or whether oil the votes actually cast be
counted. in either event it is no longer
doubtful that the result must be to give the
four Electoral votes Of Florida to HAYES
There will. too, be less disposition to question
the canvass as made by the Returning Board
when it is known that the charge Of carpet
bagism cannot be made against it, the two
Republican members constituting the ma
jority of that body being southerners. Flor.
ida nav therefore be stricken out of the List
of doubtful States and her four Electoral
votes added to the HAYES column, which
leaves the result Of the Presidential election
to be determined by the vote of Louisiana
, 1876-12-03

The Spectator intimates that this does not
represent the ultimate sum expended, as the
total is greatly increased by processes for se-
1ecting, cleaning, classifying, and dyeing,
and thinks that without exaggeration the
women of the world, from Australia toAmer-
lea, spend 81, ZOO, 900 per annuhn for feathers,
which are not beautiful when they get them.
With regard to the price it says: 1.-THE de-
mand for ostrich feathers has lasted through
all ages, and, though prices vary excessively
from time to time, feathers now Exported
from the Cape ut f5 IS. per pound having
obtained in previous years from EGO to $40,
there seems no fear or hope Of a day when
pound Of ostrich feathers,-say, a hundred
feathers,-n they are good ones, will not be
worth at least G5 at the port of shipment"
The social economists have not, and perhaps
never will solve the question why there
should be such demand for these ungain1y
feathers. They are not handsome, not even
graceful, and yet no 1ady's toilette is con-
sidered complete without them As soon as
young miss knows q feather from f1bert,
an ostrich plume is the a1l-devouring object
of her ambition, and this is true of young
ladies in Chicago, Paris, London, Hong
Kong, Congo, and Greenland, for aught we
know. Why, it is difficult to say. One can
imagine why the average woman should
admire pheasant's or humming- birds
feather. It is beautiful Adiamond is brill
liant in its swimming sheen of color. Gold
is dazzling, and sapphires, and emera}ds, and
all precious stones arc fascinating with their
beautiful color-play. But an ostrich feather
has no color that Is attractive. In point of
beauty, the tail Leather of q barn-yard rooster
| is superior to it. Nevertheless, it is fashion,
able. It has been in fashion for centuries
past, and will probably be for centuries to
come. It holds its place like the diamond.
Other feathers may come and go, but this
feather holds On forever. The reason for it,
however, is what q no fellow can find out"
| In view Of this fact, the female side OF
creation will undoubtedly be interested tc
know that the ostrich is now in process o1
domestication, and will be glad to read the
following from work on the subject recent
}1y issued by Messrs- MosES11lAL and Hart
ING:
At present, however, the ostrich has been par
TALLY domesticated, and in 1875 u careful censuz
showed that there were no less than g., 247 domes
ticated ostrichcs within Cane Colony alone. Tht
bird appears to need no artificial food ii he ha:
, 1876-12-03
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1876.
AZ the New York Gold Exchange on Sat
prdsv ereenbacks ranged from s18 to 923.

The rebellion which broke out IN japan on
the 23d of October seems to have been sup
messed almost immediately, the Imperial
Government being forewarned- The revolu~
ton Was set on foot by one Of the Dalmlos
belonging to the disbanded caste OF tne
Samurai, who number not less than 4oo'ooo,
and form medium between the bravo and
the soldier. Since the suppression OF the
rebellion, the Government has determined
to avoid ths possibility of further trouble
from them by coloniziug the whole caste
upon the Island Of Yesso.
, 1876-12-03

sry. Corn closed weak, at 444c cash ana
43.c for January. Oats closed &c hleher' ~
33ssc for December and '33$c for January
Rye closed &c higher, at role Barley
closed 1@lc lower. at Csc for December ~ ~
CSC for January. Hogs were irm' at s9..oe' M
$50 for packing grades. Cattle we're steaay, pan
at S. 1905. 90. Sheep wero firm, at S3'oo@
$50. One hundred dollars IN golo "ouno
hnv s1o8. ee4 in greenbacks at the close
, 1876-12-03

Assuming the correctness of these figures,
it will be seen that on the face OF the re-
turns the highest Elector on the Democratic
ticket leads the highest Republican 5,3o3
votes. While the votes for the Democratic
Electors vary, the greatest difference does
not exceed $40 votes; but the variance be-
tween the vote for the Republican Electors is
enormous. W1chwTE Oemocrat) leads
BEwsrER Repub1ican) 1e,o56 votes. The
Democrats claim that this vote is an average
Of 1.o00 Democratic and 1000 Republican
less than the vote contained in the duplicates
of the election officers. We, however, con-
fine ourselves to the figures Of the returns
actually before the Board Of Canvassers.
Without reference to the vast variances in
the vote for the Republican Electors, the re-
turns from the parishes that are contested
foot up HIVES, 2s,51G; T11pEH, s0,l12,-a
TupEN minority of 1906. To reject all
these contested parishes would have the
effect of clecting all the T1LpES Electors.
The five ssbulldozed parishes Of which SO
much has been said give TnDES but 3:59s
majority. The rejection Of the whole vote
of these parishes would still leave all the
Democratic Electors majority. But the
Bonrd have the power to reject the vote OF
any poll or voting place, not, however, with
ont hearing evidence upon the allegations OF
violence aud intimidation, md other means
to defeat an election. The law reads:
Ifaf:er such examination the said Returning OIL
Gers shall be convinced that said riot tumult actt
sln$;1 4 efr1rha hr{h
err. or corrupt influence did materially interfere
with the purity and freedom Of the election 1t suct
| po}l or voting place, or did prevent suaicien
humber of the qualified electors thereat from
registering or voting to materially change the re
emit of the election, then the said Returning Boart
s]all not canvass or complete the statement Of tn
votes of such poll votn. place, but shall e1clud
| it from their returns.
Now, the Canyassing Bonr' aust A>7a be
, 1876-12-03

Il the cremationists Of the New YORK Iheo-
sophical Society are going to burn the late
Baron De PALM, why don't they go about it!
From somewhat intimate knowledge OF the
late Baron's disposition, we know that he
would express himself in a very emphatic
manner st the conduct Of his pretended
friends, who are exhibiting his remains tor
the delectation Of reporters, and making a
public show Of him before burning. Either
plant the old Baron or burn him without
further ado. His forthcoming cremation Is
too mach like circus show.
, 1876-12-03
0STRICH-F ARMINf,

The London Spectator Of recent issue
stops in the midst Of its grave papers upon
the Eastern question and the relations OF
Russia to Turkey to present some very curl
Gus information relative to ostrich-fa farming,
and to point out the remarkable extent OF
the traffic in the very unhandsome feathers
of that very ungainly bird. The figures are
very interesting, as well as astonishing,
since among all the statistics Of luxury these
have hardly, if ever, been presented before.
The exports of feathers from the principal
African ports per year are set down by the
c,o1oto3n,. nc fo11ouo
, 1876-12-03

THE CRISIS OF THE COUNT IN LOUISIANA.
The Presidential Electors appointed in the
several States are to meet at the several state
Capitals on Wednesday next, Dec 6, at
noon. and vote by ballot for President and
Vice-President. At the time We write, two
States-Florida and Louisiana-have not yet
reached conclusion as to who haVs been
chosen Electors. In both States the election
is claimed by both parties; but from al re-
turns and testimony it seems to be pretty
couclusiyely established that HAYES. re-
cciyed majority of the legal votes cast in
Florida. In Louisiana there is greater doubt.
There are certain facts in relation to this
count now going on in New Orleans which
should be carefully considered by the public,
and especially by the Republicans. Wsassume
that no upright man wants HAYES elected
un1ess that election will stand the scrutiny
of law, Justice, and honesty. The elseaon
of Gov. HAYES, if ascertained and declared
upon facts and figures sustained by law, will
! be insisted upon by the Republican party
and by all fair-minded Democrats, and no
amount of bIuster and threats Of civil war
will prevent it. But the Republican party
| cannot afford to have HAYES elected, or de-
clared elected, in defiance Of truth, honesty,
and law. The decision OF the canvasslng
Board of Louisiana is, by tie law OF that
State, final when made, and may be claimed
to be the legal adjudication Of the whole
matter; but that decision, to commend itself
to the approval or acceptance Of the country,
must be in accordance with law, and be war-
ranted by the facts Of the whole case. Now
let us look at the facts 50 far as they have
been developed In the published address
of the Democratic Committee, signed by e1-
Gov. JOIN NJ PALMER, of Illinois; ex-sena'
tor LYMAN TRul1Bu11, Of Illinois; e1-Gov.
Wn114a1 B1G1ER, Of Pennsylvania; Gen.
GEORGE 3. SMITH, of Wisconsin; the Hon.
GEORGE ". JULIAN, Of Indiana; e1-Asslst
ant Secretary Of War P. H. WATSON, of New
York, these gentlemen say:
The result of the vote for Presidential Electors
as disclosed on the face Of the returns opened b!
the Returning Board in our presence for the I'll
DEN and HAYES Electors, is rs follows:
, 1876-12-03
the pools.

B1exARcKs speech at the Parliamentary
dinner given by him yesterday is the most
significant contribution to the Eastern war
literature of the last three months, not
excepting the czar's speech. The sonc1-
tuda which B1sMARcK bctrays for the
sensibilities of the Russians; his sinister
expression Of the hope that England Will
keep her hands off in event of war between
Russia and Turkey: which he considers prob
able and his declaration that if Austr1a's
existence is threatened Germany will sup
port her, continuing unsel6shly to act as the
lead in the framework that holds the puppet
upright which notably contemptuous ret,
erence to Austria is full Of signifcance,-an
indicate that Germany at last has made her
preparations for taking lending part IN the
work Of reconstructing the map OF Europe
which would follow Russian-Turkash war