The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-09-01
The First of September.

To-day is the first day Of the nominal
autumn and happily for ~ there comes
with it weather which IS very comfortable.
Take it as whole, the summer now ended
has been anything but oppressive. The
warm days began carly and have continued
with few intcrruptions but we have had
little sitting heat The rains hcrcabouts
have been frequent enough to satisfy the
thirst of the vegetation, aud throughout tine
country there has boon little reason to com
plain Of the lack of moi-turc indeed, in
some regions there has been toe much of it.
The city has been healthy for summer tn"
death rate keeping down to a moderate
figure, and epidemic disease not prevailing
to any alarming extent When We compare
the death rate 81 New York with that OF
other cities, we must bear in mind the
fact that our returns Of deaths are a. per-
feet "a they can be made, since no burial can
take place without permit from the Board
Of Health. and no corpse can tee carried to
the graycyards which all lie across our
rivers, without record being made Of
the dccoase; and hcfacilitic- We have for on
forcing compliance with this law are rare.
mcthodical system 81 registry. aided 10y
the conliguration OF the island. ,6U-gs our
death reports 10 bc complete and accurate.
Hence the death rate of New York -ume-
times bears very unfavorable comparison
with that Of others Of our cities. whose
mortuary statistics are not So thoroughly
gathered. This summer has shown we'll on
the books Of the Register Of vital Statistics.
Ithns been a veryfuiiul season thecrop~
all over the country being exceptionally
large and the weather favorable for their
gathering. SO far rs they hay" been har-
vested The farmers are. a. class. mon
who are disposed 10 grumblc, and even in
the best times they do not roll w money;
but this year they have little TO find fault
with in the way Of the productlvencss of the
soil Large a. the crop j.. there j. promise
Of full demand for our cereals for the
harvest Ia England has n.t bccn az average
one, and the war in which Russia il engaged,
md which promises. ii IL lasts. to tax her re-
sources Of men and material t. the utter
most. has prevented the gathering II a large
harvest in that country. and intcrfcrcs
seriously with the sale OF what they have
gathered. The outlook for the farmer. for
the carrier. and for the merchant among u,
is therefore hopeful and we may Expect to
see business picking un this autumn. The
country % unqucs,ionably in better condi-
lion a To- trade than il has been Tor several
years past though the progress to general
prosperity must Ice slow.
We gave the other day a review Of business
In the city and fortunately the facts justified
rs in making 1t a favorable one. The town is
now thronged with merchants from different
parts of the country, who are encouraged
by the prospect of a bountiful harvest To
rcplcnish their stocks. so long kept low.
while the army of druulncrs, vino have had
Of late poor returns for their labors, are
encouraged hya growing demand for the
wares which they have to sell. The manu-
featuring towns are wearing a livclicr APP
pearancc. and merchants are putting on
more cheerful faces.
The people who have enjoyed summer va
cations in the country are beginning To re-
turn, and IN a few weeks the ywill nearly all
Joe back. and their coming VIII stimulate the
retail trade and give animation To- social life
in the metropolis. The theatres will soon
Joe bringing out The novelties they have had
in preparation for the fall, the ministers will
be back in their pulpits. the Park will be
throngcd with vehicles and We shall proba-
bly, have Il gaycr autumn than We have
known since the hard times began to press
fl,r..