Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1877-12-28
oUR NEW YORK LETTER.
ANOTHER HOLOCAUST.

ANOTHER HOLOCAUST.
Thursday night another horror shocked
New York from centre to circumference.
At five o'clock, just before the employees
had left the place, a boiler exploded al
No. SO Barclay ST., in sbe factory of Green
field & Son, the largest manufacturer OF
confectionery in the world, and blew out the
entire front of the building. Immediately
the whole structure was wrapt in flames
and scene of the widest horror ensued.
There were over two hundred persons In
the building. in the upper stories mostly
girls and as a matter Of course, there was
= frigbtful scene. The fire, as it always
does cut off the means of escape, smoke
added its horrors to flame. and frightful
loss Of life snsued. The number is not yet
known, tut it cannot be less than fifty, and
the ghastly list may reach hundred. One
man was killed in the stree t, with his horse,
by the wall falling on him, and buildings
in the neighborhOod were more or less
wrecked. Why was this catastrophe? Sim
pie enough. 1t was not worn-out boiler.
for the force of the explosion demonstrated
its strength, but il was in charge of an en-
tirely incompotent person. 1t was cheap
man who knew nothing whatever Of steam,
or its management. who had under his con-
troll the lives Of two hundred persons.
From ignorance or neglect, or both, it ex-
ploded, and hundred homes are adesolat-
ed. 1t is the old story. repeated over and
over again. When such accidents are of
daily occurrence, one almost wishes for a
monarchy with power to make men sensi-
bic.
THE LIQUOR POWER.
There is no question that the rum power
rules New York completely. There are
eight thousand rum-shops in the city sub
ject to license. The excise board which
has the power to grant licenses, began
eight months ago to take their money but
did not issue licenses, giving instead re-
ceipt for their money, and directing them
to go on selling just the same. as the re-
ceipt would protect them. The grand jury
was not satisfied with this, for every gin.
mill had his receipt and was selling, wheth-
er he was proper person or not, and the
police commissioners we're directed to ar
rest every one not having license. and
shut up his shop. 500 were arrested in one
day, and the good work was carried on re-
There was no favor shown.
The gilded bars of the big hotels were
served exactly as were the cheap bucket
shops in Water street, and there was con-
'ternation. Tammany Hall howled. There
were several niggers in this wood-pile In
the first place the Excise Board, which is
rammany, is not compelled to pay over
lhe money collected for licenses till the Ii
,enses are granted, and as receipts are not
licenses, Tsmmany had the use of a mil
ion of dollars. Secondly, Tsmmany never
to collect the money at all. At
the end Of the year the favored rum-seI-
lers would come in and demand their mo-
ney on the score Of not having had a IL
,ense, so they would get the privilege of
selling a year for nothing. Then again
rammany dare not touch the rum interest
at all, for it depends. upon it to maintain
its power. A levy of $25 each produces
1900, 600, and as each rum-shop can be de-
pended upon for four votes at least, ii
Keeps an army of 80, 600 voters always rea-
ly to vote as many times as are needed
therefore, the action of the Police Board
must be allowed. Unfortunately the May
1r has the power Of removal, and Tam
many demanded of him their heads. He
made faint show of resistance, but finally
7ielded, and they must go, unless the gov
.rnor interferes, of.which there is not much |
nope. The raid has demonstrated two
:hings. First, that there is no hope of any
hing like law and order so long as Tam
many exists, and, second, that law regu-
ating the sale Of liquor can be enforced in
New York, if the authorities are left alone.
It is an encouraging. fact that while the po-
ice board were doing their duty, the ar
'esty for drunkenness were decreased a
lalf, and the brutal crimes growing out Of
excess in liquor almost ceased. So strict
vas the surveillance of the police, that for
'ome weeks it was difficult to get drink
anywhere. The doors were closed, and
'nly regulars could get in by the side door.
t was most encouraging experiment, but
he action Of the Mayor finished it, and the
Id river of death will roll on as before,