St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1877-07-13
Our New York Letter.

To the Editor of the CdledOnian
The glOries of l0l years formed the
stimulus of rather a feeble jubilee in
New York. Whether popular interest
in Uncle Sans birthday is waning, now
that that fine old centenarian has start
ed out on a new hundred of similar an
niversaries, or whether it is merely that
our citizens have not quite got rested
of one year ago, is not quite clear. |
think the latter is nearer the fact, how
ever, and sufficiently explains the COM
parative quiet which reigned on We'd
nesday. Not but what there were flags
and cannon and bells and fireworks, but
they were not as plentiful as usual, and
their operators moved in languid and
perfunctOry way which detracted large
ly from their effect. Even the small
boy seemed to suffer little from the
nervous strain put upon him by the
prOtracted delay of the city authorities
in deciding to allow him his customary
license, and apparently went about his
annual ravages on life and property
with a shade less enthusiasm than is his
wont.
One of the events of the Fourth was
the opening at Broadway and Goth
street, of the new National Anatomical
Museum, preparations for which have
been in progress for many months under
the direction of Il celebrated anatomist
and scientist, who has perhaps founded
more similar institutions than any other
man in America or Europe. The col
ectiOns here shown are very rich, and
form complete guide to the study of
Natural History. The anatomy of all
animals, wild and domestic, from the
elephant to the honey bee, the anatomy
of plants and flowers, and the wondrOus
forth, making of the institution valu-
able public instructor beside whose
teachings the study of books dwindles
terribly in importance.
By tar the most gratifying feature of
the day was the smallness of the cas-
ualty list, and the almost entire absence
of the accustomed contiagrations.
After almost endless talk and con-
trOversy the municipal dog exterminat-
ing machinery has finally got into full
blast, to the great relief of twenty five
regularly appointed dog catchers and
numberless skirmishing urchins, who
misled by the announcement that the
pound would he ready IA week ago, have
each had IA yelping crowd of captives to
guard and feed for several days, until
Thursday when, all being in readiness,
the pound yawned for its prey and
swallowed up about 900 ours of every
description, for the capture of which the
city pays thirty cents head.
The new method of disposing of these
four footed culprits is an improvement
over the one tried some three years
ago, when the dog crusade was last in
IL state of organized activity. The plan
then was to put in lot of the animals
in tight cage and then by pumping
out the air, to suffocate them. This
did not work well for the cages would
leak, and the condemned purps would
not die. The hapless 900 above Iefer-
red to departed this life by being plac-
ed, one hundred at time, in Il large
iron crate, which was then sunk for ten
minutes in the East river. Despite the
extensive captures already made, the
number of canine Migrants is so large
that they do not seem as yet to have
been perceptibly lessened, and the work
will probably go on all summer. The
expense to the city will be nearly or
quite met 10y the sale of the skins, which
are used more and more largely each
year for the manufacture of gloves.
1t may be interesting to note that in
this first batch the dreaded Spitz dog,
of hydrOphobic notOriety, out-numbered
any other known breed almost five to
one. Several of the catchers were bitten
by them in the discharge of their duties,
and are now sitting round Oh the anxious
seat, watching for the moment when
they can no longer put water in their
whiskey without barking.
Not content with sending their con-
quering armies into Turkey, the Rus
slams are now invading American soil.
There will probably be no serious blood
shed on account of this movement, how
ever, as the invaders, although led by
an army officer have not as yet made
themselves disagreeable in any way.
hC ldNb ludI
and his companions want to show the
Yankees something about the Mnsco-
vite horse racing stock and are busily
engaged in carrying out their object
with the aid of a splendid stud of Russian
horses with their customary harness,
vehicles and drivers, the elegance and
novelty of all of which attract great
crowds to Fleetwood Park at each ex-
hibitiOn of the equine strangers. The
whole establishment is valued at a fab
ulous price.
The wealth of New York has been
again made the subject of prayerful con-
sideratiOn by the tax commissioners.
who have just sent in their annual ap-
praisement of the real and personal
property in the city as basis for the
years tax levy. From this formidable
document it appears that the real estate
amounts to 5000, 900, 900, and the per-
sonal property to over $500, ZOO, 900, or,
altogether, considerably over a billion
of dollars. The increase over last years
valuation is about ten millions, which
is pretty well for year during most of
which we have been assured that the
country generally and New York par
ticularly were running down like a
watch with broken handspring. The
tax to be levied on this property amounts
to nearly $30,000,OO0.
Any one who, on Monday last, had
seen Oakley Barker, the favorite grand
son of Commodore Vanderbilt, standing
in the prisoners dock of police court to
answer a charge of theft, would be pref
ty sure to realize that having money is
not the only thing worth living for.
Here is young man of say twenty five
years with a name, position and oppor-
tunitieS both social and commarcini snoh