Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1877-10-25
OUR NEW YORK LETTER.
Business-The Obelisk-Another srtlkc-The
Last Observation-Disclosures
New York, Oct. 20, 1877.

Last SwindIe-POi
New York, Oct. 20, 1877.
Business.
As everything to the business Of
the country is of interest, called up
on several OF the heaviest jobbers.
The reports were all alike. Business
is now healthier than at any time
since the war. The volume of trade
is not so large, more discretion and
Judgment is being used, and the quail
ity of the goods purchased is differ
ent. The purchases of fine goods
are much less, and trade runs largely
to necessaries. In brief, merchants
are buying literally, though very
carefully, and buying intending to
pay. The reports are all to the eff
feet that the farmers are doing well,
and buying fairly well, while the
working-people in the towns, espec-
tally those that are dependent upon
manufacturers, are poor, and are buy
ing very little, as yet. But there is a
strong hope of Improvement in these,
as the good condition of the farming
community cannot but improve their
condition. Altogether the merchants
are of the opinion that the good times
have commenced, and that they will
continue till we get back to a good,
safe, steady going condition of things.
The Obelislz.
The English succeeded in getting
permission of the khedive of Egypt
TO remove to London the Alexandrian
Obelisk, which every school boy has
read of, known as'Cleopatra's needle
1t is now on its way to England, and
will be set up in Trafalgar square.
Not to be behinded, an American
merchant, who withholds his name,
persuaded the khedive to permit an
other one to be brought to New
York, and he donated the cost of
bringing it,-$1O0,o00. The papers
are all drawn, and as soon as steam
can do it, an obelsk that Moses and
Aaron looked upon will be set up in
the youngest Of the great cities of the
world. Who the donor is, no one
knows, but time will reveal the Sc
cret. 1t was a generous and noble act
Another Strike.
This time it is the cigar makers.
Five thousand of them, and doubtless
Justly so, have quit work, and are
trying to make the strike general.
The notable feature in this emute, is
the fact that woman is one of the
leaders, and a principal one. Mary
Heisler, young Bohemian woman
who has gained great deal of infu-
ence over the laborers of the city by
her fervid oratory and advanced
communistic ideas, was elected vice
president of the central ASSOCIATION,
and she at once took position as its
real head. The cigar-makers, who
are largely foreigners, look upon her
as second Joan of Arc, and they
obey her commands without question.
The majority of the cigar-makers are
the lowest grade of Germans and
Poles, who live in the filthiest ten
ement houses, doing their work there.
They are under paid and overwork.
ed, for the reason that the trade is
easily learned, and there is such a
glut of workers that the employers
can get any amount of labor at thei:
own price. The employers are most
ly all foreigners, who are morciless
toward the poor OF their own nation
alities. The strikers now number
five thousand, and it is probable that
the movement will go on till it will
embrace all the operatives in the city.
The Last Swindle.
The last swindle is variation of
an old one, which originated in this
city, and is still being prosecuted
from here. The modus operandI is
very simple. 1t is wire fence of a
not very new pattern, and which is
not even patentable. The smooth
tongued agent shows it to a farmer,
and solieits him to become an agent
for it. As an iDducement he is Offer
ed fifty rods free, provided he will
put it up along the road where it
can be seen and serve as an adver-
tisement. It is q handsome fence
and the farmer bites at the offer.
First he gets fifty rods of fence for
nothing, and if he does take an
order, he gets liberal commission
He signs what he supposes is an
order for fifty rods, and Immediately
the wire is shipped him. Then comes
another agent who demands pay for
one hundred and fifty rods. Indig-
nant farmer explains that he was
to have fifty rods free. Agent says,
"certainly, but you have ordered one
hundred and fifty rods, and that one
hundred rods you must pay for at
four cents foot" And he produces
an order with the farmers signature
to that effect. The process is very
simple. The farmer saw a contract
for fifty rods, but when he came to
sign, that order was slipped up, and
be really put his name to another for
ono hundred and fifty rods, that lay
lust underneath. He is frightened
into giving his note fer, say $500,
which he expects to resist, but he