The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1877-02-01
The NeRs;

AANpOihSO OOilCtai iIS''' N-NS
that che assessors elected at the spring
election in 1875 in the various town
ships wards and boroughs throughout
the State continue in Office until the
first Monday in April, 1873 therefore
there will be no.assessors chosen at the
February election this year. In 1873
assessors will be chosen whose terms
of office will commence bri the first
Monday in April. 1878; and each year
thereafter the election of assessors will
this way!
Columbus, Ohio Jahiiary 25.-The
special committee to investigate the
Ashtabula disaster, at their meeting
to-day, examined Rogers, of Ashta
bula, who testified he had charge of
putting up the Ashtabula, bridge. In
the first place, the upper cords of the
bridge were too long, and they were
shortened by planning down the lugs
or brace blocks. The bridge was then
put up, but it Immediately settled
down to almost a straight line. 1t
was then raised up and "shims" We're
put in, which heightened the upper
cords three and half inches. The
bridge was again let down by knock
ing out the wedges slowly, but still
would not bear its own weight. "A
second time it was blocked up, and
new wedges put in it, and this time it
stood firm.
Gold has fluctuated very materially
during the last fourteen years. The
advance began in June, 1862, when
from two or three per cent. above cur
rency, it rose in July to 1lo. After
reaching l72 in 1868, it declined in the
same year to 123. The upward ten
dency again began, and in July, 1864,
it touched the unprecedented figure of
285. The closing quotation of that
year was pa. The end of the rebel
lion was followed for the most part by
decline. In 1868, however, it was
rated higher than in 1857, and on
Black Friday, 1869, it ran up to 1921,
a figure not reached since. Through
1870 end 1871 it's course was steadily
downward. but in 1872 there was a
temporary rise above lis, succeeded in
the same year by q fall to 1883. The
present quotations are almost as low
as in 1862. with the steady decline of
gold, as exhibited during the last few
years, there is good reason to believe
that the resumption of specie pay
ments will take place in s1S79 or in
the near future.
Mr.. Charles Francis Adams, jr.,
urges through Congressman Garfield
the creation of a national bureau of
statistics tomake special inquiries into
the causes of every railway accident
that may occur. He urges that the
public has no protection against the
neglect and carelessness of railway
managers. The railway officials
make an investigation on their own
account but the people have no ma
chinery for inquiry better than a
"crowner's 'quest.' He well says
that "in a case of manslaughter we do
not generally leave the investigation
into the circumstances wholly in the
hands of those responsible for the
killing" But this is what is practi
cally done in this county when the
killing is done by railroad company.
How important some action in the
premises on the part of the govern
ment is appears from the fact that
there are on the average ! 100 railroad
accidents in year, Ivy which 1000
persons are injured and 250 lives are
lost Such figures tell their own
story. The Ashtabula horror fills the
; country with sorrow, but nothing is
done to fix the responsibility for
, it where it belongs and provide against
the recurrence of similar catastro-
phe, and nothing will be done till
congress provides the requisite ma
chinery for investigation. Mr.. Gar.
field represents the Ohio district in
which the Ashtabula horror occurred
and would be q fit person to act upon
the suggestion of Mr.. Adams and in.
l troducel u bill in congress.