Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-12-26

ANOTHER HoLoCAUsT--THEL LIQUOR POWER
-AUCTIoNS-THE VANDERBILT CASE
ONE MORE NORTHUMBERLAND
New YORK. Dec. %. 1877.

ONE MORE NORTHUMBERLAND
New York, Dec. %, 1877.
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, boiler exploded at
No. GO Barclay St., in the factory of
Greenfield & Son, the largest manufactur-
ers 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 story mostly girls, and, us matter
of course, there was (rightful scene.
The fire, as it always does, cut off the
means of escape, smoke added its horrors
to flame, and IA frightful loss of life cnsued.
The number is not yet known, but it can
not be less than fifty, and the CHASTITY list
may reach II hundred. One man was kill
ed in the street with his horse, by the wall
falling on him, and buildings in the neigh
borhood were more or less wrecked. Why
was this catastrophe? Simple enough. 1t
was not II worn-Out boiler, for the force
of the explosion demonstrated its strength
but it was in charge of IN entirely incom-
petent person. 1t was Il cheap man who
knew nothing whatever Of steam, or It's
management, who had under his control
the lives of two hundred persons. From
ignorance or neglect, or both, it exploded
and il hundred homes are desolated. 1t j:
the old story, repeated over and ovel
again. When such accidents are of daily
occurrence, one almost wishes for mon
archy with power to make men sensible
TIE LIQUOR POWER.
There is no question that the rum power
rules New York completely. There arc
eight thousand rum shops in the city sub
iect to license. The excise board which
has the power to grant licenses, com
menced eight months ago to take thei
money but did not issue licenses, giving
instead receipt for their money, and di
rectjng them to 60 on selling just the same
as the receipt would protect them. The
grand Jury was not satisfied with this, TO
every gn.mil had his receipt and was
selling, whether he WAS Il proper person
or not, and the police commissioners wer
directed to arrest every one not having ;
license, and shut up his shop. Eight hun
dred were arrested in one day, and tn
good work was carried on rcmorselessly
There was no favor shown. The gildet
bars of the big hotels were served exact
ly as were the cheap bucket-shops in Wa
ter Street, and there was CONSERVATION
Tammany Hall howled. There were sew
eral niggcrs in this wood pile. In the frs
place the excise board, which is Tammany
is not compelled to pay over the none
collected for licenses till the licenses III
granted, and rs receipts are not licenses
Tammany had the use of million Of do
lars. Secondly, Tammany never intende
to collect the money at all. At the end {
the year the favored rum-sellers Woul
come in and demand their money on til
score Of not having had Il license, so the
would Get the privilege of selling a yea
for nothing. Then again Tammany dar
not touch the rum interest at all, for it d'
ponds upon it to maintain its power.
levy of twenty-five dollars each produce
two hundred thousand, and rs each run
shop can be depended upon for four vote
at least, it keeps an army of thirty-tW
thousand voters always ready to vote I
many times rs are needed Therefore Il
! action of the police board must not
allowed. Unfortunately the mayor has Il
power of removal, and Tammany d
mandel Of him their heads. lie made
/ faint show Of resistance, but finally yiel
, ed, and they must 90, unless the govern
> nterferes, of which there is not nut
; hope. The raid has demonstrated tv
; things First, that there is no hope of an
!, thing like law and order so long us Tar
many exists, and, second, that II law reg
II. lating the sale Of liquor can be enforced
a New York, if the authorities are let alon
v 1t is an encouraging fact that while Il
!. police board were doing their duty, the t
: rests for drunkenness were decreased
q halls, and the brutal crimes grown
. out of excess in liquor almost entire
/ ceased. So strict was the surveillance
q the police, that for some weeks 1t W
+ difficult to get drink anywhere. 7
d doors were closed, and only regulars cou
? get in by the side door. 1t was a most {
v couraging experiment, but the action
:, the mayor finished it, and the old river
4 death will roll on us before.