Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1877-12-27
OUR NEW YORK LETTER.
Another HoiOcust-The Liquor Power-Auc
tions-The v auderbilt Case-One more IN
fortunate Business.
New York Dec. %, 1877.


Another Holocaust.
Thursday night another horror shocked New
York from centre to circumference. At five
o'clock. lust before the employees had left the
Mace, a boiler exploded at No So Barclay
street. in the factory of Greenfield g. Son, the
largest manufacturers 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, ard, as a matter of course, there
was q friehtful scene. The fire, as it always
does, cut off the means of escape, smoke added
it's horrors to flame, and a frightful loss of life
ensued The number is not yet known, but 1t
cannot be less than fifty, and the CHASTITY list
NAV reach hundred. One man was killed In
the street, with bis horse. by the wall falling
on him, and buildings in the neighborhood
we're more or less wrecked. Why was this
catastrophe i? Simple enough 1t was not a
worn,out boiler, for the force of the explosion
demonstrated its strength, but it was in charge
of an entirely incompetent person. 1t was
cheap man who knew nothing whatever OF
steam, or its management, who had under MS
control the lives of two hundred persons.
From ignorance or neglect, or both, it explod-
ed. and a hundred homes are desOlated. 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 sensible
The Liquor Power.
There is no question that the rum power
rules New York completely. There are eight
thousand rum-shops in the city subject to IL
cense The Excise Board, which has the pows
err to grant licenses, commenced eight months
~ f..,k xxf,f Ii.
censes, giving instead receipt for their money,
and directing them to 60 on selling just the
same. as the receipt would protect them. The
Grand Jury was not satisfied with this, for ev-
cry gin-mil had his receipt and was selling,
whether he was proper person or not, and the
Police Commissioners were directed to arrest
everyone not having license, and shut up his
shop. Eight hundred were arrested in one
dav, and the good work was carried on re-
morselessy. There was no favor shown. The
gilded bars of the big hotels were served ex-
actly as were the cheap bucket-shops in Water
Street, and there was CONSERVATION. Tam
many Hall howed. There were several niggers
in this wood>pile. In the first place the Exr
else Board, which is Tammany, is not compel
led to pay over the money collected for licenses
till the licenses are granted, and as receipts
are not licenses, Tammany had the use of a
million of dollars. Secondly, Tammany never
intended to collect the money at all. At the
end of the year the favored rum sellers would
come in and demand their money on the score
of not having had license, so they would get
the privilege of selling one year for nothing
Then again Tammany dare not touch the rum
interest at all, for it depends upon It to MAIN
tain its power. A levy of S25 each produces
5000 600, and as each rum-shop can be depend
ed upon for four votes, at least, 1t keeps an
army of $4,000 voters always ready to vote as
m ' times as are needed. Therefore, the ac-
ton of the Police Board must not be allowed.
Unfortunately the Mayor has the power OF re-
moval, and Tammany demanded OF him their
heads. He made faint show of resistance,
but finally Welded, and they must go, unless
the Governor Interferes, of which there is not
much hope, The raid has demonstrated two
things First that there is no hope OF any
thing like law and order so long as Tammany
exists, and, second, that law regulating the
sale of liquor can be enforced in New YORK, II
the authorities are let alone. 1t is an encour-
aging fact that while the Police Board were
doing their duty, the arrests for drunkenness
were decreased half, and the brutal crimes
growing out of excess in liquor almost entirely
ceased. So strict was the surveillance OF the
police that for some weeks it was difficult to
get drink anywhere. The doors were clos
ed, and only regulars could get in by the side
door. II was most encouraging experiment,
but the action of the Mayor finished it, and the
old river of death will roll on as before.
Auctions.
It is occupation and almost diversion enough
for ones whole time to attend the auctions o.
the better class. happening every day ana nighl
of the week. The beautiful devices OF Japan
csc wares the china and bronze cups shaped
like liIy or a lotus leaf, or crusted with gold
and silver figures, mimcking every comic
shape of frog or lizard, euchant the lady audi
ences, and gentlemen take the ladies OF thelr
families 10 share in the excitement or book
auction, or autograph sale. Gentlemen ABOUT
town. with more time and taste than money,
occasionally make something IN an agreeaoie
way by bidding off for persons al distahGe,
who are very ready to pay commission LOT tne
sake of securing choice piece OF Diic-a-pi az
The wit of the auctioneer rarely makes DOCK
auction rival comedy theatre in attraction, as
il used in the time of the famous auctloneer,
John Reese, who was one OF the readiest men
in New York at Joke, and of whom thou
sand stories are told. Twenty-Five cents was
hid for narrative of the Battle OF Waterloo.
C There was no quarter at the Battle OF Water
loo, nv dear sir" cried the auctioneer. SELL
ing volume OF flat Scotch poems, he assured
his audience that it was the 6 Banks anu
Braes of Bonny doom "-at all events me
- 6rdeS.W lie llkCHCu d icdeNi "
canse il /" was backed and cornered by Russia"
abiding TO the leather with which it was hn-
ished and when it was sold to Mr.. ! owen " .
phalen. he didn't "know about selling II 70
man that was always OWN and Failir.
Once, selling prayer books, an Irlshman inter.
rupted him with, Are they IN English - -
Quick as gunPowder the answer came; r VI
course they are do you suppose man IS 60
ing to pray in Irish
The Vanderbilt Case
IS still dragging along. The proceedings have
been enliYened this week by the presence o.
Cornelius, Jr., on the stand He swears In
the most direct manner TO conspiracy organ
lied and engineered by his brother William, to
destroy the confidence of the old man in him,
and to break him down. He swears that VIII
liam conspired to get him into lanatlc asy.
lurn, and, 10 do it, represented to has father
that he had forged his name TO cheque, pc
sides other acts of similar nature. The
counsel for William squirmed terribly, ana
william was much agltated while Cornelius