St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1878-07-19
Our New York Letter.

although in running order and doing a
heavy business, finds itself by no means
through with its troubles yet. Beside
having various suits on it's hands, in one
of which damages are claimed to the
amount of 4,500,0 900, certain things
about its operation are raising such a
hue and cry from the Sixth Avenoodles
as even sOulless corporation dares not
ignore. Outraged citizens complain that
sparks from the dummies burn them
and their store awnings, that gas, smoke
and choke them, that oil from the run
ming gear drops down, running their
clothes and their dispositions, and worse
than all, that the ceaseless rumble and
clatter of the trains wears upon their
nerves, preventing sleep, and driving
them to the verge of suicide. This for
midable arraignment is backed up by a
vigorous published protest signed by a
hundred OIL two physicians, who state
ohao III ohCii opihiou, 1hC fOiu Ill It's
present shape is deleterious nuisance,
Thus beset, the managers of the route
are casting about for means of appeasing
an angry public. The sparks and Gin
ders they think they can control without
much trouble, but how to deaden the
noise, which is the annoyance most COM
planned of, is more difficult problem.
To aid in its solution the managers have
called into their councils that versatile
and extraordinary man, Edison, him of
the telephone, photograph, micrOphohe,
aerOphOne, &c, &c, and he has now
been at work for several days with some
of his wonderful sound registering ma
chimes, trying to find out at what par
ticular points of the track the main part
of the obnoxious racket is generated.
When this is done, says the inventor, it
will be comparatively easy to reduce the
noise. Meanwhile the GROWERS have be-
come temporarily quiet, their curiosity
over EdisOn's performances overcoming
for the moment their sense of annoy
ance.
New York merits and possesses, too,
the reputation for originating more, and
more extraordinary journalistic enter
prises than any other two cities in
America. Some of these l have already
referred to in my correspondence; but
nothing that has appeared since | COM
menced to observe metropolitan pub
fishing compares in novelty and Origi-
nality with The AdUOcdte which, within
the last two months has run up in cir
culatiOn to over half million of copies
weekly. From its start the AdUOcate
has been a genuine sensation. 1t cham
pIons labor reform, greenbacks, the
Grange, Quakerism and Free Masonry.
1t has been laughed at, pooh poohed
ana abused without stint. It's existence
has been ridiculed, and its immediate
failure predicted-anu yet it goes on I'M
disturbed, rolling up IL circulation abso-
lutely unparalleled in this country, and
showing every sign of prosperity. Its
publishers violate every tradition of
journalism by furnishing this large eight
page weekly for twenty-five cents
year-less than the cost of white paper
and strike heavy blows right and left
with absolute fearlessness. Its editori-
ais and news items are condensed TO IA
degree that would drive John Russell
Young himself to suicide, andeverything
about its conduct indicates phenomenal
nerve and ability.
Miss Kate Claxton, the most popular
and beautiful Orphan" on the New
York stage, has leased the "Lyceum
Theatre" and is to open about Septem-
Der L, with fine company. Her aim is
to Introduce the very best of foreign
novelties in advance of their appearance
at any other theatre in this country.
And speaking of foreign novelties re-
minds me of n foreign actress who is
coming to this country, and who is now
going through the ordiuary-or rather
the extraordinary course of putting
which always precedes the advent of
European star. 1t is astonishing to see
what an object of interest this lady has
suddenly become to our newspapers.
All the details of her life, habits and ap-
pearance are being enlarged upon, and
as Il final stimulant to public curiosity
the fact is heralded with many admira-
ton points, that the fair creature will
wear i'll certain plays, dress made by
Worth from the same piece of goods
from which that distinguished artist re-
Gently constructed a costume for the
Queen of Spain. In the expressive Ian
guage of the vulgar, GLOW is that for
high? ?"
An unusual crime was committed here
this week, with an unusual object. A
drunken wife, abused by drunken hus-
band, living in extreme poverty in an
east side tenement house, became des-
perate, through trouble and drink, and
procuring a can of kerosene, saturated
the room in which she lived, set fire to
it and left the house, in which were her
own children, and some twenty other
families. Luckily the flames were dis
covered in time, and sickenihg sacrifice
narrowly escaped. When arrested the
miserable woman said her object was,
to do something bad enough to get her
self sent to prison for ten years, where
she hoped to find an asylum from the
intolerable life she was leading.
Since it has become a recognized GUS
tom for members of different branches
of business to have their organizations,
such as Boards of Trade, Chambers of
Commerce, Bar Associations, etc., the
Hotel Proprietors, representing large
interests of their own as well as that of
the public, have had a meeting for the
purpose of organizing an association for
the purpose of joint protection.
The practices of dead beats and in
competent or unfaithful employees there
by will be better looked after as well
as matters pertaining to the comfort
and safety of patrons of the hotels, who
are generally the suffering victims. A
dead beat or dishonest servant general
ly does his thieving from guest whose
time, even if the thief is arrested, is too
important for him to lose it in delay for
purpose of prosecuting in the courts.
Thus the criminal escapes. The hotel
suffers in reputation, but is pOwerless