St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1878-11-01


together the funds necessary for its
completion. As one means of securing
money, IA grand fair has been organized
and is now in progress in the Cathedral
itself as a sort of hOusewarming for the
almost finished building.
The most prominent and most profit
able feature of the fair is that form OF
sanctitied gambling known as the rattle.
Pretty much everything at the scores OF
richly decorated tables, over which
shines the aggregate radience of fifteen
hundred gas jets, is disposed of in this
manner, of course thus realizing prices
which yield to the cause about SO pei
cent. profit. The articles to be ratified
for, include all manner of luxuries and
necessities, from the straw stuffed doll
to magnificent carriage-nOt a car
rage for the straw stuffed doll, but a
"real" carriage. One can try his luck
on barrel of flour, a diamond ring, d
passage to Europe and return, good for
one year Il dress, a pair of boots, a
house and lot, horse, billiard table
in fact, on anything the most whimsi-
Cal mind can suggest.
This fair is one of the biggest things
in its way since the SANITARY Fairs" of
war times. 1t opened on Tuesday
evening with great flourish of trump
cts. Such crowd as cOngregated in
and around the cathedral last night has
rarely been seen in New York. Fully
twenty thousand tickets were taken by
the gatekeepers. From half-past seven
until ten o'clock not foot of unOccu-
pied ground could be found in the vast
enclosure and the ladies in attendance
on tables were i'll some cases wedged
up against the side of the stalls and I'M
able to move II foot away without i'm
minent danger of being carried along
by the snrging stream of people. A
lady of some inches and ounces declar-
ed on her honor, to Il little knot of SYM
pathising friends who were arranging
her dress for her when she got out of
the cathedral, that from the time she
entered until she left she had not put a
foot on the ground. The receipts for
admission alone, it is thought, must
reach 1000.
A pleasant instance of honorable and
permanent success in what is commonly
and justly considered IL precarious field,
is described in little book which has
this week fallen into my hands, and
which contains Il full history of the
Home Fire Insurance Company. The
occasion for the printing of this book is
the quarter centennial dinner and cele-
bratlOn OF the organization of the insti-
tuition. This dinner was presided over
by President Martin. who was one of
the original officers, and whose address
shows that many others who started
with him in what was called foolhardy
venture IN 1853, still share with him
the unexpected and unparalleled success
which has attended their long admins
tratiOn. The address shows also how
the company's capital has grown from
S5OO,OOO 10 S3,00O,0 900, more than one
third of which magnificent increase
arose from the capitalization of surplus
earnings, and that it has now in its
hands IL million more of surplus earn
ings, us yet uncapitaliZed. This showing
Is most extraordinary in view of the
fact that the Home, which was one of
the few American companies which
stood the strain of 1871 >, the wears of
he Chicago and Boston fires, paid losses
during those Years of over $4,000, 900
! and during its whole existence of over
S27 ,OOO,O While scores of other
companies, started under equally ia
vorable auspices and handled with fully
ordinary skill have gone down during
its lifetime, the Home has steadily paid
every claim in full and made money
into the bargain. Its history is preemi-
nently the history of good manage
| ment.
The Fenian movement like the Gu
ban rebellion is one of those small
things, which, for some reason or other,
| Snpm tn vitality
How the handful of Irish enthusiasts
who keep alive the Feuian feeling
among their compatriOts hope to ac-
complish anything against the power OF
England is not easily understood but
their show of patriotism certainly seems
to be popular among Irish Americans.
A meeting which was held at Cooper
Institute, one night this week, in honor
and aid OF two prominent Fenians, Con-
don and Melody, who for years have
lived in English prisons, and who lately
received their liberty on condition that
they would henceforth enjoy it in exile,
was immensely attended. The two
men were hailed by martyrs, and their
speeches DANGEROUSLY applauded. S. S.
Cox, John Kelly, Abram Hewitt, Dion
BOncicault and other notabilities were
present, and numerous letters were re-
ceived from prominent men who could
not attend. Tammany Hall was, of
course, out in full force for independ-
ent of the fact that most OF the leading
lights of that high toned organization
are lrishmen, Tammany's power is so
dependent on the Irish vote that it
would run its legs off to please that
formidable constituency. The Fenians
feel much encouraged by this demon
stration and talk, and proclaim loudly
against English tyranny.
Our amusement field is so large and
so rich this week that we are in danger
of having to stay at home evenings from
sheer Inability to decide where to go.
Italian opera with Minnie Hauck and
Campanini, Genevieve Ward ut the ever
popular and well managed Booths
Theatre, Madame Won Stamwitz, the
grand German tragedienne at the
Broadway. Modjeska at the Fifth
Avenue. Barnum's really gorgeous
show at the Hippodrome. New attrac-
tiOns at the Aquarium. What is the
poor pleasure seeker to do? About the
only practical way out of the difficulty
is to toss up for the choice. One is well
rewarded for his pains at either of these
places. RApIx.
A Great Robbery. {.