The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1878-08-24
LETTER FROM BALTIMORE,
The Afternoon Papers and their Peculiar
ities-The Grange Pic-Nic-YelloW
Fever-Improveme in
the "Belt," &C., &c.


Baltimore, August 2lst, 1878.
These rather quiet times when very many OF our
citizens are away at the watering places and sum
mer resorts it seems difficult for the newspapers
afternoon especially-tO excite and keep up an in
terest in news such as is most likely to attract at
tention and aid in selling papers. The Bulletin
and Erening Ne,cs are our only afternoon journals
They of course strong rivals, but each good
and fairly up to the living time. 1t is somewhat
amusing, if not lamentable and melancholy, to
notice the peculiar character of their bulletins or
synoptical placards put up daily directing public
attention to what will be the forthcoming contents
of these sheets. Large imposing headlines OF
murders, double suicides, rapes, outrages by ruff
fans on women and little girls, terrible accidents,
fights, seductions and much other similar repul-
sive stuff, are prominently displayed as embody-
ing the literary contents of these journals. People
men, women and children-passing and re-
passing stop and gaze with widely open eyes
at these choice bits Of sensation calculated to i'm
part useful, Instructive and wholesome moral M
FueRce They sometimes so crowd the sidewalks
in eagerness to learn what may be forthcoming
after the fashion above mentioned, that regular
pedestrians, more elevated in their tastes regard
ing legitimate business and useful information,
can scarcely make way through the assemblage
l have said that both the Nees and Bulletin are
excellent newspapers. Their proprietors and edl-
tors are full Of energy and enterprise, keeping
abreast of the time in modern journalism. Many
of their editorials are solid, dgnifed, scholarly,
up fully to Jees-lettres literature, tastefuy con-
ceived classic in style, smoothly written and real
" instructive have indeed often felt regret that
these choice gems should be brought in such close
contact with the demoralizing, uninstructive SEN
satonal filth and truck-selected and local-as
presents itself to the reader on turning from the
editorial to the news pages. Whose fault is it be-
ob1 A rAifi AM lamant0-
BILE fact stares us in the face when seeking for
solution. 1t is this: Public taste has either be-
come yitiated in its desire for such mental repast,
or editors and publishers improperly construe it.
They of course want to obtain wide circulation
i'm other words make money-and entertaining
perhaps unjust conception OF what sensible
people really require congenial to approved re-
finement, descend to gratifying the vulgar appe-
tite under -perhaps-mistaken impression
that a large proportion of the community crave
this sort of catering to it, which, to say the least
is not very fattering either to reader publisher
Our fast, progressive age, l regret to say, has
grown woefuly at fault in this particular, but the
question arises, should such venal and vulgar de-
sires be encouraged and administered to under
any condition of circumstances merely for the
sake of amassing filthy lucre, or in more vulgar
parlance scraping together dollars? 1t is some
times said there is not enough of TASTEFUL sensible,
literary people in large towns and cities to sut-
GENTLY and proitab!y patronize daily newspaper;
hence it must also have an eye to catching clrcu-
lation advertisements and business from the com
moner or vulgar crowd If this be a truth we
cannot but deeply regret the fact. Nevertheless,
if evil low tastes were not catered te and publish
ers and editors combined, universally, to elevate
the standard of daily journalism, they might soon
cultivate not only an antipathy towards the KIND
of sensational stuff now sent out broadcast, but
realize more agreeable encouragement in dissent
mating useful instructive information. My own
belief is the period will yet arrive when communl-
ties will grow surfeited and sickened with multi
tudinous triles deteriorating to morals, conducive
to crime and void of usefulness, such as the exist
ing age of journalism encourages and better things
be demanded in its stead.
The picnic or grand meeting OF your Grangers
which takes place in Baltimore county, September
5th is attracting considerable attention among our
citizens and goodly number of them will no doubt
be in attendance.
Thus far we are wholly free from yellow fever,
exeept few eases which arrived from the South
and are at the Marine Hospital. There is no
apprehension at present of the malady spreading.
Our city is remarkably healthy. Proper precau-
ton. however, is being taken by the Health Com
missioners and citizens generally towards warding
off the disease. A considerable number OF strang-
ers from New Orleans and other points in the
South fleeing from the epidemic, arrive here daily
Some stop at the hotels, but generally they pro-
coed farther North.
notice that a very large number of laborers
with horses, carts, ETC., are now busily at work
opening new streets north of Boundary avenue be-
tween Charles and Calvert streets and far out al
most as the York road. It is contemplated to
soon commence putting up large number OF
houses there, which must add materially to your
county's taxable basis At present nearly or quite
sixty fine dwellings being erected or nearly
completed in that neighborhood. 1t is surprising
too see how rapidly mprOvementprOgresses there
The foolish idea entertained by some uniformed
persons of its being a sickly region, subject to
chills and fevers, is wholly exploded by the fact
of those residing there during several years past
enjoying remarkably good health and freedom
from all kinds of disease.
All our theatres and places of public amusement
have been renovated and reftted for the full sea-
son. The managers anticipate an improved bust
ness. There is to be grand entertainment at the
Academy of Music soon for the benefit of the yell
low fever sufferers in the South. large attend
ance is expected.
The remnant of Old Defenders of lSl2-only
about forty five of them eft-expect to spend their
anniversary on the 18th proximo at Mt. Vernon,
or Washington's tomb. The youngest of them is
not much under so years, the oldest nearly 80.
The receipts of wheat in our market continue
unusually large with considerable sales for ship
ment to Europe and good demand-prices steady
though tending downward. FlOuris plentiful and
at low figures NEsToR