St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1878-01-18
Our New York Letter.

Frs DoINGs-A SAD DEATH-CATs VS..
BABIEs-AN INSURANCE CONGRESS"
ALL SORTS.
NEW YORK, Jan. IL, 1878.
To the Editor of the CaledOnian
The yearly report of the Commission
ers of Emigration is of interest as show
ing how the coming down of this coun-
try from initiation to hard-pan has tend
ed to equalize its attractions with those
of European countries. In the long
period which eliminated in 1872 money
could be made so easily in 1.-THE States"
that immigrants fairly swarmed into
the port of New York, the number land
ing at Castle Garden in the latter year
being close upon 100000. Since that
time low wages and scarce work has
told immensely upon these figures, I'M
til in 1877 they were reduced to little
over $4,000. This decrease might be
regarded as a retardatiOn of the devel-
Opment of the country, but | believe it
to be wholesome and in every way ad-
vantageOus. During the years of larg-
est immigration the ignorant alien ele-
ment poured in faster than it could be
assimilated and properly taken care of;
so much so that Uncle Sam was threat
ened with bad case of political indi-
gestiOn. The subsistence of the stream
came none too soon. In fact it is more
than probable that we should be the
ton to go on for several years to come.
The Comptrollel's report for the past
year shows Il reduction of the city'S
debt for the first time within the mem
DRY of man. To be sure, the reduction
was only two millions, while the fund
ed debt is over sixty times that amount,
but this showing proves that it is posi-
bic for Il check to lie put upon the fear
full accumulation of Indebtedness which
has been going Oh year after year, and
Nj. Kelly has won the public gratitude
| accordingly.
The aldermanic committee, which
has been investigating the Old Ring
matters, has also made IL report, in
which it is shown that while some thir-
~ millions were stolen or squandered
10y that famous organization, only $50
900 have been recovered. The cOmhlit-
tee urge further and more vigorous
prosecutions of the culprts within reach. !
The aldermen have passed vote rec
ommending the release of Tweed.
The annual sale of pews in Plymouth !
church came off on Tuesday evening,
and Melted IL little short of $;}7 900. As |
this amount is smaller than the receipts |
of previous years, Mr.. Beecher has VOL |
UNFAIRLY reliuquiShed one fourth of his
$4,000 salary for this year, and will !
therefore have to preach at the starva-
ton wages of about 1888 pei Sunday, |
including the ten or dozen Sabbaths of
his regular vacation. As he is sure.
however, of good income from his
lecture tours, he hopes to escape the
SutferingS of want.
Mr.. Beecher's well known Life of
Christ" which was partially published
at the time of the failure of j. b. Ford
Il Co., his publishers, has since been at
il stand still, and was generally thought
to have been abandoned. At the re-
cent sale by auction of the effects of the
bankrupt firm, however, one of the lots
offered WAS the original contract which
MIR. BeecheI made with the publishers
to write the book, and this was bought
for : 900 10y Il merchant of this city.
who says he shall hold the author to
the terms of the contract, and expects,
after all, to make money out of the
work. SO the Life" will probably
he completed and placed on market.
Taking ones own life is matter of
such ordinary occurrence iii this great
city, that the inherent strangencss of ii
state of mind which can force its posses
Sor to take the mysterious leap in the
dark, is quite lost sight Of and suicide
in general attracts hardly more atten-
ton than petty larceny. One such in
cident this week, however, has excited
considerable wonder and speculation.
In this case, young man, the nephew
and prOtege of rich Brooklynite, took
ii Hudson River ferry on the morn
ing of his wedding day, and when the
boat was in mid-stream stepped to the
stern, took out Il revolver, shot himself
through the head, and dropped a corpse
inte the river. Nothing more appar-
emily cauSelesS was ever reported. Here
was a young fellow, well connected,
prosperous, temperate, and without any
= V.
but without warning, putting an end to
his life only few hours before he was
to have been united to the woman to
whom he had long been engaged, and
whom it was evident he tenderly loved.
What Imp of the Perverse was it that
obtained such sudden and complete
mastery over him and what safety is
there for any one when such terrible
l,,rI I,
reasonable exterior, ready at any mo-
ment to break out into fatal express
sion
1t is a painful admission, but one
which verify compels me to make, that
New York thinks more of cats than of
babies. We had show of the latter a
month or so since, which had three or
four hundred entries, was attended by
sundIy fond parents and stunned like
the plague by old bachelors and maids.
Shortly thereafter the cats demanded
an opportunity to test popularity with
the babies, and, being accorded the OPP
pOrtunity, turned out over 700 strong
at the American Museum, to challenge
attention and admiration. Some fifty
prizes were to be distributed, to be
awarded according to the votes of Wis
itOrs and when the fair closed this
week the number of votes cast was
found to be $4,000. Where are the
babies now?
One by one the roses fall A little
while ago it was Case, who was allowed
five years in which to reflect in peace
full seclusiOn upon perjury as applied to
life insurance. Last week it was Lam
bert who was awarded similar privi-
leges. Now it is WetmOre, who has
9One to swell the .IinSuIance cnnNressn