St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1879-01-31

Al
PETER COOPER's LIBEL sUIT-HEAvY
! COUNTERFEITING--EN EXHI-
BITIONs.
New YORK, Jan. "A, 1879.
To the Editor of the. CdledOnidn
Last week chronicled the disastrous
fire on Broadway which wiped out al
most two millions of property. The en-
bers of that conflagration were still
smouldering when another occurred
nearly One-half more destructive in the
heart of the dry goods district. In the
latter, as IN the former case, the pecul-
Early favorable condition of the weather
alone prevented IN unparalleled catas-
trophe. These warning calamities have
impressed and alarmed the whole city,
by showing to what an extent we ale mt
the mercy of the destroying element.
The insurance companies, most of whom
have thus seen swept away within Il
week more than their possible profits
for the year thus inauspiciously begun,
are naturally greatly aroused, and have
just been investigating through com
mittee, the condition of the lower part
of the town.
The report of this committee, shortly
to be published, will give some start
ling facts as to the belt of peril which
surrounds the business section of the
island, in the shape of the wooden piers
and sheds which line the waters edge
The report states that on the Hudson
river front alone there ale sixty-two
piers of wood, and of this number fif-
teen have either stationary boilers upon
them OF boilers upon wheels; on many
there are grist-mills and elevators, us
ing stationary power, and on ten there
are blacksmith shops, in full operation.
From the Battery to the foot of Charles
street there are upon these piers four
and half miles of wooden sheds. In
few cases the roofs are of corrugated
iron, but the sides and of course the
foundation are of light wood. Eight of
these piers have absolutely no protec-
ton from fire, not even Il hydrant or an
eXtinguisher. Nineteen of the piers
have no hose upon them, and only seven
of the entire number have watchmen
provided with watch-clocks. The COM
mttee discovered that on the piers
where hydrants are placed there is no
water at night, it being the custom to
shut off the water for fear of its freezing
in the pipes. The keys are locked in
the offices, and water could not he pro-
cured without great delay. Upon these
piers they discovered not only the most
valuable, but the most intlammable
goods IN the city stored in immense
quantities or awaiting shipment. 1t
seems only question of time, and per-
haps of Il very short time at that, when
most of New York has got to go.
The masses OF snow which have fallen
in the city recently have been terribly
obstructive of travel. Double teams to
half loads have been the rule, with slow
progress at that. Our able and efficient
STRENGTHENING department didn't seem
to notice anything unsual in the appear
ance of the streets for Il week after the
snow fell, but at length some one must
have told them about it., for they finally
made up their minds to clear the in |
cumbrance from the leading thorough
fares. 1t is no small job to clear Broad
way after such storm, as may be in
ferred from the fact that it took 1000
men and 600 carts from daylight till six
O'Clock in the evening to accomplish it,
during which period they shoveled up,
dumped into the rivers some 5000 cart
loads, weighing close onto two thousand
tons.
"The venerable Peter Cooper as the
reporters never tire of calling our aged
and amible philanthrOphist and Green
hacker, whose white-fringed counte-
nance graces the platform of about ev-
cry other public meeting that is held in
New York, and appears above the fes-
tive board at still larger proportion of
our public dinners, is still hearing from
his presidential campaign of two years
ago: Suit has been pending against him
In the state courts for some time past,
in which the plaintiff, a man named
Groom, claims $4,000 damages for Ii
bel. Groom seems to have occupied the
relation to Cooper during that campaign
that Stanley Matthews and Sherman did
to Hayes, or Pelton and Marble to Til
den; and when all was over, Mr..
Cooper accused Groom of msusing his
money. The latter felt greatly aggriev-
ed aud brought suit, only, however, TO
be badly defeated. During the trial Mr..
Cooper took the stand (figurativelv
speaking. In point of fact he sat upon
the inevitable air-cushion,) and as be is
very apt to do whenever lie speaks on
any subject, gave a condensed autobi-
ography, Informing the court, among