davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The New York herald., 1879-12-30
SIR FRANCIS HINCKs ON CANADA.

WINDSOR HorEt, NEw Yonx. Dec. 20, 1879.
To THE EDITOR HKnArp:-
/ trust that shall not bo deemed obtrusive II I
ask permission to mako few explanations with
reference to your report Of an interview which one
Of your reporters had with me yesterday. have no
complaint to mako of the report which. considering
that notes were taken, is wonderfully accurate.
Still there personal references which liable
to be misunderstood, and on fow points your re-
porter failed to grasp my ideas with perfect accuracy
Previous to the interview had road tho HERALD Of
the 9th. which referred In several articles 70 sup
posed excitcent In Canada the subject Of annex.
alton Independence, and had likewise heard that
Mr.. Perrault had boon In Washington recently and
had ntimated the probability Of important move
ment in that direction almost Immediately. When,
therefore, asked TO converse with your reporter
felt that ought not to refuse TO communicate my
views. The subjects wero introduced by your re-
porter, and answered to the best of my ability.
fear that II might bc inferred from the report that
I concurrcd in the opinion that tho gentlomen who
met in Montreal to found . political economy club
were annexationists. / have no such opinion. I
thought the Toronto Glo,e rather harsh assuming
80 much. do not believe that either Mr.. Msomas-
ter or Mr. Bray is In favor Of sevcring tho connec-
tion. understand that tho object IL TO have FREQ
discussion of such subjects and Of others. such as
the tariff, currency, &o. In referring TO Mr. Bray
stated that he had been but abort time In Canada
The New York herald., 1879-12-30
THE ASTOR HOUSE.

A FRIENDLY SUIT BEGUN FOB THE PARTITION
OF THE HOTEL PROPERTY AMONG THE HEIRS
OF THE LATE MILLLoNNAIRE.
John Jacob Astor in his lifetime conveyed. as is
we'll known. to his william b. Astor tho Astor
the latters death it should 60 the latters sons
share and share alike and to their heirs and assigns
forever" William b. Astor died ON November "a,
1875. leaving three sons. John Jacob. William and
Henry. Six years previously Henry Astor granted
his interest In future the hotel building John
Jacob and William Astor and Charles +. Southmayd.
trustees directing them to apply to his during
his lifetime the net proceeds Of his share and his
DEATH heleft no to convey the entire trust
to his surviving brothers and sisters, excepting
ohm Jacob Astor. aud to the surviving children Of
his brothers and sisters who died before him. He
directed the hna division among these heirs to be
per aiypes and not per capita. In May. 1872 John
Jacob Astor resigned his trusteeshp which fol-
Astor sns their Frank,n in'sg
son-n-law Of the lato William B. Astor. aud James
r. Chamberlain were chosen. Henry Astor and his
wife are still living, without children. AS Henry
Astor's interest In the Astor House property must
be conveyed and distributed among his surviving
brothers and sisters and the families Of such his
brothers and sisters may die before him. has boen
thought best to havo the hotel property
in order to prevent future trouble. Afrendly suit
Tor the partition Of tho hotel property has accord
ingly been brought in the supreme Court. The
plaintiffs in this suit are John Jacob Astor aud
hStoEs ouu Sno AcIouuAkltb CndfleB P SOUTH
mayd, Franklin II. Deano aad his wife Laura; John
Carey, Jr., and his wife Aida; Charlotte Augusta
Astor. wife OF Willism Astor, the plaintiff and some
txrty others. comprising the children. grandchii-
dfen and great grandchildren OF the late William b.
Astor. The plaintiffs ask tho Court to appoint
to partition the property and In an
equitable partition II found to be impossible soil
the property and divide in duo proportion the pro-
goods. Mcssrs Lord. Day ana Lord. counsel for tho
plaintiffs, as preliminary step in this action. OBJ
tained yesterday from Judge Van Worst, in Supreme
Court Chabers. order for the publication OF the
summons. many of the parties In interest are now
absent from the country.
The New York herald., 1879-12-30
FOUNDLINGS MERRY MAKING.

The Feast of the Holy Innocents is the patronal
day Of the children in the Founding Asylum.
and they celebrated It yesterday by . recep-
ton to their patrons. The boys. mono Of
whom arc six years Of age. astonished
the audience by their proficiency IN exercising
the dumb bells, and tho little girls showed equal
facility in tho graceful wand calisthencs 'Brdies
Bal exhibited the training Of the girls in dancing.
and tho "Bold Soger Boy" was 80 we'll executed by
the little boys who represented target company,
colorod water carrier and ALL that 1t fairly brought
down the house. "Dolly's Trials" ended In death
from broken head and she carried OF in tiny
express wagon, with her little mamma weeping in
most approved fashion. The chief interest, how
ever. centred in the Christmas tree which reached
from noor ceiling of the kindergarten room.
and laden with all the toys dolls and goodies
that delight the child heart. Tho little ones clus.
tcrcd about IL with bright eyes aud smiling faces,
while the ladies and gentlemen robbed tho tree Of its
burden and took especial that each child should
receive ono gift
The New York herald., 1879-12-30
FOR THE HOSPITALS.

Tho great annual collections OF tho last Saturday
and Sunday oil tho year behalf Of tho hospitals Of
the city have not yet been rcckoned up, and Il 10
probable that they will not be for somo days to
come. Mr.. Charles Laner. of No. 90 Nassau street.
the treasurer Of tho hospital fund. said yesterday
that while collections had been taken up many Of
tho city churches. IL not In ALL no had not yet re-
ceived tho reports from any OF thcm. In many
churches. he sad the collection would be taken for
some particular hospital. and the sum realized.
while 1t would probably bo turned to him.
would be dovotbd to the hospital specified. He ro-
eeived during tho day the public boxes which wero
placed IN various conspicuous positions IN the city
but said that Ms the contents were mostly In small
change IL would bo day or two before he would bo
able to report tho total amount received from this
source. Ho acknowledged the receipt yesterday from
various of 49, 252, In addition to tho $23S5
previously reported. or this sum 81. 1v2 came from
the Stock Exchange, $500 from Mr.. Robert L. Stu
art and 800 each from Mr. II. q. Do Forest Mr.. ".
III. Siado and MIR. H. w. Stevens.
Mr.. " ID. Dabcock, tho treasurer for tho subscrip-
tions made through the Chamber of Commerce, has
received among other sums, $1,000 from Mrs. A. r.
Stewart, tho salno amount from Henry Hilton and
SiOO from ". ID. Clafiin Co. In the six boxes
placed in tho Post Once, which opened ycster.
day In the Postmaster's room. there found
$50 II. 1t Is estimated that the total amount OF all
tho collections will DO between $4,000 and $4,000.
The New York herald., 1879-12-30
INCREASING TERMINAL FACILITIES.

ANOTHER GIGANTIC PURCHASE OF REAL ESTATE
FOR THE NEW YORK CENTRAL AND HUDSON
RIVER RAILROAD.
The large transaction in real estate recorded In the
Registers office yesterday-viz the transfer by s.
II. Lombard and others to the Hudson River Railroad
Company. for consideration Of $500 $780, OF tho land
west Of the railroad track to the river from Sixty
sixth to Sixtyseventh street. is but fraction of the
intended purchase for the and extended freight
depot of the road mentioned. Tho project includes
the entire section from the track Eleventh av-
to the river, together with all the
water front from Fifty-ninth to Seventy
second street. Already the company are In pos
session Of the land from Fitty-ninth to Sixty
sixth street. and have erected large cattle
sheds, two huge elevators and numerous tracks for
the storage OF hundreds Of cars on that section.
But to provide the terminal facilities for tho
city of New York it decided to purchase all tho
way up to Seventy-second street. The application,
with the reasons therefor. as provided under the
general railroad law of the State has been before
the Supreme Court and the commission appointed
by 1t taking testimony to the value Of the
property In order to assess the damage In all
where the owners have been unwilling to accede to
the terms offered by the railroad. The pur
chase recorded yesterday. and which does not
come under the above cateaory. includes the
extensive oil refinery of Messrs. Lombard 4
Ayres. with portion Of tho Harscn estate.
Tho docks along its front will accommodate tho
largest vessels, that all carriage. lighternge or
other expenses hitherto incidental to the transfer of
freight from rail to ship will bo avoided. with
sequent saving or timo also. Tho new depot will
not In any way ntersere with the regular business
will tend rather to relieve them. When completed
1t will enable freight to be shipped from Europe to
any place in the United States with but transfer
and that at this depot. The great Union Stock Yard
and market occupying the block west Of the track
from Ffty-eighth to Fifty ninth street Immediately
adons the cattle section of the depot, and will
together give this city immense advantage over
Jersey City in this class of freight.
The New York herald., 1879-12-30
CREMATION.

To THE EpIron OF TIE HKRALp:-
Since reading the glowing descriptions of the late
cremations my horror OF tho coid cold grave has in
creased very much. but before giving the necessary
instructions In my viii should like to know what
proof OF actual death should be accepted by my cre
majors before they begin to reduce my fosh to gas
and ashes.
1t is known that thousands of persons are buried
alive This Is no more horrible suspicion, but q
matter Of knowledge founded ascortained facts
aud on inference thcrefrom. Somo people, indeed.
comfort US with tho conjecture that In most casos
consciousness hardly returns before sufocation
mercifully supcrvenes. and that, even when on
digging up dear departed ones, we find they
have been cl.wing tho coffin and tearing out their
to be merely the work OF corebro-spins rcex auto
matc action, accompanied at worst by no more dis
agreeable sensations than those In night
mare. be this as It may we havo no cause to sup
pose that any similar mercful provision has been
made for our wttul and cruel stupidity were that
stupidity TO take the form of crenatng instead Of
burying our friends and relations alive. What IL
the trance stricken victim wcrc soen TO writho In
mortal agony for ono brief moment as he In showed
irrevocaby into the hery furnace2 Imagine tho tor
riblc feelings OF tho conscious but spobound cata-
leptc A. he Is carried TO the white hot oven Fancy
the awful moment OF supreme agony as tho spell
which bound MIN is broken. all too late. by tho
touch OF the famesi
for one instance OF living cremation would bc far
more terrible to the worlds feelings than hfty living
burials. That we go ON burying our dead In such
not s curious illustration Of the forco OF habit and
practical recognition OF the truth of tho old say
at;" but the eyes of ali tho world would, through
the press behold the awful spectacle Of the death
awakening OF cremsted trance victim; One such
case would knock cremation on the head for hun
dred years TO come, and our present beautiful
christian burial" system. which enables us with
ably out Of sight bSfcpe they awaken. would become
moro dear 70 US than ever. II. Il.
The New York herald., 1879-12-30
BROADWAY RAILROAD.

The meeting regard to . railroad in Broadway.
which was to have been held at tho Metropolitan
Hotel to-day. will not occur. tho committee ap-
pointed to consult with the property owners not
being ready to report. Nothing tangible has been
done far, but two circulars have been prepared
ana are now the hands Of Mr.. Lispenard Stewart,
No. "a william street. waiting for the signatures Of
property owners. One Of these is as follows:-
The undersigned, owner Of No. - Broadway, hereby
signifies that u is favor of Tho construction
railroad In that street. each property
allowed u he 50 desires to subscribe for prvportionate
of the capital stock Of the based upon
his frontage the street.
The other tells It's own story
Tho undersigned, owner Of No = Broadway, hereby
fuses his 10 tho construction Of railroad
whatever that street. matter by whom controlled
Considerable apathy has been shown by the prop
crty owners. and Mr.. Gerard remarked yesterday -
"The people most interested In broadway will not
wake up until the pirates have seized the street. %
AS soon as the viows OF the property owners havo
been asccrtained another meeting will bo callod.
The New York herald., 1879-12-30
FAILURE OF A BRIDGE CONTRACTOR.

J. LLOYD HAIGH, THE WIRE MANUFACTURER,
MAKES AN ASSIGNMENT FoR THE DENEFIT OF
HIS CREDITORS
The failure Of J. Lloyd Haigh, manufacturer Of
wire at No. 81 John street. was announced yester-
day. causing much surprise tn the trade. as Mr..
Raigh owned considerable property. was supposed
to bo doing very profitable business and had excel
lent credit and reputation. He was the contractor
for the wire for the Brooklyn Bridge. his bid being
$591 eOO and he furnished T00Oo09 pounds OF wire.
for which he has received payment by the company.
This contract ultimately led to his embarrassment
The steel was furnished to him OH contract by An
derson Co.. of Pittsburg. and all the work which
the bridge company was set aside to be utilized
by Mr.. Haigh in his business. and portions
account he owed the Pittsburg firm ut
one time 100000. against which he has
Snn 0 sHo"t :iSo @ 'aT M 70 th;s raod stn
was sent on here and stored Ia Brooklyn. and neces
STATED much expense IN testing and working 1t. Mr.
Haigh also made considerable improvements in his
factories In Brooklyn and ut Morrisania amounting
to $500O in anticipation OF increased business but
His affairs became inextricably embarrassed on
count OF carrying these heavy loads. Heavy
with several Of them he was advised to make Al
assignment in order that they all might receive 100
cents on the dollar He made the assignment against
his own wishes It is sad the deed being filed yester
day in this city and in Brooklyn. William H. Foster
being the assignee. All creditors treated alike.
no preference whatever being given. Tho total lia-
bilites about $500 0OO including real
debtedness and tho amount due Anderson L. Co. HIS
nominal assets placed ut $45OO00. The factory in
Brooklyn. with tho "plant," is estimated to be
worth 100000 and Is mortgaged for $4,000. He
owns real estate at Morrissnia and the factory val
ued In all at $20O.O00 mortgaged for $4,000. Be-
sides these assets there large number OF good
accounts upon which no estimate can be placed ut
present besides the stock OF wire and steel hand
Business will continue without interruption and the
creditors believe that Mr.. Haigh can pay in full IL
he Is allowed time TO get his affairs in proper shape.
Much sympathy Is expressed for him in the trade,
aud satisfactory arrangement will, no doubt, be
made with tho creditors who will be called together
in Q few days. when statement will be presented Of
the exact position Of affairs.
The New York herald., 1879-12-30
ROBINSON. FRANKS, MCPHERSON.

THE MURDERoUs MULArTo COMMITTED FOR HIS
ASSAULT ON GENERAL HENDRIcKsoS's COOK.
Charles Franks, alias John Robinson. who 80
brutaly assaulted tho cook Of General Hendrickson
ut No. 144 West Fortyeghth street. after breaking
into the premises. on Tuesday morning last. was
arraigned before Justice Murray at tho Yorkville
Police Court yesterday. The cook. Mary Redfarn.
an aged woman, with silvered locks. appeared
against him. her right arm in q sling and her head
swathed in bandages. When placed on the stand
she told the story Of the assault-how the man had
seized her. knocked her down and then struck her
on the head with some weapon which she did not
see. At the conclusion of her testimony the pris-
oner waived further examination and made the fol-
lowing answers to the formal questions preliminary
to his commitment:-"My name is John Robinson;
am by occupation a hreman and an twenty-nine
years OF age in regard to the charge OF felonious
assault plead not guilty" During the examination
the prisoner had been watched closely by Detective
Price, who recognized him as one Charles Nc
Pherson, who. having committed burglary ut the
corner Of Fifth avenue and Tenth street. was
fenced to tho State Prison for ten years and released
about seventeen months ago.
"I DARE EN- TO PROVE re-
HERALD reporter asked Robinson what he had to
say in reference to the assault.
''Oh," said he IL admit that I struck the woman
to give me chance; but they took up to the
house alone and then soon / got in where sho
was the other woman Brady seized hold of me aud
said, Yes; that's the man.. and them of course. the
cook identified me"
''But you are charged with other offences and with
having served a term in State Prison."
Well that Is something they can't prove. and
dare 'cin to prove it,
''You lived at No. lA West Thirty -nrst street. did
you notY'
'.Yesl That is just opposite the station house."
did you ever pass under. the name OF Charles
McPhcrsonY'
The effect of this question was astonishing Tho
prisoners countenance turned lvid. his Jaw
fell and his strength left him that but for
extended toward his shoulders he would have
dropped; aud speechIess he accompanied the officer
down stairs. the commitment having been madc In
default Of $4,000 bail
The New York herald., 1879-12-30
THE STEAMER ARRAGoN.

The report published yesterday thst the steamer
Arrngon, Of the Great Western Steamship line plying
between this port and Bristol. England. had
fouudcred at sea is discreditcd tho ofce Of the
company in this city. The agent is Mr.. W. d. Nor
gan No. 20 south street. II was stated at the Office
that the Arragon left this port for Bristol the
21th of November and arrived In England the 11th
inst Eight days afterward she sailed for this port
and 10 expected here next Sunday. The vessel is
manded by Captain John Brown. of Bristol, and has
q of thirty mon. She built at Glasgow In
1863. with twenty feet draught aud 1859 tons bur-
den. From twenty to thirty stcerhge passengers
carried by OF these steamers from England.
but passengers very rarely carried them from
this country, az the lno was ntonded for freight
purposes. Tho vessel was pronounced entirely sea-
worthy.
The New York herald., 1879-12-30

and that he had established paper called the Spec
taoy. which was said not to be financial success
indeed considering the short period 1t has been in
existence. it could scarcely have had the success
which think 1t merits and which sincerely hope
1t may have. With regard Mr.. Perrault's objection
to the connection. based the difficulty of trading
with foreign nations. owing the wantof power to
make treaties. probably did not explain myself
fully as l should have done. There conflict
ing interests between Great Britain and Canada
gardng trestes. In tho of the United States
1t is notorious that the imperial government has
afforded every facility to tho Canadian government
TO negotiate on the subject Of reciprocity In the
case of France have always held that Canada has
herself to blame for being placed in the disadvan-
tageous position which she occupies She admits
French merchandise on tho same terms Us tho most
favored nations. while France does not feciprocate
Canada has only to place extra duty on French
imports until France sees ft to change her policy.
1t must be borne in mind that the subjects discussed
with your reporter all introduced by
himself He must have misunderstood my
remarks regarding the of Lieutenant
Governor Letellier. as ! certainly did not
mean to convey the idea that anything con-
nected with his had led to antiBritish senti
ment Like all other questions that arise the people
Of Canada can settle it for themselves. just your
people can settle the Maine controversy. is pos
sibls that the remarks about sending representa-
ton to the English Parliament may be misunder-
atood They wero not meant to apply to the sending
of Minister TO represent the Canadian government
but to parliamentary representation am reported
having said that there considerable dissatis
faction with the policy Of the government at Ottawa
This simply had reference the fact that there is
regular opposition. which is of course dissatshed
but did not intimate that thought there any
probability Of split in either of the parties have
ventured though much hurried to-day. to trouble
you with the foregoing remarks. +. HINCKS.
The New York herald., 1879-12-30
NEW III" TICKETS.

new ticket will be put in on the eel" roads
on New Years Day. giving Uniformity to the appear
anco of the tickets used the several limos. They
will continue to be sold in bulk heretofore.
obtain them In packets Mt any of the stations One
and two-dolar bundles have hitherto been the fav-
oritc packages. The advantage OF purchasing these
bundles after the LIST Of January will DO that tho
passenger will always have with him a ticket that
will be available for transit on any of the roads
There will be two classes of tcketsone for tho Ave-
cent hours and the other for the ten-cent hours.
The New York herald., 1879-12-30
GENERAL sPINoLA's STEAM.

The Sinking Fund Commission in July last passed
resolution to grant to General Francis B. spinola
and his associates" the right to lay mains and pipes
on all tho streets below Canal street for the trans
mission of steam. which is intended to be furnished
to public buildings as we'll private residences by
the Holly Combination system. Yesterday tho men,
bcrs. by q vote or to I, tho Mayor voting In the
negative authorized the Comptroller TO execute the
contract between the oity aud General Bpinola and
his .nssociatee."
The New York herald., 1879-12-30
THE OCEAN TRAGEDY.

Tho investigation into the ARRAY board the
italian bark Francisco Donovaro. which resulted in
the death Of four mon. continued yesterday at
tho Italian Consul's Office In Cedar street. The evil
dence of portion of the officers aud seanen on
board tic vessel ut the timo will be taken each day
until all have testified. The examination IL being
conducted privately.
Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1879-11-20
Tea Culture In America.

1t is an established fact that the tea plant
will grow in the United States. Specimens
were fiourishing in Charleston nursery as
early as 1912, and in 1S48, Junius Smith,
of Greenville, S. c., made an attempt at
cultivating the plant, which was however,
abandoned before any conclusive evidence
was furnished for or against this industry
becoming a profitable venture. In 1858,
our Government, through the Commissioner
of Patents, imported 10000 plants from
China, which soon increased to 80, 600, and
these were distributed through the Southern
States. In 1852, the Department of Agri-
culture continued to propagate plants and
furnished them to all who applied for them,
but under the prevalent belief that so much
manipulation was needed in the manufact-
ure of the article that we could not compete
with the cheap labor of Asiatics, no special
effort was made to disseminate the plants.
Reports of the success in India now began
to arrest attention, and the Department was
stimulated to secure more seed and begin
the propagation of the plants in earnest.
In 1867, it was found that an abundance of
seed could be obtained from the plants al
ready growing in the South. Since 1868
from 10000 to 49, 900 plants were distribu-
ted every year until 1876, when encouraging
assurances from planters led to still more
extensiveo perations, so that l. 900, 900 plants
have been sent out during the last three
years, and the Department has some 120, 900
now on hand. All this has been done with
the intention of rendering the cultivation of
tea popular as domestic product, and with
the hope that public interest would be
ultimately directed to its cultivation as an
article of commercial value. One more
fact has been established on undonbted tes-
timony. A good quality of tea can be pro-
duced here. Even with the imperfect
knowledge of planters as to the proper time
for picking and the proper means of curing,
an article has been produced which expert
enced dealers pronounce very good. 1t has
been tested in Washington and other cities
with the same result. One lady in Colum;
bia, S. c., reports that she has obtained
five pounds Of good tea from one plant.