Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1879-02-17
LETTER FROM NEW YORK.
Special Correspondence.

inside out, like schoolboy with sus-
pected contraband articles. Knowing
winks have darkened one eye of many
a jealous politician as he laid down the
law in the palm of his hand, and drew
pictures of rottenness and corruption
supposed to be underlying the placid
surface of the life inside the huge stone
building on Wall street.
Whatever the past may have discov-
cred, the confirmation of General Mer-
rift must be accepted in a great measure
as a public Endorsement of his course,
and in recognition of the purpose he has
steadily advanced of making the Custom
House here business establishment from
top to bottom. And from the political
interest evolved from the battles fought
on this field, glance at the magnitude
of the business carried on at this thres-
hold of the port of New York has been
had through the overhanging smoke of
the "big guns" of investigating commit
tees. The Custom House here is the
source of about one hundred millions of
dollars to the Government annually. 1t
employs nearly thousand men, and
the practical working of its human ma
chinery involves so many details of inter-
est, that | shall endeaEor soon to devote
a letter to the subject. To collect this
revenue of one hundred millions costs
about two and half millions, leaving
margin which the supporters of pro-
lection love to contemplate.
Out of the slush and mud of the Feb
ruary thaw are grateful New Workers
taken by the elevated railroads. but
when, as was the case on the Ninth
avenue line yesterday, an accident de-
tains hungry residents from getting up
| town, even a bob-tail surface car be-
comes a wheeled paradise. The deten-
ton referred to occurred at point on
| the road where, as train after train came
up and was blocked, the passenges were
unable to leave the cars. Fair weather
christians made the air blue with choice
| selections from their reserves, and as
the line of cars gradually stretched along
FIVE blocks, the gamins were joined by
homeward bound pedestrians on the
street below and hooted derisive orders
for sandwiches and breakfast for the
hungry crowd on high. Workmen work
ed in vain, and when the delay took tc
itself chronic appearance, bold few
let themselves down from the car to thu
track, and over the edge down the irol
cross-pieces supporting the structure tt
the ground. Soon there was an avail
anche of bundles falling into the street
followed by half famished owners. Whel
. the cars were finally moved to the sta
tlons, the passengers who were too timit
to attempt the decent to the street, KEEP
nr, tho appearance nf nlnek nv thrashini
the gatekeeprrs in the vicinity of tn
nose when tickets were demanded. An,
now at least three hundred New York
ers are ashamed to look any regulates
horse-car in the face. 1t is stated o
good authority, that the chuckling c
the car horses during the elevated block
ade could be heard twenty blocks agains
the wind.
Thos. Mast, the genial, handsome an
richly talented little man who sustain
the popularity of Harpers' Weekly, an
whose odd autograph has become as fl
miliar to the world as that of sturd
John Hancock or ex-treasurer Spinner
was this week made the recipient of
graceful and well-merited token of e'
TEEN in the shape of handsome silve
vase, presented to him by committe
of the donors, who are some $500 of
GERS and enlisted men of the army an
navy of the United States. Mr.. Ma
has Away been stanch friend of tt
army and navy, as we'll as of the gel
eral principles of honesty, justice an
common sense, and this merited test
mony might with propriety be regarde
as coming from the whole nation.
=. Circumstances of the last two month
to which | referred in a late letter, ha'
, ing brought the whole subject of Il
theory and methods of life insuran,
!. again uppermost in the press and in Il
=, public mind, the statements of the var
Gus companies which January, as usua
brings forth. are once more objects
> interested study and comparison. c
the whole they show that the leadir
companies have held their own very e
couragingly, and a few of them rha
even made consideration addition
their surplus. In one case. that of t
Etna of Hartford, this increase amour
to almost million of dollars net f
the year. Of course this is exception;
but it shows what honesty and persi'
ent conversation of management W
. do in even the most unpropitious time
This principle of conversation, the on
. true one to govern the management
trnst funds, is in the Etna as far
e moved from sold fogyism" as it is fro
- imprudence, and has given that CO.
: pany position which it would be fai
nraise tn call anviahla