St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1879-02-14
Our New York Letter.

END VT LIE COSIOM hOUSE rlGhI-
TRIALS OF RAPID TRANsITERs-THOM-
AS NAsT'S TESTIMONIAL INSURANCE
PROsPERITY-A DECLINE IN LEGS
DEATH OF THE SUGAR AGITATION.
NEW YORK, Feb. Z, 1879.
To the Editor of the Caledonian
Every now and then, through .jang-
ling with the administration or running
afoul of some pet theories of the I'M
porters, the New York Custom House
is asked to stand up and turn its peck
cts inside out, like school boy with
suspected contraband articles. Know
ing winks have darkened one eye OF
many jealous politician as he laid
down the law in the palm of his hand,
and drew pictures Ofrottenness and cor
ruption 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 Gen. Merritt
must be accepted in great measure us
Il public Endorsement of his course, and
in recognition of the purpose he has
steadily advanced OF making the Gus
tom House here business establish
ment from top to bottom. And from the
political interest evolved from the bat
ties fought on this field, glance at the
magnitude of the business carried on al
this threshold of the port of New York
has been had through the overhanging
smoke of the "big guns" of investigat-
ing committees. 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 machinery involves so many de.
tails of interest, that | shall endeavol
soon to devote a letter to the subject
TO collect this revenue of one hundred
millions costs about two and hal
millions, leaving a margin which til,
supporters of protection love to contem
plate.
Out of the slush and mud of the Feb
ruary thaw are grateful New Yorker
taken by the elevated railroads, bu
when, as was the case on the Ninth av
enue line yesterday, an accident detain
hungry residents from getting up town
even bOb-tail surface car becomes
wheeled paradise. The detention re
ferred to occurred at point on tn
road where, as train after train came III
and was blocked, the passengers wert
unable to leave the cars. Fair weathe
christians made the air blue with choic
selections from their reserves, and a
the line of cars gradually stretche,
along five blocks, the gamins were ioin
ed by hOmeward bound pedestrians o.
the street below and hOoted derisiv
orders for sandwiches and breakfast 70
the hungry crowd on high. Workme
. worked in vain, and when the della
q took to itself a chronic appearance,
bold few let themselves down from th
cars to the track, and over the edg
down the iron cross pieces suppOrtin
1 the structure to the ground. Soon theT
+ was an avalanche of bundles falling in
;, to the street, followed by half famishe
owners. When the cars were finall
: moved to the stations, the passenger
who were too timid to attempt the de
d scent to the street, kept up the appear
ance of pluck by thrashing the gate
keepers In the vicinity of the nose whe
b" tickets were demanded. And now
e least three hundred New Workers. al
il ashamed to look any well regulate
n house car in the face. 1t is stated @
good authority, that the chuckling
the car horses during the elevate
J. blockade could be heard twenty blocI
lie against the wind,
h Thos. Mast, the genial, handsome al
:, richly talented little man who sustain
% the popularity of Harper's Weekly, al
70 whose odd autograph has become as
lie miliar to the world as that of sturC
John Hancock or ex-treasurer Spinne
,s was this week made the recipient of
graceful and well-merited token of e
; TEEN an the shape of handsome silv
ne vase, presented to him by commit