Daily Republican., 1879-10-01
QUE DELAWARE CITY LETTER.
The Cause Of EducaifOn-A Della
ware City Fire-POultry for the
MiddIetOwa Fatr-Minor Local

MiddletOwa Fatr-Mfnor Local
Special Correspondence Of the Republican.
DELAWARE CITY, Sept. %, 10.
My remarks last week in reference to-
our schools have had good effect, if | am
to Judge from the conversation | learn
is daily taking place am ong our citizens.
The School Commissioners too are hav-
ing their say. If my letter has done
nothing else, it has as least drawn the
attention of all concerned to the neces-
sity of having better school accommoda-
tion, for the two hundred children who
attend, or should attend school. A suit
able building would long ago have been
either purchased or built if the COM
missioners had not been prevented by
citizens, who held them in check. /
am told by one of the prominent men Of
the town, that the commissioners have
the necessary funds in their hands, but
areafraid to use them for building pur-
poses, the majority of them having deci-
ded that the money raised is for educa.
tional purposes alone. Well, now, l
agree with this majority, but choose to
look at things in rather different light
from what they do.
What folly, or sheer nonsense,
might say, it would be to employ the
best teachers that could be found, and
purchase all the paraphernalia requi-
site, and yet have no suitable building
to conduct the school in. Is not the
building just as necessary as the ad-
iuncts, performing It's part in the edu-
cation of the children! Oh, what
sticklers some men are for the meaning,
or intent, or the construction ofphrases?
| shall have more to say cn this school
question hereafter. Suffice for the
present to say that very many of our
citizens will not send their children to
the public school owing to the Gro Hded
condition of the rooms.
We carae very near having the big
gest kind of a fire here this morning.
About half past two o'clock, Mr.. VIM.
Steel-one of the men who attends the
canal locks-was on his way home
when his attention was attracted by a
bright light in Mingo's court. He
went over, and discovered that a fire
had been started against the door of
Nj. Aker's bakery.
He promptly tore board off of Mr..
Mingo's house, and, by battering
against the side of the house, succeeded
in arousing the neighborhood, when this
fame was extinguished by few buck
cts of water. In order TO facilitate the
burning a free application of coal oil had
been made to the door. The fire had
burned through on the edge of the
door, had taken hold of the inside, and
was burning against the ceiling when
it was fortunately discovered. A few
moments more and the fend's hellish
purpose would have been accomplished;
and then not only large amount of
property would have been consumed
but the loss of life that must have fol-
lowed is a thing fearful to contemplate.
All of the buildings in that neighbor-
hood are frame structures, and if the
fire had had half chance it would
have been impossible to have saved
them.
What motive could have prompted
the fiend in human shape to attempt
this wholesale destruction OF life and
property, it is impossible to imagine.
The building is owned by Mr.. Knause
who keeps a store in front, whilst the
dwelling is occupied by Mr.. Aker,
whose bakery is in the rear, where the
fire was started. The building is very
heavily insured. Too much praise can
not be bestowed upon Mr.. Steel for the
promptitude with which he acted, and
it is very fortunate indeed, or rather
providential, that he staid at the locks
until that hour, thus preventing a Sc
rious contlagration, and thwarting the
design f this miscreant. There should
by all means be an investigation into
this affair, and if the guilty fend is
found, he should either be strung up to
the mos. convenient lamp post, or ex-
coriated from one extent of the town to
the other.
Messrs L. K C. Won Culin. the noted
poultry breeders of this town, will have
on exhibition at the Middletown fair
a trio of black breasted red game ban
trlms, trio of golden sea-bright ban
tums, trio of buff cochins, a trio of
partridge cochins, and trio of black
breasted red game fowls. Be sure and
see them. Our housewives are busy
delving into the tomatos, making cat
sup, butter, etc. Almost any day par
ties can be seen carrying away from
Mr.. Cleaver's canning establishment
buckets full of tomato drippings, with
which they make butter. catsup, etc.
Mr.. Cleaver does not sell it, but gives
it away. 1t is just as clean as the to-
matos that are put in the cans; it is
quite thick, and answers the house
wife's purpose great deal better than
whole tsmatos. 1t is very great &C
commodation, too, to the poor people
of the town to have those drippings
given to them, as it saves them many
penny. The tomato butter is made
by stewing the tomatoes down to one
half their original quantity, then add
one pound of the cheapest sugar to
every pound Of tomatos, and stew six
hours; flavor with cinnamon, cloves or
ginger to taste.
Two young couple of this town have
lately entered the holy bonds of matri-
mony. On Monday they take posses
sion of their new home, and on Tues
day evening they will be the recipients
Of a first-class serenade by the renown-
ed calithumpians, who will make the
welkin ring with their peculiar music;
after which, they will of course be en-
tertained in fitting manner by the
happy bride and groom. May their
lives flow on in perpetual harmony of
happiness, and may they obey the
scriptural injunction Of
Tho last nosnuitO ia loft hu,yipp