The Portland daily press., 1879-08-05
A Man Knocked Down and Robbed on
Fore Street.

Last evening, between eleven and twelve
o'clock, officers Rice Hicks and Mason heard
cry of murder" on Fore street. near Market,
and found Samuel Mcdonald down, and
Sc useless, and Moses McCarty, an old man
and quite feeble, making what resistance
he could to two young and strong men, who
fled when the officers approached They've
got Sans watch and my hat,'' said McCarty
as the officers came up, who followed the flee
ing desperadoes and captured one after hot
resistance, in the course of which he dropped
McCarty's hat. The other escaped The
prisoner refused to give his name, but said he
was sailor.
Mcdonald was found to have received Sc
we're injuries about the head, having apparent
ly been struck with a club or something of the
kind. He and McCarty had been to Gorham's
Corner and were returning home when the
assault was committed, and it is supposed that
Mcdonald was struck from behind. McCarty,
no is quite old, did not attempt to run but
stood his ground and shouted for help. The
assailants seized McDonald's watch, a silver
one, valued at 800 and struck McCarty twice
on the head, and when seen by PRESS re-
porter last night he was suffering badly.
1t is believed that the two men who made
the assault followed the men from Gorham's
Corner and waited for the opportunity to make
the assault, and it is suspected that both board
at a notorious house on Fore street
Both Mcdonald and McCarty were perfectly
sober, and McDonald's injuries may prove
more serious than was at first thought He
4ol L. l. 11oI
at midnight was evidently a badly used-up
man, his head being very much swollen and
painful.
The man who was captured will be brought
before Judge Knight this morning.
Gas and Grumblers.
"a Grumbler," one of many, wants to know
why the newspapers do not complain of
the eXtortionate rates charged for gas in this
city He appears to have sent a sort of circu-
lar letter to the newspapers, setting forth his
complaint, and thus putting the reporters con
the hunt so to speak. They have probably
got more information about gas prices within a
day or two than they had before acquired dur
ing their lives.
In answer to "Grumbler we have this to
say: We do not think the price of gas in this
city is high as compared with the rates ruling
in other cities. If the complaint ever had any
foundation it certainly has none now; for ON
the first day of this month of August the gas
company reduced the rate per thousand to
$3.50 net. Let us see how that compares with
other cities We learn from the latest pub
lished reports that the gas company of Brook
line, Mass, with a capital of $3.50, 000,-tbe
same as that of the Portland company
charges $3.50 a thousand net; that Cambridge
100000 capital, charges So; that Charlestown
100000 capital, charges $2.75; Chelsea, $780,,
900 capital, 50; East Boston, 1920, 900 capital,
S3; Jamaica Plains, 100000 capital, 80; Law
renee, $4,000 capital, $2.65; Lynn, $1,000
capital, IS; Meriden, Conn, $15O,0O0 capital
S4; New Britain, $4,000 capital, S4; New
ton, Mass, 100000 capital, $3.50; Worcester
100000 capital, $685. Roxbury 5000, 900 cap
ital, $40; Salem $500, 900 capital, SO; South
Boston, $4,000 capital, So, and on bills over
500 year S275; Springfield, 100000 CAPT
tai, $2.S5 on small bills and $40 on large
bills. These are all net prices.
1t must be remembered too, that i'll many
of these places pipe-laying is much easier than
in Portland where so much stone has to be
bored through. 1t does seem really that the
| grumbers are making causeless complaint.
The Back Bay Nuisance.
at seems almost useless to further discuss
the subject" as gentleman on State street
remarked Saturday. Something" he said,
must be done at once, or people will have to
abandon their residences in the northern slope
of the CITY," This statement is not whit too
| strong, as any one who has had experience this
summer knows. The city of Portland has en-
| joyed a reputation in the past for its healthy
situation, and certainly no city in New Eng
| land has better, but the neglect of the proper
authorities i'll the matter of providing proper
| sewerage on the side towards the Back Bay,
and in preventing the accumulation of filth
which poisons the air in that vicinity causing
| dangerous sickness and death to the unfortu-
nate dwellers is unaccountable. AS the mat
ter now stands, property on Deering street,
| lower State, High, Mellen, and Cumberland
streets, must be greatly deprecated in value,
as people will not live In a locality so danger
| Gus, or from which they must fee in the hot
| months as if from pestilence. Yet this is not
| overstating the case at all. People cannot live
safely within reach of the pestilental odors
which are almost nightly blown from the mill
pond and certain portions of the Bay. Of
course the danger is not wholly confined to
those localities where they are the most per-
ceptible. Other parts of the city where they
are not perceived as Objectionable odors, are,
also, in danger. The question is, will our pub
lie authorities attend to this matter, and drop
ping a false idea of economy, remove the
| trouh1a will nj 10 +I,o
cost.
Narrow Escape.
Vest erday morning gentleman who was