New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-08-05

in the accounts of collectors having been made
good. The total cost of collecting this vast
sum. including all salaries etc. has been only
three and a-half per cent of the amount OBJ
tanned. The business men of the country VINO
want to see the Government administered
economically and in business-like way, are
respectfully requested to consider how THIS
picture would probably be altered IL the
present faithful and experienced olhclais were
discharged, and their places filled with men
of the class who have made bear-garden OF
the Congressional offices.
A number of enterprisng capitalists have
fled in the Registers Office, in Brooklyn, the
man of a proposed elevated road, to be built
by the New York and Brooklyn Elevated Rail
road Company. AS its name indicates, il ex-
poets TO cover a number of streets in New
York the number of streets in Brooklyn de-
sired to be covered is legion, and their length
is estimated at eighteen miles. The New
York route Is intended to begin near the juno
ton of FOurth-ave. and Forty-secOnd-st,
thence by streets and private property to q
point on the East River between Catherine ana
Wall Street Ferries, and across the river by u
bridge. The promoters of this scheme are
Overestimating the generosity OF New ork.
Portions or the whole OF First, Second,
Third South Fifth. Sixth, Eighth and Ninth
ayes. have been given up to elevated roads,
and there is decided feeling abroad that
the limit has been reached. Rapid transit
can be had with the existing roads, and we
greatly mistake public sentiment If any add
ton to their number is permitted.
1t is an open question whether every per-
son who commits suicide is not insane
at the time. But there lower
depths of mental lmbecillty tHan mere
lunacy implies, and the person by the name
of Travers who shot himself yesterday, would
seem to have reached them. His last letter
to his wife is an excellent specimen OF the driyel
in which men who are about to Iush bndly into
future which has never been revealed
often indulge. First, he asks his wife
tcmdery to follow him TO Lis grave,
tells her that she has driven him to his deed,
that his death is on her hands, end then says
he hopes to meet her in Heaven;
also assures her that his heart is broken,
that If he can come back from the
other world he will haunt her night and day,
and then in the same breath begs her not to
forget him, for he loves her. All this IS pitt
ful enough, and yet it is so unworthy OF
sympathy or respect that persons who have
any thought OF suicide may well be
deferred from it by the thought that they,
too might furnish spectaces like this, as the
Spartan women were deferred from it 10y the
fear Of the public shame that followed 1t.
The uerils Of steamboat travel are growing
to he almost past belief. There has been much
said IN She past few weeks upon the wicked
ness OF allowing lio-boats and lie-rdlts TO lie
neglected until they have grown useless, and
OF intrustng the care Of great bOlt-loads Of
passcngers to raw deck-hands whose mex
percnce is not corrected by any instruction
or dill. Now it seems that the press must
assume the peculiar. duty of insisting that
steamboat captains must know how to COM
mand, and that pilots must be able 10 steer.
A RockaWay excursion boat with several hun
dred MESSENGERS on board ran into Il schOOn er
yesterday, and all this II broad noon, on the
quiet waters of the harbCr, within gun-shot
of the Battery, and with the Captain Of the
steamboat at the helm. 1t is marvellous that
the injuries received by passengers should
nave Deen so rev, ara, colup"I dtifS.9s 81
slight From the nature Of the accident many
persons might easily have been seriously
hurt, if not killed. Much has been said of
the failure of the Captain of the Stonngton
/ to steer as he should have done, even in a
! thick fog What shall be said of this
| Captain, who could not take bis boat
/ straight across a bay III daylight, where
! there were fewer vessels than usual ?
/ 1t is to be noticed that he says nothing for
himself. This is in effect saying everything
against himself, and shows some sense of fit
! ness.