St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1880-04-23
Our New York Letter.

NOT TO CLEAN STREETs-SUMMER RE-
soRTs-FoREsT FIREs-A NAVIGATING
MONKEY.
New YORK, APRIL 10th, 1880.
To the Editor of the CaEedOnidn:
The other day Blackwell's Island
convict escaped by swimming across
He'll Gate TO Astoria. Nothing very re-
markable about that, of course. That
happens every day or two. The Gu
rious part of the story is that there was
policeman on land who took him into
custody as soon as he got out of the
water. | believe no parallel to this CO.
incidence is on the police records of
this vicinity; and in fact this alleged
fact would hardly receive credence but
for circumstance which will be noted
further on. From this point, however,
the story sounds more natural. On the
way to the station house the convict
told the officer that one of his fellow
convicts was making his way across the
W III.
and that he would land at Astoria also.
The officer, while thinking as to the
best course to pursue in the matter, let
his prisoner give him the slip, who fled
to the woods, leaving his coat in the Of
ficer's hands. The officer did not give
chase, but hurried down TO the shore to
apprehend the other convict which his
late prisoner had declared was making
his way toward Long Island shore. 1
need hardly add that the confiding cop.
waited in vain for the suppOsitious flu
gitive and finally went to headquarters
very much crestfalIen to relate his sad
story and turn over the captured coat
in confederation thereof
A curious law suit, in fact, the most
novel that has come before our courts,
is on trial before Judge Nelson and IA
jury i'll the court room, and before the
same Judge as Theodore TiltOn's suit
against Henry WaId Beecher. The
suit in question is brought by one Ger
man woman, who demands $50, 200
damages from another German woman,
ii rich Brook yn widow, for the aliena-
ton of her husbands affections. Her
story is that the peltidious widow first
took away her better half fer short
time only, when he returned and asked
forgiveness, which was readily granted,
and everything would have been lovely
but for the sudden temperance of the
widow, who drove round in her car
rage one fine morning to say that she
must have the man, as she couldn't live
without him, and ended up by carrying
him off in triumph. Then the wronped
wife resorted to law to reclaim the err
ring husband, but was defeated, and
now asks the Court for damages. The
decision is eagerly watched for, as there
is natural curiosity among both sexes
to ascertain just how much a husband
is worth. 1t is piece of information
that's handy to have in the house.
The public will be relieved to learn
that Mr.. William H. Vanderbilts FAM
lily are at last beyond any immediate
danger of becoming a burden to the
parish. The industrial and frugal head
of the house has succeeded in selling
enough of his New York Central stock
to enable him to purchase about $50
now by industry and strict attention to
business he can take between six and
seven thousand dollars out of Uncle
Sam's pocket every working day in the
year as interest Oh this snug little sum,
beside whatever his other $4,000, 900
of his miscellaneous property may net
him. This Is a very gratifying state of
things. 1t is so pleasant to see honest
toll thus rewarded. -HI
Among a large number of new and
elegant residences now ia process of
erection in Fifth avenue are five mag
niticent houses, palaces in fact, for va
rious members of the Vanderbilt family
These FIVE mansions are to cost, all told,
81 ,650, 900, the most expensive being
that of young Cornelius, who proposes
to expend three-quarters of a million on
IL home.
Our New York Street Cleaning Blu
reau has great difficulties to contend
with. 1t no sooner makes pretty and
artistic little mounds of dirt, thus add
ing to the architectural beauty of our
renowned city, than the feet of horses
and wheels of vehicles scatter the labo-
riously -collected heaps to the winds or
into peoples eyes and ears and necks or
whatever may be convenient, and the
modern mound builders have to do their
work all over again. This thing is re-
peated over and over, and must be very
annoying to the Commissioners. al
though it keeps good many poor and
deserving citizens in receipt of wages.
Some simple people who comprehend
nothing of the mysteries of officialism,
seem to think it would be much better
to have the miniature hills shoveled
into carts Immediately and taken away
but their notion is evidently absurd, for
no street official within the memory of
the oldest inhabitant has ever done
such thing.
The question of how and where to
spend the sultry days that are rapidly
bearing down on us promises to be Il
perplexing one for New Workers this
year. Not that there is to be any lack
of suitable resorts, but on the contrary
because the number Ofeligible places is
being multiplied to a bewildering ex-
tent. Any quantity of improvements
are now being pushed to completion,
one of which, that at Rockaway Beach,
is the most stupendous ever attempted
in this country. The main hotel, now
building there, is to he five times as
large as any other in the Union. There
is so much OF interest to tell about this
great work that | shall probably have
To devote letter to it before long.
The eastern side of this city is mostly
populated by Germans, and their
amusements differ from the ordinary
kind. To cater to their tastes. MANY
sO-cailed museums are established on
the Bowery. One of these was recently
dismantled and big savage mopkey
was forgotten. or at least loft ;nc;1o