New-York tribune., 1880-02-22
BOSTON TOPICS.
- .r1,-,, ANn nFNERAL GOSSIP.


THE BACK BAY THEATRICAL NOTES.
FRoM An occ ,sroSAL CORRESPONDENT OF THETRIBUNE'l
Bosrov. Feb. 19-Before our present legis-
IatIye session ends we are to have much talk and
oood deal of lobbying Oh one branch or another of
fine cyer-prcsont Hquor question. 1t is presented
in three forms tlis year. First there ls the prop
osltion TO repeal the Civil Damage law OF last
year; second there is the demand Of a large num-
Der of women that their be allowed a voice in
determining whether licenses shall be granted 4;
and, thi1d, there is the usual basketiul OF petit
uons for the repeal Of the License law and the re-
enactment of a strong prohibiory statute. On the
first of these issues the legislative Committee has
already reported by 8 to 3 that the repeal of the
law Is inexpedlont. There are men in the Legisla-
ture who sincerely believe that the law is unjust
aud ought TO be repealed The fight over the mat
ter will, however, be very largely political in its
bearings. One section would like to send repeal
bill to the Executive Office simply to make
trouble for Governor Long and the dom
inant party in the State. They argue
IN private that whether the Governor signed
vetoed such BILL he would cease, for the present
least, TO have any standing as political force. The
essential fact of the situation is that the average
country citizen rather believes IN this Civil Damage
law The Governor viii not be required 10 pass
of the issues have named. hearings are now taking
place. The are quite likely to get their bill
before one branch of the Legislature for discussion
But do not yet see any reason for thinking it will
become law. As to the third of the pending
issues-well, it has been agreed IN committee to
port Prohibltory bill. and recommend the repeal
of the License law. The report will find high favor
among outsiders, who are not called upon to con-
slider the political future. That it will be accepted
by the Legislature do not yet believe.
THE NEW TOWN OF OAK BLUFFS.
The Island of Martha's Vineyard. off the southern
coast of Cape Cod forms the County OF Dukes, with
an area of some 10000 acres and population of
about 100 persons Originally the island
divided into two towns 1isbury and Edgartown.
both of Which were incorporated in July 1871. The
old town Of Tsbury suffered the loss of what be
came Chimark in IVA, and from portions of Chill
mark were incorporated Gosnold IN 1861, and Gay
Head in 1870. The population of the five towns
according to the last State census was as follows;
Edgartown. 1,7O7; Tsbury, 1925; Chllmark 50Si
Gay Head 2l6; Gosnold. 11J. Doubtless it must
seem to an uoutslderknowng nothing of the situation
down there that a town with only 1907 population
was in no great need Of q division. But
Edgartown includes more than quarter of the area
Of the county within its boundaries and what is of
"a
nous Summer resort Of Oak Bluffs-the two villages
being at least five miles apart and having almost no
interests in common. For a long while Oak Bluff,
was nothing but Sumner city in fact. It orig
inally only q Methodist camp-mceting ground. Now
il is claimed that 800 persons live there the year
round. Certainly there are three churches, fifteen
or twenty hotels. and over "a thousand taxable
buildings. The heavy propery-owners Of the Bluffs
have been uneasy for some years. Ihe
management Of afFlirs by tho oll-fash-
ioncd town officers Of Edgartovu was uo'
all to their liking. They had 10 spend
thousands OF dollars Of their own money for such
improvements ne they desired at the Bluffs. So
three years ago they started the idea OF n division
of the town. Last Winter there was one Of the
longest and most hotly contested fights in the Leg
islature that we have ever had over question of
this kind. Tho Bluffs people were deteated-de-
featcd but neither cast down nor dsmayed. They
mads an energetic Summer campaign on the issue;
tho booming of their tOm-toms filled the State the
Edgartownitos speedily realized that they were
beaten. They surrendered SO completely that the
bill dividing the old town and Incorporating the new
town Of oak Bluffs has gono through the Legisla-
ture without contest. When the Governor has
signed II Massachusetts will have total Of cities
and 32G towns.
TIE ADAMS NERyINE ASYLUM
Five or six years ago there died in Newton n cti-
zen named Seth Adams who left large estate and
a curious will. Just what relatives he had and
what provision he made for them do not rccollect
but the bulk Of his property set apart for the
establishment Of n nome or asylum for nervous per
sous Mr Adams himself very nervous man,
with characteristics 80 marked and peculiar that 4
careless TO ks sometimes spoke of him insane.
There woro great good and method in his
madness. Long observation had made him dlstrust
ful of lunatic hospitals he believed they had caused
insanity as well as cured it. In other words he be-
licyed that many persons in hospital and now actu.
ally insane, might have been saved If properly !
treated IN the early stages OF thor disease. Hence
the institution he had In mind was neither an asy.
lum for the treatment OF insanity medical |
hospital Tor tho treatment OF nervous diseases. but
a. one may Say, q home for the care and nursing of |
persons more or less strongly threatened with |
mental overthrow. The Adams NervIno Asylum |
was opened few days ago with degree of quiet
ness that must.haye been very grateful TO the spirit
IF IFS nervous founder. For the present il consists
nf a single roomy and comfortable house on q |
beautiful and retired twenty y-ivc-acre tract ont |
i'm tho Jamaica PLAIN district of the cltY. Here the
and his family arc TO live. with
ma imum OF ten or dozen paying patients. Be-
fore the end of another year the trustees hope To
have ready another bulldinR with accommoda tiOns
for about tWentt-nN0 Tree patonlS. Ihtf nave
placed at the head If the institution DR.. Frank ".
pc for some time of the staff Of the MaSsachu
,etts General Hospital and lately acting -superm-
fendent OF the Mclean Asylum for the Insane.
The aggregate OF funds m the hands of the man
agenent the income of which II to be used for the
maintenance of tine establishments Is now about
$500 600 not including the land and bindings
Dctually occupied. The affairs Of the Asylum
are controlled by Henry T. Kiddcr, Apheus Hardy. |
the Rev. DIR. Ellis. Dr.. II. /. Bowdltch, SAMUEL n. |
Warren, DR.. Samuel A. Green, and six or eight other
gentlemen oi similar standing. 30 far "a | am
aware. there ~ not Ia The United States another
stiutiOn that sets for itself exactly such work IA
tins one chooses. Therefore you may look upon II |
a. one OF the unique things peculiar To Boston.
Arr NOTES.
The artists who join in tho exhibition and private
sale at tho Studio Building generally quite well
,Ieasrd with tins reception their yenture hos |