Morning journal and courier., 1880-07-08

wise the army would be annihilated and the cause lost. At the close of the interview 1 General Grant handed to each of the corps I commanders present sealed orders, which were to be opened simultaneously at given l time, and acted under. These officers antici- pated that these orders related to retreat, l and made up their minds that they would
 soon be out of very tight place. Judge
 their surprise when at the appointed time I they broke the seals of their orders and | found themselves ordered to advance instead l of retreat until otherwise directed. The I country knows the result.
 l A very uncommon case has just been de- | cided by the Supreme Court of Iowa. It ap- I pears that water for all purposes, including
 the putting out of fires, is supplied to the l city of Clinton by the Clinton Waterworks l Company, under contract with the municipal authorities. When the plaintiffs property was recently on fire there was no water with which to extinguish it, and the failure was alleged to be due to defective machinery and ] negligence on the part of the water company. The property was completely destroyed, and suit for its value was brought by the owner against the company. The Supreme Court holds that the action cannot be maintained because there is no privity of contract be- tween the plaintiff and the waterworks com pany The parties to the suit are in law strangers to each other. 'It cannot be main
 tained," says the opinion, ''that the agents or officers of the city employed by the munich pal Government to supply water, improve the streets, maintain good order, are liable to citizen for loss or damages sus- tained by reason of the failure to perform their duties and obligations in this respect
 They are employed by the city, and respon-
 sible alone to the city. The people must trust to the municipal Government to en- force the discharge of duties and obligations
 by the officers and agents of that Govern
 ment They cannot hold such officers and
 agents liable upon the contracts between
 them and the city.''
 The approaching sale (for accumulated taxes) of the property on which was situated the ''Sy1vanian Home," founded by Horace
 Greeley, recalls the history of that enter prise. The property is about six miles from the village of Lackawanna, Pa. It was sold
 to Horace Greeley, who in 1S43 formed a
 joint stock company and established the
 'Sylvanian Society" after the plans of Four
 fer Large numbers of people joined the so-
 ciety, mills were set in running order,
 large and well-constructed houses were erect
 ed, the main building covering nearly one fourth of an acre of ground, and containing large dancing hall. All property was held in common by the members of this institu- ton, and the society flourished, over 300 per sons being enrolled. A commissary, elected
 by the members, provided the food, which given twice week. On Sunday the chap lain delivered sermon. Their physicians
 visited all the sick in the neighborhood. Their carpenters were kept constantly busy,
 while their shoemakers, tailors and other tisans were obliged to work day and night.
 The proceeds of this labor went into the treasury. As the wealth of the community increased, the idea of erecting a magnificent
 temple for worship was conceived.
 The ground was selected, the timber cut, and
 the corner stone of the temple laid with i'm
 posing ceremonies. MT. Greeley himself de-
 livered the address. The corner stone,
 which still remains in place, contains copies
 of the Tribune, coins and currency of that
 year and the rules of the society. Shortly
 after the laying of the corner stone jealousy arose between some of the members, work
 ceased and in less than month the associa- tion burst, the settlers left and the stock
 was declared worthless. MT. Greeley lost
 some 1925, GOO, which he had invested in the
 concern.