St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1880-01-02
Our New York Letter.


CHRISTMAS IN GOTHAM-ELECTRIC EDI-
SON AND THE RABBIT HUNTERs-sEN
FENCED MURDERERs' VIEWS ON HANG
ING-A MAD POLICEMAN-YET ANOTH-
Err NATIONAL HYMN-sHADOws OF
THE SEASON.
New YORK, Dec. 26, 1879.
To the Editor of the CdIedOnian:
Santa Claus had pretty rough time
travelling this Christmas. Four days
of the meanest weather, in spite of the
noble exertions of ex-clubber street
cleaning Capt. Williams, so covered the
city with slush that the reinneer got
tired, the famous sleigh got miTed, and
having to avail himself of the services
of New York hackmen, their charges
were so high that the old Saints money
gave out. In sober fact, business,
though so brisk for some weeks when
people with cash took time by the fore
lock, simmered down when the disgust
ing warm storm came on, and many
people put off their purchases to the
last minute. Then the weather might
be as mean as it liked, they were bound
didn't-nor half. The crush i'm the stores
was terrific, and if any one got Just a
quarter of what he set out to buy he
might consider himself lucky. Broad
way was jammed from early morning
till late at night, in way that threat
ems to become historic, hats were
smashed, clothing ruined, and all the
world and his wife will long have reason
to remember this rainy Christmas One
thing about it is that Santa Claus, with
many families, is likely to put in a sec
Ond appearance. Toys and holiday
presents generally are marked down all
over, and the generous patron of the
babies feels particularly good in these
promising times. Not even in the war
was there ever seen such rush of bust
ness among retail merchants as during
the past few weeks, and expensive
presents were the rule, people seeming
to pay off arrears bred of prudence en-
forced during the dismal time since the
panic. The jewellers are radiant as they
reckon their profits, and other purveyors
of ,sthetic gifts, from artistic candy in
the most original imported Baskets to
cashmere shawls and exquisite silks,
hnyn Shora1 th.. hnnntnnnS
The rain will no doubt aid in introduce
ing the French custom of New Years
gifts as supplementary to the kindly re-
membranes of Christmastide.
Auctioning of church pews, a custom
introduced by Rev. Henry Ward Beech
er's people, has become naturalized in
Booklyn, and in some cases in New
York. The practice is indirectly very
significant soft of financial barometer.
There may be some ostentation in the
desire of pillars of the church to pay
heavy premiums for the choicest seats
in the synagogue, but the most naughty
of Pharsees has drawn in his horns
since Black Friday. Now, there is
manifest rebound. A few days ago, at
the sale of pews at DR.. III. M. Scudder's
Central Congregational church, $1,000
were realized in premiums as against
$500 last year, no mean addition to the
S2O,OCO annual income brought in ac-
cording to the ordinary valuation of the
seats.
Electricians are greatly excited over
the announced intention of Edison to
light up Menlo Park, N. j., on New
Years Eve, and show the doubling
Thomases how he can furnish cheap and
safe illumination fer the millions. 1t is
wonderful how many scientific persons
have taken to hunting for rabbits
around Menlo Park of late. The gener-
al public is scarcely so much interested
as one would expect, the subject having
been so much before them that it has
been worn somewhat threadbare. We,
shall see what we shall see. Whether
the professor succeeds or not, there is
likely to be an interesting stir in the
matter, and shall probably have some
thing to say on the whole matter before
long. | happen to know some of the
most prominent workers in the cause of
the most brilliant of all artificial lights,
and they seem one and all to be almost
bursting with big secrets. When they
burst I'll let you know their true in
wardness promptly.
An enterprising merning paper has
been interviewing everybody on the
subject of what's the best substitute, if
any, for hanging murderers. The latest
interviewed we're the murderers cOnfin-
ed in the Tombs, our city prison. Per-
haps it is not strange thatthey all OBJ
fected to hanging, and most of them
seemed adverse to discussing the sub
= jeet Chastine Cox, the colored MUIR
5 derer of the aged Mrs. Hull, advocated
, shooting, because it was ''the death of a
soldier"
1 An ex-army chaplain, who served his
e country for eight years, has fallen a vic
e tim to the proverbial recklessness and
f brutality of New York truck drivers,
: who invariably consider pedestrians
have no rights they are bound to re-
e spect. The good old gentleman was
: run down in the Rowery and crippled
for life. The scamp was sentenced to
, twenty days in prison, scarcely a com
pensation for the suffering of the vic
: tim.
, The babies on several blocks have of