Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-11-07
NOTES FROM NEW YORK.
BLESSED EOrFents-The James Foun-
tatn-The Trials and Pluck of a
SeuiptOr-TO-mOFF Political
Battie-The LenOx uiIfOn-Napo-
Icons TribuIatIOna.


the immediate danger Of a water famine will
be averted. Thus far it is computed that about
two inches OF water have fallen The earth is
so dry and parched throughout the whole
CrOtOn basin that at least six inches of rainfall
will be necessary to refill the great reservoirs.
So we are by no means safe vet. This lesson,
which may yet be terrible for us beyond all
imagining, is not without its moral We all
see now how totally inadequate are our water
resources, and there can be no doubt that we
will Immediately set about remedying them.
If it is vOuchsafed US to tide over the present
crisis wen never be found mapping again No
one can tell whether the rain came by reason
Of the prayers OF the people or the crooked
predictions of VennOr. Who caresg Suffice
it to say we are all sincerely grateful for these
refreshing showers, which surely never seem
ed so beautiful before.
The drinking fountain. which was presented
to the city by d Willis James last week, is a
magnificent work OF art. 1t stands In prOmi-
nent position on the western side of Union
Square. Next TO the Obelisk It is the most
expensive gift which has been made the city
II is said 10 have cost from thirty TO forty
thousand dollars The following is from the
address % Professor J. Leonard Corning, de
livered on the occasion: Nearly five years
have elapsed since q little company OF us,
three in nu Der. chanced to meet in a German
hotel at Stuttgart. and. under the leadership of
one Of the trio, the conversation turned upon
the project OF a drinking fountain which
should realize the three fold intent of cOntribu-
ting to the physical comfort of the people and
at the same time teaching lesson Of religion
/ and Cultivating healthy appreciation of art.
In beautiful Stuttgart. the capital of the little
/ kingdom of Wurtemburg, resides Professor
/ Wilhelm Won Iubks, well known all over
/ Europe, and America likewise, as the most
popular of living historians Of art, a critic as
/ well. whose judgment in his department is
/ nearly supreme st the Swabian Court The
| counsel Of the learned Professor was sought
| Upon the first visit to Professor Lubke's study
/ a stranger was encountered, who proved to be
none other than Professor AdOiph DonndOrf,
| lately arrived from Dresden and just then in
| stalled as head or the Department OF Sculpture
/ ia the Art Academy Of Stuttgart. Right here
/ is the man you are looking for, - said Professor
i Lubke; and in few moments conversation it
/ was settled that the young artist. who com
| pletPd the Luther monument at Worms after
/ the death OF the great Rietschel, should make
/ little model Of clay Of a drinking fountain.
/ This model proved satisfactory, and after
| protracted cOrresp spondence concerning matters
Il OF minor detail the contract was signed on the
| 10th of May. 1877, before the American Consul
/ was the period within which the artist con-
| tracted that his work should be ready for erec-
| ton l am not aware of any violation of con-
| ddeuce in informing you that the sculptOr's
| own wife and child stood fer this bronze
| mother with the baby on her arm 1t is true
| that the original model Of the baby outgrew
| MS proper size UeTOre the clay group was ma
/ ished. But a numerous generation OF little
| DOnnd orfs has been coming upon the stage in
| normal procession for some years, and when
| the first model for the baby in arms had got
| into pantalets, there was another live speci-
| men at hand whose dimensions were exactly
/ right AS TO the other little one running by the
mothers side, happen to know that a city Of
/ nearly a hundred thousand inhabitants was
searched for a model Of cOmenesS and fault
| less anatomy. a little boy of fortunate parent
| age who had in the city OF Stuttgart a reputa-
tiOu for ideal grace OF form stood for this third
! member Of the group before us.
'sThe winter OF 1880 was one of unprece-
| deEted severity in Stuttgart, the mercury going
/ down on seFeTss occasions below ZerO-a cir
| cumstauce almost unhserd Of in the sheltered
| valley of the Necker. The artist had nearly
| camDIeted the modelling of the entire group.
| and was putting on the finishing touches.
| Leaving his atelier at nghtfal he retired to
his home with bright visions of the near fulfill
ment of his long cherished hopes. On that
fatal night the winter winds held high carnival
in the SWabian capital, and the bitter frost
| Knocked at hickory and anthracite. F. arful of
the welfare of his treasure, not yet moulded
from moist clay into solid plaster, the illstarred
sculptor hastened 70 his atelier only to find the
| group upon which he had expended two years
of toll lying heap Of shapeless Jumps and
Yet. in spite OF all this the James fountain
| was unveiled in New York on Tuesday last,
and happy indeed is this fair city inits posses
| sion.
/ TGe elections this year present little of ma
| terial interest. The Democrats are, as usual.
divided into two sects; this time, Iammany
| and a rev creation. the Regular democracy.
| Anti-Tammang, or Irving Hall, is remem-
| brance of the past; nor is its memory any too
| fragrant. The new Democracy, Minerva-llke,
! has Just sprung into existence Iammany,
/ politically speaking is ittie tnHell; out
1 TaUluauy is tough and devilsh sly and,
\ as ever, holds the balance OF power 1here
! have been bargains, OF course. But we nave
| become Injured 70 Gl this. and we suffer IN
| silence When the millennium comes, the last
/ thing to BE- purified and TRANSPORTED will be
/ New \ orz politics. Meanwhile peopls not con
/ necteJ directly with the machine take very
/ little interest in the selection of local mag
mates The papers Tor fortnight have been
/ exhorting citizens TO exercise their SOW
ereign right TO register, enq SO 70 te N4te,
] But the citizen has ceased to trouble
1 his mind over the choics of
| Aldermen and assemblymen; an1he prefers to
| waive his prerogative in favor OF a more inter
! ested if not more elevated class Of electors.
| I went last week TO see the famous portrait
/ Of Milton at the LenOx Library. This eEcel
/ lent picture, which used TO be owned oy Chas
| Lamb. was recently purchased IN an OBSCURE
| auction rOOm," in London, By Mr.. Quaritlch,
/ for the ! enOX Library. The prlee PAID was
/ ABOUT goo The sale seems TO have been
/ keeny felt by many in England, whose nti-
| ments are perhaps described by the London
World as follows: This painting, instead or
passing into ths National Portrait Gallery,
which undoubtedly would be its proper resting
place is G.. its way 10 the United States. We
| cannot quarrel Eifh the Americans for spend
| ing their money 50 wisely. snd for cherlshing
fhe4 glorious inheritance OF Q4l ANEiAsl llltId
tnrs vvSich is theirs as well as ours, and which
masas the name Of Milton dearer perhaps to
them than il seems 20 be at home.
The PALMER of this portrait Is unknown: ar
tisticaiy considered. the work IS not to be
ranked among the very highest Its claims 60
our notice are chiefly literary. here Is What
Lamb wrote to Wordsworth in ioi5 regarding
il: Let me in this place for nave writ you
several letters naming il, mention that my
brother, who is picture collector. has picked
M an un6OubIed picture OF Milton he gave
a few shillings fer II. and could get no history
with il hut that some Oh ledy had had 1t for a
great many years. It's sge a. Gseertainabe
from the state of the canvas, and you need
only ace il to be sure that II IS the Original OF
the heads In the TOnson editions, with which
we ars so well familiar" In another letter
Lamb says. 1T Is the genuine Milton ana an
object of quiet gaze for the haif lonr az
time Yet though / am conBdest there is no
better one Of him. the face does not quite an
srer 70 Milton. There is tinge OF petlt Tor
patife-hOw co you spell lto querulOusness
about X yet-bsng il! now remember, there
h MOTT is calm. melancholy and poetical
With such g History and with such sanction,
the portrait. though s. tnGe Disappointing, is
interesting in the extreme.
Tbere is very little town-talk to speak or. AL
ADMIT that Judge FClger an excellent man
for the Treasury next best choice, perhaps,
after x-Cioseracr Morgan. In few days the
Guiteau trial will ioO5.1 up as the great cause
celebTe Meanwhile we talk o. Rossl, who mas
lust begun his performances at BoOtls and OF
The opeFa which IS decidedly not so goo0 s-
turned out TO be Of the iirst magnitude. Fernl j
and Lauri and Juck and Minnie Hsuk are weak
and unsatisfactory when compared wi n the
Gersfers Marimons. Carys and Beioccas OF
FORMER seasons The men. however. are the
same, and Campanini. Del Puente; Ravell and
GaIsssi are E superb and unsqualled array of
singers. There Is the same smOgnt OF dressing
A. The opera this season as OF yore-the newt
able dress coat and crush hat OF the men, 5he
Tebt colored evening dresses Of the ladies. The
oid k15iflses are to be seen in their boxes But
- - re have had no truly gala
nigbi such A one, for example, as L
reTne mbsr two years sge. EEen Gerster, Cam.
panini Cary and Del Puente sang toee,Gns. .... IN
fbsT ola hut ever memorable opera OF hartaa-
Was theFe ever a more delightful AFFAIR." Inc
Academy was radiant and brilliant. Inc eief
gance of the dressing tne eearllns Oo.uay -
the ladies' the sparkling OF diasaonds. tne lrs- "a,
GRANGE OF flowers the murmur or voices Lue il
delicious sweetness Of the music, the nAsnih.
cent power Of tke singers-it all noats aOou'
- HORACE.
nar