Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1881-03-28
LETTER FROM NEW YORK.
Especial Correspondence Ofthe MOnitOr.l
New YORK. March II. 1881.

~ NASNN@
cality that goes on in this wicked world.
Even an aggrieved taxpayer could hard
ly help smiling at the latest bit of official
Handy Andyism or, rather, Hanky Panky
in Brooklyn. There was a contract for
building a new Jail wall to the alleged
lowest responsible bidder-not the low
est bidder by a long shot. Of course ev-
erybody knew it was a steal, and a good
many said so, but that didn't matter any.
One steal, more or less, by gang of pol
iticians don't matter so very much, and
the average good citizen can't help him.
SELF as rule, even if he does make a
hubbub, and the average good citizen
usually strives to content himself with
grumbling. Well, the wall was built.
During the building it was daily carefully
inspected by specially appointed and ex-
ira paid inspectors, and after it was built
it was inspected by the respectable gen
tleman who awarded the contract. 1t
was then discovered that there was no
way of getting into or out of the new jail
wall other than by a ladder over the top
of it. The contractor had adhered rigid
ly to the specification to the very letter,
unless, as is probable, the material is in
ferior, and built the wall solid. 1t will
| cost over thousand dollarS-at least in
| the way taxpayers have to pay bills-to
| rectify this extraordinary omission and
supply a gateway.
Ivory Chamberlain is dead Probably
not more than one in thousand of your
readers will have any idea as to whom I
refer. Probably not more than one out
of thousand has not been influenced for
good by the writings of that man. He
was the beau ideal of the impersonal
| journalist, very modest man, with a
massive intellect, kindly heart, extern
| siVe knowledge, and an unsurpassed pow
er of expression. There was no porten-
| tous weightiness about his compositions,
| and fiippancy or sentimentalism were as
| remote. But in pure, simple, plain Eng
| lish: without the least affectation of cpl
| grammatic terseness, he hit the bull's-eye
| every time. What he wrote told. Peo-
pie remembered it and adopted his argu-
ments. A most learned man, delighting
in the classics as his dearest relaxation,
| he wrote English. He never tried to
"shOw his larnin'," as I've heard an illit-
crate and disagreeable but sometimes
common-sensical editor say about your
RADIx in his earlier journalistic efforts.
And he was good soul. He lived very
retired life, but was respected by every
one who knew him ever so slightly, and
was very dear to those who knew him
well. For some years he was an edito-
rial writer on the Herald, and that paper,
with all its resources, cannot at this mo-
ment lay its hand on a man who can quite
fill Chamberlain's place
Mining somehow seems to be looking
up. 1 am in a position where 1 can see a
good deal Of the workings of outside
finance, and l notice that good many
old gentlemen, retired merchants and
that class, who come pottering around
their friends who are still in business, are
asking their advice as to whether they
shouldn't invest in such and such mining
stock, which generally means that they
intend to do it, whichever way the ad-
vice may be. The fact is, there is a neat
deal of loose money about, tightly held,
perhaps, but still earning very unsatis-
factory dividends for the possessors, who
have it so snugly salted down. The fact
that the government authorities thought
it possible to float per cent. bonds
shows that they have accurately guaged
this state Of things. Well, mining is a
lottery, they say, but then, again, it is no
more of lottery than any other business.
If a man goes into mining with the same
capital and knowledge and keeps his eyes
open as well as in any other business, i'm
porting, exporting, manufacturing, pub
fishing or what not, he will probably find
mining the best lottery of them all. Why
Because the products of mining are ac-
tual ready money, if gold or silver, or a
precious sight nearer ready money if of
other ores than the products of almost
any other business you can name. The
cost is no larger and the chances are
less, and the interest on the disposition
of the invoice is very much in its favor.
The United States are richly gifted with
minerals, and the business of mining is
to get them out. 1t is legitimate busi-
ness and should be, and will be probably
, henceforward carried on in a legitimate
way. The sharks have had their innings,
and the victim they have spared complete
lvaS,
but serve as beacons to render others
wary also. Your RADIx predicts much
and speedy increase in the mining inter-
est, with very satisfactory results to all
concerned.
Twenty-three men saved from a sink
ing steamship formed part of the unex-
pectedly full passenger list of the erin, -
of the gallant National Line, this week.
D The splendid fellows who man those
, ships seem always to be getting chances
to do some daring deed which wins mems
admiration without looking for it, and
they never fail to take full advangate of
their chances. l am the more interested
in this last rescue, because l happen to
have made passage in this same ''Erin. !"
We didn't save anybody when l was
aboard her, but we had a very jolly time,
and am sure all the passengers will al
ways have bright spot in their lives to
look to, in thinking of any voyage in the
ships which have f. w. J. Hurst at this
end of the ocean ferry to look after them.
RADIX.
Z |
n SKILL VS.. IGNoRANCE.-As a perfect
b pharmaceutical preparation, we are told
;, that Hoods Sarsaparilla surpasses any
h proprietary article upon the market. Even