Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-08-08

A Graphic Description Of an Old
Town and a Rare Lot Of
People.
Up Among the Cool Labrador
Breezes.

ST. JOHNS, NEW FoUNDLAND, July q.
EDITOR LEDGER: steamer
reached the harbor here at an early
hour this morning, but in about as un-
pleasant a blast Of weather as can be
gotten up on this coast. Tie wind
was blowing cold straight down from
the icebergs off Labrador, dense fog
prevailed and the rain fell in torrents.
| felt as if | had suddenly struck that
land described in the Methodist hymn
book where
"Dccenber is as pleasant Is day"
Incased as we were in our heaviest
overcoats, there was chattering of
the teeth, equal to the best efforts Of
an old fashioned Arkansaw swamp
ague. However, by noon the rain
ceased and with the appearance Of the
sun a milder temperature came on
and we sauntered out to look at the
town and the people.
And such town. It would puzzle
the human MUD to raving distraction
to try even guess at its appearance.
The buildings are chiefly frame, with
shingled sides, built along the side Of
a steep mountain. They appear to
have been well advanced in age and
service at least two thousand years
agone, though believe the place has
been settled only three hundred years,
or thereabouts. 1t claims a popula-
ton of $4,000, mostly Irish and Scotch
but more mostly Irish, for as the
Catholic bishop informed me, twenty
thousand Of that number were mem
bers Of his church. The streets are
lighted with gas, at intervals of half a
mile, which,. the American Consul
tells me, has the power of one tallow
candle to each lamp. 1t has the finest
water works in the world, and cost
the least money. The pipes are sup
piled from a series Of large lakes 10.
Gated on the top Of the mountain, at
such an elevation as to force a stream
Of water long way above the highest
houses. Its fire department consists
Of two or three hose companies, but no
engines.
/ have seen nothing here that re-
minds me of any certain place in the
world except about fifty yards of
NicolsOn pavement on the quay at our
landing, though have seen far hand
somer ladies than at Halifax-in
truth, have seen some very pretty
ones, but none to compare with the
little dark eyed beauty, who, with her
father, an eminent lawyer OF New
York, has been our fellow-traveler on
the whole trip.
The people here call us al cyan
kees," whom they hate as the devil
does holy water. 1t was as much as /
could do to keep my partner, HarryA.,
from hopping on a Customhouse officer
for his persistence in this matter.
Harry had denied his claim to the
term by insisting that. he was
Southerner, but the official would
not make the nice distinction. |
formed sort of truce between them
over a flowing bowl Of the meanest
brandy that ever scorched veteran
throats. The reason of this hatred
felt toward Americans grows out OF
the recent settlement Of some fishery
troubles between the English and
American governments, by which
these New Foundlanders were made
to pay fl5,000 to our fishermen on
this coat for a wholesale destruction
of their nets. etc by the native fish
ermen some here since.
AS it is in Halifax, the principal
business of st. Johns is fish-cod, her
ring and mackerel, 10 which is added
the seal industry of Labrador. New
Foundland does not belong to the
Dominion of Canada. She is indie
pendent of everything but the crown
of England. 1t has no corporate gov
ernments for its towns and cities. Its
taxes are collected through the custom
house, and that department to which
is added a Board Of Public Works,
does all the Improvement on the
island. 1t does not owe cent of
debt, and the tax is about FIVE dollars
per capita on the $50, 900 people on the
whole island. This taxation question
10 the bone of contention at present
between France and England. Each
government has four war steamers
lying in this harbOr. There are some
5000 French settlers on the west who
refuse to pay any taxes at all, claim
ing that under the treaty between the
two powers which was perfected many
years ago at Utrecht exempts them
from such claims. There is much hot
blood oVer,the matter, and the London
papers are laundering about it. The
French have possession of the best of
the country, as there are valuable
copper, lead and coal mines in their
settlements.
We will sail on the return by the LIST
inst. Our steamer-the Canima-has
quite a history, it appears. She
was built in England during the
war between the States, as q Confed-
crate blockade runner, and was named
the Princess Royal, which name is yet
on her bell. After several successful
trips, she was captured by the FEEDER
ais off Charleston, and turned into a
gunboat. 1t is said she did fearful
execution against General Dick Tay-
lor's army at Donaldsonvillc, La. She
is long, sharp and very narrow-only
twenty-six feet across the deOk-and
can roll completely over twice without
stopping, in rongh weather, with the
greatest ease. | have sem her do SO
many time. 1t is said that one will
get to like this roll after he or she be-
comes used to it; but my mate
says he will be dod gasted" if he has
reached that stage of the game "yit."
/ witnessed sunset in crossing the
Gulf of st. LAWRENCE that l would
like to tell about the gorgeousness of,