The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1881-08-24

THE posioliiee Department has
conferred authority on postmasters,
not possessed before, 10 correct mis-
directed letters where possible, and
forward ihcm, instead. as has been
the custom, of sending them 10 the
dead letter Office. This Is certainly
commendable step
VERY few applicants come forward
to take part in the contests for the
free scholarships in the Stale .tgri-
cultural College. Is it to be inferred
that there is an aversion to a farm
er's life in the rising generation? 1t
is doubtful whether or not this is
true, but still the fact remains that
the applicants for the free scholar
ships in the institution referred to
are very small Telegraph.
PENNsYLyA.IA never suffered as
severely from drouth as she now
does along her entire line, the coun-
ties bordering on New Jersey and
New York. The water famine is so
general that in some localities vIgi-
lance committees are organized 10
prevent any waste for unnecessary
purposes, which are named. In
Monroe, parts Of Luzerne, Lacka-
wanna, Wayne, Northampton, and
parts of Pike counties the drouth
has literally parched the country,
destroying ali late crops and fall
fruit, and rendering the roads almost
impossible by dust If a fire should
occur in any town in that locality,
where the great majority of the
buildings are frame, the effect would
be terrible, as no human effort could
stay the flames before they had de-
voured every object consumable.
CONGRESS- will be asked, at the
coming session. to provide at once
for the erection of q mansion for the
President of the United States, TO be
I located somewhere beyond the ma
larial line Of Washington City, and
where main sewer need not be run
through its basement. Such man.
sion ought to have beer built thirty
years ago, as the White House for
the last twenty years has been unfit
for habitation. The experience OF
the last six weeks now proves how
unhealthy the house has become,
and how unreasonable it is to COM
pei the Chief Magistrate to take his
family there as a place of permanent
residence. Congress viii be asked
as soon as it meets to proceed at
once to secure the erection of a suit
able house for the President, located
where its occupants viii be in no
1 danger of malaria.
HAPPILY the probability that Gen
eral Arthur will be called TO the
Presidential chair by the death OF
President Garfield is growing less
day by day, and vet there Is just
enough chance of it to give some
weight TO The opinions Of prominent
men as TO what kind Of President
Mr.. Arthur would make. William
II. Vanderbilt has no hesitation in
saying that, having known Mr.. Ar
thur for years, he regards him as in
every way qualified TO make safe,
sensible and honest Executive, who
would do no act that would impair
the safety, the credit or the prosper
ity of the country. He adds: |
have large business and financial in
/ terests, and | have no fear that any
of them would suffer through Mr..
Arthur's conduct in the Presidential
Office" Jay Gould says: " j regard
Mr. Arthur as n man peculiarly well
1 qualified for that high position, and
l believe that his administration
should he be called to the office,
would be one of which the country
would have reason to be proud. :
This sentiment is undoubtedly the
prevailing one in business circles.
ANY sensational talk concerning Mr..
Arthur's possible occupancy Of the
White House is as ridiculous rs it is
unwarranted.-PhiIa. Record