Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1882-02-10
FROM NEW YORK.
THE sMALL.Pox-AN ENTEBPRIsNG LAWYER
AMUsENENTs-THE JENKINS TOUR TO CALI
FoRNIA-AN ANECDoTE OF o. W.
Nrw YonK, Feb. Sd, 1888

AArUsEMENrs-THE JENKINS TOUR TO CALI
FoRNIA-AN ANECDoTE OF o. W.
New YORK; Feb Sd, 1882.
People in New York are considerably exer-
csed over that dread disease, smallpox, cas-
es of which arc SO frequent as to give good
reason for apprehension that it may become
epidemic. There is but grain of exaggera-
tion in the statement that everybody has ell
ther Just been, or is about to be vaccinated.
The old theory that vaccination is safe
guard for seven years is disregarded, aud the
prevailing custom seems to be to have the
family vaccinated as regularly as it was for
merly the fashion to administer the oid-time
sovereign specific of sulphur and molasses,
namely, once year The office of the Board
of Health in Mulberry street, where vaccina-
ton is free. presents an animated appearance
All dag long and every day there is motley
throng, consisting of an assortment of both
sexes of all ages waiting to be vaccinated.
presume as many as Il thousand are operated
upon in one day, aud in the afternoon there
is perfect litter of used up qulls on the
floor of the Office This represents only part
of the work done, as other physicians of the
board visit .ho homes of the poorer classes.
On the various exchanges, where men are apt
to be rather rough in their greetings, fully
half Of the brokers wear a white handkerchief
on the left arm, which means hands of the
vaccination" Most men are vaccinated on
the arm, but ladies object to such a scar up
on their arms which fashion oblges them to
display on state OCCASIONS and am inform
ed, although for this, of course, cannot
vouch, that they are vaccnated on what is
politely known as the climb" There is the
usual discussion as to the efficacy Of Jenner's
discovery. Some correspondents write to the
papers against it, and Mr.. Henry Berg, of
prevention of cruelty to animals fame, has an
article in the last number of the North Amer
lean Review in which he speaks Of it as a
"hideous monstrosity." Nevertheless, as
have said, everybody is being vaccinated ;
and it is hoped that an epidemic Of small. pox
may be prevented.
BY the way there is a singular litigation Of
a speculative sort in progress before our To-
cal courts 1t grows out of our excise law
This law authorizes the board Of Commission
ers of Charities and Correction to sue each
nQuOT uthltI Nuu tttlh l4NllbI HlAhbuN u IL
cense or on Sunday, to recover a penalty of
500, and in the event of the board negectng
to bring suit within ten days after reasonable
proof Of the offense has been served on them,
then third person becomes entitled to bring
such suit This latter provision was seized
upon by some enterprising young lawyer as
opening magnificent avenue for specula-
H. Ia IoorI NaI
copy of an official paper containing list of
nine thousand names of liquor sellers an the
city, aud supplemented it with aflidayits to
the effect that each and every one Of them
had violated the law and incurred the penal
ty. As he anticipated, the board did moth
ing, and at the end CT ten days our enterpris-
ing young lawyer found himself. as he
thought, authorized to institute 5000 suits for
$50 each and large costs. What visions of
prosperity must have been his He began
suits right and left Probably nearly every
one of the defen dants had been guilty of the
offense charged. Some timid dealers, in ter
ror of the law, promptly settled others, aud
the great ma ority, determined to fight
know one lawyer who took five hundred cas-
es and agreed to defend them for 81. 80 each,
and made a handsome fee of it at the price
for, when the matter came on for argument,
the court dismissed the suits with costs
against the speculator. believe the case las
been appealed, but temporarily, at least the
speculation in suits of this kind has received
a check. The character of this proceeding
reminds one of the Maryland law sharper
who obtained judgment by default for small
sums against a large number of persons, all
entire strangers to him and his claim yet,
after the lapse of a year, they were forced,
under execution, to pay the Fictitious debt,
interests aud costs, simply because they had
neglected to defend the suits, which they had
naturally enough looked upon as the freak OF
an insane man.
There is little wotth while going on at the
theatres, aud the prospect seems to be that
we are to have an uneventful season. Never
before in my experience has there been such
dearth of attraction at all places of anus E.
ment in the city. Wallack has brought out q
new play in his charming new uptown thea
tire, but the play has had nothing more than
a Suoces deStime. The fault is in the play,
not in the acting which, as usual at Wallack's,
is excellent The friends of the house. and
they are legion, had hoped that something
new and of merit might follow the School
for Scandal" with which the theatre was
opened. Possibly we may have something
better next time. Rossi, the Italian tragedi-
an, is playing at the Academy of Music to
rather slender houses. 1t looks as il he would
return to his native land with much smaller
accumulation of greenbanks than he had anti
cipated.
The weather is particularly trying and var
liable. One day the mercury retreats below
zero, and the next bobs up into the ifties.
Should these changes continue into the spring,
l should feel like joining the jenkins party
of 100 for tour to California at $3.50 each
| April 18th is the time for starting, and it is
we'll chosen, for May is by all accounts the
best season of the year to visit the Pacific
coast, aud the Geysers, big trees and cas-
cades of the Yosemite. At the same time, nc
one would wish to make the overland journey
without seeing the great mines, the canons
and the grand Rocky mountain region of Col
orado and this too, has been fully arranged
for. To obtain this extended trip, with sleep
ing-cars, dining-cars and frst-class hotel &C
commodations, horses, guides and other ne
cessary travelling expenses all included, fol
less than the regular railroad fare, and with
pleasant company and the services of an ex
perienced and obliging conductor to look af
ter trunks, hackmen, &c, and relieve one o.
all care and annoyance on the journey, is
tempting inducement to all whose affairs per
NIT them TO spend 46 days, or longer, in thi
delightful way. Still more attractive is the
detailed programme of the tour as given il
the "Tourisrs World" which can be had by
sending TO Mr.. Jenkins, 257 broadway, New