The Portland daily press., 1883-03-12
CHICAGO, March Q, 1888.

CHICAGO, Marcn y, 1Soo.
Just now several important local events
are causing considerable excitement. Fore
most among these is the cutting of the Mu-
tual Union telegraph wires by the Mayor.
1t seems the company had signed contract
to have all their wires underground on OF
before March 1st Failing to fulfil the bond
the Mayor promptly ordered the cutting of
the wires.
The company claims that it has used the
utmost diligence to devise practicable sys-
tenn of underground telegraphy, but has, as
yet, found the difficulties insuperable. An
Injunction was asked to enioin the city
from in any way tampering with the wires
and asking the privilege of maintaining the
pole system until something has been in
vented.
Judge Drummond has decided that the
rights of the Mutual Union have expired,
but will enjoin the defendants from further
injuring the property of the plaintiffs. May
or Harrison having no right, in his opinion,
to interfere; the proper course being for the
city to come in and file cross bill and as
sert the rights of the city. For the present
condition of the wires he sees no remedy.
Dispatches are now brought from the city
limits by messengers at no small expense
and inconvenience to the company, and
business men in general. Both sides pro-
fess the utmost confidence in the justice of
their cause.
The papers are filled just now with har-
rowing recitals of cruelties practiced upon
helpless little children by the "Sermite Sis
ing treatment of Shepherd Crowley of New
York.
These nuns belong to the mendicant re-
ligious order, and support themselves by
begging from door to door and collecting
money, clothing, etc. from charitable peo-
pie. The Sermite order has been canoni-
cally recognized in the Catholic church since
the beginning of the twelfth century. They
have been established in Chicago about six
years, coming here direct from Italy. The
children cared for are taken from the slums
and usually have no one to care for or look
after them.
The poor little waits whose sufferings
caused an investigation were only eight and
eleven years old respectively They COM
plain of the most inhuman treatment such
as being stripped, placed in tubs of cold
water for an hour, made to walk with bare
feet on ice until the poor little feet were
frozen, because they had wet their shoes in
working under orders. Then when they
could not wear their shoes for agony they
were beaten on bare arns and lsss-Nith
straps or fat sticks. Their bodies are Gov
cred with scars and sores, and bear touch
ing witness to the truth of their words.
Equally shocking in this land of law and
christianity is the murder of the pugilist
Elliot by his fellow fighter Dunn, who him
self lies so near deaths door that the in
quest has been twice postponed in order to
give him the usual privilege of hearing the
testimony against him.
One of the leading Chicago dailies de-
voted eight columns to detailed account of
the sickening affair and the histories of the
two men who had made themselves brutes.
If the press be the exponent of the public
taste the public sadly needs elevating.
The "little panic'' in business circles
seems to be about over. The first cause OF
the failures among country merchants is
ascribed by prominent business men to the
competition for the iobbing trade and the
methods used to secure il Last year Bos
ton originated the plan of sending out its
commercial travellers two or three months
DeIore tne fali trade to get ahead OF Chica-
go. New York followed Boston's example
to overrule the objection of the merchants
that it was too early to buy the agents
would take their paper for three or six
months and date it three months ahead.
The effect has been reckless expansion OF
credits, and consequent failures.
The annual reunion of the Sons of Maine
will occur on the 18th. Your correspondent
has received an invitation from former
Oxford Bear. FL, S, A,