The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1883-02-21
NEW YORK CORRESPONDENCE
New York CITY, ]
Jan. Is, 'S3.}

EDITOR DEMocRAT-
Humanity has been done servic'
by the Legislative Investigation int
State Prison Abuses began this week
and Tammany and John Kelly deserv,
the thanks of the people for getting i
going. We read of the horrors o
Siberian and Russian Prisons. The
savage Corsack Taskmasters are an
gels compared with the civilized fendt
who tortured the unfortunate crimi
nails with a refinement of cruelty
which makes the reader of the testiino.
ny shudder. The telegraph has al
ready Informed you of the facts elicit.
ed, SO that | need not give yon al ex
tended resume. But when Que hears
tell of men madea:raving maniacs by
padding, donches, starvation ant
beating with clubs, convicts throwing
themselves down two or three storie.
in order to, break leg or an arm thai
they might get into the hospital, pris.
oners pleading to be shot rather than
be punished, aud starving inmates
given live rats for food" then we
must 90 back to the Indians or other
sa"ases to fAd punisl.ments severe
enough for the fends cruel enough to
intiict such manstrosities.
The people of the city are at length
walking mp to the constant danger to
their lives aud safety by the steam
heating system. The entire down
town position Of the city is undermined,
and two explosions i'll two days give a
foretaste OF what might be done. This
work giver you an idea of how gigan-
tic schemes are passed through in New
York. First como the Board of Alder
men, generally composed of German
or Irish liquor dealers, men with a
greed for money euualsd only by their
unblushiug effrontery with VIII Oh they
seek it. When tho Steam Heating
Companies frss csue to the front with
their scheme, and applied for fran
cbise, the press and everybody de.
nounced it it as being sure to turn out
public nuisance aud a colossal Job"
Still in spite of that enough Of Alder
men could be got together to favor it.
The work was done in tie cheapest
way, and the result is that there are
constant leaks and breaks. UNDER
stand now that a number of property
owners have quietly got together aud
are gathering evidence with hope
Of fist taking away its franchise from
the American Steam Heating Company,
and second to have its officers crimi-
nally indicted for the injuries which,
several persons suffered. It is useless
it proceed against it in civil suit,
with a view Of getting damages. The
property is SO laid out and mortgagcd
that is impossible to recover.
The ball season wages merrily on
This ls the last week before Lent, and
every body is anxious to make the most
of it. Last evening tue Elks ball was
enjoyed at the Academy of Music. This
is the great theatrical. ball of the year
and everybody in the profesl'," and
every with a fondness for it is there.
In former years the Elks always gave
a fancy dress ball, but this year it was
a civic aff .i!. As the price Of tickets
have been lowered, the throng was
simply lowered, the thropg was sim
ply awful and dancing was practic.
ally Impossible. The best class Of ac-
tors aud actresses shown by their abb
sence. Somebody had said that on
account Of its cheapness the ball would
be ham futters I" affair. This hurt
it SO far as quality was concerned.
Bnt quantitatively, hamfat Or no ham
fat. it was a success.
An amusing adventure happened to
an ex-Alderman Mr.. Thomas S.
few days after the ball of the Spark.
ling Coterie at the Academy las
Thursday. This is the Catholic hal
OF the yoar, and of course Away large
Unattended. The Alderman is bache