The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1884-12-24


been compelled to resort to other news.
Thus the New York Times spent over
six thousand dollars in order to present
the full text of the proposed Spanish
American treaty. The Herald has pub
lishsd the list of divorce suits pending in
the courts of Chicago, and still later the
list of similar suits pending in Philadel-
phia. Those in Chicago number over six
hundred and those for Philadelphia over
seven hundred. To me it is not only
very dry reading but very sad reading,
and these columns of divorce court intel
ligence are furnished in the Sunday edi-
tions of the Herald. There was started
some years since a penny daily, called
Truth l have often heard it spoken of
as the paper called the truth" by those
who knew its characteristics, and would
not give it the name it claimed but did
not merit. 1t might have been made a
permanent success, buS that its atheism
and blasphemy were so prominent in its
earlier days that it disguised even those
who had no particular regard for religion.
So Ii0th-the newspaper | mean-is
among the things that were. 1t has
failed.
A Feat in Telegraphy.
The proprietor of the Herald, j. G. !
Bennett, has shown great enterprise in
providing, IN partnership with Mr..
Mackay of California, pair of new
cables for communication between the |
old world and the new. Even Mr.. |
Morse would have been surprised and
Mr.. B. Franklin thoroughly startled to
nave witnessed the feat performed on
one of these cables last week. A mes
sage was despatched to London and the
answer was received inside of forty-fve
seconds. Of course the operators were
on the alert, but as the message was first |
sent to Canse, Nova Scotia, thence trans
.mitted to Waterford, Ireland, and thence
to London, and the answer went over
the same ground, it was certainly
wonderful performance When these
new cables are in working order Zone is
at present broken), the public are likely
to feel the benefit in cheaper ocean teleg-
raphy.
Benevolent Work.
Important work is being done in this
city by the various benevolent societies
whose annual meetings have Just been
held. The New York City Mission and |
Tract Society records a year of vigorous
work at an expense of $4,000 or there
abouts Through the liberality of the
late Governor Morgan and Hon. Will
liam E. Dodge, the Society is putting up
church edifce, in thickly populated
district, that will cost about $40 600 |
This will be church for the people, and
it will include under it's roof rea@ing
rooms, gymnasium, parlors, etc. These
accommodations will be open every
night.
Lack of space Will prevent my enlarg-
ing upon this work or upon that of the
Children's Aid Society, an organization
of which all good New Workers. are
proud. Three facts concerning it must
suffice. Its income for the past year has
been 1855, ,455. 1t owns nine convenient
buildings free from debt or incumbrance
which are used for housing needy boys
and girls. During the past thirty years
more than a quarter OF million children
have been sheltered in its lodging houses.
These are bright facts, and we need them
to keep up our courage as we learn more
and more of the condition of many of
our fellow citizens. Prof. Adler, who
has done good work in connection with a
NOLuuliooiOh w III SSo'GO OnO COhulllOL |
of the poor, gives some startling facts
He describes one of the worst spots, |
should hope the very worst spot in the
city. 1t is called THE Bend" and is
made by the curving of two blocks. 1t
is three times the length of our avenue
block where ten houses are found to the
block In the Bend there are forty seven
front houses, some six stories high, and
in the one square no less than ffty.six
rear buildings. These places of abode
are as crowded as bee hives. Father,
mother, several children, and some board
ers often occupy one room. One is re-
minded of the old story of room in one
of the lowest parts Of London. It con
tanned family)in each corner and an
other family in the centre. One of the
corner families told missionary who
visited the place that they all got along
well enough until the family in the mid
die took in boarder. Then there was
trouble they began to feel crowded.
But the condition Of some Of our dwell
ing houses is too awful to allow of joking.
Surely God will hold us responsible as a
city. There are ways Of making a city
feel, and such plague spots as the one I
have mentioned would be hot beds of
cholera and cholera may come next sum-
mer. II it does we shall deserve it.
MANHATTAN