Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1884-01-09

CHURCH BURNED.-About 1880 O'Clock
Sunday afternoon fire was discovered
issuing from the roof and side walls of
the Episcopal church. on South Main
street, Ticonderoga. The church was
totally destroyed. Loss, $1,000; insurance
on building aud contents, $4,000. The
fire is supposed TO have caught from
heating pipe.
The Des Moines Qowa) Leader says
the retirement of Hon. John A. Kasson,
from congress, when he had borne down
all opposition in his own party and COM
PEELED his detractors to eat humble pie. in
public and in private-is due to the fact
that he has decided to 60 into journalism.
probably in new morning daily to be
established at Des Moines.
Judge McCreary OF the United States
circuit court for the eighth circuit, has
resigned his office, 10 take effect March /,
to accept the place of general solicitor of
the Atkinson, Topeka & Santa Fe railroad,
with salary of $4,000. His salary as
judge is $4,000. He was secretary of war
in President Hayes cabinet. and is one of
the best lawyers in the northwest.
For the first five months of the present
fiscal year the internal revenue collections
amountedto S5l 279 900, being $l1. 343,0 900
less than last year. In spirits there has
been an increase of $2,000.0O0, in the
collections and an increase of half a
million in fermented liquors. The total
decrease in the collection of lakes on
tobacco is $919l 900; on taxes from
banks S106S,0 900; on miscellaneous taxes
SO, 656 000
New York supreme court has Just
decided that ordinary citizens have few
rights which gas companies are bound to
respect. 1t has decided, for instance, that
General Sickles is not bound to pay gas
bill for gas alleged to he consumed during
three months when he and his family
were absent in Europe and didn't burn
any gas. 1t has also enjoined the com.
pany from shutting off the gas and
removing the meter because the bill hasn't
been paid
Two young ladies of Washington, Miss
West, daughter of Commissioner West, and
Miss Waite, daughter of the chief Justice,
organized Christmas club, which soon
had membership of 800. each member
contributing a triie of money or a few
presents; and on Christmas day a thousand
poor children were made happy by a
Christmas party in the new military hall
on G. street. The presidents daughter,
Nellie, was a helper in the enterpr Use.
The bald head of Senator Foote of
Mississippi was marked object in the
Senate. One day he took his seat. adorned
with q fine, curly black wig. The Senate
was electrified. Mr.. Hale promptly rose
to his feet, and moved for special
committee 10 investigate the case of this
juvenile impostor. who, with but bis
countenance to support the fraud, was
occupying the venerable Senator Foote's
seat. Senator Foot, when Mr.. Hale had
done, arose. looked reproachfully about
the convulsed Senate, lifted off the wig
and laid it on the desk. DO you think
the committee necessary nowe" he asked
mildly; and the motion was withdrawn.
Tho Boston Traveller says: THE
commercial wreck list for the year just
closing is a most formidable one. Ac-
cording tc Bradstreet's there has been Il
steady increaee in the list since 1880. In
that wear the failures numbered 1850; in
1881, 5000; in 1882, 1874; in 1888, 10.4S7,
number which will be somewhat in
creased by the returns of Saturday and
Monday. The merchandise movement
has been slower even during The past
week than during the dull weeks proceed
ing, Merchants are, in many instances,
engaged in making inventories of stocks
and settling the years accounts. Orders
are light and a renewal of demand is not
looked for until after the first of tho year.
TIE BIG ORGAN CAsE.-The supreme
court at Washington has decided the
organ patent suit of Cley Burdett against
Jacob Eslcy of Brattleboro in favor of the
defendants, and ordered Burdett's bill
dismissed. Burdett sued Estey for an
Infringement of patent for an improve
ment in reed organs, and The circuit
Coul Sd'C tLO pIhihlih I" ucolCo ioi
$l6l ,00G The Esteys appealed, and now
the supreme court, Judge Blatchford
giving the opinion, reverses this decision
and orders the bill dismissed. The Esteys
received many gratulatory dispatches,
and ian ND flags all over their factories in
honor of their victory. The case has
been in court for Is years.
The French spoliation claims are going
to be holly pressed this year. The claim
is over 50 years old and is admittedly just
1t has passed the senate eight times and
the house twice; it has passed congress
twice and was vetoed by Polk and Pierce.
by the former because we We're at war
with Mexico. 1t originated from the
spoliation of our commerce during our
troubles with France, when Napoleon was
emperor, and which France many years
after paid us an indemnity FIR. Our
government has neglected to pay over TO
the owners of the shipping DESTROYED and
their heirs the indemnity thus received.
So hard is it to be just, when the first
opportunity to do so has passed. It would
take Sl5,000,000 it is supposed to pay
them