The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1885-02-21
Correspondence Baltimore County Union
LETTER FROM BALTIMORE.
Snow, Rain and Ice-A Resort for Balti-
more Countians-St. Valentine's-Very
Bad Gas at High Figure, &C.,
RALrIMnRE. Fehrnarv I7th. ISS5

BALTIMORE, February 18th, 1885.
Messrs. Editors We have had quite a snow
storm since the date of my last. 1t covered the
ground to the depth of some six inches. This was
followed on Sunday night and part of Monday by
a heavy rain, but the afterwards came out
clear and warm, and about o'clock p. m. the
streets were a complete flood, so that pedestrians
could scarcely pass or repass. Some cellars were
filled and stores in low places considerably injured.
Jones's Falls rose very high but the water passed
off harmlessly. large proportion of the snow
melted and passed off, but freezing set in later and
SO continues at the present time. good deal Of
ice has been formed on streams and rivers, which
is being cut and housed.
Barnum's Hotel, which notice Baltimore coun-
tians have of late made great resort-especaly
on "6eld days" or Saturdays-when they visit
Baltimore numerously on both business and plea
sure, is growing rapidly in that kind of custom,
which is always looked upon as good. Among
the guests noticed last Saturday-snowy and
rough as it was-snugly domicied there Hon. j.
Fred. C. Talb5tt-who, by the way, has been to
both Democrats and Republicans good and pop
ular overwhelmingly also the venerable
COL C. H. Mann and many others from Towson-
town and other portions of the county. There are
good many who say Mr.. Talbot can have one
of the important public Offices in our city, after
Mr.. Cleveland gets fairly in the traces as Presi-
| dent, if he consents to take it. Let me hope he
will, for he is clever, obliging and accommodating
withal. He may get, possibly, what others had
their eyes fixed upon had Mr.. Blaine been elected.
So be it. The world must expect grievous disap-
pointments at times, but grin and bear with Them
Last Saturday was St. Valentines day, but SO
snowy, wet, dreary and bad that people-even
love-sick swains-paid very little attention there
to. The custom, however, has pretty generally
played out. Though amusing in some respects it
was bad in others and taken advantage of, afford
ing low, vulgar persons an opportunity to write
those whom they never knew and would not recog-
nize under any circumstances. The custom had
lost ell saintiness and decency, except in limit
ed degree Where some good admits of such evil
all had better be abandoned. l remember when
wagon loads of such missives-some very pretty
and costly-passed through our postotfce, but like
other wrongs it killed itself, becoming abominable
The city and county horse passenger railway
cars were very much interrupted by the recent
snow. For time they could not run at all and
subsequently went with double teams and at long
intervals of time. What was worse, they frequent
ly got off the track, taking very long time to get
on again, especially when so many moro passen-
gers were taken aboard as should have been, so
that the teams could not draw their loads even if
inclined to do so. The taking of double or over
loads of passengers these sort of cars merely to
get the fare should be frowned down and stopped.
Enough's enough all the world over. It's an i'm
position on the generous public.
and going higher-price of city gas, since all
the companies have consolidated into one and
monopoly is the order of the day. The quality,
too of the Illuminating fluid is weakened and has
grown dim and bad. / fear Prof. Aiken, the gas
inspector, is too easily imposed upon. From 81
per 900 feet to consumers, when there was leglt-
innate opposition, it is now put up to $50 per
1000 feet and the discount reduced to 10 cents on
the dollar. 1 suppose the next thing will be an
other raise to SO and cents discount. 1t has be-
come an abomination. Let US hope genius may
speedily relieve us from the clutches of these gas
extortioners. The people feel outraged. The
company is now making up from its customers
what it was obliged to disgorge when there was
fair opposition. Let us hope for the new cotnpa-
ny, which promises cheap, superior gas made from
water or electricity.
1t now seems certain, unfortunately, that Gen.
Gordon--loved and admired by all-has been
killed. England thus far is the sufferer, and will
be no matter how she comes out. She must final
ly suffer or triumph, and even then be the sufferer
She also has serious affair with the dynamiters.
We earnestly desire, however, to see her triumph.
She is too great in her literature, science, morals
and religion to go down. Her course must be up
ward and onward. "John Bull" must ever be en-
titled to our admiration.
regret to say that there is considerable typhoid
fever at the citys aims house, at present rather on
the increase. The bad weather augments the
number of inmates. In our cty-excepting colds
there is fair condition of healthfulness.
l notice that the-at one time-far-famed and
generally known DIR. Helmbold, who suffered from
partial insanity, has been released, partially re-
stored to fair mental and physical health.
1 notice that inquiry is being made--properly
too-what it will cost Baltimore to send her fire
engines to fires in parts of the Belt. Some of her
good police too would do no harm in the same re-
gion.
1 saw the fight last Saturday with old "Spot,"
the dog at Barnum's, and an interloping young
bull dog-very ferce-which took place in the first
story of the house. 1t collected large crowd and
was terrible, but by the aid of "Spots" gentlemen
friends be came out victorious, though some fifteen
years DID, NEsroR.