The Portland daily press., 1886-12-31

though apparently disassociated phenomena.
The labor troubles were misfortunes;
there have been other calamities during the
year which cannot be enumerated without
feelings of shame. Early in the year the
Legislature of New York ordered an inves-
tigation into certain charges of official cor
ruption in New York city. 1t was said that
the board Of aldermen had been bribed; and
that corruption rivalling that of an Oriental
court might be disclosed. The issue of the
Investigation is, that of thirteen aldermen
two, Jaehne and McQuade, are in the peni-
tertiary; two, Fullgraff and Duffy, have
turned States evidence; three, Dempsey,
De Lacy and Sayles, have fled to Canada;
two are dead; and one, McCabt, has gone
crazy; while three, with the man who bribed
them remain to be tried. Rollin NJ. Squire
has been driven from the control of New
York public works by evidence of corrup-
ton. But no sooner is the city purged of
these rascals than Fatty Walsh is sent to
the Tombs as warden when he should be
there as a convict. OF men who were unfaith-
full to private trusts 1886 furnishes a long
list. Early in the year Judge Yates of Illi-
nois was found to have taken quarter of
million of trust funds; Richmond j. Lane, a
banker of Rockland, Mass, was arrested in
this city for his populations; Treasurer j.
A. l.. Wilson took half million dollars
belonging to the Delaware and Chesapeake
Canal Company; G. l.. Bartholomew of
Hartford. CT, dishonored in his old age
reputation he had spent almost the allotted
time of man in building up; William Gray
committed suicide rather than face the
shame of dragging in the dust the name of
oneof Boston's proudest families; what S.
G. Smelling of the Lowell bleachery took,
was little compared with the gigantic theft
Of Treasurer Reed of the South Boston
Street Railway. A year ago who would
have believed that today William e. Gould
would be State prison convict and Howard
L. Blackstone fugitive in parts unknown?
Other occurrences which the American
| people may recall with shame are the i'll
treatment of Chinese in the West, so long
continued as to call for communication
from the President to Congress, and the
massacre of thirteen negroes in cold blood at
Carrollton, Mississippi.
OF calamities, 1886 has had full share.
January began with damaging floods in
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| New England coast. Before the winter end
ed Portland was visited by remarkable ice
storm Of which the traces yet remain and
| will for years to come. In April st. Cloud,
| Sank Rapids and Rice's Station, in Mime
| sofa, was literally swept from the earth by a
tornado, and later in May series of tor
nadoes devastated the Middle and Western
| States, Kansas City, Mo-, and Xenia, Ohio,
| suffering especially. April rains caused
much loss to property and life in the South.
especially in Alabama. Later Sabine Pass,
| in Louisiana, suffered severely. But by far
the greatest calamity which nature made
any communities of this country to undergo
were the earthquakes which devastated
Charleston and terrified the South. The
storms of last November on the great Lakes,
| and the loss of life attending them are yet
remembered. The loss of the Oregon hap
| pened fortunately near port; but the Bath
| schooner that is supposed to have run her
down has never been heard from since. The
| steamer Rapidan, which sailed from
Southern port never to be seen again, and
the whaler Mary and Helen, lately wrecked
on the Pacific coast, were more lamentable
disasters. On the railways the Fitcbburg
and Rio accidents were the saddest of the
year.
Happier events have been the unwilling of
the Bartholdi statue, the centennial celebra-
ton of several cities, notably Portland, the
celebration at the 250th anniversary of Har-
ward College, the great convention Of the
Irish National League at Chicago, the recep-
| ton of Michael Davitt and Justin Mccarthy
in this country, the practical completion of
the great Lick observatory in California,
and the victories of the yacht Mayflower in
defence of the Americas Cup. Mr.. Blaine
completed the second volume of his Twenty
Years in Congress-" and General Logan for
tunately did not defer too late the prepare
ton Of "The Great Conspiracy" President
Porter of Yale College has given place to a
new man. Five professors of Andover are
now on trial for their beliefs.
| That class Of people called cranks were
busy last year as they probably will be in
every year. They jumped off Brooklyn
Bridge, and went through Niagara rapids in
casks; one, Virgins, disturbed the whole
South with his prophecies of an upheaval,
and another Col. Glider, has set on foot to
| find the north pole.
Jumbo, the largest of quadrupeds, was
| killed in March; the sea serpent, supposed
to be the longest of reptiles, has caused more
| than the usual number Of sober and respect
| ed citizens to be winked at
Abroad events Of great Importance have
occurred. Canada has opened her Pacific
| railway jdst as the ministry that has carried
on the work is trembling before its fall.
Mexico has enjoyed the usual revolutions
| Central America has experienced the quiet
| of exhaustion; South America has been
making progress towards better things. 1t
| is in Europe that the year has been especial
| ly important. The home rule party in Ire
land have won over to their side the demoe-
racy Of Scotland, Wales and England, with
Gladstone and the ablest Liberal leaders of
| the nation. This alone Is monumental
event. The Socialist riots in London have
| called attention to tie poverty Of city labor
ers; the anti-rent campaign in Ireland has
| illustrated the hardships of the Irish farm
ers. The dethronement of Alexander and
| the uneasiness in the Balkan States have
| been prolific sources of alarm in Europe.
| The large powers have been straining every
nerve to prepare for war, while from below
the thrones come ominous sounds Of discon-
tent from the poor men who pay the bills.
The laborers' riots at Charleroi in Belgium,
and at Decazeyille III France, with the rapid
spread of the theories of the Social Demo-
crats, especially in Germany, are noticeable
events. In the far east England has oyerrun
Burmah. The great empire Of China still
hesitates to open the way for railways and
occidental enterprise
OF the famous men and women who at the
beginning of the year were alive, large
company have passed away. General Logan
is yet buried Before him went ex-Presi-
dent Arthur, Samuel J. Tilden, General
Hancock, General Hunter, Horatio Seymour,
David Davis, Charles Francis Adams, Sena-
tor Pike of New Hampshire and Senator
Miller of California. Ludwig, the mad
King of Bavaria, the patron of musicians
and artists has gone: but art, litera-