The record-union., 1891-07-30

Collector refused to give any reasons for
his action. The resignation is to take
effect August 1st. The resignation has
been III the hands of the President for
several weeks, but he has taken no Off
cial action on it.
WHY HE RESIGNED.
New YORK, July 29.-Collector Erhardt
has given out in reply to various ques-
tlons put to him touching his resignation
OF the Collectorship, the following state
ment: II resigned because the Collector
has been reduced to a position where he
is no longer an independent officer, with
authority commensurate with his re-
sponsibility. / have given bonds for
100000. Ihave received for the Govern
ment during the twenty months last past
S322, ,697, ,135, and d small time was per-
sonally responsible for enormous values
in money and merchandise. MY duties
are necessarily performed through about
1000 employees. / am not willing to con-
tinue to be responsible for their conduct
unless l can have proper authority over
them. The recent policy Of the Treas
ury Department has been to control the
details OF the customs administration at
the port of New York from Washington
at the dictation of private individual,
having no official responsibility The
Collector is practically deprived of
pONCI, "11lJC uG 10 lSlU StlDJGcG 10 all re-
sponsibility. The office is no longer in
dependent, and am therefore obliged to
take this action.'
RESIGNATION ACCEPTED.
CAPE MAY, July 29.-The President
has accepted the resignation of Joel d.
Erhardt as Collector of the Port OF New
York, and has designated J. Sloat Fas-
sett of Elmira, n. Y, as his successor.
Mrs EearlaG, TT1neroI
LAWRENCE (Mass.), July 29.- The
funeral services of Mrs. Mark Hopkins
Searles We're held to-day at the mansion
in Methuen. The funeral was strictly
private. none but those having invita-
tions being admitted to the house or
grounds. The services were conducted
by Rev. Charles Sweet, rector of St.
Thomas Episcopal Church, assisted by
Rev. Charles S. Oliphant. The remains
were taken in the afternoon to the mag
nificent tomb just completed In the
Methuen Cemetery, opposite the late
residence of the deceased. Whether or
not this viii be the final resting place of
the body, Searles declined to state.
Long Distance Conversation Machine.
BUFFALO, July &C. V. Broughton,
Secretary and Manager of the Buffalo
loCctA stiA1 l. IOoS W OIAS. NOIh1IS Oh dH
electrical machine for conversation at
long distances. He is not yet prepared to
give out the details of his plan, as the
foreign patents have not yet been OBJ
tanned. He has been at work on the
scheme for year. and has spent $4,000.
The medium used is electricity. It is not
a system of signals, he says, nor any
thing of the kind. The Presidents mes
sage or the contents of newspaper may
be transmitted to vessel ten miles DIS
tant with ease. He will be ready very
soon TO show its operations to the world
An Armory Badly Damaged by Fire.
CHICAGO, July 29.-The Second Regi-
ment Armory, on Lake Front, was badly
damaged by fire this morning, and
large number of uniforms and arms were
entirely ruined by fire and water. The
Hjbernian Rifles and A Troop of the
First Cavalry also lose their accoutre-
ments. The losses will exceed So, 600.
The firemen had dangerous fight, as
the regimental powder magazine is in the
building, but by plentiful use of water
they succeeded in keeping the fire away
from it.
Battery D Armory adjoining escaped
uninjured.