Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1892-03-18
BOSTON LETTER.
A Slow Moving Body--EffeCts Of
No-LiCenSe--Ra Statistics.
Grand Opera--That Popular
Air--Notes, Etc.
Legislative Business.

Legislative Business.
Some members of the Legislature
have dropped the remark that this is the
slowest moving body known for years,
and the statement is undoubtedly cor
rect. Practically nothing has been nc
complished in the two and a half months
it has been in session, and but very little
has been developed in the shape of law
making which can be said to be Of any
advantage to the state pr creditable to
its authors. The anti-cigarette bill will
probably be the most prominent of any
law enacted by this Legislature, and
while its aim is a Commcndablc one, the
enforcement of its provisions is quito
another thing. Cigarette smoking is
unqucstionahly one of the most pcrni-
cious habits a person can become adj
dictcd to, as it not only Injuries the res
piratory organs, but the fumes of the
paper cigarette are rcpul>lvc even to
those who use tobacco immodcratcly in
other forms.
The Senate bill increasing the COVER
nors salary to SlO,UOO a wear was
amended when it reached the House by
the insertion of a clause IN. ng his
salary $1,000 per annum, and the bill
passed to third reading; so it is safe
to snv that this will be the amount al
lowed the executive who shall succeed
Governor Russell.
During the debate on the governors
salary the standing of Massachusetts was
alluded to by one of the representatives,
who said he had looked the matter up
with reference to the importance of the
guhcruatorial office, and found that, in
point of wealth. She ranks third STATE in
the Union, being but SiUu. goo, 600
short Of Pennsylvania, and Pennsylvania
is 500. .OUrOOO short of New York
Mas ~~achuScttS' assessed valuation per
capita i, more than any other state or
territory in the Union. He drew from
this that we could afford to pay our
governor as much as New York, Penn
sylvanin or New jersey, which was SlO,-
900 a year.
The No-License Vote,
Probably no class of our business
men wear broader smile than the
liquor dealers With no-liccn>c carried
in nearly every outlying town, the
bibulouS of those places will have to OBJ
tain their wet goods here, and that
means n largely increased trade for this
| city. While no one can question the
moral effect of the liquor traffic in n
community, but little good. in my opin-
ion. can come of prohibitive legislation
so long a5 there is such source of sup
| ply left open to our suburban residents
and in such close proximity to them.
Railroad Statistics.
Figures are usually regarded rs dry
reading, but the report of the railroad
commissioners, which was presented to
the Legislature last week, contains some
statistics which those least interested in
such matters can pcruSr with profit.
The total number of casualties reported
to the board during the year ending
June 80, 1891. was S26. being 90 more
than during the preceding year. OF
these 1874 were accidents to passengers,
4OS to employees, ST to travellers at
grade crossings and persons at stations,
and poo to trc>paSScrS OF the total
number, 269 were fatal and 5j7 were
not fatal. OF the 1874 passengers % were
killed and - were injured by causes
beyond their own control. and II were
killed and 43 were injured through thcir
own fault or carclcSsne~s, chiefly by
attempting to get on or off moving
trains. OF the accidents to employees
1886 were to trainmen and - were To
other employees. SiNty-scvcn wert
fatal and 341 were not fatal. 1t ap-
pears that for the year ending june So
1891. the number Of accident to passen.
gers was l34. as against 100 the prryi
Gus year, an increase of %; 40S cm
ploycs were killed or injured during
the last year and 3l6 the preceding
year, an increase of G2; ST persons
were killed or injured at grade crossings
or stations, or | more than the pre-.
ccding year and POO trespassers me
with accidents the last year, being one
less than the year before.
OF the So, 1000, 600 passengers trans
ported in the state, one in G3i,32S wa,
killed or injured, one in 2,l79, ,4S7 wa,
killed and one in S94,737 was injured
1t appears that during the year thcr,
were no passengers injured from causes
beyond their own control in the state OF
the Boston Il Albany nor the Connects
cut River roads. The injured on Other
roads were Boston and Maine, 6
Fitchburg, 3; New York e New Eng
land, A Old Colony, 60.
The Grand Opera Season.
The season of grand opera, now in it
first week at the big Mechanics fai
building on Huntingdon avenue, seem
, somewhat problemltic rs to tinancia
results when the salaries of some of tn,
artists are taken into the account. lti
said that this item alone is somcthin,
like $4,000 for each performance, Ade
Ienia Patti receiving $4,000 of tina
amount as her share. This, with othc
expenses, will bring the amount up +
over $4,000 n performance, which vii
require the great auditorium to b
packed at the prices charged for seats.
The Behrlng Sea Vivendi.
Now that the Chilian matter is in
} fair way of amicablr settlement, the c!
tension of the modus viycndi in Behrin
, Sea is likely to cause as much eXcit'
ment as that affair did. Already I'll
newspapers a'c giving the subject ,
: much importance as it will bear and al
. talking up war with Great Britain
, case Lord Salisbury refuses to baC
:. down from lhc position he has assume.