The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1897-09-17
OUR BOSTON LETTER
Scientist Claims TO Have Found
a Subway Microbe.

a Subway Microbe.
Hints That Death Floats In the Under
Service stripes - Pertinent Facts Cleaned
From the Census Personality of the
| City Classified Boston Merchants Do
Not Fear New York Competition - Cele-
bration of Anniversary of City's Birth
| day-Dramatic.
There is no joy without alloy. No soon
er does the world present some new
pleasure than there comes up something
to make the timid shudder and recoil
from embracing it. We have germs in
almost everything that we would care to
eat and you cannot even enjoy wheel
ing without getting-t Is saba bicycle
face. So, no sooner do we begin riding
through our newly completed subway
and feeling happy to think it is ready
for use, than up rises a medical expert
who causes cold shivers to run up and
down our spine by the declaration that
the underground air we breathe when
tripping the subterranean trolley is full
of hideous germs, that once entering our
lungs may lead us early to a much to- be-
avoided grave. In short. tits limited that
a new and terrible epidemic is threat
ened, coming from the subway microbe.
The worst part of the whole thing is
that the talk about the new danger to
life is so indefinite. w hen smallpox, yell
low fever, diphtheria, or other disease Is
without us, physicians post notices to
warn us, or hang out the flag that In
dicates danger, but in this case the scien-
fist who claims to have discovered the
new disease goes about with a solemn
air and whispers as mysteriOusly as an
old woman who has a secret to reveal.
He says I'VE are only entering upon
the study of this new disease, and its
powers for good or evil are not yet fixed.
Whether it will yield to methods that
are best employed in checking the spread
of germ diseases we have yet to find out.
But from It's VigOr and Virulent qualities
it seems as though the ending must be
very serious" If 1t were anyone but a
scientist who talked that way when no
outward signs of trouble were apparent,
the public would cry, "BOsh" and that
is about the only thing to do now I'm
til somebody is injured by these alleged
germs, we will go right along as though
there wasn't a man of science in our
midst, allowing the learned alarmist to
have a monopoly Of the idea that he has
discovered a deadly microbe.
AS a matter of fact, there is no reason
consistent with common sense, why we
should be filed full of disease germs
while riding through the subway. The
underground structure after you have
visited it seems not only short and sim
pie, but so clean as to excite admiration.
Almost before you are in it you are out of
it. You see white walls, electric lights
that is about all. Here and there some
mysterious round cavities, supposed to
be ventilating shafts, open up suddenly
to the eye and are gone. They are about
the only impressive features of the way;
they appeal, though very slightly to the
The ordor that one gets
piques the curiosity little; it is not sub
smell of new plaster; but one doesn't see
the plaster, and wonders where it comes
from. The ventilation does not seem to
come from the ventilators, but has the air
of being merely a current rushing
the subway from the open end.
The micrObe hunter should not juggle
with the pleasures and novelty of the
trip.
Boston's letter carriers are to wear
service stripes on their arms, one for each
five years of service. This addition to
their uniform was recommended by the
postmaster about a week ago, and he has
now received authority from Washing
ton to adopt the idea. 1t is understood
the stripes will be black cloth tackled
on white silk to conform to those already
in use in Chicago. This ornamentation
will improve the appearance of the uni
form in some cases, but when it prac-
tically covers the sleeve there is doubt
about the beauty Of the idea. There are .
a few letter carrirs in the Boston service
who are entitled to eight stripes on their /
coat sleeves, but Philip Marchington is
the pioneer and will get nine stripes be-
fore any of the rest. There will not be
room for any more on one of his arms, as
he is a short and stout man. He en-
tered the service in 1856, and now delivers
IN High street. There are SIG letter car
'iers in the Boston service and all but .
about IS will be entitled to one or more .
stripes.
An enjoyable study of a city can BE- .
made from the census reports if you can .
get the information well classified, or
in homeopathic doses. The present week .
Uncle Sam publishes some plain facts
about the Hub that are worthy cf more
than passing notice, as they demonstrate
the truth Of the saying that 1t takes all
kinds of people to make a great city.
From the figures you will learn that the
,ity requires the services of 633 profess
sional gardeners to keep flower beds
beautiful But the real estate, as well
as many other matters, needs for pur-
poses of disputation 759 lawyers Their
business is TO propagate squabbles,
whereas the promotion of harmony en-
cages the attention of 1856 musicians and
teachers of music. Clerks and book
keepers are a big lot-12529 of them In
his city. OF commercial travellers 1929
claim residence here. The hackmen