Year: 1879




by the apparitOn of an iron box wheels carrying
erect black tube from which jets of steam were
emitted at intervals. The monster puffsd its labor-
Gus wny along the track of the Third Avenue horse
railroad. and dragged after it ordinary street car.
The machine which bears in big letters on its side
the legend " Non-explOsire steam motor" is an
experiment the part of the horse railroad com
panY test the practcability of the of
the ordinary surface tracks. To be anything of an
improvement steam will have to entirely supersede
horse power for it is easily that steam cars and
horse running together the same track
the average speed will be that of the horse cars 10
other words there will be nothing gained. 1 hardly
think the experiment will be n success, even if steam
be used entirely. The difficulties If street travel
are many, the stoppages will be frequent (every
block or SOY and low rate Of speed is inseparable
from surface steam road through crowded thor
oughfaIe.


Police outrages occupying a considerable share
of public sttenton, scarcely day passing without
the record of at least of brutality on the
part of member of over-paid and over
estimated police fUrce Lately case occurred where
two policemen, tho peaceably passer-by being at
haud) menced clubbing each other. This is GER
tainly an improvement the ordinary conduct of
the blue-coated gentry, and it is an example sin
cerely hope the rest Of the force will follow If they
must club somebody, and it they must, let
them by all expend their superhuOus energy
the skulls Of their fellow-eubbers. rather thaB On
those of innocent and defenceless citizens In Eng
land policeman has to be exceedingly careful how
be uses his club, for if he abuses his power he may
be certain of receiving condign punishment. But
that lie in Of the efete monarches of the old
world this is republic, and here free
people, and if we are policeman and wish to amuse
ourselves by cracking the head of fellow citizen
don't want any to interfere with inalienabe
right to the pursuit of happiness.


There seems to be among our people o certain
class. have faith enough in human nature however
to believe that. though noisy. it is not very large
class, which takes the most minded view
possible of any subject which may huppen to come
under its notice. Lately we have heard several in
stances of this Cyrus w. Field the ocean tele-
graph fame, proposed some time ago 10 erect at his
expense statue to Major Andre to be erected
on the spot where he was executed, and for weeks
aerward the papers teemed with letters from red hot
patriots who ready TO do anything to prevent
such desecration of American soil the erection
thereon of a statue to a British spy. 1t evidently
requires the lapse of more than century
to enable this class to forget mans enmity in
the contemplation of his omplishments, his hrav-
cry, and his misfortune. Then we have had the
tenary commemorstion of the birth of the Irish poet
Moore; here again the grooved people came for
ward to protest against honOring the memory of
man who had written disparagngly of American
institutions. 1t seemed impossible for these good
folks to distinguish between Moore the poet and
Moore the pet of the British arstOcracy and because





his genius Later came the visit of Brooklyn regi-
ment to Canada to help to celebrate the birthday of
Queen Victoria. The Brooklyn boys most
Enthusiastically received by tie Canadians, and no
doubt the visit productive of good feelings which
will not die out. But this regiment has been
laughed at and taunted because far forgot the
principles of American spread-eageism to 80 toady
to royalty" Now a similar Outcry is being made
by the noble Irish - -American-Fenian brother
hood because Irish American regiment the sixty
ninth is thinking of pting invitation to
visit Canada.


The average h-American is in my humble
opinion the most inconsistent well a the most
blatant specimen of humanity in existence. He
likes tObe considered American and yet cannot
resist the temptetion to proclaim himself Irish
man on every convenient occasion. His Irish patri-
otism leads him to go over to Ireland and get him
self into the hands of the police in his wild attempt
to establish (what few in Ireland desire) Fenian
republic, and then his American patriotism makes
him very anxious to return at the earliest
moment to the land of his adoption. This great
country has room for the surplus population of many
nations; amongst the promiscuous crowd of course
there are some unmitgated humbugs,-the average
Irish American is


Quite ripple of excitement was caused recently in
educational circles by the publication of volume of
experiences in suirualism by the superintendent of
the public schools. The book is useful as showing
how the mind of an educated man may under certain
circumstances be defenceless against superstious
beliefs that Of the most ignorant savage. The





safeguard against these attacks, and that a man
may in addition possess uncommon business tact,
executive ability, and general good sense, and yet
be utterly unable. from lack of ability properly
sit and weigh evidence, to keep himself free from
the taat of the grOssest superstition.


There seems to be no limit to American ingenuity
in the direction of labor saving machinery. In a
Broadway window may be machine for iron
ing clothes by steam. Il consists of heavy metal
cylinder connected to q crank gearing by which the
cylinder is made TO roll 20 and fro over a cloth COW
cred table. young lady seated at the table grace
fully "feeds the machine with cuffs collars etc.,
and with no labor at all this young woman does the
work of at least half dozen red faced and perspr.
ing laundry women of the old pattern-and does the
work better. too.


OF late years there has been an increasing tend
ency the part of our larger stores to absorb the
trade of fifty smaller establishments. and to include
within their walls many different lines of business
possible. There in New York several stores
where one may purchase silk boots and shoes, oil
cloths, carpets and furniture. But there is one estab
lishment-Macy s-where may procure almost
any article that one can imagine. Dinner-sets and
dolls, suits of clothes and sodawate books and bath
tubs candies, cooking utensils, and ice cream boots
shoes, stat merry and cradles, and thousands of
other things besides. 1t is true that cannot, as
yet buy Mt this omnium gatherum establishment,
grain elevators or gas-pipes, locomotives gatng
gum. hut who knows what the future may bring
forth In the Of time they may be selling
only these, but creuses and menageries all ready for
the road, iron-cad men-of fully equipped for sea-
steam balloons, and ocean telegraphs. QHen sabe