Year: 1874

and cutthroats In our midst they need regulation.
tunate II they do not lose more than from three to
five per cent OF pig iron sent any considerable
distance by water or railroad. Pigs OF metal ap-
pear to be very easily shaken out OF freight cars If
The conductors are to be believed, and they have
an equal facility OF disappearing rom The track as
they are never to be found when searched 0r.


THE PATRONS OF THIEVES.


Behind ell these systems OF organized theit-by
chine shops founderes and metal ware houses, dts
honest porters and cartmen, lightermen and canal
tion 10 steal, compensation more or less, gener-
ally less, for the theft and encouragement to con-
tnue in evil dong. There are ao1 ut 200 firms Of
Junk dealers licensed to keep store in this CITY,
besides those who are licensed only to drive Q
wagon or handcart, and the aggregate amount
value OF several millions q year. 1t IS impossible
for the police TO exercise any strict supervision
over such a number OF stores or amount OF bust
ness; hut stin the urgent necessities OF the i'm
porter, merchant and shipowner call loudly for
70 De Gone ,haI s'op ~ 70 ms
peoples property. The feeling manifested by the
mercantile community is IN favor OF breaking up
the dens OF the Junk shop Fagins with the expecta
ton that when the Bill Sykeses and Artlul Dodgers
can find convenient place IN which to deposit the
by force OF circumstances to beJake themselves to
some other fields OF enterprise. II any means
gooas could be rendered SO dnicait as to make the
attempt undesirable and hazardous great deal
would be gained toward putting a stop to the evil.
" IS well known fact among dealers IN metals
that o! the scrap iron put on the market great
proportion has been stolen from the docks and
founderes OF the city. vessel at any OF our piers
when dlscnarging cargo OF this kind is closely
watched by the river thieves, and as the
OLD iron is worth but d, little per pouna pisna
ing by the owners or consignees, whose care
is mainly absorbed by the more valuable portions
OF the cargo. They may even leave the old metal
lying on tile wharf all night without a watchman
to look after 1t. II they do the chances are that
the quantity as compared with that left on the
previous evening, Tor under such favorable circum-
stances the thieves carry it OF by the boat load
The piers, moreover, very imperiectly watched,
and the force OF police within cali to assist in max
ing arrests Is usually entirely inadequate 10
these desperadoes. Occasionally, also, watchman
viii be appointed to attend to . certain cargo
may be living alongside OF INN with no one to watch
them, the owners perhaps thinking that. as there
was one man TO be be around the dock ;! al night,
themselves. The dock thief soon nnds this out
and the watchman is hailed during the
inquire whose goods he Is watching. He
informs them. and. and they forthwith a.Sa pro
The watcnman, SO long as they leave his charge
alone, does not deem ir his duty to interfere with
their either sS 6y sounang an alarm or
ers right; II they had been less economical ne
might have had companion TO relieve the tedium
OF the dull midnight hours by such interchange or
thought and experience as they were capable Of
and the circumstances suggested, or ne himself


events ne permits the roods to be carried





or in peace, and may plead in the morning that he
was not hired to watch two cargoes, and had quite
enough to do TO look alter his own business. One
would not be justified in saying that he had any
other interest IN the proceedings OF the night than
that OF disinterested spectator, VINO secures I'M
munlty from trouble BY dlscreety holding his
tongue.


desperate criminals are most daring and high
handed in their conduct. There they sometimes
take forcible possession Of vessel help Them
pearance of serious danger betake themselves to
not very long ago since party OF them drove the
captain on the deck OF mis- own vessel with stones
and they did not cease throwing stones
at him after ne ,v WAS IN the
are frequent, and the river hides the results OF
many q tragedy, that the world knows not Of
from our harbor or destroy them; and by sur
rounding them with such ditficulties as would
gerous we would take the first step towards
checking the alarming growth OF this species OF