smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1876

We ARE GLAD to welcome disposition
which is being shown in this Centennial
year TO provide for the completion of the
Washington Monument and to rescue from
decay Washington's home and burial
place-AIount Vernon. Both of these are
enterprises which enlist the sympathies Of
every one who can, in the stirring events
of our times, still revert to the fact of our
humble origin and appreciate the debt of
gratitude we owe as nation and indi-
vidually to the efforts of the great patriot.
1t would be disgrace, indeed, if the hun
dredth year of our liberty should pass by
without an excrtion to finish the work
whiSh hes been begun to immortalize the
virtues of Washington by erection of a
monument suitable to his memory. Few
countries would have allowed the offering
to remain so long unfinished. Let it not
be said of us that it is entirely neglected
and forgotten. The effort which is being
made by the association having the matter
in charge to raise funds by an entertain
ment TO be given in this city on March 90
meets with our hearty support. 1t is un-
derstood that it will aim to revive the
patriotism Of former days, and the fact
that the distinguished patriot. Robert G.
Winthrop, Speaker of the House of Repre-
sentatives in 1913, and who delivered the
address on laying the corner stone of the
monument, will be present, and will prob
ably address the assemblage, should alone
call out crowd. The other attractions to
be furnished are noted in our local
columns
Year: 1876

WITHOUT the labor of the negro the
South would become barren waste in less
than a decade. Her material prosperity
depends upon the muscle of that muchde-
spised race, yet Democratic politicians Of
the Tucker and Hill stripe, who were
reared and educated upon the ill requited
labor Of the slave, are now their worst enc
mics, and would fain make their condition
more deplorablo than it has been made by
years of injustice and wrong. How dcs-
p:cable are tie characters of the men who
owe all they are or hope to be to the negro,
and who now conspire against him because
he dares assert his manhood by asking that
the commonest rights of citizenship be ac.
corded him.
Year: 1876

have taken its place so quickly. and yet 80
firmly; it would not have made the sensa-
ton 1t has made, If 1t had not been based
on q semblance of verify, represented in
the character of the Hon. Bardwell Slote,
the. member from Cohosh. The public
could not ask for more faithful mirror to
be held up to nature than the one which
reflects the lineaments of our typical coun-
try Congressman. His gray chin beard
and red face, his everlasting brosd-cloth,
his ignorance, his shrewdness, his ambi-
tons and his deep consciousness-all these
are set before us true to the life in every
line, and we recognized an old friend at
first sight


When Mrs. Gen. GilAory, the pretty in.
triguing widow, who has been abroad,
questions him as to his acquaintance with
the "Moor of Venice" he tells her that he
dom remember the man. There was o
Moore in the Forty second Congress, but
we called him Moore, of Michigan"
There was a Slote in the Forty second
Congress-in fact there was a good many
Of him-and the Cohosh district has in
creased in representation since then. We
have seen Slote in both Houses; we know
him in Legislatures; he is not above run
ming for the City Council; he delights to
serve on committees: he is always dele
gate at the conventions, and he generally
drafts the platform. In fact, the platform
is his stronghold-with clerk to correct
the spelling. There must have been
Slote in the greenback convention at Hart.
ford. There are several Slotes stopping
around The Tariff Pool in the lobbies of
Congress, and the political philosophy of
Slote finds simple expression in the Xxx
statesmen of the Robbins school and the
double distilled Democracy of the Forty
fourth House. In fact, it is hard to turn
point in politics without coming across
Slote. 1t will not do to make q jest of his
artless device Of engaging band and an
enthusiastic populace to serenade him on
the passage Of his railroad bill within
month after the Labor Reformers in Wash.
ipgtou have serenaded Peter Cooper, and
offered him the Presidency.


In fact, when we come to look at Slote,
to study his development and to examine
into his ramifications amid our complicated
politics, we will not wonder SO much at the
universal popularity Of the portrait as at the
fact that we have waited SO long to have
it painted. 1t must be admitted that the
Slote in real life is getting to be what the
charming Widow Gil1ory would call trop
pronOncc. or what the Hon. Bardwell
Slote would call U. M.--unpleasantly null
titudinous-and we have latterly been
casting about for means to get rid of him.
II may have been within the designs of
Providence that we may be able, by show
ing him up on the mimic stage, to laugh
him out of existence; and if this happy ex
pedient shall succeed it will be only
stronger reason for bestowing our admira-
tion and applause upon the Hon. Bardwcll
Slote, who appears in the Mighty Dol
lar" If the body polite should not gain,
at least, then, Mr.. Florence has created
and given to the stage new character.
Year: 1876

ward from the far Northwest During the
past few days we have noted that the
weather conditions on the Pacific coast have
been indicating the movement of disturb
ance through the region west Of the noun
tains. This depression has now reached the
head waters of the Missouri kiver. Judg-
ing from the velocities and directions of the
wind at points in the Missouri Valley We
pass eastward, perhaps equal in severity to
that of yesterday. The weather in New
York to-day will be very cold and clear or
partly cloudy.
Year: 1876

The Chamberlain government in South
Carolina seems to be doing its best to pro-
woke an outbreak, but is not likely to sue
ceed. There is q rumor that it is the
intention of Governor Chamberlain to
cause the arrest Of General Hampton on
a charge of treason, and our special
report indicates that in case the attempt
should be made by any force other than that
of United States troops it would be resisted.
The Mackey House has passed law de-
claring that any persons setting up
government or claiming to be gov.
ernment against the legally elected
government of the State shall be ad.
judged guilty of treason, and i'm
posing very heavy penalties in fine
and imprisonment All who aid or abet in
the offence are subjected to similar punish
ment But such law, or the arrest Of
General Hampton with or without such
law, would be futile. The question would
still remain, Which is the regular and legally
elected government? The State courts
alone can decide this unless the State is put
under the military rule of the United States.
Suppose General Hampton should be ar.
rested? He would be taken before the
courts on o writ of habeas corpus and re-
leased. There would be no necessity for
forcible resistance. Suppose the Mackey
House law should be passed by the Senate
and signed by the Governor9 The
courts would pronounce it waste paper and
no law at all. 1t is true the Mackey House
and Governor Chamberlain threaten to turn
out the judges of the Supreme Court
and put in creatures Of their own, but
this would excite such general indignation
that it could scarcely be carried out. The
4th of March next would terminate the out
rage if Governor Hayes should then be in
the Presidential chair. The friends of GEN
eral Hampton have only to keep the peace,
under any and all circumstances, and to let
the law take it's course.
Year: 1876

England. probably because the hypocrite
when there produced is a specially odious
animal, and the handsome young officer who
ran away with another mans wife whom he
first pitied and then in the kinship Of the
passions proceeded to love fell victim to
this prejudice. Appearances were sadly
against him, and his defence would elicit
contemptuous expression from the average
New Yorker, which would translate the
judges decision into bold vernacular-he
would call it diaphanous Yet we must
remember Joseph. The Prince of Wales
has taken fitting place at the head
of British endeavor to explore
and civilize Africa and thus we
may soon hope to see this
matter, which has been hitherto left to
individual effort backed by private
means, taken up in broad
spirit by the nations who have
passed the continent of Hannibal and Au-
gustine by with reference to the mission
ary and the traveller.
Year: 1876

Yesterdays heavy gale in New York and
along the coast as well as in the lake re-
gion, Canada and the Eastern States, has
fully verified our statements and predictions
regarding the severity of the storm. The
erntic movements of these great atmos-
pheric disturbances render it necessary to
follow them closely in every stage
of their progress in order to pre-
determine their local influences in
this city and it's vicinity. We noted
the depression just passed before its centre
had come within the area of regular obser-
vation, and then remarked that the indica-
tions were decided enough to warrant the
prediction that it would prove a genuine
storm-that is, one accompanied by violent
winds and considerable precipitation. The
effects of the gale in New York and its
neighborhood include some damage to ship
ping in the harbor and to house property at
exposed points, but in the former instance it
was out of oil proportion to that caused
by the storm of the 9th inst, although the
gale was equally violent. The timely warn
ing given by the HERALD, and the prompt
display of the danger flag by the Signal
Service Bureau, prepared shipmasters for
the coming blow and enabled them to secure
their vessels against damage. The ravages
of the storm throughout the regions swept
by it are very great. We print elsewhere
the details so far as known, but we fear that
they do not present the full losses sus-
tained from the gale The Temperature
in the Northwest during yesterday fell
as low as 3S degrees below zero at Penn
bina, SO at Fort Garry and 2S at Duluth


At other and more southerly points the cold
was proportionately intense, and snow and
rain fell along the lake region, in Canada
and in the Northeast. while slight furry
of short duration was observable in this
city. Generally clear but cool weather pre-
walls in the South, with high wind at
Indianola, Texas. The centre of high
est pressure is now moving eastward
over Lake Michigan, accompanied by
decided cold. The temperature at New
York varied considerably yesterday, being
degrees warmer in the morning than on
Friday afternoon, and only 10 degrees
above zero as night approached. Although
intensely cold weather prevails through the
St. Lawrence Valley there are points on the
Nova Scotia const, within the central area of
the storm, where the temperature is de-
| grees above freezing. or equal to that of st.
Marks, Fla, yesterday morning.


| Another storm centre is now moving east
Year: 1876

The demands made respectively by Russia
and Turkey before the conference are such
as evidently to put further away the possi-
bility of agreement. For Turkey to demand
an indemnity from Russia on the ground
that her covert help to Servia prolonged the
war, and for Russia to demand that Turkey
shall pay the expense Of foreign military oc-
cupation of Turkish territory. is as if either
sought to make adjustment impossible.
This attitude of the disputants will give in
terest to consideration of the military prep
arations.


If nation that prepares for war may
therefore be supposed to desire peace then
Russia is at this moment doubtless the
most pacifcally inclined of European
Powers. The order last issued in regard to
the mobilization of the army will increase
her active force to an army larger by fifty
thousand men than the active army of the
Ottoman Empire. Russia has modified
under the previous orders six corps ddr7n<e.
Each corps contains twenty-five thousand
artillery. Thus the six will count one hun
dred and eighty thousand men, and thirteen
regiments of Cossacks, not attached to any
corps, will raise the number to two hundred
thousand.


Four Of these corps will constitute the
army of the Danube, though that designa-
ton is not yet officially given, and two are
placed in reserve, one at Odessa and one in
the Crimea. With the Danube army there
will be four hundred pieces of artillery, or
one hundred to corps. By the recent order
one hundred thousand men are added to tho
force thus under arms. Russia will there
fore have with the colors, probably before
the end of the conference, three hundred
thousand men, and this will certainly be
sufficient to open operations with q
Power whose active army is rated on
paper at two hundred and fifty thousand.


1t is evidently the intention of the Rus
sian government to add very largely to the
forces now mobilized, so that if the army
concentrating on the Danube should be
roughly handled in first collision with the
Osmanli there will be another not for behind
it ready to deprive the enemy Of any advan.
tage he might otherwise gain from victory
English correspondents and recent English
writers generally have greatly lauded the
military quality of the Ottoman SOL
dier; but the great excellences they
claim for him are more apparent to
their favoring eyes than in the history of
late wars. In the Servian war he was
triton among the minnows; but Russia is
not Servia. 1t is possible there may be sur
prises in store if war really occurs; but we
incline to the opinion that the nation which
maintained resolute struggle for year
with tho united forces of England, France
and Turkey win be able to give good ac-
count of Turkey alone without an extreme
trial Of her resources.
Year: 1876

The inspection of theatres and other places
Of resort continues. and we read every day
of the various ways of exit which exist. To
determine whether these are sufficient, and
whether their arrangement is as good as can
be, seems to be as far as the law
allows the authorities to go. Sugges-
tions Of ireproof scenery, drop curtains
which would be impervious to flame
and fire brigades of theatre employees are
numerous and sensible; but until the law
can be made to enforce them the danger is
as great as it was prior to Brooklyn's night
of horror. The public will closely watch
owners Of theatres to see what precautions
they will take of their own free will, but in
the meantime there is great deal that the
authorities can do under such laws as ore in
operation.


One cheap and effective preventive of
harm in case of fire consists in letting people
know where the why's of escape are and how
they are to be used. No matter how many
doors and windows theatre has, people
never think of getting out by any but the
few and narrow passages by which they got





for exit should bear conspicuous
placard announcing the fact and tell
ing how it may be opened Had
such information been familiar to the audi
ence of the Brooklyn Theatre many of the
victims might have escaped. 1t is also
Of people about the doors of crowded build
ings. 1t should be made the duty Of the
police to force people away from burning
building as fast as they escape, instead of al
lowing them to form circle rs near the
flames as they dare to stand, and thus
safeguard is in the hands of the authorities
in the case Of buildings still to be erected.
Almost every theatre is in the centre of
block of buildings and approachable only
through two or three narrow alleys. 1t is in
the power of the proper bureau to refuse to
issue building permit for any new theatre
unless it is to be built upon corner or
with a front which shall all be available for
passageway.


The reports of inspections of churches
will be awaited with peculiar interest. To
run the risk of being roasted in this world
while listening to warnings against the
same fate in the next has altogether too
much sameness about it to be agreeable.
People are generally as reluctant to go out
of church as they are to 60 in, and builders
of sanctuaries have taken advantage of this
habit to locate congregations behind narrow
doors and even up single stairways, and to
fill aisles with fixed or movable seats. The
danger of fire is not SO great in churches as
in theatres, but the least risk is enough to
justify the utmost caution.
Year: 1876

'Chill and dreary" the weather is reported
to have been in London, and the
passage Of the uncomfortable words
under three thousand miles of cold
wintry water does not warm them particu-
larly. Other bits of news however come out
of the ocean with a CHEEKY ring Christmas
is coming, the great English home festival


and its benign influence is felt though
there be such fiery talk abroad of
war to stalk along the Balkans


They do not forget the poor there
either, and in the heaving heart of
mighty London there is an ocean Of thin,
poor blood. We are not pleased to hear
that murder is rife in England, but
until the millennium is reached we must
not be overshocked if man breaks into man q
bloody house." as Shakespeare hath it.
There is latent dislike of hypocrisy in
Year: 1876

WHEN THE CONTRACTOR who erects a
shocking bad house presents the architects
certificate stating that the work is complete
according to contract it is generally con-
sidered the thing for the unfortunate owner
TO pay the bill and look to profanity for his
sole satisfaction. There is something in our
court reports to-day. however, which arouses
trembling hope that hereafter an architects
decision may be no more final in it's nature
than that of returning board, and that if
what is apparently house turns out to be
only barn or model for a ventilator it
need only be paid for according to what it is.
Year: 1876




city government. Mayor Ely has now only
to take hold of this vital necessity of the
city in earnest and to insist that the neces-
sary means shall be forthcoming. and the
work will be no longer delayed. Will he do
so?


Mayor Ely is required by the charter to be
vigilant and active in causing the ordi-
nances Of the city and the laws of the State to
be executed and enforced. and he can thus
insist that every department shall discharge
its duties in an efficient and satisfactory
manner This gives him in truth q
city government. There is depart
ment of Buildings, for instance, which,
if it properly enforces the laws,
can do much to protect tho people against
the danger of fires in places of public re-
sort--a danger that has recently been so
terribly illustrated. We mention this only
incidentally as specimen of what Mayor
Ely can do toward giving US an efficient city
government. He can aid the departments
materially in their work, as we'll as enforce
energy and efficiency on their part. Will he





do so?


Comptroller Kelly. as the political and
personal friend of Mayor Ely, can do much
toward making the new administration
brilliant success. The power OF the head OF
the Finance Department is very great even
without being strained and made to interfere
with and infringe upon the duties Of other
II II, Ia tbsa
and the other municipal officers it can be
made useful and benefcent power. In
all the acts we have enumerated as
pertaining to the new Mayors du-
ties Comptroller Kelly can materially
aid He can exercise wise discretion in
literally interpreting laws that are meant to
give the city desirable improvements and to
insure it's progress and prosperity. If the
Mayor can secure for us. through the CO
operation Of the Common Council and the
departments, well paved streets, improved
docks and an unfailing water supply, Comp
promptly paying the city laborers and con-
tractors and removing all financial obstacles
Will he do so?


Comptroller Kelly can save money to the
taxpayers in various ways. He can adopt
broad, liberal and intelligent financial
policy, which we have hitherto lacked. He
can discontinue paying for money for the
city's use one or two per cent above the
regular market rate. He can discharge all
honest city Indebtedness promptly and
without captious opposition, and by
SO doing can insure more favorable
bids from contractors and get all public
work done at more reasonable rates. No
person will work as cheaply for the city as
for private individuals when it is notorious
that they will only get their pay at the end
of long lawsuit. This is the difficulty
under which we have hitherto labored, and
Comptroller Kelly can remove it. The
Comptroller can also save much individual
suffering by promptly paying the salaries
and wages of all who work for the city.
Will he do so?


In word. Mayor Ely, Comptroller Kelly
and all their democratic associates in the
new democratic city government can do
their duty like sensible men and honest,
capable public officers, and the people of
New York expect that they will do SO.
Year: 1876

WHILE DIFFERENT HIGH TONED bodies were
debating about what should be done for
"Ginx's Baby" the poor wretch starved to
death. There is q promise of similar re-
suit from the lack of harmony among the
workingmen's relief committees. The
points Of disagreement are detailed in an
other column, with some information about
the sufferers Any benevolent soul who
wants TO know more can be accommodated
by the magistrates at the Tombs.
Year: 1876

ONE WOULD SUPPOSE that our city charter
was akin to the constitution Of the United
States by the number Of attempts that are
being made to modify it. On another page
are fcreshadowed some of the onslaughts it
must sustain at Albany this winter. The
Legislature deserves the prayers of the
righteous and the sympathies of the tor
mented.
Year: 1876

WE PRINT TO-DAY all that is known on
The street about the end of the railroad war,
and readers of judicial turn Of mind will
find enough in the news to occupy all their
snare moments.
Year: 1876

several departments. He is an old resident
of New York and an old and active politi-
clan, hence he knows as we'll to-day rs he
will know on the first anniversary of his in
auguration the exact condition of our docks
and the difficulties that have interposed to
hinder the carrying out of thorough sys-
tenn of dock improvement. He can ''call to-
gether for consultation and cooperation all
heads Of departments" in accordance with
the charter, and he. therefore, has the right
to signify to the Dock Commissioners what
he requires of them without being charge
able with improper interference with their
duties. With his friendly associates in the
Board of pportionment-Com mptroller
Kelly, Tax Commissioner Wheeler and AL
partment the means necessary to carry out
proper and desirable dock improvements
Will he do so?


Mayor Ely can insure New York during
the two years of his administration against
any failure of the water supply or any in
susiiciency in its delivery in the future
The laws give the city the power to increase
the supply and to spend as much money as
will be required to secure sufficient means
for its proper distribution through the city,
If the warnings of the engineers of the Fire
Department and of the Croton bureau and the
fears OF the citizens have hitherto been
unavailing to protect US against the danger
of scarcity of water and insufficient mains
and hydrants il has been owing to the fact
that the necessary work has found obstruc-