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VOL. XIV NO. 151.
PHILADELPHIA, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1870.
JJ0U15LE SHEET THREE CENTS.
I
FIBST EDITION
The Terrible Fire at Richmond.
THE RICH MOM) FIRE.
Fall Fartleulara fram the Richmond Jeurnale
f (he Bnrnlnn or the Mpotavraad llotel-A
Keaaaraable riee of Heroism-Eacltlna
rear nan Incident.
The Richmond Dispatch of Monday, the 20th
inf-tant, has the following:
The fire fiend has again swept over our beau
tiful city, leaving in Its trail half a block of
buildings in the very neart oi ine city a neap oi
smouldering ruins, while seven or more lives
have boen forfeited to satisfy its burning rage.
By this calamity the great Christmas festival
has, to the eyes of the people of Richmond,
been stripped of half of its accustomed joys, and
sadne SB reigns this morning where so much of
mirth and gayety was to be anticipated, in view
of the favorite holiday of the South.
THE 8POT9WOOD HOTEL ON FIRE.
On the morning of Christmas day, at about
2 o'clock, Patrick Byrd, the night watchman at
the Spotswood Hotel, was sent by Mr. Knowlcs,
the night clerk, to call the women whose duty
it is to scour the floors. Going upstairs he
thought be detected the smell of smoke, and
looking more carefully, presently he saw it
curling from a fissure in the weather-boarding
of the old wine-room, of late used as a pantry.
The alarm was immediately given, and Mr.
Knowles and Dr. Latham, of Lynchburg,
running to the spot, tried to get in the
room to extinguish the fire, but found it impos
sible to get in without a key. Presently, how
ever, the door was broken down, and the flames
were seen crawling up the walls and licking the
ceiliiiifwiih their fiery tongues. It was tod late
for buckets of water, and a messenger was sent
to sound the fire-alarm. Meantime the cry of
fire was raised in the house, and the halls of the
second floor were in a few minutes filled with
ftightened, stupefied, half-clad people, throwing
open tue doors and otherwise clearing the path
of the fiery element.
THE BUILDING IN FLAMES.
Those who escaped say that in a space of time
almost incredibly short the smoke had filled the
whole house, and the flames made their way
through the thin woodwork partitions with fear
ful rapidity. The Fire Department, notwith
standing the extreme cold, was on the ground
with remarkable promptness, bnt the water
could not be made so speedily available. In
lees than half au hour fire was observed on
every one of the five floors, and the passages
were cbokiug with hot air and almost impalpa
ble ashes.
The scene w.is now one of indescribable terror.
Men, women, and children were in the burning
building, and all who were awake were striving
to get out. With fire on every side and smoke
blinding, suffocating smoke penetrating
everywhere, this was no easv task to those not
thoroughly acquainted with the landmarks. The
screams and prayers of the panic-struck terrified
the eelf-possef ed; the weak were either tram
pled under foot on the narrow stairs or sank
where they stood paralyzed by fear, waiting for
relief. Fortunately, however, there were those
within who retained their presence of mind, and
those without bold enough to risk the danger to
save a human life. So far as is known, all who
left their rooms found means to escape, though
with life alone; and there was no woman's cry
for help or infant's wail of terror that did not
bring a man to the relief. Most of those who
lost their lives were awakened by finding the
flames in their rooms, or remained in the vain
hope of saving also their property. The floors
began to fall, and all in the building then could
not but perish.
BELIEVED TO EE KILLED.
It is a pleasure to say that the number of
deaths was greatly exaggerated in the reports
which flew about the city yesterday morning.
The reality, however, is distressing indeed.
Those who are believed on all sides to have
leen killed are Samuel C. Ilines, Krasmus V.
Koss, Samuel M. Jloblnson, and Mrs. Emily
Kennealy. W. II. Pace and J. E. Farris are
missing, and it is feared they are lost. These
are persons all known to the people of Rich
mond. It remains to be discovered what
efrangers or other transient boarders were
killed. The names of none have transpired.
A MAKTYIl TO FRIENDSHIP.
Captain Samuel C. Hlnes was a most estima
ble and popular young gentleman, who came to
Richmond several years ago from Caswell
county. N. C. lie was a salesman in the whole
sale dry goods house of Moses Millhiser, No.
911 Main street. He had been spending
Christmas Eve with a party of gentleman
friends, and returned to the hotel at about 1
o'clock.
It is known that he came down stairs to beg
some one to help him get Koss and Robinson
out, they occupying rooms adjoining his own.
The undertaking was so perilous that he could
not procure any assistance, and, noble fellow
that he was, he returned through the blinding
smoke and flame to the attic, determined to
'make a final effort to rouse bis friend. He
reached his room in safety, and was presently
seen at the window crying and beckoning for
help. In response bedding was placed below
the window, and he was told to jump and he
would be caught. But suddenly the flames
burst forth from the very window where he
stood, lie was caught in their scorching em
brace, fell backward into the room, and was
seen no more. In a few minutes afterwards the
floor fell through.
Poor Ilines has many mourning friends in his
adopted city. We doubt if he ever had an
enemy. Generous and charitable to a fault, he
fell a sacrifice upon the altar of friendship. He
could not save a brother Knight of Pythias, but
attempting it, dared the danger and lost his life,
ile was a member of Old Dominion Lodge. No.
-4, Knights of Pythias. In respect to his memory
. the supper of Old Dominion Lodge, which was
' W U.IO MlftCU VU A UvDUmjt 1! 4 L. L, UUD LCvU
indefinitely postponed.
CNS, INCIDENTS, AND NARBOW ESCAPES.
Captain D. W. Bobannon was so fortunate as
to be among those who escaped with life. At
10 o'clock he retired to his room on the fourth
floor, ile was awakened at about 2 o'clock by
some one Bursting into nis room ana exclaim
ing, -For God's sake, Captain, get out of this.
if yoc want to save your life." He sprang out
oi tCL ana put on a tew articles ot ciotcincr.
The man who waked him asked, "Can I help
you r ana receiving an answer in tne negative,
left. Captain Bobannon think this was Mr.
Hlnes, who was afterwards lost in attempting
to save a friend. The Captain, having got into
his coat and pants, picked up a bundle of
clothes, and wrapping his cloak around his face,
ran down stairs tnrougn tne names and smoke,
arriving at the main entrance almos'teuffocated.
Had he not been perfectly familiar with the
cocrte of the stairs, ha must have blundered
and been lost.
Mr. C. A. Hckaffter, of Lynchburg, Superin
tendent or runiic muting, naa a narrow escape.
He heard the roar of the advancing ilaines, and
first thought It the noise of a Christmas frolic.
but presently smelling fire and hearing an
alarm,opened the door to see the passage full of
smoke. Realizing that bis retreat by the ordi
nary avenue was cut off, he slammed the door
to And opened the window. Some in the crowd
urged hha to jump, others nrged him to wait
for help, lie aeterinioea to au ueuuer. uui won
chance equally as hazardous. Climbing out of
tha window of his room he clang by the hands
to the sill aiid jumped (miraculous as it may
teem) to the window below, alighting on the
bill of that ana holding last by the cornice, lie
waa now on the third floor, and Intended to try
ite Mice plan to t lower, but a Jaddtr W6
now brrnght to bis aid and he descended in
safety. His beard was singed and bis hands badly
cut by glat s.
J. E. iSatkins and Edward Swcctman are
Assistant Inspectors of Gas. It is a part of
their duty to attend all fires, cut. oil the gas, and
save the meters, which are of value to the city.
In the performance of this duty, they were
promptly at the scene of the fire yesterday
morning, and having saved the 100-light meter,
worth about $75, they went to the rear, and
havisg gained access to the cellar, went for
ward to the vault under the pavement to save
the 10-light meter. While they were there, the
floors of the hotel suddenly fell in with a crash.
and their retreat was entirely cut oft. There
was an immense cloud of smoke, and the flames
seemed about to swallow them. In ten minutes
they would probably have been suffocated or
burnt to death, when one found the grating in
the pavement above, and poked his fingers
through. Fortunately, somebody's attention
was thereby attracted, and the grate being
lifted, both were drawn out alive.
Captain Rives Hoffman, conductor on the
Petersburg Railroad, and Mr. Archer, express
messenger, occupied a room together. A shuck
mattress was spread on the pavement below.
and they were told to jump; but thinking the
provision lor tneir reception too slight, they
adopted the pl:in of making a rope by tying the
sheets together. By this means they were
enabled to reach the ground without sustaining
any injury.
wr. Artnur tegar, memoer ot tne uouse ot
Delegates, had a room in the fifth story, and
was awakened by the smell of fire. He got down
stairs somehow or other, but was minus coat.
hat, and shoes. He sustained no personal in
jury.
Air. .bidnrtgc, 01 cw lorK (a friend of Gov
ernor Walker's), was on one of the higher
floors, lie had in nls room a valise containing
1700 in money and a check for f 1000. Taking
this in his hand, he wrapped a blanket about
his face and tried to escape by the stairs, but
was driven back by the threatening flames, lie
then gave up all hope of saving his money, and,
dropping tne valise and blanket, succeeded lit
;etting out 01 the window by aid of a painter s
adder.
On the fifth floor there were more children
than in any other part of the hotel, and it seems
almost miraculous that any of these escaped,
when strong men like Robinson, Mines, and
Ross perished. Here were the families of the
proprietors, Messrs. Sublett, Luck, and Bishop.
These gentlemen, with their wives and little
ones, without exception, got out before a single
floor fen, and escaped serious Imury. .Mr. Luck
was afterwards badly scorched in attempting to
get the papers out of the olllce. It is not known
that any children were lost. If so, they were
the children of transient boarders.
THE LESSON TO HE LEARNED WHAT HOTEL-
KEEPERS SHOULD DO.
There is a lesson to be learned from this cala
mity from which profit may be gained. It is a
notorious fact that in the large hotels in this
and other cities the only employes awake at 9
o'clock in the morning are on the lowest (oflice)
floor of the house. In the four or five floors
above, containing, probably, 150 rooms, there is
not a servant or watchman of any sort awake.
The silent rooms are filled with several hundred
Bleeping and, therefore, utterly helpless guests.
A fire breaks out, and the wooden staircases
and slight room partitions go off like tinder.
It Is utterly impossible for the two or thiee
employes awake to arouse the sleeping guests
on the four or five floors above, and the appal
ling spectacle is exhibited of burning men and
women shrieking for help from windows that
cannot be reached. There are no lire escapes,
no means in man's power by which they can be
saveu. inere snouia oe a wntenman on every
floor, and a roundsman to see that they are
awake. If a hotel is doing any business, it can
can afford this outlay to save human lite, and if
they cannot, why then the pit of death should
be closed. It is useless to say that these dis
asters are so infrequent that such precautions
would be exaggerated care. This is not so. On
Thursday night la6t a hotel in St. Louis burnt,
and on Friday night Rutherfurd Park Hotel, in
New Jersey, was burnt, and Saturday night the
Spotswood. In one of the first-named hotels
two guests were burned to death. We guarantee
to inform the public of the first hotel proprietor
who is humane enough to insure the life of his
guett6 by proper care, and we think we may
also guai an tee that he will have more guests to
insure.
ri.tAUCE AJI COH.IIGRCL.
Evening Telegraph Office,)
Wednesday, Deo. 28. 1x70. J
There is an unrufiled apathy In general trade,
usual at this period of the year, but increased
by the change in the tariff, which goes into
effect on January 1 prox. The money market
is stringent, though not active, and some fears
are entertained that this feature will be in
creased by artificial means. The bonds of 1871
are now being prepaid without rebate, the
amount thus to be disbursed being 14,000,000 in
the aggregate. Both the gold and currency in
terest on the United States bonds are also being
prepaid from to-day, the aggregate amount fall
ing due being 38,600,000 in coin and 2,000,000
in currency. From this outflow from the Trea
sury, it will be ditllcult to bring about any
severe stringency, and the market will probably
rule easy. Rates are unchanged.
Gold is quiet and steady, with sales ranging
from llOJfii llOXi ciosing at the latter.
Governments are more active at a further ad
vance
The Stock market was moderately active, but
prices were sngntiy on. btate and city loans
were dull, with small sales of the latter at O'.iJ
for in w sixes.
Reaumg Railroad sold freely, opening at49V
and declining to 48. b. o. Pennsylvania was
strong, selling at C2,'S'G:J;, the latter b. o.
Small sales of Camden and Amboy at 1181. a
decline. 50 was bid for Mluehill; 37 for
Catawissa preferred; and 3o for Philadelphia
uuu eric.
PHILADELPHIA STOCK EXCHANGE SALeS
Reported by De Haven A Bro., No. 40 S.Thlrd street.
FIRST BOARD.
200 City Ci, New. . I 250 m penna
R..18. 62'i
a uiii.... vv'i 4ui ao..
. 18. C.
f400 do Cap. 9',i 40 do
62
tWO do.... OA p. 19 'il 800 do..
1 104) do... d bill. 98 81 do..
..b30.
fftOOOPoAB 7s.b60. 89
.IB. Ui-4
10 sh Reading R.
4f li
tccoo do bso. bb.vi 10
11600 C A A m 6s, 89 100
do... d bill 4V
do C.48'94
in (Otic.. 94 100
6000 do 95 i 600
jo sh Cam A Am It 118 V 100
2O0sn Seh Nav..ls. 7 V oo
do bCO. 49
do fa. 49
do 2d. 4S'
do bio, 48 K
200 do ia. 73! iooshLehNav..b5. SJtf
111 so bco n r.uao. lsjg'
BETWEEN BOARDS
IbOO City es. New
36USUN Y A Mid.. 6V
opg 100
$26000 Am Gold Ill
ine shBchN Pf. 05. MX
2)0 sh HeBtonville.. 143t
sshLeh Vlt.d b. 69
SO do d b.Is. 6S
SfchCam AmRliev
100 bq Caia Prf 87)j
2usnKeaa..a bin. 4',
600 dO..ls.bS0.4S'94
1
do.
,..d b. 49',
300
600
da.
.b3. y,
do.. B6Aln.48-6l
u sb Penna
Kit..
8 do.
loo do.
11 do.
.'b30'.
..is.
ttiosh 1Mb N..bso. S3
SECOND BOARD.
tab Read. .d bill. 9',' 100 fcli oeean Oil
3 do...d bUl. 49',' I
44
Nabs fc ladnir, Urocsrt, report tni morning
uoia qaomuona aa lunuwa
WOO A. It 110? 11-43 A. M 110?;
ll-ao " 110;i lx Ox JU in
11-42 " Ill I
Dal tl mare Prdue Market.
Baltimors, 1x3. its. Cotton dull and nominal
middling uplands, i6yc;low middlings, 14 ',c
l loor orui and in good demand. W neat in fair de-
uiand, and price entirely unchanged, except Ohio
and Indiana, winch are quoted at f k-3601-46. Corn
firm and active; wane, waiho.; yellow. 73(3740,
u active at 64(,b6& Ufa Uroi . Siva two. ProvU
1 lions Receipts light, and nothing doing except a
limited jobbing irauv, no 101a cuangsd uanaa, ana
. (mutinous are nominal. Mesa rora at iw: naeon,
. clear atlc; suoulders at I0'.c. ; toama at)i
SECOND EDITION
WAR NEWS BY CABLE.
The-Franco-Prussian War.
The Question of Peace.
France will KTever Surrender.
DOMESTIC AFFAIRS.
The Fire Fiend yet Unappeased.
FROM EUROPE.
A French Cabinet Mlnlnter on the Pence dues-
MOD.
Bordeaux, Dec. 23. (Special to the New
York Herald.) A correspondent interviewed
Cbadourdy, French Minister of Foreign Affairs,
who is trying to make peace. He said he
thought peace was still distant, as to accept the
Prussian terms would reduce France to a third
rate power. Scarcely a man in France, rich or
poor, wan willing to allow the government to
give up any territory. Arms are plenty. We
have offers of more than we can use from Eng
land alone. Three months ago it was difficult
to excite patriotism; now the only trouble is to
get the people to be patient.
France is now struggling for existence. If
she is crushed England will feel the loss more
than any other country. England cannot dream
of the consequences if she should allow France
to be exterminated. Russia will then do what
she pleases in the East and Prussia In the West.
England, without a single ally, will cease to be
long to the family of European nations, and will
also be reduced to a third-class power. Cha
dourdy therrspoke in terms of deep indignation
of the ingratitude of Italy, and intimated that a
day of reckoning would surely come for that
cowardly nation. He closed by stating that the
new levies in the south and southeast wi re pro
ceeding with success beyond expectation.
FROM MEW YORK.
Destructive Fire.
New Yokk, Dec. U8. Early this morning a
fire occurred in the dwelling-house occupied by
Sigismund Stetshelmer, West Forty-ninth 6treet.
Loss on furniture and building, f 15,000; fully
msured. The fire was caused by a defective
flue.
Hudson, N. Y., Dec. 28. A fire at Valatie
this morning destroyed the United State
Hotel and adjoining buildings, occupied by Mr.
Hewitt as a dwelling and saloon, Van Alstyne's
dwelling and saloon and the bams of Messrs.
Faton, Sharp, and Hewitt. Loss, t30,000. In
surance, ill, 000.
uoid nid.
New York, Dec. 28. There were twenty-two
bids for gold to-day,amounting to about i3,3') ,.
OCO, at from 11012 to 110 90. The awards
will be 1,000,000 at from 110 T to 110 90.
New York money and Ntoclc market.
Nbw York, Dec. 'is Stocks weak and declined
',0. Money easy at 7 per cent, currency and 7 gold,
tiold, llOWUO'g. 6-208 of 18C3, coupon, 107', ; do.
194, do., 107; do. 1865, do. 10J; do. 1805, new, lOOvj;
do. 1867, 109 ; do. 1863, 110 ; 10-403, 10(5 'i ; Virginia
6s, new, 63; Missouri 6s, 92; ; Canton Co., CO; Cum
berland prererreo, ua; is. x. uentrai and Hudson
Kiver, 90; Brie, 231., ; Heading, 97)rf ; Adams Ex
press, 64 v; Michigan Central, 115; Michigan
Southern, 91 V ; Illinois Central, 133 ; Cleveland and
Pittsburg, 103 i : Chicago and Hock Island, 103;
l'ittsimrtr and Fort Wayne, 92.V, Western Onion
Telegraph, 45ji.
New York Produce market.
Niw York, Dec. 2a Cotton dull and drooping ;
sales 1500 bales at 15c. Flour a sbade firmer;
sales 10,000 barrels State at (5-306-60; Ohio at fd-10
(0 60 ; Western at V-30i 6-90. Wheat quiet but firm ;
sales 35,000 bushels new spring at 11-44; winter red
and amber AVestern at 11-46(31-49; and white Michi
gan at f 1-55. Corn scarce and advanced lm 2c. ; sales
48,000 bushels new mixed Western at 73.iue. oats
firm ; sales 27, 000 bushels Ohio and Western at 60t
6W. Beef steady. Pork firm: new mess, 120-23
020-37; old, VJ-t0. Lard firm; steam, lM,l2'4'e.;
kettle, lac. Whisky firm at btic
THE MISSISSIPPI DISASTEl'.
Incidents mt the Mlnlilnc of the Nick Wall
Culpability ef the UIHcera-The Boat Over
laden. Every fre6h detail confirms the culpability of
the officers in overloading the steamer Nick
Wall, which snagged last week in the Mississippi
river. It seems that when the steamer reached
Memphis she was laden beyond her capacity,
but the officers controlling her consented to an
addition of 00 deck passengers with their freight
and luggage. At a consequence the boat was man
agedwiththegreatestdiliiculty, and several times
narrowly escaped disaster before she ran on the
snag which sunk her. 80 heavily was the boat
laden, and so conscious were the officers of her
danger, that whenever another boat approached
the Wall remained motionless, so that the return
waves might "not jar the vessel too much." At
about 8 o'clock in the evening the vessel ran on
a snag, and in a few minutes thereafter sank,
drowning at least one hundred people, and
seriously injuring a large number of others.
Very many who might have been saved leaped
from the deck in the frightful uncertainty of the
shock.
Many of the Ill-fated victims Eeem to have
bad a dUmul foreboding of the coming catas
trophe. As the night came on the sky was
overcast with dense threatening clouds, and the
rain soon fell in torrents. At the moment of
disaster a number of passengers had determined
to ask the captain lo have the steamer to 'lie
to" till morning. All were conscious of danger,
and many refused to retire to their berths. The
boat was towed by the Seminole to Marylaud
Landing, where she remained till daylight,
when she broke away from her moorings and
drifted a mile or two down the river to a bar,
where she now lies. Much of the freight,
wagons, etc., on the roof has gone into the
river, but much of the cargo will be saved in a
damaged condition. The scene ia the cabin of
the Beminole, when a score of bodies
of the dead were placed on the cabin
floor, and the anxious crowd was
gathered on either side inspecting closely the
features of those who lay stiff, stark, and cold
in death, each of the living fearing to find
among the corpses that of 6ome friend or rela
tive, beggared description. And yet if the
Seminole, like other steamers on that dark,
tempestuous night, had stood still to await the
coming day.few of those on beard the Wall would
have escaied death. The pilot of the Seminole,
at some distance below, saw the stove in the
pllot-hotue of the Wall overturned when she
struck the snag, and toon saw the headlight of
the snagged steamer moving, downward as the
boat careened. These incidents caused the Se
minole to be steered directly toward the Wall.
The wreck was reached lust in time to save all
who remained . alive on board, and all wto did
jtoi leap In terror Icto tie wlf r.
TI1IKD EDITION
AFFAIRS AT THE CAPITAL.
The Revenue Reform Party.
Subsidizing Steamship Lines.
The Result in Georgia.
Cause of the Republican Defeat.
News from the West.
Etc : Etc. Etc.. Etc., Etc
FROM WASniXOTOX.
The Reform movement.
Sptcial Dei patch lo tht JSvtning I'tlegraplu
Washington, Dec. 28. It is understood that
a secret meeting of the revenue reform Kcpnbli
licans will be held in New York this week, for
the purpose of consulting as to what action
shall be taken about the organization of the
next House. A number of members elect, as
well as several members of the House from the
West, will attend the meeting.
Steamship Bubeidlea.
The President is beinir urged by the steam
ship interests to recommend Congress to aid in
the establishment of a European line of steam
ers, the bill for which has been introduced by
Bchenck in the House and Ramsey in the
Senate. While he is in favor of general
subsidy for the
Jtevival of Amerlcna Commerce,
he is understood to be opposed to any special
legislation for particular companies.
The Republlcnn Defeat In Georsln.
A member of the National Republican Com
mittee who has just returned from Georgia,
where he went to look after the late campaign,
sajs that the State went Democratic through
the apathy of the Republican loaders. Gover
nor Bullock and Foster Blodget, it is alleged,
were both interested in having a Democratic
Legislature, lor the reason that it secures
Blodcett as 8enator from the 4th of March next.
as the new Legislature does not meet until after
that date.
The Alabama Clalma.
Farties holdins: larire amounts of Alabama
claim now here, are opposed to the Govern
ment assuming the responsibility for those
claims as recommended bv the President in his
message, as they fear that they will fare in the
same manner as the owners of the French
spoliation claims which were assumed by the
Government, and never paid private claimants.
The New York Poet Olllce.
Despctch to the Associated Presi.
Washington, Dec. 28. It is saidahat the
Committee of Appropriations are satisfied with
the character of the work and the manner of
building the New York Post Office, and opera
tions will be resumed as soon as the weather
will permit. Congress will doubtless soou
amply provide money for that purpose.
The Hoow
which commenced falling early this morning is
now about three inches in depth, and there is
sleighing for the first time this season.
The Mew MwedUh minuter
was Introduced to the President this morning
by Secretary Fish, and presented his creden
tials. The usual addresses of friendship and
gratulation were made.
Ilonorablr DIschnrKed.
Lieutenant Burnett E. Miller, unaligned, has
by direction of the President been honorably
discharged from the arm-.
Honor to Bureau Officers.
The President has for the first time recog
nized the bureau officers of the Government
among those to be received by him on Monday
next. This is considered by them as compli
mentary, and therefore affords much grati
fication. FROM T II E WEST.
Death of an Aged mason.
Cincinnati, Dec. 28. Samuel Read, the
oldest member of the Masonic body in the West,
died yesterday in Covington.
Fire In Arkansas.
8t. Louis, Dec. 28. Advices from Fort 8mith,
Ark., says that a brick block in that city, known
as the officers' quarters, was burned on the 20th
instant. It was occupied by Major Thiebald,
commandant of the post, with his family and
the families of several other officers. Loss,
150,000.
Dayton, O., Dec. 28.
General Hchenck
will resign his present seat about the 10th of
January, and has taken passage for England on
the 18th. No election to fill the short vacancy
is likely to ordered.
ile will not return home before sailing. His
daughter, Miss Sally Schenck, will accompany
him, his other two daughters following in April.
Mr. Morgan, Secretary of Legation at London,
will remain at London. A snow storm prevails
to-day.
Fatal Affrar.
Cincinnati, Dec. 28. Robert Alexander was
killed by James Wickersham, at llarrodaburg,
Ky., on Saturday. Wiekersham, when pursued
by officers, offered resistance and was shot
several times and dangerously wounded.
FROM JVEW EJVGLdXD.
Dastardly Outrage.
Providence, Dec. 28 Jonathan Crandell, a
bank watchman in Westerly, R. I., was ap
proached by two suspicious looking strangers
at one o'clock this morning, when one of them
shot him through the head. The village was
alarmed, but the ruffians tied. A set of bur
glar's tools were found this morning under the
piatiorm 01 me aepot.
IIGHTTIIR0UG1I THE ALPS.
Completion of the Great Moat Cenla Tunnel
tn he Meeult of Tweatr Year of Labor The
Eoalaeerlnc Triumph mt the Ace.
A despatch from Kusa says the Alps were
pierced through on Monday, and the workmen
from both ends of the Mont Cenis Tunnel joined
in congratulations upon the completion of toe
great work. The work on the great tunnel,
which had been talked of for over a quarter of
a century, was actually begun in 1857, on the
Italian side, at Bardonneche. A little later ope
rations were begun on the French Bide, at Four
neaux. The tunnel passes under the three peaks called
Col Frejus, Mt. Grand Vallon, and the Col de
la Roue, the first being on the French, the third
on the Italian slope, and the second almost equi
distant between the two. Mont Cenis, from
which it takes its name, is 17 or 18 miles from
the French entrance, and more than 20 from
the Italian entrance, but it probably enjoys
the honor of the tunnel's baptism from the fact
that it is mnch better known than any of the
summits or ranges of the neighborhood.
HOW THE WORK WAS ACCOMPLISHED.
The work on the Italian side was continued
for four years, when, about 1000 yard having
tttn tcitp.'tttd, tie peroratiBc machinee were
brought into requisition. The ordinary motive
power, steam, could not be employed In opera
ting the e machines, as steam needs fire for its
generation, and fire needs air for its support.
After long deliberation and countless experi
ments, compressed air was employed.
The machine is composed of seventeen or
eighteen iron tubes, in whieh, by a vibrating
motion caused by the rise and fall of water, and
regulated by pistons in the tubes, the air is com
pressed to one-sixth its natural bulk. This
when released exercisers an expansive force
equal to that of six atmospheres. As the piston
ascends it forces the water up, compressing the
air and driving it into a reservoir; as it descends
a valve Is opened near the top, through which
the air rushes into the vacuum, and la in turn
compressed and forced into the reservoir.
From the reservoir a large iron pipe conveys
the compressed air into the tunnel. Ten of
these perforators were kept constantly at work.
The drills working by the compressed air were
kept constantly boring the rock at the rate o
nine feet a day. The perforators were not lnf
troduced into the tunnel at Fourneaux, on th
French side, until 1S3, two years after they had
been in nse on the Italian side.
TI1E ENTRANCE TO THE TUNNEL
is 25 feet wide and as many in height. During
the progress of the work, a double railway
track ran into the tunnel, canying the imple
ments and the stone for the mason work and
bringing out the fragments of broken and
blasted rock. A temporary wooden partition
divided the tunnel into two equal galleries,
above and below; the rarified air from the
lower gallery rising and passing out through
the upper, and fresh air coming into the lower
to supply its place.
For some time after the work was begun;
visitors were admitted at all times, but as the
work progressed, stricter rules were adopted,
and permission was given to inspect the work
only on two fixed days of the month. The
visitor is taken in charge by the director of the
workmen, who gets him a long india-rubber
coat and a lighted lamp attached to half a yard
of wire, and with these they set out upon their
journey.
INTO THE BOWELS OP TUB EARTH.
After going some distance the patch of day
light furnished by the entrance is lost sight of,
and the darkness seems positively tangible.
Ahead through the blackness glimmer a number
of lights, and the rumbling sounds of the wagon
carrying out the debris Is heard. Then comes
a dull, heavy rumble, echoinfr and re-echoinc
through the gallery, and seeming to shake the
mountain from base to summit. It is the sound
of an explosion.
One follows another in rapid (uccesslon, and,
after seven or eight, the wooden doors, which
are closed just before the blast, are thrown open,
and clouds of yellow smoke come pouring
through the tunnel in such density and volume
as to lie positively painful. At the time of the
completion of the tunnel the workmen from the
Italian side had bored 4J miles into the moun
tain, and those from the French side about 3
miles, the whole distance being 7 4-5 miles.
FOUR MILES FROM THE OUTER WORLD,
and with more than a mile of Alps towering
above their heads, the visitors find the men and
machines at work. The drills make two hun
dred revolutions a minute, and scatter innu
merable sparks of fire from the rock. After
about ninety holes, three feet in depth and two
to three inches in diameter, are bored, they are
charged with powder and tamped, when the
miners withdrawing behind the wooden doors
the slow match is ignited, and the explosion
takes place. So the labor has continued with
out interruption, day and night, week after
week, including Sundays, month after mocth,
year after year. The workmen were divided
into three reliefs, eight hours being given to
labor and sixteen to rest. JThe coauion laborers
received only three francs a day, and the skilled
but live francs.
TIIE CASUALTIES.
Of course, in such a work innumerable acci
dents must happen. It has been told that
more than 1000 workmen have lost their lives up
to 1870; but the guides and directors declare
that not more than fifty or sixty had been killed
outright, though a number of others had been
seriously wounded. Most of the accidents have
occured on the railway, from the falling of
rock and from premature explosions. One pre
mature explosion killed two men and wounded
nine others, three of them fatally; and one rock
falling crushed three men to death. It is not
improbable, therefore, that during the twelve
years in which the work has been going on at
least 1000 men have lost their lives.
The cost of the tunnel has been about
1 70.000,000 francs.
TnE FRENcn Bazaar The French Bazaar
at Concert Hall will close to-morrow evening,
and we hope that the public of Philadelphia
will patronize it liberally in the mean time. To
morrow evening, at 8 o'clock, there will be a
vocal and instrumental concert, to which the
admission will be twenty-five cents. A fine en
tertainment may be expected, and we hope
there will be a large attendance, so that the
bazaar may close in handsome style. This
bazaar is held for a most worthy object, and if
a large sum is realized by it, many a poor fellow
in France will have cause to bless the kindly
sympathy in Philadelphia that contributed to
his relief.
Philadelphia Trade Iteport.
Wkhnesdat, lec 29. The new hall of the Com
mercial Exchange ia now open, and the attendance
to-day was unusually large, notwithstanding the
unfavorable weather.
There Is a good demand for Cloverseed, and fur
ther sales are reported at ll'.llc. lb. Timothy
and Cloverseed are In small supply and rem n as
last quoted.
There is rather more demand for Flour from the
home trade, but shippers are not operating to any
extent. Sales of lluo barrels, Including superfine at
14 8fi(g4 62X ) barrel; extras at 11-755-12, ; Iowa,
Wisconsin,; and Minnesota extra family at 5-75
(6-62; Pennsylvania do. do. at fi5s &0; Ohio and
lndlaua do. do. at tk.T-85, and fancy at 17 87tfa8.
Rye Flour sells at f viscga-tts. 400 barrels Brandy
wine Corn Meal sold on secret terms.
There la a fair market for Wheat, and further
sales of isoo bushels were made at l -40i-4, and
amber at r47l-48 ) bushel. Rye Bella at 3S$90o.
tor Pennsylvania and 800. for Delaware. Corn Is
very quiet, with sales of 2000 bushels at 7ti.J7e.
for new yellow, and 75c. for high mixed Western.
Oats are firm, with sales of Pennsylvania and West
ern at M(i66C
Whisky fa unchanged; sales of Western Iron-
bound at xc. ana reiinnyivania wooq at inc.
llATESf'SUIPPWUlSTEijlGEisr
For additional Harine Seat see Inside Pages.
PORT OF flllLADKLPlIlA DECEMBER 28
BTATB Or THIRlfOM BTOR AT THJ BVINIXO TKLBGRAFB
OKKICB.
8 A. M 42 I 11 A.M. 42 2 P. M. 47
ARRIVED THIS MORNING.
Steamship Hunter, Harding, 84 hours from Provi
dence, with ciilse. to D. b. bietson A Co.
Scbr Kdith May, Hlpgins, fin New Yorlt, with sa'.t.
Schr Eugene, Curtis, from Egg Harbor.
MISOKLLANY.
Steamer Fairbanks, Howe, fm Wilmington, N. C,
17th Inst., for New York, with a cargo of cotton and
naval stores, was totally destroyed by tire ltn Inst,
at Halter as Inlet. N. C. ; all bands saved. Captain
Howe states that he put Into U at t eras Inlet on the
morning of the 19th for a harbor, a heavy gale pre
vailing outside, and shortly after tire waa discovered
Issuing from under the cabin floor, and spread with
such rapidity, awing to the combustible nature of
the cargo, that the crew were compelled to harry
over the side, saving but a small portion of their
effects. The Fairbanks was built at Dumbarton,
Scotland, in lfbtf, waa 4 ton burthen, and owned
by the Lorillard Steamship Company, of New York.
Vessel and cargo Insured. Her cargo consisted of
4K bales cotton, 94 bbia. turpentine, 891 bbls. rosin,
el aushela peaDQts, and 81 pkgs. dried fruit.
Schr William Walton, Hunter, from Philadelphia
for Hoaton, at Holmes' Hole 24tu hut., lost head of
foremast and furetopaiaat.
FOURTH UDITION
LATER FROM EUROPE.
A Great Battle at Havre.
The Result yet Uncertain.
AFTERNOON WASHINGTON NEWS.
Grant and the Swedish Minister.
Speech of the President.
Few More Fires.
EtC.t Etc., Etc. Etc.. Etc
I ROM EUROPE.
Gen. Chanzv Denlea Unvlnc Been Defeated.
London, Dec. 28 General Chanzy com
plains bitterly of the conduct ot the Prussians.
He denies having been defeated, and avows his
intention of taking revenge for the vandalism
of the enemy.
St. Calais, in the Department of the Sarthe,
twenty-six miles from Le Mans, has been visited
by the Prussians, who left the town after
a requisition upon the inhabitants. It is said
Bourbakl la fflevln
with Lis army to the eastern portion of France
to operate against General Werdcr.
The Bnvarlan Treaties.
MrnKE, Dec. 28. The Bavarian House of
Deputies has rejected the Federal treaties, with
a view to obtaining an improvement in the '
terms.
London, Dec. 28 A despatch from Havre
states that there has been intense excitement
consequent upon a battle going on since the
2Gtb in that neighborhood. The first important
struggle between the French troops in this de
partment and the Prussians occurred on Satur
day morning at daybreak. For days the fight
had been expected, and although yet without
decisive results, It is regarded as a valuable ex
perience in proving the efficiency of the artil
lery and capacity of the Mobiles and tireuri to
encounter regular troops.
The 1ateat Quotations.
London, Dec. 28 12 M. Consols opened at
57i for money and account. Bonds quiet; O-aosof
186J, 89H; Of 1865, 88tf; Of 11867, K7i; 10-408,
ST,. Stocks quiet; firle, 20; Illinois Central, ivi:
Great Western, 28x
LiveRrooi., Dec 2812 M. Cotton opened quiet
and steady; uplands, 8.d.; Orleans, bd. Sales
estimated at 12,000 bales.
London, Deo. 2812 M. Calcutta Linseed, I0s,($
IDs. Id.
FROM WASULYGTOJV.
' Itecfptlenof the Nwedlah minister.
LtsjHiUh to the Associated rrts.
. Washington,; Dec. 28. Mr.'Olaf sternersien was
to-day presented to the President by Secretary 1'ish
and made the followinar speech :
Mr. President: I have the honor to present to
your Excellency the royal letters which accredit me
in the quality of Lnvoy Extraordinary and Minis
ter Plenipotentiary of his Majesty the King of Swe
den and Norway, my august sovereign, near the
United States of America. In place of liaron Wei
stadt, whose letter of recall I have the honor at the
tame time to deliver to your Excellency.
I beg j our Excellency to believe that In the exer
cise of my new functions the constant object of my
efforts will be to maintain and draw closer the bonds
of friendship which so happily exist between the
United States of America and the United Kingdom
of Sweden and Norway; and I shall think myself
happy if in laboring to this end I can succeed ia
meriting your l.xcellency'a confidence.
" Speech ef the President.
The President replied as follows:
Chevalier: I am happy to receive you as the di
plomatic representative of a sovereign with whom
the United States have always maintained and de
sire uniformly to preserve the most friendly and
cordial relations. It Is to be hoped that you may
tiDd your above here agreeable, and you may he
8hb u red that nothing shall be omitted on my part to
wards contributing to so desirable a purpose.
FROM NEW YORK.
Fire In Fallen Htreet.
New York, Dec. 28 The buildings Nos. 105,.
107. and 109 Fulton street were damaged in the
upper stories by fire this morning. The princi
pal occupants were Farrell & Son, Joseph
Laing, and U. Phelffer. Loss, 1 15,000; inbured.
Advance In Freight Charges.
An advance of ten per cent in the rates of
freight to the Weft has been put into effect.
(General ftlcClellan's Usute Buries.
New Yokk, Dec. 28. The residence of General
McClellan. at Llewellyn Park, N. J., waa burned last
evt-Diog. Ions, 140,000. The family was In thia cits
for the winter, and the house was unoccupied.
FROM THE SO UTU.
Theatre Burned In Memphis.
Mimtbis, Dec. 28. Broom's Varieties, on Jefler-
on street, was oorneu eariy mis morning. The
building, wardroaea, scenery, etc., were entirely
destroyed , supposed accidental. The loss U 1 10,000.
Hulelde.
Jack Downes, formerly Deputy Sheriff, suicided
last night by itiychnlne. Poverty was the cause.
Tha lea
Is still running heavily and the weather ia morie
rtUng fast. .
FROM NEW EJYGL.LYD.
Ship News.
Boston, Dec. 28 Arrived, steamship Sama
ria, fromlLlverpool. The brig Anna D. Torrey,
Captain Curtis, from Pensacola for Boston,
parted her chains last night and drifted ashore
on the beach near Truro. Bhe will have to dis
charge her deck load to get off.
FROM THE WEST.
Railway Aeoideat.
Ci BVEI.AND, Dec. 28. The mail train on the Allan
tic and oreat Western Kallrsad which left Meadvillu
about 10 o'clock this morniuf, olug west, rano.ta
trestle bridge a few miles wei of that city. An emi
grant car waa overturned, aud one person la re
ported tilled and twenty or thirty wounded.
The new cattle disease has become qui to
prevalent in the western part of Litchfield
county, Connecticut. Governor English baa
taken measures to have it ''stamped out."
Ludger Arpin, a young man who was ac
cused of having murdsred Morse Tremblay, a
rUal in the affections of a young lady at 6t.
Join's, Canada, was tried a tew days ago and
acquitted. The evidence, whieh was entirely
circumstantial, showed that Arpin had laid in
wait for Tremblay, and that he had shot him
while on hit way home from the Louse of lit
young laity.