tf V LANCASTER DAILY lfiTELLlGEKCER SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 1881. lancastet intelligencer. SATURDAY EVENING, MAE. 5, 1881. Ttee Inaugural. At last we can again speak of the oc cupant of the White Heuse as the pres ident. Mr. Garfield may no t really have been elected, and a great many of us think that he was net ; but the evidence te make this clear i3 net in our hands and he is consequently entitled te recog nition as the rightful holder of the office into which he has been inaugurated. The president spoke some four thou sand pleasant words te the nation, which these who have dutifully read them have net been greatly enlightened by. That, however,is net much of a disappointment. A president who has nothing te say can not be expected te say much ; and there is a geed deal of excuse for a president who cheeses te say net liing at the very commencement of his administration. Custom requires him te speak a piece ; but the old saw about taking a horse te water is equally illustrative of the vanity of calling upon a new president te gratify public curiosity as te his administration policy, when he cheeses net te de se. Our public nun become adepts in the art of speaking -m m- much and saying little ; and Mr. Gar-1 Scxater Mitchell, according te field's strength lies somewhat in that di- ' Mr. Handy writing from Washington te rectien ; though he is mere ppculiaiJy t.e Philadelphia Press, was highly in famed for speaking much and doing lit- dignant at the statement current in tie in the line of his speech. j Pennsylvania that he " was induced by Inaugurals might very piclitahly 1 e Senater Cameren te join in a certain dispensed with ; since, between the pres idents who premise a gmit deal and pel pel ferm little, such as IIaes, and these who premise lit tie, and de little, us prob ably will be our experience with Gar field, we de net have much satisfaction in inaugurals. Pie.-iiltnt Gai field could net well have set us down te an emptier dish. It i a pietlj piece of china, nicely gilded, and decei at ed with pretty designs of eagles and flower and things, but there is nothing en it te satisfy a very hungry appetite. Mr. Gai field t idently did net have much te put en it. II is party has net much of a creed te be unanimous ever. It believes in negre suffrage, and its president ventures te proclaim his adhesion te that constitutionally secured dogma that nebidy resists. lie be!ices in education; and hopes that a wise Providence will point out some way te reconcile this doctrine with the suffrage of uneducated negrees ; if it don't, lie inclines te the opinion that it will be the worse for educated suffrage, ihich must give way te manhood suffrage in this democratic country. The inaugural reads a geed deal liku a brief presidential message, touching as it does lightly uprn a geed jnany subjects, and only lindir.g courage te declare a positive corrects n upon one or two thirnrs that may be said te be new pull c questions. The pn si dent gees the lu'.l length of his chain aaiut the Memuns a-ul ut ters a very weak bark of encour agement te the civil service refeim" ers. He proposes that the subordi nate clerks shall be promoted for merit and removed only, for prescribed causes, during the term of their appoint ment ; which is geed as far as it gees. Perhaps it is wise in President Garfield net te premise tee much in this line, in which his predecessor premised every thing and did nothing. The modest un dertaking of the new president is in refreshing contrast, and leaves small oj. ej. oj. pertunity ler public disappointment. Just what sort of an administration the new one is going te be may taiily be surmised from the colorless character t f this address. If the political seas are tolerably caceful it may be measur ably successful ; but it is net a cratt te survive in a tempest-test ocean. Thc Increased City Tax. The Xcir Era, with commendable frankness, ascribes the maiked and alarming increase of city tax just order ed by council';, te the proper cause ; and acquits the present councils of any re sponsibility for the condition of things which rendered necessaiy the extra levy. There reus, as the Era suggests, ' a wide difference of opinion concerning the propriety of incurring certain portions" of the expenditures which led te this disastrous result. The Em might have gene farther and added that it was only incurred against the earnest and repeat ed pretests of the mayor. The Intbl ligexceu supported these pretests." when it was net ' idle te discuss the manner in which much of this debt w:,s incurred." We de net remember that the Era joined in the pretest ; if it did net actually te-echo the specious cry of " public improvement," which was made te cover a multitude of abuses against the law. We believed then, as we believe new, that under the resolu tion of councils, passed January 4, 1S77, page 68, section 22, of the city ordi nances, "no debt or contract thereat ter incurred" was " binding en the city of Lancaster," which had net been " authorized by law and ordinance and an appropriation sufficient te pay the same " been " previously made by councils;" though "persons claiming unauthorized debts or contracts may recover against the person or persons illegally making the same." Councils, however, has net thought it worth while te test this ques tion; and,since the debt iste be pah!,this experience may serve as a monumental warning against future recognition of the right of unauthorized contracts en behaltefthecity. It is fair te say that the present councils, nearly a year age, recognized the time as at hand "te take a new departure in the matter of street improvements." It was only when one branch of the city government became Democratic that the true policy of muni cipal administration, "no expenditures in excess of appropriations" and "no per manent debt for temporary improve ments," could be made effective. It wss, ytQ believe, in the year which saw a Dem- ncratic common council and Democratic Street 'commissioner, for the first time under the reapportioned city government, that, for the first time since then, the ex penditures have been kept within the appropriation, and the street department has net left te its successor a legacy of unauthorized debt. Mb. Zecheb, of the Sixth ward, who impetuously rushes forward in select council te the charge that the Intelli gencer has been "unfair "and "un truthful " in its comments en the city treasurer imbroglio, very cautiously emits te point out wherein the untruth fulness of our statements has consisted. Mr. Zecher, being a member of the finance committee, naturally resents corn! ment en what we have conceived te be the unfairness of that committee te Mr. Welchans in its manner of con ducting the investigation, and in its de claration of his embezzlement of moneys, his accountability for which is a matter of legal dispute. The committee new claims te have discovered evidence that his dcGcit is larger than at first re ported. However this may be, we have never been able te see why the whole matter was net one that could have been left for audit and settlement at the end of his term, when the balance due from him could have been judicially ascer tained and collected from his bondsmen, if he failed te pay it. Perhaps Mr. Zecher may be able te tell us what the city iias gained by anticipating this set tlement with his ouster and the accem ' panying excitement. movement against Mac Veagh," and net only pronounced it " a lie" in se many words, but added something about get ting tired of being misrepresented with the object of making the people of Penn sylvania believe that he wears any man's cellar. It was baldly credible that Sen iter Mitchell would be se foolish as the conversation made him out ; but who is responsible for the story V PFRSONaL.. Jay Gould drove the last spike in the most western mil of the Texas & Pacific rail lead yesterday, 200 miles west of Dallas, Tex. The iron is being laid at the rate of a mile a day, and the read will be completed te El Pase this year. Last Satuidayat her closing reception, Mis. Hayes shook hands with ever 4,000 people by actual count of oue who steed near, and when she rcthed from the Blue Pailor at 2:10, 1,500 ethers still steed wedged in the passage that lead te that room, hopelessly trying te struggle their way. All reports of the inauguration seem te agree with that of the New Yerk Times, which says : ; Gen. Hajjceck was eer- tainly the most imposing figure in the chamber. Favored by nature, his pertly form was adorned by a uniform which was much mere effective in appcarauce than the gaudy dress of some of the di plomats who came in later." The Philadelphia Ecening Bulletin ob serves that " Majer General IIaxceck has done precisely what might have been ex pected of a gallant soldier and gentleman, in going te Washington te be present at the inauguration of his successful competi tor for the piesidency. He has been warm ly received at the national capital, and Republicans unite with iespectahlc Demo crats in doing him honor as a conspicuous figure in the pageant of the inauguration. Wc de net recall a similar case of a de feated candidate's assisting at the iusta' iusta' latien of his victor."' D. O. MiLL9, of California has cleared something like sixteen millions of dellais since he came te the coast. His whole wealth is estimated at twenty-1 we millions. It is the daughter of this gentleman who is engaged te be married te Mr. Whitelaw Reid. Miss Mills is considerably wealth ier than Miss Huntington, who was the last young lady represented te be the pos sessor of the infinite been compassed in a matiimenial engagement te Mr. Reiil. Mi-. Mills has intimated that he will gire three bundled thousand dellais te his daughter as a wedding present. Geerge Eliet's will disposes of a per sonal estate of somewhat less than $200, 000. She bequeathes $2e,000 te Miss Emily Clark, $3,000 te "Vivian Byam Lewes and an annuity of $200 for life te her housekeeper, Mary Dewling. Theic is te be set aside $02,500 in the names of her executer, Charles Lee Lewes, aud her husband, as trustees, the inceme te be paid te Mrs. Eliza Lewes, the widow of Herbert Arthur Lewes, for life or during her widowhood, and en her death or sec ond marriage one-half is te go te Mrs. ewes's son, Geerge Henry Lewes, and t'ift ether te her daughter, Marian Lewes. The residue of the property is given te C Miles Lee Lewes absolutely. G. W. Sinalley, writing of a visit te the late Themas Caulyle, says: "Without any question or hint of mine my host be gan te talk of America. ' They think, some of yeu'thiuk,I am no friend te Amer ica. But I love America net everybody's America, but the true America ; the coun try which has given biith te Emersen and te Emersen's friends ; the country of honest works and brave thinkers. Never shall I forget, that the first money that ever came te me for a printed book came from America. When your people re printed "Sartor Rpsartus" out of Fraser, they sent me a geed sum of it. They need net have sent it. I had no claim en it or en them ; but they cent it ; and I did and de thank tbem for that. By and by they republished my"French Revolution." De you knew that I had net had a penny for that book from the English public till a geed while after American friends re mitted te me a pretty sum for it.' " rODKTEEV LIVES LUST. The Bark Aiace Wrecked Bbealf. en Keclcaway Thursday night the Italian barkAjace, from Antwerp, with kerosene barrels, be came waterlogged off Rockaway Beach. The crew became demoralized when it became evident the vessel was going ashere and four of them cut their threats. The captain whose name is Mericc, was unable te control his men. The bark first struck en Rockaway Sheals and went te pieces by 4 o'clock this mernimr. The crew numbered fifteen men all teldT and all but one were c The Life Saving crew of Canarsie drowned. went en beard as seen as the wreck was discovered and took off the one survivor, an Italian, named Peter Sallace, who tells the above story. Rockaway and Ceney Island beaches are covered with wreckage. The tide at Cencv Island is higher than it has been at any time for ycarspast and the waves have done considerable damage te the eutbuild- i ings attached te the great hotels. MINOB TOPICS. The Southern university, an institution for the education of colored youth, has been opened at New Orleans, with twelve under-graduates. The state is te give it $10,000 annually. Jcdge Macomber, of Rochester, New Yerk, decides that the majority of achurch beard of trustees, although sustained by a majority of the congregation, cannot carry the society and its property ever te an other denomination. Rev. Dr. Taljiage has beeu pastor of the Brooklyn Tabernacle church for 12 years. Last year 701 members were added, all but CI en confeseion of faith. During Dr. Talmage's pastorate, 2,793 members have been received. Deducting losses by death and dismissiens, the pre sent membership is 2.206. It is a Mahemmcdan tradition that Sol Sel Sol omon understood the language of dumb animals and could held intelligent con con verse with them. "When a cartraan was arrested in Jerusalem for beating his horse and taken before the king, that wise mon arch always called the maltreated beast as a witness in its own behalf. This beusfi- cent practice wholly obviated th neces sity of a society for the prevention of cru elty t animals in the Hely City. Henuy Wilsen's right uame was "Jer emiah Celhaith," U. S. Giant's was Hiram U. Grant. New it is discovered that "Matt" Caipenter's name was net Mat thew but Menitt. Soen after he settled in Beloit he was nominated for district at torney of Reck county, and en account of the number of defective ballets cast for him, his opponent was declared elected. C.upenter contested the matter before the sumemc ceuit, which decided iu his fa vor. His atument in his own behalf was se brilliant and able that one of the law yets lemarkcd that "it was worthy of Sir Matthew Hale.' The ether lawyers pres en 1 caught up the name and declared that the young lawyer should never again have a name ever which theie could be any dis pute whatever, and that hencefeith they should call him Matthew Hale. Tiie New Yeik Observer says : "The American committee of Bible, revise! s showed their just appieciatien of the work in which they engaged, by declining any attempt te obtain copyright for their weik. Te them it appealed unreasonable te lay any restrictions upon the widest possible diffusion of what they believe te be the latest aud best production in En glish of the Werd of Ged te man. In this their ceui.se is far niore praiseworthy than that of thc-British committee, whose ex penses weic paid by the University press which claims te have the exclusive light te print the old vetsien, aud new, by con tract with the British revisers, claim the monopoly of the new. This claim has been made the meic effensive by a threat of legal process agaiust theso who have dared te copy a lew verses of the forth coming Testament." LATESr NEWS BY MAIL. Fiederiek Kless, a Cincinnati boy, aged 11 years, shot his brother Otte, a lad of 9, yestciday. in a fit of anger, with a toy- pistol. The Pearl hominy mill, of Baltimore, was burned yesterday, with all the tock and machincrv. The damage is estimated at about $70,000 ; insurance, $55,430. The American mills company, of Provi dence, R. I., has made an assignment ; liabilities, $0,000 ; assets $75,000. The failure is said te be due te that of A.J. Graellc, of New Yerk. Franceis Xavier Jebhi, aged 95, who lived alone, was found dead iu his house in Quebec. The carpet and lloer were partly burned, and it is supposed that he was suffocated. A dead cat was found lying near him. Policeman Maleney,of Leng Island City, went home intoxicated and shot his wife, the bullet entering her head near the eye. If the ball can be extracted she may re cover. She refuses te make a cemplaiust against her husband. As the train bringing the Lancers, re turning fre.n New Orleans, left Ccntralia, III., last night, the engine wat derailed. In hauling the cngine upon the track the .rope broke, fracturing the skull of William Bailey, oil of the Lancers. Mr. Bailey has since died. Ne one else was hurt. The Eureka blasting powder works at Highland, three miles from Oakland, Cal.. exploded yesterday with terrific force, Twe Chinamen were killed, and five Chinamen and two white men were injur ed. Tiie reef of the magaziue was blown off, and the packing house destroyed. Geerge W. Musser, of Fairfield, Greene county, Ohie, has been held te bail for striking his paster.Rcv. J. Hale of the Re formed church, with a club. Musser was laughing in church, and en Mr. Hale re buking him from the pulpit, he went out waited for the minister at the church deer and felled 'him with a hickory stick. Frederick II. Churchill, a welkknewn citizen of New Britain, Conn., shot him self dead with a pistol. Cause, aberra tion of mind from tee close application te the electric light business. He was a sraduate of Yale college, a lawyer, pos sessed of wealth, aud having a wife and four children In Gallatin county,Ky.,at the request of Mrs. O JScal, whose husband was neglect ing her, Andrew Gibuer, a neighbor, went te feed O'Neal's stock. O'Neal came home meanwhile, and taking an axe fel lowed Gibner, kneckd him down and de liberately cut his head te pieces and cut off one arm. In Jacksen county, Ga., Jesse Cook, ac companied by his 14-year-old daughter, went into the weeds te split rails. Cook told his daughter that if she did net split as many rails as he did in the day's work he would kill her. After a hard day's work the daughter, en counting her pile of rails, ascertained that she had net split quite se many as her father. Fearing the unmerciful punishment te whichfshe had frequently been subjected, she did net go home. Her father hunted her up and flailed her se mercifully with a;railthat she died seen afterward. Cook attempted te escape, but was placed injail. In the inaugural parade in Washington yesterday the Harmony Legien, of Phila delphia, when they came up the avenue, were red shirts, carried small staffs with flags and resembled firemen in general appearance. They insulted everybody of prominence along the line of march and stepped te fight where it was resented. Between Twelfth and Thirteenth streets the entire Legien breke up and went into a general free fight, cracking heads right and left with their stalls and getting a geed many knocks in return. In some instances a dozen of them would break ranks and plunge into the crowd, driving whomsoever they pursued into the saloons and scaring half te death the women and children who were incidently knocked i ever in the chase, WINTER LIFE AT A FOKr. Hew the Christmas Season vil Passed at Celrille. Away out in the northwestern corner of our country near te the border of Brit ish America, Fert Colville is hidden away from the knowledge of man, buried in snow for most of the year and with the thermometer standing for months steadily below zero. Frem a private letter of an officer we extract the following description of the life and amusements of the exiled people at the pest. I wish you could have some of the sleigh ing I have been enjoying every night for some time past. I have been taking ad vantage of some of the privileges of my office of quartermaster, which would be quite considerable if I had time te devote te them. "Celd turkey" is what these advantages are called here. I have some twenty mules and twelve horses in my Q. M. stables new, and although -lest of them are at work every day, there is always a fresh four-in-hand available when I have no evening work en my hands. I found a very fair cutter in a dilapidated state and put our blacksmith upon it, and this, with my four ambulance mules and four cow bells for sleigh chimes, is net te be sneezed at. Occasionally I use horses, but the mules are the fastest, and meie in ac cord with the cow bells which are becoming my distinctive announcement through the clatter of the usual sleigh bells. Staff duty out here nearly always falls 'en officer of the line. Nearly all the pest quartermasters are lieutenants of the line, with no extra pay or assistance, aud with theiidditienal duties of commissary, ad jutant, &c. They de the work of the quartermaster's department, while quar termasters seldom get farther than Wash ington, New Yerk, San Francisce, &c. In some unexplained way Majer Forsyth, a a ical live quartermaster, inade his ap pearance at Camp Chcl.ui, a pest in this wilderness, and did net succeed iu getting relieved for nearly a year ; but new his place is taken by a 2d lieutenant of the line, who assumes, in addition te his duties as commissary aud adjutant, theso of quar termaster ; for performing which alone F. get the rank and pay of major aud the assistance of a trained clerk ei a salary of $100 a month. The lieutenant will have te take his clerical force the soldiers. from among On Suuday Hunter and I drove out te our company hunting camp ; each com pany has new get a detachment in the mountains after venison. We found them very comfortably housed iu a snow bank, under a shelter tent, but in fient of the shelter the snow had beeu cleared away from a square of about ten feet and banked up se that the walls wcie as high as the head. In this space the camp tire burned against a large tice as a back, and everything was as snug aud warm as if they had been in garrison. By the way, it is curious hew little we realize the fact that the mercury is below zero, aud aoed way below it tee. We dress warmly te be sure, and although we wear heavy overcoats wc don't bundle up : and never think of pattiug off a moonlight sleigh ride or staying at home en account of the dreppiug of the mer cury. We feuud our party had net had much success ; the snow here, being per fectly light and feathery, there is no crust te impede the deer and assist the hunter. who has hard work in two or three feet of it. I, however, have lately been well sup plied with ducks and deer, as the hunting parties, of whatever company, always think it well te remember the chief of the pack mules aud bob sleds. The garrison minstrel troupe gave their first entertainment, which was a grai d success, en Dec. 22. It took place in the library building which I built Iase year. A neat little stage was erected, with foot lights, side .scenes, flics aud supper lights, and a painted drop curtain. The orches tra was very geed a parlor organ, two violins, a guitar, bass-viol and flute. The audience was full, all the officers aud la dies, and people from the country round about. When the curtain rose at the tap of a bell and the semi-circle of chairs was filled with a dozen dusky gentlemen in black coats, white vests and ties and cloves, it wasn't haid te imavriue oneself in the East again. The end men bones and tambourine were perfect profession als and their jekes were fresh and geed, every one. The singing was excellent, the cherusc3 well-trained aud some of the voices very fine. I believe" I told you about their having serenaded us some time age. Then the entertainment went en with clog dances, sketches, negre and Irish songs. The whole thing was" just what you would expect te see in New Yerk or Philadelphia no localisms in it, which is quite a hird thing te avoid in a garrison. Our company was largely rep resented in the troupe and music, and we are quite proud te think that we have such a fund te rely upon te keep up geed spirits. On X-mas eve we all met at the colonel's, where a X-mas tree had been rigged up for the children. The little chicks weic all expectation when, about 8 o'clock, a sleigh dashed up outside with a grand jingling of bells and Captain H., who had slipped out unnoticed, was heard hammering the deer with his heavy whip, in the character of Santa Claus, and a grand one he made when he was ushered in out of the driving snow which had ledged all ever his fur costume, he being almost buried under a Canada fur coat, fur hat, goggles long beard and stuffed with a pillow or two. The chiL drcn (from 4 te 7 years old) formed the most awe-struck party you ever saw as the visitor found each one of their names in a book he carried aud gave them his opinions. v When he led the way te the room where the tree was blazing away one of the little girls was se excited that she kept repeating, " Oh yes, I'll shake hands with Santa Claus !" " Oh yes ! I will!" "I will! but I don't want any presents, Santa Claus, I really don't!" "Ne! Ne! I don't!" The colonel was then installed en a throne and instructed by Santa Claus te distribute his gifts aud represent him that evening, as he had te visit an the pests between here and New Yerk before morn ing. With this he threw up the window, and saying that he would step later iu the night when he get through, and fill the stockings, away he went with a clang of bells behind the little mules that would have passed for reindeer en a brighter night than that was. Then came the planting of the tree (which by the way was very pretty, in spite of the ornaments being of original invention and home man ufacture), and the toys for the children and some surprises for the elder ones were humorously distributed. Leaving the youngsters highly delighted (though our mails have been snow bound and have net brought all the things they were te have) we adjourned te the parlor and drank a Xmas beverage from a punch bowl whose inscription showed that it was presented by the planters of Jamaica te a lieutenant commanding H. M. S. Blank for gallant conduct in whipping and capturing a French cruiser off their coast in 179S. Hew that bowl has wandered ! If you could have seen our party gath ered-mat evening areuna the piano, sing ing and listening (four ladies, five officers and the doctor, the colonel's brother), I'm afraid I would never be able te enlist your sympathies for the exiles at Colville again. The colonel plays the violin and the doctor the flute, se you knew we are pretty well prepared for music. On Xmas night the officers and ladies were invited te attend a Colville ball. We went, of course, with our curiesitv wrought up te a high pitch te see hew the affair would go. " When our sleigh deposited us after a brisk little dash, wc were ushered- into a hall of very fair size whrrj all the belles and beaux of the valley were assembling. We were given seats at one ud of the hall and had time te survey the company before the music began. The only noticeable feature in the manners was that the " ladies " oc cupied ene side of the room and the " gentlemen " the ether ; each gallant re turning his pai tner te her place and going back te his side as seen as the music would cease. Shades of their ancestors weie there well represented, from the full half-breeds (whose color sometimes sug gests that they get mere than their half of the paint) te the one-quarter and one eighths, sometimes bright, clear blendes with only an Indian feature te mark them. Seme of the t;iils aie pretty and the meu are nearly till dirk,,haudsome fellows. The French infusion iu the bleed cannot be mistaken, and this was as apparent in their mirthful dispositions aud natural aptitude for dancing a3 in everything else. The quadrilles were interminable and of un bounded complication ; a mere word from the master of ceremonies, perched en a big barrel, being all that was needed te change the spirit of their dream into something new and strange. The time was rattling, but there was no roughness or clumsy clog dancing. These who boasted of the Scotch strain of the Hudsen Bay company took care te air their knewlege of the Highland Fling and Scottish Reel. Ner was every thing square dancing. There were waltzes schottisches, varseuviennes, the time very strongly marked in the motions ; and the Colville Reel, hew shall I describe that ? Well, it is danced in sets, each couple with right arm linked in right arm and left hands en hips, reeling aud reeling and reeiing away ; suddenly there is a rever sal of position, all disengage, whirl around aud link left arm with the left of the next partner, and se it gees, a wheel within a wheel and all heads in a whirl. The music was geed, and the ladies having come pre pared with short dresses, "we of the gar rison" seen found ourselves en the fleer. We showed them "the Glide," "the Three Step," &c, &c, and they good geod goed naturedly pulled us through their amazing quadrilles ; their cautionary exclamations being mere frequently French than Eng lish in the excitement of the changing figures. Then, at a challenge from our ladies, we danced with the (meie or less) dusky belles and, and with the cook aud the maid, who had but a few hours before basted the Xmas turkey and served the fiamiug plum pudding for some of us at the colonel's. The girls had been taken te see the per formance under the wing of our party, were educated, graceful, pretty, aud being the best waitzcrs en the fleer, were alto gether tee geed for the natives. The eveuing passed off pleasantly, with no disorder save the appearance of a horse shoe omen of geed luck which came crashing through the window pane. This, however, caused no interruption ; only one revolver was drawn by ene of the chi vah eus defenders of the fair, but no ene presenting himself outside te be shot at, the "weepen" was quietly replaced with a cautionary remark, " lie there.'.' A supper net euly bounteous but geed, filled up the hour from one te two, a. in., "Sunday, December 26th," when we closed the fete wit'i a " sparkling sleigh ride" home, an example followed by all but these who, having fifteen, twenty and thirty miles te drive, went en with the dance till daylight should make the trail mere plainly visible. Fred. EXPLOSION IN A COAL MINE. Thirty-live Chinamen Killed and Fifteen or Twenty Badly Hart. . A special from' Evanston, Wy., says : "The gas in the Reck Mountain coal and iron company's mine Ne. 2, at Almy sta tion, en the Union Pacific read, exploded at 8J Thursday evening, throwing the flames many hundred feet high out of the main slope, carrying away the buildings around the mouth of the shaft, and setting the machinery buildings en fire. About fifteen minutes before the explosion from ten te thirty white men and fifty China men went down te work for the night. At 2 a. m. seventeen Chinamen, mere or less seriously injured, had been rescued, many with limbs broken and badly scalded About twenty dead Chinamen have been discovered, but have net yet beeu brought up Ne white man has yet been feuud, and there are no hopes that any are alive. The jar of the explosion was plainly felt at Evanston." A despatch from Cheyenne says the night shift consisted of fifty Chinamen and five whites. Twe of the whites were brought out in a crippled condition, and fifteen Chinamen were rescued through the ventilating shaft, all of whom were mere or less injured. It is belived that thirty-five Chinamen and two white men, new in the mine, are all dead, as the mine is en fire. The mine is owned by the Central Pacific railway, and was being worked te its full capacity. The accident will cause a suspension of work for a year. Accidents During the Inaugural Ceremonies. Twe serious accidents eccured. Leuis Westen a member of the Seventh Penn sylvania National Guard, of Pottsville, was struck en the head by a piece of pipe forming ene of the street arches. His skull was factored. He was taken te the Providence hospital and it is thought he is dying. The horse of C. C. Bolten, a member of the Cleveland Troop, stepped en the wet pavement and fell en his leg. breaking if badly. He was taken te the head quarters of the -'Troop and received medical attention. The Inci Tax Levy. Xew Era. The action of councils at their recent meeting te increase the rate of taxation from seventy te niuety cents per hundred dollars valuation has created both surprise and alarm among taxpayers. It comes te them with all the mere force, iu the first place, because it was unexpected, and, secondly, because in the increase is such an unusual one. An examination of the resolution which passed councils, fixing the new tax levy at nine mills en the dol lar, reveals the true secret of this 23 per cent, increase in the rate of taxation at a single bound. Five mills are required te pay interest and principal aud state tax en leans, two mills for general city pur poses, and (we mills te pay arrearages of ttreet aeelt due June l, issu. These ar rearages, we regret te say, reach the very large sum of $20,000. It is idle te discuss, at this late day, the manner in which much of this debt was incurred There was a wide difference of opinion concerning the pro priety of incurring certain portions of it, but it is te late te worry ever that new. Suffice it te say there is an ever-due floating debt banging ever the city of $20,000 or mere, new te meet it was. the question that confronted councils. It was impossi ble te borrow the money and make it a part of the bended debt of the city, as the legal limit of indebtedness has beeu reached within a few thousand de'lars. It would be impolitic te leave the debt un satisfied, as it would grew by delay. There seems, therefore, te have been only one ether course open, and that was te levy a tax te pay off the debt at once. This i the plan councils have adopted, and. as we believe, wisely. Indeed, any ether course must have been of a temporizing and un satisfactory character. They have faced the question boldly, and have at one stroke concluded te get rid of the burden at once. These are the facts in the case, and the people ought te knew them. The present is, however, an excellent time for councils te take anew departure iu the matter of street improvements. If the necessary economy is practiced durin z the new fiscal year, the tax can be reduced te the old fig ures in 1882, without detriment te any es sential city interest. STATE ITEMS. Pittsburgh is much tickled because Mrs. Hayes has ordered a pair of eye-glasses from one of its manufactories. The Bingham house property, at the southeast corner of Eleventh and Market streets, Philadelphia, has been purchased by William Wi;htman. The price is pi iced in the neighborhood of $3.0,000. Thirty bricklayers of Reading have held a meeting and decided te notify the boss brickliyers that they will net work for less than $2.25 per day en and after the first or April, which will be an advance of 50 cents, the present wages being $1.75. At the last meeting of the Berks county prison inspectors, they discussed the ad visability of discontinuing the manufac ture of shoes in the jail. Jehn E. Lcntz & Ce., who were extensively engaged in making shoes at the Lehigh county prison, have removed all their tools from the in stitution, with the intention of temporarily if net permanently, discontinuing the manufacture of beets and shoes there. There is but one city of the first class n Pennsylvania which is Philadelphia, ai d but one of the second class, and that 's Pittsburgh. Allegheny, Reading, Scrauten aud Harrisburg stand together in the thiid class since the last census ; AUeutewu, Erie, Lancaster, Williamsport and Wilkes barre in the fourth, and Alioena, Chester, Leck Haven, New Castle, Parker aud Oil City in the fifth. Carlisle, Chambcrsburg, Columbia, Danville, Easten, Johustewu, Norristown, Pittsteu, Phcetiixville, Potts ville, St. Clair, Tamaqua, West Chctscr aud Yerk are boroughs. . . LOCAL INTELLIGENCE. Times m New Helland. The New Helland Clarien strongly ad vecates the establishment of a bank iu New Helland and has two men ready te te take $15,000 of stock in it. The fol lowing discouraging sketch of society aud busidess in New Helland is pi intcd in the same column as its appeal for a bank : "If there is a town in this country where the green eyed menster subsists en richer provender, and meic of it, thad it feeds en in this town, we have net heard of it. We de uet refer merely te the jeilensy of levers, but the jealous feeling that exists among all classes, trades and professions, is simply ridicu lous. And we would fail te be true te our duties as a public journalist if we did net denounce this reprehensible practice. Our ministers, physicians, musicians, business men, mechanics, private indi viduals and families have nearly all par taken mere or less of the unpalatable dish set before them by this green-eyed mon ster. If one person gets a point of ad vantage ever another his compctiteis im mediately go te work and concoct cam paign stories, as it were, and circulate them, and an excited populace, prone as it is te evil, swallows the gossip with a relish. The consequence is that the person who made one step forward is pulled back three, and se the evil work gees en." Disorderly Darkles. Elmer Helsinger, Calvin Carey and Geerge Harris, three young colored men, were arrested en complaint of Samuel Allen, also colored, for drunken and dis orderly conduct, and creating a disturb ance at a party given by Mr. Allen in Leve and Charity hall a few evening since. The hall had been leased te Mr. Allen en con dition that he should sell no intoxicating beverages, and he says he faithfully com plied with the stipulation ; but the ac cused came te the entertainment in a drunken condition, behaved boisterously. one flourishing a revolver. A few min utes afterwards they upset a stove iu the lower room of the hall. They will have a bearing before Alerman Barr at half-past 4 o'clock this afternoon. Before Alderman Barr, Benjamin Green, colored, had a hearing en a charge of drunken and disorderly conduct and was discharged en phyment of costs. Benja min Smith and Geerge Smith also colored, who were held en a charge of resisting an officer, wcrn discharged after paying the costs. AH these parties were engaged in a row en Mimin street a Tew days age. Fer being drunk and disorderly Georg; Barten and Charles Maritan were sent te jail for 10 days each by Alderman Barr. m The Fish Market. Since the commencement of Lent there has been quite a boom in the fish market. Dealers in this city say their sales are mere than twice as large as they were last week. Fer the first time this season fresh shad were offered for sale, the prices ranging from 50 cents for very little ones, te $1.25 for large ones. They came from the south Atlantic. The ether varieties of fish en market te-day were fresh herring, pike, haddock, salmon, white fish, black bass, perch, smeltz and catfish, all of which sold at the usual prices. Assignment. Mr. Andrew Mehaffey, of Pequea, has made a deed of assignment of his pro perty, for the benefit, of his creditors, te Jeseph B. Erb. SaleefKeal Estate. Oscar Hehciu has sold te Gottleb Finkh the property Nes. SCO and 562 North Queen street, new occupied by Mr. Finkh, for $5,500. CITY COUNCILS. AN - ALUOCRNKI) MKKT1NO OF CITT FATUr.lt.. Repert et Finance Committee en City Treas urer's Account Treasurer AVelcnana Ke moved Frem OUlce Ordinance Ap pointing Clerk et Market Com mittee. An adjourned meeting of select and com mon ceuuciN was held last eveuing. Select Council. The following named members were present: Messrs. Barr, Deerr, Eberly, Zecher and Evans president. 3Ir. Zecher presented the report of the finance committee containing a statement of the accounts of the city with Edward Welchans, the suspended city treasurer. He spoke substantially as fellows : Mi:. Pkesident : In pursuance of a resolution of select and common councils instructing your finance committee te ex amine the accounts of the late city treas urer, Mr. Welchans, and report the same at an adjourned meeting te-night, I have the honor te submit this their final report. But before handing it te the clerk te read I shall ask the indulgence of this body in explanation of a few things connected with this investigation. It is necessary for me te go back te the commencement of this investigation. The reports of the special and finance commit tees are et fresh in the memories of you all ; but I cannot let this opportunity pass without refcrrim; te the many delays aud vexations caused by Mr. WVIehans's fre quent ieiiis.il te furnish such information as would hasten and lighten the burdens of your committee ; of his tepcated re fusal te luin ever the books, moneys and ether prepei ties justly belonging te the city; of the personal attacks of his friends in aud out of councils; of his many fal.se statements te the public of bis innocence, thus creating a false sympathy in this community ; of the unjust aud un fair editerial.s and criticisms of one of the prominent daily journals I allude te the Lancaster Istemjeexceii which in one of its editorials compared your committee te libellci and perjureis, thus net only creating fal.se sympathy in behalf of Mr. Welchans, but poisoning public opinion against the committee ; when the fact is, Mr. President, the editors kucw nothing of the condition of atVaiis existing between the late city treasurer and the city. The ceuisc pursued by this paper has been uu fair and unjust throughout, and I here charge it as untruthful in its unjust at tacks agaiust your committee. But Mr. President, wu believe we have done the duty confided te us. We had nothing te gain personally by the investigation. My sympathies were with Mr. Welchans until I was convinced that the affairs of the city treasurer were net in the condition they should be. When I saw wc had a duty te pcrlerm, I piopescd in this affair te per form it with malice toward none, but jus tice te all. We therefore present this as the result of our labors believing it te be a just and honest report of the books aud accounts of the entire ail'air. Mr. Eherly asked that the correspon dence between the committee and Mr. Welchans he read, as the latter had often declared that he had net been notified of the committee's action. The cleik read the following letters: Netice. Lancaster, Pa , March 2, 1881. Sin : At a meeting of the finance com mittee of the city of Lancaster, held this evening, I was instructed te notify you that the .said ihiauce committee will meet to-meriovi (Thuibday) afternoon, March 3, 1881, at 3 o'clock, at the city treasurer's ellice, te nettle your account with the city of Lancaster, and that the committee re quest your presence at that hour, with all the veucheis and papcis in your possession belonging te the city, or necessary te set tle J our accounts. Veiy respectfully yours, J. K. Baku, Clerk Finance Committee Te Edwaul Welchans esq , Lancaster, Pa. Aflhlant of service. Lancaster City, Peisenally appeared before me, the sub scriber, an alderman iu and for said city, A. J. Flick, who being duly suern, hays that he did, en the 3d day of March, A. I). 1881, between the hours of 8 and 9 o'clock in the morning, serve upon Edw. Wel chans, personally, the original notice of which the within is a true and correct copy, aud Anther deponent saith net. A. J. Fuck. Swetn and subscribed te before me this 3d day of March, A. D. 1881. J. K. Barr, Alderman. Kecpeune of Mr. AVelchans. Laxcasteh, March 3, 1881. Te the fintfice Committee of the City of I.an I.an cester : Gentlemen : Your communication of Mai eli -J, 1881, requesting me te meet the finance committee this afternoon, bring ing with in. the veucheis for settlement with the city, is at hand. My r-nii of olfice will expire April 4, 1881, nltfi which time I will cheerfully meet tiie ii nance committee and preduce the viichtis required, Kesjiectfully, &c., Edwaud Welchans. Tiie icpeit of the finance committee was then read as fellows : Tothellennritlle the Select and Common Conn cils of the City of Lancaster : Gestlemes We, the undersigned flnance committee, respectfully report the following result of un itie-)tiiratien unit examination of the accounts of K. wclclmns, lute city treasur er : 18SU K. WELCH AX, City Tm. Va. Aprils. rle Balance 31urkt-t rents ceilvctcil Water " City taxes " Amount t icceivc 1 Ireni Jno. T. W.7J V4 8.OTJ 10 Si 3X1 59 7,2 17 .MasGonile.iii.iver,:inUotners, per receipt Loek Atlitiiii:il market rents, per market rent book, pageisi....$13 ue Pagi- I'JO. 10 Ge 1UK Sn 15 00 l'ugcauH St 77 'J,S0i,28 73 77 Errer per report of cxp rt te p-c-UI committee en market rent book, paellS 1.1 SO rugelll 13 00 58 50 'J 00 Deduct error, page 'Mi 56 50 C7 31 41 00 Tax (Itipiic tte ler 1877, page li;.. 1878, " 7.... Water lent ihiplieatca 187?, page 09 Amount of city tux puiil utter umlit of Nevi mber, 179. and emitted in umlit of June 1, Errer In w.irrtiits in l.:uiU of tu.; 7 12 73 1 00 50 18 S3 special committee Less ab itcinent en city tux.. Errer water rent duplicate for se e, p.ie )... .. ................. Errer in interest receipt book City tux collected from Henri etta Parker, per receipt, dated lunr i9 ii0v. m Amount, lestb. reason of neglect efCitv Treasurer E. Welchans in net handing ever te the iiinyer unpaid city tax and water rent 53J 71 Less amount paid by W. U. Spreclier ICO 00 Intete-t en u!i'e 493 71 120 0" tlli.ltG is fc. WELCHANS. City Tresis. Ity amount paid out it en tered mi tse..-jitrcr's journal te pae 357 I39.2S021 Tepajre il 67.4-3 64 Te page 445 8,917 14 Cr- Amount paid per intrrcatre intrrcatre intrrcatre ceintboektoJan. 14. 1881.. 3.J05 SO Amount paid te w. Shirk, treasurer 11.537 21 $!S;.5 70 .. 4,63 49 Balance. .- 91l,irjT, 19 nesnccjfnllv submitten. IJEOltOK VV. ZECHEB, 1. McMULLEN, A..L KIIEKLT. JOHN II. U.VUXES, Finance Committee. On motion the finance eemmiltce was