zcazsei I.ANOASTEE DAILY fcNELLI&NOEB; TUESDAY, DECEMBER ,. -ISSS. Lancaster Jntelligenccr. TUESDAY EVENING DZC. 5, 1882, The Annual Reports. The president's message and the re ports fli His cabinet officers sent to Con cress and given- to -the country at this season appear in, full in the morning papers of to day and will be read by few persons at the great length at which they are printed. There is nothing eventful in our relations witli foreign countries, the United Slates being at present as nearly as possible! in that de lightful state comprehensively described by a former president, " at peace with all the world and the rest of mankind." Mr. Blaine's attempt to embroil us with the South American states, and possibly Englaud, failed and gets a parting kick from the successor to Garfield. By far the most interesting domestic subject that engages public attention is the sur plus of our revenues caused by burdens of taxation that oppress the people, ob struct business and tlireaten the pros perity of the country. We are raising money at a rate far beyond our wants and beyond even the necessities of the redeemable national debt. The presi dent reviews the secretary's report in this matter and accords with his sug gestions, which we print and which are elsewhere commented upon. It is nota ble that with all the campaign tariff agi tation of the opposition and the cries of Democratic " free trade " and " attack upon American industry" the Repnhli can federal tduimistratiou makes bold demand for a reduction of duties. The report of the tariff commission is presented simultaneously with the other public documents, and it points the way to a general reduction of from 20 to 25 per cent, in existing custom rates. The commission reaches the conclusion now so patent to the best intelligence of the country, that " high duties have a ten dency to create prejudice, to encourage unsafe investments of capital, to cause a plethora of certain commodities ; that thetimo has come when a reduction from the high war rates can safely be made, and that the increase in the pro ductions by the older industries is suffi cient to admit of a reduction without impairment of ability to compete." Leg islation in accordance with this view cannot be long delayed, though in effect ing it Congress will find, as the commis sion did, that the selfishness of human nature leads the representatives of every industry to think that theirs is the one which still needs protection. One of the most important points suggested in the state papers of this year is the reduction of let ter postage to two cents per half ounce. Cheap postage is a characteris tic of advanced civilization and it is a universal benefaction. Our postal de partment is gradually becoming self- supporting and as it approaches that stage there should be reduction of rates where it is most felt and most needed. Tho present rate or carrying letters is too Inch and has been maintained too long. Besides, a reduction will so large ly stimulate the mail service as to soon compensate in part if not altogether for the reduced revenues. The only pait of the message which is not a careful following of the lines marked out by the department reports is that which relates to the civil service; and while it is prolific of the usual com plaints that it is impossible for the chief executive to give personal directions to the 100,000 appointments for which he is responsible, it is barren of suggested remedies for the evils which arise and prevail under our present system. The president is unquestionably right in his declaration that "it matters little to the people at large what competent person is at the head of this department or that bureau if they feel assured that the re movai or one anu me accession or an other will not involve the -retirement of honest and faithful subordinates, whose duties are purely administrative and have no legitimate connection with the triumph of any political principle or the success of any political party or fact ion.' But nobody seems yet to have devised a means to reach this end which is accep table to our lawmakers and above the suspicion of a jealous people The pres ident constructs for himself a defense against the charges of the Garfield fac tion that he has been the creature of the Stalwarts in striking down the friends of his predecessor ; to shield himself from this accusation he shows conclu sively that the percentage of his remov als wasfar less than Garfield's. But we presume he doesn't expect anybody to concede that any principle of civil ser vice reform characterized an adminis tration in which Blaine was the ruling spirit. There is a mild hypocrisy in Ar thur's affected disapproval of Hubbcl ism. Tariff and Taxes. The suggestions of the secretary of the treasury in regard to the financial affairs of the country seem to be wise. He advocates a reduction of taxation and makes plain the necessity for it in the exhibition of the fact that the revenues are far in excess of the necessary expen dilure. There will be no disagreement with him on anv hand in this recommen dation, though there is not unanimity as to bow the reduction of taxation should be effected. The manufacturing inter est generally favors the abolition of the internal revenue, expecting thereby greater protection from the tariff that will need to be levied on imposts to raise the required revenue ; but it is a question whether the manufacturers do not make a mistake here. What liiey want is a tariff rate high enough to forbid foreign importations of their wares ; and if they are given such a duty it will follow that no revenue will be derived from such source. The secretary recommends the retention of the tax on tobacco and spirits ; and there can hardly be a ques tion that revenue can be raised from these articles of luxury with far less in jury to the country than from other more innocent and necessary things. In fact, it may even be said that the tax upon them is beneficent, since.it tends to limit their use. There are certainly many things objectionable in the way in which the internal revenue, is collected, but ithould be quite "prac ticable to collect in a proper "way-a doe rate of lax upon liquor and, .tobacco, and it would be a matter ofregret if these benign subjects of taxation should be permitted to go untaxed from any difficulty experienced inthelevy. There are many articles now subject to duty which should be put upon the free list, and sugar, which is one of the heaviest tax producers, is one article which should not be taxed severely, if at all. That the tax upon some manufactures can be greatly reduced is shown by the fact that Bessemer steel rails, wmen, are now subject to a duty of twenty-seven dollars a ton, are manufactured and sold here at forty dollars, a price far below that at which they can be imported. Tho high duty upon them has resulted in a large revenue to the country because of the fact that until lately the facilities of the home mills were not equal to the home demand. There will never again be any national revenue from this source, and probably the surplus of the revenue, which now rises up to trouble tho secretary, will not long continue to be as excessive as at present. The reduction of revenue resources should be made cautiously, in view of the stimulation which the busi ness of the country has lately experienced and which now seems to be quieting down. The tariff comission recommends a twenty or twenty five pi-r cent, reduc tion of duties. What is needed is not a general reduction upon tho list, but rather the increase of the free list Articles which are necessary and that are not largely manufactured here should come m iree; articles oi luxury wuicu are easily smuggled should be admitted under a duty light enough to take away the temptation to smuggle. The collec tion of revenue by a tariff upon imports is a cosily way of raising it, and is only justified by the need that exists of pro tecting the country's industries. Duties which do not have this effect should be abolished. Thkue is a Stalwart grin at tho neat way in which the president has met Half Breed allegation concerning tho sweeping removal of Garfield men from office. TiiEin: is a well defined suspicion that tho Langtry-Labouchero quarrel was only another of those cuto advertising dodges of Mr. Abbey's. Tiik Wilmington Every Ecening berates tho opera house orchestra of that placo for playing lively music between the acts of a soul harrowing performance. Tho cheerful strains of a Strauss waltz, it says, grated harshly on the ears of tho neonlc whose feelinjrs had just been se verely wrenched by witnessing a painful scene enacted upon the stage with realistic effect. No doubt tho Dead March from Saul, or something like it, would havo bettor suited our solemn contemporary and the sympathizing Wilmingtonians. The theatre nuisauoo young man is bo coming as bad as tho cigarette fiend and should bo made to feel the samo kiud of discipline. Lot our girls baud themselves into an organization and agree not t; at tend the theatre with any young man who will not promise to remain in his seat until the curtain has fallen. Ono of tho annoyances of tho theatre is to havo a stalwait form riso up before tho view duriug tho last scene of a play and begin to crowd itself into an overcoat. The man who does this not only advertises his own lack of breeding, but obstructs the viow of people sitting behind him. He should 13 reformed. PERSONA.. Gex. Geoiiqe C. Thomas, aged TO years, a native of Elizabeth, N. J., died at his residence in Georgetown, D. C, on Satur day night. Rev. C. A. Pihcf, from Michigau, will hold a series of meetings in the English language at tho German Baptist meeting house on Mulberry streot, commencing Wednesday evening. Joseph Weber, for many years editor and publisher of the Northern Adtocale, at Clarcmont, N. H., died suddenly on Sunday evening while attending a prayer meeting in tho Methodist church. IIox Nelson II. Vajjvookihs, of Athens, O., died yesterday. Ho was ro cently a member of Congress and served several terms in tho LegUlatuiu as speaker of tho House of Representa tives. Daniel W. Sellers, a leading Demo cratic lawyer of Philadelphia, has been appointed solicitor by the new Republioan sheriff-elect, Keim. of Philadelphia. The office is worth $2,000 a year, and tho in. cumbcut has great influence. Dr. Frank H. Hamilton, one of the Garfield physicians is seriously ill in New York, lie suffered a hemorrhage of tho lungs on Saturday night and has had several since. Tho latest reports are such as to excite serious apprehensions on the part of hut family and friends. William II. Butler, aged 21, commit ted suicide yesterday at Baltimore in a house of ill famo, by shooting himself through the heart. He was originally from Norfolk, Va., son of Rev. Butler, an Episcopal clergyman, graduate of college and was melancholy because his father had discarded him. Mrs. Harriet Beeciieu Stowe expects to pass the coming winter on her planta tion at Mandarin, Fla. Her orange grove, which was set out when she established herself there not long after the war, num bers something over 100 trees, and from seventy five of them she now reaps an in come of $1,500 a year. John Humphrey Notes, the founder of the Oneida community in Now York, who Aid tho state about a year sinco to escape indictment is now an exile. The last heard of him ho was at Clinton, Canada, near Niagara Falls, living with his wife, al though three others of the community women went with her when she joined him. Miss Makoaret Mather, the Chicago actiess, mado her first appearance cast of the Alieghanies in Shakspjarc's Juliet, supported by Mr. Milnes Levick, Young Salvini and a good company, in Baltimore lascnignt. ine auaionco was numerous aud elite, and the applause generous and general. The young lady made a very favorable impression. John W. Dorsey, aged 25, a son of Judge Dorsey, of Howard county, Md., fatally shot himself yesterday in his boarding house at Baltimore, with suicidal intent. The father of a young lady whom he had been addressing objected to their proposed marriage, and this is be lieved to have caused the rash act. He was of prominent and wealthy family con. nectionsand was left a large fortune, but speculation lost it. DEPARTMENT EEP0ETS. SEC. rOLiiERS Y1KWS AT L.KKUTU. Tk Kocrmona Surplus Threatening l'opnlar frOHietltj- Some ot trie Other KeporU. Tho telegraphic summary of the presi dent's message printed in tho Intelli gencer yesterday presented its most sa lient points. It also briefly stated tho leading features of the department re ports. Hut the annual budget of the sec retary of the treasury, by far the most important of these annual doeuments, has some points worthy or popular attention, and copious extracts are herewith pub lished from Mr. Folger's annual report : The Secretary of tbe Treasury'n Recom mendations. There ate now in the treasury unused assets to a large amount, and tho daily receipts into the treasury from customs and internal revenue taxation aro about a million and a quarter. It is plain from this, and the statement with which this report begins of tho estimated expendi tures for tho next fiscal year, that tho re ceipts from revenue are, and are likely to be, in excess of the needs of tho govern ment. From the inequality between daily largo receipts and comparatively small daily disbursements thcro comes an evil effect upon tho business of tho country. The collections by government aro taken out of the money market in sums and at dates which havo little or no agreement with tho natural movement of money, and are returned to it with the samo inadapta tion to commercial or financial require ments. Occasionally the largo disburse ments of tho government l.avt created a plethora of uioue ; more frequently its largo and continued withdrawals of money have caused such a scarcity of floating capital as to check the proper movement of legitimate business. It is not only that tho amount in tho tieasury is so much kept from the uso of community ; tho fact becomes an incentive and an aid to men who, for their own ends, conspire to keep from that use other largo sums. Wo have believed that tho laws of tho states against primogeniture, tho entail of es tates, and tho accumulation, of personal property, stood in tho way of heaping up wo.ilth in single hands, and gathering ia single hands tho power over others that croat wealth gives. But so it is that to day there aro men so rich that, by con spiring together, they can at will put and hold hand on near as much money as gov ernment can lay band to, save by tho uso of its credit. The power thus had is used from time to time. It results, that violent aud sudden contractions and expansions afiiict tho business community, and the government is an unwilling aider and abettor therein. It has como about that tho treasury department is looked to as a great, if not a chief, cause of rccurriug stringencies, aud tho treasury is called to for relief. Every secretary of the treasury for years past has had it brought clearly to his mind, and official expedients have been used to remedy tho evil. Little of lasting value has been accomplished thereby. There is no advisable and lawful mode of disbursing an existing excess of assets, but that of the payment of tho public debt. Tho debt is substantially of two principal kinds that payable at the plea sure of the government, that payable at a fixed date in the future. Tho former is also of two kinds that bearing interest at three aud a half per cont. and that at three per cent. The latter mny not be called in lor payment while any of the former is outstanding and uncalled. So is the law of its creation. Of tho foimcr thcro aro outstanding and uncalled over seventy millions. The in terpretation put by the department upon tho various laws out of which that debt has arisen, requires that a call for it for payment must fix for the maturity aud for tho cessation of interest a date three months off. This somewhat hampers the department in so making calls as to keep up a timely succession. For calls at three months off thcro must cither bo the funds in hand therelor at tho time the call is made, or there must bo arclianconpontho probable prospective receipts. To wait before making a call until tho funds are in fact in hand would bo to in crease tbe evil of which I am speaking. To call in relianco upon receipts to como needs caution, lest by changes in business currents or business prosperity they may bo lessened, and thus embarrassments ensue ; so that, practically, tho department cannot with prudence work in this matter up to what may turn out to be its full ability. Whether the three per cent, bond will le quire the samo length of call tinio has not yet been determined. Nor is a call al ways effectual in briugiug in the debt for payment. The monthly statements of the public debt show that of matured obligations on which interest has ceased there are out standing over eleven millions and a half, some of it from tho year 1S37. Doubtless some ot this has been lost or destroyed, and will never bo brought for payment. lint bonus wnicn aro in late calls come in slowly. Thus, of the calls preceding 'the nor ill nF miiIi li'itrn hOArt cstmn lort payable at option of holders without re- bato of interest aud which were, in all. for $55,000,000, thero is outstanding $35, -000,000 and over. Bonds of tho othor principal class are of several kinds, all payable at a future date and all aro now at a high premium in the market. If it were good policy for the de partment to buy theso at their premium, it could by so doing easily free the treas ury from its excess of assets. Various causes put these premiums at a height almost unexampled. It is true that capitalists may buy them now, and they will, if tho present stato qf things continues, by the time they fall due and payable, aud are paid to them at their face have realized some interest upon tho purclnso price. At the present premium on most if not all of them that will bo short of three per cent. Calcula tions show that at these premiums a pur chase will not havo yielded at tho end of their term three per cent, on the money paid for them. The government, by the purchase of them, might, in effect, take an equal profit. But it can save to itself three and a-half per cent, by calling bonds of that class. Ilenco, I do not perceive how a secretaiy could justify himself to tho country at large in paying the government debt at ruling premiums when there is no requirement of law to bo answered, and no convenience or pressing need of the government to be met, unless there is a great emergency, and general financial disaster is threatened, which only extreme measures of governmental intvrfeienco can turn aside. It is true that this department has here tofore, and as late as March 30, 1881, pur chased bonds and paid for them the face value and a premium thereon. The pur chases on that day wero over five million and a quarter dollars, and the premium paid nearly forty fivo thousand dollars. But the purchase was for the sinking fund ana tne law oi mat iuna required a pur chase, and there were no government bonds redeemable at pleasure to the payment of which an excess of assets might be ap plied. In former years there were largo and continued purchases of bonds at a premium, but they wont hand in baud with sales of gold at a creator premium and the government made a profit by the transaction, and then, tub, was for a time the requirement of tbe sinking fund, and there were no bonds payment of which ight be made in invitum. Tbo anticipation of payment of called bonds without a rebate otthe interest up to the day named in the call rests upon a different basis. A prepayment of interest upon the public debt is sanctioned by ex press provision of law. (See resolution No. 25, of March, 1864, and the U. S. Rev. Stats., 3G99.) A rcferenco to tho debates in Congress when that resolution was undor discussion shows that the motive for the adoption of it was that the treas ury department might at any tima break a tightness in tho money market by put ting out money idlo in its vault. Tho power thus given has of late been used for that purpose. Though this does not givo a gain to the holders of the bonds it puts no loss upon the government. The treasury uses for the prepayment money that it needs not for uso in other ways and yields no interest, aud which it must at last use for paying just what it pays in advance, aud to no more than the amount that it mnst at last pay. In paying a high premium, however, it pays what it is bound ever to pay, and it is not a certain event that it will ever make itself whole again, and to tho extent of some part of the premium, it extinguishes no debt. It is doubtless good policy to extinguish the long bonds of tho government rather than thoso payable at its pleasuro, for the timo is at hand when, with tho present rate of receipts and tho present rate of payment of the public debt, all tho bonds subject to optional timo of payment will have been called in. Then, if thoro be a surplus in tho treasury, there will be no outlet for it save by purchase at largo premium of long bonds, or tho disburse ment of it through appropriations for pur poses beyond tho ordinary and economical needs of the government. It is, there fore, for Congress to consider tho pro priety of empowering this department to buy the long bor.ds at a high premium. If it shall deem it. pnlitio to m ko goiieral purchase; ot bonds at sueh premium for extinguishment, it should by law givo to this department express authority so to do aad thus adopt that policy. Thero havo been other suggestions of modes of freeing tho treasury of an excoss or assets. Tho national bank act, section 33 (United States Revised Statutes, sec tion 5133), provides for the designation of national banks as depositaries of public monoys, security beiug taken in a corres ponding deposit of United States bonds. All moneys received for customs must bo paid into the treasury, and no part of them can bo placed in national bank denosi- taries. It is seen that if they, or any part of them, wore deposited with national bank depositaries, they would soon find their way back into the currents of busi ness in loans and discounts, as do now tho receipts from internal revenue taxation. There aro in tho treasury over fifty millions of dollars, being tho fivo nar cent. fund for tho redemption of national bank notes, and tho fund for the redemption of notes of national banks that have failed. These funds havo not been treated by tho department as " public moneys " within tho intent of the sections above cited, and havo been kept in tho treasury. If Con gress should give an interpretation to the words "public moneys" which would take in these funds, and they bo put on deposit with the public depositaries, tho samo resnlts would follow as above sug gested as to customs receipts. The figures aro given which show an esti mated surplus of public moneys for the fiscal year ending Juno 30, 1883, upon the basis of existing laws, and including the sinking fund, of 75,577,043.73. Unless some disturbing cause comes in, not now foreseen, that surplus will in crease from year to year as the interest on the public debt decreases. For without such cause the revenues from all sources will not be diminished if tho laws productive thereof remain unchanged. As so great an annual surplus is tho direct result of tho existing revenue laws, what will bo tho financial condition of the country if theso laws remain unchanged aud taxation be not reduced ? Iu connection herewith should be homo in miud the increasing expenditure for ppnsion?, as likely to affect in some degrco the increase of surplus. Thcro aro 269,678 claims pending, of which 197,023 are for arrears requiring, if allowed, for tho first payment, $200,000, 000. There are now due and payable at the government's pleasure $155,356,330 of 3 per cent, bonds and $259,370,500 of 3 per cents. Tho amount of fuuded debt redeemable at any timo before Septemb?r 1, 1891, which will remain unpaid on the 30th of Juno, 1883, is about $300,000,000, and upon tho foregoing estimates for tho fiscal 3 ear endiug June 30, 1883, the whole fuuded debt now redeemable could bo paid beforo Juno 30, 18S6. This would leavo as tbo surplus for moro than fivo years the amount of SGOO,000,000, undis posed of iu tho treasury, unlcsa, yielding to the temptation of seeming wealth, ex penditures bo largely increased. Tho amount of the loan redeemable in 1891 is oniy $230,000,000, and as has been stated, no other loan becomes rodeemablo until 1907, co that the surplus under tho condi tions supposed will rapidly increase until that date. The amount of tbe loan of 1907, as already appears, is less than $740- 000,000, so that, wero it all redeemable tho whole public debt could be paid from a sarpius as great as estimated early in tho v. . -w aa . aa. a This amount of sumlusis not conlem plated by the secretary with satisfaction ; and as relief he recommends a reduction taxation. He believes in retaining the tax on liquors and tobaccos, and releasing all other subjects of internal taxation. He also favors a reduction of customs duties aud upon this subject says : Iu reading the testimony beforo tho tariff commission it is to be observed that with scarcely an exception, the represen tative of every industry, while conceding that a general reduction of the tariff is proper and necessary, has claimed that its peculiar product can submit to no reduc tion of the protection now afforded. While tho views of the manufacturers aro to be weighed, it is manifest that thoy will never bo ablo to agreo upon a reduc tion of the tariff duties. All agree that a revision of tbe tariff is necessary. The aotion of Congress in ere. ating a commission for that purpose ren ders discussion on that point unnecessary. The action of that commission in detail is not yet known to this department. What ever may be its recommendations, they will, no doubt, receive respectful consid eration. Tho secretary of the treasury, however, cannot feel that he is relieved of the re sponsibility because of that commission. Ho deems it proper, therefore, to make somo recommendations upon the sub ject. The whole amount of revenue from cus toms for tho fiscal year ending June 30, 1882, has already been stated at some thing more than $220,00,000. The classes of merchandise paying the largest amonnj of duties from customs are the following, in tho order named : Sugar and molasses, wool and manufactuies from it, iron and steel and tho manufacture from thorn, manufactures of silks, manufactures of cotton, amounting to about one hundred and thirty-seven and a half millions. A substantial reduction upon each of tho class of articles named is recommend ed. And it is believed that tbo time has arrived when a reduction of duties on ncaily all the articles in our tariff is do manded and is feasible. In addition to this, a careful revision of tho tariff should bo made with a view to placing upon the freo list many articles now paying a duty. It appears that tho largest amount derived from any class of products, under the customs tariff, is that from sugar. Sugar is a necessary of life for all classes in this country. Tho avcrago duty on it is equal to two and a naif cents per pound, and to nearly 'fifty-three- and a half per cent, ad valoreiu: i Tho amount of cane sugar produced iu thiseotmtry Is estimat ed at cloven per cant, of tho whole quan tity consumed, and it is apparent that nearly tbe whole amount of revenue from this source is paid by tho consumer, the competition by homo production not be ing sufficient seriously to affect" the price. The progress of industry in the produc tion of sugar from sorghum and the beet is not forgotten. It is entitled to consid eration. It is believed, however, that a substantial reduction of tho duty upon sugar may be mado without injustice to the producer of it iu this country. Upon wo-jI aud iron and steel, and their manufactures, a largo reduction must bo mado to materially ieseen the revenues derived from them, as tho amount of im ports will increase an tho duties are less ened. It will probably b 2 found that iu general the reduction can chieily be mado on tho raw material or coarser manufact ures ramer uian iuoo upan wnicn a greater amount of labor has been ba stowed. The duties on manufactures of silk, it is bslicved.tnay b.ireducsd without injustice to manufacturers in this country. The culum tariff is found to ha complex and inconsistent, r.nd it ia no doubt trim that in r.i(fet of the coarser clasces of cot ton fabrics our manufacturers can com pote with the world without protection. Wines and spirits, winch afford tho largest amount of duty naxt to tho five clashes enumerated, being ait'.elosof lux ury, may well bear any rato Of duty deemed necessary for tho revenue. Without going further into details, the secretary earnestly leconnnendsa careful revision of tho tariff, with a viow to sub stantial leductions. Tho accomplishment of this is recommended to the present Con gress, which has been fully awaio of the approaching lin.mci.il situation, as it is now presented, aud has fully discussed the subject in some of its healings. Tho tcmaindcr of Secretary Frlg?rtio port rulates to routine affairs of the de partment the foreign comineieu statistics, cattlo quarantine, tho life-saving tervico, tho coast survey, steamboat inspection, emigration, public buildings, &c NKWS UF THE DAY. Acci(U-:its and incidents I'rcm Ail l'u.-lo Tho chair stock shop of A. is A. G. Waite, at ilubbardstou, Mass., was onrned on Satmday. Los.--, $2,000. C. II. Linde, a young gambler from Rio Grande City, was shot and killed at Eagle Pass, Texas, by Clay Dryc, in a gaming houso. Mill No. 2, at Harrisvillo, X. II., owned by Gowing & Grew, of Boston, and oper ated bv Craven & Willard, burned yester day Loss, $100,000. At Buffalo, N. Y., Thomas Malouey aud William Grief, laborers, quarreled about money matters, when Mahoney struck and killed Grief with a hammer. Napoleon Balcom, a French Canadian, aged 42 years and uumarried, was found dead in his barber shop in North Brook field, Mass., with his throat cut, having committed suicide. Richard Steers, of Dutch Hills, L. I., made an attempt at self-destruction by swallowing Paris grcen,but became dissat isfied with tho tardy effect of it and killed himself by putting a bullet iu his brain. The National Butter, Cheese and Egg convention aud tho Union Dairy fair was formally opened at Milwaukee yesterday. The cash prizes aggregate $5,000, and there aro two gold medals and diplomas for dairy products. Fire at Batcsvillo, Ark., destroyed P. C. Smith's storehouse and content, and the Batesvillo hotel and contents, also be longing to Smith, whose total loss is $28, 000. Mr. McDowell, the hotelkecp.'r, lost $2,000 on furnituto. Tho Crescent hotel, at Plum Creek, near Brandon, Manitoba, with its contents was destroyed by fire yesterday. L-mis Duncan, the manager's brother, while at tempting to save his property, pei ished. The lire was caused ly the upsetting nf a lamp. Mori is Zicke:-ntaii, aged 22 yeais, a Russian Hebrew refugee and locksmith by trade, committed suicide in New York by hanging himself iu tho hallway of a boaid ing house in Hester street. Despondency at being unable to fled employment was tho cause of tho act. Charles E. Taylor, manager of the Western Union telegraph office at Frauk forr, Ivy., and Frank Montgomery, maua gcr of llio to'ephouo company, had an altercation in which Taylor was shot iu the left arm aud Moutgomeiy received a llnsh wound iu the right arm. A tiro in the diy goods storo of Alexan der Fields & Co., at No. 233 Grand strcet New Yoik, did $25,000 worth ot damage. Tho adjoining building was damaged $2,000 Tho occupant Henry Kerr, faucy goods dealer loses $2,000. Another file atNo. 119 Fulton street occupied by Messrs. Keep's shirt factory ; Wdliam Leahy, hatter; Egciton & Co., printeis, aud G. Garafalo, jewelry, did $10,000 damage. Lcs-es equally divided. i TUE DKAMA. A Familiar Face In a new Role. Thcro was a rather slim audience iu Fulton opera house last night to witness tho production of the familiar play of " Hazel Kirko ;" the succcss'on of at tractions which aro now crowding upon each other being evidently too much of a good thing, and there nor. beiug enough patronage among our play-going public to go around. Miss Belle Archer, who was Belle Mackcuzio before she married the big handsome fellow who with special regard to tho fitness of things played tho part of her husband last night, was en altogether witching Hazel, her face having lost none of the chaim that set half the young fellows in town wild about her when she sang " Pinafore'' here; and if tho lady doesn't fully sizo up to tho dramatic possibilities of the part, she, did givo such a sweet and pleasant imper sonation that one couldn't understand bow old Kirke could possibly be so cruel and hard-hearted as to drive the poor little thing away from him. Miss Archer's act ing, too, is full of promise and with further schooling she may roach distinction in her profession. Wheatleigh's Kirke and Fankau's Pittaeus aro familiar here by reason of having been seen before. Tho other members of the cast didn't amount to a great deal, nor was tho presentation as a wholo nearly bo strong as those which the Madison Squara people have custom arily given us. FATAL KAILKOAD AUClDKNT. Cam Wrecked and Brakeman Killed. An axle under a Philadelphia fe Read ing II. R., on the Pennsylvania railroad car, broke as the Middletown shifter en gine 157. was crossing from south track to the tube workssidiugat Middletown, at 5:45 yesterday afternoon throwing two cars off the track, blockading both tracks of tho Pennsylvania railroad, and fatally injuring a brakeman named Geo. Millard, who was thrown from tho cars and found lying under the lumber. With the as sistance of tho tubo work mill employee, and the crew of tho shifting engine, Mil lard was exti icated from under the lum ber aud taken to his homo opposito to where the accident occurred. Both his Ie;s wero tenibly crushed above the knee. Tho company physician was summoned and did all in his power to relieve tho young man of his sufferings, but he died at 9:12, being rational until tho last mo ment, and telling how the accident occuned. He was a single man and lived with his parents in Middletown. He was 20 years old, and had been in tho employ of the railroad company for fivo years. TOBACCO. THB MABKET IW THIS -COD.NTY. Ttin Croiior 'SO Still Goios UCT Not JIoc!i Doing lu tho New Crop Waiting tl.o Action or CongrcM. Tho past week has been rather quiet, yet the sales of r80 tobacco will foot up samething over 400 cases, still shonim; that notwithstanding all the effort j to pull it down it will still sell. Of course prices havo been private ; in faot tho trademark of all tobacco now seems to be two letters "P. T." which is not soagrsoable perhaps to outsiders, but wo do not see why dealers iu the weed cannot do business privately as well as other dealers. In '81 we have heard of no transactions ; but a packer told us a few day sinco that he had two buyers for his paeking in ono week. There is no doubt 'SI will move off lively if '80 once gets out of the way, which will not bo at a very distant day should it continue even as it has been going for the last few weeks. Wo arc constrained to think thcra is more business being done in "80 than is generally known, at least wa know of one instance in which a local packer sold 550 cases outside of 800 insido of a f ow weeks, none of which has been made public aud at the packet's own solicitation we will not givo names. Buying of the '83 has for some reason suddenly ceased. Unfavorable weather, it is tme,ba3 been to some extent tho cause, but last week the woather was no worse than the week previous, when many sales wero made. Iu all probability no inten sive buying will be done until after a good damp spell, lsuyers prefer seeing the goods in a soft condition and groweis have no objection. Tho revenue bill now is a big question agitated in tobacco circle, what will bo ilouo duriug tho coming session of Con gress is eagerly looked for. Upon ono thing nearly all agree : that is, the total iibohliou ol taxes ; no tinkering with it ; if it is to be kept on at all, keep it whom it is. Any rcduotions iu tiic taxes will entail tho same officers, and the samo government books will have to ba kept by dealers and manufacturers ; a total repeal will do away with all this. In somo cases we find manufacturers of cigars aro against tho repeal or any re duction of taxes. This we think is a mis take ; a reduction in priee of course will follow, but the increase in tho demand will moro than repay it, and all will then stand on tho samo footing. As it now is a dealer, who is not square has the better of the honest man all the time ; and what a deal of trouble will be spared by tbo abolishment of all taxes now in vogue. XaiiXKANSlTOIfVKMt!H. Simie InterfgtlDS Data Concerning the Great Kveut. Au esteemed correspondent sends us the following elements, computed especially for tho Intklligenceu from the precepts and tables of tho astronomical works of Claudius, Franoiscus, Millet, Decbales and Charles Leadbetter. While they may be fallible in somo respects, on account of the difficulties in calculating sines and tangents of very small angles of elonga tions causo almost inevitable errors, they may nevertheless be of sei vice to amateur astronomers and others who are inter ested in tho transit of Venus, which takes place on Wednesday. Equal time of true conjunction at Lan caster, Pa., 1882, December G, 11 o'clock, 3G minutes, 88 seconds a. m. ; equation ot time added, S min., 41 sec; mean anomaly of snn, 154 deg., 24 min., 43 see.; mean anomaly of Venus, 125 deg., 43 min., 53 sec; heliocentric longitude of Venus, 74 deg., 2S min., 40 sec; geocentric placo of sun and Venu 254 deg., 23 min., 40 sec; anomaly of commutation, 180 deg., 0 min.; 0 sec; horary motion of sun, 2 min., 32 sec ; horary motion of Venus, 4 min., 2 sec, hourly motion of Venus a sun, 1 min.,S0 sec; uodo of Venus, 75 deg., 32 min., 23 see ; argument of latitude, 333 deg., 56 min., 10 see. ; reduction, 7 sec. ; inclination or heliocentric Iat. s. descending, 3 min. 4G sec, central ingress or beginning in iho morning, 8 o'clock, 52 min.,J52 sec ; mid dle of transit in the afternoon, 12 o'clock, 0 min., Hi sec. ; central egress or ond. afternoon,"; o'clock, 7 min., 31 sec. ; total duration, G hours, 14 min., 89 sec. Venus will enter the sun's disc at a point 42 deg. 43 min. 39 sec, cast of the nadir and emerge at the point 51 deg. 05 min. 48 sec. west from the sun's nadir. At the iniddlo time of tho transit of Veuus she may bo soen in tho sun not much unlike a patch on a lady's face, aud tho sun is then vertical to the south iu latitude. Tho next transit of Venus will occur when tho roses will bloom in June, A. I)., 2,004 ; provided the earth and Venus will icmaiu undisturbed in their respec tive orbits moving forth. COLUMBIA HEW. from Our KesaiarCorretponaent, Au officer took two drunks down this morning. The stores aro commencing to Lava a holiday appearance. Buyers and seller were scarce at market to-day. Butter 85 eents a pound, eggs 35 f cents per dozen. Vegetables were scarce. - While cutting wood with a hatchet j yesterday afternoon Thomas Webb kad tbo little linger of his lots band taken off. Tho death of Henry, an 18 year old son of Henry Young, of Washington borough, occurred iu that place yesterday. Ty phoid pneumonia was the cause of -his death. ' Hazel Kirks" will bo presonted hcie ty-morrow night by tho Madison Squaro theatre company. Tho principal artists aro well and favorably known. Admission 35, 50 and 75 cents. Mr. A. M. Reese's dancing school opens next Friday evening at the armory. A largo number of members have been se cured and there is now no doubt of its success. A farmer lost a fine 18-pound turkey at market this morning. The basket in which the fowl was confined fell from the market wagon, the cover burst and tbe turkey escaped. It has not been heard from uincc. Borougb i'ertooala. Mr. Charles Darly, of Baltimore, is visiting friends on Cherry street. Miss Hattie Miller, on Locust streot, is entertaining Miss Johanna Michael. Mrs. John Miller, who has been visiting Mr. S. H. Miller, returned to her home in Philadelphia this morning. Mr. Bernard Malone is home on a visit to his family. He is one of the builders of the new Pine Creek railroad. A Brakeman Fatally Injarad. While two cars which were loaded with lumber were being shifted at Middletown, last evening at 0:30 o'clock a Pennsylvania railroad brakeman named George Millard, received injuries which resulted in his death in a few hours. Millard was stand ing with a foot on each car, when they parted, throwing him across the track. The wheels passed over his legs where they join the body, and also disemboweled him. The unfortunate young man was a resident of Middletown. Tha Lyi The White Rock Iyceum opened its fall campaign on Friday 1st inst. with a large attendance. Among the many interesting features of the evening's programme was a warm debate on the question "Resolved, that the signs of the times indicate tbe downfall of the American republic" During the discussion theJbo8ses came in for a full share of attention The Iyceum adjourned to the Sth inst, when woman suffrage will be discussed. O. U. .. 37. DuUlcittou ortlio Xtw Council Xtouui. Last evening Cocestoga Council, No. 8 dedicated its new aud elegantly furnished room in tho Inquirer building in a becom ing manner fne room being opjnoii about 7 o'clock, a large number of citizens took advantage of tho occisioa anil in spected ono of the finest lodge room in tho stato. At S o'oioek, tho timo of meet ing, tho doors were closed ro the pablu. Tho meeting was then taken charge of ty tho natioual and stato officers, with Dr. M. Z. Z-'uderliug, as councillor; Walter Graham, V. C. ; William Fester. Ind. ; A. St. Ulair G.irman, Ex. ; Juo. Krider, treasurer ; Satn'l Aehbrige, jr., P. C; A. F. Raw, Sen. E. 0.. ius:do Pro. Wr.. Baker ; outsido Pro. Edw. S. Smeltz. Au interesting feature of the evening was tho initiation of John K. son of Edw. E. Snyder, by tho above otlieers. After tho business of the evening was transacted, au able and interstiug address w.is mado by Ex. S. C, Juo. Eckstein, or Philadelphia, who then presented to the council a hand some pair of marblo gaveis, blocks; and mallets, made by Cnpp3 & Calley, of Philadelphia ; ho was followrd by Dr. M. Z. Zonderling, of Kensington, tha present stato councillor of Penusyivauia, who hkwiso mado a very ablo addicss aud w!i presented a largo and eleg.iris Biblo to th council, a gift of Geo. W. Ciiilds, esq., .. Philadelphia. Next cimo addrets.s by Ex S. C, W.: . Fcaster, of Philadelphia; State C. S-.v , Walter Graham, of Philadelphia; tx Natioual C, John Server, of Philadclphii ; P. C, Samuel Ashbridge, of Philadelphia ; ex S. C, John Eckstein, of Philadelphia ; State C. Trcas. John Krider, of Philudi.! phia ; P. C. Gilbert dirtiF, of Philadel phia; P. C. Amos Siack, ot Philadelphia : ex-S. C.Edw.E. Si-!.".-, of this city; Stato C E J ii .Mto'i stil, of Harris burg ; P. C. (Juo. il. Dearie aud others of Bryu taawr; P.C., L" A. Iluber.ofRefttm ; Rev. J. Hamilton, o! Uuftou ; Dr. J. Oliwr Philadelphia; P. v .l.s, .'. Voitr.4,ofthis city; National Uep, Wfii.im Biker, of Philadelphia ; P. C, L-a.c Heed, of Ptu! adclphia, and others from Bryn-M.iwr, Strasburg. Manheim, Reftou, Quarry villo Mount .loy, Harrisburg and Phila.h-I phia. A portion of tho scriptmc wero read by Dr.Zenderling.whc then declared thu room dedicated to the puipo.;n intended, aft;r which tho visiting brctluen were esortd to tho parlors of John CornLitid, ;i-.:.lh;uii! somely entertained. The different articles weie fiirnislnd by the following persons : Dng! ;ss pjrfor atod chairs for members, aud wahtut officers' chairs by Keystone S'.hooJ ai.d Furnituro compauy, of Philadelphia ; (L. C. Eby, agent,) carpets and matting by .1. B. Martin & Co., frames for chasten; Iy Walter Heinitsh, desk and closet for tee rotary and office desks for anteiooiu by Widmyer & Ricksecker. gas fixtures l.y John L. Arnold, pedestals by Win. ('. Wetzel which were handsomely finished in paint and oil by Edw. Bookmyor, car penter work aud closets iu anteiooiu by AdamAuxer, iusido shutters by Peter Stormfeltz and painting by H. Cordes Great credit is duo thoiuciubcisof tho committee who labored hard within tho past two or threo months to havothe room finished and who succeeded so well. Tim committee consisted of Edw. E. Siij!t, I). II. Hartman. jr., E. S. Smeltz, .Jm. Milleysack 11. Rudv, A. Anxer and Jolni Rudy. cuuut or uvjisiux n.KAs. Two Cases Aualtms tbe Vrcllurr tho ,l;try. 15EFOKE .ILTJGE I.IVIXCSTOX. Henry Kafroth vs. Michael L'ii!in.i:i. This is an action brought ( recover :i balance alleged to be due the p'aintifl on two due bills, which were pi von on M.iy 1, 1875, and October, 1875. Tho lirst ikih was for $1,900 and the latter for $128 7'. On the first it was admitted that j(500 had been paid in March, 1870. Subsequently $771. (JG was paid iu fifteen naymotitx, making an aggregate of $1,371.00 and leaving a balance unpaid of $957.1". For tho latter amount this suit is brought. The defeuse was that- the wholo amount bad been paid in full. Defendant had not. received credit for the two payments, oi:o for $500 and another for $80J, which Ua made ; ho owes tho plaiutilf nothing. I.it. instead ho is iu hi? (defendant's) deht. Tbe jury rendered a vetdict iu favor ot the plaintiff in the sum $1308.69. BEFORE JUDKE IWTTnitSON. Frederick Flettcier. for tho use of Ottilia Flettercr vs. Mary Breiter, sei fa to revive a judgment for $G00 entere J to January term, 1S74. From the plaintiff':; side of the caso it appeared that ilcmy Bieitcr, agent of his daughter Mary, in Marcii 1S7G. induced Mrs. Otillia F.'ottcrer to enter satisfaction upon this judgment, c'aitning that ho conld then raise the money to pay off this iitdcbtnes of Mary, Breiter, which ho could not io if satisfaction was not eutered dot; she did this, but neither Henry nor M.uy Breiter paid off tho amount of tho judg ment as promised. Henry, subsequent t. the entry of satisfaction, paid Mrs. Flat terer $150 in' several small iustailincLts, and rofused to pay any moro, he claiming ho had paid her in full. In 1378 Mr. Fletterer was granted an a'.iis rule to sttiks off the satisfaction ani opn up the ju la ment; she made affidavit that the entry of satisfaction was obtained from her by fraud, and iu November, 188!, thu nilu was made absolute, and a scire facias directed to be entered to try what amount was due on the judgment. After luueh delay tho case now comes up for trial. Tne defense was thai tho wholo amount or at least the greater p irfc of the judg ment had been paid by Henry Bricter to Otillia Fletterer, accoiding to promise. On trial. Cases Continued. The case of James II. Swain vs. Maty Swain, Bubpcana fordivorce, wascontinuril on account of the pending of a rule for a new trial in a charge of adultery of whieh the defendant was convicted at the Octo ber quarter sessions. The case of Simon Smith vs. The Fidel ity beneficial society of Lancaster, sum mons in debt, was continued on account of tbo absenco of au important witness Tor the plaintiff. MASOKIC. Klectiou of Officers A. yioe Kar.fiucr. On Tuesday evening Limberton luluo No. 470, F. & A. M., of this city, elect- d the following officers t. r.erro for the en suing Masonic year : W. M. J. Willis Westlake. S. W. John R. Jlorrn. J. W. David II. Wylic. Treas. Henry E. Slay maker. Sec Henry R. Fahnestock. Trustee Dr. Wrn. N. Amer. Rep. to G. L. Wm. A. Morton. After the election the otlicers were duly installed by D. D. G. M., B. Frank Breno man The following appointments wem mado by W. M. AVcstlako : Chaplain Lucius 31. Haitly. .. . S. D. Harvey N. Hurst. ? J. D. Harry B. Cochran. S. M. C -Ernest Zahm. J. M. C Henry B. Htehman. PursuivantLeven It. Rote. Organist John B. Kevmaki. Tyler Goorgo Lntz. At tbe closa of tho ceremonies tho mora -bers and visiting brethren participated ia a banquet prepared in Copland's bes ttyle. . Police cues. The mayor sent two dmnk and disordt rly persons to jail for 10 and 15 days respec tively, and discharged two others on their payment of costs. One poor traveler was lodged, breakfasted and sent on his way rejoicing. 1 i i. i Si r,
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