THE STATE OF TEADE.
.Bradstreet's Report That the Im
provement is Not let Visible.
THE WEATHER LARGELY TO BLAME
Prices On Nearly All General Lines On th6
Downward ttrade.
ft G. DON & CO.'S WEEKLY STATEMENT
New Toek, January 25. Special tele
grams to Bradstreet's do not report a con
tinuance of the more favorable features of a
week ago. The recurrence of mild, un
seasonable weather has checked the move
ment of winter goods somewhat, notably
clothing and heavy drygoodi, at Kansas
City, Chicago, St. Joseph, Omaha, Cincin
nati, in the South and in the Northwest.
At most centers the volume of several
lines of trade is of seasonable proportions,
particularly drygoods, groceries, hardware,
lumber and paper.
At New York there is no special activity,
nnd the condition and the outlook are fairly
satisfactory. As was to be expected after
the long continued mild winter, there has
been a growing complaint as to collections
from country merchants. The prospect for
the lake ship building interests is reported
from Cleveland to be good. Hogs are 20
SOe lower at Kansas City, and cattle lower
than for a year. The total bank clearings
at 40 cities reported to Bradstreet's this
week are 51,046,191,976, against $1,117,774,
369 last week and 5886,394,952 in the fourth
veek of January, 18S8, a loss of 6) per cent
oi the week and a gain of 18 per cent on
the yeai.
tMorb. speculation hesitates and waits for
the appearance of further effects of the re
cent demoralization of railroad interests, and
for the conclusion of the work of pacification
now in progress at Chicago. Appearances
are more favorable, and bear operations are
measurably checked, resulting in a recovery
of prices. Bonds, especially prime invest
ments, are in active demand, and prices are
advancing. Honey at New York is easy and
plentiful; call loans, 1J2. Foreign ex
change is higher on the continued scarcity
of bills and absence of foreign stock buvintr.
Demand sterling ?4 8S4 89. Over
51,000,000 gold was engaged for export this
week.
INDUSTRIAL SITUATION.
There were 679 strikes reported to Srad
ttrect in 1888, involving 211,841 employes, a
decline from 1887 of 23 per cent in number
of strikes and of 38 per cent in strikers.
Againt 1886 the decrease in number of
strikers is 2 per cent. Higher wages or
fewer hours wpre causes of strikes by 68 per
cent of the strikers of 1888, against 62 in
1887; trades union questions were behind
the strikes of 17 per cent of the men involved
in 1888, against 22 per cent the year before.
Sympathetic strikes almost disappeared
last year. Abont 45 per cent of those strik
ing were in Pennsylvania in 1888, against
32 per cent in 1887.
Only38per cent of the strides in 1888,
involving 50 per cent of the whole number
who went out, resulted in favor of the
employes, against 42 per cent ef the strikes
and 38 per cent of these involved in 1887.
There were 74,837 emploves locked out in
188S (against 46,000 in 1887), of whom 82
per cent were successful. The nnmber of
davs lost by striking and locked-out em
ployes in 1888 was 7,562,480, against 10.250,
921 in 1887. If the labor be placed at 51 50
per man, the estimated loss of wages to
striking and locked-out employes in 1888
would be $11,342,720, against $15,380,381 in
1887, a decline of 25 per cent.
An unsettled feeling prevails in the iron
trade in all parts of the country, as the
tendency of prices is downward, though
makers assert, with a good deal of confi
dence, that stronger quotations will be es
tablished as soon as the spring demand sets
in, and that a higher range of prices will
then prevail. Pig iron has been shaded on
nil varieties except i few choice brands.
There is a rumored cnt on steel rails below
the nominal $27 per ton, and in
other respects the market might be
improved. The President of the
American Pig Iron Storage "Warrant Com
pany writes to Bradstreet's that nothing in
the nature of a trust or pool is contemplated
by that organization. That the plan, which
he says already has as adherents some of the
larger furnace companies of the country,
comprehends merely the storage of pig iron
and issuance of warrants against such sur
plus stock, similar to the plan long em
ployed at Glasgow, Scotland.
There are no special changes of note in
refined sugars beyond merestiffness in views
of holders and a steadier market in conse
quence. Haw has Deen in light demand,
and is off ll-15c at New York. Eio coffee,
with more actual request, has been Hc
higher than last week, but reacted yester
day to about the level of a week ago.
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS.
Wheat is off3c per bushel on the week,
nnd flour 510c per barrel. There appears
to be a growing suspicion that the "statis
tical position" of wheat throughout the
world for the bull side of the market is not
as s,trone as had been believed. Bradstreet's
lias calculated (with latest data as to foreign
wants and supplies to August 1 next) that
there are now in the United States, both
coasts, 26,000,000 bushels available for ex
port to July 1, 1889. The total export of
wheat (and flour as wheat) from the United
States this week is 1,801,665 bushels. 3gainst
1,301,640 bushels last week and 1,641,C46
bushels in the like week of 1888. The ag
gregate shipped Julv 1 to date is 57,000,000
bushels, against 81,766,000 bushels in
1887-88.
Cotton and woolen goods are distributed
more rapidly at New York and Boston.
The advance in print cloths has been firmly
held, and this, coupled with the small
stocks of these goods, has induced an ad
vance of Jc on prints and corresponding
advances on other lines of printed fabrics.
Ginghams are in fair jobbing demand and a
heavy movement on orders u reported by
agents. Woolen and worsted suitings share
to some extent in the better demand. Prices
of heavy-weight goods have not been ad
vanced so generally as anticipated.
Foreign goods Bhare the oetter
demand reported. Eaw wool is
quiet and unchanged. Buyers are holding
off for the London sales next Tnesday. Raw
cotton is l-16c lower on heavy cop move
ment and consequent encouragement given
thereby to the larger estimates.
Business failures reported to Bradstreet's
number 331 in the United States this week,
against 358 last week and 259 this week last
year. Canada had 32 this week, against 47
last week. The total of failures in the
United States from January 1 to date is
1,312, against 1,172 in 1888.
A PERPLEXING SITUATION.
which "there is no use blinking at," and holds
tbat furnaces which cannot face, without seri
ous loss, a decline of fully 81 from Dresent
prices may wisely suspend production." At
Western points Southern iron is offered at
prices equivalent to 12 at Birmingham, which
is consiaerea equal 10 ?i lur irenngyirania
iron; and large sales are reported at prices be
low published quotations. A decline in the
price of coke is considered probable, and the
anthracite coal market continues weak.
The decline in wheat continues, the prices
haying fallen 2 cents for the week. As the
prices reached this week 93 to 93 cents,
there has been some buying for export, though
not as yet for Great Britain. Corn has fallen a
cent and oats are lower. Pork products have
also declined, mess about 50 cents per barrel,
lard 20c and hogs 10c per 100 pounds. Cotton is
a shade lower, with sales of 421,000 bales, and
coffee c higher, with sales of 233,000 bags.
The market lor copper has been dull and tin is
lower at 21 cents; lead is also weak at $3 80,
but the sugar market favors holders. The gen
erally average of prices has fallen .8 of 1 por cent
for the week.
The supply of money here increases, both by
remittances and from the interior and by ex
cess or Treasury disbursements oyer receipts,
which reached 51,700,000 for the week. The
exports of merchandise from NewYork show a
cam of 11 per cent for three weekB.
The stock market is nevertheless so firmly
sustained that the average decline in prices
has only been 60 cents per $100 for the week.
The business failures number 312; against a
total of 3S7 last week, and 381 the week pre
vious. For the corresponding week last ) oar
the figures were 269.
ONE GUN WITH A HISTORY.
A Cannon Which lias Passed Through a
Number of Vicissitudes.
rSFECLU. TELEGRAM TO THE DISPATCH.
Findlay, January 25. Dr. A. L. Davis,
of this city, has just presented to Stoker
Post, G. A. K., a small cannon which has
attached to it a most entertaining history,
although its movements prior to coming to
this county are unknown, ana may possibly
be more interesting than what follows. Im
mediately after the Mexican War the
United States Government donated a 12
pound cannon to each county in the several
States having a regularly organized com
pany of militia. Hancock county did not
receive her piece of ordnance, however,
until the year 1852, when the gun, whose
history is now being written, was received.
It was taken in charge by a local company,
which, after a few years, disbanded, and
then the cannon became common property,
and was used mainly for Fourth of July cel
ebrations and political demonstrations.
At one time the piece was loaned to the
people of Ottawa, a neighboring town, and
remained there for so lone a time that the
citizens at last refused to give it up, and to
prevent the Findlay boys from getting pos
session of it again, it was hidden. The late
Colonel Mungen and a few adventurous
spirits determined upon recapturing the
gun, and going to Ottawa, placed a dozen or
so drinks of whisky where they would do
the most good with the result that the hid
ing place of the instrument of war and de
struction was disclosed, and when night
came on the Findlay boys rescued the
cannon from its place of concealment, at
tached it to a wagon and drew it home in
triumph.
During the late war, when the Ohio
"Squirrel Hunters" were called ont by
Governor Tod to repel the invasion of the
State by John Morgan and his bold raiders,
the old cannon was taken to Cincinnati by a
company of which Abel F. Parker, of this
city, was Captain. The gun did excellent
service in defending that city from the ene
my, who, hearing of its arrival, did not dare
attack the place. When the scare was over
and the "Squirrel Hunters" were permitted
to return home, they prepared to bring their
caunonwith them, but the General com
manding would not have it so, and decreed
that the gun was the property oi the State.
Captain Parker, recognizing that he was
powerless in the hands of the Government,
demanded and received a receipt for his
piece of ordnance, which the General made
out as follows:
"Received of a man, a gun.
"Signed, A. MAN."
This receipt was sacredly ket)t by Captain
Parker until 1875, when ex-Pres'ident B.
B. Hayes was Governor. He consented to
return the gun to Findlay upon Mr. Par
ker producing the above receipt as proof
that the cannon belonged to Hancock county.
The piece was then in the State Armory at
Columbus, but was shipped on Governor
Hayes' order to this city. When it reached
here there was no one to pay the freight
charges, and it laid in the depot for so long
a time that it was about to be sold by the
railroad company to pay the charges, when
Colonel Mungen again came to its rescue
and paid the bills, taking possession of it.
For a number ot years he retained the own
ership of it, until, finally, in settlement of
a suit in court, it passed into the hands of a
man by the name of Gribben, who accepted
it in full satisfaction of his claim, and in
Mr. Gribben's possession it reposed for sev
eral years, until he became hard up, when
he gave it to Frank Klaber in settlement of
a board bill.
Klaber kept it until his death, and when
Dr. A. L. Davis bought the Klaber home
stead, he obtained the cannon as one of the
appurtenances. Now it goes to Stoker Post
of the G. A. E., who are arranging to re
ceive it with appropriate ceremonies, and
its vicissitudes are probably at an end.
Secretaries to Canvass.
Messrs. W. J. Gile and S. L. Lupton
have been engaged by the Exposition Board
as assistant secretaries. Business is piling
up so beautifully that Captain J. W. Batch
elor finds it necessary to have some assist
ance. Besides that, the two gentlemen are
to devote their time to the securing of ad
ditional subscriptions, and as they are both
well known, they will be especially valua
ble in continuing the present boom among
enterprising business nouses.
To Fight the Amendment.
The liquor men of Allegheny county held
a meeting in Guckenheimer & Co.'s office
last evening and formed an organization to
fight the amendment. Liquor men think
thev can carry the State by at least 30,000
majority. The canvajs will be a quiet but
an effective one. They will unite in their
work throughout the State.
THE KAILWAY NEED.
The
Unique Side of the Railroad
Presidents' Meeting.
AN AGREEMENT TO OBEY LAW
Yoked to a Boycotting Conspiracy Against
New Enterprises.
YALUE OP A NEGLECTED PE0YISI0N
Visiting Ilnllwny Offlclnlg.
Samuel P. Shane. General Freight Agent
of the New York, Lake Erie and Western
Railroad at Cleveland, and George H. Vail
lant, Freight Traffic Manager of the Erie
system at New York, are in the city on
business. They say the Erie and the Lake
Erie will continue their present amicable
relations.
RII I NVF views Niagara intvinter and
DILL. II I U tells all about Ms visitin
The Dispatch to-morrow.
VALUABLE INFORMATION
It, G. Dan & Co. Report That Statements
Are Contradictory.
New York. January 25. P.. G. Dun &
Co.'s weekly review of trade says:
The state of trade is unusually perplexing,
for, with genoral complaint ot dullness, there
are evidences that the volume of transactions is
larce. The payments through banks last week
were 25 per cent larger than for the correspond
ing week last year at New York, and 10 per
cent larger at all other cities.
Railroad earnings also show that traffic is
large. The demand for money is sufficiently
active at nearly all interior points, moreover, to
indicate that a large business is in progress.
Yet it is undeniable that the prevailing temper
is one of disappointment at the result of busi
ness since the new year began, and this is not
wholly explained by the steadily declining
prices of products.
At Southern points, after some depression,
trade appears to he Improving. In the North
west trade is fnlly equal to that of last year,
and at some points clearly larger. The supply
or money seems to be everywhere ample for
legitimate demand. There are no indications
ot general unsoundness or over straining ot
commercial credits. In tho (Treat iron industry
consumption for all other than railroad pur
poses appears to be larger than ever, but there
i rcrious disturbance. In consequence the
Iron Age reports a "general weakening,"
Good for To-Dny Only.
To-day winds up our sale of superfine
overcoats and suits at $15, marked down
from 528, $25 and $20. Fifteen dollars give
you your choice of fine silk and satin-lmed
overcoats in elegant imported chinchillas
and Kerseys, and for f 15 you can select any
of those elegant suits we sold last week at $28,
525 and $20. Remember this is the last day
of our great 515 sale. We've got a big stock
on hand. We want to reduce it, and we've
got to make it an object for you to buy, and
a big one at that P. C. C. C.
Cor. Grant and Diamond sts., opp. the new
Court House.
rwBrrrax eobthi: dispatch.!
A party of eminently respectable gentle
men met one day last week at the house of
Edwards Pierpont Morgan, in New York
City. They were the Presidents of six or
eight of the largest railway systems of the
United States and several bankers heavily
interested in railway securities. The ob
jects of the conference was to devise ways
and means to prevent the further deprecia
tion of securities and (incidentally) to de
cide whether it were worth while or not to
pay any attention to the inter-State com
merce law.
The press dispatches giving account of
the meeting merely stated that Judge
Cooley, Chairman of the Inter-State Com
merce Commission, was present, and it was
probably owing to his pleading that the
conference finally deeided that they would
bo guided by the provisions of the act. That
is, they embodied in the agreement they
adopted, a declaration that the law must be
obeyed. It is not to be supposed that they
intend troubling themselves to take any
further action in that direction; the people
of the United States should feel honored
that this august body are willing to conde
scend to recognize the fact that there is a
law they "didn't have to"for it is a notori
ous fact that several of the systems there
represented have flagrantly violated the act
for 18 months past, and have continued do
ing so since the declaration above re
ferred to.
POOD FOB REFLECTION.
Here is food for reflection: The National
Legislature of a great country passes a law,
and under its provisions a commission is
appointed to enforce it. Nearly two years
alter this law has gone into effect we find
the head of this commission meets in con
ference several of the principal violators of
the law and pleads with them to obey it
What a disgraceful spectacle. What a
travesty on justice? It cannot be that Judge
Cooley and his co-commissioners are ig
norant of the fact that the law has
been and is now being continuously
violated, for we find Senator Cnllum quoted
in an interview as saying that not a road iu
the country had given the law a fair trial;
that he would like to see them live up to its
provisions if only for 60 days, in order to
ascertain what effect it would have. If the
commissioners are still ignorant that the
law has been violated they are not the right
men in the right place: it" they are not igno
rant, they have not done their duty. If
they have not the backbone to go ahead and
enforce the law, let them as honorable men
step down and out, and not draw salaries
they do not earn.
But before going further with this subject
I wish to call attention to one other inci
dent of their meeting. As gathered from the
Associated PressJ dispatches, it was
something like this: President Roberts, of
the Pennsylvania system, charged the bank
ers with being too ready to furnish money
to build parallel systems; the bankers hung
their heads like boys caught stealing fruit,
acknowledged the corn and said they would
not do it any more; further they would boy
cott any bankers that did. It shows to
what alow standard public morals have
fallen, how calloused is public conscience,
that so outrageous an assault on public wel
fare is allowed to pass without a howl of in
dignation being raised. Here are men filling
positions of great importance who propose
to throttle enterprise to break up competi
tion in ths greatest interest in the world.
We can llnd instances in court records of
judges deciding similar action on the part
of men belonging to labor unions as preju
dical to public welfare, and therefore de
serving of punishment. Yet in no case
could the action of the men punished have
had more than the smallest influence for
harm as compared with this action of Presi
dent Roberts and the bankers. Law for
Jim should be law for John. If boycotting
by a labor union is deserving of punish
ment, boycotting by a conspiracy of bank
ers and railroad presidents is deserving of
the same punishment.
"WHERE THE SHOE PINCHES.
The laborer is worthy of his hire,-and the
investor in railroad securities is entitled to
a fair return; but the pretense that an ob
servance of the provisions ot the inter-State
commerce act will prevent this is false. It
is not consideration for the stockholders' in
terest that invites thefgeneral manager's
hostility to the inter-State commerce law.
It is his restiveness under any kind of con
trol. He wants to be free to follow the
dictates of his own caprice, to throw away
revenue like water this week, and clap on
the screws next, as the humor suits him; to
carry freight for some favored individual,
firm, corporation or locality for less than
cost, and make other firms, individuals cor
porations or localities make it up by paying
unjustly high rates.
The inter-State commerce law is a very
mild piece of legislation. There is nothing
arbjtrary about It It provides no specific
basis for fixing charges of either passenger
or freight traffic. It simply attempts to pro
vide against discrimination. The principal
fault of the law is, that it is too loose-jointed,
so to speak. It is flexible where it
should be inflexible, and provisional where
it should be direct No railroad in the
country need pay 1 cent less dividends by
reason of observing its provisions. In fact
a general observance by all the roads would
have left many of them in better financial
shape at the end of the last fiscal year.
At 40 cents per yard, all-wool English
suitings, stripes and mixtures, 40 inches in
width, previously sold at 60 cents per yard.
rrs Hugus & Hacke.
REAL ESTATE SAVINGS BANK, LIM.,
401 Smltbfleld Street, cor. Fourth Avenue.
Capital, $100,000. Surplus, $38,000.
Deposits of $1 and upward received and
interest allowed at 4 per cent TX3 .
Kent Fencing
Of iron or wire for front of public or pri
vate buildings and around cemetery lots.
Also stable fixtures,iron stairs and shutters,
tree boxes, fire escapes, and wire windows
and door screens for protection against flies
and mosquitos. Taylor & Dean,
203 and 205 Market st.,and G7 Second are.
its
THE LONG AND SHOET HAUL CLAUSE.
The most abused feature of the law is the
fourth section, commonly called the "long
and short haul clause." A great mistake
was made in making the enforcement of
this clause optional with the commissioners.
Immediately after the law went into effect,
the Transcontinental lines and several
Southern railroads asked for the suspension
of this section in their favor. The com
missioners granted their petition for a
limited length of time, to give themselves
opportunity to investigate. In June, 1887,
just before the terms of suspension expired,
they came out with a lengthy deliverance,
in -which they cited cases where they were of
the opinion it would be justifiable to charge
more for the shorter than the longer haul;
and, while not continuing the suspension of
the clause specifically, virtually advised the
roads to continue ch arcing more for the
shorter than lor the longer haul and wait
lor some one to complain. The reading be
tween the lines being to the effect that if
such complaint were brought, the decision
of the commission would be in favor of de
fendants.
This action on the part of the commission
was a fatal error and has borne bitter fruit. In
strict justice no common carrier has a right
to charge more for a lesser than for a greater
service and even Judge Cooley recognizes
this in his dealings with everybody except
railway corporations. For instance, were
he to enter a carriage at the Baltimore and
Ohio depot at Washington in company with
another gentleman, he intending to leave
the carriage at some point half-way up
Pennsylvania avenue, while the other oc
cupant intended ridingasfar as the Treasury
Department, he would grow very indignant
should the driver tell him that it would
cost him $2, while the charge to the other
gentleman wonld be but half that amount.
Or to illustrate by a case nearer home,suppose
in order to hurt the traffic of the cable lines
the Pennsylvania Railroad should reduce
the fare to East Liberty to 5 cents, single
trip tickets, and the cable lines should meet
it to those points immediately in competition
with East Liberty station, but hold up to 10
cents to all other taints: how lone wonld
j people stand it? Yet this is precisely what
is being done to-day by all the great trans
continental lines and most of the Southern
railways.
Discrimination between places is as un
just as discrimination between individuals.
A common carrier has no moral right to
practice either. Special privileges always
carry with them special responsibilities.
Railway1 corporations are granted special
privileges, chief of which is the right of
eminent domain; and the acceptance by
railway corporations of these special
privileges entails upon them the duty of
serving impartially the public which
granted them. These rights are conferred
by the whole public and not by any particu
lar individuals or localities; hence the
right to discriminate in any particular
between persons and places does not belong
to a railway corporation. Thus when the
Southern Pacific Railway system arrogates
to itself the right to build op certain cities on
the Facifio coast at the expense of the
interior towns it is not living up to the re
sponsibilities entailed upon it when It accepted
the extraordinary rights and privileges con
ferred upon it by the General Government; and
me inter-state commerce commission is iaise
to its trust when it allows it to continue this
practice unchecked.
THE RAILWAY PLEA.
The transcontinental lines plead, in justifica
tion of their practice in charging two or throe
times as much for carrying freight to points in
New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, Montana
and Idaho as they do to Ban Francisco, and
certain other favored point9 on the Pacific
coast, that competition by ship com
pels them to reduce their charges to
less than cost of carriage, hence they
must charcre higher rates to interior ooints to
make up what they lose on the competitive
business. Assuming this to be true, It is an
unjustifiable outrage npon the defenseless par
ties upon whom this extra burden ot charges
is placed. If it be true that clipper ships and
other ocean bottoms can carry certain freights
from Atlantic to Pacific ports for less than the
railroads can carry cross-country tbat is the
natural route. Ship owners are citizens, of the
United States as well as holders of railway
securities, and tho common Government has
no right to discriminate against the ship
owners by investing the railways with power to
tax peopfe situated at interior points to enable
them to drive part of the shipping interest out
of business, for that is just what it is. The
Inter-State Commerce Commission has virtu
ally said to the trans-continental railways
go ahead, put into effect from New York to
San Francisco rates low enough to take from
the ocean bottoms freightthatproperlybelongs
to them, and we will allow von to make ud
what you thus lose by compelling shippers lo
cated at interior towns to pay excess'.re
charges. They don't take into consideration
that these people are also citizens of the United
States and are entitled to protection; that they
are part of that "Government of the people, by
the people and for the people" which granted
to these transcontinental lines the special
rights and privileges tbat enabled them to be
built In fact a greater responsibility rests on
the Pacific coast roads than upon any other
railway lines in the United States, for they
were fostered by the General Government at
great expense, and the excuse was "to develop
the country;" bnt they interpret it, and the
Inter-State Commission indorses their inter
pretation, "squeeze the country."
WHAT SHOULD HATE BEEN DONE.
The commission should have replied to the
railways asking for a suspension of the long
and short haul clause. "No, gentlemen! charge
what you please to your competitive points,
but your charges to intermediate points must
be no higher. If you can carry freight from
New York to San Francisco at a certain figure
you can carry the same freight from Pittsburg
to Salt Lake City at the same figure. If the
amount vou chance for the lonir haul is cost of
carnage only the same charges applied to tLe
short haul will yield a handsome profit We
cannot allow you to do otherwise, even
the shipper located at an interior
point loses all the benefits of com
petition." The efFeot of this doctrine
stringently enforced would have been healthy
for the railways, the shipping interests and the
public. The ocean competition would reduce
charges to terminal points to a fair basis, and
Interior points would enjoy a fair share of the
benefits of this competition. Suppose there
are certain freights that ocean vessels could
carry at a profit between Atlantic and Pacific
ports for less than the railways could afford to
haul them direct Comparatively little
of such freight originates at the
Atlantic ports or stops at the Pacific
port The railway lines would then get
a haul from point of origination to the At
lantic port and from the Pacific port to points
ot destination, and after yon get a certain dis
tance inward from the coasts the cost of rail
way hiul at both ends added to tho cost of sea
carriage would aggregate more than the cost of
haul direct all rail. Thus It may be readily
seen that the enforcement of the long and
short haul clause wonld operate only as a safe
guard to prevent unjust oppression of shippers
situated at non-competitive points, and
not to the detriment of the railway lines at all.
It would rendercompetition elastic, so to speak,
as the merchant at Helena, Mont, or Wlnne
muea, Nev., would feel in some degree the
competition at terminal points and benefit by
it As It is now the business man located at a
non-competitive point on any of the transcon
tinental lines is virtually at the mercy of the
railway and dares scarcely claim that his soul is
his own. This state of affairs is repugnant to
the theory of a republican form of government,
inasmuch as it makes the creature
greater than the creator and gives the
lie to the theory on which is based the fight of
railway lines to the extraordinary privileges
that enable them toexistfortbepublicwelfare.
Mr. Jones at Denver, Col., is as much a part of
the public as Mr. Smith, of San Francisco, and
entitled to equal participation in the "welfare"
consequent upon the development of our .trans
continental railway system, which he does not
now enjoy, as he is compelled by the discrimi
nation of the traffic managers of tho very lines
built by the generosity of the general public, of
which he is one, to assist in paying the freight
puis or uir. omim arm omer aan r rancisco
merchants with a percentage over as a sort of
tribute to the great interests that developed
this scheme of over-riding justice.
THE QUESTION IN THE SOUTH.
My readers wUl observe that so far I have
dwelt mainly on the sins of the great trans
continental lines of railway. Bnt they are not
the only sinners against common, every-day
justice in general, and the inter-State com
merce law in particular. What are known as
the Southern roads are as bad in principle if
not so extensive in practice. These roads coine
into competition with the steamboats on the
Mississippi, Cumberland, Tennessee and
Ohio rivers, and coasting vessels
along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts.
They have carried the practice of
squeezing the interior point shipper to an ex
treme. In some cases a shipper 20 miles inland
will be charged 200 per cent of the rate to a
competitive point on the river. The people of
the United States hare spent millions of money
on the Tennessee, Cumberland, Ohio and Mis
sissippi rivers. The object was to foster navi
gation and to secure the benefit of cheap
freights. Now tho railway systems interested
propose to do all they can to cripplo tho
steamboat interest by carrying freights
to river points at figures way below
cost and make themselves whole by charging
correspondingly excessive freights to patrons
situated at interior points. Thus the people of
the Southern States not residing immediately
upon one of the navigable rivers are taxed on the
one hand by Congrots to foster river traffic, and
on the Other by the railroads to break it up.
The millions expended in improving the rivers
above named was contributed by the whole
people, and the residents of the interior coun
try are entitled to a share of the benefits. An
enforcement of the fourth section of tho inter
state commerce law would givo it to them. But
the superior wisdom of Judge Coolev and his
co-Commissioners has denied them their birth
right and instead compelled them to be the
unwilling contributors to their own detriment.
In the next letter on this subject 1 hope to
have opportunity to show you how the railways
nearer home fail of complfance with the SDJrft,
if not the letter, of the inter-State commerce
law. Tom Shea.
All Due to a Drunken Fall.
James Henderson, an inmate of the
county jail, will bo sent to his home, at
Little Washington, by the Department of
Charities to-day. Some weeks ago he fell or
was pushed off a Pennavcnue street car and
was cut above the eye and on the nose. He
was more or less intoxicated at the time and
was arrested and sent to iail for ten davs.
i In a few days erysipelas set in, and now he
is in a very dangerous condition, lie is G2
years old,
VALUABLE INFORMATION
LATE NEWSJK BRIEF.
Hollanders are alarmed by the report that
their defensive resources are poor.
Mr. Robert Stewart Menzles. M. P. for
East Perthshire, is dead. He was a Liberal
and a Home Ruler.
Thirty members of the city government of
Toledo, O., are in Syracuse, N. Y., inspecting
the electric street railway system.
The Secretary of the Treasury yesterday
afternoon accepted the following bonds: i.
registered, $317,500 at 109; ii, coupon, 31,000
at 109.
The National Bank building and three
adjoining stores at. Athens, Tenn., burned on
Thursday night Loss, $30,000; insurance,
$20,000.
The mnniclpal authorities of NImes,
France, have re-elected M. Nnma Gillv mayor.
despite the fact that he is temporarily disquali
fied from holding the office.
The Secretary of War has officially notified
the city of Frankfort Ky., that the old wooden
bridge across the Kentucky river at that point
must be raised, as it is too fow for boats to piss
under. Tho bridge has stood for over 60 years.
An English missionary named Brooks, and
15 of his followers were murdored on Saturday
near Baadanl bv members of the coast tribes
and natives of Zanzibar. These murders indi
cate the extent of the hatred to whites the Ger
mans have aroused.
The Massachusetts Senate Committee on
Constitutional Amendment save a hearing yes
terday on tho question of a prohibitory amend
ment to tho Constitution. After the hearing
the committee decided to present a report to
the Senate in favor of a prohibitory amend
ment There are 18 cases of smallpox in Milan
township, Monroe county, Michigan. The
disease has got beyond the control of the local
anthoritles. The residents are unable to meet
the heavy daily expenses, and have asked the
Governor for aid. An allowance will be made
from the State Treasury.
General William B. Franklin, the United
States Commissioner to the Paris Exposition,
has jnst received invitations addressed to the
American agricultural societies from the
Organizing Committee of the International
Congress of Agriculture, which is to take place
in Paris during the month of September in con
nection with the great World's Pair.
The Military Appropriation bill for 1890,
reported to the House yesterday by Mr. Town
shend, carries anfappropnatlon of $24,466,615,
against $24,471,800 in the biU of 1889. The esti
mates for 1890 were $25,076,358. Among tho
larger items are: For pay of officers of the line,
$2,857,000: for enlisted men, $4,137,000; for retired
officers, $950,000; for the purchase of movable
submarine torpedoes, $500,000: for the purchase
of 100 acres of ground adjoining Madison
Barraoks, N- Y.. $7,000.
With a Bingle exception all the feather
manufacturing firms in New York City yester
day receded from their agreement to pay the
prices demanded by the Workingwomen's
Union, and locked out their employes to the
nnmber of 800. The girls have held a meeting
and decided not to roturn to work now at any
price. They are now posted near the factories
to keep other girls from going to work. They
claim that since this is tho busy season the
firms will soon be sorry for their action.
General Myers has been ordered by the
Governor of Kansas to Gray county, the scene
of the recent county seat war. A telegram
from Lieutenant Thorp, in charge of the mili
tia there, says that the people of the two con
flicting towns, Ingalls and Cimarron, are daily
in receipt of arms and ammunition, and that
the day upon which he reported six boxes of
Winchesters naa oeen received irom .nanus
City. No one is allowed to enter or leave either
of the towns without giving an account of him
self. An attempt was made at 11 o'clock Thurs
day night to wreck the Colorado, Utah and
Pacific passenger train on the Union Pacific
road, near Wilson, Kan. A large lot of heavy
timber and boards had been piled upon the
track, a part of which was knocked aside by
the engine and the remainder run over by the
train. The snot selected was where the track
runs on a high embankment, and had the train
left the raUs there would have been a fearful
loss of life. No reason except robbery can be
assigned for the action of the would-be wreck
ers. Canadian lumbermen are rejoicing over the
measure introduced in the United States House
of Representatives by Representative Far
quhar, of Buffalo, and hope to see it become a
law. Farquhar's bill, they claim, will simply
protect Canadian forests from American in
vaders. I provides that no raft of logs or tim
ber, Bliall be brought into or taken out of any
harbor or port of the United States, or brought
into or upon any of the great lakes from any
river, stream, port or place in the Dominion of
Canada or any other foreign port
A ghastly murder was committed at Jack
son, Mich., Thursday night Mrs. M. H. Latimer,
a widow living with her son, R. Irving Latimer,
a druggist, was shot twice in the head after re
tiring. After the first shot she evidently
crawled out of bed and staggered to the win
dow, but before she could raise the window she
was shot again and fell back dead. She was
found this morning lying in a pool of blood.
Irving Latimer had went to Detroit to act as
pallbearer for some deceased friend. There is
no clew to the murderer.
'There is still some doubt as to the death of
Prof. Henry C. Friend, the electric sugar
swindler. A man named John F. Kennedy has
duped many merchants and others with
schemes that wero identical with Friend's, and
people who know Kennedy think he may be
Friend. Kennedy has made thousands of dol
lars in selling the right to use the process of
tho New England Food Preserving Company
for preserving eggs. It is a fraud, however,
and he has never divulged the secret. He also
is the author of an alleged process for purify
ing rancid butter.
NEW ADTERTISEMESTS.
SUMMARY STATEMENT
OP TECE
CALAFFAIRS 0FALLEGHENTC0ONTY
FOE THE YEAR 1888,
Published in Accordance with the Provisions of an Act of Assembly,"
Approved May 1st, 1861.
PROPOSALS.
PROPOSAL FOR LOCK GATE TIMBER
United States Engineer Office, Cincinnati,
O., January 10, 1889. Sealed proposals, in dupli
cate, for furnishing white oak timber for the
gates of the ice-harbor lock, at Marietta, O.,
will be received at this office until noon, local
time, on THURSDAY, thc21st day of February,
1889. AH information furnished on application.
The attention of bidders Is invited to tho Acts of
Congress approved Feb. 26. 1885, and Feb. 23,
1S87. WM. E. MERRILL, Lieut. Col. of En
gineers. ja23-l-23,24,25,26,fel5,16
PROPOSALS FOR DAMS AND DIKES
U. S. Engineer Office, Cincinnati, O., Dec.
18, 1888. Sealed proposals, in duplicate, for
furnishing material and constructing dams
and dikes in the Ohio river, to-wit: a dam be
tween Davis and Neville Islands, a dam at tho
head of Marietta Island, a dike at Eight-Mile
Island, a dike at Bonanza Bar, a dike at Madi
son. Ind., and a dike at Caseyville, Ky., will be
received at this office until noon, local time, on
WEDNESDAY, the30th day of January, 1S89,
and then opened. A separate contract will be
made for each structure. All information fur
nished on application. Tho attention of bid
ders Is invited to tho acts nf Congress approved
Feb. 26. 18S5, and Feb. 23. 18S7. WM. E. MER
RILL, Lieutenant Colonel of Engineers.
de81-2S-de31-jal,2,3,25.26
TO CONTRACTORS FOR
ELECTRIC LIGHTING.
Good for To-Dny Only.
To-day winds up our sale of superfine
overcoats and suits at $15, marked down
from $28, 525 and $20. Fifteen dollars give
you your choice of fine silk and satin-lined
overcoats in elegant imported chinchillas
and Kerseys, and for $15 you can select any
of those elegant suits we sold last week at
$28, $25 and $20. Remember this is the last
day of our great $18 sale. We've got a 'big
stock on hand. We want to reduce it, and
we've got to make it an object for you to
buy, and a big one at that. P. C. C. C,
Cor. Grant and Diamond sts., opp. the new
Court House.
office op nut )
BOAM) OF PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT,
ST. LOUIS, Januarys, 1839. )
Scaled propoals for the public worV hereinafter
mentioned -n ill be received at tho offlcc of the
Board or Public Improvements of the City of St.
Louis, Jlo., until 12 m. of the 23th day or February,
38S9, at which hour they will be publicly opened
and read, viz.:
For lighting with electricity for the term of ten
years from January 1, 1890, tho striets, public
places and such public buildings as may be desig
nated In the following districts orthe City of St.
Louis, Mo., viz.:
Letting No. 2,503. The district described as tho
southern district In ordinance numbered 14, 637, ap
proved December 2), 1883.
Deposit required, 85,000.
Letting No. 2,501. 'the district described is tho
northern district In ordinance number 14,607, ap
proved December 29. 1SSS.
Deposit required, J5, 000.
Bidders will state prices per annum at which are
lights of 2,000-candIe power each, or Incandescent
liirhts. of oO-candlc nower each, will be furnished.
; operated and maintained, for lighting streets and
fiuuiic place; aiso prices per annum at wmcn arc
Ights, of 2,000-csnnlc powir each, or Incandescent
lights, of 16-candlc uowrr each, will be famished,
operated and maintained forllghtingpublicbuUd
lngs. Everything required for the above electric light
ing shall be furnished and maintained by the con
tractor. The contract with tho city will carry the prlvU
ege of furnishing electricity for light and power
to private parties and corporations along the
lines of distribution.
The contract will contain stipulations by which
the City of bt. Louis may acquire the entire e,ec
tric plant and appurtenances at the expiration of
the coutraft.
Didders must submit with proposals, general
and detailed plans and speciScatlons of tho pro
posed system of distributing the elcctricitv, mode
of supporting the lights and wires, and of safety
appliances.
Proposals must be made on blank forms and in
closed In envelopes furnished by the Board of
Public Improvements. The certificate of the
Treasurer of the City of St. Louis that the smn of
8.5,000 lias been deposited In the treasury must be
Inclosed with the proposal.
Th rltrht tn roiA-t nnv nw .tl n.nnnealfl ll.T.
GENERAL ACCOUNT.
DR.
To balance in fund January 1st, 1888 1129,654 39
To interest on daily balances 8,864 20
To fees and other revenues from the several appropriations 154,083 S3
To election fees refunded II 00
To fees. Coroner's office, refunded 5 00
To cash from official advertising 9,215 15
To cash from sale of old furniture 1.&S5 99
To cash for boarding United States prisoners . 269 00
To fines and costs collected 9,984 63
To verdict fees collected. Court of Common Fleas So. 1. 1,049 00
To verdict fees collected, Court of Common Pleas No. 2. 496 00
To cash from sale of old plank 2 00
To cash for maintenance of lDsane at Dixmont ....., 6,593 17
To fines collected and paid by Aldermen, etc 27 26
To gas companies, for salary and expenses of Gas Inspector...... 3,718 37
To liquor licenses granted under "Brooks bill" 66.740 00
To temporary loans 250,000 CO
To conscience money, etc, etc 314 80
To new Court House bonds, issued 306,000 00
To county and State taxes of 1888 and former years, collected... 954,032 49
To registered and countersigned warrants of 1888, unpaid 1U2 00
CR.
EXPENDITURES.
By Interest paid on compromise, riot and Court House bonds I 198,134 65
By salaries of county officers, clerks and employes 234,474 01
By writing county duplicates, register lists, etc.... 1LS26 53
By salaries of assessors of property and registers ot voters 40,851 97
By salaries of election officers, rent and repairs to polling places 2X631 43
By fees of Magistrates and officers for commitments 6,17713
By fees of Coroner and Magistrates holding Inquests, burials, jurors'
fees, etc 18,282 60
By new dockets, rebinding dockets, printing blanks and stationery for
county offices 60,820 33
By repairs, furniture, etc., "Old County Buildings";. 8,128 49
By maintenance of prisoners, connty jail 12,378 22
By fitting boilers for natural gas, Court House and jail, and for gas
furnished 1,517 36
By officers'. Magistrates' and witness' fees, jurors' pay,' Court of Quar
ter Sessions, etc ., 92,879 57
By jurors' pay and drawing jurors, C. C. P. No. 1 19.462 13
By jurors' pay and drawing jurors, C. C. P. No. 2 16,18125
By salaries of crier and tipstaves and expenses of Supreme Court,
Western district of Pennsylvania 1,566 23
By Auditor's fees, for auditing State tax account and for tax on loans
paid to the State 3,454 82
By transfer and annual appropriation to sinking fund.. 49,550 65
By building and repairing county bridges 68,309 95
By road damages paid and Viewers' fees 5,173 66
By maintenance of Inmates at Pennsylvania Reform School at Mor-
gama, and commitment fees 23,077 08
By maintenance of inmates. Western Penitentiary 15,283 30
By maintenance of inmates. Western Pennsylvania Hospital for the
Insane 7,942 91
By salaries of librarian and janitrix, cooks purchased, repairs, etc.,
Law Library 4,075 05
By Magistrates and officers' fees in discharged criminal cases 21,661 97
By salary and expenses of Gas Inspector , 3,718 37
By sundry contingent expenses, including temporary loan of 5250,000... 258,401 12
By payments on account of new Court House 564.260 72
Bv burial of indigent soldiers 1M no
By cash in treasury January L, 18S9 .... , 110,506 47
LIQUOR LICENSE FOND.
DR.
To balance in fund January 1, 1883 . .......
OR.
By R. S. P. McCall, for services rendered $900 50
By George T. Beach, for services rendered 50 00
By balance in fund January 1, 1889 r. 360,306 03
SINKING-FUND.
UB.
To balance in fund January 1. 1888 ........,,,,. $19,907 33
To transfer from Allegheny county general account J.. 24,550 65
To annual appropriation. .........'... 25,000 00
"" CR.
By compromise bonds purchased and cancelled by Sinking Fund Com-
mission :. $44,458 01
By balance in fund January 1,1889 25,000 00
POOR FUND.
DR.
To cash in fund January 1, 1883 $58,012 93
To taxes of 1887 and former years collected.... 9,312 26
CR.
By warrants drawn upon the fundby the Directors of Allegheny County
Home and paid in 1888 $46.772 28
By balance in fund January 1,1889. 20,483 04
RECAPITULATION OF BALANCES.
Balance in General Fund 140,606 47
Balance In Liquor License Fund. 860,306 03
Balance in Sinking Fund 25,000 00
Balance in Poor Fond 20,483 04
TREASURER'S TAX ACCOUNT.
Alex. -S3. McCandlesa, Ex-Treasurer.
DR.
To uncollected taxes, January 1,1888?. $397,547 20
CR.
By taxes paid to Wm. Hill, Treasurer, during 1883 $128,278 25
By exonerations granted by County Commissioners , 76,306 91
By balance uncollected January 1, 1SS9 192,962 04
William Hill, County Treasurer.
DR.
To amount of county and State tax levied for the year 1SSS...
CR.
By county and State tax collected 832,805 83
By 5 per cent discount allowed on taxes paid prior to August 1, 1883.... 42,195 24
By balance uncollected January 1, 1889 275,324 52
51,902,838 03
$1,902,838 03
$361,258 53-
$361,253 53
$69,453 01
$69,453 Oil
$67,255 53
$67,255 32
$546,295 51
307,547 20
$397,547 20
$1,150,325 64
RECAPITULATION OF TAX BALANCES.
Alex. M. McCandless, Ex-Treasurer for 1886 and 1887....
WiUiam Hill, Treasurer for 1888
....... ...
192,962 04
275,324 62
$1,150,325 6
3463,235 53
J326-W8
,tos:la.:h: sfeer3
COUNTY CONTROLLER.
OFFICIATE PITTSBURG.
Boiled ends of table linens, soiled towels,
soiled napkins, scaris, tidies, etc., to be
closed this week. Hugus & Hacke.
tts
pressly reserved,
bpecil
bnecificatlons. form of contract and Dlans of tho
districts to be lighted, may be seen at the office of
the President of the Board of Public Improve
ments of the City of St. Lonls, on and after Janu
ary 28, 18S9.
Any contract let hereunder will require the ap
proval orthe Municipal Assembly by ordinance.
By order of the liojsi.
IIENBY FLAD,
President.
Attest:
EilOBY S. FOSTER,
JalI-22 Secretary.
Department or Public Safktt,
Pittsbueo, January 22, 1883.
SEALED PROPOSALS WILL BE RE
CEIVED at the office of the City Controller
until Saturday. January 26, 1889, a 2 P. at, for
the paintinc; of No. 5 Engine House.
Plans and specifications can be seen at the
office of Samuel N. Evans, Superintendent of
tbo Bureau of Fire.
Probated bonds in double the amount of bids
are required, and must be probated before the
City Clerk or Mayor.
Tho Department of Awards reserves tho
right to reject any or all bids.
J.O.BROWN,
Chief of the Department of Public Safety.
ja22-79
OFFICIAL PITTSBTJKO.
4
rHi
Department ot Public Woeks,
Vrflvra'DfTTFl T 1 Tamnnw. Iff lOfifl
VTOTICE IS HEREBY "6lVEN THAT THE
Ml report oi viewers on tho opening of
Hurray avenue, from Wilkins avenue to Forbes
avenue has been approved by Councils, which
action will be final, unless an appeal is filed in
the Court of Common Pleas within ten (10)
days from date. E. M. BIGELOW,
Chief of Department of Public Works.
JalW6
Department of Public Works,
PiTTSBimo, January 16, 1889. J
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT THE
Viewers' reports on the construction of
sewers on Mulberry street, from crown between
Fourteenth street and Fifteenth street to Fif
teenth Btreet; Spring alley, from Sixteenth
street to Fifteenth street; Center avenue and
Barton street from Walllngford street to Two
Mile Run sewer; Station street and Larimer
avenne, from tho Pennsylvania Railroad to
Everett street; Larimer avenue, from the rlret
crown north of Meadow street to Everett
street; Dresden alley, from Fifty-secoiid street
to McCandless street; Sclby alley. Irom South
Eighth street to South Ninth street; Natrona
alley, from Fifty-third street to McCandless
street, and Fifteenth street, from Liberty ave
nne to the Allegheny river have been ap
proved by Councils, which action will be final,
unless an appeal is filed in the Court of Com
mon Fleas within ten (10) davs from date.
E. M. BIGELOW,
Chief of Department of Public Works.
jalWS
TAXPAYERS' HOTIGE.
Office of the Board of assessors, 1
Pittsburg, Pa., January 25, 1889. f
Valuations upon property In the Fourteenth
and Twentieth wards have been completed for
the triennial assessment of 1889. Appeals may
be made from 2Sth to 30th inclusive upon
forms furnished with transcripts, which can
be bad at once upon personal application, or
bv letter or postal card. All orders for .ran
scripts now on file will be mailed at earliest
possible moment. All appeals must be pro
bated at this office.
Office hours from 9 a.m. till 4 P. if.
Attention is called to Section 23 of the new
charter, which provides that "The Board of
Assessors shall assess all property taxable for
city purposes at its actnal cash value: provided,
that no property shall be assessed for a less
amount than the price paid for at the last re
corded sale."
By order of Board.
FRANK P. CASE, 1
PHILIP HOERR, J Assessors.
JAMESJ.LARKIN, S ja.fo9-D
Department of Pouijc Womcs, I
FrTTSBCRO, Pa., January 16, 1889. C
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT
the assessment for the grading and paving
of Natrona alley, from Stanton avenue to
Fifty-second street, is now ready for examina
tion and correction, and will remain in Una
office for ten (10) days, after which it will be
returned to the City Treasurer for collection.
E.M. BIGELOW,
Chief of Department of Public Works.
jal6-lff
Department of Public Wokks,!
Pittsburg. Jan. 18. 1889. "f
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT THE
report of the Viewers on the damages
caused by the grading of Holmes street, from
Fifty-second street to McCandless street, has
been approved by Councils, which action will
be final, unless an appeal is filed in the Court
of Common Fleas within ten (10) days from
date. E. M. BIGELOW,
Chief of Department of Public Works.
"A
Department of Public Works. I
Pittsbukg, Jan. 18, 1889. f
NOTICE 18 HEREBY GIVEN THAT THE
Viewers' reports on tho grading, paving
and curbing of Winebiddle street, from Penn
avenue to Liberty avenue; Davis street, from
Wylle avenne to Webster avenue, and Oak
land avenue, from Fifth avenue to Bates street,
have been approved by Councils, which action
will be final, unless an appeal Is filed in the
Court of Common Pleas within ten (10) days
from date. E.M. BIGELOW,
Chief of Department of Public Works.
jalS-43
Department of Public Works, 1
PlTTSBUBO. Pa., January 19, 1889.
SEALED PROPOSALS WILL BE RE
CEIVED at the office of the City Con
troller nntll SATURDAY, the 26th day of Jan
uary, A. D. 1889, at 2 P. M., for the construction
of bout two thousand (2,000) cubicyards of
masonry, and about fifteen thousand (15,000)
cubic yards ot embankment, at Wilmot and
Bates streets. Fourteenth ward.
Plans and specifications can be seen and
blanks for bidding can be had at this office.
Each proposal must be accompanied by a
bond, probated before tha Mayor or City
Clerk.
The Department of Awards reserves tha
right to reject any or all bids.
E.M. BIGELOW.
Chief of Department of Public Works.
jalJ-Sl
1"
..-?-. J I
UjMgj
"iiioJS&iafcr.v .;,.. Jiii
1