gET-ei &Q3BM 'rV-. THE PITTSBURG DISPATCH T' SECOND PART. PAGES 9 TO 12. m - - - - SIGHS OFJEGLECT In That Portion of the State Isolated by the Bad Country Boads and LACK OP EAILWAY FACILITIES. Untillea Farms and Deserted Hamlets Along the Kemarkalle South Penn Wreck. A CHAKCE TO SECDEE CHEAP HOMES. TlTil Impressions or a Carriagt Side Across the Old Keystone, twzxttzx roa the dispatch. ! The record of a drive across the southern portion of our State, from Deer Park, Md., to Philadelphia, may possibly be of interest to some of your readers who have been en joying the clever letters from your "DIS PATCH Expedition" in search of pood roads. Being a resident of the ancient, honorable and peaceful City of Brotherly Love, and being required by business to cross the Alle gheny Mountains a journey most unusual for the ordinary Philadelphian, previous to which he generally makes his will and says a last goodby and finding myself iu the beantitul valley of the Youghiogheny, at the little village of Friendsville, Garrett county, Sid., the chance arose to secure a pair of young, sound, medium-sired horses; the question, however, which at once sug gested itself was, if bought, hovr are they to be gotten home? "Why, drive them, of course, suggested a friend; and so the deal was made, and the horses bought. A MODEL MARYLAND EOAD. After four or five weeks of driving through .Fayette and Somerset counties, Pa., and Garrett county, Md., we my wife and I started on a certain Monday to drive from Deer Park, Md., to Philadelphia. Our out fit consisted of the above mentioned horses, a light buggy, rubber coats and a small bit of luggage which contained achange of clothes. "We started about 4 o'clock in the afternoon, and, after a delightful drive on the smooth, wide, well-kept highway, which leads from Deer Park to Oakland, passed through Mountain Late Park with its pretty little cottages and handsome villas, reached Oak land in the early evening in time for sup per. And Just here let me say that the road Irom Deer Park to Oakland is worthy of ex amination and imitation by all the super visors of the county roads of Pennsylvania. Kelt morning, at an early hour, the horses were brought around, and we started for Manor Lands, Maryland, the present terminus of the Confluence and Oakland Railroad. The Maryland roads over which we had to pass were in excellent condition. The horses were ea?er to go; the air was cool and bracing, and the views were ex tensive and grand, so we had a most enjoya ble morning. Alter a two hours drive we parsed a mud flat, which at certain seasons is covered with water, and is then known as Lake Cleveland, called so because an ex President of the United States fished there. "What he caught has never been recorded. Ihe views of the distant and near ranges of mountains, the Hoop Pole .Ridge, Mea dow mountains. Winding Gap, and Negro mountains, were superb and were made more than usually so by the clouds, which every now and then would obscure the sun and make great tbadows, which seemed to chase each other from hill-top to hill-top and from mountain-ridge to mountain-ridge, SPLENDID SUMMEE SrOTS. The road from Oakland to Manor Lands is upon a high, narrow plateau, which lorms the eastern water-shed of the Youghiogheny, and is 2,600 leet above sea level, so that Ihe views are extended, far-reaching and grand. It was astonishing to me to see how little this section of country was appreciated, and how few had made it their summer home. Perhaps it is because so little is known of it, and so lew people realize the beauties which are so near to the great and growing Iron City. Prom Manor Lands we went to Friends ville. and from there to Selbeysport, Md., and then on to Somerfield, Pa., having driven 32 miles. Iu going from Selbeys port to Somerfield, along the Youghiogheny river, we crossed the State line into Penn sylvania, and although the road from Friendsville to the State line was not the best, as soon as we crossed into Pennsylva nia it was simply execrable, and more than once were the fence rails taken down by some one to fill in the rnts and mud holes, so that we could pass without upsetting the carriage. At Somerfield we put up at the comfortable country house kept by Mr. "William Endsley and his kindly wife and daughter. This old hotel is on the old Na tional road, near where it crosses the Yonghiogheny river on the old stone bridge of three large arches. This famons bridge was built in 1819, as solid and massive to day as the day on which it was finished. Mr. Endsley's ancestors owned and kept a hotel before'him, and at this comfortable house manv of the former statesmen and po litical leaders of the country have taken their meals or spent the night as they were going from the South and "West to Wash ington, or returning to their homes. For, before the days of railroads, this old nation al road was the great highway between the East and "West, from Cumberland, Md., to "Wheeling, "W. Va. SOOTHERS' TIEE SAMENESS. After spending a day or two at Somer field, wnere everything was so pleasant and homelike that we were loth to say good bye, we started one morning about 8 o'clock for Somerset, which is the county seat of Somerset county. "We drove along the national road to Addison, passed the old-fashioned toll-gate, with its no tices as to payment of toll, and its requirements and restrictions, more numerous than the moral law, and then strnck off to the north, along the Turkey Foot road, passing through Glade and one or two other small villages, bad our dinner at the town of Centerville, and proceeded to Somerset, which we reached about 6 o'clock in the evening. Here we found very com fortable quarters at the Somerset House, and then proceeded to take in the town. It is curious how similar the plan of all the county seats of the southern tier. counties are. Somerset, Bedford, Chambersburg, Gettysburg, Lancaster and York all seem to have been plotted out on one general plan, which consists of a large plateau in the middle and four streets running out there from. The town of Somerset is situated upon a hill top. The Court House is easllv visible for a number of miles around. The streets are wide and the stores inviting, al though not numerous. There are several pretty residences which adjoin the Court House, and the whole town looks comforta ble and prosperous. The next afternoon we started out for Bed ford, over the famons Bedford and Somerset nike. and drove about 12 miles tn n nlrt. fashioned farm house owned by Mr. John J Warner, a lormer member of the Legisla ture. Mr. "Walker and his family were most courteous in their attentions, and as bountiful and generous as their well-filled granary and well stocked larder would in dicate they might be expected to be. Mr. "Walker's reminiscences were exceedinglv interesting, and his history of the famous old SOMERSET AND BEDFOBD PIKE was most entertaining. Standing on his porch, one could lei the windings of the turnpiki for miles; and he informed us that in olden times, the birds pf cattle, sheep and hogs were in sicht of each other for months at a time, making one continuous train across the mountains, and that as many as 10 or 15 stages, filled with passengers, in addition to all the old Connestoga wagons would pass daily. It seemed incredible, a we recalled the broken down fenres and dilapidated houses, and the vacant sheds, and the roofless barns, that such a devasta tion could be wrought in so brief a period: a devastation caused by the march of prog ress in other directions, and the hard and severe struggles to obtain sustenance in the sections deserted. After a comfortable night Bpent at Mr. "Walker's, we bade them all good-bye and started, early in the morning, for Bedford Springs. Our ride the previous day had been beautifnl, but now it was grand. "We seemed to be directly up among the well wooded mountain peaks of the beautiful Allegfaenies. and as we went winding down from one level to another, all the way from the top to the bottom, we had most beautiful views ot the villages scattered here and there in the plain. As we drew near them, how ever, we would frequently find that they were either half or wholly deserted, and on inquiring the cause, we learned that in many instances the cost of transportation and the lack of a market for their commodities had caused the inhabitants to give up and move away. THE SOUTH PENN "WRECK. All along our drive from Somerset to Bed ford we saw evidences of the vast work which had been done upon the South Penn sylvania Bailroad, and could not help bnt think that if the millions sunk in useless embankments and vast tunnels could only be utilized, another large artery for the sup ply of food and raw material would be added to Pittsburg's already immense railroad system. Of all our trip, I think I may say, the scenery all along the way from the top of the mountains at "Walker's to our stop ping point that evening at J. Mcllvaine s, was the most beautifnl of our trip. "We r) iiifH nt Hertford's famons Snnng House. which is a beautiful spot, and thought if the curative powers of the waters were one half so beneficial and pleasant as the air, it was truly the place for invalids. The turnpike roads from Somerset io Bed ford is almost abandoned, weeds springing up in the middle of the pike, and no ap parent care being taken whatever to keep it in order, notwithstanding the fact that the tolls were exorbitant. Away from the turn pike the roads were simply fearful and dan gerous. Leaving Bedford about 3 o'clock.we drove on the pike from Bedford toward Chambers burg, and here we found the road in as good condition as any turnpike road could be ex pected to be; and what a beautiful ride it is all lovers of Bedford can testify. "We drove about 1G miles that afternoon. The first six along in the valley, and the last ten up the hills and over the mountains again, until evening time, when we came to the famous old hostelry of J. Mcllvaine, which stands at the fork of the roads leading to Harris burg and McConnellsburg. This old hotel contains 24 bedrooms, which are always ready for guests, large dining rooms and bitting rooms, and yet it is a rare thing for a traveler to put up there over night. Travel on this turnpike, from Everett all the way to ConuellsviUe, has practically ceased, and the turnpike leading to Harrisburg was choked up with briers and weeds so lar as could be seen that it would be dangerous to use it, LOUD CRIES FOR A RAILROAD. Mine host, Mr. J. Mcllvaine, who has passed his four score years, was genial, open hearted and seemed to take the greatest in terest in our trip across the State. He asked us all manner of questions concerning Pitts burg and the wonderlul developments in the western part ot our Estate, and his one la ment was, "Oh, if we only had a railroad. If the SouthernPennsylvania Bailroad had only been completed." "Why, for two years," he said, "my house was filled with engineers and draughtsmen who were work ing upon the tnnnel just below here, which is over two miles long, but now the work has ceased, and the place is deserted." He took me over his placR and pointed out where the grading had been done, and showed me the tunnel almost completed, and he lamedted bitterly on account of the fate which had lelt him high and dry in the mountains, cut off from civilization. Next morning we bade Mr. J. Mcllvaine goodby, and started for Chambersburg; passing through McConnellsburg, which is one of the three county seats in our State without railroad connections, and which is perfectly described in Goldsmith's "De serted Village." As we drove through the main street we saw the Court House, which was sadly in need of paint, and the Court House yard was filled with weeds, so that we could not help thinking that a lively cemetery in the vicinity of Pittsburg would be a more desira ble place for habitation than McConnells burg. "We drove through McCoonellsbnrg and then over the hills on a first-rate turn pike, which is kept in good condition, owing to the large amount of drayage from Lou den, which is the nearest railroad point. RICH SOIL tJNTILLED. On the top of the mountains, between Mc Connellsburg and Louden, the scenery is beautiful, and we stopped our horses"fre qnently to admire it and to take great draughts of the delicious cold water which flows from the rocks. "We took our midday meal at Louden. Then on to Chambersburg which we passed about 6 o'clock, reaching Fayetteville just as the sun was setting. We should have liked to spend the night at Chambersburg, but were eager to be at Gettysburg on the morrow, and therelore drove about Chambersburg, looked at the different objects of interest, thought that the rebels must have felt fortunate in being able to overrun and sack such a rich and com fortable section of country. Saw the office of the famous Chambersburg Repository, and then drove on. At Fayetteville we stayed with Mr. Sam Sherman. His was the only inviting house in town, and he received us with open arms. He informed us that he intended spending the next day at Gettysburg, and if we de sired, would act as our pilot around the bat tle fields. His offer was too generous to he refused, and so next morning found us up at screech of dawn and with our horses soon harnessed, we were speeding away to that fatefnl and glorious battlefield. The drive to Gettysburg was in many respects the same as the day before. The people we met seemed listless or indifferent. The gardens were nezlected and three-fourths of the farm ing lands were allowed to remain untilled. There were a few cattle here and there in the pasture fields, but the general condition outside of the town and its immediate vicinity was that of desolation. A NATIONAL MEMORIAL PARK. We reached Gettysburg about 11 o'clock, and Mr. Sherman pointed ont the famous spots,"Eound Hill,""Devil's Den," "where Reynolds fell;" and we could see for our selves, from the almost numberless shafts and memorials in marble, which dot the whole country for miles, where, and how the famous battle was fought and won. And right here, let me say, that there is a solemn obligation on our National Government to appropriate a large enough sum of money to Enrchase the whole area over which the attle was fought and to make it a great National memorial park. "We found Get tysburg so filled with veterans, who had come to attend a reunion, that it was im possible to obtain any lodeinc. or Quarters .or even a meal, and so after driving around (the town we took the turnpike to York, and stopped for dinner at the comfortable house of Mr. Leith, where we were most hos pitably treated, and, although his people were all in excitement ana desirous of going to Gettysburg, they gave us the best the house could afford. Such was our ex perience on our whole trip, and anyone de siring to drive across the State I am con fident will secure the same hospitable treat ment from the people all along the route. From Gettysburg to York everything seemed to improve. The country was better tilled. The barns were in better condition and the fences were well kept, and pros perity instead of adversity seemed to rule. We passed large tobacco warehouses and great barns bursting with hay and straw, and on all sides we could see evidences of comfort and success. We drove into York in time for supper, and found it the most bustling little place we had met with on our whole trip. Everything seemed to be on the go, and I am confident that there is more life and bustle in York in proportion to the number ot its inhabitants than there Is in any other city or town in our State, except Pittsburg. THE STATE'S GARDEN SPOT. We left about 8 o'clock next morning for Lancaster. Our drive was through the gar den spot of our State. We would leave one well-stocked and well-kept farm tor another, and that was our experience all the way to Wrightsville, where we crossed the Sus quehanna on the old covered bridge, which is a mile and a quarter long, used by both railroad, wagons and foot passengers. We waited until the tram came across, men were given.the signal to enter, and driving one horse on one side of the track and the other between the tracks, and one wheel on one side of the track, and one wheel be tween them, we crossed in about 12 min utes. But one could not help feeling nerv ous, for if an engine had entered the bridge at either end, it would have been extremely disagreeable; but there are signal boxes.and they do not allow a train to enter the bridge while any carriages are upon it. We passed through Columbia, and then continued our drive to Lancaster over the fine broad turnpike and through the finest farming land iu the world. We reached Lancaster about 2 r. H. Lancaster iu many respects is like New York, although a great jealousy exists between them. Lancaster is now, owing to its great railway facilities, excelling its busy little rival. From Lancaster the turnpike leads along and so crosses and recrosses the famous Pennsylvania Bailroad, upon which every body rides Irom Philadelphia to Pittsburg, that the description of the country would be but a recital of what one can readily see from the train, so the record of our drive will end at this point. PLEASANT AND INSTRUCTIVE. The horses reached home in excellent con dition, and we lelt we had not only bad a most delightful trip, but that the six days spent in travel had been most profitably employed, and we had learned more of the geography of our State, and the habits of onr people, than could have been learned in 50 trips across the Alleghenies iu a parlor car or in a sleeper. Why more people do not take such trips is a mystery. The ex pense is inconsiderable, and the incidents are delightful, and the memories most agreeable. In such a trip, one gets among people, away from all the sameness of city life and city customs, among people who live natural lives, among the woods; the majority of those you meet being true and simple hearted, always ready with a hearty welcome. The trip left three very vivid impressions on our minds. First That it was a vital necessity for the future development of the southern portion of our State, that there should be better roads and better communi cations. Second That with all possible speed the present owners of the Pennsylvania Southern Bailroad, whoever they may be, should com plete said road from Pittsburg to Harris burg. Third That there was a great opportunity for the people in comfortable circumstances to buy large tracts of land and old farms in the southern counties of our State for a few dollars an acre and make them their summer homes. The inhabitants themselves are too poor at present to build the roads necessary for the proper de velopment of the country, and until the Pennsylvania Sonthern Bailroad is completed there is little hope of its being done. Upon the completion of that road, however, there will be large numbers of people seek that section of country for country residences. The lands will then ap preciate in value, the roads put in excel lent condition, and the present inhabitants brought out of their distressed condition into prosperity, and there would be no longer any need of deserting their ancestral homes, as over one-half of them have been doing for the past 22 years. If this letter shall be the means of induc ing one party to drive across the State and experience the same pleasures that we ex perienced, I shall feel that it has not been written in vain. J. B. H, Philadelphia, June 18. NOT ALL ENGLISH. THE BIQ DEALS IN CHICAGO BACKED BY YANKEE GOLD. Fork Packers and Brewers Merely Invite BrltUh Capital to Share In Their Proflu The Controlling Interest Retained by Americans Millions Involved. nrxcixi tsxbobax to tux sisra.Tcs.1 Chicago, June 20. The deal by whieh the great pork packing establishments, known as the Chicago Packing and Pro vision Company, and H. Botsford & Co., passed into the ownership of the City of London Contract Company, is Dot by any means the transfer of another American in dustry to a British syndicate. It is simply part of a scheme by which British capital is to be admitted to an ownership of a part ot the stock of a new corporation by which the plants of this great concern in Chicago and Nebraska are to be operated. The balance of the stock will be owned in America. Just what proportion of the whole shall remain on this side of the ocean will be de termined by the bidding when the stock and hnnds are put on the market. The stock and bonds amounting to perhaps 55,000,000 in all will be placed simultaneously on the London and Chicago markets. This is precisely the programme which was followed in the case ol the City of Chi cago Brewery and Malting Company, which about a week ago started upon its carreer as the corporation operating five of the largest and most profitable Chicago breweries and malt houses. In that case the capital stock of the new company was made $6,250,000 and 6 per cent bonds were issued to the amount of. 53,000,000; making a total of $9,250,000 securities, all of which were placed upon the London and Chicago mar kets for popular subscription at the same time. The subscriptions in Chicago alone amounted to $ 17,000,000, and those in Lon don were considerably less, so that ten American capitalists retained a controlling interest. MUST BE POOS KABKSMEH. Two Prominent Citizens Empty Tbelr RetoirerB Wllhont Any Seriona Injnry. rBFKCUI. TELEOBAM TO TUB DISrJLTCII.I Columbia, S. C, June 20. Dr. William Weston Bay and Mr. Frank: H. Weston fought a duel at arm's length in the center of the principal street in Columbia at 6 this afternoon. They are two as prominent young men as there are in this section. Dr. Bay is a practicing physician and of excel lent family. Weston is of the highest social standing, and is the law partner of J. Q, Marshall, Secretary of State, and is one of the city magistrates. The young men are first cousins, but recently had a misunderstanding at some personal matter. The feeling grew bitter, and this evening they met in front of the City Hall. They drew self-cocking revolvers and ex changed ibots, then walking into the mid dle of the street each seized the other by the arm and banged away until both weapons were empty. Dr. Bay was shot in the temple and Watson was shot through the left Wast and in the thigh near the groin. The wounds are not dangerous. The cloth ing oi both men were scorched by fire frcm the powder. PITTSBURG, SATURDAY, JUNE 21, 1890. THE PASSIONSSPIEL Graphic Account of the Opening Per formance at Ober-Ammergan. THE EELIGI0US .FEELING INTENSE. Eealism That Carries the Auditors Back to the Time ot Christ CBITICS PfiAISE THE PEEF0BMANCE The S.OOOJor 6,000 pilgrims, of all classes and all nationalities, crowded into the cot tages of the Ober-Ammergau peasantry were awakened on Whit-Monday, at 5 o'clock in the morning, by the firing of a gun on the hill side. The hum of many voices told that the villagers were hastening to church before the great event of the day. It is nec essary to call this preliminary service to mind, says n writer in the London Ulust rated News, for only by fully comprehending the intense religious earnestness of the people can one adequately realize the wonderlul success of the Passion -play. .Every garden and meadow has its Feld-Christ, which tells of the sufferings and death of Jesus; every roadside, its Gnaden-Kappelle. And thus it is that during the performance the peas ant spectators are bathed in tears some of them sobbing as if their hearts would break; while that portion of the audience which occupies the more costly seats En glish, American and Germans for the most part remains, certainly not unmoved, but comparatively unaffected by the terrible of which it is a witness. Long before 8 the immense wooden struc ture is crowded with its 4,000 ticket holders, while at least 2,000 will have to wait for to- Judas (Johatin Zwtnk), morrow's performance. In front of us is a large stage open to the sky, behind is a smaller stage, before which hang a curtain. On the right is the house of Annas, the high priest; on the left the house of Pilate. To this must be added and it is an impos ing feature throughout a background of green hills and blue skv, the singing of birds, the sights and sounds of rnral nature. Next to the stage is the orchestra, composed entirely of peasants, whom we had several times seen playing iu the streets, and on Sunday in tne cnurcn. nan tne tneater that part nearest the stage is roofless; and this is occupied by the holders of cheap tick ets, the practice of ordinary theaters being thus reversed. The 10 shilling, 8 shilling, and 6 shilling sheets are thus a long way from the stage; and those who wish to be disillusioned a little those who would fain to be sure that the hands ot the Christus are not actually pierced by nails will brave the discomforts of rain or sun, and select the exposed places near the orchestra. IMPRESSIVE TABLEAUX. But the booming once again of a cannon tells us that the play is about to begin. From the wings on either side a number of men and women, beautifully clothed iu classic drapery, come forward and form a single file across the stage. The leader, or "choragus," exhorts to a devout contempla tion of the scenes to follow, and a recogni tion of the salvation of the world through Christ's sacrifice. Then the chorus divides in the middle and falls back on either side, while the curtain rises on the first of the many beautiful tableaux. Before each .of the 17 acts of the drama there are one or more of these tableaux, for the most part, representing scenes from Hebrew history.' The idea whfch it is sought to impress upon the audience is that all the great events of the Old Testament are but a prophecy and a forecasting of the events ot the New Thus, the falling of manna from Heaven is typical of the bread and wine of the Last Supper; the rejection of Vashti and eleva tion of Esther by Ahasuerus is typical of the rejection, by the Almighty, of the Jews and the acceptance of the Gentiles. The slaying ot Abel by his brother, the sacrifice of Isaac and the affliction ot Job are all meant to sug gest obvious parallels in the life of Christ. John Peter Rendl). None the less impressive are the songs in which the chorus elncidate the storv. Doubt less there would be applause, and even en cores, were it not that the whole audience, educated and uneducated alike, are, almost from the very first, seized with the sense that they are assisting at the most impressive re ligious ceremony it was ever their lot to wit ness. The music is, for the most part, the composition of an Ober-Ammergau organist, one Jobanu Dedler, who lived at the begin ning of the century, and there is bnt one opinion among the visitors here as to its re markable attractiveness. PERFECT IN EVERT DETAIL. And as for the tableaux! For the three or four minutes before the enrtain drops one's eyes are completely absorbed in their contemplation. Now it is the fall of manna, now the rejection of Vashti, now the'sale of Joseph into Egypt in all alike the harmony of color, the grouping of the figures, the every detail is perfect. It is not easy to believe that this por tion of the Passlontsplel at least ever reached so splendid a point of art n in the present year. In the first place, there has been a much more lavish expenditure upon costumes and scenery than heretofore, and, in the second, the arrangements have been in the hands of Obermaschinenmeister Lautenshlager, the stage-manager oi the Munich Court Theatre and Opera House. Yet when all this Is said, it remains a won derful thing that dresses and stage manage ment can do io much with such material. XT&i "? $St J Here among the children bearing palm branches, or taking some other part in the scenes, are the little urchins to whom an hour before we have given a few pfennige to show us our war. What can it be but the principle of heredity whieh makes them act so well, and which produces in them the very embodiment of gracefulness! Bnt we must leave this quite subsidiary part of the great drama, although it is one which would alone make Ober-Ammergau worth a visit during the present year, and Jfary, the Mother of Jesus. turn to the great tragedy "itself. I opens with the entry of Christ into Jerusalem, to the sonnd of rejoicing and singing of hosan nas. Men, women and children crowd the busy thoroughfare, and in the center, riding upon an ass, comes he who from the first moment to the last is the object of the de voutest interest, the tenderest sympathy the Christus of Joseph Maier. Across the inner stage and out into the open wends the procession, and everyone is held spellbound. And yet nothing is unfamiliar. It is as if a picture' of one of the crreat masters had stepped from the canvas. This, indeed, it is which makes the thing so endnrable nay fascinating. All the leading personages in thedrama are clothed in the costumes with which the great Italian painters have famil iarized ns. At a glance one can tell that this is Peter, or John, or Judas, and so with the other characters. TEW WEAK SPOTS. It is unnecessary to recapiralate a play which has been made familiar by a thousand descriptions, every detail of which is so well known, and of which, indeed, the best text book is the New Testament. It sufficeth to say that there are only two points in the tragedy at which we are awakened to the fact that we are in the nineteenth century, and not at the beginning of the Christian era. One is when Christ is driving the dealers out of the temple and overthrowing the tables of the money changers, and the other when the Boman soldiers break the bones of the two thieves. There is nothing in Salsenberger's drama to lead up to the earlier scene, and so to impress one with the grandeurot Christ's protest against irrever ence and greed. And with the thieves one somehow receives an impression of unreality. But of unreality elsewhere there is none. We see Christ in Bethany, iu Gethsemane, before Annas and Caiaphas, before Pilate and Serod, and only in one scene could we conceive the great Teacher of Galilee otherwise than Maier has represented Him. Yet it is a mistake to speak of Maier as a great actor. Flnnger, who was Maier's predecessor, could, no doubt, be so described. Maier looks the part of the suffering Jesus, but in the one scene in which acting is required we do not get it. Surely not even Jesus went through the agony of that bitter struggle in Geth semane in a manner so passive as Maier ex hibits. His life-long occupation of carving crucifixes has made Maier familiar with all aspects of physical suffering and resignation, bnt of the more complex emotions oi spirit ual torture he can know nothing. But in the later scene, where resignation and en durance only are required, the part is per fectly portrayed. We see Hies before the sympathetic Pilate and before the scoffing Serod; we witness the mockery of the sol diers and the crowning with thorns; we see Him on the way to Golgotha, and finally on the cross. 9 INDESCRIBABLE REALISM. All is painfully, indescribably real. The crucifixion scene, at least, will remain among the imperishable memories of all who have witnessed it, and -will serve to bring home to the least devout-minded, as nothing else could, some comprehension of the deeper meaning of the Christian faith. For 25 minutes Christ is upon the cross, the blood streaming Irom His forehead, hands aDd feet, a soldier pierces His side, the last words are uttered, and life seems to be ex tinct. After some discussion, Joseph of Arimathea begs the body, and the disciples, with Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Jesus, bear it tway to burial. The next scene gives us the Besurreciion, and the final scene not the least powerful and effect ive in this year's performance the Ascen sion. ' If it be said that the much-praised per formance of Joseph Maier is here and there a little inadequate, the same can hardly be said of any other leading actor. The next most difficult part to play is that of Judas, which Lechner filled so effectively. Johann Zwiak, the new Judas, is, perhaps, equally successful. Now and again he is a trifle stagy, but on the whole the character of Judas, with its impulsive treachery, its greed and its remorse, are finely portrayed. The poorer and less educated part of the andience laugh once or twice at Judas, and nowhere else iu the play. This has been thought to imply an adverse criticism on the actor, who is said at the rehearsal to have overdone his part. I conversed afterward with some of the peasant audience, and I found that they laughed at tltreachery of Judas to avoid weeping at thelufferings of Christ. Judas. it mnst be observed, is the second hero of the tragedy: he is to it what Satan is to the "Paradise Lost" Without him, moreover, there would be nothing to relieve the uni versal gloom; and, so, to the Bavarian peas antry he takes the place which lAiajer and his attendant imps took in the earlier form of the"Passionsspiel." ROSA LANG'S TRIUMPH. The John of Peter Rendl, the Peter of Jacob Eett, the Pilate of Thomas Rendl, and the Caiaohas of Burgermeister Lang cannot be too highly praised. Excepting John, who is a good-looking youth of 19, all these men have taken the same parts in the last decade. But there is one performer in the play to which more unqualified praise can be given than to any other. It is Frau lein Rosa Lang, whose impersonation of the Virgin Mary was pronounced by common consent the triumph of the whole day's performance. We see the mother's joy and pride in her son, her sorrow at parting, her sympathy with Him in affliction, her supreme agony at the foot of the cross. Nowhere is there a word over charged, strained, or affected. Never before has a woman borne away any of the honor pertaining to these Ammergau perform ances. The first place to-day, however, must be given to Bosa Lang. Yet when, from the Christus himself to the veriest child in his train, there is so per fect ana artistic a rendering or a great world tragedy, it seems gratuitous to praise or blame. "The most wonderful thing I have ever seen" was the verdict of one of the vis itors to he "Passion Play" of 1880. I am fully convinced that this judgment will be indorsed by 99 out of every 100 visitors to the performance of the present year. lrft Money From HI Trunk. Michael Bodmerwas committed to jail yesterday for a hearing to'-day, before Al derman Beilly, on a charge of larceny. Frank Hornman, of Four Mile Ban is the prosecutor, And alleges that Bodmer stole $51 iu none from Hornmia'a trunk. OF &REAT INTEREST Will he Next Week's International Sunday School Convention. OVER ONE THOUSAND DELEGATES Expected, From All Parts of This Country and From Europe. HOW THE MOVEMENT WAS ORGANIZED The Sixth International Sunday School Convention of North America will convene in this city, in Mechanical Hall, Duquesne way, on Tuesday morning next, and will hold morning, afternoon and evening ses sions for four days. It will be a great event. The convention will be composed of author ized delegates from the several States of the Union and from the British province. There will be also commissioners from various for eign countries. The whole number of-dele-gates entitled to sit as members of the con vention is 1,500. Not over 1,200 are expect ed to be present Among the many prominent Sunday school workers and chnrchmen who will attend some of the most widely famed are: Senator A. H. Colqnitt, of Georgia; Bishop John H. Vincent, of New York, the founder of the Chautauqua Assembly; B. F. Jacobs, of Chicago; Bev. Dr. A. F. Schauffer, of New York; Bev. Dr. J. A, Worden, of New York; Hon. S. H. Blake, of Ontario. Most of the leaders will deliver their addresses at the evening sessions. which will make those sessions the most in teresting, while they are the most convenient for the general public. Among the com missioners who will attend from foreign lands there will be one from India, who is now in New York, and one from Egypt, at present visiting friends in Sewickley. The local committee of arrangements are preparing to furnish lodgings and meals for the delegates free of any expense to them. The delegates will be'lodeed at private houses, as far as that is possible, and there they will be given bed and breakfast. Thus far such accommodations have been secured for only 550 persons, but the committee on entertainments believes that it will find places for all by Monday evening. NOT LARGE ENOUGH. Dinner and supper will be served at the Exposition. It is intended to feed 2,000 there at each meal. For such a number of people the cafe will not be sufficiently large. Half of the area between the main Exposi tion building and Mechanical Hall ill be roofed over, and tables placed there. Meals will be furnished to only those who wear badges. To delegates these badges will be given tree of charge. Any other person at tending tne convention may obtain a badge by the payment of $2. This will entitle him to eight meals, and is intended for visitors from outside of the city. All this, of course, will cost money. The whole expense of running the convention and entertaining the delegates will be about $5,000. The Executive Committee has re ceived (2,817 by subscription, and more is sorely needed. The entrances to Mechanical Hall will be so arranged that delegates will not be sub ject to the pressure ot great crowds in try ing to get into the building. The two doors at the western end will be for delegates and reporters, while the doors on the south side and east end will be for the general pnblic Seats will be reserved for all the delegates, and there will be other reserved seats for the Sunday sohool teachers of Allegheny county. Each Sunday school in the city is entitled to as many reserved seat tickets as it has delegates in a county Sunday sohool convention; that is, to 1 ticket for each 100 members. A school having an attendance of 175 will receive two tickets for each session. Ministers will also be given re seived seats. Persons admitted on these tickets will not be delegates nor entitled to any voice in the convention. ONLY THREE DELEGATES. Allegheny county will have only three delegates. Tne delegates are allotted to the different States and the rate of four times the electoral vote. Pennsylvania is entitled to 120 delegates. Many of the delegates will arrive on Mon day, and on that evening an informal meet ing will be held in Mechanical Hall. Short speeches will be made by good talkers. The morning sessions will begin at 9:30 o'clock, the atternoon sessions at 1:30 o'clock and the evening sessions at 7:30 o'clock. The morning sessions will be opened with prayer. On the first day, after the dele gates are enrolled and committees are ap pointed, the list of States, Territories and provinces will be called and from each a report will be made of the progress of the Sunday school work.. This will be con tinued in the afternoon and the convention will then elect its officers for the next three years. Tuesday evening Governor Beaver, for Pennsylvania, and H. Kirk Porter, for Pittsburg, will deliver speeches of welcome, to which the responses will be spoken by Hon. S. H. Blake, of Ontario, and Senator A. H. Colquitt, of Georgia. Wednesday forenoon the convention will hear reports from its committees and from the Statistical Secretary and Treasurer. In the afternoon B. W. Smith, ot Minnesota, will read a report of the work of the World's Sunday School Convention held in London last year. Bev. Dr. Warren Ban dolpb, of Bhode Island, will make there port of the Lesson Committee.and there will' be addresses by Bev. Dr. A. E. Dunning, of Massachusetts; Bev. Dr. M. D. Hodge, of Virginia, and Bev. Dr. John Potts, of On tario. In the evening the commissioners irom loreign lanas win oe lormally re ceived and there will be speeches by Bishop Vincent and Bev. Dr. M. B. Wharton, ot Alabama. AW INTERESTING- PROGRAMME. Thursday morning will be devoted to com mittee reports and miscellaneous business. In the atternoon primary unions will be dis cussed by Mrs. W. F. Crafts, of New York, primary teachings by Miss Luoy Wheelock and Miss Annie Harlow, ot Massachusetts, and primary visitation by Miss Mabel Hall. of Illinois. Addresses will be delivered in the evening on the following topics: "Sys tematic Bible Study," Prof. W. H. Harper, of Connecticut; "City Mission Work," Bev. Dr. A. F. Schaufiler, of New York; "Work in Foreign Lands," B. F. Jacobs, of Illinois. On the morning of the fourth day, Friday, more reports will be presented and discussed, and the time and place for holding the next World's Convention will be decided. At the afternoon session W. H. Hamill, of Illinois, will discuss normal school work; Marion Lawrence, of Ohio, school work, and W. A. Duncan, ot New York, home work. At the last evening session addresses on Sunday school work in general will be delivered by a num ber of speakers, Bev. Dr. J. A. Worden speaking first. Foreign missions will be disenssed. The programme is a long one and the time will be fully occupied during the four days. This is the sixth international convention, one being held every three years. The conventions grew ont of national meetings, begun in 1832, and the national meetings out of the American Sunday School Union. HISTORY OP THE MOVEMENT. In May, 1832, a number of Sunday sohool workers, who were attending a meeting of the Presbyterian General Assembly and the anniversary of the American Sunday School Union, in Philadelphia, got togetherand decided to Issue a call for a national Sunday school convention, to be held in the fall of that year in New York. A circular, asking answers to 78 questions touching Sunday school work, was sent out and awakened interest in the proposed meeting. At this first convention there were nearly 250 delegates, representing 15 States. Since that time national conventions have been held annually in the large cities of the country. In 1875 the international movement began, delegates being received from Canada and other British provinces ot North America. 1 he delegates represent all Evangelical Protestant churches. The first international convention met in Baltimore dnring the second week of May, 1875. There were 463 delegates who represented 66,871 Snnday schools, with an enrollment of 6,543,708 scholars and teachers. In 1878 the second convention met in Atlanta, and others have been held in Toronto in 1881, in Louisville in 1884, and in Chicago iu 1887. At the Chicago convention the delegates reported, for the United States, 99,860 Sunday schools with 9,156,727 scholars and teachers; and for the British provinces 6,322 schools and 489,206 scholars and teachers. "WHY THEY COME HERE. Last year, when some of the officers of the International Sunday School Union were crossing the sea, in the steamer Bothnia, to attend the World's Convention, they dis cussed the best place of meeting this year. They concluded to hold the convention in this city, because tbey believed that there was a lack of interest in Snnday school work in Western Pennsylvania. On the floor of the World's Convention this city was credited with only 73 Sunday schools and 8,000 teachers and pupils,and it was said: "There are either no Sunday school workers in Western Pennsylvania, or the people there take no interest in the work, and tor that reason the convention will goto Pitts burg and stir up an interest in the cause." Snnday school workers here say the figures given are badly misleading; that in Alle gheny county there are 295 Sunday schools which have over 70,000 pupils and teachers. Nevertheless, they welcome the interna tional convention. The Sunday school, as an institution, is venerable. The Pres&iferfan. Banner, of this city, gives the following interesting historical account of THE SUNDAY SCHOOL. "According to Tertulliau, Sunday schools were established for catechumens, that is for children and others needing elementary instruction in the Christian religion, as early as A. D. 180; and they flourished until the sixth century. Luther opened Sunday schools in Wittenberg in 1527, for the bene fit of children who could not attend the week-day schools. John Knox started Sun day schools in Scotland in 1560; and in 1580 Archbishop Borromeo, of Milan, established them throughout his diocese. About the same time such schools were opened in France and the Netherlands. In the sev enteenth century the clergy at stated times in some of the parishes of England cate chised the children, and Joseph Alieine, author of the 'Alarm,' began a Sunday school in 1668. "In Boxbury, Mass., there was a Sunday school in 1674, and there was one in Ply mouth, Mass., in 1680. Ludwig Hacker opened a school of this character at Ephrata, Lancaster connty, Pa., about 1740, which continued until the building was taken for a hospital during the war of the Revolution. The modern Sunday school is generally ad mitted to date from 1781, when Bobert Baikes gathered on the Lord's Day poor children from the streets of Gloucester, En gland, and paid teachers a shilling each lor the instruction given on that day. The children were brought together at 10 A. ax., and were taught two hours; then there was a recess tor an hour, when they were taken to church. At the close of that service tbey repeated the catechism until 5 p. M. Mr. Baikes published an account of his work in 1783, which led to the establishment of similar schools in the principal towns of England. IN SCOTLAND AND IRELAND. Scotland had Sunday schools in 1782, and Ireland in 1783. The London Sunday School Society was formed in 1785, and in 16 years spent $16,000 in this work. The change from paid to volnnteer teachers is said to have been made bv the Methodists at Bolton, Ed eland, in 1786, and the Lon don Sunday School Union was organized in 1803, to encourage voluntary teaching. In 1786, Bishop Asbury Methodist Episcopal organized a Sunday school in Hanover county, Va.; and in 1790 Bishop White Episcopal formed one in Phila delphia. The Methodist Episcopal Con ference at Charleston, S. C, in 1790, resolved to establish Sunday schools for whites and blacks. Katy Ferguson, a poor negro woman, is credited with opening a Sunday school in New York in 1793; and Mrs. Isabella Graham and her daughter, Mrs. Divie Bethune, who had seen the English Snnday schools, opened one in their own house, in that city, in 1801. Samuel Slater, a manu facturer in Pawtucket, B. I., established a Sunday school for the benefit of his opera tives in 1797. The earlv Presbyterian min isters of Western Pennsylvania had catechet ical classes which met on the Lord's Day and at other times; and a Sunday school was opened in Pittsburg, then a small place, in 1809." A CHARGE OF FRAUD. ALLEGATIONS AGAINST THE NEW YORK CUSTOM HOUSE. DIserlmlnntion la Favor of tbe Sugar Trnit Spreckrld Enter a. Complaint and De mands an Investigation The Appeal to Secretary Wladom. I6PECI.II. TXLZ.OB.UI TO TUB BISFATCH.1 Philadelphia, June 20. Clans Spreckels, the sugar refiner, through his attorney, W. Ford Thomas, has made formal complaint to Secretary of Treasury Windom that the New York Custom House has been discriminating in its polariscopic tests of imported Ger man beet sugars in favor of the Sugar Trust, and against the Philadel phia refiner, and to his detriment of over $10,000 on each cargo he imports. In his letter to Secretary Windom, Mr. Thomas says, among other things, that the Spreckels firm is confronted with what is a formidable competition in the form of a trust, and the principal place of its busi ness is in New York. The trnst makes large importations of raw sugar from Ger many, in the process of manufacture in sac charine richness, and in an honest classifica tion, there should be no difference between the sugar imported Irom Uermauy. The letter then goes into details about the polariscopic degrees recorded in the daily classifications of sugars at the port of New York, all indicating a great difference be tween the New York test and the Philadel phia tests. It continues: If the New York tests are correct, the sugar being of tbe same character, then we have paid many thousands of dollars wbicb the national Treasury Is not entitled to: but If the rates of duty Imposed npon us at this port are correct. we bave not only nad tne com Sugar blned power and capital of tbe Irust to contend witb, but we hare bad the strong arm of the subordinate of&cers of tbe customs at the port of New York, as sisting our competitors with all their official might. The letter, which is very lengthy, con cludes with a demand for an immediate in vestigation. Mr. Spreckels is in California, out jur. xuuuiita bam bu-uay; "Since April we have imported 15 cargoes of German beet root sugar, averaging about 30,000 bags, or 6,600,000 pounds each. The cargoes would average a polariscopic test of 95 degrees, which carries a rate of 2.20 cents per pound. So the duty on one cargo amounts to $145,200. At New York the same sugar has been tested at 91, on which the tariff rate is 2.04 cents, or $134,640 on a cargo of 30,000 bags. The difference between two tests amounts to $10,560 on one cargo, which, multiplied by 15, our imports in three months represents quite a fortune in itself. These have been our imports re cently, bnt we will double them from this on." A BRIGHT OUTLOOK. The Prospects in All Lines of Trade Are Very Flattering. A BUSINESS BOOM IS EXPECTED. Demand for Iron Products Increasing and Prices Harden. DECREASE 15 THE WEEK'S F1ILUEE8 rsrzrxu. tzlxobjlm to thx prarxTCH.' New Yobk, June 20. Special telegramj to Bradstreet'i do not indicate any note worthy change in the movement of general trade within a week. There is reported a very general and reasonable activity; bnt at such points as Omaha, Kansas City and New Orleans the distribution of staples Is not equal to anticipations. St. Louis. Chi cago and St. Panl make the most favorable trade reports, while Cincinnati, Cleveland, Boston and Philadelphia report moderate activityonly. California's wheat crop pros pects were never better, and reports as to the condition of growing wheat east of tha Rockies are less bullish than recently. Hogs are at lowest prices for the year at Western cities and cattle are declining in price as well. Pork and lard, too, are lower. Doubts regarding action on the silver question and the continuance of gold ship ments have increased the disposition of bulls to liquidate and opened the way to bearish attacks on stock prices, although share speculation has been on the whole very dull. Bank clearings at 51 cities for the six days ending June 19 were $1,158,645,929, a gain over tbe like week last year of 3.2 per cent. New York city's clearings, which constitute 61.3 per cent of the grand total, are less than those for the like period last year by nearly 1.7 per cent. IKON 'WILL ADVANCE. Despite the extraordinary productive capacity of the furnaces and mills of the country and the extraordinary output of iron and steel, there seems to be a general belief amoni; buyers that prices will harden somewhat during the summer months. The evidence of such a tendency, the existence of which many doubt, is the unnsual num ber ot large purchases of material, such as wrought iron pipe, steel rails, structural material, sheet iron and crude iron of all kinds. It is not nnusnal for consumers to make heavy purchases during June for the requirements of tbe third quarter of the year. Fewer buyers have done so this sea son than usual, but the few who have been baying have bought quite liberally. Takings of raw suzar are more restricted and prices are off3-16c. Refined, too, is yc lower. Coffee shows a fractional decline in speculative lines, and is in a less active movement for consumption at a loss of 2-5c More favorable reports as to the condition of the domestic wheat crop, the presence of 30,000,000 or more bushels of wheat in the country in excess of the quantity held one year ago, heavy stocks afloat and generally fair wheat crop prospects abroad, combine to depress wheat prices, and quota tions are off G2c per bushel. Indian corn too is e lower, while oats on bet ter export demand are fractionally higher. INCREASE IN BAILBOAD EARNINGS. Net railway earnings for April continues the previous good reports, except in a few instances. The total earnings of 96 com panies' for April show a total of $14,066,110, a gain over April last year of 14.9 pejf ,, cent. Every group except the granger shows gains. The latter presents a loss of over 5 per cent in net, while gaining over 9 per cent in gross. Expenditures for better ments have reduced net earnings of many companies heavily. For the first four months of this year the net earnings of 95 roads aggregate $50,951,304, a gain over '89 of 10.4 per cent. Every group but one, the Pacific, shows increases. Drygoods are in fair demand from whole salers. Jobbers at New York report trade quiet Agents report a good demand for fall wear of dress goods. The New England jobbing trade is active. Prices are un changed. Cotton goods are very firm. Cot'on is c lower on less favorable cables and liquidating bv long holders. yCrop prospects are good. Uncertainty as regards silver legislation strengthens next crop deliveries. Wool prices at the seaboard are barely maintained on a slow demand. Business failures reported to Bradstreet'i number 144 in the United States this week, against 149 last week and 234 this week last year. Canada had 18 this week, against 18 last week. The total number of failures in the United States January 1 to date is 5,235, against 5,674 in a like portion of 1889. CONFIDENCE EENEWED. E. G. Dun & Co.'s weekly review of trade says: Another week has brought still bet ter crop prospects, a continued increase in the volume of business, more definite assur ances of the passage of the tarift bill, with its essential features unchanged, and there fore more confidence in these industries which loos: for help irom the measure. On the other hand, the passage of a free silver coinage bill in the Senate has raised some doubt whether the two houses may no finally disagree. Expectations based on cu. rency expansion are tnerefore a little le' confident. But the money markets wbi easily everywhere, and the continned ex ports of gold as yet cause neitner disturbance or apprehension. BUSINESS AT TRADE CENTERS. Reports from all parts of the conntrv con tinue encouraging. Seasonable goods are its better demand with the warm weati -r. At Boston boots and shoes and leather sell freely at firm prices; sales of wool have been 2,000, 000 pounds, with slight concessions to buy ers; drygoods are quiet, and woolens partic ularly dull. Philadelphia has a very healthy trade in leather and boots and shoes, with quite a retail "boom." Chicago has receipts exceeding last year in grain, meats, hides and wool and larger sales of drygoods; the fall clothing trade opens well, and the shoe trade is excellent, and in gen eral the prospect is good y for mora than the usual fall trade. "'St. Louis reports trade of large volume in nearly all lines with prospects of improving. Milwaukee finds the best of crop weather helping trade, and at Omaha business is active. Speedy settlement of strikes at Denver is expected and business Is good, but at Detroit strikes still curtail local trade and wool moves slowly. Pittsburg notes some sagging in the iron and steel market-and window glass works have elosed for the season, bnt flint glass is active. Other Western and Southern reports are of the same general tenor. Better weather and brighter crop prospects stimulate trade in all directions and collections are good. FOREIGN TBADE IMPEOTINO. The state of foreign trade is fair for the season. Exports of breadstuffs, provisions, cotton, petroleum and cattle for May amounted to $36,412,874, or 5 per cent mora than last year, in spite of a great decrease in cotton, all other items gaining. For three weeks of June exports from New York show a decrease compared with last year of 2.8 per cent, and meanwhile imports being temporarily swelled by prospects of higher duties, exceed last years by 20.6 per cent. Wheat has declined l for tbe week, with no change in corn, ana with pork 25 cents per barrel lower. The alleged market for coffee is unchanged, and oil is a shads higher, witb butter and eggs, but sugar has declined an eighth for raw and refined. Hni Two Years to Serve, William Plow was brought to the Biver side Penitentiary yesterday from Fayette county. Ha is sentenced to serve two years for larceny. 4 4 i 4