IfeBHSiaSgg SECOND PART! SEEKIIC JOB ft LAW, Councils Asking for Authority to Appropriate the Neces sary Money TO BUILD FREE BRIDGES. A Hot Discussion on the Propriety of Taiing Church 1'ropertj. DOGS WILL HAVE TO BE LICENSED. Chief Bijelow's Bill for His European Trip Ordered Taiil. ANOTHER UTJKT FOR A TOOK FARM SITE Free bridges to the Southside was the feature of the discussion in Councils yes terday. It has lost no freshness from the fact that it has been under consideration for 1" years, neither have the Southside mem bers lost their interest in the matter. Mr. A. C. Robertson opened the ball in Select Council by presenting a blank ordi nance providing for a free bridge over the Mouongahela river, which shall be free for all purposes. He asked that this ordinance be referred to the existing Committeee on Tree Bridjres, and also requested that the committee be made permanent. Mr. Lanibie presented the report of the Free Bridges Committee. He read a les olution providing that the Legislative bill drafted by the City Attorney be not pre sented to the next Legislature, as having carefully considered the opinion of the City Attorney, the committee had coincided with his belief that "special legislation rela tive to bridges and fences was unconstitu tional." 1'rcc Bridges Xot Unconstitutional. The resolution also called attention to jiages 47, 4S, aud 49 of the city digest to qualify their position, and stated that the committee believed that the city already lad sufficient power to proceed with the work o! making Iree bridges over the Monongahcla river, which was according to the City Attorney's opinion, and which the committee believed to be correct. By this, Mr. Limbic states, he did not mean that free bridges were unconstitutional, but that legislation on the subject, to be legal, must be general, and not for the benefit of 3 particular community. Mr. Keating and Mr. Robertson spoke on the same subject, Mr. llobertson stating that as there was nothing to prevent the city from proceeding in the free bridge matter he had introduced bis blank ordi nance, and he hoped there would not be a member of cither branch of Councils who would stand in the way of this great benefit to the people. Mr. Robertson's resolution was adopted and then another lesolution was presented and adopted icquestiug B. I?. Junes to ap point lour persons to the Board of Appraisers-provided lor in the act of May 19, 1S73. The act provides that B. F. .Tones, George U. "White, John McDevitt, James Park, Jr., and Joseph Dilvrorth be constituted a Board of Appraisers to appraise "the actual cash valuation ot the capital stock of any one or more of the bridge companies owning and operating a bridge within the corporate limits o! the city." All but B. F. Jones ol the appointed board having died, the resolu tion requests him to appoint new members in their places according to a provision of the same act. Common Council Takes a "Whirl. After Seltct Council was gotten through with the free bridge question for the day, as it thought, Common Council proceeded to take a fall out of it. The reference of the ordinance to the free Bridge Committee was concurred in, when the resolution was taken up asking Mr Jones to fill the com mission. Mr. McGee moved tiiat it be re ferred to the Finance Committee for fur ther investigation. He believed that a general act could be passed for lree bridges, but he did not believe that the old commis sion could be used. It was created under the old constitution, it had never met so far as was known, all the members but one were dead and lie did not think Mr. Jones could breathe life into it. It was juggling with the people of the Southside to pretend to depend on the old act. Mr. O'Donnell wanted to try the old act. If it was then decided thatMr. Jones bad no power to fill the vacancies, then a new way could be adopted. Mr. riinn said that ou the Southside free bridges were regarded as buncombe to be used at election times. There was a gicat deal of talk and that was all. He would like to know how these free bridges could be gotten. He did not expect it to be done without increased taxation. Ihmgs must be pud for. He was opposed to sending the matter to the Finance Committee, as he had none too much faith in that body. Mr. Mullen was opposed to any postpone ment, and Mr. Bigham thought "that better legal light should be obtained; the opinion of the Citv Attonity was no opinion at all. Mr. Ma-ee, in speakiug of appropriating free bridge money, said any surplus at the end of the year would go into the sinking fund. Differs 'With Controller Morrow. The Chair said: "I would like to say to the gentleman from the Fourteenth ward that the Controller says it will not." "And I will say to the Chair," replied Mr. Magee, that if he don't put the surplus in the sinking fund he will be mandamused. Tbe law must be obeyed." Dr. Brewster thought they had all the in formation needed. A director of tbe South Tenth street bridge had told him that that bridge could be bought reasonably, and it would pay for itself in from five'to seven years. The Chair thought that was a good reason why the bridge rocld not be bought reason ably, and 'Mr. Ferguson suggested that the bridge was tailing down. Mr. Bigham ofiered an amendment to send the matter back to the ComAittee on Free Bridges and Mr. Magee accepted the amendment. Mr. Ferguson wanted to know why the city couldn't appropriate money for bridges as well as for any other purpose; why it couldn't build a bridge without further leg islation ? Mr. Bigham had said this was illegal. Mr. Ferguson couldn't understand this, although Mr. Bigham was a lawyer and might know more law than Mr. Fercu pon. Tbis allusion to Mr. Bigbam's legal learning created a laugb, which was renewed "when Mr. Mullen as a Southside represen tative asked that the motion to recommit be voted down and Mr. Fiinn, in his capacity as Southside representative, hoped the mo tion would be adopted. The motion was adopted and tbe whole matter went back to the Committee on Free JJridges. Tbe action of Common Council was re ported to the Select branch and concurred in. BIGELOW'S BILL PAID. The Expenses of Ills Visit to Sirs. Schenley to be Defrayed Mr. Scottfs Check Ac cepted Officials Must Get Consent of Councils for Future Trips. The bill for the expenses of Chief Bigelow and party to England was brought up again in Common Council by Mr. Pitcairn, who moved that the action of Council in reject ing the resolution be reconsidered. This was agreed to by a vote of 30 ayes to 4 noes. An amendment was offered reducing the amount from $1,328 35 to 5928 35, Mr. J. B. Scott having sent his check for $400 to Mr. Bigelow to cover Mr. Scott's portion of the outlay. This amendment was agreed to aud the resolution was tdopted by a vote of 32 ayes to G noes. Tbe vote stood: Ayes Messrs. Anglocli, Brown, Crawford, Donley, Delaner, Elliott, Ertzman, Ferguson, Fiinn, Groetzinger, Hagmaier. Jarrett, John ston, Larkin, Lowry, Jlagce. Mason, Metcalfe. McClure. McEldowncv. AlacGomcle. O'Connor, fitcairn, 1'feifer. Shannon, Taggart, Voight, Wallace, Wilson. White. Wright, Williams 82. Xoes Messrs. Bt ouster. Fox, O'Donnell, Russell, Stewart aud President Holliday 0. Mr. Magee, in casting his vote, said he thought the citv should have paid the entire amount, but as Councils would not agree to it he would vote for a partial payment. As soon as this matter was brought up in Select Council, slter running the gauntlet of the other branch, Mr. Kobertson sprung an amendment to the resolution authorizing the payment of the bill, as follows: That lrom and f ter the passage of this reso lution no person or persons shall undertake any mission in the interest ot the city or other wise unless fltst authorized by the Councils of the said citv, where the expenses are to be paid out of the citj treasury. Did Xot Want to Set a rrecedcut. He said in explanation that he desired to emphasize that if this bill was paid it ws not to be taken as a precedent in the future by others to do likewise. The amendment was ruled out of order and the resolution was then passed by a vote of 21 to 2, the negative votes being east by Messrs. Braun and Warner. Mr. Rob ertson then presented bis amendment in the form of a resolutory Mr. Keating epposed it. He had been much mortified by the unpleasant bickering that had taken place over the Bigelow ex pense account and thought it extemely parsimonious for a great city like PAtsburg to reward the labors ot citizrtis who had worked hard to secure something she needed by finding fault wlrf the cost. Mr. Bigelow had secured a barain in the 19 acres for an entrance. There had been many difficulties to overcome, 'owing to the untimely death of the late By B. Carnahan, and the Blind Asylum sitcifficulty, and it was necessary for the gcntUmen who did go, to see Mrs. Schcnley personally Mr. Keating thought that if Mr. Bigelow had come before Councils and asked permission to have made this trip at an estimated cost of, sav, $300, there were some big-headed city officials and members of Council who would have done all they could to defeat it, in their zeal ior economy or some other laudable desire. Humiliating a City Official. The bill of Mr. Bigelow was for money spent on business strictly, and there was not a cent in it for luxury or sightseeing. But since he bad been humiliated so grossly in an efiort to get back his own, it was very unlikely that any other city officer would ever take chances on the same experience. Therefore, there was no use in passing such a resolution. Even if it was passed, it would die with the term of the present Council. Next year things would be where they are now. Mr. llobertson denied this. Under tbe new charter, lesolutinns of this sort remained in force until repealed by a special ordi nince. He thought the line on this sort of expense should be drawn by Councils, and the city officers should not cbe .allowed to run around at will, spending "the. people's money. Councils were the properauthorities Jo do that, and they must see to it that their authority was not usurped. This resolution would do that. The resolution was adopted by a vote of 24 to 1, Mr. Keating voting only in the neg ative. TAXING CHURCH PROPERTY. Mr. Kobertson Opens a Hot Discussion by Adiocaling the Assessment of All lteai Estate Mr. Ijunhlo Conjes Back at Him Both Called to Order. Select Council enjoyed itself for half an hour discussing an ordinance exempting churches, schools, hospitals or public insti tutions from the payment of building per mit fees on buildings to be used for educa tional, charitable or religious purposes. Mr. llobertson took the floor in opposition. He said the tendency of the best class of thinking people of the present age is in favor of the taxation of church property. Churches are only corporation", and it is a wrong dis crimination to exempt them and tax other corporations. If this keeps on tbe great mass of taxation of this country will fall upon the peop'e who have little or nothing and the millionaire corporations of everv kind and class will be exempted. The Third ward of this city shows the impro priety of this idea. Nearly one-sixth ot the ward is covered by church property, free of taxation. If tha't property, valuable lor business purposes, as it is, was taxed like contiguous property, as by right it ought to be, the bulk of it would be yielding An Honest Revenue to the City, and it would be on the market for sale in tbe over-crowded down-town district. It would be far better and moie equitable for the people who own churches to pay the taxes on them better for the people and the city as well. In tbis ordinance it was intended to usurp tbe powers of tbe individual taxpayer for the benefit of the corporation. While this was true of churches it was equally true of other corporations, such as those contemplated in this ordinance." Mr. Lambie thought Mr. Bobertson's re marks had been entirely out of place, speak; ing, as he had been, on a motion to suspend the rules to consider the ordinance on two rpadinc. but since so much had been said. more would be in order. He thought, in the first place, that the building permit tax should be abolished altogether. "It was wrong." Mr. Lambie continued, "to tax a man for building a house and then tax him more for his property after tbe house was built. It would seem more proper to hold out inducements for people to build, tbe better class of buildings tbe better ior the city. After the structure was completed the city would get its revenue from the in creased legitimate valuation. "I believe in having a careful building inspection, and in allowing no one to build without a permit, but I think the salary of the inspectors should come from the city, and not from the comparatively few citizens who erected buildings to improve the city." Mr. Lambie cited the case of the Seventh and Eighth wards, now building a new school house, and said the directors had been taxed $90 for a building permit. He failed to see the propriety in that, of the city paying a tax for the erection of her own buildings. , A Blot on the City Government. Mr. Robertson replied that he was more than willirfg to wipe out the building per mit tax altogether. He thought it a blot on the city government, but if H could not be removed be was opposed to discriminating against any one class of corporations! Bodies that were able to build, whether churches or not, ought to pay tbe same as others. He was opposed to making one class of citizens pay fur the benefits which the whole en joyed. Mr. Lambie replied: "That argument will cut both wa)S. Mr. llobertson, whb poses as the champion ot free bridges had better not try to nse such reasoning, for with it he attacks his own pet project. If it is wrong to legislate ior the whole city at THE PITTSBURG DISPATCH. the expense of one class, it is equally wrong to legislate for one class at the ex penseof the whole. That is exactly what free bridges to the Southside amounts to." The discussion was getting interesting at this point. Mr. Eobertson bad risen to replv before Mr. Lambie had ceased, but Chairman Ford ended the matter by calling both to order, and a vote being taken on the motion to snspend rules, it was defeated bv a tie vote. Later in the session Mr. Kobert son desired to reconsider tbis vote to take decisive action on the bill, but it was voted down. A HUNT WILL BOOK BEGIN For a Toor Farm on a Natlgable River anil With Itallway Facilities. Mr. MacGonigle presented a new poor farm ordinance in Common Council. It provides that the Chief of the Department of Charities shall advertise iu the official papers for sealed proposals for sale to the citv of a tract of ground fronting upon a navigable river in the county of Allegheny, having railroad facilities for ready access; the proposals shall be received bv the Controller and transmitted to the Chief of the Department of Charities; the Chief of the Department of Charities shall open the proposals in the presence of the Chiefs of the Departments of Public Works and Public Safety and the Mayor, or a ma jority of them; these officials shall visit all the tracts offered and either reject all the proposals or select such one as may be deemed by a majority of them suitable for a poor farm; the choice shall not be come binding on the city until the Chief of the Department of Charities shall report the same to Councils and Council shali have power to reject the site selected; in case of a rejection by the Councils the Chief of the Department of Charities shall readvertise; the money realized from the sale of the old farm is set aside for the purchase of the new farm, and the construction of the buildings and the surplus, if any, shall be paid into the city treasury. The ordinance was referred to the Com mittee on Charities. BOGS TO BE TAXED. A Plea Made on Behalt of the Poor Han's Friend. Select Council passed the ordinance tax ing male dogs $1 each and females $2 each and providing for establishing pounds, by a vote of 25 to 4, Messrs. Collins, McCurry, Perry and Keilly casting the negative votes. Mr. Perry had endeavored to amend by taxing male dogs CO cents and females only 51, but Mr. Lambie showed how that amount ot tax would not pay the expense of sup porting the pounds and he declared that less than the amount fixed in the original ordinance would be insufficient. "Mr. Collins thought it wrong to tax the dogs at all, as it would be a burden ou poor people, to which Dr. Evans replied that it would save money for poor people because they would then dispense with dogs. It al ways seemed to him that the less a man had the more dogs he owned. The ordinance was all right, the doctor thought, except that the tax ought to be $10 instead of 51. Mr. Lambie said tbe ordinance was the re sult of sentiment, but it was practical and ought to be passed. NEW BUSINESS IN COUNCILS. Petitions and Ordinances for Sewers, Lamps and Other Conveniences. A number of petitions and ordinances were presented upon the call of wards and re ferred to appropriate committees. They were as follows: Select Council Ordinances for sewer on Howard, Cooper and Bluff streets; opening Gum alley; grading, paving and curbing Winebtddla avenaei grading Aro&-street; repealing an ordinance locating Walton street: establishing the grade of Arlington avenue: petitions for water pipe on Forbes street; public lamps on Black street and Collins avenue. Common Council Ordinances relocating Transit alley, and for a sewer en Vale alley; petition of the A. French Spring Company for the paving of Twentieth and Tenty-nrst streets with block stone; petition for water main on Fmley street; petition for lamps on Hallman street. PASSED THROUGH SAFELY. Ordinances Which Have Met "With the Formal Approval of Councils. The following ordinances were read a third time and passed finally: Select Council Ordinances establishing tbe grade of York alley, from Bates to Louisa streets; grading, paving and curbing Ledlie street; sewers on Achilles, Renfrew, Arabella and Gross streets, Xenia ami Spring allejs. ' Common Council Ordinance locatingBrown-t-il street; relocating the northerly line of Ellsworth avenue, at Neville street; establish ing the grade of Dresden allej: dedication of analleyinthe Thirteenth ward; repealing the ordinance for grading and paving wallingford street; opening Homewood avenue; opening Ilaights street; opening Watson avenue, aud changing the name of Ardsheil avenue to Mur ray Hill avenue. C0UNCILMANIC SCEAPS. Councils granted tbe Health Bureau another clerk at S73 a month. The consideration of the cab ordinance was postponed by Select Council. The ordinance opening Web3ter avenue to Mercer street was indefinitely postponed. There was a number of Soutbsiders in the lobby listening to the free bridge, discussion. Councils passed a resolution thanking Mrs. Gnsky for the elephant presented to Schenley Park. Comsion Council had to adjourn early be cause the electric lights went out,and It was too dark to read ordinances. THE ilea switch ordinance was returned to Councils with a negative recommendation and was indefinitely postponed. It was again pre sented, the interested parties having effected a compromise. HUMORS OF A SHORTAGE. The Accused State Treasurer of Arkansas Disclaims Knowledge of It. Little Hock, Dec. 8. Great excite ment was caused yesterday by rumors that State Treasurer William E. Woodruff was short some 567,000. A reporter called upon the official, aud in reply he said he knew nothing of it, and it was time enough to talk of such matters should an investigation dis close the facts to be as stated. He said he had nothing further to sav. The Legislature meets in January, when the books and accounts will no doubt be carefully examined. Special auction sale of diamonds.repeat ing and chronograh watches Wednesday, December 10, at 2. P. M., at M. G. Cohen's, Diamond Expert and Jeweler, 533 Smith field street. Our Ulster and Cape Overcoat Sale Xesterday was a grand success at Gusky's, There's nothing strange about it either, when vou stop to consider that we were offering coats worth ?20, $25 and 530 ior just $15. It was our in tention to limit it to one day, Monday, and we so announced it, but in order that there may be no disappointment among those who did not buy, when they come to see the bargains those obtained that took advantage of onr offer, we will give you two more days, Tuesday, and Wednesday, in which to take your choice of any ulster or cape overcoat in the house. The coats may not last but a single day longer, but that will not be our fault. Extbaokdinary sale of blankets and comforts. Largest assortment and best values ever offered in the city. TTbbU HUGUS & HACKE. Nothing more desirable than Prof. Lit tle's "Comfort" glasses. Bioos & Co., Tewelers. . r , PITTSBURG, TUESDAY, WONDERFUL MINING. Draining a River's Bed for the Gold to be Found There. GREAT ENGINEERING PROJECT. Flume Built to Carry Off the Waters Until the Work is Finished. M0NSTEK DAU AD0TE THE GOLD BED Oeoville, Ca l., Dec. 8. The details of the mammoth mining project, the bare facts of which were telegraphed to The Dis patcii some time since, are just coming to light. For 40 years Butte county has been famous for her splendid gold mines. During that long period a stream of precious metal has steadily been flowing from her hills, bars, flats, gulches, canyons, ravines and rivers into the coffers of the men who had the cour age aud skill to open and develop her won derful mines. Feather river, that wild and turbulent stream that cuts the heart of the Sierras in twain, is the richest gold-bearing channel on the face of the globe. Each of its hun dred tributaries contributed hundreds ot thousands of dollars' worth of the virgin ore. Throngs of miners lined the banks of the North, South and Middle Fork and the numberless creeks that empty into them, cleaning up tbe bars, washing down the banks where possible, fluming the bed of the stream, running drifts into the hills and sinking shafts on the flats to obtain the vast treasures of precious metal which in all these places abounded. SI ANT MILLIONS IN GOLD. During the first 10 years of gold mining in California, th? average return to each man was from 20 to $25 per day. Four thousand miners working 300 days to the year gives us 1,300,000 days each season. Multiplying this by the lowest estimate per day, 20, and we have $21,000,000 a year from Orovilleand its near vicinity. Experience proved to the gold miners ol '4J that the precious metal had gradually been washed down from its niatsrix in the quartz ledges in the hills and gulches till it reached the bottom of the larger streams, which became ihe great natural storehouse of the same. Acting upou th!s idea miners were always delving into the beds and-chan-nelsof the creeks and livers whenever pos sible. Various plans were taken to lay bare the bottoms of the streams, but the, most com mon method was by wiug dams. These were dams built out from the side of the stream and angling down stream and back, so as to confine the water into a narrow space. This laid bare a part ot the bed, or channel, and enabled the miners to extract the gold lying in the gravel, but the crev icing of the bed rock was impossible owing to seepage water. Of course tbis method of mining was im possible in many places, and especially so with the larger streams. In such cases the river was dammed and the water forced into a long wooden flume built in many cases at a tremendous cost. LUMBER $100 PER 1,000 FEET. In some instances the lumber for these flumes bad to be whip3awed, while in others it was transported at a cost of $80 or $100 per 1,000 feet. Such were the riches in the beds of the creeks, "however, that nearly every tributary of the Feather'had miles of-its obannl-flumd,-Aiid the amount, of gold thus obtained was au enormous sum. Some idea of the extent of river mining can be obtained from tbe open noted mines in tbis locality. In 1857, when the famous Cape Claim was was worked near Oroville, tbe expenses of fluming and laying dry tbe river bed amounted to $176,985. Two hun dred and fifty men were employed from May to November, and in 42 days of mining it is estimated by reliable men that no less than $1,000,000 in gold was taken from the mine during that single summer, and it is known that $680,000 was paid in dividends in this town. Iu this celebrated claim 142 pounds of pure gold were taken out in a single day. The value of this was $36,672, and if we esti mate that 200 men were employed this would average for each man $183 for the day's labor. John Norton, a resident of this town at the present time, washed in tbe Cape Claim the richest pan of dirt ever taken out in the California gold mines. It contained 52 ounces or about $884. CLEANING UP A RIVER BED. Above Morris ravine and below historical Long's bar the Feather enters a narrow and rock-bound gorge, and in the early mining days tbe difficulties were so great and the cost so enormous that the enterprising gold miners shrunk from attempting to mine this portion of the stream. The problem was to lay bare the bed of a mighty river held between rock-bound mountain walls, and to keep its waters out of such a bed for a time sufficient to admit of the surface gravels being removed so that the bed rock and lower gravel layers within which the gold was imbedded could be "cleaned ud" and the golden treasure stripped from its home with four or five sea son's mining. To lift a great river from its rocky bed, a river that has a flow of 2,000 cubic feet per second, hold it safely while an army ot miners clean out its sands and gravel and scrape clean the very rocks themselves, de serves and will rank with those gigantic en gineering feats like that of building the Mt. Cenis tunnel between France and Italy, where the Alpiue barrier between those two countries was pierced, with that of building the great tunnel beneath th Hudson river to connect Jersey City with New York, or like that beneath the waters ot the Thames at London. Major McLaughlin saw that a single sea son was too short a period in which to erect the dam, build the great flume and mine the river in a satisfactory manner. He there fore planned to build the dam this year up to low water mark, and by cutting a gigantic canal and building a series of great walls during the winter and spring, to finish all the work by 1S91, so that operations conld begin in the river early in tbe coming sea son. To gam these objects was a task or more than ordinary magnitude, as e have already pointed out, but, to make them more apparent and show the grandeur ot this undertaking, wegive below some detailscon cerning the dam to be constructed. Tbis head dam, as planned, is designed to serve as a permanent structure. The site selected seems formed by nature for this very purpose. Each eminent engineer who has examined the river, selected this very spot, which presents great advantages for the work proposed. The dam will extend from a great rock point at the foot of South Table Mountain to a high mass of rock in the center of the stream, and thence to the op posite bank. A MONSTER DAM. The solid part of the main dam will be 140 feet long and 10 feet wide on top. Its height will be about 47 feet with a shutter dam or superstructure of 10 feet. This shut ter dam will fall down on to the main dam during winter floods. Added to the main dam will be a secondary dam diagonal 160 feet long aud about 11 feet in height A pier of masonry 15 by 30 feet in plan and about six feet in height is provided for at the point of junction ot the two parts of the dam, and also an abutment of similar construction is planned at each extreme end of the dam. In other words, there are two parts of tbe dam, and each partis to be built ottwo pieces. In constructing this dam nearly 600,000 feet of lumber will be used. There will not DECEMBER 9, 1890. be less than 2,500 cubic vards of gravel ex cavated and about 5,000 cubic yards of rock. The cost of construction will be in. round numbers between $22,000 and $25,000, as nearly as can be estimated at the present time. Great as this work is, however, it will be far less costly than the great canal that must be built to carry the water of the Feather even at its low stages. In its con struction there must be about 60,000 cubic yards of rock excavated, which alone will cost over $100,000; while in addition to this must be added the walls to be built, which will amount to some $45,000 addi tional. OTHER HEAVY EXPENSES. These figures do not include, of course, the foot dam to be built, nor the camps, houses, roads, bridges, derricks, tracks, cars, tools and appliances, nor do they cover the ex penses of the engineering supervision and incidental expenses which will naturally oc cur. Still to these figures must be added tbe cost of the electric plant to be used in lighting the mine, tbe costof bringing water power for running tbe derricks, etc., so that when the total amounts to be expended in this mining project are taken into considera tion the sum will reach several hundred thousand dollars. There will be an immense quantity of cement used, something like 7,000 barrels, many tons of iron, and hilly 1,000,000 feet of timber. The exceeding richness of the channel of Feather river near the town far more than justifies the enormous expense incurred iu building the dam we have attempted to de scribe, and in cutting the great canal to carry the waters of the stream itself. Some idea of the amount of gold that this river bed ought to yield may be gained lrom the output of the celebrated Cape claim, which was worked here in 1837. This mine yielded $525 per linear foot, and as there are 7,500 feet to work.the amount, if estimated at the same rate, would be $3,937, 500. This sum of $525 per linear foot, however, was taken from ground mined in the most hurried and wasteful manner, the bed rock, certainly the richest part of any river mine, was scarcely worked at all, and all appliances were of the rudest description. When we consider that under the system proposed by Major McLaughlin every foot oif ground and every pan of gravel can be thoroughly worked and that the bed rock can be cleaned so as to obtain even ounce of gold, we may fairly estimate that the yield per linear foot will be double that of the Cape mine. This then would give us no less than $7,875,000 as the probable out put of this magnificent enterprise. STILL KEPT JN THE FOLD. FORGER SMITH'S NAME RETAINED ON PLYMOUTH CHURCH'S ROLL. A Notable Letter of Repentance From the Com let Willie In the Tombs Dr. Ab bott Offers a ltesolntiou, and Sends a Message of Sj mpathy to Sins Sing. New York, Dec. 8. Forger Albert H. Smith, although clad in the striped suit of a convict and serving a 17 years' sentence for forgeries, will obtain some little comfort in his cell in Sing Sing, when he is informed that he is a member in good standing of Plymouth Church, Biooklyn. His name is to remain on the roll of membership, and when be returns from Sing Sing, he may resume his place among tbe other brethren. Tbe regular monthly business meeting of Plymouth Church was held last night. An inkling had got out of what was to take place, so there was an unusually large at tendance of the church members. Kev. Dr. IynMMt-Abbott nro and, IvoMing- piece of- closely written paper in nis nana, claimed the attention of the gathering. Dr, Abbott told of his interview with Smith, and said that he firmly believed that the criminal bad repented. He then opened the piece of paper held in his hand, and it proved to be a letter irom Smith, which Dr. Abott read. It was as follows: Dr. Lyman Abbott: My Dear Pastor Will you kindly advise mo if my present position as an unworthy member of Plymouth Church what my duty is toward tbe brethren? lean, at the least, but express my bitter sorrow and sincere repent ance tor the crime I bavo committed, and ask you to make expression of this to the proper officers of the church. My daily prajer is for Clod's forgiveness and for grace to bear my deserved punishment and humiliation. I feel that He has brought my heart back to Himself. He saw me slipping away from my professions to the world of a desire to lead a Christian life, and has taken tbis means of saving me. 1 see in this call to bear this heavy cross and shamo that I have fet an opportunity to serve Him and try to do lis will. I trust I have set my face in the right direction, and ask for your prayers and f 01 giveness. Very sincerely yours, albert H. Smith. Everything was hushed while Dr. Abbott was reading the convict's letter. It bore the date of the day before he was sentenced to Sing Sing for 17 years, and had been written in the Tombs. When Dr. Abbott concluded he produced another piece of paper which proved to be a resolution, which read as fol lows: Resolved, That this church, fully recognizing tho sin of Albert II. South in tbe act for which be is now suffering tbe legal penalty, retain his namo upon the rolls in the faith that no man more needs the watch and caro ot a Christian church man one who has fallen into sin, but has sincerely repented of his sin and desires to return to the way ot righteousness and life. Our message to our brother is that God par doneth and absolveth all those that truly re pent and untelgnedly believe His holy gospel, and we commend him to the prayers of the members of our church and to such special officers ot spiritual aid as it may be possible for tho pastors or other officers of tbis church to render to him. W. B. Boorum and Thomas G. Shearman seconded the resolution. No other remarks were made. Deacon Blair put the question, and without a dissenting voice the resolu tion was carried. A CONVICT WITH MONEY. Dying Ho Leaves 830,000 to a Man Who Was in Prison With. Him. St. Paul, Dec. 8. It is not often that a convict is possessed of a fortune of $30,000, but one has jnst died at Stillwater leaving that amount to a fellow convict. Six years ago Walter Williams became engaged to Miss Matilda Kittleson, of Winona county, and two days before the day set for the wed ding he borrowed $500 of her and ran away. In anger and disappointment she had him traced and arrested atBushford, but she re pented of her harshness and married him to save him from punishment. He was soon released, but committed a forgerv and was sent to Stillwater for a term of years. At the prison he met Edgar Wil son, a life convict, the son of wealthy parents. Wilson and he became warm Iriends. Williams was released on pardon and Wilson died, leaving Williams all his property, valued at $30,000, in remem brance of bis kindness while they were in prison together. THREE COUNTERFEITERS CAPTURED. Their Den Kalded and Their Plant and Spu rious Money Confiscated. Deaeborn, Mo., Dec. 8. Special Treas ury Agent Mason and Secret Service Officer Treadwell decended upon a den of counter feiters near Newmarket, yesterday and cap tnred John Barker, a man by the name of Henley and a third counterfeiter, whose name could not be learned. The officers also confiscated their entire plant aud over $20, 000 in spurious money. The counterfeit money they have been shipping Etst and i verv dangerous imita tion, especially the $20 bills. BnrxoB'sCough and ConsumptlonCure is sold bv us on a guarantee. It cures consumption. Sold by J os. Fleming & Son, 412 Market st. BAER FOUND GUILTY Of Manslaughter in His Trial for Killing' Thomas Daily. QUARREL BETWEEN TWO FRIENDS. The Jury Only Required Forty-five Min utes to Find a Terdict. COURT NEWS OP THE DAI TOLD BRIEF!,! John Baer was tried yesterday before Judge Stowe, on the charge of having killed Thomas Daily, a letter carrier, and after 45 minutes' deliberation, the jury re turned a verdict of guilty of manslaughter. Daily died at Mercy Hospital, on Sep tember 20, from a wound in the head alleged to have been inflicted by Baer in the course of a fightsonie time previous. At the trial yesterday there was but little trouble experienced in securing a jury. The Commonwealth was represented by District Attorney Johnston and Attorney Morrison, while ex-District Attorney Porter and Messrs. Scaife and Goss conducted the de fense. The first witness examined was Mrs. Daily, the wife of the deceased, who testi fied that she saw her busband at the Central statiou the morning after the fight with Baer. He had a large cut ou his temple. Mrs. Daily took her husband home and kept him until he lost his reason and ran out of the house. He was then taken to Mercy Hospital, where he died. daily at central station. Police Surgeon Moyer testified that he at tended Daily at the Central station. The deceased had a severe wound on tbe temple, which had been made by some sharp instru ment, probably a knife. On cross-examina- 1 tion Dr. Moyer said that the wound could uuve ueeu maue uy a siuue 11 ii was suurp. Dr. Meyers, of the Mercy Hospital staff, was called and corroborated Dr. Moyer. Officer Ben Hughes testified that ou the night of the fight he was on duty on the corner of Wylie avenue and High street, and heard Ba'er call Daily a vile name. The two men then crossed the street and the wit ness saw the defendant strike the deceased twice, once back of the ear and once on tbe side of the face. The men then clinched and fell into a cellar where a new house W33 being built. Daniel McCarthy testified to having heard Baer calling Daily a vile name on the night of the fight. Thomas Barry heard the defendant tell Daily that be was no good. They were standing on the corner of High street and Wylie avenue at the time. The CommonwBslth rested at this point aud AttornejXioss opened for the defense, stating that they expected to prove that Daily was killed by the faU into the cellar and the defendant was in no way responsible for his death. John Baer, the defendant, was then placed on the stand. He testified that bis only remembrance of the affair was that he had a dispute with Daily about some beer and started for Powers'liquor house to settle the dispute. TBIEKDS AFTKB THE. TIGHT. They got as far as the new buildings, when Dailv struck at him, and they clinched and "fell into the cellar. The next day he found himself in the Central station with Daily, and they talked together and were friends. The witness denied that he used a knife, and stated that he did not carry one. On cross-examination the witness denied calling Daily a vile, name in front of Officer .Hughes. The iritness admitted to having been 'indicted in 1883 for assault with intent to rob, but was not convicted of it. Dr. Cbesrown, jail physician, testified that he attended the defendant in jail, and that be was suffering from a very severe scalp wound and was hurt abont the shoulders. Frank Porter testified that on the night of the quarrel he was on his way home from the theater and saw tbe two men scuffling, and saw them fall into the cellar and pull two barrels with them. The witness further stated that Policeman Hughes could not have seen the scuffle from the posi tion he was in. This closed the case. Tbe arguments were made by Attorney Scaite for tbe de fense and Morrison for the Commonwealth, and were limited to 15 minutes each. The charge of Judge Stowe was very clear as to the jury's duty, and rather favored a verdict of manslaughter. The jury, after being out 45 minutes, re turned a verdict of guilty of manslaughter. IN THE DIFFERENT COURTS. The Trial List to be Called by the Jndges To-Day. Common Pleas No. 1 Savage et al vs Barnes, receiver; Grant vs Carnegie, Fhlpps & Co.; Berbench vs Ebach et al; Walles vs city of Pittsburg; Oarey vs same: Davison et al vs same; Shaplra vs Mackey. Common Pleas No. 2 Baer & Gazzam vs Na tional Wrapping Company: Thompson ot ux vs Imperial Coal Company; West A Seip vs Vernon et nx; Rush vs McC'andless; Jennings, administrator, vs People's Mutual Accident Insurance Association: Gillespie & Lucas vs Grand Lake Coal Company. Criminal Court Commonwealth vs Josephine Moe, Jiary Miller. Kate Fox, Henry Rof stocU, Fred DierKe. David Joint, Daniel Fltz patrlck, Reuben Bowers, Andrew Swlnson, Marv Lindner, Anton Breigel, William Jones, Franz Maler, William Watson, alias Young, George Denruan, Yes eo. Mary A. Neville, William Goldstein, Mark MogersUy, A. J. Fnck. THE NEW COUNTY ROAD. Report of tho Viewers Assess No Damages to Property. W. W. Shaw, James Davi3 and W. A. Herron yesterday filed in the Quarter Ses sions Court their report as Tiewers on the new county road, to run from Coraopolis.via Neville Island, to the bridge at the mouth of Chartiers creek. The road will be about nine miles long, and, it is claimed, will be the finest driving road in this part of the State. The viewers stated that they could not get a release for damages from all the property holders, but as the benefits to the property would cover all damages arising they had assessed no damages. AN APPEAL TO SUPREME COURT To bo Taken by Alexander TCIlllan'g Attor neys on Saturday. Clerk of Courts McGunnegle yesterday re ceived a letter from Governor Beaver acknowledging the receipt of the record, and asking if it was likely that an appeal would be taken to the Supreme Court in the case of Alexander Killiau, convicted of murder and sentenced to be hanged. Upon inquiry, Killian's attorneys stated that they would take an appeal on next Saturday, and a re ply to that effect was sent to the Governor. " The inquiry was probably made so that in case no appeal was taken the case could be disposed of before Governor Beaver goes out of office. Allowed to See His Dying "Wire. Judge Stowe yesterday departed from the custom of the court in the interest of mercy. An application was made to him to allow William Hanrahan, who is serving an eight months' sentence in the jail for illegal liquor selling, to go to his home, on Forty-eighth street, in charge of au ojgeer, to see his wife, who is at the point of deifth. An Appeal From the Award. John 8. Slagle, President of the Alle- Igeny Bessemer Steel Company, yesterday filed an appeal from the award of the arbitrators in the case of Sheriff McCandless against the company. The Sheriff's claim was for wages for the deputies who were on duty at the works of the company during the strike. The arbitrators awarded him $240 wbich the company thinks too much. WORK OF fHE GRAND JURY. A Number of True Hills I'ound and One Ignored. The grand jury yesterday returned the following true bills: George 1 Alstaat, fe lonious assault and battery; Hugh Dolen, John J. Foster, John Harkin, assanlt and battery; William Cannou, Edward Devers, Albert Lee, larceny; Mary Lindner, selling liquor without a license. The bill against Elizabeth Foster, for ag gravated assault and battery, was ignored. Briefly Told Court News. The ejectment suit of Adam Reineman against Mary Hoelscher is still on trial. Ix the United States Cnnrt yesterday eight persons u ere naturalized and four took out their first papers. F. Shauley and A. T.Jessnp yesterday wero appointed appraisers of tho effects of D. Allen, who assigned for the benefit or creditors, to A. J. Durragb. AN order was made yesterday for the distri bution ot S5,52U funds on bands, among the Michael Hill Oil and Gas Company, which has beon dissolved. The suit of J. H. Sorg, executor of Eliza beth Krapp. against John and .Elizabeth Matbeis, an action ona mortgage, is on trial be fore Jndge Magee. A precipe was filed yesterday in the suit for damages by Martha A. Kennedy against Booth & Fiinn and the Daqnesne Traction Company. No statement was pled. Judge Achesox. of the United States Court, yesterday appointed L. L. Minor to take testimony in the case of H. T. Stewart against A. Allen, a suit on a contract to sell coal lands. The suit of William and James McJenkins against the Equitable Gas Company, for dam ages for a right of way taken through the plaintiffs' property, is on trial before Judge Collier. The English Mineral Water Company yes terday entered suit against the Pittsburg Traction Company for 51,000 damages tor running into a wagon owned by them, which injured tbe horses, wrecked tbe wagon aud spilled the water. The case of tbe Insurance Company of North America against tbe People's Natural Gas Company is on trial before Judge Slagle. Tbe suit is to recoter the insurance paid on property damaged bv the gas explosion on Sixth street about two years ago. PINCHING THE RIVERS. Encroachments of Railroads and Othe-' Corporations on the Waterwjw The Cliamberor Commerce Gl'9 JIr- a'a lone a Sort or a Tne Salute. Vice Pre?'-"11 Anderson presided at the regular -meeting of the Chamber of Com mene, yesterday. Captain Draws, of the committee on rivers and harbors, reported a resolution relating to the encroachments on the river banks in both cities and at Davis Island dam. It recommended that in view of the detriment to river traffic, as well as the danger to life and property by reason of a prevalence to overflowing banks, the Secretary of War be appe"aled.to-to survey and establish tbe harbor 'lines, as provided by act oKCongress in its last session. There are a number of members of the Chamber who are interested in the rivers hereabouts, and the question to them is au important one. Captain C. W. Bitchelor, President of the Keystone Bank, spoke earnestly in favor of, the resolution. He said his opinion ou the matter was very well known; that for many years the rivers had been getting acisr "J-w. lh(.littii, r- ., the banks bv mills aud snops and railroads. At the mouth of the Allegheny the water way is now about one-third what it used to be." All along the banks of the three rivers the streams were becoming contracted. Only a few days ago he noticed a house built out at a place far beyond where he used to back up his boat to shelter it from the wind. He understood the city got $3,000 a year from the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad for the use of the wharl where its depot is, and which had been built out on the water line. In some places ou the Southside 200 feet had been built out ou the water. Below the Davis Island dam the Pennsylvania Bail road bad built out a distance of 30 feet beyond the bank, and the same relative en croachments were made at Glass House Riffle and at Mingo Island. It was not hard to remember when the railroads were built that people said the river trade was killed, but the high freight rates have brought back much of the trade. When the river is up the railroad freight rates are low, but when the river is low the rates are high. He be lieved river traffic was still a great factor, not only to the river men. but to tbe people at large. The prosperity of the city was largely dependent on it. He cited the fact that only last week one boat had taken out of this city 38,000 tous of freight more than the Panhandle road could handle in a month. Colonel Boberls also spoke of the impor tance in preserving the rivers. He said that Pittsburg was far ahead of any city in the Mississippi Valley as a shipping point, and sent out more tonnage than Cincinnati or St. Louis. It business was the bulk of the river trade from here to New Orleans, and was the most important city of them all, bar none. He then read an act of Congress that defined the duties of the Secretary of War in rela tion to establishing harbor lines, and wbich provides for a fine of $1,000 and imprison ment for one year for building out beyond them. Mr. Meyran moved for the adoption of the resolution, and it was done. Captain McClelland then offered the fol lowing: Resolved. That this Chamber hereby ex presses its appreciation of the manifest inten tions of tbe Secretary ot the Treasury and the Supervising Architect to secure a completion of Pittsburg's Government building. It was adopted at once, and both officials will be notified of tbe action. MISSION WORK IN THE SOUTH. Bishop Mallalleu Says It is Ahead of any Other Section. Bishop W. F. Mallalieu, of New Orleans, who was the guest of Key. T. N. Eaton, of the Oakland M. E. Church, for a few days past, and who attended tbe weekly meeting of the Methodist ministers, yesterday, left on the limited last evening, on his way to Chicago, where he will re main two days and then go to New Orleans. He stated that he Intended to visit the medical school connected with New Orleans University, a Methodist institution founded by tbe Freedmeu's Aid Society in 1872, and which, with its connected schools, has an average of 1,000 students, 30 of which are in the medical department. Bishop Mallalieu stated that statistics show that in church and educational work more has been accomplished in tbe South than iu any other field, home or foreign, and that the Methodist Episcopal Church has never before been so well entrenched in evangelistic and educational work in the South as at present, and bad it double its ac commodations it conld quadruple its work. He states that tbe Missionary, Church Ex tension and Freemen's Aid Societies are co operating, and that there are indications that the colored people will in future plav an important part in the conservation of the! institutions of tbe country. The Bishop expects to spend three months iu visiting the 40 or more colleges, etc, un der the care of the M. E. Church in the South. He states that Louisiana people at large are glad to be rid of the lottery, which lately cursed the country at large. An irritated throat is soothingly treated by Dr. D. Jayne's Expectorant, an old estab lished curative for coughs and colds, and all bronchial and lung troubles. : - PAGES 9 TO 1Q. I PAPER MONEYPROFITS Yarions Ways in Which Uncle Sam Gels a Little the Ilest oflt. STOVES A SOURCE OP REVENUE. Eailroad Wrecks Also Furnish. Considerable Loss and Gain. SUMS QUITE CTJE10DS CASES K0TED Washingtox, Dec. 8. "The parlor stove is a considerable source of income to tbe United States Treasury at tbis time of year, though the contributors to the fund accumulated by its means are invariably most unwilling ones," S3td a Treasury official. "Of all ways of hoarding paper money none appear to be iu such universal favor as that of hiding it away in an unused sit ting room.st.ive during the summertime. When the fire is lighted in the autumn the cash goes up iu smoke, and the owner makes application to have the ashes redeemed. The chief of the redemption division said yesterday that not less than $100 such cases were submitted to him every falL Some times the remains are not too far consumed for identification, but a3 a rule this method of destroying money is found to be singu larly effective and hopeless. There was re ceived yesterday at the Treasury 120, in the Bhape of a small quantity of ashes packed into a thimble, from Texas. The woman; who owned the $120 had drawn the sum from bank aud deposited it iu a stove for safer keeping, with the usual result. Un fortunately the ashes are indistinguishable from any other ashes, and so she will loss the amount. IX eailkoad ytbecks. "It is an interesting fact that nearly all the paper money destroyed by accident meets its fate on the rail. Whenever a rail way disaster occurs fire usually ensues, and the express car is burned. Now, an express car almost invariably carries a safe with more or less money in it, among other valu ables. The safe, unless it Is one for trans porting Government money, is apt to be one of the portable kind, and not fireproof. Thus it is an almost everyday occurrence for one of these safes to arrive at the Treasury here with its cash contents in the shape of more or less hopeless ashes. ".For example, take the accident that oc curred in Kentucky only the other day. Two trains met in a tunnel, one of them loaded with passengers and the other a freight, carrying coal and iron. For 30 hours the wreck burned, and such was the heat gener ated that the iron was melted and flowed like water. In the express car of the passenger train was a sale with $1,600 cash in it, be sides a lot of jewelry. It was all paper money, and was reduced to ashes. Seven hundred dollars is all that the redemption division has been able to get out of it in con dition for purchase with fresh United States notes. This, the authorities say, is the worst ordeal through which an express safe has ever passed. WOEK OP IBB EXPEETS. "You would be astonished to see how lit tle in the way of remains is required, when passed under the hands of the Treasury ex perts, to procure the identification and re demption of burned paper monev. A few bits, so hopelessly charred as to s'eem."-41 ordinary eye but a srou --"uiation or ashes, may be redeemable for thousands of dollars in bright new bills at the paying teller's desk. All tb -.required is snfii-,..tuem.-trtnat the originals of the notes, "have been really destroyed. Morsels no bigger than your finger nail are every day redeemed for the face value of the bills they represent. As to this it is largelv a matter ot chance. If tbe morsel were merely a cor ner, it would notjbe likely to suffice for the identification of the note. Supposing that tbe case is that of a bank note, it is ab solutely essential that the banc should be determined, else payment cannot be made. But let the bit presented show the name of the bank, its number, or even a portion of one of the officers' signature, and it goes. Until very recently portions of notes sent id have been redeemed ou the discount princi ple nine-tenths of a $10-biil bringing $9, and so on but now tbe law is that the smallest portion is redeemable at full face value, if only it is accompanied by satisfac tory affidavits as to the loss of the remainder. Some few attempts have been made to swindle the Treasury in this way by false affidavits, but tbe department believes that it has always discovered them. rBACTIOJTAL CTTKBESTCY PBOMTABLE. "Uncle Sam has made a good deal of money by his paper cash that has been ac cidentally destroyed. Qi course, every penny of it that is not handed in at the Treasury for redemption is so much in his pocket. In this way he has found his issue of fractional currency most profitable. These small notes for 5 cents, 10 cents, 25 cents and 60 cents were easily destroyed, especially during war times. "The first issue was made in 1863, and of the 5-cent notes then put forth, nearly one half more than 45 per cent, accurately speaking has never been asked payment for. The same thing is true of 30 percent of the 10-cent notes, 20 per cent of the 25 cent notes, and 11 per cent of the SO-cent notes. It is shown by the figured Treasury total that of the $20,000,000 worth of these notes first issued more than $4,000,000 still remains in the clothes of the Government. There were four more subsequent issues of fractional currency some of their output in 3 and 15-cent notes aggregating about $447,000,000, and of this lump sum more than $11,000,000 has not been called for. This leaves Uncle Sam 'on velvet' to the extent of $15,000,000, so far as his fractional notes are concerned. In other words, he seems to have made about that amount of money clear on the five issues. A M1TEEENCE Off OPEriOX. "Now, what has become of all this small change? In 1870 a Treasury Commission, not appointed by law in any proper form, made up its mind that $8,000,000 bad been lost or destroyed, and Congress accordingly turned that amount out of the $10,000,000 originally appropriated for the redemption of the fractional notes over for the payment of pensions. Since then three experts in the department, making their calculations in dependently one of them Accountant Lentz, oi the national banking division have arrived approximately at tbe same conclusion, that not more than $1,000,000 of the fractional currency nas Deen destroyed or lost and that $14,000,000 yet remains out standing. According to their estimate this great sum is at present entirely in tbe hands of collectors, large and small. It requires nearly $3,000,000 of each fractional issue to satisfy their appetite for curiosities. Not merely do dealers hold considerable stocks of these notes, but nearly every private in dividual has one or more of them just for fun. "As for the gain of the Government on its notes of larger denominations through their loss or destruction, the Treasury is only able to make a guess, estimating it at consider ably less than 1 per cent While tbe dis counting of paper currency by paying pro nortionatelv fractions of bills was legal the Treasury cleared $350,000 through the in dustrv. A good deal of money in paper is ho.irded everr vearby persons who die with- ' out revealing its whereabouts, and much of it is never found, bums in this shape are often dur up on the persons of corpses ex humed for other purposes. Only the other day the body of a murdered man was dis- covered near an .Ohio town with a pocket- book filled with greenbacks. The latter 4 were sent to the Treasury here for redemp-J tion." fitrv the heat and ehearjest: that HiMna. t O.I ll. Oil f..A.l.Bnl. . 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Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers