1U
-
7
DEMOCRAT .WD
i,
WT5. B. SIPFSi Editor and Proprietor.
i:bcnsi!!i ?, Friday, August 2G,
V. I r.ALMEIl, the American Newspaper
Agent, is the only authorized Agent fur this paper
inl.J cities of Boston, "cw York and Philadelphia.
nil is dnly empowered to take advertisements and
subscription at the rates required by us.-. His re
ceipts will be regarded as payments. His offices
ore Boston, Scollay's Building ; New York, Trib
une Building ; Philadelphia, S. W. corner Third
and Chestnut ts
'" DELlCCSATIC TICKET.
SfPREME jrDfiE,
JOIFV C. KXOX,
Of Tioga County.
CAXAL COMMISStONEK,
TMOJIAS Iiri'OIISVTSI,
- Of PhiltddphiaCovaiy.
ClnV irT'-!t. fiK.VERAL,
'S J,J'JP"C...
.jl HLK,
FOIl DISTRICT ATTORNEY,
T. I. if r.vi:u.-
rim COMMISSION"!:!'-.
JOBIX U. OfitSS.
roil cot.vrr srnvEvim,
TllOM AS M CO.
rou atpitoi:.
To Our Patrons.
In assuming control of papers so well known and
popular as the Mountain iscntufl and Muunlnm
Jianovral,'ec feel that duties devolve upon us which j
will tax our intellect and our energies to the utmost ; j
i..o in li.c kindness of our natrons, we em
bark iu the undertaking, with temerity, il is U
... bat
not v. ithout h qc
d we sti ike the cnaiiucl
of popularity at lac
outset, and felide
smoothly on m p. mac lumi, si.n.
be more fortunate than many wu. h ive pi-eci."l u -in
similar undertakings. If, however, we shall faid
the Editotial path not one of pleasantness, ami follow
it only to reach an oblivion dark as Erebus, we shall
retire from it, comforted with the thought that others,
equally as competent arid deserving, have met with a
similar fate.
It ii-onM be simereroTation for us to premise by
, . ...
.....n-.;c.? 1 tn fnft,rn ioi!ro. when time wi I re-
veal it all. Stilfice it to say, that the mainspring of
all our actions shall le the triumph of Democracy.
Taught from earliest infancy to revere those princi
ples which have "made and preserved us a nation;'
schooled in the doctrines of a creed which has t'er
been the terror of tyrants and the beacon star of liberty-loving
and freedom-seeking humanity ; convinced,
by observation and experience, that a consistent
maintenance of the institutions established and perpet
uate I by the Demociatic party can alor.e sustain us in
our onward march to greatness and glory, our whole
hcai t shall be given v tUsdr success. ,o tiiviul cir
cumstances shall sw el e us from the support o: ir.e
regular nominees of that party, and so long as our in
tellect remains clear as Cod has made it, w e shall ad
here to "Democratic measures and Democratic men."
As a ncw.--p.iper, the J'temoerut and St ntinel shall
not be behind its compeers. Its readers may rely
upon being regularly and accurately informed of im
portant events occurring throughout the world. But
while occurrences abroad shall find a place in our
columns, those at home shall in no case be overlooked.
As a local journal our paper shall compare ta-
vorubly with any in the State, and if the
cit IX
'.ens ol
Cambria County will be but half as devoted to it as it
will be to them and their interests, we shall have no
thing to fear.
But we are done. Our future course wi.l establish !
the verity of all we have said, and make plain that ;
which whae overlooked. Of tlie appearance of j
our nar.er we shall say nothing. It is vours iu le of !
it as you please. As a literary journal it shall be all
we can make it, am! if it fails to come up to !ue s;.au-
third of a correct taste, the fault will lie of our head, j
not of our heart. Knowing our weakness, we ask
you, reader, to be charitable, and to remember that
our " errors aie those of a man.'
VM. B. sil'KS.
Wliij Senatorial Nomination.
The agony is over, and the Whig pir'y of tk is Ihs
trict has succeeded in nominating a candidate for
''ate Senator. A.M. 'White, Esq., of this county,
la t!.. cal;jH;a;e. Haw satisfactory his nomination
will pro. ?u ,ll0 lli(,IIluCrs 0f that paity, we will not
pretend to say , ,,,,, wc ccr;ainIy e.,lwct Io fiml th,.m
united, as they a..,vs havc !l0I! tUe ujy for
action arri es. 7
lids district is Whig by abw nw5oritv. TllC
Counties of Blair and Huntingdon anln" the most
uncompromising and muleviating Whi
counties in i
the State, while the Democrats in them a-f,llanv !
as firm. In Cambria, then, the fight must and ..; !
take place. Here, if at all, the victory mast be w on
the Senate of Pennsylvania le redeemed, and while we
would make no idle promises, we can et say the
contest is not hopeless.
"London to Niagara, and back for 30."
-M'.' ,lii.ye N-ei.JluJLly lavored, bv our friend. Cant.
W. Yv". Ivoitr, with a parip'iL'- tearing the above ti
tle, ".hich. gives an accurate ami interesting account
of the Falls of Niagara, and also touches on the
Crystal Palace.
The Philadelphia line of .Steamers ofii-rs strong in
ducements to those visiting Kuiope. They are first
class vessels, bud carry passengers at very low rates.
If any of our readers design visiting the Old World, we
would recommend them to call on Capt. It our, who
veill give them all necessary information relating to
this line.
Tlie Recent Murder in Pittsburg.
It turns out, after all, that the man who was ttuh-1-ed
in Pittsburg lately, and died from the enacts oi
tlie wound soon after, was not James Collins, as at
first stated. From all we caa learn, however, we in
cline to the belief that the murderous villains inttnjed
to kill Mr. Collins-, an.! mistook the man killed for
him.
It affords ns pleasure to correct this statement,
knowing that many hearts will be made glad by it. "
Daily Union.
Mr. Hopki jrs, former F.Uitor of the Washington F.x
amtner, has purchased the inte-rest of Mr. Hasti.nhs.
in this excellent paper. Mr. II. is an excellent wri
ter, and we have no doubt the Unum w ill still contin
ue to prosper under his and his able partners control.
Mr. Hastings, in retirin-, lufces our best wishes
wunh.m. He kas fought well for the Democratic
i ty, and deserves well of it.
Portage Investigation.
We publish, to-day, the Report of the Canal Com
missioners relative to the recent investigation of the
manngement of this much abused public improve
ment, and ask for it a careful perusal. The Board
has entered fully into all the charges preferred, and
silted them o the bottom, and they unhesitatingly
acquit the Officers of the Road of all censure.
Situated as these gentlemen are, and compelled fre
quently to co-ne Into collision with the interests of in
dividuals, it is not surprising that they are tra
duced, but it is gratifying to every good citizen to
find that, notwithstanding; the mn.-t searching scrutiny,
their acts are. not only above blame, but above suspi
cion. Our opinion certainly is. that a more gentle
manly or more honest set of ollicials were never em
ployed upon this branch of the State Works, and if
they have, i:i air,- case, faile 1 t- render entire satisfac
tion to the people, it was owing entirely to causes
which they could not cou'rol.''
When the operative. upots the Portage Road came
outai.d detnand'-'d the.r hiid-ein.cd wages, our sym
pathies were with them. they ure with them still.
That they h id been badly treated iu one could doubt,
but we never did. and never can censure the present
Superinlendeat and his assistants for this treatment
They were as anxious as any set of men could be that
the employees should be paid, and that they were not
paid was as annoying to them as it was injurious to
those who had earned the money.
This difficulty is now. we h pe. settled; att-l il the
next .Legislature vrtll be prompt in appropriating mon
ey i sufficient to meet tUo no.ry ex jm-umm th uat,
we shall have no more sirikes no more difficulty.
Blair County.
The Democrats of Blair county, recently assembled
! in Convention, and elected Maj. Chaw niti a elele
j j.-.i'c to the next State Convention, ami also selected
1 their Senatorial Conferee. Two of these Conferees,
we understand, are known to be favorable to the nom
j iv.ation of T. C. MeDowr.iL, Esq., while the third is
i ior TiiA'iers Basks, Esq.
! Either of these gentlemen would make an excellent
f .j. a!l we could -: pull off our coat and roll
our sleeves,'" and troto work for either with a hearty
u'ood aii!: hut we mint he excused for preferring a
Cambria County man. Cviir L. Pkhshi nb. Es. .
i is our ciioice,
if he is the nominee, the Democrats
... . . . .- 1 ' .1. .
of the mountains w ill io,l up a majority ior mm inui
will make hiirgery tremble.
Yellow Fever at New Orleans.
This scourge ol the South is raging most fearfully
in the Metropolis of the .Mississippi Valley. The
most heart lending accounts reach us daily, and the
pro.-pect of an abatement of the disease ishardly look
ed for, so long as human victims are kit for it to prey
upon.
1 he leenm;
s been eulis
of the citizens of our Atlantic cities
I.
e.l for '.heir suiicriiiS brethren of the
iarze amounts
hae been contributed lor
11
lelief
W,
!-.wii
fp-.m ti.
account
r
i,
1 i?F.
tiler the fbl-
lat.
pe.-tiler.ee :
(n n r. or the PicAvrxi:,
Nt:-.v Oui.k vns, Aug. 110, P. M. J
The interments i'i till the Cemeteries of th'.- city,
durincr the week ending six o'clock tins lnormng,
as rei.orted bv the SeCfet.ir of t!
Board of ilealtli,
show a total of uitccii
whom thirtf-n lfiieh:,i
the vellow fever.
,
hnu ired and thaty-b ur, ot
I'.e' ; f'.'-'y-'Ye were victims oi
ai r.rt exhibits a u-t.-l inci ease of leathsover
the .revioiis week of sixteeti. nud over those by tin
fever alone id ciirht v-cili! : an ! t!iis, too, in the
face of our constantly diminishing population.
ending this iiiorning, was four thousand one hun
dred and sixty-two, of whom three thousand six
hundred and sixty-nine were by fever.
The disease, it canuot be denied, is fearfully on
the increase.
The Howard Association have opened several
infirmaries, but they are rupidly liVing with pn
tieuls. Liberal aid has been rendered our suffer
ing community by tlie citizens oi i.arou l.ou-e,
I Natchez, and other ; laces in the vicinity cf the city,
but it will require an immensis sum yet to success
fully battle with the disease.
The weather continues intensely hot, and the. au
thorities, in hopes of btaying in a measure the rav
aies of the epidemic, have ordered tar barrels to
be burned at night, and cannon to be fired. At
Mobile the fever shows a slight increase.
Consular Treaty vit!i France.
The Union of Sunday morning publishes in fu'.l
the Coiivenlli u between the Cnited States and
j Prance, which was concludeel and signed in Febru
ary last, and the ratifications exchanged at Wash
ington City, on the 11th instant.
The oidy important stipulation is contained in
Article VII, which wo give entire.
ARTICLE VII.
I'l all the States of the Union whose existinglaws
permit it, so long and to the same extent as the
said laws shall remain in force, Frenchmen shall
enjoy the right of possessing personal and real
property by the same title and in the same manner
as the citizens of the United States. They shall
be free to dispose o"f it as they may please, either
gratuitously or for value received, by donation,
testament, or otherwise, just as those citizens
themselves ; and in no case shall they be subjected
to taxes on transfer, inheritance, or any others dif
' tcrent from those paid by the latter, or to taxes
which shall not beeoually imposed.
As to the States of the Union by whose existing
laws aliens are ii jt pi rmitte I to hold real estate,
the riesl lent engages to recommend to them the
passage of such laws as may be necessary for the
1' nose of conferring this right.
In---t-e mntier, but with the reservation of the
u. tenor .-m cf establishing reciprocity in regard
to possession r,,.A iuhc-ritani :e, the government of
France accords c tiie citina 0f the United States
the same rights viu: its territory, in respect to
real and personal prope.. (lj to iuheritauce, as
arc enjoyed there by its o.. citizens.
The convention remains in fo.0 ten years, nnd
longer if ni'tice is not given by cithe power of its
desire not to renew it.
" If a Body meet a Body."
If a feller catch a feller carrying off his wooJ
should a feller ichalf a feller if a feller could ?
(J crm-tntown Emporium.
If a body catch a body stealing his old rye,
shouldn't a. body kick a body till a body cry ? L'iii
eiiiimti E'li'uirer.
If a body spy a body creeping around his lot,
shouldn't ft body treat a body to a load of shot?
!('(;' ii.v JS'ews.
If a body catch a body stealing his Erpress,
shouldn't a body sa;e a body and try to get redress V
Petersburg Exprets.
If a body wants a body his store to patronize,
shouldn't a body pay a body money to advertise 1
l.tneh 1'iiry Exjirctt.
If a body see a body 'propriate his li.it. should a
body kick a body just for doiug that? Washington
Diti'tj Slur.
Jf a body catch a nigger stealing all his chickens,
shouldn't a body lick a nigger like the very dick
ens ? Central JJemocrat.
If a body should hear a body say, " I pay my
printing bill," wont a body stare at a body for such
an expression of will ? Maryland Sentine'l.
If a body catch a body, whi steals the Democrat,
should a body knock a body iuto a cocked hat?
Louiseiile Democrat.
If a body see a Galphin coming the mean steal
DeatrT ' PUt tUat bJy iut0 the Plain
If a body say a thing that sounds completely
flat, should a body tell a body just to take his hat?
NEWS AND MISCELLANY.
Sccutary Dobbin has issued the following
Order to the Navy. It is a decidedly sensible pre
scription, nnd we have no doubt will be approved
of by those interested. Men are stubborn animals,
nnd the best way to govern them is to tell them to
do as they please.
The regulations of this department prescribing
the uniform and dress of the uavy and marine
corps, dated bth March, 18o2, have been niodifed
from this date so far as relates to beard, as follows,
viz :
The beard is to be worn nt the pleasure of the in
dividual ; but when worn, to be kept short, and
neatly trimmed.
Approved, J. C. DOBBIN. -"
Navy Department, Au?. 3,
B3 The editor of llagerstown iVp, nn old
Bachelor, by the way, but a very sensible fellow,
(as most bachelors are,) uses the following pithy
language in speaking of the ladies :
Nothing c:m prevent an increase of bachelorism
save an amendment in the code of educating women.
When they learn common pense, instead of broken
French, when they learn some useful employment,
instead of beating the piano -when they learn to
prefer honest industry to silly coxcombry, and
wheu men find that a women is a helpmate instead
of a burden then we may expect to fiud fewer bach
elors but not till then.
I'r V. Prince Albert laid the foundation of an a
sylum for Idiots, nt Eavlswood, Reigate, near Lon
don, on the 17th ult. An ingenious plan was taken
to raise subscriptions. Ladies were invited to walk'
past the prince, courtesy to him- n1 nla-ti'1
tne stone a purse containing their offerings. Be
tween three and four hundred ladies pai l five guin
eas a piece for a share in this interesting ceremon
ial. Yi" The N. Y. Herald, in a inscription meant to
compliment Secretary Guthrie, eIiicc his recent vis
it to that city, represents him as having a decided
ly " agricultural countenance." Now, what sort
of a countenance is that ? What separate peculi-
arities combine to make it upt? We have attemp
ted an inventory, and find result nearly as follows1,
A coivi complexion somewhat red
llVy looks to scare the crows;
A monstrous ;reat big eMcric-henJ
A mammoth turn-uj nose.
tysu, H a meeting of editors oh a late visit to the
falls of Niagara, Cogsheil, of the Cincinnati (Jreot-
ICis, oii'ered the following resolutions, which, un
fortunately for the country, were " laid on th ta
ble:"
KcfdreJ, That Niagara is a "Groat Old Fall."'
AV.We,., That as lMit u-s an 1 Publishers vvhl
have seen ft 4i few" exhibitions of various kinds.
we are all well satisfied with Niagara.
Hffolveif, That Niagara is complete in all iu
" appointments7' and "arrangements.
lltnob fL That we unhesitatingly recommend Nr i
afar to all Travellers aud tourists as something,:
of a curiosity. i
Utxuh-ed, That in our opinion Horse-Shoe Pa ;
ought to he annexed to the t'nitcd States. 1 ,
J.'rfolie'J.; The. t n irreut deal of Cultivation Wil
be required to make Goat Island a respectable " p'4
tato patch."
gSuThe card appended below, we fin 1 in a Tei
a3 pajier. It shows the riht kind of grit, and v
are of the opinion that Jack deserves well of h.
country :
A C.ni. Cloiiel Jack Mills returns his than' j
to the respectable A No. 1 minority of h'S fullouf !
citizens of Galveston, who sustained him at tit j
polls on Monday, in spite of the malicious and uij- j
authorized report of one of his pretended suppei f j
I'lo, that he had withdrawn from the canvass, whidi
report everybody knows caused his defeat. Ilf i
b -gs)to announce himself now r.s a standing cand
public demand and the progress of the age.
Jack Mills
'
j-l
K-3jto Two men named llottcrbach and Gut.
peach, had each au arm broken in the pa.-senji
train from Philadelphia, by striking against; a
freight car, standing on the adjoining track, wijie
leaning out of the window. Itotterbach's arm jl
have to be amputated. !
l uf- In the ease of Jewell, sentenced tobchjie
in Pittsburg, on the '21 September, for the mu-.-lei
of Mitchell, Ju lge Low lie has granted a spej..
allocatur for bringing the records of the Oyer
Terminer before the Supreme Court. This t:
delay the execution, if not result iu a new trial.S
f Lumber quotations at Columbia on fa
S'.iS'jushanna, arc; For cullings, $12,50; fit
common, $27 anil $28; ptmiiel, $o4 line! Jjioo : sa
pies $S,o0 and $0 ; grubb plank, $8 and $8,
hemlock, scarce sales at $10 and $11
11 ; wite
?2,25
nine, mr M.. 813 and $10: laths. $
$:,oo.
i
ts3 1'he New York Hs press estimates that Je
amount of rails in .use em the 1st of January, ISP
will not be less than 4,000,000 tons, on which j:c
yearly deterioration will be 320,000 tons, or mjc
than three times the quantity that our roiling rufls
arc capable e.f producing.
I
ti3 Ostriches must be cheap birds to keep
Those at the hippodrome live on gun flints and i-.s-'
ty nails. A fresh spike is a delicious morsel, wtile
tin old hinge, with a little oil on it, is fought fn
with as much earnestness as a pair of aldermti
would exhibit over a bowl of green turtle.
$f$f There is a benevolent gentlemen in DosUil
who gives twenty-five cents for religious purpose
cvery time he swears 1 lie has already d d a new.ly
date fur the same olhee, hereafter, until be is elect- the operatives of the Alle-ghenv Portage lauroad: Johnstown, on the 12Ui. 1 hey arc in these
j,t oo...-i-- .a.- ., nn(. wiahi'V ! fi (lr i i,.. ii,o.....j,Iov r tl.o words -
tolnow his si ntunents on any public measure, c Commonwealth formonths, without receiving any ' Joiivstowx July 1 IS ':'.
find l,:m at his stall it. the market, when busine This charge we will prove by the follow ing He-solved. That the smierintondcnts of the Phil-
is brisn; or he is not otherwise egaged. In t; nainci porsoIls : Jiv laitkl Ihophy, we will prove a hlphia and Columbia, and Allegheny Portage
interval Lis politics will be modified to suit tiC ...... t;,f,i, . l.,.., .... :i ' ... i . ....i.i. . r.i .. ' .... a i- f-
steeple on the Presbyterian church, nnd is "Hrt(Sofck,(.krft!lsa,,,1,,ili;aw0mUineto,lt,tw0l,n
engaged in "cursing up" a donation to the IIomi ?7-0()0 an,, 000 wllioh wcrc rct-ei.ted to P.
Missionary .Society. - - -
ftrif We have tried to collect an account of ta
" affrays" occurring in Pittsburg for our columil
but find it impossible. Not a day passes but so
one is killed or wounded bv cold steel or inter-
perancc.
tXB, A gentleman from the " Smoky City'
t-.'-ms us that society has been so completely revl
lutloaizcd there that the usual salutation on me
ing a frWid is, "Ila any one been stabbed laJ
fy- Wc siw i lady walking our streets last Su.
day with a shocking "hole in her stocking." S)t
probably knew of it ou Saturday, but, remcmberi
the Sabbath day, kept it Aoc-ly. j
t?, Edward Marcy, sou of the Secretary f
State, died recently on board the sloop of w
Preble, nt sea.
fiS? The Cholera has been raging iu Cuml r-
land, MJ., lately, to considerable extent, but
now on the decrease.
IH7An European War is now looked uponl
certain. France will not be quiet nnd llussia ea.-
not be.
Grace Greenwood, the popular and unit?
writer, has returned from Europe.
5?" The Representative Conferees of this b-
trict wul meet in Bedford, on next Tuesday.
07.Court will commence here on Monday ie
oth of September.
Life and Death on the Railroad.
It is stated that the number of persons killed
nnd injured on the railroads of New York, during
the last year, was six or seven times greater, in
proportion to the whole number conveyed, than in
the United Kingdom of Great Britian aad Ireland.
The following comparative statement of the casu
alties upon the railroads of both countries, during
jJlfc.j'ear !So2, condensed from the latest official
returns, exhibits, at a glance, the great inferiority
of New Y'ork railroad management:
G. Bri
S'.MSo,'
am.
29
N. York.
7,-110,003
No. of passengers
Passengers killed,
.. Employees killed,
Others killed,
1 Total killed,
' irtwsengers injured,.
Employees injured,
Others injured,
Total in'iured,
Total killed,
Killed and iirjured,
o'2 20
120 00
01 102
210 228
280 82
79 89
27 'Jl
480 205
21G 248
702 513
This table, when aualized, will show the follow
ing comparative statement of casualties upon the
railroads of the two countries, in proportion to the
Thole number of persons traveling :
G. Britain.
N. York.
Vass. killed,
Emp. killed,
nth. killed,
I V-iss. injured
- rtr 1,
ih. in jured,
Total kiHe-t,
Total iniureJ,
in 2,7S.-,401
in 712,707
in l,3i-7.tt
in -!, oO-
m 1.12.H.I27
in 3,::0 1,323
in -HtJ.O'Si;
in 183, -I'm;
iu 120,873
1 in 2S0.179
1 in 121. U 10
i iu 4o,02d
1 in 'JO, 73'J
1 iu 83,003
1 iu 7'.', l-"o
1 in 43,1--. I
1 in 2S.078
1 iu 17,420
Killed and inj., 1
' Report cf the Canal Commissioners,
'n r'ferruce to the rt rcut "Strike on tlie Allfihcny
Porta : Px.iil R:!,ir
The iinlearigmI toet at the Mountain House
n the Xth inst., for the purpose of iiupiirhig into
the causes which led to the recent strike aniomr
llie operatives on the Allegheny Portage Railroad.
A committee which had Been npjxjinted by the
parlies aggrieved, were m iit'indance ami ready
j t) allord every facility in thvir power to a full in
! vesti'-'atioii.
That the-mattcr might assuti.e a tangible firm,
the Board addressed tlie following note to the com
mittee: M( txtaiv Hih .sk, July Sth, 1S53.
'KXTi.KMKN" : The Hoard are now in .session at
this place, and are prepared to receive (and invite)
any eoiiiiminieation w hich your committee may
have to nrtike in reference to the recent difficulties
Between the operatives and oiiicers of the Slate on
the Allet-henv Doi t riLe E:ilroail. AYh:.t vcrchar-
ges vom ma v have to prefer aganist any ol tlie said
iflie;ers yon will phne submit in writing, ftnd
name the witnesses by whom tlie charges are ex-
pected to ho sustained. The P.oar.l will alford ev-
t.vv- .pTH)riunit v for a full investigation : and if the
re-ult shall
been failhle."
how that any aire nt f the State has !
s to his trutst. he w ill le ilealt w ith j
aeeorai:iL;!v
Ilespectfiilly votii's.
W.M. f. 'M'HUl'.SOX, Pre?.
Thom as i'oi.i.i.vs. lis j.. atid otln-r.s. fommitteo oh
part of operatives on AHilIil-hv l'oriae Hail
road. To tliis th'-v ree-eiyeil an answ er as follows :
Mi it'N'TAIN' HorsK, July s'th, l So...
i". T. Morrison, Ksq.,
Prrsi.lciit ltixtr-1 C:t.i-il ('imimsnioiiers :
Fin : In reply to yours of this date, we make
the following charges, and sustain them in the fol
lowing; mamu r :
Our first charge as set forth in the address ef :
fifteen and sixti-c-n months' wages due him, and j
that every time he knew there w as money paying
by the Superintendent lie tried to get it, but did j
not succee-d. ihat William Shiels. do. eleven
months : I lark ins Ht, do. bet we-e-n eight aud nine
months : Tt-rrence Hudson, do. between ten and
eleven months ; Win. Kerns had fourteen months
due him. We can give any nuniV-r of names, if
necessary, for similar periods.
The second charge is : That hands have been
coincllctl to sell their lime at a discount.
We will prove b' luchard 1 rotter, engineer at
iii.i..btfiv 1 1..,. v. mi -"in ni'iv - 'Limii i luui oai is. aim uic mi uniMt oi eiie- e eo ui ui i is-
the head of the plane Xo. 4: That he had to si 11 j t-m ploy of the Conimeniwe alth, and that hereafter
three months of bis time at a discount often per . said parties be paid monthly, so long as the ap
rent., nt a brokers' office in llolliJaysburg, after propria! ions for that purptise may last.
the- passsatreof the appropriation bill. That Hen
ry Downey and O. II. ivcil v sold at the same place,
at the same rate. That Daniel McManamy fold
six months' time, amounting to three hundred
and forty-two dedlars, and had to pay ten per cent,
discount ; part of this was sold to A. M. & II.
White, and the rest to Hell, Johnston, .lack: & Co.
Those persons are now present, and any amount
of names can Ik- had ef persons who were compel
led to sell. Hut these we consider sufficient.
The third charge is : That the cheek rolls sold
to the brokers, Arc, first find their way into the
treasury. That M. M. Adams, a memler of this
committee, found audited in the Auditor (ieneral's
books, a bill of his. which, from the time he sold to
the date of his aud it ing. elhl not exceed twomonths.
That it was for materials furnisheel for the road,
and amounted to over eleven hundred dollars.
That he sold tlie bill to Hell, Johnston, Jack & Co.,
and paid ten per cent, discount on it.
The fourth charge is : That there was $00 if0
of bills and check rolls which found the-ir waj- in
to the treasury, which had not passed through the
superintendent's hands. This charge was not
made by the men on the strike : but was told by
Mr. Crawford, and also ficn. Iioss.
Py a statement of Mr. C Conner, auditing
: clerk, to two of this committee : That immediate-
after the passage of the appropriation bill, one
K. West, r.sq., late HuptrintoiKloiit AUujsiiony
Portage railroad, ne said that some of them were
audited, and the balance were sent back to the
Sune'rintendont's oilice in llollidavsburg, as thev
had to be receipte-d to (Jen. Iioss lie fore they could
K. audited. Thev were sent back and properlv
made out, and all audited, with the exception of a
few bills.
The next charge is : Tiiat men have lx-en dis-
charged without lx-ing paiil, and were compelled
to call several times forthcirinoney. This is such
a common occurrence on the road, as renders it al
most useless to .say anything about it, as every
man w ho knows anything a bout the road, knows
this is the manner of doing business em it. It hies
lieen asserteel that theoflieers of the road knew no-
thing of the strike. This is not true, as one of
the committee, Cornelius Collins, had a conversa
tion with Jesse 11. Crawford, two or three weeks
previous to the strikeand had told him that the
strike would come off. Crawford said that the
men on the road had not nerve enough to strike.
These arc all that I have been appointed to an
swer. Some of the other members of this com
mittee have some charges to make, which will
form a separate communication.
Trulv vours,
T1K MAS COLLINS, Chairman, frr.
Without attempting to review the testimony
which was taken by the Board, in detail, it may be
remarked generally, that it was abundantly estab
lished that at the time of the " strike," there had
letn money due some of the hands for three, MX,
nine, twelve, ami some for even fifteen months.
The effect tf this was, that many of them w ere
obligee? to sell their claims at a discount of ten per
cent. The board cannot too strongly confirm a
policy which would lead to such a result. Most of
these claims were in the bauds of meritorious men
who had served the State faithfully, by night and
by day ; and it is a humiliating admission that a
great 'State like Pennsylvania should permit her
honest creditors to sacrifice a portion of their
claims in such a liiamviT ; and the lJoard earnestly
hope that there may nevWhe a recurrence of tins
kind from any cause, of combination of causes,
whatever.
This hrimrs us to the inquiry, "How was this
state of things brought about?" In answer it
be stated, in the first place, that the appro
priation for repairs and motive power exjxnses, on
the Portage road, fbr ls02, fell far, very far, Klow
the actual amount expended. By reference to the
late report of the Canal Commissioners, it will be
seen that the expenditures exceeded the appropri
ation the sum of one hundred and forty-three thou
sand nine hundred and seventy-six dollars. In
other words, there was, at the end of the fiscal
year, l?t of December, l s;(2, an actual i eKrtcd
debt of the above amount. A portion of this debt
was caused by the roa 1 lieinjr kept open day atid
night, during'the winter of lKoT-"i2. A double
set of hanths Uie w hole time was indisj ensible, yet
the measure seemed to bc'iPtnanded, as well by
the public sentiment, as a due regard-to the ac
commodation of the travel as the trade. To this
enormous deficit, it is apprehended, may be added
a large sum which had not leen reported by the
latesuicrintciident at all. Should th- apprehen
sions of the Board, in this respect, tie realized,
they cannot conjecture how it happened. The
most charitable way that it can be accounted for,
is tosav that it was7 the result of inu vscllc neg-ligvuec-".
- rtiuTiM nlticer hi rcafter le guilty of
similar conduct, and it be discovered while he is
within reach of the Hoard he will be made a ptdj
lic cxoiniple of at onco. -
The appropriations to pity the debt on this road,
and the current exj-enses of the present year, were
not made until the l'.'lh of April last. Thus it is
apparent that the disbursing oilicer on the road
had no means within his reach to pay this debt,
from the time of its creation, in l:-o2. until alter
the 10th of Ajrril, 1S..!, nor had he tlte means of
paying the current expenses e.f the present year.
L'ndcr the act of assembly, the superintendent
can only elraw thirty thoiisanel dollars at one
time, lie must then disburse that sum, return
his vouchers to tlie Auditor (.ieneral's office, and
have them audited before he can draw any
more.
It appears from the Wks of the State Treasu
rer that the superintendent had drawn between
the l'Jlh of April, 1S5.", the day on w hich the ap
propriation bill passed, and the l'Jth of June, tlie
elay on which the " strike" occurred, the sum of
?'fol,ss-i,.,H, all of which had been elisbured.
This was a much larger sum than had been
disbtirse-d in the com.-.-ponding period of lat ye ar
if indeed it be not more than has ever before been
paid out on that road, iu the same length of time.
Of the above sum, about s2,(HM.i had been pur
chased b- sundry persons from lalxirers, anil oth
ers, at a discount. In the opinion of the Hoard,
lln sc claims should not have been paid at the
time.
They had been purchased on speculation, and
should not have been paid until all the claims in
first hands h.td been fuliy discharged.
The propriety ed' this course is ,tir the more
obvious, since it is known thai, the appropriation
will In.- exbausted belbre the whole
let it will bc
ii purchased
c bt-'-n reim
u s n. e n who
liouida'.ed, and thus the purtie-
these -;ii:i: is tit a lisi-itn:t, vi.'S ba
b;ir.-eil. w !
ha el serve
(ami .-o-.ne
lie -,;.:t".V I ftlio-e mi
nt
1 the Stale faith:' i!! night and day
efl'mni too in limited cm umstances.) I
w :
11 have to wait, pcrhap- anoth- r vmr.
It is ilne to t he disbursing i.llict r. how ever, to
say that at tlie time llie.-e claims were paid, il i
was lielieved tlie appreipiiatioii would cover the,
entire indebtedness ed' the road. The views ofj
the Hoard in regard to the future eour.-e of nil sii- j
perintendeiits. as will as supervisors, in this res- j
pcet.are sulueicntlv linucaiea m tlie resolutions
which were iiiforn.ally considered at Pittsburg in
June, and afterward adopted by the Hoaid
ions of the Pennsylvania canal, be directed in the
disbursement of money for the payment of debts
in ALL cases to pay "i ikst tho-e "creditors w ho
fiave pertormeit the Moor, ana m xo task to pay
any chee-h roll or other evidence of debt in the
hands of second parties, until all the elebts in tlie
first hands shall have lieeii fully paid.
1'esolvcd, That said superintendents ami su
pervisors be also directed to draw from the treas-ur-,
at the earliest practicable moment , as much
money as may lie r.e-ces.sary to pay all back debts
due to laborers, engineers and oilier hands in the
In this connection it is proper to state that a
number of the newspapers charged the officers en
the road "with speculating in the wages of t he
operatives," Ac. The committee, it is true, made
no such allegation, v et the publicity which had
been given to the suggestion by the press, indu
ced the Hoard to investigate 1 ho ma l ter. They
therefore propounded to every w itness w ho had
any knowledge of claims having leen sold, the
general question, Do you know of any oilicer ef
the State having bee-n concerned, either directly
or indirect ly, irV the purchase of chock rolls, or
other evidences of debt against the Common
wealth ?" To this a negative answer was given
in every instance. The Hoard being desirous to
do justice to all parties concerned, deemed it pro
per to call upon the bankers who had purchased
the claims referreel to. To this end they went to
Ho'lidayfdiurg, and addressed a note to Messrs.
Hell. Johnston ev Co., and also to Bryan , (dcim
& Co., requesting their attoiielaiiee. "Mr. Johns
ton representing the former, and Mr. (.ardner the
latter firm, appeared in compliance with the note.
The Hoaiel then put this question to each of them :
" Has there been, or is there now, any terrantre
inent between your house and any oilicer of the
State, by which such oilicer is or was to receive
an)' portion of the profits arising from the pur
chase ofthe.se claims?" These gentlemen both
answered, unqualifiedly, that " no such arrange
ment has ever existed ;" and Mr. Johnston, with
whom (Jen. Boss dcisits his money, stated in
ancu-or to ouotliur (juuclion, tW " IJ.icc ruooivos
no compensation whatever, on account of the
money being deposited with them." Mr. Hed.ert
J. Boss, of llarrisburg, w ho had pure-leased a con
siderable portion of these claims, stated substan
tially the same that Messrs. Johnston and (iard
ner hael said. The Board will barely remark on
this point, that they rejoice that the evidence ex
culpates entirely every oilicer in the service of the
State from all partie-ipationinthe.se speculations.
Whatever difference of opinion may exist with re
gard to the propriety of the traflic in these claims
by others, nooue, it is litlieve-d. would attempt to
justify a disbursing oliicer of the State, in either
directly or indirectly jirostili'ting Ins position in
such a manner.
During the progress of the investigation, a jior
tion of the committee laid lie fore the Board a sec
ond communication, as follows:
" St MMfT, July Sth, 1853.
Wk- T. Monisox. Esq,
President Board Canal Commissioners :
Sir: Wc make the following charges against
Maj. V. Phelps, and will give the names of wit
nesses to prove the charges :
That at the time Maj. Phelps was acting as
assistant superintendent of the old Portage rail
road, he was partner in a contract to furnish
cross-tics for the new road. The cross-ties which
were taken up for the old road, and charged to
the old road, were seen by the man who took
them on the new road. That tlie hands from re
pairs, and other men in the employ of the Com
monwealth, were engaged in loaelingund unload
ing those ties, and the time while they were so
engaged was charge-d to the Commonwealth.
The names of the persons by w hom w c expect
to prove these tilings are Itobtrt P- Linton, Jesse
rattcrson, James Shannon and William Itv
Very truly yours,
DAXiEL HHOPHY,
11ENP.V L. DOWNEY,
ANDREW PURCELL,
DANIEL McMANAMV.
It will be observed that the committee charge:
First, that Mr. Phclns, w Idle acting as assistant
superintendent of the Portage road, w as a part
ner in a contract to furnish cress-ties for Urn ucw
road, &c. This charge w as suMained, and it w as
also show n that the foreman of the machine shop
at .lobstosvn hui partner.
The contract price ol these ties was tlurty-flvc
cents per tie.
It appeared in evidence that some of those ties
had been purchased by the contractors from oth
er parties, at from twenty-three to twenty-live
cents. Hut there was no evidence to show that,
at tho time the allotment was made, there was
any bid below thirty-live cents.
Xotwithstaiiding'this, the Board feel called up
on, publicly to express their disapprobation of
the practice" of officers of the State being contrac
tors for furnishing materials, or otherwise.
The Legislature has very projierly, provided
that no member of either branch of that body,
nor Canal Commissioners sujieriutendent, or su
pers isor shall have any interest in an- contract
w hatever, on the public improvements of the
State.
The spirit of this w ise provision, it seems to
us, would apply w ith equal force to all those hol
ding oilice under the Canal Boarel.
It is believed that no oilicer connected with
the improvements now, has an) contract for fur
nishing materials, either for repairs ornew work;
nor lias the Hoard any know ledge of such con
tract havimr existed the present year.. It is truo
that some of the lies referred to Were delhoicd iu
May last, but it is alleged that it was done tin
der" a continuation of the contract which had
been elite-reel into hist year.
It may not lie improjier to state, in this con
nection, that shortly after the organization of the
Hoard, requiring the superintendents of the rail
reads, and the suj-ervisors on the canals, before,
oontractiner for lumber or other material, for the
repairs of the railroads and canals, to give ptihli j
notice by handbills, that scaled proposals we.ulJ
be received for furnishing such materials as might
be required ; and that in all cases the allotments
should le made to tlie loirest resjtonsible bidder,
&c. Had it occurred to the Hoard that an o!fjer,
in any manner connected with the improvements,
would Itceome a bidder, the-y would have directed
that their bids should le rejected. Every thing
having li en tlie ('ppeuram t oj allusion between of
ficers of the same dcpartiiie-ut of the public set
vice, ought to le eliseountcnanetd. There are
me n enough, wholly disconnected with the Canal
Hoard, w ho would at all times lie willing to fur
nish any quantity anel at as low rates, at hast,
as they would lie furnished by ollieers of the
State. Besides, if there be any profit in this bus
iness, it would be more appropriately distributee!
among those who receive nothing from the State,
in the shape of emoluments of oilice, than tho-e
w ho do.
The Board cannot close this brief report witl
ot:t assuring the public generally, and the opera
tives in tlie service of the State esjiecia'.'y, that
they will bring the difliculties which haveln-e-n so
justly complained of to the attention of the Leg
islature, in their next annual report, and will
u,-e. upon that eh partnient of the government
the absolute neces-ity of providing at once for
the paymtut of all back debts on this, as well as
the other lini s of improvement throughout the
State: ami w ill also urge the propriety of appro
priating, ut an early day, a sullieieiit sum to meet
the current expenses of the next year. Wc km w
that such a lecotiiineiidatioii will be cordially
concurrcd in by our worthy (lovcrmr, whose
sympathies are always with the laboring classes.
That the Legislature will resp ond promptly to
the suggestion. We- Will Hot do ibt. Jxt tills lie
done, and the hands can le paid at the end oft-very
month, and we si all neit again be siilyec-tod
to the mortification of knowing that honest and
industrious creditors of the State have hcvii com
pelled to sac iiice one-tenth part of theircarnings.
WILLIAM T. MUlllSOX,
SET1I CLOVEIi.
WILLIAM HOPKINS.
Canal o:.iwissicvkr s Okfu-k.
Ihuri.-burg, Pa., July Until, ls-53.
Statistics cf the Yellow Fever.
ing Statement of mortality for the last twelve
weeks :
Y. Fever. Other Dis. Total.
Wttk ending May 2S 1 l;pj lpi
June 4 1 141 142
"11 4 Ion 154
" Ps 7 140 1 17
" 21 .) 15 s lf.7
July 2 2' r,-2 177
'. o'd P2'J Ijvs
" 10 2u4 140 344
" 23 42'J hs C17
" " " ::o t-,'.i2 is ss,)
Aug. C liCo 150 11 s0
" 13 1300 1G3 1532
33'. 13 5074
From this we see that although the city is now
ne-arly depopulated, the deaths bv diseases, other
than yellow fever, have also steadily increased.
The city, from HS.OtMJ census imputation, and
3n.io0 adde-d for transient visiters, in the w inter
and spring months, is now reduced to 70,m.iO
souls.
The following table is brought down to the la
test advices :
Tot td
Yel. FeV.
235
174
10
Sunday, Aug.
Monday, "'
Tusday, "
Thursday, "
The deaths fir
were computed at
14
15
10
18
27
1 o:l
21
242
the week ending Friday last
1 5iV.
The X. O. Delta has been obliged to suspend
its Monday issue on account of the difficulty in
obtaining compositors and the reduction of its
editorial reportorial corps.
Comparative Mortality of the Cities. The
following is a summary of the last weekly reports
of mortality in various cities, with the proportion
of deaths to their respective iiopulations :
i n-nihs. J opiilat ion. riatlo or Ireatris.
Philadelphia, 2.".i) 4u'.t,n(H 1 to 1,57 i
New iork, 55 515.0(10 1 to 75 :
Baltimore, 157 lOO.nnO l to 1.070
Boston, 130 l.'V.i.OOO 1 to 1,022
X. Orleans, 1.51 120 .oni) 1 to 05
Brooklyn, InO 'J7,nnO 1 to 07f
St. Lrf.uis, t n.o00 1 to 952 1
Charleston, 15 43,nnO 1 to 2,00
Mobile, 2) 2o.5iXI 1 to 1,05-3
Mi Rpkr. On Monday night last, Courtland
C. Johson, residing in Middletown, shot his wife
and a boatman named Collier, the woman living
in alout fifteen minutes, and t he man King si
vcrely wouneled. 1 is said that Mrs. Johnson
and Collier were setting together on a low li-nce,
when Johnson came up ami shot them lroth.
Jea lousy we presume was the cause of this deed
of blood. Johnson immediately gave lrimsolfnp
to the officers of the law, and is now in prison to
aw ait his trial at the Xovemltr term of court.
ST?" It is reported that the Chinese insurgents
havc adopted the Ten Commandments, adding to
the seventh a prcliibition of rum. opium and to
bacco. Does not this addition, like the original
d ecalognc, give evidence t,f divine tlii ection. 1 lere
is a question for theologians.
DC?" Arthur Spring, son of Spring who was re
cently executed in Philadelplua, has U-en ap
pointed Messenger in the Kcgister's office of the
Treasury, at Washington.
EC?7 hen the double track on the Baltimore
and Ohio Hail Eoad is completed, its capacity
will exceed half a million, tons icr aunuiu.
I
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