4 §b* |ribmw. Terms of Subscription, rXTABLE XK ADVAKCR: Oftlly EiSWon.pcryear.by matt.... 412.00 Trl«Weekly KUiuou, ptr y«mr, by kail 6.00 Sunday Edition, pcrycar,-by hail 2.50 Weekly Edition, peryeaw by kai1..................yu*) Parte of a year at the sameTate. To prevent delay and mistakes, bo sureaud give Post Office address la fall. Including State county. Postmasters are allowed 10 cent commission ou rearly pubscrlptions. KfeUilttaocos may be made c-ULcr by firuTt, express, Poet Office order, or in registered letters, at our risk. TE&ffi to cmr eucscunjEKS: Dally, delivered. Sunday excepted, 25 cents per week. Dally delivered. Sunday included, SO cents per week. Address THE TRIBUNE COMPANY, -No. 15 Canal-st-. Chicago, HI. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1871. ILUNOIB ELECTION. Official returns from over half the State give General Beveridge a majority of about T.OOO votes. This does not include Cook County, which will give him some 4,000 more. We judge that his majority In the whole State will not ho less'than 12,000. A very light vote was polled everywhere, the usual nterest in politics having been overwhelmed, not only in this city, hut everywhere else, bv the Chicago lire. THE LEGISLATURE. The General Assembly will resume its sessions at Springfield ou Wednesday. Though there is much legislation required, the session ought not to be a long one. Ex cept those measures made necessary by the Chicago tire, nearly all other questions have been thoroughly discussed at the previous sessions. Among the measures called for by tbe new constitution, and upon which legis lation is imperatively demanded, may be mentioned: A Revised Revenue law, A law of Eminent Domain. A law regulating foes and salaries. A law providing for the collection of all taxes by one officer, at one time, in each county. A law classifying and providing for the government of cities. A law making provision in cases where the records of land and other property are destroyed by lire. A revision of the laws relating to insurance companies doing business in Illinois. An apportionment of the State into Sena torial Districts, and an amendment of the Election law so as to provide for minority representation. Most of these questions were discussed last winter, and members have had the benefit of consultation with their constituents, and have had plenty of time to consider each sub ject. Wbateverrcvenuc law may be adopted ought to be prepared with the understanding that the State will be out of debt in a few years, and will have a large annuanneome, leaving hut a comparatively small sum to be raised by taxation. Unless it be the purpose to raise a large sum annually by taxation for the mere purpose of spending it, the State tax ought in a very short time to be so light as to require no very ponderous tax machinery. It is worthy of consideration whether provision might not be made for raising whatever revenue may then be needed by a tax in the form of licenses, thus dispensing with every State tax on property. The law regulating 'fees and salaries has been delayed as long, in deference to office-holders, as a docent- re gard for the mandates of the constitution will permit." All difficulties in regard to this matter will vanish if members of the Gene ral Assembly will recognize the faetthat those offices were not created for the office-holder, but for the public convenience, and that it is no part of cur political system to make every office largely profitable to the incum bent. No person is compelled to hold office against his will. The fees of all County Treasurers cease on the retirement of the present incumbents. The newly-elected offi cers will have no compensation at all nnless the Legislature shall provide lor the same at the coming session. It is important that the Legislature shall, without delay,provide by law for executing the provisions of the con stitution for the collection of all municipal taxes at one. time, by one officer, for each county. In this city the city taxes fall due In December, though the hulk of them is not collected until May. The fiscal year of the corporation ends on the Ist of April. The Legislature might, iu regard to cities of the class of Chicago, make the taxes fall due on the close of the fiscal year, and provide for their collection from that time out with the county taxes, by the County Treasurer., Such an act is of im perious necessity to this city and county. It will work no inconvenience to the city, and will enable the wise provision of the now constitution to be carried into elVect imme diately. The existing laws governing insurance companies require a rigid revision. All the provisions designed to exclude responsible foreign insurance companies au\l to protect domestic frauds, ought to be repealed. There ought to be some additional guarantees as to the ability of all companies to meet their liabilities. If the General Assembly will address itself to these matters diligently, it will be able to enact most" of ~th© laws before New Tears 1 »ay. The questlou-of restoring evidence of title to lands in Ibis' county is onV requiring considerable care. No 'title has been de stroyed or impaired by the fire. All direct evidence of title, except possession, has been destroyed, and what *is required now is to make available such secondary evidence os may bo.considcrcdadmissiblc, without danger to the tights of. non-residents, minors, and persons under/lisahility. TUB FIRE ORDINANCE. The .special committee of the Common Council, appointed to revise the fire -limits, had another session yesterday,* at which very encouraging progress was made. Tho com mittee resolved to prohibit jibe erection or re pair of wooden buildings within tho corpor ate limits, and to extend the fire limits proper to tho following boundary; Commencing©!! Twenty-second street, at its in tersection with tho lake; thenco west to Centre avenue: thence north to Vanßuren street; thence west to Western avenue thence north to Fulton street; thence cast to Ann street; thence north to Chicago avenue; thence east to Wells street; thence north to North avenue; thence cast to the lake.. Within these limits, certain ml ah and reg ulations concerning tho construction of buildings are to he enforced; and all planing mills, oil refineries, varnish manufactories, and other hazardous employments arc to be prohibited. Lumber yards arc not allowed within the space bounded by Chicago avenue on the north and Twelfth street on the south, except atone point on tho lake shore, near the month of tho river. Outside of these limits, they are to be confined to SCO feet on' either side of the river. Inside of these limits, stocks, when sold out, cannot he re placed. The committee hold another meeting nt 11 o'clock tins morning at tho rooms of tho Board of Public Works, No. 204 West Eandolph street, at which the Board of Police and Fire Commissioners are invited to be present. It is important that this ordinance should not be’delayed IE! the meeting of tho new Council, since all sorts of fire-traps are now in course of erection; and every owner of a vacant lot who is mean enough to put his neighbor's property nt risk, and has capital enough to pay for a post and a clapboard, is making all haste to begin before tho ordi nance takes effect. Boston had an impbrtant conior-stonc cer mony recently, at which an ode was sung; and of that ode the following is given as a specimen stanza; •4 Tbe bird of Liberty sprang forth upon old Bun- at Mexico with hues unfading lt=nc(ais were reflected on each river and each i-m. As- reave went marching on Glory, glory, hallelujah, «fcc., A.C. We thought the worst had been done for the poor old John Brown melody when Mrs. Howe loaded it down with her poetical, hut ponderous and polysyllabic, composition; but this ode-grinder has imitated all the weak poiutsof that composition, without any of its strong ones. Moreover, he has set this proud bird of liberty to blossoming* in a way which must be extremely awkward to that celebrated fowl. If Boston,the acknowledged emporium of literature, and the greatest primary pM-t.y mttrkm h\ Am-riea, eatmo! Vll iiv;;U ihis, t-x.ir. must come to the front. This evidence of prostration in the lyric business of Boston presents, we may be allowed to suggest, Chi cago's Opportunity to distinguish herself as a literary emporium, and snatch the sceptre from the haughty Tvi-mouutaiu City. ARTESIAN WEILB WANTED. The action most urgently demanded of the city government, in the way of precautions ag:iinst the next great lire, is strong prohibi tory legislation (and strict enforcement thereof) against the erection or maintenance of wooden buildings. Next to this, per haps, is the need of supplying the city with local reservoirs of water, to he used as a substitute for, dr addition to, tbe regular sup ply from tbe main pmupiug-worke. Such reservoirs even the folly of a wooden roof cannot destroy or disable; andthej’should ho numerous enough so that no considerable district need die at any time without tiro sources of water supply—the hydrants con nected with the street mains and the local reservoirs mentioned. These reservoirs need not ho very expen sive. By building them each upon the rear of a 25-feet lot. situate on an alley, the ground would bo very inexpensive; and a reservoir, twenty feet in diameter inside and twenty feet in height, would hold about CO,OOO gallons. This would be large enough for all purposes,, especially ns the reservoirs would be supplied from artesian wells, whose constant flow would very much retard the depletion of a reservoir in case it should come into use at a fire. Nor is safety the only good end to be subserved by these artesian wells. Their constant flow wouldkcep the sewers well washed, and en hance the public health. They are, moreover, found valuable for manufacturing and other business purposes; fortbe cleansing of water closets, and stables, and the hundreds of other uses (except boiling for steam), to which water is put in,central neighborhoods of a large city,. These manifold uses have hitherto subjected the pumping capacity of the city water works to a severe strain, and the consumers of water in large quantities to a heavy tax; in view of which many build ers will hereafter be inclined to sink wells instead of paying the city by the gallon for their water. In this way the city can be re lieved of the burden of sinking its wells in some cases, or can recover the expense by furnishing water to some private buildings near by from the wells instead of from the pumping works, Another benefit worthy of being taken into consideration, growing out of this proposed arrangement, would be the reserve supply accessible to citizens in case of a failure of the mains at any time—some thing which has happened once or twice in the West Division, and is liable to happen again. The expe n sc* of si ukin g wells Is not far from SO,OOO each; that of erecting the reservoirs would be about the same; but both would he trilling when compared with the cost of some of the showy facades or buck ling r roofs in which the city has been in the habit of investing, or when compared with the magnitude of the object to be accom- plished, to-wit, the safety of tho whole city. Economy in municipal government is one of the first desiderata; indeed, economy iu government, like “good name in man or wo man, is the immediate jewel of the soul;” but it is not economy to give way to pressure, and good-naturedly allow one man to put his neighbors* lives and property in jeopardy for tho sake of saving a few paltry dollars in the erection of his own buildings, It is not economy to withhold the expenditure of a hundred thousand, or two hundred thousand, dollai-s for local reservoirs and wells, when such expenditure will save half a million dollars every year in the pre miums paid for insurance. And yet this figure is not an extravagant estimate. Five or six thousand dollars ought to build a reservoir and a well. Ten thousand would, with the most extravagant figuring. Twenty wells, therefore, with their reservoirs, would not coat more than two hun dred thousand dollars at the highest prices which bricks and labor can possibly roach. There are, wo will say, $100,000,000 '"■aii of norsonal property and building improvements to be Insured constantly in Chicago; audit is not unreasonable to judge that in the rate of this insurance, and in the interest of money borrowed on the real estate and improvements, onc-halfof one per cent will be saved annually by the fact of •■in* having such a security against a general conflagration as this system would afford. One-half per cent on $100,000,000 is $500,0*0; so that the proposed system pays for itself, with $300,000 to spare, each year of its exist ence. ___ CLOUD* UPON LAND TITLES. To the Ftiitor of The Chicago Tribune: &ii:: Among the various vexed questions re lating to titles, is Iho'matter of land contracts. 'A party, the owner of lots valued at fifty thou >;uid dollars, enters Into contract to sell. He ex ecute.-(he contract, and accepts the sum of two thousand dollars as first payment, the second partv agreeing to pay forty-eight thousand dol lars iu subsequent payments. The records being destroyed, aud.'in conse quence of the fire, ttnanccsiuore or less deranged, what Is the result t The contract, being of record, Sis destroyed; the second payment not being made, docs the property revert to the party of the first part I Ax Old Sunscuiutu. Answer.— lf the contract stipulates that the party of the first part shall show satis factory title to the land proposed to bo con veyed,—which may be the legal implication of all such contracts.—then the non-payment of the money will not work a forfeiture un til the records are restored. The destruction of the records, however, does not destroy the validity of the contract. WHAT BItVGHAItI’9 SON BAVS, Brigham Youngs eon, Brigham, furnishes the New York Jrifcinic with some information concerning the intentions of the Mormon chieftain. It is announced, definitively,” as the French politicians say, that Brigham will ncs resist any legal process; that ho will not abandon Salt Lake City; that Mr. Iloopcrhas not proposed to the government at Washing ton any compromise of the difficulties now existing; and, finally, that the reliance of the “Saints,” in this emergency, is neither upon Providence nor dry powder, but upon George C. Bates and the Su premo Court of the United States, for deliverance from the persecution which is now troubling them. The junior Brigham considers the appointment of Mr. Bates—“a man of acknowledged ability”—to succeed the present acting attorneys (who arc, in the opinion of the son of the Prophet, mere scallawags), an indication of a changojof policy on the part of President Grant. Brig ham, junior, when pressed by the reporter who interviewed him,'does,however, consent to consider the possibility of a compromise wherein the Mormons would abandon the doctrine of polygamy. He says that, “If wo were admitted as a State, and our liberties as 'Citizens were guaranteed to us, looking to the future, Idm not prepared to eay tehai corce»~ ttion* might he made.'' This is, on the whole, rather lofty talk for a criminal of young Brigham's proportions. It sounds a little too much as if a prisoner at the bar, after he had been convicted, had remarked to the Judge that, if the State was desirous to make a compromise with him, on terms favorable to the broadest liberty on his (the prisoner's) part,-he might bo induced to make some collection*, and steal no more horses at present, provided the State would let him enjoy the possession of thoso already stolen. It has been suggested that, “looking to the future,” as tho junior Brigham suggests, the Mormons would arrange, shortly after their admission into tho Union, for another revo lution, restoring the pious duty of concu binage, and such other abnormal features of the present government as should prove too obnoxious to civilization and republicanism to be inserted in tho original State charter. In view of this, it will be very necessary for Congress to “look to tho future” as well as to Brigham and bis elders. The Imperial Fire Insurance Company, of London, is the only company doing business here, we Wlieve, which makes no deduction for immediate payment of losses. There are a number of companies, both English and Eastern, which are paying iu full, minus the legal discount of sixty dsiys. The Imperial has set a splendid example for the rest to fol low. It is given out that the Postmaster General, in his next report, will revive the postal telegraph project in a new form. The plan of purchasing telegraph lines, ami operating til* in as part of the postal system, is ahan lilln.i!, it now to proposed that the Xvx* \Li nvvpi iuu* THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE; delivery of the messages at postal rates. The government will then advertise for. offers from telegraph companies to perform this sendee, and let the contract to the lowest bidder, provided it does not exceed the revenue. This, it is assumed, will secure cheap telegraphy, without any interference with private or corporate enterprise. CARPET-BAG FINANCES. There is considerable excitement over the condition of the finances of tiff State of South Carolina. One party assert! that there is an over-issue of at least $13,000,000 of State bonds, making the State debt $22,000,- 000, when even its extraavgant administra tion only authorized a debt of $0,000,000. On the other side, these assertions are denied officially; hut the,denial is not accompanied by any intelligent statement of the actual condition of allairs. It is impossible to ob tain any information from the discussions now going on in the South Carolina papers. Everything is marked by intense partisan feeling. Statements and accusa tions arc made by the contending factions in the most reckless manner, and without the least evidence to sustain them. In Georgia the long and flagitious rule of Governor Bullock has been brought to a close by his flight and his resignation. In what condition he left the State has not yet been disclosed; but bis administration has been, marked by sneb a continued traffic in State bonds that tbe State, which emerged from the war without any debt, has now an amount of outstanding debt which will not bo paid during this century* Speaking from the record.made by the gov ernments of South Carolina and Georgia, we confess that Republicanism has not been a success in these States. The necessity which compelled the recognition, after the war, of the horde of adventurers who found their way into the Southern States, has been griev ous indeed. Except, perhaps, in the case of Governor Walker, of Virginia, there has been hardly a 44 carpct-bag v Governor elected in any of these States who has not proven to he, in one form or another, a disgrace and a enrso to the State and to the country. They have been of incalculable injury to the ne groes. They have taught the latter howto he dishonest, corrupt, and utterly unprinci pled in political matters, making them, to the extent of their ability, a practical injury to the States. There lias been no justification whatever, since 186(>, for any political disfranchisement in the Southern States. If the people of Illi nois had been cursed by such governments as have existed in North Carolina, South Caro lina, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas, and per haps other States, there would have been a popular revolt before this time. Bullock’s flight and Holden's impeachment ought to bo supplemented by the resignation of all the other scalJawag* holding State or National of fices. Tho duty of Congress to tho suffering people of all those States is to repeal all laws in any way restraining the people in tho choice of their own officers and governments. Until this is done, there will be no peace. If Republican ascendency in those States can only he maintained by the forcible protec tion of fraud and robbery, then it would be better for the Republican party to lose its control in these localities. The reign of tho carpet-baggers ought to be brought to a close as speedily us possible. J. B. Mann, Acting Fifth Auditor of tho Treasury, has taken the pains to prepare a table comparing the expenses of collecting tho internal revenue for the years ending Juno SO, 1870 and 1871. The figures are de signed to show that the expense has been largely reduced, and are as follows: 1870. 1871. Gross compensation.. $2,208,803.50 >2,010,568.55 Tare 42,88-2.40 7,008.40 Kct compensation $2,165,081.04 $2,011,000.1 Stationery unit blank hooks Postage Express and JJcp.tnon- ey Advertising of. Total expenses of col lecting Expenses of adminis tering offices ANn i»iu<.ntii. Collections $2,321,501.72 $2, 132,462.61 1,137,553.76 932,564.19 IKO.QaT.iWi.GO 140,945,463.31 163.476,453.59 130.S(U,HMI Tlie report calls attention to the tact that in each of these items there is a large reduc tion but it is, nevertheless, also the fact that the percentage of cost of collecting the reve nue in IS7I is at least one-fourth of 1 per cent greater than the cost of collection iu IS7O. This only shows that the reduction in the cost has not equalled the reduction iu the revenue. rjjnsoxAi. Miss Eye and 145 orphan girls arrived at Halifax on the 6th hist. —The house of Elder Spencer, at Northfield, X. H., was entered, Saturday night, hut the Elder met the intruder, knocked him down with a chair, and when he rallied gave him throe more. The \ould-bo burglar did not like the reception, and retired, probably -with a broken arm. —Gough has been obliged to cancel several lee-* tnre engagements on account of a severe cold, which he fears will result in pneumonia or con gestion. —The King or Dahomey attended a grand fen.' lie other day, wearing a quantity of druggists* labels ..s decorations. General Guy Manney Fessenden, a promi nent citizen of Warren, R. T., died suddenly on Friday, aged CT years, lie published a valuable history of Warren some years ago, and has also written several articles on the Northmen. —Rosscl, the young army ©nicer and ox-Com uionlst, who haft been condemned to death, In his day has fought two duels. In both cases ho killed his umu, and as ho would never tight ex cept with the pistol, the coUchcmanJ or small sword duelling fraternity of Prance avoided giving him offence. —M. Lambrecht, the late French ITorae Minis ter, was an engineer, about S3 years of ago, tall, pale, thin, and rather grave. Among his political opponents ho had only friends. Excessive smok ing, it Is said, caused his death. For two years he had been expectorating blood, and yet ho was never to be seen without a cigar in his mouth. Several times ho wished to resign, but M. Thiers restrained him. “I shall die In harness, then,’ said M. Lambrecht. Yes,** replied M. Thiers, prophetically, “if you smoko as you do.” M. Lambrecht left a wife and nine children. —Tho only explanation given of the singular sui cide in Maine of Anna Wood, of Hartford, ami Ada Brown, of Buckflcld, girls 1C and U years of a£c. Is that Anna was of a desponding, moody temperament, perhaps tinged with hereditary in sanity that she thought she was without friends, and had ooncludcdftlie could not find employment; that Ada. over whom she had a wonderful Influ ence, was similarly depressed by unsuccessful attempts to obtain employment; that at last Anna succeeded in bringing Ada to ber mind, and both plunged into tho stream, locked in each other’s arms. —“lndian Joe/’ a Piute medicine man. well known among the.whitcs, was stoned to death by hls trlbc, having failed to restore to health two "sick Indians. POLITICAL. The Lafayette (Ind.) Journal of the 9lh says: “Chicago has done herself immense credit in over-riding all political intrigue, and, with noble unanimity, putting the affairs of the city Into the hands of her best men. It was the spontaneous expression of a chastened people, Intent, as they ought always to be, only on the public good.” —At the election in Duuleith, 111., on Tuesday, the city gave 65 majority for the bridge to l against the tax; and CO majority for township or ganization to X against it —Governor Padelford, of Rhode Island,,has is sued a proclamation announcing tie result of the special election held to ascertain the will of the people on certain proposed amendments to the State Constitution, as follows: Infavorof extend ing the suffrage to every male citizen, 3,236: op posed, 6,«». In favor of abolishing the registry tax, 3,787 opposed, 6,100. In favor of refusing State aid to sectarian schools or institutions, 5,177: opposed, 4,574. —The Davenport (Iowa) Gazette says that J. M. Wcart, of Independence, will be a candidate for re-election as Secretary of the lowa Senate. —The Rook Island Arffus thus walls:* “The contest is over, and the Democrats of Rock Island have the pleasant satisfaction of chewing their cuds over one of the completes! thrashings they have received for twenty years or more. IVe have l*ceu routed, horse, foot, and dragoons—and even worse than that. We leave our dead or wounded on the Held, because none were on the Held. We have been defeated in the most dU- graceful manner, while wo at the same time pos sessed the power to have won a thorough vic tory.” —The Xow York Evening Post of Kor. 8 says “The advocates of ‘female suffrage’ have a bitter pill to swallow this morning. They have been claiming for years t hat the way to purify our elections Is to admit women to the polls. For the ilrst time In the history of this city the cxi'eri ment was tried yesterday; and the irhotc roie cast hy vow™ irosyirtH unanimously for William M. Tirmi, the Captain of the city banditti. It ought to be a«hl.-d that thlf unanimous vot«- wa.-- east by £•5, ;X. IX. iiiUv**; pe\ t ‘.h-’ only one of several women who tendered their ballots ut the polls who was not repulsed by the inspectors.” TA london Police Court magistrate has desldod that crossings are peculiarly tho property of foot passengers. —Alluding to the immigration of thirty Celes tials to study at Yule, an exchange says: “The Chinese Freshman dying his leisure kite upon t’to colli ge grounds, instead of carrying off midnight gates and nailing up obnoxious tutors; tho Chinese Sophomore feeding upon frugal rat, in stead of lavishing his money upon bad cham pagne; the Chinese Junior making his own cloth ing. Instead of making the fortunes of designing tailors; and the Chinese Senior preferring to translate Confucius Into English rather than to flirt with the traditional belle of New Haven, will utterly confound the tradition* of Yale, and pro voke undergraduate hostility to Chinese cheap study/* —A congress is to be held In London n’cxt year to discuss the improvement* of prison discipline and the general treatment of crime. Representa tives from all parts of Europe will he present, —Upwards of 100,000 hadJecs, or pilgrim*, hare visited Mecca this year. Owing to proper sani tary precautions having been taken at tho port of debarkation, there has been no epidemic among them. —Fishing for crocodiles on the Nile is a sport which would have done Izak Waltou’s heart good.. A big boat is equipped with a wlndliss and u strong line, to which is added a fine goose, with a strong hook under each pinion. The whole is turned adrift, and before long a crocodile comes up, seizes the goose, and tows tho boat rapidly down stream. After he has wearied himself by dragging the boat for a while, the line is pulled In, the monster’s head appears on tho surface, and a bullet is adroitly lodged in his eye. —The Arab insurgents taken, prisoners in tbe late Algerian revolt are transported to Corsica, and upwards of one hundred chieftains and mar abouts have already landed in tho Island. They are -permitted to take their wives and children with them. —A man engaged in investigating the chargee of carelessness against the workmen in the Scranton mines, found afterward that, during tho investi gation. he had been given an open keg of powder to sit on, while he held a lighted candle in his hand. —The boarding house keepers at Lowell, Mass., find that the operatives eat a larger dinner than formerly, owing to the extra time allowed, and ore talking of raising the board in consequence. —The national census shows that, for one person who dice in Tennessee or Florida of consumption, thirteen die iu Massachusetts, and two in Minne sota. —The sale at auction of the Jarvcs collection of Italian paintings, drew a number of persons to the Art Galien* in Kcw Haven, who wore intending to purchase single pictures, ns it had been an nounced that they would be sold separately. They were disappointed, however, for the Treas urer of Yale College, which institution hold a mortgage of 820,000 on the collection, hid $22,03) for them as a whole, ami they will adorn the gal lery as heretofore. Mr. Jarvcs valued the collec tion at SOO,OOO, but good authorities say that it would have sold for more thausloo,ooo in Paris or London, and it would have been profitable for the owner if he hud taken them there to dispose of them. —Half a dozen students of Cornell University, taving been flood by the civil authorities for lift ng gates, the Faculty suspended them for a year, md ordered them to leave town within live days -au edict which created great excitement among the rest of the six hundred students, who held a mass meeting, denounced the Faculty, and en listed public sympathy to such an extent that the college authorities are deliberating on the expe diency of executing the mandate. A Pittsburgh husband having apparently died of amall-pox, his affectionate wife pur chased a magnificent casket, lu which he w;u temporarily interred. Unused to such gorgeous surroundings, the man woke up, scolded his wife for spending m> much money foolishly, and now wants somebody to step in and take the coliin off his hands. —M. Jules Richard, in a remarkable article in the Gaufois on the state of public opinion, as serts that the majority of Frenchmen don't scorn to care what becomes of Franco. “If the ex- Empcror," he says, were to make another coup d'etat to-night, and dissolve the Chamber and issue one of hU seductive proclamations to-mor row, what would be the answer 1 Eh, dame! After all, we might as well have him nsauybody else. At least ho will give us order, I dare say he is not so bad ns ho is painted.’ Such is the ro ply M. Richard believes tweuty-uiue out of every thirty Frenchmen would make. —The contract between Switzerland and a cc»* I partnership of German bankers for the construe- 411,018.09 28,931.13 49,962.38 37,810.38 8,699.2." 13,958.20 6,851.42 9.251.18 tion of the Mount St. Gotthard tunnel has boon completed. The worn 1»* twice tbe length of the Mont C’fsnis tunnel, and difficulty i> anticipated at Aiulcnaott in passing under the beds of rivers. The company is to raise ♦20,400,000, and the gov emments interested will grant a subsidy of $17.- 000,000. The peaks which are to be tunnelled vary in height from 8.7H0 to lo.aco feet. From the sum mit of the Pass of St. Gotthard four rivers, the Rhine, Rhone, Rouss, and Tessin, have their sources: and the “Devil's Bridge” on the north slope of the road witnessed several severe eii gagements between the French and Russians in 1700. The carriage road, still kept iu cxcelb repair, is iu constant use by travellers. —A Pittsfield, Mass., clerk lately married ami moved to North Adams, where he bought a house and lot. Iu a few days the tax-collector called cm him and presented so large a tax-bill that tin: young man says he told him to take ills deed oi the properly in part x'aymcut, and ho would let him have the rest as soon as possible. —An English woman, resident iu Algiers, has married a Bedouin Arab, stating that she did so in the interest of science.” Bogan Insurance. To the Editor of The Ch .ccujo Tribune i Sin: You say iu your issue this morning. The days of bogus insurance business in Ch tango /inrc, in all likclihowl dcjnirtai forcrcr.” This may not bo so unless the Legislature shall inter fere with some stringent laws to prevent the repe tition of what can he termed nothing else but stupendous swindles upon the community. It is notorious that the legion of worthless Insurance companies that have flooded the country, and especially this city, have been, the eleemosynary establishments to provide for broken-down mer chants, briefless lawyers, and needy younger sons as clerks and agents, and moneyless stockholders who want dividends without paving in capital. Witness the startling'fact that those companies on a surplus and capital of $300,000 to $500,000. and that not half paid in, have swept Into their pockets hundreds of thou sands of dollars for premiums on live to eighteen millions of risks each, which were always as worthless ns the promises and checks of any other contldcnco operator upon a deluded stranger at a railroad depot. Out of gicsc confidence premiums the stockholders have Said themselves 15 to 25 per cent per annum, and y blowing and bulling mu up their stock to I fabulous prices, to further confidence” the In i noccnt and unwary. These dividends honestly and iu equity belong to the policy-holders uud creditors of the companies, as some of the stock holders may yet learn at the tail of a decree of u competent court. But what is the remedy for all this fleecing of an unwary people! When originally the banka did this thing, the Legislature limited their circu lation to their capital, or such an amount over a a was judged wise. When this was found Inefficient to protect the people from hank swindling, a safetv fund system was devised. This falling to remedy the evil, wo have reached at last a sound basis of requiring a deposit of bonds with the j government to cover the entire amount of such circulation." Now let the Legislature of Illinois apply this Sriuciplc to every insurance company, foreign or oiuctUic. wishing to do business iu this State. Let the risks taken by the companies he limited by, or fairly proportioned to. the bonds or securi ties they shall tuo with the Secretary of State, being sufficient security to all people that, when they purchase au insurance, risk, it shall not be I a worthless thing. Let periodical reports bo re quired to be made to a Commissioner of Insur- I ance, with power of examination, to be appointed I by the Governor and Semite, at a salary to bo I contributed by the insurance companies ratably. I If this is done on the same substantial principle I that covers all our bonking corporations, with I such variation in details as may bo necessary for I the difference in the character of the business, u I deluded public will no longer bo the victims of I bogus insurance business in Chicago." J Iu doing this no discrimination should lie made between companies foreign to Chicago or other* f wise. S. A. G. I Chicago. Nov. 11. The Poor in the Barracks—Salt Ucnt and Poor management. To the Editor of The Chicago Tribune: Sir: rcrmlt mo through the columns of Tin* Tribune to call the attention of somebody, whoso business it is to attend to these matters, to the condition of affairs In the Harrison street bar racks. There arc nearly or quite a'ooo men. women, and children provided with shelter at this place, and furnished with rations; but for nearly live weeks they have been fed entirely upon salt meat—i»ork and beef. Not a pound of fresh beef, nor u pint of soup has bccu provided during the whole time. To sick women and children the same rations arc dealt out; to a woman dying of consumption and a child delirious with fever the invariable i>ound of pork and peck of potatoes axe served. It certainly does not require the deliber ations of a Board of Health to predict the in evitable result if this Is continued. Scurvy and other diseases will make this camp of the poor a peat house, and the home of contagion, if the treatment is not speedily changed. lam aware of the immense amount of labor imposed on the Aid Society in this matter, but there are some things which can be done Just as well as others. Ifjthcse people were fur nished twice or three times a week with good nu tritious beef soup the x>rincipal danger would bo averted. There is another matter which scorns to bo radi cally wrong. The moment a man obtains work his rations arc cut oil*, and It is of no eousequou<‘o whether he draws a dollar of pay in one week or two; 11 he has work his food Is stopped. No labor ing man can draw daily his pay for his Übor. Employers do not pay iu that way. It is not an uncommon thing to children crying and beg ging for bread, merely because their fathers have found work. These people should bo fed until they an* able to feed themselves. The exercise of a very small proportion of common sense in tins matter now will remedy a wrong, which without it will soon ripen Into crime. CJi.o. A, Sunxi.nr. .18. dueu\«*. Nov. i?. MISCELLANEOUS. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 1871. THE LOST RECORDS. Draft of an Act for the Restoration of the County Records. Ad Attempt to Render Proof oi Titles Cost less to Individual Lot-Owners, At one of the early meetings of the Judges of Cook County there was submitted,* by Edward Robey, Esq,, a draft for an act for a bill to meet tho emergency which has resulted from tho loss of the county records. There has not since been n general meeting of the bench, so that, up to tho present time, the draft has not been considered by them. The object of tho bill is to procure speedy action for the quieting of title*. A main feature of the bill is the attempt to ren der the proof of titles an operation without cost to the individual lot owner, by assessing the cost upon the county to bo raided by taxation upon the whole of the interested lota. The proposed bill, omitting the preamble. Is as follows; section* J. In all cases where tiie records of any conntv have been or shall be burned, or otherwise tl.*- stroved, tho Circuit Court of Jurisdiction In such county shall proceed to ascertain and determine Uni title to each and every tract of land, and tojudgo and ascertain, and, bv decree, to settle the ownvr iLlp and the extent of the title of each owner in or to aai.l lauds. sec. 2. The Attorney General shall, upon the direc tion of the Governor, prepareand tile a bill In chan cery in the name of the people of the State of Illinois, as nlaiutifls, and against all persons and bodies corpo rate in any manner interested In the lands in such countv as defendants without, however, naming any person or corporation. In such bill he shall set forth generally- the nature and the date of the destruction of tho record evidences of title, and pray that the court may entertain the said bill and perpetuate the evidence of title, remove clouds, and settle m.d deter mine the titles to all the real estate in such connir lu accordance with the terms of this act. Upon the tiling of such hill tho said court shall consider the same and shall determine whether the exigency contemplated by this act exists, and It it shall determine that such-exl gency exists, said court shall certify and transmit to the Governor a copv of. said bid* together with it* determination thereon and a rule designating its term at which it will commence to examine and. determine such titles under the authority of this act And, thereupon, the Governor shall Issue a proclama tion setting forth the commencement of such proceed ings usd the term designate 1 for the commencement of tho examination, and require all persons, corpora tions. and bodies politic, in any manner intarostea In the said lands, to appear and present their claims and evidences of title to the said court, that such court may bear the same and adjudge thereon, and tho Gov ernor shall forthwith nominate, and, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, appoint three or more discreet persons, resident in such county, two (at h ast) of whom shall lx* practical and discreet searchers of title, or examiners of the former recorua of such connty (If two such can bo found to servo). It shall bo the autv of such officers to obtain, toko charge of, arrange, and lav before the court all evidences of title which may be In any manner accessible to thorn, and all claims of title and matters of evidence which mav bo presented by persons intorestsd. Said officers shiul be called Examiners of Lund Titles. They shall have power to appoint deputies and to perform tho duties required bv this act by the aid of such subordi nates or clerks as shall seem necessary for the promo tion of justice, and obtaining and presenting tho evi denco in the most orderly and, at the same time, the most expeditious manner consistent with tho demands of justice. hKC. a. One or more of the Judges of said court, and such other courts of chancery jurisdiction lu said countv, shall be designated by the Judges thereof to hear and to determine tho matters arising under this act. And ns many as cun bo employed shall be so designated, from time to time; am! such designation nmv. from tinietotime.be altered or increased. The Judges of said court, or a majority of them, may desig nate tome person to present and take charge of the l Interests of all Infants and other persons under legal 1 di-abilities who shall not be represented lu the manner now provided bv law. HUM. The court mav take up the several towns or subdivisions in towns lu the county, from time to time, in such order ns it may designate; and, in such town or subdivision, it shall proceed «s nearly ns practica ble la numerical order; and may consider the title to the several government subdivisions or any lesser devlsions which shall depend upon the same chain, ami then the branches of the chain, until the present titles to individual lots an* reached, when they shall be s>‘veni!ly detennimd. Tin* several Judges deaig nat< d mav.'tf the evidence cun be properlv present* d, take up different towns or subdivisions in towns at the same time, each proceeding in the manuer desig nated in this section. If any difficult question shall arise a* t«» anv parcel or subdivision. or If the evidence touching the title thereto shall lx* inefficient to enable the com t to tender judgment immediately, such parcel ot subdivl-hm shall not delay the general order, but may be refenedto another Judge of the same nr an aiijoiulug circuit, or of other courts of chancery juris, diction in such county, or may he postponed; but judgment thereon by any other court .-nail he certhled to the Circuit Court having original jurisdiction, aud be enu red in Us place in sum court. H:c. '1 lie court may In all Ihaeo proceedings hear or consider all matters of evidence by which it may be asslsu*d in foimlug its Judgment. Hooks of abstracts or abstract indices ami memorandum* of judgments, executions rales, and other matters found therein, mav Im* received and considered, and to facilitate the presentation of the evidence, notes or memoranda, or copies of said tranks, indices, and memorandums to bo nuido under the directum of the said Examiners maybe considered as evidence taken by the court. Abstracts heretofore made may also be consulcnsl. The qualitl catiousof alwdrarters aud the general cn-donco given to any sit of abstracts, books, or indices,orubstracters, may be considered bv the court once for all; any ex planations in relerei.ee to any particular parcel* of luiid made by the proprietors of the books or any other qualillid ihtsohs, may be heard and considered by the court, Entries or memorandums In tax, or other pub He offices, showing or tending to show title or claim of title interest or possession in private persons or corpo rations, mav likewise be considered; and tho rules of evidence are lietebv far relaxed as to allow to the said J udges lull and complete discretion to hear and to receive Tor what it Is worth any and «U matters, how ever remote or distant, which they shall believe to bo wortbv of consideration in tho premises or-to afford any light whatever to tho exercise of their Judgments. He. 6. The said courts mav, from tlmo to time, by rule limit tho time-for,the tiling of claim of title ami e\ liter coin support thereof before the llrst bearing, ns to lands situated in tho several towns or subdivisions in tow ns, and all claims and evidences ns to the title to lands within such town, si all be filed jwiUiin fho time* tlmltcil. Tho court tuny also tako such moans to insure publi* itv to such nilcs as it shall doom expe dient: but suefi publication shall not bo necessary to the jurisdiction of tho court. If no such rule shall be entered, claims of title and proofs ia support thereof 1 mav be tiled at anv time before tho court shall have commenced the call of tlie lands la the town wherein such title* ate located. The court mav in its discretion receive such claims aud evidences at any time before tho Interlocutory decree touching the title tothe par ticular parcel of 'land shall be. entered. Sec. 1. All claim* or liens for taxes, assessments, or forfeiture**, claimed bj the State, or any county, town., citv. or olhtt municipal corporation, shall be present ed'to said court, with proper and competent proof* thereof, before the entering of tho interlocutory de cree all other claims shall be entitled lu said court, and with tho title to said suit. and shall state tho claimant’s interest in the pattieular piece of laud claimed as near a* may be, shall describe the laud dis tinctly, shall schedule the evidences filed iu support of the claim, shall state the claimant** full name, and ho expressed in terse, concise, and common language, and be signed bv the patty, or hi* attorney, stating in full the Post Office address of such psirtv or attomev. No claim shall include more than one parcel of laud, except where the chain of title to several lots or parcel* is identical. Deeds, tax receipts, and other documentary evidences may be tiled with such claims. Affidavits of possession and depositions taken before any Notary Public. Master In Chancery, or clerk or deputy clerk of the said conrtjtnay also be tiled In support of such claim of title. Tho court shall have power, from time to lime, to preset ibe the forms which shall be used for such claims, affidavit*, and deporit ions aud In Its dls crction toprovldoprinted form*.and refuse to consider anything nut presented in conformity with its rule*. No oral Arguments shall bo lu .r.ti prior to entering tho interlocutory deem*, unless specially ordered by tho Jndgc, but if any party shall desire to he heard he mar, within the time limited for filing of claims tile ten (ibi printed copios of his argument or brief in support of Ida title, which argument shall bo in pamphlet form, with pages of the size of the pages of tbeJHlnois Re- Eovts. shall be properly entitled, showing at the name of the elnininnt. and shall be signed by the claimant or hi* attornej*. All papers and docu ments of anv nature. Hied bv any claimant, shall be marked with his name aud Post Office address, or that of his attorney. Sr.c 8 provides for the procuring of evidence (see. ominry) of title or lien, to be presented before the Ex. ntnluers, and the payment therefor, allowing the Ex aminers to avail themselves, in the presentation ot ev idence to the courts, of the Indices of abstract men. Sec. 9. The said Examiners shall lay before the court tho evidences In relation to the title to property In tho sovcral towns, and shall render to the conn such assistance and counsel for the arrangement and thorough understanding thereof as they may be able; and the court shall have power to require other evl dcnces to be taken. If other evidence appears to bo at tainable. and to bo required for Vie attainment of Jus. tlce, and the court shall proceed to adjudicate upon the titles, and, as to tho several parcels of land, shall en ter interlocutory decrees setting forth. In as con else aud explicit form as possible, tho titles. Interest*, and ownerships in tho particular parcels, detiaing the nature aud extent of each claim, interest, and owner ship as fur as possible. Pec. ip. Thesaid court shall cafise the interlocutory decrees heretofore mention to be rccoxdod immediate ly, and the names of the claimants and of all persons found to be owners of any tract of land, or of any legal or equitable estate therein, shall bo entered In proper indices, under the direction of the court, os soon os .practicable. At any lime within one year from the day of the term at which such Interlocutory decree Is ren dered, any person or contention claiming anv title, estate, interest, or lien In or upon tho lands em braced In tho interlocutory decree, adverse to the titles adjudged in such interlocutory decree, excepting such as have liens by virtue of Judgments or decrees of tho Supreme Court ot this State or of the Federal courts, and which appear of record in said comts, shall tile their claims of title to the said lands in tho said Circuit Courty, setting forth clearly their title and the doenmentarv evidence thereof, ana there upon the said claimant shall give notice under tho di rection of the court to all parties whoso interests ap. pear by said interlocutory decree, or by claims of title subsequently filed, to be adverse. And the court may require the said parties to produce their documentary evidence and take their testimony before a Clerk of tho Court, or bv some person or persons by the court com missioned thereto; and the court may from time to time adopt such rules for tho order of hearing of such case* and adjudication thereon ns shall seem to it ex pedient. In all cases where this State, county, town, citv. or other municipal organization shall have claimed a title for taxes assessments or levies, prior to the en tering of tho Interlocutory decree, and the court upon consideration thereof with tho evidences therewith presented shall In such interlocutory decree have found for such claim, the court shall, after such Intcr locutorv decree sliall have been entered, tlx a time for the hearing of the parties, and require reasonable and sufficient notice to bo given to ail parties Interested adversely to such Men, and shall then and there pro ceed to a hearing thereof, mid shall give to the State, county, town, cities and other municipal corporation* an opjrartnnltv severally to present the evidences of *uch claims or Mens, and to the owners or persons In terested In said property, shall be given full opportu nity to produce evidence lor their ddcpcc, and (here niK.n tuc court shall pronounce judgment for or against such liens, according to the evidence, but no Judgment establishing a lien against any man's land shall be rendered unless it shall appear to the court bv competent evidence that such lieu or charge has accrued mid become lixed mndust the said land* by due course and process ot law. and tho evidence upon which Judgment 1* rendered establishing such a Ben niton the freehold, diall be carefully preserved in the tiles of the court. srx. it. At the cud »n one year from the last day of the term at which interlocutory Judgment or Judg ments shall have Wen entered, or as soon thereafter :i* practicable, the court shall consider the *oid Judgments and cuter a general judgment, continuing* the Intorlocntorv decries pi nil cases whore adverse claims have not beta tiled, except as to the lions forstatoaud other municipal purposes, and barring and foreclosing each and every estate, right, title. Interest, lieu and claim lu, to, upon, or against the lambs In said interlo cutory derives dt**crib«d, which are in any maimer contrary or adverse to tho tities established by such decree, and such titles so established shall bo thereby settles! and cleared from all adverse claims and frera all clouds thereon. Tin* Men* or charge* of tho State or any county or other municipal organization shall be con firmed or ammlhd by -such final decree according to the Judgment then*on upon the hearing, and such de em* when enfensl shall, ns to each tract of land Inclnd tsl thcMu, be tho tiual decree in said cause, in all cast** where claims arc tiled after the interlocutory de cree the court shall as ««rau as practicable after one vear from the last day of the term at which such inter locutory decree was rendered, enter tlnal decree as to such lands in the same manner and with like effect as lu other cases, sm-ii decree however to determine the controversies as tothe title arising upon the claims and evidences presented after the interlocutory decree. Si:c. I— No cods or fee* slmU bo allowed orcluirgvd a gainst the lauds lu any case nor shall anv Judge. Clerk, Examiner or other officer of the court be permitted to ebargo or receive any fees or perquisites whatever for performing am* of the duties required by this act. ex cept in cases where a special Commissioncxia appointed to lake particular testimony at a distance from the court, in which cast* such Commissioner may charge to the party for whose tK-nelit the evidence I* taken a reasonable compensation .at a rate to be fixed by the court by general rule- or special order. The compensation ot all officers and deputies and all expenses ot the proceed hie* under till* act, except as otherwise provided by I luw. shall Im* determined by the court aud shall be 1 paid by the county of which the record* shall have 1 *,»eu so destroyed. HX. *J he'judge* and ;;\UX Exqminu- shall V>p careful watch and of the nmldng up of tho record,*, ui d paid Judges shall se«? to It that said rec ords ait* written in a clear ami legible manner ami kepi in Htrit i order, in accordance with the provisions cf tls!" statute. and the mle-of the court: and in case any Chirk shall lull to perfom tho duties of trite act and tu muter strict obedience to ttjo rules and orders of tho comt lu the proceedings authorized by this act mid to k«ep competent and suitable deputies lor the full pcrfonmiuceol all the duties Imposed bv virtue of ills act. such Clerk shall be deemed guilty of contempt of c.-'urt, and may bo suspended or dismissed from efiico bv tin* comt, ami the said Judges may require one el Ibo wild Examiners oc may appoint a special clerk to act in the stead of such Clerk during such sua pension i.r vacancy, or until the oflice can be tuied m duci ourteof tbelaw. SKc. 14. Avd whereas the matters set forth In tho preamble constitute a ease of emergency, therefore this act shall take effect Immediately. HEROIC CONDUCT, A Racine (Wls.) Strain Fire Engine at the Chi cago Conflagration—How It Saved Elevator 11 and Hundred** of Human Lives* The Haiito (WD.) Journal of areccut date, con tains the following account of tho excellent ser vice rendered by a Racine st .'am lire engine at the Great Chicago Conflagration; Tho new steam fire engine built for tho city by Clapp Jmie*. has at last arrived, amt her appearance as sue passed through the streets was mica as to excite tbe attention of all.* She was grim aud i;»U-stalncd, thick with dirt, black with smoko, her ornamental brass work was dim and tarnished. She was lu no holiday attire. Somehow, as she passed along, it reminded one of tho return of veterans from the war—with their toju and tattered battle-flags floating proudly in the brecztv-grander to gaze tf>on than before rebel hato marred than. She had passed through a fearful con test,and had come out victorious where so many others had been defeated. r-umhiy *Jt**nioon Mr. Walker, the agent, arrived withtbo Racine and a small* r engine for Pentwater, Mich., at Chicago. Hnndav night—tlmt awful Samlav bight for Chicago—the great lire bro*e out. At 1- o'cleek Mr. Walker saw that the efforts of the llrcmeu to check the flames were unavailing, and he determin ed to aid, br all means in his power, to assist iu sub duh>glhutG lots hi Hcaeock’s w 1-2 Block 1, of Laughton’s w 1-2 nw H. sec- 30.-39,14, being on s w comer of Bice-place and Twenty-second-st.; dated Nov. 9. Consideration, $13,000. SOUTH OF CITY LIMITS. Lot 16 in Fish and Young’s lot 8. east of Wallace street, of w 1-4, see. 4, 38, 14; dated Nov. 19. Consideration, $373. SUJfMARY. Real estate mortgages and trust deeds, 7; quit claim deeds and releases, 1G; ground leases. 1; other Instruments conveying property In Conk County, 19; chattel mortgages, 3; together with 9S documents which were* re-recorded by reason of the tire. 'Widcaiag Streets* To the Editor of The Chicago Tribune Sin: Since the lire your paper has contained, almost dally, some communication iu regard to securing Chicago against u repetition of tho groat disaster. With your permission, allow mo to call the attention of our citizens-to-thefollowing plan: It is Impossible to make any building, and Its content*, strictly lirc.prcof, and therelore. on* I jely rs«U>? to talk about a tire-proof eiiy. v.’bai Cluvoco. um\ every largo city. iKCd*. is provision against the spreading of «fire, after onco obtaining headway. The proper and easiest way to do this is to have, say every four or live blocks, one street at least 200 feet wide, and in this avenue a number of cisterns or artesian wells, os reserves in case of accidents to the Water Works. The streets in the burnt district, which could now be widened at a small expense, compared withtho benefit and ornament the city would derive therefrom, are Lake, Wash ington or Madison, Van Buren, and Harrison, running cast and West, and State street and Fifth avenue (or Wells street),miming north and south. This widening might be accomplished by the city purchasing one or two lots in each block and simply moving back the corners. In this manner there would be no condemnation of property, mid the remaining lot* would still have their former size, but there would be one or two lots less in a block. Even 25 feet, or one lot added to each side —making 60 feet in all—to the streets named, would give material aid in keeping, a tiro trom crossing them, besides what an ornament would such streets bo to Chicago. In fact ©very sticet imho burnt district might bo widened to the extent above named—2s feet ou each side—at such little cost noic, that it is certainly worthy of the consideration of our authorities. Wo. cannot adopt toe Holly plan of water works unless ac •a tremendous cost, and to guard against scarcity of water at any future lire ought to-construct a svstem of large cisterns, all connected together and kept full by one or more artesiiu wells. Our streets arc not wide enough for the commerce centring in them, and it would be a blunter to let this opportunity to widen them pass. Imme diate action is of course necessary. Yours truly, F. A. WICUKLMAN. REPORTS FROM THE COURTS. CIRCUIT COURT, JUDGMENT. Judgment was confessed by Edward Prescott in favor of Eli S. Prescott for debt and damages, '520,951.16. new purr. An action of trespass was commenced by Alonzo C. Gleason against C. J. Letz, in which the dama ges arc laid at $5,000. NOTICE One or more of the Judges having in charge tho common law business, will hereafter sit, day by day, for the purpose of hearing motions for the reinstatement of cause* upon the common law docket. Judge Farwell will sit each day at 2 o’clock, to hear motions in chancery, lu tho High School building. CRIMINAL COURT. TWO CONVICTIONS. Tho grand jury yesterday returned into court two indictments, in cases where, owing to the necessity of the absence of witnesses, it seemed proper to use expedition in the trial of the causes. Henry H«rrl*ou was charged with the larceny of nineteen dollars, the propertyof Rotiert Mart, the allegation bring that be took It from a vessel from which ho had within a few moments been paid off. He pleaded guilty, under tho as?e of eighteen, being seventeen years of ago next Christmas, and in extenuation averred that ho was drunk when he committed the theft. He was remanded to await sentence-day. Charles McGinnis attempted to pick the pocket of one Michael Gallagher. He dovo his hand into the pocket in which Gallagher had not deposited Ids money, and was caught. He acknowledged his guilt. ;md was remanded for sentence at a fu ture day. NOTICE. The crrand.iury has in no wise as yet completed its labor, and it will probably be some days be fore its final report is made. The probability now is that u petit Jury will not be brought in before Monday of next week. VALUABLE INFORMATION’, Patents to Lots iu tbe Fort Dearborn Addition to Chicago—Uow*to Obtain Duplicates. By the following note from the Sooroturyof War, it will be seen that those who have lost their original patents cau obtain duplicates on appli cation to the War Department: Wau department, WAsiirsv.TON City, Nov. 3, IS7L i TZcrac X. Arnold, Xo. 481 ll'ahatTi a venue: Sin: Your letter ol Utc l*t requesting copy of the Itvport of the Solicitor of the Land Oflioo in reference tothusaleof Fort Dearborn reservation, with a view of facilitating the obtaining of duplicated patents, has been received. In reply, li you will specify the patents yciidesire. giving tliu uumber of the lots, tho range, ami the original purchaser at the sale. copies of thorn will bo forwarded to you. Veiy respectfully, your obetUent sonant, Wat. \V. Belknap. Secretary of War. If any of tho original purchasers, whose patents have been burned, desire duplicates, and will leave the proper description at oar oillcc. No. 431 Wabash avenue, wo will obtain them without charge. Arnold Waterman. Those Abstract Broker*. To the Editor of The Chicago Ttibune gut: From information already before tho peo ple, through the press, it ia unquestionably true tlmt a commission could accurately reproduce all the nmps or plate ou record prior to the lire. Thus wo can have ro-vccordcd a correct survey of every lot, block, and section in the County of Cook. So much gained beyond question. It re mains to ascertain who holds tho tee, and who else arc legally entitled to lions. The records arc not of themselves evidence of any equitable in terests, except in cases of trust deeds and uuau eery suits, which, by the ilisclosure therein of swell Interests, are preserved the same as legal rights. The letters heretofore published seem to adopt the idea that the County of Cook, having undertaken the custody and control of the rec ords, should reinstate them. If the county is a bailee for hireunless tt adopted every reason able measure which science could suggest for the safety of tho valuable records in its keeping; un less ic was the net of God, unassisted by any con trolling negligence on tho pare of tho » catcd in the vicinity of tbe soup house, but ouc wagon could carry suflicieut soup for a hundred or more people daily. Observer. Chicago, Nov. 13, isti. Liability Tor Real. To the Editor of The Chicago Tribune: Sir An article in to-day’s Tribune states that a tenant must pay rent during his whole term, though the premises be burned ux>. There arc two aides to even this old question. It is held in one of Barboui’s Reports (Now York), that a lessee of a room or rooms which is wholly burned up is not bound to pay rent while thus evicted by lire t.that, where the subject mailer of the lease is all consumed or destroyed, the lla bllitv to pay rent is at an end. A lease of land with a building on it is very different; the land is left, and may be used by the lessee. I also quote the following from Ambler’s Reports (English), page rio: of a iuuw and jr/mW*covenants to u’pair, accidents bv nr,, excepted; The hr.vnc is burned down, and th” hs. For.liavinginsured. t v. viw.lrhe i:wir;:ufvmi»aev i-tt neglected U uK-ihi. .vj 1 au low for the rent. A bill wan illoil by lease* for an inji.uetii/U, aoU held proper till the re built. J.A. D. CHICAGO, Nov. 11. INSURANCE. Kew Vork Companies in Chicago—Super infeodent miller’s Report Nearly Twenty-one millions of Insurance Capi tal Withdrawn from the Slate* I rom the New York Tribune, Nov. 11. The following is the ollicial report of Geo. W. Miller, Superintendent of the liLsnranco Department of New York, as to the losses suttaiucill.y New York corporations W the recent conflagration m Chicago. Iho 1 1 femes in each case are sworn to by the oliiccrs ok the respective companies: 1 state of New York. Insurance Department, Albany. Nov. 11,1871. In view of the disastrous ©fleets of the late great tire in Chicago upon the insurance com panies doing business in this State, and the natural anxiety of the public for reliable in formation as to the actual results, the Super intendent of the Insurance Department deems it proper to make public the following facts: On IhcßUhof October the Superinten dent issued a circular to all the companies doing business in this State, requiring a state ment of the gross assets, gross liabilities, and tho losses by tho Chicago tire (separately stated) of each company. With the exsep- H«t of companies known to have suspended, and one or two others, all tho companies or ganized under the laws of the State of New York have returned the statements required. From these statements, and other reliable in formation. the following facts appear: The following New York companies have ceased to do business, and gone into liquida tion. The gross assets of each, as stated in the annual report of Dec. 21 last, is givon in the absence of any present report; Gross assets Jan, 1,1571. Market $701,684 North America.. 770,305 Security. 1,860,338 Washington 774,411 Albany City 397,wc Capital 233.766 Buffalo City..... 370,334 Buffalo Fire Ins. 473,577 Western 580,517 Yonkers, N. Y'.. 868,933 Gross assets Jan 1.1871. 261,851 JR tna AMor. Atlantic Beckman.... Excelsior... Fulton Irving Lamm larlilard... Manhattan. Tbe following is a list of those New York companies which had no losses in Chicago: Agricultural. Holland Purc’se, Park, Albany, Hope People s, Arctic, Long Island. Peter Cooper, Broadway, C Manfaeturers* Rutgers, Brooklyn, Builders* St. Nicholas, City, Metropolitan, Standard, Clinton, Montauk, Star, Eagle, Nassau, Stuyvesant, Empire City, N. Y’. Bowery. United States. G'elmard, N. Y'. Central, Watertown, Globe, N. Y’. Equitable, Knickerbocker, Hamilton. North River. Westchester. COMPANIES WHICH SUSTAINED LOSSES BUT ARK CONTINUING BUSINESS. Total losses by Gross assets* Chicago fire Adriatic.. American. 28o.esr 303,716 722,068 46H.595 American Exchange. Buffalo Gorman Citizens’ Columbia 762,000 450,030 253,665 26,000 317,451 5,000 .2,847,307 1,400,000 Ccmmcrce Albany Commerce Fire (N. Y.)... Commercial Continental Com Exchange 359,W0 Exchange 207,374 firemen’s Fund 182,030 Firemen’s Trust 241,700 Germania 1,135,332 Glen’s Falls 554,902 Gretnwich 472.070 Guardian 286,984 Ilnnovor 750,000 Hotlmun 217,460 .4,813,501 891.360 362.786 303,189 .1,466.726 447,391 292,562 224.643 Home Howard Humboldt Importers’ and Traders’ International Jeflersen King** Comity Lafayette 247,600 236,356 Lenox Mechanics’ 518.CC2 292,335 463.864 300,000 389,904 1,321,420 Mechanic.''’ and Traders’ Mercantile Merchants’ National Now York Niagara 451,403 ,870,076 323,125 Pacific. Pkenix. Kehei.. Republic 683.382 KCMilUlc I 254.021 Stirling 260.581 WilhHUislmrgh City 531JUH Assuming that the total assets of the sus pended companies will l>o absorbed by tba Chicago losses of those compauies, and that tho losses of those continuing business will be paid in full, the result is that $20,724,457 of fire insurauco capital is withdrawn from tins State. Those companies which have sustained an impaiunent of capital have generally taken steps, with every prospect of speedy success, to secure a full repairmeut thereof, Stock holders are responding with commendable promptness to tho calls for the payment of deficiencies. It is confidently hoped that the Ist of January will timl all in good con dition, and with unimpaired capitals. This statement is limited entirely to com panies organized under the laws of this titato. The returns from the companies of other States and countries have not been re ceived in snflicient numbers to warrant tho imblicaiimi of results. G*ko. TV'. Mrr.urij, Sup’t. srrt:mNTivNi>HNT miu.ku’s views—effect UK THE CllU .UiU KIKE ON INSI'UANCK MAN AGEMENT-—A SAKEIt BUSINESS IN THE FU TURE. Superintendent Miller made the following statement hist evening to a Tribune reporter: Several years ago the New York companies, by virtue of a certain orcauiza im, adhered to a certain settle of rates which wore considered side quale and remunerative. This was afterward abandoned. and the cuißpanto; began to compete with each other and to write at reduced* and ia many instances inadequate, rates, lb's wa* cut- ried *in to such an extent as to materially dimin ish the profits realized upon capital inre-t d in /ire insurance. and prevent, for a considerable time, any real increase in the number of companies and In the amount of capital Invested in this State. Tho Chicago lire has withdrawn or absorbed over $2J),0J0.000 of insurance capital from this State alone. AUUe same lime it has produced an immediate advance iu the rates demanded by all companies in acon dillou to continue business, and will undoubtedly lead to a continued and combined effort to.sus- tain the advanced rates. Unless very extraor diuaiy Arcs occur, there is every reason to be lieve, that those increased rat* 8 will make tho business of tiro Insurance once more profitable, go as to induce the investment in it of even n» greater amount of capital than ever before. Tho companies' will unquestionably bo managed with more care than hitherto in many respects, andhevond all doubt underwriters will hence forth be more prudent in making a Judicious dis tribution of their risks, and limiting them iu amount on single hazards, The Chicago disaster will also stimulate tho or ganization of larger companies with larger capi tal, rather than a large number of companies with smaller capital. The importance and public policy of requiring eoiuxmnics to have their capital en tirely paid up in cash, as required by the laws of New York, rathe* than permitting them to do business on u nominal capital, which, although subscribed, is not fully paid up, or which consist* In whole or in part of stockholders* notes, us it* the cast* in some of the States, has been forcibly demonstrated by the vastly greater percentage of losses which will be paid by the former companies over that which will bo paid by tho latter. There is every reason to believe that no other New Tort companies than those which hare already failed, will suspend in consequence of the recent tire, and. in cases where there la any impairment of capital, there Is every prospect that it will bo made good before the first of January* On tho whole, I think that tho percentage of the losse* which willbc paid by the New York companies, the prompt measures that have been token toward tho adjustment and liquidation ot claims, and the replacement of capital, will servo as ft strong vindication of tho present system of in surance supervision In this State, and the general competency of the management of the companies.** LOSSES IN OTHER STATES. A pamphlet which will bo issued from th® office of the Insurance Spectator to-day gives an interesting statement the effect of tho lire in other States. Of the 333 American companies doing a lire insurance business iu the United States, 249 experienced losses more or less severe; while of tho six Eng lish companies, but one escaped loss at Chi cago. The American companies show an aggregate loss of $>2,821,122, and tho English companies of $5,913,000: so that the total in surance covered by this great conflagration, may he summed np iu round numbers at $110,000,000, Tho aggregate insurance capital of American companies amounts to $74,930,- 210; while tho total assets of all tho com panies, both English and American, amount to $145,879,521. Deducting tho losses at Chicago, the com pnuies have about $00,000,000 left, the impair ment being not far from $25,000,000 on tho total capital. Of the companies affected by the disaster, fifty-seven have suspended* and twenty-eight of tho remainder have al ready taken measures toward the filling up of their respective deficiencies. Illinois haa suffered the most severely, no less than four teen of her twenty eompauieshavingalready stopped. Connecticut loses seven of her eleven companies. Rhode Island, five out of nine. One of the most remarkable effects of tho disaster is the increase in the number of in-* snrers. Those who have regularly insured have largely increased their lines, and prop erty was never so well protected in this re gard as now. Rates of premium have gener ally advanced, and the increased Income of most of the companies will aid the process of recovery very greatly. The JEtna Insurance Company Hartford. Conn., jfor* 9. The stockholders of the JEtna Insurance Company to-day voted to reduce the capital stock to $1,500,000, aud subsequently voted to iucrcasu the stock by the same amount, which will give the company au ample rein surance fund aud enable it to meet the re guiremeuts of the insurance laws of every tatc. The Chicago losses of the company were stated at $3,100,000. The premium re ceipts since the lire have been nearly three quarters of a million. Tbe stockholders of the Peoria Rock Island Railroad Company held their annual meeting at Peoria, on the oth. With one exception, the old Board of Directors was re-elected, as follows: Ben. E. Smith, Win. Dennison, Columbus. Ohio; W. R, Hamilton, W. H. Crugcr, U. T, Baldwin. V. Dcwelu, Peoria; W. L. Wiley. CSalvu; O. K. Or man, Toulon. The board subsequently organised, as follows: President, W. R. Hamilton; Vice Pres ident, Ben. K. Smith; Secretary and Treasurer, C. P. James. Executive Committee. W. R. Haiuilton, Ben. K. Smith. Wm. Dcunisou, W. H* C’rwger. President Hamilton made a financial Mattnunl of tli<> condition of the company,show ing seme divtu* company nnre than iC«± 58,0