WHY TAXES ARE HIGH.

HE PRACTICES OF Til BOARD OF AS.
SERROIN
CULE IMPOSITIONS O} TID STREET IMPROVE
MENT SYSTLM-=HOW Gir ATTEALS OF THE
TAX-PAYERS HAVE RLEN OVERRULED BY
Cora COUNRTE=TRAUDULENT  (X INTR ACTS
MADE IN DEFIANCE OF PETITIONS,
The tax-payers of ths city, who have long
gnffored un the extensive frauds practiced under tha
dct asive title of Asecgsmen®s for Local Improvements,”
ean fad m the facts heveinatier envanerated some explas
pation of the reasons why if costs so much to defray the
ex wns s of wunicipal government, From convers tions
wth persons well infortied in regard to those mutters,
§t appears that these fraude are as widespread as the
cor pling against (hem is goneral; and that they work
as deep an injury to the pbc at large as to the partic
war individaals who consider themselves specially aftect
ed thereby. Taois ix demonstraied by the taxes levied
for atrect provements ud particulary for the laying
ef pavements

When thie wooden pavements for strecis were intro.
Arica here, some years ago, the charge of £3 per square
yard was deemed sufficient to cover all the costs and
Jeave handsome profit to the persons interested in
thew, although at that time—just about the close of the
war both materials cad labor were much higher than
they are to-day. But now no pavement of this kind is
Ld at a less price than per square vard, while in
many fnstances it costs as hich as §7 or $5. Moreover,
either by the use of defective waterial, or the carcless
manner in which the work is done, or from both causes,
the pavement ladd i8 in many places, worse than none at
all. A gliring instance of this can be found in Murray
ot., from Broadway to West-st. Tt was laid about three
years since at a cost of §32,300—the average asses suent per
Jot being considerably over $200. It 1s already worn
away inanany places, leaving, as receptacles of muddy
water in wet weather, extensive hollows, which serve aus
traps into which horses are frequently lured, at the risk
of their limbs. Indeed, the entire foundation geems to
have been improperly laid, as the whole pavement has a
spriugy wotion, yielding visibly to the weight of
vehicles, and risipg again when they have passed. This
15 no doubt a cause of the premature decay in the pave
ment ftseif: because a continual motion of tuis kind
wust tend to open the interstices and let in water. The
contracts for these pavements require that a certain
quantity of sand and other material shall be used to
form a solid foundation, but it is claimed that the proper
amount is rarely if ever given.
Rote two years sineejthe contracts for laying pave
nents were made by the Common Council; aud 48 the
law compelled them to advertise for bids, and award the
coniract to the lowest bidder, there would seem to have
been but httle opportunity for extensive cheating. But
the opportunity being given to those who knew how to
use it, the matter was readily settled to their satisfac
tion, and the public's disadvantage. As these wooden
pavements are all patented, no one bnt the vatentee conld
Md for the contract, and consequentiy no one but the
patentee could get it. The advertisements always called
for bids not to exceed a certain amount, generally $5,
eowetines 46 50 per square yard, and of courscthe cone
tractor never bid below the limit named. The work be
ing thus begun by. a swindle, reveral other swindles were
added to It, until the price per yard reached 87 or $5.
Tis was accoruphished by imposing upon the contract
the pay of several sinecurista under the name of
Rireet Tnspectors, whose severe abors consisted in the
tuspection of their checks on pay-day, and the drawing
of per diem as long as the work on which they were
appointed lasted. Tis troe that, in addition, they were
obhiiged to sign their names to the certificate (drawn by
the contractor) that the work had been properly per.
formed but ag they always managed to avoid gratiiy
t.g the contractor with their autogravh until a cbeck on
Bis private bank, for an amount proportioned to the
value of the contract, had been Hest received, the Xtra
duty of signing the certificate named can hardly bo in
cluded in their Inhors,

This sate system, with additions, is continued to-day
ander the Departipent of Public Works. The Street
Inspectors pow receive $8 per day, and the vnmber of
them is very largely increased. Large sulus are also
paid pow, as formerly, tor advertising, surveying, and
follecting 24 per cent on the contract price belug the
amount paid for the last named service, How important
8 part of a contract these varions ites sometimes are is
lustrated in the laying of certain crosswalks not long
eince in Harlem, wherein the expenses of making the
seacsatpent exceeded the cost of laying the walks, we
latter being $1,000, and the former soaething wore,
THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF OBTAINING ELITES,
These pavements have been, and still are, laid in other
parts of the country at much lower rates than are churg d
were. For austanece, mm Providence, R. I, 11 total cost
per square yard is #3 50, of which amount ad; Ing prop
erty owners are charged but $1, the ood ez 50 being
pead by the city. In Chicago they cost from $1 40 to $2
per yard, according to the kad of pavemeit used; avd
in other cities about the same. lu view of ese fucts
muy to doquire why the price should be ro much
groater bere; and an owe anstances, Vhy Heese pave
ments shouid be dad at all. Associations have heen
formiea in various parts of the city to resist the action of
the suthoritics in these regards, and protests have been
repeatedly made against such action, but generally witl
ont avail, though insisuces are to be found, where the
Clidior Teired avanst this system of 1upositions wis su
great, that it could not be slighted. A hout yeu Blinc,
the Comnoon Connell authorized the Laying of a wooden
paverienc an Harlem, at a cosi of $2,000,000, to be pad,
conoar, by asscssinent upon adjoining property owners
the prog 14 Was strenuously and sdcee ss Lly QDYrosed
by ihe fatter, becate a great portion of the proposed te
provement was in streets not bhult upon, and (ne fax

vod brave heen equal to a confiscation of the properiy,
con beets the pavencat Would have been rotten be
Joie Lhe property could be auproved,
Jat the tax-payers are not always so fortuuste. In
many cases wherein their wishes aud dghis Lave been
diotegardod by those to who they bad a right to look
fot for relied, they have sought, unavailinegly, redress im
the courts. As the jaw stands, the olyections of the
PROM EIN OWES spon d be frst presented to the Boeri
of Askessor=, and When the gescesinent is not g'terad hy
Lhe, as Board si IT mend the matter to tue board oi
Kovision and Correction tor ner action, Should no 1
Let be Zrauted here, the usta course is to meve toe
COUNT 10 A Geate the as ss iuent on prover ground« Tae
General Term of (he Supremes Courtilias, however, lied
that the faire of a contractor to fulfill his contract,
Bouwever gross ihe dereliction alleged, Is not a prope
ground to Warrant the mterference of the coart. In such
eases, Le Board of Revision aloe eal give the redress
wratd, But tue Board of Revision can only act upon
such watters as are brought before thein, and as it Ire
Guaently happens that te Board of Assessors neglect to
sed Ghjections addressed 1o them to the toriner Board,
wid aico neglect to uci upon such objections themselves,
tuere wonid seem to be a reasonable ground for the in
tertercuce of the court. And in some iustances tie
coiits Dive =o held, and in others, the contrary. In the
Cant 0f Dunning, the puiti wus raised that the Board of
Anscrsors tad tadled, contrary to law, to send the objec:
Lois to the Board of Kevision, ald Judge Firaban sus
ta.ued the point.

Lut ou the motion made by the property-owners on
Que-tuntred-and-twents -third-«t,, were the same point,
among otbers, was daiecd, Jud oe ardoso denied the
notion to vacate, In this Case a contdaet was ade to
regulate and grade one-huncred-and- twenty -third-st, bes
tween Third aud Madison-aves, IL was Decessary to cut
away of large quantity of rock iu the nerznoorhood of
Fou th-ave., but the CoatTuctor Jeit a slope of rock on
ou made uf the street, exienalng several feet on tue sides
wah, wid the same (0 a less eateat on the other side. lie
also ell bare Quanity of rock in the miadle of the
ere Cl, aid busin), supped oor qualdy ol stone sor
curbs and caticrs toad (he contiact requured. Tue con
act Paice vas about $X.000, WL ho ghves an average as-
SCsSIent oi about 3500 per dot, The Property com bcs,
feeling themscives airendy too heavily tased, ana pet
coving tual, suodld bey dere wo build at any Li,
they would be vbized io remove this stone at then ow
eapente—1in Other Wolde, wo Lie Colltiactor’s Work aud

y fur the PEVLegC=proscuted these objections w the
i Of Assessors, of winch Richard® M. Tweed
we President. The Board  wsregarded thom, and
also neglected to rend then to the Board
of eviction, dt is cladined by sone that this is an oud
1s, Whereby BU as Bopoa weary the progu rty-OWners.
In th1< n-tance, bowever, it ou) served to Tar tier exis.
Wo
porate thea. A mioliol the
accordingly made at a special tor ol thie supine Uli,
SE
in Mareh, 1965. In December, 1869, the Common Couneil
sead another resolution, (which wie approved by the
Miavon, that, inasmuch as Tock must he excavated, the
contract price should be increased to 50 per square
yard. The pretended cost of the whole foh was $448,000,
of which amount $415,000 waa for the laying of the pave
went, and tie balance of £32,000 for the expe uses of in
APCCLOFS, FUryey ors, aavertising and collecting, As
there wa Tenlly no rock to excavate, (the street having
been previously graded and paved wilh cobble-stone),
the £1 50 extra charged for taking out (ho SATIG Wis an
frapandent traad upon the property-owners. Although
the work has not been finished a year, the eet Is in
such a wretehed condition to-day tat it will probably
require relayiug iu the spriug.
INCIDENTAL FRAUDA,
ut this is not the only fraud practice under the nama
of street improvements, To lay this wooden pavement,
the stono pavement originally laid in many places
must be taken up, and although the latter is valuable
for layiug elsewhere, sud has been dearly paid for by
the citizens, It 1s invariably removed by some one, and,
it 18 enid, never again acconnted for; or if relaid fu other
place, it is charged upon the tax-payers a8 new stone,
TIE PRESENT CONDITION OF NAVLTS=RATLROAD
Much complaint i= also made in respoct to the manner in
which “ctreet opening and widening" 13 conducted. In
tlicee matters the Court appoints three Commissioners
on the aprlication of the Corporation Counsel,
After the Commissioners have prepared a gurvey and
an esthinate of the expenses of the particular fob they
were appointed to superintend, they present their report
thereon to tho Court for confirmation, Provided the
Court 18 satisfied, the estimate ia confirmaod,
though the tax-payers who are mo:t interested,
seldom, if ever, shara in the salisfaction, As
the Court generally appoints some favorites (for polit
feal or other reasons), who estimate the expenses at an
enormous fleure, and lay the assessments on the cole
tizuous property-owners very unequally; and for the
SAMO reasons, aotne who should pay a high percentage,
pay a very low one—perhaps none at ali—while others
who should pov a low percentage are assessed at a very
high one; and as the decision of the Court which ap
pointed the Commissioners is final, no appeal being pore
wwissible therefrom, the very general dissatisfactioa of
adjoining Ap ners 18 readily nceouiiod for, A
case directly in point is that known as the Broote-st,
widening,”  wlich has been for some Uwe be
fore Lue Courts. and is sil pending.
In this matter Judge Cardozo appointed us Commission
ers Gratz Nathan, 3. A. McMaster, and George H, Purses,
The work consisted of the removal of the iron railiies
inclosing court-yards in front of certain heuses on
Broome-st., near Laurens, and the widening of the street
to uniform width, Two of these court-yards had heen
removed some two years previously at a slight expelied
to the owners, and although persons have sce o ered
to remove the whole of them and grade the streetat a
cost of $3,000, the original estimate of the Commigsioners
was $74,000. But in consequence of the determined oppo
sition of the neighboring owners, the estiinale Was after
ward reduced to $67.54, a reduction of 83 per cent betig
made on certain property not 100 feet distant, while only
eight per cent jas taken otf other property much further
away. “he inf nse property of others in the fimmediate
neighborh od, was not assessed at all! Forther, it has
always been the custom 1a theso tatters to assesd the
property for three or four blocks on the SIrects ciossig
the line of the improvements; yet in this case no prop
erty on the various streets crossiug Liroouicssi. north and
south has been assessed at all,
It 18 also claimed that great frauds are practiced {in tho
gasessment of property generally throughout the city;
that favors Are SUOWIN tO one property-owner to the det
riment of others, some being Jd at ov werely noite
nal rate, while iin many cases lots whereon costly build
ings Lave been erected are assessed as vacant lots; and
that this is wecomplished tarough the exercize of politic
cal and pecuniary infdacuees, It is said that there are
cortion lawyers who have become rich by devoting them.
selves entirely to the business of procuring a redaciion
of taxes for persons Who are willing to pag for such
cervices, thie fee being one per cent on the ssount of
sch reducttoll,
HOW A COMPROMISE CAN BE MADE,
In oue case, Where 50 per cent of the hrokerage on
a redaction of £100,000 Lad been paid, and the owners
had sienifled their williogness to pay even more than
one per cent, their tax for 1269 was entirely abolished by
a resolution of tho Board of Bupervisors—a proceeding
which was stigmatized as “very corrupt” by the Attor
ney for Collection of Taxes, In another case, in which a
tirin had been aesessed £2,575 ou $120,000 for 1370, und the
tirm afterward dissolved, and one of the partners re
established the business in another part of the city, it
was clained by Lim that as the dvm so taxed was no
longer mm exisience, it was not able for the assessment,
Tae wetter was finally arranged by the payment of $400,
18 costs and aUorrey’'s 1ecs, 1o a certain person, and $250
to another—hoth or whom were niainiy detraetal mn
thus defranding the city of its just dues, the law bem
that the tux follows the members of the old Lrm tu auy
new place of business in the city.
The Kind of tricks 1cesorted to by these brokers to ae
complish ther object is readily illustrated: The e<iate
of a deceased physician was assessed at $10,000, which, at
23 per cent, would have been §225. The broker iu this
Case Wis ais0 attorney to the estate, and was therefore
to receive only the thanks of the legatecs for his services
in havin the valuation reduced to naught, Apnheation
for sich reduction failed no the Tax Office, and was siub
Rugtents made at the oftice of the Attorney for Collee
tion, There the broker made an affidavit (Lat the
“doctor” waa poor physician, not worth 1,00); but, as
the chhrgsin that ofiee koew that the docio™ had
been dead for three years, the alidavit was thrown cut,
with the sugeestive relerk that it was “too thin”
Another atlidavit, thick cuough to be bwpervicis to
Cofhernd eves, was sibsequently presented. According to
thas, all ihe property ol the ostate was invested in Gove
ernment bonds, thongh, in fact, the wtori'y of it i=in
real estate. Jt ie understood that npon this last affidavit
the tax was entirely remitted. Agoin, one of the heirs of
this ciate own a hose valued at $220,000, which was
assessed, In 1868, at 4,000. Ly the iutervention of u
broker, the atuount was reduced to §53,000, a brokerage of
$500 LENE Paid on the amonut of the reduction of $55,000.
In another Case Whore a personal tax was asses ed on
£7.90 the amount was reddced 10 $5,000, and the city
fost 575.
“a recapitelation of the forezoing instances will enable
100 peador the anole tea dily 10 jee of the extent ihe
cwingle to which honest tax-payers ave sitogected, and
Will ZIve sone criterion trom wach the agit of
these SEauGUIC Hl opetaiivhs wii oe csiitate Lo un Tote
lowing tate shows tae apoonut ol reduction, the
gisount of the ci) 's Tose, ald ine alo oi Brel CT
vod ‘nn eae case

Reduction, Cites Jose Brokerage,
NCR] Pvac ITY FRCL
00m on) 1,000
KXLY 9) An
PERTH) i Thai's.
SE, H FY
——r.
1t tous appears that in (he ive instanees mentioned,
$425,000 of ta able pronorty remmned nuiaxed, and Gat
£4150 Was paid in onder that the reasuary noght bs
robbed of $7.502 50, If this can be done in five cases,
why not ins! And, indeed, trom the information far
nished, there can be no deni thal bandreds of thou
satis of dollars are aus diverted annually from tie
treads ry to tie pockets of those engaged in the nefarions
practices mentioned. But tue woount rewitied in one
Tnstairee taust be sigede up in another, in order that there
dey oe ng degeieney inthe tax-levy, ‘fhe result, there
fore, 1+ that i proportionately Deavier Tax msi he 1
posed pon those Who do Bul seek to evade the pay went
of hel ust dues.

GENERAL NOLLAN
———ce—
Brown University hag at present 224 etu
dents, Of tues, 50 are scn1ois, 41 Juniors, 77 sophomores,
Cand 56 fresiinen. Rhode Island sends 102, Massachnserts
oR, Connecticut 4, Maine 4, New Hatusaire 4, and Ver
wont 2.
The periodical wild woman has made her ajp
pearance again, this the io Pennsylvania, she springs
Cup soddenly in the fhack-yard of some farine's house,
snatehes up an mfant or two, and seampers off Hike mad,
When pursued she tenderiv things her burden into a con
venient hedge, and vanishes ina cload of back-hair, Of
course, Shes soakiuely beautiful, and cotely of form,
with a charming frecaom fiom all the estravagances of
costine ind aticetation of wanner Winch viche the @me
wonien of society so unattractive.
True enterprise will never he appreciated.
An Olio lady who for years has triumphantly carried off
the first preminm for canned fruit at the State Fair, has
heen ignowiniously overthrown by the curiosity of one
of her own scx. Her fruft was as plump and freshlook
Jug as ever; but a lady member of the Committee insisted
npon opening the can, when at was found that the pre
nel ving ingredient was a very strong brine, The Com
mittee, entirely overlooking the novelty of the preserv
1a process, did not consider it of sufficient value to
nerit encouragement, and promptly ruled out the speei
wen,
tt is odd that the Rev. Mr. Murray of
Boston, Mass, now living, and the Right Hon, Richard
Brinsley Sheridan, M. P., should each make preciscly
thie sae joke. The Rev. Mr. Murray, beiug asked if he
drank, answered, “Yes, like a beast,” and then ex
ploined that a beast wiways Knew when he had got
enough. Tuis a coincidence that Sheridan long ago mado
the sate remark, and followed it by exactly Lhe same
commentary. Some kind friend has sent Mr. Murray's
good thing w the newspapers, and some relafuiscent nas
pit sheridan’s into a book. There never was suck a coin
cl tence betore,
wiore Mar Jurice Cardozo, Who, after hewr:ng counsel
on all the points enum ried, cluding tue ane raised an
Dunn ug’ caso, that the Doard 61 Asscrsors did pot, as
by law iogtnicn, sod the walter to ibe Board of Revis
It must be a disagreeable thing to be too
scicutitle. At Rawpore, in the East Indies, is a learned
native astronomer who has predicted, during the coming
year, a shoviing-star of enormous proportions, blazing
with light, dazzling our eyes, remuluing only 24 winutes,
and during that short period of time destroying vegeta
tiou 80 that an awiul famine will follow, quantities of
population will be destroyed. and this Sepasidiy in
northern countries. How much of the dread influence
we may experience here in New-York we do not know,
but, considering that some of us have survived certain
dog-days in past years, we can say with calmness of the
shooting-star, Let her shoot.”
Jon, desi the psoton in tue following perspicnous ian
guage: “1 Link Dunping’s case siouid ve considered as
Felatiug only to cues in which tue oljections whack were
pot acted Upon by Lie Board of ku vision Lad some force.
1 LUiik thal um Lol tis Cast. Prayer of petition dened.”
A translation of the foregoing nas been procured, and
is ar Jollows: “he point upon which Judge Iugraliam
granted the moh to vacate the ursessineut in the
Dunning cose b= overruled jn this, because the objections
of the propeity ov aere—that the contract hae been vio
Jated by the neglect of the contractor tw remove sole 495
cubic yards of roc, Which the owners wust bereafwer
In the Annual Report of the Commissioners
of Education, Dr. 8. G. Howe of Boston, who 18 un
authority upon the subject, gives a paper containing
some interesting statistics respecting the blind. There
are, according to the last census, 20,520 of them in the
United Btates; 87 per cent being born sightless, 49 per
cent made so by disease, and 15 per cent by accidents.
Thirty-one States now make provision for tho education
of their blind. There are 26 #chools fn operation, of
which 19 are exclusively for the blind and the reinainder
for the blind and deaf together. Those institutions
have an endowment of $3,600,000, with un agsregale of
2,018 pupils. Kince the esi bli=hwent of the first of these
schools, about 40 years ago, 6,476 pupils have been edu
cated, It meetus 10 us that there is nothing wore charac
teristic of the preset age than the rympathy and care
bestov. cd upon those Who ure utile by special infivii
ties, Lue bifndacse, or deans, or sanity, or faloey.
11 te world hue ever secon nop ting Lie Us Lefore
1 ia6tory docs not record the tact.
pewsove at their own expense whenever they desire to
build ou thelr property, sand that a poorer quality of
clone wis Turl-Le a tor curbe and gutters than the con
.t reauired (vauich was adwitted by the contractor)—
i fh toice.” Liciore closing with this case, it nay
be interesting to rete curious fact which has been
furnished. Sune twe afer the contractor had tinished
with thie street, ab ordinance was introduced 1 the
Comnnon Council to nuthonze the regulating and grading
thereof. It i supposed that the Aldertisn of that Dis
trict, moticiug ue primitive couuition of the street,
thonght it kilvisuble Ww Lave it lwproved i but not, of
with spy Iuteation of inuugurating avother
wurse,
“job.” ti however, having bead led Ww the
ro Alert tue litixation which ensued thereon
wnd which, it is sald, is still pending), the resolution died
paturul th, und the property-owuers were saved
from a further “assessivent.
Another isstanee of the imposition practiced by the
street Npproveus ut Eystem is furpished in the history
of tif laylug of the Bluford (Wooden) paveluent oo
Seventb-ave. Tue contract was oriiunlly wade at tho
pace of 86 per yard, Ji was meade by au ordiuance of
CoMiovl Uuuicil. Lise 0¥es Lo velo of Lie Mayor,
cess, but all greut national changes demand thine and
patience. 1 have given you a very black leaf out of the
current history of this country, and you might be dis
posed to believe that little or no progress ia making,
Few persons, however, are in a better position than 1 aia
NEW-VORK DAILY TRIBUNE. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1871.—TRIPLE SHEET.
$425,000
FOREIGN CORRESPONDENCE.
a we h
REVENUES CHARGES OI" ASSASSINATION
AGAINST LEADING OFFICIALS,
[FROM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OP THE TRIBCXR.)
INTEREATS=—CORRUPTION IN COLLEGTING THE
NarLes, Nov. 5.—I write to yon from one of
tho great oonters of action in Ttaly, though Naples had
ceased to ho the capital of kingdom, It has gained,
however, fur more than it has lost, for Industry and com
merece have both received an immense development gineo
royalty has ceased to shed its very doubtfnl light and
warmth over the subjecta of the Adorato Sverano.”
Such was one of the most modest titles accorded to
Ferdinand II, And in no respect 13 this progress moro
evident than In the: increased facilities of jntercoumn
nication not ouly with the various provinces of this, hut
with all other countries. looking back to the times
of Gregory XVI, when railways were frowned upon
in the Papal Btates, and to tho carly days of Pius
IX., when a journey from Florence to Nuples, with
the earch for passports and tue delays in Custom.
Houses, occupied s week, an immense stride has
been made; but much remains to be done, and
the Ttallans aro becoming aroused to the new
necessities of thelr position. A fact which occurred List
week well illustrates the past. An omnibus-driver, en
ronte from Naples to Porticl, etopped hia carnage hail
way, and, getting down, ordered his dish of moaccaroni,
which was cooked and caten while the passengers wero
in the middle of the road. ‘Tis is a typo of these happy
old times when tie was of no value—when the gentile.
omo sat in a café all day and looked at nothing, and the
laz=eront dozed away life in his basket, Tiere f3 yet
another link which bids us to the past, and it is the
railway fromm Naples to Castellamare, which completes
12 niles in the very short spaceof one honr, Such relies
of an olden age it would be difficult to tind on either
side of the Atlantic, but here they erop up now and then,
reminding us of how long an iaterval of time we have to
live, awl how varied has been our expericnee, With all
the progress, however, that has been made, the average
rate of traveling in this conntry does not exceed 20 miles
an hour, and a cry 1s now raized that itis not sufllcient
for the exicencies of the times, There are two dircet
trains between Naples and Rowe, a‘dlstance of only 170
miles, one of which performs the journey, stopping at 16
gtations, in 7 hours and 4 minutes, while the other runs
it in 7 hours and 35 minutes, stopping at 21 stations,
Such ja the provision which actually exists for cominuni
eatin between the great southern provinee and tho
cap'tal. A hope i3 expressed, however, that the journey
becween these two great Cities way be completed in si x
hours, From Rome to Florence thines are fu the same
backward state, but we are promis that on the 1:t of
November the timo occupied on the journey will bo re
duced to 8 hours and 40 minutes, and next yearto 7 holrs
and 20 minutes. It may be, Lowever, 23 is asscried, that,
in spite of lavish expenditure, the railroads, especially
on the Roman lines, are so dlconstri ted as not toadiait
of any fnereased rapidity cousistent!y with the saicty of
tlie passengers,
A project was Lid before the Provincial Capel] of Nae
ples for the construction of uw new lino between Naples
and Rome by Gingliano, Mondravone, Traittom a,
Gaota, Terracing, and Lavinia. Ii Is an easy and nat
ural line, and would, no doubt, huve heen adopted in the
first ipstance but for these divisions which split up Italy
into iuinite<imal parts. Now that the Pouiitical States
are a part of one great whole, cuterprise will nave a iair
fleid, and T have itl doubt but thut ere long we shall
have another lin to Roige, running through and civil
izing what has, theito heen a swatupy marsh, It is one
great advant.ice of ihisroute that ihe distance bhelv cen
Naples and the capital wonid be not more than 104 miles,
whila by the present line itis 150 pies; and ars ealen
Inted thet tne Journey taleht be completed in 3g hours,
Ina etrategic point of view, also, wii lis not Likely to
escape the attention of a conutry so heut on fortifying
its weak poiats, that would prove most mdvanfageots,
as Gaeta sud Capua, two of the strongest foriresses ju
Bouthiern Italy, eon'd ersily be nat in communication,
There is one difilenity, how ver, wie presents ftaelf,
and it 13 that the Govern nt, whicll gives uw subsidy to
the actual line, could not or would not do the same tor
that which is now proposed. In Amerie or Eogland it
would be completed by private cnlerprise; bat, thou:L
capital exists, Italians are unwilling to veotare it, not
having as yet guite grown out of that dls rust which one
hang like an incubus ove the country. As regards politd
cal difleaities, tet us hope they no lonzer exist, and what
remains to be done 1s to pat the bose jn order. Theo
are complaints of every branch of the Admiui-tration,
and 1 think with great cood rescon, Employesin maay
caged appear to be iZierant ol eir daties, aad it is uot
surprising that they shonhd be wien new and veaatioos
regnlotions are continnally we Ad, Others again are
gnilty of abuse of power, peciad!s in ihe Citas De.
partwent, wields aooreat ding Jhnent (o comtneree, In
the assessinent of new and Leavy tox 8, too, there are
never-feiling voyances {rom the artiteary procedure
OF those ehareed with tar cotleetion of dae. This is Cs:
pecially tha cass with the incoie tax, wlich fs ofien
assedsed not sceeovding to the declaration of the tus
paver, mt according to the calenlation of the tax
gratherer, whose interest it is to swell the araonnt of le
rece iptr as much as possible. Inducace, toy has mach
to do with the arrangement of these matters; and while
the as~es30r ili spare a friend, he often pats the detleit
on the shomlder of one much legs ible to bear the weight,
Diiliccitios ore or loa of tis kind present themselves
in most conntyies waeresueh a tax is raiced, it they
are proportioned Lo the conscience of aj cope, and cone
serene i= an article whith is woniewhat elastie in Italy,
Money, however, mst Le obtained iosome way or other,
for the francial difficaliy is what taro every one in the
face, Were it not that he conntry has surmonunic qd sn
mary and gueh gigantic dangers, To md fear for her
future. As itis, I helleve she will surmount ths onc too,
Speaking of nudadiinistrit on, mpdy mimes have been
long prevalent as to soni thing very wrong in Palermo,
and fearswore entertained of disiarbanecs, What the
real ktate of the cass wos, ud one appeared to Know;
but there were dissensionsbhetween the Pontifical and the
Judicial anthoritios, whe Nad conprnenced legal nrocoed
ings against the former. Gen, Medled, the LordLeenten
ant, leit, and the Que tor, who has the command of the
poiee, was not to be found, The governtientof the i land
remadued in the handsof snhalterns, This Las been going
on for nearly a year, thanks to the dilatory conduet
of tuinisters, wuo seem to have been unwilling
to go to the root of the matter, It 13 now, liow
ever, stated in the public press that fignor Albanese, ihe
Quasior, depending on the protection of Gen, Medici,
Las been removing obnoxious individinaiz by ordering
their assassination. According to the deposition of a
micilian Jadge, the following events have taken place:
With a view to tranquilizing the country, the Quuesior
ordered the assassination of an obnoxions indwidual ot
Villa Rocea, and lamented the escape of another man
who was to have been dispatelicd at the same time,
Other persons were to have been made away vw ith in the
game manner, bat the Jadge limited himself to the inves.
tigation of tae fact given above, and was about to arrest
six persons, when he wits summoned to Palermo by the
Qumstor, who ordered the Jude to suspend ull procecd
ings, alleging that the waa who wis Kilicd and the one
wuo eseapel were most obnoxions individuals, whose
death had Leen ordered by superior authority,
This interview took place in January, 1870, ince
which time attempts have been mde to hush up the
matter; but the deposition of Sicfor Baracco, the
Judge, was sent to the Attorney-General, aud regular
proceedings have been commenced agansi the Qu@stor.
Among other charges are that he systematically ordered
the assassination of dangerous characters, and even of
those who were 1ot so; that he ordered the assassina
SROUTHIEN ITALY.
to form an opinion on this subicct, and T rejoloe to poo
fudieations of A better life all around me, dnd the pros
noct of a creat future.
aA SVAS S450 HMI are
INCREASED  ATIRACTIONS FOR VISITORS AT
NASSAU=—A GRAND REGATTA NEXT YEAR.
Nassau, N. P., Bahamas, Nov. £7.—The Royal
Victorls Hotel, under the management of Towia F.
Cleveland, e#q., of New-York, opened on tho 7th inst.,
and a large namber of visitors aro already here to spend
the Winter. The hotel has been under American auspices
for the last two years, and bas proved a complete suc
cesa; and hundreds of Americans are attracted hero to
enjoy this delighttal and serene climate. During the
last year, Mr, Cloveland has made great improvements,
and the whole establishinent has been arranged in a
most admirable manner, and for persond desiring to
avoid the rigore of a Northera Winter no wore desirable
place can be found.
In order to promote the pleasure of our visitors, tho
citizens of MNagsau Lave arranzed a grand regatta, to
take placo on the éth of Junuary, 1372 The following
are the officers of the Regatta Club: President, the Ion,
J. D'A. Duwnaresq; Treasurer, RW. Farrington, 684.
geeretary, Samuel Po Saunders, esd. The Commiites
having charge or tha affur is composed of promiuvenut
ciiizeny, both civil and muiiary, and every effort will be
made to make it no siecesd. The following races wil bo
totasied, fur wuleh substantial prizes will be giver, to
wit:
RAITING MATOS,
Por seroarers of 18 tau and not over 25 lund
For vessels of ton tans ood uncer 15 tine,
For boats and aloopr of tuns an! ander 10 tuns.
Vor oshiog smacks nut exceeding 10 feet heel,
For jlossure yachts (time nilowares gece= ting lo length of keel).
ROWING NAYCH KS.
Awatenr host race, are,
Angtens boat rane 4 oars,
Oar boats, not over b oars and 3) fort Yoel,
weal race with two sealls,
fieni) race with une var, boats vot ore 12 fool &oel
Semb race.
Duel lant,
A pleasant time fs anticipated. Another regatta will
take piace fu Febriary, bat the me is not yet fixed,
The Hon, Manlon Chance, U, 8 Conrul, has returned to
Li~ Post alter au wDooaee ia the Cuited States of Lhree
nunthe
P—
FORFIOCN MAIL GLIANINGS.

COUNT Bi.USe LANCBALAYS Hi, heal Lilo ULE 14
ADMINISTRATION.
Count Deust sent a eirenlar, in French, on
the 10th ult, fo the representatives of Austra abroad,
fuforming them of his resignation, In this eircular Lo
pays that the Dmperer has relicved him of his functions
1 the most gracious wanner, aod appointed Liu Ewbis
eacor in London: that the canscs of hi3 resignation are
ofa purely personal character, in no way conn cted
with either the home or the foreign polley of tha Mon.
arehy, Called to power on the morrow of a catasropho
which had fmpeziled the existence of the Empire, Count
Benst 3.v3 he hastened to dew up, in his circular dis.
patch of the 1st November, 1:64, the programme by means
0? which he hoped to triumph over the difficulties, home
and foreien, which the pessimism, at that timo pravail.
tne among all clases of the pepreiation, hat represented
atinsurinountabie. He Las remained faithful ty that
programme; the flue of peace whieh ho displayed with
eit prejudices and without se rot rancor after the un‘or
tunate battle of Sadowa, be bas flomiy Lokd on high withe
out fear and without reproach, and that flag was the
protection of Austria aril (he viciesitwdes of a gieantio
strize!e which ook the Continent ood diziarbed the
bids of the European eaqnilibrimn, Tae honor of tho
Mon irely conde 1o my core,” adds the circalar, “has
retacined pare in my Banas; even ny adversaries ren
dor ae that Istice, Reeoneiled wiih our nearest neigh
bors, yesterday our enemies, to-day our friends, we ara
i at peces with all the word, and our voices is listened to
bowith resneet in the delibecations of Laropa, We hinve
bec able to devote curso ves with entire contld nea to
tue development of the {pimense resonrees with which
Providones has endowed this country, and une xan: pied
prosperity has recompen<ed our iurts. Upon tho basis
Cte arrangement concluded Coder ny atspices with
Hoangaiy, wo have at the sae time becn able to reforin
and complete one fanddbonuental awa; we have been able
to place in conformity vith the cxizencics of our own
{ay the ties that uaite our old Monprehy with the various
byatianatitics, se ich more than ever feol that their strength
Corn thelr minor However imperfect, like every dian
work. fav be the Consltation which unites us, jt has
fet disploy od fis salutary and vivifying foree in a crisis
widol we have recently passed through successfully,
ey, therfore, leave vith a elear colseienes to my sae
cessor the resitlte of a poliey at once eonetliatory and
Jet, which the Emperor hud inteusted me with, aud
whieh was nnereinonsly approved by the delegates of
Lis peome in thcir last scecion, The tusk of my sue
corr will be easier than nue. He fluds the path not
only opened, but smoothed, and if he bat follow it, ob y
irr the recommendations of od gracious master, ne will
ono day quit the elm of bus with the same satisfac
toon that I oxnerience at tuls moment, when the grace of
[lis Majesty permits we to rest from my efforts, and
give to ny healt the care 00 elalins, seriously impaired,
we it IS bE ihe paily ctroloios and the heavy responsi.
othe which Move eecssaridy re owed pon me during
the last five years.”
now ANDRASY TS PROVOTINN 1 REGARDED IN
HUNGARY.
Pesth (Nor. 13) Correspondon-s of The Lon ton Tires,
There is here none of that siifiness or
brreai ratio etiguctte whieh sep oiates Manist as from
their follacers ciewhore; tae relodons rescihie rare
tat af prises fater pares, in the epse a” Count An
dirsey, every one hixes and tears the man, not less
than Lhe politician, even Lis political adversarics have
often shown unmistakable siz aor a sywpathy which not
even the most cents party striestes eontd diminish,
You wili nol wonder, therefore, that the general teri:
Vos Very nich anit hoy soul of tae party was departing,
Towoy or advent oo ows iD nay have seeined to lave so
warm and ertiginened a friend eloce ta the person of the
Sovereign, there bs an encertatniy in the ature which
weighed upon even the most conrageous, Count Aue
drassy has been go sites sel in panne the Qestindes of
thin country dor the List four years and a Lalt that i
go oemed alcost te phing Provedonoe to coviide these des
inion to the acids of asotaer, Tae, he has poi lelt Lae
prblie service, bat still an his new pos tion Le cannot
place the interests of ais own conntey in de fest fae; it
1% the foter ce of tee woke Monauehy which are cone
fied 10 Lis hands, These neieaos, ol Is tie, ars ident
col nov, but st9 Mauer) ho lost inn Croat men pe
that eminent tilent for eoncibetion vido has been
clueity tustraueata! in onnciag cooul the good telat.ons
wae enist ow Letty cen Lae Toveraidn and the coun Hg
on onc hand, and between the coury and Austiaica
tue other,
sas those who met ast web to take leave of Connt
A ivpesy thonaat not only CL theiereives; they thou Lae
moowise of thor partic foeend and tie dad govs Le may
Pave to ene anter on the shnpery podh beds called pon
to read, If toere were Rul ploidy of other sions gyery
whore ele, the mex pected changes which opeacd vit to
Nigar als ness eareer mst Lave convinead covery ue that,
fn spite of ad that has bee cnnnsed, ere ore still pow
erinl iz Aoencea nt work, whivi, aiddon and ansee, es
cape all control and at ealemation, cad the existence of
which is only suddenly rovested by some nnexpectod
torn in poiiticnl oilers which ear defoal tue souaidest
com inanions, He triad to inspare lus friends with theso
veniinents yesterday, bastowd, gaan Lt have been ex
pected of taking the chose of on Huta to gaole the
desttiios of the whole mmre a+ 0 cion of @ood augury,
the tendency was, and stil as, to see tings ina rather
cloomy Mohit, Ibis ved jooubar pwaieer Count And
ynasy made light of the fears of Biz ends and re.
proached them with <ociag this in too black colors,
to which one of the ground veplicd: “Well, you mast uot
Le surprised if, with ends in vids eyes, one does Hot see
yory clear!™ May it be =o! Muy the anxiety of his
Ponies prove exngcerated, and his own conddonee an
boeuceess well undo dd!

THLE EMPIRE ITY AS SLEN 'ROM ABRROAD,
GENELOUS TUESTIMONT TO THN HOSPITALITY or
NOW =TOUNK.
From The Lon 'c Dligrauh of Nov, 18,
Afcer all, may not Xew-York be called the
west astoandine city of ndern tines? We toreace
reply bo the ions; we raay be voninded of San Fran
cisco aad of Chicago; bat tie cadcon Jolie 01 both tess
JOUnK Lauls was raecibls to oo directly provocativa
source=zold in the first ca-e, rain a the second; while,
comparatively speak ne, the growth of Cineiunaty, of
Seeriinento, and of ozo mere cities between Ohio wad
Califoriis, has bec as roei=hng as thas of the prid of
the Paecifte and of Lalo delican Lat why sitondd New
York have become the Empive City of the Sites? 1s
tosbtuabion 1s noi unriveled on the Novibern Alanine seas
board, Boston is ucarer to Liavope, New-York City ic
roself, or the Island of Manlbacion, jaa narrow tonsie of
Lund, the cornuencations between which and Brook'yvn
and New-Jersey, are yet very Hp rieet, Wy
shonld Boston and Portland remain almost en
tirely Anglo-Saxon,  whie New-York has Hie
cote thoroasily cosidcpobiio i, aud nay vie wit Dahlin
or Cork, ard witn Hav:harg or Borelin, in the wnerical
etreugth of atg Irish and German denizen? Yor its vist
population is perhaps the least wonderial thing ahont
the ety. Theareally surprising feature of Ne w-York 13
its imperial choracter, 10 not the capital of the Urfon;
it is not even the wanufueturaz center of the Republic,
Itis the seat of no legislative body, It canscareely
boast of one splendid pabiie buddies; vet forwealth and
magnificence, tor luxuey and sp!onuor, for clegance and
refinement, it may rank a8 always equal, and in many
respects as superior, to the most ancient and the most
Jutmous capitals of Larope. A cursory glances at the peo
parations wade to receive tae Grand Duke Alexis of
Russia will give some idea of the things whlch New-York
is achieving every day. A whole wing—iu itself a
house-—of the Clarendon Hotel hus been cugared
for the use of his Iwmipericl lighness and suite,
Weread of sumptuous  sutes of apartments
fitted with the richest carpets, warble mantelpicees
surmounted by costly porcelain and hgpuzes, cabiuets of
elaborate make und rare finish, chai*8 carved and gilt
and covered with Gobelin tapestry, monster mirrors and
damask draperies; of a hed-room having a blue velvet
satel, a walnut-wood couch, sud a coverlet of pale blue
satin, trimmed with richly wrought lace while adjoining
are bath-rooms and dresslug-room, thai open upon an
exquisite conservatory, full of suri bs und lowers, It is
not thus that we Bait treat Grand Dukes—uay,
«crowned heads—when they come to visit us, We send
them to an inn; sud the landlord's blil is charged in
next year's Estimates. Of the New-Yorkeisn who will
rush to welcowe the illustrious stranger, the great ma
Jonty will not perhaps cure five conts either ubout the
Grund Duke Alexis or his kinsman the Czar of all the
Russias. They would feast tho Linperor of Chloe or the
Pupe quite as sumptuously. They vill be Jmply deatr
ous to do a big thins" in the way of hospitality, and to
show that New-York is the most go-ahead city of the uke.
I
tion of a man on the aight of the ilth December, 1869,
and indirectly instigated the death of tvo wen in Parco
who were prepared to give evidence against him for the
murder of the one who fell. Snch is the aeensation
against the hiea®hof the police in a constitutional country.
As yet the particulars are not generally known, but the
swpression created will no doubt be most profound and
painful. On the supposition that those charges are
true, it would be dificult to trace anything of a
more heinous character even in the time of the Bour
bons; but we 1wnust not prejudge a case which, it 8 to be
hoped, will now be subjected to a close investigation.
It remains, however, to be known how it 1s that the facts
havo been suppressed for two years, How is it that the
proceedings against the Questor, which were commenced
in January, 1570, made no advance till July, 1871, when
they were resutned Albanese, the Questor of one of the
largest cities in the constitutional Kingdom of Italy,
now lics in concealment, and the Attorney-General ia
preparing the case for trial. If in high places such aneds
are perpetrated, one can scarcely be surprised to hear
that fa 1869 there were 3,068 eases of murder in Italy, ex
clusive of those not discovered, while 3,360 charges of
murder were brought before the courts, Such is the
recklessness of human life which exists in this country,
and which led to the formation of a society for checking
the sanguinary disposition of the people. Nothing, how:
ove, will be of any real force but Edncation—a slow pro





The Home Minister of Italy has appointed a
commission of 20 gentlemen conversant with prisons
and prizon discipline, to prepare the question to be sub
mitted by the Italian delegation to the Internation:
Congress on Prison Reform, to he held next year in Lou
don, at the instigution of the Prison Association of New
TITE DPAHAMAS,
THI CNISIS IN AVSTRIA
YOSEMITE GLACIERS.
IE ICE STREAMB OF THF GREAT VALLEY.
THEIR PROGRESS AND PRESENT CONDITION
3 I A Ty i ag Coraat CFE TIT RTT
SCENES AMONG THE GLACIER BEDS.
YoseMITE VALLEY, Cal, Sept. 29.—Two years
ago, when picking flowers in the mountains back of
Yosemite Valley, I found a book. It was blotted and
stormn-beaten; all of Ita outer pages were mealy and
crumbly, the paper gecming to dissolve like tie snow
beneath which it had been buried; but many of the
{nner pages wero well preserved, and though all were
more or less stained and torn, whole chapters were easily
readable, In just this condilfon 18 the great open book of
Yosemite glaciers today; its granite pages have been
torn and blurred by the same siorms that wasted the
castaway book. The grand central chapters of tho Hoff
man, aud Tenays, and Nevada glaciers are stained and
corroded by the frosts and rains, yet, nevertheless, they
contain scarce one unreadable page but the outer chap
ters of the Pohono, and the Ililouctte, and the Yoacraite
Creek, and Ribbon, and Cascade glaciers, are all dimmed
and eaten away on the bottom, though the tops of their
pages havo not been 80 long exposed, and still proclaim
in splendid characters the glorious actions of their de®
parted ice. The glacier which filled the basin of
Yosemite Creek was tho fourth {ce-stream that
flowed to Yosemite Valley. It was about fifteen miles
fn length by tive in breadth at the middle of the main
stream, and in many places was rot less than 1,000 feet
in depth. It united with the central glaciers in the val
lay by 4 mouth reaching from the east ride of El Capitan
to Yosemite Point, east’of tho falls, Its western rin
was rayed with short tributaries, and on the north ita
Atvide irom the Tuolumne glacier was deeply grooved;
but faw if any of ita ridges were here high enonczh to
separate the descending leo into distinct tributaries,
The main central trunk flowed nearly gout, and, at u
dlatanee of about 10 miles, separated into thice nearly
equal branches, which were turned abruptly to the cast,
BRANCH DASINS,
Those hraneh basins are laid among the hizhest spurs of
the Iof:nan range, and Abound in small, bri zht lakes,
set in the solid granite without the usual termival
moraine dam. The strncture of those dividing ~purs Is
cxactly sinila;, all three appearing as if ruins of ono
mountain, cr rather as perfect units hewn from ore
mounta'n rock during long ages of glacial cetivity. As
their north sides are precipitous, and as they extend
east and west, they were enabled to shelter uad keep
alive their hiding glaciers long after the doath of the
vain trunk, Their basins are still dazzling bright, and
their lakes have as yet accumulated but narrow rings
of bLorler meadow, because their feeding streatos
have had but little time to carry the sand
of which they are made. The east bunk of the main
stream, all the way from the three forks to the mouth,
is a continuous, regular wall, which also forms the west
bank of Indian Cafion glacier-basin, Tho tributaries of
the west sido of the main basin touched the east tribu
taries of the cascade, aud the great Tuolmune glacier
{rom Mount Daua, the mightiest ice-river of this w holo
reaion, lowed past on the north. The declivity of the
tribut ‘ries was great, especially those vhich flowed
from the spurs of the Hoflinan on the Trolumne divide,
but the main stream was rather level, and in approach
ing Yosciute was compelied to make a considerable as
eeut back of Eagle Cif, To the concentrated currents
of the central glaciers, and to the leveiness and width of
wouth of this one, we in no great measure 0wo the pres
ent hight of the Yosemite Falls, Yosemite Creek lives
thie wost tranquil life of all the Jarse streams that leap
into the valley, tLe others occupying the caiions of nar
rower and, consequently, of decper glaciers, while yet
far from the valley, abound in lond falls and snowy cas
cades, but Yozewmito Creek flows straight on through
smooth meadows and hollows, with only two or threo
gentle cascades, and now and then a row of soothing,
rumbling rapids, biding its timejtaud hoarding up tho
best music and poetry of its life for the one anthem at
Yosemite, a3 planned by the ice.
YOSEMITE BASIN,
When a bhirdseve view of Yosemite Basin i obtained
from any of its upper domes, {it {3 seen to po-3ess a great
number of dense patches of black forest, planted in
abrupt contact with bare gray rocks, Those forest plots
ark the number and the size of all the entire and frac
mentary moraines of the basin, 83 the later eroding
agents have not yet had sufficient tine to form a soil fit
for the vigorous life of laree (revs,
Wherever a deep-wombed tributary was Lid against a
arrow ridge, and was also sbticlded from the sun by
compasslug rock-shadows, there we invariably find one
or wore small terminal moraines, because when such
tributaries were melted off trom the trunk they retired
to those unper strongholds of shade, and lived and
worked in fuil independence, and the moraines which
they built «re left entire because the water-colleeting
basins behind them are too wall to make streams large
enotieh to wash them awn; but in the basins of expesea
trivutarl 8 there are no termina! moraines, because their
plucters died with the trunk, Medial and lateral moraines
aro common upon all the vutside slopes, some of them
nearly pevfeet in form; but down in the main basn there
is not left one unaltered moraine of any kind, frumense
ocds baviag washed down aud leveled them (nto border
meadows for the present strear, and into sandy flower
be Looand telds for forests,

GLACIER HISTORY,
Sel was Yosemite giacier, and such fg ite hpain, the
mags bicent work of is hands, There is snbliaity in
tue fe of 2 elaetor. Water rivers fwork openly, an! <0
do tie pains and the gentle dows, andfthejzreat sea also
wiasping oil the world; and even this nuiversal ocean of
breath, though tnvisitle, yet speaks aloud ina thonaend
voices, and rroclaims its modes of working anlits power
bul glaciers work apart from men, exerting their tre
miendons energies in cence and darkness, outspreud,
spirit-iiie, breading above predestined rocks unknown to
Lizht, unboen, working on anwearied through unwieas
ured times, unbalting as the stars, until at length, their
creations complete, their monntains bronght forth,
Lote s made for the weadows and the lakes, moraine
hatks for chosen towers, ald tlelds for waiting forests,
eapaest, enlin ns when they cae in ciystals frou the
sky, they depart,
dhe gront valiey Itself, together with all of {ts various
dotaes cand walls, was brousat forth and iasaioacd by a
grand eombination of glaciers, acting fn covtain diree
tions adinst wronite of peculiar physical steneture. All
of the rocks and mountains and lakes and meadows of
the whole uppor Meread biasing reecived their specitie
forms and carvings almosu entirely irom this swiue
uRCnueyY of ico,

I bave been drifting abont among the rocks of this
region for veverid years, anxions to spoil out some of tie
noitatain traths which ave written bere; and since the
wnnher, and magnitude, and siralllcanee of these {ee
rivers gat to appear, 1 nave become anxious for more
exc kuowledge regarding thew; with this object, sup
plviz myseif with plankets and bread, I elimbed out of
Yosemite by Indian Caton, and ain now searching the
hppep Locks and moraities for readable glacier wanu
seript,
1 at to begin by exploring the main trunk dacier
of Yosomite Creek, together with all of ats rim triba
tarics oue by one, gathering what data IT eould tind re
garding their dapth, direction of flow, the kind and
among of work which each had done, ete, but when I
Wis upon the El Copitan Mountain, secking for the west
crn shore of the main stream, I discovered that toe
Yosern te Creek olacler was not the lowest fee stream
which owed to tue valley, mt that the Ribbon Btream
boon west of EY Capitan had also been occupied by a
ghocter, which lowed nearly south, and united with the
nin central glaciers ot the summits in the valley below
Ld Caplaau,
RILDON STLEAM BASIN.
Ispent two days in this pew basin, It must have been
one of the sinailest jee streams that entered the vulley
beitig only about Jour miles in length by three ta width,
It received some small tributaries from the slopes of El
Capitan ridge, which flowed south 58° west but most
of its fee wus derived from a spur of the Hoffman group,
running nearly south-west, The slope of its Led is steep
and pretty regular, and it must have owed with con
siderable velocity, Ihave not thus tar discovered any
seem to approach we, They ave not vast and overspir
ftual, like Yosemite Tlssiack, but comprehensible and
companionable, and susceptible of human affinities
The darkness grows, and of all tieir ier soulpture dims.
WELHOUN JTLEAN DARN.
spent two days in this new basin, It must have been
one of the sinailest jee streams that entered the valley
beitig only about Jour miles in length by three ta width,
It received some small tributaries from the slopes of El
Capitan ridge, which flowed south 35° west but most
of its fee was derived from a spur of the Hoffman group,
running nearly south-west, The slope of its bed is steep
and pretty regular, and it must have owed with con
siderable velocity. I have not thus tar discovered any
of the original striated surfaces, though possibly some
patcues tuuy still exist somewners in the basin upon
hard plates of quartz, or where a bowider of protecting
torm haus mie upou a ronuded suriace. I found many
such patelres in the basin of Yosemite Glacier; ono
within hall a wile of the top ot the falls—about two
feet square in extent of surface, very perfect in polish,
and its wsivid distinet, although the surrounding un
protected rook is disintegrated to a depth of at least
four inches. As tals small glacier sloped wy? with un
sheltered bosom to the sun, it was one of the first to die,
and of course its tablets have bern longer exposed to
blurring raius and dews, avd zl eroding ageuts but
notwithstanding the countless Blutiug, crumbling
ators which haye fallen upou tue ulstovic lithographs
of Its surface, the great truth of its tormer existence
JFinted in charicters of moraine and weadow and val
uy §isove is otill as clear a3 when every one of its
pehibles and new-born rocks gleamed forth the tulljun
shadowed poatly of its whole life, With the exception
of u few castled piles and broken \oljoayupan its cast
banks, its basin Is rather smooth and lake-like, but ft
Las eiiwming meadows, most interesting in their pres
ent floras and «lacier history, und noble forests of the
two silver firs (Picen Amabifis and P.grandis) plunted
upon woralucs sprend out aud leveled by overflowing
waiters,
Now the great arches and decp curves siok also, and the
whole stracture 1s massed in biack agninst the staery sky.
I have st fire to two pine logs, and the neighboring
trees are coining to my charmed circle of light. The
two-leaved pio, with sprays sad tassels lunumerable,
the sitver tir, with magmficent frouded whorls of shin
ing boughs, und the graceful nodding spruce, dripping
with cones, and seeming yet more iritual in this eamp
fire light. Grandly do wy logs give back tbeir ligh
slow gieaned from suns of a hundred Sununers, gar
beautifully away in dotted cells and in beads of amber
Xun and, together with this outgush of light, seems to
flow all the other rick:s of their life, aud thelr living
companions are looking down as if to witnoea their per
fect wud beautiful death, But I am weary and must
rest. Good-night tomy two logs and two lakes, snd to
my two domes bigh and back on the sky, with a cluster
These resecrches ln the basin of the Ribbon Creek re
called some observations made by me sowe time ago in
the lower portiens of the basins of the Citeads and
Tutuurue streuins, and now thought it prdbable that
caroful search wail discover abundunt traces of glacial
notion In those lus also, Atsordingly, on TeacUlig
the higlest northern slope of the Ribbon, I obtal
cowprehensive views of both the Cascade and Tamarac
bastus, and amid their countless adornments could note
many fore of luke and rock which sppesrod as fohuine
glacier charactors unwarred und unaitered. nuing
down the bare slope of an Jol sno¥iivs coflon, in lees than
hal? un hour I came upon o [arge pach of the old glacier
Lud, polished und stristed, with the direction of the Sow
of the long dowd stream clearly written—south ib
Tha ruved to bo the lowest, easternmost tribu of
the Cawado glacier. 1 proceeded westward se fur se the
Cerca neato As on the Mono trall, tien turving to he
sight, catered the wouth of tue tributary st the Bead or

SHS RIT BRL TRO URUns UT DUwn ia Wile
bauks of the ice arm broken and precipitous, avi i
dence of great pressure. 1 followed up this to
lis source on tho west bank of the Yosemite hous
two miles north of the Mono trail, nnd ite
entire length there is abundance of polished with
woraines, rock sculpture, ete., giving actor te oy
HA clcar nud indisputable as can be found in woed
recent glacier pathways of the Alps,
VANIRIIED GLACIERS,
the meadows, [there is a w
I would gladly have explored the main trank of this
beautiful basin, from its highest snows upon the divide
of tho Tuolumne, to ita month in the Meroed Cation bo.
low Yosemite, bist alas! I had not suficient brefd, bo
rides I felt sure that I should also have to explore ths
Tamarac basin, and, following westward among the
faluter, most changod, and covered glacier pathways,
might probably be called as far as the end of the Pilot
Peak Ridge. Therefore, 1 concluded to leave those lower
chapters for future lessons, and go on with the easier
Yosemite pages which I had already begun,
But before taking leave of those lower stroama let mo
distinetly state, that in my opinioa future investigation
will discover Proote of tho existence In the earlier ages 03
Slerrn Nevada ice, of vast glaciers which flowed to the
very foot of the rauge, Alicady it is clear that all of the
upper basing wers filied with ice so gen and universal,
that but few of the highest ereata and ridges were sufi
ciently grat to separate it into individual glaciers, weny
of the highest u.ountains having been flowed over and
rounded liko the bowlders in a river, (ilaclers poured into
Yosemite by every oun of its cafions; and at a compara
tively recent per.od of its history its northern wall, with
perhaps the single cxception of the crest of Eagle Cif,
was covered by one ni.broken flow of ice, the several
glaciers having united before thy reached the wall.
SEPTEMBER 50.—Last evening I was camped in sma!
round giacier meadow, as tie head of the easternmost
tributary of the cascade, Tho meadow was velvet with
grass, nnd circled with the most beautiful of all tho
conifers, the Willamson spruce, I built a great fire,
and the dalsien of the sod rayed as if conscious of sun.
Aslliy on my back, feeling the *presence of the trees
—g'eaming upon the dark, and gushing with life—ocoming
closer and closer about me, and saw the small round eky
coming down with ts stars to dome my trees, I said,
Nover was mountain mansion more beautiful, more
epiritual; never was mortal wanderer more bleasediy
homed.” When the sun rose, my charmed walls wero
taken down, the trees returned to the common fund ol
the forest, and my little sky fused back into the moasule
less blue, I was left upon common ground to follow my
glacial labor.
YOSEMITE RIVER BARINS,
I followed the maln Yosemite River northward, pass
ing round the head of the second Yosemite tributary,
which flowed about north-cast until beat southward by
the main current, About noon I came to the basin of the
third ice tributary of the west rim, a place of domes
which had long engaged my attention, and ss I was
anxious to study their streeture, und the vamous mo
rzines, &e., of the uttle glacier which had issued from
their niidst, I camped hers close to tha foot of two of tho
most beautiful of the doimnes, ia a sheltered hollow, the
womb of the glacier. At the toot of these two domes aro
two lakes exactly alike in #ize and history, beautiful an
any [ever beheld; first there is the eryatal water center,
then a yellowish frinze of Carex, which has long arching
leaves that dip to the water; then a beveled boss} bordet
of yellow Sphagnun moss, exactly marking tho limfts of
the lake; further back 1s a narrow zone of dryer meadow
smooth and Jie with grasses which grow in sth
 plushy sods, eorrptod here and there by clumpy gath
erings of blac berry bushes, Tho parpls Kalmia grows
Lcre also, and the plenuutiy flowered Phyllodocs bul
tuese arc swall, aud weave into the sod, spreading low
inthe grasses and glowing with them, side theso
flowering shrubs, the weadow is lightly sprinkled with
daisies, aud dodecatiicons and white violets, most lovely
micadows ‘uvinely edie to most lovely lakes.
In the afternoon I followed down the bed of the tribune.
tary to its juaction with the main glacler; then, turning
to the right, crossed the rionths of the first two
tribuiaries witich I had passed in the morning; then,
bearing cast, examined a cross section of the main trank,
and reacized catup by following up the north bunk of the
tributary, Between the three tributaries abovemen
twned are well-defined medizl moraiaes. having been
preserved from leveling floods by their pastilvan the
bigher elopes, with bat sinc water-collect'ng basing
behind them. Down at (aeir junetions, where i wero
swept round by the main strean, is a large, level fleld of
woraine taiter, which, Lke ail the drirt-flields of this
basin, 13 planted with heavy forests, composed maluly
of a pine and tir (Pinus contarta, and Pleea amabilis),
This forest is now on ire, I wanted to pass through it,
but feared the falling trees, As I stood watching the
flapping flames snd estimating chances, a tall blazing
pine crashed across the gap hick I wished to pass, sud
in a few winutes two more fell. This stirred 2 broken
thought about special Trav lenees, and eaused mg to go
aronud out of danger. Pinus contorta is very susceptible
of fire, as it grows very close, in grovy thickets, and
usually every tree is trickle d and beaded with gum. The
Sz {ulests are almost cutirely coimnposcd of ths
pine.
DELR IN TAE VAILEY.
Emerging from this wooded moraina I found a greasy
quantity of loose separats bow!lders upon a polished hill.
top, which had formed a part of the button of the main
ice stream. They were of extraordinary size, some largo
as houses, ana I started northward to seak the mountain
from which tuev had been torn. I had gone but a little
way when I discovered a doer quietly feeding npon a nar
row steip of en meadow aliout Ixty or seventy yards
ahead of me, As the wind blew gently toward it, I
thought the opportunity good for testing the trath of
hunters’ accounts of the deer's wonderful kecnness of
scent, and stood quite still, and as the deer continned to
feed tranquiliy, on.!y casting round his head upon his
Solder occasionally to drive away the flies, 1 began to
think that his nose wis no beticr than my own, when
suddenly, as if piereed hy a bullet, he spranz up into the
gir and galicped confusedly off without turning ro look;
bit in a Tew seconds, us if doubtful of the direction of the
danger, he came bounding ba k, caught a glimpse of we,
und par olf a second time In a se ttled direction.
The Yosemite basin 18 a favorite Snmmer home of tho
deer. The leguminous vioes aud Juicy grasses of the
great moraines supply savory food, while the many high
Lhidiogs of the Hoffman Monntains, ace ssible hy narrow
passes, atlord tavorite shelter, Grizzly and brown bears
wiso love Yosemite Creek, Berries of the dv.orf man
ganita, and acorns of the dwart live-oak are abundant
upon the dry hilltops; and these with sowe planta, and
the larva of black ants, are the favorite food of bears,
it veriod occasionally by a stolen suec) or a shepherd,
The gorges of the Tnolnmne Cafion, on the north end ot
the basin, are their primeipal hiding places in this regior
Migher in the range their food is not plentiful, and lower
Lay Ge aolosted by mat,
On retnrnine to camp 1 posed three of the domes of
tie north han, and was track with the ex ot imilamty
vi ihe structure, the same coveentrie layers, witha
petpendicaar cleavaga also, hat less perfectiv devels
oped and mors frregular, This Nettle donao tributary,
about 23 wiles lore by 13 wide, musi have been one of the
toe! beautiful of the basin: ali of its a; per circling rim
1< adorned with does, some 0 if-born, sunk in tie Dae
rent tock 3 some broken and torn upon fos sides hy the
wee, and nn few necrly perfect, from their greater steengeth
of straeture or more favorabie position, The two inky
whove doeserived are the enly vies of the tribintor ys basin,
both dowes and lakes handiwork of the glace,
A GLACIER'S DEATIL
In the waning days of ti!s wwountain fee, when ‘he
main river beoan to shallow and break Uke a Sammer
cloud, it crests and domes rising higher and higher, ahd
{sland rocks coming to light far ont in the man current,
then many wo tributary died, avd this one, cat olf
fiom is trunk, moved slowly hack amid the
gurgling aud gushing of its bleeding ribs, unt,
crouching in the shadows of this haltuiin hol
low, it lived a feeble separate life, Hore its dgy
come and go, and the hiding glacier dives and worss. It
brings bow'ders and sand and tine dust polishives from
1ts sheltering domes and covovs, building up oo termtual
moraine, which forts a dam for the waters which lsgio
froin it; and beneath, working in the dark, if scoop¥a
shallow lake basin, Again toe glacier retives, cronching
under cooler ¢hadows, and a cinster of steady years eu
ables the dying glacier to nude yet another moratve
dam like the first; and, whore the gratate begins to ip
in curves to form the upper aan, it =coops another lake.
Its last work is done, and 1c dies, The twin lekes are
full of pure Even water, aud floating masses of snow
aud broken {ce. The domes, perrect isc pine, gl an
in new-born purity, lake: acd does reflecting each
other bright as the ice which wade then, Gold's seasons
circle on, glad brooks born of the snow and the rain sins
in the rocks, and carry sand to the need lakes, and, in
the fullness of time comes many a chosen plant: first
lowly carex with dark brown spikes, then talier sedges
and rushes, fixing a shallow soil, and now coe many
grasses, and daisies, and blooming shrubs, until luke and
meadow growing throughout ihe season hike u flower in
Summer, develop to the perfect beauty of to-day.

How softly comes night to the mountaius, Shadows
grow upon all the lancscape; only the loftmsn Peaks
and my two domes, more finpressive, than in broad day,
A Sacramento dispatch to a San Francisco
paper, dated Nov. 33, gives the following particulars of
the remarkable performance of Gov. Stauford’s famous
trotier:
This morning, to gratify several friends from Fan
Pragsinte und elsewhere, Gov, Stajiend, for y+
we In 0, perm t) 0
three heats Pd the Union Park course.
be horse was in good condition, aud made re
markable time, there belng but three-quarters of a second
difference between the firet aud third heats, tae usual thee
intervoning between hoats as allowed in wlio-jeat trot
rd matches. The first mile was done in 2:184; second,
#19, and third, 2:19). Not skip or break ovcurred in
either beat, uor was the whip used shrougbout. The
i pi ad 38 dude V2 2 1:004,
n n 1:
Although Fi perloeniaon senior Go credited ofliolally.
there can be no doudt §hatis Ne) done as above recorded.
y watches were some guntiemeu elaim
Saat (bo si. mile was otis in 2:18 B.C, Mussina
oan re of San Franeisco were preseut, au be.
A RIVAL FOR DEXTER
of stars between.