OUR AMERICAN LETTER.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 303, 20 December 1913, Page 9

OUR AMERICAN LETTER.

(I'rotn Our Special Correspondent.)

XEW YORK, December 13.

THE DEFEAT OF TAMMANY.

Although the bitting on the recent i Xeff York City election had swung from heavy odds in favour of Mr. McCall, the I Tgrnmauy candidate, to equally heavy I odds in favour oi Mr. John Purrcy I MJtchel, tiic candidate of the Republican and all o'.ker parties in fusion, no one expected that the latter would be elected to the mayoralty by such a large plurality as was given him on November 4th. The change In the sentiment, beginning al the death of Mayor Gaynor be-ax-. - emphasised when Sulzer I was impeai bed i? Governor of the State j and finally unseated. Sulzer claimed j that the cause of his impeachment was that he ha-i refused to become the tool of Tammany. The sequel showed that a "ood many people believed him. for he ran for the .Slate legislature in his own constituency, and was elected almost unanimously. It is said that he now aims to have himself elected Speaker of the next legislature, in which event he nil! certainly do his best to get even jrith his p ilitical enemies. Under any circumstance, his voice and influence in the House at Albany are sure to be pretty loudly heard. Friends of Tammany hare been severely criticising their leader. Mr. Murphy, for having interfered with Sulzer on the eve of snch an important civic election, as the control of the eilv is a very much greater prize ia many respects than that of the State, and it docs not appear that the satisfaction of getting Sulzer out has been at all ator.ed for by the installation of his successor. Mr. Glynn, who had been elected as Lieutenant-Governor, and never expected to fill a more than nominal position. He is a bard-headed Albany newspaper man and practical printer, and was standing over imposing stones making up forms in his office when notij-.ed that he was wanted at the I Capitol to be sworn in. "Tell them Fll I be around in a few minutes," said Glynn, who washed his hands and went, but told everybody that he didn't want tbe job. and would not stand for re-election. The number of voters who registered in New York ciry was 669.762, and the plurality of M*r. Mitchel about T20.000. j More than 700 detectives were on special duty during the day. Mr. Mitchel h:is been Collector of Customs of the Port of New York, appointed by the present administration at Washington, at a salary of 12.000 dollars a year, and will resign that office on December 31st to take up his new civic duties. An odd problem confronts the city authorities in view of the fact that Mr. Mitchel lives on the seventh floor of a big apartment house ou Riverside Drive. Every previous mayor has had a residence of his own. and it has been the custom to designate that residence with two lamps of ornate design, in front, of the entrance and maintained by the city: but whether to put them now in front of the apartment house or not has not yet been decided. AN ASTOE ENGAGEMENT. The =ocial sensation of the day is the announcement of the engagement of Mr. Vinc-ct Astor to the daughter of his next neighbour at his country estate at Staatsburg. Xew York. She is 20, tall, fair, and winsome, although not strikingly handsome, but said to be likely to develop into a lady of commanding presence. He is 22, and inherited some sixty-five millions of dollars at tb? death of his father in the Titanic disaster. The engagement ring received by the young lady is set with a large emerald with three diamonds on each *ide. said to cost 10.000 dollars. Tbe wedding is to take pla'-e next spring. The bride to be is Miss Helen * Dinsrnorc Huntington, granddaughter of the late Win. B. Dinsmore, multi-millionaire, and daughter of Mrs. Robert P. Huntington. She has one brother, Robert P., jun.. 13. and a sister, Alice. 16 years old. The newspapers are brimming with portraits of the young couple, hardly any two of which are aliice or reeosmisablr f"r the same

persons. FOOTBALL A3TD MOTOR FATALITIES. >7ow that the football season is Hearing its close, the records show a much smaller number of casualties than usual. A good deal of interest has been displayed in the inter-collegiate matches, but otherwise the game docs not seem to be as popular as heretofore. Deaths from being run down by auto- ; mobiles iv tho city streets arc steadily increasing. In the nine months ended, September 30th there were 132 deaths in Manhattan. At the same ratio the number for the entire year will be 17G. Six were caused by mail wagons, sixteen by other automobile trucks, seven by taxicabs. three by fire trucks, and the rest by private cars. Fifty-eight of the victims wrre children under 12. The number of deaths in the borough of Manhattan caused by automobile.-; in three previous years were: 1910, 62; 1911. 90: 1912. 146. With 2-"4 deaths last ypar in the five boroughs, no convictions were secured. There have been thirty-seven arrests this year, and nine persons have been held by the coroners to awak the action of the grand jury. The main cause of the accidents is reckless driving and excessive speeding. The mail automobiles killed four persons last year. Tbi= year they have already killed six. If they keep it up at the same rale the increase will be 100 per cent for the year.

VARIOUS NEWS ITEMS. The t-ttike of drivers of mail delivery wagons under contract with the Post Office Department did not amount to very m.ion. although it caused inconvenience about the city for some days. Tne trouble was that the men! who struck vrork vcere not in the employ of the Cnvernment. but hired by contractors, and the result will probably be that the Covernment will take pains hereafter to maintain its own mail teams. j Weather in New York city thus far has been remarkably open for the season, and with only one day's mercury down to freezing point. On the Great Lakes, however, winter descended last week with a blizzardy bang. Cities were buried beneath heavy snow, trains derailpd. steamers wrecked, and many lives 10-t. Beautiful but immoral dances seem to be the craze this season more than ever, and ail sons of movements to coun'/r----act their evil effects are in order. Preaching, however, seems to do little goodTHE MEXf ' -r PHOBLE2S. What t -ferns to be the prr.l, importance now be for. at Washington. .-- n edies have been fragges:-- , ident Wilson

evidently hates to interfere, although hi has been in conference with the Powen of Europe in regard to the matter mor< than was ever on record by any othei previous administration. If he blockade: the Mexican ports so as to prevent sup plies or ammunition being landed, tha would seem to provoke war witl Europe. If he takes charge in Mexic. the same as was done in Cuba, tha: would mean antagonising all of Mexic. as well as perhaps some foreign allies i The cause of the trouble is said to b< the desire of English against Americai capitalists to control the Mexican oi wells. If President Wilson would con sent to be controlled by the Standart nil Company it might simplify matters but that would involve other compliea tion?. Meanwhile it is generally re garded as a shrewd move to have sent a bij; fleet of American battleships to th. Mediterranean, for if they are needec on the Pacific Coast they will be a gooc deal nearer at Suez than if they had ti go around South America. SUBWAYS IN BOSTON. Figures relative to the cost of con structton of Boston subways, togethei with the sinking funds established tc pay off the indebtedness show that th< totai indebtedness of the city of Bostoi for the construction of the Tremonl Street subway and the East Boston Washington Street and Beacon Hill tunnels is 17.424.700d0L. while the sink ing funds thus far show a total of 2,502, 06i35d01. All the money for building the subways has been borrowed by the city outside the debt limit and the taxpayer has not been called upon for on. dollar. These subways -are ail leased b\ the Boston Elevated Railway Co. on sucl good terms that the rental is sufficieni to pay the interest and the sinking fund charges. The Tremont Street subway was built at a cost of 4,416,000d01. and at the present time. 13 years anc 10 months after its completion, the sink ing fund to pay off this indebtedness ha; reached 1.483.457.09, or 32.5 per cent ol the whole. The sinking funds of the other three bores show a like growth, indicating that in a comparatively short time the rental paid by the railroad foi the use of the subways and tunnel; will have not only paid ail interest ot the cost, but will have paid off the indebtedness itself. HORSES IK KEW YOBS. About six years is said to be tbe life of the -ivprage work horse in New York but with good care a great many last double this length of time, while a few exceptional animals endure much longer Jacob Ruppert is working a rema.:Kab!< pair on one of his brerwery wagons. Theii names are Cam and Abel. They art <rev Percherons, weighing 1,800 and 1.520 pounds respectively, and Colone: Ruppert says they have been in active service eighteen years. They are now about twenty-two years old. For sis years this pair worked on a Brooklyr route, sometimes making two trips a day from the brewery at Third Avenue and Ninetieth Street, drawing a truck weighing 4T660 pounds and fifty hall barrels of beer weighing 10,000 pounds At present they are hauling one or twe loads daily in New York. They art free from blemishes, excepting one smal wind puff on Abfi. THE PEAITDT CROP. Millions are invested in plants foi th<> manufacture of peanut products while thousands of acres in the Soutl are devoted to the cultivation of this excellent crop. A Texas correspondent writes that more and more the Texa: farmers are being convinced of the valut of the peanut crop, and are using i' not only to fatten their etock ant enrich their soil, but also as a sourci of direct income. The Texas crop las year brought an average price of 8. cents a bushel, and this year becausi of a general shortage in the country it will bring much more. The average yield of peanuts in Texas is from 40 t' 50 bushels, and under the best condi tions even 75 bushels. Taking thesfigures as a basis, the corresponden makes an interesting comparison be tween the certain profits of the peanu and the uncertain price of cotton. "1 takes about 500 pounds of seed cotton, he says, '"to make a third of a bale, oi sa v. 160 pounds of lint. There is : cost of 5 dollars for packing alone, am 1 even at 15 cents a pound for cottot |on the market there is but 15 dollar an acre to recoup the farmer for rent o land, interest on his investment, cos of seed, and labour. At present price the peanut crop is worth 15 dollars ti 20 dollars with a modest yield per acre Planting and gathering 'his crop wil cost only a few dollars an acre, insteai of 10 dollars or more for cotton. "1 is also observed that in a dry season when cotton cannot be made, peanut flourish. "Practical experience in thi connection has brought conviction t> many farmers, and they now devote ; part of their land to peanuts, and fattei stock instead of relying exclusively oi cotton."'

MAJTCTFACTITKE OF SOAP. The American people pay out '■ 111.357.777 dollars annually for soap with which to fight dirt, according to a j certain report. This bill includes soa^r. ; for all purposes. .There are 420 establishments kept busy turning out soap iv | this country. Their total expenses aggregate 08,226.337 dollars. The industry is well distributed over the country, it being well established in 'So States. Xew York leads with the manufacture of 23.552.977 dols. worth of soap. Glycerine is one of the chief ingredients of the soap made in this country. A total of 93,345,032 pounds is used annually by tbe soap manufacturers. CBOWLE3S iiCDSTERS. The Department of Agriculture is authority for the prediction that there will soon be "crowless roosters." The department is in receipt of a letter from a native of BeHsville, Ohio, explaining the discovery. A simple operation, in which a small noise-producing cord in the ] rooster's neck is removed, is the secret I which renders the rooster useless as a live alarm clock. Dr. Galloway. AssistantSecretary of Agriculture, believes that if this can be done it -will <\w possible to insert one or more artificial cords of various pitches and thus turn the early morning crowing into a. delightful harmony. Harry Lamon. in charge of the poultry division of the d-epartment. is investigating the matter. This year's crop in Aroostook. County Maine, "will give that county 20.000.0U0 dollars for the crop and still leave Aroostook farmers all the seed potatoes they will need for next spring's planting. AN ILLEGAL TAX. During the Civil War 60,000,000 dollars was collected by the Federal Government ,as a direct tax upon cotton. This tax , has been declared illegal by the U.S. i Supreme Court, and the question arises as to wlat disposition should he made of it. As it is impossible to return the

money to those who paid it, or their I representatives, as most of the original 1 receipts given for it have been lost or destroyed. Gen. Bennett H. Young, com- j mander-in-chief of the United Confederate Veterans, is endeavouring to I persuade Congress to apportion this fund | among the several Southern States for ] pensioning southern survivors of the war and the widows of the Confederate dead. He thinks this would be an equitaible j j and generous way of returning to the , 1 , people of the South money unlawfully 1 taken from them by the Government. 1 AN AS.DT2" OF PENSIONERS. More than one-fiffcn of the men who , served in the Army and Navy of the United States during the Civil War were , still on the Government's pension roll at the beginning of the present fiscal ' year. This was shown by the annual report of Commissioner of Pensions ' Saltzgaber, made public on October 22. j in which it appears that on July 1 last there were 4G2,379 Civil War pensioners. In the last year there was a decrease of 34,884 such pensioners, while the net loss in the entire pension roll was 40,094, leaving 820,200 pensioners of all classes. There remain 1,142 Mexican War I pensioners and 1,066 from Indian wars. The last surviving pensioner of the war !of ISI2 died eight years ago. although 199 widows of that war's lighters still receive pensions, a decrease of thirtynine since last year. Ohio leads the States with the largest number of pensioners, 77,599, followed by Pennsylvania, with 75,610, New York * Illinois 56,482, Indiana 49.987, Missouri 39.490, Michigan 34*298, and Massachusetts 34,124. A CANADIAN'S BOUNTY. One of the interesting benefactions of the present Canadian Government is the . -bounty being granted to the veterans of what "was known as the Fenian Raid. , I This affair occurred prior to Confederation, and the men belonging to all the : authorised volunteer companies were ordered under arms to repel invaders, it having been set forth that a Fenian • I army had been organised in the United i j States to capture the British North , I American provinces, and especially Nova i Scotia. The "invasion didn't amount Ito mucb. except for a small conflict on I the borders of Quebec, -and the volunteers never thought anything more I about it than the satisfaction of having I done their duty. They never got any ' special pay, however, because the pro- | vincial governments were all too poor, ' ) and the Dominion Government, since its - ! organisation, has had its hands full with ? ' problems -of expansion. Now, however, r ! since its revenues have increased a-nd the - j influx of immigration has given Canada ti a national character, its statesmen are ' remembering the old defenders, and 3 I recently a bounty of £20 was authorised r• to C3ch of the veterans of the Fenian £ j Raid who was actually under arms, i More than eleven thousand applications i have already been made, and several c thousand granted. f aUSCELLAMXOTTS. 0 Cornell college girls recently set a c pace with a four-oared crew that other U college girls have determined to beat next year if they can. The time made over a quarter-mile was lmin. 51 2-ssec

Mrs. Anderson Hughes Drew, delegate ■from New Zealand to the World's Women's Christian Temperance Union, recently meeting in New York, won the women suffrage element in the audience at a macs meeting at the Brooklyn Academy of Music by 'her speech. "I never knew what an 'anti' was," 6be said, "until I came to America. It is very surprising to mc that any woman should ally herself against suffrage for I her sex."

By the time this reaches you Christmas shopping will be in order and Christmas gifts in the mails. If the year closes fairly well it will have ranked as at least an erratic one in American business, and everybody hopes that 1914 will prove more solid and satisfactory. As yon enjoy midsummer weather we shiver in great coats, and are fortunate if the janitor eends up enough steam to keep us comfortable | indoors, but none the les3 we 6ing the I same old songs and wish each other all the compliments, as we did before tbe days of wireless and and a narrowing world.

Mails from Melbourne, October 3. Auckland. October 9. and Wellington, October 10, per steamer Tahiti, were delivered in New York November 4. Mails from Auckland. October 13, and Sydney. October 18. by steamer Sonoma, were delivered here November 11.

EXTRAORDINARY GROWTH OF ALBERTA Ten yeans ago that part of the Canadian Norti-Tvest territories which is now known as Alberta possessed a population of -about 73,022. The chief towns were very email. Edmonton's population was 2.626, Calgary 4,097, Lethbridge 2,072, Medicine Hat 1,570, and Ptrathcona 550. The census of 191.1 returned the population of the province as 372.919, or to-ore than live times as much is in 1901, while Edmonton, with which Stnithcona is now amalgamated, had 30,462 inhabitants, Calgary 43,736. Lethbridge 8,045, and Medicine Hat 5572. It may not be generally known how cosmopolitan in character is the crowd of -applicants for free tracts of land -in Alberta. Every continent and almost every country -has contributed ite share towards the upbuilding of tihis land of the West. The days of the pioneer are ■alm-oC over, -but the real West is still the land of the -toiler and the tiller, a country of beginnings, but also a ccun try of achievements.