What I saw in America.

Otago Witness, Issue 1243, 25 September 1875, Page 20

What I saw in America.

By the Rev. Dr. Copland, Dunedin.

No. 'VII; Continued. MONTKEAL TO BOSTON. Forty miles south of this, we reach Concord, the capital of • New Hampshire, an elegant city of twelve thousand iiihabitauts, on the banks of the Merrimac River. It was formerly, called Rumford, and was the residence of Benjamin Thompson, who fulfilled the functions of a schoolmaster here about 1775. His wonderful military career commended him to the notice of the Elector of Bavaria, by whom he was promoted to the rank of the nobility, under the title of Count Rumford ; while his- discoveries in science, especially in regard >' to heat,' and the practical application which he made of science, raised him to a foremost ' place among the scientific men of his dayjfc His daughter resided here under the title J of the Countess of Rumford, and died in * 1852. The famous coach works of Messrs ■ Abbott, Downing, and Co. are situate "• here, whose buggies are well known' throughout the Australian Colonies. ' At twenty miles' distance from this we reach Manchester, whichj like the great manufacturing metropolis from which it takes its name, is distinguished by its , numerous print-works and factories. for .locomotives, steam fire-engines, sewiug machines, axes, paper, and many' other industries. It is furnished with abundance of water-power f rom'the Merrimac. It is the most populous town of : New ■ Hampshire, containing ..twenty-four fiibusand inhabitants. ' f Nashua, seventeen miles beyond,' is a * busy town o£ ten thousand inhabitantsin which the making of .carpets, locks, paper, &c, employs, a Jarge mimberof -operatives. .It enjoys abundant, waterpower, derived from a canal led from- the, Nashua, River. Spon after this we, enter the, Estate of Massachusetts, and pass by Lowei), a y,ery, busy manufacturing town' of fqrty-two .thousand inhabitants. Of these, fifteen,' thousand are' operatives in •, the. -mills, which in 1871 numbered 6~9, and , are mostly foreigners— lrish, French, Catia-'. dians, and Nova Scotians.,, , Tlie statistics of the productions of t this place are some- ' thing immense. Steam is used to, .the , extent of upwards, of five thousand, horsepower, while the water-po^eris employed to the .extent of about ten thousand horse-; - < power. ,, After .twenty-six miles' •' further - ride, we are, brought into the stir" and . bustle of the. great ,city of Boston. „ '■. , , No. . V 111... ' , ■'',/ Boston. —Its Situation, Suburbs, > : ■ Stkebts. - " '- On arriving in Bqstonlate at night, we-.;-itook up our quarters in the America^' House — a large hotel in the central part of the city, constructed on what is called ? the American principle.. The meaning, .of/ - this is, that you are charged a fixed. rate; per day— commonly from 3i to 5 dollars according to tlie acale^ of 'th'e*tibusej which - is generally the ' same , all over, but in - somo cases may vary a little, according to the bedroom you occupy. For this charge , everything is provided ia the way of good ," food,, lights and service. In the, bedrooms you may generally see a printed card) posted up, intimating the charges of ' th«j , house and setting forth various regulations which, the guests a r e expected tp_' attend to. The lights '"are not to be kepi' , bulling all nighfc under penalty of extra h charge. Money and valuables are to be ' ™ delivered up to the clerk for deposit ,in tho safe, otherwise the proprietor is not held responsible if they go aniiss'ing. , In, some places, it is said, a notice is posted requesting gentlemen not to, go to bed ' with their boots on, but I did not observe . ' this in the hotels I visited. As to the '* cleaning of boots, about. which Americans are rather particular, it seemed to be the ' general practice to have them brushed 'oil ' the feet. A special department is asf " signed to the boot-blacks, and -very comfortable arm chairs are. provided,' wjiejre' you may 101 lat ease while the shining ' operation is going' on about yWr feet,' The barber's department is generally con* nectid with. it. Tho services of bothj however, must bo paid for by thode who' receive them. Ten cents isthe i c6mmon ' charge for cleaning boots. As to the barber's, fee I am not so siire, as I Had 110 ' occasion to seek hisaid. Near the entrance hall is the office, where one or more cU rks ar« constantly ' on duty, and the fir3fc r tiling the traveller has to do on arrival is to enter his name ancl location in a book kept for the pur" ' pose. The clerk then assigns him a ruohi j' ! and summonses a porter to guide him to it * '- and convey his baggage. ,In most hotels of large size' there is" an < elevator, by which you are' hoisted' up td ' the necessary elevation without the troubla of using the stairs. When you" go ' % out of your room, jou are expected to * lock your door, and leave the key at the - : ball, where it is hnng on a peg maiked. '. with the number that corresponds. Tim " serves the d<»uhl« purpose of Micuritig' your room against unlawful intruders)'" and presents a convenient indication to" the ckrk by which he at oiice ascertain 1*)1 *) "' when any one enquires for you, whether ' you are in your room or have gone out. ■ ! Accommodation is provided in "the prim 1 - cipal hotels in the iarge cities, and eVen-" ; in towns of comparatively small size, for several hundreds of guests. Ouenaturally wonders how there can be such nmlti* v tudes of the travelling public as to re- r quira these extepsive arrangements. > J£d > g<?on Siss°ms hoirtnr, fcfaHhe dwelled

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in hotels do not all belong to the migratory class. The resident population have their homes here, to an extent far beyond what is ever seen in Britain. Not only single men, bat married couples and their families, if they hare any (which by the" way appear to be very scarce in the Northern States), live from one year to another, with no other home. The hall where all the meals are served is very spacious and handsomely fitted up. There are fixed hours during which the several meals can be had. Breakfast, probably from 7 to 10, dinner from 12 to 2, and supper from 6to 8. It is served up separately for each individual according to his order. A large staff of waiters is required — most of whom are coloured in various degrees— and in general they are very attentive to the guest. But this is not left to their own option. A polite

and lynx-eyed head waiter receives you w Jt& you enter the hall, conducts you to a stable and keeps a sharp look-out over the whole hall to see that his subordinates do their duty. The bill of fare displays bewildering variety of viands, all of which are at your command. There is no chance of finding suoh a dinner as a rather scrubby host is said to have provided, who pressed a stranger with a great show of hospitality to have dinner with him. The invitation was accepted, and they sat down before a table which presented a large spread of table-cloth, and an imposing display of dish-cover. When the host removed the cover, there was revealed to the expanding eyes of the visitor a couple of scraggy little chops. "Now," said the host, with engaging frankness, " you see your dinner." "Yes," replied his guest, " but where's yours V The diffioulty of the stranger at an American hotel is to select what dishes he will have. It would be hopeless for him to follow the principle of the guest who, when asked if he would take roast beef, or mutton, or pie, which was on the table, replied, "It matters nothing which I begin with, as I shall take them all in turn." This would be too much for most appetites, with a bill of fare which looks like a leaf out of Webster's Dictionary, setting forth a choice of soups, fish, boiled meats, cold dishes, roasts, entrees, vegetables, relishes, fruit, pastry, puddings, &c. Still most of the guests partake of a surprising number of different dishes. Each portion is brought on a small saucer, and you may see the waiters carrying a whole armful of these which have been ordered for one guest. The Americans are notoriously rapid eaters, and to a vast extent the viotims of dyspepsia and quack-medicines. The ladies who are residing in the hotel for the most part take their meals in the public hall. In some they have private dining-rooms ; but the American lady is not so secluded in her tastes as herßritish sister, In .all the hotels, there are drawing-rooms finely furnished, ■ with pianos, pictures, &c, ■where the ladies .make their abode. There are also separate entrance doors for their use. The situation. of Boston is highly favourable for the development of its great commerce. It lies at the interior extremity of the Bay of Massachusetts. The sides of this bay form two sides of a triangle, while Boston is at the apex. Thecity proper is built on a peninsula jutting out from the mainland. To obtain a rough diagram of it, look at the palm of your right hand extended, and consider the point of the middle finger as directed to the north. This would refi present the city. The harbour extends around the portion represented by the side of the forefinger and the extremities of the others. The thumb would represent another peninsula, occupying a corresponding position, oh which South Boston is built. Between the thumb and the palm lies a small bay called South Bay, while several bridges connect the extremity of this peninsula with the city proper. • Around the whole side of the city, represented by the side of the forefinger and the extremities of the others, is a continual succession of wharves stretching out into the harbour. The part represented by the side of the little finger forms the bank of the Charles River, which flows into the harbour. Over against the part indicated by the forefinger, but separated from it by the harbour, there is another peninsula, on which East Boston is situate. This portion also bristles with busy wharves, and maintains its communication with the city proper by means of ferries. A number of. bridges 'onnect the city proper at different points with the mainland, stretching across the Charles River. Quite a cluster of little cities on the mainland form suburbs to Boston. Beginning at the south, we find Roxbury. situate near what is called The Neck (represented by the wrist), where the peninsula joins the mainland. In this little city John Elhot, the apostle of the Indians, labonred for their conversion from 1632 to" 1690. To the west of Roxbury is Brookline, where many of the Boston merchants have their dwellings. There are here two reservoirs — one containing 120 millions of gallons, and the other, a mile distant, holding 800 millions of gallons—for the supply of Boston. In the large cemetery of Forest Hills, which is closeby, is the grandest receiving tomb in New England, having an imposing portico of granite in Gothic style. To the north of Brookline is Brighton where an immense cattle market is held every Wednesday— the largest in New England. On the north side of it is the academic town of Cambridge, 3£ miles from Boston, the* seat of the Harvard College, the oldest University of America, founded in 1638. Two years before this the Legislature of Massachusetts voted £400 to

establish a school here, and in 1638 a minister— John Harvard—died and left his library and £800 to this school. Upon this, the authorities promoted it to the rank of a college, and named it after this liberal benefactor. Some may think it was not a very munificent sum, but probably it was all he had. Here Longfellow, the popular poet, was Professor of Modern Languages till 1854, and was succeded by James Russell Lowell, the author of the Biglow Papers. Oliver Wendell Holmes, R. H. Danu, junr., Ralph Waldo Emerson, and multitudes more whose names are renowned throughout the world, were students in this University. To the north of Cambridge is Somerville, where Burgoyne's army was encamped several months. Further north is Maiden, where the celebrated Missionary of Burmah, Adouiram Judson, was born in 1788. Charlestown and Chelsea are close to East Boston and connected with Boston, the former by two bridges, the latter by ferries. The main attraction of Charlestown is the Bunker Hill Monument, an obelisk of granite, 30 feet square at the base, and 221 feet high, commemorative of the engagement between the British and Americans in June, 1755. Although these various little cities are governed by their own municipal authorities, they are connected with Boston m the closest manner and may be regarded as integral parts of the city. The population of the whole probably amounts to about 300,000. The streets in general are narrow and not very regularly laid off. The central part of the city is filled with lofty warehouses, made of granite, which give it a very solid and imposing appearance. The amount of business of all kinds that is carried on fills the streets with a continual throng. Tramway cars abound to such an extent that they seemed to fill the whole length of a street, folbwing close after each other on the same line, reminding one of the streets of the City of London, especially before the underground railways were opened. The chief centre of business is towards the northern end of the peninsula and it is very olosely packed with shops and warehouses filled with every kind of merchandise. In commercial importance, Boston stands next to New Yorkl Any one may readily understand this, when when he looks at the immense number of wharves that surround the city, and the vast piles of stores built on them. Looking over the harbour fiom one" of them, conversing with a gentleman who belonged to the city, my friend who was travelling with me spoke of his impressions of the preat commercial of the city as indicated by the splendid rows of warehouses that filled the streets. At the same time he stated his opinion, that Chicago which ihe had been visiting, must be a powerful rival. Th 4 Bostonian could not deny the splendour and importance pi Chicago, but he said, "It's Boston money that has produced it." Their foreign commerce is assisted greatly by their unequalled harbour, while the extensive network of railways; leading to all parts of the continent, affords the ..greatest facilities for their traffic inland. Their banks, insurance offices, and public buildings built for the most part of granite and on a scale of imposing magnitude, display much architectural taste.

, The United States Custom House is one of the most massive buildings in the city. The wails, roof, and dome are of granite. It is shaped , like a cross, and has 82 large columns, 5, feet thick and 32 feet high. It cost upwards of £200,000 sterling. The; JPosfc Office, which is not yet, finished, presents a front 200 feet long. It is very, lofty, built of granite in the French,, style of architecture, and adorned iirfront with groups of statuary. It is expected to cost from £400,000 to £600,000. It was much scorched by the great fire which occurred on the 9th of November, 1872, so that a great part of it had to be taken down and rebuilt. The fire began in the ■ lower part of a building at the corner of Kingston and Summer streets, about 7 o'clock in the evening. When it reached the .roof, it sent forth a vast body of flame .g all directions. The roof was constructed in a style which is very much followed here called the Mansard roof. It is built of light timber, and has an elegant appear- ! ance, but is exceedingly dangerous, in case of fire, in a crowded city. It continued to burn fiercely and extend widely all that night and next day until the afternoon, in spite of the heroic exertions of an immense number of firemen and volunteers, assisted by a large numbers of fire engines worked by steam, which were brought, not merely from all parts of the city, but from nearly all the towns within a circuit of 100 miles. About 50 acres of ground in the most crowded and wealthy part of the city was in this short time swept by the devouring i hurricane, which left behind it only a mass of blackened and dangerous walls. Looking at the solid nature of the buildings, one may- wonder how the fire should have spread so extensively, but the reason becomes apparent when we remember the prevalence of the Mansard roofs, which readily caught fire, while their great height from the street prevented the water reaching them with sufficient rapidity to prevent their extending the fire to others close beside them. The amount of the damage done was estimated at about £14,000,000 sterling, while-be-tween 20 and 30 lives were- lost. Three regiments of troops were stationed round the district where the fire raged to keep back multitudes, who from . curiosity or other motives were likely to rush into danger, as well as to protect it from the hordes of thieves that usually come forth

on such occasions to pursue their nefarious craft. Vast piles of goods taken from warehouses already burning or likely to be involved in the fire were conveyed to the common and guarded by the soldiery. The^ system followed here and in other cities in America for checking, fire seems to be the most complete imaginable Alarm-boxe3 are placed at all points of the city. The key can be obtained at some place close beside them which is painted on the box, and all that is required ia to turn a handle inside and the intelligence is instantaneously communicated by magnetism to the central office, from which it is communicated to allthe stations of the fire brigade in the city. As the buildings are high (usually four and five stories) and the pressure of water is insufficient to reach the upper parts, fire-engines are required whichare wrought by steam. As soon as the alarm is received, the fire is lighted, and the draught caused by the rapid motion of the engine as it is pulled along the streets at the gallop speedily generates steam, so that it is ready for action almost as soon as it can arrive at the scene of the fire. I had no opportunity of seeing the practical effect of these appliances during my sojourn in America, as no fire occurred convenient to where I happened to be. The real efficiency must depend mainly on the skill and experience of the officers in charge of the brigades and the discipline of the men, as well as the harmony with which the various brigades may work under the orders of a responsible and authorized Fire-Marshal. In many cases, from the w.ant of this lastnamed functionary, the moat determined efforts of a vast . body of men may be utterly inefficient, because they are not acting in perfect unison, and in some cases fires have been allowed to spread widely in a city because there was no responsible officer who possessed full authority to adopt the only means that might be within reach of arresting their progress—namely, pulling down one or two of the adjacent houses. The opposition made to such measures by the owners of the homes, or the companies with whom they were insured, has usually prevented recourse to this expedient. Yet it is a point which should be fully provided for, in the interests of every community. The finest example of complete equipment and military discipline applied to the extinguishing of fires which I have witnessed, was in Berlin. One day a tire occurred in the street where I r«aide.d, Within a very few minutes from the time when it was first observed, the first engine arrived, and in rapid succession came others from all parts of that large city. Besides the engines, pulled along by horses at the gallop, there were open waggons for the men, others containing ladders, poles, and appliances of every kind which might be . needed for any emergency. Last and not least there were one or two waggons, each containing a huge water-barrel filled, so that they might be able at once to play on the fire without waiting till the hose could be attached to the nearest water main. As these conveyances sped along- the streets, a bell attached to each was constantly {[sounded, and every other vehicle was required to pull to a side and allow them to pass on without the least interruption. At night they carried blazing torches, and as they dashed through the orowded streets they presented a very lively spectacle. On the occasion I refer to, the fire had broken out in a shop which was closed. As soon as the first company of firemen arrived, acting under the orders of the officer in charge, they speedily effected an entrance by a few sirokes of their huge axes. The water was then brought to bear on the fire till it was extinguished. The firemen that arrived with the subsequent engines and waggons immediately dismounted and were all ranged like soldiers along the pavement of the opposite side, and remained there until the fire was at an end, and even the debris scattered over the pavement in front of the burning building had been swept away with brooms|which the firemen had with them. The whole business being now concluded, the signal was given by a whistle which the officer carried, and immediately all of them mounted into their respective places on the engines and waggons, and on a second whistle being sounded, they started off in various directions to their several quarters. (To he continued.)