Our Man About Town

The legislators have come and gone. To say that some of them were perfectly astonished at the magnitude of the univereity, poorly expresses it. It was really amusing to notioe the interest nianifested by many of the visitors as the fifteen hundred studente filed into university hall oue week ago. To some of them the agricultural college, wit h lts few studente, was the only institution they knew until they visited the university. But a day on the campus must have convinced these solons that the regeuts have been very modest in asking for appropraitions, and it remains to be seen whether an eSbrt wili be made to out them down when the matter comes up for final disposition. During the past week i noticed at least four physioians' sidewalks covered with ice to suoh an extern that it was dangerous to anyone's life or hnib to attempt to walk over them. This struck me as being very significant, as these gentlemen make their living through the infirmities of their tellow men. With a person of less oharitable turn of mind than myself, such dangerous sidewalks m front of a dootor's door might lead to the notion that they were left in that oondilion purposely to bring griste to the milis of the owners. But assuming, as is most hkely, that the slippery walks were the result of oareleésness,would any one of these doctors, in oase of an acoi dent, attend the victim free of charge? Some people are never satistied. They wouldn't be ïf they own-d the earth ; henoe there is no use in tn ing to pleaso such folks. When the (juehtion of water works was Ürst agitated some of them growled, and tbey haven't got through yet. They growled wheu the oouncil voted to light the oity with eleotricity, and there are those wno growl when a oompany talks of boring for natural gas. They growl beoause the government says Ann Arbor is entitled to a free postal delivery, and some of them would probably growl if they were going to be hung. I have no patience with obronic g rowlers. Although eight weeks yet intervene before the oharter eleotion, I understand certain candidatos are laying the wiree for a uomination. l'here ure some persons who are eternally hunkering for office. For one, I most emphatioally sit down on these ohromos. be they republicans or demócrata, The way is clear. Let t lic better class of voters attend the ward ca acuses, and there will be no occasion for a "citizens' " ticket. There was a time when this city had first-class hotels, and surpassed by none on the line of the Michigan Central railroad. Then traveling men were satisfied and they often made Ann Arbor that they might remain over Sunday. But I understand that all this has changed. WheD the Öt James was presided over by that veteran in the hotel business, Wm. H. Lewis, and the Cook house by E. H. Hudson, there was no cause for complaint. Now it is plain to be seen what a year or two has brought forth. If one half which I hear regarding the university hospital is true, it is time an investigaron was demanded by those who are cogmzant of the facts. For such a state of affairs to exist in a christian commnnity, is a blot on our civilization. The treatment to which some of the patients have been subjected cries out aainst the management of the hospital, wbile the food prepareJ for them would turn the stomach of your dog, " Peter." I understand several pa tien ts have left in consequenoe of ïll treatment, and that members of the faculty of the department of medicine and surgery liave damaging letters in their possession, whioh, if made public, would be the means of bounoing house surgeon Chadbourn and the matron of the hospital. And in this oonnection I would like to have some well informed person U,ll me whether or no the place is farmed out by the power that be, and hIso if the price received is $700. I am well aware that the matron is a relativo of Dr. Palmer, and that when Dr. P. was approached by inother M. 1. and lie, too, a member of the faculty, in regard to what iio knew a bout the university hospital, the langage ased is said to have been more foroible ihan elegant. I iiave learned, however, withiu a day 01 two, tuat tüe matter has been brought to the attention of several ladic-s who propose to sift the matter to the very bottom, and some interesting ievelopments may be ezpeoted. I will keep the readers of The Democbat ïnlormed as the case progresses. In perusing a Jackson paper, recently, [ notleed that it is tu i custom in the central city, to pabhsh the naraes of liose persons who are asnisted at public, pense, in the newspapers,and T wonder iow such an arrangement would work in this place. The deserving poor could aot well oomplain, and there would be iewer beats to oall on the chief of pólice ïor assistance. This is simply a suggestion. Among the members of the lower liouse, who visited this city last week, was a gentleman who imagined himself i great seven up player, but after he had lost $50 he carne to the conclusión that there was muoh yet for him ,to learn about the game. Ue was evidently not tavorably impressed with the city. " This city boasts of her free schools," said the father of several ohildren, in our hearing, the other day, "and yet a poor man is unable to give his children a classical education for the reason that it requires so much tuition for the language courses that the money can not be spared for it, and he must be content, forsooth, to do the next best thing, have them gradúate in the English course." There seems to be more truth than poetry in the gentleman's remarks, for the present system does look like a discrimination m favor of the rioh man's children. That Ann Arbor is on the boom, aud without the aid of the " booming oom mittee," is self-evident. The coming season will witness the erection of many elegant residenoes. I have talked with a number of contractors and buildera and they were unanimous in the opinión that the oity will be given a new Ímpetus, and that the demand for first-class me chanics will equal, if itdoes not exoeed that of last year's busy season. The Bohemian oat and cereal company have filed their annual report with the county clerk, and from it I see that the capital stook is plaoed at 8100,000, paid in, $10,000, and that, too, in notes. I can't say that I pity those farmers who have been swindled . They went into it deliberately, with eyes wide open. Men like Fred Huson, wheu asked to make their notes good, ilay the baby aot, but I doubt if it will avail them anythiug when the oases are tried in the circuit court. At different times withiu the past few years, the attention of the counoil has been called to the neoessity of raising the stone walk around the court-yard square. As it now is pedestriiimsm is quite impossible after heavy rains or when large bodies of snow go off with a rush. I think it would be a wiee move to either raise the walk, or keep on hand a number of small flat boats, to be used in cases of emergency. I am in a position to know that the prohibitionists of this oounty will make a determined light in favor of the prohibítion amendment to be submitted to the people in They have plenty of moaey and will spend it where it will do the most good. There is nothing slow about the temperance men andwomen; they soem to be thoroughly aronsed to tlm justice of their cause, and will wage a red-hot campaign from now nntil af ter the election. While there are those who differ on the qnestion of prohibition, and honestly, too, the "prohiba" think themselves on the ritrht track. I don't know as I can reasonably flnd fault with them, and, to be candid, I must say that I admire their fírít and go-ahead-itiveness. 1 am astonished that the Courier should oppose free debvery, but when it is known that the postofflce building is owned by the proprietor of that paper, sorae may divine its object. To be candid, the reasons advanoed in opposition to the movement are so trivial that it is not worth while to notice them. I will only say that the Courier man is largely in the minority. The couree that Thb Democbat has taken in regard to free delivery is commended by the citizens irenorally, and when I make this aasertion I know whereof I speak. In my "walks about town" on Sunday last, seeing a number of people at the door of Cropsey's hall, I enquired t he occasion of the gathenng and was told that Mrs. Sunderland was to speak on temperance before the umou club. Being entirely orthodox, both in my religious and temperance views, I stepped into the hall to find it filled with our citizens. After devotional exercises, president A. Wilsey, made the announcemenl that Mrs. S. being quite ill, had sent her busband to fill the appointment. He was then introduced and, stating that he had no time to prepare for the emergency, he would repeat bis morning sermón to bis own congregation. It was devoted wholly to the temperance question, and in itself was a complete compendium of facts and figures, showiug beyond suoeesful refutation that, finanoially, intoxicating drm ks c)st the people of this lation vastly more than it oosts to oarry on its government iii all its varied functions, national, state and municipal; also ín - cluding the religious and educational institutions of the country. He gave the facts and figures, compiled from a reliable data, whioh eyery one conversant with the facts published by authority, must acknowledge to be beyond quesf ion. He spoke of the terrible effects of intoxicante, showing that the drink habit so wcakens the physical forcee of the human system that it easily becomes a prey to disease, especially during the prevalenoe of epidemics. He also notioed, briefly, the effeots of intoxication ipon the mental and moral elementa of the race. He mentioned some of the methods which had been adopted to do away with intemperanoe. In his judgment, legal, absolute prohibition oould ouly bo relied upou to secura the result o ardently desired by all true temperance workers. A. A. Boyer, who was ia the medioal school last year, is taking bis senior work in New York. Mrs. H. J. Brown's ohildren, together with their f riends, gave a pretty little entertainment last Saturday afternoon. Tho electric light works are being put in tirst class condition by the use of paint, etc. A new Balt engine has been put in which is a beauty. There was a fire in Cbelaea Tuesday nigbt, which destroyed considerable property: On buildings - J. R. Gates, $2,500; insuranee, #1,5UÜ; Mrs. B. J. Bülings, 2,500, no insuranee; Thomas Wilkinson, é',500, insuranee $1,500; d. G. Ives. $1,500, insurnce $800 Oocupauts of buildings - E. G. Hoag & Co.'s bazair, $4,000, insuranee $3,000; Mrs. F . M. Hooker, milliner, $1,000, no insurance; J. Bacon & Co., hardware, $10,01)0, insuranoe $6,000; S Drury, meat market, $1,000, insurance $800; J. Vanhusen, $400, insurance $00. Several weeks ago Eev. Mr. Sunderland distnlmted among the students and others of his congregation a blank whioh those receiviug were requested to fiil out and return to him giying their judgment as to the 40 most eminent Americana, to wit: the tive greatest poets, the five greatest historians, the live greatest atatesmen, the flve greatest philanthropists and reformers, the flve greatest preacbers or religious teachers, the five greatest scientists, the five greatest eduoators. The returns have now come in, and Mr. Sunderland will speak next Sunday evening at theUnitarian church on the religious position and views of the men who have been most prominently named. It is believed that this will give some yaluablc hght as to the ten dency of religious thought in this country, among leading minds. Mr. Sunderland's morning sermón will be upon "The Meaning and Value of the Churoh as Understood by Unitarians."