NEWS: The Alleghanian; 14 Jan 1864; Ebensburg, Cambria Cnty., PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Patty Millich Copyright 2009. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cambria/ _________________________________________ The Alleghanian Ebensburg, Pa. Thursday, 14 Jan 1864 Volume 5, Number 16 Etchings The Ladies' Fair for the benefit of the Catholic Church of Johnstown closed on Saturday evening. We did not hear how many greenbacks and postage stamps were fobbed. The total number of interments in the Sandy Vale Cemetery, Johnstown, during the year 1863, was one hundred and forty-seven. A movement toward the erection of a new town Hall to take the place of the one burned on Christmas eve is in progress in Johnstown. The 28th Regt. P. V., Co. F, of which is mainly composed of Cambrians is now in Philadelphia. The men are each to receive a thirty days' furlough. The remains of the gallant Lieut. Peter Kaylor, killed at the battle of Riggold, Ga., were brought home and interred at Loretto this county last week. The thermometer stood at 10 degrees below zero here on Saturday night. Escaped from Jail We forgot to mention last week that Smith and Cupp, the two young men from Johnstown convicted at our last Court of riot &c., made good their escape from jail on or about Christmas. This thing of thus allowing justice to be cheated of her dues is becoming quite too common of late. We hear every few weeks of prisoners escaping, none, or very few, of whom are ever recaptured. In fact, it appears to be about as easy to get out of jail as to get in. Some remedy for this unwholesome state of affairs should be found or the attempted punishment of criminals in the county becomes a mere farce. Teachers' Institute The Executive Committee of the Cambria County Teachers' Association met in Johnstown on Saturday evening, Dec. 26th, 1863, and agreed upon the following programme for the Institute to be held in Johnstown on the 1st, 2nd, 3d and 4th days of February, 1864. The class drills will be conducted each day by the following persons: Orthography: Thos. J. Chapman Reading: Misses Sterling and Wilcox Arithmetic: J. F. Condon Geography: S. B. M'Cormick Grammar: Samuel Singleton Mental Arithmetic: Henry Ely Lectures will be delivered during the evening sessions. James Potts Esq., will deliver the opening lecture on Monday evening. The members of the executive committee earnestly request the Teachers throughout the county to use their influence to make the coming Institute a complete success. School Directors are cordially invited to attend. [Signed] Miss M. M. Swank Miss J. M. Allen J. F. Parrish W. H. Freeman Samuel Singleton, Executive Committee Pension Office Regulation By a recent regulation of the Pension Office many mothers of deceased soldiers are now entitled to pensions who were not previously. Under the original regulations a mother was required to prove her marriage and only widowed mothers were entitled to pension; while under the present regulations any mother of a deceased officer or soldier, if she was dependent wholly or in part on her deceased son for support, is entitled to a pension, whether her husband be living or not, and it is not necessary for a mother to prove her marriage. General Butler The Washington CHRONICLE says: "To Gen. Butler is now committed one of the most delicate and difficult problems of the war. The Government places in his hands the whole question of exchanges and charged with the powers and opinions of the Government, he returns to Fortress Monroe to accomplish the release of the thousands of our countrymen and friends now in bondage." The Bronze Door at the Capitol - Extracts The new and splendid bronze door of the Capitol very appropriately illustrates the history of Christopher Columbus. The sixth and eighth panels of the door are the most attractive and interesting: [Snip] In the frames around the door the observer will find sixteen small statues representing the distinguished contemporaries of Columbus – men who acted with a belief in him. Between the panels are projecting heads representing historians who have written on his voyage from his own time to the present, concluding with Irving and Prescott. Crowning the door is a bust of Columbus himself. The ornaments around the door are chiefly emblematical of conquest and navigation. Receptions at the White House – Extract [Snip] Mr. Lincoln, on New Year's Day, stood near the door of the blue drawing room, and all who entered were presented to him by Marshal Lamon, receiving a cordial greeting and a warm shake of the hand, while for some there was a quiet joke. Beyond Mr. Lincoln was Mrs. Lincoln and the ladies may be pleased to learn that, having discarded her mourning, she wore a purple dress trimmed with black velvet and lace, with an exquisite lace neck-tie fastened with a pearl brooch – her head dress was ornamented with a white plume. Mr. Commissioner French presented the visitors to Mrs. Lincoln whose dignity of manner and courtesy are commended even by those who indulge in attacks upon her to gratify their dislike to her husband. Death of Thackeray By the late English news we learn that William Makepeace Thackeray, the eminent English litterateur is dead. His eminent talents were inimitable as a caricaturist, and he was one of the most caustic wits England ever produced. He visited this country twice and the last time he established a very high reputation as a public lecturer. His lectures on the "Four Georges" drew crowded houses. "Vanity Fair" and "Pendennis" are his most celebrated works and through them he is best known to the American readers of action. He was a man of eccentric habits, as most geniuses are. In his death, a brilliant light has gone out in the literary firmament.