Locomotive, Volume 7, Number 5, Indianapolis, Marion County, 30 December 1848 — Page 3

and the city generally, but we do think, . no person lut a fireman should touch the engine orhose. The fire companies are organized, and have their officers appointed to attend to their respective duties; the company understand and know, them and will execute their orders promptly ; a stranger taking command puts the whole in confusion in fact no person but members of the company have any business to touch the engine, or hose, or anything else. All must see this those unauthorized assuming command in such cases, interferes directly with the working of the machinery, and the benefit of the machine will be lost. Let any person but those . authorized assume command of a New York or Philadelphia engine, and . you would see such a u muss " that it would scare the natives. We hold that the management of the engine should be left to the firemen, and that none other should interfere with them ; that the company should be well organized, select active and efficent officers, and at times of fire attend to their machines, and nothing else. When this - is done there will be no occasions for rows.' " " - Registration Law. We would call the attention of Legislators to the importance and necessity of passing a law, making it the duty of some county officer, say the Clerk, to keep a set of books in which to record all the births and deaths that occur in their respective counties, and make it imperative on Physicians, under a penalty, to give to the Clerk at least once every week, a list of the names of persons that have died under their charge, their age, place of nativity, and the nature of the disease, with such other information as may be deemed necessary, together with a list of births. It should then be the duty of the Clerk to forward a copy of these registers, as well as a copy of the marriage licenses issued, to some State Officer, .that the same might be made into a report and laid before the Legislature at its annual sessions. - By pursuing such a course, we would have a statistical register containing information of great interest as well to the friends of the parties immediately concerned, as to the State at large. The State of New York has now a law of this kind in practical operation, full details of which could be found on enquiring, and the annual publication of details is really of great interest to all classes. At present there is no: register "kept in this State of persons who have died, and but little interest is felt in the publication of deaths, so that those that die this year are forgotten next, and sink to oblivion Without any record of their having existed. This a particularly the case with strangers who die in the limits of the State ; and should it be so ?; The expense attending the regestering would be light, and each county would willingly, we have no doubt, bear it. We merely mention this subject, feeling confident the practicability and expediency of it will impress all who consider it with its importance. We are informed it was the intention of the Medial Society of this city to lay a petition before the Legislature urging the importance of a law of this k'nd, with a detailed account of the advantage to be derived by it, but they have as yet been unable togain all the information they desire, and will Probably not present it this session. Any member f this Society, and it is composed of the regular Physicians of the city, could, and we have no doubt

will, give some valuable suggestions in regard to the construction of the law, if applied to. Open Houses. It is now becoming the universal custom in the Eastern cities to keep open house on New Year's day, and we can't see why the custom should not prevail here. This city is progressive, especially, in its strides after fashions, and the customs of the. fashionable world, but in this respcet it is far behind the times it is not only the fashion, but the rage in New York to keep open house from the millionaire to the boot-black; Boston and Philadelphia, are fast coming into the same practice, and the little cities, ape-like, are following the lead of these fashionable marts. It is the custom there for the Ladies to be at home on thatday, dressed in their best bib and tucker, to'receive the calls of . all their male acquaintances; they . have a table set . with refresments to which all are invited. .They expect every gentleman of their acquaintance to call on them, and so arbitrary are they in exacting this, that a neglect on New. Year's day is never forgotten or forgiven, The ladies frequently keep a register in which the name of every visitor is entered, and some have as many as five and six hundred calls. This is a pleasant practice ; on that day all ceremony and formality are thrown aside; the lady meets the gentleman with a hearty wish for a "happy New Year, and many, of them," and the gent, returns the wish with such compliments as may suit'him ; and all seem to consider that that day is especially dedicated to meet and greet their friends. We would like to see the custom come into general practice in this city, and hope the ladies will at least give it a start on next Monday. ' , As this is the last time we shall make our appearance this year, we now, in advance, wish all our friends, a happy New Year, and many of them. " Thomas N. Meeker died on Sunday Morning, in Louisville, Ky., in consequence of injuries received on the explosion of the Seamboat America. His body was brought to this city on Tuesday, and escorted .from . the Depot by a large concourse of young men to the residence of Mrs. West, from whence it was followed to the grave yard on Wednesday. Mr. M. left here but a few weeks since, full of life and in high spirits, to take charge of the America as one-third owner, with the intention of trading on the Wabash river. On his way down the river the boat stopped at Madison, and he put a letter- m the office there to his friends here, breathing a tone of warm friendship, and highly elated with his future prospects in a short hour after the letter was deposited he received injuries that, resulted in his death- "in the midst of life' we are in death." Mr. M. has left a large circle of warm friends to mourn his untimely departure. That Gong. Since the " new dynasty" at the Washington Hall, the good old-fashioned dinner bell has been superceded by a Chinese gong. Of all the horrid sounds uttered thfs certainly takes the lead. It is a horror to horses, hounds, and Hoosiers. The only good resulting from the use of this instrument, is to destroy the appetite, which it will .do by acting on nervous persons. However, we suppose it is Tike everything else nothing when you get used to it,- ' .

Indiana Legislature. The -time of the Legislature has been wholly occupied during; the past week on local matters of little moment,- such as changing names, creating and vacating roads, amening and revising petty charters, &c, &c, of no interest but to those Immediately interested. Their time, however, has been wholly occupied with these matters, and as soon as they get through with them business of more importance will be brought up. This Legislature, unlike its predecessors, continued in session during the holiday week, having lost but one day, on Christmas. .' . - Christmas passed off as quiet as usual it was celebrated by different individuals according to their different tastes and inclinations some by going to church, and then taking a good dinner on a Christmas Turkey ; others by attending to their business; and others by. enjoying themselves in the best way they could. ' The boys spent their time and dimes in powder and fire-works, and popped around the streets without intermission the entire day The 3. The committee of three, about which our correspondents have made so1 much fuss, it seems are in actual existence and are making therrl selves heard and felt by the groceries and places

where they sell .' liquor. . A number ' of suits have -

been instituted before his Honor, the Mayor, and some pretty heavy 'fines have been Jaid in two cases as high as $50 each. - This is putting on the tariff pretty high, and if the committee do not grow weary in well doing they may yet put a quietus to the sale 'of ' all that does; intoxicate.'.' Another Dance. On last Friday evening the pupils of Mr. Hoffman had a public dance at the

Ray House, together with a large number of ladies,' and gents, not pupils. ' There were 5 Cotillions on the floor at one time, and, as our correspondent Max has beautifully expressed it The young, the gay, the beautiful were there, engaged right merrily in chasing the glowing hours with flying feet." ; . Ladies and Gemmen of Color held a fair for the sale of fancy and useful articles on last Thursday, evening. Great preparations were made by some of the fair (?) sex, in preparing the articles and adorning the church at which it was held, but as we did not receive a complimentary invitation, we are unable to give any particulars in relation to it.. Cannot some of our correspondents enlighten us on the subject. - " Twelve couple left here for Madison on Thursday morning, to attend the complimentary ball we expect to be able to give a fine report of them by next- week. Talking of balls, why don't the members of the Legislature give a grand ball about this " period of time V It seems to us they should, in their Legislative capacity, get up something extra grand. The last Legislature made an attempt at this, and sent to Cincinnati for a band, but they made a grand failure the b'hoys danced to their music to the tune of $60. : At a meeting of the Pastors of churches in this cicy, held Dec. 25th, the death of the Rev. Samuel L. Johnson being announced,, the following preamble and resolutions were adopted:. Whereas it has pleased Almighty God, in the cxercise of his sovereign Providence, to remove from labor to reward, the Key. Samuel L. Johnson, late