THE PORTLAND TRANSCRIPT, November 21, 1874

                                                                 CITY ITEMS
                                                            Glances about town

          Mr. Reuben Ruby, the venerable janitor of the Custom House, now nearing
     eighty years old, celebrated his "Tin Wedding" (ten years) last week; he drove
     the first hack on the streets of Portland when he and Alex Stevenson were the
     only hack drivers in town.
          The free course of lectures provided by the Maine Charitable Mechanic's 
     Association will open Tuesday evening, December 1st., with a lecture by
     Honorable George T. Davis, of  this city, who will be followed by the succeeding
     week by Edward H. Elwell of the Transcript ; lectures are also promised by Ex-
     Governor Washburne, Honorable Thomas B. Read, Honorable George F. Talbot,
     J. S. Palmer, Esq., Charles F. Forbes, Esq.,  Rev. Dr. Thomas Hill, Rev. C. W.
     Buck, Rev. G. W. Bicknell, Dr. E. Stone and D. H.  Ingraham, Esq; so it will be   
     that some very able and interesting lectures may be expected.
          Captain Eben Harmon of Deering, some time since sent a card photograph of
     his little daughter to a friend in Hong Kong; recently he received from there a
     portrait of the child painted from the portrait of the child painted from the
     photography on rice paper by a Chinese artist, and it is very finely executed
     showing the art of miniature painting is well practiced in China.
          On Thursday week the legs of Mr. Mariner, run over by a train in this city about
     five weeks since, were re-amputated by Dr. Files.
          Martin, Parnell & Company are building a very large and commodious carriage
     manufactory of brick, on the corner of Cumberland and Elm Streets.
          Mr. Mariner who has had his legs crushed and since amputated displays
     wonderful tenacity of life; Dr. Files thinks there is a chance of recovery.
          On Tuesday as Mr. Peter Hill of Buxton, was riding on a load of straw near the
     Brewer House, a passing train caused his horses to take fright and run away, throwing
    him to the ground and killing him instantly; he was about sixty-five years old, and well
    known in this city.
          Mr. James Shackford of the firm of Small & Shackford, book binders, died at his
     residence in this city on Tuesday.
          Speaker Blaine in a letter to the Daily Press, of this city, denies that he is a
     candidate for the Senatorship, and advocated the election of Mr. Hamlin.