The Oregon mist. (St. Helens, Columbia County, Or.) 188?-1913, March 04, 1898, Image 1

The Oregon mist., March 04, 1898, Image 1

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Newspaper Page Textn 1 H VOL. XV. ST. HELENS, OREGON, -FRIDAY, MARCH 4, 1898. NO. 11. r OREGON Ml&T JL. V aT- -aA T V. y M- . tl NEWS OF THE WEEK From all Parts of the New anil Old World. BRIEF AND INTERESTING ITEMS ' Cuinpralian.lv llevlew of tha Import- lint Happenings of tha Cur rant Wk. Ttie steamer El lor plying between . Portland and Alaska porta, report a exasedlnly rough trip down. The tea wai the worst the orew and officers ol the Elder have ever encountered, and, owing to her being without bal lust, all control of the vessel waa loat, and it u only owing to the vigilance of the officer that alia wu saved from itning with a orach on one of the thousand of mall inland in thia district. She wa forced to remain at tea for 86 hours, The gale, while it lasted, wa torriilo,' and attained a velocity of at leant 100 mllci an hour. The vessel 'a propeller blade were broken and (he waa com pelled to lay over at Nanalmo (or repair. At Philadelphia the birthday anni voraary of George Washington com memorated with appropriate exercise at tho Academy of Music. The feature of tiie day waa an address to the stu dent of the university of Peimiiylvatiia, delivered by President McKinley. The president paid an eloquent tribute to the memory of the Father of Our Country, and from hi life and deed drew a lesson a to the duties of the American people of today. At Chi cago, ex-President Ilnrrriron delivered an address before the Union League Clou, ohomlng a hi subject, The Duties of Wealth." At Humorous other allies) the occasion waa appropriately '' observed, with atreet parades and liter- - . ary exercise. . The innate baa passed a bill to add two artillery regiment to the strength of the army. This measure has been urged for many month by officials of the war ' department, who foresaw that while congress of late year bad taken measure for the protection of our const by additional appropriation for extensive work rnd great gum, It had not provided the men necessary to operate thorn engine of war. Should the house pas the bill, it will enable the department to carry out puna it ha long had in view. Criticism lately passed upon the stats of the army and our fortification have caused increased activity in military matters, and to oine extent this la responsible for re port arriving from various quarter of movements at army posts. The Bethlehoin Company's steel mill, giving employment to 1,000 hand, ha resumed work, after an idle ness of some month. The Carpenter Steel Company, of . Reading, P-i ' working a double turn on order from the navy department for stool projectile. W. J. Scanlan, the once famous Irish actor, died of puree is in a Mew York insane asylum, where he bad jf.-en confined for live year. Luther C. Billings, pay director in the United State navy, ha been found guilty of falsehood and scandalous con duct by a court mattial ut Washington, and sentenced to dismissal from the rvice. . .' The Great Commonwealth Develop ment and Mining Company has applied to the Dominion parliament for a rail road charter from Edmonton to the Alaska line by way of Peace, Laird and Felly river. The board of director of tho Emit or n Oregon A Washington Firemen' Asso ciation have met in Walla W til In and elected La Grande a the place for holding the next annuel meeting and tournament of the associations,June 14, IS and 16. A sweeping reduction of over $8,000, 000 from the amount . carried by the - current law ia made In the sundry civil appropriation bill, reported to the house .Tuesday, the aggregate ap propriation carried being f44.749.8tiU. The total is (18,2114,641 lens than the regular and supplemental official esti mates made for the flacal year 18U9, and f 8,8(11,880 loss than the appropria tions made for the ourront flacal year. A Port Townaend, Wash., di--"' ays: A a consequence of the unfa vorable critioism that baa followed the inking of the steamer Clara Nevada and tli trouble that attended the de parture of the North Paoitio for the north, carrying goldseckors, Colonel Huestia, collector of customs, ha de termined to compel vessel bound for Alaska to carry only the number of pnssqngera allowed by the federal er wit. ' The new wharf at Tamplco, con st rue tod by the Central railroad, under government supervision, waa totally destroyed by Are Sunday. Tho cause of the fire ia unknown. The construc tion of the wharf wu commenced in July, 1803, and it waa to be one of the finest on the Spanish-American coast. It length was 3,676 feet, and all ia burned. The cuatom-house under con struction and nearly completed, wa damaged to the extent of about (300, 000. The total losa on wharf, custom house and merchandise i nearly $9.- ' 000,000; f ii Illy insured. Hon. Sanford B. Dole, president of the republic of Hawaii, was tendered a publio reception at San Francisco at the chamber of commerce, and met with a cordial and flattering recognition on the part of the crowds of people. Secretary Gage points with a good deal of interest to the fact that the cus tom receipts for this fiscal year at last have overtaken th receipts fur the same period of the prior fiscal year. Tbe total receipt for this Steal year Lav reached (88,080,600. SHOT AT KING GEORGE. Desperate Attempt of Would-Ha-Assa. sins, Who Mevapod Athens, March 1. -An unsuccessful attempt waa made today to assassinate King George. The king waa returning from Phaleron, at 6 o clock in the evening In a landau, accompanied by the Princes Maria, when two men, who were hidden in a dltcb alongside the road, opened fire with gun npon the occupant of the carriage. The first shot missed, but theeacond wound ed a footman in the arm. The coach man whipped up hi horses and the royal party dashed away at a gallop. The miscreant fired aoven more shots after them, none of which took effect, and the king and tho princess returned to the palace unhurt. The king states that one of the annas sin wa dressed in gray clothing, and hi majesty declares he could easily identify him. When the second shot whlxxed past the earrings, the king rose and stood in front of his daughter, in order to shield ber. One of the horses waa (lightly wounded. One of the assailant knelt in the middle of the road and aimed straight at the king, who noticed that the man a hand waa ahaking. The shot missed, and the king had a clear view of this man, who liia majesty ray wa barely 80 year old. Tie continued to fire alter the carriage until it was out of range. Hi companion did not leave the ditoh. BLOWN ON THE FLATS. The Oregon fttrnek lT Terrlne Onle la duneau Harbor. Seattle, March 1. The atoamer To- peka arrived here tonight from Juneau The officers of the Topeka report that In a tern Ho wind storm at Juneau last Sunday the steamship Oregon was blown ashore on Juneau flats. She wa lying in Juneau harbor at anchor when the gale struck her, and, after training at her anchors for some time, he began to drag, and then at tremen dous speed she wa hnrled on the fl'its. Several horses were thrown heavily against the aide of the vessel as aha struck, and some were killed. All day she lay in that position, the pas lunger suffering terribly, as during the gale a dense mow storm raged. The thermometer registered 8 degree below aero, and the fierce wind wa piercing cold. When tbe gule abated, at high tide, the vowel was floated. Fortun ately, the flat are soft, and the Oregon suffered no Injury. LA CHAMPAGNE SAFE. Anchored OST tha Newfoundland Banks With "haft Broken. New York, March 1. The Holland American line steamer Rotterdam, from Rotterdam, arrived at quarantine to night, with Third Officer George Una worth and nine seamen of the overdue French liner La Cham pagne, who were picked up from a. lifeboat Thursday, February 34, in latitudo 43.10 north, longitude 67 west. The men, when takon aboard the Rotterdam, wore in a helpless condition, having been in tbe hip's lifeboat for ix day and nights. The men were all more or lea frost bitten. Unsworth stated that La Champagne broke her tail-end shaft Thursday, Feb ruary 17, at 9 P. M., in latitude 45.27, longitude 61.63. Tbe steamer ' being helpless. Captain Perrott anchored. The steamer was on the edge of the Newfoundland banks, anil there being a possibility of the steamer not being picket! up in iier position, Captain Per rott decided to send a lifeboat in search of assistance. - . ' ' ' ' La Champagne carried 804 passen ger, and waa nearly two weeks overdue. BURNED AT SEA. Terrible Kxpertence of Crew and Pas senger of Steamer Legislator. Boston, March 1. The British steamer Legislator, Captain Tennant, bound from Liverpool for Colon, wa burned at aea February 16, in latitude 81:38 north, longitude 44:10 west. The fire broke out Irfcimiary 18, and burned fiercely for three days, during which time Fireman Thomas Hubert waa burned to death, Second Officer James Bateman and Seaman William Angoll wore drowned by tho capsiiing of a boat, Third Officer Martin and Steward John Gaffney went adrift in a boat, and Chief Cook Fred E. Lee, erased by fearful burns, jumped over board. The rest of the orew of 80 men, with two passengers, Dr. Morti mer and wife, of London, were rescued by the fruit steamer Flowergate and brought to thia port, arriving here to day. Four Of the orew, Chief Engineer Traueher, Second Engineer John Hoi- den, Fourth Engineer Robert Milne and Charles Ibbittson, were so severely in jured that they were taken to the ma rine hospital upon arriving amis port. Ilolden ia not expected to live. Raven Young Paopla Killed. Chicago, Maroh 1. An omnibut containing nine persona, eight of whom were young men and women, who were on their way to attend a -party in the hotel at Blue Island, was Btriick by a Grand Trunk passenger train at the Western aveuue crossing south of Blue Island, at 0 o'clock tonight, and six of the pleasure-seekers, were killed almost instantly. None esanped Berious in jury. The train was running at a high rate of speed, ana approacnoa cne cros sing after rounding a sharp curve. . Alfred Tennyson's Brother. London, March 1. Frederick Ten nyson, eldest brother of the late poet laureate, died yesterday. Tha Nones Filibusters. Tamna. Fla.. March 1. General Rmlln Knnm. Dr. Niinec. J. Eoartava. John O'Brien and Ave members of the last Cuban expedition, arrived here this afternoon from Key West. Mr. Ecartaya reports mutters on the island a aatisfaotory to the Cuban cause. LEAGUE ISLAND YARD Four Warships Nearly Ready for Active Service. THE WORK OF ENLISTING MEN Great Activity at Watervliet Arsenal Monitor Terror In New York Harbor War Rnmore. Philadelphia, March 1. League island -navy-yard literally swarmed with visitors today, in consequence of the report from11 Washington that the cruiser Columbia and Minneapolis, the double-turxeted monitor Mmntono moh, and the ram Katahdin, had been ordered to go into commission, witb dispute!). Botfc cruiser! have skeleton crews aboard, while the monitor ha been lying at her dock for several yeaia, and the Katahdin since last winter. None of the naval official at the yard would any anything relating to the fu ture movement of the vessels, but from workmen it waa learned the oom mis sion order had been issued. This waa borne out by the fact that all day a large force of men in the construction and repair department were actively at work on the Miantonomoh and the Katahdin. Viaitora were kept off these boats, and only those having friends among the officers and crew of tbe cruisers were allowed on board. The repairs to the monitor are all of minor nature, and will be completed in a day or two. . Over SO men have already been detailed for her, and it ia said her full complement of 160 will be made up a rapidly a possible. A largo force waa busy on the Katah din, removing her ventilating appar atus and fitting her with steam pipes. This work will only take a few day. The navy department inten J to get the vessel ready for sailing at a mo ment a notice. Late tin afternoon ateam wa gotten up on board of the monitor for the purpose of testing her boiler. In one of the lofts, nearly 100 men were at work on small spars and boat fittings. Everything is shipshape on the Min neapolis and Columbia, and beyond filling up tiieir complement of officer and men, and taking coal and provi sions, nothing remains to be done. Thia will consume about five day at the most, and then both vessels will be ready for active service. The work of enlisting men will con tinue until order to atop have been re- cevied from Washington. " Captain Casey, the commandant, said he did not know for what vessel the men now being enlisted are wanted. The roster wa simply being filled up, and he did not know how many men were wanted. or where the recruits would be as signed. At Watervliet Arsenal. Albany, N. Y., Maroh 1. The great est aotivitr since the Rebellion ia wit nessed at the Watervliet arsenal. The entire force is working eight and day. Friday night waa received an order for the shipment of two carload of 18-inob projectile to Fort Hamilton, with the greatest possible haste. Yesterday they were dispatched. Orders have also been recevied for the shipment of all projectiles now on hand to' the several forts about New York, and to forward all complete guns as speedily.aa possi ble to the proving ground at Sandy Hook. Such an ordor has not been received at Watervliet since the close of the war. It I thought that the last six loads of projectile will be shipped during the present week. A Key West Rumor. Kev West, March I. The latest story as to the way the Maine was blown up ia contained in a letter for warded by secret Cuban clubs, in Havana, to J. M. Govin, a Cuban in surgent agent here. Govin received it in the ordinary course of mail, it waa written in English, but was signed "Maquinista," (Machinist). After a long preamble, saying that the writer knew the Maine' fate wa due to a Spanish plot, the letter goes on to say that in an old warehouse at Santa Cat alina, 200 yards from where the Maine waa moored, some diving apparatus bad been hidden, and from this, base two diver had worked by night and filled the torpedo holes of the Maine with dynamite cartridges connected with a battery to the land, by which the cartridge were exploded. Ac cording to the letter, the diver were to have been paid a large sum, which has not been forthcoming. Cuban In Key West say that the in vestigation in Havana has tended to confirm the statements of the letter, which will go before the court of in quiry. An officer of the Maiue, whose attention wa called to the story today, asserted positively to the correspond ent that the torpedo-holes of the Maine had not been opened during her stay in the harbor. Tiie naval board of inquiry arrived today, and will begin its sessions to morrow, ., Orders for tha Alliance. Portsmouth, N, H., March 1. The first positive order received at Ports mouth navy-yard aince the blowing up of the Maine were received today, when ordera oame to send the warship Alliance to sea on April 1, She will be put in tint-class repair by that time. Tha Terror In New York Harbor. New York, March 1. 'The monitor Terror passed in at quarantine at 13:60 this morning and anchored off romp- klnevilleat 1:06. W J oil) li( Mllltla Orders. Denver, Maroh 1. A special to the Newa from Laramie, Wyo., says: J. Fred Heese, jr., captain of company A, W. N. ., has received ordera from Colonel Frank A. Foote, of Evanaton, to gut hi oompany and equipment in read i lies for service on short notice. A CLASH INEVITABLE. Costa Itloa and Nicaragua Apparently Upon tha Verge of War. New York, Feb. 88. A dispatch to the Herald from Panama (aye: Ad vice received Unlay from Costa Rica atate that at a banquet given on Sun day night, President Iglesias said the aituatioii between Costa Rica and Nic aragua I uch that war i inevitable. Further advice from Costa Rica say that on February 20 there war s large popular demonstration in which more than 6,000 persona allowed their ap proval of the attitudo of the govern ment toward Nicaragua, and more troops were sent on February SO to the frontier. Hostilitie with Nicaragua are expected at any moment. Many prominent member of the American colony have offered to aid the govern ment with men and money. One of them, James Bennett, offered to give (00,000. The French colony haa also promised to take up arma in defense of Costa Bioa in the event of war. Since the oneuccesslul revolution, broke out in Nicaragua on February 6, which President Zelaya charges the Costa Kican government with aiding, there haa been little communication with the Costa Kican capital. Mes sages sent from here are in plain lan guage at tender' risk and subject to censorship. A special commissioner arrived at Colon a few day ago with a dispatch from Washington. Replie were sent to Port Limon by the steamship New port. It i stated that the same com missioner had a private conference with the government authorities here, His object is to enlist Colombia on Costa Rica's aide should the Greater Republic of Central America or tiie triple alliance declare war against tier, AUTONOMISTS WANT PEACE, Cuba Libra' Hour of Triumph Near at Hand. New York, Feb. 28. A dispatch to the Tribune from Havana says: in the uncertainty of tbe relation with the United States, the importance of the recent action of the autonomist party is overlooked. Its central com mittee has formally approved the plan which i a confession of the failure of the present scheme of autonomy and an offer to the insurgenia to conoede every thing except the withdrawal of the Spanish flag. Its significance ia in the fact that Senor Govin, of the autonomist cabinet, waa a leading spirit in tbe meeting, and offered tbe resolutions for treating with the insurgents, which contain a series of propositions outlined by Bibra two weeks ago when the radical auton omist party was formed. These cover everything but independence. The transignetes are still hostile to the government. Among them the Maine inquiry ia adding to the smother ed anti-American feeling. The author ities profess ability to hold it in check. NINE LIVES LOST. A T. aeanent Home In Charleston, 8. p., Hurna With Fatal Reaalta. Charleston, 8. C, Feb, 38.-Nine lives were lost in a fearful fire which raged for a short time here thia morn ing. At 2:10 A. M., a polioeman on duty noticed big sparks flying from the tenement house at 100 Church street. The officer found that a blase was is suing from one of the windows on the first floor. The doors were broken open and the family on that floor rushed out without injury. Somebody yelled that a family of women were sleeping on the third floor. The police rushed up stairs and when they reachd the top floor the lifesaving work was stopped by the flames, which seemed to be over the entire floor, bcreams from dying women were heard, and Otileer Bagley rushed in and pulled out three charred bodies. Tbe quick work of the fire department checked the flames, but not until nine lives bad been lost. The dead are: Mrs. Rebecca Knickmeyer, Albert O'Neil, Caswell O'Neil, Joseph ine Knickmeyer, 7 years old; Katie Knickmeyer, 19 years old; Leon a Knickmeyer, 9 years old, Francis Knickmeyer. 6 yeara old, Lillie Knick meyer, 8 yeara old; a baby of Mrs. Knickmeyer, 1 month old. BRANDING SEALS. The Process Deserlbed In tho Kleotrloal Review. ' New York, Feb. 88. The Electrical iteview will publish today the first authentio account of branding fur seals by electricity to prevent the destruc tion of the female seals. The article is written by Elmer E. Farmer, of Stan ford university, who accompanied the United States fur seal commission to the Prihyloff islands last August, when the experiment was tried. The electrical apparatus consists of a small dynamo operatedby a gasoline engine and a branding cautery simi lar to that used by physicians. The young female seals were marked by drawing the hot platinum cautery across tiie back, which resulted in de stroying the fur 10 that even if the seal were afterward killed the commercial value of the tur would be destroyed. , It ia probable that the experiments will be carried further by means of im proved electrical apparatus. A writer in the Fortnightly Review thinks that 66,000 farmers, each with a 100-acre farm in Canada, could sup ply all the wheat England needs. : Wovind Around tha Shaft. Pendleton, Or., Feb. 38. Clarence Dupuis, aged 33, was fatally hurt by being wound around the shaft at the woolen mill late last night. Dupuis was employed in the pioker-room, and went below to remove a belt without waiting for the machinery to stop. A sot pin in the shaft caught his blouse, whirled him over ana over, Dreamng many hones and hurting him Internal ly, so that he died several hours after- ward. FEELING OF SUSPENSE! Due to Warlike Preparations Throughout the Land. STRENGTH OF NAVAL MILITIA Morenient of United State Warships Alleged Interviews With President MeKlnley. Washington, Feb. 38. While there is nothing to indicate that war with Spain is inevitable, a feeeling of sus pense pervade all sections of the coun try. The government, without a doubt, is preparing for a possible emergency. Unusual activity is reported at navy yards, barracks, and recruiting stationa, and where war material is being mann factured, orders have been received to push the work witb all speed. A a result of the tension, stock and bonds on the New York exchange dropped from 1 to 13 points, and tbe New York and Chicago wheat markets were affect ed sympatheticallly.In the London stock market. American shares sold at de clines. The senate fortunately did not add to the excitement yesterday, the jingoes doubtless being absent. In the house, an increase in tbe appropriation for caring for the Springfield, Mass., arsenal, was accepted without protest. Tha JCaral Mllltla. Washington, Feb. 26. The navy department today gave out figures show iug the strength of the naval militia up to date. This shows a total force of 4,445 officers and enlisted men, which is a gratifying increase from the 8,703 shown by the former report. Af'.la from this, new brigades are In process of formation, which promises to swell the total to much larger figures at an early date. The organization of this auxiliary arm of tbe naval service is under the immediate direction of Lieutenant Gibbons, C. S. N whose energy has accomplished much is se curing state organization and in tbe harmonizing of tiie bodies into one com pact force, capable in emergenoy of co operating with the regular navy. In bis last report, Assistant Secretary Roosevelt said that the state naval mil itia, in the event of a sudden emer gency, could be utilized at once for manning the smaller cruisers. It could be depended upon mainly, he said, as a second line of defense, and also be used in placing bines and the establishment of signal stations for coast defense. The appropriation of $50,000 that is to aid tiie work of the naval militia will be distributed among tbe state in a few days. ' FOUND BY DIVERS. Brldeace That tha Flret Kxploalon Waa Beneath tha Ship. Washington, Feb. 26. The Evening Star has received the following cable gram from Charles Pepper, its staff cor respondent in Cuba: ' At this writing divers are developing important res una. From tbe examina tion of the inner wreckage they have secured evidence which seems conclu sive that the explosion came from un derneath the ship. Some of the smaller magazines may have exploded. The main, 10-inch magazine did not explode. The condition of the interior of tbe ship shows further probability of th wreck having been due to outside forces. The further the investigation progresses, the more untenable becomes the theory which the Spanish government adduced to show accidental cause. It is evident tbe Spanish case will be based on the claim that the fire preceded the explo sion. Captain Sampson and his col leagues of the naval board say that outside evidence is offered regarding the tor pedo float producing the explosion. Said one diver, who had been engaged in tbe work of getting bodies out from under the hatch: "God may be merciful to tbe men who blew those poor fellows into eter nity, the United States should not.'' This was before Long's order pro hibiting officers from talking had been issued. This diver evidently thought the explosion was not an accident. He had an expert's capacity and oppor tunity for judging. : The Havana publio is n6t permitted to know the intensity of public senti ment in the United , States. Only meager details are permitted to be known" of what happens in Washington. Congress is watched with exoeesivo anxiety by palace, officials, but the1 populace know nothing of what ia liable to happen. Evidence of ill-feeling toward the American people and anxiety over the Maine disaster does not lessen. The Maine inquiry dwarfs interest in Cuban politics, but recent develop ments carry an official confession of the failure of autonomy. War Preparations In Pennsylvania. Philadelphia, Feb. 88. Major-Gen eral Snowden, commander of the na tional guard of Pennsylvania, has issued general orders to every officer in the state to recruit his command up to the full quota required bylaw. The or ders were issued five days ago with in structions that they be kept a profound secret. The officers were instructed to have their men ready to march fully armed and equipped at 24 hours' notice. New York, Feb. 86. A Tribune dispatch from Havana says: The out look in Cuba does not grow more prom ising. The exact siuation is that the government officials were never so much disturbed as today. This is part ly dua to information from Washington and Madrid. News from these places whioh is permitted to reach the publio ia so meager that better judgment can be formed in the United States than here as to whether the fears of the officials are exaggerated. THE PRESIDENT'S VIEWS War With Spain Not Inevitable, but the Sltnatlon Is Orave. Chicago, Feb. 26. The Tribune this morning prints the following special from Washington: To a senator who called upon him yesterday in order to ask some serious questions as to the policy of the admin istration, President McKinley, with the utmost frankness, ottered the following words: 1 "I do not propose to do anything at all to accelerate war with Spain. Up to the present I do not think war is either necessary or inevitable. I wonld be lax in my duty, however, if I did not prepare for the future. The altua tion is grave, and the policy of the ad ministration will be determined almost entirely by the course of events from time to time. There is no necessity of alarming the people, but congress must be ready to assist the administration without making too many inquiries as to the course of current events." ( There is no dout; of the fact that the government of the United States is actually preparing for war with Spain. It is not inevitable that war will follow, but the activity is too unmistakable to be concealed. The president and his cabinet unite in the belief still, in spite of all evidence to the contrary, that the explosion of the Maine was an unfortu nate accident, but they recognize tbe fact that the contrary may prove true at almost any hour, and that if it is shown even inferentially that Spain bad a hand in the catastrophe there will be but one thing to do, and that will be to seize the island of Cuba by force of arms. At no time since th war of the rebellion has the military branch of tbe government been so active as it is today. It is a significant fact that within the last two days there has been a remark able change of opinion in tbe navy de partment n regard io the explosion on the Maine. When the first news arrived here last week experts at tbe depart ment were nearly divided as between accident and design, but today after studying the late reports, and especially photographs sent from Havana, nine out of ten of the officer of the depart ment express the belief that tbe Maine was anchored over a submarine mine. The only difference of opinion seems to be as to whether the mine was ex ploded by Spanish officers acting under ordera, or by some enthusiast. The latter opinion is generally held, but it is said that this does not lessen in any degree the responsibility of Spain for the horrible catastrophe. If tbe Spanish officers, allowed the warship to be moored to a buoy which was attached to a submarine mine, they thereby became responsible foi the result, whether the mine was ex ploded by official orders or not. The plaoing of the Maine in an exposed place in the harbor if it was done at all, was done by Spanish officers, and ii the mine was exploded by anybody at all, they were directly responsible, and will be so held by President McKin ley' administration. RELIEF FOR MAINE VICTIMS. Bill for That Purpose Introduced Inte the House. Washington, Feb. 26. Represents' tive Boutelle, of Maine, chairman of the house committee on naval affairs, introduced a bill this afternoon provid ing for the relief of the victims of tha battle-ship Maine. It follows generally the lines of the Samoan disaster relief bill of 1890, and is the result of sev eral days' conference in committee, and embodies the views of tbe admin istration. Boutelle had a conference with President McKinley today, al which he went over with him the pro posed legislation, and later submitted the measure at an informal meeting of some of the committee. It will be re ferred baok to tbe committee immedi ately, and its pasaage expedited. Th bill provides for the payment of IS months pay to the widows or child ren, or, if there be no such, to th parents, or if neither of these, to tht brothers and sisters of each of thest killed in the Maine disaster. In addi tion, the legal heirs of each ot the vic tims shall receive any arrears of pay due at the time of death. It is pro vided also that any allotments previ ously made by any of the deceased tc any relatives of the men mentioned shall be continued for three months, the amounts ao paid to be deducted from the 18 months' pay otherwise al lowed. ; - THAT SUBTERRANEAN PASSAGE. Spaniards Confess There I a Mini . Under the Harbor Entrance. Havana, - Feb. , 26. In connection with the claim made by .the Cubam that there are mine galleries under the harbor of Havana, leading from sub terranean passages and known to have existed for years, between Fort Caban as, Mono castle, and thia port, th Spaniards explain that for over a cen tury, a aubterranean passage about two miles long and eight feet wide at iti narrowest diameter, oapable of giving passage to a column of troops, has ex isted from the navy-yard to Castillo del Principe. But, the Spaniards furthei assert, the existence of thia passage wai not known to the present authorities, or to those who have been in power for many yeare past. The entrance and exit, it is added, have been closed foi years past, by thick walla now covered with debris, and their exact location it said to be lost. At the same time, it ii admitted that the matter regarding tha subterranean passage can be found in old documents in the archives of Ha vana. Finally, the Spaniards insist that this passage doe not go undei the harbor at any point. Warahlpa Headed for Havana. . . Las Palas, Canary Islands, Feb. 26. The Spanish armored cruiser Almi rai. te Oquondo left today for Havana, The Italian third-class cruiser Gio vanni Bausani is expected here Satur day next. She ia on her way to Cuba. A STRICT CENSORSHIP France Denies Right of Free Speech and Free Press. MELINE'S OFFICIAL WAESINQ RareVal Newspapers Notified to Cease DiscuMlna; Drejrfne Campaign Lawyers Olebarred. Paris, Feb. 28. The new dictator ship has decided to suppress the free--dom of speech and the freedom of the press. ' This decision waa announced by Meline in the chamber of deputies thia afternoon. Four newspapers tonight were noti fied that nnuless they cease disoussii:;; the Dreyfus campaign tomorrow they will be rigorously prosecuted. A number of correspondents of for-' eign newspapers were warned that un less they abandon their hostile dis patches they will be expelled from France. It is even asserted that Blowitz, the correspondent of the London Times, was also warned. Because of his courageous action as an officer in the war department and in the Zola trial, Colonel Picquart, by a decree issued tonight, was expelled from the army and placed under three years of police surveillance. ' The lawyer who advised him has been suspended from the bar. Esterbazy has received official per mirsion to prosecute Mathieu Dreyfus. ' The. announcement was made that more rigorous measures of the same high-handed policy will soon be prom ulgated. ; , Concluding his official warn ing, Me line said: "I trust it will be understood that if the agitation continues after yester day's verdict we shall be in the pies enee of a party issue. Enough evil bus already been done internally. The life of the nation has been checked. A part of tiie foreign press denounces us. This must be stopped, in the in terests of peace, of the army, and of our foreign relations. Tbe government must deal with the wound it desires to heal, and it will impose silenoe upon everybody. It will take such dis ciplinary measures aa the circum stances demand. Nobody can continue the agitation in good faith, and after tomorrow the government will sup press all attempts to continue it. The government is applying the law at its disposal, and if the weapons are insuffi cient, it will ask for more." (Great tumult). "The vote of this house will prove that when patriotism is involved, there are no parties. Everybody ral lies under that flag." A CUT AT SAN FRANCISCO. The Canadian FaclHe Makes tow Bate 'to tha Eait. San Francisco, Feb. 28. The Cana dian Pacific threw a bombshell into the camp of the American railroad agents this morning by announcing that tick ets would be sold from San Francisco to New York via Vancouver at $40 first-class and $30 second-class. The lowest first-class rates by the Central and Union Pacific are $79. Agents here say that east-bound business by the Canadian road is slight at this sea son, and they don't feademoralization, but they recognize the daneer to Klon dike business if these rates are enforced in the East. In fact, the Southern Pacific will have to meet the out or see all Klondike travel go to Victoria and Seattle. Everything depends on the Chicago meeting. If tbe Canadian Pa cific cannot be placated then the South rn Pacific will be compelled to cut the present rates nearly in half. ; Cruehed to Death. San Franoisco, Feb. 38. Charles Lapan, superintendent of construction on the Call building, waa instantly killed this afternoon. In the freight elevator on the Third-street side of the building.. ': . Lappan was at work in the base ment, and stepped on tbe freight eleva tor. It is believed he pulled tbe wrong rope, and when tbe elevator started up, attempted to jump out His body was caught between the floor of the eleva tor and the first floor and waa terribly crushed. Death must have been in stantaneous, for his whole chest waa crushed to a pulp. - . Will Not Sell Onba. London, Feb. 28.-1116 Standard's Madrid-correspondent Buys that he has found by an exhaustive canvass that all parties are amazed and indignant at the suggestion that Spain should sell -Cuba, saying that it meant that tho monarchy would be menaced by an ir resiH table popular movement supported by the army and navy. The financiers make the practical objection that, as the Cuban debt is almost entirely held by Spaniards, the price suggests! would not satisfy half the compensa tion required. None of the ministers would entertain the suggestion. Shipments from Canadian Point. Ottawa, Feb. 28. The Canadian government has decided to permit Can adian goods to be shipped from Van couver and Victoria in American ves sels free of duty by St. Michael to tho Yukon for the coming aeason. An or der to this effect haa been sent to the oustoms office on the ooast. The order applies to the Yukon route by St. Mi chaels, and does not include Skngway. Tacoma, Feb. 28: Tho Midnight Sun Is the name of a tiny craft h' -, to sail for Alaska from Tacoma. 'The boat is flat bottomed, 24 feet long, feet Wide and 8 feet deep, provided with side paddlo-whe!, a two-home power boiler and a taia engim. Only her two owners will go ia bt wit:i their outfits . .