j
Oregon Gity Goarier.
A. W. OHIMIT, Publisher.
OREGON CITY .OREGON
NEWS OF THE WEEK
Interesting Collection of Current Event
In Condensed Form From
Both Continents.
The sultan is negotiating for the
building of a first-class armored
cruiser.
The steamer Conoho has arrived in
New York from Havana with 968 bale?
of Cuban tobacco.
The English engineers anounoe that
they have plenty of funds and intend
to continue their strike.
It is reported that the Afridls are
assembling in tribal council,' with a
, view to concluding pence.
Eight of the principal buildings in
Lebanon, Tenn., were destroyed by
fire Thursday night, with a loss of
175,000.
The death rate of Chicago for the
year was 14 in the thousand, the lowest
recorded for any city of over 200,000 in
habitants. The British bark Taymount, bound
from Liverpool for San Francisco, in
now 224 days overdue, and her owners
have given her up..
John Williams, at Marseilles, O. , at
tackoJ Mrs. Flint and cut her so badly
with a knife that she is not expected to
live. He then fatally out himself.
British bark Samaritan, from San
Francisoo, arrived in Liverpool consid
erably damaged from a hurricane
which she encountered December 22.
VValtor Gregory and Philip MoNelly
were instantly killed by a Bwitohing
. engine on the track m the yard of the
Murden Boiler Works at Philadelphia.
A thief stole $4,000 worth of jewelry
from the house of Volney Mallott, pres
ident of the Indiana National bnnk, of
Indianapolis, while the family were at
dinner.
Jose ih Lockley, flork of the manager
of'tho McIIenry Estate Association, has
disappeared from New York, after se
curing several thousand dollars by
raised checks.
.A fortnightly steamer service be
tween ihis coast and Australia will
; , commence in February, the Canadian
Pacific line and the Oceanic line alter
nating their sailing dates.
French bark Lombard, from Mobilo,
Ala., sunk while entering the port of
Cotto, Franoe. Five of the crew, in
eluding the captain, wore drowned,
and eight were saved.
Mrs. Sarah McGovern, wife of one
fvi t.ha nmnH.hinftt rHHlilnntfl nf liunlrin.
Pa., was shot and killed at her home
Friday night, and her husband bug
been arrested for murder.
A now law went into effect on the
first of the year in Massachusetts, pro
Tiding that not over 80 per cent of the
inmates of any penal institution in
the state shall be employed in any one
industry.
Bailie and Waldo Orem, children,
were asphyxiated by coal gas at their
home in LelpBio, O.
The barge Canistee, whioh went
drift off Cape Cod, has been found in
Barnstable bay, with all the orew well.
The Auditorium at Kansas City, re
cently burned, will be rebuilt at once,
and will be ready for occupancy Sep
tember 1.
In a saloon row between Kontuoky
mountaineers at Manchester,' Will
Burdy, James PhMpot and Bob Gregory
were killed.
Veins of gilsonito of sufficient Riae to
warrant development have been dis
covered on Willow oreek in the Middle
Park, Colorado,
M. Tunakoshi, Japanese vice-consul
at Ban Francisoo, has been hurriedly
recalled to Tokio. It was thought he
would bo secretary to the legation at
Washington.
Tho French embassy at Washington
denies that M. Maillard passed through
Washington en route to Cuba to invest
igate for his government the conditions
on the island.
Jacob Stryor and wife wore cremated
in their burning farmhouso in Fayette
county, Pennsylvania. Within 48
hours, six others burned to death ii
that oounty,
Frederick Walsen, state treasurer of
Colorado, was married to Miss Emma
Rtorek, aged 25. After the war, Wal
eon's broken health was nursed back by
the bride's mother.
Fire destroyed the large pipe organ
in tho Great Northern hotel, Chicago,
entailing a loss of $30,000. Although
the lire was confined entirely to the
organ, it sent out such clouds of smoke
that many of the guests became
alarmed, and u eeriuiiB panic was nar
rowly averted.
The burgomaster of Wieschowita, a
euburb of Prague, has been arrested.
Many compromising papers eom-erninu
the recent riots iu Prague were found
in hia possession. It is alleged that he
assisted in placing the bomb under the
German schoolhouse at Wiesehowita,
which the Czechs attacked and at
tempted to demolish recently.
Stenographers employed by the de
fense In the Luetgert case hnve struck.
Attorney Harmon will ask the state to
furnish a copy of tho testimony each
day on the ground that Luetgert lias no
money to pay for a stenographer.
Frank Murphy, a San Francisco
patrol-wagon driver, admitted that ho
fired the shot that struck Baldwin
Gardiner, the stock broker, Christina!
night, lie fired two shots at Stroh,
the burglar, one of which struck Gard
iner, and may cause hie death.
Katherine Kidder's father says she
will retire from the stage, fa
Countess Castellane, formerly Anna
Gould, has given birth to a son.
The British cruiser Leander and the
torpedo-destroyer Virago have left San
Diego for Esquimalt.
O. H. McBra, Southern express agent
at Brunswick, Ga., embezzled $14,000.
He stood high socially.
Rosa Medici, aged 9, was burned to
death near Los Angeles. A spark from
a grate ignited her dress.
Ed L. Parker tried to kill C. J.
Sheets and wife, in Los Angeles, and
then committed suicide. Parker was
infatuated with Mrs. Sheets.
John Bergman, who lost his money
on the Chicago board of trade, com
mitted suicide in New York, leaving
his body to a medical college.
Leutgert's attorneys, unable to secure
a stenographer at state expense, are
taking down the trial in long hand,
which may continue it for months.
Sam Turner, a dying negro, was
lynched at Kingstree, S. C. He killed
Deputy Poston Christmas eve, arid dur
ing the shooting reoeived a mortal
wound.
Gladstone celebrated his 88th birth
day. He received many congratula
tions at Cannes. His health is im
proving, though he is suffering from
neuralgia.
Henry Oliver Goldsmith, a Wall
street broker, is wanted for stealing a
$3,000 check, belonging to Oscar Weis
ner, of Brooklyn. His victims are said
to be many.
. Many collieries in Silesia are provid
ed with bombs filled with compressed
oxygen for use in oases of accident or
entrance into old galleries where the
air is foul.
Lee Fat out the throat of Lee Tong,
in San Franoisco's Chinatown. The
murderer was caught in the act by an
officer. Passengers on a street car wit
nessed the crime.
The 10-year-old daughter of Simon
Barringer was accidentally killed at
Glenbair, Cal., by her brother, two
years older, in a playful struggle for
possession of a gun.
By the will of Mrs. Henrietta R.
Files Baker, $3,000,000 is bequeathed
to the Pennsylvania hospital, contin
gent upon the death of the ion and
daughter of the testatrix without issue.
Mrs. Elizabeth Ellidgo, aged1 83
years, is dead in Breckinridge, Mo.
She was the mother of 12 children and
had 87 grandchildren, 40 great grand
children and 50 great-great-grandchildren.
An imperial decree has been gazetted
in Vienna, authorizing the government
during the prorogation of parliament
to levy taxes and provide for state ex
penditures from January 1 to June 30
next.
Miss Jennie Edwards, aged 19, and
A, R. MoMasters, members of wealthy
families residing near Hopkins, Mo.,
were killed in a runaway. Miss Ed
wards' skull was crushed by striking a
post. , ,
Judge Woffard, of Kansas City,
stopped a tilt between lawyers by re
marking: "Hereafter when lawyeie
talk about lighting in this oourt, I
shall adjourn court, and let thorn fight
it out."
' An engine and a caboose on the Chi
cago, Hammond & Western left the
track while crossing a bridge over Salt
creek, two miles north of Legrange,
111., and plunged into eight feet of wa
ter. Six men were injured.
Farmer Lawrence Walters, of Cass
county, Mich., buriod $2,500 in green
backs and $4,000 in government bonds,
notes, mortgages, etc., beneath the floor
of his barn some mouths ago. Robbers
dug up the treasure and disappeared.
Professor Willard B. Rising, dean of
the college of chemistry, university of
California, has been appointed member
of the American committee for the
third international convention of ap
plied ohouiistry, to be held in Vienna
in July.
Gustav Thelan, president of the El
Rono, O. T., Stock Exchange bank;
Michael EschotT, cashier; Charles A.
Newman, assistant cushier, and Louis
Eschoff, a member of the board of di
rectors, were arrestod for receiving de
posits when the bank was known to be
insolvent.
Nellie Johnson, a Kansas City De
gress, was chopped to death witli a
hatchet by , her husband. Near by
Btood a horse and an express wagon, in
which were ropes tied to a heavy
stone. It had been the intention of
tho murderer to throw his victim into
tho river.
Te San Francisco Miners' Associa
tion will prepare resolutions in favor
of the creation of the cabinet office of
secretary of mines and mining for adop
tion by the American institute of min
ing engineers and federations of miners
throughout the East. Representativee
Loud and Newlands favor tho scheme.
Abo Balm and his two brothers,
well-to-do farmers, lived near West
Point. When their father died, a few
days ago, it was claimed he had starved
to death. The sons refuse! to pay the
expenses of his burial. Last night a
mob marched to the home of tho broth
ers and called for Abe. The brothers
opened tire. Tho mob returned the
tire, and Abe was mortally wounded.
The farmers will not countenance the ar
rest of the mob leaders.
French Koyallsts l'rott.
Paris, Jan. 8. Barou Charette,
Baron Lambert, the Comte de Lupe
ami other prominent royjlista have
issued a manifesto protesffug against
the Duke of Orleans abdicating.
Kelehsmth Session Closed.
Vienna, Jan. 8. An autograph let
ter of Emperor Francis Joseph ad
dressed to Baron Ton Gantsch Ton
Frankenthum, the Austrian premier,
is gazetted, ordering the session of the
roichsrath to be closed.
SIX WERE CREMATED
Awful Fate of a Jersey City
. Family.
SEVERAL MORE SEVERELY HURT
Father, Mother and Four Children the
. Ones That Perished in the Burn
ing of Their Home. N
New York, Jan. 4. Six members of
one family were killed by flames nd
smoke in a fire that occurred early this
morning in Jersey City. The dead are:
Adolph Reich, 45 years old, the
father; Emma Reich, 42, mother:
Tillie Reich, 22 years; Ida Reich, 15
years; Albert Reich, 14 years; Gustave
Reich, 8 years.
Several others were injured, and it
may be that another member of the ill
fated family will die. He is the 19
year old' son, and his body is covered
with burns. John Canway, chief of
the Jersey City fire department, wae
very badly burned. He fell through a
burning floor, and was resoued with
difficulty. Henry Reich, 18 years old,
managed to make his way from the
house with bad burns, but he is not
seriously injured.
Adolph Reich's home was at 817
Germania avenue, near the Hudson
oounty boulevard, in the Hudson City
distriot. He was a real estate agent
and well-to-do, living in a pleasant
house of three stories.
It is thought the fire broke out from
a heater in the basement and worked
its way up to the third floor, where
the sleeping apartments of the family
were located.
Henry Reich said it was late when
the family retired, the evening having
been spent in entertaining New Yeai"s
callers. Early in the morning he was
awanened by shouts. Running into
the hall, he saw smoke and flames in
the lower hall. His father was there,
and they managed to get out of the
house in their night clothes. Young
Reich ran down the steps and gave the
alarm. When he returned his father
was nowhere to be seen, but one of his
brothers, Sigmund, was there, badly
burned. He was taken to a neighbor
ing house, where he said he had jumped
through the blinding smoke and darted
down the stairs out into the open air.
Several engine companies responded
promptly to the alarm, and in a few
minutes the fire was out. Then began
the search of the house. Tho rays of
the lanterns disclosed the charred
bodies against the wall at the foot of
the stairs. They were those of Adolph
Reich, his daughter, Tillie, and little
Gustave. The father had fallon upon
the daughter, and his son was in his
arms. They were burned almost be
yond recognition. In the basement of
the bouse the searching party stumbled
over the remains of Ida and Albert,
two blackened corpses with arms inter
twined. Portions of the limbs had
been entirely burned away, and the
faces were horribly distorted. The
mother was found in the sitting-room.
She was but slightly bun red. Her face
showed no look of pain. She un
doubtedly died from suffocation. The
bodies were sent to the morgue.
Theatrical Train Afire.
St. Lonis, Jan. 4. A theatrical oom
pany playing "In Old Kentucky" left
Kansas City at midnight last night on
a special train of three coaches, over
the Wabash, en route to St. Louis. An
hour after loaving, the front end of the
baggage ear was discovered to be on
fire. The engineer crowded on all
steam to make a siding at Fleming, 10
miles ahead. The wind fanned the
flames until they could be heard above
the roar of the flying train. When the
siding was reached, the baggage car
was a loss and left to burn. The com
pany lost its scenery and three valuable
horses. Nobody was injured, and the
train of two cars arrived here this
morning.
A FEARFUL EXPERIENCE.
Missing llvtuts of the Hteamer Geronii
lteach Sent Island.
Halifax, N. S., Jan. 4.The two
boatB containing Captain Baxter and
80 of the crew of the Thompson line
steamer Gerona, w hich was lost ott Seal
Island, while on a voyage from Port
land, Me., to London, reached the
island safely. One man named Carl,
who was supposed to be in the boat in
charge of Second Officer Alfred Wat
son, which lauded at Wood's harbor, is
missing, anil it is thought he was
drow ned. Most of the men( who were
iu Watson's boat, were cattlemen.
WatMon and his men had a fearful
experience, being afloat for nearly
eight hours before they made the shore
at fortress point. It was pitch dark,
when they pulled away from the help
less Bteamer, and it was not until after
daylight that they were able to de
termine which direction to point their
craft in order to make land. A tierce
gale beat upon them all tho morning,
ami the sea threatened to swamp them
at every moment. The weather was
bitterly cold, too, anil they suffered
terribly from exposure. When they
finally pulled upon the rocky beach at
noon, they were thoroughly exhausted,
having been rowing constantly through
a stormy sea since shortly after 4 A.M.
Reports from along the coast todav
Indicate that the Gerona foundered not
long afser the crew took to the
lifelmat. At Cape Sable a number of
cattle and a badly shattered boat have
been washed ashore. Immediately
after the receipt there last night of the
news of tho wreck preparations were
nude to dispatch steamers in search of
the missing boats and the abandoned
ihip.
A dispatch received late tonight
from Yarmouth reports the arrival
there of Captain Baxter, and crew.
A STATEMENT BY EARL LI.
German Occupation of Kaio Chou a
High-Mumled Outrage. .
New York, Jan. 5. Tho Herald to
day publishes the following copyrighted
letter from its correspondent in Peking:
Peking, Jan. &: Accordwig to in
structions received from the Herald, I
requested an interview with Li Hung
Chang, and informed him that the New
York Herald offered the publicity of its
columns for any statement that China
desired to make to the Western world
in respect to tho actual crisis in the
East.
"The great statesman replied that
China was anxious that the Western
people should understand thoroughly
matters as they were. His excellency's
views are given herewith in the fol
lowing interview, which he approved:
" 'The forcible occupation of Kiao
Chou by Germany is a direct violation
of existing treaties and of interna
tional law. The pretext made to this
act of war was the murder of two mis
sionaries by robbers in the interior of
the province of Shan Tung. The Chi
nese government offered immediate and
full redress for this outrage, punish
ment of the criminals, dissmissal of
the local officials and largo compensa
tion for all losses.
" 'Anxious to avoid hostile acts, the
Chinese troops were withdrawn from
Kiao Chou when the 'Germans landed,
and, despite strong public feeling pre
vailing throughout the country for the
defense of Chinese territory against ag
gression, my government has not sent
reinforcements to Kiao Chou.
" 'Outlaws exist in China, as well as
in all countries. Neither treaties, law
nor religion can entirely suppress crime
anywhere in the world. There are
places in every country where lawless
ness abounds, and to such a place in
Shan Tung the German missionaries
determined to go, knowing that the
natives themselves were often victims
of these bandits.
" 'Unfortunately China has not yet
recovered from the effects of the late
war, and the country requires a period
of peace to carry out the work of reform
lately begun.
" "Of late years, from instruction
and observation, the Chinfese have come
to regard the countries of the Western
world as models even greater in justice
than in 'arms. Is it right to oppress
us while we are struggling to emerge
from the restraints of our ancient civ
ilization, while improvement and pro
gress steadily continue? Should China
be distressed by having her shores in
vaded and her territory occupied be
cause of an occurrence which Western
countries would deal with by law and
not by war an unexpected incident,
deplored by my government and fol
lowed by full redress?
" 'Our desire is to preserve our ter
ritory intact and to steadily improve it
as a field open to all countries equally
for the development of commerce.' "
THE BREACH WIDENING.
A War Between Costa Rica and Nicara
gua Imminent
New York, Jan. 5. A dispatch to
the Herald from Panama says: The
trouble between Costa Rica and Nica
ragua has taken a new phase, according
to aivioes from the Herald correspond
ent in Managua. The Costa Rican
consul at Managua has been sentenced
to five years' imprisonment, and has
fled.
The Cost Rican oonsul at Managua,
Senor Eduardo Beeohe, was arrested
in that city on September 17 last year
and imprisoned. The oharge against
him was complicity in a revolutionary
movement against President Zelaya.
Senor Beeche's exequatur was canceled
at the time of his arrest. He was in
prison for several weeks, despite the
representations made by the Coeta
Rican government to Nicaragua to
secure his release. Costa Rica demand
ed that proofs against her consul bo
produced, but the demand went un
heeded, though finally he was released
on bail. Considerable friction between
the two governments was caused, and
this was followed by the interchange of
several sharp notes. There were reports
that both Nicaragua aud Costa Rioa
were quietly preparing for war, 'and
these reports were not altogether un
founded. Finally, despite protests from Costa
Rica, the trial of Consul Beeche by
court-martial began. President Zelaya
swept aside Costa Rica's demands, and
a few days ago the court-martial sen
tenced the prisoner. The sentence was
kept secret until yesterday. Senor
Beeche in some way learned of this sen
tence about, a week ago, and immedi
ately left Nicaragua, though there was
a report that he would be pardoned.
It was supposed he wont to Costa Rica.
This has aroused new friction be
tween the governments, and the end
cannot be foretoll. War it is believed
in many quarters will result.
Nicaragua is threatened from another
source. Believing that war between
that country and Costa Rica is prob
able. Costa Rica is going to Salvador
to induce President Guiterrea to aid
her against Nicaragua. Salvador, how
ever, iB in great danger of revolution,
bo President Guiterrea in the present
case is an unknown quantity.
An outbreak in Salvador is imminent.
A correspondent telegraphs that the
situation, financial and political, could
not be worse.
Austin, Tex., Jan. 4. W. J. Bryan
and wife, aocompanied by ex-Governor
Crittenden, at Missouri, arrived here
last night, and today was tendered a
reception at tbe home of ex Governor
Hogg. About 2,500 people attended.
Bryan authorized a statement that he
will not make any statement on his
Mexico trip until he reaches Lincoln,
when he will give the public hia views
in detail. However, he expressed him
Belf as delighted with the country and
people.
AUTONOMY IN CUBA
General Blanco to Control
All the Departments.
CROWN MINISTERS TO DICTATE
The Edict As It Is Sot Forth Cubans
Will Not Accept It Gome
on Annexation.
Havana, Jan. 3. The Gazette (offi
cial) has printed the autonomic legis
lation for Cuba. General Blanco in
his edict assumes supreme command of
all branches of the government as the
delegate of the crown ministers of state,
war, navy and foreign affairs, who re
side in Madrid, and who will continue
to dictate to General Blanco what he
shall do in carrying out his funotions.
General Blanco, or any other captain-general
who might be appointed
in his place.will be simply a vice-royal
governor, and will be assisted by six
secretaries assembled with their chair
man in a council of government. The
government will go into effect on Sat
urday next, and will be formed of five
secretaries with their chairman (six
altogether). The list of five secretaries
has already been forecasted by cable,
with the exception that the depart
ment of posts and telegraphs will be
under Senor Rodriguez.
The correspondent of the Madrid Im
paroial, who has ridden over a greater
part of the island, writes to his paper
that he saw at San Jose Lajas, this
province, 4,500 reooncentrados thrown
into the streets or dying in wretched
huts, mere living skeletons. He stated
that 10,000 have died within a year.
Most of the reconcentrados, he says, do
not care to work when they leave their
homes. They carried with them all
their belongings, and have gradually
sold them. Their physical strength is
wasted, and they need a helping hand
to lift them even from the gutter.
Several correspondents of El Diario
de la Marina describe the horrible
misery due to fevers and sickness in
differenj,towns in the provinceof Santa
Clara The people are without shelter
or medical assistance. The winter
season increases the suffering among
them. The women are half nude,with
their naked infants wasted with cold
and hunger.
Indepenpence Their Goal.
New York, Jan. 3. A Herald corre
spondent has just returned to Havana
after having visited the camp of Gen
eral Gomez After a long and perilous
ride through country infested with
Spanish troops, he reached General
Gomez' oamp, December 18, and found
the general in excellent health and
spirits. He was able for the first time
in many months to mount his horse and
make a long journey of inspection of
the various camps into whioh the men
under his immediate oommand were
dividedi
The correspondent put before Gen
eral Gomez the programme of autonomy
to secure his opinion. The general
smiled contemptuously, after glancing
over a copy of a Havana paper contain
ing the terms, and said:
"There is no use wasting time in
discussing these terms. It makes no
difference whether they be regarded
as liberal or not, the fact remains that
we are not fighting for autonomy, but
for independence. This Spain seems
utterly unable to realize. We have
been told that the autonomy offered is
an act of liberality by the mother
country to induce the patriots in arms
to resume their allegiance to Spain.
That is worse than folly. It is an in
sult to tho men fighting for freedom.
There is not in the Cuban army one
man go base 88 to accept such terms.
We will not even listen to any over
tures, and any person entering our
camps for such a purpose will be put
to death in accordance with my general
orders."
Continuing, General Gomez said he
had no faith in the ability of Spain to
immediately' enact outonomy, even in
the sections under Spanish control, but
wheter she succeeded or not, the mat
ter was of no moment to the men in the
field, who would continue to fight, ani
mated by love of freedom and an abso
lute confidence in ultimate success. ,
The correspondent asked General
Gomez for his opinion as to American
Intervention and the annexation of
Cuba to the United States. He Replied
that intervention does not necessarily
imply annexation.
"I would gladly accept the former,
as I would accept aid from any quarter,
though I believe if left alone wo will
accomplish our own independence un
aided, and I am loath that we should
be robbed of any share of the honor of
expulsion of the Spaniards.
"As far as annexation is concerned,
I cannot admit its possibility. To that
proposition I make the same reply as
1 do to the autonomy plan: 'That our
object is independence; we have among
us young men who have sacrificed
everything to this sacred cause. For
myself, I am an old man, who now has
but one object in life, and that is to
see the flag of Cuba supreme from Cape
Maysi to San Antonio. We have made
fearful sacrifices and we stand ready to
make more in order to achieve this
glorious end."
Bombay, Jan. 8. The Indian na
tional congress came to a conclusion to
day, amid much enthusiasm and cheers
for the queen-empress. Resolutions
were adopted thanking the people of
the United Kingdom, the British col
onies and the United States for gener
ous aid during the famine.. It waa de
cided to erect, at, a cost of 1,000 a
memorial of gratitude in London.
Other resolutions were adopted criti
cising the government'i recent meaa
ures regarding sedition.
TWENTY-FOUR DEAD.
Terrible Accident in a Canadian Town
Caused by Floor Collapsing.
' London, Ont, Jan. 5. Twenty-four
persons are known to have been killed
and many injured by the collapse of a
floor in the city hall this evening. To
night closed the municipal campaign,
and the hall was crowded to hear the
address of the successful candidates.
At midnight the bodies of the follow
ing had been takon out and identified:
F. Heaman, C. Breckett, E. Luxton,
N. Carothers, R. Leigh, . Harris, T.
W. Burke, John Smith, . Talbot, A.
Phillips, John Turner, Ben Nash, J.
W. Bortland, . Hilburn, Frank Rob
inson, James McLean, John Barridge,
Oswald Bruce, B. Jacques, W. H. Dell,
Stephen Fellows, Allen Love, unidenti
fied man..
Those who were more seriously in
jured were taken to neighboring drug
stores, whence they were taken to hos
pitals or to their homes, after tfeeir in
juries had been attended to..
The dead were taken to the commit
tee rooms of Alderman Parnell, the de
feated candidate for mayor, directly
aoioss the street.
At the close of the polls a crowd had
gathered in the oity hall, where it had
been the custom in years past, for tho
successful candidates to address the
people. The hall was crowded to the- '
very doors, probably 2.000 people being
jammed in its narrow space. There
was a lull in the proceedings, when the
audience called for several ot the newly
elected aldermen at once, and there
was some delay in securing a speaker
to address them. Alderman Carothers
joined the mayor in an effort to secure
quiet. In response to numerous calls,
R. M. Toothe was pushed forward to
the platform on which the speaker
stood. As he readied it thero was an.
ominous crackling, and the raised plat
form on which the mayor and the new
ly elected aldermen were Beated seemed
to pitch forward to the floor.
There was a sagging of timbers, and
the next moment 150 people were
hurled 20 feet to the floor below. A
beam running 20 feet along the center
of the hall had given way, and the
orowded mass standing above that sec-"
tion of the floor was thrown in a heap
to the bottom. A large safe stood in
one corner of the hall, and, with a
huge steam coil, weighing half a ton,
came crashing down on the heads of
the victims.
Following the crash there was a wild
rush for the doors. At the south door,
where the majority of the crowd had.
entered, there was a terrific panic.
Those in front were thrown down by
the oncoming rush,, shrieking and
fighting for the door and, safety. Only
one-half of the rear door, a space of
probably three feet, was open, and, in
the mad rush, no one thought to open
the door to its entirety, and 50 people
struggled through the narrow Bpaoe,
the strong bearing down the weaker.
Alderman Neil Cooper was among:
the first to be dragged out of the mass
of broken beams. He was quickly car
ried to an adjoining room, and in a
moment half a dozen more were keep
ing him company.
Several men lowered ropes and en
deavored to haul the wounded out of
the pit. From under the massed
weight of the broken beams came
many cries for help. The windows on
the ground floor were broken in, and
the living andhe dead were tenderly
passed to the waiting ambulances.
An investigation of the wreok after
the catastrophe had happened disclosed
the faot that a whole section of the
floor had dropped, the joists having
been as neatly out off as though the
work had been dope with a saw.
The building was an old one, having
been erected in the early '50s, and of
late years additional stories had been
placed on the old walls. ?
OVER A MILLION IN GOLD.
Corona Said to Have Itrought Thai
Much From Klondike.
San Francisco, Jan. 6. A Chronicle
special from Port Townsend says:
There was over $1,000,000 in gold dust
and nuggets on the steamer Corona
which has arrived from Alaska. The
treasure on the steamer was carefully
guarded on the trip down by two watch
men on day and night shifts. Some
of the nuggets averaged as high as 15
ounces. A man named Davidson, from
Cripple Creek, Col., had a nugget that
weighed 15, ounces. One of the
drawers in Captain Carroll's room was
packed with nuggets of all sizes. Your
correspondent had the pleasure of see
ing this wealth through the Kindness of
Captain Carroll. In addition to this
amount there was considerable more
tied up in sacks among the returning
Klondikers. From a careful estimate,
it is safe to say that in drafts and dust
there was about $1,200,000 in wealth
aboard the Corona.
F. Harmon McConnell, of San Fran
cisco, was one of the returning passen
gers. He verified the estimates given
that over a million was brought out by
the miners. In his opinion it is a con
servative estimate.
The monthly statement of the public
debt shows that at the close of the bus
iness December 31, 1897, the debt, less
cash in the treasury, amounted to
$909,111,899, a decrease for the month
of $10,114,899. This decrease in the
debt is due principally to an increase
in the cash, which is accounted for by
the sale of the Union Pacific railroad.
V'nalaska Mail Contract.
San Francisoo, Jan. 5. The Pacifio
Steam Whaling Company has been
awarded the contract for carrying the
United States mails from Dyea to Un
alaska. The steamer Excelsior will be
pat oft the route, and will run at regu
lar intervals during the spring and
summer. The whaling company also
intends increasing its steamer facilities
between here, Copper river and Skag
way, and intends, if possible, to get ita
full share of the Klondike travel.