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About Oregon City courier. (Oregon City, Or.) 1896-1898 | View Entire Issue (April 1, 1898)
VIEWS OF SPAIN Expl osion Was of In- ternal Origin. DIFFERS MUCH FROM OURS A Full Synopsis of the Report of the Spnnlsh Naval Commission Com plete Text of the American Court of Inquiry Into the Maine Disaster. .' Washington, March 80. A full syn opsis' of the report of the Spanish naval commission whioh investigated the de struction of the battle-ship Maine is here given. It is taken from a copy of the original report, which ia now on its way here from Havana, the synopsis being cabled and today being in the hands of this government. The conclusions are directly opposite to those in the report of theoourt of in quiry submitted to congress today. The synopsis is as follows: The report contains declarations made by ocular witnesses and experts. From these statements it deduces and proves the absenoe of all those attend ant ohoumstances which are invariably presented on the occasion of the explo sion of a torpedo. The evidence of witnesses compara tively close to the Maine at the moment is to the effect that only one explosion occurred; that no column of water was thrown into the air; that no shock to the side of the nearest vessel was felt, uor on land was any vibration noticed, and that no dead fish were found. The evidence of the, senior pilot of the harbor states that there is abund ance of fish in the harbor, and this is corroborated by other witnesses. Tho assistant engineer of the works states that after explosions were made during the execution of works in the harbor,! lie has always found dead fish. The divers were unable to examina the bottom of the Maine, whioh was buried in the mud, but a careful examination of the sides of the vessel, the rents and breaks, which all point outward, shows without a doubt that the explosion was from the inside. A minute examination of the bottom of the harbor around the vessel shows absolutely no sign of the action of a torpedo, and the judge-advocate of tho commission can find no precedent for the explosion of the storage magazine of the vessel by a torpedo. The report makes clear that owing to the sepcial nature of the proceedings following, the commission has been prevented from making such an exami nation of the inside of the vessel as would determine even the hypothesis' of the internal origin of the accident.! This is to be attributed to the regret-4 table refusal to permit a necessary con nection of the Spanish commission with) the commander and crew of the Maine,' and the different American officers commissioned to investigate the cause of the acoident, and later with those employed on salvage work. The report finishes by stating that an examination of the inside and out side of the Maine, as goon as such ex amination may be possible, as also of the bottom where the vessel rests, sup posing that the Maine's wreck be not totally altered in the process of extrica tion, will wan ant the belief that the explosion was ndoubtedly due to some interior cause. AMERICAN REPORT IN DETAIL. Full Text of the Findings of the Maine Court of Inquiry, TJ. S. S. Iowa, first rate. Key West, Fla., Monday, March 21, ISSS. After a full and mature considera tion of all the testimony before It, the court finds as follows: First That the United States battle-ship Maine arrived In the harbor of Havana; Cuba, on the 21st day of January, 1S98, and was taken to buoy No. 4, in 6V4 to 4 fathoms of water, by the regular govern ment pilot. The United States consul then at Havana had notified tha authorities at that place the previous evening of the intended arrival of the Maine. Second The Btate of discipline on board the Maine was excellent, and all orders and regulations in regard to the care and safety of the ship were strictly carried out. All ammunition was stowed away In accordance with instructions, and proper care was taken whenever ammunition was handled. Nothing was stored In any one of the magazines or shellrooms which was not permitted to be stowed there. The magazines and shellrooms were al ways locked after having been opened; and after the destruction of the Maine the keys were found in their proper place In the captain's cabin, everything hav ing been reported secure that evening at. 8 P. M. The temperature of the maga zines and shellrooms were taken dally and reported. The only magazine which, had an undue amount of heat was th after 10-inch magazine, and that did not explode at the time the Maine was de stroyed. The torpedo warheads were all stowed In the after part of the ship undeH the ward room, and neither caused not" participated In the destruction of tha Maine. The dry gun-cotton primers, and. detonators, were stowed In the cubln aft, ' A Famous Inventor. Salem, Mass.. March 80. Abnerl Cheney Goodall. died here, aged 83 years. He perfected the first printing press that printed on both eides in onq operation. He also invented tha cracker machine and perfected tho preparation of copper and steel plates lor use by engravers. Great preparations are being madq for the stockgrowers convention to ba held in Denver next January. and remote from the scene of the explo sion. The waste was carefully looked after on board the Maine to obviate danger. Special orders in regard to this had been given by the commanding officer.- Var nishes, dryers, alcohol and other com bustibles of this nature, were stowed on pr above the main deck, and could not have had anything to do with the de struction of the Maine. The medical, stores were stowed aft. under the , ward room, and remote from the scene, of the explosion. No dangerous stores of any kind were stowed below In any of the other storerooms, or In the coalbunkers. Of those bunkers adjoining the ' forward magazine and shellrooms. four were empty; namely,. B3.E4, BSj IS6. AlS'had been in use that date, and A16 was' full , of new river coal. This coal- had been' carefully Inspected before receiving it on board. The bunker in which it was stowed was accessible on three sides at all times, and tha fourth side at this time, on ac count of bunkers B4 and B6 being empty. This bunker, A16, had been inspected that 'day by the engineer officer on duty. The fire alarms In the bunkers wore In work ing order, and, there had never been a case of spontaneous combustion of coal on board the Maine. The two after boil ers of the ship were In use at the time of the disaster, but for auxiliary purposes only, with a comparatively low pressure of steam and being tended by a reliable watch. These boilers could not have caused the explosion of the ship. The forward boilers of tha ship have since been found by the divers, and are in fair condition. On the night of the destruction of the Maine, everything had been re ported secure for the night at 8 P. M. by reliable persons, through proper au thorities to the commanding officer. At the time the Maine was destroyed the ship was quiet, and therefore the least liable to accident caused by movements from those on board. Third The destruction of the Maine oc curred at 9:40 P. M. on the 15th day of February, 1S93, in the harbor of Havana, Cuba, being at the time moored to the very same buoy to which she had been taken upon her arrival. There were two explosions, of a distinctly different character, a very short but distinct In terval between them, and the forward part of the ship was lifted to a marked degree at the time of the first explosion. The first explosion was more in the na ture of a report, like that of a gun, while the second explosion was more open, prolonged, and of a greater vol ume. Tho second explosion was, in the opinion of the court, caused by the par tial explosion of two or more of tha for ward magazines of the Maine. Condition of the Wreck. Fourth The evidence bearing on this being principally obtained from divers, did not enable the eourt to form a dofl nlta conclusion as to the condition of the wreck, although It was established that the after part of the ship was prac tically intact, and sank In that condition a very few minutes after the destruction of the forward part. The following facts In regard to the forward part of the ship are, however, established by tha testi mony: That portion of the short side of the protected deck which extends from about frame 30 to about frame 41, was blown up aft and over to port. The main deck from about frame SO to about frame 41 was blown up aft and slightly over to starboard, folding the forward part of the middle superstructure over and on top of the floor part. This was, In the opinion of the court, caused by the partial explo sion of two or more of the forward maga zines of the Maine. Fifth At frame 15 the outer shell of the ship from a point U4 feet from the mid dlo lino of the ship, and six feet above the keel, when in Its normal position, has been forced up, so as to be about four feet above the surface of the water, there fore about 34 feet above where it would bo had the ship sunk uninjured. The outside bottom plating is bent Into a reversed V-Bhape, the after wing of which, about 15 feet broad and 32 feet In length (from frame 17 to frame 25), is doubled back upon Itself, against the continuation of tho same plating extending forward. At frame 80 the vertical keel is broken in two, and the fiat keel bent into an angle similar to the angle formed by the outside bottom plating. This break Is now about six feet below the surface of the water, and about 10 feet above Its normal position. In the opinion of the court, this effect could have been pro duced only by the explosion of a mine, situated under the bottom of the ship, at nbout frame 18, and somewhat on the (port Bide of the ship. I Sixth The court finds that the loss of (the Maine on the occasion named was plot in any respect due to fault or negli gence on tho part of any of the officers or members of the crew of said vessel. 1 Seventh In the opinion of the court, the Maine was destroyed by the explo sion of a submarine mine, which caused the partial explosion of two or more of her forward magazines. ; Eighth The court has been unable to obtain evidence fixing the responsibility for the destruction of the Maine upon any person or persons. W. T. SAMPSON, Captain, U. 8. N., President. A. H. MARIX, V. S. N., Commander, Judge-Advocate. The court having finished the Inquiry It iwas ordered to make, adjourned at U A. M., to await the action of the con vening authority. W. T. SAMPSON, Captain, U. S. N., President A. H. MARIX, ,TJ. S. N., Lieutenant-Commander, U. B. N., Judge-Advocate. U. S. Flugshlp New Tork, March 22, 1808, Oft Key West, Fla. The proceedings and findings of the court of Inquiry in the above caBe are approved. M. SICARD, Rear-Admiral, Commnnder-ln-Chlef, U. B. Naval Force of the North Atlantic. Russia In Full Possession. Peking, March 80. The Chinese gar risons wero withdrawn today from Port Arthur and Talien-Wan. The Russian standard and Russian flag were hoisted at both places. Resistance freed. Yokohama, March 80. The unoffi cial section of the press is actively urg ing the government to resist Russia's action in China, but the official press is silent The diet will meet May 2. CAPTAIN SIGSBEE'S STORY. His Detailed Testimony. Before the Board Kearardinu; the DigHSlor. WASHINGTON, March V. o. Captain Sigsbee, in testifying- before- the court of inquiry, said that he assumed command of the Maine April 10, 1S97, and that his ship anchored in the harbor of Havana the last time January 24, 1S9S. The au thorities at Hnvuna knew of tho Maine's coming,.. Consul-General Lee having in formed the authorities according to oftl cial custom. After he took on an.efilclal pilot, sent by the. captain of the port of Havana, the ship was berthed In the man-of-war anchorage, off the Machina, or the Shears, and according to his understand ing) It was one of the regular buoys of the place. He then stated . that he had. been in Havana In 1872, and again in 1S98. He could not state whether the Maine "was placed in. the usual -b'efth' for men.of War, but said that he had heard remarks Blnco the explosion, using Captains Ste vens, temporarily ; (n command i of the .Ward Line steamer City of Washington, as authority for the statement, - that he had1 never known, in alt his experience, .which- covered visits to Havana for five or six years, a man-of-war to be anchored . lat that buoy, that he had rarely known merchant vessels to be : anchored there, and that it was the least used buoy in the harbor. . ... The Mitlne'a Surroundings. In describing the surroundings when first moored to the buoy, Captain Sigsbee stated that the Spanish man-of-war Al fonso XIII was anchored In the position now occupied by the Fern, about 250 yards to the northward and westward from the Maine. The German ship Grie senau was anchored at the berth now oo cupled by the Spanish man-of-war Lo Caspo, which Is about 400 yards due north from the Maine. He then located tho German man-of-war Chariots, which came into the harbor a day or two later, which was anchored to the southward of the Maine's berth about 400 or 600 yards. In describing the surroundings at the time of the explosion, Captain Sigsbee stated that the night was calm and still. The Alfonso XIII was at the same berth. The small Spanish dispatch boat, Le Caspo, had come out the day before and taken the berth occupied by the German man-of-war, the Griesenau, which had left. The steamer City of Washington was anchored about 200 yards to the south and east of the Maine's stern, slightly on the port quarter. The Coal Was Snfe. The Maine coaled at Key West, taking on about 150 tons, the coal being regularly Inspected, and taken from the government coal pile. This coal was placed generally in the forward bunkers. No reDort was received from the chief engineer that any cool had been too long In the bunkers, and that the fire alarms in the bunkers were sensitive. The regulations regarding lmflammables and paints on board, Captain Sigsbee iBBimea, were strictly carried out in re gard to storage, and that waBte also was subject to the same careful dlannsltlnn. The Inflammables' were stored In chests according to the regulations, and lnflnm mables in excess of chest capacity, were allowed to be kept in the bathroom of the admiral's cabin. Kegarding the eleotrlo plant of the Maine, Captain Sigsbee stated that there was no serious grounding, nor sudden flaring up of the lights before the explo sion, but a sudden and total eellnse. As for regulations affecting the taking of the temperature of the magazines, etc., Captain Sigsbee stated there were no spe cial regulations other than the usual regu latlons required by the department. He examined the temperature himself, and cunvereeu wun tne ordnance omcer as to the various temperatures, and the con tents of the magazines and, according to tne opinion of this officer, as well as Sies bee, the temperatures were never at the danger point. "I do not think there was any laxity in this direction," said the captain, replying to a question of Judge-Advocate Marlx. Ho had? no recollection of any work go ing on in the magazine or shell rooms be fore the explosion. The keys were called for in the usunl way on the day In ques tion, ana were properly returned. Relations With Spanish Authorities. speaking generally of the relations with the Spanish authorities, Captain Sigsbee statea mat wun the officials they were outwardly cordial. The memberB of the autonomistic council of the government however, seem to have brought to the at tention of the navy department the fact that he did not visit them, and that fact brought embarrassment to the govern ment at Washington. He took the ground to the -department that It was unknown etiquette to call on the civil members of the colonial government other than the governors. Without waiting for such an order, Captain Sigsbee made , visit after wards, and, as he states, was pleasantly received and his visit promptly returned by certain members of the council. A party or ladies and gentlemen called, and the president of tho council made a speech wnich Captain Sigsbee could not under stand, but which was Interpreted to him. to which ho replied. My reply," nam captain Blgsbee, "was afterwards printed In at least two papers in Havana, but the terms made me "favor autonomist government in the Island, am Informed that the autonomistic gov ernment In Havana Is unpopular among a large class of Spanish and Cuban resi dents. I have no means of knowing whether my apparent interference in the political concerns of the island had any relation to the destruction of the Maine. Exhibition of Animosity, vvnen asked whether there was any demonstration of animosity by people afloat, Captain Sigsbee Bald there was never on Bhore, as he was informed, but there was afloat He related that on the first Sunday after the Maine's arrival the ferry-boat, crowded densely with people, civil and military, returning from a bull fight at Regla, passed the Maine, and about 40 people on board Indulged In yell lng, whistling and derisive calls. Every Precaution Taken. During the stay in Havana. Captain Sigsbee took more than ordinary precau tions for the protection of the Maine by placing sentries on the forecastle and poop, quarter line and single decks, on the bridge and the poop. A corporal of the guard was especially instructed to look out for the port gang way, and the officer of the deck and quar termaster were especially Instructed to look out for tho Btarboard gangway, quarter-watih was kept on deck all night, Bentrles' cartridge boxes filled, their arms kept loaded, a number of rounds of rapid fire ammunition kept In the pilot-room and In the spare captain's pantry, and under the aft superstructure were kept additional supplies of shells, close at hand for the second battery; steam was kept up in two boilers Instead of one, and posilive instructions were given to watch carefully all the hydraulio gear and report defin itely. He said he had given orders to the mas ter-at-arms to keep a careful eye on everybody that cams on board, and to carefully observe any packages that might be held, on the supposition that dynamite or other high explosives might be employed, and afterwards to Inspect the routes these people had taken, and not to lose Bight of the order. He staffs that very few people visited the ship. Lieutenant-Commander Walnwrlght be ing rather severe on visitors. Spanish Officers on Hoard. There were only two or three of the Spanish military officers came on board, but. according to the captain, they were constrained, and not desirous of accepting much courtesy. The visit was during the absence of the captain. He said he mads every effort to have Spanish officers to visit the ship to show his good-will. Description of the Explosion. He then went into a descrlDtion of the explosion when he felt the crash. . He characterized it as a bursting, rending and crashing sound or roar of immense volume, largely metallic in its character. It was succeeded by a metallic sound, probably of falling debris, a . trembling and lurching motion of tho vessel, then an Impression of subsidence, attended by an eclipse of electric lights and intense darkness wijhjn- his cabin. vHe'' thought luuutiuiuieiy -uiM me maine naa mown up and she was sinking. "'He hurried to the starboard' cabin, but changed his course to the.passage leading (o the super structure, detWlei, the manner of meeting Private Atiifjjony, which is much the same as has beep published: -. : lieutenant - Commander Walnwrlght was on deck when Captain Sigsbee' emerged from the passageway, and,.turn- lng to the orderly he 'aked fori-time. which was given fa 940, H.t M. Sentries were ordered -placed1 aboif. 'tl)e ship, and the forward magazine :h4ocled.- - Ha called for perfect: silence. The. surviving officers wero about hinj at'ihe time on tho poop. tie was 'lnformed jhat both -forward and aft magazines, .were under water, ..Then', came faint cries and white-fldatlng bodies in the water. Boats were at once ordered lowered, but only two were available,- the. gig and whaleboat. They - wers lowered and manned by officers and men, and by' tne captain's directions they left the ship and helped to save the wounded Jointly with other boats that had arrived on the; sce-ne. Fire amidships by this time was-burn ing fiercely, and the spare ammunition in the pilot-house was exploding. At this time Lieutenant-Commander Walnwrlght said he thought the 10-lnch magazine for ward had been thrown up Into the burn ing mass, and miht explode any time. Everybody was then directed to get Into tho boats over the stern, which was cttma, the captain getting into the gig, and then proceeding to the City of Washington. where he found the wounded in the dining saloon being carefully attended by the officers and crew of the vessel. He then went on deck and observed the wreck for a few minutes, and1 gave directions to have a muster taken on board the City of Washington and other vessels, and sat down in the captain's cabin and dictated a telegram to the navy department. Spaniards Express Sympathy. Various Spanish officials came on board' and expressed sympathy and sorrow for the accident. The representatives of General Blanco and of the admiral of the station were among the Spanish officials no tendered their sympathies. About four or five men were found that night who survived. By the time Captain Sigs bee reached the quarterdeck it was his impression that an overwhelming explo- uuu uucurrea. vvnen he came from the cabin he was nractieallv hHn,i0ri ,. a few seconds. His only thought wns for the vessel, and he took no note of the Phenomena or tne explosion. In reply to the question of whether anv of tho mag azines or shellrooms were blown up, tha captain said It was extremely difficult to come to any conclusion. The center of the explosion was beneath and a little forward of the conning tower on tho nnrt side. In the region of the center or nvin of the explosion was the Blx-lnch reserve magazine, which contained very little powder, about 300 pounds. The 10-inch magazine was In the tame general re gion, but on the starboard side. Over the 10-inch magnzlne in tho loading room of the turret, and in the adjoining pas sage, a number of 10-lnch shells were per manently located. According to Captain Sigsbee It would be difficult to conceive the explosion involved the 10-inch maga zine, because of the location of the ex plosion, and none of the reports show that any 10-lnch sholla were hurled Into the air because of the explosion. Details of the Second Explosion. The captain went Into details as to the location of the small explosion. Ha said that he did not believe that the forward or lo-lneh magazine blew up. The loca tion of the gun cotton was aft, under the caDin. He stated that he had examined the wreck himself, oonversed with other officers and men, but, as the Spanish authorities were very much adverse to an Investigation, except officially, on the grounds, as stated by the Spanish admir alty, that the honor of Spain was In volved, ho forebore to examine the sub mr.rlne portion of the wreck for the cause of the explosion until the day the court convened. He said the discipline of the Bhlp was excellent. The marine guard was in ex cellent condition. The report of the medi cal department shows that about one man and a quarter per day wero on tho sick list during the past year. In the engineers' department the vessel was al ways ready and always responsive. He paid a tribute to the crew, and said that a quieter, better-natured lot of men he had never known on board of any ves sel In which he had served. He had no fault to find with the behavior of any man at the time of the disaster, and considered their conduot admirable. On his examination by the court, Captain Sigsbee Bald that the highest temperature he could discover was 112, but that was In the after magazine, the temperature in tho forward magazines being considerably lower. There was no loose powder kept In the magazines. All the coal bunkers were ventilated through air tubes, exam ined1 weekly by the chief engineer, and were connected electrically to the annun ciator near his cabin door. The forward coal bunkers on the port side were full. The forward coal bunkers on the star boat side was half full, and it was being used at the time of the explosion. Coal Hunkers Not Hut. Captain Sigsbee, being recalled, stated that he had detailed Lieutenant-Commander Walnwrlght, Lieutenant Holman and Chief Engineer Holman, all of the Maine, to obtain Information In regard to any outsiders who might have Been the explosion. Captain Sigsbee also gave as his opinion that If coal bunkers A16 had been so hot as to be dnngerous to the fl inch reserve magazine, that this condition would have been shown on three Bides where the bunker was exposed, and that men constantly passing to and fro by it would have necessarily noticed any un due heat. Captain Sigsbee waB recalled and examined as to the ammunition on board the Maine. He stated that there were no high explosives, guncotton, deto nators or other material in magazines or shell rooms which the regulations prohib ited. He testified1 that no warheads had been placed on torpedoes since ba had hud command of tho ship. ITEMS OF INTEREST. It is stated that sharks have now pen etrated into the Mediterranean through the Suez canal from the Bed sea. In France there have been found only two criminals whose measurement by the Borlillon system coincided. The Adams homestead at Qtiincy, Miss., has been restored nnuer the dl rection of the Quincy Historical Society The largest room in the world under one roof and unbroken by piHarg ia at St. Petersburg. It is 020 feet long by 120 in breadth. Ginger is a tropical production ol Mexico, where it grows wild. It has been cultivatded from an early period to tropical Asiu. Tho oldost city in the world is Nip pur, the "Older Bel" of Babylon; the foundations were laid 7,000 years B. (J, and the ruins have lately been on earthed. POLITICAL PARTIES COMBINE. Populists, Silver Republicans and Dem erats of Oregon Join Issues. Three state conventions met in Port land last ..week, . the Populist, silver ' Republican and Democratic. A union of forces or fusion is the result. All parties united on the plntform adopted by the Populists at Friday's session, and agreed to a division of the offices by a conference committee. The plat form .as adopted reads; '- United in a common cause for the secret purpoee of preserving the principles of gov ernment by the whole people, In faot as well he in name, restoring; and uialnU'nlmr . equality, u,nter that -government of all ' classes! we, the people's (Semocrotlonfl stl-.ver-repab-lWaA' parties of the state of Ore gon, waiving all minor-points of dlfferenoa and uniting for the purpose of carrying oat the great underlying principles upon which we are all agreed, do make and present to the people of this state the following dew j laratlon of principles, and to the carrying .out, pt whleh we solemnly pledge each and every candidate upon our united ticket: Flrst-i-W demand the free and unret'rtoo- ' ed ootnege of silver and gold at the prea- . eut legal ratio of 16 to 1, without waiting ' foe the. consent of foreign nations and we -' are unalterably opposed to the poller of fhe present republican administration In de manding the retirement of greenbacks, and the turning over of the money-malting pow er of the government to the national banks, a presented by the hill drawn by the repub lican secretary of the treasury, and Indorsed by President McKlnley; and w especially denounce the avowed attempt by said bill to fasten the country Irrevocably and forever to the single gold standard. We demand a national money, st'e and sound, issued by the general government only, without the Intervention of banks of Issue, to be a full legal tender for ail debts, public and private; also a Just, equitable and efficient means ot distribution direct to the people through the lawful disbursements of the government. Vv'e demand that the volume of circulating medium be speedily increased to en amount sufficient to meet the demands of the busj ness and population of this country, and to restore the Just level of prices of labor and production. We favor Buch legislation as will prevent for the future the demonetisation of any kind of legal-tender money by private con tract, i We demand that the government. In pay ment of Its obligations, shall use Its option as to the kind ot lawful money in which they are to be paid, and we denounos the present and preceding administrations for surrendering this option to the holders of government obligations. We demand that there shall be no further fcwue of United States Interest - bearing bonds. We demand that postal savings bnrks bs established by the government for the safe deposit of the savings of the people and to facilitate exchange. We demand the election of United Statea senators by direct vote of the people. We demand the Initiative and referendum system of law-making In Its optional form local, state and national, and the submt. slon by oongroes of all Important national questions for an advisory vote of tbs peo ple, until such time as the national const W tutlon Bhall have been amended so as to provide for direct legislation. We oondemn as dangerous slid unjust the surrender. In all departments of the govern ment, to the lnOuence of trusts, corporations and aggregations of wealth generally; and the packing of the highest courts of the land with corporation lawyers, too ready to do the will of their late employers, and to set aside valid and wholesome laws passed by the legislative departments of toe states and government, upon flimsy pretexts, at toe be heats ot suoh institutions. We are opposed to government by taJuao tlon. In state matters, we demand! A strop and well-guarded regie rat loo tow. A more equitable mode Off appointing fudges of election. Stringent laws to regulate (he operation of Ash traps, fish wheels and all Ashing gear re the waters within the Jurisdiction of toe state. We denounce and condemn the corrupt and extravagant republican legislative essem bltea, and charge that the republican party, tn It eaeemexa tor the spoils of oflloa, hut beootne divided Into wsirtng faotlena, so that it ia Incapable ot government as ex emplified by the condition existing tn the at Oce of the state treasurer, there being at this time more than fO0,0o0 therein wrung; from the people by the process cf taxation, while state warrant are stamped "Not paid for want of funds." We dsmand that all district and county of ficers be placed upon salaries oommensuraW with the duties to be performed by them. Inasmuch as railroad and other corporate property Is not bearing Its proportion of taxation, we demand that such property (hall bear Its Just and equal share of Us expense of government. StHte Nominations. For governor W. R. King, popullit, ot Baiter For ooiiKressinnn First district, K. M. Voatch, democrat, Linn; Second district, C, M. Donald son, silver republican, ol Haker, For secretary ol state II, K. Klncald, illvei republican, of Lane. For supreme Judge W. A. Ramsay, democrat, ol Yamhill. For attorney-general J. L. Story, populist, ol Wasco. , For state printer Charles A. Fitch, populist, of Clackamas, For superintendent of public Instruction It. 8. Lyman, populist, of Clatsop. District Nominations. First district Judge, E. C. Wado, silver re publican; profecutlng attorney, A. N. BIoIhs, populist; member of board ol equalization, C, A. Wordcn, populist. Second district Judge, J. W. Hamilton, dem ocrat; prosecuting attorney, II. Deullnger, Jr., populist. Third district Judges, R. P. Rolse, populist and P, 11. IVArcy, democrat; prosecuting at tomey, B. L. Hayden, democrat; member ol board of equalization, John If. ltobertsou, populist. Fourth district Judges, J. V. Beach, demo crul, department l;Tliema O'Pay, democrat, departments; Dell Stuart, sliver republican; prosecuting attorney, no nomination. Fifth district Judgo, W. D. Hare, populist; district attorney, no nomination. Hlxtn district lilstrlot attorney, J. T. Illnile, populist. Seventh district-Judge, W. L. Bradford, dem ocrat; prosecuting attorney. A. Van Vaetor, populist. Klghtb district No nominations. Ninth district Judgo, M. 1). Clifford, demo crat; district attorney, K, Hicks, democrat; member ot bourd of equalization, J. K. Gregg, populist, St. Paul Hank Wrecked. St. Paul, March 28. The Bank of Merriain Park, this city, fulled to open today, on account of a time-check fraud. The bunk's capital is $50,000, of which f 1)0,000 ia reported to have been invested in Southall government time checks Kobbers Make a Itlch Haul. ' Traver, Cal., March 28. North bound passenger train No. 18 was held up at Crocs oreek bridgo, four miles south of Traver lust niglit, about 10:013, by two trainrobbers. The men boarded the train at Goshen, and soon after pulling out climbed into the engine and oompellod the nreman to oeafle nr ing. When the train readied CroHi creek the steam gave out and the train stopped. 1 he express car was then blown up with dynamite. It was com pletely demolished. IFTEEN LIVES LOST Ohio River Flood Cause Great Damage. WHOLE TOWNS, ARE PL00DEH Damage- to Property Will Amount t Over Half a Million Dollars : Temperature Falling. v Cincinnati, March ,28. At: 10 o'olock tonight the Ohio river at Cin ': cinnati registered 51 feet 2 incties, rising an inch an hbuK" There was a rise of sis inches in four hours between 6 and 10 o'clock. The sky is overoast, but not threatening, nnd the mercury registers 44, with a tendency to rise. Beports from Northern West Virginia, at the sources of the Monongnbela, bring news of heavy rains last night and of a rapidly rising river tonight. This is an assurance that the Ohio will have a protracted high stage of water. Beports from all quarters of the Ohio valley are of drizzling rain or oloudy skies. No clear weather is reported. All towns report the Ohio rising rap idly, exoept Wheeling, where it is sta tionary. Interior towns that hava suffered inundation before are finding relief by the recession of the waters. Loss of life is reported at Hamilton,, O., where the Great Miami swept away two cottages and drowned six inmates. namely: Mrs, Charles Whitman, her three small children, and Mr. and Mrs. Charles Springman. The story of loss) of life by the railroad wreok near Co lumbus, Ind., not only laoks confirma tion, but it iB positively denied. The railroad situation in the interior of Ohio is improving. Cities cut off from the world yesterday are getting trains out tonight by repaired tracks or Ijy detours over other roads. In Cincinnati the following is tha railroad situation: No trains on tha Erie, in or out; the Cincnnati North ern is in the same fix; the Baltimore & Ohio Southwestern is badly oripplej by washouts at Chilicothe, O., and El dorado, Ind.; the Pennsylvania is open to Columbus and the East today; tha Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton is out off from Toledo and Detroit only; the Big Pour has restored communication with Indianapolis, Chicago and St. Louis. All other roads from here are unscathed. A special to tho Times-Star says tha situation at Dayton is distressing. Hospitals and other publio buildings are crowded with persons driven from home. Not a train is running in or out of the city. Fifteen Live Lost. Zanosville, O., Murch 28. Fifteen hundred families are hdmeless, 15 lives have beon lost and nearly $1,000, 000 worth of property has been de stroyed by the flood. Mrs, James ttrennan and child and John Leaoh were drowned by the overturning of skiffs. Mrs. Nancy Church was drowned in her home, and Tom Jonoa full from a bridge and was drowned. The property loss includes two Musk ingum river bridges, three Licking river bridges and 20 smaller county bridgos. Two thousand dollars waa raised tonight for the sufferers. The electric light plant is drowned out, and lluttery C is doing police duty. Loss Half a Million. Chillicothe.O., March 28. Six hun fired houses in the east end of town are submerged, tho power-house of the city water works is under 12 feet of wator, the electric-light plant is flood ed and shut down, the natural gas sup ply has been cut off by a break in the mains, and the city is practically par alyzed by the flood. The loss here is estimated at $500,000. Chillicothe is cut off from railway communication, fully six miles of roadbed have been washed out, and several bridges have been carried away. Tonight the flood is slowly receding. Flood on tha Scioto. Columbus, O., March 28. The water of the Scioto river was higher than ever before known in this city. The fall in the river in 12 hours has been about six feet. It is estimated that the fall tonight will be 12 feet. This will let the water out of many submerged lower floors of dwellings. At Hteubenvllle Stoubenvillo, O., March 28. The Ohio river readied a stage of 42.2 feet at noon today, and has receded but little. Within 15 miles up and down tho river fully 500 families have been driven from their homes. All sewer pipe and briok plants are submerged and shut down. Whole Town Covered- Bherodsviile, O., March 28. This town is completely flooded. Business is entirely suspended. There is three feet of wator over the whole town. Great damage to property will result. The town is completely eut off from railroad communication. The Alaska Land 1)111, Washington, March 20. It is prob able that the Alaska land bill will be amended so as to give Canadian miners the same rights in Alaska that Ameri can miners enjoy iu Canada. It looks as if an agreement would bo reached so that the laud bill will pass within s reasonable time. A Far-Keachlng Decision. Milwaukee), March 28. A decision which will be of interest to every elec tric street car company has been hand ed down by tho supreme court at Mad ison. It Is to the effect that there can be no extension of street railway lines beyond the city limits, even though a franchise has been granted, without the award of damages whore property owners object. It also makes no differ ence whether or not the companies have tho right to curry freight or ex press matter.