OREGON CITY COURIER OREGON CITY HERALD CONSOLIDATED. A. . CHENEY Publisher 'Comprehensive Review of the Import ant Happening! of the Fast Week Culled From the Telegraph Columns. At a fire which broke out in the Ho tel Richelieu, at Pittsburg, Pa., three guests lost their lives and five people were badly hurt.' Colonel Potter, special emissary oi General Otis to Ilo Ilo, reports that the rebels threaten to burn the town if the Americans bombard the place. Governor Leedy, of Kansas, has com muted the sentence of J. K. Colean, who, while cashier of the Sate bank, of Fort Scott, in 1895, stole $52,000 of its funds. ' Four dead, two injured, one of these perhaps fatally, and the loss of proper ty of the Southern railway to the mount of about f 25,000, is the result of a wreck whioh occurred at Knox vilie, Tenn. t A heavy wind storm swept over the remote section of Scott county. Ark. At Boles, a schoolhonse was blown down and three pupils were killed, an other was fatally wounded, and a dozen or more sustained more or loss injuries. A tremendous landslide occurred near S pence's Bridge, on the Canadian Pa cific railroad. A mountain whioh has long been an object of cuiioBity to travelers crashed into the Fraser river, damming it completely, and sending the water in torrents over the fertile Nicola valley. The course of the liver was changed completely. Acoording to late advices from Daw eon, the United States government will be called upon to relieve indigent min ers in the Klondike. The Dawson Nugget says there is a Btrong move ment on foot at Dawson to send a rep resentative to Washington for the pur pose of enlisting the United States government in the cause of aiding in remedying the great distress whioh prevails among the miners of the Yu kon. At the annual convention of the Brotherhood of Steam Shovel and Dredge Engineers and Cranesmen of America, held in Chicago, resolutions were adopted, urging cougress to puss the Nicaragua canal bill and also that a law should be passed making eight hours a day's work on said canal. Res olutions were also passed urging con gress to pass the river and harbor bill at the present session of congress. Con gress was also urged to oreate a labor commission of three union men to see that the laws in the interest of work ingmen were enforced on all govern ment work. A fast passenger train on the North ern Pacific near Simula, Neb,, dashed into a frieght. One fireman was killed and several people were hurt. Dr. H. Seward Webb, president of the Wagner Palace Car Company, is mentioned as sucoessor to Senator Mor rill as senator from Vermont. The first formal state dinner of the eason took plaoe at the White Hons Thursday, when President and Mrs. MoKinley entertained the members of the cabinet. A sensation has been created in Ger many by the publication in a Cologne paper of an alleged conversation had with the late Prince Hismaick, in whioh he predicted the fall of the Aus trian empire. An American named Boy n ton, who is trying to , travel around the earth without money, mot with a terrible full into a ohasm while entering France by night through the Pyrenees. He was seriously injured. Another disagreeable consequence of the late war bus been presented to the government of claims from the cable companies for damages sustained through the suspension of their busi ness by the United States military and naval forces. The aggregate amount of these claims cannot be foretold. Representative Tongue, of Oregon, lias prepared an amendment to the hill for codification of the laws of Alaska, now pending in the house, providing for the licensing of main business eon corns in the territory, and especially the liquor business. Mr. Tongue says that the Treadwell mines does not pay anything in thewavof taxes to the sup port of the territorial institutions, and that from the region surrounding Ju noau about $8,000,000 in gold is pro dueed annually, and does not contribute a cent to the government. The Havana aftornoon papers sent a thrill through the city with a report that a torture and execution uhamber had been found at the residence of the 8 punish miltiary governor, adjoining the palace. The popeis deolareed that there the Spanish officials questioned and murdered political prisoners. Ac cording to their amounts, the floor of the chamber was ooverud with dried blood, and its walls were indented with maohete strokes. An excited crowd soon gathered outside the house which was last occupied by Geneial Pairado. Minor Nfni Items. A liontetiaiit and 13 men of tho French warship Sure were killed in the New Hebrides by natives. The Merritt & Chapman Wrecking company's outfit arrived at Santiago do Cuba to raise the foimer Spanish cruis er Keina Mercedes. Areonio placed in coffee by some one unknown oauued the deaths of Frank Lomack, his wife and live children at thelby, Tex. LATER NEWS. The monthly statement of the col lections of internal revenue shows that during November, 1898, the receipts amounted to $22,404,405, against $13, 959,296 for November, 1897. . The reports that Drefus left the Isle du Diablo and been brought to Paris receive further denial in a statement that the whole examination of the prif oner by the court of cassation will be conducted by cable. This will entail an enormous expense. At Hong Kong, the Filipino com mittee has broken off all relations with United States Consul Wildinan. The committee has issued a writ in the su preme court to recover the sum of $17. 000, which the Filipinos claim to have been deposited with Wildman as treasurer of the Filipino Independence fund in June last. The gnnboat Yorktown has sailed from San Francisco for Manila, via Honolulu. She will go all the way nnder a full head of steam, and should make the run in three weeks if she is not delayed at Honolulu. She iB the bearer of full instructions to Admiral Dewey and General Otis in regard to the situation in the Philippines. Mataafa has been elected king of Sa moa, to succeed Malietoa. Official in formation to this effect has been re ceived in Washington. The election was held without trouble, though Ta masese, who was vice-king in 1881, bucked by a small following, en deavored to obtain the offioe. The situ ation, according to the latest advices, is quiet. Senator Mason, of Illinois, occupied the attention of the senate for nearly an hour and a half Tuesday, with a speech in support of his resolution de claring that the United States will never attempt to govern the people of any country without their consent. In many respects the speech was one of the most notable utterances from the senate thus far this session. At Kokomo, Ind., there are .18 tramps in the Howard county jail slowly starving to death. Two weeks ago the hobos refused to work on the stone pile, and Sheriff Harnes put them in iail on a diet of bread and water, mostly water, until they signi fied a willingness to work. At the close of the second week of the strike,' the jailer roduced the bread supply to two loaves a day for the entire gang. They declare they will starve to death in their cells rather than hammer stone. The Farmers' bank of Inwood, Ga., was entered by burglars, wno secured $20,000 and escaped. The ravages of grip among the mem bers of the national house and senate may compel an ex Ira session of con gres. A disastrous freight wreck occurred on the Wabash, at Belleville, Mich. The loss on rolling stock is estimated at $30,000, with $3,000 loss on a store house. Thirteen' persons were killed and from 80 to 45 injured in a railway col lision near Bound Brook, N. J. There was a head-end collision between a local train and the Black Diamond ex press. President Alonzo's advance guard is within six leagues of La Paz, capital of the republic of Bolivia. It is likely a decisive battle will be fought soon between the government troops and the rebels who now hold the oapital. It is proposed that a memorial he erected at Manila to the memory of all Americans who fell in the capture or died of disease during the campaign. The proposal is that all Americans now resident in the Far East, of whom there is a very considerable number, shoul j be invited to contribute toward tli is object. Filipinq committees have made a formal protest, and President McKin ley has been warned from Paris, Madrid ami London not to attempt to take forcible possession of Ilo Ilo, The ground is taken that the American claim of sovereignty is premature, and that the United States is not the possessor of the Philippines until the peace treaty is ratified. The Filipino agent at Hong Kong Bays a fight with the Americans at Ilo Ilo is unavoida ble, but little apparent uneasiness is felt at Washington, The Cincinnati Kxpress Guzotte has collected data anent the operations of trainrobbors during the past year. The effect of federal jurisdiction upon train robberies is evidenced in Mexioo. Dur ing the past year there was not even an attempt at train robbery in the sis ter ropublio. The crime is punishable there with instant death. The record for 18118 is as follows: Number of train hold-ups, 28; number of stage robberies, 7; number of passengers and train men shot, 4; number of robbers killed, 5; number of robbers shot, 6. Captain K. R. Shaw and the orew of the British bark Glen Huntley, long given up for lost, are alive and well, and on their way to Liverpool. They abandoned the Glen Huntley in a fierce gale Juno 4, 1898. For 154 days the 11 sailors lived on Tristan d'Aounha isle, more than 1,600 miles south by west of the Capo of Good Hope, They subsisted on penguin eggs and the flesh of sea eagles, and shared with 73 white inhabitants the scanty stock of provi sions that the captain of a passing ves sel liad given them. A violent gale swept over the Eng lish channel and the east coast of Great Britain, doing immense damage. An elevator belonging to the George C. Bagley Company was burned at Minneapolis with 200,000 bushels of wheat, tho loss being over $ 300,000. Prompt stops are being taken by the administration to assert tho supremacy of the United States in the Philippines and MaJ. -General Otis has been desig nated as governur-gonotal of the Islands, i n. lit w For the Relief of Cuban Poor Will Be Presented. THE PLAN OF DR. JOSE A. FRIAR Provide That Certain Revenues Be Appropriated to the Payment of Cu. ban Soldiers After Dlsbaudraent. New York, Jan. 12. A dispatch to (he Press from Washington says: Dr. Jose A. Friar, chairman of the finanoe committee of the Cuban assembly and one of the leading lawyers of the island, has arrived in Washington, and will present to the department of state a plan for the settlement of the financial system of Cuba. This plan includes a method of appropriating certain revenues toward the payment of the Cuban soldiers when they are dis banded, and other financial measures for the relief of the poor. Dr. Friar is a leading candidate for the appointment of chief justice, al though it is asserted that his mission in Washington at this time is not to further his candidacy for that office, but is Bolely for the purpose of present ing his financial plans. "In addition to the financial scheme which we have proposed," said Dr. Friar, "Dr. Caesote, president of the Cuban assembly, has, with others, worked out an admirable plan for the government of the island drawn from the knowledge of existing laws and practices of the courts and various looal officers which will be submitted to the United States. , "Already Geneial Brooke has sur rounded himself jsvith some of the ablest Cuban leaders as advisers. They realize that for the present American intervention is necessary. The leaders have been reconciled to it, and the great mass of the people are steadily coming to take this view of the matter. I regard it as necessary, however, that Cubans should be made the police offi cers m all the large cities, for tire rea son that they understand the people, know who the malefactors are, are better able to apprehend them and pre vent trouble than the Americans. The Spaniards, if retained, are sure to en courage dissension. It has always been their policy to accept bribes, and they will continue to do so as long as they are maintained in official posi tions, and trouble is sure to result from it under an equitable govern ment. "General Gomez has been grossly misrepresented in a great many re spects. I have reason to know that he is not anti-American, as lias been charged against him. The statements that he has opposed American inter vention, I know to be absolutory and malioiously false. General Gomez is a true partiot, and has made as many sacrifices as any man for the cause of independence. Patriotic as he is, he realized that American intervention at tli is time is necessary, he not only tol erated it without objection, but is in favor of it. "General Gomez is remaining with his army near Naroiso because he be lieves it is his duty to do so, and per mit others to take part in the affairs of the new government. The army, in the struggle for office and reconstruc tion of the government, is apt to be forgotten, and it needs General Gomez. There are 45,000 men in the Cuban army. They are anxious to return to their deserted homes and build them up, and General Gomez is desirous to have them do so, but it is necessary that thev should receive some oompen Bation." FIRE ON JAPANESE CRUISER Several Members of the Crew Burned to Death anl illmijr Injured. Seattle, Jan. 12. News by steamer fiom Japan says: The second-class Japanese cruiser Kaimon Kan has reached Amoy a partial wreck, as the result of a fire that broke out during a Btonn at sea. Several of the members of the crew of the cruiser were burned to death and many others badly in jured. The Kaimon Kan was a wooden ves Bel of the old style, and had on board a number of soldiers besides her regular crew. When a few days out in the midst of a gale a fire was discovered in one of the bunkers to the rear of tho engines. The Japanese crew behaved with great bravery, and streams of water were soon playing on tho fire. At this juncture an accident to tho machinery made it necessary for someone to go down the alley. It was a case of al most sure death. Two men volun teered to go down. Before they got to the niaohinery in need of repair the smoke overoame them. No one would go in after them and the tire soon con sumed their bodies. The engines were kept running or the vessel would sure ly have foundered. The vessel is re pairing at Ainoy. Victims Number Mxteen. New York, Jan. 12. So far as can be ascertained the total victims of the Lehigh Valley collision at West Dun ellan, N. J., yesterday number 16. Three died during the night. The bodies of three women are still un identified. Klgaro ContUeated. Berlin, Jan. 18. The Paris Figaro was confiscated by the police through out Germany yesterday on account of a caricature which it contained, copied from Fuck, representing Emperor Wil liam of Germany in ' the guise of a "despised animal," ' Fuck, in its issuo of December 7, published a double-page cartoon by Pugh, representing all the crowned heads, and entitled "Tho Threatened Revolt in tho Jungle." Emperor Wil Hum was represented as a boar. T. T. GEER INAUGURATED. Inducted Into Office as Governor of Or egon for Four Years. Salem, Or., Jan. 11. Theodore Thurston Geer was inaugurated gov ernor of the atate of Oregon in repre sentative hall of the statehouse today, in the presence of the state legislature assembled in joint session, and an im mense crowd of spectators, who packed the gallery and lobby of the chamber to suffocation. Chief Justice Wolveiton, of the su preme oourt, administered the oath of office to tho new governor, arid both ex-Governor Lord and Governor Geer made speeches. SQUABBLE OVER CLERKS. Hard for Senator to Part With Petty Patronage. Salem, Or., Jan. 12. The feature of the senate today, as yesterday, was the squabble over jthe petty patrongae of committee clerks. The matter came up on a resolution by Mulkey of Polk, admitted by courtesy after a motion to adjourn had been carried, which al lowed the committees on engrossed bills and enrolled bills six clerks each, ways and means and judiciary three each, assessment and taxation, printing, mu nicipal corporations and revision of laws two each, and, the other 19 com mittees one each, with the pay of the chief clerks on the committees employ ing more than one each fixed at $4 per day, and all others at $3. Selling, of the committeo on com merce and navigation, and Haines, of the committee on penal institutions, asked that their clerks be stricken out. Fulton, of the judiciary, asked a re duction of from three to two, and Haseltine, of the municipal corpora tion, from two to one. Then came a pressure for more cleiks. Daly of Benton, wanted two more allowed for engrossed bills; Pat terson two more for enrolled bills; Brownell one more for railroads, and all but Brownell were successful, on motion of Kuykendall, amended so as to require unemployed olerks to report to the chief ulerk of the senate for as signment. Fulton amended the pay feature so as to allow the chief clerks Dn engrossed bills, enrolled bills, ju diciary, and ways and means, and. the stenographers, $5; all others, $3. Af ter an hour's stiuggle and the defeat of a motion to postpone, it was adopt ed in this form, by a vote of 21 to 8, Howe being absent. The committee on education report ed adveisely on two resolutions relat ing to committee clerkships, referred yesterday, and was given permission to introduce a bill covering the matter in a few days. NO PLACE FOR PRAYER. Irreverent Senator Pulls the Rules When Divine Blessing Is Asked. Olympia, Wash., Jan. 11. Senator Keith suggested that the senate ses sion be opened with prayer. He thought another day should not pass without divine blessing being invoked. Senator Reinhart feebly got to his feet and protested. He asserted that the rules contained no provision for prayer. Lieutenant-Governor The gentle man will please oome to order. Reinhart I propose to show that we have no authority to go into this prayer business. Lieutenant-Governor The senator will come to order and Keinhart I appeal to the house Lieutenant-Governor Senator Van Patton will offer prayer. Keinhart I will endeavor to be in order, but I wish to read the rules, which contain no place for prayer- Lieu tenant-Governor The tJunator A will come to order. Prayer will now be offered, and the senate will rise. Prayer was offered by Van Patton, Keinhart remaining seated. ' Whelshire presented resolutions of respect on the death of Pioneer A. A. Denny, of Seattle. The first bill introduced came in un der special permission. Senatoi Plum mer fathered it and it merely provid ed for an apppropriation of $60,000 to pay the usual expenses of the legisla ture. House Proceeds to Business. Dr. Thompson, pastor of the First Presbyterian church, led in prayer, Pratt offered a memorial oi sorrow on the death of the conspicuous pio neer, Hon. Arthur A. Denny, of Seattle, The entire vote of the house was re coided in favor of the resolution. Sims offered a resolution authorizing the chief clerk to order supplies neoes 8nry for h's own use; adopted. Calvert offered a resolution calling upon the auditor and attomev-general to furnish an itemized statement of the expenditures of the appropriation of $5,000 made by the last legislature for assisting the attorney-general to en force the provisions of the railroad law. Empress Kugenle's Heir. ' Paris, Jan. 11. Announcement is made on the authority of a member of the Bonapartist family that the Em press Eugenie has decided to make Prince Victor Napoleon her heir to the $10,000,000 fund, which the late em peror arranged with several insurance companies to pay on the death of the empress. Prince Viotor is the younger son of the late Prince Jerome Bonaparte, and is favored by many of the Bonapartists as rightful heir to the throne. It has always been sup posed that Eugenie favoied the elder brother. Prince Louis. The empresss is full of confidence for a speedy triumph of Bon apart isrn. Prince Louis has been such a wild rake that the funds would not be safe in his hands. With so much money and the prestige of personal populatriy, Prince Viotor will undoubtedly be able in the future to stir up France, Omaha, Neb., Jan. 12. A freight train was wrecked at an early hour this morning east of Council Bluffs, and three men killed. Further news is not obtainable yet. I II I I Both Branches at Salem Re tain the Organization of Special Session, BUT LITTLE BUSINESS IS TRANSACTED Ben 0. Worslcy, of Astoria, Elected Sergeant-at-Arms of the House Two Minor Resolu tions Passed, Salem, Jan. 10. Both houses of the legislative assembly convened at the appointed time, but beyond organizing little was done. The house spent some time in electing a sergeant at-arms, and then passed a couple of resolutions. The senate was called to order at 10 o'clock by President Taylor, The roll call showed all present but three. The resolution for a joint committee to confer with a committee from the Washington legislature relative to de vising a joint regulation for fishing in the Columbia river, was referred to the committee on fishing industries. Kelly's resolution for 15 committee clerkB for the senate, to. be tinder the control of the sergeant-at-arnis, went to the committee on education. Cameron's resolution for the secre tary of state to provide $4 worth of postage stamps and $1 worth of news paper wrappeis was adopted, after Selling had made an unsuccessful at tempt to out the stamps down to $2. The rules of the speoial session were adopted for the senate, after which an adjournment was taken. ' The Day in the House, The house was called to order at 10:20, with Speaker Carter in the ohair. The roll-call showed a quorum present. 50 members answering to tneir names. On motion of Moody of Multnomah, Speaker Carter was deolared speaker for this session, some doubts having been expressed as to the legality of the continuance of the special session organization. Seaker Carter expressed his gratiude in a few remarks. The election of Carter was followed bv a resolution offered by Curtis of Clatsop, continuing in office the. other officers of the house, clerks, etc, ex cept the sergeant-at-arms. The resolu tion was adopted by a vote of 49 to 0. The motion of Reeder, of Umatilla, that the house proceed with the elec tion of a sergeant at-aims was amended bv Whalley of Multnomah, to enable the Republican members to hold a oau cus. A recess was therefore taken for half an hour, but a full hour elapsed before the caucus adjourned and an nounced its choice. The plum fell to Ben S. Worsley, of Astoria. A house uoncurrent resolution was then introduced providing for the ap pointment of a committee of three of the house and two of the senate to ex amine the books and accounts of the state treasurer. Representative Myers introduced a house concurrent resolution providing for the appointment of a committee of thre of the house and two of the sen ate to meet with a like committee to be appointed by the legislative assembly of Washington to investigate the needs of further legislation for the protection of fish in the Columbia river. The afternoon session of the house opened with a resolution by Myers that the clergymen of the oity be invited to open the sessions with prayer. Topping of Coos, offered a concur rent resolution providing for the ap pointment of a committee of three, one from the house and two from the sen ate, to examine the books of the secre tary of state and report within 15 days. Williamson of Crook was then given permission to submit a report of the special committee on clerkship abuses, which upon being read led to the first conflict of the session. The resolution provides for sweeping reductions in the number of clerks, and is the same one that was buried by the senate. Sev eral motions to refer were lost, and the repot t was adopted. Following are the officers of the house of representatives: Speaker, E. V. Caiter. of Ashland; chief oierk, A. C. Jennings, of Albany; assistant clerk, A. V. R. Snyder, of MeMirnr ville; reading clerk, Frank Motter, of Portland; calendar clerk, D. B. Maokie, of Portland; sergeant-at-arms, B. S. Worsley, of Astoria; doorkeeper, M. P. Isenberg, of The Dalles; pages, Robert Duncan and Charles Lane, and Frank Swope, of Porltaud. Theese are the officers of the senate this afternoon: President, I. C. Talyor; chief clerk, S. L. Morehead, of Junction City; assistant clerk, J. Fred Yates, of Cor vallis; reading clerk, J. D. Lee, of Portland; calendar clerk, F. C. Mid dleton, of Portland; sergeant-at-arms, Joseph S. Purdom, of Grant's Pass; mailing clerk, H. H. Humphrey, of Sa lem; doorkeeper, W. W. Smith, ol Clackamas. Sergoant-at-Arms Purdom, of the senate, this morning presented to President Talyor a fine gavel, made of Josephine county manzanita. The old gavel was never ornamental, and it had become much frayed by long use. Bills were introduced in the house as follows: Hawson of Gilliam, providing for the sinking of artesian wells in arid lands. Moody of Multnomah, increasing the number of justices of the supreme court by two, and providing for the appointment of the same until the gen eral election in 1900. McQueen of Lane, fixing the liability of common cfriieis. II ill Members of Both Branches at Olympia Are Induct ed Into Office, The Selection of Clerks and Other Employes Occupies the Time at Olympia E, H. Guie Chosen Speaker. Olympia, Jan. 10. Lieutenant-Governor Thurston Daniels called the sen ate to order at 12:30 P. M. The lobby was crowded, and unusual interest was manifested in the probable organiza tion under fusion or Republican con trol. The lieutenant-governor gave way, without making any remarks, to Secretary of State Will D. Jenkins, who read the official roster of those en titled to seats. Seoretary Dudley Eshelman called the roll. All were present. Judge Anders, of the state supreme court, administered the formal oath. , On motion of Senator Miller, of Thurston county, seconded by Plummer of Spokane, and Cole of Pierce, all fu sionists, the rules of the last senate were adopted temporarily. On motion of Keith of Pierce, fu sionist, the roll was called on the elec tion of asecretary, and Dudley Eshel man, of Taooma. a Demoorat, secretary of the last senate, was unanimously re-elected. Other officers selected uunanimously were: Assistant Seore tary Herbert de Wolfe, Republican, of Tacoma; sergeant-at-arms, Edward Wheeler, Republican, of Seattle; as sistant sergeant-at-arms, Lee Smith, fnsionist, of Fremont, King county; minute clerk, M. J. McGinnis, fusion- ist, of Snohomish county. On motion of MoKeavy, the further election of officers was postponed, and on motion of Keith, tire election of president pro tern was taken up. Keith placed High of Clark, in nomina tion, and Preston of King, named Megler of Wahkiakum. Tho vote was: Megler (Republican), 14; High (fusion ist), 17; Miller (Democrat), of Walla Walla, 1; one blank (High); one absent (Baum). High was declared eleoted. Megler voted for Miller. Willis Rand and Raleigh George, of Olympia, were Keith, Plum and Warburton were appointed a oommittee to notify the house and Governor Rogers that the senate had organized. The House Organises. Olympia, Jan. 10. C. E. Cline, ex Bpeaker of the house, called the session to ordor at 12:15, and announoed ptayer by Rev. A. G. Sawm, pastor of the Olympia Baptist chuich. J. M. Page, assistant clerk of the last house, read the list of members oertified to the house by the secretary of state. C. E. Boyce, of King, was absent, and was reported dangerously ill at his home. All other members were present. Acting Speaker Cline appointed a committee of three to escort Chief Jus tioe Gordon into the bar of the house. The latter at once administered the oath of office. The speaker announoed that nomina tions of candidates for temporary speaker were in order, and recognized Jesse Faye, of Whatcom, who an nounced it as the wish of the caucus that the speaker be eleoted as a perma nent officer. He nominated E. H. Guie in a stirring speech. Judge Calvert seconded the nomina tion, and moved that the seoretary cast the unanimous vote for Mr'. Guie; sec onded also by Jodge McDonald, of the opposition. It wns ordered, and Repre sentative Bellows, of Claik; Pender gast, of Douglas, and Mount, of Spo kane, were appointed by the chair to escort the new speaker to the chair. Mr. Cline referred to the newly elected speaker as one of the ablest and best members of the last legislature. Speaker Guie, in assuming the chair, spoke briefly but pointedly upon the events of the past two years, declared it tho duty of the legislature to dispose promptly of the senatorial eleotion, :.i i ' : ,-. 1'ivjiuiBcii luuiicca uuo impartiality, then proclaimed his readi ness to take the oath, which was administered by Chief Justice J. Gordon. W. F. Dillon, of Cowlitz, was unani mously elected chief clerk. The rules of the house of 1897 were adopted, until the oommittee on rules can report. Otner officers elected were: Post master. A. B. Peasley, of Okanogan; assistant, E. E. Hall, of Stevens; pages, Fred Mitzner, Esterly Rinehart, Morris Tweed, of Thurston, and Ray Davidson, speaker's page, of Seattle. A lesolution commending President McKinlev's war policy, as well as his peace policy, by Judge Calvert, of Whatcom, was unanimously adopted. Messrs. Wickersham, MoDonald and Falknor were appointed a committee to notity the governor of the oraaniz.itinn of the house and its readiness to receive any communication he may have to impart. Death of a Famous Bellringer. Netw York, Jan. 11. H,e ,itatn ig announced in Brooklyn of William reake, the famous belliinger, aged 94 years. Bold Bank Ttobhory. Ashbnrnhain, Mass., Jan. 11. Dur ing the night robbers blew open the safe of the First National bank, secur ing betweej $1,500 and $2,000, and es caping. The building was damaged to th extent of $2,000 by a heavy cbaige of dynamite.