VOL. XXXIX. 3ST0. 12,193. POETLAND, OREGON, MONDAY, JANUARY 8, 1900. TWELVE PAGES. PRICE FIVE CENTS. Age io Years. Hunter Baltimore Rye. Quality Purest Type. ROTHCHILD BROS. PORTLAND, OR. Agents for Oregon, "Washington and Idaho. ( PHIL METSCHAN. Pre. SEVENTH AND WASHINGTON CHANGE OF American and European PUN: THE CELEBRATED 1 I 8 In Bulk and Cases. For sale by BLUMAUER-FRANK DRUG CO. We are prepared to All all orders promptly. Enquiries solicited. Samples furnished to the trade on application. CORBITT & MACLEAY CO. J0BBERSan0dfJIsC0FFEES PORTLAND, OREGON Ol2TL?CND. AMERICAN PLAN S3 cs-y "- COST ONE MILLION DOLLARS flEADQUARTERS FOR TOURISTS AND COMMERCIAL TRAVELERS Special rates made to families an d single gentlemen. .Tho lassnee Beat will be pleased at all times to iihovr rooms and give prices. A mud. m Torlclsh fcntn establishment In the hotel. H. C. BOWERS, Mncncer. SHOE CLEARANCE This Week's Special WOMEN'S SHOES Women's Storm Calf Lace. $3.00 values $1.95 Women's Kid Lace, coin toe, $3 values $1.95 AH Shoes at Cut Prices During January, E.C.GGDDARD&CO. OREGONTAX BUILDING. INTO AN OPEN SWITCH. Several Persons Injured Man Previ- ously Ejected Vowed Vengeance. j MOUNT CLEMENS. Mich.. Jan. 7. Car N. 71, of the Rapid Railway, Detroit & Mount Clemens line, ran into an open svi.lch at a gravel pit four miles south of this city, this evening. Several persons Wfre badly injured. Among them are: Mrs. Carrie Riley, of Detroit, badlly hurt; Mrs. Ed Shaabma.nl, broken arm and dis located shoulder; Frank Newey, broken arm and dislocated shoulder. Several ethers were more or less injured. The same crew that had charge of this car earlier in the evening had ejected a man from their car, and he left vowing vengeance. As another car passed down safely six minutes before the accident. It is supposed some one maliciously opened the switch, and suspicion points to the man who was ejected. a a Resolutions of National Dredge 3Ien. HICAGO. Jan. 7. The national conven- ! Jon of steam shovel and dredge engineers ' and cranemen ended today. Resolutions wre adopted urging congress to Improve o waterways of the country; to take ar'ive measures toward the construction of the Nicaragua canal and favoring the gov ernment construction of a deep waterway from Chicago to the Gulf of Mexico, and the building of a channel from the Atlantic oc an to the Great Lakes. Charles Rees, cf Cliicago. was elected, president. O. W. Yandergrif t, of Bannock, Mont, was made i a, member of t-ie board of directors. j Fiavor Refined. Mellow Rich. C W. KNOWLES, MCT. STS., P03TUW. 0RE531! MANAGEMENT. 3Sm::r".:8:$:$& EXCLUSIVE CARPET HOUSE. J. G. Mack & Co. 88 Third St. trp. Chamber of Commerc: OHBCON $3.00 PER DAY And Ujwjrd, S3 TALK No. 238. Sore Eyes A good many cases of sore eyes are caused by strain of the nerves and muscles. Constant Irritation produces inflammation. The inflam mation spreads to the lids, the lashes, or whatever part Is natu rally -weakest. I have seen a great many cases In which the lashes come out too freely, entirely cured by glasses. Styes are nearly al ways caused by eyestrain. If the lids stick together In the morning, if the eyes burn or water, you may depend nine times out of ten that the eyes are out of focus. There is no necessity for eyewater or eye salve. If the strain Is once re moved, nature will do the rest. Nothing. but glasses will remove the strain. Glasses are my spe cialty. WALTER REED Dye Specialist 133 SIXTH STREET OREGONIAN BUILDING UNWORTHY OF ATTENTION. So Says German Ambassador About London Spectator Story. WASHINGTON, Jan. 7. The statements published today, credited to the London Spectator, regarding Germany and the Monroe doctrine, caused some comment in diplomatic circles here. Officials of the German embassy say they lament the ap pearance of such statements, and declare they are published with a view of creating a distrust of Germany's real attitude to wards the American nations. Ambassador von Holleben, when shown the article re ferred to, declared that it was without foundation on fact, and was a pure inven tion from start to finish. He should not have paid any heed to it, except for the fact that his attention had been called to the matter by a representative of the press. He hopes, he says, that no serious attention will be given to publications or this character, but that they will be treat ed with contempt by fair-minded people. Tin-Plate Mill Has Closed. HARTFORD CITY, Ind., Jan. 7. The Montpelier tin-plate mill, employing 203 men, closed yesterday, and it is believed that it will not resume. It is said that the tin-plate trust Intends to move the ma chinery to either Ellwood or Anderson, and consolidate with the others owned by that company at those places. The city of Montpelier gave a bonus of $25,000 for this plant, and injunction proceedings are contemplated. CAPTIVE'SSTOR Experiences of Lieutenant Gill more With the Tagals." FINALLY ABANDONED TO SAVAGES How -the Rescue "Was Effected- Yonng Venville Was Last Seen in Baler in June. MANILA. Jan. 7, 8 P. M. Lieutenant J. C. Gillmore, of the United States gun boat Yorktown, who was captured by the insurgents last April near Baler, on the coast of Luzon, and rescued a few days ago by Colonel Luther R. Hare, of the Thirty-third volunteer Infantry, sat today In the apartment of his sister, Mrs. Major Price, at the Hotel Oriente, in Manila, and told a remarkable story of his eight months in captivity, ending with his dra matic deliverance from a death that seemed inevitable. The steamer Venus came into the har bor last evening from VIgan, province of South Ilocos, with Lieutenant Gillmore and 19 other American prisoners, includ ing seven of his sailors, from the York town. Lieutenant Gillmore, after report ing, came ashore and hobbled along with the aid of a cane, to the Hotel Oriente, where American officers and ladies were waltzing through the halls to the strains of "Agulnaldo's March." Although tanned and ruddy from expos ure, he is weak and nervous, showing the results of long hardships. He speaks warmly of Agulnaldo, and very bitterly against General Tino, declaring that while in the former's jurisdiction he was treat ed splendidly, but that after he fell into Tino's hands, he suffered everything. Colonel Hare and Lieutenant-Coionel Howse, the latter of the Thirty-fourth volunteer Infantry, rescued Gillmore's party on December 18, near the headwat ers of the Abalut river, after they had been abandoned by the Filipinos and were expecting death from tho savage tribes around them. "When the rescuing force reached them, they were nearly starved, but were "building rafts in the hope of get ting down the river to the coast. Lieutenant Gillmore made the following statement to a correspondent of ,the As sociated Press: "The Filipinos abandoned us on the night of December 16. "We had reached the Abalut river, near its source that morning, and the Filipinos rafted us over. "We then went down the stream along a rough trail, guarded by a company of Filipinos. That night we were separated from this guard, and another company, armed with Mausers, was put in charge of us. I suspected something, and questioned the lieutenant in command. He said: " 'I have orders from General Tino to shoot you all, but my conscience forbids. I shall leave you here.' "I begged him for two rifles to protect us from savages, -adding that I would give him letters to the Americans, who would pay him well and keep him from all harm. Ho refused this, however, saying JhewjDuld not dare to comply. Soon, af ter- Tirafrt Via lof TiHi-J -Ti(e ,M1mno"ir -. --". "We had seen some savages in warpaint around us, and we prepared to fight them with cobblestones, the only weapons that were available to us. The next morning we followed the trail of the Filipino sol diers, feeling that it was better to stick to them than be murdered by savages, but we could not catch up with them. Then I ordered the men to build rafts, in the hope of floating down the river. It was a forlorn ho'pe, but I knew the river must empty Into the sea somewhere. I was so weak myself that I did not expect to get out, but I thought some of the men could. "On the morning of December 18, while we were working on the rafts, the Ameri cans came toward us, yelling. One of my men shouted: 'They are on us.' He was lashing a raft of bamboos. I, however, knew It was not the yell of savages, but the yell of Americans. The rescuing troops thought we had Filipino guards and called to us in English to lie down so that they could shoot the Filipinos. That was the finest body of officers and men I ever saw." Lieutenant Gillmore could not speak en thusiastically enough about the 140 picked men who had rescued him and his party. The command spent the day in making rafts. Colonel Hare thought Lieutenant Gillmore too weak to live through the trip, but there was no alternative. They shot many rapids, the men losing all their effects, and Lieutenant Gillmore some valuable papers. Only 14 out of 37 rafts survived the first night's experience, and 80 men were practically unable to walk when VIgan was reached. Describ ing the flight from Benguet, when the Americans approached, Lieutenant GUI more said: "The Filipinos, completely terrified, left Benguet on December 7, They hurried the prisoners from town to town, often retrac ing the trail, not knowing where the Americans would attack. After being al most without food for three days, they killed several horses, and we lived on horse flesh for several days. I did not have a full meal from December 7 until I reached VIgan. Indeed, the rescuing par ty lived' largely upon rice without salt. There was one day when I was reduced to chewing grass and bark. "While we were in the hands of Gen eral Tino's men he issued an order that any person aiding an American by food or money should be treated as a crimi nal. One citizen of Vigan, Senor Vera, was probably killed for befriending us. We would have starved but for the kind ness of some of the residents of the towns and some of the Filipino colonels, but others treated us brutally. Wherever there was a prison we were kept there. Where there was no prison they "would lodge us in a convent. We suffered great ly from want of exercise as well as from lack of food." For weeks Lieutenant Gillmore was cov ered with boils, and in great pain. When the Filipinos found the Americans were approaching, the treatment became bet ter. There was a signpainter In the party and he painted advertisements on the rocks, throughout the retreat with other emblems, like a skull and the word, "Ven geance," by means of which the Ameri cans were able to follow. "The Filipino treatment of the Spanish," said Lieutenant Gillmore, "was brutal in the extreme. The insurgents had old grudges to wipe out against them. Many talk about the reconcentrados In Cuba, but I have seen Spaniards dying at the rate of two or three per day of starva tion in the hospitals at Vigan. I have seen Tagal officers strike Spaniards in the face with whips and revolvers." Lieutenant Gillmore declined to speak regarding political conditions, except to say that he thought the Insurrection would last as long as there were any Tagals left. The members of the party reported to General Otis this morning. They were barefooted, sunburned and ragged. Some ; carried rifles, others pet monkeys They I attracted a great deal of attention as they passed along the streets. Those whose en listments are about expiring will be sent to the United States. The others will be returned to their respective organizations. Amorg the prisoners arriving with Lieu tenant Gillmore were: F. J. Hubert, Ed ward Burke and J. J. Farley, sailors from the Urdaneta; Von Galen, of the Balti more; A. H. Gordon and George Sackett, of the Third infantry; Leland Smith and Frank Stone, of the signal corps; Harry Hubert, of the hospital corps; William Bruce and Edward Honeyman, of the Ne vada cavalry; Martin Brennan and James Curran, of the Sixtenth infantry; Aubert Bishop, of the Third artillery, ana John O'Brien and David Brown, civilians. Brown, who was formerly a preacher in Honolulu, twice revealed to the insurgents plots of the Americans to escape, in the hope of gaining the good will of tho Filipinos. The rest of the party openly acouse him of treachery, and entertain the bitterest feeling toward him. Charles Baker, of the Third artillery, was formerly one of tho' prisoners, but he became too weak to travel, and the Filipino guards bayonetted him in the last flight through the mountains. The pris oners of Lieutenant Gillmore's party, who escaped after leaving Vigan, were: Mac Donald, of the Twenty-first infantry; Von Galen, of the Baltimore, and Farley, of the Oregon. They were captured by sav ages, recaptured by the insurgents, who had stripped and prepared to beat them, and ultimately were rescued by the Ameri cana. The Yorktown's men, who were rescued with -Lieutenant Gillmore, were W. Wal ton, chief quartermaster; Vandolt, sail maker's mate; J. Ellsworth, coxswain; L. P. Edwards', landsman; A. J. Peterson, apprentice; P. Anderson, landsman, and S. Brisoles, seaman. At Baler, J. Dillon and C. A. Morrissey, landsmen, were Instantly killed; O. B. MacDonald, seaman, and E. J. Nygard, gunner's mate, were mortally wounded, and. D. W. Venville, apprentice, and O. W. Woodbury, seaman, were seriously wounded. Only Venville Unaccounted For. WASHINGTON, Jan. 7. The navy de partment today received the following cablegrams: "Manila, Jan. 6. Secretary of Navy, Washington: Gillmore, Walton, Vandolt, Ellsworth, Brisolez, Anderson, Peterson, Edwards arrived. Also Farmey, Burke and Herbert, of the Urdaneta. Only Ven ville unaccounted for. Last seen at Baler, June 15. WATSON." "Manila, Jan. 6. Secretary of Navy Washington: Brutus towing disabled transport, Victoria. WATSON." SCHWA1V OCCUPIES NINAN. Rifles nnd Prisoners Captured A De serter Found Dead. MANILA, Jan. 8. General Schwan's col umn, advancing to the south, occupied Ninan. One American was killed and three wounded. Nine of the enemy's dead were found on the field after the fight. A number of rifles were captured and several prisoners were taken. Johnson, a deserter of the Sixth United States artil lery, clothed in a major's uniform, was found among the insurgent dead at Nov aleto yesterday. General Wheaton is moving toward Perez das Marinas today. THREE AMERICANS WERE KDLLED. Serious Hceonnolssunces Oqt.oOmns- Sunday Morning- MANILA, Jan. 7, 11:30 P. M. Recon noissances out of Imus, Cavite province, this morning resulted in the loss of three Americans killed and 20 wounded. The enemy's loss is estimated at 60 killed and SO wounded. Colonel Birkbeimer, with a battalion of the Twenty-eighth volunteer Infantry, ad vanced toward Novaleta. Major Taggart, with two battalions of the same regiment, moved toward Herez das Marinas. A part of the Fourth infantry was engaged south of Imus. PROGRAMME FOR CONGRESS Senate Will Devote Week Largely to Sneechnmking. WASHINGTON, Jan. 7. The week In the senate necessarily will be given up largely to speechmaking. Beginning Mon day morning, Senator Pettigrew's resolu tion asking for information concerning the Philippine war will come up, and he and probably other senators will speak upon it. This will occur during the morn ing hour. Senator Morgan has given no tice of a speech on Monday, in which ho will discuss the race question in tho South. If any time is left that day it will be devoted to tho continuation of the discussion of the financial bill, some of the senators on the opposition replying to Mr. Aldrlch. Tuesday Senator Beveridge will deliver his speech on the Philippines problem, and Wednesday will be devoted to eulogies of the ilate Vice-President Ho bart. The greater part of the remainder of the week will be devoted to the finances, the object of the managers of the finan cial bill being to give as much time as possible to this measure until it is acted upon. It is now understood that almost all the senators opposed to the bill will talk upon it before the vote Is taken, but there has not yet been any arrangement of the order in which they will address the senate. Several Featured for the House. WASHINGTON, Jan. 7. There is no programme in the house for the present week. The only certain feature is the con sideration of the urgent deficiency appro priation bill. It will be ready Tuesday or Wednesday. It will contain almost $50, O0O.OC0 for the army and navy, and, while It will pass when It reaches a vote, It may precipitate a stormy debate upon the conduct of the war in the Philippines. The answer of Secretary Gage to the hiuse resolution calling for Information regarding the deposit of government funds In national banks is expected early in the week. The report will not con stitute a privileged question which will open up debate, but if it is deemed un satisfactory to any one resolutions of in vestigation may follow. The Roberts case will not get before the house until the end of the week at the earliest, and probably not then. The hearings have been adjourned until Wednesday, and it Is hardly likely that the report can be prepared in time for presentation this week. 1 o New Transportation Company. PLANT CITY, Fla.F Jan. 7. The United States & West Indies Railroad & Steam ship Company, of Plant City, with a cap ital of $1,000,000, has been incorporated. The purpose of the company is to construct and operate a railroad from Plant City to Charlotte harbor, with various spurs and branches, and to operate steamships be tween the United States and points In the West Indies. Bombardment Was Heavy. LONDON, Jan. 8. A dispatch to the Dally Chronicle from Frere camp says: Saturday's bombardment of Ladysmith was the heaviest yet recorded. All the heavy guns were working, and the Boers seemed to be pouring in shells from every available lighter gun. CRITICAL MOMENT Anxiety Regarding the Fate of Ladysmith. FRESH DISASTERS OPEN WEEK Eighth Infantry Division Going; to South Africa, Leaving- Militia at Gibraltar and Malta. LONDON, Jan. 8, 4:50 A. M. The Brit ish public Is at last face to face with a critical moment in tho campaign. It may safely be said that at no previous time have there been such anxious hours of suspense as will be passed through until the arrival of further news regarding th6 fate of Ladysmith. The week opens with only fresh addi tions to the disasters that have befallen British arms, and there is no longer any sustaining confidence to buoy up public opinion. The editorials this morning fully reflect the extreme gravity of the situa tion, with a painful undercurrent of om inous foreboding, mainly caused by the fact that, while the Boers have now changed their tactics and assumed the or fenslve, General Buller is apparently una ble to do more to assist General White than In making a demonstration. Tne Morning Post says: "He might as well have ordered a dis play of fireworks." As the heliograph ceased working yes terday (Sunday), it is presumed that Gen eral White's last message was sent by a pigeon or runner. Its purport is serious enough. The Times publishes a dispatch from Ladysmith, dated January L recording two night movements on the part of the Boers to assault the town. These had to be abandoned when the British defenses were Teached, but the correspondent says it was apparent that the great attack would not be long delayed. He adds: "Loyally supported by the civilians, the garrison can hold out for a considerable period. We are not reduced to half ra tions. The greatest difficulty is hospital accommodations for the wounded ana sick." Little doubt remains as to the meaning of the Boer attack. A dispatch from tho Boer camp, at Colenso, dated Thursday last and sent by way of Lorenzo Marquez, mentions that a thunderstorm had turned the dry ravines into torrents and flooded the Tugela. Doubtlpss General Joubert felt sure he had secured a couple of days in which he could attack Ladysmith with out fear of interference from General Bul ler, who, even if he decided to attempt to relieve the town, would probably occupy three days in reaching it by even a vic torious advance. Apparently on Saturday General Buller was not ready to attack. Possibly General Joubert anticipated that General Buller would shortly deliver an attack and, in that case, General Buller may have actually opened battle yester day. Great Britain has to face the terrible possibility that the next news will be the fall of Ladysmith. The disquieting feature is that the Boers seem to have sufficient efforts to reduce the town. In the pres ence of this ominous sltuatiop, even Gen eral French's disaster, of. which appar ently the worst has not yet been heard, assumes quite minor importance In the eyes of the public. The war office has already decided upon immediate steps for sending an eighth In fantry division to South Africa. Some of the regiments for this division will be taken from Gibraltar and Malta. They will be replaced by militia. It is asserted that the customs authori ties on the river Thomas have detained two outgoing steamers and seized two large guns and six Maxims packed In piano cases, intended for the Transvaal. It Is also said that a quantity of foodstuffs on another vessel has been seized. A CORPS OF GENTLEMEN. Groups of Friends May Enlist To gether for South Africa. LONDON, Jan. 7. It has been decided, with the approval of the war office, to raise a corps of gentlemen for service in South Africa as mounted infantry, form ing an Integral part of the Imperial yeo manry. The corps will be raised unit by unit throughout the kingdom. Any civilian having the necessary qualifications In re spect of riding and shooting will be eligible, as well as any former member of the- army. The scheme of enrollment will enable groups of friends to serve In the same corps. Those who have been accustomed to tracking big game m the uncivilized countries will be peculiarly suited. The Times publishes the following dis patch from Lorenzo Marquez: "I learn on unimpeachable authority that the Free-Staters are actively sowing dis affection among the Basutos. It Is be lieved that some of the minor chiefs have received their advances not unfavorably. A Basuto interpreter to the Free State, but recently took the son of a Basuto chief to Pretoria to show him the British pris oners there as proof of the Boer victories. It is believed, however, that with Chiefs Jonathan and Lerothodi loyal, and even desirous of attacking the Boers, these intrigues will not result seriously. "Although the Boer agents and their foreign satellites have done nothing during the .past week In securing supplies for the Transvaal, they are still very active, 'the center of the whole machinery being Con sul Pott, who, besides holding the agencies of various steamship lines, is the manager of the Empress Africana Landing Co., which is the leading landing agency here. He Is, therefore, able to facilitate the dis charge of cargoes intended for the Trans vaal. There is reason to believe that the controlling Interest h the Empress Af ricana Landing Company Is held by Donald, Currle & Co., Stein & Morrison and Charles Hutchins, of Natal. Similarly the local agency of the Sheba gold mine Is in the hands of a German firm notorious for persistent efforts to render services to the Transvaal. "Some local British banks also assist this business of forwarding agents by the acceptances of Boer drafts for collec tion and by issuing the recently minted Transvaal coinage. This is important pre sumptive evidence that the Boers are se curing an Important quid pro quo. Al ready wool to the value of some 15,000 has been exported by the Boer republics by way of Delagoa bay." Cape Town Dutch. The Cape Town correspondent of the Dally Telegraph, in a dispatch dated No vember 15, dealing with the excitement caused by rumors of a Dutch coup, which the authorities pronounced baseless, says: "A local paper today asks it it is 'base less that all the guards of all the pub lic buildings are trebled every night, that the patrols scour the roads converging at Cape Town; that troops are encamped at Greenpoint; that the volunteers sleep under arms and have received orders to rendezvous Instantly on hearing guns fired from the batteries? - "Today tho authorities issued notices warning the public of the danger of being fired upon if they approach posts guard ed by sentries at night-time and do not stop when challenged. The public has also been notified that all boats approach ing the British cruiser NIobe. anchored in the bay, must carry a light or take the risk of being fired on- from tho cruiser." WILL FIGHT TO THE LAST. If Britain Crushes Transvaal Armies, Still No Pence. CHICAGO, Jan. 7. Dan J. Wessels, a brother of General Cornelius Wessels, the commander of the Boer forces besieging Klmberley, and cousin of President Steyn, of the Orange Free State, said In an in terview In Chicago today: "I expect to get back in time to have plenty of fighting. I am convinced that the war will last at least another year, and while the Boers will probably be crushed, provided there is no foreign intervention, there is certain to be a protracted period of guerrilla warfare, for the Boers will fight to the last extremity. "I think the present war might have been avoided, but for England's oppressive demands; yet it would have been merely a postponement of an Inevitable conflict, for the time would have come when the Boers and the English would have battled for the supremacy of South Africa. The leading men of the Transvaal and the Orange Free State have understood this for a long time, .but hoped that somehow events would shape themselves so that the con flict would be postponed. The Jameson raid, however, proved It was near at hand, and they have been straining every nerve to prepare for It. "One who has no personal knowledge of the fact cannot understand the hitter, un dying hatred the Boers have for the Eng lish. After the Jameson raid, I met num bers of old men who prayed they might not die until they had first killed an English man in battle, and the children have be come imbued with the same sentiment." Accident to Suffolk Regiment. LONDON, Jan. 7. The war office pub litfhes the following dispatch from Gen eral Forestler-Walker, commanding at Cape Town: "General French reports under date of January 6: " 'The situation is much the same as yesterday, but I regret to report that a serious accident has happened to the first battalion of the Suffolk regiment.' "From news just come to hand from them I gather that with the authority and with the knowledge of General French four companies of the first battalion ad vanced by night against a low hill one mile from their camp. They attacked at dawn. Lieutenant-Colonel Watson, com manding, gave orders to charge. He was at once wounded. Orders for retirement were given. "Three-quarters of the force retreated to camp. The remainder held thlr ground until they were overpowered by greater numbers, when they surrendered. Seven ty were taken prisoner, including seven officers. "General French reports that the Boer commando which made the attack Jan uary 4 lost 50 killed, besides wounded and prisoners. The commando was dispersed." Forestier-Walker's Sqcond Report. General Forestler-Walker, telegraphing from Cape Town, says: "There is no change in the situation as regards Lord Methuen and General Gat acre. ..'Referring tomy earUeLdlspjrtcJutodayJ I have now to report thatGenerar "French reports under date of January 6 that a medical officer has been sent out to collect all the wounded to the northeast of Coles burg. The exact list of persons missing French has not yet ascertained; probably about 70. The first battalion of the Essex regiment has been sent to replace the first battalion of the Suffolk. "The position of affairs, tactical and strategic, Is without alteration. A Boer medical officer admits it was intended to leave Colesburg. The enemy's loss day by day from our fire has been heavy." Bombardment of Kurnmnn. PRETORIA, Thursday, Jan. 4 (via Lo renzo Marquez). Field Cornet Vesser, un der date of Tuesday, January 2, reports as follows from Kuruman, British Bechu analand: "I commenced a bombardment of Kuru man yesterday (Monday) aiming at the po lice barracks. The fight lasted until 6 In the evening, when the garrison surrend ered, issuing from the fort and yielding up their arms. We took 120 prisoners, includ ing Captain Bates and Captain Dennlson, Mr. Hiltyard, the magistrate, and eight other officers. We also captured 70 na tives, together with a number of rifles and revolvers and a quantity of ammuni tloa "Fifteen British were wounded. They are being attended by us with the help of Dr. Bearne, an English physician. The horse3, oxen, mealies and flour taken, from the prisoners have been sent to Pretoria by way of Vryburg." Complaints of the Boers. LONDON, Jan. 8 A dispatch to the Dally Mail, dated January 6, from Durban, says: H. M. S. Widgeon brings from Delagoa bay a number of British ambulance men, who were captured at Dundee and sub sequently released. They accuse the Boers of harshly treating prisoners taken from the British Irregular corps. Several Amer icans among the civilians complain bit terly that their consul at Pretoria Ignored their representations, although no charge had been preferred. Ammunition Started for the Front. CAPE TOWN, Jan. 6. An ammunition column started for the front today. Sev eral colonial Irregulars, of Dutch extrac tion, have been brought here under ar rest. The Cape Argus learns from Pretoria that 50 British subjects In Pretoria and Johannesburg have received their pass ports for abuses of privilege. The samo paper Is Informed that seven British sud jects holding permits have been arrested at Zeerust. TO CONSIDER ARID LANDS. Shall General Government Undertake Reclamation or Cede to the States? CHICAGO Jan. 7. Governor Murphy, of Arizona, arrived here tonight with a party Including Senator Shoup, of Idaho; Senator Clark. Wyoming; Blnger Hermann, com missioner of the general land office, and George F. C. Ainsworth. of the pension department, who have been on a trip through Arizona and New Mexico examin ing the arid lands. Governor Murphy said there was to be a conference of the gov ernors of the arid states and territories at Salt Lake on January 17 to cons'ider the question of arid lands. "There Is every prospect that the con ference will be a representative one," he said, "and we hope It will make some progress in this question. There prob ably will be present 11 or 12 governors. Two general propositions have been ad vanced for the disposition of these lands. One to hare the general government un dertake the work of reclamation by the building of reservoirs at the headwaters of the streams, and the other to have the governmert cede the lands to the states and territories for them to deal with the problem." Boers Between Ladysmith and General Buller. BOMBARD THE TOWN FOUR HOURS British Make a Heavy Attack on. Co lenao Cheveley- Camp in the Height of Activity. LONDON. Jan. 8. The. Dally Mall has the following, dated January 6, at noon, from Frere camp: "At 3 o'clock this morning very heavy firing began at Ladysmith. It lasted fully four hours, and must have meant either a sortie by the British or a determined attack on the garrison by the Boers. Our shells could be seen falling on Umbui whna hllf and the enemy were replying. "Beside the cannon reports, there were sounds Indicating smaller pieces of artil lery In action. The fighting 'must have been at closer range than has been the case up to now. "Our naval guns at Cheveley sent thel? usual fire Into the Boer trenches, but there has been no further movement here. The Daily Telegraph has the foilowing from Frere camp, dated Saturday, Janu ary, G, 10:35 A. M.: "A very heavy bombardment went on at Ladysmith from daybreak until this morning. It is believed that an engage ment was in progress, for musketry lira was also heard. It is possible the garri son was making a sortie, for the Boers at Colenso huriedly left their trenches ana rode toward Ladysmith. "Our big naval gun at Cheveley camp fired several rounds at the enemy as they were leaving their Colenso lines. Gen eral Buller has ridden on to Cheveley wltn his staff." Boers Repulsed. A special dispatch from Frere camp, dated January G, 7:20 P. M., says: "General White heliographs that he de feated the Boers this morning. They crept up so close to tho defending forces that the Gordon Highlanders and the Manchesters actually repulsed them at the point of the bayonet." CHEVELEY OAMP CALLED OUT. British Mnke Heavy Attack on Colen so in a Storm. FRERE CAMP, Saturday, Jan. 6. At 1 O'clock this afternoon an alarm was sounded in Cheveley camp, and all the troops in the camp turned out promptly and advanced into the plain. The Attach: on Colenao. LONDON, Jan. 7. A special dispatch from Frere cany), dated Saturday, Janu ary G, 7 P. M, says: "At 2 o'clock this afternoon the whole of General Clery's division marched out of camp to attack Colenso. General Hild yard's brigade was on the left, and Gen eral Barton's on the right, with cavalry on tho extreme right. "The attack was slowly developed, and at 4:30 the British field guns advanced on the center and commenced shelling the .'Boer?iilonrceflet:kuj& Hlwano hUK and Fort "Wyllc About tfcfs time a heavy thunderstorm raged over the enemy's positions. "At 5:30 our troops were still advancing and had reached a point very near Colen so. Tho naval 4.7 field guns were busy dropping shells Into the enemy's trenches along tho river, and the forts of the enemy had made no reply." Advices From Buller. LONDON, Jan. 7. General Buller has wired the war office the rollowing, dated January 6, from Frere camp: "The following message received from General White, at 1 P. M.. today: " 'Jan. 6, 11 A. M. Attack continues and enemy has been reinforced rrom the south. "The following was received this fore noon from General White: " 'Jan. G, 12:15 P. M. Have beaten enemy off at present, but they are still around me in great numbers, especially to tho south, and I think renewed attack very probably.' "The sun has failed, and I cannot get further Information from. Ladysmith until tomorrow." LONDON, Jan. 7. General JSuller sends the following from Frere camp, dated to day: "This Is from White, dated Saturday, 3:15 P. M.: "'Attack renewed. Very hard pressed." "I have absolutely no more news, and there Is no sun. There Is a camp rumor that White defeated the enemy at 5 thl3 afternoon and took 4C0 prisoners. "I sent all available troops yesterday to make demonstration at Colenso. The trenches there were all occupied by the enemy." Situation in Ladysmith. LADYSMITH, Monday, Jan. 1. (By run ner to Frere Camp, Saturday, Jan. (f.) Large convoys, with stores, can be seen trekking toward Colenso. The Boers are actively patrolling the country, and have massed their forces to the southward to oppose General Buller's advance. Every hill and kopje between here and Colenso has been strongly fortified. General Jou ibert is again in the field. It is difficult to estimate the number now about us, as tho Boers keep well under cover and never show themselves, but a majority of their forces are between General Buller and Ladysmith. It is impossible to go outside the town limits without being shot at. A very heavy rifle Ore was heard on December 30 in the direction of Sunday river. Persistent rumors are in circulation of quarrels between tho Transvaal and Free State commandoes. The active bombarding has little effect. Heavy rains washed out the camp of the Twenty-ninth hussars, but the men and. their horses escaped without injury. A big concert was held tonight. Every body la apparently cheerful. British Retreated From Dordrecht. LORENZO MARQUEZ, Thursday, Jan. 4. A dispatch, from the Boer headquarters near Dordrecnt says: "The British have been compelled to re treat from Dordrecht. Fighting continues arouDd Colesburg, where tho British occu py some of the oatside kopjes. Bullets are dropping inside the town." British Warship Watching. BERLIN, Jan. 8. A dispatch from Homo says the British warships Vulcan, Thetl3, Astral and Hebe have received order3 to keep watch for a steamer which recent ly sailed from the Baltic for South Africa. It is believed she Is carrying contraband of war. - Enrl of Ava Wounded. LONDON, Jan. 8. According to a pri vate telegram received in London, tne Earl of Ava. the son of the Marquis of Dufferin and Ava, was dangerously wound ed in the thigh during a recent assault on Ladysmith.