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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 9, 1901)
A ft "O" W .Portland, - Oregon. $mm ptttm VOL. XLL NO. 12,531. PORTLAND, OREGON, SATUBQAY, FEBBUARY 9, 1901. PRICE FIVE CENTS. S 5ii&s3Bfyiy , tfi r(BBfc WHITE US BEFORE PLACING TOUR ORDERS FOR RUBBER BELTING, PACKING AND HOSE CRACK-PROOF, SNAG-PROOF MINING BOOTS. Rubber and Oil-Clothing, Boots and Shoes. HEADQUARTERS FOR ALL KINDS OF RUBBER GOODS. Goodyear Rubber Company R. H. PEASE. President. P. M. EHEPARD, JR.. Treasursr. J. A BHEPARD. Secretary. Cameras at Reduced Prices PREMOS, POCOS, RAYS, ETC. We want to close out all on hand now before our new stock arrives. PHOTOGRAPHIC GOODS AT REDUCED PRICES BLUMAUER-FRANK DRUG CO. 144-146 FOURTH STREET, PORTLAND, OR. Shaws Pure Malt The Condensed Strength and Nutriment of Barley and Rye Bllimaiier & HOCtl, 108 and HO Fourth Street Sole Distributers for Oregon HOTEL PERKINS Fifth and Washington Sts. . . . PORTLAND, OREGON EUROPEAN PLAN Rooms Single 75c to $1.50 per day Irst-Class Check Restaurant Rooms Double ...$1.00 to $2.00 per day Connected With Hotel. Rooms Family $1.50 to $3.00 per day J. f. DA VIES. Pres. St. Charles Hotel CO. (INCORPORATED). FRONT AND MORRISON STREETS PORTLAND, OREGON American and European Plan. Enables You To Play Your Piano -, vlihelEsianola will' enable M, B. WELLS, Northwest Agent for the Aeolian Company Acolfan Hall. 53-355 Washington Street, cor. Park. Portland. On TV are Sole Agents (or the Pianola; also (or the Stelnway? the Chase and the Emerson Pianos. BLAMED THE CONVERTS. Foreign Envoys Objected to the "Wording- of the Chinese Edict. PEKIN, Feb. 8. The foreign envoys met this morning: to consider the edict presented by the Chinese plenipotentiaries regarding the suspension of examinations lor live years, and also the punishment of officials guilty of not helping suppress outrages upon foreigners. They objected to the wording of the edict, which made it seem that the troubles were entirely i .ue to the actions of native Christians. Satisfactory In other respects, it was altered to suit the views of the envoys, and was then returned to the Chinese plenipotentiaries. It Is reliably reported that more than 20 000 Mohammedans have reappeared in Pekln during the last four weeks, with the object of creating disturbances during the Chinese celebrations at New Year. The Germans have accordingly Issued an order to their troops that no one shall walk alone and no one go unarmed. The order directs the German troops to. search all Chinese, and never under any con s deration to enter Chinese private houses on invitation, unless in considerable num bers. The more widely the demands of the 'orelgn envoys are known among the Chinese, the more the belief spreads that the court will not accept them, especially rhe demand for the punishment of Tung Fu Hstang who practically controls the entire Chinese army, apart from" the traops with the court, and who is now in the Province of Kan Su. With Prince Tuan he would be able to hold out for an Indefinite period. The opinion Is gaining ground among the Generals that possibly a Spring cam paign against the Province of Shen SI w 1 be necessary. No answer to the latest communication of the envoys Is expected from the court efore Tuesday next at the earliest, but tu- envoys hope the reply will be satis factory. IlttMHln to Secnre Chinese Railway. LONDON. Feb. 9. Dr Morrison, wiring n the Times from Pekln Thursday, says: "Russia, through the Chinese Minister In St. Petersburg, has offered to purchase tne northern railways from Shan Hal Kwan to New Chwang and Ming Ting, the purchase money to be deducted from the Indemnity. Such a transfer wou.d violate the undertaking China gave Eng- 1 these railways to any other power." Anti-Jesuit Riots In Madrid. MADRID. Feb. S. After Thursday even ing's demonstration by the anti-Jesuits in front of the residence of Senor Galdos, the author of the anti-clerical play "fHec tra," the demonstrators, who had been dis persed by the police reformed In front of several Jesuit establishments and hooted. The demonstrations continued last even ing. Groups of students paraded the ctreets. rioting opposite the offices of the Liberal newspapers, and in front of the Convent of the Sacred Heart. All the Jesuits residing in Madrid have decided to retire to their convent at Chamartln, on the outskirts of Madrid. General Mayberry Prentiss. BETHANY, Mo., Feb. 8. General May berry Prentiss, one of the oldest surviv ing Generals of Volunteers of the Civil "War, Is dead at his home here, aged SI years. He was known as "the hero of Shiloa." He defeated Generals Holmes and Price at Helena, Ark., July 4, 1S62. He was the last survivor of the Fltz John Porter court-martial. He was In the Volunteer service In Illinois during the Mormon excitement in early days. 73-73 FIRST ST. PORTLAND, OR. C T. BELCHER, See. and Treos. American plan European plan ....$1.23. $1.50, $1.75 .... 60c. 750. $1.00 y.o.iitt.o piayYQurplanMeyQng COUNTESS CASTELLANE. Judge Lncombe Appoints Her Broth er and Sister Receivers. NEW YORK, Feb. 8. Judge Lacombe, in the United States Circuit Court, ap pointed George J. Gould and Helen M. Gould ..receivers of all Income of the Countess de Castellane In excess of $200,000 per year. This suit Is a general class bill brought on behalf of the creditors, put ting all on one footing, and prevents some from getting preference over oth ers. The bill alleged that the Countess owes In England and France about 20, 000,000 francs, and that her income, since her father's death, has averaged $600,000 per annum. Judge Lacombe entered an order which, among other things, pro vides: "First The executors and trustees are authorized to pay the Countess, for the support of herself and children, a sum not to exceed $200,000 per year. In equal monthly Installments. They are re strained from paying out any part of the trust funds or any Income therefrom, except as aforesaid, to any one for any purpose, without the further permission and order of the court. "Second George J. Gould .and Helen M. Gould are appointed receivers of the sur plus trust Income of the Countess derived from the trust fund held by the trustees. They are directed to take possession of her surplus trust Income and apply it from time to time, as may be ordered by the court, toward the payment of the just and valid debts of the Countess. All creditors of the Countess1 are enjoined from bringing any other suit In law or in equity against the Countess and against the executors and trustees, for the col lection of their debts out of the trust fund now accrued or hereafter to accrue In the hands of the trustees. The receiv ers arc to serve without compensation, and are directed to give a bond In the sum of $30000. 'Third The executors and trustees are directed to turn over to the receivers all the surplus Income fund now belonging to the Countess now In their possession, and in the future to continue to turn over all the surplus Income trust fund as fast as the same accumulates." The provisions of the order are made subject to the priority of the Dlttmar Wertholmer suit, now pending in the New York Supreme Court. GENERAL OTIS EXPLAINS. Why He Enforced the Chinese Ex clusion Act In the Philippines. NEW YORK, Feb. S. General Otis was asked tonight what he thought about the letter of the Chinese Minister, Wu Ting Fang, declining to attend the dinner last night because General Otis enforced the Chinese exclusion act In the Philippines. General Otis replied: "The Chinese came piling over Into the Philippines in such numbers that the Fili pino merchants got scared and rushed to me, beseeching .me to keep the Chinese out altogether. I had to do something to keep the peace with the Filipino mer chants, so I let In those already aboard vessels in the harbor and kept all the rest out." Sale of Art Collection. NEW YORK. Feb 8. Forty-three paintings, the collection of the late Ed ward Kearney, with a few additions of a private collector, have been sold at the American Art Galleries for $31,300. The highest price of the evening was paid for Mauve's "After a Rain Holland." this picture being finally sold to A. Lew isohn for $3700. CHARTER 18 READY Portland Instrument Has Been Decided Upon. RADICAL CHANGES ARE MADE Combined Board of Police and Fire Commissioners Provided For Tax Levy Limited to Eight and One-Fourth Mills. SALEM, Or., Feb. 8. The proposed Portland Charter Is completed. A part was considered at a meting of the Mult nomah delegation, which lasted until a late hour last night, and has been given out for publication. A combined Board of Police and Fire Commissioners Is provided for, with twd clerks to take the places of the clerk of the present Board of Fire Commissioners, clerk of the Police Commissioners, clerk of the Municipal Court, and clerk of the Chief of Police. The two Commission er's clerks shall perform all the duties heretofore done by the four clerks. The Chief of Police will not be one of the Commission. The Mayor after the expi ration of the present term shall receive no salary. The tax levy Is fixed at 8 mills. The extra one-quarter mill is to be used In taking care of streets fully Improved, the Improvement opproved by the p'roper city officials during the reasonable life of the street. The City Engineer Is eliminated from the Board of Public Works, and the Board is given additional powers such as to purchase Are department supplies. There is no change In the personnel of the board. A Charter Commission is provided for, either adopt this charter or frame a new charter and submit to a vote of the elec tor at the next election. Meanwhile this charter will, of course, be operative. The city may have its own electric light ing plant If deemed advisable, and there are not a few other changes of a minor character. The new features thus far given to the press, as as follows: Section one of chapter one, contains the provision that the city maintain lighting plants and hold property for the same. Section 2 pertains to the boundaries of the city, which, are the same as at the present time, but which it is stated by members of the Multnomah delegation may be changed. To the official oath- in section 20, chapter 3. Is added a clause that the officer will support the ordinances of the city. Subdivision 1, of section 32, chapter 5, has not yet been inserted. This relates to the tax levy. Subdivision 2, relating to licenses, con tains a new provision, that they maybe re chue, ot forjiPurposesJ ot reguiationor, iMlll!lCo1nU7hlrtojSi9o5rtlo! license tax certain callings, to which "drummers" is added. " , Subdivision 3 and 4, have been added to and changed considerably. Subdivision 3 gives power to license, tax, and regu late livery or boarding stables, hacks, cabs, wagons, carts, hackneys, carriages. trucks, drays, or other vehicles used for transportation of persons or passengers or goods, wares, or merchandise, earth, rock, ballast, building material, or other articles, and to prescribe the rate to be charged for such transportation. The proceeds shall be paid into the special street repair fund provided for in sub division 1 of this section. Section 4, authorizes to license, and regulate bartenders, saloonkeeps, dealers In and manufactures of spirituous, vin ous, or malt liquors, barrooms, drinking shops, or places where liquors are kept for sale, or in any manner disposed of, and the sale and disposal thereof; all offensive and dangerous trades and em ployments, and to defllne and declare who Is a bartender, saloonkeeper, or dealer in spirituous, vinous, or malt liquors; and what Is a barrom, or place where liquors are kept for sale or disposed of, and what are offensive and dangerous trades, or employments. The clause in these sections "for the purposes of raising revenue," etc., covers the recent adverse decision of the Su preme Court, in the subject of licenses. The subdivision referring to the contag ious diseases, plumbing, etc., is amended to Include electricians and electric wires. Subdivision 10 is amended to provide for the regulation and inspection of freight and passenger elevators. Subdivision 21 Is amended so as to In clude the "control and regulation of slaughter-houses, and stockyards," and also provides for their exclusion from the city limits. That part of this section In the present charter providing for the exclusion from the city or any part thereof washhouses and laundries Is omit ted. Subdivision 29 is new, and is as follows; To prescribe the kind of rails which may be laid In the streets or public places of the city for street-cars or other traffic, and the manner of laying the same: to tax for the purpose of revenue or regula tion, or both, telephones, street-cars and street railways and all franchises. Subdivision 32, to provide for the punish ment of the violation of any city ordi nance, the appeal clause repealed by the last charter, is re-enacted. An appeal may be taken to the Circuit Court, where the sentence Is 10 days' Imprisonment or more or a fine of $2C or more. Subdivision 35 contains the following ad dition: "To appropriate land for the use of a plant for lighting the city by gas, electricity or any other lllumlnant." Bicycle Regulations. In subdivision 35 "the Councl Is given power to license, tax and regulate bi cycles, tandems, triplets, quads, and quints, and to regulate the speed at which they may be ridden on the streets of the city and the use of bells and lanterns thereon. "To set aside so much of the money de rived; from the tax on bicycles, tandems, triplets, quads and quints, as may be deemed advisable, not less than 85 per cent, in a special fund to be called the bicycle fund, which shall be expended ex clusively In constructing bicycle paths under the direction of the City Engineer along such streets as the Common Coun cl may designate." Power of Mayor. The salary of the Mayor Is abolished af ter July 1, 1902. Of the powers and duties of the Mayor, section 38 Is new, and gives the Mayor power to remove for cause the Plumbing Inspector, Harbor Master, Health Officer, City Physician and Superintendent of the Street Clean ing and Sprinkling Department by filing a written memorandum of the grouds of removal with the City Auditor. The Mayor Is given power to fill all of these offices by appointment, subject to the ap proval of the Common Council. In the present charter the Mayor does not ap point the City Physician, .neither is the Council required to confirm the other ap pointments. Street Improvements-. As. to opening, laying out widening and vacating of streets and alleys: To section 109 is added: "The, Council may in Us discretion before directing sur vey of the street or the widening thereof require a bond to be furnished with suf ficient sureties "by the property-owners benefited, conditioned to pay the cost of survey, view and notice; in case such opening or widening should for any rea son, fall to be made.' Section HI is very much more broad in its scope than the previous section on the same subject, and "more than twice as long, and" is intended to protect the city from numerous suits resisting, the pay ment of street assessments on technical ities. It is as follows: , Section 3 provides that upon, the filing of said report of the viewers' with the Auditor he shall immediately cause to be published in the city official newspaper, for 10 successive days, a notice of the filing of said report, which shall state the day and hour when the place where said assessment therein made shall be considered by the common Council; the number or letter o each lot assessed as benefited, in excess of any damages, and the number or letter of the block in which it Is situated, and if a separate assess ment of benefits in excess of damages is made upon or in respect to a part of a lot or a tract of land not platted or sub divided, a particular description of such part or tract; the name of the owner of each lot or part thereof or tract of land assessed, or that the owner Is un known; and the sum or sums assessed up on or in respect to each lot or part thereof or tract of land; and shall notify the owners of said lands so assessed to ap pear at said time and place and present their objections to said report and as sessment, if any they have, In writing, and be heard upon the amounts of said assessments. It shall be the duty of the Auditor forthwith to send by mall a no tice of such assessments, and of the day and hour and place of the hearing upon the amount of such assessments, to the. owner of each lot or part thereof or tract of land so assessed or to the agent of such owner when the postoffice address of such owner or agent Is known to him, and if such postoffice address be un known, then such notice shall be directed to such owner or agent at Portland, Or. Said Council shall consider said report and assessment and said objections there to, if any, and if it shall appear that tho damages or benefits assessed upon or in respect to any land are Inequitable it may cause said report and said assess ments to 'be corrected. If such report and assessments shall appear to be equit able, or after the same shall have been corrected, the Council may by ordinance adopt such report and assessments. The failure to state the name of any owner, or a mistake In the name of any owner, shall not render void any assessment nor In any way affect the lien. The amount of benefits so assessed shall, upon the J expiration of the time limited for appeal, If no appeal be taken, or immediately after judgment 13 renered upon such ap peal, if taken, be entered in the docket of city Hens in like manner as assess ments for street improvements are en tered, and shall be a lien, and In case no appeal or other proceeding's In court be taken as to any such assessment or lien, the amount of su?h lien shall be paid to the Treasurer, of. the city within 10'dava 's.jJiw5riirr . iTijrL i.-rii''-VjJl WKMSS j.ti -i... i-j 1L. ,-.i.cii,VrTrrf4r.f Poncnt fnnnrt OWtnem tiiiu mureuiiuii, wiieueveE mu i;uunct-sn&u so order, shall be collected in like manner as prbvlded by this charter for the pol lectlon of other delinquent assessments. All moneys realized from such assess ments of benefits shall be kept in a sep arate fund and be applicable to the satis faction of the excess of damages over benefits assessed to the owners and other persons interested In the property taken or damaged for the purpose of laying out, establishing or widening the streets or alloys in the matter in which said benefits are assessed and for the payment of ex penses incurred by the city for surveying, advertising and viewers In said proceed ings. Section 127 Is amended so that money may be transferred from the general to the street repair fund, and providing that notices be posted on abutting property commanding owners to repair sidewalks, that the Board qf Public Works shall re pair the sidewalk when the property-own-or refuses to do so, and the Council may by ordinance declare the cost of the re pair to be a lien on the property. Section 128 is new. Preliminaries for Street Work. Sec. 128. Before any work is done or Im provement made, except the repair of sidewalks made by the City Engineer, the Council shall pass a resolution of Inten tion so to do, which shall specify the street or part thereof upon which the work Is proposed to be done, and shall describe the work proposed, and shall, if the Council determine to extend the taxing district for such work or Im provement, describe the boundaries of the extension or extensions of such taxing district. The affirmative vote of two thirds of all the members of the Council shall be necessary to the passage of any such resolution for Improvement. Such resolution shall be posted conspicuously for 10 days In the office of the Auditor,, and shall be published for 10 consecu tive days In the city official newspaper, with a statement of the time within which written objection or remonstrance may be made thereto. The City Engineer shall, within three days from the first publica tion of the notice herein provided for, also cause a notice to be posted con spicuously at each end of the line of said contemplated work or Improvement. The City Engineer, as soon as practicable, shall prepare and file with the Board of Public Words, plans, specifications and estimates of such work or Improvement, and shall make to the Board of Public Works a report thereof In writing, stat ing whether In his opinion such proposed work or improvement Is of a kind and nature proper to be made upon such street, and whether the same when prop erly constructed and completed will con stitute a good Improvement. The Board of Public Works shall thereupon deter mine whether It approves such proposed Improvement. The Board of Public Works shall thereupon report such plans, specifications and estimates, with the re port of the City Engineer, and Its de termination thereupon, to the City Coun cil. Sec. 129. Within. 10 days after the final publication of the notice, the owners of GO per cent of the property within the taxing district, such percentage to be based upon the ratio In which said prop erty Is affected by such Improvement, to wlt: The lands lying within the first one quarter of the depth of said taxing dis trict back from said street to be deemed one-half of the property so affected; the lands lying wlthm the second one-quarter of the depth of said taxing district to be deemed one-quarter of the property bo affected, and the lands lying within the residue of the taxing district to be deemed one-quarter of the property so af fectedmay make and file with the City Auditor a written remonstrance against such proposed .improvement, and said re monstrance shall be a bar to any further proceedings for a period of six months, unless the owners of more than 40 per cent of the property to be assessed shall subsequently petition therefor. In case no such petition shall be filed at the'ex- (Concluded on Fifth Page.) NOt ONLY CARMAN Other Manila Merchants Guilty of Treason. IHCRIHIHATINB PAPERS FOUND XsTBort&at Capture By Secret Service 'OSeera KearPairBanJan Aguta- aldo Safd to Have Been Seea 3ear X-Bdlaasr. MANILA, Feb. 8. Since the arrest of Theodore Carranza. and "D. M. Carman, charged with furnishing supplies to aid the insurgents, evidence has been rap idly developed tending to show that not tho Carman company alone but many business men In Manila have been having relations with; the insurgents. The secret service officers today report the capture near Pagsanjan of three natives, Cosme, Some Features of Tomorrow's Oregonian. "Will You Be 'My Valentine V A full-page article. Illustrated by Harry Murphy, on forthconunif and past observances and origin of St. Valentine's day. Frank O. Carpenter, the famous American correspondent, begins a new series of letters on his travels In the East Indies and South Seas, with a. description o( his first Impressions of New Zealand, the Bellamy land of the South Pacific Ocean. Forecast of the ceremonies that will attend the coronation of Edward VII and of Alexandra, his Queen, by the London correspondent of The Oregonlan. Letter from Francis R. Wardle, The Oregonlan's correspondent, depleting condi tions In Canton. China, as affecting foreigners prior to treaty days. Fashion letter from Paris by Nina. Goodwin, whose contributions have become widely popular. Charles Miles Gayley and his work in literature; a criticism by Gertrude Metcalf. "Norman Holt," the thrilling story of the Civil War. by General Charles King, which has been running In The Sunday Oregonlan during the last few months, will be continued. Tomorrow's installment Is one of the most Interesting yet published. DEPARTMENTS. The children's department will tomorrow contain an unusually Interesting assort ment of, reading matter, among the contributors being "Juanlta," whose clever work as a writer of Action for children Is beginning to attract 'the attention of readers everywhere, and Miss Alice M. Wells, whose contributions are also well known to the Juvenile admirers of the boys" and glrlsV page of The Sun day Oregonlan. Rita Bell, the talented young Portland artist, furnishes a num ber of Illustrations. The usual weekly review of events In the sporting world. Including local and gen eral comment and gossip, will be presented, together with portraits of two of Portland's leading athletes. The wit and humor department will contain matter of unusual excellence. togeth er wltluapt illustrations of current happenings. Social happenings of the week, In Portland and other cities and towns of the Northwest, and the news of the dramatic and musical world, with the happen ings of the local theaters, will be fully covered. Aimontft and ClamoB. memoera Almonte and -Elaroos. "'members of Gen eqiuKinauH district. Papers found ontbem Tvere so personally incriminating that tney were led to divulge damaging information con cerning Carman and others not arrested. Cosme acknowledged that he was Car man's partner In insurgent trading. Llamos has become distinguished for his oratory among the Filipinos. Carman was preparing a small steamer to carry him, to Japan the day following his arrest. He says he was going for his health, but as serts that his intention was to go to Mlarivales, Luzon. The police learned that Fabello, ex-Pres-Idente and ally of Carman In his Laguna de Bay dealings, withdrew $10,000 of the funds of General Callles Insurgent com mittee, that had been deposited in the Spanish-Filipino Bank, and Invested it In two steamers and a tobacco concern. The police will seize the property. New patches of Incriminating evidence were received by the Provost Marshal today. It Is rumored again In Cavlte province that Agulnaldo has been seen at Indlang. General Young, commander of North western Luzon, Is to return to the United States. General Bell will succeed him. ' There has been considerable misunder standing between the military and the new provincial officers at Benguet, based partly on the belief of the subordinate military officers that Provincial Secretary Cherer has been an, insurgent sympa thizer. The Thirtieth United States Volunteer Infantry, Colonel Gardiner commanding, arrived here on the United States trans port Kllpatrick from Tayabas Province, Island of Luzon, and will go into camp on the Lunetta. sailing for home Febru ary 15. Colonel Gardiner said there are practically no Insurgents In the Province of Tayabas, and that the pro-American sentiment Is strong there. Eighty-seven members of the regiment have died of wounds and diseases and 250 men have been discharged because of sickness. The Twentieth Infantry, which has been two years In Manila on provost duty, has Balled for VIgan on field service. Hundreds of teachers In the United States are aDDlylns for positions In the. Philippines. It would be easy to secure 1000. An authorized delegation of Bontoc Igorrotes are returning to the province with schoolbooks, flags and high opinions of the Americans. MACARTHUR'S PROCLAMATION. Warning to Filipinos and Others Who Aid the Insurrection. MANILA, Dec. 27, 1900. General Mac Arthur's proclamation to the Filipinos, dated December 20, reminds the natives that exemplary punishments attach to In fringements of the rules of war and that their strict observance will be required not only by combatants, but as well by non combatants. General MacArthur states that Insurgents who threaten, kidnap or assassinate natives friendly to the Amer icans are guilty of violation of the laws of war and must eventually answer for murder or such other crime as may re sult from their unlawful actions. Persons who do things Inimical to the interests of the American Army will be punished in spite of a plea of Intimidation. When, as Is ftnown to be the case In many places occupied by United States troops, secret committees are permitted to exist and to act In behalf of the so called Insurgent government by collecting supplies, recruiting men and sending military information to -the Insurgent camps, the persons who screen these com mittees are in danger of being punished as war traitors. The proclamation con tinues: "The practice of sending supplies to In surgent troops from places occupied by the United States, must cease. These remarks all apply with special reference to the City of Manila, which is well known as a rendezvous from which an extensive correspondence is distributed to all parts of the archipelago by sympathizers with, and by emissaries of, the Insurrection. The newspapers and other periodicals of Manila are especially admonished that any article published, in the midst of such martial environments, which by any con struction can be placed as seditious, must be regarded as Intended to injure the army of occupation and as subjecting all connected with the publication to punitive action. "Men who participate in hostilities with out being part of a regularly organized force and without sharing continuously In Its operations, but who do so with Intermittent returns to their homes and avocations, divest themselves of the char acter of soldiers, and. If captured, are not entitled to the privileges as prisoners of war." ' ANOTHER CONSOLIDATION. Burlrngton and Northern Pacific to Combine. ST. PAUL. Minn., Feb. 8. The Pioneer Press tomorrow will say: "A railway project Is" now reported un der way by which the Northern Pacific and Burlington, which now have a track age arrangement covering several hun dred miles of territory, may be consoli dated, and it has been said that the Great Northern will be In this transcontinental combine. The Burlington now hauls Northern Pacific cars from Kansas City to Billings, Mont., and the Northern Pa cific hauls Burlington cars from Billings to the Pacific Coast. The interchange of business amounts to a double road in one respect, for the Burlington operates Its own solid passenger; trains to Portland. passenger, trains to Portland. gokUflelds'in, thjKlondlke -;aontepl4eSthL - .Trf" . -; , oh-oflne two-roads Wa maTST rl -,. n..if-t,.-rc- . Asaiounlnfi amalgamat ter of economy in operation, and as ob viating the necessity of building several hundred miles of road to parallel the Northern Pacific, a proposition that has been under consideration for three years, and which has been settled by the direc tors. The recent tendency to consolidate, and especially the amalgamation of trans continental lines has softened the promo tion of the Burlington-Northern Pacific deal." Object of Hays' New York. Trip. NEW YORK, Feb. 8. The Commercial Advertiser says: "President Charles M. Hays, of the Southern Pacific, Is expected to reach New York tomorrow. He was summoned from San Francisco for the purpose of confer ring with Mr. Harrlman and President Burt, of the Union Pacific. It Is general ly believed that Mr. Hays will be asked to retain the presidency of the Southern Pacific. "With regard to recent rumors that H. E. Huntington did not sell his stock to the Harrlman syndicate, It may be stated that all of the Huntington holdings, as well as those controlled by Speyer & Co., were sold on equal terms." The Commercial Advertiser also has the following: "President Gallaway was asked today if there was any truth In the Cj rrent re ports that the New York CentrW will be combined with the Union Pacific and the Southern Pacific in forming a through line from ocean to ocean. 'Not a word of truth In It,' replied he. 'The New York Central lines now extend as far West as Chicago and St. Louis, and the system is sufficiently large as It Is.' " - Harrlman Southwestern System. CHICAGO, Feb. 8. The Tribune tomor row will say: "A scheme Is under consideration where by the Missouri Pacific, the two Rio Grande roads, the Colorado Southern, the Missouri, Kansas & Texas and the St Louis & San Francisco are to be grouped into one system. The proposed plan would mean. the formation of a Harrlman Southwestern railroad system." GREAT NAPHTHA FIRE. Victims Burned Like Torches Caused by Discharged Employe. ST. PETERSBURG. Feb. 8. Dispatches from Baku say all the available hospitals are filled with people Injured by the naphtha fire, while the sheds on the fair grounds are filled by those made home less by the conflagration. The fire broke out In the evening at meal time, and spread so rapidly that many people were unable to escape from their homes. The fire also cut off the retreat of the specta tors, 30 of whom perished. It is believed the conflagration was started by a dis charged employe, for the purpose of re venge, and it Is further reported that the naphtha reservoirs had been previously filled with water, which In overflowing carried the flaming fluid over the town, involving all the houses as far -as Police street. The stream of fire was several yards high. Numbers of people were seen trying to escape. They were burning like torches. The total number of vlcttms is not ascertainable at present. The Fire Extinguished. ST. PETERSBURG, Feb. 8. Advices from Baku this evening announce that the Are has been extinguished. Ten fac tories and Ave depots were burned, con taining altogether 35,000.000 poods of nap tha and naptha refuse. It is estimated .that the losses will exceed 6.000.000 roubles. Nine charred corpses have been recov ered. One hundred and sixty persons were Injured by burning. 41 of these se verely, and ' six have succumbed to their Injuries. Many yet are supposed to be under the ruins, and the search Is pro gressing. Not many of the spectators perished, but 100 persons are still missing. REJECTSTHETREATY England's Action on the Nic aragua Canal Project EQUAL TO A FLAT REFUSAL A Counter Proposal, Likely to Cause Extended Negotiations, Will Soon Be Presented Through Lord Pauncefoto. LONDON, Feb- 8. It has been learned by a representative of the Associated. Press that a reply will shortly be sent to the United States Nicaragua Canal proj ect. It will not comply with the Senate's demands, neither will It be in the nature of a flat refusal, though for purposes if Immediate construction It will be tanta mount to such a refusal. It will consist mainly in a counter proposal or proposals, likely to necessitate extended negotiations. The nature of the proposal Is not yet as certainable. Lord Pauncefote will likely be the medium through which the answer will be sent and by whom the subsequent negotiations will be conducted. In British official opinion, it is likely that several months will elapse before the matter reaches a conclusion, by which time the Hay-Pauncefote treaty will have elapsed, on the basis of the Senate's amendments. The British counter pro posals are now formulating, and it Is hoped an entirely new agreement, satis factory to both countries, will eventually be reached. Commented on In Washington. WASHINGTON, Feb. 8.-S0 far as can be ascertained, the Administration has not had any intimation of the counter proposals the London dispatch says will be made In the matter of the Nicaragua Canal project. There is a f eeljng of regret tbat the British Government has felt con strained to adopt such a course, as the hope was entertained that the amend ments to the Hay-Pauncefote treaty might havo been accepted In the spirit In which. they were made. Senator Morgan, when informed tonight of the new stand taken by Great Britain, said he believed that If Great Britain has decided to take the action stated. It would create resentment in the Senate and among the people and distrust of the moves of that government. He hoped It might result In some action on the pend ing bill at this session. Senator Morgan, however, was not willing to say what ac tion, if any, he proposed to take to bring about such a result One suggestion made tonight as a pos sible counter proposal by Great Britain was that In return for concessions mad, by her she might desire an open port ort the Alaskan coast as an entrance into her To Amend BrlllshrCable Act. OTTAWA, Ont., Feb. 8. Hon. William Mueller, Postmaster-General, has given, notice of a bill to be presented to amend, the Pacific cable act. This bill is for the purpose of arranging Canada's share of the Anancial obligations for the con struction of the cable. Fears are enter tained In some quarters that some of the Australian Governments may succeed In their efforts to make connection with the Eastern Extension cable, and In that way alter the basis of the whole scheme. Mining Scale Reaffirmed. COLUMBUS, O., Feb. 8. The general scale committee adjourned at 11:30 to night, having accepted the report of the sub-committee which reaffirms the mining scale In effect during the past year. There are no changes In the scale. The joint conference will adopt the agreement to morrow. A Chilean Candidate. SANTIAGO DEJ CHILE, Feb. 8. via Gal veston. Don Pedro Montt has been pro claimed In Valparaiso a candidate for the Presidency. SUMMARY OF IMPORTANT NEWS. Philippines. More Manila merchants have been dealing with the Insurgents. Page 1. Agulnaldo was seen In Cavlte province. Page 1. The Thirtieth Infantry is at Manila ready to sail for home. Page 1. Congress. The Senate refused 'to fix a time for a voto on the subsidy bill. Page 2. The naval appropriation bill was taken up by the Senate. Page 2. The House passed 184 pension bills. Page 2. Delegate Wilcox acknowledged writing treason able letters. Page 3. Foreign. England rejects the Senate amendments to tho canal treaty. Page 1. The rumor of the recall of Mllner Is denied. Page 3. Lord Roberts' dispatches are mad public Page 3. Domestic. The Cincinnati promoters say they will pull off the fight regardless of the Injunction. Page 2. Carnegie Is to receive $1600 f or each share of his stock. Page 2. Mrs. Nation spoke in Kansas City, but wrecked no saloons. Page 3. Northwest Legislatures. Most Important changes proposed In new Port land charter. Page 1. Oregen Legislature Is still unable to agree on Senator. Page 4. Democrats warn Mitchell not to solicit their support, else they will bring' about election of Corbett. Page 4. Senate passed bill regulating fees of three Multnomah officials. Page 4. Preston Railway Commission bill was defeated In Washington Senate. Page 5. Idaho Legislature will visit Salem shortly after February 22. Railway companies havo tendered special cars for trip. Page 4. Pnciflc Coast. One regiment to be raised under new Army law will be enrolled at Vancouver Barracks. Page 4. F. M. Seely. Portland railroad man. shot and killed hla wife and then committed suicide In Oakland. Cal. Page 4. Cyrus A. Reed, of Portland, refused to leave a ship to claim a fortune of $300,000. Page 0. Commercial and Marine. Weekly trade reviews. Page 10. Stock market again In an unsettled condition. Page 11. Steamer Frederick Billings sold. Page 8. Square riggers reported outside. Page 8. Condor and Strathgyle put to sea. Page 8. Portland nnd Vicinity. Portland a unit In condemning the compulsory pilotage bill. Peg 12. Judge Cleland grants a divorce to Charles M. Thompson. Bage-S. School Directors select several. new Uachers, Page 7.