ALBANY REGISTER.
7
V. H. OHIrlal Paper for Oregon.
FRIDAY, MAY 9. 1873.
HEROIC DEATHS.
The correspondent of the San
Francisco Chronicle, writing from
the Lava Hed fall details of the
late bloody reverse met by a recon
noitering party of our troops, com
manded by Major Thorn, gives
the following relative to the Ma
jor's heroic death. When he found
himself and men surrounded, true
to his brave heart and soldier in
stincts, he sought to cheer the sol
diers on to the hitter end, urging
them to sell their lives dearly, say
ing to them, "Men, we are surround
ed; we must tight and die, like men
and soldiers." Lieutenants Howe
and Wright ahly seconded him in
his efforts. After receiving a mor
tal wound, he buried his gold watcli
and chain among the rocks and
then emp'ied his revolver amongst
the enemy oefore dying. The death
of Col. Wright was no less heroic
and tragic. Through the fight ho
showed himself the bravest of the
brave, exposing himself to keep his
men in good heart. He was first
wounded in the hip, then in the
groin, then, as he was trying to fire
his revolver, in the right wrist, then
through the breast or bowels. He,
too, buried his watch, remarking
as he did bo. "They shan't get
this."
Our Indian Papulation.
The Indian Hureau estimates the
number of Indians in this country,
exclusive of the 70,000 in Alaska,
to be in all about 800,000. Of
these, 139,000 are self-supporting;
84,000 are taken care of in part by
the Government; 31,000 are pro
vided for entirely by the Govern
ment; 55,000 support themselves
by hunting, marauding, etc. As
to civilisation, 97,000 are civilized;
125,000 are semfoivilized and 78,
000 are entirely savage. As to
their location, 32,500 are in Minne
sota and States east of the Missis
sippi river; 70,660 are in Nebraska,
Kansas and Indian Territory; 65,
000 are in Dakota, Montona, Wy
oming and Idaho; 84,000 are in
Nevada, and Territories of Colo
rado, New Mexico, Utah and Ari
zona; 47,850 ate in California, Ore
gon and Washington Territory.
In the official report of Col,
Wheaton, of the haitle at the Mo
doc caves, fought April 21st, he
says that in all of his experience of
twenty-three years in the service,
the greater portion of which has
been employed on the frontier, he
never before encountered an enemy,
civilized or savage, who occupied a
position of such great natural
strength as the Modocs, and he
never saw troops engage a better
armed or more skilled foe. After
mentioning in terms of praise, the
gallant conduct of officers and men
of the regular troops, he speaks in
warm terms of the valuable services
rendered by Gen. Ross and his
Oregon volunteers, also those ren
dered by Capt. Pairchild's company
of volunteer sharp-shooters. He
likewise acknowledges the good
services rendered by Colonels Mil
ler, Thompson and Bellinger, and
Capt Iota Applegate, of Oregon.
A detachment of 160 soldiers left
New York on tht 4th in, for the
Modoc country.
FAIAE RUMORS.
The reporter of the Oregonirn
l ad a lengthy conversation with
Father Wi bur, Indian Aarent at
the ISimcoe Reservation, last Tues
day, in relation to prospective In
dian troubles in Fastern Oregon
and Washington Territory. Under
direction of the Department, Father
Wilbur visited White Bluffs, Priest
Rapid, or Big Bend of the Colom
bo, month of Palonse river, a point
on the Snake river all the points
whore Tndian difficulties were re
ported as threatened and found
in every instance the reports with
out, substantial foundation, and con
sequently totally unworthy of belief.
P ather Wilbur wssabeiit from Sim
coe eleven days, making these visits,
was accompanied by six Indians,
ii eluding the head chief of the
Yakimas and several sub-chiefs,
and rode 500 miles. It looks as if
mercenary men were at the bottom
of these rumors. They want con
tracts. A UOOO IDEA.
A telegram- from Washington
says that, the recent defeats suffered
by the soldiers in the lava beds,
has suggested to the War Office
the propreity of organizing, from
the crack shots of the frontier, a
detachment of riflemen, with which
to cope with the wiley savage.
The regular tr.iops will be used to
invest the strongholds, such "8 the
lava leds, flir instance, but the
actual fighting will be done by
these volunteer or special detach
ments of riflemen. The War Office
is, for once, on the right track, and
we hope will speedily carry out the
idea.
TEBRIBI.E ACCIDENT.
Last Sunday, at Dixon, Illinois,
while two hundred persons were
standing on an iron bridge that
spanned the waters of Rock river,
witnessing the ceremony of baptism
there being pei formed, the bridge
gave way, precipitating men, women
and children into the river. About
one half the number perished, either
killed by the fall, or were drowned
in the waters of Rock river.
The Jacksonville Sentinel of the
3d, says that Hon. A. B. Meacham
passed through that place on the
Wednesday before, en route for
home, accompanied by his wife.
He was so disfigured by the wounds
received from the Modocs as to be
scarcely recognized by his acquain
tances. ..i i. .
Col. Foster, of Indiana, is the
newly appointed Minister to Mex
ico. He has secured his instruc
tions and will probably leave for
the city of Mexico next month. He
has had several informal interviews
with the Mexican Minister, and in
formed himself relative to the pend
ing issues between the two govern
ments. It is to be hoped he may
be able to influence them to a suc
cessful adjustment.
James L. Orr, Ambassador from
the United States, died at St. Pe
tersburg, R uks: a, from inflammation
of the lungs. He had been ill from
a cold for some time, but his death
was wholly unexpected.
It is expected that four telegraph
cables will be working across the
Atlantic and five across the Gulf of
St Lawrence, before the first of
September.
ReT. Joel Parker died in New
York city, May 2d, aged 74 yean.
PROGRESS IS RUSSIA.
In spite of the manumission of
the Russian serfs in 1861, Ameri
can journals are astonished to read
in a Russian paper a statement to
the effect that no amendment has
taken place in the condition of the
people for the last thirty or forty
years. This writer says that these
people still live like savages, in
smoking huts, covered with dirty
sheepskins, and sleep indiscrimin
ately together with their domestic
animals. They scarcely ever bathe,
and their food is black bread, mixed
with all sorts of ingredients, cab
bage, soup, and milk. Suffering
from deprivation and disease has so
long preyed upon them, that they
have deteriorated in physical con
dition, and they are no longer the
vigorous giants of the "olden time,"
and the mortality among them is
represented as fearful. In the
northwestern provinces, the average
limit of life is between 22 and 27
years In the Volga basin it is
put at 20 years, and in other por
tions of Russia, only 15 years. The
pay of the laborer is so distressingly
low from seventeen to thirty cents
per day, except during harvest,
when it is double that that the
children are put to work just as
soon as they can earn anything, and
women, confined, are expected to
be in the field after three days.
Those causes are sufficient to weaken
the muscular power of the average
peasant, and render his mortality
extremely brief. Russia is making
an earnest effort, however, to im
prove the condition of her subjects.
The building of railroads has done
much, other improvements are being
made, but a great deal remains to
be done. It will take a long time
to improve a people, says an ex
change, who have nothing but
black bread and water to live upon,
and who are forced to toil sixteen
hours tor an average wage of fifty
cents. It will, indeed! but every
humane heart will wish the im
provement made as fast as possible.
. ..I -.--.I-
MOOD PAY.
The pay fixed upon for the Peace
Commissioners selected to manage
the Modoc difficulty, was twenty
dollars per day to each Commission
er. The killing of Dr. Thomas and
the wounding of Mr. Meacham,
will doubtless result in Congress
voting them pensions to the living
and to the heirs of the dead.
REPUBLICAN VICTORY.
The municipal election at Oregon
City on Monday resulted in a com
plete victory for the Republican
party, the entire Republican ticket
being elected. The total number
of votes cast, 1 87. The day passed
off very quietly.
CHIEF JUSTICESHIP.
It is broadly hinted that the Chief
Justiceship, made vacant by tlie death
of Salmon P. Chase, will be tendered
to Attorney General Geo. II. Williams.
Not only Oregon, but tlie whole nation
would approve the appointment.
SUPREME JUDUE.
Hon. L F. Mosher.of Roseburg,
has been appointed Judge of tlie
Supreme Court, by Governor Gro
ver, to fill the vacancy caused by
the death of Judge Thayer.
- 1
It is ascertained that the recall
of Minister De Long from Japan
was owing to his having repeatedly
made presents to the Mikado.
From Rome, May 6th, we an
irformed that the Pope m still con
fined to his bed.
EASTERN SEWS.
Fred. Heslg, shoemaker, suspected
one Ritter. In .hi employ, of improper
intimacy 'with his wife, mid in an
angry altercation f truck him In the
face. For this Ritter plunged a knife
into Hesslg, who deflmcked shortly
after.
John Bellinger objected to Jas.
Lang, his roont-'iinte, niarrving hi
si-ter ; ami on the night of the 4th
Inst., while Lang was in bed, Bel
linger shot and killed him.
Piesenhaldo. New York, on the 4th,
wn visited by a landslide which de
stroyed 44 houses and killed 38 per
sons. Oakes Ames was attacked by paral
ysis at 5 o'clock on tlie evening of the
5th Inst., at his residence in North
Kaston, and remained unconscious at
latest dates. His symptoms are dan
gerous in the extreme. Ames has not
intended to Im-iness since Tuesday
lat, but was at his office on Wednes
day, when he was advised to go home
for rest. His physicians have but lit
tle hope of his recovery. His system
has been weakened bv a kidney trou
ble of five year' existence. Ames is
09 years of age.
At the burning ot a house on the
4th, at Newport, N. H.. E. E. Rich
ardson and George Williams wee
killed by a falling chimney.
Joseph German was killed and eight
others injured, at Syracuse on the 5th,
by the explosion of a boiler in the
cement works of Euseubcrtzshall &
Co.
From Washington City we have
this, under date ot May 5th : A Cor
pus Christ! letter ot the 21 -t tilt, says
two hands of Mexican robbers, num
bering thirty each, are operating in
Ntieesses county, Texas, sackiugstores
and robbing travelers. The tanners
are compelled to leave work to pro
tect their homes. A rty of fifteen
citizens pursued one gang and discov
ered evidences that over two hundred
cattle had been stripied of their hides.
They caught up with the baud, and,
after a fight, captured seven horses
whose saddles were empty.
New York dates to the 6th say the
application for the slay of proceedings
in the case of Michael Nixon, the
murderer of Phyfer. has been denied.
Nixon will be executed on the 10th
unless the Governor interposes.
A vessel which arrived at Qneens
towu on the 6th, reported passing, in
luritiifln 9t'7' (w.rtli Iniifvitiirla 110
west, a large American ship mi lire
and apparently abandoned. Name
not ascertained.
The war in Louisiana still continues.
A Washington telegram of May 1st
says, ''Hon. James Brooks died last
night;" his remains will be taken to
New York on Saturday.
Mr. Meacham has reached his home
in Salem, and is rapidly recovering
troin his wounds.
The steamship Atlantic has been
blown up, and 14 more bodies recov
ered. A telegram from Pesth to Vienna
on the 7th, announces a terrible railroad
accident near that city, by which 21
persons were killed and 40 injured,
some fatallv.
FOBEIMN NEWS.
A dispatch from Orenburg to St.
Petersburg, Russia, Bays the column
marching from the former place to
Khura finds its progress difficult,
and makes only twenty versts a
day. On the 16th day of April,
the vanguard arrived at Tckusshiile,
and the main body was at Ivauazo-
ran
From Canada, under date of May
6th, a telegram says that the special
committee appointed by the House
of Commons to investigate the af
fairs of the Pacific Railroad have
resolved to postpone inquiry until
July next, and sit thereafter in
secret, This action is taken at the
request of the Government.
A letter from Montreal states
that a bitter war, increasing in vio
lence, is being waged between the
Liberal Catholics and Ultramon-J
tanes of Canada. The former are
under the lead ot the Archbishop ot
Quebec, and the latter under the
Jesuit Archbishop of Montreal. In
the last election the Quebec party
increased their delegation to Parlia
ment from 15 to 28, and the repre
sentatives ot the Montreal coalition
shrunk from 50 to 32. Tito Jesnit
party sought to subvert the author
Uy of the Archbishop of Quebec
and destroy hie influence, Doping
thereby to gain power. The Arch
bishop visited Rome and has re
turned, bearing a reprimand for the
result, which is likely still further
to intensify the conflict, and may
lead to the expulsion of the Jesuits
from Canada.
PACIFIC COAST HEWS).
The coinage at the Mint of San
Francisco for April was fl.332.00q.
There are 918 convicts In the peni
tentiary of California.
A live British Lord visited the Dalles
last week
A Prohibition Convention is called
to meet in Roseburg, June 19th.
I', ddleis are picking up some coin
in the cow counties.
The Canadian horse disease is re
ported as being at Roseburg.
Crops are reported as looking well
in Washington comity.
Agents claim tlint insurance compa
nies expended in Oregon last year
f 100,000 more than they' received.
Rev. Mr. Chalten l to preach to the
Slletz Indians hereafter. His profes
sional services were tormerly given to
tlie Siiucoe agency.
A buggy ride at Corvallis the otlier
day cost the two gents who took it f6
tor having the pieces of the vehicle
brought home.
The spire of Ihe new M. E. Church
South in Salem will be 99 feet high.
Gold was found in San Diego, Ari
zona, on tlie 1st, wlille digging a cel
lar. Within the bounds of the Oregon
Presbytery of the Cumberland Pres
byterian Church, there are ten or
dained ministers and three probations
for tlie ministry ; nine congregations
numbering 250 communicants.
Over five tons of freight, consisting
of guns, ammunition. ratiniis,blankets,
etc., have been forwarded by Quarter
master Gen. J. N. Barker to Jackson
ville, says the Pantayraph.
The Plnindealer savs that Gov. Gro
ver has authorized Gen. Ross to raise
a company of one hundred men to go
to the Like country to protect settlers.
Mr. Thomas Judkins, of Lane coun
ty, proposes to sell 722 acres of land,
under fence, at f5 per acre, and do
nate the proceeds to a department in
the State University tor the education
of cripples.
The quota of arms sent to the Judge
of Benton county was turned over to
the military company organized at the
Agricultural College.
It was rumored in Salt Lake on the
4th that Brighton Young would resign
tlie Presidency of the Church during
the session of the Conference.
The southern Utah Indians were
menacing on the 4th, and settlers were
alarmed.
At May field, Cab. Wm. Francis was
found dead in the water closet. He
died ot apoplexy.
The Steilacoom Exprem says a rich
ledge ot coal has been found In Pyal
lup Valley.
Indians in theCoWille region have
stuck up stakes hi different parts of
the country with the name of Geary
attached, and say the whites must
either pay for the laud or leave. The
Indian Agent says there is no danger,
but the settlers are alarmed.
At Oregon City a man named J. D.
Robins was found dead in his bed on
the 5th hist., about five miles west of
the place. He is supposed to have
been murdered for his money. He
was a bachelor, and resided alone.
Geu. Davis was at the Lava Bed,
May 6th, inspecting tlie country and
informing himself of the situation
generally.
Douglas county volunteers were ex
pected to start for the Lava Bed last
Sunday. -c
In Powder River Valley, Baker
county, snow fell enough on the 28th
of April to whiten the ground.
The Baker City Detwicrat says that
the foundations for two or three stone
buildings are being laid in the city,
and ten or twelve stone masons can
get employment there.
Mrs. Fair has sued the lessees ot
Piatt's Hall. San Francisco, to recover
f299 damages, for closing the hall
against herlast November, when she
wanted to speak on Wolves in the
Fold.
Portland has sixty-eight notaries
public.
Mr. Meacham arrived at his home
in Salem last Saturday. The Statt
man says he Is rapidly recovering his
wonted health.
The Nuuemmn says a small boy, son
of George Williams, colored, was
drowned in the Willamette, opposite
Salem, last Tuesday evening.
Portland has the only umbrella fac
tory in the State.
Portland has some 64 music teach
ers; and more are needed.
The light-house to bo built below
Point Adams will be from one mile to
one mile and a-half outside tlie point.
It will be of the second or third order
of Fresuel, and the entire edifice, with
a steam fog whistle, will cost $30,000.
On the 8) lets reservation Mr. W.
Bay ley Is Superintendent of Farming;
Win. Braselton, farmer, Lower Farm;
L. Shocren, Farmer, Upper Farm: F.
M. Rice, Blacksmith; John L. Kline,
Carpenter; L. W. Fdton, Coramta-
sarv: Dr. Whitney. Physician : Mr.
Peterson, Assistant Carpenter, and
Assistants Howard and Batteese, farmers.