The Corvallis gazette., May 07, 1897, Image 1

VOL. XXXIV.
CORVALLIS, BENTON COUNTY, OREGON, FRIDAY, MAY - 7, 1897.
NO. 8.
Epitome of the Telegraphic
News' of the World.
TERSE TICKS FROM THE WIRES
An Interesting Collection of Items From
the New and the Old World In a
Condensed and Comprehensive Form.
Forest fires are said to be starting up
again around Ashland, Wis.
The Santa Fe purchased the Atlan
tic & Pacific railroad at a foreclosure
sale for $12,000,000.
The Transvaal will observe the
queen's jubilee day as a holiday as a
token of appreciation.
A big fire in Pittsburg, Pa., de
stroyed $3,000,000 worth of property,
and resulted in one death and the in
jury of four persons.
The banking-house of J. B. Wheeler
& Co., in Manitou and Aspen, Colo.,
have gone into the hands of assignees.
jmo reason is given Dy ine directors.
W. D. Case, of Pittsburg, Columbia
county, and J. W. Duncan, of Uma
tilla, Umatilla county, Oregon, have
been appointed fourth-class postmasters.
A Washington special says that it
has been definitely decided that Nation
al Committeeman J. E. Boyd, of North
Carolina, will be appointed solicitor of
internal revenue.
Colonel John Hay, the newly ap
pointed United States ambassador to
. England, was received with unusual
distinction while presenting his cre
dentials to the queen at Windsor castle.
It has been found that Victor Koski
was the man drowned off the coast a
few days ago with John Rock, while
fishing near Astoria. Koski was a resi
dent of West Astoria, SO. years of age
and unmarried." '
Johanna Spath, widow of Jacob Spath,
is suing Katz & Sons, sausage manufac
turers, of San Francisco, "for $100,000
damages. Her husband was killed in
the defendant's factory and the widow
charges the firm with being responsible
on account of negligence. - . .
President McKinley has sent to con
gress a message concerning the lynch
ing of three Italians at Hahnville, Va.,
August 9, 1896. He recommends an
appropriation of $40,000 lor the heirs
of the persons without admitting the
liability of the United States in the
premises.
In the German reichstag Count von
Kanitz, the agrarian leader, interpellate
ed the government on- the subject of
the proposed United States tariff. He
asked if the government wished to con
tinue the agreement of 1891, and said
the Dingley bill implied less the in
crease of American customs revenue
than the successful expulsion of .Euro
pean imports from American markets.
A duel was fought at the. entrance to
Washington Park, Chicago, which
might have resulted fatally for one of
the principals, had not the seconds load
ed the revolvers used with blank car
tridges. The principals were W. L.
King, son of a noted lawyer who died
some time ago, and Colonel Jeremiah
Busk, a veteran of the' Confederate
army, who had fought on board the
IVfol-rimar? A j i n f a Via1 haon ay.
changed the duelists' honor had been
satisfied, and they shook hands.
Four lives were lost in a tenement
house fire in Brooklyn, N.. Y.
Fire consumed the elevator and other
property of the Iowa Elevator Company
at Peoria, 111. ; loss, $200,000.
Trainwreckers threw a switch and
wrecked a train on the Houston & Tex
as Central and killed one man and in
jured several. . -
The schooner Annie was crushed in
an ice floe off St Johns, N. B. The
crew of twenty-five men barely escaped
with their lives. . ..
N. Burris, Son & Co., of Norfolk,
Va., one of the most prominent and
widely known banking firms in the
South, has failed.
The insurgents against Spanish rule
in the Philippine islands are still 25,
000 strong and offering stout resistence
in the mountains. '
The Hansard union of printers and
publishers in London, which collapsed
in 1891, has paid a quarter of a million
sterling of its indebtedness.
The mineowners of Leadville, Col.,
met and subscribed $50,000 toward
draining the mines, and it is estimated
that opening the mines will put 750
men to work.
The French fishing vessel Valiant,
Captain Pierre, from St. Malo for Mi
quelon, struck an iceberg on the Grand
banks, near St John's, N. F., on the
18th inst, and almost immediately
foundered. She had seventy-three
fishermen on board, and all took to the
boats. Only one of these boats has so
far been heard from. 'When it left the
vessel, its complement was ten men.
Three perished from exposure and hun
ger. The bodies of the first two were
their desperation, were driven to can
nibalism, and ate the third. The boat
was picked up bv a schooner. The sur
vivors are in a shocking condition, and"
are so badly frostbitten that their arms
must be amputated.
The fourth annual, meeting of the
Pacific Coast Women's Congress has
opened in San Francisco.
John Forepaugh and two prominent
Spaniards were killed in a . railroad ac
cident near Tampa, Fla. A careless
motorman left his post, and the trolley
car was run down by a fast mail train.
Supervisor Kakestraw is preparing
for the national educational institute
to be held in Portland, Or., in August,
at which it is expected all the Indian
schools and agencies in the west will be
represented.
At Newport News, Va., fire broke
out in the Chesapeake & Ohio railroad
pier. Before the flames were checked,
damage to the extci.t of $2,000,000 had
been done. Two of the company's
piers were destroyed, and eight persons
injured, some seriously. ' The flames
were discovered in pier No. 5, and
spread with such rapidity that it was
impossible to make any headway against
them. A fierce wind fanned the flames
and swept them across the docks to pier
No. 6, . which was rapidly consumed.
Two ships, a steamer and a tug moored
near the piers were burned to the wa
fer's edge.
ON THE AGGRESSIVE.
Insurgent Operations in Havana Prov.
- ince Attended With Success. .
New York, May 5. A special to th
-Press from Key West says: Havana
advices show that the insurgents are
active in that province. Tapasta was
attacked last week by a force of 400
insurgents, and held for an entire day.
The Spanish garrison in one of the
blockhouses retired completely, while
the other held their ground and did not
fire at the 'insuregnts or disturb them
in any way. . The Cubans took posses
sion of the vacated blockhouse, looting
it of all the arms and provisions they
could find, and then set it on fire.
The other blockhouse, with a gar
rison of 300 troops in and around it,
kept quiet, no offensive operations be
ing attempted by the Spanish in com
mand. The Cubans camped within
half a mile. of the Spanish force, and
plundered the stores of the town with
out opposition.
La Heiba was attacked by a force
from Rodriguez' 'army, the first of the
week, and the Spanish garrison driven
out. There is a small earth fort there
and two blockhouses. They attacked
the earthworks early in the morning,
and carried them by a dashing charge,
the Spanish retreating into their block
houses at the other end of town. One
of these was attacked by the Cubans,
and three bombs exploded under its
walls, shattering it badly and killing
several inmates. The Spanish surren
dered, and were paroled by the Cu
bans. ' Some firing took place between
the insurgents aud the other two block
houses, but no attack was made on
them, the Cubans apparently being con
tent with tne victories they had gained.
They entered the stores, took what they
pleased, and loaded their plunder in ox
teams in plain view of the Spanish.
The Spanish loss is said to have been
about seventy-five killed and wounded.
"Word reached the palace yesterday
that a garrison of 200 men at a small
place in the southwestern portion of
the pr6vince deserted to the insurgents
last week, carrying all their arms and
ammunition and a field piece.
The insurgent captains, Rafael Men
doza Sicarros, and Ricardo Haldez,who
voluntarily surrendered a fortnight ago
in Pinar del Rio and were liberated un
der Captain-General Weyler's amnesty
decree, have been arrested. They are
to "be deported in irons to Ceuta for
confinement
Advices from Sanctf Spiritus report
that the Spanish volunteers in the gar
rison there are becoming mutinous, -owing
to the government's failure to pror
vide adequate commissary supplies.
From thirty . to forty are deserting
daily. "
Tr. Zertucha in Trouble. -
New York, May 5. A dispatch to
the Journal, from Havana says: "Dr.
Maximo Zertucha, - Antonio Maceo's
physician, who is alleged to have be
trayed the Cuban general to the Span
iards, was arrested at his home near
Guines . yesterday and brought to Ha
vana under close guard. It is under
stood at the palace that Weyler has or
dered his deportation to Chafarinas
island, a Spanish penal settlement off
the African coast"
A FORTUNE FOR A TRAMP.
Jacob Loesing Is in Luck if He Can
Be round. . . . j
New York, May 5.- This story has
to do with one Jacob Loesing, a tramp
who ran away from his home, in Havre,
France, when a little boy of 16, and
who has just been ft $38,000 by a
rich uncle who died.. The man was
taken to a lawyer's office nine months
ago to be examined as a witness in an
assault case. In the course of an ex
amination these facts were brought out:
The man -was Jacob Loesing; he was
born in Havre; his uncle, who con
ducted a large flour business at Havre,
took charge of him and sent him to a
boarding shcool. When the boy was
16 years old he ran away, went to Paris,
mastered the English language, earned
a little money, made his way to Liver
dool and came to this country on a cat
tle steamer. Finding it was necessary
to work, even in America, the runaway
went West and obtained a position as
porter in a hotel in Iowa.' He drifted
to San Francisco. There, sad to re
late, the wanderer was compelled to
serve eighteen months in San Quen
tin, accused of having broken into a
laundry. When liberated he came to
New York.
All this Jacob told the lawyer. The
latter did not place much confidence
in the man's story, but after giving it
careful consideration,' he decided that
there might be some truth in it, so he
wrote to a counsellor at Havre and re
ceived the reply that Jacob's uncle had
died several months ago, leaving an es
tate valued at $38,000. It was only
ifor Loesing to -go there and prove his
identity. Money needed for expenses
would be advanced. But Loesing can
not be found. " . .
Drowned in Salmon Bay.
Seattle, May 5. B. H. Waller, cook
of the schooner Compeer, loading lum
ber at Ballard for Central America,
drowned in Salmon bay this afternoon.
He had quit, intending to goto Alaska,
and a new cook had been engaged for
the schooner. They started in a small
skiff for the ship, the skiff capsized
and Waller drowned. The new cook
saved his life by clinging to the over
turned boat. "
Fire at Lot Angeles. .
Los Angeles, May 5. Fire- an
early hour this morning destroyed $20,
000 worth of residence property on San
Julian street this city. The fire began
in the livery stable of John Goodman.
This was totally destroyed, and a row
of three houses owned by Dr. John P.
Whistler was consumed with their con
tents. Six horses and four valuable
hacks were burned in the stable.
As comets near the sun their velocity
always increases.
New Quick-Flrlng Guns.
New Yorbk, May 5. A Journal dis
patch from . Berlin says: When the
minister of war a few months ago de
manded an appropriation of several
millions of marks for new quick-firing
guns, giving as a reason that France
was armed in a similar manner," the
question was debated in the press
whether, jn view of the large defi
ciency, the. amount asked for could be
granted, fow it becomes apparent
that a short time ago several regiments
of field artillery were provided secretly
with the new quick-firing guns.
IflSWlPHARW
Edhem Pasha ; Begins the
. Expected Attack-
THE FIGHTING AT VELESTINO
Greeks Successfully Repelled the
Turks With Great Loss to the
Invaders The News From Eplrus.
London, May 4. A dispatch from
Athens says: The reports of the Turk
ish assaults on Pharsala are officially
confirmed.
The Fighting at Velestino.
Athens, May 4. Dispatches from
Pharsala, the headquarters of the Greek
army in Thessaly, give further particu
lars of the recent fighting between
Turks and Greeks at Velestino, ten
miles west of Volo, at the junction of
the railroad connecting Volo with Lar
issa and Pharsala. The Turkish at
tacking force consisted of 8,000 infan
try, 600. cavalry and thirteen guns.
The charges of the Turkish gun cavalry
were firmly withstood by Evzones post
ed on Karnavassa hill. An entire
Turkish regiment was decimated. Four
Turkish squadrons which attempted a
charge were received with a combined
rifle .and sharpnel fire which mowed
.down several hundred. The Greek
irregulars co-operated with the regu
lars. Fifty Greeks were killed, and a
major and five subalterns wounded. -
A detachment of Turkish cavalry
from Larissa approached the railway
between Pharsala and Domokos, which
town is about ten miles south of Phar
sala, in the Greek rear. .The Greek,
artillery opened fire upon the enemy's
cavalry at long range, and 'after heavy
cannonading foroed the Turks to retire,
the Greek cavalry pursuing them.' ,r
The Turkish commander apparently
wished to surprise the Greeks at Phar
sala and sent two army corps against
them, one from Trikhala, the' other
from Larissa. - -
Greek Positions Taken.
Constantinople, May 4. Edhem
Pasha has sent a telegram' ' announcing
that after a serious fight at Velestino
the Turks had captured three forts and
four entrenched positions, the Greeks
retiring to Volo.
Greeks Again Attacking Fentepigadia.
Athens, May 4. A dispatch from
Arta says that 10,000 Greeks, under
Colonel Bairastaris, are. again attack
ing Pentepigadia. -".; :-Vr""
The German cruiser- Augusta Vic
toria has arrived at Phalerum. .
Official Turkish Advices."
. Constantinople, May 4. Rifzi Pa
sha, commander of the Turks at Jan
ina, yesterday .telegraphed- a - report to
the effect that the troops had occupied,
after a fight, the heights confmanding
Karavan-SeraL The Greeks fled, ac
cording to the official Turkish accounts,
by way of Kunuzades. .
Retreated to Arta. " -
London, May 4. A special dispatch
from Athens announces that the Greek
army has retreated in thorough order
to Arta, where it is awaiting reinforce
ments. .
Turks Besieging Arta. '
Athens, May 4. The Turks are pre
paring to beseige Arta.
In Panic-stricken Yolo. '
New York, May 4. A Herald dis
patch from Salonica says: An English
man who arrived here last night from
Volo, where he had been four days,
says that the scenes of panic and con
fusion are indescribable. Law and orr
der have disappeared and all semblance
of authority is gone. The whole beach
is strewn with baggage, and people are
clamoring and Waiting for ships that
do not come. Rifles are being promis
cuously served and cartridges are
thrown in heaps in the streets and the
people fill their pockets with them.
The Englishman saw the Greeks,',
flight at Velestino. Fugitives rushing
in without money or provisions inter
mingled with the soldiers who had
thrown their arms away so as not to
impede their fight. He also saw the
captain of an American ship who' left
jimens on me zotn. tie saia tne peo
ple were terribly bitter against the roy
al family and would kill any of its
members if -they could get at them.
They accused Prince Constantino of
having betrayed the army and of being
in collusion with the Russians. '
The latest he heard was that the king
had taken refuge on a Russian-warship.
The streets were full of armed people.
The shops were being plundered.
Moustapha Bey's Advices.
Washington, May 4. The Turkish
legation received this from Constanti
nople: Edhem Pasha telegraphs . that,
after a fight which took place at one
hour's distance from Velestino, our
troops took possession of three fort
resses and three intrenchments. Hefzi
Pasha, commander-in-chief of the Ot
toman forces in Epirus, also announces
that the Hellenes who were .located at
Karavan-Seai, not being able to resist
the attack of our troops, were com
pelled to abandon the town, and that
the troops commanding the pass of
Comdjadis also have been taken by our
troops. ;; L '
Reserves Called Out. " -
- London, May 4. An Observer dis
patch from Athens says that Saturday
night five classes" of the reserves and
two classes of the territorials were
making hurried arrangements to leave
"for the front.
London, May 4. A dispatch from
Athens says M. Ralli, the new Greek
prime minister, has announced his in
tention of calling to arms every able
bodied man in Greece.
Volunteers From New York.
New York, May 4. About 600
Greeks sailed on' the La Gascogne.
They were accompanied by friends,
who cheered them as they went aboard.
Coinage In April.
"Washingotn, May 4. The report of
the director of the mint shows that
during April the total coinage at the
United States mints was $10,410,680.
Of this amount, $8,800,400 was in
gold, $1,535,000 in silver, and $74,
680 in minor coins. Of the silver
coinage $1,400,000 was in standard dollar.
THE DAY IN . THE SENATE.
Several Important Questions Came Up
. for Consideration.
Washington, May 5. After a recess
covering practically ten days, the senate
met today with a large accumulation
of routine business and several import
ant questions, including the Morgan
Cuban resolution, awaiting attention.
The attendance was unusually large.
Among the bills introduced was one by
Chandler of New Hampshire, for the
issue of certificates of indebtedness up
-r Rft AAA AAA v.ia4 ilnfiniamfiiaa - nf
revenue. It was" referred to the finance j
committee. . . . "
A. resolution by Pettus of Alabama,
was agreed to . asking the secretary of
the, -treasury for information as to the)
amounts paid as drawbacks during' the
last ten years. 'iVf.;
. Vest's resolution, directing the com
mittee oh commerce to investigate any,
report on the causes of the Mississippi
floods was favorably reported from the'
committee on contingent expenses. ".'5
The Cuban resolution was called jip
by Morgan, who asked for a vote:
Hale of Maine, just returned after an
extended absence, desired time to pre
pare his remarks. He assured Morgan;
there was no purpose to delay the resoi
lution for the mere sake of delay. Af !
ter proper debate, he said it would be
voted on, as he was as anxious as any
one to have the resolution disposed of.
Morgan endeavored to have a day fixed
for a vote, but there were objections. :
In the House.
Washington, May 5. In the house
today Joseph B. Srjowalter, recently
elected to represent the Twenty-fifth
Pennsylvania district,, to fill "the place
of J. J. Davidson, deceased, took the
oath of office, - , v
Bailey of Texas presented a resolu-'
tion that the Nelson bankruptcy bilt,
recently passed by the senate, be taken
up by the honse on Monday, May 10,
and considered until disposed of. . He
asked unanimous consent for immediate
consideration of the resolution.
Brewster, Republican, of New York,
objected. Simpson of Kansas rose "to
a.question of personal privileges, and
sent to the clerk's desk to be read an
extract from the..New York Mail and
.Express accusing him of being an ob
structionist and predicting that he
would be pulverized under the speaker's
triphammer. : -
? A NEW COALING STATION.
The United States Hay Yet Establish
One at Santo Domingo. ; ' -
New York, May 5. A Herald spe
cial from. Wahsington says: General
Grant's project for the establishment
of a naval coaling station in Sam an a
bay, Santo Domingo, may yet "be real
ized. According to Mr. Henry Smytbe,
minister to Hayti, and. charge d'affairs
to Santo Domingo, under the Cleveland
administration, the" Domingo- " govern
ment -is ready to" cede8Ucbra -station to
the United States without asking the
payment of a dollar. a
Mr. Smythe has not submitted an
official report on this subject to the
state department for the reason that his
resignation was accepted before he had
time to prepare it, though he had
called on Secretary Sherman, to whom
he made an oral report.
In a letter recently written by Mr
Smytbe to a former friend in Washing
ton, he says that he discussed with the
Dominican foreign office a treaty which
embraced the following heads and di
visions: Commerce, navigation, extra
dition .and reciprocity of .interests and
concessions. - . - " "
- Under this latter division he obtained
the concession of a coaling station for
the use of the American navy during
the continuance of the treaty on the
sole condition that "coaling facilities"
be allowed the Dominican navy in
American ports. The coaling station
was to be located at any point in the
bay of Samana, or in either of two fine
harbors east of Santo Domingo or the
Caribbean sea. ." -
- STRANDED IN JUNEAU.
Two Hundred Men There' Are Unable
to Get Away.
Port Townsend, Wash., May 5. Tho
steamer Al-Ki returned this evening
from an uneventful trip to Alaska,
bringing but four passengers and very
little freight. A large number . of
stranded people are at Juneau. They
went north Without supplies, expecting
to beg food fr6m others while en route
to the Yukon. They were given to un
derstand they would starve if . they
started on the trip, so they remained at
Juneau. The recent raise in fare from
$15 to $32 from Juneau to Sound points
preclude their leaving Juneau, and the
result is that there are upward of 200
men there, without money or the means
of getting either to the mines or back
to the Sound.
No court will be held in Alaska for
several months to come. A Juneau
paper says that there are so few cases
for jury trial upon the .district court
calendar for the May term that the cir
cumstanoes will not 'warrant- the great
expense which the summoning of a jury
would entail upon the government. .
Washington Supreme Court.'
Olympia, Wash., May 5. The su
preme court has granted a petition for
a rehearing in the case of the State vs.
McCann, from King county, and in the
City of Tacoma vs. Tacoma Light &
Water Company. " S
' The Durrant Case. ,
I San Francisco," May 5 The "attor
neys for Theodore Durrant today filed
copies of a bill of exceptions on the ap
peal to the supreme court of the United
States. The exceptions are to proceed
ings in court April 10, when a motion
for a continuance was denied and when
Durrant was sentenced to be banged at
San Quentin prison June 11. ;
The London markets have been flood
ed with pearls since the outbreak of the
plague at Bombay.
,S. V Xhe Yallant Survivors. '' -
St Johns, N. F., May 5. Last night
surgeons performed amputations upon
the four Valiant " survivors brought
in yesterday. Two will lose their
hands and the lower portion of their
legs, but are likely to recover. The
other two underwent smilar operations,
and are better off. The remaining four
are still very weak. ' None of them can
be said to be out of danger. .The story
told by the party last , rescued, that dog
food was all they had to eat, is discred
ited here by many. ' It is' feared and
believed that they also were compelled
to resort to human flesh. ,
Insurgents Won the Battle
of Purgatory Hills.
SPANISH LOSS WAS HEAVY
They Were Drawn Into . Ambuscade,
"" Where a Withering Fire Was
V - Poured Upon Them From All Sides.
New York, May 3. A Herald dis
patch from Havana says:
; The engagement which the Spanish
had with General Roderignez in the
Purgatory hills, and wjjfebwas report
ed as a decisive Spanish victory, turns
out" to have been the reverse.
- The Spanish columns encountered
the insurgents, and attacked sharply,
relying on their . superior forces. The
rebels retreated toward their.camp, and
succeeded in playing their old trick of
drawing the Spanish into an ambus-.
cade. General Castillo arrived with
reinforcements while Roderiguez was.
engaging the Spanish and fell on their
flank. The fighting lasted five hours,
and in killed, wounded and. prisoners,
the Spanish lost 280 men.
- - News comes from Santiago de Cuba
that 200 volunteers headed by a priest
and a prominent physician have joined
the insurgents because they were dis
satisfiecLwith the conduct of the Span
ish authorities, nd believed that Gar
cia would succeed in retaining his su
premacy in the eastern province.
:, The situation at Banes continues to
command attention. Four cruisers and
several gunboats have been . ordered
there to land a force to march on "the
port in the direction of Holquin.' The
rebel force in and near Banes is esti
mated at 3,000. ..... .-.
General Weyler came quietly back
to Havana yesterday morning after a
Bix week's trip to Santa Clara, during
Which, if he accomplished anything
from a military standpoint, the fact has
been most effectually concealed. It is
now reported that he is going to Spain
soon, but the report is probably due to
the fact that his son sailed April 30.
,' It was reported last night that an in
surgent chief of importance had been
sent to Pinar del Rio. He is believed
to have been Quintin Bandera," but the
statement lacks confirmation. -;
From Idatanzas and other towns in
Havana, Santa Clara and Pinar del Rio
comes the news that starvation and dis
ease are on the increase.
A Cuban Officer Captured.
" New York, May 3. A World dis
patch from Havana says: " - -Advices
from Sagua la Grande say
that Rafael Fernandez, adjutant on the
staff of the insurgent General Roban,
has been captured. He is an American.
It- is oc jced A "themilitery prhsOM
at Sagua. His case is receiving atten
tion at the hands of Consul Barker.
Cuban Reforms to Be Applied.
Madrid, May 8. The queen regent,'
at the cabinet meeting today, signed a
decree providing forthe application . of
the agreed-upon reforms . for Cuba.
The action was due to the receipt of a
cable message from Captain-General
Weyler announcing the western part of
the island was pacified.
AMERICUS CLUB'S BANQUET.
Decorations Were - Burned; but the
Speeches Were Made.
Pittsburg," May 3.- The eleventh an
nual banquet of the Americus Club, in
memory of- General Grant, was held
tonight, in spite of the fire in the ban
quet hall which destroyed the- decora
tions and threatened for a time to put
a stop to the ceremonies. - The club
had made great preparations for the
event, and the decorators had been at
work for several days and had adorned
the ceiling with four rows of inverted
pyramids, constructed of red;white"and
blue bunting. The pyramids, several
hundred in number, entirely covered
the ceiling, and the points of them ex
tended to within about eight feet of the
floor.. An electric light WS suspended
from the top of each, and a bunch .of
smilax festooned from point to . point.
The effect was very beautiful. The
windows were artistically draped, and
in the center of . the north wall was a
lifesize portrait, of the hero of Appo
mattox. -'
The club management wished to se
cure a photograph of the decorated hall,
and in the attempt to secure a flash
light picture an "explosion ' occurred
which was followed by flames which
practically destroyed the entire decora
tion of the hall. . Men were at once put
to work to remove the debris, and the
banquet was delayed only an hour, the
dismantled condition of the room prov
ing but a slight detraction from the
evening s enjoyment. ' '"'.i
There were 324 diners seated at the
table, with. U. S. .Trent as toastmaster.
. - Fatal Sawmill Explosion.
" Pittsburg, May 8. A . boiler explo
sion, at Alderman's, sawmill in the
Kanawah valley, W.; Va., last ' night,
killed two men and seriously injured
five.1 The killed are:" Perry Devers
and George Conley- The injured are;
W. Hickman, Thomas Hickman, Will
iam Balton, William Alderman, John
McCauley. The - three former will
probably die. .- .-The mill was badly
wrecked, and the loss will be heavy.
Petition for s Duty on Hides.
Coulee City, Wash., May 3. The
Stockraisers' Association .. of the Big
Bend has sent a petition to Washington
asking that congress plaoe a duty on
hides. Eastern . Washington' cattle
men want the Dingley bill amended.
- Dr. Traell Green Dead." .
- Easton, Pa., May 8. Dr. Traell
Green, an eminent physician and fa
mous scientist, died today at his home
in this city. He was 84 years old.
- Authorities Will Investigate.
Washington, April 29. The treas
ury department has unofficial advices
from Portland - that the steamer Vic
toria has arrived at Tacoma with over
100 Chinese on board, who are said to
hold forged certificates. The collector
at Taooma has been instuoted to make
thorough investigation, and to hold
the Chinese, . pending further instruc
tions. . .: - . - ' '
The most extensive cemetery in the
reild is that at Rome, in which over
1,000,000 human beings have been in-
RAILWAYS. ..IN t MEXICO.
English Contractors Preparing to Build
-.- Several Lines.
City of Mexico, May 4. An import
ant ' company haiv been incorporated
here, with a capital of $1,000,000, the
larger part of the shares being taken
by Pearson & Son, the English contrac
tors having in hand the drainage of the
Valley of Mexico and the port works at
Vera Cruz, with a few Mexican share
holders. The new . company will be
known as the Mexican Land, Naviga
tion & Railway Company. The first ob
ject of the company is to build a rail
way from some suitable point on the
National Tehuantepec road to a desira
ble point in the state of Vera Cruz.
The government gives a subsidy of over
8,000 acres of public lands per kilo
meter of railway constructed. , On some
400,000 acres of land thus acquired
the company will settle European and
other colonists. Among other plans of
the company is to acquire railways in
the southern part of Vera Cruz, and
also the railroad line has already been
located, and construction will begin in
two months.
THE LEVEES ARE HOLDING.
Worst Is Apparently Over North of
the Red River.
New Orleans, May 4. Dispatches
from all points along the river today
show that the levees are holding. . A
fall of one-tenth at Providence strength
ens the belief of engineers that the
worst is over from the mouth of Red
river to the Arkansas line. The danger
points now are from Red river landing
southward. ' At Plaquemine today the
river rose four-tenths, and the levee
workers in that vicinity are having a
hard time keeping the line in a condi
tion of safety. The gauge here shows
19.30 tonight.
Major Richardson, chief of the state
engineers, came to the city at the gov
ernor's order to act as advisory engi
neer on the local work, ' and declared
the ' defense well constructed. Here
and elsewhere the day was devoted to
hard work, and no mishaps have occur
red. Thi-re is considerable alarm about
Davis levee, but extensive reinforce
ments will be begun there tomorrow.
The High Water at St. Louis.
St. Louis, May 4. The continued
high water has excited a great interest,
as was evinced by the enormous crowds
that flocked to the river front today.
The river continues to rise, marking
30.95 at 4 P. M. At a number of
places along the levee the railroad
tracks were under water. The termi
nal association, whose tracks are partly
under water, expresses no uneasiness.
One of the officials stated it would take
five feet of water before all their river
tracks had been submerged, and "that
they had engines which would work in
three feet of water, therefore it would
take a rise of eight feet beyond the
present stgebef ore the company would
be incovenienced. " v
., . Situation at Natches.
'", Natchez, Miss., May 4. With the
exception of a half-tenth rise during
the last twenty-four hours, the river
situation remains' unchanged. ' The
weather having cleared, the situation
tonight seems more' hopeful. While
the levees are in fair shape, they have
many streams of water running through
them, necessitating a large ditch to be
dug to carry off the water at Vidalia.
They are being worked on by a large
foroe-and. closely guarded. In many
places the river is within less than a
foot of the top, and the current is very
swift. '
Circulation of Currency.
. Washington, May 4. The monthly
statement of the controller of the cur
rency shows that on April 30 the total
circulation of national bank notes was
$232,802,244,' a gain for the year of
$8,700,899, and a loss for the month of
$906,650. ;
. The circulation based on United
States bonds was $208,768,649, a gain
for the year of $6,866,410, and a loss
for the month of $999,163.
? The circulation secured by lawful
money was $24,033,695, an increase
for the year of $3,335,589, an increase
for the month of $92,503.
The amount of United States regis
tered bonds on deposit to secure circu
lating notes was $232,749,300, and to
secure public depostis, $16,313,000.
' Gunboats Ordered Into Commission
Washington, May 4. The first result
of the laying-up of the big cruiser Co
lumbia is manifested in the prepara
tion of orders by the navy department
for the commisson of two new gunboats,
Helena and Annapolis. The Helena
will go into active service for the first
time on June I, and. the- Annapolis a
week later, on the 7th. These boats
will be" kept? on the North Atlantic sta
tion for about three months, when, be
ing thoroughly shaken down, they will
be sent to one of the foreign stations,
probably China, to relieve some of the
larger cruisers now in need of over
haul ing-1
. Alaska Mail Service.
Washington, May 4. The first regu
lar mail service authorized for an en
tire year in Alaska has been contracted
for. by the postoffice department, the
service being from Juneau to Circle
City, 900 miles- each way. The con
tract calls for one round trip a. month,
beginning July 1, 1897. William F.
Sailer, of this city, fs the contractor,
the contract prioe being $6,999. ; '
' Battle-Ship Oregon's Injuries.
Washington, May 4. The full report
of Naval Constructor Capps and Cap-
! tain Barker, upon the condition of the
Oregon, after her mishap at Bremer
ton, on Puget sound, has been received
at the navy department. As indicated
by the telegraphic report, the injuries
were not of a nature to disable the
ship, and although there is a long list
1 of bent frames and plates, caused bv
contact with sunken piles, there was
no leakage and no necessity to repair
the bents. -Found
in an Open Boat.
Vancouver, B. C, May 8. On Tues
day - night, . a boat was seen tossing
about on Boundary bay, near Point
Roberts, but no one appeared to be in
it. Yesterday, some fishermen put out
to it and discovered, lying at the bot
tom, perfectly nude, a man in an un
conscious condition. In the boat was a
suit of clothes, but they were far too
small for the man. i The man - was a"
mass of bruises, and, though he has
since regained consciousness, he" has
lost his reason,' and to no particulars
can be ' learned regarding the strange
affair.
GOLD, SILVER, TARIFF
rHRE,E LEADING TOPICS UNDER
DISCUSSION.
Republican Senators Making Good Prog
ress With Their Duties on the Vari
ous Committees Dissensions In Dem
Y ocratlc and Populist Banks.
E. F. Parsons, Special Correspondent. '
Washington, B. C Our gold con
tinues to increase. This is true both
as to the products of the mines and the
receipts in this country from other parts
of the world. Advices from the gold J
mining regions of the United States just
received here show an enprnious; in
crease, the return at the Lienver branon
mint alone showing a gain of nearly
100 per cent for the first quarter of the
year over the return for. the same
months of. last year. Add to this the
fact that gold has been flowing into
this country during the part of the year
in which we are accustomed to send
gold out, and it shows that the stock of
gold in the United States is now phe
nominally large and seems likely to
continue to increase indefinitely.
Popocratic Alarm and Its Cause.
The pojiocrats are scared. There is '
a rebellion in tne uemocratic party
against further continuance of the al
liance between silver Democrats and
Populists and members of both these .
organizations are wild with alarm.
Mr. Bryan's organ, the Omaha World
Herald is frantically appealing to the
old members of the political job lot
whioh failed in business last November
to still, hang together. It says: 4,It
would be worse than folly at this time
for the Populists to refuse to fuse with
the Democrats and silver Republicans,"
and adds that a continued combination
of their forces "means a solid phalanx
of silver forces in all campaigns from
now till 1900.
While things are moving on smoothly
with the Republicans here, there is
trouble among the Democrats. The
breach between the Bailey and the
Bryan faction in the house has been
widenend, and the Populist allies of
that party have been given the cold
shoulder. The sockless Simpson, find
ing himself fast losing the notoriety
whioh his ecoentricities have awarded
him, developed a new freak and at
tacked Speaker Reed because of his fail
ure to appoint committees when com
mittees were not needed. The Bryan
wing of the Democracy being so accus
tomed to co-operating with the Popu
lists, wanted to support Jerry, but the
Bailey wing opposed it. . Mr. Bailey,
who last fall opposed the consolidation
of the Populist and Democratic party
in the campaign, retains the same views
today -and put them into practical
operation. - As the leader of the Demo
cratic side of the house, he - called a
-caucus at once and, by a vote of . two to
one, adopted a resolution " declining
co-operation with Simpson and his fol
lowers, thus again defeating the Bryan
ites in their attempt to control the
Democracy in the house.
' What the Week Has Accomplished.
Tariff and bimetallism, those two
great issues of the campaign, have been
prominently at the front during the
present week in Washington. And
those people who doubted or professed
to doubt the sincerity of the professions
of the Republican party on either of
these subjects have found that they
were mistaken. :
A thoroughly protective tariff, one
which looks after the interests of the
farmer and the working man; that is
what the new Dingley act is to be when
it gets upon the statute books, what it
is in fact today, for the probabilities
are that it will be little changed by the
senate. ; ; ,
: Earnest and intelligent efforts in be
half of international bimetallism that
is what this week's work means upon
the subject. The appointtment of the
commission whose names have already
been given the public, assures vigorous,
prompt, and it is hoped successful work.
The Bimetallic Commission.
The appointment of Senator Wolcott,
of Colorado; ex-Vice-President Steven
son, of Illinois, and Hon. C. J. Paine,
of Massachusetts, as commissioners to
pave the way for an international con
ference has been cordially commended.
Until this week nobody knew definitely
what the president's plans were in re
gard to this question. It was known
that he was extremely anxious to take
the proper steps toward carrying out the
pledge of the party looking to interna
tional consideration of the silver ques
tion but just how he proposed to bring
this about or to take the initiative, no
body was able to say. It now appears,
as usual, he has chosen a wise plan,
and one most likely to be successful.
Not only has he chosen the plan most
likely to be successful but the one like
ly to be most successful. Bv this is
meant that if he is able to carry out the
plans thus inaugurated the internation
al conference - will be brought to the
doors of every American voter. Presi
dent McKinley's hope is that it may
be practicable to hold this conference in
the United States, and in the city ot
Washington. If this shall happen ev
ery American citizen, will have the full
benefit of the discussion which there
arises. It will be as though the meet
ing of the representatives of the great
nations was brought to his own door
yard, y - -j f -.
,.' The Tariff Bill.
The people who are assuming that
the tariff bill is likely to drag through
the summer and keep the business of
the country in an unsettled condition
awaiting final action are to be disap
pointed. The next week or ten days at
the furthest are likely to see the bill
perfected by the Republican members
of the finance committee, and it is like
ly to get into the senate before the
month ends. Prospects now seem to
be good for a final vote upon it in June,
and its completion in time that it may
go into effect at the beginning of the
fiscal year, .July 1.
The changes made by the senate com
mittee are much less in extent and im
portance than had been expected. The
pressure for a reduction in the duties
on wool has not been' sunccessful thus
far and the chances seem to be that
they will not be.
: The demand ' of the . sugar trust for
changes in the schedule advantageous to
them has been promptly rejected.
Statistics show that women marry
later la life than they used to,
WEEKLY MARKET LETTER.
Downing, Hopkins ft Company's Review
. . of Trade.
With a large cash demand for wheat
at all points, with stocks being reduced
to a lower point than in years by the
end of the crop, and with prospects for
an average crop of winter wheat very
poor, it is enough to warrant the main
tenancee of present values, and also
the prevalence of good prices for wheat
for the coming twelve months. How
high prices will go depends on tnree
things speculation, crop prospects,
and the war. " There will be a short
crop.of winter wheat for the third con-
se'eutive year. The conditions are also
uncertain for as large an acreage of
spring as was exjiected earlier in the
season, owing to the wet weather and
the latenes of the seeding in some sec
tions. High prices, however, will
stimulate farmers in the Northwest to
get in .as large an acreage as pos
sible. There has been a good deal
of seeding, but in the Red River valley, .
where a large part of the crop is grown,
there is too much water to admit of
early seeding. Kansas gives good
promise, but a change for the worse
may come. The only things that can
injure the crop are hot winds and sand
storms. ' The outlook in California is
uncertain. Reports say that hot winds
have deteriorated the crop. Latest re
ports from France and Russia are against
a large crop of winter wheat, but in the
other foreign countries there is promise
of about an i&erage yield. Stocks, how
ever, are low, and consumers will go
into the new crop with less then the
usual quantity.
Greece and Turkey are not important
factors as wheat growers, the former
raising 4,800,000 bushels, and the lat
ter 24,000,000 bushels. Bulgaria, Ser
via, Roumania, and Montenegro raise
125,000,000 bushels. A liberal propor
tion of their crop is exported to the
continent. If Greece has a navy of
sufficient strength to prevent a free ex
port movement of wheat from these
countries, it might make a great differ
ence in the supplies of the continent.
Market Quotations.
Portland, Or., May 4, 1897.
Flour Portland, Salem, Cascadia
and Dayton, $4.00; Benton county and
White Lily, $4.00; graham, $3.40; superfine,-$2.75
per barrel.
Wheat Walla Walla, 73 74c; Val
ley, 76c per bushel.
Oats Choice white, 8840ff per
bushel; choice gray, 87 39c.
Hay Timothy, $14.00 15.00 per
ton; clover, $12.0013.50; wheat and
oat, $12.00 13.50 per ton. -
Barley Feed barley, $16.60 per ton;
brewing, $1819.
Millstuffs Bran, $14.50; shorts,
$16.50; middlings, $26.
. Butter Creamery, 85c; dairy, 25
27Mc; store, 1730o per roll.
Potatoes Oregon Burbanks, 60 65c;
Garnet Chilies, 6565o; Early Rose,
80 86c per sack; sweets, . $2.75 per
cental for Merced;' new ' potatoes, bo
'Onions $2.60 2. 75 per cental.
Poultry Chickens, mixed, $2.75
8.60; geese, $5. 00 7. 00; turkeys, live,
12o; ducks, $4. 00 5. 00 per dozen;
Eggs Oregon, 10 11c per dozen.
Cheese Oregon, llo; Young
America, 12Jo per pound.
Wool Valley, 12 c per pound; Easti
ern Oregon, 68o. J3
Hops 4 7c per pound.
Beef Gross, top steers, $3.50;
cows, $2. 25 3. 00; dressed beef, 4
6c per pound.
Mutton Gross, best sheep, wethers
and ewes, $3. 50 8. 75; dressed mut
ton, 6c per pound. ,
- Hogs Gross, choice, heavy, $4.00
4.25; light and feeders, $2.50 3.00;
dressed $4. 50 5. 25 per owt.
Veal Large, 3)4c; small, 4
6 per pound.
Seattle, Wash., May 4, 1897.
Wheat Chicken feed, $28 per ton.
Oats Choice, $2 8 24 per ton.
Barley Rolled or ground, $20 per
ton.
Corn Whole, $21 per ton; cracked,
$21; feed meal, $21. "
Poultry Chickens, live, per pound,
hens, 10c; ducks, $6 6. 60.
Flour -Jobbing) Patent excellent,
$4.80; Novelty A, $4.50; California
brands, $4.90; Dakota, $5.65; patent,
$6.40.
Millstuffs Bran, $14.00 per ton;
shorts, $18.
Feed Chopped feed, $18.00 per ton;
middlings, $22; oilcake meal, $30.
Hay Puget sound, per ton, $12.00;
Eastern Washington, $15.
Butter Fancy native creamery,
brick, 18c; ranch, 14 15; California,
m.
Cheese Native Washington, 12c.
Vegetables Potatoes, per ton, $14.00
14; parsnips, per sack, 75c; beets,
per sack, 60c; turnips, per sack, 60c;
rutabagas, per sack, 50c; carrots, per
sack, 40 50c; cabbage, per 100 lbs,
$1.50; onions, per 100 lbs, $4.25.
Sweet potatoes Per 100 lbs, $4.00.
Eggs Fresh ranch, 18 14c
Fresh Meats Choice dressed beef,
steers, 7c; cows, 6c; mutton, sheep,
8o per pound; lamb, 5o; pork, 6c per
pound; veal, small, 8c
Fresh Fish Halibut, 46c;
salmon, ?8c; salmon trout, 7 10c;
floundertjd soles, 3 4c.
Provisions Hams, large,ll; hams,
small, 11 c; breakfast bacon, 10c; dry
salt sides, 6Jc per pound.
Fruits Lemons, California, fancy,
$2. 60 3; choice, $; Cal fornia fancy
navals, $3 8. 50.
. San Francisco, May 4, 1897.
Potatoes Salinas Burbanks, 90c
$1.10; Early Rose, 6070c; River Bur
banks, 50 65c; sweets, $1.40L60
per cental.
Onions $2. 2 6 3. 00 per cental.
ggs Ranch, 10 12c per dozen.
Butteir Fancy creamery, 18 14; do
seconds, 1318e; fancy dairy, 12c;
seconds, 11 12c
Cheese Fancy mild, new, 67c;
fair to good, 56c; Young America,
78c; Eastern, 1414c
Wool Choice foothill, 10 13c; San
Joaquin plains, 8 11c; do 12 months,
8 10c per ponnd. .:'-'
Hay Wheat and oat, $7 10; best
barley, $6. 60 8.00; alfalfa, $58;
clover, $6 8; compressed wheat, $6
9.60; do oat, $6 7 per ton.
Tropical Fruit Bananas, $1.00
2.00 per bunch; pineapples, $2 4.
Citrus FruitOranges, navel, $1.25
2.00; seedlings, do, $1 1.50; com
mon lemons, . 75o$1.00; fancy, $2
L$2.2S per box.
$8. 85 4 per barrel. -
. Hops 8 2 12o per pound. '