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About The Corvallis gazette. (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 3, 1897)
VOL. XXXIV. i COK VALiLIS, BENTON COUNTY, OREGON, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1897. NO. 38. ADMINISTRATION POWERLESS. SWEPT BY THE GALE; TO SHUT US OUT. IMPORTANT WORK WEEKLY MARKET LETTER. Epitome of the Telegraphic News of the World. TERSE TICKS FROM THE WIRES Vn Interesting Collection of Items From the New. and the Old World In a Condensed and Comprehensive form The celebration in honor of Oregon's martyred missionary, D-. Marcus Whit man, was begun in Walla Walla, Wash., Monday. Large crowds were in attend ance. The opening address was made by Rev. L. H. Hal lock. A monument is to be erected over the grave of Dr. Whitman. Senator Lodge, of the committee on foreign relations, was at the state de pirtment early in the week. He would say nothing about the Cuban situation except that the committee had accom plished a great deal. The first business would be to confirm the annexation of Hawaii, which wouli be done by rati' fying the treaty, or by legislation. Ex-Senator Corbett and wife of, Ore gon, have arrived in Washington for the session. The Post, of that city, says that the committee on elections will hold a meeting the first week cf the session and report'favorably on Cor- bett's case, and that party lines will not be be sharply drawn, which will mean that Corbett would get his seat. Asphyxiation caused the death of three men in the Grand Trunk railway tunnel at Port Huron, Mich. The train which was being hauled " through to the Canadian side, broke in two. The engine backed down to get the de tached portion of the .train, but for hours nothing was heard ol the crew. Finally a searching party found the dead bodies, and also rescued two brake men, in an unconscious condition. Three members of the searching party were also overcome, but were rescued by another party. The tunnel gas arises from the hard coal used by the locomotives. Colonel Domville, M. P., who went north in the interest of the Klonkide Yukon Stewart Company, of London, says his company will build a wagon road through White pass, placing steel bridges over the canyons. Work is to commence immediately, and the road is to be ready by February. They will build steamers to run from Lake Ben nett to White Horse rapids, around which they will have a tramway. From the end of this t raw may they will have steamers to run direct to DawEon. These steamers, he says, will be ready when the river opens. . The wagon road through White pass is to be followed immediately by a railway. - One of the bills that will be pushed in the coming session of congress is that introduced by Representative Sha f roth, of Colorado, which provided for changing the time when congress shall meet. It is a very sensible bill, and ought to be passed. The first session of congress after an election would be in the January fallowing' the election in November. This session could last as long as would be necessary. The congress elected in November could legislate before another election was on hand. The second session could meet in December previous to the coming congressional election, and the congress would expire before the election took place. As the matter now stands the first session of congress is given over to politics by representatives who wish to be re-elected. The short session is often a discredited and defeated con gress and oftentimes enacts very bad legislation because it will not be called to account before the people. Pos sibly, Mr. Shafroth's bill will get a hearing, though such reforms as this move very slowly. ' Postmaster-General Gary is receiving many letters regarding the postal-savings bank proposition strongly urged by him in his annual report. The great trial of Arroyo's murder ers is over, at the City of -Mexico, hav ing terminated with the sentence of death pronounced on 10 of -the police officers and policemen concerned in the butchery of the hapless wretch whose audacious attempt on the president's life caused so profound a sensation there. The - jury was out over seven hours. One of the most important" features of the Behring sea negotiations not heretofore disclosed is that in the event that Groat Britain and Canada consent to a suspension of pelagic - sealing for ene year, the United Stales for the same time will agree to a suspension of all taking of seals for one year on Pribyloff islands, constituting the American seal possessions in Behring sea. Ex-Governor Crittenden, of Missouri, who was consul-general to Mexico tinder the last Cleveland administra tion, announces that he will leave Kansas City next week for San An tonio, Tex., where he will be joined by W. J. Bryan and Mrs. Bryan, and that the three will-depart from San Antonio on a week's tour of Mexico. - Aided by the ex-consul's knowledge of the people and country, Mr. Bryan will make a careful study of Mexico's financial sys tem. , The discovery of . many children of very little if any Indian blood in the government boarding schools through out the country, leads to the recom mendation by the superintendent of Indian schools that, inasmuch as there seems to be no remedy underlying ex isting laws, it is imperative in the in terests of justice to both races that con gress should early indicate by statute what degree of blood shall constitute Indian, and to whut extent adopted In dians shall be entitled to governmental support, in matters of education. According to a Washington, dispatch to the Herald, China has appealed to Russia to oust Germany from her terri tory 8 the result of occupation by a German force of part of the Shan Tun peninsula. As the Russian legation in Peking is in charge of the secretary. Count Cassini, the minister having been r an sferxed to Washington as the diplomatic representative of Russia, the negotiations on the subject are be ing conducted in St. Petersburg. It is hoped by the Chinese that the influence exerted by Russia which prevented the rehabilitation of the Turkish navy will be exercised upon: Germany; .-v'.C ... ' I No Hope for the Klondike Sufferers Un til Congress Meets. A , Washington. Dec. 2. The cabinet today considered the subject of sending relief to the people of the Klondike. The president received a telegram from the Portland (Oregon) Chamber of Commerce, stating that there was dan ger of destitution and suffering in the Klondike, and offerirg to supply the necessary food for relief if the govern ment would undertaLe its transporta tion. The information was not definite as to actual conditions, but was on the same lines as has previously been tele graphed from the Northwest. The cabinet considered every phase of the sithation. It was decided that nothing could be deno until congress meets, when an appropriation will be asked for the purpose of transporting food and supplies. 1 Although many plans have been dis cussed none have been1 decided upon. It is positive, however, that whatever action is taken will be under the direc tion of the war department, and by the time congiess acts Secretary Alger will have formulated plans No attempt will be made to go to the Yukon, as the ice has closed progress in that di rection. The relief supplies will have to be sent over the passes. Just how they shall be transported is a question requiring earnest consideration, and one that will require the study of many plans in order that an entirely feasible one may be evolved. Secretary Alger will gather all possible information, and will communicate with persons who know the route ' to the Klondike and are familiar with transportation methods in the Arctic and other frozen regions. Reindeer and dogs possibly may be used. The members of the cabinet were all intensely interested in the matter of securing relief. Whether the men who are supposed to be suffering went there or not against repeated warnings of all officials is not the question, the simple fact being that they are there and need relief, making it imperative upon the government to extend aid if possible. No estimate has been made as to the cost of the expedition and none can be prepared now. Congress wU be asked to appropriate a sufficient amount, and the war department will expend it in the most economical way. The task of getting supplies to the Klondike in midwinter is not underestimated, and doubts are entertained ns to it being possible. The expedition cannot reach the Klondike before February at least, and the president hopes there is a sufficient supply of provisions to last until relief arrives. Secretary Alger believes Captain Ray has gone to Dawson, and he will make his way back and report upon condi tions there. AUTHORITIES OUTWITTED. Dauntless Made Another Trip With Arms for the Cubans. .;.,; New York, Dec. 2. The steamei Dauntless has again eluded the officials, of the government and is off for Cuba with a cargo of arms and ammunition, says the Jacksonville correspondent of the Herald. The Dauntless left this port Novem ber 19 for Savannah, Ga., with the schooner Jennie Thomas in tow. -The schooner was supposed te be without cargo, and when the famous filibuster was held up at the mouth of the St. John river and searched by the cruiser Vesuvius, little attention was paid to the Jennie Thomas. Nothing was found on the Dauntless, and after an hour's delay she was allowed to'proceed with her tow. That was the fatal mis take of the government officials, for if the schooner ' had been searched it is said that a large cargo of munitions would have been found. The schooner was towed to the mouth of the Savannah river and dropped, and on Monday the Dauntless was boarded by Captain John O'Brien, bet' ter known as "DyYiamite Johnny," and immediately put to sea. She is be lieved to have effected a landing on Sunday night on the southern coast of Cuba. ' - : v CONSUMPTION IN NEW' YORK. Startling Report Made by Dr. Biggs, of the Board of Health. New York, Dec. 2. Dr. Biggs, of the board of health, made some startling statements before the board of esti mates, while that body was today con sidering the city budget for 189S. The board of estimates was asked to ap prove a grant of $60,000 for the care of tuberculosis in a special hospital. Dr. Biggs, speaking for the board of health in support of the appropriation, de clared that one out of seven persons who die in this city are victims of tubercular consumption. Dr. Biggs further stated that among the working classes the percentage of deaths due to this disease was one-quarter. - The board of estimates approved the $60,000 asked for. President Wilson, of the board, said: "This is an important step forward in the work of combating tuberculosis. After the first of the year, $ 60,000 will be available for expenditure in behalf of the individuals who are affected with this disease." In St. Petersburg no outdoor musical performances are permitted. Russia's Gold Coinage. St. Petersburg, Dec. 2. An imperial ukase issued today orders the coinage and issue of five-rouble gold pieces, equal in "value to one-third of the im -perial, which weighs 12.9.2 grammes, 900 fine. ' - . .. ,-; -1 Indiana Town Burned. Muncie, Ind., Dec- i. At midnight fire broke out in the heart of the town of Fairland, 20 miles east of this city, and the entire business part Mas de stroyed. The loss cannot be obtained. Spanish Government Satisfied. - Madrid, Dec. 2. A member of the Spanish cabinet, in an interview just published,, says the government of Spain is well satisfied with the result of the publication of the decree provid ing for an autonomous form of govern ment in Cuba and Porto Rico, adding that the manner in' which -- it -has been received in the United States is favor able to Spain. - ; - ' .' The number of pupils in the schools of the United States last year was 16, 415,197, an increase of nearly 6,000, 000 since 1890. ; '.' , Aid in Settling Her 'Row With " Germany. ' NO REPLY HAS BEEN , SENT Onr Good Offices Will Be Tendered if Their Acceptance by Germany Is Assured in Advance New York, Dec. 2. A special to the Herald from Washington says: The Haytian government has asked the United States to use its good offices for the settlement of its controversy with Germany; , Ambassador White is feel ing the pulse of the German authorities on this phase of the subject, and if it can be ascertained beforehand 'that U3ermany will not reject the good offices of the United States, they will be tendered. ". The administration is reluctant to believe that it will lie called upon to make any assertion about the applica tion of the Monroe doctrine to the pres ent controversy, but state department, officials do not deny that - thin - govern ment will take a very firm stand should Germany make any movement in the direction of permanent occupancy of Haytian territory. : " For the purpose of giving adequate protection to American interests in Hayti, and show Germany that this government is alert to its own' inter ests, Seoretary Long, after consultation with the president, has directed the cruiser Marblehead to make a cruise in the AVest Indies, stopping at Hayti.' The instructions have not yet been sent to Commander B. H. Michael, com manding the cruiser, but there" is rea son to believe that they will direct him to anchor in the harbor of . Port An Prince and see that Germany takes no action in contravention of well-known principles of international law.'..'.-.'. Ambassador White's dispatch to the state department does not indicate that the Berlin authorities have any further purpose in view than to secure full rep aration for the reported outrage on Lueders, the primary object being to give Hayti a wholesome object lesson which will compel better treatment of German subects in the future. Germany has practically rendered an ultimatum. - She has demanded the immediate payment of an indemnity and an apology. - Notice to this effect was served upon the Haytian govern ment before Lueders was released, and recently in answer to the ' earnest re quest of the Haytian minister, declin ing to Bubtn it the whole subject to ar bitration, Hayti was informed that Germany would insist upon immediate compliance with her original demand. : - t Germany Backs Dowi. Berlin, Dec. 2. The German gov ernment has abandoned its intention of -Trending the "warship Geffon' to' ITayff to enforce its demands. The Geffon in stead Will be sent to reinforce the Ger man fleet in the Chinese waters. Baron von Bulow, the German -minister' of foreign w. affairs, today gave United States Ambassador White a wholly satisfactory explanation of Germany's intentions toward Hayti. . . , DR. SEE'S DISCOVERIES. Five Hundred New Double Stars Found, by the Lowell Telescope. Boston, Dec.- 2. Astronomical dis coveries of. great value are reported by. Dr. T. J. J. See, who has charge ot Lowell observatory, in Flagstaff, Ariz , established and maintained by Percival Lowell. Dr. See, who is now in Boston, gave an interesting account of his recent dis coveries through the 24-inch telescope built by Allen Clark & Sons, which has been in use for 18 months. He said since August, 1896, he has discovered about 500 new double stars and 700 objects not noted by previous observers. Many of the stars discovered are large and brilliant, and thus possess the highest interest. The discovery of these 500 new double stars is accounted the most important contribution to Southern astronomy since the survey of Sir John Herschel, 60 years ago. One of these stars has been found to revolve only .once in five years. Both have be come of the highest interest to ob servers, r ,A phenomenon of general interest is the twinkling stars, so faimliar on clear, cold nights. This, Dr. See says, is due to small waves or currents. in the air about the size of an egg or sometimes even larger than a man's hand. These little waves fill the air under certain conditions, as on a cold night, and imposing before the eye,, dart the light from side to side, and in this way convert the light of the star into colors or extinguish it entirely. The appearance is similar to the light reflected from wavy,- running- water. Mr. Douglass discovered how to see these waves with a telescope, and Dr. See brings proof that they cause the twinkling. Other important discoveries have been made in the Lowell observatory. - Winnipeg, Dec. 2. A large portion of the business center of the town of "Carberry, Manitoba, was destroyed by fire this morning. The loss is over 150,000. ' . ' An Evidence of Good Faith. New York; Dec. 2. A dispatch to the World from Havana says: As evi dence of good faith toward repentant rebels, the government will appoint Jesus and Adolfo Cuervo, who recently surrendered, with 100 men, to superin tendences of customs at Cienfuegos and Sagua. They will have important pests. Spanish officials say that 800 more men of the Cuervos command will surrender. Clothing and $ 5 will be given to each of them. Accident. a Blast Furnace. Pittsburg, Nov. 30.. One man was killed and five injured this evening, the result of a boiler explosion at the old Moorhead & McClean blast furnace, operated "by Laughlin & Co. John Mullen died shortly after the accident, after suffering intense agony. His body was literally cooked by escaping steam. Seaford Anne's face, arms and legs are badly scalded. His condition is critical. ' - The others will recover. ' Since the establishment of a crema tion sooiety in France, 20,000 bodies have been incinerated in Paris. - , ;. j Wants A Fearful Storm Raging Off the Eng lish Coast. - - '' London, Dec. 1. The gale which swept the English coast yesterday, do ing great damage at many places, raged all night. In many places it was almost cyclonic in its violence, and the long list of disasters includes a -large loss of life, many wrecks of large ves sels and the. loss of scores, if not hun dreds of smaller craft, with serious damage to property ashore at many im portant towns. ' . At Norfolk, Bacton and Happisburg five vessels, as yet unidentified,. wen down and the crews of r all perished;! A number of bodies have been washed ashore, near Yarmouth. The :; brig Rugby was wrecked off Hemsby. The: coast guard made desperate efforts to' save the crew, and succeeded in getting a line on board. A dying woman was "rocketed" in safety, and then the brig capsized, all the rest of the ship's com pany perishing. ,- s - A large steam collier dashed upon Flam borough head, the famous prom ontory on the North sea coast, floated off, and then foundered, with all on board. : A steamer not identified was wrecked on the Birdlongton sands, with her entire company. , - -: -' " Last evening the steamer Rose of Devon went on the rocks near -Red Ruth, Cornwall, where she pounded all night long, her crew of 12 perishing. This morning the bodies of the captain and seamen, all wearing lifebelts, were washed ashore. . ' - "- The British ship Larnica, Captain Burgess, was driven ashore near Fleet wood, at the entrance of Moretown bay, about 18 miles northwest of Preston. The crew were saved, but the position of the vessel is dangerons. She left St. Johns, N. B., November 1, for Fleet wood. ', . ' Phenomenally high tides are reported in many localities. The district near the mouth of the Thames has suffered severely, several townships being partly Submerged. The Sherness dockyard and the Woolwich arsenal were inun dated. ' ...... " -' . Scarcely a vestige remains in sight of Lord Nelson's old flagship, tbeFoudroy ant, long fast in the sands of Blackpool. There is a lot of wreckage near the Goodwin sands. ; Immense damage has been done to government property at Sherness dock yard and the Woolwich arsenal. Sev eral thousand troops were hurriedly ordered out today to remove thousands of pounds' worth of ammunition, and stores from the wharves and ' sheds to places of safety. The tide continued to rise, . and invaded some of the work shops, :: quenched the engines and stopped the electric lights. The work men were obliged to go home,, wading knee deep. , Six vessels were wrecked between Yarmouth and Bacton, only'afew miles apart, on the Norfolk coast, and 25 lives were lojst.::f ?,''av'vr;;&-f; . , The brig-Vedr tradt Btiotoar The storm tore out her masts, and when' the rocket line was fired, the crew was unable to haul it in. Finally the line dragged them into the surf, and three out of seven were drowned. . Rochester and Strood, on the Midway, out 30 miles south of London, have suffered severely. At Rochester the gas works are flooded and the town is in darkness; the gale is now traveling southward and traversing various parts of the Continent. Very rough weather is reported along the north coast of France. - - A dispatoh from Liverpool says that during the gale the Russian ship Nikolai, Captain Karlsen, stranded on a treacherous bank near Formboy, south of Soifthport. After J fearful ex periences her . sails were, blown away and the vessel was so damaged as to be uncontrollable. . One of the crew, a man named Karlston, was swept over board and drowned. " The captain says no one on board slept' for four days. The -vessel will - probably become ..a wreck. . DEATH AND DESTRUCTION. Blaze on Lake Steamer Extends to Docks, With Fearful Results. ; Escanaba, Mich., Deo. 1. Late to night a fire broke ont on the steamer Nahanta, and before it could be con trolled it . spread to the ore docks, the largest in the world. Two of the docks are on "fire, and the others are threat ened with destruction. Two of the crew of the steamer, whose names cannot be learned, are known to be lost, and sev eral others injured. The steamer was. lying at the dock loading ore. Shortly before midnight, the' crew discovered that the vessel was on fire. The crew made every effort to quench the flames, but a brisk wind was blowing ind spread the fire --with " great rapidity. From the steamer the fire spread to Dock No. 4, which was partly loaded with ore and lumber. The lumber was soon a mass of flames, and from this it spread to the next dock. The fire is till burning fiercely. The loss will be fully 300,000. United States Warns Germany. Berlin, Nov. 80. The state depart ment at Washington has requested Am bassador White to ascertain the inten tions of Germany with respect "to the cliams of Herr Luder, whose recent imprisonment in Hayti caused friction between the German and Haytian gov ernments. ' " :' - "Nicaragua Canal Commission. - , New York, Dec. 1. C. S. Wheeler, who was assistant engineer of the Sault Ste. Marie canal, has accepted the po sition of chief engineer of the Nicaragua canal commission. The ex'pedition will ail Sunday next, it is said. . . . " ; Will Emigrate to Mexico."' Kansas City, Dec. 1. A special from Muskogee, I. T says: The Choctaws and Creeks, who have been in council, have determined to organize a colony and emigrate to Mexico. ' Frisco's Heaviest Woman Dead. San Francisoo, Dec. 1. Mrs. Theresa Cardosa, a well known resident of this city, who died on Sunday, was buried yesterday in the Italian ceme tery. She weighed over 600 pounds," and the undertakers bad to break down the stairs of her late residence in order to lower the body into the hall. A Special casket bound with iron was constructed for the remains, and as it was too large for a hearse it was taken to the cemetery in a heavy express wagon. . -Mrs. Cardosa has been mar ried twice, and leaves five children, the youngest being 18 months old. -, I, Bear Sails North to Relieve lee Bound Whalers. CAPTAIN TUTTLE CONFIDENT Tbe Cutter Will Endeavor to Reach Sledge Island Overland journey May Start at Point Rodney. " ' ,Port Townsend, Nov. 30. The United States revenue outter Bear sailed tonight, carrying succor to the whaling fleet imprisoned in the icy fastnesses of the Arctic ocean on tbe Northern shore of Alaska, between Point Barrow and Herschel island. , The Bear's first stopping place is un certain, depending upon the extent to which' Behring sea is closed by ice. Captain Tuttle will, however, go as far north as possible in his endeavor to reach Sledge island, which is 50 miles south .of Port Clarence and five, or six miles off the mainland. It will be easy to cross from there over the ice to Point Rodney. The chance of getting to Sledge island lies in the fact that it is in the lee of Point Rodney, whioh sweeps off the ice carried down by the north wind, making a sheltered stretch of water-. From Sledge island, the party that is to proceed overland to Point Barrow, under the leadership of Lieutenant Jarvis, will cross over to Point Rodney. From there the party will go to Port Clarence, where there is a band of reindeer. - ' - tThe length of the overland journey "will depend on the starting point At the best it will be in the neighborhood of 1,000 miles. The shore will be fol lowed closely all the way to Point Bar row. Having landed the overland par ty, the Besr will go into winter quar ters at the nearest place of shelter. In the event that the Bear cannot reach Sledge island. Captain Tuttle said that there was a point he knew of from which he thought he could land the overland expedition. He would not tell where this spot was for the reason that he might. also fai. to reach it. The Bear goes provisioned for, one year. Captain Tuttle and his officers are very hopeful of the success of their mission. BURNED AT THE STAKE. Terrible Fate of a Negro Murderer in North Carolina. - Southport, N. C, Nov. 80. A white boy was brutally murdered by a negro, and" the murderer was burned to death by an infuriated mob of white farmers hear here last Thursday. , , . During the fall, a party . of farmers had ibeen fishing on Cherry Grove teach, near Little River, S. C. " Mon day,' November 15, one of the farmer's boys, named Stevens, left for his home oh tie'Waocamwriver, j-witb tan ox and cart. He carried a package of money. The father of Stevens went home,: but found that nothing had been heard of his son since he had left the beach. ' It was learned that a negro, Nathan Willis, had borrowed a gun and left the beach shortly after Stevens' son had departed for home. A posse was organized by the sheriff, and Willis was traced about 80 miles to Town Creek, N. C, where he was found last Wednesday, having in his possession Stevens' ox, cart and cloth hat full of shofholes. He was carried by the sheriff- and posse on Thanksgiving day back into South Carolina. f V- Reports come today that Willis was taken from the sheriff, on Thursday night by a mob of infuriated - farmers and carried into the woods, where he was chained between two pine trees. Light wood was piled around him, and he was burned to death. The place is so far in the country that further details ' could not ' be learned. TROUBLE IS BREWING Captain Howe Advises Wichita Boomers to Defy the Lav. ; . Kansas City. Nov. 80. A special to the Times from Wichita, Kan., . says: Captain E. L. Howe has designated January 10 as the day for his boomers to move upon the Wichita reservation, if no step toward opening it has been taken by congress by that date. The instructions of Secretary Bliss that the Indian police be reinforced by regular troops if necessary has made Howe fur ious. : "Damn the Indian police," said Howe today, in advising bis men. "All we want is: our right according to law, and the law allows us to go into the Wichita mountains. We propose to go about the matter peaceably. We shall ask congress; when that body convenes, to open -the reservation or allow us to go into the mountains and take claims. We shall wait a reasonable time, and if our petition is not granted, we shall move upon the land. We have the men to do it, and if these Indian po lice, or Agent Baldwin interferes, -there will be graves all over the reservation,, and many a regular will lie down with the rest, too, if the federal " troops . in: terfere. This is no time to agitate the matter, but tbe federal authorities may as well be informed as, to our.. inten tions." Howe - is regarded as a visionary crank by many, but the apparent can dor with which he puts his proposition and the forceful manner in which he argues it is attracting followers by the score. evenue Receipts Increased. ,; Washington, Nov. 80. The records of the internal revenue bureau show re ceipts for the five months of the pres ent fiscal year will exceed those-of the same period last year by about $8, 000,000.. ; ; , ." Through Trestle. - Chester, Ky., Nov. 80. Twenty three coal-laden oars went through a trestle spanning a deep ravine on the Kentucky Central branch of the Louis ville & Nashville read this afternoon, killing two; men. The heavily laden cars crashed, down upon the rocks 65 feet below. A number of bridge car penters were at work at tbe foot of the trestle. , All of them escaped, but Jas. Harris asd Warren Burch, who were instantly killed. Their bodies lie bur ied under hundreds of tons of ooal and wreckage. ' The engine . and tender passed over the trestle safely. France Will Put High Duties on Certain American Goods. . New York, Dec. i. The authorities in Washington, according to the corre spondent of the Herald, have been in formed that France, while ostensibly engaged in negotiations with this gov ernment for a reciprocity treaty, is tak ing steps to place a prohibitory tariff upon some American products. The state department has been notified that a bill is pending in the legislative as sembly of France imposing a high duty upon certain products, which will prac tically make that country a closed mar ket, so far as the United States is con cerned. Ambassador Porter probably will be requested to make an earnest protest against the measure. ' - This' bill may cause the autberties liere to go slow in negotiations for the reciprocity agreement. The depart ment has received no reply to its propo sition that in exchange for a lower tariff on French wines the French govern ment shall remove the prohibition against the importation of American cattle. Unless this concession be grant ed, the measure referred to may be de feated and the reciprocity negotiaitons come to naught. Should this happen, the French government .may retaliate by imposing the maximum tariff under its laws upon American products which now enter under the minimum tariff. As these products' are ' few, however, the authorities are' not greatly dis turbed over the outlook. Dr. Van Hollenben, "the new Ger man ambassador to the United States, will be formally presented to the pres ident tomorrow. He is expected to make representations in regard to the tariff.-- The state department is in formed that Baron von Hollenben's in structions contain propositions desig nated to lead to a" reciprocity arrange ment. It is believed the United States will require in return for any conces sion the removal or abatement at least of restrictions now imposed upon the importation into Germany of American cattle and beef. The German government, of course, will directits efforts in the direction of securing the repeal of the bounty section of the tariff law, which clearly affects . Germany's sugar interests. Many representations on this subject have been made already, by the Ger man authorities. It is not likely, how ever, that the president will recom mend any restriction of the tariff law, and apparently the only way in which the German government can . secure an advantage for her industries would be to enter into a reciprocity agreement. - -- Officials are speculating on the atti tude of the agrarian interests of the German empire and tbe German em peror, who favors the agrarian party upon their proposition to be submitted. So far as they have gone the outlook is not favorable. MASSACRE OF INNOCENTS. Frightful Mortality Among thejCuban ,;--:, Concentrados.-'-' -:v4n- .; t New York, Dec. 1. A dispatoh to the " World from Havana says: The World's first figures of Cuba's starva tion were timidly moderate. They showed the deaths of only 200,000 per sons; but every painful fact unearthed tends to prove them nearly double that number. When the grim returns are all in it is now almost certain that this Cubau massacre of the innocents will reach 400,000. And this awful num ber does not include those killed in battle or the thousands and thousands of women and children who died of ex posure, disease and massacre in the swamps. It now seems certain that more than half a million people, for the most part loyal subjects of Spain, have been killed by the Spanish war in Cuba. A week's trip through the provinces of Havana, Matanzas and Santa Clara has tended to make moderate this tremen dous extreme figure. The figures of Spanish official reports show but a part of the mortality. They only give the number buried in conse crated ground, and they do not give that fully. And yet these official ultra-Spanish reports of burial permits issued admit that . in the province of Santa Clara there have die.1 and been buried since Weyler's fiat, 71,847 per sons. The number of people for whose ex istence Weyler is directly responsilbe is 155,132, in Santa Clara province. And of these he has killed 83,216, or over one-half of them. Santa Clara has so far been by far the least desti tute of the provinces. It has many cattle and not a very thick population. Between it and the 53 per cent admit ted dead in Pinar del Rio are the prov inces of Matanzas and Havana, . with a 60 and 70 per cent mortality respect ively. These percentages are estab lished by the actual figures of some 30 cities and towns Applied to the den ser populations ' of -' their respective provinces, the total deaths since Wey ler's "bando" will - foot up nearly a million.. '' Flight of the Fast Mall. Omaha, Neb., Dec. 1. The. Union Pacific has made a record for fast run ning. A mail train has been shot across the country from Cheyenne . to Council Bluffs, 519 miles, in 699 minutes. This is the actual elapsed time, and includes all stops. Engines were changed twice and one engineer was relieved. All the regular stops were made, and one extra, for an air orake hose burst and had to be repaired at the expense of over five minutes of time. A burned-out bridge near Medicine Bow.Wyo., delayed the mail five hours and forty minutes, and the train reached Cheyenne five hours late. It was necessary to reach Council Bluffs on time or pay a heavy fine to the gov eminent. -The new Chinese mint at Canton coined more than 14,000,000 ten-cent pieces last year. ; A .Southern Outrage. Little Rock, Ark., Dec. 1. On a large cotton plantation in St. Franois county eight negroes went to the home of Joe Miller, a cotton picker, and af ter robbing him of his savings, dragged him from bed and murdered him. The body was thrown into the river. Ada Miller, the murdered man's wife, was then outraged and the house raided. William Williams was arrested and made a full confession, implicating sev eral others, four of . whom, have also been arrested-' Officers are searching for the remaining four. . " . fO COME BEFORD THE FIFTY SIXTH CONGRESS. The Cuban and the Hawaiian Questions . to Come Tip at an Early Date Gov ernment to Be Protected In the Kan sas Pacific Railroad. E. F. Parsons, Special Correspondent. Washington, D.'C The 56th session of congress of the United States will soon be in session with a good Repub lican majority in the lower house, but "vith a minority in the senate. It is unfortunate that the ' party in control of the executive branch of the govern ment is not in a majority in the senate as well as in the house, as questions of great importance are to be considered and the responsibility for action or in action will be laid upon the shoulders of the Republicans even though they may be powerless to fully carry their 'points in the upper branch of congress. Matters of great interest and concern will undoubtedly be presented and dis cussed at an early day after the con vening of congress. They will affect this country's relations with Spain and Japan, and are national and interna tional in character, rather than partisan in any sense, so that their adjustment will be closely watched by foreign na tions. The most difficult question to be dealt with is that relating to Cuba. It has been intimated from, time to time that congress, when convened, would not stand the indefinite and procras tinating policy pursued by Spain in connection with this government's in quiries relative to Cuba, and even that Spain's attitude toward the United States in the matter has not been satis factory to the president. It is general ly thought that one of the first ques tions to come up after congress convenes will be Cuba, and the state department correspondence, which has been ac cumulating to a certain extent, will be published snd the whole situation placed before the- country, as well as congress. Then it remains to be seen what aotion will be taken as to the recognition of belligerent rights iu that island. It is known that the president is strongly in favor of a peaceful solu tion of the problem if that be possible, but that it is not the desire of the ad ministration that Cuba shall be devas tated and destroyed by a continuance of Weyleri8m. There is no. question that the people of the ' United States are, by a large majority, in sympathy with the Cubans and- desire to see, in some way, the' freedom of the island accomplished, ' Then there is the almost as important question of the annexation of Hawaii. It is safe to say also that the people of the United States, as great a majority, favor the annexation of the islands, in a territorial form ot government. The annexation treaty was proclaimed by tbe president comparatively early in tbe administration .and. faas.heen rati fied by the Hawaiian congress. Our own senate will undoubtedly take rea sonably prompt aotion upon it after action upon the Cuban matter. Neither of these questions are party questions and neither will divide con gress on party lines, but nevertheless it is unfortunate that the Republicans have not a majority in the senate. The foreign policy of the Republicans have always been clear and vigorous, Ihe Democrats being the conservatives and the liberals, and, as above stated, the Republicans, although not in a majority in the senate, will have to bear the bur den of responsibility for whatever action is taken, so that to secure their best re sults they should have no obstructive opposition. In any case action of some sort is probable very early in the session n these two questions. ' The Democrats who have been trying to make capital against the new tariff law by pointing to the monthly treasury deficit will soon be obliged to turn their attention to other fields. . While the re ceipts from custom under the new law have heretofore been less than the ex penditures, or even then the receipts of the Wilson law during the correspond ing period of last year, for very good reasons, they have been steadily gain ing week by week, and now, according to the treasury figures, they are larger than they were a year ago. The pre diction that the new year will see a wiping out of monthly deficits seems likely to be fulfilled. , "It is simply n question of time, greater or less, which cannot be told exactly, said a treasury official,. "when the new law will get into normal working order and will produce a surplus instead of a deficit. It is doing remarkably well considering the way it was handicapped by exces sive importations, many of which are still in the country." According to Attorney-General Mc Kenna. the government will be as fully protected in the matter of the Kansas Pacific Railroad as was the case in the Union Pacific transaction. The owner ship of the Kansas Pacifio is part of the scheme of the reorganization commit tee. The committee holds certain liens on the road which it is bouund to protect. It can only protect them by getting possession of the road, and this can only come through its making bids which will clear the road of all indebt edness to the govern mm en t. The gov ernment is master of tbe situation and everybody who knows anything about the facts knows this, none better than the reorganization committee. The same vigilance and intelligence will be displayed in the management of the branch road as was shown in the sale of the main road, which everybody now concedes redounded to the credit of the officials managing the sale. Significance of a Clamor. The clamor for cheaper sleeping car rates, so the officials declare, comes mostly from people who never patron ize them. There is nothing strange in that. They are doubtless striving to get the rates in reach so that they may pat ronize them.- Washington Post ';. ft A Sign of Prosperity. One pleasing sign of prosperity is the reports from all over .the country of the large attendance at schools and colleges. In . Indiana the reports are to the effect that about 100,000 more children are attending school than was the ease last year. In some of the col leges the attendance is so great as to require additional accommodations. This speaks well for the times. Phila delphia Press. . v- " Glass eyes are now mac(e for horses, eats and dogs as well as for human be IngB." . ; Office of Downing, Hopkins & Co., Chicago Board of Trade Brokers, 711-714 Chamber oi Com merce Building, Portland, Oregon. " The event of the week in the Chicago wheat market was a jump of 4o in one day in the price of December options. The sentimental : figure of $1 was reached for a moment. The bulk of the wheat in Chicago is in the hands of a powerful clique, who are in a posi tion just now to dictate to the short sellers of December. These people keep on declaring there is to be no cor ner, but a squeeze is almost certain. The outcome of the May price de pends altogether on the world's statis tical position. Europe would not be taking 6,500,000 bushels of wheat and flour from America in one week if there did not exist extraordinary necessity for it. But no one knows how long this demand will keep up or whether the price fairly discounts the situation. A good illustration of how little can be decided with exactness about so vast a question as the wheat supply is the conflict of two respectable authorities in the mere interpretation of an official Russian crop report. The Corn Trade Newe declares it shows a shortage of 102,000,000 bushels, compared with last year, while Beer boh m makes the shortage only 1,000,000 bushels. The profession of crop statistics is like the ology. It is so big a field as to permit of all sorts of differences and to enable each teacher to pose before those imme diately around him as the only really authoritative one. Nothing would affect the sentiment at Chicago quicker than a falling off in Northwestern receipts. But on this comparatively simple problem there is no unanimity. Pillsbury a fortnight ago predicted confidently that the car lots at Minneapolis and Duluth by No vember 20 would be down to small figures, with not over 20 per cent of the crop left in the hands of the farm ers. There has all through November been perfect weather for marketing; but the authorities at Minneapolis are now predicting another two weeks of free movement. The weather is to count a great deal on the price between this and Decmeber 10th. It will make easy or difficult the continued move ment of wheat between Duluth and Chicago; it will keep open or olose up navigation between Chicgao and But alo, and will influence, too, the move ment from the spring wheat farmer into Duluth and Minneapolis. t Portland Market. Wheat Walla Walla, 76 77c; Val ley and Bluestem, 78 79c per bushel. Four Best grades, (4.25; graham, $3.50; superfine, $2.25 per barrel. Oats Choice white, 84 35c; choice gray, 82 S3o per bushel. : i , y s ; Barley Feed barley, $ 19 20; brew ing, $20 per ton. Millstiffs Bran, $15 per. ton; mid dlings, $21; shorts, $15.50. ' Hay Timothy, $12 12.50; clover, $1011; California wheat, $10; do oat, $11; Oregon wild hay, $910 per ton. Eggs 22 25c per dozen. Butter Fancy creamery, 6055o; fair to good, 4045c; dairy, 80 40c per roll. Cheese Oregon, llc; Young America, 12c; California, 910o per pound. Poultry Chickens, mixed, $1.75 2.50 per doezn; broilers, $2.002.50; geese, $56: ducks, $3. 00 4. 00 per dozen; turkeys, live, 910c per pound. Potatoes Oregon Burbanks, 85 40c per sack; sweets, $1.40 per cental. Onions Oregon, new, red, 90c; yel low, 80o per cental. Hops 814c per pound for new crop; 1896 crop, 46o. Wool Valley, 14 16c per pound; Eastern Oregon, 712o; mohair, 20 22o per pound. Mutton Gross, best bbeep, wethers and ewes, $3.00; dressed mutton, 5c; spring lambs, 5c per pound. Hogs Gross, choice heavy, $4.50; light and feeders, $3.00 4. 00; dressed, $4. 50 5. 00 per 100 pounds. Beef Gross, top steers, $2. 75 3. 00; cows, $2.25; dressed beef, 45c per jound. - Veal Large, 4 5c;' small, 5J 6o per pound. Seattle Market. Butter Fancy native creamery, brick, 27c; ranch, 16 18c Cheese Native Washington, 12 o; California, 9!c. Eggs Fresh ranch, 80 32c. Poultry Chickens, live, per pound, hens, 10c; spring chickens, $2.50 3 00; ducks, $3. 50 3. 75. Wheat Feed wheat, $22 per ton. Oats Choice, per ton, $1920. Corn Whole, $22; cracked, per ton. $22; feed meal, $22 per ton. Barley Rolled or ground, per ton, $22; whole, $22. Fresh Meats Choice dressed beef, steers, 6c; cows, 5c; mutton sheep, 6c; pork, 7c; veal, small, 7. Fresh Fish Halibut, 4 5c: salmon. 3 4c; salmon trout, 710o; flounders and sole, 3 4; ling cod, 4 5; rock cod, 5c; smelt, 24c. Fresh Fruit Apples, 50o$1.25 per box; peaches, 75 80c; prunes, 85 40c; pears, 75c $1 per box. San Francisco Market. Wool Nevada 11 13c; Oregon, 13 14c; Northern ll12o per pound. Hops 10 14c per pound. Millstuffs Middlings, $2022; Cal ifornia bran, $17.6018.00 per ton. Onions New red. 70 80c; do new silverskin, $1.40 1.60 per cental. Eggs Store, 1826c; ranoh, 40 41c; Eastern, 1724; duok, 25c per dozen. : Cheese Fancy mild, new, 12c; fair . to good, 7 8c per pound.. - Citrus Fruit Oranges, - Valencies, $1.503.00; Mexican limes, $2.00 3.00; California lemons, choice, $2.00 2.60; do common, 75c$l per box. Hay Wheat, 12 14.50; wheat and oat, $1113; oat, $1012; river bar-- ley. S78; best barley, $1012; alfalfa, $89.50; clover, $89.50W - Fresh Fruit Apples, 2590o per large box; grapes, 2540o; Isabella, 60 75c; peaches, 60c$l; pears, 75o $1 per box; plums, 20 35c . Butter Fancy creamery, 27 28c; do seconds, 2426o; fancy dairy. 84c; good to choice, 1922o per pound. Potatoes New, in boxes, 8580c .