a elr
GAZETTE.
CORVALLIS
WEEKLY.
UNION Bt.ib. July, 18J7.
GAZETTE Katab. Dee., 1S62.
Consolidated Feb. 1899.
CORVALIilS, BENTON COUNTY, OREGON, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14, lSOO.
VOE. XXXVII. NO. 51.
V 01
S Of lilt vttt
From AN Parts of the New World
and the Old.
OF INTEREST TO OUR MANY READERS
Comprehensive Review of the Important Hap
penings of the Past Week in a
Condensed Form.
The ministers at Pekin have reached
an agreement.
The new war revenue bill will reduce
taxation $40,000,348.
The pension roll for the coming year
will call for $142,0.10,000.
The governor of Shanghai publicly
executed 80 Boxer leaders.
Secretary Gage's estimate for govern
ment expense is $626,741,762.
George von L. Meyer, of Boston, will
be appointed ambassador to Italy.
Charles A. Towne accepted the ap
pointment of senator from Minnesota.
McCall made a sensational speech in
the house against holding the Philip
pines. A small American force routed a
band of rebels at Santo Domingo,
Luzon.
Contract for ereetion of Salem, Or.,
postoffice has been awarded to a Chi
cago firm.
In a street duel in a West Virginia
town a minister was killed by a prom
inent lawyer.
It is estimated that taxable valuation
of Oregon for 1900 will be about $2,
000,000 less than in 1899.
Fire in the Cambridge, Ohio, works
of the American Tinplate Company,
caused a loss on finished tin alone of
between $175,000 and $200,000.
John Luke Hely-Hutchinson, fifth
earl of Donoghmore, ft one time assist
ant commissioner in Eastern Rou
mania, died of paralysis, in London.
Bobbers raided theofficeof the West
ern Lumber Company in Portland, Or.,
just before the employes were ready to
receive their November wages in coin,
and secured $4,700.
At New York, the Fasig-Tipton Com
pany closed the most successful auction
sale of trotting and pacing horses in its
history. The proceeds of the sale were
$352, 180 for 702 horses, an average of
about $500 a head.
A serious cave-in occurred at the
Kay Aug. mine, near Dunore, Pa.
Fifty-one men w"ere entombed. The
rescuing party, after nearly three hours'
hard work, succeeded in digging into
the chamber in which the men were
entombed All were rescued, not one
being seriously injured.
Consul-General Stowe says the Boer
war is nearly ended.
Kruger's mission to Europe was frus
trated by the Kaiser.
Nine men were killed in a train
wreck near Suisun, Cal.
The Isthmian canal commission
recommends the Nicaragua route.
Senator Fairbanks, of Indiana, in
troduced a bill to admit Oklahoma as a
state, with two repiesentatives.
A report comes from Queen Charlotte
island that the Indians there are short
of food. Their wants will be attended
to.
It is reasserted in Tien T.-in that the
Germans lost 20 killed and many
wounded west of Pao Ting Fu, wheie
they were attacked by 2,500 Boxers.
Congressman Driggs introduced a
resolution in the house requiring the
secretary of war to investigate the
practice of "hazing" at West Point.
Senator Pettigrew introduced a reso
lution in the senate calling upon the
postmaster-general to send to the senate
anr information be may have in his
possession concerning postal frauds in
Cuba.
Tang Wang Huang, author of the
outrages upon the Pao Ting Fu mission
aries, was paraded through the streets
. of Tien Tsin in a cart under a strong
German guard, previous to being hand
ed over to the provisional governmennt
tor decapitation.
Frank Hawley, an American electric
promoter, is now in London in the in
terest of an A'nerican syndicate. Mr.
Hawley says the capitalists be repre
sents are ready to spend no less than
4,000,000 in the construction of elec
tric surface roads in Lon ion and to the
suburbs to a radius of 30 miles. Not
a penny of British capital will be
asked. He expresses himself as confi
dent that the undertaking will be a
financial success.
Major Wood, commanding the Cana
dian mounted police in the Yukon ter
ritory, who collects the royalties on
gold, reports the collections this year
on the Klondike output as amounting
to nearly $900,000, about $100,000
more than was received last year. Ten
per cent of the gold mined is supposed
to be paid to the government, which
wonld indicate the Klondike output for
the season to have been only $9,000,
000, but the general estimate has placed
it at nearly $20,000,000.
A correspondentjof Santiago de Cuba
says the natives there are becoming
adepts in the American game of base
ball. Havana may yet bid for a place
in the National league.
A celebrated Enlgisb physician says
that he has found that warts can be
cured by revaccinaton. He revacci
nated a girl of 15 who bad 94 warts on
one hand, and seven weeks after the
operation tbe warts had all disappear
ed. ' Many other remedies had been
tried in vain.
LATER NEWS.
Hay may
resign if the canal treaty
Is amended.
Lord Roberts was given an ovation
at Cape Town.
The United States wants Chiriqui for
a coaling station.
There is little change in the Santa
Fe strike situation.
Charles A. Towne was sworn in as
senator from Minnesota.
The house passed the legislative, ex
ecutive and jndicial bill.
The tension between Holland and
Portugal is increasing.
Benjamin Wise was held at Salem,
Or., for arson at Silverton.
A house Republican caucus decided
to stand by the war-tax bill.
The sultan of Turkey dined officers
of the battle-ship Kentucky.
Von Bnlow explained why Emperor
William wonld not receive Kruger.
Erection of poles and wires for an
other lighting system began in Salem,
Or.
Four men were killed by an explo
sion in the Union Pacific tunnel at
Aspen.
Attacks on Salisbury and Chamber
lain were made in the British nonse of
commons.
Only $600,000 can be obtained from
this session of congress for the Colum
bia jetty.
The Oregon supreme court upholds
the street improvement section of the
Portland city charter.
Cases of smallpox have been fonnd
frequently in Lima, Pern, and the pub
lic is alarmed, fearing a spread of the
disease.
The Idaho supreme court decides
that patented mining property is to be
regarded the same as other realty for
purposes of taxation.
The Austrian corvette Donau has ar
rived at Lima, Peru, bringing Bela
Bakoweghy, commissioner of the Aus
trian government, who is visiting the
consulates of South America.
A special from Shanghai announces
that Li Hung Chang's Manchu secre
tary, Yoko, has been arrested by order
of Field Marshal Count von Waldersee,
on the charge of communicating with
the Boxers.
The third annual cowboy and Indian
carnival opened in Phoenix, Arizona,
with a great parage of vaqueros, red
men and Chinese. After the parade,
m a wild dash through the streets, an
Indian was thrown from his horse and
fatally trampled under foot.
Germans are still excited over the
Kruger incident.
Japan is mnch disturbed by Tokio
municipal scandals.
The Oregon school fund losses an
average of $40,000 a year.
Ibe river and harbor committee is
cutting down all estimates.
The Philippines commission has pre
pared a tariff for the islands.
Tbe execution of Yu Hsien is cer
tain whenever envoys demand it.
The Chinese question is again said
to be approaching a settlement.
Fifty-two Filipino prisoners have
been taken by American troops.
Euloeies were pronounced in the
house on the late Representative Har
mei. Russia says all credit for securing
existing entente belongs to United
States.
Johannesburg wlil be fenced around
with barb wire to cut off Boers' rood
supply.
United States Consul Goodnow, at
Shanghai, will return home on leave ol
absence.
Netherlands disavows responsibilit)
for sympathetic letter of minister to
Krnger.
Senate will devote the present week
to Hay-Pauncefote treaty and ship
subsidy bill.
The naval appropiration bill will
provide for two more battleships and
two cruisers.
Delegate Wilcox, of Hawaii, strong
ly opposes importation of negro labor
into the islands.
Envoys take removal of General
lung Fu Hsiang to mean that govern
ment desires peace.
Establishment of ship subsidy bill
aa regular order will displace Nicara
gua canal measure.
Bills for the reduction of war reve
nue tax and legislative appropriations
will likely pass the house this week.
Robert W. Wilcox, Hawaii's delegate-elect
to congress, has arrived in
San Francisco, enroute to Washington.
Kruger was officially received by
Queen Wilhelmina. Tbe queen has
promised to show her friendship when
the proper moment arrives.
A railway bridge collapsed in Ger
many, letting an express train plunge
into the stream below. Five persons
were killed and eight badly injured.
Six hundred telegraph operators on
the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe,
have walked out in sympathy with the
operators on the Gulf, Colorado &
Santa Fe road.
The last enumeration shows a large
falling off in the number of book
agents, which in itself is a good argu
ment in favor of taking the census
every five instead of every 10 years.
The Connecticut woman who has
sued a physician because he changed
her complexion from that of a blond to
a brunette really ought to have a little
patience. The brunette will be in
fashion again before long, and then she
will be glad of the change. But wo
man always was an impulsive creature.
m cm nsd
The House Disposed of It by a
Party Vote.
MANY AMENDMENTS WERE ADOPTED
The Liveliest Fight Was Made on a Substitute
Offered by Littlefield, of Maine, for
the Canteen Provision.
Washington, Dec. 8. The house
today, at the end of a long session,
passed the army reorganization bill by
a vote of 166 to 133. Three Democrats,
Hall (Pa.) and Underhill and Slay ton
(N. Y.), voted with the Republicans
for tbe bill, and McCall (Rep. Mass.)
with the Democrats against it. Other
wise it whs a strict party vote.
Tbe proposition to which some of the
Democrats attempted to commit their
side in caucus, an extension of the
present temporary army nntil July 1, 1
1903, which was voted upon indirectly
on a motion to recommit, commanded
tbe votes of only about half the oppo
sition and two Republicans, McCall
and Mann (111.), Many of the Demo
crats, however, voted against the
motion because they were opposed not
only to the reorganization bill, but also
continuing the temporary army at its
present strength.
Qnite a number of amendments were
placed upon the bill before it was
passed.. The liveliest fight was made:
upon a substitute offered by Littlefield
(Rep.), fur the canteen section. The
substitute absolutely prohibited the
sale of intoxicants at military points.
Large delegations from the W. C. T.
U., which is in session in this city,
watched the fight from tbe gallery.
When t"ne vote was taken, the prohibi
tion amendment was carried by an
overwhelming majority 159 to 51.
Bartboldt attempted to secure a record
vote in the house, but tbe peculiar par- !
liamentary statutes shut him out.
Among the amendments adopted
were those providing for 50 voluteer
surgeons and 150 assistant surgeons for
service in tbe Philippines; for 30
dental surgeons and for a veterinary
corps with actual rank. The officers
of the pay corps were increased 11, and
of tbe signal corps 23. The age limit
was removed from volunteer officers
eligible to appointment as first and se-;
cond lieutenants, and tbe provision for
retiring officers who served in tbe civil
war on the next higher grade was
stricken out.
In the Senate.
Washington, Dec. 8. Tho ways and
means committee voted to report the
revenue reduction bill as introduced
with an amendment making the act
take effect on its passage instead of 30
; days thereafter. There were but two
i absentees Babcook (Rep.), and Rob
I inson (Dem.). When the beer section
was reached, fixing the rebate at 20
per cent instead of 7 4 per cent, which
makes the rate $1.60 per barrel. Rich
ardson, ranking meml or of the minor
ity, moved a further reduction of all
tbe increase made by the revenue act.
The effect of this motion, if carried,
would have been to make tho rate $1
per barrel. The motion was defeated
by a party vote.
NOT A PEACE TREATY.
The Pekin Agreement Only a Statement of the
Powers' Terms.
Washington, Dec. 8. All tho am
bassadors and nearly a majority of tbe
ministers resident in Washington
called upon Secretary Hay today, this '
being diplomatic day. In the case of
the representatives of those powers in J
terested in the Chinese question, it is
understood there was some exchanges
on that subject respecting the latest
developments in Pekin.
There has been no word from Mr. I
Conger since tbe dispatch to him of bis
instructions to sign the agreement.. It
is accnmprl hpre thftfc spvprnl dvs must I
elapse before tbe formal signatures of
all tbe powers can be obtained to the
agreement. Then it will be laid be
fore Prince Ching and Li Hung Chang,
who probably will be supplemented by
the viceroys of Nankin and Han Kow,
the latter, acting by telegraph, consti
tuting the board of commissioners to
represent tbe Chinese government.
This agreement in da a peace treaty
in any sense of the term. It is noth
ing but a statement of the terms on
which the powers will negotiate with
China for a final settlement. It will
be laid before the Chinese officials
rather as a matter of form, for there is
not tbe least doubt entertained that
they will be obliged to accept its pro
visions. Still they may require a week
or two for its consideration, and then
the way will be cleared for the initia
tion of fresb negotiations at Pekin be
tween the ministers and the Chinese
commissioners for a final settlement.
Henry Russell, Song Writer, Dead.
London, Dec. 8. Henry Russell,
composer of over 800 songs, including
"A Life on the Ocean Wave," and
"Cheer, Boys, Cheer," died yesterday,
aged 87 years.
Saw Twenty-two Beheaded.
Youngstown, O., Dec. 8. Walter
Kennedy, contractor and expert engi
neer, who has just returned from com
pleting some contracts in China, said
that be saw 22 Chinamen beheaded for
no reason other than that they were in
his employ. During tbe time he was
erecting extensive machinery he was
practically a prisoner, and did not
know what moment he would be taken
from his work and executed.
KRUGER IN HOLLAND.
Enthusiastic Greeting to the Ex-President by
the People of The Hague.
The Hague, Dec. 10. At the open
ing of the second chamber today, the
president, J. G. Gliochman, said:
"President Kruger arrives here to
day. He will take up his residence
here. I take tbe occasion to propose
that the chamber authorize me to wel
come, in its name, tbe ex-president to
our country and offer him an expres
sion of our cordial sympathy."
The proposal was adopted amid
cheers and bravos.
Mr. Kruger arrived here today and
was greeted at the station by tbe bur
gomaster and counsellor. A choir of
600 men and girls chanted Psalm 72,
verses 6, 7 and 11. The ex-president
and his suite then retired to the royal
waiting-room, where the burgomaster
warmly welcomed them in a brief
speech. Then followed Dr. Spink,
president of the local Sonth African
Association, assuring Mr. Kruger of the
deep sympathy of the entire Dutch
nation, "who had," he said, "so great
ly though vainly hoped that tbe great
powers who recently assembled at the
peace conference wonld not have per
mitted that in Sonth Africa the right
of nations, the right of war and civil
law should be trampled under foot, or
a little nation be sacrificed in an un
equal combat in defense of its exist
ence." The address, after a long eulogy of
the heroism of the Buers, proceeded to
liken Mr. Kruger to William the Si
lent, who sacrificed everthing for the
welfare of his people, and concluded:
"May your reliance on the Almighty,
similar to that of the Prince of Orange,
support you, Mr. Piesident, in the
arduous fight for right and liberty, and
may the liberty )f your nation crown
your courage. Then will Great Brit
ain have learned the lesson of bow
dangerous it is to attempt to throttle
the independence of a free nation."
KENTUCKY FIEND CAPTURED
Man Who tortured His Stepdaughter Safe in
Jail No Indications of Violence.
Maysville, Ky.; Dec. 10. William
Gibson, the man who is charged with
fiendishly torturing to death with a
red-hot iron his helpless 2-year-old
stepdaughter, at Cattlettsburg, Ky.,
two weeks ago, is safely in jail here.
In an interview tonight be denied
everything as to his guilt. At differ
ent times during tbe interview be
wonld laugh idiotically. When asked
why he fled, if iuuuOf jt, he replied:
"Weil, you see, this thing was hol
lered about and made so much over
that the people got excited, and you
know how the people are when they
ge excited."
He said he bad slept in ravines and
in brush for the last two weeks. His
intellect seems somewhat blurred and
at times his stupidity was very per
ceptible. Everything is quiet here to
night and there are no indications of
mob violence.
TELEGRAPHERS' STRIKE.
A Walk-Out on the Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe
Road Ten Hours Rest Wanted.
Houston, Tex., Dec, 10. The tele
graphers belonging to the Order of
Railway Telegraphers on the Gulf,
Colorado & Santa Fe road, extending
from Galveston to Purcell, I. T., left
their desks at 1 1 o'clock today. Pas
senger trains are being operated on
running orders from junction points,
and through freights are alo being
handled, although there is considerable
delay. The strike has been expected
for some time. A committee of tbe
telegraphers went to Galveston to hold
a -conference with General Manager
Polk, to whom they represented their
grievances. Tbe latter was in com
munication with President Ripley, and
it is believed by tbe men tbut the lat
ter official will yield on the point of 10
consecutive hours of rest for the oper
ators. The operators say they expect
to gain the active co-operation of other
railroad organizations.
Chinese Hold Mountain Passes.
Berlin, Dec. 10. A dispatch from
Field Marshal von Waldersee, dated
Pekin December 4, says strong detach
ments of Chinese regulars, nnder Gen
eral Ma, are reported from Shan Si to
be holding the mountain passes on the
frontier of Chi Li. An explosion at
Pao Ting Fu during the daring out of
a powdei magazine killed one man and
wounded five others.
Given Up for Lost
Provincetown. Mass., Dec. 10. The
Provincetown fishing schooner Cora S.
McKay, with 30 men, has been given
up for lost. Ever; circumstance points
to her destruction at Virgin rocks on
the Grand banks of Newfoundland in
the storm" of September 12 to 14, known
as tbe Galveston hurricane.
Movement of Porto Ricans.
El Paso, Tex., Dec. 10. Two cars
passed through here today containing
114 Porto Ricans who are going as
contract laborers to the Hawaiian isl
ands to work in the sugar industry for
Clans Spreckels. They said that 7,000
Porto Ricans are preparing to emigrate
to the islands lor the same purpose.
South Dakota's Vote.
Pierre, S. D., Dec. 10. The total
vote of the state, as shown by tbe offi
cial canvass, is as follows: McKinley,
54,530; Bryan, 89,544; Woolley, 1,342;
Parker, 839; Debs, 169.
The Nansen Fund.
Christiania, Dec. 8. The Nansen
fund, which was started after the re
turn of Dr. Nansen from tbe Arctic, to
promote scientific explorations, now
amounts to 1,000,000 kroner, and no
further contributions will be made.
mint POIIIIOFM
Strained Relations Between Hol
land and Portugal
THEY HAVE RECALLED THEIR MINISTERS
The Trouble Was Caused by Withdrawal of
the Exequatur of the Dutch Con
sul at Lourenco Marques.
Lisbon, Deo. 10. The minister of
the Netherlands to Portugal and the
Portuguese minister at The Hague
have left their respective posts. It is
believed that a difference has arisen on
the subject of the exequatur to the
Dutch consul at Lourenco Marques,
which the Portuguese government has
withdrawn.
The tension between Portugal and
Holland appears to have been empha
sized, perhaps not altogether uninten
tionally, by the peculiar warmth of
King Charles' toast to Queen Victoria
at the banquet given yesterday evening
at the Royal Palace to Vice-Admiral
Sir Harry Bold s worth Rawson, and the
officers of the Biitish fleet, now in the
River Tagus. and by the telegram
which the king afterwards dispatched
to Queen Victoria, thanking her ma
jesty for sending the fleet, and tor the
friendship thus demonstrated.
"I beg to record," telegraphed the
king, "my great satisfaction at the
frank and loyal alliance uniting Eng
land and Portugal."
In the course of his speech, when he
toasted Queen Victoria, the king said
among other things:
"England has often shared the efforts
and glories of Portugal. Oar mutual
friendship and close alliance are
strengthened by history and the blood
shed together in causes which have
always been just."
Admiral Rawson leplied that the
words of the king harmonized with the
thoughts of the government and people
of Great Britain.
Portuguese Minister Will Explain.
The Hagne, Dec. 10. While it is
not denied that the minister of the
Netherlands at Lisbon and the minis
ter of Portugal here are temporarily
leaving their posts, it is semi-officially
deolared that there is no question of
the ministers being recalled. It is ex
plained that Count De Selir, the Portu
guese minister, is proceeding to Lisbon
on a few days' visit to explain verbally
the difficulties which have arisen in
connection with the Netherlands con
sul, Herr Pott, at Lourenco Marques.
Spaniards Accuse England.
Madrid, Deo. 10. The Imparcial
says it considers the rupture of rela
tions between Holland and Portugal to
be very serious. It adds that it was
due to tbe intrigues of Great Britain,
fnrther asserting that Portugal is now
under the tutelage of Lord Salisbury.
Observers think that the speech and
telegram constitute an intimation to
the world that Portugal can count on
strong support if necessary.
THE CORONER'S VERDICT.
Holds No One Responsible for San Francisco's
Thanksgiving Day Accident. ' "
San Franoisco, Dec. 10. The coron
er's jury, inquiring into the causes of
the Thanksgiving day disaster, in
which 22 lives were lost by the col
lapse of tbe San Francisco & Pacific
Glass Works during the progress of the
Stanford-Berkeley football game, has
returned the following verdict in the
case of each victim of the accident:
"That the accident was caused by
the breaking of the vvutilator of the
roof over the furnace in the house of
the San Francisco & Pacific Glass
Works at tbe corner of Fifteenth and
Folsom streets on tbe afternoon ot No
vember 29; further, that be had no
business there and was there against
tbe orders and temporary resistance on
the part of the superintendent ot said
works, and further, that no one can be
held responsible for his death other
than himself and that death was acci
dental." Territory for the Canal.
Chicago, Dec. 10. A special to the
i Record from Washington says: Nica
ragua and Costa Rica have announced
their willineness to grant a lease to the
United States for a preiod of 200 years
of the territory necessary for the con
struction of the projected Nicaragua
canal. The terms are regarded as
moderate. It is understood that Nica
ragua and Costa Rica will accept bonds,
the valne of those to be accepted by
the former government to be less than
$6,000,000 and by the latter to be less
than $1,500,000.
Pleased With Americans.
Pekin, Dec. 10. Li Hnng Chang has
informed General Chaffee that he and
all the people of the province of Chi
Li are extremely pleased and gratified
at tbe behavior of the American troops
toward the Chinese. This is considered
no light matter. From all sections of
the portion of the city under American
supervision oome words of praise,
thankfulness and commendation regard
ing tbe behavior of the Americans.
Oxnard Married a Maid.
New York, Deo. 10. The World
says: "On the Dentschland, which
arrived here yesterday, were Henry T.
Oxnard, of San Francisco, president of
tbe two American beet-sugar associa
tions, and his bride, formerly Mile.
Marie Pichon, maid of Mr. Oxnard '
eister-in-law. Mrs. Robert Oxnard.
They were married in Paris November
16, bnt tbe marriage was not announced
nntil tbe Deutsohland's arrival."
WOULD NOT HONOR IT.
Requisition For an Indiana Man Turned Down
By the Governor of Colorado.
Indianapolis, Dec. 12. Governor
Mount today received word that Gov
ernor Thomas, of Colorado, has refused
to honor a requisition from Indiana for
the return of Clifton Oxinan, of Prince
ton, Ind., accused of defrauding, in a
real estate deal, J. Mayer Greene, of
Chicago. A special from Denver says
the Indiana sheriff had Attorney-General
Campbell, of Colorado, inspect tbe
papers and they were declared legal.
Afterward, it is stated, Governor
Thomas had a consultation with Mr.
Campbell, and then announced that
the papers were not made out in tech
nical form, and this, taken in connec
tion with the attitude of Governor
Mount, of Indiana, in refusing to honor
Governor Beckham's requisition for
the return to Kentucky of W. S. Tay
lor, who is now living in Indiana,
and who was wanted in Kentucky, he
said would cause him to refuse the re
quisition. Governor Thomas, it is
stated, at the same time, said that
several other governors had, he be
lieved, decided to take similar steps re
garding Governor Mount. The matter
has created considerable comment.
Governor Mount, when told tonight
of Governor Thomas' action, s.ud he
was surprised at it. "There may be
something political in this matter, ' ' he
said, "but I am surprised that Gov
ernor Thomas resorts to any so-called
precedent in bis action on the requisi
tion. He cites my action in the Ken
tucky cases as a precedent, which he
says he is inclined to follow. I con
sidered no precedent when I refused
the Kentucky requisition. I did so be
cause I did not believe tbe men could
get a fair trial in their own state.
Governors do not as a rule resort to
pecedents in acting on such questions.
Each stands on its own merits."
EIGHT PERSONS DROWNED.
Iron Ore Barge Went to the Bottom During a
Storm on Lake Erie.
Erie, Pa., Dec. 12. In the midst
of one of the most bitter gales that
ever s.vept Lake Erie the iron ore
barge S. H. -Foster, in tow of the Iron
Duke, w nt to the bottom at 4 o'clock
this morning 10 miles off Erie, and
eight persons weie drowned.
The Foster was one of the fleet of
James Corrigan, of Cleveland, and for
two months has been running from Du
lutb to Erie with iron one. Her cargo
consisted of 1,500 tons of ore. Captain
Ashley, of the Iron Duke, made Erie
in tieEIKsliWiiM
Government Cotton Crop.
New York. Dec. 12. A story to the j
effect 5hat tbe government cotton crop,
which will be made public tomorrow,
has been offered to certain cotton brok
ers in this city in advance, received
corroboration today. Frank B. Guest, '
head of a cotton commission house, ;
said tonight that advance information
was offered to him Saturday. He im-
mediately notified President Hubbard,
of tbe cotton exchange. Tbe latter
asked for a detailed statement, which
was given, and this is to be used as a
basis for federal investigation. Presi
dent Hubbard said tonight that he
would go to Washington without delay
and place the entire matter before the
proper authorities.
To Amend Laws.
Washintgon, Dec. 12. Representat
tive Jones, of Washington, is seeking
to amend the pension laws by lifting
from the soldiers the necessity of prov
ing that the disability for which they
seek pensions did not exist prior to
their enlistment. His bill on this sub
ject provides that in all cases where ;
the services of a soldier were accepted,
and he was mustered into the ai my, no
further questions should be asked con
cerning his physical condition prior to :
enlistment. In many cases the soldier
of the Civil war has been prevented
from securing a pension because of bis
inability to prove that his disability
did not exist prior to bis enlistment.
Hospital for Lumbermen.
Eugene, Or., Deo. 12. Arrange
ments bave been made whereby the
Booth-Kelly Lumber Company will
provide a hospital in Eugene foi tbe
benefit of the workmen who may at
any time be taken sick or injured.
The employes will pay monthly dues
for the support of the institution, and
when any of them requires medical or
surgioal tieatment he will receive it
without further cost. A contract has
been made with Drs.. Paine and Kny
kendall for professional services and
m'edicines for a year. They will select
a suitable building and have the hos
pital ready to leceive patients by the
first of January.
All Credit Due America.
St. Petersburg, Dec. 12. The Novoe
Vremya, in an article evidently in
spired, referring to tbe recent dis
patches from Dr. Morrison, in Pekin,
to the London Times, saying all the
credit for securing softened terms is
given by the Chinese to the Russians,
remarks:
"The credit for tjbe existing entente
really belongs to America. England,
begrudges President McKinley his just
prestige because he has emphasied
America's friendship for Russia."
Fire at Silverton, Or.
Fire at Silverton caused a loss oi
$12,000. Incendiarism is suspected,
two men being under arrest. A fire
engine was sent from Portland to the
relief of the town.
Ths British Uncencemed.
The British show little interest in
Nicaragua affairs.
Argument in the Neely case was be
gun before tbe United Sates supreme
court.
FIRST SUPPLY HI
It Was Passed by the House in
Record Time.
WAS NOT TEN MINUTES OF DEBATE
Legislative, Executive and Judicial Appropria
tion Bill, Carrying Over $24,000,000,
Went Through Unchallenged
Washington, Dec. 12. The first of
the great supply bills, the legislative,
executive and judicial appiopriation
bill, was passed by the bouse in record .
time. The bill carres $24,496,808,
and has 131 pages, but there was less
than 10 minutes debate upon it. It
required about three hours for the
clerk to read the bill. No other busi
ness was transacted.
Today under the rules belonged to
the District of Columbia committee,
bnt, owing to the desire of the leaders
to proceed with the appropriation bill,
distriot day was postponed nntil a week
from tomorrow. Bingham (Rep. Pa.),
who was in charge of the measure,
made a preliminary statement of its
contents. Both parties in the recent
campaign, Bingham said, pledged them
selves to economy and retrenchment.
The pending bill the first of the big
money bills was a step in that direc
tion. Robinson (Dem. Ind.) expressed the
opinion that if retrenchment were de
sired, a provision be inserted in the
bill to cut off the 30 days' sick leave
in addition to the 30 days' leave now
allowed to clerks in the exectutive de
partments. Bingham explained that such legisla
tion did not come within the purview
of the pending bill. The law left the
question of leave within the discretion
of tbe various beads of depaitments.
Robinson protested that clerks in
the government service outside of
Washington did not receive the same
leave privileges received by those here,
and he thought the unjust discrimina
tion against the former should cease.
An amendment providing for 12 ad
ditonal temporary clerks to dispose of
the accumulated business in the office
of the controller of the treasury was
adopted. At the conclusion of the read
ing of the bill, Bingham thanked the
house for the confidence shown in the
appropriation committee in allowing
the -bill to go through unchallenged,
and the bill was then passed.
CHIRIQUI COALING STATION.
United States May Purchase the Port From
Colombia.
Washington, Dec. 12. The gunboat
Bancroft sailed today from Colon for
Almirante bay. It is understood that
ber mission is to look into the advant
ages offered by the port of Chiriqui as
a coaling station. The harbor is capa
ble of floating the entire fleet of a na -tion,
and the water is deep enough for
the heaviest battle-ship. Approaches
were made to the Colombian govern
ment, with a view to learning whether
it wonld entertain a propition to
grant Chiriqui as a coaling station.
At that time, Colombia was not in a
position to make a definite answer, as
the territory, including this harbor,
had been in dispute between Colombia
and Costa Rica. The answer, there
fore, was to the effect that the grant
could not be made while the question
of sovereignty remained open between
the two countries. Since then, how
ever, Colombia and Costa Rica have ar
ranged to arbitrate the differences, and
there is a prospect of an early settle
ment of sovereignty. With this point
removed, it is believed that there will
bo no serious objections from Colombia
or Costa Rica to granting a coaling sta
tion. EXPLOSION IN A TUNNEL
Four Men Lost Their Lives at Aspen, Wyo.
Accumulation of Gas the Cause.
Aspen, Wyo., Deo. 12. A disastrous
gas explosion occurred today in the
new railroad tunnel by which four men
lost their lives and several others were
injured. Tbe tunnel is being bnilt
on tho cut-off of tbe Union Pacific rail
road between Aspen and Billiard.
Tbe explosion was caused by tbe ac
cumulation of gas.
The coroner's veridct is ' 'unavoidable
accident." Twenty ot the men were
at work at the time of the explosion.
It is not known what ignited, the gas.
Electric lights are used throughout the
tunnel
No Hope for Kruger.
London, Deo. 12. "Dr. Leyds and
bis friends are spreading a report,"
says the Amsterdam correspondent of
the Daily Mail, "that Queen Wilhel
mina will intervene after her marriage.
This is meant to blind the public to
the real facts, which are that she
wrote personally to every European
ruler on Mr. Kruger's arrival in Eu
rope, and from two countries at least,
France and Russia, received conditional
promises of help in tbe direction of in
tervention, but the plan failed in Ber
lin." Steel Company Resumes Work.
Lorain, O., Dec. 12. The Lorain
Steel Company resumed work today at
its blooming, converting, finishing and
shape mills, with more than 3,000 men
employed in the entire plant.
Crashed Into a Handcar.
An engine on tbe Grand Trunk road,
near Ingle wood Junction, Ont., crashed
into a handcar on which were five sec
tion men going to work. All five were
killed instantly.