WEEKLY. "
Tgr1fcSasaIlMedM.1899. COBTAIiUS, BENTON CX)T7!NTY OBEGON, FRIDAY, MAY 3, 1301. VOL. XXXY1II. NO. 19.
ins or nit m
From All 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 reward for Pat Crowe's arrest
has been withdrawn.
The amnesty proclamation will be
extended to July 1.
German casualties ' were large in
their recent expedition to Shan Si.
Eight men were burned to death
and several injured in a fire in France.
A party of Boers blew up the rail
road between Graspan and Cape Col
ony. Troops will not be withdrawn from
China until the indemnity question
is settled.
Washington well digger was buried
alive in a shaft by the dirt caving
in on him.
Morgan and his syndicate has pur
chased the Leyland trans-Atlantic
line of tseamers.
The contract has been let for the
laying of a cable from Juneau to
Skagway, Alaska.
Fire in Pittsburg resulted in the
loss of one life and a property loss
estimated at $225,000.
Frick has purchased a large amount
of land near Camden, N. J., and may
establish a great steel plant there.
The president made a large number
of civil I and military appointments
before starting on his western tour.
"Jack the Ripper," whose crimes
startled the world years ago, has been
arrested at Ludwigshaven, Bavaria.
The business portion of Wautoma,
Wisconsin was totally destroyed by
fire. Loss, $100,000; insurance, $50,
000." British forces continue to capture
small bands of Boers. Some ammu
nition and supplies are also reported
taken.
Japan has bought a large amount
of Bombay cotton which formerly
has been purchased in the United
States.
.'.The Chilean claims commission
has almost finished its work, only six
more claims remaining to be dis-
posed of.
A board of administration has been
'appointed by the dowager empress
ifbr '. the purpose of reorganizing the
government of China.
it ' The trial of Captain James V. Reed
' .opened in Manila. It develops that
the money he received was to cover
'- the shortage , of his predecessor in
office.
President McKinley and party has
left Washington.
The Cuban commissioners have
started for home. v
Marauding has increased between
Pekin and Tien Tsin. '
Turbulent province of South Cama
.. rines, Luzon, is nearly pacified.
' Cardinal Rampolla has resigned the
office of papal secretary of state.
Negotiations for the renewal of the
Driebund will be opened shortly.
Albians are said to be committing
wholesale atrocities in old Servia.
Ottomans ask help of French to
rescue ex-sultan from living grave.
'Li Hung Chang compliments
American stand on indemnity ques
tion. Dissolution of Alaska transporta
tion combine has caused a big cut in
rates. -
',' James Callahan was acquitted of
complicity in the Cudahy kidnap
ping. . .
' Repairs to cost $5,000 have been
recommended for the Astoria Federal
building.
. Enthusiastic meetings were held all
over the country in honor of Grant's
. birthday.
Henry Meldrum, of Oregon City,
has., been appointed surveyor general
of Oregon.
Von Waldersee reports four engage
ments, in which the Chinese were
badly defeated.
- James Douglas Reid, ex-United
States consul and "father of the tel-
egraph," is dead.
. Hon. J. C. Trullinger, ex-Oregon
legislator and prominent citizen of
Astoria, is dead.
General Ketterlee reports that the
Chinese only left Kukuan when they
were forced to do so.
Women members of Washington
Pan-American commission came out
ahead ' in legal . contest for expnese
money.
Americans surprised a Filipino
camp. One rebel major was killed
and several staff officers captured.
The Americans lost two men in the
engagement.
' Lake Niagara is the largest fresh
water lake between Lake Michigan
and 'Lake Titicaca, in Peru. .
Minnesota farm lands have ad
vanced more than 100 per cent in
yalue during the past seven years.
Tip carrying and collection of malls
In France, it is officially decided,
hall be conducted on automobiles.
At numerous mines in Siberia, 2,009
men. and 600 horses are used on a
single property to produce gold not
exceeding $2,000,000 per annum.
ALASKA TELEGRAPH LINE.
II . e-ir . pri r- n . . . . . . I A k V 4 Jk II 4V M k I 4 I n I . .
It Will Probably Be Two Years Before It b
in Good Working Order.
Washington, April 29. Were it not
for the great difficulties of transport
ation in Alaska, the government mil
itary telegraph line from Valdes to
the Yukon river and down to St.
Michaels would probably be in work
ing order by the close of the coming
summer, but under conditions as they
exist it will probably be two years be
fore this line in its entirety will be
working satisfactorily. Work was
not begun in earnest until late in
the season of 1900, when by dextrous
labor the men of the signal corps,
under Major Green, took hold and made
phenomenal progress witk the line.
It is beyond a possibility, however,
for them to keep up this pace this
summer, owing largely to the diffi
culties encountered in getting their
lines, fixtures and supplies to interior
points from which they are working.
Active operations in laying the line
could not be commenced before late
in March or the first of April, and
up to this time no advices on this
subject have yet been receievd in
Washington.
It is hoped that by the close of this
summer season Fort Gibbon will be
connected with St. Michael, and this
will bring the latter point and Skag
way within 15 days of each other,
whereas they have been heretofore two
months apart, and oftentimes nearer
three months. This will be a tremen
dous saving in time, and an unques
tioned advantage to the military and
other government officials.
The question of how the. line shall
be constructed along the great bend
of the Yukon has not yet been de
terimned. This neck of land is be
tween 30 and 40 miles wide. Should
the line follow the river it would be
much longer than an overland section,
and could not be reached in summer,
except by a large repair force,
which would make it expensive and
difficult of maintenance. During
the past winter an officer has been in
the field to see what can be done
across country between Fort Gibbon
and Fort Egbert. On his report the
department will act. The signal
corps is feeling its . way cautiously,
so as not to make the same errors as
were ascribed to the Canadian author
ities, who attempted to build a tele
graph line from the two ends without
making a survey of the route, and in
consequence, at the close of a season,
found that the two ends that were to
have connected had over lapped each
other for some miles, 'one going on
one side of a mountain and the other
on the opposite side. And for weeks
neither party knew of the proximity
of the other.
HEAD WAS SEVERED.
J'Black Jack" Ketchum, a Noted Desperado
Hanged. Rope Jerked Head from Body.
Clayton, N. M., April 27. Thomas
E. Ketchum, alias "Black Jack," the
train robber, -- was hanged at 1 :21 P.
M. yesterday. The rope broke but
his head was jerked off.
The execution took . place in side
a stockade built for the occasion.
The inclosure was crowded, 150 spec
tators having been admitted.
When Ketchum mounted the plat
form at 1 :17 his face was very pale,
but his eye swept out over the crowd
very coldly and boldly, as if he had
no fear. A priest stood at his side,
as the rope was put around his neck.
The condemned man had consented
to this at the last moment.
Ketchum declined to make a speech
before the noose was put around his
neck. He merely muttered "Good
by," then said, "Please dig my grave
very deep," and finally, "all right,
hurry up." His legs trembled, but
he kept his nerve.
When the body dropped through
the trap the half inch rope severed
the head as cleanly as if a knife had
cut it. The body pitched forward
with blood spurting from the headless
trunk. The head remained with the
black cap and flew down into the pit.
Pueblo Teacher Disappear. -
Pueblo. Col.. Anril '29. A local
sensation is caused by the mysterious
aisappearance ot Mrs. Mertie Buerger,
who for 12 years has been a teacher in
the Pueblo ach'ools Ttlrwlli
followed a trail from Mrs. Buerger's
nouse to ana under a bridge over
Fountain creek, a shallow stream.
The Arka.naafl rivpr noma ilidfamna
further on, has been dragged, wit! cut
result,.
Nebraska Prairie On Fire '
Valentine, Neb., April 26. Word
received from the southwestern part of
this (Cherry) county is to the effect
that disastrous prairie ' fires are raging
mere; mas me ouiiaings oi one cat
tle ranch have been entirely wiped out
and that other ranches are threatened.
Details are very meager, and it is im
possible to learn . the name of the
ranch which has suffered the loss of its
buildings, which is about 60 miles
from here. The report says that the
ires started about 4 o'clock - in the
afternoon. -
Disloyal Utterances Suppressed.
Bloemfontein, Orange River Col
ony, April 29. The provost marshal,
presiding over a court of summary
jurisdiction, has announced his inten
tion of suppressing disloyal utter
ances. He has ordered a British sub
ject named Mitchell to be deported to
Ceylon for abusing an army order to
the effect that householders shall sus
pend a board outside of their doors
giving the names of all the occupants
of that particular house.
Hems of Interest From All Parts
of the State.
COMMERCIAL AND FINANCIAL HAPPENINGS
A Brief Review of the Growth and Improve
ments of the Many Industries Through
out Our Thriving Commonwealth.
Athena has secured a street rock
crusher.
Work of building a road to Blue
river, on the Calapooia side, has be
gun. Plans of a telephone line from Baker
to the Panhandle is under considera
tion. A burglar proof safe arrived at Ash
land last week for the First National
Bank.
The telephone line from Grant's
Pass to Williams is complete and in
operation.
County roads between Baker City
and John Day are said to be in very
baa condition.
The Hood River Fruit Growers'
Union is beginning to receive orders
tor strawberries.
Fred J. Runmmel was killed at the
Mammoth mine, in Eastern Oregon
recently by a snow slide.
Thieves broke into alsaddle shop at
The Dalles several days ago and made
away with several pieces of harness.
W. C. Peterson agrees to put an
electric light plant in Brownsville if
the city will pay $45 per month for
six lights.
Horse rustlers with two car loads of
stolen horses are dodging the officers
somewhere in the the eastern portion
oi Aiaineur county.
Governor Geer will be asked ta
grant a pardon to J. G. Luhrman,
who was sent to the penitentiary from
Baker eounty in June, 1900, convicted
oi manslaughter.
Work has again ' been ' resumed on
the trOlden Wedge mine, at Galice.
A new irrigating ditch has been
started at iily, in Klamath county.
It is not thought that the fruit was
injured by the recent heavy frosts in
Hood River.
' The Sherman county court has
raised the stock inspector s salary tc
$300 per annum.
A considerable amount of wheat
was sold at The Dalles last week foi
50 cents a bushel.
The Coos county court has ordered
that the road poll, tax be paid in cash,
and that the road supervisors collect
the tax. ,
Last week, while Jack .Simmons
was driving for a load of hay on the
Innes-Kelsay ranch, near Paisley, a
gust of wind lifted the rack off the
wagon and carried it several rods and
dropped it into a slough.
A Southern Pacific steam shovel
and outfit will immediately begin fill
ing in the Rice Hill railway trestles
with earth. The switch will be ex
tended, a water tank built, and othei
improvements made near Isadora1 and
Rise Hill.
PORTLAND MARKETS.
WheatWalla Walla, 5960c. ;
valley, nominal; bluestem, 61c. per
bushel. .
Flour Best grades, $2.703.40 pel
barrel; graham, $2.60.
Oats White, $1.35 per cental:
gray, $1.251.30 per cental.
Barley Feed, $1717.25; brewing,
$1717.25 per ton. - :
Millstuff s Bran, $16 per ton ; midd
lings, $21.50; shorts, $17.50; chop,
$16.
Hay Timothy, $12.50 14; clover,
$79.50; Oregon wild hay, $67
per ton.
Hops 12 14c. per lb. ; 1899 crop,
67c.
Wool Valley, 1213c. ; Eastern
Oregon, 912c; mohair. 20a21c.
per pound.
Butter Fancv creamerv. : 15
17 c. ; dairy, 11 14c. ; store, 10
11c. per pound.
Eggs Oreeon ranch. 1414Vc.
per dozen.
Poultrv Chickens, mixed. $3.50:
hens, $44.50; dressed, ll12c. per
pound: serines. $3(3)5 ner dozen:
ducks, $56; geese, $67; turkeys,
live, lU12c; dressed, 1315c. per
pound.
Cheese Full cream, twins. 13
13c. ; Young America, 1314c.
per pound.
Potatoes Old. 75c.a$l ner sack:
new, 22c. per pound.
Mutton Lambs 4c. ner
pound gross : best sheen. $8 : wethers.
$5; ewes, $4.50; dressed, 7c.
per pound.
Hoes Gross, heavv. $5.75(36:
light, $4755; dressed, 77)c. per
pound.
Veal Large, 67c. Mr round:
small, 8c. per pound. .
Beef Gross. tOD steers. S5(a5.25:
cows and heifers, $4.504.75; dressed
beef, 8Je. per pound
Forty-eight thousand Turks have
been exiled during the last 11 years.
Wolves are increasing rapidly in
many of the forest lands of northern
Canada.- . .'
A German savant points out that
rural postmen were in existence in
Egypt 4,000 years ago. ,:
A company with a capital of f 1,
000,000 has been organized in Vine
land, N. J., for the making of flour
from sweet potatoes.
BANDS OF ROBBERS.
Depredations of Thieves and Pirates Increasing:
In Vicinity of PeMn.
Berlin, April 30. Field Marshal
Count von Waldersee in a dispatch
from Pekin, reports that marauding
has increased near Hosiwu and Matu.
and that junks used as transports be
tween these places have been attacked.
Lieutenant Colonel Arnafarlt. V.oa Ko.n
sent from Tien Tsin to the disturbed
district in command of a composite
column. Count von Waldersee also
reports, under Pekin date, as follows:
colonel Jtionmeister, command
ing the Fourth infantry and two com
panies of mountain artillery, attacked
the enemy April 23 by the great wall,
10 kilometers south of Hai Shan
Kwaa, and forced them to retire with
heavv losses into Shun Si W loar.
four wounded and captured four flags
and four old pattern guns. General
Voyron intimates that he intends to
evacuate the neighborhoood of Shan
Ting and return to Pao Ting Fu.
His extended outposts remain at Sin
x am keeping a lorce at Ansui
ing pass."
In Pursuit of the Chinese.
, London, April 30. A Reuter dis
patch from Pekin says the headquar
ters staff has received a telegram from
a British officer accompanying the
expedition to the effect that on April
23 the Germans crossed into Shan Si
through the Kouk Nau and Chang
Chen Liu passes, in pursuit of the
retreating Chinese, whom they fol
lowed 18 miles, fighting a sharp ac
tion. The French troops remained
in occupation of the passes. The Ger
mans returned April 25, and . the
French handed over the passes to
them and returned to their previous
outposts. The Germans are said to
have had four men killed and five
officers and 80 men wounded. The
Chinese loss is not known.
MEXICAN MINISTERS.
Mplomatic Relations Resumed With Austria
and American Republics.
Washington, April 30. A complete
reapproachment between the govern
ments of Austria and Mexico has been
brought about, and as a result each
country is about to send a minister to
the other. This terminates an inter
national estrangement dating back to
the days when young Maximillian of
Austria sought to gain a foothold in
Mexico, and lost his life in the ad
venture. A bill has passed the Mexi
can congress providing for a minister
to Austria at a salary of $15,000 an
nually. Austria will take similar ac
tion by sending a minister to Mexico,
and this will close the long and his
toric separation.
The Mexican government has also
taken steps to resume diplomatic
eommunication with South American
countries, the first move in that di
rection 'being the appointment of a
Mexican minister to the Argentine
republic. ' For many years there has
been no diplomatic intercourse be
tween Mexico and her sister republics
on the southern continent, as there
was little commerce between them,
and few political questions requiring
diplomatic representations. . ..Recent
ly, however, Argentina has made a
friendly move by accrediting a min
ister both to Washington and Mexico
City, and Uruguay has taken similar
action. The selection of Mexico City
as the place for holding the congress
of American republics has had a fur
ther influence in inducing Mexico to
extend her relations with South and
Central America.
THE NEW COMET.
Brightest That Has Appeared to View for Over
Nineteen Years. -;
Elkhorn, Wis., April 30. The new
comet which was observed this morn
ing at the Yerkes observatory, at Wil
liams bay, is said by astronomers to
be the brightest that has appeared
for 19. years. Notice was received
yesterday by telegraph from Harvard
university that a comet had been dis
covered at Queenstown April 23, and
Observed at Cape of Good Hope on
the morning of April 25. Its position
at that time was about 16 degrees
southwest of the sun. Its position
this morning was some 15. degrees
north of the sun, indicating a verv
rapid northeasterly movement.
Nothing could be seen of the celes
tial visitor last evening at sunset, but
this morning Professor Er R. Frost,
assisted by F. R. Sulliavn, saw the
new comet appear above the horizon.
About 20 minutes before sunrise it
could be plainly seen, although the
sky was quite bright. It was of an
orange color, with two prominent
kits or streamers. It remained visr
ible until 15 minutes or more after
sunrise, when it faded away in the
growing light. It was too low in the
sky to be observed by the 40 inch
telescope, and the sky was so bright
that nothing could be seen with the
12 inch instrument.
The Govemirent Will Refund.
Washington, April 30. Commis
sioner of- Internal Revenue Yerkes,
in pursuant of the action of the
United States supreme court in de
claring the tax of 10 cents on export
bills of lading unconstutional, has
informed inquirers that the amounts
paid for the stamps will be refunded
on claims of the value of $2 or over.
It is estimated that about $800,000
has i been collected under this tax
lince it went into effect, July 1, 1898.
0
Nfirormi
Senator Clark's Men Clash with
Nevada Officers.
WORKMEN IGNORE SHERIFF'S ORDERS
Attempt to Prevent Waons Loaded with Sup
plies from Crossing Disputed Ground
Will Settle It In Court
Uvada. Utah. Anril 99 TVio fin)
clash bewteen the Oregon Short Line
j ri , ... .
ana senator UlarK s torces lor posses
sion of the disputed Utah & California
grade occurred todav whon 99. vairnna
loaded with ties were driven up to
me rignt ot way by order of Superin
tendent Young. The first team was
promptly stopped by the Clark forces.
Sheriff Johnson then demanded that
the teams be allowed to pass over the
public road, but the Clark force nimin
refused to allow the teamsters to pro-
ceea. ine teamsters then attempted
to force their horses through, but the
Clark men, heavily reinforced and
armed with shovels and pick handles,
rushed to the horses heads and stopped
them. For two hours thn uronimunt
was kept up, several of the teamsters
in me meantime succeeding in breaK
ing through and getting their wagons
upon the right of way.
Finally . the Clark forces asked foi
an armistice and an agreement was
reached by which the wagons are not
to be unloaded and the Clark forces
are to retire to their second line oi
defense at the barbed wire trocha,
two miles down the grade, pending a
determination in court of the respec
tive rights of the claimants. This
action, it is believed, removes the
danger of a further clash between the
rival forces.
BOER FORCE CAPTURED.
Surrounded at Night by Lieutenant Reid mi
a Small Party of English.
: London, April 29. The war office
has received the following dispatch
from Lord Kitchener: "Pretoria,
April 27. Since yesterday the col
umn reports the Boer losses to be 12
killed, 20 wounded, 47 captured and
42 surrendered In addition to the
foregoing, Lieutenant Reid, with 20
Bushmen, captured southeast of Com
misie drift, Oliphant's river, Com
mandant Schoeder and 41 Boers to
gether with a Maxim. Reid's men
crept up and surrounded them before
dawn, and opened fire, the Boers im
mediately surrendering.".
In a latter message forwarding ad
vices from General Kitchener, his
brother, the commander in chief says:
"General Kitchener reports from
Spardee Plata 18 Boers killed, 14
taken prisoners and 3,000 cattle and
many wagons captured. "
WON BY AMERICANS.
Pittsburg Firm Will Build Locomotives f
India.
New York. Anril 29. An American
concern has secured the contract for
locomotives recently ordered by the
Calcutta port commissioners, despite
active European competition.
lhe Indian authorities invited bids
in the open market for nine locomo
tives. The lowest , British bid was
that of Neilson, Reid & Company,
Glascow. Their price was 1,549,
against the Pittsbnro' TMmntln.
LCompanx's bid of 1,378 for each
engine, ine nttsburg company also
offered quick delivery, undertaking
10 iuinu its contract inside ot six
months, while the shortest time given
bv British builders was nine mnntln
The Calcutta officials accepted the
tender ot the American company.
mis is the nrst contract for loco
motives Americans hnva an-nm)
abroad through lower prices. Pre
vious contracts have come to this
country because of prompt delivery.
Anaconda Burglars Stole Safe Bodily.
Anaconda .Mont.. Anril 29 Tw
burglars entered the Alaska saloon
early today by forcing the Main
street door. Bodilv nilrinor nr o son
rf X -"& " f
pound safe, they loaded it onto an
express wagon. Driving outside the
city limits they broke the safe open
and secured $10,000 in gold. Putting
the broken sate back into the wagon
thev started the horse for r.Vm
and made good their escane. fin
clew. :
Robbed The Exprses.
Macon. Ga.. Anril 29. An
car of the Central Georgia railroad
going from Atlanta to Savannah u
robbed this morning by two men who
Doaraea me train at Macon. After
the train pulled out of Macon the twa
men, who had secreted themselves in
some way, entered the express car
and confronted the express messenger.
iney seized and bound his hands and
feet and threw a sack over his head.'
They then went through his packages
ana securea about $30U, but left s
$1,000 package lying on the floor.
Chinese Came Back. :
Pekin, April 29. The Chinese reg
ulars who retired beyond the Great
wall have reappeared at another point
within the International . area.
Strong representations have been
made to the Chinese plenipotentiaties
in regard to the necessity for their
immediate retirement. : The French
force is in readiness to renew. the
operations, but has been ordered to
await the result of the imperial
edicts. ":'. .
THE PRESIDENTIAL TOUR.
Chief Places and Dates to Be Visited by Mc
Kinly and Party.
The following are the principal
places the presidential party will visit
on their coast tour, with dates :
Washington, left April 29
Memphis April 30
New Orleans May 1
Houston, Tex May 3
Austin, Tex. May 3
San Antonio, Tex May 4
im raso, i.ex., rest May 5
El Paso, leave May 6
Phoenix, Ariz May 7
Redlands, Cal May 8
Los Angeles Miv 8
Del Monte May 10
an Jose May 13
San Francisco Mav 14
Sacramento May 20
Portland, Or May 22
Tacoma, Wash May 23
Spokane : May 27
Butte, Mont May 28
Helena, Mont May 28
Yellowstone Park May 29
Anaconda ? May 31
Salt Lake June 2
Leadville .June 4
Denver june 5
Cheyenne June 5
Colorado Springs June 6
Pike's Peak June 7
Pueblo June 7
Kansas City .June 9
Kansas City June 10
Chicago June 11
Buffalo June 13
Washington ..' June 15
JAMES DOUGLAS REID DEAD.
-United States Consul and "Father of the
Telegraph."
New York. Af nv 1 To
Reid) known to the telegraphers as
i mi n . i ... . .
ne ratner ot the Telegraph," is
dead at his home in this city. He
was born in Edinhnrcr Knntlonrl
March 22, 1809, and came to America
in io4. iie entered telegraphy in
1845, when he assisted in the oragniz
ation of the Atlantic & Ohio telegraph
company for the construction of a
series of lines connecting Phialdel
phia, Pittsburg, Buffalo, Detroit,
Cincinnati, . St. Louis and New Or
leans, the most extensive service pro
jected at that time. Becoming ac
auainted with Prof. S. F. R Morsp
a mutual attachment sprung up be
tween them, which led to Mr. Reid's
appointment as superintendent of the
Magnetic telecranh mmnnnv a Mna
. ----a j 1 j , -i-
extendmg from New York to Wash
ington. At the same : time he re
tained his connection with t.ha A flan.
tic &. r Ohio comnanv. TTa onttarol
the service of the Western Union tel
egraph company in 1850, where he re
mained until 1889, when' he was ap
pointed United States consul t.n Tlnn-
fermlie, Scotland, thorugh the in-
nuence oi Anarew Carnegie, who as a
bav serevd as messemrer and fplpcranh
operator under Mr. Reid at Pitts-
Durg. xie relinquished this omce in
1897. The statue of Prof. Morse in
Central ' nark, this cifv vna trcteA
by the telegraph fraternity through
ine en oris oi jar. iteia.
WEARING OUT THE BOERS.
Lord Kitchener Reports on Capture of Small
Force
London, May 1.- Lord Kitchener
continues the process of wearing down
the uoers, who, however, are very
active in the Kroonstadt district.
Here they recently derailed two trains
and also captured, after a severe fight,
25 men of the Prince of Wales Light
horse, whom they stripped of their
horses and accoutrements and then
liberated.
Colonel Plumer's force cantured a
small laager of 45 men, including the
notorious iransvaai estate .Engineer
Munick, who planned the destruction
of the Johannesburg mines in the
spring of last year, and also his
father.
Mr. Cummings, who is visitine
Durban on behalf of the Canadian
government, is favorably impressed
with the possibilities of trade be
tween Canada and Natal.
' Robberies On the Panama Road. .
Colon. Colombia.' Anril 30 Rands
of robbers have for the past fortnight
been raiding stations along the rail
road line during the night time and
have also been looting shops, wound
ing several persons during their dep
redations. Chinese have been the
principal sufferers. The government
has increased the force at. thp railroad
stations and is doing its utmost to
suppress the robberies.
Not Credited at Washington.
Washington, May 1. The depart
ment of agriculture has receievd no
information beairng on the report
that has been circulated . in England
charging Boer emissaries with inocu
lating horses shipped to South Africa
with glanders and other maladies.
Secretary Wilson places no credence
in the story. He says, however, that
it is possible that it might have been
done, probably by hostlers or other
attendants aboard ship. There has
been no examination of the horse
shipments by the department.
fayment of Postal Orders.
Washington, April 30. The con
troller of the treasury has decided
that postal money orders are payable
only by postmasters upon whom they
are drawn and to whom notice of the
issue thereof has been sent. It has
been the practice heretofore to cash
money orders at postoffices other than
those on which they are drawn and
for the postmasters cashing such or
ders to turn them into the postoffica
department as vouchers.
(ABLE FOR AlAl
Contract Let For Line Between
Juneau and Skagway.
MUST BE IN OPERATION WITHIN 90 DAYS
New York Man Agrees to Do the Work for
$70.000 System Must Be Guaran
teed for Two Years.
Washington, May 1. General
Greeley has approved the recommend
ation of the board of signal officers
making the award for laying the cable
from Juneau to Skagway, Alaska, to
W. R. Brixie, of New York, he being
the lowest bidder. The contract price
is $70,000. The successful firm will
be requried to construct, lay and put
in operation the entire cable system
in 90 days from the time of the
award. It will then be turned over
to the signal corps for operation,
being guaranteed first for two years.
During the current week the fish
commission steamer Albatross will
cruise off the Oregon coast, making
soundings in the hope of finding new
species of sea life. At the conclusion
of this cruise she will outfit at Seattle
for a summer's cruise along the Alas
ka coast, when the study of food
fishes which has been conducted
through two past seasons will be con
cluded. MAY BE ANDRADA.
Wrecked Three-Masted Ship Discovered Off
Queen Charlotte Islands.
Vancouver, B. C, May 1. The .
steamer Tees, arriving tonight from
the north, brings news of the finding
by Indians of a three masted ship
wrecked off the coast of Queen Char
lotte islands. Identity of the vessel
is at present unknown. The bodies
of several sailors are said to have been
found nearby. The story of the
wreck, as given by the Indians to the
officers of the Tees, was exceedingly
vague. The Indians either could not
read the name of the vessel, or were
not sufficiently alert to note it, for
they could give no clew to the ship's
identity. The masts of the craft
were broken off short, and she was
generally demolished. The only the
ory of the identity of the ship ad
vanced, and that seems very improba
ble, is that the wreck may possibly be
the Andrada, which took a pilot off
the mouth of the Columbia last De
cember, and has not been heard of
since. It is suggested that she may
have drifted north to the present loca
tion of the wreck.
DOZEN BUILDINGS BURNED.
Scores of Families Rendered Homeless at Pitts
burg.
Pittsburg, May 1. Fire at the cor
ner of Carson . and Seventeenth
streets, South side, resulted in a
property loss estimated at f 225,000,
consumed over a dozen buildings and
rendered a score of families homeless.
The flames were discovered in the
basement of a four story department
store and in a very short time the
entire building was burning furiously.
It was in ruins within 30 minutes.
A panic ensued among the custom
ers and employes, which resulted in
what started at first a report that
eight persons had perished. This
was happily found to be untrue after
the fire had been controlled.
A shower of the burning timbers
were thrown from the burning build
ing, carrying destruction in all direc
tions, and several other stores and a
number of dwellings were swept by
the flames. The losses are pretty
well covered by insurance.
Bank Officials Arrested.
Seattle, May 1. Frank Oleson,
cashier, and J. Si Stangroom, book
keeper, of the defunct Scandinavian
American bank of New Whatcom, are
under arrest on warrants charging
them with receiving deposits after
the failure of that institution. Ole
son was arrested here and Stangroom
at Whatcom. Stangroom is now'
exchange teller of a Seattle bank, and
lives here. Oleson was formerly sec
retary of the board of public works
here, - and a prominent politician
and newspaper man. He savs the
arrests are the result of a mistake,
and that the receiver of the bank has
acted hastily.
Counterfeiters at Butte.
Butte, Mont., May 1. Two of what
is supposed to be a big gang of counter
feiters were arrested here today and
identified by several people on 'whom
they had passed - bogus $10 gold
pieces. They got rid of quite a num
ber. William Dougherty, one of
them, has lived here for years, and is
supposed to have only been connected
with the gang a short time. John
Mulligan, the other, has been here
a much shorter time, and was a faro
dealer until the law caused the games
to close.
Praise for Germans.
Berlin, May 1. The latest Chinese
specials to arrive here show that the
German troops behaved with the
greatest gallantry during the engage-
ments with the forces under General
Liu, storming the stronghold of the
enemyi The Chinese artillery, al
though bring splendid guns made in
189s at the arsenal in Han Yang,
aimed badly. The Germans demol
ished the fortifications near the gates
of the great waH.