li
CORVALLIS GAZETTE
Gazette Publishing Co.
CORVALLIS OREGON
EVENTS OP THE DAY
Comprehensive Review of the Import
ant Happening of the Past Week,
Presented in Condensed Form, Most
tikely to Prove Interesting.
The house has been asked to see that
Jews get better treatment in Russia.
The Poit Arthur channel is not so
well closed as Admiral Togo reports.
The Prohibitionists are likely to
nominate Gneeral Nelson A. Miles for
president.
The house committee has decided on
a lump appropriation of $3,000,000 for
livers and harbors.
The opening of the Cuban congress
was attended by wild scenes of disorder.
Fights were quite numerous.
Russians will only harass Japanese
force in Corea, playing the waiting
game decided upon by Kquropatkin.
Secretary Hay will intervene for the
release of two American newspaper cor
respondents held by the Russians at
Niu Chwang.
Senator Gibson, of Montana, declares
the hue and cry about a land lobby
urging the repeal of several laws to be
largely baseless.
Satisfactory negotiations are proceed
ing rapidly for a settlement of the
strike in Colorado and it is believed
the trouble will soon be over.
Officers have a bandit rifle for a clew
in search for Oregon express robbers.
Japan will face big odds on the Yalu
river as the Russian force is the larg
est. Russians believe that the Chinese of
Manchuria are secretly aiding the Jap
anese. Wichita, Kan., women show their
disapproval of Smoot by hanging him
in effigy.
Circulation of counterfeit Japanese
money in Corea is causing great an
noyance. Japan expects a long war and urges
all her citizenB to come to the defense
of the country.
Russia will let China make protests,
if any are made, against the British
advance in Thibet.
The Santa Fe is building stockades
around the Topeka shops preparatory
ffor the expected strike.
Kouropatkin is willing that the Jap
anese shall win a few victories in the
hope of luring them on to Harbin.
Secretary Hitchcock has assured Ore
gon entrymen that filings made in good
faith will stand, even if the timber and
stone act is repealed.
Japan has finally allowed war corre
spondents to proceed to the front.
The house has voted down the senate
amendment to build a military road in
Alaska.
St. Marys, Ohio, reservoir, one of the
largest in the world, is in danger of
breaking.
Odessa gave a warm welcome to the
Russian survivors of the battle of
Chemulpo.
Russians captured a Japanese steam
er, seized maps, telegrams, etc., and
then sunk her.
Semi-official advices give the number
of Russian troops in the Far East as
nearly 200,000.
Russia is too busy with Japan to fel
low or make any objection to British
advance in Thibet,
Anotker attempt has been made on
the life of Pope Pius, this time by two
men disguised as clergy.
It is reported that Japan atfer bom
barding Vladivostok, dropped a number
of floating mines in that vicinity.
The three bandits who held up the
Oregon express and killed a messenger
got no loot from the wrecked express
car.
Rains make the flood situation in In
diana more grave.
French court decides the Panama
canal case against Colombia.
The Botkin murder trial has been re
sumed with the ury alleged to have
been bribed.
William J. Bryan has been decided
against in contest for $50,000 in the
Bennett will contest.
Senator Clark, of Wyoming, says
land ring boasts of spending money to
secure repeal of present laws.
F. A. Heinze and superintendents of
hia mines have paid fires of $20,000
for contempt of court in Montana.
The Oregon express was held up at
Copley, Cal., and Express Messenger
O'Neill killed. The treasure box was
carried away.
Bell, of Caliornia, created a sensa
tionin the house by declaring that vet
erans in the soldiers' homes in his state
are robbed by the canteen system.
F'ans of the Jamestown exposition
prove an obstacle in the passage of the
Lewis and Clark fair bill.
Russia is found, technically, to have
fired the first shot of the war.
John Mitchell will come to Colorado
to conduct the miners strike.
The Lewis and Clark exposition bill
received a setback in the house.
It is estimated that the damage from
floods in Michigan will reach $5,000,-000.
EFFORT TO PROTECT TH8 JEWS.
Russian Authorities Do Not Desire Repe
tition of Easter Outrages.
St. Petersburg, April 6. Reports re
ceived by the ministry -oi the interior
indicate that the precautionary meas
ures taken to prevent anti-Jewish dis
turbances during Easter week, when
the ignorant are easily aroused to a
sort of religious frensy regarding
"blood atonement," will result in the
avoidance of serious trouble.
' In spite of the precautions, however,
it is considered possible there may be
attempts at rioting, but the authorities
may be relied upon to suppress these
with a strong hand. The following
private telegram was received today
from Odessa:
"Reports of anti-Jewish disturbances
which are common at Easter time cause
more alarm than usual this year, be-:
cause of the occurrences last year.
The Jews here are nervous but the
authorities have confidence in Gover
nor Eidhardt, who is in charge of the
city, and who is an energetic and hu
mane man, as well as in Baron Kaul
bars, commander-in-chief of the troops
in Southern Russia. Under the cir
cumstances, therefore, anything like a
serious disturbance is regarded as im
possible. "The official papers have published
strongly-woided warnings, and the city
is placarded with notices that all who
disturb the peace will be severely pun
ished." CHANNEL ALMOST BLOCKED.
Japanese Can Easily Finish the Bottling
of Pert Arthur.
London, April 6. Fuither reports
of skirmishing between the Russians
and Japanese in the Yalu river legion
are reaching London, but no reliable
details are given.
The Daily Telegraph's Seoul corres
pondent believes that the defenses of
Port Arthur have been so weakened
that the early capture of the port is to
be expected. There is little doubt, the
correspondent says, that only a narrow
passage is left and that at the first
favorable opportunity the Japanese
will block the channel. The. Russians
have taken many 12-inch guns out of
their ships to arm the old and new de
fenses of Port Arthur.
A correspondent of the Morning Post
at Yinkow says that the position there
is daily becoming stronger. A fort
night ago the Japanese could have
landed with comparative ease, wnile
now they would experience great diffi
culty. The corrspondent says he has re
ceived trustworhy information that the
concentration of troops along the rail
way has been so rapid that it is now
impossible for the Japanese to carry
the war into Manchuria, with any hope
of success and that the most they can
do is to isolate Port Arthur and possibly
Vladivostok.
FOR TREATY WITH RUSSIA.
Ambassador Working for Protection of
American Corporations.
St. Petersburg, April 6. Ambassador
McCormick is negotiating with the for
eign office for a treaty with Russia
which will give to the United States
corporations the right to sue in Russian
courts and to Russian corporations the
right to sue in courts of the United
States.
Under the Russian law, United
States corporations can be sued, but
cannot sue in the courts of the empire.
This has caused United States firms
great annoyance as well as losses in the
past. In addition the ambassador
hopes to secure in the treaty a broad
clause which will authentically give to
United States corporations all privileg
es in whatever character, now enjoyed
by the corporations of any foreign
country.
Although there are difficulties in the
way of accomplishing the desired re
sult, the Ambassador's advances have
been met in the friendliest spirit and
the indications are that his negotia
tions will terminate successfully.
The only countries now enjoying the
privileges which Ambassador McCorm
ick is striving to obtain for the United
States are Germany, Greece, Bulgaria
and Italy.
Coal Found Near Port Arthur.
St. Petersburg, April 6. A corres
pondent of the Associated Press at Port
Arthur telegraphs today as follows:
The Chinese prophesying new attempts
to block the channel are at the present
moment awed. All is quiet in port
and the situation is unchanged through
out the peninsula. Deposits of coal
similar to that of Caidiff, Wales, have
been found in the vicinity of Port
Arthur. The discovery is an extremely
timely one, in view of the necessity of
obtaining an ample supply of fuel for
the fleet.
Railroad on Ice at End.
Irkutsk, April 6. The railroad
acioss Lake Baikal has ceased in conse
quence of the breaking up of the ice.
Its assistance to the government " in
transportation of supplies has been in
calculable. As an indication of its
service, it is said that between March
2 and March 28 there passed over it
1,628 freight cars, 67 troop cars, 25
passenger coaches carrying officers and
65 locomotives. The cost of the ice
road was $250,000. .
Cannon Bought In England.
Paris, April 6. The St. Petersburg
correspondent of the Figaro says that j
Kassia naa ordered zau cannon in iung-1
land for the Manchurian army. 1
HAPPENINGS HERE IN OREGON
HEARS CONVICT CRY.
Pictures of Discharged Men No. Longer
to Be Qlven Oat.
Salem In accordance with instruc
tions from Governor Chamberlain, the
penitentiary authorities have discon
tinued the practice of furnishing peace
officers with pictures and descriptions
of all discharged prisoners. This
change in the rules of the institution
was made a few weeks ago upon the be
lief that it would encourage ex-convicts
to try. to lead honest lives.
The custom of sending out descrip
tions of discharged prisoners was adopt
ed in response to requests from chiefs
of police in the cities. The police offi
cers wanted the descriptions so that
when a convkt had been discharged
they could be on the lookout for him
and could more easily locate him if he
committed any offense. Several inci
dents which came to the attention of
the governor convinced him that more
harm than good resulted from the send
ing out of the descriptions, and he di
rected that the practice be stopped.
TO CONFINB THE WALLA WALLA.
Free Space Under Railway With Levees
Will Be Provided.
Milton This, season will prooably
see the last . high water damage foi
some time just beyond the junction of
the Walla Walla river and the O. R. &
N., a mile north of Milton, where the
river bed is almost on a level with the
flats on either side. For several years
the piers in the O. R. & N. trestle over
the river have caught brush, -floating
logs and debris of all kinds, causing
the current to cut into the gravelly low
banks on either side and scusry over
the land. The piers are only 16 feet
apart.
The railroad has material on the
ground to build a new span which will
be supported by stone piers on either
end, 108 feet apart. This will leave
an uninterrupted space for the river,
and the county commissioners of Walla
Walla and Umatilla counties will di
vide the expense of levees to confine
the rushing waters of the fast flowing
Walla Walla past the danger point. .
GOOD PRICES FOR SHEARBRS.
Work Will Be Expedited Owing to the
Oood Conditions.
Pendleton Seven and eight cents,
the former figure including board, are
sheep shearing prices throughout East
ern Oregon this season. Sheep shearers
will not starve at this figure, as a good
shearer will handle 100 head a day,
while fast men will take fleeces off
more. Shearing will be faster than
usual this season on account of the
good condition both sheep and wool
are in.
Few outside professionals have come
in yet, wbut a number of local shear
ers are at work around Echo and farth
er west. A crew of about a dozen have
left for towns along the Northern Pa
cific in Franklin and Lincoln counties,
Washington. The majority of outside
shearers will come in in about 10 days
on their migration northward and east
ward. After finishing in Umatilla and
kindred Eastern Oregon counties they
push on to Idaho, Wyoming and Mon
tana. Coming Events.
Republican convention, First congres
sional district, Salem, April 13.
Republican convention, Second
congressional district, Portland, April
13.
Republican state convention, Port
land, April 14.
Oregon Cattlemen's association, Port
land, April 16.
.Democratic state convention, Port
land, April 19.
Convention state federation of labor,
Oregon City, May 2-6.
State grange, Corvalllis, begins May
24.
General election, June 6.
Annual reunion, department of Ore
gon, G. A. R., Hood River, June 15-17.
Form New Creamery Company.
La Grande Articles of incorpora
tion have been filed by the Grand
Ronde Creamery company as successors
to the Cove Creamery company. The
new company intends to operate cream
eries at La Grande and Union and en
gage in the manufacture and sale of
butter, ice cream, cheese, etc. It will
have skimming stations at Cove and
Medical Springs. The creamery at La
Grande will be in a new brick building
on Elm street, which is 40x50 feet,
with a cellar. O. F. Harper is presi
dent of the company.
Land Office Receipts.
Salem The receipts of the state land
office for the month of March aggregate
$47,476.55, which - represents an un
usually large month's business. The
heavy receipts were due to an
order from the board, made some
time ago, requiring holders of land
sale certificates upon which small
balances are due to pay the bal
ances and take deeds. Over 200
deeds were issued during the month for
that reason.
C. D. Wade Cattle Dipped Again.
Pendleton The O. B. Wade herd of
thoroughbreds, sold at the recent sale
oi tne aeiunct cashier s Union county
stock, have again been ditmed and can
now be shipped out of the state. The
entire herd was dipped the first time,
while only those whose purchasers in
tend shipping out of Oregon underwent
the last operation. The herd was
slightly infected with mange.
NBW OREOON CORPORATIONS.
Articles Filed With the Secretary of
State at Salem. " .
Salem Articles of incorporation
were filed in the office of the secretary
of state last week as follows :
Smith-Premier typewriter company,
Syrause, N-. Y., $100,000.
Woodey Island fishing company, Port
land, $6,000.
Orpheum amusement company, Port
land, $25,000.
Butte Falls sugar pine lumber com
pany, Medford, $70,000.
Northwestern logging company, Cot
tage Grove, $10,000.
Lost Valley land and lumber com
pany, Lost Valley, $800.
Castle Rock land association, The
Dalles, $20,000.
Medford athletic club, Medford, $1,-
500.
Express telephone and telegraph
company, Durkee, Baker county, $1,-
500.
Oregon lumber, wood and light com
pany, Falls City, $10,000.
Bridal Veil box factory, Bridal Veil,
$25,000.
White Rock irrigation and power
company, Tetherow Bridge, Crook
county, $25,000. "
Grande Ronde creamery company,
Union, $10,000.
Clatskanie lumber company, Clats
kanie, $20,000.
FEAR HIGH WATER.
Heavy Snow Followed by Rain and Chi
nook Endanger Pendleton.
Pendleton High water again threat
ens Pendleton. During the past two
weeks the weather has been extremely
cold and much snow fell in the moun
tains. Even the lower foothills were
covered-. Ukiah had 17 inches of new
snow and the fall was heavy at Meach
am and other Blue mountain points.
A change for the warmer with heavy
rain and a chinook have set in. The
snow is fast melting and tributaries of
the Umatilla near the base of the
mountains are overflowing. There is
fear if the river gets too high that the
town will be flooded on account of a
man moving away riprap work from
the upper end of the levee. The city
council at its last meeting ordered the
riprapTeplaced, but it has not been
done, leaving a broken point in the
levee.
Rich Find of Iron Ore.
Oregon City Residents in West
Oregon City this week discovered a
rich deposit of iron ore in the vicinity
of Willamette Falls. The ore assays
54 per cent metallic iron, and the de
posit is believed to be quite extensive,
since the same quality ore has been
found in a number of the ravines and
side hills surrounding Willamette falls.
The land on which the discovery has
been made belongs to the Oregon Iron
& Steel company, and members of the
corporation are now investigatiang the
extent and value of the find.
Suver Warehouse Burned.
Independence The McClain ware
house at Suver, a few miles south of
here, has been destroyed by fire. The
building and all of the contents were
burned. About 12,000 bushels f
wheat and 1,500 bushels of oats were
lost. With the exception of about 500
bushels of oats, owned by Mr. McClain,
it is thought the loss will be small, on
the grain, as it was insured. The loss
to farmers will be slight, as 60 bushels,
will comprise the loss.
PORTLAND MARKETS.
Wheat Walla Walla, 75c;
blue-
stem, 8182c; valley, 81c.
Barley Feed, $23 per 'ton; rolled,
FlourValley, $3.904.05 per bar
rel; hard wheat straights, $44.30;
clears, $3.854.10; hard wheat pat
ents, $4.404.70; graham, $3.50
3.90; whole wheat, $3.654.05; rye
flour, $4.504.75.
Oats No. 1 white. $1.151.17:
gray, $1.101.12 per cental.
Millstufts Bran, $19(320 per ton;
middlings, $25.5027; shorts, $20
21; chop, $18; linseed, dairy food, $19.
Hay Timothy. $15 16 per ton;
clover, $1011; grain, $1112;
cheat, $1112.
Eggs Oregon ranch, 17M18c.
Butter Sweet cream butter, 30c per
Dound: fancv creamerv. 25c: choice
creamery, 2224c; dairy and store,
nominal.
Butter Fat Sweet cream, 28c;
sour cream, 26c.
1 Poultry Chickens, mixed, 1313c
per pound; springe, small, 1718c;
hens, 1314c; turkeys, live, 16
17c; dressed, 1820c; ducks, $89 per
dozen; geese, live, 8c per pound.
Vegetables Turnips, 80c per sack;
carrots, 80c; beets, $1; parsnips, $1;
cabbage, l2c; lettuce, head, 25
40c per dozen ; parsley, 25c ; tomatoes,
$2.252.50 per crate; cauliflower, 75c
$1 per dozen; celery, 60 80c;
squash, 2c per pound; cucumbers,
$1.752.25 per dozen; asparagus, 8
llc; peas, 9c per pound; rhubarb,
79c; beans, 10c; onions. Yellow Dan-
vers, $22.50 per sack.
Potatoes Fancy, $11.15 per cen
tal, common, 6080c; new potatoes,
3aC per pound ; sweets, 5c.
Fruit Apples, fancy Baldwins and
Spitzenbergs, $1.50 2.50 per box;
choice, $11.50; cooking, 75c$l.
Beef Dressed, 57c per pound.
Veal Dressed. 77Jc.
Pork Dressed, 78c.
Hops 1903 crop, 2325c per pound.
Wool Valley, 17 18c; Eastern
Oregon, 12 15c; mohair, 3031c- per
pound for choice.
NOW WAIT ON IDAHO.
Engineers Are Ready to Report on Great
Irrigation Project.
Washington, April 5. The Boise-
Payette irrigation project in Idaho has
reached the stage where, having re
ceived the endorsement of the engineers
of the reclamation service, it is ready
to be reported to the secretary of the
interior for his approval, as soon as
the state land board has designated
wLa disposition it will make of the
60,000 acres of land belonging to the
state and lying under this project.
It is doubtful if the secretary of the
interior will pass on this project until
a clear and explicit statement has been
received from the state authorities as
to the policy which will be followed by
them in disposing of these lands. Un
der th provisions of the reclamation
law of June 17, 19Q2, the right to use
water of lands in private ownership
cannot be sold for a tract exceeding 160
acres to any one landowner, and such
landowner must be an actual bona fide
resident on such land, or occupant
thereof residing in the neighborhood
It is within the discretion of the secre
tary to set the limit of area for each
homestead, which limit shall represent
the acreage which, in his opinion, may
reasonably be-required for the support
of a family. Under the terms of this
law the farm area under the Boise-Pay
ette project will probably be set at 40
to 80 acres, according to the locality
and character of the soil.
GOVERNMENT AID ONLY HOPE.
Taft Says Philippines Cannot Get Nec
essary Railroads Without It.
Washington, April 5. Secretary of
War Taft was before the senate com
mittee on the Philippines today to go
over the Lodge and Cooper bills for the
amendment of the act providing for the
civil government in the Philippines
Great interest was manifested in the
section providing for aid in railroad
building by authorizing the Philippine
government to guarantee an income of
not exceeding 5 per cent on capital in
vested in the construction and equip
ment of such roads. Referring to the
sections of the bill providing for the
government building of railroads in the
event willing capital was not found to
undertake the projects. Secretary Taft
said that he did not favor government
ownership of the system, but he had
offered it as an alternative, after hav
ing investigated thoroughly the experi
ences of the British government in In
dia and the Dutch government in its
colonies.
Senator Burrows inquired if it were
not possible to interest capital in rail
road building in the Philippines with
out government aid. Secretary Taft
said he believed a few links of a sys
tem might be constructed, but not the
general railroad building needed tor
the progress of the islands.
TAKING ADVANTAGE OF WAR.
Diplomats Confident Britain Is Moving
Because Russia Is Busy.
Paris, April 5. The British advance
on Thibet is attracting widespread at
tention, the general view being that it
is due mainly to Russia's preoccupa
tion in the Far East. Government
officials are inclined to share this opin
ion. An ambassador said today :
"It is manifest that Russia's hands
being tied gives Great Britain an op
portunity to advance in Thibet. As
part of the same diplomacy, Great
Britain is re-establishing friendly rela
tions with France, thus neutralizing
any French opposition to the Thibetan
program."
In this connection the ambassador
related a conversation with Foreign
Minister Delcasse regarding the Fash
oda incident. It was pointed out dur
ing this conversation that if the inci
dent had occurred while Great Brit
aim's hands had been tied by the Boer
war, the future of Central Africa would
have been entirely different. It was
the conclusion of those taking part in
the conversation that the time to settle
minor scores was due to the preoccupa
tion of your adversary elsewhere, and
it is the diplomatic view that Great
Britain is now adopting that principal
and advancing in Thibet while Russia
is elsewhere engaged.
100,000 Men Have Crossed the Lake.
Berlin. April 5. One hundred thous
and men and 6,000 horses, besides con
siderable artillery, have crossed Lake
Baikal since the outbreak of the war,
according to the Tageblatt's military
expert. Writing from Lake Baikal un
der date of March 19, -he says that he
found that the authorities had done
everything imaginable for the comfort
of the soliders on the railway and the
lake, and that the railway equipment
was admirable. All the bridges are
steel, with stone abutments and are
carefully guarded.
Damage W1U Be $2,000,000.
Cincinnati, April 5. Floods in
Northwestern and Central Ohio today
broke all previous records, but dis
patches indicate that the waters are re
ceding, especially along the Miami val
ley. The damage from Findlay south
through Troy and other points as far
as Hamilton is estimated at $2,000,
000. Four lives have been lost.
Twenty towns are without natural gas.
Several cities are without power or
waterworks.
Working Hard to Qet Fleet Ready.
Paris, April 5. According to a St.
Petersburg correspondent of the Echo
de Paris, work is carried on night and
day at Cronstadt in order to prepare a
fleet to leave there at the end of July
or the beginning of August for a war
port in the Far East, which is expected
to be free from ice in three weeks.
VICTORY IN SIGHT
MAJORITY OF HOUSE FAVORS 1905
BILL ON TEST VOTE.
Necessary Two-Thirds to Suspend Rules
Lacking Tawney Not Discouraged
and Will Try to Secure Special Rule
and if Unsuccessful, . Appropriation
Can Be Placed on Sundry Civil BiU.
Washington, April 5. The Lewi
and Clark exposition bill scored a great
victory in the house yesterday, al
though the necessary two-thirds vote
to pass the measure was not secured.
On two separate votes, it was shown
that there was a very large majority in
the house in favor of an appropriation.
It now remains to be seen whether a
majority of the house, desiring to aid
a laudable undertaking, can be defeated
through inabilityto bring the bill be
fore the house. -
The first vote was on the bill direct,
and the second on a proposition to
make it a privileged measure, so as to
make it possible to call it up at any
time. Three members, or the majori
ty, of the committee on rules opposed
the suspension of the rules on both
votes. Some might take this to mean
that it will be impossible to secure a
rule bringing the bill to a vote, but as
Speaker Cannon is undoubtedly in favor
of the appropriation, and General Gros
venor, of Ohio, a member of the com
mittee on rules, is with him, the prob
abilities are that the committee will
decide that the majority of the house
is entitled to pass this legislation, and
therefore a special rule will b
granted.
Ihe Oregon delegation is much
pleased with the character of the men
who voted with them. The majoiity
was composed of the leading represent
atives on both sides of the party aisle,
prominent Republicans and Democrats
both giving voice to the idea that the
exposition ought to be encouraged, at
least to the extent of government par
ticipation. There is another feature of this prop
osition which is encouraging to Oregon
people. If there is any gieat delay in
the matter of securing a special rule to
consider the bill, the appropriation
will be put on the sundry civil bill by
the senate, and it is certain that tha
house will suppcrt it, the votes record
ed today being such a guarantee. The
sundry civil bill is still in the hands of
the senate committee on appropria
tions, but before it is reported from,
that committee, the Oregon men can
definitely ascertain whether there is to
be a special rule for the consideration
of the bill in the house. If the three
members of the committee on rules
who voted against the appropriation
adhere to their position, then the bill
will be carried as part of the sundry
civil bill.
TROOPS POURING INTO HARBIN.
Nearly Every House In Town Is Occupied
by Soldiers.
St. Petersburg, April 6. An Associ
ated Press correspondent en route to
the front, writing from Harbin, March
13, describes the scene there as he ob
served it. From all sides soldiers were
pouring into Harbin. The uncom
pleted railroad station there had been
transformed into a barracks, and al
most every house in the town was oc
cupied by soldiers.
Pristan, a short distance away, which
until recently had been a small village
on the bank of the Sungari river, had
become a city with temporary buildings
which were being used by the troops
and with stores, a hotel and restaurant.
Merchants and restauranteurs, the cor
respondent adds, were accused of extor
tion, but money was cheap.
WILL SINK STONE LADEN SHIPS.
Russians Hope to Thus Keep Japanese
Out of Niu Chwang.
Niu Chwang, April 6. In connec
tion with the Russian plans for the for
tification of Niu Chwang, the Russian
port commander has prepared 12 junks
laden to water edge with stones, which
will be settled on the first appearance
of the enemy in such a position that it
will be impossible for any vessels eith
er to enter or leave the harbor. The
river between here and Yinkow is ex
tremely mined.
Railway Traffic Not Congested.
St. Petersburg, April 6. A high
Russian official, w ho has just returned
from a trip ovei the Trans-Siberian
railway, contradicts the report that
there is great congestion of traffic. He
declares that ten trains daily traverse
hte road in either direction as iar as
Irkutsk, and nine freight trains, in ad
dition to many passenger trains, daily
run from beyond Lake Bailkal to Har
bin. He says that there is no concern
for the safety of the line. Every foot
of it is strongly guarded. This is es-
pecially bo at all bridges.
Japanese Surprise Them.
London, April 6. Eight weeks from
the opening of the war sees Japan,
without any real fighting, apparently
in possession of Corea, and the first
stage of the campaign meet ended..
The correspondent of the Standard at
Tokio reports that the Japanese corre
spondents at the front who followed
the army through the Chino-Japanese
war, express great surprise at the im
provement of the Japanese troops in
the past decade.
Again Shell Port Arthur.
Chefoo, April 6. Russian officers
here admit that there was another bom
bardment of Port Arthur by the Jap
anese on Sunday, April 3. No au--thentic
particulars of the engagement
are obtainable.