Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette. (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 29, 1898)
FOR THE MUSTER OUT Plans Will Be Completed by First of the Year. MANILA TROOPS WILL BE FIRST following Their Discharge, the Vol unteert in the Wrmt Indies Will Ue Sent Home. Washington, Deo. 24. Tlie war de partment has not yet made definite plans for the inuetei-ont of 50,000 vol unteers, wliioh was decided on at the cabinet meeting yesterday, but it is un derstood that work will be pretty well mapped out by the flist of the year. The completion of the muster -out'will depend on whether the department adopts the plan of three months' fur lough or immediate discharge, with two months' extra pay, as suggested by Congressman Hull. It has . been prac tically decided to muster onfall the volunteers in tho Philippines as fast as they can be replaoed with regulars, so as not to hamper the military adminis tration of the island. Following the discharges of the tegimentsof the Phil ippine stations, it is understood the volunteer troops in the West Indies will be mustered out. Twentieth Gout on the SohihIIr. San Francisoo, Deo. 24. Major General Merriam has ordered that the work of preparing the transport Scandia for another voyage to Manila be rushed to completion. By the first of next week he expects to telegraph the war department, that he will bo ready with in 10 days to have the Twentieth United States infantry come here from Fort Leavenworth, Kan., to'board the Bcandia for the Philippines. It is the belief at army headquarters here that the First California volun teers will be brought home on the re turn trip of the Soandia. Two ReglinenU Go Vin Suez. Chicago, Deo. 24. Telegraphio :'u structious were received today from the secretary of war, ordering the Fourth infantry at Fort Sheridan, arid the Sev enteenth, at Columbus, to sail for the Philippines on or before January 15. The regiments will go via New York nd the Suez canal. MECCA FOR ALL RAILROADS. I'aclflc Coaat Becoming- a Universal Ob jective Point. Chicago, Dec. 34. The Chronicle ays: There are strong indications that the Chicago, Burlington & Quinoy and the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific roads are figuring on extending their lines to the Pacific coast. The absorp tion of the Hawaiian and Philippine islands by this country, it is expected by the owners of these roads, will open up an immense transcontinental rail business, both' east and west-hound. The recent dual by which the Santa Fe will have its own line into San Fran cisoo in the spring has awakened tho officers of the competing semi-transcontinental roads. An officer of one of the Westem roads who has just come from the coast, and who takes a keen Interest in railroad affairs out there, savs: "I would not be surprised to wake up some morning and find the trans continental situation further compli cated by the announcement that the Burlington was to be extended to the Paoifio ocean. The Builingtnn is a good deal nearer the coast than most people imagine, and I understand that this road has been surveying through Idaho all summer one line through Nez Peroes pass and another through Lolo pass. I understand also that two or three independent lines that are now being built in Western Idaho and Noitheastern Oregon are " intended eventually to form part of the proposed Western extension of the Burlington. "Another point of interest in his connection is the faot that the Burling ton is a large holder of valuable termi nal and dock property at Gray's harbor, whioh would bo of great value to the company were it to enter the Oriental trade. Such an extension would form a short route from Taoouia to New Or leans." Denver, Colo., is now the Western terminus of the Rock Island, and Bill ings, Mont., is the end of the Burling ton's tracks. It has been leported that the former company would soon pur chase the Colorado Midland, which would place its terminus 400 miles fur ther west. Billings, Mont., the end of the Burlington, is 1,020 miles from Tacoma, or a little further than Ogden is from San Francisco. While Tresi dont Purdy, of the Rock Island, denies the report that his company is figuring on absorbing the Midland, nothing definite can be learned regarding the Burlington's Intentions. Tralnrobbere Failed. Grenada, Miss., Dec. 22. An 1111- "liois Central express train, southbound, was held up one-half mile south of Pope's station, by two 'men. at 10:80 tonight. They suddenly appeared on the engine and compelled the engineer to stop, after which they attempted to break in the express car door. They fired several shots, but failed to gain admission. The robbers then fled. No one was hurt. . ; Two New Discoveries lleported. Victoria, B. C, Dec 21. -Fred Smith, ol Vlotoria. Just out from Atlin. brings news of he discovery of two more rich gold-bearing creeks. The new finds have been christened Moose and Goose creeks. He had both hands frozen and nearly lost his life on the way out. A. J. Demules, better known as the "Turquoise King of Jarillas," ws mur dered at his celebrated tuiquoise mine, 60 mites north of El Paso. New Mexico. Th Melrose department building, the largest structure of its kind on the south side of Chicago, was almost t ton rdieiv destroyed by fire, entailing L.. !,. .ill mpmn! 1100.000. Scores of occupants of the building were saved from Injury by the heroism of Paul L. w:.k. h. .loratnr I Kiv. employed in IBVUVI . . - - the structure. Through choking clou.ls ) almost unendming neat, the hor made 10 trips with his cat and o.-,0.i ii.. nn the upper Boors to i,l.Minf af.iv. Then, exhausted from bis efforts, he staggered out of the building and was taken care of by those whom bt bad rescued. OPEN DOOR TO AS IA. John W Book wl,.r 8ay. u , T1, Kuula Observations In Hiberia. ' London, Deo. 24.-Jol,n W. Book waiter, of Ohio, who has just returned from a three months' journey through Kuasia, told the cot respondent of the Associated Press, in an interview to day, that he enjoyed unusual facilities for observing what is going on in that country. He traveled 17,000 miles to the terminus of the trans-Siberian rail way to the end of the line, reaching the frontier of Afghanistan, and to the end of the one penetrating China through Manchuria. All these are now practically completed. . Mr. Bookwalter was allowed to go everywhere, to see everything and to take hundreds of photogiaphs, thanks to special permits issued to him by the minister of the interior on the applica tion of the United States ambassador at St. Petersburg. During his journey he conversed with the governors of provinces and with military and civil officials of all ranks. "Everywhere I found," Mr. Book waiter said, "the kindest and most friendly feeling toward America and Amerioans, and heard many expressions of satisfaction over America's success in our wai with Spain. To this there was not a single exception. "America's best open door to Central Asia and China is through Russia. Already all the locomotives and rolling stock on the railways are of American manufacture. Central Asia will, in the near future, be the greatest market in the world for manufactures of all kinds, and our obtaining the virtual monopoly of this market only depends on our retaining the friendship Russia now has for us. "America has very little to gain by an open door in China. That country is au industrial one, and whatever we may now be able to sell to them, the Chinese will soon be able to make for themselves. One day, and that day is near at hand, whatever China buys from the rest of the world will reach her through Russia and Central Asia. Russia in the last three years has done more to open the doors of China than England and all the rest of the world has done in 50 years. "I traveled over 1,200 miles of rail way which she has built from the Cas pian sea to Tashkend, in Turkestan, over a branch of this line which runs to the northern frontier of India, over another branch which goes from Merv to the, border of Afghanistan. Then there are also Russian lines all along tho Persian frontier, and projecting into that oountry, either completed or rapidly approaching completion. All the work on these lines has been done by soldiers, who, in this way, are not in Russia, as elsewhere, non-producers. "All this tremendous Asiatic railway system is owned and operated by the government. All the lines are admira bly built, and splendidly equipped. Why, I saw a bridge across the Amud aria, in Central Asia, at a point where the river is three miles wide, that cost 20,000,000 roubles, and is the greatest piece of engineering work ever accom plished. There is nothing like it any where else in the world. "Wherever I went I saw cities and towns springing up, such as Askobad, in Turkomania, for example, which al ready has 25,030 inhabitants. New Bokhare, 12 miles from Old Bokhara, has 12,000 inhabitants. Where do the people come from to inhabit these towns? Why, from European Russia. The government is turning her surplus Euiopean population into Central Asia just as the United States turned her surplus population of her Atlantic states into her great Western territories. No human power oan stay the onward march 'of the Slav through Russia, which will be the feature of the 20th century, just as the march of the Anglo-Saxon through America has been the feature of the 19th. "The United States will be commit ting a woeful mistake if she fails to re tain the friendship of this great world power of the luture." MASSACHUSETTS MISHAP. Not Enough Water for a of Her Size. Battle-Ship Washington, Deo. 24. The naval authorities have learned, to their die may, that it is not possible for one oi our big battle-ships, like the Oregon or Massachusetts, to get out of New York harbor during extra low water, such as prevailed when the latter battle-ship struck on Diamond reef a short time ago. To aid the court of inquiry now in session at New York, trying to ascer tain the responsibility for the ground ing, the navy department called upon the coast survey for special measure ments of the water in the harbor near Diamond reef, and upon the rock itself. The report of the superintendent of the survey has just been received. It shows, in the opinion of naval officers, that it is not possible for a ship of the size of the Massachusetts and with her maneuvering qualities to get out of the harbor without touching the bottom when the tide is ebb and the wind strong. Hones and Hulei for Manila. San Francisco, Doc. 24. The bark Tacoma, with 111 horses and mules, besides a lot of material, sailed for Honolulu and the Philippines today. She will stop at Honolulu and take on the animals she left there on her last trip, and leave some cf her present cargo there instead. Predicts Peace In Cube. Tendon. Dec. 24. The Havana cor respondent of the Times, in the course nf a letter published this morning. says: President McKinley will have an unfettered hand here. A majority ol the Cubans are prepared to accept unre servedly any regime treating them justly, and insuung the tranquility ol the Island. A blind bat avoids wires and obstruc tions as easily as if it could see per fectly. Mezlcaa State Pays a Claim. Washington, Dec. 24. The state de paitment has just received, through United States Ambassador Clayton, from the Mexican government a drafl for 5,000 to be paid to the heirs o! Henry Hoppe. a native of New Or leans. Hoppe, while traveling in th mountains of Oaxaca, was biutallj murdered by one of tbe Mexican rurali or native constables, who are retaine? for tbe express purpose of protecting travelers. At the same time an Englishman named McSweeney wai killed in precisel the same fashion. PACIFIC COAST TRADE. Portland Market. Wheat Walla Walla, SOj; Valley, I 41c; Blucstem, 62o per bushel. Flour Best grades, $3.20; graham, $2.05; superfine, $2.15 per barrel. Oats Choice white, 4041c; choice gray, 89 40c per bushel. Barley Feed barley. $22(324; brew ing, $24 per ton. ' Millstuffs Bran. $16 per ton: mid dlings, $21; shorts, $16; chop, $15.50 per ton. Hay Timothy, $9 10; clover. $7 8; Oregon wild hay, $6 per ton. Butter Fancy creamery. 5560o: seconds, 5053o; dairy, 4550o store, 30 35o. Cheese Oregon full cream. ll18o: Young America, 15o; new cheese, 10c per pound. Poultry Chickens, mixed, $2.5o3 per dozen; hens, $3. 50 4. 00; springs, fl.253; geese, $6.007.OO for old, $4.605 for young; ducks, $4.00 5.00 per dozen; turkeys, live, 11 12c per pound. Potatoes 60 70c per sack; sweets, 2c per pound. Vegetables Beets, 90c; turnips, 75c per sack; garlic, 7o per pound; cab bage, $1 1.25 per 100 pounds; cauli flower, 75o per dozen; parsnips, 75c per sack; beans, 8c per pound; celery, 70 75c per dozen; cucumbers, 50c per box; peas, 83c per pound. Onions Oregon, 75o$l persack. Hops 1518c; 1897 crop, 46o. Wool Valley, 1012o per pound; Eastern Oregon, 8 12c; mohair, 26c per pound. Mutton Gross, best sheep, wethers and ewes, 4c; dressed mutton. 7oc; spring lambs, 7c per lb. Hogs Gross, choice heavy, $4.25; light and feeders, $3.004.00; dressed, $5. 00 5. 50 per 100 pounds. Beef Gross, top steers, 8.50$3.75; cows, $2. 50 3. 00; dressed beef, 56c per pound. Veal Large, 66c; small, 7 8c er pound. Seattle Market. Onions, 8590o per 100 pounds. Potatoes, $10 12. Beets, per saofc, 75c. Turnips, per sack, 60 60c. Carrots, per sack, $1. Parsnips, per sack, $1. Cauliflower, 5075o per doa. Celery, 8540o. Cabbage, native and California $1.00 1.50 per 100 pounds. Apples, 85 50c per box. Pears, 75c$1.50 per box. Prunes, 50c per box. Butter Creamery, 27o per pound; dairy and ranch, 1820c per pound. Eggs, 85o. Cheese Native, 1212c. Poultry Old hens, 12c per pound; spring chickens, 12c; turkeys, 16c. FreBh meats Choice dressed beef steers, prime, 67c; cows, prime, 6c; mutton, 7c; pork, 67o; veal, 68o. Wheat Feed wheat, $22. Oats Choice, per ton, $24. ' Hay Puget Sound mixed, $9.50 10; choioe Eastern Washington tim othy, $12. Corn Whole, $23.50; cracked, $24; feed meal, $23.50. Barley Rolled or ground, per ton, $2425; whole, $22. Flour Patent, per barrel, $3.50; straights, $3.25; California brrnds, $3.25; buckwheat flour, $3.75; graham, per barrel, $3.60; whole wheat flour. $3.75; rye flour, $4. Millstuffs Bran, per ton, $14; shorts, per ton, $16. Feed Chopped feed, $1921 per ton; middlings, per ton, $17; oil cake meal, per ton, $35. Ban Francuco Market. . Wool Spring Nevada, 1012oper pound; Oregon, Eastern, 1012o; Val ley, 15 17c; Noithern, 9llc. Millstuffs Middlings, $1821.00; bran, $15.50 16.50 per ton. On ion s Si 1 verskin,5075c per sa.-. Butter Fancy creamery, 8Cc; do seconds, 2024c; fancy dairy, 20; do seconds, 1721c per pound. Eggs Store, 1822o; fancy rancj, 8537o. Citrus Fruit Oranges, Valencia, $3 2.60; Mexican limes, $6.50; Cali fornia lemons, $2. 00. 800; do choioe, $3. 50 4. 50; per box. A Gravy Bath for a Boor. During the excitement of the reoent South African elections, says tbe West minster Gazette, two Dutchmen at a boarding house dinner table were eulo glzing the superior virtues of theii race as opposed to the English. Presently Queen Victoria was mentioned, when one exclaimed, "Damn Victoria." With that the Englishman who sat next to the offending Dutchman threw the whole contents of his plate on his head meat, potatoes, cabbage and gravy. Every other boarder threw at him the article nearest at hand half a loaf of bread, a hot potato or a jug of water until the poor victim cried for mercy, which was granted him after withdrawing his words and making a suitable apology. The liege for Fur. Far is used on all sorts and condi tions ol gowns, and is applied in any way that may suit the wearer. Row after row made as narrow as possible is applied on the graded flounce of the new cloth gowns, a short nap fur being the easiest to apply and the best in effect Buttons of fur are extensively used on a gown of this kind, while ro vers and collar, with cuffs to match, trim the waist. Carpet Laying Without Tacbs. An Ohio inventor has patented a car pet fastening which does awav with the use of tacks to hold the carpet in place, a metallio border being Inserted under the edge of the baseboard and having damps along its outer edge in which the carpet is fastened after being stretched. , The first day of January and the first day of October of any year fall on' the same day of the week unlets it be leap year. A decapitated snail, if kept In a moist place, will In a few days grow a new head, and it will be just as service able as the original one was. Every language contains such names as cuckoo, peewit, whipporwill and others in which the soond emitted by tbe animal Is Imitated as the name. As late as 1683 squirts were used for extinguishing Are in England, and their length did not exceed two or three feet with pipes of leather. Wateretight seam lei hose was first made in BethnaJ Green ia 1730. I NEED OF THE CANAL. NICARAGUA DITCH WOULD SAVE TIME AND MONEY. As a Business Venture Alone the Propoaed Artery, It Is Claimed, 'Would Be a Bis; Bonanza in the 'Way of Toll and Lock Charge, That the proposed Nicaraguan canal is vital to the interests of the United States was emphatically demonstrated during the recent war with Spain when our bat tleship Oregon was compelled to make her long voyage down around the Horn to reach the scene of naval operations. The apprehension of the American people dur ing the long detour was painfully and just ly excited, while the Government was de prived, ol several weeks' service of its finest man-of-war during the time it re quired to sail down the west coast of South America and up on the eastern side. Then, again, the commercial benefits to be derived by the completion of the proposed short-cut waterway are inestimable. A most comprehensive article on the subject of the Nicaraguan canal has been written by Henry I. Sheldon, a Chicagoan. T!-: is said by experts to be the most compleu study of the canal question yet undertak en. Mr. Sheldon visited Nicaragua three years ago and traversed the entire route of the projected waterway, examined the work done, and secured reliable data as to cost and methods of construction. Mr. Sheldon went not as the agent of any com pany or of the Government, but merely as an individual having no Interest, pe cuniary or friendly, with the present com pany constructing the canal, and was careful to incur no obligations which would prevent his taking an unbiased view.' 'It may be well to say at the outset." writes Mr. Sheldon, "that I reached the conclusion that the canal In Nicaragua is practicable, and can be constructed at a cost on which fair returns can be earned. It also seems clear that, for many reasons, it is not a suitable work for private cap ital to undertake, and that it will be bet ter that our Government should assist the undertaking. There are strong equities on the side of national aid, inasmuch as the chief benefits will never be the tolls collected from passing vessels. The canal may so develop our trade with Eastern Asia that a single year of that trade will exceed in volume the total cost of construction. Its opening will double value almost every acre of agricultural land la California, Oregon and Washing- ion, ana tne population of those States will be more than doubled. For manv years I have occasionally visited the Pa cific coast, for either business or pleasure, and always the most striking aspect of its condition has been the absence of sat isfactory markets for its products. Not a bushel of its large wheat crop comes to tne Atlantic coast by rail, as wheat can not bear the cost of so long carriage. Neither can its lumber or ores come hv rail. In many places, after the farmer or the. fruit grower has paid the charges of transportation companies, there is little or nothing left for him. The population continues small because the markets are so inadequate. Twenty-five years' trial has demonstrated that if railroads are to be the sole means of communication the development of the Pacific States will be very slow. ' The only promise of relief Is In securing for these States some shorter transportation to the Atlantic States, and also to Europe, by water. Now, every thing carried by water must pass around Uape Horn. J he only shorter route, ap parently practicable, is by way of a shiD canal across the isthmus, through Nicara gua. This will save 10,000 miles of the distance around Cape Horn, and will en able an ordinary steamer to go from San Francisco to New York in fourteen davs. The exact distance, by such canal, will oceans MAP SHOWING be 4,700 miles. The ordinary railroad freight service consumes from seventeen to twenty-oue days. Tbe canal line will be only about 00 per cent longer than the rail line. Needed In the Time of War. "Our country is so widaly extended, 8,000 nilks fioiu east to west, that cheap sad speedy water transportation like this is almort alsoiutely needed to bind and bold it more closely together. At present, In time of war. such parts of our growing bit y as m U IU be on either tbe Atlantic cr the Pacific side would be for a consid erable time of no use on the other ocean. The canal, when built, will promote the development of better markets for our manufactures In foreign countries border ing on tbe Pacific. These are less exposed ttiao those on the Atlantic to European competition. This nation cannot be con sidered a first-class power when our peo ple are only buyers from the rest of the world. Exporting sgricultural products does not make a great nation. Tbe French and the Germans do not engage in such exportation, finding other activities to be more profitable. A glunce st the principal food-exporting countries shows the truth. Tbry arc such countries ss Southern Rus sia, India and, latterly, the Argentine Republic, and tbey are poor, and they stay poor. We need to keep our wheat, feed our operatives with It, and send abroad tbe products tbey manufacture. Tbe change csnnot come suddenly, but we should plan and work for it. Some neg lected markets sre near as. Tbe Rio Grande is quite a small stream. One can ride a horse across It from Texss Into Mexico and entering the first hotel, one Bndi an English cloth on tbe table in tbe Cemeat fthlpmeat. j The British ship Port Elgin lias ar rived at Seattle from Belgium with 8,000 tons of cement, most of which Is for the government fortifications at j Point Wilson. She is discharging at ' tbe West Seattle elevator, and will I later load wheat for Balfour. Oat brie & Co., destined for the United King dom. The Blairgowrie is chartered to bring cement from Antwerp. The City of Florence will be due in a month with general cargo from Liver pool for Victoria and Vancouver; the Drumlanrlg is en route to Vancouver PA c Fj ccm $LSCAP HORW MAP SHOWING PRESENT ROUTE AROUND THE HORN AND THE SHORT CUT MADE BY THE PROPOSED CANAL. dining room. The cups and plates are English, the cutlery from Germany and the waiters wear a suit of German clothes. There probably will not be an article imported from the United States in the house except a sewing machine. The demand is there, but we have carelessly, almost good-naturedly, made no effort to sell. "In building up a foreign trade our nat ural course will be to begin with the coun tries where we shall meet least competi tion. In order to he profitable, trade re quires to move along the lines of least resistance. Our geographical situation is such that we are the natural producers for all countries bordering on the Pacific ocean. The relative distance of European manufacturers, as compared with our own, gives us a great advantage. The Idea of trying to sell much of our products to China and Japan is new to our people; but those countries are entering on a ca reer of great development, and why should not the American people have a share in supplying their wants? The trade reports tell the story of their awakening. The purchases of their silver were: In 1885 $28,000,000 In 1894 113,000,000 China bought from foreign countries: In 1885 $132,000,000 In 1S94.. 243,000,000 "We have not been alive to this demand. Of Japan's purchases abroad of $113,000, 000 in 1801, we sold her only $11,000,000. We excelled in paying money to her, how ever, for in that year we bought of her goods amounting to $143,000,000. Of China's purchases from other nations of tfft ...ma f l v ROUTE OF THE PROPOSED NICARAGUAN CANAL. $243,000,000 In 1801, we supplied only $10,000,000. We were good buyers, how ever, taking $25,000,000 of her products. Our diplomatic agents report that with more alertness and enterprise we could have furnished to Japan, and at a reason able profit, 00 per cent of all her foreign purchases in 1894. One reason why the people of our gulf States are so unani mous for a canal in Nicaragua, is thut it will open sn additional market for their cotton. The United States is the chief producer of the world's cotton, and prices for this product have been deplorably low of late years, entailing great privations In many Southern homes. It is the old story. We have been producing more cotton than we could find markets for. The new buy er of cotton is Japan. That country Is going strongly Into tbe manufacture of cotton goods, such ss are used hy the peo ple of the warm countries, and now not only exports these goods to China, but undersells the English 'manufacturers In their own dependency of India." Favors Government Ownership, Mr. Sheldon takes strong ground in fa vor of absolute ownership and control of the Nicaragua canal by the United States Government. "Congress could prescribe the tolls to be paid by ships using tbe csnsl, making the charges sufficient to meet tbe expenses of operation and a sult sble Interest on the capital invested In tbe undertaking and also, if considered advis able, for an annual payment into a sink ing fund, to meet, st maturity, any Gov ernment bonds which might bsve been issued. "As commerce Increased, tbe tolls could be lowered, and anr other reduction In favor of American ships, found desirable with general cargo from Liverpool, and the Druinburton is out from London since September 31 with a cargo chiefly of cement for Vancouver and Tacoma. Hop Lands In femant. It seems that California hopdealers are turning their attention to the Northwest, realizing it is a splendid field for tne Imp industry. For many years Ssn Francisco dealers hare had renident agents in the centers of our principal hop ditricts, and this year acreage has been acquired also in Brit ish Columbia. Messrs. Hortt Brothers. . .... ... as an aid In building up our carrying trade, could be made by the same author ity. If any European complications as to the use of the canal arose, our Govern ment would not be hampered by the exist ence of a canal company, nor by being obliged to obtain the current action of Nicaragua and Costa Rica, but would be in a position to decide for itself what course to take. The possible claims of England to joint control of the canal un der the Clayton-Bulwer treaty should be ignored. Those claims could never be al lowed, and we probably would hear little of them after we had constructed the canal with our own money and were In full possession. The Suez canal has been neutralized by an agreement between the great powers, but that waterway is close ly connected with the Eastern question, the balance of power, and other large sub jects Involving the nations of Europe. There Is no analogy as to neutralization between the situation at Suez and that at Nicaragua." Katimatea of Probable Revenue. Mr. Sheldon's estimates of the probable revenue to be derived from the canal are encouraging. "As the conditions are so similar, it is necessary, in taking a broad view of probable earnings, to consider the business transacted by the Suez canal. The results there shown are more helpful than mere estimates; they are ascertained facts. That company deals with the world's commerce, just as will be done in Nicaragua. In 1805 Its business amount ed to 8,440,000 tons. It had then been In operation twenty-five years. The first year, 1870, its business was only 430,000 ATLANTIC OCEAN tons; In 1871, 700,000 tons; in 1872, 1,100, 000 tons, and there has been a fulrly steady Increase ever since, up to the amount In 1895. During all this time the volume of the world's commerce has stead ily increased. Not only has trado more and more adjusted Itself to the Sues route, but also the aggregate amount of trade has become much larger. Some sllowsnce should be made for the advantages pos sessed by the Suez canal as a now well established route. Taking its business eight years sgo may be a fair offset for this Item. The amount for 1S88 exceeded 11,000,000 tons. The earlier Suez tolls were $2.77 per ton, which have been gradual ly reduced the past twenty years, snd traffic is not prepared now to stand heavy charges In sny direction. A moderate tariff will be In every way desirable. A favorable, but approximate, estimate of tbe possible revenues in Mlcaragiia would be as follows: With tolls at $1.50 per ton at the outset, and a business of st least 0,000,000 tons after the canal is fairly In operation, a gross Income of $9,000,00(1 would be obtained. Administration, main tenance and operation for 1895 cost the Suez canal about $1,800,000. Taking Into account all the dam and embankment work at Nicaragua, as well ss the heavy rainfall, an allowance of $3,000,000 as sn annual average for expenses may he fair, leaving a net income of $0,000,000. An undertaking of this character Is to be gone Into only ss a long-term Investment, snd the earnings for tbe first few yesrs after It Is completed are not to be consid ered as sufficient for a final judgment. The greatest esrnings will come later on. i be canal route, as at present project J ed, ia to be 174 miles long from Brito on the well-known hop merchants of Han Francisoo, have leased tbe hop ranches of Messrs. Ilamenley, Blch & Lane; McDonald and Captain Moore, near Agassiz, comprising in all some 800 ores. Preparations for the coining season are now being made. M. J. Herman, another hop merchant of Han Francisco, is looking over the field with a view, it is ststed, of commencing busineHS in the province. (laming- Aleeka Trade. The first big order, 500 tons, for Alaska, is being filled by Vancouver, U C merohsnts. Special Induce ' the Pacific to Greytown on the Atlantic The first half mile from Brito is at sea level. Then in two miles the canal rises 110 feet, through three locks to tbe sum .:t level, 151 miles long, then in 4 miles it descends, through three locks, to sea level again, and then continues at sea level 94 miles to Greytown. The esti mated time required for an ordinary . steamer to cross from one ocean to the other is twenty-eight hours. Electric lighting is to make passage by nigst quite feasible. The allowance for passing through locks Is forty-five minutes for each lock. Only twenty-six miles of the 1G8 miles of canal Is to be through excava tions. Some twenty-one miles is through basins, and 121 miles through the lake and the river. Provision should be made from the first for increasing the accommo dation when it shall become necessary. Widening can be carried on at the same time that vessels are passing. So can deepening. To increase the size of the locks, however, will cause all traffic to be suspended. The locks in the present plans appear to be too small for permanent use. They are each to be 650 feet long, 70 feet wide, and 28 feet deep." Hiatory of the Canal Scheme. In December, 1881, Senator Miller of California introduced a bill in Congress to incorporate "The Marine Canal Com pany of Nicaragua," with the purpose of constructing the canal. Gen. U. S. Grant, Howard Potter, E. D. Morgan, H. J. Jew ett and other prominent capitalists were concerned in the proposed enterprise. The bill met with bitter opposition in Congress, and was utterly defeated by the failure of the Marine Bank of New York, in which the Grants were ruined financially. The Nicaragua Canal Company was in corporated In 1887, with former Senator Warner Miller as president, and for a time made good progress. Its success In duced opposition, and in 1889 the Marl time Canal Company of Nicaragua, which received the sanction of President Cleve land, was incorporated. Hiram Hitch cock was the first president, but he was subsequently succeeded by Thomas B. Atkins. The work of digging the canal was begun and continued until financial misfortune overtook the enterprise, the construction company failing in the terri ble panic of 1893. The contract for the construction was then awarded to Warner Miller Nicaragua Company, which still holds its concession. Many attempts have since been made to secure the aid of the Government, but the bills have failed to pass both houses. Congress, however, au thorized the appointment of a technical commission of civil engineers to re-examine the canal line, and it Is the report of this commission which will be presented to Congress in December. The principal authorities on transporta tion statistics have made estimates that the Nicaragua route should divert from 2,000,000 to 3,000,000 tons of low-rate freight, such as flour, dry goods, machin ery, coal, etc., from the overland traffic. Suppose 2,500,000 tons were diverted to steamship lines from the Atlantic and gulf ports, going by the canal route. With the usual ocean tonnage from New York to the Pacific, and other vessels which would go through the canal, a conservative cal culation places the annual freight ! at 7,000,000 tons. At the lowest Suez canal rate this would give an annual revenue of $12,810,000. The route in favor runs from Greytown on the Atlantic coast,' via the San Juan river and Lake Nicaragua to Brito, on the Pacific. The total distance Is 174 miles, divided as follows: Miles. Brito to lake 17.27 Lake Lajas to San Juan river 50.50 Slack water In the San Juan 68.54 San Francisco Basin Ochoa to East ern divide 12.01) Cut through the Eastern divide 3.00 Canal to Greytown 10.48 The Nicaragua canal route was sur veyed first by Col. O. M. Cbilds in 1852 for the then existing Transit company which had established transisthmian com munication with California by steamer, from Greytown by way of the San Juan river to Virgin bay on the west shore of Lake Nicarngua, and thence by stage to San Juan del Stir, about eight miles south east of Brito. The route selected by Col. Childs, who was an eminent engineer, has not been improved upon very greatly by subsequent Burveys. The last survey, made by Mr. Menocnl for the Govern ment, lays the line along the Lajas and Rio Grande rivers on the weBt. Between the headwaters of these rivers and the divide is lower and the route more practi cal than anywhere else. From there the route leads across the lake, thence by way of the Son Juan river and canal cut to Greytown. Tolstoi's Colonies. Tolstoi colonies are Increasing In Russia. The Tolstolans, of course, live together, having constructed their own bouses and their own furniture; there Is nothing new In this, the tale has been told before. What Is remarkable It the arrangement of the mutual dining table In the Tolstoi table d'hote. The bowl of the community a bowl of soup Is shared among six persons, each dipping Into tho same dish, but having the right of personal property In the matter of a wooden spoon and salt. Bread also Is private to the In dividual. Thus the six consumers get a fair start and then they are all off together. But one would have thought this a fatal arrangement. Age, teeth and digestion are sadly unequal. What Is there to prevent tho venerable grand mother from being left hopelessly be hind by Ivan the Terrible, her youth ful grandson, who I rents the whole course as a point-to-point race, and so shows forth the eternal Inequality of things? It Is added that there Is a beautiful simplicity and decency In these repasts, and that there are three napkins to each symposium. Thus we have six consumers to one bowl and three napkins to six consumers. But some will do well to avoid the table d'hote a la Tolstoi. Thunderstorms In Jamaica. At Port Royal, Jamaica, for six months In the year thunderstorms aro of almost dully occurrence, and guests to picnics and garden parties are usu ally Invited to assemble "after the thun derstorm." All Husbands lo. lie When we are married I will lie at your feet She (Interrupting) Yes, and to my face, I supiHjsu. The French may be flcklo in every thing else, but tbey are always faithful in their love of change. ments ate being made to tlie northern merchants and the Vancouver papers claim this to be the first large order they have secured in direot competition with the principal outfitting houses of Portland, Heattle and Taooma. Tbe gotn's will bo sent north in a Canadian bottom. Victoria is also securing some of this trado, the Yukon Trading Com pany having placed an order there, one item of which was for 4,000 pairs of overalls. The Pad Ho Contract Com pany, building the White Pass & Yu kon railway, is getting its supplies from Viotoila merchants. s