Heppner Weekly Gazette Published Every Thursday. HEPPNER OREGON. EVENTS OF THE DAY An Interesting; Collection of Items From the Two Hemispheres Presented in a Condensed Form. William K. Vanderbilt, Jr., is to wed Miss Virginia Fair, of San Francisco. Only about $400 worth of property was recovered from the wreck of the Maria Teresa. Gold shipments from Australia for the year 1S98 amounted 12,820,000. Shipments to America increased by 2,000,000. A deficit in the German beet sugar crop of at least 850,000 tons is figured upon by United States Consul Diedrich, at Madgeburg. He says that the back ward season resulted in a deficiency. Negotiations aie progressing in the matter of the payment of the Cuban troops, so that on laying down their arms they may be enabled to enter upon civil pursuits and earn their living. Probably no further appropria tion by congress will be necessary to enable the president to carry out the plan, if it should be decided, as the money will eventually come out of the revenues of the island. Immediately upon the ratification of the peace treaty by the senate, the president will recommend to congress the enactment of legislation looking to the settlement of the claims of Ameri can citizens for damages sustained in Cuba, Poito Rico and other Spanith possessions which formed the seat of war. Claims to the amount of $20, 000,000 on this score have already beon lodged with the state department. Near Austin, Tex., a passenger train escaped a serious wreck through the in tervention of a bird. Sorno one had tied a rail securely across the track. A few miles before reaching the spot a bird, blinded by the headlight, flew against the glass, breaking and extin guishing the light, which necessitated running Blowly to the next station. The train, at reduced Rpeed, struck the obstruction, tearing up the track and damaging the front of the engine, but no one was injured. Part of Red Hock mountain, accord ing to a dispatch from Airolo. a village of Switzerland, canton of Tieino, hag fallen into Airolo, destroying a hotel mid seveial houses. The scene of the disaster presents a toiriblo spectacle, the debris of the avalanche covering a square mile. The hotel, with eight houses and 12 other buildings, were swept into a great heap of matchwood. A new terror was added by the outbreak' of fire amid the ruins. Three dead bodios have been recovered. It is esti mated that the damago will roach 40,000. Admiral Dowey Is now the senior officer of the American navv, having reached that position without congres sional action through the retirement of Admiral Bunco. Ihe American Newspaper Publish ers' Association hag presented to the Anglo-Arnei ican joint high com in Union a carefully prepared argument in favor of free paper and free pulp. Senator MeBride has offered an amendment to the naval bill, which provided for the construction of a stone drydock on the Columbia river and appropriates $200,000 for immediate Visa in beginning the work. Ono-half the largest foreign order for finished steel ever sent to this country has been offered the Illinois Steel Com pany, of Chicago. The order amounts to $3,000,000, and is for water pipes 'to lie used by the Australian govern ment. The Carnegie Company will supply half the amount. Senator MoUrhle hag introduced a bill appropiiating $1,000 for the pur chase or construction of a launch for the use of the customs officials at As toria. , A craft capable of giving a good peed and one that will stand knocking about is badly needed in the customs service at Astoria, and Senator Mo ilride's bill ii Intonded to supply the deficiency. The German ambassador, Dr. Von Hollehen, has returned to Washington after an extended absence, during which ho held soveial important confeienco' With the authorities at Berlin relative to American affairs. It is expected that ins leturn will soon bring about exchanges with the state department, and perhaps direotly with the presi dent, relative to u number of cm rent questions iu which both count lies am Interested. William F. Moore, convicted of robbing Martin Million, a hotel-keeppt of New York, by the "badger game," was sentenced to 19 veins in the state prison. The charge against Mooro wm that he conspired with his wife, Fayiu Moore, to ob Mahou, and that Million wag enticed by the woman to apart ments occupied by the Mooies and there coin pellet! by the husband to pay blackmail. Moore was convicted on bin second trial, the jury in the fli sit instance having disagreed. Faynt Mooie formerly regided in Portland, Or. M Inor Mews I soma. Piof. Kitridge, of Harvard, is said to be the only man living wlio can read M lot's Indian Bible. The French vintage of 1808 is offl daily estimated at 83,283,000 hecto liters, which is 6H.000 hectoliters bo low the vintage of last year. James II. Southall, convicted of deal lugs ill fraudulent government timt checks, was sentenced in St. Puul tc state's prison for 10 yuuis at hard la bor. The mystery surrounding the gift of $250,000 to the university of New York, has been cleared up by the dis covory that Helen Gould was the donor. Benjamin 8. Lear is first sergeant ol company C, First Colorado infantry, iow stationed at Manila. His father, Benjamin K. Lear, is a pi irate in tin same eoinpanr. Piesident W. H. Newman, of tht Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Kail road Company, has placed nu oidei with the Brooks locomotive works, ol Punkirk, N. Y., for 45 locomotive. Tbs total cost wilt be about f jog.000, L.ATER NEWS. William Stockley and his wife were burned to death in their home at Dal las, Wis. Their three children were saved with difficulty. A dispatch from Home says a mob of 4,000 people had assaulted an internal revenue sentry box, and stoned the gendarmes around Niscemi, Sicily, as a protest against ex :ommunication. A number of persons were wounded. John Wellmer, of Lafayette, Nicol lett county, Minn, was shot in the head and hip by two tramps, to whom lie had given Bhelter. They bound Mrs. Wellmer to a lounge with a clothes lino and escaped with Wellrner's team. The grip, and the ailments attendant upon it, that are now included in its train of ills, have piostrated an unus ual number of residents of Washington, D. C. An observant pharmacist esti mates that 10 per cent of the District's population is suffering in one way or another from the new generic grip. The governor's office at the state house in Springfield, III., was entered by parties unknown and $580 stolen from a drawer. The crime is sui round ed iu mystery, as all floors of the build ing are guarded by watchmen. The theft was discovered by Colonel J. M". Tanner and an investigation is pend ing One of the most notable celebra tionis in the history of American col leges was in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of Transylvania uni versity, at Lexington, Ky. It was no table on account of its many famous alumni, including Jefferson Davis, president of the Confederate states, and Jnatioe Harlan, of the supreme court of the United States, scores of con gressmen and men prominent in public life. King Charles has opened tho cortes gerares at Lisbon. In the course of his speech from the throne, King Charles said that during the war between the United States and Spain, two friendly nations, Portugal proclaimed, and, as was her duty, maintained strict and absolute neutrality. His majesty said he greatly sympathized with the czar's disarmament proposals, and made a reference to tho colonies which appar ently disposes of the rumors of the salo of Delagoa bay. In Chuna the Yellow river floods have destroyed the crops, and famine has resulted. Thousands of natives are starving. Thousands of hungry and raggrfd refugees are moving down the river in boats, only to find the walls of the cities lower down closed against the starving hordes. The gov ernment appropriated 300,000 taels for their relief, but leas than one-fifth has been distributed. It is claimed dis honest officials have pocketed the bal ance. A relief fund has been started at Shanghai. Itev. B. Craig Patter son, of the Chian Kian mission, appeals to American friends for aid. The British government favors the canal being built by the United States with guarantees of its neutrality in case of war. Onlres have been issued for the dis patch of additional troops to Cuba to assist in the maintenance of good gov ernment there. A crisis is imminent at Berlin. The emperor and chancellor cannot agree, ami a now cabinet is looked for. The principal trouble is over tho wholesale expulsions of Danes and Austrians. Tho now year brings Ireland the greatest experiment since Catholio emancipation, namely, the initiation of the local government act, which really, in many of its features, is an extension of tho emancipation acts and policy. The war department has come to the conclusion that it will be necessary to accoid General Brooke, military gover nor of Cuba, the assistance of a special cabinet approaching iu functions the late autonomist cabinet of Cuban ad ministration of tho civil affairs of the island. The situation at Iloilo is grave. Fif teen hundred natives, fully armed, are at Melo, a suburb of Iloilo. Seven teen thousand moro, it is reported, are awaiting orders to emb.irk at several points on the island of Nogrns, 15 hours' sail from Iloilo. All the women have wiibdiawn, and many families have taken refuge with tho Americans. Unless congress should pan's a law authorizing him to remain on tho no tive list, ltcur-Admiral Dewey will be placed on the retired list on December 26, 1811!). Only one other retirement will occur this year, that of Commo dore H. L. Howlson, now commandant of the Boston navy-yard. There is a sttong sentiment in naval circles iu favor of tho passage of a law which will permit the retention of Admiral Dewey upon the active list for 10 years, as was done in the caiiuof heroes of the civil war. Tho American lino steamship rails, which has an ived in. Now Yoikfioiu Southampton, after a tempestuous pas Bflgo, reports that Tuesday, December 27, in latitude 40:20 north, and longi tude 3 1 :3v west, at 83:0 in the motning, she sighted a steamer Hying signals of distress. She proved to be the British tank steamer Vimlohala, Captain Cluik, from Rouen, France; December IS, for Philadelphia, in ballast. She showed tho signal letters, ".Must a bun. don vessel." The Paris legated her crew, and no lives were lost. The will of tho late Charles P. Wil. der, of Wellsley Hills, Mass., be quenths $103,000 to Mount Ilolyoke college. The shortage In the California, wine crop of 1808 and the fairly good demand that lias existed during the past year have resulted in advancing prices. M. Ctmstuntin, a young Fieuchman of 10, who lives in Paris, is eight feet tall and probably bigger than other man who has ever lived. He is per fectly proportioned. A ukase has been issued by the Russian minister of education, Mr. Dogolerow, forbidding the wearing of corsets in any educational institution, . The government of Nicaragua, as a remit of the collapse of the republic of Central America, has established a decree declaring Nicaragua to be au in dependent soveieigu state. Howard Gould will not le called upon to sacrifice any part of his fortune as a result of his recent marriage to Miss Katherine Clcmmon. The other Gould heirs decline to profit by big disregard of his father's wishes. A SOCIALIST MAYOR John C. Chase Inaugurated at Haverhill, Mass. FIRST INSTANCE ON RECORD Will Use His Power Btrlollr on tlm Line of Socialism Specific Rec ommendations Mads. Haverhill, Mass , Jan. 4. John C. Chase, elected on a socialist platform, took the oath of office as mayor of Haverhill today. la his inaugural speeoh, Mr. Chase assured the members of the city governmnt and the people, that "every atom of power possessed by the mayor would be exercised for the defense and support of principles of socialism, insofar as they may be ap plicable to a municipality." The mayor then referred to the de sirability of preserving equal rights upon which "tho liberty and happiness of every man, woman and child ' are conditioned, and asserted that these are principles of attainment "only through the establishment of the co-operative commonwealth." Continuing, Mayor Chase said: "I believe that every power the mu nicipality possesses should be placed at the disposal of tho people in the in tcroet of civilization. With that aim in view. I submit the following recom mendations' "First The passage of an order es tablishing the minimum wage for street employes at $2 for eight hours' work. "Second Union wages and condi tions to prevail in al1 brick and stone mason's work performed under the di rection of the street department. "Third All city printing to bear the union label." The mayor then took up the subject of the unemployed, which he taid bad developed from the displacement of la bor by machinery and the concentration of capital, and was a question which no municipality could solve, as it had bocome a national and intei national one. "Yet," he said, "some little relief at least can be afforded by this city government. I, tlie'fore, recommend, first that you proceed to secure a tract of land suitable for the raising of food products, and that such of the unem ployed as desire may be permitted to use this land, the city to furnish proper seeds and tools; second, the enlarge ment of the fuel yard at the oity farm to such proportion as will permit all who desire to earn, by their labor, such fuel as they may require; third, the appropriation of such an amount of money as circumstances may warrant, to be used in providing employment directly upon public works, not in com petition with the regular employes of the oity, but upon special works, two kinds of wbioh 1 herewith suggest: First, improvement of the park system; second, construction of a system of bi cycle paths through all principal thor oughfares." Mayor Chase condemned the system of contracting with the lowest bidder for city woik, and said the system should not be tolerated. He said: "Low bids mean cheap work; cheap work means cheap money and low wages, and low wages lower the stand ard of citizenship. The city should perform itB own work and furnish its own materials, giving employment to its citizens." The mayor advocated increased ap propriations for educational purposes, and municipal ownership of the electric lighting plants and street railways. OLD GLORY EVERYWHERE. Stars mid Blriprs Adorn the Wreck of the Maine. Havana, Jan. 4. It developed today that the company of the Indiana regi mont which waved the Cuban flags dur ing the parade was not arrested, as cabled last night. Investigation showed that the flags were distiibuted to them by Cubans in the crowd, and the act of waving them was thoughtless anil not prearranged. Twenty-five Cuban horsemen, well mounted and armed, joined the column at the Prado, rode to Central Park and debouched into a side street. They aroused considerable enthusiasm. Three bluejackets from the Texas, at about 13:30 yesterday, rowed to the wreck of the Maine and hoisted a large Stars and Stripes to the peak of the wreck. The flag was saluted by the shipping in the baibor. An immense American flag was also hoisted on top of a 200-foot spar at the naval dock, where it ojuld be seen for miles around. Miners' Narrow Kucitpe. Carlinville, 111., Jan. 4. Early this morning the tipple and top works of the Carlinville coal shaft, situated just out side of town, took fire and burned fiercely. There seemed from the very start no chance of saving them from total destruction. Between 70 and 80 men were in the mine, and it was only after herculean efforts on the part of the mine managers and those of the miners who escaped at the first alaru that the entombed miners were all re leased from their perilous position. The property losses aggregate only a few thousand dollars. AiiDlmllnn Wheat. Vancouver, B. C, Jan. 4. A fore cast of the Australian wheat harvest indicates a yield of 12,150,000 bushels last harvest. One of the most interest ing features of the estimate is a visible surplus of 2,250,000 bushels available for export, while 1,000,000 bushels of old wheat remain on hand. The value of the wheat harvest on the basis of the current market rates is given at f 1, 837,500. The quality of grain this year is said to be considerably better than last. Fatal Kmll'ig of Quarrel. MiddhUown, O., Jan. 4. At Jaok minora, near here, John Ui fiord and Philip Kuch quarreled over the divi sion of a crop of tobacco. Ui fiord shot and killed Kuch, and afterward com mitted suicide. Kiiuber Works Destroyed. Pott Dalhousie, Ontaito, Jan. 4. i The works of the Toronto Rubber shoe Manufacturing Company were destroyed by lire this morning, emailing a loss of about 1 100,000, and throwing some 200 bauds oat of employment. DEWEY AND LEE. Henry Watterson Name Them for I'resident and Vice-President. Louisville, Ky., Jan. 8. Henry Watterson, in a leading editorial this morning in the Courier-Journal, under the caption, "The New Year's Outlook for the Democratic Party," nominates Admiral Dewey for piesident and Gen eral Fitzhugh Lee for vice-president. In part, he says: "To come down to hard faots, old horse-sense sitting in the rocker, the issue of free silver being relegated to the limbo of busted shades, the tariff issue peacefully reposing upon the shelf where the Cleveland administration left it to wait for free trade under naw conditions the season of famine ended and the season of plenty arrived what are the Democrats to do for a national platform and ticket? "There is but o:;e thing for them to do. The voters have about made up their minds that party pledges are fab ricated chiefly to be broken. Let the Democrats, banking on this circum stance, put up a ticket without a plat form; let them nominate candidates for president and vice-presrdent who are a platform in themselves; and, if they can induce the great admiral and the gallant geneial to accept, here is the card to win with: "tor president George Dewoy, of Vermont. "For vice-president Fitzhugh Lee, of Virginia. "Platform Tho Stars and Stripes, God bless tliem. "Even now the Republican leaders, who rarely fail to take time by the forelock, and who never let go their grip upon the shore line, aie planning to make their campaign of 1900 on the broad principle of national unification and expansion. ' They are not going to handicap themselves with any ancient platform rubbish. High tariff is no .'onger wanted by the manufacturers, for whom it was invented. The bloody shirt, having served its turn, has gone to the old clothes basket. The presi dent knows his business. "At the opportune moment we shall seo William McKinley and Joseph Wheeler inarch down to the footlights, hand in band, the flag abovo them beneath them emblazoned on a strip of red, white and blue,"The land we love from end to end,' or words- to that effect. And then what? What are the Democrats going to do about it? How are they going to meet it?" GHASTLY SCENE. Woman Deserted on the Gallows Her Lover Keprlnved. Prokuplif. Servia, Jan. 4. -A scene more dramatic than is often essayed In the most realistic fiction was enacted in the jail-yard here on Saturday. A woman and her lover mounted the scaffold to pay the penalty for the mur der of her husband. The man was eullon and allowed the noose to be placed around his neck without resist ance. The woman was in hysterics and had to be sunported by the hang man and his deputy. Just as the hang man had finished adjusting the rope around the man's neck and was about to place the black cap over the head of tho lmlf-fiiintiug woman, a jailer rushed out of the prison and up to the foot of the scaffold and cried to the hangman to stop, waving in his hand a reprieve. Tho man showed little feeling as the rope was removed; the woman sobbed with joy. But her happiness was short-lived. The reprieve was for the man only. When the hangman an nounced the message the woman clung to her lover in fienzy, but with a curse he flung her off, refusing to bid her farewell as ho stumbled down the gal lows steps. The woman was then placed on the trap and hanged. RIOS' VANDALISM. The Spanish Commander Destroys That Which lie Cannot Carry Away. Madrid, Jan. 4. Hios, the Spanish commander, cables that he baa arrived at Manila, after having completed the evacuation of Visayas and the northern part of the island of Mindanao and af ter blowing up 14 foits and the fleei of gunboats on Lake Lani. Ho adds that 1,000 Spanish troops are concentrated at Zamboanda under the command of General Montero. Official circles here are warmly diecussing the attitude of Great Britain, owing to her pressing demand that Spain sell her a coaling station in the Balearic islands "and other strategical points, so as to render Gibraltar unassailable. The negotia tions on the subject luve been in abey ance owing to Premier Sagasta's ill ness, but it is believed that Spain, in fluenced by Hussia and France, will re sist the demand of Great Britain. Fatal Folding Ited. Springfield, III., Jan. 4. Mrs. Lu oretia Kent, a widow, met her death in a manner horrible in the extreme. Her fate was revealed when a friend, enter ing tho house, found her doad body. One hand was pinioned inextricably under a heavy folding bed. The body was decomposed, showing that death bad occurred several days ago. When found the woman's broken hand was still clasped iu the bed as in a black smith's vise. How the accident hap pened will never be known definitely. The woman lived alone in the house, and that accounts for the tardy dis covery 0( tjie body. A Soldier Murdered. ITuntsville, Ala., Jan. 4. Private Starr Duie, company E, First infantry, whose homo is in Sun Francisco, died at the second division hospital today from a gunshot wound received Chiist uias night. Mack Lightfoot, Dare's murderer, has been 'committed to jail without bond. Peking, Jan. 4. The imperial gov ernment will send 6,000 foreign drilled troops to suppress the rebellion in the province of Sse-Chuen. Mmck by Train. Utica, N. Y., Jan. 4,Miss Susie S. Thomas, aged 18 years, and Calvin Chamberlain, aged 19 years, who weie riding with five other young people in a surrey, Saturday night, were fatally injured by an Ontario & Western train striking their vehicle at a crossing near Latham's Comers. The young people were singing as they approached the track, and the diiverdid not hear the approaching tiain. Bosnian, la., Jan. 4. Fire destroyed over half the business poit Ion of this Tillage today. A CHANGE 'OF FLAGS Spanish Gold and Crimson Conies Down in Cuba. A STIRRING DAY IN HAVANA Several Cuban Generals Took . Tart In the Ceremonies General Brooke's Reception. Havana, Jan. 3. The sovereignty ol Cuba passed from Spain to tbe United States at noon Sunday. The form of the transfer was simple, consisting of only an exchange of speeches in the salon of the palace, the hauling down of the Spanish fiaa and tbe raising in its stead of the flag of the United States on the flagstaff's on the palace roof. Salutes were fired from the heavy guns of the forts and the warships before and after the change of flags. The raising of the Stars and Stripes was greeted with cheeis by the people, who covered the roofs of the buildings around the palace and plaza. No crowd was permitted to gather in the streets in tbe vicinity of the palace to witness the epoch-making function. At 9 o'clock, a guard, composed of the Second battalion of the Tenth infantry, marched into the Plaza de Armas, un der command of Captain Van Vleet, and formed around the square. Captain-General Castellanos watched tbem with interest from the balcony of his apartments as they entered the square and were stationed at all the streets approaching the plaza. No one was al lowed to enter without a pass, and all the doors of the palace facing the square were ordered to be closed. Only those who could get on the roofs and balconies of houses in the neighborhood saw what was going on before the palace. With the guard was the band of the Second Illinois regiment, which had been selected for the occasion as the best band in the Seventh army corps. With the band were the buglers of the Eighth and Tenth infantry. The weather was warm, the sun bursting at intervals through the light clouds, and the soldiers in blue, who were forced to stand in the sun, found the beat oppressive. The troops were formed in extended order around the square, three paces apart, and the band was massed in front of the palace en trance across the street at the edge of the park. At 11:55, Major-Genial Lee, military governor of the province of Havana, with his staff, joined General Brooke. The lattei then crossed the street to the palace, General Lee on one side of liim, and General Chaffee on the other, followed by tbe other American gen erals and the Cuban officers. The Cu bans wore dark blue uniforms, brown felt hits and gray gloves, and they car ried machetes. A flourish of trumpets greeted the procession and the Spanish troops pie sented arms as the Americans entered tbe palace. The Cubans remained out side until escorted in by members of General Brooke's staff, the Spanish sol diery retmaning all the while at "pre sent arms. " As soon as all were in, the Spanish troops formed a column of fours and marched around the right side of the plaza to tbe docks, while the band of the Second Illinois volunteers played the Spanish loyal march. As Captain-General Castellanos was escorted to the wharf to take his de parture the band played the Spanish royal march. General Castellanos thanked the generals accompanying him and as he stepped into the launch he wept. Crowds of Spaniards all dressed in black, gathered upon the sea wall and silently watched the fleet pass out. Men and women wept together. TRANSFERRED TO DENVER. Geueral Men-lam Will Command De partment of the Colorado. San Francisoo, Jan. 8. Major-General Henry C. Merriam, who is now in San Francisco in command of the departments of California and the Co lumbia, is to be transferred to the de partment of the Colorado. His head quaiters will be at Denver. He le ceived official instructions to this effect from Washington today. He will go to Denver on or aobut January 10 next, at which time General Shatter is ex pected here to resume his own com mand in the department of California. Geueral Merriam says he has not the least idea who will be placed in charge of his eld headquarters of the Colum bia, the headquarters of which are at Vancouver, Wash. Fell Five Huudred Feet. Ishpeming, Mich., Jan. 8. A caga accident in the Lake Superior mine today caused the death of six Finnish miners and serious injuries to three more. The dead are: Matti Tarn mii.en, Takko Mikkala, J. H. Kujanp pa, J. W. Paavai, Alfred Sinna and Gust W. Johnson. The men were go ing down the ?haft in a cage to work. The supposition is that something dropped on the cage, forcing one side of the frame work down, so as to let the men slide off into the shaft.. One of the wounded men said lie thought a rope bad broken. Another heard some thing strike the cage. Bed Key, Ind., Jan. 8. An explo sion of gas, followed by fire, at the Ohio & Indiana Pipe Line Company's compressing station near here caused a loss estimated at $100,000. Engineer W. F. Robinson was badly burned. Thiity or more towns aie deprived of natural gas by the destruction of the station. When a young woman gts a hew hat she is never satisfied until the man she loves most and the girl the hates uiost have both seen it. Kemlndlng l i of the Promise, Madrid, Jan. 8. The minister for foreign affairs, Duke Alnio.lovar del Uio, is about sending a note to Wash iugton to remind the American govern ment of its undertaking, by the terms of the treaty of Paris, to obtain the liberty of the Spanish prisoners in the Philippines. The cabinet has decided to open a credit of 8,000,000 pesetas for the lepatriation of Spanish soldiers in Cuba and the Philipp.nes. Dispatches fiom Bolivia say La Pus is a vast encampment of armed men. IusureJts sua becoming enthusiastic. PROSPEROUS TO THE END. The Old Year Gun Out Willi Cosiness IS doming. New York, Jan. 2. Bradstreet's says: Concisely stated, the reports re ceived as to the year's business in all sections of the country point to an un precedented volume of domestic and exoprt trade, wlrch is reflected in bank clearances that break the high record of 1892. The general level of prices of staple securities at the close of the year is at the highest point reached lor five years past. Railroad earnings ex ceed all previous years, and finally there was a small number of failures, and lower liaibilties than reported in any year for at least five years past. These general results in the country at large have been achieved, too, notwith standing the outbreak and conclusion of a foreign war, and in spite, also, of unfavorable conditions in some indus tries, notably textile manufactures, which, combined with unfavorable weather early in the year, and the lowest price for cotton on record, exer cised an unfavorable influence. Bnt the close of the year finds an im provement even in these directions, and returns as to retail trade and particu larly holiday business, are strikingly good in all sections. B3Bt reports as to distributive trade naturally come from the graingrowing sections of the country, which were the first to meet an improvement resulting from free foreign demand for our cereals, but in dications are not wanting that this im provement is gradulally percolating throughout the entire business com munity, and coupled with the unprece dented export trade in manufactured goods, and the fact that we are selling $2 worth abroad for every dollar's worth we buy, renders possible the gains re ported in distributive trade of 1898 over 1897, ranging from 10 to 40 per cent, with likewise good exports from the nianufcturing centers, excepting the textile industries alieady men tioned. The export trade of the country for the year, as above intimated, is the heaviest ever known, and will probably exceed $1,250,000 in value, thus being nearly double the imports. Our ex port trade in manufactured goods, it must be observed, is the heaviest over known, and for the first time in our country's history exceeded the value of imports of similar goods. There were 11,038 failures in the United States in 1888, involving liabil ities of $141,137,117, a decrease from 1897 in number of 11.2 per cent, and in liabilities of 9.5 per cent. Com pared with 1890 and 1895, the propor tion of decrease shown is even larger, as compared with 1896, failures were fewer by 25 per cent, and liabilities smaller by 64 per cent. Decreases are also shown when oompared with 1891, a year of large trade, but of numerous and costly failures; but com pared with 1892 there is an increase shown of 13 per cent in number, and 20 per cent in liabilities.' TEN THOUSAND DROWNED Another Awful Calamity Occurred at Hankow. Victoria, B. C, Jan. 8. The steam ers Victoria and Yamaguchi Alaru have arrived with news from the Orient up to December 15. Another serious rnlamitv. wrilpn tlm Hankow correspondent of the North China Dailv News, has hefnll an th people of Hankow; about 10,000 of the tniiuDitants Have met death by drown ing. About noon DecftmhRr 8 linlf iha storehouses extending along the edge of u! ri 1 1 . t i i i mo river nan euuuerny crone away ami tumbled into the water on top of all the boats there. The houses arid boats, with all the people in them, dis appeared in a moment. About 100 buildings and the same number of boats are eone. News comes of more murders of mis sionaries. The Japanese Herald says an English missionary haa hnpn mm-. deied by natives and soldiers at Tsing ring. A Drench missionary has been burned to death at Swatow, and a Ger man missionary has been mortally in jured in Shan Tung. The murder of an American missionary, Mrs. Butter field, of Central China, is reported. Advices state that since the attack on the Russian troops at Andijan some time back, discontent and dissatisfac tion have been rife throughout the province. This feeling has asumed such proportions that the 'Russian au thorities have already strengthened their garrisons. They have, moreover, Occupied the larffer vilhiorefi in tnrna and superseded the civil by a military administration. Not more than 200 or BOO fanatics were erurasjed in tlm attack on the Rusians, yet more than 1,200 men were arrested on suspicion and fiOL'BOd in Oriler in PTtnrt itifnrmatinn Not only were the actual malefactors punisiieu, but their relatives of all de crees were also inmrigoned. In mlili tionto this, a fine of 800,000 roubles uas ueen innicteri on the district. A Fronperou Year. Washington, Jan. 3. The rmbiished statement of the government receipts anu expenditures shows that during the half year ending December 31, the receipts aggregated $245,961,890, against $207,760,574, for the same per iod last year. According to the treas ury these receipts are the largest since 1866, when they reached $558,032,620, for the entire fiscal year, and 1887, when they amounted to $490,634,010. IHaastroua San Franciai-n Fir.. San Francisco, Jan. 3. Fire wtoeM started early tonight in the business building at 17 Stevenson street caused a loss of $50,000 before it was extinguished. Of this amount about $40,000 falls on the Krouirh Manufac turing Company, makers of primps and hydraulic machinery. The San Fran cisco artistic metal works, which oc cupied part of the structure, were totally destroyed, the loss being daced at $10,000. The origin of the fire is unknown. Great Britaiu's Revenues. London. Jan. 8. The revenues of the United Kingdom foi the quarteer ending December 81 amounted to 28, 632,324, an increase of 803,603 over 1897. making for the nine months a total of 78.840,488, an increase of 974,348. Coram if sioners have been sent from Porto Rico to Washington in an effort to put an end to the administrative, financial and elueational conditions as they exist in the island of Porto Rico today. They will alto ask that Porto Rioo be admitted si a territory. TRAGEDY. AT SEASIDE Three Men Killed in a Des perate Fight. THE WORK OP A DESPERADO Charles Willard Murdered Sheriff William and Deputy Lamer, and Was Shot by Deputy Miller. Soaside, Or., Jan. 2. The burning of the Fulton cottage, at this place, last Wednesday morning, culminated this afternoon in the bloodiest tragedy in the history of this county, as a re sult of which three men are oold in death and one other is badly wounded. The dead are: Sheriff J. W. Williams, Dopnty Sheriff James Lainers and Charles Wil lard. Deputy Sheriff A. E. Miller was shot in the leg. It was considered certain by every one that the burning of the cottage was for the purpose of concealing a rob bery, and suspicion pointed to Charles Willard as the guilty person, particu larly as he was seen a shoit time after the fire coming from the locality with a wheelbarrow load of goods. Acting on the suspicion then aroused Sheriff Williams this morning secured a search warrant, and in company with Senator C. W. Fulton and others, went to Seaside to search Wil lard's prem ises, and also all the cottages of which he had eharge during the winter season. About 8 o'clock this afternoon, Sher iff Williams, Senator Fulton and Dep uties A. E. Miller and James Lamers, the two latter being residents of Sea side, went to the cottage of Mrs. Susie Lewkton, where Willard was living, to search it. On rapping at the door they were answered immediately by Willard, who told them to wait until he dressed, but from subsequent events it is certain he wanted time to get his guns leaily for action. After a few moments he opened the door, and on being told what was wanted, told the sheriff, in a polite manner, that he was welcome to search any of the residences hi his charge. Leaving Fulton, Lamers and the sheriff in the house, he picked up his rifle, and telling Miller' to follow him, he started for John L. Carlson's cottage which he had in charge, and which he said some one had endeavored to break into. There they were soon afterwards joined by Williams and Fulton. The latter asked Willard to come back to the Lewiston cottage. He made no objection. It was on nearing the cottage the second time that the tragedy occurred. Senator Fulton had identified some shotgun cartridges in the house as be longing to him, and began questioning Willard as to where he got possession of them. This nettled Willard, al tliough he answered that a friend had given them to him, and he began to get ugly. Fulton and Miller went inside the cottage, leaving Willard, Sheriff Wil liams and Lamers standing outside. They had just proceeded to the rear room when two shots were heard n quick succession, and on running to" he door, Sheriff Williams was seen to throw up his hands and fall backwards over the bank. In front of the house were Willard and Lamers, in a desper ate hand-to-hand struggle, although the latter had beon shot through the right groin and was fast growing faint, and his assailant was fighting with the desperation of a demon. Fulton sprang at Willard's head, and pulling him to the ground jumped on his face. Miller wrenched the rifle from his hand, threw it on the ground, and taking out his revolver beat the desperado over the head. Senator Fulton, in the meantime, picked up the rifle and told Willard to remain quiet, or he would kill him. The latter, however, watched his op portunity, and jumping to his feet started to run away, when Fulton fired, missing him the fiist time, but strik ing him in the faoe the second time, carrying away the greater portion of his mouth and nose. Willard fell, ap parently dead, and Fulton started to obtain help to care for the injured men, leaving Miller on guard with the lifle in hand. Miller stepped back to aid Lamers, who was lying on the gtound desperately wounded, when Willard was noticed to be fumbling with hia belt. Quicker than a flash he drew a revolver and fired three bullets, the first one hitting Miller in the left leg, just below the hip. MilLr returned the fire with the rifle, the first bullet inflicting a flesh wound in Willard'a shoulder, and the eecond hitting him in the left side, near the groin, killing him instantly. By this time help had arrived, and an examination was made of the in jured men. Sheriff Williams was found to have been phot through the right breast, and although his pulse was beating feebly when examined, he allowed no further signs of life. La mers was shot in the right groin, and he lived about 30 minutes after being removed to Giimcs' hotel. Miller, the other deputy, was wounded iu the leg, but his wound is not of a serious na ture. Discarded Woman's Deed. Los Angeles, Cal., Jan. 2. George P.King, chief deputy in the office of City Engineer Dockweiler, was shot and probably fatally wounded this vening by Theresa Kerr, wliom he had cast off. Fxtrariltion Treaty With Itraiil. Now York. Jan. 2.--A dispatch to the Herald from Kio de Janeiro utn that the Brazilian congress has ap proved a treaty ol extradition with the United States. Dlscoarag-lng Outlook. Madrid, Jan. 2. The cabinet has agreed to send additional funds to Cu ba for repatriation of the Spanish troops remaining there. The govern ment considers the prospects for release of Spanish prisoners in the Philippines eiy discouraging. New York, Jan. 2. Ninety men ere taken from the receiving ship Vermont at tbe navy-yard by steamer to Norfolk, Va., from which place they will go overland to San Francis co, where they will embark for Manila M reinforcement! for Admiral Dewey,