TORNADO WRECKS
TOWNS IN SOUTH
Gilliam. Louisiana. Wiped Out by a
Heavy Wind Storm.
Seven Persons Known to Have Been
Killed and Many Injured Later
Reports Expected to Increase the
Number of Casualties -Loss
Will Be Heavy.
Property
Shreveport, La., May 14 Seven per
Bonn are unown to be dead and many
others are injured as the result of a
tornado which swept across Northwest
Ixuisiana late yesterday. The little
town of Gilliam, 25 miles north of
Hhreveport, was destroyed and the town
of Bolinger, on the east side of the
river, in Bessler parish, was badly
wreeked.
Communication with tho greator por
tion of the storm-swept section is inter
rupted, and it is believed certain that
the later reports will increase the num
ber of dead and injured. It is said the
work of destruction at Gilliam was com
plete, only two houses remainin intact.
The town had a population of about 200.
Tho dead at Gilliam are said to be Mrs.
T. F. (iardiner and three negroes. Ar
thur Vaughan is said to be badly in
jured. At Bolingcr the dead are Mrs.
Mitchell Davis and two negroes. Mrs.
Davies' mother is reported to be dying
from injures. Charles Isom and family
of six are reported among tho injured.
It was reported that Oil City, in this
parish, was wiped out by the tornado,
but this rumor is probably untrue, al
though great damage is thought to have
occurred, involviug the wreckage of a
great many oil well derricks.
FIFTEEN DEAD IN NEBRASKA.
Fifty Persons Injured and a Property
Loss of $600,000.
Omaha, Neb., May 14 Reports which
rame in slowly today from the tornado
stricken district south of this city add
three victims to the list of dead, mak
ing a total of 15, and place the mone
tary damago at half a million dollars.
The casualty list continues to grow as
communication is partially restored
with the five towns which suffered most
from the storm, and tho list of the in
jured, Bomo of whom are fatally hurt,
will reach at least 50. Two railroad
laborers employed in a sand pit near
Louisville were found dead, and Ed.
Miller, who was injured near Papillion,
died of his injuries. At least three
other persons are believed to have re
eived fatal injuries. Five Italian rail
road laborers were injured on the line
of the Burlington railroad between
Council Bluffs and Pacific Junction.
Nearly every one of the five towns
in the path of tho storm Bellevue, Pap
pillion, Kichfield, Meadows and Louis
ville were badly wrecked, and the vil
lage of Fort Crook, and the post at
that point suffered heavy damages.
There are battalions of the Sixteenth
Regiment stationed at the fort, and the
men were put to work clearing up the
debris and putting the barracks in
shape. Many of the large buildings
were partially unroofed, and a dozen
or more large chimneys were blown
down and scattered over the fort
grounds. Nearly all the trees were
blown down.
10,000 CHINESE KILLED.
Wall of Water 26 Feet High Sweeps
Down River at Hankow.
Victoria, May 14 News of one of
the greatest disasters that China has
known, a sudden tidal wave in the
Yangtsekiang, which caused the loss of
nearly 10,000 lives nt Hankow, was
brought by the steamer Titan, which
arrived Tuesday night. A wave 26 feet
in height, without warning, bore down
the river, overwhelming some large
river steamers. Some 3,000 Chinese
sleeping in sampans, and small craft
nnd mat sheds and huts by the river
side at Hankow were enveloped by the
great tidal wave, which swept the
broken junks, splintered sampans and
n mass of debris with swarms of
drowned Chinese, mixed with the
wreckage. The scenes for many days
nfter the disaster were horrible, with
the river side- strewn with dead, and
the debris of wrecked craft for many
miles.
Oakland Children Visit Battleships.
San Francisco, May 14. Hundreds of
Oakland school children clambered up
the sides of the battleships yesterday
and for six hours they gave the sailors
a lively time. Each boatload of young
sters were permitted to remain on board
one hour, when another boatload took
their places. In the hour's visit that
oach enjoyed nothing was overlooked,
and Jack had his hands full from the
time the first crowd stepped on board
until the last crowd left. The children
saw everything worth seeing, and what
they did not understand their escort
had to explain to them.
Take Children From Leprous Parents
Honolulu, May 14. Thirty-one boys
and four girls, non-leprous children of
leprous parents, have been brought here
from the leper island, Molokai, to be
permanently housed away from the
leper settlements. The children range
in age from 2 to 15 years, and several
of them were old enough to appreciate
their situation. Despite their dreadful
home surroundings, the unfortunate
youngsters were grief -stricken by the
separation from their parents.
Chinese Students Uphold Japs.
Tokio, May 14 Chinese students in
Tokio nre protesting against tho anti
Japanese boycott being maintained in
China. Twelve hundred of them have
joined the movement, and are daily
holding meetings to voice their feelings.
Three hundred students who uphold the
Chinese government in this matter are
trying to break up the meeting by mak
ing noisy demonstrations.
SECURE BIG HAUL.
Robbers in New Mexico Get $35,000
Intended for Miners.
El Paso, Tox.. May 15 Pursued by
men and bloodhounds, three robbers
with $.15,000 of loot in their possession,
tiro fleeing through tho rugged mountain
passes north of French, a little station
89 miles from East Las Vegas, N. M.,
on the Santa Fo railroad, in an effort
I to escape the clutches of the law.
At French, late last evening, they
broke down the doors of tho depot,
ou nJ antl CaBgC(1 the station agent and
special guard, blew open the safe, took
the money and rode away, leaving their
victims helpless.
A tramp wandered into the station
half an hour later, released the almost
unconscious men and gave the alarm
The news of the daring robbery was
wired to every town in the neighbor
hood of French, and a special train
bearing 30 deputies and 50 horses left
East Las Vegas in half an hour, hot
on the trail of the fleeing robbers. A
special with four men left Dawson also,
and a message was sent to the tern
torial penitentiary at Santa Fe for
bloodhounds, which were brought
through as fast as a special engine and
car could carry them
The stolen money was sent from Al
buquerque to pay tho coal miners at
Dawson, N. M.
TAFT GETS .OREGON.
Ohioan
Is Endorsed by State Repub
lican Convention.
Portland, May 15 Two republican
parties, or factions, fought in yester
day's republican conventions, tho one
Fulton, the other Bourne. This showed
tho party is not yet harmonized, though
tho two factions pledged support to the
ticket.
The Fulton men had things all their
own way, and ruled with an iron hand.
They gave their rivals nothing and
took away from them everything. The
Taft power, overwhelmingly strong in
Oregon, was in their hold, and they
used it to shut out their opponents.
The delegates, alternates and electors
chosen were:
Delegates to national convention
At large C. W. Fulton, of Clatsop:
George II. Williams, of Multnomah; A.
N. Gilbert, of Marion: C. G. Huntley,
of Clackamas.
First congressional district Ralph
E. Williams, of Polk; C. A. Sehlbrede,
of Coos.
Second congressional district Dr. H.
W. Coe, of Multnomah; Asa B. Thomp
son, of Umatilla.
Alternates
At large J. II. Brown, of Portland;
W. A. Williams, of Forest Grove; A.
L. Tetu. of Portland; H. C. Kinney, of
Grants Pass.
"First district Frank Ira White, of
Klamath Falls; E. D. Cusick, of Al
bany. Second district J. R. Gault, of
Burns; J. W. Kelly, of Portland.
Presidential electors
R. R. Butler, of Gilliam; A. C. Mars
ters, of Douglas; J. D. Lee, of Multno
ham; Frank J. Miller, of Linn.
FEAR A PLOT.
Government Orders Strangers Kept
Out of Engine Rooms.
San Francisco, May 15. A special
order has been issued by Admiral
Thomas directed to the fleet captains
directing them to take every precaution
to prevent any strangers from gaining
access to the engine or firerooms of
their ships.
The issuance of the order has caused
a great deal of comment among the of
ficers of the fleet, as a general order is
already in force prohibiting strangers
from visiting the engine rooms.
That the government is in possession
of information directly connected with
the issuance of the order is the general
belief of the officers. A feature of the
fleet's visit to this port which has
passed without notice until the present
order was issued is the fact that not a
single Japanese has been aboard one of
the ships since the arrival oi the fleet
here.
Taken in connection with today's or
der, the sentiment is openly expressed
by a number of the officers that the
leaders of the local Japanese colony,
knowing that the government was in
possession of information leading to the
belief that an attempt might be made
to injure some of the ships, advised
their countrymen to keep away from
the ships.
No information concerning the issu
ance of the order' except that it is a
natural precautionary measure is given
out from the flagship.
Secretly Saves Money.
Decatur, 111., May 15 City authori
ties were astounded today when City
Comptroller Kohbins "confessed" that
he had been holding out on the city
revenues for ch'tit years, and now has
$100,(10(1 in a bank to the credit of the
city. No one knew his secret but the
mayors who have served in that time.
Robbins said he knew the aldermen
would spend the money if they had it,
and he took it upon himself to save it
for a rainy day in the city's affairs,
or perhaps for a new city hall. Tho
aldermen, instead of being pleased, are
furious.
Volcano Scares People.
Hilo, Hawaii, May 15 Not for many
years han there been such a wonderful
activity in the pit of Halemaumau as
has developed during the last ten days.
There has been fire in the pit ever since
the overflow a year ago last January,
but the fire was fluctuating and uncer
tain. It would blaze brilliantly for a
day or two, then would shrink away
slowly. For some time past, however,
tho pit has been gradually filling up.
Meet Next at Portland.
Boston. May 15 Having adopted
several important resolutions, electing
officers and voting to hold the next an
nual convention at Portland, Or., the
eleventh annual convention of the Na
tional Retail Grocers' Association ad
journed tonight.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE SIXTIETH
SESSION OF NATIONAL LAWMAKERS
Saturday. Mav 16
Washington, May 16 Practically the
whole day in tho senate was spent in
consideration of tho bill concerning for-
est reserves in tho Applachian and
wniio mountains, ji was nnaiiy passed,
ally
after a speech of nearly two hours'
duration by Senator Toller, of Colorado,
in opposition. Jt carries
tion of $5,000,000, am:
passing me nouse at tins session are
poor.
As a first move to redeem the repub
lican promise of revising the tariff, the
senate adopted a resolution authorizing
tho finance mommittee to take up the
subject of tariff rates and to employ
experts to prepare information to assist
in the revision of the schedules. Tho
committee is also to report as to legis
lation, reciprocity or otherwise, neces
sary to enact in order to secure equit
able treatmont for American products
abroad. The committee will sit during
the summer.
Washington, May 16 The process
of cleaning up preparatory to adjourn
ment was continued in the house today.
The sundry civil appropriation bill
was sent to conference; the confer
ence report on the military academy
bill was agreed to; the general de
ficiency appropriation bill was reported,
and tho following bills passed: Grant
ing compensation to government em
ployes for injuries in the service and
authorization of the continuance of the
inland waterways commission.
Friday, May 15.
Washington, May 15 The Aldricu
currency bill was substituted for tho
Vreeland bill in the senate today, and
the transfer took but little longer than
was reouired in the callinir of tho roll.
Tho effect is to throw both tho senate.
and house bills into conference. The
managers on the part of the senate are
Aldrich, Allison, Hale, Daniel and Tel
ler. The dispatch with which this agree
ment was reached is a striking exam
ple of what can be done in the closing
days of a session of congress. A meet
ing of the senate committee on finance
was held in the forenoon, and a de
cision to amend the house bill by sub
stituting the measure passed by tho
senate several weeks ago was reached
without difficulty. Chairman Aldrich
was authorized to make the report,
which he did as soon as the bill passed
by the house yesterday had been "mes
saged over."
Some changes were made in the sen
ate bill by the committee, however, and
it was necessary to have a new print
of it prepared before it could be called
up for consideration.
Washington, May 15 The Vreeland
currency bill, as amended bv the sen
ate, went to the house at 5:15 o'clock
this afternoon, and immediately was
called up by Burton of Ohio, who moved
to suspend the rules, disagree to the
amendments and ask a conference. In
the opinion of Williams, the minority
leader, the bill as amended by the sen
ate was infinitely worse than the Vree
land bill. He urged his colleagues to
vote against the motion to disagree to
the senate amendments, saying that, if
the motion was lost, the bill would have
to go to the banking committee. The
motion was carried by a vote of 150 to
103.
Thursday, May 14.
Washington, May 14 The great
sundry civil appropriation bill, carry
ing a total of about $120,000,000, was
passed by the senate today. An amend
ment b
Gallintrer. appropriating $6000
to enable the govern
nment of Alaska to
suppress the liquor traffic among the na
tives was adopted. This is the last of
tho large supply bills, and its passage
places the senate squarely alongside
the house in the consideration of the
appropriation bills, and of the entire 14
leaves only the cvneral deficiency and
the military academy bills to be consid- I Utah spoke at length in advocacy of the
ered bv either house. A portion of the j forest reserve service. Lodge and
session was devoted to consideration of.Newlands supported the policy of the
the hill snsnendinir the oenaltv feature i
of the commodity clause of the railroad
i- i .
rate bill, but a vote was not taken
Washington, May 14. The Vreeland
currencv bill, agreed upon by the repub- different to the preservation of the tim
lican caucus, was todav put'through the , ber lands, but objected to the methods
house under a special rule bv a vote of I practiced by the Bureau of Forestry
184 to 145. Fifteen so-called insurgents j
of the majority party voted with the
democrats, who went on record solidly
against the measure.
As soon as the bill reaches the senate
Aldrich will call a meeting of the com-
mittee on finance to consider it. It is
expected the committee will vote unani-
mously to amend the house measure bywear
strikinir out nil after tho enaetini? . day.
clause and inserting the provisions of
the bill which was passed by the senate.
It. is not doubted that the senate will
approve the action of the committee, j
The effect of this course would le to
send both the Vreeland and Aldrich
bills to conference.
Wednesday, May 13.
Washington, May 13 Further con
sideration of the Brownsville affair was
today postponed by the senate until
December 16 next. This decision was
reached after an extended exchange of
views among senators. Foraker, after
urging the appointment of an carlv
day for voting on his bill, moved that
it be taken up next December. After
motion by Culberson of Texas, to vote
on the bill next Saturday, was laid on
the table, Foraker 's motion was adopted
by a vote of 62 to 6.
Foraker gave out a statement saying
that, while he could not have passed
Wants Roosevelt to Stop Knocks.
Washington, May 13 Insisting that
the president "let up" on the railroads
and that no opposition be made to the
proposed increaso in rates, representa
tives of the "Prosperity league" called
on the president this morning. Al
though the committee declared that it
represented the most influential mer
chants of both East and West, it is be
lieved here that the railroads influenced
the movement to create sentiment in
favor of higher rates.
v.ni - i.n i. i .i
its pa"ag8 by tho postponement.
Washington, May 13 One-half of
the fivo-hour session of the house today
was spent in roll-calls on tho various
propositions presented. When the day's
work had been concluded, the agnciil-
ies an appropria- tural and I,owtoffic appropriation bills 'were damaged to the extent of prob
Vl? stlTa oi bilta JS!' j M P were
this Session are, r 1 .... nim-no1 nnn. fatallw Tn,
rermiiung owners or patents in cases
where tho government has appropriate I
jiiveutiuiiB to aj'i'i to me court oi
claims for relief; authorizing the entry
of tea sweepings when intended to be
used in the manufacture of caffeine, and
an omnibus bridge bill.
Tuesday, May 12.
Washington, May 12 The senate to
day passed the postoffice appropriation
bill, carrying amounts aggregating
$229,072,367. As passed the bill al
lows $1 a day expenses for railway
postal slerks when away from termi
nals, which will incur a total expense
of about $1,000,000.
Amendments adopted by the senate
provide for weighing the mails annu
ally instead of every four years, and
add the Gallinger provision concerning
the improvement of tho man service to
the Philippines, China, Japan, Australia
and South American ports.
Washington, May 12. After a de
bate lasting practically the entire ses
sion, the house today, by a vote of 136
to 24, agreed to the conference report
upon the naval appropriation bill. The
insertion of a new provision relating
to increase in pay tor officers and meu
of the marine corps and navy drew
forth a good deal of criticism of the
conferees, who were charged with hav-
ng taken liberties and with having vio
lated the trust reposted in them by the
1 tiAiiflp In a eontereea Tpnehpo n. com
plete agreement, and the bill now goes
to the president.
Considerable interest was manifested
on the floor in the announcement that
the currency bill would be considered
and disposed of Thursday next.
Monday, May II.
Washington, May 11 The senate to
day passed the agricultural bill, carry
ing an appropriation aggregating $12,
142,146. For building roads and mak-
ing other permanent improvements ',in
ine national iuruni, -T i,uuu,uuu, xunieau
of $500,000, as provided by the house
of representatives, was appropriated,
giving one-half the amount asked by the
chief forester.
Washington, May 11 The house to
day took the final congressional step by
which betting on horse races at Ben
nings will hereafter be prohibited. A
bill authorizing the appropriation for
an addition to the regular military es
tablishment of 50 captains to command
the Philippine scouts also was passed.
The bill amending the homestead laws
o as to permit the entry of 320 acres
instead of 160 acres of non-irrigable
public land in Western States was
passed.
The bill allowing the States of Idaho
and Wyoming 2,000,000 additional acres
of land for reclamation was defeated.
The dry homestead bill was passed by
139 to 74. It applies to nonmineral,
nonirrigable, unreserved and nonappro
priated public lands in Colorado, Cali
fornia, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Ore
gon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, Ari
zona and New Mexico.
Washington, May 11. At a confer
ence today between the leaders of th
nouse anu 8enale " was practical-v
, . '""--"";"--"
shall adjourn Fri-
day, May
Saturday, May 9.
Washington, May 9 The debate on
the main features of the agrieulturaJ
appropriation bill was practically con
cluded bv the senate today. Smoot of
service.
Clark of Wyoming reviewed at length
what he said he regarded as the weak
ness of the forestry service. He de
clared that its opponents were not in-
under its present administration
In addition to the attention given the
agricultural bill, the senate voted te
resolution introduced by Burkett of
! -Nebraska declaring tomorrow to be
."Mothers' Day," and suggesting that
senators and employes of the senate
a white riower in honor of that
Washington. May 9. Although on
several occasions it had dilhculty in'
maintaining a quorum, the house trans
acted considerable business todav. A
! number of measures were passed, in
j eluding a child labor law for the Dis
Itriet of Columbia, intended as a substi-
tute for the senate bill, permitting ap- j
wN in naturalization eases trom the:"""' . 1 .
District to the Circuit Court of Appeals,
and repealing the act of the legislature
of New Mexico of 1903 regarding civil
procedure in personal injury cases.
The house adjourned until 2 o'clock
tomorrow, when eulogies will b". de
livered upon the life and character of
the late Representative Adolph Meyer",
of Louisiana. In view of the circum
stances of tho adjournment, Williams
did not insist upon the usual roll call.
Under a statute passed by the last
assembly, Louis Ferris, who dynamited
the train at Butte, will be sentenced to
death if convicted.
Affected by American Panic.
Washington, May 14. Reporting to
the state department from Amsterdam,
Consul nenry n. Morgan says that pos
sibly no country of Europe had been
relatively affected so disadvantageously
by the recent financial crisis in tho
United States as The Netherlands,
largely on account of the total Suspen
sion of tho diamond trade. Whereas
tho exports of tho sparklers in 1906
amounted to $11,633,352. in 1907
fell off to only $7,452,604.
TORNADOES IN NEBRASKA.
Destroy Four Towns and Kill at Least
Fourteen People.
Omaha, Nob., May 13 Twelve per
sons are known to have been killed and
a B(,-oro injured by a tornado which
swept over the northern part of Sarpy
J county at 5 o'clock yesterday after
noon. The storm, which gained in ve
locity on its way south, startd in Omaha
about 4:30.
I At Bellevue the college buildincrs
I ' ' v
moved on to Louisville, Litchfield and
Springfield, where the principal dam
age and loss of life occurred.
The storm was the most severe that
ever struck Eastern Nebraska. The
damage to the college buildings at
Bellevue was heavy. The tower was
blown from Park Hall, and the building
wrecked. Lowry Hall and Rankin Hall
were unroofed. The panic-Btricken stu
dents ran to the basement and in this
way many fatalities were probably
avoided. The college stables were
wrecked and all the horses killed. A
number of small buildings and stores in
the village were blown down.
Moving south, the tornado struck
Fort Crook, damaging several of the
barrack buildings, but nobody was in
jured. In the town of Fort Cook, how
ever, a number of buildings were en
tirely wrecked and other damage was
done
Three Towns Are Wrecked.
Springfield, Neb., May 13 A tor
nado late yesterday afternoon wrecked
the towns of Louisville, Bellevue and
Richfield and killed several persons and
injured large numbers.
The heaviest losses of life and in
jured are reported from Louisville, a
junction point of the Missouri Pacific
and Burlington railroads, in Cass coun
ty. The number of deaths is unknown,
and no names have been secured, but
it is said between 40 and 60 are injured,
many seriously and some fatally.
The town of Bellevue is declared
practically wiped out, but it is not
known that there are any fatalities.
Bellevue is the seat of the Presbyterian
college.
The storm destroyed part of the vil
lage of Richfield, where Elmer Leader
was killed and his father was badly in
jured. Ed. Faller, a farmer near Rich
field, was fatally injured.
Louisville Is Blown Away.
Lincoln, Neb., May 13. It . is diffi
cult to get any definite news from
Louisville. Reports are to the effect
that the town is blown away and the
people are in a panic. The Burlington
station was torn to pieces, most of the
business houses were wrecked and 30
residences destroyed. The Missouri Pa
cific station is standing, but both the
telegraph and telephone wires are down.
There were four distinct tornado
clouds as seen at Springfield, and they
made their appearance shortly before 5
o'clock.
Heavy damage was done in the coun
try, and it is, feared there was some
loss of life.
Dispatches received at Lincoln say
there were severe storms along the Mis
souri river further south at Nemaha
City and Falls City.
IMPROVEMENT BONDS VOTED.
San Francisco to Spend Millions for
Greater City.
San Francisco, May 13. Citizens
generally are enthusiastic over the re
sult of the bond election. The vote was
10 to 1 for the bonds. The first step
to be taken by the supervisors will be
to estimate the cost of the improve
ments made possible by the sale of the
bonds and the amount of money to be
expended. Possibly by the middle of
August work will begin on the projects
which are to make San Francisco a
larger and more beautiful city than
ever.
For an auxiliary fire system and lands
necessary for it, bonds amounting to
$5,200,000 were approved.
For a city sewer system, $4,000,000.
For school buildings and lands for
ample sites, $5,000,000.
For public Hospitals ana necessary
lands, $2,000,000.
For a new city hall and county jail,
$1,000,000.
For a suitable garbage system and
crematory, $1,000,000.
Evans Reiterates Demand.
North Platte. Neb., May 13 Stand
ing upon the rear platform of his car
as it lingered here for a few minutes
todav. "Fighting Bob" Evans ad
dressed a big crowd of people who came
from miles around to greet him. The
nn.1 in.Al.tAf r, f the t -
" ' ment that
he has made on different occasion
that the United States would be better
off with fewer statesmen and more
Vmttleshins and added: "We are in
danger of war and always will be as ,
cmff as we have someininir mat soiuu .
other nation wants."
Robbers Secure $15,000.
Seattle. Wash.. May 12. E. J. Per
rine. Great Northern express messenger
on the train which left Seattle at 8:10
this morning for Vancouver. B. C, was
beaten over the head with his own gun
nnd tied hand and foot by two men
who entered the train just as it was
leaving Seattle, and who, after over
powering the express messenger, looted
the strong box of a sum of money esti
mated at from $1,000 to $10,000. The
robbers escaped. Pcrrine is in a seri
ous condition.
Tillman Fears Paralysis.
Washington. May 13 Threatened
with paralysis. Senator Tillman is in a
sanitarium here, deelininer to see vis-
itora On Sntiir.lnv hi will sail for Kll-
they I rope, accompanied by his wife, return
I ing in November.
TORNADOES RAKE
OKLAHOMA STRIP
Devastate Large Section in Richest
Farming District
Eight Persons Known To Be Dead
and Many Injured Whole Town
of Vici Torn to Pieces and Scat
tered Huge Hailstones Add b
General Havoc.
Woodward, Okla., May 12. At least
eight persons were killed and seores of
others injured in the several tornadoes
in Northwestern Oklahoma yesterday
evening.
There was a succession of tornadoes
between 5 o'clock and 10 o'clock P. M.
They appeared first in the western part
of the devastated district and moved
toward the east. The most serious re
sults were in the vicinity of Arnett,
where fully 30 persons are believed to
have broken limbs. Nearly all of these
victims are residents of the farming dis
tricts.
The only town known to have been
destroyed is Vici, a postoffice town in
the southern part of Woodward county,
where it is said there is not a house left
standing. Postmaster E. A. Speck has
asked that a postoffice inspector report
on his office, which was demolished and
the contents scattered in all directions.
The report of four deaths at Arnett
includes the two at Little Robe, and is
confirmed by the news that four caskets
have been sent overland from Gage to
Arnett, Gage being the nearest railroad
point.
Reports from the neighborhood of
Vici state that the heavy hail that ac
companied the storm did much damago
to property, crops and cattle. Hail
stones measuring 15 inches in circum
ference are said to have fallen.
ALL FOR GOOD OF PRODUCER
Commission Favors Produce Business
of Express Companies.
Washington, May 12 An important
report was transmitted to the senate by
the Interstate Commerce commission on
the results of inquiry made by the com
mission as to whether the express com
panies of the country were engaged in
the business of buying, selling or hand
ling consignments of fruit, vegetables
and oysters entering into interstate
commerce.
The commission finds that for the
handling of perishable commodities the
express companies have established or
der and commission departments. The
agents of the companies undertake to
find a market for producers and to han
dle the products offered. The products
are marketed and the proceeds, less the
express charges; are turned over to the
producers.
The commission reports that express
companies do not buy or sell commodi
ties transported by them to their own
account. Agents of the companies who
have done so have been prohibited from,
continuing it by the companies.
Accordingly it recommends that all
express companies and their agents be
prohibited from . buying or selling on
their own account commodities trans
ported by express, but that express com
panies be permitted to continue their
present methods of conducting inter
state business through order and com
mission departments, subject to the pro
hibitions of law against unjust discrimi
nation. O. R. & N. TO FIGHT.
Starts Suit Against Lowering of Rates
on Freight.
Portland. May 12 Suit was filed in
the United Sta'tes court yesterday by
the O. R. & N. Co. to enjoin the Oregon
railroad commission from enforcing its
order of April 22, directing a reduction
by the railroad company of 15 per cent
in its distributive rates in Oregon, be
tween Portland and points east of The
Dalles. In support of its application
for a temporary injunction the railroad
company alleges that the proposed ac
tion of' the commission is in violation
of federal and state constitutions, con
flicts with interstate commerce, and
necessarily would involve a complete
revision of all interstate rates. By tho
order of the railroad commission the
reduced tariffs were to go into effect
tomorrow,
More "Graft" Cases.
Harrisburg, Pa.. May 12 The second
of the alleged "graft" cases having
to do with the building and furnishing
of the state eapitol was called for trial
today. This is the metallic furniture
case, in which the defendants are Arch
itect Huston, Congressman Casswell,
former Auditor General Snyder, former
State Treasurer Matheus. former Super
intendent Shumaker and Traveling Au
ditor Trvine. Former Governors Stone
and Tennvpacker are among the no-
tables who are to be subpenaed as wit
nesses hi ine iriui.
Thomas Not Seriously III.
San Francisco, May 12. Rear- Ad
miral Thomas, the new commander of
the Atlantic fleet, who was reported to
be so ill Sunday that he had to take to
his bed in the Fairmount hotel, was up
and around early today, and left for
his flagship at about 9 o'clock thii
morning. The admiral admitted that
he felt a little worn out and weary Sun
day, but declared there was no grounds
for the report that he was quite ill and
could not see visitors.
Memorial Day in South.
Raleigh. N. C. May 12.Yesterds-'
was generally observed throughout
North and South Carolina as Confeder
ate Memorial day. The chief cere
monies were at Raleich. Wilminsrton,
Charleston, Charlotte, Asheville and Columbia.