Hcppner Gazette
Issued Thursday of Each Week
HEPPNER OREGON
RESUME OF THE
WEEK'S DOINGS
General Review of Important Hap
penings Presented in a Brief and
Comprehensive Manner for Busy
Readers National, Political, His
torical and Commercial.
Roosevelt has announced li is plans
for his African hunting trip.
House Democrats have elected
Champ Clark as their leader.
The government has launched a big
colher at the Mare Island yard.
General Simon has entered the
Haytian capital with his army.
Germany will provide several
schools in the Chinese territory it
holds.
Internal revenue officers have seized
."O,(ioo pounds of oleomargarine at
Denver.
An Italian writer has denounced
Americans for claiming equality with
royalty.
The schooner D. M. Clemson. ply
ing on Lake Erie, is believed to have
been lost.
Rear Admiral Coughlan is dead.
The republic of Salvador has put
down a revolution.
The Western Pacific railroad has
just finished a tunnel through the
sierras, which is 7,306 feet long.
An Oregon boy won first honors
in an oratorical contest at Notre
Dame university. Ind. He will rep
resent the school in the state contest.
Castro is believed to have deserted
Venezuela forever.
The international naval conterence
is in session at London.
The prosecution has completed its
evidence in the Ruef trial.
A Pittsburg broker is charged with
forging bonds for $000,000.
Elks of New York City are to spend
$1,000 000 on a new clubhouse.
A steamer and
at Portland, Me.
WILL REFUSE LANDING.
President Castro Will Be Asked to
Apologize First.
Paris. lVe. S If President Castro,
n f Venezuela, comes to Bordeaux, ho
will not be allowed to set foot on
French soil until after ho has offered
a formal apology for the fashion in
which ho has flaunted France. This
deeisiou was made by the cabinet, but
was kept a secret, as it was expected
that t'astro would disembark at !Sau
taiuler, Spain. Hut should he arrive at
Bordeaux, and his illness not be serious,
permission to hind will bo made con
ditional upon the dispatch of an official
telegram of apology to the French gov
ernment and the dispatch of tele
graphic instructions to Caracas for the
immediate execution of the arbitral
award in the matter of the French
claims.
Pr. Domingo Castillo, the Venezuelan
consul general at Hamburg, and IX Es
ealante, consul general at Liverpool,
massed through Paris today on the way
to Sautander, presumably to meet Presi
dent Castro.
NEWS NOTES GATHERED FROM
VARIOUS PARTS OF OREGON
IRRIGATION GIVEN IMPETUS.
DEPOSITS TOO LARGE.
two docks burned
Loss, $350,000.
Montenegro has attacked an Austrian
fort, and Austria is hurrying troops
to the scene.
Adjutant General Ainsworth reports
that desertions in the army are on
the decrease.
A Los Angeles man has been ar
rested for having dies for counter
feiting money.
A Chicago grand jury reports
wholesale election frauds, particularly
direct primary.
Physicians hold out some hope for
the recovery of Governor-elect Cos
grove, of Washington.
The Union Pacific has reduced its
running time between Omaha and
Portland two and one-half hours.
Admiring friends want to present
Admiral Evans with a house at Los
Angeles, but he has taken warning
from the Dewey incident and declined.
Mrs. Yerkes-Mizner has started a
contest of Yerkes' will.
The Y. M. C. A. has erected a fine
building at Seoul, Corea.
An imperial edict has been issued in
China guaranteeing a constitution in
nine years.
Los Angeles civil service employes
have been forbidden to visit race
tracks to witness races.
Two miners were killed and three
fatallv injured in an explosion of gas
in a West Virginia coal mine.
Miss Elkins is said to have jilted
Abruzzi because she preferred Lieu
tenant Andrews, of the navy.
Railroads and coal companies have
been convicted of conspiracy in re
straint of trade at Salt Lake City.
Rabbi Wise attacked New York
judges for banqueting Croker on the
occasion of his visit to this country.
In the Standard Oil dissolution case
Archbold has forgotten almost every
thing in connection with the com
pany's business.
A Chicago man imported a lot of
rugs and other articles, placing a
value of $1,000 on them. Chicago cus
toms officials have seized them as
they were worth $15,000.
Thaw's lawyers continue to fight to
secure his release.
Minnesota, Montana and the Dakotas
are having zero weather.
A Columbus, Ohio, city official has
been convicted of grafting.
At the municipal elections just held
in Massachusetts, several cities went
dry.
The floods in Arkansas have not sub
Bided. The property loss will be enor
mous. The government inquiry into the
Harriman merger has begun at New
York.
Four persons are dead as a result of
the crush at Emperor Francis Joseph's
diamond jubilee.
At a conference of Pennsylvania
Baptist ministers Roosevelt was se
verely censured.
Radicals will cause a storm in the
German reichstag by a move to limit
the kaiser's power.
Many election frauds have been un
covered in Missouri and indictments
are expected to follow.
The Pillsbury-Washburn Milling com
pany, of Minneapolis, which failed
some time ago, is to be reorganized.
Remarkable Conditions Existing With
Canadian Banks.
Ottawa, Ont , Pee. S A very re
markable condition of affairs is dis
closed by the Canadian government's
bank statement for October, just issued.
It is shown that the people of this
country are saving money at a very
much faster rate than the banks and
business men of the dominion can dis
pose of in profitable investments.
The result of this condition of things
is that deposits in Canada increased
luring October to the extent of $11,
36:!,S70, while the business of the eoun
trv absorbed by way of current and
call loans only $3,3:52.014 more than
during the previous month.
n nen u is reineiiuiereu rnat me crop
movement began very early this vear,
and that farmers were paid for their
wheat and other products promptly, it
will Lie understood 'that several million
'ollars of the increase for the month
;n deposits may be due to the plentiful
ness of money in the rural districts of
the dominion.
Whatever the cause, however, bank
ers of Canada are confronted with th-
fact that they have to earn interest on
-iii.Oiio.ooo of capital and $07,000,000
of deposits.
Vigorous Campaign Begun by Com
mercial Club of La Grande.
La Grande With the avowed inten
tion of running a preliminary survey
from Meadow Brook canyon ud the
Grand Konde river, down the river to
its entrance into the Grand Konde val
ley, following the proposed course of
the main channel of the gigantic irri
gation scheme now being fostered, and
establishing the probable route of the
laterals, that the land owners may be
better apprised of the exact course, the
Commercial club is searching for com
petent civil engineers to do the work
immediately.
There is policy in the movement.
When the preliminaries have been run,
John. Smith will know how near his
farm is to be from the main channel or
principal lateral, and Mr. Jones will
have similar information. The sudden
spurt of interest and determination ex
presses another highly laudable fact
lethargy has been discarded for the
unanimous decision to push t'he work
until Union county's greatest Doon
stands secured.
PLAN RABBIT DRIVE.
County
Pests of Westerh Umatilla
Face Extermination.
Pendleton Spurred by the destruc
tion of holds of young alfalfa and the
serious injury to newly s t out fruit
trees, left unprotected, set lrs in the
Hermiston country are planning a rab"
dii drive wnicn will help exterminate
the worst pest the farmers in that end
ot the county have to contend with.
1 he drive will probably be pulled off
late in December.
This will be the first big rabbit drive
in this part of the country since H. C.
nr:ii- a i i i i ....
vy mis siarcea nis iamous ..rabbit can
nery at Echo, several years ago, and
started in to run opposition to the
Swifts and the Armours. The- drives
held then, in which tens of thousands
of rabbits were killed, were conducted
just across the Umatilla river from
Hermiston. Since the days of the
Willis drives, however, a mysterious
plague has made serious inroads into
the hordes of the long-eared pests until
today there is not one rabbit where
then there were hundreds. The ranch
ers, however, have found that the num
ber remaining is sufficiently large to
cause great damage and the campaign
of extermination has been arranged.
With the building of the main feed
canal for the reclamation project, the
country in which the coming drive is
to be held is almost entirely surrounded
by water, the Columbia river being
one one side, and the Umatilla on the
other. This fact, together with the
entirely open district, will make possi
ble not only the almost complete ex
termination of the rabbits, but will al-
; so keep the number remaining from
being recruited from the outside.
BRITISH GtVE PROTECTION.
American Gunboats Leave During In
surrection in China.
Pekin, Dee. 8. Reports have been re
ceived here that the Americans in the
Yangtse Kiang territory are indignant
on account of the withdrawal of the
American gunboats, which went to Ma
nila with the Pacific fleet for target
practice, leaving no protection for
Americans during the recent insurrec
tion at Nanking. Because of this the
American consul general at Hankow,
illiam Martin, was compelled to ask
the British representative to look after
American interests at Nanking.
Detailed reports of the revolutionary
conditions which prevailed show that
had the rebels succeeded in taking
N'nnking, an insurrection would have
broken out in at least three or four
places, which would have put the Amer
ican residents in great danger.
High School Debating League.
The November number of the Uni
versity of Oregon Bulletin, contains
the list of officers, constitution and
by laws, propositions for debate, bibli
ographies, debate libraries and an
nouncements for the year 1908-09, of
the Oregon High School Debating
league. The league consists of 34
schools, divided geographically into five
districts. The Eastern Oregon district
copmrises the high schools of Baker
City, Crook county, Elgin, La Grande,
Ontario, Pendleton, Sherman county
and Union ; Columbia river comprises i
Astoria, The Dalles, Gresham, Hood J . Old Patents Just Filed.
River, Newberg, Tillamook, Woodburn ! Hillsboro Three old donation land
and Yamhill; Central Oregon district, I claim patents were filed in the record
Albany, Brownsville, Cottage Grove, ' er's office here last week. David
Eugene, Jefferson, Junction City, Leb- j Walters, 160 acres, patent dated Janu
anon, Salem and Silverton; Southern ! arv 18 1859; bearing the signature
Oregon district, Central Point, Grants ' and seal of President Buchanan; Ed
Pass, Klamath county and Roseburc. i ward Barton and wife, March, 1866,
and the Coos bay district, Bandon. Co-1 issued by President Johnson, and Wil-
quille, Marshfield, Myrtle Point and ! llam h- Walker, 318 acres, date of is
LIVES BEYOND INCOME.
England Must Appropriate Big S-jm
for Stronger Navy.
London, Dec. 7. Estimating that
by the beginning of the next fiscal
year in March, England will be living
$100,000,000 annually beyond its in
come, the administration is gradually
breaking the news to the country that
there must be a heavy increase in
taxation shortly.
Forced by circumstances to declare
''or a stronger navy, the cabinet has
undertaken a program involving $30,
000,000 unanticipated expenditures for
ships.
To escape a quarrel with the vari
ous religious denominations over sec
tarian education in the public schools,
financial concessions have been
necessitated to the extent of $7,500.
100. Old age pensions, payment of
which will begin on January 1, will
cost at least $35,000,000. and relief of
the country's idle will foot up $30.-
000,000.
Chancellor of the Exchequer Lloyd
George figures on making up the
deficit as follows:
Income tax increase $:J0, 000,000: in
creased taxation of urban land, $20,
000; increased death duties, $5 000,
000; increased cost of liquor license,
$25 000,000; diversions from payments
to sniKing imui maintained for grad
ual payment of national debt, $32.-
500,000.
Hints of the necessity for increased
taxes have been thrown out from time
to time for months past in speeches
by the various cabinet members and
m the Liberal nartv newsnaners. A
lain statement of the situation has
finally been made by the chancellor.
accompanied by an outline of his plan
lur a remedy.
TAET PROPOSES
LONG PROGRAM
Important Points in Policy of New
Administration.
Tariff Revision Comes First Large
Number of Measures to Govern
Trusts Retorm Injunction Law
Extensive Improvements to Rivers,
Beginning With Ohio. .
Hie
the
the
REBEL AT ROUTING RULE.
New
Chicago Shippers Opposed to
Regulation of Railroads.
Chicago, Dec. 7. The Tribune ves-
erday printed the following news ar
ticle on the new railroad traffic rule:
Shippers of Chicago and other cities
ire considerably exercised over what
thev regard as another attcmnt mi tli,.
art of the railroads to deprive them
if the right to specify the routine mi'
reight shipments bevond the line ,u'
initial carrier to which the freight
he
North Bend.
Cabinet Timber in Wheeler.
Washington, Dec. 5. William R.
Wheeler, assistant secretary of com
merce and labor, is suggested bv tiie
politicians for a place in the cabinet
of President-elect Taft. A cahinet po
sition is conceded to the Pacific coast,
and since the name of George A.
Knight aroused discussion and opposi
tion the chances of Wheeler have been
discussed. Wheeler as assistant sec
retary has had experience and is held
to have shown himself capable of suc
ceeding Secretary Straus if the latter
should lay down the portfolio.
Wheeler, however, has shown adapr
ibility and another post in the cabi
net may be his.
Fleet Passes Singapore.
Singapore, Dec. S. The United States
Atlantic 1 attleship fleet, under Hear-
dmiral Sperry. passed through the
1 arbor hero today. The stately pro
cession impressed Lot b the experts and
'he many other spectators. The scout
cruiser Yankton kept in constant turn
munieatinn with the fleet during its
passage, Tin t otherwise the battleships
lid not communicate with the shore.
'"re flagship Connecticut saluted the
port, and the salute was returned. Manv
launches ami small vessels filled with
spectators went out to meet the Ameri
can ships.
Acres of Peach Pits.
Milton The largest acreage of
peach pits planted in the Northwest is
just being finished by the Milton nur
series. Five acres of the seeds are be
ing planted, over 3,000 pounds of the
pits being required. The seeds are
planted in long rows about three feet
apart, and the pits are dropped six
inches apart in two lines about five
inches from each other, the seeds being
left alternately, so that about every
three inches along the row a tree is ex
pected to grow. The planting is done
with great care, each seed being
placed by hand at exactly the same
depth under the surface. In this way
it is expected that practically a
growth of tiny trees will result.
sue, 1869, signed by U. S. Grant, were
the instruments filed. The Walters
patent was issued while Oregon was
yet a territory. These patents have
lain in the family strong boxes all
these years, and some of the places
have been conveyed by the owners,
long since dead.
ot
rail-
full
Report of Southern Pacific.
Salem The gross income to the
Southern Pacific from its Oregon and
California divisionn between Ashland
and Portland during the year ending
June 30, 1908, according to the report
filed with the Oregon Railroad commis
sion, was $2,714,600.25. Salaries and
mantenance amounted to So. 968. 81:
accrued taxes, $188,770.34; net in
come, $2,519,861.10. From this
amount current expenses are deducted,
making what is called the net corporate
income in Oregon the past year $949,
813.76. The report also shows that re
ceipts from the sale of lands held by
the Southern Pacific in Oregon amount- i
ed to but $12,963.87. I
Rails for Eagle Valley.
Maker City. Several earloaf
steel for the new Eagle Vallev
road have arrived in this city from the
cast, the steel being hauled along the
grade that is completed for several
miles into the country. Thousands of
ties are on the ground, also a large
quantity of bridge timbers. A. B. Ja
cobs, head of the construction depart
ment, states that it will be hut a short
time until a construction train will be
running in and out of Baker City.
$30 Per Acre.
Klamath Falls The cost of the wa
tt r under the first unit of the Klamath
irrigation project has been announced
at $30 per acre and 75 per acre yearly
for maintenance fee. The first unit
extends from Klamath Falls to Merrill
and comprises 31,153 acres. The orig
inal estimate was $18.60 per acre, but
this was later qualified, and it was
stated the cost would go higher, on ac
count of labor and other conditions.
PORTLAND MARKETS.
delivered.
l'his quest ion has been the subiect
of a long-standing controversy be
tween the shippers and the roads. Its
renewal at the present time is caused
by a rule in the new west bound
transcontinental tariff, effective in
January. This provides: "The rates
therein are subject to the absolute and
unqualified right of the initial carrier
to determine the routing of freight
beyond its own lines."
If enforced strictly, this rule is re
garded as apparently in conflict with
the administrative ruling of the inter
state commerce commission.
Railroad officials said yesterday
'hat under the commission's ruling
the rule could not be enforced liter
ally, but the fact remains that it is
stated in black and white in the tariff
md the shippers are wondering how
far the roads will go when the tariff
takes effect.
The .National Industrial Traffic
league, which since its organization
has insisted on the right of the ship
per to control the routing, is now
preparing an amendment to the Hep
burn law securing this right, which
will be presented to congress at the
coming session.
DEATH LIST GROWS.
Ferry Crashes Into Mole.
Oakland, Dec. 8. Missing her slip in
'he almost impenetrable fog that had
settled down upon the bay and blotted
everything from view, the ferry steam
er Berkeley, crowded with commuters
returning home from San Francisco at
:L'S last night, crashed into the bulk
lead at the end of the Oakland mole
with such force that one of the passen
gers' was fatally injure), three serious
ly and a score of others crushed and
trampled upon in the panic that followed.
Flood Threatens Town.
Pine P.lpff. Ark.. Dee. 8 A con-
inued rainfall and the consequent soft
nirg of the already crumbling hanks
is renewed apprehension that it is not
improtalle that considerable additional
property loss may occur, not wit list and
'r:r the rapid recession of the Arkansas
ivi-r, wlreh at nightfall had fallen a
''"'it. The embankment protecting the
vho'esnle district and county court
house are impaired to such an extent
hat it is feared they will give away.
Run Mill Night and Day.
Marshfield- The C. A. Smith Lumber
company, of this city, has begun run
ning night and day. The night shift
gives employment to many millmen and
will al3o increase the business of the
company's lumber camp. The total
daily output of the mill, with the night
shift on, will be between 40,000 and
500,000 feet of sawed lum! er. This
will make the mill one of the largest
producers of lumber on the coast. In
crease of orders makes necessary the
20-hour day.
Baker Prepares for 300.
Baker City. At least :aiq deb-gates
are expected in this citv IVremher is
wt - - v -
to attend the irrigation congress. Ar-
. . i ,
r.tiiKi-ini-iiiM arc iiemg made to enter
tain the delegates with a banquet and
reception and probably a drive
through Powder valley, where there
is much irrigated land. The Vale
Commercial club has forwarder! ,Vi in
vitation to the entire congress to visit
that citv lintnei hate v aitrr tl
in Baker i-i completed.
flu- work-
Electrocution on Trial.
Trenton, X. J., Dec. 8 County
''ii ysieian Frank "!. Senmmell an
nounced today thpt he would try to
resuscitate Iho next man electrocuted
n the New Jersey state
Coos Bay's Appropriation.
Marshfield- Coos bav nennln m,,
relieved when, in answer to an in
quiry, a wire was received from Wash
irg on stating that the recommendation
of a $500,000 appropriation for Coos
bar improvements had not been over
looked. The published budget of the
army engineers did not irclude the
Coos bay matter and explanations were
asked.
Mining Project Meets Support.
Albany The Albany Commercial
club of this city has indorsed the prop
osition to erect a smelter in fV caa
rei i , . . ,. "uiu
prison. Me 1 . - me itonn ftan-
ill do this in an effort to d isprovo i tiarn country. It is the op'nion of the
'he claim of physicians that electron!- i c'uo members that the building of a
tion does not kill. John Mnntazanna smelter in this district would be an in
is under sentence to be electrocuted valuable asset to Albany, as that coun-
lurir.g the week of December 21. try is tributary to this city.
Fruits Apples, $75cO$2 per box
pears, $1(11. zo; grapes, iwi.ou per
crate; quinces, $101.25 per box; cran
berries, $12.50 per barrel; huckleber
ries, 1 OftToe per pound; persimmons
$101.25 per box.
Potatoes i off 85c per cwt. ; sweet
potatoes, 202'4c per pound.
Onions- $107 1.10 per cwt.
Vegetables lurnips, jlf'U.zo per
sack; carrots, $1; parsnips, $1.25;
beets, $1.25; horseradish, 80 10c pt r
pound; artichokes, 90cff$l per dozen;
beans, 100 14c per pound; cabbage,
li,('il?.ic per pound; celery, 50(1 85c
per dozen; cauliflower, 75cff$l per
dozen; cucumbers, $202.50 per box;
eggplant, 11c per pound; lettuce, $10.
1.25 per box; parsley, 30c per dozen;
peas, 12J.jc per pound; peppers, 150
20c per pound; pumpkins, lfflj4c per
pound; radishes, 30c per dozen; spin
ach, 2c. per pound; sprouts, 90i 10c
per pound; squash, Iff 1 Lie per pound;
tomatoes, 50c0$1.7o per box.
Wheat Bluestem, 96c; club, 900j
91c; fife, 90ff 91c; red Russian, 88c;
40-fold, 91c; valley, 91c.
Barley Feed, $26. 75 per ton; brew
ing, $27.
Oats No. 1 white, $31.50 per ton.
Hay Timothy, Willamette valley,
$14 per ton; Eastern Oregon timothy,
$16ff17.50; clover, $12; alfalfa, $i2
ff12.50; gra n hay, $12,50613.
Butter City creamery, extras, 360
37c; fancy outside creamery, 32b.0
35c pr-r pound ; store, 17ff20c.
Eggs Oregon selects, 40ff45c; East
ern, Jjyn.Jz.'oC per dozen
Poultry Hens, 120 12bj'c per pound;
spring, 1 1 i-idi l '..c; ducks, 140 lfc;
geese, 9ff 1 0c ; turkeys, 16c; dressed
turkeys, nominal.
Veal Extra, 810 9c per pound; or
dinary, 707Jac; heavy, 5c.
Pork Fancy, 7ja'c per pound; large,
5of'6c.
Hops 1908, choice, 8c; prime. fi(S
7Lj'c; medium, 5(f6c per pound; 1907,
20 4c; 1906, lOlc.
Wool Eastern Oregon average best,
100 14c per pound, according to shrink
age; valley, 150 16c; mohair, choice,
18c.
Storm on Upper Atlantic Coast Gets
Many Victims.
Halifax, NT. S., Dec. 7. More than
.Vi .seamen have lost their lives off
the upper North Atlantic coast during
the last few days as the result of a
storm of unprecedented severity. The
ci Mining, itemized as accurately as
he meager reports will allow, fol
lows: December 3 -Seventeen members
of the crews of three fishing schoon
ers drowned otf t.he New buuiidland
ii iast.
December 4 Twenty-eight mem
bers of the crew of the schooner Soo
City, which is believed to have sunk
in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
December 5 Seven members of the
crew of the barge No. ()t. which
went down" off the coast of Nova
Scotia.
Free Leather Scare British.
London, Dec. 7. The threatened
abolition of the tariff on leather is
worrying Lnglisli bootmakers I'licy
have decided to hold a meeting to
discuss means to be adopted in rase
e change should be made.
English leather, which is considered
the best in the world, combined with
American manufacturing ability, lead
ing dealers admit, would let the Amer
icans establish a British trade that
would drive the Englishmen out of
business. They would be able to put
hoes on the market at a price nearly
i fourth lower than that now charged.
Hot Springs, Va., Dec. 5.
World is able to present here
principal legislative program of
Taft administration:
Tariff revision is the primary rea
son for the extra session that will be
called immediately after March 4.
l'JOO, but the next President sees no
reason why, during that extra session,
the Sherman anti-trust law should not
be so amended that railroads may
make rate agreements under the strict
supervision of the interstate com
merce commission. It is not likely
that more subjects than the tariff anil
an amendment to the Sherman act
will be named by Mr. Taft in calling
the extra session, though he may de
cide later to mention all of the prin
cipal laws that he hopes to sec en
acted. These are:
1. Putting a limitation on the issu
ance of interstate bonds and stocks.
2. Authorizing railroads to make
rate agreements which otherwise
would be in violation of the anti trust
law, subject to the approval of the
interstate commerce commission.
3. Defining particular cases in w hich
temporary restraining orders may is
sue without notice, and prescribing
proceedings limiting their operation
to the very shortest day.
4. Such amendments to the law or
ganizing the bureau of corporations
as shall require certain large corpor
ations doing an interstate business to
submit to the scrutiny and examina
tion of agents of the federal govern
ment. 5. Reorganizing the department of
justice, the interstate commerce com
mission and the department of com
merce and labor in respect to the jur
isdiction exercised by them over in
terstate corporations, both railroads
and others. It is Mr. Taft's idea that
the three departments should work
harmoniously, so that no one shall be
going over ground covered by another
and so that there shall be no conflict
of authority. Ultimately cases han
dled by these departments must now
go to the courts, but it is Mr. Taft's
idea that a large number of cases can
be disposed of finally and equitably
by the departments under the right
sort of law.
6. Reform in the monetary and
banking systems of the country. This
is recognized as one of the great
problems before the new administra
tion, but it is not expected that it
will be taken up at the extra session
7 fV.r, . : - r .1 . .
i. wuaii i.iiiuii hi wie natural re
sources of the country, including the
Appalachian bill. The question of the
constitutional power of the federal
government in this matter is not yet
clear. It can be said that Mr. Taft is
m sympathy with the end to be ac
complished, but that he will recom
mend no legislation until he is satis
fied as to the exact length to which
the federal government can go.
S. Improvements of rivers and har
bors. The new administration is com
mitted to an energetic policy of im
provement, particularly of inland
waterways. The Ohio river nine-foot
channel from Pittsburg to Cairo is to
the front at present. It will cost
0(10,000, and the next president fivors
the issuance of bonds to push the
work.
BEGINS HOSTILE ACTION.
Dutch Warships Make Demonstration
Off Venezuelan Coast.
Willemstad, Dec. 5 Having been
unable to obtain amicable set l lenient
of outstanding differences with Veil
eznela, The Netherlands government
has begun a naval demonstration off
the coast of the South American re
public, and since Wednesday vessels
flying the Dutch flag have steamed
from J'uero Cabello to La Guayra. at
a distance of aouo yards from the
shore.
Miles to Tour Africa.
Paris, Dec. 7. General Nelson A.
Miles leaves Paris in a few days for
m extended automobile tour of Al
geria and J uiiisia. rrcneh possessions
in Africa, and hones to be able to
oisli iii into Morocco, if the he nth oi
ns traveling companion, .Colgate
iyt. will permit the journey. Later
neral Miles will gratify a long-cher
ished wish to visit Corsica from one
nd to the other and then sail from
icnoa tor noinc in t lie soring.
C'li'-'fc's Official Santa Claus.
Chicago, Dec. 7. Postmaster Camp
bell yesterday received from the post
master general an official letter that,
in effect, makes John M. Hubbard,
assistant postmaster, official Santa
Clans of Chicago. The letter con
tained a letter addressed to Santi
Clans, care the postmaster general.
Local merchant have made arrange
ments to have all these letters for
warded to them, with their guarantee
that every one will be answered. i
Will Not Admit Charge.
Wilmington, Del., Dec. .1. E. A.
Dtipont, secretary, and Edward M.
Mead, treasurer, of the several powder
companies against which suit has
been brought by the government, were
examined today before United States
Commissioner Mahaffcy, by the gov
ernment counsel in regard to the pur
chase of competing companies by the
Dutiont company, and an effort was
made to show that, during several
years when no dividends were de
clared, the money was used in pur
chasiii" other companies, but they
would not admit this.
Finds Infernal Machine.
Stockton. Cab. Dec. r. What is 1,e
lieved to b- an infernal machine was
found in the Western Pacific con
struction yards today bv a workman
under a pile of tics. It consisted of
a two-gall, m can of dynamite, to
which was attached a blasting fuse
live feet long. The workman took the
infernal machine to an open field and
set it off. the explosion shakino- the
buildings within a radius of ten miles.
There was enough explosive in the
can to have blown a business block
Seventeen Die in Storm.
St. Johns. N. E., Dec. 5. Seventeen
persons have perished in a storm
which has lashed the New Foundland
coast for 4S hours. In all ten fish ilia-
vessels have gone ashore, most of
them breaking into fragments on the
rocks. The storm caused murli ilnm.
aee to wharves and boats in the nu
merous harbors.