Heppner gazette., January 13, 1910, Image 3

BALLINGER IN
QUIRY IS BEGUN
COLD UNPRECEDENTED.
President Approves Resolution and
Committee Will Be Appointed.
No Limit Will Be Put Upon Scope of
Inquiry All Facts and Underlying
Motives Will Have Thorough Air
ins; Departments of Interior and
Forestry to Have Rigid Inspection
Washington, Jan. 6. President Taft
Las neon and approved the Jones-llum
phroy resolution for the investigation
by a joint committee of the Ballinger
Pinchot controversy, which for a time
threatened almost to wreck his admin
istration, and the resolution was intro
luced in each branch of congress yes
torday. It is a resolution purposely de
.signed to give the committee the fullest
.scope for its work. Its joint authors
-are from the state of Washington.
Six senators and six members of the
bouse will constitute the committee
They are empowered to "make a thor
ough and complete investigation of the
interior department, its several bureaus,
otiicers ana employes, and of the bu
reau of forestry in the agricultural de
partment." The resolution directs in
iuiry into the subjects of "the recla
mation, conservation, management and
-disposal of the public land of the United
states, or any land held in trust by
tlie United states tor any purpose, in
eluding all the natural resources of
such lands." The usual power to sit
in tho recesses of congress, to summon
and compel tho attendance of all wit
ncsses ana to obtain documents is
.granted. In other words, if the inquiry
is not as thorough, and if it does not go
as deeply into the subject matter as
that of any committee ever appointed
by congress, it will not be for want of
authority so to do.
Not only is authority given to probe
into the merits of the Ballinger-Fincbot
controversy, so far as it relates to the
conservation and management of the
public lauds, but there is additional
authority sufficient to go beneath the
surface, to find the motive, to ascer
tain where the whole thing originated,
and to discover whether, as is believed
generally here, tho whole series of at
tacks upon Judge Ballinger was inspired
in the forestry bureau. If it is found
that it was so inspired, the committee
has lull power to ascertain exacth'
"which persons were parties to or the
instigators of tho attack. Under the
extremely liberal power to summon
witnesses, there is little chance for
the guilty ones to escape.
One feature of the investigation will
be the opportunity it will give for the
examination of tho so-called "muck-
rakors" of eastern magazine journal
ism, who nave boasted in some in
stances of their intention tJ force Sec
retary Ballinger oi;t of the cabinet
I lie jurisdiction of the committee is
not limited. Thus, the magazine writ
rs, whether they live in Washington,
or in iew lork, or any other point, or
whether they are in the field, will be
compelled, when subpoenaed, to come
and explain and to substantiate, if
they can many of the things they have
been tolling their readers in the past
six months. The country will have an
opportunity to judge for itself how re
liable they are. This one feature of the
investigation promises to furnish the
committee with much nmusement.
On the first list of witnesses sum
moned, therefore, it is likely that there
will appear the following names:
L. IJ. C5 la vis, late special agent.
Oifford Pinehot, chief forester.
Overton W. Price, associate forester.
A. C. Shaw, law officer, forest
service.
John B. Matthews, magazine writer.
Norman llapgood, editor of Colliers.
Mark Sullivan, Colliers.
R. W. Wooley, magazine writer.
R. A. Ballinger, secretary of the in
terior. Fred Dennett, commissioner general
of the land office.
Chicago, Jan. 7. What was looked
upon as an exciting weather drama.
when the1 present Btressful cold was
in process of sweeping eastward from
tho Rockies and from Medicine Hat to
the Atlantic seaboard, is fast assuming
an aspect of dire tragedy. The situa
tion is full of dire possibilities of ex
posure and Buffering. Already the
blight of the severe cold has been felt
in many Westorn cities.
Fifty or more persons, a score of
whom are in hospitals with injuries
that may prove fatal, were the victims
of accidests in' Washington today as a
result of the sleet and snow which con
verted the city's sidewalks and thor
oughfares into sheets of ice.
In many parts of Iowa the fuel situ
ation is so grave as to call for the of
ficial attention of Governor Carroll.
Confiscation of fuel is becoming general.
Here in Chicago there is only a two
days' supply of coal available for quick
use. Today there was widespread suf
fering in the city. Chicago is also
threatened with the cutting off of its
water supply, due to ice floes clogging
the cribs in the lake.
In the far Northwest and on the
ranges of Uolorado, .Nebraska ana
Wyoming hundreds of cattle have per
ished of exposure, starvation and lack
of water.
For the first time in the memory of
most persons living, the Mississippi
River is frozen from bank to bank from
St. Louis to a point 60 miles below
that city. By tomorrow morning it is
predicted one might skate on the river
from St. Paul to Memphis. Cincinnati
reports that ice gorges have caused a
lo;s of $40,000, and that a wave of high
water and ice is coming down the river,
carrying destruction in its path.
STRENUOUS LIFE TELLS.
Thirty-five Pittsburg Captains of In
dustry Die This Winter.
Pittsburg, Jan. 7. The strenuous life
of Pittsburgers in their desire to amass
millions as quickly as possible is thin
ning the ranks of the big captains of
industry and depleting the swell clubs
which house the millionaires. Heart
diseaso has recently taken very promi
nent men, all worth millions, including:
Frank B. Smith, president of the Cru
cible Steel company of America.
James W. Friend, vice-president of
Pressed Steel Car company.
William Clark Magee, who made mil
lions in coke.
William Metcalf, president of the
Braeburn Steel company.
John Caldwell, treasurer of the great
Westinghouso Electrical & Airbrake
works, who died at his desk.
James W. Brown, ex-congressman and
millionaire steel magnate, died at a
hunting club, where he had gone to re
cuperate.
Simon O'Donncll, vice-president and
general manager of the Union Stock
lards company.
Albert IS. Baxter, broker, on and gas
magnate.
John P. Uber, owner ol vast business
interests.
George L. Fisher, president of the
Fisher Foundry & Machine company.
Twenty-five other men have died sud
denly this w-inter, their wealth ranging
from $100,000 to $500,000. Heart dis
ease was the cause in nearly every case.
WILL OF 21 WORDS LEFT.
NEWS NOTES FROM THE
NATIONAL CAPITAL CITY
Congress Convenes.
Washington, Jan. 4 A lowering of
the bars in favor of fermented, malt or
fruit beverages at army post ex
changes and on army transports, It .t
permitting "no distilled nor ardent
spirits to be sold, "is provided by a bill
introduced in the house by Representa
tive Parker, chairman of the judiciary
committee.
The measure provides that the favor
ed beverages may be sold, under (.rop
er regulations, by enlisted men or oth
er persons authorized.
The increased cost of living was
the subject of a concurrent resolution
offered in the House today by Repre
sentative Hull, of Tennessee. It pro
vides for a joint committee of the
house and senate to investigate and
report what remedies may be effected
through legislation.
Secretray Wilson, of the Department
of Agriculture, has ordered a sweeping
inquiry of the same nature.
"I realize," said Secretary Wilson,
that we have undertaken a big con
tract, but we can carry it out. We
have the men and we have the money."
A bill making sweeping changesin
the interstate commerce laws for the
regulation of railroads was introduced
today in the House by Representative
Mann of Illionis, chairman of the com
mittee on interstate and foreighn com
merce.
Representative Hawley today in-
troduceud his bill granting to the State
of Oregon the right to make lieu se
lections, equal in arer and value, to all
school lands embraced in forest reser
ves.
Late today after a conference with
Senators Aldricb and Root and Attorney-General
Wickeraham, President
Taft decided to revert to his original
plan of combining his views as to
amendments to the interstate com
merce and anti-truBt laws in one mes
sage, wbicn be will send to congress
Thursday noon.
An aggregate of $6,344,000 of re
pairs to naval vessels is provided in es
timates the secretary of the navy to
day submitted to the house. The
recent legislation required recom
mendations for authorization where re
pairs are to exceed $200,000.
CONSOLIDATE REPUBLICS
Vast Estate of $4,000,000 Disposed of
by George McNear.
San Francisco, Jan. 6. The will of
tho late George W. McNear, the mil
lionaire millowner, who died here last
week, has been filed for probate. The
will consists of only twenty-one words.
By the terms of the instrument his
widow, Mrs. Amanda Alc-Scar, is be
qucathed his estate, amounting to $4,
000,000, and made sole executrix with
out bonds.
Xo mention was made in the will for
the six children of McNear, who are
Mrs. A. Bowles, John A. McNear, Fred
W. McNenr, George W. McNear, Jr.,
Seward McNear and S. Elizabeth Mc
Near, as the late millionaire put abso
lntA triiKt. in thfk nhihtv ctf his wifft to
Frank Pierce, assistant secretary of Lnrrv out nn n.liimtmont. of his estate
nneiiur. rnn tnVi tn n
x h-biul-ui jiui iiiiuuua iu nave toe
committee name a competent attorney
to conduct the investigation in chief
and it is believed likely that each of
the principals will be represented by
counsel, 'ine provision of the resolu
tion for the employment of assistance,
"legal or otherwise." has the full an-
i I., . . . ... r
provai or rne president. It will per
mit, also, if it is found advisable, tho
employment of experts in the subjects
into which the committee will inquire.
Hughes Opposes New Tax.
Albany, N. Y., Jan. 6. Governor
Hughes, in his annual message to the
legislature yesterday, dwelt at length
on the proposed constitutional amend
ment conferring on the federal govern
ment tho power to lay and collect an
income tax "from whatever source de
rived" without apportionment among
the states according to population, and
in conclusion recommended that this
amendment be not ratified. The gov
ernor said he was in favor of giving
tho federal government power to tax
all incomes, nave those derived from
Mate or municipal bonds.
Clements Still Grieves.
New "J ork, Jan. B. In bad health
and grief-stricken at tho recent death
of his daughter, Jean, Samuel L. Clem
ens, better known as Mark Twain,
has sailed for Bermuda. Mr. Clemens!
paid the ailment of which he com
plained on his arrival from Bermuda
two weeks ago had returned. He at
tributed the pain in his left breast,
bowerer, to indigestion, "and that is
not the sort of ailment that causes peo
jilo to die," he added.
Hunters Reach But! aba.
Butiaba, Jan. 6. Colonel Roosevelt
and his comrades have arrived here
from Hoima. The party will make a
bunting trip on the I. ado Enclave in
search of the white rhino.
Taft Coming West Again.
Washington, Jan. 7. President Taft
is still looking forward to a trip to
Alaska late in the coming spring. He
plans to go to the far northwestern ter
ritory immediately after the adjourn
ment of congress. In announcing to a
committee of New York congressmen to
day that ho could not definitely accept
their invitation to visit New York on
May 30, the President said he might be
on his way to Alaska at that time, or
that congress might be in its closing
days. In the latter event, he would
not care to leave Washington.
Fire Destroys Palace.
Athens, Jan. 7. The royal palace at
Tatoi caught fire at 10 o'clock tonight
when the royal family were gathered
around-a Christmas tree. The flames
spread, rapidly rising to a great height,
and soon the right wing of the palace
was practically destroyed. The fire is
believed to have beep due to illumina
tions on the tree.
The royal family escaped. So far as
is known bo one was miured. The
king, who was not in the palace at
the time, hastened home in a motor car.
Bourne Wonld Help Settlers.
Washington, Jan. 7. Senator Jona
than Bourne introduced a bill calling
for $50,000 for relief of Sherman coun
ty settlers who lost their claims be
cause the court decided that their lands
belonged to The Dalles Military Wagon
Road company. Senator Bourne's bill
bases all claims by settlers on T. B.
Neuhausen's valuation of each tract
and improvements made in 1904.
Wednesday, January 5.
Washington, Jan. 6. Senator Nel
son, chairman of the public lands com
mittee, today introduced a bill propos
ing radical changes in the methods of
disposing of public lands. The bill
authorizes the secretary of the inter
ior to withdraw from settlement pub
lic lands for water power, forestry or
irrigation purposes, the order of with
drawal to remain in force until revok
ed by congress.
It directs the secretary to classify
public lands into eight classes, agricul
tural, irrijrable, dry farming, timber,
coal, mineral, national forests and wa
ter power, and water power, and pro
vides disposition of each class as fol
lows: Agricultural, by bomesteading
only; irrigable, by operation only of
national reclamation and Carey acts;
dry farming, by 320-acre homestead
act; timber. lands shall not be sold,
but timber they contain shall be sold
to highest bidders and proceeds divided
between states and national reclama
tion fund; mineral lands shall be
opened to prospecting and purchase
practically as at present; coal lands
shall net be sold and coal, asphaltum
and phosphate they contain shall be
disposed of by lease; forest lands shall
be retained in national forests ; power
lands shall not be sold, but shall be
leased for perids determined by the In
terior department.
Characterizing Rep resentative
Mann's white slave bill as drastic and
revolutionary, three Democratic mem
bers of the bouse committee on inter
state and foreign commerce, led by
Representative Richardson, of Ala
bama, today filed in the house the mi
nority report on that measure, which
was favorably acted upon by that com
mittee before the holiday recess.
President Sends Special Message.
Washington, Jan. 8. President
Taft's promised message on the sub
jects of rate regulation and the con
trol of the so-called "trusts'1 was
transmitted to congress today. It fol
lows closely the line of the president's
speeches in the past. It suggests the
creation of a court of commerce, with
power to review the acts of the inter
state commerce commission, with some
changes in the power and jurisdiction
of the commission itself, and the en
actment of a federal incorporation act,
as a means for permitting those combi
nations which exist legitimately to con
tinue to do business
Minister Barrett Says This Will Be
Outcome of Trouble.
Washington, Jan. 4. Consolidation
of the five Central American republics
into one government is the plan the
State department is working on, accord
ing to information from an authorita
tive source tonight. In the immediate
future only such steps as will bring
about thp commercial development of
the countries, their establishment on a
sound financial basis and the stimula
tion of an entente between the repub
lics, are contemplated.
The first note of the new program
was sounded by John Barrett, director
of the bureau of American republics.
In his recent Toledo speech, Barrett
declared that eventually the United
States of Central America would be an
accomplished fact
On the heels of this announcement
came the declaration of Senor Creel.,
the special agent of Mexico, who said
on leaving Washington:
"The United States and Mexico will
continue coopearting to bring about
peace in Central America and to give
solid substance to the Washington con
vention of 1907 and to develop a feel
ing of high respect to the international
court at Carthage."
It is positively stated that the rela
tions of the United States and Mexico
have not been strained in the slightest
by the Nicaraguan episode.
It is the coonviction of the present
administration that the influential ele
ment of the republics can be won over
by giving a staple basis of commerce.
The removal of Zelaya means the elim
ination of the troublemaker of Central
America. It is necessary to the sue
cess of the plan to eliminate all traces
of Zelayanism, for the reason if Ma-
driz shows any disposition to compro
mise with Zelayanism, his chances for
recognition from the United States are
small.
FOREIGN TRADE $1,475,000,000
Imports of Raw Materials Lead Ex
ports of Cotton Show Big
Washington, Jan. 5. The foreign
commerce of the United States in the
year 1909 will exceed in value that of
any earlier year, with a single excep
tion. The imports will be larger than
in any previous year, while the exports
will fall slightly below those of 1906
and 1907.
The above is an estimate of the
year's trade based on official figures
for II months as presented by the bu
reau of statistics of the department of
commerce and labor. Assuming that
the twelfth month, December, Bhows
figures of imports and exports approx
imately equal to those of the immed
iately preceding month, November, the
imports will aggregate about $1,475,
000,000, and the exports about $1,750,
000,000, of which approximately $25,
000,000 consists of foreign merchan
dise exported, and the remainder, $1,
725,000,000, domestic products.
Imports free of duty will be larger
than in any earlier year in the history
of our commerce and will Aggregate
approximately $700,000,000, against
a little over $500,000,000 in 1908 and
$636,000;000 in 1907, the high record
year prior to 1909. Dutiable imports
will amount to about $780,000,000.
and will be larger than any preceding
year, except possibly in 1907, when
the total was $787,000,000. This esti
mated total of $1,475,000,000 of im
ports in the year exceeds by over $50,
000,000 the highest import record pf
any earlier year, that of 1907.
Of this $1,475,000,000 of imports,
about $525,000,000 is raw material
for use in manufacturing and $260,
000,000 partially manufactured mater
ial for further use in manfacturing,
making the total value of manufactur
ers' materials imported nearly $800,
000,000, or more than half the entire
imports of the year.
COMET WILL BRUSH EARTH.
Pacific Coast Will Have Best View
About May 18.
Oakland, Cal., Jan. 5. -Halley's
comet will give the Pacific Coast
close brush this year on May 18, be
tweon the hours of 4 'and 10 o'clock
p. m., and the "brush" will be some
thing spectacular, says Professor
Charles Burkhalter, of the Chabot observatory.
Ihe earth will then pass through the
last of the 20,000,000-mile ttil of the
celestial visitor, and the result ought
to be as dazzling a piece ef fireworks
as tins generation has jver witnessed.
The astronomer insists that he has
"nothing to -say" about so dramatic a
situation, fraught not only with awe
inspiring possibilities to the dwellers
on the globe, but fraught, as well, with
possibilities of tragic moment. Whether
or not the earth's dive through the
comet's tail will mean anything more
than a dazzling starry spectacle, Pro
fessor Burkhalter will not predict. He
only says:
"Wait and see."
The news that Halley's comet will
be seen only on the Pacific Coast has
not hitherto been published, although
the fact has been known for some time
to the astronomers of the world, many
of whom will journey to California to
be on the scene when the great phe
nomenon takes place.
In discussing the comet, the astrono
mer says:
"Astronomers Cromelin and Cowell,
of the Royal observatory at Greenwich,
nave probably made the most exhaust
ive researches into the history of the
comet.
"According to the computations Hal
ley's comet will reach the descending
node on May 18, 1910, when it will be
in a direct line between the orbits of
the earth and the sun, and it so hap
pens that the earth will reach that par
ticular point of its orbit about the
same time. Should the calculations of
the astronomers prove to be rigidly ex
act, the comet will pass directly be
tween the earth and the sun between
the hours of 4 and 10 o'clock stand
ard Pacific time.
"Assuming that it will happen dur
ing the middle of this time, or 7 p. m.,
it will be visible over tho Pacific Ocean,
Eastern Asia and Western North America,
BANK MERGER GROWS.
New Tork Recognizes Peary.
New York, Jan. T. Hailing him as
the discoverer of the North Pole, the
chamber of commerce todav elected R.
Peary an honorary member.
Patrick Henry's Body to be Moved.
Richmond. Jan. 6. It has practical
ly been determined to move the body
of Patrick Henry from Red Hill, Char
lotte county, to this city for reburial
in the churchyard of the old St John's
church in which Henryjmade his famous
revolutionary speech. The present
grave is in the rear of the old Henry
house at Red Hill, unmarked except by
a small slab. A bill is to be presented
to the Virginia legislature in January
appropriating funds for a monument.
Trust Cases Coming Up.
Washington, Jan. 4. This week
will be marked by the resumption of
two Federal actions against corpora
tions. The hearing on the "tobacco trust"
case will be .akn up by the United
States Supreme court. At the same
time the resumption of testimony de
signed to compel a disiointure of the
Union Pacific and Southern Pacific sys
tems. The railroad case will be heard
in New York.
Taft Makes Nominations.
Washington, Jan. 7. President Tart
today sent to the senate nominations
for justices of the new court of customs
appeals created under the provisions of
the I'avne-Aldrich tariff bill:
Judge Alfred C. Cox, of Utica, N. Y.,
is made presiding judge, with the fol
lowing as the justices: William H. Hunt,
of Montana; General James F. Smith,
of San Francisco, former governor gen
eral of the Philippines, and O. M. Bar
ber, of Vermont.
At the same time President Taft sent
in the name of Marion De Vries, of San
Francisco, as the new chairman of the
board of general appraisers of customs
at New York.
Museum for Roosevelt Trophies
Washington Jan. 6 After having
been in course of construction for four
yeBrs, the new national museum in
this city will be opened to the public
by the middle of February. One sec
tion of the mammoth building has been
practically completed. It is in this
building that the Roosevelt collection
of African mammals will be exhibited.
It will take a year, however, to mount
enough of these trophies to make a
fair exhibition.
Big Money Trust Adds $61,000,000 In
One Day.
New York, Jan. 5. J. Pierpont Mor
gan and associates may control, through
further trust company mergers in New
York, the enormous sum of $210,000,000
in deposits alone.
This is approximately $25,000,000
more than the deposits of the National
City bank of this city, the largest finan
cial institution in the United States.
Reports of additional trust company
consolidation are given credence in
view of yesterday's announcement of
the merger by J. P. Morgan & Co., of
the Guaranty Trust, Morton Trust and
Fifth-Avenue Trust companies, with
combined deposits of about $150,000,000.
I his brought a revival in the finan
cial district of rumors embracing the
Bankers Trust and the Manhattan
Trust companies in the same combina
tion. There were definite reports that
the Mercantile Trust company and the
Equitable Trust company eventually
would be taken into some sort of a
powerful 'alliance.
In point of fact, the Bankers Trust
company is closely affiliated with the
so-called Morgan interests in that two
partners in the Morgan banking house
George W. Perkins and Henry P.
Davison sit in the directorate of the
former.
Other directors of the Bankers Trust
company, including A. B. Hepburn and
a. ii. wiggin, president and vice-presi
dent respectively of the Chase National
bank, and William H. Porter, president
or tlie Chemical .National bank, are
active in affairs of the Guaranty Trust
company, which is to be made the
titular head of the Guaranty-Morton
Fifth-Avenue consolidation.
Relations between the Morgan iDter
ests and the Manhattan Trust company
always have been intimate, though the
latter is not regarded as a Morgan an
pendage. It is perhaps significant that
the building once occupied by the Man
hattan Trust company is to be razed
soon to make way for a 30-story build
ing to be erected by the Bankers Trust
company.
Deposits of the Bankers Trust aggre
gate $46,500,000 and those of the Man
hattan Trust company $13,400,000, so
that the two companies, if combined
with those now in process of absorp
tion by "J. P. Morgan & Associates,"
would total in deposits more than $200,-000,000.
NEW YORK BANKING
TRUST IS FORMED
Composed of J. P. Morgan, T. F.
Ryan .nd Levi P. Morton.
Biggest Merger of the Age Has a
Capital of $150,000,000, and De
posits of Over $133,000 Includ
es Three Largest Banking and
Trust Companies in New York.
New York, Jan. 4. J. Pierpont Mor
gan, Thomas F. Ryan and Levi P. Mor
ton linked hands in New York today
in a trust company merger which
unites resources of $150,000,000.
It is a triple combination, bringing
the Guaranty Trust company, the Mor
ton Trust company and the Fifth Ave
nue Trust company, all of this city,
under one head with the title of the
Guaranty Trust company.
The merger is perhaps the largest of
its kind in the United States. Directors
of all three companies met today and
informally proposed , the terms of
merger which will be put in more
definite form Wednesday, when another
directors' meeting will be held and the
plan ratified by stockholders. The for
mal vote will not be taken until later.
Levi P. Morton, president of the
Morton Trust company and of the Fifth
Avenue Trust company both known
as Morton-Byan concerns has con
sented to act as chairman of the board
of the merged companies. No presi
dent has been selected. Alexander J.
Hemphill, vice-preBident and acting
president of the Guaranty Trust com
pany, has been mentioned for the position.
The new move in finance follows the
recent absorption of the Guaranty
Trust company by the so-called Mor
gan interests, but upon just what terms
the merger was made is not disclosed.
The Guaranty Trust company was or
ganized in 1891 and has total deposits
of more than $88,000,000.
The Morton Trust company, formerly
the banking house of Bliss, Morton &
Co., was organized in 1899. Thomas F.
Ryan is vice-president. Its deposits
aggregate more yian $45,000,000. Like
the Guaranty Trust company, its capi
tal and surplus are $2,000,000 each.
The Filth Avenue Trust company,
founded ten years ago, is one of the
better known up-town financial insti
tutions. With a capital and surplus
of $1,000,000 each it has paid large
dividends. The capital stock of tne
new company probably will be fixed at
$5,000,000, with perhaps a like amount
for surplus. It is believed that the
merger will involve the large stock
and cash dividends to the Shareholders
of the three companies. , '
The present premises or the riita
Avenue Trust company will be retained
as a branch of the combined companies
while the main offices will be in the
financial district.
It is rumored that the Morgan in
terests had acquired the holdings of
Thomas F. Ryan in the Morton Trust
company, but no statement on this
point was obtainable.
CALIFORNIA HAS NEW PEST.
Changes In Commerce Law.
Washington, Jan. fi.--Representative
Mann has introduced in the house a
bill that would make sweeping changes
in the interstate commerce law for the
regulation of railroads. It is n accord
ance with the administration bill, but it
does not create an interstate commerce
court. It provides for the establish
ment of a- bureau of transportation in
the department of commerce and labor,
to hear complaints.
Train Is Lost in Desert
Salt Lake, Utah, Jan. 5. Train No.
4, carrying 100 to 150 passengers from
Los Angeles to Salt Lake, is marooned
on the desert, 34 miles from Calinete,
Nev., the track before and behind it
having been torn out by the flood of
last week. The train is well stocked
with provisions and there is no suf
fering. As soon as wagons can reach
the stalled train, a matter of three or
four days, the passengers will be
brought to Barclay, six miles west of
Aeoma, where a train will be waiting
to bring them into Salt Lake.
Town Nearly Wiped Out.
Watertown, S. D., Jan. 5. The town
of Castlewood, IS miles south of here,
narrowly missed being wiped out by
fire of unknown origin tonight. The
entire south side of Main street is in
ashes, entailing a loss estimated at
$180,000, when 12 buildings were de
stroyed. Tho fire did not stop until
the last building on the south side of
the street was destroyed. Late tonight
the fire had burned itself out on the
extreme edge of Main street.
Paper Trust Probe Near.
New York, Jan. 5. The federal
grand jury here is expected to take
up shortly the investigation of the al
leged paper combination which the fed
eral authorities have been looking into,
following the action which led to the
dissolution of the msnila fiber paper
pooL
Insect Like Ladybug Lays Waste Many
Grain Fields.
Jackson, Cal., Jan. 4. A bug, some
what like the common ladybug, has
made its appearance near here. In
sowing a piece of land to grain, a num
ber of sacks were left over night in
the field. An examination the next
day led to the discovery that each sack
was swarming with small bugs with a
dark yellowish back.
Other parts of this county were af
fected by the same kind of insects, it
is believed, last year. The lands so
visited were denuded of all vegetation,
and the soil produced nothing for that
season. It was as if a fire had swept
over the surface. One large ranch had
fully 100 acres so affected last year.
While there is no general appearance
of the bug in the county, it has ap
peared in localities wide apart.
Message in Sections.
Washington, Jan. 4. Following a
forenoon conference with presidents of
six of the great railroad systems,
President Taft late this afternoon an
nounced a change of program in the
sending of his message dealing with
interstate commerce and anti-trust law
amendments to congress.
The message will be split into two
parts. The section dealing witn trusts
will be sent to congress Thursday noon.
The section dealing with the interstate
commerce law, in which railroads are
directly interested, will be deferred un
til Friday. The president's special
message on conservation of natural re
sources is expected to be ready for con
gress Monday.
Negro Refused Entrance.
London, Jan. 4. A negro who claims
American citizenship is an unwelcome
guest of the I uion Castle steamship
line at Southampton pending the out
come of diplomatic negotiations to de
termine the man's nationality. The
negro was deported from South Africa
after he had been convicted of a crime
a '.nl served a sentence in a British
prison. He was returned to New York,
but was refused permission to land
there as he was unable to satisfy the
authorities of his American citizenship.
March Cause of Mutiny.
Fishers Island, N. Y., Jan. 4. Many
of the non-commissioned officers and
men of the One Hundred and Thirty
First company, 1. S. Coat Artillery,
are confined in the guardhouse, at Fort
H. G. Wright, as a result of a mutiny
Saturday. The company was ordered
out for a march of 13 miles and all
but nine men declined to do the duty.
It was declared authoritatively today
that a majority of the men in the com
panv had been ordered before a court
mart iaL