SHORTAGE IMMENSE
Railroads Still Far Behind With
Orders for Cars.
IS NO DECREASE OF EFFICIENCY
Problem It the Greatest and Gravest
Companies Hava lo Face In
created Traffic Caue.
Chicago, April 2ft. Huring the
miiiiili f February tin railroads of the
I'liited S( ul were, it In est lmald,
iii'urly 1 fill, (hn) chin short of the de
mand made iipnii them by (tin actual
1 lalho offered fen transportation. Thin
aum.ing furt who given lo tho Amurl-
Cllll lUilwiiy ILMHf H-tlll )nt at it closing
mohhIhii today kiiI tho knowlcdgo of it
won tin day fur some ilrHHtio measures
lo correct I lit evil.
Tho problem of car shortage, tlio op'
culling itii-ri ilivliirc, In tislay tin great
est Mini Urn guivoi-t which the railroads
llllVC fit IlK'C (1 1 111 tl) KlllvC. It WaS stat
ed Unit ii searching investigation dis
closed the fact that the car horljiigo h
lint due to decreased enr ellicioncy , lis
the records shotted I hut I lie average
daily movement of nil freight ears had
Inm-ii 2-V4 miles. It was therefore con
cluded t hilt tho ahortglio Im (inn to the
'xi ru r i i mi ry increase in the demands
tint' In it i i the railroads.
I'he committee also reported that it
lill'l coiilirriud ill" geneliil npiiiiuli thllt
Ji (.Tent deal i lill bo accniiipliHlicd to im
prove the situiil ioii which hint hcen
-fTtCllllg H JXirtllll plira!yia of tilt) llllH'-
iiess of the country. Klint, liy the rail
roads themselves; second, liy Iho rail
iimkIh in their lehitioii to tho Jinhlic,
mid third, liy the mi Iron. Is in thuir ro
tation with inch other.
BUYS SUPPLIES WHOLE8ALE.
Reclamation Service Savet Money by
Concentrating, Business.
Chicago, April 2ft. For tho purpose
of obtaining and furnishing supplies
in'ii'f-aty In reclaiming Iho arid regions
if Iho West, the United St ii ten reclu
iiiiitinn scricc yecterday opened ii new
tiiirrhacirig and t ruiif jxirtut ion ollice in
Chicago. I leretoforo nil oi thin busi
ness win left in the hands of the engin
eers In chaigo of the work, who ptir
t haHil their supplies from tho nearest
dialers. It uiii found, however, thnt
the prices in the pant were ho execnslve
thnt the government hud to wive money
by buying direct from the wholcsalcis
in Chicugo mid otther (stints.
At present Iho work is being carried
on in 2t different projects. An expen
ilituro of $40,000,01)0 will lv Hindi' und
when completed inoro than 2.000,1AM.)
tictea of nrid hind will have been re
e.llimed. The freight hills shine last
month amounted to $.'5H,IMM). The rnwr
ollire in expected to rcHillt ill ll total
waving to tho service of at IwiHt 20 jer
4'cnt.
POLICE GUARD TILLMAN.
Exciting Incidents Mark Hit Lecture
at Pittsburg.
Pitttdmrg, Apiil 24ft. Ah a precau
tionary tir'liHitre, 22 detectives nnd h
Mqmid of unifoiincd policemen wore sta
tinned in Carnegie music hull last night
-iluriiiKC the iid'IrcHH of Senator It. II.
Till limn, of South Carolina, who dis-cu-sod
tho nice prolilem. Several ex
it I incidents oi'curred, but no t rou
ble dinned. Ten ncrocM weie prcHcnt.
After de luring thnt tho niceH in the
fviutli were gniduiilly licconiiiiK more
MtiUiK'iniHtlc, Mr Tillmun called for a
vote of tho nudience a to whether tho
rif(jro wan the oipml of tho whito man.
The entire audience except tho ten no
Krocn voted in tho ncpitive by riHin.
One man Interrupted Mr. Tillmun
Severn I tlmcH during Iiih addrcHH. Mr.
Tillmun hud him admit that ho riwuo
from Miiropo and then bitterly donounc
cd K 1 1 ro pen nii in America who under
take to judge questions eoncoming thlt)
country.
Train Young Minlttert.
St. IOu1h, April 25. The peneml
board (if education of tho McthodiHt
Kpimiopnl Church, South, in hchhIoii
here today, appropriated $50,1)00 for
tho eHtabliHhment of a trnininn Hchoul
4it I'nlo Alto, Californiii, to ho (Mniduct
d in conjunction with I.cliiiul Stanford,
Jr., univcrHily. The Hpiropiintion Ih
conditional upon nn additional $50,000
bcintt rained In ('iiliforuia. It is stated
that a Culifornian, whone name ia with
lield for tho prcHeut, bus jtroniicod to
Hive $200,000 in money and property
to the school.
Indicts Court Official.
Ohienifo, April 25. John Ionehnn,
hief deputy clerk of tho Municipal
court, wan iinlictod toduy by the Krnnd
jniy on chiinwH of forgery and falHifyinn
puhlic recordn. Iciiehan was aricated
liniiicdiutely after the return of the in
llctment and was lelcased on a bond
of $2,500. Thero weie two counts In
tho indictment, on charging tho forgery
of a juror'a name who escaped aervlce
nnd tho other covering tho falsifying of
public, records.
Factory Men to Go on Strike.
St Petersburg, April 25. A pympa
thetlo strike started here today in sev
eral factoriea, Incimling Nobol'e, Ten
thousand men are already out and It ia
feared the strike will becoino general.
This movement is the outcome of a con
II let yesterday between troops and a
number of men who held nn illegal
meeting In a factory, in which 200
were injured by sabots and whips.
BUILDING8 UNFINISHED.
Jamestown Exposition to Open 80
Per Cent Completed.
Norfolk, W. V., AfirH 2.1. Defiplto
the energetic effoitu of oflWriiilx and
workmen, the .lamiwtowr TerrciiNuiniul
ex poult Ion will Ihi opened this week un
ready. Many of the st ruct urea thnt
am to have domestic nnd foreign com
mercial exhibit nnd shelter the
Mehh veineiitu in tho Industrial arts am
incomplete Yet the sum of what has
been iloiie, ns compared with the tin
fliiUhod work, forms a satisfactory re
sult. In tho lieauty of the water show with
lis amazing (fathering of foreign fleet,
reprseiiling tho inoct forinldublo tyiws
of naval fighting machined of nearly
every power in tho world, and in an
opening program with President Itooo
volt in tl.ri ttnding role, with diplo
matic, military nnd nnvel representa
tlvei of great and small foreign nations
participating, tho public will have it
rocomieiiao.
The grounds and buildings at the ex
position are about HO tier cent finished.
Hef tal thoUHtind of the most important
buildings are built rolidly ol brick,
cement and iron, and these are Intend
ed to remain on the grounds as a nu
cleus of a grrat park. Hegardleas of
the permanence of the work, however,
the exterior of moft of tho buildings
will bo ready when the exposition is
formally opentd on Friday next.
Tho Jamestown Tercentennial, when
completed, will Ixi almost all thut is
implltxl in the expression, "a world's
fair," but it will not stop there. No
other exposition has attempted to show
the world tho life of the colonists, th
hardshlist of tho pioneers who openJ
the country after civilization hud lecn
attained on the acalxmrd, and the
achievement those jxiople worked from
tho raw material. Twi r.ty-flve states
will trace their history from th -ir ear
liest days to the present, and the ex
hibits will le sheltered by buildings.
The state buildings have Ix-cn grouped
along tho hUtorlc shore of Hampton
Konds, and command an excellent view
of the navies of the world.
It is this gieat naval display that
will prove the crowning glory of the
exjMmitlon. Nothing like it boa ever
Im fore been attempted. Theieare few
harlxirs in the world that accomodate
so largo an nsHeinblago of waridiipe.
The Meets will number, in ..'Id it ion to
aeveral of the lient tyjxn of each of the
foreign naval powers, the Atlantic fleet
of the United States navy, under com
mand of Hear Admiral Kvans, which is
conceded to Ihi the finest organization
of lighting maoiiines afloat.
The seal of government sponsorship
will l.o set upon the exposition by the
coming of tho prenident of the United
Ktate, nrnlmxHadors and in Snifters of
foreign governments, tho governors and
lepresentativea of states and territories
and delegations representing important
civic bodies.
BIG BENEFIT TO GRAIN CROPS.
Fruit Slightly Injured In Nebraska but
Snow Did Great Good.
Omaha, Neb., April 23 As a re
sult of unprecedented weather that pre
vailed during the greater part of tho
month of March, and the freeizng
weather and heavy snowfall of the past
few days, early fruits, such nB peaches,
plums, apricots, cherries and blucklier
ries In this section have been injured,
but the general opinion among those
who have the best means of information
is that tho damage is not as great as
has lieon reported. Indeed, many are
of tho opinion that, while eu'ly fruits
have lieen injured and in some in
stances completely killed and posibly
S'Hiio of the later varieties have been
hurt, the benefits resulting to the grain
cropn from the snowstorm more than
offi-cta the damage.
"KeiKirts from points along the line
of our railroad are not unfavorable,"
said G. W. Loomls, assistant general
manager of the Iturlington, today.
"Tho fruit in the sonthern part of
Nebraska, which the unusual warm
weather in March had brought to an
advanced state of development, la re
ported to have been pretty badly dam
aged, but little or no damage is report
ed from points north. Tho snow, how
ever, did a vast amount ol good to w int
er wheal, and has put the ground in
fine condition for other farm crops."
Sllmilar reports have been received
at the general oflicea fo tho Northwest
ern toad.
To Defend Harrlman Line.
Topekn, Kan., April 23. It was ru
mored hero today that N. II. Ioomis,
general aolicitor for tho Union Pacific
railroad in Kansas, waa to be made gen
eral counsellor for nil the Ilarriinan
lines in cases before the Interstate Com
nierce commission. Mr. Loomls today
admitted that such a plan was under
Consideration. In case tho position ia
created, Mr. Loom is will move to Chi
cago, whero lie will have a largo corps
of assistants. The position ia new in
railroad circles and is made necessary
by tho pnsfctigo of the now rate law.
Snow Flurry at El Pato.
El Paso, Tex., April 23. Snow fell
hero this morning at a lively rate for
more than an hour. This la the latest
snowfall ever known beie, and tho tem
perature, which was 3(1 degrees, did
damage to the email fruit and truck gar
dens in tho 'valley, variously estimated
at from $50,000 to $100,000. Frost is
predicted by the local weather bureau
for tonight. The (iulden State limited
on the Rock Island road is six and one
half hours late on account of the enow.
Pray for Rain In Cuba.
Havana, April 23. Prayers for rain
were offered in churches throughout
the Island Sunday. No rain has fallen
in six mcnths. The country is parched,
many cuttle are dying and forest fires
are devastating vast areas.
NEWS FROM THE NATIONAL CAPITAL
AFftH LU'VUtM iHUal,
Government Extendt 'equlry to Every
Produclrg Section.
Washington, April 2 Tho investi
gation of the lumber trust is now in
full swing. It is regarded by tho bu
reau of corporal ions as tho most com
prehensive and far reaching of any yet
undertaken. Tho information obtained
will Ixt usiil by the department of jus
tice in prosecuting tho trust, If such ac
tion is warranted.
A preliminary inquiry regarding
priem has nlniwly been concluded.
Sjiceiul agents are now being eent to all
the principal districts where lumber is
prxliwed to ascertain facts relative to
prixhiction and tho restraint of compe
tition. Kvery section of the country
will he visited by these agents.
Data now collected show the steady
nnd uniform advance in prices for all
kinds of lumber during the papt ten
years. There was a remarkable in
crease of coft prices in ltMHi. Tho fig
ures col lected show that the diminish
ing supply of tiinlier is not alone re
srxmsibie for the great advance in
prices.
CouimisHloucr Smith will make a
special effort lo ascertain w hy lumber
prices were so sharply advanced in
lOOtl. It is believed to have been the
fostilt of combination contr I in viola
tion of the Sherman anti-trust law.
Canal Zone's Health Record.
Washington, April 20. Health con
ditions on the canal rone are about as
gxsl now as they ever will be, accord
ing to a report from Colonel (iorgas.
chief saniiury officer , for the month of
March, just received at the offices of the
Isthmian Canal commission. Since
last August the number of sick among
the employes haa steadily declined un
til it is now 1U. 40 men per 1,000 as
against 33.72 in August. Among 4,500
Americana, white, employed thtre were
only two deaths from disease during
March.
Taft Back at Work.
Washington, April 25. Secretary
Taft yesterday resumed his routine du
ties at the War department. The fact
that it was cabinet day made it neces
sary for him to cut short the time al
lowed to callers. It ia doubtful if in
his Washington experience the secre
tary baa had to deal with more news
paper men than he saw during the day.
They were mainly desirous to learn
just what the secretary intended to do
in answer to the challenge which Sen
ator Foiaker had issued in regard to the
contest in Ohio.
Immigration Commission Meets.
Washington, April 24. Thacommis
sion appointed in pursuance of the ac
tion of the last seasion of congress to
investigate conditions in connection
with tho subject of immigration met
today. It is expected that a prelimi
nary investigation of the porta of New
York and lioston will bo made, and af
terward either the full committee or a
KiilMroinmittee will go abroad to extend
the inipiiry in tho foteign countries
from which inoi-t of tho immigrants
come.
Bank's Bonds Are Exempt.
Washington, April 24. Deciding
several cases brought to it by savings
banks in Dcs Moinea Ia.. the Snnrmo
court of the United States held today
that government bonds in which the
oipital stock of eiK'h banks la invested
are exempt imm taxation, ine test
opinion delivered by Justice Moxly re
versed the rulim; of the Iowa emirts.
The chief justice and Justices Harlan
and reckhttin dissented from tho decis
ion.
No Hope of Agreement.
Washington, April 25. The Central
American controveisy is no nearer set
tlement today than it was yesterday,
according to a dispatch received today
at tho State department from Philip
Drown, the American charge at Guate
mala, cabling from La Union, Salvador.
Mr. ihown stated that the deadlock w as
still on. He held tint no hope of an
early agreement.
How Roads May Be Made.
Washington, April 27. Senators
Fulton and Rourne are asking for the
assignment of Samuel C. Lancnstern,
government road expert, to Oregon,
Washington nnd Idaho for one year as
instructor in modern road building.
Samuel Hill, of tho Washington Good
Roads association, ia hero, interested
in tho project.
Roosevelt Going to Oyster Bay.
Washington, April 24. President
Roosevelt w ill leave Washington for his
summer homo at Oyster liny on June 2.
Ibis is much earlier than has been his
practice heretofore, but he feels that
public business is in such shape thnt he
can leave. The president is to make
two speeches on "Georgia Day at the
, Jamestown exposition on June 10.
San Domingo Favors Treaty.
Washington, April 25. Minhter
Pawaon, at San Domingo, cables thnt
yesterday the treaty with the United
States was favorably reported to the
Bonate. Its consideration was intrusted
to three senators, two of whom filed a 1
repoit in its favor, and the third a re
port in opposition.
Stevens Talks With Rootevelt.
Washington, April 23 John F.
Stes'ens, formerly chief engineer and
chairman of the Isthmian Canal com
mission, talked with the president to-J
day about conditions on the isthmus,
lie said it will take between six and
seven years to complete the canal.
KIOHTS IN UANiitM.
Opinion of 8enator Bourne Regarding
National Government.
Wuhington, April 24. "In my
opinion a great crisis now confronts
this country," said Senator I5ourno In
an interview given hero tslay. "The
reactionaries aro determined, if ?mA
ble, to obtain control of tho govern
ment and use it for their own personal
advantage and to the detriment of the
people. The true Republican policies,
as promulgated by Lincoln and enlarg
ed and exemplified by It'K.sevelt, are
the rights of man and the absolute
sovereignly of the people The issue
now la-fore this country is:
"Shall the advocates of the rights
and liberties of the people and of tho
IKiwer and majesty of the government,
or shall the enemies of both prevail?
The people must decide."
Want Republican Convention,
Washington, April 27. President
Roosevelt tolav discussed national pol
itics and some of the business of the
Republican national convention with
ite acting chairman, Harry S. New,
who remained with the president some
time. With th newspaper men Mr.
New would not talk politics. He said,
however, that four cities are already
in tho field for the honor of holding
the next national convention of the
Republican party, invitations having
leen received from Chicago, St. Louis.
Kansas City and Seattle. A selection
will n- made by the national committee
at its meeting hero in December.
Borah Denies Rumora.
Washington, April 25. "I have not
come to Washington to make an appeal
to the president or to the Department
of Justice," said Senator Rorah, of Ida
ho, as he left the White House today
after a brief call upon the president.
This statement was made by the senat
or when his attention was called to re
ports that he had come Fa-ft to induce
the oflicials here to call a halt upon the
Federal oflkiils in his state in the mat
ter of the alleged indictment of persona
charged with having been engaged in
timber land frauds.
May Build Bridge
Washington, April 25. Permission
has been granted tho Southern Pacific
by the War department to erect a rail
road bridge across the Willamette river,
starting at a point near Oswego, on the
Wet Side, and terminating near Mil
waukee, from which point the road will
reach the Southern Pacific car Bhops.
The grant is not exactly to the lik
ing of the railroad interests, as cer
tain minor restrictions are placed
on it.
Will Appraise Railroad.
Washington, April 23. John F.
Stevens, formerly chief engineer and
chairman of the Isthmian Canal com
mission, is to be employed by one of
the large Eastern railroad companies to
make a physical valuation of its prop
erty. Mr. Stevens declined tonight to
name the railroad with which he is to
liccorne affiliated, but admitted that it
ia one of the large companies of the
East. He expects to enter upon his
new duties soon.
Many Dead Letters.
Washington, April 27 All previous
records for a day's work in returning
letters to writers from the division of
dead letters were eclipsed on Monday
last when 20,308 letters were returned.
Tho largest number heretofore returned
in a single day was 14,488 on March 28
last. The number of letters cn hand
awaiting return had been reduced to
63,000. A little over a month ago there
were over 200,000 cf euch letters on
hand.
Coal Land Laws Codified.
Washington, April 23. A codifica
tion of the coal land laws, combined
with regulations for their administra
tion, was iseued today by Commissioner
Ballinger, of the United States land
ollice. Tho lands are clas-ified accord
ing to values and information as to the
price at which tho government will sell
each tract is disseminated. The price
varies from $10 to $20 an acre, accord
ing to accessibility.
Keeps Attorney General Potted.
Washington, April 25. District At
torney Ruick went to Baltimore today
and conferred with Attorney General
Bonaparte regarding tho Borah indict
ment, Idaho land fraud and Ilay wood-
Meyer wise. When he returned to
Washington ho declined to discuss w hat
took place in Baltimore.
Funtton to Command California.
Washington, April 23. Brigadier
General Frederick Funston has been re
lieved of the command of tho South
western division, to take effect upon
the expiration of his present leave of
absence and will prx?eed to San Fran
cises to take command of the depart
ment of California.
Hero of RuttcJpanete War.
Washington, April 25. Baron Kuro
ki, second in cemmand of the Japanese
forces in the Japanese-Russian war,
will land at Seattle May 2 and come
East via the Oregon short Line. It is
possible he will visit Portland on tho
way. He ia here to see the Jamestown
exposition.
Not Forbidden to Go to Isthmus.
Washington, April 24. So far as the
Italian embassy in this city has been
informed, Italy has issued no decree
prohibiting her subjects from going to
Panama as canal labcreri.
DEVICE FOB, TIBB EES CUTS.
Ianloa Apstrala Imrrnied by e
I(rldB( of Badm-Hadea.
Tho Department of State has been
furnished with a description of an in
genious device for the removal of Jer
son and property from burning build
ings. It waa sent by United States Con
sul I'.rlttaln of Kelil. It is said a model
of this profitable fire escape Invented
by Wllbelnj Lampe of Itaden-Itaden
will soon be brought to this country
and may be exhibited In Washington.
The apparatus Is built on a wagon
or trucks. It is provided with a num
ber of extendable platforms which can
l set according to the heights of the
floors of tha building from which the
jieople are to be rescued. It Is also
supplied with a double arrangement of
ladders and with the necessary number
of railed safety bridges wblch can be
let down and put together. These are
to assist In the rescue work and In re
moving furniture from burning build
ings. The entire fire escape with ap
pliances may bo pla'-ed In service In a
few minutes. It can also be used In
making military observations and for
searchlights.
A framework of lazyongs Is con
structed In such a manner that the ex
ternal places of Injunction of every
eeond pair of legs are adjusted to serve
a supporters for the platform. These
platforms can be put up at the various
heights of the floors of a burning
building and a gangway Is hinged to
each platform. By the aid of these
gangways persons are enabled to pass
from the windows of a burning building
to the main platform and then descend
by the aid of a rope ladder.
When In operation the gangways msy
be let down collectively by a single
movement so as to stand out horizon
tally, with their outer edges or ends
laid upon the window ledges of the
different floors of a building. The en
tire framework of the portable tower
or fire escape may be folded op and
placed In a comparatively small space.
When the tower has been adjusted
ready for use It Is kept In position by
a system of rods made of tubing and
attached to the framework In a manner
which makes the tower very substan
tial. Washington Star.
I HE WAS NOT AT HOME- J
The etxtreme distaste of the modest
Quaker poet, John Greenleaf Whlttler,
for foolish hero worship, and the skill
which he attained In politely eluding
too enthusiastic admirers, have been
exemplified In many anecdotes. Even
now, however, new ones occasionally
come to light One such recently re
lated tells how two women, of the type
at once sentimentally gushing and over
confident of their own importance, vis-
lted Amesbury to seek the poet in hit
home.
They went astray In their search
for bis house, and bustled Into a small
general store to be redirected. The
clerk, smiling a little ejueerly, Inform
ed them that the Whlttler house wai
near by but a few steps round th
corner.
One of the women, a big. florid, over
dressed being with languishing eyes,
caught the smile, and clasped her
hands with a rapt air.
"Oh, don't you think he'll see us?"
she demanded. "He simply- must!
We've heard he doesn't like to, but be
must; we won't go away till he does
We've thought up ever so many things
we want to ask him."
The clerk, still smiling, glanced cas
ually toward a quiet man in a shadowy
corner, sitting on a barrel, surrounded
by a group of other leisurely custom
ers. They had all been talking politics
together, village-fashion, when the
strangers came In.
' 'Think he will?" said the clerk.
"Well." replied the man on the bar
rel, hesitatingly, "thee knows Greenleaf
does not find It easy to refuse a lady.
I think perhaps he will if be la at
home."
The women bustled away again, ex
cited and expectant, and a chuckle
went round among the Jaughlng men.
The man on the barrel, with a trace of
apology In his tones, rose from his
peTch to go.
"They will not waste five minutes,"
he murmured, "It Is such a little way.
Besides, thee knows very well that ex
ercise Is a good thing for stout ladles."
"That's so. Mr. Whlttler," assented
the e-lerk. Youth's Companion.
A Blow to Sentiment.
"I cannot sing the old songs any
more," said the man who had been
chided for his silence. The sympathetic
hostess turned to him with her gentle
smile.
'They are too full of memories and
associations, I suppose," she said, soft
ly.
"No," said the man. decidedly. "They
are not full enough, that's the trouble.
I can't remember the words, madam."
Novel Claim of a Priest.
Father Bernard Vaugban In opening
a bazaar at Liverpool the other day In
aid of a charitable society ridiculed the
assertion that all poverty was caused
by drink. He said: "It Is all fudge
and nonsense and blltherlug klloe'y. The
real reason that drink upsets the poor
is because they have no food to take
with it."
The only thug we can recommend to
women for the luauage-.neut of a hus
band, Is to feed blui well and trust to
luck.
A girl cau please her father by prom
ising not to marry until she Is thirty;
but her mother won't like It.
PRESIDENT TO KING
German Ambawdor Carries Mes
sage on Hague Meeting.
DISARMAMENT LINES ARE DRAWN
Austria and Germany Refute to Dit-
cutt Limiting of Armament
Serlout Rupture Feared.
Washington, April 23. A most im
portant revelation in connection with
Baron von Sternberg, German ambassa
dor, and his visit to Germany at this
tune has been made by a diplomat in
this city. The diplomat in question is)
quoted as saying that, although the
purpose of the German ambassador
vacation a very brief one, by the way
is ostensibly to take a rest in his own
country, in reality it is concerned with
the present instability of German m
ternaticnal politics. It was even said
that Baron von Sternberg was the bearer
of an important message to Emperor
William from President lioosevelt and
that this action was being hidden under
the pretext of a vacation to hia estates.
In connectioon with the German am
bassador's departure, it is hinted that
two other ambassadors mav find it ne
cessary to postpone or rearrange their
plans ;or the late spring and summer.
These t re Baron des Planches and M.
Jusserai d. It turns out that the cause
of this diplomatic turmoil is the disar
mament question at The Hague, as
proposed by England, and what may
happen in case Germany and Austtia
insist on not discussing the proposal.
This question concenn the United
States, because it is believed and
the president's remarks lately seem to
confirm this view of it that, if the
powers persist in maintaining their
uecisive stand, it will cause a realign
ment of the nations and a serious rup
ture will occur between this country
and Germany It ia with these possi
bilities in view that the Italian and
French ambassadors will endeavor to
place before their respective govern
ments special reports containing sug
gestions. Hitches are likely to occur in the
near future between England and Ger
many, and France and Germany. If
Italy persists in taking sides with Aus
tria and Germany at The Hague con
ference, it is stated, it will cause a
halt in the sympathies between herself
and England and France, and also thia
country.
DEVOURED BY PE8T.
Disease la in Nearly Every Chinese
Famine House.
Victoria, B. C, April 23. Mail ad
vices from Shanghai tell of many pa
thetic incidents observed by committees
engaged in famine relief work in Cen
tral China. Refugees and dogs were
seen fighting for the flour spilled at
distributing depots. Smallpox is rav
aging the stricken areas. In nearly
every house there is smallpox or fever
and nothing to eat but the bark of trees
and potato vines.
James Ware, of the Red Cross, writ
ing from Tsing Kiang Pu, says he saw
bodies of children laid out by the road
side to be devoured by the semi-wild
dogs of the plains, and dead men scat
tered along the roadway.
Many famaliee are tearing down their
houses and selling the timbers to pur
chase fooel.
Hundreds are employed repairing
roada and filling swamps, being paid
from 5 to 10 cr dav.
British Delegates to The Hague.
Lcndon, April 23.- -The British dele
gates to the peace conference at The
Hague are as follows: Sir Edward
Grey, ex-lord justice of appeal and a
member of the permanent court of ar
bitration at The Hague; Sir Ernest
Satow, ex-British minister at Tokio
and Pekin and member of permanent
court of arbitration at The Hague;
Ltird Reay, president of the Royal Asi
atic society and University college,
London, and a member of the privy
council, and Sir Henry Howard, the
British minister at The Hague.
Runs Car Through Fire.
Chicago, April 23. Fire damaged to
the extent of $250,000 a six story
building at 200-300 Wabash avenue to
day. Twenty girls employed by the
Ilealy Music company were obliged to
leave the burning building by means of
fire escapes, but none was injured.
Horace Man ley, in charge of tho ele
vator, made repeated trips with his car
and rescued 15 girls. Manley finally
waa overcome by smoke and was car
ried out.
Wholesale Sheep Theft.
Butte, Mont., April 23. A Miner
specia from Billings states that John
Tilden and Chester Martin, two of the
most prominent stockmen of Eastern
Montana, have. been arrested on the
charge of wholesale stock thefts. It ia
alleged that the two men stole 425
wethers, driving the animals into the
recesses of the Bull mountain dittrlct,
far from their accustomed range.
Ralna Flood Mobile City.
Mobile, April 23. From midnight
last night until this morning, Mobile
was visited by a torrent of rain. So
great was the downpour that streets in
many sections of the city were covered
with water two feet. Children were
unable to reach the schoolhouses and
the schools were closed. The new
union station waa surrounded by water.
i