Washington County news., June 29, 1905, Image 2

Washington County News
H E N E Y B E G IN S A R G U M E N T .
Testim ony
FOREST G R O V E .......... OREGON
NEWS OF THE WEEK
In a Condensed Form tor Our
Busy Readers.
A Resume o f the Less Im p o rtan t but
N ot Less Interesting Events
o f the Past W eek.
Secretary Hay's condition continues
to improve.
The Russian government lias ordered
the mobilization of more troops.
Odessa is now involved in the bloody
strike riots spreading over Russia.
General Leonard Wood is in Wash­
ington on a flying visit from the P h il­
ippines.
King Oscar is opposed to raising of a
prince of the house of Bernadotts to
the Norwegian throne.
A report is current in St. Peters­
burg that Kuropatkin has been slain
and many Rsssuians captured.
The Swedish riksdag resents the in­
sult of Norway, but seems w illing to
accept a dissolution of the states.
The Canadian parliament has passed
a bill allowing constru :tion of a rail­
road to compete with the Canadian Pa­
cific. The new road is being backed
by James J. H ill.
The Treasurj department has decid­
ed that the United States is not bound
to return the bodies of those who die
in the canal zone while in the employ
of the government.
Germany's last note to France on the
Moroccan question is very amicable in
tone, but an insistence is made that
the difliculties must be regulated by a
conference of compromise.
Lord Curzon threatens to resign the
vice royalty of India.
Germany has assumed a more peace­
ful tone toward France.
The Japanese are said to be engaged
in a great turning movement.
Generals Linievitch and Kuropatkin
appeatr anxiousto continue fighting.
A heavy gale in the outskirts of New
York wrecked several buildings under
construction.
A foreign diplomat at Washington
says Germany desires Russia to con­
tinue the Far Kastern war.
Secretary Taft says trial by jury in
the Philippines could not be wisely
adopted at the present time.
A Danish training schooner and a
British schooner collided! near Copen­
hagen. The cadet ship sunk and car­
ried Ifl? cadets with her.
The president has been informed
that M. Nelidoff, Russian ambassador
at Paris, and Baron Rosen, the newly
appointed ambassador at Washington,
w ill be two of Russia’ s peace plenipo­
tentiaries.
Reorts of strikes and demonstrations
against the government pour in from
all over Russia.
Red flags fly from
barricades in the streets of Warsaw and
Cossacks and police charge the crowds,
killing and wounding.
War fever in Sweden may
the present ministry.
overturn
Agitation has commenced for a sep­
aration of Hungary from Austria.
Ex-President Alexander, of the Equit­
able, lias returned $25,000 to the com
pany.
Oyama’ s advance is making the Rus­
sian positions untenable, and monlis of
labor will tie lost.
The mining town of Ophir, near Au­
burn, California, has heon entirely
wiped out by (Ire.
He will then investigate the business
methods of the vaiious diplomatic posts
of the United Hta 6s in Europe.
The illness of Count LamsdorfT, Rus­
sia's miniser of foreign affairs, has
brought |>eace negotiations to a stand­
still.
Colombia is trying to sell the Gali-
pagos islands to the United States.
Financial difliculties are given as the
reason.
The outbreak in Lodz, Russia, has
spread to Warsaw, and other cities.
Hundreds of men, women, and children
have bo n k 1 ed
The wounded will
number over 2,000.
F A IR T R E A T M E N T .
In M itch ell C ase Has
Been T a k e n .
Prexident Will See T h a t C ourtesy
Show n Chinese Exempt Classes.
Portland, June 28.— W ith a sudden­
ness almost startling counsel for de­
fense of Senator Mitchell, who is on
TAX LAND
' trial before Judge De Haven, yesterday
! morning rested its case.
The determ-
i ¡nation on the part of the defense to O ne H u nd red Thousand A c res in K la­
rest was so abrupt that it was akin al-
m ath S u b je c t to Ruling.
i most to a collapse, and for the space of
Salem— The right of Klamath coun­
half a minute, when Judge Bennettjan-
ty to tax 100,000 acres of land owned
nounced bis determination, surprise
by the California & Oregon Land com­
held all present. It was not until late
pany inside the Klamath Indian reser­
Monday evening that the defense con­
vation has been sustained in an opinion
cluded it would not place Senator
rendered by Attorney General Craw­
Mithell on the witness stand.
ford. The land in question was form­
Even before the trial began, it was
erly owned by the Oregon Central M il­
expected that Senator Mitchell would
itary Wagon Road company, having
testify in his own behalf. The United
been acquired by that company through
States courtroom was crowded to its
a Federal grant to the state of Oregon
limits during the morning session in
for aid in building a m ilitary road.
anticipation of hearing from the sen­
The owners of the land objected to hav­
ator’s own lips an absolute and em­
ing it assessed and taxed, giving as a
phatic denial of all that Judge A . H.
reason for their position that the land
Tanner and Harry C. Robertson had
is in the possession of the Indians and
told to the jury. It was believed by
thereby of the United States, and is
all who know the Oregon senator that
thereby exempt from taxation.
his presence on the witness stand
Ia his opinion Attorney General
would have had a tremendous effect
Crawford quotes from two decisions of
upon the jury. Some of them believe
the United States Supreme court in
a denial in toto might offset all that
cases involving title to this land.
In
had been testified to by Tanner and
each case the government was trying to
Robertson. It is understood that it , , ,
__
, .... . . .- . ,,
„
.
.
defeat the company s title, but in both
was Senator Mitchell s des re to appear |
_____________
mi. c,
__
___ , j
. ;1
cases the company won. The Supreme
on the stand. W hy he did not do so
court held that the company’s title is
is known only to his counsel and him­
perfect and beyond challenge. Author­
self.
ities are also cited to show that private
Judge De Haven then called for the
property inside an Indian reservation
arguments on instructions, and ex-
is subject to the jurisdiction of the
Senator Thurston, who had previously
state for the serving of process and for
informed the court that he wished to
taxation. In view of these adjudica­
be heard on this point, presented his
tions upon the subject, the attorney
argument. He spoke for over an hour.
general holds that the conclusion is ir­
He was answered by Mr. Heney, and
resistible that the lands are subject to
he in turn was answered by Judge Bur­
taxation the same as any other private
nett. “Judge De Haven then announced
property. The opinion was rendered
that it was not his custom to lim it the
in response to a request from County
arguments, but he wished to know the Judge Baldwin, of K amath county.
desires of the attorneys on this point.
It was quickly decided that there
H O O D R IV E R C H E R R Y C R O P .
should be no lim it placed upon the
time that should be taken up in argu­
S hipm ents W ill Reach B etw een 5 ,0 0 0
ment and his honor informed counsel
and 7 , 0 0 0 Boxes.
that he would Vie ready to hear the ar­
guments at 2 o’clock, and excused the
Hood River— The Hood River cherry
crop, which is now being gathered and
jurors until that time.
The preparedness with which Francis shipped, will amount to between 5,000
J. Heney entered the Mitchell trial was and 7,000 boxes. The crop is of good
even more apparent yesterday than it quality. The greater part of the crop
has been since the case began.
W ith ­ has been bought up by a California
out attempts at oratory, he began his buyer, who is paying 5c a pound for
plea in behalf of the government, and the fruit. He is putting up a strictly
from 2 o’clock until 4:30, when Judge fancy pack, and is making shipments
Dellaven adjourned the court until 10 for the New York market.
o’ clock this mroning, he held the clos­
The berry crop is nearing the final
Over 100,000 cases were
est attention of all within reach of bis wind-up.
shipped from Hood River this season,
voice.
returning to the growers $140,000
CANAL PLANS U P S E T
The yield exceeded the early estimates
by at least 40 per cent. It is believed
Resignation of C h ie f En gin eer W a l­ by the shipping associations that as
much money would have been realized
lace C am e at Bad T im e .
with a crop of only 75,000 cases.
Washington, June 28.— The precipi­
tate action of John F. Wallace, chief
City Files on W a te r.
engineer of the Panama canal, in re­
Eugene— A committee from the city
signing his position in n huff, has com­
plicated the plans of President Roose­ council drove to Vida, 20 miles up the
velt and Secretary Taft for the main McKenzie river last week to file on the
work on the ¡Bthmian canal, and when waters of that river for power to opi;r
the president ar.d secretary meet at ate a municipal electric light plant. A t
Harvard tomorrow they are expected to the city election in A pril, 1904, the
.hold a hurried conference and formu­ voters decided that the city should own
late plans for the future, as well as to its electric light and water plants, and
issue an official announcement of the the council is now preparing to secure
a site for the light plant. The fran
resignation of Wallace.
It is now conceded in official circles chise of the Lane County Electric com­
that the prrsident and secretary will pany, which now supplies the city with
have to do some quick work in select­ lights, expires in about four years,
ing a new chief engineer.
Secretary when the city w ill enter the field.
Taft has planned to leave for the Phil
ippines by way of the Pacific coast next
Saturday. It is an important mission,
and the party includes senators, repre­
sentatives and distinguished friends,
ami the date of starting cannot very
well he postponed.
What otlieial Washington is most
anxious to learn is whether the otlieial
announcement of the resignation will
express the resentment the administra
tion feels against Mr. Wallace. His
retirement ends what has been as warm
a row as has occurred in official circles
in a long time. One otlieial who is in
close touch with the officers of the
commission says that the whole trouble
was brought about by Mr. Wallace de­
siring to be the “ whole thing” in the
work of canal construction.
He is a
man of independent means, and the
salary of $30,000 presented no great
attractions.
Cossacks S h o o t Socialists.
Warsaw, June 28.— A secret meeting
of 200 Socialists in the forest of Zquerz,
near Lodz, was surprised at noon to­
day. Eighteen of the Socialists were
wounded and 180 arresetd.
The au­
thorities received information that the
meeting was being held and sent a
squadron of Cossacks, who surrounded
the lorest and fired into the Socialists,
taking them entirely unawares.
The
wounded were taken to hospitals at
Assistant Secretary of State Loomis
Ixidz and those arrested were sent to
has sailed for Europe. He will act as
prison at Lenszvea, a distance of twenty
special ambassador of the United States*
miles.
and formally receive from the French
government the remains of Paul Jones.
Yaqui M assacre is Denied.
Nogales, N. M ., June 28.— The stor­
President Roosevelt has small hope
of securing an armistice in time to stop ies sent out from this place regarding
the general engagement now imminent. the attack by Yaqui Indians on the
Buenos A ryes ranch, in Sonora, last
The feeling aroused by King Oscar's
Thursday, in which over 20 Yaquis
proposition to recognize the independ­ and several settlers and their families
ence of Norway is causing much uneas­
were said to have heon slain, were the
iness in the Swedish capital.
grossest exagérations. The only foun­
The czar has abolished offices in the dation for the reports was a tight oc­
Far Eastern territory.
curring at the ranch, in which two In­
dians were killed, and I -ouis Caranza
The latest reports from Oyama show was wounded.
that he will soon have the entire Rus­
sian army surrounded. Several small
F o res t F ire s in C o lo ra d o .
engagements have proven victorious for
Denver, June 28.— Forest tires are
the Japanese.
burning fiercely on government lands
Paul Morton, chairman of the Equit­ in the mountains southwest of Denver.
able Life Assurance society, is prepar­ Since Sunday morning a tire has been
ing to make those who have accumulat­ raging ten miles northwest of Pine
Government
ed millions from the society in a few Grove, in Platte canyon.
range riders have been sent out from
years, disgorge.
different points to check the progress
Roosevelt w ill renew his efforts for of the flame«. The loss thus far w ill
an armistice.
reach $50,000.
Belm ont G ro up R eported Sold.
Sumpter— It is reported that Gilkey
and Kershaw, owners of the Belmont
group, in the Greenhorn district, have
sold their property at a snug sum.
The amount said to be realized is $30,-
000, with a holding still in the group
on a share proposition. Neither Mr.
Gilkey nor Mr. Kershaw could be seen,
therefore the report could not be veri­
fied by them. This is the same prop­
erty for w hich such phenomenal clean­
ups have been made during the p aB t
three months.
M A R IO N .
J ury List Has Been D ra w n , C o m p osed
M ostly o f F arm e rs .
Salem— Tl(g jurymen who w ill serve
at the July term of the Circuit court
in this county, when the land fraud
cases w ill probably be tried, have been
drawn from the jury list by Sheriff
Culver, and Clerk Rowland.
The
panel is com|>osed chiefly of farmers,
comparatively few business men being
on the list.
No arrests have yet been made in the
land fraud cases, nor have the names
of the indicted men been made public.
It is understood, however, that the men
charged with complicity in the state
land frauds are well known operators
residing in Oregon and in the East, and
that they can be easily taken into cus­
tody when wanted.
Some of them
have indicated their willingness to
come to Oregon whenever called upon
to do so, but it may be necessary to
issue requisition papers in order to
bring others to the jurisdiction of the
Oregon courts.
TLe jury at this term w ill also try
Wright and Monte on the charge of
passing rifles over the prison walls in
1902 for the aid of Tracy and M errill
in making their escape.
M E R L IN P E A C H Y IE L D .
C ro p Both Heavy and E arly, R eports
A rth u r Hussey.
Grants Pass — Arthur Hussey, of
Merlin, reports the peach crop in that
vicinity as heavier than it has been for
a number of years past, and says seve­
ral of the larger growers have had men
employed for several days thinning out
the crop. The Merlin district is a very
favored locality for peaches, frost sel­
dom catching them, and the soil being
of a very productive nature. The larg­
est peach growers of that district are
A. C. Ford and Charlos Dorey, although
Henry E. Booth has a splendid orchard
coming into bearing this year.
The
early spring all through the Southern
Oregon country makes the crop an ex­
ceedingly early one this year, and Mr.
Hussey reports that the Early Craw­
fords w ill be ready for market about
August 1 this year.
C o ttag e G rove C ro p s.
Cottage Grove— The crops around
town are in fine condition and some of
the grain w ill outclass most yields
heretofore made. Much of the fruit
was damaged by the late frosts, how­
ever, and in some cases entirely ruined.
Cherries are scarce.
Strawberries are
three boxes for 25c, and about off the
market. There w ill be a good crop of
pears and apples on the uplands, but
the valley fruit here is almost ruined.
The warm weather has brought garden
stuff to a fine growth.
Some of the
corn in town is three feet high.
S a w m ill and E lectric D rills.
Susanville's G ood C ro p P ro s p e ct.
Susanvilie — Prospects tor a good
harvest this year in the immediate v i­
cinity were never !>etter and farmers
are all making preparations for an un­
usually big yield of hay and grain.
A ll the stock on the ranges is doing
finely and from present outlook there
will lie enough grass to last till far in
the winter. It has rained constantly
here since early in March.
C o al Find N e a r C o tta g e G ro ve.
Cottage Grove— Cottage Grove men
have discovered a good vein of coal
somewhere near town, but are very
backward al>ont telling the location.
The specimens they brought in w ill
burn with the best, and have the ap­
pearance of coking coal. A small per
cent of the specimens brought in are
slate, but not enough to cause much
trouble.
O pen N ew T im b e r T ra c t.
Rainier— George Rockey has built a
railroad to his camp, about one and a
half miles from Rainier, and his en­
gine has arrived.
Mr. Rockey w ill
open alx)ut 300 acres of choice timber
land.
PO RTLAND M ARKETS.
Wheat— Club, 83(§|85c per bushel;
bluestem, 90(891 c; valley, 85c.
Oats— No. 1 white, feed, $30 per
ton ; gray, $30.
Hav — Timothy, $14<®16 per ton;
clover, $11@12; grain, $ 11(8 12; cheat,
$11(912.
Eggs— Oregon ranch, 20c per dozen.
Butter — Fancy creamery, 1 7 h < S
21 l«c per pound.
Strawl>erries— $1.50(92.25 perorate.
App'es— Table, $1.60(92.60 per box.
Potatoes — Oregon fancy, old, $1®
1.20; Oregon, new, $1.50.
Hops — Choice, 1904, 19®21c per
pound.
Wool— Eastern Oregon, best, 19®
23c; valley, 26®27c per pound; mo­
hair, choice, 31®32t*c per pound.
Robertson Tells Vivid Story at
Land Fraud Trial.
WAS ASKED TO COMMIT PERJURY
S e n a to r’s F o rm e r S e c re ta ry T ells the
C o u rt H e W as A fra id to Face
T a n n e r A fte r Decision.
Portland, June 27.— Harry C. Rob­
ertson, former private secretary to
Senator Mitchell, has told his story.
The scene in the United States court
room yesterday morning when Robert­
son took the stand was dramatic.
Not
a word told by the witness missed the
ears of the defendant and the auditors
present.
Judge Tanner’s testimony
was a blow to Senator Mitchell.
The
testimony of Robertson was even heav­
ier, for in many details it corroborates
what Judge Tanner has already told
the jury. The witness declared with­
out reservation that he had been asked
to commit perjury so that Senator
Mitchell and Judge Tanner might evade
the necessity of appearing in court.
He told of the stormy interview with
the defendant when the latter found
that he would not be a tool and of his
own fear of meeting Judge Tanner on
his return to Portland from Washing­
ton because he thought that he would
be too weak to resist Judge Tanner’s
attempts to get him to commit perjury.
The witness stated that he delayed his
visit to the senator’ s law partner for
this reason
It was this delay that re­
sulted in placing in the hands of the
government that particularly damaging
“ burn this letter” document of Sena­
B IG F IR E A T N A S H V IL L E .
tor Mitchell, a letter which was given
to Robertson by Max Pracht to deliver
D e p a rtm e n t S to re is D estroyed, w ith to Tanner.
Adjoining Buildings.
Nashville, Tenn., June 27.— Fire in
the retail shopping district caused
damage estimated at between $500,000
and $000,000. The flames were located
in the Palace, a big department store
on the southwest corner of Fifth avenue
and Union street. The fire spread rap­
idly and when it was at last under con­
trol the following damage had been
done:
The Palace, occupied by
Morris
Bros., wholesale and retail millinery,
and Jacobus Bros., owned by Norman
Kirkman, burned.
The Manix, six-
story building, occupied by Nashville
Dry Goods company, owned by Norman
Kirkm an; burned.
Two three-story buildings being fit­
ted up for Kress & Co., owned by
Browne heirs; wrecked by falling walls
and burned.
Others who sustained losses are:
W right Bros., decorators: Cash Gro­
cery store, R. W . Turner, Cumberland
Baking Powder company; Alfred Steam
Dye works.
T a b o j T ra d e Stam p s.
Eugene— Eighty-two business firms
have signed an agreement not to adopt
the trading stamp system, which is at
present offered by a stamp firm which
has located here.
In a resolution
adopted by the Merchants’ Protective
association, it declares the system det­
rimental to good business methods.
Five firms have already contracted for
the stamps, but it is said that some of
these are trying to have their contracts
cancel ¿d.
Sumpter— A crew of men is now en­
gaged at the Standard mine on the
erection of a sawmill recently shipped
there. The installation of the electric
drills w ill also be made immediately.
The Standard expects to be a heavy
shipper of smelting ores to the smelter
here during the
present summer.
C olum bia T im b e r Purchase.
Roads are now in pretty good shape
St. Helens— Ellis Jennings, who re­ again, and the result is that shipments
sides near St. Helens, has sold to a are constantly being made to this
company of capitalists of Alabama, 280 place from the outlying mines.
acres of choice timber lands located
aliout three and one-half miles from
M o to ris ts Need Licenses.
St. Helens, on Milton creek, for $8,-
Salem— A number ot owners of mo­
500, the highest price ever paid for
timl>er lands in this vicinity. The tor cycles and probably several owners
timber is mostly yellow fir and cedar. of automobiles are liable to a fine of
The purchasers expect to erect a large $25 for failure to take out state li­
sawmill on the property. Other large censes, as required by the act of 1905
for the regulation of the use of automo­
deals are now being negotiated for.
biles, etc. Thus far licenses have been
issued by Secretary of Btete Dunbar to
C u t F ir W hen Line is Finished.
Dallas— The Dallas Oak mills are 144 owners of automboiles and 11 mo­
now running on full time. The mills tor cycles. Of the 11 motor cycles five
will continue to cut oak lumber until are owned in Salem and five in Rose-
the extension on the Dallas A Falls burg.
City railroad is finished, when it is
understood the m ill w ill be enlarged
and w ill cut fir on a large scale. This
mill is on the Falls City road, and is
already supplied w ith switching facil­
ities and yard accommodations for a
50,000-foot m ill.
Washington, June 27.— By direction
of President Roosevelt action has been
taken by the administration which not
only facilitates the landing in this
country of t ’hinese of the exempt class,
but w ill also eliminate from the Im m i­
gration bureau such administrative
features as have been the subject of
criticism by Chinese.
It is the de­
clared intention of the president to see
that Chinese merchants, travelers, stu­
dents and others of the exempt classes
shall have the same courtesy shown
them by officers of the Immigration bu­
reau as is accorded to citizens of the
most favored nations.
Representations have been made to
the president that in view of alleged
harsh treatment accorded to many
Chinese seeking a landing in the
United States, the commercial guilds of
China have determined to institute a
boycott on American manufacturers.
The representations, backed by the au­
thority of the American Asiatic society
and commercial bodies throughout the
country, induced the president to make
an investigation of the situation with a
view to remedying the evils complained
of, if they were found to exist. The
subject was discussed thoroughly with
Secretary Metcalf, of tire department of
Commerce and Labor, who has super­
vision of the Immigration bureau.
As the result of the inquiry orders
haveb een issued to the diplomatic and
consular representatives of the United
States in China by the president him­
self that they must look closely to the
performance of their duties under the
exclusion law and see to it that mem­
bers of the exempt classes coming to
this country are provided with proper
certificates. These certificates w ill be
accepted at any port ' of the United
States and w ill guarantee the bearer
against any harsh or discourteous treat­
ment.
BLOW TO MITCHELL
D A T E IS P R O P O S E D .
Peace M ee tin g W ill T a k e Place Early
in August.
St. Petersburg, June 27. — Negotia­
tions for the peace conference have
taken an important step foward, and a
proposal for the date of the meeting of
the plenipotentiaries at Washington
has been submitted to Russia and is
now under consideration.
The exact
date proposed has not been ascertained,
but there is reason to suppose that it
is some time during the first week or
ten days of August, which is about the
earliest period at which the Japanese
representatives could be expected to
reach Washington, allowing reasonable
time for the acceptance of the proposal
and the interchange of the nominations
of plenipotentiaries.
The emperor’ s answer is not expected
for a day or two, as the diplomatic
mills of Russia grind slowly, and the
foreign office, as one of the secretaries
put it, “ is not used to hustling Ameri
can methods,” but it is thought that
the date w ill be satisfactory, as it w ill
give ample time, for Nelidoff, the Rus­
sian ambassador at Paris, or other
Russian negotiators to reach Washing­
ton, and there w ill be little prelim i­
nary work for them to do.
Valuable F urs fro m A laska.
Seattle, June 27.— Garrett Busch,
pioneer in the fur trade of the Ixrwer
Yukon, is here with $25,000 worth of
skins he has brought out from Alaska
Busch went to Nulato on a prospecting
tour in 1897, but went into the fur
trade instead. He built his cabin from
whipsawed lumber made by himself on
the present site of Nulato and waited
for the Indians to visit him. His pros­
pector’s supplies were trade*! for the
first fur stock and the fur trade grew
slowly until he now practically con­
trols it. Nulato is an important post.
d is a g r e e s
C h ie f
w it h
b o a r d
.
E ngineer o f Panam a C anal is
F o rce d to Resign.
New York, June 27.— John F. Wal­
lace, chief engineer for the Panama
Canal commission, has resigned his po­
sition under pressure from President
Roosevelt and Secretary of War Taft.
This statement was made here today
by Theodore P. Shonts, chairman of
the commission.
Mr. Shonts declared that he was not
at liberty to talk, and that the an­
nouncement would have to come from
President Roosevelt direct.
He de­
clared also that the forced retirement
of the chief engineer would in no way
affect his (M r. Shonts’ ) position with
the canal tioaril, nor would it lead to a
reorganization of the board.
On the
other hand, the rumor is strong that
there w ill be a reorganization of the
board at an early date.
The resignation of Mr. Wallace came
after several stormy sessions of the
canal board, and after several confer­
ences between the president, the chief
engineer and Mr. Shouts.
Disagree­
ment was entirely over the policy to be
pursued in the construction of the
canal. It was found after Mr. Wallace
left for Panama that there was a seri­
ous difference between his ideas and
those of President Roosevelt and Chair­
man Shonts of the commission.
A N X IO U S
T O F IG H T .
Linievitch A p pears to R egret that End
o f W a r is N ear.
Gunshu Pass, June 27.— Many dis­
patches reaching here through the offi­
cial paper, which is edited for the
army, make the conditions under
which the proposed peace is to be
reached very indifferently understood.
In consequence of events at Washing­
ton a m ilitary initiative for an armis­
tice has been expected, but although
Generals Linievitch and Kuropatkin
express the conviction that Russia is
drifting toward peace, no action look­
ing to an armistice has yet been taken.
On the contrary the commanders ap­
pear to regret that at the time when
the army has reached its maximum
strength it is likely to be deprived of
victory.
Big Gun is T o o Expensive.
New York, June 27. — The ordnance
experts of the United States army are
said to have practically decided that
the 16-inch gun, from which so much
was expected, is not practicable as a
weapon, and a decision of the War de­
partment to abandon the type is antici­
pated.
Only one of these guns has
been made so far, and that one is now
at Sandy Hook.
The experiments,
while showing that the guns could do
what was expected in one way, have
nevertheless convinced the experts that
as a weapon it is too costly.
Blam e the B ritish N ew spap ers.
Russia Apologizes to England.
Berlin, June 27.— Chancellor Von
Bulow received M. Bihonrd, the French
ambassador, today.
The newspapers
continue to discuss the situtaion be­
tween France and Germany with heat.
The North German Gazette declares
that “ in Premier Rouvier’ s note the
republic adopts no decide«! stand to­
ward a conference.” An attempt is be­
ing made to shift the responsibility for
the recent war panic to articles in the
British press.
London, June 27.— Questioned in the
house of commons today regarding the
destruction of British vessels by Rus­
sian auxiliary cruisers, Premier Bal­
four said he was glad to be able to in­
form the house that the British govern­
ment had been assure*) that the Rus­
sian government disapproved of the ac­
tions of their cruisers and that orders
had been transmitted to the Dnieper at
Jibutil, rendering quite impossible any
repetition of the acta.
Russian Vessels are Raised.
Pu re W a te r fo r Isthm us.
Rome, June 27.— A Port Arthur dis­
patch, received from an Italian engin­
eer who is engaged in raising the Rus­
sian ahipe sunk in the harbor there,
says that three ironclads fcave been
refloated.
Panama, June 27. — The system of
aqueducts which w ill give the isthmus
a supply of pure water was inaugurated
today. It w ill be officially inaugurated
on the Fourth of July, when there w ill
be great rejoicing all over Panama.