THE HEPPNER TIMES
PuMUbrd Every Thursday.
SCTTLtRS WILL OCT DUES.
HEPPNER OREGON
WEEK'SpOINGS
General Review of Important Happen,
penlgs Presented In a Brief and
Condensed Corm.
to
Prominent Oregon men are likely
be indicted lor land funds.
Kuropatkin is fighting doggedly to
prevent an utter rout of his forces.
The Montana mineral dl-play will be
transferred Horn St. Louis to Portland
All hope of relieving Port Arthur
this season has been abandoned by the
Russians.
A Massachusetts commissionei has
s'arted for Portland to select a site loi
1H05 fair building.
A number of torpedo boats believed
to have been built tor Japan have been
shipped from Newport Sews, Ya.
A mortar battery exploded at Fort
Banks, on the Atlantic coast, killing
three aitilelrymen and injuring eight
otheis.
The lowes of the Russian army in
the week of battle south of Mukden is
uiaeed at 40 000 Ibe Japanese have
lost half as many.
The Fomteneth infantry, now in the
Philiivuines. will be bi ought back to
this country next February and eta
tioned at Vanouver barracks, succeed
ing the Nineteenth, w hich will be sent
to the islands.
Kin George of Saxony, is deaad.
All official advices are withheld at
St. Petersburg and the people ar pre
pared for the worst.
The St. Fetresbuig Vovoeti admits
editorially that the Russians have euf'
feied a telling defeat.
Russia will rush men to the front
military authorities believe 150,000
can be transported by April
Knropatkin must bear the responsi
bility for the advance, as it is officially
denied that he was ordeied to advance
According to Tangier advices evidence
haa been discovered that the bandit
Raisnli intends to attempt to captuie
another European.
Telephone operators at Portland are
on strike. Both sides are confident
and in the meantime the pnbtic is suf
fering many inconevniencea.
A sensation has been ransed all
through Russia by the piesistent rum
ora that the Russian teasury inteada to
draw upon Russian church property
order to replenish ist war chest.
It bas developed that a pouch of mail
for the United States cruiser Cincinnati
which was aboard the steamer Calchas
when she was captured had been open
ed while in the hands of the Russian
officials, subsequently resealed and sent
on to its destination.
Fire at Kansas City destroyed piop
erty valued at $100,000.
The RuBfians are offering fabulous
prices to ships to make Port Arthur
with supplies.
President Fiancis says the St. Louis
fair lost $1,000,000 by being foiced to
clote on Sunday.
The Rio Grande is still rising in
New Mexico.. The river is now the
highest in 20 years.
The Duke of Cannaught, brother of
' King Edward, narrowly escaped death
in an auto accident.
It is reported from St. Petersburg
that five Jananese cruisers have been
sighted off Vladivostok.
The New York Rapid Transit com
nanv's new subway will be opened to
the general public October 27.
There is renewed anxiety regarding
the condition of King George, of Sax
ony, whose difficulty in breathing and
general weakness are marked.
The battle at Port Arthur is becom
in fiercer than ever. The Japanese
have succeeded in placing a mortar bat
tery which has the range of the inner
fortress.
for an
Ihesa settlers.
on when the
company, the
(iovernmcnt Completes Invcstiga
Hon of Castcrn Oregon Cases.
Washington. Oct. IS The interior j
department, acting under a special act
parsed at the last session, lias complet
ed au investigation of the cases of Sher
man county settlers who have been dis-
po?sei-evd of lands lying within the
limits of the grant to The dalles Mili
tary Wagon Road company, in Eastern
Oregon. The report of the findings is
confidential, and will be submitted to
congress early in December.
The evidence collected will be suffi
cient to enable congress to take final
action for the relief of
It will show the terms
Eastern Oregon Land
successor to The Dalles Military Wagon
Road company, is willing to relinquish
title to the disputed lands, and al
low then to revert to the settlers. It
ill also show the state of improve
ments which the settlers made on these
lands while temporarily in possession.
Congress must decide whether an ap
propriation shall be made to buy from
the company its title to these lands, in
order to restore them to the sett lei s.
or whether it is better to reimburse the
settleis for the losses thev sustained
by reason of being dispossess-!.
The land company, it vs said, is in
clined to deal fairlv with the govern
ment in this matter, and will waive its
title to these lands provided the govern
ment pavs its price.
Manv years have elapsed since these
disputed lands were eventually awarded
to the land company, and in that time
number of original settlers have diS'
appeared. These few cases cannot be
reported upon. All the facts obtaina
ble have been collected, and congress
will be able to compensate settlers who
sustained losses thiongh no fault of
their own, but rather through a faulty
decision of the land office.
ARMY IN TRAP
Kuropatkin Is Cut Off
Pour Divisions.
Witn
ATTEMPT AT RESCUE PATAL
Jananese force Will Be Reinforced
With Idea of Dealing a Crush
Ing Blow to the Enemy.
REGARD DEfEAT AS COMPLETE.
AT THE CANAL
COLORADO TRAINS COLLIDE.
One Man Is Dead and fifteen Oth
ers Injured, Two Badly.
Pueblo, Oct. 18. As a result of a
head on collision today between the
east bound California limited paseenger
train No. 6 and a west bound freight
train on the Denver & Rio Grande rail
road mile and a half west of Portland
this forenoon, one man, J. E. Duey,
was so badly hurt that he died tonight
and 15 others received injuries two of
them perhaps fatally.
The accident was due to the la i lure
of the freight to take the siding at
Portland and allow the passenger train.
which was running on schedule time
and had the right of way, to pass
Both locomotives were completely
wrecked, tbe baizaaire and express cars
were telescoped and piled tip in a heap,
the forward end of the day coach was
smashed and five freight cars loadtd
ith merchandise were demolished.
The Pullman cars were not damaged.
The passenger train was running
about 35 miles, and the freight 20
miles an hour, when the collision oc
curred. Great confusion followed the
collision, and exaggerated reports le-
garding the disaster were circulated.
The injured were taken on reliet
trains to hopitals at Pueblo and Salida.
Llao Yang, Oct. 17. This city la in
a turmoil of excitement over the teporti
brought in by wounded soldiers from
the right wing of the Japanese army
that General Kuroki has caught Gem r
al Kuropatkin in a trap, having cut
him off with four Russian divisoins
which he attempted to save, and now
haa the Russian commander isolated
and enveloped east of Bensihu. The!
general engagement continued all day1
yesterday. Russian losses so far ate
estimated at 15,000. The Japanese
have also suffered heavily, but no fig
ures are available.
The bearers of the news of the latest
Japanese victory state that Held
Marshal Marquis Oyama lias ordered
vast masses of reinforcements to the s
sistance of General Kurcki to enable
him tf execute the coupe as planned.
General Kuroki is pushing the Hub-
sian divisions eastward in order to make
their isolation cornph te and to preclude
the possibility of Rumian reinforce
ments reaching them.
The Japanese are fortifying their po
sitions to the north. Another of Gen
eia) Kurokt'e columns today captured
the Sbaotakan hills to the south of
Rentaiaputze alter a series of fierce en
gagements, in which 1,200 Japanese
and neary 1,500 Russians tell. An en
tile battery was captured, and now
the hills, which may be called the key
to the Russian left advance, are in the
hands of the Japanese.
A crushing defeat has been admlulS'
tered to the Russian right by General
Oka at Yenti. The entire Russian
lines, extending from the Hun river to
the railroad, were driven hack 20 miles
with terrible losses on both sides, and
but for the awful punishment suffered
by the Japanese, General Kuropatkin'a
right would have been completely
crushed. As it is, the flank is utterly
disorganized and the Russian tommand-
ers are endeavoring to rally their forces
northeast of Changtan.
On both lidus in the battle raging
near Mukden there have been such
losses in killed and wounded as mark
the contest a one of the bloodiest bat'
ties in history. Already the louses at
Liao Yang have been approximated
rand the indications ar that they will
be exceeded. The Russian advance
has been converted into a stubbornly
fought retreat. The result, according
to the Russians, is still to be deter
mined.
On both sides the soldiers hae
shown the utmost tenacity and bravery
and whole regiments have gone down
before the fire of the enemy. In offic
iai circles of St. Petersburg there is
disoosition to argue that even should
Genarel Kuropauin be ohlidged to re
tire npon Mukden, his position will be
finite as favorable as it was w hen the
order to advance was given Ueiolar u
and that, o i the other hand, the Jap
ani se powers of further resistance will
have been materially weakened.
London Papers Agree That rturo-
palKIn Has Shot His Bolt.
London. Oct. 15. The London pa
pers have to rely mainly on official re-1
porta for news from the Far East, but
the dispatches thus far received regard
a complete Japanese victory assured,
rknd editoralUo Irom this point of view.
Says the Daily Telegraph:
' General Kuropatkin has shot his
liolt. It seemed to be speeding well
toward the mark, yet missed it badly.
He has suffered not merely a repulse
but a disastrous defeat, w hile Japan'
incomparable soldiers under iiicompai
able general have added another glori
ens page to the chronicle of war and
proved that Oyama is still Miropai-
kin's master in every brauch if the ait
of war."
The Daily Graphic describes General
Kuropatkin'a move as a "gambler's
throw," and considers the frank blunt
ness of his repoit to the emperor seems
to speak the language of a man w ho
has dona his best w ith the bungling
advice of eonie superior agency.
The Standard finds Geneial Kuropat
kin's dispatch full of tragic meaning
bile the Daily News argues the Uns
sian dash southward was prompted by
desperate desire to relieve I'oit Arth
ur rather than 'o Vieer.y Alexieii s
malign Influence, the end of which, in
.. nf the fall of the tortiess, cannot
be far iiistant.
Snence Wilkinson, in the Morning
Post, discussing strategic possibilities
thinks the issue will turn npon which
side shall first become" exhausted by
the protracted operations.
Telegrams," he i a , "do not yet
reveal the final decision, but they cer
tainly do not point to the scale turn
ing in Russia's favor. It remains to be
seen w newer eimer nnj f
reserves ready to throw in when it be
comes apparent that the forces engaged
have tiecoine exhausted."
fire
Work al Panama Progress
ing Satisfactorily.
COMMISSION REVIEWS WORK ON
Cost of Excavating Material las
Been Reduced Nearly 30 Cents
Per Cubic Yard.
JAPAN HAS SHIPS IN WAITING.
at
at
Newport
Sea.
Torpedo Boats Built
News Transferred
Newport News, Oct. 18. Two of the
Lake submarine torpedo boats built
at the shipyards here, and believed to
be destined for the Japanese or Kns
sian governments, were hoisted on
board the Kennebec today. Accoiding
to the foreman in charge of the 200
men engaged in loading the craft, the
Kennebec will sail for Boston before
daylight.
It was stated on apparently good au
thority tonight that the Kennebec will
be met np the coast oy a steamship
now lying far at sea, and the big float
ing derrick, the Ox, from New iorit.
The Ox, it is asserted, will lift the sub
marines from the deck of the Kenne
bec, and transfer them to the waiting
steamer, which will proceed with them
to their destination.
ROOSEVELT PREPARING TO ACT.
LOSS IS 5OO,00O.
Destroys
Blocks In
Three Bu
cost or rccDiNG the army.
He Will Soon Address Notes to Pow
ers Regarding Peace Conference.
Washington, Oct. 17. The president
is preparing to redeem his promise to
the delegates to the Interparliamentary
Peace conference to secure another
meeting of plenipotentiaries of the
powers signatory to the Hague conven
tion, with a view to revising and
adding to that instrument.
The state department will address
separate nots to every government rep
resented in the last confidence, inviting
suggestions to the time and place of
meeting, and without doubt, in the
spirit of caution that is always exhibit
ed by diplomats, many ot these govern
ments will seek to seenre au ironclad
agreement as to the scope oi the con
ference. Many limitations are ex
pec ted to be proposed In this way
nd it is realized that
will be experienced
mony.
The Japanese are preparing
other assault on Port Arthur.
The Portland postal receipts for the
fiscal year just ended show an increase
of $51,000.
Hitchcock declares that the decision
in the Benson case will not affect the
prosecution of the land ring.
John Bairett, minister lo Panama,
ia in Washington, where he will confer
with the president about conditions on
the isthmus.
A great battle is raging between I.iao
Yang and Mukden. The Japanese
have again assumed the offensive and
the Russian advance has been checked.
Field Marshal Oyama is said to have
ordeied a retreat to Liao Y'ang and had
it npt been for Geneial Nod.u the Jap
anese would have been defeated. Oya
ma is likely to be lecalled and succeed
ed by Notuu.
A terrible storm swept the Honduras
coast the latter part of September
which lasted for three days. Enorm
ous damage was suffered. The banana
crop is reported ruined.
The steamship Stanley, from Hong
Kong to South Africa, with 2,2t0 cool
ies, grounded in the China sea. After
the ship was floated, several holes were
found in her hull and It was necessary
to land all her passengers with provis
ions for 10 days. Assistance will be
mt them.
Engineer to Investigate.
Washington, Oct. 18. Chief Engi
neer Newell, of the reclamation service,
has referred to Supervising Engineer!!.
Savage, at Spokane, the proposition of
the'O. R. & N. Co. to remove its tracks
from Washunac Coulee, in Northern
Idaho, provided the government will
bear the expense. The tracks now oc
cupy land whicii the government
would like to use for a reservoir, but
unless thev are removed the project
must be abandoned. It is probable
the cost will lie so great that the gov
ernment will not be justified.
To Prevent Accidents on Warships.
New York, Oct. 18. A device to
prevent accidents like that aboard the
battleship Missouri several months ago,
when several men of a gun crew were
killed by a "blowbaea" in one of the
turrets, is being inslalled here on the
battleship Kentucky. It is called
smoke ejector and is designed to force
out of the bore all of the unhurried
gasses and smoke remaining after the
gun has been discharged.
Flood Still Delays Trains.
El l'aso, Tex., Oct. 18. The Santa
in road still has a washout f about
12 mdes lietween heie and Alhu
qiieique, and it will be several days
before trains are running. All other
roads are running tiains regularly. It
is 8! ill rainy here, however, and the
Rio Grande river is rising slowly.
much difficulty
in securing bar
rnmmiturv General Reports me
Expenses Reduced to Minimum
Washington. Oct. 15. The annual
report of Brigadier General J. F. West
on, commissary general of the army
.. ... . i I ! -. t V.
SayS the tOiai COSl OI leeuuig iu mini
during the paBt fiscal year was $8,821,-
750. During the year the losses were
$418,650 in the Philippines; $7,467 on
the transports and $129,853 in the
United States, Alaska, Porto Rico and
elsewhere.
General Weston says it is difficult
and often impossible to prevent losses
of perishable stores. General Weston
urgently recommends the passage of a
hill hv conaiess to give authority to
all officers entrusted with the disburse'
ment of subsistence funds to hold re
stricted amounts of such funds in theii
personal possession. He says tbe ex-1
igencies of the public service require an
open disregard of the restriction of the
existing laws in cities where the tress
nrer or an assistant lieasurer ia located.
He urges legislation authorizing the
sa e at public auction of accumulated
subsistence stores in good condition.
General Weston says the problem of
feeding the army in the Philippines
uas a difficult one. but "it has been
successfully solved, and subsistence
affairs in the archipelago are now run
with system and economy".
The subsistence department, u is
stated, was able to make a contract for
fresh lf for the fiscal year, iui. t.y
which an annual saving of over $140,
000 was effected. The running expense
gradually have Isren leducid to a min
imum, the report says, and a saving oi
more than $40,000 made in wages
civilian employes alone.
Washington, Oct. It. Mimberi of
the Panama vanwl commission uuw in
Washington tailed todny by appoint
ment on President Uoosevull. A short
time altwi ward, John Barrett, Amerl
can minister to Panama, hud a confer'
ence with the president. The comiuls
slim remained with the president about
half an hour, & they left the execu
tive office they said the visit was
"purely complimentary call" on the
president and was wllhout special tig
iiiilcance. It is i ow i, however, thai
they disciiHUid with him the conditions
on the Isthmus ot Panama which have
arisen since the acquisition by this
country of an Ameiicun xone, and the
differences between the commission and
the government of Catania. What, II
stiv. conclusions were teamen was noi
disclosed.
The commissioner left with the
president a memorandum giving in do
tail the work accomplished on the Itth
nius. Surveying panics are at work in
the viemty of Colou, making plans and
estimates bu an inner harbor; also at
Gutaii, survciyng and boring at thu
various proposed dam sites in that
m-ighlHirhood, ami for a cut off between
Gutau and Tiger Hill. At Rithio the
surveyors are making detailed surveys
and studies and Investigating thu vari
ous dumsitt'S that have been propped
in tnat locality.
An engineering corps along the main
line ol the canal lu the vicinity of Cub
chra is making suiveys to determine
the feasibility of straightening the lines
of the Fri nch company and to dctcrm
ine the amount of material removed
and to be removed in act oriWnro with
the ditto cut canal plans tinder conaid
eration. Another engineering lorce is
constructing a le-ervoif In the valley of
the upper Kio Grande, which will (urn
ish a minimum supply of 2.000,000
gallons of water a day lor thu City of
I'anama; also a distiibuting rctervnlr
(or the City of Panama at A neon, li
is also making survey ami estimate
for a sewerage system for Colon and
plan are being prepared for the con
t met ion of a harbor thete.
The average amount of material tsk
en cut of the Culleracut has been from
1.000 to 1.500 cubic yards aday. This
is with the tire of old French machin
ery available. Three modern steam
shovels, which are to lie put at work
on Culebra Hill, will increase the cut
five feet.
In August, the unit coat ot exravat
ing material was cut to OO.S rent a
cubit yant, while during the time
Major l!lack was in charge of the canal
woik the cost, according to the French
melhi U of excavation, was t cents a
cubic yard.
Winnipeg. '
Winnipeg, Man., Oct. 13 ! it
night destroyed three ot the finest
liiess blocks in this city, entail)
l.issof at least $800,1100. For a
the flumes threatened to spread to
olnlng buildings, and but for
splendid woik of the (Ire bilgnd
much larger money dituiiige would lull
been infill red.
The Are started In the new Pullman
block, which was totally that royed.
The Ashdowu Hardware company, on
Haiinaiine street, one of tlm largest es
tablishments of Ho kind In Canada, wan
next attacked by the flames. Many
explosions were caused by powder and
cartridge carried In tbe stock of the
hardware company, but no one was In
jured, liiu UIhHo block and thu Great
Northern telegraph olhce were also de
stroyed. There 1 no estlinato o! the
amount of Insurance.
The Woodbine hotel block and
Dufterine block were also badly itain
aged. The fhlcl suflcrers in those
block were the Slater Shoe compniiy,
the Gundy Music company, Calder'a
photorguph supplies, and Raver's sta
tionery stock and Conrudly, drugs.
The tdectrlc light and power service
was cut off owing to the lire, and all
newspaper olllies are in diukness.
Tim Free Press office, In the rear of the
Hulliuau block, escaped injury.
JAPANESE GUNBOAT LOST.
EXCHANGE IDEAS ON WARSHIPS.
of
Boy nillcd to "WorK Spell."
Kingston, Island of St. Vincent, Oct
17. Police investigation into the mat
ter of the murder of a little whits Ixiy
whose heait and dismembered bands
were found in ttie house ot a negio
sorcerer in the Island of St. Lucia, has
resulted in the arrest of a seemingly
intelligent negro and and the diwii sure
of barbarous superstition that survive
to a startling extent in the Vet In
dies. The child, it appear was the
victim of the deire of the man now in
custody, to "work a spell" upon the
judge of the supreme court.
Road fast Nearlng Completion.
Salt l ake City, Oct. 17. A stretch
of 80 miles Is all that intervenes now
lietween the completion of the San
Pedro, Los Angde A Salt Lake load,
which In to Join halt Lake City and
I os Ang' h s, Cal. Tracklavlng from
Cailcnto, Nev., bus now readied tin
Vegas branch In Southern Nevada,
which is but 47 mile from tint Cali
fornia line. The work from Daggett,
Cal., Is also being actively pushed.
Part of the 80-mile stretch is graded.
Company Declares Dividend.
Chicago, Oct. 17. 1 lie usua 1 quarter
ly dividend of $2 per share from net
earnings was declared today by the Pull
man company, The annual statement
for the fiscal year ending July 81,
shows th net surplus for the year ol
$3,741,025.
Wreckage from Troopshla.
San Francicso.Oct. 15. The schoon
er (iotama, which arrived here early
this morning from Knrlie tsland, re
port that on August 4, when 40 miles
moth southwest of Csihs Curat, she
sidhted a mass of floating wreckage.
She made out iiartsol a mast. Csptsln
Macomlier later succeeded In getting
closer to the wreckage, and established
that It was from the Japanese troop
ship Klnshiu Maru, w hich was sunk by
tbe Russians last April, when 2w per
Ishfd. Entangled in the wreckage were
a imnilier of hendle trunk. ,
Important Conference Attended by
British Expert.
Washington, Oct. 14. An important
conference was held at the White
House this evening by tbe president
Admiral Dewev, Secretary of the Navy
Morton, Sir William White, formerly
naval ch ef of tbe British nnvy, Ad
ndral Cppe, chief naval constructor
of the Uulbd States navy, ltiar Admir
al Conve sc. di'"f of bureau ot nsviga
Hon, Rear Adr i al Frederick Rodger,
Rear Admiral h. I). Evan and Coin
mander Sims, Inspector of target prac
tice of the United State navy. The
general suhji-ct of battleship ronstiuc
lion wss considered at the conference,
views beinif sxchanged between Sir
William White and the American
naval officers.
The conference was called by the
president, Sir William White being
asked to attend. Sir William favored
the construction of llgbl ing ships and
not those that could run sway. This
met with the president's approval.
The idea foilnd favor to have sold many
of the gnnbosti and cruisers, purchased
luring the recent war, which are
maintained at great expense, and whose
complement of office)! Could lie used
advantageously on th new battleships
Ik! Yen Strikes a Mine, and Nearly
200 Persons are Drowned.
Toklo, Oct. 13. The Japanese gun
boat I lei Yen struck a mine of! Pigtott
hay on the night of Seplemler 18 and
foundered, It Is officially tUI that
197 men were lost. Those rescued
managed to reach Chiao Pal island,
from which they were rescued. Per
mission was today gianted by the au
thorities to publish the details of th
disaster.
I be Hei ven, which was engaged in
guard duty off Pigeon bay, was missed
by the fleet, and a search for the vessel
was immediately begun. The petty
officer ami sailor (mind on Chiao !'
Island reportel that at dusk on Sep
temher 18 a storm came up, accompan
ied by high sea. The Hei Yen endeav
ored to return to bet base, when she
suddenly struck a floating mine, which
exploded under her starboard side
amidships. The vessel tiegan t snit,
and an attempt was made to lower the
boata. The boats were swamped and
the ciew Jumped into the sea, wtere,
owing to the heavy com Iters, they were
quietly drowned.
Tho Japanese fleet caielully searched
tbe patrolled locality, but failed U find
any other survivors.
'An official armour cement ol the
disaster, issued today, says:
"It is highly regrettable that no re
port in any form ha been recevled of
the fate of the other survivors, Tho
sad evert wa made worst) on acdiiint
of the weather, which mint have added
itreatly to the already awiul remit
caused by the ixplo Ion of the mine."
CAUGHT WITH HIS MOLDS.
Secret Service Men Swoop Down on
Counterfeiter al Work.
Seattln. Oct. l:l. United State Sec-
Passing of Negro Roustabouts.
New Or.ean. Oct. 15. The passing
of the negro as a roustabout, marking
an epoch In stearnboatlng on the M !!
sinoi. was witnessed by a large riowd
of people, w ho today saw HO while men
sent here from Western aim northern
cities, no to work at the steamboat
I ml ing In place of the colored men
For years the steamboat men hsve suf
fered from the strikes ol negro roosters
who sometime have demanded as high
a $150 a month.
Great Dockworkcrs' Strike Ends,
Marseilles, Oct 15. Tbe coal besv
r who have len on strike for nearly
two month have agreed to resume
work on the employers' condition,
This bring the great dockworkers
strike to to rpd.
ret Service Agent Bell, of this lily, to
day descended upon a counterfeiter's
cabin in the woods nine mile west i f
Tacoma and captured H. N. Stone vir
tually in the act ot manufacturing
spurious United State half dollars,
quarter and dimes. Mi. Bell was as
sisted in the raid by a deputy United
States marshal, two Tacoma detective)
and a special secret service agent w h-
ha Iteen working on the case for two
weeks.
One of the most elaborate outfits ever
captured in the Northwest wa seised
together with the mollis, which yero
liscovered in a stove, where Ihey had
been placed to dry only a few minute
before. Stone rorilesseil Ills guilt when
confronted with theevidciice., but main
tained that he was only "experiment
ing" and had not actually put any o!
the counterfeit money into circulation.
Tim cabin in which Stone conducted
his operations I locatrd In a dense
swamp, entirely removed Irom human
habitation. It Is conceded that It
would hardly have been discovered hsd
not the secret service officers secured a
clew In Seattln, where a considerable
part of the Isyout wss purchased.
Dewey Offers to Assume Command
Wishimton. Oct. 14. Admiral
Dewey has againiffered to assume corn
mand of the combined fleet In the Car
ibhean sea and direct the winter man
stiver. It lit services can lie spared
Irom the presidency of the general
board at t ha time Secretary Morton
will certainly accept the admiral
offer. It I probable the admiral will
leave In the Mayflower early In the
new year and assume command of the
fleet at (iliantanamo. ihe fleet will
reach (iliantanamo between January
ami 10.
Suffering In Mexlto.
Denver, Oct. 14. A New special
from Albuquerque say:. Seventy
dwelling In San Martial, 80 miles
south of Albuquerque, have been
wrecked by the floods of the pant week
and there I gn at suffering and deati
tut on there. The plight of the Mexi
can peoplain Ihe surrounding valley is
terrible, am! hundred must starve tin
les Immediate 'telp I furnished from
the outside. Not only the crop and
stores, but their land are ruined.
Snow Falls In New York
New York, Oct. 14. lbs first snow
of the Mason fell at Albany, Hchenecl
sily ami a number of other places up
the state to lay. It mulled a fast a it
fell.
Admirals of the Baltic Heel.
St. Petersburg, Oct. 13. The Official
Messenger has annr.uncetl the appoint
ment of Vice Admiral Ber.obr.off, com
mander of the first squadron of the Pa
rlflc fleet, to b senior admiral of the
Baltic fleet, and ot Rear Admiral
llautie, naval commander, at the Port
of Vladivostok, to lie Junior admiral of
the Baltic fleet. Rear Admliol dreve
will sin cced.Kesr Admiral llaupt a
commander at the Port of Vladivostok.
Admiral Jensen will assume command
of the first Pacific squadron.
Predicted China Would Profit.
London, Oct. D! The Time today
publishes the summary ot a letter al
leged to have been written by LI Hnng
Chang shortly before hi death, pre
dicting that little harm would como
from allowing the Russian to liohl
Manchuria, because it would lead to
war between Russia and Japan, ami
then China, by espousing the winning
side, would be able to recover Man
churia. Russians Hold Railways.
Mukden, Oct. 13. The baltlo com
mented this morning along the line of
the railroad with a terrific artillery fire
on both sides. The railway line al
most to Yental I In possession of tho
Russians. '