TY ffi
MOTTOAH The Nctts When It Is Ncirg.
State Hi
st0'ical Society,
VOLUME XVIII
DAKOTA CITY, NEB., FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1910.
-NUMBER 25
DAKOTA
COVN
IEMAILD
LATEST BY TELEGRAPK
SUMMARY OF THE NEWS OF
THE WHOLE WORLD.
BLAST KILLS FIVE
II ANY OTIIF.RS IXJIKKI) IN
iowrEit kxplosiox.
Several Buildings of Trojun Plant at
Sun Lorenzo, Cnl., Destroyed by l-'lrc
Which Follow Wreck Scores of
Lives lii I'erll.
An explosion In the plant of the
Trojan powder works at San Lorenzo,
Cal., Thursday cost the lives of five
men and a property loss of $50,000.
Four other employes were seriously,
If not fatally. Injured, and a dozen
more, including Superintendent Mar
tins, were burned and bruised, narrow
ly escaping death.
Why half a hundred men were not
blown to atoms is a mystery. In a
magazine In the center of the twenty
live buildings that made up the plant
were stored 75,000 pounds of powder,
ready for shipment. Fire followed the
explosion, and ten of the buildings
were burned, surrounding the maga
zine with a wall of, flames through
which rescuers dared not venture.
With the exception of Ueubon
Tharp, chemist at the works, all of the
dead were workmen. The first warn
ing if the disaster was the outbreak of
a fire In the mixing room. The Maze
had hardly been noticed when the ex
plosion followed, its force wrecking
neighborhood buildings and hurling
one of the mixers hundreds of feet
through the air. Nearly half a hun
dred men and women were in and
near the plant, and they were thrown
to the ground by the violence of the
blast. Fire followed, leaping from
building to building, and the injured
pinned under the debris of collapsed
buildings, were threatened with inetn
oration. The roar of the explosion
drew hundreds of persons, and by he
role exertions the dead and maimed
were dragged from the ruins. Only
when It became known that the maga
zine was threatened by the llames and
another and more terrific explosion
v.was possible-at" any moment -did ihfir
exports relax.
It is possible that other bodies may
be found in the ruins.
FRAUD CHARGE DROUGHT.
Decatur, 111., Man Files Suit Against u
Gas Company.
Charging that he had been defraud'
ed out of property valued at $90,000
Dorville Rrooks, of Decatur, 111., tiled
complaint in the United States district
court at Indianapolis, Ind.. against
Owen L. Carr, John A. Tillsworth, S,
E. Hamlin and George W. Infield, of
Itushville, Ind. Rrooks In his com
plaint says he turned over property in
Chicago, liloomington, III., and Piano,
III., for bonds of the RushviUc Gas
company, The gas plant, he says, was
represented to him as being worth
more than $100,000 and being oper
ated at a monthly profit of $2,000. Af
ter Investigation of the plant at Rush-
vllle he now charges that the plant
has not been in operation for five year
and is worth less than $500.
ANOTHER BOMB IS THROWN.
Duo to War Between Residents and
Owners of West Side Resorts.
An echo of the war between res!-
dents and the west side resorts occur
red in Chicago when an attempt was
made to wreck with a bomb a three-
story building. The building is owned
by Max Plummer, who leased it to
Michael Heitler, both of whom figured
prominently at the trial of Police In
spector Edward McCann.
This is the second bomb thrown in
the underworld war, which has been
raging ever since the conviction of
the police inspector.
The explosion followed closely that
which damaged a building owned by
Louis and Julius Frank.
The Frank brothers were also im
portant witnesses at the McCann trial
No arrests have been made.
Stove Foundry Burns.
The extensive plant of the Western
fitove Foundry at Peoria, III., was de
stroyed by fire at 10 o'clock Thursday
nigni, wiin a loss or $10,000. Several
other largo manufacturing concerns
were threatened, but the firemen pre
vented the blaze from fpreading.
Train Kills Rnllro.-id Men.
Fred Inhauser and James Hasans
... jl . . '
rmpioyes or tne Illinois Central rail
road, were killed nt Manteno, 111., by
stepping in front of one train to avoid
another on on adjoining track.
Sioux City Live Stock .Market.
Thursday's quotations on the Sioux
Tity live stock market follow: Top
beeves, $6.65. Top hogs, $9.00.
. Tillman's Condition Serious.
United States Senator lienjamln R.
Tillman, of South Carolina, is serious
ly ill and possibly will bo unable to
participate in any active deliberation
of the senate for the remainder of this
session.
Anti-Food Trust Director.
Mrs. Max Schwartz, of Syracuse,, N.
Y., has been appointed director of the
state anti-food trust league outside of
Greater New York.
COLD'S GRIT SEVERE.
Middle West and South lilt by Fierce
Storms.
A severe storm, amouhtlng In some
places to a blizzard and bringing to
other localities ft heavy downfall of
snow driven by a wind of almost hur
ricane violence, swept over the west,
northwest and southwest Wednesday.
The storm extended as far east as
Indianapolis, where from 6 r. m. to
7 p. m. nine Inches of snow fell.
Twelve Inches of snow is reported at
Terre Haute.
The storm reached into Oklahoma
with a violent hail and sleet down
fall and into northern Texas, Kansas,
Iowa, Arkansas, Missouri and Minne
sota. The storm played havoc in the
Rocky mountain states, where it de
layed for hours the transcontinental
passenger trains. ,
At Denver in the twenty-four hours
ending Wednesday the temperature
dropped 68 degrees. In other Colora
do cities the icy wind was so severe
it unroofed bu'ldings and blew in win
dows. In the mountains the wind blew
75 miles an hour. In Wyoming a drop
of 63 degrees was reported. At Chey
enne it was 4 below and at Lander 8
below zero.
A heavy loss of live stock was feared
in Oklahoma, wher the wind and sleet
made suffering intense. Rnllroad and
telegraphic service was badly affect
ed in the weston part of the state.
Much suffering wns also reported in
Knnsas and Missouri.
Seattle reported the Northern Ta-
tra'ns due there seven to fourteen
hours late on account of the heavy
snow in Montana.
Four persons, negro patients nt a
smallopx detention camp near Oklaho
ma City, Oklu, have been frozen to
death and nine others of those under
detention are reported in a critical
condition as a result of exposure.
In western Texas great louses on
the ranges are being reported. In
Oklahoma City 2.000 men are tempo
rarily thrown out of "employment
Street car service Is Intermittent in
Tulsa.
DEATH CLAIMS ONE MORE.
Figures in Scandal Pursued by Strange
Fatality.
The strange fatality that pursued
some of the principal figures in the
capitol scandal at Harrisburg, Pa., was
again brought to public mind Wed
nesday when John 15. Stott, one of the
chief witnesses in the celebrated case
was found -dea;1 in the bafh room of
the house where he made his home
in Harrisburg. He is the sixth man
in the case to die. His death was due
to heart trouble.
Stott was secretary of the board of
public grounds and buildings, which
let many of the contracts for furnish
lng the capitol that brought more
than a dozen men to the bar of jus
tice. He was a witness in two trials
and was to take the stand in the case
of Joseph M. Huston, architect of the
capitol, whose trial will come up next
month.
Two of the six men who died were
under a two years' sentence, one was
awaiting trial and two were important
witnesses. Resides these, one of the
many men under indictment has been
confined In an insane asylum.
KLKIXS' XIECE SHOOTS SELF.
Fires Bullet Into Body in a Hotel In
Kansas City.
Miss Agnes Elkins, a niece of Unit
ed States Senator Stephen li. Elkins
of West Virginia, shot herself Wednes
day at her room at a Kansas City ho
tel. The bullet passed through her
body below the heart. The physicians
believe she has a chance for life.
A note found on the dressing table
read :
"I am tired of life and have no
home nor friends."
Miss Elkins is 25 years old. Her
mother died about a year ago and
nhortly afterwards she went to New
York against the wishes of her rela
tlves in this city to apply for an en
gagement on the stage. Senator El
kins induced her to visit him at El
kins, W. Va., but could not change her
determination to become an actress,
She returned two weeks ago to prose
cute a damage suit against the Metro
politan Street Railway company fo
$25,000 for injuries received a yea
ago, but the case was postponed.
Why Miss Elkins tried to end her
life is not known. She bought a re
volver and later wrote soveral letters,
Tuesday night she entertained friend
In her apartment and told them, a
they believed jokingly, that she wa
considering suicide. They laughed n
her. After the revolver snot was
heard Miss Elkins was found lying
across the bed.
Mexican Wheat Shortage.
l'.ecause of a shortage of wheat in
Mexico, the rate of duty has been re
duced by the Mexican governmen
from 3 cents to 1 cent a kilometer.
Bishop of Hurl ford.
The pope has approved the appoint
ment of Rev. John J. Nilan, of Ames
iry, Mass., as bishop of Hartford
Conn.
Wattcrson 70 Years Old.
Henry Watterson, editor of th
Louisville, Ky., Courier-Journal, Wed
nesday celebrated his 70th birthday a
Naples-on-the-Gulf, Florida.
For a Jewish Colony.
A. Levi, of Chicago, has purchase
35,000 acres of farm land In Plerc
county, Ga., to be used in the Jewish
agricultural movement Inaugurated 1
1889.
TRIBUTE TO SAILORS.
Maine's Dead Remembered In Havana
Harbor.
The twelfth anniversary of the de-
strucon of tho battleship Maine was
nserved In Havana harbor Tuesday
with more elaborate ceremony than
ny anniversary since the tragedy.
A fleet of tugboats and yachts bcar-
ng the members of the newly organ-
zed Havana company, United Spanish
War Veterans, the Daughters of tho
American Revolution, the members of
the American legation and consular
officers, many members of the Ameri
can club, representatives of the Cuban
government and hundreds of tourists
and American residents visited the
wreck, where the service for the dead
wns read by Rev. Albion W. Knight,
Protestant Episcopal bishop of Cuba.
After this a bronze commemorative
tablet from the Daughters of tho
American Revolution, a floral medall
ion from the Spanish War Veterans, a
wreath from President Gomez and
many other floral tributes were de
posited on the wreck.
Addresses were made by MaJ. Wal
ter 8. Hale and Col. Edward J. Gl-
hon, both of Boston, respectively the
commander In chief and past com
mander In chief of the United Spanish
War Veterans, who came here for this
purpose.
Several other speeches were made
nd in all of them the earnest wish
wns expressed that this would be the
ast decoration of the wreck and
that before the next nnnlversary the
wreck, would bo, completely removed
nnd tho dead within Its shattered hulk
lid reverently in American soil.
The ceremonies closed with the ren
dering of a dirge and taps by the mu
nicipal band.
Later the veterans visited President
Gomez, who spoke sympathetically of
the great tragedy which had
been commemorated and congratulat
ed the veterans on tho part taken by
them In securing the Independence of
Cuba.
GOOD HAUL BY RANK ROBBERS.
They Make EscaM with Ten Thousand
in Cash.
Early Tuesday burglars blew the
safe of the Citizens bank of Chats-
Worth, HI., nnd escaped to tho south
with a team, taking $8,000 in currency
and $2,000 In silver. Night Watchman
William Cahill and Albert Kerber, a
citizen, wer"e bound and gagged.
Night Marshall William Cahill was
taken unawnri-s; nt the city pumping
station abont 1 o'clock by two of tho
desperadoes and bound and gagged
nnd taken to a garage directly opposite
the bank. With Cahill out of the way
the bank door was forced and work on
the safe commenced.
Mr. Kerber, a baker in the confec
tionery next to the bank, was espied
by one of the lookouts en route to tho
bakeshop, and he In turn was caught,
tied hand and foot and dragged Into
the bank, where he lay until 4 o'clock
when he was able to loosen himself
nnd give the alarm.
In the meantime the safe door wns
soaped and blown open, presumably
with nitroglycerin. With the $10,000
safely stowed away the robbers left
the bank, secured n rig in which they
are supposed to have entered the town,
and drove east.
Stephen Horr, president and owner
of the bank, was Immediately notified
nnd got in connection with the sheriff's
office at Bloomington and the chase
commenced.
The loss to the bank, it Is -under
stood, is covered by insurance.
FALLS FIVE STORIES.
Window Cleaner Lauds on the Buck
of a Sutrdy Miner.
John Knuffman, of New York, a
young window cleaner, fell backwards
and shot downward five stories Tues
day only to land on the back of James
Girdwood, a miner of East Orange, N.
J., who happened to be passing at the
time.
Both of Kauffmnn's legs and arms
were broken, but had he not struck
the human buffer he would have flat
tened out on the pavement. Girdwood
was scarcely hurt. -
German Grain Firms Fall.
The failure of seven grain firms in
tho provinces of Schlesweg-Holsteln
and Hanover was nnnounced in the
produce exchange at Hamburg Tues
day. The failures were due in part
to speculative engagements in soda ni
trate, and partly to short selling of
barley.
Militia Guard a Negro.
To prevent a lynching four compa
nies of state militia were ordered to
guard the Jail at Mobile, Ala., Tuesday
night, where Eustis Moserley, the ne
gro who Is churged with attacking
Kiitle Walters last Saturday, Is con
fined. Ilurglnrs Get $1,000 worth of Jewelry.
Three burglars Monday night at
tacked Mr. and Mrs. Jack Wyman, of
Peoria. 111., In their cottage at Hot
Springs, Ark., and bound, gagged and
robbed them of Jewelry valued ut $4,.
000.
Pastor Cuts Ills Throat.
Oliver Stocking, pastor of tho Eman
uel Methodist Episcopal church of
Roxborough, Pu., was found dead
Tuesday in his home with his throat
cut. It is believed he committed sui
cide. Colliery Resumes Work.
Tho Old Orchard colliery In Guern
sey county, O., Idle for the past two
years, has resumed operations, giving
employment to 300 men.
NEBRASKA
Doings of tho Week
in Condensed Form
NEARLY 100 YEARS OLD.
Mrs. Teresa Cleveland, of Lyons,
Passes Awuy.
Mrs. Teresa 13. Cleveland died at the
home of her daughter-in-law, Mrs.
Julio- Cleveland. Lyons, Wednes
day night, aged 100 years, lacking nine
months. She was born In Cavlnovla,
N. Y., November 15, 1810; was mar
ried to Giles Cleveland at Syracuse, N.
Y., In 1836; had two sons, Edward and
A. Houghton, both of whim are dead,
but their wives survive them. Mrs.
Kate Cleveland, wife of Edward, lives
at Detroit, Mich., and Mrs. Julia Cleve
land, with whom Grandma Cleveland
made a very plvusaut homo for many
years, lives nt Lyons. These two sls-ters-ln-law
are the only surviving rela
tives except tlie grand children and
great grandchildren, n' which there
are three of the former and seven of
the latter. "
The remains were taken to Tecum-,
eeh, Mich., for burial by the side of
those of her husband.
Epidemic of Apcndlcitis.
Raymond Walter was operated on
at Lyons for nppendlrits at his father's
home north of town, lie is a pupil of
the Jefferson school and on the first
day of the month was a pallbearer nt
the funerul of 'a schoolmate who died
of appendicitis.'. He is in a fair way to
recover, but tWs makes two cases In
this school during February, which,
with the three cases near town,
make five In all, two of which proved
fatalwlthout even warning enough to
secure an operation, nnd all following
each other In such quick succession
that people are alarmed at Its preva
lence and are anxiously asking if ap
pendicitis Is contagious.
Colt of Calf Which?
Freak animals are often born, but
none has ever came Into existence that
has puzzled scientists more than the
calf mothered by a cow on tho rnnrh
of Victor Hendricks, near Ashland.
While this calf lived but two weeks,
during that brief period It kept peo
ple busy guessing as to its parentage.
It had the perfect body of u colt and
two well formed heads. One was the
head of a calf and the other the head
of a colt. From one head, when the
animal was scured or excited came the
voice of a colt and from the other the
bleutlng of a calf.
North Pintle Court Culcndnr.
A short term of tho federal courts
for the North Platte district has been
fixed for February 28. The Jury will
be called on March 1. Threo criminal
cases will be heard at the North Platte
term. They are: The United States
against John P. Kelly, Indicted for
perjury in a bankruptcy case; Levi
Kilgore, indicted for' the theft of a
quantity of postage stumps from the
postofflce at Roscoe, Neb., and Gustav
Rentzch, Indicted for mailing non
mailable matter.
Reunion at Lynch.
Tho matter of arranging for the
northeast Nebraska G. A. R. reunion
was taken up by a mass meeting of
the business men of Lynch. It wns de
cided to leave nothing undone that will
insure a great success of the day as
far as Lynch is concerned. After a lib
eral discussion it was decided to set
tho date of the reunion on Tuesday,
Wednesduy, Thursday, Friday, August
2, 3, 4, 5, 1910.
Superintendent Wenlund Burned.
Mr. Wenland, superintendent of the
Clay Center schools, met with a serl
acctdent In school. In the chemical
laboratory he saw the water covering
the phosphorus had nearly evuporated
and knowing tho danger should it be
come exposed to the air he picked up
the dish to throw it from the building
and in doing so it exploded, severely
burning his hands und limbs, In places
tho burns extending to the bone.
Stock Brings High Figure.
J. W. Knowles and son, living one
miles north of Craig, held a farm 'and
thoroughbred hog sale, everything
bringing a good price. Twenty-two
head of Poland-China sows sold for
on average of $76.43, the top price be
ing $130. Forty-four head of pigs av
eraged $11.95. A bay maro sold for
$202.50. Cattle sold as high as $62.50.
A record crowd attended.
Allen Commercial Club Feast.
The first banquet of thu Commer
cial club was one of the most elaborate
and successful ever given in Allen.
Over 200 plates were served. Both
floors of the Masonic hall wi-ro used,
each being beautifully decorated with
tho club colors, pink and green. A fine
musical program was given.
Horses Have "Pink Eje."
A disease much like tht pink eye
Is affecting the whole herd of horses
belonging to a farmer by the name of
Wm. McCartney. His neighbors are
apprehensive lest It spread to their
own herds.
Wedding at Lyons.
Oscar Bering and Miss Edna linker
were married at the home of the bride
at Lyons, and a big reception wa giv
en In tonor of tho event
It
STATE NEWS
HAS LINCOLN LETTER.
Mrs. John Brucknian Has One Written
Before War.
Mrs. John M. Brockmun, of Hum
boldt Is the possessor of a letter writ
ten t3 her husband by President Abra
ham Lincoln. The lato Mr. Brockman
and Mrs. Brockman were both born In
Illinois, the former in 1841. Mr. Lin
coln In making campaign speeches fre
quently was In the Brockman neigh
borhood in Illinois during the 60s, and
not long before his death, a couple of
years ago, Mr. ltrocknvsn related his
remembrance of a visit from Lincoln
at his father's home. Young Brock
man nnd Lincoln became acquainted,
nnd when the former had reached an
age to decide upon a career for the
future he wrote to Mr. Lincoln, asking
his advice about taking up the study
of law and Its advisability us a pro
fession. It Is Mr. Lincoln's reply to
this letter that has been carefully
guarded In the Hrockinan family ever
since some time before the civil war.
Business Changes at Ansley,
Herman & Kern will open a new
stock of clothing at tho Dr. Hanna
building, which tho First ' National
bank will vacate this month. Herman
H Kern will be ready for business by
March 1.
C. C. Cooper nnd J.inies Vnrney will
open a general store In tho building
now occupied by the C.-F. S. Stlnemlcr
drug stock when Stlnemlcr moves Into
his fine new brick building recently
completed. '
The First National bank will occupy
Its new brick bank building.
Howard & Richards, of Ravenna
have recently put In a full stock of
farm Implements nnd Frank How
ard will make his home ut Ansley.
The new Catholic church complet
ed since tho new year. This year An
sley will build a new school building.
The prospects nro very favorable for
a good crop and the farmers are busy
getty ready for the year's work.
DRAGGED BY VICIOUS HORSE.
Poor Catches In Stirrup as He Falls
Skull Is Fructurcd.
L. M. Hodges, a prominent furmer
living two miles south of Wood River,
wus dragged by a villous horse with
tho result that his skull was fractured
and it Is probable thai ho will die. He
had started for a neighbor's on horse
back and the animal ran under some
trees, striking hid heud ugalnst an
overhanging branch. He was knocked
from the saddle, his foot catching In
tho stirrup. His skull Is fractured
In two places and doctors huve no
hope of his recovery.
Wcullhy Pair Surprise Friends,
Miss Annie Evans, of Stella, and
Will Schrader, of Hiawatha, Kan.,
were married at Atchison, Kan., this
week and went to St. Louis to spend
their honeymoon. They will reside on
a farm near Adrian, Mo. The marriage
means a union of much wealth, as the
groom's family represent $90,000 of
farming Interests in Brown county,
Kan., and the bride is an only child
and will Inherit property to the value
of about $30,000. Sho left Stella
alone In the night and, except her pa
rents, no one knew of the wedding
until announcement curds were re
ceived.
Ruby Chokes on Grain of Corn.
The 13-months-old baby, an onl
child of Mr. and Mrs. Huns Madsen,
northwest of Hampton, Bwallowed a
kernel of corn, which caused Its death
while on tho way to Aurora, where the
parents were taking it for medical
assistance after everything possible
had been tried in the home by tho lo
cal physician to extract the kernel.
After death an internal examination
was made nnd the torn found In the
windpipe.
Poisoned by Spoiled Oysters.
Mrs. 13. S. Kentner Is very 111 at hei
home In Kearney us the result of eat
ing oysters that were stale. Mr. nnd
Mrs. Kentner were both victims of
ptomaine poisoning, hut Mr. Kentner
ate so many of the spoiled oysters thut
It acted as an emetic and he escaped
any serious sickness, but his wife, who
had partaken very lightly, has been
very sick, and doctors express tho
opinion that the Illness Is of a very
serious nature.
Skips Rope ut H3.
Grandma Deltz, of Falls City, will
celebrute her 8.'!d birthday next week.
Sho has worked bard ull her life and
still keeps ut the work, yet has never
known u sick day. At the age of 83
sho can skip a rope or jump a fence
without any bad effects.
Odd Fellows Rally,
The Odd Fellows are arnuiglng tc
hold a big rally and class Initiation In
Ncbruska City ut the Overland thea
ter on Murch 17. All of tho lodges in
that district will Join In the move
ment und will bu assisted by the Re
bekahs. It will bo an all-day session,
followed by u class initiation In the
evening in tho lodge room. Elabo
rate arrangements huve been made
for the entertainment c" those who
attend.
U. S. WOM'T DROP II
f ederal Officials, Considering Plan
to Abolish Five-Cent Piece,
' Hear Wall of Protest.
IS CALLED NECESSARY COIN.
Stands for Mors Fixed Values Than
Any Other Denomination, as
Varied Dally Uses Prove.
Officials of tho Treasury Department
sometimes discuss the nation's some
what cumbersome coinage and make
suggestions to one another that this
or that change might bring relief to
the working forces of th department.
Generally theso discussions do not go
beyond the Inner circle where they
originate, no chango is made, or even
suggested seriously, and the work of
tho rliint goe8on as before.
Recently, however, the fact leaked
out that tlte 5-cent piece, or "nlckiu,"
had been under discussion nnd that
the government might ask Congress
to pass a law eliminating It front the
national coinage. Small llkelil.oo.l
exists, or ever did exist, that such a
stop would be taken, but for a short
time considerable auxlety developed in
nil parts of the country lest the useful
and popular "nickel" should disappear
from tho circulating medium.
The fact is the government could
afford to dispense wllh almost any
coin rather than the 5-cent piece. It
stands for more stable prices than any
other. The 5-cent coin for two genera
tlons at least has been the fixed price
of so many things that people would
be at complete loss how to proceed
without It. True, hundreds of thou
sands ot 5-ccnt pieces are lost each
year, but that Is due largely to the
amazing uuo to which this little coin
Is put. The' uses of business require
tho colnago of a greater number of
"nickels" than of nny other coin.
It has been said that lta universal
u:ie ns the price of a fare on the street
cars Is the cause of its retention, but
that can hardly lx? so, as it enters very
largely Into lha price of so many other
things thnt It could not be dispensed
with if the price of the car fare were
changed.
The "nickel" Is extensively used in
telephone calls.i It wns formerly more
than now the open sesame of the pop
ular slot machine, for which It still
does extensive duty. It Is the price of
admission to the fast-multiplying pic
ture shows in all parts of the country.
The now-fashioned boot-Bhlntng parlor
charges a "nickel." Tho soda fountain,
growing In populnr favor, deals
mostly In '"nickels." Ice cream fn
summer time goes for 5 cents, and the
charge for a myriad of things in the
pharmacy and the D-cent store requires
this coin.
Toronto (Canada) blacksmiths re
cently formed a union.
Shoe workers of Arroya, Porto Rloo,
huve formed a union.
The Machinists' Union in Milwau
kee has gained more than one hun
dred members since August.
Plans are on for the organization of
all labor in Santuree and Kan Juan,
Porto Rico.
Tho Printing Pressmen and Assist
ants' Union hus Indorsed the proposi
tion to establish a home for consump
tives. Claims aro made for the carpenters'
union at Minneapolis, Minn., that it is
now the largest union west of Chi
cago. A Statewide campaign to secure the
passage of an employers' liability law
In Illinois similar to one which has re
ceived the Indorsement of officials of
the American Federation of Labor will
oon be in full swing.
It, has been decided that the Mass i-
chusetts Legislature be petitioned tc
enuct a minimum wage law of $2. "5 a
day for all State laborers, and partic
ularly for those employed by tho wati-r,
sewer and park boards.
The sailors' union of the Paclllc,
which has already donated $13,000 to
the striking sailors of the Great Lukes,
has voted to donate $30,000, which may
be drawn in one sum or In such sums
as the strike committee may desire.
It is estimated that about 2,000 op
eratives in all have gone out on striko
In Fall River, Fltcliburg, Flubervllle,
North Adams and at several other
points becauso of a reduction In wages
caused by the new flfty-slx hour law.
Kfforts are being made to form an
organization of car men at Portland,
Maine, to be alllllated with the Itroth-
i-ihood of Railroad Car Men of Ameri
ca. There Is such a degree of conlldt nee
between tho members of the Wood.
Wire and Metal lathers' Union, of
Roston, Mass., and the employers that
neither oaks for a written working
agreement. They meet each yeur und
reach a verbal understanding as to
how "things shall run during- the year,"
and such an agreement hus never been
broken.
The federal census of manufactures,
mines, quarries, petroleum and natural
gas for the year 1909 has been began
under the direction of the United
States census bureau. This census, to
gether with that of population and ag
riculture, comprises the principal in
quiries embodied in the thirteenth de
cennial census. Eventually about
1,800 special agents will be employed
in making the canvass, under the su
pervision of William M. Stewart, chief
statistician for manufactures, direct
or of the Census Durand is appointing
these agents from the eligible regis
ters established as a result of the ex
amination, held Nov. 3, of candidates
for these positions. Kxtraordinary pre
cautions have been taken by Director
Durand to assure the manufacturers
that all answers will be held confiden
tial, this statement being prominently
displayed on the front pnge of the nu
merous schedules. It is alsc declared
thnt no publication will be made in
tho census reports disclosing the name
or operations of Individual establish
ments In any particular. The act of
Congress provides that the bureau of
the census shall permit only its sworn
employes to examine the Individual
reports, nnd that nny employe who
shall, without tho authority of the di
rector of the census, publish or com
municate any information coming into
his possession Bhall bo guilty of a mis
demeanor. President Taft In referring to th
fact that the postal service of thla
country is conducted at a loss ot $17,
000,000, suggested increasing the post
al rates for magazines. The govern-
Lment Is paying tho railroads more
than $50,000,000 a year for carrying
the malls. Tho charges are excessive
and could be reduced in nil fairness
sufficiently to make up for the $17,-'
000,000 deficit. Uncle Sam is paying
about $3,000,000 alone In yearly rent
als for the mail cars, fully enough to
pay the cost of their original construc
tion. Three-fourths of this expense
could be saved if tho government own
ed the pull corg. .rJVJy..J it that the
railroads can' afford to carry matter
for the express companies for a mere
fraction of what the government is
charged for the malls?
The balance of trade of tho United
States, as shown by a comparison ot
Import nnd export figures for tho last
three years, la leaning heavily toward
the deficit side of the scale. While
the Imports for 1909, amounting to
$1,475,020,203, exceeded those of the
previous year by $359,146,118, the ex
ports for 1909 totalling In value $1,
727,383,128, were less than those of
tho preceding year by $25,452,313.
A bill prepared by Secretary Ballin
ger has been introduced in the Senate.
The purpose of the measure Is to give
the department of the Interior the au
thority to sell mature, living and dead
and down timber on Indian lands, the
proceeds to be used for the benefit of
the Indians. The government has
such authority on the Minnesota res
ervations' at present, and Secretary
Bollinger wants the law made gen
eral. The General Land Office published a
statement showing that adverse reports
from Its agents have been received In
the last year on cases Involving 150,000
acres of public lands, much ot which Is
coal lands, and that during eight years
past over 50,000 acres of coal lands
have been obtained by fraud and are
now worth $10,000,000. This Is thought
to Imply some reflection on the preced
ing administration. ,
President Taft has granted a pardon
to William Des Champs," a Flathead
Indian, of Montana, because of hla
poor health. The man was found guil
ty of having introduced liquor on
the Indian reservation and was sen
tenced to sixty days In Jail and to pay
a fine. lie had taken the liquor with
him In obedience to the directions of
his physicians to alleviate his suffer
ings from tuberculosis.
It Is announced by the board of
directors of the anti-food trust league
of Washington that applications for
200,000 membership cards have been
received. The object of the organi
zation Is to secure lower prices for
food material.
Miss Helen Taft, daughter of the
President, Is lending her aid to the
several thousand shirtwalat strikers
ot 1'hlladolphlu.
Mrs. John Wilson, tho step-mother of
Secretary ot Agriculture Wilson, is
dead at Traer. Iowa, at the age ot 90
years.
The shooting and bunting of gam
by rural mail carriers while tbey are
officially employed on the service of ,
their routes, or the carrying of guns
for that purpose, is to be prohibited
in the future. An order to this effect
baa been Issued by the postofflce de
partment. Complaints were received
that delay In the delivery and collec
tion of mall wag caused at certain
places by the practice ot carriers buof
lng and shooting game.