That is What the State io Hatching at
the South Bend Pish Hatchery.
VATS FULL OF SICK AND DEAD FISH
MOKB , Mud and Poisonous Matter Saloon
Keeper Appointed Superintendent
Supplies Purchased for Hatchery Un
der Very Unbusinesslike Conditions.
SOUTH BEND , Neb. , Sept 10. The
State Fish Hatchery at South Bend con
stitutes in itself a sweeping and force
ful arraignment of Governor Poynter
and the fusion administration. If any
thing Is lacking In impeaching the in
tegrity and establishing the incom-
petency of the chief executive of the
state , this supplies it. Right here may
be found evidence of palpable negli
gence , lax and questionable business
methods , a shamefully incompetent
maangement , perversion of the public
funds and general decay and ruin of
the property.
WEEDS IN PLACE OF FISH.
The condition of the hatchery is such
that one unfamiliar with the place
would at once conclude that the state
was in the business of propagating
weeds instead of fish. In fact the work
of destruction of the fish supply has
gone on to an alarming extent , and
by the end of the present year there
will be little left of this Institution but
sad reminders. Already every vat or
pond used in the propagation of fish
is filled with weeds , moss and swamp
products. In most places the weeds rise
above the water and almost cover it
from view. The reservoirs are half
filled -with moss , mud and filth , and ,
where the water can be seen at all , the
surface reveals the presence of much
poisonous vegetable matter. The pres
ence of poison and filth manifests itself
in lethargy and death among the finny
tribe. In nearly every vat there are
sick and dead fish , which combine to
endanger the life of the entire habi
tation of the acquarlum. The moss and
weeds have grown so high and dense
that they are cut with a scythe , a most
destructive way of removing the ob
struction , so far as the fish are con
cerned. Thousands of dollars will have
to be expended to restore the hatchery
to proper condition , and much money
and time will be required to place it
in that condition where it will be of
any benefit to the state.
GROSS NEGLIGENCE AND INCOM-
PETENCY.
This is but the logical fruition of
gross negligence and incompetency.
When the fusionists assumed control
of the state government the hatchery
was in charge of M. O'Brien , who was
an experienced and practical man , and
who had had supervisory control of
it for upwards of twelve years. He
was succeeded by his son , William
O'Brien , who held the position of
superlntedent up to last August. The
latter was thoroughly schooled in the
business and under his management
the hatchery prospered. But Governor
fl ? Poynter and the fusion leaders wanted
something besides prosperity. They
wanted to use the public patronage as
a legal tender for the payment of po
litical debts. This resulted one year
ago in the retirement of O'Brien and
in the appointment of Adam Sloup , an
Omaha saloonkeeper , as superintend
ent. At that time as now , Sloup knew
nothing of the fish hatching business.
The only experience he had was in
fishing for "suckers" with effervescing
wines and liquors. To his credit , let
it be said , that he himself , at the time
of his appointment , told the governor
that he knew absolutely nothing about
the duties of the position and did not
feel fitted for the place. Despite this ,
and to placate a ravenous element of
the .Tacksonian democracy in Douglas
county , whq demanded the appoint
ment of Sloup , Governor Poynter ap
pointed him superintendent , luis was
about one year ago. As might have
been expected , the last year has been
a year of terrible havoc at the hatch
ery. Another year of such manage
ment , ad there will be nothing left the
state for the many thousands of dollars
lars expended but ruin and desolation.
Superintendent Sloup draws his sal
ary , $1,200 per year , dresses as primp
and fashionable as a gentleman of
means and affects to look wise. That
is about all he can do. He knows the
difference between a fish and a hen-
hawk , but it would be trespassing upon
the realm of uncertainty to presume
that he could distinguish between a
German carp and a black bass. As for
the species of fish , the manner in which
they propagate , or the particular care
which should be accorded , he knows
practicaly nothing. An instance of this
may be recited as evidence : Each year
it has been the custom for the super
intendent to go to Bay City , Mich. , for
pike spawn or eggs. Up to the pres
ent year this has always been done.
This year it has not , for the simple
reason that neither the superintendent
nor any one connected with the hatch
ery was competent to do it. Had the
superintedent gone he was just as apt
to bring baclc the eggs or larvae of
some pestiferous insect as the spawn
of pike , and , rather than assume the
risk , the praccice was abandoned. Had
prudence and care been exercised in
the selection cf workmen at the hatch
ery the blunder in selecting an incom
petent superintendent would not have
been so disastrous. But again was
party expediency consulted , with the
result that there is not a man around
the hatchery , from superintendent
down , who is qualified. There are two
workmen at the hatchery in addition
to the superintendent. Each draws a
salary of $40 per month. Their names
are C. E. Streight and Sumner Barnell.
Neither is of much service to the state.
Barnell is known as a man who takes
the world easy. Were it not for the
proper solution of economic problems
the mantle of care would rest lightly
upon him. This worries him. Before
he was placed on the pay roll , he had
a two-acre farm at South Bend. While
the weeds were working out the de
struction of his potato crop and pro
duce garden he was abstracting brain
fodder from "Coin" Harvey. As a >
patron of husbandry he was no less a
failure than as fish hatcher. At any
rate Barnell sold his "farm" and land
ed hlB name on the pay roll of the
state at $40 per month. He is now
at the hatchery , whore , among the
everglades and thickets of native and
exotic vegetation , he can evolve such
panaceas as are intended to remove
economic afflictions , to his heart's con
tent. If the fish sicken and die
through neglect , that Is of no concern.
THE FUNDS DISSIPATED.
The last legislature appropriated $6-
800 for the maintenance of the hatch
ery. This Is nearly exhausted. Al-
teady there is a shortage In some of
the funds. The last payment from the
labor fund was made February 23,1900.
Since that time the laborers have re
ceived no pay. The state owes them
for seven months' work already , and it
will be about seven months more before
they will receive pay , if , indeed , they
are pa'd at all , for those familiar with
the condition of the hatchery are of
the opinion that the state will close
it and go out of the business. There
is just $21 In the labor fund , though
the pay roll will require at least $1,100 ,
the way things are being managed , be
fore another appropriation Is available.
There is scarcely a fund that is not
withering under the raids that are be
ing made on the treasury , and that
there will be a large shortage or de
ficit , unless these raids are abated , is
self evident.
C. E. Streight , one of the laborers at
the hatchery , speaking of the matter ,
said : "It's prety tough to work when
'you don't get your pay for it. The
state owes me now for four months'
work and I expect it will be ten
months before I get paid. "
"How do you account for it ? "
"I don't exactly know. I think if j
the labor fund had been properly used [
It wouldn't have been so bad. I un
derstand that the repairing of the
dams and such work was charged up
to the labor fund. "
Whether this be true or not , that the
repairs were charged up to th i labor
fund , cannot at this time be verified ,
as no "vouchers for labor had been re
ceived at the time of writing from the
superintendent for record at the aud
itor's office since the month of May.
At any rate the fund is exhausted , and
that , too , without deducting the cost
of repairs of the dams.
Indirectly it was learned that it cost
the state § 750 for repairing three small
dams , though why it should
be so expensive , a superficial
investigation failed to disclose. !
Vouchers for this work should !
be on file in the auditor's office long
|
since. Whether held back designedly
or not , nobody appears to know. The
only person qualified to explain is
Superintendent Sloup and he was ab
sent from his post of duty when the
hatchery was visited. Some said he
was in Omaha attending to his saloon
business , and others , that he was at
a democratic convention.
LAX BUSINESS METHODS.
Selecting a saloonkeeper of scarcely |
ordinary business intelligence for the
superintendency of an institution re
quiring , among other things , specific
knowledge of fish and fish propagation
was a blunder palpable on its face , and
one that will cost the state no small
amount of money. And , by the way ,
Superintendent Sloup is still in the sa
loon business , his establishment being
located at the corner of Fourteenth and
Williams streets in the city of Omaha.
He has a partner in the business named
Kruml , and the saloon is run under
the firm name of Sloup & Kruml.
Whether Mr. Sloup is successful , from
a business standpoint , in the manage
ment of his saloon , is of no public
concern. Mr. Sloup is herein consid
ered , not as saloon-keeper , but as a
public official. Certain it is , however ,
that if Mr. Sloup paid no more atten
tion to the business details of his sa
loon than he does to the hatchery his
business methods would fall far short
of meriting emulation.
In purchasing supplies for the hatch
ery he has practically discarded the
system of contract. Whether this be
his fault or the fault of the board of
trustees is a question , but it Is never
theless true that little if any effort
has been made to procure supplies at
competitive prices. In the course of
an investigation along this line it was
discovered that a certain meat dealer
in Omaha , a warm personal friend of
Suporintedent Sloup , is furnishing the
meat supply for the hatchery. Liver is
used extensively at the hatchery for
fish food. It was discovered that V. F.
Kuncl , the meat dealer herein referred
to , is furnishing this part of the sup
plies. Kuncl's place of business is at
No. 1244 South Thirteenth street , in
the city of Omaha , about two blocks
from the saloon of Sloup & Krural.
When asked if the liver was being fur
nished under contract one of the
Kuncl's said :
"No ; we have no contract. Wo sell
the liver as cheap as we can afford to
and that is all. We box it up and ship
it , but the state has to pay the trans
portation charges. "
This is only an example of the man
ner in which the business is conducted.
There is no competition in buying , like
that resulting from contracts , and in
most instances the superintendent is
afforded an unrestrained opportunity to
patronize his own personal friends.
The goods are not weighed , nor are
they checked up when received at the _
hatchery , thus leaving a wider opening j i
for crookedness and fraud.
Taken ? s a whole there may be oth
er institutions of the state as loosely
managed , but none more grossly mis
managed.
The damage wrought is not easily
repaired. What the state has expend
ed thousands of dollars for is iiow a
mere shadow , representing practically
nothing. A continuation of the pres
ent policy and management will ulti
mately result in the whole investment
being a. total loss. Superintendent
Sloup would , no doubt , do better if he
knew how , but he is unskilled in the
business and is unable to inaugurate
such changes as are required to pre
vent complete loss. Poynter's compro
mise with the politicians , by which
they Tere to support him for renom- i
inat. a on condition that they select
the people for the various offices to be
filled by appointment , nas proven a ter
rible detriment to the state.
The only woman rabbi on record Is
Miss Rachel Frank , who had conferred
The first thimbles were made in Hol
land. They were brought to England
in 1695.
Local Prosperity.
HAUNDKKS COONTT.
"Prosperity , " saW P. E. White cash
ier of the Ashland National bank , Is
everywhere In evidence. The farmers
are making money and as a rule are
not borrowers. How different it was
only five years ago. I recall the case ,
of a man who came in and applied
for a loan of $150.
"What collateral have you ? " I asked.
"One grey team , four and five years
old , " he replied.
"Any more ? "
"One mule team , twelve and four
teen years old. "
"Any more ? "
"Four milch cows , four , five and six
years old , red polled. "
"Any more ? "
"I'm not certain I could recover the
money if I had to foreclose. I hesitate
to lend money on such questionable
security. "
Continuing , Mr. White-said : "I did
let the man have the money , but it
was because I knew him to be honest.
I mention the case because it was one
of many. Everybody was hard up.
Since those days the farmers have paid
their urgent debts while the well-to-do
have on deposit in this bank double
the amount of money then hold there.
Moreover , the old real estate mort
gages of 1897-8 that were taken out
on ten years time at 7 per cent inter
est are being taken up and new loans
made at reduced interest of 5 and 5 * &
per cent. "
Near Ashland lives Ole Blom and his
two sons. Mr. Blom has several
tracts of land In Saunders and other
counties. He says : "I have just sold
several thousand bushels of corn at
32 and 34 cents per bushel. My cattle
bring me large profits and the price
for the past three years cannot be
grumbled at. I have made money
from my. land and some condition
other than good .crops must be the
cause. "
John Tarpenning. a neighbor of Mr.
Blom , has a beautiful valley farm
and large fields of corn. "I cannot
say but my crops have brought me
good enough prices for the past few
years. I've had bad luck in raising
hogs , but that is no fault of manage
ment nor of the market. It is certainly -
ly remarkable that prices continue so
good. "
George Sanders lives near Ashland
on his 15-acre tract. He has several
fine farms that he rents for $2.50 to
$3.00 per acre. "I could not sell land
and it was uphill work to rent at good
figures five years ago. I am exceed
ingly well pleased with present mar
ket conditions. "
George S. Smith , between Memphis
and Ashland , has a fine farm and
prosperity appears on all sides. Mrs.
Smith told her story of pleasant times
as the wife of a farmer , and related
with no little pride that she "never
knows want by reason of profits from
her chicken flock and dairy cows. I
am enabled to more than furnish the
table and clothe the family from my
part in the farm work. " Mr. Smith
recently built a large barn. He has
a large corn crop growing. "I am sat
isfied with the prices and feel that my
work is not in vain. "
William Mullendorf is a renter near
Yutan. "I lost too much for my hard
work in old conditions prior to four
years ago and do not want to see any
changes from the present. As a renter
I can appreciate the good times. "
CEDAR COUNTY.
The prosperous condition of this
section is simply phenomenal. No
place I know of in the state has made
such rapid strides in the last three
years as has Hartington , the county
seat of Cedar county. It is the termi
nus of the Wakefleld branch of the C.
St. P. , M. & O. railway , and claims
a population of 1,500 , has a good water
system and a volunteer fire depart
ment , a brick court-house that cost
$27,000 , and nine churches in which
services are regularly held. In the
last three years several large brick
business blocks have been built , mak
ing Main street almost solid brick on
both sides , and more brick buildings
are now in course of construction.
Hartington has a handsome brick
high school building that cost over
$14,000 , and there is another private
Catholic school being built that will
cost about $10,000. Senator Robison ,
E. L. Dimick and others have recently
erected beautiful residences costing
$4.000 and $5,000 each , and probably
$30,000 more has been expended here
in the last two years in residences
costing from $1,000 to $2,000 each. The
sidewalks in the business portion are
of cement and the street crossings are
made of paving brick.
E. L. Dimick , one of the pioneers
who erected the first building in this
city in September , 1883 , is engaged in
the real estate and loan business. He
says this town went through the hard
times from 1893 to 1897 better than
many other places , with no bank or
business failures , but that not a bus
iness concern in the town made a dol-
lor during the four years , on account
of shrinkage in values" and bad debts.
Many men grew gray then trying to
save as much as they could of what
they had previously accumulated. But
in the last three years business con
ditions are all that could be desired ,
real estate has advanced about 33 1-3
per cent , interest on farm loans has
fallen from 8 to 9 per cent In 1896 to
5 % per cent in 1900. Land is worth
twice as much now as it would sell
for at forced sale in 1896. The crops
in this part of the state were never
better , and , with prices good , the
farmers were never before in as good
circumstances as they are now.
H. B. Suing , county treasurer , says ,
"The delinquent tax list is reduced
one-half and that the interest due on
school bond leases is all paid , except
in three instances. During the hard
times there was a general default in
payments. "
Mr. Fenal , county clerk and recorder ,
says that nearly all the old farm mort
gages are paid off and that the farm
ers of this county are in excellent
condition financially , many of them
buying more land and increasing their
herd of live stock.
Mr. Nelson , cashier of the First Na
tional bank , says that the deposits in
the banks here are more than double
what they were in 1896 , and that in
terest rates are much lower. This is
quite a cattle country. The stock
raia rs have been making money fast
since the inauguration of McKInley
and this condition will be responsible
for a number of polltcal changes that
have accrued In this part of Cedar
county. The change in the prices of
grain and lire stock has also a strong
effect on the farmer.
Every man interviewed , who Is en
gaged in stock-raising and farming ,
says that times are the best that he
ever experienced , and that he Is mak
ing good money on both his crop and
live stock. One of these farmers com
plained that he had the last payment
to make on a loan that did not fall
due until 1901 , that he wants to pay it
now , but the lender would not take it ,
because he did not know where he
could loan the money again.
The hardware firm of Morris &
Gould , who do an extensive business
here , employing nine clerks , say that
no one thing indicates to them the
prosperous condition of tnis farming
community so much as the immense
sale of buggies and carriages to the
farmers in the last two years ; that
they sold five car loads this year and
as much last year and that there was
three other firms in the city selling
a similar class of vehicles and were
doing a good business. A prudent
farmer never buys luxuries when he is
in debt.
Expansion in the fullest sense the
term Implies dominates everything
here. Sixteen to one is also the ratio
of prosperity under McKinley's ad
ministration in contrast with the pe
riod of the democratic panic. About
seventy-five per cent of all the build
ings in the city were erected since
McKinley was inaugurated. The town
of Laurel was founded in 1892 ; about
a dozen buildings were erected in that
year. Then followed the panic of 1893 ,
the drouth of 1894 , the passage of the
Wilson free trade bill , and on the heels
of that came the free silver craze
making a combination that wrought
ruin and disaster on orery hand. It
was a period of contraction , contrac
tion of everything , financial , indus
trial and commercial. No progress
was made by either merchant , banker
or farmer ; all suffered. The scrip
tural assertion : "For whosoever hath ,
to him shall be given and he shall
have more abundance ; but whosoever
hath not , from him shall be taken
away even that he hath , " was univer
sally realized. All agree that they were
worth less in January , 1897 , than they
were in January , 1893. Now Laurel is
a city of about 600 inhabitants sur
rounded by an industrial paradise.
New homes , new business houses , new
in hope and renewed In courage and
faith. Prosperity is mcjre evident
here than at any point in the Logan
valley.
This city is situated at the junction
in Cedar county where the Chicago ,
St. Paul , Minneapolis & Omaha crosses
the Great Northern road running from
Sioux City to O'Neill. It would be safe
to say that no town in the state of
twice the population can boast of as
many fine residences constructed on
lines of modern style of architecture
and attractively embellished with
points that blend as can Laurel. In
the space of two blocks on one street
are fourteen new modern residences ,
each costing from $2,000 to $4,000.
Everett & Waite , the founders of the
town have an elegant brick storeroom
on the principal street corner. It is
32 feet wrde by 100 feet in length , two
stories above basement , in which they
conduct a general merchandise busi
ness , and report business good. It
would be useless to occupy space to
tell what they say. because it is in line
with the testimony that the volume of
business has about doubled , prices on
staples are very similar to what they
were four years ago ; money is plenty ;
most customers pay cash. The degree
of prosperity can more accurately be
measured by the sale of farm imnle-
ments , buggies , carriages , harness , etc. ,
that it can on the trade in staples ,
such as goods and groceries.
Thomas Berg , a dealer in farm im
plements , said : "I started in the im
plement business in 1892 when the
town was founded. I had $1,000 to put
into business ; my highest sales in any
year until 1896 aggregated $2,000. No
body paid cash then and my best cus
tomers would sometimes let their notes
run six months past due. I tell you
it is a fact that I had a terrible strus-
gle to keep my head above water.
There were two firms of us here then
in this business. In 1896 I took an
inventory of what I had and found
that I was only worth $500 , and , as I
stated before , I had $1,000 to start
with. Well , since then , things became
different. Last year I sold over $11-
000 worth of goods and only $2,500 of
that on time. Now there are four
firms here in the implement business.
There is no trouble about collections ;
most of my customers come in and pay
before their paper is due. This year
up to Aug. 1st my sales exceed $8,000.
My sales are nealy all made to farm
ers , and to show you that they are
getting in good circumstances I sold
over fifty buggies or carriages already
to them this year and the most of them
were cash gales. Between us here last
year , we sold over twenty carloads of
farm 'implements. " Asked how the
price of farm implements compared
now with the price on same goods in
1896 , he said that the prices in 1399
were the lowest in the History of the
country. He said that there was a
slight advance recently on farm wag
ons and a few other articles , but there
was no special difference taking the
business all through. In the last four
years he said he cleared over $5,000
above all expenses , meaning net gain.
F. P. Voter is engaged in real es
tate and farm loan business and should
be well posted on interest rates and
land values. Mr. Voter said that he
had been in the business here since
the town started in 1892 ; farm lands
are now over thirty per cent higher
than they were in 1896. Our farmers
saw very hard times here during Cleve
land's administration ; most of them
had to borrow money and put loans
on their farms to tide them over che
hard times. I know of a number of
mem who only had a bare equity in
their farms in 1S86 who since then
have paid out and bought more land.
The more remunerative prices for
what they had to sell saved them their
homes. The farmers are all making
money now. Some of them instead of
being borrowers are now loaning
money or have a good deposit to th"elr
credit at the bank.
Friction in Settlement of Chinese Imbro
glio Grows Hourly Less ,
DISCUSS RUSSIAN PROPOSITION
Disposition Evinced to View the Situation
Without 1'rejudlco Conger May Kep-
resent the United States and \VnIder-
oe the Chinese.
WASHINGTON , Sept. 6. Within the
last twenty-four hours the United
States government has received from
its representatives in foreign capitals
much material information regarding
the attitude of the powers on the Rus
sian proposal to evacuate Pekin. These
give the general nature of the response
made to Russia by certain of the pow
ers. It is stated authoritatively that
if there was at any time a prospect
of a serious International clash this
has been very largely , if not entirely ,
removed by the harmonious character
of the communications the several gov
ernments are making. The exact na
ture of the responses is not made pub
lic by the state department , for there
are some replies to be transmitted and
until all of them are in the negotia
tions are considered In such an Incom
plete form that they will not be made
public. It Is said , however , that the
answers go much beyond the tenta
tive character of those heretofore re
ferred to and are of a conclusive na
ture , so far as showing the purposes
of the governmets , although they may
not be regarded as conclusive in ac
cepting or rejecting the particular
proposition advanced by Russia. The
responses are understood to be rather
long and somewhat argumentative ,
similar in this respect to the American
response. This very fact is a cause
for congratulation among ollicials , as
they point out that there is no dispo
sition to treat the proposal with terse
ness or in any other manner to give
offense , but rather to bring the powers
together on a common basis. On the
whole , the general tendency of the re
sponses is such as to give entire satis
faction here as to the course of the
negotiations.
The satisfactory progress of the ne
gotiations along these lines has had
the effect of directing attention to the
personality of the envoys , who prob
ably will represent the powers and
China in the final settlement. The im
pression prevails here that Mr. Conger
is eminently fitted for such a task on
the part of the United States , suppos
ing that each of the powers interested
in the Chinese problem is to have a
separate and individual representative.
Mr. Rockhill's name is mentioned as
an alternate In case Mr. Conger does
not care to remain in Pekin or to par
ticipate in the settlement. These sug
gestions , however , are all speculative ,
for up to this time the state depart
ment has not conferred the necessary
special powers on any one to represent
the government in the final negotia
tions.
If the present state of affairs in
China is protracted until the arrival
there of Field Marshal Count Walder-
see , which should occur in about ten
days or a fortnight , it is not to be
doubted that the government of Ger
many will endeavor to have all the
negotiations with the Chinese govern
ment conducted through that official as
the representative , not of Germany
alone , but of all the powers. It is gath
ered that strong arguments will be
advanced to support the advisability
of combined action through one agency
in this matter as the best means of se
curing a speedy and generally satisfac
tory termination of the Chinese trou
ble. In fact it will be urged that there
is little hope for an early adjustment
of the differences between the powers
and China if each of the powers is to
lay down a independent proposition the
culminative effect of which , particular
ly In the case of money or territorial
indemnities , might be absolutely crushIng -
Ing to the Chinese empire.
Laying : New Chinese Cable.
WASHINGTON , Sept. 5. The War
department today received informa
tion that the work of laying a sable
from Shanghai to Che Fee had been
begun. It is believed that unless some
accident is encountered the cable will
be completed and in operation within
a week. This ought to make commu
nication between Washington and
American officials in China much more
expeditious.
Cobbles Up teased L > : tnd.
SALINA , Kan. , Sept. 5. The Salina
Southwestern and Solomon Valley
railroads were sold under the ham
mer today to the Union Pacific inter
ests for $400,000 each. The former
runs from Salina to McPherson and
the latter from Solomon to Beloit.
Both have been leased and operated
ever since their construction as a. pare
of the Union Pacific system.
But Seven Companies Lett.
ST. PAUL , MINX. , Sept. 6. With
the departure of the second battalion
of the Eighth infantry , -wfiich leaves
tomorrow morning for the Philippine
islands , the department of the Dakotas
will be garrisoned only by seven com
panies , with a total , including depart
ment headquarters staff , of less than
1,000 men.
Siour City's Request Refused.
SIOUX CITY , la. , Sept. 6. Sioux
City has been refused a recount by the
government census office.
Resnlt of Vermont Election.
WHITE RIVER JUNCTION , Vt. ,
Sept. 6. Returns from 232 cities and
towns out of 246 in the state give the
vote for governor as follows : Stick-
ney ( republican ) , 46,934 ; Senter ( demo
crat ) , 15,949 ; all others , 1.26S. The
same towns in 1896 gave : Grout ( re *
publican ) , 52,029 ; Jackson ( democrat ) ,
14,556 ; all others , 1,589. The returns
from these towns give a republican plu
rality of 31,440 , and a majority of 30-
127. The republican loss is 9 per cent
and the democratic gain is 15 per cent.
CONGER AGAIN HEARD FROM.
from Chlneto Cnpltnl Malta *
Quicker Tlmo Than U unl.
WASHINGTON , Sept. 5. Minister
Conger has been heard from again , hia
last advice being dated at Pokin on
August 30. Tills message was received
last evening. Preceding dispatches
have occupied a week in their trans
mission from Pekin , according to the
estimate of the State department , so
that Mr. Conger's message marks a dis
tinct betterment of the means of com
munication. Besides , it Includes the
date of dispatch , something the de
partment has been trying to have done
for many weeks. The supposition la
that this particular message came
down from Pekin to Tien Tsin by
courier and was put on the wires either
at that point or at Taku. The State
department decided to make no state
ment as to the contents of the mes
sage , beyond the simple one that Mr.
Congers communication did not mark
any material change in the situation
in Pekin.
It appears that whatever responses
are to bo made by the powers to the
proposition to evacuate Pekin are ex
pected to be directed to the govern
ment of Russia and not to our State
department. The Russian government
undoubtedly will In turn notify the
United States governmot as well as
all the other governments concerned
as to the nature of the responses.
It is stated that up to the present
less than a majority of the powers In
terested In the Chinese question have
responded to the Russian proposal so
far as our government is advised and
our officials here agree with the general
tenor of the European dispatches this
morning in the conclusion that final
action on the part of all the powers
fay not be had for several days at Jeast.
Everything now depends on. the ac
tion of Russia , the attitude of the oth
er nations being negative , and if it
does not hasten to carry out its an
nounced purpose to withdraw the
troc.ps the other governments proba
bly will be content , cherishing the hope
that in the meantime some kind of a
Chinese government can be reestablished
lished In Pekin with which the powers
may negotiate for a final settlement.
Li Hung Chang's attempt to secure
important warrant for the institution
of peace negotiations , through himself
and the Chinese notables referred to
in the European dispatches , is regarded
here as a step In the right direction ,
while on the other hand some disquiet
has been caused by the report that the
j internationals in Pekin have been ar-
j resting some of the members of the
tsung li yamen wito were seeking to
open negotiations and re-establish the
governmet. There Is no disposition
here to condone the offenses of any of
these Chinese officials which have par
ticipated in the outrages in Pekin , but
It is questioned whether the present la
an opportune time to administer pun
ishment.
The War department Is still con
cerned because of the inability to reach
General Chaffee or get dispatches from
him. A number of dispatches have
been sent the general which the de
partment is anxious he shall receive
in order to guide his future action.
General Barry , who can be reached
at Taku , has been Instructed to spare
no pains or expense to get dispatches
to Chaffee and replies from him , which
the department feels are necessary for
a correct disposition of the Chinesa
questions that have arisen since the oc
cupation of Pekin.
In Memory of Their T > nto President.
KANSAS CI-tY , Mo. , Sept 5. From
11:15 to 11:20 a. m. every locomotive ,
every piece of machinery and every
employe on the Memphis railroad sys
tem , from Kansas City to Birmingham ,
Ala. , were idle. This action was taken
as a mark of respect to the memory
of the late President E. S. Washburn
of the "Memphis" system , who died at
Rye Beach , N. H. , last Friday. For the
five minutes specified every train , car
and locomotive was held at a standstill ,
no matter where they happened to He.
Returns from the Census.
WASHINGTON , Sept. 5. The census
bureau announces that the population
of Hartford , Conn. , is 79,850 , as against
53,230 in 1890. This is an increase oC
26,620 , or 50.01 per cent.
The population of Richmond , Va. ,
is 85,050 , as against 81,388 in 1890. This
Is an increase of 3,662 , or 4.5 per cent.
The population of Fort Wayne , Ind. ,
is 45,115 , as against 35,393 in 1890.
This is an increase of 9,722 , or 27,47 per
cent.
Cyclone "Worse than Cannon.
MAFEKING , Sept. 3. A cyclone
that visited Mafeking last evening did
more damage than the seven months'
bombardment. It blew down or un
roofed numerous buildings and leveled
the military camp honital , causing
much suffering among the sick an-i
wounded. One person was killed and
two were injured and .here were many
narrow escapes.
llroujrbt to nook at Last.
ST. LOUIS , Mo. , Sept. 5. Detective
Lawless of Memphis arrived in St.
Ixmis today to take Henry B. Sim
mons back to that city , where he is
charged with complicity in thirty-five
burglaries committed within two or
three days of one another. Simmons
was captured through a letter written
to a brother.
Return Southern Rattle Flag * .
COLUMBUS , 0. , Sept. 5. At the re
union of the Forty-sixth Ohio Volun
teer infantry at Worthlngton , near
here , the colors of the Thirtieth Louis
iana regiment were returned to a com
mittee of the survivors of that old or
ganization.
File Ratification Treaty.
THE HAGUE , Sept. 5. The ratifi
cations of the agreements and treaties
resulting from the peace conference
were formally placed in the archives
today. The minister of foreign af
fairs , Dr. W. H. De Beaufort , in a.
brief speech , expressed the hope that
the future historian would be able tc
declare that the work of the confer
ence was of lasting benefit to human
ity , and proposed that an expression
of this hope be conveyed to the czar.
A telegram in this sense was subse
quently dispatched to St. Petersburg.