Legislative ,
HOUSE.
Defeating a motion to go into commit
tee of the whole and consider hills on
'gen ' era I file , the house Friday morning
'entered immediately upon hills on third
reading. These measures wore passed :
By Casellcer , of Gage , to establish a
hospital for crippled , deformed children
and those suffering from any disease
likely to make them , deformed.
By Ilorton , of Koya Paha , providing
that when any real estate is situated in
more than one township or precinct or
In more than one school , road or other
district , it shall be listed separately for
the purposes of taxation.
1 The deficiency claims bill introduced
by Stetson as chairman of the deficiency
committee , appropriating approximately
$41.000.
, By Perry , of Fernns. and Warner , of
Lancaster , the biennial election bill.
By Hill , of Hitchcock , granting to the
United States government rights of way
for the construction of irrigation canals.
At 20 ! p. m. Monday , thehonse con
vened for the week and immediately
went into committee of the whole , with
Douglas , of Rock , in the chair.
Pursuant to previous action senate
files were first considered. The GrilHn
bill. S. F. 7 ! ) , pioviding for tho publica
tion of the proceedings of the regular
find special meetings of the directors of
irrigation districts , was the first bill
taken up. It was recommended for pass
age.
age.No
No house rolls wcro considered.
At r : ir the house adjourned until 0
a. m. Tuesday.
Convening at 0 a. m.the house resolv
ed Tuesday into committee of tho whole ,
; with Jackson , of Antelope , as chairman.
S F. 13 , by Laverty , of Sannders ,
which was recommended for indefinite
postponement Monday , was recommend
ed for passage , after a reconsideration.
This bill seeks to prevent the illegal ex
penditure of public funds.
House rolls were then taken up. H.
II. 328. by Gliem. of Red Willow , the
famous bill to allow Russell F. Loomis
to perfect his title to the quarter section
of land he homesteaded in Red Willow
County in 1S72 , was the first bill recom
mended for passage.
Among other bills recommended for
passage were :
By Zeulow , of Colfax. providing for
stale ownership , control , construction
and repair of all bridgco HOO feet or
morn long on or part of a public road.
By Foster , of Douglas , a joint resolu
tion for a constitutional amendment ,
providing for the safe investment of the
public school funds.
The house adjourned at G p. m.
After the closing scenes of excitement
over the commodity rate bill Tuesday
evening the house started off peacefully
"Wednesday morning by adopting a reso
lution by Kaley , of Webster , felicitating
and thanking the late Nebraska commis
sion to the World's Fair for its splendid
administration of affairs and its econo
my in saving from the appropriation
-.313.100.30.
Jfcl > ills on third reading were then taken
3f * and these passed :
By Casebeer. of Gage , raising the sal
ary of the county physician of Gage
County.
By Saddler , of Adams , abolishing the
soldiers' home visiting board.
By McCIay , of Lancaster , defining
ways in which the American flag may be
used as an emblem.
By Anderson , of Tlamilton , to remit
all taxes due the state from Hamilton
County prior to 1S01. when the county
court house was destroyed by fire and
all records thereby wiped out.
By Scilley , of Dodge , to prohibit chil
dren under 13 years of age from carry-
In'g firearms.
By Cropsey , of Jefferson , amending the
law fixing the time of holding annual
school meetings.
By Bartoo , of Valley , to enable Ruth
lAbery to sue school district No. 23 of
Douglas County for personal injuries.
By McClaj * . of Lancaster , prohibiting
the sale of liquor within four miles of an
army post.
By Ferrar , of Hall , permitting cities to
condemn property for school sites.
By Coats , of Holt , Gliem , of Red Wil
low , and McAllister , of Deuel , providing
Tor not less than five nor more than sev
en junior normal schools , and that the
appointive schools shall bo relocated each
year.
By .Touvenat , of Boone , to regulate giv
ing of bonds for county funds by depos
itory banks.
By Johnson , of Adams , appropriating
323,000 for test borings for the discov
ery of oil. coal , gas or artesian water.
By the insurance committee , providing
for a representative form of government
of fraternal insurance companies on a
fcasis of 85 per cent of the membership.
The house spent two hours Wednes
day night in committee of the whole.
'Among the bills recommended for pass
age were :
To make the county assessor of Doug
las County ex-officio tax commissioner of
Omaha.
By Clarke , prohibits the stealing of
rides on railroad trains.
By the finance committee , allowing the
state printing board to buy supplies in
-wholesale quantities.
By Hill , of Hitchcock , prohibits the
sale of liquor within five miles of gov
ernment irrigation construction camps.
II. R. 3GO , requiring pharmacists to
register annually.
The popularity of amending the consti
tution became apparent in the house
.Thursday morning when H. R. 300. pn > -
.posing an amendment so as to allow the
investment of the permanent school fund
in city bonds , came up. On original roll
.call the bill undoubtedly was passed.
Foster , of Douglas , introduced the bill.
[ When many members awoke to the facts
enough changed their votes to defeat the
'lill ' 32 to 50. '
JThese bills were passed Thursday :
7 Lahners , of Thayer , amends the
relating to the holding over of ten-
nits and their failure to vacate.
By Gliem , of Red Willow , enabling
Russell F. Loomis to perfect his title to
a quarter section of land homesteaded in
! 'Red ' Willow County in 1872.
By Burgesep , of Lancaster , the Liu-
city charter bill.
( ' The Ijouse adjourned for a recess at
| 35.:15 and reconvened for the night ses
sion at 7:30. The entire time was spent
'in committee of the whole. Among other
| bills recommended for passage was H. R.
345 , by , Lee , of Douglas , consolidating
the county and city treasuries of Omahn
making the cgunty treasurer cx-offici <
treasurer of Omaha and the school dis
trict.
SENATE.
The senate spent nearly the entire af
ternoon Monday passing bills. On near
ly all of the ballots ten members were
absent , but the measures of these mem
bers , as well as those bills carrying the
emergency clause , with the exception of
one or two , were passed over until % the
full membership could be present.
These bills were passed :
To compel county assessors to furnish
a copy of assessment to party assessed ,
which shall be a notice to appear before
the board of equalization.
Compelling the enforcement of scaven
ger law.
Fees to be paid for protests with
the board of equalization.
To prevent the desecration of Memo
rial day.
Agents of corporations to make out
assessment when asked to by the asses
sor.
Providing for a board of control to
buy supplies for state institutions.
A bar to actions in any other state
will be operative in this state.
Action against an insurance company
can begin in county where cause arises.
To prevent issuance of special benefit
life insurance policies.
Consolidating offices of city , county
and school district treasurer of Omaha
and Douglas County.
A joint resolution requesting congress
to enact a law to place insurance com
panies under federal control.
Allows administrators to bring suit for
damages against trespassers.
The Cady railroad commission bill , a
copy of the act of 1887. repealed by the
legislature of 1001. passed the senate
Tuesday afternoon with only four votes
against it.
Friends of the movement to establish
a binding twine plant at the state pen
itentiary , which will cost the state in
the neighborhood of $200,000 to estab
lish and mainta'n the first year , received
great encouragement Tuesday morning
in the senate , when the bill by Haller to
appoint a commission to investigate the
proposition was killed. The bill , had it
become a law , would have settled the
movement for the next two years at
least. The bill to establish the plant
has already passed the house and for
many weeks has been in the senate.
Members have been flooded with peti
tions from allquartersof the state favor
ing the bill and until recently there has
been little done against it.
These trills were passed Tuesday after
noon :
The Omaha salary bill.
The Lincoln charter bill.
Reducing the pay of members of the
insanity commission of Lancaster Coun
ty.
ty.The interurban railroad bill.
S. F. 103 considered and passed. This
bill provides that poll tax shall be $2
cash or two days' work. The bill was
killed Monday , but was resurrected by
its author , Senator Giflin , Tuesday after
noon.
In an impassioned speech in which he
declared his lack of any knowledge that
an attempt had been made to raise ? : " } , -
000 among Douglas County officials to be
spent in securing the passage through
the senate of the biennial election bill ,
the money to be handled by a Douglas
County senator. Gibson , of Douglas.
Wednesday morning demanded of the
senate that a committee be appointed to
investigate the charge and report to the
senate. A half dozen senators moved a
second to the motion , and Saunders and
then Thomas made speeches for the in
vestigation.
The motion to appoint the committee
carried almost unanimously and Presi
dent Jennings appointed this committee :
Dimery of Seward , Sheldon of Cass , and
Bresce of Sheridan.
The sifting committee made its first
report Wednesday afternoon , reporting
back for the general file seventeen bills.
Among the important ones were :
Giving the rights of eminent domain
to the university.
Appropriating $32,000 for a library
buildiug at the Peru normal school .
Appropriating $33,000 for the Norfolk
asylum.
These bills were passed Wednesday :
Pioviding that three months' notice
shall be given occupants of land before
a purchaser under tax sale can secure a
deed.
deed.Defining
Defining property exempt from taxa
tion.
Providing for redemption of land sold
for taxes.
A curative bill requiring insurance
companies to file annual reports.
Providing for organization of cemetery
associations.
To prevent the publication of "more
books than called for by contract.
Allowing saloonkeepers to give surety
bonds.
County depositories to give surety
bonds.
Allowing surety companies to go on the
bond of more than one officer.
To liquidate warrant indebtedness of
road districts.
Appropriating $100 to pay expenses of
farmers' institutes , to bo paid by the
county.
Appropriation for live stock pavilion at
state fair.
Providing fee banks must pay before
receiving charter.
II. R. 103 , known as the anti-Christian
Science bill.
The senate adjourned at G o'clock.
By a vote of IS to 0 , II. R. 49 , provid
ing for the establishment of a binding
twine plant at the state penitentiary was
recommended for passage by the senate
in committee of thewhole Thursday.
That it will pass the senate there is
not the slightest doubt , though it is a
question whether the measure will re
ceive the executive approval.
These bills weiv passed Thursday :
Appropriating $32,000 for the Peru
normal school for a library.
Allowing insurance companies to con
solidatewith the consent of the auditor.
Giving the right of eminent domain to
the state university.
Allowing the sale of penitentiary lands.
To abolish the soldiers' home visiting
board , was recommended for passage.
Allowing the governor to appoint a
member of the legislature to fill a va
cancy during the session , was recom
mended Jfar passage.
Senator Giflin attempted to ameud the
house irrigation bill so as to give to the
irrigation districts of the west the right
of cmident doman , but the attempt
failed.
The Thomas primary election biljl , ap
plying only to Douglas County , .was
passed J
One Hundred Years Ago.
Napoleon declared the marriage ol
his brother , Jerome , to Elizabeth Pat
terson of Baltimore annulled.
An epidemic of typhoid fever caused
hundreds of deaths among French pris
oners in England.
Bonapare assumed the title of king
of Italy.
The sudden rising of the waters of
the River Elbe inundated ninety vil
lages.
Tecumseh. the great Indian chief of
the Northwest , bad begun to show
his jealousy of tbe white man's prog
ress.
ress.Admiral
Admiral Nelson began his pursuit of
the French and Spanish fleets.
Tbe Cisalpine republic was merged
Into tbe kingdom of Italy.
Seventy-five Years Ago.
The Russian ship St. Nicholas was
blown up at Ismail.
The population of tbe United States
was 11,600,000.
General Orvalle "was elected Presi
dent of Chile.
A violent hurricane caused great
damage to life and property in Wash
ington County , Ohio.
The United States government bad
spent but $8,000 on internal improve
ments in tbe State of Illinois in 25
years.
Therewere In Illinois four tribes of
Indians , tbe Menominees , Kaskaskias ,
Pottawatomies and Chippewas , num
bering in all about 6,000.
The province of Concepcion declared
itself free and independent of Chile.
Fifty Years Ago.
French and Russians contended
fiercely for the rifle pits wbicb the lat
ter bad established between tbe French
advance and Mamelon.
| Recruiting stations for enlisting
men in the British army were discov
ered in New York and Philadelphia.
i Tbe President issued "a proclamation
declaring in force the reciprocity
treaty between this country and Great
Britain.
A fire works manufactory at Ber
gen Point , N. J. , exploded , killing sev-
° n persons.
An explosion took place in tbe Midlo
thian coal mines in Virginia. Of tbe
55 persons in tbe mines at tbe time 33
were killed.
Forty Years Ago.
The Confederate Congress at Rich
mond adjourned sine die.
A heavy storm accompanied by
freshets swept over New York and
Pennsylvania , doing great damage.
News reached the nortli that Sheri
dan on the previous day arrived at
White House on James River.
That Jeff Davis had resigned In the
Interest of General Leewas reported
In tbe north and denied.
President Lincoln issued a procla
mation ordering tbe arrest and punish
ment by court martial of all persons
supplying arms and ammunition to the
hostile Indians.
A breach bad occurred between Em
peror Maximilian of Mexico and the
Roman Catholic Church.
A -week of panic In the New York
markets bad resulted in declines of
23 polntu in gold , $4 a barrel in pork ,
50 cents a barrel in flour , and 15 to 18
cents in wheat.
Thirty Years Ago *
The Hawaiian treaty was ratified by
the United States Senate.
Port Jervis , N. Y.was inundated by
the breaking of an ice gorge. Wilkes-
barre , Pa. , and other placeswere
flooded.
John Mitchel , the Irish champion ,
whose election to tbe House of Com- '
tnons "was set aside , died.
Miss Bessie Turner , girl witness
against Theodore Tilton , told her story
at the Tilton-Beecher trial in Brook
lyn.
Governor Tilden of New York sent a
message to tbe Legislature declaring
the State canals to be mismanaged and
the funds looted by contractors.
The mills of the Austin Powder Com
pany , near Cleveland , O. , blew up , an
nihilating three persons and fatally in
juring others.
Tiburclo Vasquez , noted California
brigand , was executed at San Francis
co.
Fwenty Years Ago.
A fierce engagement took place be
tween the British and Arabs under
Osman Digma at Hasbeen.
The British under General Graham
tvere ambushed by Osman Digna's
men near Hasbeen , who later attacked
Baukin , the English base.
General Grant was able to sleep only
through the use of opiates and the In-
flammatioL in his throat became te-
rere.
WAft DURING A WEEK
SCREEN IS DRAWN OVER MILL
TARY OPERATIONS.
Dispatches of Past Week Show No Netv
Lriuht on the Conflict in the Far JGnst
Remnants of Russia's .Routed Armj
in Full Ifctrcat.
The week , which opened with tbe
Russian army in full retreat from
Mukden , closed with its fate iii doubt.
Kuropatkiu's divisions that bad es
caped death or capture arrived at Tie-
ling , where reserve supplies and a for
tified position awaited them. Then the
Russian army was driven out of Tie-
ling. The remaining stores were burn
ed , many guns abandoned , and the re
treat resumed.
St. Petersburg , naturally , was filled
with alarming rumors. Itvas report
ed that the railroad had been cut at
Changtufu miles north of Tiding !
that there were strong Japanese col
umns cast and west of the railroad
even farther to the north ; that the
Russian forces had been driven into
the hills east of the railroad and were
trying to reach Kirin or Vladivostoclq
that they were without food , ammuni
tion , and artillery. There were no
dispatches , official or otherwise , to con
firm or deny these sensational reports.
The week's dispatches added a few
details to the sum of Russia's disaster
at Mukden. The war office at Toklo
estimated the Russian force engaged in
the battle of Mukden at 37G battalions
of infantry , 17S squadrons of cavalry ,
171 batteries of artillery , or a total
of 327,500 men and 1,308 guns.
Field Marshal Oyama reported the
capture of 40,000 prisoners. His ar
mies counted 20,500 dead. He esti
mated the Russian wounded at 04,500.
This total of 130,000 casualties reduced
the effective Russian force to 197,500
men all that got safely through to
Tieling. St. Petersburg reports' cred
ited Linevitch who succeeded Kuro-
patkin with 208,000 men , the figures
being achieved by including the rail
way guards and the Fourth army
corpswhich had Just arrived at Har
bin. This force of 208,000 men , badly
equipped , short of supplies , was re
treating before a force of perhaps fully
double its strength.
At a council of war held at Tsarskoe
Selo it was resolved to send a new
army of 400,000 men to the far East
to continue the war. General Kuro-
patkin was recalled , practically in dis
grace , and General Linevitch placed
in command. The war party appar
ently is still in power at St. Peters
burg.
There are disturbing indications that
Russia's credit is reaching a limit. The
refusal of tyie French syndicate to con-
! tract for a fresh loan of $125,000,000
has caused uneasiness in St. Peters
burg. At Paris it is stated vaguely
that the loan has only been postponed.
In St. Petersburg it is insisted the loan
will be made within ten days. The
proposal of the Russian Minister of Fi
nance that the banks of St. Petersburg
float an internal loan of $100,000,000
has not been well received. Still , it
would be foolish to assume that Rus
sia has reached the limit of her re
sources. The fact that her gold re
serve still stands at $074,500,000 proves
that tbe Czar's empire is not pennl
less.
Czar's Minister for Peace.
While Emperor Nicholas , whose
word is final , still declines to abandon
the prosecution of tbe war and the
government maintains its ability to
continue the conflict , The Associated
Press states that powerful influences ,
including several of the emperor's own
ministers , are now strongly urging that
the time has come to indicate to Japan
Russia's desire for peace upon a rea
sonable basis.
Should Japan then attempt to impose
too onerous conditions , these influ
ences argue that , in view of the uni
versal wish to see the bloody conflict
ended , Russia's position will be
strengthened abroad by the alienation
of sympathy from Japan , and the sit
uation at home improved when the
nation is made to understand that the
emperor's pacific proposals have been
met with impossible terms.
One of the emperor's ministers In a
'conversation with The Associated
Press correspondent said :
"We have suffered bitter defeat on
land and sea. We can , however , still
continue the war. But both countries
have suffered great losses in blood
and treasure , and it would only profit
the rivals of both were we to fight
on until one or the other is exhausted. "
"What would be Russia's attitude
on the subject of indemnity ? "
"Russia never yet has paid indemn
ity and history practically affords no
precedent for indemnity when terri
tory is not occupied to insure payment
and Japan holds not a foot of Russian
territory. Japan could , however , take
the proceeds of the sale of property
and rights of the Chinese Eastern rail
way , which was built with Russian
money. "
Sparks from the Wire ,
Pittsburg postal authorities will try
to trace a box of poisoned bonbons sent
to the wife of an attorney in that city.
The woman's name is kept secret.
The total loss of life in the anthracite
coal mines of Lackawanna county , Pa. ,
in 1904 was 137 , against 121 In 1903 ,
when the output was much larger.
Judge Albertson of Seattle decided
that no man should be mulcted in dam
ages who breaks a promise to marry a
woman he afterward finds ia afflicted
with tubercabsr
THE INCORRIGIBLE CASTRO
Slay Tet Saccccd in Getting Uncle Sam
Into Trouble.
The French cable complications in
Venezuela have reached a crisis and Min
ister Bowen has informed the State De
partment that the French minister at
Caracas , by instructions of his govern
ment , has notified the Venezuelan gov
ernment that there must be no further
proceedings on its part toward the can
cellation of the company's franchise or
interference with its property. Further ,
Mr. Bowen reports Uurt two French
warships have been ordered post haste
to Venezuela to act in accordance with
the instructions of the French minister.
Apparently , in the opinion of the Chi
cago Daily News , this country will be
most fortunate if tho incorrigible Castro
does > not succeed soon in creating an in
ternational situation even more embar
rassing than that which culminated in
the Anglo-German blockade of Venezue
lan ports. The latest developments at
Caracas suggest that if he is not actu
ally seeking complications with foreign
powers he is not restrained by any fear
of them. Through his control of the
Venezuelan courts , which are absolutely
subservient to his will , he seems to have
succeeded in putting the American as
phalt company out of business and con
fiscating its property. Following the same
high-handed policy he is now proceeding
against property interests belonging to
citizens of European nations.
To appreciate the broad possibilities of
tho situation which may result from
those repeated attacks on foreign propj j
erty , it should be remembered that the
granting of concessions to foreign firms
is one of the most characteristic fea
tures of Venezuelan industry. Like the
asphalt lakes , many of the mines are
worked by these concessionnaires. An
1 American company operates the coun
try's telephone service. A German com
pany is exploiting its sulphur deposits.
The French Cable company has a con
tract giving it terminal facilities and
the use of overland telegraph lines , the
contract providing that all disputes shall
be settled "by the courts of the republic
nnd shall in no case give rise to interna
tional claims. "
The French company's contract and
the concession of an Italian coal mining
company have now been annulled by the
order of Castro , who threatens to seize
the properties of these concerns. That
this is no new proceeding may be gath
ered from the fact that last February
he annulled nearly 300 concessions "for
lack of fulfillment of the legal provis
ions. " The Daily News says that so long
as a large part of Venezuela's industrial
enterprise is of this cliaracter the possi
bilities for international complications
will remain almost unlimited. The facts
tend to emphasize the argument that if
j the United States is to maintain the
Monroo doctrine it must adopt some
fixed , practical policy upon which to pro
ceed when foreign property interests are
injured by the acts of any irresponsible
government on this hemisphere.
CITY ATTACKS GRANTS.
Chicago Council .Revokes City Railway
Permits and Starts Suit.
War has been renewed by the city of
Chicago on the Chicago City railway.
Mayor Harrison had Corporation Coun
sel Tolman prepare an ordinance , which
the Council passed , repealing the exten
sion permit , good until June 1. That
done , assistants of the corporation coun
sel rushed into Judge Mack's court ,
where the judge , who had'been asked to
hold special court , was * waiting , and filed
a bill to determine the value of the 99-
year act and the rights of the city. The
action was taken , it 'was announced , to
forestall any legal obstruction in the
shape of an injunction in the federal
court. Not only the Council members ,
but the chairman of the local transpor
tation committee , were taken absolutely
by surprise when the clerk of the Coun
cil began reading the message of the
Mayor.
Mayor Harrison in his message recom
mending this course asserted that the
present owners of the City Railway
Company in his opinion had purchased
it to prevent a. satisfactory settlement
between it and the city. They had per
sistently declined to say whether or not
they would accept the tentative ordi
nance in case that measure was approv
ed by the people and the City Council.
Further , the company had shown a de-
siro to test its rights in the federal courts
ratherthan in the State courts. As the
processes of the former were slower than
the latter it would be to the advantage
of the city to take the initiative by be-
grinninfig suit in the State courts. Real
izing that the Mayor's recommendation
vrould be likely to precipitate action by
the company , the Council hastened to
carry out his suggestions.
ROBBERS DITCH LIMITED.
Rails Removed in Iowa and Cars Q
Down Embankment.
Rock Island officials in Des Momes
say that the wrecking of the Rocky
Mountain limited near Homestead , Iowa ,
was the work of robbers , who succeeded
in escaping. Seven persons were injur
ed , three of them dangerously.
An examination of the track showed
that the spikes for nearly the length of
a rail had been removed. The wreck oc
curred on a high embankment. The Den
ver and Colorado Springs sleepers land
ed in the ditch , on end , the embankment
at that point being about thirty-five feet
high. The engine , mail car and compo
site car also went down the embankment.
The wreck , it is reported , was caused
byan unknown person who removed
spikes , bars and auglebars and misplaced
the rail. Spikes were removed from two
rails on the south side of the track. The
engine and first four cars were thrown
down a 45-foot embankment. The en
gine was completely stripped , the mail
car destroyed , the buffet car thrown on
its side and two sleepers badly damaged.
Immense Loss of Sugar.
The total production , of sugar through
out the world is about 2,000,000 tons per
annum. Of this quantity nine-tenths ia
afforded by the sugar-cane , 25,000,000
tons of which are required to produce
the abovo quantity of cane sugar. Tho
total value of the sugar in the cane , if it
could be extracted , would be about $200-
000,000 , but one-half ia lost in the pro
cess of manufacture.
The cowboys who attended the Roose
velt inaugural presented Theodore , Jr. ,
with * pony.
MISSOURI'S NEW SENATOR.
MajorYm. . Warner , "Who "Was Chosen
'Mid a Kiotous Scene.
Mn jor William Warner of Kansas City
vas chosen United Suites Senator to suc
ceed Francis Marion Cockrell after ono
of the most stormy scenes evervitnes.s -
ed in the General Assembly of Missouri.
After having been in a deadlock since
Jan. IS the Legislature at l. > minute *
before . im ? die adjournment elected
Major Warner to fill the contested vacan
cy. Seven ballots iu joint session wcru
A JOR WILLIAM WARNER.
taken in effecting a decision , and the clos
ing scenes of the Legislature have not
been paralleled in the history of Missouri
politics.
The time for sine die adjuornment had
been set for 3 o'clock by concurrent res
olution , and as the hour approached the
clock was smashed in the melee. Amid
an uproar that almost bafiled control at
times the seventh ballot of the day was
cast , resulting in the election of War
ner. The vote stood : Warner 91 , Cock
rell 83 , Niedringhaus 1. The total voto
was 175 , making 88 necessary to a
choice.
FROM NORTH TO SOUTH.
Great Progress Made on Inter-Conti
nental Through Railway.
Slowly but surely for a long time the
iron bands that will make possible a
journey by rail from Manitoba to Buenos
Ayres are being lengthened out. Reports
made at a recent meeting of the Pan-
American Railway committee , held in
Washington , D. C. , show that in the past
year there has been unusual activity in
railway construction in the Latin-Amer
ican countries , particularly in the way
of additional links in the inter-continental
trunk line.
An ofBcial statement from the Mexi
can government announces that the line
from the Isthmus of Tehuantepec to thu
border of Guatemala frontier is duly
proceeding.
In Central America several inter-
oceanic lines are being completed so as
to form through connection. The ex
tension of the Argentina railway nortli
into Bolivia is going forward. The Bo
livian congress has dedicated the $10-
000,000 received from Brazil as terri
torial indemnity to railway construction.
It is probable that these lines will bo
built by American capitalists , and Unit
ed States engineers are now on the
ground. In Chili the tunnel through the
Andes , which will provide through rail
way communication from Buenos Ayres
to Valparaiso , is under construction and
the material goes from the United States.
Peru is following the law of the Pe
ruvian congress last year , providing a
railway guaranty fund. The govern
ment lias completed surveys for the lines ,
which will close several of the links be
tween Lake Titcaca and the existing sys
tems. In Ecuador work on the railway
from Guayaquil to Quito is proceeding.
O N E EFFECT OF THE WAR.
Many Cargoes Leaving Western Ports
for Japan.
One effect of the war in the Far East
Is to greatly stimulate exports from the
northwestern ports of the United States
to Japan. The Mikado's success in forc
ing the Russian bear to take to the tall
timber has led to the liberal purchase of
supplies , not alone of necessities , but
of construction material as well , the
whole making many shiploads.
In consequence large numbers of ex
tra steamers are being chartered to rush
across the Pacific supplies of many kinds.
The big steamship Minnesota , four Jap
anese liners and the big freighters of the
Boston Steamship Company running from
Tacoma are insufficient to carry to Japan
the immense shipments of barley , flour ,
meat products and other supplies now-
piling up at Puget Sound ports. One
firm has chartered four large steamships
to load at Tacoma during the next thirty
days.
days.At
At least six heavy cargoes for Japan ,
will leave Tacoma this month , and as
many more next. Their cargoes will
include railroad supplies and equipment
for a road that is being built across
Korea. The steamships Shawmut and
Tremont have already sailed , with an
aggregate of 29,000 tons , chiefly for
Japan.
CANADA'S PERIL.
To Be Invaded by 200,000 Russian
Stundiat Immigrants.
Canada is to be invaded by a peaceful
army of Russian Stundist immigrants ,
according to a report which says that
200,000 of these people are preparing to
emigrate this year and settle in theCa
nadian Northwest.
There are leaders of public opinion in
the Dominion who , having the experience
of the United States before them , regard
with serious misgiviugs the steady an
nual increase of the foreign element in
th population of Canada. But the pres
ent prospect of hundreds of thousands of
European immigrants swarmiag like lo
custs over the choice western lands is
now giving Canadians something to think
about in pursuing the policy of populat
ing the Dominion.
During the early part of the winter
the arrivals of iussian Jews in unusually
large numbers gave the Canadian author
ities very serious trouble. The invasion ,
therefore , by this new immigrant army
of 200,000 persons can only inspire offi
cials and others with feelings of appre
hension , if not dismay.
Lawyer Shoots Himself.
Charles Erd of St. Louis , a lawyer , So
years old , was found in his apartment *
at the Hotel Imperial In New Tork suf
fering from a self-inflicted bullet wound
in the left temple. Mr. Erd declared that
h had -attempted to kill himself.
