THE NORFOLK NEWS : FRIDAY , DECEMBER 20 , 1901.
Resolutions Introduced in the
House Commend Admiral.
ENDORSE DEWEY'8 OPINION.
Wheeler of Kentucky Makes Move for
InvestlQatlon EfforU Will Be Made ,
to Place Schley on Reared List
With Full Pay and Emoluments.
WaBhlngton , Doc. 18. Representa
tive Wheeler ( Ky. ) , a member of the
Jimieo committee on naval affairs , yen-
torday Introduced a resolution for an
Investigation of tbo Schloy caao. Provision -
vision la made for a report to the
liouno of representatives and Authority
is glvoa to Bond for persona and pa-
para ,
Representative Qrimth ( Ind. ) Intro
duced a rcDolntton for an investigation
of thu navy dopnrtinont and of the
Bchloy case , The preamble expresses
confldcucc In Admiral Schloy , rocltcn
the allegation of the Mnclay history ,
and rofont to reports that Captain
Crownlnahlcld nnd other naval officers
-worn furnlBhed proofs of thla history.
The large amounts of prlzo money re
solved by Admiral Sampson and Cap
tain Chadwlclc , nnd the Binnll amountH
received by Admiral Schley and tlm
cAptalnn of the ships participating In
thiv Santiago battle are set forth its
among the subjects to bo Investigated.
Representative Schlrm ( Mil. ) Intro
duced a resolution to place Schloy on
the retired list with full rank , pay and
emoluments.
Hutlor ( Mo. ) Introduced a resolu
tion , that the views of Admiral Dewey
bo accepted an the vlows of congress.
1 Schley'a Counsel Ready.
Baltimore , Doc. 18. Attorney Gen
eral Kayner , counsel for Admiral
Bchloy , yesterday finished the draft of
"the formal document to bo delivered
today to Secretary LOUR protesting
gainst the Undine of the court of In
quiry. First of all , the protestors will
claim that tli * findings iof the court
should bo set asldo on the broad
ground that they are not In accord
ance with the evidence , and following
thla each point In the report , such as
the charges of dllatorlness , dlBOho-
dlonco of ardors , the sending of mis
leading dispatches , the controversy
vrlth Lieutenant Hodgson , the famous
loop , etc. , will bo touched upon In
turn , and the Bailout features of the
.evidence disproving these charges
pointed out
Practically the protest will ho a re
view of the evidence In the case , sub
mitted in such a way that Secretary
Long will have an opportunity to pass
on the whole controversy.
STRIFE IN SOUTH AMERICA.
Colombia and. Venezuela Ready to Be
gin Hostilities.
Washington , Doc. 18. Soml-ofllclal
ndvlcos received'Jioro'Indicate that ac
tive hostilities are about to begin be
tween Colombia and Venezuela . The
delay iu proceeding to extremes has
been largely caused by the lack of a
suitable stock of arms and ammunition
by the Colombian government. This
is about to be romodlcd. The news
that comes today Is to the effect that
the British steamer Ban Rlgh , which
recently excited suspicion by loading
R largo cargo of arms In European
waters , supposedly Intended for the
Boors In South Africa , really was
. chartered by the Colombian govern
ment. She is now near Colon , And
the advice is to the effect that when
her cargo Is distributed among the
Colombian troops hostilities will be
gin between Colombia and Venezuela.
Marconi Not Allowed to Experiment.
St. Johns , N. F. , Dec. IS. Marconi
was visited officially at Signal Hill
yesterday by Governor Boyle , Premier
Bond and the executive council. They
wore shown the wireless apparatus ,
which was explained to them. No at
tempt was made to get signals from
England , because of the hostility of
the Anglo-American Cable company.
The government officials before visit-
lug 'Marconi had to consider the pro
test1 against their going made by the
superintendent of the Anglo-American
Cable company , who claimed that the
government should not identify itself
with either party. There is a wide
spread feeling of indignation over the
Anglo-American Telegraphic com
pany's attitude toward Marconi.
DANGER OF RUPTURE IS OVER.
Chile Proposes a Final Basis of Settle
ment With Argentine.
Now York , Dec. 17. In Its latest re
ply to the Argentine proposal for the
settlement of the dispute Chile en
deavors to firmly establish the rights
of both countries and evade future
controversies , says a dispatch to the
Herald from Valparaiso , Chile.
Argentina's minister , Senor Portela ,
expresses the opinion that all danger
1ms 'passed. , The same belief is enter
tained in official circles.
Miss Stone Now In Servla.
London , Dec. 17. The correspond
ent of the Dally .Telegraph , wiring
from Sofia , says George R. Washburn ,
president of Robert college , Constan
tinople , has ascertained that Mis ?
Ellen M. Stone is not now in Bulgaria.
Mr. Washburn also learns that the
majority of tbo band holding Miss
Stone captive are Bulgarians. It Is
rumored that Miss Stone Is now In
Servla.
Zero Weather at Davenport.
Davenport , la. , Dec. 17. Zero weath
er continues hero. The. Mississippi
was frozen over yesterday and ferry
and all other boats were driven to
winter quarters. _ . _ . _ , . .
1.791
! \
. \
CAPTURES BOER COMMANDER.
-
Report That Kruger Abandons De
mand for Independence.
London , Doc. 18. A dlsiwtch from
Lord Kitchener , dated from Belfant
( about halfway between Pretoria nnd
the frontier of Portuguese Kant Af
rica ) , received hero yeotorday , an
nounces that Commandant Kritfllngor ,
the famous Boer commander who ha <
figured aa prominently In connection
with the Invasion of Cape Colony , nan
been captured , badly wounded , by
General French.
The rapture 6f Krltslngor , who has
been styled the Dowot of Capo Colony ,
IB rcgardor aa Tory Important. Ho ban
been a troublesome Invaddr of Capo
Colony , and In credited 'with more
barbarities than any other command
ant except Scheepors , In a recent
proclamation he called himself the
chief commandant of Capo Colony.
During the last few days most per *
nlBtont reports emanating both from
South Africa and from Boer hcadquar-
tern In Europe of an approaching
crluln In South African affairs have
been current. U Is alleged that Mr.
Krugor will abandon his demand for
Independence nnd that the Boor lead
ers In the flold are Inclined to cease
fighting and seek the best terms ob
tainable. In a speech yesterday at
Capo Town , Sir J. Gordon Sprlgg , the
premier of Capo Colony , declared that
the outlook had never boon brighter
than at the present time.
TWO COUPLES COMMIT SUICIDE.
Young Men and Women Enclosed In
Rooms Take Chloroform.
Columbus , O. , Dec. 18. Two young
women and two men were found dead
last night In rooms at a boarding
house at G2 East Russell street , and
evidence points to a quadruple suicide
deliberately planned.
The dead nro : Pearl Warner , aged
28 , second cook at the Manhattan res
taurant ; Lou Kline , aged 18 , third
cook at the so mo restaurant ; Sherman
Lothouso , a cab driver , and John Ja
cobs , chief cook at the Manhattan.
The four persons wont to the boardIng -
Ing house Sunday and Bccured adjoin
ing rooms. Yesterday nothing was
Been of them , and though the rooms
remained locked and no response
could bo seciirod to repeated calls ,
suspicion was not aroused until last
night. Finally the doors to the rooms
ivero forced and the occupants wore
discovered lying on the beds dead.
The keyholes nnd cracks around the
leers had been closed with rags , and
the fumes of chloroform filled thn
rooms , disclosing the cause of death
It was evident that both couples had
; )1unned sulcido , but the inotlvo Is not
mown.
FRENCH STEAMER STRANDED.
Kleber Ashore Off the Mouth of River
Rhone.
Paris , Dec. 18. Dispatches received
liero from Marseilles announce that
the French steamer Klobor Is ashore
east of the mouth of the River Rhone.
The Klobor mistook the entrance of
the river during a heavy fog last Mon
day nlgit. | During all Tuesday life
boats attempted to assist the Klebor ,
but the heavy seas prevented them
from reaching her. The customs boat
from St. LoulB-dii-Rhodo succeeded in
getting near the Kleber and learned
that the captain of the ship was ill
and that the mate had disappeared.
It is supposed that the latter was
swept overboard.
The Klebor lies 300 yards off shore
It Is feared she will become a wreck ,
If the weather does not moderate
The Klober carries a crow of 52 men
Her rudder and stern post have been
carried away. The latest dispatches
from Marseilles say the wind is now
changing and hopes are ontertainet' '
that the vessel may bo floated today
MORE DEATHS FROM FLOOD.
Reports of Disaster Continue From
Submerged Districts In East.
Towanda , Pa. . Dee. 18. Two more
deaths from the flood were reported
last night , making flve lives thus far
known to have been lost In Bradford
county. A telephone message from
Austlnvlllo states that Mr. and Mrs.
Abner Richards , well-to-do residents
of that place , aged about 5Q years ,
were swept down the stream and
drowned while trying to save their
poultry from the rushing waters.
Burlington Employe Killed.
Plattsmouth , Neb. , Dec. 18. Frank
Rennor , 30 years of age , who Is workIng -
Ing in the Burlington blacksmith shop
hero , was instantly killed yesterday
while passing between two cars in
the yard. A train was being made up
and the engine pushed ono car back
against another and Rennor was
crushed in between the two. Mr. Ren
nor was a , soldier in the First Nebras
ka in the Philippines. Renner makes
the third employe of the Burlington
company who has recently been killed
by the cars of the company.
For Reciprocity With Mexico.
Topeka. Kan. , Dec. 17. As a result
of a conference hold yesterday be
tween Governor Stanley and represen
tatives of a number of business inter
ests of the state it was decided to hold
a meeting next Monday , Dec. 23 , of
representatives of all the Kansas
business , agricultural and live stock
Interests to take action In favor of a
reciprocity treaty with Mexico.
Kealghon's Victim Dies.
Salt Lake , Dec. 17. Wlllard S.
Halnes , the Chicago traveling man
who was shot by Roy Kealghon , a 19-
year-old boy , while the two were con
versing In the foyer of the Knutsford
hotel , about three weeks ago , died
yesterday. The body will probably bo
shipped to his old homo In Bushnell ,
Ills. , for interment. Kealghon is In
Jail.
'
i
Postmaster General Sends in
His Resignation.
BUSINESS DUTIES THE CAUSK.
Will Return to Active Editorial Work.
Nomination of New Postmaster Gen' ] I l
oral Will Be Acted on Immediately
AfUr the Holidays.
Washington , Doc. 18. Chnrloa
Kmory Smith of I hlladolphla has ten
dered to the president hU formal res-
Ignatlon as postmaster general , to
take effect early next month , and
Henry C. Payne of Wisconsin , vlco I
chairman of thu Republican national1 ,
committee , has accepted the tender ofi
the office , to which he will bo nomlt
natcd Immediately after the holiday )
recess , Mr. Smith has agreed to remain -
main until Jan. ID , If necessary , but
will return Immediately thereafter to
Philadelphia to resume the editorship
of the Philadelphia Press. | I
This change In the cabinet was
formally announced at yesterday's
cabinet meeting. All the members of
'
the cabinet expressed their profound
regret , and the president paid a very ,
Impressive tribute to the services and
porHonallty of the retiring member of
his official family. Ho said that ho
had sought to persuade Mr. Smith to
alter his determination and to remain
In the cabinet , but without success
nnd ho had finally accepted Mr.
Smith's reasons as derisive.
Mr. Smith first announced to the
president the latter part of last month' i
that ho had decided to return to his
editorial duties. The president at
that time urged him to remain. Mr.
Smith , however , had boon frequently
reminded by his business associates
of the duties devolving Upon him and )
was anxious to 'return to them. Ho
had several talks with President
l
RooBovelt on the Biibject and finally
on Saturday last formally tendered to
the president bis resignation.
FIRST DEBATE OF SESSION.
House Begins on Bill to Provide Tem
porary Revenue for Philippines.
Washington , Dec. 18. The bill to
provide temporary revenues for the
Philippines was debated In the house
yesterday and will bo voted on today
at ! o'clock. It was the first debate
of the session nnd was conducted
calmly and without display of temper.
Several lively exchanges and an Im
passioned speech by De/irmond ( Mo. ) ,
who has just returned from 'a trip to
the Philippines , in opposition to the
retention of the Islands , were the feat
ures. Payne , the floor leader of the
majority , opened the debate. Owing
to the Indisposition of Richardson ,
the duty of opening for the minority
devolved upon Swanson ( Va. ) . The
other speakers were Grosvenor ( Rep. ,
O. ) and Robertson ( Dem. , La. ) for the
bill and Shafroth ( Sll. , Colo. ) and
Dearmond ( Dem. , Mo. ) , Thayer ( Dem. ,
Maas. ) and Patterson ( Dem. , Tenn. )
against It. Robertson said he would
support the bill because free trade
with the Islands and reciprocity with
Cuba , which was threatened , would
destroy the sugar interests of his
state. Today McCall , a Republican
member of the ways and 'means com
mlttee from Massachusetts , will op
pose the bill , time having been grant
cd him by the Democrats.
OFF TO TREAT WITH BRIGANDS.
Officials Will Try to Secure Miss
Stone's Release.
Constantinople , Doc. 18. W. W.
Pcet , treasurer of the Turkish mis
sion In Constantinople , accompanied
by M. Gargilo , dragoman of the United
States legation here , started last night
to meet the brigands who hold Miss
Stone captivo. In accordance with in
Btructlons received from Washington ,
they will attempt to secure the re
lease of the prisoner in exchange for
the ransom money now available.
Peasants Burn Castle ,
London , Dec. 18. A dispatch from
St. Petersburg says a remarkable re-
volt , alleged to be due to the harsh
treatment of the peasantry , has taken
place on the estate of Count Palen
near Milan. The peasantry rose In a
body , besieged the castle , set fire to it
and danced around the blazing build
ing. The police were powerless
against the mob and troops were sum
moncd. The latter , however , were too
late to bo of any service. Everything
was destroyed.
Pope Complains of Reports.
Now York , Dec. 18. A dispatch
from Rome describes an Interview
with the pope , in which his holiness
complained about the faluo reports in
regard to his health. "You see , " the
pope said , "that It Is not all over with
mo. I work six or eight hours a day ?
[
nnd my work is not easy , for it em
braces tbo whole church. Please say
that I am not yet dead. "
Collision Sinks Steamer.
Boston , Dec. 18. The British steam-
Bhlp Isle of Kent put In hero yester
day with her bows crushed in and her
stem battered. She brought the en
tire crew of the Spanish steamer
Amestl , the latter vessel having sunk
in half an hour after a collision with
the Isle of Kent on Saturday last
when 300 miles east of Capo Cod.
Root Denies the Request.
Washington , Dec. 18. Secretary
Root has addressed a letter to Sidcl
G. Plrerra , the representative of the
Maso party In Cuba , who is at present
In this city , denying his request for
a postponement of the Cuban elec
tions.
BROOM MAKERS IN SESSION.
Price of Corn So High as to Take
Profits Out of the Business.
Chicago , Doc. 18. The National
Broom Manufacturers' association
mot hero yesterday. Over 80 per cent
of the manufacturing plants of the
United States were represented. The
principal topic discussed wan the high
prlco of broom corn. It was said that
the crop In Missouri nnd Ol&homa In
tlfi
far short of the average thin season
and this , together with the fact that
the Union Broom Supply company haa
JR
gathered In nearly all the available
corn , haa brought the price of that
commodity to a place whore It la said
there is no profit In the manufacture
of brooms at the present prlco. Offi
cers were elected aa follows ; Will
iam j , F. Lang of Plttsburg , president ;
0. R. Leo of Lincoln , vlco president ;
Ben C. Graham of Columbus , O. , secretary -
rotary and treasurer.
HEAD END COLLISION IN IOWA.
Freight Crashes Into Passenger at
Potter Mall Clerk Killed.
Mnrshalltown , la. , Doc" . 18v A pas
senger train westbound and a freight
train collided head-on at Potter , a lit
tle station on the Chicago , Milwaukee
nnd St. Paul railroad , five miles west
of Tama , yesterday. Mall Clerk J. E.
Carpenter of Columbus Junction was
Instantly ' killed and Engineer Ben Giles
of Perry was severely Injured. Seven
passengers were slightly hurt. The
trains t mot on a curve Just cast of the
station. Engineer Frcit says the air
brakes I failed to work.
Hennepln Without a Sheriff.
Minneapolis , Doc. 18. Hennepln
county Is without a sheriff. Coroner
Williams walked Into the sheriff's of
fice yesterday and took possession , un
der his authority as coroner. Sheriff
Megaarden was not In his office and
every book and paper that was his
personally had been taken away , mak
ing room for the coroner without op-
position. Sheriff
Megaarden was re
moved by Governor Van Sant , who
charged that the sheriff had Illegally
applied to his own use fees of the
office , aggregating thousands of del
lars.
Panic on Ferryboat.
Now York , Dec. 18. The ferryboat
Princeton of the Pennsylvania rail
road , while crowded with passengers
and teams , collided with the Hudson
City of the same line last evening on
the North river. A hole was driven
In the latter boat's side. There was
a tremendous panic among the pas
sengers on each boat , though the Hud
son City carried few. Joseph Creamer
and Joseph Richardson , both actors ,
were seriously injured.
Sultan Is Terrorized.
Now York , Dec. IS. The Constan
tinople correspondent says Sultan Ab
dul Hamld is , as usual , painfully ap
prehensive about his aunuaV visit to
Stamboul at mld-ramadan In order to
kiss the prophet's mantle. It is the
only day In the year when ho will
ture out of the Ylldiz kiosk. Many
"preventatlve arrests" are consequent
ly being made every day.
Objects to Religion In Public Schools.
Topeka , Kan. , Dec. 18. The 10-year-
old son of J. W. Willard , u prominent
grain dealer of this city , was expellee
from the Qulncy street school for re
fusing to take part in the religious
exercises at the opening of the school
Mr. Willard says the boy was acting
under his instructions , and threatens
to take the matter Into court for set
tlement.
TELEGRAMS TERSELY TOLD.
John Gray and Brlgham Bra > ggert
negro cotton pickers , were frozen to
death near Trenton , Ark. , Tuesday.
Arbucklo Bros , and the Nationa
Sugar Refining company have reduced
the price of refined sugar 20 points.
The city jail at Hazelhurst , Miss ,
burned Tuesday and the solo Inmate
Bud Sojourner , a farmer , was ere
mated.
Tom Sharkey has commenced train
ing for his bout with Peter Maher
which will be decided in Philadelphia
on Jan. 17.
Thomas Kelly , one of the mos
widely known men in the west during
frontier days , is dead at bis homo in
Liberty , Mo. , aged 87 years.
The A. R. Jones Commission com
pany was expelled from the Chlcagc
board of trade at a meeting of the di
rectors Tuesday. The charge wa
bucket shopping.
A Plttsburg traction car Jumped thi
tracks on the steep hillside of Moun
Washington Tuesday and beside a
Injuring seven people , crashed Into a
Jivcry stable and wrecked it.
Verni Brown , a prosperous farmer '
and Miss Dora Wllkins , his cousin '
were run down and killed by a Bl
Four passenger train at a crossln „
near Cartersville , Ind. , Tuesday.
.
Reuben C. Picket , convicted a
,
Minneapolis , of being the slayer o
his wife , through his failure to mak
any attempt to rescue her from burnIng -
id
Ing , was sentenced to 12 years at bar d
labor.
James C. Fargo , president of th
American Express company , an
nounced that each of the 10,000 em
ploycs of the organization in the Uni
cd States would receive a Christma
gift of $10.
The proposed visit of King Edwar
and Queen Alexandra to Ireland .
J.le
which was to have taken place in th lea
spring , or after his majesty's corona -
ait
tton , has been abandoned on accoun
ity.
of the disturbed state of that country .
y.3f
All doubt regarding the attitude o.
the Southern Pacific toward the Rock
Island on account of the lattor's El
Paso extension was removed Tuesday
whe.i traffic relations were entered
Into by the traffic men representing
both companies.
Sentiment of Capital and Labor
is to Get Together.
HARMONY 18 THfi WATCHWORD.
Executive' ' Cammltte * ) Appointed
Consisting of Representatives of
Capital , Labor and Outside Public.
Civic Federation Conference Closes.
Now York , Doc. 18. The conference
between the leaders of labor and cap
ital closed yesterday with a decision
to giro the plan to harmonize their
divergent interests a practical test.
It was unanimously agreed that the
working details of the scheme shall
bo perfected by an executive com
mittee of 36 , to bo chosen in equal
number from the ranks of organized
labor , great industrial and financial
leaders and from such of the public
not Identified with either of the two
interests. After several hours of con
sultation tbo following names were
announced :
To represent the employers and cap
italists Senator Mark A. Ilnnna ,
James A. Chamber , president of the
American Glass company ; William II.
Pfahler , president of the National As
sociation of Stove Manufacturers ;
Lewis Nixon , shipbuilder ; Charles M.
Schwab , president of the United States
Steel corporation ; II. H. Vreeland ,
president of the Metropolitan Street
Railway company ; Charles A. Moore ,
president of the Machine Manufactur
ing company ; John D. Rockefeller , Jr. ,
E. D. Riploy , president of the Santa Fo
railroad ; Marcus M. Marks , president
of the National Association of ClothIng -
Ing Manufacturers ; Julius Krutt-
schnitt , general manager Southern Pa
cific.
cific.To
To represent organized labor : Sam
uel Gompers , president of the Ameri
can Federation of Labor ; John Mitch
ell , president of the United Mine
Workers ; Frank P. Sargent , grand
master of the Brotherhood of Locomo
tive Firemen ; Theodore J. Shaffer ,
president of the Amalgamated Associ
ation of Iron , Steel and Tin Workers ;
James Duncan , secretary of the Gran
ite Cutters' union ; Daniel J. Keefe ,
president of the International Associ
ation of Longshoremen ; James O'Con-
nell , president of the international As
sociation of Machinists ; Martin Fox ,
president of the Iron Molders' union ;
James E. Lynch , president of the In
ternational Typographical union ; E. E.
Clark , grand master of the Brother
hood of Railway Conductors ; Henry
White , secretary of the Garment
Workers of America ; Walter MacAr-
thur , editor of the Ccast Seamen's
Journal , San Francisco.
To represent the public : Ex-Presi
dent Grover Cleveland , Archbishop
John Ireland , Bishop Henry C. Potter ,
Charles Francis Adams , Boston ; Cor
nelius N. Bliss , ex-secretary of the In
terior ; Charles W. Elliot , president
of Harvard university ; Franklin Me-
Veagh , Chicago ; ex-Comptroller of
the Currency James Eckles , John J.
McCook , a lawyer of this city ; John
G. Milburn , Buffalo ; Charles A. Bonaparte -
parte , Baltimore.
Archbishop Ireland's Address.
* Archbishop Ireland made the clos
Ing address of the conference. He
said , In part : "May the winds carrj
the news over the continent and
around the world that such a meeting
as this haa taken place in the great
city of New York. The hope of the
20th century Is that the great princl
pies of brotherhood , charity and jus
tice announced by the holy one of
Palestine shall become wider and
deeper at this time than at any other.
Let us have industrial peace. Let
employer and employe know that they
are brothers. Let charity and justice ,
and justice more than charity , be the
prevailing light of this great nation. "
The principal officers of the Amer
lean Federation of Labor attended the
closing session of the conference and
gave the project their commendation.
Samuel Gompers disavowed antag
onism of organized labor toward cap
Ital and said that ho welcomed them
industrially. He protested , however ,
against their alleged interference with
the political affairs of the country
and notably with the national judic
iary.
Court Hears Argument.
New York , Dec. 18. Argument was
heard by Justice Scott in the supreme
court yesterday on the application of
Wolf Bros. & Co. and other plaintiffs
to enjoin the Northern Pacific Rail
way company from carrying out a plan
of reorganization adopted in Novem
her to retire Its preferred stock of
$75,000,000. The preferred stock
holders of the company claim that
they are excluded from purchasing
certain bonds , which privilege they
allege is given to the owners of the
common stock.
To Lease Grazing Lands.
Washington , Doc. 18. Commission
er of Indian Affairs Jones decided to
day to authorize for the first time the
leasing of grazing lands in the Cheyenne
enno River and Standing Rock Indian
reservations in the Dakolas. The nc
tlon followed a hearing given repre
sentativcs of cattle interests in the
northwest who wanted immediate ap
proval. The leases , however , will be
under advertised calls for bids.
Wreck on Union Pacific.
Cheyenne , Wy. , Dec. 18. An eastbound -
bound fast mail train on the Union Pa
cific crashed into the rear end of a
freight train near Rawllns last night
The passengers were shaken ur and
Fireman Brown seriously injured. A
wrecking outfit and doctors have been
sent to the scene. Several freight ,
I cars are on fire.
RUSH FOR LAN'D CLAIM3.
Many Anxious Farmers Seek to Per
fect Their Titles.
Lincoln , Dec. 17. The restoration
of Burlington railroad lands In Saline ,
Ureeloy , Otoo , Case and Lancaster
counties yesterday brought many anx
ious fanners to the United States land
office In this city. Record waa mad *
of the claims as fast as pressed and
J. W. Johnson , register of do office ,
will begin the consideration of contested - '
tested CMOS wltkln a few days.
.
I Yesterday was sot by the goYorn-
ment as the time for the return to th
! E mbllc domain of several thousand
acres of land once regarded as part of
ho Burlington and Missouri railway
grant , which by recent adjustment
ma been determined government land ,
again. Those tracts are In Sallno ,
Greoley , Cass , Otoo and Lancaster
: ountlcs. People claiming prloroty
o the lands were obliged to present
heir claims of entry yesterday. Later
hearing will be had on the proofs
offered and when Mr. Johnson is sat-
sfled with the representations made
and the testimony of possible chal-
cngers ho will forward his recom
mendations to the land department for
final record.
FLOODS ARE SUBSIDING.
Many Mines and Mills In Pennsyl
vania Are Idle.
Philadelphia , Dec. 17. Advices
rom all sections of the eastern parts
of Pennsylvania over which Sunday
night's storm raged furiously are to
the effect that the waters covering the
looded districts arc receding and that
railroad and telegraphic communlca-
.ion are slowly being restored ,
The damage to property and the
) ocunlary > o from enforced suspen-
slon of Ts-ny Industries will reach
many hundreds of thousands of dol-
ars. Dozens of coal mines are flooded , I
along with hundreds of industrial con
cerns , thus throwing Idle thousands
of men.
It is estimated that more than 40-
000 persons have been rendered Idle.
The Susquehanna , which rose at some -
lolnts 29 feet above low water mark , .
s going down gradually , except In the
ewer end of the state , where it Is re
ported to be rising two Inches an hour.
The good reports from up-river points ,
however , have allayed fear and the in
dications are that the southern end of
the state will suffer little from the
swollen river. The railroad situation.
8 gradually becoming better.
FLOODS RAGE IN MAINE.
Towns Inund/ted , Railroad Traffic
Blockaded and Houses Wrecked.
Portland , Me. , Dec. 17. This state
is suffering from one of the severest
storms in its history. Floods and
washouts have done tremendous dam
age. The Maine Central railroad has
moved no trains since Sunday. The
great mills on the Androscoggin , Ken-
nebcc and Penobscot rivers were al
most all unable to start their machinery -
ery because of high water and thousands -
sands of men are temporarily without
work.
Many cities and towns report that
great damage has been done to
streets , families have been driven
from their homes and street railways
are inoperative from floods. Only
one death had been reported , that of a
fireman named Patten , on the Cana
dian Pacific railroad , whose engine
plunged into a washout. A similar ac
cident on the Maine Central resulted
In the Injury of three persons , ono of
whom may die.
Madison sustained the greatest damage -
ago from floods of any place , it being
fully half a million dollars. Logs and
ice cnishcd buildings and overturned
many others.
Buries Knife In His Own Breast.
St. Joseph , Mo. , Dec. 17. At Swift's
packing house yesterday Ed Young
attacked Stephen Crockett with a
large butcherknife. Crockett warded
off the blow and in Young's frantic
brandishing of the knife he accident
ally buried its blade into bis own
breast , death resulting instantly.
Both were employes at the packing
house and quarreled over a trivial-
matter.
Santa Fe Passenger Train Burns.
Garden City , Kan. , Dec. 17. An ex
plosion of gas occurred on castbound
Santa Fe passenger train No. 8 near
here last night. The smoker , chair
oar and ono sleeper were entirely
burned and the passengers , none of
whom was injured , were brought hero.
Conductor John O'Day and Porter Rob
ert Pennington were badly cut and
burned about the head and face.
Nltro-Glycerlne Factory Wrecked.
Butler , Pa. , Dec. 18. Thomas L. Ed
ward and Charles D. Parker wore In
stantly killed last evening by an ex
plosion of nltro-glycerlne , which com
pletely wrecked the nitro-glycerlne
factory of B. S. Humes & Co. , near
here. Not a shred of the two unfor- jj
tunates could be found and the site of "l
the magazine was marked by a hole
20 feet deep and 40 feet in diameter.
Hayward's Preliminary Trial.
Lincoln , Dec. , 17. C. E. Hayward ;
was put on preliminary trial yester
day morning for the mysterious mur
der of John J. Glllllan. After the
opening statements of counsel the
taking of unimportant testimony was
hurried along. The defense Is relying
upon an sUibl.
Alleged Murderer on Trial.
Red Oak , la. , Dec. 17. Gustavo
Thiele , ttio man charged with stabbing
i his wife to death at Vlllisca last June ,
was placed on trial yesterday in the
district court , Judge O. D. Wheeler
presiding. The defense will put In a
plea of insanity , but it Is hardly like- -
I ly to saive him.