THE OMAHA DAILY * \ EIGHTEENTH YEAR - OMAHA , SATURDAY MQ11NING , APKIL 20 , 1889. NUMBEll 300 HORDES OF HOME-SEEKERS , Mighty Hosts of Boomers Bound Across the Border. SWOLLEN STREAMS NO BARRIER. I Foolhardy Attempts to Cross Them llnfiult In Death to the Invaders Fuklr ICiiKnifcd In Imp- the Unnwnry. K A Mlicrntory Mob. ON TUB BoniiEH or OKLAHOMA , via AKKANSAS CITY , April 19. [ Special Tele gram to Tun BKK.I The advance tu Oklahoma continues to-day nnd trains of wagons , droves of cnttlo and n largo number of horsemen nro hurrying Into tlio Chero kee Strip , undaunted by swollen streams and the almost impassable condition of the roads. Some of the iiomo-scckcrs passed to-day with fine carriages and buggies which will scarcely carry them ever the rough roads , which hnvo been so badly cut up by hcnvy wagons that it is almost Impossible for nn empty wagon to travel them. Others had sulky plows and rakes nnd other improved ngrlculturnl imple ments. Some of the wagons had coops of chickens strapped on behind , whllo several had rcady-mado cabins set upon hay frames , so that the boomers , on reaching Oklahoma , can unload tholr houses on tholr quarter sec tions nnd occupy them at once. Runners from along the line report to-day that eighteen boomers were drowned yesterday nnd last night in attempting to ford the swollen streams , out In the rush and confu sion it is difficult to got particulars , and owlnir to the poor facilities for going from point to point it is nlmost Impossible to gob reports of nil the things that are happening along the line , nnd eighteen may not bo the linlf of these who hnvo fouud watery graves in attempting to reach Oklahoma. Several colonies nre providing themselves with rude fiat boats with which to construct pontoon bridges ncross the deepest streams , whllo b others are hauling heavy timber uud lumber for the purpose of building bridges. The Santa Fo is preparing to run special trains from this point into Oklahoma every ton minutes after 9 o'clock on the opening day , nnd will probably carry 10,000 passen gers to that place on the ( \ , for this Is the great assembling point for boomers from all northern and eastern points. The Santa Fo rolling stock Is being concentrated here , and to-morrow they will begin making up special trains on the fifty miles of siilu track at this and neighboring points. No engineer , trainman or conductor will know which train will move first , until the orders to start are given. This is deemed necessary on account of the great rush there will bo on opening day , when everybody would nmko an effort to get aboard the first train if it were known which would bo first to start. Tickets are already being sold hero for Guthrie and other points in Oklahoma , to bo used on the aid. This is being done to avoid the rush"as it would bo impossible to sell tickets to nil that want to leave on that day. It is ninety-four miles from Arkansas City to Guthrie , the principal land ofllco in Okla homa , and the point toward which the major ity of the boomers will rush , Trains leaving hero in the morning will get to Guthrie In about four hours , tienco all of the home- seekers can bo put In there before the land office closes on thn opening day. The town Is full of fakirs of all kinds , and nil sorts of catchpennies nre congregating hero and preying upon the thousands who Imvo been held here until to-day. Bands uro playing , drunken men are whooping and yelling with Joy , nnd a general feeling of hilarity prevails. Everything is in a state of great confusion. The telegraph wires nro kept busy day and night , ami yet it is hard to get off a telegram , The town is full of newspaper correspondents whoso specials keep the wires very busy , and oven with u double force of operators , there is constant delays. The Western Union Is putting in an extra wire , which will bo ready for business to-morrow , and special arrangements are being made for newspaper men to lisa the trains for neighboring points in order to en able them to file their matter wherever It can bo handled earliest. SGOIICR Aloni ; tlio Itoad. ON Tim OKLAHOMA Bonncit ( via Arkansas City ) , April 10. [ Special Telegram to THE Br.B.l The scene along the "roads through the Cherokee Strip , from the neighborhood of Arkansas City nnd Caldwell , Kan. , to Oklahoma , beggars description , and the gen eral appearance presented Is similar to the line of march of some great army on retreat. The recent hard rams have softened the roads so that the heavy Immigrant wngonn cut them till they nro almost without bottom. As n natural consequence , wagons stuck in 3 mud or broken down are seen all along a line. The streams are all up , una the determined nnd Impatient boomers nro hav ing great trouble in crossing them , and HOV- ernl lives hnvo already been lost. A beuvi ruin last night added to the discomfort ol the home-seekers , many of whom nro pro vided with no shelter , but nro traveling in open wagons , on foot or on horseback. Hun drcds of women and children accompany the boomers on tholr march , and In man } cases women nro drawing the wagons , while the mnn walk nlong , driving their smal herds of cows and calves , Some of the wagons are loaded with household furniture and goods of nil kinds , whllo others contali : but n scanty supply of provisions nnd a feu old quilts nnd blankets. Some of the cini grants arc provided with good teams anil nro evidently possessed ol ample means , whllo others have spiked teams , rope bur uess nnd old , worn-out wagons , Great num bers of the boomers are in camp near the Salt Fork of the Arkansas river , about ball way between Arkansas City unit the Okla * lioma line , unable to cross nnd waiting foi thn roads to dry up , whllaimiuy other * nro pushing forward , regardless of the roads , toward tha line , where they intend rcating tholr teams nnd lightening them In order to bo able to go into Oklahoma with it rush on the oponlng day , Tlio boomor.s' camp ? present lively scenes this evening and as fai ns the eye can reach nre groups of t ntsnml covered wngoni. The pcoplo nro generally traveling In crowds in order to bo bolter ublc to assist ono another in emergencies. Most of them seem to have staked everything or Oklahoma and to have abandoned theii homes elsewhere to ocok homes In this torrl lory. They nre braving thn hardships witt ; true pioneer fortitude and ttmir sccminglj bright prospects enable them to chcorfuilj endure nil trials and hardships , and even the cold and chilling ruins can not dampen thcli nrdur or affect them. The women nro us en , thusmstlo us the uien and speak very hope fully of the bright prospects of happj homed in Oklahoma. All seem tc look only on the bright sldo and te linvo lost sight of the fact thai nt least three-fourths of their number nro destined to disappointment owing to the fact tbat there is not near enough laud to gc around. Most of thcso people are hcadod for Guihrio or points In that vicinity , nnc from present indications every acre of lane near tlio railroad between the Cherokee Btnp nnd Guthrie will bo squatted on withlr un hour after Oklahoma t opened. For fortj inllcs through the Cherokee Strip the roads nro lined with wagons , buggies , sulkies horsemen and footmen , all bound for Ok hi homa. Every iuiuglnnblo kind of convey tinea has been brought Into requisition Some are of the old style wooden tixlt wagons , relics of other generations , but mofV of the movers from this direction are of tin better class , whllo the largo ina Jority of the e pnthcring about Putrcll couth of Oklahoma , uro of tin poorer cltu and belong to the rcgultv ulo I mcnt of society that would bo termed rough. All passers-by nro loudly cheered by these boomers , who wave tholr hats , whoop and yell In high spirits. The soldiers nro camped at various points along the line nnd rein forcements nro constantly arriving. Two moro companies of Infantry arrived to-day , and the general Impression prevails hero that , owing to the nbsonco of other law for Oklahoma , the country will bo placcd-undor martial law for the present , until suitable laws for its government can bo enacted. Captain Hayes. In command ot the troops- hero , has permuted sovcral bridge builders to outer the territory nnd brldgo some of the most dangerous streams which the settlers will have to cross. These men will bo allowed to charge n small loll to compensate thorn for their work. The United States troops hnvo been ordered to withdraw precisely nt noon on the 'J2il , nnd to permit the settlers to enter Oklahoma. In the meantime they nro gathering along the line , nnd their numbers nro hourly Increasing. A largo United Stntcs Hag floats from ono of the boomer's wagons. In other wagons are desks , chairs , law books , bank furniture , restaurant nnd snloon fixtures and everything needed for the business of n city , nnd on next Monday n city will spring up at Guthrie with such rapidity as to astonish the world. Boomers Hold ti Town Hlto Mooting. AIIKANSAS CITV , Kan. , April 19. [ Special Telegram to TUB BCE. ] An Oklahoma boomers' meeting was hold nt the opera house hcio this morning to take action lookIng - Ing to the reservation of land enough at uthrlo for town slto purposes. The law on this subject Is variously construed , nnd there wns homo difference of opinion ns to the best course to pursue. About six hundred men attended the meeting , and nil were of the bettor class. Ex-Mayor Constantine , of Springfield , O. , presided. Several speeches were made and great Interest was manifested n the town site question , for it Is rumored that certain persons have arranged to rush men into Oklahoma on race horses Monday in order to get them in ahead of all others for the purpose of having thorn squat on the juarter sections where Uuthrlo Is located , ind take possession under the homestead laws. The law concerning town sites in Ok lahoma Is said to bo defective in many respects , nnd the meeting , after appointing a committee on res olutions , adjourned until nfternoon. This afternoon the committee's minority report was accepted after considerable dis cussion , and the president of the United States will bo requested to reserve two sec tions of land ut Uutiirio 7or townslte pur poses. The majority report opposed making this request on the grounds that if land is reserved for n townslto the lots will bo sold at public auction to the highest bidder , whereas if these who intend locating nt Guthrln will go there and occupy the land on the ± Jnd , the government will afterwards donate the land to them and they will not have to bid against speculators for Its pur chase. There are already ever n thousand men there who contemplate locating at Guthrie next Monday. They are merchants , bankers , lawyers , doctors , druggists , hotel keepers and mechanics , and from present indications Guthrie will bo n city of from five thousand to ten thousand Inhabitants be fore it is twenty-four hours old. Bnnkini ; nnd Newspaper ProJectH. AHKANSAS CITV , Ark. , April 19. ( Special Telegram to Tun BBC. ! Arrangements have already been made to starta bank and news paper at Guthric , Oklahoma , on Monday , the opening day. Everything has been shipped to the border , nnd the cars tire side tracked there awaiting the tlmo when the freight can bo rushed. The Guthrie bank is to bo opened Monday afternoon , and the first edition of the Guthrie newspaper will como out Tues day morning. Heady-made houses in sec tions are being shipped there , so they can betaken taken from the cars and out up in an hour. Sovcral merchants have their store houses on board the cars ready for the Oklahoma towns , and a largo number of complete cab ins are being built and put on fiat cars ut var ious points along the Santa Foroad , to bo run into the Oklahoma settlements , and sold to homesteaders on oponlng day. The growth ot these towns will be something wonderful , and the woods of Oklahoma will bo transferred - rod into busy cities in less than a day. Home [ 'Icturosquo Out Ills. CAMIWCLL , April 19 Two thousand camp fires glimmered along the old Itono trail last night from CaUUvoll to Pond Crook. To-duy a thousand canvas-covered wagons art slowly moving along the trail. The day was favorable and notwithstanding the late heavy rains , the trail was in very good con dition. The most popular outfit Is a strong canvas-covered wagon , drawn by two largo , stout horses , and the horses of the boomers are all In good condition. Seine of the large wagons have four or oven six horses. Some parties are mounted on ponies and carry whoh camp outfits behind their saddles. Some arc crossing the Strip In buggies. Ono odd turn out is n largo , high , old-fashioned buggy , drawn by two shaggy , yellow horses , with n colt hitched by Its mother , and a black cow tied behind. The driver is a woman , am she. drove with ono hand while the othei supported u llttlo child. A shocky-hoadeil youngster of ten years followed bahind. The woman was a Kansas widow seeking a home in the "promised land. " All stones to the contrary notwithstanding , it does not soon : that there can bo any trouble among the mcr who nro driving ever tlio trail They nro us line a body as evoi went into a new country. The most o them are Kansas nnd Nebraska farmers , ant although n gun is in every wagon and across every saddle bow , the owners are mon win will UHO them to keep peace , and not to make trouble , Most of the wagon boomers got oui of Caldxvell , yesterday , nnd this morning There were about four thousand of them , Many of them huvo little or no money , bu almost all are well equipped for camp life , Salt Fork. Pond CrcoK , nnd nil otnor streams in the Strip , it is thought , can bo forded , al though every ono Is very high. All is doubl nbout the chances of fording the Oimarron and u wagon loft Caldwell , last night , bear Ing n largo boat , with which the owners expect pect to start n ferry. Soldicrx Hold a Conference. AIIKANSAS CITV , April 19. Lost night th ( old soldiers , union colony of this city held it : last meeting before going to Oklahoma. Tht colony consists of 150 old soldiers. Ono ol these will Icuvo Monday to look up n homestead stead for each under the soldier clause. Tlu members will go by train. They have startec a wagon train with supplies of tents and pro visions nnd a raft sufficiently Inrgo to fcrrj nil nccoutorments across nny stream be twcnn hero nnd Oklahoma. The old sol dlers" colony of Wichita started tei wagons yesterday , They will ontoi nt Caldwell. Land Register Dil returned lust night from Guthle. Ho says the roof is on his land office and It will b < ready for occupancy to-night. The land of ficers , both at King Fisher nud iuthlo , held a consultation last night and guvo oui official notice as to the manner in which nn plications for claims should bo filed. Twc hundred land filings per day will be the llmi of each office. Word wns brought hero las' ' night from Purcell by a uum who was then yesterday that a great deal of lawlessness exists nlong tha southern border of Okla houin , Ho said a man wcs "hold up" In th < streets of Pureell in broad daylight nni robbed of $300. Tlio boomers defj the law. They have purchased or hlroi every available horse In tbo neighborhood and will mount and wade through the Ca < nudlan river lilbt before noon Monday , When the signal flag drops at noon shart there will bo u desperate land race on the opposite bank. Gamblers and toughs declare - clare they will let no ono pa. s a certain dis tance who is not one of them. Tlio town it full of special correspondents , who uro writ Ing from Imagination and against space. A cowboy from Caldwell , who arrived lats laal night , says the Cimarron is very highcam ! that up t6 the time he loft , eighteen persons been drowned while trying to ford the No dcdulta informatlpu can b ( learned of th o drowning. At ono tlmo this morning there were over a hundred wagons on tha streets. Itntjrond * Tnxcd to Tholr Utmost , CALDWELL , Knn. , April 19. The rush of pcoplo who will try to take the Hock Island route between to-day nnd Monday will bo so great that the Hock Island nhiTost despairs of being nblo to accommodate tnom. Ono colony of 000 will leave Wichita to-morrow. General Pnsscneor Agent Sobr > stlnn , ns soon ns ho heard of the possible trouble nt Pond Creek , .olcgrnphcd to Wichita that the road would furnish frco transportation to tennis nnd ivagons If tickets were sold to owners , trav elers to provide tholr own trnnsportlon from Pond Creek. Manager Green , of the stngo Ino , "Cannon Ball Green , " ns ho Is known throughout the southwest , Is buying nil the horsoa to bo had hero and In the neighboring country. Ho shipped twenty-six to Pond Creek this morning. Fourteen stages in addition to these used by the old Fort Heno line , which nro at Pond Creek , were shipped from Will- Ington to-day. The Hock Island officials , who returned from Pond Crook this after noon , say that the reports of high water have been greatly exaggerated , nnd that Captain Woodson reports from the frontier that there will bo no trouble with the streams. I'nwnco Bill's Colony. WELLINGTON , Knn , , April 19. A special to the Standard , brought by courier to South Haven nnd from there telephoned to this city , says- Pawnee Bill's colony , consisting of ! iOO wagons , left Huunowoll yesterday and is now water-bound nt the south fork of the iVrkansas , twenty miles south of that city in the territory. Whllo attempting to ford the swollen nnd turbulent stream a man named Frelthor nnd his team wore drowned in full view of the frightened colonists , who were unnbln to render him any assistance. The sad accident demonstrated that fording was out of the question , and the whole colony is now engaged in the construction of a hugo raft upon which they hope to float ever to the other side with their teams and outfits. This afternoon a tram of1S5 vehicles , containing colonists bound for Oklahoma from the Salt Lake Valley of Utah and points In Colorado , passed six miles west on tholr southern Journey. Hlvcrs Hlslntr Kapldly. ARKANSAS CITV , April 19. Tlio Arkansas and Walnut rivers are rising rapidly. The Walnut has gene up ten feet since morning. Congressman Weaver , of Iowa , will nrrivo to-day. Ho says ho will take up n claim near Guthric. This morning , at. Chillicoco Station. 500 Texas cattle were let , loose on the prairie. A train of boomers was passing at the time. The cattle stampeded the cattle hitched to the wagons. Tlio latter were mixed with the Texas cattle and lost to the owners. A man named Watson , trom Sterling , Nob. , In try ing to save his outfit from the enraged cat tle , was trampled under foot and badly in jured. Cattlemen are making no attempt to protect their fences on the strip , nnd the boomers uro cutting them. Hundreds of miles of fences will be broken to pieces. An Oklahoma Lmud Opinion. WASHINGTON , April 19. Secretary Noble to-day , rendered n decision relative to town sites in Oklahoma : Department of the In terior To the commissioner of the general land office : I am in receipt of your communi cation of the 15th inst. . relative to the ap plication of the Oklahoma Capital City Town-Site nnd Improvement company , ask ing permission to locate and enter certain Innds In the Guthrie and Kingfisher land districts for town sites in the Indian terri tory , said application having been referred by the department to your office. I concur in the views expressed by you in your said communication , that there is no au thority to grant the application of the Okla homa Capital City Town-Site and Improve ment company to enter lands , as now pre sented , and I am also of the opinion that the provisions of the act of March 4. 1S89 , pro viding for entries of lands for town sites , under sections 23TS nnd333 of the revisot statutes do not apply to corporations ol this character. Although the president might have the power to reserve lands for town sites under section 23S3 of the revised statutes , such reservation could not bo made for the benefit of a corporation of this char acter , but would bo disposed of in the man ner now provided by law. Preparations to Preserve the I'oncc WASHINOTON , April 19. An order signed by Assistant Adjutant-General Kelton , sup posed to have resulted from the cabinet meeting this afternoon , has just been sent tc the commanding general of the Division o tbo Missouri nt Chicago. By direction of the mnjor-gcncrnl , the following is communl catcd : The president directs General Mcr- ritt to act in conjunction with marshals o the United Stntcs courts having jurisdiction In the country openei to settlement under the president's re cent proclamation to preserve the peace , and will upon the requisition of such marshals or their duly authorized deputies send the troops under his command to all them in executing warrants , making arrests and quelling any riots or breaches of peace that may occur. Ho will use his influence tc promote peace and good order , and will take otery proper measure to avoid any conflict o arms between or with the settlers. Ho wll also enforce the laws relating to tHe mtro ductlon of ardent spirits into the Indlar country. A careful enforcement of these provisions will do very much to promote good order. Itooincrs nnd Deputies Fight , WICHITA , April 19. A Daily Eagle spccla from Purcell , I. T. , says the chlof deputy marshal at that place , with a posse all afternoon has been engaged in hunting the boomers in tbo Oklnhomr land opposite this city. They returned thK nfternoon with ono party nnd have now corralled in the woods nnd ravines a party o 300. Intelligence has also beer received there that nn cngngemcn took place between n party of boomers am , deputies , in which several persons wore wounded. Tbo boomers , who were mostly Texans , it is said , were attacked In a barra cado of logs and stones by the deputies , am commenced firing. Volleys were roturnei with spirit for some time , but the boomers surrendered after some had been wounded. Postofllco Sites In Two Cities. WASHINGTON , April 10. There are sovera perplexing questions before tbo treasury department partment in regard to the selection of site ; for public buildings. Among tboso the mos difficult of solution relate 19 the sites nt Mil wuukco nnd Omaha. Secretary Window hat decided to dispose- them all as soon at possible , and to that end requested Asslstan Secretaries Baohollor and Tichcnor and Su porvlsing Architect Wlndrim to investigate each case thoroughly and to report their con elusions to him for action. Oklahoma Ijnnd Office Clerks. WASHINGTON , April 10. Two and proba bly four clerks , who are thoroughly in formed as to. the gen oral detail work of the local land office , will icavo the general land ofllco to-day Guthrie and Kingfisher -stage station in Oklahoma to assist the local land officers. A Double Arkansna Jnrk. ST. Louis , April 10. A special from Fort Smith , Ark. , to the Post-Dispatch says Malachl Allen , none-armed negro , and James Mills , a half Indian and half negro , w rc hanged there to-day for the killing of three men in tbo Indian reservation. Price or Whisky Reduced. CINCINNATI , April 19. The price of whisky which has been hold at tl.OU as a basis fo sovernl months , was to-day reduced to (1.02 according to the agreement inado at the i'coria uicotioe cm the 17th lust. TREASURY COMPTROLLERS , Ono Was Too Froah mid the Other Has Boslgnod. TIRED OF BEING A BOURBON. Editor Ivltis , or tlio Athens , Tennes see , Post , the Oldest Democratic Or/inn of the Soutlt , Has r&cformcd. WASHINGTON Bcniuu , Tnn OMAHA BBC. ) 513 FOURTEENTH Stunnr , , > WASHINOTON , D. C. , April [ 10. ) His learned to-night that at ttio cabinet meeting to-day about the only topic discussed was the two comptrollers ot the treasury. The arbitrary action and the dictatorial po sition , assumed by the first comptroller , Mr. Durham , In a llttlo controversy with the at torney-general , a day or two ago , convinced the president that the gentleman's useful ness had departed , and that It was ttmo that some one moro In harmony with the present order of things should bo selected to succeed him. Mr. Slgour.ioy placed his resignation at the disposal of the president some tlmo ago , and his place woiild have been illlod before this , but for the deslro of the presi dent , us well as the secretary of the treasury , to 1111 the moro Important position first. To day It was decided that tlio two comptrollers shall bo appointed Immediately , and whllo the names of these who are to have the places could not bo learned to-night , It Is un derstood that they will bo announced tq- morrow , and the current opinion Is that Captain John H. Thomas , of Illinois , will bo 0110 of the chosen. xo LOXQCII DEMOCUATIC. Advance proofs of the current Issue of the Athens , Tenn. , Post , wore received hero , to-day. The Athens Post Is the oldest paper In the state , and the oldest democratic organ In the Botitli , published under it continuous name. Its present editor and proprietor , .1. J. Ivlns , has been the chairman of the demo cratic couney committee , of his county , for some time , and has held several prominent ofllccs under the democracy , the last of which wns United States marshal , for the district , during the llrst two and a half years of President Cleveland's lenn. Mr. Ivins an nounces that ho is no longer a democrat , but th.it ho will hereafter lip found witu the re publican party. The principal reason for his change of politics isjj ho says , the recent action of the state legislature in gerryman dering thoThird congressional district , which is a disgrace to tlio party and a blot upon the state , a stab at her prosperity , uud a rcllec- tion upon the memory of these who have de fended democracy. Ho also thinks that the state is moro prosperous under a protective policy tnim ho believed it would bo under any other. These reasons lead him to take the course which ho Inys'out In his card. SWEBT UNCCrtTAlNTV. There has been much talk about the probable - blo construction the present administration will put upon the timodf the commencement of the four-year term of office , wliero it will begin , from the date of the appointment of ofllcials , or from their conlirmation. After much delay a conclusion has been reached on this important point , and though' it is not settled cither positively or negatively , the course of the administration on the subject of removals may bo. partially understood. Whca questioned on'tajTjmtpr" ; } . to-day the attornoy-gdneral said i j "It , h'os "boon deter mined to make no rule to decide whether tlio term of ofllco shall begin with appointment or confirmation , but rather to Judge each case separately , as it may como uu. It is thought that will bo the most satisfactory method. " With this explanation otHcials who are wait' luir patiently to find when their term of of fice expire may rest in sweet uncertainty. OKLAHOMA. At the interior department it was said to-day that the Oklahoma proclamation has brought moro work upon the land oflieo than any previous action of the executive. People ple from all parts-of the country write to know all about the new territory , how to se cure lands , when to go" and all the rest of it. They fail to recognize , soemin'gly , that there are only 10,000 quarter sections to bo thrown open to settlement on Monday , and that there are already quite that number almost within the boundaries of the territory ready to take up their acres. The department ty-day assigned four clurks from the land of fice to go to Oklahoma for the purpose of as sisting the registers and receivers at the now land offices recently established at Guthorlo and King Fisher , in thq territory. They loft this evening for their post of duty. There is quite nn exodus of would-bo settlers from Washington , who also loft to-night. They propose to go right through and take up lands If they can got them , and if not to con tend themselves with speculating in town lots. Most of the Washington colonists have money and expect to make a great deal more. A NKW NiniKASKA POSTMASTKH. W. B. Kerr was appointed postmaster at Silver Crook , Morrick county , Neb. , vice .T. W. Kiddle , resigned. IOWA I'OSTMASTCHS API'OIXTr.I ) . Clarence C. Kilbourno , Akron , Plymouth county , vice A. L. McGinnis , resigned ; Olif Sampson , Delton , Kookuk county , vice M. W. Chandler , resigned ; B. F. Chapman , Derby , Lucas county , vice O. Bovard , re signed ; 13. C. Stark , Gresham. Blnckhnwk county , vice D.M.Tobias , resigned : H. G. West , Little Sioux , Harrison county , vice A. Mlnton , resigned. MISCELLANEOUS. The first assistant secretary of the Interior has affirmed the decision of tlio commissioner of the general land oflieo , who sustained the action of the local ofllco in the case of Susan C. A. White , rejecting her application to iimko final proof in support ot hur homestead outry for lots 1 and 2 in ttio cast half of the northwest quarter of section III , township : tl , range 18 , Valentino land district , Nebraska. A contest was pending at the time claimant made her application against said entry under which circumstances it is well settled by the decision ' of the interior department that final p'roof cannot bo uiado. In the case of the appeal of Joseph Hurgol froir. the decision of tlio commissioner of the general land office of Qutobor Kl , 18SO , can celing his homestead entry for the southwest quarter , section 31 , township 151 north , range 00 west , Grand Fork district , Dakota , but denying His petition that such cancella tion bo without prejudice , and that ho bo permitted to transmute into a homstcad his pre-emption declaration statement for tlio southwest quarter of section 0 , township IK ) north , rupgo GO westIn said district , n The secretary of the interior to-day re versed the decision umjor an act of congress of March , 1889 , which fives all pre-emption settlers upon the publlq lands whoso claims were initiated prior tb ttio passage of said act , right to change their entries to homestead - stead entries , notwithstanding they huvo heretofore bad the benefit ot the homestead law. law.Tho The first assistant secretary of the Interior has modified thodccisionof the commissioner of the general land ofllco in the matter of the application of Elonor M. Ellsworth as the inort'gageo of Sandford T ) . Ellithorpo for the roinfatatoment ol the pro-ouiptlon cash entry of said Ellithorpo for the northeast quarter of section'J , township 113 north , range US west , Huron land district. Dakota. Tlio commissioner's action In refusing reinstate ment was based on the ground thut alnco the cancelution of Kllithorpo's entry and prior to Ellsworth's application the adverse homnstcad claim of Emma Har- ker had intervened , but a further investiga tion having shown that her entry has been canceled by rollnquishment , no objection re mains to the reinstatement of Elllthorpo's entry , who will bo afforded an opportunity to satisfactorily show the validity of his claim , and , if such U done , his entry will bo reinstated. AHMY oiminis. By direction of the secretary of war , Pri vate Bernard Wagner , company 1C , Second Infantry , now In confinement at Fort Omaha , Nebraska , will bo'discharged the service of Uiu United States , to data September 14 , 16ST , on receipt of this order by the com manding officer of his station. S. HEATU , SHUOU1H21) IN MYSTERY. Tlio Boiilniiaer Coinmlnslon'H Work Progressing In Hcarot. ICopi/rtflfiJ / 1SSO by Jama Gonlnn ItennM. } PAIUS. April 19. [ Now York Herald Cable Special to Tun Bnn.1 The proceed ings of the commission ot the high court of Justice nro as yet n profound secret. The members of the commission nro said to bo hard nt work examining documents which have boon submitted to thorn. It is not known what they have discovered. There are , however , reasons for supposing that It Is their Intention to glvo the widest possible range to the Investigations and to Include In them a long period of tlmo. It Is not at nil doubtful It would bo n chimerical under taking to find in the facts of the case as laid down in the demand for permission to prose cuted General Boulangcr , and addressed to the chamber of deputies by the procurour- gcneral , the constituent elements of a plot against the state. Even supposing tlio ele ments of conspiracy to bo found this would not suffice tinder the constitution to justify the Jurisdiction of the senate. It would bo necessary to send the case through the court of assizes. It Is probable that the commission is going to innko every effort to discover tho. facts , going back to the time when General Boulanger was minister of war , or to the days when ho commanded n corps of the army at Clcr- inont Forrand. As n matter of fact , the general would bo subject to the senate for all criminal acts Imputed to him. . In such case the competence of the senate would not bo restricted to nn attempt against the surety of the state. On the other hand , if the commission found fault with certain ac complished facts which relate to the time when General Boulanger commanded nn army corps , the case ought to bo referred tea a court-mnrtlal. It certainly occurred to the commission that it would do well to concern itself about the events which took place when General Boulanger commanded an army corps. The commission Is also to consider events which took place when M. Cnrnot wnselected president of the republic. There wore held at that time many consultations in the house of M. Lagucrre , nt which General Bouhmgor wns present. But admitting that these ninncuvrcs came within the scope of the law , justice will find itself singularly hampered by the fact that several of the radical deputies , includ ing M. Clnmenccau and M. Lockroy , worp present nt the meeting. The commission is not nt all anxious to embark on such a wide field of investigation , and it Is doubtless going to con line its efforts to another branch of the question. It cannot us yet bo safely predicted what will bo the results of the Cabour Investiga tion , which , in all probability , will bo very long. As for the oficct produced on public opinion by these prosecutions , it is evident that General Boulanger is placed in a posi tion for which It will bo very difficult to give a plausible explanation. A COiiOHAOO LANDSLIDE. v It Causes the Wruck of tlio Salt Links KxprejH and Two Fatalities. SAMOA , Col. , April 19. [ Special Telegram to Tnn BEB.I Whllo'ttTo ' Salt Lake express was passing through Black Canon , last night atl2'30 , the cngiiio was knocked off the track thirty feet into the river. Fireman North was killed and Engineer Uyan fatally injured. The engineer stayed under water until tlio steam escaped , and was nearly fuozen when rescued. No ono else was In jured. The remains of the fireman , in the river , have not yet been found , but they nro being searched for. The ] tram was running at an ordinary rate of speed. Tlio Jar from the train is supposed to have started a rock to rolling , which started other rocks , until the mass grew In volume and bconmo a tre mendous slide. Tlio noise from the train and the roar of the river , prevented the crow from hearing the noise made by the slide. A force of men was at once act to work clear ing the track , A Hot municipal Content , Ei , PASO , Tex. , April 19. The contested city election took a now turn yesterday , The old mayor , a republican , before the meeting of the old council , which was acting as a canvassing board , and of which there was not a quorum present , declared the repub lican municipal ticket elected. The repub lican contestants wore sworn in and the now mayor began to swear in special police after forbidding the old city marshal and police force to act. lie then tried to get into the city safe. While working at the combination the marshal sent a policeman to guard the safe and the officer pushed the now mayor back and took charge of the safe , but found himself covered immediately after by a double barrelled shotgun , held by ono of the now officials. Five cases of Winchester rides were secured and placed in the hands of the special police , sworn in by the now mayor , and other republicans who hud assembled. The city hull wns then in clmrgo of an armed pnsso , who refused admittance to two regular city policomnn. The demo crats wont before the district judge mid secured - cured un Injunction restraining the now mayor from acting and putting the city hall in the hands of the court. Tlio sheriff served the Injunction and the armed posse at the city hall dispersed quietly. At 10 o'clock last evening the old city council mot again with a quorum present ami adjourned until to-day , when the canvass will bo continued. Tlio old miiyor having re fused to recognize the old oouncll , Council man Johnson presided and appointed a largo force of special police to act with the city marshal. Not ISnontch Money. WASHINGTON , April 19. Tlio board of bureau officers , which has been considering the proposals received for building an armored coast defense vessel , has completed its wont and reported to the secretary of the nn/y. H is understood that the board finds that It is not possible to build n vessel under the lowest bid ( $1,111-1,003) ) , and comply with the terms of the act of congress , which fixes the total cost of naval rams , batteries and other naval structures to bo built under its authorization at 2,000,000. Out of this total must coma the armor for a coast defense vessel , which Is not to bo furnished by n contractor , and which will cost ? 'J50,000 , anchors , boats , etc , , and a sub marine boat , for which proposals were re ceived some months ago. Altogether there would bo a deficit of about $100,000 , if the lowest bid for the building of this powerful vessel were accepted. The next move of the department , if the report Is accepted by Secretary Tracy , will bo to roadvcrtlso for proposals , and If thut falls to secure Deduc tion , then to appeal to congress for an In crease In the limits of total cost , Prohibitionists nt Work. LINCOLN , Neb. , April 19 , [ Special to TUB Ben. I A paper Is being circulated for signa tures calling a non-partisan convention in Lincoln on Juno 5 to devise ways and means of pushing the prohibitory amendment cam- nalgn. Lawyers Atkinson and Robinson , who are run mug the untl-saloon republican Icnguo In this state , are at the head of the move. The cull is being circulated quietly , but will bo published , it is thought , withm three or four days. Crooked Mlnnuuotn ST. PAUL , April 10. At various times during the present session of the legislature there have been rumors of bribery , names being mentioned m several Instances , but l\ \ remained until to-day for active steps to bo taken. Investigation committees were np- polntcd by cacti house , but the proceedings did not dovolopo anything especially sensa tional. To-day n statement was mndo that warrants had been issued and will bo served on thirteen persons , whoso names nro with held , for bribery and corruption. These persons nro not all members , but nro said to have boon In various ways connected with the proceedings of the legislature. Further particulars have not been made public. uimnv. Loulso Arninludo's Hey Husband Cro nies Trouble In Ohloniro. CHICAGO , April 19. [ Special Telegram to Tun BKI.J : Louise Armalndo and her boy husband , who are well known In Omaha , nro in trouble once moro. The fair , Loulso shook her thriftless "hubby" nt the con clusion of the recent Omaha ladles' race , mid for two weeks things looked up in the Ar- mnlndo treasury , but nlas for human hopes , n limited Omaha freight last Tuesday brought the boy hnslmnd Chicagoward , where Loulso wns trying in vnln to keep In slchtof the rear wheels of Baldwin , Oaks and Wood. Arriving nt Battery D , ho was refused admittance by the muimg.ors , Sena tor Morgan mid Tom tick , and ho created qulto a stir until a policeman Invited him to depart. Miss Armaindo , who was hopelessly out of the race , sided with her recent lord niul left the track. Next day a warrant was sworn out for Eck's arrest for detaining Armalndo's wheel , the cnso being decided against Loulso by Justice Bradwcll , ns the wheel was Eck's property. During this morning , Stewart , Louise's husband , used abusive langtingo to Senator Morgan , mid the Omaha professional responded by lloor Ing him with a heavy loft-bander , for which ho later puld $1 lino. Tlio race is a decided success , and the English girl , Oak-t , looks like winning , with cither Baldwin or Wood a good second. A great crowd was present last night. Ttio Chicago all-around-tho-world base ball play ers will bo present at the finish Saturday night. Misses Oaks and Baldwin rode thirty miles the first two hours lust night , which is record for n fourteon-lap track. MOKE : FISHERY Lower California Wntors tlio Source or a New Dispute. SAN Dinoo , Cnl. , April 19. Tliero has been trouble for some tlmo between the Inter national company of Mexico nnd American flsbine vessels , the company claiming the solo control of the fisheries of Lower Cali fornia in the Pacific ocean and Gulf waters. The Mexican consul at San Dlcgo has Issued n proclamation warning nil captains of American nnd other vessels that ho has ordered the authorities at Ensonada to com mence nn active crusade againstand to confis cate all vessels found fishing in the pro scribed limits , together with the imprison ment of the offending captains. Business Trouble" . BOSTON , April 19. C. M. Barrett & Co. , dealers in rough leather nnd hides , have sus pended payment , and will cither assign or call a meeting of creditors nt onco. They nro reported to have direct liabilities of $23,000 or $30,000 , and contingent liabilities to a still larger amount. Tlio failure > is at tributed to losses by other failures , nnd n shrinking in business. Barrett lias an inter est in the leather business carried on by Frank Barrett in Toledo , O. Nuw YOUK , April 19. The office of the Callendar Insulating and Water-Proofing company , which "fnllod"thls 'morningr was closed to-day. The place Is in the hands of the sheriff , and no business is being done either hero or nt the factory in Newark , The ofllcials deny that their suspension is duo to WIG departure of William Calloudar , presi dent and treasurer , for Europe , nor will they admit that ho is a defaulter. The creditors think the amount of the liabilities will run up moro than $400,000 , and they do not ex pect that uny satisfactoiy arrangement will bo made. Tlio Dakota Docket. YANKTON , Dak. , April 19.--Special [ Tele gram to Tun Ben. I In Judge Tripp's court this week the territorial docket has been un eventful and the term will probable close to morrow. The cases against John and William Carter nnd John Flood , indicted for larceny , were continued and the accused released on bail of $100 each. Tlio trial of M. T. McLauflilin for uttering forged checks was commenced to-day and will probably be concluded to-morrow. He is a young man and forged ono or two checks for small amounts. Laura Lcoford , keeper of a public house on the levee , wns indicted and has fled. For several terms the court has imposed a fine of $500 on these offenders , and intimated that if they continued , Imprisonment would bo added. The grand jury has been discharged , nnd the house and business has changed hands and goes on ns usual. Charges WASHINGTON , April 19. Charges have been filed with the president against ex-Hep- rosejitativo Smalls , of South Carolinawhich , if proven true , are likely to prevent his ap pointment us collector of customs nt Beau fort , said to have been previously deter mined upon. Ono of trio charges made against him is that ho bolted the party ticket at the last presidential election , uud has committed nets nf treachery to the party which make him unfit for ttio least recogni tion at the hands of the present administra tion. Niiinvd Alter n Nchrn knn. Kn , Cole , , April 19. [ SpccIaHoTiin BcB.l The county commissioners of the new county of Phillips held their first meeting hero to-day nnd accepted the bonus of the county clerk , treasurer , judge , sheriff and assessor. Tlio new county was formed by un act of the Colorado legislature nt their lust session from tlio Houtneaslern part of Logan county , and was mimnd in- honor of H. O. Phillips , of Lincoln , Neb. . - A Plot to AHHiisHiiuiti ; tlio Czar , ST. PirninsiiL'nn , April ! ! > . The prefect of police has discovered the existence of n Ni- hlllstlo plot to ussnssinato the c/ar whllo he was attending tlio funeral of General Paucker , minister of roads. Tlio czar was immediately warned not to attend the fu noral. A number of persons charged with being implicated In the plot have been ar rested. The Nihilists Intended to use dyna mite In their attack on the czar. A ItlackNiiilth CiiAMiiEiiLAiN , Dak. , April 19 , [ Special Telegram to THE BEE. ] Ole Nyberg , a Nor wegian blacksmith , who has beuli working in this city the past year , committed sulclclo this morning by shooting himself through the brain. He had been on a protracted drunk for n month nnd had run through a largo amount of money , H. Ai O. BtrlUo Averted. CHICAGO , April 19. The superintendent of the Baltimore & Ohio railroad In this city says the threatened trouble between the company anu employes , growing out ot the life and accident insurance plan , has been amlcably'sottled. No employes will bo m- required to sign unles _ so inclined , A Housler INDUNAPOI is , April 19. Sylvester Grubb was hanged at Vinccnnos at 11 o'clock thin morning for the murder last September of Miss Gertrude Downey , his sweetheart , A few weeks ago ho broke- Jail and tnado his way to Illinois , wliero ho' was afterward captured. Arrlviils. At Baltimore The Oranmoro , from Liver * pool. pool.At At Now York The Saalo. from Bremen and the Bothnia , from Liverpool. THREE MILLIONS IN FLAMES , Now York Olty Visited by the Woralf Flro in Yoars. A HALF A MILE LAID WASTEl A llln Iinrd Keflnory nnd HURD vntor * Consumed Loss of Ij Heavy Hut no Details Obtainable. A Klnnnclnl nnd Ilutnnn llolncnuafi Nnw YOHK , April 19. The largest nnd fiercest fire witnessed hero for years swept the cast bank ot the North river clear to day , from Fifty-ninth street to what would bo Sixty-fifth street If that street ran to tha river. It destroyed moro than $1,500,000 worth of property belonging to the Now York Ccntrnl Itnllroad company , ami nt least $ r > 00,000 worth of lard , Hour nnd tha Ilka belonging to other persons , not * ably N. 1C. Fall-bank , the great ChlJ cage lard merchant. The llames destroyed two big elevators of the Vundorbllt system , n big brick building , stretching from Fifty * ninth to Sixtieth street , nnd occupied Jointly by the Falrbank innl refinery nnd the Hosslter stores , and wiped out the dock prop * orty of the Now York Central railroad from Fifty-ninth to past Sixty-fifth street. Henry Bcnnlng , a workman in the Fuirbnnk refinery finery , wns killed by n Jump from a third * story window. Many others wore injured bj/ / Jumping , but In the great confusion nttcudt ing the conllagratlon , the names nnd cxtont of the Injuries of but very few word obtained. Uumors were rife all ovcni Ins that a number of worltmoii had been caught and burned In thd refinery , but it has boon Impossible to verify * them. The fire broke out in the southeast corner of the Fnlrlmnk refinery , but now no body knows. Soaked In grenso as the old building was , it was In llames in nn instant , ' The men nt work in every story dropped their tools nnd ran to snvo their lives. Tnd stair cases were columns of llames and the windows presented the only means of es cape. Pursued close by the fire , the mcri Hung themselves out headlong , nnd hov * ninny there were nobody conld toll. Many who came out were picked up and carried away by friends. The fire had soon swept throughout the length of tha' building , and shot over towards the blri grain elevators ( if the Now York Central railroad. Between the place .whero the en gines were stationed and tlio elevators word twenty-seven railroad trains , which no fird engine could cross , and next the Union Stock ynrds , half n mile of broad enclosure nud pens , equally impassable. There was no way for n fire engine to reach the elevators ex cept along Sixtieth street , past tha burning buildings , nnd that street ) ] after two engines had fought tlicic way past , was blocked by falling walls. Furthermore , near the elevators wns only ono small water plpo. The fire boats wora sent for nnd several of them began work ill a heroic struggle to save the elevator , but it wns all in vain. The tremendous heat from , the fire across dried and warped the wood work of the big frame building under its corrugated iron shcatnlng , and in a short tlmo elevator "A" wns on fire and burning fiercely. Soon after the walls of the Uossltoc stores fell , releasing tons on tons ot "burning merchandise that rolled in blazina neaps in every direction. This increased the hcnt and firnno , and tlio efforts of ttia firemen seemed to bo entirely useless. About this time the stock yards pens worp cleared out. At 7 o'clock elevator "B" caught fire , and the scene hud then , in the growing darkness , lurid effects that made a spectacle of awful grandeur. The second elevator/ was entirely consumed also , and at 11 o'clock to-night , when the fire was gotten under control , the half mlle of ruins sent out u furnace heat. An estimate ot the losses is as follows : The Hosslter stores and contents. . ? 900,000 The Wilcox company , stock J50ODO Elevator "A" 800,000 Elevator "B" 750,000 Dock "D , " contents 200,000 Dock "A" ! 15,000 The Wilcox building 220,000 Total ? 3,353,000 The loss to the New Yorlc Central com pany is covered by insurance. Wilcox com pany's stock was Insured for 5100,000. Falfhury Items. FAinuuuv , Neb. , April 19. [ Special to TUB BISK. ! The Falrbury Driving association will hold a meeting hero July 4 nnd 5. A purse of over ? 1,000 has been raised , and will be applied in payment of premiums , A scr ies of races will bo given and a great tlmo la expected. A fine span of irray horses , belonging to Houghtelin & McDowell , millers , which was stolen by an unknown thief the first of tlila week , have been recovered , They word found nbout ton miles southwest of here , nn it is supposed that being fat they could no travel fust enough for the purpose of th < thiel. ACnnndlnn Extradition TSUI. OTTAWA , Out. , April 19. [ Special Tclo- ( jram to Tun Hii.J : Notice Is given in tha house of commons of n motion by Sir John Thompson , minister of Justice , to plncg Weldon's extradition bill on the government orders , The b'rll in question is to enable tha government to volunteer the return of ref ugees from Justice to countries with which Canada does not happen to hnvo nn extradi tion treaty. The sting of It lies in the fucs that it is retroactive. Seeing that the gov ernment has taken hold of the measure , it looks as if there was a determination in high rniiirtCi's to push it through. A font Find. FAiumny ; , Nob. , April 19. | Special to Tna Biij--Coal has been discovered In this vicinity. Ocorgo Fornoff , T. T. Berry nnd others have , for weeks , been sinking wells along the river ubovo and below town , but no paying indications have appeared utitlj very reituntly. They refuse to give parllc * ' .liars nt present , but steps Imvo been taken to perfect a corporation with a largo capital. A shaft will bo sunk at once , and Fair bury looks hopefully forward to cheap fuel and a genuine boom. 'Jlio JMInncnpolU Street Our Strike. MiNNiur'Oi.iH , April 19 , There is no change of consequence In tlio status of the street railway strike. Sovonty.fivo cowboys arrived from Kansas City this morning to take the places of thn strikers , but they have not yet been placed nt work. Cars nro run ning more or less regularly on thcso lines with minor disturbances. Flalicirty Sinlluil. HunoN , Dak. , April 19. [ Special Telegram - gram to Tun BIK. : ] Judge Spencer pro nounced sentence upon Flaherty this mornIng - Ing for the murder of Jlnttlo Wilfton hero on the 27th of last August , nnd Flaherty was taken to Stoux Fulls this afternoon , to serve n life sKntenno In the territorial penitentiary , Ho wns evidently pleased to escape bunging' , and smiled when the uonicnco was pro nounccd. lioiilnngcr Ouclit to Take u Tumble. Diti.'BfeKl.s , April 19. The Belgian govern ment has decided to send a second notice to General Houlungcr , to the nffect that ho will not ho allowed to consplro ngaln&t 1'ic.nce , a nation friendly to Belgium , , An Illinois UiirrluHiie. HiNCKM'.v , III , , April 19 , A hurricane passed through this village , last night , un roofing many buildings and tearing up sitlR- wains and trees , In u putli about ono hundred feet wide. No ciu : was seriously Injured ,