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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (June 17, 1904)
The Omaha Daily Bee. YCUR CHOICE OF TWENTY TITLES FREE WITH A WANT AD IN SUNDAY'S BEE FOR BEST RETURNS AND A FREE BOOK PLACE YOUR WANT AD IN SUNDAY'S BEE ESTABLISHED JUNE 19. 1871 OMAHA, Fill DAY MOUSING, JUNE 17, 1901 TEN PAGES. SINGLE COPY TIIHEE CENTS. JAPAN WINS BAT Eis.ian Hope of BliriDf Port t V Eabed b; Clak of Armiei. FORCE OVERWHELMED AND DEFE Japanete Capture Pri.oneri and Ta Fuurtaen Gnni from tba Enemy. SAY RUSSIANS USED UNFAIR FUSE Alag-ed that Tbay Difp'yed Japaneie Fla$ to Deceive I.Undeia. BATTLE CONTINUES FOR TWO DAYS At End of Time Russian. Completely Moated, Harry from Field Closely Pursued by Island CsT alrr. TOKIO, June 16.-4 p. m. The Russian hope of relieving the pressure on Port Arthur by threatening; the rear of General Oku, the commander of the Japanese forces investing; the Russian stronghold, came to an end yesterday at Tellssu, a point on the railroad fifty mllea north of Kin Chou and twenty-live miles north of Vafangow, when the Russians were outmaneuvered, en veloped and aweeplngly defeated. They left over 100 dead on the field and the Japa nese captured 100 prisoners and fourteen quick-flring; field guns. The Russians re treated hastily to the northward. The Japanese charge that the Russians violated the Japanese flag. Certain officers aver , that during the righting a body of Russian soldiers appeared carrying a Japa nese flag and that the Japanese artillery, deceived by this flag, ceased firing upon that particular body of Russians. Official dispatches from the Japanese commanders made specific charges of this flag violation. Early estimates of the Japanese loss say that COO men were killed or wounded. The Japanese attacking force was divided Into right and left columns and began the ad vance on Tuesday along both sides of the railroad. They encountered the Russians east of Vafandten and drove them back. At a late hour In the afternoon the Russians held a line between Lung Wang Tlso and Tofang Bhen. The Japanese artillery opened on this Una and tba Russians re sponded. ' Russlaaa Are Enveloped. The shelling continued for two hours and It was followed by the advance of the Japanese Una to a position extending from Lung Chla Tung to Yuhotun. Darkness put an end to the fighting. The Japanese dispatched a column to .the westward to ward Fuchau for the purpose of covering the Russian right wing and to protect their left and rear. ; v During the night K 4ecame apparent that tit RUMlana wera being reinforced and it was decided to make a. general . attack In the morning and force the Russians into a defile back of Tellssu. When morning cam it was discovered that' the 'Russians "held a line extending from Ta Fang Bhen to Cheng Tsu Bhan with. a. force estimated at over two divisions. The Japanese planned to envelop the Russians near Tellssu and they succeeded admirably. While the main Japanese force was moving north along the railroad col umns were swung to the left and to the right and Anally converged at noon on the main Russian position. The Russians In thin position were at a disadvantage, but they held It with determination until 3 o'clock in the afternoon. At this hour they were rod fed. The Japanese, cavalry continued to pursue the enemy and probably inflicted considerable punishment. The Japanese commander makes no esti mate of the Russian losses, but says they probably were great. Among the Russians captured by the Japanese is the colonel of the Fourth regiment of rifles. Rnsstans Admit Reverse. ST. PETERSBURG, June 16.-7:30 p. m. A special dispatch from Uuo Yanar to the Official Messenger says tn oattle of Vaf angow raged the whole of yesterday and the Japanese, receiving considerable rein forcements, crushed the ttusslon left flank and compelled the Russians to retire north ward. No estimate of the loa-os is given one no mention is maae of the loss of Russian guns. The war office announces that General Btukeiborg was forced back before greatly superior r umbers and retreated to Vant non, thirty miles north of Varungow. The ofT.cials rere deny thut there was anything H the nnli:ro of a rout. The enemy had over four divisions in action. 'A semi-official dispatch from Mukden, dated June 16, saya the engagement at Vafangow, June 14 and June 15, was un dertaken with the object of drawing off a portion of the Japanese forces from Port Arthur and resulted in Improving the Rus sian position. The Japanese losses were vary heavy. Another correspondent, describing the fighting, writes: Tba date June II will forever be memor able in our nnnnls. A succession of furious attacks by two ulvUlona of II. o enemy and ballerina of rlx-lncli guns were repelled by our troops, who nowhere yielded an Inch of ground despite heavy lotaes. The Fourth battery lost many gunners, but did not waver. Our guns were served superbly, puraiyslng the attack of the Japanese In. iuntry and csuxing their batteries to re coll. The soldiers of the Siberian rlrte regiments behaved magnificently. All the troops are full of enthusiasm. Story Closes Akraptly. Emperor Nicholas has recolved the fol lowing dispatch, dated June 15, from Gen eral Kouropatkln: An engagement occurred June 14 at Wa ang lieu (north of port Arthur), with a Japanese luice numbering at least two Uivathms. our loaae in killed Inolude Colonel Rho.stoiwiow, commanding (lie first regiment of Eastern fciueiian Kines, and Second Lieutenant lruostuft Nado cliliieky. adjutant of the regiment. The wounded include Major Oenerui Uoingross, wVin.f?ln'l'?K ,n n",d- " Captain .Ailntsky vt the general staff. Twenty officers, whose names at present are unknown, mere uUo killed or wounded, be. des 311 soldiers, of wi.lch the First rrglmun! of Hiberian Rlries lost twelve "'h"""" and v '"en and the First brigade of ariillery six o (tiers and fitly men. The following night wua quiet until 1 In 'J1"..!1""'","' "I1""" ruailude began on our r ght flank along the line of outposts, 'ilia firing soon slackened. At t:S0 In the morning Japanese artillery opened on our left Hank, rlhorlly before this our cavalry discovered on our right flank the presence southward of Taan t hou of a considerable force of the enemy. The Japanese Infantry opened fire on our cavalry occupying (he heights between Tafun Cfeou end Tin Chou on the edge of a woods. Towards :3u the enemy, consisting of a renliuent of In fantry with artillery, attacked from those woods. At the same time the cannonade u our left hank became heavier. At si lJuuUuu4 oa Be coal Page. ADVANTAGE LIES WITH JAPS Victory oa Land More Tama Oat welgba the Roaslaa 'access rt Beo. "opyright, by New York Herald Co., 1904.) iONDON, June 17. (New York Herald 5 legram Special Telegram to The Bee.) neral Kouropatkln moved to the south , to march to disaster. Admiral Skryd luring raid into the Straits of Coroa vuitod in two large transports being In tercepted arid torpedoed by the Vladivos tok squadron, with the loss of at least 1,000 Japanese troopa, but this bold stroke in Its Inuflence upon the war Is as chaff in the scale by comparison with the Russian catastrophe on land. Buch in brief la the view taken here of the latest events In the far east. The Daily Mall, however, points out that as yet the Japanese success on land has not gone to the extent of surrounding and destroying General Stakelberga army, aa many British observers had confidently ex pected. "After two days' hard lighting," It sas, "in which the force engaged on the Japanese side appears to have been about three divisions of over tSO.OOO men, the Rus sian army under Stakelberg, which the Japanese describe as two division strong, and which should therefore have numbered between 80,000 and 40,000 men, has been dis lodged from a strong position on the Port Arthur railway in the neighborhood of Wa Fang Tien. As at the Yalu and Kin Chou the Japanese made a considerable capture of Russian artillery. Fourteen guns In all were taken and if the Japanese cavalry had been stronger the defeated army must have lost far more heavily in guns and prisoners, since it appears from the Japa nese report to have retreated in aoma con fusion. "The Japanese success was only a par tial victory, not annihilation, because the flank turned by the Japanese troops waa the Russian right and not the left, which would have cut off Stakelberg a re treat. "The Japanese forces at SiU Yen may make an immediate advance so as to coma in upon the Russian line of retreat and convert thla defeat Into disaster. The next few hours will show whether auch a move has been made." The Dally Telegraph'a military critic also thinks the full denouement is yet to come,, . Rear Admiral Ingles, writing In the same paper upon the naval situation, says: "It must be presumed that if there was a containing . force watching ' Vladivostok when Admiral BkrydloK emerged in the mist or fog at night with all lights ahut down It must have been of sufficient power to defeat three Russian shlpa in the open aea. 'lf as I imagine, they have followed on the heels of the Gromobot, Rossla and Rurik to the Straits of Bushlma, the Rus sians are literally between two fires. ' To the northeast must be one imperial squad ron and to the northwest the whole of the remainder of the Japanese fleet under Ad miral Togo. Even in -these circumstances It is not impossible that Admiral Skrydloff may escape for tha present in the fog tf the soouta have failed to nans pntt Wro, and fling out wireless signals to the heavy ships on either hand. 'This is presuming that he is satisfied-with the frtilta of his raid and chooses rather to run back to his only secure ' base at.. Vladivostok, count ing upon once more eluding tha containing squadron. "If he has pressed' on Into the Bay of Corea, which must be Infested by Admiral Togo's scouts, it means that he is going to sacrifice himself ond his ships in order to deal a crippling blow at the main Japanese fleet" RUSSIA ANXIOUSLY AWAITS NEWS Hopes mad Fears Are Exciting; Pope lace of St. Petersburg. BT. PETERSBURG, June 16. The result of the battle at Vafangow (north of Port Arthur), which has now been In progress for three days, is awaited here with breathless interest. Excitement prevails In all quarters. . The losa of more than too on Tuesday ahowa that tha fighting baa been of a desperate character, and Gen eral Kouropatkln'a report thla morning proves that both armies are determined to force matters to a decisive issue. The public has been considerably elated by the news of the success which thus far has attended the expedition of the Vladivostok squadron to the straits of Corea, and should General Stakelberg win a victory over General Noau on land, it would make the deepest impression. Already there is much talk of his success, but the War office prudently advises caution against the acceptance of Irresponsible reports In the absence of official news from either side. Kouropatkln's dispatch, ' given out this morning, brought the report up to 3:30 o'clock yesterduy afternoon, but stopped at the most critical point of the battle, when Etakclbeig whs meeting an attempt to turn his right wing by a similar move around Nozu'a left flank. Btakelberg'a re serves had already been brought up and the Japanese had been heavily reinforced. Exactly what portion of Stekelberg'a Cossacks were engaged at Vafangow Is not ascertainable. It consists of the First, Second and Sixth East Siberian rifles di visions, the Vsurl mounted brigade and the Flrat East Siberian Sapper battalion. General Oolngross, who was wounded, commands the First Siberian division of four regiments and a machine gun bat talion. General Bamsonoft commands the Usurl mounted brigade. The operations leading up to the battle of Vafangow date back to June 11, when two Japanese divisions, one commanded by General Nosu, advanced from the Pu-lantlen-Pitsewo line, probably prompted by Intelligence that the Russians were receiv ing reinforcements. A sharp skirmish took place tha night of June U at tha village of Oudiden, five mllea west of the railroad ar.d seven miles south of Wa Fang Tien, and another skirmish occurred on tha heights near the village of Lldla tun. ten mllea east of Oudladen. The Jap anese wero repulsed but the Russian ad vance posts retired. On June IS two Jap anese divisions were five miles north of the scene of the skirmish, their left wing rest ing on the village of Vafangow and their right on the valley of the Tassa, which flows parallel with the railroad, falling into I the sea ten miles aouth of Pltaewo. After a day'a rest the enemy advanced fifteen miles June 14 and attacked the left of the Rus sian position, four miles aouth of Vafan gow. The Russians had the best of tha first day'a fight, annihilating a Japanese cavalry aquadron and taking aoma prison ers, although at nightfall both armies) re tained their positions. This dispatch reached the emperor yes terday afternoon, but through a plunder In transmission tha war commission did not receive It until this morning. There waa no Intention to withhold Its contents from the public. Nothing further tuts reached tha Wac offloa to thla lima. TWO JAP TRANSPORTS SUNK Russian Squadron 8urronnd tod Daitroyi Hitachi and Eado LOSS OF LIVES MAY R1ACH 1,000 MEN Iis4rs Which Torpedoed tha Help less Japanese Vessels Near Iki Island Has Returned to Vladivostok. TOKIO, Juno 16. p. m All doubt as to the sinking of the transports Hitachi and Sado by the Russians has been removed. Three hundred and ninety-seven survivors of tha Hitachi arrived at Mojl and 153 sur vivors of the Sado have arrived at Ko kura. Details of the destruction of the two transporta and the full extent of the cas ualties are not obtainable. The transport Hlno, which has returned to Mojl, reports that It encountered the Russian Vladivostok squadron at 11:20 a. m. yesterday twenty mhos west of the Island of Shiro of the Okl group. The transports Hitachi, 6,172 tons, and the Sado, 6,219 tons, were seen two miles to the west ward. When the Hlno sighted the Russian fleet It turned, ran and signalled a warning to the Kanaxawa and they both took refuge inside the Island of Chlyt. Both signalled danger to the Ibu, which also escaped. The Hlno saw the Hitachi and Sado surrounded by Russian vessels. The loss of Ufa will probably be heavy. The survivors report that tha Sado and Hatachl were aunk by torpedo. Details obtainable from the survivors of the ill-fated Japanese transporta show that the Hitachi and the Bado met three Rus sian' warships near Iki island at 10 o'clock Wednesday morning. The Russians fired on the Japanese ships and atopped them and aoon afterward they torpedoed and aunk the helpless transporta. The captain of the Bado and several other men were captured. Over 100 men escaped in the boats and landed at Kokura. A message has been received here from Hagi aaylng that several survivors of the Hitachi had drifted north to Shlmonosekl and been saved. The transport Isuml is still missing. It is reported that the transports carried only 1,400 men. If this la true, the loss in lives probably Is less than 1,000. Tha transports, however had many horses and auppllea on board. Hitachi Tries to Ram Warship. NAGASAKI, June 14.-10 a. m. The re port that the port of Hakato, about sixty mllea to the north of Nagasaki, has been bombarded by the Russians la denied. . Yesterday the Russian warships appeared at the Island of Okl, In tha Covtn strait, one of the Liu Kiu group, aouth of Japan, where there la a plentiful supply of water. They fired on three merchant steamers, but the latter escaped. ' The Japanese transport TTgo, homeward bound, arrived at Okl Island yesterday, after having been fired upon by the Rus sia na. It waa not damaged. The captain of the transport Hlno, which has arrived at Mojl, reports that he saw the transport Hitachi, Captain Campbell, being attacked by a Russian warship with four tunnels. Tha Russian waa on the starboard side of the Japanese transport, which changed Its course and steered for the enemy' with the Intention of ramming it The. Russian vessel, however, crossed the transport's bows and attacked It on the port side. . Vladivostok Fleet Retnrna to Harbor. ST. PETERSBURG, June 16.-9:66 p. m. Tha Vladivostok aquadron has returned to Vladivostok. ARTILLERY RVSHE9 THROUGH TOWN New Cbwangr Hears Firing; and Sees Activity at Russians. NEW CHWANG, June 16. Firing has been heard distinctly in the direction of Kin Chou since 10 o'clock last night. Two batteries of artillery rushed through town at midnight. The second division of General Kurokl's army la reported to be marching toward Kin Chou yesterday afternoon for the purpose of taking the enemy In the rear. It la positively known that the Russian forces In the vicinity of Kin Chou are divided. Half are at Kin Chou and the remainder at about twenty mllea eastward. The entire forces num bers 36,000 men. Including 600 Cossacks. There are rumors here of fighting at Port Arthur, with tha Japanese almost In the city. A private letter from Mukden says the correspondents there are not hopeful of getting newa from the Russians, who give every Indication that the correspondents are not wanted. KUROKI HAS CAPTURED 8UI YEN Saya that Chinese Bandits Joined nasslans la Defending; Place. T)KIO, June 16. A detachment of the army under General Kuroki captured the town of Siu Yen on Sunday after routing and defeating a force of 800 Russians and 800 mounted Chinese bandits. The enemy retired toward the Tao river, leaving be hind them three dead and two wounded men belonging to the Fifteenth East Si berian regiment. The total of their losses Is not yet known. The Japanese sustained no, casualties. This Is the first actual re port of Chinese bandits fighting with Rus sian troops and It may mean that the Rus sians have enlisted large numbers of these irregulars. Conditions at Port Arthur. CHE FOO, June 16. Eight Junks arrived here today from Port Arthur, all of them loaded with Chinese. They left the town yesterday. Up to that time the condi tions were unchanged. Small skirmishes are reported continually ashore and the Japanese ships throw a few shells dally Into tha city, around which the Russians have Just completed an Immense trench. CfarUtlaa Workers Are Meeting;. SIOUX FALLS, 8. D., June 16. (Special.) One of the great eventa of the summer In South Dakota will be tha sUte convention of the Christian Endeavor aocietlea of South Dakota, which commence here this afternoon for tha session continuing until Sunday evening. Elaborate efforts bava been made to make the convention the. most successful ever held by the organisa tion In tha atata. All of tha 164 branches of tha society In South Dakota have aent large delegations and the attendance la all that could ba dealred. The regular aeealona are being held In tha Methodist church, but a huge rally Sunday evening will be held in tha audi torium. Thla afternoon a conference of atate, dis trict and local union officers, convention executive committee, subcommittees and speakers was held at tha executive head quartera at tba Congregational parish house. GOVERNOR 0FJ-INLAND SHOT General Robrlkoal Mortally Wounded at Entrance of Senate at , Ilelslna-fors. ST. PETERSBURG, June 19 :14 p. m. General Bobrlkoff, governor general of Finland, waa shot and mortally wounded at 11 o'clock this mernlng at the entrance to the Finnish senate at Helslngford. The asxassln. a man named Schaumann, a son of Senator Schaumann. Immediately committed suicide. Robrekoff was shot In the stomach and neck. He Is being brought to St. Petersburg in a dying condition. The attack is ascribed to Finnish patriotism. Schaumann la believed to be a member of what is known aa lae Finnish Patriotic party. A private message from Helslngfors says Governor Bobriknff was taken to a hospital at Helslngfors. Schaumann was a lawyer by profession. General Count Bobrlkoff, who was ap pointed governor general of Finland in 1S99, made himself very unpopular by his severe measures against the press of Fin land and tha stern manner In which he followed out the policy of Russia towards the Finns. This led to serious rioting at Helslngfors In 1902, which was suppressed by Cossacks. The last recorded act of General Bobrlkoff waa In March of this year, when he issued a proclamation for bidding the people to darken their windows at "unusual hours." People who chose to go to bed before 10 o'clock at night were subject to heavy fines. This step waa due to the neglect of the Finns to lllummate their houses In honor of the beginning of the war with Japan. MOORISH TROOPS AT TANGIER Fear that Ralsoall Will Consider Hove aa Treachery. TANGIER, Morocco, June 16. About 400 Moorish troops of the worst type were landed here today. They were sent by the sultan for the protection of .Europeans. These troops had an exceedingly bad repu tation at Cos a Blanco, when they came to Tangier. The residents of this City are uneasy, aa the troops have no discipline whatever and endanger life end property. Their arrival' is exceeding dangerous to Messrs. Perdicarla and Varley. Ralsouli la almost certain to consider this treachery on tha part of the sultan and cease the negotiations which up to the pesent ap pear favorable. Tha British and American authorities were entirely' Ignorant of this move until the troops landed, and strongly protested to Mohamed El Torres, the representative of the sultan. Tha commander of the troops brings letters announcing that more soldiers will probably arrive here aoon. Ralsouli demands aa a further condition for the release of his captives that he be consulted about the governorship of other tribes In northern Morocco. This haa been granted already. capture; PERSIAN ASSASSIN Man Who Killed American Missionary Broua-ht to Trial. ST. PETERSBURG, June 16. A private letter from Urumlah, North Persia, dated May 31, says that Seld, who murdered Rev. Benjamin W. Labaree, son of Dr. Ben jamin Labaree, superintendent of the Amer ican mission, haa eea brought by lae British consul to TjLa.a for trial. The murder of Rev. Mr. Labaree, who was assassinated In March last, waa an act of vengeance. Beld, his murderer, a ahort time previously killed a Syrian who was a British subject, whereupon repre sentatives of the Anglo-British mission insisted that the assassin ba punished. When the culprit learned of this he an nounced that he would kill the missionaries, so the latter no longer insisted upon his arrest Seld, nevertheless, took his re venge, Mr. Labaree being his first victim. EMPEROR ATTENDS MOTOR RACES Paale Is Occasioned hy Stream of . Bnralag Petroleum. HAMBURG, Prussia, June 16. Emperor William and the empress arrived here today to attend the motor contests. There waa considerable excitement this morning during the weighing of the cars which are to compete for the James Gordon Bennett cup tomorrow. A lighted match carelessly thrown down Ignited petroleum which was escaping from one of the cars and the whole street became a stream of flame, causing a panic among the spectators. The cars, however, were removed uninjured. The Swiss competitors have withdrawn from the James Gordon Bennett contest. Ralsonll's Friends Released. TANGIER, June 16. Two of Ralsoull's followers, who were imprisoned at La rache, have arrived here. This is con sidered another proof that the government Is gradually complying with all conditions proposed by the bandit. DEDICATES SIAM BUILDING Simple Ceremonies Mark Formal Opening; of Pavllloa of East India Kingdom. ST. LOUIS, June 16. The national pa vilion of Slam was dedicated today with simple ceremonies. The Siamese commis sioner general to the World's fair, J. H. Gore, called upon President Francis of the exposition and escorted him to the pa vilion. A gold key was then presented to President Francis, who unlocked the doors of the pavilion, and the ceremony ended. The building is a miniature reproduction of the Temple Benchama Bopit, at Bangkok. - A bronse death mask of Pope Leo XIII, which forma pArt of the Vatican exhibit, was unpacked today. It shows the face, neck and shoulders, and la considered an unusually fine likeness of the dead pontiff. WRECK ON THE BURLINGTON Mall aad Passenger Train' Goca Iato Ditch la Illluols, Injuring; the Crew. MENDOTA, ID., June lfl. The mall and passenger train on the Burlington road Jumped the track near Merlden, but no passengers were killed or seriously in jured, according to reporta. The engineer and fireman are said to be slightly hurt. The track waa badly torn up. The train left Chicago at t:U thla morning. Nebraska students Uradunte. NEW YORK, June 16. (Special Tele gram.) John William Balrd of Omaha and Lester Seaman Jones of Ashland were graduated by the Northweatern university at Evauaton, 111., receiving tha degree of bachelor of science. Geaeral Bates Now Doctor of Laws. BT. LOUIS. June 18. At the commence ment exercises of the Washington univers ity of St. Louis today honorary degrees of doctors of laws were conferred on Major (Itinera! John C. Hates, commander of the Northern division. I'. S. A., and i'r. Hugo htuiuitrbiira of Harvard university. FINISHES UP ON RAILROADS EUU Board of Equal latlon GiTfi Oat Beio.lt af I. Labors. INCREASE OVER NINETEEN MILLIONS Belt Line la Pat la aa a Portloa of the MJssoarl Paclne Instead of Being; Left for Local Assessmeat. (From a Staff Correspondent.) LINCOLN, June 16. (Special.) After six weeks of hard work and much worry, lam basted on the one side by railroad tax agents and held In check by publlo senti ment, the State Board of Assessment com pleted its work in so far as the railroads are concerned lute this afternoon. The total assessment of nil railroad property In the state Is (46.105,2:2.77, Ave times which sum Is tho actual value of all the railroad property, amounting to t'jao, 526,203.85, an in crease over lost year's assessment of $19. 027,899.27, or 69.7 per cent. Douglas county will lose Its Omaha belt line, owned by the Missouri Pacific, be cause the board Instead of giving all of this to that county has divided It between the main line and the Weeping Water branch. Every branch of each separate corpo ration was assessed on an average at the same value per mile. For Instance, the Omaha & North Platte, a port of the Bur lington, was assessed as main line from Omaha to Ashland at $15,000 a mile and from Ashland to Schuyler as a branch line at $3,500 a mile. The board added these two values and divided by the mileage to arrive at the average valuation. A motion made by Auditor Weston this morning to apportion the value of tha various systems on the unit system was voted down by the board, Mr. Weston and Secretory of State Marsh voting togelher on the proposition,, and Governor Mickey, Treasurer Mortensen and Land Commis sioner Follmer voting In the negative, be lieving that to adopt the motion would be to deprive many of the counties of taxea that they were Justly entitled to. The board then adopted the motion to assess each corporation separately. The aggregate value was arrived at by taking Into consideration the value of the stocks and bonds, not at their market value, but at a value thought to be Jusi by the board, after which deductions were made for securities held, the net earnings and the tangible property. The proposition to assess the franchises separately and In tha finding record ita value waa voted down. Valaatloa of Roads. The assessment by roads, showing the increase over last year follows: Assessed Value l Per Mil. Road. 1904. 1903. $9,900 2.6U0 $00 5,700 10,500 3,600 1.70Q I.2U0 1,200 1,500 4.600 $.250 1.60A t.ooo .60 1,200 1.000 3.100 4,600 6,000 6.500 4,000 2,600 4.000 1.600 l.SOO 6,500 1.660 1.000 6.000 6,000 4,700 8,800 U. P. main line $ 16.000 O. & H. V. branch 6,500 Kearney branch 4,770 A. & N. 10,000 B. & M 16,470 C. N. & K 6,000 O. I. & W. C 6,500 K. C. A 0 6.000 Lincoln A B. H 6.&00 L. ft N. W..... 6,500 Nebraska railway 1000 Nebraska ft Colorado Ry,... t.iMO N. W. ft Wyoming 4rf00 Omaha ft North Platte S.5O0 Omaha ft B. W.., .' Oxford ft K -4,000 R. V. ft W 4.000 R. V.. K. ft S. W 4,000 Republican Valley 10,000 M. P. main line 8,400 Lincoln branch 8,000 Weeping Water branch 8,000 Paplllton branch 2.f2t Crete branch 6,500 K, C. ft N. W 6,000 Pacific railway in Nebraska. 4,000 C, St. P., M. ft 0 8 600 C.'& N. W .60 Willmar ft Sioux Falle 4.000 Bt Joseph ft Grand Island.. 6.500 C! R. I. & P. main line ,800 St. Joseph branch 8,000 Nelson branch 6,000 Omaha Bridge and Terminal, whole system 100,000 Mason City & Fort Dodge, whole syntem 46,000 Tho Omaha Bridge and Terminal com pany's mlleege la 3.13 miles and the Mason City ft Fort Dodge mileage la .646 of a mile. The valuation of the last two named was added at the laat minute and caused the increase of the aggregate value. The mile age of the various systems Is practically tho aame aa last year, varying three or four miles only. To make comparison with the returns It la necessary to deduct from the total $148,000 of new property not here tofore assessed. Troubled Over, Division. Tha board haa had considerable diffi culty in fixing the value to be assessed against the various corporations, even after it had found the aggregate assess ment, and for the last two daya It haa dono nothing but work over this propo sition. This morning Tax Commissioner Pollard of the Burlington waa aent for to assist the board In paaslng upon aome of the lines. In dividing out the aggregate to the branches and the main line, the board took into conalderation tha condition of the tangible property and Ita bearings on the earnings of the road aa a whole. The board haa certainly had a hard time of It and from the expression let loose by the railroad aganta and othera some sur prise haa .been occasioned by the Increase, the Impression apparently being that the board would not make the valuation so high. The figures finally decided upon to day are very little different from those in the possession of the board at tha time of tha republican atate convention when It waa thought that the convention would make a recommendation to the board. At that time Mr. Mortensen became consider ably worked up and waa anxtoua that the board make ita report and stand or fall before the convention on Ita record, but this proposition was voted down. Mr. Mor tensen made hie figures and moved their adoption, but the board refused at that time to concur with him, though no mem ber of the board thought he waa far wrong. At first Auditor Weston was an advocate of the ayatem of finding the value on the net earnlnga and thla method would have made the total In the neighborhood of $45,000,000. ODELL DOES NOT SEE PLATT Governor Doee Not Want Cartelyoa Named an Committeeman froaa New York. NEW YORK, June lb.-Jovernor Odell haa returned to Newburg without aeelng Senator Piatt, but not before making It known that he opposed Senator Piatt's plan of naming Secretary Cortelyou for national committeeman from New York. "I did not see the governor," said Sen ator Piatt, when spoken to regarding the niatter, "but I understand both he and the president do not think It necessary for Mr. Cortelyou to be elected national com mitteeman In order to serve aa chairman of the national Committee. It is a matter for the New York delegation to settle. I will see the governor on tha train tnrouto to Chicago Friday and talk over the mat ter with him NEBRASKA WEATHER FORECAST Pair Friday aad Warmer In South Portloni Showers and Cooler at Maht or aatarday la Xorth Portion! Fair la South. Temperature at Omaha lesterdnyt Hoar. Deer. Hoar. l)ea. A a. m wo 1 p. m Tl a. m no a p. m 7" r a. m IO 8 p. m 711 8 a. m 1 4 p. m 7t ft a. m 4 5 p. m 10 a. an M p. m 7t 11 a. m 7a 7 p. m 7 II n 7tt 9- T!S 9 p. m 7a BIGGEST FIGHTJS TO COME .National Committee Dlsposca of All Contests txceptinar that of Wisconsin. CHICAGO, June 16 After deciding several state contests on delegates-at-large to the republican national convention and a num ber of district disputes, the republican na tional committee tonight adjourned until tomorrow morning, leaving the biggest fight, that of the factions of Wisconsin, still unsettled. While there waa much Interest taken In the settlement by the committee of the contests in Delaware and Louisiana terri tory the quarrel in Wisconsin Is regarded as the most serious In the party, and the outcome is anxiously awaited by republicans and democrats alike. ' Some surprise was occasioned when by a vote of 23 to 18 the committee decided to seat the delcgates-at-largo from Louisiana who are opposed to the "Lily White" ele ment. Not only did the contending party, the Cohen faction, win In the matter of Uelegates-at-large, but their reporta were victorious In practically all of the district contests In that state. The "Lily White" faction expected the contest would be de cided in their favor and the colored dele gates had practically given up hope of being auccessful before the committee. When the vote waa announced the negro delegatea hurriedly left the committee room to tell their friends assembled In a room adjoining. Instantly there were shouts by all the negroes who were present and it waa some minutes before tha committee could proceed with Ita work. The recognised delegates-at-large are Walter Cohen, Emit Kuna, Garault Farrar and H. B. Brown. The contest on the district delegates was taken up, but the supporters of ex-Gov-ertior Warmouth decided not to carry the district contests further, with but one ex ception, that of the Seventh Louisiana con gressional district, and the Cohen men were seated In all ef the other six districts in which there had been contests. Chairman Henry C. Payne whs so far re covered today that he was able to leave his hotel to go to the Coliseum, where the meeting of the national committee waa held. The republican national committee today voted unanimously to place the Addicks delegates from Delaware on the temporary roll of the convention. United States Senator Reed Bmoot of Utah Is among the arrivals here. Accom panied by two other delegates to the repub lican national convention the Mormon leader reached Chicago today. Ha declined to ba Interviewed, and spent the day sight seelngV V n- v - - The namea of W. P. Aldrich and W. A. Cook, the' administration delegatea from the Fourth Alabama district, were ordered placed on the temporary roll. WITHDRAWS PUBLIC LANDS Action Taken Preparatory to In augurating; Irrigation . Project. (From a Staff Correspondent.) WASHINGTON, June 16. (Special Tele gram.) The acting commissioner of tha general land office today inatructed the registers and receivers at the Alliance, North Platte and Sidney, Neb., land dis tricts to withdraw from all forma of dis posal, except restricted homestead entries, a considerable territory in their respective districts, to carry out the North Platte Irrigation project The landa withdrawn are thus officially described: Alliance dis trict, township 19 north, range 45 weat. North Platte district, north half township It north, ranges 32 to 37; south half of township 16 north, ranges 32 to 36; all town ship 15 north, rangea 37 to 40, and south half of township 16 north, ranges 89 and 40 west. Sidney district, township 16 north, range 41 west; township 16 north, ranges 41 to 43 west; south half township 17 north, range 42 west; township 17 north, ranges 43 to 45 west; south half township 18 north, ranges 43 and 44 west; township 16 north, ranges 45 to 49 west;- township 19 north, ranges 46 to 48 west; south half township 20 north, range 48 west. Captain Asa T. Abbott, V. B. A., retired, upon his own application la detailed aa professor of military science and tac tloa at the University of South Dakota at Vermillion. Upon nil own request Captain John C. McArtbur, Twenty-eighth Infantry, is re lieved from duty at the South Dakota Ag ricultural college, Brookings, to take ef fcet August 10, and will Join his company. Postmasters appointed: Iowa Haifa, Emmett county, F. H. Stoufer, vice Her bert Moore, resigned, i Wyoming Egbert, Laramie county, A. Wllklna, vice Ida A. Gllland, resigned ; Lewlston, Fremont county, J. H. Artist, vice C. C. Smith, re slRned. Rural carriers appointed: Nebraska Steele City, regular, John H. Friday; sub ntltute, H. B. Friday. Wayne, regular, P. J. Wads worth; substitute. O. F. Wadsworth. Iowa Bayard, regular, F. Buardsley; sub stitute, Ella Beardnley. CORBIX GOES TO THE PHILIPPINES After Year aad One-Half There He Mnr Succeed General Chaffee. WASHINGTON, June 16. Major General Henry C. Corbin has been ordered to com mand the dlvlHlon of tha Philippines, suc ceeding Major Wade, the order to take ef fect In October. General Corbin, at pres ent, commands the division of the Atlantic and Department of the East, with head quarters at Governor'a Island, New York. He will have had about a year and a half of eervlce In the Philippines when Lieuten ant General Chaffee reaches the retiring age. It Is expected that Major General Corbin will then succeed General Chaffee aa lieutenant general. Will Send Frnlt to Japan. WASHINGTON. June 16 The Depart ment of Agriculture haa decided to send to tha Agricultural department of Japan a large collection of citrus fruits Indigenous to tha United States. The action la in re turn for Jspan'a courtesy in adding a sim ilar collection to the Chicago exposition. Cnnrslrncr Jours Starts Wri.1, WASHINGTON, June 16.-C0mmlsiioner Jones of the Indian "bureau left here today for the Pacific coast to open bids for In dian supplies for next year. He will be ab sent about alx waeka. DEATH LIST CROWS Saw York 8taamboat Cataitrof ha Surpatiei Previous Eatimatas of Victim. SOME PLACE DEAD AS HIGH AS 1.50C Poasibla that Invattigit'oa Will Inoreatt tha Liit to Oca Thouitod. DIVERS AT WORK ON SUBMERGED HULL Over Five Hundred J3od!n Have Already Bean RecoTettd. STORIES OF CAUSE OF FIRE VARY WIDELY Complete Death 1.1st Will Show tha Catastrophe to Be One of Most' Appallnar In American History. NEW YOIlK. June 16. With unceasing effort search is going on for the bodlea of those who perished yesterday on the Oen eral Slocum. What the list of victims will total scarce nny one dare venture a guess, but whatever the number may be there la hardly a parallel In the history of disas ters where death rama to so many In so brief a period of time. Police and health department cfllcliils have placed tha number at a flgure as htah as 1,000 and more, but tonight It would seem that the maximum fatality will not largely exceed 700. All day long, from sunrise until darknesa shut off even tha melancholy satisfaction of watching for the dead, anxious search ers kept up their vigilance and at dunk there had been recovered 636 bodies, for the greater part women and children. Mothers who weeks ago hnd planned that fatal out- , ing for their children; little onca who had longed for the coming of tha happy day. Up to dusk 499 bodlea had passed through the morgue and of these more than 100 were Identified. The East aide haa Ita human sympathies aroused to the fullest extent and down by the river, where the boats unloaded their dead thousands gathered throughout tha day. Streets lead ing to the morgue were blocked, and only with difficulty could the police keep clear the passages leading to the long rowa of coffins for those who came to search for the missing. Up the sound, where the hulk of the General Slocum lies submerged, showing only a paddlebox, scores of email craft aided the tuga In grappling for the victims. Dlvera went down time and time again, and when their work ended for the day they declared there were no more bodlea In . the wreck. Mr. Barnahy's Statement. The coroner'a investigation to flx the responsibility of the disaster will begin on Monday next. The federal authorities as well aa the district attorney also will hold an Investigation. The society for the pre vention of cruelty to children, through Ita counsel, haa signified its Intention to puHh the Inquiry to the utmost. President F. A. Barnaby of the Knickerbocker Steamboat company, owners of the Elocum, made a general denial today of the reporta that the steamer waa equipped with worthless hose and life savers, and that the .Ufa savers were lashed to the ateamer with wire. "Tho apparatua for fire fighting on tha boat at the time of the accident was of the very best that money could buy," ,aaid Mr. Barnaby. "The boat waa thoroughly overhauled early this year and we spent over 130,000 on refitting machinery, hose, extinguishers, aa well aa for life preservers. We did all and more than the law requires. Tha hose waa all new thla year and waa all right. The fact that the vessel was grated as a Al rlHk Is the best evidence that all that human foresight could provide was done. The reports that the life rafts and boats were tied on with ropea and wires Is ab solutely false. The life rafta were almply laid on tho deck and could have been thrown over board by anyone. The boata wera almply lashed with thin rope that was not cov ered with pa(nt and which could easily have been cut. No wires were used what ever. I venture to say that many people were killed simply in the efforts to get at the boats, 100 fulled in doing what "one man could have done. We had over 609 life preservers more than the-legal capacity of the boat, something like 1,000 or 1,600 new ones having been put In this year. The allegation that they wore old, rotten and worthless Is not true." Lose Falls on One Neighborhood. Unlike the Iroquois theater tire and other great catastrophes of recent years, where the woe of the disaster' reached through out the land, the blow of the Slocum'a mortality list falls practically upon a little neighborhood in a great city. 8t Mark's parish, which furnished nearly every vic tim, lies within the crowded blocks of the middle eust aide, and therein toduy there is hardly a house that Is not one of mourn ing. The membership of the little Lu theran church Is practically German or of German descent, and all of the compara tively well-to-do cluss. The race of the burning steamer from the moment the Are was discovered until its bows crashed on the shelving beach of North Brother Island laatt-d little mora than ten minutes, yet that tlmo sumct tor deeds of heroism which make the one bright chapter in the hcurtreniling story. Brave men, devoted mothers and even maidens and youths of tender years each contributed their part to the roll of herolo acts. There were rescues In the face of almost certain death, and useless, but exalted self sacrifice. The credit for the greatest sav ing of life is due to the hardy tugboat men and other followers of the river, who braved flames and held the noses of their beats uutiinst the tire-wrapped steamer until driven off by the awful heat, scorched and choking. Dead bodies of women with their burned arms cluxplng close the piti ful forma of little children and b.thles were found, their tiny arm enfolding each other In the stiff embrace of death. Examples of Heartlessaesa. But there is a darker side hinted (it along the river front, where are told stork's thut seem to be tho inevitable itcconipanl mtnt of America's great calamities. There has been no evidence of character siietlllo enough to fasten It upon individual and permit of punlxhmcnt, but survivors and eye-witnesses say that some brutal acts of StlflHhncss and cowardice on the part of the Slocuni's crew were seen and thut dis tress signals from the burning boat Wero dlxregardel by posting mat. One murt users that a big white yucht pinned thu lociii when the bodlea of women and children were going overboard and did not even siucken speed. According to this man, the yacht flew the pennant of the New J York Yacht club, but not the owuer'e (jets-