Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, July 14, 1904, Image 1
The Omaha Daily Bee. RUSSIA VERSUS JAPAN. Fullest news of the conflict in The Dee. ROOSEVELT VERSUS PARKER. Read all about it daily in The Bee. OMAHA, THURSDAY MORNJNi. JULY 14, 1904 TEN FAGES. ESTABLISHED JUNE 19, 1871. SINGLE COPY THREE CENTS. STRIKERS ARE QUIET Bert of On trails in the Packing 'I Dirtriot. COMPANIES I - 0 BOARD EMPLOYES With Exoeptio " 7 le Union Assault the Strike pa Peaceably. NONE BUT PEl .E-GOODS HANDLED Packers Declare They Will Not Try to Octe tinue Normal Operations. PRICES OF MEAT STILL ON THE RISE E. A. Cuduhy la Aathorltr (or State ment Figure Will A4ace Grad ually Retailers Fear , Extortionate Rate. flo far the most profound quiet prevail t South Omaha. The men who are on a strike there are behaving In the most com mendable way, and although the authori ties had taken extra precautions for the preservation of the peace, the develop ments up to date have been such that the city Is even quieter and better ordered than when ths men are at work. Not an arrest for drunkenness was made yesterday. Around the packing houses very little Is doing. Quite a good deal of meat was loaded out yoaterday and some little killing- was done at two of the plants. Swift's and the Omaha. It Is reported, but no con firmation can be secured, that men were taken Into the Armour and Cudahy plants on Tuesday night. It Is asserted that two cars were set on ths sidetracks at these plants by the railroad companies and ths men ware taken Inside, where provision had been made to support them during the time of the strike. Seven men who were brought from Lincoln to work In ths Bwlft plant wore Intercepted by the strik ers and sis were turned back. The sev enth went to the plant to go to work. No regular picket line ha been established yet, but ths strikers have plenty of men In ths neighborhood of the plants to keep track of all that Is going on outside the gates. Market Practically Suspended. Live stock receipts at the local yards have dropped away to nothing. The pur chases yesterday Indicate an almost' total suspenslop of business. Some stock was still In the pens at each of the plants when ths strike was declared, and the work done yesterday was to get this out of tho way. Ths managers are positive In their refusal to give out Information as to ths number of men who have left their employ, and the strikers themselves decline to say how many have gone' out. So far as ths supply of meat Is con cerned no definite Information can be ob tained. It Is the general impression, how ever, that a large stock Is on hand at each of ths packing houses, and that ths danger of a famine Is remote. Ths prices to ths retailers and consumers were still further advanced yesterday and. while ths further advance Is looked for. Figures on the tirance Vary widely, owing to a dls- a rrHAm mt f In tha MnAVti mm fha f1aa ent parties handling ths supplies. Unit Sale of Liquor. t Wednesday Chief of Police Brlggs noti fied every saloonkeeper In the ' city to atop selling beer by the can or whisky In bottles during ths strike. The saloon keepers seemed to take kindly to this iAai fnr thev hn A fMMrf that th fir and police commissioners would close the saloons tight. In making his rounds of the tlnnm VMtunlav Clhinf Prior, .tn tarn thnt he found very little drinking and that good order was being maintained In all parts of the city. 1 Fewer arrests have been made for drunkenness since the strike commenced than when the packing houses were working their full complement of men. One feature of ths strike Incident to the increase in prlos of beef is ths disappear ance of the free lunch stands in saloons. This Is especially noticeable in ths pack ing house district. Cejr Repairers Return to Work. fused ay night ths car repairers at Ar mour's quit work In sympathy with the strikers. A meeting of the Car Repairers union was held Wednesday meaning and the men who had quit work without par mission from tho union were called In. These men were given to understand by the union that ths trouble between the packers and the amalgamated association had nothing to do with the car repairers. The men were ordered back to work and tho order was 'obeyed. Business in South Omaha Is practically at a standstill. , Merchants assert that they are doing scarcely anything. For the last three weeks business has been falling oft, but it was not until Monday that real dull times commenced. Tuesday was worse than Monday and yesterday was ths worst of all. so far this week. One well known merchant aald last even ing that some of the small stores are not taking in snough tp pay expanses. At ths large stores the clerks stand around with only now and then a customer to wait on. Unless the strike comes to a speedy end the merchants say that they will be obliged to out down sxpenses by laying off soms of their help. Those who are conversant with packing house affairs declare that the dally pay roll at the packing houses amounts to bout $10,000. With no money coming In, the men who are out of work at present appear to be holding onto what they have, instead of patronising the stores as they have been accustomed to do. Claims by Both Bides. While ths packers assert that a few men who walked out on Tuesday noon have applied for work and have been taken back, ths leaders at labor headquarters declare emphatically that such Is not the case. On the other hand, the unions assert , that their ranks srs growing every day. What Increase there has been comes from ths men left In the houses to clean up and finish ths work on hand. All of the yard men employed by the packers at ths stock yards have been called to ths plants to work. Ths flvs special policemen appointed by the police commissioners Tuesdsy night reported to Chief Brlggs Wednesday fore noon and were assigned beats. So far these extra men have not been needed, but the tn-.rd thought It advisable to put on a few ap.lals for outside beau so that the regule force should bs used in ths central po.t-on of the ctiy and in ths packing hx district, ' Mti treat Maeola Stopped. When the Rock Island train pulled Into Bcuth Omaha at o'clock yesterday after noon a atop was made at the south snd of tCeoUeued. ua J3uta PageJt CLOUDBURST JN PHILIPPINES Two Haadred Lives Lost and Property Valued at Two Millloa Dol lars Destroyed. tuTAXTTT A T..1.. A 1.....4t...Mf nu.f th. hlll. ....... n U.nll. fllr1 A flood which has destroyed Ban Juan Del Monte. Two hundred lives were lost. The low lying districts were Inunaatea. The hnmM nf Americans and foreigners r l.nlAf.il Tran-mnrtatlon through the streets Is csrrled on In boats only. Rain has fsllen for twenty-seven nours, tnt.Hn. 17ll lni.li.. Thla la 11 nnreredeVi ted. a . . ' 1 ' ' Communication with outside Is Interrupted. The damage to property Is estimated at $:.ooo,ooo. BRIBERY IS NOT EXTRADITABLE French Parliament Adjoaras Without Taking Aetloa on Bill. PARIS, July 13. The adjournment of Parliament today without the passing of the bill providing for a revision of the ex tradition law, Indefinitely postpones the ne gotiations of Washington for the inclusion of bribery among extraditable offenses. Ths Foreign office had previously advised the American embassy that the government was unable to act until Parliament passed the bill. The government's Income tax bill alto goes over, Premier Combes stating that Parliament will be reassembled In the mid dle of October for the purpose of taking up this measure. In the- Chamber of Deputies M. Georges Berry read a report proposing the opening of a credit of Sti.OOO with the object of send ing a delegation of worklngmen to the St. Louis exposition. .The project was adopted by an overwhelming majority. After a short evening session the chamber ad journed to October for the summer vaca tion. The senats also adjourned to Octo ber. MAD M I'LL AH MOVING ON BEHBEHA Last Venture of Troops Is Killing of Friendly Natives. ADEN. July 13. The Mullah Is reported to be fifty miles from Berbers (the capi tal of Somallland). A despatch to the London Dally Mall from Its Aden correspondent dated July I said that the Mullah's forces had attacked the Somalia, killing fifty, levying on the natives friendly to the French and looting about one thousand sheep and fifty cattle. They then retired, pursued by pioneers who shot down twenty of the Mullah's men. The correspondent of the same paper at Berbera maintained that the whole of the Somallland campaign had been fruit less, the Mullah retaining full control of his particular region. MATAAFA OF SAMOA WOl'LD RILE Wants Royal Salnte and Other Marks of Distinction. HONOLULU, July 13.-The Samoanlsch Zeltung says that ths governor of German Samoa, Herr Solf, has received a native demand that ex-King' Mataafa be allowed to countersign all ordinances, to overlook the public expenditures, that he be given the right to a royal salute and permitted to wear an official uniform. ' Accordihg. to the newspaper HerV Solf says that Mataafa. has., repudiated - ths sender of the demands on his behalf and that he has (apologised for the act of his man. . The trouble was stirred up by dis satisfied whims. . INSURANCE BILL REGARDED HARSH French Chamber of Depnties Provides for Government Supervision. PARIt July It The officials of the United States embassy are examining a bill recently passed by the Chamber of De puties providing for the government super vision of life Insurance companies. The American companies consider that some of the details are hsrsh snd they are exert ing Influence to have these conditions ame liorated. NEW TRl'NK LINE IS AUTHORIZED Canadian Senate Passes BUI of Grand . iTrask Pacific. OTTAWA. Ont., July 13.-The Grand Trunk Pacific amended charter bill passed the senate today without division. The bill authorises the construction of a trans continental line. Advancing- on L'Hasse. SIMLA, British India, July 13.-Brlgadler General McDonald expects to commence his advance on L'Hassa, the capital of Thibet, tomorrow and hopes to reach there about August 5. s LINE REPAIRERS START STRIKE Every Municipal Steam Plant In St. Louis May Become Involved In the Fight. ST. LOUIS, July 1J.-A strike which may Involve every municipal steam plant of the city of St. Louis has been Instituted by twenty-two line repairers In the fire and police telegraph department. Their de mend for increase In wages has been taken up by the Steam Power Trades' council, which Includes electricians, engi neers, firemen, steamfltters, coal passers, dynamo tenders and coal wagon drivers. An alleged threat has been mads to call out all members of these unions employed by the city If an agreement Is not reached with the linemen by Friday noon. CANNED MEAT FOR JAP ARMY Forty Refrigerator Cars Necessary tf Carry Rash Order to the toast from Chicago. MINNEAPOLIS, July 13.-Ad vices re ceived at Northern Pnclflc headquarters stste that the heaviest order of canned meat to cross the Pacific has been success fully delivered on the Paclflo coast and loaded aboard the huge ship Bhawmut, for transportation from Puget Sound to Yokohama. The shipment consists of a rush order for l.COO.000 pounds of can ned beef for the aubalstencs department of ths Japanese army. It was handled from Chicago by the Northern Pacific, In special trains of forty refrigerator cars. LIBERTY CANDIDATE ARRESTED Head of National Ticket Taken Into Custody for 1'npald Flae. EAST ST LOUIS. July U.-Wllliam . Scott, candidate for president of the United States on the national liberty party ticket, was arrested today on account of an un paid fine and taken to Bellvllle, the county seat of St. Claire county. Several month sgo Scott, who runs a saloon and mmmr garden at Denverslde, was convicted of conducting a disorderly place, and his fine and the costs amounted to SltSSO. lis paid fuO and waa given tltaa to pig the baiaufie. SETTLEMENT IS IN SjGHT Strike Will Probably Be Arbitrated at Chicago Today. INITIAL STEPS TO THIS END TAKEN Both Sides Appear Willing to Adjust Meat Packers' Wage dacstlon by Peaceful Methods If Possible. CHICAGO, July 13. Arbitration of the grievances which precipitated the general strike In the meat packing houses In va rious parts of the country appears tonight to be In sight, and a conference between employers and strikers will be held tomor row morning. The Initial step towards a settlement of the controversy by mediation was taken this evening by the State Board of Arbi tration when the members of the board reached Chicago. They at once went into conference with Michael J. Donnelly, the leader of the strike, and listened to the story of his side of the trouble. The mem bers of the board then Interviewed the re ports of the packers and their side of the difficulty was heard. , As a result of these two conferences Mr. Donnelly sent a communication to the packers in which It was stated that the unions were willing to accept a settlement through a board of arbitration. No reply Is expected from the employers before to morrow, but It Is confidently expected that their reply will be conciliatory because they offered to arbitrate the matter In dis pute before the strike was called. Mr. Donnelly declared tonight that the offer of arbitration from the packers had not reached him before the strike, and that if the packers will again make the proposition it will be accepted. The mem bers of the board of arbitration said . to night both sides appeared willing to adopt peaceful methods, and a settlement would probably be reached In a short time. Shortly after 11 o'clock tonight, after assiduously using the telephones between the headquarters - of the unions and the packers, the state board of arbitration arranged a meeting between the officers of the unions and representatives of the packers for 10 o'clock tomorrow. Some Men Working. Today bore out predictions of the pack ing house proprietors that the big strike would not cause a stoppage of operations. In the great abbatolr district things moved slowly indeed today, but they moved. All the packing houses reported that they were slaughtering a little. Every depart ment was said to be doing some work, not much, but sftme, and waa expected to Increase the activity tomorrow. Loading and shipping was in progress, al though heavily curtailed, as waa the buy ing of flattie. Some hundreds of new work men were hired and put to work in the places which had been vacated in thous ands. On the other hand, the strike spread somewhat by the action of teamsters In considerable, numbers, but ostensibly act ing as individuals, refusing to handle product touched by newly hired nonunion workmen. This refusal was usually baaed oh the time-honored plea that a different course, contracts notwithstanding, would put the teamster In peril of his life. Ex tensive Installments of sleeping cots and cooking apparatus for strike breakers at the various packing houses apparently, was the main Irritant action for the team sters. ' J. Ogden Armour, alone In a runabout, made a tour of the stock yards and of the streets adjacent. - He waa recognised all along the way by strikers, but met with no demonstration. One of the most Inter esting statements made today regarding the strike situation came from Miss Mary E. McDowell of the University of Chicago settlement near the stock yards. She said that the greatest difficulty the union workmen had to expect was that presented by the "casual worker," who, she said, were at the beck and call of tho plant superintendents. There are about 5,000 of this class of laborers around the yards looking for work, according to Miss McDowell, and the regular workmen are in constant fear they will be supplanted. Many of these workmen, it Is said,- are now being engaged to take the places of the strikers. Miss McDowell remarked: Tiroopa Wonld Cans Trouble. ' "I d not expect serious trouble unless troops are called out." Attaoklng afresh the allegations that the strike ' Is for Increased wages, President Donnelly, the strike leader, gave out the following statement today, addressed to the public: Our organisation is taking a stand against a reduction in wages for labor In the plants owned and controlled by the following com panies, which are those affected: Armour & Co., Swift and Company, Nel son Morris company, National Packing company, Schwarzchlld & Sulzberger and Cudahf. All our organisation asks Is that 18V4 cSnts an hour be the minimum. In view of the fact that In ail the depart ments the sverage working time is forty hours a week, it can be readily seen that our demands are not unreasonable. All of the Independent companies are paying a much higher rate than we ace asking the trust companies to pay. Our organisation has never interfered with a reduction of working force, excepting where our men were discriminated against. Arbitration tho Only Hop. The only ray of hope in the butchers' strlks situation today was the possibility that arbitration may Intervene to prevent a labor war fraught with suffering and privation to the strikers and heavy loss to the packers. Nor Is the effect of the strike confined to the employes and packers In the nine cities where the fight will be centered. The consuming publlo will bear a large share of the burden In higher prices for meats. Reports already have come from various cities that prices of the product have been rained. This advance, too, was ssld to be a forerunner of others if the conflict continued long. In addition to the 60,000 employes already on strike upwards of 30,000 more are In volved Indirectly, and most of them proba bly will be made Idle before tonight. In addition to the slaughtering depart ments of sll the plants being tied up the strike affects branch Industries In which such articles as butterlne, soap, buttons and combs are manufactured. The can ning departments, where beans, soups snd all kinds of meats are put up, are also hit hard, the union employes having gone out In a body. Twenty Thousand Are Out. Forty thousand persona, approximately, find employment In the big packing houses In Chicago and this number already has been reduced one-half. The effect of the strike upon the mechanical and other de partments. It Is declared, will Increase this army of unemployed In Chicago before the end of the week to nearly 3S.0U0. Arbitration Is looked upon as the only means to avert a prolonged strike. The strikers declare thai they will be willing Continued oa Second Page. WESTERN MATjERS AT CAPITAL Medical Board toLct a Fort Crook . to Examine Applicants for Medl oel Corps. (From a Stat, Correspondent.) WASHINGTON. July 13. (Special Tele gram.) Major Adrian 8. Palhemus, sur geon, and First Lieutenant William W. Reno, assistant surgeon, have been ap pointed a board of medical officers to meet at Fort Crook on August 1 to conduct a preliminary examination of applicants for appointment In the medical corps of the army. Anton Scharphcff has been appointed reg ular and John Loosbrock substitute rural carrier at Dyersvllle, la. Iowa rural routes ordered established Au gust IS: Buffalo Center, ' Winnebago county; one additional; area, thirty-eight square miles; population, 460. Inwood, Lyon county; three routes; area, seventy-six square miles; population, 1.515. New Lib erty, Scott county; one route; area, twenty square miles; population, 440. A. B. Capps has been appointed post master at Kemlgala, Apanoose county, la., vice P. W. McKInley, resigned. WRECK OF MAINB TO BE RAISED R. H. Sewell of New Orleana Closes Contract with Cuba. WASHINGTON, July 13. R. H. Sewell of New Orleans has Informed the navy department that he has made a contract with the Cuban government to raise the wreck of the battleship Maine and he de sires to know what olalm, if any, the United States government has In the wreck. The Cuban government. It Is un derstood, makes no claim to ownership In the wreck, and Is governed In Its action simply by a desire to improve the naviga tion of the harbor, . FINDS BACILLUS OF LEPROSY Member of Indian Medical Service Is Treating Disease by Now Method. NEW YORK, July 13. -Captain E. R. Rost of the Indian Medical service has succeeded In cultivating the bacillus of leprosy, according to dispatches from Ran goon, Burmah, says a Times special from London. He has made a substance from the cultures which he calls Jeprocllt and which when injected Into lepers have marked beneficial action, ' alleviating the symptoms of the disease. The method of growing the bacillus is to extract the salts from the nutrient media, and Captain Rost has discovered that bacillus will not grow In the presence of the salt. In order to make such nu trient media he distills both extracts, soaked In pumice stone, In a current of superheated steam and obtains a medium In which the bacillus of leprosy snd also trial of tuberculosis grows, with the great est ease. Over 100 cases of leprosy are being treated In Burmah by Injections of this substance, and the treatment Is also being tried in thirty places In India, . Already four oases have been reported cured, and In tha great majority of those under treatment the Improvement Is said to be marked. SECRETARY ENFORCED RULE Mr. Loeb Explains Why Labor Loaders Could Wot See ' tho -President. OYSTER BAY, N, Y., July lS.-Secretary Loeb today explained why he refused to allow the delegation of miners front' Penn sylvania to go to Sagamore Hill to sea President Roosevelt when they came here yesterday Mr. Loeb said that there is a rula here that no delegations shall be re belved by the president unless they have arranged an appointment with the presi dent ThIs rule has been strictly adhered to during the stay of the president here and It will be enforced during the re mainder of the time ths president is here for the summer. Mr. Loeb said the labor leaders came to Oyster Bay and took him una waree-when they demanded to see the president. Had the men announced previously that they would be here on Tuesday, Mr. Loeb says an audience with the president might have been arranged for the delegation, but Mr. Loeb says he could do nothing but refuse to let them see the president. NEGROES UNDER THE BAN Mrs. Booker T. Washington Charges World's Fair Officials With Dls- ' criminating Between Races. ST. LOUIS. July IS. The second session of the National Association of Colored Women, which was to have convened today at the World's fair grounds, met in a downtown church as the result of' resolu tions adopted at the Instance of Mrs. Booker T Washington. Mrs. Washington opposed the meeting at the World's fair on the ground that the exposition directors discriminated against negro women In the matter of employment on the grounds and against the race in general. . The action waa opposed by the St. Louis delegates, but after Mrs. Washington had spoken In support of her resolution declar ing against the World's fair meeting it was adopted by a large majority. FINAL LIST J)F THE DEAD Official Report of Lives Lost In East River Tragedy Is Placed at OAS. NEW YORK, July 11-The total dead in the destruction of the excursion steamer General Slocum on June 16 Is given as 868 In the final report presented to Police Commissioner McAdoo today by the in spectors In charge of the Investigation by the police department. Only 897 of the dead were Identified, sixty-two were re ported missing and sixty-one unidentified, while 180 were Injured, and only 335 out of the rearly 1,400 on the steamsr escaped uninjured. Assuming that the unidentified dead are among the missing, all but ons person hss been thus accounted for. OUTLAW'S SKULL CRUSHED Brained by St. Joseph Patrolman on the Eve of Train Holdap, ST. JOSEPH, Mo., July 11 -Charles Ren ner, the outlaw and pal of Pat Crowe, cap tured here today after a desperate fight with Patrolman John Belchel, wit: probabl die from his Injuries. His skull Is frac tured and he has been unconscious for sev eral hours. Renner was preparing to take part In the hold-up of a railway near here. The police believe the Job was to be done tonight. A new lantern with a red globe, revolvers snd dynamite were found in! Renner'a room. PREPARE FOR MEAT FAMINE New England Produce Interests Are Af feoted by Strike of Packers, MAKE READY TO SLAUGHTER AT HOME Wholesale Prices Advanee from fa to K3 per Hundred Pounds, While Retail Prices Advance One Cent. BOSTON, July 18. New England pro vision Interests are preparing to meet an expected shortage of western beef as a result of the strike of butchers and pack ers. In this city beef dealers are making arrangements to slaughter In abbatoirs near the city In which cattle will be brought on the hoof from all parts of New England, New York and nearby states. The meat supply was short before the strike was called, according to the meat export ers, and wholesale prices already have ad vanced from 13 to $3 a hundred weight. Retail prices were advanced 1 cent a pound today and will be advanced tomor row and the next day, dealers say, unless the strike Is settled. One of the large firms involved In the Chicago strike operates a big packing house In eastern Maine for the export trade, and it Is . understood that the out put will be turned into the domestic mar ket. Talk of Food Supply. CHICAGO. July 13. Louis K. Bwlft. President of Swift and Company, was asked as to the probable effect of the strike upon prices of meats through the country and regarding the stocks on hand He said: "It Is too early to say definitely. I do not expect that there will ue a serious scarcity In the supply of meats. We have tonic men working In all of our depart ments and are shipping products freely. Prices will not be materially advanced. I believe a normal condition of affairs will speedily be restored. In any event the sup ply of fresh meat throughout the country la sufficient to last fifteen or twenty days and there la enough cured meats hams, bacon, etc. to last six months." "I think," said J. P. Lyman, prssldent of the National Packing company, which in cludes the Hammond, Anglo-American und Continental companies that the stock on hand Is sufficient to avert a so-called famine for two or three weeks. I don't see why there should be any material change In prices, but the natural tendency will be for a little advance." Arthur Meeker of Armour & Co., aald: "We have a week or ten days' supply of meats on hand here, at branch bouses and enroute and we are slaughtering, operating our plants, but on a reduced scale. Tem porarily pricea will be somewhat higher." In Chicago porterhouse steak has ad vanced 2 cents a pound, pork chops iH cents and other meats tn proportion. A largo retail butcher said It was not un likely that there would be a further ad vance unless the atrike was soon settled. By noon every packing house at the atock yards, it was claimed, had men at work. Unemployed men in considerable numbers flocked to the stock yards and applied for work. The 'Strikers standing about en trances offered no opposition. All eompe-tent-appearing " applicants were, 'at oace hired and put immediately at work. Veers Heat Famine. NEW YORK, July 13. A meat famine is possible here within a few days if the widespread strike of the butchers' union continues. There Is a large amount of meat on hand In the numerous packing houses about the city, but as 1,600 mem bers of the union Lave been ordered to Quit work today there will be no one to cut up the supply. - The strike has already caused an ad vance of 1 sent a pound In the wholesale price of beef here,' while retailers have In creased their demands. The employers In this city declare they will make an effort to get other men to take the places of the striken. The possibility of a sympathetic atrike of the henchmen's association is feared. These men represent the cutters in re tail stores, and such a step would com pletely tie up the retail trade and directly affect' families. - When the hour for opening the big meat packing plants In this city had arrived the strike of butchers and meat handlers, Inaugurated in the west yesterday, was on in this city and before many hours it was estimated that nearly 5,000 men had quit work. The men made no demonstration. From the managers of the beef plants it was learned that the beef supply is very low, some of the dealers having only enough to last fifteen minutes when the dally purchases arrived. Within a few hours ths price of beef had gone up 2 and 3 cents a pound. None of the dealers had a supply sufficient to last longer than a week and it Is the opinion among the meat men that if the strike continues a meat famine Is Inevitable. The strike has also affected the local abattoirs. All work at these places hi at a standstill. Homer Call, national secre tary of the Amalgamated Meat Cutters and Butcher Workmen, will take charge of the strike In this city. Ths seriousness of the situation from the employers' standpoint was shown. In a statsment Issued by the manager for Swift and Company. He said: "We haven't advanced the price of any thing for the reason that we haven't any. thing to advance the price on. I am will ing to pay 14 cents a pound for a carload of beef if I can get it, but I can't get It." One of the managers for A. Smoos & Co. said: "We have a good deal of meat on hand at present and are supplied for two weeks. I don't know how long the strike Is likely to last, but a meat famine will almost In evitably result If the differences are not settled quickly that is, within two' weeks." Conditions at St. Joseph. ST. JOSEPH, July 13. The striking butch ers wars paid off today and the packing companies havs given out the word that all men and boys applying shall be put to work. All the packers claim to have a small force of men at work and say they will add to It day by day. The strikers are standing firm and there have been' no desertions from their ranks. The engineers at the Bwlft plant, who went out last night, have rsturned to work. Ths engineers have a demand of their own for higher wages, but It has not been passed upon by ths packers. Denver May Get Business. DENVER, July 13 While prices of meats may be advanced here In conse quence of the strike at eastern packing houses, no shortage In the supply is sn tlclpated, as local packing houses can meet the demand. There are 760 men employed In the Lienver packing houses, but they are not affllated mith ths Amalgamated Mrut Cutters snd Butchers' union. "According to ths outlook now, I scarcely Continued on fceooad Pus a, NEBRASKA WEATHER FORECAST Pair Thuraduy, Preceded by Showers In Soutbcust Portion Cooler. Fair and Warmer Friday. Temperature at Omaha Yesterdayi Hoar. Deg. Hour. Org. 5 a. m TO t p. m t4 6 a. m TO a p. m H T a. m P. ' S a. m W 4 p. m 8t Sa.m TO Bp. m 02 10 a. m T3 6 p. m "t 11 n. m TT T p. m TO U SO H p. m ...... TO O p. m T4 JAPANESE LOSE IN OPEN FIGHT Men Mowed Down When Russlaas Retake Position Held by the Japanese. (Copyright, by New York Herald Co.. 1904.) ST. PETERSBURG. July 13.-(New York Herald Cablngram Special TelegTam to The Bee.) It was reported In the city early this morning that the Japanese had suf fered severe losses In their last attempt against Port Arthur, and the good news was later announced by the general staff. The enemy is supposed to have lost 30.000 men. What Is more, this was not through any attack upon the main fortress, but was caused by the Russians retaking the western position, which the Japanese had occupied, but which is now again In Rus sian hands. A Vladivostok dlspstch brings the aston ishing statement that the British ship Cheltenham was' captured within sight of Chemulpo and that from the Russian ships the Japanese could be seen working on the wreck of the Varlag. The torpedo boat Lieutenant Bukaroff, which ran the gauntlet to Port Arthur and back successfully, haa taiten a return voy age for sorely needed medical supplies and also doctors. Just ss the war broke out a Russian ship heavily freighted with hos pital requirements, was about to set out for Port Arthur, but stopped. Dentists are in sore demand for the entire army. Japanese outposts are reported within two versts (about a mile and a half) of Llao Yang. Unless the plans are altered at the last minute, the Russians will make a strong resistance at Ta Tche Klao, where for the first time the large cavalry forces with Kouropatkln will have a chance of show ing what they can do. Mastchenko, Ren nenkamp, and Keller will co-operate In this engagement. Here there Is the fullest confidence this time that victory will rest with the Russians. BATTLEFIELD THICK, WITH DEAD Red Cross and Coolies Work AH Night nt Kat Chan. TA TCHE KIAO, July 13.-A Russian correspondent of the Associated Press in the field, describing the fighting preceding the capture of Kal Chau says the Japanese did not display their customary prudence. They advanced in open form with cries of 'bamai" meeting the hall of artillery and rifle fire from Major General Kon dratsvltch's men and being literally mowed down. The dead -and wounded - were so thick that the Red Cross and Coolie burial par ties worked the whole night.,-During the flghi'tha correspondent says the "Russians took prisoner a Japanese arrayed In Chin ese dress who was on a hill on the Russian flank, hellographlng all the Russian move ments. - It Is the belief of the correspondent that the Japanese are doing their best to con ceal their main objective, withdrawing, advancing and shifting positions In the most puzzling fashion until .it is Impossi ble to tell where they will strike a blow. He also reports the activity of Chinese bandits In the' valley of the Lial river, es pecially at Vln Kow. The Sin Ming Ting railroad, the correspondent believes, Is under the command of the Japanese with the consent of China. The few days rain and the subsequent heat have fouled the available water, but the soldiers after, a hot day's march can not be restrained from drinking it. The troops often sleep on marshy ground, breathing the unwholesome atmosphere. The correspondent repeats the report that the Japanese are suffering from cholera and dysentery. JAPANESE Bl'ILDINO FIELD WORKS Busy on the Heights Between Kal Chow and Ta Tche Klao. ST. PETERSBURG, July 13. The gen eral staff has received a dispatch from General Baklutroff, dated July 12, report ing that the Japanese on July 10 com menced to construct field works on the heights between the railroad line and the road from Kal Chou to Ta Tche Klao. Japanese outposts were observed July 11 between Madlinkau and Sangaianka and sharp fighting occurred July 11 between the advance guards near the village of Sla Dlan Tela. The Japanese retired when the Russians were reinforced. A Japanese detachment of one battalion of Infantry and three squadrons of cav alry was discovered about eight miles northeast of Kal Chou, their outposts ex tending along the valley of the Pan Tak from Yu Dla Tien,' about nine miles east of Kal Chou, so far as Pan Shi Putse, about tour miles south of Chi Dla Kau. General Sakharoft alio reports that the Japanese are throwing up earthworks on the heights on both sides of Khelon. A Japanese force Is encamped cn the road between Bl Mou Cheng and Feng Wang Cheng and Its advance guard haa occu pied the valley of the Sauhkhe river. Gen eral Sakharoft adds that a number of out post engagements have taken place In dif ferent directions, with trifling losses on both sides, and indicating the persistent advance of the Japanese. He says there Is no change in the position In the direction of Ta pass or Hal Cheng. Bands of Chinese bandits are active in the neighborhood of Llao Yang. The Rus sian sentinels exchanged shots with them. Russia Fears n Famine. ST. PETERSBURG, July JS.-The pros pective failure of ths crops In soma of the soutehrn provinces, possibly attendant with famine, and the necessity of adopt ing relief measures, Is beginning to attract attention. The governments of Kherson, Bessarabia Taurlda, Poltava and Kharoff are principally affected. In the district of Triaspol the peasants have already been compelled to harvest the unripe crops to feed the live stock. Committees have been appointed to relieve the dlstreas. Attack on Tn Tche Klao, TA TC'HB KIAO, July 11. (Delayed in Transmission.) The Japanese attacked Ta Tche Klao yesterday but the attack was not seriously pressed, the Japaness retir ing eventually toward Kal Chuu. Oltlsers to Join Baltic Fleet. LONDON, July 13. A dispatch to a ijews agency from St. Petersburg says that ths officers of the Baltic fleet have been or dvrtd to join their vessels by. Jul 24 RUSSIA G0E WILD Hews of Frightful Japanese Carnage Send. St. Petersburg Into Delirious Joy, LOSS OF 30,000 CONSIDERED POSSIBLE Approaches to- the Fort Arthur Garrison Strewn with Hidden Mines. RUSSIANS ALSO MEET WITH DISASTER Attempt to Overwhelm Small Jap Foroe at Mo Tien Pais a Bloody Affair. RUSSIANS LEAVE HEAP OF DEAD BEHIND Find Japaaese Too Dexterous In the lse of Weapons When It Comes to a Hand En counter. ST. PETERSBURG, July 13. A special dispatch received from Mukden tonight, dated July 12. repeats the story of a Jap anese repulse at Port Arthur with a loss of 30,000. The dlBpatch says: News has been received from reliable sources that the Japanese third army, on the night of July 11. attacked Port Arthur and was heavily defeated, an Immense number being killed by Russlsn mines. The total loss Is about 30.000. There was great Interest throughout St. Petersburg all this afternoon for further details of the disaster. It has developed that the official report which was at first supposed to emanate directly from Viceroy Alexleff. was not specifically fathered by him, but was given put as a report reach ing his headquarters from "Jspanese sources." What these sources are has not yet been explained. Possibly the report waa Intercepted by wireless telegraph, but it Is more likely that it came from the Russian consul at Che Foo or the Russian consul at Tien Tsln. A full report on the subject la awaited from Lieutenant General Btoeasel, commander of the military forces at Port Arthur. News Excites Russians. This city was thrown into a fever of ex citement this afternoon by the news that the Japanese had failed in an assault on the fortress of Port Arthur, Sunday night, having been repulsed with a loss said to reach 80,000. An official communication from the Rus sian general staff says! "According to Information received from , Japanese sources and received by Admiral Alexleff's military staff the Japanese at tacked the Rusnlan position at Port Arthur during the night of July 10. They were re pulsed with enormous loss. It Is difficult to calculate even approximately tha cum ber of Japanese casualties, . which amounted. It la aald, to the immense figure of 30,000." The original report reached 8t. Peters burg last night in ths form of a newspaper dispatch from Mukden and was received with incredulity, but at about tjoon, when Viceroy Alexleff officially telegraphed . the news to tha geueraV staff , it created a tre mendous impression. It was immediately, transmitted to the official messtnger and a few minutes afterward tha news boys were racing through the streets electrifying the crowds with the tidings. The boys were fairly mobbed by people eager hi buy the extras. The members of the general staff do not offer explanations of what Admiral Alex left means by "Japanese sources," but they declare that the viceroy would hot have officially reported such Important news un less It had reached him from sources en tirely worthy of credenoe. At the same time they say the report should be ac cepted with reserve, pending the receipt of more definite advices. In support of the report, however they point out that the date coincides with the second attempt of Admiral Togo's torpedo boat destroyers to creep Into the harbor. It ia true that Togo does not mention a land attack, but this ia not in hla province. Consider- Loss Possible. The loss of 30,000 of the Besiegers in an attack against fortifications with guns tn position and the approaches sown with mines Is considered quite within tha range of possibility, if the Japanese, as on other occasions, stormed the fortifications with their accustomed recklessness, and espe cially if the mines were exploded under masses of men. The general staff also today had information that the besiegers had occupied Takushaa hill, three miles northeast of the harbor, but add that the Japanese were unable to hold the position. If the report of the loss of 30,000 Japa nese is oonflrmed General Nodseua' army ia In .desperate straits, as General Stoesael will not fall to taka advantage of such a reverse and follow it up. The Japanese have not yet attacked Ta Tche Klao. A dispatch from Lieutenant General Sak haroff describes a series of skirmishes east of Kin Chou. The troops belonging to General Kourokl's army are meeting with resistance at every step from the rear guard along the Slu Yen road. Grand Duke Sergius Mlkhallovltch, an ar tillery expert, Is going to Ma.hurla la August The mobilisation of two more artillery corps is expected shortly. Confirms the Jap Maughter. NEW YORK, July 18. The Associated Press received the following telegram to day from Count Cassinl, the Russian am bassador, dated Bar Harbor, Me.: "An official statement to the general staff from Admiral Alexleff reports that news has been obtained from Japanese sources to the effect that a night attack made on Port Arthur on July 11 was repulsed, and that the Japanese losses wsre terrible, nesrlng the enormous number of 30,000 men." v Russian Comment on Message. ST. PETERSBURG, July 13 Emperor William's message of good wishes to the Wlborg regiment Is attracting much leas attention here than at other capitals. The Novoe Vremya says: Europe la. Indeed, hungry for a sensation. The mesHage was to a regiment of which Emperor Wllllsm is honorary colonel, and they find therein possibility of a breach of neutrality. , The paper considers It much ado about nothing. Tlu- Bourse Uasette, a pro-Oer-man paper, Is the only one which Inter prets the message as evidence of German "friendly neutrality," declaring It to be a guarantee that Emperor William never will attempt to offer mediation, adding that e. monarch so proud of a regiment bearing his name In fighting for the honor of Its country never will thus affront Russia. Kevrs from Port Arthur. MUKDEN, Tuesday, July 13 (Delayed In Iransmlsalon.) Advices received heie irorn Port Arthur say thst Geiiirrul Fork at tacked the Japanese right flunk July i and drove the Japanese doin tlitu position.