Evening Star Newspaper, January 2, 1894, Page 2

2 of dispatches from Bir. Willis to the gov- ernment. These dispatches will tell the pro- gress of events for some time back, and it is very Mkely that if the President does not take an early opportunity to send copies of them to the Seaute the full committee on foreign relations wili send for the papers under provisions of the resolution which @uthorizes the committee “to send for per- sons or papers.” A Republic Possible. Minister Thurston is still in Honolulu and there is no intimation here as to the prob- able date of his return. There is a feeling of perfect security at the legation and no apprehension whatever is felt for the sta- bility of the provisional government. Mr, ‘Thurston's presence there is of more ser- ice to the islands et this juncture, for he ean give the provisional government, in any controversy that may arise with the United States, the benefit of his observa- tions here, and his acquaintance with the temper of the people and Congress of this country. Rumors have come to Washing- ton of late that he is the coming man in Hawaiian poutics. The formation of a re- public in the islands will make him a prom- iment figure and it has been suggested on More than one hand that he would make a strong candidate for the presidency of the islands. The repeated assertions made by the supporters of the President here that the mal government is but a tem- Dorary makeshift arrangement will un- doubtedly stimulate the republicans of the felands tovan effort to organize a govern- ment that can be regarded in no sense as temporary. Mr. Thurston is known to be firmly in favor of a permanent republic if annexation cannot be obtained and, at all events, steps will be taken to render the Monarchy an utter impossibility. Probably Three Reports. The belief is gaining ground that the subcommittee will report to the full com- mittee in three different notes. There are three sides to the question that can be fit- ted to the three seetions of the subcommit- tee. Senators Frye and Sherman, repre- senting the radical republican view, are likely to report in favor of a repudiation of the President's action in sending Mr. Blount to Honolulu. Senator Gray, an un- swerving friend of the administration, is expected to vote and report in favor of a complete indorsement of the ident action. Between these two extremes stand Senators Morgan and Butler, both of whom are regarded as friendly to the President and yet desirous of maintaining the prestige of the democratic administration without actually supporting the President's person- al course. It is not at all improbable that these two Senators may unite with republi- can Senaters in a report which will be in the nature of a compromise. This would give the acts of the Harrison administra- tion a quasi indorsement and will gently rebuke the President for sending Mr. Blount to Honolulu after the manner that he 2 COMMISSIONER PARKER’S HEALTH. 3¢ is Said That He is Better and is Not Likely to Resign. The report that District Commissioner Parker contemplated resigning on account of ill health caused considerable discussion today. Mr. Parker is on a visit to the south, where his health, it is said, has been benefited. Word received in this city from Mr. Parker by his friends is to the effect that he is improving. While he has had some thought of resigning in ae health did against such a course by his physician, who be- lieved his iliIness not such as to require his retirement from office, and by friends whom he consulted. It is not thought likely that Mr. Parker will resign at it, if at all. Commissioner Ross to a Star re- porter today that he had heard nothing of the rumored intended resignation and did not believe that it was so. ——__.—_—_ THE BALANCE SHEET. What It Shows for the First Half of the Fiseal Year. The official statement of the receipts and expenditures of the United States for the first half of the fiscal year ended Decem- ber 31 was issued at the Treasury Depart- ment today. It corresponds substantially with the unofficial figures sent Saturday, but deposits of the National Bank fund of $3,081,910, which was included in the treas- ‘ury receipts, is omitted in the official state- ment. This omission, which is carried under a @ifferent head, makes the net expenditures of the government for the past six months exceed the receipts by $38,000,000, or at the Tate of more than $5,000,000 a month. As compared with the corresponding six months of 1892, the receipts are $43 less and the xpenditures $1,000,000 less. The statement shows a falling off of $7,000,000 on account of pensions as compared with the corres- ling six months of 1892 and a decline of 090,000 in customs receipts. eh aekenereen Today's Cabinet Meeting, The first cabinet meeting of 1894 was held @t the White House today, with a full at- tendance of members. The session was shorter than usual. The Postmaster Gen- eral, the Secretary of War and the Attor- ney General remained after the adjourn- ment, as they had some special business with the President not of sufficient im- ‘rtance to call for cabinet consideration. Principal questions now before the President relate to the national finances and the future policy toward Hawaii and Brazil. —_—_—_+ e+ —___. ‘To Define Duties. Caroline Le Roy Bonaparte by Mr. S. Mad- dox, today filed a bill in equity against L. E. Bonaparte, for appointment as trustee under the will of Jerome N. Bonaparte, and that her duties be defined. a Jurors Excused. In Circuit Court, Division 1, Justice Brad- ley, today the following called as jurors were excused: E. C. Cutter, R. L. Irwin, James H. Healey, N. Robey, W. A. Mix, dr., Thomas King, f. A. Eiker, G. P. Bohrer, and Thomas E. Burkhead. In Circuit Court, Division 2, Justice Cox, the following were excused: E. A. Watson, G. R. Underwood, Wm. Kelly, W. A. Gas- kins, F. K. Raymoad, C. C. Martin and H. B. Polkinhorn. pean Me aevmaanh Sat aoe 1, the follow- ig summon: for the grand ju w = cused: H. L. Rust and F. Upshur alied to answer), R. £. Doyle and U. S. Hanks. Of the petit jurors W. B. Gurley, G. T. Fritch, H. H. Olcott, D. Fitzgerald. R. 1. Main, J. H. Wurdeman and B. F. Lar- combe were excused. In Criminal Court No. 2 L. M. Taylor, = F. W. McAllister, W. A. Fenwick, T. W. Widdecombe and BR. Thornton failed to os and Joseph Miller, B. F. McCauley, zB and W. J. Collins were ex- e —_—»—__ ‘Treasury Balance. The net balance in the treasury today, as shewn by the public debt statement issued this afternoon, is $90,375,505. + Capttol Appointments. Col. Bright, the sergeant-at-arms of the Senate, has made the following appoin ments: Elwood S. Peffer of Kansas, folde Frederick Puhler of Wisconsin, messenge: Morton S. Railey of Kentucky, folder, and | Harry L. Hart, laborer. + THE LETTER CARRIERS. A Bill to Give Them a Fixed Tenure of Office. Henry Power, chairman of the legisla- tive committee of the National Association of Letter Carriers, is in Washington {n the interests of the association. The committee has prepared an argument, which Mr. Pow- | er will present to Postmaster General His- sell in support of the bill to establish 2 ten- ure of office for letter carriers. The bill se- cures to them a tenure of office during goud behavior, and prohibits the removal of car- fiers only for misconduct or inefficiency. Removals shall be made only after a hear- ing of the charges by a local board, and a Review of the findings of the local bozrd in the Post Office Department under the direct control of the Postmaster General. The committee argue that this scheme pre No radical departure in legislation, but ts an extension of the civil service policy alic begun by Congress and approved by cessive Presidents. —— Caveat Filed. Rhoda Hall, has by E. 3} ® caveat against the pro! of the lete Fannie Jackson, her aunt, al- Jeging that it was procured by undue im- fluence, &c., exercised by Dr. J. RK. Wilder aud Rev. A S. Thomas. Hewlett, filed | te of the will | THE EVENING STAR, TUESDAY, JANUARY 2, 1894—TWELVE PAGES. BY WIRE. LATE NEWS Governor Mitcheli’s Fiank Move- | ment on the Pugilists. | THEIR CASE THROWN OUT OF COURT. } 1 ‘No Opportunity to Secure a Fa- vorable Decision. CITY ORDINANCE VETOED. Bah tees Ur ee JACKSONVILLE, Fia., Jan. 2—In the criminal court of record this morning the attorneys for Corbett and Mitchell. ap- peared, and, confidently expecting that Judge Philips would decide the case against them, had their clients in the circuit court, where arrangements had been made for a hearing by Judge Call tomorrow, on a mo- tion that a writ of habeas corpus issue and the men be released. But as soon as the criminal court opened J. B. Christie, the prosecuting attorney of the court, arose and said that no informa- tion agaist Corbett and Mitchell had been filed with him or with the judge or clerk, and he saw no reason, therefore, why they should not be released, and their bondsmen be relieved of any further responsibility. The judge so ordered, and the case was ended then and there. This is a triumph for Gov. Mitchell and the opponents of the Duval Athletic Ciub, for it shoved the case out of the circuit court, and thus prevented the rendering of the favorable decision which the club had hoped for. It is said that the governor put the screws on Christie and forced him to this course. Good lawyers say that the record case in the county court and the binding over of the accused to the criminal court were Sufficient “information” for Attorney Chris- tie to have ited the case upon. e Mayor's Veto. At the meeting of the city council this af- ternoon, Mayor Fletcher will send in his Veto of the five-ounce glove ordinance. The message contains about 1,500 words. In it the mayor says: . “The bill does not impress me as having been fairly conceived, and its real meaning in good faith expressed. It means much more than 1s indicated upon its face. It means something very different from what its title indicates or a casual reading might convey. In this the council mayor May not have been misled. It purports to yet principally the only regulation is that gloves of not less than five ounces in weight must be used in such contests. The provisions that a license of Leet geese galls a er ™ issue a permit where twenty-four hours’ notice is filed with him are really of small Lik importance. makes it the police to ai tend such exhibitions and see that the pro- visions of Ss which the ordinance are complied with fo but little. All the chief of po- lice could do would be to see that the weight of the gloves was correct and whether or not the participants had a permit. There may be any number of rounds, of unlimited duration, without intermission. In other words, the exhibition of skill or glove con- tests may be a fight to the finish, and the chief of police would nave no power to do more than to see that a permit was held by the participants and five-ounce gloves were being used. I am informed that the five- ounce gloves are the customary gloves used in prize fights and that the weight and pad- ding are all in the inside of the hands, so that practically the participants would be using kid gloves. Such an exhibition of skill in boxing may become savage in the extreme, such a glove contest may become brutal, and yet be conducted in full com- piiance with the provisions of this bill. “Under cover of its title, back of its verb- jage and between the lines, this ordinance means prize fights without limit and without| restraint in this city. Looking beyond such a t sul as calling a fight @ glove contest, and disregarding the jug- with words, it is plain that such a law would be a public declaration indorsing prize fighting and sanctioning such exhibi- tions without restrictions by the city gov- ernment, and even lending them police pro- tection. iota aes my ent ti would be a great injury to the reputation and the good name of the city and would be a serious blow at its peace and good order. Without en- larging further, I feel it my duty, gentl men, to, and I do hereby veto the said bill.” The council will probably pass the ordl- Rance over the veto. But the action in the criminal court this morning is a bad set- back to the Duval Club. ——_~—> “PLUNGER” WALTON ASSIGNS. Failare of the Man Who Made a For- Fortune in Betting. NEW YORK, Jan. 2.—Francis P. Walton, more familiarly known as “Plunger” Wal- ton, made an assignment today. Mr. Wal ton was proprietor of the Grand Hotel at 1234 Broadway. The assignee selected was Charles L. Waltqn, brother of the “plun- The list of preferences is a long one. It includes prominent business houses in this city, contractors who are located here and ee prominent business men of Philadel- Pp The amount of Habilities and assets aré not yet known. His failure is due probably to the general lack of business, which has affected hotels as well 4s other lines of business. Mr. Walton, years ago, was recorder of deeds in Philadelphia, afterward managed the Globe Hotel there, came to New York in 1577 and leased the St. James Hotel, which he ran until 1883. He then tried his skill at keeping the streets of this city clean under a contract with the city government, but soon gave it up. The -assets consist of the furniture and fixtures of the hotel and the Stockton House at Cape May. Attorneys could not state what the liabilities were, but they are thought to exceed $100,000 outside of mort- gages. aeons Protestants and Prohibition Won. NEW YORK, Jan. 2.—A special from Ni- lagara Falls, N. Y., says: Yesterday was | election day in Ontario, Canada. For the past six months a warfare has been carried on between the Protestants and _ the Catholics, and the result is that the | P. P. A. men have been elected in all the large places. — Baried tn a Caved-iu Sewer. ANN ARBOR, Mich., Jan. 2.—Th first | Serfous accident during the construction of the new system of sewers in this city oc- curred yesterday afternoon, and resu'ted in | the death of two men. Richurd Sippie and | George Henry, colored, were buried under- | neath the immense mass of dirt, and when | the rescuers reached them early this morn- jing both were dead. } —_——_ AN INTERNAL REVENUE DECISIO:! Claims of the City of Louisville for Refanding Taxes. First Controller Bowler of the Treasury Department has rendered an opinion in the ease of the claim of the sinking fund com- missioners of the city of Louisville, Ky., | for refunding of internal revenue taxes. The opinion is exhaustive, discussing the subject, which is quite an intricate cne, from its inception, through the offices of the commissioner of internal revenue and | the fifth auditor, and concludes as follows: “The city of Loutsville, in the adjustment | of its claim, will, therefore, be allowed the | entire amount found due to it by the com- missioner for interest, amounting to $31,- 659.40, to which will be added the total amount found due by the commissioner in his adjustment of the present claim for tax- es on dividends, both in cash and stock, amounting to $42,214.57, making a total of . From this total will be deducted amount which the commisstoner allowed for taxes on undistributed dividends or sur- plus, amounting to $17,683.77, leaving the net amount to be allowed to the city of Louisville upon all of its claims of $54,239.20. | From this must be deducted the amount al- refunded to sald city, $42,514.03, | leaving the net amount due the city of Louisville $13,725.17, which amount will be certified to the register of the treasury on the settlement of the clatm.”” Under the same decision, on a claim of preferred by Logan county, Ky., mtrolier Bowler allowed $),5:s3. \« | A’ DEMOCRATIC Cavcvs. | To Discuss the Tariff and Other Mat- ters of House Business. The democratic caucus, at which the tariff and other matters of business of the House will be discussed, will be held some evening this week, so says Representative Holman, the chairman of the democratic caucus. The day on which the caucus will be held has fot yet been decided on, and will depend upon the members of the House interested in the matter. As soon as they agree on a date the chairman of the caucus will issue the call. ——————+-2+—____ HAD A LION FOR A PATIENT. Nero’s Broken Leg Put in Splints Aftee Some Difficulty. It ts no joke to set a lion’s leg, says the New York Sun. That’s what three sur- geons said after going through the exper- ience the other day in New York. In the first place it is a blind sort of job, as there are no data from similar cases to go by— and then there is the lion himself to be considered, for if he becomes feverish and gets loose, wholesale homicide is likely to be the result. Nero, who plays a “hypnotic” part in a New York museum, is the lion who was operated on. Some weeks ago he quarreled with Victoria, a lioness, and she bit him on the leg. The wound seemed to heal all right, and when Nero got well he became frisky again, and acted in a way that roused her ladyship to anger once more. This time she seized him by the thigh of the right hind leg and bit in to the bone. Nero went about on three legs for many days, getting more wretched every day, and then the museum people decided that some- thing must be done or he would become useless for purposes other than to act as an ornamental rug. So they went to the Col- lege of Veterinary Surgeons and stated the case to Dr. Henry Amling. He told them to bring the lion to him and he would ex- amine the leg He got two surgeons as assistants, and thirty-seven medical stu- dents, whom he armed with Weapons vary- ing from barrel staves to stove pokers, as body guard. Then he was ready for his majesty. Nero arrived in his cage on an express wagon at 1 o'clock in the afternoon. The cage was pushed out of the wagon upon a table drawn up alongside of the operating table. The latter is about 7 feet long by 6 broad, well padded with cushions and fur- nished with straps and chains. Trainer Fred D'Osta made a little speech in which he said that if Nero should get loose every one was to stand still, and not burt him with their weapons unless abso- lutely necessary. Then the door of the cage was opened and a rope thrown around his majesty’s neck. He bit it in two Promptly. Another was thrown around him and hé was dragged part way out, resist- ing stoutly. Then he changed his mind and came out with great suddenness, going clean over the operating table to the ground at the further end. Dr. Amling grabbed the lion by the neck, but Nero shook him off and walked on three legs down to the other end of the room. perfectly quiet,” shouted Trainer “Don’t do anything to arouse him. He won't hurt you.” Dr. Amling and the trainer walked over toward Nero, and the students followed, carefully keeping their weapons in front of them. Then they got quite near. Nero opened his mouth and made a few leonine remarks in an undertone. That was all that was necessary. < One of the students said “Shoo!” and then flattened himself up against the wall, fol- lowed by the others. For five minutes the lion promenaded, then he submitted to the eajoleries of D’Osta, Dr. Amling, and his assistants and entered the cage. A few moments later they succeeded in strapping him upon the operating table, after he had chewed up the cushions and spit them out disdainfully. Four grains of morphine were injected hypodermicaily, and cocaine was injected to produce local anaesthesia. When Nero appeared to be under the influence of the drugs, the doc- tors began to examine the wound. At the first touch the lion got his front paw free and made a slap at the head of Dr. Bowers, who was standing at his shoulder, that would have decapitated him if it had hit him. At the same time he snapped at the suzgeon's arm and just missed it. After being pinned down again Nero lay quiet and groaned. The surgeons found that there was a partial fracture of the Jower third of the thigh bone. This was re- duced, and the four wounds made by the Honess’ teeth were dressed. The entire operation lasted about two hours. Then Nero was dragged back into his cage and taken to the museum. He seemed a little puzzled at first by the splints and bandages on his leg, but made no effort to tear them off, and when seen by a Sun _re- porter last night seemed to be comfortable. The surgeons say that if he leaves the bandages alone he will be about in four or five weeks, but will walk with a imp. Nero is fourteen months old and weighs about 420 pounds. nit TRAMPS IN CALIFORNIA. They Travel in Companies Under a Sort of Military Discipline. From the San Francisco Chronicle, The tramp evil has become so serious that the Southern Pacific is about to take strong measures to check it. A message was received yesterday that 211 tramps had taken possession of a train at Ashland, Ore., with the intention of coming to San Francisco. The tramps have used the freight trains as if they owned them. They have traveled in organized companies from Portland to El Paso and back again. Each company has a captain, and the number in each band is so great that a sort of military discipline, that is as against the railroad, is enforced. Trainmen are powerless to put the tramps off, and when the company has succeeded | in doing so, it has met with loss caused by | the malicious acts of the evicted men. The | wreck near Lordsburg, N. M., and that | which occurred near the line of San Mateo | county recently are believed to be the spite work of tramps. Not content with transportation once ac- corded, the tramps travel up and down the railroad. A gang which left the San Joa- quin valley for El Paso no sooner reached the Texan line than its members began to beat their way back to California. Just now San Francisco is the objective point for the tramps, both north and south, The hegira from Oregon is perhaps the larger of the two streams of tramp immi- grants, and every encouragement seems to be given the tramps by the Oregon people to leave the state. They are told of the fine winter climate here, so much milder than Oregon weather, and are assured that they will find the Californians a hospitable people. The Portland Oregonian, in a recent is- ‘sue, recites the fact that a party of unem- ployed, sixty-eight in number, had left on the Southern Pacific train for the warmer climate of California, and that they had been promised a free ride in the box cars to the California state line. Arthur Mc- Arthur organized the tramp party. He and the captain and several other members of the party saw the chief of police of Port- land and obtained passage across the Will- amette to Albina, where they took the car. Capt. Beary of the tramp party made the following statement: “We intend to go where we can get work. In our party are thirty-one loggers, fifteen miners, a railway ticket agent, two cooks, @ waiter and seven brakemen. Most of them came here from the Sound. We are honest men and want work. We can't get employment here and we do not want to impose on the good nature of the city board of charities officials any longer. Some of our party may be bad men, but I promise that no one will violate the law. Most of our men are well educated, and I myself am a graduate of a college. I came here six years ago with some money, which I lost in speculating, and have since been working in logging camps. The chief has treated us very well, and if everybody uses us the same we will be fortunate. “Yes,” said McArthur, “alive and happy when we get to "Frisco. Jeminy! I don’t know what makes me so jubilant. I feel as if I felt off a Christmas tree.” “Why didn’t you men join the army?” asked the chief. “I and Forbes intended to do that today,” said Beary, “but we gave it up when the party was formed.” ~ eee Harmony Circle. ‘The Harmony Circle entered upon another year of its prosperous career by a weill- managed hop and banquet at Carroll Hall last night. About one hundred couples were in attendance. The committee of arrange- ments, consisting of Messrs. Jaines Rosen thal, 1. Fleischman, G. Strasburger and 8. Friedlander, acted also as floor managers. Goodman's orchestra provided an excellent dancing program, and Mr. F. Freund fur- nished the bounteously laden tables with a choice repast, STAR READERS AND THE POOR. es S Let All Subscribe Something, No Mat- ter How Little. Subscribers of The Star who desire to take part in the general movement to fe Meve destitution in the city can send their contributions to the general committee through the collectors of The Star when they call to make their monthly collections. it 1s desired that all who can shall make a contribution every month for three months. Let every one give something if it is only @ dime. The contribution should be placed im an envelope with the accompanying coupon, properly filled, and handed to The Star’s collector. ‘Those who desire to do so may send the envelopes directly to ‘he Star oftice instead of waiting for the collector, COUPON. THE STAR SUBSCRIBERS’ FUND. Cut out this coupon, fillup the blanks and place It to- gether with the amount of your monthly subscription in an envelope to be handed to The Evening Star col- aa Sox ere s w wie 3 9 38" 3 a a = 42 6 Zan 2 ® 3g: A W Fae s 4 fc « & FOR TH! RELIEF OF THE POOR. aeonen ae at DEATH OF MISS SMITH. Close of a Life Devoted to Bringing Help to Those in Need. Early this morning the life of Miss Anna E, Smith came to an end. This intelligence will come to many a home in this city and to many a heart with all the force of @ personal loss. The deceased had lived a Ufe devoted to charitable works, and was well known in a number of the institu- tions of the city as an active and welcome worker. Her private benefactions, how- ever, covered a wide range, and whenever she heard of a case of distress she was prompt to render ielief, and in ways that frequently never made her name known to those to whom she had given assistance. Miss Smith was the daughter of the late Rear Admiral Smith, and after the death of her mother she became the companion of her, father, and with loving and un- selfish devotion gave her time and thought to his comfort. Since his death she has spent her life in doing deeds of charity. The family residence on ¥th street just north of the Mount Vernon Place Church several years ago she gave to the House of the Good Shepherd, and it was this gift that really enabled the founders of this charity to begin their work in this city. She removed to the residence, 1010 I street, where her death occurred this morning. Funeral services will be held Thursday morning at 10 o’clock at the Church of the Immaculate Conception, and the inter- ment will be at Oak Hill. peel Her Will Filed. ‘The will of the late Elizabeth Milligan Gulick, filed today, leaves her estate to her sister, nephew, and other relatives and friends, and $00 to the Washington Aux- iliary of the American McAll Association. ‘The personal estate is valued at $45,000. ee Beate Heart Disease and Longevity. From the London Daily News. Let those who are haunted with suspic- ions of heart disease, and even those who have good reason to know that they are suffering, take courage from a story told by the late Sir Andrew Clark in the course of a clinical lecture at the London Hos- pital. After reminding the young students of the necessity for caution in the “‘prog- nosis,” or forecast, of the progress of this disease, Sir Andrew went on to relate an anecdote of a house governor of that very hospital—a clergyman who was about to be married. His intended father-in-law came to him and said: “You see, you have no money, sir; you must go and get your life insured.” At the end of the medical examination the physicians said to him, “We cannot accept you.” “Why?” said the astonished house governor. “Oh, we would rather not say.” “But,” he said, “I have never been {ll in my life” (and, indeed he was a sturdy fellow). “Well,” said the physicians, “if you will have it, you have got heart disease.” “Heart disease? How long shall I liv Shall I live six months?’ “Oh, replied the medical men, “you may do that.” He went home and the match was broken off. He wrote to the committee saying that, as he had a mortal disease of the heart and could not live for six months, he withdrew his application for rooms wherein to dwell with his wife. On the receipt of this letter the committee deliberated and said, “We must superannuate him, poor fellow; and as he has but six months to live we will let him have his full pa: Sir Andrew) he lived for more than fifty years, 100 Dangers of Chl Prof. Tyndall had taken sleeping draughts | of one kind or other for years. His “usual quantity,” according to Dr. Buzzard, was one and a half teaspoonfuls every night. It had evidently become a habit with him even more then a necessity; or it was a necessity only because it was a habit. Yet, we have the authority of the British Medi- cal Journal, says the London Daily News, in an article devoted to this particular case, for the assertion that ninety-nine in the hundred of those sleeping doses are Worse than useless, even for any pu of relief worthy of the name. “Insomnia,” we are told, “is not a disease, but a symp- tom,” and it is the clear duty of every suf- ferer to ascertain the cause, with a view to its removal by legitimate treatment. Of all the empirical treatments, that by chioral is probably the worst. The temporary relie? which it affords tends to divert attention from more radical measures. never sought. Chloral has slain its thou- sands before this; it ought not to claim as many more victims before it is laid aside forever. Or, if it does, this great national loss we have just sustained should be held equivalent, for the purpose of warning and example, to the total count. soe. The Prolific Sunflower. From the St. Louls Globe-Democrat. The sunflower is very nea:ly as prolific as the microbe. I had an experience with them on a government survey in 1858, west of Junction City, Kans. The country there was infested with the shoulder-high variety of the weed that Oscar Wilde thought so aesthetically beautiful. There were enough of them to keep the sunflower paper mills running for years. We had through miles and miles of them. sights five o> six miles through his transit telescope. In the sunflower woods the sights were limited in Jength to one chain— 66 feet. The men all had the crowns worn out of their hats from rubbing against the shiny under side of the heavy, nodding blooms. Every evening, when we camped, each man would empty about a bushel of the seeds out of his pockets, his hat, his shoes and his socks. We used to, in cross- ing streams o> swampy places, cut great bundles of them and lay corduroy roads with them. Now, all these sunflowers had sprung from seeds that the Mormons had brought there from the east less than a score of years before. : ete areas tale An elephant broke loose in the streets of New Orleans Sunday, and created con- siderable damage before he was caught. Rev. Dr. Tyrell of St. Louis is leading a y." Ac- cordingly he was superannuated upon hia | quires ten feet of water to float it, and is full pay and upon this superannuity (said | helpless to reach the lower markets on a The sham S0- | The Anthracite? Oh, yes. lace being always at hand, the true one is; Saying, the company want a few engines; to run a line} for feeding than horses and yet be able to In an | do the varying work of a farm, camels have ordinary country the transit man can take | been introduced upon an estate not far from CUNNING OF CROCODILES. Burrowing Deep in the Mud in Order to Escape a Dragnet. The following is a fair sample of how cun- ningly crocodiles, im common with all other! wild animals, can conceal themselves in moments of danger, says a writer in the Westminster Gazette. After a happy week spent in the jungle with a friend of mine, we halted for breakfast, before making the last stage for headquarters and home, at a place called Poonarhvn—Anglice, garden of flowers—and while at breakfast were amused by watching a number of crocodiles, about eight or ten, sunning themselves on the surface of a small lake, or tank, as it is there called, of about an acre in extent. A sudden thought struck me. “I say, Murray, what fun it would be to try and catch some of these beggars in a net.” “Bravo!” said he. “Let's try it pres- ently. Appu, send the horsekeeper to the village and tell him to bring up all the men he can find and some long fishing nets. We will give a good santosum” (present). The Villagers scented some fun, and with the .further stimulus of a santosum very Soon turned up to the number of thirty. It was now 11 o'clock and scorching hot, the air quivering over the bare, sandy plain in which the pond was situated. It was breast deep, as we knew, including about one foot or eighteen inches of heavy mud. We tied two nets together so as to make one long enough to reach across the tank, about thirty yards, and this was heavily ~veighted along the bottom and arranged to be drawn with long ropes from each shore. Imme- diately behind the net came a line, and men about a yard apart, with long, pointed poles with which to prod the mud along the bot- ‘tom of the net, and so drive the malingering gentlemen into proper position in front of the net. My friend and his servant (for all entered into the sport) followed close up to the second line. At it we all now went, splashing, shouting, stamping and hauling, but—a big but—not a sign did we find of a single one of the brutes that we had seen before us when we came to the edge of the water. We dragged that water backward and forward more than once, but our only reward was a deadly thirst that lasted us ti late that night. They had burrowed deeper into the mud than we could reach them, for nothing—I doubt if even a rat— could have escaped unseen out of the water. —- eee A TOUGH CUSTOMER. How Col, Streeter Lost a Hand tog ‘Gators. Col. Streeter, a Floridian, told the zoolog- ieal reporter of The Star a good one last night at the Riggs. One of the colonel’s hands was thissing, and knowing the sec- tion from which he hailed, the reporter naturally expected to get a first-class war story. But he didn’t. The hand was not lost in the fratricidal struggle. It was the work of an alligator, or, as they call them in the land where the reptile builds its nest and rears its young, a ‘gator. “Well, it happened a long time ago,” said Col. Streeter, “and if I had not told the story so often I think I should have forgotten it. When I was a young fellow, chuckful of dazzling dreams and ambitious schemes, I used to hunt ‘gators for a living. The hide of one of these brutes is worth all the way from one to four dollars, according to size, condition and age. I had a big flat-bottom boat, sort of a compromise between a bat- teau and a sand scow, and I used to crui One dark night I shoved off. After I had reached the most alligatorial part of the lake I lit a fire on one end of the boat. ‘These craft are especially for this, so there isn’t much danger of the whole thing going up in smoke. Well, when my rosin knots began to blaze and sputter and sizzle as rosin knots wiil, it wasn’t long before a big ‘gator raised his head out of the lake to see what the illumination meant. To a newcomer there isn’t any more horrible sight this side of the other world than a great long ‘gator lying close to you and grinning at you with his rip- saw ivories under the weird glare of pine knots. But I didn’t think of this, for I was an old hand at the business. Bang, and a Sharpe gun relieved that ’gator of all earth- ly care and trouble. I hauled him in and stretched him out in the bottom of my boat. it was a good night for the sport, and the "gators seemed to be especially inquisitive as to the meaning of that fitful light. That trusty rifle spake again and again, and one by one I landed the victims in the old boat. The last one came to the top pretty close to daybreak. He was a Savage-looking old- timer. He was what with propriety we might call a hard-shell ‘gator. He looked at me in an insulting sort of way, and I re- sented his impertinence. I brought him into the boat. There is just where I mate my mistake. That alligator wasn't all the way dead. He seemed to have lots of en- ergy stored up somewhere, and he turned on me. We had a fight right there in the boat. Before I could pump some pilis into him he had me. Whata wrestling match ft was. Young man, that’s what's the matter with the end of that arm." +o When the Ohie From the Pittsburg Bulletin. To the artist, the silvery, shrunken Ohio, winding feebly between green and everlast- ing hills, is a charming spectacle, worthy of a transfer to canvas and subsequent hang- ing in a favored place in the home of a purchaser, But to the practical Pittsburger the swol- len, turbid, oil-stained Ohio, careering to the Mississippi through a bleak landscape of snow-sprinkied hills, is a sight far more at- tractive than any afforded in midsummer. For the larger Ohio bears on its muddy breast the deep-laden coalboats whose con- tents are not more needed by New Orleans or Memphis than the money the coal repre- sents is needed by our river operators and shippers. These regard the Ohio as a most lovable stream, when, after months of pic- turesque idleness, it arises in its might and beasts of “twel feet.” if our local artists wish to make a paint- ing of Ohio which will be salae to a coal skipper, they must portray the stream with that number of feet, with the tawny mane of swirling water and a procession of coal- boats heading for the sunny south. A “coal- boat,” It might be added, is one that re- a stage of water that will let out a coal “barge.” ; wa tee His First and Last Complaint. From the Locomotive Eagineer. “I remember,” said a well-known engin- eer thoughtfully, “when I first went running on the Lackawanna raiiroad. I was stuck on my job, loved my engine, and was twice as jealous of her as I am of my wife. We had a trainmaster that got a notion that we were pulling trains far too light, and he commenced putting on cars. After a hard trip—doubling, running for water and the) like—I went to see the president of the road. “ ‘Mr, President,’ said I, ‘I've come to see} you about these heavy trains. They are just pulling the stuffing right out of my en- gine. I can't take care of her this way. I've got the best engine on the road, and I don’t propose to see her overloaded and abused without a kick.” “I'll tell you,’ said he, ‘the best w to fix that—lemme see, what engine is yours? Well, as I was suppose’n you sell her to the road; they'd just as lief pull all the cars with her as not. How much do you want for her? " Ploughs Drawn by Camels. From the London Daily News, Oxen drawing ploughs is a sight familiar enough on our Sussex downs; but camels employed in this way would be decidedly a novelty. The experiment, however, is being tried in Southern Russia, and, it is said, with remarkable success. Vice Consul Smith states that the bad harvests of the last two years, together with the low prices of grain, having forced most agriculturists to look into the question of reducing ex- penses, and one great difficulty being to ob- tain animal power which would cost less Kieff. At present eighteen camels are at work, and their keep is found to cost much less than that of horses, owing to oats be- ing dispensed with in their feeding. The price runs between six and seven pounds per head, inclusive of transport from the government of Orenburg to Kieff. BEEF so Se Logan Carlisle Recovered. Mr. Logan Carlisle, chief clerk of the Treasury Department, after an absence of two months from illness, returned today to his desk. He has completely recovered his health. —_—___- e.—_—____ ‘To Go Before the Grand Jury. Donjan, the man who wrote the thredt- ening letters to Vice President Stevenson, Secretary Carlisle, Senators Sherman, Mills | conv. 6s, 2d, 150 bid, 160 asked. Masonic FINANCE AND TRADE. Prices of Stocks Still Inclined to : Droop. RUMORS ABOUT A TRUST COMPANY. They Start a Selling Movement ir Wall Street. GENERAL MARKET REPORTS. Special Dispatch to The Evening Star. NEW YORK, Jan. 2—The opening of to- day’s stock market was irregular within a radius of 1-2 per cent of last week's closing prices. London was weak and sold St. Paul and Nashville on this side. ‘The weakness abroad, coupled with a rumor affecting the standing of one of the local trust companies, started a selling movement by room traders, which, with the co-operation of some of the leading bear operators, successfully depressed val- ues. A further reduction of 1-4 per cent in the price of refined sugar, making a total of 1-2 per cent within a week, resulted in 33-4 per cent reduction in the price of the stock of that company. The decline was alded throughout the day by prices reaching “stop list” limits and considerable long stock was shaken out in consequence. ‘The market, with a few unimportant ex- ceptions, was a mere duplication of the natrow and strictly professional trading that has of late characterized the daily ses- sions of the exchange. The grangers were freely sold by traders on additional evi- dences of their -inability to show any ma- terial improvement in earnings during the next few months. St. Paul declined 13-8 per cent, to 56; Burlington lost i 1-4 per cent, to 73 3-4; Rock Island lost 1 per cent, to 62, and Missouri Pacific lost 1 per cent, to 19 8-4; Louisville and Nashville was weak on foreign selling and opened at a reduction of 1 1-4 per cent, but steadied up somewhat around 43 on later ; New York Cen- tral lost 1 3-4 per cent, to 96 3-4; New Eng- land touched low-water mark at 8 1-2, a net decline of 1 5-8 per cent, and Atchison lost 1 — gs on continued selling by Boston, to The industrials were all weak, General Electric selling down 1 per cent, to 82 1-2; Distillers’, 2 per cent, to 20 1-2, and Chicago Gas, 1 1-8 per cent, to 60 3-8. Sterling exchange was weak, owing to an increase in the supply of bankers’ bills, but the volume of business continues light. Money rates are un and borrow- ers show no disposition to take advantage of the present low interest rate, while the effect of new legislative measures is still in joubt. The clearing house statement shows: Ex- changes, $107,111,350; balances, $7,081,814, and the subtreasury’s debit balance, $#2,- Traders continued their tactics during the day. The closing was dull, at slight gains from the lowest, and was without noteworthy feature. FINANCL ‘The Slowing are, the opening. the highest and the lowest ‘the closing prices of the ow Yee ——_——. Macartney. Correspondents Broadway: Stocks, Open. snnee Sugar ...... hi a SS a. &. Hs Bly ay Y 58 ‘ational Lead Go. Nat. Cordage Co... sey Conteal: Riess New York Central. X. ¥. Northern Pacific North American ‘Ont. & Western. Pullman P. Car Go.” Richmond ‘Terminai, Texes Pacific. 7 FF . et Bs! Bi 38 Fit Washington Stock Exchange. Sales—regular call—12 o'clock m.—Peo- ple's Fire Insurance, 10 at 5. American Graphophone, @) at 2; 140 at 2. Government Bonds.—U, 8. 4s, registered, 1907, 112 bid, 113 asked. U. 8. 4s, coupon, 1907, 112 bid, 113 asked. District of Columbia Bonds.—20-year fund 5s, 105 bid. Water stock 7s, 1901, currency, 115 bid. 30-year fund Gs, gold, 115 bid. Wa- ter stock 78, 1008, currency, 125 bid. 3.658, funding, currency, 108 bid. Miscellaneous Bonds.—Washington and Georgetown R. R. conv. Gs, ist, 10 bid, 160 asked. Washington and Georgetown R. R. Hall Association 5s, 103 bid. Washington | Market Company Ist 6s, 105 bid, 110 asked. | Washington Market Company imp. 6s, 105 bid. Washington Market Company ext. 6s, 100 bid, 105 asked. American Security and Trust Ss, 1905, A. and O., 100 bid. Ameri- can Security and Trust 5s, 1905, F. and A., 100 bid. American Security and Trust Ss, 1906, A. and O., 100 bid. Washington Light Infantry ist @s, 101 asked. Washington | Light infantry 2d 7s, 101 asked. W; ton Gas Company 6s,. series A, 117 bid. Washington Gas Company 6s, series B, 117 | . Washington Gas Company conv. 6s, 130 bid, 140 asked. Eckington R. R. 6s, 100 asked. “ Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone 5s, 103 asked. Capitol and North © Street R. R. 5s, 0 bid, 95 asked. Metropolitan R. R. conv. és, 100 bid, 06 asked. U.S. Blec- tric Light conv. 5s, 110 bid. National Bank Stocks.—Rank of Wash- ington, 300 bid, 350 asked. Bank of the Re- public, 200 bid. Metropolitan, 265 bid, 300 asked. Central, 260 bid. Second, 130° pia. Farmers and Mechanics’, 170 bid. ' Citiznes’, 140 bid. Columbia, 110 bid, 130 asked. Cap- ital, 110 bid, 130 asked. Wost End, % bid, 108 asked. Traders’, 100 bid. Lincoln, S7ig bid, 93 asked. Ohio, 85 asked. Ratlroad Stocks.—Washington and George- town, 280 bid. Metropolitan, S) bid, 100 asked. Columbia, 55 bid, 75 asked. Capitol and North O Street, 25 asked. Eckington and Soldiers’ Home, 25 asked. Georgetown and Tenallytown, 30 asked. Insurance Stocks.—Firemen’s, 26 bid. Franklin, 45 bid, 55 asked. Metropolitan, — bid. National Union, 16 asked. Arlington, 150 bid, 160 asked. Corcoran, 65 bid. Co- lumbia, 13 bid, 1452 asked. German-Amert- can, 150 bid. Potomac, Bly bid, 7 asked. People’s, 5 bid. 5 asked. | Lincoln, 7% bid, 8 asked. Commercial, 5% asked. Title Insurance Stocks.—Real Estate Ti- | tle, 112 bid, 125 asked. Columbia Title, 6% bid. Washington Title, 5 bid. Gas and Electric Light Stocks.—Washing- ton Gas, 45 bid, 5 asked. Georgetown Gas, saa. U. 8. Electric Light, 110 bid, 117 Telephone Stocks—Pennsylvania,47 asked Chesapeake and Potomac, 45 bid. 49 asked. American Graphophone, 2 bid, 2% asked. Miscellaneous Stocks.—Washington Mar- | ket, 12 bid, 15 asked. Great Fails Ice, 110! bid, 130 asked. Bull Run Panorama, 22} asked. Pneumatic Gun Carriage, .70 asked. | Lincoln Hall, 100 asked. Inter Ocean Build- | ing, 109 asked. Safe Deposit and Trust Compantes.—Na- | tional Safe Deposit and Trust Company 125 did, 130 asked. Washington Safe De- posit, 107 asked. Washington Loan and curity and Trust, 125 bid, 130 asked, —___ Baltimore Markets. BALTIMORE, ern superfine, 1 western famil patent, 3.40a3.65 4.25; spring wheat straight, 3.50a%.75—re- ceipts, 11,696 barrels; shipments, 13,493 bar- Jan. 2 Sda2. 2. crusade against the dens and dives of that | and others, will go before the grand jury to-| rels; sales, 300 barrels. Wheat weak—No. city. morrow. } { Trust, 100 bid, 110 asked. American E 2 red, spot, 63%a64; January, G%att; May, | | middling, 7%. 68%a8); steamer No. 2 red, 60%260%; mill- ing wheat sample, 65—recelpts, 67,108 busheis; wok, tats by 5 5 grade, 49s041% Oats easter—No. 2 Western, 33%; No. 2 mixed western, —receipts, 624,00) bushels; stock, 1514 bushels. Hye duli—No. 2, ' 48—receipts, 3 Stock, 61,008 bushels. Hay dull— good to choice timothy, $15a315.50. Graim freights firm, unchanged. Cotton firm— $19.80; Dullk ments loose, shoulders Tee clear, 8%; clear rib sides, x4: nol shoulders, 7%; sugar-cured smoked shoul- ders, 8; hams, 11212; lard, refined, But- ter quiet—creamery, fancy, 24026; do. imitation, 22024; fancy, 2ia22; good to choice, 18a1%; rolls, fine, 2a2; do. fair to good, MalS: store packed, 15al6. [ges quiet—22a23. ‘Coffee steady—No. 7, 18%. Sugar steady—erenu- lated, 4%. Copper and whisky unchanged. BALTIMOE, Jan. 2.—Raltimore and Ohio stock, 68 bid; Consolidated Gas bonds, 1128 112%g; do. stock, Sanday. ais Chicago Grain and Provision Markets. Reported by « bankers and a Sieby Co., ——7__ CHASING A SWIFT CUNARDER, What the Cruiser Columbia Might Mave to Do in Cause of War. A comparison of the sptea merits of the cruiser Columbia with the two fastest ships afloat in case of war is mage py tne New York ‘Tribune. The two vessels which the Columbia might have ditficuky in catoning are the Campania and Lucamia. Tne Cam- Panta has made the highest ayerage nouriy Speed ever attained by a vessei in a crans- atiantic voyage. She Gid it Jast month, when she made an average of. v1.28 know from Queenstown to New York, ‘phe high- est average speed for one Gay was made re- cently by the Lucania, which ram at an av- erage of 22.74 knots for 24 hours $0 minutes pose there was war between Mngiang America, and the Columbia was Woking for one of the two big ships, which, under those circumstances, would be either in use as transports or transformed into lightarmea commerce destroyers themselves. A outlook would be Kept from the crow’s nest If the Columbia made the time she made on her trial race of Z2S1 knots and the Lucania made the best time she ever of 22.74 knots an hour, the have gained on the Lucania hour .U7 of a knot. But the Columbia at the end she gained 1.53 knots Pania it would take 1523 knots which 84 : and grave doubts were entertained of the Possibility of any diver being able to with- stand the tremendous pressure incidental sure that neither man could for more than a few minutes, and for some time after his return, suffered from chronic paralysis of the bowels, by which he was in a certain to the helpless condition of a cradle. Probably a tightly sealed sent down empty to the same have been crushed flat. As it divers only succeeded in finding out of the ten, £10,000 thus A subsequent expedition went of this box, and the diver, after being down for twenty minutes, was hauled up oniy to die. Nothing discouraged, a fresh expe- dition went out, with two divers, from ene The first of these was iy hauiea up half dead, only to be sent ashore to the hospital raving mad; the other went down, but returned declaring that no box was there. Whether he really got so far as the lazarette from which the nine boxes were taken is open to doubt. The pressure at such depths must be positively crushing. In the accounts of one of the deep-sea dredging expeditions it is mentioned that when the trawl was raised from a great depth the pressure proved to have been such as to crush together the wood of the rong beam, so that the knots started out 3 ean vanatt HORSEPLAY IN ENGLISH SOCIPTY. Coarse Jokes and Risky Dancing Be- ing Indulged in by Smart Girls. Skirt dancing, high play and the perpe- tration of practical jokes seem to be the leading emusements of country house par- ties in England, accoriing to a recent chronicler quoted by the San Francisco Argonaut. Me says: “November is pre eminently the month for big shoots, and the country houses are full to overflowing just now. In quiet houses moderate hours are kept, gambling for heavy stakes ts at a discount and a certain sobriety prevails from sunrise to sundown. In other houses, however, the fun waxes fast and furious, No dancing ts considered ‘sport’ unless it be of a nature imported from the Gaiety, such as the unforgettable pas de quatre. A few smart girls go so far as unto themselves fhe voluminous the serpentine frock and try to imitate Miss Lettie Lind’s dexterities.” After ex- plaining that the serpentine skirts are made out of “no less than a hundred yards of the very finest Chinese silk or crepe cut jin triangular pieces to give the appearance of an infinity of yards,” our authority re- sumes: “It is regrettable to ada that under some roofs pretty heavy gambling is in- dulged in, and ‘arat and nap with high stakes have a8 many women a# men vota- ries, to say Nothing of practical joking of a suspiciously rowdy sort, such as apple-pie bed-making booby-trapping. A certain most distinguished lady amused herself one whole evening by standing in a gallery and throwing pillows on the men’s heads as they passed in and out of the smoking eer ONAN: Range of the Thermometer. The following were the readings of the ther- mometer at the weather bureau today: 8 a. m., 24: 2p.m., 43; maximum, 43; minimum, 24 —_> jo Their Sanity, Petitions for writs de lunatico inquirenae were filed today in the cases of’ the follow- ing alleged lunatics: James Morris Kirk, W. P. Hopkins and Racheel Jones. : : : ’ : ee