Evening Star Newspaper, April 13, 1896, Page 1

HILL OR LAMONT|STREET EXTENSIONS! STORM IN Which Will Lead the New York Democracy? THE GUBERNATORIAL NOMINATION Prospects cf a Lively Struggle in the Empire State. WHY WHITNEY I3 HERE Special Dispatch to The Evening Star. NEW YORK, April 13.—There is going to be what now appears will develop into a lively struggle for the democratic nomina- tion for governor of New York state. While the impression even among a large per- centage of the party’s leaders: seems to prevail that the election of the democratic candidate is extremely doubtful, there will be, at any rate, a most spirited contest for supremacy in the convention. Much lies in the hope that the enforce- ment of the Rains high license law passed by the present republican legislature will redound to the benefit of the democrats and make the election of the ticket not only a Possibility, but a probability. From this point of view the leaders are taking on courage, and an old-time faction fight is promised. While the Raines law has greatly incensed a large number of the liquor deal- ers, the measure has many elements of merit, which are fully recognized by demo- crats. Senator Hill's presence now at Albany, where he went from Washington last Fri- day to confer with the state leaders of the party relative to the plans for the forth- coming campaign, has already done muci: to change the pohtical map. Senator Hill may himself be for the fourth time the democratic standard bearer. This is a part of his mission in the state at the present time—to look over the field and get his bearings, as it were. Senator Hill's candi- dacy, however, is contingent upon the ac- tions of the Whitney faction, if.faction it can be called. Hill Might Come Forward. A prominent leader of the party, friendly to each the Hiil and Whitney interests, who does not wish to be known at the present time, said to The Star correspondent: “Should it seern probable that Mr. Whit- ney might be able to rally a large follow- ing for the nomination of Secretary of War Lamont, which’ may threaten the defeat of the Hill candidate, who, it is now believed, is ex-Congressman Perry Bel- mont, then Senator Hill w‘ll himself come forward and be the candidate. “The impression very generally prevails that Senator Hill can secure the nomina- tion for himself, while Mr. Belmont would be in danger of defeat, though backed and indorsed by the Hill machinery. The Hill people have not forgotten the sacrifice made by Senator Hill In 1804, when he ac- cepted the nomination for the party's good, though defeat seemed sure, an honor which Mr. Whitney refused and haughtily threw aside, leaving Senator Hill to carry on the battle, against great odds. “In view of thts bit of political history, it is claimed that Mr. Whitney cannot, in good grace, work to defeat the nomination of Senator Hill, while could, with con- sistency, that of Mr. Belmont. “But for the sake of controlling the party machinery with the objective point of 1900 in the distance, Senator Hill would not think for a moment of entering the arena this year, but two years hence he will be the candidate.” The constitutional convention of last year changes the term of governor from three to two years. © Hill's Supremacy Threatened. Should Secretary Lamont be the candi- date, the friends of Sénator Hill seem to realize that in the event of an election it would in all probability be the end of the Senator's :power in’ tht state. -Secretary Lamont will be put forward as the choice of the administration, and ‘that in the epinion of the Hill people will make him the most dangerous of persons to the am- Litions of the Senator in 1900. It is supposed that Mr. Whitney's pres- ent visit to Washington {s for the purpose of conference with Secretary Lamont upon the subject, and which was the cause of Senator Hill's hurried trip to Albany. —— A SOUND MONEY MAN Will Be. Nominated in the Second Oregon District. PORTLAND, Oreg., April 13.—A number of democrats who favor the financial policy of President Cleveland held a meeting in this city for the purpose of discussing the advisability of putting in the field an in- dependent candidate for Congress in the Second district against the regular nominee of the demoertic convention, which de- clared for free coinage. It was practically decided to name an independent candidate. Both the regular democratic and republi- can candidates In the second district are in favor of free coinage, and the Cleve- land democrats expect ‘to draw largely from the republicans, who favor the gold standard. “A. S. Bennett, the regular demo- eratic nominee from the second district, has declined the nomination. INDORSED MR. QUAY. Action of the Seventh Pennsylvania District Repmblicans. AMBLER, Pa., April 13.—The seventh dis- trict republican convention in session here to nominate delegates and alternates to the national republican convention, elected by acclamation Hogh -B. Eastburn of Doylestown and James B. Holland of Nor- ristown. Altcrnates—Senator Henry G. Moyer, Perkasie; Isaiah R. Halderman, Harrisville. The convention indorsed Sen- ator Quay for President. ——__.___ LEADERS COMPROMISE. Republicans fm Maryland Seek to Effect Harmen Special Dispatch to The Evening Star. BALTIMORE, Md., April 13.—The repub- lean leaders here are claiming that the compromise effected between the Malster end “administration” factions will close the breach, and that the way bas been cleared for harmony. According to this compro- mise, Mr.William T. Malster is to be elected a delegate-at-large to the St. Louis conven- tion, and fs to hame a dtiegate from the fourth district. This arrangement has cre- ated considerabie opposition among the rank and file of the anti-Malster faction, and they are expressing their disapproval with great freedom... Many..do-Hot-hesltate to predict that before the primaries are held here next Friday the-compromize* will have been broken. The leaders, however, declare it wilt stam@, and declare that ali manifesta- tions of discontent bee! Pressed before. Mine day bet the primaries. Commissioner Powell’s Reply to Senator MoMillan’s Request. Amendments Suggested to the Re- assesment Dill—Other Matters TRAFFIC ” of Lecal Interest. Whenever of late Senate District committee has taken the street exter- sion system: for consideration there has been a strong pressure adversa to action brought to bear by residents of the ungub- divided suburban sections, farmers and others with more or less agricultural in- terests in the land. The chief point of ob- jection seemed to be the fear that street extension necessarily involved the imposi- tion of city taxes, and especially the as- sessment of water main taxes. Some of the small farmers whose lands were in- volved have complained that they could not afford to have the Commissioners lay @ water main under a street run through their property, and it has lately been ap- parent that there was a considerable an- tagonism to street extensions developing among these classes, based wholly on this apprehension. Accordingly, Senator McMillan, as chair- man of the Senate District committee, re- cently wrote a letter to Maj. Powell, the Engineer Commissioner, calling his atten- ticn to the matter, and suggesting that something might be done to allay the ap- prehensions of these property owners by amending pending legislation relating to water main assessments, and so clear away at least that obstacle to the system- atic extension of the city’s streets and avenues. Maj. Powell's Reply. Maj. Powell’s reply has been received. In it he proposes certain amendments to the bill to authorize the reassessment of water main taxes, ncw under consideration. The bill as outlined by him directs the Com- missioners in all cases where water maip taxes have been quashed or set aside to re- assess all lots, with power to collect accord- ing to the existing law. It is provided that the reassessment shall be made within one year after the date of the passage of the act in ‘ail eases of assessments nullified prior to that date. Section 2, suggested by the Engineer Commissioner, provides that no water main tax or assessment shall hereafter be assessed or reassessed upon any laffd within the District of Co- lumbia held and used exclusively ior ricultural purposes, or upon any un- subdivided land not used for business purposes, but it is further provided that this exemption shall not apply to any land into which Potomac water has been or shall be introduced from a public water main in the street, avenue, alley or road on which the land abuts. In such latter case the assessment shall be levied within thirty days after it has been introduced. When water has been heretofcre introduced the assessment or reassessment shall be made in ninety days after the passage of the act. Whenever the land is rot subdivided into building lots the water main tax or assess- ment shall be levied on a frontage of not exceeding 100 feet for each lot into which Potomac water. is introduced, and this as- sessment shall be ccns‘dered in any subse- quent subdivision of such property as hav- ing extended ee ae press to a depth of t frcm the fron’ Wralor Powell, in his letter to Senator Mc- Millan, said: “The object of the additional section is to exempt agricultural or un- subdivided land from the water main tax until Potomac water is introduced. Section 2 is liberal in that by its provisions unsub- divided land along whose front a main is laid cannot be taxed for the main if sub- divided later than thirty days after the main is laid, unless Potomac belied bo troduced. _ These provisions would cer- tainly remove some serious obstacles to the opening of streets and avenues. “J do not think it advisable to reduce the rate of water main assessments; the last Congress changed the standard of assess- ment from area to frontage against the recommendation of a majority of the Com- missioners. This change will result in a decrease of revenue, although it works to the disadvantage of all lot owners, and to the advantage of large lot owners. “Neither do I think the whole cost of laying mains should be charged to the gen- eral water fund. The present system hat existed for a long time, and it would not be fair to increase the water rents of A and B, who have paid water main assess- ments, to provide free mains along C’s property. I know many persons think the cost of laying mains, etc., is much less than the assessment. But this is a mistake, as shown by the figures in the Commissioners’ report of March 6 The water fund has actually lost money in the work of laying mains.”” ‘The Title Valid. Thé bill for the relief of Sigmund J. Block and Augustus P. Baurman, 8. 2275, which was referred to the Department of Justice for ruling, has been returned to Senator McMillan, with a letter from the Attorney General, in which he says that, in his judgment, the title of the United States to the lot in qvestion, lot 1, in square 113, is good and valid. . Approve the 14th Street Extension Senator McMillan has received a notifica- tion from George Simmons, secretary, that the Columbia Heights Citizers’ Assoct!ation, at a meeting held April 7, approved tne pending bill providing for the extension of 14th street. eee COMMANDER CROCKER’S CASE. It is Now Before the President Await- ing His Action. The case of Commander Crocker of the navy, which is now before the President for action, excites great interest in the service because of jts unusual features. ‘The officer is at present on what is known as “the probation st” pending promotion. He entered the navy as 2 midshipman in September, 1842, and has had over thirty- three years’ service, of which fifteen years and two months were at sea. About a year ago he became entitled to pramotion to the grade of commander because of a vacancy, and was ordered up for examina- tion as to nis physical, mental, moral and professional fitress. The examtming board reported against him, mainly on the al- leged ground that “he was of a too con- viviai nature.” Among some of the serious questions which an examining board has to pass upon are these: Are the candidate’s habits good? Has he shown himself by his past conduct to be intelligent, zealous and tem- Perate? Is he a fit person to trust in com- mand of an important and hazardous ‘ex- The board decided that there was doubt in the case, chiefly, it is said, because one of Commander Crocker’s for- mer captains reported him as “‘too con- vivial.” There appeared no question as to the candidate’s fitness for promotion in all other respects, and in reviewing the case Sccretary Herbert decided to give an opportunity for him to show whether his alleged earlier irregularities were the re- sult of impulse or habit. Accordingly, he ordered that he be placed on the “proba- tion Ust” for one year, and that during eset! maby he should serve on the recetv- ing ship Independence at the: Mare Island nayy yard. This was in March of last year. Cn ec era‘ an rests. sol with the President whet! trom The in his ‘case ‘shot.that his conduct during bation has. been ex- eae Secretary, Herbert ‘hae 2 recommended Promotion; and it is great weight in the determination of the Snow, Wind and Rain Throughout , a Wide Territory. STOPPED IN COLORADO Cyclone Swept Through a Part of Nebraska. FEARS FELT FOR HUNTERS DENVER, Col., April 13.—The great snow and wind storm which brought trains to a standstill on the “divide” between Denver and Colorado Springs, on all rail- roads except the Santa Fe, abated during the night, and today the sun is shining brightly. The railrcads will be opened and trains moved today. At Monument and Palmer Lake trains were stalled, and there are eight inches of snow on the level, and in places drifts are twenty feet deep. Further south the snowfall was even greater. At Trinidad over two feet of snow fell during the day. The hurricane drifted the snow into banks ten to fifteen feet high, blockading all thoroughfares. Traffic on all railroads came to a stand- still. Two west-bound Santa Fe and one Gulf passenger train are tied up in Trini- dad. _ On the Raton mountains the storm was more intense than anywhere else, the snow drifting as high as twenty feet. The tele- graph wires south of Trinidad are all down. The storm extended from. La Junta to Las Vegas, but was not so severe gouth of Raton. In Pueblo the wind attained a velocity of fifty-four miles per hour. Two tall smoke- stack of the Citizens’ Electric Light Works were blown down. Glass was blown out in the business and residence sections of the city, and the electric light, tele- phone and telegraph and fire and police wires were badly mixed. On the prairies to the east the storm will benefit the ranchmen, who have put in a large acreage of small grain, but It is be- lieved some cattle perished in the blizzard. Cripple Creek wires are down, and no news has been received from the camp this morning, but, according to the latest report received last night, the wind had abated, and the worst was believed to be over. E In Denver there was no snowfall worth mentioning, and the maximum velocity of the wind was forty miles an hour, while on the divide it blew at the rate of seventy- five miles. Cyclone in Nebraska. HASTINGS, Neb., April 13.—The heaviest tain storm in this part of Nebraska for several years set in Saturday night. At 7 o'clock Sunday night five and one-quarter inches of water had fallen. Reports state that the storm is general throughout the western part of the state and Colcrado. OMAHA, Neb., April 13—A heavy wind and rain storm has swept Nebraska during the past thirty-six hours. In the south- west portion of the state the storm be- came violent, and did a great deal of dam- age to property. A disvatch trom Red Cloud says a vio- lent gale swept that section. The oniy fatal disaster occurred at the farm of An- drew Hawley, seven miles south of Red Cloud. The cyclone struck a barn and rent it to splinters, part of the roof striking Hawley's girl, crushing her shoulder and leg. The child cannot recover. Hawley es- ci with a few scratches. Fears for Hunting Parties. RATON, N. M., Apr‘l 13.—The worst snow storm evef known in this vicinity set in at 3 o'clock yesterday morning and continued until 9 o’clock at night, with the wind blowing at a fearful rate all the time. All the incoming trains on-the Santa Fe are tied. up, as the apprcackes to the Raton tunnel on both sides of the tunnel are drifted full of snow for a distance of sev- eral hundred feet. Under the most favor- able circumstances it will probably be more than twenty-four hours before any trains can move over the Raton mountain. South-bound trains are all tied up at ‘Trinidad. The last train passing the moun- tain was the hotel keepers’ excursion, at 3 o'clock. The wird hes played havoc around town. Several houses heve been unroofed, and the back vall of the Home rarch, a two- story brick building, fell in. The streets are .completely blocked with snowdrifts, some fifteen feet deep. Several hunting parties left Saturday, and there are grave fears that all have perished, as the storm has been intense. The Storm in Texas. All of that part of Texas west, southwest, and northwest of Dallas was visited by a severe wind storm Saturday night. At Fort Worth « sash, door and tlind factory and the grand stand at the base ball park were wrecked. At Cresson, the railway depot, the Methodist Church, ard nine business houses and residences were demolished. At Annetta, Parker county, one store and all of its contents were blown away and a number of residences crushed. At Bates, the Methodist Church was de- stroyed and other buildings moved. Along the line of the Texas Central, from Cisco to Dublin, damage to farm houses and crops is reported. The wind was followed by a driving rain. Rain was general throughout the state. -——_—_ BOMB FOR ROOSEVELT. Intention to Injure the Vigorous Police Commissioner. NEW YORK, April 13.—A package ad- dressed to “Theodore Roosevelt, Police Headquarters,” and marked, ‘Medicine,” was brought to the general post office to- day by some one of the many collectors of mail from down-town boxes. It bore no Bostage stamps, and one of the employes at the office tore off the wrappings at one of the ends. The tear revealed the heads of several matches and bits of fuse. The package was turned over to an inspector. It is about seven inches long, three inches in circumference and weighs five ounces. Examination showed that by a very vig- orous tearing apart of the wrapping paper the matches weuld have been rubbed and ignited and set off the fuse, which entered a@ large cracker. The tube, when cut in two, expdsed a fine powder, which flashed up at the touch of a match. Thus, con- trary to expectation, the bomb was shown to be genuine, though not so dangerous as to have proved fatal. The brown paper wrapper was closed with sealing wax. In- side was a covering of cloth, which held together the combination of ‘cracker and fuse. "The contrivance was clumsily made. oo COMING TO AMERICA. Li Hung Chang to Return Thi " --te China. +<OLOMBO; Ceylon, April 13.—Li . Hukg Chang, the Chinese statesman, on his way ® the coronation cf the czar, has arrived here. He was received with high’honors. Li Hung Chang is quoted as saying, in the course of an interview, that after leav- ing Moscow he will proceed. to Berlin, Es- sen, Paris and London, thence to America, returning to Pekin in Noyember. in Way + THE WEST|T#E Pos Congress Must Authorige » Okange in the Oontragt. Th e ipervising Architect’s Office Said the Senate Resolufion. Assistant Secretary Curtis of the Treas- ury Department, who has supet vision of the ‘erk of the supervising architect's office, |” said ta a Ster reporter today, in response to an inquiry om the subject, that it had been decided to continue the work on the roof of the Washington city post office building, under the existing contract, unless Congress directs otherwise. If the present contract is to be broken, it must be done, the said, by Congress, which body will be then responsible therefot. He said it would not be proper for the department to do such a thing in anticipation of the action of the Congress. He said also that if Congress de- sired a moré expensive roof than the one be- ing constructed, im accordance with the ex- isting contract, it would be only right and proper that provision should be made for it in the appropriations for the building. Con- gress had given them less money than had been asked for to complete the building, and it is now proposed to.make an expensive change in the plans without any addition to the appropriation. From another source it 1s learned that the real reason why the work is not sus- pended on the roof is that the officials of the supervising architect's office expect to secure the defeat of the Senate resolution providing for an absolutely fireproof roof by convincing the members of the House that the present roof 4a sufficient for all requirements, and that a change of plans would be both inexpedient and expensive. sais MR. MORTON'S SAVINGS. What He Expects to Turn Back Into the Trensury. It is the expectation of Secretary Morton to cover back into the treasury at the end of the administration in the neighborhood of $2,000,000 from the appropriations for the Agricultural Department for the four years of which he shall have been at its head. Te do this he plens to save $500,000 year, but the aggregate may be smaller than hoped for, owing to,the rigid pruning of estimates. Already 4he emount return- ed to the treasury from these appropria- ticns has reached $1,014@00. A statement of Habilities of the apprepriations of the department for the figeal year ending June 30, 18%, prepared by the disbursing office, shows meager balanges 40 the credit of certain of the funds on April 1. This condition of the balances has been called to the uttentéon of all officers of the department in agy way cherged with the expenditure or comtrol of public mencys in a circular signed py Secretary Morton. ‘Their attention is called to the fact that the present fiscal year is 1apidly drawing to a close, and are eauiioned to exercise rigid economy and under no circumstances to exceed the amount appropriated for the maintcnence of their ipective bureaus. For the remainder of tie-year requests for services, supplies or opper expenses must be confined to such as‘are urgent and ab- solutely essential in. conducting the work ofthe current ‘fiscal yemry - A careful record of all expenditures has been ordered kept in each bureau and di- vision, and the chiefs will be held person- ally responsible for any deficiency that may oceur in conneetion with their appropria- tions, + A —____-2—______ ' APPOINTMENTS TODAY. Fitx Lee's Successor os Internal Revenue Collector in Virginia. The President today sent to the Senate the following nominations: State—Fitzhugh Lee of Virginia to be con- sul general of the United States at Havana, Cuba, vice Ramon O. Williams, resigned. Treasury—William H. Fowle of Virginia to be collector of internal revenue for the sixth district of Virginia Navy—To be assistant engineers in_ the navy: John P .J. Ryan ‘of New York; John R. Morris of Missouri; Chester Wells of Pennsylvania. ¢ Personal Mention. Commander C. H. Davis of the Montgom- ery is in the city on leave of absence. He is at 1705 Rhode Island avenue. Secretary Herbert attended the democratic celebration at Monticello. today. Secretary Carlisle will leave here tomor- row morning for Chicago, where he will de- liver an address on the national finances Wednesday evening. Capt. Julian M. Cabell, assistant surgeon, is at the Army and Navy Club, on leave of absence. He was formerly stationed at the Washington barracks. -His present station is David's Island, N. Y. Minister Kutino of Japan and members of his suite left-here today for New York, where he will meet \Céunt Yamagata, the field marshal of Japan, who won the great battles of the recent Japan-China war. The distinguished general will not come to Washington. Acting Secretary Wike of the Treasury Department, who has been confined to his house for several days past witha severe cold, resumed his duties at the department this morning. = Lieut. Southerland ef.the Bolphin, at Norfolk, is on a visit to. this city. Lieut. Lewis M. Koehler, ninth cavalry, has been granted leave of abience for five months, with permigsion: to go beyond sea. Dr. Juan N. Castellanos, thirty-thira de- gree, secretary general of the Supreme Council -of Mexico, Ancient az Accepted Scottish Rite.of. Masonry, a meinuer of the Mexican congress from the state of Oaxaca, and an intimate friend of President Diaz, is @ guest of Allison Nailor, thirty-third de- gree, of the Supreme Council, A. A. 8. R., of the southern jurisdiction of the United States, also an honorgry member of the Supreme Council of Mexico. 3 C. Fisher of. the medical de- is visiting friends at 2148 K @. Cleveland Childyen; Doing Well. All of the Cleveland; children aro doing Well today. The fever. accompanying the measles has passed.away and the little ones are rapidly reodvering. The baby, Mar‘on, has so far ¢scaped the contagion. The children of Mr. Thurber, the Presi- dent’s private secretary, are entirely well now. There is; joy in ghe Thurber house- hold at the appeafante of another baby, this time a boy weighing 14% poynds,which came into the world Saturday night. Both mother and baby are ccming along nicely, and Mr, Thurber. brak h:s quarantine this morning to pay a vigit to his home, from which he- has been @xelyged for the past fortnight. SSS Lieut. Lyman’s C The report-of the court of inquiry tn the case of Lieut. Ches. H. Lyman, the ord- nance officer of the Montgomery, js now under consideration at the Navy Depart- ment. The: Eéuterant‘fs dald-to have neg- Tected to-see that thg reeo!l-chambers of one of the guns-‘Were filed with fluid be- fore “firing in consoquence of which the carriage was injured by-the Onchecked re- coil of theyglece, Whienf/t was Nted, | The President’s Callers, Secretary Otney the President's only cfficial visitor today. “Beyond: the change in the consul Keeper: t Ha: were na developmenty i the tdon at this end of the line today. 200 persons atten reception In the east room this afternoon. _ T OFFICE ROOF/FITZ LEE TO CUBA He Goes as Consul General at Havana. to Bp moneter ot meteatins | FH CHOICE CORSTRUED POLITICALLY The President Said to Desire a Report on the Situation. WILLIAMS RESIGNED Fitzhugh Lee was today appointed consul general at Havana to succeed Consul Gen- eral Williams, resigned. The resignation of Consul General Will- jams, which was made public through the nomination of his successor, caused no sur- prise here. For months past rumor has been busy with Mr. Williams’ name, and it has repeatedly been stated that he had re- signed during that time. The denials that Were obtained from official sources were always so phrased as to carry only the statement that Mr. Williams was, at the time of denial, still in office, and the con- victicn obtained, based not only on these denials, but on certain expressions let fall by Mr. Williams during his visit in Wash- ington last year, that his resignation has Leen at the disposal of the President for some time past. It is known that Mr. Williams has been cesirous of surrendering his office, having accumulated a private fortune, being in- terested in private business ventures that require much of his attention, and, more than all else, being thoroughly tired of the official duties of the place. Touching the manner in which he has discharged those duties, the officials of the State Depart- ment are full of praise, and say that Mr. Williams leaves the consular service with the reputation of being the model consuiar officer of the United States. He has been twenty-two years in this service, having been appointed, in 1874, vice consul general at Havana, and promoted to be consul gen- eral ten years later, He was born in the District cf Columbia, and was appointed from™ News Yerk.. Hig family lives in Brooklyn. Significance of the Choice, The selection of Fitzhugh Lee to succeed Gen. Williams as consul general at (Havana is regarded as indicating a deter- mination on the part of Mr. Cleveland to make an extra effort to ascertain the exact State of affairs in Cuba. It appears that the selection was made without reference to either the Senators or Representatives of Virginia, and was a personal appoint- ment of Mr. Clevelcnd himself. It is known that Mr. Cleveland is not satisfied with the information the State Department has thus far been able to get, and the impres- sion was that he intended to send a secret commissioner, properly accredited to the Spanish govenrment, to make a com- plete investigation of the situation. Gen. Williams has been regarded as friendly to the Spanish, and it has been complained by the friends of Cuba that if the admin- istration had no information which would warrant the recognition of belligerency it was because our consul general inclined too much toward the Spanish side. In appointing Fitznugh Lee to this posi- tion the President places a man at the main point of observation in whose discre- tion and judgment he has the utmost confi- dence. Gen. Lee to Investigate. It is not thought that General Lee has formed any fixed opinion on the general subject, but it is believed that his natural sympathies are with the Cubans. It is probable that his sppointment will render it unnecessary to send a special commis- sicrer, and that the new consul will take stcps to ascertain exactly what is the status of the revolution. It appears that the State Department has not received any satiefactory evidence that the insurgents have established a cfvil government, such as should entitle them to recognition. It is expected that on assuming the office General Lee’s attention will be at once directed to determining this question, and upon the state of facts reported by him will depend the action of the President. Meanwhile no action on the resolutions of Congress is expected. It is believed that the Spanish minister will be given to understand that this gov- ernment will expect that no obstacles will be thrown in the way of a most*thorough inyestigation of the situation for the pri- vate information of the President. It is expected access will be given to all desired information on both sides of the contro- versy.. It ig probable that the Spanish will be accommodating in return for the consid- eration they receive in the delay of recog- nition to the belligerents. If it is necessary to send a special agent of the department to Cuba, this will prob- ably be done by use of the “secret fund” of the State Department, without referring the matter to Congress. Fits Lee’s Successor. William H. Fowle, who was appointed to- day as Gen. Lee’s successor as collector of internal revenue for the sixth Virginia, or Lynchburg, district, is a son-in-law of Gen. ee » CALLED ON THE MILITIA, Fears for the Life of One of the Tay- lor Brothers. CARROLLTON, Mo., April 13.—George Taylor escaped Saturday night, nineteen days before the dcy set for his execution for the brutal murder of the Meeks family. He is still at large. His brother William is in jail, which is heevily guarded. Fifteen armed strangers htve arrived in town, and Deputy Sheriff Shelten, fearing an attempt to lynch the prisoner, has ordered the lo- cal militia company to be in readiness to act. —_—.—__ Rained Mud in Wyoming. DENVER, Col., April 13.—A special from Lander, Wyo., says: A singular phenome- non was a shower In this city last night. First red and then yellow clay fell, follow- ed a little later by almost black mud. Peo- ple who were out im the storm looked as though they had been churfed in“& tubful of mud. é SS Child Burned to Death. SAN FRANCISCO, April i3.—Fritz, Eras- my, a child ‘six yéars old, Was burned to death last night in a fire which destroyed three houses in Richmond district. Mrs. Cather-ne Blume, the child's grandmothcr, leaped from a second-story ‘was seriously injured. John Erasmy en- tered the burning house ta save hie son, and narrowly escaped death himself. PUBLIC PRINTER ACCUSED/DISTRICT DA Ex-Feraman Ulrich Obarges That $25,000 Worth of Bad Type Was Bought. The Allegations Laid Before the Printing Committees im Congress and an Investigation Asked. J. Louis Ulrich, who was appointed, at President Cleveland’s request, foreman of the job room of the government printing office, in defense of the position in which he claims he was placed by Public Printer Benedict and thereby forced to resign, has prepared charges against the public printer, which he filed today with Senator Hale, chairman of the Senate committee on print- ing, and Representative George D. Perkina, chairman of the House printing committee. Mr. Ulrich includes in his statement cor- respondence he had with Mr. Benedict and the letter he filed with President Cleveland when he resigned. Mr. Ulrich, in his charges, says: “From an intimate personal knowledge acquired while acting as foreman of the Job room of the the government is being defrauded. Defective Type. “In the job room about $25,000 worth of the Farmer & Son material is being used, and its defective character was observed by a number of us from the first moment that we began to use it. “How much more of this material used in departments of the printing office, other than the job room, is of the same quality, I am unable to state, but it is fair to presume that when so much of it is known to be bad the rest is probably not much better.” Mr. Ulrich recites at lengta how the type was bought, the suggestion coming first, he says, from the public printer’s brother, Mr. Gilbert H. Benedict, formerly chief clerk of the office. The proofs taken in the government printing office and by Farmer & Co. differed widely in character, and the type, when usel, and returned from the press room, showed, it is said, after quite ordinary use, a very soft condition, being badly worn and “bottled,” as printers say when type crushes together because the proportion of lead is too great, and that of antimony, the more expensive metal, too small. It was not, declares the statement by Mr. Ulrich, until he complained of the defective character of this new type that the public E enya complained of his (lrich’s) work as foreman of the job room, although he had been sixteen months in that position. Denies Incompetency. Mr. Ulrich most emphatically denies that the work of his division was at any time behind. All jobs, he says, were out on time, usually on the same day they came in. In his letter to President Cleveland when he resigned Mr. Ulrich cailed atten- tion to the fact that his force of com- Positors has been reduced since last vember from sixty to thirty-eight,. and yet this force was expected to do, and was doing, the same amount of work re- quired formerly of the larger number of Printers. Mr. Ulrich states in this con- nection that he resigned because the pub- lic printer proposed not to transfer him to a place of equal rank, but to reduce him, and for him (Ulrich) to acquiesce in this action would have been to acknowl- edge incompetency. Mr. Ulrich in his letter_to the President -also states that Mr. Benedict had said that Ulrich had made a record with the job room force which had never been equaled. This, Mr. Ulrich says, the books of the office will prove when Congress chooses to investi- gate the matter. Mr. Ulrich has retained attorneys, and a number of Senators and Representatives who have interested themselves in the situation have assured him there shall be an investigation. ———____—_—e—___ WILL NOT RETIRE. Mr. Reed Will Continue im Public Life in Any Even: From the Lewiston (Me.) Journal. WASHINGTON, April 9—An unqualified denial is made by Speaker Reed's fricnds of the report that he proposes retiring from public life at the close of his prescnt term and engaging in the practice of law in New York. The story was published in Washington last week and was telegraphed to a number of out-of-town papers. Mr. Reed's friends declare that there is no basis for the report, as Mr. Reed is en- tirely satisfied with his legislative work and would not resign it for many times the inceme it yields him. As Speaker of the House he draws a salary of $8,000, which is $3,000 in excess of that drawn by other members of the Houre and the equal of that which the Vice President receives. Moreover, he probably will continue to hold the office in the next Congress. Six years ago seriously contem- plated a retirement to private Nfe. He Was filled with the desire, common to most Public men who are not rich, to engage in the practice of law and accumulate a for- tune. Had he done so he would have se- lected New York city as the base of his operations, and he would doubtless have been successful. While be is known zen- erally as a brilliant debater, and the re- publican leader in the he is also a lewyer of excellent ability and held a high rank at the Maine bar. He saw the juccess which ex-Senator Conkhr, ad made, and he believed that a grati- fying success also awaited him. It was represented to him, however, that he would be compelled, necessarily, to sever his con- nections with his Maine friends and that whatever success might await him at a metropolitan bar, it would not compensate him for the sacrifice he would make in cutting loose from old associations and burying himself in a large city, where he would be only one of hundreds of men of ability; whereas in Maine he was with one or two exceptions easily the most promi- nent man in the state. The force of this reasoning appealed to him so strongly thut he abandoned the intention and has never since seriously considered it. ——— Ss. IN FAVOR OF GOLD. Supreme Court Consirues the Mearn- ing of State Bonds. In the United States Supreme Court to- day an opinion was handed down in the cise of Woodruff, irustee, vs. the state of Mississippi, appealed from the supreme court of that state. The cuse involved the validity of bonds issued by the levee board of the state for the improvement of the Mississippi river, which had been ques- tioned because the bonds were made paya— ble in gold. The supreme court of the state had decided that the bends were void betause the law did not authorize the Fayment of the bonds In any particular kind of money. The opinion of today was delivered by Chief Justice Fuller. The opinion of the court below was reversed, and the case reman or ee 5 Denth of Mrs. Tompkins. “BETHLEHEM, Pa., April 13.—Mrs. Au- gusta Root Tompkins, wife of Gen. Charles H. Tompkins, U. 8. A., died here of pnea- ncnia, after a brief fllness, aged sixty-six kins’ remains have been removed to Wash- irgton for interment. = nf Measures of Local Interest Acted Upon in the House. PINTSCH COMPANY 0 LAY GAS PIPES The Tax Sale Bill Not Acted Upon. OTHER MATTERS This was District day in the House, and Chsirman Babcock had a long calendar of bills to present for consideration. The first measure called up was the bill au- thorizing the Commissioners to grant to the Pintech Compressing Company. per- mission to lay pipes. for the distribution of the gss manufactured at its plant for the purpose of furnishing light to rail- wey mail cars and the gas buoys of the United States light house board in certain streets in the city of Washington. ‘The Hl has already been published in The Star. The bill was passed without debate. ‘The Tax Sale Bill. The next measure presented was the bill Prepared by tne Commissioners in relation to tax sales in the District. The bill proposes to amend the statute by providing that no tax deed shall be issued until all taxes and assessments ap- pearing on the tax books against the prop- erty embraced in the deed, with the penal- ties, interest and costs, including the taxes for any years for which the District shall have purchased the property at tax sale, shall have been paid. The bill contains other modifications suggested by the ex- perience of the tax officers of the District, designed to enable the authorities to bet- ter enforce the collection of overdue taxes, and at the same time making increased pro- vision for notice to delinquents, and pro- viding for the protection of the interests of those laboring under legal disability. Tt is a very lengthy measure and the reading of it consumed considerable time. After the tax bill was read it was decided to lay it aside temporarily and take it up after some other bills were passed. The bill to relieve Anton Goetzner from the operations of the-act relating to alien ownership of land was passed. c Drainage of Lots, The next bill presented provided for the drainage of lots in the District, which has also been published in full in The Star. Mr. Curtis of Iowa €xplained the bill as being a sanitary measure indorsed by the local authorities. The health officer re- ported that “The enormous value to the community of a properly planred and con- structed system of sewers cannot be over- estimated; but it is remarkabie that 4n the recent agitation for improvement in the sewer facilities of this District so much should have been said about the need for new sewers and so little about the impor- tance of availing ourselves of those we al- ‘ready bave. Sewers do not serve their pur- pose unless the owners of abutting connect such property with them. instances this is done voluntarily, but in others—and these are the cases where sewer connections are most urgently needed —the owners of such property fail, for eco- nomic reasons, to connect it with the sewer, with utter disregard of the sanitary aspects of the case. Sewers are constructed at the expense of the entire community; the government should require, therefore, that their use be not neglected by the indi- vidual to the detriment of public health. It is to secure this end that this law is sug- gested.” Mr. Baker's Opposition, Mr. Boker of New Hampshire opposed the bill. He said the health officer or some other officer, who might take a dislike to a lot owner, could compel him to connect his lot with the sewers. He held that the re- quirement is unnecessary, moreover, and when the vote was taken made the point that no quorum was present, although there were but two negative votes. A quorum had been present at the open- ing of the session, but the members had de- in great numbers when they found this was District day, following a custom that has grown up of late. After some de- lay, however, a quorum was drummed up and the bill was passed. The Sale of Uncinimed Freight. ‘The bill regulating the sale of unclaimed freight, baggage and other property in the District was then called up and was passed without debate. Preperty {nm Police Possession. ‘The next bill called up rel to the dis- Pcsition of property coming into the pos- session of the police department. Its pro- visions have been printed in The Star. Judge Hulick of Ohio explained that this bill is in Meu of the bill to provide a public administrator, and is desired by the police ¢cpartment. ‘The bill was passed. The Fal Charch Railway. Chairman Babcock then called up the bill authorizing the Falls Church and Potomac Railway Company to extend its Hne into the city. This road is to cross the Potomac river by means of a steam ferry, touching at the foot of E street, thence eastward along the line of E street to the line of 17th street, thence southward on 17th street to B street, thence eastward on B street to the west building line of 9th street. No overhead trolley, horse on steam motive power can be used, and no freight cars can be run 9n this side of the river. The bill was passed. ‘Tax Sale Certificates. Chairman Babcock called up the bill for the relief of holders of certain tex-sale certificates. There are fifty-six tax-sale certificates embraced in this bill which the owners ask to have redeemed, amounting in the aggregate to $1,559.01, exclusive of interest. These certificates were issued by the District of Columbia to purchasers at tax sales held in 1874, 1875 and 1876 of property on, which Sa arrears of taxes n due and w! “The peor held that, as the lien of these certificates has been lost by the neglect of the District officials, and as the certificates have thus become invalid and uncollectible (this through no fault of the present holders thereof), and as the District has had the benefit of the holders’ money, they snould have the opportunity to coi certificates vert these into drawbacks re- ceivable for general taxes, as provided by this bill. ‘The bill was passed. Mr. Babcock then called up the bill regu- lating marriages in the District of Colum- bia. —_—_\___-2+—_____ REPEALED THE TRADE. Expulsion of Missionaries From Ar- menta Postponed. LONDON, April 13.—The under secretary for foreign affairs, Mr. George N. Curzon, was asked a question in the house of com- mons today regarding the irade of the Sul- tan of Turkey expelling the Protestant and Catholic missionaries from Asia Minor. Mr. Curzon said that the United States @affaires at Mr. John W. had been repealed.