Grand Rapids Herald-Review Newspaper, December 25, 1897, Page 2

= The Aeradl-Review. ay KB. 'Hiley. BRAND RAPIDS - it will ve cheerfully conCedca saat Banker Spaulding bore an unblemished reputation until he was found out. A paper in Havana wants somebody to lynch a few Americans in that town. The man to.do the business is not the editor of the paper, we feel sure. Rev. Dr. Edward Everett Hale said in a lecture in Boston that he found that nine-out ofiten in a class of girls in one of the city’s public schools had never heard 6f Noah’s ark. A Springfield (Mass.) girl who ran away from’ college wore “a black skirt and a black flat cap.” Meager though the description is, it is suffi- cient to enable anybody to identify ihe girl. Believing. in the possibility of recov- ering the iron contained in low-grade ore, and so bringing vast tracts of hitherto worthless magnetite into com- mercial value, Mr. Edison has devoted six years of ‘time and nearly three million dollars 6f his private fortune to a process which, according to the Electrical Review, is now perfected and will have a tremendous effect up- on the iron industry of the world. The British taxpayer has learned that he can not afford to neglect the management of his city. He insists that he get:the worth of his money, and that the business of the corpora- tion be conducted ‘honestly and effi- ciently. For ‘this ;purpose he selects city officials‘on the basis of merit and keeps them in office as long as_ their work is satisfactory—no longer. On the other hand, the American citizen mixes politics with municipal business and intrusts the management of his city to one or the other of the political party machines organized for the ben- efit of their organizers and directors. The son of Grover Cleveland is to be congratulated that he was born too late to be called the prince. That title affixed to the name of a young man means the grossest of abuse on the part of the newspaper reporters. They follow him wherever he gocs. Let him be wise and a good fellow and they grow humorous over him just the same. Let him submit to interviews and they misrepnesent him. Let him refuse to be interviewed and they in- sult him to bis face and afterward in print. He is a marked man, and mal- ice follows him as naturally as his own shadow. Let the little Grover thank heaven that his father is too old.ever to be president again. The annual report of Paymaster- General Edwin Stewart shows that during the past fiscal year the cost of maintaining the ships of the navy in commission was $8,938,549, and of maintaining navy yards and stations $3,568,930. Repairs cost $1,773,203, and the Marine Corps cost $836,713. The total cost of maintaining the mavy during the year was $17,514,231, not in- cluding increases of the navy and im- provements. The paymaster general shows that, while there has been an increase in expenditures for stores, the purchases have been made with great care and with regard to the actual needs of the service, and that there has been a marked decrease in cost of supplies, as well as great saving in requisitions, ete., as a result of the system pursued by the bureau. Gener- al Stewart earnestly urges an increase of the paymaster’s corps by twenty, and in support of his request points to the recent additions) te the number of ships in the navy, each requiring its pay officer. The London Times says: “The trade of the Mexican republic is increasing with considerable rapidity. Last year the imports amounted to £9,395,547, against £7,249,009, while the exports were £11,750,000, against £11,250,000 the previous year. The increase in im- ports was spread over all staples, but was chiefly marked in the case of iron and steel and in machinery and imple- ments. in 1896 than in 1895, yet they only amounted to 17 per cent of the whole import trade in 1896, while they were 19 per vent the year before. The im- ports from the United States, on the other hand, were 52% per cent of the import trade of Mexico, against 45 per cent in 1895. This, our consul at Mex- ico observes, should warm British mer- chants and manufacturers that ‘unless they soon make a serious effort they will have to give up all hope of profit- ing by the increase in the Mexican im- port trade, and may even lose part of the very limited share of it they at present enjoy.’ The trade in textiles generally, in which England has so far held her own, becomes each year a smaller proportion of the import trade, owing to the improvement in domestic manufactures; metals and machinery, on the other hand, are every year growing more important.” Mr. W. T. Stead, having finished w:th New York, is now asking: “What hymns have kelped you?” “It is un- derstood that so far none to whom ihe query has bees propounded have re- ferred to editor Stead as one of the hims that have helped them. Whoever is starving in Alaska will be.much pleased to Jearn that their condition is to be called to attention of congress, thus insuring severa} elo- quent addresses in their behalf which their relatives can put away with the death notices. slong MINNESOTA. ; British imports were greater | THE NEWS RESUME! DIGEST OF THE NEWS FROM ALL PARTS OF THE WORLD. A Comprehensive Review ‘of ‘the Important Happenings of the Past Week Culled From ‘the 'Tel- esraph Reperts—The ‘Notable Events at Home and Abroad That Have Attracted Attention. ‘Washington Talk. Clerks in the treasury department ever seventy years of :age who receive an annual salary of more‘than $900 are to’ be reduced to that :xmount. This is the order af Secretary ‘Gage. The senate comanittee on public lands has appointed ‘Senators Carter, MeBride :and McEnery :ns va -subcom- mittee to draw up ‘and ‘land legisla- tion for Alaska. ‘The president has sent 'totthe senate a large list of nominations:made dur- ing the recess. It includes seven for- eign ministers, eight consuls-general, a large number of constils, :as well as army and mavy promotions. Secretary Long kas reeommended to the house committee on naval af- fairs that tthe revisesd -statutes be amended so :26 ‘to remedy what the de- partment regards as an ‘injustice in checking the pay of mayval officers when detached from sea duty. Senator Rerkins of California has iu- troduced :a ‘bill to amend that para- graph of the Revised Statutes relating to the appeal on habeas corpus of cri- minal cases to the supreme ;court fo the United States. The object, is to do away with numerous appeals by attorneys of prisoners made with the sole view-ef gaining time. Advocates of restrictive immigration are highly gratified over the action of the senate in fixing Jan. 17, fora vote on the Lodge bill. ‘There seems ‘to be no doubt ef its passage by |both houses. It ereates another prehibition cl of immigrants, these between'the ages of 45 and 50 who cannot read or write in some language. The secretary of the treasury has.de- cided not to take an appeal to ‘the courts from the recent decision of ‘the board of general appraisers, in which it was held that calf-skins, under the new tariff act, should not be classified as hides, but as skins. Under this rul- If-skins will be admitted free ef People Talked Abeut. Profes: David Starr Jordan ob- jects to killing off the seals. Prof. Arthur Palmer, D. D., Li. D., of ‘Trinity College, Dublin, is dead. Gen. Sir Henry Lynedoch Gardiner is dead at London. Robert G. Allen, stop for Boston last year, has signed a contract to manage the Indianapolis club in 1898. Allen will play at short field. + Sir William Edward Maxwell, gov- ernor and commander-in-chief on the gold coast since 1895, died at sea while off Grand Canary island en route for England. Isanc Johnson, colored, claiming to be 107 rs old, died at Sedalia, Mo., recently. He was born as a slave near Louisville, K and has lived many years in Miss Judge Asa W. Tenny, of the United States district court, died at his home in Brooklyn. Judge Tenny was born in Dalton, N. H., and was graduated with Dartmouth °59. Itev. Edwin S. Lewis, D. D., of St. Paul's church, New Haven, Conn., has been elected to the office of general secretary of the domestic and foreign missionary society of the Protestant Episcopal church, 2s successor to Rey. Wm. 8S. Langford, who died last July. 0 played short- Casualties. Miss Celia Stern was fatally burned in her bedroom at Philadelphia. The bed clothes caught fire from a candle, and when help arived the room was in flames. Alfred Hockstetter was instantly killed at Beaver Dam, Ohio, by Jacob Somney, his brother-in-law, while quail-hunting. The men had become separated in a thicket, when the dog fiushed a covey. Somney fired into the covey, nearly the entire charge taking effect in Hockstetter’s heart. Otto Lemke, aged twenty-two, and his sister, few years younger, were found dead in their beds at Toledo, and in an adjoining room the father of 4 the two children was found in a dying condition. Escaping coal gas from an anthracite heating stove was the cause. A heavy freigh train, drawn by two Jocomot crashed into a train of empty coal cars in the Vessburg tun- nel on the Lehigh Valley railroad. Both engines and about sixteen freight con were derailed, blocking the tun- nel. Criminal. Harvey Allender, the double murder- er of San Jose, Cal. was hanged at San Quentin penitentiary. Jack Martin, Fred Baker and Geo. Selby escaped from the Brown county jail at Hiawatha, Kas., Sunday night, and $25 reward is offered for the ar- rest of each, Abram Arastrong of Diamond, New- ton county, Missoari, was recently put under $500 bonds by United States Commissioner George Wright, to ap- pear before the United States grand jury upon a charge of making false pens:cn affidavits. An attempt was made near Meno- minee, Wis., to wreck a train on the Soo road. Five telegraph poles were sawed off and thrown across the track on the Wisconsin side of the Meno- minee river, near Faithorn. Detectives are on the track of suspects. Lem Martin, colored, quarreled with Tom Butler at church in Pilot Grove, Me., recently, over the theft of a pock- et-book. As a result, Butler is in jail with a long gash in his arm and Mar- tin is dea d from a blow over the heart | from a stone. Albert 8. Warner has been caught at Riley, Kas, Warner was the chief con- spirator in the kidnaping of little Joknhy Conway last August. H. G. Blake »nd Joseph M. Hardy are now serving terms of fifteen years in Dan- nemora prison for complicity in the crime Mi ‘The ‘governor of Bohemia may be replaged 'because ‘he called the Ger- mans:aliens. It ts probable that "Mrs. Ogden Goelet will entertain his royal highness, the prinee of Wales, on board the May- flower (during ithe Riviera regattas. The Berlin poliee have expelled a nuniber of anarchists and have made many house searches in Berlin, Frank- fort, Mayence: and Munich. The 'London Field confirms the re- port ttiat Emperor William has pur- chased ‘Richard’ Suydam Palmer's steel schooner »yacht Yampa. A ‘German diplomat says that soon- er-or later the 100,000 Germans in Ar- gentina:are going to sieze that nation and make ita’ German colony and defy the Monroe doctrine. Toru Hoshi, minister from Japan, fell into ’the'hands of sharpers. In his eagerness to defeat the annexation of the Hawaiian islands he became the victim of bunco lobbyists, who worked him for'$40,000. Otherwise. A'thousand Italians. have gone home te spend ‘Christmas. The L. A. W. will try to suppress six-day bicy¢le killings. Counterfeiters are at work in Den- ver. A dangerous counterfeit $10 sil- ver certificateiisiin circulation. By .a vote of 6:to 4 a committee of the Virginia senate ordered a favora- ble wxeporrt-on.an.anti-foot ball bill. Prominent women want the school children of America to give a cent apiece ito the government university. John Jenkins of Springfield, Ohio, knocked out Barney Smith of Cincin- nati in a glove:fight in the sixth round. The directors of the Southern rail- rcad have declared-a dividend of 1 per cent on ithe preferred stock, payable Jan. 30. Gov. O’Ferrall of Virginia has ap- pointed ex-Postmaster General Wil- son a member of ‘the board of educa- tion but the senate turned him down. At the Greenpoint Sporting club at New York Bobby Dodds, colored, of Minneapolis, defeated Sam Tonkins of Astoria, in ten rounds. Oscar Gardner, the Omaha Kid, and Sugene Beznah of Cincinnati fought a fifteen-round draw at the People’s Athletic dub at Cineimnati. The United States supreme court will take a recess next Monday for the Christmas holidays, vesuming its sit- tings ain on Monday, Jan. 3. John Sherman, nephew of the secre- tary of state, has announced himself ‘as a candidate for the Republican nomination for mayor of Bes Moines. The damage resulting from fire at John and James Dobson’s wholesale and retail carpet salesrooms at Phila- delphia will reach over $800,000 in building and stock. Matty Matthews of New York and Charles MeKeever of Phitadelphia fought fifteen rounds at the Olympic club at Athens, Pa. McKeever had the best of the encounter throughout. ‘The retirement of Justice Field from the Umited States supreme court has made necessary the new assignments of Justice Brewer to the Ninth eircuit in addition to his duties in the Bighth cireuit. The Stoek Exchange Bank of El Reno, Okla., has closed its doors and J. M. Gannon has been appointed re- ceiver, The liabilities are stated to be $50,000 and the assets are claimed to be worth $70,000. An arrangement has been reached by the principal roads of Michigan whereby interchangeable — 1,000-mile tickets will be honored on trains in Michigan without requiring the holder to exchange tickets as at present. The act of the Ohio legislature giv- ing damages to persons assaulted or killed by mobs was declared unconsti- tutional in the case of J. Ws Caldwell, who claimed $1,000 because he was in- jured by a mob during the Brown -strike. | A cireular saw in operation in the wood yard of Tice & Dilliger at Fond du Lae, Wis., burst. Nelson Tice, the senior member of the firm, was struck by a flying fragment and seriously, if not fatally, injured. His right arm was severed Mrs. Jennie June Croly has been ap- pointed an inspector of public schools by Mayor Strong of New York for the term of five years. Mrs. Croly, who succeeds Mrs. Harriet M. Kemp, is known all over the United States as a writer and worker in women’s clubs. A. B. East, a wealthy farmer living about twelve miles northeast of Uald- well, in Morris township, Kan., has deposited $500 as a reward to the per- son who will effect the capture of Lou Wilkinson and the safe return of Eva, the sixteen-year-old daughter of Mr. East. The shareholders of the National Bank of Asheville, N. C., which failed in October, having horrowed money on their individual guarantees suf- ficient to pay all demand obligations, the controller has permitted the bank to close up its affairs by voluntary liquidation instead of through a re- ceiver, PARTICULAR HABITS OF EELS. They Arc Most Choice in Their Diet Than Most Fish, “Despite assertions to the contrary,” said an old fisherman, the other day, “an eel is the cleanest fish that swims. Some persons have an idea that eels feed upon the bodies of persons who have been drowned and upon other refuse. “Such is not the case, however. I have made a study of eels all my life. I have watched them in all kinds of water. They are more particular about their food than a trout. It’s only the nicest sort of bait that will bring an eel to a hook unless he hap- pens to be very hungry.” Before the Flood. Chicago News: Smiles—Isn’t it strange that those old-timers didn’t have any clothes they could call their own? Giles—Why, what do you mean? Smiles—Well, you know, the Bible says that ‘they rent their garments.” Enough Said. Brooklyn Life: Old Gentleman (dictat- ing indignant letter)—Sir—My — stenog- rapher being a lady can not take down what I think of you. I being a gentle- man, can ‘not think it, but you, being neither, can easily guess my thoughts. AUTONOMY ENVOY 7S EXECUTED BY INSURGENTS. Col. Bienco, Is the Wictim—Consal Rulz, the Adjutant of Gen. Gencral Lee Requested to iInter- fere by the Captain General but His Efferts Come Too Late—This Means That the War Will Be Car- ried on With More Determination Than Ewer. Havana, Dee. 20.—Great excitement prevailed here Saturday when it be- came known that Capt. Gen. Blanco, in order to save the life of his adju- tant, Col. Ruiz, had taken the extra- ordinary step of submitting to Ameri- can intervention by requesting Consul General Lee to use his influence in in- terfering for merey with Col. Nestor Aranguren, to whose camp Col. Ruiz had been sent with :a proposition to surrender. That Col Ruiz has already paid the final penalty formatly prescribed by Gen. Gomez to be inflicted on any per- son entering a rebel camp to negotiate terms of peace there can be no doubt. The consequences of the death of this intrepid but imprudent officer will be of the utmost importance, for with him perishes the last hope of the gov- ernment being able to negotiate any terms with the insurgents, It will be useless now to attempt to find any one so foolhardy as to deliberately invite the fate meted out to the captain gen- eral’s adjutant. It means that the in- surgents will now continue the strug- gle with even more than their present determination, and that it will be mawaked by all the atrocities that at- tend a war in which quarter is neither asked or given. Col. Ruiz went to Col. Aranguren’s camp on Sunday and on Wednesday morning it was confidently asserted in Havana that he had been killed. On the following day the Russian consul, Mr. Truffain, called on Gen. Lee and ed him if he were willing to take action to save Col. Ruiz’s life, the colo- nel having been personally acquainted with Gen, Lee. Gen. Lee was much surprised, and said he wished to know positively first whether the man was dead or alive. If alive he would be glad to save his life, but he declined to take action unless authorized or re- quested to do so by Gen. Blanco, Mr. ‘Truffain suggested going at once to the palace and the two consuls drove there. Gen. Lee saw Gen. Blanco, who expressed an earnest desire to the American consul to place himself in communication with the insurgents and exert all his influence to have extended to Col. Ruiz. Gen. Lee expressed a willingness to oblige the captain general, and undertook to send to Col. Aranguren’s camp Ernest ‘Tosca, an employe of the consulate and a naturalized citizen. Mr. Tosca Jeft Havana, carrying a letter from Gen. Lee to Col. Aranguren requesting that mercy be extended to Col. Ruiz, if consistent with the orders of his mili- tary superior. It is stoutly asserted by palace of- ficials that Col. Ruiz still alive, despite the receipt of this telegram by Gen. Lee: “Have just arrived from the enemy's camp. where I slept. Ruiz was exe- cuted on the day of his arrival. I 1 for Havana, this evening with proofs. —Tosca.” —o— Reported at the Spanish Legation. Washington, Dec. 20.—The following cable advices were received at the Spanish legation: “Absolutely trustworthy advices per- mit us to affirm that Ruiz was shot with Aranguren Friday by order of Alexander Rodriguez. After several letters exchanged between Ruiz and Aranguren, Ruiz left on Monday to meet Aranguren, not upon official mis- sion, and only as a friend. It is not known how Rodriguez arrived, but the fact is that the leader ordered the shooting of both. The ferocity of such act and proceeding indicates better than anything else the faith in auton- omy, the insurgents being obliged to resort to terror to prevent the disband- ing of their bands. Such is the gen- eral opinion and public opinion unani- mously qualifies such act as savage and unworthy. —Congosto.” ae Ruiz Reported Living. Paris, Dec. 20.—A dispatch from Ha- vana says that while insurgents report the execution of Lieut. Col. Ruiz after court martial, rumors are also current that he is still living. Bought a Railroad. Vinita, Ind. 'l., Dec, 20.—The sale of the Central branch of the Atlantic & Pacific, a branch of the ‘Frisco, took place here. E. C. Henderson bid $2,- 500,000, It was sold to him and by him transferred to the ‘Frisco com- pany, which owns the bonds. Mr. Henderson is the general counsel of the ’Frisco company. Leland May Die. New York, Dec. 20.—Lewis Leland, 64 years old, a member of the Leland family of hotelkeepers, has been tak- en to the hospital for treatment. He is not likely to recover. He is suffer- ing from lung trouble. Bimetallism in France. Paris, Dec. 20.—The twelfth commit- tee of the chamber of deputies has re- solved to invite the government to sub- mit a bill to the chamber establishing bimetallism in France. Retires in a Huff. ‘The Hague, Dec. 20. — Minister of War J. Jensen has resigned on account of the defeat of the government in the chamber of deputies on Wednesday, when the house refused to authorize the. building of a new warship. Italian Carthquakes. Rome, Dee. 20.—Strong earthquake shocks lasting twelve seconds were felt at Curta di Castello, Province of Perugia, Central Italy. The walls of houses split, chimneys fell, the bells rang and a panic prevailed. GEN. GOMEZ @BEYED} NMESSING IS NO MORE. eee: : iengo’s Ex-Postmaster Dies of Heart Disease. Chicago, Dee. 20--Washington Hess- ‘mg, proprietor of the Illinois Staats Yeitung, one of the leading German papers of the Northwest, and postmas- ter of Chicago during the last term of, President Cleveland, died suddenly of heart disease at his home on Michigan avenue. Mr. Hessing had been ill for several days with a severe cold, but ‘was rapidly recovering, and his death avas a heavy shock to his family and friends. U. P. Employes Cut Down. Cheyenne, Wyo., Dec. 20.— Notices ‘have been posted in the Union Pacific shops at Cheyenne and Laramie re- ducing the time of the men employed from five to four days a week and from eight hours to seven hours per day, taking effect immediately. In addition the employes are given a lay- eff of ten days during the holidays. ‘This is equal to a reduction of thirty per cent in wages. The reduction is said to be caused by a ling off of business on the Union equal to 40 per cent on the busin done dur- ing the summer months. te To Cook Crackers. Albert Lea, Minn., Dec. 20.—A few weeks ago the trust gobbled up the lo- cal eracker factory that has been in operation several yexrs and employed fifteen to twenty hands. The people here never felt satisfied at this turn of aftairs, and now a movement is on foot to incorporate on a large scale and manufacture crackers here again. It is proposed to organize a company with at least $30,000 capital, and the trust will soon have another chance ake war upon a legitimate busi- Gen. Merriam Not Idle. Vancouver Barracks, Wash., Dec. 20. —Gen. Merriam, commanding the de- partment of the Columbia, has — in- structed Maj. L. H. Rucker, Fourth ralry, stationed at Fort Walla Ha, te proceed by next steamer to y for the purpose of making a preliminary investigation as to-the mi feasible route und the best means ot nsportation of the government relief expedition to Dawson. Mean- while Gen. Merriam is securing infor- mation from all possible reliable sources for use of the expedition. Charge Crimi Libel. Victoria, B. C., Dec. 20. — Premier Turner, president of the executive council, and the Hon. Mr. Pooley have entered a criminal libel action against Hewitt Bostick, M. P., Manager Col- tart and Editor Nichol, of the Prov- ince, newspaper, and Senator ‘Temple- ton, of the Tim The charge is based on an article in the Province, copied by the Times, criticising the two ministers for their connection in an official capacity with Klondike companies. Weather Bulletin. The following is the lowest tempera- tures at the different stations for the past twenty-four hou Winnipeg. . Cheyenne. . Helena Chicago. . Boston New York. Bemidji Banking. Bemidji, Minn., Dec. 20.—The Bank of Bemidji is now an established in- stitution, E. R. Taber, of the Shell Prairie Bank of Park Rapids, being the founder. There is every prospect that a second bank will also be estab- lished here in a short time as two oth- er parties have been here recently with a view of putting in such a business house. May Export Meat. Sioux City, lowa, Dec. 20.—Secretary ¥. L. Eaton, of the Sioux City Stock Yard company, has returned from the East with the assurance that Secre- tary of Agriculture Wilson has prom- ised microscopical inspection for the market here. This will enable local packers to export meat. Hitherto they have been restricted to this country. Neck Broken, Montgomery, Minn, Dec. 20.—While returning home with a load of feed Timothy, the eldest son of Matthew Carroll, living near Montgomery, was thrown from the wagon. He struck on his head on the frozen ground and his neck was broken. He was twenty- seven years old and unmarried. Coneeded by Canada. Ottawa, Ont., Dec. 20.—The govern. ment has decided to permit Ameri to ship goods into Alaska through Canadian territory in bond. The same rule will apply to other parts of the dominion where there are no regular transportation companies to ¢ the goods. Novak's Rail Reduced, Des Moines, Dec. 20.—Chief Justice Kinne has reduced the bail of Novak, the murderer of Murray, from $37,000 to $18,000. ‘Che court refused to con- sider habeas corpus proceedings based on the plea of a right to bail by a per- son convicted of murder in the second degree. Mysterious Fire. St. Vincent, Minn., Dec. 20. — The barn of Epp Clow, six miles south, with twenty head of stock, was burned. This is one of three fires in the same neighborhood whose origin cannot be accounted for. A small in- surance was carried. Missing Men of the Cleveland. Victoria, B. C., Dec. 20.—The Cana- dian steamer Quadra has picked up thirteen of the twenty-two missing wen from the wrecked steamer Cleve- Jand. Killed in a Collision, ‘Tueson, Ariz., Dec. 20.—A Southern Pacific engine, running at full speed down the Dragoon mountain east of Benson, came in collision with a double-header freight, killing the en- gineer of the freight. Assaulted a Guard. Stillwater, Minn., Dec. 20.—Ed Sut- ton, a desperate professional crook, serving his third term in prison, as- saulted Guard Matt Shortall for re- porting him. ously injured, yi fe , ‘The guard was not seri- ' WENT UP IN SMOKE. FIRE DOES QUICK WORK IN AS a JEWELRY STORE. Mermod & Jaccnrd of St. Louis, on of the Largest Jewelry Firms im> the World, Completely Burned: Out—Total Loss Is Estimated at 8335,000—One of the Quickest and Fiercest Fires in the Annals ef the City—Several People Nerrow- ly Escape With Their Lives. St. Louis, Dec. 20.—A fire started in the basement of the building occupied by Mermod & Jaccard, jewelry, at the corner of Locust street and Broad- way, and in an almost incredible short time the five-story building was completely gutted. The total loss will reach $335,600, fully covered by in- surance. The fire had been burning some time before it was discovered, and in fifty minutes the south wall and all the floors began falling, mak-- ing one of the fiercest and quickest fires in the annals of this city. Next to the boiler room in the basement was a room used for packing. It is thought the fire started in the boiler room, communicating to the packing room and shooting up the elevator shaft and quickly spreading over the building. W. A. Rutledge, the engineer, and his family lived on the fourth floor. They barely escaped with their lives. The firemen dragged. them unconscious from their beds and carried them down the fire escape. Five minutes later the floors fell. Several other tenants in the building had 1: ow escapes, but there were no fataliti ‘The Mermod & Jaccard Jewelry com- pany was one of the largest in the world, and this being Christmas sea- son, carried an immense stock. One- half of the stock had been placed in the two large vaults and saved, but the rest, as well as the building and its fixtures, was totally destroyed. The Medel Clock company was wiped out, sustaining a loss of $50,000, on which there is an insurance of three-fourths. Naturalization Reform. Washington, Dec. 20.—A proposition is being discussed to make a thorough reform of the naturalization laws on the immigration educational test Dill. That measure has been favorably re- ported by the house immigration com- mittee and will be taken up in the house after the holidays. The com- mittee concedes some opposition to it, but the majority recognize the neces- sity for some essential changes. Its effect is to require all immigrants to read and write either the English language or some other language. Mrs. Lease for Congress. Great Bend, Kan., Dec. 20.—In a let- ter to friends here Mrs. Mary Eliza- beth Lease states that her lecture en- gagements are not proving as profita- ble as she expected, and anounces that she expects to return to Kansas and begin an active canyass for the Popu- list nomination for congress in the Seventh district. Th fight against Jerry Simpson, she says, will prevent his renomination, to eventually secure a majority of the votes in the convention. To Watch Seal Poachers. Philadelphia, Dec. 20.—The new rev- enue cutter Hugh McCulloch left Cramp’s ship yar for the Pacitic coast, by way of Cape Horn, in com- mand of Capt. Hodgson, with ten of- ficers and a crew of seventy-five men. She will be the flagship of the revenue cutter fleet in those wate Her principal duty, however, w be ‘to keep the seal poachers from violat- ing the United States laws governing the waters of Bering sea. She will re- lieve the cutter Bear. Denied Their Guil Chicago, Dec. 20. — Chris Merry, charged with the murder of his wife, and James Smith, alleged accomplice of Merry, have arrived in Chicago from Princeton, Ky., where they were arrested. Both men were confronted by Joseph Hickey, upon whose confes- sion they were arrested, but they stoutly denied any knowledge of Mrs. Merry’s death and were finally placed * in jail Tuesday. pending an examination on For Exposition Buildings. Buffalo, N. Y., Dec. 20.—Capt. John M. Brinker, president of the Pan- American exposition, announces that he has let the contracts for the con- struction of the first group of buildings on Cayuga island. Ground will be broken for the buildings shortly after the holidays and the contracts call for their completion by Jan 1, 1899. Capt Brinker says the cost of the proposed structures is estimated at between $660,000 and $700,000. A Stormy Passage. San Francisco, De 0.—The United States gunboat Marietta has arrived here after a stormy passage from the north. Many of her state rooms were flooded and her rails bent and twisted from the force of the waves that swept over her. So bad was the storm at one stage that it became necessary to put out a sea anchor, in spite of which. she drifted over 250 miles. Reds the Aggressors. Denver, Dec. 20. — Messrs. D. C: Beaman, Joshua Waldbridge and ©. E. Webb, the committee appointed by Goy. Adams to investigate the recent Indian troubles in the vicinity of Lily Lake, have filed their report with the governor. The finding of the com- mittee was that the Indians were the aggressors. Murder in the First Degree. Cleveland, Ohio, Dee. 20. — Louis Yura was found guilty of murder in the first degree after a trial lasting several days. He was accused of kill- ing Isaac Hill, a farmer, whose house he visited for the purpose of robbery. Gen. Marin Will Resign. Medrid, Dec. 20.—Lieut. Gen. Marin. captain general of Porto Rico, is about to resign, owing to the impossibility of reconciling the different parties in the island with a view of establishing autonony. and it is her hope -