Omaha Daily Bee Newspaper, February 14, 1883, Page 1

___—W 01‘ TWELFTH Yibe A THE STATE CAPITOL. Bills of All Colors an1 Conditions Orowded Through the Legislature, The Lincoln Lobby Becures Bufficient Supyort for the Capitol Tax. The Variouy Railroad Bills and the Prospacts of Passage. Poionted Questions to State Of- flo:rs and Some Replies. The Nebraska Oity Bank Claim Favorabiy Reported. THE LEGISLATURE. Special Dispatch to Tur Bar, Lincows, February 13,—The capl- tol appropriation bill was passed by a committes of the whole house this morniog by a vote of 49 to 40, with the amendment that the limit of the cost of the new building is $450,060, and the architect’scommission reduced from one and a half per cent to one per cent, or an aggregate cf §4,500 for for the plans. He has a'ready been pald over $2 000 for the plans of the wings, and this is exclusive of the cost of superintending, which will aggregate two per cent, or §9,000 more, The senate is now debating the rallroad bill, which was reportad back by the senate railroad committee, — THE St NATE. Editorial Oorrespondencs of Ts B, BILLS REPORTED, Lixoony, February 12.—The senate convened at 2:15 p, m., nearly all the mombars being present, The regular routine ooccupied more time than usual, owing to the large number of bil's reported back from the different toes, The judiciary committee ported back thirty-three bills, most uf which r ved & favorable re- port. Thu biil providing for the abo- lition of the grand jury system was reporied back, with a r<commendation that it do not pas, and the report of tha committee was adoptel. The senato railroad bill, which was made a special order for 3 o’clock to dey, was made n special crder for to- morzow at 10:30, owing to tho fact that eald bill had not beon returned from tho committoe. PENSIONS FOR SOLDIERS, Senator Raynolds offered the follow- ing resolutior: ‘Wuereas, Under ovur national reve- nue luws large enms of money are belog gathored iato our nattonal tressury, even largely in excess of the amounts uecessary to meet the current expenses of the goverumont aud the amounis necessary for a healthy reduction of the national debt, thereforo bodt RiesoLvep, By this senate, that we earnastly petition congress that they enact such laws as wiil place each citi. zen of this nation, wuo may have served the country three months or more in the military sarvico thereof and who has received an honorable discharge from such eervice and who may have attuined the age of b0 years, upon the peueion rolls, and that all cltizone who have served the country as prescribed above, as they atialn the age of 50 years, shall*be placod upon the peusion list, and your petitioners, the senate of the state of Nebrasl for tha eizghteauth session thereof, wiil ever pray. RisoLven, T'hat the necretary of this sonate buan | ae it horeby directed to forward rilficd copios of this preamb soluton to each of our MemDAS il Congreay, A motlon o cuspend the rules aud pass the resolution was defeated, only Connor, Dech, Royaolds and Walker voting in favor. GOING FOR THE TREABURER, Brown of Douglas offered the fol- lowing: REeSOLVED, That the state treasurer be and he is hereby respectfully ro- quested to furnish at the very, earliost day practioable the {nformation here. Inbefore asked for and now requirad by the following questiona: Firrst, Do the books ip your office show that any intesest moneys (othor than those mentioned in your comma- niostion to the senate on the 26th ult!- mo) bave been recelved and credited to the state daring the year 1882, Baeond, It you answes the books jn your ofiiee thow, or any one cof them shows, that such Intevest money has been rocelved, you are then requested to inform this upon which fund or fands eald interest money was earn- ed and td state to which fund the same was credited; the thne of #a payment into the treasury; the amount thus pald and the total amount of injevest money passed to the osedit of each separate fand, resolation wont oves #ill to. moxzow under the rules, VURTHEL ENQUIRIES, Benator Brown offered a vesolation asking the attorney gemeral for an opinion in regard to the legal and eqallable responsibllity of the state in the bill now pending before this legislature to appropriate mouoy to pay the claim of the Nebraska Olty national bank amountlng to several thousand doilare; also & resolution calling for an opinion from the eame officor in regard to appropriating 85,000 as required by a bill now pend- iug to purchase tax deeds given by the county treasurer of Lancaster connty on lots owned by tho stare, Both theno resolutions were edopted The bill prohibiting public «ffisers of every kind from receiviny free ratl road passes was up on its third reai ing. Ttappessing that tho bill now pending had been offered as a substl. Sute, and sald substitute as a substi THE OMAHA Dany BEk OMAHA NEB W:xDNESDAY MORNING FEBRUARY 14 1883 203 tute not having been read three times according to law 1t was voted to have 1t put upon its fics. rea purpoee of covering !l defeots which was_accordirg'y done. Anotler bill ef the same rnature, which had been amended to death in the nommittes of the whole, came up on its third read- ing and was on motion rcferred back to the railroad committee. Thereare four bills now pending for the organizition of as many new oounties, namely: Dawes, Cherry, Brown and Loup, From present ap- pearances these bills will probably bs passed, TRICKS OF THE MONOPS, Senatcr Reynolds arosa for infor- mation. He said that the house part of the special railroad committee had met and taken evidence after both house and senate committees had been discharged, and now they wanted to force that testimony, taken after the oommittees had been discharged, into the record, and he wanted to know if this was consldered fair A lively debate ensued, taken part in by a number of senators. A motion was made by Brown, cf Olay, to publish the testimony taken after the committees had been dis- charged, but have the same appoar ‘as a matter of record. MoShane moved that said testimony be reviewed but not printed. Upon thia question the yeas and nays were called and the motion was lost—9 to 19, The question then came up as or- Iginally introduced, but before a vote was reached the senate adjourned till to-morrow at 9 o'clock, THE DATE OF ADJOURNMENT, LixcoLN, February 13.—After the senate resumed its session, Senator McShane coffsred the following: ResoLvep, That a ccmmittee of three be appolnted to confer with a like comwittee of the house to fixa day for adjournment, slne dle. Al This resolution was adopted with- out opposition, PERMANENT SCHOOL FUND, In answer to a resolution Intro- duced several days ago by Senator Connor, the state treasurer sent the followlog communication to the senate: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the followir g resolution adopted by your committe to-wit: “ResoLvep, That our state treas- urer be respectfully reavested to in- form the seuate at as early a day as possible the true amount of the per- mauent school fund now on hand aud not finvested in bonds, and whether eaid school funds, if eny, not 8o invested in bonds is now in the vaults of the state trearury and whether the eame or any part thereof is now, or at any time has been loaned t> banks, assoclativns or indl- ying to the above I will eay thas the trne amount of permanent school funds now on hard and not in- vested in bouds is $137,608 77, and that the amwount not so fuvested in bonds iz in tho vaults of the treasnry in currency, gold and silver coin, and that uo part thereof is now or at any time during the term of offics bas bsen loaned to banks, associations or individuals, Very reapestfully, P, D STURDEVANT, Staw Treasurer. THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL'S OPINION, The following communication from the attorney general was received and read yesterday afternoon: To the Honorable Senate of Nebraska, I am in recelpt of the resolution of your honorable body, requesting the attorney-general to furnisn the senate with a written opinion as to whether or not it is neccessary under the con- stitution of the state that bills that may be introduced or eubstituted for other bills should be read on three different days, Section eleven, article three of the constitution clearly requires every bill and concurrent resolutlon to be read at large on three different days. I'h's provision, intended as it fs to prevent hasty and improvident legls- lation, might be rendered nugatory if, by substituting one mensure for an- otner, the reading of the measure thus substituted might thereby be despens- od with. I am of the opinlon a com- pllsnce with the constitution would reqvire sll bills, including those offer- ed as substitutes, to be read on three different days. ¢ Rmpeollvglf your obedlent servant, saac Powkgs, Jr , Attorney:General, This opinfon wiil have the effect to delay some of the substitute bills, but as there is yet time to make a law, it can do no vesy great harm, The senate Is disposed to treat this opinton as good law. Substitute for senate file No, 28, a bill to prevent the reesiving of free raliroad pesses by pessous Lol offiee, oame up on s seeond pesding, and &q & vole It was osdeved to its third »esding, , thus skip, all the commitiees. An exact e of this bill kaving been deved by the sailroad committee, aud sho oom- mistee of the whole, commitiee work 1o vogard to the aame was considered unnecessary. . PRINTING THE TRSTIMONT, Benator MoShano moved to suspend :ihelngmh“:fln reeonlldhg 'Gl Lh:ah' vote or- exl the ) ol testimon; taken befove the special railyoad mmy- mittee, He stated that he had fo- quired of the'secretary of state and learned that to print this teetimony would ocost the state the sum of §600 Senator Reynolds thought that the money would be well lnvested, and he hoped that the rule would not ba sus- pended or the vote reconsidered, The senate rofused to reconsider the vote, SENATOR BUTLER'S BAILROAD BILL, reconstructed by the rallroad commit- tee, came up this moroing in the com- mittee of the whole, The bill provides that tho state treasurer, secretary of s'ate and auditor of public accounts shall constitute a rallroad commisslon, who shall have three secretaries who shall ba paid £3,000 a year vach Brown of Luucaster moved to strike ont $3,000 and \neert §1,600 This was fought by Senator Conncr, Butler, Brown of Douglas, Dech and Roynolds, It was claimed thav the g for ll\el necretaries wonld virtu: be the ¢ m- mission and that competor t men would not nceept & positfon with 8o wmuch work and so little pay Bowers moved to amend the amend- ment makivg the salary of the secre taries §2,60), Both the amendment and the samondment to the amend. ment were lost, The committee at this point arose and the senate adjourned till 2 p. m, THE HOUSE Spealal Correspondence of Tis B, ORNERAL BUSINESS, Lixcory, February 12.—The houre reassembled this afternoon at 2:30 precisely. Mr. Franse announced that he had received & atch from Major North stating that his wife hai just dled and asking that he be excused. - He was unanimously excused until such time a8 he could convenlently return, A commlittee of five was appointed by the speaker to confer with a com- mitte of three on the part of the sen- ate to fix the day on which both houses should adjourn, The committee o railroads recom- mended the bill defining the liatility of corporations for ivjury to em plyes for passage, The house then went into commit- tee of the whole with COook, of Nack- olls, in the chalr, The bill providing for the payment of $900 to Page T. Franols for survey- ing achool lands in Red Willow county which had been imperfestly surveyed by the government surveyor, after soms discusslon was sat down upon. The bill for the relief of the No- braska City Natlonal bank was next dealt with, The bill provides for the payment cf the sum of $13 640 60 to the bauk, which, it is alleged, the state had unjastly collected of the bank on a jodgment for the above sum received by ex-Governor W. H. James en behalf ot the state, which he converted to his own use. After a lennthy debate, on motion of Mr, Grout, f Otoe, the bill was reported back with & recommendation that it do paw, Mr, Wolph, of Caes, moved an adverse motlon, but it was voted down. Mr. Johnson, of Saunders, moved a resolution that after to-day no bill shall be introduced except by a two-thirds vote Nearly a dozen bills were introduced. Adjourncd tl 9:30 to.morrow morning, BILLS REPORTED, LixconN, February 13,—Tho house mot at 9:30 this morning, Mr. Grout, the chairman of the special railroad committee, presented their report, and on motion of Clark, of Douglas county, 2,000 coptes were ordered to bs printed for distiibution A pretty lively dizcussion tock place over Mr Whedon's bili to incrcase the salaries of deputies of state officers. The ma. jority report of the committes on finance, ways and means favored the passage cf |'he bill, and the minority report urged that it should not pass. Mr. Wolph claimed that the salaries now paid are highur u for private individusls, Teachers who spent thousands of dollars, and muny years of their lives in quslifying for positions in our colleges were niot paid near #o well, Gray, of Douglas, described it as the first attempt at civil service res form in Nebraska. Ho maintalied that the civil servants should be paid in proportion to the years of experi- ence they had in thelr duties. Hall, of Caes, thought it was civil service with a vengeance beginuing at $1,500 for the lowest grade of clerks, Net- tleton was of the oplnlon that this civil service reform was begirming at the wrunf end, He favored a re- duction of the lowest grade clerka and let the higher grade be increased according to their worth, Payne was not in favor of giving the clerks higher pay simply because they had been employed for a number of years. The report of the minoricy committeo was finally accepted. 1 The capitol appropriation bill was brought up in committee of the whole, and after being amended in some particulars was recommended for pas- sage. ———————— The Michigan Uontest. Special Dispatch to Tus Bax, Derrorr, February 13.-~The logls. lature resssembled to-day after ten days recess, The firet ballot in jolnt convention showed no essential change from the last vote taken. It stood Ferry 44, Stout 23, Ohamberlain 14, Burrows 8, Willets 9, with 19 scatter- ing on 9 different candidates, e+ — QOakes Ames’ Uensure Spectal Dispatob to Tis bma, Basiow, Febsuary 13,—The senste bas adopted s wesolution requesting the Massachuzetta delegation to con: gress to make e eofforé to seoure expunging from the Record the vote of censure upon Oakes Ames by the Forty-Seoond congress. The commit- tee on eleotions ated against blen- nial elections and biennial sesalons, Balocns and Smallpex. #pocial Dispatch to ¥ux Bmn, Omicaso, February 18.—Conalder- able pressure fs belug brought to bear from vasous divections foy high Meense for saloons and the counefl fs considering the matter, As the counoil contains several saloon keopers of no very lofty type the prospaot for the abolition of low grog- gerles in Obleago s not very flat. tering. The couneil committee are agitating the questfon of compelling the strect rallway companies te fornish better accommodations for traffi, They are ridioulously Inadequate at pres— ent. From varlous parts of the country come roports of emall pox, Tho last place for an outbreak is *Finohford, lowa, with ten cases, The discass is far less frequent all over the west than last winter, A Gick Governor Special Dispatch to T Bux, New York, February 12 —Ex.Goy, Eiwin D. Morgan is lying dangerous ly ill. He is attend:d by & number of eminent phyeicians. His family are very anxious, A DIRE DISASTR, Oze Hundred People ¥a'd o Have Beon Drowned in 0iroic- nati To-Day. The Freight Dopot of the Civ. cinnati Buuthern Railroad Goes Do vu With Its Human Burden Who Perish in the Fiood, A Large Oity Fewer Burets and Adds to the Confusion and Peril, The Rivers in Ohio, Indiana, I« nois and Southern States Rislng and Doing Une told Damage. A Graphic and Heartrendering Ao- count ofithe Fliood and Its Work, —— Spec'nl Dispatoh to Tun Brw, CincinNaty, February 13 —A shookiog disaster ia reported by tele phone from the western part of the city. Both the freight and p: renger depots of the Olncinnati Bouthern railway were undermined and fell into the surrounding water, carrylng with them a hundred or more people. The depots wero one story frame struc tures, resting on lhe McLoan avenue fiil, which was almost covered by wa. ter from thirty to fifty feet deep. The earth haw become eo soaked as to melt, and the eatastrophe was farther hastened by the bresking f a sewer, which sent a qurrent along the bauk. Orowds of people in tha! vicinity were looking 8t the flood, and it is sup- posed these are the victima. THE REPORT CONFIRMED. CivcinNati, February 13 —The passenger depot of the Cinoinnati Southern depot was undermined and full into the surrounding water, One hundred peopla are reported drowned. CrsornNart, February 13 —The riv- or at 11 o'clock was G4 feet and 11 and rising slowly, It will certainly reach G5 feet before it beyins to fall The weather is cloady and warm, The water works englues aro all idle and the water in the reservoir is enough for six days, crease of crime conscquent on the lnck of gas last night. {og house in Ochler street is reportcd fallen this morning:but no lives were loat, The polies report no tn A brick dwail- Much etckoess is found awmong ~Tho river Is rising an irch end a quarter an Lour. The oiizens are woving in'o thele second stories and much olarm fs felt, Hivesa, Fobruary 13,—The river has risen fifteon fnches in the past twe four houra The people are prepating to ropaic the bad y{:.nu io the levios at ouce. Niw Avsany, Iud , Fobraary 13 — The river rcse cightoon inohes last olght and stili rising. Al the housee and factories along the river are abandoved. The water gob into tho glass worka furnnces last vight and the fires are aloonr. Mr Depauw will loote a least $100 00), and about 3,000 per- ons are ‘hrown out of employment, There is no estimate of the loss yet. Fcom three to five hundred famille have kad to move, and every avallable 100m on the high ground is filled, Tha railroad track between here and Jeffersonville is abandoned, aud tho forry boats are only making an occas- 1onal trip to the Kentuoky side of the river. The Courier-Journal's Frankfort special says: Kentucky river is 43 foet and risivg three gnarter of an inch per hour, Itis cxpected to continue to rise until night. One thousand people are homeles; distress is every- where. Commuvication with the out. slde world is cat off, save by telegraph and turnpike to Verasilles. A Iarge portion of South Fraukfort is entirely eubmerged, Fort Hiil, the highest point above Frankfort, is now an island, caused by the ba-kwater. Res- idences two miles from the river are un der water. Ths Hermitage distillery is oovered on the irst floor. Six hun. dred head of cattle are standing in wa- ter above their koees, The water 11 three foet six inches on tho floors «f the penitentiary, covering nearly the entire priton yard. Prisoners are locse in the chapel and doubdled up in célls on the second flior range. The wooden bridge to the south of Frank. fort is considered unsafe ond hourly expeoted to go down. Thoarends «f people line the banks watching the heavy drift and houses go do The river is the highest evor known. The demage already reaches $100,(0). New Ausany, Fobruary 12.—The Ohio is still rising atall poists in this State. Tho wateri« ton 1uches higher than the flhod et 1881 Thirty fouref the manufas'czies eeo now flooded, aud if the rise intes wntl ptioight every furnace in the imme a8 works of W, 0. Dopaw vall bo wnder water, Tho loas will bo fully §100, 000, and other establinimonts will sut- fer to an cqual o grea er amount. Five huad: w0 flooded in the lower pars of y. I'wo to three thou- sand emp! will be thrown out of omployaent if the flod cortinuea Betweun Evanaville aud Hende sson the telograph poles are covered. In some onsos the wires are strung on tops of troes. Lawrenceburg is completely the imprisoned piop'e in tho tevo- ment houses, Rulicf houts aro bury isiting all b- places and smpo means aro at hand to preven! saffering. F 2] 1 ol - Crvorswarr’ Oryfip 5{::\';1]3 ~Ts s impossble yet to {oll the extont of tho disaster ot the Southorn railrcad depot, and _only tha freizhi depot woat down.t A great erowd of peopls was thefs Py % ho flyols whon Ryan's. uepiaf, a small buiiding near ’ The crowd rushed " over on the platform of the depot to ree what was the matter, when suddenly the whole depot col- japsed, and sank into the water, The irack ,was at the samo time depressed and ocars standing oclose by ran iuto the cepreesion, covering the people who had goue down with the falling structure. Not ono bedy had been recoversd at 1 o'clovk, nov could tho bystanders give any iate!- Jigent account oi how many escapod. The work of recoveriug the drowned will be exceedingly diflicult, us tho place is isolated, and avy move will be attended with danger. Olher parts of the street are melii a8 this portion did, but it ble, however, to say whether the break in the great sewer in MoL an avenue caused the depot to sivk ox not. STILL LATER, OrxoINNaTi, February 13, —Nearly a equare mile of the ci‘y is undcr water, and from 5,000 to 8,000 peopla are driven from theirhomes Soveral people havo lost thelr lives ia the flood. The sufferers were the inhab- {tants of the bottoms of the old Bear Grasscreek, The break occurced st midnight, Many houses are do- stroyed, and those who eseaped savzed ouly thelr lives. Later information makes it definito that three boye, two frelght handlers and four members of up's oircus were drowned, No bodleé axo yot ro- oovered, The W‘lfi:fl.‘mlfil nays he hesrd a rushing noise when Ryan's ealoon went down and bumivled round ond saw the depot give way, He saw at least fifty people thrown iu the water, It pow sppeers oertaln thai the Adsastor was osused by the breaking of the great sewer, twenty-five feet of one end of the ftisight depot and ha!? of the enger depot are gone. The laiter mng separated at s partition between the waiting room and the tloket office, The books, tiekets, safe, eto., wexe gone In an Instant, !#un-vnnl, Fobruary 13,—The river 18 not rising eo fast 'al)-dlf Not ty, much damags 13 done in the olty, but » groat deal in the lowlands betwsen Evansville end Hendersun, Mavisow, February 18, —~Not mach damags o dono horo 30 far, The rall road depot 1s fl oded and the track is under water for some distarce, T river ls still rising HEeNDERSON There are no 0, Y a8 we can loar 6 wiil ba very hesvy, bus c.nnot be estimated until the water gocs down, It is now about three f-ot Ligher than it was last February, o has ralsed abon Lawrencebur, up to this mornir g 1ineh per hour, fs entirely covered, and in some of the houses the water is on the second floor. The entlre vil- lage of Hardentown s covered, SBome of the people had to abandon their housos entlrely, Suawseerows, I, Febraary 13, surrounded by water, Oixoisnari, Febroary 12 —The river is rising more rapidiy. T had roncticd 04 et 2§ Inches at 10 o'clock to-night, Sceues of the day were a repttation of whose yeaterday, with the exeeption that the work of removing guods was Jess aotive. Moro atten- tion was paid to the suffuring pecple, Tho relisf committee appointed by the chaniber of commerce is composed of the most active and responeible oliizons. They hive already taken prompt measures, being supported by a subsoription amountivg to §75,000, They will gct in concert with the ex- isting charitable associatione, In view of the exposed condition of property it is propesed to call for the help of the militia river patrol, organ- iz:d to walch the flooded diatrics and give roitef when needed, Captain W, P. Walker, of ths Chesapeake and flway, made commander of the author z>d to eeiz)y boate Troops will be paid to w The ¢ mmitwee will expocd not inore thaw a thovsard dol lara n night fn thin servies, ‘There no gs the police havo orders Lo Lo aereste of wli suspicions porsons on the streets av night, Bub little meroy will be ehowvu eriminals found taking advantaga of the rltuation Tae relief coaitieo has given orders for the most rigld inepection of the wauts f eufforers, Fathor Cuza, pastor of the Cathclic chuech, Third sireot, oponed the building to night for the homeless, Three hun. dred aro siseping there, The statlon Lonses ere filled with beds for the ac- sowmodstlon of perious driven from thalr homes. No accident has been x ted, and every precaution s used iravent loes to coal flasts and other oxpossd properdy. loghts ure im- provisod everywhere. Coal il and can- dlos nro Ly ths stores, dwelliags, news- yor sud tslogreph «ffiovs Lieorto ights ero o the theatres aud suiue hotels,. The Istéer use caudles for rooma, Lstle change in the oondl ton of the rallvads THE LATEST FLOOD NEWE. The Riverstill Continues Rising — Loss of Life ana Property. #pecial Dispatches 40 Tax Bxn LovisviLue, Febrosary 13.—~A wpe clal to The Oousler-Journal from Frankfort says: ‘“Tho Kontucky river dork last night, At the miags wan 38 feet, having fallon 4§ fooi, At Brooker's distillery nt Olitton 12,600 barzels of whisky wees washed out, The greator part were caught. The bridges st Frenkfort remalos intact, but one of them in soricusiy damaged,” Tio river hore contivued to rise | slowly all dey. It fa now 66§ feot, €1 Phe weothor f8 warm, light raiu fall. ofth irdications of increass dur uight. The rlao 15 now an whove the fliod of 1847, efght [inches below that of 1832 As the Joint where the dissster occurved last night the flood extends over a epace of & quarter of a mile wide and moro a wile in length. Over 250 houses are elther nnder or else floating about, fact that the water {s com. patatively still prevonts most houses floating away, while many are tied with heavy cables, The gratify. ing foature of the flood s the compar- ufvuly few who have lost their lives, water The Many ccoupanta of houses In the sub-. morged clatricts had removed and thea escaped. Tho fact that the survivors aro scattered over the oity renders it fmporaible to make a definite atate- ment ws to who arelost or saved. It Is softicient to say the death roll is smaller than tho eircumstances indi ose. Six men end boys are known to be lost. A lieutenant of policyand family (wife and three ohi'drer) wore missing, but it is hoped they have moved to plages of safety, Theso are sll that conld be learned by active search. It fis feared when the water sutaidos ghastly remaivs may be found in houses now under water a8 it {a gearcely probable so small a Jist as this will closo the death rate, far as heard all yet alive have been re- moved from their houses. A man was seen frautioally calling for help from the door of a house floating down past the foot of First street this ¢ f:ernoon He waa rescued by partles with a ekiff and had been in'the house all night and day, Business 1s a'most at a standatill, owing to the flood. The mayor is dis- tributing food to the suffirers. ‘The Gorman flood sufferers’ fand was: dic verted to home wuse. Tairty-five #quares in the northeastorn part of the city are under water Houeos are overwurned and erushed. In the lower hollows of the bottom the water i8 within a toot of the roofs, CincinNatr, Fabruary 13 —There {s strong ground for hope that the disas. ter at the Cincinnati Soutbern rall- road depot wae not attended with so great loes of life as reported. The matter has boen very carefully inves- tigated, but for a positive statement it would be difficult to eay avy lvee wero lost at all. The bacgige master at the depot says a great number of pecplo wers on tho platform of ths depot, and ho thinks at least twenty- five went down in the water, This atatement and opinion he repeals All other persons present say they saw o uwumber in the water aud believe none wero lost, but they all admit there was geeat alarm and hurded flight many peoplo have been enou'fed aud not seon by thoss flacing, Lath- man, eashier, hed sufficient warningto enabie him to acouro §2 000 cash, but uot eavugh to eave all the money in the nafs, With the exception of the membora of Coun's ofrsns, who are re- ported misslng, nothing like a definite report «a to any loss has been asor- wained. No employes of the railwey company are missing. The company siows enough confidence in the sta- bility of the remaluivg portisn of the butlding to use it. Trains arrive and depart regularly, but access to the freight depot is cut off Four han- dred soldicrs of the Ohio National guard are on the streets doing patrol duty to-night. The extingu'shing of private electrical lights at midnight lett the city in total darkness. The river reached the highest point, 65 feet, at O p. m. to-day, and re- mained at that height up to mid. mht, when the waters began to re- 0. Inmaxaronts, February 13, — A meoting #wus held at the board of trade to dey. Subscriptions for sufferers at Lawrenceburg wore taken, A oar load of cooked meals, bread, crackers and other provisions started at eix o'clock by spoclal train for Lawrence- burg, The Ohio is atill rlsing at Mad- ison &t the rate cf one Inch an hour. Hondreds of familles have boen com- lled to leave thelr homes. The city s in total darkness, the gas works be- ing submerged. Mivron, Ky., February 13.—The country opposite Madison, is entirely covered by water. Several buildings floated away this morning including & largo warehouse, factory avd build- ings. At Jeffereonville, a large part of the city is inundated. Hundreds of families are homeless and destitute, Che gas works are flooded and lights ont, At New Aloavy the river is ull rising half an inch anhonr. Tt is eistog at 21 pointe south of Madison 10 Evanaville = S AILER TELEGRAPH NOLES peeial Dispatehee t Tok 1 The trial of Frank Juines o0 Gollatin, L., coutlues this week, president of the Buff o land lesgue appesls for covtributious for fumine atri ken Ireland, The Msine senate passed a constitu. tioval prolibiti n amendment, three mem- bors voiing sgainst it, Fnglish_capitalists will establish at Warwaw, N. Y, the only soda ash factory in the United States, Thousands cf men will be employed, Ex-Governor William E Smith, of Wis. consin, was very low last night. siclans th the night, The legislature of Connecticut adjourned in respect of the memory of Governor little hopes of his living Jowell. "Many busiuess places will oloss during the fancral vo-day. Frank B, Hoof, » prominent attorney of Kaomss Olty, s mywicziously miksing sinoy January 80, He started oot with $5,000 so0 »n{'lu)hnl i Pennaylvnla, It 1 feared he s murdered. By an secldent to the goar wheel I the Waauntta mills at New Bedford, Mass, opereatiens st both the wills will be sus- pended two weoks, throwing 1,000 opera* tives out of employmant, The spprefsers appolnted by the court | la In the matter of Ohns. Oonrad & Oo,, Budwelser beer manufacturers, St. Louls, who ‘hllluxl ruuontlyfilfiled o detalled ac- oomot of asscts, whioh regnte onl; 270,048, M v In a clrenlar sent to the creditors, the Bay Btate Iron compay says # is [ntended tosell the property topay tie debts, di- vide the surplus among the it ckholders; Hubilitios, $2,900; ncevets nominally $13,+ 000,000, e first annual meeting of the flax and spiuners’ and growers’ msoclation of Awcrica was held in Now York Tuesday. aufred R, Turaer, jr, wus dected presi- eut, Telegrams ‘were seni to sentors thaoking ther fur their efforts in bebalf of the industry, Actign has been commenced in the su- perior Gourt of New York hy Juseph Ried, » stockhold:r of the Western Union telegraph company, to restrda the con. snmmation of the lease of the Mutusl Uuion by the former, A bond was tiled in the osse by the plaiutiff, The second day of the Georgia sesqui centonnial at bavannsh ojened wich heavy shower. The parsds df eivio so-ie- ties and trades display was sucoessful, Oue hundred floats were artistioally gotten up. The procession was reviewed by the governor, The firemen contested in the afternoon and a bauqnet followed, PILING UP THE DEBT, aitdis The Onchallenged Raid o2 the Stats Treasury, to the Tuna of Over & Mill'on, Amezing Indifference of Mem- bers to the Passage ot Quee- tionable Olaims, The Rgmarkable Revolution in th’n. the OCuming Statesman, Tho Strong and Weak Foatnres of the ats Railroad Bul. The Capitol Appropriation and Rall-s road Assessment Bills. Spxial Dispatch t> Tim Fxn Luycoux, Fobruary 13 —Only sixty members attended the night session of the house, They organized them. selves Into a committee cf the whole, and reported back the general appro- priation bill, with ttems aggregating over §6 000. The remarkable foature was the utter indifforence, as many extravegant ltems wlich passed were sgroed to with unantmous consent. It now looks as if this legislature would vote about a million and a quarter in the face of the fact that THE STATE ALREADY HAS A DEBT of nearly half a mfllion, which over- laps by {1200,000 the constitutional limit, whioh expressly fixes the higheat amount of lability at §300,000. The engineers of the oapitol appropria‘ion we atill hopeful if nos oconfident. They have eaced the conaclences of | eeveral opporent by trlvisl )i cesrtons in limitiog the cost of the building and reducing the architesa’s fees. Notable among thess converta is FRANSE OF CUMING, who, the other night, created such a sensation by hLis rampant opposition to any oapitcl appropriation. Is is believed by many sthat his bombastic apoesh was a Joud advertisement for proposals, Such scquisitions may, however,weaken rathor than strar gih. on tho capitol appropriation, Meeers. Havon and Stedwell, the members from Buffulo county, protest that they have made no trade with the Lancas- ter delegation for the reform school appropriation, which they declare must otand or fall on its merit. They will not support the capitol bill on any condition RAILROAD LEGISLATION is at last coming to the front. The bill reported by Senator McShane from the senate railroad committee meets the popular demand for regu- lation moxe effectually than any bill #o far proposed, w ite far voritlsm and disorimination uuder se- requires rallroads to furnish all patrons equal facilities and requires all comnecting roads to deliver, handle and trausport freight coming from rival lines with :hp‘?ti Mlt dnquln- railroads to eep fr and passenger rates 3 ed I;n lfl their atations, The m— mum rate for all freight {s fixed at 20 per cent below the schedule rate in force on January 1 of this year. Pus. sergor rates on all roads ave fixed at three cents per mile, iucluding 100 pounds of baggage, and the rates for children under 12 years, half fare. The bill also regulates the many evils in handling live stock and grein, and requires roads to give ample facilities to all shippers, o state treasnrer, wecretary of astate and and:tor aro consliluted s board of commis- sioners to supervise the enforcoment of the law and irstilute inquiry into railroad mansgement. The board is tn appoin’ three sooretaries, one from. aseh oongregitonn! distriot, to conduok theiv 1ffutra, esch of these secretaries o reccive $3,000 per annum, The expensive feature and the clause Attend- | ¢ authorizing the commission to lower or ralse rates fixed by law upon thirty days’ nottce are THE WEAKEST POINTS IN THE BILL, The commissior:er machinery is al. together too expensive and compli- cated. The salaries of the sooretaries are $500 a year nbove the salary of the governor and 81,000 abova that f the secretary of state, One secre- at $1,800 can do all the business in Nebraska as well as one commis- sloner and one clerk does the work of aupervislon in Mionerota, Wisconain, Virginia and several other states, It is doubtful whether the clause author- ixtng tho commissioners to undo the work of the legislature by changin enger end fraight rates woul old water in the court. At any rate it would bs more prudent and econo- mical to simplify the expensive com- missioner machinery and eonfer no questionable authorlty that might {mpair the valldity of the proposed w. The houss bill which the railroad attorneys are pushing is without re- deeming quality and may be regarded as doowea, THE RAILROAD ASSESSMENT BILLS pending in both honsis are making slow headway. Muny members labor uader the deluslon that it will be of advantage to the western couniies to assees to depot grounds, machine ehops and other bulldlng with the rolling stock and right of way as per- sonsl property, This was tried thros years sgoaud thareault was the general average per wile was lower than the provious year when thesa improve- wents wera taxed by local asseesors, which raised the taxable valustion in certain counties, and they in tarn pald an increased amoont o suate tax. It la safa to say local {m- provemonts lumped in with the right of way and roadbed wonld increase lo- oal tax valustion in Douglas, Lancsater, Hall and le:Sn ;aum by $2,000,000, or one-sixth of the assessed valuation of all railroad prop- erty In the state,