The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, December 5, 1896, Page 2

Page views left: 0

You have reached the hourly page view limit. Unlock higher limit to our entire archive!

Subscribers enjoy higher page view limit, downloads, and exclusive features.

Text content (automatically generated)

2 THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1896 Livermore Herald to-day, giving the |ture about80 feet long and 25 feet in views of Editor Ellis: diameter. The structure was standing on The Herald may be a little late 1n coming to | projections, and had under Jit two propel- the iront with an airship story, but never- | lers, five-bladed, say 15 feet across. There theless it has one, and us for its suthenticlty | was a huge tail, which served as a rudder, 10 men in Alumeda County can doubt. The | of which the tiller-ropes had parted. Gor- parties who witnessed this remerkable phe-| g . spliced them. nomenon are mone other than the Rev. Jonn | T05 "B 1 e Kigby of Oakland, presiding elder of the Oak- e structure was of metal. ere were jand district, and Rev. Hugh Copeland. 2 number of windows and two doors. The FiRev. Mr. Kirby was in Livermore Wednesday | interior was divided into compartments of this week and in the presence of Rev. Mr. | and the motive power, which the cantain Alexander, pastor of the Methodist Chureh, |stated was compressed air, seemed to acquaintanceship with her late husband; that it was the captain who suggested to her to ssuddiorda ve_tarllnnry surgeon to ex- amine the dyed animals. She also giyveu him credit for observing a portion of the horse’s nose where the dye bad been applied after her suspicions had been aroused to the shady look of the supposed thoroughbreds. aptain Thompson, when given an op- portunity to explain from whom the ayed animals came, declined to talk, and characterized the whole story as false from beginning to end. SECRETARY FRANCIS MAKES A REPORT Millions of Acres of Land and Madison Beck of the firm of Beck & Co., | gperate machinery contained in a great made this statement: “On the evening of November 22 Rev. Hugh Copeland and myself were riding in a buggy in the vicinity of Knights Ferry in Stanislaus County. We were just crossing a bridge when our attention was riveted to an object about & quarter of a mile ahead of us. It appeared at first like & huge ball of fire that rose from the earth. “We were traveling in asouthwesterly direc- tion at the time and stopped our buggy to gaze in wonderment upon this startling and unexpected scene. It sailed along above the surface of the ground for probably 100 yards, then gradually raised higher and higher. Had it continued its course when we first saw it, 1t would have psssed almost directly above us, but instead made & half circle to the west and oorth and was about the same distance when it reached a point opposite to us as it was when we first noticed it. Before it passed us we could plainly see two lights in front and at right angles of the flving wmachine, and as it was going by we saw & light, that wes not visi- ble before, attached to and st the rear of the object. We watched it for some time before conilnuing our journey. It could not have beena meteor because it did notgo to the case and controlled by levers. . Gordon was invited to come along and did so. He was given the rudder, operated by a wheel, and followed the courses given him as showa by compass. They rose in the air to a great height, probably 3000 feet, and took a northerly course and traveled at enormous speed. In a few hours they passed over Los Angeles, easily knowr by its great number of lights, and then sped over Ventura, Santa Barbara and other places, and about 3 o'clock this morning settled down in a place in the mountains about eight miles southeast of this eity. Here the manager of the airship an- nounced his intention of stopping awhile and Gordon was sent for water, but after going a short distance he turned and dis- covered the strange vessel disappearing. The airship man, Gordon says, wasof swarthy appearance and spoke Spanish to the only companion he had, a woman. (IR A Fake of Showmen. Could Be Reclaimed CONFERENCE OF CHARITIES € by Irrigation. The, Rev. Jacob Voorsanger and Dr. W.W. Bolton on Almsgiving With- out Investigation. The second meeting of the San Fran- cisco Conference of Charities took place av the Occidental Hotel yesterda) numbe: ladies and gentlemen in charities being present. The subject of discussion was *Alms- giving Without Investigation.” Addresses were made by the Rev. Jacob Voorsanger and the Rev. W. Bolton, and the various persons in the audience participa- ted in the discussion. It was argued quite strenuously on one side that it was wrong to give to the undeserving, that it tended to keep such persons in idleness and to make them more and morg unscrupulous. Such persons become parasites on the community. With them getting a living without work was a mere matter of wit, and of preying on those whose sympathies could be aroused. Equally strong were the arguments of It was maintained that More Economy Urged in the Payment of Pensions. to 0:d Soldiers. s Recommendations “of Predecessors in Reference to Bond-Aided Rail. roads Are Rep:ated. WASHINGTON, D. C., Dec. 4.—Secre- -tary of the Interior David R. Francis has submitted his annual report to the Presi- dent. The appropriation for the last tiscal year earth, but skimmed along rapidly. “Had Ibeen alone I migit have believed that my eyes deceived me, but there was Mr. Copeland, who witnessed the same scene, and there is no possibility of our being mistaken. I had believed that the successful navigation of an airship was beyond the reach of mortal skili, but I look at it in a different light now. Idomot clagn, mind you, that what wesaw that night Was a genunine airship, but the natural question that arises is, if it was not an airship, what was it? I saw enough to convince me that the papers have no grounds to picture this phenomenon in the light of a burlesque. When we reached Stockton the following day the pepers were full of descriptive accounts of an airshipin Yuba County that pictured exactly what we had seen on November 22.” OAKLAND, Car. Dec. 3.—The Rev. John Kirby, presiding elder of the Oak- lana district for the past two years, and pastor of the Park-street M. E.Ckurch of Alameda six years previous to that, was interviewed at his home on Park street, Alameda, to-night. He re- peated and confirmed the story as told above and added: *‘After reading the ac- couhts of the airship in THE Cair I ciipped them and forwarded them to Mr. Copeland at Oakdale. To-day I received areply in which he says: ‘If there is an airship we shall share in the glory. People in Oakdale saw it on the same night.’ "’ A gt STRANDED NEAR FRESNO. It developed yesterday that the cigar- shaped galvanized iron tank, constructed to resemble an airship, which was found late Thursday night in & gulch near the Almshouse, is a “‘fake’” creation. It was carted to the point where found 1in order to provide some cheap advertising for a local place of amusement. Owing to the darkness and lateness of the hour the im- position escaped exposure, as there was neither opportunity nor time for a close or full investigatior REDUCED THE ALLOWANCE R. C. Goodspeed Will Not Be Permitted to Spend $250 a Month. Judge Ccff:y Decides That the Estates of Minors Must Be Con- served. R. C. Goodspeed’s application for $250 a month as family allowance for the support of his two minor children received a very severe shock yesterday, when Judge Cof- the opposition. as a general thing it was best to give, for no one could immediately know what gnawing hunger might not be the cause of the request for alms. A few cents would not make any difference 1o the giver, and mi-ht work great good, through relief of suffering. At the conclusion of the discussion tea and cakes were served, and a half hour was spent in social conversation. ———————— FAVOR THE DINGLEY BILL,- Recent Action of the California Wool Association. On November 17, at a meeting of the California Wool Association, resolutions were passed favoring the immediate pas- sage of the Dingley bill, and a committee was appointed to bring the resolutions be- fore our delegation in Congress. On November 24, at the annual meeting, the following officers were elected: Charles H. Abbott, president; James E. Bell, vice-president; Fred 8. Moody, sec- retary; F. P. McLennan, treasurer. The report of the committee was as fol- lows: To the Senators and Representatives of the State of Ca ifornia in Congress: Ata meeting of the California Wool FProtective Association, held on the 17th inst., resolutions were passed favoring tke immediate adoption of the emergency tariff. known al-oas the Dingley bill, now pendingin the Senate. Therefore, whereas the entire wool industry of the United Btates has been languishing and in a para- lyzed condition for the past four years; and whereas, in the election of Mr. McKinley amounted to $157,179,656. The estimates for the present fiscal year are abou: $1,000,000 less than was appropriafed last year. The actual public domain is now 1,840,072,687 acres. The public lands still vacant amount to over 600,000,000 acres, not including Alasks. About 85,729,751 acres have been patented to railroads and there are yet due rairoads and wagon- roads under their grants an aggregate of 114,756,639 acres. The total acreage segre- gated from the public domain was 946, 219,160 acres. The Secretary deems it desirable that our waste acreage should be taken up by aciual settlers, who snould be given every encouragement, and says if the rate of settlement continues in the future as in the past but little vacaat land will be left in thirteen years’ time. He urges legisla- tion for the preservation of the forests and states that a report will be submitted to Congress by the Forestry Commission, which has lately returned from a tour of inspection. The Des Moines River land grant mat- ter has been adjusted. About $188,856 in awards wasj agreed upon, of which $117,- 632 has been paid and t.e remainder will be paid at the end of this year. Becretary Francis calls the attention of Congress to the necessity of legislation looking to the reclaiming of lands, and says that of the 500,000,000 acres of arid The Great Airship Caught in a Cur- rent and Sent Southward. FRESNO, CaL., Dec. 4—The skepticism of the people of this city regarding the existence of the airship has been removed Jargely by a strange statement of George Jennines, one of the proprietors of the bar in the Grand Central Hotel. Heis a thor- oughly reliable man and there is good ground to give credence to his story. He avers that he is practicing no deception. Mr. Jennings asserts that there is no ques- tion that an airship exists and that it has been sailing through the skies as reported. He talked with the inventor and the craft is now somewhere in Fresno County, not far from this city. Mr. Jennings was ilaterviewed by a CaLL correspondent this evening and made the following statement: ‘‘Yester- day shortly beforenoon a man appeared atmy place of business and inquired for me. The stranger was covered with dust and travel-stained. 1 recognized him as an old friend, whose name I cannot pos- sibly give at present. It is true the air- ship is in Fresno County, just where I do not myself know. This man who was in here is one of the inventors. He told me that the trip to this county was involun- tary upon the part of the men in the air- ship. In other words the machine came itself and they couldn’t stop it. ‘‘His statement was that they were fly- ing, as usual, around Contra Costa County hills and rose to a height of about 1000 feet. rent of air and refused to answer its steer- Suddenly the airship struck a cur- | fey decided that he should have not more than $50 a month for that purpose, to be paid only as the estate of their deceased mother could readily supply the money. Samuel M. Shortridge, attorney for the executor of the will of Mrs. Goodspeed, opposed the allowance of $250 a month for the support of the two young children, on the ground that it is the naturai and legal duty of a father to support his minor chil- dren, without recourse to the children’s estate. This estate, Mr. Shortridge con- tended, must be husbanded and be deliv- ered to them on their attaining their ma- jority. This is the accepted rule where the father has sufficient resources to prop- erly maintain the children and nothingcan be taken from their estate except when the father is shown to be without means. To support bis position Mr. Shortridge cited authorities from the English courts and from several courts of highest adjudica- ture in the United States. In the present case the testimony showed tbat Mr. Goodspeed, who is the legally appointed guardian of his own children, has a fixed income sufficient for the support of himself and bis children, and further that he had paid $125 a month for their support for several years beiore his wife’s death, such payment being made by order of the court which granted a divorce to Mrs. Goodspeed. Attorney C. F. Hanlon, also speaking for the executor of Mrs. Goodspeed’s will, in- timated that it wonld be wastelul to al- low Mr. Goodspeed to handle so much money over and above what was actually necessary for the support of the children. The testimony showed that Mr. Goodspeed is inclined to favor the cause of the older children wuo are contesting the will of Mrs. Goodspeed. That contest, if success- the country at large will anticipafe the pass- age of a protective tariff under his administra- tion, large quantities of wool and woolen goods will be_immediately imported into this country, flooding all our markets and thus de- laying the _Fro-pmty of the wool and woolen industry. Thersfore, be 1t resolyed that our Senators from this State be urged to see the necessity for the immediate passage of the emergency or Dingley biil as temporary measure for revenue necessary for the Govern- ment needs, and partially to prevent the above mentioned importations, and thus in a meas- ure to foster and protect the wool and woolen industry of this country and prevent an in- definite continuance of the hardships and losses sustained by those engaged in thisline of business. L R. HALL, M. 8. KOSHLAND, A. C. SCHLESINGER, Comumittee. lands 100,000,000 might be reclaimed by the conservative use of water, but it is im- possible for the laws in operation to con- trol the reclamation of the arid regions so as to prevent the improvident use of water over which the Government has no con- trol. This should be done by a system which contemplates the reclamation of the entire territories from a common source of supply and the utilization of that supply, or the adoption of the sug- gestion of the Commissioner of the Gen- eral ‘Land Office would be agood one. T hatis to place the lands in the control of the States for reclamation. He briefly mentions the diffi culties beiween the Otoe and Missouri Indians, which he states is a complicated one. No setilement hasyet been agreed upon. In speaking of the decision of his prede- cessors that the eastern terminus of the Northern Paci Railroad bas been fixed at Duluth, he s that: “The effect of this decision was to exciude from the land grant of the company all Jands lying east of Duluth that had been appropriated Novamber 24, 1896. DUNBAR IS [N PRISON. The Young Man Who Got Money in the Name of the by settlers and paia for at the double minimum rate of §250 per acre upon the assumption that they fell within the lim- its of the railroad grant and therefore within the operation of section 2352 of the Revised Statutes.” Alter the promulgation of these deci- sions numerous applications were made by persons who had paid the doubie mini- mum price for lands to have ti e excess of $125 per acre refunded, pursuant to the provisions of June 16, 1880. Inasmuch as the railroad company had never acqui- esced in the deaision of the department, all such applications have been suspended to hwait the final and authoritative loca- Press Club. He Was Traced From This City to Fresno and Arrested in San Jose Thursday. Alexander R. Dunbar, the young man whose special line of business seemed to be a sustained effort at living by bis wits asacompiler of directories and the like, was rounded up yesterday in Ban Jose and given a cell in the City Prison here. ing gear. It was borne rapidly southward against all efforts to change its course | (Ul would decrease the interest of the until suddenly the current of air seemed glor:g;r.cbl}l!‘lrev&“lfi 'nh: ;;fi’;fi :é :E:s‘: to lessen and the machine once more be- | 1yinors to have surplus funds put in the came manageable. The men aboard ulhanas of their. father, when the same once descended and flew about looking | would be employed to injure their own for a hiding place, which they at length | interests. P L ha o] y = According te Mr. Heggerty's idea, the “My friend told me that the airship was | SiRPlying of funds for th- pupport of sur, A i viving children is one of the most sacred made principally of aluminum, and that | and imperative duties of a mother’s estate. the rising and falling was accomplished He objected to the casting of aspersions by improved aeroplanes, while the mo- | on l‘k;e motives, of his client, Mr. Good- tive power was electricity. He says the | Speed. 5 machine is perfect, except for the fact that | . JiT- Shortridge declared that no asper- 2 3 b sions were cast on that gentleman’s mo- at times it refuses to be steered in a given | {jyes The only thing suggested by his direction, and that 1t will not stand still | associate was a reference to the testimony in the air. He has gone to San Francisco | which disclosed that Mr. Goodspeed was and will return with some material and | inclined to support his'elder children, ana men probably ‘o-night. He said if the news from Washington was satisfactory, would not stand by his minor children in he would bring his airship over to Fresno | the contest of the will. Judge Coffey made a suggestion that where every one could see 1t. **1 know the man well,” concluded Mr. under ihe decree of divorce Mr. Good- Jennings. *‘He bad no reason to tell me speed was called for to contribute toa fupd for the supportof the minor ehildren. such a story if it was not true. He had no business here, knows no one but myself Mr. Heggerty thought a divorce ends and left without asking any favors. More- with the death of either of the parties thereto, but Judge Coffey replied that the over, he wanted the matter kept quiet.”” OVER SELMA. Supreme Court had expressed a different view; that the coanditions provided by the decree of divorce remain in force until modified by a court of competent jurisdic- tion. The court supposes that the fund contemplated by the divorce decree is be- ing piled up somewhere, but the question here is the present care of the children. Judge Coffey said that the position touching the duty and responsibility of the father to care for his children was cor- rect. Mr. Goodspeed had expressed a willingness to contribute his share for the maintenance of these miners, and itap- veared that he was able to pay $50a month. Tnis mignt be sufficient to pro- vide them with the bare necessaries of life, but in view of the condition ot life of these children they are entitled to more than a meager support. It was therefore ordered that $50 a month should be al- lowed to the cnildren from the estate, in addition to the $50 a month which the father had agreed 1o contribute.’ This disposition of the matter appeared to please all parties to the discussion, it being stated that the money should be paid at the convenience of the executor of Mrs. Goodspeed’s estate. THOSE DYED HORSES. Joan Hunter Acquits Thomson of Blume. The publication in last Saturday’s CALL of the attempt to palm off a pair of dyed black horses on the millionaire widow of the late David Hunter caused quite a sen- sation in the sporting community. This attempted fraud was all the more reprehensible because it was attempted upon a liberal and public-spirited lady wio, it was considered, would fall an easy victim to the trickery of an un- Reputable Citizens View a Strange Aerial Traveler. SELMA, CaL., Dec. 4.—The airship, or some other aerial tfaveler of like appear- ance, passed over Selma last night be- tween 9 and 10 o'clock. 1t was seen by many reputable citizens. N. W. Stewart, grain merchant, went to the door of his residence about 9:30 o’clock and saw a light approaching from the west. It had 1he appearance of & locomotive headlight, and was apparently about 150 feet above the earth. Mr. Stewart called 1o his family, and all saw the wonderiul light pass over the . town and disappear in an easterly direc- tion. It was traveling at about the speed 0i_a passenger-train. G. 8. Reichard, attorney-at-law, and many other persons also saw the remark- able light. 3 There is no question about an airship having passed over this part of Fresng Counvty last night. t THE WOMAN IT. | Sirange and Circumstantial Story of a Sailor Passenger. SAN LUIS OSISPO, CaL, Dec. 4— ‘William Gordon reached this town this morning. He states that be is a native of South Carolina and a.truthful person, a graduate of Berkeley, but recently a sailor and just from New York. Mrs. Captain IN Heis cuarged with obtaining money by false pretenses. Dunbar is the same individual wbo re- cently went about town representing him- self to be a canvasser for the Press Club and received various sums of money upon the pretensions he made. The police are of the opinion that he collected several hundred aollars in this way. He carried on the scheme with his friend, Frank Stone, who pretendea to be a member of the Press Club and corroborated every- thing that Dunbar said. The story told to bankers, merchants and professional men was tkat the club was in dire financial difficulties and needed money to save it from ruin. Dun- bar claimed to be authorized by the board of managers of the club to collect money “from generous citizens. He succeeded in almost every instance. But the fact soon became public through the newspapers that Dunbar was swindiing everybody he approached on this proposition. And then be took his departure suddeniy from San Francisco. Stone also disappeared, and has since managed to elude the police, who want him in this connection. The special case on which Dunbar is now in prison is obtaining $25 from C. A. Becker, president of the German Savings Bank, on account of the Pregs Club, The signature to the receipt is written J. W. Longmore, which is said to be a Lame as- sumed by Dunbar. The money was got November 5. About the same time Dun- par got $5 from Mr. Alvord and $5 from Mr, Brown of the Bank of California on rrpll;easmin‘ that the money was for the club. Soon afterward Dunbar went to Fresno, where it is said he forgot to pay several small bills and tried to move his valise from the Hughes Hotel with a long rope. He then went to San Jose, whence Detec- Sye Ross Whitaker brought him to this ity. Dunbar was sullen and would not dis- cuss his arrest. Meanwhile the police are looking for more evidence against him. Frank Stone, who was associated with Dunbar, was taken in custody last night by Private Detective H. Stilwell, who turned him over to Police Detectives Whitaker and SBeymour. Stone was taken to the City Prison and there detained pending an investigation. ACQCIDENTALLY SHOT HIMSELE John Devlin Fal y Wounded While Cleaning a Revolver. John Devlin, a laundryman by occupa- tion, died last evening at his home, 121 Fourteenth street, from the result of a shot through the body, accidentaily received while the deceassd was cleaning a re- voiver last Wednesday afternoon. Shortly after the accident occurred a physician, Dr. Gallwey, was called to at- tion of the eastern terminus of said road by a court of competent jurisdiction. He has been officially informed through counsel of the company that a suit will in a short time be brought for that purpose. In the meantime, while he has not ques- tioned the propriety of tbe ruling of the department, he deems it the safer conrse to direct the large disbursements involved in a compliance wita the request of the settlers. No steps have been taken to make allot- ments to the Wichita Indians, as the act of Congress letv this” to the discretion of the department. - Regarding the opening of what is known as the leased district of the Choctaw and Chickasaw Indians, which is now before the Court of Claims, he says that if the allotments were made and the land thrown open before a decision is rendered upon the claim of the Choctaws and Chickasaws the Government would be placing the Indians upon land under an agreement which involved the transier of a good title and would also be throwing open the land to settlement, when, in point of fact, it did not have a clear title tiereto. He recommends that all the Oklahoma_townsite boards be abolisiied. Secretary Francis is of the opinion that the free use of timber on public lands for commercial purposes should be discon- e i tion h that On the pension question he says tha 970,678 pen:)iaoner. l?e drawing about $140,- 000,000 per annum in pensions, and the branch of the service should be conducted with great care and discretion. He gives a table which shows that the total s mount paid out by the Goyernment in pensions and the cost of disbursing the same dur- ing the last thirty-one years was $2,034,- 817,769, which lacks oply $346,712,002 of being equal to the high-water mark of the interest-bearing public debt. He suggests a number of amendments to the pension laws, some of which have already been made public, notably those in regard to pensioners resident in Germany. One hundred and forty million dollars is thought to be sufficient for the payment of pensions during the next fiscal year unless pensions are increased by further legislation, The Secretary recommends that from $8 to $12 per month begranted to all survivors of tHe Mexican war who are wholly disabled or destitute. The Indians, he says, now occupy about 85,000,000 acres of land, and they should be protected from the sinister machina- tions of unscrupulous men. He recom- mends that the Indian Bureau should be conducted by a commission of three mem- bers, two to be civilians of difterent politi- cal parties and one an army officer. Concerning the bond-aided railroads, the Secretary summarizes the recommen- dations of his predecessors and the result of the litigation. He calls attention to the fact that the tables he presents ciearly show that the Central Pacific Railroad is in default, There is in default to the Government, or unquesijonably will be January 1 next, when §$2,432.000 additional of the Central His story is that yesterday eveningy about 9 o’clock, be was at Indio, and re- sponded to the inquiries of a stranger who was looking for some one able to splice a rope. Gordon, being a sailor, offered his services, which were accepted, and he fol- lowed the man who claimed to have a bay- baling outfit about a mile from town to a place where he found a cigar-shaped strac- scrupulous horse-sharp. But, fortunately, Mrs. Hunter isa shrewd woman and can- not be easily imposed uoon. As regards the participation of Captain Thomson of the park police in the at- tempt to impose upon the lady Mrs. Hunter wishes to exonerste that gentle- man_ from any part in the attemptea fraud and says that Captain Thomson is a personal friend of hers through years of tend to the injured man. He immediately reached the conclusion that the wound was fatal. A few hours prior to Devlin’s death he made an ante-mortem siatement to his n and a priest, stating that the to an accident. ted to the Coroner, but The deceased Pacific’s indebtedness, together ~with tnirty years’ interest thereon, will fall due and must be redeemed by the Gov- ernment. On January 1, 1897, $6,640,000 additional bonds of Union Pacitic will mature, interest on same, $11,852.000, will be then due, and if not paid, the Union Pacific will unquestionabiy be in default. He . has, thereiore, declined to patent lands to the Union Pacitic Railroad or the N The case was repo! an inqunest was waived. leaves a widow and 1wo children, Central Pacific Railroad except in case where it can be shown that the lands for which patents are asked have been sold to bona-fide purchasers. The Central Pacific Railroad was, on June 30, 1896, in default 1o the Government to tbe extent of $288,143 66 on its “‘bond and interest’ and its “sinking fund’’ account. Secratary Francis gives the total in- debtedness of the several bond-aided com- panies to tbe United States on June 30, 1896, as follows: Unior: Pacific (including Kansas Pa- cific), principle of bonds issued, $33,539,- 512, on which interest has accrued to the amount of $57,071,757 46. If on this there should be credited the sum of $38,611,- 070 58, applied to the *‘bond and interest’” and “sinking fund” accounts and interest on the latter, the balance of the debt on the above date would be $52,000,198 93. Ceutrai Pacific -(including ‘Western Pa- cific)—Principal of bonds issued, $27,855,- 680; interest accrued, $46,593,478 98; total credits, consisting of ‘‘vond and interest” and “sinking fund” accounts, with inter- est on the latter, $16,167,149 56; balance of 3&9"'42‘" these credits ve ailowed), $58,282,- Sioux City and Pacific— Prlnoignl of bonds, $1,628,320: interest accrued, $2,- 734,387 09: credits on account of trans- vortation, $246,659 49; balance of aebt, $4,116,047 60. Central Branch Union Pacific—Princi- pal of bonds issued, $1,600,000; accrued interest, $2,778,608 26; credts, §642,884 88; balance of debt, $3,735,723 38. The report of the Commissioner of Rail- roads gives full information concernin the physical and financisl conditions o! the roads. He reviews the legisiation pending before Congress for the settlement of the debis of the Pacific roads to the Government, and gives a summary of the provisions of the bills reported to Con- gress and not yet called up. After revi w- 1ug other subjects the commission gives it as its opinion that it is mnch better for the Government to accept a lum’p sum in cash for its clanns against the roads. Tue Secretary does not agree with the contentions of the Central Pacific that their road is not in defsault to the Govern- ment and that if it were the lands are not covered by the Government mortgage and cannot be held to secure the same. Un this point Secretary Francis does not agree with either statement and he de- clines to patent the lands to the Union Pacitic or the Central Pacific railroad ex- cept in case where it can be shown that the lands for which patents are asked bave been soid to bona-fide purchasers, and here the Secretary says: *‘Inasmuch as the subsidy bonds issued by the Government to aid in the con- siruction of the roads are falling due from time to time and must be redeemed by the Government as they mature, while tnhe roads are unable to reimburse the treasury for the amount o paid, and for the further reason that a bill is now pend- ing in Congress providing for a funding of this indebtedness, I deem it the part of prudence tor this department to retain whatever of the property of the roads it may have in its possession or in its con- trol until there shall be an adjustment of the amounts due the Goverument.’” The report of the Government directors of the Union Pacific Railway Company gives a comparative siatement of earnings and expenses for 1896 and 1895, from which it appears that the slight increase in gross earnings is more than offset by the in- crease in operating expenses. He refers to the fact that the act char- tering the Nicaragua Canal Company re- quires the company to make a report on the first Monday in December in each vear to the Secretary of the Interior, to be verified on oath by its president and secretary. A preliminary statement has been submitted by the canal showing how much has been done on the canal since August 1,1893. The Maritime Canal Com- pany has entered into a contract with the Nicaragua Canal Construction Company for the construction of the canal, but the latter company became financially em- barrasseda in August, 1893, and subse- quently made aL assignment of its con- struction contract and all its assets to the Nicaragua Company, a_corporation char- tered by the State of Vermont. The lat- ter company “has not yet found itself in a position to resume the work of construc- tion under thecontract.” The Secretary wants an extension of the building accommodation for his depart- ment. He closes his report by saying: “] earnestly recommend that Congress take immediate steps looking to the pur- chase or condemnation of a block or more of ground aajacent or contiguous to the Interior Department building for the erec- tion thereon of another structure to meet the present necessities of an important branch of the Government, which must expand and grow with the development of the country’s resources. The area of our country, the variety of its Erodncts. the diversity of interests, the trade and social relations between localities and classes of people, make its internal com- merce of enormous magnituie and must from time to time necessitate enlargement of its existing Government bureaus and the establishment of additional ones. Provision for the accommodation thereof should no longer be delayed. POISONEL HIS PRETTY WIFE. J. Sidney Goodmanson, a Dentist, Is Under Arrest and There Is Strong Proof Against Him. PENDER, NEeBr., Dec. 4.—J. Sidney Goodmanson, a dentist, is under arrest, charged with poisoning his young aad pretty wife. Mrs. Goodmanson died at her husband’s office last September under suspicious circumstances, and the body was sent to her former home at Tiskilwa, 111, for burial. A physician’s certificate was secured, which stated that heart dis- ease was the cause of deatn. A brother and uncle of the dead woman were not satisfied, and had the body exhumed and sent to the Rush Medical College, Chicago, for examination. The chemist’s report to the Coroner’s jury was that death re- sulted from strychnine poisoning. The brother and uncle came st once to Pender, and Goodmanson’s arrest followed last night. Goodmanson came here from Chi- cago, where he is said to be well known. Relatives of his wife strongly opposed the marriage, as 1t was reported that Good- on at the time was engaged to a Chi- cago girl. Mrs. Goodmanson had $12,000 in her own right. LETTERS ANNOUNCE FRESH MASSACRES In the Villages Near Bitlis The turks Are Again on the Rampage. Two Thousand Children Made Orphans, Five Hundred Women Widows. Husbands, Fathers and Brothers Slain Before the Eyes of the Help- less Dependents. CHICAGO, Irn., Dec. 4.—Rev.Judson Smith, secretary of the American Board of Foreign Missions, who has been in this city lecturing at the Union Park Theologi- cal Seminary, received to-day a copy of a cablegram which had been sent to his office in Boston from an American resi- dent in Constantinople. The message conveys iptelligence of recent outrages and massacres of Armenians by Turksin the villages near Bitlis and in some places remote irom that ecity in which 2000 chil- dren were made orphans and &00 women confronted with widowhood and starva- tion, The message, which is dated December 1, reads: +Bitlis appeals on behalf of 2000 or- phans and 500 new widows, many of them from distant homes, where husbauds, fathers and brothers were killed before their eyes amid dreadful atrocities. They now wander in the streets of the city beg- ging for food and clothing. The mission- aries entreat every possible influence to be used to get means to enable them to care for the unfortunate ones. Urgency is ex- treme. Wiil America sustain?” Dr. Smith sail to a reporter for the United Associated Presses just prior to his departure to-night for Boston that he had heard of other trouble in Armenia through his Constantinople correspond- ents but had no definite information. He declined to make known the name of the sender of the foreign message because the agentsof Turkey here were always eager to send such information to Constantino- ple for use azainst the informant. AFTER THE MEAT COMBINE. The Federal Grand Jury of lilinois Ex- pects to Indict Four Big Firms. CHICAGO, ILn., Dec. 4—The Federal Grand Jury, which has been sitting here for several weeks, is making another at- tempt to obtain evidence of the existence of & beet trust among Armour, Swift, Mor- ris and the Hammond Packing Company. The jury has asserted its ancient prerog- ative of conducting an inquiry independ- ent of the District Attorney’s office. The investigation has not the approval of General John C. Black, the District Attor- ney, or Senator J. H. Shields of Dubuque, who was chosen by the Government te obtain evidence against the aileged beef trusy at the time Kenesaw Landis of Chi- cago was commissioned to assist the Dis- trict Attorney in the prosecution of the case. The attorneys are of the opinion that there is not sufficient available testi- mony upon which to base an indictment, but the jury has been led to believe from statements made by one of the body, Rich- ard Collins, a wholesale meat-dealer here, that a case can be made out against the four firms mentioned. The jury demanded yesterday that cer- tain witnesses be summoned, and the list is said to have been made up partly by Juror Collins and partly by the District Atutorney’s office. It includes confidential packing-house men, railroad traffic a ents and local meat-dealers, who are said to have been frozen out by :he alleged trust. At the cutset the deputy marshals sent to serve the subpenas met with the same misfortune which befell them at the last term of the court. They found the em- ployes of the packers and railroads absent frowm the city and the owners of only two meat markets were found. Juror Collins is said to possess inside knowledge of the operations of theal- leged trust and to have imparted it to the jury. They have been told that the trust members meet once a week and fix the price of meat. After the small dealers have done buying each trust-buyer calls tor livestock of one ciass only, thus de- stroying competition in the grades. Re- bates are said to be given to those who buy exclusively from the big packers, and each packer had the same list. Meat markets spring up alongside of those who refuse to buy from the trust, according to Collins' statement, and the outsider is soon driven from business by cut prices, or he is forced off his zoute if he is a meat jobber. S R A ZLives Lost on Steam Vess WASHINGTON, D. C., Dec. 4.—Super- vising 1nspector-General Dumont reports that during last year 221 persons lost their lives on steam vessels out of 600,000 pas- sengers carried. This is a decrease in loss of liie of 173 persons from the year before. NEW TO-DAY Physical Manhood This is the age of physical perfection. It is also the age of physical weakness. While one man avails himseli of every op- portunity todevelop and expand his manly vigor, another 1s passing his chances to improve bis mind and body and easily falis into the excesses which are always in his path to thedestruction of his vital powers. “The Belt which I bought of you six months ago has entirely cured me of Nervous Debil- ity and Kidney If you are in doubt read Dr. S8anden’s gealed, by mail. Office hours—8 A. M. to 6 P. M. 204 South Broadway; Portland, Or., 253 NOTE,—; oubles. Ifeel better now than I ever did before in my life, as it has made a new man of me. I will gladly recommend your Belt, as it surely does all you claim for it writes Paul Walterstein, Visalia, Cal., November 24, 1896. Every man knows himself. He knows where he is weak. Knowing it, if he is just to himself he will try to recover the vital power he has wasted. “It is worth its weight in gold to me,” says Robert Kittles of East Sound. Wash. L) book, “Three Classes of Men.” It is free, A personal call may save you years of misery. 1f you cannot call send for the book with full particulars, free. Call or address SANDEN ELEBECTRIC CO., 632 MARKET ST., OPPOSITE PALACE HOTEL, SAN FRANCISCO. ; evenings, 7 to 8:30; Sundays, 10 to 1. Los ashington street. Consultati ake no mistake in the -nmbcr—e‘éoa Mark Shon tos Angeles Office, iy and invited. There is no doubt in the minds of buyers of Boys’ Fine Clothing about the quality, fit and finish of our garments—nothing to guess at. We do not give you back half your mone: either, but we give you better values for less money than other firms who promise so much and do so little. This week best Double-Seat-and-Knee Boys’ Suits, all wool, extra value, $3 75. All-Wool Cape Overcoats in the latest plaids for boys 214 to 6. Worth $5 and $6. Are selling rapidly at §350. Don’t delay, House Coats, Gowns, Bath Robes, Trav- eling Rugs, right in season. Low prices. Entrance, 3 Eddy Street. The Power To Cure Distase! Curing disease is an accurate scienee with the physicians of the State Electros Medical Institute. Their method of treat« ment is new, original and certain. It combines simultaneous!y the curative vir- tues of Medicine and Electricity in the treatment and care of diseases. The results are marvelous. It is merit that wins and cures that talk, and both of these can be found at the Institute. It you are sick or ailing come, get your disease diagnosed, and be cured. Diseases of the Heart, Brain and Nerves, Blood Diseases, Rheumatism, Catmreh Kidney Diseases, Throat Diseases. Stomach Diseases, Diseases of the Liver, Bowel Diseases, Eve Diseases, ¥ar Diseases, Diseases of Men, Diseases of Women An 1 Curable Diseases $5.00 Rate for All Diseases. X-RAY EXAMINATIONS, In the diagnosis and treatment of dis- eases the physicians in charge of the In- stitute have to aid them every modern de- vice known to the medical world, includ- ing the X-ray. The X-ray apparatus of the Institute is the largest and best ever brought to the Coast. Scientificexamina- tions are made for all by Doctor Vance with the X-ray, where such examinations are deemed beneficial. ELECTRICITY.—The electric ap- pliances of the Institute are of the best and include every known modern device for administering electric treatment. ELEGTRIG BELTS FROM $2.00 UP. Guaranteed to b2 squal to the Best Belts In the Markaet. The use of these belts will be recom- mended only when they are considered beneficial. DOCTOR W. KINGSTON VAYCE, THE GREAT LONDON SPECIALIST, Physician-in-chief of the Institute, is a graduate of some of the most famous medical colleges of tae old world, ana has had an extensive experience in many of the largest and most renowned hoepitals of Europe. His education and trainin are such as to make him peculiarly well qualified to successfully treat all patients who place themselves in his care. WRITE.—People out of the city can write a history of their case and they will be furnished full information regarding the Institute’s perfect system of home treatment. ST AT ELECTRO-MEDICAL INSTITUTE S8 EDDY STREHT, San Franc'sco, Cal. 'S THE VERY BEST (NE TO EXAM: your eyes and fit them to Spectacies and glasses with instruments of his own invention, SrpaEE Rl TS o due e merita 8f uy Otfice Hours—13 to & ». X% WILCOX COMPOUND ANSY®PILLS e meoione. ATl drogs Woman's. ILCOX MEDI= CINE C0., 22380, Elghth St., Philada., P&

Other pages from this issue: