The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, September 10, 1897, Page 1

VOLUME LXXXIE-NO} 102 ISCO., FRIDAY MORNING, SEPTEMBER 10, 1897. PRICE FIVE CENTS. FAILURE OF THE CROPS [V RELAND There Is Great Danger of Destitution Among the Farmers. GAUNT FAMINE NOW THREATENS. Eminent Ecclesiastics and British Statesmen Write on the Winter Outlook. THE NEED OF IMMEDIATE RELIEF. Harvest Prospects Are Dishearten- ing, While the Prices of Forelgn Flour and Meal Rise. NEW YORK, N. Sept. 9.—A special to the World from London says: he World correspondent has obts the | following important statements from emi- nent Irish ecclesiastics and British states- the winter outlook d. ogan, Viceroy of Irel sterial view, and th n opinion to the W n on e universal cry of | parts of Ireland. shop Croke, one of the most illus- trious and venerated members of the Irish hierarchy, speaks with the excep- tional kno ience, while the diocesan B 2oss, Clonfert Ga those most acately | te the harvest. | W an ssed Knowi- e i ions resides in congested distri in cted the following the World: 2, IRELAND, Sept. 4 be L-rd Licu- | hat the reports i : characterize as most alarming i the predictions of famine in Ireland mention are in his Excellency’s opin- fiable. Davip HarreLr, Under Dublin Castle.” 00D, Lyxpurrst, Sept. 8.— read with deep concern the disas- account of the condition of cropsin Ireland. The short supply of wheat in Eorope has already seriously roised the e of bread. I have never been able to prehend the point of view of those ho regard high prices and dear food asa blessing, marking it as & condition of gs wh presses most severely on ses of the community who are least to bear it, and vet there are people ) desire to aggravate thenclemency of e seasons by the production of an artifi- rise in the 15t be the case) the price of corn is amended by the corre- sponding increase in the rate of wages. The consequence of a failure of the food supply has its most painful illustration in the case of Lreiand, where so large a por- tion of the population constantiy live on the verge of destitution. If, as you in- form me, the enhanced price of corn is at- tended by the iailure of the potato crop in Ireland, a situation wil! arise which will demand the anxious attention of the Government. ‘W. H. HARrCOURT.” e Worid's special inquiries insti- tuted throughout Ireland fuliy corrobo- 1ing predictions cabled Sat- urday of the failure of the harvest and consequent impending famine The s of warning to the Government aris- ing in the crescendo scale from all parts of Ireland are not confined, as in former years of distress, to the congested districts on the western ground. ““The very early hay crop was saved fairly well, but on later meadows, bearing the most of the crop in this district, it was ossible to save the hay. One of the most industrious farmers in the arch. diocese wrote: ‘My hay hasbeen cut four weeks. I have not had two consecutive fine days since, and most of the crop will have to be taken to the dungpit.’ Barley and oats are ruined by the wet. Much of this plentiful crop is unsalable, and, with the serious rise in the price of bread, I have the gravest apprehension for the coming winter. T. W. CROKE «Archbishop of Cashel and Emly MOUNT ST. MARYS, GALwWAY, Sept. 6 “The harvest prospects of this diocese are really disheariening. Spring seeds were into the soil at a late period in the n owing to the continued rainsand e consequent moisture of the land, and 1 now predict that the late planting 1s very seriously injured by the exceptional rainfall. The August cereal crop lacks the ripening sunshine, and the potato crop, the staple food mainstay of the small fermer, is in many districts an ap- palling failure. Tubers are small and e scarcely the solidity of the turnip, | so sodden have they become in their wet beds of clay., Oa the whole, I rezard the outloox as very gloomy. Iapprehendthe advent of a famine in the diocese during the winter approaching. | “F. J. MacCORMACK, | “Bishop of Galway and Kilmacduazh.” “MOUNT ST. BERNARD, BALLINSALOE, Sept. 6.—The prospects of the coming year are very bad. 1 have seen nothing Worse in this diocese of Clonfort for the last thirteen years. Even sound potatoes are small and soft. So far as I have heard in the best situations the half-crop of oats has been laid prostrate by th_e storms, and in msny cases the grain is half rotten. A great quantity bas been rate the al im how far (as we are confidently as- | destroyed by the floods. Much wheat re- meins discolored ana unwholesome. We are all very anxious about the winter | % ARRIVAL AT VISALIA of the First Passenger Train Over the San Joaquin Valley Railway. months. We fear the worst may happen. I am unwilling to be an alarmist, Lut | merely state what I have seen with my from all the neighbors. Good weather even now would greatly belp the crops, but much of the damage is *Jouy HEALY, Bishop sfort. “PALACE SKIBBERE ¢ oUNTY Corg, Sept. 6.—Potatoes are wortuless, grain is ruined and the outlook is dis- wal. Dexvis KELLY, Bishop of Ross.” “MALLO COTTAGE, W ks County Mayo, Sept. 6.—We are dr.fiing ineviiably towsrd a great fumine in the west. Every day deepens ihe people’s gloom and alarm. To-day again the tem- perature 1s down to 17 centigrade and crops are socaking in the cold rain. Yes- terday was a dry interv, Men and wowmen worked in the fields up to m:d- night tuatcking haycocks and reaping oats. To-day again the wintry sleet makes the work impossible, and crops are abandoned to their fate. Potatoes are a most wholly gone throu:hout Connaug Tubers are scarce and miserably sma.l Even these are blackening daily to such an extent that the people are digging them in an immature condition ana seil- ing them. *‘In ordinary vears potato-digging does not begin until October; now half the peasants’ potato-fie'ds are already ex- bausted simply for daily food or to save them from the ravages of the blight by taking them to market. An entire ridge sometimes has to be dug out for the | family’s dinner. Potatoes were only two- pence a stone last vear. At Westport they are now fivepence and sixpence a stone. The native foou supply will be ex- haustea in November. The most calami- tous feature of it all is the rise in the » ! foreign flonr. For the last five yea:s American flour was almost as cheap as Indian meal ana had become a staple food for the people from Christmas to bar- vest. Flour which was 14 pence per stone is now 22 pence and threatens to go higher still. Indian meal, the last re- source of the starving people, advanced from sixpence to eightpence a stone. “It is impossible to exaggerate the dan- ger of absolute famine in districts like this. Already scourged by the potato failure, sunk to the lips in debt of shop- keepers and banks, if the landlords enforce the full rents this winter the last resources for purchasing provisions will be gone, and nothing but widespread Government relief can avail to avert starvation. The people are crazed with despair and disor- gan'zation. The emergency is incontesti- bly graver than in the Land Lrague vear | 0, when it took the La:.d League | of revolution and a million and a balf ster- ling of charitable funds to cope with the danger. This time nothing can save the people but universal uprising against the rack rents and immediate measures for Government relief. WiLrLiam O'BRIEN.” Father Deshon’s Promotion. NEW YORK, N. Y., Sept. 9.—Rev. George Deshon was elected to-day <uperior reneral of the Missionary Society of St. Paul the Apostle, in the State of New York, known throughout the land as the Commun ity of the Panlist Fathers, as the successor to the lale Verv Rev. Augusiine F. Hewit. Father Deshon is the last sur- vivirg mem ber ot the original founders of the community. ie was born in New London, Conn., seventy-five years ago. In his youth he attended the West Point Mil- itury Academy, where he was the room- miate of General Grant, Father Deshon's term of office is nine years. g Fictorin Greatly Pleased. LONDON, ExG., Sept. 9.—The Queen has written the following letter to Earl Cadogan, the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, with reference to the recent visit of the Duke and Duchess of York: m greatly pleased 1o bear of the very loyal and kind reception which my dear czrandchildren me: with everywhere in Ir d, and I would ask you to let this expression of mine be generally known.” | own eyes and heard with my own ears, | | Fire Breaks Out in the Shattered | | i | | to the Herald from Buenos Ayres say FATAL WRECK = | I COLORADL Collision Between Two | Fast Trains Near New Castle. Forty Human Beings Reported to Be Mixed in a Burning Mass. Cars and S=veral Persons Prob- ably Burned to Death. | DENVER, Covro., Sept. 10.—A special to | the News from New Castle, Colo., says: Rio Grande passenger train 1, runaing bour late, collided with a Midlana stock extra, one and a half miles west of New Castle. Both encines are a total wreck. There are in all probability forty human beings | in the burning mass. Shertly after the collision occurred the baggage-car, day coach, smoker and the tourist sleeper caught fire, while one Puii- one man and a special car irom the Hannibal and dt. Joseph Railroad remained on the track. The number of lives lost cannot be as- certained at this hour. The fault is said to lie with the train crew of the stock extra. 3 A. Mm.—At the offices of the Denver and Rio Grande in this city only meager de- tails of the New Castle wreck have been received. It is said that tne killed and seriously wounded will reach fully a dozen and may be more. The wreck is on fire and it is feared several persons have been burned to death- TROOFPS BLGWN UP BY FANATICS. Whoie Companies of Brazilian Regu- lars Perished in the Engage- ment at Canudos. NEW YORK, N. Y., Sept. 9.—A special “] am advised by the Herald’s correspon- dent in Rio Janeiro, Brazil, that word reached that ey to ihe effect that whole companies of Brazilian troops were de- stroyed in the last engagement with the fanatic: at Canudos. The rebels used dynamite with great effect when the Government troops ap- prosctied to attack and great nambers of soidiers were killea by explosions. They now occupy impregnable positions at Canuavs, and the Government troops are helpless. General Oscar, who is in command of the troops, will suggest to the Minister of War of Brazil that Canudcs be besieged and the lanatics driven out by hunger. —— Frederickson Under Ary OGDEN, Urag, Sept. 9.—Louis J. Fred- | erickson, who dJeparted from San Jose with his year-old son about a month ago after a disagreement with wife, and who was followed bere by his wife, was arrested to night after a - eneral row, charged wilh as It and bat.ery upon Mrs. Frederickson. Mrs. Frederickson | Polish wanted to see the child and he refused, finally beating her. LABOR UNIONS AND THE, LAWS Measures for Protection Before the Birming- ham Congress. Employment of Children in Factories the Cause of Vigorous Protest. Declared Time for. Great Britaln to Cease Bulilding Its Empire on the Hearts of Little Ones. BIRMINGHAM, E: Sept. 9 —The | Trades Uniou Congre:s to-day adovted a resolution recommending all societies affiliated with the congress to by all means possible restrict or abolish over- time in their respective trades. 3 The following resolution was then passed: ““That this congress is of the opinion that the law, as it relates to in- timidations during strikes or lockouts, is unfair and unjust, as it punishes by fines or imprisonment any worker judged guil- ty of assauliing or preventing through fear another worker from working, while allowing employers te biacklist employes or to discharge or obtain the di-charge of workers who may have been or strike or locked out, thus intimidating workers from pursuing their lawful employment.” The parliamentary commitiee of the conzress was instructed to at once move to extend the law in the requisite direc- tion. The employment of children in factories ave rise to considerable discussion. The ‘ational Upiun of Gas Workers and Gen- eral Laborers introduced the following resolution on the subject: Considering that the employment of chil- dren in factorfes and workshops and on board river d canal craft,and their consequent exploitation by capitalists, is injurious to the children, unjust’ to their parents and & crime against the human race; considering the in- famous fact that the caildren of the working classes have not the same opportunities of the classroom and the flnylng ground as the chil- dren of the capitalist class; considering that inrthis connection Great Britain is behind other countries; considering that unkappy parents, under &n unhappy system, arc actu- ally willing, and even anxious, to have their children torn from schoolanuhurled into the factory—this congress isof the opinion that the time has come for Great Britain to ceunse building 1ts emp.re on cuildren’s hearts, 10 give up coining its wealth out of childre wasted I1ves, and hereby instiuct the parli mentary committee to demand as a minimum irom the Government: (a) The aboiition of child labor under the age of 15. (3) O1 all night labor under the age of 18. This resalution wasjopposed by the dele- gates who represented textile workers. They declared thatif the age at which a child could be legaily employed was raised to 15 years the chiidren would never be- come efficient at their trades. The resolution was adopted by a vote of 595,000 to 574.000 of the unionists repre- sented by their delegates at the conven- tion. Dea h of Franz Pulaski. BUDAPEST, HUNGARY, Sept. 9.—Franz Pulaski, the arch ®oiogist, is dead. He was born in 1814, came of an old family of immigrants, accompanied Kos- suth. to America and foughi with Gari- baldi in Italy. In collaboration with his wife be wrote a book on his American ex- periences entitied, **White, Red, Black." s MR William Decorates Crespo. BERLIN, GErMANY, Sept. 9.—Emiperor ‘William has decorated President Crespo of Venezuela with the orde: of the Red Eagle. 4 SALE OF THE ONION PAGIFIC Senator Harris Confers With Attorney-Gen- eral McKenna. An Appeal From the Omaha Decision Would Give Con- gress Time to Act. Bellef That the Sinking Fund of the Unlon and Central Pacific Is Shor: $2,000,000. WASHINGTON, D. C., Sept. 9.—Senator | Harris of Kansas, who takes a deep inter- est in the question of the sale of the Union Pacitic Railroad, had atslk with Attorney- General McKenna thismorning. The sit- uation was gone cver fully. The matter of an appeal from the decree of the court at Omaha ordering the sale of the Union Pacific was ta.ked about, but Senator Har- ris declined to say what had passed. The Attorney-General informed him, as he has all others, that he has the question of an appeal under consideration, but has not decided what he will do. Senator Harris expressed the belief to THE CALL corresponaent that the sinking fund of the Union and Central Pacific railroads in the hands of the Government is short in the neighborhood of $2,000,000 by the psyment of subsidies by these roads to the Pacific Mail steamship line, operated and controlled by the same men. These subsidies were charged to the op- erating ex;enses of the roads and the amounts did not go to the net income, from which 25 per centis taken 10 cover inio the sinking fund. Becretarv Lamar called attention to this in 1885, and rec- ommended that something be done. Tue subsidies have been going on ever since. Senator Harris Lopes that the Attorney- General will take the appeal, as that will give time for Congress to express its opinion. The Senator does not know whether the House would pass a resoiu- tion disapproving of the sale of the road under the proposition of the reorganiza- tion commitice. He does believe, how- ever, that such a resolution would pass the Senate. This, he thinks, would have the effect of checking the vrojccis of the reorzanization commiitee. “If the sale of the road is prevented,” said Senator Harris, ‘‘the plain duty of the Government is to take the road and operate it. I fully believe that if the Government would undertake this the railroad peopie would then see ihat busi- ness was meant and would pay the full smount due the Government. All they need is to be shown that ithe Government does not propose to be defrauded of what is due it. 'ne law fully directs this. Under the law there is only the course of forieiture on default or to take po-session.”’ Senator Harris was asked if he thought it probable that the Presiden: and his Cabinet wa'd consider the matter before an' Wtaken. %:I;ug I donot know, '"the Senator t the matter is grave enough for thePresident to give it the most serious considerat.on.” Attorney-General McKenna will reach no conclusion as to an appeal for some time. It is probable that he will lay the matter before the Pres.dent and Cavinet, as there are numerous important ques- tions to be considered besices that oi an appeal. Wilt Go to Baden Baden. BERLIN, GErMANY, Sept. 9.—As soon as Kin. Humber( leaves Germany, Prince Houenlebe, the Chanceilor, will go to Buden Baden. State business calls him to return, GHODLS DELVE [N THE WRECK Mail Sacks and Baggage of Victims Boldly Plundered. One Fiend Tries to Snatch a Diamond From the Breast of an Injured Man. Is Now Certain Twelve Were Killed and Fourteen Wounded by the Disaster. 1t EMPORIA, Kaws.,, Sept. 9 —Eleven known dead, one missing (prohably in- cinerated), and fourteen injured, two of whom will likely die, is the record of the terribie head-on collision on the Santa Fe, as known to-night. The first lists were mixed because of the confusion attending the wreck, and all day names on the list of injured have been transferred to that of the aead. Even to-night it is not W:\- tively known that the list given is com- plete, as it is believed that several were burned to death and nothing left by which thev could be recognized. The bodies of eleven have been taken from the debris, three burned "heyond recogni- tion. William Frisbee of Topeka. engineer of the eastbound fast mail, who was last night reported among theinjured, expired during the day, and Michael McGlade and R. A. Doran, postal clerks, were found to have been wrongly placed in the list of injured. Nothing could be found of the remains of Wells-Fargo express messen- ger, J. F. Sduer. A bandiul of charred bones taken from the wreck, however, are supposed to be his. Near them was iound his watch. The dead: Michael McGlade, Kansas City, postal clerk. J. F. Sauer, Kansas City, Wells-Fargo eXpress messenger. John Snirley, Topeka, fireman. R. A. Doran, Emporia, postal clerk. Nate Hollister, Topeka, fireman. James Brennan, Topeka, engineer. C. W. Van Cleve, brakeman. Ben Walters, St. Josepn, lireman. — Gonzales, fireman. Dan McKernan, a tramp. An unknown tramp. Fowler, a farmer of Missing: Harvey Ewmporia. The injured: J. M. Bell, Florence, hip bruised; Alexander Ferguson, Kansas City, conductor on No. 1, hip burt; Claude Holliday of Lawrence, express messenger, legs broken, will die; Jobn Dagan, To- peka, face maimed; J. T. Butler, County Attorney of Chase County, hip broken, may die; William F. Jones, Kansas City, leg and arms proken; H. P. Melick of Atchison, badly bruised; Phil Schier, ex- press messenger, Kansas _Clity, hips crushed; William Putrick, Phnsas City, leg and arib broken; C. D. Adams, City of Mexico, painfully bruised; Mike Sweeny, Gainesville, Tex., back hurt; R. 0. McGre of Kansas Ci postal Clerk: E. C. Fletcher, Kansas City, postal clerk; Wil- lham Frisbee, encineer, Topeka, both legs broken, may die. Human ghouls delved in the burnin wreckage and plundered the baggage an mail sacks which strewed the ground. One tried to snatch a diamond from the breast of an Emporia doctor, who, weak and nervou-, was creening slowiy out of the debris. He had strength enough left to hit the brute a blow 1in the face which made bim turn with a curse and sueak away. Mailsacks were dragged into the cornfield and rifled. VISALIA NOW O THE MAP" Close of Monopoly’s Rule Welcomed by a Populace. FIRST VALLEY ROAD TRAIN. Cheering Thousands Greet Its Arrival Over the New Railway. PROSPERITY TO THE CITY. BRINGS From Dawn Until Midnight Joy Is Attested In a Merry Revel. VISALIA, CAv., Sept. 9.—The San Fran cisco and San Joaquin Valley Railroad is now in Visalia. The firsu train arrived from Fresno to-day at 11 o’clock with twenty-five passenger-cars. Hereafter Vi- salia, which has been a station off the main line of the Southern Pacitic, will be one of the vprincipal stations on the torough line of the Valley Raiiroad. For some time to come it will be one ot the southern termini of the road. In thelan- guage of the people of the town, “Visalia is on the map.” The day has been one of extraordinary . rejoicing. Visalia had putitseif en fete for the occasion and it celebrated it with a vim and a spontaneity that surprised itself. Admission day had been se: apart by the officials of the railroad at tie request of the citizens of the town and vicinity for the celebration of its compietion to this point, and it had been arrangéd that the first train to enter the city showid bea holiday special. Preparations had been in progress for several weeks and bpro- posed observances had been widely adver- tised. Reedley, Del Rio Rey and Parliers station, which had not he d independent celebrations of the advent of the railroad to their respective localitics, joined with Visalia in the preparations. Inasmuch as tuis section of the Sam Joaquin country has been without a direct rail road for more than tweniy years, the final comple:ion of a through line is the be- ginning of a new era to the inhabitants. Throughout the day people have 1one their best to impress the importance of the occasion upon their visitors. The town has been thronged until the capa- cious streets have been scarcely passable. Ten thousand, including Visalia’s own in- habitants, is not an excessive estimate of the number of people who have partici- pated in the day’s entertainments. It bas been a pleasant coincidence that this was the payday of the Valley Rail- road. Twenty thousand dollars was dis- tributed along the road scuth of Fresno, and of this amount Visalia got by far the larger share. Mapy monthly paydays when similar amounts will be disbursed are anticipated by the local population. Public parades, bail games, athletic sports, band concerts, speeches and a grand ball have been the features of the celebration. The officers of the Valley road have honored the town by their presence in return for the honor done to the railroad by the town, and congratula- tions have been reciprocal. The officers were received in a manner to excite the enmity of all builders of public works, and every detail of their reception was as spontaneous as if the officers had been old frierds returning to a family home. They were at liberty to express their own choice of entertainment. No accidents cccurred during the day. Good nature was zt the top, and sobriety fooled its more boistercus associate by hiding the drunken man in the crowd. Mayor W. H. Hammond, Judge Gray, Banker Adams, all the city and county officials, the well-known business men of the city, the lawyers and all others join in transmitting through THE CALL their most cordial greetings to the balance of California, and wish to all fellow-citizens in their respective abodes the good tor- tune, at an early date, of a competing railroad. Beginning to-morrow the Valley Rail- road will have a daily train service be- tween Freano and Visalia, arriving at and departing from Visalia in the noon hour. There will also be a fieight train, which will carry passenzers who desire to leave early in the morning or to arrive late in the afternoon. The fare to Fresno will be $1 25, to Stock'on $4 85 and to Sar Fran- cisco $5. The latter fare is less than that of the Southern Pacificc The painful transfer at Goshen or Tulare is done away with, and the Southern Pacific need no longer gouge the unlucky traveler to the extent of 50 cents for a ride of seven miles. The commercial valueofthe newim- provement in railway connections is too great to be computed. The benefits have been felt at this early date in an access of new business propositions. Simultane- ously with to-day’s celebration certain portions of the main street have been blocked with building muterial for new buildings and alterations in old ones. The railroad with its great first train arrived this morning an bour later than schedule iime, but nearly half again as full of people as had been anticipated. On starting from Fresno at 7:58 o’clock in the morning 1t had been 1intended to run through to Visalia in two hours and carry only 1400 passengers, but at every stop from Fresno sontuward the crowd of men, women and children not on'y eager but determined to ge! to Visalia was so great that the origincl intentions were aban- doned and everybody was allowed on board. At Del Rio Rey and Parliers deco- rated cars were 1n waiting to be taken on to the train, and these had to be coupled|